The Yew Tree shopping precinct was once the thriving heart of retail in Birmingham. But today it stands abandoned, as major retailers relocated to the newer Swan Shopping Centre down the road.
Explore the strategic decisions made by retailers like Greggs, Consul, and more to exit Yew Tree for Swan Centre over the decades. What factors allowed the shiny new mall to poach tenants from the traditional high street?
Experts and local shop owners will weigh in on the complex relationship between malls and high streets. With indoor shopping centres dominating in the UK, is there hope for reviving forsaken districts like Yew Tree?
The story provides insight into the difficult climate for physical retail, and how communities have lost their commercial hearts. Join us as we learn the history and walk the present-day streets of these two contrasting Birmingham shopping centres.
