Hope Emerges for Decaying Red Rose Centre as Birmingham Council Nears Sale
A Birmingham shopping centre owned by the city council has gradually emptied to a sorry state, with just four businesses remaining operational, but regeneration officers have confirmed that new owners could be about to take over and breathe fresh life into the struggling retail site.
The Slow Decline of a Once-Thriving Centre
The Red Rose Centre in Sutton Coldfield, owned by Birmingham City Council for approximately the past decade, presents a stark picture of urban retail decline. Where once bustling shops attracted crowds, now stand nine empty units with faded signs and boarded windows serving as reminders of better times.
Bricks and mortar retailers have faced immense pressure in recent years, with the shift toward online shopping accelerated by the Covid pandemic, combined with a longstanding drift toward out-of-town shopping parks offering convenient free parking. This pressure has become particularly evident in Sutton Coldfield, where the recent sudden closure of the indoor market left fifteen traders without premises, compounding the area's retail challenges.
A Centre Frozen in Time
Walking through the Red Rose Centre reveals a space caught between past vitality and present decay. The faded signage for the Rumour nightclub hints at lively evenings now distant memories, while the former Cooltrader unit stands frozen and vacant for years without takers. The former Sainsbury's anchor store, which later became Wilko's, has stood empty for more than three years.
Security concerns have emerged alongside the commercial decline, with a security guard reporting issues primarily with school children between 3pm and 5pm. The guard utilizes body-worn cameras during incidents and reports problematic behaviour to schools, which has helped reduce trouble. Automated surveillance messages remind visitors that "the area is under surveillance," adding to the dystopian atmosphere.
The Remaining Businesses Fighting On
Despite the overwhelming emptiness, four businesses continue to operate within the centre, with one particularly thriving against the odds. Corefit, a martial arts centre and gym specialising in Muay Thai boxing and functional training, boasts approximately 220 members and has called the Red Rose Centre home for over ten years.
A staff member described the facility as "one of the best Muay Thai gyms in Birmingham," noting that it continues to attract members despite the centre's overall decline. The gym operates across three large rooms equipped with weights, a boxing ring, mats, and bags, maintaining a busy schedule of afternoon and evening classes including sessions for children and women.
"We still have a community here," the staff member explained. "The gym is thriving and doing well. We have a lot of fighters here in the UK's top ten." Regarding the centre's uncertain future, they added: "It's obviously been on our mind, but because we haven't had any dates to leave, we are hoping we can stay."
Other Tenants and Their Uncertain Futures
The British Heart Foundation shop, labelled Sutton Coldfield's "best charity shop," continues to operate despite fears raised last year about its future following the summer closure of Sutton Coldfield Library. A volunteer staff member reported enjoying working there and noted a steady stream of customers despite the shopping centre's challenges.
Across from the charity shop operates Ahead Barbers and Lottie Lea Photography, businesses owned by a father and daughter team. Peter Morris, owner of Ahead Barbers, moved to the Red Rose Centre fourteen years ago from the indoor market when his previous location was struggling. While his business initially "turned around overnight" in the then-thriving centre, he now describes it as having gone "from a profitable business to a business that's surviving."
With a lease expiring at the end of 2026, Morris is preparing to relocate, noting that even managing agents seem unaware of developments. "I have been in Sutton thirty years," he said. "Even Colliers the managing agents don't know what is going on."
Factors Contributing to the Decline
Several significant blows have accelerated the centre's deterioration. In 2025, three major retailers—Greggs, Hays Travel, and Specsavers—all relocated across the road to the Gracechurch Centre. Additionally, Birmingham City Council decisions have impacted footfall, including the closure of the Victoria Road multi-storey car park, which eliminated substantial passing trade, and last summer's closure of Sutton Coldfield Library despite campaigners' efforts to keep it open.
A Glimmer of Hope on the Horizon
During a recent Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council meeting, regeneration officer Jon Lord provided an update that has sparked hope for the centre's revival. "The Red Rose Centre is in the process of being sold," Lord announced, a statement subsequently confirmed by Birmingham City Council.
A council spokesman stated: "We can confirm that Birmingham City Council are in discussions with a potential purchaser who would seek to redevelop the centre."
Councillor David Pears, representing Sutton Trinity for both the city and town councils, remained tight-lipped about potential buyers but acknowledged progress. "I do not like to see any empty units in the town centre at all," Pears said. "For some years I have been beating the drum with council officers about it. Anything with Birmingham City Council is slow, but I think we are making some progress here. If we can get this sale done this year, it will give us some certainty."
One complicating factor has been Sainsbury's lease, rumoured to be approximately £300,000 annually, with both the supermarket chain and council previously wanting the other to buy their way out of the agreement, creating an impasse. The potential sale could finally break this deadlock and pave the way for meaningful redevelopment of one of Sutton Coldfield's most significant retail sites.
