‘Wind Down Watering Holes!’.

The busy buzz of the business district in Birmingham city centre is fantastic!

The district is home to many big name companies, some global and corporate and others independent and boutique, but all part of the daily hustle and bustle that is city centre working.

The day to day life of a recruiter, along with the many other business professionals, is usually very fast-paced and busy. Early mornings, late finishes and if you’re lucky managing to grab a bite to eat at lunch.

So when it comes to 5pm on Friday, or any other day for that matter… Where do we head to unwind?

With this in mind (and a wealth of personal experience on this particular subject) I will share with you what I consider to be Birmingham City Centres top 5 ‘wind down watering holes!’

Edmunds Brew House

The Mitchell Adam Friday venue of choice, largely because it’s about 6 steps from our office on Newhall Street, but also because of its great selections of ales, ciders and wines. It provides a great atmosphere with other fellow city workers and it has to be said the staff are really very pleasant.

We have often been spotted partaking in their Wednesday night quiz, which is great fun and good for team building.

All Bar One

Great cocktails, great food and a little thing called Fizz Fridays! Need I go on? Many an enjoyable night has been had enjoying both the Colmore and Brindley Place bars! With a super modern and contemporary feel, it’s a great place to meet friends after work and put the world to rights over a cocktail and a great selection of tasty tapas! All Bar One’s location in Brindley place also boasts a nice outdoor seating area which is one of the only bars in Birmingham centre to benefit from catching sun the occasional summer’s day that the UK offers us.

Fumo

Quite possibly the best cocktails in town! The barmen here really do know their way around making a seriously good margarita along with an extensive menu of other super cocktails. This stylish champagne bar oozes class and sophistication and extremely popular most nights of the week. Complete with a unique Italian tapas menu to die for, Fumo really does have it all!

Utopia

The home of many a Recruiter, Accountant and Banker of a Thursday and Friday evening. This shiny, busy wine bar is hugely popular, boasting a fantastic selection of wines, champagnes and lager. This little bar located right in the heart of Colmore is also a great venue for a cheeky pub lunch, should you be able to sneak out to grab a tasty light bite or sandwich. In addition, should you need a place for a private function, you can easily book the back area of the bar and order a selection of buffet food for your party.

The Old Royal

Wild card here for my last choice. A deceptively good little pub located on Cornwall Street and favourite location to many as it is just a stones throw from Snowhill Station. Being particularly partial to a glass or two of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, I was most pleased when this place started stocking my favourite Oyster Bay vino. It always hosts a great atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. My wild card choice of watering hole is also fab for a snack – the burgers and burritos especially for around a fiver come with a drink! What more can you ask for? On top of this, there is a huge upstairs seating area and additional bar so you can be sure to get a table even on a busy Friday.

So if you haven’t tried some of the above little gems, I must recommend every single one and urge you to try a wind down this summer – after all, ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”!

– Emma George –