October 2016 (issue 49)

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MIDLANDS MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

October 2016

REBIRTH OF

SIMPSONS

GLYNN PURNELL’S

BLIND DATE

GUZ KHAN

HIPPODROME’S FIONA ALLAN

BOOT CAMP

STYLE GUIDE

PORTRAIT OF

TEMPER

COMEDY KING ON MOBEEN, TEACHING & THE PAKISAURUS

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EDITOR’S VIEW Successful Brummies in all walks of life need to remember their commitment to inspire the next generation. Birmingham has the potential, we must make sure it isn’t wasted

ack in November 2014, I interviewed for this magazine Brum’s golden girl of the pool, swimmer Ellie Simmonds. I said at the time that her’s was a truly inspiring story of beating the odds to become a multiOlympic and world champion. As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one to be inspired.

Just days before that interview, another Ellie – Ellie Robinson, also from the Midlands – met her hero at an event in Glasgow where Simmonds gave her autograph.

Two years before that, at London 2012, Robinson was among the spectators as Simmonds powered to Olympic golds. At that point Ellie R, who also has achondroplasia, a common cause of dwarfism, knew that she wanted to emulate Ellie S more than anything else. At last month’s Rio Paralympics she did just that as the two girls both won gold for Team GB in the water.

The reason I’m recounting this story is that it shows perfectly why successful Brummies in all walks of life need to remember their commitment to inspire the next generation. In the business community it’s happening through schemes like Birmingham Future Faces, set up by the Chambers of Commerce to encourage and develop up-and-coming talent in the workplace. Future Faces celebrated the most promising young business leaders at its annual awards only last month.

Elsewhere, Punch Records, who we featured as our Company To Watch in August, organised the Gallery 37 summer programme to help 16 to 24-year-olds get into the creative industries. There are other examples where leaders, role models and stars of tomorrow are being nurtured in the city. With the youngest population in Europe, Birmingham has the potential. It’s up to all of us to make sure it isn’t wasted.

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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: Guz Khan

visit www.brumliving.co.uk @brum_living

october 2016

/bhamliving

When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

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INSIDE

Highlights

12 16 20 32 46 59

Temper How the kid with a can of spray paint became one of Birmingham’s most famous artists Funny Brummies Have you heard the one about Guz Khan and Gary Delaney… and the city’s comedy festival?

Glynn Purnell Michelin-star chef spills the beans on pig’s trotters, mom’s haddock and eggs – and Blind Date!

Style Time to bag a new pair of boots as we previewed what the well-heeled will be wearing this winter Homes Award-winning local designer Lisa Melvin reveals her pick of the kitchen trends for 2017 Up Close With…

Fiona Allan, the artistic director and chief executive of the Hippodrome theatre

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CONTENTS

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Best of the Rest

22 44 56 61 64 71 78 october 2016

Food & Drink Our critics review No.131, while resident expert Rob Price reveals his best value wines Health October is breast awareness month, but do you know how to spot the early warning signs of cancer?

Motoring Sue Cooke drives Infiniti’s alternative to Audi, BMW and Mercedes… with a surprising result Young, Gifted and Brummie The inspirational Amir Ali, coach and captain of Villa Rockets Powerchair Football Club Spotlight on Business Luke Tipping on the rebirth of Simpsons, plus news making the headlines in 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

COMIC STRIP FIRST

g n i v liTODAY A new exhibition celebrating the work of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century is opening at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein runs from 22 October until 26 February. The gallery is the first regional venue to host the collection on loan from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. Lichtenstein is renowned for his works based on comic strips and advertising imagery coloured with his signature Benday dots.

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

GOING NUTS AT GRAND CENTRAL More than 16,000 Nutella crepes scoffed, 620kg of jelly beans chewed, 12 tons of macaroons consumed and 32,000 milkshakes downed. That’s a snapshot of what’s been eaten and swallowed in Grand Central’s first year.

The statistics were revealed to coincide with the complex’s anniversary. They also showed we bought enough giftwrap from John Lewis to cover Aston Expressway 10 times over…

RISING STARZ An organisation supported by Birmingham musical ‘great’, Sir Simon Rattle, pictured, has launched a campaign to give young people from deprived backgrounds the chance to learn new skills in art, dance, drama and music. Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies’ free BCAT STARZ project brings together 40 youngsters aged six to 16 for three months. BCAT has launched a text campaign – Pound for Arts – to support the project. Donate by texting BCAT01 £1 to 70070

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BIKER LOUIS Double Olympic silver medalist Louis Smith swapped Rio for the Rotunda to launch a new suite of sports and life sciences degree courses at Birmingham City University. The Team GB star visited the Bullring to take part in a day of sports and health activities organised by the university to showcase the knowledge and skills which will be gained on the courses, which run from September 2017.

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NEWS

PANTO PLEDGE Following last year’s recordbreaking production of Aladdin watched by nearly 120,000 people, Birmingham Hippodrome is aiming even higher this Christmas with a star-studded production of Dick Whittington. Top entertainer John Barrowman takes on the title role and is joined by EastEnders star Steve McFadden. Details www.birminghamhippodrome.com.

CHILDREN OF COURAGE Eleven brave patients from Birmingham Children’s Hospital were the stars of a city centre photography exhibition aimed at boosting funds to build the UK’s first Rare Diseases Centre for children. Stars of Steelhouse Lane was held in Victoria Square and featured young patients living with a rare or undiagnosed condition. The hospital needs £3.65million to build the centre – it has so far raised £1.5million.

CHEF BACKS HUNGER FIGHT Michelin-starred Adam’s in Waterloo Street has joined the UK Action Against Hunger campaign in calling on food lovers to eat out and help raise crucial funds towards the fight against child hunger.

By adding a voluntary £1 donation to customers’ bills, restaurants were able to raise £330,000 for the campaign last year. Adam’s owner, Adam Stokes, said: “By this small donation on each bill we can quickly raise money to help the less fortunate.”

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AMY’S ON THE RUN Is it possible to train to complete a half marathon in just eight weeks? The answer will be delivered on 16 October when Amy Thompson takes part in the Great Birmingham Run in aid of Cure Leukaemia. Amy, 23, from Wolverhampton took on the charity’s eight-week ‘fit to run’ challenge to receive expert training and guidance from personal trainer Simon King. Amy’s mum is in remission from acute myeloid leukaemia. Donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising /Amy-Thompson-Cure-Leukaemia

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NEWS

LET’S ROCK Fancy a bit of rock climbing – but without all that snow, wind and rain?

Indoor climbing has become a leisure hit in the UK, and now there’s a new centre which has launched in Birmingham. Rock Up opened at Broadway Plaza with more than 26 multi-coloured climbs, all differing in their style and ability level.

WE AIN’T AFRAID OF NO GHOSTS! Wooooo! Prepare to be spooked this Halloween in the Black Country Living Museum’s gas-lit cobbled streets. As well as the odd ghost and ghoul there will be street entertainment from circus performers, fire-jugglers, magicians, a ‘spookified’ mine and more! The spookiness, with food to match, is on 28, 29 and 31 October between 6.30 and 10pm.

IN BRIEF

COLOUR IT BRUM! Fancy giving the Library of Birmingham a paintjob? A new book does the next best thing. The Birmingham Colouring Book: Past and Present is the latest in a series of regional colouring books published by the History Press.

Landmarks from around the city also include the Town Hall, Cadburys and Brindleyplace. So… get colouring!

TOGETHER WE WILL

Actor Will Mellor brought the Together We Will campaign to Birmingham – a nationwide

showed that of 200,000 people suffering an impairment or long-term health condition in Birmingham only 13.5 per cent take part in physical activity for the recommended 30 minutes a week. Campaign ambassador Will hosted a football tournament with the Villa Rockets Powerchair Football Club at the Doug Ellis Sports Centre. See page 61

PLAYS IT BY THE BOOK After more than three decades watching the beautiful game, the Midlands own Mr Football, Tom Ross, is sharing his love of the sport in a new book. Tom, who retired earlier this year from his full-time role at the very heart of radio in Birmingham, launched his autobiography The Game’s Gone at Waterstones. See In The City, page 82

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Birmingham’s culture and heritage was celebrated at an event for Birmingham Heritage Week at Curzon Street Station.

The event launched more than 200 events showcasing the city’s historic buildings, culture and people.

initiative to encourage disabled people to become more active. A Sport England survey

MR FOOTBALL

CULTURE WEEK

FILM FESTIVAL The 10th Black International Film Festival is being held in Birmingham from 17 to 29 October with networking events, seminars, industry parties and screenings both online and in cinemas across the city.

MEMORY WALK More than 5,000 people took part in the Alzheimer’s Society’s Birmingham Memory Walk at Cannon Hill Park. The walk, which aimed to raise £280,000, was started by Janice Le Tellier, operations manager for Alzheimer’s Society.

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SHAKESPEARE GOES DIGITAL The latest digital technology is coming to Shakespeare. The RSC’s production of The Tempest which opens in November will feature the first live ‘motion capture’ performance appearing in a major classical stage production. Actor Mark Quartley who plays Ariel will be wearing a motion capture suit which will allow his movements to be projected on and around the stage, including flying and morphing into different versions of the spirit.

ARE YOU A ZERO HERO? Birmingham City Council is urging residents to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in a new campaign called Zero Heroes. It’s part of a wider council initiative, Cleaner Greener Streets, which aims to see Brum become a zero waste to landfill city by 2035. Last year only 26.5 per cent of household waste in Birmingham was recycled.

JUSTGIVING HONOURS FAMILY The family of inspirational schoolboy Finlay Church have been nominated for a national fund-raising award. Parents Penny and Wayne, along with Fin’s brother and sister Kenzie and Tegan, have been nominated for the Outstanding Commitment Award by online giving platform JustGiving. They have raised £143,000 in Fin’s memory for Brain Tumour Research and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

CONCERT MARKS SOUND INVESTMENT Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s new season will feature a special concert by world-renowned conductor and former BCMG music director Thomas Adès, pictured. The celebration marks the 25th anniversary of BCMG’s crowd-funding scheme, Sound Investment. BCMG was the first contemporary organisation to use crowd-funding to commission new music, and in the past 25 years more than £350,000 has been raised, creating 83 pieces of music.

ONLY HERE FOR THE BIER… Please raise your glasses to the third Oktoberfest in Birmingham. The event celebrating all-things German beer is at Cannon Hill Park from 12 to 16 October. The festival also features Oktoberfest food such as hendl (grilled chicken), schweinebraten (roast pork), brezel (bread) and wurst (pork sausages). Details www.birmingham-oktoberfest.co.uk

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

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FEATURE

FLASH OF TEMPER Birmingham’s most famous contemporary graffiti artist tells David Johns why the next year could be the most important of his artistic life reat artists are always notoriously hard on themselves. From the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Turner to Lichtenstein, Warhol and Hockney, the pursuit of personal creative excellence is what it’s all about. It’s certainly the driving force for our very own Temper.

Temper, real name Aaron Bird, is Brum’s highest profile contemporary artist. His work is sought after by collectors and commissioned by major multinationals. But despite this success the artist who started out as a kid with a spray paint can on the streets of Wolverhampton says he’s not in it for the money – and we believe him. A more down-to-earth, regular, even shy, guy you couldn’t wish to meet.

Over the years he’s left decorating the derelict factory and street walls behind to create some of the

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I want to elevate my journey.

Push the boundaries again. I feel like a Stone Age person

AT WORK: Temper in his Jewellery Quarter studio

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most dramatic and dynamic portraits in graffiti art.

His latest collection of work goes on show at Castle Fine Art at the ICC this month. Yet typical of the man, he was already restless for fresh invigorating challenges when we spoke to him ahead of the unveiling of the new exhibition of 15 paintings called Timeless – a celebration of his first-ever collection, The Good Die Young.

PIVOTAL POINT “The next 12 months are pivotal in my future,” he says. “I need to make decent plans for where my artwork should be. I want to elevate my journey. Really push the boundaries again. I would like to think that I can move forwards and embrace technology more. I want to do more 3D work. I feel like a Stone Age person – I’ve worked with people who use computer design but I've never really let myself understand it. I want to change that too.”

Temper’s artistic journey began when the council worker's son picked up a can of spray paint for the first time at the age of 10. Growing up in Wolverhampton’s Eastside, Temper remembers: “When I was a child my grandad used to carefully unfold cigarette packets and flatten them out so I could draw on the inside of them. That was the only time I ever got to draw as a kid.”

Aged 11, the Deansfield schoolboy came into contact with fellow graffiti artist Goldie in Wolverhampton, and within six months he was creating his own street art. Influenced by the hiphop culture arriving in the UK from America, he spent the next few years illegally spraying tags, bubble letters and images on subways and factory walls while struggling in a succession of jobs from forklift truck driving to grave digging and bricklaying.

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FEATURE

THE GOOD DIE YOUNG: Freddie Mercury by Temper

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DOUBLE ACT: Temper and his wife Kerry

In the 90s Temper was finally being paid for his craft, giving live demonstrations and even set up his own T-shirt business. In 1995 he created his first collection on canvas. In 2001, he was commissioned by Coca-Cola to design the iconic design for Sprite drink cans – the resulting artwork appearing on more than 100 million cans and bottles across Europe in what was the biggest-ever graffiti advertising campaign.

In the same year he became the first graffiti artist to have a solo show in a major public gallery with more than 38,000 people viewing his Minuteman exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Further lucrative commissions followed, including ones from advertising giant Saatchi and Saatchi and billionaire Chelsea football owner Roman Abramovich. More collections of his work also followed with Post Graphaelite making him nearly £1.5million.

His art didn’t come without huge personal costs however as he endured the loss of family members which saw him have four nervous breakdowns and an attempted suicide. His best known collection The Good Die Young mirrors his personal tragedies by marking 27 iconic figures whose lives ended prematurely, including John Lennon, Martin Luther King and Marilyn Monroe.

His other graffiti collections have included A New Day featuring 24 figurative nudes representing 24

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hours in a day which sold out within five minutes of being unveiled at The Mailbox. In 2014, Temper launched a collection called cover:versions drawn from LP covers, including Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and The Beatles’ Revolver. For the first time he used oil and acrylics combined and painted with brushes.

ALLERGIC REACTION After using turps to clean his brushes he suffered an allergic chemical reaction which put him in isolation in Wolverhampton’s Penn Hospital for a month! “I was told I was lucky not to have brain disease as a result,” he says.

The 44-year-old artist says he also now wants to develop further as a sculptor, following on from The Lovely People bronze pieces created for The Cube. “Once this new collection is done with then I will sit down and see what Temper wants to do. I will also look at going back and doing more sketches like always used to do.”

Temper still finds time to give something back to Birmingham. He spray painted two of the giant owls in last year’s Big Hoot auction for the Children's Hospital – each fetching the two highest bids of £18,000 and £15,000. I Timeless is from 22 to 30 October at Castle Fine Art, the ICC, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EA

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FEATURE

FUNNY BRUMMIES As the city’s comedy festival rolls into town, we sent Shelley Carter to catch up with two funny men to find out what makes them tick irst up is Guz Khan who is living the comedy dream. A teacher at Grace Academy Coventry until just last year, he’s swapped marking books for making people laugh. Guz’s three-minute You Tube rant about Spielberg’s Jurassic World and the ‘Pakisaurus’ catapulted him into the public eye in 2015 and his character Mobeen was born.

As a teacher Guz felt he ought to keep his You Tube videos quiet and initially used the alias Guzzy Bear.

He says: “The kids knew about it and kept it very quiet. One posted a link on his Facebook page and was quickly shouted down by 80 school friends keen to keep it under wraps. I got comments like ‘decent’ from the kids which I guess is good!”

Guz’s job was stable, he was moving up the pay scale and had become head of department, but he wanted more. He says: “I loved the kids, but I was sitting marking one day and thought ‘just one more tick and I’ll jump out of the window’. I had things I wanted to do, social issues I wanted to address which I couldn’t really do as a teacher.”

Guz was funny growing up and his old friends aren’t surprised by his

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FEATURE

comedy career. “We lived in a rough area in Birmingham, but mum made sure we went to a decent school. I was the funny kid using humour to break down barriers. I used to watch Eddie Murphy Raw with my sister which had a big influence on me.

When I watch ‘Pakisaurus’ I can hear a similar rhythm and tone of voice.”

Guz filmed Man Like Mobeen around Small Heath and Balsall Heath and wouldn’t have had it any other way. “We had so much love when we were filming. It was authentic which was important to me.” Man Like Mobeen is currently airing on BBC3, a new programme called Zapped is starting soon on Dave, there’s Borderline on Channel 5 as well as live gigs and writing. Guz is a busy man. “I know it could all go away as quickly as it started, so I’m just enjoying it. I still don’t believe I’m living this actually.”

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FEATURE

ONE-LINER KING The second of our funny Brummies is the king of the one-liner and double Sony Award winner Gary Delaney. Gary had a bit of a false start into comedy with a brief dalliance with event organising before chucking himself into the lion’s den of stand-up full time.

From Solihull Sixth Form, Gary went on to at the London School of Economics where he liked the idea of stand-up but never had the nerve, so he worked behind the scenes on the sound desk. He recalls: “In the mid-90s my college buddy dabbled in stand-up and I helped him with his jokes.”

(Incidentally and hilariously the college buddy was millionaire money man Martin Lewis!)

One night after a gig Martin bet Gary he wouldn’t have the nerve to do stand-up. Martin lost and Gary performed a five-minute set at the Comedy Brewhouse in Islington which he loved. More gigs followed mainly in ‘fleapits’, but Gary admits: “I didn’t know what I was doing. I had a couple of good gigs followed by a bad one in a biker bar and I was all over the place.”

Gary’s sixth gig was on a TV show called The Warehouse which he got paid for and he thought this was his break. More bad gigs followed and he packed

>> ALL THE LOLS Birmingham Comedy Festival takes place at various venues across the city 7 to 16 October For the full line up visit http://www.bhamcomfest.co.uk/

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up completely for four years. A comeback in 2000 saw him more focused and ready to put in the hard work.

“I realised I was good at one-liners, so I binned the rest. I was writing and gigging while doing the day job.

As I got better at stand-up I got worse at the day job and I left two weeks before my 30th birthday.”

Gary scraped a living, earning £50 here and there, until he started playing larger clubs like Glee and Jongleurs and then got the call about TV. Now a regular on Mock the Week as well as an intense schedule of live shows Gary says: “TV’s fun, but honestly live shows are exhilarating. You can’t have one without the other and without TV I’d be doing stag and hen dos.”

A tour takes Gary roughly three years to write and he’s constantly thinking of new material. “I record funny thoughts on my phone all the time then every Tuesday I sit down and write. When I trial new material a third of the jokes work well, a third are ok and a third are awful.” Married to Geordie comedian Sarah Millican I imagine it’s a barrel of laughs at home. “We laugh a lot – but at normal stuff like the dog farting in front of the TV.” I

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FOOD & DRINK

GLYNN PURNELL The Yummy Brummie on pig’s trotters and watching Blind Date in his jammies in Chelmsley Wood – and why he could be a rock ‘n’ roll star or cage fighter!

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CHEF’S CORNER Is the customer always right?

If someone’s got a complaint, I will always deal with it. I never shy away, as you may have seen on TripAdvisor. I don’t do it to make headlines – I do it to stick up for my staff who work hard all day.

Share a cooking tip Cooking is all about organisation. I’ve got thousands of tips on how to cook but how to approach cooking is probably the biggest tip.

Don’t try and do it all at once. Take your time and enjoy cooking.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

For the recipe to make Glynn’s delicious Sweet Spicy Sticky Ribs visit our website www.brumliving.co.uk

Tell us about your cooking My style is not modern British, it’s just what I like to cook. We try not to follow trends. Tasting menus could be out, a la carte could be in. I don’t care.

How did you become a chef?

I did my apprenticeship at the Birmingham Metropole but cooking really came from home. The kitchen was the hub of our council house in Chelmsley Wood. You could never be late for dinner. I’d go with mom to Birmingham market to buy smoked haddock, ham hocks, pig’s trotters and fresh roe, which is still very much in my cooking’s DNA.

What do you eat when at home?

I like rustic food and eat a lot of meat. I’ve had a counter built so we can film there. The hob’s in the middle and whenever I’m cooking for family and friends everyone gathers round. We serve food down the centre of the table so it’s a bit like The Waltons!

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

Birmingham has gone from the culinary desert of Britain to the country’s hotspot. Anyone who dons an apron or works hard in a kitchen all day to put the city on the map, they deserve that title. In the world, it’s Paris three-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire.

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We used to buy pig’s trotters on a Saturday. By the time mom had boiled them in the pressure cooker, I’d be in my pyjamas. I’d watch Blind Date with a pig’s trotter and packet of plain crisps on my lap. Also, I fondly remember haddock and eggs on a Friday afternoon. I do an upside down version of that in homage to mom.

Food heaven and food hell?

Hell is sprouts. They smell and taste like s***. When you eat them, you smell like s***. Heaven is great food but also great company. If you think of a special occasion, you think of the food but also the person you were with. Heaven can be eating a bowl of prawns while watching the sea come in. Or it could be down the Blues, having smashed Villa 3-0, eating a Scotch egg with a flat pint.

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

Kokotxa in Spain’s Basque region. It’s a little upside down Y shape just underneath a fish’s jaw, which they cook. It’s gelatinous. Everywhere I went they were in little bowls. I thought they were cool.

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

A rock ’n’ roll star, cage fighter or comedian. Or all three rolled into one! I could serenade you, punch you in the face and tell you a joke… and get paid for it!

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

The Provencal tart served with a really slow cooked neck of lamb. Those sort of cuts are what I ate as a kid. It’s a sticky, gooey, soft piece of lamb which you have to work so hard to make fantastic. chocolate bavarois and mint granita. I Purnell's, 55 Cornwall Street, Birmingham B3 2DH. Tel 0121 212 9799. Glynn will also be cooking at the Friday Night Kitchen event at Villa Park on Friday, 7 October in support of Cure Leukaemia.

More details www.gpfnk.co.uk

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

No. 131

The Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NW. Tel: 01242 822939 www.no131.com

s parents of young children just one night away can feel as reinvigorating as a week’s holiday. No chubby little fingers poking you in the eye at 6am or Lego bricks lurking round every corner poised to pierce the arch of your foot. No. None of that. Just unadulterated relaxation and grown up chatter. We hoped.

Cheltenham seemed the ideal destination for a quick getaway for two reasons. First, it’s less than an hour away and second, it’s just far enough to feel like an escape. Nights away are few and far between, so we’re quite picky. No. 131 which is part of the small, but stylish Lucky Onion group looked great, so we plumped for it.

A

TRIUMPH OF DESIGN The Friday night crowd were already having a tipple on the terrace of the grand Regency building when we arrived and we were keen to join in, but first to the room which was nothing but dreamy (number six if you’re planning a trip). An enormous bed was the centrepiece adorned with beautiful blankets and pillows along with a giant TV that rose from its foot.

The bathroom was a triumph of design with stunning floor tiles, double basins and an almighty walk in shower and there was a freestanding bath in the

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bedroom large enough for two. A coffee machine was tucked away in a very clever cupboard, but oddly the wardrobe space wasn’t long enough for a dress.

The vibe of the whole place was rustic country as though everything had been chucked together casually, but it really had not. Every inch had been given a lot of thought and it showed. The quality was top notch. It turns out my favourite gin, Tanqueray, is the house gin and the wine list more than ticked the other half ’s boxes.

The hotel has its fair share of celeb guests. The day we visited Roger Moore ate lunch there (funny story about that, but not fit for print).

Dinner beckoned and we’d been seated in the private dining room which felt a bit naughty. We disappeared into big comfy chairs and sort of hid from the rest of the guests. We loved the menu and got into a right pickle trying to choose what to eat, so called in the waiter for his recommendations which I went with entirely. Firstly, tuna tartare with avocado, sesame and soy which was delicious, but there was way too much avocado even for a lover of the slippery green stuff like me. The crispy pig’s head was less gruesome than it sounded with scrumptious tender shredded meat turned into a sort of croquette. Served with piccalilli and pickled shallots to cut through the richness it was superb. A bottle of San Veran was slipping down a treat and while the private

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dining room was nice we couldn’t help thinking we’d have enjoyed the buzz of the lively restaurant.

A perfectly cooked flavour packed whole grouse was beautifully served on a copper plate with a jug of blackberry sauce, bread sauce and game chips. The other half enjoyed sea bass with orange, fennel and pink grapefruit. Fresh, zingy and flavoursome it was a delight and probably our dish of the night. Pudding was a shared molten orange and chocolate pudding with ice cream – seriously rich and grown up, but way too large and an espresso martini for him which hit the spot.

CRAZY EIGHTS In the basement the hotel has a lively bar called Crazy Eights. We thought it would have been rude not to, so off we popped for a nightcap. The DJ was in full flow as was the wine and the crowd spilled out into the garden area for extra dancing space.

Pooped and a bit squiffy we trotted off to our room in the wee hours only to find more indulgence. A flask of hot chocolate and two large cookies were waiting for us which was a lovely touch.

The bed was as comfortable as it looked and we had a fantastic night’s sleep followed by a welcome soak in the bath with the hotel’s gorgeous 100 Acre bubble bath. So gorgeous we’ve since bought a candle, so our

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house smells like a Lucky Onion hotel constantly.

We’d chosen to eat breakfast in the room – why waste it? A tray of mini croissants arrived which along with a strong coffee was just what the doctor ordered. We felt thoroughly pampered and refreshed. As we left to retrieve the kids and remove a Lego brick from grandma’s left foot, we sighed one of those sighs that suggests all is well with the world. I

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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 GRAND OPENING WITH GUSTO Leading contemporary Italian restaurant group Gusto is launching its first restaurant in Birmingham, creating more than 60 jobs. It has invested more than £1million in the 130-cover restaurant and bar in one of the city’s most iconic buildings, The Grand. The refurbishment sees the building transformed, complete with an outside terrace to seat 40 people.

JUST CHAMPION FOR EL B El Borracho De Oro in Edgbaston were shouting ‘Ole’ after scooping the trophy for Best Restaurant at the Birmingham Awards, sponsored

by Birmingham City University. Owner Emma Yufera-Ruiz said: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award. I would like to thank all of the hard working team at El B, most especially our general manager Leo and head chef Ignacio.”

JULIAN DROPS ANCHOR IN DIGBETH The Anchor pub in Digbeth has a new owner after being run by the same family for 40 years. Gerry Keane, who has been in charge of the pub since 1983, decided to step away to concentrate on his new family earlier this year. Julian Rose-Gibbs, general manger for the Bitters n Twisted brands and most recently The Botanist, has taken on the lease.

WINE FESTIVAL IS AB-FAB Dippy Catriona from the hit TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous is coming to Brum to guest host this year’s Love Wine Festival. Actress Helen Lederer is also the wine columnist for the Sunday Express and Glass of Bubbly publication. She said: “To attend this very special event is my idea of liquid heaven.” The festival is on 5 November at the Burlington Hotel. More details www.lovewinefest.co.uk

GLUTEN-FREE HENRY WONG Harborne-based Henry Wong, has launched a gluten-free menu packed with tasty traditional and signature Cantonese dishes.

Highlights include soft-shell crab with chilli and garlic, honey pepper king prawns and sweet and sour chicken. For those with a sweet tooth, how about a slice of Alabama fudge cake or strawberry cheesecake?

FIRST SHOP FOR MISS MACAROON Birmingham social enterprise company Miss Macaroon, which has established itself as a firm favourite online, selling high-end French delicacies to the likes of fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, has chosen Western Arcade to open its first shop, complete with prosecco bar! Rosie Ginday, who worked for Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell, set up Miss Macaroon in 2011. The shop is due to open at the end of October.

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SEASON'S EATINGS

PLUMP FOR PLUMS

British is best! Try this gorgeous fish dish and you’ll see what we mean… o, we’re not being jingoistic, it’s just true when it comes to so much of the fresh produce you’ll find on the shelves. British plums are a perfect example. Still in season this month, they knock their foreign rivals for six when it comes to flavour. Max Murphy, head chef of the Malt Shovel at Barston, has picked a fish recipe with a gorgeous plum marinade as his star seasonal dish for October. Enjoy! I

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Ingredients:

I Fillet of halibut I Butternut squash I 6 plums (quartered)

I 6 juniper berries I 2 tbsp sugar I 1 star anise

I 25ml gin I 1 Earl Grey teabag I 200ml water

I 1 fresh bay leaf I 2 tbsp soya beans

I 2 tbsp plum tomato (diced) I 1 anans tomato (diced)

Method: Season and pan fry the halibut in sunflower oil (flesh side down) for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn over add butter leave to rest. To make the plum marinade: Flambé gin in a pan, add 3 plums, sugar, star anise, teabag, juniper berries and cook until plums are soft. Strain all ingredients, add back into pan with remaining 3 plums, again until plums are soft.

Leave the plums with the syrup in an airtight container to marinate (longer the better), heat to serve. Add tomatoes, soya beans and 3 tbsp of the plum syrup (from the above marinade). Gently warm up to serve. Roast quartered butternut squash in sunflower oil. Plate and garnish with dill, borage flowers and marigold petals.

The Malt Shovel at Barston, Barston Lane,Barston, Solihull B92 0JP. Tel: 01675 443 223 www.themaltshovelatbarston.com

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HOW TO BUY GREAT WINE With a name like Rob Price, you’d expect our wine expert to know all about excellent value! Here he passes on some of his top tips… ne of the most frequent questions I’m asked is “how do you find good value for money wine”.

The answer as you might expect is not easy, as it depends on what you call ‘good’ and what you consider ‘value for money’. Both terms are subjective and open to a broad definition. But having guiding people through many wines, and having tasted quite a few in my time, here are a few tips…

O

SUPERMARKETS DOMINATE The big retailers always have wines on promotion which influences what we buy, and in the main these are based around the top brands. They taste consistently good and normally offer great value for money, so what’s not to like!

But for me the best thing about wine is its diversity. The huge selection we have in the UK means we should be experimenting and adventurous with our wine choices.

TASTE THE DIFFERENCE A great way of increasing diversity is attend a wine tasting event, of course! You’ll taste at least six different wines, learn a little about them and have fun. Or if you prefer to stay at home join a wine club. Here you pay a monthly/quarterly amount and the wine club sends you a set of wines at agreed frequencies. You’ll taste wines that you wouldn’t normally choose. Both Laithwaites and Marks and Spencer wine clubs offer good value.

FIX YOUR BUDGET Value at the cheaper end is adversely affected by duty. Duty is fixed and therefore has a much higher impact on low cost wines. A wine that costs £5 will attract duty/tax of nearly £3.

By the time transport, packaging, storage and profit margins are added, the wine constituent is less than 20p in a £7 wine and there is around £1 ‘worth of wine’. At £9 bottle it would be over £2 and while there are no guarantees, it does enable the wine producer to think about the quality of the wine more.

My advice is to have a monthly budget, vary your price points, be as adventurous as you dare, try different wines, and learn about the regions, the people, and their wines – it really does add to the enjoyment of tasting…I Birmingham Wine School is an independent wine and beer education company that offers fun informal wine tasting events and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Birmingham, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield and Milton Keynes. For more information contact Rob Price on 0121 270 7359, or visit www.birminghamwineschool.com

KEEP IT LOCAL First let me say that The Wine Society is a great place to buy wines, using mail order or the Internet. You have to pay a one-off joining fee of £40, but you’ll find a fantastic range of wines at reasonable prices. To find wines from smaller producers and potentially more interesting wines you’ll need to go for a local wine merchant. While they can’t compete on price, they should offer wines from smaller producers, plus plenty of advice and, in general, much better service. And these guys need supporting because they extend the choice we have. The supermarkets offer great deals and they will always take the lion’s share, but do remember to support the independent merchant. Diversity is king!

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WINE

FOUR TOP VALUE BUYS Terra da Vino, Barolo Riserva, 2004 Not cheap at £22.99, but for a Barolo of this maturity and quality this is excellent value for money. From one of the best vintages, this 12-year-old Barolo is absolutely top notch. Available from Waitrose.

Marqués de Caranó Gran Reserva Another wonderfully mature wine, this time from Spain. Being a Gran Reserva means it has to be aged for a minimum of five years with 18 months in an oak barrel. Tesco sells the 2008 vintage for an equally wonderful £5.

Ruppertserger Honheburg Remember the days of cheap German wine? Well this example is still very inexpensive, but there the similarity ends as Ruppertserger Honheburg is a fantastic off dry German Kabinet Riesling. Surprises everyone who tastes it. And only £6.50 from the Wine Society.

Shenandoah, Amador Country, 2013 A recent find which amazed me at just how good California Zinfandel could be. Not always a fan, and while this is rich as you would expect, it has a lightness and freshness about it that I just loved. The Wine Society sells for £10.50.

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

THE SONGKRAN The perfect way to bid farewell as the sun goes down on another summer hose top mixers from Chaophraya Birmingham, Damon Davis and James Poyner, have created a stunningly good cocktail to ease the pain of waving goodbye to another summer. A lovely combination of white spirits, passion fruit, lemon juice and Coke, it slips down a treat.

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Ingredients: I I I I I I I I I I

10ml Absolut vodka 10ml gin 10ml Cointreau 10ml Cazcabel tequila 10ml El Dorado 3-year-old rum 25ml lemon juice 30ml passion fruit syrup 12.5ml egg white Garnish: Half passion fruit and banana leaf on the bottom of the glass.

Glass: Tall bach

Method: Add all ingredients together. Dry Shake. Wet Shake. Add 1/3 post-mix of Coke. Layer mix on the highest ice cube.

Chaophraya Birmingham, Spiceal Street, Bullring, B5 4BH. Tel 0121 643 2424 www.chaophraya.co.uk

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BOOTCAMP Step in line pronto and get your winter boots in the bag. You need

precision planning and a heavy dose of inspiration. Here it is. Look lively.

TWINKLE TOES Quin boot £99, Dune, Bullring

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STYLE

BREEZEY BURGUNDY Suede ankle boot, White Stuff, Cannon Street

WORK THE PATCH Patchwork boots £75, Debenhams, The Fort

BUCKLE DETAIL Block heel boot with buckle, White Stuff, Cannon Street

TAN-TASTIC Chelsea Boots £35, M&Co

CHUNKY SOLE Live a Little £85, Office, Bullring

ight about now we’re contemplating which boots to buy this season. We reckon every girl needs at least one new pair per Autumn.

(That’s a style fact and not just a line we trot out for the other half). This season we’re thoroughly spoilt for choice from funky flatforms and chunky Chelsea boots to slick over the knee numbers that’ll make you feel a million dollars.

Since Eudon Choi sent models sashaying down the catwalk rocking silver ankle boots, metallic has been having a serious moment. Checkout Office for a brilliant gold pointed number or Topshop for a peep toe and heel silver version.

Buckles are back! The Givenchy studded boot at the top end is a winner or take a look at our fave from the high street, the Dune navy version with a trio of buckles that will go with almost everything we own.

There are some cute peep toe boots around. New Look has a sweet grey peep toe with bow detail and

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ZIPPED Block heel zip ankle boot £39.50, M&Co

RIGHT STRIPES Oksana boot £120, Dune, Bullring

WHAT A MESH Mesh detail points £68, Next, The Fort

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STYLE NOT SO FLATFORM Stella McCartney faux leather flatform boot, £700, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

COOL AND CASUAL Nine by Savannah Miller boot £55, Debenhams, The Fort

STOP TRAFFIC Stuart Weitzman Highland knee-high suede boots £695, Selfridges, Bullring

GET THE POINT Love Bug boot £65, Office, Bullring

SHOW TIME

BOW DOWN

Manolo Blahnik furtrimmed boots, £795, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

Grey peep toe with bow detail £54.99, New Look, The Fort

FUTURE PROOF Silver peep toe, Topshop, The Fort

BUCKLE UP Lockdown £95, Office, Bullring

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STUD YOU LIKE Givenchy studded boots, £895, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

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STYLE

Biba at House of Fraser has put out a fierce black pair with a killer heel that’ll get you through the Christmas (yes we said it) party madness and beyond. It’s gorgeous.

The Chelsea boot has had a bit of a makeover and is more chunky this season than last. Try King of the Chelsea, Tricker’s for some quality examples.

We’ve checked out a lot of over-the-knee boots and we’re sad to report it seems you get what you pay for.

Go cheap and you‘ll end up looking more Puss in Boots than the stylish glamour puss you feel like. It’s all in the cut and material. We’d go for Saint Laurent at Harvey Nichols or Stuart Weitzman at Selfridges.

Patterns, fluff, lace and wings add a bit of fun to proceedings with Manolo Blahnik’s fur trimmed boots and the latest incarnation of Sophia Webster’s winged shoe at the top of the pile. For patterned chunky heels head to Topshop.

As you were. I

CLASSIC RIDING Catherine boot £299, Hobbs, Grand Central

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STYLE BOLD GOLD Burnt gold boot with black heel, Topshop, The Fort

BOOTS MADE FOR FLYING Sophia Webster winged suede ankle boots, £575, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

IT'S OVER Saint Laurent suede over-theknee boots, £915, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

BACK TO BLACK Shona boot £269, Hobbs, Grand Central

AZTEC PRINT Printed chunky heel, Topshop, The Fort

GREY DAYS Pontow boot £85, Dune, Bullring

WELL HEELED Leather and suede £79, Biba at House of Fraser, Corporation St

ACE LACE WHAT WEDGE

Valentino lace boots, £790, Harvey Nichols, Mailbox

ROCK CHICK

Stuart Weitzman Fitness suede wedge ankle boots £425, Selfridges, Bullring

Valentino Rockstud leather biker boots £880, Selfridges, Bullring

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STYLE

IT’S A WRAP Bailey wool wrap dress £69.50, Oliver Bonas BELT UP Gathered shirt dress £125, Jaeger

ON YER BIKE Zip front faux fur coat £110, Laura Ashley

10

BOLD PRINT Shirt £38, Debenhams

THINGS WE LOVE

ANIMAL MAGIC Biba body luxe casual wear leopard trousers £39, House of Fraser

PLEATS PLEASE Sport Max blue metallic midi skirt £235, House of Fraser

IN THE BAG Grayson clutch £98, Jigsaw

WIDE LEG High waisted, wide leg trousers, Yumi

SHOULDER DETAIL V by Very ruffle sleeve tea dress £45, Very

VICTORIANA VIBE Primrose collar £35, Hobbs

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STYLE FOR MEN

GONE FISHING Fisherman rib wool jumper £119, Jigsaw, Cannon St

COSY CLUB

Sweater, pullover, jumper…whatever you call a cosy knit, it’s time. e’re not just celebrating understated fine gauge knits this season although they are gorgeously well put together for AW16, but there are some fairly bold patterns and chunky ribs that have us salivating too. Bright yellow bears at Gucci, camouflage cashmere at Valentino, traditional Fair Isle at Moncler and preppy paradise at Ralph Lauren should see you through with the odd grown-up knit thrown in for good measure. Here’s a flavour of what’s in store.

W

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STYLE FOR MEN

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HEALTH

BREAST PRACTICE

October is breast awareness month and with cancer cases up by a fifth it’s more important than ever to spot the early warning signs

ith all the publicity and campaigning about breast cancer you might be forgiven for thinking the battle to beat the disease is won. You’d be wrong. According the official Office of National Statistics figures, cases of breast cancer have risen by 20 per cent over the decade. A sobering thought, and all the more reason why breast awareness month has never been more important.

Picking up any abnormalities as early as possible is vital, which means it’s important that women selfexamine regularly and know what to look for.

Throughout a lifetime the levels of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone vary, causing women’s breasts to change.

For younger women, the best time to self-examine

W

7 CHANGES TO CHECK FOR 1. A lump on or around the breast. This may not be seen, but might be felt either in the breast, upper chest or armpit.

2. Persistent lumpy area or unusual thickening of the breast tissue.

3. Any constant pain in part of the breast or armpit.

4. Change in size or shape of either of the breasts.

5. Redness or rash on the skin that looks like eczema.

6. Change in appearance or direction of the nipple on the breast.

7. Nipple discharge from the breast.

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the breasts is about three to five days after the period starts because breasts are not as tender or lumpy at this time in the monthly cycle.

How to self-examine: Place your right hand behind your head. With the middle fingers of your left hand, gently yet firmly press down using small motions to examine the entire right breast. Next, sit or stand. Feel your armpit, because breast tissue goes into that area. Gently squeeze the nipple, checking for discharge. Repeat this whole process on the left breast.

Then stand in front of a mirror with your arms by your side. Look at your breasts directly and in the mirror. Look for changes in skin texture, such as dimpling, puckering, indentations, or skin that looks like an orange peel. Also note the shape and outline of each breast. Check to see if the nipple turns inward. Do the same with your arms raised above your head. I

The Breast Care Clinic at Spire Little Aston Hospital offers fast access to some of the region’s leading breast specialists, with test results often available on the same day. For more information, contact 0121 580 7119 or go to www.spirelittleaston.com

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BACK TO THE FUTURE Award-winning local designer Lisa Melvin reveals the latest kitchen trends for 2017, much of them predicted in the Nineties

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t a trade show in 1996 I remember seeing plans for a futuristic kitchen which seemed ludicrous at the time. The predictions were jaw dropping, but looking back it was spot on with almost all of the technology in use today.

A

HEART OF THE HOME Kitchen by Lisa Melvin Design www.lisamelvindesign.co.uk

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CITY LIVING Siematic Urban kitchen by The Kitchen Gallery www.kitchengallery.co.uk

TECH-TASTIC In March I wrote about linking smartphones to appliances, so for instance programming your washing machine while you’re out or having a camera in your fridge allowing you to view its contents while you do the weekly shop. Well, now you can programme your coffee machine from your phone too. If you’re having a dinner party you can take orders on your smartphone and let the machine do the rest. You still need to put the cup under the spout and carry the coffee to the table though, but probably not for long!

At the high end of the market companies aren’t charging a premium for this technology. Generally it comes as standard. Also, the ability to upgrade the software in your appliance via your smartphone rather than buying a new appliance every time technology advances is on the horizon.

INTELLIGENT HOBS Induction hobs have moved on too and instead of having designated spaces for your pans, the new flexi induction hobs from Neff and Siemens are intelligent enough to know where you’re putting a pan and will heat up that area. They are high in kilo watt usage though, so it would be wise to get a kitchen specialist in to check you have enough power.

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CHOOSING A KITCHEN DESIGNER I Do your research I A great website which reflects a designer’s style showing lots of past projects is a must I All good designers will have a great Houzz portfolio, so check it out I Once you’ve chosen a designer whose style you like, meet them and check you gel before committing. You’ll be spending a lot of time together!

I Don’t confuse kitchen planning services with specialist designers. A planner will take the existing dimensions of your kitchen and fill it using a 3D CAD system. A designer will look at the space, listen to your brief and create a scheme that suits you without being restricted by your current kitchen size and layout. That might mean suggesting structural changes to get the best outcome.

LOOK NO HANDLES Futura Pergamon handleless kitchen by Classic Interiors www.classicinteriors.co.uk/recentprojects

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GET SOCIAL Kitchen by Lisa Melvin Design www.lisamelvindesign.co.uk

GREEN CREDENTIALS Extractor fans are no longer ceiling mounted or even pop up. They are cleverly integrated into the hob. Take a look at Elica who are leading the way.

Some hobs even have built in irrigation systems to collect the water extracted which can then be used for watering your bang on trend indoor herb garden.

GIANT WORK TOPS Corian is making a comeback too. The trend for double width extensions on houses results in enormous kitchen/living spaces and with that comes the issue of oversized work surfaces. Traditional materials like granite and quartz are restrictive in terms of size, so potentially there would be a visible join. Corian solves this problem creating supersized sleek and seamless surfaces. I

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COOL COLLABORATION P’7350 kitchen by Porsche Design Studio at Poggenpohl Birmingham www.birmingham.poggenpohl.com

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Hot Properties Large family home, modern boutique and listed apartments, or Grade II living? All the bases are covered in our ‘pick of the props’

PERIOD CHARMER Hatfield House, Norton Guide price: £650,000 Agent: Halls, tel: 01905 728437 This wonderful fivebedroomed, double-fronted period family home features a cracking kitchen/breakfast room, three further reception rooms, large detached outbuildings and half-an-acre of lovely mature gardens.

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READY TO GROW Bulls Lane, Wishaw Guide price: ÂŁ995,000 Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 746 6400 A traditional detached four-bedroom property with four reception rooms, conservatory and spacious selfcontained flat above the detached double garage with planning permission to extend. All set in two acres.

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BRICKS&BITS

CHINA SIGNS HUGE DEAL Birmingham City Council has signed a deal worth £2billion with Chinese property development company Country Garden. Council leader, Cllr John Clancy, confirmed the joint agreement during a trade mission to China. Country Garden will look at large-scale investment opportunities in the city with a focus on options relating to HS2.

GREAT NEWS FOR TRAMPS Developers have confirmed plans for an apartment block on the site of Tramps nightclub which will house more than 400 flats, commercial space, roof terrace and 200-metre running track and gym. The £145million development of the derelict site is a joint venture between Moda Living and Apache Capital Partners designed by Glenn Howells Architects.

LIBRARY SETS STANDARD The University of Birmingham’s striking new £44million main library has opened at the Edgbaston campus. The state-of-the-art building designed by Associated Architects is described as heralding a new generation of libraries in UK higher education. A public exhibition showcasing works from the university’s collections marked the launch.

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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MAKING THE GRADE Royal Sutton Place Guide price: From £299,950 Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 01789 868329 Luxury two and three-bedroom apartments available in a 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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SIX OF THE BEST Vicarage Road, Edgbaston Guide price: £1.395million Agent: Fine and Country, tel: 0121 746 6400

Built circa 1837, this magnificent Grade II listed Georgian-style family home boasts six double bedrooms, four reception rooms and an extended open plan breakfast kitchen. There’s also more than half-anacre of land.

OH-SO-CHIC The Franklin, Bournville Guide price: From £355,120 Agent: Knight Frank, tel: 121 200 2220 A series of modern boutique apartments offering the luxury of contemporary living in a beautiful garden village. Enjoy lovely lofty ceilings and open plan living area with full access to complimentary facilities like the stylish lounge and a well-equipped private gym.

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

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MOTORING

THE CAR WITH A Sue Cooke samples Infiniti’s alternative to all those Audis, Mercs and BMWs n my world of motoring journalism it’s not often I get excited about driving a new car. It’s a bit like having steak every day. However when the Infiniti Q30 turned up on my drive, I did feel a tummy flutter or two.

The shape is daring and different, blending coupelike styling and a low slung roofline with an elevated yet dynamic stance, and I think it is absolutely gorgeous. The five-door, five-seater compact car is made by little known brand, Infiniti, which is a subsidiary of Nissan. It is the brand for people who can afford to buy a premium luxury car. The Q30 is the first vehicle that the company has built in Europe, well actually, in Sunderland. Infiniti’s £250million investment in the plant has created more than 300 new jobs to support Q30 production.

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REAL CHROME The interior of this family car is pure luxury where trim is satin chrome plated, not plastic chrome. A new Italian suede-like material which is used in the high fashion industry has been applied to the roofline and pillars and the Q30’s very comfortable seats are upholstered in Alcantara.

Customers can specify their own special interior design

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trim and apparently the two-tone contrast of interior colours and materials is inspired by the art found on traditional Japanese Hanafuda playing cards! The boot has a wide square opening but with a different shape so it doesn’t hold as much as a traditional family car, which Infiniti says is 430 litres with seats in place.

Where the Q30 excels is in its high degree of comfort and refinement which makes it the perfect grand tourer. Infiniti says the sound levels in the cabin are lower than any of its rivals which might encourage a lighter tone from the kids. And with the October half-term coming up too, the Q30 inspires a trip to the UK’s most popular scenic drive. The Snake Pass which has excellent views of the Peak District or the Cheddar to Ashwick route through Cheddar Gorge or a little nearer to home, the lovely drive from Stratfordupon-Avon to Cheltenham in the Cotswolds.

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HIGHER I-Q The Q30 boasts the latest safety technology for long-haul driving with Intelligent Cruise Control which maintains a safe distance from the car in front.

For night driving Auto High Beam Assist automatically dips headlamps to avoid blinding cars driving in the opposite direction. On motorways, Blind Spot Warning alerts to other vehicles in neighbouring lanes hidden in the driver’s blindspots.

BEST-IN-CLASS AWARD Around Birmingham city centre, Forward Collision Warning with Forward Emergency Braking reduces the stress of driving in heavy traffic by informing the driver of hazards in the road ahead – and taking automatic action to help avoid or mitigate the effects of a collision.

There is a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines. The 1.5-litre turbo-diesel is the most efficient engine in the Q30 range, offering low

running costs for private and business buyers.

Emitting only 108g/km of carbon dioxide, the annual road tax is £20. The 1.5-litre is capable of consuming just 68.9mpg on the combined cycle. I roadtested the 2.0-litre petrol Sport with seven-speed auto gearbox. Coming soon will be a 1.6 petrol engine and DCT transmission which has a higher output than the manual version.

The Q30 has been awarded best-in-class Small Family Car 2015 by Euro NCAP, the independent vehicle safety organisation in Europe. In Birmingham, with a plethora of Mercedes, Audis and BMWs on the road, the Infiniti Q30 makes a very refreshing stylish change. I

SHOWROOM: Infiniti Birmingham, 110 Small Heath Highway, Birmingham B10 0BW. Tel: 0121 2725740 www.infinitiretailgroup.co.uk

FACTS AT A GLANCE: Model: Infiniti Q30 Sport 7 DCT Price: £30,380 Engine: 2.0-litre turbo petrol Performance: 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 146mph CO2 emissions: 143 g/km Combined fuel consumption: 45.6mpg

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PERSON TO PERSON

CLOSE WITH… FIONA ALLAN The Hippodrome’s artistic director and chief executive talks about making the theatre a globally known cultural centre and why, as an Aussie, she finds the British love of pantomime baffling at times

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT I’ve held cultural leadership roles in Sydney, Melbourne, Cardiff, Leicester and now Birmingham – doing everything from orchestral tour management to running a film festival, projecting graphics onto the Sydney Opera House sails and producing plays and musicals. I moved to the UK 12 years ago, and thought I’d only be staying a year. I’m president of UK Theatre, our leading industry membership organisation, and chair of The Space digital arts agency partnership between the Arts Council and BBC. Locally, I sit on the Southside BID board and on Culture Central – the collective voice for culture in Birmingham.

IT’S WHAT I DO I joined the Hippodrome last October as artistic director and chief executive, overseeing the running of the business and creating an artistic strategy that includes the work on stage, our festivals, outreach work and education programme. We make good profit on commercial musicals and pantomime and reinvest this in bringing international work to Birmingham, holding community festivals and developing local artists and young people. We like to say we have a commercial head, with a charitable heart.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE The Hippodrome is already the UK’s busiest theatre – I’d like to build on this and make it a globally known cultural centre that is busy day and night and is a catalyst for the development of creative skills and talent. If we can develop the Hippodrome’s audience to better reflect the young, vibrant, diverse population of Birmingham, I’ll have done my job well. Birmingham is punching way above its weight with our incredible cultural offer but we’re really not good at telling people about it.

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BIGGEST SUCCESSES I’m proudest of the week we presented two pioneering international companies. Firstly, Cape Town Opera with their home-grown inspiring piece Mandela Trilogy. Then, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from New York, who are one of the best companies in the world.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED Pantomime is fun! Coming from Australia, where we have no pantomime tradition at all, I was fearful of taking responsibility for the world’s biggest pantomime. I still have moments when I’m completely baffled but love watching how much fun the audience is having.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM It’s been a very welcoming city. The people are very friendly. And there is a fantastic independent restaurant and café scene, especially around where I live in the Jewellery Quarter.

DOWNTIME I recharge by riding horses at least twice a week and have an annual holiday somewhere off the beaten track.

Over New Year I was riding horses for a week in the Western Sahara, without seeing a road or having any phone signal. Bliss.

FINALLY… My top tip for the Hippodrome’s autumn season is a show called Vamos Cuba, running from 1 to 5 November. I saw it in development in Havana in April and was blown away by the high energy music and dance! I

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YOUNG, GIFTED & BRUMMIE

AMIR ALI The captain of the Villa Rockets and disabled charity ambassador is a man in demand on and off the pitch

hether it’s coaching, captaining wheelchair football teams or leading after-school clubs for disabled children, it’s sport that gets Amir Ali excited. Born with dystrophic dwarfism and scoliosis, Amir has used a power chair all of his life and attended Wilson Stuart Specialist School as a child where he was always competitive having a go at any sport on offer. But it wasn’t until he left school that his sporting career began in earnest.

Amir’s former teachers invited him to come back and coach at an after-school sports club for children with a range of impairments called the Rockets. Honoured to do so, he accepted and enjoyed motivating the kids and watching them flourish. He still does.

Due to Amir’s clear enthusiasm and leadership skills at the club, a friend approached him and asked him to coach a new power wheelchair football team also called The Rockets which he accepted. It became apparent pretty quickly that Amir would be a big asset on the pitch as well as off it, so his cocoaches encouraged him to play and soon he was captaining the side. Amir said: “When they asked me I said yes straight away. I was young and it meant a lot to me. One of my coaches, Martin Mills, has always backed me which has given me immense confidence.”

The team had some success in the regional league, but

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when they were approached by Aston Villa Football Club they didn’t need asking twice! With the club’s support they were able to join the Wheelchair Football Association National League and were renamed the Villa Rockets. The team has gone from strength to strength and in 2010 captained by Amir they were promoted to the top flight of the Premiership Division. “It’s really good exercise. You’re driving around for 40 minutes a game and your body is very tense – not to mention it’s great fun!”

Amir still runs after-school clubs and is determined to encourage young disabled people into sport. He credits his school and family for instilling a love of sport in him which he wants to do for other youngsters. “Having received overwhelming support from my family, teachers and coaches while I was growing up, I always try to give my students and teammates the same level of support,” Amir explained.

So inspirational is Amir that he was approached by national charity Together We Will to become one of its ambassadors for 2016. The charity aims to motivate disabled people to become more active, something Amir can clearly vouch for. He believes above all else that the confidence sport fosters is invaluable. He said: “Confidence is the greatest benefit. You get to meet people who may have similar conditions and interests which helps you learn and grow. Be bold, be brave and go for it!” I

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GROWING PLACES

TRIATHLON TRIUMPH Lottie Hunter, aged nine, from St Andrews Primary School has just completed her first triathlon at the Absolute Youth Triathlon held at Harvey Haddon Sports Village. The course included a 150m swim, 3km bike ride and a 1,200m run. The budding sports star is a squad member of Leicester Sharks swimming club, Rugby Athletics Club and Premier Stars Cheerleaders and has set her sights on winning a sports scholarship to Bromsgrove School.

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highlighting g is committed to Birmingham Livin re’s our s and colleges. He ol ho sc r ou of st the be ws and events test stand-out ne round-up of the la

DRAMATIC: Olivia Wormold in Bromsgrove’s production of Sweeney Todd

RESULTS SUCCESS

STOP PRESS! The Times has named Moreton Hall the country’s top performing non-selective school on the back of outstanding A-Level and GCSE exam results. In addition, Tatler’s Schools Guide declared: “If you’re looking for girl power, you’ll find it at Moreton Hall”, while The Week singled out the school as the best for fostering entrepreneurship. Not a bad start to the academic year!

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Bromsgrove School achieved outstanding A-Level and BTEC results again this year with 15.7 per cent gaining A* grades, 60 per cent gaining A* or A and 86 per cent gaining A* to B grades. In BTEC every entry was graded at least Distinction with 34 of the 43 candidates gaining Distinction* (equivalent to A* at A-Level). IB results reported in the summer were also outstanding with an average point score of 38. The two heads of school – William Lockhart and Kate Edgington – both secured their Oxbridge offers. Bromsgrove’s star of the stage, Olivia Wormold is studying drama at London’s Mountview Academy of the Arts.

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GROWING PLACES

COLLEGE’S BEST YEAR EVER Joseph Chamberlain College is celebrating its best ever A-Level results. For the third year running, the pass rate is 99 per cent with more students than ever achieving grades A*, A and B. Tony Day, deputy principal, said: “Each year, our students do better and better. This is a result of their incredible hard work and the dedication of their teachers.”

WELL DONE: JCC student pick up their results

GRADUATE TAKES TO THE STREET A former student of Birmingham School of Acting has won a role in Coronation Street.

Rob Mallard is playing the part of Daniel Osborne, son of Ken Barlow, in Britain’s longest running soap. Rob graduated from Birmingham School of Acting in 2014 with first-class honours and has also appeared in TV shows Fresh Meat and Emmerdale.

STRING OF ‘A’ GRADES A talented pair of musical siblings hit all the right notes in their GCSE and ALevel results. Daniel Yue, an exceptional violinist from King Edward’s School achieved 10 A*s in his GCSE results and an additional A* with distinction in Further Maths. Daniel’s sister Adelaide who is an accomplished pianist from King Edward VI High School for Girls achieved 4 A*s in her A-Levels securing her place to read Medicine at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

WISSAM’S A RADIO STAR As if results day isn’t stressful enough, Wissam Zendjebil, a pupil from Ark St Albans opened her exam results live on Capital FM Birmingham. She needn’t have worried though as she achieved an impressive four A*s, five As and two Bs. She said: “Next year I’ll be studying Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Geography A-Levels. My plan is to go to university to study engineering of some sort – I’m aiming for Oxford.”

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SIMPSONS REBORN One year on from Simpsons ambitious refurbishment we caught up with executive chef and reluctant TV star, Luke Tipping n 2015, Birmingham’s original foodie destination and winner of the city’s first Michelin star took the bold step of a total refurbishment. The dramatic makeover included extending the dining area and introducing a fresh, modern vibe to the gorgeous Georgian building. It was a huge undertaking and despite no expense being spared it’s fair to say the new stripped back look divided opinions. Twelve months on Simpsons is better than ever, but ‘it’s been a funny old year,’ says Luke Tipping.

TripAdvisor reviews such as, ‘it looks like IKEA. What have they done to Simpsons?’ smarted admits Luke. “The chairs and tables are handmade solid oak! I’ve learned to let it go and focus on what we do brilliantly, but it was hard at the time not to take it personally.” The changes were really important for Luke. While he was always immensely proud of what they were doing in the kitchen he started to notice parts of the décor beginning to fray round the edges.

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Once finished, the stunning new dining room was on a par with the food and the team was hugely proud of what they’d achieved. “The food has never been compromised and the quality was never in doubt. I think ultimately people don’t like change, so it took a while to convince a few existing customers about the changes,” said Luke.

He admits they made some mistakes, like introducing specials such as fish and fizz and Sunday lunch which detracted from what they were really about and put unnecessary pressure on the kitchen. They also scrapped the a la carte menu, but quickly brought it back when they realised it had been wrong to can it.

The turning point for Luke was when Tom Barnes, head chef at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume came into the restaurant. “We got chatting and got on really well. I often encourage our chefs to spend time in other kitchens and we host chefs from other restaurants too. They gain

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BUSINESS

riding high. It’s moved up a notch in this year’s Good Food Guide to 35th and positive feedback is aplenty.

Collaborations with exciting restaurants from across the country have proved instant hits. An event in November with the Sticky Walnut sold out two months in advance. Eureka nights, where Simpsons chefs including the less experienced create new dishes for diners to test and rate, have proved a winning formula by giving diners an insight into the kitchen as well as some incredible food.

Luke has also made his TV debut in Yes Chef of which he says: “I watched it through my fingers and got a lot of banter on Twitter! I’m not a natural but it’s good for the restaurant and I’d like to do more.”

CULINARY PARTNERSHIP

experience, new ideas and it sparks enthusiasm.

Rather than send one of the chefs to L’Enclume, I went up and spent a week there. I learned so much about the focus of the business and I brought that back with me.”

With a clear focus and crucially a fantastic team including head chef Nathan Eades, Simpsons is

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Luke’s been with business owner Andreas Antona since joining Simpsons in its previous Kenilworth home in 1993 and together they’ve formed quite a culinary partnership. He wasn’t always so keen to wriggle into his chef ’s whites though. He says: “My father was a chef, so we didn’t see much of him and I vowed never to go into a kitchen. I hear chefs saying that they knew at the age of 13 they wanted to spend their lives in a kitchen. Not me! I left school at 16 and had four misspent years before falling into it.”

Having stumbled into banqueting at the Grand Hotel, Luke remembers his dad using a contact to get him into the kitchen at the Plough and Harrow – the place to be in the Eighties. The hours were a bit of a shock mind you. Luke remembers phoning his girlfriend (now wife) from the phone box at the end of the road. He recalls: “I said to her ‘they want me to work split shifts! What’s that all about?’ I just couldn’t believe it.”

He got over the shock of the split shifts and found his foodie feet pretty quickly before joining Andreas.

His dad wasn’t alive to see him get his Michelin star, but Luke knows that he knew they were doing great things at Simpsons. He says: “This has been 25 years of my life. I think my dad would have been proud.” I Simpsons Restaurant, 20 Highfield Road, Edgbaston B15 3DU. Tel 0121 454 3434 www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk

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AIRPORT LANDS RECORD Birmingham Airport recorded its busiest-ever month in its 77year history, with nearly 1.3 million passengers during August. A total of 1,285,911 passengers travelled through the airport, up by 13 per cent compared to the same month last year – equivalent to more than 147,000 more passengers. Both long haul (up 17.2 per cent) and short haul (up 12.5 per cent) traffic saw significant passenger growth.

BUSINESS NEWS BELFRY WINS TITLE AT THE DOUBLE For the second year running, the Belfry Hotel & Resort has been crowned England’s Leading Resort at the prestigious World Travel Awards. Despite stiff competition from some of the finest resorts in the country, The Belfry clinched the title at an awards ceremony in Sardinia.

Sales director Katie Niland and account director Darren Jones collected the award on behalf of the resort.

TOP HOTELS JOIN CHARITY CAMPAIGN Luxury Birmingham hotels, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, are engaging in some friendly rivalry to raise the most money for blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia.

Both hotels are now official corporate partners of the charity and will be fundraising throughout Cure Leukaemia’s Just One More campaign which aims to raise £40,000 to fund a specialist research nurse for a year.

FRIENDLY RIVALRY: Hotel general managers Tony Elvin and Damian Goom

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GROWING: Eventmasters’ MD Denise Sheasby

AGENCY SOARS WITH NEW SPIN-OFF Expanding Birmingham-based sports hospitality agency Eventmasters has launched a spinoff company, Soar Online, to help businesses make the most of their social media and online presence. It is a second diversification for Eventmasters – it also has a catering arm which supplements the firm’s mainstream operation of arranging tickets and hospitality for clients across the UK, covering a huge array of sports such as football, rugby, horse racing and cricket.

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JONNY’S

HAPPY RETURN Midlands firm RBH Creative Communications Agency has appointed Jonny Severn to the role of digital design director. He returns having previously spent two years with the agency before working for a number of digital gaming companies, including Activision where he helped develop DJ Hero 2 and Guitar Hero Live. Most recently he ran his own business, Pixel Smash.

US LEADS BRUM BOOM Foreign investment in Brum is booming!

Latest figures reveal a 188 per cent increase in projects in Greater Birmingham and Solihull since 2011. The Department for International Trade also reports 81 new Foreign Direct Investment projects were created and safeguarded 5,176 jobs in 2015/16 – an increase of 86 per cent from 2011/12. In the wider West Midlands, 11,119 new jobs were created, more than any other region outside London. US firms were the most prominent investors, accounting for a third of all projects.

CULTURE CLUB TRACEY BRAVES THE SHAVE Tracey Hinton, a member of the conveyancing team at law firm Kerwoods, had her head shaved for charity. The mother-of-two from Redditch is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support’s Brave the Shave campaign and has so far reached £500. Tracey lost her brother Richard to cancer at the age of 30 and her father-in-law four years ago. Donations can be made at bravetheshave.org.uk/donate and then type in Tracey Hinton.

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SPONSOR: David Burbidge and Birmingham Airport’s David Winstanley

Coventry’s bid to become UK City of Culture is set for international take off thanks to its latest backing. Birmingham Airport is supporting the city’s effort to land the prestigious title as a Bid Development Sponsor. The airport joins a host of businesses and organisations behind the city’s bid. David Burbidge, chair of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “We are thrilled to have Birmingham Airport on board because having region-wide support is great for Coventry.”

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BARBERING IN THE BULLRING

MAJOR REFURB IN BID TO BE CITY’S No.1 Macdonald Burlington Hotel is targeting becoming the city centre’s leading conference hotel as it undergoes a yearlong refurbishment programme. The opening of the revamped New Street Station, Grand Central, John Lewis and new Midland Metro stop – all right on the doorstep – have contributed to a successful 12 months for the 142-year-old venue. Now bedrooms are set to undergo a makeover with plans to refurbish the first-floor bar, restaurant and public areas.

One of the UK’s leading barbers is snipping and clipping in Birmingham. The new BarberBarber store in the Bullring is the company’s biggest yet.

Among those first through the doors were Michelin-starred chef Adam Stokes of Adam’s Restaurant and Heart FM drivetime host Steve Denyer. During the launch week some of the world’s leading barbers were on hand to offer their support, including stylist to the stars Brum’s own Adee Phelan – famous for creating David Beckham’s Mohawk haircut.

BIG PLANS: General manager James Bee

CUT ABOVE: BarberBarber’s Johnny Shanahan with Adee Phelan

GET FIT WITH GOLDEN GIRL ALEX Local law firm and official legal partner for Commonwealth Games England, Shakespeare Martineau, has unveiled hockey gold medal-winning star Alex Danson as a firm ambassador. The partnership follows the launch of the firm’s health and wellness programme, Walk to the Gold Coast Challenge, which encourages staff to embark on a number of team-based activities designed to promote a healthier workforce.

ENTERPRISE CHIEF STEPS DOWN The man hailed for overseeing a transformation in Birmingham’s business economy has stepped down from his role – so he can bid to become mayor for the West Midlands. Andy Street, the founding chair of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and MD of John Lewis, has applied to be the Conservative candidate in the West Midlands Mayoral election. Steve Hollis, deputy chair of GBSLEP said: “Andy has used his John Lewis experience to drive a transformation in attracting overseas investors to the area.”

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NEW OFFICES NOW OPEN Estate and lettings agency Century 21 Bigwood hosted a successful launch evening at their new office at Colmore Row. Formerly known as CP Bigwood Sales & Lettings, the agency business has been relaunched following CP Bigwood’s acquisition by the SDL Group earlier this year.

Branch manager Justyn Horton said: “With over a decade’s experience, myself and the team are keen property professionals who are eager to share our knowledge and expertise with our customers.”

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NEW FASHION STORE OPENS WITH A PARTY Luke Roper champions Birmingham heritage with launch in Link Street t was party time when a new store opened in Birmingham. Walsall designer Luke Roper and business partner Simon Poole threw open the doors of their new store in Link Street for the first time. Situated on the walkway between Grand Central Station and the Bullring, the impressive new store is designed to champion the group’s Birmingham heritage. A cracking after party in the evening also helped celebrate 15 years in the business. I

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1 Harry Parslow, Megan Poole. 2 Andy Sax. 3 Simon and Deborah Poole, Tracey and Luke Roper. 4 May Parry.

5 Matty Roper, Laura Taylor. 6 Jade Faulkes, Connie Bannock. 7 Sam Gilfoyle, Kate Field, Connor Poole. 8 Steve Grey, Kate Field.

9 Dapz on the Map.

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CITY CENTRE AGENCY MAKES A SPLASH Business community raises a glass to Century 21 Bigwood at Colmore Row

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entury 21 Bigwood, formerly known as CPBigwood Sales & Lettings, enjoyed a successful launch evening at its Colmore Row offices. The new business was launched by Paul Gratton, CEO of the SDL Group, Century 21 UK’s parent company. The evening was attended by clients, contacts and intermediaries from the Birmingham professional community. The agency is a member of both Century 21 – one of the largest residential estate agencies in the world – and the SDL Group, the UK’s fastest-growing independent property services group. I

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1 Lesley Sharkey, Rory Daly, Justyn Horton, Paul Gratton. 2 Nick Cross, Rory Daly, Rob Clifford. 3 Tom Storey, Nahim Mahmood.

4 Mike Hoye, Lesley Sharkey. 5 Suki Barham, Gurpreet Bassi, Justyn Horton. 6 John Ryan, Aaron Tonks. 7 David Hastings, Jo Farrah, Charlotte Armstrong.

Photography by John James

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AGENCY CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY City professionals ‘go green’ to mark JC Social Media’s five years in business special event for more than 150 of the city’s top professionals celebrated JC Social Media’s fifth anniversary. Held at Chung Ying Central, Colmore Row, partygoers enjoyed bright green cocktails and a JC Social Media cake. Founder and sales director Jodie Cook said: “It’s been a fantastic journey and we’re looking forward to the next five years.” The company has appointed Emily Allen as general manager to oversee account operations. I

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1 Mike Eaglesfield, Neil Dunsby. 2 Emily Allen, Henrik Court, Carol Cole. 3 Zeeshan Masood, Katie Staples, Jenny Gora. 4 Spencer Turner, Sarah Turner. 5 Daniel Bridgewater, Henry Poultney. 6 Abbie Thomas-Brown, Phoebus Van Deventer. 7 Oli Hills, Alan Lusty, Mash Ahmed.

8 Tony Taylor, Rebecca Davis, Natalie Whitehouse. 9 Mike Bandar, Paul Fielding, Ben Cook.

Photography by i.one photography

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Deal sees exclusive collaboration between Morgan and Selfridges elfridges teamed up with Morgan to celebrate the launch of the Malvern car maker’s first zero emission, all-electric model with a worldwide exclusive collaboration. Both brands were born in 1909 and to make the collaboration truly unique they are creating a limited edition of the EV3 car, called UK 1909 Edition, blending Morgan’s engineering knowhow and iconic design with Selfridges’ famous flair for fashion. Guests attended a special launch event at the Birmingham store. I

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1 Scott Hardman, Dr Amrit Chandan, Rob Cairns, Apostolos Papamatthaiakis. 2 Luke Mountain, Vita Woods, Johnnie Turpie. 3 James Gilbert, Bruno Barba, Jon Wells. 4 Daniel Shilvock, Will Boon. 5 Sebastian Manes, Steve Morris, Bosse Myhl. 6 Tim Lyons, Lara Darby, Garry Wilson, Jez Coates. 7 Johnnie Turpie, Naaman Brown, Serena Tutt, Paul Brown. 8 Ian Cook, Clive Reeves, Andy Shaw, James Bailey. 9 Stuart Broster, Sam Watts, Josephine Quinlan, Robin Ford.

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GOLFERS CHIP IN TO RAISE CHARITY CASH Players put Second City Pro Am on course to hit £20,000 mark orty-two teams of golfers clubbed together to raise £20,000 for charity as the Second City Charity Pro Am celebrated its 50th anniversary tournament at Little Aston Golf Club. Over the years nearly 7,000 golfers have played in the event, raising more than £500,000 for local and national charities. This year's proceeds will be split between special needs charity Norman Laud Association of Sutton Coldfield and Prostate Cancer UK. Winners on the day were GIN Drinks and Craig Shave. The event was sponsored by the Succession Group, 7iM Investment and Turkish Airlines. I

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1 David Lloyd, Mike Bragg, Mike Dobson, Tim Maxwell. 2 Ian Jones, Ian Harvey, Paul Hill, Brad Hurst. 3 Simon Chamberlain, Nigel Walmsley, Geoff Newton, Jasper Carrott, Jilly Cosgrove, Linda Gawthorpe, Jerry Bray. 4 Peter Skerritt, Peter Skerritt, Chris Greenhalgh. 5 Louise Smith, Richard Meek, Peter Smith, Peggy Meek. 6 Ian Proverbs, Jilly Cosgrove, Tina Bowe, Dougie Brown. 7 Richard McCulloch, Glenn Williams, Brian Miles, Martin Walsh. 8 Jo Bigwood, Di Bradshaw, Jenny Stant, Maggie Roodhouse. 9 Jony Green, Chris Thomas, Ian Greaves, Craig Shave. 10 Jasper Carrott, Trevor Short, Mark Rogers, Mike Wiseman

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GOLF DAY GIVES LOCAL GOOD CAUSES A BOOST Law firm’s annual event at Blackwell club proves a big hit and raises charity cash

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idlands law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys held its annual golf day at Blackwell Golf Club. Some tempting prizes spurred on the 21 teams taking part, with Allied Irish Bank crowned champions. Sam Payne, head of Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ restructuring and insolvency team, said: “We are very pleased to have been able to raise money for our charitable trust to be distributed to local good causes.” I

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1 The winning team from Allied Irish Bank. 2 Mat Waddington, Adam Jordan. 3 Handelsbanken team. 4 Carl Robinson collecting the team’s case of wine. 5 Mat Waddington, Lin Andrew. 6 Leonard Curtis team. 7 Ivan Knezovich’s West Midlands Safari Park team. 8 Mat Wadington, Jim Stevenson. 9 Crowe Clark Whitehill team. 10 CV Global team.

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SOCIAL SCENE

BEST IN THE BUSINESS NAMED AT AWARDS Companies turn out in force to attend inaugural Nachural Ball host of companies were celebrated at the inaugural Nachural Summer Business Ball and Awards dinner at Wolverhampton Racecourse. Guest speaker at the event, organised and hosted by Ninder Johal, was Paul Lalli, CEO of multi-million Midlands computer services company Solid Systems Global. Winners included: Entrepreneur of the Year – Raj Gill, Community Excellence – SAFS and Business of the Year Award – BJS Distribution.

A special lifetime achievement award went to Charan Dass Sohal. The event helped raise more than £3,500 for Promise Dreams, the charity which supports seriously and terminally ill children and their families. I

A

Photography by Jas Sansi

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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: Great Birmingham Run

WHAT: King Lear

WHEN: 16 October

WHEN: Until 15 October

WHERE: Central Birmingham

WHERE: RSC’s Royal Shakespeare

www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham-run

Theatre, tel 01789 403493

Attracting competitors from across the UK and around the world with live music, screaming fans and some iconic landmarks en-route to help spur runners on to raise money and complete a personal challenge.

www.rsc.org.uk King Lear has ruled for many years and as age begins to overtake him, he divides his kingdom amongst his children. But vanity clouds his judgement and soon he is left alone in the wilderness, confronting the mistakes of a life that has brought him to this point.

WHAT: All Saints: Red Flag Tour

WHAT:Grand Designs Live

WHEN: 14 October

WHEN: 19 to 23 October

WHERE: O2 Academy Birmingham, tel 0121 622 8250

WHERE: NEC, tel 0844 854 1348

www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk

www.granddesignslive.com

The girls became one of the most symbolic British pop groups of the 1990s, achieving five No. 1 singles and two multiplatinum albums in the process. Now on their first UK tour in over 15 years, supporting their latest album, Red Flag.

With 500 exhibitors on show this is a cracking chance to view the latest trends and unseen products in self-build, from kitchens to gardens and everything in-between.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt WHEN: 20 to 22 October WHERE: The Old Rep Theatre, 0121 359 9444 www.oldreptheatre.co.uk WHAT: "ABBA-RIGINAL" tribute to ABBA WHEN: 28 October WHERE: The Lake at Barston, tel 01675 444890 www.thelakeatbarston.co.uk Dig out your 70's gear and groove the night away as this cracking tribute act performs all the classic hits. Mamma Mia this is a great night for all ages that won’t fail to get you up on the dance floor.

Based on the awesome book by Michael Rosen the Little Angel Theatre brings this thrilling and funny adventure to life in this entrancing puppetry production.

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 Oscarwinning writer Simon Beaufoy, this hilarious and heartfelt production stars Gary Lucy and has been sweeping up a whole host of awards.

WHAT: The Exorcist WHEN: 21 October to 5 November WHAT: Birmingham Literature Festival WHEN: 8 to 17 October WHERE: Various venues, www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org Run by Writing West Midlands, the festival is firmly established as the region’s biggest writing event. With a full programme of more than 80 writers taking part including the Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell and famed Brummie poet Benjamin Zephaniah

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WHERE: Birmingham Rep, tel 0121 245 2024 www.birmingham-rep.co.uk Inspired by true events, the Oscar-winning film version of this story has terrified millions since its release in 1973. Now this brand new stage production is unleashed for the very first time. This may shock and offend so strictly 18+. You have been warned…

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WHAT’S ON WHAT: Mark Thomas: Red Shed WHEN: 18 and 19 October WHERE: Mac Birmingham, tel 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk A story of strikes, fights, dinner ladies and commies.

Pickets, placards, friendship, love, history, dreams and above all remembering. In a show that involves a wee bit of audience participation this is part theatre, stand up and a bit of activism.

WHAT: Nina Conti WHEN: 30 October WHERE: Town Hall, box office 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk The voice-throwing queen is back on the road with her sell-out show that turns members of the audience into the start of the show. Expect the unexpected!

WHAT: Spooky Halloween WHEN: 30 October WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens tel 0121 212 3383 www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk Come along, if you dare, for a Spooky Spectacle as the night draws in. Dress in your best costume and be prepared for some spine-tingling fun!

WHAT: Brian Cox WHEN: 20 October WHERE: Symphony Hall, box office, tel 0121 345 0600 www.thsh.co.uk Perhaps the world’s foremost communicator of all things scientific will take you on a dazzling journey through space and time.

WHAT: The Nutcracker WHEN: 25 November to 13 December WHERE: Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome, WHAT: Take That with Fake That WHEN: 15 October WHERE: Nailcote Hall, tel 02476 466174 www.nailcotehall.co.uk An amazing tribute to the ultimate boy bands, featuring all the huge hits from Take That... Back For Good, Could It Be Magic, Everything Changes and more.

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www.brb.org.uk No sooner have the kids gone back to school and the pre-Christmas planning begins. Really no point in fighting it and there’s no better way to embrace the festive season than with this stunning ballet that delights young and old alike.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT: The Buzzcocks WHEN: 18 October WHERE: Copper Rooms, Coventry, tel 024 765 72777 www.thecopperrooms.com One of the most important and influential bands ever are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year with an awesome worldwide tour that pops into the Midlands this month. Original and best.

WHAT: The Birmingham Comedy Festival WHEN: 7 to 16 October WHERE:Various more details at www.bhamcomfest.co.uk One of the largest independent arts festival in the region featuring A-list heavy-hitters and a vast range of new local acts. Stand-up comedy is at the core but there’s also theatre, cabaret, puppet shows, film screenings, poetry readings, food…you get the idea; just make sure you get involved too.

WHAT: Disney On Ice presents Frozen WHEN: 25 to 30 October WHERE: Barclaycard Arena, tel 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com Enter a fantastical winter wonderland beyond imagination and be magically whisked away to wintry Arendelle by dazzling special effects and astonishing skating. Hosted by Mickey and Minnie with special appearances from some of Disney’s best loved characters.

WHAT: Joe McElderry WHEN: 19 October WHERE: Redditch Palace Theatre, tel 01527 65203 www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk Following his successful stint as the lead in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the versatile X Factor star embarks on a new tour which will appeal to a wide audience with a foot tapping family show.

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IN THE CITY We need honest owners who care about the supporters, not just the bottom line, and who are prepared to invest and bring some pride back to the region

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I am Tom Ross. I was head of sport at Free Radio (formerly BRMB) for 35 years and I can now be heard on national station talkSPORT among other things. I write a weekly column in the Birmingham Mail and spend a fair amount of time talking to football fans on Twitter and Facebook.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN? Until three months ago I went to work via the A38 expressway but now have an office at my home in Sutton Coldfield.

”

WHERE'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY? This will sound trite but I genuinely love our city. I grew up in the inner city slums of the 50s around Summer Lane and New John Street West – and I’m proud to call Birmingham home. And the people are proper.

AFTERWORK PINT? Sometimes a Diet Coke at All Bar One or Pitcher and Piano in Brindleyplace or out and about chatting to football fans at various events.

HOW'S THE COMMUTE? I still come into Birmingham regularly for meetings and covering matches and to be honest it can be a nightmare with the roadworks. The closed access to the M6 at Salford Circus can also be a problem!

HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER? Complete the road works so that people The voice of city football, don’t take hours to get in and out of the Tom Ross city. The city centre beggars and preachers issue needs to be addressed. Broad Street needs to be classier with the over-inebriated dealt with as it can be IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO WORK IN? intimidating for visitors. I would like to see the whole city I love working in my hometown and have been proud to marketed better as we have some wonderful places to visit, do so for many years – it’s such a vibrant and alive city. be it for a meal or a drink.

COFFEE BREAK? As I am teetotal you can’t beat sitting outside Costa in Brindleyplace on a sunny lunchtime, watching the world go by. For lunch it’s EAT and if more substantial then CIELO’s in Brindleyplace.

POWERWALKING? There’s a park next door to my house so I often walk around there to pump the heart and to get some fresh air and Sutton Park is just down the road. I remember our many BRMB Party in the Park concerts at Cannon Hill too – who can forget when Lionel Richie turned up?

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…AND THE FOOTBALL? The area is in the doldrums at the moment but there is a case for optimism with new Chinese owners at Villa and West Brom and new Chinese owners at Blues also set to be confirmed. We need honest owners who care about the supporters, not just the bottom line, and who are prepared to invest and bring some pride back to the region. And, more affordable ticket prices please... I Tom’s new book The Game’s Gone: The Autobiography of Tom Ross is available from Waterstones and on Amazon

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