It's very much a scene of everyday city life yet just a stone's throw away something very special is taking place in one of the the ornate town hall ceremony rooms.

Twice a week a town hall registrar, either the Lord Mayor or Lord Lieutenant, and the city's newest residents gather for a formal ceremony.

It's the kind of religiously observed ceremonial occasion that tourists would queue up and buy tickets for, if only they were allowed in.

We stand for God Save the Queen, the Lord Lieutenant snaps to attention and salutes the union flag and the collection of immigrants pledge allegiance to our Sovereign and make promises of commitment.

It means different things to different people but to everyone in the room today it marks the end of a transition phase and the start of a new life as a British citizen, a life where they are able to fully participate in all aspects of society.

"I hope you will exercise your vote at the first opportunity and keep doing so," Lord Lieutenant David Moody told the gathering in his welcome speech.

"We have fought hard to win individual freedoms in this country.

"I would like to think we have respect for other people's opinions. We're respected throughout the world for our sense of fair play and, of course, we're notorious for forever talking about the weather."

After the ceremony the citizenship coordinator hands out goodie bags with passport application forms, a passport cover and a message from the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, on Home Office and Immigration notepaper.

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