November issue 2016 (issue 50)

Birmingham g n i liv

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MIDLANDS MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

BRAVISSIMO SARAH TREMELLEN

NO OFFENCE

SHAZIA MIRZA RED, WHITE & ROSÉ

AMERICA'S FINEST

November 2016

+

ROB PALMER MICHELIN STAR

WINTER STYLE SPECIAL

PAUL KEHOE, EDMUNDS BISTRO, WOLFS, CHRIS SUDWORTH… AND MORE

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EDITOR’S VIEW The buildings, the people, the atmosphere, the food.

How ‘buzzy’ Birmingham went from concrete dinosaur to 21st century pace-setter in 50 issues! ’m not one for looking back. Yesterday’s gone, to quote the famous Fleetwood Mac lyric. Tomorrow will soon be here. But for this issue, our 50th, it’s entirely appropriate to take a check on how the city we cover has changed in those 50 issues – and is continuing to change.

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In Issue No.1 my predecessor Jon Card talked about how his home city was dumping the concrete image of the Seventies and was on the cusp of becoming a great 21st century destination. The likes of Selfridges and the new Library were in place and exciting projects such as Grand Central were to come.

We all know now what a magnificent addition GC is to Birmingham. And there’s much more on the horizon with the likes of the redeveloped Paradise Circus and HS2 complex. But more than the buildings is the excitement you can feel around the place.

Paul Kehoe, the new president of Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and CEO of Birmingham Airport, calls it ‘buzzy’. A perfect description.

In Issue 1, Jon noted the city’s growing reputation for fine food with our first Michelin stars. This month Greater Birmingham won its sixth star at Hampton Manor, consolidating our tally as the most outside London. Figures show that Birmingham has more visitors than any other city, bar London – and over threequarters give our great food as a major reason for coming.

I read an article by an editor in Manchester this week bemoaning that his city has no Michelin stars. What has Birmingham got that we haven’t, what’s so special about it, he asked. I’ll leave it to Paul Kehoe to supply the answer: “There’s much more to making a great city than just having two big football teams,” he says. Dead right!

David Johns

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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, Rose Gallagher

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

Cover image: Shazia Mirza by Martin Twomey

visit www.brumliving.co.uk @brum_living

november 2016

/bhamliving

When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

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INSIDE

Highlights

12 16 20 30 46 82

Shazia Mirza Birmingham-born comic on Jihadi brides, expanding audiences and her love of Brum

Sarah Tremellen The founder of Bravissimo reveals how pregnancy launched her multi-million pound empire Rob Palmer The head chef at Peel’s celebrates winning a Michelin star… and nan’s amazing scones Style Boardroom to bar! Party season edit reveals the latest looks guaranteed to knock ’em out Homes Lights fantastic! Make the switch and give your home a new, warm glow this winter Paul Kehoe Airport boss and Chambers new president on what makes our city so special and ‘buzzy’

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CONTENTS

20

Best of the Rest

22 42 58 63 66 72 78 november 2016

Food & Drink Our critics review Edmunds Bistro de Luxe, plus Rob Price selects his best American wines Health Want to boost your fitness at a stroke? Get on board and join the great rowing experience Motoring Drive Mitsubishi’s stylish Outlander hybrid and save money on your fuel bills, says Sue Cooke Young, Gifted and Brummie Best newcomer Gabrielle Killick talks stand-up, theatre, film, TV – and winning an Oscar!

Spotlight on Business Company to Watch – property firm Wolfs, plus news and views from the business community Social Scene The pages that picture who’s been out and about networking in Birmingham this month Shows, Arts, Gigs and More What’s on, where and when – all you need to know about the local entertainment scene

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NEWS

SQUASH GIRLS ARE

g n i livTODAY EURO CHAMPS

A Birmingham squash team has become champions of Europe. Edgbaston Priory Club’s ladies’ squash team won the European Squash Club Championships in style dropping only one game on their route to the final. The team – Nicolette Fernandes, Deon Saffery, Millie Tomlinson, Leonie Holt and Beth Parker – is sponsored by RK Harrison insurance.

Bringing you the brightest and most colourful stories from across the city each month

JANE JOINS CUBS Jane Sutton, the mother of inspirational teenage Stephen Sutton MBE and ambassador for Teenage Cancer Trust, met up with Sutton Coldfield Cub Scouts. The cubs from 11th Sutton Coldfield have been fund-raising and writing poetry to perform at the Made in Sutton Stage at Sutton Expo. The cubs’ poetry was based on Stephen’s iconic Thumbs Up.

COMING CLEAN

A prominent piece of public art has been given a facelift as part of a project to improve the John Bright Street area of Birmingham city centre. Birmingham Figure by artist Lee Grandjean was commissioned in 1987 and is managed by Birmingham Museums Trust. Retail BID Birmingham worked with the Museums Trust on the conservation project.

BRIGHT WORK: Steve Hewlett and Paul Barnett of Retail BID with Veronika Vlková of Mareva Conservation

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CARRY ON COLLECTING Actress Dame Barbara Windsor is calling on Brummies to volunteer their spare time during this year’s Poppy Appeal. The Carry On and EastEnders star launched the Royal British Legion’s Poppy People campaign to find more volunteers in the city and region, especially on Birmingham Poppy Day on 2 November.

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NEWS

WHAT’S BRUIN, BEAR?

LIGHTS FANTASTIC

Britain’s best-known Bear is putting his own stamp on Birmingham’s second mass-participation public art trail, the Big Sleuth. TV explorer Bear Grylls is teaming up with Retail Birmingham to design one of the 165cm tall bear sculptures that will appear in and around the city for 10 weeks from July 2017 before being auctioned off in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

A new festival of light for all the family is heading to Birmingham Botanical Gardens for the festive season. The award-winning Magical Lantern Festival, which debuted in London earlier this year, opens from 25 November until 2 January. Visitors will enter through a giant 12-metre wide lantern entrance before following a light trail around the gardens.

GRAMMY WINNER IN TOWN Five-time Grammy Award-winning sitar player Anoushka Shankar is returning to Birmingham. The daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar, Anoushka is internationally acclaimed for breaking boundaries by working with new sounds and art forms. Her concert at Symphony Hall on 10 November coincides with her new album, Land of Gold.

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MARATHON COUNTDOWN Running’s coming home! That was the message being relayed from a medal ceremony organised by the Great Run Company to mark the opening of entries for the inaugural Birmingham International Marathon. Actor Tony Audenshaw of TV’s Emmerdale – who will run the marathon for the Bloodwise charity – was on hand at Birmingham Town Hall for the countdown to the race on 15 October 2017.

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NEWS

CLASSIC CAR HEAVEN It’s a classic car lover’s paradise. The NEC will host more than 2,500 cars and motorcycles at the UK’s biggest and best classic motoring celebration, the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, from 11 to 13 November. The show includes the Wheeler Dealers Live Stage, hosted

by TV’s Mike Brewer and Edd China, the Restoration Theatre offering expert advice and demonstrations, and 600 trade stands selling parts, motoring services and memorabilia.

PEEL’S JOINS MICHELIN STARS IN BRIEF Birmingham’s star-studded food scene just goes from strength to strength. It now boasts its sixth Michelinstarred restaurant, Peel’s at Hampton Manor. Only London has more Michelin stars than Brum, with Peel’s joining Simpsons, Adams, Turners, Carters of Moseley and Purnells on the list. Tim Manson of Visit Birmingham, said: “Greater Birmingham’s sixth Michelin star is a further boost to an increasingly significant part of this region’s tourism economy.” See page 20.

PUPPY LOVE Customers at Webbs garden centres raised £5,000 to sponsor a Guide Dogs charity puppy for a year. A competition to name the puppy was won by Sandra Horton from Bewdley with the name Webbly.

GOOD MOVE Birmingham is the most popular destination for people moving from London, official figures show. More than 6,000 people left the capital for Brum last year, according to the latest internal migration statistics.

PICTURE OF

SLAVERY This is one of six images created by young artists as part of a project exploring the work of landscape architect Capability ‘Lancelot’ Brown and his connections with Warwick Castle and the slave trade. Creative youth agency Beatfreeks, the Capability Brown Festival, Landscape Institute and Warwick Castle teamed up for a day of visual art and spoken word poetry entitled At What Cost?

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I DO! I DO! Congratulations to the hugely popular sales and events manager at one of the city’s top hotels who took the plunge last month.

Zara Goodwin from Hotel Du Vin married Tom Harvey in a ceremony at Pears School, Repton surrounded by friends and family before skipping off for a well-earned honeymoon in Ibiza...

HOT SEATS A new concept in sofa buying has been unveiled with the launch of The Lounge Co sofa galleries at Leekes. In-store interactive touch screen stations help customers choose their perfect new furniture.

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NEWS

WOLFS AT CRUFTS! Property firm Wolfs is sponsoring and funding the new stand for the Support Dogs Charity at Crufts in Birmingham next March. Support Dogs is a national charity dedicated to increasing independence and quality of life for people with various medical conditions. It provides, trains and supports specialist assistance dogs.

DO YOU HAVE BAGSLadies…

OFyouMONEY? know you love your

FIRST FOR HAMLEYS

handbags. And you’ll sure like this one. The rare red Hermés Porosus Crocodile Birkin 35 bag achieved a record £18,000 at auction in Birmingham. The little number with the big price tag went under the hammer at Fellows, fetching the highest figure ever for a handbag sold at the auction house.

The first Hamleys toy shop in the Midlands has opened at Resorts World Birmingham. The opening coincided with the Resort’s first birthday. As well as selling everything from traditional toys to the latest gadgets, the store offers the added bonus of outlet prices.

SUPER SIX HOLD THE FORT

HARV PLAYS THE JOKER

They’re all looking mighty pleased with themselves, and no wonder! This super six have been chosen as the faces of The Fort Shopping Park’s winter campaign. All are members of staff who work in stores in the centre. They are fronting The Styled by the Faces of The Fort campaign which aims to provide an insight into the people that help make the shopping centre such a popular out-of-town retail destination.

Meet Harv Hawkins, officially the Midlands best new comedian. Harv from Balsall Common, who by day is an estate agent, won the title from Birmingham Comedy Festival and the Glee Club. He was presented with his award by Brum comedy legend Jasper Carrott. Judges were impressed by Harv’s original material about childhood toys, traffic tailbacks, popular phrases and the housing market.

GOT ANY NEWS? Email your news and pictures to editor@brumliving.co.uk 10 birmingham living

november 2016

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COVER STORY

NO OFFENCE Birmingham-born comic, columnist and panellist Shazia Mirza talks

Jihadi brides, expanding audiences and her love of Brum to Shelley Carter

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COVER STORY

hazia Mirza is often lauded as brave and provocative tackling tough issues that most people shy away from or laugh nervously at, but to her that makes no sense. She explains: “I’m not at home giving myself a pat on the back for being brave. I don’t even know what that means. I just write jokes.”

The teacher-turned-comic’s brand of political incorrectness is to some hilarious and to others offensive. She says: “People are offended but they don’t know why they’re offended. They are offended on other people’s behalf.” More about being offended later…

Born in Birmingham, Shazia grew up in Harborne in a middleclass set-up and was expected to do well, find a good man and settle down. A degree in bio-chemistry fitted the bill followed by a career in teaching, but while working in a rough East End comprehensive Miss Mirza decided it wasn’t her dream gig.

Turning to stand-up, Shazia embarked on a comedy course and began doing the rounds on the circuit building up experience and audiences while holding down the day job. Eventually teaching gave way to comedy and Shazia bounded onto the scene in a big way in 2001 wearing a hijab poking fun at Islam and the commonly-held attitudes towards Muslims. Awarded Best New Act at the London Comedy Festival in the same year, Shazia began touring the UK and beyond to rave reviews.

S

“

Inspired in part by

Jihadi brides and three girls from Bethnal Green, the show looks

”

at why young Asian girls are attracted to the barbarous organisation

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THE ‘B’ WORD Shazia’s current show, The Kardashians Made Me Do It, was a work in progress at 2015’s Edinburgh Fringe to much acclaim and became a sell-out tour earlier this year. Extended to run from September to March it’s proving a hit. Inspired in part by Jihadi brides and three girls from Bethnal Green who ‘chose to go to Syria not Ibiza’ on holiday to join ISIS, the show takes a look at why young Asian girls are attracted to the barbarous organisation.

Clearly it’s a humorous take, but it provides plenty of food for thought. Inspiration also comes from an unrelated radio piece that Shazia contributed to the BBC which received a record number of complaints. The show tackles the nature of offence and the dangers of politically correct liberalism versus the intrusion of ISIS into the lives of young British Asian women. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive packed predictably with the ‘b’ word. The Telegraph says ‘brave and urgent,’ The Standard, ‘brave, wellinformed, potent,’ and the Mail on Sunday, ‘As brave a piece as you’ll see’.

As well as positive reviews and supportive audiences, Shazia has taken some flak recently over remarks she made on a daytime TV show with some misguided viewers calling her a terrorist sympathiser! Of the episode Shazia wrote online: “Ironically, it’s the same right-wing mouthpieces that expect ‘my people’ to condemn

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COVER STORY

violence committed by any Muslim-identified terrorist anywhere in the world. Yet when I speak up to belittle and satirise ISIS for the absurdity of the fake jihad-chic lifestyle they sell, I get told to shut up. I’m on their side and they still attack me?”

Audiences have changed a bit since the early days.

Typically packed with gay men who have always supported her and Guardian readers, Shazia has noticed more Muslim women in head scarves of late and even Muslim kids with their parents. The first British comedian to perform in Pakistan, Shazia enjoyed a warm welcome in the devout Muslim country in an underground gig with no advertising and the audience was ‘amazing’. She says: “It’s not safe to go now, but I’ve performed in Pakistan around 10 times and each time it’s been great.”

HOME COMING

SHAZIA’S LOCAL GIGS THE KARDASHIANS MADE ME DO IT:

6 November, Warwick Arts Centre Coventry, University of Warwick,

tel: 024 7652 4524 www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

10 December, The Old Rep Theatre, Station Street, Birmingham,

tel: 0121 359 9444 www.oldreptheatre.co.uk

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Now living in the south, Shazia still feels gigging in Birmingham is like coming home. “It’s a privilege coming back. I grew up here in the Eighties when Thatcher was in power. The IRA blew up the Rotunda. There were strikes, lots of factories and it was a bit grey. The city has changed amazingly. Times were hard and we’ve progressed.” She adds: “What’s always been great about Birmingham and still is, is its multi-culturalism.”

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FEATURE

BIG IDEA It’s not often that pregnancy is the catalyst for launching a

multi-million pound business, but that’s exactly what happened to the founder of Bravissimo, Sarah Tremellen

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FEATURE

f you’ve experienced Birmingham’s shiny new Bravissimo store you’ll know how celebratory the place is with uplifting mantras dotted around the walls affirming the brand’s ethos that ‘every woman deserves to feel amazing’. Birmingham is Bravissimo’s 26th store with many more in the pipeline, but who’s behind the plucky Midlands based brand?

Meet Sarah Tremellen – the Cambridge graduate turned lingerie supremo who has changed the way we dress big boobs.

When faced with going from a C cup to a DD during pregnancy and a G cup while breastfeeding, Sarah was appalled by the poor availability of bras in larger sizes. In fact, she was told not to expect to find something pretty. To add to the frustration, a friend preparing for her impending nuptials struggled to get a decent, attractive bra in an E cup to suit her dress.

This set Sarah and her friend on a mission to fill the obvious gap in the market, so they hatched a plan and Bravissimo was born.

Twenty-one years later the multi-million pound business has made The Times Top 100 Companies to Work For for the past 10 years, has a workforce of more than 600 and grand plans to go global.

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FRONT ROOM Knowing nothing about the lingerie business other than they wanted to change the status quo, Sarah set up a home office with one phone line in her front room and with her friend they set about launching a mail order business in the days before e-commerce. They attended lingerie fairs and talked to editors of women’s magazines to get a handle on the industry.

Sarah recalls: “We had no experience of the bra industry or anything really. We did whatever people wanted.” The idea that they just wanted women to feel good about themselves was reflected in the mail order catalogues which felt more like glossy magazines with celebratory features as well as products. Sarah’s naivety was a help rather than a hindrance allowing her to be free to do what she felt was right without being restricted by rules or established models. She listened to customers and responded positively.

Boosted by some well-placed press coverage, the business grew more quickly than they predicted and they took 1,000 calls in three days after the Daily Mail ran a piece on Bravissimo and it became obvious that the initial 5,000 mail order catalogues was nowhere near enough and perhaps it was time to move out of the front room!

Bravissimo responded well to a move to e-commerce when the time was right and took the natural next step of entering the high street retail space five years after launching. Sarah explains: “It made sense. One of the

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FEATURE

drawbacks of mail order and online is that we couldn’t fit effectively, so the retail element allowed us to better serve our customers.”

Originally launched in the south, Sarah struggled to find decent customer services staff in London and once the company had launched its first physical store outside of the South East in Manchester she realised there was a wealth of excellent staff away from the capital.

NEW HOME A decision was made to move the business and although numerous locations were mooted, the Midlands got the nod. An advert in the local paper yielded a bundle of brilliant applications – enough to have filled the positions many times over. Staffing is important and Sarah is proud of the family vibe at the firm and feels that ‘it’s just a nice place to work’.

Sarah has always listened to feedback from customers, so when people said it’s all well and good to have a gorgeous bra that fits, but we haven’t got any clothes to wear, she responded. “We wrote to our customers inviting them into the office to be

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measured, so that we could work out a sizing structure that would work for everyone. We started with a white shirt in three different bust sizes.” Working outside of standard pattern cutting sizes meant the company was starting from scratch. Prototypes were made and then Sarah invited the customers back in for a fitting. The products fitted really well and a wider range has been slowly developed.

It’s been a whirlwind two decades, but there’s no sign of Sarah slowing down. A new website is under construction which will get Bravissimo’s ‘spirit out there’ along with more shop openings in the UK and abroad. I

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FOOD & DRINK

ROB PALMER The head chef at Peel’s celebrates the restaurant winning a Michelin star and talks about nan’s amazing scones and his mission to find the local culinary high-fliers of the future Tell us about your cooking I love modern British cuisine, using classic flavours and then incorporating a modern twist. I don’t use any ingredients that people can’t recognise. I want the average Joe to know what it is. I don’t want to put something in front of someone and them have to ask twice what it is.

Just as fine dining’s become more relaxed over the last few years so has our cooking. It’s really important to use British and local produce wherever possible but the priority is to use the best ingredients available. We’ve got a number of suppliers that we’ve worked with for years – our meat from Aubrey Allen, all our vegetables are from Birmingham and our fish supplier is second to none.

What do you eat when at home?

Describe your perfect meal

What’s the best thing about being a chef?

I’m a simple guy and although I love great food and visiting other incredible restaurants, for me there’s nothing better than a few beers with something simple and tasty in the local with friends and family.

It’s never dull and there’s something new to learn every day. We have a great team which makes life really enjoyable and watching the lads coming through is

I met my wife at the Metropole where she works as a personal trainer, so food at home is very simple and healthy! Lots of salad, fresh vegetables and roast chicken.

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

I love the food scene in New York, it’s really stimulating. We’re so lucky to have an amazing local food scene and I think Glynn Purnell is right up there. The team and I recently went for a meal at the Ledbury which was incredible. Brett Graham, the head chef there, is pretty special.

How did you become a chef?

I used to love baking with my mum and nan.

Nan’s scones were amazing! As a teenager I balanced college with an apprenticeship at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole where I found George Outhwaite really inspiring. I joined Hampton Manor six years ago and was lucky to work with Martyn Pearn. Martyn was the chef who influenced me the most. It wasn’t so much his cuisine, but more the robust classicism and disciplines that he taught me. I learned that simplicity didn’t mean simplistic.

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CHEF’S CORNER

great. We also work with a lot of apprentices from University College Birmingham and I really enjoy that nurturing aspect and helping teach and develop new techniques.

Is the customer always right?

Of course. Even when they’re not!

Share a cooking tip Salt. Get the seasoning right.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

I think a roast dinner. Nothing beats your mum’s roast dinner, does it?

Food heaven and hell?

Hell is avocado. In guacamole it’s ok but I can’t stand it on its own, it’s like grease. Heaven is roast chicken, mayonnaise and a baguette. That simple.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten We ate unusual, innovative things on the team trip to Faviken in Sweden. The ‘snuff ’ was an interesting final course. But these days the things that I’ve eaten wouldn’t be considered that unusual. There’s restaurants out there using live ants and live shrimp…

The Wilderness in Dudley, to name but one.

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

The mallard dish that Sous Chef Darren’s just put up. We’ve moved into game season again and this mallard, celeriac and salt pear hits the spot. I Peel’s Restaurant, Hampton Manor, Shadowbrook Lane, Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull B92 0EN. Tel 01675 446080 www.hamptonmanor.eu

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

EDMUNDS BISTRO DE LUXE 6 Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2JB. Tel: 0121 633 4944 www.edmundsrestaurant.co.uk ike a lot of people, we’ve frequented Edmunds on special occasions. I had a stonking birthday dinner there last year for example, but wouldn’t have dreamed of popping in for a bite to eat on a rainy Tuesday. Until now.

The restaurant has reinvented its menu creating more of a bistro vibe. Gone is the set two courses for £49.50, which by anyone’s standards is a bit steep for a speedy weekday lunch and in its place a more accessible, flexible menu.

As fans of the pre-reinvention, we trotted off to check it out hoping the changes were negligible. The stylish décor is virtually the same, in fact we didn’t clock a change at all. The team is the same and we were warmly greeted by Geoff and Giles out front and Didier, who is still at the helm in the kitchen

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driving the changes. Keen to point out there is no change in terms of the quality of the food, Didier was as passionate and excited as we’ve seen him.

SMOKY LOVELINESS The a la carte menu was reasonably priced putting it firmly in multiple visits a month territory. The cauliflower soup to start was unbelievably good and knocked spots off the foodie options surrounding the restaurant. At £7 we’d happily pop in just for a bowl of this warming, truffled, smoky loveliness with a hunk of fresh bread any day of the week. As for six l’escargot coated in garlic butter with a crunchy crouton nestled on top. Gorgeous, although we could have handled more garlic. Sweet seared scallops with a fennel and tomato salad was zingy and refreshing.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

Meaty and flavour-packed, the chunky country style pate with toasted brioche and pickled gherkins did what it said on the tin, but our pick of the starters was goat’s cheese with figs, sesame seed socca (bit like a miniature bread stick, but softer and 10 times nicer than you’re imagining) and honey. It looked pretty as a picture and tasted wonderfully rich yet fresh and fruity too.

The viognier slipped down as we tucked into main courses. Fillet of beef with frites, roasted tomatoes and a winning béarnaise was brilliant. Apparently there’s a bit of competition in the kitchen as to who makes the greatest béarnaise. We sampled Didier’s and reckon it would be hard to beat. Rump of lamb with dauphine potatoes, peas a la francaise and an unctuous sauce was another winner as was monkfish cheeks with ratatouille with smoked aubergine puree, although I did find an olive stone in the accompanying olive croquette which rattled a filling.

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The chicken chasseur was nothing like a chasseur we’d tried before – sorry mum! It was rustic and hearty as you’d imagine, but it just tasted superbly rich and perfectly balanced served with parmentier potatoes which were delicious too. This was the stand-out dish in a menu heaving with knock-out dishes.

Puds were light (thankfully) and inventive. A vey blush strawberry dessert comprised a seriously fruity milkshake, perfect macaron, intense strawberry ripple ice cream and Chantilly cream. Then there was moreish honey roasted pear with a cute vanilla sable, super sweet fudge ice cream and a rich toffee sauce.

So of the changes… it still feels special, just more affordable. People don’t like change. It’s human nature, but if you liked Edmunds before its new bistro vibe, there’s nothing that will put you off. You’ll just be able to enjoy it more often and if you’ve haven’t been to Edmunds now’s your chance. You won’t regret it. I

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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 HARBORNE’S BIG OPENING Get ready all you food lovers out there! After an 11-month transformation, the new Harborne Kitchen will be open for business on Friday, 18 November. The restaurant on the site of an old butcher’s shop is run by chef and owner Jamie Desogus and an experienced team, including Kingsley Crocker – whose CV boasts Simpsons and The Highfield – as general manager.

THE PHYSICIAN LOOKS WELL A new pub and restaurant at Edgbaston Village is just what the doctor ordered. The Physician is set to open this month by Brunning and Price in the old restored and converted Birmingham Medical Institute building. Key appointments include Lisa Rogers as general manager and head chef Ashley Kilroy from Stourbridge.

FRUIT AND VEG HEAVEN There’s nothing like a nice bit of fruit and veg to get our tastebuds going. Participants of Birmingham’s award-winning Health for Life in the community programme showcased their best home grown produce at Birmingham Community Food Festival & Horticultural Show. Funded by Mondelēz International Foundation, Health for Life is a £3million, five-year programme supporting healthy eating.

EDMUNDS GOES DE LUXE Edmunds Restaurant in Brindleyplace has relaunched as Edmunds Bistro de Luxe. The focus is on classic French country cuisine cooked in a modern style, while showcasing the best of British ingredients. The move aims to make Edmunds more accessible to more customers at more times and offering more flexible, diverse menus.

COCKTAILS & TAPAS ON THE HILL A new bar in Birmingham city centre is bringing together cocktails and street food-style tapas dishes. Lobby on Hill Street is operated

by North East-based leisure business Cairn Group and aims to capitalise on the development of Grand Central as well as the increased footfall to New Street Station. And, it features a heated terrace… cool!

WHISKY CLUB’S MILESTONE Birmingham Whisky Club is celebrating five years of bringing whisky to Birmingham. Founder Amy Seton said: “Since I started the club, more than 4,500 people have visited our events and drank around 5,000 bottles!” A series of anniversary events kick off with a special tasting with independent bottlers Douglas Laing at the Electric Cinema on 3 November

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AMERICA’S FINEST? Whatever the result of this month’s US presidential election, there will always be something great about America, says Rob Price – it’s wine!

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his month, we find out who will lead the most powerful country in the world.

Nope, there hasn’t been a snap general election and Nicola Sturgeon hasn’t abdicated either! Rather the Americans will vote for either Donald or Hillary. Fortunately, the choice of American wines is much better than that of Presidential candidates…

Outside of the big three – France, Italy and Spain – the US leads the way in wine production, making 287,000 million bottles a year, about eight per cent of the world’s total production.

Yet looking back in history, the US had a disastrous start in the wine business. In the early 20th century, the vineyards were decimated by the Phylloxera aphid. Then later, the industry was hit

by Prohibition. The Americans’ rise to fourth spot in the world wine league came relatively recently, and one thing that helped them was the so-called ‘Judgement of Paris’.

This was a competition set up to champion greater wine production around the world by British expert Steven Spurrier. It was contested by some of the best French and Californian wines in 1976. Spurrier ran a wine school in Paris at the time and thought his idea of comparing these two countries wines would be good for business. And of course he expected the French wines would win…

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BEST-LAID PLANS Why wouldn’t they? The judges were French, it was being held in Paris, the wines selected were the very best top red Bordeaux and white Burgundy.

What could possibly go wrong? But of course we all know what happens with best-laid plans. The final average scores gave victory in the red wine category to Stag’s Leap and in the white wine category to Chateau Montelena – both from the good old US of A. Many people have questioned the results but what is beyond doubt is that the competition and outcome helped put Californian wines on the world stage in a big way. Even Hollywood got involved making a film in 2008 based on the

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ROB’S FOUR TO TRY Primarius Oregon Pinot Noir Californian Pinot can be excellent but head further north to Oregon and its much cooler climate is perfect for this most challenging of grapes. Primarius is a really good example, with its silky, red fruits and lively acidity. Tesco sells for around £10 a bottle.

Shenandoah, Amador County Zinfandel California has a great reputation for Zinfandel. Not the cheapish pink blush stuff, but rather the full throttle powerful red wine. Shenandoah, Amador County is one such example. While robust, it retains a certain elegance and is still very fresh. Vanilla, black fruits, with a good length. One of my favourite Zinfandels. The Wine Society sells for £10.50.

Cline Cool Climate Syrah Another excellent red is the cool climate Syrah from Cline winery. This one comes from the Sonoma coast vineyards and is more akin to the French type.

Red and black cherry, with lovely spice and black pepper. Majestic has this one for £19.99.

First Press Chardonnay And to end, a wonderful fresh Chardonnay from Napa Valley. First Press Chardonnay is everything you expect from a New World Chardonnay. Stone and tropical fruits, well balanced with a long complex finish. Waitrose sells for £16.99

Judgement of Paris tasting. Alan Rickman plays Steven Spurrier in a fairly light-hearted romp through the affairs of the time, largely focusing on Chateau Montelena’s endeavours in the competition. Well worth a view…

In 2006, 30 years later, Spurrier (now one of the top UK wine commentators) ran the competition again. You would have thought he would have learned his lesson, expecting that the French would win, but oh no, the Americans did it again!

I’ve selected four great American wines for you to enjoy. Maybe get some French rivals and gather your friends and have your own Judgement of Paris contest?

Be sure to let me know which wines win… 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, Warwick and Milton Keynes. For more information, contact Rob Price 0121 270 7359 www.birminghamwineschool.com.

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SAUCY PEARS With chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla… it doesn’t get any yummier than this! ou’d never know it looking at supermarket shelves, but there are more than 3,000 varieties of pear grown around the world. Some are still produced just next door in Worcestershire, which bears three black pears on its coat of arms in tribute to its historical ties with the fruit. Try this great recipe for a yummy pear dessert.

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SPICED POACHED PEARS IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE Ingredients: For the pears: I 750g golden caster sugar I 1 cinnamon stick I 2 strips lemon zest (use a potato peeler) I 1 star anise I 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways I 5 cloves I Fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced I 4 ripe pears, peeled For the chocolate sauce: I 200g good-quality dark chocolate I 142ml double cream I 150ml full-fat milk I Pinch ground cinnamon Method: In a pan big enough to hold the pears snugly, tip in all the ingredients except the pears. Half fill with water, bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins to infuse, drop in pears, cover and gently poach for 30 mins until soft. Turn off heat and set aside. (The pears can be poached up to 2 days ahead and kept in the poaching syrup in the fridge.)

To make the sauce, tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk and cinnamon to the boil, pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted. To serve, drain the pears and, holding them by the stem, dip in the chocolate sauce to completely cover. Serve each pear with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Revills Farm Shop

Christmas from the award winning farm shop

Locally reared turkey, goose & duck available

Delicious homemade cakes & pastries

Fresh local vegetables and fruit

Beautiful festive hampers available

Bourne Road, Defford, Worcestershire WR8 9BS Tel: 01386 750466 www.revillsfarmshop.co.uk

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BOARDROOM TO BAR

It’s happening people! Party season’s coming and it’s time to get ready. Here’s how…

STYLE CENTRAL Clothing and accessories from Primark, The Fort

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STYLE GREAT GATSBY Gatsby jacket £55, Next, The Fort

WORK AND PLAY CAMI TOP BAG FOR LIFE Aspinal of London black patent bag £450, House of Fraser, Corporation St

Black camisole top £16, River Island, The Fort

Linea black faux leather dress £69, House of Fraser, Corporation St

YOU SHALL GO TO THE BALL Sophia Webster Evangeline winged satin heeled sandals £550, Selfridges Birmingham

ith invitations to post-work festive soirees flooding in, we’re contemplating how to turn office gear into party wear with minimum effort and maximum impact.

Firstly, embrace the power of the party shoe. A great heel can transform your outfit and your mood in seconds. We bang on about Sophia Webster in almost every issue, but we’re not sorry. The woman’s an accessories genius. Have a look at the metallic butterfly-adorned pump and the Evangeline. From the high street we like the Kurt Geiger Bond jacquard heel. Any of these will take you out of office mode.

Adding an evening jacket to your work clobber, such as the Gucci floral jacquard or the Gatsby from Next, will make you feel a million dollars.

Accessories provide a speedy and effective way to pimp up your look in no time. A statement cuff or

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LESS IS MORE Jewellery from Accessorize, Bullring

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ALL THE PASTELS Gucci Dionysus suede clutch £815, Selfridges Birmingham

a pair of bold drop earrings will add instant glamour. Check out Monica Vinader at Selfridges for some stunning examples. And swap your everyday tote for an evening bag like the Edie Parker glitter box clutch for a polished look.

Alternatively, wear a simple, chic dress or jumpsuit to the office with a smart jacket by day which you can then ditch for the evening. Try the black ruffled jumpsuit from House of Fraser without the side boob by day – unless you work in a very progressive office – setting it free for evening.

Now clock off. Happy Christmas! I

SMOKIN’ Clothing from M&S, The Fort

PRINTS CHARMING Sian printed bomber £69, Monsoon, Bullring

BUTTERFLY EFFECT Sophia Webster metallic pumps £450, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

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STYLE

TWENTIES GLAMOUR Edie Parker glittered box clutch £1,295, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

BOLD GOLD Metallic bomber £48, Next, The Fort

STREET MATE Jumpsuit from House of Fraser, Corporation St

CRIMSON CRACKER Red wide leg jumpsuit £22.99, New Look, Bullring

THINK PINK Monica Vinader Petra collection earrings £395, Selfridges Birmingham

ANIMAL MAGIC Francesco Russo lace-up pumps £770, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

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STYLE

ARM CANDY

COLOUR POP Dress and shoes from River Island, Bullring

Sophia Webster embellished clutch £350, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

FLOWER POWER ACE LACE High neck top, Monsoon, Bullring

Gucci jacquard floral jacket £1,630, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

THE NAME'S BOND Bond metallic jacquard courts £230, Kurt Geiger, Selfridges Birmingham

HOT ROCKS Iosselliani necklace £265, Harvey Nichols, The Mailbox

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COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS Rose Gallagher gets all festive with her pick of the best beauty advent calendars

In recent years, advent calendars have gone from being an excuse to eat chocolate before breakfast to an elegant beauty countdown to Christmas. With so many brands releasing advent calendars this year, I’ve navigated the best of the bunch…

The Body Shop, £60, £80 and £99 from The Body Shop Christmas with a cause, I always buy gifts from the Body Shop because they donate proceeds to communities that need it. This year, they’ve created three different calendars at three different prices to suit all budgets.

Jo Malone, £280 from Jo Malone Boutiques The ultimate advent calendar, no one does Christmas quite like Jo Malone. A quintessentially British collection of candles, fragrance and body care, this is made in very limited quantities each year and is a rare treat.

Diptyque, £250 from Selfridges For those who wish to add some Parisian sparkle to the house, Diptyque’s offering will be for you.

This year, the calendar features limited Christmas candles as well as classic candles, fragrances and body care from the core range.

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Cowshed, £95 from cowshedonline.com If winter in your house is a time for candles, hot baths and cosy nights in, the Cowshed calendar will be for you. Filled with their heady aromatherapy inspired products, everything in this calendar will sweep the house with a relaxing scent.

Selfridges Beauty Workshop Advent Calendar, £65 from Selfridges And for a little bit of everything, the Beauty Workshop calendar is your advent go-to.

Featuring picks from niche colour and skincare brands, this is every Instagram lover’s dream.

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SUN

SEEKERS REJOICE!

As cosy and festive as winter is, it can leave you desperate for some sunshine. A winter sun holiday will warm you right up... hile it’s cold and grey in the UK, you’ll be away basking in the sun with our pick of four alternative winter sun destinations – all easy, direct or one-stop flights from Birmingham Airport.

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IF YOU LIKE BARBADOS, TRY CUBA (13 hours, 15 minutes, 27°C on average) Barbados and Cuba are two gems of the Caribbean – energetic but tranquil, relaxing but not boring, developed but authentic. While Barbados has long been a tropical winter paradise, Cuba has recently been opening up as a major travel destination. If you love the sunshine and pulsing nightlife of Barbados, you’ll enjoy Cuba just as much.

Feel the beat: Spanish, Caribbean and African influences merge to create son, salsa, rumba and more.

In Havana, hear salsa at the beachfront Jardines del 1830 and jazz at the intimate La Zorra y el Cuervo.

Hit the beach: Magnificent strips of sand line Cuba’s shores and clusters of cays dot its waters. You can go swimming, snorkelling and diving to your heart’s content. Try one of the more secluded beaches of Cayo Sabinal or Isla de la Juventud.

See old and new collide: Its political history and communist government have preserved Cuba’s heritage while the entrepreneurial spirit and widespread diaspora are bringing in new life. Check out architectural treasures in Havana Vieja, or Old Havana.

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IF YOU LIKE THE MALDIVES, TRY CAPE VERDE (6 hours, 26°C on average) These two small island nations have a lot in common, with beautiful beaches, vibrant underwater life and a welcoming atmosphere. Cape Verde’s topography is more varied, and its blend of Portuguese and African influences makes for a unique culture. If you’re dazzled by the Maldives’ aquatic riches, Cape Verde will wow you too.

Go island hopping: Cape Verde is made up of 10 islands, each with its own personality. Sal has tourist resorts and incredible diving; Boa Vista has pristine beaches; São Vicente has music and carnival; and Santo Antão has hiking and green valleys.

Enjoy the sun: Boa Vista’s beaches are spectacular – over 55km of mostly undeveloped white sand and emerald green water. Santa Monica, Curralinho and Sal

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Rei are top spots. In winter you’ll see dolphins, tiger sharks, manta rays and flocks of migratory birds.

Indulge in the arts: São Vicente is the country’s cultural hub, where many artists, musicians and writers make their home.

IF YOU LIKE MARRAKESH, TRY DUBAI (6 hours, 45 minutes, 25°C on average) History, heat and culture blend to perfection in Marrakesh – colourful souqs full of spices and crafts, renovated riads clad in intricate tiles, desert day trips on camels or 4x4s. If this sounds like your ideal winter sun holiday, why not visit Dubai instead? It’s warmer than Marrakesh in winter and offers another lively version of Arabic culture.

Wade in the water: There are many ways to enjoy the water in Dubai. Children will love the water playgrounds at the Wild Wadi and Aquaventure waterparks. Two enormous aquariums mesmerise with their sharks and schools of bright fish. Sunset Beach and Al Mamzar Beach Park are great for swimming.

Go on a shopping spree: You can get deals on luxury items at Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates.

To find one-of-a-kind items, wander around the souqs.

Haggle over carpets and pashminas at Bur Dubai Souq; saffron and sumac at Deira Spice Souq; and necklaces and bracelets at Deira Gold Souq.

Explore the desert: Massive sand dunes are just outside the city, where you can go sandboarding, dune bashing and camel riding. You can even camp overnight to get a taste of the nomadic lifestyle.

second-largest island. It’s known for its breath-taking beaches, consistently sunny climate and laid-back vibe.

Soak up the sun: Long stretches of sand with warm blue water perfect for swimming. Playa del Matorral, Parque Natural de Corralejo, and the secluded Lobos Island are great options.

Ride the wind: Fuerteventura is a windsurfer’s paradise. With reliable trade winds, sizeable waves and lots of places to take lessons and rent equipment, it’s easy to get active. You can also surf, kiteboard, snorkel and sail.

Tour rural villages: Slow down and chill out as you wander through the island’s small villages.

Photograph whitewashed stone houses; eat fresh fish and majorero – the delicious local goat’s cheese; and visit one of the several lovely art museums on the

GETTING THERE Birmingham Airport offers direct or one-stop flights to each of these winter sun destinations with a selection of

IF YOU LIKE GRAN CANARIA, TRY FUERTEVENTURA (4 hours, 22°C on average) With seven large islands to choose from, there’s a lot to explore in the Canaries. If you always go to Gran Canaria or Tenerife, venture to Fuerteventura, the

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airlines. Find out more at www.birminghamairport.co.uk

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STYLE FOR MEN

PRICE DEFYING Burgundy Velvet blazer £80, Next at The Fort

OUT WITH THE OLD Don’t wheel out the same old dickie bow this party season. Invest in some decent clobber and look sharp here’s no doubt black tie can be a bit dull, but this season is full of goodies that will make going to the odd ball a much more feel-good affair. Take the Dolce & Gabbana velvet blazer that is the very antithesis of dull.

Pricey, yes, but this is an investment that will last and more importantly will inject a bit of swagger. Giuseppe Zanotti patent brogues will also obliterate boring as will a price defying burgundy velvet blazer from Next and Jigsaw’s silk knitted bow tie. If you’re more of a traditionalist check out Balmain’s stunning tuxedo for a cool James Bond vibe with bold buttons that’ll set you apart.

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SUITS YOU Black lapel dinner jacket £229, white double cuff poplin shirt £39, black slim fit trousers £119, all Howick, black satin silk bow tie £40, New & Lingwood at House of Fraser, Corporation St

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STYLE FOR MEN

HIGH STREET HONEY Black leather brogue £55, Topman at The Fort

FINISHING TOUCHES Silver and onyx chain cufflinks £195, Links of London CHECK MATE Charcoal check blazer £139, Steel & Jelly, Grand Central

CLOSE KNIT Silk knitted bow tie £39, Jigsaw, Cannon St VELVET VA VA VOOM Dolce & Gabbana rose-appliqued velvet blazer £1,300, Harvey Nichols INVESTMENT PIECE Balmain tuxedo jacket £1,605, Harvey Nichols

TWINKLE TOES Giuseppe Zanotti velvet and patent brogues £630, Harvey Nichols CLASSIC COVER UP Wool camel long coat £90, Topman at The Fort FANCY FOOTWEAR Richie shoe £95, Dune, Bullring

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OARSOME EXERCISE Follow the lead of our Olympic heroes and get fit at a stroke n a few weeks time Birmingham will host the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Millions will tune in to the glittering evening at the NEC which is sure to reflect on a sensational Olympic Games for Team GB. Leading the super Brits in Rio were our superb rowers – who can fail to be inspired by the likes of 40-year-old Katherine Grainger as she became the country's most decorated female Olympian?

On your own or as part of a team, rowing is an excellent form of all-round exercise and is one of the few non-weight bearing sports that uses all the major muscle groups, including the lower and middle back, hamstrings, calves, gluteal muscles and biceps.

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LOW IMPACT As a predominantly aerobic sport it’s a fantastic way of promoting weight loss and a great way to fight fat as you can easily burn up to 600 calories per hour.

At the same time it will help build strength in your upper body and core with all the associated benefits.

Because the rowing stroke is a fairly safe motion it’s a low impact exercise, meaning less wear and tear

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on your body and joints with much reduced potential for damage associated with other contact and highimpact sports such as running.

Rowing enhances your lung’s ability to provide oxygen to the blood, heart and the rest of your body which helps to fight heart disease. As an added benefit it can also be done in short intervals – all you need is 30 minutes of steady state exercise, or 10 minutes of high intensity intervals – in the boat or on the rowing machine.

The consistent and rhythmic activity of rowing is a great way to switch off and fight stress. While there’s nothing quite like easing down a quite river or lake for a bit of added peace of mind, even if you don’t have access to your own boat or water, your local gym is bound to have quality rowing machines so there’s really no excuse. One tip though! If you haven’t rowed before or have been fairly inactive for a while, remember to start slowly and gradually build up your resistance levels. Rome wasn’t built in a day and our Olympic heroes have been training for decades. I

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LIGHT BULB MOMENT Lighting can have a dramatic effect on the look and feel of your home with the power to make or break an interior, yet it’s often overlooked

LIGHT UP Selection from Oliver Bonas

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HOMES

ighting is a crucial part of your home interior and worth giving some serious thought at the beginning of a project, not the end. Investing in a lighting scheme that is both beautiful and practical will illuminate the space effectively creating the mood you’re after. We’ve pulled together a selection of this season’s hottest examples that will warm up your home even on the dullest of winter days. I

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COPPER TOP Six Light Spiral Ceiling Fitting £225, Cookes AMBER GAMBLER Paloma Pendant in Amber £79, M&S

PURE GLAMOUR RV Astley Garnet 25 light chandelier £4,656, Houseology INDUSTRIAL VIBE Oxford 3 light pendant £90, Next

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HOMES

OFF BEAT Pendant £15, Very COSY CORNER Riviera Maison Langley lamp £609, Houseology

TAKE THE FLOOR Taco tripod floor lamp £79, Very STRIPPED BACK Heal's Bristol pendant light – Concrete £35, Amara

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NATURAL MATERIAL Wooden desk lamp £39.99, Homesense

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HOMES

MINIMUM FUSS Lamp from Heal’s at Amara

WATCH THE BIRDIE Raven lamp £85, Debenhams

BALLROOM BLITZ Ballroom glass light £180, Noths

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HOMES

GOLD RUSH Sloane pendant £70, Next LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Conran Monty floor lamp £249, M&S

GRAND ENTRANCE Contract duo pendant from i-Lite SAVED BY THE BELL Muuto Under The Bell Lamp £499, Houseology

FIVE A DAY Pineapple lamp £80, Debenhams

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Hot Properties This month’s pick of the star homes includes a beamed charmer, a six-bedroom country stunner and beautifully designed apartments

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS Avonvale, Luddington Guide price: £1.95million Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 01926 455950 This awesome family home includes six bedrooms, an orangery and triple garage with annex.

There’s also a stunning rear terrace that overlooks the lovely gardens and provides fabulous views over the river and fields beyond.

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TOUCH OF CLASS Royal Sutton Place Guide price: Start from ÂŁ299,950 Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 01789 868329 A series of luxury and unique two and three-bedroom apartments available in a stunning and tastefully restored Grade II listed building in the heart of Sutton Coldfield. All the apartments benefit from first-class design that perfectly balances traditional aspects with a modern essence.

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BRICKS&BITS

SNOW HILL FACELIFT New designs have been released showing how one of the city’s busiest open spaces could look as part of the Snow Hill area improvement project.

Snow Hill Square will be redesigned in a £3.3million scheme to provide a striking gateway to the city centre from the train station. The scheme would declutter the area providing increased space and would prioritise pedestrian use.

THE WOW FACTOR Linthurst Road, Barnt Green Guide price: £1.7million Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 746 6400

A magnificent eight-bedroom Victorian residence with beautifully manicured grounds, indoor leisure complex with swimming pool and nearly 14 acres of grounds. Wow!

TOP DAY IN EDGBASTON Audley St George’s Place luxury retirement village in Edgbaston celebrated the completion of the roof of its centrepiece building with a topping out ceremony. The development, previously the home of the Royal School for the Deaf, will provide a mix of 95 apartments and cottages for over-55s. At the time of writing there were only nine apartments left in the first phase.

CITY BRIEF AT THE DOUBLE Commercial property consultancy Vail Williams has been instructed to oversee two significant properties in the city. 2800 The Crescent, Birmingham Business Park, and Cobalt Square, Hagley Road, Edgbaston total 108,000 square feet of high quality office space. GVA is joint agent for 2800 The Crescent and KWB is joint agent for Cobalt Square

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

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GRAND LIVING

Harrys Road, Edgbaston Guide price: £2.15million Agent: Robert Powell, tel: 0121 454 6930 Period charm, grandeur and contemporary styling. This amazing house has it all in bucket loads. Includes eight bedrooms, four bathrooms and a separate coach house with kitchen, living room, conservatory, bedroom and bathroom.

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HOMES

HEART OF OAK Stone Bank, Botts Green Guide price: Start from £1.25million Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 01789 868488 A home that’s full of charm and character that boasts beamed ceilings and oak-ledged and braced doors throughout.

Includes five bedrooms, five bathrooms, indoor swimming pool and just under an acre of beautiful mature gardens.

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

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ANTIQUES

SILVER CITY How Brum became the world leader in crafting precious metal ilver – a metallic element with the atomic number 47 and the symbol Ag from the Latin argentum.

So, what’s new? You probably knew all that anyway. What you may not know is that Birmingham is Britain’s undisputed silver city, and has been for the best part of a couple of hundred years.

The city’s status in making beautiful items in this precious metal is perfectly illustrated by a range of silver created in Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. The movement, influenced by the writings of John Ruskin and popularised by the designs of William Morris, advocated a return to traditional ways of working.

It celebrated creativity and craftsmanship, encouraging ownership of work from start to finish from design to execution, and was a direct reaction to life in an increasingly industrialised society. Its mission was to give the artist/craftsmen a greater sense of pride and pleasure, in contrast to the impersonal nature of mass-produced machine items.

In Birmingham, the Arts and Crafts philosophy was particularly influential in the metals and silversmithing trades. The Birmingham Kyrle Society, established in 1880 to provide education for working people, gave rise to the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft in 1890. It was the intention of the Guild to concentrate on hand-

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craftsmanship, to resist the demands of the market while also working within the principle of profit.

The famous London department store Liberty went into partnership with Birmingham silversmith William Haseler to produce the Cymric silver range from 1898 onwards. It was a great success, tapping into the middle-class demand for silver and metalware in the Arts and Crafts style.

GROWING DEMAND Another Birmingham craftsman, A Edward Jones, who studied at Birmingham School of Art, set up his own business in 1902 and made a name for himself with high-end commissions for church plate and ceremonial pieces. His craftsmen worked in the true Arts and Crafts tradition, creating the designs and making them with no division of labour.

The work of these great craftsmen and many others is preserved in the valuable heritage assets of the Assay Office Birmingham. These include a private silver collection of 1,700 items which also features jewellery and coins. I See a selection from the Assay Office Birmingham’s collection at Antiques for Everyone Winter Fair – the largest vetted art, antiques and interiors fair in the UK – at the NEC, 1 to 4 December. www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk

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MOTORING

PLUGINAND PLAY Sue Cooke drives the best-selling Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid and previews what we can expect from the new-for-2017 diesel version

aving money on fuel consumption is a lot to do with driving techniques. If you really ‘boot’ the accelerator then the miles per gallon will drop dramatically. A light consistent touch is a necessity. But more frugal savings can be gained by driving an electric or hybrid vehicle and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says that plug-in hybrids are experiencing phenomenal growth, with volumes more than doubling.

A hybrid is powered by a battery or electric motor combined with petrol or diesel fuelled engine. CO2 emissions are under 100g/km so there’s no road tax to pay. If you are a company car driver, then hybrid

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FACTS AT A GLANCE: Model: Mitsubishi Outlander GX4h Auto Price: £36,399 (including £2,500 government plug-in car grant) Engine: 2.0-litre PHEV Performance: 0-62mph in 11 seconds and on to a top speed of 106mph CO2 emissions: 42g/km Combined fuel consumption: 156.9mpg

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vehicles have a much lower benefit in kind tax.

I have road tested some excellent all-electric vehicles but consumers worry about finding a recharging location, the lifetime of the battery and, crucially, the mileage range. A lot of recharging stations, which are growing in number around the Midlands, are now no longer free. So hybrids are a more reassuring step towards saving money and being greener.

SALES LANDMARK A year after its full revamp and a few months after passing the 100,000th global sales mark, Mitsubishi Motors Outlander PHEV continues its best-seller status among plug-in hybrid vehicles worldwide. New for 2017 there will be a part diesel, part battery powered Outlander PHEV. The ideal scenario for any hybrid is city driving. So, during my week of road testing the SUV, powered by unleaded fuel and a battery, I drove the seven miles from Sutton Coldfield into Birmingham city centre, plugged into a 13amp plug and left the PHEV charging for five hours. On my return the battery was

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MOTORING

fully charged. Exempt from road tax the PHEV emits only 42g/km of CO2 and the official combined fuel consumption figure is 156.9mpg. It is eligible for the Government’s plug-in car grant and companies can offset 100 per cent of the purchase value against profits in the first year.

With either a petrol or diesel engine, the hybrid has the back-up of fuel in case you run out of charge. On a longer distance journey if the charge runs out, the fuel power engages imperceptibly. I returned the car to Mitsubishi with an almost full fuel tank at the end of the week. Many owners say they hardly ever visit the garage forecourt. You have to remember though, that by just having the air-con or the radio on, the charge is being drained.

FIVE-LEAF CLOVER The PHEV looks just the same as the traditional Outlander but the exterior has two fuel caps, one for petrol and the other to plug in the lead for charging.

It is all very simple to use. There is comfortable legroom for five passengers and a huge 463 litres of cargo capacity. The rear seats will fold almost flat giving even greater space.

The interior is a very quiet haven but irritatingly, life on the outside of the cabin seems to be very loud!

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A display on the dash says ‘Ready’ when powered up and a quirky five-leaf clover appears when powered down. If all five petals are showing then you have made a ‘green’ journey. The top of the range premium edition has sumptuous leather seats that are individually hand-crafted, low level mood lighting, a sound system dynamically optimised with the vehicle’s interior acoustics and all-essential multiple USB charging ports.

There is a long list of safety technology and the car has permanent four-wheel drive and a five-star Euro-NCAP safety rating. It would be great if all cars had such simple to use gear levers, a quick flip into reverse, another light touch to engage drive and one button to park and another button to start or stop. And the PHEV has a wonderful proper handbrake. An alternative paddleshift gear change sits behind the steering wheel.

SUVs have grown up and become greener and the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the perfect example of a vehicle which is both more stylish and technologically advanced. I

SHOWROOM: Acorn Mitsubishi, Hagley Road West, Quinton, Birmingham B62 9AH. Tel: 0121 506 6050 www.acorn-mitsubishi.co.uk

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PERSON TO PERSON

CLOSE WITH…

CHRIS SUDWORTH The executive director of The Old Rep talks about his first year in Brum, his passion in creating a new kind of venue to celebrate the city and all its communities – and why the impossible is always possible

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT A cornerstone of my early career was the experiences I gained through the Edinburgh Fringe as director, producer and venue manager. Those experiences were alongside full-time roles as a drama teacher in London and head of education and youth theatre at The Octagon, Bolton, before becoming a freelance director and producer creating new, multi-artform productions with companies across the UK and leading a national young people’s programme for Arts Council England. From 2010-2015, I was the founding creative director of The Core at Corby Cube, in Northamptonshire before moving to The Old Rep last year.

IT’S WHAT I DO The Old Rep relaunched a year ago as a young peopledriven venue in the heart of the city, in partnership with Birmingham Ormiston Academy. As executive director, I am responsible for the overall success of this unique and historic venue, including our artistic programme which prioritises the development and showcase of the talent of our city and the wider West Midlands: on and off stage. Along with our team of apprentices and experienced staff, I am passionate about creating a new kind of venue that welcomes, reflects and celebrates our city and all its communities.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE I’ve always been driven by making the best opportunities available to the widest range of people.

I think the source of it was growing up in a small town, being passionate about theatre but not knowing where to start. All my experiences have intensified this commitment.

At The Old Rep, that’s through our partnerships with leading companies like Frantic Assembly and National Youth

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Theatre, but also with more local organisations and, most importantly, the people of our city.

BIGGEST SUCCESSES I’m proud of everything we achieved in opening The Core at Corby Cube, the first professional arts venue the town had ever had. I’m equally proud of the three-year Urban Music Theatre project with Community Arts North West that brought together refugee and asylum seeker young people with others from communities across Greater Manchester. I’m delighted with the first year of the new adventure at The Old Rep, especially the reputation we have for being accessible and relevant to all our communities.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED That no one person holds all the answers, the best work always comes from collaboration. That very few things are impossible: we just need to think creatively about how we can make them happen, to what scale, and when. To keep dreaming, be passionate, but stay humble.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM The warmth, generosity, humour and passion. People often say Brummies are slow to talk up the city, but I feel that’s changing and that we are becoming more confident to shout about the exciting things that are happening here.

DOWNTIME I love the energy and creativity of cities, but I also love being out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature, and discovering new places with my wife and daughter. I

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

GABRIELLE KILLICK First stop, Best Newcomer… next stop, the Oscars!

Stand-up, theatre, film, TV – this girl can do the lot

abrielle Killick has lived a bit of a whirlwind since embarking on a three-year intensive course at Birmingham School of Acting (BSA), and even more so since she graduated last summer. In her second year she took her one-woman show, May I Take Your Order, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which whet her appetite for stand-up. She was then voted best newcomer at Birmingham Festival within a month of graduating and is now shooting an independent film that’s set for release in 2017.

BSA was a no-brainer for Gabby which she fell for as soon as she stepped through Millennium Point’s shiny doors. She recalls: “It’s this great conservatoire of creative things and I just knew I wanted to be there.”

Competition for places was fierce and a tough audition process followed which Gabby excelled in despite being one of the youngest applicants.

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REVELATION Although Gabby’s training was predominantly theatre she’ll try her hand at anything. She says: “I want to get to 50 and think I gave it absolutely everything.” Stand-up has been a revelation and while she still finds it nerve-wracking, the pay-off is worth it. “I love laughing and I love making people laugh. It’s also given me the confidence to perform alone.”

Winning best newcomer at Birmingham Festival has opened doors and Gabby has just filmed No Fruit At The Bottom produced by Jeztatopia in which she plays a sexy, edgy character called Sophie who has an affair with her sister’s manipulative boyfriend. It’s currently in editing and expected to be released in early 2017.

There’ll be no rest for Gabby though. She’s back on the comedy circuit this month with her show Girlfriend from Hell which went down a storm in London. She offers advice on everything from how to get into a nightclub when you’re too drunk to what to do when you lose your skirt.

Ambitions? “No question. I’m going for the Oscars!” We’d back her. I

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GROWING PLACES

SKI GIRL’S

GB CALL UP Year 10 Bromsgrove School pupil Siena Horton will represent Britain in the U16 alpine ski team at the Children’s International Races in the Czech Republic in January. Siena will still be just 14-years-old when she races. She made her debut last season in the U14 squad in Andorra where she medalled in the giant slalom and achieved a further three top 10 finishes. Based in Austria, Siena trains throughout the season with Ambition Racing and is sponsored by Atomic UK. ALL ACTION: Siena on the slopes (Picture by Racer Ready)

SCHOOL REPOR T

Birmingham Livin g is committed to highlighting the best of our sc hools and college s.

Here’s our round-up of the la test stand-out ne ws and events

NEW SCHOOL

APPROVED Sandwell Valley School, West Bromwich has received Ofsted approval to operate as an independent school supported by local businesses. The school caters for children and adults and will receive help from Black Country property agents Bond Wolfe through the Bond Wolfe Charitable Trust. The school offers programmes to help pupils overcome barriers impeding achievement. It will be opened on 11 November by local MP and Labour shadow culture secretary Tom Watson.

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WINNERS: The triumphant Thornton team

ON THE BALL Six Birmingham primary schools took part in a six-a-side tournament hosted by Hallfield School that culminated in a fiercely fought final which saw Thornton defeat Montgomery. Roger Outwin-Flinders, headmaster of Hallfield, said: “We’re delighted to have hosted such a closely contested competition played in exactly the right spirit.” Competing primary schools were Percy Shurmer, St George’s C of E, Montgomery, Thornton, Clifton and Chandos.

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GROWING PLACES

ENTRANCE EXAMS SWITCH

King Edward VI High School for Girls and King Edward’s School have moved their entrance exams from January to early October to reduce the pressures on the candidates and their families. KEHS principal Ann Clark explained: “The focus on our January entrance exams ruined many families’ Christmas holidays; instead of relaxing after a long term children were preparing for another set of exams.” A record 670 girls are sitting the exam. Last year pupils put on a drama performance to add a bit of fun to proceedings.

COMIC INSPIRES PUPILS

JOLLY HOCKEY STICKS: Winterfold’s Year 3 team

FUN FESTIVAL

A top British comedian took time out to meet children at Lichfield’s Maple Hayes Dyslexic School to talk about his experiences with the condition. Michael Fabbri, who has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and is a regular on the UK comedy circuit, had been visiting Birmingham to do a show at the Glee Comedy Club. The comedian, who admitted he had struggled throughout his school years, talked to pupils about never giving up on their dreams.

Winterfold School welcomed pupils and parents from local prep schools to a mini hockey festival for U8 girls that enabled them to get some match experience. Julia Humfress, director of sport at Winterfold, said: “The afternoon was fabulous… lots of action from all of the teams in the sunshine and smiley faces everywhere!”

GREEN AWARD FOR SOLIHULL Eco-friendly students at Grace Academy Solihull have won the Silver Award for school gardens in this year’s Solihull Neighbourhoods in Bloom competition. Fifteen students from the Academy collected 1,500 plastic bottles to build a recycled greenhouse held together with bamboo canes. The greenhouse is at the Academy’s Eco site which enables students to cultivate their own crops and learn about plant reproduction.

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ing livBUSINESS

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WOLFS

Twenty years in and thriving, we take a look at Wolfs story from a team of two in Harborne to 20-plus staff managing thousands of properties across the city ver the past two decades property has had its winners and losers with markets fluctuating wildly at times. And often, unfairly, estate agents’ reputations have taken a battering too. To get some balance and perspective we caught up with a local estate agent who has spent the last 20 years challenging those perceptions while building a solid reputable business.

Rad Vuckovic launched Wolfs in Harborne in 1996 having worked for a well-established property management company for 10 years. “I learned a huge amount about the industry but I realised as a family run business the potential to become a full equity partner was limited,” he said. So, aged just 30, Rad launched Wolfs from office space at Weekin Works in Parkhill Road, initially focusing solely on lettings.

Together with colleague Jo Doherty, Rad wanted to build a business that had a different, fresh approach with a commitment to the highest possible standards of service while embracing technology and the business began to quickly flourish.

At the time there were only two dedicated lettings

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agents in Harborne and Wolfs gained a strong reputation for looking after the mid to high-end lettings. The timing was great as the boom in city centre living was about to really start. “The city centre was set up for business but not for living. When Symphony Court was built in the mid-Nineties it was the first scheme of its kind in the city centre. We rented about half of the houses and apartments and it just snowballed from there,” said Rad. In some buildings Wolfs were soon managing a large chunk of units, so to capitalise they introduced a residential block management division. Today they manage more than 1,500 properties in 20 different blocks in a way that’s refreshingly attentive. “We manage blocks as though we live in them, so we walk the sites regularly enabling us to deal with a problem before the tenants have even noticed” said Deb Murphy who heads up the team.

Surprisingly, residential lettings isn’t subjected to a huge swathe of regulation. Recognising that this is potentially to the detriment of customers, Wolfs commit to a high degree of self-regulation with

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COMPANY TO WATCH

ARLA and ARMA accreditations. They also aim to be as transparent as possible with their customers.

“Ultimately we’re running a business so it’s important to make a profit but I think it’s important to offer value,” said Rad. “We took over a block two years ago where the managing agent had been charging 65 per cent commission on insurance which is nigh on criminal in our opinion. We choose to be upfront, transparent and give people the option.

Customers really value this approach.”

This policy has helped Wolfs enjoy steady growth over the last two decades, including the opening of a second city centre based office in 2004 and the launch of a sales department five years ago. “Previously if a customer was looking to sell a property that we were managing, we were referring landlords to other agents. Now we can offer an all-encompassing, inhouse service and it’s a real win-win situation.’

THE FUTURE

SUCCESS: Rad, left, with the block management team

strategy. But lettings will remain at the core of the business and Rad explained why: “What I’ve realised about lettings is that there hasn’t been a slump in all the time I’ve been involved. When times are good rentals do well and when times are bad rentals do well.” I

Despite the expansion Rad still personally interviews every member of staff – where people are the most important asset it’s vital that everyone buys into the company culture. The result is a highly motivated and stable team with many members of staff chalking up more than 10 years of service.

This continuity and a collective desire to give every client a positive experience seems are some of the key reasons for Wolfs successes. “Of course new business is important, but retaining existing business and doing it well is vital,” said Rad. “When you do a good job people talk about you. And if occasionally things aren’t perfect we think it’s equally important to hold your hands up and ask ‘How can we make things better’. Quite simply we just care about our clients.”

So after a successful first 20 years in business what does the future hold? Clearly further expansion is on the cards and although the growth to date has been organic, Rad certainly hasn’t ruled out an acquisitive

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BUSINESS

BUSINESS BACKS GAMES BID

BUSINESS

NEWS

Birmingham’s business community is backing the city’s bid to stage the Commonwealth Games in 2026. The initiative has the full support of Birmingham City Council, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, West Midlands Combined Authority and Midlands Engine and has the potential to generate more than £390million for the local economy, create thousands of jobs and put the region onto the global stage.

MOTOR AWARD The British Motor Museum has won a top award. The accolade in the History and Heritage category of the Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards was made in recognition of the museum’s rebrand and refurbishment – which includes the opening to the public of the Collections Centre, showing for the first time the reserve collection of more than 250 cars.

STEVE’S DREAM JOB A well-known name on the Midlands creative scene for more than 30 years, has become creative director at marketing and communications agency Superdream. Steve Price is formerly partner and co-founder of One Black Bear and most recently chief creative officer at Bareface. He joins Superdream at a time of significant growth following several high profile client wins including Michelin, British Athletics, Harris Brush and Paramount Pictures in Australia. november 2016

HAPPY FUTURE FACES Deutsche Bank’s Beth Farminer is toasting a double success – after being crowned the Future Face of Greater Birmingham and the Future Face of Professional Services. She received her awards at the annual dinner for Future Faces – the young professionals’ arm of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. Beth has been a member of Deutsche Bank’s Birmingham team for seven years. Her colleague Hayley Porter received the award for Future Faces Ambassador. birmingham living 69

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BUSINESS

NEW VENUE CUBED

M6 BAKES IT HAPPEN Forget the Great British Bake-off… Kath the Cake Lady is the real champ of the kitchen. Kath – full name Kath Ryan – has just been given a boost, thanks to the operators of the M6 Toll. Kath bakes thousands of cakes every year from her tiny kitchen in Birmingham, which she then transports to injured servicemen and women in MOD establishments around the country. Staff from Midland Expressway Ltd donated cash for new baking equipment for Kath.

Birmingham’s event scene has a spectacular new venue. Overlooking the city’s waterways, Canalside is a contemporary and flexible events offering located in The Cube. Boasting spacious and modern features and tailored packages for between 50 and 400 guests, the venue can host corporate events, parties, conferences, formal receptions and weddings.

HOTEL’S BED BOOST

BED TIME: Rob Warner of the City Mission, hotel general manager Gordon Tyler and Kamran Razaq from Help Your Neighbour

THE TWO PAULS: Paul Kehoe, right, and Chambers chief executive Paul Faulkner

PAUL WELCOMES PAUL… The boss of Birmingham airport has become the new head of the city’s leading business group.

Airport chief excecutive Paul Kehoe has taken over as president of Birmingham Chambers of Commerce – and revealed a three-point pledge for his two-year term of office. “My theme is going to be geography, scale and our place in the world,” he said. “What would be really good would be to get people from around the world saying how good we are and stating the Birmingham city region is the place to do business.” See page 82.

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Two Birmingham charities which support local people in need have received a beds boost. The city's four-star Marriott Hotel is replacing 120 beds – and 80 of the old ones have been donated to Birmingham City Mission and the Help Your Neighbour Project. City Mission chief executive Wesley Erpen said their beds would be going to the charities’ Recourse Centre to be distributed to families who needed them.

EX-BAGGIES COUP Midlands-based Sporting Group International (SGI) has appointed Adrian Wright, former sales and marketing director of West Bromwich Albion FC, as chief executive. The move represents another coup for the sports HR and sales and marketing specialists. Adrian joins Iain Wain, chief commercial officer, also formerly of West Bromwich Albion, and Mark Dixon, sponsorship manager, formerly of Manchester United.

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BUSINESS

LGBT ACADEMY GETS CASH AID Mazars Charitable Trust has made a £10,000 donation to help establish a regional LGBT leadership academy, a new initiative from Birmingham LGBT. The donation will help the leadership academy co-ordinator and trainer Matt Daniels establish the programme across the West Midlands, offering opportunities for LGBT employees from all sectors to develop a range of leadership skills that will enhance their potential for workplace development and promotion.

PARENT WORK SCHEME SUCCESS A pilot programme set up by YMCA Birmingham, the city council and Department for Work and Pensions to help lone parents address barriers to work and improve their skills, has been hailed a success. Since the programme started in January, more than 70 participants have enrolled. City Council cabinet member for jobs and skills, Cllr Brett O’Reilly said: “I would very much welcome further investment in similar projects moving forward.”

BIG HITTERS ON BOARD Birmingham Press Club – the oldest organisation of its kind in the world – has strengthened its board of directors with the appointment of five leading personalities from commerce and media. The appointments follow the election as club chairman of Llewela Bailey, host of BBC WM 95.6FM’s Sunday Breakfast Show. She is pictured with new directors Marc Reeves, left, of Trinity Mirror Midlands; Clive Reeves, MD of Clive Reeves Public Relations and businesswoman Anita Sharma-James, right. Also appointed is Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, and BBC broadcast journalist Kevin Pashby.

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BOTTOMS UP FOR SPONSORS Leading sports hospitality agency, Birmingham-based Eventmasters, has announced a sponsorship deal with Birmingham Moseley rugby club. The club’s first team will carry the firm’s name on their shorts. Eventmasters managing director Denise Sheasby said: “We are committing a significant four-figure sum. Moseley has an impressive new squad and should be up there challenging in National League One.”

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Burgers and bangers as Mazars holds welcome barbecue for the ‘lucky 13’ nternational accountancy firm Mazars held a barbecue to welcome 13 recruits taken on by the Birmingham office. The mix of graduates, school leavers and industrial placements are spread across different service lines. Nationally, the firm has taken on 170 new trainees. Mazars also announced the appointment of Louis Burns and Vesko Petkov as partners as the Birmingham office has grown from 135 to 156 people in the past year. I

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8 Tom Boss, Martin Chapman, Rich Tidball, Alex Rigg, Matthew Pope.

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CHARITY GETS BOOST FROM BRIDGET JONES Filmgoers given red carpet treatment at premiere for breast cancer appeal uests were given the red carpet treatment at a special premiere of Bridget Jones’s Baby at the Electric Cinema, Birmingham in support of Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer. Sponsored by Lyness Accountancy Practice and Kidderminster Carpets, the event saw filmgoers each welcomed with a baby bottle filled with a Cosmo baby teether and popcorn handed out by bunny usherettes. After the screening guests danced the night away at So Mezzo Lounge.

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1 Bhil Tiwana, Emma Jakhu, Hannah Farrell. 2 Alison Bosworth, Chris Davies, Alison McGirr . 3 Laurie Morley, Jenny Finch, Chris Dingley, Denise Scott, Molly Lawrence, Sue Silk, Noula Knight. 4 Roy and Sue Lyness. 5 Jan Johnson, Roger Franks. 6 Meena Turner, Naomi Smith.

7 Eve Brown, Moira Boot. 8 Veronica Kumeta, Elizabeth Ephraims-Powvs, Marie Claire Stringer, Margaret Ephraims. 9 Amira Smith, Rachel Argyle, Lucy Currigan, Russ Smith. 10 Sarah Robinson, Becky Boo Buffey, Adrian Corry, Olivia Cranwell, Charlotte Carter.

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PARTY TIME AS NEW RESTAURANT OPENS Award-winning husband and wife team takes wraps off third Midlands eatery

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abai Sabai opened its third Midlands restaurant with a launch party at the new venue in Stratford-upon-Avon. Award-winning husband and wife team Torquil and Juree Chidwick already run two successful restaurants in Birmingham, opening their first in Moseley 12 years ago followed by another in Harborne in 2011. Torquil said: “We’re really excited to be in Stratford-upon-Avon, the artistic heart of Warwickshire. The location of the restaurant in Wood Street is perfect, just a stone’s throw from the Royal Shakespeare Company.” I

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1 Christina Norman, Torquil and Juree Chidwick. 2 Sophie and Jamie Desogus. 3 Emily Tridimas, Ini Adelaja. 4 Carl and Tanya Aspinwall.

5 Roy and Kathy Massey. 6 Louise Fellows, Lisa Cressy. 7 Lucy and Tony Elvin. 8 Hattie Levitt-Dunn, Anita Champaneri, Sacha Brooks.

9 Fiona, Marion Siobhan Doherty. 10 Torquil Chidwick, Jayne and Colin McIntosh.

Photography by Jas Sansi

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PLENTY BRUIN AS BIG SLEUTH IS LAID BEAR First designs unveiled for public art project in aid of children’s hospital

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ore than 150 business professionals from across the city came together as the Big Sleuth’s first sculpture designs were laid ‘bear’. They were treated to a glimpse of the four Sun Bears, which will be among 100 colourful bruins on display all over Birmingham next summer. The Big Sleuth – so named because a group of bears is called a sleuth – is the sequel to the Big Hoot organised by creative producers Wild in Art, which raised more than £500,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity I

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1 Louise McCathie, Holly Chapple-Hyam, Rebecca Phillips. 2 Bindi Manku, Kirsty Evans, David Pardoe. 3 Holly Barry, Assia Sohaibd, Steve Hewlett, Paul Barnettt. 4 Holly Kerrigan, Ed James. 5 Morris McKinley, Donna Kerrigan, Guy McKinley. 6 Kate Brown, Leanne Franklin, Nienke Verwer. 7 Arron Bird, Kerry Fisher. 8 Tim Rudman, Claire Considine, Charles Lu. 9 Vij Randeniya, Cllr Carl Rice, Dame Christine Braddock. 10 Nicholas Davies, Sarah-Jane Marsh, Charlie Langhorne.

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BUSINESS CELEBRATES FACES OF THE FUTURE Brightest young professionals named at Chambers’ annual awards dinner

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early 350 people attended the second annual Future Faces awards dinner at Edgbaston Stadium. The young professionals arm of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce hosts the event to recognise some of the finest up and coming business talent in the region. Sponsored by HSBC, Elonex, Mahirs Experience and Park Regis Birmingham, this year’s winners included Sophie Drake from Story Comms, Andrew Ward of Scorchsoft and Deutsche Bank’s Beth Farminer who was crowned the overall Future Face of Greater Birmingham. I

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1 Cathryn Worth, Dave Watson, Justine Davy, Laura Power, Sian Averill, Gwen Eccleston. 2 Paul Faulkner, Beth Farminer, Jack Woodward. 3 Victoria Lineton, Hayley Porter, Adam Maguire. 4 Mike Hammond, Robin Ford. 5 Mark Lupton, Victoria Emery. 6 Chris Pile, Steve Hollywood. 7 Kate Evans, Sir Albert Bore. 8 Victoria Lineton, Louise Moody, Adam Maguire. 9 David Morgan, Judith Armstrong, Justice Williams.

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Photography by Jas Sansi

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BUSINESS BAKE-OFF BOOST FOR CHARITY Firms at Eleven Brindleyplace get cooking in Macmillan fund-raiser here wasn’t a soggy bottom in sight as businesses raised money for Macmillan cancer support by eating cake. The World Coffee Morning event was organised by Eleven Brindleyplace, the city centre office building managed by Cube Real Estate. Tenants raised more than £200, which was doubled to £425 by Cube Real Estate. Cakes, chocolates and pies were supplied by aspiring bakers at Capita Simmonds, Colliers, TEK Systems and independent fast food outlet Friska, which opened at Eleven Brindleyplace in February. I

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1 Adnan Ali, Sophia Iqbal. 2 Amber Kaur, Marie Spittle, Emily Davies. 3 Chris Colson, Lucy Arrowsmith, Paul Harrison, Megan Lloyd, Moheeb Yafai. 4 Brad Sheen, Julie Clinton. 5 Sam Rudge. 6 Simon Forster, Rachel New, Andy Davies, Louise Loughrey, Rebecca Khan.

7 Andy Chaplin, Christina D.Cruze.

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WHAT: A Christmas Carol WHEN: 9 and 10 December WHERE: Mac Birmingham, tel 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk The Chapterhouse Theatre Company revives this hugely popular adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic festive tale by award-winning writer Laura Turner. The perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the Christmas rush.

WHAT: The Spanish Riding School of Vienna

WHAT: The Play’s the Thing

WHEN: 18 to 20 November

WHEN: Now until 12 February

WHERE: Barclaycard Arena, tel 0844 338 8000

WHERE: RSC, tel 01789 403493

www.theticketfactory.com

www.rsc.org.uk

The world’s oldest and most famous equestrian academy marks its 450th anniversary this year and the celebrations include three exclusive shows in Birmingham. A wonderful opportunity to see some incredible horsemanship in action.

The first-ever permanent exhibition devoted to the history of staging Shakespeare’s plays has just opened.

Discover rarely-seen treasures, generate your own Shakespearean plot and step inside the mind of a director.

WHAT: Treasure Island WHEN: 25 November to 7 January WHAT: 70’s & 80’s Party Night with Borderline WHEN: 18 November WHERE: Nailcote Hall, tel 02476 466174 www.nailcotehall.co.uk Non-stop dancing to the sounds of two decades, including The Blues Brothers, Chic and a very entertaining tribute to Tina Turner…

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WHERE: Birmingham Rep, tel 0121 245 2024 www.birmingham-rep.co.uk A thrilling, swashbuckling voyage that will transport you to a far away, tropical island. This breath-taking modern adaptation by Bryony Lavery retains all the adventure and excitement of Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless classic.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Jess Glynne WHEN: 18 November WHERE: Genting Arena, tel 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com The chart-topping sensation hits the road with her biggest tour to date. Her debut album went platinum and she’s one of only two British female solo artists to have five consecutive UK number one singles. Don't miss it!

WHAT: The Full Monty WHEN: 14 to 19 November WHERE: Birmingham Hippodrome, tel 0844 338 5000 www.birminghamhippodrome.com Based on the smash-hit film and adapted for the stage by Oscar-winning writer Simon Beaufoy, this hilarious and heartfelt production stars Gary Lucy and has been sweeping up a whole host of awards.

WHAT: Birmingham Whisky Festival WHEN: 12 November WHERE: Birmingham Council House, www.thewhiskylounge.com An awesome event for all whisky fans, new and old, including a huge selection of home-grown and international blends, workshops and ‘Under the Counter’ drams.

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WHAT: Sleeping Beauty WHEN: 12 to 14 November WHERE: The Old Rep Theatre, tel 0121 359 9444 www.oldreptheatre.co.uk The festive season starts early as the Birmingham Youth Theatre returns to the Old Rep with a traditional, fun-filled family pantomime packed with all those well-loved ingredients that make panto so special.

WHAT: The Roy Orbison Story WHEN: 26 November WHERE: Redditch Palace Theatre, tel 01527 65203 www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk This year marks Roy Orbison’s 80th birthday and this brand new musical and semi-autobiographical celebration of the Big O’s musical legacy is quite simply unmissable. Starring Barry Steele.

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WHAT: Magic Lantern Festival WHEN: 25 November to 2 January WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, tel 0121 212 3383 www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk A spectacular fusion of art, heritage and culture. The gardens will be lit up as never before with a stunning trail of giant lanterns that weaves across the ponds, woodland, gardens and pathways. Also includes a virtual reality experience as the latest technology transports you into an immersive world.

WHAT: Antiques for Everyone Winter

WHAT: Jersey Boys Tribute Night WHEN: 18 November WHERE: The Lake at Barston, tel 01675 444890 www.thelakeatbarston.co.uk Not only do these boys look the part, but the voices are awesome too. A remarkable show, consisting of all the fabulous Frankie Valli hits that everyone loves.

WHEN: 1 to 4 December WHERE: NEC, tel 0844 5810827 www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk The largest vetted art, antiques and interiors fair in the UK returns for another awesome pre-Christmas event. With more than 240 exhibitors and a huge range of antiques on show there is something to suit every budget.

WHAT: Roger Hiorns exhibition WHEN: From 7 December WHERE: Ikon Gallery, Brindleyplace, tel 0121 248 0708 www.ikon-gallery.org An exhibition of the Birmingham-born artist. Through the transformation of materials and ready-mades, he focuses on various aspects of modern life, closely analysing what we assume or take for granted.

WHAT: Christmas Queens live in concert WHEN: 7 December WHERE: O2 Academy Birmingham, tel 0121 622 8250 www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk Co-host of The Ru Paul show and Celebrity Big Brother star Michelle Visage hosts an evening of song, dance, performance and stiletto shoes.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: Seth Lakeman WHAT: Frankfurt Christmas Market

WHEN: 2 December

& Craft Market

WHERE: Town Hall, box office

WHEN: 17 November to 29 December

0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk

WHERE: Victoria Square, Centenary Square

The award-winning folk-singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist performs with his full band following the release of his new album Ballads of the Broken Few, produced by Ethan Johns.

and Chamberlain Square Loved and loathed in equal measures, the largest outdoor Christmas market in Britain has more than 180 stalls with gluwein, stollen and giggles all round.

WHAT: The Nutcracker WHEN: 25 November 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: Friday Night Classics: Queen – A Rock and Symphonic Spectacular WHEN: 18 November WHERE: Symphony Hall, box office 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk Big, brash and fabulously larger than life, the music of Queen was simply made for a symphony orchestra so come and enjoy their greatest hits like you’ve never heard them before.

WHAT: Night in the Museum WHEN: From 26 November WHERE: Gas Hall, BMAG, tel 0121 348 8000 www.birminghammuseums.org.uk As part of the celebrations for the Arts Council Collection’s 70th anniversary, leading British artist Ryan Gander has selected a number of special works from this world-class national collection of modern and contemporary British art, mainly featuring the colour blue.

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IN THE CITY Birmingham is a buzzy, buzzy place. We are seeing lots of classic new buildings going up and I believe we are entering a golden decade for the city

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I am Paul Kehoe, and for the last eight years I have been the CEO of Birmingham Airport. I have been in the aviation business for 35 years working at a variety of airports across the UK and overseas. I hold two other roles – chairman of Marketing Birmingham and just recently president of Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

You’ll see all three jobs have Birmingham in the title which shows the importance of Birmingham to me and my life.

”

TIME OFF? I love to fly, I am a pilot. I have a vintage aeroplane, a 1943 American military plane which was used in the Second World War and flown by the Royal Navy. I found it in America, flew it down from Washington DC to Florida and got it shipped over here. It’s one of only three still flying in the UK.

WHERE'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY? That’s an interesting question. I don’t HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN? really have one favourite part.

I live in Solihull, so it’s a 10-minute Brindleyplace is a buzzy part of town. commute on the M42 from home to Then there’s the new library which the airport. looks stunning. And the Jewellery Quarter. Grand Central is great too.

IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO Then there’s the views of the wonderful Birmingham Airport CEO, Paul Kehoe WORK IN? city skyline which is constantly changing.

Birmingham is a great city. It’s Currently the view across where the old interesting in that it’s not too big and it’s not too small. It’s library was – before the Paradise Circus development is a Goldilocks city, it’s just right. It’s easy to get across, there’s built – is amazing. not the sprawling mass of London. Right now it’s a buzzy, buzzy place. We are seeing lots of great, classic new HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER? buildings going up. Sir John Peace [chairman of the Like any city, we have some problems. Some of the east Midlands Engine partnership of business, local authorities side areas have deprivation and worklessness. The and organisations promoting growth in the region] is right transport links need to be made better. Our MPs are well when he says the period between now and 2026 – the date aware of what needs improving. I am someone who looks when we hope to have the Commonwealth Games here – on the optimistic side of things, and I believe we all should is going to be a golden decade. and can do something to make our city even better. We have a duty as business to help fix things. My predecessor COFFEE BREAK? as Chambers president, Greg Lowson, kicked off the There’s nothing better than sitting by the canalside corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign to improve between the ICC and Brindleyplace on a sunny autumn the lives of our people. I do really sense an ever-increasing day and enjoying a coffee and watching the barges. pride across this city of ours now. I

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