Night markets and real ale festival part of Westside vision

Birmingham 's busiest entertainment district could soon be hosting night markets, huge New Year 's Eve celebration events and the biggest real ale festival in the UK.

Those are just a few of the visionary ideas from Gerald Manton, the new chair of Westside Business Improvement District (BID).

Mr Manton is a real estate developer who owns and runs GNM Developments Ltd, which specialises in the residential, care homes and student accommodation sectors, and has a string of properties on Gas Street on Westside.

He has been a Westside BID director for the last three years, and has now taken over as chair from Dipesh Mistry, a regional director of NatWest Bank.

And his ideas for Westside 's future have been welcomed by Cllr Waseem Zaffar, the cabinet member for Transport and Environment on Birmingham City Council.

Mr Manton said: “Westside is changing due to the numbers of new residential properties going up, and I strongly feel it needs a better public realm.

“For example, I want Gas Street to look different, to be all lit up and better linked with the canal, so that both people living in the area and visitors feel more comfortable.

“Night markets is another idea I 'd like to pursue, as with more residential people in the area we need to add events to keep them here, spending their money with our businesses. ”

Mr Manton - who was born in Castle Vale in 1979 and now lives in Sheldon with his partner Sareena and their three sons - explained how he had served as chair of the Solihull Round Table in recent years, increasing the charity 's revenues by organising more events.

One example was the Solihull Fireworks Display which he developed and saw profits surge from around £8,000 to £98,000 over six years, with audiences growing to more than 18,000 people.

He said: “One of the things Westside doesn 't yet do enough of is public events in Centenary Square, and I 'd love to see us hosting a huge, annual New Year 's Eve celebration event outside Birmingham Library.

“I also think the area with its 'golden mile ' of pubs, bars and restaurants would be ideally suited to host what could become the biggest real ale festival in the UK.

“I 've been involved in helping the Shirley Beer Festival in the past and on Westside we could develop what might be called 'Westoberfest ' - reflecting the tremendous success of Munich 's Oktoberfest. ”

Cllr Zaffar said: “I 'd like to welcome Gerald Manton to his new role as chair of Westside BID.

“He clearly has a bold inventiveness for positive change in Westside that will further energise the area, and I look forward to working closely with him and the BID team on these exciting ideas. ”

Pictured: Gerald Manton (left) with members of the Westside BID team, including general manager Mike Olley (centre)