Perhaps in the current climate people are just buying gift items in this environment, but it felt like a missed opportunity and a waste of rather lovely space. If you've been, I'd love to hear what you think.
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Selfridges food hall Birmingham: a waste of (lovely) space
As you might have guessed already, I love food shopping, so, on a recent trip to Birmingham I was keen to have a nose around the glammed up Bullring shopping centre, especially the Future Systems-designed Selfridges. It was quite a stunning store and had the usual glamorous Selfridges feel, but I was mightily disappointed by the food hall. It has a great sense of space, but there didn't seem to be much in it apart from restaurant concessions, a perfectly decent deli counter and an overly blingy drinks department (lots of glitzy fizz). And I couldn't believe how many sweets there were.
Perhaps in the current climate people are just buying gift items in this environment, but it felt like a missed opportunity and a waste of rather lovely space. If you've been, I'd love to hear what you think.
Perhaps in the current climate people are just buying gift items in this environment, but it felt like a missed opportunity and a waste of rather lovely space. If you've been, I'd love to hear what you think.
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If you'd been when the store opened back in 2003 you'd have found an entirely different foodhall. It opened with cheese counter, full deli, traiteur, bakery, chocolate counters and florist. However after around 5 years it was found most people didn't go to the BullRing to buy cheese or sliced meats and more confectionery was brought in. Also Selfridges couldn't keep the eat in food counters going when they were empty in weekday day times so Pret etc took over. I loved working there back in 2003, but 10 years later it's a very different foodhall.
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting to hear this Jon, thank you. It chimes with comments made by wine trade colleagues at the time of opening who found it so dynamic and exciting. I bet you loved working there. Thanks again, Lucy.
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