Mayor tours The Tea Factory

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, has been given a first look inside The Tea Factory - the BBC's new home in Birmingham.

The landmark building sits at the heart of Typhoo Wharf, the 10-acre regeneration scheme which also includes plans for homes, office and hotels - connected to Birmingham's historic canal network.

It's another milestone for the Mayor's plan for Digbeth to be the UK’s top destination for creative industries.

The Mayor said: “This is a special moment in the story of this remarkable building. If its walls could talk they’d tell tales about how generations of Brummies made sure the nation had a cup of tea to hand during some of its darkest days. The Tea Factory has stood empty for far too long, so there’s a real sense of pride for everyone involved in bringing it back to life - as the new home of the BBC and a monument to the old industrial Digbeth.

"The neighbourhood’s renaissance as a top UK destination for the creative industries is one of Birmingham’s most important regeneration projects and I can’t wait to see The Tea Factory buzzing with activity again as a new crop of creators, innovators and entrepreneurs make their mark.”

The Tea Factory was built in 1930 and has been developed by Stoford in partnership with The Gooch Estate and funded by Aviva Investors on behalf of its Lime Property Fund, with Birmingham City Council providing £16.6 million in grant funding through its Enterprise Zone programme.

The BBC is expected to move in next year.

A specially commissioned artwork by Birmingham graffiti artist Panda has also been unveiled at an event that brought together representatives from the BBC, Birmingham City Council, The Gooch Estate, local occupiers, and office and investment agents

BBC-commissioned analysis forecasts that its recent investment in Digbeth and the West Midlands will generate £282 million of economic benefit by 2032.

Gerard Ludlow, Director at Stoford, said: "It was a pleasure to welcome our partners and stakeholders to the site and give them the opportunity to see first hand how far the project has progressed. Bringing a building of this scale and significance back into use has required a huge collaborative effort and today's event was an opportunity to recognise everyone who has helped make that possible.

"With the BBC's fit out now underway, attention is increasingly turning to the wider opportunities across Typhoo Wharf. This is one of the most exciting development prospects in Birmingham and we look forward to continuing to work with partners as the vision for the site evolves."

Cllr Julien Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “It is great to see the completion of the latest milestone of the transformation of The Tea Factory into the BBC's Midland base. Digbeth has a well-deserved reputation as a centre for media production and creativity, also hosting the BBC's Master Chef studios and Steven Knight's Digbeth Loc. Long may this continue!”

Richard Lawrence, Birmingham City Council; Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands; Gerard Ludlow, Stoford.