Handsworth East

Handsworth East sits north-west of Birmingham city centre and forms part of the wider Handsworth area. The ward combines rows of late-19th and early-20th century terraced housing with pockets of post-war housing and small apartment blocks. Soho Road passes through the area and functions as the main commercial spine, with a long run of independent fabric and tailoring shops, grocery stores and cafes. Local schools, community centres and health clinics are distributed across the ward, and several places of worship serve different faith communities.

Street-level life in Handsworth East is oriented around those commercial corridors and the pavements outside them; markets and takeaway outlets operate alongside family-run retailers. Bus services connect the ward directly to the city centre and to neighbouring districts. Community groups use halls and sports grounds for evening classes and meetings. The ward has a history of local civic involvement and a pattern of mixed ownership and rental housing that shapes day-to-day rhythms, from school runs to weekend shopping on the main streets.