Insight Birmingham by Insight Birmingham

Insight Birmingham

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Insight Birmingham covers the following areas of the city

EASTSIDE

Redevelopment

Eastside City Park

Eastside Projects

digbeth

History

The Custard Factory

The Rainbow

The Old Crown

Chinatown The Chinese Quarter

city centre

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City Centre

Anyone For A Drink?

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Going On

Jewellery Q 34 What It Has To Offer

William West & Sons

Lucy McLaughlan

eastside

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They hope that over the next 20 years the new developments in Eastside will create many new employment opportunities for people in and around Birmingham, deliver and improve public spaces while enhancing the cultural liveliness of the city as a whole in the process.

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REDEVELOPMENT an exciting inconvenience

Eastside

Eastside is currently the focus of major redevelopment as part of Birmingham City Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Big City Plan. They hope that over the next 20 years the new developments in Eastside will create many new employment opportunities for people in and around Birmingham, deliver and improve public spaces while enhancing the cultural liveliness of the city as a whole in the process. Although this may seem exciting there are many annoyances with the whole process. For example, since development is already under way (Phase 2 of Birmingham City Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City Centre Campus, Exchange Square) a lot of Eastside is boarded off and filled with construction sites. This is not only an eyesore but it also affects people travelling in and out of city with road closures and diversions scattered all over the place. The noise generated when they are working is absolutely horrendous too! It is also quite a hassle to access the canals around the area too because of this. Certainly some parts of Eastside make for grim viewing but if we want to have all the nice new buildings and public spaces, the construction process is something we have to learn to put up with.

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eastside

Eastside City Park Although not the first, Eastside City Park is one of the new major and recent additions to the area. Boasting 6.75 acres and costing £11.7m, Eastside City Park was the first new park to open in Birmingham for over 150 years – an interesting but equally terrifying fact.

It’s hard to argue with the fact that the city centre needed a whole lot more green space following the removal of it’s concrete past but is this really a park in a traditional sense or just a big glorified garden to The Think Tank? The design of the park features a lot of straight lines, towers and cubes, which is nice to look at, but it totally contradicts the irregularities and curves that come to mind when you think of a typical park filled with swings, roundabouts and a place where kids would go for a game of football on a Saturday afternoon.

Having to walk through the park many times a week, I find it to be a very welcoming boost to the city. When you enter the park from city centre way you are greeted with giant wooden square archways, a recurring theme you will find throughout the park. The first bit of the park is kind of like a small plaza, there’s green spaces, benches, sculptured trees and water fountains. It is when you get more into the park that I find it gets more appealing. Down the middle are huge areas of flat vibrant green grass, a perfect setting for a picnic in the park. It is bordered by two very long walkways, the one on the adjacent to the Millennium Point features water fountains parallel the entire length of the walkway whereas the one by Curzon Street is surrounded with archways and trees. However with that being said, the park does offer a lovely nice open space to relax and get away from the busy environments elsewhere in the city. The Woodman Pub is ideally located in the middle of the park along with Simply Fresh to fulfill refreshment needs. So if you haven’t to Eastside City Park yet, I seriously recommend you do so (ideally when the sun is shining).

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eastside

eastside projects Eastside Projects is a public art gallery that is organized and ran by artists in Digbeth. Eastside Projects commissions and exhibits pieces of contemporary art and aims to explain what role art could play in modern society. Once you enter the gallery, you are greeted with a room full of darkness; to the left is a film installation by Cao Fei entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Haze and Fogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The moving image piece is based on zombies in a modern day China. The film shows how everyday life in China would look like if people were to be replaced with the living dead, how society would be affected if your public servicemen and women (cleaners, police, teachers etcâ&#x20AC;Ś) were replaced with zombies. This piece seemed to have gathered the most attention in the gallery; this may be because the whole zombie and supernatural theme is common in popular culture with TV series such as The Walking Dead doing very well.

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Once you go further into the gallery you enter a room decorated by pieces of black wood structures that look as if they are supporting the building. I certainly thought that at first and that it was an architectual design choice but later found out it was an actual piece of art in itself. The art is the actual space/room itself and is called ‘Black Pleasure’ – a combination two pieces of work created by Heather and Ivan Morison entitled ‘Pleasure Island’ and ‘Black Cloud’ respectively. The space is currently being used as a small canteen and office. The final room we visited was quite strange, as it didn’t seem like a normal gallery space. The walls were pinned with what seemed to be work submitted by the public but the supporting text all contained the word ‘EAST’ in some way or another. The artwork included themes such as war, politics, arts and society – a theme that was common throughout the whole gallery. After doing a bit of research, we learnt that Lynda Morris curated the space. She established ‘EASTinternational’ in 1991, which was an open submission exhibition in Norwich. £5000 was given to artists whose work was selected to help develop future projects. Overall I thought the art on show at Eastside Projects was extremely interesting to look at but they fit in with the contemporary art stereotype where you really have to dig deep to find out what the exhibits actually mean. It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but if you are a fan of contemporary art then I would seriously recommend giving Eastside Projects a visit.

Eastside Projects can be found at 86 Heath Mill Lane, Birmingham, B9 4AR – about a 15 minute walk from the city centre.

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digbeth â&#x20AC;&#x153;

the creative quarter With walls covered in brightly coloured graffiti, just walking round the streets near to it gives an overwhelming sense of culture and talent.

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digbeth

a little bit of digbeth’s history Crammed full of industrialisation, to most people, Digbeth isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing of places. However, with a little exploration and the ability to look past the over-grown canals, smashed windows and discarded Red Stripe cans, you’ll soon find there is a lot more to Digbeth than initially meets the eye. Back in the day, Digbeth was a thriving area of industry in Birmingham and hugely important to the city. Initially stimulated by Henry Bradford’s donation of land on Bradford Street in 1767, to anyone willing to establish a trade there, Digbeth saw the opening of over twenty public houses and many other trades. The River Rea and the railway line running directly through Digbeth made it an ideal location for manufacturing and exporting goods, bringing masses of trade to the area. Digbeth was home to many major businesses, including Birmingham Battery and Metal Company, Bonsor and Co, Typhoo Tea and Birds Custard. Today, Digbeth is slowly becoming a more attractive place, with the renovation of the Custard Factory and other previously unused buildings; Digbeth is growing a great reputation for creative individuals with opportunity arising in many ways.

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The Custard Factory Built over 100 years ago by the son of Birds Egg-Free Instant Custard inventor, Sir Alfred Bird, the Custard Factory has always been a major part of Digbeth. With the Birds departing from the factory in 1964, it stood unused until 1988, when architects began redevelopment projects and refurbished the buildings in 145 separate units to be used by creative and digital enterprises, independent retailers and musicians. Today, the Custard Factory is the centre of Digbethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative scene. With walls covered in brightly coloured graffiti, just walking round the streets near to it gives an overwhelming sense of culture and talent. The Custard Factory now offers a mixture of imaginative and quirky independent retailers; such as Yumm cafe, Mr Birds Emporium vintage clothing boutique, Crave tattoo and day spa, and Provide clothing store. Well worth a visit if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something different!

insight birmingham

digbeth

the rainbow The Rainbow venues exhibit a collection of Victorian-style rooms, used for multipurpose events such as club nights, filming location and live shows. In keeping with Digbeth’s urban scene, the Rainbow aims to provide an intense entertainment experience. Originally beginning as one of Digbeth’s local boozers, The Rainbow began just as the front pub and still open today, continues to offer a very traditional feel, with original brickwork and railway sleepers renovated into seating. However, when new landlords, Lee McDonald and Adam Shelton took over the Rainbow, they soon saw opportunity in the unused space surrounding the pub and now the Rainbow Venues have a thriving reputation for one of Birmingham’s best nights out. With vast ceilings, dusky lighting and original beams, teamed with deep underground house music, the converted warehouse space has been specifically designed to emphasize an urban feel to Birmingham’s young people.

insight birmingham

digbeth

the old crown Birmingham’s oldest public house, built in 1368; The Old Crown pub oozes remarkable character and history in the heart of Digbeth. The black and white Tudor building looks a little out of place but definitely adds charm to Digbeth high street. Inside, the pub is as traditional as when it was first built. With original timbered beams constructing the uneven ceilings and walls, four-poster beds in the upstairs guest rooms and an old wood burning fire all contributing to it’s cosy atmosphere and offering a trip back in time. The Old Crown can be found at 188 High St, Birmingham, West Midlands B12 0LD ‎

insight birmingham

chinatown the youngest quarter

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chinatown

chinese quarter

Birmingham’s Chinatown, or The Chinese quarter as it’s officially referred to, is rather modestly sized, that’s of course if you compare it to its much bigger cousins in New York, London or San Francisco. Chinatown is relatively young too, first emerging in the 1960’s from the fall out of World War Two, and gaining official recognition in the 1980’s. Like the youngest in any family it seems to be growing every day. The enterprising instinct of the Chinese and the fact that they have something actually substantial to offer, in terms of cuisine and culture, a big appetite from punters for the best in Chinese culture, all combined equal to a slow blanketing of bright flashing neon lights and red & gold entrancing patterns, symbols of exotic extravagance and colourful choices. To me a great Chinatown is a badge of honour that any great city worth its salt should have, a destination within a destination, and a place to lose yourself in another world.

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Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter has grown steadily over the few decades of its existence, I showed my Dad some of my pictures of the area and his response was “crikey, that’s grown a fair amount”. I wonder how large it will get. Will it ever reach the size of London, San Francisco or even New York City? The latter of which Woody Allen once said; “I’m astounded by people who want to ‘know’ the universe when it’s hard enough to find your way around Chinatown”. Personally I doubt whether it’ll ever reach the same size of the major Chinatowns’ of the world, purely down to the fact of the comparable differences in the sizes of the respected cities. Or too will it ever gain similar iconic status? All of which is owed to a huge amount of exposure in popular culture. But what it lacks in size it can make up in authenticity, quality and overall experience.

insight birmingham

Chinatown Even with its apparent growth when I visited it seemed a little bit quiet and empty, only elderly Chinese men with the day’s race odds under their arms, that may be down to the time of day or maybe they saw me coming with my camera in hand! But on my second and third visits I started to look deeper, and found a real sense of authenticity, as authentic as you’ll get outside London anyway.

Also because it isn’t a major tourist hotspot in the world nor the country, maybe that may give you a more genuine experience, and it seems very community based here, everyone seems to know everyone else, relatively quiet though it may be it seems maybe the local residents prefer it to stay that way?

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There are some small conflicting and contradictory signs to that whole notion of authenticity though, signs which asks the question of ‘has it gone from what seemed to be a place of shelter and sanctuary for Chinese immigrants to more of a marketing opportunity for the corporate minded?’ Is a Wetherspoons free house in Chinatown, aptly called The Dragon Inn, cynically latching on to a certain culture for profitable gains? Or is it adding to the vibrancy of the area? Personally I don’t know. But there’s no doubt that it shall spread, bringing us all wonderful food, vibrant colours and exciting sounds and smells, damn you Chinatown.

insight birmingham

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City Centre Despite them being obvious, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time at the Bullring or the Mailbox. In fact their obviousness means they draw some big names in shops and some really excellent restaurants.

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city centre

City Centre

I can’t really talk about the city centre without being a bit obvious and mentioning the Bullring and the Mailbox. However, there’s hopefully things a little less well known, or things you didn’t know about places you did!

Despite them being obvious, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time at the Bullring or then Mailbox. In fact their obviousness means they draw some big names in shops and some really excellent restaurants. Jamie’s Italian in the Bullring has really great food (I would recommend the rump steak salad) and the Mailbox is really beautiful at night due to the canal (a great date location especially as there is a broad selection of different restaurants).

Although the Mailbox probably isn’t the best for luxury shopping at the moment as most of the Mailbox is being refurbished and is reopening in 2015, however, Harvey Nichols and some selected shops are still open. The Bullring is one of the biggest shopping centres in UK and because of this has some interesting in-store events. For example, in late November there is a unique chance for gamers to get their hands on the Xbox One ahead of its launch date.

insight birmingham

city centre

the lost and found

If you are looking for a slightly different experience take a trip to ‘The Lost and Found’. This bar and restaurant, in a beautiful Grade II listed building, has a botanical theme based on adventures of Victorian explorer Hettie Watson, with very whimsical decor, great food and a very creative cocktail menu. However, the real gem is that if you step through a bookcase you enter a hidden cocktail lounge! Who wouldn’t be impressed? The Lost and Found has a excellent range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, all for excellent prices of between £5.50-£9. If cocktails

aren’t your thing they also have a huge choice of wine, champagne and beer to suit all tastes. However, if you are looking to go out in the evening, you should book to avoid disappointment! Located at 8 Bennett’s Hill, B2 5RS

the jekyll & hyde The Jekyll & Hyde is not hard to find, as for starters it’s bright purple, but you would be mad to miss out on a trip here. It has it’s own Victorian gin parlour and a menu of weird and wonderful cocktail concoctions, including a cocktail made of rum flavoured toothpaste (we’ll let you be the judge) and sharers served in mini

porcelain baths! However, its also great for just a casual drink too, with pretty excellent prices for really good quality alcohol and very reasonable food prices. It has a really friendly atmosphere with its eclectic interior (we’re a big fan of the portraits on the walls) and the staff are really friendly. Very friendly staff who will also make you any cocktail you desire regardless if it’s actually on the menu you don’t get service like that everywhere. Unlike The Lost and Found, The Jekyll and Hyde is a bit more laid back and publike however the quality is just as high. Located at 28 Steelhouse Lane, B4 6BJ

revolution So Revolution may not be unknown, theres a vodka revs in most big cities, but were you aware of their less wthan usual shot flavours? Birthday cake shots anyone? Revolution prides itself on a using great range of premium vodkas and there is usually something on every night and a large choice of food and cocktails, you can’t really go wrong. And a added bonus is that there’s usually two for one cocktails at certain points on most nights - who can complain at that? They also serve some pretty good food which is also handy if you are thinking of partaking in sampling some more unusual shots. Also good to remember is you can get a Revolution student card and get some great deals! Located at Five Ways, Broad Street, B15 1AY

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anyone for a drink? Like every big city, Birmingham has a great nightlife including lots of well known bars and clubs. But, Birmingham also has some great quirky independent cocktail bars which are excellent for both the cocktail connoisseur and just a more interesting night out.

insight birmingham

city centre

what’s on? Birmingham City Centre definitely has no shortage of things to do to match all tastes. As a big city, there a great choice of music, drama and art at all times. Birmingham is also a really great city if you are into comedy. For example in the first week of November, both Russell Howard and Jimmy Carr will perform, although for big name comedians like this you will need to book quite far in advanced. This will Jimmy Carr’s eighteenth appearance at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, so odds are he’ll probably be back. Theres a number of great venues for comedians not only huge venues like the Symphony Hall, but much smaller more intimate clubs. So whether you are into less known comics or lesser-known ones, you’ll find someone to suit your comedy needs.

insight birmingham

Also at the Town Hall and the Symphony Hall are some great music events. Not only classical music as you would expect, but other genres like Jazz and Rock and Roll. If smaller venues are more for you, check out places like Scruffy Murphy’s, the Hare and Hounds, The Yardbird Jazz Club and the O2 Academy. The city centre is also host to some great art galleries, such as the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which houses largest collection of pre-Raphaelite artwork in the world. There is also the Ikon gallery, which is Birmingham’s leading contemporary art gallery. There are also some lovely theatres in the centre of Birmingham, the New Alexandra Theatre is just 5 minutes walk from New Street Station and sees a variety of touring West End productions, comedy shows, musicals and concerts. Its seen a large variety of different shows, like the surreal Derren Brown, intimate gigs from the likes of Adele and the Guillemots to children’s shows like Peppa Pig and Angelina Ballerina so there really is something for everyone here. There is also the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which has recently re-opened after it’s refurbishment with the new library and will be celebrating its 100th birthday.

current events

Theres always some interesting events going on every month such as in November there is 2nd November - The Music Video Screen Awards 5th November - xHumed (For one day only, the Library of Birmingham will resurrect some legendary figures of the industrial age) 15th November - Whisky Women (A series of events which aim to attract women into whisky) 6th - 24th November - The Library of Lost Books (Celebrating the beauty and magic of books through art) 23rd November - Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition (The Guild of Jewellery Designers are holding their second Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition in Birmingham’s Museum and Art Galleries.) However these are just a tiny amount of some of the events going on in Birmingham in November.

insight birmingham

jewellery quarter

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A Shadow of its former self It is the largest Jewellery Quarter in the UK, far bigger than London, Sheffield and Edinburgh. With hundreds of jewellery shops all opened to the public 25 years ago. These shops allow the public to wrongly believe that the majority of their goods are made in Britain, but in fact 70% are imported.

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what the jewellery quarter has to offer The Jewellery Quarter is one of Birminghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest districts dating back to the 1800s, it may not be seen as a popular hangout but it is rich with history. The Jewellery Quarter is the home of Matthew Bolton and James Watt the great Entrepreneurs of Birmingham. You may ask what the Jewellery Quarter has to offer. It is the largest Jewellery Quarter in the UK, far bigger than London, Sheffield and Edinburgh. With hundreds of jewellery shops all opened to the public 25 years ago. These shops allow the public to wrongly believe that the majority of their goods are made in Britain, but in fact 70% are imported. It has variety of jewellery manufacturing related services such as spinning and polishing. Such services that would only be useful if you work in the jewellery trade but are essential for the area. It has the School of Jewellery which is training students into manufacturing. Unfortunately that manufacturing is is declining in Birmingham. Much like the rest of the workers of the Jewellery Quarter they will be forced into selfemployment to survive. The only other

insight birmingham

option for these graduates is to work abroad for that is there best chance of getting a job. It has the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter which incorporated the old Smith and Pepper factory which closed down in 1981, like many other factories in Birmingham around that time. The

factory was abandoned and untouched so it is like travelling back in time. You really can learn a lot from this tour a definite if you like your history, although it does come at a price of 8 pounds each. In the future it seems like the Jewellery Quarter will become a popular hangout, as more high end bars and coffee

shops are opening up, replacing the old buisnesses. The unfortunate reality is that the Jewellery Quarter is now a shadow of its former self and hundreds of TO LET buildings and cash for gold shops to show for it.

insight birmingham

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William West & Sons Since the 70s and 80s metal manufacturing in Birmingham has declined substantially. The boom of the industrial revolution 200 years ago faded and the secondary metal manufacturing sector remains a few scattered manufactures. If you visit Eyre Street which is on the outskirts of the Jewellery Quarter you will see the remnants of William West & Sons. The office is now abandoned, most likely left to rot so that it can be eventually demolished. The factory which was the one of the first metal manufacturing factoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to apply Electric power, has now been taken over by Staystrip group ltd. Thankfully in a mist of all this decline and decay it is nice to know that Staystrip group ltd is a British metal manufacturing company.Even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not on the same level with William West & Sons back in the years of the industrial revolution. Perhaps there still is some hope for metal manufacturing in Birmingham!

insight birmingham

A lot of great art is often under our noses. I think it’s amazing how much you can miss if you don’t take the time. So stop waiting in an endless cue for the next iPhone upgrade or buying that pair of fifty pound Reebok trainers just because their fashionable at the moment and have a wonder and look around. If you have ever walked around the old Central Library or the Paradise Forum in Birmingham, you may have noticed the tribal looking giant birds perching on the sides. This is the work of Lucy Mclaughlan which she created to beautify the city of Birmingham. But that isn’t the only artwork in Birmingham that isn’t in a gallery. Have a look around you may be surprised!

lucy mclaughlan insight birmingham

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insight birmingham