A £20k super clean green machine has been launched on Westside to keep pavements in and around the famous Black Sabbath bench spotless.

Westside Business Improvement District (BID) has invested £20,000 in an Eco City Picker which was launched this week by BID chair Gerald Manton and Cllr Majid Mahmood, the cabinet member for Environment at Birmingham City Council.

The machine will be regularly operated by two environmental wardens across Westside, with all other street wardens also trained to use the machine. And there will be a special focus on pavements around the Black Sabbath bench, making sure that it's kept sparkling for the thousands of fans who visit.

Birmingham has been ranked as the second best place to visit in the UK in 2023 by Time Out thanks to their "most underrated" food scene, sporting events and attractions, reports Birmingham Live. The national magazine ranked Brum just below Eastbourne in East Sussex on the list.

Time Out said that the return of the Ashes to Birmingham next June is one of the key reasons the city ranked so highly, with the library and the Bullring other good reasons to visit. The list was created by the global media brand to identify the best villages, towns and cities in the UK for a day trip or overnight stay.

Eastbourne in East Sussex topped the list because of its 'rising status as an artistic and cultural hub'. The 2023 Turner Prize will be hosted there in 2023.

The Time Out list was created by a network of local editors who ranked the destinations based on the food, drink and arts scene as well as what things were happening in 2023 to look forward to, such as new museums, events, hotels or restaurants.

The list mentioned Carter's of Moseley, The Wilderness and Grace & Savour at Hampton Manor among the culinary highlights, as well as Michelin Star restaurant Opheem and Harborne Kitchen. Orelle, on the top floor of 103 Colmore Row, got a nod, as did Wayland's Yard and the new North Brewing Co taproom.

Journalists also noted Roundhouse Birmingham for a city centre kayak tour, Black Sabbath bench on Broad Street, chicken at Bonehead and the music scene thriving over at The Sunflower Lounge.

Read more, and find the list in full, at Birmingham Live.