The demolition of a former shopping centre has begun after 30 shops were purportedly given just an hour’s notice to shut down. Priory Square, on Priory Queensway in Birmingham, once housed hair salons, B&M, restaurants and the renowned Oasis Market. However, traders were forced to close indefinitely back in March 2025, with the site left empty.

A spokesperson for Hammerson, the real estate firm that owns the centre, at the time said that the decision was made with the health and safety of tenants and the public in mind. The closure followed an annual fire risk assessment that found issues requiring significant improvements, including upgrades to the electrical system.

Hammerson has now confirmed that demolition has begun.

Former shop fronts have been ripped out, and staff in high-visibility jackets have been seen at the site alongside construction equipment, reports BirminghamLive.

In a statement, a Hammerson spokesperson said: “Since closing Priory Square last year, we have secured the site and have started the demolition works.

“We remain in dialogue with Birmingham City Council on next steps and will provide an update when there’s more to say.”

Priory Square was once considered a major part of the area and was home to the long-running Oasis Market, seen as the heart of Birmingham’s alternative community.

The market served customers for 54 years before its closure.

On March 25, 2025, traders were allegedly given just an hour to pack up and leave after being told that the building posed a high fire safety risk.

Hammerson said at the time that improvements and mitigations needed to make the building safe were “materially beyond what is reasonably practical to implement”.

It added that Priory Square would have needed to be vacated for a “prolonged period of time to upgrade the electrical system” before the site could be reopened.

Following that assessment, Hammerson decided the only option was to close the shopping centre indefinitely.