Ammo Talwar: City of Culture bid good for Birmingham whatever happens

Jul 14 2010 By Ammo Talwar

You must have heard - it’s been in all the papers.  We were holding our own in a tough knockout competition, pitched against some real heavyweight contenders.

After too many years of near misses, we even reached the play-offs. 

But as I write this, the final outcome is still uncertain.

We know Spain are kings, England have come home, but who’s going to win UK City of Culture 2013? Okay - I’ll admit it’s a bit of a stretch, but it really is just like the World Cup.

It’s an award that only comes around once every four years.  And it brings fame - and maybe fortune - to the winner.

But the difference is, I was actually picked to play on our City of Culture team, coming off the subs bench in the last few minutes of the final.

And they say Asians can’t play football.

I was asked to join the delegation making Birmingham’s final City of Culture presentation - pitching to TV guru Phil Redmond and his team of judges.  And at his home ground too - Liverpool.

Birmingham’s actual bid document wove months of work by literally hundreds of people into one thick sheaf of paper.

Holding it, you realise all over again what a strong, vibrant and authentic place Birmingham is.

Having said this, I think I’d have felt less nervous if I was actually facing Phil and his 15 whizz kid consultants on the football pitch instead of across a table.  I was a marvel with studs on when I was back in Aston Manor.

Anyway, on the day we played strongly throughout, cheered on by a stream of tweets from loyal Brummies which were piped into the conference room like a social media Mexican wave.

The thing is - and no, this isn’t a cop out, like the end of Lost - we’re winners whatever happens.

Because, if Birmingham isn’t the UK’s most exciting, authentic and happening metropolis today - and I think we are - we will be for sure in 2013.

This will be the year when both the new Library for Birmingham and major interventions in Eastside will open.

We already have the youngest population of any European city, and certainly the most diverse and exciting.

These will be inspiration for the next generation.

So sing when you’re winning. Cos we are winners anyway.

* Ammo Talwar is the chief executive of Punch Records