Jobs in Walsall | Pictures of Walsall

Whereas most towns and cities are in the midst of regenerating their town centres, Walsall has already gone through this process in a move that symbolises the transformation that will be taking place elsewhere in the town. Walsall's cultural vacuum has been filled with the completion of the £22m New Art Gallery and the shopping district has been given a new lease of life by an injection of cash that has seen it re-emerge as a modern shopping centre that now attracts, rather than repels shoppers.

The West Midlands may have got a bad press over the years and been victim of its own industrial success in terms of the aesthetics of some of the Black Country's towns, but Walsall is one place that honours its heritage whilst embracing the opportunities offered by becoming a modern and cosmopolitan place to live and work.

Getting around Walsall
Commuting to work by car during the morning rush-hour is generally not advisable, at best. Although Walsall is well-served by a number of trunk routes, the practicality is that many of these originate from the Junctions 7, 9 and 10 on the M6 motorway – the busiest stretch of road in the UK and notoriously prone to traffic delays. So if you want to ensure that you get to work on time but insist on using your car, then it would be worth considering the Park & Ride scheme at Bescott Stadium. Alternatively, there are a number of car parks once you have successfully negotiated your way through the traffic, with room for around 4,000 cars.

Walsall railway station is situated in the heart of the town and is connected by services running to and from Birmingham New Street via Cannock, Rugeley and Stafford (the Chase Line), and from Wolverhampton . Whilst Walsall 's new multi million pound bus station which nearly all routes connect through and is only a short walk from the Town Hall and Civic Centre.

Eating, drinking and shopping in Walsall
Walsall 's shopping experience has been revitalised in recent years as party of the town's overall regeneration programme. Park Street remains Walsall 's main shopping thoroughfare with Bridge Street crossing through the middle to host two modest shopping centres – Old Square and Bradford Mall. Whereas the recently redeveloped Crown Wharf Retail Park is home to a number of leading retailers, including Next, H & M and the UK 's first ASDA Living store.

In addition to Walsall 's town centre with its excellent range of shops and well-known street market, the borough has a wide variety of district and local centres, each with its own distinctive character and appeal, including Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Darlaston and Willenhall.

Eating out in Walsall is on a par with the towns' Black Country neighbours with a good range throughout the area, from traditional pub-grub to a la carte and the obligatory curry - as befits a good Midlands town. Indeed, Walsall boasts more curry houses than any other cuisine which can be found throughout the town centre and surrounding areas along with a number of eateries and cafes. The Blue Cat on Bridge Street , Bar2Seven and Druckers have a particularly good local reputation. And where the restaurants are is typically where you will find the pubs, particularly in the Bloxwich area of town.

Walsall has a lively nightlife with a number of clubs across the town. Clubs such as Milligans and Samra's Nightsport are two of the most popular and play a selection of dance, garage, indie, R ‘n' B, and cheesy 80s pop. If you don't fancy a night of eardrum perforating clubbing then perhaps you should check out one of the many wine bars. Aside from that there is always the popular Chicago Rock or Dream which are both worth a shout.

But if you are looking for a more sober way to while away a few hours, the Walsall Leather Museum will give you an insight into the industry that put this town in the map, whereas the Jerome K. Jerome Museum, celebrates the author of Three Men in a Boat ', who was born in Walsall in 1859, Walsall Museum and Walsall Art Gallery (rebuilt in 2000) are also worth a visit.

Elsewhere there is the Memorial Gardens and Arboretum. Visited by more than one million people every year, the Arboretum was opened in 1874 as a “healthy change from dogfights, bull-baiting and cockfights", and hosts the country's largest inland illuminations. Or if you simply want to relax by watching one of the latest film releases, head to the Showcase cinemas on Bentley Mill Lane .

Arguably the jewel in Walsall's cultural crown is the New Art Gallery . Opened with much acclaim in 2000, the gallery replaces the old one that has been closed for some 10 years hence and houses a collection of sculptures and paintings by modern masters including a large selection of work by Jacob Epstein .

When it comes to sport, Walsall has a number of public leisure centres and numerous private health and fitness clubs, such as Fitness First and Esporta as well as numerous independently owned gyms. But when it comes to being an armchair sports fan – notably football - it must be said that Walsall FC has long been shadows of its Midlands rivals in Aston Villa, Birmingham, west Bromwich and nearby Wolverhampton.

Main residential areas
As a place to live, Walsall offers urban or country living, at affordable prices. Indeed, house prices are typically 70 per cent of the national average which makes it an ideal location for first-time buyers and property investors. With more than a third of the Borough made up of green space, Walsall has a plethora of large semi-detached or detached Victorian houses along tree-lined avenues, as well as numerous country-style houses in nearby villages and rural areas.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Walsall.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Walsall below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Walsall or find out more information on the local area.