I’ve never been to a party conference. I guess that you’ll be quite busy. But I also reckon that there’ll be times when you’re not, and also that you’ll need to eat and drink. So here’s a short guide of what you can do.
I’m about for the conference because I live in Birmingham. I’ll probably be at the Centre for Cities event on Sunday evening. I might pop in to an ASI event. Or I’m just about. So if you want to chat about open data, regional development, the Northern Powerhouse, or how the Conservatives might ever get people like me to vote for them while we’re still young, let’s do that.
I’ve written this about industrial strategy, I was on the BBC saying this about the Northern Powerhouse, I wrote this about why Birmingham underperforms, and I work at ODI Leeds (as well running my own business, imactivate).
Until then here are the places I eat and drink,
Beer (central)
So, here’s the problem. Birmingham doesn’t have that many great central pubs. All the Brummies are gonna kick off now, but it’s true. The city has not yet filled back up like Manchester and Leeds have. But if you know where to go there are some places worth visiting.
The Craven Arms — opposite a beautiful synagogue this place has lovely tiles on the outside and great beers on the inside. Black Country Ales who run the place are a really successful local business.
The Old Joint Stock — is just a decent Fuller’s pub but it’s in a fantastic building on Cathedral Square.
The Eagle & Tun — this pub featured on the cover of The Best of UB40 album and has recently re-opened with great beer, great pork scratchings, and a fantastic landlord. The Woodman pub up the road is very good too. Visit to see the remains of Birmingham’s oldest railway station and the site of its future HS2 terminal.
Tap & Spile — it’s not a great pub, but it’s the best one near Broad Street and it’s on the canal which has been transformed in the last 20 years.
The Bull — it’s across the ring road but I’m still calling it central. A hidden gem on a street carved in half by a motorway. :/
There are other good places to go — the Post Office vaults does good beer but it’s underground, the Wellington does great beer, but you can have great beer where you came from.
Food (centralish)
I don’t eat much fancy food. I eat delicious food.
Birmingham China Town — it’s the best China Town in the UK. A huge British-born Chinese community keeps most of the restaurants on their toes and cooking to their family recipes so most places are excellent.
Cherry Reds — a café bar with great beer and food on a recently pedestrianised street with a handful of nice places to eat and drink. A 2 minute walk from New Street station.
MODU — is a superb Korean restaurant. Run by a passionate family, hidden away just South of China Town in an industrial area.
The Warehouse Cafe — is fantastic vegetarian food and if you feel too healthy afterwards the filthiest burger place in Birmingham is just opposite at Original Patty Men.
The Karczma — go hungry. Extremely authentic Polish food.
Nom Nom Noodles — the only reason to go here is if you’ve been in the Jewellery Quarter and don’t want to pay £15 for a gastro-burger. Excellent Vietnamese food in a very simple café.
Beer & food (not central)
The easiest way for you to get somewhere in Birmingham is a taxi, but I’d really like it if you took this chance to take a bus. You need £2.30 in exact change for a single ticket, that’s the only way to pay for most buses. Public transport in UK cities really holds them back which is why I’d love you to see how much we could do to improve things.
The Barton Arms (Aston) — an absolutely stunning pub with an excellent Thai restaurant inside. Almost the only surviving building nearby; the rest were demolished to make way to the huge Aston Expressway which ferries commuters from wealthy Northern suburbs of Birmingham into the city centre.
The Old Moseley Arms (Moseley) — a great traditional boozer (and my local) that has a fully functioning Balti house inside. This isn’t a pub plus curry, it’s both things happening in the same place. Get the 50 bus from near Moor Street station, it’s the most frequent bus service in Europe since the railway to Moseley is still closed to passengers.
The Balti Triangle — the birthplace of the Balti. David Cameron went to my nearest restaurant Diwan last conference but there are much better places on Ladypool Road and Stoney Lane and a few good places on Stratford Road. Most places are BYOB.
Coffee (central)
I like coffee but I’m not a coffee snob. The only places I know are in the city centre — places where I meet people.
Six Eight Kafe is small and central. It’s near the beautiful Cathedral, the fantastic Great Western Arcade, and the new Bull Street tram stop.
York’s Espresso Bar is on the other end of Great Western Arcade, opposite Snow Hill station.
Coffee and more (central)
York’s Bakery Cafe is near New Street and does excellent coffee plus breakfast, brunch, and lunch.
Boston Tea Party — a mid-size chain stretching from Exeter to Birmingham and not far beyond. This one is on a beautiful street near the old Methodoist Central Hall