Digbeth
Digbeth is the old industrial district just east of Birmingham city centre, now the city's creative quarter of studios, music venues, street food and street art, centred on the Custard Factory. Its Victorian factories, railway viaducts and canal wharves were left behind as industry moved out, and artists and small businesses moved in.
In practice
The Custard Factory is the former works of Bird's, the company whose founder, Alfred Bird, invented egg-free custard powder in Birmingham in the nineteenth century; it now houses offices, shops and studios. Around it are nightclubs, gig venues, food halls, independent breweries and walls of murals. The area's industrial streets are often used for filming, including period dramas. Large redevelopment projects and the planned HS2 terminus at nearby Curzon Street are bringing new offices and flats.
Why it matters to newcomers
Digbeth is where Birmingham's start-ups, creatives and night-time economy meet, and where many networking and cultural events happen. It is a short walk from the Bullring and the stations, and busy at weekends.
Related
- Bull Ring - the shopping centre a few minutes away
- Peaky Blinders - the series whose world Digbeth's streets recall
- Jewellery Quarter - the other reborn industrial district
Source: Birmingham City Council.