Those who plan to intersperse their visit to PAKEX 86 with breaks for sightseeing, shopping, or entertainment will find that the area around the NEC holds a wealth of surprises in all these categories and more. The PAKEX Plus Package will make it even easier to take advantage of all the region has to offer, with special concessions, maps and guides. But this whirlwind tour will point out some of the main attractions.
Though the NEC itself lies amidst fields on the fringes of the Warwickshire countryside, only nine miles away is Birmingham, second city in Britain. As befits its status the city is host to the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, as well as a number of impressive museums. The cosmopolitan make-up of the city ensures that there is a wide selection of international restaurants in all price categories, along with a full quota of nightclubs, discos, cinemas, and theatre clubs. Eight municipal golf courses and a number of other leisure centres cater to sportsmen and women.
Shopping facilities are also excellent, ranging from smaller shops, selling antiques, crafts, and the latest fashions, all the way to large department stores and modern shopping complexes in the city centre.
Head a few miles southeast from the NEC and there’s Coventry. The postwar cathedral, built next to the bombed-out ruins of its predecessor, is a treasure trove of work by contemporary artists and craftsmen; architecture by Spence, sculpture by Epstein, and tapestry by Sutherland.
A few miles further is Warwick with its imposing 14th Century castle and compact streets full of Tudor and Georgian buildings. Another great castle in the same district is at Kenilworth, frequently visited by Elizabeth I. Nearby is the Georgian resort of Royal Leamington Spa.
A bit further south is Stratford-upon-Avon, known around the world as the home town of William Shakespeare. His birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and other places that the Bard knew are still to be seen in the town, and the surrounding landscapes call to mind some of his most striking imagery.
The Cotswold Hills stretch southwest for some 75 miles, with some of the loveliest countryside to be found in Britain, punctuated by stone circles and picturesque old villages like Broadway or Stow-on-the-Wold.
The abundance of castles and battlefields scattered through the Midlands plain attests to the days when this was the “Cockpit of England” and rival noblemen and their armies fought to shape the country's destiny. Both the Wars of the Roses and the Civil War were settled by battles fought in this part of England.
History of a different kind can be found to the north and west of Birmingham. In the lronbridge Gorge, a complex of indoor and outdoor museums documents the period when the area gave birth to the Industrial Revolution. And the Black Country Museum at Dudley features the industries that made this highly distinctive region so important to Britain's economy.
Many locals maintain that the many small, independent brewers hereabouts produce some of the finest ale in Britain – and there are lots of friendly pubs to drink it in, too. Real brewing enthusiasts will want to make a side trip to Burton-on-Trent, centre of Britain’s brewing industry with a new brewing museum.
If all this isn’t enough to be getting on with, one of the world’s great cities is only a couple of hours away by car or train. London’s attractions don’t need repeating here, but suffice it to say that PAKEX visitors will find them most accessible.
With all there is to see and do, it’s no wonder that Birmingham calls itself “the big heart of England”. It’s also why PAKEX 86 will be a good opportunity for a relaxing break, as well as a good chance to do business.
From PAKEX NEWS, 1985