The Copthorne Hotel: A Polarising Relic in Birmingham's Paradise
Walking through the Paradise development on a bright weekend, the sun reflects off jet-washed Portland stone, creating one of the most beautiful spots in town. Mornings see hungry visitors waiting for breakfast naans in the sun at Dishoom, while revellers queue out the door to dance at Albert's Schloss by night. Residents and businesspeople pass time on the steps leading down to the Chamberlain Fountain, which stands sentinel outside the grand Roman revival columns of the Town Hall.
A Thorn Between Two Roses
Yet, amidst this beauty, a polarising construction enjoys another day in Paradise. The Copthorne Hotel is a reminder of 1980s Birmingham that, for some, is a happy last bastion of how things used to look in a neighbourhood once dominated by glass and concrete. For others, it is an ugly thorn between two roses, a shut-up ghost haunting the space between Centenary and Chamberlain squares. The reflections of the Brutalist Central Library never shimmer again on its many windows.
The financial issues that mean it is still standing are far uglier, but more on that shortly. Given the old hotel will turn 40 next year, likely with little fanfare, we are taking a look at how it has avoided destruction up until now.
Demolition Plans and Delays
The Copthorne was earmarked for demolition years ago, with two new buildings and a public park planned to replace it. Now, there is a chance it will be standing well into its fifth decade. Here is the story so far of how the Copthorne has dodged the Birmingham bulldozer.
In 2012, the planned 'new look' for the neighbourhood we now know as Paradise was revealed. The old Central Library and Fletchers Walk shopping centre, Chamberlain House, the Conservatoire, and the Copthorne Hotel were not in any of the sketches or future visions. That year, planning permission had already been given to raze them.
The plan was to replace it with new buildings, parks, a hotel, and public spaces, a project to be delivered in three separate phases. Phase One could see Chamberlain Square transformed, with the addition of One and Two Chamberlain Square, office and retail buildings. Phase Two would see the 49-floor skyscraper Octagon completed, along with One Centenary Way and Three Chamberlain Square. A luxury boutique hotel at One Ratcliff Square was planned for this phase too.
The demolition of the Copthorne formed part of Phase Three, as did the addition of two new buildings and a large public square.
Progress Around a Stagnant Hotel
In 2016, Central Library, Fletchers Walk, and the Conservatoire were the first of the five to fall. Chamberlain House was the twin of the Copthorne and it was demolished two years later. In 2017, the Copthorne marked its 30th year standing. All around it, work began bringing the visions for Paradise to life.
The hotel continued to welcome guests until 2021, with reviewers during the tail end of its lifespan criticising rooms that needed upgrades that would never come. The following year, in 2022, planning consent was awarded for a 198-bedroom boutique hotel to replace the one the neighbourhood had lost.
Uncertain Timelines and Financial Woes
At the tail end of 2023, a spokesperson told BirminghamLive that timings for the demolition, and Phase Three, were expected to be announced the following spring. Spring came and went, summer, autumn, and winter too, and Copthorne weathered them all, whole, boarded off from the eyes of those passing through in close quarters but looming large on the skyline.
The skyline grew larger. In September 2024, the 49-floor Octagon topped out, named the tallest skyscraper in Birmingham at 155m. The view from the side of the new skyscraper was one over the Copthorne Hotel.
Ten years after work began at Paradise, developers looked back on its achievements in 2025. Some 840,000sq ft of commercial space had been delivered and more than 50 employers had moved in. It included PwC, Goldman Sachs, DLA Piper, AtkinsRéalis, Mills & Reeve, JLL, and Arup. Dishoom, Cow and Sow, La Bellezza, Rosa's Thai, Albert's Schloss, and the F1 Arcade formed its hospitality offering. All were a stone's throw from the still-standing Copthorne, ready to be torn down.
Money Troubles and Future Uncertainty
Paradise started 2026 by sharing the news that since its creation, it had created 4,981 new jobs and 370 new homes as well as a public realm. Less than two months later, BirminghamLive exclusively revealed that Paradise had money worries, needing a £60 million bailout. While it might have seemed like numbers on some business bottom line and not something that would impact the average Brummie, there was a sting in the tail - council taxpayers were on the hook for half of it.
Birmingham City Council is now locked in an urgent review over its financial commitment to the scheme, learning that it will have to find £30 million of public cash to pay its half of a £60 million loan repayment cost that has emerged. Paradise has 2030 down as the completion date for the critical third phase on its website timeline.
But Birmingham City Council told BirminghamLive that it was 'reviewing all options' for addressing the financial challenges before proposals for Phase Three could come forward. As such, the question of when we might see the Copthorne demolished is one that cannot be answered until the details are ironed out. We will bring you more on that as we get it.
