Meet the oldest businesses that lit the spark for Birmingham’s Chinatown

Chinatown assaults all the senses, from the orchestral noise of busy shoppers to the sweet scent of Szechuan chicken in the air. Among the restaurants and karaoke bars, some buildings have stood proud for the past 40 years, helping to stamp the neighborhood’s reputation as Birmingham’s East Asian paradise.

Food giants such as Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant and Day In Oriental Supermarket were some of the first businesses to open in Chinatown. It’s a family business, as fathers often passed on the signal to their sons, who then braved the modern storms of online shopping and Covid-19.

You have to wonder how the original Chinatown businesses have adapted to the changing times? We decided to hunt down the oldest businesses in this vibrant area, where the owners look back on the evolution of the neighborhood and the key to their staying power.

Read more: Birmingham’s Chinatown has a new name – but how does it compare to its London counterpart?

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Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant

James Wong is the smiling owner of Cantonese restaurant Chung Ying and chairman of the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee. Chung Ying towers over you as you enter Chinatown, with gold lettering on bold red paint and green glass roof tiles.

James’ father, Siu Chung Wong, came to Britain with £7 in his pocket and a knack for cooking. After a stint in London and Nottingham, he decided to open Chung Ying in 1981, ‘Chung’ from his name and ‘Ying’ his wife’s name.

“There was no Chinatown and the restaurant was the first in that area,” said James, “other buildings were factories and my dad thought it was a nice location to open a restaurant, everyone said ‘is he crazy?’

“He didn’t know English and relied on other people to get by. They were all non-Asian customers as Chinese food was not available everywhere.

“We’ve had our challenges, like two recessions and Covid, which killed a lot of hospitality. Also the energy bills almost crippled us, we opened after the covid lockdown and tried to get a new contract, then there was the war in Ukraine and the gas. the prices have increased.

“We’ve been open for so long and we have raving fans of the restaurant. I have met people who have wedding receptions here, birthday parties and two generations who come here to eat. Some employees have been here for over 30 years.

“If Chung Ying wasn’t there, Chinatown wouldn’t be there. I say that Birmingham Chinatown is the only Chinatown in the world that has grown.

“The Southside is expanding and Chinatown is now a hotbed of cuisines such as Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese food. It’s not just Chinese food anymore. As soon as a sign goes up in Chinatown, it’s nowhere as hot as Chinatown. .”

James is now the proud spokesperson for Birmingham’s Chinese community, recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Aston University for his work. He hopes to inspire the next generation of Hong Kong Chinese to come to the UK, he said: “It’s a legacy that my parents created, so we want to carry it on as long as we can.”

The day in the oriental supermarket

That same year, The Arcadian welcomed the Day In Oriental Supermarket, which feels like its own world full of oriental wonders. It’s wonton, siracha and baby octopus galore, perfect for any Chinese dish.

Raymond Yau 45, director of Day In took over the business from his father Tony Yat Tung Yau. It’s amazing how his story parallels Chung Ying’s, with James and Raymond inheriting the trade from their fathers, both even going to the same primary school.

Raymond said: “My dad was really good friends with James’ dad and speaks very highly of him, he was one of the few people who helped my dad when he first came to the UK. I have fond memories of growing up here, there were many Asian and immigrant families with their children.

“I spent a lot of my childhood in the shop after school or during the summer holidays. My parents came from humble beginnings and always said that if you want something, you have to work for it.

“We cater to all ethnicities and a wide mix of products. Our staff speaks Cantonese, we are looking for slightly older staff who have food experience and can relate to the customer. We are a family.”

Tony arrived in the UK in the early 70’s working in his father’s restaurant, he noticed a gap in the restaurant supply market which gave birth to Day In. The Arcadian was built and the supermarket was given a site just off Pershore St.

After starting in the warehouse and working his way up the business, Raymond eventually took over as his 77-year-old father is now semi-retired. So how did Raymond navigate the financial difficulties that followed?

He said: “We are lucky that people always need food but the recession has hit us and business has gone down a bit. We have ups and downs, but we are stable.

“Covid hit us hard and we tried to stay open but had to lay off a lot of staff and close the Arcadian store. During the lockdown, I did 12-15 hours a day placing orders online to survive.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved, we are always adapting to the needs of the customers. I have two daughters who are still young and we are trying to instill in them to work hard, stay on your path and help people.”

Li & Hiew Accountants

Food aside, another business that grew with Chinatown was an accounting firm run by 62-year-old Stanley Hiew. Based in Lower Essex Street, Hiew first came to the UK to study and got a program as a trainee accountant.

He eventually took over the firm in 1995 and renamed it Li & Hiew Accountants. He remembers when Chinatown was nothing more than a “pasture” saying, “Chinatown was pretty run down with a few warehouses around.

“Now there is more attraction to Chinatown and more Chinese businesses, not just restaurants, but also supermarkets, print shops and dessert shops. We celebrate the new year with traditional lion dances.

“We have more work during Covid, because of holidays, companies with profit or loss still have to do accounting. I feel great to have run an accounting firm for so many years, it was my first job and hopefully my last. I feel like I can go on forever because I love it.”

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