Two Birmingham streets have been shortlisted in the Google Street View Awards, even though one of them hardly appears on the photo-generated map.

A panel nominated Corporation Street in the Best Fashion Street category, while Broad Street has been nominated as the Best Foodie Street.

Fashion retailer and TV personality Brix Smith-Start nominated Corporation Street in Birmingham for the Best Fashion Street category, because of her love for the Oasis Centre. She said: “The Oasis Centre is perhaps one of the best alternative shopping centres in Britain with shops selling heavy boots, studding and tutus and offering services raging from punk hairstyles to tattoos.”

However, most of Corporation Street doesn't appear on Street View, with only a tiny section - from Tesco Express, past a bookmakers and newsagent to the roundabout by the Crown Hotel - included. (Corporation Street on Google Maps)

Nicholas Lander, the Financial Times’ Restaurant Correspondent, nominated Broad Street in Birmingham for Best Foodie Street, even though the city's 'entertainment mile' is more renowned for the wild and drunken behaviour of weekend revellers than its eating establishments.

Meanwhile, Ludlow, in Shropshire, was nominated in the Most Picturesque Street category.

The awards have been created in anticipation of further imagery being added to Google’s Street View tool, which currently allows users to view and navigate 360 degree street-level imagery in 25 British towns.

The winning three streets will be crowned “Britain’s Best Street 2010” in each relevant category. Google will work with the winning streets to create a bespoke Google Street View tour, created to highlight the key retailers and points of interest, allowing the world to find out more about the nation’s final choices.

The panel of experts included VisitBritain, TV personalities Julia Bradbury (Countryfile), Jeff Banks (The Clothes Show) and Brix Smith-Start (Gok’s Fashion Fix), journalists Jo Elvin (Editor, Glamour) and Nicholas Lander (Restaurant Correspondent, Financial Times) and authors David Else (Lonely Planet) and Richard Harden (Co-Editor, Harden’s Restaurant Guide).

The nationwide public vote has opened and will close on Sunday, February 28. The winners will be announced in March.
To vote, go to www.maps.google.co.uk/beststreets

THE NOMINATIONS

Britain’s Best Foodie Street
"The winning street should offer a unique mix of mouth-watering options which could include fine dining, cafés, market stalls and delicatessens, all covering a diverse mix of food types and price points."

Broad Street, Birmingham
Belgrave Road, Leicester
South Embankment, Dartmouth
Whiteladies Road, Bristol
Charlotte Street, London
Stockbridge High Street, Hampshire
Call Lane, Leeds
Fossgate, York
High Street, Southwold, Suffolk
High Street, Cley next the Sea, Norfolk
Wilmslow Road, Manchester
Hope Street, Liverpool
Byres Road, Glasgow
The Shore, Edinburgh
Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle
Haven Hill, Craster                                        
Cross Street, Abergavenny
High Street, Conwy
Botanic Avenue, Belfast
Howard Street, Belfast

Britain’s Best Fashion Street
"The winning street should offer an eclectic mix of boutique and high street, designer and high street for all clothing tastes and ages. The winning street should satisfy both bargain-hunters and label-lovers." 

Corporation Street, Birmingham
Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham       
Milsom Street, Bath
Regent Street, Clifton Village, Bristol
Kings Road, London
Westbourne Grove, London
Stonegate, York
Briggate, Leeds
Rose Crescent, Cambridge
Gentleman’s Walk, Norwich
Mathew Street, Liverpool
New Cathedral Street, Manchester
Ruthven Lane, Glasgow
Buchanan Street, Glasgow
Northumberland Street, Newcastle                    
High Bridge Street, Newcastle                                              
Queen’s Street, Cardiff
St Mary’s Street, Cardiff
Victoria Street, Belfast
Lisburn Road, Belfast 

Britain’s Most Picturesque Street
"The winning street should be uniquely British and visually charming. It could be vibrant, full of character, diverse, walker-friendly or architecturally interesting."

Broad Street, Ludlow
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Royal Crescent, Bath
Chipping Campden High Street, Gloucestershire
Brunswick Square, Brighton & Hove
The Shambles, York
Grey Street, Newcastle
Pen Cei, Aberaeron
Main Street, Tobermory, Isle of Mull
New College Lane, Oxford