The heart of Birmingham - Birmingham City Centre. It’s home to over a thousand shops and places to eat when you combine the Bullring, Grand Central, and the surrounding streets.
This bustling place is more than just the iconic Bullring Bull and the halls of the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It’s a goldmine of one-of-a-kind experiences, known only to those who truly call themselves ‘Brummies’.
While Birmingham City Centre has plenty to offer tourists, it holds a special place for locals, beyond the well-used paths of Bullring shoppers . These are not your average travel guide experiences, but insider secrets that paint a vivid picture of the city’s unique charm.
We’ll delve into 14 such experiences that are quintessentially Birmingham. Each one is a hidden gem, an experience that only a true Brummie would know and appreciate, in “town”, oh, the city centre.
So, without further ado, let’s explore the lesser-known side of Birmingham City Centre:
1. “Pigeon Park”
St. Philip’s Cathedral? Nah, we call it Pigeon Park. Why? Because the pigeons own that place. It’s also the unofficial meeting spot where you’re guaranteed to bump into someone you know or dodge a pigeon (or twenty) | Carson Liu - stock.adobe.com
2. The Centenary Square Fountain
On a hot summer’s day, you’ll find kids dodging in and out of the fountains at Centenary Square. Join in, or just watch your child and reminisce about the days when you could run through sprinklers without a care in the world. | Flickr
3. The Bullring and Grand Central Escalator Standoff
It’s an unspoken rule – stand on the right, walk on the left. Break it at your own risk. You’ll either get tutted at or end up in an awkward dance with a hurried commuter or shopper. | Flickr
4. The Bullring Bull
It’s practically a rite of passage to take a picture with the iconic Bullring Bull. But here’s the Brummie twist – you’ve got to capture it wearing something ridiculous. Whether it’s a Santa hat at Christmas or a giant scarf in the winter, that bull gets more wardrobe changes than a Brummie heading out on a Saturday night. | Flickr