BOXPARK, the award-winning operator, has announced plans for its next development in Birmingham. Scheduled to open in 2025, this will be the first BOXPARK location in the Midlands, following the brand’s expansion into other major UK cities, including London.
BOXPARK has secured a 15-year lease with The Arch Company for the Floodgate Street Arches site. This site is strategically located in Digbeth, a district in Birmingham that has been rapidly transforming into a creative quarter.
Digbeth, once an industrial zone, has evolved over the last decade into one of the UK’s key creative hubs. It now boasts a large and growing cluster of creative industries, offices, restaurants, bars, and leisure units.
The Floodgate Street Arches site, which is situated under four 12m railway arches and spans nearly 17,000 sq. ft, will be transformed into a food hall and events destination. The plans include a large, covered structure with around 10 kitchen units and four internal bars set across two floors. Additionally, there will be just over 10,500 sq. ft. of external space designated for al fresco dining and events.
BOXPARK is investing approximately £5 million into the Digbeth area. This investment is expected to create around 200 new job opportunities for the local community. The new venue is also projected to attract over a million visitors each year, significantly boosting footfall in the area.
The new BOXPARK venue aims to be more than just a food and drink destination; it plans to champion local Birmingham businesses and talent. The focus will be on providing opportunities for both independent and established food operators, as well as artists, creators, and performers from the area.
Simon Champion, CEO of BOXPARK, commented, “We are delighted to announce the new location for our next BOXPARK venture. Our team has searched extensively for sites in Birmingham since 2016, having considered multiple locations across the city. As a dynamic and fast-growing business, we hope BOXPARK will be an exciting addition to Birmingham. The city’s food, drink and leisure scene has become known as one of the best in the country and we can’t wait to add to that with a space that will support and champion local creatives from food to art, music and beyond.”
Paul Thandi CBE, Non-Executive Chairman of BOXPARK, added, “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, stated, “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.”
The Birmingham location will follow the opening of BOXPARK Liverpool in Spring 2024. Earlier this year, BOXPARK also announced the launch of its high-end brand BOXHALL, with sites set to open in Bristol and Liverpool Street, London in 2024. This expansion is part of the group’s national growth strategy, backed by investment from LDC, the mid-market private equity firm.
Last month, BOXPARK announced the appointment of Paul Thandi CBE, former CEO of the NEC Group, as the new Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. Thandi brings a wealth of experience in brand building, destination development, and leadership, and will focus on the Group’s expansion as it accelerates its national growth strategy.
