Birmingham Central

The city as art

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:35:00 +0000

Last Wednesday, 15 May 2013, saw Birmingham's Civic Society, http://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk, host a debate on Public Art in Birmingham The Next Steps in which the society discussed it's aim to commission a piece of iconic public art to be unveiled in 2018, the centenary year of the Civic Society.

The key questions directed to the audience were:

What defines Birmingham?
What images do ‘Made in Birmingham’ conjure up?
What is meant by ‘public works of art'?
What defines an ‘iconic’ work of art?
What would be the best location for such a work of art?

The debate followed the Birmingham Post article, Call for public artwork in Birmingham to rival Angel of the North, on May 3rd in which the Civic Society's ambitions were outlined and invitation to the public to debate what is public art and what they'd like to see was launched.

He said: “It started in 2011 when we set up a working group. We wanted to get to grips with existing public art in Birmingham, where it was and what was in the store. Also how appropriate it is and whether we could have something that showcased Birmingham worldwide, not just little statues people have forgotten about and reflecting Birmingham’s unique selling points or characteristics.”

Mr Pitchford highlighted existing high profile examples including the Iron Man, by Antony Gormley, and River Goddess (known as the Floozie in the Jacuzzi), the statue of Admiral Nelson (Birmingham’s only Grade 2 listed monument), the Chamberlain Memorial Fountain, the Hall of Memory, the statue of the Bullring bull and the statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch. Works in storage include the Spirit of Enterprise fountain.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2013/05/03/call-for-public-artwork-in-birmingham-to-rival-angel-of-the-north-65233-33274604/

I attended the debate last Wednesday that, perhaps disappointingly for the Civic Society, didn't reach an outcome on what the iconic piece or even pieces of art work should be or even where it should be sited but did provide an interesting discussion on the role of art in the city and what Birmingham itself stands for. What was noticeable however was an audience that didn't reflect the diversity that the city is made up of and while one comment from the floor said perhaps we should think of the city as a jigsaw i feel that if we don't engage everyone to own the artwork it will fail in one of it's key aspects as a piece of 'public' art.

Laurence Broderick's bronze bull at the Bullring, www.laurencebroderick.co.uk, has been adopted by residents of the city through the Bullring being an integral part of the city, and follows a previous bull which was seen on the wall of the former 1960s shopping centre. The bull has become a well loved attraction to visitors and residents were rightly upset when it was damaged in 2009, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/vandal-caused-8k-damage-to-bullrings-100232.\

That's not to say everyone will like whatever is picked for the finished piece or pieces of public artwork, but I hope that even admirers and detractors aside it will be something the city owns and which might therefore help the aims of becoming iconic and representing the city. The discussion noted how iconic pieces of art can become known globally reflecting the cities in which they sit but how this also challenges the artwork as reflecting the city or as an idea of the icon itself.

It would be hard to buy a piece of iconic art and 'plonk' it down in Birmingham and expect it to do a change in image overnight and I personally think this would undermine the essence of the art being a Birmingham piece, something that has come from the city or which an artist has created have taken ideas from their reflections on the city. The Angel of the North, which the Birmingham Post article provocatively suggests we want to rival, sits on a site where coal miners worked for centuries and reflects Newcastle. Our own piece should be something that speaks for us and attracts attention and interest.

One commentator in the debate noted that you cannot predict the outcome of art and while it's difficult to separate the stated aims of helping to change Birmingham's image we shouldn't work backwards from the desired outcome to an identikit approach to creating a piece of public art. Birmingham has been bold and brave in the past and our own motto speaks of going Forward. One commentator noted the defining character of Birmingham has been taking risk and it would be exciting to see an artist commissioned who could take their interpretation from the city and create something away from competing needs of those commissioning them.

Public art shouldn't be a full stop. Being Iconic stops it moving forward.

Birmingham has not stood still and the redevelopment of New Street Station is a natural part of a city which reinvents itself periodically and which can mix the old and the new as it changes from a city of a 1000 trades to a city of 1000 opportunities, people and backgrounds. Public art and the idea of a traditional public artwork statue as someone noted reflects a snapshot of time and in that static form can quickly blend into the background through the passage of time; the iconic becomes the background. For me that's what I like about the shiny exterior of New Street Station and how that will reflect the changing city around it from the reflections of people passing or standing still or the changing weather and clouds passing by. Capturing change but in a fixed way however might be an almost impossible challenge but one that seems worth attempting.

Some of the interesting suggestions and comments from the debate included:

Using the canals and the flow of water that permeates the city.
Using the BT tower as a focal point city wide and making it less plain; even the suggestion of the former Bull Ring's King Kong climbing it.
Using former viaducts as New York City inspired Highlines as green spaces.
Bringing together materials and images shared by all faiths such as fire, stone, water.
The use of street art; a topical note following Digbeth is Good highlighting the loss of the welcome to Digbeth artwork adjacent to the coach station, Welcome to Digbeth…

While the debate on a piece or pieces of public art should provide another interesting debate for the city, Bank Holiday weekend will see the inaugural Birmingham Architecture Festival.

The event seems aptly timed following the public art debate with a series of events under the theme of 'Take A Second Look' designed to inspire, engage and provoke debate and look at the city in fun and inventive ways celebrating the ever-changing city of Birmingham.

The wonderful Urban Buildings, has highlighted some of the interesting things to look for.

Things to look forward to include architect accompanied photo walks, by Matt and Pete’s Photo School. It also looks like Ben Waddington from the Still Walking festival has been inspiring/assisting with the creation of some of the walks, based on a mention of theDigbeth Moss tour on his blog.

These type of tours are a great chance to explore a city we might think we know intimately, but end up leaving with a fresh perspective on things. As Ben says:
I often suggest to people they stop and look at the city rather than walk past it at a fast pace – there are worthwhile things to see that you will miss by walking at all.

http://www.urbanbuildings.net/birmingham/birmingham-architecture-festival-2013

The programme shows the activities taking place from Friday 24 to Monday 27 and many are selling out fast if not already sold out. If you can't make one of the events why not take a tour round the city and see the contrasting styles of architecture or discover a new area of the city or explore the city through the pin hole camera photography of Tom Hunter who has explored spaces and places in the Jewellery Quarter and Colmore Row Business District, http://www.findingsbirmingham.co.uk

A few of my own pictures exploring the city are shown below from my flickr collection: http://www.flickr.com/feltip

Station exi(s)ts for cyclists and taxi's

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:28:00 +0000

It's been over ten days since the switchover of concourses at New Street Station and work continues on the new concourse with subtle changes being made daily through the opening of retail units and the addition of more ticket machines and cashpoints.

The new look station has been well received by many but not all however with both cyclists and taxi drivers complaining at their demotion with space for only 11 cabs on Navigation Street and cycle racks being hidden in a tunnel linking Stephenson Street to the Bullring. Taxi drivers are unhappy at the reduction in spaces to only 11 spaces on Navigation Street and the use of a 'holding pen' for taxis on Hill Street costing upto 60p a time until spaces become available at the taxi rank.

A spokesman for Network Rail said that they had held many meetings with cab driver representatives to plan the changes. He said that an overspill car park had been provided on Hill Street.
“We are only part way through the development and are working in a constrained space. When the development is finished the taxis will be moved back.
“We are half way through, with major construction work ongoing until final completion in 2015.
‘‘As a result there are some temporary measures in place for taxis which we consulted on and agreed with the city taxi associations and Birmingham City Council, prior to the switchover on 28 April.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-drivers-fury-birmingham-new-3565779

Cyclists meanwhile have complained at the 'disgrace' of being hidden down an alleyway, the Moor Street link, with only 23 spaces for 46 bikes, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/cycle-rack-provision-birmingham-new-3413031. Their ire was further increased when hoax notices were attached to bikes asking they be removed for portraying the new station in a bad light.

A sign was spotted attached to a “muddy and old” machine asking the owner to take it away within 48 hours as “its condition is not an image we want our station to portray”.
The note, on Network Rail headed paper, continued: “When you see fit to get yourself a bicycle in reasonable condition we will gladly welcome you back.”
But the company insisted the message was a hoax.
A spokesman said: “Cyclists with bicycles of all shapes and sizes are welcome to use the new temporary cycle storage facilities at New Street station.”
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-drivers-fury-birmingham-new-3565779

The cycling provision even irked Labour peer Lord Hunt of Kings Heath who branded the provisions a disgrace. The cycle racks are temporary as part of the station's redevelopment and the finished station will see 160 spaces with improved lighting, security and accessibility though Network Rail could not confirm their exact location.

The furore over the cycling provision comes embarrassingly after the launch of Birmingham City Council's 20 year cycling plan and application for government funding to support this plan, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-cycling-revolution-plans-unveiled-2991263. The plan would see investment in cycling infrastructure, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-mail-campaign-boost-cycling-3156751, and in enabling culture change so the temporary racks at New Street have drawn criticism in showing the car is still king around the station despite this cycling ambition.

While there are genuine concerns I think these fail to recognise the technical difficulties for Network Rail in redeveloping a live station and maintaining public access at the half way point of the overall station redevelopment. The improvements to the city through permeability and the long term ambitions of the station should address the concerns on cycling and while not ideal we should not be quick to pour judgement or scorn on temporary measures to enable to redevelopment to continue and seek to improve access and facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and taxi drivers.

The new airy and light interior has also not pleased everyone with a Birmingham Mail review, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/odd-bite-costa-coffee-new-3407238, of the new Costa Coffee in the waiting area also noting the cold feel of the station and the paved floor prone to marking.

The cold, low energy interior lighting inside such a uniformly grey / off-white, tunnelled environment isn’t conducive to good vision.
And the paved floor will surely get dirty and stained very quickly – they reminded me of the shades of the badly tarnished ICC exterior which suggest a wrong choice of materials.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/odd-bite-costa-coffee-new-3407238

The station is airy and perhaps can indeed appear cold with the vast swathes in white but the vast wall separating the new concourse from the work on the old station concourse will give way in time to a new huge open area lit from the atrium above and this should help to soften the starkness. The retail units now being opened alongside ones already open will add colour and warmth to the concourse and as I noted above with the cyclists concerns, we are looking at a work in progress that while not 100% perfect gives a glimmer of the staggering transformation the completed station will provide.

The paving has been raised by many, including the Mail journalist, as unsuitable or unsightly but as long as it is maintained and cleaned it offers an exciting outside inside feel to the station. The new paving blurs the boundaries of the station and the outside flowing both inside the concourse and on the external routes around the station. This flow inside and outside highlights the new stations permeability. Rather than being a block around which the city has had to navigate previously the paving reinforces the part the station now plays as a thoroughfare and junction at the heart of the city.

Photos showing the continuing erection of steelwork for the new John Lewis store and the the station surrounds with work ongoing are shown below.

6 May 2013

10 May 2013

11 May 2013

Work on the walkway fronting the old station to link to the new Moor Street link.

Stephenson Street

Moor Street Link

John Lewis / Construction progress mashup

New Start in Motion - New Street Station switchover

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:27:00 +0000

While Sunday marked the switchover of concourses at New Street Station, which seems to have been a huge success not least through the efforts of station champions pointing people to the new entrances, Monday 29 April provided a key test with the arrival of commuters through the new concourse.

The facility was handed over to the station management team at 06:30am on Sunday morning. In preparation for the first train arrival at 08:30am, the doors to the newly transformed station then opened at 07:30am with 130,000 people expected to use the new ticket, retail and station concourse each day.http://www.macegroup.com/media-centre/a-bright-new-start-for-new-street

With the help of the volunteers with fingers pointing the way to the new entrances and exits commuters will have used the station for the first time on Monday.

With the focus on the new concourse and helping people acquaint themselves with the new layout there's no rest for the project and construction professionals behind the hoardings where Phase Two will start with the soft strip demolition of the remaining former rail concourse. Work will begin on this soft strip demolition and service diversions while cladding to the perimeter and work for the atrium roof continues.

For those who've noticed that new fresh and not quite finished look to the new concourse there is a 100 day plan to close out all the remaining works associated with phase one of the project, http://www.macegroup.com/media-centre/a-bright-new-start-for-new-street

The following pictures were taken on Monday 29 April to try and capture how the station with it's new entrances and routes provides a beating transport heart to the city.

More pictures on my flickr set: New Street Motion

New Start New Street - station concourse changeover

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:30:00 +0000

Yesterday, Sunday 28 April 2013, marked a significant milestone in the redevelopment of New Street Station with the opening of the new concourse. The changeover from the old concourse has produced a remarkable change that will wow visitors and those familiar with the old 1960s concourse.

What makes the change even more exciting is that this is the smaller section of the new concourse and when the completed full concourse opens it should wow and dazzle and will mark a new dawn for Birmingham.

Ten years ago, remarkably how fast time flies, the new Bullring opened and transformed the image of the city overnight. This new concourse, albeit a small part of the finished station of 2015, will also transform peoples views of the city and the sense of excitement and approval was quite visible in the air as people made there way around the new concourse and the new routes to the station.

Well deserved thanks must go to the project team, contractors and workers and the organisation of a remarkable engineering project on a live train station and shopping centre. That they have worked while the eyes of the city were expectant of a new station and managed a changeover that opened with keen volunteers directing people to the new entrances on time is a fantastic achievement.

The pictures and the experience of the new concourse show there are still bits to tidy up and finish and the platforms have yet to be fully transformed but don't let this distract from the new brighter station. The former paid concourse remains to allow passengers to exit platforms but you'll still exit through the new concourse and that contrast will make the improvements all the more stark and impressive.

Handy leaflets are being distributed to help people find their bearings in the new concourse and they are worth looking at to familiarise yourself with the changes.

Now the real excitement and countdown begins to the opening of the rest of the new concourse.

I took the following pictures on Sunday 28th April showing the new concourse.

There are more pictures on my flickr set: NewStreetNewStart

To see the scale of the changes you only need to look at these pictures from the 27 April with the end of the former concourse in sight.

Not half - New Street Switchover countdown

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:29:00 +0000

As time counts down to the 'half time switchover' of concourses at New Street Station it is all go 24 hours a day to ensure the switch is as painless as possible for all involved; construction workers, retailers, operators and station users.

As anyone who uses or walks past the station daily will see, the scale of the project and vast changes day by day are jaw dropping in themselves.

The hard work to get to this stage through contractors and apprenticeships should not go unrecognised and unnoticed and this short (less than five minutes) video shows the role of the City Council and Construction Training Centre on apprenticeship schemes and their inclusion in the project.

Preparation for the changeover saw a test day on the 6 April where hundreds of volunteers, including myself, trialled the station layout to ensure the signage worked and that the station is ready for opening on 28 April.

More than 200 volunteers were invited to trial the features and facilities of the new concourse such as the ticket office, wayfinding signage and access to platforms.
A wide range of volunteers were invited to attend, including blind and partially sighted people, people with hearing loss and wheelchair users, to ensure all station passengers were represented and able to give comprehensive feedback. Network Rail engaged with a number of different station users and specialist organisations to help make the transition to the new station as smooth as possible for everyone.

http://www.newstreetnewstart.co.uk/construction-progress/latest-news/the-final-test-for-the-new-birmingham-new-street.aspx

A few pictures from the trial day showing the new concourse are shown below. These are prior to any changes made since the trial so are indicative of the layout and concourse finishes and I will be excited to see the changes made since our feedback.

The switchover and opening of the new concourse represents the most significant change to New Street Station since the 1960s and Network Rail has celebrated this historical milestone by revealing original plans and drawings of the station on it's virtual archive. The plans and drawings cover the station from the 19th century, showing the original layout of the station which opened in 1854 through to the 1960s rebuild. It will be interesting to see the plans for the redesigned station added to this fascinating archive which show the transformation of the station and of it's role as the beating hub of the city.

To mark the closure of the old concourse later this month, the Network Rail archive team has for the first time published the original plans and drawings of the station on its virtual archive. Some of the plans date back to the 19th century, showing the layout of the original station which opened in 1854 as well as the 1960's rebuild. The online exhibition can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk/virtualarchive/new-street

When the original station opened in 1851 it was the largest in the country and until St Pancras was built in 1868 it had the largest single span arched roof in the world. Although not an arch the new atrium at the heart of the new concourse will emulate this grand arched roof bathing the concourse in light and opening the sky to station users.

A few images from the archive are reproduced below, from www.networkrail.co.uk/virtualarchive/new-street, which provide a fascinating comparison to the finished 1960s station, it's former 19th century design and the new redevelopment.

My own attempt at comparing old with new shows the current concourse in April 2013 with the 1960s , first picture, and 1970s, bottom picture.

With the opening imminent and the buzz across the city tangible, perhaps from all the workers busy making sure it opens to time, Network Rail have prepared a video to celebrate switchover and what has been achieved.

Video reproduced from Network Rail YouTube Channel, Network Rail YouTube channel

Network Rail have produced a map of the new concourse, shown below:

Reproduced from: Birmingham New Street station map (from Sunday ... - Network Rail

The following pictures i've taken show the works as they have rapidly developed over the month of April 2013 ready for opening. It's hard without half-daily updates to show the rate of progress but the opening on Sunday 28 April will be testament to a lot of hard work and preparation and will be the first half of an achievement that will show the only question for Birmingham's is how fast in it's motto Forward.

25 April

23 April

22 April

20 April

19 April

18 April

17 April

To see a world in a grain of rice...

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:21:00 +0000

William Blake said "To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour". His quote could equally be said, albeit using a grain of rice, of theatre company Stan's Cafe's 10th anniversary homecoming performance of Of All The People In All The World. After an hour, and you can easily spend that long at the performance, you too could consider eternity and your own place in the world and universe.

The free performance is part of the opening for Two Snow Hill, the largest office block to open this year outside of London, and was commissioned by the developers Hines and Ballymore to mark the official opening of the office block. Sitting on the sixth floor, the performance allows both a look at the world through grains of rice but a chance to view Birmingham differently through the views across the city from it's Snow Hill location.

Using 23 tonnes of rice the performance is sometimes shocking and sometimes humorous but all of the time fascinating in a representation of the world's people, politics, history and current affairs.

The amount of rice used varies according to which version is performed, Of All The People In All The World: UK is a standard small version using 1,000Kg of rice to represent 60,000,000 people. Of All The People In All The World: Europe at 12,000Kg is an example of a medium size version. So far there has been a single presentation of Of All The People In All The Worldin which the whole world's population was represented by 104 tons of rice in Stuttgart. http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/project-of-all-the-people.html

Each performance responds to it's location, with many of the piles showing fascinating statistics about Birmingham and the West Midlands, and performers choose what statistics to place where in discussion with colleagues and input from visitors to the show. Statistics themselves are drawn from sources Stan's Cafe have confidence in but include newspapers, radio, internet and academic books.

The use of Two Snow Hill offers a reflection, quite literally in the glass covering the building, of the nearby Colmore Business District with a pile of rice showing the numbers of workers in the district and a view outwards to the city and world with a view looking out to St Chads Cathedral near to piles of rice showing the attendees of Pope Benedict XVI visit to Cofton Park in 2010.

The performance is a tenth anniversary for Stans Cafe, returning to Birmingham, after touring 50 cities across the world having been seen by 250,000 people. Stan's Cafe was founded in 1991 and it was 2003 it first conceived the show.

Conceived by James Yarker, Stan’s Cafe’s founder and artistic director was inspired to create a meaningful way to bring incomprehensible statistics to life after observing how we often struggle to truly grasp huge numbers.http://flaneur.me.uk/04/is-it-art-is-it-theatre-of-all-the-people-in-all-the-world-by-stanscafe/

Some of the amazing statistics displayed include a huge pile of rice showing people living in a country in which they were not born and a pile of rice showing McDonald's global daily customers which sitting next to a pile showing the UK population makes stark viewing.

Having seen the performance previously at Stan's Cafe's AE Harris home in the Jewellery Quarter, where the performance used the industrial setting as part of it's displays, the office block setting contrasts the shiny new office development with the piles of rice representing statistics both fascinating and stark. The pile of rice representing those killed in the Holocaust with the small pile showing the Jews Oscar Schindler saved is a powerful reminder of the scale of that horror but also the tale of hope for those Schindler saved.

Considering it’s essentially piles of inanimate material, seeing the work can be a surprisingly moving and emotional experience. Recalling a visual representation of Martin Luther King Jr’s historic 1963 civil rights march on Washington, James says: “One woman said she’d seen herself in the show, and was much more insistent than other people. The shape of the rice pile was of a crowd of people standing around the long reflective pools. She pointed to a grain of rice on the edge, and said ‘That’s me there – I fell into the pool, I was five!’”http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/birmingham-theatre-company-recreates-art-2589238

Of All The People In All The World runs until Sunday April 21 at Two Snowhill, Snow Hill Queensway, Birmingham. Open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat/Sun 11am-6pm. Admission free. www.stanscafe.co.uk

The following pictures show some of the performance and the new Snow Hill office block.

People who live in Birmingham born elsewhere.

Two Snow Hill office block and surrounds.

Printing an impression - The Old Print Works

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:58:00 +0000

Down the road from the forthcoming new Cafephilia coffee shop in Moseley, Smelling the Coffee in Moseley, is a hub for artists, design makers and creative people to work and share making skills with the community in a former Balsall Heath print works, The Old Print Works, http://www.oldprintworks.org/. With the aim of being the place for creative people and producers the Old Print Works offers a creative hub through teaching, sharing and using practical skills.

Only two miles from the city centre on the A435, one of Birmingham’s best bus routes, the Old Print Works is being adapted to provide work-space, including studios and workshops, at a modest rent. The energy-efficient building will be a super-insulation demonstrator, a solar energy model building with its quarter acre of south-facing roof, demonstrating how roof collectors will be connected to under-floor energy storage. It will offer its tenants shared resources such as a van, an e-commerce website to help sell their goods, exhibition space, a reception area parking space and an attractive courtyard.http://localisewm.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/the-make-it-zone-in-balsall-heath/

The Old Print Works is a creative hub offering complementing opportunities to the Moseley Exchange, back up the road in Moseley, which itself offers an open plan office where members can use shared space to meet, work, exchange ideas and collaborate, http://moseleyexchange.com

The Old Print Works offers a mix of space for creative enterprises such as 'makers' in photography, bespoke furniture, and technical drawing, http://www.oldprintworks.org/makers/ with the Ort cafe offering a community cafe, http://ortcafe.co.uk

It offers craft workshops with skills as diverse as glass painting, woodwork and ceramics taking place in March and April while also showcasing artists.

Old Print Works based artist Ildiko Nagy, http://www.ildikonagy.eu/, will be displaying and selling her artwork in an exhibition from 24 April. Ildiko Nagy who moved to Balsall Heath in 2008 after moving to the UK from her native Hungary in October 2006 has decided to sell over 50 pieces of her enamel and felt work from 2007 - 2012 to enable her to start afresh in 2013. Her work was exhibited in the Custard Factory, http://www.ildikonagy.eu/Site/ArTwORk/Pages/fACtOry.html, where the 44 pieces she had painted in the UK were displayed.

Reproduced from: http://www.oldprintworks.org/2013/03/23/yoga-the-clearance-show/

Smelling the Coffee in Moseley

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:17:00 +0000

In about two weeks time Moseley will see an exciting new independent coffee shop, Cafephilia, offer some fresh coffee to the citizens of Moseley and join the growing number of independent coffee shops across Birmingham.

Cafephilia, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cafephilia/479464072106696, will occupy the historic former Shufflebotham's store at 138 Alcester Road and will be a welcome addition to the village and should prove a popular stop for the many visitors to Moseley's farmers market, Folk Festival and Festival.

The photos below show work being undertaken to prepare the shop for it's opening at the end of April, with work upstairs and downstairs.

The former Shufflebotham's store is well known in Moseley and has a proud heritage.

Putting the former store in contrast to what it looks like today.

The following excerpt from The London Gazette of 11 August 1933 shows the partnership between John Shufflebotham and Alfred John Hands ending in 1933.

Reproduced from: THE LONDON GAZETTE, 11 AUGUST, 1933 5365

Birmingham is undergoing something of a barista's dream with new coffee shops opening and a group, Coffee Birmingham, highlighting the independent coffee shop, http://coffeebirmingham.co.uk.

Urban Coffee Company, www.urbancoffee.co.uk/, which currently has two coffee shops, one on Church Street and one in the Jewellery Quarter, will be opening it's third in Harborne while 6/8 Kafe on Temple Row made the grade for the Independent's 50 best coffee shops, http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/food-drink/the-50-best-coffee-shops-8435980.html

Urban Coffee Company has taken a plot in the new School Yard development in Harborne,
http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2013/03/27/urban-coffee-co-takes-last-unit-at-harborne-gastro-hub-65233-33065472/#ixzz2QSlBOSYP

Though I drink gallons of tea I can't resist a great coffee and i'm looking forward to sampling the freshly made coffee and relaxing in Moseley village although how I manage to indulge in all these independent coffee shops while satisfying my need for tea and enjoying a good coffee without too much caffeine we'll have to see.

On your bike Birmingham

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:06:00 +0000

A report going to the City Council on 9 April, Changing Gear: Transforming Urban Movement through Cycling and Walking in Birmingham, offers an exciting opportunity for the city to build on it's many green and waterways' corridors (green and blue corridors) and encourage cycling and walking for both recreation and to improve connectivity. The report of the Transport, Connectivity & Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Committee going to the City Council argues that the development of policies to promote cycling and walking are essential for creating future mobility, a more sustainable city and a city which is healthier, safer and more desirable place to live, http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/Pages/AgendaDetail.aspx?AgendaID%3d71917.

It follows the media reporting in August 2012 that Birmingham is 'one of the worst cities for cycling and pedestrians', noting that a fifth of car journeys are less than two miles and could be made by cycling or walking.

The researchers measured how accessible the city centre is by bike, levels of cycling and walking to school, the condition of pavements, the proportion of cyclists in the morning rush hour and the rate of pedestrian deaths and injuries in road accidents for each city. They found Birmingham “scores badly for both pedestrian safety and commuter journeys by cycle”.http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2012/08/30/birmingham-is-one-of-the-worst-cities-for-cyclists-and-pedestrians-65233-31723482/

The report notes that although there are restricted resources, relevant planning documents and the Birmingham Development Plan should reflect the commitment to continuous improvement of routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

The focus on cycling and walking came out of the work on urban mobility planning and a recognition that this might focus particularly on cars and public transport and that evidence gathering should be undertaken focussed on canals and cycling.

There are compelling reasons for improving cycling and walking in the city as the findings report:

Modal shift: – the experience of other cities shows that significant modal shift to cycling can be achieved and that this helps reduce congestion;
Economic advantage: – the scope for increasing tourism and enterprise through cycling, bicycles and making better use of our canal network;
Transport Poverty and Social Inclusion: – the opportunties to combat these through better mobility and connectivity through cycling in particular;
Health benefits - utility cycling (to work, school as well for quick trips) is one of the easiest ways to build exercise into people’s daily routines, and the Committee heard forceful arguments as to why this needs to be addressed through our public health responsibilities, particularly in relation to concerning levels of childhood obesity in the city.

However there are key factors and concerns which the report notes as:

Physical Infrastructure: how to manage competing demands for space and safety;
Signage, mapping and wayfinding: to encourage people into cycling for more journeys of all kinds;
Cycle facilities: for improving the take up of cycling as both a commuter and leisure option;
How to encourage participation through changing culture and confidence: to address behaviour, attitudes and perceptions.

The compelling arguments and key factors have led to a clear ambition which should build on the increasing popularity of cycling, particularly seen following the London 2012 Olympics and Tour De France, of putting cycling and walking on a par with cars and public transport movement in the city.

Birmingham has a fantastic framework, recognised in the report through the green and blue corridors, on which to build a cycling and walking friendly city. Canals criss-cross the city and the network of parks and green open space, such as the river Rea, enable routes which avoid cars; Birmingham has over 100 miles of Urban Greenways, http://www.birminghamcyclinggreenways.co.uk/blog---october-2012.html, which provide off road routes safe for cyclists. The concerns however as noted are the competing demands for space and also establishing infrastructure and routes in built up areas that protect cyclists safely. Although as a personal plea, it is very frustrating for pedestrians when cyclists use the footpath when they've got their own cycle path, as in the case of Cannon Hill Road near to Cannon Hill Park, to cycle down.

Birmingham also benefits from moves to display it's cycle and walking routes through maps with a walking and cycling map currently available from the council, Cycling and Walking Map of Birmingham. The report however focuses the need to make a single, simplified and instantly recognisable map of cycle routes for the city. This should tie in nicely with the Interconnect project and the city wayfinding in the city, Connecting the Transport dots, which should make it easier for pedestrians to find their way around the city and be part of the Big City Plan in encouraging the city to recognise it's assets as it regenerates further.

Indeed the city council could find inspiration from an existing map, developed by TopTube and reported in the Birmingham Post, Birmingham cycle map adopts Tube style to show best routes around city, in April 2012 which shows 21 different routes across Birmingham using canal towpaths, unsurfaced paths and paths to encourage more people into the saddle. The map inspired by an earlier mapping idea in Edinburgh, http://innertubemap.com, provides a useful guide to cyclists and those considering jumping on the saddle.

Reproduced from http://toptubemap.com/pdf/Top-Tube-Map-Traffic-Free-Cycle-Routes-Birmingham-A4-print-v1-04.pdf

While, Birmingham Cycling Greenways, have produced an adventure map showing the cycle routes around the West Midlands and focussing on the greenways routes that avoid the cars and which provide a significant number of cycling links around the West Midlands.

Reproduced from BIRMINGHAM GREENWAYS ADVENTURE MAP

Birmingham can also benefit by examples through current regeneration projects such as the New Street Station Gateway Project. The redeveloped New Street Station will provide more space for cycles and the focus on cycle storage facilities with other new developments should encourage more users to be able to commute on their bike and find storage for it at the station. Visitors to London on the Chiltern line will see the huge number of cycle racks at London Marylebone station which show the promise that encouraging more users and providing more storage facilities should encourage.

The plans for the re-developed New Street station appear similarly unambitious in terms of the volume of travelling public and potential for forging inter-operability of transport modes. Proposals include provision of 160 cycle parking spaces with improved lighting, security and accessibility. 40 of these spaces will open in April 2013 in the area off the Moor St bridge link and the remaining 120 will be provided in 2015 in the area off Stephenson St. The possibility of setting up a 'Cycle Point Hub' is being considered.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/Pages/AgendaDetail.aspx?AgendaID%3d71917

There is also an historic link to the focus on cycling and a tool to encourage economic regeneration and continuing specialist skill development and specialist manufacturing. Birmingham was a key home of cycle manufacturing with the Pashley Cycle founded 80 years ago in Birmingham but it continues to be linked with their manufacture with Brooks, manufacturer of saddles, based in Smethwick and Brompton bike wheels assembled in the West Midlands.

The Netherlands is often seen as the exemplar of cycling infrastructure and Birmingham has a long way to go before it might challenge the Dutch for cycling supremacy. As Birmingham Friends of the Earth action briefing 99/00 noted, http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/newslet/news1299/story14.htm, there isn't a need for a cycle path on every road but make cycling safer by providing a link between important places and people will start using their bikes. As they also note from the German experience, improving cycling is also one of the cheapest measures to decrease congestion and as a side effect makes the city more attractive for living.

As for the cycle-friendliness of the city, it is true that there are loads and loads of cyclists and cycle parking often reminds one of Holland, but the provision for cyclists lags way behind the Netherlands. However, it still just goes to show that you don't need to provide cycle paths down every little street to get people to cycle - if you make travel between important places in and around the city easy, safe and fast, people will start using their bikeshttp://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/newslet/news1299/story14.htm

Professor David Cox in his submission to the inquiry notes when we talk of Going Dutch, we should instead be better than the Dutch and this is an opportunity Birmingham can seize in using it's green and blue corridor assets. With the Dutch Mecanoo designed Library of Birmingham opening in 150 days time perhaps we should seize the Dutch inspiration and help make Birmingham a truly interconnected city for all transport modes.

A cycle round the city by our councillors would be a great encouragement and could open their eyes to the opportunities but also the current challenges and make sure they cycle in the direction of the city's motto, Forward.

Library stacks up ahead of September opening

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:09:00 +0000

There are almost 150 days to go, 152 days as of today, till the new Library of Birmingham opens on 3 September 2013. After what seems like a much longer construction period since work first began in 2010, or a sign that time flies when your enjoying the construction of a new building, the new library's 5357 full circles covering the facade will soon see people looking out through them as well as in through them.

The current Central Library will close on 29 June 2013. It is estimated that once the construction is handed over to the City Council this month an estimated 1,100 crates of books -of a total of 66,000 crates, will be brought into the new Library every day for three months. The transferring of more than 1.5 million books and 24km of shelves of archive and heritage collections will be undertaken by specialist contractor Nexus.

Carillion will hand over the building to the city council this month with work then moving on the installing and testing of IT, catering and technical systems and training staff, http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/best-practice-exchange/carillion-building-birmingham-flagship-library

In February The Library of Birmingham shared £1 million funding with Manchester Central Library, each received £500,000, from the Wolfson Foundation to support the important role that public libraries play in British Society and particularly for the two of the UK's major cities, http://www.wolfson.org.uk/news/backing-public-libraries-with-major-grants-760/

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive, the Wolfson Foundation, said "Publiclibraries continue to play a crucial role in British society. In backing these twoexcellent projects, we hope that other funders might join us in supporting highquality initiatives at public libraries at a time of acute funding pressure forthese great institutions. These projects help to show the future shape of publiclibraries at a time of debate about their future role."http://www.wolfson.org.uk/news/backing-public-libraries-with-major-grants-760/

Building contractors Carillion have continued to produce updates on progress and their latest from February, reproduced from BrumCityCentre.com, shows the works nearing completion internally as work moves onto preparing the building for it's opening.

The September opening will be accompanied by a Discovery Season of events, supported by Arts Council England, which will run from the opening on 3 September until 31 December 2013 and encourage visitors to explore the new library.

Playground of Discovery – a specially-commissioned Cabinet of Curiosities created by multi-award- winning artist, Morag Myerscough, housing a rolling programme of creative residencies throughout the Season

The Commentators
from Stan’s Café, the Birmingham-based artists’ group, will be broadcasting from the Playground of Discovery, as the first of the creative residencies, in the opening week

In a collaboration with 7inch Cinema and Flatpack Festival, a weekend of cabaret and cinema to celebrate Birmingham’s long and colourful association with Early Cinema and the development of the Magic Lantern with a focus on the Library of Birmingham’s archive of 60,000 lantern slides dating from around 1890 to 1940

A trail of artworks will be situated across the building, each making reference to the Library’s rich collections and archives. To include Theatre Jukebox created by Stand & Stare using the Library’s Wingate Bett Transport Ticket collection, an arcade-style cabinet installation that plays stories instead of records housed on the Library’s fourth floor

The Library of Lost Books
– an exhibition celebrating the history of the book, with related workshops, featuring contemporary artists and printmakers, inspired by and breathing new life into books that have reached the end of their natural lives

Carol Ann Duffy and Lionel Shriver will appear at October’s Birmingham Literature Festival (formerly the Birmingham Book Festival)

Reference Works
, an exhibition of Birmingham’s largest ever photography commission which has seen four photographers - Michael Collins, Brian Griffin, Andrew Lacon and Stuart Whipps – create work in response to the building of the Library of Birmingham

Volume
, the Birmingham Art, Book and Print Fair in December has been created as a unique event for the Discovery Season by bringing together existing organisations in collaboration (Writing West Midlands, Birmingham Zine Festival, An Endless Supply, BCU Typography Hub, Grand Union and Eastside Projects). Volume will open with a keynote speech from artist, musician and writer, Bill Drummond.
http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/blog/News/discoveryseasonannounced

The following pictures show work progressing with the front of the library in Centenary Square now being repaved and the REP extension moving closer to being finished.

28 -29 March 2013

27 March 2013

23 March 2013

15 March 2013

2 March 2013

21 February 2013

16 February 2013

Post space to park - Post and Mail redevelopment

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:20:00 +0000

The £20m first phase of a £90m redevelopment of former Post and Mail building is well under way. The development, which gained planning approval in 2011, will see the redevelopment of the former printing works, owned by Trinity Mirror, which closed in October 2008 and relocated to the Fort.

Phase 1 will see the shell of the old newspaper building demolished. The existing 70m deep basement will then be converted into a 6-deck, 800 space car park with a two storey building above.The complex basement job will see Balfour sequentially demolish individual existing basement levels to allow concrete to be poured into the area to create the underground car park.
“It’s a complex job because existing floors need to be retained while the car park levels are built from the bottom up,” added the project insider.
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2012/06/12/balfour-beatty-wins-birmingham-post-and-mail-job/

The 2011 planning application saw plans for the partial demolition of the works to street level and creation of new levels in the basement for the car park. Phase one has been designed to provide a two-storey based to the future multi-storey phase two above. This base is in two parts, the first floor a solid ground floor with a transparent first floor through virtually continuous glazing to allow the second phase to float above the solid base in similar way to the original 1960s Post and Mail building's tower Parti.

2011/01322/PA

Part detailed application (Phase 1) for redevelopment involving partial demolition of the former Post and Mail printing works to street level, the insertion of new levels into the existing basement to create a new car park for up to 800 spaces, with a new two storey building above for retail restaurant and office uses. Part outline application for Phase 2 comprising multi storey building (minimum height of 170m above ordnance datum up to a maximum of 205m above ordnance datum) above Phase 1 for restaurant, office, hotel, residential and non-residential institution uses.

The printing works building was the only remaining part of the former Post and Mail buildings, designed by John H.D. Madin and Partners, which survived following the demolition of the main block and tower.

The plan is based on the natural flow of newspaper production: at the right-hand end on Colmore Circus, a double-storey advertisement hall with directors' offices above. The entrance hall is at the left hand end of this block, and the tower, comprising mainly lettable offices, rises above. The outstanding dramatic feature of the exterior is the tall open arcade which links the advertisement hall to the editorial office across the front courtyard. To the left of the editorial block is the printing works with a composing room at top, a two-storey publishing area below it, and a machine hall in a deep basement.
http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/cities/birmingham/buildings-in-focus/the-birmingham-post-and-mail-building.html

The printing works contains a very deep basement and the development is complex as some existing floors are retained while car park levels are built from the bottom up, http://www.jacksons-security.co.uk/News/building-development/balfour-beatty-lands-part-of-90m-contract-for-birmingham-development-2222.aspx.

The printworks is treated deliberately as a quite separate block from the offices, with the simplest of links, perhaps reflecting the method of composition employed by radical Arts and Crafts architects such as W.R. Lethaby whose influence on Birmingham was profound. It is a steel stanchion and beam structure, partly exposed and otherwise clad with white mosaic-clad pre-cast concrete panels.http://www.c20society.org.uk/botm/birmingham-post-and-mail-building/

Indicative images and planning details of the development are shown below, reproduced from the planning application to enable comparison to construction.

Images showing the demolition and construction work are shown below from the 28 March 2013.

Art work on the side of the former print works prior to the demolition work.

New Street Station redevelopment update II

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:29:00 +0000

Following on from my preceding update on the New Street Station redevelopment works, Half-time switch - New Street Station redevelopment update, here are some pictures showing work from 27 March with just one month to go until part of the new concourse opens and the station switchover allows work to progress on the current concourse.

The scale of the changes will be seen by users on the 28 April with the revelation of the new concourse which is itself one and a half times the size of the old concourse, http://www.railway-technology.com/features/featurenetwork-rail-birmingham-new-street-video/

Stephenson Street entrance and steel cladding.

John Lewis store and station entrance.
More steelwork has been erected showing the small public area underneath the John Lewis store and route onto the station concourse.

The view towards the new store past public house The Crown.

Car drop off entrance.
This is the entrance to the car drop off on Hill Street. The drop off occupies the former car park level and is exited onto Navigation Street.

The car drop off exit

Moor Street link
What appears to be the frame for the green wall is being erected while the balusters for the glazed barrier protecting people from the tracks are awaiting the glass panels.

Half-time switch - New Street Station redevelopment update

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:46:00 +0000

In my preceding post in January I noted the impending switchover of concourses to allow for the redevelopment of the station to continue without disruption to passengers or construction work, New Street Station - January 2013 Update C. Network Rail have now announced the date of the switchover as 28 April 2013.

The third in a series of exhibitions on the changeover plans, showing the new entrances to the station and allowing people to ask questions to the project team, is taking place from 7am to 7pm from Tuesday 19 March to Thursday 21 March.

More information and a leaflet can be found on the newstreetnewstart website.

With the switchover of concourses Network Rail and the Mace delivery team can redevelop the old station concourse and the remainder of the Pallasades shopping centre which will become Grand Central Birmingham.

I have been fortunate, courtesy of Network Rail, to be given a sneak peek of the works to prepare the new concourse for the switchover and to see the scale of the work that will take place on creating Grand Central Birmingham and the finished redeveloped station. The scale is staggering and the space that will be created above the concourse with the light filled atrium will transform the station into a destination in itself rather than just an interchange. The scale of the works and the ability to change concourses with little disruption and noticeable change for the stations users and city residents is a credit to the project management team and the thousands of workers on site.

While the switchover will only show half the finished station it shows the ambition of the city and with the new Library of Birmingham opening later this year in September 2013 it reflects truly the city's motto Forward.

The following pictures are from 20 March 2013 and are accompanied by plans, reproduced courtesy of Network Rail for comparison, to help explain the changes. I have noted from memory information relating to the pictures so some details may be incorrect.

In many ways a station within a station has been constructed to allow work to take place on the old concourse without disrupting the new concourse. Temporary walls will allow work to take place and shield away noise and disruption.

As the station is a tale of two halves until it's completion in 2015 some aspects will remain unfinished until closer to the project completion date; the green wall on the Moor Street link will not be finished for the April handover, ticket barriers will be manned until later and access to platform one will be by stairs and lift only at the April handover.

Part of the current concourse, the current walkway between platforms, will remain open to allow access to all platforms but the escalators down to the station from the Pallasades will close with a longer corridor route to get down to the concourse from the bullring link.

Car drop off point.
This new car and taxi drop off runs alongside the new concourse with a short stay car park above it and is part of the old Pallasades car park. The entrance will be on Hill Street and you will exit onto Navigation Street. This is solely for dropping off and staff will be on hand to ensure it runs efficiently.

Moor Street Link
Running behind the Odeon cinema this link will take you from the Rotunda through the former Newt public house and onto Stephenson Street. The walling off of part of the space is to create offices for London Midland.

Looking towards the Bullring.

Looking through the tunnel section towards Stephenson Street, with London Midland Office space to the left.

Looking back the other way through the tunnel from Stephenson Street with the London Midland office space being created on the right.

New public square

Stephenson Street
Cladding continues to cover the Stephenson Street station elevation and has now reach the underside of the pedestrian footpath running adjacent to the new entrances.

Looking from the concourse onto Stephenson Street with the stainless steel ceiling.

Stephenson Street corner entrance.
The new Stephenson Street corner entrance with information eye above. The eye will display signage for New Street until the new electronic display boards are installed closer to the project completion date of 2015.

A few pictures from 7 March 2013 of the eye.

The view along the corridor towards the corner entrance from the unpaid concourse and Stephenson Street entrance. This section of the corridor runs parallel to Stephenson Street.

This route also sees a Network West Midlands information office facing Stephenson Street.

The ceiling structure.

Unpaid Concourse

Sloping gently towards the main concourse the unpaid concourse has retail units on the right hand side. There will be 13 units ready for the switchover with over 33 units on the finished station concourse.

The unpaid concourse leading upto the John Lewis Hill Street exit with Network Rail offices on the right hand side. The second picture shows where barriers will lead into the paid concourse, on the right hand side.

Paid Concourse

Escalator down to platform level. Facing opposite to the new lifts to the platform. With the window onto the drop off drive daylight can be visible.

Ticket Office.
Due to work taking place I couldn't see the ticket office during my tour but the image below, reproduced courtesy of Dave Harte, who has written a post on his own tour of the station prior to the switchover shows the space for the new ticket office; http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveharte/8533331669/sizes/c/in/set-72157632932816360/

Grand Central Birmingham, former Pallasades Shopping Centre.
Work is only gearing up to begin on the former Pallasades Shopping Centre but the scale of the concrete to be removed and the size of the skywell to be created above show how enormous the redevelopment project is and why it will be two more years before the station redevelopment is fully completed.

The first picture shows the former flooring which has been removed in sections. The remaining pictures show the site of the escalators that will take visitors from the concourse level to Grand Central Shopping Centre above.

John Lewis

For a chance to have a sneak peek at the new concourse ahead of the changeover while helping to make sure the station will be ready for the switch you can apply to take part in a trial run on Saturday 6 April. Network Rail is looking for volunteers to be take part in various exercises and provide feedback. The event will run from 09:00 to 13:00 and you are asked to commit to staying for the whole of the trial.

Places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis so if there are no spaces left you will not be able to join the event on the day.

If you would like to participate you can email your name and contact details to: NewStreetswitchover@networkrail.co.uk

Dave Harte's article, with links to his own pictures of his tour, can be found here: Birmingham New Street station – some behind the scenes photos

More information and updates on the development can be found at http://www.newstreetnewstart.co.uk

Pieced together - JFK Memorial Mosaic

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 01:16:00 +0000

As Birmingham gears up ready to celebrate St Patrick's Day with it's annual parade the route will see a new addition with the installation of the reconstructed JFK memorial on the corner of Floodgate Street and Digbeth High Street.

The artwork was created following the Irish community's commissioning of Kenneth Budd to create an artwork following the President's assassination in 1963. The community raised £5,000 of donations and the artwork was installed in St Chad's Circus near to the Roman Catholic St Chad's Cathedral. It remained there until the redevelopment of St Chad's Circus when it was put in storage in 2007 following it's dismantling to allow the surface level road junction to be created.

Former councillor Martin Mullanney has provided a record of the original memorial and it's demise and rebirth. The only parts that were salvaged in the dismantling in 2007 were the face of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King, five faces from the crowd scene and the two green quartzite stone panels either end of the mosaic. It was agreed that it was easier and more cost effective to only salvage these parts and use the original drawings to make an exact replica of the mosaic.
The re-erection of the memorial has been funded by Ballymore, the property developers behind the Snow Hill office development that was created by the new road layout at St Chad's Circus.

A 12metre long by 3metre high mosaic designed by Kenneth Budd (1925 – 1995) – I’ll provide further details on this mosaic below.
Two 2.55metre wide by 3metre high panels at either end of the Kenneth Budd mosaic. The panels were made of green quartzite stone. The panel at the left side of the mosaic (as seen if facing the mosaic) said “In tribute to John F Kennedy, President of the United States 1960-3”. The panel at the other end of the mosaic said "There are no white or coloured signs on the graveyards of battle". This quote was chosen by Kenneth Budd from memory and according to his notes subsequently could never find evidence of the actual quote. The actual quote is “there are no white or colored signs on the foxholes or graveyards of battle.” – so he was pretty close. The quote reflected the central theme of the mosaic of Kennedy’s attempt to integrate the black and white communities in the USA.
In front of the mosaic, was a still water feature which stretched the width of the mosaic. The water feature represented the Atlantic Ocean. The either end of the water feature was a small rockery which represented America and the British Isles.

http://martinmullaney.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/permission-sought-for-new-john-f.html

The mural is part of a rich history of mosiacs across the city in the 1960s and 1970s which city chiefs used to brighten up the concrete landscape and particularly the pedestrian underpasses. Kenneth Budd completed five giant morals across the city at Horsefair, St Chad's, Snow Hill, the Bull Ring and Old Square. Horsefair remains intact after the regeneration of Birmingham but the reconstructed mosaic in Digbeth returns part of the rich heritage of Birmingham for visitor and locals alike.

John F Kennedy was and remains for Ireland and the Irish a very significant figure encapsulating the essential ingredients of the “American dream” whilst taking on and standing up to prejudice and discrimination. As the first person with a direct link to Ireland to enter the Whitehouse his light still shines brightly almost fifty years after his tragic assassination in Dallas. His statuette may no longer adorn mantle’s up and down the country but his place in the hearts of Irish people everywhere is assured.http://www.irishinbirmingham.com/blog_post.php?p=598

The reconstruction of the memorial follows earlier plans from 2003, "Birmingham's Irish Quarter gets new look", which was to see the memorial relocated from Snow Hill to a new development in Digbeth near to the River Rea. The collapse of the proposed development saw the fate of the former memorial to be a series of pieces placed under benches in Digbeth, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/jfk-mural-will-not-stay-together-62706

Thankfully retaining the memorial and the work of Kenneth Budd's son has restored the memorial to the Irish community who helped pay for it and restored an important part of Birmingham's heritage. Kenneth Budd died in 1995 and his son faithfully recreated the work using his father's original drawings.

It took Kenneth two years to complete all 11-and-a-half metres by three metres of the mosaic.

Oliver helped to unveil the piece and said: “Eleven years and 250,000 pieces of mosaic later – JFK’s back at last!”

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2013/02/25/jfk-memorial-returns-to-birmingham-after-a-decade-in-storage-65233-32873389/

Pictures of the memorial taken on 2 March 2013 are shown below:

The parade on Sunday will be one of the UK's biggest parades and marks the culmination of a St Patrick's Day festival which started on 9 March 2013 celebrating Irish Heritage and Culture in Birmingham and the West Midlands, http://www.stpatricksbirmingham.com. The parade was started by members of the Irish community celebrating their heritage and returned to Digbeth in 1996 where it has remained since. Last year's parade attracted record 85,000 people, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/st-patricks-day-birmingham-your-1736394

The parade can trace it's roots back as far as 1869 when the first St Patrick's Day event was held in Birmingham's Town Hall; organised by the church the event was to try and discourage Irish congregations from fenianism, http://digbeth.org/2010/08/august-irish-heritage-james-morans-irish-birmingham-a-history/. Indeed the Irish community can trace their history in Birmingham to the 1600s with various waves of immigration raising the population of people born in Ireland to an estimated over 70,000 in the 1990s.

Walk this way Birmingham: Reviews wanted

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:30:00 +0000

GPSmyCity would like to invite the readers of this blog to review its self-guided walking tours for Birmingham. Please note that these walking tours were created three years ago and some of the information may be out of date. In particular, GPSmyCity would like to receive feedback, updates and suggestions in the following areas:

a) Moved or closed attractions (museum, restaurant, nightclub, shop, etc).
b) Attractions without photos. Note: If you have photos for any of them, please send them to GPSmyCity.
c) Suggestions for improving the walking tours. For example adding an important attraction that has been missed in a particular tour.

GPSmyCity offers gift codes for its iOS walking tours apps as reward for any feedback, photo or suggestion received and adopted. Each gift code is good for a free walking tour iPhone app download from the iTunes App Store, normally priced at US$4.99. GPSmyCity has walking tour apps covering all major cities in the world. Here is how you will be rewarded:

i) you will receive two gift codes for feedback about each moved/closed attraction.
ii) you will receive two gift codes for each attraction photo submitted and accepted. Please remember that you must be the copyright holder of the photo in order to submit it.
iii) you will receive two gift codes for improvement suggestions for each walking tour.
iv) you will receive five gift codes for submitting a photo and original description (100-200 words) of a missed attraction for a particular tour.

To review the current walking tours in Birmingham, please go to:
http://www.gpsmycity.com/iphone/birmingham-walking-tours-254.html

Alternatively, you can download the iOS app "TripSuite" from iTunes. After you have downloaded TripSuite, download Birmingham within the app.

Please send your feedback, photos and suggestions by email to tourfeedback@gpsmycity.com. Please mention the city name, tour name and business or attraction name in your email.

March towards the eye - New Street update

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:47:00 +0000

Following my previous post, The eye has it - New Street Station February Update III, of the 25 February 2013 here is an update from 2 March as I captured the installation of part of the information eye for the new station entrance on Stephenson Street.

Work progressing on the John Lewis store.

The current concourse, soon to close in April, as the station switches concourses to allow the redevelopment of this concourse as the new half opens, New Street Station - January 2013 Update C.

High Street Repairs - Moseley Village

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:28:00 +0000

Plans have been submitted for the redevelopment of the Halfords car maintenance garage in Moseley Village on the Alcester Road to shop use or professional and financial use or restaurant, snack bar and cafe use or business use.

Change of use from a motor vehicle repair and servicing centre (B2) to shop use (A1), or professional and financial use (A2), or restaurant, snack bar and cafe use (A3) or business use (B1), extension to rear and installation of replacement facade including lighting and gate to side passage. http://eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=584857&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Birmingham/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Birmingham/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING

The proposal would see the single storey building remain with the rear extended over a small yard that was once enclosed as part of the building when it extended to the rear boundary. The proposed rebuilding of this section would be in the same style and materials as the existing building with the addition of a roller shutter door at the side providing access to the alleyway adjoining to allow for deliveries.

The Halfords car maintenance garage.

The following images, reproduced from the planning application, 2013/01034/PA, are reproduced to encourage comments on the proposals.

Proposed elevation (shop front option).

The site is near to the site of the former Moneywise building which was demolished in 2008 for a mixed use scheme, Moneywise No More, but which seems to have stalled. The former moneywise site and this redevelopment would help restore the street scene and provide active street usage along the Alcester Road into the village crossroads.

Meanwhile the approval of the Tesco store on the St Mary's Row site of the former Bristol Street Motors in March 2011 which came after heated views on both sides of the debate for the proposal, Mixed use development in Moseley motors out Bristol Street Motors, seems still to be waiting the diggers to begin construction.

Pooling Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:54:00 +0000

Sunday 24 February saw Moseley Road Baths open to the community to celebrate, as the final part of their Pool of Memories, Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) supported three year oral history project, the social and historical importance of the baths. The event offered free swimming, tea, coffee and cake with audio recordings, exhibitions, period costumes and the chance to explore behind the scenes at the building, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/your-communities-friends-moseley-baths-1342387.

The day also saw the culmination of the £48,000 history project's production of a book on the history of the pool with copies available of "Pool of Memories - A History of Moseley Road Baths" by Steve Beauchampé available to buy, http://www.poolofmemories.co.uk/.

The book is a fantastically detailed look at the history of the pool together with a collected social history of the pool, through the experience of users and staff that provides a compelling case on their social and historical importance to the city and the importance of preserving them, Plug pulled to empty Moseley Road Baths?

The book provides a fascinating insight into the baths' central role in the welfare and health of residents that extends to the present day swimming but which until 2004 also included public washing baths. Indeed, as the City assumes control of elements of healthcare, Cuttings cost, the role of the baths to provide opportunities for exercise and well being is perhaps as vital to residents as it was when the baths were built.

The following pictures were taken on the Pool of Memories event of 24 February and show the current remaining pool in use and the former pool and washing facilities together with the boiler works that keep the pool an enjoyable temperature to swim in.

Gala Pool
Aligned north to south the pool measures 81ft by 32ft and lowers in dept from 4ft 6in to 7ft 2in. It is lined with white glazed brick on a bed of thick concrete slabs. There are sixty-three dressing boxes around the pool. Cubicles were more commonly partitioned using wood but the use of glazed brick is believed to make the baths one of only two examples still in use in Britain.

Second Class Pool, now known as Pool 2.
The only one of Moseley Road's pools in use following the closure of the Gala Pool. It measures 71ft by 33ft and lowers in depth from 4ft 6in to 7ft 2in.

The slipper baths.
The Men's Second Class Department were operational until 2004. The pictures below show the Women's washing baths.

Corridor of Mens First Class Washing.

Ticket booths.

Laundry Room.
Cast-iron steam-heated drying racks in the first floor establishment laundry are unique and are the only surviving examples in a British swimming baths building. The six racks (or horses) are placed on runners and pulled and pushed into place manually. They were used to dry laundry as well as towels and swimming costumes hired by bathers.

Cast-iron cold-water storage tank.
Up a steep staircase from the laundry room drying racks is the original 45,000 gallon capacity cast-iron cold-water storage tank which supplied water for both of the pools. This would have weighed 200 tons when full and the design of the building allowed for the weight to be spread and avoid the Boiler House collapsing.

Filtration Tanks.
Installed in 1932/3 the two tanks remain although only the first remains operations. Until the 1930s water was drawn from an artesian well fed by a local spring. The top of the well can be seen in the second picture with the manhole cover on the floor.

Gas-fired boilers.
Installed between 1981-3 and manufactured by Cradley Steam Packet Company they are rotated in use with only one pool operational.

Old Tom, Chimney Stack.
The chimney stack is 110ft tall and rises in the centre of the building. It was substantially rebuilt in 2004/5.

For more information and to get involved in the campaign to preserve the baths the Friends of Moseley Road Baths website has more information:
Friends of Moseley Road Baths

Shout about it!

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:16:00 +0000

2013 marks the fourth incarnation of the Shout Festival in the city, a festival by and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community that includes arts, sports and politics.

Launched in November 2009 with more than one hundred performances and events in venues throughout the city, the inaugural SHOUT Festival provided a showcase for LGBT talent, offered opportunities to engage and participate and profiled the city as a destination for gay visitors from across the UK.

http://www.birminghampost.net/comment/birmingham-columnists/agenda/2010/05/10/birmingham-pride-gay-culture-s-big-say-in-the-city-s-diversity-65233-26383031/

The festival provides, as the Birmingham Post editiorial suggested in 2010, another visible expression of the city's diversity and is something that we should indeed Shout about!

Having produced three Cultural Festivals, one dedicated Film Festival and supported a number of other projects and activities, SHOUT is delighted to be bringing a new Festival of Queer Arts & Culture to venues around the region.

Between 28th February and 10th March 2013, SHOUT is presenting a range of activities and events around the Festival Theme of Generations and Legacies including new productions, performances, exhibitions and the chance for Festival-goers to get involved.

http://shoutfestival.co.uk

Before the official launch on the 28 February there will be a talk on Birmingham's Queer History at the Barber Gallery on 26 February, http://shoutfestival.co.uk/Talks/Birmingham-Queer-History/160, exploring how LGBT people lived and fought for equality, referencing the Birmingham LGBT archives and Gay Birmingham Remembered Project, http://gaybirminghamremembered.co.uk. February is LGBT history month and the talk comes at a topical time following the fight for gay marriage and locally, the LGBT history exposed by the New Street Station redevelopment's revealing of the former slipper toilets adjacent to the station, New Street Station Redevelopment Summer 2012 Update.

The festival will also use the recently opened Birmingham LGBT centre, Rainbow of opportunities - Birmingham LGBT Centre.

The eye has it - New Street Station February Update III

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:23:00 +0000

Here is an update showing progress on the New Street Station redevelopment since my previous update of the 10 February, New Street Station February Update II. The pictures below from 23 February show the stainless steel cladding nearly covering the Stephenson Street side of the station and glazing now being installed in the information 'eye' above the new corner entrance.

Stephenson Street cladding

Corner entrance

John Lewis Store

A rough view of the work in relation to the scale of the new John Lewis store.

View of works on the Pallasades car park level from the Cube

Meanwhile recent retail sales figures from Network Rail, http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2013/02/12-new-station-trading-figures-show.html, offer an exciting draw for retailers considering the redeveloped station concourse and the Grand Central shopping centre above. Sales at Network Rail managed stations have outperformed the high street with the figures below showing changes between Quarter 3 2011 and Quarter 3 2012.

Birmingham NS +2.79%

L. Charing Cross +1.15%

Edinburgh W. +5.29%

L. Euston +5.82%

L. Fenchurch St +0.10%

Glasgow C. -2.92%

Leeds +4.61%

Liverpool Lime St +2.61%

L. Liverpool St +1.82%

London Bridge +23.27%

Manchester P. +2.83%

L. Paddington -5.60%

L. Victoria +7.32%

L. Waterloo -1.41%

Footfall breakdown for each station

The Grand Central shopping centre was launched, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/lifestyle/shopping/birminghams-new-grand-central-shopping-1321596, on 15 February with the draw of 40 shops and 15 restaurants and cafes attracting 50 million customers annually. The development of the new John Lewis store has promised to create 1,000 new jobs for local people, New Street Station - January 2013 Update C.

Cuttings cost

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:48:00 +0000

The Birmingham Mail has reported on Birmingham budget cuts: How YOU will be affected with news that among the cuts required to save £100 million there will be no free bin bags for residents and that green waste, previously collected free of charge, will incur a charge for collection.

The cuts includeChildren's Centres £3 million
Youth Offending Service £400,000
Early Years Support Service £1.3 million
Youth Service £475,000
Free school travel £1 million
External services including short breaks for vulnerable children £4.43 million
Supporting people housing scheme £1.9 million
Children's homes closures £1.3 million
Cancelling black sacks £1 million
Street cleaning £540,000

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/birmingham-budget-cuts-how-you-1299659

Council tax will be frozen for the third year in a row although families on low incomes may face charges for the first time as a result of benefit cuts, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birminghams-council-tax-benefit-cut-1282783. The cuts are part of a cost savings that must total £600 million by 2017, Counting the cost - City Council Budget Consultation.

As I noted in my previous post on the budget consultation, the question of where cuts can be made and what the council does for it's citizens and what the private sector or other parties can help fund or run is a fundamental one.

This consideration is perhaps intrinsically linked to the fabric of Birmingham in it's history as an authority that established municipal administration. The 1950 edition of The City of Birmingham Handbook, a guide to the city's current and historical administration and it's departments, notes the committee system of local government administration which was established in 1851 and which saw the city have powers which were permitted by the rest of England in 1933.

The committee system of local government administration indeed was established in Birmingham as long ago as 1851 when the Birmingham Improvement Act of that year provided that "the Council may appoint out of their own Body, from time to time, such and so many Committees, consisting of such number of Persons as they shall think fit, for all or any purposes of this Act, which in the Discretion of the Council would be better regulated and managed by means of such Committees...

And since 1851 the municipal administration of Birmingham has operated through committees under this or similar powers, and in an apparent vindication of the system the Local Government Act of 1933 gave a general power to local authorities to appoint committees and delegate any functions exerciseable by the local authority except that of making a rate or borrowing money. Thus for all intents and purposes what Birmingham did in 1851, the rest of England was permitted to do in 1933.

An example of the rate fund income and cost of rate service for Birmingham in 1948-9.

With local authorities taking over the control of Public Health from PCTs when they are abolished the role of the local council is almost returning full circle returning to the public health of it's citizens, http://www.guardian.co.uk/healthcare-network/2012/nov/20/local-government-nhs-common-language, but this places considerable responsibility when considering specific services such as sexual health in terms of both prevention and treatment for example, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19991579.

Indeed further to health, the Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership could see transport powers and other funding from central government in Whitehall returned to the local area, http://www.lgcplus.com/briefings/services/economic-development/heseltine-to-test-run-lep-proposals/5052382.article, and this could offer a local approach to the city-regions' issues.
The idea of municipalism developed in Birmingham could then return with these increased powers and funding through the local city-region which would enable the local authority to achieve economic prosperity for it's citizens and it's traditional civic roles.

Perhaps what is needed is a debate, albeit a more substantial one than on budget options that I reported previously, Counting the cost - City Council Budget Consultation, on what the role of the council and Whitehall should be and how much as citizens and businesses we pay and for what. The LEP has started this from the focus on development, transport and job creation. Localism has been a big theme in the political parties discussions and moves to devolve powers in Birmingham within the wards presents exciting opportunities for targeting healthcare prevention and treatment for example. A healthy educated population as part of a city that encourages job and wealth creation should encourage investment and raise the aspirations of the city together with performing the civic municipalism that Birmingham was so successful at historically and which made it regarded as the best run city in the country.

New Street Station February Update II

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Here is a further update on the New Street Station redevelopment, following my preceding update New Street Station February Update, showing work from 9 February 2013 with the steel cladding continuing to extend further along Stephenson Street.

Stephenson Street steel cladding.

New concourse retail units. Looking at the plan, partially reproduced below from http://www.grandcentralbirmingham.com/layout-plans/concourse-level.aspx, these glass units look to be units 10, 11 and 12. View from Stephenson Street looking in towards the new concourse.

New corner entrance.

New public square fronting the station.

Preparation ahead of the current concourse and short stay car park's conversion to concourse and retail units.

Steelwork and cores for the new John Lewis store.

Network Rail in co-operation with RNIB are offering guided orientation tours of Phase One to blind and partially sighted people before it opens to the public in April to allow people to get to know the layout, http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/campaignwithus/england/westmidlands/Pages/New_Street_Orientation_Tours.aspx

The following information is reproduced from RNIB regarding the changes in April.

The current entrance for the station will close. This is the main entrance to the station on Smallbrook Queensway next to TK Maxx and opposite the Bullring.
The back entrance to New Street Station which is currently on Navigation Street will also close.

From April 2013 you will no longer be able to use these entrances.
The escalators that go from the Pallasades down to the current concourse of New Street Station opposite the ticket barriers will also be closed.

The new main entrance to the station will be on Stephenson Street, opposite Lower Temple Street and near to the Coffee Lounge and the Piccadilly Arcade.

There will also be another entrance to the Station on Hill Street next to the entrance to the Pallasades Car Park, which is currently closed for refurbishment. The new John Lewis department store will be to the right of the entrance when the development is finished in 2015. This will be under construction until Autumn 2014.

You will also be able to get to the new main station entrance on Stephenson Street from the current entrance on Smallbrook Queensway by using what will be called the ‘Moor Street Link’. The link will start just off Smallbrook Queensway, just past New Street Station where the tourism centre is. You will be able to walk along the link through to Stephenson Street. Once you are at Stephenson Street, you will be able to walk along the colonnade to the new station entrance.

You will also be able to enter the new station from the Pallasades shopping centre using the new escalators. The entrance to the new escalators will be to the right of Tesco in the Pallasades as you are facing it. The entrance will take you into a well-lit short hoarded tunnel which will lead you to the new escalators and down in to the new station concourse.

The ramp from New Street into the Pallasades will remain open. You will be able to use the ramp to get in to the station. You will be able to walk straight up the ramp, forward in to the Pallasades until you reach Tesco and then turn right for the entrance to the new escalators.

The new vehicle drop off point will be on Hill Street at the new entrance there. Taxis and other vehicles will be able to drop passengers in the the Drop and Go area which can be accessed from Hill Street. You won't be able to be dropped off at the Stephenson Street entrance.

The new taxi rank will be on Navigation Street just along to the left of the new station entrance.

We won’t unveil the atrium until the end of the project in 2015, the first half of the station we open in April 2013 and will have all the facilities you expect, plus new lifts and escalators to every platform to improve access.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/campaignwithus/Documents/New_Street_Redevelopment_Leaflet.doc

Memory of the Future - Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:42:00 +0000

A personal favourite, The Pet Shop Boys' song Memory of the Future seems an appropriate title to describe the unveiling of the new Birmingham History galleries at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG). The new gallery has opened a whole wing of the museum, revealing both the history of the city but the history of the museum itself, by revealing architectural features that were boarded up, partitioned or concealed, Hidden areas of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery revealed in £9m project.

Since opening more than 100 years ago, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has become home to more than half a million artefacts. You can find everything from Renaissance masterpieces to 9,000-year old Middle Eastern treasures. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2262893/Englands-best-cultural-cities-From-Newcastle-Portsmouth-iconic-metropolises-offer-visitors-host-treats.html#axzz2JsJr51Wo

The opening of the galleries, titled Birmingham: Its People, Its History, in October 2012 has brought together an introduction to the city for both visitors and residents and includes over 1000 exhibit items. The exhibition, albeit light in depth, provides a glimpse into the achievements of the city and ties in with the recent City Council's consideration of what makes us Brummies report , Where the world meets - Brummies. This report highlighted the role history can play for the city in bridging the communities that make up Birmingham and the new history galleries provide a timely link to report's conclusions.

But as an overview, it serves its core purpose so brilliantly it might have been called: “Birmingham... we never knew there was so much to it”.

“Birmingham has been immensely important both nationally and internationally for many centuries, and what we are trying to bring out through these galleries is not only how important we have been to the rest of the world, but how important the rest of the world has been to Birmingham. It shows how important migration has always been and still is to the community.

http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/birmingham-art/2012/10/18/birmingham-its-people-its-history-exhibition-opens-to-the-public-65233-32052000/

Among the 1000 items exhibited include a model of medieval Birmingham and Charles Ernest Cundall's painting The destruction of the BSA Factory.

The new galleries have proved a popular draw to the museum on top of the Staffordshire Hoard, Birmingham to hoard Anglo Saxon Gold as Staffordshire Hoard saved for the nation, and existing collections such as the world renowned Pre-Raphaelite art collection, Royal Raphaelite boost for
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Indeed some of the collections of the BMAG continue to draw visitors and admirers from far afield with the Wall Street Journal's article looking at Jacob Epstein noting his Rock Drill, reconstructed for a 1974 exhibition and purchased by the BMAG as being an inspiration for sculptors, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324624404578258022349869856.html?mod=googlenews_wsj.

On top of these BMAG collections the Museum and Art Gallery is also hosting two exhibitions which are proving extremely popular and highlight the role of the museum in bringing together communities and reflecting on the past and present while looking to the future.

Following a successful exhibition at the British Museum, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is hosting the Fortress Turban, known as a Dastaar Boonga, worn by a group of skilled warrior Sikhs called Akali Nihangs, Sikh 'Fortress Turban' to go on display at museum. The exhibition, running from 26 January to 28 April 2013, will tour five other UK venues but has started it's tour in Birmingham where Birmingham's Sikh community will contribute to explaining why the turban remains important to them today.

Meanwhile an extremely popular exhibition of works from the Government Art Collection is nearing the end of it's successful tour to Birmingham, http://www.bmag.org.uk/events?id=2149, ending on 24 February 2013. The exhibition has brought together works historical and contemporary that are usually displayed in British Government buildings across the world.

This is a specially selected collection of almost 200 different works of art from Lowry to Warhol.

Many are very diverse, others are different but chosen to be complementary.
All are taken from British Government buildings across the world and, in situ, been privy to many a confidential conversation.

Contributors to the selection process include artist Cornelia Parker, historian Simon Schama and politicians including Lord Mandelson, Lord Boateng, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and staff from 10 Downing Street.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/visit-birmingham-museum--art-1222757

While these visiting exhibitions have looked forward, a new collection of internationally significant contemporary art, Major new £1m art collection to open in Birmingham this March, will see the Museum and Art Gallery move forward too, showing for the first time publicly the joint collection of international contemporary art it has acquired with the New Art Gallery Walsall, http://www.bmag.org.uk/events?id=2362.

Metropolis: Reflections on the modern city contains over 60 works by some of the world’s most exciting artists, each offering views of the modern global city. It has been funded with over £1million from national fundraising charity the Art Fund.

Opening at a time of budget cut-backs in the arts, the collection is a significant boost to the West Midlands region’s cultural life. Metropolis: Reflections on the modern city has been collected by BMAG and the New Art Gallery, Walsall thanks to Art Fund International, a major scheme set up by the Art Fund which has supported the development of outstanding contemporary art in five museum partnerships around the UK. Entrance to the exhibition is free.

http://creativeboom.co.uk/news/major-new-1m-art-collection-to-open-in-birmingham-this-march/

The funding of the collection through the Art Fund comes as the Arts Council England have awarded a £457,000 grant to the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, http://www.culture24.org.uk/history%20%26%20heritage/historic%20buildings/art417539

Ikon will modernize its Grade II-listed Oozells Street School building – its home since 1998 – with a £457,000 grant from the Arts Council.

“Our focus will be on making essential improvements to our galleries, such as upgrading our IT and lighting systems,” said Deputy DirectorDeborah Kermode, pointing to the gallery’s famous singing lift and an original artwork by former Turner Prize winner Martin Creed as initial beneficiaries.

“Many of these areas will offer substantial long-term savings to Ikon. We are extremely grateful to the Arts Council for supporting us. This was a very competitive application process.”

http://www.culture24.org.uk/history%20%26%20heritage/historic%20buildings/art417539

New Street Station February Update

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:49:00 +0000

Following my previous update on the redevelopment of New Street Station of 21 January, New Street Station - January 2013 Update C, here is an update on work from the 2 February 2013. The extension of steel cladding alongside Stephenson Street has now almost reached the curved eye entrance while work continues to prepare the new public square fronting the station. Work is also rapidly progressing on the construction of the framework for the new John Lewis store as shown in the pictures below.

Moor Street Link

John Lewis Store

The steel cladding on Stephenson Street

Concourse and new entrance works on Stephenson Street

New public square.

While physical transformation is taking place plans for the new Grand Central shopping centre, replacing the Pallasades shopping centre, have been released on a new website providing information for the public and detailing the new units and development for potential retailers.

THE NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR PREMIUM FASHION IN BIRMINGHAM

Fashion, style and breathtaking beauty take their place in the UK’s most exciting new retail destination.

Our peerless approach to shopping combines an unrivalled mix of premium fashion boutiques and quality high street fashion with inspiring international dining and stylish contemporary bars and cafes.

http://www.grandcentralbirmingham.com/the-vision.aspx

Stats, reproduced from http://www.grandcentralbirmingham.com/the-stats.aspx

Plans of the retail level and concourse level showing retails units is reproduced from the website:

Concourse Level

Where the world meets - Brummies

noreply@blogger.com (Simon P Felton) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:21:00 +0000

In a previous post in July 2012, City without a Thousand Trades - what makes Brummies and what happened to Birmingham, I noted the new Labour council administrations mission to find out what makes a Brummie.

The results of the research involving comments given by the public and groups, submitted through questioning and social media engagement have come back in a report which has coined a new title for Birmingham, Birmingham: Where the World Meets, http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/Pages/AgendaDetail.aspx?AgendaID%3d70887.

The report notes that there are people from 187 different countries living in Birmingham and the report noted the consideration of how the council, through it's engagement with these different communities, either helps or hinders cohesion. Analysis of GP registration records show there has been arrivals from 187 countries over the past few years. This superdiversity as the report notes is a level of complexity not experienced previously where globally more people have moved from place to place and developed new complex social formations.

The common link between all these different communities and people is that we choose to make Birmingham our home. Either we recently came, or maybe our grandparents came, our parents stayed, and we, generations later, still choose to call home this extraordinary city. This is a city of ‘we’. The question we wanted to explore was who ‘we’ are and whether we are united in our great diversity.

Superdiversity will clearly bring with it its own challenges. However what is encouraging is the added benefit that superdiversity could bring to Birmingham, including the exchange of knowledge amongst cultures and a greater innovation and creativity.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/Pages/AgendaDetail.aspx?AgendaID%3d70887

This diversity has shaped what the term Brummie means to residents with newer residents not familiar with the term and some feeling that the ownership of the term, being old fashioned, relates to the white working class communities of Birmingham's past. Pride in the city's considerable assets for example replaced some of the pride in people or culture.

This question of assets against islands of homeliness was reinforced with how people felt isolated and how transport affected, through cost for families for example, social inclusion and the ability to move round the city. Changes in how communities have developed and how younger generations associate more closely with work colleagues and feel less tied to places, particularly with increased employment mobility, also has shaped this identity and social inclusion.

History is a key part of this identity and the report considered how this could help foster cohesion. Certainly for the newer communities and for the younger generations a link to the past might foster a stronger city, with people sharing the common history that brought a mixture of people together in the city who wanted to stay and who shape the city.

Linked to this recognition of the past is the ability of markets for example as a tool in the city to highlight the culture, skills and creativity of Birmingham while also acting as an opportunity for young entrepreneurs. Indeed the dispersal of markets across the city as takes place with Moseley Arts Market and the Jewellery Quarter's Christmas Market can engage with communities that may feel isolated and help to foster a shared experience in the city.

What seems to resonate in the report is the optimism that exists in the city and the great potential that it's varied communities offers. The city offers a keen welcome to new residents; the city's Register Office is the busiest in the UK and since 2004 ceremonies have been held for 35,000 new citizens. A shared focus on the city encouraging communities to speak to each other, the enhancement of transport to allow more mixing where this doesn't happen and the engagement of all residents through a shared history that celebrates Birmingham's past but looks forward through markets for example offer interesting considerations on identity and how to improve the city for it's residents.

In the executive commentary on the report the following recommendations were given.

As the introduction to the report notes, while the questions and topics seem too abstract to consider by the council when it should be focused on the concerns of it's citizens in housing and employment for example, identity issues are intrinsically linked to these questions of politics.

It’s easy to dismiss some of the issues covered in the report as too abstract to merit the Council’s consideration. Identity, affiliation, sense of belonging, sense of place – these can sound vague and unreal compared to the more obviously concrete elements of concern: housing, education, employment, healthcare.
In fact, the two strands are inextricable. Who we are, how we feel, what we stand for, what it means to be a Brummie – all are both determined by the ‘harder’ variables that are more easily recognised as the stuff of ‘politics’ but also, in their turn, determine them. http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/Pages/AgendaDetail.aspx?AgendaID%3d70887

The report is timely and it should be encouraged as way to harness the opportunities the richly diverse city of Birmingham offers. Like an organisation whose most valuable asset is it's staff, the city's development and opportunities are brought from it's citizens and Birmingham's rich mix should build on a history that 'can do'. This opportunity can develop organically but it should also be incumbent on the council and all residents to help promote it through engagement with other communities, through the value of the city's history as a grounding for identity. Transport is crucial to the economic development of the city but more than that it offers opportunities to develop the city socially and encourage communities to link together.