Time out

The NEC has been a driving force in the development of Birmingham into a popular business and leisure tourism destination. An on-going £9 billion regeneration programme has recently transformed the City’s historic Bull Ring area into a stylish £500M shopping centre with its futuristic Selfridges centrepiece. Directly adjacent is the Mailbox, incorporating branches of Harvey Nichols, Jaeger, Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss and a wealth of leading designer label outlets and boutiques.

Over 500 restaurants offering virtually every cuisine under the sun will be able to satisfy even the most jaded palate. Whether it be a tour of the city’s famous ‘Balti Triangle’, a romantic canal-side dinner for two in the chic Brindleyplace area, or an evening spent in Birmingham’s lively Chinatown, your time out away from the NEC is sure to make your IPEX 2006 experience all the more worthwhile.

Recently short listed as a designated European capital of culture, the city is home to a world renowned Symphony Hall, the Royal Ballet Company (formerly Sadlers Wells), and the UK’s finest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings. It also supports a thriving avant garde arts scene, notably through the Ikon Gallery and the imaginatively re-purposed Custard Factory. Stratford upon Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare and the ideal departure point for a tour of the picturesque Cotswolds, is just 30 miles south of Birmingham.

Sports fans amongst Ipex participants will find plenty to draw their attention, with at least two Birmingham based premier league football teams likely to be in action during the exhibition period. The city also hosts a regular programme of additional international sporting events, including test match cricket at Edgbaston and Ryder Cup golf at the Belfry.

To find out what’s on, visit www.beinbirmingham.com