While there’s no denying Birmingham made some pretty ghastly planning mistakes in the post-war years, not everything went the way of the bulldozer.
Take a walk around Temple Street, Bennetts Hill and New Street, look up from your smartphone and you’ll spot a selection of delightful doorways displaying typographic designs from a bygone era that, thankfully, are still with us.
The Hortons-built White House from 1912 offers a wonderful example of pre-war signage over its entrance on New Street, while the glorious Birmingham Law Library no longer occupies its Temple Street building but its original doorway is quite stunning.
Further down Temple Street and the Temple Buildings entrance could easily grace a New York high-rise.
Bennetts Hill has a mixture of building styles and one of its most grand is the Scottish Widows building, constructed in 1931. Its elegant entrance survives despite changes of usage.
Buildings change over the years; from offices to apartments; from retail to restaurants. Here’s hoping these little snapshots of their early years are here to stay.
Spotted any others? Tweet a picture @staceybarnfield
