Quite a prestigious building, the Birmingham Council House is the centre piece of the city's…read moreculture and heritage. Still looking quite fabulous from the outside, it's just as elegant inside too. It's located near the 'fountain and large TV screen' in the centre of Birmingham town; so it's an un-missable venue. When you enter you are greeted by the spacious hallways and staircase which embraces you as you walk in. Red carpet all the way, the interior fittings at the Council House represent the traditional British heritage. I last went to the Council House for a conference which was put on by a group of young social entrepreneurs. It was held in the main conference suite which consists of two very large and spacious rooms combined. The event was well catered, the food provided by the Council House catering team. It was a nice event and the venue certainly helped the event seem a lot more prestigious.

Birmingham is not particularly well-known for its historical architecture, but the Council House is…read morea rather grand, classical style Grade II Listed gem, surrounded by the tall offices of Colmore Row and the shops of New Street. As befits its grand structure and appearance, the Council House contains a balcony, from where visiting dignitaries apparently appear to wave at the minions. I'm not sure that I've ever witnessed any waving visiting dignitaries here, but perhaps that is mor of a historical detail. One edge of the building is actually Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which faces into Chamberlain Square, whereas the front of the building faces Victoria Square - keeping a close eye on the floozy in the jacuzzi. It is rather fabulous, and still looks elegant and in good nick. It's certainly impressive both in its design and size and adds a certain gravitas to one of the most well-known squares in Birmingham.

A very friendly information service manned by some wonderful ladies. Plenty of tourist brochures…read morefor the whole of Warwickshire. You can even buy castle tickets here at the reduced rate of 18£ and avoid the ticket queue at the castle. There is a gift shop here that has much better souvenirs than the tacky stuff at "you know where" Do spend 15 minutes browsing through the town history display behind the information counters. Very well illustrated and a nice overview before you visit the town. There's a yeomanry museum in the basement that's free to visit. When I told the lady at the desk that we had read about the history of the building, she took us upstairs to show us the gorgeous ballroom that's hired out for weddings.

One of the best council i have come across since i have come into UK…read more The staff are very polite,kind,helpful and supportive. They are also very quick at responding to emails and calls. I have been very pleased with Sandwell Register office.

The Sandwell Register Office can be found on the High Street in West Bromwich. The Register Office…read morehas a car park that is free of charge so parking should not be an issue. I have only been to the Register Office once for my cousin's wedding. The room in which the ceremony took place in felt a bit to crammed for my liking and there was not much room to move in. The Sandwell Register Office has two rooms the Sandwell Suite and Highfields room. The Office is a Grade II listed building and could be a place for you if you are planning a civil marriage, civil partnership, naming ceremony, renewal of vows or a citizenship ceremony. Its not exactly spacious on the inside but outside the Office, there is plenty of space and there are so many opportunities for photographs. The Register Office is available for ceremonies on weekdays, weekends and also public holidays.

Don't let the title fool you, there is a wide range of meals offered at this popular kebab house…read more From fish and chips to traditional Indian food but this fast food take out is well known for its kebabs. They even serve salads! The food is just what you might want after a night out. The service is good especially as it can get busy on Friday and Saturday nights. A personal favourite is the Chicken Tikka wrap; tender chicken tikka chunks on a salad bed that is wrapped in a large and soft nan bread with sweet chilli sauce or a creamy mint sauce. There are other sauces you can choose from such as mint chutney. All food and drinks are reasonably priced. The location is ideally located on the high street, which makes it easy for anyone to go to.

Shirley train station is a nifty little train station which connects Shirley with Stratford apon…read moreAvon, Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcester. The station has ticket collection and you are able to pay with both cash and card. Trains run form this station pretty regularly as you will often find the trains to Birmingham come every 20 minuets in the day. It's a great station to commute from as its right next to a said west local meany you can grab a bite to eat before work or after and has a bus stop right out side (the buses 49 & 3) which connect you to Solihull and The Stratford road. The average train fare to Birmingham (rutern) is £4 which is pretty affordable and if you get a rail card (gives you money off) it's even cheaper! The only problem with this station (and probably the problem with most stations at the moment) is it isn't always maned which can make paying a bit of a problem but there are normally conductors on the trains (or even at the stations) who are pretty understand and will let you by a ticket from them :)

This review is kind of two fold. Firstly - the Business Centre offers office space to SMEs and we…read moreconsidered them when looking for space in the Jewellery Quarter. The reason we were put off is that the cost of the spaces were *significantly* more than other similarly sized offices we'd looked at - and apparently this is because tenants have to contribute to the upkeep of the gates. Which is the second part of my review! The gates are AWESOME huge wrought iron beauties which act as a landmark within the Jewellery Quarter, and draw walking tourists along Spencer St. Originally a cause of controversy in the Jewellery Quarter (as they fiercely protect the heritage) but once it became clear they acted as an added draw for tourists they've become accepted and embraced. And *I* think they're fab! (as a side note - if you stand facing them, and look up at the drainpipes along the building to the left, you'll see amazing sculpted heads at the top of each one which is another awesome curiosity about the street!)

Wow, have you seen those gates? Imagine walking past such a great work of art as you get to your…read moredesk in the morning! I only came across this building on a heritage walk of Birmingham. What's behind the glorious gates, befitting of the jewellery quarter are serviced offices. This place is full of little offices with little companies housing them. Of course, as business grows, people can move to a larger office or rent more space but this is a great place to start a fledgling business. After all, what client wouldn't be impressed as they walk in? Also, the Jewellery Business Centre has a large courtyard if you want to get some fresh air and clear your head. It's conveniently placed just a few minutes' walk from Jewellery Quarter train station and not more 15-20 minutes to the centre of Birmingham.

The Library of Birmingham is a really impressive building, it opened in 2013 and it remains rather…read moremodern, it is located on Broad Street and is next to the ICC it is now supported by a West Midlands Metro extension which now goes to the library as of the end of 2019. The outside of the building really is an amazing structure, and inside it is over multiple floors and remains pretty modern as well as a balcony overlooking on a large section of books which is pretty cool. It has a floor count of 10 and it does have some exhibits and different public areas over that. There is also a small shop and cafe, if you prefer branded coffee there is a Starbucks and Subway at the ICC next store, although the Starbucks is pretty expensive there. Being over so many floors is a little confusing but the staff at the reception seem friendly enough to help you where you need to go, the toilets are also well maintained especially compared to others around the city which can be pretty dire. A great library while in the centre of Birmingham, I have to be biased and I still prefer my local Manchester Central Library though which seems to have a more spacious working area and also some pretty cool exhibits. 4*

Well... what a breath of fresh air the new library is. It's the second day of opening today and was…read morepacked to the rafters - but it's easy to see why. There are 9 floors to explore, ranging from music and media right up to the Shakespeare floor (apparently built to look like his cottage in Stratford - but you need to book a tour and it was dead busy!). It is a visual treat! There are lots of art pieces to find hidden amongst the different floors and sections as well as two outdoor garden spaces. There are two coffee shops/resturants (one as you come in and one on the 3rd (overlooking the tremendous views). There is LOADS (and I mean loads) of free computers to use, which are completely free for library members. There are also work rooms, meeting rooms (to hire) and contemplation spaces. If you want to just sit down and have a read, there are different seating areas (ranging from "egg chairs" to normal sofa seats), but the best areas to sit on a nice day will be on the balcony areas. The Library has two urban gardens (lovingly tended to by locals who are being trained to look after the rugged plants and wildflowers). The one on the 3rd floor is impressive, but if you can drag yourself up to the 7th - that's really something to behold. There are a wide range of activities going on in the library (from theatre to comedy) between now and Christmas, so have a look on their website or pop in and collect some literature if you are out and about. I am literally blown away by the wonderfulness of our new library!

During the early part of this year, I spent a lot of time in this building sorting out various bits…read moreof business. This is basically where you come to sort out any queries with your council tax, housing benefit etc etc. It operates on a ticket system a bit like Argos - 'ticket number 568 please to go to desk 18' - and everyone sits around on the rows of chairs flicking through newspapers or playing games on their phone. You get the odd nutter kicking off in there, hence the burly security guards on the door. You also get the odd mistake (last time I was in there I waited 45 minutes in the wrong queue, I could have been in and out in 3 minutes) but overall, they're pretty sympathetic and helpful in there. Often things are explained to you clearly and not in a patronising way. One of the downsides is the very patronising video about 'challenging your perceptions' which is on a silent loop in the waiting area. Not having to see that is a good incentive to stay away!

The University Medical Practise is a group practise of doctors on the Edgbaston side of the…read moreBirmingham University campus. As you have probably guessed by the name, it mainly caters for the students and staff of the nearby university, but also operates as a fully independent general practise of which anyone who lives within the area can join. As a service, I really can't find much to criticise about the practise. The staff are friendly and efficient, and I include the reception staff and the doctors in this. From the second you reach the drive and you look at the building in it's lush, green surroundings it's clear that this is a very nice doctor's surgery, and the pleasant atmosphere continues into the reception area. In fact, it's so nice that some more cynical observers may comment that this is an example of students receiving preferential treatment. If you're a student looking for a GP then this is the place to come.