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Library off the starting block

Today's Cabinet Meeting started the process of bidding for funds for a new central Library for Birmingham. It may surprise people who live in Birmingham that no bidding for funds had occurred so far. This, however, is the case.

We have not been specific about the location as keeping our options open at this stage gives a better opportunity to achieve a more positive solution.

The option of putting the Library into Birmingham's West End Cultural Quarter is quite a positive one. The West End Cultural Quarter based upon the traditional plan of a civic centre includes the Museum, two Theatres (Crescent and Rep), Symphony Hall, the ICC and a large number of live music venues. (as well as Broad St).

Comments

Bob Piper said…
Only Birmingham Councillors could describe the West End of their City as the cultural part of town. More lap dancing clubs than any city outside of Bangkok, and about as far from the City's Aston University as it is possible to get in the inner City. See what they mean... culture eh?
8:20 pm
Stephen Booth said…
Cool! Somewhere around Broad street sounds a lot better than the proposal to put the central library in the middle of nowhere, like the science museum.
8:33 pm
PoliticalHackUK said…
While I'm not convinced by the spiralling costs of the Richard Rogers design and would like to see Baskerville House put to good use, I don't think that resiting the library to the 'Entertainment Quarter' is right. Placing the library close to Aston and the Science Museum would set the tone for the regeneration of Digbeth/Eastside. A perfectly practical and attractive, purpose-built building could be constructed for a decent price. Anyway Bob, the last culture in Sandwell was found on a piece of cheddar in Tesco. :-)
11:23 pm
Bob Piper said…
Eh, comrade, the biggest arts centre in Europe, the ludicrously titled ThePublic is under development in.... West Bromwich, no less! The thing about Eastside and the 'learning quarter proposals, Stephen, is that when it's developed it won't actually be in the middle of nowhere. Talking of which... where is the boy Hemming? Oh yes, and where do I book my Myrtle Beach Condo?
11:38 pm
John Hemming said…
Gone for a spring break.
7:46 am
Bob Piper said…
What... in Myrtle Beach?
7:32 pm
John Hemming said…
No It may, however, have been Bloxwich. OTOH It may not.
8:59 pm
Bob Piper said…
Surely no-one goes TO Bloxwich
12:05 pm
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