Empty Birmingham Streets During the First Covid-19 Lockdown: Stock Video Footage
In April 2020, the world as we knew it changed. The Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe, forcing countries into unprecedented lockdowns. Streets that were once bustling with activity became eerily quiet. Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city, was no exception. My Clip Pack #40 captures this extraordinary moment in history—a city frozen in time.
The Lockdown Begins
On March 23, 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation in a televised announcement that would change the lives of millions. His words were clear: “You must stay at home.” Schools, shops, and businesses shut their doors. Public gatherings were banned. A “once-in-a-generation” lockdown had begun, and cities across the UK came to a standstill.
By April, the streets of Birmingham—usually alive with the energy of commuters, shoppers, and tourists—were almost completely deserted. The Bullring Shopping Centre, one of the busiest retail destinations in Europe, stood empty. Grand Central Railway Station, a hub for travelers, echoed with silence.
A City Frozen in Time
This collection of stock video footage captures Birmingham like it has never been seen before:
Library of Birmingham: A modern architectural marvel, its steps devoid of visitors.
Bullring Shopping Centre: Once home to thousands of shoppers, now eerily still.
Grand Central Railway Station: A stark contrast to the usual throngs of commuters.
China Town and the Arcadian Centre: Normally bustling with nightlife, now completely quiet.
St. Philip’s Cathedral: Surrounded by empty streets instead of crowds.
Centenary Square: Silent under the glow of streetlights, its usual vibrancy paused.
The footage moves through the city’s streets during the day, at dusk, and at night, creating a vivid portrayal of how life came to a halt. Gliding gimbal shots capture the stillness, while the occasional masked pedestrian reminds us of the new reality we faced.
Historical Significance
The April 2020 lockdown wasn’t just a moment of collective stillness—it was a defining point in modern history. Supermarkets enforced strict social distancing, parks became the only refuge for daily exercise, and the phrase “essential travel only” entered our vocabulary.
The lockdown was part of an urgent response to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19. By this time, the UK had recorded over 100,000 confirmed cases, and the NHS was under immense pressure. These measures, while necessary, created scenes that felt surreal and unsettling—empty streets in cities that were once vibrant with life.
A Rare and Valuable Resource
This collection of 83 clips, spanning 21 minutes and 18 seconds, offers a unique glimpse into this historic moment. Whether you’re producing a documentary, a TV drama, or a historical series, this footage provides unparalleled visuals of a world in pause.
The pack includes:
Smooth, cinematic shots of Birmingham’s deserted streets.
Iconic landmarks and locations, captured during an extraordinary period.
Daytime, dusk, and nighttime footage, showcasing the city in all its stillness.
With a wide-use license and no maximum circulation limit, this footage is a goldmine for producers, editors, and creators.
Birmingham UK Covid 19 Lockdown stock video footage - Watermarked
Reflecting on the Moment
Looking back, the empty streets of Birmingham in 2020 symbolize more than just a lockdown—they represent resilience, adaptability, and the profound changes we experienced as a society. This collection is both a historical document and an artistic exploration of a moment that will never be repeated.
As someone committed to capturing the extraordinary, I’m proud to share this rare footage. It’s a reminder of a time when the world stood still and a testament to the power of visual storytelling.
Explore this unique collection and bring the story of the pandemic to life in your next production. For full licensing details, see my terms and conditions.
A stunning and rare collection of 83 high-quality stock video clips, totaling 21 minutes and 18 seconds of footage (8.52GB), capturing a surreal moment in history: Birmingham's empty city streets during the first Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020.
An Unbelievable Scene
Birmingham, one of the UK’s busiest cities, transformed into an empty, eerie landscape. Ordinarily bustling locations such as:
Library of Birmingham
Bullring Shopping Centre
Grand Central Railway Station
China Town and The Arcadian Centre
St. Philip’s Cathedral
Centenary Square
are seen completely deserted, a sight that will never be witnessed again. From the daylight calm to the dusky golden hour and into the quiet, glowing streets at night, this footage offers an unparalleled and haunting glimpse into a city paused in time.
Footage Highlights
This pack includes:
Empty streets and cityscapes with only the occasional masked pedestrian, highlighting the unprecedented quiet.
Iconic landmarks and locations, normally teeming with life, in stunning stillness.
Daytime, dusk, and night sequences to cover a range of moods and atmospheres.
Smooth gimbal shots that glide through Birmingham’s streets, creating an unsettlingly surreal tone.
Why This Footage is Essential
This rare video collection is a valuable asset for producers, filmmakers, and content creators. Whether you're producing a documentary, TV drama, historical feature on the Covid-19 pandemic, or news coverage, these clips offer a unique visual record of an extraordinary time in history.
Licensing
The footage comes with a wide-use license and no maximum circulation limit, making it suitable for projects of any scale. Full details can be found in my terms and conditions.
A Unique Perspective
As a professional videographer, my focus is on capturing the extraordinary, and this pack embodies that mission. These clips showcase a once-in-a-lifetime moment when Birmingham, a city known for its vibrancy, stood still. This collection is as much an artistic achievement as it is a historical document.
Discover the power of these surreal visuals and bring a unique perspective to your next production.
31 clips | 7 minutes 24 seconds runtime | 3.8GB
Captured during the height of the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020, this stock video pack offers a rare and unique glimpse into the surreal shopping circumstances brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. These clips are a visual time capsule, preserving the extraordinary impact of the pandemic on everyday life in England.
Footage Includes:
Supermarket Queues:
Gimbal shots of people standing 2 metres apart in long queues outside Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, B&M, Screwfix, and ALDI.
A panning timelapse of a winding queue outside an ASDA supermarket, showing the surreal length of waiting lines.
Panic Buying Aftermath:
Empty supermarket shelves, showcasing the effects of panic buying on essentials like toilet paper, pasta, and canned goods.
Shopping basket shots depicting barren shelves and limited supplies.
Disinfecting and Hygiene Measures:
ALDI worker meticulously wiping down shopping trolleys with disinfectant and handing them to customers to maintain hygiene.
Covid-19 Testing:
Timelapse clips of a SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test, including a dramatic shot of one test turning positive.
This footage captures the stark reality of shopping during the COVID-19 lockdown, documenting social distancing practices, panic buying, and hygiene protocols. These unique visuals are an important historical record of life in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perfect for Documentaries, News Features, and Historical Archives
This collection is ideal for filmmakers, editors, and producers looking to illustrate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on daily life. Whether you're producing a documentary, a news feature, or a historical archive, these rare clips offer authentic and cinematic visuals of a time that shaped our world.
Licensing Information
The footage is covered by a wide-use license with no maximum circulation limit, giving you the freedom to use it in projects of any size or reach. For full details, please refer to my terms and conditions.
Why Choose This Pack?
As a professional videographer, I’ve carefully curated this collection to provide you with high-quality, historically significant footage. These clips are rare, authentic, and cinematic, making them an invaluable resource for anyone looking to tell the story of the Covid-19 pandemic in a compelling way.
Bring the story of the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown to life with Clip Pack #39 - Covid 19 Pandemic Shopping Stock Video Footage.