Birmingham is a city is renewed vibrancy. Soon to go is the concrete hellhole better known as the Bull Ring (www.bullring.co.uk). 26 football pitches-worth of shops, including Selfridges, homes and leisure areas will appear in the city between now and 2007.
Everywhere you look something new is being built to transform this old place of misguided sixties brutalist architecture and drag it into the twenty-first century. Indeed this makeover culminated in the summit of the Group of Eight industrial nations in May 1998, when the council spent £800,000 on hobnobbing its way back onto the international stage. The latest Rough Guide nominates Birmingham as the 60th most desirable place to live, ahead of Rome, Milan, Barcelona and Hong Kong.
If you risk going into the city you will be pleasantly delighted by embarrassment of riches that Birmingham
nightlife holds.
If you do decide to venture forth, leave your car in the car park, driving into town in not recommended. Traffic in Birmingham can be as bad as any day in central London. Parking is available but you have to be lucky to find a spot at the best of times.
Far more sensible an option is to get on the train from Birmingham International to New Street (in the centre). It takes about 10 minutes and after you leave the station most of the city’s highlights are no more than 15 minutes walk.
Broad Street is a good place to start your nocturnal adventure, just five minutes from New Street. The International Convention Centre (ICC) resides here, famous for the primetime lycra-fest tv show that was Gladiators.
This area has become one of the spirited in town in the evening. Bars and restaurants line the streets and spread out along the canal sides of the city.
Around that area you will find kicking pubs like the James Brindely or the Glassworks which can be found next to the canal, across form the ICC. Further along you’ll find the Brasshouse and the Walkabout Inn. This Australian bar offers the finest Aussie lagers such as Toohey’s and VB. To compliment these beverages you can try out the crocodile or kangaroo steaks. For a true feel of a typical Aussie hotel dance night go to the nightclub downstairs, which is open from 10pm until 2am. Their number is (0121) 632 5712.
Stoodi Bakers (www.bakers-stoodis.co.uk) is just past the NovotelHotel at 192 Broad Street. Their featured night is called Spin with guest DJ’s such as Fergie (Sundissential) and Dan Soto (God’s Ktichen). It’s on Thursday and Stella only costs a pound. For more information call 0121 643 5100 or visit their web site.
If you are into all things Latin then may we suggest Bobbi Brown’s club on Thursday night, the salsa evening kicks off with lessons in the dance for potential Ricky Martins and Jennifer Lopezs (0121 643 2573).
If you are uninspired by the Latin spirit, another option is V3, formerly Pals, in Newhall Street (0121 236 7879). Thursday night is club night and is open until 2am.
For a cheesy night out of the Camembert variety head to the Dome II at Horsefair (0121 622 2233), prices are certainly a lot cheaper than last year. £1 before 10:30pm and £3 afterwards. Exiles on Smallbrook (0121 643 6696), offers more of the same but may be easier to get into if there is a queue at the Dome.
Liberty’s on the Hagley road (0121 454 4444) is geared towards a more upmarket crowd. But there’s a taxi rank outside so you can get back easily once you’ve strutted your thang. It is open on Wednesday and Thursday until 2am. Admission is £6 but you may be able to pick up flyers in the area on Wednesday to reduce this price. Liberty’s also has a piano bar and restaurant, with a full menu at around £25 per head. It’s open from 8.30pm until 1am, bookings in advance are essential.
If getting hot and sweaty on the dance floor is not your groove, but jazz (…nice!) is try Ronnie Scott’s on Broad Street (0121 643 4525), Great! Tuesday and Wednesday night see King Pleasure and Biscuit Boys making an appearance while on Thursday the Monty Alexander Trio plays. Prices for both nights are £15.50, with a special three course meal deal costs £39.45.
If comedy is more your bag the go to the Glee Club (0121 236 2248) on Thursday comedians, John Mann, Andy Robinson, John Henderson and Max Boyd supply the laughter. Tickets cost £6.95, which includes a balti meal. Tickets must be booked up in advance.
If you are looking for a cultural experience in Birmingham, then your option will be a tad limited. Most theatres are closed around the time of the network show, but the Birmingham Rep (0121 236 4455) is open. During the show days you can see Noel Coward’s Present Laughter. It starts at 7.30pm and tickets sell from £7.00.
Also, there are plenty of restaurants to tempt your taste buds. And Birmingham is balti city. A curry and a Kingfisher are a delightful combination. There are simply too many really good curry houses to list here, so we suggest that you look at www.birmingham.gov.uk and www.curryhouse.co.uk to find curry that’s just right for you. Current favourite is Shimla Pinks. It’s easy enough to get to from the pub, just walk outside, hail a cab, get in and you are halfway there.
However Indian food is not the only dish on the menu. There are many other foreign dishes on the menu. Hurst Street and Station Street have some fantastic Chinese restaurants as well as Spanish/Italian and Greek.
Try the Mongolian Bar (0121 236 3842), and the Jam House, which not only offers a range of food from around the world, but also plays host to live music. Both are five minutes away from New Street.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: Redevelopment, pedestrianisation, improved nightlife, cleaner, no traffic Disadvantages: still souless, no greenary, wildlife, do the local benefit?
dreamstar70 03.01.2001 (03.01.2001)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Birmingham in general
Advantages: Easy access, lots to do/see/buy, open spaces, smog free, friendly Disadvantages: inner ring roads still lurk, not enough nightclubs, restaurants, needs to cater more for foreign tourist
Advantages: Mostly free, fascinating, reflects the city's industrial heritage Disadvantages: Not well publicised enough, buried under the city's poor reputation
michaird 31.12.2002 (31.12.2002)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Birmingham in general
Advantages: Huge, multi-cultural, lots to do and see, nice atmosphere. Disadvantages: Far from the coast, some of the buildings, the spaghetti junction and the accent.
Jul 13th, 2000
very helpful by (100%):
