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An artist’s impression of Alexander Stadium in Birmingham as it will appear during the Commonwealth Games
Alexander Stadium in Birmingham will be improved as part of the Games. Photograph: Birmingham city council/PA
Alexander Stadium in Birmingham will be improved as part of the Games. Photograph: Birmingham city council/PA

Birmingham gets ready for 2022 Commonwealth Games

This article is more than 5 years old

Locals in host city have concerns any benefits will be short term, while others are optimistic the event will unite everyone

In the summer of 2022, thousands of athletes, officials and fans from more than 70 nations and territories will descend on Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games.

Outside the Arthur Robertson pub in Perry Barr (the pub is named after an Olympic runner who was a member of the local athletics club, Birchfield Harriers), the regulars do not – at least for the moment – sound thrilled at the prospect.

“The council has got very excited about it,” said Dave Rollins, who admits he prefers watching darts rather than track and field, hockey or netball. “But most of us round here aren’t sure they’re capable of delivering. They’re in a mess as it is, having to make cuts all over the place. I think they should spend the money on the basics – getting the bins emptied, keeping the place moving.”

Perry Barr, in suburban north Birmingham, will be one of the epicentres of the games. The plan is to extend and improve Alexander Stadium, home of Birchfield Harriers. The bulldozers are clearing a former university campus to make way for the athletes’ village.

Vegetable growers at the Walsall Road allotments next to the stadium are worried that their land may be grabbed. “The council has said we’re safe but they always say that, don’t they?” said committee member Tony Cotterell. “I’m not bothered about sport. I think the money can be spent in better ways.”

Rick Sharma, who owns a convenience store and post office close to the stadium, is looking forward to a boost in footfall. “In the short term I think it will be good,” he said. “There will be construction people here beforehand, and during the games we’ll have lots of visitors. But long term I’m not sure. The council is hellbent on getting money from the government and finding ways of spending it. That’s what they do.”

There is even a campaign in Perry Barr to save a flyover that could be demolished as part of the development of bus routes and the village. More than 2,000 people have signed, claiming its removal would cause congestion and the loss of a “prime example of modernist concrete architecture”.

Of course, not all are suspicious: Mimi-Isabella Cesar, a rhythmic gymnast from up the road in Sutton Coldfield who competed in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and the Gold Coast in 2018, believes the events will be huge for her home city.

“I watched my first Commonwealth Games in 2006 [Melbourne] and it inspired me to learn new skills. There will be people who take up the sports we present. We love our sport in Britain – it unites everyone. I think Birmingham will be surprised at how inspiring it will be. It’s 100% worth it and personally I’d love to compete in front of a home crowd.”

Ellie Simmonds, the Paralympian swimmer who swam for Boldmere swimming club in Sutton Coldfield as a girl, said she believed the event would be “special, wholly inclusive and utterly memorable”.

Nick Timothy was one of Theresa May’s close aides. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Last week Simmonds was appointed to the Birmingham 2022 board as a non-executive director, along with a much more divisive figure, Nick Timothy, Theresa May’s ex-joint chief of staff. Critics called the appointment of Timothy, who was born in Birmingham, a blatant example of “jobs for the boys”.

The Labour-run council insists the event will be great for the city. It says the games can help tackle social problems in a city where 42% of children live in poverty.

But this comes at a time when the authority needs to make cuts of £86m during the next four years. Its suggestions for savings, for which it has opened a consultation, include dimming the streetlights, removing lollipop men and women, withdrawing funding for the tourist information centre and reducing subsidies on sports pitch hire. The final budget will be voted upon next month.

One unpopular proposal is to slash grant support to Birmingham’s major arts and cultural organisations, including the beloved City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Rep theatre, Midlands Art Centre and Ikon Gallery.

Thousands have signed a petition that argues Birmingham will be a less vibrant city in 2022 if these cuts are made. Gary Topp, CEO of Culture Central, a collective voice for arts in the city, said it was worrying that arts funding was being lost shortly before the eyes of the world turned towards Birmingham. “A successful, global city needs a thriving, complex and rich cultural sector,” he said.

Birmingham 2022’s organising committee points out that 95% of venues are already in place, making it a “prudent, low-risk” games. For example, events including weightlifting and basketball will take place at the NEC, rugby sevens at the football stadium Villa Park and hockey at the University of Birmingham. However for cycling fans, some of their favourite events will take place at the Lee Valley VeloPark 100 miles away in east London. There is a plan to build a £60m aquatics centre for the swimming and diving events in Sandwell, Birmingham’s next-door neighbour.

The city council says the games have the potential to generate significant economic benefits for Birmingham and the UK. For starters, it says a workforce of up to 45,000 people will be employed.

But the council has yet to explain how it will foot the bill for the games, which were awarded to Birmingham after Durban ran into financial problems.

The figure most often used – not an official one – is that it will cost £750m to host the 11-day event. Central government will pay 75% of the costs and the rest will be met by Birmingham city council and other local partners. It has been estimated that the village alone will cost £523m, with the government committed to contributing £165m of that. The village will be turned into 1,400 new homes for Perry Barr after the athletes have left.

There has been talk of introducing airport and hotel taxes and using money from business rates to cover the costs, but the council emphasises that nothing has been set in stone.

Ian Ward, the leader of Birmingham city council, said: “One of the core strengths of our bid was that 95% of venues are already in place. There will be no white elephants and the games are helping accelerate plans that were already being shaped to regenerate the city and to improve its infrastructure for citizens, businesses and visitors. The city council is determined that the funding mechanisms it is exploring should not impact day-to-day services and that the investment in the games should not come from council tax.”

Opposition parties in Labour-controlled Birmingham back the concept of the games, but want more detail about how they will be funded.

Tory councillor Meirion Jenkins, the local shadow cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “If Birmingham is to be regarded as a leading international city, then we must be able to stage major international events of this type. That said, I have a number of concerns about the way in which the Labour administration is failing to be straightforward with council tax payers. Having decided to host the games, we have to recognise that there will be substantial costs, part of which will need to be funded by the city.”

Jon Hunt, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the city council and a Perry Barr councillor, added: “It could be good but we have to make sure it’s good. We have challenges to make sure the games don’t do harm. I think people are cautiously optimistic.”

More on this story

More on this story

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  • Commonwealth Games must do more for LGBT rights, says former swimmer

  • Rapper Pa Salieu ‘dropped’ from Commonwealth Games closing ceremony

  • Commonwealth Games opening ceremony – in pictures

  • Commonwealth Games opener will be on par with London 2012, says director

  • Tom Daley condemns homophobia across Commonwealth ahead of Games

  • Homeless families housed in Birmingham hotels moved ahead of Commonwealth Games

  • King Kong statue returns to Birmingham for Commonwealth Games

  • Commonwealth Games cultural festival accused of sidelining people of colour

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