Living in Birmingham - is it very unsafe?

[4Laurie]

Hi, my son has a place at the acting programme of the RBC (Birmingham conservatoire), this would mean living near the BCU in the centre, he really dislikes the area and thinks it's pretty unsafe so is hesitant about taking up his place. Does anyone have experience of this or could offer comments?

Now, that is the year abroad of my dreams, @MarchingFrogs. I’ve spent a fair bit of time in both places and am still ridiculously hoping to one day move to Marseille… There’s a lovely view of the football stadium from the top of Le Corbusier. (My future home …)

Still, Birmingham has the Barber Institute …

Well, currently, the Coutauld has got quite a bit of the Barber, but, oh yes

Is this a joke? They are both absolute shit holes, I have worked in both areas and would avoid at all costs.

I actually lived opposite the woman this happened to. This was hardly common of the area though was it?!!

My DD went to the conservatoire (graduated 2022) lived in Locks first year, then jewellery quarter after that, no problems at all, still lives there! Regularly walked home alone at night (much to my horror) had her car there for 2 years without issues, had her phone nicked once from her (unattended) handbag outside the conservatoire in broad daylight, but was recovered when her female 4ft10 7stone friend gave chase and demanded it back (yes really!). One night when we were visiting there was a shooting literally in her street, whilst we were at dinner, and she was escorted to her front door by police, but other than that and crazy boy racers in cars around the city at night, no problems, I’d say it ‘feels’ safer than walking round London at night personally, but I appreciate its often down to luck!

Lived here for years after moving from a smaller city. I love it here. Crime has never impacted me any more than when I've lived in so called fancier places.
There is so much to do here but without it being as vast as London. It's a great city to live in and if he really hates it, it's not that far to commute out to leafier suburbs or even a smaller town.

Driving is pretty bad here though, traffic horrendous and people drive like total knobs...even more than elsewhere...my biggest recommendation would be live and work near good public transport links if not a confident driver.

Oh my word, the driving standards in Birmingham are awful.

Don’t set foot on a zebra crossing unless you’re sure that traffic both ways has stopped.

Not only the cars but the cyclists too. They just ignore zebra crossings.

Exactly! It’s also domestic violence which happens anywhere and everywhere, even in leafy Sutton Coldfield. I thought it quite a strange example for that poster to raise. It wasn’t a random attack.