Andy Street officially opens Edgbaston Village Walk
Andy Street officially opens Edgbaston Village Walk
Birmingham’s oldest family-owned estate has welcomed the Mayor of West Midlands to open its new pedestrian-priority route called the Edgbaston Village Walk.
The team at Calthorpe Estates, which pioneered the creation of Edgbaston Village, welcomed the Mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street CBE, to cut the ribbon on Edgbaston Village Walk – a much improved walking route from the newly-opened Metro station into Edgbaston Village.
The tramline extension extends the service from Wolverhampton through the centre of Birmingham and along Broad Street, now stopping at Brindleyplace and Five Ways, before reaching its destination of Edgbaston Village – a thriving leisure and lifestyle area.
To ensure visitors to the Village are given a warm welcome, Calthorpe Estates has invested in resurfacing the route, including granite curb stones and features, festoon lighting and planters, which will lead people to Harborne Road and along to Greenfield Crescent – the heart of Edgbaston Village.
The opening comes just in time for the Commonwealth Games, which will see visitors flock to the likes of Edgbaston Stadium and the University of Birmingham for key sporting fixtures.
Haydn Cooper, Chief Executive of Calthorpe Estates, commented: “We were thrilled to welcome Andy Street to officially cut the ribbon on Edgbaston Village Walk – the gateway to Edgbaston Village.
“We’ve spent the last few years creating a thriving lifestyle destination in Edgbaston Village and have seen a rise in footfall to the area, which is only set to increase further with the improvement of accessibility now the Metro is running.
“Edgbaston Village is home to some of Birmingham’s best independent businesses, from the likes of Loki Wine and Chapter to KIN and Lux Gallery, as well as offering beautiful surroundings to enjoy, whether that’s admiring the Georgian architecture or visiting the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Our monthly artisan market on Greenfield Crescent has been going from strength to strength, with the Commonwealth Games 3-day market taking place on 29th 30th and 31st July.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “With the new tram stop at Edgbaston Village, you can reach here from Grand Central in just 11 minutes to enjoy all that Edgbaston has to offer.
“Whilst we have played our part – as the new tram stop has certainly been a catalyst for the wonderful regeneration in this part of Birmingham – I must congratulate Calthorpe Estates CEO Haydn Cooper and his team on the steps they’ve taken to enhance the visitor experience further not least with this lovely new route into Edgbaston Village.
“This is a prime example of how we can work together with an outstanding and long term minded private sector partner and investor to bring great benefit to the wider public.”
The pedestrian-priority area around the Metro stop follows extensive streetscaping works on Greenfield Crescent in conjunction with Birmingham City Council, which has seen the nearby road also pedestrianised and made more accessible for businesses and visitors alike. Alfresco diners can be seen along the street each day, and the space is also used to host a monthly artisan market – recently crowned Birmingham’s biggest, with more than 20,000 additional visitors exploring the area in the last six months of 2021 alone.