Birmingham hasn’t been the same since the closure of Hockley Social Club. But let’s hope the latest venture from Digbeth Dining Club (DDC) will quickly fill the hole it left in the West Midlands. There isn’t long to wait for the 7,000 square foot former steelworks site, Dockworks Waterfront, to open either.
Following a £500,000 refit on the space, previously empty for 15 years, the new canalside food and events venue in Brierley Hill, Dudley, will open to the public at midday on Friday, February 27, 2026. With a capacity of 650, the independent site will host the UK’s most exciting street food brands alongside regular cultural programmes.
What will Dockworks Waterfront be like?
The new DDC space will offer live music, comedy nights, quizzes, sports screenings, independent markets and other events similar to those presented at its Birmingham venue, Herbert’s Yard, as well as the business’s previous successful project, Hockley Social Club.
Dockworks Waterfront will feature up to seven street food traders, with a regularly rotating line-up of businesses drawn from DDC’s pool of culinary talent. In addition to an indoor two-room main space, the new development will feature a crescent-shaped food-trader court and seating, set against the post-industrial wharf-side charm of Dudley Canal Marina.
“The arrival of Dockworks Waterfront represents a major vote of confidence in the Black Country, as well as a clear sign that hospitality businesses are still at the heart of our communities,” said Cat Eccles, MP for Stourbridge. “The social, economic, and cultural benefits of investment in local dining, leisure and NTE are well proven.
“We hope this latest addition to Dudley’s business ecosystem acts as a ‘game-changing’ catalyst, attracting more visitors, boosting our vibrant nightlife, and highlighting the West Midlands as an attractive place to live, work, and visit.”
What else do I need to know?
Dockworks Waterfront will open in ‘development mode’, inviting visitors, along with local businesses and partners, to help shape its offering. DDC’s latest venture counts West Midlands Ambulance Service and Merry Hill Shopping Centre amongst its neighbours.
The Dockworks Waterfront announcement follows a series of high-profile 2025 DDC events across Dudley, including at Himley Hall and the Black Country Living Museum, and is a further commitment of the business’s approach to regional regeneration through investment, with further DDC x Black Country announcements imminent.
“Dockworks means so much more to us than opening a new venue,” said Jack Brabant, co-founder and director of Digbeth Dining Club. “It’s about us bringing back a long-forgotten but important site and filling it with good food, good people, and good times.
“We’re also focused on making the most of this opportunity to redefine how a destination venue can be designed for, and with, the community it serves. DDC has always sought to push creative boundaries, and this project has allowed us the space to bring our energy and expertise to the waterfront in a really exciting way.
“We encourage all fans of casual dining and social experiences to join us and help us to shape this new community venue.”
Dockworks Waterfront will open at 1200 on Friday, 27 February 2026.