Birmingham's Digbeth Clubs Rally Against a Railway Plan That Threatens 50 Businesses

A newly formed group, the Digbeth Music Venues Alliance, brought together XOYO, Luna Springs, Club Colette, Mama Roux's and The Night Owl for a Save Digbeth block party on Sunday 11 October, running across Lower Trinity Street and XOYO with an afterparty at Mama Roux's.

The target of the protest is Network Rail's 1.75 billion pound Midlands Rail Hub. The project is pitched as a major boost to regional public transport, but it would mean heavy redevelopment around Lower Trinity Street and Bordesley Viaduct, putting around 50 independent businesses at risk, a large share of them music venues.

The alliance says it is not against progress, but argues that culture should not be treated as collateral damage and that venues cannot simply be demolished without equivalent replacements. Nightlife campaign group Save Our Scene has already helped send 4,000 emails to local MP Shabana Mahmood, and parked a branded fire truck outside the council offices last week before bringing it back as one of the party's three stages. Supporters are being urged to keep the pressure on by emailing their MP.

Source: DJ Mag