I wrote on this blog a couple of years ago about how impressed I was with the regeneration work done in Birmingham city centre, and particularly the area around the Gas Street Basin and the Mailbox. Last week at Conference I had chance for another good look, and I saw nothing to alter my opinion.
There has been some grumbling about the size of the main Conference hall at the ICC, and whilst we could certainly have done with a larger auditorium, that is as much a product of a successful Conference with a united, enthused and popular party as it is the size of the venue. Perhaps when Conference returns to Birmingham in 2010 we can make more use of the Symphony Hall – even if it does have red seats! Considering the whole package though, I thought that the ICC together with the Hyatt provided an excellent Conference venue – big enough to accomodate all the events that accompany such a big Conference but compact enough to get from one fringe to another in good time (although it was a bit of a maze in parts). I won’t be in a hurry to pay the prices in the Hyatt bar again either, but I suppose that is just an occupational hazard of Party Conferences and I doub that the Midland next year will be any cheaper!
Equally impressive is the wide range of bars, restaurants and amenities within an easy walking distance of the ICC. I think that the developments along the canalside at Brindley Place, the Gas Street Basin and the Mailbox are absolutely fabulous. The Mailbox of course includes the regional BBC operations for Birmingham and the West Midlands – I hope that those involved with the intimate details of MediaCity:UK at Salford Quays have looked at the Gas Street waterfront, because it looks fantastic. MediaCity:UK of course will be much bigger and better, and I’m hugely excited by the potential that we have to take the excellent work they’ve done at the Mailbox and Gas Street Basin and make it ten times bigger and ten times better.
Another common grumble was the price of accomodation in a big city like Birmingham compared to a seaside town like Blackpool. I know some friends who did pay through the roof, but our accomodation at the Arc Apartments was both excellent value (£25pppn) and high quality – highly recommended for 2010. Talking to the manager on duty there, he said that they were hoping to have a considerable number of extra apartments available in two years time, which is excellent news for the Conference punter.
Fortunately for me, accomodation for Conference 2009 in Manchester will be less of a problem!
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