A huge blue building swirled with colour loomed in front of me as I peered up at what was left of Newtown Wellbeing Centre. Greens, blues, yellows and reds bounced off the outside - with the building's exterior reflecting all the hope and joy which should still be housed within the community centre.
Centre closure and sale
The hub officially shut down in 2019, dealing a huge blow to the community. It was listed on Birmingham's Property Services for sale last year, with a site of two acres up for grabs. Prior to this, Newtown Youth Centre itself disappeared in September 2012, and the community venue it was housed within was sold off. Today, only the painted exterior remains, with a large 'FOR SALE' sign stuck to the side of the massive building beside a busy highway.
Community reaction
Every so often, a group of young people strolled along the pavement, with one teenager blasting music from his bike as he sang lyrics speeding down the street. Padding around the perimeter of the centre, it seemed to echo a deep sadness of the great loss this community has faced. A once thriving site housing a pool, wellbeing centre and more, now cut off to residents - with a huge building all that's left to remind those who live in Newtown of what was.
While strolling around the former community site, I made my way to the neighbouring Newtown Shopping Centre - a hive of activity compared to the silent reflection of the community centre. Dozens of people hurried by as they popped into the various shops clustered at the site. I tried my best to chat to anyone who would stop. Again and again we were met with residents politely declining to speak with us, until two locals issued a warning to myself and my colleague about sticking around asking questions for too long. Numerous residents raised the same concerns - with one urging us to be careful with our tech equipment in the area.
Residents speak out
A feeling of sadness settled in my stomach as I looked at the wellbeing centre once more, standing to the rear of the building. Broken glass crunched under my feet as I spoke to one resident who had lived in Newtown his whole life, with bits of litter and broken bricks dotting the ground around us. He shared how there is 'nothing' for the youth of Birmingham to do these days - with the man explaining how he often sees 'gangs fighting' in the exact spot where we were standing. The resident described how the area needs the 'MPs you vote for' to come to Newtown to see how the locals are living - calling it a 'cry for help.'
Youth centre decline
Birmingham once had dozens of youth centres, with nearly every area dotted with facilities for the next generation of Brummies. But today the total number of active council sites sits at just 13, while there are still multiple charity run centres still operational. Newtown is a thriving hub of people; but the visit left a heavy feeling in my stomach. It begged the question as to how the youth of Birmingham, and more widely, communities in our city, are able to swim against the tide of heartbreaking losses such as this centre.
Do you remember Newtown Youth Centre or Newtown Wellbeing Centre? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing hannah.ahmed@reachplc.com.
