Tag: Small Heath

March 4th – A much better day, when it felt spring had arrived. It was the day of the annual Erdington Cycle Jumble, so a chance to rummage some tat, bag a bargain, scoff bacon rolls and talk to old faces. Following, I rode the canals of Birmingham, down through Brookvale, Witton Lakes, Aston, up over the Hockley Flyover to Soho for lunch, back along the canal to Small Heath, then via the Cole Valley and Plants Brook back to Sutton Park and home. 

I was particularly intrigued by the wonderful Jonathan Meades immortalised in stencil underneath Spaghetti Junction.

It was a great ride with periods of lovely sunshine, spring flowers and only one heavy downpour.

And the cats, particularly the monocular marmalade munchkin in Erdington, were great, as ever.

A restorative and lovely ride.

January 25th – I wanted to get asian snacks in for my workmates as a treat. The best place near to Tyseley is Mukhtar’s, in Small Heath, so on the way to work this morning I hopped off the train one stop early. I discovered the shop didn’t take debit card payments, so dived onto Small Heath High Street to use the ATM. I was struck – as I always am here – by the imperious nature of the architecture, repurposed for mundane shops and bedsits. 

Today, Small Heath is a bustling, busy, inner city suburb, teaming with life and a very, very diverse population. But when these places were built, what was it like then? Genteel? Gentrified? Semi Rural?
Look at the wrought iron, arches and architraves. Appreciate the gables, towers and bays.

Curse the fact that few ever look up and notice.

December 17th – Small Heath is great. I love the crowded, busy streets, and I love the air of frantic commerce. Where once the asians were the newcomers here – there’s a considerable muslim community – the newcomers now are largely Eastern European and African, and they seem to be bringing their own shops, cultures and languages. I love the feeling of worlds melding together. Streets of crowded terraces, factory units and the odd remarkable building. This one – displaying tragically the malaise of the stopped public clock – was clearly a pub, but I know nothing about it. Sat proudly on the corner of Anderton Road and Montgomery Street, it’s a landmark from the train. I hope it has a secure future. 

December 17th – Last commute until 2013. I found myself having to visit a place in the backstreets of Small Heath, which gave me somewhere new to explore. Leaving the oddly desolate Small Heath station, I noticed the great view of the Birmingham city centre skyline from the bridge. There’s everything in there – the new library, Beetham and Alpha towers, Selfridges, the cathedrals and various churches. This really is a wonderful view, all with the perspective-defing railway before it. I love this city. I love it with all my heart.