Popular Local Phone Numbers: Birmingham

There was a feature on BBC Radio 4 recently – I think on the PM programme – about Birmingham feeling it doesn’t have a cultural identity, and always being compared to London or Manchester. So, we’re going to rectify that this week as until now they haven’t feature in one of our popular local phone numbers posts!

Birmingham’s area code is 0121. The second most populated city in the UK and home of the “Brummies”, Birmingham had 1,073,000 residents at the 2011 census. Originally just a medium sized market town at the heart of the West Midlands during the medieval period, Birmingham grew out of the fires of the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century. In fact, it has been described as being “at the forefront of worldwide developments in science, technology and economic organisation, producing a series of innovations that laid many of the foundations of modern industrial society” during this period. By 1791 it was described as “the first manufacturing town in the world”. Also out of Birmingham in the 19th century came the great Liberal Unionist politician Joseph Chamberlain.

The 72nd largest city in the world, fourth most visited in the UK, home of three universities and two university colleges, a plethora of cultural and artistic attractions and institutions including the famous Bull Ring. If all that doesn’t add up to cultural identity, then I don’t know what does!