Comments on: Option C2 http://bigcitytalk.org.uk/681/option-c2/ A Place To Talk About Birmingham's Big City Plan Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:04:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: nick_carson http://bigcitytalk.org.uk/681/option-c2/comment-page-1/#comment-265 nick_carson Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:40:33 +0000 http://bigcity.paradisecircus.com/?p=681#comment-265 I think this option needs to be combined with C5, raising the question of what would make Birmingham genuinely renowned as a retail centre outside of the region. It should be known for more than just super-sized high-street shopping. A key part of the global appeal should be in the diversity and the specialism of the outlets that can be found within walking distance of main transport hubs like New Street, so visitors seek out particular shops or clusters of shops that they couldn't find anywhere else.<br><br>But it's also crucial to make the City Centre - particularly areas that are immediately visible when you first arrive as an outsider - visibly about more than just shopping. Bull Ring is great, but there's a risk of people thinking that Birmingham is just a series of giant shopping centres (and I've heard that opinion.) I think this option needs to be combined with C5, raising the question of what would make Birmingham genuinely renowned as a retail centre outside of the region. It should be known for more than just super-sized high-street shopping. A key part of the global appeal should be in the diversity and the specialism of the outlets that can be found within walking distance of main transport hubs like New Street, so visitors seek out particular shops or clusters of shops that they couldn't find anywhere else.

But it's also crucial to make the City Centre – particularly areas that are immediately visible when you first arrive as an outsider – visibly about more than just shopping. Bull Ring is great, but there's a risk of people thinking that Birmingham is just a series of giant shopping centres (and I've heard that opinion.)

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