Business contacts
Mobile phone hire Cellhire (Tel: 020 7490 7799 or Email: london@cellhire.com).
Car hire National Car Rentals: Birmingham city centre (Tel: 200 3010); Birmingham International Airport on (Tel: 782 5481, or book online at www.nationalcar.co.uk). Chauffeur services Chauffeurs of Birmingham (Tel: 01675 475999, or Email: enquiries@chauffeursbirmingham.co.uk). Office rental Easy Offices (Tel:0800 085 5050 or Email: info@easyoffices.com). Secretarial services Pertemps (Tel: 0870 160 9911) or Katie Bard (Tel: 0121 633 4443 or Email: info@katiebard.com).
Weather and climate
Like the rest of the UK, the weather and climate in Birmingham is unpredictable and you should generally assume that it can rain at any given moment. From late May to early October temperatures can reach the late 20Cs, while from January to early March, temperatures can get as low as –4C. It’s generally best to make sure you bring an umbrella and a raincoat regardless.
Local press
The Birmingham Post is the city and region’s principal morning newspaper, with award-winning business coverage. It carries a daily business section and arts and cultural listings, and on Wednesdays there is a detailed listing of the city’s main restaurants and bars. What’s On magazine is part of the same company and offers a weekly round-up of the wide variety of events taking place at the city’s numerous venues, as well as restaurant, bar and club reviews. Both the newspaper and magazine are also featured on the http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uknews, business, sport and entertainment site. The BBC Birmingham website (www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham) provides 24-hour coverage and listings of attractions and venues.
Tourist traps
Tourism is growing, but Birmingham is nevertheless mercifully free from obvious tourist traps. Attractions such as Think-tank, The National Sea Life Centre and Cadbury World in the Bournville area of the city offer good value. Birmingham is encouraging legitimate street sellers and buskers through a strictly enforced licensing system.
Tipping etiquette
Standard UK rules apply—10% for taxis and restaurants if the service is not included (though be sure to check on restaurant bills). Note that it is not usual in Britain to tip bar staff in pubs—if they’re particularly affable, offer instead to buy them a drink. Tipping is welcome in smarter cocktail bars. Hotel bellboys and porters will appreciate a couple of pounds for helping with your luggage.
Internet cafés
The NetAdventure Café in Dalton Street, close to the law courts, has 20 computers available, as well as printers, scanners and video conferencing facilities. Call 693 6655 or see www.netadventure.co.uk. Or there’s Café Surf in The Arcadian (Hurst St, Tel; 622 4010, email: info@cafesurf.co.uk).
Gifts to buy
With the completion of the multi-million pound Bullring development, Birmingham now provides one of the most modern and innovative shopping experiences in Europe. The distinctive new Selfridges store at the heart of the Bullring, which has won a series of international design awards, offers an extensive array of gifts —from the food hall, serving an eclectic range of dishes and products, to designer clothing. The Mailbox, situated on the canal between New Street station and Brindleyplace, is home to some of the finest stores in the city, including Harvey Nichols, Boss, DKNY and electricals from Bang and Olufsen.