He was in Birmingham to launch the Birmingham Enterprise Zone, an initiative that will support areas around the country by offering incentives to both new and expanding businesses.  The Chancellor remarked that for too long the UK had relied on London to generate growth in the country and the government were now looking to help the regions grow.

Mr Osbornes’ visit was timely as The Birmingham Assay Office is itself on the move and has recently received a welcome boost as plans for the new building for The Birmingham Assay Office took another step forward when Birmingham City Council approved a £1.2 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The new Birmingham Assay Office site is in an Enterprise Zone on the edge of the Quarter, and will create an impressive new “gateway” which is expected to kick-start more investment in the unique Jewellery Quarter area.

The Chancellor seemed to thoroughly enjoy stepping out of London to visit the Shires and would have been delighted to see that Industry and Intelligence are alive and thriving in the region.

The Birmingham Assay Office is the largest Assay Office in the world and is home to world-leading experts in their field of science, metallurgy and gemmology.  The Birmingham Assay Office celebrates its 240th anniversary this year and, since 1773, it has been at the heart of the Jewellery Quarter and Birmingham.