The Birmingham Mail has released archive photographs from 1990 showing Birmingham city centre before the Bullring, HS2 and Eastside developments transformed the area. The images, taken 36 years ago, reveal a city centre that is both familiar and vastly different from today.
Landmarks that remain unchanged
Some landmarks appear largely unchanged in the 1990 photographs. The Rotunda, Martineau Galleries and the ICC are all recognisable in the archive images, offering a point of reference for how the city centre has evolved around them.
The photographs were taken as Birmingham entered the 1990s, a period that saw the arrival of the Birmingham Super Prix, dynamic images of the ring road and occasional visits from famous faces, according to the Birmingham Mail archives.
How the city centre has been transformed
The most notable differences in the 1990 images are the absence of the Bullring as it is known today, the lack of any Curzon Street HS2 development, and an Eastside that bore little resemblance to its current form. These areas have since undergone major regeneration projects that have reshaped the city centre.
Among the archive images is a black and white photograph of New Street, which the Birmingham Mail notes shows the street before the addition of mirrors that are now a familiar sight.
The photographs were published on 05 September 2026 by Graeme Brown, Editor-in-Chief for West Midlands at Reach PLC. The article notes that 1990 was 36 years ago, a time when Gazza was playing for England and 13 years before Jude Bellingham was born.
Nostalgia at BirminghamLive
BirminghamLive has a tradition of sharing nostalgic content, and readers are encouraged to view the full gallery of images. After browsing the 1990 photographs, the publication also offers a look at what Birmingham looked like in 2000.
The archive images provide a visual record of how Birmingham city centre has changed over more than three decades, offering both a nostalgic trip for long-time residents and a historical reference for newer visitors to the city.
