• 5 months ago
"Make Digbeth Rubbish Again" - that's the sanitised version of the name of a popular night here in Birmingham. The slogan regards the concern of many who frequent this eclectic area that the vibe of Digbeth might be ruined by developments planned over the coming years.
Transcript
00:00 Nighttime economy businesses here in Digbys have been dealing with a number of significant challenges,
00:07 including compulsory purchase orders related to HS2 construction,
00:13 an ongoing battle with the developers of the Midlands Metro line here in Digbys,
00:19 which has led to the closure of some nighttime economy venues and reduced footfall in the area.
00:26 If you consider that in the context of a rapidly evolving city,
00:31 Digbys has always been at the kind of sharp end of the tug of war between residential developers
00:39 and cultural venues, music venues, clubs, etc.
00:43 So we're starting to see a real change in how people are using this area,
00:48 less so for leisure, more so for business and residential,
00:52 and of course that will impact on the overall cultural fabric of our city, particularly in this area.
00:59 Digbys is well known for its gritty post-industrial vibe,
01:05 showcasing counter-cultural art and independent traders.
01:09 The fear from many is that this vibe may become a relic of nostalgia.
01:13 A regular event that cannot be named in the area celebrates the zeitgeist people identify with Digbys.
01:21 Yeah, it's been really well received.
01:23 We get a lot of people who have been coming to the event since day dot,
01:27 and we're also getting a lot of new people come through.
01:31 It's crazy really because we were thinking that, you know,
01:37 have we got anything left in the tank?
01:40 This could really bomb, but it's just been really well received.
01:44 I think people vibe with it, knowing that we've all got an opinion on it.
01:50 We're all passionate about the city and where it's been, where it's going.
01:55 Let's all get together in a room and have a party.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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