Irish Centre to move out of Deritend after 50 years
THE Birmingham Irish Centre has announced plans to quit the city centre and move to Kings Heath – after half a century on High Street in Deritend.
It will close down on January 6 and move to an already-acquired 12-acre site on Wheelers Lane at Kings Heath’s former Stadium Club.
There are plans to build a hotel, bar and conference centre at the new Kings Heath site, where West Midlands Travel will be retaining a presence of its own.
The old Irish Centre, where leading artists like Daniel O’Donnell have played, is on the main route of the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade which attracts thousands of visitors every March. The centre is owned by Westbourne Leisure Limited which has yet to decide whether to sell the Deritend/Digbeth site or not.
Irish Centre manager Paul Owens said having purchased the new site and completed on Monday, they could now develop a range of wider facilities beyond hosting social events, to include everything from health to sport, leisure, education and retail.
Mr Owens said: “Obviously there is a sense of sadness and nostalgia at leaving Digbeth after 50 years and we’ve all got our own special memories of good times at ‘The Centre’.
“But the area is changing rapidly and despite out best efforts we could not agree a suitable planning permission to regenerate the present site with the city council.
“I’m afraid it’s time to move on.” Mr Owens said, if approved by planners, the new hotel would have 60 bedrooms while the function room would have capacity for 300 – half the current number.
Asked about no longer being in the city’s ‘Irish Quarter’ or next to the St
Patrick’s Day Parade route, he said even the proposed Clean Air Zone charge had been factored into thinking about the benefits of moving.
“The area is changing so fast you wonder how long the parade will remain as it changes,” said Mr Owens.
“I think the Irish identity of the area has slipped away and we have an opportunity at the new site to create an Irish village supporting between 50 and 100 jobs.”
The St Patrick’s Day Festival said in a statement: “We’re very sad to hear the news that Birmingham Irish Centre in Digbeth will be closing in January 2020.
“The centre has been an important part of the Irish Quarter for more than half a century and we thank all those who have played such a significant role over the years in making the
We have an opportunity at the new site to create an Irish village supporting between 50 and 100 jobs
Paul Owens
building a home from home
Irish of many a generation.
“However, we know that Digbeth, and Birmingham, is changing at a rapid pace.
“As one of the key Irish organisations in the city-region, St Patrick’s Festival is absolutely determined to work with the city council, private developers, funding bodies and cultural partners to ensure the future of Digbeth as the city’s Irish Quarter is secured through new investments and new buildings that will draw our community together, whilst offering services and social benefits for residents and visitors of all ages, all cultures and all backgrounds.”
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