Can Birmingham beat the constant bashing?

Can Birmingham beat the constant bashing?, writes Henrietta Brealey.

That was the headline of the latest national newspaper comment piece on this great city. Which, predictably, went on to bash Birmingham.

Bloomsbury based Will Lloyd’s piece in the Times has certainly stoked some debate online.

If you haven’t read it, I wouldn’t bother. It’s a rehash of all the stereotypes and negative headlines from ruminating on industrial decline, to council crises and the recent disturbing trend of vloggers (and the occasional politician) with an agenda descending on the Soho Road to make pointed comments about deprivation and multiculturalism.

One thing he did get right was Birmingham’s reputation for ‘ironical humour’. Rather than launching into an impassioned defence of the city, the top comment on a thread about this article on the r/brum subreddit is ‘Sorry but I can’t take anyone with a haircut like that seriously’. Make a joke about it and crack on. Very Brum.

But rather than let people like the article’s author and the aforementioned vloggers dictate ‘Birmingham’s image’ I believe it’s time for proud residents of Brum to take back the narrative.

To (and I can’t quite believe I’m writing this) take a Trumpian tactic and use it for good, ‘flood the zone’ with a positive outlook on this great city.

Because, oh yes, this city has a whole lot going for it.

We’ve got heritage – from a fascinating history of innovation, icons of industry and the industrial revolution to today’s Jewellery Quarter where artisan jewellers sit side by side with artisan tap rooms and bakeries.

The iconic story of the Peaky Blinders has captured audiences worldwide. Moseley was Tolkein’s inspiration for the Shire in Lord of the Rings.

The classic of American literature, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – with the iconic “headless horseman” – was written here in Brum. And so much more besides.

We’ve got culture – from the UK’s busiest theatre (the Hippodrome) to the internationally acclaimed Birmingham Royal Ballet and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, all pushing boundaries in their genres. 

Plus festivals galore (Birmingham Jazz Festival, Moseley Folk Festival, Sandwell & Birmingham Mela (the biggest South Asian music festival in Europe), Supersonic Festival, Birmingham Literature Festival - to name just a few).

We’ve got sports, sports, sports – with Aston Villa rocketing into Champions League knockout stages and Birmingham City on top in League One, delighting fans with a ‘battle of the USA superstars’ rivalry with Wrexham. Plus, the city hosting major national and international sporting events in everything from athletics to kabaddi.

We’ve got investment – barely a week goes by when I don’t hear about a business choosing Brum to invest or expand, lured in by the strength of the city’s education institutions, diverse business ecosystem, transport connectivity and more.

Blues’ owners are looking to invest a whopping £3bn in creating a Sports Quarter for the city and Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight has already opened Digbeth Loc. Studio, close to the BBC’s forthcoming Tea Factory site.

Film and TV production is on the up and with Alison Hammond on just about everything and Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham coming to our TV screens later this year. The Brummies are taking over.

And as for the food…more on that later.

In fact nothing sums up just how much is happening in Brum for me quite like 5 July, 2025.

Over the course of that one weekend we’ve got:

Black Sabbath’s final gig at Villa Park – featuring a globally-significant line-up with Metallica, Slayer and many more massive bands besides supporting Black Sabbath here in the city that the heavy metal genre was born.

And they’re not the only Brummie icon and musical legend in town for a farewell gig - Jeff Lynne’s ELO Over and Out Tour will be delighting crowds at the Utilita Arena.

Over at Edgbaston Stadium, the England vs India Test Match will be in full swing. Birmingham’s reputation as an iconic destination for national and international sport has continued to blossom in the years since the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In terms of global audience, England vs India is a big one.

Then back in the city centre Colmore BID’s annual Food Festival will be taking over Victoria Square.

Birmingham’s culinary scene is truly extraordinary. Whether you’re looking for Michelin starred fine dining, flavour packed street food or creative dining experiences – this city’s got it in buckets.

Handsworth and the Soho Road deserve another look too. Yes, by all the statistics it is one of the most deprived wards in a city of over 1.2 million people. And, yes, if you go to a deprived ward in any great city, from London to Lisbon, Manchester to Madrid, you will find visible signs of that deprivation.

In Handsworth, you will also find a lively shopping district primarily catering to the region’s South Asian market. There might not be an Oliver Bonas on the Soho Road, but as Husna Anjum’s 2023 Birmingham Live article points out, it’s a cracking place to find everything from Asian wedding outfits, to bargain homewares and delicious sweet treats.

There are not one, but two outstanding grammar schools in Handsworth, just off the Soho Road. And the creative history of the place is fascinating – everyone from Tony Iommi to Jamelia, Apache Indian and Benjamin Zephania have their roots in Handsworth.

Every city’s got its problems. But not every city lets those pull focus from its strengths. Narrative matters. Let’s be unrelating in tackling the issues behind closed doors but equally unabashed in celebrating this city’s many exceptional assets in public.

Now if you have read this far, I’m willing to bet that you, like me, agree: it’s time for a change of approach. The good news is you’re not alone.

Earlier this month I had the great pleasure of revealing Brumbassadors – a new movement of businesses championing Birmingham from the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and our partners Birmingham City Football Club (yes, I’ve been having far too much fun with this). The response has been just awesome. I cannot wait for the official launch event on 8 April.

So, this is your rallying call – let’s take back Birmingham’s story and flood the zone with positivity.

My first draft of this article was practically a dissertation. Trust me, there’s plenty to talk about.

Henrietta Brealey is CEO of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

This column first appeared in the Birmingham Post