Northern powerhouse and Midlands engine room are headline-friendly catch phrases and the result of chancellor George Osborne’s drive to devolve power from Whitehall to England’s regions. But I’m just not sure the latter should be adopted as a Midlands moniker.
Trying to find someone either in the regions or in London who can actually define these phrases is trickier than finding an occupier for a brand new office in the middle of nowhere. Even West Midlands MP and former secretary of state Caroline Spelman was freely mixing and matching the terms.
But for me, the word “powerhouse” conjures up pro-active images of strength and dominance – a positive go-getting image, to which the North has laid an early claim.
Personally, I cringe every time I hear the phrase Midlands engine room. I understand the concept – the Midlands is the heart of the UK’s automotive and manufacturing industry and the title reflects that – but for me, the mental image of an “engine room” conjures
up a hot, dirty and even sweaty coal face. I think it has a much more blue-collar connotation rather than a strong, dominant powerhouse one.
This isn’t just abstract semantics – poor terminology could put the Midlands at a disadvantage in future investors’ eyes and I therefore urge the region to seriously rethink this label. If you must, try Midlands powerhouse – it seems to be working for the North.
Last week saw the long-awaited opening of Birmingham’s redeveloped New Street station and Grand Central shopping mall, which has a £35m flagship John Lewis store as its anchor.
For once, in the many years that I have been travelling to Birmingham, I can honestly say it was a delight to arrive at New Street and see the completed £750m project. The new New Street station is five times the size of Euston station and is at last a fitting gateway to the Midlands and the UK’s second city.
Birmingham’s press and media have dubbed last month as “super September”, the culmination of years of hard work coming to fruition with these and the neighbouring Mailbox openings.
It’s not just September that has been super for Birmingham – the level of investment activity there is unprecedented and market observers expect £1bn of commercial property to change hands by the end of 2015, a level never before seen in the city.
The challenge now for the rest of the West Midlands region is to step out from Birmingham’s disproportionately large shadow and show what investment and development opportunities are available. There are many, I know. The wider West Midlands just needs to shout a bit louder.
