I’m a born and bred Brummie and so proud of my home city and I love living here.
But as a teenager back in the 80s I couldn’t wait to get out of the place - as fast as I could. Why my parents would leave the beauty of the west coast of Ireland for concrete collar Birmingham was beyond my comprehension - especially as so many of their relations moved to cool places, like New York!
After my A levels I got myself to New York on a Camp America scheme. It was great, but I was glad to come back Birmingham and Blighty.
I got a job at Britannic Assurance (when it was in Moseley) for a year - before I headed off to London to study Politics and Modern History at Brunel University.
Upon graduating I moved into a flat share in Clapham Junction and got a job in children’s book publishing in South Kensington. But despite the bright lights and buzz of London I came back to Birmingham as much as I could, moving back permanently after a decade in The Old Smoke.
I’m not the only person to quit the capital for Birmingham, the Second City of England. Latest statistics tell us that between 6,000 and 7,770 thousand people are leaving Birmingham for London each year since 2017.
In fact, Birmingham is the most popular city of choice for London leavers by some distance. If we look at the figures for 2020, there were 6,519 people who moved to Brum from London - with Brighton the second most popular city with 5,558. You can see the full listing in our story here.
And with HS2 there are some who believe this could escalate further. Some London publications have even referred to Birmingham as a ‘commuter city’.
But as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, home to world leading cultural icons like the Peaky Blinders and heavy metal Birmingham is very much a city in its own right.
Here are 10 reason I quit London for Birmingham:
1. Freedom
London is vast, there’s no mistaking. And there are so many exciting things to see and do at any one time. But that can be overwhelming. And getting about on London transport isn’t always that easy. In fact it can be quicker to travel up to Birmingham than it is to get to one side of London to the other. As a result you can end up living in a much smaller area, staying closer to home or work as that’s the easiest option. Whereas in Birmingham it’s a lot simpler to get around on trains, buses and the tram. And you can also drive to places a lot easier than London too.
2. The youngest city in Europe
Birmingham is a great place to live and work for youngsters and our city has the youngest population in the continent, with under-25s accounting for nearly 40% of our population. There are over 400 schools, 15 universities and three University colleges within one hour’s drive of the city. With a youthful spirit and relentless drive It’s no wonder that Birmingham also has a thriving start-up business scene too with hundreds of creative businesses breaking through. The city remains a champion of innovation since its days as leader of the industrial revolution.
3. Delicious dining
There’s no mistaking, London has got some great restaurants, but Birmingham also has one of the best dining scenes in the country. It encompasses French fine dining, global fusion, craft cocktails, local brews and more. The city is home to six Michelin star restaurants - the highest number in the UK outside London. There’s Adams, Opheem and Purnells in the city centre, Carters in Moseley, Grace & Savour in Solihull and Simpsons in Edgbaston and Upstairs by Tom Shepherd in Lichfield. There are many other brilliant independent venues offering fantastic, innovative food too - The Wilderness in the Jewellery Quarter and Harborne Kitchen to mention just two. Popular London wine brands Vagabond and Vinoteca recently joined the scene from London - Birmingham was the first destination both chose for their expansion, we fully understand why. We’re also home to Albert Schloss, which began in Manchester, and Indian street food heroes Bundobust - which already has venues in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester - are opening up in the city centre soon as well.
4. Cost of living
There’s no denying - even with London weighting - everyday life is much cheaper in Birmingham compared to London. According to cost of living calculator Expatistan, it is 34% cheaper to live in Birmingham than it is in London. Here’s their listing: Food is 6% cheaper, housing is 39% cheaper; clothes are 18% cheaper; transport is 43% cheaper; entertainment is 26% cheaper. Although it rates personal care 5% higher in Birmingham than London.