Changes in the Jewellery Quarter never seem to slow down, and this continues the theme of last month’s editorial in some ways. Barclays Bank on the corner of Warstone Lane and Frederick Street has now closed, which means the whole of the Jewellery Quarter has just one branch of the main banks left – the HSBC on the opposite corner by the Chamberlian clock. Barclays have mentioned a local pop-up cashless banking site somewhere in the Jewellery Quarter to help anyone who does not use online banking.
I remember the TSB bank opening a branch in a newly built building in Frederick Street in 1987, they didn’t stick around long as they said ‘not enough residents’ as their business was mostly private accounts, plenty about now – but the changes in banking would have still seen them still close the branch.
Now waiting to see the Vyse Street Car park transformed into an urban farm and garden, just how its going to work remains to be seen. I would have thought a better use – of indeed the top floor is hardly used which some claim is the case, would be a solar farm supplying energy for any electric vehicle charging points perhaps. However, the area may not be big enough for that, as large solar power farms are known as Photovoltaic power stations, and these supply power at the utility level, rather than to a local users.
Mark
