Spotlight on... Birmingham I 35S
naking around the makeshift
pedestrianised walkways near
Centenary Square as work continues
on its £10 million revamp – which
is due to finish next summer – it’s
clear Birmingham is in the midst of change. Much
like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, England’s second city is
in visionary mode and the Birmingham Development
Plan 2031 aims to spearhead growth in six economic
zones across the city.
Unlike Gulf cities though, this is a city where old
and new must coexist, illustrated by plans to convert
the Victorian Grade 1 listed Curzon Street station into
a visitor centre and office space for HS2, the ambitious
high-speed rail project which aims to connect London,
Midlands and the north.
You can’t escape the modern and traditional. The
eye-catching stepped public library, close to the
square, looks like something transported from Dubai
and retains its avant-garde sheen four
years after opening.
We stayed the first night in the 90-room AC Hotel
by Marriott, which opened in May last year, next to
a plethora of trendy restaurants and offices in The
Mailbox district (pictured), which have breathed new
life around the canals (the city’s 35 miles of waterways
are said to be more than Venice) and International
Convention Centre (ICC). We dined at the Spanish
Bar Estilo, where the bill for three was a reasonable
50 pounds, and enjoyed a sun-kissed lunch on the
terrace of Red Peppers. With the sun shining, it had an
unmistakable continental feel – which is not a phrase,
historically, I would have associated with the city.
Walking beyond Victoria Square onto Colmore
Row, we stopped off at 200 Degrees where the
intimate venue was swarming with corporates – we
were assigned the last table and it was only 10.30am.
The pair behind had clearly settled in for the day with
files and laptops, and plenty more were engrossed in
conversation. With Indonesian coffee on the menu,
and small fresh baguettes, bagels and soft cakes laid
out on the counter, including a tasty pear and ginger,