retiredmartin

August 2025. Birmingham.

This was the view from our £45 B & B hotel.

Chinatown (via a grotty, Newport-esque, underpass), the Gay Quarter (1 pub I think) and HS2.

The next week we returned and had a south facing view of a derelict building site.

Birmingham is, like Manchester and Sheffield, a city of architectural contrast.

The one above is the Beetham, apparently.

In the Craven Arms the night before I’d met a few Great British Beer Festival international attendees who were delighted that, at least in August, budget hotel rates were a third of those in London (or Manchester on match day).

The Brum pubs look gorgeous, too,

and the construction of Grand Central has left a pleasing jumble of styles.

But for breakfast we picked the closest GBG entry to New Street,

Cherry Reds having the advantage of a breakfast pint with your eggs benny.

OK, the Spoons does that too, but without Cherry Red’s charm.

Their soundtrack could have been from the music festival I’m at now, toddlers and Old Boys shared the space, and the staff were great.

More cafe than craft bar, possibly, but we need more all rounders like this with Brum having just lost Tilt.

Just a cool half of Brummy Pale in view of the Brew Dog. Would it be the best of the day ?