Abandoned UK shopping centre bulldozed after all 30 shops closed in one hour | UK | News

Demolition of a former shopping center has allegedly begun after 30 stores were given just one hour’s notice to close. Priory Square, on Priory Queensway in Birmingham, was once home to hair salons, B&M, restaurants and the famous Oasis Market. However, traders were forced to close indefinitely in March 2025, with the site left empty.

A spokesman for real estate firm Hammerson, which owns the centre, said at the time that the decision was taken with the health and safety of tenants and the public in mind. The closure follows an annual fire risk assessment, which identified issues requiring significant improvements, including upgrades to the electrical system.

Hammerson has now confirmed that demolition has begun.

According to reports, former store fronts were ripped off and staff wearing high-visibility jackets were seen next to construction equipment. BirminghamLive.

A Hammerson spokesman said in a statement: “After closing Priory Square last year, we secured the site and began demolition work.

“We are in dialogue with Birmingham City Council about next steps and will provide an update when there is more to say.”

Priory Square was once considered an important part of the area and was home to the long-running Oasis Market, seen as the heart of Birmingham’s alternative community.

The market served customers for 54 years before closing.

On 25 March 2025, traders were allegedly given just an hour to pack up and leave after being told the building was a high fire safety risk.

Hammerson said at the time that the remediation and mitigation measures required to make the building safe were “beyond what is reasonably practical to carry out”.

He added that Priory Square would need to be evacuated “for an extended period of time to upgrade the electrical system” before the site could reopen.

Following this assessment, Hammerson decided that the only option was to close the shopping center indefinitely.