Birmingham Symphony Hall is, without a doubt, the best classical concert venue in the Midlands -…read moreblessed with a superior local orchestra (one of the best outside of London) and conductor, fine acoustics, and a nice, traditional concert atmosphere. You would never expect such a traditional-looking venue when you approach and enter the larger building that is the Convention Centre. When I visited in February they were tearing down the front of the Convention Centre, not interfering with the concerts. And I can't blame em, the old front sure was ugly enough. ;) - It's located a 10 minute walk from the New Street area. A pity that my latest concert, though featuring an attractive programme and an internationally recognized soloist, was rather sparsely attended: The place was half-empty. How is it possible that a 1+ million town cannot fill a symphony hall on any given night? Weird.

I was invited to the grand opening of the Heineken bar at Symphony hall this week and thought it…read morewould be rude to refuse. So I grabbed a couple of friends and headed down after work. The bar is located on the third floor entrance but is usually only available to Symphony Hall ticket holders. It's a nice open space from which you can see views of the city. The Heineken is served at minus 1 degrees which is very refreshing. They also serve limited wine options and a couple of other drinks. Bostin Brass played a great set during the event and there was a nice relaxed atmosphere. If you are going to see a show I would recommend that you have a look. Why not?

My husband and I held our UK wedding reception at Saint Mary's Guildhall. It is the most beautiful…read moreplace ever with such a rich history! No wedding decoration is required, as the Guildhall is so ornate as it is! We had an enjoyable experience working with the catering staff as well. Everyone was very kind and helpful, especially as most of the interaction and planning was done via email. Would highly recommend this location for an event. I also refer all family and visitors to visit this place during open hours and learn the history and stories that go along with it.

This is a fantastic medieval gothic guildhall, we had our wedding here and they were really…read morehelpful. During the day, the crypt is a cafe but this can be hired for parties or for wedding services (the Registrar comes over). The main guildhall is accessed by a large flight of stairs (with a wheelchair lift also) and is open during the day so that you can see the wonderful woodwork etc but again, this can be hired for parties with a very basic sound system in the minstrals gallery (it broke down on our wedding night though). Being owned by Coventry Council places some limitations such as not being able to bring in caterers but the food was delicious and good value. There is a small bar so I would recommend ordering plenty of bottles for tables etc to avoid guests queueing too much and the downside is that the toilets are down the stairs and through another set of doors. The atmosphere makes up for this though!

It's a tourist-centric experience in a country full of castles that may offer a more…read morehistory-focused and much less expensive day out. £24 a ticket, no matter the age and then and additional £6 to park...regardless of the time of day. If you enter at 4PM you get an hour of the place for that price. Listen, the Falconer's Quest (birds of prey show) is enjoyable - but is that alone worth the cost? Maybe. I will leave it up to you.

Beautiful setting, loved the exhibits. I liked that the exhibits were not covered by decorations…read more You could actually see them. Friendly staff!! The cafe was wonderful!!! My first trip to the UK and it did not disappoint!!!

George Hill Annual Festival of Wines. Establised Family owned Wine Merchants for more than 100…read moreyears. Trading since 1909 George Hill has maintained its reputation for consistent quality and value for money. George Hill Ltd is a provincial Wine Merchant, situated in the centre of Loughborough in Leicestershire. One of the great advantages to buying wine from them is that they hold a range of regular customer events such as weekly tastings. If you're looking to expand your drinking repertoire. From small and quirky through to ultra premium, here you will find the best combination of hard-to-get products and expert service.

For a small place Loughborough certainly attracts some pretty good shows and attractions. The town…read morehall is setup well to receive these acts. There is a large hall with stadium seating that can be setup to accommodate these larger productions. As it's not a full on venue, it's pretty reasonably priced when a good show comes to town. A few years ago I went to see the production east is east and it was fantastic. You got really close to the action. I would recommend seeing a show here. There is always a panto around Xmas and that's a good giggle and a cheap afternoon out

Labyrinthine old factory inhabited by creative types. Although closed throughout the winter, during…read morethe rest of the year the building is a-flurry with artists and makers. Great place to visit if you want to commission something fantastic or take part in a workshop.

Well... Birmingham University... Being an Ex-UCE (now BCU) Graduate, I haven't actually had call to…read morevisit the campus very much in my 10 years in Birmingham. I have been down to see friends and head to "Astronomy Live!", but this week was my first trip to Bramall Music Building. First thing to note (if you haven't been before) is that the campus is gorgeous. Being an old "red brick" University, the architecture and greenery is something to behold (especially if you are used to a concrete jungle of a campus like my BCU Perry Barr). On the particular night we visited the sun was shining and the students were out on the grass playing with Poi and soaking up the last of the days rays. After meeting with friends at a coffee shop on site (it was a chain, unfortunately, so nothing to report there), we wandered through the Campus to the clock tower area. Bramall Music Building is a fairly new development on Campus (meaning it's been renovated to still be in keeping with the historic buildings surrounding it), so it's still clean, fresh and shiny. Upon entry through the glass doors you walk into a small (but perfectly formed) bar and seating area. The bar was serving bottled beers, wine, spirits, soft drinks and various snacks. Two bottled beers (Birra Morretti) at the venue was £7, which I didn't think was too bad considering it was a music venue. We grabbed out tickets and waited for the announcement to head in. Upon entry, I was struck by how much it was like Symphony Hall... Just much smaller. The staging area is very generous and the seating has been designed so everyone gets a decent view of the performance. There are two levels of seating, but again, you would get a brilliant visual and aural experience no matter where you are in the hall. We were there for a performance of the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers on Tuesday night. The venue was designed for live drumming! Loud, clear and exciting - the performance was mind blowing. Even the artists themselves commented on how fantastic the venue was for live sound. The staff were also pretty good the whole time, although there was a bit of a mix up when it was announced there was to be "no Flash Photography" rather than "no photography" during the performance; hence my illicit photos. I might have had a tiny telling off! All in all, if there is a performance on that you fancy at Bramall, grab a ticket. It's hosting a whole range of different events over the next few months; so keep an eye out and immerse yourself in a treat for the ears!

I attended Birmingham uni a while ago but being a student of science I never ventured here but last…read morenight we attended the Mugenkyo Taiko drumming concert. The Elgar Concert Hall is very much like a mini Symphony Hall and the acoustics are first rate. The sound was all encompassing yet not overbearing, the staff friendly sorting out a confusing mis-print on our tickets with no fuss. The small bar and coffee area is well stocked and relatively reasonably priced. The major plus point for me was the seating. Normally I find I have major butt ache by the end of a concert or play but not so here! Kudos to the uni for considering the comfort of their patrons here!

Ragley Hall has been, since 1680, a beautiful example of Palladian architecture…read more(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladian_architecture) . It has gorgeous state rooms and halls, beautiful gardens, and even a playground for the kids. There are some other features of particular interest, like the Ragley working farm, sawmill, butchery, and stables building with a collection of carriages. Worth a look is the Jerwood Foundation Sculpture Trail, in which you can stumble across Fernando Casasempere's 'Under the Forest', Harry Everington's 'Crusader', Antony Gormley's 'Insider', Sokari Douglas Camp's 'Man on Man' and Elisabeth Frink's 'Walking Man'. There's a café by the lake, if you fancy a bite.

Ragley Hall is well worth a visit. There are acres of playground, perfect for a picnic and a family…read moreday out. For the children there is a kids zone, adventure playground with a 3d maze, trampoline and climbing frames which leaves you time to admire the Hall and the beautiful gardens. There is a peaceful picnic area by the lake where you may even have the chance to see a few peacocks roaming around.

I have been researching my family history and when visiting the heritage centre i saw pictures of…read moremy grandparents in their school days :) I was interested to see the pictures of where they worked, and was able to read about old Rothwell traditions. I will definately be going back to see the changing exhibitions.

The centre is a lively community resource, ideally located as a gateway to the heritage of the…read morearea. We rely on our dedicated volunteers, who answer queries, steward the galleries, care for museum objects and make the centre the success it is. Currently the ground floor displays a heritage collection and the first floor galleries show the work of the county's artists and craftworkers The Rothwell Arts and Heritage Centre was founded by the Rothwell Market towns Initiative in 2004, sponsored by the Countryside Agency. The Arts and Heritage Centre is run by volunteers and has attracted funding from a variety of sources to purchase the site, develop the present building and provide additional facilities.