BOXPARK is coming to Birmingham

(Caption: Artist illustration of the proposed BOXPARK scheme at Floodgate Street Arches, Digbeth)

Thursday 19th October, 2023: Award-winning food and events operator, BOXPARK has announced today that it will open a new venue in Birmingham. Scheduled to launch in 2025, the new development will be the group’s second BOXPARK-branded development outside of London.

The new site will be located at Floodgate Street Arches in the heart of Digbeth, Birmingham’s growing creative quarter, and will be an exciting and vibrant addition to the city’s buzzing food and drink scene – offering all-day dining and a unique programme of entertainment.

BOXPARK has agreed a 15-year lease with landlords The Arch Company for the site, which will see the space under four 12m railway arches transformed into a stunning food hall and events destination. Spanning nearly 17,000 sq. ft, the proposed plans for the site feature a large, covered structure with around 10 kitchen units and four internal bars set across two floors.
Proposals for the scheme also include an external space for seating with two bar units, which are positioned to create a suntrap, perfect for al fresco dining and intimate events.

The group is investing around £5 million into Digbeth, and the new opening is expected to create approximately 200 new job opportunities for the local community. On top of this, the scheme will also drive a significant volume of footfall to the area, with over a million people expected to visit each year*.

Famous for its diverse street food offering, independent traders and iconic events, BOXPARK’s new venue aims to champion local businesses and talent with fantastic opportunities for both independent and established food operators, as well as artists, creators and performers from Birmingham. BOXPARK will also work closely with Birmingham City Council to promote local supply chain routes and recruitment.

BOXPARK CEO Simon Champion, comments: “We are delighted to announce the new location for our next BOXPARK venture. Our team has searched extensively for sites in Birmingham since 2016, and having considered multiple locations across the city we believe Digbeth is perfect for this scheme. The area’s eclectic mix of creative businesses is the perfect match for our ethos of supporting and championing local creatives from food to art, music and beyond. As a dynamic and fast-growing business, we hope BOXPARK will be an exciting addition to Birmingham.”

Paul Thandi CBE, Non-Executive Chairman of BOXPARK, comments: “Since my recent appointment as Chairman at BOXPARK, I've witnessed first-hand the passion, commitment, and creativity from the team to deliver operational excellence and introduce new, innovative concepts to drive footfall to its locations.

“My experience in regeneration and transformation with the NEC Group, as well as my connection with the City leads to me to have a strong belief that BOXPARK Birmingham will no doubt drive footfall, customer choice, experience and of course, unique entertainment into and around our fantastic site in Digbeth. I think the iconic brand of BOXPARK will be a great addition to the Birmingham offer which is a big driver for me and the business.”

Nick Cridlan, Leasing Director at The Arch Company comments: “BOXPARK shares The Arch Company's commitment to reuse and repurpose and we're delighted to welcome them to their new home in Digbeth's historic railway arches. This letting will see four arches in this burgeoning creative quarter transformed from vacant spaces into vibrant places for independent traders to thrive. This agreement forms part of Project 1000, our plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces across England and Wales back into use by 2030.”

Last month, BOXPARK announced the appointment of Paul Thandi CBE, former CEO of the NEC Group, Birmingham as the new Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. With a wealth of brand building, destination development and leadership experience, Paul will be focussed on the Group’s expansion as it accelerates its national growth strategy, as well as supporting the senior management team to explore potential new offerings and concepts.