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Birmingham 2020 – Think Big, Think BACO FEATURE Birmingham 2020 – think big, think BACO BY LUCY DALTON When Richard Irving and Ann-Louise McDermott made their successful bid to host BACO 2020 in Birmingham, they knew it had far more going for it than the International Conference Centre! Lucy Dalton tells us a little more about the attractions of England’s second city and interviews the two local organisers. ver thought of England’s growth? Back in the Domesday Book era (geographical) waist as a skinny of 1086, the Manor of Birmingham was no-man’s-land? Well think again: sparsely populated and poor. Valued at 20 EEngland’s midriff is big. Not the ugly, shillings, it would hardly have featured on liposuction-inspiring, blobby fat; rather, that William the Conqueror’s tax-hunting radar. enviable bulky, athletic big that comes with Scattered habitation and gentle waterways years of determination, guts and training. punctuated rolling hills. Enter Peter de Why? Birmingham. Birmingham, new Lord of the Manor. In the Birmingham, UK, is the heavyweight mid-12th century he began holding markets centre of Mid-England. As the UK’s second at his castle, from whence developed a largest city (1.2 million inhabitants), market town. Little did the farmers of the and sistered with cities such as Chicago, time realise that the ring in the ground used Frankfurt, Milan, Johannesburg and for tethering bulls on market days would Changchun, it contends in a league of turn into one of Birmingham’s most iconic its own. Though Spaghetti Junction, a (shopping) landmarks almost a millennium Lucy Dalton convoluted local road network with a later: The Bullring. Otology & Skull Base Fellow, QEH Birmingham daily through-put of 160,000 cars, and Shopping and trade remained the famously congested motorways central to Birmingham’s growth and surrounding Birmingham (statistically development throughout the centuries, worst on Wednesdays!) make road access for example, during the 18th century somewhat unappealing, choose rail or Midlands Enlightenment. At this time, air travel instead, and you’ll find yourself a close network of leading intellectuals smoothly transported into the city’s vibrant, and major manufacturers would meet cosmopolitan heart. on full moon evenings (to enable safer Who’d have thought that shopping was homeward journeys in the absence of street the original stimulus for Birmingham’s illumination) for food and discussion. This ‘Lunar Society’ was regularly attended by key thinkers such as Erasmus Darwin (physician and abolitionist), James Keir “Who’d have thought that shopping was the original (scientist and industrialist), James Watt stimulus for Birmingham’s growth?” (inventor and engineer) and Josiah Wedgwood (potter and entrepreneur). It was the close collaboration of intellectuals and producers of the day that stimulated huge innovation, allowing Birmingham to boom during its industrial years; three times as many patents were produced here compared to anywhere else in Britain and Birmingham became a significant driver in the production of cast iron, the mechanised cotton industry, the development of the factory system and the industrial steam engine. The Birmingham workforce boasted highly creative and adaptable craftspeople, skilled in a huge variety of specialist trades, The Bull at The Bullring. working in small-scale workshops. By the start of the 20th century Birmingham ent and audiology news | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 | VOL 28 NO 6 | www.entandaudiologynews.com FEATURE “Whether your agenda is meeting colleagues and networking, an academic update, or to hear the latest on professional matters, BACO has it all” had become a major financial centre universities, the UK’s largest inner city internationally and was known as the ‘City shopping centre (The Bullring and Grand of a Thousand Trades’. Central), and world-renowned cultural The somewhat tougher post-war institutions such as the City of Birmingham decades that followed the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Blitz were characterised by a significant Royal Ballet, the Birmingham Repertory shift in the city’s demography, a dispersal Theatre, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts of industry and population by central and the Library of Birmingham, it is perhaps government, followed by a sharp economic easy to understand why Birmingham ranked decline. Nevertheless, the city’s resilience 49th in the world on the Mercer Quality of prevailed. Today Birmingham’s predominant Living Survey in 2019. economic driver is the service sector, So you’ve never been to a concert at though manufacturing still provides a Symphony Hall? Shopped at The Bullring? significant level of employment. Three hundred independent jewellery producers Eaten at The Mailbox? Had coffee at of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter Brindley Place? Seen Birmingham produce 40% of UK-made jewellery. University’s Old Joe Clock Tower (upon With recent house price increases of 5%, which Tolkien based his Eye of Sauron) or Birmingham has been declared the best walked through one of the famous Botanical place for property investment in the UK. Gardens? Then drop in 8-10 July 2020 and With a temperate maritime climate, more find out for yourself what this amazing city One of Birmingham’s many beautiful canals parks than any other European city, six has to offer. INTERVIEW WITH Richard Irving, Local Organising Chair BACO 2020 Please tell us about your role at What makes Birmingham such a you suggest? BACO 2020. vibrant city? I would suggest taking a route out of the To some extent, I feel quite responsible for Birmingham is often quoted as being the city along one of the canals, starting from BACO 2020 being in Birmingham. I put forward youngest city in Europe. Whether or not this nearby the conference centre. This avoids the initial bid which was negotiated with ENT is true I am uncertain, however, I feel much all the major roads. Heading out towards UK and the event venue over five years ago. of the vibrancy of the city is down to the Edgbaston and the University would be my Since then I have worked closely with Gerry energy coming from the many young people preference. O’Donoghue, BACO Master, I recommended making their home here and making the Hisham Mehanna as the academic lead and most of their lives in the city. What are you looking forward to at have worked with ENT UK on the practicalities the BACO 2020 party? of the meeting and the social programme. Please describe BACO 2020 in three The world of ENT relaxed, interacting and words. thoroughly enjoying themselves. How long have you lived and Unmissable. Incomparable. Inspirational. worked in Birmingham? Do you have any recommendations If only able to attend one I moved to Birmingham in 1997 following my of things to see or do in Fellowship in San Francisco. I knew little of conference in 2020, why make it Birmingham and surrounding area the place before 1997 and have enjoyed life BACO? for partners/family accompanying here and worked in Birmingham ever since. BACO is the only conference that truly caters for all that you could possibly want from delegates to BACO 2020? Do you have a favourite spot a meeting. Nothing else in the UK comes For lovers of art and literature I would in Birmingham – what makes it anywhere near to the variety and quality recommend the collection at the special? that BACO delivers. Whether your agenda Birmingham & Art Gallery or Shakespeare’s I have the luxury of being able to walk to all is meeting colleagues and networking, an Stratford. For those interested in history, my places of work – a relaxing route to the academic update, or to hear the latest on Warwick Castle and the Ironbridge Gorge Children’s Hospital takes me along some of professional matters, BACO has it all. Museum from where the origins of the Birmingham’s many canals. We all need our industrial revolution can be traced. I have no thinking time and I do mine while walking into For delegates wanting to go for a knowledge of the Peaky Blinders tours but, work. run during BACO 2020, where do for aficionados, they might be worth a look. ent and audiology news | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 | VOL 28 NO 6 | www.entandaudiologynews.com FEATURE INTERVIEW WITH Ann-Louise McDermott, Local Organising Vice Chair BACO 2020 Please tell us about your role at and Brindley Place offer an eclectic mix of For those with transport I would suggest a BACO 2020. restaurants and bars with something for walk around the National Trust Packwood I have been involved as part of the local everyone. Best of all, it’s all easily accessible house and gardens. More local suggestions organising committee dealing with more of on foot from any city centre hotel. are Cannon Hill Park and Clent Hills. the hospitality and social side of the BACO My favourite restaurant is The Ivy in Colmore Row. This can be expensive, but it arrangements. What makes Birmingham a great has a great atmosphere and excellent food. venue for BACO 2020? For big meat eaters there is Fazenda and How long have you lived and Birmingham has great conference facilities Gaucho in Colmore Row. worked in Birmingham? in the city centre and Birmingham has I have worked in Birmingham since 1991 with Do you have a favourite shop in something for everyone at affordable prices. short periods of work overseas. Birmingham, and why? Do you have any recommendations I have to declare my guilty pleasure is the Please describe Birmingham in of things to see or do in shoe section of House of Fraser. It has the three words. best shoe collection under one roof in the Birmingham and surrounding area Vibrant, busy and diverse. city centre (at affordable prices). for partners/family accompanying delegates to BACO 2020? What does Birmingham hold for Can you recommend a place to go I would definitely recommend a day trip food lovers? for a nice walk in Birmingham? to Cadbuy’s World and the Black Country Birmingham is best known for its amazingly Birmingham has a huge canal network Museum, especially if accompanying family.
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