Small Heath, Birmingham

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency shown within Birmingham.

Green Lane Masjid, formerly Green Lane Public Library and Baths (Martin & Chamberlain 1893-1902).

Small Heath is an inner-city area within the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated on and around the A45 (Coventry Road).

Small Heath is home to Birmingham City Football Club's St. Andrews stadium. Also in Small Heath are two large supermarkets, Asda and Morrisons and the outdoor pursuits centre called the Ackers Trust. There is also a business park that is home to the former Birmingham Cable Company, now Virgin Media.

Small Heath is centred around the Coventry Road that formed part of the main route from Birmingham to Coventry, but the section of Coventry Road that passes through Small Heath was bypassed by a dual carriageway that opened in January 1985. It is served by the Small Heath railway station on the Birmingham to Stratford Line of the London Midland railway system. The Grand Union Canal also passes through the area.

A large number of mostly terraced houses were built around Small Heath towards the end of the 19th century, and over the next few decades these buildings became the residence of numerous Irish immigrants. In the 20 or so years that followed the end of World War II, the area attracted more immigrants - mostly from the Indian sub-continent. Immigrants from the West Indies also settled in Small Heath, but Pakistani immigrants were by far the most significant people to settle in the area.

The majority of the residents of Small Heath are Muslim, and there are many mosques in the area. The largest mosque in the Small Heath area is the Ghamkol Shariff Masjid, located on Golden Hillock Road, and is also one of the largest in the UK. It holds regular Muslim prayers, funeral services and other religious ceremonies such as the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. Green Lane Masjid is located on Green Lane, a commercial centre for Small Heath.

Small Heath has been plagued by a poor reputation in recent years - a problem which is seen in similar neighbouring districts such as Aston and Handsworth. Despite having problems associated with all inner-city suburbs, Small Heath enjoys a vibrant multicultural atmosphere and is host to many thriving local businesses. Since 1995, the Coventry Road has attracted an ever increasing number of ethic fast food restaurants.

There are several parks and green spaces in the suburb, of which the largest (Small Heath Park - formally known as Victoria Park) occasionally hosts festivals. An episode of Charlie's Garden Army featured a permanent installation in Small Heath Park. Local transport connections are very good, with a mainline train station and many bus routes to other parts of the city. House prices have been steadily increasing on a par with other areas within Birmingham.

Small Heath is part of the Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency, which has been held since 1997 by Labour MP Roger Godsiff. The constituency has a high proportion of people of south-Asian origin, and this section of the community has historically supported the Labour Party.