News that the Metro tram extension will not be ready until after Easter has been received with frustration and anger by venues in and around Broad Street.
Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, explained that cafés , bars, restaurants, nightclubs and various arts venues had suffered a serious loss of business because of the works.
Mr Olley, who was interviewed by veteran reporter Graham Young of the Birmingham Mail, said: “We’re all really looking forward to the trams coming, who wouldn’t be?
“But even the big pub companies – not just the managers – are now asking me ‘What’s going on?’.
“Everyone trading on Broad Street has taken a serious hit for years now, yet none of our businesses seem to be eligible for any compensation even though they are having to pay full business rates.
“There has been too much ‘covid camouflage’. I just hope the MMA is an organisation which learns things and won’t put other business districts through what we’ve had to go through.”
The Birmingham Mail’s full story of the Metro extension delays can be found here: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/west-midlands-metro-trams-five-23276925
Picture credit: © Graham Young, Birmingham Mail.
