Hot on the heels of the MA500 conference in Leeds, pub industry luminaries are now hitting the great city of Birmingham.
Much like Manchester, Leeds and London, this former industrial powerhouse turned modernist architectural jewel benefits from a population of affluent young professionals willing to enjoy their disposable income.
It also boasts a regional centre with a strong economy and a very large number of students. This combination has helped the West Midlands city attract significant inward and organic investment in recent years.
Are you in the club?
The MA500 club is open to multi-site pub operators and runs three nationwide events a year that include business-focused presentations from top experts and owner-operators.
Each event is followed by an evening networking study tour of new and exciting venues in the area.
To register your interest in attending the next MA500 meeting in Birmingham on 16 February 2017, email rachel.ward@wrbm.com.
Birmingham has witnessed a massive transformation from the early 1990s and is now almost unrecognisable as a result of the huge, progressive developments in its retail, leisure, city living and professional working environment, much akin to the regeneration seen in Manchester and Leeds.
And the city’s licensed leisure venues are an integral part of this revitalisation because they have redefined the quality and diversity of establishments.
Living Ventures is a notable example of businesses that are contributing to this exciting new scene. It launched its first premises in Manchester then moved into Leeds and is now in Birmingham, having recently set up a branch of the Alchemist in the Grand Hotel and soon to open Gusto next door. The success of similar Living Ventures' venues proves that premium pricing, supported by consistent enhanced customer experience, brings recognition in terms of accepted value for money.
Competition for quality venue space has been fierce with operators being forced to look outside the box for change-of-use sites and unconventional spaces that they can use to get a foot in the right locations.
The city has much to be proud of in terms of its successful and sustainable turnaround, and appears to have much more to look forward to in the future.