I grew up in Birmingham in the 1970s and this is possibly why it gets a bad rap - there were not really many places to go out at all! I have not been at all since my parents passed away 10 years ago but there was never anywhere good and independent, just chains or a couple of very posh places. I am sure now there are craft bakeries and decent coffee shops but I still remember the excitement of Starbucks opening, this was a big thing!
I grew up in Birmingham in the 1970s and this is possibly why it gets a bad rap - there were not really many places to go out at all! I have not been at all since my parents passed away 10 years ago but there was never anywhere good and independent, just chains or a couple of very posh places. I am sure now there are craft bakeries and decent coffee shops but I still remember the excitement of Starbucks opening, this was a big thing!