'Unhinged' plans to transform Broad Street venue
'Unhinged' plans to transform Broad Street venue
PLUS: Budget cut vote today
Dear Patchers — Welcome to your Tuesday briefing.
We’ve got a critical council decision around the budget today, a planning proposal to attach a huge tower of flats to a grade II listed building, and International Women’s Day wine tasting among other updates in your briefing. That last one certainly speaks to how much the global event has changed over the years.
Much like the early crocuses and daffodils that are popping up, the Patcher community is growing. We are well on the way to hitting 500 paid-up members this month which is fantastic. We aim to get there before April (and spring is truly upon us). Furthermore, we also have 12,341 free subscribers which shows just how much appetite there is for a different model of journalism in the city.
If you are receiving this newsletter for free, for the price of a couple of takeaway coffees a month, please do consider joining our growing group of paying Patchers. Doing so gives you access to our past paywalled pieces, including excellent long reads on Brum’s libraries and The Custard Factory. You can subscribe via the button below. Until next time. Dan.
Brum in Brief
🏛️Critical council meeting looms: This afternoon councillors will meet to vote on a budget which will wave through huge cuts to local services cuts as well as eye-watering council tax rises. Youth centres, bin collections, culture grants, libraries and street lighting are all expected to be hit. Last weekend, union members and campaigners gathered in Victoria Square to protest the proposals building on weeks of outcry and petitioning. Local democracy reporter Alexander Brock has more, here.
🚧An unusual planning application to transform the grade II listed Zara’s bar, club and grill on Broad Street has been submitted to the council. The squat brick building could have a 42-storey tower of flats attached with a wrapped glass public viewing platform if HJB Investments Ltd gets its way. A reader sent it into The Dispatch calling it “unhinged” but not everyone agrees. Chris, on X/Twitter, said: “It’s different, unlike anything else in the city! Approve & get it built!” Full application here.
👩🚒Speedy fire crews: As Brummies prepare for public services to get worse over the coming months, with everything from bin collections to streetlights on the chopping block, it’s heartening to hear that the West Midlands has the third fastest firefighter response time in the country. The average time to respond is seven minutes 19 seconds. The data is taken for the quarter ending September 2023 but it also shows that for neighbours in Hereford, Worcester and Staffordshire response times are, worryingly, up to four minutes slower on average.
🐶Doggy paradise: A new Waggel study has found that Solihull is in the top five places in the UK where inhabitants are most likely to own a dog. The study, which uses 2023 government data on both dog and human populations, found that in Solihull there are 252 dogs per 1000 humans. A ratio of circa one dog to every four people. Hereford also makes the top three.
🍷International Women’s Day Wine: For fans of Beaujolais, Bordeaux, and Sauvignon Blanc, Kings Heath’s popular Grace and James is hosting an International Women’s Day wine tasting this coming Friday. The proprietors promise to “guide you through 6 samples of wines, which have been produced by some of our favourite female winemakers.” It all kicks off at 7.30pm. While I’m no wine expert, I can confirm every gift I’ve bought from this York Rd outlet has been very well suggested. Tickets here.
😄Wellbeing in Cov: This Thursday, the Belgrade Theatre is hosting an all-day event which aims to use creativity, culture and connection to improve mental and physical wellbeing. Sessions are free and range from world music to mindfulness and poetry workshops. There’s even a complimentary drink. Excellent stuff. More info at a click.
Demo against City Council cuts to the Arts outside the Rep this afternoon at 4:30. 5th of March. I’ll be there as part of the Musicians’ Union group.
Can someone explain why so very many flats are being built in Birmingham centre? I mean, yes we need places for people to live, but not all people are (or remain) young singles/ couples and the ratio of flats to family houses (or family-appropriate flats with lots of storage space and play areas) seems really unbalanced. Are these flats all going to be for sale, or are some build-to-rent, how many are social housing, is there any control for service charge increases, what resources such as schools, GPs, affordable supermarkets etc. are being built alongside them? And why would you simultaneously remove the cinemas, libraries, etc. that might make people want to live in Birmingham in the first place?