Brum Looks Like One Massive Building Site!!

[piggynose]

visiting Brum after 1 year, its again almost unrecognisable. The old library has been demolished, a new tram is up and running after months of teething problems, and buses are having to follow huge diversions. Tescos at 5 ways has gone! so is BHS well almost.

[ivor4781]

like any city anywhere it will look like that while improving itself Manchester too looks a bigger mess, must add that i'm not from Brum but it is my favourite city in the uk (not counting London even though thats no favourite of mine)

[Zacs-Master]

Let's face it, It was very much needed. Manchester and Leeds have transformed themselves over the last 25 years. Birmingham needs to do the same.

[Cloverjo]

I went to Birmingham for the first and only time a few years ago. I really loved it. It's a shame to hear it's such a mess now, but hopefully this will make it even better when the work is finished.

[ivor4781]

have you never been to the centre of brum zac the bullring ring shopping area is second to none . it's the most visited shopping centre outside the West End of London

[Cloverjo]

I loved the city centre and the Bullring, even though I don't enjoy shopping, usually. There is a great noodle takeaway shop just off the city centre, which I'd love to go back to.

[hc4361]

Birmingham has transformed over the last 25 years. The old Gas St Basin used to be a derelict eyesore now it is a delightful place to have a walk and a drink.
The new library has been deemed a huge success although I really don't like it. I didn't like the old one, either.
All those subway 'Italian' gardens have gone, making walking across the city much safer, but I really liked them.
Dingy old Bull Ring gone. The lighting in there was really bad and I thought it had a bad, brooding vibe. Broad Street really smartened up.

[ivor4781]

actually zac ill take issue with this,where has leeds and Manchester transformed themselves better than brum,i know Leeds well and manc: the only thing Leeds has done in the past decade is build a relatively medium sized shopping centre "the trinity" and a city centre arena, the rest are new office blocks and hotels just like Manchester who's regenerated piccadilly is shabby and has quite a few of drunks and druggies about in the daytime and the media city which is very good now is not in manc its in Salford,dont know where your from zac but if youv'e' not been to Birmingham for years have a day out in it,as for piggynose yes the old library has gone/going, it had to be pulled down some time as the new and biggest library in Europe is now open a few hundreds yards away with it spectacular design

[ummmm]

I've only been to Brum close to the Bullring area and love it. Good food, good bars and good vibes...

[hc4361]

Agreed, the new Bull Ring is a massive improvement

[ummmm]

I got lost in Brum once. If I told you the story you'd think I was making it up. In hindsight it's funny.

[hc4361]

Tell, ummmm

[hc4361]

Did you end up at the back of Rackhams?

[Zacs-Master]

I was actually involved (in a small way) with the new Bullring food court area so I'm well aware of this amazing redevelopment. Leeds has had many many areas transformed from brown field sites into either smart apartments or retail / leisure, not just the Trinity.

[ummmm]

hc...one drink only. I went for a wee and when I come back everyone was gone. I didn't know the name of the hotel, I had no money, no phone!

I walked about for about 3 hours before I bumped into a security guard and I burst into tears. He took me back to his office and the only phone number I knew off by heart was my sisters, and we weren't talking at the time. Swallow your pride. I had to ask her to phone my son so he could go through my emails...

Then it gets worse!!

Just as I was about to get in the taxi (paid for by security) a bloke turned up and wanted to share it.

He took us to his flat so he could get his bank card so he could pay the taxi....and then he brought his cat out to meet me! Okay....that's normal!

When he took the cat back the taxi driver said 'don't worry, I won't leave you with him'

Got to hotel...gave name and they said 'sorry, no one booked in that name'. The receptionist said 'is he a curly haired ginger bloke?' YES....he was asleep here earlier...your hotel is across the road.

Walked into the hotel and there he was dancing with a load a sikhs..

Went home the next day and realised I'd left my fecking car keys in the hotel room....

Couldn't make it up!!!

[hc4361]

I've never had that much fun in Birmingham, ummmm :D