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Shopping

For late-night shopping in Birmingham it’s all about those soulless shrines of consumerism: shopping centres. When you’re curing the winter blues with some therapy of the retail kind you’ll be bloody glad of that blast of hot air. The Bullring (20 High Street, 0121 632 1500) is the obvious starting point. Anyone near the railway station is gently pushed in the right direction via the escalators leading out of the station. It’s open ‘til 8pm from Monday to Saturday, and with 140 stores under one huge glass roof you’d be lucky to cover a floor. For the best out-of-town shopping head for the city: Star City (32 Watson Road, 0121 328 9880) is known for its 30-screen cinema but the shopping ain’t half bad either. Doors are open ‘til 12am seven days a week.

Late-night drinking

With the 24-hour drinking laws, you’d think that drinking after hours would be easy. Well it is. Most of the bars around Hurst Street stay open ‘til every dark corner has been used and abused. Glamourous Show Bar (27–35 Hurst Street, 0121 622 4770) is one of our faves, with regular cabaret shows and shocking stand-up. If that isn’t your scene then the charming Tap and Spile (10–15 Gas Street, 0121 632 5062) is open ‘til the so-late-it’s-early hour of 4am every day. This is the only place we’ve found where you can knock back a pint of real ale at three in the morning.

Food now

When you’ve got the late night munchies and fancy chewing on something other than your own face, the city centre’s got it sorted. If you’ve been out in Digbeth, Salt’n’Pepper (88–89 Digbeth High Street, 0121 643 5086) does more than just seasoning. They do the usual greasy delights, which should go a long way to preventing a hangover the next day. For post-gig refuelling, Ocean Fish Bar (59 Dale End) is a hop, skip and a trip from the Academy. Expect long queues of sweaty teenagers, but you know it’ll be worth it when you’ve got those steaming chips in your clammy hands. Mr Egg (22 Hurst Street, 0121 622 4344) is an institution with clubbers. Resident in the gay quarter for longer than the saggiest trannies, Mr Egg’s got it all, including an all-day-and-all-night breakfast.

Post-club action

For a post-club wind-down we find a shisha pipe is just the ticket. Shame the government disagreed and caused most of them to close following the smoking ban. But Ali Babas (628–630 Bristol Road, 0121 472 1144) in Selly Oak refused to be beaten and just moved the whole operation outside. You can still have coffee and soft drinks inside but move to the heated garden out the back for the good stuff.

If shisha’s just not damaging enough for you, begin the late-night fag hunt. Two supermarkets in town stay open ‘til the wee hours. The windows of Costcutter (2–5 Suffolk Street Queensway) by the New Street roundabout are plastered in neon signs advertising ‘We Sell Alcohol Late’ so the drinking can continue. There’s also a Select & Save (78 Hill Street, 0121 633 0268) behind New Street Station. If you’re a student heading home to Selly Oak, Tesco Express (479 Bristol Road, 0845 677 9608) can feed more than just your petrol habit.

Other indulgences

For late-night entertainment of an energetic kind, there’s no two ways about it, there’s Five Ways. Bowlplex (Broadway Plaza, 0121 410 5880) is open ‘til late throughout the week with a disco and bar to bowl you over. The casino in the same complex and the nearby Grosvenor (263 Broad Street, 0121 631 2414) encourage frivolous betting throughout the night, rarely closing before 6am. If it’s a late night film you’re after, head to the Odeon (139 New Street, 0871 224 4007).