How did we cope back in 1994?
Brum’s ongoing evolution into a world-beating city started in the mid-Nineties. In 1994, we had just welcomed Centenary Square, the ICC and the new Victoria Square – but Brummies were still shopping in the old Bull Ring, built in 1964! SANJEETA BAINS remi
Once upon a time you could only get married in a church or at the register office.
But changes to the wedding licensing laws mean that couples can now tie the knot at hundreds of venues including Highbury Hall and the Council House.
The first wedding to be held at the Council House was in 2001.
The Banqueting Suite in the Grade II listed building evokes “traditional Victorian elegance” – perfect for your special day. and would meet them somewhere else instead.
These days there is no reason to be hanging around anywhere!
Back in the day, the only place you could play darts was an old man’s working club or pub. Or maybe you were just happy watching Bullseye on the telly – a show that ran for 14 years until it ended in 1995.
These days it’s a glamorous social activity for trendy Birmingham professionals. Flight Club – the ‘‘home of social darts’’ – opened on Temple Street in September and has proved a massive success.
This updated version of the historic game involves multiple players and patented dart tracking technology.
All the scoring is done for you. There is also table service to keep you refreshed with cocktails, wine and beers.
We first hosted a German Christmas Market back in 1997. The market returned in 2001 and has been part of the city’s festive offering ever since. Prost!
Until 2005, the only skating in Centenary Square would be an unintentional slip and slide on a snowy day. This year’s ice rink is the biggest yet.
Back in 1994 we had no idea that boozing with your brekkie would be a legitimate way to spend a morning that wasn’t December 25.
Bottomless brunches had been a thing in London and other jet-setting cities around the world before it finally arrived in Birmingham in late 2015.
You can now drink as much as you like for the price of a breakfast, brunch and lunch dish.
How did thousands of people from the Black Country ever get to work or go shopping in Birmingham before the Wolverhampton to Snow Hill tram route in 1999?
If people didn’t drive they had to get on either the 74, 78 and 79 buses and sit in shocking traffic on the
Soho Road.
Thank heavens those days are long gone. Trams returned to the streets of Birmingham for the first time in 60 years when the Midland Metro started running to a new stop in Bull Street.
Passengers have been using a new extension to Grand Central since
May 2016. And trams should start running through Birmingham’s Centenary Square for the first time later this month.
When completely finished in 2022, the Birmingham Westside Metro extension will run all the way from Grand Central to Hagley Road in Edgbaston. Hallelujah!
Today Birmingham is a fabulous foodie haven of fine dining restaurants. But back in 1994 it’s fair to say that apart from the good old balti, Brum was a culinary desert.
In 2004, Michelin-starred Kenilworth restaurant Simpsons moved its premises to Edgbaston, signalling a new fine dining era for the city.
A year later Glynn Purnell at the now closed Jessica’s in Edgbaston won Birmingham its first Michelin star. The rest, as they say, is history.
We now have an incredible five Michelin-starred restaurants. This year Aktar Islam’s Opheem joined Adam’s, Carters of Moseley, Purnell’s and Simpsons in the Michelin Guide 2020. Bon appetit, Birmingham.
The Medicine pop up bakery, which opened in 2017 is a cafe and art gallery rolled into one.
At the time of its opening, owner Simon Jones said: “These kind of cafes exist in New York but Birmingham has nothing like this, which perfectly blends food, art and culture.”
As well as enjoying some modern art, Brummies can indulge in cronuts – a delectable cross between a croissant and donut that was only invented in New York in 2013.