A weekend in Coventry: City of Culture 2021
A mix of ancient and modern architecture with a cool creative streak, Coventry is one of the UK’s most underrated cities. And, now that it’s finally in full swing of its year as a City of Culture, being sent to Coventry in 2021 can only be a good thing….
Most Brits think of Coventry (if they think of it at all) as a bit of a grim city, with post-war architecture and a ring road from hell. It’s been left behind as other major cities in England have seen serious investment – you only need to look at the renaissance of Manchester, Birmingham or Liverpool to realise that Coventry deserves a little more love (and money).
It’s easily reached from everywhere with a history and cathedral every bit as interesting as York’s: Coventry was briefly the capital of England and famous one-time residents include Lady Godiva, George Eliot and Philip Larkin. The Midlands city has produced cars from the Triumph to the E-Type Jaguar (and is these days converting the iconic black cab to all-electric), plus it’s the home of 2 Tone Music (the Specials were formed here) and has two major universities. So why isn’t Coventry on our weekend destination radar?
Robert Evans/Alamy Stock Photo
After Coventry was nearly destroyed in one terrible night during the Blitz, city bigwigs accelerated plans to rebuild as a glorious, modern bastion of style and cool. They built the first pedestrianised shopping precinct in Europe and knocked down historic houses and sections of the old city wall to build a cutting-edge concrete inner ring road. By the 1970s, as industry declined, Coventry’s modern innovations didn’t look so modern anymore.
Cut to the 21st century and Coventry has beaten 11 other cities to host the City of Culture 2021 – judges commended the city’s multicultural, youthful demographic. COVID-19 meant a difficult start (the ‘year’ is now running from May–May) but this city is the original comeback kid – and it’s rising from the ashes once more. For a full round up of City of Culture events go to coventry2021.co.uk and see below for our recommendations of what to do on a weekend in Coventry.
Friday
Check in: to the Telegraph Hotel. A brand-new stylish hotel in the heart of the city centre, the Telegraph is in the one-time office of the Coventry Telegraph. Its publishing vibe and memorabilia evoke the 1950s while its rooms are large and comfy.
The Telegraph Hotel
Book tickets: for City of Culture events at the UK City of Culture Shop on Hertford Street, which is open until 6pm. If you haven’t booked tickets online for weekend events, then drop in and staff will tell you what’s on – and book it for you.
Go for drinks: at rooftop bar Generators, back at the Telegraph Hotel. It’s a lovely spot for an early evening drink and selection of small plates. It’s all Brutalist concrete and bare lightbulbs (squint and you could be on a rooftop bar somewhere in Brooklyn). Booking is essential.
Watch live performances: at Assembly Festival Garden, centrepiece for the city’s year of cultural celebrations. The food, drink and events space, which is billed as Edinburgh + Coventry, will be open until mid-October 2021. There’s three performance spaces (see online for ticketed events) and the rest of the ‘garden’ is dedicated as an open-air hang out hub with street food and drinks.
READ MORE: Made in Derby: why this Midlands city should also be on your weekend wish-list
Saturday
Explore: Coventry Cathedral by booking a free entry and exhibition ticket online (donations welcome). This unique space features two cathedrals alongside each other – a contemporary building (1956–1962) connected to the open-air ruins of the old cathedral (the third in Coventry in 1,000 years).
The new cathedral acts as a stunning Mid-Century art gallery, with modernist pieces by the likes of John Piper, Jacob Epstein and Elisabeth Frink.
nrqemi/Shutterstock
Visit: Herbert Art Gallery, adjacent to the cathedral. This art gallery is a vibrant, family-friendly space with a comprehensive history of the city on its ground floor and world-class temporary exhibitions on the second floor. Don’t miss 2 Tone: Lives and Legacies (until mid-September 2021) or the Turner Prize (29 September 2021 to 12 January 2022).
garryjonesphotography
Lunch at: Tumeric Gold or Taste Vietnam. Coventry is a multicultural city with a cracking food scene; book a table for curry or pho on medieval Spon Street (pictured). Special shout out too, for Pod Café on Gosford Street, which serves a fixed-price vegan menu on Wednesday and Thursday – in case you stay for longer than a weekend.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Immerse yourself in culture at: Observations on Being. Spend the afternoon soaking up one of the many superb City of Culture events. Observations of Being is an immersive audio-video experience that probes the edge of our perception and our relationship with the natural world (until 31 August 2021 at London Road Cemetery, a 20-minute walk from the city centre).
Go for dinner and drinks: at Dhillon’s Spire Bar. There is covered, heated courtyard seating at this landmark brewery pub, where it brews its own ale just across the city. Ever-changing beers support local causes – Unity beer for Pride or SOTV in aid of Coventry City Football Club (Aston Villa fans might not want to ask about the acronym...). Thursday to Sunday, the bar has different pop-up street food (check the website for details).
Listen to live music: at Tin Music and Arts. If you’re into live music, let this be your venue of choice. On the canal, a stone’s throw from the Telegraph hotel, Tin Music and Arts in the old coal vaults has live events scheduled most weekends.
READ MORE: 54 brilliant British landmarks
Sunday
Admire street art: such as In Paint We Trust. You’ll already have spotted the incredible piece of street art depicting Britain’s first Black theatre manager, Ira Aldridge, outside Belgrade Theatre (opposite the Telegraph Hotel). More artwork is springing up across the city centre – take a stroll and see what you can spot.
Discover the city’s industrial past: at the Transport Museum. The slogan for this year’s City of Culture is “The City that Moves” and so the transport museum is the obvious destination. Exhibits trace the remarkable innovations that have taken place in Coventry, from penny farthings to the fastest car on the planet (763 miles per hour/ 1,228kmph). Our Future Moves, an exhibition about transport for the future (think delivery drones and autonomous vehicles), is here until 31 October.
Coventry Transport Museum
Eat, drink and shop: at FarGo Village. A hub for creative businesses developed on a derelict industrial estate, FarGo has independent retail units and spaces for creative start-ups. It hosts food and music events and has a raft of outstanding places to eat and drink.
Credit Andrew Brooks and British Council
Lead image: robertharding/Alamy Stock Photo
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