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Buzzing Birmingham

nicknorman

By nicknorman
in General Boating

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nicknorman Veteran II

nicknormanDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Taking the day off today from our round-the-BCN trip so moored at BrindleyPlace. We visited the new Birmingham city library (the building with the fancy interlocking circles as a facade), just beyond the ICC and theatre. I must say I am very, very impressed with that building. Its great just to wander around, without looking at any books. There are outside spaces on levels 3 and 7, with a view all around on 7 including of the BCN main line and Cambrian basin. There is an enclosed viewpoint on the 9th floor. It was hooching with visitors and as has been mentioned in the press, the escalators were intermittent, but never mind, nothing is perfect!

 

We then went to the bullring. I'm not a fan of busy shopping centres on a Saturday afternoon but apparently we needed more Rangpur gin from Selfridges. On the way, passed Chamberlain square with a military brass band playing to a large throng of spectators. On the way back, walked through the Mailbox and along the canal past Gas St & ICC area. It was also hooching with visitors, trip boats, party boats, water taxi, private and hire boats etc not to mention another (rock) band playing outside and all of the many canalside bars and restaurants full to bursting. People everywhere were having a good time.

 

So the point of all this is "well done" to Brum city for not only having a very pleasant city centre to walk around, but also for embracing the canal and making it a focus, rather than turning its back on the canal as every other city does (well maybe Liverpool excepted these days). Boris must go to the ICC for the Tory party conference. I wonder if he notices the difference between London and Brum in this respect?

 

I've always liked Birmingham, well for the last 20 years anyway, but it seems to just get better.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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No, no, no, no, NO! I'm not having it. Everyone knows that from Curdworth to Catherine de Barnes, Shirley to Aldersley and anything above Stourbridge Town Arm is dangerous bandit country and must be rushed through - don't stop or your boat will be stolen, you will be killed and your dog will be eaten

 

If you keep spreading lies like this glowing report, people will start going there and enjoying it!

 

Richard

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

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No, no, no, no, NO! I'm not having it. Everyone knows that from Curdworth to Catherine de Barnes, Shirley to Aldersley and anything above Stourbridge Town Arm is dangerous bandit country and must be rushed through - don't stop or your boat will be stolen, you will be killed and your dog will be eaten

 

If you keep spreading lies like this glowing report, people will start going there and enjoying it!

... and if they do that then next, they'll be stopping in Leicester too.

 

MP.

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Mrs Trackman Proficient

Mrs Trackman

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It looks like 50% of CWDF members are in Birmingham this weekend - as well as those commenting in this thread Mr and Mrs Trackman are in town on Chateau Neuf. Be nice to them go and say hello they dont bite!

I wouldn't be so sure. We have meanly been trying to keep Birmingham to ourselves for years. However I have to agree about the new library, we have been 3 times in the last 3 days. The views from the terraces are superb, good for canal spotters, Cambrian wharf and the new main line are clear for all to see. There's a small part of the Worcester and Birmingham to view and it is fairly easy to pick out where Farmer's bridge locks rise boats to the centre.

We could do with tips on cheap eats that aren't chains though. In particular does anyone know of a decent, reasonably priced curry to be had within walking distance of the canal?

Oh and a vote from us for Burton on Trent. Fantastic Victorian buildings right in the centre.

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cotswoldsman Veteran II

cotswoldsman

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Just to update everyone on the Floating Market.

The market will start on 27 September at 10am to coincide with The Farmers Market at Brindleyplace. Brindleyplace, Birmingham City Council, CRT and The West Midlands Waterways partnership are big supporters of this event are are hoping that this is just the start of many more Floating Markets. For me as just a very small cog in organising this event it has shown that by various groups working together we can make things happen. The Roving canal Traders have had to do all the hard work.

I am a big supporter of Birmingham having spent 25 years of life in the area.

The weekend is going to be very busy starting with The Social on Friday night with CRT I now have nearly 70 confirmed for this

At 10am on Saturday Tony Hales will officially open The Market

Saturday evening there is a Banter/Social at The Prince of Wales, 85 Cambridge Street http://www.theprinceofwalesbirmingham.co.uk/ they are putting on a Curry Special for £5 (other food will be available) so far about 50 boaters have confirmed they will be there.Enyone is welcome to attend for what looks like being a lively night.

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Mrs Trackman Proficient

Mrs Trackman

Posted
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Just to update everyone on the Floating Market.

The market will start on 27 September at 10am to coincide with The Farmers Market at Brindleyplace. Brindleyplace, Birmingham City Council, CRT and The West Midlands Waterways partnership are big supporters of this event are are hoping that this is just the start of many more Floating Markets. For me as just a very small cog in organising this event it has shown that by various groups working together we can make things happen. The Roving canal Traders have had to do all the hard work.

I am a big supporter of Birmingham having spent 25 years of life in the area.

The weekend is going to be very busy starting with The Social on Friday night with CRT I now have nearly 70 confirmed for this

At 10am on Saturday Tony Hales will officially open The Market

Saturday evening there is a Banter/Social at The Prince of Wales, 85 Cambridge Street http://www.theprinceofwalesbirmingham.co.uk/ they are putting on a Curry Special for £5 (other food will be available) so far about 50 boaters have confirmed they will be there.Enyone is welcome to attend for what looks like being a lively night.

Really looking forward to it all and will be good to put some faces to names.. Thankyou so much for your part in organising it.

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steven wilkinson Rising Star

steven wilkinson

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Saturday evening there is a Banter/Social at The Prince of Wales, 85 Cambridge Street http://www.theprinceofwalesbirmingham.co.uk/ they are putting on a Curry Special for £5 (other food will be available) so far about 50 boaters have confirmed they will be there.Enyone is welcome to attend for what looks like being a lively night.

 

 

We will have Fizz the crewdog in tow, is The Prince of Wales dog friendly? Having said that, with 50+ people attending, it might not be a good plan after all!

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Birmingham is indeed a fine city and a nice city centre too agreed. We have never boated there but we are always drawn to the canal side when we visit (usually for a concert at the NIA). They seem proud of the links with the inland waterways and of course have fully recognised the commercial benefit of the fact they have canals and basins right there in the thick of it.

 

Some waterways based cities could learn a lot, Leeds springs to mind, and I'm not convinced York fully exploits it's water based location either.

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haggis Veteran

haggisDonate to Canal World

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Re good places for a curry in Birmingham. We like the Celebrity in Broad street. We have been going there for years when we moor in the city and we ate there last night and were not disapointed. I think Nicknorman and Geoff may also have been there last night too, but later than us

 

Haggis

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