BBC to move more roles outwith London

I have huge sympathy for the staff affected. It's hard to make the decision to uproot your life for a job.

But some of the comments I've seen from BBC staff explain why it's necessary to move roles out of London, in my view.

I've seen staff talking about Birmingham, Cardiff and Salford as if they're desolate landscapes in the wilderness!

It's a shame, Cardiff and Manchester are good places to be. Vibrant, modern cities.
Birmingham? Well, it's only 90 mins from London on the train.

Currently looking for graduate jobs in Birmingham so wish I could say it's a good place

I went to university in Birmingham, and we all know there's nobody cooler than me, and I bloody loved the place.

If nothing else, you can look at the Radio Times back issues in the library.

Yeah, god knows why anyone would want to live in a city about to host the Commonwealth Games and next day to the city hosting the UK City of Culture...

Birmingham gets a lot of flack as most people still assume it’s the 1960’s concrete jungle that it used to be about 20 years ago.

It’s reinvented itself but with no representation from the media in recent years due to Pebble Mill being demolished then I find it goes under the radar nowadays and no one is familiar of how the city is nowadays.

It’s officially the city with the youngest population across the whole of Europe which is a lesser known fact. So BBC Three being based here is ideal.

Hoping the Commonwealth Games may change people’s perceptions somewhat.

When the BBC came to my Uni on what was known back then as the 'Recruitment Milk Round' , I was asked which BBC site I'd preferably like to work at. The interviewer fell off his chair, because I didn't say 'London', but rather gave Birmingham and Manchester as my 1st and 2nd choices. I got an interview at Pebble Mill. Interview was at lunchtime. Obviously I had to enter the place via the side door, and not the main reception

Instantly reminded me of "Birmingham... My Kind of Town..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoHVO1eSMFc

Yes, one the wrong piece of paper to the wrong room at Pebble Mill, and to Bob Langley having the live tv on air shock and ad lib interview from hell!

Part of the old Pebble Mill complex is now the Birmingham Dental Hospital, and I had to go there a couple of years ago for a consultation appointment.
Minor nerves duly suppressed whilst waiting, trying to work out which bit of the old broadcast centre the waiting room I was sat in was previously...

Incidentally there is a blue plaque in the pipeline, it may well even be up already:


Part of the wider BBC Heritage Trail:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/research/heritage-trail

I might have done better that day, if Bob Langley had interviewed me on the telly. It's about as far as I got with a career at the BBC !