Can't access Ciao through Uni (ARRGGGHH!) so that's why it's been quiet around these parts - when I ...
Can't access Ciao through Uni (ARRGGGHH!) so that's why it's been quiet around these parts - when I get home I'm too knackered to Ciao!
Member since:04.04.2001
Reviews:75
Members who trust:85
UPDATE – I lied there are 4 shops! See op for updates...
Well part two of my Star City experience coming up as promised (and another inadvertant Underdog op as no one has yet filled this section of Ciao with wonderful ops)! I have to admit that when Ian and I decided to visit Star City it was purely based on the shear size of the cinema. We'd driven past it when off to buy stuff from Ikea (in Wednesbury) and been flabbergasted by the huge cinema. It's only when you actually get there, that you realise that it isn't just a 30 screen multiplex, it's also a mini shopping centre.
So, for those who didn't read part one of my Star City op's here's how to get there (if you did, just scroll down to the "shopping" section): Star City is situated just off the M6 and is sign posted pretty clearly (although the brown signs are pretty small, so you have to keep your eyes peeled! However, when you get up close, Star City is pretty hard to miss as aside from being huge it's also lit up with a number of neon signs in variuous garish colours!
Point number 2 - big car park! It has 2,979 places apparently so the chances are that you'll have no problem parking at all. However, the car park also has speed humps the size of small mountains so be prepared for a VERY bumpy ride arround the car park - it amazed me quite how big they were! The Star City complex does seem to be on a bus route but as I'm not a native of Birmingham I can't tell you which one. The whole thing does seem to be aimed at car
users though, as most out-of-town shopping centres/cinemas are...
So SHOPPING (welcome back to those who left us!)! As you walk into Star City along one of the small paved streets you enter a circular area with huge escalators going upstairs to the Cinema. Stay downstairs and you'll be slap bang in the middle of the shops.... Well considering someone has put Star City under the shopping centre category, you'd expect a few shops right? Well to be honest, there aren't that many - in fact from memory there are three - MVC, Madhouse and Books Etc!
MVC (www.mvc.infront.co.uk) is the CD and movie retailer where you can join to get cheaper prices. What they never tell you is that you have to join to afford most of their products! However joining is free so you can't really complain too much! They are currently (beginning of July '01) having a big sale so somethings are pretty cheap at the moment ("Dookie" by Green Day for £4.99 and the first two Gomez albums were also on offer - £6.99 I think!). I have to say I'm not a big MVC fan. They are very expensive and they don't have the most helpful staff in the world. However they do seem to have a better range than some - I know my Mum can find some Folk stuff in there that lots of places don't stock.
Madhouse (www.madhouse.co.uk) sells (and I quote!) "Designer, Fasion and Sportwear" and they are very cheap. They sell womens and mens clothing although in this particular one the range on Women's clothes is tiny compared to the men. They sell loads of designer names allegedly up to 65% off and must be a designer label junkie's paradise. As I'm not a designer label junkie it wasn't my favourite place, although when my affore mentioned boyfriend bought a gorgeous shirt and pair of trousers for £20ish I was quite impressed. Also they are open from 12 mid day till 12 midnight Monday to Saturday so are perfect for popping into after you have seen a film (they shut at 6pm on Sundays).
Books Etc was a place I'd never been despite my book obsession, and sadly as they shut at 10pm I didn't get to go in anyway! Damn! Also after much internet research I can't find out anything about them! Even Ciao's category has nothing in it!
UPDATE No 1!
Books Etc was open on this visit to Star City so I can give you a proper run down. The place feels very much like Waterstones, but smaller and with a nice coffee shop! Plus points are that is gives a 10% discount on all books if you are a student (yey!), and it’s nicely laid out. There are the usual kind of offers on fiction books (either money off or save money if you buy 3 for example) but for other books it’s pretty much “publishers” prices galore.
UPDATE No2!!
I somehow managed to miss this on my first visit, but as it’s so small I think I can be excused! Claire’s Accessories is a bit of a girly place (sorry lads) full of cheap and cheerful jewellery, bags, hats and hair accessories. Prices range from stupidly cheap to fairly cheap and the quality generally reflects this, however they are a perfect place to visit if you have to have the latest fashionable stuff each season (not at designer prices!). The shop in Star City is small, round and absolutely jam packed with stuff – certainly not wheelchair or pushchair friendly, it’s actually quite difficult to look at all the stuff because there’s so much in there. All in all, I wouldn’t visit Star City for Claire’s Accessories alone because it’s tiny!
So what else is there in this 'shopping' centre? There's a Holmes Place Health Club for those who wish to stay fit and healthly which is open on Monday - Friday 6.30 am til 10.00pm and Saturday and Sunday 8.00am till 8.00pm. There is also a big Mega Bowl, for those of you who love a bit of bowling. The bowlling alley has a Wimpy inside (remember them? Where did all the Wimpy's go?) so if you're a bit peckish after you're game you can get a burger without venturing outside. I have never been inside the bowling alley, but my boyfriend has - expect a small bit from him in this space soon!
However the main attraction seems to be the many and varied restaurants and bars situated in Star City. You can choose literally any sort of food you can mention and I'm sure Star City will cater for it. There was a very posh looking Indian restuarant, coffee shops, mexican etc. There's the standard Burger King and a Nandos' - currently the top ratedrestaurant chain on Ciao. There seems to be something for everyone and I really want to go back and visit Nandos after watching what people were eating (it looked fantasic!)
There are cash machines (HSBC and one other which I've totally forgot the name of!) which are situated next to the pay phones and toilets - never a good idea for me when there's a bookshop around.
So is it worth a visit? Well no, not really... Unless you are visiting the cinema, there is absolutely no reason to visit Star City. There's no way it should be reguarded as a shopping centre with a cinema (in the way that Meadowhall is), rather it's a cinema with a few shops to con you out of money when you're in a relaxed mood. In defense of Star City, it's obvious that they never intended it to be a shopping centre, but considering how many people visit the cinema a few more retail shops would have made them a lot more money. The main attraction aside from the cinema are the many eating places which all look quite nice (although very 'themed' in many cases which can be annoying) and I imagine are perfect if you want a nice meal before or after your film.
The cinema is worth a visit to Star City alone, but don't go expecting a shopper's paradise, go expecting to see one of the biggest cinemas in Europe....
Star City Watson Road off Cuckoo Road Nechells Birmingham B7 5TR Tel: 0121 326 0264
For an aerial view showing quite how huge it is see: www.birmingham.gov.uk/epislive/planning.nsf/ 437194deb01c293b802564d60047624b/c37cca412fb30cbf802567c80057b02f?OpenDocument
BTW - The rating is for Star City as a Shopping Centre, NOT for Star City as a cinema (which gets 5/5!!!)
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Agree fully with your review, We go there to go gold glass (not as good as it sounds though, but hubby is obsessed)
anyway just thought i would let you know , try " that mexican place " the food is fab.
darkangelwing 22.07.2006 05:40
Good review(-: ....................................................Darko
gingelou 05.10.2005 16:54
I went to star sity last night with my mates, it was really cool, they have a mini indoor ski slope and climbing wall now! You should go and try it if you're ever in the area again! Great review! Lou.x
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
very helpful by (100%):
