Is Birmingham a dump?

[GornikDaze]

Relative to other UK cities I’ve been to (excluding Liverpool) yes - and I live there!!

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Our bespoke cycling club of four railed to Wolverhampton and then cycled down one of the canals to Gas Street Basin. They were just digging up the place to lay the lines for their tram, but what I would call the 'centre' was pretty impressive.

 

[Corky]

No, it's not a dump, any more than Nottingham is. The centre isn't in Manchester's league for pubs and music and food (Balti triangle apart), but there's some glorious Victorian and Edwardian architecture and good museums.

The suburbs (and I don't mean the Black Country) are incredibly dull, particularly to the east toward Solihull.

Shirley not!?

Some nice areas not too far from the City centre like Selly Oak and Edgbaston where the Major from Oxfordshire is likley to have lived, a lot more areas you wouldn't want to live. The Major is clueless and probably unaware of what he majority of the sprawl is like, he will have never lived in Lozzells or Sparkhill, and probably unaware of the riots and community tensions.

 

[unicorn]

Shirley not!?

Some nice areas not too far from the City centre like Selly Oak and Edgbaston where the Major from Oxfordshire is likley to have lived, a lot more areas you wouldn't want to live. The Major is clueless and probably unaware of what he majority of the sprawl is like, he will have never lived in Lozzells or Sparkhill, and probably unaware of the riots and community tensions.

Good analysis, you know your Brum ! Unlike 99% of Conservatives I suspect.

The area south from Edbaston to Bournville are nice, and Stirchley has a bit of character these days, but it's a sea of chain dining pubs and dull suburbia once you leave Digbeth and head east.

 

[mancityvstoke]

What's Handsworth like these days?

 

[bluethrunthru]

Its in Britain - therefore some good bits some bad - not been for a while but last time I was there the City Centre was good for a night out and there are some good ethnic food outlets - first time I tried curry goat was in Brum

 

[BlueAnorak]

10 years ago yes. Now dramatically improving. Not as much as an improvement as Manchester but it is improving.

 

[StrutterBlue]

What's Handsworth like these days?

During the day it's okay, right on the edge of west brom, massive caribbean community there with some half decent Jamican and jerk take aways. Wouldn't go around there at night, gangs come out to play

 

[crooky]

For such a big city there's hardly anything of note. Strange place.

Best thing to come out of Birmingham was Ozzy Osborne.

 

[Bill Walker]

For such a big city there's hardly anything of note. Strange place.

Best thing to come out of Birmingham was Ozzy Osborne.

Prefer ELO and The Moody Blues :)