Why now?
Brum is a great city to head to for the January sales, with a huge number of shops to trawl. Add into the mix fun and varied restaurants and nightlife, plus a decent arts scene, and this unfairly maligned city ticks all the boxes for an indulgent quick break, as well as being widely accessible for a large proportion of the population.
How do I approach the shopping then?
Bargain clothes can be hunted down at the iconic Bullring, one of Britain’s most popular shopping centres, home to 160 of the usual high street suspects, from Topshop to Selfridges. Sort through discounted designer wear at The Mailbox, an old Royal Mail sorting office turned designer mall, featuring Harvey Nichols, Hugo Boss and Emporio Armani. Or for something more original head to Disorder, a cool independent boutique, just off New Street; down to Digbeth to snoop around the Custard Factory (including the Sunday flea market), with shops such as Cow Vintage Clothing; or the Great Western Arcade, a restored Victorian gem with a wide variety of retailers – everything from designer shops to cigar and whisky parlours. A handful of beauty bars in the stores, and a spa within the Malmaison hotel – also inside the complex – offer a time out from scrabbling among the rails. Another top place to relax is The Spa at The Cube, where a day pass to access the pool, saunas and salt room starts at £35.
What’s new?
Later this year yet another colossal shopping centre will open, above the revamped New Street station: Grand Central Birmingham will hold 40 shops, including the largest John Lewis outside London.
What to do once I’m done with shopping?
For culture head to the Library of Birmingham, which opened in 2013. Its flamboyant facade divides opinion (it looks like an enormous present wrapped in gold Christmas paper) but the view over the city from the rooftop is fabulous. For more fresh air, with stops for tea or beers, walk by the canal from nearby Brindley Place; or for more culture the Ikon gallery is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a series of special exhibitions and events. Edible Eastside is an urban garden project in Digbeth combining gardening and art; its monthly First Friday event hosts a mini food fair and outdoor film screenings.
Anywhere to stay for under £100?
Of course! Bloc is a budget hotel with small but sort-of stylish rooms, with king-size pocket-sprung beds and wet rooms. Most standard doubles are between £40-£55 a night through January.
What’s for dinner?
Relative newcomer Adam’s is already Michelin-starred (one of four in the city) and has a three-course lunchtime tasting menu for £32. Then there’s La Tour hotel’s new steak place, La Tour Grill; Sabai Sabai for Thai; and about a zillion other good options too.
Where do I party
For drinks in the Jewellery Quarter, the Rose Villa Tavern is a creative take on the classic pub, with Victorian stained-glass windows and green tiling offset by madcap touches such as fairy-lit tree branches, antler chandeliers and a red phone box. In the city centre, the Jekyll and Hyde serves cocktails in anything but glasses in its Alice in Wonderland-themed garden and obsessively well-stocked gin parlour. For live music there’s Jools Holland’s Jam House (also in the Jewellery Quarter) or the Bull’s Head in Moseley; the gay quarter is just south of the city centre; or try Scandi bar Nörjske in Edgbaston.
Do I need a car?
Nope. It’s one of the best connected cities in the country for rail passengers, though it’s easy to find on a map too if you want to drive.
