Watch: Birmingham’s Floozie in the Jacuzzi is getting a spruce up

Birmingham’s iconic Floozie in the Jacuzzi is set for a multi-million pound make-over ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games along with other parts of Victoria Square.

Officially part of an artwork called The River, by Dhurava Mistry, the much loved piece will go for a full refurbishment before being returned to pride of place at the centre of Birmingham later in the year

The refurb on the floozie is all part of a grand plan to get the city ready for Birmingham 2022.

What else is being improved - along with The Floozie?

It has been almost 30 years since significant improvements have been made to the city centre’s public spaces - Victoria Square was pedestrianised in 1993.

Over the years there have been attempts to repair the fountains around the Jacuzzi with costs being the limiting factor.

The Sculpture which is officially known as “The River” was temporarily surrounded by flowers and shrubs 2015.

Work on the £12.395 million first phase of improvement works in the city started in the summer.

The latest phase will see improvements to Victoria Square, including The River being repaired and reinstated as a fountain, along with improved security measures to replace current temporary arrangements.

And come next spring the floozie will once again be in the centre of a stunning water feature

What are the total costs of the scheme?

The cost of the scheme overall is £20.478million - £5million of that is from the Government’s Transforming Cities fund with the rest from clean Air Zone revenues.

The works to improve the city centre should allow for more seating areas, better security and of course showcasing what should be a beautiful city centre.

The council hope that all of the improvements will give a much needed economic boost to a city still recovering from the pandemic.

Who is undertaking the work and what do the council say?

CPC Civils are undertaking the refurbishment work on behalf of the Council.

Project Manager Darren Green is pleased that that work is running smoothly.

Cllr Jayne Francis, Cabinet Member, Birmingham City Council, said: “We’ve got a lot of work to do in Victoria Square to make sure that everything is ready for us to be in the spotlight next year for the Commonwealth Games.

“[The Floozie] She’s going off and she’s going to come back looking brand new.

“There’s a lot going on with all the refurbishment works and it will all come together and that’s very important for local people, to local businesses and all the international visitors that will be arriving in the city next year.

“Victoria Square is where we hold our festivals, even demonstrations and protests. The statue is a focal point for our city and she’s gorgeous. Can’t wait to get her back.”

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