Jobs in West Bromwich | Pictures of West Bromwich

The novelist and playwrite, JB Priestley, once said: "I would rather spend a holiday in Tuscany than in the Black Country, but if I were compelled to choose between living in West Bromwich or Florence , I would make straight for West Bromwich." Against this backdrop of high praise from one of literature's most famous writers, West Bromwich – despite its somewhat bleak appearance – is fuelled with a rich collection of stunning architecture such as the Italian-inspired Gothic Town Hall . Admittedly, the town has struggled to compete with its Black Country neighbours on the desirability front but a new injection of investment is set to revitalise the local economy and see West Bromwich propelled to the forefront of West Midlands living.

Getting around West Bromwich
Since 1972 West Bromwich been without its own train station with the nearest station being one mile away from the town centre at Oldbury. However, the track that once served as a rail line is now part of the Midland Metro tram network which links West Bromwich with Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill with additional stops at Trinity Way and Lodge Road , close to West Bromwich Town Hall .

Opposite Central tram stop is the bus station where all services from across the region pass through. Or if you prefer to commute to work by car, the town centre is well-connected just of Junctions 1 and 8 of the M5 motorway and via the main A41 trunk road, also known as the Birmingham to Holyhead Road on account of the road's historical importance as a major inland trading route for Midlands's producers exporting goods from the port of Holyhead.

Eating, drinking and shopping in West Bromwich
West Bromwich's shopping experience is subject to a major overhaul that will aim to put it on a par with its Dudley and Walsall counterparts. In the meantime, the Sandwell and Queens Gate shopping centres have a number of stores. Elsewhere, sandwiched between High Street and Bratt Street is Astle Park outlet which has a number of more familiar names such as Next and Marks & Spencer. Whereas the biggest pull for shoppers in unquestionably the monumental Merry Hill shopping centre – one of the biggest in the UK - which has just about every high street name you can think of – sometimes twice.

There is no escaping the fact that West Bromwich 's culinary offering errs on the Asian side. And why not, because this is a town that has some of the best Balti houses in the West Midlands – and that's no mean feat.

Head towards Carter Road which runs into High Street to experience West Bromwich 's so-called ‘curry mile'. But if Asian food is not quite your thing then the Oldbury or Bearwood areas have more variety with a number of Mediterranean and Oriental restaurants within easy access of each other.

And when it comes to knowing where to enjoy a pint or two, most drinking establishments can be found dotted along the circular roads that surround the main town centre - using the High Street as your starting point and going clockwise to Bromford Road, up Garrick Street and Kenwick Way and then across to Stoney Lane.

However, it is fair to say that the number of traditional and older style of pubs heavily outweigh the number of modern, fashionable bars that are popular elsewhere in the region. That said, the town's nightlife scene continues with a handful of late night bars and clubs, notably Busby's and Club Xstacia on St Michael and High Street's respectively.

And if the cold light of day prompts you to don a pair of walking boots and enjoy the fresh air, the surrounding Sandwell Valley provides a real taste of the countryside within one mile of West Bromwich Town Centre and has over 2,000 acres of woodland and parkland with wildfowl lakes and the remains of an old Benedictine Priory. Alternatively, nearby Wednesbury Art Gallery & Museum and West Bromwich Manor House, built by the de Marnham family in the late 1200s, provide the extent of the town's cultural experience.

The town is also home to West Bromwich Albion, one of the twelve founder members of the Football League and oft described as a ‘yo-yo' club on account of its recent flirtations between the Premiership and Championship status.

Main residential areas
Much of the accommodation in West Bromwich town centre is made up of traditional terraced houses and converted/purpose built apartments that are popular with young families and professional aged in their late 20s or early 30s – largely because the cost of housing is relatively cheaper than further away from the centre. Indeed, a one bedroom flat could cost as little as £75,000 whereas a three-bed roomed house is typically £155,000-160,000 – less than the national average.

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

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

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