Wholesale Market opens in its new home in Witton

Birmingham's Wholesale Market has opened for business in its new purpose-built home in Witton, beginning a new chapter in a story of market trading in the city that goes back almost 900 years.

Traders opened their stalls for the first time at The Hub on Nobel Way on 8 May, after moving from the market's long-standing site in the city centre.

A market for the 21st century

The new market has 78 units selling fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and flowers, along with nine warehouses, a café and management offices. It is run by the Birmingham Wholesale Market Management Company, a joint venture between the traders and the city council.

The move represents an investment of nearly £50 million. Birmingham's market is one of the largest integrated wholesale markets in Europe, and its traders supply fresh produce to restaurants, hotels, takeaways and shops across the Midlands and Wales.

The market is open from 3.30am to 11.30am on weekdays and from 3.30am to 9.30am on Saturdays.

"The next exciting chapter"

Council leader Ian Ward and Waheed Nazir, the council's corporate director for economy, were shown around the new site as traders opened for their first day.

"The markets continue to play a major part in Birmingham life and this is the next exciting chapter in a story that goes back almost 900 years," Cllr Ward said.

"This state-of-the-art facility brings the markets firmly into the 21st Century and I'd like to thank traders for working with Birmingham City Council on this project."

Eddie Price, a director of the management company, thanked the council for its contribution. "Now our focus is on developing the market to reach its full potential as the wider region's 'go-to' destination for fresh produce," he said.

Freeing up Smithfield

The move also clears the way for one of the biggest regeneration projects in the city centre. The market's former home is part of the 42-acre Smithfield site next to the Bullring, where the council is looking for a developer to create a new neighbourhood with homes, leisure attractions, a public square and a new home for the retail markets.

The council has said the scheme could bring 2,000 homes, 3,000 jobs and more than £1 billion of investment, and that the tradition of market trading will continue as part of the new development.

Early mornings

For the traders, the early starts will be nothing new. Wholesale markets have always worked through the night so that fresh food can reach kitchens and shop shelves by the start of the day.

What is new is a modern building designed for the job, with space for vehicles to load and unload and facilities that the old site could no longer provide. Traders will be hoping the new home helps them win new customers and secure the market's future for years to come.