Dining solo in Birmingham

I'm overnight in Birmingham for work. Not my favourite place in the world, but given that I’ve been here twenty or thirty odd times in the last couple of years (I've lost count) there's a special place for it in my heart. Not that I'd ever really choose to come here in any context other than a work one, mind you. But that's not why I sat down to write.

The booking at the hotel included breakfast, lunch and dinner, but there's only so many meals you can take in the Jury's hotel in Birmingham ... and dinner is not one of them. So dinner alone then in a restaurant. Eating alone in a restaurant is something I rather enjoy. But it seems to upset the waiting staff. A double take when I say, "A table for one." and then a solicitousness throughout the meal - can I get you anything else? Is everything alright? How's your meal going? As if I needed this inane banter to cover the fact that there is no-one sitting opposite me. No recognition of the fact that it's actually rather relaxing and lovely to have a period of contemplation, watching the world around you, the other diners, savouring your dinner, your wine, your dessert, your coffee ... and not a bit of inane conversation required...

I don't have any particularly interesting photographs of Birmingham to hand. So here's one taken in Barcelona instead. (Well, it begins with a B...) Someone else who was dining alone.