The idea was put forward by Cllr Martin Mullaney on The Stirrer the other day – Millennium Square is going to be unavailable soon as it’s being turned into a park. Of course, this suggestion came in the aftermath (and I don’t think that’s a completely unreasonable phrase to use. Or would ‘debacle’ be better? ‘Embarrassment’, maybe?) of the Christmas Lights switch-on.

A fine question from Nicky Getgood though:

how will the council deal with noise complaints from local residents who find the festivals disruptive?

Money for art

BMAG is to be given £4.8m towards a new wing forming part of the £9.7million project called Birmingham – A City in the Making. It may one day hold the Staffordshire Hoard (to whit – donations are being collected).

You can wear jeans and trainers to the ballet

You knew that, right?

Yep, from here on in it’s pretty much inescapable.

The Frankfurt Christmas Market (a celebration of charming curios and glühwein or a tat-strewn bovine/pedestrian magnet depending on your point of view) opened today, which is as good a reason as any to link to Old Dead Eye’s lovely video.

Apparently there’ll be a Solihull one this year too, opening 28 Nov.

On Saturday (14 Nov) the Christmas lights are being switched on with a 5-hour pop-fest at Millenium Point which actually features a pretty impressive line-up. BRMB are putting on The Sugababes, JLS, Calvin Harris, Alexandra Burke, Chipmunk, Pixie Lott, Tinchy Stryder, Little Boots and the Noisettes. Not my kinda thing but I’ve at least heard of all of them.

(Pic by hartlandmartin)