Covid-19: Birmingham's Victoria Square to get outdoor seating

An artist's impression reveals what socially distanced seating in Victoria Square may look like

Outdoor seating is to be set up in Birmingham's Victoria Square in a bid to help struggling pubs and restaurants as they emerge from lockdown.

There will also be a stage for live entertainment and four "beach huts" for food and drink vendors.

Colmore Business Improvement District (BID) said the space would be open from 12 April and feature 120 seats.

Its CEO, Michele Wilby, said it wanted to encourage people to come back to the city in a "safe and measured way".

The government's roadmap for lifting lockdown has outlined plans to reopen pubs and restaurants from 12 April, although they will only initially be allowed to serve people outdoors.

Ms Wilby said there were "big plans" for the coming months including a programme of events for "Summer in the Square" in an attempt to support a sector badly affected by the pandemic.

A list of street vendors are also yet to be announced and will rotate through the summer.

While people will be allowed to enjoy drinks from businesses surrounding Victoria Square, it has yet to be decided if alcohol can be brought in from bars elsewhere in the city.

Tom Strawford from Purecraft Bar and Kitchen on the edge of the square said it would be setting up a mobile phone app, to allow customers to sit and order their drinks remotely.

Road closures

Under the government's current plans, indoor drinking will not be allowed until 17 May at the earliest and Mr Strawford welcomed the outdoor seating area as "great" news.

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Partial, six-week closures of Colmore Row and Waterloo Street have already been announced by Birmingham City Council, to allow businesses to provide outdoor seating for their customers.

But Natasha Stokes, Director of the Michelin-starred Adams restaurant on Waterloo Street, said the moves would not help its business.

She said while diners were "desperate to come out", the British weather paired with the restaurant's location, surrounded by high buildings, and its "level of business" meant it would have to wait until indoor dining was allowed.

"A secluded outside spot with direct and private restaurant access and weather coverings may have been something top notch diners could have accepted, but not remote, public, uncovered, British Springtime dining," she said.

Last year, the BID, which supports local businesses, opened up five areas in the city with outdoor seating and these "parklets" each had space for about 20 people to eat, drink and meet up.

It plans to bring them back too, with the addition of two more parklets on Church Street, outside the The Old Royal pub and Gaucho.

There is also additional seating planned for Church Street Square.