Posts Tagged ‘ Birmingham City Council ’

Jargon soup

We figure this is about arts funding in Birmingham, but frankly who can tell. If you can understand this get out of the arts now (but could you translate it first please). *shitty stock music* (via Dave Harte, title by Pete Ashton)

When is a full car park not a full car park?

When it’s Birmingham City Council’s Brunel Street Car Park. Brunel Street car park “the red cage” is my favourite place to park in the city centre; the cross-hatched metal design is truly wonderful and the overall structure clearly an influence on the plans for the new Central Library. I’m the mayor of the place on Foursquare, I love it because it inspires oddness, I love it because it seems to have an odd soul of it’s own, but most of all I love it because it’s remarkably cheap for such a central place. I’m tight like that.

As expected this time last week, the DCMS have not listed Central Library. Meaning that the council have a window of half a decade in which to knock it down and replace it with soulless offices, chain cafes and thinly walled apartments. At least that’s what Brindleyplace (why no space!) mark two says to me. This went against English Heritage advice: “In offering the Government our expert advice, we examined all aspects of its architectural interest including: whether it fulfilled its brief; whether it was a particularly good example of a public library; how well it survives; how it compares to other listed buildings of a similar type; and how influential the building has been. In our view, these tests were met.” Like the Rotunda before it, Central Library is a real building with real history and merit. Think of those buildings that have been senselessly destroyed before in the name of progress. We can’t let fashion spoil our history. But what can we do? I’ve said before how it doesn’t need to be a library, and how clearing clutter from around it would improve the area immeasurably. Is it a single issue we can rally around? Do we...

We don’t care, apparently

Absolute shite from Councillor Alistair Dow: “ As long as their bins are collected and services provided they are not interested in how the council is run.” I think you’ll find they are Mr Dow. Remember Glyn Evans? “How many of our residents are actually interested in council meetings?” Birmingham City Council — a systemic lack of interest in democracy?

My favourite car park is Brunel Street car park (new library look-alike, red cage), and it’s even just got a lick of paint. My other half says it’s “too scrapey” (tight corners, lots of pillars), but I love it. I always park there when I’m in town. It’s run by the Council, I’d rather support the city than NCP or someone. But today, I had a terrible problem. I stayed 3 hours 40. The machine charged me £3.00: Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch! Whereas the sign tells me “up to 4 hours for 280p”: Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch! They owe me 20p (and how many other people…?). I’ve sent a stern email, I’ll let you know how I get on. I’m thinking of writing another to ask why they count in hundreds of pennies.

Small Heath Gym Protest Film

Trawling youtube I’ve just stumbled across this slideshow proclaiming Small Heath leisure centre to have the “gym from hell”. Complete with music out of The Omen:

Reserving judgement on the new Birmingham City Council website, but: as there is no RSS for updates I thought I’d take a look at the What’s New page “to keep track of recent additions”. Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

Load of balls?

All the stars; Mike Whitby, Paul Tilsley, Martin Mullaney, Cameron Jerome and Martin Taylor and avid Blue nose, comedian Jasper Carrott. Former Villa player, Ian Taylor, current Villa defender Carlos Cuellar, arch Villans, Phil Etheridge lead singer of Birmingham based indie rock band The Twang, and Birmingham Royal Ballet dancer, Kit Holder. Birmingham City FC Ladies Team Centre Forward Cristina Torkilsden as well as Jabbar Khan manager of Lasan Indian Restaurant were out in Victoria square today to promote “backing Birmingham” as a host city for any potential 2018 World Cup in England. Um, like it wouldn’t be anyway? A World Cup requires — FIFA say —12 to 18 stadiums capable of seating at least 40,000 spectators each (England are going for 11 cities, 12 stadiums). Only one city is allowed more that one stadium — and we’re betting that’s London (come on, sure we are). So perhaps Birmingham might well be in with a shout — consider that there are only ten football grounds that would be able to host a World Cup were it tomorrow: Three – Wembley, Arsenal’s Emirates and Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge are in London, two are in Manchester, two are in Liverpool. Which actually...

ArtsFest – What to do?

I’ll no doubt do another long an rambling post on “what should be done” with ArtsFest (next weekend chappies) as a whole, but here I want you to collectively tell me what I should go see. You see, the problem with ArtsFest is that it’s BIG (the “biggest” – not the best – free arts festival in the UK) and not particularly structured — I think curated is the word we’re dancing round. It’s also mostly full of people doing their thang for nowt, so there aren’t many (any almost) names you will have heard of. So it’s impossible (especially on paper) to get a good idea of what’s worth seeing. But here’s my plan — the vast majority of artists are Brummies, so by the rules of networks someone here must know almost all of them (or know someone, who knows etc…). And let’s face it, we know when our mates are any good. Don’t expect you to say anyone you know personally isn’t worth seeing (if you can’t say anything nice), but if they are then tell us all here in the comments. The Big Paws is going to send studio dogsbody Dylan to report on what you tell...

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Posts Tagged ‘ Birmingham City Council ’

Jargon soup

When is a full car park not a full car park?

What can be done to save our heritage?

We don’t care, apparently

A Car Park Payment Pedant Writes

Small Heath Gym Protest Film

New Gov dot co dot uk

Load of balls?

ArtsFest – What to do?

@onBirmingham – Breaking Brum News on Twitter