Shiny, Happy People…

Birmingham has been getting some long-overdue glowing praise in recent months, and this latest piece of good press, courtesy of The Guardian, is particularly welcome.
Apparently our beloved Second City is one of the top ten happiest places to work in the UK when it comes to a work-life balance – and considering how many years of our lives we spend working, don’t we deserve to be happy while we do?
As luck would have it, we’re recruiting for a whole host of roles here at our Birmingham office, so if that’s made you fancy a change of scenery, why not see if you fit the bill?
And if you need any further convincing to commute into Brum and experience everything it has to offer, here are some of its highlights, according to some of the Harris Lamb team: 
Kristie Loakes: The beauty of Birmingham is that it’s forever striving to improve as a destination for locals, visitors and tourists alike. On-going development across the city is proof of investors’ interest in the city, and makes it a massive attraction, whether visiting for the first time or exploring the many independent coffee shops, retailers and restaurants that have made themselves at home here. It’s full of hidden gems, if people can take the time to find them.

Gert Corfield:The fact that there are three major train stations mean that there’s absolutely no need to drive into the city, and provides brilliant links to anywhere else in the country. The launch of John Lewis in September last year means that the city now has three huge department stores with the newly-refurbed Harvey Nichols and Selfridges – making its retail offering a real powerhouse, while all benefitting from a compact city centre. Add to that The Wellington (the main source of my happiness) and there you have it. Happy days.

Andrew Hulbert: As cities go, it’s a very green one – there are some lovely routes near the city centre for me to run around, such as The Vale, Edgbaston Reservoir, and the Canals, for a change of scenery close by. The easy commute from the suburbs into the city centre is brilliant for a healthy work-life balance, and every month seems to see the launch of another great new restaurant. And obviously, there are plentiful and easy train links into London, which is essential in this industry.

David Walton: It’s all about the location – Birmingham is within a two-hour drive of 80 per cent of the UK population which is perfect for access, and with 11,000 shops, an ever-increasing number of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and a superb cultural offering of theatres and music venues, it’s a huge destination in its own right.