Midland Street Dominated by Empty Barber Shops and Takeaways

I checked out West Bromwich High Street. It was a Thursday morning in the Black Country. The market was busy with people. Shops had Valentine’s Day decorations. But some parts felt like a ghost town.

West Bromwich ranks as the 39th unhealthiest place. This is according to fast food business numbers. Sandwell has 136 takeaways per 100,000 people. Locals wonder about the many barber shops too.

The High Street has three parts. You can drive on two sections. The middle is for walkers and market stalls. I walked north from the market. I wanted to count barber shops and takeaways.

I walked about half a mile. I found 19 fast food spots and eight barbers. There were also off licenses and vape shops. I saw a sweet shop, a bank, and charity shops. Lidl and a job center were there too.

Many takeaways were closed around 11 am. Some might open later, some might be closed for good. The smell of burgers filled the air. Parts of the street looked neglected and rubbish was everywhere.

Modern shops stood next to older buildings. Signs warned about street drinking. Police can arrest people and fine them. Fewer people walked on this part of High Street.

One woman said she felt unsafe there now. A second woman questioned how shops survived and wondered about council licenses. A man named Sean said food shops help the area, however, he mentioned other problems.

Sean said there were many drunks and rats. He also said rubbish was a problem. He uses a wheelchair and people often park across lowered curbs. He often waits for drivers to move their cars blocking his way.