Why would you live in the Jewellery Quarter?
Once the centre of the UK’s jewellery making sector, this area is now much more than just the place to buy diamonds and high-end designer watches.
This historic part of the city has in recent years become a fairly hip and trendy place to live. And as it is still classed as up and coming, there are plenty of relatively affordable places to rent or buy.
The area dates back more than 250 years and is a designated conservation area that boasts the only Georgian square in the city, St Paul’s Square, the centre of which is St Paul’s Church, a Grade I listed building known as the Jewellers’ Church.
What’s been happening lately?
An area of more than 200 listed buildings, it has undergone a transformation over the past ten years, becoming a place where you not only work, but where you also live and play.
And it’s hard to miss all the residential development work that has been going on in the Quarter, with restorations of former factories and new builds adding further lustre to the area.
These include the £14.5 million Badge Works opened in 2014, creating a series of townhouses and apartments in Tenby Street; Kettle Works in Icknield Street, which will be a complex with 550 apartments; and the second phase of The Quarter in Warstone Lane was bought by Delph Properties for £16 million.
Popular with single professionals and couples, it’s also attracting families who want to take advantage of a villagey feel in the city centre.
So what is the attraction of the JQ?
The Church Inn in Great Hampton Street is a popular pub in the area
Tina Francis, a tapestry maker who has lived and worked in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter for the past two years, said she enjoyed the city living with a community feel.
“Living in an area where making happens is important to me,” she said.
Before returning to Birmingham, she lived in Brighton, where she ran the Central Trail for Artists Open Houses, a festival that takes place every May.
Last year, she organised the first Jewellery Quarter Open Studios with the support of Jewellery Quarter BID [Business Improvement District], which saw more than open studios, workshops, heritage venues and a brewery open up for a weekend.
“That’s what I like about the Jewellery Quarter if you have an idea it’s possible to get it working quickly.”
She is now developing plans for this year’s event, which takes place on July 23 and 24.
IT consultant Brian Simpson moved to Birmingham from Northamptonshire with partner Mark 12 years ago and fell in love with the JQ.
“Initially we moved to Birmingham and rented,” said the 57-year-old. “We spent 18 months looking to buy all over Birmingham. It just happened that we rented in the JQ and during these 18 months we fell in love with the area.”
When they first moved to George Street, the JQ had about 3,000 residents; there are now nearly 7,000 residents and that figure is expected to rise further to about 10,000 by 2020.
“We saw that the area was on a ‘tipping point’,” explained Brian, who lives in Fleet Street and also has an office in the Jewellery Business Centre, on Spencer Street.
“New independent businesses were opening up all over the JQ, as well as new bars, restaurants and coffee shops. We can walk to the city centre in only 10 minutes and we’re in easy reach of Centenary Square. Basically – location, location, location!”
Brian is behind the MyJQ Twitter account, which has about 17,000 followers, and he’s also a trustee of the Blue Orange Theatre in Great Hampton Street, as well as a supporter of the Birmingham Conservation Trust based in the Coffin Works.
“I have become quite involved in the JQ community,” he said. “There is fascinating history and heritage on every street. There is an eclectic range of architecture, which include over 200 listed buildings, and some real modern eye sores.”
Jodie Cook, managing director of JC Social Media Ltd, lives in Newhall Street with husband Ben.
She says: “I love living in the Jewellery Quarter because of its greenery and independent coffee shops – especially now Urban Coffee does Sunday roasts! The JQ also has excellent sporting facilities – I train at MSC Performance and love bouldering at Birmingham Bouldering Centre.”
Where to eat, drink and have fun
If you love dining out, there are more than 30 restaurants in the JQ, including Anderson’s Bar & Grill, Pasta Di Piazza, Lasan, Fleet Street Kitchen,Two Cats Kitchen and the recently opened St Paul’s House hotel.
You’ll never want for a pint in the JQ. Favourite haunts include The Church, known for its superb food; The Lord Clifden , voted Best Entertainment Pub 2015 and is a venue that is known for its urban art collection; Actress and Bishop, The Shakespeare Inn and Rose Villa Tavern.
The Two Cats restaurant in Warstone Lane
Our guide to a Jewellery Quarter pub crawl in Birmingham
If it is coffee you are after, you’re never far away from a caramel macchiato in the Jewellery Quarter.
Independent coffee shops include Urban Coffee, Pomegranate, Saint Kitchen, and Eight Foot Grocer – a little independent store that serves food, coffee as well as deli items. There is also the delicious looking chocolate shop The Chocolate Quarter , which is worth a look if you have a sweet tooth.
If cocktails are your thing, tantalise your tastebuds at the JQ’s many bars, including Vertu, The Vaults, and the newly opened gin joint 40 St Paul’s.
Catch a bit of culture?
You can also dance the night away at The Jam House, see performances at the independent Blue Orange Theatre, and view plays and art projects at Stan’s Café Theatre.
Spend a day wandering around the RBSA art gallery, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Pen Museum, Coffin Works , Wonderful World of Trains and Planes.
Schools
Although there are no primary schools within the Jewellery Quarter zone, Brookfield Primary is in Hockley, on the edge of the Quarter. Its last Ofsted in December 2013 rated the school as Good.
There is also Nelson Primary School, Ladywood, which was graded as Good in April 2015; and St Edmund’s Catholic School, Springhill, which was also given a Good rating by Ofsted in its last inspection in May 2014.
The JQ has two secondary schools – Perry Beeches II, in Newhall Street, which opened in September 2012, and Perry Beeches IV, in Albion Street, which opened in September 2014. They are both free schools.
How much will it cost to live here?
House price stats for 2015 in the quarter went from £66k for a studio in St Paul’s Square to £690k or a loft designed by Javelin Block in Viceroy House.
There is a real mix of housing here, although it is probably more suited to individual renters or couples than families with the majority of homes being apartments. As a lot of the new developments have been created out of former factory buildings, you can expect bags of character with some of the high end places offering spacious kitchens and balconies.
