City News

“Gee! You Brummies seen what y’all missin?” That’s the view of Wilbur Snr, a fictitious American tourist developed by Birmingham City Council to promote its Leisure and Cultural offerings – from museums, art galleries and libraries, to parks, sporting and cultural events. 

The character is part of a ‘Tested on Tourists’ campaign which aims to remind local people of the wide variety of leisure opportunities in the city which are either free or low cost, run by the City Council.   This is in response to customer comments that the council’s ‘leisure facilities and attractions’ need to advertise more.  Combined with the fact that nearly 20 million visitors came to Birmingham last year, often visiting places that residents take for granted or are unaware of.   

Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council said:
“This is an exciting new initiative which will help direct Birmingham residents to see the many attractions that are on their doorstep. Whether it is packing in the cultural activity and sightseeing, strolling through its parks and visiting art galleries and museums, Birmingham has plenty to offer.   

“Our new ‘Tested on Tourists’ campaign is designed to show off the city through a tourist’s eyes.  Our fictional friend, Wilbur, is helping us show people what treasures we have in our midst, make them aware of how much they can get out of their local services and to appreciate what a world-class city they live in.”

Wilbur was doing the Shakespeare ‘thang’ in Stratford upon Avon and his next destination was London – but boarding the wrong coach brought him to Birmingham. And that’s where his adventures begin….. 

Wilbur Snr is the larger than life character, at the centre of Birmingham City Council’s new Leisure and Culture marketing campaign, ‘Tested on Tourists’.   Sporting a colourful Hawaiian shirt, shorts and Stetson, he is a humorous fictional creation, designed to encourage local people to make more of their local services. Appearing on billboards, press, radio and television advertisements over the next few weeks, he will highlight the city’s numerous attractions and encourage people to make the most of what’s on their doorstep.

The first phase of the campaign, featuring Wilbur is currently underway and Birmingham City Council plans to develop it into a longer term campaign, which will eventually feature local people endorsing their favourite aspects of city life and local services.

WILBUR’S TOP TEN ‘THANGS’ ABOUT BIRMINGHAM

Wilbur says:

ArtsFest Fiesta – Hey guys, you Brummies should be very proud of having the biggest free Arts festival in the whole of the United Kingdom. I can’t wait until September 8th to join the other 100,000 folks for a big party all over town.

Surfin’Usa – I discovered the best thing ever about your Central Library – I popped in there to look up my ancestors’ family tree ‘cos someone told me that my Great Great Grandaddy came from Sheldon and while I was in there found out that I can email the folks back home for free!! 

Not So Lone Rangers – I thought we had the exclusive on rangers in the US of A, but I found out that you have whole troops of them there park rangers organising ‘countryside in the city’ events and taking people on wild adventures like bat and moth nights and bug hunts. Wow!

Babu the Brave – In the States we have Citizen Kane, but I hear that your favourite Brummie citizen is Babu the Red Panda at the Birmingham Nature Centre. If you don’ mind me saying, I found that a bit peculiar, but I went on down there to see him and he’s cute! And you’ve got 130 species of animals living there including lemurs and meerkats.   Did you know you can take the kids for free!  That’s cool.

Green Guage - You have more parks and open spaces than any other city in the UK, 162 to be precise. Get on out there folks, be proud, be fit, be happy!

Bargain Art – Hey what a bargain – all of your museums are free to visit. More than half of your Birmingham population visited them last year – 539,892 of you to be precise.  Could be ‘cos of that world famous Pre-Raphaelite collection of paintings and drawings. Just wait ‘till I tell my local mayor’s office in Alabama!

Culture Vulture – Ma good lady loves the theatre, and she was really impressed by your City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Royal Ballet. As ma home town has the same name, do you think we could borrow them once in a while?

Hobbit Habit  - the Lord of the Rings movies are my second favourite film trilogy (after Star Wars!) so I’m well impressed that the very famous JRR Tolkien actually lived in Birmingham and that your Moseley Bog and the 200 year old Sarehole Mill may have inspired his writing. Make sure you visit like I did before 29 October because it shuts down for the winter.  Don’t forget, it won’t cost you a dime!    

Great Sport! - I went to the Norwich Union International at Alexander Stadium to cheer on our USA athletes and found out that this city has hosted more World and European Championships in sport than any other in the UK. Hey that’s another stat you can boast about guys.  And if you haven’t booked your tickets for the European Athletics Indoor Championships at the NIA next March, make sure you do soon.

Stately pile – you have some great, big houses round here.  Some of your ancestors knew how to live in style.  Aston Hall is very grand  - I gather it takes 800 candles to light it up for those great festive parties at Christmas. And then there’s Highbury in Moseley,  Joseph  Chamberlain’s old home – his back yard was so big it’s now a public park.  Gee!