Saint Nicolas Place

Saint Nicolas Place is the stunning result of a unique project that captured the imagination of the nation. In 2004 two buildings of medieval origin on Kings Norton Green known as the Saracen's Head and the Old Grammar School were suffering from terminal deterioration despite the best efforts of local parishioners. They were fighting a battle against time to save the structures so important in the local community's life, the buildings acting as the venue for countless local social groups. The lifeline appeared when a group of dynamic individuals decided to apply to be part of BBC Television's Restoration series. The case was made for saving the buildings, and thanks to countless viewers' telephone votes, the sites won the competition. Funded largely by the viewers' calls, the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage, £2.5m and a four-year restoration project later, Saint Nicolas Place is now fulfilling its potential as a heritage site, as community buildings and as a unique venue for corporate and private functions.