Sushi chain Kokoro to fill Cherry Street unit empty for 13 years

A Korean-Japanese sushi chain has been given permission to open in a Birmingham city centre shop that has stood empty for 13 years, in what could become the seventh new sushi restaurant in the city centre this year.

Kokoro has received planning permission to transform the former Jessops unit on Cherry Street, just off Cathedral Square, into a branch of its fast-service chain.

Bringing an empty unit back to life

The old Jessops shop closed 13 years ago and has been empty ever since. When Kokoro opens, it will join McDonald's, Jaqk's and Greggs on Cherry Street, which links Temple Row with Corporation Street.

Kokoro has more than 80 branches across the UK, serving handmade sushi, including in Wolverhampton and Coventry. Last winter, the trade publication The Caterer reported that the company was looking for franchise partners as it pushed to open 100 new restaurants.

No opening date has been announced yet.

A year of sushi

It has been a remarkable year for sushi in Birmingham. Six brands have opened new venues in the city centre in 2026, all within walking distance of each other: Sushidog, Sushi Tachi, Maki and Ramen, Kibou, Sticks N Sushi and Panko Sushi.

They have brought new options to the Bullring, Grand Central, New Street, Pigeon Park, Brindleyplace and Paradise, alongside long-standing brands and favourites in the Chinese Quarter.

Kibou opened on Temple Row this month, while Sticks N Sushi is gearing up to launch on 31 October. If Kokoro opens before the end of the year, it will be the seventh new sushi restaurant in the city centre in twelve months.

A street with big plans

Cherry Street is at the heart of the council's plans for the area around the cathedral. Under its Central Heart vision, at least 600 new homes are proposed for the Cherry Street area as the former House of Fraser building is transformed.

More people living in the city centre means more customers for restaurants and shops, and new openings like this are a sign that operators see a future in the streets around Cathedral Square.

Why it matters

Empty shop units can drag down a whole street, while a busy restaurant brings footfall that helps its neighbours. Seeing a unit that has been shuttered for more than a decade brought back into use is good news for Cherry Street and for the city centre as a whole.

For Birmingham's food lovers, the growing choice of restaurants, from sushi to street food, is another reason to head into town.