A letter from Italy: Rain won’t stop us
Chiara Fiorillo is a young student who lives in a small village near Caserta. She dreams of becoming a journalist and we are happy to help her on the way by publishing this and some of her photos she kindly sent.
A breath of fresh air and, finally, we are in Birmingham.
Birmingham Bull Ring appeals to Italian shoppers but it seems it is also a secret.
I am an Italian trainee journalist. I visited Birmingham Bull Ring with 150 friends on a tour of the UK.
The teenagers loved Birmingham but not many had heard of the city.
Why do you not advertise in Italy?
While walking in the streets, we feel, suddenly, a little bit more English.
We are in the main street and we can’t wait to go shopping and to take photos with our friends. We feel free, as we are allowed to go wherever we want to discover this fantastic town. We wonder when we enter the two huge commercial centres in the centre: we are looking forward to tasting Starbucks Coffee, it is so famous! The most popular shops are ”Select”, which sells clothes and shoes, the famous Selfridges, voted the best department store in the world and Debenhams, where you can buy gifts, presents, also joining it online.
There are many fast food outlets such as Pizza Express, McDonald’s, Nandos.
If you want to relax, you can sit on a bench. There are also many shoes shops.
We talk to local people, as we hope that in two weeks we will improve our English.
We can do it, we just have to believe it! Birmingham people are friendly to Italians.
Obviously, we don’t miss English rain, as it so often starts raining. But the rain won’t stop us.
People, streets, friends and shops: that’s all a teenager enjoys. Everybody is excited, as it is an occasion for us to learn more about England and the English, more specifically Birmingham people.
Walking along the streets, we also find typical village markets, where we can buy products and learn more about Birmingham and its traditions. It is fascinating.
Birmingham is twinned with Milan. However, this was a big surprise to people from Milan.
“Hi, I’m from Italy, and you?”.
We’ve also met new friends. Everything is getting in the right direction. We listen to English songs and admire Birmingham’s beauty. But we see the clock. It is twenty past five p.m. We have to meet our tour guides in ten minutes.
We arrive and catch our buses, looking at those gorgeous houses.
Birmingham is an attractive city. Tell people in Italy!
Maybe The leader of Birmingham Council, and CEO of The NEC and of Birmingham Airport and Neil Rami, Chief Executive, Marketing Birmingham – which operates Business Birmingham, the city’s inward investment programme – might consider determined action to ensure that everyone in Milan – and if possible everyone in Italy – knows Birmingham exists and is well worth a visit.
It is great news Birmingham has just had a record number of visitors. But what makes London London is that it sets ever higher targets for itself. Its population fell 1945 to 1984 but since then has goneup steadily and the city has gone from success to success until it can claim to be the capital of the world.
Birmingham needs to build on its success and not slide into complacency.
It needs to be known by everyone in the EU as a minimum target.
It seems Birmingham flies direct to many Italian airports -including Naples. It makes sense that people in the cities which fly to and from Birmingham must be top priority to be told the city exists.
Chambers of Commerce, Unis, Schools in these cities should be sent marketing material from Birmingham.
This is how Bournemouth – a 1970s glost town in winter – became the biggest centre in the world teaching England as a second language. Targeted determined marketing.
It now has over 60 language schools. It has £200 million annually put into an economy with under 200 000 people. This has led to the restaurants/nightlife/conference centre. all year round high disposable income.
Birmingham must heed the fact that people who discover it, love it. But most in europe do not discover it. they need to be told about Birmingham.