A look around the Chinese Quarter over the years around Ladywell Walk and Hurst Street

The Chinese Quarter in Birmingham's Southside, has been based in the area around Ladywell Walk and Hurst Street for well over 30 years now. The area stretches from Dudley Street and Pershore Street in the east towards Bristol Street in the west. But the main area is around The Arcadian with all the Chinese Restaurants and shops nearby. Southside now stretches up to Station Street.

The Chinese Quarter in Birmingham is located in the City's Southside area. Mainly around Pershore Street, Ladywell Walk and Hurst Street, with The Arcadian in the centre. Many of the buildings are Chinese owned, having been established here since the 1960s. It was recognised as the Chinese Quarter during the 1980s. Many of the buildings have Chinese style roofs and wall murals.

 

Ladywell Walk

These views of Ladywell Walk were taken during January 2011, just before Chinese New Year.

The Mapstone building on the corner of Ladywell Walk and Wrottesley Street. Various restaurants and establishments are located in this building. Malaysian Delight is located on the corner. Next door to that on Ladywell Walk, was The Village Cafe. They had Singapore, Malaysian, Thai & Chinese Cuisine. Since 2016 this has been Look In Takeaway Restaurant. On Wrottesley Street is Bambu, which is a nightclub.

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This is Chung Ying - Cantonese Restaurant. They were established in 1981 on Thorp Street. Located at 16-18 Wrottesley Street. This restaurant is known as Chung Ying Cantonese. They also have another restaurant on Colmore Row called Chung Ying Central.

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Next up near the car park is China Court Restaurant and Legs 11. China Court is at 24 Ladywell Walk. Legs 11 is now Stories Nightclub and this is at 30 Ladywell Walk.

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View of the entrance to China Court Cantonese Restaurant.

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Close up to what used to be Legs 11. United Travel used to be on the left. For many years that has been United Travel Alliance.

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A close up look at what used to be Legs 11. In more recent years this has been Stories Nightclub.

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At the far end near Dudley Street used to be CC Karaoke. From 2014 this was then CCK Lounge. But they still did karaoke. It is now the Royal 1 Club.

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The main entrance to The Arcadian from the corner of Pershore Street and Ladywell Walk, seen during January 2011. The Chinese Lanterns were in place at the time just before Chinese New Year. You can either walk straight in, or use (as I have done many times) the steps to go up to or down from the upper level. The path / road this way is called Cathay Street.

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By January 2017 this entrance to Cathay Street had been completely redesigned. These red Chinese shutters / gates had been added. To the left is New Sum Ye Chinese Restaurant, and Day In Oriental Supermarket is to the right. The entrance still looks like this now.

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This is how the Ladywell Walk entrance to The Arcadian looked like during April 2012. If you enter this entrance, the path is called Ladywell Way. The French restaurant Le Truc used to be to the left, but the unit has been vacant for quite some time. In recent years, this archway has long since gone.

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Seen in December 2012 at the corner of Pershore Street and Ladywell Walk at night was the Day In Supermarket at The Arcadian. This was before the top of Hurst Street was closed off to traffic at Smallbrook Queensway, so it was very busy with all the cars during the evening rush hour.

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This view of Ladywell Walk was during February 2013 with the Chinese Lanterns out for Chinese New Year. The Arcadian is the left and the Mapstone building to the right. Straight ahead on Hurst Street was Albany House (before it was recladded).

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In February 2017 Ladywell Walk was quiet. This was due to the fact that the top end of Hurst Street was no closed to cars, and they would eventually put bollards on Ladywell Walk just after the Mapstone building. At The Arcadian is the Oriental Supermarket, and next to that is the Ibis Hotel. This is near the proposed site for a Chinese Arch, which still hasn't been built to date. Although was a temporary cardboard box version in Hippodrome Square a few years ago.

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Hurst Street

This entrance to The Arcadian from Hurst Street is along Theatre Walk. Which was between The Coffee Room Cafe Bar (now The Green Room) and The Old Fox Theatre Bar. Seen in January 2011 just before Chinese New Year hence all the Chinese Lanterns.

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On Theatre Walk to The Arcadian during September 2017, this entrance had been replaced by umbrellas. But there is now just light bulbs up there.

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On Hurst Street during February 2011 was Circus Casino and Ming Moon. It was the former W.H. Smith warehouse by H.F. Bayliss of their architects department. There are shops on the ground floor to the right including Mr Egg to the far right.

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In this night shot from December 2012, I was able to get the building all in one, instead of having to stitch two or three photos together. Was by this point Genting Casino. Ming Moon was still there.

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Seen on these trees during December 2016 was these Chinese Lanterns. Seen a few days before Christmas Day. Passing The Arcadian.

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The Chinese lanterns on these trees on Hurst Street, close to what is now Hippodrome Square (or Southside Square) at the junction of Hurst Street and Ladywell Walk. Genting Casino and Ming Moon to the far left. Shops including Happy Lemon and Mr Egg. Then the Mapstone building on Ladywell Walk. Chinese Christmas lights were up at the time.

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The shops on Hurst Street during January 2017. Close to Chinese New Year, when it would be the Year of the Rooster. Happy Lemon and Mr Egg.

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A close up look at the Happy Lemon figure outside. They have different variety of teas and smoothies.

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Seen on Hurst Street during September 2017 was this Greek Restaurant called Santorini Restaurant. Located at 16 Hurst Street. In 2008 this used to be K Bar. By 2011 on the ground floor was The Spaceroom Cafe Bar. By 2014 this was T.E. Bar.

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Seen in the window of So Hair on Hurst Street was this Waving cat and dragon skeleton. Seen during November 2017. At the time I was heading to Victoria Square to catch the Remembrance Sunday Service. They are a Chinese hair salon.

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This night shot of the Genting Casino and Ming Moon Chinese Restaurant & Karaoke Bar was taken near the end of December 2018. In 2008 Ming Moon was Barracuda, while Genting Casino was Circus Casino.

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This restaurant is off Hurst Street, but is on Thorp Street. Chung Ying Garden Cantonese Restaurant. This was the site of their first restaurant in 1981, which led to the establishment of Birmingham's China Town (or the Chinese Quarter as it's also known). Seen during December 2018. From the same owners as Chung Ying on Wrottesley Street and Colmore Row. It is within a building dating to 1880. Built as the Warwickshire Rifle Volunteers' Drill Hall, the foundation stone was laid by Alderman Richard Chamberlain. The architects was Osborn & Reading. It was once home to the 1st Warwickshire Rifle Volunteers. Further down Thorp Street, is an entrance to Thorp Street Car Park through this Victorian building.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020