The third part of our series of the UK’s top cities for property investment features Birmingham. From youngest population to most Michelin star restaurants and High Speed Rail, there’s a lot to shout about in Birmingham.
Birmingham is one of those cities in the UK, that’s had a hard time but is now leveraging its potential by turning it into great features. From historic greatness to modern reinvention and global multiculturalism, here’s what Birmingham is all about.
1. Young population
Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe, with under 25s accounting for over 40% of the population. One third of the city’s inhabitants are of ethnic minority, making it one of the most multicultural places in the UK.
2. Michelin stars
Birmingham has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other English city outside of London. And 90% of the rest of the UK’s population can reach the city in less than 4 hours.
3. The Bull Ring
Birmingham is home to the Bull Ring. A shopping site that has existed for over 800 years and currently attracts over 20 million customers a year with its five retail markets.
4. The Jewellery Quarter
The Jewellery Quarter is one of the UK’s national epicentres for jewellery design. It produces about 40% of the British jewellery.
5. Business
The city and surrounding region can call itself home to almost 70,500 companies, with over 1,500 of them being international firms. Major global players from various sectors are based here, including Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, Kraft, Amey, Deloitte and Cadbury.
6. Mercer Quality of Life index
In 2014, Birmingham was the highest-ranking UK regional city in the Mercer Quality of Life index for the second year running. It is ranked third for retail, following London and Glasgow. And the Birmingham hippodrome is the busiest single theatre in the UK.
7. Inward investment
Birmingham has a growing reputation as a place to do business on an international level. The Midlands is one of the most attractive destinations for inward investment projects outside of London, with an increase of more than 35% in the last five years.
8. Road, rail and air
Birmingham offers an exceptional road, rail and air system and also has more miles of canal network than Venice. It is at the forefront of the digital revolution, being BT’s first Wireless City with cover for the city centre.
9. Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport serves 9 million passengers a year, which will be tripled by 2030. 140 routes are being serviced worldwide, including daily departures to New York plus two flights a day to Dubai.
10. Regeneration
The regeneration of Birmingham Ormiston, the New Library of Birmingham as well as the planning of the new HS2 terminal highlight the city’s bold development plans for the 21st century.
Also read the first part of this series The Top 10 of Property Investment: Manchester as well as part 2: The Top 10 of Property Investment: Liverpool.
