An introduction.
Researched by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise.
FFifteen thousand spun-aluminium discs give Selfridges at Birmingham's Bull Ring a silver skin, while a documented market charter, a recorded riot, and a church with medieval roots occupy the same few acres. Visit Bull Ring in Birmingham, United Kingdom, to see the city's commercial memory pressed against its loudest modern experiment: St Martin's spire, Nelson's bronze, and a retail centre that looks faintly extraterrestrial. Come for the shopping; stay for the deliciously awkward question of what a marketplace remembers.
Records show that in 1166 Henry II granted Peter FitzWilliam de Bermingham a weekly Thursday market at his manor. That charter turned a local meeting point into a commercial habit, and the Bull Ring still performs the same basic trick: bringing strangers together to exchange money, goods, news, and opinions.
What visitors see now is a layered argument rather than a preserved medieval square. Architectural histories confirm that J. A. Chatwin rebuilt most of St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring between 1873 and 1875, while the 1809 Nelson statue quietly claims to be Britain's first public monument to the admiral.
Look closely at the names underfoot. Local histories connect The Shambles and Spiceal Street with the old butcher stalls and traders in cloth, spices, and apothecary goods. The merchandise has changed; the instinct to gather here has not.
01 What to see.
Selfridges Birmingham
St Martin-in-the-Bullring
From medieval market to modern Bull Ring
02 In pictures.
Plan and listen to Bull Ring with Audiala.
Audio guide in your pocket, itinerary in your browser. Built for the way you actually visit.
03 Visitor logistics.
The practical scaffolding for a good visit — kept short.
Getting There
Birmingham New Street station sits directly beneath Grand Central: take the lifts or escalators to the concourse, then follow the enclosed LinkStreet into Bullring without going outdoors. Birmingham Moor Street is opposite the Selfridges side, under a 2-minute walk; from Victoria Square, follow pedestrianised New Street east for 5–7 minutes, or walk from Digbeth and the Custard Factory along High Street Deritend in 5–8 minutes. Drivers can use Bullring, Moor Street or Edgbaston Street car parks, open daily 08:00–00:00, but the site lies inside Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone.
Opening Hours
As of 2026, Bullring opens Monday–Friday 10:00–20:00, Saturday 09:00–20:00 and Sunday 11:00–17:00; Grand Central opens Monday–Saturday 09:00–20:00 and Sunday 11:00–17:00. Individual shops, restaurants and Selfridges may keep different hours, while many retailers close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day; bank-holiday times vary, so check the official centre listing before setting out.
Time Needed
Allow 45–60 minutes for the architectural highlights: Future Systems’ silver-disc Selfridges façade, Laurence Broderick’s 2.2-metre bronze Bull and St Martin’s churchyard. Shopping with a light meal takes 2–3 hours; adding the Bull Ring markets, St Martin’s Square and Digbeth makes a satisfying 4–6-hour half-day, with market smells and buskers replacing the mall’s polished hush.
Step-Free Access
All seven main Bullring entrances have automatic doors and step-free access, with public lifts near M&S, Costa Coffee on Level 0, Selfridges East Mall and the Whittard/Grand Central corner. Free ShopMobility wheelchairs and powered scooters are available from Bullring Centre Car Park Level -1, but bring two forms of ID; the centre also has two Changing Places rooms and indoor audio routing through the Waymap app.
Cost And Tickets
Entry to Bullring, Grand Central, St Martin’s Square and the public concourses is free, with no general ticket or advance booking. As of 2026, car parking starts at £4 for 0–1 hour, £6.50 for 1–2 hours and £11.50 for 3–4 hours, with full-day tariffs reaching £20 or more; shops, restaurants and temporary attractions charge separately.
04 Tips for visitors.
Small things that change the day.
Dress For St Martin’s
The mall has no formal dress code beyond shirts and footwear, but St Martin in the Bull Ring asks for modest, respectful clothing. Keep voices low during prayer or worship, and visit the church Tuesday–Friday 12:00–17:00 or Saturday–Sunday 12:00–16:00.
Shoot The Bull
Handheld photos of the Bull statue, Selfridges and public architecture are allowed, and the church welcomes casual photography when services are not disrupted. Drones are banned across the estate, while tripods, flash equipment and commercial filming need written permission from Hammerson.
Guard Your Phone
Take extra care along the Bullring–St Martin’s Square–New Street Station corridor, especially when escalators and train crowds compress everyone together. Keep bags closed, decline persistent petition collectors or pseudo-monks, and avoid buying unverified electronics or designer perfumes from street hawkers.
Eat Beyond The Chains
For a budget meal, try Mount Fuji by the Moor Street entrance or Franco Manca on Stephenson Street; Bill’s Bullring is a mid-range choice overlooking St Martin’s church. Dishoom at Chamberlain Square is about a 10-minute walk for a pricier Bombay-Irani meal, while Sabai Sabai Central suits a mid-range Thai dinner near Southside.
Go Early, Then Wander
Arrive around Grand Central’s 09:00 opening on Saturday for quieter escalators and cleaner reflections on Selfridges’ mirrored discs; Sunday mornings are gentler still, though Bullring itself opens at 11:00. Pair the visit with the Bull Ring Indoor and Open Markets, then continue downhill into Digbeth and the Custard Factory before evening crowds gather.
Skip The Car
New Street station delivers you underneath the centre, and Moor Street is less than two minutes from Selfridges, making rail cheaper and less troublesome than parking for a short visit. If driving, compare the three centre car parks with the Clean Air Zone charge before departure; free entry is the easy saving.
05 The Market That Refused to Disappear
The Bull Ring's oldest story is not architectural. Records show a commercial ritual beginning with Peter de Bermingham's 1166 charter: a regular market in the centre of Birmingham, where trade made the town visible to the wider region. The stalls have vanished, but the function remains legible in the crowds, the shopfronts, and the steady percussion of footsteps.
Continuity here does not mean that the same building survived untouched. St Martin's was largely rebuilt, the livestock market moved to Smithfield in 1817 according to local historical accounts, and the 1964 shopping centre eventually gave way to Bullring in 2003. What endured was the public habit of using this ground for commerce, ceremony, argument, and spectacle.
When the Market Became a Parliament
According to the UK Parliament's account, thousands gathered around Nelson's statue in July 1839 as the National Chartist Convention brought working-class demands into the open air. William Lovett and John Collins helped turn the monument's base into a reading room without walls, where political news and speeches travelled through the crowd. For Lovett and Collins, the stakes were personal: public leadership brought the real risk of arrest and the loss of their liberty.
The turning point came on 4 July, when sixty Metropolitan Police officers brought from London charged into a gathering that local authorities had declared unlawful. Accounts describe the crowd retaliating, iron churchyard railings becoming makeshift weapons, and troops restoring order near Moor Street. Ten days later, after Parliament rejected the Chartist petition, further violence sent fire and cavalry through the Bull Ring and High Street.
The episode makes the site's continuity unusually vivid. People were still gathering to exchange something in public; only the commodity had changed from meat and cloth to political possibility. A marketplace can sell goods, but it can also decide who gets heard.
What Changed
What Endured
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06 Frequently asked.
The questions travellers send us most about Bull Ring.
Is Bull Ring worth visiting?
Yes—especially if you like architecture, urban history, or shopping with a spectacular building attached. Future Systems’ Selfridges is wrapped in 15,000 aluminium discs, while St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring offers a hushed Gothic counterpoint just across the terraces. Look for the 1809 Nelson statue too: it predates Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square by more than 30 years.
How long do you need at Bull Ring?
Allow 45–60 minutes for the main architectural highlights, 2–3 hours for shopping and a meal, or 4–6 hours for the markets and Digbeth as well. A quick circuit takes in Selfridges, Laurence Broderick’s 2.2-metre bronze Bull, St Martin’s Church, and the central gallerias. The half-day version feels less like a mall visit and more like a walk through Birmingham’s trading history.
How do I get to Bull Ring from London?
Take a train from London to Birmingham New Street, whose concourse connects directly to Grand Central and the Bullring through the indoor LinkStreet walkway. From the station, follow signs for Grand Central; Birmingham Moor Street is another nearby arrival point, directly opposite the Selfridges side. You can reach the centre without stepping outside, which is a small mercy in West Midlands rain.
What is the best time to visit Bull Ring?
Visit on a weekday morning for the calmest walkways and clearest views of the architecture, ideally in daylight when the Selfridges discs shift from silver to gunmetal. Bullring generally opens at 10:00 on weekdays, while Grand Central opens from 9:00; Saturdays are busier and Sundays have shorter hours. Winter brings festive installations, while August Bank Holiday weekend brings free outdoor performances during Birmingham Weekender.
Can you visit Bull Ring for free?
Yes, entry to Bullring, Grand Central, St Martin’s Square, and the public concourses is free. You only pay for shopping, food, special events, or parking, with the centre’s car parks charging by duration. St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring also welcomes visitors during its published visiting hours, provided church activities are treated respectfully.
What should I not miss at Bull Ring?
Don’t miss Selfridges’ 15,000-disc façade, the polished horns and snout of the 6.5-tonne bronze Bull, and the red-sandstone interior of St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring. Inside the church, look for medieval de Bermingham effigies and stained glass associated with Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris & Co.; outside, find Sir Richard Westmacott’s 1809 Nelson monument. Stand halfway down St Martin’s steps for the best collision of Gothic spire and cobalt-silver blob architecture.
Verified, and shown.
Researched and written by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise.
Information on the 1166 market charter, the historic market site, and the relationship between Smithfield and the Bull Ring.
Recent reporting on Birmingham’s indoor market, its traders, and the continuing importance of the historic market district.
Historical notes on Birmingham’s market charters, fairs, market buildings, and the evolution of the Bull Ring.
Background on medieval Birmingham, the de Bermingham family, and the early market charter.
Account of the Bull Ring name, bull-baiting customs, the former iron ring, and later market clearance.
Listed-building information on St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring, historic remains, and the medieval setting.
Detailed local history covering the Bull Ring’s name, charters, market zones, figures, and changing buildings.
Historical account of Prince Rupert’s 1643 assault on Birmingham and the town’s role in the Civil War.
Overview of the 1643 Battle of Camp Hill and the Royalist attack through Birmingham.
Details on Birmingham’s 1809 Nelson statue, its sculptor, unveiling, and historical importance.
Art-historical information on Sir Richard Westmacott’s bronze monument and its allegorical details.
Parliamentary history of the 1839 Chartist gatherings, police intervention, and riots around the Bull Ring.
Academic research on Birmingham’s Chartist movement and the 1839 Bull Ring disturbances.
Architectural history of J. A. Chatwin’s 1873–1875 rebuilding of St Martin’s Church.
Building-focused guide to St Martin’s architecture, history, and Gothic Revival reconstruction.
Historical account of the Birmingham Blitz and wartime damage to the city centre.
Information on Birmingham’s wartime bombing, industrial importance, and surviving historic fabric.
History of the 1960s Brutalist Bull Ring Centre and architect James A. Roberts.
General chronology and architectural overview of the Bull Ring’s 1960s and 2003 developments.
Local historical walking account covering Robert Porter, Camp Hill, and Birmingham’s Civil War history.
Detailed narrative of the 1839 Bull Ring Riots, Chartist leaders, crowds, police, and military response.
Visitor information on the connected retail centres, free public access, and operating details.
Official opening hours for Bullring and Grand Central, including regular weekly schedules.
Official transport, parking, access, and car-park tariff information.
Reporting on adjusted Bullring opening hours during the 2026 spring bank holiday.
Directions from Birmingham New Street and rail travel information for reaching the Bullring.
Information on the distance and indoor connection between Birmingham New Street and the Bullring.
Official details on step-free entrances, lifts, ShopMobility, Changing Places facilities, Waymap, and the wellbeing hub.
Accessible guide to toilets, baby-changing facilities, and Changing Places provision.
Information on left-luggage storage near Birmingham New Street and the Bullring.
App-based luggage-storage locations near Birmingham New Street Station.
Nearby luggage-storage options around the Bullring.
Official estate rules covering photography, commercial filming, drones, conduct, and visitor behaviour.
Official privacy and photography-related policy information for the shopping centre estate.
Visitor descriptions of St Martin’s Square, public performances, plaza activity, and the surrounding atmosphere.
Overview of the Selfridges building, Future Systems, its completion in 2003, and architectural awards.
Architectural information on Bullring and Grand Central’s gallerias, atriums, lighting, and circulation.
Project information on the centre’s digital media, public-facing design, and architectural installation.
Visitor and community material about St Martin’s interior, atmosphere, stained glass, and church history.
Architectural analysis of Future Systems’ Selfridges building, its aluminium discs, structure, materials, and awards.
Information on Laurence Broderick’s bronze Bull, its scale, public affection, and polished touchpoints.
Visual reference for the viewpoint framing St Martin’s spire against the Selfridges façade.
Visual reference for the Bull sculpture and its tactile, polished bronze surfaces.
Community visual material on St Martin’s timber doors and wrought-iron Gothic hinges.
Information on seasonal Christmas installations and pop-up activity around the Bullring.
Reference for seasonal visitor activity linked to Birmingham’s Christmas market period.
Visual reference for Birmingham Weekender performances and public events.
Reference for public arts and heritage events connected with Birmingham’s city-centre programme.
Information on walking tours linking the Bullring with Digbeth, public art, and industrial history.
Reference for temporary public-art trails and QR-linked activities in Birmingham.
Visitor-tour reference for St Martin’s architectural and historical interpretation.
Historic photograph documenting Blitz damage to Birmingham and the Bull Ring market area.
Historic photograph showing clearance of the Market Hall remains for later redevelopment.
Archive material on John Laing’s shopping-centre construction, including Birmingham’s 1960s Bull Ring.
Information on Birmingham nicknames, Brummie expressions, and local cultural identity.
Supplementary reference for local Birmingham terminology and pronunciation.
Local discussion reflecting how residents describe the Bullring and central Birmingham.
Local opinions on shopping at the Bullring, Merry Hill, parking, crowds, and access.
Local discussion of changing perceptions and conditions around the Bullring and Birmingham city centre.
Official information on the FORGED public artwork and Birmingham Light Festival programming.
Reference for light-festival installations and seasonal activity at the Bullring.
Official event information for Birmingham Weekender performances and free outdoor arts programming.
Council listing for St Martin’s Church, including community activities and visitor information.
Historical and architectural background on Digbeth, its industrial buildings, and cultural setting near the Bullring.
Local discussion of evening movement and perceived safety around Birmingham city centre.
General safety advice for moving through Birmingham’s central areas.
Practical safety guidance for Birmingham residents and visitors.
Official information on the Bull Ring Indoor Market and its market-trading role.
Guide to Birmingham’s food markets, market culture, and local culinary traditions.
Reporting on proposed market demolition, housing plans, and the planning dispute around Smithfield.
Planning and architectural reporting on the appeal approving redevelopment around Birmingham’s markets.
Developer information on the proposed Smithfield redevelopment and updated designs.
Reporting on reported pickpocketing and theft risks around Birmingham New Street and nearby routes.
Local discussion of crowding, street activity, and visitor concerns around the Bullring markets.
Discussion of photography restrictions at Birmingham New Street and related private-estate rules.
Official church visitor hours, worship etiquette, photography guidance, and visiting information.
Heritage information on St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring, its history, architecture, and visitor access.
Restaurant listings and price guidance for dining near the Bullring and Grand Central.
Visitor-reviewed restaurant listings used for nearby dining recommendations.
Official information on Bill’s Bullring restaurant and its location overlooking St Martin’s area.
Editorial guide to Birmingham restaurants, including nearby dining recommendations.
Food-focused guide to Birmingham restaurants and the city’s dining culture.
Researched from Wikidata, Wikipedia & official sources · fact-checked · How we make our guides →
