A Birmingham and Black Country thread for all things Brummie and Yam-Yam

[baldrick]

Hostels from hell: the ‘supported housing’ that blights Birmingham

The private hostels are meant to care for vulnerable homeless people. But as crime soars, users suffer and neighbours despair, questions are being asked

www.theguardian.com

Some of us already familiar with the issues raised in this article, but it's good that it's finally receiving national press. A shame that they don't know the geography of Birmingham though. Apparently Handsworth is east of Stockland Green. News to me But the links to OCGs are a bit concerning. Is that just hyperbole or is that actually based in fact?

 

[blossie33]

Oh gosh that doesn't sound good
My old senior school was in the Stockland Green area - was fine back then. I feel really sorry for the residents, the people in these places too and the fact they're not getting proper help with their individual needs.

 

[BCBlues]

Hostels from hell: the ‘supported housing’ that blights Birmingham

The private hostels are meant to care for vulnerable homeless people. But as crime soars, users suffer and neighbours despair, questions are being asked

www.theguardian.com

Some of us already familiar with the issues raised in this article, but it's good that it's finally receiving national press. A shame that they don't know the geography of Birmingham though. Apparently Handsworth is east of Stockland Green. News to me But the links to OCGs are a bit concerning. Is that just hyperbole or is that actually based in fact?

Decent article but yeah they seem to get Handsworth Wood and Handsworth mixed up too, two very different areas imo.
Shabana Mahmood is quoted in the article but doesnt seen too proactive in addressing these issues. Time for an email in that direction I think. I dont think closing the HMOs will do any good, what the sector needs is a more robust check on what services are promised and how that will relate to each individual they propose to let a room to.

Sorry if I'm being a bit slow but what do you mean by OCG baldrick?

 

[baldrick]

Organised crime gangs - something the police quoted in the article said. It sounded plausible.

 

[BCBlues]

Organised crime gangs - something the police quoted in the article said. It sounded plausible.

The amounts of money being dished out quoted in the article make it sound very plausible.

 

[discokermit]

im not a fan of poetry or spoken performances of black country as it usually loses the rhythm of conversation and sounds a bit wrong. black country is at its best when its just people talking and having a laugh.
this wasnt too bad though,

 

[a_chap]

The Black Country (specifically, Tipton as mentioned in the above clip) is where my dad's parents came from.

I really ought to make the effort to visit some day...

 

[Smokeandsteam]

I've got grave reservations about this proposed development of part of Digbeth. One one hand the development looks precisely like the developer led regeneration projects that the Council is obsessed with: more identikit flats, shops and commercial space that a working class city like Birmingham really doesn't need. Aesthetically, economically and socially we know by now these projects do not regenerate the city or do much for the overwhelming majority of the citizens of the city. I also massively lament the erasure of the history of the area that tells a really important story about the industrial and migratory demographic development of the place. On the other hand this looks really exciting:

"The Museum of Youth Culture, claimed to be the world's first national museum of its kind, will take 6,500 sq ft and front onto a new public park, opening in autumn 2025. It will celebrate social movements, subcultures, sounds and styles that span the generations and genres from post-war to modern-day Britain.

The museum will also host a permanent exhibition of the Birmingham Music Archive, celebrating the history and culture of the city through permanent and temporary exhibitions and events."

New museum and Birmingham Music Archive for £260m Digbeth scheme

Brace of cultural attractions have signed up to take space at major mixed-use project in Birmingham

www.business-live.co.uk

 

[BCBlues]

Yes it looks really good, will no doubt be a tourist pull also for people in Brum for gigs, sports etc. Agreed that it's a crying shame that all that Irish history attached to the area has been swept into a corner down Kings Heath.

Back to Music and the Midlands I've been meaning to nip down to Coventry to have a look at this...

2 Tone: Lives & Legacies - The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum

www.theherbert.org

 

[cybershot]

I imagine digbeth will eventually become a ghost town once people that move in start complaining about the noise from clubs/pubs/food festivals etc but I guess this is what the council secretly want.

 

[BCBlues]

I imagine digbeth will eventually become a ghost town once people that move in start complaining about the noise from clubs/pubs/food festivals etc but I guess this is what the council secretly want.

Or Seagulls

'I can't sleep!' - Squawking seagulls cause havoc in Jewellery Quarter

Jewellery Quarter residents say they are at wits’ end over the noisy birds

www.google.com

 

[baldrick]

Strikes me as a bit ironic that the last vestiges of youth and night culture are slowly being pushed out of digbeth. You won't be able to see any live music but you can go to a museum about it. BCCs priorities right there.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Strikes me as a bit ironic that the last vestiges of youth and night culture are slowly being pushed out of digbeth. You won't be able to see any live music but you can go to a museum about it. BCCs priorities right there.

Aye, the way I read it is that the museum is the developers sop to all of the culture that’s about to be erased. It’ll also give the place the right amount of authenticity (none in reality) for the type of prospective buyers they are after.

Thinking about it and looking at the scale of the redevelopment has actually made me quite nostalgic for the Digbeth of my youth: Irish, gigs, pubs, industrial, the coach station, cafes and a place that was genuinely gritty at times. All swept into the dustbin.

 

[baldrick]

Has anyone applied for Commonwealths tickets? I've put in for quite a few, I hope I don't get all of them or it will be an expensive week.

 

[cybershot]

I think my dad did, will have to find out if he got any.

 

[cybershot]

Has anyone been to the digbeth fun fair? Is it any good?

 

[BCBlues]

Has anyone applied for Commonwealths tickets? I've put in for quite a few, I hope I don't get all of them or it will be an expensive week.

My daughter has. I got some (free) tickets for Simmer Down, Aswad and Heatwave on the bill.

 

[Red Cat]

Has anyone been to the digbeth fun fair? Is it any good?

My 13-year-old daughter went and enjoyed it. I don't like fairs but it looks quite cool with the Digbeth backdrop.

 

[cybershot]

My 13-year-old daughter went and enjoyed it. I don't like fairs but it looks quite cool with the Digbeth backdrop.

Do you know if you have to pay to just get in? Their website and social media platforms are not very informative other than saying tokens must be bought on the door (Surely you can buy more once you're in) all I actually want to do is take some long exposure photographs when it gets a bit darker later in the month towards 9pm to be honest, and if i can find a safe spot from outside do some aerial photography with the drone. I don't have any interest in going on any of the rides.

 

[Red Cat]

Do you know if you have to pay to just get in? Their website and social media platforms are not very informative other than saying tokens must be bought on the door (Surely you can buy more once you're in) all I actually want to do is take some long exposure photographs when it gets a bit darker later in the month towards 9pm to be honest, and if i can find a safe spot from outside do some aerial photography with the drone. I don't have any interest in going on any of the rides.

I'll ask my daughter when she gets back from the less cool Alton Towers

 

[blossie33]

Just picked this up from the Birmingham History Forum....
New block going up on the corner of Bristol Street and Essex Street

Essex Street Tower Unveiled - Glancy Nicholls Architects

Glancy Nicholls Architects are proud to unveil their design for the latest addition to Birmingham’s evolving cityscape - Essex Street tower.

glancynicholls.com

 

[baldrick]

 

[BCBlues]

Just picked this up from the Birmingham History Forum....
New block going up on the corner of Bristol Street and Essex Street

Essex Street Tower Unveiled - Glancy Nicholls Architects

Glancy Nicholls Architects are proud to unveil their design for the latest addition to Birmingham’s evolving cityscape - Essex Street tower.

glancynicholls.com

Yuk

 

[cybershot]

Got the flatiron building feels about it but yeah, not what the city needs especially as there’s already tons of empty flats around that area and that particular company is just adding to the problem with all their broad street developments.

 

[BCBlues]

I nipped over to Simmer Down in Handsworth Park yesterday to catch Aswad. There was a big crowd there but just one tiny tent selling beers which had a massive queue. No drinks allowed in at the gates. Needless to say we didnt stay long.

 

[blossie33]

Shame, I wonder why they didn't allow any more tents selling beer - something to do with covid?

 

[BCBlues]

Shame, I wonder why they didn't allow any more tents selling beer - something to do with covid?

Nah it's been the same now for a few years. The beer tent used to be massive and well stocked until about 2017 then it got took over by all these young people listening to some dj in the same tent, bloody young uns.
I dont think it would change much security wise if they allowed you to bring a drink in, but it would certainly improve yhe experience for a lot of people who go there to chill for the day.

 

[cybershot]

Has anyone been to the digbeth fun fair? Is it any good?

I did go to this. Not sure it was as good as the previous one (no big wheel this time) got expensive really quickly. Went in the evening and it was really quiet. Got some nice brumset pics with my drone. Haven’t got round to editing so aren’t levelled out

 

[Red Cat]

What happened to the wheel? I'm sure there was a wheel a few weeks ago.

Apologies, I didn't speak to my daughter about whether you had to pay to go in. I was very, very busy with work stuff that week before going on leave and I forgot.

 

[cybershot]

Some of you may appreciate this.