Birmingham Town Hall over the last decade or so

The Birmingham Town Hall has seen many changes around it in Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square over the decades and centuries since it was built. Originally built from 1832-34. Renovated from 1996 -2008. Chamberlain Square closed in 2015 when Paradise started, while the Iron:Man was removed from Victoria Square in 2017 for the Metro extension. Town Hall Tram Stop opened in late 2019.

Birmingham Town Hall

Click here for the official website for Town Hall Symphony Hall. Both venues are closed during the lockdown, until the Government says it is safe enough for venues like that to reopen.

Birmingham Town Hall was opened in 1834 as Concert venue and used for popular assemblies. Built between 1832 and 1834, the architects were Joseph Hansom & Edward Welch. The hall closed in 1996. And refurbishment works took place between 2002 and 2008. It reopened in 2007.

Originally built as the home of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival (which was established in 1784), it was built on a site on Paradise Street. A design competition was held at the time. 67 designs were submitted including one by Charles Barry, whose King Edward's School on New Street was being built at the time. But the winners was Joseph Hansom (who created the Hansom cab) and Edward Welch. It was one of the first examples of 19th Century revival Roman Architecture. It's design was similar to the Temple of Castor and Pollux in the Roman Forum.

After it opened, Charles Dickens gave a reading of one of his books. It was also the home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1918 until they moved to Symphony Hall in 1991.

In 1902 for the Coronation of Edward VII and 1937 for the Coronation of George VI, the hall was decorated to celebrate both events.

Popular music bands in the 1960s and '70s have also performed here.

It closed in 1996 for a refurbishment programme under Wates Construction. It wouldn't reopen again until 2007. Being hidden by scaffolding and hoardings for most of that time. During the 2000s, the BBC Big Screen was in Chamberlain Square next to the Town Hall, until it was later moved into Victoria Square.

 

My first photos of the Town Hall was taken during April 2009 from Chamberlain Square. This was when I started to take photos around Birmingham. This view to the right of the Chamberlain Memorial. This was also where the BBC Big Screen used to be until abou 2007.

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There used to be steps around Chamberlain Square near the Central Library, which was where I got this view from. People used to sit on the steps.

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This view from Chamberlain Square looking into Victoria Square. It does look like it comes from Rome or even Athens!

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Paradise Circus Queensway used to go past the Town Hall under a tunnel below the Central Library, joining up at Paradise Street. This view from the platform above the tunnel.

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The following views were taken during June 2009 from Paradise Street and Paradise Circus Queensway. The view into Chamberlain Square with the Central Library and Chamberlain Memorial.

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There used to be bus stops outside the Town Hall. The no 1 to Acocks Green via Five Ways, Edgbaston and Moseley used to stop here. But they moved it back to Broad Street. Today the no 1 bus starts on Calthorpe Road near Five Ways in Edgbaston.

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A view slightly further back on Paradise Street. A few years after the refurbishment was completed it was looking as good as new. It really does look like a free-standing Corinthian temple.

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In early May 2011, there was Union Jack bunting in Victoria Square around the time that the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge tied the knot. It has changed so much around here since there was a pair of red phone boxes, and all those bollards.

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Prince William and Catherine Middleton got married at the end of April 2011. So into the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, there was still a lot of bunting around Victoria Square. We have also lost these trees that were removed for the Westside Metro extension (which opened in late 2019).

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The Iron:Man by Anthony Gormley would remain in place until it was removed to storage for the building of the West Midlands Metro extension. Also to go in the years since was the bollards and trees.

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The Town Hall looked amazing in the sunshine with the blue sky.

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You can imagine it being in Rome.

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The side of the Town Hall seen from Paradise Street. At the time, a man was putting up adverts for Smurfit Kappa. They were going to celebrate their 150th anniversary at the Town Hall. This was near the end of May 2012.

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In December 2012, I got some nightshots of the Town Hall. This was before my works Xmas party, so had a walk around town before heading to the restaurant. This was the Paradise Street view.

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The view down on Paradise Street and Paradise Circus Queensway. The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market was on at the time in Victoria Square. Next I walked down Suffolk Street Queensway towards The Arcadian.

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In January 2013, it was snowing all over Birmingham. As I headed into Victoria Square, found the whole square covered in snow. Council workers had cleared a path through the snow to the right. Was trying to get to Cineworld on Broad Street (ended up having to see the film I wanted to see in Solihull days later).

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More snow in March 2018 in Victoria Square. This was during the weather event known as the Beast from the East. Was also during Storm Emma. Council workers were laying grit around the square. It was also when the World Indoor Athletics Championships was being held at Arena Birmingham. By this point, the Metro extension was under construction (to the far left).

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Temporary tarmac on the site of the Westside Metro extension during May 2019. You can just about see the Victoria Square sign on the right saying that it was opened by the Princess of Wales on the 6th of May 1993. One Chamberlain Square was also visible to the right of the Town Hall (behind the statue of Queen Victoria).

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By October 2019 it was all hands on deck to get the Metro extension completed by December 2019. The tracks and bricks were laid. They were also laying new steps around the Queen Victoria statue. Also to get things finished before the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market returned again in November 2019.

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In November 2019, West Midlands Metro tram 35 on a test run, stops at the new Birmingham Town Hall Tram Stop. Before going down Pinfold Street towards Grand Central Tram Stop. Behind is the Alpha Tower.

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Town Hall Tram Stop seen during December 2019, before it opened later that month. Behind the platform towards Centenary Square on Paradise Street.

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You can now get the tram the Town Hall. Luckily they opened this exension while the Birmingham FCM was on.

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A man looks up at the Town Hall. While hoardings block off the former route of Paradise Circus Queensway, towards Chamberlain Square.

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A new view of Chamberlain Square towards Two and One Chamberlain Square, with the Chamberlain Memorial, BM & AG and the Town Hall all that survives from the 19th and 20th centuries.

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For the first time in December 2019, you could see two trams (29 and 22) next to the Town Hall. Perhaps for the first time since the old tram network closed down in the 1950s. You can also see Big Brum at BM & AG from this view on Paradise Street.

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West Midlands Metro tram 29 was seen heading towards Wolverhampton. This extension opened in the last few weeks of 2019, so people could use it to go to the Birmingham FCM at the time. These scenes remind me of the Nottingham Express Transit that goes past the Nottingham Council House (saw that back in 2014).

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A few more views into early 2020. This was in Victoria Square during January 2020. All the new paving around the square was complete. Apart from what they would do in the months ahead. This was around halfway into the month. The view towards the Alpha Tower down Paradise Street.

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Late January 2020 and West Midlands Metro tram 35 arrives at Town Hall Tram Stop, before heading to Library Tram Stop. This was something you couldn't have imagined 10 years ago! There was barriers in front of the Town Hall to the right in Victoria Square, so the new paving was far from finished.

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My last tram photo outside of the Town Hall was taken during early March 2020. It was tram 19 (taken on my Smartphone camera). This was the last time I saw a tram at Town Hall Tram Stop before the lockdown.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.