The traditional colours of the embattled Conservative party are various shades of blue.
But members who attend their annual conference at the ICC from this Sunday 29 September are set to be welcomed into Broad Street’s Centenary Square by a GREEN carpet.
This is already visible behind a ring of steel and concrete blocks supplied by Shirley-based Hardstaff Barriers Ltd, whose motto is ‘For the love of lives’.
The sloping walkway entrance to the giant, marquee erected in Westside’s biggest square has been covered in turf-like material. You can watch preparations being made on our video here:
Delegates will also find more ‘greenery’ underfoot inside the marquee which has three large sections – called the Commercial Lounge, Think Tent and InHouse Lounge.
A smaller marquee has been built next to the foot of the Hyatt Hotel to help to administer arrivals to an event that will be the last to feature former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as the leader of the party.
Next to the marquee’s main entrance, and also firmly inside the ring of steel, is Gillian Wearing’s Real Birmingham Family statue, first unveiled a decade ago. The £150,000 sculpture of a mixed race family is owned by Birmingham City Council but was commissioned and funded by Ikon Gallery.
The work depicted pregnant Emma Jones, 27, and her sister Roma, 29, whose children Kyan and Shane were aged four and five. Delighted with their representation, the sisters said in a statement at the time: “Being mixed race, we feel at home here [in Birmingham] as it’s so diverse and multicultural.”
Most Westside venues will be open as normal throughout the conference, including The Brasshouse pub on the corner of Broad Street and Waters Edge, where a blues band called Taxi for Jesus will play on Sunday 29 September from 3pm.
Delegates wanting more live music on Sunday evening should head to Birmingham Rocks! to see Black Sabbath’s original manager Jim Simpson introducing The Official Deceivers from 6.30pm at Snobs, 200 Broad Street.
Venues inside the ICC, including the brand new PizzaExpress restaurant, will only be open to delegates during conference days.
Pictures and video for Westside BID by Graham Young
ENDS
