Pub Landlord Voices Frustration Over HS2 Delays
The landlord of a historic Birmingham pub situated on Curzon Street has expressed his frustration over the repeated delays to the HS2 high-speed rail project, calling the situation a 'fiasco'. John Brearley, who runs The Woodman, told BirminghamLive that the constantly changing timeline and escalating costs are damaging for the local area.
HS2 was initially expected to connect Birmingham to London by 2030-33 and extend to Manchester, but recent announcements have pushed the completion date for the Birmingham to Old Oak Common section to 2039, with the connection to Euston still unresolved. The project's speed has also been reduced from 360 km/h to 320 km/h, a change that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended as a cost-saving measure that could accelerate delivery by one year and save £2.5 billion.
A Beautiful Pub in a Prime Location
The Woodman, a 19th-century pub, reopened in September 2024 after a chance encounter between Brearley and CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins. The pub's ornate woodwork and tiled walls earned it the Historic England Conservation category in the CAMRA Pub Design Awards, where it was recognised as Britain's 'most beautiful' boozer. Situated on 1 Curzon Street, The Woodman will be walking distance from the future HS2 station, making its location highly desirable once the project is complete.
Brearley, a chartered accountant and CAMRA member of 43 years, took on the lease with optimism, expecting the station to open within a decade. However, the delays have cast uncertainty over the pub's future, though Brearley remains determined.
The Impact of Delays on Local Business
Speaking from the pub, Brearley said: 'HS2 was a very exciting and ambitious scheme to build a new railway connecting Birmingham to London and then Manchester onwards. I think a combination of two things have gone wrong. I put the more important one first which is a combination of Britain's political systems and ludicrous planning. The goalpost keeps getting changed and bits keep getting chopped off.'
He noted that when he took on the pub, the predicted timeline was 2030-33 and included Manchester. Now, the 2036-39 timeline only covers Old Oak Common to Curzon Street, with further connections still needed. 'Us railway fans call that an isolated shuttle service,' he added.
Brearley expressed his personal frustration: 'From a narrow, parochial, Woodman perspective, it's a bit of a fiasco frankly. I'm pretty p***ed off. If I look at it from a broader perspective, I have to say HS2 have been incredibly supportive and engaging as an organisation. They would be – wouldn't they – we tick their boxes, but I think it's important we're not whinging and saying it's a nightmare.'
Determination to Thrive
Despite the setbacks, Brearley remains defiant. 'I would say it's pompous of me, running a little pub in Birmingham, but I would ask the government to just let them crack on with it. I might be in my eighties by the time it's finished, so who knows what's going to happen. But I will say we're absolutely determined to still be here and thriving in this beautiful pub. I do fear for the future of this pub but we're definitely up for the fight. When the station comes, it will be brilliant.'
HS2 was approached for comment but did not respond. The Woodman is located at 1 Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG.
