Simon Jones: Birmingham is a vital organ to the country
Oct 8 2008 By Simon Jones
Among its various monikers Birmingham is often cited as being the “Heart of England”.
True, it is the biggest and most central city in the country but there is a lot more than just our geographical good fortune that gives us the right to this particular title.
Brum houses just over a million incumbents and is the most heavily populated UK city outside London, over double what our oft-named rivals in the north can claim as their own. With this demographic, a healthy mix of original incumbents, whose family trees spread roots deep beneath the Midland’s soil, and the many nonbrummies who have left their own back yards behind to set up shop and home here, as a city we must be doing something right. So what is it that we have as a city that makes us such an attractive place to live and work?
If we look at it in terms of infrastructure the answers are simple, we have an excellent transport service, one of the country’s busiest international airports, a vibrant hotel industry, a retail industry that boasts top-end fashion houses and brands – as well as continued investment in large site developments such as The Bullring and The Mailbox, good schools, good hospitals, extensive conference/event and exhibition facilities and now our main rail hub, New Street Station, plans to develop into an internationally recognised route to any part of the wider UK.
Historically Birmingham is a place of great achievers, home to some of the most important people, events and discoveries in history. This city was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, a fact that is widely acknowledged but sometimes under-appreciated. Had you been living through that time you would’ve quite literally been living in the most important city in the world, fact. Then there’s the Cadbury factory, one of the most successful global brands.
Joseph & Neville Chamberlain, James Watt, John Baskerville, Matthew Boulton, the first city to invent and use gas lighting, the birthplace of the cotton Roller Spinning machine, the first place to use radiology and the home to the first hole in the heart operation. A report card to be proud of.
However, it’s in arts and culture that the real magnetism of the city can be found. There is and has always been a vibrant cultural community here stretching from literature to music, to dance, art and theatre. The Birmingham REP has recently showcased the UK touring production of Cabaret (with Wayne Sleep and Samantha Barks) and is a theatre of national notoriety and respect. The Birmingham Hippodrome needs no introduction to West End productions and between The Carling Academy, The NEC Group and The Custard Factory there is no musical event that passes this second city by.
Literary figures inspired by Birmingham range from Milton to Auden, and the musical back catalogue we can boast would make any musical historian happy for a long, long time. Birmingham is alive with cultural and historical integrity. It is an important cog in the UK machine and a well deserved support actor to the uncontrollable monster that is London, a city I will always respect but could never live in. Birmingham is the heart of the country, in location and contribution.
A city should not be afraid to really celebrate our own achievements. Hats off to Lord Digby Jones and MP Liam Byrne who continue to champion our cause around the globe and I hope that we’re all doing our bit too. If you’re proud of your home town, let the world know.
* Simon Jones is Creative Director for Custard Factory Spaces & MD Factory Club.
