Beyond manufacturing industry : amenity place creation in UK urban spaces engendering tourism, leisure and recreation in Birmingham

In recent years increasing attention has been given to urban tourism research, and Tourism, Leisure and Recreation (TLR) have become critical tools in revitalising the economic, social and cultural fabrics and image of a number of British traditional manufacturing cities. The focus of this study is on the urban regeneration through utilising cultural production and consumption of one of these cities (Birmingham) in post-industrial society, and introduces the integrated innovative concepts of Amenity Places and Amenity Businesses. Birmingham International Convention Centre Quarter (ICCQ) is taken as a case study, and geography, history, planning, sociology and TLR are intertwined in order to examine and apply the new concept of Amenity Places and related ideas. The study employs a holistic approach and combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to investigate how the ICCQ redevelopments have taken shape, and the impacts of the regeneration of derelict former industrial sites along the inner city canals. Policy documents and other secondary and primary qualitative data were analysed through document analysis or simplified content analysis. Surveys were undertaken of key actors in the planning and redevelopment process (in-depth semi-structured interviews), and of Amenity Business operators (structured interviews) and users (face to face questionnaire surveys) of the ICCQ. The study found that, under the strong leadership of Birmingham City Council and their vision, which emphasised quality of design, culture and people, Amenity Places had been produced. Mixed land use spatial planning has enabled the creation of vibrant and cosmopolitan spaces, and these public open spaces and canals have provided an urban oasis in Birmingham City Centre. The majority of the businesses opened only after a massive amount of public money had been invested to make an attractive business environment. Despite frequent criticism of flagship developments, this redevelopment, in general, received overwhelmingly positive reactions from users and business occupants, and has brought with it significant economic impacts to, and image enhancement of, Birmingham. It was concluded, however, that there were limited benefits from the redevelopment to immediate residents compared to the new middle class which was found to constitute the majority of users of the ICCQ. This may have resulted from the limited involvement of local businesses and residents in the planning process. While Birmingham has made significant progress in winning new investment and improving its image, it still has some way to go before it can claim to be an attractive tourist destination.