Peaky tours team launches citywide tour company

The team behind the hugely successful Peaky Tours, which explores the history of the real Peaky Blinders in Digbeth, have launched their own citywide tour company.

Brum Tours, which has been launched with the support of Mike Olley and the Westside BID, are on a mission to raise the profile of Birmingham’s history whilst educating and entertaining people in the process.

Brum Tours initially started out in 2014 under the banner of Peaky Tours and it concentrated on giving history buffs and TV fans alike the opportunity to experience first-hand the sights and sounds of 19th century Birmingham gangsters, the Peaky Blinders.

The tours are being ran by University of Birmingham professor Carl Chinn, who has written several books about the history of working class lives in Birmingham. He is a great believer in the vital role played in history by supposedly ordinary, working class people, which is possibly one of the reasons why Peaky Tours has become a success.

Currently Brum Tours offer three separate tours: Peaky Tours, City of a Thousand Trades and Broad Street: Canals, Halls & Icons.

The company has plans to introduce a range of new tours to showcase the wide range of history that Birmingham has to shout about in the coming months.

Of his decision to get involved, Mike Olley said: “Westside BID is all about encouraging and promoting businesses that show what a world-class city Birmingham is.

“Few businesses have done so much to raise the profile of Birmingham in recent years as Brum Tours, so it was a natural step for Westside to get involved. We’re proud to be a part of it and very excited about the future.”

Brum Tours have launched a website where you can book yourself a place on the latest tours, including dinner and a personal Q&A with Professor Chinn.