A Tasty Suggestion
Bank Birmingham epitomizes top-end modern dining in Birmingham with excellent food and great service. It also has the big bonus of being open from 07.30 for breakfast, again at lunchtime and then from 17.30 through until 23.00 (23.30 on Friday and Saturday) for dinner. The bar stays open until 01.00 at weekends.
As the Brindley Place Bank describes itself, it is a ‘lively urban brasserie serving fresh creative food with a modern twist on the classics’.
The kitchen is at the heart of the restaurant, in full view behind glass windows so you can watch the talented chefs in action. There are two covered terraces, one overlooking the 19th century canal and the other overlooking the picturesque square making Bank Birmingham ideal for outside drinking or dining in the warmer weather.
Bank Birmingham also has two private rooms, which can accommodate up to 50 guests in each for a sit down meal, or it can be opened up into one big room for up to 100 guests.
Sample main courses are grilled wild sea trout, confit fennel, sun-dried tomato and black olive dressing (£16.00) and confit duck leg, Chinese greens and honey dressing (£15.50).
Reservations on +44 (0) 121 633 4466 or visit www.bankrestaurants.com
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NOVEMBER 2008: The city celebrates Guy Fawkes night with the traditional fireworks display which hundreds attend. Held separately on the third and forth of the month at Pype Hayes Park it is the largest and most popular display in the area. To find out more go to www.birminghamal.org
…and here are more great things to see and do in and around Birmingham…
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2008: The international motorcycle and scooter show is at the NEC Arena and is Europe’s most popular bike show. With death defying stunts and tons of high-octane action it’s not to be missed. To find out more go to www.motorcycleshow.co.uk/
NOVEMBER 2008 – JANUARY 2009: Brilliantly Birmingham it the city’s premier jewellery festival showcasing the best in local, national and international design. Over 80 designers take part in the event and exhibitions. Go to www.brilliantlybirmingham.com/ for further information.
DECEMBER 2008: The national Clothes Show is held at the NEC Arena and is one of the largest events of its kind in the whole country. With live TV and radio coverage for the whole event hundreds come to see it live. To find out more go to www.clotheshowlive.com
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Cirque Du Soleil heads for the Arena
Delirium by the internationally-renowned Cirque Du Soleil is coming to Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena next October 10-12. The show has been especially created as a multimedia experience especially tailored for arenas. Cirque Du Soleil – which now has permanent theatre shows in New York, Orlando and Las Vegas as well as the touring shows - combines circus skills with dance, movement, stage trickery and magic. Tickets in Birmingham are priced from £45-£55. www.ticketmaster.co.uk
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In the former industrial capital of the country, manufacturing is now taking a back seat. Birmingham’s industrial legacy lives on, however, in the restoration of some of its finest old buildings. England’s second city has grown into a thriving, growing, multicultural metropolis with an impressive number of heritage museums, new hotels, restaurants, cafes, theatre bars, and nightclubs.
At almost dead central between London and Manchester, Birmingham is no longer just a place you drive past on the M6 or travel through on the western train line. Its greatly expanded International Airport has also seen increasing numbers of visitors of all nationalities visiting the Midlands hub.
One little-known fact is that, as the centre of Britain’s canal network, Birmingham has more waterways than Venice. It has also been dubbed Europe’s new shopping capital, since September 2003 saw the re-opening of the famous ‘Bullring’. A former 1960s concrete block, the city’s new shopping centre, developed at a cost of £500 million, covers the space of 26 football pitches. The city centre is a grand mixture of the new and the old, with the National Indoor Arena (NIA), The Mailbox, Symphony Hall, and the Bullring as the new, and the Jewellery Quarter, Victoria Square, and St Martin’s Cathedral representing the old. Back to top
Take an early breakfast before you enter New Street, where you can watch the buskers and browse the fashion shops. A walk around the Bullring takes in its breathtaking architecture, especially the Selfridges store. After a few purchases have been made, the opposite end of New Street ends in Victoria Square, with its spectacular town hall and ‘floosie in the Jacuzzi’ water feature. Take the route via the central library to Centenary Square and Broad Street. Centenary Square houses the ICC and Symphony Hall, which sit just above the canal. Lunchtime means a sandwich and a pint in a bar in Brindley Place, overlooking the NIA, and adjacent to the pretty canal.
After lunch, jump in a cab to either St Andrews or Villa Park to watch one of Birmingham’s top Premier League teams in action. After the final whistle blows, a shower and a change back in your hotel gets you ready for a night out on the town.
Start your evening with a pre-meal drink in the Arcadian at Indi Bar, before dinner at 52°North. A couple of drinks in the bar after dinner gets you in the mood for a dance. A short walk over the road leads you to Bambu, which plays funky house and R’n’B music. Around 2 a.m., you might be in the mood for a late night curry, in which case the Balti Triangle is just a short cab ride away. Then head for bed; you’ve had the best of Birmingham.
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As with all major European cities, Birmingham has a full range of places to stay overnight, from budget through to luxury. The former includes plenty of B&Bs, as well as hotels owned by the modern budget chains.
Flybehotels offers a choice of hotels in Birmingham with prices ranging from £40 (Sheriden House) to £159.75 (Marriott) per night, including all taxes and service. In the city centre, three-star hotels include the Ramada while four-star properties include the Burlington, Marriott and Hyatt Regency.
Just outside the city centre are the Apollo (£67.25) – a five-minute taxi journey from New Street Station – and the Paragon (£54) in the south west of the city, seven miles from the NEC and Birmingham Airport.
Book on +44 (0) 871 900 8297 or visit www.flybehotels.com
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By car: Explore the city and the countryside in comfort and style at great prices! Get the best deal by checking Flybe's partner Avis for the best available car hire rates at www.flybe.com/avis
By road: Birmingham airport is 13km (6 miles) east of the city. The city centre can be reached along the A45. Contact Flybe’s partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. www.flybe.com/avis
By bus or coach: Travel West Midlands and Stagecoach offer regular services from the airport to the city centre. The journey time is 35-50 minutes.
By rail: Follow the signs from the terminal building to the International train station and then take a main line service to Birmingham New Street, a journey time of about 20 minutes.
By taxi: Taxis gather outside the terminal building. The 40-minute journey to the city centre costs £15-£20. Back to top
Birmingham is the world’s largest city not to have an underground transport system. Fear not, because Travel West Midlands operates one of the best bus networks you will ever encounter. A single trip will cost you £1.10, with all day tickets costing £2.50.
By train: The main railway station is Birmingham New Street. There is another at Snow Hill. For all your timetables and fares UK wide:
National Rail Enquiries +44 (0) 8457 48 49 50
For all your rail travel requirements:
Traveline +44 (0) 870 608 2 608 www.nationalrail.co.uk
By taxi: Black cabs operate at competitive rates, with dial-a-cab better value for longer journeys.
By bus: Getting out of Birmingham to its surrounding areas can be done by bus or coach, but a car is probably easier. At Digbeth Coach Station, hundreds of National Express coaches every day arrive and depart to and from every corner of the country.
Road links (National): M6 from North West or from the M1 from the South, M5 from the West Country, M40 from London and M25. (Local): A45 from Coventry, Airport, and NEC, A38 from Derby and Burton, A41 from Telford and Wolverhampton Back to top
As the UK’s second city, every conceivable activity is well catered for in and around Birmingham.
Golf: Lots of golf clubs litter the area including one of the country’s best known, The Belfry which has three courses including the Brabazon which, uniquely, has hosted the Ryder Cup no fewer than four times. The Belfry is also home to the headquarters of the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland, the PGA of Europe, and the PGA National Training Academy. www.belfry.com
The other two courses at the Belfry are the PGA National and the The Derby.
Football: Football fans have a choice of three major city centre clubs, Flybe-sponsored Birmingham City – newly promoted to the Premier division - local rivals Aston Villa who were already there and West Bromwich Albion who are now in the Championship. Tickets for matches can be purchased over the net or alternatively visit each stadium for a tour on non-match days or pre-season
www.avfc.co.uk
www.bcfc.com
http://www.wbafc.co.uk
Ski: If you can’t wait for Flybe’s winter services to Europe’s major ski destinations, check out the Tamworth Snowdome which offers a curving main slope 170 metres long on the closest thing to real snow this side of the Alps. Visit www.snowdome.co.uk
Leisure Parks: For children the award-winning Drayton Manor Leisure Park near Tamworth combines theme park and zoo attractions with the latter having more than 100 different species from around the world including one of Britain’s largest collection of snakes. www.draytonmanor.co.uk
Another Midlands family attraction is the National Space Centre, the UK’s largest attraction dedicated to space. One of the newest experiences is Lunar Base 2025 where visitors can become an astronaut and join the crew of the futuristic lunar base to complete their training. Visit www.spacecentre.co.uk
But, whatever you interest, from stock car racing to spas and from go-karting to clay pigeon shooting, Birmingham has it all.
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A recent survey by leading estate agents Knight Frank has placed Birmingham the 19th most expensive city in the world for residential property comparing prices per square foot. It sits midway between Dublin at 17th and Edinburgh at 21st.
The most expensive city in the world for private housing remains London where property costs £2300 per square foot.
Knight Frank is also responsible for the new Latitude 189 contemporary apartments in the heart of the city just walking distance from the Bull Ring and New Street Station. Prices for the new apartments – due for completion in 2009 – are from £158,000.
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Business out of the box is a virtual business tool that contains everything a new business needs in order to start up or grow. It contains all the forms and tools required to set up and develop a company, protect ideas and access expert support all in one go.
The concept of business out of the box is that everything you need to start a business is provided free of charge with the minimum of effort to get your idea up and running.
It is underpinned by a 'just in time, just for me' approach to business information and support. The site contains 'Help Sheets' which give an overview of each subject as well as 'Resources' which will point you in the right direction for further information.
More information on www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk
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The National Sea Life Centre - An underwater tropical paradise in the heart of the city. Home to over 2000 creatures, visitors can marvel at sharks to turtles, otters to seahorses, crabs to rays and many more. Experience, learn, discover and help our world's oceans. Website: www.sealifeeurope.com Contact number: +44 (0) 121 643 6777
St. Martin’s Cathedral Church - Situated between the Selfridges building and the Bullring Indoor Market, this has been recently extensively refurbished.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - This is a spectacular Victorian landmark building and has the world's largest Pre-Raphaelite collection, with works by French, Dutch, and Italian Baroque artists as well as contemporary paintings, silver, ceramics, archaeology, and social history (+44 (0) 121 303 2834) www.bmag.org.uk
The Botanical Gardens - Offering recreation and relaxation close to the centre of Birmingham. (+44 (0) 121 454 1860) www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
Cadbury World - Situated in the Bourneville part of the city, it’s the home of the world-famous chocolate factory. Take a grand tour which includes free tasting (+44 (0) 121 451 4159) www.cadburyworld.co.uk
Millennium Point - This £114 million project houses Birmingham’s science museum, Thinktank. Other features include an IMAX cinema and a Technology Innovation Centre (+44 (0) 121 202 2200) www.millenniumpoint.org.uk
Cricket - Edgbaston Cricket Ground is one of England’s seven Test-standard cricket venues. The 18,000-capacity stadium is the home to Warwickshire County Cricket Club and host to an Ashes Test (against the Australians) this summer www.edgbaston.com
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Birmingham is made up of 22 boroughs, with neighbouring Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley, and West Bromwich making up the West Midlands. It is surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the counties of Warwickshire and Staffordshire. Staffordshire has several famous pottery makers, including Wedgwood, Spode, and Gladstone.
Half an hour by road or rail to the south, is Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. A tourist haven, this is a picturesque village, and a perfect place for a day out. Only 15 minutes to the east, Warwick is another day-trip destination. Warwick Castle is an amazing place, with fascinating rooms and dungeons. Entrance £12.95-£16.95; +44 (0) 870 442 2371 www.warwick-castle.co.uk
About an hour north on the M6, Alton Towers is Britain’s best them park. With over 50 rides, including Nemesis, Air, and the new Rita, which sends you from 0-160km/h in 2.5 seconds. Entrance around £22-£28. www.altontowers.co.uk
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Where do you start? A quiet drink? Theatre? Sports bar to watch the football? A rave? You name it, Birmingham has it. Here’s a selection:
Sports Café: also found in London and Glasgow, the Sports Café restaurants and bars provide the ultimate in watching sport. Hundreds of screens showing all sports, completed with a wide range of sports memorabilia, make the Sports Café an original place to go. Located on Broad Street, alongside many other bars.
Bambu: a club that predominantly plays funky house and R’n’B, it regularly houses dance label Hed Kandi nights. No more than £8 to get in on a weekend, cheaper during the week. A funky, cool place for a dance, situated opposite The Big Wok restaurant in The Arcadian’s Chinatown.
Air: Home of the world-famous ‘Godskitchen’, in the Digbeth area of Brum. If it’s a mad dance you want to let off some steam, this three-floored super club plays the best in trance every Saturday night. Showcasing some of the best-known DJ’s in the world. Also plays House and Drum’n’Bass. 9.30pm – 4am. Check out specific nights by phone: +44 (0) 871 425 5555
Carling Academy: Hosts on a weekly basis some of the best in live music. Mostly rock and pop music, tickets starting at £10. Bands that have played most recently are The Streets, Lost Prophets, and The Music (+44 (0) 121 262 3000).
Aprés and Meechu: Upmarket and exclusive bars. If it’s a cocktail or glass of champagne, Summer Row is the place to go for these exclusive bars (+44 (0) 121 233 3150).
Arcadian: The Arcadian has four bars, three restaurants, and a comedy club to tickle your fancy. Indi, Arca, Poppy Red, and Sobar provide a modern, clean environment to have a beer or a glass of wine. The Glee Club is a top-notch comedy club, with tickets costing no more than £10. www.thearcadian.co.uk
www.thegleeclub.co.uk
Flares: Get your tank top and massive black wig out to strut your funky stuff. With a revolving dance floor and glitterballs, if 70s music is your thing, then Flares on Broad Street is the place to go. Free to get in before 10, drinks deals make it a fun, cheap night out (+44 (0) 1216 325 501).
Theatre: Birmingham has some excellent theatres and concert venues. The two biggest and most central theatres are the Hippodrome (+44 (0) 1216 893 083) and the Alexandra Theatre on Station Street. Try also The Rep (+44(0) 1212 364 455) or see the latest live performers at the NIA (+44(0) 1212 002 202).
www.birmingham-hippodrome.co.uk
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If it’s a cheap night out you want, why not try a night out at the dogs? Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium, situated opposite the University of Central England, is a great way to relax and unwind. You can have a meal and a few drinks, and, you never know, once you’ve learnt the betting system, you might win a few quid.
A more tranquil alternative is to take a ride on the Canal Boat Coffee Shop, which leaves every hour from Brindley Place. You can have a coffee while the long boat slides along Birmingham’s waterways, going past the NIA, Broad Street, and ending up at the very nice Mailbox.
Being a big city, there are certainly areas to avoid, mostly in the north of Birmingham, particularly for tourists carrying cameras and wallets full of cash. There are high crime rates in Handsworth, Aston, and Lozells.
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