Bournville model village: 'I love utopian suburb that is still shaping Birmingham's identity'
Bournville is a 19th century model village on the southwest side of Birmingham, founded by the Quaker Cadbury family for employees at its Cadbury's factory, and designed to be a "garden" (or "model") village where the sale of alcohol was forbidden.
This affluent Birmingham suburb is one of the most well-known, it’s always in the best places to live rankings and it is steeped in history that’s deeply connected to the global identity of the Second City today.
Initially created by the Cadbury Brothers in 1879 to house their employees working in the Cadbury Factory, Bournville was established as a model village, a Utopian paradise built not from bricks and cement, but integrity and compassion.
As I stepped into the Bournville Village Green, it was like stepping into another century, a place frozen in time. In the city centre, you’re just another face in a sea of rushing strangers, but in Bournville, people truly seem to notice each other, to actually acknowledge you, and strangely, this was a concept that I had grown unaccustomed to.
Commonly cited in various articles and studies as being ‘One of the best places in Birmingham’ and even ‘the UK as a whole’, I decided to venture out into this idyllic ‘chocolate-box village’ and investigate what Bournville really has to offer…
As I sat from afar on a slightly breezy Wednesday morning, a sense of serenity filled the atmosphere, but this serenity was imbued with warmth and nostalgia. Having lived in Bournville previously, a part of me longed to go back, to go on those long Autumn walks where Bournville’s leafy streets felt like stepping into a golden dream and the sweet smell of chocolate from Cadbury Factory drifted through the morning air.
Even now, stepping into Bournville was like stepping into a storybook that I once was a part of - a bit like the fictional town of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls , where everyone knows your name, and community and heritage always come first.
This history of Bournville is really what connects everyone together. Many of the landmarks and features of Bournville were created mainly with the citizens in mind.
For example, The Day Continuation School was created in 1913 by George Cadbury, in order to provide his employees at the factory with a quality education to meet the demands of both life and work.
India Wilson, the Bournville Heritage Officer at the Selly Manor Museum emphasised the significance of the foundations of the village, in allowing them to stay true to their roots, while still evolving within a modern world: “We’re here to celebrate the Trust Heritage and remind people how it is still tied to their everyday lives… and that is how we can move forwards”
This year, the Bournville Heritage Day will take place on the 13th September, where various historic venues across Bournville will open their doors for free public access, including The Rest House and The Bournville Village Primary School. Find out more here
When I questioned people about what it was about Bournville that differentiated it from any other place in Birmingham, other than Cadbury World of course, a running theme seemed to be this idea of ‘community’.
A connection that extends beyond the shared greenery, picturesque streets and Cadbury-style houses that compose the village.
As I wandered through the local area, curious as to whether this really was one of Birmingham’s best-kept secrets, I found that despite my physical isolation, the feeling of community was so potent, so tangible, that I never truly felt alone.
When picturing a perfect village, we tend to believe in a world where everyone stands beside each other, thinking the same thoughts and feeling the same things.
After all, wouldn’t a Utopian paradise exist without any conflict or disagreement? Surprisingly, I learnt that the real meaning of community exists within these disputations.
Having spoken to Andrew, from Evans’s of Bournville, he felt that one thing he admired about Bournville and its people amidst the “strong sense of community” was the fact that “people are very keen to share their opinion… and they get engaged very quickly”.
Naturally, through this, complications are certain to arise, due to residents’ instinctive protection towards their village, and for the aesthetics and ethos their home was built upon to remain untarnished.
Read more: Bournville back in time: 13 old pictures showing life in Birmingham's model village during the 1900s
Lisa from The Hub on the Green (the village’s local community centre) explained the challenges that exist within managing conflicts: “As the demographics change, as the whole world is changing, they are coming across challenges that they probably wouldn’t have come across twenty years ago… It’s how you manage that in a positive way, so it’s still inclusive for everyone”.
Through these perceptions of a changing Bournville, I received different feedback on whether this was for better or for worse. Inspired by the notion of strengthening community for everyone, Lisa agreed this was “for the better, because it’s becoming more inclusive… There are a lot more diverse families moving into the area, and I think Bournville has embraced that”.
Upon further research, I discovered that approximately 40% of Bournville consists of social housing primarily provided by the Bournville Village Trust.
Additionally, housing prices average at around £374,127 as of March 2025, for a semi-detached property, lower than prices in Edgbaston (£472,315) and higher than housing in Harborne (£326,662) - possible contenders of being the best place to live in Birmingham!
Although it is commonly associated as being an expensive place to live, Andrew noted how there has been a “shift in dynamic, because there are very wealthy families living side-by-side with people who are of working class background, so it’s more diverse in that sense.” presenting how this idea of equality that the village was founded upon is still conspicuous within a contemporary society.
I asked 6 people what number on a scale of 1 to 10, they would rate Bournville as a whole and the average score given was 8.
The majority of candidates admitted that there was always room for improvement, with locals Jane, Sarah and Jan defending their response with “Because we’re family people… and there’s not always much for the whole family”. Although they argued that it is still the best place to live in Birmingham because “it’s safest and everybody knows you”.
Therefore, places such as Bournville can’t be viewed with a monochrome lens - either one way or another. T
o quote Winston Churchill, “Perfection is the enemy of progress” and I think there is huge veracity within this statement, because if the Bournville from 1879 was viewed as ‘perfection’, then there would be no change.
And sometimes, change is what allows both a location and the people within it to truly flourish. So although it may not be ‘perfect’, the question still remains unanswered - is it the best place to live in Birmingham?
When I asked locals, responses such as “ There really isn’t anywhere else like it in Birmingham”, “I’m happy to tell people this is where I am from” and “We’re very lucky to be able to live here” surfaced, thus accentuating this sense of pride and belonging that comes from being a part of Bournville.
And for me, this is what stands out above everything else: The fact that everyone, whether they live in Bournville or not, feels a little part of home in it. Utopia or not.
So do you think Bournville deserves the title of Birmingham’s best? Or does another area of Birmingham deserve the crown? Let us know at [email protected]