Bull Ring, Birmingham

The Bull Ring is a major commercial area of Birmingham. It has been an important feature of Birmingham since the Middle Ages, when its market was first held. It has been developed into a shopping centre twice; first in the 1960s, and then in the 2000s. The current shopping centre is the busiest in the United Kingdom with 36.5 million visitors in 2004, and is also the eleventh largest. It houses one of only four Selfridges department stores and the largest Debenhams outside of London. Consequently, the centre has been a huge success, attracting custom from all over the world, including New York.