Street food hall to shut 'but leaving on a high'

A street food, music and events venue in Birmingham is to close five years after being launched as a "hybrid food hall" during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hockley Social Club (HSC) will shut on 31 December after "five glorious years" during which it had become "a space for everyone", operators Digbeth Dining Club (DDC) said.

The firm said it was the "natural end" to its venture, which has brought a wide range of food, culture, music and community events to the city's Jewellery Quarter.

It said the majority of HSC jobs would be protected, with roles deployed to other parts of the business. There will be six months of "farewell" events ahead of the closure, DDC confirmed.

The news is not all about closures though, with award-winning chef Glyn Purnell has announced the opening of his new joint restaurant venture, Trillium, in the Snow Hill area of the city.

His Michelin-starred restaurant Purnell's closed last year, but he is now set to open Trillium with Phil Innes from Loki Wine, which has two branches in Birmingham and one in Solihull, in September.

The closure left Purnell's customers with hundreds of pounds worth of vouchers they could no longer use.

In DDC's half-decade, the DDC has welcomed more than 500,000 people and hosted more than 5,000 events, including performances from artists like Birmingham Royal Ballet and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Jack Brabant, director of DDC, told BBC Radio WM, they wanted to "finish on a high" and concentrate on other projects.

DCC was hoping to open up a new venue in the Black Country soon, he added.

HSC began as a "click and collect" concept during the Covid lockdowns in 2020.

"This phase effectively saved DDC's business when we lost our Digbeth home, and were deemed not suitable for public crisis funding during the pandemic," a spokesperson said.

"We dug deep and pivoted many times, finally landing on a hybrid food hall and event space, a brand-new concept for the city."

However, after an "incredible journey" it was time to close the warehouse project and focus on other initiatives including DDC tours.

"The natural end to our five-year project in this beautiful warehouse in the 'wrong part of town' has arrived," a statement said.

"We close the doors to Hockley Social Club on Wednesday 31 December 2025, and take with us memories of events, nights, meals, and performances that will last a lifetime."

Mr Brabant said it was an "incredibly tough industry at the moment", with the cost of living and rising costs and the Midlands had felt it hard with a "slew of closures".

People were also going out less, Mr Brabant said.

Elsewhere, The Anchor on Bradford Street, Digbeth, has shut its doors, after first getting a licence in 1797.

On social media, its owners said: "Unfortunately we've had to wind the company up due to financial constraints".

The message added that the pub could return under new ownership.

The Sly Old Fox, the historic Victorian pub opposite the Birmingham Hippodrome theatre in Hurst Street, has also closed. The BBC has tried to contact its owners for comment.

Lyle Bignon, NTE Ambassador for Birmingham, working on behalf of the Night Time Industries Association, called on the government, Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to "step up" to stem the "slow death of the region's culture and hospitality ecosystem".

"In the space of less than a month, four Birmingham venues - the 5:15 Club, The Anchor Digbeth, Hockley Social Club, and Zumhof - have announced either immediate or imminent closures," he said.

"It is unacceptable that many businesses are now struggling to stay open, and our elected representatives are either nowhere to be seen, or choose not to meaningfully engage over what has been months and months of calls for action."

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said the closures were a symptom of a wider crisis in the sector and urged officials to act "before more vital cultural spaces disappear in the city and region".

Business Minister Gareth Thomas said: "We're determined to improve the UK's business environment, including for hospitality venues.

"We're working with industry to slash red tape and have announced a permanent cut to business rates, helping venues to grow and thrive as part of our Plan for Change."

The city council and WMCA have been contacted for responses.

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.