The Birmingham 'village' with six betting shops locals say has 'gone downhill'

Confirmation that B&M will not be opening in Acocks Green, despite rumours, has sparked fresh complaints from locals who claim the area has 'gone downhill', but others maintain it's still 'a nice area' to live.

The quick turnover of fast food takeaways on the Warwick Road high street has caused growing discontent among residents, who say the Green used to be a 'thriving' centre for shops. Today, the Village, as some call it, is home to six betting shops, eight barbershops, nine hair and beauty salons and around a dozen fast food shops and takeaways.

The street is also dotted with charity shops, furniture stores, travel agents, cash converters, discounters promising bargain prices, convenience stores, banks, a few cafes, a Wetherspoon pub and four big name supermarkets, with two independents supermarkets on the way, including the Asian food specialist Opus Foods that's moving into the old Wilko.

Read more:'New B&M' rumours quashed as replacement confirmed for Birmingham Wilko store

The neighbourhood has seen many businesses come and go over the years, Boots among the most recent to close. Several new names have moved into empty units, more of them selling fried chicken than some residents would like. Meanwhile, other independents including Hughes greengrocers and Jeffries hardware have been a popular feature of the centre for decades and the Acocks Green Bowl ten pin bowling alley on Westley Road has been going for more than 60 years.

Following a wave of negative comments about the Village's retail offering in local Facebook groups, BirminghamLive went to find out what shoppers on the high street have to say. Linda Sparkes, 55, said: "I've lived here for a long time. I was born here then moved away for a bit and came back.

"I come into the Green because it's very convenient. We've lost a lot of good shops over the years, but we still have a brilliant library - I do yoga there on a Tuesday and art and crafts, which has been fantastic for my mental health. We've got good schools and a good sense of community here. There used to be a cinema next to the bowling alley which shut a long time ago, we used to have a haberdashery years ago too.

"My husband and I don't like the amount of betting shops and fast food places because it doesn't encourage a family-friendly atmosphere. It has changed quite a bit, it's a shame. The business owners I've spoken to have mentioned the rent is getting ridiculous, so places end up shutting or moving."

Laura Massey said: "I've lived in Acocks Green for the last 15 years. It used to have a thriving town centre with a variety of shops and lights at Christmas. However over the last few years, it has really gone downhill. Now it is full of barbershops, charity shops, fast food, betting shops and there's no lights at Christmas. It's no longer aimed at local families. I have to go to Shirley or Solihull to do my shopping."

Photos inside 'changed' Acocks Green Village

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One woman, who asked not to be named, added: "I like to come here because you can get fresh fruit and veg that's not from the supermarket. There are more shops here than in Solihull, even though the area is rougher. There are lots of shops here to look around, whereas Solihull is mainly restaurants now."

Another woman, who has lived in Acocks Green for five years, said: "I think it's a nice area. I do my food shop online from Asda but I've just popped in for some milk. There is a good selection of local shops. I was sorry to see Wilko and Boots close as they were the shops I visited the most."

And Keith said: "The shops have changed over the years but I still like coming to the Green. People still stop and say hello to each other, everyone's down to earth. There are more beggars than there used to be, but it is quite a poor area."

Birmingham city councillor Roger Harmer, the Liberal Democrat ward representative for Acocks Green, pointed to evolving shopping habits as a key contributor to the way the Village has changed in recent years, adding that some takeaways had 'found ways to work around' planning rules.

"The types of shops are largely driven by what there is demand for," he said. "The problem is that restaurants who also offer takeaways don't need permission from the council to change the use of a unit to offer takeaways.

"Some fast food places have found a way to work around the rules and will put four or five tables at the front and class themselves as a restaurant. It then takes a legal challenge by the council to stop it, which requires a body of evidence and significant enforcement work which, resources being what they are, isn't always possible.

"People will say the area doesn't need another barber shop but if the demand is there, more will open. If something opens that people do not want, it will close because they won't be able to make it work financially. The rise of internet shopping has also played a big part. There is less demand there for certain shops, but the same amount of units on the street."

Cllr Harmer added that the centre suffered when the local Business Improvement District closed down after a narrowly-lost vote in 2021, however talks are now under way to try and reinstate it. "There are issued that the council needs to address - environmental issues like the amount of litter, issues around crime, shoplifting and some of the aggressive begging that is going on," he said.

"Work is being done to try and re-establish the BID and we already have lots of local organisations on board. If we can get that going, that will help to address the litter and shoplifting concerns and help to better promote the Village to pull in more footfall."