Featured

You’ve probably walked through on your morning commute. Maybe even popped in to grab a last minute birthday present for someone. But, have you ever stopped to take in the unique architecture and beautiful interior of Piccadilly Arcade? The shopping arcade in the heart of Birmingham city centre, with and abundance of history, dating back to pre-wartime Britain.

Built in 1910, Piccadilly Arcade was originally built to home a cinema, and after a planning application was submitted in February 1910, ‘The Picture House, New Street’ was opened by Lady Noreen Bass later that very same year, on 20 October. When it initially opened, The Picture House, was an incredibly exclusive destination, with a décor to rival even the most expensive hotels. The auditorium was very grand itself, and comprised of a staggering 600 seats and 150 in the stalls, a large cinema for the time.

Despite its growth over the years, with new screens being added, in 1926 the cinema closed, and Piccadilly Arcade was born. With the Arcade came the beautiful ceiling mural. The arcade wanted to position itself as a shopping destination, and the mural is focused around the theme of time, which reflects the passage of time lost viewing the beautiful ceiling artwork. The mural evolved through many different ideas, but the final piece revolved around a year of a life. The shops you now see are still in the original building, under the original artwork, created all those years ago, but are now filled with a vast variety of shops, all offering something unique. So, next time you’re visiting, why not stop and take in the pure splendour of this unique shopping arcade!

Easter is a breath-taking time of the year. The sun begins to shine, the days get longer, the flowers begin to bloom and it’s really something to smile about. With Easter comes the beautiful spring colours and an abundance of new styles and trends to explore. Here we have pinpointed some top Style and Home tips and must haves to help you get Easter ready.

Style

The spring has arrived and so it’s time to spruce up your finest Easter look. It’s the time of the year where we like to flourish into butterflies and leave behind our cocoons from the bleak winter. Fortunately, Piccadilly Arcade is the home to an array of wonderful stores to help you in your transformation, selling bespoke products allowing you to be a trend setter rather than following the crowd.

Shepherds

Shepherds Barber is the first stop for you gents out there. With a remarkable passion for hair styling, Shepherds offers both old fashioned wet shaves, and good modern haircuts at an exceptional standard. The textured crop and the undercut quiff are two major trends for male hair styles this spring. Not only can Shepherds master these desirable cuts, but they also have a plethora of unique grooming products to help everyone achieve the look they are aiming for.

Piccadilly Opticians

At Piccadilly Opticians, the independent eye-wear experts have a collection of profound brands from all over the world which are handmade by skilled artisans and designed to remain beautiful, unique and timeless. Whether you prefer the extraordinary and unmissable fashion items which will ensure you to stand out from the crowd or you prefer more subtle and delicate trendy frames, Piccadilly Opticians have something for everyone at the finest quality.

Top Tailor

This spring time we’re all about doing our bit for the environment so it’s out with fast fashion and in with living more sustainably, and wearing clothing that will last you a lifetime. So dust off your timeless, classic pieces from the back of your wardrobe this Easter and restore those items you love the most.

Top Tailor at Piccadilly Arcade are an experienced team providing quality services in clothing alterations, repairs and dry cleaning. Not only does this mean you can hold on to your favourite garments for decades without people seeing the wear, but you will also be doing your bit for the planet.

ONXY Workshop Jewellers

Accessories may be small but they are everything when it comes to style. No outfit is complete without the help from a delicate silver bracelet or an eye-catching gemstone falling on your chest. The ONYX Workshop Jewellers have a multitude of beautiful, intricate pieces from renowned jewellery makers and local designers which are crafted to the highest quality, enabling them to be staples for your new spring look.

Home

Everyone knows how to decorate their homes for Christmas, the tinsel, the baubles and a great big Christmas tree in the corner of your living room. When it comes to Easter, the same amount of effort is lacking and people are missing a trick. The beautiful spring colours and adorable spring animals make the perfect decorations for your home so why miss out on that opportunity and have a fun Easter revamp. Not only is it an enjoyable and therapeutic activity, but it also brightens up your home for the springtime.

Petals of Piccadilly

However you decide to decorate your home this Easter, flowers are a must. There’s no better way to liven up your home in the spring than a bunch of the most colourful, fresh and brightest flowers. Tulips are said to signify the arrival of spring and look beautiful in lilac and yellow. The scent revives your surroundings and keeps your home smelling beautiful in the most natural possible way. Petals of Piccadilly are renowned for the freshest blooms in the most beautiful colours.

Smithsonia

An Easter centre piece is a lovely traditional way to decorate your dining room whilst creating a beautiful focal point for your Easter roast dinner. At Smithsonia you can choose from a whole range of exquisite ceramic and glass vases which are ideal to hold an extravagant bouquet of flowers or an Easter Tree.

This beautiful vase was handmade and designed by Japanese artist Miyu Kurihara. Each vase is individually drawn with the most amazing intricate detailing.

Smithsonia also host a multitude of quirky, fun ornaments which are perfect to continue with the Easter theme. These adorable wooden ducks are hand carved from bamboo root and would look great on the mantelpiece to welcome in your visitors.

I think we can all agree that Mothers are pretty special, their unconditional love, their ability to fix everything and their supernatural capability to juggle a million things a day to help you out.  With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to spoil those lovely ladies and make sure they know how much they mean to you.

Nestled in the heart of Birmingham, Piccadilly Arcade is the home to an array of fantastic and unique shops where you can stray away from those corny, cliché gifts which you get bombarded with on the high street. Piccadilly arcade is an idyllic spot where you can find hidden treasures which are perfect if you’re looking for something that little bit different for your mum this year.

Here are some of our favourite gift idea’s we have hand-picked for your inspiration.

Smithsonia Ceramic Vases

Smithsonia is a quirky gift shop at the centre of Piccadilly Arcade, selling all sorts of beautiful and authentic items which are far from the generic, mainstream gimmicks you find on the high street. We love these tasteful ceramic vases. They are perfect to display some lovely Mother’s Day flowers, for those who like an artistic and original style.

Petals of Piccadilly

Conveniently, Petals of Piccadilly is right on Smithsonia’s doorstep, selling the most luxurious flowers. The beautiful blooms come in a huge array of colours, sizes, styles and arrangements ranging from stunning bouquets, intricate, dainty flowers and gift baskets with chocolate and wine. Pair up the freshest flowers in Birmingham with stylish ceramic vases from Smithsonia, and you’ve found a gift to make your mother smile.

The ONYX Workshop

The ONYX workshop is a family run jeweller, dedicated to creating the most exceptional jewellery. Not only are the ornate, hand crafted, silver designs one of a kind, but if you have something special in mind, they are willing to have a look into making it for you and turning your idea into reality for a specially designed bespoke gift. If custom-made Jewellery isn’t something to smile about, then we don’t know what is!

Marco Benito

Treat your mum to some bonding time at Marco Benito where you can get pampered to your hearts delight. Whether you’d prefer a mani-pedi, an eyebrow wax, eyelash extensions, or all three, pamper time is the perfect opportunity to have a long and relaxing catch up, with a gorgeous finishing result. The salon is established for providing the highest quality treatments as their committed specialists are experts at natural looking manicures, specialist nail art work, gorgeous brows, lash extensions and silky smooth waxing. The beauty products used are leading edge and therefore ensure flawless results.

Piccadilly Jewellers

New Street’s oldest surviving Jewellers, Piccadilly Jewellers is a stunning Victorian shop selling a host of antique books, furniture, jewellery, clocks and china. These pieces are timeless, and make the most eye catching, memorable gifts. This amber collection caught our eye with its deep orange colourings making you feel warm and cheerful. Match up a pair of earrings with an elegant amber necklace to create a remarkable gift which will take your Mums breath away.

Sixteen Bakery

You could even take your mum out for a Mother’s Day afternoon tea and cake at Sixteen Bakery. This serene little coffee shop sells a plethora of exquisite home baked cakes and treats so you can indulge on these delicious delicacies in the comfort of this picturesque spot. There’s not a better place for a long natter at your own leisure… and there’s no cakes better to satisfy your sweet cravings.

We’ve all experienced that feeling waking up the day before Mother’s Day and thinking oops…..

Rushing around the shops and asking yourself “what on earth can I buy?”

Hopefully with our inspiration and ideas you can find the perfect gift this year and have a truly special day.

Piccadilly Arcade is one of Birmingham’s most historic retail destinations, housing over a dozen of the best independent retailers England’s second city has to offer. Despite being a beloved retail destination, it’s easy to understand why many local residents and commuters decide to take the scenic route through the Arcade that connects New Street and Stephenson Street.

But when was the last time you looked up during your journey through Piccadilly Arcade?

Did you know you were being watched? No, not by any piece of modern technology, but by a series of painted ceiling murals, titled ‘A Life In The Year Of The Chinchillas’. The piece of artwork was created by artist Paul Maxfield in 1989 when Piccadilly Arcade was refurbished by Douglas Hitchman.

Over 100 years ago cinema goers would flock to the ‘The Picture House, New Street’ in order to escape their daily lives and become engrossed in a silent film and the story unfolding on the big screen. Despite the cinema closing its doors in 1925 and then transforming into Piccadilly Arcade, the famous building enriched in history still can’t help to tell a story.

On the ceiling throughout the walkway in Piccadilly Arcade are six panels, each of which illustrates part of a story told by Paul Maxfield in his artwork, ‘A Life In The Year Of The Chinchillas’. The paintings depict the four seasons of the year and are also symbolic of the life cycle.

Each mural has its own setting and series of events unfolding within the frame. One season showcases a man parachuting down from the sky, and with the painting also doubling up as an illusion, it looks as though he is about to land in Piccadilly Arcade. One of the other reasons as to why this mural doubles up as an illusion is also due to the positioning of the characters inside the painting.

Each mural features a series of characters that are looking down upon you. This illusion breaks the fourth wall, with the people inside the mural acting as though they are aware of your presence. The people inside the pictures are spread around the edge of the paintings, hugging the bronze frame, almost as though they are trying not to fall out of the painting onto Piccadilly Arcade’s walkway.

Paul Maxfield’s ceiling murals is a gem that rushing shoppers and commuters often miss. Remember, the next time you walk through Piccadilly Arcade, look up. The old cinema venue still can’t help to put on a show.