Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Destination Guides

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Previous issues for Birmingham

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United Kingdom : Birmingham - March 2009

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Getting around

Birmingham International

Bus: Buses from the airport to the city centre leave every 30 minutes and a single fare costs €1,95/£1.50.
Train: Trains run from Birmingham International to New Street Station; the journey will take around 10-20 minutes and a return ticket will cost €7/£5.30 before 9.30am and €4,50/£3.40 after 9.30am.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport into the city centre will cost around €22/£17 and take about 40 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is at The Rotunda, 150 New Street (tel. , beinbirmingham. com).

MOSELEY

Victorian Birmingham’s best address, Moseley’s handsome heritage properties are now colonised by students, creatives and musicians.

Sleep soundly – The family-run Wake Green Lodge Hotel (20 Wake Green Road, tel. , rooms from €59/£55) serves an organic breakfast and has free Wi-Fi.

Must eat – Upmarket Kashmiri restaurant Kababish (29 Woodbridge Road, tel. ) lures visiting celebs, while French restaurant Bistro Lyonnais (13 St Mary’s Row, tel. ) does a delicious onion soup.

Must drink – An iconic Moseley boozer famous for its glorious art deco tiling, The Fighting Cocks (1 St Mary’s Row) serves yoga mums by day and hardpartying Moseley-ites by night.

Shop til you drop – While away a sunny Saturday at the monthly Moseley Arts Market (every fourth Saturday, along Alcester Road), where Moseley’s many artists showcase their wares, refuelling with a plump Brummie cob (soft sandwich) from the adjacent food market.

KINGS HEATH

Long benighted by its drab high street, Kings Heath is blossoming into Brum’s epicentre of green and alternative living.

Sleep soundly – Polar Bear (10 York Road) is one of the best record stores in the Midlands to pick up rare vinyl. Rub elbows with locals poring over the racks for a rare-issue UB40.

Must eat – If anywhere epitomises the revolution in the Heath it’s Kitchen Garden Café (17 York Road, tel. ), a quirky organic café/ performance space/garden store. Come for cabaret night, on the first Sunday of the month. Or fill up on-thehoof, with a steaming savoury patties from Caribbean Sam (12 Poplar Road, tel. ).

Must drink – It’s had a lick of paint since Frank Skinner started his standup comedy career here, but Hare & Hounds (106 High Street) retains its tattered charm. You can look for the next Brummie funny man at the Hare of the Dog comedy club on Sundays.

Shop til you drop – Head to vintage store Top Banana (14 York Road) or bespoke shirt-maker and tailor Benjamin Vaughan (21a York Road) to replenish your wardrobe.

DIGBETH

Occupying an urban belt to the south of Birmingham’s gleaming Bullring complex, Digbeth’s old factory spaces have been given new life by nightclubs, bars and boutique arts businesses.

Must eat – Digbeth stalwart Ulysses (42a Bristol Street, tel. ) dishes up the best moussaka in Brum.

Must drink – The oldest pub in Birmingham, The Old Crown (118 High Street), cuts an incongruous figure on this industrial road. Its frothing ales can’t be beaten.

Dance the night away – Barfly (78 Digbeth High Street) has a knack for breaking indie and rock acts.

SOLIHULL

This well-heeled satellite town is famous for its fiercely groomed blondes and outlying gastro pubs.

Sleep soundly – After your beltbusting spread at their adjacent restaurant, recline on cool white linens at Hogarths Hotel (Four Ashes Road, tel. , hogarths. co.uk, rooms from €140/£130).

Must eat – Don’t miss bass with baby leeks and saffron oil at fabulous modern British restaurant Hogarths (Four Ashes Road, tel. ). Or, for relaxed bistro fare like ravioli of mushrooms with sweet potato and dill, try The Fat Cat (165 High Street, tel. ).

Must drink – The Fieldhouse (10 Knightcote Drive) has Solihull’s best selection of real ales and generous portions of pub food.

Compiled by Sally Howard