Built by Sir Alfred Bird in the late 19th century as a factory for the manufacture of his famous powdered custard, the Custard Factory Quarter in Birmingham is now home to more than 140 creative businesses, as well as being the focal point of city?s hip music scene, writes Helena Eagles.
With the aid of GAP funding from English Partnerships, Bennie Gray of the Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Creative Enterprise (SPACE) bought the beautiful but derelict listed buildings ten years ago. Inspired by the factory?s location on the site of the first known Birmingham settlement, and passionate about urban regeneration, he saw its potential as a creative urban village and set about restoring it to its former glory. The first tenants to move in were a theatre company and other creatives soon followed, their businesses flourishing over the years within the nurturing environment.
From independent production companies like Maverick Television (the Trade Secrets series for BBC2 and the Embarrassing Illnesses series for Channel 4), to textile designers Cinnamon Aitch whose fashion clients include Jasper Conran and Alexander McQueen, the Custard Factory is home to a wide range of successful businesses. The Prince?s Youth Business Trust also has its offices in the quarter and many of the businesses which they have supported over the years have then based themselves here.
For the public, the Custard Factory offers a wide range of dance classes and concerts, as well as superb, low-cost facilities which can be hired for a variety of artistic and leisure activities. The Lakeside Art Gallery is a popular venue for art, craft and sculpture shows and is available to hire at a modest cost. A 2,500 sq. ft. space that is highly adaptable and can cater for all occasions, it has recently hosted some of Birmingham?s most exciting exhibitions ? from established names to students making their debuts with end-of-year shows. The gallery also acts as an interesting location for corporate events from luncheons to presentations and recent clients have included the BBC, Channel 5, Talkback Productions and West Midlands Arts.
Due to the low cost of renting a unit, we have also amassed a diverse range of retail tenants including ?Urban Village?, a retro shop featuring memorabilia from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The new scheme at Gibb Terrace, a former Victorian workshop, has attracted an eclectic mix of retailers including a specialist bike shop, an exclusive interiors boutique and a jeweller specialising in contemporary designs and glassware.
May 2002 saw the opening of the GreenHouse, a new building with a stunning glass and steel frontage and 40 ft high living sculpture of the Green Man. The £6m project, which was built with support from Objective 1 European Regional Development Funding and Advantage West Midlands, incorporates 110 low rent studios for new media businesses. The high technical specification of the units allows tenants to simply ?plug & play? as part of a state-of-the-art voice and data system that is unique in the region.
March 2003 will see the completion of our most striking and original venue, the Old Library. A Grade II listed building, it will offer 5,000 sq. ft. of gothic splendour with a raised mezzanine level, ideal for everything from weddings to musical showcases. Parquet floors, white walls and a fully integrated lighting system give the Old Library unlimited scope for creativity, while functions can also be extended into the adjacent fountain side plaza.
The eagerly awaited Soul Canteen will also open its doors in Spring 2003, as a privately funded arts venue hosting live music ranging from classical Asian music to cabaret?.and everything in between.
Helena Eagles is Assistant Marketing Manager of the Custard Factory. t: 0121 693 4816; e: info@custardfactory.com; w: http://www.custardfactory.com