If you are walking down Colmore Row or up Steelhouse Lane, you will get to Colmore Circus Queensway. In the middle of that is Colmore Square. Redeveloped in the early 2000s, from the subways and lowered areas that were filled in. The Wesleyan had already been there since 1991, while No 1 Colmore Square opened in 2004. The square was refurbished in 2014 with new benches and flower planters.

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A look round Colmore Square, between Colmore Row and Steelhouse Lane





If you are walking down Colmore Row or up Steelhouse Lane, you will get to Colmore Circus Queensway. In the middle of that is Colmore Square. Redeveloped in the early 2000s, from the subways and lowered areas that were filled in. The Wesleyan had already been there since 1991, while No 1 Colmore Square opened in 2004. The square was refurbished in 2014 with new benches and flower planters.


COLMORE SQUARE

 

Colmore Square is in the centre of Colmore Circus Queensway. It is connected to Colmore Row, Bull Street, The Priory Queensway, Steelhouse Lane, Weaman Street and Snow Hill Queensway.

 

Colmore Circus Queensway was rebuilt in 2002, replacing the old roundabout of the Inner Ring Road with a square (this was around the same time when Masshouse Circus Queensway was demolished, breaking up the Concrete Collar, which had stopped development in Birmingham for decades). Out went the subways, and in came traffic lights and pelican crossings and road level. It is now safer to walk from Birmingham Snow Hill Station, on Colmore Row to Birmingham Children's Hospital on Steelhouse Lane, without having to go into subways (which you had to do from 1998 to sometime before 2002). It is also an alternate walking route to Aston University and the Magistrate and Law Courts, through the Steelhouse Conservation Area.

 

The Wesleyan was built from 1988 to 1991, so some changes had to be made to get the square to be level with the outside of the building, including a fountain.

No 1 Colmore Square was completed opposite The Wesleyan in 2004. No 2 Colmore Square is on the corner of The Priory Queensway and Steelhouse Lane, also known as Cannon House and Priory House (refurbished in 2006). There is a Matthew Boulton plaque, on the corner, as he was born nearby in the area (in 1728).

Colmore Plaza is on the opposite corner of Colmore Circus and Steelhouse Lane, this was completed in 2007 (replacing the Post & Mail Building of 1965-2006). It was renamed to The Colmore Building since 2016.

 

The original Midland Metro extension was built on the part of Colmore Circus near Colmore Row from 2012 to 2015. The first part opened to Bull Street Tram Stop in December 2016 (reaching Grand Central Tram Stop by 2016).

Minor refurbishment of Colmore Square in 2014 with new benches and flower planters, plus some chess table benches.

 

Every Christmas the Colmore BID places a Christmas tree here, and in the summer, Cofton Nursery places one of their Floral Trail pieces. The Big Hoot had 3 painted owls in summer 2015, and The Big Sleuth 3 painted bears in the summer of 2017. The trails were to help the Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity.

 

Colmore Square as it was during May 2009. This view: The Wesleyan on the left, then the view down Steelhouse Lane with Colmore Plaza on the left and No 2 Colmore Square on the right (near the end of The Priory Queensway).

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A look down Steelhouse Lane from Colmore Square. Fountain Court and the back of the Victoria Law Courts are visible from here.

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In the other direction towards Colmore Gate and Colmore Row with Bull Street to the left. The old 103 Colmore Row (NatWest Tower) was just about visible to the right (behind Barclays Bank).

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Shadow near No 1 Colmore Square, which is the office building on the left.

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Colmore Square Then and Now

Spot the difference. The old NatWest Tower stood at 103 Colmore Row until 2015. After demolition, the new 103 Colmore Row was built during 2019 into 2020, and will open sometime later in 2021.

A July 2009 view of Colmore Square. Beyond Colmore Gate and The Wesleyan towards the NatWest Tower (the old 103 Colmore Row).

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This view of Colmore Square taken during July 2020. While the new 103 Colmore Square was under construction. Seen between Colmore Gate, Barclays Bank, 9 Colmore Row, 1 Colmore Row and The Wesleyan.

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2014 refurbishment of Colmore Square

This was during April 2014. This view from the construction site of the Midland Metro extension.

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New flower planters with trees and benches, close to The Wesleyan.

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They were also installed close to No 1 Colmore Square.

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There was also brand new bins installed at the time.

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More new trees close to The Priory Queensway.

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The chess table benches. Whether anyone played chess or checkers here, I'm not sure. More like people having their lunch on them!

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There was also new bike racks, near Colmore Plaza and The Wesleyan.

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The reverse view of Colmore Square back towards the Midland Metro extension. The Grand Hotel was under scaffolding, but was before the renovation works started.

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Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail

Cofton Nursery is responsible for placing the various floral trail pieces all over the City Centre, every summer. Some for special occasions.

 

Seen in early August 2012 in Colmore Square was this floral trail piece called Female Weightlifter. It was the year of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It was based on Zoe Smith and Natasha Perdue. It was one of 23 features that you could see along the route that summer in 2012. The Colmore BID sponsored it, supporting Birmingham Bloom in celebrating Team GB.

dndimg alt="Female Weightlifter" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Floral (Aug 2012).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

From July 2015, the Folding Bicyle was back in the City Centre, this time in Colmore Square. The summer before (2014) it was located in Church Street Square. In 2014 it was one of 12 WW1 features to commemorate Britain's entry into the First World War (1914-18). The commemorations continued into 2015.

dndimg alt="Folding Bicycle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Floral bike (Jul 2015) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Wasn't so much of a Floral Trail by the summer of 2019, just the odd piece around the City Centre. From July 2019, was this Rock 'N' Roll Drums located in Colmore Square. Probably as it was Black Sabbath's 50th Anniversary, and they had an exhibition on at the Gas Hall that summer. Called Home of Metal Presents: Black Sabbath 50 Years.

dndimg alt="Rock 'N' Roll Drums" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Drums Colmore Sq (Jul 2019).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The Big Hoot Birmingham 2015

Seen in Colmore Square during July 2015 was The Big Hoot, a trail of painted owls. This trail would be on for around 10 weeks before being auctioned for charity.

Leo by the artist Ruth Green. The sponsor was Pinsent Masons.

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Tessellated Triangles was by the artist Deven Bhurke. The sponsor was Shoosmiths.

dndimg alt="The Big Hoot" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Big Hoot (Jul 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The Graduate by the artist Deven Bhurke. The sponsor was The Wesleyan.

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The Big Sleuth Birmingham 2017

Seen in Colmore Square during July 2017 was The Big Sleuth, a trail of painted bears. Running for 10 weeks, before the painted bears were auctioned off for charity.

Get Your Bearings was designed by Tom Crotty and painted by G-Anders.The sponsor was Amey.

dndimg alt="The Big Sleuth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Big Sleuth (Jul 2017) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Birminghamshire by the artist Rachel Blackwell. The sponsor was The Wesleyan.

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Captain Blue Bear by the artist Maria Burns. The sponsor was Vodafone.

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Christmas Tree's over the years in Colmore Square

The Colmore BID usually installs a variety of Christmas tree's in Colmore Square over the years, close to the part of Colmore Circus with Colmore Row. Sometimes artificial baubles, other years a real grown tree.

The Baubles Christmas Tree in Colmore Square seen during November 2011. Celebrate Christmas with Colmore Business District. The view towards No 1 Colmore Square.

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Early in January 2012, the same Christmas Tree was still up, and I caught it lit up after dark in Colmore Square.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Xmas tree (Jan 2012).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

In December 2014, you could see a real Christmas Tree in Colmore Square. This view towards 9 and 1 Colmore Row.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Xmas Tree (Dec 2014).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

There was also a real Christmas Tree in Colmore Square during December 2015. This view towards Colmore Gate.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Xmas Tree (Dec 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Same again in November 2017 with this Christmas Tree. View towards The Wesleyan.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Xmas Tree (Nov 2017).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The last real Christmas Tree in Colmore Square, seen during November 2019. The view between 1 Colmore Row and The Wesleyan.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Xmas Tree (Nov 2019).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

During the 2nd lockdown, close to the end of November 2020, I saw this artificial Christmas Tree in Colmore Square, as a West Midlands Metro tram passed by.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas Tree Colmore Square 26112020 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Later that day, before I got the bus home, I saw it lit up after dark. The last time I went through Colmore Square during December 2020, it had been removed. Probably due to the Snow Hill Public Realm works taking place nearby on Colmore Row.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square Xmas Tree" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas Tree Colmore Square 26112020 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Other events

A few more observations in Colmore Square over the years. Usually when I was heading to get some lunch from Colmore Row (and on the walk back to work).

 

The Microsoft Office 365 bench was in Colmore Square on the 29th March 2013. You could sit here and enjoy free WiFi while you work (outside).

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A band was playing some musical instruments in Colmore Square, and there was an audience watching from those deckchairs. This was on the 23rd July 2014. Lots of office workers out to buy their lunch that day.

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Exercise bikes were being ridden in Colmore Square, as seen on the 15th July 2015. Quite close to the Folding Bike floral trail feature. They were riding for the Birmingham Children's Hospital charity. From "Lands End to John O'Groats". They were from The Wesleyan. Of course if they did this now, they would do it from home over Zoom.

dndimg alt="Colmore Square exercise bikes" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Colmore Sq Floral bike (Jul 2015) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

See also the post on Church Street Square in the Colmore BID.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown