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Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID

The current Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID term is due to end on 31st December 2021 and must undergo a Renewal. Businesses within the BID area have the opportunity to support a third five-year term.
There have been many challenges throughout the last few years that have impacted Sutton Coldfield town centre. The retail industry has changed beyond measure – this is why it is even more important to work together to ensure we all get it right for the future.
Through a business-led programme, the BID’s vision is to work with others to define, develop and promote the identity of Sutton Coldfield which reflects its strengths, characteristics and heritage and is a safe and vibrant place generating pride for its businesses, residents and visitors.
Angela Henderson, Chair of Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID, said:
“By collaborating with Sutton Coldfield Town Council and Birmingham City Council on delivering and promoting the town’s master plan we have a unique opportunity to survive huge changes and have a say in future changes.”
This is why we need you to #VoteYESsuttoncoldfieldBID to ensure that the business people in the town have a voice and ensure that we end up with a town fit for purpose.
Renewal information has been sent to all eligible businesses, so make sure to return your paper so we can continue to have a collective business voice in the town centre.

Giant Tentacles in Birmingham

The giant tentacles have been installed this week to celebrate Halloween.

Bewildered shoppers have been reacting to a huge octopus installation which has appeared on top of the Bullring.

The bizarre creature (or creatures) can be seen clearly when walking down St Martin’s Walk in the city centre.

Bright blue, green and red octopus tentacles appear to dangle over the shopping centre’s rooftop.

The creative work, near to Five Guys and Next, has been installed by the Bullring to celebrate Halloween.

Bullring bosses said it will remain in place all week to coincide with its ‘scary’ and immersive experience ‘Séance’. 👇

https://www.bullring.co.uk/events/seance

Photo Credit : The octopus tentacles from St Martin’s Walk (Image: Harry Leach)

Neighbourhood Watch Launches ‘SAY NO TO ASB’ Campaign

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) incidents have increased over the last three years. Police forces, councils and housing associations are reporting significant spikes in ASB cases – and these are not minor incidents. They are complex and serious cases causing real harm to many people.

To help tackle the issue, Neighbourhood Watch are running a campaign encouraging people to ‘SAY NO TO ASB’.
The campaign will run from the 25th October through to the 21st November on their social channels with key information on recognising, recording, and reporting ASB on our website: ourwatch.org.uk/asb.

45% of people say ASB is a problem where they live, and 56% of those who had either been a victim of or a witness to ASB did not report it to anyone. *

They are running a free online ‘SAY NO TO ASB’ webinar on 15th November at 5pm with the charity ASB Help as part of the campaign. Places are limited. To book your place, visit ourwatch.org.uk/webinars.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN

  • Follow us them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and share their posts to your social channels, including WhatsApp community groups, to encourage more people to SAY NO TO ASB
  • Download their ‘Recognising, Recording and Reporting ASB Guide’ from ourwatch.org.uk/asb to share with your community
  • Download their 14-day ‘ASB Diary’ from ourwatch.org.uk/asb to support you in recognising, recording, and reporting ASB incidents in your area.
  • To find out more and SAY NO TO ASB, visit  ourwatch.org.uk/asb.

If you would like a digital campaign pack, please email [email protected].

* Data source: Taking Back our Communities – working together to make communities safer report, commissioned in 2021 by RESOLVE, a Centre of Excellence solely focused upon community safety and antisocial behaviour

Sutton Coldfield’s Alice Kinsella overcome with emotion after achieving Olympics ambition

Alice Kinsella admitted she fought back the tears as she finally achieved her lifetime ambition.

The 20-year old gymnast helped Great Britain book their place in Tuesday’s women’s final after making her Olympic debut in Tokyo.

However, she confessed there was work to do with her all-around score of 51.665, following the vault, uneven bars, beam and floor, leaving room for improvement.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” said the Walsall star.

“Obviously, it’s been a dream of mine since I was little and now, I can finally say that I’m officially an Olympian and it feels very special.

“There was plenty of emotion out there, though it felt very different without a crowd. I can say I’m an Olympian for the rest of my life and that’s all that matters.”

British Gymnastics made the decision to prioritise the women’s team event in Tokyo, selecting a youthful squad they really think will be primed when the Games arrive in Paris in three years.

Kinsella won balance beam gold at Commonwealth Games in 2018 and then landed the European title 12 months later.

Sutton Coldfield’s Laura Unsworth becomes most-decorated GB hockey star

Sutton Coldfield’s Laura Unsworth becomes most-decorated GB hockey star

Unsworth helped Britain beat India in a 4-3 thriller to claim bronze and keep their proud place on the women’s hockey podium.

Unsworth, 33, became the first British male or female hockey player to capture three Olympic medals – bronze in London and Tokyo, and gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“To be honest, it probably is up there with the Rio gold medal,” she said. “The things we have had to overcome as a team, people don’t know about. As a squad, we stuck together. We have been resilient – we fight.

“If someone told me when I first started playing hockey when I was 11 that I would win three Olympic medals, I would have just looked at them and said: ‘you what’?”

Prime Ministers Stage 4 Announcement

After the Prime Ministers announcement last night here is a summary of what is going to happen from July 19th

There will no longer be limits on social contact.

The rule of six indoors and rule of 30 outdoors will be axed.

Nightclubs can reopen, with attendance caps for mass events also axed.

The one metre rule will also be scrapped.

Face masks – The onus will shift from a mandated law to “personal responsibility.”

But it’s worth saying each firm and company, or hospitality business, or travel firm, can set its own rules.

The work from home guidance is ending, BUT – there is a caveat: it is up to the employer.

There is no advice to return to work.

Hospitality – Table service will be axed, as will mandated eating and drinking while sat at tables.

The QR codes when you arrive will also be a thing of the past.

Care homes – The five-person limit on each resident’s number of “named visitors” will be lifted.

Covid passports – There is no planned rollout of a domestic vaccine passport system.

NHS Test and Trace

Free asymptomatic testing – include lateral flow tests that you can order to your home – will be extended to September 30 for now. .

Contact tracing will continue.

It will remain a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, or are asked to do so by Test and Trace.

Official Opening Of Streetly Exchange

We were recently invited to photograph the opening of the “Streetly Exchange” The phone box was adopted by Shenstone Parish Council who also helped fund the renovations along with the local community who helped raise funds. The work was carried out by volunteers ( Anne-Marie, Will, Mary, Katie, Ramona and Phil).
Present for the ribbon cutting were Cllr David Salter also chair of Shenstone Parish Council, Cllr David Smith Staffordshire County Council and Stuart Jones from Shenstone Parish Council

Moor Hall Celebrates 60 Years

We are celebrating 60 years of family ownership! ✌️☮️🌼
Our team turned back time to 1961 to launch the celebrations of our family-owned hotel’s diamond anniversary celebrations.
In 1961, local entrepreneur Michael Webb bought Moor Hall when he and a friend thought that Sutton Coldfield could do with a venue for late night dancing and drinking. He came across Moor Hall which had been owned by the Streather family for more than 30 years. Although a 17-bedroom licensed hotel, it was more of a private hotel as the guests were either retired or widowers that stayed on a permanent basis.
Michael Webb opened Moor Hall in August 1961 as a private members’ club as this was the only way to serve drinks after hours. Different live bands played each night and Moor Hall quickly became known as the place to be.
In the 1970s meeting rooms and extra bedrooms were added and in the 1980s the family continued to invest with a £1m extension which incorporated a new banqueting suite and more bedrooms. The fitness centre was built in the 1990s which included an indoor swimming pool and in the 2000s the hotel was awarded 4 AA stars and became the first UK hotel to achieve Premier status in Best Western.
In later years the Webb family expanded their business with the purchase more properties which include The George Hotel in Lichfield, The Gables Hotel near Bristol, The Cathedral Hotel in Lichfield and The Red Lion in Newborough.
Then in 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic hit and for the first time since 1961 the hotel closed its doors and the family moved in during lockdown for maintenance and security. Moor Hall helped out the local community by opening a shop selling the basics during the first few weeks of lockdown when toilet rolls, flour and eggs were scarce. The hotel has now reopened again and the family is looking forward to celebrating the diamond anniversary.
Click here for more information
👗 Costumes provided by The Costume Department
📸 Photos by Nigel Gambles of What’s On In Sutton Coldfield
🌸 Van flower powered by Ikew design – James Wilson

SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN HALL TO RECEIVE OVER £34,000 FROM SECOND ROUND OF THE GOVERNMENT’S CULTURE RECOVERY FUND 

PRESS RELEASE 2 April 2021

SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN HALL TO RECEIVE OVER £34,000 FROM SECOND ROUND OF THE GOVERNMENT’S CULTURE RECOVERY FUND 

  • Royal Town’s Heritage Arts venue among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund 
  • This award will allow the December pantomime to progress and event sales to recommence.         

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, an Edwardian arts venue in Birmingham, has received a grant of £34,400 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including the charitable trust-run Town Hall in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

The venue, which is currently being used as a vaccination centre for the NHS, will now be able to recommence planning of its 2021/22 shows and room hire. The staging of ‘Cinderella’ had been in jeopardy with not enough reserves to support the production of the show, which is key to the venue’s financial sustainability. As a result of the grant, the Trust can return more staff to work, enabling the venue to market its autumn programme, which starts in September with the sell-out Gary Powndland comedy show.

Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:

“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.

Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

The Town Hall’s Managing Director, Julie Rennison, said:

“This funding is crucial to our recovery, as it takes months behind the scenes to plan and market our programme – particularly the pantomime. With this support, and with confidence in a return to full houses once vaccinations are complete, we have a much better chance of a successful relaunch in the autumn and a welcome return of our traditional Christmas shows.” 

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:

“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.  

 We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”

The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.