INSIDE: NEW CHAIR & DEPUTY AT BID / 150 NOW SIGNED UP FOR CITY SAFE RADIOS
EDIT SUMMER 2019 PAGE 1
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PRIMANIA! PICTURES AND REPORTS: THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PRIMARK OPENS ITS DOORS TO THOUSANDS OF SHOPPERS
PAGE 2 EDIT SUMMER 2019 EDIT magazine is brought to you by
Retail Birmingham is the Business Improvement District (BID) for Birmingham city centre’s retail area and has been supporting its members since 2007, promoting, enhancing and developing the shopping and leisure experience in the city centre. While the retail environment is forever changing with the challenge of shopping online, the Retail BID firmly believes in supporting the shopping experience delivered by retailers in the city centre, maintaining Birmingham’s position as the regional capital for shopping.
RETAIL BID MANAGER Steve Hewlett steve.hewlett@retailbirmingham.co.uk DEPUTY BID MANAGER Assia Sohaib assia.sohaib@retailbirmingham.co.uk BUSINESS SUPPORT OFFICERS Paul Barnett, Peter Ash, Chris Anderson support@retailbirmingham.co.uk BUSINESS LIAISON OFFICER Chris Poole citysafe@retailbirmingham.co.uk BUSINESS PATROL OFFICERS Wayne McLoughlin, Bryan Edwards support@retailbirmingham.co.uk Office: Level 4, Upper Mall West, Bullring, Birmingham B5 4BU Call 0121 643 3896 Visit www.retailbirmingham.co.uk www.shoppinginbirmingham.com Twitter @ShoppinginBham @retailbid Facebook ShoppingInBirmingham Instagram ShoppinginBham
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WELCOME TO EDIT SUMMER 2019
‘We’re having a major focus on cleaning the city centre to ensure it remains welcoming to visitors’ Welcome to the latest edition of Edit, with all the news on what has been happening in the retail area over the past few months and what’s coming up. The BID has prioritised the need for increased work with partners on safety and security in the city centre for staff and customers. Within this issue you can read all about Retail BID’s new ‘City Safe’ scheme, with a brand-new digital radio network and business
crime partnership. The scheme has quickly been taken up by over 150 businesses in the retail area and is now also growing across two other BID areas, namely Colmore and Southside. City Safe connects businesses with BID officers, the Police and each other, to help detect and deter crime in the city centre and is already proving very successful. In addition to safety we are also
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Pictured left: Retail BID’s Bryan Edwards, Chris Anderson, Chris Poole, Wayne McLoughlin, Steve Hewlett, PCSO Pat McGregor, Peter Ash, Paul Barnett and Assia Sohaib
having a major focus on cleaning the city centre retail area to ensure that it remains welcoming to customers and visitors. At the BID we’ve given this a working title ‘Beautifying Birmingham’ a grand ambition but one that we are all up for the challenge to create. To do this needs a combined effort by the BID and the local authority and we are building a strong team in the area with colleagues from the city council, particularly on-street. There are a lot of individuals who are very passionate about the city and take great pride in how the city centre looks, working tirelessly in the early hours and throughout the day. It always amazes me how some people throw rubbish and chewing gum on the floor and I really hope that we are able to change behaviours over time, instilling more public pride in Birmingham, particularly with the city hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022. To achieve this, it is really important that we maintain the streets and public areas to the highest standards. The ‘Broken Window’ theory became popular in the 1990s in New York, when Mayor Rudy Giuliani was credited with using it to help clean-up Manhattan. The theory was based upon a poor urban environment, lacking management, maintenance and in decline, attracted further anti-social behaviour and crime, and yet a well managed area, regularly cleaned and policed had the opposite effect. It’s simple really and this forms the basis of what we are trying to achieve in the Retail BID area. You will start to see regular deep cleansing of the pedestrian areas, prompt removal of on-street rubbish, repainting of street furniture, including the National Barrier Asset and the installation of flowers, all funded by the BID, but also ensuring the city council provide us with statutory services in partnership. It will make for a better Birmingham for us all. Finally, a huge welcome to all of
INSIDE THIS EDITION 18 9
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Steve Hewlett with John Reddington and Lee Cornell from Birmingham City Council’s street cleansing team
24 the staff at the new Primark on High Street. Well over 1,000 people are now employed on site and I think we have all seen the massive impact the store has already had in driving city centre footfall. We are working closely with other landlords in the retail area with regard to new businesses coming in and re-locating, so hopefully we’ll see some positive change in other parts of the BID area in the coming months. If you need anything from the BID please get in touch, the BID team and I are always available to assist you whenever you need us. STEVE HEWLETT
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WHO’S WHO ON RETAIL BID BOARD SAM WATTS Chair, Retail BID. Manager, Selfridges LISA WILLIAMS Deputy Chair, Retail BID. Head of Branch, John Lewis Birmingham RACHEL ARKELL General Manager, Boots JONATHAN CHEETHAM Retail BID Co-optee PAUL CHITTIM General Manager, Primark COUNCILLOR JOHN COTTON Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety & Equalities PETE DOBSON Store Manager, Marks & Spencer MIKE FERGUSON Owner, Smithsonia Gifts BETH FREEMAN General Manager, Metro Bank IAN GREEN Superintendent, West Midlands Police PHIL INNES Owner, Loki Wine STEPHANIE LACEY Manager, Bullring & Grand Central NICK LOVELAND Retail BID Co-optee, Chief Operating Officer, Town Hall Symphony Hall RICHARD NORGROVE Director, Hortons’ Estate DAVID PARDOE Head of Retail, Marketing and Tenant Engagement, The Mailbox
Lisa Williams and Sam Watts on Cannon Street in the city centre
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The managers of Selfridges and John Lewis in Birmingham have been appointed Chair and Deputy Chair respectively of Retail BID Birmingham to help drive city centre improvement projects. Sam Watts, General Manager of Selfridges, takes the role of Chair while Lisa Williams, Head of Branch at John Lewis & Partners, becomes Deputy Chair. Ms Watts replaces Richard Norgrove of Hortons’ Estate and Ms Williams replaces David Pardoe of the Mailbox who stood down from their roles but will remain on the BID Board. The Retail BID Board is made up of some of the most senior roles in Birmingham retail, property, culture and civic affairs. Stephanie Lacey, the new manager of Bullring & Grand Central, has joined the Board alongside Cllr John Cotton, Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety & Equalities. Sam Watts said: “I’m delighted to be appointed as the Chair of the Retail BID. I’ve been in retail for 20 years and I’m keen to share my knowledge and experience with the BID members to continue to make our city great. “I’m especially looking forward to working with Lisa, our brands may be competitors but we have a fantastic relationship. This is built on ensuring our city is front and centre of visitors’ minds and they choose Birmingham to shop, eat and experience all that our great city has on offer. “Birmingham is full of excitement and promise and we will work strategically as a Board to set out our plans for the coming years. “We will host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and we all have a lot of work to do to make us ‘visit ready’. Lisa, the Board and I, are ready and up for the challenge!” Lisa Williams said: “As a proud Brummie it was great to come back to the city to open and lead the new John Lewis shop in 2015.
‘Birmingham is full of excitement and promise and we will work strategically as a Board to set out our plans for the coming years’ SAM WATTS, CHAIR, RETAIL BID BIRMINGHAM RETAIL BID IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA
Drapers
Birmingham Post
“I have loved being back in the heart of my favourite city in the world but have been struck with how many different groups and organisations work tirelessly to make Birmingham great. “Whether formed by geography or function, public or private sector, we have got so many reasons to work together more closely. “In taking up the Deputy Chair position on the Retail BID Board, I will be working to support Sam in bringing together the knowledge, expertise, time and resource of these teams to unite the city in one direction and help restore our pride in Birmingham.”
BID Board confirms city centre priorities for years 2019/2020 Speaking after Retail BID’s most recent board meeting, Sam highlighted the BID’s main priorities for the months ahead. “A major project will be ‘Beautifying Birmingham’. This involves cleaning the city centre, with regular deep cleaning of the streets, floral features, the NBAs and work with Birmingham City Council on issues in relation to pedlars, street traders, buskers and preachers. “We have increased the BID patrol team to five officers and will continue to grow the City Safe radio network, which has already passed 150 radios being used by retailers across the city centre. “Another of our major priorities will be the ‘Welcome to Birmingham’. We will look at the key gateways to the city centre to identify the customer journey and visitor experience and how we can improve this. “The Commonwealth Games in 2022 is fast approaching and the BID will work with the Games organisers to make sure the city centre is welcoming and a focal point of visitor activity in front of a worldwide audience.”
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Retail BID is collaborating with Colmore BID, West Midlands Police and the City Council to address crime and anti-social behaviour across the city LEFT TO RIGHT: 1. PCSO Rachel Foster, British Transport Police 2. PC Mark Owen, West Midlands Police 3. PCSO Stuart Williams, British Transport Police 4. Bryan Edwards, Retail BID Patrol Officer 5. Aaron Franklyn-Payne, Colmore BID Street Based Security Officer 6. Paul Barnett, Retail BID Business Support Officer 7. PC David Cooper, West Midlands Police 8. PC Alison Brown, West Midlands Police 9. Emma Postin, Birmingham City Council ASB Partnerships Manager 10. PCSO Pat McGregor, West Midlands Police 11. Pete Ash, Retail BID Business Support Officer 12. Daniel Edwards, Birmingham City Council ASB Enforcement Officer 13. PCSO Emma Riley, West Midlands Police 14. George Owens, Birmingham City Council ASB Enforcement Officer 15. Wayne McLoughlin, Retail BID Patrol Officer 16. John-Jo Von Johnson, Colmore BID Street Operations Manager 17. James Morton, West Midlands Police Force Contact Officer
Contact the BID Patrol Officers at support@retailbirmingham.co.uk
Meet the teams working for a safe and secure city centre
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150 now signed up for City Safe digital radios Update on business crime-fighting partnership scheme six months after launch It is now six months since City Safe came into being through Retail BID Birmingham and in that time our partnership working has strengthened measurably with West Midlands Police, British Transport Police the Police Camera Control room and our business members. Our digital radio network has now
WELCOME TO THE TEAM, CHRIS
The City Safe team is being strengthened with the appointment of a City Safe Response Officer. Chris Anderson joined the team in May.
grown to 150 users in this period with additional members joining weekly. We have in this short time achieved a number of noteworthy arrests and results and are already making a difference in exposing crime and anti-social behaviour. City Safe had always planned to provide a secure, compliant data and information sharing platform allowing all members access to intelligence, images and notifications to help their safety and wellbeing, delivered electronically to any device to sit alongside the City Safe digital radio network. After much research SentrySIS was chosen as a software platform which was intuitive to use with extraordinary capacity for recording and delivering information instantaneously and securely, allowing all members to report incidents online directly to City Safe. A group of our members were selected to test the SentrySIS system during March and have been delighted with its abilities in giving access to identifying issues with clear imagery where needed and necessary and enabling users to report issues and intelligence. The system has already proven its use in identifying offenders who were unknown when shared but identified by other members within the group, leading to arrests which would otherwise not have occurred. SentrySIS is also proving a useful tool not just in crime deterrence but in helping to find vulnerable individuals whose details can be instantly circulated to members throughout the city, greatly enhancing their chances of assistance.
The City Safe Team will be giving training and access to SentrySIS to all our existing members in using the platform alongside the digital radio system and fully expect the positive effects that occur in reporting and identifying crimes and anti-social behaviours to increase considerably when this system is rolled out. New members will be automatically enrolled onto the digital radio system and the SentrySIS platform on signing up to City Safe and if you are not already enrolled, please visit our website www. citysafebirmingham.co.uk where full details of City Safe can be found. Jonathan Cheetham, Retail BID, City Safe Birmingham
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BIDs join forces to deep-clean streets
The Retail BID team – Paul Barnett, Wayne McLoughlin and Pete Ash – on New Street
ADDED PCSO RESOURCE ACROSS ALL BID AREAS Retail BID and Colmore BID now have four PCSOs to work across both areas. The PCSOs play a vital role in the city centre and work closely with our patrol teams. They act as a conduit into the police service and provide active assistance in the management of anti-social behaviour and engagement with offenders. The PCSOs will be carrying out joint patrols with our patrol team, working closely with SIPOG team and Birmingham City Council and participating in community events aimed at our business communities.
Retail BID Birmingham and Colmore BID are joining forces to remove grime and gum from high-footfall areas such as New Street, High Street, Victoria Square, Bennetts Hill, Colmore Row and Temple Street. Cleaning will be carried out by the BIDs in time for an increase in visitors for summer events such as Birmingham Pride, the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K and Colmore Food Festival. Retail BID represents the city centre retail and leisure area, covering Bullring & Grand Central and Piccadilly and Great Western Arcades. Colmore BID represents the commercial heart of Birmingham with over 35,000 employees and five million square feet of office space. It spends a substantial amount of its levy in-come over each five-year term on permanent, lasting improvements to public spaces such as Church Street Square, delivered in partnership with Birmingham City Council. While both BIDs already carry out street cleaning as part of their five-year business plans, this is the first time they have collaborated on street deepcleaning and in doing so they are able to secure more cost-effective solutions from specialist cleaning contractors. No harmful chemicals are used in the cleaning process, just steam, which
A specialist cleaner at work on High Street, one of the busiest spots in the city centre
means there are no environmental implications when removing chewing gum from streets. The works will be carried out at times to produce minimal disruption to businesses. Michele Wilby, Chief Executive Officer, Colmore BID, said: “I am pleased to work with Retail BID on deep cleaning operations across the city centre and I look forward to finding similar economies of scale across BID boundaries in the future.”
Flower towers to return for summer 2019
The Retail BID will once again bring the scents of summer to the city centre streets when it installs flower towers and floral features across the area. The BID’s ten flower towers will be installed with the help of Birmingham City Council Parks Department.
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VICTORIA VISITS CITY’S SELFRIDGES Victoria Beckham introduced her Spring Summer 19 collection, alongside her capsule dress collection, at Selfridges Birmingham. Victoria is pictured wearing a Spring Summer’19 lightweight trench in bottle green, with a Split Front Skinny Trouser in Burgundy.
DIPPY DELIGHT FOR VISITOR FIGURES
Stephanie is the new General Manager of Bullring & Grand Central
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Experienced manager talks about exciting times for the city with HS2 and a revamped Moor Street on the horizon Stephanie Lacey was officially announced as the new General Manager of Bullring & Grand Central in December 2018. Having previously held the same role at Cabot Circus in Bristol, as well as a number of other senior roles in the property and retail sectors, Stephanie brings with her a wealth of experience. These are exciting times for the city centre with new developments such as Primark, HS2 and plans for a revamped Moor Street station recently announced. Bullring & Grand Central will be at the heart of all this activity. You must be delighted by these positive developments? It’s been five months since I joined the team at Bullring & Grand Central and in that time alone I’ve seen some major changes in the city. Birmingham is such an exciting place to be right now; it’s young, vibrant and continually evolving. As a centre we are really fortunate in that we are in a prime location right in the heart of the city, between New Street and Moor Street stations. Plans for the major refurbishment of Moor Street Station have been unveiled, which if approved, would increase capacity and bring in more tourists, shoppers, and visitors to the city.
We’re delighted to see so much investment in the city, as it all makes Birmingham more attractive to brands, and reinforces its position as the place to be. And we’re seeing that at Bullring & Grand Central; in just the last few months we’ve welcomed huge brands including Arket, BOSS and Calvin Klein, as well as new restaurants including Holy Moly, Comptoir Libanias and @Pizza. All of those add to the city’s compelling dining and retail scene. We have also secured the first Morphe outside of London, and that’s going to be a huge draw to shoppers all over the region. The brand is one of the big beauty players in the industry, and back in January thousands of beauty fans flocked to the centre to see YouTuber James Charles officially open the store, which is only their second in the brand’s UK portfolio. How can Bullring & Grand Central maintain its position as one of the mostvisited retail and leisure destinations? We work really hard to make the centre as attractive to shoppers as possible. That means constantly reviewing our retail and dining mix to make sure it’s right for consumers, as well as delivering experiences that you can’t get elsewhere. German eatery Herman ze German, which is famed for its authentic wurst, has opened its first restaurant outside of London in Grand Central, and we’re also welcoming Kitty Café. Kitty Café is the perfect spot for cat lovers as its 30 felines interact with customers whilst they eat. We’ll also shortly be welcoming artisan
‘We work really hard to make the centre as attractive to shoppers as possible. That means constantly reviewing our retail and dining mix to make sure it’s right for consumers’
grill masters Kababji, which will serve a range of healthy street food dishes. We know that retail is changing and that today consumers want unique and memorable experiences when they go shopping. A key part of that for us is our cultural, arts and entertainment event programme. We’re working with partners like Birmingham Hippodrome and other cultural bodies in the city to take part in city-wide events, including Chinese New Year and St Patrick’s Day. We also continue to invest in our facilities and last month our newly refurbished Centre Car Park was awarded the Best Car Park Refurbishment accolade by the British Parking Association. The BID is driving collaboration between different organisations for safety and security, marketing and events. How can Bullring & Grand Central play a part in this? We’ve always worked extremely closely with all our local stakeholders including the Retail BID, and wherever possible have participated in citywide activities and celebrations. Naturally through our city partnerships we have a co-ordinated, joined-up approach on events and marketing. I’m personally really looking forward to the rest of the year; we have so much still to come including new openings and a full schedule of exciting events. With the landscape changing all of the time, Birmingham is a great place to be. New dining options at Grand Central: Pages 28 and 29
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A game-changer for retail in the city centre PRIMARK OPENS FOR BUSINESS – PICTURES AND REPORTS >>>
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The Primark Disney Cafe (above) and crowds inside the store (left)
City Primark holds world record After months of anticipation Primark opened its largest store in the world in Birmingham city centre. Primark Birmingham High Street is the retailer’s largest store to date and its 187th in the UK, offering customers fashion, beauty and food experiences at competitive prices. Shoppers queued from early in the morning to be among the first to visit the new Primark, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest ever fashion retail store. The development spans five floors
across 160,000 sq ft, and employs more than 1,000 people, including 500 new jobs, 430 existing employees who have transferred from the Primark New Street store and more than 100 people who are employed in partner-run experiences including chefs, hair stylists, beauticians and more. The store occupies the site of the former Pavilions shopping centre, which has been transformed beyond recognition to create the new Primark. With an entrance on Moor Street, the new store is perfectly placed to
It’s official... Primark Birmingham is the biggest fashion store in the world
welcome thousands of commuters when the new HS2 project is completed, alongside a new-look Moor Street rail station. Primark customers can shop the latest trends in women’s, men’s and children’s fashion, footwear, accessories, lingerie and homeware, along with Primark’s certified cruelty-free Leaping Bunny PS… Beauty range. Primark’s range of pyjamas and jeans – both made from 100% sustainable cotton - are also available instore, as well as locally-inspired products made just for Brummies.
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What’s inside the city’s new Primark store THE PRIMARK CAFÉ WITH DISNEY A café with a touch of Disney magic. Inspired by Disney’s own Mickey Mouse & friends, the café allows customers to use an interactive game zone and enjoy a unique Disney themed menu. This menu includes great quality, nutritious, freshly prepared hot and cold food, and drinks all day. The new store features Primark’s latest contemporary design and shop fit as well as hosting a range of experiences and best value services on the high street. Customers will also find water fountains throughout the store and all water sold is bottled in recyclable or recycled packaging. Shoppers can enjoy free Wi-Fi and recharge seating areas, where they can relax and recharge both themselves and their mobile devices. Employees at Birmingham High Street enjoy a comfortable, open and modern back of house area, with a kitchen and bright décor in their own Recharge Café. The store will also become a regional hub for employee training and career development. The bold design of the Primark store front is another architectural statement for Birmingham, and it will be one of the first buildings that passengers see when they arrive into the city. A unique cladding system featuring a revolutionary mesh panel helps to create an iconic image on the skyline, particularly at night when it is lit up. Speaking at the launch, Gavin O’Reilly, General Manager, Primark High Street Birmingham, said: “Our vision for this historic store is a world-class experience. “From the canals that pass through the city to Cadbury, from Spaghetti Junction to Symphony Hall, from the Bullring to Black Sabbath, in my eyes it makes perfect sense to open the world’s biggest Primark in this fantastic city.”
THE MEZZ RESTAURANT A place to ‘grab & go’ or sit down for a full meal, including freshly baked pizza and locally-inspired street food. PRIMARKET CAFÉ Primark’s first own-brand café, which uses only Fairtrade certified coffee beans and gives 5% of the total cost of every kilo of coffee sold in-store back to the coffee bean growers. Takeaway cups are compostable, and customers will get 10p off when they bring their own reusable cup.
Above: Stacey Soloman at the launch Top: Gavin O’Reilly is presented with the Guinness World Records certificate to recognise Primark Birmingham as the world’s largest fashion retail store
OVER THE PAGE: BID BOARD WELCOMES NEW PRIMARK
DUCK & DRY XPRESS A full beauty studio experience, offering head to toe treatments in a boutique environment at the best price on the high street. This follows the recent opening of Primark’s first Duck & Dry Xpress at its Oxford Street East store in London. MILLS BARBERS Fronted by session hairdresser and entrepreneur Joe Mills, a barbershop offering slick cuts, wet shaves and facials at great prices. Customers can sip coffee in the Mills coffee bar while they wait. DISNEY SHOPPING AREA After visiting the Primark Café with Disney, customers can continue their experience in a Disney shopping
area (pictured above), where they can find everything from clothing to soft toys. Close to the café, on the top floor, there is a Disney baby section with a selection of babywear and accessories. Outside the Primark Café with Disney, customers can continue their experience in a dedicated Disney area on the 1st floor, where they can access some of the best Disney merchandise around including homeware, makeup and clothing. HOGWARTS WIZARDING WORLD Bringing a bit of magic to Birmingham, this licensed Harry Potter experience gives budding wizards and witches the clothing, accessories and gifts they need to cast their next spell. RECYCLING SCHEME The store features Primark’s recycling scheme, meaning customers can easily recycle pre-loved clothes and shoes from any brand. CUSTOM LAB The store is home to Primark’s Custom Lab, which gives customers even more freedom to express themselves through printing bespoke, personalised t-shirts and other items.
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PRIMARK HIGH STREET
FA S T FA C T S FLOORS
5
288 full-length mannequins
1,000
STAFF
1
st
DISNEY CAFÉ
12,000 BID Board welcomes 150 giant store to the city Lisa Williams, Gavin O’Reilly, Pete Dobson and Sam Watts at the launch of Primark Birmingham High Street
CONSTRUCTION HOURS
1,000,000
PERSONALISED TEE-SHIRT COMBINATIONS
STAFF HEADSETS
MAY
2016 work started on site
BID Board given guided tour during store’s launch week
The Retail BID board were among those wowed by the world’s biggest Primark during its launch week. Attending the VIP launch were BID Chair Sam Watts (Selfridges), Deputy Chair Lisa Williams (John Lewis) and Board member Pete Dobson (M&S). The Board members were given a guided tour of the stunning store by Gavin O’Reilly, General Manager, Primark Birmingham High Street. “On behalf of Retail BID, I’m delighted that Primark decided on Birmingham to launch their ‘World’s Biggest’,” said Sam Watts. “The transformation of the
old Pavilions building is incredible and completely unrecognisable. With five floors of fashion and lifestyle, make no mistake this is a department store. “The momentum around their launch has driven crowds of customers and visitors, and the experience once inside does not disappoint. “Primark’s launch on High street is part of the continued redevelopment of the city centre, with Metro Bank soon to follow. “I wish Gavin, Paul and their team the very best of luck, and look forward to hearing how the store progresses over the coming year.”
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Sales have soared since the scaffold came down! A popular city centre retailer is celebrating more than most the opening of the world’s biggest Primark. Neighbouring confectionary store Thornton’s has been a High Street favourite for some time but in recent months has been shadowed by scaffolding for the multi-million pound transformation of the former Pavilions building. Now the scaffold poles have long gone and the rebirth of the High Street area gets underway, Thornton’s manager Shelle Dind describes how sales ‘gone through the roof’ at her store. “It has been great that the scaffolding has come down from the neighbouring Primark development. Since that happened our sales have soared,” she explains. “Primark opening is going to be great for High Street as a whole and really help regenerate this part of the city. It’s really exciting.” While the scaffold has been in place, Shelle has been supported by Retail BID’s Patrol Officers, who have responded to any instances of antisocial behaviour near the store. “We had issues with people inside the scaffolding during the development work and the BID team were a great help with this,” she adds. “Those guys have been brilliant. I cannot praise them enough. If we had an issue I only had to get in touch and they were here straight away. They’ve been Shelle Dind golden.” In the face of
stiff competition from new stores in the city centre and online retail, Shelle is optimistic about the outlook for Thornton’s, one of the most wellknown chains in UK retail now owned by Ferrero International. “As a high street business we’re doing quite well as there are things in our stores you cannot find online. “Thornton’s is known throughout the whole of the country. You mention the name and people say ‘yes, I’ve had Thornton’s chocolates’. “Times change and brands change but deep down inside people will always have something they love about Thornton’s.” So, aside from seasonal favourites such as Easter eggs and Mother’s Day selections, what is the one Thornton’s treat shoppers keep coming back to? “That’s easy… it’s Continental,” declares Shelle promptly. “We only advertise twice a year on TV and it’s for Continental. It’s what people remember from growing up and they still really enjoy it. “I’m not only saying this because I work for Thornton’s but I really believe they’re the best chocolates out there!”
‘Primark opening is going to help regenerate this part of the city’
Gavin O’Reilly speaks to guests during the launch evening
BID manager Steve Hewlett, right, meets Primark Project Executive Craig Myers
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A ‘world-class’ station for the city Once-in-a-generation transformation of Moor Street unveiled, with new connections to city centre retail core
Caption in here
Artists’ impressions show different angles of the proposed new Moor Street station All images: Copyright Grimshaw Architects
Striking new images of a future ‘world class’ Birmingham Moor Street station have been revealed as part of once-in-ageneration transformation plan. Images reveal a radical yet respectful redevelopment plan for a world class station that retains its historic 1914 entrance. The artists’ impressions were revealed by West Midlands Rail Executive, as part of proposals for an ambitious redevelopment to create a station that’s fit for the future, linking seamlessly with Birmingham New Street and HS2 services at Curzon Street. The concepts include options to more than double the size of the concourse from 910m2 to 2000m2 and introduce two new platforms to meet growing passenger demand at the station. New platforms will, alongside other network infrastructure improvements, allow extra services to stop at Birmingham
Moor Street from across the region, under Midlands Connect’s Midlands Rail Hub proposals to increase rail capacity to and from the East Midlands, Hereford, Worcester and the South West. Passenger numbers at Moor Street are expected to grow from seven million to 12 million a year by 2043, with further increases expected as a result of the Midlands Rail Hub and the arrival of HS2 in 2026. The vision for Moor Street futureproofs the station to cope with its growing popularity. The vision puts Moor Street at the heart of Birmingham’s “One Station” strategy to ensure seamless links with Curzon Street and New Street stations. The plans include an iconic new transfer deck with access to every platform and links to a new footbridge taking passengers directly to HS2 services from Curzon Street via a new public square.
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‘This whole area will be revitalised over the next few years as the world’s largest Primark opens, Curzon Street HS2 station is built’ ANDY STREET, MAYOR OF THE WEST MIDLANDS There are also several options to improve pedestrian access between Moor Street and New Street, including a safe, well-lit and direct route via St Martin’s Queensway; new steps and a ramp at Swan Passage, adjacent to the new Primark development; and a new ramped route from Rotunda Square to New Street Station. A second entrance to the south of the station is proposed to improve passenger flow, avoid overcrowding and create better access to the revitalised Digbeth area and proposed £1.5 billion Smithfield development. The plans maintain and respect the historic, Grade II listed entrance and concourse of the station, dating back to 1914, with modern architecture that complements the existing building. These initial concepts - developed by West Midlands Rail Executive in collaboration with Transport for West Midlands, Midlands Connect, Network Rail, HS2 Ltd, Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Railway and Birmingham City Council – is the first stage of a longterm plan to transform Moor Street in to a world class station experience, and place the station at the centre of Birmingham’s unprecedented regeneration. The striking artists’ impressions were designed by renowned architecture firms Grimshaw and Glenn Howells Architects, who also worked together on designs for HS2’s Curzon Street Station. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We have big plans for transport in the West Midlands and the expansion of Moor Street is a crucial part of that. Our game-changing plans for HS2 and new metro and rail lines are already driving investment,
new jobs and apprenticeships as well as bringing communities closer to those work, training and education opportunities. “This whole area of Birmingham will be revitalised over the next few years as the world’s largest Primark opens, Curzon Street HS2 station is built, and Moor Street is transformed.” Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “These exciting plans combine Moor Street Station’s proud heritage and history with the major work that is currently transforming our city. The new-look station will be at the very heart of Birmingham’s future transport network, supporting regeneration that will provide homes, jobs and opportunities for our young and growing population.” The report, Birmingham Moor Street Station: The Vision, is the first stage in identifying potential concept options to ensure the station is fit for the future. Further feasibility studies are required to progress the preferred concept to a greater level of technical analysis, which can feed in to a future Outline Business Case for the redevelopment of the station.
A NEW MOOR STREET: KEY ELEMENTS n Proposal to double the concourse area and introduce two new platforms to create a station fit for the future, with passenger numbers projected to grow to 12 million by 2043 n “One Station” concept integrates Moor Street with HS2 Curzon Street and New Street with seamless access between the stations n Improved pedestrian access between Moor Street and New Street, including a safe, well-lit and direct route via St Martin’s Queensway n New steps and a ramp at Swan Passage, adjacent to the new Primark development; and a new ramped route from Rotunda Square to New Street Station
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HAWAIIAN POKÉ BAR IS A FIRST FOR THE CITY Birmingham’s first Hawaiian poké bar has opened in Great Western Arcade. Kuula Poké is a new, fastcasual eatery, set to create an oasis of sunshine in the heart of Birmingham. Poké (pronounced poh-kay) is a healthy cuisine originating from the far-flung islands of Hawaii, which typically combines sliced fresh fish such as sushi salmon and ahi tuna with sushi rice, fresh salad and tropical fruits. Felicity Whiston, the founder and Managing Director, fell in love with poké whilst working in Los Angeles. Inspired by the tastes and textures of these delectable island dishes, she spent one year researching poké, travelling first to Hawaii and then to Paris to create and test a range of uniquely flavoured dishes under the auspices of an award-winning poké chef.
Shaun appointed manager at Great Western Arcade New centre manager brings years of city centre retail experience to role at Arcade
The Grade II listed Great Western Arcade has appointed Shaun Mountain as the new centre manager. With more than 16 years of retail experience, Shaun joins the historic Arcade after leaving his previous role as sales and operations area manager for The Perfume Shop, where he managed one of the largest flagship stores in Bullring Birmingham. Shaun, pictured, began his career as a sales assistant at Superdrug, covering positions in Merry Hill and Bullring, gradually working his way up through the management team. He spent a year as
LOKI SCOOPS CHAMBER AWARD Great Western Arcade independent Loki Wine won the Excellence in Retail category at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) annual awards. The GBCC awards are the most prestigious celebration of business and commerce in the region. This year’s ceremony was held at the ICC with more than 1,300 guests attending. Loki Wine has won numerous local and national awards since it was launched in 2012. Russell Jeans, chief operating officer at the GBCC and head of the judges for this year’s awards, said: “Loki is a true independent retail business success story who have won nearly every national industry award. “Seven years of growth proves that an innovative approach in retail delivers success. “Loki Wine is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit and a worthy winner of this year’s retail award.”
Victoria Platt and David Walker of Loki Wine
a store manager designate in the West Midlands area, before being promoted to store manager of the Perry Barr Superdrug store. He then moved within the A.S. Watson portfolio to take on the role as store manager at The Perfume Shop in the Bullring. After three and a half years, Shaun was promoted to area manager, becoming one of its youngest area managers. He said: “I am delighted to join the team at Great Western Arcade and continue the great work that has already been done to ensure the hidden gems within the Arcade are uncovered. We have a number of independent retailers who all bring something a little bit different to our city, and I’m looking forward to raising their profile alongside the Arcade to ensure our customers have an enjoyable experience. He explained how the Great Western Arcade team are exploring ways that the existing retailers can work more collaboratively to create unique and special events that cannot be found anywhere else in the city. “These one-off events will not only invite members of the public to enjoy the wonderful Victorian architecture of the building, but also allow our retailers to demonstrate their own individual offerings. “Setting high standards for store frontages
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Skater to spinner: Projekt21’s Jason branches out with single Great Western Arcade retailer at forefront of skate culture
Shaun Mountain, new centre manager at Great Western Arcade
and helping each tenant fit into the beautiful aesthetics of the building is key to ensuring a real wow factor is created. “Something that I have taken into all of my working life is a motto from my home city of Stoke-on-Trent; ‘Vis Unita Fortior’, meaning united strength is stronger. This is particularly relevant to Great Western Arcade, as I truly believe that by utilising each of the stores’ individual strengths, then the Arcade’s reputation and draw will continue to grow.” Shaun intends to build Great Western Arcade’s relationship with Retail BID to help showcase the hidden gems within the Arcade and to promote what each tenant has to offer. “Over the years, the BID has been a valuable support to events, as well as the overall promotion of the Arcade and the individual tenants that occupy it. We are joining forces with the BID to create a special independents campaign in July and with the backing of the BID, we hope to make this upcoming campaign a true success and something that we can do annually. “We feel that this would be a fantastic way to keep the people of Birmingham, and the surrounding areas, falling in love with the arcade and all it has to offer.”
Jason Foreman of Projekt21
With his new 12-inch single on the verge of release and his refined skate style having been present in the city for the last half decade, Jason at Projekt21 has a lot to answer for. The skater turned entrepreneur turned musician has captured a market like no other, and his passion and drive shows no signs of slowing down. Jason Foreman, who is known by many as the man who brings a no frills, honest approach to the sport of skateboarding from his store within the Great Western Arcade, has another creative which interestingly goes hand-in-hand (or boardon-board) with the scene he is so closely linked to. He is rapidly becoming known again for his music and when he is not in the store he is alongside his studio partner Carlito and can be found writing and producing music for labels such as V Recordings, Innerground and Creative Source. He can also be seen at some of the best clubs and festivals across the country under the guise of his second persona, DJ Addiction. The music he makes is very much appreciated by the skate scene. Commonly described as Rave in the early
90s, he now produces a mixture of Drum and Bass, Jungle and Liquid DnB – and with his astonishing talent and ear for the beats, has released his new single on V Recordings with studio partner Carlito called ‘Rain on Me: Spinner’. Jason said: “I’ve been into the Rave/ Dance scene since it started back in the early 90s. It was new and fresh with no restriction on how to look and enjoy yourself - very much like skateboarding. So I started like everyone else going to these raves up and down the country, my interest and love for the music took me by surprise so I kinda got into thinking that maybe I could be that DJ and that producer on stage playing this great new music to these massive crowds.” Jason has managed to capture the essence of a scene which has been a huge part of his life – being a skater, working within stores and the music. “When I first opened the shop, it did seem that a lot of high-end stores jumped on the skate scene without understanding what it is and the culture. I wanted to keep it simple, keep it fresh and keep it transparent. There’s an honest approach to everything I do and I also want to help people get into skating or just keep up with the fashion. I’m proud that our motto is ‘No Drama’ as that really is important to me, and I keep things that way,” he added. Life at the Great Western Arcade has also been a great location for the business and his store has flourished. “It’s been a great place to start up a business and hang out with a bunch of like-minded independent stores, and we all support each other. I’ve noticed over the last few years that the Arcade seems to be a little more popular with shoppers wanting to come away from the high street. We do have a great selection of stores here to choose from that I am proud to be a part of,” he said.
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Victoria Square Fanzone celebrates Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup trophy was on display at Bullring during the recent ‘Super Saturday’ events
Coming hot on the heels of Great Birmingham 10K and Pride parades, cricket event is another attraction for city centre visitors The ICC Cricket World Cup is coming and merchandise; wider spending from to Birmingham and as part of the international visitors in the hospitality, retail celebrations there will be a ‘City and transport sectors; and the tourism and Celebrations’ Fanzone in Victoria Square business legacy from the tournament’s between June 28-30. global exposure. The Fanzone will feature live Director of City & Spectator Experience broadcasting of the tournament fixtures, at the ICC Cricket World Cup, Paul Smith, cricket activities for the whole family, a said: “The City Celebrations will deliver range of food, music and entertainment, a real party atmosphere, bringing the bringing visitors closer to the action than cultural melting pot of the UK to a mix of ever before. people from all over the There will also be world who are there to ‘The City Celebrations celebrate their love for refreshments, cricket merchandise and an cricket in a very relaxed will be the perfect information point, plus friendly way. opportunity for each and seating around Victoria “The City Celebrations of our Host Cities to Square meaning you can will be the perfect pitch up for an entire day show the world their opportunity for each of and enjoy everything our Host Cities to show unique culture and on offer. A Street Cricket the world their unique programme at the Fanzone culture and friendly friendly hospitality’ will include fun sessions with hospitality. These venues staff and coaches aimed at will serve as informal all ages and abilities. and joyful meeting points, from where I All ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup am sure fans will take some of their best matches take place at Edgbaston Stadium memories from the amazing event we will and are completely sold out. host this summer.” Birmingham is set to benefit from a £32.1 Birmingham geared up for the global million economic boost by hosting five tournament by hosting the latest ICC matches of the Cricket World Cup (30 Men’s Cricket World Cup ‘Super Saturday’ May-14 July), according to analysis from in April, as part of the Trophy Tour, driven global accountancy firm EY. by Nissan, featuring street cricket matches, The report – conducted on behalf of the chance to have a photograph with the the England and Wales Cricket Board famous trophy and meet England players (ECB) – considered factors including ticket past and present. sales; match day spending on food, drink Speaking at the Super Saturday event,
The ICC World Cup trophy at Edgbaston Stadium
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HOME OF METAL
It’s black to the future for metal fans A major exhibition, Home of Metal: Black Sabbath – 50 Years, at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from June 22 until September 29, will capture Black Sabbath from the perspective of their fans, to show the impact and cultural legacy of the band as pioneers of Heavy Metal, and to celebrate this unique, significant part of British music heritage. The show is being delivered in partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust. Memorabilia, collections and personal stories will demonstrate the extraordinary scale and diversity of Black Sabbath’s international fan-base together with a vast photography collection of over 3,000 portraits of fans from across the globe. Further pieces will also include former England captain Nasser Hussain said: “This will be a massive tournament for Birmingham, which has a great cricketing tradition. “Edgbaston is a wonderful stadium with a history of hosting big matches – including the Champions Trophy final in 2013, T20 Blast Finals Day and the UK’s first ever Day/ Night Test Match – and it’ll do a brilliant job during the Cricket World Cup. “You only have to look around to appreciate the multicultural nature of Birmingham. We always pack out Edgbaston Stadium and create a fantastic atmosphere.” FIXTURES AT EDGBASTON TAKE PLACE AS FOLLOWS: New Zealand v South Africa (19 June) New Zealand v Pakistan (26 June) England v India (30 June) Bangladesh v India (2 July) Second Semi Final (11 July)
iconic artefacts and treasured personal items on loan from the band members themselves, who comment: Black Sabbath lead singer, Ozzy Osbourne, said: “It’s an honour to be a part of the Home of Metal. I am just a guy from Birmingham who’s been blessed to have had such dedicated fans throughout my career. Like I’ve always said ‘I am nothing without them’.” Guitarist Tony Iommi added: “Fans are our lifeblood, they’ve always been there to support us.” n For more information visit www.homeofmetal.com
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION EVENTS JULY 13TH ROYAL BRITISH LEGION POPPY QUEST CHARITY WALK The walk is a 10km historic trek around the city centre in aid of RBL’s work supporting serving and ex-serving personnel. Location: city centre/ Victoria Square NOVEMBER 5TH POPPY DAY APPEAL Annual Poppy day appeal which takes place throughout the city centre.
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Caption in here
STEAMHOUSE BRINGS ITS FRESH FLAVOURS TO TEMPLE ROW A new bagel and doughnut shop has opened on Temple Row. Expanding from their Leamington Spa location, The Steamhouse was established in 2016 serving up freshly baked bagels and doughnuts every day offering a variety of toppings. The new Birmingham cafe is located on 6-8 Temple Row next to Great Western Arcade. Business owner Ashley Baker along with his partner, Kayleigh O’Mahony started out selling coffees from the back of their VW camper van before selling their camper van to buy their first shop in Leamington Spa. The name of the shop originates from how the bagels are cooked. “We steam them for a minute on each side which gives them a chewy texture and then finish them off in the oven for 12 minutes so making them all fresh is a quick turnaround.” says Ashley. n Follow them at @thesteamhouse on Instagram and Facebook and @TheSteamhouseCo on Twitter.
Barber House makes the cut at new home Business doubles in size with new location on Waterloo Street
The Barber House has welcomed the likes of Cillian Murphy, Lenny Henry and The Vamps, and now it’s putting even more customers in the hot seat with an expansion that sees the business more than double in size at a new location on Waterloo Street. Targeted at the discerning gentleman, the Barber House team has been changing the game since opening the doors to the Bennetts Hill barbershop in 2014. Now, just four years later, the all-new location sees them increase from four to nine chairs as part of a £120,000 revamp. Located at Neville House on Waterloo Street and just a stone’s throw from city hotspots Adam’s and The Ivy Brasserie, The Barber House also launches a brandnew booking system. Still offering its signature walk-ins, customers can now also book in advance by calling 0121 236 7507. Founder, Dale Sampey, said: “I am so
excited to finally unveil The Barber House 2.0. It has been a long time in the making, and we’ve worked so hard to create an environment that our customers will love. “Increasing our capacity to nine chairs was integral to cope with the demand that we’re seeing, and we are now offering customers the option to pay a little extra to book an appointment, so we’ve increased capacity and made ourselves even more convenient.”
NEW NANDO’S ON NEW STREET Nando’s has turned up the heat once again by opening a new restaurant on New Street. Located near Victoria Square in the former Halifax Bank building, the new Nando’s has room for 130 people to satisfy their PERi-PERi cravings, with takeaway also available for those who want to bring their Nando’s home. The new Birmingham restaurant has also created 60 new jobs in the area. Director, Dan Webb, said: “We’re really excited to unveil this new restaurant to the locals, and bring our delicious PERi-PERi to even more people in the West Midlands.”
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COSMETIC PRACTICE ON PINFOLD STREET
Mailbox welcomes three new arrivals 18 new openings in two years for premium city centre destination The Mailbox continues to attract new and diverse brands to its occupier mix, with new openings consolidating its position as the premier shopping, dining and leisure destination in Birmingham. Castle Fine Art, Sofas & Stuff and Pall Mall Barbers will be joined by a soonto-be-announced women’s fashion retailer. Castle Fine Art has opened the doors to its new 6,000 sq. ft. flagship showroom space. The new gallery benefits from a prominent position at the front of the Mailbox and is almost four times the size of its previous space. Customers can find pieces from Castle Fine Art’s signature variety of contemporary artists, including Bob Dylan, Lorenzo Quinn and Domingo Zapata.
Benefitting from 70 years of family heritage in the furniture industry, Sofas & Stuff will further bolster the Mailbox’s leading furniture proposition in the region. Due to open in June, guests can visit the 2,000 sq. ft. space to experience the superior quality and attention to detail across its range of sofas, beds and chairs. Pall Mall Barbers will take residence in an 800 sq. ft. unit on Level 1 opposite Flint + Flint’s flagship beauty clinic. The independent barbers is the latest in a number of London-based brands looking to make their mark in Birmingham. The Mailbox is home to a number of exclusive fashion brands including Harvey Nichols’ 45,000 sq. ft. flagship store, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein
Underwear, BOSS, Emporio Armani, Paul Smith, and Gieves & Hawkes. Design lovers can benefit from the centre’s extensive interiors’ offering – Home at Mailbox – featuring brands such as Heal’s, MADE. com, BoConcept, Calligaris, Design Quarter and Authentic Furniture. Consolidating this proposition is a range of high quality retailers including Castle Fine Art, Kitchen Gallery SieMatic, Harvey Jones Kitchens, and iLite Lighting. Melanie Taylor, head of retailer relations at Milligan, joint owners of the Mailbox, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the latest arrivals to the Mailbox, taking us to 18 new retail and F&B openings within the last two years. It’s a real vote of confidence in the centre.”
Cosmetic treatment practice Dermoperfection has opened on Pinfold Street in the city centre. Dermoperfection offers professional consultation and treatment services for cosmetic injections and fillers. Services include cosmetic injections, dermal fillers, lip enhancement, cheek Inflation, Obagi face peels (level 1 & level 2 radiance) and Profhilo® skin remodelling. “The highest quality and most reputable brand of botulins are used for the Cosmetic Injections (Botox),” states the Dermoperfection website. “This being the original and the most trusted name on the market, so you have the assurance that this is a quality, effective product. “Delivered passionately by a fully registered practitioner, trained at the leading cosmetic courses academy and fully insured by the leading cosmetic insurance group, you are in safe hands. “As standard you will receive a professional and friendly knowledgable consultation, personalised face and muscle mapping, skilled treatment and post procedure soothing arnica cleanse for all appointments.” n Go to www.dermoperfection. co.uk or call 0121 439 4350 to book appointments.
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Annual Crane Survey reports positive times for city centre regeneration Birmingham is continuing to hit new heights as it drives forward into an era of redevelopment, according to the findings of an influential new survey. The 17th annual Real Estate Birmingham Crane Survey, published by financial services company Deloitte, reports that the city has record-levels of construction with both developer and investor confidence high as preparation for HS2 gets underway and the 2022 Commonwealth Games draws ever closer. The Deloitte survey is one of the most respected research documents in commercial property. It reports on development activity, examining the key sectors and external market factors influencing city centre construction. The annual survey analyses investment and development in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Belfast. Among the key schemes making headlines in Birmingham are the vast HS2 station, which will transform the east of the city centre, Smithfield, on the site of the old Wholesale Markets and Paradise, one of the biggest mixed-use developments outside London, on the site of the former Central Library. Edwin Bray, partner at Deloitte Real Estate and author of this year’s survey, West Midlands Growth Company which said: “Residential development is on the recorded a 13 per cent increase in foreign rise and with it a renewed direct investment projects and confidence in the city as 43 per cent increase in the ‘A renewed business and investors look number of jobs created in 2017to relocate and invest in the confidence in the 2018 compared to the previous city centre. city as business 12 months. “Birmingham is thriving “The residential sector is and investors look responding despite the economic to demand for city landscape, buoyed by to relocate’ centre living and developers the enabling works taking remain keen to secure key place ahead of HS2 and strategic sites as the competition for new preparation for the 2022 Commonwealth entrants intensifies.” Games. “Fast becoming a city of choice, Pictured above: Cranes towering over Victoria Birmingham remains an attractive option Square to support work on the Paradise scheme. for national and international relocations, Inset right: An artist’s impression of the finished development underlined by recent statistics from the
Birmingham city centre still reaching for the skies REGENERATION IN FIGURES The key findings for Birmingham show: n City centre residential development reaches an all-time high with over 5,000 units under construction n Office development surpasses 1.4 million sq ft for the third consecutive year n Student accommodation surges to its highest ever level with 2,667 units under construction
n High street retail sector continues to undergo structural change n 16 completed schemes since the last survey
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City’s Clean Air Zone to come into force in 2020 CAZ to address alarming rates of harmful pollution Plans for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Birmingham have been approved by the Government. The CAZ covers all the roads within the A4540 Middleway Ring Road, but not the Middleway itself. While the exact start date hasn’t been confirmed, it is expected to come into force in January 2020. The charge will then apply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with vehicles entering inside the ring road being picked up by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. The charges will be applied daily. A noncompliant vehicle driving in the CAZ will pay once for the day, then may drive in the CAZ area without limit on that day. Birmingham City Council will receive £38m from the Government’s Clean Air Fund to support businesses and individuals who might be impacted by the zone, and they will get £14.2m to install signs, cameras and other infrastructure. The CAZ is being introduced after research revealed harmful emissions in the atmosphere are shortening the lives of an estimated 500 people every year in Birmingham. The British Lung Foundation tell us children and elderly people are most at risk. Across the West Midlands conurbation, the figure rises to 1,500 premature deaths. And diesel-powered vehicles have been identified as the main culprits. Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at the City Council, said: “We clearly have a major public health crisis in our city, with people being exposed to illegal and unsafe levels of air pollution.
CAZ: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW To avoid paying to drive in the Clean Air Zone vehicles will need to meet certain criteria, depending on the fuel type: Diesel – Euro 6 (VI) standard or better (most new registrations after 1 September 2015) Petrol or LPG added to original petrol engine – Euro 4 standard or better (most new registrations after 1 January 2006) Gas – Euro 6 (VI) standard or better Fully electric or hydrogen fuel cell – all are compliant and avoid CAZ charges Hybrid electric – the diesel/ petrol engine must meet the relevant criteria above If a vehicle does not meet one of the above criteria, the daily charge to drive in the CAZ will be: Cars, Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire), LGVs: £8 per day HGVs, coaches and buses: £50 per day
“The introduction of a Clean Air Zone is the start of our fight back. I welcome this announcement from the Government, which gives approval to the plans we have put forward to bring air pollution levels down to legal limits. “We feel that we will have sufficient resources to get the balance right between introducing a very much needed clean air zone and supporting the communities and businesses potentially affected by these measures.” n Find out more at www. birminghambreathes.co.uk
A map showing the Clean Air Zone boundary
‘We clearly have a major public health crisis in our city, with people being exposed to illegal and unsafe levels of air pollution’ CLLR WASEEM ZAFFAR
Exemptions or extra support could be made for: People living in the CAZ area or working in the CAZ area and on a lower income Patients and visitors of key hospitals Businesses based in the CAZ area or operating in the CAZ Taxi drivers Community and school transport services (section 19) Vehicles registered with the DVLA as disabled (it is not expected that blue badge holders will automatically be exempt)
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Four new venues for diners to choose from at Grand Central...
New pizza concept is where it’s @... @PIZZA Popular pizza brand @pizza has opened its second location in Grand Central, bringing its signature rectangular pizzas and passion for premium ingredients to Birmingham. This is the Midlands’ first taste of @pizza’s ‘counter culture’, a concept which puts the power back into the customer’s hands, allowing them to have their pizza exactly how they want it, when they want it. Perfect for lunch or dinner, all pizzas cost
the same at £9.95 and are made with a 48-hour slow-proofed sourdough base and topped with the best ingredients, from artisanal Scottish mozzarella to Basilicata Picante sausage, made exclusively for @pizza. @pizza’s unique focus on customer personalisation means that diners can choose from one of several house designs or elect to create their own, picking from 50 ingredients to make one of 64,000 different combinations. As well as their commitment to providing ‘the best pizza you’ve ever tasted’, @pizza also has several vegan and
Above: The new @Pizza is on the second-floor concourse at Grand Central
gluten free options, dessert pizzas and a range of drinks, including locally-brewed beers, Italian wines and sustainably produced craft sodas, all made from ethically-sourced cane sugar. @pizza is situated in an ideal location, on the second-floor concourse of Grand Central – one of the city’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. At the launch, the restaurant gave away 200 free pizzas to shoppers across two sittings, attracting massive queues between 12 – 2pm and 5 – 7pm, with the first 100 people in each queue receiving a free pizza and craft soda.
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BEER, WURST AND THE FLAVOURS OF GERMANY HERMAN ZE GERMAN
Brum is the purrrrfect location for Kitty Café KITTY CAFE Birmingham is now home to its very own cat café after Kitty Café opened at Grand Central. Kitty Café is a re-homing and care facility for cats and kittens from a range of backgrounds. The new Grand Central café will follow other locations with large quirky spaces, lots of colour and cat playground. Kitty Café’s website states: “Not only are our cats spoilt but we also spoilt our customers too. Kitty Café is the ultimate location for relaxation and family time all in the knowledge that your visit is helping cats finding their forever homes. “So enjoy an afternoon tea, pizza and a mocktail all in the company of fluffy kitties.” The majority of cats will be rescued cats from around Birmingham, the café promises
to help rehabilitate and rehome the cats that populate its store. In addition, all cats will be treated to the highest veterinary requirements: ‘No expense is spared on our pussycats’, says the chain. Visitors to the café will find a varied menu that includes afternoon tea (£18.95 for two people), pizza (£8.95) and a series of cakes and other delicacies. Kitty Café has moved into the unit previously occupied by Handmade Burger Co. in Grand Central. Kitty Café launched in Nottingham and moved successfully into Leeds. Its owner hopes the Birmingham venue will prove to be as successful. “We have been embraced with open arms by the people of Nottingham and Leeds, and hope that the lovely people of Birmingham will do the same,” says café owner Katie Charles-Richards.
German diner Herman Ze German has opened its first UK site outside of London at Grand Central. It is located next to Tortilla in the former Square Pie unit. Herman Ze German serves authentic German sausages and since launching in 2008, it has four sites in London and a food truck in Germany. The 700 sq ft Grand Central site serves 42 covers of the brand’s signature currywurst, authentic chopped German bratwurst topped with Herman’s curry-tomato-sauce, and schnitzel. Alongside the food, it also offers a variety of German beers, including Fruh, Kolsch, Erdinger and Schneiderweisse.
FROM BEIRUT TO BIRMINGHAM... KABABJI New restaurant Kababji is bringing the flavours of Beirut to Birmingham’s Grand Central. The chain, which was established in 1993, has 30 restaurants worldwide offering responsibly sourced, ethically farmed and traditionally cooked signature dishes, cooked in front of diners, fresh to order. Food can be eaten in or taken away. It is described as all-day healthy and affordable. Kababji will be Grand Central’s second Lebanese restaurant. Comptoir Libanais opened at the centre in March 2018.
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NEW GINO D’ACAMPO RESTAURANT TAKES SHAPE Temporary window graphics have been installed on the soon-to-open Gino D’Acampo restaurant on Temple Street. The restaurant is due to open this summer in the former Allied Irish Bank building – next door to The Ivy – after a successful planning application for a change of usage to A3 dining. The 200-seater Gino D’Acampo restaurant will be over two floors and will feature a Prosecco Bar, Deli & Ice Cream Bar, open kitchen and a leisure space including private bar, private dining, games room and socalled ‘posh bowling’. Celebrity chef Gino moved into restaurants when he teamed up with Manchester-based restaurant group Individual Restaurants.
The Oyster Club by Adam Stokes opens on Temple Street Stunning seafood venue neighbours The Ivy in booming dining area
Multi-award-winning chef Adam Stokes has opened his second restaurant in the Retail BID. Called the Oyster Club, the Temple Street restaurant – next door to The Ivy – offers a casual and relaxed approach to dining and specialises in ‘quality fish and seafood’. The Michelin-starred chef is owner of Adam’s restaurant on Waterloo Street. His new restaurant specialises in oysters served from a dedicated bar. Also on the menu will be small plates such as Crispy Squid Tempura and Wild Harbour Mussels, larger plates including Panko Breadcrumb Monkfish Burger and Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Chorizo. The restaurant is named after a weekly gathering of scientists and philosophers
who met regularly throughout the 1770s at a dining club called ‘The Oyster Club’. Artworks in the restaurant illustrate the founders of the club. “We found this site and fell in love with it. It’s right underneath The Ivy on a really good quality, busy street,” said Adam. “The area is a really vibey, happening place to be. It will be a really nice approachable bar and restaurant offering high-end food.” The restaurant has a 20-cover bar and 30-cover restaurant with the full menu served throughout. It is open all day from 12 noon with tables bookable in the lower restaurant area. The bar operates a no reservation policy. n Visit www.the-oyster-club.co.uk for more information.
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The Ivy celebrates a year in city centre
The Ivy Temple Row and Liz Burton, general manager, below
Adam Stokes with chef Rosanna Moseley
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR RETAIL BID MEMBERS AT THE OYSTER CLUB 20% off the bill for a Sunday-Thursday lunch 15% off the bill for a Sunday-Thursday dinner T&Cs: offer for May-September 2019, 20% or 15% off the total bill including drinks, excludes caviar, lunch 12noon to 5pm, dinner from 5pm, tables of up to 8 guests available – booking advised but not required. Please quote ON ARRIVAL: RB Summer 2019
In April 2018, Birmingham welcomed The Ivy Temple Row in the heart of the city. A year on, the brasserie has become a staple of the Birmingham food scene. General Manager Liz Burton has struck a fine balance between managing the demand for tables and accommodating regular guests and walk-ins. Whilst booking in advance will always be advised, the ethos of accessible, all-day dining remains paramount and the team work hard to accommodate all enquiries. The success of the brasserie isn’t just down to good management and service – the kitchen and bar team are equally responsible. Over the last year, the most popular dishes have been The Ivy shepherd’s pie and chocolate bombe dessert, whilst behind the bar, the most requested cocktail has been the Candy Floss Fizz (closely followed by the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini). The Ivy Temple Row has enjoyed a number of creative partnerships with some of Birmingham’s most well-known institutions – from hosting the tennis stars from the Edgbaston Priory Club to creating an iconic doorway display in collaboration with the Hippodrome’s staging of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. The restaurant’s most recent collaboration was to treat guests to a sell-out brunch and film screening with The Electric. The team also came together to decorate Christmas trees for
patients at St Mary’s Hospice as part of its ongoing commitment to support its local community. Liz Burton, general manager of The Ivy Temple Row, said: “We received a warm welcome when opening our doors last year in Birmingham. We’ve established good relationships with our neighbours and guests, and are proud to welcome a number of regulars alongside new visitors and tourists to the city. “We see familiar faces for breakfast meetings who sit in the same spot most days, we have weekend guests who can visit a few times each month, and our private dining space has been popular with lunch time meetings and special evening occasions alike. We’re looking forward to what the next year has in store.” n For more information on The Ivy Temple Row, visit www. theivybirmingham.com
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