Birmingham

[hugginsc]

Off to Birmingham for a few days next week.


Looking for help on the following things:


1. Places / Attractions to see in the day

2. Places to shop

3. Pubs with Pool Tables.

4. Bars / Clubs (Playing RnB, Hip Hop, Reggae etc)

5. Restaurants (Indian / Chinese)

Cheers

[vehelpfulguy]

The obvious place to shop is the Bull Ring. This is a fairly new multi-million pound shopping centre.

http://www.bullring.co.uk/website/

It has loads of shops, including a Selfridges.

It is near the city centre, sort of slightly south east, near both New St and Moor St stations.

[vehelpfulguy]

I am afraid I am not into night clubs, but the place most people go is Broad Street.

This is also in the city centre, and is slightly to the west, near the Convention Centre and Symphony Hall.

http://www.guidetobirmingham.com/pubs.php

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/clubs-national/nightcl ubs-in-birmingham-1/reviews/

http://www.clubwizard.co.uk/birmingham/home.ph p

[vehelpfulguy]

For eating, well there are Indian restaurants everywhere.

An area near the Bull Ring called the Arcadian was built with Chineese money I believe and has a number of chinese and Indian restaurants, as well as some bars night clubs.

It is about 5 minute walk from Bull Ring and is near the Hippodrome theatre.

http://www.thearcadian.co.uk/

[vehelpfulguy]

Things to see and do...well this is difficult as I do not know what you like.

Unlike large cities like London, Paris we have few spectacular building and no major river through the city.

There is a web site here with some ideas

http://www.beinbirmingham.com/

and here

http://www.birminghamuk.com/go/attractions.htm l

The following are all in the city centre.

There is a large free museum and art gallery in the city centre

The Sea Life centre

The Birmingham Wheel (like London eye without the views)

Think Tank, a modern science museum

The Cathedral (a rather modest one compared to others)

We have many canals in the centre of the city and many have been "done up" with bars and restaurants.

Near Broad St is Gas St Basin and the canals behind the Convention Centre, they are well worth a visit.

Birmingham has had a lot of work done on it in the last few years and it is now quite a pleasant city to stroll through.

[vehelpfulguy]

Part 1 of a two part update

Here is one excellent walk (or stroll) which will give you a good idea of the city and take you past some good shops and interesting buildings.

It is only about a mile or so, but can last half a day with a few stops to look in shops or have an ice cream.

Here is a map that may help.

http://www.britain.tv/images/city_maps/birming ham.gif

Start in the bottom right, at the bull statue in the Bull ring.

http://p.vtourist.com/2219395-Birminghams_Bull _outside_the_Bull_Ring-Birmingham.jpg

Head westwards up the pedestrian New St looking in the shops.

You will reach Victoria square with a fountain, and the Floozie in the Jacuzzi as the statue is called

http://www.birminghamuk.com/BrumFoto/victoriac hamberlain/river_godess.jpg

See some of the fine buildings around the square.

More to follow.

[vehelpfulguy]

Part 2 of a two part update

Carry on north west between the Town Hall and the Pathenon (where the roundabout is shown in the picture above).

You see another small fountain, then walk through the library, past McDonalds.

Come out the other side of the libary and you should see the Birmingham Wheel and convention centre ahead of you as in picture below.

http://www.taglearning.com/downloads/98/brum%2 0wheel.jpg

Walk towards the symphony hall, then go in the main entrance and walk right through the centre (try to see the Symphony Hall on your left if it is open).

Come out the "back" of the symphony hall and there is a canal in front of you. Cross the bridge shown here

http://www.birminghamuk.com/BrumFoto/brindleyp lace/iwe3.jpg

You are now in Brindley Place full of bars and restaurants, also the Sea life Centre, see picture below

http://www.birminghamuk.com/BrumFoto/brindleyp lace/brindleyview4.jpg

From here you can get to Gas St Basin and Broad St which are just yards away.

You can do this walk in reverse, start in Brindley place and walk towards the Bull Ring.

This is slightly easier as it is downhill all the way.

[vehelpfulguy]

One other interesting building to shop or eat in is the Mailbox, see here

http://www.mailboxlife.com/

This is fairly near the city centre and has lots of expensive name brand shops, plus out the back by the canal some bars and restaurants.