Written by Nicky Getgood on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 ( Start discussion )
Tags: dave harte, st patricks festival
Dave Harte pointed out the St Patrick’s parade map to me. Here it is.
Written by Nicky Getgood on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 ( 2 responses )
Tags: birmingham coach station, carl, cashpoint, dave harte, digbeth coach station, more canals than venice, national express, nyeexpress, pixiesixer, snowblind
Back in December, Carl contacted National Express to see if a much-needed cashpoint would be installed in the new Birmingham Coach Station. They answered that ‘there are plans for a cash machine to go in early 2010′, which made Digbeth residents very happy.
Whilst spending New Year in the coach station, I lost count of the number of times I was asked, “Where’s the cashpoint?” Unfortunately, the new ticket machines bear an uncanny resemblance to ATM’s, which caused much confusion, especially for those who’d celebrated the New Year hard.
Man at a ticket machine, by Katchooo
A few days ago I was reminded about the awaited coach station cashpoint by promoter of all things Brum Pixie Sixer, so I emailed National Express asking if there were still plans for one and when it might be installed. I received a reply saying they thought it would be ‘coming soon’, but they’d check things out and get back.
Unfortunately their investigations established that it won’t be coming as soon as many of us might like. A lovely lady wrote to me explaining that she had ‘Had a chat with our man in charge of the cash machine. He informs me that banks aren’t installing new points at the moment because of the economic climate.’ Oh dear. It seems we must wait for the banks to recover from the credit crunch before they treat the coach station (and Digbeth) to a cashpoint. Until then, we’ll need to keep paying that extra £1.50 or get cashback with that.
However, as Dave Harte commented yesterday, ‘As much as we’ve all moaned about lack of signposting and cashpoints perhaps having neither is your greatest asset’ in preserving the ‘industrial/arts balance’ of the area. So it could be a cloud with a silver lining.
Written by Nicky Getgood on Monday, November 30th, 2009 ( 6 responses )
Tags: andy munro, anna blackaby, Birmingham Post, dave harte, digbeth study, Fazeley Studios, microsoft, rare games
So all of Birmingham’s buzzing with the news that Microsoft subsidiary Rare Games are set to move into the remaining vacant Fazeley Studios. Martin Mullaney thinks it’s ‘awesome’. The Birmingham Post have visually interpreted the big news in an interesting way – a massive, Microsoft bat-signal emanating from Digbeth. I’m liking this. I’m liking this so much I want it to be first of my three wishes to Andy Munro, in response to the the genie-style last question of his Digbeth Study:
My second wish is for many local loud-speakers to play the Intel sound logo to accompany the Microsoft bat-signal. Both can go off whenever one of the many Digbeth websites gets updated. It could be a bit like Twitter blog updates for those not on Twitter. Or something. My third and final wish is for the following not to happen:
For some reason I imagine these Rare Games people to be big-shot Yanks. I’m sure they’re not, but it placed a picture in my head – I’m walking through the Fazeley Studios corridors and meet a dashing American, who flashes me a bright-white smile. He says Hey There and tells me he’s new in town, and asks if I can help. I say Of Course (anything for you). Then he asks, Where’s the nearest cashpoint, decent parking, supermarket, mobile phone signal? I look uncomfortably on whilst realisation dawns – he has traded in his land of milk and honey for a place with None Of The Above.
According to Dave Harte, the best way to prevent this is to take Anna Blackaby’s advice of developing a Digbeth Business Improvement District (BID). I honestly don’t know if this is the answer, I just know I don’t want to disappoint the dashing American. Can you fix that for me Andy Munro? Pretty please?
Written by Nicky Getgood on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 ( One response )
Tags: Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City University., dave harte, Ikon Eastside, Joe Holyoak, philip singleton
Digbeth: Past, Present & Future :: Ikon Gallery – I know I’ve mentioned this before but I’m mentioning it again in a shameless act of self-promotion, as it seems I’m chairing the panel discussion due to take place after the screening of old found news footage. Speakers talking about what the future might hold for Digbeth include Philip Singleton, Assistant Director Planning & Regeneration, Birmingham City Council, Digbeth based architect Joe Holyoak and Dave Harte, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at Birmingham City University.
It’s 6.30–8.30pm on 6th Oct at Ikon Eastside. Places are free but should be reserved by calling Ikon on 0121 248 0708.
Written by Nicky Getgood on Sunday, September 28th, 2008 ( Start discussion )
Tags: ard tv, bmag, Custard Factory, dave harte, Digbethisgood, gunbarrelproofhouse, links, Spotted Dog, stmartinschurch, toblog
Birmingham Post: Digbeth articles We Are Eastside – arts and culture
