Ladywood House, a nine story office block, is almost above the Pallasades Shopping Centre, which itself is exactly above New St Station. Ground Floor doesn’t really take to you to the ‘ground’, but opens up on a balcony, which connects to the shopping centre. It is on this balcony that young men and women, mainly Asian, congregate on weekdays.
The balcony isn’t scenic. In fact it’s quite basic. But the reason why teenagers gather there is because it is quite discreet, which can’t be said of many places in the centre of Birmingham. Here youngsters can pursue their romantic liaisons without being seen by a relative. The other day I saw a young lady, traditionally attired in Shalwar Kameez, in a passionate embrace with her lover, he all the time exploring the more intimate regions with his hand. On most days it is not that exciting. It’s just young people chatting or being chatted up.
Most of the youngsters are, like me, of Mirpuri origin, which I have gathered from the expletives I hear on the way to lunch. Occasionally, while hastily walking by, I get a whiff of something which, I would say, is not normal tobacco.
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