Lonely Planet's Discover Britain shuns Birmingham
Where's Birmingham? The latest edition of Lonely Planet's Discover Great Britain has left out the city
A new UK travel guide has snubbed Birmingham, Britain's second largest city, dedicating whole sections to Manchester and Liverpool instead.
Lonely Planet's Discover Britain has omitted the Midlands metropolis leaving readers ignorant of the city's charms, which include the Rep Theatre, the collection of Pre-Raphaelite art at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and the world-famous Balti Triangle.
Birmingham MP Gisela Stuart, who settled in the city after moving from Germany, offered to show the book's author the sights.
'It is time Lonely Planet woke up and came to Birmingham,' the Edgbaston Labour MP said.
'Ignoring this great city shows they have become out of touch and lazy.
'I challenge them to come and I can show them plenty of reasons why the city is worth more than just one visit.'
Missed: Birmingham, with its magnificent Bullring shopping centre, has been overlooked by Lonely Planet which, in its latest guide, has opted to focus on Manchester and Liverpool
The book, published last month, promises to help readers 'experience the best of Great Britain'.
It includes a 40-page Central England chapter which advises tourists to begin their journey in the colleges of Oxford University, before taking in Shakespeare country - with Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle and Coventry Cathedral all listed as highlights.
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But instead of directing travellers on to Birmingham, the route heads west to Ironbridge in Shropshire, before swerving north to the Peak District.
Manchester boasts 'heavyweight art galleries' and Liverpool has an 'ultra-swish' shopping centre and 'magnificent waterfront'.
Omitted: Tourists visiting Britain will not be told about Birmingham's Rep Theatre in the latest Lonely Planet guide book, Discover Britain
But Birmingham, which had 33 million visitors last year who spent 18million, is forgotten.
Author David Esle said the guide could never include everywhere in the country.
He said: 'The itineraries section cannot include every place in the whole of Great Britain.
Friend in the North: Birmingham MP Gisela Stuart, who settled in the city after moving from Germany, offered to show the book's author the sights. (She is seen here with John Prescott in 2005)
'Our books are designed to be useful guides for travellers to use on the road and whilst researching at home, not travel brochures listing every place in the UK.
'Our authors update the England and Great Britain guidebooks ever! y two ye ars so will be back soon to research for the next edition.
'If they feel that Birmingham has something new to offer it may be included in the itineraries section of the next books.'
Unmissable: But visitors will not be informed about the collection of Pre-Raphaelite art at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
BEST OF BRUM
The number 11A bus route: Travelmagazine Hidden Europe recently named the 27-mile Outer Circle route asone of Europes 'secret wonders'. It takes in Cadbury World, Villa Park and Aston Hall and a watermill that helped Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien envisage Middle Earth.
Bullring: Achoice of 160 different shops including the iconic Selfridges department store.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Housedin a Grade II listed city centre building, the gallery is home to one of the worlds finest collections of Pre-Raphaelite art.
Balti Triangle: Theplace to sample Birminghams favourite dish the Balti curry. The area was last year listed at No15 in the top 25 travel experiences in Britain by Rough Guide.
Cadbury World: Describedin an earlier Lonely Planet as 'the next best thing to Willy Wonkas Factory', visitors will discover the origins of the cocoa bean, watch chocolatiers at work and, of course, sample the results.
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