7. How the national headquarters will be welcomed by the local public
Birmingham has welcomed a number of HQ relocations in recent years, alongside major wins such as the Commonwealth Games bid.
The business community in the city is supportive and engaged, and with 25,000 people living within a one-mile radius of the city centre, the Central Business District provides a fantastic ‘live/work’ offer. Following the recent redevelopment of the Paradise area of the city, the local public will be keen to welcome new businesses to support the city centre hospitality venues and retail stores.
Aligning with the levelling up vision, GBR HQ will help bind Birmingham as a city of excellence in rail, inspiring younger generations to join the industry and provide opportunities for skilled employment, through attracting more rail companies to base themselves in the West Midlands region.
Rail is important to local people and the regional economy, both as an enabler of productivity, but also a driver of further Inward Investment to the region. Over 166,000 people commute into Birmingham each day for work, with over 42,000 commuting by train.
Birmingham has recently developed a new identity: Be Bold, Be Birmingham. GBR’s ambitions have strong synergies with Birmingham’s identity and values, as GBR marks a new era in the rail industry.