Where is the Market Hotel?

The Market Hotel (now the Comfort Inn) is at Dudley Street and Station Street, Birmingham, B5 4DY (opposite Birmingham New Street Station).

 

In brief

A hotel dating to 1883 by the architects Plevins & Norrington, facing Birmingham New Street Station, in recent years it has been a Holiday Inn Express, and more recently a Comfort Inn.

Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Queens Drive (February 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Market Hotel - history

The hotel was built as the Market Hotel opposite Birmingham New Street Station at a corner site on Dudley Street and Station Street in 1883.

It's neighbours include The Old Rep Theatre (built in 1913) and The Electric Cinema (built in 1909).

The architects was Plevins & Norrington.

Externally, it was build of warm orange brick with sandstone dressings and terracotta panels.

Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Queens Drive (February 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

It was built as part hotel and part warehouse for H. E. Jordan, who was a pram maker.

Both his initials HEJ and those for Plevins, TP, can be seen on terracotta plaques above on Dudley Street.

HEJ and TP initials seen above the Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Dudley Street (November 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Until the mid 2000s, the hotel was a Holiday Inn Express.

It has been a Comfort Inn, since at least the mid to late 2000s (and remains so today).

On the ground floor is the Station Bar and Platform 13 (that had closed down by 2019).

Platform 13 at the Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Dudley Street (November 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The area is now part of the Southside Business District, and you could see the contrast between the old brick Victorian hotel and the regenerated Birmingham New Street Station (redeveloped from 2010 to 2015). Contrasted with John Lewis (open from 2015 to 2020).

Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Dudley Street (September 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Platform 13 closed down by 2019, but the Station Bar remains as of 2022. John Lewis had closed for good in 2020, and by 2021 - 22, the name John Lewis had been removed.

Market Hotel (Comfort Inn) from Dudley Street (February 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Contact details

Comfort Inn Birmingham