It now has a cashpoint (during shop opening hours).
Here’s a tweet I saw the other day, a sentiment we’ve all heard (and maybe said) before: “Wish Birmingham’s creatives would shout louder about the great stuff that goes on in the city”. There are lots of good things, but by definition there’s chaff with the wheat too — so are we really after “the creatives” to do the shouting? Wouldn’t we be better served with a batch of critical eyes, exposing the greatness? Or is the shouting the first stage of that, do people need to be aware of ‘something’ before they can pick the best bits? But do “the creatives” (a pointless generalisation, but I may as well stick with it as everyone else seems to) really want to let us know they’ve got a trumpet? Or, do they just want to impress the art scene, get a few quizzical looks from passers-by and be able to moan that “people from round here don’t care”? There’s always been that suspicion floating round my head; notice how all the excitement is round the ‘private view’ or the party (something I’ve never really understood) rather than the exhibition itself, think about how odd (and ad-hoc) opening times prohibit dropping...
Being proud of where you live is an admirable trait, all told. Not in the sort of nationalistic ferver that is whipped up during global sporting tournaments, but proud in the way that you care what happens to your environment and the people that live there. Even if the “Kingstanding and Proud” signs spotted around the city do veer a little to close to factionalism, they’re well intended. But as kpmarek says over on Flickr, don’t you think these signs give off a little bit of a mixed message? I hate the way the police give up in some areas, signs like “if you leave anything on show, expect it to go” in car parks may as well say “we can’t be bothered. criminals, do what you like”. To mix up one of these white flags of crime with an “Eastside and Proud” message, isn’t it saying, just a bit: “We’re the boys from Eastside, we’ll nick your stuff.”
Fools (or as the press release puts it “adrenaline junkies, thrill seekers and sightseers”) will be able to jump off a huge tower VTP200 by Millenium point in three years time – if plans get the go-ahead. A the bottom there are planned resturants and a hotel, while 190m up (by comparisson the Rotunda is 81m tall) visitors can have a go on rides (“Flight Trainer, Giant Drop and Seesaw”) – and four extreme activities includinga bungee jump and a further 10m “Climb To The Top”. On a clear day they reckon you should be able to see 30 miles, which is almost to Telford, which is nice. Plans and a scale model of the building will be at Millennium Point from Saturday 15th – Saturday 22nd September, I can’t find a planning application on the council site, so is it all pie in the sky? (I’m sure you would be able to get pie btw). Brum’s London Eye or Eifiel Tower? A bit Vegas or too Blackpool? What do you think?
