Birmingham tourism chiefs respond to Peaky Blinders theme park reports

There’s no doubt that Tommy Shelby and his Peaky Blinders crew have put Birmingham on the map like never before.

The popular TV drama created by Brummie writer Steven Knight, who was inspired by his family history, has won fans across the globe - especially in the USA. Now there are unconfirmed reports that Birmingham is set to host a Peaky Blinders theme park.

Steve Knight has been unable to respond to the rumours, but tourism chiefs at West Midlands Growth Company and Birmingham City Council have issued responses.

And while the theme park reports remain unsettled it seems there could be plans afoot for a permanent Peaky Blinders attraction and/ or experience for Birmingham and the Black Country.

The Peaky Blinders BBC series, starring Cillian Murphy in the lead role as Tommy Shelby, is based on a real life Birmingham gang active during the industrial revolution when life in the city underwent huge change.

Some of the most iconic scenes from the series were filmed at the Black Country Living Museum. Birmingham has hosted world premieres for each new series and an impressive Peaky Blinders Festival was held in the city in 2018 with hunderds of actors from the show and a performance from Liam Gallagher.

And a Peaky Blinders dance show based on the TV series was created by Rambert. A Peaky Blinders film is due out soon, with Steven Knight confirming that the script was almost finished towards the end of last year.

What Birmingham tourism chiefs say about Peaky Blinders theme park reports

Neil Rami, Chief Executive, West Midlands Growth Company, said: “Peaky Blinders is a West Midlands success story, putting Birmingham and the Black Country on the map with visitors.

“This year we are working extensively on a campaign focusing on the impact of the hit series and the West Midlands’ screen tourism sector.

“It is a no-brainer to consider doing something more permanent for visitors to celebrate Peaky and the upcoming film, so we have launched a feasibility study to investigate whether a new experience or attraction would be viable.”

Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:“Birmingham is central to the Peaky Blinders story, with the city and Black Country’s streets relayed to millions of homes in the UK and across the world.

“Beyond Peaky Blinders’ popularity, the appeal of Birmingham as a prime location for leading national and international filmmakers has grown, with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise recently calling the city home for filming projects.”