Whats a modern day canal?
A canal that's modern. It looks modern anyway, the whole area I was in looked restored.
Gas Street Basin has been significantly redeveloped. Symphony hall opera house, Hyena comedy club, nightclubs, bars and restaurants heading towards the library and the Gas St. museum and gallery. Birmingham is full of shit places - particularly near the football grounds (particularly Aston) but like any place big enough the contrasts are worse. People seem to be like that about a lot of towns in the midlands, mainly dismissive - probably because you don't hear about it much.
Leicester, Leamington Spa, Stratford Upon Avon and places like Warwick are nice enough places. Coventry will change massively next year with the culture bid and it needs it with Warwick nearby there are nice enough areas. Northampton, Derby and Nottingham are a bit ropey imo but I can see why someone from the Birmingham area would go there over smaller a place like Newcastle, no matter how much as a fan I think how fantastic it is. I've grown to think this goldfish bowl idea is probably true.