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Birmingham

“A fabulous place…you can't fail to have a good time."

Birmingham has always been an industrial powerhouse. The city – now Britain’s second largest – dates back to the 6th century, and gained a reputation for metalworking during the 1600s before the Industrial Revolution transformed it into a centre of commerce and industry with the title ‘city of a thousand trades’.

 While its industrial side has declined, it remains a commercial hub, highly rated in recent years as a business location. It’s also the UK’s fourth most visited city by foreign tourists, home to three Universities and two University Colleges (with the largest student population outside London) and has more miles of canals than Venice!

Since the 1980s Birmingham has undergone massive regeneration. The NEC and ICC account for more than 40% of the country’s conferences and exhibitions, while in the city centre’s landmarks include the new Bullring, the Grade II listed Rotunda, the National Indoor Arena and new developments such as Brindley Place, Millennium Point and the Mailbox.

Shopping and sports

Birmingham is the UK’s second largest retail centre, with The Bullring at its centre alongside the largest department store outside London (House of Fraser on Corporation Street) and a long list of big name and designer brand outlets. The city also has some of the best markets in the country, while its Jewellery Quarter still creates 40% of the country’s trinkets.

In terms of sport, you’re similarly spoilt for choice. Two of the oldest professional football clubs are here in Aston Villa and Birmingham City, while Warwickshire’s home ground at Edgbaston regularly hosts international test matches and the city has professional Rugby union and basketball teams. The NIA is also a major venue, hosting world athletics and badminton championships as well as Davis Cup tennis.

Entertainment, excursions and eating out

Culture takes many forms in Birmingham, from the CBSO at Symphony Hall to touring bands at the NEC and the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Hippodrome to popular family shows at the largest theatre, the Alexandra. The city has many notable museums and galleries, including the Science Museum with its Planetarium and IMAX cinema at Millennium Point and family attractions such as Cadbury World at Bournville and the National sea Life Centre at Brindley Place.

The largest single-day event is the city’s St Patrick’s Day Parade, while Birmingham Pride, the Birmingham International Carnival and multicultural events such as the Bangla Mela and the Vaisakhi Mela attract thousands of people every year.

Eating out in the city is as diverse as its population, too. From Michelin-starred cuisine to cosmopolitan café culture via the Chinese Quarter and Balti Triangle, every taste is catered for. Nightclubs and bars are also plentiful, mainly around Broad Street, the Arcadian, Digbeth, Summer Row and the Jewellery Quarter.

Leisure time

The heart of England is literally on your doorstep here. Sutton Park is one of Europe’s largest urban parks at 2400 acres, and the perfect retreat from the city. An hour’s drive puts you in the Peak District, the Cotswolds or the rolling Shropshire countryside, while Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick are just 20 miles away. Thrills and spills are also nearby, at Drayton Manor theme park and the Snow Dome at Tamworth.

Further afield, the M6, M5, M42 and M40 open up the rest of the UK very easily, London is only 1 hour 30 minutes by train and Birmingham International Airport has flights across the UK and Europe as well as long haul.

Living in the city

There’s an endless choice of property in the area, ranging from numerous city centre apartments in Brindley Place, the Mailbox and Jewellery Quarter to fashionable suburbs such as Edgbaston, Moseley, Harbourne, Hall Green and Bournville a 20-minute commute away. On the city’s outskirts are the towns of Stourbridge, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield, while more rural locations include the villages of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Shropshire, all within a 1 hour train journey.

Birmingham offers a good range of schools too, both public and private. King Edward's School in Edgbaston is perhaps the most prestigious, along with Edgbaston High and Solihull School. The seven voluntarily funded Grammar Schools of The King Edward VI Foundation set very high academic standards, consistently topping national league tables.

Thinking of moving to Birmingham?

Then hopefully you’ve found this guide helpful. Now all you need to do is contact our specialist consultants, who can advise you on legal and solicitor job opportunities in Birmingham and across the Midlands.