Best town to stay near Birmingham

Two hours, whether by train or car (you don't say) gives a vast radius of very scenic places.

You can be out at Shrewsbury and further towards Hereford and Ludlow in that time, in the Welsh borderlands.

You've got Worcester and Great Malvern (Edward Elgar country) well within that radius- with a car pretty much the whole of the very rural county of Worcestershire is within reach.

There's Ironbridge and Bridgnorth.

Going into Warwickshire there is Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon, even the North Cotswolds are getting within reach, at least by car.

Down into Oxfordshire there is Banbury.

Wolverhampton is urban, with great train, bus and tram access into Birmingham- but you are on the edge of a lot of very beautiful and easily accessible countryside which is as rural and scenic as anyone could wish for.

Even in the urban areas there are places like Dudley in the Black Country. Start exploring the area using the towing paths of the canals of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (which gives the Birmingham area it's nickname of Little Venice) and you will be amazed by how soon you are out in countryside.

The challenge is in narrowing down such a myriad of possibilities.

There are towns like Lichfield, easily accessible by train and bus to Birmingham but very close to scenic countryside. By train you can be even be up in the Lake District in little more than 2 hours- from Lichfield Trent Valley Low Level.
Or the Peak District in Derbyshire.
Chester is well within 2 hours day trip range.

Please help me pick a area that is within 30 to 45 minutes of Birmingham. But also less than 2 hours from london - we are taking our departing flight from london. So something between Birmingham and London to stay in.

Between London and Birmingham, Oxford is the obvious choice. Easy train travel from both, extremely attractive, lots to see and do.

It does tend to be pricey though as it’s a tourist hotspot (although still lovely).

A smaller town option would be Banbury, a little to the NW of Oxford. Or much closer to Birmingham, there’s Warwick.

we are taking our departing flight from london

Gatwick Airport or Heathrow Airport?

Do you want to get to the airport by car, coach or train?

towns like Lichfield

to be picky, Lichfield isn't a town. It has that beautiful cathedral.

Gatwick airport

We wont be driving a car. So whatever is convenient - train or bus

If you are flying from Gatwick then Oxford is the stand out obvious choice for it's 24 hour direct coach link to Gatwick, easy access on several routes to Birmingham by train and easy access to the Cotswolds, the Chilterns, Shakespeare Country and more (including the River Thames Path for great walking), also to London if you want it by two or three (depending how you count them) rail routes and the 24 hour a day Oxford Tube bus service.

Gatwick by train from that part of the world is not especially easy.

Agree that Oxford likely takes the cake. To try to find a place midway between Birmingham for work and Gatwick in Sussex for one flight means that neither are met. Too far from both. Oxford if you must compromise.

Far better imho to stay in or near Birmingham to make the going to work easier, and then get to Gatwick on the last day for an early flight or consider Oxford if a late afternoon or later flight.

What time is the flight?

http://www.railrover.org/pages/west-midlands-day-tripper.html

You may want to look at the West Midlands transport network.

Royal Leamington and Warwick are good places to stay.
You may want to check if there is any rail strike during your stay. Every strike requires 14 days notice.

Gatwick by train from that part of the world is not especially easy.

If you are anywhere (Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick, Leamington Spa, Banbury or Oxford) on the Birmingham to Reading line it is straight down to Reading (Warwick is an extra change), then the Reading to Gatwick train direct.