December issue 2018 (issue 75)

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EDITOR’S VIEW

C

hristmas really does start earlier every year – I saw my first festive TV ad back in early October, the shopping channels started selling gifts in mid-October and the first Christmas decorations, trees and twinkling lights were on sale in the likes of Webbs towards the end of October.

We’re happy to stick with tradition here at Birmingham Living and make Christmas all about December – so welcome to this month’s festive issue, complete with our famous Big Gift Guide. You’ll find scores of great present ideas for everyone in the family from small tots to teenage geeks to discerning mums, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas. And as always we’ve tried to make the whole thing as local as possible with retailers large and small right here in Birmingham.

Our Food and Drink pages include plenty of fantastic festive fare, with resident wine expert Rob Price putting together a particularly handy guide to the best tipples to see you through Christmas Day – splash out on all his picks or just select one or two which appeal to you. Perfect.

Our Style pages also get in the spirit with plenty of ideas on how to look your fashionable best over the Christmas break. And our beauty expert has been busy picking her Santa survival stars – products which are easy and brilliant to use to keep you looking radiant.

Last but not least, our guide on how to eat, drink and beat the Christmas bulge features simple and refreshingly honest health tips which mean you don’t have to miss out on the mince pies.

So, here’s wishing you a delicious and wonderful Christmas.

ns h o J d i v a D

visit www.brumliving.co.uk @brum_living Cover image:

/bhamliving

FINALIST

Meera Syal

EDITOR: David Johns david@brumliving.co.uk FEATURES EDITOR: Shelley Carter shelley@brumliving.co.uk DESIGNER: Tracy Duffy

CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Price, Sue Cooke, Lisa Melvin, Hywel Davies ACCOUNT MANAGER: Jane Morris jane@brumliving.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY: David Morphew, Andrew Llewellyn PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Jonathan Carter

Rock Hopper Media Limited Burleigh House, 23 Tagwell Road, Droitwich WR9 7BN tel 01905 771110 © Rock Hopper Media Ltd. Birmingham Living is published monthly by Rock Hopper Media Ltd and printed by Buxton Press. Views and opinions expressed by authors and services and products offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by Rock Hopper Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part of the contents of Birmingham Living without written permission is strictly prohibited.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: The subscription rate (post paid) is £24 for one year (12 issues). Subscriptions 01905 771110 ISSN 2051-8560

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INSIDE

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Highlights

Meera Syal

Preparing to take the plunge into her first panto… but is she ready? Oh, yes she is!

Making His Mark Graffiti artist David Brown on his flourishing business in Digbeth and Dragons’ Den

Forging Ahead Chef Gavin Allcock reveals why he bought a forge and how to make perfect Yorkshire puds

Food & Drink News, reviews, recipes from Brum’s restaurant scene, plus top tipples for Christmas Day

Festive Fashion What to wear this party season? Look no further than our sparkling, special Style edit

The Big Gift Guide It’s back… bigger and better than ever! More than 100 perfect presents for all the family

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CONTENTS

Best of the Rest

42 58 60 66 78 82 december 2018

Health

Eat, drink and beat the bulge – how to enjoy the festive fare and keep the scales happy

Motoring Christmas arrives early for Sue Cooke thanks to Maserati’s magnificent new Levante

Young, Gifted & Brummie DJ Paul Morrell on working with the likes of Boy George and topping the UK Club charts

Business Love Your Postcode, plus news and views from the commercial community and Social Scene

What’s On Your guide to the best pantos, festivals, gigs and events in and around Brum this Christmas

In The City Jo Jeffries from Birmingham Music Awards on our wonderful city of music

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NEWS

DIAMOND DEBUT

Diamond jewellery brand VASHI has opened a new store in Selfridges Birmingham in time for the festive season. VASHI features craftsmen known as alchemists helping customers create their own piece of jewellery in-store, from initial design through to diamond and stone selection and setting. The process allows customers to explore not only craft and innovation but also to create a truly unique and deeply meaningful piece.

BRINGING YOU THE BRIGHTEST AND MOST COLOURFUL STORIES FROM ACROSS THE CITY EACH MONTH

NEWS EURO CHAMPS

Edgbaston Priory Club’s ladies’ squash team was crowned European squash club champions for the fifth time and for the third successive year. The championships were held in the Dutch city of Eindhoven and brought together the best club teams from Europe, featuring many of the world’s top squash players.

Edgbaston’s men’s team were runners-up in its final.

FESTIVE BLOCKBUSTERS Wrap up warm, get cosy with a cup of hot chocolate and watch your favourite Christmas movies at Brindleyplace’s first-ever Winter Film Festival. Following the success of this year’s Summer Film Festival, the free event kicks off with a showing of Gremlins on Thursday 13 December and will run for four days on an outdoor screen in Central Square. Other films are Elf, Frozen, Home Alone, the Polar Express and It’s a Wonderful Life.

More details: brindleyplace.com/events

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NEWS

HIGH-FLYING HIT

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has teamed up with airline flybmi to create a new

music competition. Students at the Conservatoire are being asked to compose a piece of music for the airline’s on-board entertainment systems. The winning threeminute piece will become the ‘official music of flybmi’ and be played on board all flights across the airline’s network as customers embark and disembark.

IN BRIEF CHARITY PUSH Property consultants Bruton Knowles has appointed associate May Dudley as charity champion at its Church Street, Birmingham office to spearhead a new partnership with Cancer Research UK to raise £30,000 over the next two years.

NEW MUSIC BAR New live music bar Acapella is opening this month at the site of the former Fredericks Coffee Lounge and Bar in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

The £200,000 redesign and refurb features a new stage, sound system, VIP area, bar and modern furnishings.

BLISS FOR MARIE Sutton Coldfield mum of four Marie Bailey is celebrating after raising £100,000 for the premature and sick baby charity, Bliss. Café manager Marie, who reached the target after 10 years of non-stop fundraising, said: “I feel a great

JOE’S ON TOP OF THE WORLD

LIGHT UP A LIFE John Taylor Hospice is inviting

The world’s top gymnasts have booked their places to visit Birmingham in March to

people to celebrate the lives of

compete at the prestigious

their loved ones by dedicating a

Gymnastics World Cup. The

light and joining their special

event at the Genting Arena

festive event. Families and friends

on Saturday 23 March will

can join Light up a Life celebrations

see men’s teams from Russia,

on Sunday 9 December at Hollyfields Centre, Erdington.

Starting at 6pm, the evening will feature music, readings and time to reflect together before lighting up a Christmas tree – with every light representing the life of someone special.

China, Japan, USA, Brazil, Holland and Switzerland face host nation Great Britain who will include Birmingham-born gymnast Joe Fraser. The women’s event features GB, USA, Russia, China, Canada, Brazil, Japan, France and Germany.

SAFER CITY BID A new organisation called City Safe has been launched to tackle business crime and create a more welcoming environment in Birmingham city centre.

The scheme provides businesses with the latest digital radios, access to a secure two-way network and a text messaging system giving the ability to identify and respond to issues immediately. It is led by Retail BID Birmingham working in partnership with West Midlands Police and British Transport Police.

sense of achievement.”

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NEWS

MUSICAL CHEERS

A Birmingham-based group which launched with just two performers in 2012 is celebrating the signing of its 42nd musician. Elegant Entertainment, founded by husband and wife duo Benjamin and Chloe-Jean Grey, pictured, has residencies in some of the region’s top hotels, bars and restaurants, including Malmaison, Radisson, Clayton Hotel and Marco Pierre White. Over the last six years Elegant Entertainment has performed nearly 5,000 sets and has started to offer services beyond performing such as planning parties and weddings.

RAISING THE ROOF

The all-star cast of the Full Monty took to the rooftop of Birmingham Hippodrome for a unique photo opportunity looking out across the city skyline. Leading cast members Gary Lucy, Joe Gill, Kai Owen, Andrew Dunn, Louis Emerick and James Redmond posed on the theatre roof, seven storeys above street level with landmarks such as the Selfridges building and the spires of St Martin’s Church creating the perfect backdrop.

SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR CHEF ANDY

RBSA AUCTION ROCKS A portrait of Birmingham rock legend Robert Plant was among more than 50 artworks sold at this year’s RBSA charity auction. The picture by local artist Louise Cobbold went under the hammer at the event at Deutsche Bank’s Brindleyplace HQ. The auction was run by Bonhams in collaboration with the bank and one of its UK Charities of the Year, Birminghambased Cure Leukaemia.

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Top chef Andy Waters, who has been an integral part of the restaurant offer at Resorts World since its opening in 2015, is to have a spectacular new home from January with the new Sky by Waters rooftop bar and restaurant. The venue combines the Sky Bar and Waters’ current restaurant offering a dining and drinking experience with stunning views following a multi–million pound investment by Resorts World. Sky by Waters opens on 10 January.

KATE HEADS BEST-SELLERS A book by a mum of three from Sandwell became a No 1 best-seller on Amazon. I Will If You Won’t Let Me by Kate Blake topped the hot new releases and women biographies categories, beating books from the likes of TV legend Oprah Winfrey. The autobiography of Kate’s life details how she was adopted at one-week-old, raped at 16 and, as a financially-struggling single mum, turned to working in an escort agency.

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NEWS

JOY AT THE MANOR Hampton Manor has been named one of the 100 Top British Hotels by the Sunday Times. The family-owned hotel in Solihull was described as the ‘foodie hideaway, ‘an unpretentious temple to cutting-edge cuisine’ and – appropriately at this festive time of year – ‘a little cracker’. Hampton Manor is home to the Michelin-starred Peel’s restaurant led by head chef Rob Palmer and his team.

FOOD AND FASHION TIE-UP Luke Tipping, chef director of Simpsons Restaurant, has teamed up with

SANTAS ON THE RUN Scores of Santas will work up a sweat in the Jingle Bell Jog at Billesley Common. Free Santa

Birmingham-based clothing brand Luke 1977 in a collaboration that will see

suits and white beards will be given to all

the seasonal worlds of food and fashion come together. The partnership

those taking part in the event on Sunday 2

coincides with Simpsons celebrating 25 years as one of the Midlands’ top

December. Whether you walk, jog or stumble

restaurants. The collaboration will involve Simpsons front of house team

around the 2.5km or 5km courses, everyone

wearing Luke 1977, customer and staff discounts offered between Simpsons

gets a medal and free mince pie. There’s also

YASMIN IN THE HOT SEAT

and Luke stores and a potential job swap between the directors.

a special festive market to browse.

Supermodel and celebrity Yasmin Le Bon travelled back in time to represent the Midlands in one of the world’s most famous car events. She got behind the wheel of a 1901 Wolseley from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, based at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon to compete in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Yasmin and Duran Duran pop star husband Simon both visited the Museum to test drive the car

GOT ANY NEWS? Email your news and pictures to editor@brumliving.co.uk ahead of the event.

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COVER STORY

“

Panto is a communal event – a family treat that you want to be memorable and it’s that thought that pushes you to do well. To be in a city I know with family and friends nearby is a bonus

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”

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COVER STORY

OH YES SHE IS!

PANTO VIRGIN MEERA SYAL IS SET TO STAR IN PETER PAN AT THE HIPPODROME LATER THIS MONTH. SHELLEY CARTER CAUGHT UP WITH THE ACTRESS AND COMEDY GENIUS AS SHE PREPARED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AS THE MAGICAL MERMAID uthor, actress, writer, comedic genius – subjective, but we believe it – and now panto star, Meera Syal isn’t one to hide her talent under a bushel, but if we’re being truthful we were a bit surprised to see her trotting about in candycoloured mermaid garb that the costume makers at Strictly might consider a bit much.

As a panto virgin, Meera got the call up for Peter Pan from QDOS – the people behind Annie in which she played the acerbic Miss Hannigan in the West End and who also produce the Hippodrome’s yearly panto. They asked her if she’d ever considered pantomime. Meera recalls: “The answer was ‘no actually I hadn’t’, but having worked with QDOS before I knew it would be great. It’s all new and I can honestly say I’ve never played a mermaid before!”

A

PETER PAN-TO Being back in the Midlands for six weeks appealed to Meera as well as working with the best in the panto business including the brilliant and ever present Matt Slack as Smee along with this year’s famous faces, Jimmy Osmond as Captain Hook and Union J star Jaymi Hensley playing the title role. Flips and tricks will be provided by acrobatic troupe the Timbuktu Tumblers as the Neverlanders while death defying stuntman Sascha Williams plays the Drunken Pirate.

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Of the genre, Meera says: “Panto is a communal event – a family treat that you want to be memorable and it’s that thought that pushes you to do well. To be in a city I know with family and friends nearby is a bonus.” With scripts going back and forth and rehearsals about to begin when we spoke, Meera was excited to get started and happy to take the lead from the panto old guard in the form of director Michael Harrison.

BIT OF LUCK Meera’s career has been a wondrously versatile mix of projects encompassing writing, TV and theatre. For instance, she wrote the 1993 screenplay Bhaji On The Beach as well as the award-winning Anita And Me. She played Goldie in BBC’s The Split, shone playing the title role of one woman show Shirley Valentine, has appeared in Doctor Who and co-wrote and starred in comedy juggernaut, Goodness Gracious Me which thrust Meera into the limelight along with the rest of the cast including husband, Sanjeev Bhaskar and opened doors. “Goodness Gracious Me was remarkable. It spanned generations in a wonderful way and certainly opportunities came after that.”

Nominated for a Bafta for her role as Sushila in International Emmy award-winning series, The Kumars At No 42 and awarded an MBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2015 for services to drama and literature, Meera

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COVER STORY

PREPARING FOR PANTO: Meera with actor husband Sanjeev Bhaskar and dressed for action as the mermaid in Peter Pan

isn’t short of fans. And while a bit of luck played its part in the early days, Meera also believes ‘you make your own luck’ to a certain extent. Her one woman show at university morphed into a stint at the Edinburgh Festival where a director who happened to be in the crowd that day saw her potential. The luck bit was the director being in the audience, but getting there, grafting and impressing was all Meera.

STORY TELLER The love of performing and story-telling is something that gets Meera excited. “Reaching people through story telling is ephemeral, almost primal actually. It’s proven that during a live performance an audience’s heart beats and breathing synchronise which is incredible.” She argues that in these times of austerity, the arts come into their own. She explains: “Yes the country’s going through a hard time, but that’s when we need the arts the most. It lifts people.”

Meera feels Birmingham’s doing pretty well on that front. “What Roxana (Silbert) has done at the REP is remarkable. It feels like a hub. There’s a lot going on in the city and always something to see/experience.”

And of the changes to Birmingham over the past few

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years, Meera’s impressed. “New Street station is gobsmacking. It used to feel like arriving in Badlands and the development on Broad Street is looking great.

It’s been neglected for a long time.”

After decades of great work, Meera still feels a sense of insecurity about the next job. “I still audition and I’ve never lost those insecurities. It’s possibly heightened in this industry although I think most self-employed people probably feel it.” In terms of what’s next, Meera says: “Panto takes me through to February and then I don’t know. I’m working on writing projects, so they’ll be cooking nicely.”

For now, the only worry is how Meera might to go to the loo in that costume and at the time of writing, she still hadn’t worked that one out. First world problems and all that. I

YOU SHALL GO Peter Pan runs from Wednesday 19 December to Sunday 27 January at Birmingham Hippodrome. For tickets call 0844 338 5000 or visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com

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FEATURE

MAKING A MARK

IT TOOK DAVID BROWN (AKA PANDA, AKA FLAKE) A BIT OF TIME TO FIND HIS CALLING – OR FOR IT TO FIND HIM RATHER – BUT ONCE HE’D GRASPED THE GRAFFITI VIBE, HE FELL HEADLONG INTO IT AND NOW HAS A FLOURISHING BUSINESS IN DIGBETH DESPITE TAKING A BATTERING ON DRAGONS’ DEN

eople are quick to dismiss graffiti as mindless vandalism, but says David Brown, it’s the complete opposite. Let’s be clear, we’re not talking about the random scrawl of a cock and balls in a piss-stained subway, but carefully put together pieces of work.

Artists spend hours sketching and getting the design just right. They’ll prep and paint the wall before they start creating a piece they’re proud to put their name to. It’s tougher than it looks and pieces need to be original, yet fit into a certain genre of work. David’s carved out a career from his love of the artform and runs a successful business in what’s become Brum’s graffiti and street art (there is a difference) capital, Digbeth.

P

GROWING UP David fell into it after finding he was ‘crap at a few things’ growing up. He says: “I tried BMX aged 10, but I was crap at that. I went to senior school and didn’t fit in and I wasn’t at all sporty. When hip hop was just coming in around 1984/85 I had a go at break dancing. I was crap at that. I had no selfconfidence, so rapping was out.”

David fell into graffiti, essentially writing his name everywhere although it’s more technical than that as explained above and aged 13/14 started getting better.

There are many splinters to graffiti and there’s no doubt

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you can get in to a lot of trouble if you go down the illegal route. Some people do it for a living, others just for fun and David says the artists can be varied from ‘drug users to project managers in Mayfair.’

David got through school ‘alright’ and although his art teacher let him paint the classroom, the creative art provision wasn’t brilliant. He says: “The options were art or pottery, no graphic design and all I wanted to do was draw letters.” After leaving school, David did some jobs he describes as ‘crappy’ such as peeling hard boiled eggs, selling fireworks and labouring. He recalls: “One day I had to fill out a form and realised I’d forgotten how to draw a number eight. My mate told me I was wasting my talent. I jacked the job in and signed up for a course in graphic design at Solihull Tech which was a springboard to a foundation course.”

PRINCE’S TRUST David signed on and while in the queue at the dole office one day was approached by someone from Partners for Business which is part of the Prince’s Trust who asked him if he’d thought about doing his own thing. He explains: “I’d been painting shop roller shutters for a mate who’d broken his arm. I got another job on the back of that and my mate said I should go for it.” David started his business Graffitiartist.com 21 years ago aged just 25 and began painting in hospitals and the like.

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

The shop at the Custard Factory is a bit of a dream. David explains: “The day I came to look at the shop, there were two photo shoots happening and a film being made in the street and I just thought, ‘yeah this is it.’ Digbeth’s so varied and the number of independents is brilliant.”

The business incorporates customised pieces, commercial art, TV and film work, design and consultancy, parties and team building sessions as well as selling supplies. Workshops showing youngsters how to use graffiti for art not crime feature too. The mantra ‘it’s nice to be nice’ is at the heart of what David’s about and he’s built a great team of people on that basis and says they’ve helped him as much as he’s helped them.

DRAGONS DATE An appearance on TV’s Dragons’ Den in 2014 in which David had the figures written on his hand much to the Dragons amusement was as terrifying as it looked. He remembers: “It’s like a rodeo – you’re in there for as long as you can hang on for. I was in there for 40 minutes and half way through I couldn’t

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breathe out. No one offered me a seat. I think they wanted me to either piss myself or faint. That would have been good TV.” Despite that, David says he got some good feedback and definitely got business on the back of it.

He now attends a business course at Aston University every couple of weeks plus there are new premises on the horizon still in Digbeth obviously!

David’s toughest gig to date perhaps was convincing a group of near octogenarians at his mum’s University of the Third Age (U3E) group that graffiti’s not vandalism. David says: “It was my mum’s turn to organise a speaker, so I did two sessions talking about why people do graffiti, its roots and how hard people work at it. One woman dismissed it as mere vandalism and couldn’t understand why anyone would do it. She ended up asking me to create a graffiti style alphabet for her grandchild!” I

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FOOD & DRINK

FORGING AHEAD Gavin Allcock, group head chef of award-winning CD Pub Co, reveals his food heroes and villains, a simple tip for making perfect Yorkshire puddings every time – and why he’s bought a forge!

Tell us about your cooking Seasonality is really important to me – I like to use fresh ingredients for the fullest flavour. I also like to experiment with new or different ingredients from time to time. There’s no room for complacency in the kitchen so I like to try new ideas when I come across them.

Is the customer always right?

No, but they think they are! In all seriousness, cooking for someone is a two-way conversation and I want anybody who tastes my food to be happy and enjoy it. I always welcome feedback and try to learn from it.

How did you become a chef?

I always struggled at school, whereas cooking seemed to come naturally to me. Not only did I enjoy it, but I was good at it. I trained at Highpeak College which was a really good catering college. From there my passion and skill grew and I haven’t looked back.

Share a cooking tip We’re well into Sunday roast season and Christmas is just around the corner so I’ll share a tip for the perfect Yorkshire puddings.

Always add a splash of very cold water to your batter just before you put them into the oven – it’ll make them extra crispy and light. And make sure the oven is turned up as high as it will go.

What do you eat when at home?

I don’t! As unbelievable as it sounds, I think I’ve used my own kitchen a handful of times. But I love sushi so when I have spare time, I like going out for sushi.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?

That’s a tricky one. Can I say Marco Pierre White? Nineties’ Marco to be more specific. He was an innovator. As for the best chef in Birmingham, Glynn Purnell has to be up there.

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What was your favourite food as a kid?

It’s a simple dish but holds very happy memories. My dad used to crack an egg into a dish with a bit of butter and some cheese, then bake it. I’d dip fresh bread in and it was bliss.

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CHEF’S CORNER

GAVIN’S PASSION FRUIT CRÈME BRULEE Food heaven and hell?

Heaven is raw fish and any type of fruit. Not together! Food hell are cauliflower and broccoli.

Ingredients: Serves 6 I 9 egg yolks I 105g sugar I 450ml double cream I 175g passion fruit Method: This is the perfect dessert if you’re entertaining this Christmas.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?

I don’t tend to eat anything really unusual, I guess I’m more about traditional flavours and classic dishes done well, when it comes to eating as well as cooking.

Boil the cream and passion fruit puree together in a saucepan.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else but I’ve just bought a forge to try my hand at metalwork in my spare time. So perhaps I’d be a blacksmith!

combined both mixes, return to the saucepan and cook

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

I’d suggest something from the daily specials as I’m all about seasonality. We change these every day depending on the fresh produce we have available.

mix still seems wet, return them to the oven and bake for a

The Chequers at Crowle, Crowle Green, Crowle, WR7 4AA. Tel: 01905 381772 www.cdpubs.co.uk

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Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a separate bowl.

Once combined, pour in the hot cream mix. Keep whisking the eggs and sugar as you add the warm mix to the bowl – this will prevent the eggs from cooking. Once you have until the mixture coats the back of your spoon.

Fill six ramekins and bake at 110 degrees C for 15 minutes in a bain-marie. To check that the brulees are ready, gently tap the bain-maries. They should have a firm wobble. If the little longer.

Once you are happy the brulees are cooked, allow them to cool before dusting each one with muscovado sugar. Heat under a hot grill or with a blowtorch for a caramelised crispy top.

Serve with a shortbread biscuit or tuille – perfect for dunking!

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SEASON’S EATINGS

Chestnut stuffing THIS DELICIOUS, TRADITIONAL RECIPE COULDN’T BE MORE FESTIVE – OR SIMPLE TO PREPARE here’s going to be a lot on your plate at Christmas-time, what with balancing work, kids and increased alcohol consumption! The last thing you need to be doing is peeling chestnuts – a proper pain in the butt!

So be kind to yourself, do what we do and use the ready-peeled variety that are pretty easy to find and just as delicious.

T

HOW TO MAKE

450g of peeled, cooked and fine chopped chestnuts 225g pork sausage meat Chopped liver

1 large, finely chopped onion

110g finely chopped streaky bacon 25g butter

4 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme Pinch ground mace Salt and pepper

METHOD: Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the liver, bacon and onion until the onion is softened and the edges are golden. Tip into a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly and season.

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FOOD & DRINK

NIBBLES and SHORTS

BIRMINGHAM HAS A LIVELY AND BUZZING BAR AND RESTAURANT SCENE. HERE, WE PRESENT OUR INSIDER GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CITY’S EATERIES AND DRINKING DENS

TOP AWARD TAKEAWAY Indian street food restaurant Bhaijaans of Sutton Coldfield won the National Chef of the Year award at the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards in London. Hosted by TV chef Ainsley Harriott and BBC news presenter Samantha Simmonds, the awards recognised the quality, taste, authenticity and presentation of Bhaijaans’ dishes.

MAILBOX OPENING

Family-run Italian restaurant Pinocchio has opened at the Mailbox. It is the third Midlandsbased eatery from the owners of La Galleria, Ethel Street, Birmingham and Cafe Casita, Clarence Street, Sedgley. The menu offers pasta, pizza and risotto dishes, as well as steak, lamb, veal and a daily fish option.

MIDDLE EAST FEAST

AIRPORT BAR OF THE YEAR

Birmingham Airport’s Bottega Prosecco Bar has been named Airport Bar of the Year at the Drinks International Travel Retail Awards.

The bar, which opened in March, sees food and beverage operator SSP Group PLC partner with premium Italian drinks brand Bottega to create the atmosphere and ambience of a Venetian Bacaro bar.

Comptoir Libanais restaurant is serving a Lebanese Christmas Feast which combines traditional festive flavours with fragrant herbs and spices of the Middle East.

Founder Tony Kitous says his chefs have created the menu to reflect the “hospitality and warmth shown in homes across the Lebanon”.

Work is in full swing to transform the 5,000 sq ft basement boiler room of Birmingham’s Grand hotel into an underground haven for ‘modern Chinese cuisine and magical cocktails’. The new Tattu restaurant will launch in early 2019 when it will join its sisters in Manchester and Leeds opened by Adam and Drew Jones.

GRAND DESIGNS

WHAT A ZEN-TASTIC YEAR! Zen Metro in Cornwall Street, Birmingham has capped a great year by being named Best Thai Restaurant 2018 by Lux Hospitality Awards. The accolade follows being crowned Best Oriental Restaurant at the Midlands Food Drink and Hospitality Awards and winning the TMP Business Award for the Best Restaurant in the Midlands.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

MARIBEL

6 Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2JB. Tel: 0121 633 4944 maribelrestaurant.co.uk e used to love Edmund’s and we were sad to see it go. We used to love Turner’s and we were equally sad to see that go too. So, when Edmund’s became Maribel with Richard Turner in the kitchen, it had ‘match made in heaven’ written all over it.

Richard’s food always seemed wasted in Harborne because frankly whenever we visited it was so bafflingly quiet it left us wondering how the heck it survived. Now, in the centre of town and firmly on the beaten track, Richard’s food is more accessible.

The interior isn’t much different to the previous room, more refreshed than overhauled. The menu is simple, three courses £35, four courses £45, six courses £65, etc. You can see where this is going. We plumped for four courses, but whichever option you choose there’s a generous procession of amuse bouche first. There isn’t space here to trot through the menu dish by dish, so we’ll pick out some highlights.

To kick off, the first of the ‘nibbles’ forcefully grabbed our attention. Gougere – basically a souped up cheesey choux bun – was lavishly filled with warm, gooey, liquid Gruyere, topped with more grated Gruyere and truffle.

Sounds simple, tasted anything but. Totally delicious.

Another amuse bouche, runny quail’s egg with cos lettuce, anchovy and crisp chicken skin was fantastic and we kind of lost ourselves a bit. We thought we were over the chicken skin thing, but it turns out we really weren’t.

This was great.

A venison dish with girolles, swiss chard and cobnuts along with a perfect amount of stilton that managed to

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give the whole thing a gorgeous tang without obliterating the beautifully cooked meat was just dreamy. A rich jus brought the whole dish together and made it sing. This is the dish we cooed about most.

Richard sneaked in an extra dish for us to try of salt baked John Dory. It was unbelievably pretty with pastel coloured emulsions and gels framing the delicate fish.

We’re not that into fancy pants emulsions for the sake of it but these beauties were packed with flavour. A bergamot gel was fragrant and tangy and a shrimp emulsion was just stunning. Wasabi gave the dish a gentle heat while fennel added a fresh aniseed hit. The balance was extraordinary.

You get a bit used to doing food reviews and sometimes feels like going through the motions, but Richard’s food grabbed our attention from the get-go and made us realise there’d be nothing samey about this one. We also made fewer notes than usual which sounds terrible, but actually means we thoroughly loved it. A nod to the staff too who were warm, knowledgeable and willing to answer our many daft questions happily.

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FOOD & DRINK

ON THE THIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

WINE EXPERT ROB PRICE RAISES A GLASS – OR THREE – AND SELECTS HIS TOP TIPPLES FOR A FABULOUS FESTIVE FEAST

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love Christmas – it’s a chance to push the (fermented grape juice) boat out a little and indulge in a festive party of wine! So, while I’m going to focus on which wines would be best for Christmas dinner, one must embrace the opportunities that abound over Christmas to drink wine.

Just on Christmas Day there are so many ways to include a glass (or two) in your activities. If you have children – even more reason to sip wine! – you’ll be woken up early to see what Santa has brought your little mites! Start off with a glass of Champagne and keep a little back to have with breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. During the morning a small glass of Manzanilla sherry, with a sampling of olives and roasted nuts is a refined treat.

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STARTERS AND MAIN Depending on how late you have dinner you may need to supplement with more Champagne, perhaps a vintage; its richer taste continuing to complement those nuts you’ve been munching. If you’ve crashed the chocolate, some sweet Moscato will do just the trick.

It must be dinner by now. If you’ve having a starter, keep the wine light; an off-dry to medium sweet wine will be a fine suitor. If you still have some Moscato left that would work very well, or a German Spatlese Riesling would also be most appealing.

For the main course, be it turkey, goose or beef, I would suggest a reasonably bold red, as the accompaniments around the meat, (roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, sausages wrapped in bacon, gravy, etc) will allow a fuller bodied wine to be enjoyed. For me, it must be a red Bordeaux.

PUDDING AND PORT Now to pudding and my favourite dessert wine, Tokaji, one of the world's renowned sweet wines made from grapes affected by botrytis. This concentrates the juice as well as producing more complex flavours. The vinification of Tokaji Aszú is

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FOOD & DRINK

ROB’S COURSE PICKS STARTER – Müdener Funkenberg Riesling Spätlese, Goldschild,

Moselland, Mosel 2016 – This is a really good value, medium sweet

wine from Germany, and at only 7.5 per cent abv, will not wipe you out.

It’s versatile to complement most starters. Lovely stone and tropical fruits abound, with enough acidity to keep it lovely and balanced.

Available from Tanners, £10.70.

MAIN – Chateau Pontet-Canet – This is a Grand Cru Classé from the Pauillac commune. All the classic Bordeaux flavours of cigar box,

earthly, spice, very powerful with a long finish. The 2000 vintage is

drinking very nicely now. Available from Frazier’s wine merchants, £118.

PUDDING – Disznókö Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos – Gorgeous

sweetness, superbly balanced by crisp acidity, with honey, orange

rind, coconut and a long long finish. Waitrose sells £27.49 (50cl bottle).

CHEESE – Graham’s 20-year-old Tawny Port

– I quite often

throughout the year drink Graham’s 10-year Tawny, but for

Christmas Day the 20-year-old is a worthwhile indulgence. It’s rich, nutty, complex and a pure delight with any blue cheese. The Wine Society sells for £37.

unique in the world: the noble rot affected grapes are picked individually, then soaked in must or wine to create a perfect balance between richness of the botrytis and the acidity of the fruit.

And then to finish one must not forget the port, and while I love all port, for Christmas Day it must be a mature vintage port or 20-year-old tawny. Sipped with some mature cheddar or Stilton, that should keep you amused for the rest of the day!

So, enjoy, indulge, drink fantastic wine and have a very merry Christmas… I

Birmingham Wine School is an independent wine education company offering fun informal wine tasting events and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, and Warwick. For more information contact Rob Price, 0121 270 7359, or visit www.birminghamwineschool.com

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

LET’S GET READY TO BRAMBLE

This festive cocktail cracker comes courtesy of Jack Lawless, head barman of the award-winning Gentleman & Scholar on’t know about you but we’re looking for something a bit special to add to the alcoholic mix this Christmas. And we think we’ve found just the thing – the Bramble. This festival tipple comes from Jack Lawless, head barman at the awardwinning Gentleman & Scholar bar at Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency.

The Bramble looks and tastes awesome – try it yourself and you’ll see what we mean. As always, enjoy responsibly.

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ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY INGREDIENTS:

I 25ml fresh lemon juice I 50ml gin I 15ml sugar syrup

I Crème de cassis I Lemon, blackberries and raspberries for garnish

METHOD: Add the lemon juice, gin and sugar syrup to a glass. Fill with ice and shake. Strain mixture into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Top with crème de cassis. Garnish with lemon, blackberries and raspberries.

Gentleman & Scholar, Hyatt Regency Birmingham, 2 Bridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2JZ. Tel: 0121 643 1234 www.gentlemanandscholarpub.com

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From only ÂŁ25

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LUNCHSPOT

ALUNA 128-130 The Mailbox, Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RQ. Tel: 0121 633 9987 aluna.uk.com on’t judge, but we’d never eaten at Aluna before this review. We may have sampled a large section of the cocktail menu, but never before had a morsel of actual nourishment passed our lips.

We’d also never been in daylight hours. A day of firsts.

The Pan-Asian inspired menu had just launched before our visit and was apparently going down well. It’s split into small tapas-sized plates and medium plates which were the size of an individual main course we’d say. To give you some idea of volume, we ordered four small plates and two medium plates between two which was ideal. The food was served as it was cooked rather than coming at the same time, so it felt fresh with no sitting around under hot plates or going cold at the table.

The small plates were the stand out dishes for us.

Tiger prawn cookies – juicy prawns encased in crisp breadcrumbs with coriander, garlic and lime – were so moreish served with a plum dipping sauce. Chicken and snow pea gyoza were mighty fine. Fried off in a pan so they had a bit of colour and texture they were delicious filled with minced chicken, coriander, water chestnut and spring onion. There’s a vegetarian version too.

Wasabi lamb chops came highly recommended by our waiter. They were all kinds of lovely served pink with a gentle heat and a herby hit. Pickled cucumber on the side worked brilliantly. The dipping sauce that came with the lamb wasn’t a triumph though and looked like it had split, so we parked that.

The medium plates were a little bit hit and miss.

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Spicy chicken wings did what they said on the tin.

One of us was fine with the heat, the other (me!) was mighty pleased to have a cooling Ginger Lemontini (think gin, limoncello and ginger) by my side to quell the fire. I’d ask for the heat turned down a notch next time because actually they were everything you want from a chicken wing – sticky and moist with a bit of sweetness as well as spice.

A rich duck curry with plenty of aubergine and wild ginger divided opinion. The friend felt it was a bit heavy on tamarind which I actually liked. He loved the actual duck, but I felt it was a bit dry. It’s not one size fits all is it? Horses for courses and all that.

What we did agree on was it was a cracker of a menu that we wanted to try more of. A cocktail or three, of which the choice is extensive and inventive, teamed with a handful of small dishes would be an ideal way to give it a whirl. I

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FLOAT AWAY

Available from Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street

DRESS CODE

OH HELLO THERE SILLY SEASON! WE’RE READY. SORT OF…

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STYLE BELT UP

Available from M&S, Longbridge

EAR CANDY

Chain drop earrings £8.50, Next, Fort Shopping Park

JACKET IN

Louise velvet jacket £80, Monsoon, Grand Central

VELVET VIBES

PLEATS PLEASE

Ted Baker Cornela dress £229, Selfridges Birmingham

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Erabia bag £80, Dune London, Bullring

f, like us, you are hopeless at saying no, you’ll be about to launch into a month-long party that would make Rita Ora’s schedule look tame. There’s no question it’ll be fun, but with a plethora of dress codes to contend with, a bit of forward planning is required to avoid gazing into the wardrobe abyss by the tenth of the month. Here are our picks to get you through the nonsense.

Black tie is our least favourite dress code with little creative wiggle room. Having said that, Cara’s tuxedo and top hat combo at the second biggest royal wedding of the year, was a triumph. Unless you’re actually Cara, we’d ditch the top hat, but a well-cut tux is a great option as is a trouser suit generally – go velvet for all the festive feels – or a super sharp playsuit. Stella McCartney is always a winner in the trouser suit stakes while on the high street, New Look’s wrap sequin playsuit (pictured) is a cracker and Wallis has a fantastic pair of sequinned wide leg trousers (pictured) that hang beautifully.

If you’re up for a frock, this season is awash with brilliant examples.

For a proper grown up show-stopping number, Alexandre Vauthier’s shoulder padded lame gown (pictured) at Selfridges is worth a look. On the pricey side, it’s definitely an investment piece but it will not date. If a short sassy number is required head to ba&sh pronto for the Cora waist tie crepe dress (pictured).

Velvet is never really out of style merely reinvented and tweaked each year. We love Monsoon’s burgundy velvet blazer (pictured) which might already be in our basket and Ted Baker’s pleated Cornela dress (pictured). Oasis has a fantastic velvet platform sandal (pictured) that’s more than a touch of Saint Laurent. It’ll give you that party swagger that only a heel can and yet is incredibly comfortable and won’t leave you reaching for the Compeed.

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Burgundy heels £68, Oasis, New Street

ALL IN THE BAG COOL MULES Ochre mule £45, Monsoon, Grand Central

COOL QUARTZ Ruby quartz necklace £54, Sarah Preisler, Custard Factory

FESTIVE FIND

Velvet dress, Oasis, New Street

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STYLE

CHRISTMAS WITH ATTITUDE

Available from River Island, Fort Shopping Park

GOLD RUSH

Saturn sequin midi dress £99, Monsoon, Grand Central

RAZZLE DAZZLE

Embellished dress £168, Oasis, New Street

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STYLE

JUMP TO IT

Black sequin jumpsuit £24.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

PARTY TIME!

MW by Matthew Williamson sequin dress £160, Debenhams, Fort Shopping Park

RELAXED VIBE

Available from Dorothy Perkins, Kings Heath

Speaking of shoes, go big or go home is our mantra for party season. The Valentino Rockstud ankle boot (pictured) screams cool and is so much more than festive. It’ll see you through lunch with girlfriends, date night, black tie, the odd all-nighter – you get the picture, it’s versatile. Dune, as always has some cracking heels. We love the gold and black Brighte version (pictured) as well as Monsoon’s velvet mule with a bow detail (pictured) that sums up Christmas in one product and defies its high street price tag.

Our style hero for silly season is leather leggings.

Dressed up with a beautiful blouse and heels or dressed down with a cute knit and flats, leather leggings always look great, suit all shapes and there’s a coolness about them that never looks like you tried too hard. Let’s not underestimate comfort either.

They are a dream. There’s a big difference between leather and pleather in terms of look, feel and fit, so we’d always keep it real. Head to Hush for the perfect pair pictured.

If you’ve avoided packing your diary, bravo, you’re amazing and will no doubt stroll into Christmas feeling merry and bright and probably a wee bit smug. Next year maybe…. I

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GREAT FIT

Available from Abi Clancy x Lipsy Collection, Fort Shopping Park

FINISHING TOUCHES Pearl mega hoop earrings £240, Soru, Harvey Nichols

OUT OUT

Alexandre Vauthier shoulder padded lame gown £4,505, Selfridges Birmingham

WELL HEELED

Brighte £95, Dune London, Bullring

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STYLE

SHARP SUITER

Available from River Island, Fort Shopping Park

SPOTS OFF

Black mesh jumpsuit £49, Wallis, New Street

COCKTAIL O’CLOCK

ba&sh Cora waist tie crepe dress £240, Selfridges Birmingham

FANCY FOOTWEAR

Black fluffy heels £30, Dorothy Perkins, Kings Heath

DANCING SHOES

Hadie heels £49, Office, Bullring

LEG IT

GREAT TREWS

Black sequin flared trousers £50, Wallis, New Street

Black leather leggings £345, Hush, John Lewis, Grand Central

ROCK CHICK

Valentino Rockstud 100 studded ankle boots £805, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

MAKE A STATEMENT

Lovestrike collection pave platinum earring £890, VASHI, Selfridges Birmingham

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STYLE SMART CASUAL

Available from M&S, Longbridge

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BEAUTY

SANTA SURVIVAL STARS

1

WE LOVE CHRISTMAS, BUT AMONG ALL THE FUN AND

FROLICKING THE NEED FOR SELF-CARE IS REAL. WE’VE PICKED OUT A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU ON YOUR MERRY WAY

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1. Chanel No.5 Eau De Parfum Limited Edition £130, Selfridges

Same iconic scent in a limited-edition rouge bottle which will raise a smile and leave you smelling delicious. It would make a great present, too.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Glowing, Pretty Skin palette £49, Selfridges

3

It’s all in the name. Glowing and pretty – yes please!

Charlotte has brought all the fave powders together in one handy compact. Handbags at the ready.

3. Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm £15, Space NK

4

Keep those lips soft and hydrated with this beautiful balm from one of this month’s hottest beauty brands.

4. Lixirskin Vitamin C paste £32, Net-a-Porter

The paste which can be used daily leaves skin looking and feeling buffed even if you’re feeling anything but.

5

5. Dyson Airwrap Styler £400, Dyson

We’ve all seen the ads. This is pricey, but a real gamechanger that could potentially halve your styling time and protect hair, all in one.

6. This Works Sleep Power Nap spray £28, John Lewis

If you’re finding it difficult to unwind, pop this into your basket. This Works, works…

7. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Energy Crème £280, John Lewis, Grand Central

We haven’t sampled this yet, but the feedback has been

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7

so phenomenal that we feel compelled to include it. Yes, it’s pricey – it’s made with black diamond truffle extract which is 10,000 hours in the making apparently – but it’s packed with cell-boosting technologies that have the ability to transform dull skin to radiant.

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ADVERTORIAL

PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS

– JUST HOW BINDING ARE THEY?

Sarah Balfour is a Partner in the Birmingham team at Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth. She is passionate about pre and post-nups and has spent the last 13 years advising the region’s families on how to approach these sorts of

agreements. Here she discusses the common question, are pre or post-nups worth the paper they are written on. t’s now 8 years since the case of Radmacher was heard by the Supreme Court. This was the case that changed the landscape in relation to prenuptial agreements - and yet I’m still often asked “is a pre-nup worth the paper it’s written on?”

And I answer, “Yes, a pre-nup can often carry a lot of weight.

But it depends what it says and how it was entered into….”

As with many aspects of family law there are misconceptions and myths. For example, the myth of the “common-law spouse”. Living together for a certain period does not automatically give people the same rights as a married couple. Also, the “quickie divorce” – there’s no such thing as that either, whatever the media may tell us.

In a world of misinformation and “fake news” it’s understandable that people don’t know much about the realities of pre-nups. Not so very long ago they were considered unromantic, and reserved for Hollywood A-listers.

This is no longer the case. If done “right” pre-nups can be incredibly useful and can avoid the acrimony and uncertainty that come from the end of a marriage.

If a couple divorces without a pre-nup (or a post-nup – which is an agreement reached after the date of the marriage), the court has a very broad discretion to make financial orders.

It can, for example, transfer properties from one person to the other, order the sale of a business or home and/or split pensions between the couple. It can order lifelong maintenance payments to be made from one person to the other. In coming to what it considers to be the right outcome,

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the court takes into account all the resources available. This can include inheritances, whether these came in before the marriage, during it, or after separation. What the court believes to be the right outcome, might not be not what either party would have chosen.

A pre or post-nup allows a couple to exercise autonomy and to set the boundaries. As long as each party comes out with enough to meet their needs, they can agree to protect things like family businesses or inheritances. A couple can also agree a clean break i.e. that the financial ties between them come to an end.

For a pre-nup to carry weight both people have to enter into it freely; they each have to take their own legal advice and the agreement has to fall within the parameters of overall fairness.

It can’t therefore provide that one person gets everything and the other receives nothing.

The court will not uphold a pre-nup which is so clearly unfair that it leaves one party in financial dire straits. A judge might instead alter the pre-nup to ensure there is a fair outcome, but this award might still be less generous than if there had been no pre-nup at all. The court is generally prepared to respect the fact that the parties have chosen to have their own agreement, and it tries not to trespass on this any more than is strictly necessary. I If you need legal advice, contact Sarah Balfour on 0121 214 5451 or by email sarah.balfour@irwinmitchell.com @IMFamilyLaw

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STYLE FOR MEN

BLUE VELVET Tuxedo jacket £75, Burton

PARTY SEASON ADVENT’S LANDED AND THE FESTIVE SILLINESS CAN BEGIN. IF

YOU THINK FORMAL DRESSING IS EASY FOR MEN, THINK AGAIN!

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STYLE FOR MEN

ALL THAT JAZZ Velvet waistcoat £75, White Stuff, Cannon Street

FESTIVE FEELS Velvet blazer £99, M&S, Longbridge

MIDAS TOUCH Shantung silk shawl lapel tuxedo jacket £1,000, Tiger of Sweden, Selfridges Birmingham

es, a black tuxedo isn’t difficult to pull off as long as it’s well cut and fits like a glove, but if you want a bit of bling with your gin sling or something that truly reflects your personal style, look outside the safe uniform box. Let’s talk about Tiger of Sweden’s gold shantung silk jacket (pictured), shall we?

No one puts baby in the corner wearing this metallic dream. Something a bit tamer but still with a bit of character is Next’s burnt orange velvet jacket (pictured). It’s an absolute snip too. A beautiful wool suit will never let you down and Tom Ford’s Shelton fit blue number (pictured) is top of the wish list at Selfridges.

On the not so formal side, say it with a punchy shirt. We are enjoying the Hugo Boss x Jeremyville collaboration a lot, particularly the playful limited-edition satin shirt (pictured). On the shoe front, our heart lies with a velvet slipper. There are loads of examples at wildly varying price points. It’s true you get what you pay for but there are some fine high street versions too. Checkout M&S and Dune for some crackers. I

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ORANGE TWIST Velvet suit jacket £90, Next, Fort Shopping Park

IN THE NAVY Parlour navy slipper £95, Dune, Bullring

LET’S PLAY Limited-edition Hugo Boss x Jeremyville satin shirt £159, Hugo Boss, Mailbox

SLIP ON Black velvet slipper £39.50, M&S, Longbridge SUITS YOU Tom Ford Shelton fit wool suit £2,630, Selfridges Birmingham

DREAM LINING Ben Sherman jacket £119, Debenhams, Bullring

ATTENTION TO DETAIL Red Herring jacket £99, Debenhams, Bullring

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HEALTH

EAT, DRINK – AND BEAT THE BULGE

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HEALTH

IT’S THE CHRISTMAS GIFT NO ONE WANTS – BUT YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR SHARE OF FESTIVE FARE AND STILL KEEP THE SCALES HAPPY. HERE’S HOW… et’s face it, Christmas time involves plenty of lovely food, drink and more socialising than the rest of the year put together – not to mention Birmingham’s fantastic Frankfurt Christmas Market offering us all the beer, gluhwein and calorific food we can consume! So, how can you avoid piling on the pounds over the festive period? Here are some golden ‘keep the bulge at bay’ rules…

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PACE YOURSELF Yes, mince pies with a cup of coffee taste so good – but do you really need four a day? By all means treat yourself, but be careful… have a couple of days of healthy eating followed by a little treat on the third day. Easy!

THINK SMARTER AT THE GYM Do shorter, but more intense workouts, so you can still find time during the busy festive period to get to the gym regularly. Interval training is perfect for this as it will get your metabolism speeding up, meaning those Christmas treats will get used up quickly rather than clinging to your waist or gut.

WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK Being clever with your drinks is the best thing you can do to keep the calories at bay. Rather than beer have a spirit and mixer such as a vodka, lime and soda or a small glass of wine.

Beer contains loads of calories and promotes oestrogen, meaning then calories will gather around the waist and gut area.

december 2018

HAPPY FISHING Certain fats like Omega 3 are good for you and can actually promote fat loss. Fish such as salmon, trout and sardines are a perfect source of Omega 3, so try and fit them into your Christmas menu somewhere.

DON’T FORGET YOUR FIVE A DAY Apples contain loads of beneficial antioxidants, but they are also a slow digesting carb. An apple can help improve strength, endurance and even fat loss. Most apples contain around 200mg of apple polyphenols (the good antioxidants) and 30 grams of carbs.

ANYONE FOR TEA? Did you know that people who regularly drink green tea and exercise lose significantly more fat around the abdomen than people who don’t? It’s true!

TUNE IN FOR CHRISTMAS When you pop to the gym over the holidays, get working out with your favourite festive hits.

Listening to music while you train will boost your workout activity and therefore fat loss.

GET PERSONAL If you’re not that good at motivating yourself, why not try a personal trainer on a short-term basis? Most PTs will offer great value Christmas packages to suit individual needs and help motivate you into the gym when you really need it.

FINALLY… Remember, it’s doesn’t have to be the New Year before you decide to be a new you! I

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GIFT GUIDE

Action camera £40, Debenhams, Fort Shopping Park

Newborn baby London mockable set £24, Monsoon, Bullring

Christmas gift box, including 2 x adult 2D tickets, 2 x regular soft drinks, 1 x popcorn, 2 x either candy canes or humbugs £25, cineworld.co.uk

THE BIG

Bowwie bag £65, Dune, Bullring

s a m t hrisGUIDE CGIFT Tea Ministry Earl Grey tea £15, Kin Home

Whether you’re a planner and halfway through your Christmas shopping already or a strict December shopper packing it into the three weeks of advent, we’ve come up with our Sennheiser famous festive hot list that’ll get you in the mood. We’ve Momentum wireless headphones £199, pulled together a range of gifts at varying price points that Sevenoaks Sound encompass experiential as well as straight gifts – for example, if and Vision, Mell Square your loved one is partial to being locked in an escape room and tasked with… well… escaping, we’ve got it covered!

Jurlique Ultimate Collection £295, jurlique.co.uk

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Hello Gorgeous bobble hat £16, Oasis, New Street

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GIFT GUIDE

Frankincense Lift Age Defence Collection £170, Neal’s Yard, Grand Central A.Andreassen Elskling leather mules £140, www.aandreassen.com

Adopt a donkey, £3 per month, Donkey Sanctuary (nearest sanctuary Sutton Coldfield) www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/adopt One gin, £42 70cl bottle, spiritofone.com (at least 10 per cent of profits fund safe, clean water projects in the world’s poorest communities)

Ceramic Salt Pot £49, Sarah Preisler, Custard Factory Wild and Gorgeous sequin star dress (4 to 13 years) £139, Selfridges Birmingham Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream £14.99, IKON Gallery

Jellycat fancy swan soft toy £18, Selfridges Birmingham

Christmas turkey head game £5.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

Alarm clock £20, Debenhams, Fort Shopping Park

Louisella earrings £280, Soru Jewellery, Harvey Nichols

Decadence at The Wolseley hamper £350, Selfridges Birmingham

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GIFT GUIDE

Emilia Wickstead Judita crepe dress £895, Selfridges Birmingham

Gin Made Me Do It £9.99, M&S, Longbridge

Wren watering can £29, MADE, Mailbox

New series of images, Birmingham Abstracts

by Fraser McGee, £85 (A3), £125 (A2), £145 (A1), www.frasermcgeefoto.com/foto-shop/

Museum gift package including two admission tickets and souvenir guide book £25 + P&P, www.shop.britishmotor museum.co.uk Regis scarf £12, West Bromwich Albion, www.wbashop.co.uk

Gucci GG Marmont mini velvet shoulder bag £1,160, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox Donate Your Name: Help fund a Cure Leukaemia specialist nurse as part of the charity’s Donate Your Name initiative. Remember a loved one or say thank you with a plaque on the Family Wall at the Centre for Clinical Haematology, £150 for three years, £65 for one year, donateyourname.org

Sequin pom pom hat £12, Next, Fort Shopping Park Heliball £18, Debenhams, Bullring

Ugg Scuffette £80, Daniel Footwear, Mailbox

JAM Sound wood turntable £59.99, HMV, Mell Square

Pink floral caged candle and diffuser £28, River Island, Fort Shopping Park

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GIFT GUIDE

Ivy leaf bowl £65, Wesley Barrell, Mailbox Brooks England Pickwick roll top backpack £180, Burrows & Hare, Mailbox

Replay printed faux furtrimmed kimono jacket £285, Harvey Nichols, Birmingham

DSQUARED2 black silicone iPhone 8 case £50, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Hendrick’s Orbium gin £47 70cl, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

An escape room experience at Escape Birmingham, from £10 to use towards a game to a £120 immersive experience for a team of six players, https://escapehunt.com/uk/birmingham/ Midlands Air Ambulance teddy bear £6, www.midlandsairambulance.com

Cashmere hide cushion by the Organic Sheep £99, Heal’s, Mailbox

Little Yolke candy cane striped cotton pyjamas (3 to 10 years) £70, Selfridges Birmingham

Whisky & Oak scented candle £28, Heal’s, Mailbox

Ceramic animal heads, £24-£48, (knitted accessories can be added), Claire Paveley Ceramics, visit @_claire_paveley_ on Instagram or www.etsy.com/uk/shop/clairepaveley

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WWE replica championship belt £500, Selfridges Birmingham

Smartway Range Rover Sportride-on electric car £550, Selfridges Birmingham

Burrows & Hare Men’s Society Damn Handsome beard grooming gift kit £26.99, Burrows & Hare, Mailbox

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GIFT GUIDE

Marble shot glasses £35, Debenhams, Bullring

Kids vs Adults £4, M&S, Longbridge

Lovestrike large pendant from £350, VASHI, Selfridges Birmingham

Akiko marble noughts and crosses £25, MADE, Mailbox

Highball heel £69, Office, Bullring

Reeses’s chocolate peanut butter spread 368g £6.99, Selfridges Birmingham Hummingbird Single Mine Origin gold coin set, includes seven 24-carat pure gold coins produced ethically in the Midlands £6,965 for the set at the time of writing (bear in mind that the price of gold fluctuates), Betts Investments, email: sales@bettsmetals.co.uk tel: 0121 233 2413

Luxury overnight spa stay at Santai Spa, Resorts World www.gentinghotel.co.uk/gift-cards

Star Wars R2D2 travel mug £12, Debenhams, Fort Shopping Park

Tartan scarf £25, River Island, Fort Shopping Park

BKLYN bobble hat £79, Peter Forson, Great Western Arcade

REP Club membership, includes early access, discounts, backstage tour, guest ticket(s) to selected productions, 10 per cent off pre-theatre dining and more £45, www.birminghamrep.co.uk

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GIFT GUIDE

Beauty selection box £70, Selfridges Birmingham

Home Alone Christmas and New Year T-shirt £12.99, New Look, Fort Shopping Park

Vans at Schuh £55, Schuh, Fort Shopping Park Seedlip Grove 42, £27.99, seedlipdrinks.com

Smart peanut butter maker £49.95, Cuckooland.com Cashmere cosy night hamper £50, The White Company, Grand Central

Gisela Graham wooden hospital set £25.99, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, store.bch.org.uk/gifts

John Lewis scarab beetle oval box £20, John Lewis, Grand Central

Arrow teaspoon set £22 for four, Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street

Dog Scarf & Legwarmers Set £8, Sainsbury’s Home Midlands Air Ambulance children’s Mission Possible tee with Saving Lives by Saving Time on the reverse £7, www.midlandsairambulance.com Glycolic cleanser £32, Flint + Flint, Mailbox

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Kenza marble printed leather purse £85, L K Bennett, Mailbox

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GIFT GUIDE

Paul Smith bird embroidered scarf £130, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox Girls Gisele Galaxy sequin flat £24, Monsoon, Bullring Metal Wings book ends £30, Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street

Festive dino shirt £18, Monsoon, Bullring

Jo Malone x Huntsman fragrance £120 100ml, Jo Malone, Grand Central This Guy Runs On Coffee enamel mug £4.99, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, store.bch.org.uk/gifts Dinner or afternoon tea at Sky by Waters, Resorts World www.gentinghotel.co.uk/gift-cards Smartphone magnifier £24.95, Cuckooland.com

House 99 Change It Up kit £14, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox Name a Seat at the Hippodrome, includes plaque with personalised inscription £250, birminghamhippodrom.com

Chase Twelve festive spirits gift set £55.99, Loki Wine, Great Western Arcade

Tommy Hilfiger at Schuh boots £140, Schuh, Fort Shopping Park Feather set of three cheese knives £35, Laura Ashley, lauraashley.com

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GIFT GUIDE

Hugo Boss x Jeremyville cufflinks £79, Hugo Boss, Mailbox

Monochrome zebra beanie £8, Next, Fort Shopping Park

How Millennial Are You? game £12, Oliver Bonas, Harborne High Street

Barbour tartan iPad cover £40, English Brands, Mailbox Seedlip Cocktail Book £14.99, seedlipdrinks.com

Brumpic Culture Card, includes exclusive offers, discounts and access to arts, culture and heritage destinations in the region and beyond £12.95 a year (£20 for two), culturecard.uk Red Wing at Schuh £249, Schuh, Fort Shopping Park

Stetson Hats Hatteras herringbone virgin wool Newsboy cap £85, Peter Forson, Great Western Arcade

Fendi Monster leather and nylon backpack £1,550, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Whisky cufflinks £14.95, Smithsonia, Piccadilly Arcade

Crowd Pleaser hamper £300, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Storyteller’s FlagMate collection from £9.99, (10 per cent of each sale goes towards supporting educational programmes around the world), www.storytellertravel.co.uk

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Twelve-month theatre card with exclusive benefits and discounts at venues across the UK, including Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre £35, www.atgtickets.com/theatrecard

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HOMES

PROPERTY AWARD WINNING

THIS MONTH’S PICK OF TOP HOMES FOR SALE ON THE MARKET

Rifle Maker, St Pauls Square Guide price: £725,000 Agent: Maguire Jackson, tel: 0121 634 1520 An immaculately presented twobedroom apartment in the awardwinning Javelin Block development, Rifle Maker Lofts. Loads of space, plenty of light and a stunning roof terrace with spectacular views over the canal and city skyline.

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HOMES

LEAFY LOCATION Foxhills, Barnt Green Guide price: From £299,950 Agent: Cala Homes, tel: 0121 516 4054 Some rather swish two-bedroom apartments in leafy Barnt Green that are perfect for a ‘lock up and leave’ lifestyle. Featuring lovely open plan kitchen/living/dining area and a contemporary master bedroom with en-suite and state of the art security systems for added peace of mind.

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HOMES

LAP OF LUXURY Dunedin Drive, Barnt Green Guide price: £2.25million Agent: James Laurence, tel: 0121 456 5454

A stunning six-bedroom detached home that boasts 8,000 sq ft of luxurious space. As well as five bathrooms, four reception rooms and a separate annex accommodation, there’s also a cinema room, swimming pool and gym. All set in nearly an acre of private grounds.

TOP QUALITY Princes Gate, Solihull Guide price: From £169,950 Agent: John Shepherd, tel: 0121 703 1850 A redevelopment of former office buildings includes a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments. Top quality finish in such a great location providing some proper luxury living.

BRICKS&BITS

From the industry’s movers and shakers to the latest groundbreaking developments… email your property news and pictures to shelley@brumliving.co.uk

RESIDENTS HUB

HEAVYWEIGHT ROLE

SELLY OAK MOVE

Exchange Square’s Allegro development of one, two and three-bedroom homes due to launch in February is introducing a set of speciallytailored services called the Residents Hub which includes state-of-the-art wellness centre, residents’ lounge, concierge, hi-speed wi-fi, guest suite and parcel and post collection.

JLL Midlands has appointed Simon Horan to

The University of Birmingham has appointed

lead its residential development business in the

GVA to find a development and funding partner

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region. Previously development director for

for the £300million Birmingham Life Sciences

Savills and CBRE before working as business

Park in Selly Oak. The 9.9-acre site has outline

development director for Henry Davidson

planning consent with scope to accommodate

Development, he will build a new team in

54,000 sq m of state-of-the-art facilities. GVA

Birmingham, working across the region.

will support the university through the process.

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HOMES

FAMILY FAVOURITE Vernon Road, Edgbaston Guide price ÂŁ579,950 Agent: Loveyourpostcode.com, tel: 0121 544 9595

A traditional four-bedroom detached family home in the heart of Edgbaston.

Generous rooms throughout with loads of original features and a great garden.

Don’t miss Property of the Week on our Facebook page every Thursday www.facebook.com/bhamliving

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MOTORING

TRIDENT TESTED CHRISTMAS ARRIVES EARLY FOR SUE COOKE IN THE SHAPE OF MASERATI’S MAGNIFICENT LEVANTE

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MOTORING

ny Maserati has a kingly presence on the road.

The three-pronged trident brand on the front grille heralds the arrival of something special, as luxurious on the inside as it is on the outside. The stunning Italian is just what is required in these bleak wintry months. And as the Maserati Levante, a large SUV, was delivered onto my drive for road testing, I truly felt as if Christmas had arrived earlier than expected!

The opulent exterior is a magnet to passers-by with frameless doors giving a coupe style and twin exhausts and a spoiler bringing up the rear. The characteristic features of the GranLusso trim are elegant chrome inserts in the front fascia, chrome front/rear skid plates, body colour rear spoiler, black-painted brake calipers, 19-inch Zefiro alloy wheels and GranLusso badges on the fenders.

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HEADY AROMA The cabin is luxurious with a heady aroma of leather and with chrome and wood trim. Seating for five passengers is supportive and comfortable, ideal for a longdistance Christmas visit to relatives and there are many spaces for storing just about everything. The automatic tailgate lifts to reveal a versatile load space of 580 litres, so room to encompass the results of early January sales.

Every driving aid that can be thought of will support and cosset both driver and passengers.

Adaptive full LED Matrix headlights are available for the first time in the Levante range which with nights getting longer and days getting shorter, will prove a great help for driving in the dark. LED lights offer 20 per cent better visibility and illuminate the road as far as 195 metres ahead, which is 55 metres further than the equivalent Bi-xenon lights. They include a front digital camera mounted behind the rear view mirror that supports the Glare-free High Beam detection system, allowing the driver to keep high beam on without dazzling oncoming vehicles.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Maserati Levante Gran Lusso Price: £61,425 otr Engine: 3.0-litre V6 350bhp Performance: 0-62mph in 6 seconds and on to a top speed of 156mph CO2 emissions: 268-278g/km combined cycle Combined fuel consumption: 11.6-12mpg combined use

And then there is the Maserati signature sound. A new entry level petrol engine is launched in this SUV which you know is going to perform well when it is designed by Maserati and produced by Ferrari. The 350hp V6 petrol powerplant will reach 62mph in six seconds, starting with a beautiful accompanying burble which changes to a resonating roar. The top speed is 156mph, in appropriate conditions of course.

And as you would expect an impeccably brought-up Italian to react, the huge SUV will also brake with consideration and charm. Sudden sharp braking causes no jarring or jolting, the car just arrives at a smooth full stop. In fact, everything about the Levante is smooth, suave and polished. Just what is needed when trying to create an impression.

WINTER WONDER There is an automatic handbrake and paddleshift gear change which I prefer to use as I don’t have to keep moving my hands from the steering wheel. Maserati only produces automatic gearboxes, which is an eightspeed auto in the Levante. The ZF gearbox has its own software coding so gear changes happen when Maserati intends them to happen. If you select manual mode, the system will let you know the best gear for the speed.

And as we move into the winter months and roads become more hazardous, it’s good to know that the Levante will wade through 30cms of deep water on flooded roads as an off-road button raises the chassis height. For long distance Christmas visits to relatives or just for getting away from it all, the Maserati Levante is the SUV that rules the road. I

SHOWROOM Graypaul Maserati Birmingham, 120 Highlands Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4NU. Tel: 0121 448 8278 www.sytner.co.uk

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

PAUL MORRELL The Birmingham-based DJ and producer has worked with the likes of Boy George and performed alongside Calvin Harris, making him probably the coolest teacher on the planet

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

o, remember your teachers? Did they go to Boy George’s birthday bash or jet off to Helsinki for a gig alongside the world’s greatest DJ at the weekend? Or perhaps they topped the UK Club charts for three weeks in the summer holidays? Thought not. Paul Morrell, who lectures in media studies part time at Birmingham Metropolitan College in Great Barr has done all three and then some and is gaining quite a reputation on the music scene. So much so, he now has representation on both sides of the Atlantic and his main club mix of American songstress, Kelly Clarkson’s track Heat is about to be released on Warner Music.

With nearly 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Paul has an impressive catalogue of official remixes and original productions which include Mutya Buena, Kimberly Wyatt and Boy George among other big names. He’s set to release a new original single, Up In Flames featuring the vocals of Amanda Wilson who achieved success with the Freemasons as well as providing vocals for Avici’s debut single, Seek Bromance.

S

career progressingly useful. Teaching until four o’clock on the day of the party, Paul drove down to London and arrived with people like Pete Burns, Spandau Ballet and the late Steve Strange which all sounds a bit surreal. He was up at the crack of dawn the morning after to drive back to the day job having met his now manager on this side of the pond, Natalie who also introduced him to her father who manages the likes of Will Smith on the other side of the pond. Paul’s now represented by both and his career’s flying.

WORLD’S BEST

As well as being the main room resident DJ at London's biggest gay super club XXL – Paul has mixed two compilation albums for them – he played at the prestigious Matinee Circuit festival in Barcelona, as well as supporting the world’s number one DJs Martin Garrix, Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren to a crowd of 30,000 at the Weekend Festival in Helsinki.

Paul also holds residencies at XXL Birmingham, the Gallery at Ministry of Sound and is a regular on the main stage at Birmingham Pride where he has performed for five years supporting artists such as VIDEO IN BRUM Paul describes Up In Flames as ‘an anthemic big Dua Lipa, Rudimental and Katy B. Of Birmingham room house record with a catchy vocal’. The release Paul reckons the club scene has declined in recent years with the loss of God’s Kitchen and Gatecrasher includes remixes from Dollrockers & Gamechasers among others. He says: “There are pockets of as well as a video shot in Brum which is directed vibrance like the Rainbow Warehouse which does and produced by two of Paul’s talented students, some great stuff, but the city has suffered a bit.”

Taylor Bould and Jacob Furnell.

Increasingly sought after as a producer as well as a DJ-ing since he was 15 and alongside Judge Jules DJ, Paul’s remix of Motorcycle As The Rush Comes aged just 17 (brilliant but ‘intimidating’), Paul has reached number one in the UK Club Charts staying always wanted a serious career in music although on the top spot for three weeks in the summer. A his parents had other ideas. He says: “They were handful of exciting projects are due to be released keen for me to get a ‘proper job’ and I went to university and trained to be a teacher. I guess it’s an shortly such as an official remix of Bloom for Australian superstar Troye Sivan as well as a remix example of do what you love and you’ll get there.”

At one point Paul was teaching full time and DJ-ing of Sweet But Psycho for up and coming American all weekend, sleeping through Sunday and repeating vocalist Ava Max who also features on David Guetta’s new single. I the process of which he says: “It really wasn’t sustainable!”

HEY DJ When DJ-ing alongside Sonique, she asked him to remix her 2000 hit Feels So Good which he did.

Check out Paul’s remix of Sweet But Psycho featuring Ava Max She also invited him to Boy George’s birthday bash https://youtube/r5R0acBHPYA which proved to be hugely enjoyable and frankly

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MUSIC MAKERS

Local schoolchildren entertained residents of a care

home in Yardley in a special event organised by local business Moo Music. Residents at Heartlands Nursing and Care Home sang along, joined in with the actions and played instruments. Home manager Donna Baker said: “The benefits of inter-generational care are becoming well understood now. We can see how much joy the sessions bring for our residents, so we are planning to make them a regular event at Heartlands.”

CRICKET STAR Year 7 pupil Isla Chattin from Winterfold School has

secured her place in the Worcestershire Rapids CCC U13 squad having started playing cricket for fun at

SCHOOL REPORT

Belbroughton Cricket Club seven years ago. Of her success Isla said: “I knew it would be tough as there were girls with greater skill levels who had already completed a year in that age group but I trained hard and made the most of my one-on-one training sessions after school.”

ALL TOGETHER NOW A Birmingham student has delivered the music lesson of a lifetime after travelling to Spain to teach a group of senior corporate managers how to perform a Beatles hit on the recorder. Kate Allsop, 22, a postgraduate student at Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, was chosen by global training firm OTD to deliver the session to 30 employees of a blue-chip company in Madrid, overseeing a group performance of All Together Now.

LET IT BE: Katie with Ben Goodwin, BCU’s external relations manager and Will Juggins of OTD

SHORTLIST FOR OUTREACH Moreton Hall has been shortlisted for the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year Community Outreach award.

Partnerships with the local community underpin the ethos of the school, no more so than in the building of the Holroyd Community Theatre which once complete will play host to many initiatives that will transform the lives of youngsters from across the area. Judges were impressed by Moreton’s decisive and positive contribution to local community outreach.

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WW1 WOMEN King Edward VI High School for Girls, Edgbaston staged a moving Armistice Centenary Commemoration, focussing on the role of women and schoolgirls, particularly from the Birmingham area, in World War 1. The commemoration included staff and pupils dressing in contemporary costume and sampling typical school activities of the period, a recreation of the Western Front in a drama session and studying the history and literature of the War and its aftermath.

MOORE MONEY

AN EVENING WITH… Bromsgrove School hosted an evening with Old Bromsgrovian, Lord Digby Jones of Birmingham. The students heard his thoughts on many topics pertinent to the world of business and politics. His concerns about social media and the generation that is growing up with the impact of ‘instant gratification’ and FOMO, resonated with the group. Upper Sixth pupils had the bonus of a personal audience with Lord Jones before his masterclass.

West Bromwich Albion manager Darren Moore has teamed up with Solihull Junior School to help raise more than £8,000 for charity. Football-mad pupils donated money to take part in an exclusive coaching session with the Baggies’ boss, who also donated a football signed by his Championship side to the raffle. Other fund-raising activities included a photo booth, book sale, giant tuck shop, talent show and a ‘Monitors versus Staff ’ football match. The money raised will be shared between Heronfield Rescue Centre and KidsOut Giving Tree Appeal.

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PERSON TO PERSON

CLOSE WITHÁ

KEITH MORROW THE NEW HEADMASTER AT HALLFIELD SCHOOL, EDGBASTON ON HOW EDUCATION TRANSFORMED HIS LIFE, GIVING ALL CHILDREN THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES – AND PASSING HIS BUS DRIVING TEST BEEN THERE, DONE THAT I qualified as a teacher in 1994 and worked in state primary schools, becoming a head of a Lincolnshire village school at the age of 30. I moved into the independent school sector and led the Elms: Junior School to Trent College for 11 years, seeing the school transformed into one of the largest independent schools in the East Midlands. I have also worked as an OFSTED inspector and now also work for the Independent Schools Inspectorate as a reporting inspector.

IT’S WHAT I DO Headmaster and CEO of Hallfield School Trust. It is a great thrill to lead a dedicated team of teachers and support staff at one of Birmingham’s largest independent prep schools. Hallfield has an excellent reputation for academic achievement and when you meet the pupils in this school, it’s not hard to see why.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE? My ambition was to become a head and lead a school, being able to make a positive difference to the lives of the children who come to my school. Having achieved this relatively early in my career, my ambition then switched to helping any school I lead become the best it can be. This is still my ambition to date! Eighteen years of headship have not dulled my energy, ambition or passion. I am very lucky to have a job I love.

BIGGEST SUCCESS I love driving and as a student took my PSV (bus driving licence) and passed my test driving a Leyland

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PD3 (no power steering, no synchromesh gearbox and the driver’s cab at the front). I worked as a bus driver while studying at university. I come from a very modest background and was the first person in my family to go to university. Education has transformed my life, both work and appreciation of the non-material aspects of life, and I am passionate that our children deserve the very best opportunities we can provide for them. I met and married my wife while we were both students and I am delighted to say that this year we celebrated 25 years of marriage. I think that is a testament to my wife’s patience!

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED To enjoy the moment as well as what I want to achieve next. One lesson I have more recently learned is not to take my mobile phone to bed with me! It certainly improves personal well-being and relaxation.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM It will be nice when it’s finished! There is so much building work going on, but this is a sign of the city’s confidence and energy. I’m really looking forward to finding out more what this city has to offer.

DOWNTIME My wife and I have a dog each and we love our country walks, in all weathers, nearly as much as our dogs! We’ve had a whole menagerie over the years but now are down to only eight chickens, two dogs, one cat and two gerbils. I’m not sure how the chickens will cope with Birmingham! I

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COMPANY TO WATCH

LOVE YOUR POSTCODE BOBBY SINGH SET OUT TO RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY ESTATE

AGENTS DO BUSINESS. HIS BRAND – WHICH PROMISES A MONEYBACK GUARANTEE IF YOUR HOME IS UNSOLD WITHIN 21 DAYS – HAS BECOME A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE MIDLANDS s anyone who has ever bought or sold a property knows, the whole experience often plumbs previously unknown levels of stress and pain.

Moving home is expensive and exasperating – but one very different estate agent has been rewriting the rulebook in Birmingham. Indeed, Love Your Postcode has been hailed on TV for changing the way property deals are done.

Love Your Postcode are estate agents by trade but take an entirely different approach to the way they sell properties.

They are the only estate agent that operates via a waiting list only policy. The man behind the brand is Birmingham’s Bobby Singh.

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FULL ASKING PRICE In 2009, Bobby realised estate agents were promising the world but under-delivering because they weren’t putting their clients’ outcome – or achieving the full asking price – as the priority. To offer a refreshing alternative, Bobby established Love Your Postcode. Operating as a brand rather than a traditional estate agent, they require no upfront fees and offer a money back guarantee if they can’t sell a house within 21 days – they only get their money when a seller gets their results. A bold claim, but they have the results to back it up. Love Your Postcode has maintained an average 99.1 per cent success rate on selling houses within 21 days and at the

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full asking price. The result of this success in what is traditionally a much-maligned industry is that Bobby is sought out by private clients, property developers and business leaders alike. He is frequently featured in premier luxury lifestyle magazines, on national media and appears as a keynote speaker at conferences.

PERFORMANCE FIRST Bobby, who was a chartered account in the corporate finance division of KPMG prior to launching Love Your Postcode, said: “The thinking behind the business was that I had always had a passion for property but also people and performance. The property business is traditionally run by people who relied on their heritage. The whole thing about estate agents is about them maintaining market share – it is dominated by low fees and by over-valuing property. That’s how they draw people in and why so many customers have a difficult experience. Our product is all about performance.

“We are big on realistic sellers. We always say to our clients to get three valuations and take an average. That way they know they are asking a realistic price. We receive hundreds of valuations every week and we cherry pick the ones who we know we can sell. If we don’t sell within 21 days we don’t charge fees.”

Love Your Postcode is the only estate agent that operates via this waiting list-only policy. Bobby says the 21-day

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COMPANY TO WATCH

turnaround means sellers have the team’s full attention and the brand only ever puts forward realistic buyers to sellers, reducing the time wasted showing miss-matched buyers around properties.

The chances are that even if you aren’t buying or selling a property, you will have seen Love Your Postcode’s branding across Birmingham. The marketing material matches the brand itself in its distinctive and different approach. Bobby has placed himself at the heart of his brand with his self-portrait dominating digital screens and billboards at such high-profile destinations as the NEC and ICC. As a practising Sikh, Bobby says his image mirrors the religion’s values of trust, equality and dedication in everything the brand does. Appearances on BBC and Sky TV as well as on radio have also boosted the message that this is estate agency done differently.

VENTURE CAPITAL Currently at the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, there are plans in 2019 for Love Your Postcode to expand into covering the London market before hopefully widening the brand across the country. “We are looking for the right venture capital to grow,” said Bobby. “Over the past nine years we have grown year-on-year, every year and in 2017-2018 we showed a 37 per cent growth in our turnover.”

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Bobby added: “Our estate agents in Birmingham live and work near to you, thanks to the prominent central location of our main agency office. Love Your Postcode’s focus is on Performance&™; offering all the services of a traditional property agency but with a modern result-led approach.” This led to the business being named the threetime winner of the AllAgents Gold Award Winner: Estate Agent of the Year for Customer Experience award.

“Legacy is also extremely important for me – how much the business gives back to the community,” said Bobby. “We are sponsors of grass roots football and have a number of partnerships, such as with the Birmingham Film Festival.” I

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BUSINESS

CHARITY GOLFERS CHIP IN

NEWS

Solicitors Sydney Mitchell raised £2,600 for local charities at its golf event. A team from Midway Care Group won the competition held at Ladbrook Park Golf Club. Two Midlands’ charities benefitted from the event – Age UK Solihull and Buddy Bags Foundation. Div Singh, senior partner at Sydney Mitchell, said: “A special thanks goes to Automated Systems Group who sponsored the 18th hole and Ladbrook Park Golf Club for donating a four-ball for the raffle.”

BUSINESS

TRAILBLAZERS TRIUMPH

CLASSIC WIN

HEAD JUDGE: Wayne Hemingway presented the award

Midlands firm Classic Interiors has won a prestigious Kbsa customer service award. The awards are among the UK’s most highly regarded for independent kitchen and bathroom retailers with the emphasis on design excellence. Classic Interiors director Maxwell Davies said: “Outstanding customer service is at the heart of everything we do, so to be recognised by our industry body is very special.”

A trailblazing partnership between Midlands marketing communications agency Big Cat and University of Birmingham academics has won a major regional business award. The project beat several other leading contenders to claim the Partnership of the Year award at the Birmingham Post’s Business Awards. Big Cat worked with the university’s linguistics and business school’s marketing department to investigate how figurative messaging – the use of metaphors and other types of figurative language – could enhance creative campaigns.

CREATIVE MOVES

Midlands creative agency Rees Bradley Hepburn has appointed Louise Eling as PR and social senior account manager and Erin Smith as PR and social account executive, following a series of new account wins. Louise has more than seven years PR experience and has managed national and regional campaigns in sectors including food and drink, retail, travel, automotive and property. Rebecca Williams, PR director at RBH, said: “The appointments support the continued growth of the agency.”

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BUSINESS

DRAGON’S DELIGHT FUND-RAISERS OF THE YEAR Birmingham-based Cure Leukaemia has won the coveted Fundraising Team of the Year award at the Charity Times Awards. The prize recognises the team that displayed innovation and quantifiable results achieved or exceeded in campaigns during 2017/18.

Cure Leukaemia’s main objective was to raise an extra £1million to full fund the £3.4million redevelopment of the Centre for Clinical Haematology which reopened at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in January.

A Birmingham-based recruitment company invested in by TV Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan has celebrated its 20th anniversary. SF Group has found jobs for more than 40,000 professionals during the two decades and took the milestone as an opportunity to thank its staff and 12,000 clients for helping make the business a success. CEO Saira Demmer said SF started with three members of staff which has grown to 120.

LAW FIRM ACCOLADES The quality of legal services offered by Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ family lawyers to couples and families in Birmingham and the Midlands has been recognised by the UK’s two leading legal directories. Legal 500 and EXPERTISE: Kevin Harris James, Chambers and Partners directories Andrew Breakwell and Victoria Fellows acknowledged the team’s expertise as a market leader, with Chambers and Partners recognising Kevin Harris James, head of the firm’s family law team in Birmingham, as a leading individual. The accolades came as Andrew Breakwell joined the firm from Shakespeare Martineau.

HIPPODROME AWARD Birmingham Hippodrome’s communications team received a silver award for Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team at the Charted Institute of Public Relations’ Midlands Pride Awards. The award recognises the team’s efforts in developing and revitalising the theatre’s communication strategy with a year of attention-grabbing campaigns promoting the theatre’s main stage productions as well as charitable work

TENNIS DEAL

in the form of Hippodrome Projects.

SUPER CLINIC Birmingham has its first cosmetic ‘super clinic’. Kat & Co Aesthetics Clinic is the brainchild of leading Birmingham surgeon Mrs CC Kat. In a first for the city, the centre in Calthorpe Road will offer every treatment under one roof – from surgical and non-surgical procedures, through to breakthrough treatments such as IV nutrient therapy and the latest non-invasive body contouring technology.

Edgbaston Priory Club has signed a new three-year partnership with Davisons Solicitors to support tennis at the club. The legal firm will sponsor tennis team kit and the club’s social tennis tournaments. Davisons have been established for more than 30 years, offering expertise in housing and property, family, wills and probate and employment and litigation.

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BUSINESS

BUSINESS BITES SET TO THRIVE

National gardening therapy charity Thrive has appointed a Solihull man as its new ambassador. Malcolm Payne has been a volunteer at Thrive’s Birmingham centre in Kings Heath Park for four years, having previously had a career in telecommunications.

POLE POSITION Fast-growing Redditch scaffolding company Airwright Midland, which created 20 jobs this year, has expanded into new premises in the town, helped by commercial property firm John Truslove. The family-owned company was previously based in Shawbank Road but needed more space after a surge in housebuilding across the Midlands saw its staff rise to 55. Ben Wright, MD at Airwright Midland, said: “We’ve experienced fast growth in the past year and quickly outgrew our previous base.”

TOUR DE MFG

BANK ON BRUM

Two Midlands solicitors swapped their briefs for Lycra as they saddled up for a bike ride to raise £500 for charity.

Tom Evans and Jack Morley from law firm mfg Solicitors, led a team of lawyers who cycled more than 190 miles without even leaving their office to complete the virtual ‘Tour de mfg’. The duo raised the money for brain injury charity Headway Worcestershire, where Tom is a trustee.

NEW PARTNERS

Professional services firm KPMG has appointed five new partners in its Birmingham office. Anna Barrell, Del Heppenstall, Kate Holt, Nadia Dabbagh-Hobrow and Nick Taylor have all become partners in their respective areas of the business.

HSBC UK’s new headquarters in Birmingham city centre is now officially occupied with 2,500 employees working from the building.

The 11-storey, 210,000 sq ft HQ is part of a £200million investment by HSBC in the West Midlands.

BEST AIRPORT

Birmingham Airport has been named UK Best Airport for its size by industry trade body, the Airport Operators Association. The accolade for best airport handling more than 10 million passengers a year was presented at an awards event in London. It recognises excellence and achievement across a range of areas, including retail, security, operations, facilities, community relations, environmental awareness and customer service.

ON THE BALL FOR BECKY Thursfields Solicitors helped raise more than £1,100 for charity after jointly organising a netball tournament in memory of a well-known local player. More than 70 people competed in seven mixed teams in the event at Stourport Sports Club, each team paying an entry fee of £100. The tournament was motivated by Becky Giddins, a founding member of Worcester Netball Club, who died aged 34 from skin cancer. A raffle boosted the total raised for Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charities’ Fighting Skin Cancer Appeal.

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WINE DINERS ENJOY TASTE OF PROVENCE

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Hotel du Vin hosts dinner with master sommelier Nigel Wilkinson aster sommelier Nigel Wilkinson returned to Hotel du Vin, Birmingham for another of his popular wine dinners. Guests enjoyed canapĂŠs, a four-course meal and six delicious tipples that celebrated some fine Mediterranean wines from Provence and the French island of Corsica. I

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1 Tony Hewitt, Tony Elvin and guests. 2 Lucy Elvin, Nigel Wilkinson. friends.

3 Arron Wincott, Tom Gallimore. 4 Adam Andrew Hayes and

5 Tony Elvin, Jevengi Kadilin. 6 Tom Gallimore, Claire Pilkington. 7 Guests enjoying fine French wines.

Photography by Jas Sansi

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WOMEN’S AID CHARITY MARKS ANNIVERSARY 2

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Smart Works Birmingham celebrates second birthday mart Works Birmingham, a charity that supports women back into work in the region through coaching services, celebrated its second birthday at Opus Restaurant in an event sponsored by LoveBrum. Philippa Pickavance, chairwoman and trustee of Smart Works Birmingham and Kate Stephens, CEO of Smart Works headquarters based in London, highlighted the work the charity has done in the region, helping about 600 women to date. The organisation, set up in Northfield in 2015, relocated to a more central location in Digbeth this summer. I

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1 Caroline Mills, T C Peppercorn, Michele Clifton, Christine Guibert. 2 Emma Hughs, Stephanie Perraton, Beth Jobbins. 3 Trustees T C Peppercorn, Ruth Paulin, Caroline Wilkie, Victoria Camfield, Jilly Cosgrove, Philippa Pickavance. 4 Jayne O'Malley, Olivier Briault.

5 Omar Budeiri, Anita Shanghavi. 6 Cheryl Blount-Powell, Sarah Brice, Deborah Cadman, Tracey Stephenson. 7 Emma Cosgrove, Pollie Jelfs, Katie French, Suzanne Barnes. 7 Kate Stephens, Sarah Brice, Jo Hunter, Philippa Pickavance. Photography by Jas Sansi

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VIP LAUNCH OPENS BRINDLEYPLACE BAR

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Be At One treats guests to evening of drinks and fun entertainment he city’s VIPs and high-fliers were welcomed for a special launch evening at the new Be At One bar in Brindleyplace.

Guests were treated to drinks and entertainment at the fun-filled event which gave the Be At One team the chance to show off both their skills and the bar’s beautiful interior. I

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1 Jason Jones, Sophie Webber, Garry Peal, Chrissie Wolfe, Mario Flanagan. 2 Emmalene Fletcher, Ting Newall, Adrian Newall.

3 Chrissie Wolfe, Katie Fulcher, Ian McLaughlan. 4 Jordan Whittington, Hannah Newton, Rachel Stewart.

5 Natalie Power,

Joanne Brain, Elizabeth Martin. 6 Nici Moran, Jessica Holland. 7 Stephen K Chand, Katherine Adams, Helen Malley, Daniel Stones, Dolly Chakrborty, Jessica Waite, Aleksandra Theodorakopoulos-Drogitis.

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HONOURS SHARED IN ANNUAL GOLF BATTLE 2

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OHS retains cup in closely fought tournament at Edgbaston club he annual golf tournament between Old Hallfieldian Society and West House Old Boys Association took place at Edgbaston Golf Club with a closely fought battle ending with honours even. There was some success for West House as they claimed both nearest the pin and longest drive tankards but ultimately the draw meant that OHS retained the cup for another year with Tim Venner once again lifting the coveted trophy aloft. I

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1 Jeremy Payne, Jonathan Carter, Nick Davies. 2 James Barwell, John Frazier, Michael Matthews. 3 OHS and WHOBA teams. 4 Tim Venner, Cameron Fraser. 5 Nicholas George. 6 Ian Burnside, Jonathan Symonds. 7 Christian Richards, Mark Adams. 8 Michael Matthews, Cameron Fraser, Jeremy Thornton. 9 Ted Rodgers, John Frazier, Andrew Reeves.

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STARS TURN OUT TO HAIL NEW-LOOK ALEX

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he Alexandra concluded its relaunch campaign with a star-studded event showing off its brand new look following a £650,000 revamp. Guests included UB40 legend Astro, Birmingham rapper Lady Sanity, actor Danny Mac and Birmingham soul singing legend Jaki Graham, as well as a host of other celebrities and media personalities. The event coincided with the official opening of the first-ever UK tour of Motown The Musical, one of the most successful shows ever to grace the stage at the Alex. I

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1 Lorna Laidlaw, centre, and friends. 2 UB40’s Astro, Jaki Graham. 3 Danny Mac, right, and friend. 4 Nathan Humphries, Andy Goulding. 5 Lady Sanity. 6 Mayor of Birmingham Cllr Yvonne Mosquito and friend. 7 Annette Badland, right, and friend.

8 Tom Ross. 9 Matthew Chambers.

Photography by Sam Bagnall

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ZOMBIE PIRATES SEND TIMBERS SHIVERING 2

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Ghouls galore are a real scream at Cuban bar’s spooky special atin-inspired Revolucion de Cuba bar and cantina hosted a zombie pirates evening at 8 Temple Street. Make-up artists Jasmine Barnard and Jacob Morrall treated staff and customers to their individual brand of ghoulish looks while upstairs in the Bar Havana guests were served special fruit cocktail with a jelly eyeball floating in the glass. There was live music and dancing throughout the evening. I

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1 Miguel Munoz, AndreJs Zavickis. 2 Kamar Williams, Stella Bayhurst. 3 Jasmine Barnard, Jacob Morrall. 4 Katie Andrews, Emma Beard.

5 Josh Mistry, Fabian Riggon. 6 Melissa Greendale, Barbara IwanIcka. 7 Emma Snell, Emily Norman. 8 Gemma Eyres, Heather Rafferty, Rebecca Cronin. 9 Isabella Goodwin, Kate Ambridge.

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Photography by Andrew Llewellyn

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WHAT: The Nutcracker WHEN: Now to 13 December WHERE: Birmingham Royal Ballet at Birmingham Hippodrome, www.brb.org.uk There’s no better way to embrace the festive season than with this stunning ballet that delights young and old alike.

WHAT: Carols by Candlelight WHEN: 24 December WHERE: Symphony Hall, box office: 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk A sublime concert of carols and seasonal classics, staged in full 18th Century costume in an evocative candle-lit style setting. With readings from Dickens and the Scriptures by special guest Peter Davison

WHAT: The ‘George Michael’ Tribute Show with Randall Butler WHEN: 20 December WHERE: Nailcote Hall, tel: 02476 466174 www.nailcotehall.co.uk Singing all of George Michael’s hits as well as the Wham! classics, including Club Tropicana, I’m Your Man, Faith, Careless Whisper and Fastlove. A flawless tribute to everyone’s guilty pleasure.

WHAT: ‘ABBA-RIGINAL’ Tribute Night WHEN: 15 December WHERE: Lake at Barston, www.thelakeatbarston.co.uk Dig out your Seventies’ gear and groove the night away to all those Abba classics, such as Waterloo, Voulez Vous and Mamma Mia.

WHAT: A Christmas Wassail 2018 WHEN: 16 to 18 December WHERE: Crescent Theatre, www.crescent-theatre.co.uk Kick off you celebrations with this ever-popular Wassail.

Mulled wine, mince pies and a feast of Christmas spirit.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Benidorm Live WHEN: 3 to 29 December WHERE: Alexandra Theatre, tel: 0844 8713011 www.atgtickets.com/birmingham A dose of Benidorm sunshine is coming to Brum as all your favourite stars from the Solana are appearing live on stage for the very first time.

Starring Mateo, Kenneth and, of course, Joyce Temple-Savage.

WHAT: Lily Allen

WHAT: Toy Collectors Fair

WHEN: 14 December

WHEN: 27 December

WHERE: Birmingham O2 Institute,

WHERE: NEC Birmingham,

www.academymusicgroup.com/

www.bpfairs.com Britain’s biggest toy collectors fair boasts more than 500 stalls. You’ll find all the UK’s leading specialist dealers here, selling all kinds of new and old collectables.

o2institutebirmingham The diminutive popster had one of the most successful comebacks ever with her Mercury prize-nominated No Shame. This is a chance to see her live and at her very best.

WHAT: The Wizard Of Oz WHEN: Now to 13 January WHERE: Birmingham Rep, tel: 0121 245 2024 www.birmingham-rep.co.uk A fantastic treat for all the family with one of the most popular tales of all time. This spectacular production features your favourite songs and characters from the classic film with an added sprinkle of magic.

Recommended for ages seven and over.

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WHAT: André Rieu WHEN: 13 December WHERE: Arena Birmingham, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com With a career spanning more than 30 years, the Dutch violinist knows how to stage a grand show including romantic moments and witty twists. As Christmas as mince pies…

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: A Christmas Carol WHEN: 4 December to 20 January WHERE: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, tel: 01789 403493 www.rsc.org.uk David Edgar’s critically-acclaimed adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic tale returns by popular demand. Aden Gillett makes his RSC debut as Ebenezer Scrooge in this festive tale of redemption and compassion.

WHAT: Magical Lantern Festival WHEN: Now to 1 January WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, tel: 0121 454 1860 www.magicallantern.co.uk The illuminating family show is back and once again lights up the glorious ponds, woodland and pathways of the stunning Botanical Gardens. The spectacular event displays artistic sculptures that feature traditional Chinese and festive-themed Christmas designs.

WHAT: Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall – Christmas Special WHEN: 15 to 22 December WHERE: Town Hall, box office: 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk WHAT: BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2018 WHEN: 16 December WHERE: Genting Arena, tel: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com It’s back and it’s bigger than ever. Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan are in charge once again as SPOTY celebrates its 65th year. In a break with tradition, the contenders will be revealed on the night of the show for the first time.

Join DJ-mumma Monski Mouse and her dancers for a morning of family fun with high energy and plenty of smiles as your heads, shoulders, knees and toes bop along to some cracking tunes.

Ideally suited to under-fives.

WHAT: Embrace: Christmas Show WHEN: 8 December WHERE: The Mill Digbeth, www.themilldigbeth.com Rock legends Embrace are coming to Birmingham for a very special Christmas show. With three number one albums and more than a million sales behind, them this is a show not to be missed.

WHAT: Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market WHEN: Now to 23 December WHERE: Victoria Square and New Street With more than 120 stalls there is something for everyone at the largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: MDC Christmas Showcase WHEN: 15 and 16 December WHERE: Midlands Arts Centre, www.macbirmingham.co.uk The Mezzo Dance Company presents its award-winning Christmas show, highlighting the incredible talents of children from the ages of two to 18. A myriad of dance styles on show, including ballet, street and freestyle.

WHAT: Peter Pan WHEN: 19 December to 27 January WHERE: Birmingham Hippodrome, www.birminghamhippodrome.com Set sail to Neverland with this swashbuckling pantomime adventure.

The all-star line-up is led by singing sensation Jimmy Osmond and festive favourite Matt Slack.

WHAT: Boyzlife WHEN: 21 December WHERE: Bel Air Nightclub, the Belfry Hotel & Resort, www.thebelfry.com Calling all Boyzone and Westlife fans... Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden are coming to town performing a mixture of all their chart toppings hits.

A fun-filled night and a chance to meet and greet the boys too!

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WHAT: Festive Family Fun WHEN: 8 to 23 December WHERE: British Motor Museum, www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk Help Martin the Mechanic get Santa’s sleigh back on the road so he can deliver all your presents!

Enjoy a festive family trail and round up the reindeer as you explore this great museum. Includes family crafts on the weekends.

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IN THE CITY WITH JO JEFFRIES OF BIRMINGHAM MUSIC AWARDS TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I’m founder and ambassador for Birmingham Music Awards, set up to recognise, celebrate and shout about all the incredible music talent our city has to offer. I’ve worked in music, TV and radio up and down the country but Brum is my calling – I’m on a mission to bring together the local music community so our city gains the recognition it deserves. Our team has a big vision to help build the music business infrastructure Birmingham needs in order to retain its music talent and thrive as a music city.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN? Usually on the train to Moor Street, my favourite station in the world. Enough of those huge, retail-driven super-stations – give me a gorgeous, little historic stop all day long. I feel like I’m in a scene from Brief Encounter every time I step off the train. Then it’s a quick jaunt (if I don’t get distracted by Cow Vintage) to the BMA’s new home in the Custard Factory.

HOW’S THE COMMUTE? I barely notice it. I’m either e-mailing like mad or allowing myself some respite if I spot a Metro between the seats.

www.lukeantony.co.uk

ON A MISSION:

Jo Jeffries is pursuing a

vision to build on

Birmingham’s reputation

as a city of music

IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO WORK IN? Absolutely. It presents so many opportunities and I can feel a real hunger out there among the young creatives. They need businesses like ours and we want them to stay put so the city can benefit from their dreams, aspirations and energy.

COFFEE BREAK? When in Digbeth, it’s either Seven Sins or the Old Crown. In town, it’s tough to beat the allure of Yorks.

LUNCHTIME? In Digbeth we tend to head to Kanteen (in my efforts to be ‘down with the kids’ and do the vegan thing which they seem to nail), or Baked in Brick, or Ghetto Golf – my guilty pleasure Friday super-treat.

POWERWALKING? Should I lie here and say I run the canals?

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY? I’m a die-hard creative, so it’s a tough call between Digbeth and the JQ. I think the Custard Factory just has the edge for me at the minute – since the new owners moved in there is a superb buzz.

AFTERWORK PINT? When I’m playing sophisticated grown-up, mine’s a French red in Pub du Vin but otherwise, the Ruin on Floodgate Street is quirky, comfy and friendly.

Nominations entry deadline for Birmingham Music Awards is 31 January 2019. Details at birminghammusicawards.com

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HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER? It’s an exciting time to be in Birmingham – there is so much scope for positive change and we must all play our part. Collaboration, community and belief is key. Retaining the next generation of talent by giving our young people the right support and infrastructure for success is crucial.

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