From Bird's Custard to creative hub: the story of Digbeth's Custard Factory

Few Birmingham buildings have a back story as sweet as the Custard Factory. Today it is a busy workspace for creative and growing businesses in Digbeth, but its name comes straight from one of the city's most famous inventions.

In 1837 Alfred Bird, a Birmingham chemist with a shop on Bull Street, created an egg-free custard using cornflour. He made it for his wife, Elizabeth, who was allergic to eggs and yeast, and when dinner guests enjoyed it he spotted its wider potential. The family firm, Alfred Bird and Sons, went on to become the Bird's Custard brand known across the country.

The Digbeth factory was built for his son, Sir Alfred Frederick Bird, and at one point around 1,000 people worked there. The company moved production to Banbury in 1964, leaving the complex off High Street, Deritend, to find a new purpose.

That new life began with Bennie Gray, who started the Custard Factory project, and his son Lucan Gray, who expanded it substantially. Redevelopment began in January 1992 with an £800,000 City Grant Award, which attracted £1.6 million of private investment, and the Birmingham practice Glenn Howells Architects led the design.

The first phase created around 200 studios, dance studios, a 220-seat theatre and a large iron dragon sculpture. A second phase, now Gibb Square, was completed in 2002 for new media businesses and features the Green Man sculpture by Tawny Gray, while the neighbouring Zellig building opened in May 2010.

Over the years the Custard Factory has been home to an impressive mix of tenants, from Fused Magazine and Punch Records to Maverick Television, ASOS.com and the games studios Rare and Codemasters.

Its character remains a big part of the appeal. Original Crittall windows, exposed steel and high ceilings sit alongside flexible office suites from 300 sq ft up to 12,000 sq ft, a central atrium, meeting rooms and bike storage, with views over the railway viaduct, the courtyard and Gibb Street. Around the site, a barber, a cinema and a coffee shop help keep the place lively.

From custard powder to creative industries, it is a very Birmingham story of reinvention. Information on spaces and events is available on the Digbeth website.