Local charities and community organisations are being invited to take part in one of Lichfield’s much-loved Christmas traditions as preparations begin for the annual Santa Sleigh fundraiser.
Organised by Lichfield Round Table, the popular festive initiative sees Father Christmas travel through local streets during December, bringing seasonal cheer to families while raising money for worthwhile causes.
Each evening, representatives from participating charities and community groups accompany Santa’s sleigh, helping collect donations and promote the work of local organisations.
Applications to participate open today, Friday 16 October 2026.
The Santa Sleigh has become a familiar part of Christmas in Lichfield, combining festive entertainment with practical support for the local community.
For participating organisations, the initiative provides an opportunity to raise funds, meet residents and increase awareness of their work.
The annual event also depends on volunteers who give their time throughout the Christmas period.
Local charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profit groups interested in participating are encouraged to follow Lichfield Round Table’s announcements.
Further details about the application process will be published through the organisation’s Facebook page.
The Foley Arms in Sutton Coldfield is undergoing a £270,000 refurbishment as it prepares to reopen on Wednesday 28 October 2026 with a completely new look and an exciting sports-focused experience.
The popular community pub, which temporarily closed on 5 October, is being transformed into one of Marston’s new Grandstand sports pubs, designed to bring the atmosphere of a major sporting event into the heart of the local community.
A Stadium-Style Experience
The refurbishment will introduce multiple large television screens, a state-of-the-art immersive sound system and flexible tiered seating, giving customers excellent views of the sporting action.
The pub’s beer garden is also receiving a makeover, complete with outdoor screens, while customers will be able to order food and drinks through the Marston’s Order & Pay app without missing a moment of their favourite sporting events.
Once reopened, the Foley Arms will screen a wide variety of sports, including football, rugby, cricket, tennis, Formula One, darts and horse racing.
Pool tables and regulation dartboards will also return, with plans for competitive leagues and free-to-play sessions.
Celebrating Sutton Coldfield’s Sporting Heritage
One particularly interesting feature of the transformation is the pub’s plan to decorate its walls with memorabilia celebrating local sporting achievements.
The Foley Arms is inviting local sports clubs, teams and residents to contribute photographs and memorabilia highlighting Sutton Coldfield’s sporting stars and memorable moments, both past and present.
General Manager Kassidy Lees said:
“We will have some amazing new technology, food and drink offers and events, and we want as many local people to be featured on our walls as possible. We can’t wait to welcome all our regulars and some new faces in, to see the new and improved Foley Arms.”
The initiative offers an opportunity for local sports clubs to see their achievements recognised and celebrated within the community.
New Match Day Food and Drinks
Alongside the refurbishment, the Foley Arms will introduce a new food offering designed for sports fans and groups of friends.
Its Match Day Menu will feature favourites including chicken wings, nachos, steak and ale pie, burgers and grills.
The drinks selection is also being refreshed, with draught beers available in two-pint cups.
Local sports teams will be able to apply for a special Black Card, offering exclusive benefits, rewards for celebrating victories and unlimited chips on team nights.
A New Chapter for a Community Favourite
Marston’s says the Foley Arms was selected for its Grandstand transformation because of its established connections with local sports teams, community organisations and charities.
The company hopes the investment will strengthen the pub’s position as a meeting place for local residents while attracting sports enthusiasts from across Sutton Coldfield and the surrounding area.
With its reopening scheduled for Wednesday 28 October, the Foley Arms is preparing to welcome regular customers and new visitors to experience its transformed surroundings.
West Midlands Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in his twenties after a stabbing in Sutton Coldfield.
Emergency services were called to the car park of the Beggars Bush pub on Chester Road shortly before 2am on Sunday 11 October 2026.
Despite efforts to save him, the man sadly died.
Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Police are particularly keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have CCTV, dashcam or mobile-phone footage that could assist their enquiries.
Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police, quoting log 345 of 11 October 2026.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends at this difficult time.
A new lift bridge on the Lichfield Canal has officially been named in honour of the man who helped design it, marking another important milestone in the ambitious project to restore the city’s historic waterway.
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) has celebrated the opening of Buck’s Bridge at Gallows Reach, off Tamworth Road, with former trustee and bridge designer Peter Buck unveiling the nameplate.
The ceremony recognised Peter’s contribution to the restoration project and the dedication of the volunteers, engineers and supporters who have helped turn the plans into reality.
A Bridge Built Through Community Support
Installed in April 2026, the new lift bridge provides a safe crossing over the canal route, maintaining the public right of way between Longbridge Road and Tamworth Road.
When the restored canal becomes navigable, the bridge will be able to lift to allow boats to pass beneath it.
The project was made possible through generous community support, including £39,000 raised during the Trust’s Big Give Christmas Challenge in 2022 and a further £21,000 donated through the legacy of a local supporter.
Specialist engineering company ProMack Ltd carried out the installation, supported by groundwork from Walsh Construction and the efforts of LHCRT volunteers.
Restoring a Piece of Lichfield’s Heritage
Buck’s Bridge forms part of the wider Gallows Reach restoration project, which aims to reconnect sections of the historic Lichfield Canal.
The scheme includes approximately 650 metres of restored canal channel between London Road and Borrowcop Locks Canal Park, a new lock near Cricket Lane, improved pedestrian access and additional landscaping.
Work is being undertaken in stages, with volunteers playing a central role in bringing the waterway back to life.
The restoration also aims to enhance the surrounding environment through new planting, improved habitats and opportunities for residents to enjoy the canal corridor.
A Lasting Tribute
Naming the bridge after Peter Buck recognises both his engineering contribution and the years of commitment behind the canal’s revival.
For the Trust and its supporters, the new crossing represents far more than a practical piece of infrastructure. It is another visible sign of progress towards the long-term ambition of bringing boats back to Lichfield.
With further restoration work planned over the coming years, Buck’s Bridge will stand as a lasting reminder of what community determination, technical expertise and volunteer dedication can achieve.
A remarkable community fundraising challenge in Lichfield has raised almost £30,000 for Kids’ Village, bringing the charity another step closer to helping seriously ill children and their families enjoy much-needed respite breaks.
The One More Lap challenge saw more than 20 teams come together at Lichfield’s picturesque Stowe Pool for a 12-hour fundraising event, demonstrating the generosity and determination of the local community.
By the end of the challenge, an impressive £29,788 had been raised for Kids’ Village, a charity working to create a dedicated respite holiday village for children living with serious illnesses and their families.
A Community United for a Special Cause
Throughout the event, participants completed laps around Stowe Pool, with teams working together to keep the challenge going over the 12-hour period.
The event brought together people of different ages and abilities, united by a shared determination to support a project that could make a meaningful difference to families facing incredibly difficult circumstances.
The impressive fundraising total reflects not only the efforts of those taking part but also the generosity of sponsors, supporters and the wider Lichfield community.
Helping Families Make Precious Memories
Kids’ Village is working towards establishing a purpose-built holiday village where seriously ill children and their families can spend valuable time together away from the pressures of hospital appointments and medical treatment.
The charity’s vision is to provide a welcoming environment where families can relax, enjoy new experiences and create lasting memories.
Fundraising initiatives such as One More Lap play an important role in helping to turn that vision into reality.
Looking Ahead to 2027
Following the success of this year’s event, another One More Lap challenge is being planned for September 2027.
With such an enthusiastic response from participants and supporters, organisers will be hoping to build on this year’s achievements and continue raising vital funds for Kids’ Village.
For everyone who took part, volunteered, sponsored or supported the event, the £29,788 total represents a tremendous community achievement — and another encouraging step towards making the Kids’ Village dream a reality.
Patients in Sutton Coldfield and surrounding areas will have greater opportunities to take part in potentially life-changing medical research following the opening of a dedicated clinical research facility at Good Hope Hospital.
The new facility, located in the hospital’s former CU27 ward, provides a purpose-designed environment for clinical trials and medical studies, helping researchers explore new approaches to patient treatment and care.
Previously, research participants were seen in different parts of the hospital, including existing wards, depending on the availability of space.
The new dedicated facility will provide a more consistent and comfortable setting, while allowing the hospital to expand the range of research opportunities available to local patients.
A Special First Patient
Among the first to benefit is 95-year-old Joan, who has become the facility’s first research participant.
Joan is taking part in a stroke study led by consultant Dr Yadava, investigating how two different medications may affect cognitive function following a stroke.
For Joan, having the research facility close to home has made a significant difference. Travelling further afield would not have been practical, meaning she might otherwise have missed the opportunity to participate.
Her involvement highlights one of the new facility’s most important benefits: making medical research more accessible to people in their own communities.
Expanding Research at Good Hope
The opening represents another step in the development of clinical research at Good Hope Hospital, which serves Sutton Coldfield and communities across North Birmingham and south-east Staffordshire.
Jo Plumb, Director of Research and Innovation at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, welcomed the development, explaining that the dedicated space will support a wider range of clinical studies and make research more accessible to local patients.
The investment has been supported by the hospital’s executive team, recognising the importance of developing research services alongside everyday patient care.
Opportunities for Local Patients
The new facility is expected to create further opportunities for patients to participate in clinical research, contributing to studies that may help improve future treatments and healthcare.
Patients and healthcare professionals interested in becoming involved in research at Good Hope Hospital can contact the research team at [email protected].
The opening marks an encouraging development for local healthcare, bringing medical research closer to the communities the hospital serves.
Lichfield Camera Club is celebrating a double success after reaching the final of a prestigious national photography competition and achieving an impressive set of results in a regional exhibition.
The club has secured a place in the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain’s Inter-Club Print Championship final, which takes place on Saturday 24 October.
The competition brings together leading camera clubs from across the country, making qualification a significant achievement for the Lichfield group.
There was further cause for celebration in the Midland Mono Exhibition, where club members achieved 17 accepted entries, three more than the previous year.
Among the individual successes was Anne Anderson, who received a Gary medal for her atmospheric photograph Morning Mist Over Derwentwater.
Fellow member Sue Freeman also received recognition, earning a PAGB ribbon for her striking photograph of Whitby Abbey.
Club chairman Joe Anderson welcomed the achievements, highlighting the contribution of talented new members and the high standard of photography being produced by the relatively small club.
He also emphasised that Lichfield Camera Club continues to welcome photographers of all abilities, offering opportunities to develop both creative and technical skills.
With the national final approaching, members now have another exciting occasion to look forward to as they represent Lichfield on the national photographic stage.
The wait is nearly over — Sutton Coldfield’s new Aldi is set to open its doors on Thursday 8 October at 8am.
The new supermarket on Brassington Avenue has been taking shape over recent months and is part of Aldi’s continuing UK expansion programme. Aldi confirmed Sutton Coldfield among 16 locations due to receive new stores during 2026.
The development brings the previously vacant Brassington Avenue site back into use close to the town centre. The site has been earmarked for redevelopment for a number of years, with earlier proposals never coming to fruition.
With the finishing touches now going in, shoppers don’t have much longer to wait.
Plans for a new rooftop sports venue at Sutton Coldfield’s Gracechurch Shopping Centre have been revised.
The original scheme, approved in February, would reuse the upper level of the multi-storey car park for sports courts, together with a clubhouse and associated facilities.
The latest application proposes replacing one of the approved tennis courts with four padel courts, as well as extending the venue’s permitted opening hours until 11pm.
An earlier attempt to make similar changes — including opening until midnight — was refused in August. The revised application was submitted in September and is currently awaiting a decision, with consultation open until 12 October.
The development forms part of efforts to bring more leisure uses into Sutton Coldfield town centre. Earlier this year, Royal Sutton Coldfield BID said the sports proposals could help diversify the town centre and encourage increased footfall outside traditional retail hours.
What do you think of the revised plans — would you use a town-centre padel venue?
The TG Jones store in Sutton Coldfield’s Gracechurch Centre, formerly WHSmith, is set to close on Saturday 9 January 2027, bringing another change to the town’s retail landscape.
The branch, situated at 140–142 The Parade, is among approximately 150 stores affected by the retailer’s nationwide restructuring programme.
For generations of shoppers, WHSmith was a familiar destination for books, newspapers, magazines, stationery and much more. Although the store was rebranded TG Jones following the sale of WHSmith’s high street business in 2025, many local residents will still know it by its former name.
What Happens to the Post Office?
One of the most significant consequences of the closure concerns the Post Office operating within the store.
The Sutton Coldfield branch provides a range of services, including postal services, everyday banking, bill payments and other essential transactions.
Post Office representatives have confirmed that they are considering expressions of interest from potential replacement operators.
However, establishing a replacement branch could take approximately six months, meaning residents may face a period without a Post Office in the town centre.
The precise closure date for the existing Post Office has yet to be finalised.
Alternative branches identified by the Post Office include Reddicap Heath, Whitehouse Common, Boldmere and Falcon Lodge.
Residents are advised to check individual branch opening hours and available services before travelling.
Part of a Nationwide Restructuring
TG Jones was established following the acquisition of WHSmith’s UK high street business by Modella Capital in 2025.
The company subsequently embarked on a major restructuring programme, approved by the High Court in July 2026, involving the closure of up to 150 stores.
The Sutton Coldfield closure forms part of that programme.
TG Jones has acknowledged the disappointment the decision will cause and stated that supporting affected employees remains a priority.
The company’s Tamworth store at Ventura Retail Park is also scheduled to close, on 9 October 2026.
A Familiar Name in Sutton Coldfield
For many local people, WHSmith was much more than somewhere to buy a newspaper or a birthday card.
It was a regular stop during a shopping trip, somewhere to browse the latest books, pick up a magazine or stock up on stationery.
For those who grew up visiting the town centre, the name WHSmith became part of the familiar shopping landscape.
The forthcoming closure also carries a personal connection for What’s On In Sutton Coldfield.
Our photographer and editor, Nigel Gambles, previously worked for WHSmith in Birmingham and regularly covered shifts at the Sutton Coldfield branch.
Having spent time working in the store, the announcement brings back memories of a business that was once a fixture of British high streets.
Its closure marks another chapter in the changing story of Sutton Coldfield’s town centre.
WHSmith in Sutton Coldfield’s Gracechurch Centre, pictured around the time our editor Nigel Gambles worked for the company and regularly covered shifts at the branch.
A Personal Connection
For our editor Nigel Gambles, the closure is particularly poignant. Having worked for WHSmith in Birmingham and regularly covered shifts at the Sutton Coldfield branch, he remembers the store from an era when the Gracechurch Centre was a bustling part of everyday town life.
The familiar WHSmith frontage was a fixture of the shopping centre for generations, and its transformation into TG Jones marked another chapter in the changing face of Sutton Coldfield’s retail landscape.
The forthcoming closure brings that chapter to an end.
What Happens Next?
The store is expected to continue trading until January, with the Post Office working to secure replacement premises.
For residents, the priority will be maintaining convenient access to essential postal services, particularly for those who rely on the town centre branch.
What’s On In Sutton Coldfield will continue to follow developments, including any announcement concerning a replacement Post Office.
Further information: TG Jones and Post Office branch information.
The closure details, company statement and Post Office arrangements are reported in the local coverage, with current branch information available from the official retailer and Post Office websites.
