Rubery

The word "Rubery" comes from the old English word "rowbery" meaning "a rough hill", which there is in the village of Rubery.

Rubery (Worcestershire) is divided into two essential areas, either side of the A38. North of the A38 is primarily residential consisting of a sub-area named Waseley. South of the A38 is the High Street (New Road) where Rubery's retail activity is concentrated, there are shops as well as an extensive residential area, there is also a number of food outlets including Subway, Greggs, Jack's and various other takeaways. To the east lies the Great Park area of Rubery (within the Longbridge ward of Birmingham).

Rubery is located in the valley of the Waseley and Lickey Hills, and within the basin of the Callowbrook and thus the River Rea. Politically, it lies in the Beacon Ward of Worcestershire County Council, and under both the Waseley and Beacon areas for Bromsgrove District Council.

Rubery is situated near to Longbridge, where the remains of the Austin motor works, mostly demolished following the MG Rover collapse in April 2005, can be found. Frankley is to the north, and Lickey is to the south.

The author Jonathan Coe (b.1961) was brought up in Rubery, and his novel "The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim" names several local places and landmarks.

The local councillors are, in March 2014: Peter McDonald (Labour) and Colin Wilson (Labour) - Waseley (District), Christine McDonald (Labour) - Beacon (District), and Peter McDonald (Labour) - Beacon (County).. Part of Rubery is represented on Birmingham City Council by Adrian Delaney of the (Conservative Party (United Kingdom)) who is councillor for the Rubery and Rednal ward.

Rubery now has its own market with café and children's soft play area.

In recent years Rubery has benefited from Great Park, which provides numerous leisure activities, namely an Empire Cinema, Hollywood Bowl, Gala Bingo, Nuffield Health (formerly Greens Health and Fitness), Frankie & Benny's, Chiquitos, Brewers Fayre and a Premier Inn. As well as further housing there is also a Morrisons which was a Safeway Megastore.