Harborne
A Comprehensive Area Guide
Birmingham is a great city with many neighborhoods to choose from, but
Harborne is a beautiful Victorian suburb three miles from Birmingham’s city center. Although it’s today one of Birmingham’s affluent and coveted suburban areas, this wasn’t always the case. Before the 19th century, Harborne was just but a small country village in rural Staffordshire where miscreants from surrounding suburbs would come for booze and fun.
Today, steady gentrification and her proximity to affluent Birmingham postcodes like Edgbaston have seen Harborne transform into a beautiful, laidback Victorian suburb with established infrastructure and excellent schools.
Here is an area guide covering more of what to expect from Harborne.
Getting Around Harborne; Transport Links in the Area
Like neighboring Edgbaston, Harborne has no train station of its own. However, getting around via public commute is still seamless, thanks to the area’s proximity to major train stations.
If you’re looking to travel locally, walk to University Railway Station, which links to Central Birmingham, and other suburbs between.
There are direct buses to New Street Station, which has frequent, and direct trains to London and other major towns.
For even longer distances, The West Midlands Train Station with trains to distant towns like Cardiff and Nottingham is also a short distance from Harborne.
The suburb is well connected by road and is served by several bus routes under the National Express West Midlands operator, such as the 10S, 11A, 19, 23, and 24.
Schools in the Harborne Area
Young families in Harborne enjoy access to multiple learning institutions with brilliant Ofsted ratings. The area has six primary schools led by Harborne Primary School on Station Road. Harborne Primary School has been open since 1902 and has about 600 students.
The other primary schools are Birmingham Blue Coat School, St. Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Chad Vale, St. Mary’s Catholic School, and the Welsh Farm Community School. For secondary education, Harborne residents turn to:
- Harborne Academy
- Lordswood Boys School
- Lordswood Girls School
- Baskerville School
Students seeking higher learning opportunities are privileged with easy access to the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Campus and Birmingham City University, also in Edgbaston. Other higher learning institutions near Harborne include Queen Alexandra College, Loughborough University, and University College Birmingham.
Amenities in Harborne
Although Harborne is still developing, the area’s residents still enjoy access to the following amenities:
Libraries
A library is a wonderful sanctuary, and Harborne has its own; Harborne Library. The facility is over a century old and housed in a high street masonic hall. Although it officially opened its doors in 1892, it wasn’t until 1925 that members of the public were allowed to browse and pick out books from the shelves freely. They would previously borrow and receive books on request from the counter. Today, Harborne Library is pretty active and opens from Tuesday through Saturday.
Health Centres in Harborne
Living in Harborne guarantees seamless access to quality and affordable healthcare thanks to the NHS hospitals in its environs.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in Edgbaston is one such facility. Located only 11 minutes from Harborne, the facility is a major NHS hospital opened in 2010. It has about 1200 beds and is considered one of the largest healthcare facilities in the UK. The Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is another NHS healthcare center near Harborne.
While all NHS hospitals in Harborne are in its environs, as opposed to being within its boundaries, residents will soon have their own NHS healthcare facility; The Harborne Hospital. The multi-million healthcare facility is opening soon and is a joint effort between HCA Healthcare UK and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
For NHS dental services, Harborne residents have multiple options as several private dental practices offer NHS dental treatment to patients in the area. These include:
- Harborne Dental Practice
- Selly Oak Dental Partners
- Cottam’s Dental Practice
Those seeking private healthcare services in Harborne also have multiple options including, the Edgbaston Hospital, The Priory Hospital, Fitzroy Surgery Birmingham, and The Westbourne Centre.
Community Spaces in Harborne
Living in Harborne puts you two minutes away from Queen’s Park, on Court Oak Road, Harborne. Opened in the late 18th century to commemorate Queen Victoria’s jubilee, the park has a playground and three tennis courts open to the public. There’s even a weekend coaching program available.
Harborne is also a short drive from Dudley Castle, Zoo, and West Midlands Safari Park.
Foods and Drinks in Harborne
Harborne has a thriving food and retail therapy scene. Check out our breakdown for some of the best places to dine and drink in Harborne, not forgetting where to shop below.
From The Junction, a popular British Pub with a stylish modern interior, a fantastic home-cooked food menu, and a rich drinks list, to the multiple award-winning hotel, The Plough, Harborne boasts an amazing array of great places to drink and dine. Other great options besides the mentioned include:
- The Steam Room
- Slug & Lettuce Harborne
- Arco Lounge
- Harborne Kitchen
More Area Guides
Living in Harborne
Harborne is a lovely suburb in Birmingham with plenty of amenities for residents to enjoy. From great public parks and libraries, to quality healthcare and fantastic places to eat and drink, Harborne has it all. If you’re considering moving to Birmingham, put Harborne high on your list!