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Where to stay for Autosport International - Birmingham NEC
Fred W B - 22/11/24 at 05:49 AM

I may be in the UK in January visiting family that live just south of London near Leatherhead and would like to take the opportunity to visit Autosport International on the trade day Friday 10th.

I don’t know Birmingham at all, anybody able to recommend some accommodation convenient to the show? I see that the NEC is right by the train station, the train trip is apparently about 2 and a half hours or a bit more so not practical for a day trip?

I would prefer a place with some British character rather that a nondescript modern hotel, so maybe better to go by car and see a bit more of the area on the weekend, but then not really the the time of year for tourist stuff?

Any advice / suggestions welcome

[Edited on 22/11/24 by Fred W B]

40inches - 22/11/24 at 09:33 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Fred W B
I may be in the UK in January visiting family that live just south of London near Leatherhead and would like to take the opportunity to visit Autosport International on the trade day Friday 10th.

I don’t know Birmingham at all, anybody able to recommend some accommodation convenient to the show? I see that the NEC is right by the train station, the train trip is apparently about 2 and a half hours or a bit more so not practical for a day trip?

I would prefer a place with some British character rather that a nondescript modern hotel, so maybe better to go by car and see a bit more of the area on the weekend, but then not really the the time of year for tourist stuff?

Any advice / suggestions welcome

[Edited on 22/11/24 by Fred W B]

I would suggest AB&B for a few ideas. There is usually a good variation in accommodation.
Warwick Castle should be open and you can stay overnight there.
https://www.warwick-castle.com/tickets-passes/

[Edited on 22-11-24 by 40inches]

nick205 - 22/11/24 at 02:21 PM

I've been to cycle shows at the NEC, several times.

Travelled by train from Winchester (2hr 10m) each way.
Long day, but perfectly OK.
The NEC itself is about 15-20mins walk from the train station.

If it's a trade day and you plan to buy stuff then going by car may be better.

Sam_68 - 22/11/24 at 02:43 PM

To say that Birmingham itself is a sh*thole is an insult to sh*tholes, so avoid staying there.

The NEC is on the east side of the city, served by the M42 motorway (linked to the M5, M40 and M6), but the 'east midland' is pretty grim, too, so I'd be looking to the southern side of Birmingham, and not too far from one of those motorways, if you're driving.

If you want to see 'British character' in terms of tourist areas/attractions, then Warwick Castle isn't a bad call, but I'd also look at Stratford on Avon or maybe the northern end of the Cotswolds (Chipping Campden, Moreton in Marsh, Broadway), or as a little Market Town, perhaps somewhere like Upton upon Severn (not too far off the M5), to put you in range of the Malverns.