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FREE | ISSUE 5 | AUGUST 16<br />

BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />

In The<br />

WIN FESTIVAL TICKETS - P11<br />

THE GLAM FASHIONISTA - P14<br />

OPENING OF<br />

FSK MERE GREEN - P22<br />

INTRODUCING OUR FITNESS<br />

BLOGGER IDREES - P59<br />

RIO <strong>2016</strong><br />

LET'S GO<br />

TEAM GB!<br />

OPULENT SAINT PAUL'S<br />

HOUSE - P62


<strong>August</strong> Listings<br />

Live Music Every Friday & Saturday<br />

Evening as well as Sunday Lunchtime<br />

Open Mic Night every Tuesday,<br />

come along and join in with the fun<br />

September Listings<br />

Fri 5th, Institutions<br />

Sat 6th, C-Jam<br />

Sun 7th, Maz Mitrenko Band<br />

Fri 12th, Big Wolf band<br />

Sat 13th, Broombusters<br />

Sun 14th, Big Steve & the Bo’s<br />

Fri 19th, Greenway<br />

Sat 20th, Wild Clover<br />

Sun 21st, 58’s Blues band<br />

Fri 26th, Herbaceous Borders<br />

Sat 27th, AC 30’s<br />

Sun 28th, Chris Corcoran Trio,<br />

Featuring, Aussie Jake on vocals<br />

Mon 29th, Bank Holiday - 1.30pm<br />

Pete Hyde & the Vieillards<br />

Fri 2nd, J.D. Lucas & the Groove Ghetto<br />

Sat 3rd, Mind the Gap<br />

Sun 4th, Andy Stones<br />

Fri 9th, Free Spirit<br />

Sat 10th, Blue Soul<br />

Sun 11th, Fret & Fiddle<br />

Fri 16th, Honey Boy Hickling Band<br />

Sat 17th, Swim with Sharks<br />

Sun 18th, Touch Dou<br />

Fri 23rd, Thirsty Work<br />

Sat 24th, Bang on the Ear<br />

Sun 25th, Ann Duggan Trio<br />

Fri 30th, Acoustic Giants<br />

Call today on 0121 200 2223<br />

Visit our web site www.fiddleandbone.co.uk<br />

or email@fiddleandbone.co.uk<br />

Fiddle and Bone, Sheepcote street, Birmingham. B16 8AE


THE GLAM FASHIONISTA - P14<br />

OPENING OF<br />

FSK MERE GREEN - P22<br />

INTRODUCING OUR FITNESS<br />

BLOGGER IDREES - P59<br />

OPULENT SAINT PAUL'S<br />

HOUSE - P62<br />

CONTENTS // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />

3<br />

WELCOME<br />

LETTER<br />

FROM THE<br />

EDITOR<br />

FREE | ISSUE 5 | AUGUST 16<br />

BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />

RIO <strong>2016</strong><br />

LET'S GO<br />

TEAM GB!<br />

In The<br />

WIN FESTIVAL TICKETS - P11<br />

Welcome to the 5th edition of In The City Magazine Birmingham.<br />

Following the success of our festival themed magazine, we aim to<br />

keep your spirits high and bring to you the Olympics <strong>2016</strong> hosted in<br />

the party capital Rio de Janeiro.<br />

EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />

Shana Owen<br />

shana@inthecityuk.com<br />

<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />

<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />

@<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />

www.inthecityuk.com<br />

In The City Magazine<br />

G.B. House,<br />

21 - 27 Milk Street,<br />

Digbeth,<br />

Birmingham,<br />

B5 5TR<br />

Advertising<br />

advertising@inthecityuk.com<br />

0121 230 8333<br />

Publishing<br />

enq@askalps.com<br />

0121 230 8099<br />

To celebrate Rio <strong>2016</strong> we have dedicated our entire Feature section, giving you<br />

the lowdown on the games, the confirmed athletes participating as well as the<br />

previous winners. In tune with Rio de Janeiro, our Travel spotlight feature is on<br />

South America, the wondrous must see places and breath-taking scenery will<br />

have you booking the next available flight in no time! A must read if you are still<br />

contemplating on travel destinations for the year.<br />

Alongside our resident contributors we have some new faces to introduce to<br />

you. Last month we did a spotlight piece on Aamna Khokhar, the Life Coach who<br />

aimed to bring sparkle to your life. We think she is fabulous and is now one of<br />

our expert bloggers; check out her first blog in our Fashion and Lifestyle section,<br />

every month Aamna will be covering a different theme so stay tuned. We have<br />

another expert blogger for our Business and Community section, Khalid Karim<br />

has been in the world of business for over 25 years, he brings his wealth of<br />

knowledge to you on a monthly basis starting with his introductory blog in which<br />

he interviews Allan Kleynhans, a motivational speaker and coach - trained by<br />

none other than Tony Robbins.<br />

Here at In The City Magazine we value our younger readers, with this in mind we<br />

introduce Raven Knight, a teen blogger keen on gaming and all things Manga.<br />

Check out our new Young In The City section to read her reviews on the latest<br />

games as well as her Manga cartoon strip - a great addition to the In The City<br />

Magazine family and a true talent in the making. Raven Knight will have her own<br />

month on month blog to share her passion with you.<br />

Collis our resident Fashion Editor is back with a bang again this month, he<br />

interviews Sarah a high society fashionista with exquisite sense of style and a<br />

must see room that houses all her treasures, want to see how the 'other half'<br />

live? Turn to our Fashion and Lifestyle section pronto! In honour of our Olympics<br />

theme, Collis takes us down memory lane with the great British sports brand<br />

Umbro, the brand has a vintage collection inspired by key moments from the<br />

past. Paying homage to 'old skool cool' and as expected the famous double<br />

diamonds are an integral part of the collection.<br />

TheTicketSellers continue to takeover our Nightlife section; check out their latest<br />

feature piece and all important directory to keep you in the loop for info on the<br />

latest gigs. Our Entertainment section will ensure there is never a dull moment<br />

this coming month and if you are still in need for a social fix turn to our Where In<br />

The City section for our guidance. We have you covered for your wining, dining,<br />

dancing and socialising, not to mention your sleeping arrangements should you<br />

need to recover from a hangover for the night...or two!<br />

We are pretty certain this jam packed edition will have you hooked from cover to<br />

cover.<br />

HAPPY READING!<br />

Shana Owen


4 CONTENTS // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />

Issue 5 | <strong>August</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

CONTENTS<br />

NEWS<br />

Spotlight | UK Tourism all the rage ..............................8<br />

Birmingham brings in the bucks ....................................9<br />

Female Movers and Shakers ........................................10<br />

7<br />

ENTERTAINMENT<br />

31<br />

COMPETITION<br />

11<br />

Spotlight | Edinburgh Festival Fringe ..........................32<br />

Digbeth Dining Club ..............................................................34<br />

In love with rock 'N' roll ....................................................35<br />

Win 2 VIP tickets The Summer Fest <strong>2016</strong> Solihull.....11<br />

FASHION + LIFESTYLE<br />

13<br />

Spotlight | Sugar & Spice and all things nice ...........14<br />

Umbro goes old skool .........................................................16<br />

Achieving balance - a practice guide ..............................17<br />

Diabetes & You ......................................................................................19<br />

Insonmnia58 bounces into Brum ....................................37<br />

Cocktail of the month: Lychee Rose Collins ............37<br />

YOUNG IN THE CITY 39<br />

Spotlight | Introducing Raven Knight ........................40<br />

Comic Strip: Kira Academy ...............................................41<br />

FOOD & DRINK<br />

Spotlight | Fleet Street Kitchen .......................................22<br />

How much is too much? ...................................................26<br />

Recipe of the month: Cauliflower scones ................28<br />

Christmas in June ...............................................................28<br />

21 NIGHTLIFE<br />

43<br />

Spotlight | Just So Festival ............................................44<br />

- Solihull Summer Fest .........................................................45<br />

- Events listing .........................................................................46<br />

In The City created by: In The City Magazine Ltd<br />

Published by: Alps Group | Sales Director: Darren Tyler<br />

Editor in Chief: Shana Owen | Editor: Richard Hobson<br />

Creative Director: Hassan Moulavi | Designer: Jerome Beaumont<br />

E: advertising@inthecityuk.com<br />

E: editorial@inthecityuk.com<br />

T: 0121 230 8333<br />

Switchboard: 0121 230 8080


CONTENTS // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />

5<br />

MONTHLY FEATURE<br />

53<br />

Summer Olympics <strong>2016</strong> Rio..............................................54<br />

- Cycling, Triathlon, Shooting, Tennis ...........................56<br />

- Rowing, Diving, Sailing Swimming .............................57<br />

NIGHTS OUT IN THE CITY<br />

79<br />

Spotlight | Jewellery Quarter ...........................................80<br />

- Bars, Restaurants & Places to visit ..........................................81<br />

- Boxing, Judo, Taekwondo, Hockey .............................58<br />

New Fitness Blogger - Idrees Mughal ...........................59<br />

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY<br />

85<br />

TRAVEL<br />

61<br />

Spotlight | Introducing blogger Khalid Karim .........86<br />

Promoting positive mental health ..................................87<br />

CHARITY<br />

89<br />

Spotlight | Saint Pauls House .............................................62<br />

Latin America .........................................................................64<br />

PROPERTY<br />

MOTORS<br />

67<br />

Spotlight | Stewart Oliver Property Interview ............68<br />

73<br />

Spotlight | There's no way like Norway .........................74<br />

Jardine Motors acquires Colliers .....................................76<br />

Classic Cars and Vintage Vehicles ...............................77<br />

Spotlight | Barnardos at Wimbledon .........................90<br />

Barnados young carer flips coin .....................................91<br />

WHERE IN THE CITY<br />

93<br />

Guide to In The City ..............................................................94<br />

- Restaurants ..........................................................................94<br />

- Nightclubs ............................................................................98<br />

- Hotels ......................................................................................98<br />

- Bars ..........................................................................................98<br />

All views and opinions expressed by contributors to, and staff of In The City Magazine may not represent the views and opinions<br />

of the publisher. In The City Magazine takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements, advertorials or editorials made in<br />

this magazine. No part of In The City Magazine may be reproduced or copied in any way without prior written consent of<br />

In The City Magazine Ltd


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MOTORS // SPONSORED BY TOWN AND COUNTRY INN PLC<br />

7<br />

SPOTLIGHT<br />

NEWS<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />

WWW.RLKSOLICITORS.COM


8 NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />

UK TOURISM ALL THE RAGE!<br />

We might have had a slippery start to the summer<br />

with heavy rainfall putting a damper on the<br />

festival spirit, but it seems that nothing could stop<br />

us from enjoying the summer from our very own shores. Be<br />

it a seaside break in Brighton or an academic odyssey in<br />

Oxford, figures suggest that <strong>2016</strong> has seen a sharp increase<br />

in tourists both domestic and international visiting Britain to<br />

taste the very best we have to offer.<br />

Interestingly, though Brexit affected the pound by decreasing<br />

its value, making it more expensive for British tourists<br />

travelling abroad, the reverse is true for overseas visitors.<br />

This makes the declined value of the pound somewhat<br />

mitigated by massive spending surges from tourists visiting<br />

the country, boosting the UK economy.<br />

Somewhat unsurprisingly, London is the city which has<br />

enjoyed the most from the tourism boost. Visited by no less<br />

than 3.8 million visitors in the first few months of the year,<br />

London also received record numbers of tourists, attracted<br />

by the many tourist-friendly landmarks, museums and<br />

events.<br />

This upsurge of tourism isn’t isolated to <strong>2016</strong> alone, however.<br />

Last year set a record for UK inbound tourism, itself an<br />

increase on the previous year’s tourism with spending<br />

reaching a massive £22.1 billion.<br />

These factors all shape up to suggest that in <strong>2016</strong> Britain<br />

is most definitely the place to holiday. So, stop looking for<br />

cheap flights to Majorca and invest in a train ticket (or just<br />

hop in the car) and make your way to one of the fantastic<br />

tourist locations in the country.<br />

Figures from the national tourism agency VisitBritain suggest<br />

that we should anticipate a strong summer, whilst the Office<br />

of National Statistics showed record numbers of inbound<br />

tourists for the first quarter of this year. Tourists from across<br />

the globe flocked to the UK between January and March,<br />

with visits from the US in particular growing by nine percent<br />

to 542,000 visitors in that short period alone.<br />

Visitors from Europe also featured heavily, as did Australian<br />

tourists, with spending increasing to a whopping £173 million.<br />

This trend is set to increase for the remainder of the year,<br />

with the expectation being that by the end of the year the<br />

UK may see record levels of tourism overall.


NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />

9<br />

BIRMINGHAM BRINGS IN THE BUCKS<br />

As if being voted the best family friendly city in the UK<br />

wasn’t enough, Birmingham (and the greater West Midlands<br />

area) has also earned some major popularity amongst music<br />

fans, generating a massive £271 million in music tourism<br />

alone. Enjoying the benefits of both strong local scenes<br />

(covering a wide cross section of genres and subcultures)<br />

and numerous prestigious venues in the city, the <strong>2016</strong> “Wish<br />

You Were Here” report created on behalf of UK Music shows<br />

that Birmingham has a thriving musical tourism industry.<br />

It is believed that the music industry provides over 1,200<br />

jobs in the West Midlands alone, whilst the greater tourism<br />

In addition, the Midlands has a strong sports scene, with<br />

numerous Football League teams in the area (ranging<br />

from Premiership teams like West Bromwich Albion, to<br />

Championship teams like Aston Villa, Birmingham City,<br />

Wolverhampton Wanderers, to First League teams like<br />

Walsall) and the prestigious Edgbaston Cricket Ground<br />

drawing tourists with its mixture of national league matches<br />

and international tests. Edgbaston Cricket Ground recently<br />

confirmed that it will host England’s first test match of the<br />

Investec Series against the West Indies in 2017.<br />

and hospitality industry accounts for a massive 10 percent of<br />

the national workforce. The Barclaycard Arena and Genting<br />

Arena (two of the region’s biggest venues) attracted over<br />

a million people in 2015 with the likes of Lionel Richie,<br />

McBusted and One Direction all playing the region.<br />

Of course, it isn’t just music that draws the masses to the<br />

West Midlands. Loaded with family friendly attractions like<br />

the Sea Life Centre, West Midlands Safari Park and Black<br />

Country Living Museum, the region also boasts massive<br />

potential for great family holidays. Tourism to Birmingham<br />

and the surrounding areas has seen a big increase thanks to<br />

the TV show “Peaky Blinders”, with coinciding historical tours<br />

and attractions capitalising on the show’s popularity.


10 NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />

FEMALE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS<br />

We have seen a real boost over the years in women who are not only successful entrepreneurs in their own right<br />

but have also supported and guided other female entrepreneurs. Here in the West Midlands we have some amazing<br />

talent who are doing just that, amongst them are two women who mean business and walk their talk.<br />

Zoe Bennett<br />

Merisha Stevenson<br />

Zoe is the owner and Managing Director of Training<br />

Personified a corporate training company delivering<br />

bespoke team building workshops. She believes that<br />

employees should be valued and be made to feel as<br />

though they are part of a strong team in order to deliver<br />

results for their organisation. Zoe has therefore devised a<br />

Business Builder mentoring programme to guide and coach<br />

individuals on their business/life success journey.<br />

Zoe is also a motivational speaker and delivers keynote<br />

speeches to groups of business people as well as<br />

apprentices. She is the Founder of the Midlands Business<br />

and Community Charity Awards which recognised and<br />

values unsung heroes in both the business and community<br />

worlds. Within the past couple of months Zoe has won a<br />

number of awards including The Most Influential Business<br />

Woman <strong>2016</strong>, the Human Excellency and Career Woman of<br />

the Year at The All Women Achievers Awards. In addition<br />

she has been nominated for the National Diversity Awards -<br />

Entrepreneur of Excellence Award.<br />

“I intend to use my skills and my profile to help as many<br />

people as possible as I truly believe in paying it forward and<br />

strength in numbers”<br />

enquiries@trainingpersonified.com<br />

Merisha Stevenson<br />

is an Award Winning<br />

Business Mentor,<br />

Strategic Problem Solver,<br />

Professional Speaker,<br />

Broadcaster and Non-<br />

Executive Director, whose<br />

passion is to work with you to Make Money, Save Money and<br />

Create Wealth.<br />

Merisha is a natural born Entrepreneur. She grew up in a<br />

family business, and went onto cultivate her expertise in<br />

Strategic Business Growth, Development and Problem<br />

Solving by working with Corporate, Public, and Private<br />

Organisations. She has served as Non-Executive Director<br />

on various boards and has been in broadcasting for 10<br />

years. She is also Midlands Chapter Director for the Women<br />

Speakers Association. She is a BBC Expert Voice, and has<br />

contributed to various online and TV media including BBC<br />

Newsnight, BBC WM and Legal TV.<br />

Collectively Merisha has delivered over 5000 qualifications;<br />

several hundred workshops and bespoke training events<br />

for entrepreneurs and SME’s. She is about to launch the<br />

international Financial Style Podcast, an extension to her<br />

radio show which has been running for 10 years and use<br />

her expertise to champion Women in Leadership and<br />

Governance.<br />

merisha@financialstyle.media<br />

So what of new talent? Here are three up and coming stars to look out for over the course of <strong>2016</strong>…<br />

Zeenat Akbar<br />

Dina El-Hilu<br />

Arlene Gillette<br />

CEO of Seek For Change – a CIC looking<br />

to support vulnerable women in local<br />

communities and to equip them with the<br />

skills to lead independent and confident<br />

lives. The support offered is in the form<br />

of a structured program and entails the<br />

women working with key professionals<br />

to upskill, motivate and encourage.<br />

Dina is a qualified founding owner of FD<br />

Reporting which has worked with micro<br />

businesses across a variety of sectors,<br />

providing them with valuable realtime<br />

financial information, advice and<br />

training - translating the efficiencies of<br />

big companies to small businesses at an<br />

affordable cost.<br />

Arlene is the creative brains and the<br />

face of her brand - Retro Cheesecakes.<br />

She is a woman on a mission, creating<br />

and combining unique flavours, textures<br />

and looks that makes her cheesecakes<br />

simply divine. Having had 5* reviews on<br />

her popular Facebook page, she has now<br />

clinched her first commercial deal.<br />

zeenat@seekforchange.co.uk<br />

dina@fdreporting.co.uk<br />

f : @retrocheesecakes1


NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />

11<br />

JULY EDITION<br />

WINNERS<br />

EMILIANO<br />

BENZA<br />

OLIVIA<br />

CRANWELL<br />

VIP TICKET SPECIAL<br />

CAN YOU FIND ME<br />

ELSEWHERE IN<br />

THE MAGAZINE?<br />

WIN<br />

2 VIP<br />

TICKETS<br />

TO SUMMER FEST<br />

SOLIHULL <strong>2016</strong><br />

CODE: <strong>ITC</strong>MAGSF<br />

<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />

FIND EDDIE TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING TICKETS<br />

TO SUMMER FEST SOLIHULL <strong>2016</strong><br />

TO ENTER; LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND DIRECT MESSAGE THE PAGE<br />

NUMBER ALONG WITH THE COMPETITION CODE<br />

The festival is held between 27 th - 28 st <strong>August</strong>, the winner will be contacted<br />

via e-mail on 22 nd <strong>August</strong> and published on facebook and twitter<br />

By entering this competition you agree to have your name published on social media in next months magazine if you are the winner.<br />

Competition closes : 19 th <strong>August</strong> <strong>2016</strong>


SPOTLIGHT<br />

FASHION &<br />

LIFESTYLE<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

TITOS LONDON<br />

WWW.TITOSLONDON.COM


14 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

SUGAR & SPICE,<br />

AND ALL THINGS NICE<br />

I was privileged to be given a rare insight into<br />

Sarah's fashion world. Sarah is a fashionista,<br />

a Cheshire girl bringing some of the ‘Cheshire<br />

Housewife’ glam to the Midlands.<br />

In tune with the ‘Cheshire<br />

Housewife’ vibe she lives in one of<br />

the most exclusive postcodes in<br />

the West Midlands, as huge house<br />

with its own Gym, Cinema, and a private<br />

‘nightclub’ come games room. The<br />

cleaner showed me into the lobby, kitted<br />

out with a ginormous chandelier. Sarah<br />

strode in, beaming - she was petite,<br />

looked almost half her age and dressed<br />

immaculately as expected.<br />

After our interview for the photoshoot<br />

she led me to a room which houses her<br />

prized possessions – every woman’s<br />

dream, think Rodeo Drive or Boulevard<br />

St German come Bond St all in one. The<br />

wall to wall bespoke glass wardrobes,<br />

housing memories, events, in the shape<br />

of clothes. In the centre of the room<br />

was a circular marble station perfect to<br />

place her fresh bouquets and of course<br />

vintage Champagne.<br />

Sarah explained “One needs a drink<br />

while you are having your nails done”.<br />

With zeal and enthusiasm Sarah talked<br />

about her journey and passion.<br />

If I looked inside your wardrobes what<br />

would I find?<br />

Oh, where do I start… On the surface<br />

you would see a dressing room filled<br />

with designer clothes, shoes and bags.<br />

To me, however, this room represents<br />

much more. Each item of clothing has its<br />

own story to tell and elicits laughter, joy<br />

and occasionally, tears. The clothes are<br />

more than simple material possessions<br />

– they represent what I call my fashion<br />

story.<br />

My wardrobe contains a rich tapestry of<br />

different tastes and styles that reflect<br />

the different elements my personality. It<br />

ranges from elegant glamour to hip hop<br />

chic. I have never been scared to dress<br />

differently or experiment with fashion.<br />

Even my school year book at the tender<br />

age of 13, noted that "Sarah is way in<br />

front in fashion, dressing in fur coats<br />

and high heels and never scared to be<br />

different". I believe that dressing well<br />

boosts ones’ confidence and with that,<br />

success will follow. How one dresses<br />

can mould you as much as it reflects<br />

who you are. How one dresses can also<br />

influence how the world receives you.<br />

What lost possession of yours would<br />

you like to see again?<br />

My limited edition Persian Barbie doll<br />

that my parents gave me for my 9th<br />

birthday. It was most beautiful Barbie<br />

with her dark brown wavy hair and a<br />

dazzling glitzy dress. At some point, it<br />

just disappeared and I was heartbroken.<br />

My mother led me to believe that<br />

it went missing because I had been<br />

naughty, but years later, I discovered<br />

that my mother had given it to another<br />

girl who owned no toys and came from<br />

a family in need. My parents did get me<br />

a new Barbie, but amusingly that went<br />

missing too.


FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

15<br />

How many pairs of shoes?!<br />

Embarrassingly, I don't even know<br />

and what is worse, is that some of the<br />

shoes are still in the bags. I don't<br />

even have room for them in my<br />

closet. Let's say I have enough<br />

pairs for every outfit, times five.<br />

Sarah Jessica Parker once said<br />

that “It’s really hard to walk in a<br />

single woman's shoes. That’s why<br />

you sometimes really need special<br />

shoes. Certainly, when I was single,<br />

that was my excuse, but now I just<br />

say life is short and you should<br />

own what you love. Everyone deserves<br />

a treat. If a pair of shoes gives you<br />

confidence, then they are an essential<br />

item (so we’ll keep telling ourselves).<br />

Which would you say is a killer label?<br />

I would certainly pick Balmain, not<br />

simply because it’s one of the biggest<br />

brands, but because my mother, whom<br />

inspired my interested in fashion,<br />

always wore Balmain. From a young<br />

age, some of my favourites items were<br />

from there. However, I also love Oscar<br />

De la Renta. My mother used to buy all<br />

" You can NEVER be<br />

OVERDRESSED or<br />

OVEREDUCATED "<br />

her ball gowns from a retailer in Oslo<br />

or California, and again, this is inspired<br />

my passion for the brand. Finally, it<br />

would be Valentino. I love everything he<br />

designs, from his shoes, handbags to<br />

dresses. His collections are consistently<br />

breath-taking.<br />

What influence has your mother had on<br />

your fashion style?<br />

Since she was a little girl, my mother<br />

always dressed very fashionably. She<br />

used to watch Dynasty and her fashion<br />

inspiration was Joan Collins.<br />

I was her little doll that she would dress<br />

up in the latest brands and I<br />

would have outfits for every<br />

occasion.<br />

She definitely taught me that<br />

good style was the ultimate<br />

form of self expression and there<br />

is no shame in taking pride in<br />

looking good, not for others but<br />

for yourself. I grew up confident,<br />

which subsequently has helped<br />

me achieve the things I have<br />

gone after. A fun fact would be that I<br />

have never failed an interview to this<br />

day – no matter how challenging the role<br />

may have been.<br />

Favourite room in your fabulous home?<br />

Really, well you must know by now from<br />

reading the above. This room that we are<br />

in. I love my dressing room. It has always<br />

been my dream to have a room like this<br />

and now that I have it, I am never leaving<br />

it! (laughs)


16 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

UMBRO GOES OLD SKOOL<br />

Umbro has a vintage collection inspired by key moments from the past. Back in<br />

Wilmslow, Cheshire in a small workshop in 1924 the Humphreys brothers started their<br />

business, Umbro quickly grew to become one of the best English football brands.<br />

Umbro was big on the world stage when England won the world cup in 1966, 15 out<br />

of 16 competing teams wore Umbro strips – highlighting the famous Umbro double<br />

diamonds.<br />

PASTEL PLEASURES<br />

Pastels are softer, a more subtle style that can be worn when<br />

and where ever. Any skin tone looks great in pastel colours.<br />

In the 1980s – pastel saw a big trend in the men’s fashion<br />

world partially due to Sonny Crockett U.S T.V series “Miami<br />

Vice”.<br />

SO SO COOL….


FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

17<br />

ACHIEVING BALANCE - A PRACTICAL GUIDE<br />

The phone pings, the washing machine completes a load and the postman arrives with the bills. There is always<br />

something external vying for your attention. Do you ever get the feeling that you are being taken away from where<br />

you are and being sent far into the past with some worry about what has been? Or that of being propelled into the<br />

future with a hope about what will be?<br />

If this sounds familiar, then let's stop<br />

and take a moment. Breathe in<br />

deeply and notice that little pause<br />

before you breathe out again, repeat.<br />

It is often hard to remember to stay<br />

present whilst your brain is flitting<br />

between the present the past and the<br />

future. By staying present we mean<br />

being aware of what is happening<br />

right now without any interruptions<br />

about either the past or the future.<br />

This practice of being present and<br />

being focused on the here and now,<br />

particularly in times of stress, can be<br />

a wonderful way of finding oneself in<br />

the hubbub of daily life.<br />

I'll share a story with you that I hope<br />

inspires you as much as it did me,<br />

and demonstrates a great example<br />

of presence. A friend messaged me,<br />

telling me he had fallen and broken<br />

his back. Shocked and concerned<br />

I jumped in to my car panicking all<br />

the way to the hospital about what<br />

will happen to him now and what it<br />

will mean for him. As I rushed down<br />

the hospital corridor I thought of<br />

funny anecdotes and jokes to tell him<br />

that may distract him. I approached<br />

his bed armed and ready to clown<br />

my way into seeing him smile I was<br />

greeted by someone in rather good<br />

spirits. Confused and delighted I took<br />

a deep breath and sat to listen to his<br />

story unfold. Inspired I spent the next<br />

few days piecing together in my head<br />

how this wonderful human being<br />

came to be.<br />

This is what I found. Just as with all<br />

people there are external forces that<br />

pull us, there are trials and tribulations<br />

and then there are the highs that<br />

are all designed to distract us. We<br />

also have internal incidents such as<br />

my friend’s predicament. Often we<br />

become completely distracted by<br />

these things and we are not present<br />

to who we are and what is important<br />

to us. We start to believe that all the<br />

pulls are all that matters and it is often<br />

not so. My friend was in good spirits<br />

because he knew himself well, he was<br />

aware of the things he loved to do<br />

and he did them. He was satisfied and<br />

content in the life that he was living,<br />

at that moment in time.<br />

As my friend did we too must come<br />

to know our true selves better and live<br />

in line with what we value and love to<br />

do. It is with this awareness and clarity<br />

that we can be in a hospital bed with<br />

a broken back and still be smiling and<br />

thankful for the love that we receive<br />

from well-wishers.


18 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

SO HOW DO WE FIND THE<br />

ANSWERS TO WHO WE TRULY ARE<br />

AND WHAT WE TRULY VALUE?? I'D<br />

LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO TRY THIS<br />

TECHNIQUE.<br />

Consider this diagram the plate of your life.<br />

• It is divided into eight slices; each slice represents an area<br />

of your life that is important to you.<br />

• Consider with complete clarity what is important to you,<br />

not because anyone says but because you choose it.<br />

• When you are ready label each slice with the important<br />

aspects of your life.<br />

• When you are done use the rings within to shade in your<br />

level of satisfaction i.e. you might have health as a slice and<br />

your level of satisfaction might be 4 so shade in 4 rings.<br />

• Do this for all the slices.<br />

• When you have finished take a moment and look at your<br />

plate. Is it round? Is it balanced? Have you been looking<br />

after what is important to you?<br />

• What do you notice?<br />

• Now shade in where you would like the level of<br />

satisfaction for each slice to be, you might be happy with<br />

health being 4 or you might want health to be 9.<br />

• When you have finished take a moment and look at your<br />

plate.<br />

• What do you notice?<br />

EDITORIAL SPACE<br />

Do you have editorial, news,<br />

articles etc. Get your work<br />

featured in our next issue<br />

CONTACT US ON<br />

t: 0121 230 8333<br />

e: editorial@inthecityuk.com<br />

You can use this tool to reflect on what is truly important to<br />

you and get real clarity on what you value. If you ever find<br />

yourself out of balance you can choose to come back to it.<br />

As for my friend, with his positive attitude and magnetic<br />

personality he is making a speedy recovery. He valued the<br />

love and regard that his friends and family had for him<br />

and when the trials came he held on to that knowledge<br />

even tighter and worried less about the new job and the<br />

mortgage.<br />

Sometimes amidst all the chaos we have to find our<br />

way, ground ourselves and trust our ability to handle life.<br />

Knowing that we are safe and capable. A quote comes to<br />

mind which seems befitting - a bird sitting on a tree is never<br />

afraid of the branch breaking. Her trust is not in the branch<br />

but rather her ability to fly. Wearemomo.com<br />

To get in touch with Aamna you can contact her on<br />

aamnakhokhar@hotmail.com


FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />

DIABETES & YOU<br />

Type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern for many, we catch up with Kate Walker CEO of Diabetes & You; an<br />

organisation delivering programmes to support people to take control of their health.<br />

19<br />

Tell our readers what<br />

Diabetes & You aims<br />

to do?<br />

Diabetes & You is<br />

about helping<br />

people come<br />

to terms with type 2<br />

diabetes, so that they<br />

can live a fulfilling<br />

life, making better<br />

choices with their food,<br />

exercise and attitude.<br />

We support GPs<br />

and run our groups<br />

alongside them in their<br />

surgeries. We are passionate to support anyone with type<br />

2 diabetes to have a better quality of life, for this reason I<br />

want to see our work and groups across the whole of the<br />

UK, in every surgery. As people feel better and are actively<br />

managing their diabetes, there is naturally a reduction<br />

in visits to the doctors and hospital and reduced risk of<br />

complications. The fundamental aim is giving patients back<br />

control of their lives.<br />

How does the support differ from what they would get<br />

from their GP or any other support service?<br />

That’s simple. GPs and consultants do a wonderful job<br />

providing the medical care. Our programme called “Steps<br />

to Your Healthy Future (STYHF)” provides the lifestyle<br />

knowledge, skills and support. It is the only yearlong<br />

education programme available for people with type 2<br />

diabetes.<br />

How many of us have made New Year promises that are<br />

forgotten by week 4! That’s where STYHF come in. We<br />

support and educate people over a year on what to eat and<br />

ways to exercise, no matter how immobile you are. We also<br />

talk about posture, impact of friends and family and about<br />

how to avoid temptation.<br />

The sessions are not about being told by a professional lead.<br />

We meet in groups of ten and encourage patients to bring<br />

relatives or friends. Each session has a specific topic which is<br />

then discussed as a peer group with everyone helping each<br />

other. We do not pretend to know it all, we are not the ones<br />

living with diabetes.<br />

And it works. Group after group are saying how much they<br />

learn, how helpful it is and what good ideas they took from<br />

each other, they are also sticking to it. While the doctors<br />

and other health care professionals provide the medical<br />

care, Steps gives patients the knowledge and support to<br />

adjust their lifestyle and know how to manage their life long<br />

condition for the other 364 days of the year, when they are<br />

not seeing medical professionals.<br />

Do they have to pay for the service?<br />

Like any part of the NHS it’s free to patients. And there are<br />

no hidden charges, no brochures to buy, no CDS or pills.<br />

We even provide the tea and coffee! The NHS pay, but then<br />

they are currently paying out £8 billion a year on avoidable<br />

treatment. Treatment needed because people have not<br />

correctly managed their blood sugars. You see it’s not like<br />

a broken leg. If you walk too early or do something wrong<br />

it hurts! So you don’t do it. With diabetes, there is often no<br />

visible signs or pain, if you don’t control your blood sugar<br />

through good food choices and lifestyle, it may be years<br />

before it becomes obvious. Then suddenly you are unwell<br />

and have to visit the GP or sadly in a growing number<br />

of cases, end up in hospital with irreversible damage. By<br />

understanding your own body’s needs from the courses we<br />

run, managing diabetes can be easier than you think.<br />

Is the service limited to only particular areas of the City or<br />

Country?<br />

We are a national company with groups from the Midlands<br />

through to the North of England. As I mentioned earlier, we<br />

are about helping as many people with type 2 diabetes as<br />

possible across the country.<br />

Does the service cater for BME groups?<br />

Diabetes is a condition that can effect anyone, we believe<br />

that education should be available and accessible for all. We<br />

therefore offer and are currently running the programme in<br />

multiple languages and in a variety of community locations,<br />

catering for the diverse population.<br />

How has Diabetes & You changed the lives of those who<br />

have used the service?<br />

Okay let’s do the science bit first. Sensible eating, exercise<br />

and lifestyle have allowed people to lower their blood sugar<br />

levels, decreased weight and feel in control of their condition<br />

in just 10 weeks. This means they have stopped putting such<br />

a strain on their pancreas and critically feel better, have more<br />

energy, and have control of their life, not feel it is dominating<br />

every hour of every day. All those that have attended have<br />

felt better and have seen improvements in their overall wellbeing.<br />

One participant said:<br />

“To me understanding diabetes is exactly what it is – people<br />

have no idea how it affects their body until you come on<br />

something like this.”<br />

How do people/health care professionals get in contact<br />

with you if they would like more information?<br />

This programme can be delivered anywhere across the UK.<br />

If you are interested in finding out more please contact us<br />

directly at kate@diabetesandyou.co.uk.<br />

Diabetes is a serious illness what message would you like to<br />

send to those who have just been diagnosed?<br />

It can be very difficult when people have been newly<br />

diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but there is support<br />

available. It is important to get good advice, finding what<br />

will help your body and how you can manage your blood<br />

sugar levels. Different foods and exercise will affect everyone<br />

differently, listen to your body and find what makes you feel<br />

the best while keeping your blood sugars stable. If you would<br />

like support or help please do contact us at<br />

info@diabetesandyou.co.uk.


SPOTLIGHT<br />

FOOD & DRINK<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

HEINEKEN<br />

WWW.HEINEKEN.COM


22 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

FLEET STREET K<strong>ITC</strong>HEN<br />

With a monopoly on super-chic, unassuming dining experiences, you should be feeling red in the face<br />

if you haven’t yet tried the wholesome delights on offer at Fleet Street Kitchen.<br />

Taking its name from the street<br />

where its flagship restaurant<br />

is based, the newly opened<br />

FSK Mere Green promises to offer its<br />

customers the same exceptional service<br />

and experiences as its forebear. Opened<br />

to the public on July 21st, the Mere<br />

Green branch (abbreviated to FSK, to<br />

avoid confusion) is the fruit of some<br />

hard labour by Mark Jones and Steve<br />

Wakeman.<br />

Elegant but simplistic, the menu at FSK<br />

is dedicated to offering its patrons food<br />

so fresh it’s as if it was cooked on the<br />

farm. FSK has gained a strong reputation<br />

for offering top-quality gourmet<br />

experiences and its chic atmosphere<br />

gives it an enjoyable and exclusive<br />

atmosphere.<br />

Founded on two simple principles, FSK<br />

believes that “The best parties are always<br />

in the kitchen” and “the best food is<br />

served Farm to Table”. These are the<br />

pillars that the entire restaurant operates<br />

on, combining a hip party mood with a<br />

lavish menu to guarantee that guests will<br />

always leave with a smile on their face.<br />

around the globe. The FSK menu offers<br />

diners sumptuous meals which take full<br />

advantage of the ingredients freshness<br />

for an explosion of flavours and aromas,<br />

meaning you can sample meals as far<br />

ranging in origin as American to Italian,<br />

as well as British classics.<br />

Specialising in grills and steaks, FSK<br />

is heaven for the meat-loving foodie,<br />

but also offers unique selections for<br />

vegetarian diners. The restaurant makes<br />

full use of its own Charcoal grill when<br />

cooking the meats. The grill is essentially<br />

a unique indoor barbeque which uses<br />

South American Lumpwood, which<br />

burns extremely hot and renders fat<br />

right the way down.<br />

Another unique feature of the restaurant<br />

is the Butcher’s Block, which allows the<br />

diner the choice of how thick they would<br />

like their steak to be cut. The restaurant<br />

also offers special cuts of meat, available<br />

upon request.<br />

Bringing the exceptional dining<br />

experience of the original Fleet Street<br />

Kitchen restaurant to Mere Green, FSK is<br />

set to be the talk of the town in any selfrespecting<br />

gourmet dining circle.<br />

The menu of FSK is changed from<br />

season to season to reflect the different<br />

palates and ingredients that surface<br />

throughout the year. This means that<br />

even if you’ve dined here a dozen times,<br />

you’re likely to still find surprises on the<br />

menu that will set your taste buds off<br />

and bring you back time and time again.<br />

Inspiration for the dishes comes from


FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

23<br />

The Mere Green expansion<br />

The expansion to Mere Green was<br />

a strategic move, meant to fulfil the<br />

company’s aim to develop upon<br />

its promise to bring great dining<br />

experiences to the UK. The new<br />

home for FSK was already a location<br />

for an existing brand, Apres Bar, the<br />

management team felt the Fleet<br />

Street Kitchen brand was a better fit<br />

for the area. Mere Green was already<br />

undergoing extensive refurbishment, so<br />

it made absolute sense to capitalise on<br />

the area’s revitalisation and prove that<br />

FSK is at the forefront of progression.<br />

Refurbishment began in June <strong>2016</strong><br />

with a fabulous reveal, taking the form<br />

of a grand opening on the 21st July.<br />

The design behind the Mere Green<br />

restaurant is the creation of designer<br />

Matt Rawlinson. Rawlinson, who also<br />

designed the original Fleet Street<br />

Kitchen restaurant in Birmingham, has<br />

managed to provide an element of<br />

design consistency in both restaurants<br />

whilst ensuring Mere Green has its own<br />

identity.<br />

This consistency has also been adopted<br />

with the menu, keeping true to the<br />

standards and expectations of the<br />

flagship restaurant, whilst having its own<br />

identity and also linking very closely to<br />

the Birmingham venue.<br />

“It was probably our third birthday that inspired us to start rolling out the brand. As such,<br />

the venture in Mere Green represents the launch of a programme of works and venues that will<br />

take us initially to Leamington Spa and Lichfield, and thereafter to the rest of the UK. The<br />

brand and the offer really work, at every level – for our staff as well as our customers. Fleet<br />

Street Kitchen Mere Green simply demonstrates for me the virtue of what we believed three<br />

years ago. I couldn’t be more excited.”<br />

FSK – The Facts:<br />

What are the opening times?<br />

Open 10am to 11pm<br />

Breakfast Menu Served from 10am to 12pm<br />

Mark Jones, Managing Director, Town & Country Inns PLC<br />

What can customers come to expect in terms of service?<br />

The service within all of the Town & Country Inns brands is exceptional, customer<br />

service is of great importance to all Directors and we strive to ensure we always<br />

perform to 100%. It is important for the staff to feel happy and comfortable in<br />

their place of work, which then enables them to enjoy their time with customers<br />

and build long term relationships.<br />

What would you say is the brands unique selling point?<br />

FSK’s USP is its quality food, exceptional service, consistent high quality and an<br />

overall great time all wrapped up into one!


NOW<br />

OPEN<br />

in MERE<br />

GREEN<br />

“The best<br />

parties are<br />

always in<br />

the kitchen”<br />

FIND US ON: Belwell LAnE<br />

Sutton Coldfield B74 4AB<br />

fleetstreetkitchen.co.uk<br />

/fleet-street-kitchen-mere-green<br />

@FSKMereGreen<br />

0121 323 2565<br />

LICHFIELD ROAD (A5127)<br />

Belwell LAnE<br />

HILL VILLAGE ROAD<br />

MERE GREEN ROAD<br />

LICHFIELD ROAD (A5127)<br />

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS


FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

25<br />

FOOD REVIEW<br />

CONTEMPORARY CUISINE AT ITS FINEST<br />

Our Editor-in Chief and a guest were invited to the Mere Green Restaurant launch, where they had the pleasure<br />

to sample their finest specials and well-loved staples - consistent with their flagship restaurant.<br />

complimented the Hake. The Hake<br />

was roasted to perfection with just the<br />

right amount of seasoning enabling<br />

the natural flavours of the fish to shine<br />

through and be the star on the plate.<br />

The levels of flavours were well balanced;<br />

I would say the dish was executed<br />

exceptionally well.<br />

My initial impression was that<br />

Mere Green, like the flagship<br />

restaurant, has a high end<br />

feel with a contemporary finish. The<br />

welcoming atmosphere was both<br />

friendly and vibrant, with guests eager to<br />

see what the new restaurant had to offer.<br />

I have been to the flagship restaurant on<br />

a number of occasions and have to say<br />

as a customer I was extremely pleased<br />

with the attentive service, so had high<br />

expectations. I am pleased to say they<br />

have maintained their impeccable<br />

standards and I was impressed with<br />

the waiter’s knowledge of the menu, in<br />

particular the specials board. Having<br />

had the pleasure of tasting their “farm to<br />

table” dishes in the past, I was intrigued<br />

to see if their fish dishes were just as<br />

good.<br />

With this in mind I decided upon<br />

ordering the daily catch from the<br />

specials board. For my starter I had<br />

tempura king prawns with a saffron<br />

mayonnaise sauce. The tempura was at<br />

it should be – light, crisp and not oily,<br />

the saffron mayonnaise was a perfect<br />

accompaniment adding a rich and<br />

fragrant element to the king prawns.<br />

For my main I opted for pan roasted<br />

hake on a bed of sweet potato and<br />

chickpea ‘channa’ with a dressing of<br />

mint yoghurt. I was slightly hesitant on<br />

ordering this as I am not a great fan<br />

of chickpeas, in all honesty I am now a<br />

convert. The chickpeas added texture<br />

and nuttiness to the bed of sweet<br />

potato, the spices used were of Indian<br />

or North African influence, certainly<br />

cumin and turmeric came through which<br />

For my dessert I was in the mood for<br />

a real chocolate hit, presented to me<br />

was a trio of chocolate desserts. A<br />

creamy chocolate gelato, salted caramel<br />

chocolate dome and a chocolate truffle.<br />

Needless my sweet tooth was well<br />

and truly satisfied. The salted caramel<br />

dome had me intrigued, it had sponge<br />

encasing the salted caramel with a<br />

covering of rich dark chocolate. Simply<br />

divine.<br />

My guest had one of their fabulous<br />

cocktails, I had water throughout my<br />

meal as I did not want to detract my<br />

taste-buds away from the flavours. In<br />

all it was a superb experience from<br />

beginning to end, I can see why the<br />

brand has expanded, lucky for us we<br />

now have two excellent restaurants to<br />

choose from in Birmingham.<br />

Food review and photos by Shana Owen


26 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?<br />

HUMA MIAN<br />

OUR RESIDENT FOOD & DRINK BLOGGER<br />

It’s true what they say- we eat with our eyes and not our stomach. Our<br />

greedy guts can have us eating much more than a healthy portion, but<br />

with much focus on calories and fat, it seems most of us do not know<br />

what the right portion size is!<br />

Measuring out food is one way to make sure you do not over-indulge.<br />

According to the NHS, 80g is 1 of your 5 a day; so measuring 80g of<br />

spinach or broccoli will give you the healthy portion size for each meal.<br />

But who has time to measure everything we eat? In this fast paced world we live<br />

in, we need quick and portable solutions.<br />

And what’s more portable than the hands attached to your body? The phrase<br />

‘helping hands’ must come from somewhere! This handy table will give you a<br />

cheat sheet on how to figure out a healthy portion size.<br />

FOOD TYPES FOOD MEASUREMENTS<br />

Carbohydrates<br />

Foods like Pasta and Rice double in size<br />

once cooked as they absorb water<br />

Size of your fist<br />

Meat<br />

Having a healthy palm sized amount of<br />

meat in each meal is good for you, but<br />

having more than 500g of red meat a<br />

week is dangerous<br />

Fit in the palm of your hand<br />

Fish<br />

As Fish is low in calories the portion size<br />

can be bigger<br />

Length of your whole hand<br />

Green Leaves<br />

Green Leaves are filled with a number<br />

of nutrients and anti-oxidents. Low in<br />

calories and great in portion size to keep<br />

you full<br />

Two double handfuls<br />

Fruit<br />

Fruit is earths natural sweetner, a better<br />

alternative to carbohydrate laden<br />

traditional British desserts<br />

2 cupped handfuls<br />

Large Vegetables<br />

This inculdes broccoli and carrots -<br />

packed with essential nutrients a great<br />

natural vitamin booster<br />

1 clenched fist<br />

Chocolate<br />

Not all chocolate is bad, the darker the<br />

better - but keep an eye on how much<br />

you are eating<br />

Length of your index finger<br />

Cheese<br />

You can get 1/3rd of your calcium by<br />

using your thumb to measure a block of<br />

cheese.<br />

2 thumbs length


FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

27<br />

These handy guidelines are useful to make sure you do not overeat- regardless of what your eyes are saying! Generally, the bigger<br />

you are, the bigger your hands will be, so the measurements will still be relative. This guide is also useful for parents who struggle<br />

to know how much to feed their children.<br />

Helpful apps like ‘Check my plate’ are also available to help you make up the perfect portioned plate!<br />

SUPERFOOD OF THE MONTH<br />

The exotic coconut is a favourite staple food of many countries, so it’s clear why everyone’s going coco-nutty for coconuts.<br />

Coconut oil Is a great way to help reduce your cholesterol, and improve your weight over time. The fatty acids have powerful<br />

medicinal properties and the saturated fats can be used for a quick boost of energy.<br />

These fatty acids break down products in the oil and can help to prevent infection. And with coconut water, oil and pieces all<br />

found in general supermarkets, there’s no reason as to why this superior superfood shouldn’t make your shopping list.


28 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />

RECIPE OF THE MONTH:<br />

CAULIFLOWER DROP SCONES<br />

WITH SMOKED SALMON AND POACHED EGGS<br />

This month I’m paying homage to Joe Wicks, or<br />

The Body Coach as he is also known. His easy 15<br />

minute meals are not only tasty, but indulgent<br />

as well. Here is one of my breakfast favourites for a<br />

weekend. Find him on www.thebodycoach.co.uk What<br />

you'll need: (serves one)<br />

300g Cauliflower<br />

3 Eggs<br />

1 Egg white<br />

5ml Olive oil<br />

100g Smoked salmon<br />

Method:<br />

For drop scones: Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor until it<br />

turns into a fine rice. Place in a microwavable dish and blast it for<br />

2 mins, stir and repeat. Allow to cool slightly before squeezing<br />

out as much liquid as possible through a tea towel or muslin.<br />

Combine the dry cauliflower with one egg and one semi whipped<br />

egg white, and season with salt and pepper.<br />

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan to a medium heat. Spoon in your<br />

mix to create mini pancakes. Cook for 2-3 mins each side until<br />

golden brown.<br />

To serve: Serve the drop scones with smoked salmon, avocado<br />

and two poached eggs.<br />

On Thursday 30 June, you could<br />

have been forgiven for thinking<br />

that it was Christmas Day<br />

at Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport.<br />

Walking into the bar, guests were<br />

surrounded by Christmas trees and staff<br />

wearing Christmas jumpers and hats<br />

and even the odd greeting of ‘Merry<br />

Christmas’.<br />

SOLIHULL BUSINESSES<br />

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!<br />

42 businesses, from across the borough,<br />

had been invited to the hotel’s Christmas<br />

Showcase as a ‘thank you’ for their<br />

continued support during its £1 million<br />

investment over the last 2 years. The final<br />

part of the refurbishment project will be<br />

the addition of the new ‘open lobby’ at<br />

the end of the Summer.<br />

115 guests enjoyed welcome drinks and<br />

a sumptuous 3-course Christmas dinner,<br />

with a selection of wines and soft drinks<br />

whilst dancing the night away to music<br />

from the fantastic ‘Never Mind the Juke<br />

Box’ and DJ, provided by One Music<br />

Management. Guests pulled crackers<br />

and dipped into favours provided by<br />

Treats Allowed and really got into the<br />

spirit of Christmas, even making room<br />

for traditional mince pies, tea and<br />

coffee! A Christmas event wouldn’t be<br />

complete without Father Christmas,<br />

who made a special appearance, posing<br />

for photographs with guests taken by<br />

Caperture Photography.<br />

Nicola Corfield, Director of Sales added,<br />

‘Our Christmas Showcase has become<br />

an annual event. We were honoured to<br />

host The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor<br />

Mike Robinson and The Mayoress of<br />

Solihull, Mrs Jenny Robinson, as well as<br />

42 businesses from across Solihull. It<br />

was a pleasure to be able to thank them<br />

for their continued support. Holiday Inn<br />

Birmingham Airport has a long history<br />

as a destination venue for weddings and<br />

other family celebrations, with many<br />

returning time and again due to the fond<br />

memories of their experiences with us.<br />

We are committed to remaining a hub<br />

within the Solihull community’.<br />

Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport hotel<br />

offers guests contemporary bedrooms,<br />

a stylish Marco’s New York Italian<br />

restaurant and flexible meeting and<br />

event space for up to 600 guests. Within<br />

easy reach of Solihull and the NEC,<br />

amenities also include an indoor pool,<br />

fitness centre and beauty therapy by<br />

on-site Peridot Beauty.


GIN FIELDS<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

“You are the Gin to my Tonic”<br />

The High Field presents Gin Fields, an adult kind of festival.<br />

The BBQ will be fired up, our very own DJ will be spinning<br />

the decks & of course there’ll be Gin, lots of Gin!<br />

There'll be special appearances from some of our fabulous<br />

suppliers, including a few guest Gins too. Tickets are available<br />

now £10 each, to include a G&T on arrival, tasters and<br />

your very own Grand Gin Glass. Visit the events page of our<br />

website to book.<br />

Head down from 2pm, we are sure you don’t need any more<br />

of an excuse. After all, love is like a bottle of Gin.<br />

The High Field<br />

22 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, B15 3DP<br />

t: 0121 227 7068 | e: highfield@peachpubs.com<br />

www.highfieldedgbaston.co.uk


MARK@FLEETSTREETK<strong>ITC</strong>HEN.CO.UK<br />

0121 710 4233 CARRIE@TOWNANDCOUNTRY.CO.UK


SPOTLIGHT<br />

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SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

WWW.TOWNANDCOUNTRY.CO.UK


32 ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE:<br />

Festival season might be<br />

grinding to a close (which<br />

is probably just as well,<br />

considering the recovery time<br />

needed for those of us who got<br />

caught in the swampy deluge!),<br />

but that doesn’t mean that there<br />

aren’t some world-class events<br />

still yet to come. Glastonbury<br />

might take the crown as the<br />

biggest music festival in the<br />

UK, but for true arts lovers the<br />

absolute be all and end all is the<br />

Edinburgh Festival Fringe.<br />

Started in 1947, the festival has<br />

run annually and is an alternative<br />

to the Edinburgh International<br />

Festival (though has, somewhat<br />

ironically, become more<br />

renowned in popular culture than<br />

the festival it operates around).<br />

Taking place across the month<br />

of <strong>August</strong>, in 2015 the festival<br />

spanned 25 days and featured an<br />

incredible 50,459 performances<br />

of 3,314 shows across 313 venues<br />

throughout the city.<br />

The largest arts festival in the<br />

world, the Edinburgh Fringe<br />

has become an absolute mustattend<br />

for any arts fan (globally<br />

or UK based), having launched<br />

the careers of many a prominent<br />

comedian and comedienne.<br />

Among the performers who have<br />

launched their careers at the Fringe<br />

Festival are Eddie Izzard, Rowan Atkinson, Jo Brand, Billy<br />

Connolly and Ben Elton. As well as these, individual members<br />

of Monty Python have also put on performances at the<br />

Fringe in student productions in the early 1960s.<br />

Much more than just a festival for stand-up comedy, the<br />

Fringe also puts on productions with recent years including<br />

the likes of Hamlet, 12 Angry Men and The Odd Couple. The<br />

festival also hosts “showcases”, where prospective patrons<br />

could view a “sample set” of a particular show, often for free.<br />

The festival is open to performers from around the world,<br />

and attracts everybody from Stand-Up comedians to<br />

comedy troupes, theatre production groups, musical acts<br />

and performance artists. The festival has become a known<br />

stomping-ground for acts looking to be “discovered”, with<br />

more recent discoveries including Flight of the Conchords,<br />

Rich Hall and Al Murray.<br />

Attracting (literally) millions of tourists each year, the<br />

Fringe is unparalleled in scope and size and has gone on to<br />

influence similar events around the world. Among the cities<br />

that have adopted the Fringe mentality are Adelaide, New<br />

York and Edmonton.<br />

Ticket prices for Fringe shows fluctuate greatly depending<br />

on the show – some shows will have a fixed price fee for<br />

tickets (often larger comedian/show type events fit into this<br />

category), whilst other shows may be entirely free to view,<br />

free to enter with a collection at the end or “pay what you<br />

can” type affairs.


ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

33<br />

1 LAST DANCE WITH MY FATHER 1984<br />

Venue: Laughing Horse @ Espionage (Venue 185), EH1 2EX //<br />

Show-Time: 14:30 // Dates: <strong>August</strong> 1st – 7th, 9th – 14th, 16th<br />

– 21st, 23rd – 27th // Run-Time: 1 Hour // Age (Guideline): 16+<br />

// Tickets: Free<br />

The Fringe may have become heavily associated with standup<br />

comedy, but the sheer variety of acts on show throughout<br />

the month prove that its versatility is one of its biggest<br />

unique selling points. Njambi McGrath’s 1 Last Dance With My<br />

Father is a prime illustration of this versatility.<br />

1 Last Dance With My Father is a pitch-black comedy<br />

production which touches on themes of familial relationships,<br />

abuse and reconciliation. The show concerns McGrath’s<br />

character who, 20 years after narrowly surviving a beating<br />

from her father that nearly killed her, runs into her father<br />

again and seeks out some kind of closure. Certainly not your<br />

average sketch comedy, the production is able to bridge<br />

drama, comedy and familial politics in an intelligent and<br />

highly enjoyable way.<br />

Venue: theSpace @ Jury’s Inn (Venue 260), EH1 1DH //<br />

Show-Time: 17:40 //Dates: <strong>August</strong> 22nd – 27th // Run-Time:<br />

45 Mins // Age (Guideline): 12+ // Tickets: £7<br />

George Orwell’s dystopian world of 1984 may be closer than<br />

we think, if some critics are to be believed, but that doesn’t<br />

stop the story from capturing our imaginations. At just 45<br />

minutes long, Close Up Theatre’s sell-out adaption of the<br />

novel commits fully to breathing an oppressive, frenetic life<br />

into the source material.<br />

Following the story of Winston Smith, an ordinary man<br />

dragged into a freedom-or-death struggle, 1984 plays upon<br />

themes of surveillance, cult-of-personality and totalitarianism<br />

for one of literature’s most enduring and widely cited works.<br />

No image of dystopia, be it Hunger Games or Blade Runner,<br />

would exist in quite the same way without Orwell’s work.<br />

SAGE FRANCIS & B. DOLAN<br />

BANG! TO THE HEART<br />

Venue: Stand in the Square (Venue 372), EH1 3EB // Show-<br />

Time: 13:40 // Dates: <strong>August</strong> 5th – 7th, 9th – 14th, 16th – 21st,<br />

23rd – 27th // Run-Time: 1 Hour // Age (Guideline): 12+ //<br />

Tickets: £14<br />

Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s status as the biggest arts festival<br />

in the world means it attracts acts from far and wide and<br />

though the festival brims with home-grown UK talent, it<br />

also has a rich history of attracting some of the sharpest<br />

minds from across the Atlantic. Following in the footsteps<br />

of the likes of Bill Hicks and Ed Hamell, the <strong>2016</strong> event sees<br />

prominent Hip-Hop geniuses Sage Francis and B. Dolan<br />

debut a spoken word set at the festival.<br />

Prolific solo musicians in their own right, as well as founders<br />

of the group “Epic Beard Men”, Dolan and Francis have<br />

earned massive acclaim for their rap style which promotes<br />

activism, poetry and strong lyricism. Take this and transfer<br />

it into an hour-long spoken word show, and you have the<br />

makings of an excellent evening’s entertainment, sure to get<br />

the synapses firing.<br />

Venue: Zoo Southside (Venue 82) // Show-Time: 22:20<br />

Dates: <strong>August</strong> 5th – 9th, 11th – 14th, 16th – 21st, 23rd – 29th<br />

Run-Time: 1 Hour // Age (Guideline): U (everybody)<br />

Tickets: £14<br />

It is undeniable that some arts are hugely popular for their<br />

universal appeal which can break through age, cultural<br />

and language barriers. Bang! To The Heart is one such<br />

production, put on by Italian dance troupe NUE Dance<br />

Company. The show is hugely popular for its usage of an<br />

original soundtrack, ten highly skilled dancers and a wide<br />

range of special effects and video projections, all guaranteed<br />

to capture the imagination.<br />

Appropriately for the 400-year anniversary of the death<br />

of William Shakespeare, the plot of Bang! To The Heart is<br />

perfectly Shakespearean in a very Romeo And Juliet way.<br />

Energetic, passionate and visually stunning, Bang! To The<br />

Heart is anything but tragic.


34 ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

DIGBETH DINING CLUB<br />

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that Birmingham’s sudden renaissance of street food markets<br />

all stretch back to a single, nigh-monolithic entity. Started in 2012 and run on a weekly basis ever since, Digbeth<br />

Dining Club (DDC) has come to exemplify the kind of forward thinking event that can not only attract big crowds,<br />

but also serve as a catalyst for regeneration.<br />

Tucked away behind<br />

the iconic Crown<br />

Pub in Digbeth and<br />

just a short walk from the<br />

Custard Factory, Digbeth<br />

Dining Club is held at<br />

the Spotlight Club from<br />

5PM each Friday. Arrive<br />

at 5 and you’ll likely see<br />

a miscellany of students,<br />

businessmen and avid<br />

foodies gathered in the<br />

courtyard sampling some<br />

of the many delights<br />

on sale. Arrive any later<br />

though, and you’ll more<br />

likely see a mass crowd<br />

gather, as DDC has fast<br />

become the primo “goto”<br />

spot for the intrepid<br />

connoisseur of cuisine.<br />

Its little wonder really.<br />

With its unique bohemian<br />

atmosphere, artisan<br />

bars (some containing<br />

craft beers and popup<br />

Cocktail stalls)<br />

and a comprehensive<br />

diverse selection of<br />

cuisines including Indian,<br />

Caribbean and Pan-Asian,<br />

representing a chance for<br />

patrons to send their tastebuds<br />

on a round-the-world<br />

journey.<br />

However, it’s not all just<br />

about food. As the event is<br />

hosted at Spotlight Club,<br />

it makes use of the unique<br />

club atmosphere inside the<br />

building. Inside, patrons<br />

are treated to a dark,<br />

often Jazz-soundtracked<br />

atmosphere which gives<br />

the whole event an almost<br />

illicit speakeasy feel.<br />

The last Friday of each<br />

month sees DDC up the<br />

ante, with a huge Street<br />

Food party, usually<br />

hosted in its normal<br />

location. For the street closure, the whole of Lower Trinity<br />

Street is cordoned off and, as opposed to the usual five or<br />

six vendors at the weekly DDC event, a larger contingent<br />

descend upon Digbeth.<br />

Entry to these street<br />

closures tends to level<br />

at around £1.50, with<br />

attendance levels often<br />

meaning the earlier you<br />

get there, the better – this<br />

is one of the most popular<br />

parties in Birmingham, after<br />

all.<br />

Though Digbeth Dining<br />

Club might have started<br />

out as a static venture, it<br />

has soon expanded into<br />

other territories. In addition<br />

to the flagship event in<br />

Digbeth, DDC often hosts<br />

special events in King’s<br />

Heath and Codsall, near<br />

Wolverhampton. They have<br />

also recently branched<br />

into putting on events in<br />

Coventry.<br />

This heavy expansion has<br />

translated into massive<br />

success for the brand<br />

and has also helped to<br />

spearhead something of<br />

a street food renaissance<br />

across the West Midlands.<br />

Their huge success has<br />

also translated into big<br />

wins for many of their most<br />

loyal traders, with several<br />

expanding enough to get<br />

permanent fixtures.<br />

All of these elements<br />

combined turn Digbeth<br />

Dining Club into a premier<br />

fixture of the Birmingham<br />

nightlife calendar. Between<br />

gourmet dishes, unique<br />

cuisines and a relaxed, preparty<br />

foodie vibe, DDC is<br />

now beloved by its patrons<br />

for offering a chic bohemian<br />

experience without breaking<br />

the bank. As Digbeth itself<br />

continues to regenerate and<br />

grow, it stands to reason<br />

that Digbeth Dining Club<br />

will too, firmly entrenching itself as one of Birmingham’s<br />

premier food establishments.


ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

35<br />

IN LOVE WITH THE<br />

ROCK 'N' ROLL WORLD<br />

As Punk Rock approaches its 40th year, the fabled<br />

spirit of ’77 still burns bright and strong, even if it<br />

does appear (to the uninformed, at least) that Punk<br />

is dead. Much of the old guard are still going strong<br />

and new upstarts appear from every corner of the<br />

globe ready to keep the spirit of independence alive.<br />

One other thing that has lasted the test of time is the<br />

spirit of independence that Punk embodied, with<br />

independent labels, artists, bands and promoters<br />

proving themselves to be just as prominent as the giants<br />

in their ability to spread the good word. You need look no<br />

further than Birmingham’s impressive music scene to find<br />

strong independent communities dedicated to good causes<br />

and music and no scene in Birmingham is closer knit than the<br />

Punk Rock scene.<br />

Celebrations of great music in Birmingham occur all year<br />

round, but the biggest party by far is the Brum Punk’s<br />

Picnic, the gathering of the whole community for a threeday<br />

celebration in aid of charity. To this end, In The City<br />

Magazine have caught up with local musician, Khaos<br />

Productions owner and Picnic organiser “Jay Jay Khaos” to<br />

learn more about the event.<br />

The Event:<br />

The Punks Picnic has been running for<br />

29 years now, so it’s a massive event!<br />

It’s been passed on from promoter<br />

to promoter over the years – usually<br />

every three or four years – and is a<br />

great event because it reminds you<br />

just how big and deep the whole<br />

Birmingham community is.<br />

Photo Credit: Chris Hill<br />

Flyer Design: Peter Macbeth<br />

connected! I’m just part of a machine, really; everybody is<br />

equally as important in the scene.<br />

How People Can Support Their Scenes:<br />

Support the scene by going to gigs and buying merchandise!<br />

Otherwise, maybe pick up an instrument to voice your<br />

opinions – you can never have too many bands!<br />

The Brum Punx Picnic will be held from September 2nd to<br />

September 4th at The Wagon and Horses Pub in Digbeth.<br />

At the <strong>2016</strong> event we’ll be raising money for the SARA<br />

Charity. SARA is an Inshore Rescue boat and Land Search<br />

organisation covering the River Severn from the estuary right<br />

the way through to Shrewsbury and its surrounding areas.<br />

Usually we raise entirely for Birmingham based charities, but<br />

this year we have gone for something a bit different.<br />

The Event’s Importance:<br />

It’s hugely important because it brings everyone together<br />

in one place and gives new bands a place to cut their teeth<br />

with a big audience. We often have friends from around the<br />

scene sell their own home-made merch and products at<br />

the event too, so it’s more than just putting on a standard<br />

gig-type affair. The whole thing ends up a bit like a family<br />

gathering, especially when some of the older guys bring<br />

along kids, as there are games in Cannon Hill Park and<br />

acoustic acts on the bandstand on the Saturday afternoon<br />

too so everyone can get involved.<br />

There’s a lot of negativity in the news and whatever at the<br />

moment… Everyone’s pretty down so I guess if everyone can<br />

have a good vent at the gig and it’s all in good fun then we’re<br />

doing something right.<br />

RESTAURANT OR BAR?<br />

New venue, Refurbishment or<br />

New Management.<br />

Let us know and we will do the<br />

rest to get your message out.<br />

CONTACT OUR SALES TEAM NOW<br />

t: 0121 230 8333<br />

e: advertising@inthecityuk.com<br />

Jay’s Role Within The Scene:<br />

I play in a few bands (Brassick and Meathook mostly) and<br />

put gigs on around the Midlands area, so I’m pretty well


2<br />

FOR<br />

1<br />

COCKTAILS<br />

Available Thursday & Friday until<br />

Midnight selected cocktails below<br />

Bellini<br />

Cosmopolitan<br />

Margarita<br />

Solero<br />

Mojito<br />

Mon Amour<br />

Martini<br />

Pornstar Martini<br />

Daiquiri<br />

Long Island Iced Tea<br />

Fizz Fridays<br />

Bottles of Prosecco<br />

£20 all night<br />

/MECHUBAR<br />

WWW.MECHU.COM


ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />

37<br />

BLEEP BLEEP BEDLAM AS INSOMNIA58 BOUNCES INTO BRUM<br />

In the world of gaming (console and PC alike) there is<br />

no bigger name in the industry than the super-massive<br />

convention event E3, hosted annually in Los Angeles. The<br />

gathering of the gaming industry’s biggest names alongside<br />

up-and-coming indie studios and developers, E3 represents<br />

an opportunity for the gaming industry to showcase all of<br />

the latest developments in software, hardware and (most<br />

crucially) video-games.<br />

Much like ComiCon<br />

before it, E3 has spawned<br />

massive interest in similar<br />

such expo events on<br />

a global stage and for<br />

the UK, the be-all and<br />

end-all of gaming expos<br />

is Insomnia58, the UK’s<br />

biggest gaming festival.<br />

A celebration of all the<br />

best aspects of gaming<br />

culture, the event is an<br />

opportunity for fanatics<br />

to get to grips with upcoming titles and developments,<br />

interact with other fans and take part in a series of activities<br />

for gamers of all ages.<br />

Pulling together standard gaming experiences (demos,<br />

tournaments, new game trailers etc.) alongside more recent<br />

social media developments with live playthroughs, interactive<br />

activities and Q&A sessions with YouTube and Twitch stars.<br />

Such a comprehensive programme is sure to appeal to<br />

gamers of all inclinations, be it the Online MMORPG crowd or<br />

the Fifa fanatic, ensuring that Insomnia58 will be the absolute<br />

“must-attend” gaming event in <strong>2016</strong>.<br />

Running over the <strong>August</strong> bank holiday weekend and hosted<br />

at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, the<br />

event is guaranteed to be huge. Add to this, massive LAN<br />

gaming halls loaded with e-sports games like Fifa and you<br />

have the makings of a tournament<br />

every bit as competitive (and<br />

frustrating) as the Euros. Tickets for<br />

the event start at £25 per day, with £99<br />

allowing access to the event for the full<br />

duration.<br />

Dates: 26th <strong>August</strong> – 29th <strong>August</strong><br />

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH:<br />

LYCHEE ROSE<br />

COLLINS<br />

Fleet Street Kitchen’s Signature ‘Lychee & Rose Collins’ is a firm favourite on the<br />

menu for drinkers and diners alike. The now inseparable pairing of Hendricks Gin<br />

& fresh cucumber is taken for a delightful spin with fresh Lychee juice and our own<br />

home-made Rose syrup. Served long in a sling, it’s refreshing but still excites with<br />

flavour. Consistently a best seller as “FSK” just turns three years old and will no<br />

doubt continue to dominate the Canalside terrace for many years to come.<br />

INGREDIENTS: 35ml Hendricks Gin<br />

25ml Kwai Feh Lychee Liqueur<br />

30ml Lemon Juice<br />

20ml Gomme Syrup<br />

10 ml Red Wine<br />

Muddle cucumber in a Collins Glass<br />

Pour in all the ingredients (except the red wine)<br />

Add crushed ice and stir<br />

Add more crushed ice and top with the 10ml of red wine<br />

Garnish with a cucumber wheel.<br />

ENJOY!


HEALTH + BEAUTY | FOOD + DRINK | ENTERTAINMENT | NIGHTLIFE |<br />

COMMUNITY | BUSINESS | EDUCATION | CHARITY | PROPERTY |<br />

HOTEL REVIEWS | RESTAURANT REVIEWS | TRAVEL | MOTORING


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39<br />

SPOTLIGHT<br />

YOUNG<br />

IN THE CITY<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

BRIGHTLET<br />

WWW.BRIGHTLET.COM


40 YOUNG IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY BRIGHTLET<br />

INTRODUCING RAVEN KNIGHT<br />

Hello there!<br />

My name is Raven,<br />

and I’m a kid (well,<br />

kind of kid; I’m only<br />

14 – I’m getting there!). I’m<br />

the average kid, I guess –<br />

plays games, hangs out with<br />

friends (sometimes; I don’t<br />

have many), listens to music<br />

(though probably not your<br />

type of music). I’m an anime<br />

fan, and an artist. You’ll be<br />

seeing some of my art here,<br />

in the form of fabulous<br />

comic strips! And maybe hidden on the sides – it’s not hard<br />

to spot them, they’re pretty colourful.<br />

Let me tell you a bit about myself: I play games a lot, and I<br />

mean a lot. Once I stayed up until 3AM playing a computer<br />

game on a school night, my mother was not impressed<br />

(don’t try that at home, kids! You’ll probably fall asleep in<br />

school the next day, and then you’ll have an angry parent<br />

AND a detention to deal with).<br />

I’m a PC gamer – PC master race FTW! – but I do<br />

occasionally go on the PlayStation 4 or 3. No Xbox – sorry to<br />

any fans I just disappointed out there!<br />

My favourite game at the moment would be ‘Blade and Soul’,<br />

an MMORPG game. For those who don’t know, MMORPG<br />

means Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.<br />

‘Blade and Soul’ is Korean based, but recently came to<br />

Europe and the UK (it was actually my friend who introduced<br />

me to it – cheers to you if you’re reading this!), and you can<br />

customise your own character, then put them in a server,<br />

each one having a different story. It’s really fun! At the<br />

moment my character is a Lyn, meaning that she’s a small<br />

cute fox girl! She’s got big blue fluffy ears and a blue tail, and<br />

a cat pet as a companion.<br />

For the PlayStation, I like playing Call of Duty (big surprise,<br />

I know – a girl playing CoD?! *sarcastic gasp* It’s unheard<br />

of!) and Minecraft. I will admit, I don’t play online much on<br />

CoD because there are waaaayyyy too many quickscopers<br />

on there. Like, come on. Give me a chance, would ya?! I’m<br />

not even prestige yet. And don’t even get me started on the<br />

FaZe clan.<br />

Minecraft is the game I play more, I really like building<br />

things. I built a mansion, treehouse, castle and a few more<br />

treehouses in survival mode.<br />

Music-wise, I don’t listen to the UK Top 40. I actually listen to<br />

a type of Japanese music called VOCALOID, a synthesizing<br />

software. They have several different singers – Hatsune Miku,<br />

Kagamine Rin and Lne, Megurine Luka – they’re the main<br />

ones, but there are loads more. I first found them when I<br />

heard the song World is Mine by Hatsune Miku, back in about<br />

2012.<br />

Art-wise? I love drawing anime and manga (Japanese comic<br />

strips. Yes, I know I’m obsessed with Japanese stuff), and<br />

making my own characters. You’ll see my comic strips here<br />

often. Hope you enjoy my work!<br />

GAMES :D<br />

Xbox One’s backwards compatibility program they’ve got<br />

going on is offering even more old styled games to play. At<br />

the start of May, Microsoft released ‘Black Ops 1’ for the Xbox<br />

One, one of my personal favourites.<br />

I mean, come on! Smashing zombies to bits in ‘Kino Der<br />

Toten’ was the best. And using the AK-47 on multiplayer?<br />

Beautiful. However, there are other games coming out too,<br />

adding to the Xbox One’s list of oldies. ‘Skate 3’ is coming<br />

out, along with the ‘Bioshock’ series - that’s ‘BioShock’,<br />

‘BioShock 2’, and ‘BioShock Infinite’.<br />

Speaking of Xbox, there’s a new Xbox coming out. The<br />

unofficial name for it is Xbox Slim, it’s supposedly meant<br />

to be 40% smaller than the current Xbox One, and meant<br />

to have 2TB – that’s two terabytes, a very large amount of<br />

space – and is meant to be cheaper than the current Xbox<br />

One.<br />

Even more Xbox rumours! There’s meant to be an Xbox<br />

One VR, codenamed “Scorpio”, that’s said to have a much<br />

more powerful graphics card, four times the normal power.<br />

That’s enough power to use an Oculus Rift, which is a virtual<br />

reality headset. According to CNET (a news website), a game<br />

developer at a "well-known European studio" let slip to Ars<br />

Technica (another news website) that his company was<br />

working on an Xbox One VR title for 2017.


YOUNG IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY BRIGHTLET<br />

41<br />

by Raven Knight


0844 870 0000 (24hr)<br />

Ticketing solutions<br />

Online box offices<br />

Event management<br />

24hr customer service<br />

On-site accreditation


SPOTLIGHT<br />

NIGHTLIFE<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

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44 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

WELCOME BACK TO THE NIGHTLIFE SECTION OF IN THE<br />

CITY MAGAZINE, PRESENTED BY<br />

We hope you enjoyed our first edition of Nightlife last month and that you had an epic time at any events you<br />

attended! We have compiled a list of the best events in and around the West Midlands, but we have also included<br />

some events taking place in the popular summer destinations around the world to help spark some ideas of how to<br />

spend your summer.<br />

Each month, we introduce<br />

you to one of our promoters<br />

through our blog, Backstage.<br />

For this month’s Backstage we have<br />

caught up with the Director of Wild<br />

Rumpus and the Just So Festival.<br />

Just So Festival is taking place<br />

on the third weekend of <strong>August</strong><br />

and aims to create an amazing,<br />

spellbinding weekend for families to<br />

see breathtaking theatre, dance and<br />

music. Each clearing and glade has<br />

a new way to unleash creativity and<br />

anyone attending is invited to bring<br />

their skills, talents and ideas to the<br />

festival, so pack your instruments and<br />

favourite stories.<br />

Sarah Bird works on the festival year<br />

round from their horsebox office,<br />

called Fleur, and here is what she had<br />

to say;<br />

When did Just So Festival start and<br />

how has it grown/changed?<br />

We set up Just So Festival seven years<br />

ago, with a pretty clear idea of what<br />

we wanted it to be like. We wanted to<br />

tap into the magic of weekend music<br />

festivals – when audiences come<br />

together in a different place, space<br />

and frame of mind, with some of the<br />

nostalgia of an English childhood<br />

made up of camping trips, campfires<br />

and midnight feasts, but in a curious<br />

and surprising landscape.<br />

Now in its 7th year, Just So is an<br />

outdoor weekend camping adventure,<br />

showcasing the best literature,<br />

art, music, comedy, circus, dance,<br />

storytelling, theatre and visual art for<br />

families in a landscape of woodland<br />

clearings, rolling parkland, arboreal<br />

amphitheatres and lakeside spots.<br />

What made you decide to be a<br />

Festival organiser?<br />

There was never a great ambition<br />

to be festival organisers, our initial<br />

enthusiasm was for sharing stories,<br />

bringing like minded people together<br />

and inspiring them - a festival<br />

environment was the perfect setting<br />

for this.<br />

How did you come up with your<br />

event name?<br />

The original Just So Festival<br />

site overlooked Rudyard Lake in<br />

Staffordshire, it’s where Mr & Mr’s<br />

Kipling met and courted, they later<br />

named their firstborn son Rudyard<br />

after the Lake. With our love of stories<br />

it seemed logical for us to name our<br />

festival after his Just So Stories.<br />

What's your favorite event?<br />

Probably Hay-on-Wye Literature<br />

Festival.<br />

Which events have/do inspire you?<br />

Lots of the street arts festivals,<br />

some of the work by the National<br />

Theatre Wales and everything that<br />

Punchdrunk produce.<br />

If you could have anyone headline<br />

your event who would you choose?<br />

We’re less about headline music acts<br />

and more about the arts so it would<br />

probably be one of the big European<br />

Circus Companies like Compagnie<br />

Transe Express.<br />

If you weren't putting on events,<br />

what would you be doing?<br />

I’d be running a bookshop.<br />

What's your number 1 tip for<br />

surviving your festival?<br />

Leave your inhibitions at the gate and<br />

be prepared to play.<br />

What makes your event stand out<br />

from all the rest?<br />

Our audience are incredible, they<br />

dress up, sing, play, dance and create<br />

- most of the time it’s hard to work<br />

out who’s a performer and who’s an<br />

audience member, which creates the<br />

most wonderful atmosphere on site.<br />

Where would we find you on the last<br />

night of your festival?<br />

Round the campfire, having a drink<br />

with the incredible volunteers who<br />

help put the festival on.<br />

Finally - Do you ever get used to<br />

portaloos?<br />

I don’t mind a portaloo at all - there<br />

were some amusing moments last<br />

year when people dressed as stags<br />

got their antlers stuck and couldn’t<br />

get out again!<br />

Just So is an advance ticket event<br />

only, meaning you won’t be able to<br />

buy tickets on the gate, so make sure<br />

you book in advance!


NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

45<br />

News<br />

Calling all vegans and vegetarians… Vegfest London went on sale on the 1st of this month (<strong>August</strong>)! Although London is a little bit<br />

of a journey, if you book in advance you can make use of Vegfest’s Buy One Get One Free or Buy One Get One Half Price tickets<br />

to save money for your transport down to the event. For this year’s event the Vegfest team are expanding the venue due to the<br />

event's popularity in 2015. They will have 250 stalls full of top-notch food, body care, cosmetics, fashion, and much more.<br />

If you are a promoter and you would like your event listed for free or if you are interested in advertising or editorial then please<br />

get in touch with us on <strong>ITC</strong>@theticeketsellers.co.uk<br />

SOLIHULL SUMMER FEST<br />

Solihull’s first ever charity music festival takes place in<br />

Tudor Grange Park on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th<br />

<strong>August</strong> <strong>2016</strong>. It is a two-day event offering the people<br />

of Solihull the opportunity to experience the fun and<br />

excitement of a festival within their own town. Each day<br />

will run from 12 midday until 10pm with live music, food<br />

and drink stands, and an exclusive VIP tent. There will<br />

also be a lot of on-site activities to keep all members<br />

of the family entertained, including street artists, face<br />

painters, circus workshops, and much much more!<br />

Saturday will be focused on mainstream commercial<br />

acts and tribute bands including headline artistes such<br />

as UB40, Kevin Simm (Winner of The Voice <strong>2016</strong>), 5ive<br />

and S Club Party.<br />

Sunday will be a day of Indie/Rock’n’Roll/Acoustic<br />

music with local bands/Indie tribute acts and named<br />

headline artistes such as Scouting for Girls, The Wonder<br />

Stuff, The Hoosiers ad Finley Quaye.<br />

All profits from the event are to be donated to Help<br />

Harry Help Others (www.hhho.org.uk) – a Local cancer<br />

support charity with a clear mission. Help Harry Help<br />

Others is unique in its efforts to not only help find a cure<br />

for Brain Cancer but also in helping children and their<br />

families who are affected by any cancer, and the people<br />

who support them.<br />

Around 1,550 children are diagnosed with cancer each<br />

year in the UK, a quarter of them with brain tumours.<br />

The charity’s ultimate mission is to find a cure, but until<br />

then they want to make a difference wherever they can.<br />

They have 3 ways that we help; Help Cope, Help Care<br />

and Help Cure.<br />

So if you want to have an excellent time with your<br />

family, at a local event, while also making a difference<br />

and donating to an amazing cause, then you know<br />

where to be for your <strong>August</strong> bank holiday weekend!


46 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

Goliath Poker Tournament<br />

Saturday 30th July -Sunday 7th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

Each day starts at 12pm<br />

(Casino will be open 24 hours<br />

during Goliath)<br />

From £127<br />

Imarhan<br />

Wednesday 3rd <strong>August</strong><br />

7:30pm - 10:30pm<br />

Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath<br />

From £11<br />

Troublemaker - Tribute To Olly<br />

Murs<br />

Wednesday 3rd <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7:30pm<br />

Robin 2, Wolverhampton<br />

From £10<br />

Zoo<br />

Wednesday 3rd <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Popworld, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Big Wednesday<br />

Wednesday 3rd <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Wilderness Festival<br />

Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th <strong>August</strong><br />

Gates open midday Thursday<br />

Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire<br />

Weekend with camping from<br />

£188.25<br />

(Other camping/ticket options<br />

available)<br />

P.A.R.T.Y<br />

Thursday 4th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Pryzm, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Juicy<br />

Thursday 4th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Revelation Burlesque<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 8pm<br />

The Big Bulls Head, Digbeth<br />

From 6.50<br />

Birmingham is Funny: You, Me &<br />

Monkey<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7:30pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From £10<br />

Hell Razor<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £8<br />

Anything Goes<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 5am<br />

The Empire, Coventry<br />

From £9<br />

Mischief Presents Jay Hutton ‘The<br />

Tattoo Fixer’<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Luna, Solihull<br />

From £5.50<br />

Click<br />

Friday 5th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Starlite Weekender<br />

Friday 5th - Sunday 7th <strong>August</strong><br />

3pm Fri - 11am Sun<br />

Park Hall Hotel, Preston<br />

From £109.10<br />

Gaia’s Garden<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

10am - 3pm<br />

The Old Print Works, Birmingham<br />

Free<br />

Kings Heath Farmers’ Market<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 10am<br />

Kings Heath Village Square<br />

Free<br />

The Ibiza Carnival<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

2pm - 6am<br />

Lab11, Birmingham<br />

From £27.50<br />

The 12 Hour Midlands Showcase<br />

and BBQ<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

4pm - 4am<br />

Telford Arena & Live Lounge<br />

From £5.50<br />

Bad Manners<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7pm<br />

Leamington Spa Assembly<br />

From £16.65<br />

Big Bull Barn Party<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 2am<br />

The Big Bulls Head, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Pleasure Ladies Nights<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 10:30pm<br />

The Hub<br />

From 14.50 (Student and VIP<br />

available)<br />

Includes entry to Nightingale after<br />

Welladock<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £5.50<br />

Beres Hammond & Maxi Priest<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 4am<br />

O2 Academy, Birmingham<br />

From £35.10<br />

Maraugiology<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath<br />

From £7.75<br />

Loaded<br />

Saturday 6th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 4am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Comic Con Superhero Fun Run<br />

Sunday 7th <strong>August</strong><br />

11am - 2pm<br />

Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield<br />

From £15.50<br />

Glyndebourne Festival: Béatrice et<br />

Bénédict<br />

Tuesday 9th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 6:30pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From £20<br />

Paper in my Pants<br />

Tuesday 9th <strong>August</strong><br />

7:30pm - 9pm<br />

Moseley School Sports Complex<br />

From £5<br />

Zoo<br />

Wednesday 10th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Popworld, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Big Wednesday<br />

Wednesday 10th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £4


NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

47<br />

Boomtown<br />

Thursday 11th - Sunday 14th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

12pm Thurs - 11:59pm Sun<br />

Winchester<br />

From £186.95 (Teen and Child<br />

tickets available)<br />

Clay<br />

Thursday 11th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8pm<br />

The Sunflower Lounge,<br />

Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

P.A.R.T.Y<br />

Thursday 11th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Pryzm, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Juicy<br />

Thursday 11th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Farmer Phil’s Festival<br />

Friday 12th - Sunday 14th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

11am Fri - 12pm Sun<br />

Near Gatten Farm, Shropshire<br />

Weekend from £76 (Day<br />

tickets available)<br />

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in<br />

Concert<br />

Friday 12th <strong>August</strong><br />

6pm - 10:30pm<br />

Jaguar Indoor Arena, Coventry<br />

From £20<br />

Erotica<br />

Friday 12th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 2am<br />

Eden, Birmingham<br />

From £6.50<br />

The Fab Beatles<br />

Friday 12th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £9<br />

Kissing Frogs<br />

Friday 12th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From £15<br />

Indian Independence<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

4pm - 10pm<br />

Digbeth Gardens, Digbeth<br />

From £11<br />

Sex Pistols Experience<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7pm<br />

Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton<br />

From £11.75<br />

Bhangra Night Concert<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7pm<br />

Jaguar Indoor Arena, Coventry<br />

Standing from £10/ Seating from<br />

£20<br />

Mendelssohn’s Elijah<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7pm<br />

Town Hall, Birmingham<br />

From £12.50<br />

Pleasure Ladies Nights<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 10:30pm<br />

The Hub<br />

From 14.50 (Student and VIP<br />

available)<br />

Includes entry to Nightingale<br />

after<br />

Bhangra Night<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 10:30pm<br />

Ricoh Arena, Coventry<br />

From £15<br />

Kissing Frogs<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From £15<br />

Miranda Sings Live<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8pm<br />

Symphony Hall, Birmingham<br />

From £33<br />

Sweet 45 / Glam 45<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £9<br />

UB4T and Bob Marley & The<br />

Wailers tribute Legend<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8:30pm<br />

Robin 2, Wolverhampton<br />

From £15<br />

Soul Nostalgia’s 4th Birthday<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 3am<br />

The Hilton Hotel, Coventry<br />

From £6.50<br />

Stardust 2<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 5am<br />

The Arena Aldridge<br />

From £16.50<br />

4 SoulWeLive 4<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

9:30pm - 2am<br />

Rialto Reborn, Coventry<br />

From £7 + bf<br />

Loaded<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 4am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

The Laughing Sole Comedy for<br />

Kids<br />

Sunday 14th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 2pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From 7/ Family from £24<br />

Sick Of It All<br />

Sunday 14th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Warehouse<br />

From £18.50<br />

RKB/The Slash Conspiracy<br />

Monday 15th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 12am<br />

Brades Tavern, Oldbury<br />

Free<br />

The Old Firm Casuals, Drongos<br />

for Europe, + Angry Itch<br />

Tuesday 16th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £10.90<br />

Sally Pepper, The Prophets, A<br />

Mouth Full of Matches, Orchard<br />

Hill, + Lost at Home<br />

Wednesday 17th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £2.70<br />

Zoo<br />

Wednesday 17th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Popworld, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Big Wednesday<br />

Wednesday 17th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Ministry & Devildriver<br />

Thursday 18th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

O2 Institute, Birmingham<br />

From £22.50<br />

A-Level Results P.A.R.T.Y<br />

Thursday 18th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Pryzm, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Neon Glove Rave - A level<br />

results party<br />

Thursday 18th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Venue to be announced<br />

Birmingham and Wolverhampton<br />

From £3<br />

Propaganda A Level Results<br />

Thursday 18th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Leamington Spa Assembly<br />

From £3<br />

Juicy<br />

Thursday 18th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Click<br />

Friday 12th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

15 Minutes 4 U Presents<br />

Stepping Out<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Under 11’s 10am - 1:30pm<br />

Under 18’s 3pm - 8:30pm<br />

Over 18’s 9pm - 2:30am<br />

Aston Students Guild<br />

U11 Free/ U18 £7.50/O18 £11<br />

DIE DAS DER presents YR<br />

WELCOME 3<br />

Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

2pm Sat - 12:00pm Sun<br />

The Wagon and Horses,<br />

Digbeth<br />

Weekend from £11 (Day tickets<br />

available)


48 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

Green Man Festival<br />

Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

Brecon Beacon, Wales<br />

Adult Weekend from £183.75<br />

(Other ticket options available)<br />

Big Twins and ZDR live<br />

Friday 19th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7:30pm<br />

Streetlife, Leicester<br />

From £16.50<br />

Bon Giovi - Bon Jovi Tribute<br />

Friday 19th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 8:30pm<br />

Robin 2, Wolverhampton<br />

From £12<br />

The Summer Stomp Off!<br />

Friday 19th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 6am<br />

The Tunnel Club, Birmingham<br />

From £19<br />

2Turnt Up<br />

Friday 19th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Geisha, Birmingham<br />

From £11<br />

Click<br />

Friday 19th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Just So Festival<br />

Friday 19th - Sunday 21st <strong>August</strong><br />

10am Fri - 6pm Sun<br />

Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire<br />

Adult weekend from £133.13 (Day<br />

tickets available)<br />

Filthy Girl<br />

Friday 19th - Sunday 21st <strong>August</strong><br />

(Also dates in September to<br />

participate)<br />

1pm Fri - 10pm Sun<br />

Catton Hall, Derbyshire<br />

Camping from £30.90<br />

Hair and beauty also available<br />

TFNation <strong>2016</strong><br />

Friday 19th - Monday 22nd<br />

<strong>August</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />

Starts 6pm<br />

Hilton Birmingham Metropole<br />

Adults from £55 (Day and Teen<br />

tickets available)<br />

Under 13s Free<br />

15 Minutes 4 U Presents<br />

Stepping Out<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

Under 11’s 10am - 1:30pm<br />

Under 18’s 3pm - 8:30pm<br />

Over 18’s 9pm - 2:30am<br />

Aston Students Guild<br />

U11 Free/ U18 £11/O18 £16.50<br />

Jungle Xplosion 4<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

10am - 4am<br />

The Irish Centre, Nottingham<br />

From £6<br />

The Colour Run<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

11am - 3am<br />

NEC Arena, Birmingham<br />

From £25<br />

(Team discounts and premium<br />

packages available)<br />

V Festival<br />

Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

11:30am - 11:00pm<br />

Weston Park, Shifnal<br />

Weekend camping £199.95<br />

Day tickets available<br />

Family Fest’ <strong>2016</strong> ft Buzzstock<br />

Music Festival<br />

Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

12pm Sat - 7pm Sun<br />

Buzzards Valley, Tamworth<br />

Weekend from £17.50<br />

(Day tickets available)<br />

Classique: Talent Showcase<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 2am<br />

Apres, Birmingham<br />

From £11<br />

Pleasure Ladies Nights<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 10:30pm<br />

The Hub<br />

From 14.50 (Student and VIP<br />

available)<br />

Includes entry to Nightingale<br />

after<br />

Upfront Comedy’s Summer Jam<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7:30pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

From £12<br />

Rule The World<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12am<br />

Second City Bar and Lounge,<br />

Birmingham<br />

From £10<br />

Kick up the 80s<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:15am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £8<br />

Concept<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 3am<br />

The Queens Head, Redditch<br />

From £6.50<br />

Full Moon Party<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 4am<br />

The Big Bull’s Head, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Bassman Birthday Bash <strong>2016</strong><br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 6am<br />

O2 Institute, Birmingham<br />

From £19.50<br />

Skanking 2 Bass Jungle vs DnB<br />

(Launch Party)<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 6am<br />

PST, Birminghan<br />

From £5.50<br />

Loaded<br />

Saturday 20th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 4am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

WWE Summer Slam <strong>2016</strong><br />

Sunday 21st <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 4am


NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

49<br />

Walkabout, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Beyond Recall, Altered Sky, +<br />

Cry Excess<br />

Monday 22nd <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £8.70<br />

I Killed The Prom Queen<br />

Tuesday 23rd <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £14.70<br />

Whitney<br />

Tuesday 23rd <strong>August</strong><br />

7:30pm - 10:30pm<br />

Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath<br />

From £10.75<br />

Beach Slang<br />

Tuesday 23rd <strong>August</strong><br />

Starts 7:30pm<br />

The Sunflower Lounge,<br />

Birmingham<br />

From £11<br />

Zoo<br />

Wednesday 24th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Popworld, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Big Wednesday<br />

Wednesday 24th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Stoke Under 18s GCSE Results<br />

Party<br />

Thursday 25th <strong>August</strong><br />

6pm - 11pm<br />

Fiction, Hanley<br />

From £9<br />

Kevin Morby<br />

Thursday 25th <strong>August</strong><br />

7:30pm - 10:30pm<br />

Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath<br />

From £11<br />

Artful Dodger<br />

Thursday 25th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 3am<br />

Walkabout, Solihull<br />

From £5.50<br />

P.A.R.T.Y<br />

Thursday 25th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Pryzm, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Juicy<br />

Thursday 25th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Shambala Festival<br />

Thursday 25th - Monday 29th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

2pm Thurs - 12pm Mon<br />

Country Estate,<br />

Northamptonshire<br />

Adult weekend from £174.99<br />

Creamfields Festival <strong>2016</strong><br />

Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

Campsite opens 12pm<br />

Thursday<br />

Daresbury, Cheshire<br />

Weekend from £200<br />

Four Fighters<br />

Friday 26th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £9<br />

Hyped Up<br />

Friday 26th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 4am<br />

The Basement Club, Hanley<br />

From £5.50<br />

Click<br />

Friday 26th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Insomnia58, The Biggest Gaming<br />

Festival<br />

Friday 26th - Monday 29th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30am - 6pm<br />

NEC, Birmingham<br />

Day from £25, Weekend from £60<br />

Bring Your Own Computer £99<br />

Reading and Leeds Festivals<br />

Friday 26th - Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

Doors open 9:30am each day<br />

Reading or Leeds<br />

Day from £66.50, Weekend from<br />

£213<br />

Moseley Farmers’ Market<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

9am - 2pm<br />

Moseley Village<br />

Free<br />

15 Minutes 4 U Presents Stepping<br />

Out<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

Under 11’s 10am - 1:30pm<br />

Under 18’s 3pm - 8:30pm<br />

Over 18’s 9pm - 2:30am<br />

Aston Students Guild<br />

U11 Free/ U18 £11/O18 £16.50<br />

National Burger Day<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

12pm - 8pm<br />

The Digbeth Triangle<br />

From £6<br />

Bingo Rave<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

5pm - 11pm<br />

The Digbeth Triangle<br />

From £6<br />

Good Charlotte<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

O2 Institute, Birmingham<br />

From £22.50<br />

Pleasure Ladies Nights<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 10:30pm<br />

The Hub<br />

From 14.50 (Student and VIP<br />

available)<br />

Includes entry to Nightingale after<br />

UB42 Allskas<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 12:30am<br />

Arches Venue, Coventry<br />

From £6.50<br />

Loaded<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong>


50 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />

10:30pm - 4am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Simply Soul - Bank Holiday<br />

Special<br />

Saturday 27th <strong>August</strong><br />

11pm - 3am<br />

Fredericks Bar & Lounge,<br />

Jewellery Quarter<br />

From £6.50<br />

Solihull Summer Fest<br />

Saturday 27th - Sun 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

12:15pm Sat - 10pm Sun<br />

Tudor Grange, Solihull<br />

Adult weekend from £55 (Day<br />

tickets available)<br />

Food Market<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30am - 3:30pm<br />

Mac, Birmingham<br />

Free/ Stall holders £35<br />

The Dance Arena<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

12pm - 6am<br />

The Nightingale Club, Kent Street<br />

From £8.50<br />

Love Tunnel<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

12pm - 10pm<br />

The Tunnel Club, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

LIFEST<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

3pm - 4am<br />

The Actress & Bishop,<br />

Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

B2T - The Birthday<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 6am<br />

O2 Institute2, Birmingham<br />

From £11<br />

Real Deal Comedy Jam<br />

presents the WillE<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

8pm - 11pm<br />

6 on Broad Street<br />

From £10<br />

Rewind<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

9pm - 3am<br />

Chameleon, Birmingham<br />

From £9<br />

Decorum - 90’s RnB Bank<br />

Holiday Experience<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Geisha, Birmingham<br />

From £5.50<br />

Summer Chapter<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 6am<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £16<br />

Lazy Sunday<br />

Sunday 28th <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snobs, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Pup<br />

Tuesday 30th <strong>August</strong><br />

7pm - 11pm<br />

The Rainbow Venues<br />

From £14.70<br />

Zoo<br />

Wednesday 31st <strong>August</strong><br />

10pm - 3am<br />

Popworld, Birmingham<br />

From £4.50<br />

Big Wednesday<br />

Wednesday 31st <strong>August</strong><br />

10:30pm - 3:30am<br />

Snob, Birmingham<br />

From £4<br />

Summer Destination<br />

Events<br />

Crank<br />

Tuesdays throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

11:45pm - 5am<br />

Club Black n White, Ayia<br />

Napa<br />

From £8.50<br />

Judgement<br />

Friday nights throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

12am - 6am<br />

Eden, Ibiza<br />

From £21.50<br />

Sintillate<br />

Saturdays throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

11:45pm - 6am<br />

Eden, Ibiza<br />

From £25<br />

Rum and Raybans Boat<br />

Party<br />

Wednesdays throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

Zante<br />

From £60<br />

Different package and part<br />

payment options available<br />

Full Moon Party (Thailand<br />

Style)<br />

Sundays throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

Magaluf<br />

From £29 (Deposit option<br />

available)<br />

Holi Garden Festival<br />

Monday throughout<br />

<strong>August</strong><br />

4:30pm - 12am<br />

Benimussa Park, Ibiza<br />

From €29 (Includes 2 bags<br />

of colour)<br />

All events, details and<br />

prices are correct at time<br />

of publish.


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SPOTLIGHT<br />

MONTHLY<br />

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54 MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />

SUMMER<br />

OLYMPICS<br />

<strong>2016</strong> IN<br />

RIO DE<br />

JANEIRO<br />

Quite possibly the greatest sporting competition in<br />

the world, and most certainly the most inclusive.<br />

The Summer Olympics are once again calling for<br />

the great and good to gather in a clash of wills, spirits and<br />

pure ability. You’d have been hard-pressed in 2012 to avoid<br />

the Olympics as more or less everywhere got some variety of<br />

Olympics make-over, but the <strong>2016</strong> Games look to be equally<br />

as massive. Britain looks to both defend its previous glories<br />

from last summer, and also potentially gain supremacy in<br />

some new disciplines in <strong>2016</strong>.<br />

Hosted by Brazil and held in Rio De Janeiro (after all, if you<br />

want a massive party in the South American continent where<br />

else would you go?), the games will run for the majority of<br />

<strong>August</strong>, starting on <strong>August</strong> 5th and ending <strong>August</strong> 21st. As<br />

with previous years, competitors are set to clash in a huge<br />

variety of sporting events, in everything from boxing to<br />

athletics, cycling to sailing.<br />

Though the Games have a history which (in the modern era<br />

at least) stretches over a century, and a legacy which spans<br />

a couple of millennia, that doesn’t exclude the games from<br />

adapting and changing. Among the big changes to rules for<br />

the <strong>2016</strong> Games are the (somewhat controversial) decision<br />

to allow professional boxers to compete alongside amateurs,<br />

as well as the introduction of Rugby Sevens and Golf to the<br />

Olympic programme. Neither sport is new to the programme;<br />

Rugby Sevens was last played as part of the Olympics in<br />

1924, and golf was part of the 1904 Games.<br />

Made up of 206 participating National Olympic Committees,<br />

the <strong>2016</strong> Olympic Games include more nations than ever<br />

before. The Games will bring together athletes from<br />

superpower countries like the USA, Japan and the UK,<br />

as well as smaller nations like North Sudan and Kosovo.<br />

Podium positions are up for grabs no matter the size of the<br />

competing nation, meaning the Olympics represent one of<br />

the largest even-playing-field type events in the world.<br />

With such an inclusive and ever innovative programme in<br />

place, as well as being hosted in one of the world’s most<br />

vibrant and colourful cities, the Olympics will be an absolute<br />

must-watch for any avid sports fan. Add to this the fervour<br />

that was caused by the massive success of Team Great<br />

Britain in 2012, with overall medal standings putting us third<br />

in the world, just behind China (2nd place) and the USA (1st<br />

place). Take all of this together and you have all the makings<br />

for an event which will make Britain feel well and truly Great.<br />

Defending the glory – the medallists of 2012<br />

As the previous hosts of the Olympic Games, expectations<br />

will be high for Team Great Britain to replicate its massive<br />

success in the 2012 Games. As previously mentioned, Great<br />

Britain’s standings at the end of the 2012 event saw it take<br />

up position as the third highest medal earning nation in the<br />

world. This means of course that Britain will be looking to not<br />

only defend its previous medals, but also gain some ground<br />

in other disciplines. With that in mind, In The City has pulled<br />

together a list of the sports and competitors from 2012 who<br />

will be looking to defend their medal-worthy glory…


MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />

55<br />

Athletics<br />

Medallist(s): Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Robbie Grabarz,<br />

Christine Ohuruogu, Greg Rutherford,<br />

Returning Athletes: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah, Robbie<br />

Grabarz, Christine Ohuruogu, Greg Rutherford<br />

One of the bigger superstars of the whole British Olympics<br />

experiences was the exceptional athletic abilities of runner<br />

Mo Farah. Taking gold in both the 5000 and 10000 metre<br />

dash, Farah proved himself to be uncatchable, and still<br />

looks very much the champion judging from his athletic<br />

achievements so far in <strong>2016</strong>. Of course, track isn’t the only<br />

type of Athletics event, and in Field Greg Rutherford also<br />

took home the Gold in Long Jump, whilst Robbie Grabarz<br />

won bronze in the High Jump.<br />

In women’s athletics events, Christine Ohuruogu took Silver<br />

in the 400 metre dash, and though she had to pull out of<br />

the British Championships in June due to illness, it is thought<br />

she will retain a position in the Olympics. Elsewhere, Jessica<br />

Ennis (now Ennis Hill) will be looking to defend her Gold<br />

Medal from the Women’s Heptathlon, the award which<br />

cemented her place as poster girl of the British effort in the<br />

Olympics.<br />

Gymnastics<br />

Medallist(s): Artistic Team (Sam Oldham/Daniel Purvis/Louis<br />

Smith/Kristian Thomas/Max Whitlock), Beth Tweddle<br />

Returning Athletes: Sam Oldham, Daniel Purvis, Louis Smith,<br />

Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock<br />

Team GB was able to net a Bronze Medal in Artistic<br />

Gymnastics thanks to the efforts of the artist team (Oldham/<br />

Purvis/Smith/Thomas/Whitlock) as well as an individual<br />

Silver Medal for Louis Smith and Bronze Medal for Max<br />

Whitlock, both on the pommel horse, and a further Bronze<br />

Medal for Beth Tweddle, competing on the uneven bars.<br />

Though the men’s team looks set to return for Rio <strong>2016</strong>,<br />

Tweddle will not be returning after retiring, and also suffering<br />

an injury whilst training for the Channel 4 programme The<br />

Jump.


56 MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />

Cycling<br />

Medallist(s): Lizzie Armistead, Steven<br />

Burke/Ed Clancy/Peter Kennaugh/<br />

Geraint Thomas, Sir Chris Hoy/Phillip<br />

Hindes/Jason Kenny, Chris Froome,<br />

Danielle King/Joanna Rowsell/Laura<br />

Trott, Victoria Pendleton, Bradley<br />

Wiggins<br />

Returning Athletes: Lizzy Armistead,<br />

Steven Burke/Ed Clancy/Peter<br />

Kennaugh/Geraint Thomas, Sir Chris<br />

Hoy/Phillip Hindes/Jason Kenny, Chris<br />

Froome, Joanna Rowsell/Laura Trott,<br />

Bradley Wiggins<br />

Cycling proved to be a highly lucrative<br />

field for Team GB in 2012, with a large<br />

yield of medals across the board (mainly<br />

gold) proving the nation’s teams to be<br />

among (and often) the best in the world.<br />

Sporting stars like Victoria Pendleton,<br />

Laura Trott and Bradley Wiggins all<br />

cemented their status as premiere<br />

athletes in their field.<br />

Of the athletes that competed in 2012,<br />

only two athletes will not be making it<br />

to the <strong>2016</strong> Games; Victoria Pendleton,<br />

who retired in 2012 and has since gone<br />

on to become a jockey, and Dani King,<br />

who was not selected for the squad<br />

following a car crash which caused her<br />

injuries sufficient enough to impede her<br />

career for a while. Although King isn’t<br />

in the squad at the time of print, she<br />

has lodged an appeal to try and win<br />

selection for Team GB.<br />

Equestrian<br />

Medallist(s): Laura Bechtolsheimer,<br />

Scott Brash/Peter Charles/<br />

Ben Maher/Nick Skelton,<br />

Tina Cook/William Fox-Pitt/<br />

Mary King/Zara Phillips/<br />

Nicola Wilson, Charlotte<br />

Dujardin, Carl Hester<br />

Returning Athletes: Laura<br />

Tomlinson (Bechtolsheimer),<br />

Scott Brash/Peter Charles/<br />

Ben Maher/Nick Skelton,<br />

Tina Cook/William Fox-Pitt/<br />

Nicola Wilson, Charlotte<br />

Dujardin, Carl Hester<br />

Team GB enjoyed some<br />

great success with their<br />

Equestrian teams, netting<br />

Gold, Silver and Bronze<br />

medals across different<br />

disciplines including<br />

Dressage (individual and<br />

team) and Eventing (team).<br />

Several of the athletes from<br />

2012 will not be returning<br />

for the <strong>2016</strong> Games, for one<br />

reason or another. Among<br />

them is Zara Phillips (now<br />

Tindall), the Queen’s granddaughter,<br />

who won Silver as<br />

part of the Eventing team.<br />

Shooting<br />

Medallist(s): Peter Wilson<br />

Will he return? No<br />

Peter Wilson was able to net Olympic<br />

gold for his efforts in Double-Tap<br />

Shooting, the only medal Britain would<br />

win in the shooting events. Having<br />

retired in 2014, Wilson will not be<br />

returning for Rio <strong>2016</strong>, though Britain’s<br />

hopes now lie on the shoulders of Tim<br />

Neale, who currently holds the world<br />

record.<br />

Tennis<br />

Medallist(s): Andy Murray, Laura Robson<br />

Returning Athletes: Andy Murray<br />

Though Wimbledon is well underway at<br />

the time of writing (and still very much<br />

anybody’s game), it is not the only tennis<br />

competition this summer in which Andy<br />

Murray will be hoping to bring home<br />

some glory. Reigning Gold Medallist in<br />

Men’s Singles, Andy will be looking to<br />

defend his title as well as potentially up<br />

the ante from his Silver Medal in Mixed<br />

Doubles. Laura Robson will not be<br />

competing in the Rio <strong>2016</strong> Games after<br />

suffering injury-related setbacks.<br />

Triathlon<br />

Medallist(s): Alistair Brownlee, Jonathon<br />

Brownlee<br />

The Men’s Triathlon event saw the<br />

brothers Brownlee take both Gold<br />

(Alistair) and Bronze (Jonathon) Medals<br />

in the gruelling event. Separated by a<br />

little over half a second, the brothers<br />

will no doubt be looking to replicate this<br />

success in the Rio <strong>2016</strong> Games.<br />

Modern Pentathlon<br />

Medallist(s): Samantha Murray<br />

Will she return? Yes.<br />

At the time of competing in the 2012<br />

Games, Murray already held the World<br />

Bronze Medal, eventually coming away<br />

with the Silver Medal. Returning as<br />

part of the team of Modern Pentathlon<br />

athletes competing in Rio <strong>2016</strong>, Murray<br />

could very look to improve her standing<br />

once more, jumping to the top of the<br />

podium.


57<br />

MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />

57<br />

Rowing<br />

Medallist(s): Men’s Eight Team, Chris<br />

Bartley/Peter Chambers/Richard<br />

Chambers/Rob Williams, Alan Campbell,<br />

Katherine Copeland/Sophie Hosking,<br />

Helen Glover/Heather Stanning, Katherine<br />

Grainger/Anna Watkins, Alex Gregory/<br />

Tom James/Pete Red/Andrew Triggs-<br />

Hodge, Mark Hunter/Zac Purchase,<br />

George Nash/William Satch,<br />

Returning Athletes: Chris<br />

Bartley, Alan Campbell,<br />

Peter Chambers, Richard<br />

Chambers, Katherine<br />

Copeland, Helen Glover,<br />

Katherine Grainger,<br />

Alex Gregory, George<br />

Nash Pete Reed, William<br />

Satch, Heather Stanning,<br />

Andrew Triggs-Hodge<br />

Team GB’s rowing<br />

prospects were<br />

exceptionally high at<br />

the start of the 2012<br />

Olympic Games, and a<br />

slew of medals across<br />

both men’s and women’s<br />

teams proved that these<br />

prospects were much<br />

more than just dreaming<br />

big. With golds, silvers<br />

and bronzes aplenty,<br />

Britain will be looking to<br />

not only defend its titles<br />

in the <strong>2016</strong> games but<br />

also gain some further<br />

ground to possibly<br />

dominate the gold medal<br />

standings in Rowing.<br />

To that end, several<br />

athletes from the 2012<br />

Games have diversified<br />

their training to focus on<br />

more specialised pursuits,<br />

some moving from<br />

medal-winning disciplines<br />

they championed in<br />

2012 to try for individual<br />

medals.<br />

Canoeing<br />

Medallist(s): Tim Baillie/Etienne Stott,<br />

David Florence/Richard Hounslow, Liam<br />

Heath/Jon Schofield, Ed McKeever<br />

Returning Athletes: David Florence/<br />

Richard Hounslow, Liam Heath/Jon<br />

Schofield<br />

Team GB enjoyed some success in<br />

Canoeing during the 2012 Olympics. Not<br />

only did Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott<br />

manage to bag gold in Slalom (the pair’s<br />

final outing in the Olympics as they<br />

retired not long afterward), but David<br />

Florence and Richard Hounslow were<br />

also able to bag silver in the same event.<br />

With the retirement of Baillie, it would<br />

seem that Florence and Hounslow now<br />

represent Britain’s best chance for Gold in<br />

the <strong>2016</strong> Games.<br />

In other disciplines, Liam Heath and Jon<br />

Schofield took home the bronze in K-2<br />

Sprint, and Ed McKeever took home<br />

gold in the K-1 200 metre sprint. Both<br />

Heath and Schofield will return for the<br />

Rio games, but McKeever was unable to<br />

qualify for the <strong>2016</strong> Games.<br />

Sailing<br />

Medallist(s): Sir Ben Ainslie, Stuart Bithell,<br />

Saskia Clark, Nick Dempsey, Hannah<br />

Mills, Luke Patience, Iain Percy, Andrew<br />

Simpson<br />

Returning Athletes: Stuart Bithell, Saskia<br />

Clark, Nick Dempsey, Hannah Mills, Luke<br />

Patience<br />

Britain’s haul of Gold and Silver medals<br />

during the 2012 Olympics proved that the<br />

nation has not forgotten its naval roots.<br />

Competing across events including RS:X,<br />

Finn, 470 and Star, Britain was able to<br />

pull in a series of winning performances<br />

thanks to the efforts of its exceptional<br />

athletes.<br />

Stuart Bithell, Hannah Mills and Nick<br />

Dempsey are all among the sailors<br />

returning for the <strong>2016</strong> events. The<br />

retirement of Iain Percy means that he<br />

will not be returning for Rio <strong>2016</strong> and<br />

tragically, Andrew Simpson was killed in<br />

a sailing accident in 2013. Since then, the<br />

Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation was<br />

established and can be visited on www.<br />

andrewsimpsonfoundation.org<br />

Diving<br />

Medallist(s): Tom Daley<br />

Returning Athletes: Tom Daley<br />

Britain managed to secure<br />

a bronze medal in Diving,<br />

courtesy of Tom Daley. Daley<br />

has since been announced<br />

to be heading up Team GB’s<br />

Diving hopes for Rio <strong>2016</strong>.<br />

Having won trophies at the<br />

European Championships,<br />

Daley looks to be in fine form<br />

for another run at podium<br />

position this summer.<br />

Swimming<br />

Medallist(s): Rebecca<br />

Adlington, Michael Jamieson<br />

Team GB was able to net three<br />

separate medals in swimming<br />

events, thanks to the efforts<br />

of Rebecca Adlington (who<br />

grabbed Bronze in 400 and<br />

800 metre freestyle events<br />

respectively) and Michael<br />

Jamieson (who took Silver in<br />

the 200 metre breaststroke).<br />

Both athletes have since ruled<br />

out appearing in the Rio <strong>2016</strong><br />

Games.


58 MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANACIAL ADVISORS<br />

Boxing<br />

Medallist(s): Nicola Adams, Luke Campbell, Fred Evans,<br />

Anthony Joshua, Anthony Ogogo<br />

Returning Athletes: Nicola Adams<br />

The nature of Olympic Boxing means that its success stories<br />

don’t often tend to return for repeat performances, often<br />

opting instead to go professional and aim for champion glory<br />

– as happened with Anthony Joshua in the Heavyweight<br />

division, making him only the second boxer ever (alongside<br />

Joe Frazier) to simultaneously hold both the Olympic Gold<br />

Medal and Heavyweight Champion title.<br />

In <strong>2016</strong> the Great British team has more entrants than ever<br />

before in the Olympics, and many will be looking to replicate<br />

or improve upon their predecessors performance. Nicola<br />

Adams returns to defend her own Gold Medal, whilst Qais<br />

Ashfaq and Lawrence Okolie represent some of Britain’s<br />

highest hopes.<br />

Taekwondo<br />

Medallist(s): Lutalo Muhammad, Jade Jones<br />

Returning Athletes: Lutalo Muhammad, Jade Jones<br />

Taking home medals in both Men’s (-80kg) and Women’s<br />

(-57kg) divisions, Britain had a strong showing at London<br />

2012. In the men’s tournament, Lutalo Muhammad faced<br />

off against Armenian athlete Arman Yeremyan to take<br />

the Bronze medal. Elsewhere in the women’s tournament,<br />

Jade Jones beat out all competition, including China’s Hou<br />

Yuzhuo, winning 6 – 4. Both athletes are returning for the<br />

<strong>2016</strong> Rio Games.<br />

Judo<br />

Medallist(s): Karina Bryant, Gemma Gibbons<br />

The Judo competitions of 2012 yielded two stars of the<br />

sport, in the form of Gemma Gibbons, who walked away with<br />

a Silver Medal in the less than 78 kilogramme category, and<br />

Karina Bryant, who walked away with Bronze in the 78kg+.<br />

Neither competitor is as yet announced for the upcoming<br />

Rio Olympics, though Gibbons is currently battling GB<br />

rival Natalie Powell for a position. World number nine, and<br />

Commonwealth champion, Gibbons chances look good.<br />

EDITORIAL SPACE<br />

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articles etc. Get your work<br />

featured in our next issue<br />

CONTACT US ON<br />

t: 0121 230 8333<br />

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Hockey<br />

Team: Great Britain (combined)<br />

Britain’s bid for Field Hockey glory yielded some success,<br />

with a combined Great Britain team representing the nation.<br />

Though the men’s team was able to get up to the quarterfinals<br />

(and therefore play for a Bronze Medal), they fell to<br />

Australia 3 – 1. The Great Britain women’s team fared better<br />

however, winning three of their five matches and ultimately<br />

beating New Zealand 3 – 1, to get a Bronze Medal.


MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />

59<br />

INTRODUCING IDREES OUR<br />

NEW FITNESS BLOGGER.<br />

Nowadays most people keen on focusing on their fitness tend to take a holistic view, so who better to<br />

contribute to our medicine than someone who is studying medicine and is a keen athlete.<br />

We catch-up with Idrees Mughal to tell us a little more about himself.<br />

having a good understanding of nutrition<br />

certainly helps – the old adage ‘you are<br />

what you eat’ definitely rings true.<br />

In terms of support you also have<br />

clothing brands that are championing<br />

your journey, tell us more about this?<br />

How far have you got with your studies<br />

and where are you studying?<br />

I’m studying medicine at The University<br />

of East Anglia in Norwich and am<br />

going into my second year, it is hard<br />

but extremely rewarding. Alongside<br />

my studying here I devised the exam<br />

questions for an online nutritionist<br />

course and am passionate about fitness<br />

particularly sprinting.<br />

How and why did you get into sprinting?<br />

It was only until recently I started taking<br />

sprinting seriously - this was partly due<br />

to the additional stresses I encountered<br />

whilst living the uni lifestyle. I found it<br />

to be an effective way to de stress by<br />

shifting my focus to sprinting. It has<br />

now become more than just a hobby<br />

to me, it's a passion. It's a way to forget<br />

about academia or exams and plays an<br />

effective role in clearing my mind.<br />

There has been many studies that show<br />

a positive correlation between physical<br />

activity and academic performance. For<br />

me it’s an outlet to express myself in a<br />

totally different way, nevertheless I feel<br />

they both complement each other and<br />

certainly my understanding of human<br />

anatomy has helped my form.<br />

adds a lot of meaningful structure to<br />

my life, I have found it really effective<br />

in structuring my daily routine – for the<br />

most part it’s an individual sport, it’s<br />

down to you as an individual, what you<br />

put into it is what you get out. Of course<br />

I have some fantastic support, I have a<br />

few coaches who are part of my journey,<br />

one in Solihull and a couple at the<br />

University of East Anglia who help me<br />

with the technical side of sprinting.<br />

I’m not the fastest by<br />

no means, however I’m<br />

passionate about what I do.<br />

What does your training entail?<br />

Previous to my recent adaptation in my<br />

training, I’ve been afflicted with several<br />

hamstring injuries, one resulting in the<br />

use of crutches. In the past my training<br />

was irregular and little significance was<br />

put on my sprinting form. The real aim<br />

is to emphasise my front side mechanics,<br />

reducing extension of the hip and an<br />

anterior pelvic tilt, in turn decreasing the<br />

risk of a hamstring injury. Diet is also an<br />

essential part of the training process,<br />

Yes, I represent several fitness clothing<br />

brands, wearing their fitness wear to<br />

training /races around the UK. I have<br />

been approached by several clothing<br />

companies as an ambassador, these<br />

include Shape Performance (www.<br />

shapeperformance.com), Progress Gym<br />

wear (www.progressgymwear.com) and<br />

Luxe Fit Clothing (www.luxefitclothing.<br />

com). It is great to be recognised for my<br />

passion, hopefully I will attract sponsors<br />

who will enable me to take my journey to<br />

another level.<br />

(For a 10% discount use the following<br />

code – IDDY10)<br />

What does sprinting mean to you?<br />

To me it's a way of life, there is so<br />

much more to it than simply trying<br />

to run fast on the athletics track, you<br />

have to monitor your diet, your resting<br />

patterns, your training regimes and gym<br />

workouts. Progression in sprinting is a<br />

direct consequence of your efforts and<br />

determination to get better, there's no<br />

relying on teammates, or those around<br />

you, and how much you improve is solely<br />

dependent on you as an individual. In<br />

the past year I’ve seen a significant<br />

improvement in my sprinting, having<br />

achieved a county championship medal<br />

which was extremely rewarding for me. I<br />

would like to beat the Universities record<br />

of 10.95s before I graduate, that would<br />

be an amazing achievement….and you<br />

never know I may even go on to achieve<br />

other accolades.<br />

Arguably medicine is one of the most<br />

challenging degrees, how do you find<br />

the time?<br />

Balancing my time effectively has proved<br />

difficult. I compete in 100m sprinting,<br />

as you know a race is over in a matter<br />

of seconds. My time is more taken in<br />

preparation. However for me it’s about<br />

being efficient with my time. Doing<br />

a sport as an extra-curricular activity


CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS<br />

AVAILABLE NOW!<br />

If you are looking for a venue with a<br />

festive sumtuous menu. look no further.<br />

We have various spaces for bookings<br />

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or a Christmas meal with your friends.<br />

Why not go make it that extra bit special<br />

with our formal dining and canapé options<br />

or explore our various drinks packages -<br />

you can even dine in exclusive areas of the<br />

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62 TRAVEL // SPONSORED BY CALTOURS<br />

SAINT PAUL’S HOUSE<br />

Our Nights Out In The City section will let you know exactly where to go to have a great party, meal and drink<br />

in the Jewellery Quarter, but where do you go when the clubs close? Well, that’s exactly where Saint Paul’s House<br />

comes in. Offering a great night’s sleep in lavish surroundings (and connected directly to the heart of the Jewellery<br />

Quarter’s nightlife scene), Saint Paul’s House is the go-to spot for accommodation in one of<br />

Birmingham’s most prestigious districts.<br />

Run by husband and wife team<br />

Sharon and Adrian Harvey, Saint<br />

Paul’s House enjoys a relaxed<br />

atmosphere which feels like a cool<br />

breeze after the hustle and bustle of<br />

the city centre and Jewellery Quarter<br />

itself. The Harvey’s keen eye for design<br />

and predisposition towards exceptional<br />

hospitality give the hotel a natural<br />

welcoming feel, creating a sense that<br />

the hotel is less a business and more a<br />

deluxe homestay experience.<br />

Set on the iconic St. Paul’s Square in<br />

the Jewellery Quarter, literally a stone’s<br />

throw from iconic nightlife spots like<br />

Jools Holland’s Jam House venue, Saint<br />

Paul’s House is perfectly situated to offer<br />

its guests easy access to the very best<br />

of what Birmingham has to offer. Be it<br />

the business district, creative quarter or<br />

one of Birmingham’s expansive shopping<br />

districts, the hotel is connected to<br />

the heart of Birmingham’s top tourist<br />

attractions. That’s not to say that the<br />

hotel doesn’t enjoy its privacy, however;<br />

its location in Saint Paul’s Square means<br />

that it is tucked away from the loudest<br />

and busiest aspects of city life.<br />

Possessed of a restaurant, bar and<br />

boutique hotel, Saint Paul’s offers an<br />

all-encompassing service which will<br />

cover all bases of your away-from-home<br />

experience. The hotel also offers on-site<br />

parking, making it especially easy to park<br />

just outside the city without having to<br />

pay huge overnight fees, as you would<br />

with similarly bustling cities like London.<br />

Sleep tight, away from the city<br />

lights<br />

With 34 deluxe suites available to<br />

guests, Saint Paul’s certainly provides<br />

plenty of breathing room and privacy<br />

for its guests. Each suite is gorgeously<br />

designed, with a homely aesthetic<br />

that will ensure you feel snuggly and<br />

comfortable all year round.<br />

All rooms come equipped with an<br />

enormous 10MB of Free Wi-Fi, giving<br />

guests unfettered access to the internet<br />

and all the delights therein – so you<br />

won’t have to worry about missing the<br />

latest Downton Abbey! Rooms are also<br />

fitted with luxury bedding, en-suite<br />

waterfall showers and top quality finishes<br />

to guarantee guests will check out with a<br />

huge smile on their faces.<br />

Daily house staff provide room service<br />

(perfect if you’re feeling particularly<br />

decadent and don’t want to leave your<br />

lavish abode) and a 24-hour reception<br />

guarantees that even if you come in<br />

after a night on the town there will be<br />

somebody ready and willing to help.<br />

Deluxe Dining Experiences with a<br />

Tailor-Made Feel<br />

The hotel’s en-suite restaurant offers its<br />

guests sumptuous dining experiences<br />

crafted to meet the requirement of<br />

the diner, from casual dinner dropins<br />

to a formal evening meal, making<br />

use of the venue’s cosy dining space.<br />

Otherwise, guests can make use of the<br />

private dining room for a more intimate<br />

experience – perfect if you want a<br />

romantic meal for two. This means that<br />

as soon as you arrive on-site you won’t<br />

need to travel far and wide in search of<br />

top quality dining options, as everything<br />

you need is at your fingertips.<br />

Boasting a menu of modern European<br />

dishes, with a particular stress on<br />

sourcing exceptional, fresh ingredients,<br />

the restaurant at Saint Paul’s House<br />

showcases a network of culinary<br />

masterpieces sure to get the mouth<br />

watering. The menu includes a wide


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63<br />

selection of grilled foods and generous<br />

sharing food platters ensure that you<br />

sample a little bit of everything – and<br />

with such a wide array of food why<br />

wouldn’t you?<br />

Best Bar None<br />

Saint Paul’s House owners Sharon and<br />

Adrian have invested a lot of time and<br />

research into putting together a bar<br />

menu which is quite unlike anywhere else<br />

in Birmingham. A bold claim to make,<br />

considering the sheer number of chic<br />

cocktail bars and gin parlours that have<br />

made Birmingham nightlife so vibrant,<br />

but a claim that they uphold with an<br />

excellent menu which throws caution to<br />

the wind and revels in adventure.<br />

"The team looks forward to welcoming you to Saint<br />

Pauls House. We are the perfect place to base yourself<br />

to see what our amazing city has to offer."<br />

Sharon Harvey<br />

Drinks classics sit alongside<br />

undiscovered pleasures to create a<br />

sense that the hotel’s bar is almost a<br />

sensory museum of collected global<br />

drink delights. Throw in a simple yet<br />

exceptionally executed cocktail menu<br />

and you have the makings of a perfect<br />

post-dinner aperitif, a zesty pick-meup<br />

for when you arrive or a decadent<br />

nightcap before bed.<br />

Who says you can’t take pleasure in<br />

business?<br />

Birmingham is certainly a city which<br />

lends itself to big business trips and<br />

meetings, especially as it is so centrally<br />

located to offer gateways to the North<br />

and South. Well aware of this, Saint<br />

Paul’s House offers a selection of events<br />

rooms and delegate packages which can<br />

cater for meetings and conferences of<br />

between six and seventy people.<br />

The free high speed Wi-Fi (as mentioned<br />

before) means the hotel is perfectly<br />

equipped for presentations and<br />

conferences and you won’t sit around<br />

waiting for extensive buffering times.<br />

The hotel also offers free stationery<br />

for guests, along with usage of the<br />

restaurant to ensure that your team are<br />

well-fed and watered for the duration of<br />

their stay.<br />

Saint Paul's House offers the perfect<br />

hideaway for those seeking lavish<br />

surroundings, exceptional service,<br />

fabulous food and above all a great<br />

nights sleep.<br />

For all bookings and enquiries please<br />

contact one of the team at;<br />

15-20 St Paul’s Square,<br />

Birmingham B3 1QU<br />

Email: info@saintpaulshouse.com<br />

Tel: 0121 272 0999


64 TRAVEL // SPONSORED BY CALTOURS<br />

LATIN AMERICA<br />

As anybody who attended the World Cup in 2014 can attest, there are few places in the world more vibrant,<br />

more energetic and more passion-inducing than South America. As part of our celebrations of the Summer<br />

Olympics in Rio for <strong>2016</strong>, we have gathered together a list of the best places to explore in Latin America…<br />

11. The Amazon Basin, Brazil<br />

It would be a huge underestimation to say<br />

that the Amazon Rainforest is only visit-able<br />

in Brazil. Covering much of the continent, the<br />

Amazon Basin is one of the more obvious<br />

and traditional images tourists will have in<br />

mind when thinking of South America. Hugely<br />

popular for intrepid tourists all year round, one<br />

of the busiest and best places to touch down<br />

when exploring the Amazon is the Brazilian<br />

city of Manaus.<br />

2 3<br />

2. Buenos Aires, Argentina<br />

One of Latin America’s biggest appeals for tourists<br />

worldwide is its unique cultural blends of indigenous cultures<br />

(including the ancient Incas and Mayans) and the strong<br />

influence of colonial Europe. One of the largest cities in Latin<br />

America, Buenos Aires maintains a strong European vibe<br />

whilst also treating its visitors to the continent’s customary<br />

friendliness and frenetic energy.<br />

3. Cancun, Mexico<br />

Outside of the South American continent but no less Latin,<br />

Cancun in Mexico has become famed as a luxury holiday<br />

destination. Between its lavish holiday resorts and incredible<br />

Mayan ruins (including the world-famous Chichen Itza),<br />

Cancun offers just about everything that a visitor to Latin<br />

America could possibly want.


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65<br />

4. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador<br />

Since the days of Darwin’s voyage on<br />

The Beagle (where he was inspired to<br />

come up with the Theory of Natural<br />

Selection), avid wildlife watchers have<br />

embarked on visits to the islands in the<br />

hopes of catching a glimpse of some<br />

of the unique animals that reside there.<br />

Untamed and full of fascination, the<br />

Galapagos are not easy (or cheap) to<br />

get to, but well worth the effort for the<br />

intrepid traveller.<br />

5. Lake Titicaca, Peru<br />

Part of the majestic Andes mountains,<br />

sits on the border between Bolivia and<br />

Peru and offers its visitors peerless<br />

natural views. The lake is dotted with<br />

islands of its own, including the tourist<br />

hotspot Uros Islands and Isla Taquile, an<br />

island which has maintained its unique<br />

culture over thousands of years. Lake<br />

Titicaca offers incredible opportunities<br />

for exploration (both cultural and<br />

natural) and is beloved for its stunning<br />

panoramas.<br />

6. Machu Picchu, Peru<br />

A UNESCO World Heritage site set<br />

into the powerfully dramatic Andes<br />

mountains, Machu Picchu is an ancient<br />

Incan city much-loved and often-visited<br />

by tourists in Latin America. One of the<br />

most famous ruins in the world, Machu<br />

Picchu is both majestic and historically<br />

fascinating, guaranteed to attract your<br />

inner Indiana Jones.<br />

4 5<br />

6<br />

7 8<br />

7. Patagonia, Argentina<br />

Think of South America and you’ll likely think of luscious<br />

rainforests, fiery cuisine and blazing sunshine. What you<br />

probably won’t be expecting are stunning glaciers, Antarctic<br />

landscapes and hosts of penguins. One of the southernmost<br />

positions in the world, Argentina’s Patagonian National<br />

Park is hugely popular for tourists looking to get out of the<br />

sultry South American sun. Famed for its beautiful, desolate<br />

landscapes and unique wildlife, Patagonia is a very different<br />

taste of Latin America.<br />

8. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil<br />

You can’t seriously talk about visiting Latin America<br />

without at least mentioning the pure adrenaline-inducing<br />

party atmosphere of Rio De Janeiro. Host city of the <strong>2016</strong><br />

Olympics and most recent host of the Fifa World Cup, Rio is<br />

a city that really knows how to party. Iconic landmarks like<br />

Christ The Redeemer and Copacabana Beach give the city a<br />

monolithic feel and the massive street parties (including the<br />

Rio Carnival) make Rio a prime destination.


Moseley Old Hall (NT)<br />

Tuesday 2nd <strong>August</strong><br />

Abergavenny Market<br />

Tuesday 9th <strong>August</strong><br />

Lytham St Annes (free 1940s event on part of the sea front)<br />

Saturday 13th <strong>August</strong><br />

Plant Hunters Fair & Abbeywood Gardens<br />

Sunday 21st <strong>August</strong><br />

Ashbourne and the Churnet Valley Railway<br />

Wednesday 7th September


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68 PROPERTY // SPONSORED BY ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />

Stewart Oliver Property are one of<br />

the more prominent companies<br />

based in the city for all things<br />

property. We caught up with them to<br />

find out more...<br />

How long have you been established?<br />

Stewart Oliver property is now in its 10th<br />

year at the same premises in the heart of<br />

the business district and just a few yards<br />

from the learning quarter.<br />

Who are the team behind Stewart<br />

Oliver?<br />

Matthew Stewart Met Nicola Oliver whilst<br />

working for Knight Frank in Birmingham<br />

City Centre Residential Sales. Previous<br />

to that Matthew worked as an auditor<br />

for Pricewaterhousecoopers and Nicola<br />

as an estate agent for Connells. Stewart<br />

Oliver employs Chloe Wright as a lettings<br />

negotiator for Stewart Oliver during the<br />

busy summer period. Matthew and Nicola<br />

were both born & bred in Birmingham<br />

and are passionate about Birmingham<br />

city centre and are also both experienced<br />

landlords.<br />

How has the property industry changed<br />

over the last 10 years?<br />

We started offering both sales and<br />

lettings, however this quickly changed<br />

in 2008 to lettings only as the property<br />

market took a sharp decline and<br />

Landlords were much better to hold a<br />

property and achieve good rents rather<br />

than sell at a loss. Thankfully the market<br />

has recently turned around considerably<br />

and we are now offering sales again. City<br />

1 beds are currently increasing in value by<br />

20% per annum. Most properties that we<br />

are currently selling are achieving over<br />

the asking price with most going to best<br />

and final offers.<br />

How have you managed to accommodate<br />

this change and remain successful?<br />

As we are a small independent<br />

professional company we are able to<br />

adapt quickly to the changing market.<br />

We constantly review rents in order to<br />

achieve the greatest possible returns for<br />

our Landlords. We also go the extra mile<br />

and facilitate anything that needs to be<br />

done to achieve the highest rents such as<br />

help furnishing etc. Whilst we have many<br />

international tenants, only a few are<br />

from the EU and we do not anticipate an<br />

impact on tenant demand or rents from<br />

the UK leaving the EU.<br />

What makes you different (USP) from<br />

other lettings and sales agents?<br />

Landlords can always speak to an<br />

experienced director of the company at<br />

any time day or night. We have many<br />

overseas Landlords and they appreciate<br />

this quick communication if they have<br />

any queries.<br />

What sorts of developments have you<br />

got on your books?<br />

We specialise in high end city centre<br />

apartments such as Rotunda, Orion/<br />

Sirius, Masshouse/Hive, Mailbox, Postbox,<br />

Southside, Hub, Octahedron, The Cube,<br />

St Martins Gate, Beetham Tower and<br />

Centenary Plaza as well as the new<br />

developments such as Honduras Wharf<br />

and Seven Capitals no 1 Hagley Road.<br />

For new or experienced landlords what<br />

services do you offer?<br />

We cater for both new inexperienced,<br />

often accidental Landlords and offer a<br />

full management service that covers all<br />

of the recent new legislation that can<br />

lead to hefty fines and difficulty evicting<br />

tenants if it is not followed correctly.<br />

We also cater for experience Landlords<br />

that have city centre portfolios and also<br />

work with developers and manage entire<br />

blocks.


PROPERTY // SPONSORED BY ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />

69<br />

What message would you like to send out to potential new landlords in terms of<br />

benefitting from your services?<br />

"We have very high quality tenants waiting<br />

including international students that will<br />

often pay 12 months rent in advance and also<br />

professionals working in the business district".<br />

We manipulate contracts in order to minimise void periods as the Birmingham City<br />

centre lettings market is very seasonal with the majority of tenants moving during the<br />

summer months. This also enables us to achieve the highest possible rents as demand<br />

is greatest during this Time. We also thoroughly credit check potential tenants and<br />

carry out frequent property inspections and use independent inventory clerks in order<br />

to minimise any deposit disputes. We offer no set up fees for Landlords and low admin<br />

fees for tenants.<br />

Please contact us if you have a<br />

city centre apartment or if you are<br />

considering purchasing one for some<br />

no obligation advice.<br />

tel: 0121 236 3666<br />

mail@stewartoliver.com<br />

www.stewartoliver.com


Est. 2006<br />

CITY LANDLORDS WANTED<br />

QUALITY TENANTS WAITING<br />

CALL US NOW & MENTION THIS ADVERT<br />

FOR A SPECIAL RATE & NO SET UP FEES<br />

Masshouse/Hive<br />

From £700 - £1,300 pcm<br />

Rotunda<br />

From £725 - £1,350 pcm<br />

Orion/Sirius<br />

From £700 - £1,100 pcm<br />

Hub<br />

From £625 - £950 pcm<br />

Centenary Plaza<br />

From £700 - £1,300 pcm<br />

Postbox<br />

From £700 - £1000 pcm<br />

E: mail@stewartoliver.com T: 0121 236 3666 W: www.stewartoliver.com


Click<br />

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Please use the Code: oneclicklettingsandsales for a special rate<br />

Proudly<br />

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Who are FP?<br />

We have over 23,000 customers in the UK and 96% rate us either<br />

excellent or very good at what we do, we have national field service<br />

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Our priority is looking after our customers and making sure that we<br />

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74 MOTORS // SPONSORED BY COLLIERS<br />

THERE’S NO<br />

WAY LIKE<br />

NORWAY<br />

The hot-button topic of climate change<br />

remains ever present in the minds of<br />

both the public and manufacturers,<br />

even decades on from when it was first<br />

recognised as a global problem. Of<br />

course, in <strong>2016</strong> the issue of climate<br />

change has moved from of being seen<br />

as an overly liberal cause (the realm of<br />

hippies and tin-foil-hat conspiracists),<br />

to something which concerns<br />

everybody.<br />

This zeitgeist shift also means that<br />

now professionals on the highest<br />

levels are working towards<br />

sustainability and reduction of the<br />

carbon footprint, with everybody from<br />

economists to scientists, politicians<br />

to entrepreneurs working together<br />

to affect change. One of the bigger<br />

industries looking to affect change<br />

is the automotive industry, with the<br />

expansion of electric technologies and<br />

companies like Tesla all building towards<br />

better more economically friendly<br />

vehicles.<br />

Though Tesla have become synonymous<br />

with electric car technology, nighon<br />

every car manufacturer has now<br />

delved into the world of electric cars<br />

by releasing either their own models,<br />

hybrids or technologies.<br />

One of the more recent developments<br />

in the world of electric cars was the<br />

Paris COP21 conference, where various<br />

governments pledged to reduce carbon<br />

emissions in their countries to “near<br />

zero”. The UK government’s pledge<br />

that nearly all cars would be zero<br />

emission by 2050 (on the surface at<br />

least), sounds like a pipe-dream, it isn’t<br />

necessarily the thinking of the fatally<br />

optimistic.<br />

In 2013 the number of “plug-in” cars<br />

in the UK was around 3,500, but just<br />

two years later that number had risen<br />

to around 50,000. That might not<br />

seem like a great figure, in a country<br />

of millions where access to a car is<br />

seen as an almost universal right, but it<br />

represents a huge increase which is only<br />

projected to continue to grow in coming<br />

years. Even more so as petrol costs<br />

rise, and the ease-of-access to charging<br />

stations becomes far more widespread.<br />

At the moment the market for electric<br />

cars is (unsurprisingly) dominated by<br />

huge countries like the USA and China,<br />

though closer to home countries like<br />

the Netherlands, France and Norway<br />

have all seen a massive increase in<br />

electric cars. Norway in particular<br />

is an interesting case study; though<br />

the country is much smaller than its<br />

comparable markets (especially in terms<br />

of population size), it was still able to<br />

become the fourth country in the world<br />

to pass 100,000 electric cars on the<br />

road.<br />

This fanaticism for electric cars is<br />

reflected in the overall sales figures of<br />

electric vehicles (a whopping 22.39%<br />

of the global market) and increased<br />

interest by giants like Tesla. Of course,<br />

this model isn’t supported by goodwill<br />

and marketing alone; the Norwegian<br />

government has created multiple<br />

incentives to build interest in the<br />

purchase of electric cars.<br />

Among these incentives are;<br />

• No purchase taxes<br />

• Low annual road tax<br />

• No charges on toll roads or ferries<br />

• Free municipal parking<br />

• Access to bus lanes<br />

But, what does that mean for the UK?<br />

Well, a great deal. If a similar Norwegian<br />

model could be adopted, it stands<br />

to reason that Britain could very well<br />

achieve its goal come 2050, potentially<br />

much earlier if the technology continues<br />

to develop as it has been.<br />

The Plug-In Babies<br />

If you’re talking electric cars (and here<br />

at In The City Magazine, we have done,<br />

often!) you’ll often think immediately of<br />

Tesla, but the world of electric motors<br />

stretches much, much further. Massive<br />

manufacturers like VW and Nissan have<br />

all launched their own plug-in vehicles<br />

in recent years, so to help you navigate<br />

the Sci-Fi friendly world of electric<br />

vehicles. We have assembled a list of<br />

our top three electric cars you might<br />

look to invest in.


MOTORS // SPONSORED BY COLLIERS<br />

75<br />

BMW i3<br />

The first fully electric car by BMW, the i3 is a steady<br />

performer which has earned a reputation for being the little<br />

car that can. Decked out in more gadgets and tech than the<br />

last four James Bond films combined, the i3 is a pure luxury<br />

vehicle and though the price-tag reflects that fact, so too<br />

does the ultra-deluxe lavishness of the car.<br />

Able to (realistically) roam at a range of around 80 or 100<br />

miles, with options available to extend the car’s range,<br />

the i3 is a vehicle idealised for luxury, though still suitable<br />

for heavier use – providing you can make it fit into your<br />

lifestyle. The car also enjoys low running costs which (in the<br />

long-term) can offset the higher initial price. As BMW are<br />

associated with higher-end luxury vehicles, the i3 represents<br />

a more luxury option for the eco-friendly motoring<br />

enthusiast.<br />

NISSAN LEAF<br />

The market leader when it comes to highway-capable allelectric<br />

vehicles, with the Nissan Leaf the clue is in the name<br />

(“Leading Environmentally-friendly Affordable Family Car”).<br />

You don’t get to corner the market without having a strong<br />

product to hand and the Nissan Leaf is no exception, much<br />

lauded for its comfortable, spacious and practical design,<br />

perfect for families looking to reduce their carbon footprint.<br />

The practicality of the Leaf has helped it become recognised<br />

as the leading force in “realistic” electric cars, with low<br />

running costs giving it an image as a car which is not only<br />

friendly for the environment, but on your bank account too.<br />

Charged by being plugged in to mains electricity, the most<br />

common (and practical) plan for recharging is to stick it on<br />

overnight.<br />

VW E-GOLF<br />

Though most electric vehicles tend to be specifically<br />

designed and created from scratch Volkswagen’s e-Golf<br />

stands apart, being an electric conversion of the popular<br />

family hatchback model. As such, the vehicle enjoys much<br />

of the high-points of the hatchback’s design; it is spacious,<br />

offers a smooth, quiet drive and is well-paced, offers a highly<br />

enjoyable driving experience.<br />

With a shorter comparative range than its main competitors,<br />

there are some drawbacks to the e-Golf, but ultimately<br />

delivers as a strong casual vehicle ideal for leisure use. As<br />

with other electric vehicles, the cost of running an e-Golf is<br />

extremely low, especially when compared with its petrolrun<br />

cousin. Designed with a litany of extras and innovations,<br />

albeit with a conventional VW eye to style and design, the<br />

e-Golf is perfect for the EV-curious, offering a fully electric<br />

experience without demanding an adjustment period to get<br />

used to the car.<br />

STOP THE PRESS!<br />

Do you have a news story that you<br />

want to share with over 50,000<br />

readers?<br />

If so, contact us on<br />

0121 230 8333 or email at<br />

editorial@inthecityuk.com


76 MOTORS // SPONSORED BY COLLIERS<br />

JARDINE MOTORS ACQUIRES<br />

ERDINGTON-BASED COLLIERS<br />

Midlands based car dealership group Colliers have<br />

been acquired by the Colchester-based firm<br />

Jardine Motors, as part of the latter company’s<br />

efforts to establish in-routes to motoring trade in the<br />

Midlands. Jardine Motors Group, who trade as Lancaster,<br />

acquired Colliers Group’s Land Rover, Honda and Mazda<br />

dealerships in Erdington as well as the group’s Jaguar site<br />

in Tamworth.<br />

The purchase means that Jardine Motors now has stronger<br />

ties to both the Midlands and to Birmingham-based global<br />

motors giants Jaguar Land Rover. Jardine now owns five<br />

Land Rover sites throughout the UK, as well as six Jaguar<br />

operations. The move also sees the group expand their<br />

stake in Honda and introduces the Mazda franchise to their<br />

portfolio.<br />

One of the strongest factors in the decision to acquire<br />

Colliers was the group’s combination of family business<br />

values with exceptional retail experiences, which have also<br />

been cited as key to their success as a business. Colliers<br />

will now work in collaboration with Jardine, helping the<br />

parent group further their presence in the West Midlands<br />

and beyond.<br />

Jardine Motors have also been taking part in ambitious<br />

expansion projects, which they suggest will create 70<br />

new jobs at all levels of employment. The biggest project<br />

in this expansion thus far has been the announcement<br />

(and subsequent start of construction) for a brand<br />

new multimillion-pound development for Land Rover in<br />

Wolverhampton.


MOTORS // SPONSORED BY COLLIERS<br />

77<br />

CLASSIC CARS & VINTAGE VEHICLES<br />

APLENTY AT SHUGBOROUGH SUMMER SHOW<br />

Date: 7th <strong>August</strong><br />

Where: Shugborough Estate, Milford, Nr Stafford, ST17 OXB<br />

Tickets: £8 (Adults), £4 (Children Aged 4 – 16), £20 (Family –<br />

2 Adults, 2 Children)<br />

Worcestershire based motoring events enthusiasts<br />

Gemini Events are back again with a programme<br />

of classic car events this summer, culminating in a<br />

show at the Shugborough Estate on <strong>August</strong> 7th, and Himley<br />

Hall on September 4th. Gemini, who specialise in putting on<br />

classic car shows throughout the UK, have earned a strong<br />

reputation for their inclusive, activity-filled events which offer<br />

motoring enthusiasts an opportunity to gather and showcase<br />

(or view) a huge variety of vintage motors.<br />

Hosted at the beautiful Shugborough Estate in (what<br />

will hopefully be) the height of summer, the event will<br />

undoubtedly attract petrolheads from far and wide, come<br />

to appreciate the vehicular architecture of decades gone by.<br />

The event itself will welcome over 1,000 exhibits including<br />

classic, American, kit & custom cars as well as motorcycles<br />

and stands from commercial and private clubs.<br />

Held on the ground’s front lawn, the event is sure to be a<br />

visual feast. Visitors can also visit the mansion and working<br />

farm (though additional charges will apply). Additionally,<br />

there will also be trade and ‘autojumble’ stands for the<br />

bargain-seeking motors-mad contingent among us.<br />

If you can’t tell your Honda from your Hyundai, you need not<br />

fret. In addition to the classic vehicles, the vintage vibe of<br />

the event will swell with the addition of retro DJs and vintage<br />

singer Jayne Darling, ready to send you on a journey back<br />

to the 1940s and 50s and provide entertainment suitable<br />

for petrolheads and with paraphernalia aplenty at the site<br />

sure to cater to the motoring aficionados and a litany of<br />

other forms of entertainment set to please the whole family,<br />

Gemini’s Classic Car shows are hugely loved in the motoring<br />

community – and rightly so.


Retail and Leisure Installations:<br />

TASC offer a complete site survey service,<br />

followed by quotation and discussion with<br />

project directors and managers. After<br />

acceptance our services include<br />

ordering, installing and commissioning the<br />

project. Staff training is also included to<br />

nominated members of the project team.<br />

Home Domestic Installations:<br />

TASC offer a complete turnkey service for<br />

our domestic customers creating<br />

sophisticated home surround sound<br />

solutions and large screen cinema<br />

entertainment experiences.<br />

Call us and find out who we have worked<br />

with over 30 years experience in the<br />

Leisure and Retail industry. You will not be<br />

disappointed.<br />

• Audio<br />

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FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE<br />

PLEASE CONTACT US AT:<br />

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80 NIGHTS OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />

JEWELLERY QUARTER<br />

Not all that glitters is gold in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter – in fact, some of it is amber, others crystal and you<br />

can even get brown-through-black (if you prefer a stout)… Yes, the Jewellery Quarter might make its name through<br />

(what else?) jewellery, with an estimated 40% of all British jewellery made in the area, but the district’s other<br />

biggest export is its incredible selection of pubs, bars and clubs.<br />

A favourite for revellers looking to get away from the city centre, or otherwise avoid the alternative crowd of<br />

Digbeth, the Jewellery Quarter offers a taste of Birmingham at its most diverse. Boasting chic late-night bars,<br />

subterranean drinking holes and classic pubs, you’ll find more than enough for a night out (or full day, if you so<br />

prefer) of partying in the city. So, buff up your bank account, gather your mates and let In The City Magazine guide<br />

you into the dance-happy world of the Jewellery Quarter.


NIGHTS OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />

81<br />

Actress & Bishop<br />

36 Ludgate Hill<br />

B3 1EH<br />

Part club, part venue with an added mixture of local pub<br />

atmosphere, the Actress & Bishop (A&B) is normally the laststop<br />

of any revellers journey into the area. Venue use tends to<br />

be split into two distinct areas – upstairs you’ll find comfortable<br />

settees in an attic-venue style space, perfect for catching upand-coming<br />

Indie bands or grimy Punk acts, whilst downstairs<br />

offers a more expansive bar area complete with dancefloor,<br />

perfect for a late night shuffle.<br />

Open till 4AM on a Saturday, A&B is a perfect place to finish<br />

up a night on the town with plenty of dancing to be had until<br />

the wee hours. Just remember: just because the shots are<br />

reasonably priced, doesn’t mean they’ll be your friends come<br />

tomorrow morning.<br />

The Asylum<br />

38-43 Hampton St<br />

B19 3LS<br />

Okay, so The Asylum is *technically* in Hockley, but its proximity<br />

to some of the most beloved watering holes in the Jewellery<br />

Quarter (including the Actress, the Church and Lord Clifden)<br />

awards it honorary status. A recording studio by day, gnarled<br />

Rock N Roll venue by night with a Cinderella transformation into<br />

a premier club-night when the bell tolls midnight, The Asylum is<br />

a tangible throwback to Birmingham’s Rock N Roll history.<br />

Frequently hosting of some of the UK’s hottest new acts in its<br />

expansive downstairs area, or more intimate upstairs venue, The<br />

Asylum is also host to the Birmingham branch of Uprawr, the<br />

premier national Alternative, Punk, Rock and Metal club night.<br />

If you had a fringe that made anime characters look sensible,<br />

Uprawr is the place for you.<br />

The Church<br />

22 Great Hampton St<br />

B18 6AQ<br />

Step into The Church and you’ll be greeted with classic<br />

Birmingham pub décor. Step out back though and you’ll find a<br />

2nd, smaller drinking area and The Church’s most unique and<br />

popular feature – a rooftop veranda. Probably not an idea for<br />

December drinking, but a perfect spot to enjoy the breeze on an<br />

<strong>August</strong> night, The Church’s stylish rooftop area is a prime spot<br />

to enjoy those cool summer nights.<br />

The pub itself boasts a massive selection of spirits, from firmfavourites<br />

like Havana Club to aged vintages which will get the<br />

taste-buds leaping for joy. Speaking of taste-buds, The Church<br />

has also stepped into the world of culinary genius, crafting<br />

delights which take inspiration from Cajun, French and Deep<br />

South menus.


82<br />

NIGHTS OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />

The Drop Forge<br />

6-10 Hockley St<br />

B18 6BL<br />

The first port of call if you’re arriving by train, located literally<br />

right over the road from the station, The Drop Forge offers<br />

a great gastropub experience in the heart of the Jewellery<br />

Quarter. With a façade that harkens to Birmingham’s Industrial<br />

background, the pub is located in a renovated Victorian factory<br />

building.<br />

With a menu that boasts traditional pub classics, as well as<br />

some choice continental and global dishes (Tapas in particular<br />

proving to be a popular option), The Drop Forge is one of the<br />

best places to grab a bite to eat before you start a night on the<br />

town. In addition to a sumptuous food menu, the bar also offers<br />

a huge and delicious selection of wines from around the world.<br />

The Jam House<br />

3-5 St Pauls Square<br />

B3 1QU<br />

Famed as the venue owned by Rhythm N Blues maestro and all<br />

round brilliant TV personality Jools Holland, The Jam House is<br />

one of the Jewellery Quarter’s more illustrious late-night venues.<br />

First and foremost, The Jam House is beloved as a music venue,<br />

attracting acts from Blues, Soul, RnB, Jazz and Rock disciplines<br />

to provide a vibrant soundtrack to a night out.<br />

A restaurant on the top floor provides an expansive selection<br />

of dining options, giving patrons the chance to enjoy full<br />

meals, canapés or buffets to their heart’s content. The Jam<br />

House’s other big attraction is its dancehall vibe, with a 600<br />

capacity floor space bringing together Travoltas and Napoleon<br />

Dynamites alike to throw some shapes and get lost in the<br />

groove.<br />

Lord Clifden<br />

34 Great Hampton Street,<br />

B18 6AA<br />

Owner of quite possibly the biggest and best beer garden in<br />

Birmingham, the Lord Clifden is a hugely popular nightlife spot<br />

for its combination of cosy pub décor inside and chic party<br />

courtyard out back. The bar inside offers up a selection of some<br />

of the finest spirits known to man, offering a selection which<br />

spans from exquisite liquors to full-bodied craft ales and ice<br />

cold bottled ciders.<br />

Of a weekend it isn’t uncommon to hear the sounds of music<br />

playing both in and outside the pub, creating a unified pleasant<br />

drinking atmosphere that is a perfect primer for a night out.<br />

Throw in a selection of pub-food offerings (as well as an<br />

increasingly popular BBQ) and you’ve got the makings of the<br />

best summer drinking spot in the whole of Birmingham.


NIGHTS OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />

83<br />

Rose Villa Tavern<br />

172 Warstone Ln<br />

B18 6JW<br />

If a night of heavy drinking, loud music and endless dancing<br />

doesn’t much appeal to you, take a rest and enjoy a quiet drink<br />

in the comfy (but no less bustling) confines of Rose Villa Tavern.<br />

A stylish pub (complete with leather-bound armchairs and<br />

fireplace), Rose Villa Tavern offers its patrons a relaxing alternative<br />

to club-ish bars in the area.<br />

Rose Villa also offers a selection of food and drinks options for<br />

the famished, with great food deals available including soup and<br />

toasted sandwich combinations. The bar also serves a diverse<br />

selection of cocktails, perfect for starting off a night of drinking in<br />

style.<br />

Tunnel Club<br />

Livery St<br />

B3 1HL<br />

If you’re looking for a unique environment to enjoy a night of<br />

clubbing, look no further than the iconic and oh-so-cool Tunnel<br />

Club. Located near St. Paul’s Square (a short walk from the<br />

Actress & Bishop and Jam House), this club is ever popular<br />

with revellers for its wide selection of club-nights and rave style<br />

setting, lifted straight from the set of Blade.<br />

Tuesday night at the Tunnel Club is 90s Night, where DJ’s play<br />

a selection of tunes encompassing all the very best of what<br />

the 90s had to offer (Nirvana, Underworld, Oasis… You name<br />

it, they’ve got it!). Friday night brings about Session, a massive<br />

party with banging tunes and cheap drinks sure to have you<br />

bouncing off the walls. One of the biggest fixtures of Tunnel<br />

Club is Eddie’s Rock Club, one of the biggest Rock and Metal<br />

nights in the entire of Birmingham, with multiple rooms playing<br />

some of the heaviest Rock N Roll around.<br />

The Vaults<br />

Newhall Place, Newhall Hill<br />

B1 3JH<br />

Speaking of unique environs, Vaults offers premier<br />

subterranean drinking in the city, boasting a selection of<br />

tapas dishes, champagne and cocktails in a cool underground<br />

bar. With an elegant interior, The Vaults is far-removed from<br />

what you might expect, but offers one of Birmingham’s most<br />

interesting drinking experiences.<br />

As with many of the other bars in the Jewellery Quarter,<br />

Vaults also has an attached restaurant which serves up locally<br />

sourced gourmet dishes to give its patrons a taste of opulence.


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86 BUSINESS & COMMUNITY // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />

INTRODUCING OUR NEW EXPERT BUSINESS<br />

AND COMMUNITY BLOGGER KHALID KARIM<br />

I am excited to be part of<br />

In The City Magazine<br />

and look forward to sharing<br />

my views as a Business<br />

Community Blogger.<br />

I am a very keen Networker,<br />

Facilitator, Introducer<br />

and huge supporter of<br />

increasing social capital.<br />

I have also worked in the<br />

Finance and Technology<br />

industry for nearly 25 years and bring a wealth of<br />

knowledge and experience in my new role as<br />

Networker and now Business Community Blogger.<br />

I<br />

have been very fortunate and lucky to meet many business<br />

owners through my Social Media Consultancy and through<br />

my position as National Director for Pathway2Grow, a B2B<br />

Networking forum where I host monthly networking events in<br />

Birmingham and invite prominent guest speakers.<br />

One such guest speaker that is due to speak at one of<br />

our forth-coming events is Allan Kleynhans. Allan is an<br />

International Speaker, Author, Trainer and Coach. Originally<br />

from South Africa and now lives outside Oxford. He has been<br />

trained by the best in the industry Tony Robbins and as a<br />

trainer, Allan regularly facilitates in a leadership role at Tony's<br />

multi-day international events.<br />

Allan holds motivational workshops aimed at empowering<br />

attendees to embrace and overcome obstacles and<br />

challenges, these include, How to Over Come Adversity,<br />

Heart-Centred Leadership, Building Unstoppable Teams and<br />

Coaching for performance. I last caught up with him in July<br />

and interviewed him on what drives him to help people.<br />

Allan talked about his personal experience of being on a selfdestructive<br />

path in the early 90s and he got to a threshold<br />

and breaking point where he was broke, thousands of pounds<br />

in debt. Undeterred he borrowed money to go on Tony<br />

Robbins program and there he turned his life around, it was<br />

a transformational experience. He still does his incantations<br />

and affirmations every morning, which Tony teaches you to<br />

adopt as part of his teachings the hour of power.<br />

He is passionate about helping others no matter what<br />

background they are from or what business they are in.<br />

As well as personal development and peak performance<br />

coaching he attends networking events to share his<br />

knowledge with the business community.<br />

Allan explained how businesses and business owners,<br />

employed and self-employed often ask what’s in it for them,<br />

and he put it simply, “it’s about adapting to change, moving<br />

with the times no matter how big or small you are you will<br />

face adversity”. Its how you respond to adversity and adapt<br />

that is the key to achieving success. Allan has met property<br />

investors, online marketers, CEOs, Start Ups, SMEs, Sales<br />

Teams, no matter what back ground or career path you are<br />

in he taps into the mind-set to deal with daily challenges.<br />

Allan says:<br />

“You have to<br />

be willing to<br />

be flexible<br />

and adaptable<br />

with a desire<br />

to change and<br />

in order to<br />

reprogram your<br />

mind-set. All<br />

businesses are<br />

about growth,<br />

profit and how<br />

to exceed their<br />

next target.”<br />

I will leave you with one of Allans<br />

incantations - Good Morning Good<br />

Morning, It’s Great To Be Alive, Today is<br />

my favourite day, Thank You I’m Blessed.<br />

To book Allan as a speaker you can visit his website<br />

AllanSpeaks.com and you can see him in action at one of my<br />

business networking events in Birmingham, September 28th,<br />

Wednesday.


BUSINESS & COMMUNITY // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />

87<br />

PROMOTING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH<br />

Mental health is important for all of us, we catch up with Khalid Ali a public Governor for the Birmingham and<br />

Solihull mental health NHS foundation trust to talk about positive mental health.<br />

There has been a push towards positive mental<br />

health – what does positive mental mean?<br />

Positive mental health is part of mental wellbeing.<br />

Feeling happy is a part of it, but far from whole.<br />

Feelings of contentment, enjoyment, confidence and<br />

engagement with the world are all part of positive mental<br />

health. Self-esteem and self-confidence are, too. So is a<br />

feeling that you can do the things you want to do. And so are<br />

good relationships, which bring joy to you and those around<br />

you. Of course, positive mental health well being does not<br />

mean that you never experience feelings or situations that<br />

you will find difficult. But it does mean that you will feel<br />

that you the resilience to cope when times are tougher than<br />

usual. It can help to think “positive mental health being” as<br />

something you do, rather than something you are. The more<br />

you put in, the more you’re likely to get out. No one can give<br />

positive mental health to you. It’s you who has to take action.<br />

Here are five positive mental health wellbeing steps that can<br />

really help to boost our positive mental health:<br />

Connect –<br />

Connect with the people around you: your family,<br />

friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time<br />

developing these relationships.<br />

Be active –<br />

You don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go<br />

cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that<br />

you enjoy and make it a part of your life.<br />

Keep learning –<br />

Learning new skills can give you a sense of<br />

achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign<br />

up for that cooking course, start learning top play a<br />

musical instrument or figure out how to fix your bike?<br />

Give to others –<br />

Even the smallest act can count whether it’s a smile, a<br />

thank you for a kind word. Larger acts as volunteering<br />

at your local community centre can improve your<br />

mental health wellbeing and help you build new social<br />

networks.<br />

Be mindful-<br />

Be more aware of the present moment, including<br />

your thoughts and feelings, your body and the<br />

world around you. Some people call this awareness<br />

“mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you<br />

feel about life and how you approach challenges.<br />

Stigma unfortunately is still attached to mental health, what<br />

is the NHS doing to combat this and how can we help to<br />

reduce the stigma?<br />

Firstly, we need to identify what stigma is. Three out of<br />

four people with a mental illness report that they have<br />

experienced stigma. When a person is labelled by their<br />

illness they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative<br />

attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions<br />

and discrimination. Stigma brings experiences and feelings<br />

of shame, blame, hopelessness, distress, misrepresentation<br />

within the media, reluctance to seek and/or accept necessary<br />

help.<br />

Families are also affected by stigma, leading to a lack of<br />

support. For mental health professionals, stigma means that<br />

they Simple ways to help include:<br />

•Learn and share the facts about mental health and illness<br />

• Get to know people with personal experiences of mental<br />

illness<br />

•Speak up in protest when friends, family colleagues or the<br />

media display false beliefs and negative stereotypes<br />

•Offer the same support to people when they are physically<br />

or mentally unwell<br />

• Don’t label or judge people with a mental illness, treat them<br />

with respect and dignity as you would anyone else<br />

• Don’t discriminate when it comes to participation, housing<br />

and employment<br />

• Talk openly of your own experience of mental illness.<br />

The more hidden mental illness remains, the more people<br />

continue to believe that it is shameful and needs to be<br />

concealed<br />

For local support and information services, I would advise you to search for mental health support services or mental health<br />

support services for young people. This will be based on the vicinity of your area.<br />

If you want to talk to someone right away, search for the mental health helpline which has a list of organisations you can call for<br />

immediate assistance. These are helplines with specially trained volunteers who’ll listen to you, understand what you’re going<br />

through, and help you through the immediate crisis. The Samaritans operates a service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for people<br />

who want to talk in confidence. Call them on 08457 90 90 90


SPOTLIGHT<br />

CHARITY<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

BARNARDOS<br />

WWW.BARNARDOS.ORG.UK


90 CHARITY // SPONSORED BY BARNARDO'S<br />

BARNARDO’S OLD BALL BOYS GO BACK<br />

TO WIMBLEDON AFTER 70 YEARS<br />

Barnardo’s Children’s Charity is celebrating 70 years since beginning its special partnership with the All England<br />

Lawn Tennis Club and Wimbledon. For twenty years from 1946, all the Wimbledon ball boys came from one of<br />

Barnardo’s residential schools in Hertfordshire, where they learnt a valuable trade to help get them into work.<br />

Being a ball boy was a prized role that had a positive<br />

impact on their lives and contributed towards the<br />

success of The Championships. Only one third of<br />

the schools’ students aged 14 to 18 became ball boys, so<br />

competition to be selected was fierce.<br />

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said:<br />

“We are proud to be celebrating 50 years since Barnardo’s<br />

boys had the privilege of being ‘ball boys’ at The<br />

Championships. Being ‘ball boys’ for 20 years was an<br />

opportunity for some Barnardo’s students to be part of<br />

something truly special and inspirational, and as we mark<br />

our 150th anniversary, it’s wonderful to recognise the<br />

positive impact both Wimbledon and the support from our<br />

charity has had on their lives."<br />

All England Lawn Tennis Club chief executive Richard<br />

Lewis said:<br />

“Wimbledon, Barnardo’s and the young people who came<br />

to The Championships as our Ball Boys enjoy a special<br />

relationship. It is a relationship based on the opportunity<br />

for shared experience and comradeship, and one which<br />

for 20 years wrote its own uplifting story into the tradition<br />

and fabric of The Championships. The memories of an<br />

enjoyable and special experience remain strong and it has<br />

been a privilege for us to welcome back our former ball<br />

boys to Wimbledon. Congratulations to Barnardo’s on<br />

celebrating your 150th anniversary and for the fantastic<br />

work you continue to do.”<br />

To celebrate this partnership during Barnardo’s 150th year,<br />

some of the former ball boys returned to Wimbledon to<br />

share memories and swap anecdotes about Wimbledon<br />

champions, the roaring crowds, and the strawberries and<br />

cream. They also met today’s ball boys and girls as they<br />

trained for this year’s Championships and compared notes<br />

on their duties.<br />

Former ball boy, Joe Law, 66, from<br />

Lancashire said:<br />

“I was lucky enough to be a ball boy in<br />

the finals between 1964 and 1966 and<br />

I remember being in the line-up as the<br />

royal visitors came down to present<br />

the trophies. Billie Jean-King was my<br />

favourite player because she was always<br />

polite and thanked the ball boys at the<br />

end of the match, regardless of whether<br />

she won or lost. I always loved watching<br />

tennis and still do today.”<br />

Former ball boy, Peter Knight, 84<br />

from Middlesex said:<br />

“It was great being a ball boy, meeting<br />

famous players, seeing people from all<br />

over the world and eating strawberries<br />

and cream for nothing. I remember a<br />

great American player called Dorothy<br />

Bundy asked me to warm up with her<br />

before the match and she gave me her<br />

racket as a thank you gift. I’ll be watching<br />

Wimbledon this year and rooting for<br />

Andy Murray.”<br />

Former ball boy, Terry Whitehead,<br />

72 from Lancashire said:<br />

“I was proud to be chosen to be a ball<br />

boy. I remember play being stopped and<br />

everything falling silent as I was asked<br />

to remove a fly from the Brazilian player,<br />

Maria Bueno’s eye. As ball boys we had<br />

ways of letting each other know whether<br />

we liked a player. If we liked them, we’d<br />

bounce the ball off the floor directly into<br />

their hand and if we didn’t, we’d try to<br />

put a spin on the ball so it was difficult<br />

to catch!”


CHARITY // SPONSORED BY BARNARDO'S<br />

91<br />

BARNARDO’S YOUNG CARER FLIPS COIN<br />

AT LADIES’ WIMBLEDON FINAL<br />

An 11-year-old girl who helps to look after her disabled mum and aunt had her dream come true when she walked<br />

on to Centre Court to toss the coin before this year’s ladies’ final at Wimbledon.<br />

Barnardo’s young carer Uma Baker-Bahl, from east London, will have the honour of flipping the coin in front of an audience<br />

of millions on Saturday, July 9, fulfilling an ambition held since the age of five. Uma, whose favourite tennis player is Serena<br />

Williams, attends Barnardo’s Indigo Young Carers, Ilford, which supports children and young people who help care for<br />

disabled relatives.<br />

Uma said:<br />

“My mum and my aunt both have<br />

multiple sclerosis. My aunt is in a<br />

wheelchair and my mum is tired all the<br />

time, so she can’t do much and we don’t<br />

really go out. I have to help look after<br />

them both. Through Barnardo’s I can<br />

relate to other young carers and let it all<br />

out.<br />

I love watching Wimbledon on TV. My<br />

favourite player is Serena Williams -<br />

her technique is amazing and she’s<br />

really athletic. I screamed my head off<br />

when I watched her win in 2010 and I<br />

remember imagining that I was there<br />

with thousands of people watching me<br />

and being really excited.<br />

When I was asked to toss the coin at the<br />

ladies’ final, I was over the moon. Just<br />

to go to Wimbledon would be amazing<br />

enough, but to know I’ll be the one<br />

going out there to flip the coin is just<br />

incredible.”<br />

Barnardo’s chief executive, Javed Khan<br />

said:<br />

“Uma is one of a 500,000 strong army<br />

of young carers in the UK who often<br />

sacrifice simple childhood pleasures<br />

to take care of a loved one at home.<br />

Barnardo’s understands the vital role<br />

young carers play but sometimes<br />

their commitment and devotion can<br />

go unnoticed. That’s why it’s fantastic<br />

that Uma is being recognised for her<br />

wonderful compassionate nature by<br />

fulfilling a childhood dream and taking<br />

centre stage with this year’s Wimbledon<br />

ladies finalists.”<br />

Jo Chaney, Manager of Barnardo’s<br />

Indigo service, said:<br />

“It’s such an honour for Uma to be<br />

chosen for the coin toss, and she really<br />

deserves it. She’s so dedicated to<br />

helping her mum and her aunt and she’s<br />

really supportive of other young people<br />

who have care responsibilities at home.<br />

“Uma’s confidence has grown hugely<br />

since she joined Indigo and she’s now<br />

thinking about her future and her<br />

ambition to become an actor. Appearing<br />

on TV in front of millions at the<br />

Wimbledon ladies’ final must be a good<br />

place to start.”


FOR MORE INFORMATION<br />

OR A COMPETITIVE QUOTE PLEASE CONTACT:<br />

0121 230 8333 | darren@letterboxdirectuk.com


DIRECTORY<br />

WHERE?<br />

IN THE<br />

CITY<br />

PLACES TO<br />

EAT, DRINK,<br />

PARTY, SLEEP<br />

SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />

LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />

WWW.LETTERBOXDIRECTUK.COM


94 WHERE? IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />

RESTAURANTS<br />

British Restaurants<br />

Purnells<br />

55 Cornwall St,<br />

Birmingham B3 2DH<br />

0121 212 9799<br />

FSK Mere Green<br />

1-5 The Highgate Centre,<br />

Mere Green, Sutton<br />

Coldfield, B74 4AB<br />

0121 323 2565<br />

Opus Restaurants<br />

54 Cornwall St,<br />

Birmingham, B3 2DE<br />

0121 200 2323<br />

Simpsons<br />

20 Highfield Road<br />

Edgbaston B15 3DU<br />

0121 454 3434<br />

Marco Pierre White's<br />

Hotel La Tour, Albert St,<br />

Birmingham B5 5JE<br />

0121 718 8000<br />

The Rectory Bar<br />

50-54 St Paul's Square,<br />

Birmingham B3 1QS<br />

0121 605 1001<br />

The Botanist<br />

14-16 Temple St,<br />

Birmingham B2 5BG<br />

0121 600 7430<br />

The Vaults<br />

Newhall Place, Newhall<br />

Hill, Birmingham B1 3JH<br />

0121 212 9837<br />

Bank<br />

Brindleyplace, 4 Brindley<br />

Birmingham B1 2JB<br />

0121 633 4466<br />

FREE | ISSUE 5 | AUGUST 16<br />

BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />

In The<br />

RIO <strong>2016</strong><br />

LET'S GO<br />

TEAM GB!<br />

WIN FESTIVAL TICKETS - P11<br />

THE GLAM FASHIONISTA - P14<br />

OPENING OF<br />

FSK MERE GREEN - P22<br />

Oriental Restaurants<br />

Chung Ying<br />

16-18 Wrottesley St,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4RT<br />

0121 622 5669<br />

Ming Moon Chinese<br />

Restaurant & Bar<br />

16 Hurst St,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4BN<br />

0121 622 5588<br />

Shogun Sushi & Noodle<br />

Bar<br />

The Mailbox, 27-29,<br />

Wharfside St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1RS<br />

0121 632 1253<br />

Teppanyaki<br />

Unit E1, The Arcadian, 70,<br />

Hurst St, Birmingham,<br />

B5 4TD<br />

0121 622 5183<br />

Spanish Restaurants<br />

Amantia<br />

Apartment 9, Sun House,<br />

9-10, Bennetts Hill,<br />

Birmingham, B2 5RS<br />

0121 643 3647<br />

La Tasca<br />

King Edwards Road,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2AA<br />

0121 796 1286<br />

El Borracho<br />

65 - 67 Harborne<br />

Birmingham, B!5 3BU<br />

0121 454 3568<br />

Don diego<br />

5 Manor Rd, Sutton<br />

Coldfield B73 6EJ<br />

0121 355 5354<br />

INTRODUCING OUR FITNESS<br />

BLOGGER IDREES - P59<br />

OPULENT SAINT PAUL'S<br />

HOUSE - P62<br />

Italian Restaurants<br />

Bella italia<br />

102 New St,<br />

Birmingham B2 4HS<br />

0121 643 1548<br />

Zizzi<br />

The Mailbox,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1RL<br />

0121 643 5605<br />

Cielo Ltd<br />

6 Brindley Place,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2JB<br />

0121 632 6882<br />

Cucina Rustina Ltd<br />

24 Ludgate Hill,<br />

Birmingham, B3 1DX<br />

0121 233 2277<br />

French Restaurants<br />

Cote Restaurant<br />

The Mailbox,<br />

120-122, Wharfside St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1RQ<br />

0121 631 1587<br />

Annexxe<br />

220 Corporation St,<br />

Birmingham, B4 6QB<br />

0121 236 1171<br />

Edmunds' s Bar<br />

Brindleyplace, 6 Brindley<br />

Birmingham, B1 2JB<br />

0121 633 4944<br />

Cafe Rounge<br />

Bullring Shopping Centre,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4BG<br />

0121 616 1463<br />

Would you like to showcase<br />

your Restaurant, Bar, Hotel or<br />

Club in this space?<br />

If so, contact us on<br />

0121 230 8333 or email at<br />

advertising@inthecityuk.com<br />

American Restaurants<br />

Ed's Easy Diner<br />

Barclaycard Arena<br />

King Edwards Rd<br />

Birmingham, B1 2AA<br />

0121 233 4005<br />

TGI Fridays<br />

180 Hagley Rd<br />

Birmingham, B16 9NY<br />

0844 6920 0225<br />

Buffalo & Rye<br />

11 Bennetts Hill,<br />

Birmingham, B2 5RS<br />

0121 643 3312<br />

Five Guys Burger & Fries<br />

Bullring Shopping Centre,<br />

Birmingham, B5 8BU<br />

0121 643 0215<br />

Indian Restaurants<br />

Blue Mango<br />

Unit 5, Regency Wharf,<br />

Broad St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2DS<br />

0121 633 4422<br />

Celebrity Indian<br />

Restaurant<br />

44 Broad St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2HP<br />

0121 643 8969<br />

Eastzeast Restaurant<br />

197 Broad St,<br />

Birmingham B15 1AY<br />

0121 643 4808<br />

Asha's Birmingham<br />

12-22 Newhall St,<br />

Birmingham B3 3LX<br />

0121 200 2767<br />

Maharaja Restaurant<br />

23-25, Hurst St,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4BP<br />

0121 622 2641<br />

Jojolapa Nepalese<br />

Restaurant<br />

55-59, Newhall St,<br />

Birmingham, B3 3RB<br />

0121 212 2511<br />

Praza<br />

94 - 96 Hagley Road<br />

Birmingham B16 8LU<br />

0121 456 4500<br />

Pushkar Cocktail Bar &<br />

Dining<br />

245 Broad St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2HQ<br />

0121 643 7978


WHERE? IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />

95<br />

Other Restaurants<br />

Gastropubs<br />

Blue Piano<br />

South-East Asian<br />

Restaurant<br />

26 Harborne Road<br />

Birmingham, B15<br />

0121 454 6877<br />

Selfridges<br />

English Restaurant<br />

Upper Mall East,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4PJ<br />

0121 600 6869<br />

Stageside Bar &<br />

Restaurant<br />

Deli Bar & Restaurant<br />

Ythorp St,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4AU<br />

0844 338 9000<br />

Las Iguanas<br />

Latin American<br />

Restaurant<br />

The Arcadian, 70,<br />

Hurst St, Birmingham,<br />

B5 4TD<br />

0121 622 4466<br />

Rodizo Rico<br />

Latin American<br />

Restaurant<br />

207 Wharfside St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1RN<br />

0121 285 2856<br />

Athens Café Bar Ltd<br />

Greek Restaurant<br />

31 Paradise Circus<br />

Queensway,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2BJ<br />

0121 661 8182<br />

Himalaya Restaurant<br />

Asian Restaurant<br />

1716 Bristol Road<br />

Birmingham, B45 9QD<br />

0121 453 4336<br />

Turtle Bay<br />

Carribean Restaurant<br />

81-91, John Bright St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1BL<br />

0121 643 1303<br />

Carat Bistro<br />

Carribean Restaurant<br />

27 Warstone Lane,<br />

Birmingham, B18 6QJ,<br />

0121 236 0519<br />

Red Peppers<br />

Greek Restaurant<br />

The Mailbox, 117,<br />

Wharfside St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 1RF<br />

0121 643 4202<br />

Byzantium<br />

Mediterranean<br />

Restaurant<br />

11 York rd<br />

Birmingham, B14 7SA<br />

0121 444 5444<br />

Bodega Bar & Cantina<br />

Latin American<br />

Restaurant<br />

12 Bennett's Hill,<br />

Birmingham, B2 5RS<br />

0121 448 4267<br />

Fiesta Del Asado<br />

Latin American<br />

Restaurant<br />

229 Hagley Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B16 9RP<br />

0121 455 9331<br />

Carib Grill<br />

Caribbean Restaurant<br />

2 St Mary's Row,<br />

Birmingham, B13 8JG<br />

0121 449 8818<br />

Al Bader Restaurant<br />

Middle Eastern<br />

178-182 Ladypool Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B12<br />

0121 773 9818<br />

Arabian Nites<br />

Middle Eastern<br />

Restaurant<br />

54-76 Bissell Street,<br />

Digbeth, B5 7HP<br />

0121 622 2845<br />

Sabai Sabai<br />

Thai Restaurant<br />

25 Woodbridge Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B13 8EH<br />

0121 449 4498<br />

Chaophraya<br />

Birmingham<br />

Thai Restaurant<br />

Spiceal St, Bullring,<br />

Birmingham, B5 4BW<br />

0121 643 2424<br />

Istanbul Restaurant<br />

Turkish Restaurant<br />

2 Stockwell Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B21 9RJ<br />

0121 448 5223<br />

Lokman Sofrasi<br />

Turkish Restaurant<br />

381 Dudley Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B18 4HB<br />

0121 454 4999<br />

Namak Mandi<br />

Afghan Restaurant<br />

588 Coventry Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B10 0US<br />

0121 773 3555<br />

The Victoria<br />

48 John Bright St,<br />

Birmingham B1 1BN<br />

0121 633 9439<br />

The High Field<br />

22 Highfield Rd,<br />

Birmingham B15 3DP<br />

0121 227 7068<br />

The New Inn<br />

74 Vivian Rd,<br />

Birmingham, B17 0DJ<br />

0121 426 3373<br />

Sack Of Potatoes<br />

10 Gosta Green,<br />

Birmingham, B4 7ER<br />

0121 503 5811<br />

The Brasshouse<br />

44 Broad St,<br />

Birmingham, B1 2HP<br />

0121 633 3383<br />

The Shakespeare<br />

Lower Temple St,<br />

Birmingham B2 4JD<br />

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