To dislike Birmingham?

[redeoof]

I’ve worked in the city maybe 4 years now .. there really isn’t much appealing about it. I once overheard a woman on the train say she does guided tours for Manc, London and Birmingham - and Bham is a hard sell.

I’ve been coming into New Street station for years and there’s always been construction and it’s never seemed to progressed to anything.

I walk down New Street and actually feel unsafe. It’s depressing and dreary .. and it should be so much more

It has improved in the last few years and I enjoy visiting. When it was in the midst of the major building works it wasn’t good.

I wouldn’t want to live there.

Beggars belief ..? 😂😂 I think we must be from entirely different generations because not even my mum would use a phrase like that.

Has to be said I went to a take that gig in Birmingham arena a few years back walked back to my hotel 10 mins walk and was a little uneasy. Safest place I’ve felt after a gig was Springsteen in Manchester done that a few times on my own

I haven't been to Birmingham in ages so it's a shame if it's gone downhill so badly. I was a bit apprehensive but had a lovely time. We went to see the Back to Backs but had a lovely time in the museum, Curry mile, the big library and my favourite, the Pen museum. We took our little whippet and it was like walking around with a rockstar!

Interesting how different personal reactions can be.

I find the accent reassuring and sometimes even sexy and instinctively think well of anyone with it. I'm sure we all have totally different instinctive gut responses based on associations we've developed from people we've met.

I grew up in Birmingham and have a deep love for it. I can acknowledge its downsides. I think 'shithole' is bloody harsh. I've never lived anywhere where people are as chatty and friendly and forward, although can see how this in itself might read as intimidating if you're not used to it.

Try the Chinese quarter back end of new street does have a fair few zombies but its not like they can chase you

My god daughter is doing a post masters degree in Birmingham lives on her own in a flat and loves it

I actually really like Birmingham. The Bull Ring has great shopping, as does the main street, all the bit by the canal with the bars and cafes is really nice and up where Albert’s Schloss is has good bars and restaurants as well. I like going there.

There’s often a buzz with street dance etc and the people are friendly. I always think it must be very cool to be from Birmingham and meet someone else with that instantly recognisable accent elsewhere in the world - a rare thing that you both share.
It’s also properly multicultural.

Agree with this entirely. ^

It is like any other city in the UK except London, which is the best.

I absolutely love it! Go in to the city centre our of choice probably once every couple of weeks, either shopping after the weekend or for an evening out. And I see a lot of shows there as part of my work - we have several great theatres.

Fair enough if it's not for you OP - we all like different things. But it seems a bit unhelpful to actively publicise your negative opinion, given the huge number of people whose livelihoods rely on tourism to Birmingham.

It's likely that plenty of people who might have come for a city break at some point in their lives will read this thread and decide not to. And that's a lot of money lost, by people who really need it - we are not the wealthiest city in the world.

I would say to anyone thinking of visiting to give it a go. We have super shops (the Bull Ring is great, and if you like Primark, ours is like nothing you have ever seen - in a good way!). Great restaurants, pubs, cocktail bars etc We invented Balti I believe! Parts of the city have good architecture. There's a lovely bit by the canal called Brinkley Place which has got a lot of nice bars, restaurants etc with open air seating, gorgeous in summer. We have lots of theatres so there is always something good on. Stuff for the kids - the aquarium, the Thinktank...... Oh, and we have some interesting statues, fountains etc. And the Christmas Street market is a massive deal - it's huge and people love it.

I could go on and on and on. OP doesn't like it, but you are not her, so you might!

IMO - YABU! Bloody love my adopted city, mainly for the food but also for the shopping. Commonwealth games in 2022 showcased the city at it’s absolute best.
Construction is defo a problem, as is the need for policing out from of New Street to sort out to homeless/druggie issues but these occur everywhere.
I fell for Brum when I was 13 years old, 30 years later, despite being aware of all the faults and all of the problems, I’m still as enamoured as ever. Guess I’m a Bab for life 😂

Agree with this too. As I said earlier, I like Birmingham and enjoy a visit there every 2 or 3 months. I live around 50 miles away, so it's not a quick journey there, or I would go a bit more often...

@Ilovelurchers Brilliant post! No need for such ludicrous, scathing attacks on this city and its people, at all!

Apologies, meant to write again at the end of that sentence.

I loved it.

The Birmingham University is great, and yes, a great city to be a University Student in.

Any reason why she shouldn't be?

What a great review.
Yes, I would visit based on this review.

BTW @redeoof where do you live?
Or are you too embarrassed to say.

Dude, if you were looking for an absolute “Brum is a shithole” pile on, you should have said. Plenty of folks will actually think it’s ok.
Perhaps worth considering a new job if you hate it that much tho…HS2 will get you to that fancy London 15 minutes quicker in 15 years time, so not long to wait 😂

Thank you @ilovesooty 😘 I can't see any reason why I shouldn't still be on the thread. That post confused me...

.

1.2 million people live there and most no where near new street. Don't you think it a bit ridiculous to judge the whole city based on the fact that you have visited a very tiny proportion of it?

Apart from changing trains at New Street I haven’t been back since I got fined for straying into a poorly signposted bus lane for about ten yards in my car.