New Bullring opens to huge crowds

The new Bullring shopping centre has opened in Birmingham city centre, with more than 270,000 people visiting on its first day.

The centre was officially opened on 4 September by Sir Albert Bore, the leader of the city council. Crowds queued from early in the morning, and some shops had to control numbers as shoppers poured in.

A new heart for the city

The Bullring replaces the 1960s shopping centre of the same name, which was demolished from 2000. The old centre, with its concrete walkways and subways, had become one of the most unloved buildings in the city.

The new development is on a very different scale. It has more than 140 shops, including large Debenhams and Selfridges department stores, along with restaurants, cafes and public spaces. Its two main buildings are linked by open streets, and the design reconnects the city centre with the old market area around St Martin's Church.

Developers say it is one of the largest city-centre retail schemes in Europe, and the centre is expected to attract tens of millions of visitors a year.

The Selfridges building

The most striking part of the development is the new Selfridges store, designed by the architects Future Systems. Its curved walls are covered with 15,000 shiny aluminium discs, inspired by a famous dress by the designer Paco Rabanne.

The building has already become a talking point. Some love its bold, futuristic look, while others are less sure. But few would deny that it has put Birmingham on the architectural map.

It is only the fourth Selfridges store in the country, joining the flagship in London and two stores in Manchester, and its arrival is seen as a sign of Birmingham's growing importance as a shopping destination.

The Bull

A bronze sculpture of a bull by Laurence Broderick has been unveiled at the entrance to the centre, and quickly proved popular with shoppers, who queued up to have their photographs taken with it.

The bull is a reminder of the area's history. The Bull Ring takes its name from the practice of tethering bulls to an iron ring in the medieval market before they were slaughtered.

A boost for the city

The Bullring is expected to create thousands of jobs, both in the shops and in the wider city centre. Business leaders hope it will attract shoppers who might otherwise have gone to Merry Hill, Solihull or other cities.

It is also a key part of the regeneration of the city centre, which has already seen the transformation of Brindleyplace, the Mailbox and the area around the International Convention Centre. Plans for the Eastside area beyond the Bullring are also moving forward.

Traders at the nearby markets are hoping the new centre will bring them more customers too. The rag market and indoor market have been rehoused in new buildings alongside the development.

For many Brummies, the opening is a moment of pride, and a sign that the city is finally shaking off its concrete image.