Life In Birmingham

Birmingham is the second largest and most populous city in the UK after London. Covering over 80 square miles, it also makes one of the largest cities in Europe. It is a major business and tourist center with buildings of varying architectural designs. This coupled with the culture of the Brummies conspire to make Birmingham a vibrant and dynamic city.

There are several things that define life in any city: The people, culture and infrastructure. By the time we are through with discussing each of these, you will have an idea of what living in Birmingham is like.

The people of Birmingham

Though English-speaking people have been described as frosty by a few people, people living in Birmingham paint a whole new picture of friendliness and hospitability. It is not uncommon to find people chatting in shops and bars, unlike in London. Brummies are also not as pretentious as the people of London or as proud as people living in northern UK cities. Birmingham is literally and metaphorically the middle ground between the north and London.

Culture

Without mentioning football which is the most popular culture in the UK, Birmingham hosts a rich variety of great events due to the large community of people from different origins. There are many Caribbean, Irish and South Asian immigrants. Consequently, big events like St. Patrick’s Day, Diwali Fireworks and Handsworth Carnival are a commonplace in the cosmopolitan city.

Infrastructure and environment

Birmingham’s architecture portrays great ambition. Amazing brutalist buildings such as the Nat West Tower and the old Central Library are the epitome of the re-build of the city after the Second World War. Unlike many big cities in other parts of the world, Birmingham has many trees. In fact, living in some areas around the city such as Bourneville and Edgbaston may make you feel like you are not in a city. Housing is reasonably priced as compared to London, thus giving you an opportunity to have a big city life without much of a hassle.

Though public transport channels are not as well-planned as in London, Birmingham enjoys being connected to the rest of the country. It has 9 local rail lines which quickly link you to services to UK cities and towns