The Christmas lights as seen after dark around Birmingham City Centre in the Retail BID area past and present. The last Frankfurt Christmas Market was in 2019. The 2020 market was cancelled due to the pandemic, but to brighten things up, the Council still had lights put up around New Street and other roads. Gone from blues of 10 years ago to the yellow and white lights now.

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Christmas lights around the Retail BID past and present


Christmas lights around the Retail BID past and present


The Christmas lights as seen after dark around Birmingham City Centre in the Retail BID area past and present. The last Frankfurt Christmas Market was in 2019. The 2020 market was cancelled due to the pandemic, but to brighten things up, the Council still had lights put up around New Street and other roads. Gone from blues of 10 years ago to the yellow and white lights now.


A comparison of the Christmas lights in Birmingham City Centre over the last decade ago with now. Merry Covid Christmas. And enjoy! 

All around the Retail BID area. So the likes of New Street, High Street and Corporation Street etc. 

NEW STREET

The majority of the Christmas lights are up New Street. Most years seen above the Birmingham Frankfurt Christma Market. Starting from Corporation Street up towards Victoria Square.

November 2010

From the top end of New Street near Victoria Square, after the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market had closed for the night.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/New St Xmas Lights (Nov 2010) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Between Pret a Manger and the Piccadilly Arcade.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/New St Xmas Lights (Nov 2010) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

They were reused from the year before, all blue and white.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/New St Xmas Lights (Nov 2010) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

November 2020

Seen past the Piccadilly Arcade up to New Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights New St (Nov 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Not far from the Piccadilly Arcade and Bennetts Hill.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights New St (Nov 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Usually the Frankfurt Market would be here by now, but it's been cancelled due to the pandemic and the lockdown etc.

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights New St (Nov 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Heading up Stephenson Place, past Apple towards Lloyds Bank, saw this Christmas lights on the left. Even got the Lloyds black horse in shot!

dndimg alt="Christmas Lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights New St (Nov 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

CANNON STREET

January 2012

After Christmas 2011 was over, the lights were still on in early January 2012, as seen on Cannon Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Was the usual blue and white lights that was used in the late '00s to the mid '10s.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

I think they went all the way down Cannon Street at the time.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen outside of Slater Menswear and White Stuff, towards New Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

November 2020

Cannon St at Christmas from New Street. Only the bottom half of Cannon Street has the lights this time around.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Cannon St (Nov 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Reverse view of Cannon ST at Christmas towards New Street and the Burlington Arcade.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Cannon St (Nov 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Christmas lights close to Slater Menswear and White Stuff.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Cannon St (Nov 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Brightens up the bottom half of Cannon Street towards New Street. All non essential shops down here are closed until the 2nd lockdown ends.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cannon Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Cannon St (Nov 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

HIGH STREET

November 2012

The Christmas lights on the High Street from near Marks & Spencer towards the Rotunda. The blue and white design towards Rotunda Square. They even had some over the bus stops outsid of DEICHMANN.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights High Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights High St (Nov 2012).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

November 2020

The same yellow and white designed Christmas lights on the High Street, as they have now on New Street, seen outside of Marks & Spencer, from my bus stop. These lights have been put up from here towards Rotunda Square, but don't go over the bus routes.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights High Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights High St MS (Nov 2020).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

UNION STREET

December 2012

The Christmas lights here seen at the bottom of Union Street towards Marks & Spencer on the High Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Union Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Corporation St Xmas Lights (Dec 2012) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

November 2020

I was suprised to see three sets of Christmas lights on Union Street between Argos, Boots, Burger King and WH Smith.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Union Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas Lights Union St (Nov 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Heading to the bus stop it was nice to see them in the evening. But the lights are on all day.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Union Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas Lights Union St (Nov 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

CHERRY STREET

January 2012

On Cherry Street at the time was these red and white Christmas lights. Near Cannon Street and Corporation Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cherry Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The GAP was at Martineau Place at the time (that's now Poundland). House of Fraser on the left, near Corporation Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cherry Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Cannon St Xmas Lights (Jan 2012) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

November 2020

Heading up Corporation Street, towards Union Street, saw this Christmas lights on Cherry Street between the EE shop and House of Fraser (which doesn't have the usual fancy lights up).

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Cherry Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Cherry St (Nov 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

BEST OF THE REST

In December 2009 they had the Merry Christmas lights at the bottom of Corporation Street near New Street.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Corporation Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Corporation St Xmas Lights (Dec 2009) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

They used Merry Christmas again at the bottom of Corporation Street when I saw it back in November 2010.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Corporation Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Corporation St Xmas Lights (Nov 2010).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen on New Street near Corporation Street was Christmas in Birmingham during December 2014.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/New St Xmas Lights (Dec 2014) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

They also had Shopping in Birmingham.com on the other side. It was the last time they had Christmas lights on Corporation Street, before the first Midland Metro extension opened in 2015 and 2016.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights New Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/New St Xmas Lights (Dec 2014) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen during November 2020 at the bottom of Lower Temple Street near Stephenson Street, between Caffe Nero and Ladbrokes was this Christmas lights.

dndimg alt="Christmas lights Lower Temple Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Xmas lights Lower Temple St (Nov 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.