'I fear my pub will not last to reap benefits of HS2'

A Birmingham pub owner says there is a "real fear" his business may struggle to survive to reap the benefits of HS2, after further delays were announced to the project.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced on Tuesday that HS2 between London and Birmingham will now not open until between 2036 and 2039, up to six years later than previously expected.

John Brearley, owner of The Woodman near Curzon Street, said the extended timetable for the high-speed rail project made the opening date "so far in the future it started to feel like a mirage".

The Department for Transport said the project would add £10bn to the local economy over the next decade.

Brearley made the decision to take on the pub and refurbish it in 2024, after it had previously closed two years earlier due to disruption caused by the HS2 project, he said.

The reason was "underpinned by a belief that the prospects for the area were bright with the coming of HS2".

"My immediate reaction [to the announcement] was one of disappointment," Brearley said.

"We always knew it would be a wait but the further delays from the original projected opening have winded us and mean it'll be a battle, and there is a real fear that we will struggle to survive until then.

"We're determined and will try our best to keep this beautiful pub alive."

Prior to the delay announcement on Tuesday, the most recent target date for the opening of the Curzon Street station was 2033 at the latest, and previously it was as early as 2026.

It was also revealed that the project could now cost as much as £102.7bn, while the top speed of trains will also be reduced from 360km/h (224mph) to 320km/h (199mph) in an effort to cut costs.

Brearley said HS2 had been "very supportive from a practical point of view", but urged bosses to "crack on with no more chopping and changing".

He added: "Whilst it is only a 15-minute walk from New Street station and is near Millennium Point and Birmingham City University, it is most definitely not a city centre pub.

"This feeling of isolation is exaggerated as the through walking route to Digbeth down New Canal Street has been closed for the HS2 construction works.

"Put simply: you need to know the Woodman is there! We just have to remain confident that the long-term prospects for the area are undimmed."

HS2 was first announced in 2012, with plans to link London and Birmingham, before being extended to Manchester and Leeds.

The Manchester and Leeds sections were later dropped by previous Conservative governments due to concerns over costs.

Lyle Bignon, Birmingham's night-time economy ambassador for the Night Time Industries Association, said venues such as The Woodman formed part of the city's wider cultural identity and industrial heritage.

He said in a statement: "Most operators understand the long-term potential of HS2. But after years of disruption, delays and uncertainty, many simply need clarity, stability and delivery before further independent venues and businesses are lost."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said "major progress" was being made as part of its reset of the scheme with Curzon Street Station's foundations completed in March.

"We know construction affects local communities, which is why dedicated funding is in place throughout the build," a spokesperson said.

"Over £20m has already been spent supporting hundreds of local projects along the HS2 route."

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