Here is the news... and it’s pretty good for once
THIS month I’m focusing on one thing only: good news. In recent weeks I’ve spoken to many in the business community who have hit “crisis fatigue”.
It’s been one thing after another for at least the last three years and no sign of slowing yet.
There’s a whole lot of need for discussing the challenges, urgently getting businesses support and calling for Government action – expect to see plenty of that through our Chamber policy and campaigns activity…but not in the next 700 or so words.
These are for sharing some of the good things I’ve been hearing out and about around the business community. The stuff that’s left me with a bit of the warm glow as the nights draw in.
The first is the ongoing momentum following some of the summer’s successes.
Just last week I was delighted to welcome Stuart Thomas, Head of Midlands for the BBC, to a private discussion with our Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce patrons.
Back in the heady days of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games the BBC announced a major investment in Digbeth.
They’re taking over the derelict Typhoo Tea factory in Digbeth and turning it into a state-of-the-art broadcast centre.
And just next door? Digbeth Loc Studios – the brainchild of Birmingham superfan and Peaky Blinders genius Steven Knight.
Following the BBC’s move, MasterChef will be produced there. Only fitting for our city so well known for its fabulous food – we’re The
Good Food Guide’s “most exciting food destination of 2022” don’t you know.
Digbeth Loc is going to be home to production of Stephen Knight’s new six-part BBC drama ‘Two-Tone’ too (filming starts this month) with a Peaky Blinders film set to follow suit in the months ahead as well.
Following these announcements, word on the grapevine is that major streaming services have also taken a big interest in producing content in Brum too.
A key ingredient in rising investment in Digbeth is the development of the HS2 Curzon Station and the master planning that’s come with it
to open up this part of the city to more local (as well as national) public transport.
Further reinforcement of the critical role this long-needed investment in the UK’s rail infrastructure is already playing in driving levelling up and wider regeneration.
Now, we’ve been talking about Digbeth as Birmingham’s creative quarter and centre for media production for some time.
As Mike Hopkins, Principal of South & City College Birmingham (our host for the meeting at SCCB’s Digbeth Campus), gestured to the view out of the windows, pointing out sites earmarked for development and new businesses springing up – it was pretty clear: it’s no longer talk, it’s happening.
And it’s not the only thing that’s happening around the city. Something else that’s left me quietly excited about this November is a number of investments in education and entrepreneurship: state of the art facilities like University College Birmingham’s new Engineering and Sustainable Construction Centre.
The Greater Birmingham and
Solihull Institute of Technology Hub at Aston University. Or STEAMHouse Birmingham, with its entrepreneurial eco-system and high spec office and business support facilities that formally opened its doors in October. And there’s been quite the flurry of office and venue openings too, particularly within 103 Colmore Row which certainly seems to be filling up fast with businesses keen to invest in their presence in Birmingham.
And it won’t be too long before One Centenary Way (that big black steel framed thing going up near Centenary Square) is ready to welcome
Arup’s third largest global office next summer.
I’ve also heard from businesses bouncing back after the challenges of Covid.
As just two examples; I host a podcast called CEO Stories, an ideal excuse for me to nab leading figures in business for 40 minutes and ask them many questions.
My last guest was the inimitable Paul Thandi, CEO of the NEC Group.
His journey with the NEC after it rebounded this year, and mighty growth plans ahead, was inspiring.
Simon Evans, head of corporate affairs and marketing at Birmingham Airport, spoke at our Asian Business Chamber of Commerce Diwali celebration on the remarkable rate of return of passengers since Covid measures ended in just March – and the good news that Air India are now running six flights a week to India as a result.
More good news has followed since with new Ryanair, Aegean and Loganair announcing increases to their offerings from BHX too.
And that’s not even the half of it. In our last Quarterly Business Report – our long running temperature check of the local economy – 40 per cent of businesses expected profitability to improve over the next 12 months.
We’re currently surveying for Q4. But purely from anecdotal conversations, there’s still a lot to be positive about even within the very real challenges of today.
So while the world is far from perfect right now, I’ve enjoyed this moment to pause and reflect on just some of the very good local business community things I’ve been fortunate to be part of over the last couple of months.
I hope you have too.
Purely from anecdotal conversations, there’s still a lot to be positive about even within the very real challenges of today.