Roundhouse Birmingham has suspended all public tours and leisure activities due to financial pressures. The Grade II listed site remains open for office tenants and the on-site restaurant, but its future as a visitor destination is under review.
00:01This Grade II listed building tucked alongside Birmingham's canals off Sheepcoat Street has seen more than one reinvention.
00:09Originally built in the 1870s as part of the city's Public Works Department, the roundhouse was left to crumble before a major restoration brought it back to life.
00:19That revival came through a partnership between the National Trust and Canal and River Trust, a project that splendid Birmingham's industrial past with new city culture.
00:30The site had become known for its unusual visitor experiences, walking tours, kayak outings and narrowboat trips that showed off the city from water level.
00:40It wasn't your average museum tour and that's exactly why it stood out.
00:45But those tours have now stopped. A brief social media update confirmed that all bookings were cancelled with refunds on the way. No restart date has been given.
00:56The charity says the programme was well received but that rising operational costs largely outside their control meant keeping it running had become unsustainable.
01:07It's not just a cultural loss. Heritage tourism helps support jobs, attract footfall and drive spending in the local economy.
01:15When projects like this full silence, that knock-on effect is often felt well beyond the site itself.
01:22The building remains partially open, a restaurant still trades on site and offices rented out to local businesses will keep operating.
01:30But the public face of the roundhouse, its visitor programme, is on hold.
01:35We're yet to find out from the Canal and River Trust whether this is a permanent closure or simply a pause.
