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FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
COMPETITION - P11<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO<br />
THE NIGHT OWL<br />
BEAUTIFUL BLUES - P14<br />
BARBER HOUSE - P56<br />
CHASING THE NORTHERN<br />
LIGHTS - P63<br />
BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS
CHRISTMAS WISHES<br />
FROM YOUR LOCAL ELECTRICAL Superhero!<br />
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*T&C’s Apply. Promotional dates 01.11.16 - 14.12.16. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery & Installation charges may apply. Exclusions and Radius Apply. Prices correct at time of print but can be<br />
subject to change. See in store for full details. Images for illustration purposes only. Copyright Euronics 2016. November E&OE 2016. Saving compared to a higher price charged for 28 days in the last six months unless otherwise stated.<br />
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MACPHERSONS APPLIANCES DIRECT LTD<br />
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Tel: 0121 427 4633<br />
www.247appliances.co.uk<br />
*T&C’s apply. Selected models only. Sold as an agent for Euronics Limited. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery<br />
& Installation charges may apply. Prices correct at time of print but can be subject to change. See in store for full details. Copyright Euronics 2015.
COMPETITION - P11<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO<br />
THE NIGHT OWL<br />
BEAUTIFUL BLUES - P14<br />
BARBER HOUSE - P56<br />
CHASING THE NORTHERN<br />
LIGHTS - P63<br />
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />
3<br />
WELCOME<br />
LETTER<br />
FROM THE<br />
EDITOR<br />
FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />
Welcome to 10th edition of In The City Magazine <strong>Birmingham</strong>. Happy<br />
New Year from all the team at In The City Magazine!<br />
The New Year often means, a fresh start, setting your sights on a<br />
new challenge and more often than not - looking to undo some of that Christmas<br />
indulgence. Our theme for the <strong>Jan</strong>uary edition encapsulates all of this with our tag<br />
line; A New Year A New You.<br />
EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
Shana Owen<br />
shana@inthecityuk.com<br />
Our Fashion Editor, London Irish Fashion Designer Catriona Hanley looks at trends<br />
focusing on beautiful blues. Everything from bold cobalt blue to innocent baby blue,<br />
the palate is extensive and the fashion possibilities endless. Catriona looks at the<br />
essential blouse during this season, as well as a new take on Tweed from her very<br />
own collection. Make-up is also on the agenda with a piece on ‘neutralising’ you skin,<br />
rather than ‘conceal’ – After many an excessive night over the Christmas season,<br />
knowing how to neutralise those dark circles may well be a blessing.<br />
This months Food and Drink section features 21 Milk Street, back with a bang –<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary marks the launch their latest event. The street food event is on the 27th<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary at the venue that is the epitome of galvanised warehouse chic. The street<br />
food event will cover everything you expect and more, including cocktails and craft<br />
beers to live music by Ed Geater.<br />
Our new Arts and Culture section starts <strong>Jan</strong>uary off with a feature on the Verve<br />
Festival of Poetry and Spoken Word. A four day festival brimmed with world class<br />
poetry and spoken word, with readings performances and more – certainly not to be<br />
missed. We also cover all that’s hot on the theatre scene in <strong>Jan</strong>uary.<br />
<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />
<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />
@<strong>ITC</strong>magUK<br />
www.inthecitymag.com<br />
In The City Magazine<br />
G.B. House,<br />
21 - 27 Milk Street,<br />
Digbeth,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
B5 5TR<br />
In-keeping with our theme, our Monthly Feature looks at ways to take charge of your<br />
health, ready to take on <strong>2017</strong>. The monthly feature also includes an interview with<br />
Dale Sampey owner and proprietor of the renowned The Barber House, based in the<br />
heart <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s Colmore Row. Dale speaks to Robert Hallmark about his journey,<br />
trend, tips and more.<br />
As the New Year begins, we have you covered to ensure you start your year with a<br />
positive vibe.<br />
HAPPY READING!<br />
Shana Owen<br />
Advertising<br />
advertising@inthecityuk.com<br />
0121 230 8333<br />
Publishing<br />
enq@askalps.com<br />
0121 230 8099
4 CONTENTS // SPONSORED BY ALPS GROUP<br />
Issue 10 | <strong>Jan</strong>uary 2016<br />
CONTENTS<br />
NEWS<br />
Spotlight | <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s New year Revolution ......8<br />
Start Up <strong>2017</strong> ......................................................................10<br />
7<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
31<br />
COMPETITION<br />
11<br />
Win 2 Free Tickets To The Night Owl ............................11<br />
FASHION + LIFESTYLE<br />
FOOD & DRINK<br />
13<br />
Spotlight | Beautiful Blues By Catriona Hanly ...........14<br />
- A New Year, A New You..................................................16<br />
- New Year, New Body ........................................................18<br />
21<br />
Spotlight | No21 Digbeths New Venue .......................22<br />
Left Over Lunchies ................................................................28<br />
Beet The Sickness .................................................................28<br />
ROTM: Leftover Turkey & Potato Pie ...........................29<br />
Spotlight | <strong>2017</strong>: New Year, New Gigs ..........................32<br />
Baddies Boogie ......................................................................34<br />
No More, New Years ............................................................35<br />
ARTS & CULTURE 39<br />
Spotlight | Verve: Poetry & Spoken Word Festival ...40<br />
What’s On At The Theatre In <strong>Birmingham</strong> ...................41<br />
NIGHTLIFE<br />
43<br />
Spotlight | Nozstock Festival .........................................44<br />
- Not The Rolling Stone ........................................................45<br />
- The Ticketsellers: Listings ................................................48<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 />
Bringing You Old School Flair ..........................................54<br />
- Take Charge Of Your Health in <strong>2017</strong> ...........................58<br />
OUT IN THE CITY<br />
77<br />
TRAVEL<br />
61<br />
Spotlight | Hello, Auf Wiedersehen ..............................78<br />
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY<br />
83<br />
Spotlight | What Does The New Year Really Mean<br />
To You ..........................................................................................84<br />
Spotlight | Chasing The Northern Lights .....................62<br />
HOME & PROPERTY<br />
65<br />
Spotlight | brightLet - The important of Saving .........66<br />
Decorating On A Budget .....................................................67<br />
Yes - Property is better than a Pension ..........................68<br />
Promoting positive mental health ................................87<br />
WHERE IN THE CITY<br />
93<br />
In The City Guide ..................................................................94<br />
- Restaurants ..........................................................................94<br />
- Nightclubs ............................................................................96<br />
- Hotels ......................................................................................98<br />
MOTORS<br />
71<br />
- Bars ..........................................................................................98<br />
Spotlight | Shifting Gears On The New Year .............72<br />
- Auto Sport International <strong>2017</strong> .......................................73<br />
The Continental Connection ............................................74<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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Whether catching up with friends or entertaining in style, take a taste test in<br />
Edgbaston Village in the wide selection of restaurants, cafes, bars and leisure clubs.<br />
Take a taste test in Edgbaston Village.<br />
To book a table visit www.calthorpe.co.uk/dining<br />
Offices / Residential / Retail / Medical / Leisure / Education
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 />
BIRMINGHAM’S<br />
NEW YEAR<br />
REVOLUTION<br />
Hello readers and welcome to the tenth<br />
edition of In The City Magazine – the<br />
first of <strong>2017</strong>! Whilst you’d probably<br />
have to be a soothsayer to even try and<br />
predict what will happen in <strong>2017</strong> (after all,<br />
2016 surprised just about everybody!), one<br />
thing is certain – <strong>Birmingham</strong> is only getting<br />
better. You need only look at the national<br />
press to see that corporate and political<br />
opinion on <strong>Birmingham</strong> (and the greater<br />
West Midlands region) is on the up as more<br />
and more businesses set up shop in the<br />
area.<br />
So what kind of things are we looking at in<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>’s not-too-distant future?<br />
Fill up on fine fittle<br />
Over the past few years <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
has fast secured a position as one of the<br />
premium foodie destinations in the UK. It<br />
doesn’t matter if its street food or premium<br />
Michelin starred cuisine – <strong>Birmingham</strong> has<br />
it all. It’s to be expected then that the city<br />
is to continue its foodie renaissance with a<br />
host of new openings. Vegetarians can look<br />
forward to the opening of the inaugural<br />
Not Dogs restaurant, a fast-food chain with<br />
a vegetarian twist. Film lovers might want<br />
to take advantage of the newly renovated<br />
cinema space at The Mockingbird Theatre,<br />
in Digbeth. Though the establishment has<br />
long shown films, it has recently undergone<br />
a facelift to turn it into a full working<br />
cinema, with gourmet dining options<br />
available in the bar area. Be sure to keep<br />
up with In The City Magazine as we hunt<br />
for the best new restaurants, bars and<br />
establishments to guarantee that you get<br />
the inside scoop.<br />
New places to go for a drink and dance<br />
It should come as no surprise that<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> boasts one of the most<br />
diverse and exciting entertainment/nightlife<br />
infrastructures in the UK. Between massive<br />
clubs like Gatecrasher and Snobs, and more<br />
independent fixtures like Club L’Amour and<br />
Propaganda, <strong>Birmingham</strong> has plenty to offer<br />
to the dance-crazy partier. <strong>2017</strong> will offer<br />
more of the same. New bars like Bierkeller<br />
on Broad Street (opened in December 2016)<br />
making up part of a multi-million pound<br />
revitalisation of the watering holes in the<br />
city centre.<br />
Better public transport for getting around<br />
the West Midlands...<br />
With over a million people living within<br />
the West Midlands borders, it would be<br />
a colossal understatement to say that<br />
the maintenance and improvement of<br />
public transport is critical to the success<br />
of the city. National Express’s unveiling of<br />
“platinum” busses has seen an increase in<br />
the quality of travel, especially for those on<br />
long journeys. With free Wi-Fi and increased<br />
leg-room, these busses offer a more<br />
comfortable way to travel to and from work,<br />
at no extra cost. Taking cues from National<br />
Express, train companies have also pledged<br />
to improve their services in <strong>2017</strong>, with rail<br />
provider London Midland announcing plans<br />
for free Wi-Fi on all of their trains.<br />
...And out of it<br />
One of the more ambitious projects<br />
currently underway in the Midlands is the<br />
development of HS2. A high-speed rail<br />
development meant to greatly improve<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>’s transport infrastructure, HS2<br />
is currently being developed in two stages.<br />
Stage one will see the travel time between<br />
London and <strong>Birmingham</strong> reduced to less<br />
than an hour, whilst stage two will expand<br />
the network to as far afield as Manchester<br />
or even Glasgow.<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> means big business<br />
A city can’t achieve second city status<br />
by bars and restaurants alone! Though<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> has been somewhat snubbed<br />
since the 80s, when Manchester overtook<br />
it as the go-to place for businesses outside<br />
of London, the city has recently enjoyed<br />
a huge influx of fresh business. Attracted<br />
by lower rents and a well-connected<br />
infrastructure to the rest of the UK, big<br />
businesses and banks like HSBC have<br />
begun moving away from the capital in<br />
favour of more a regional base. Between<br />
global companies like Lombard Risk<br />
Management (who recently opened a hub<br />
in the city centre and is expected to create<br />
over 140 jobs) and numerous start-up<br />
projects (including the illustrious property<br />
management software firm brightLet), it<br />
seems the city’s employment prospects are<br />
limitless. This fact has also been reflected in<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> being named as the UK’s top<br />
business tourism destination.
NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />
9<br />
More sport than you can shake a (hockey) stick at<br />
With three football teams within a stone’s throw of <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
city centre alone, you can be sure that just like any other year,<br />
<strong>2017</strong> will no doubt be touted as “our” year – regardless of<br />
team, league or logical feasibility. What is certain though, is<br />
that <strong>2017</strong> will see Edgbaston Cricket Ground once again attract<br />
international crowds. With 28 days of major matches confirmed<br />
between <strong>2017</strong> and 2019, the city will surely enjoy plenty of<br />
sports tourism in the New Year. As if that weren’t enough, a<br />
new £55 million swimming pool development in Edgbaston<br />
is also set to be finally opened in <strong>2017</strong>. Called 360 Sport &<br />
Fitness, the centre will have <strong>Birmingham</strong>'s only 50-metre pool,<br />
a 900-seat sports arena, squash courts, dance studios and a<br />
gym.<br />
Of course this is just a vague forecast of what is to come<br />
in <strong>2017</strong>. You can be sure though that we here In The City<br />
Magazine will be keeping our ears to the ground, ready to<br />
bring you information on the hottest, best and most interesting<br />
new developments. Happy New Year!
10 NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />
Starting out in <strong>2017</strong> with<br />
“STARTUP<br />
<strong>2017</strong>”<br />
With Christmas now out of the way, you’ll<br />
probably be looking to how best to the new<br />
year. That might come in the form of catching<br />
up with work after the Christmas period, or it could be<br />
taking on a new challenge. There are certainly few things<br />
more challenging than starting up your own business,<br />
even amidst <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s booming start-up economy.<br />
Lucky for you, if you’re looking for tips as an early-stage<br />
entrepreneur, StartUp <strong>2017</strong> is the event for you. The<br />
UK’s biggest start up event of the new year, StartUp<br />
<strong>2017</strong> is a touring event helping entrepreneur’s learn all<br />
of the ins and outs of being a successful entrepreneur.<br />
Also appearing in London and Bristol, the <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
StartUp <strong>2017</strong> event will be held on <strong>Jan</strong>uary 14th, with<br />
tickets costing just £10 for general admission (£7.50 for<br />
Entrepreneur Nation members).<br />
Starting at 9:30am, the event runs until approximately<br />
4:30pm and will feature a host of guest speakers<br />
throughout the day. A perfect event for entrepreneurs<br />
at all levels (after all, you can never learn too much), the<br />
event also offers optimum networking opportunities for<br />
budding business persons.<br />
Among the speakers in <strong>Birmingham</strong> are;<br />
• Debbie Assinder, Enterprise Nation West Midlands<br />
Champion<br />
• Matt Fowell, digital lead at FiveRivers<br />
• Gavin Auty, a branding expert with 10 years of experience<br />
• Mike Bandar, co-founder of Real Tribe and Hopper HQ<br />
• Robbie Beak, founder of Ammba Digital<br />
• Laura Hogan, <strong>Birmingham</strong> City University alumna and head<br />
of search at Ricemedia<br />
• Joe Trodden, enabler at Entrepreneurial Spark<br />
• PR consultant Chris Brown of Barques PR<br />
• Mel Bound, founder of This Mum Runs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
University alumna and Enterprise Nation's Female Start-up of<br />
the Year 2016<br />
Tickets are available through the Enterprise Nation website<br />
(www.enterprisenation.com) or via eventbrite<br />
(www.eventbrite.co.uk)
NEWS // SPONSORED BY RUBRIC LOIS KING SOLICITORS<br />
#<strong>ITC</strong>MAGUK COMPETITION<br />
11<br />
WIN<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO SCOOBY’S TOSH<br />
AT THE NIGHT OWL, BIRMINGHAM<br />
28TH JANUARY<br />
TO ENTER GO TO INTHECITYMAG.COM/COMPETITION<br />
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH OUR AMAZING COMPETITIONS<br />
The winner will be contacted via e-mail on 19 th December<br />
2016 and will be published on facebook and twitter<br />
By entering this competition you agree to have your name published<br />
on social media in next months magazine if you are the winner.<br />
Competition closes :17 th December 2016<br />
www.inthecitymag.com<br />
@<strong>ITC</strong>magUK
SPOTLIGHT<br />
FASHION &<br />
LIFESTYLE<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
TITOS LONDON<br />
WWW.TITOSLONDON.COM
14 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />
Beautiful<br />
Blues<br />
by London Irish<br />
Fashion Designer<br />
Catriona Hanly<br />
If you can’t beat the <strong>Jan</strong>uary blues, you may as well join<br />
them! So, with that in mind this month we are celebrating<br />
all that is blue. From bold cobalt blue to bright electric<br />
blue and from sultry midnight blue to innocent baby blue,<br />
the palate is extensive and fashion possibilities are endless<br />
with a shade to match most skin tones and almost every<br />
mood.<br />
Who Knew What A Blue<br />
Hue Could Do !<br />
The excesses of the festive period have left us feeling<br />
somewhat deflated and also alarmingly inflated as<br />
waistbands seem tighter and your entire work wardrobe<br />
seems to have shrunk overnight. The cold is no longer<br />
tempered by the hope of a white Christmas, and serves<br />
only to increase the chances of a runny nose and a ruddy<br />
complexion.<br />
But fear not because this month we don’t want to banish<br />
the blues but rather have some great fashion hints, tips and<br />
treats to embrace the <strong>Jan</strong>uary blues with aplomb!<br />
‘Catriona Hanly Designs are available at<br />
www.catrionahanly.com and can be ordered<br />
made to measure just for you!’<br />
info@catrionahanly.com | 07809253278<br />
“Neutralise” is overtaking “conceal” as the buzzword in skintone<br />
perfection. Instagram has spoken: Colour-correcting is<br />
the big thing in makeup right now, and beauty brands are<br />
answering the call with green, purple, peach, red and yellow<br />
creams that promise to cancel out ruddiness, brighten<br />
under-eye circles, hide veins and generally erase all signs<br />
that your skin has been though the mill over the Christmas<br />
party period. This sheer, silicone-based Smashbox Color<br />
Correcting Primer can actually create “perfect skin.” and the<br />
Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Eyebright can prep and brighten<br />
red, tired eyes.
FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />
15<br />
BLOUSE BLUES<br />
There is something about a blouse that offers a special note of elegance,<br />
sobriety and style. Blouses and shirts have undergone many changes over<br />
time but are a key trend this winter with an eclectic mix of designs and<br />
styles. Top blouse trends are:<br />
Collars and Cuffs<br />
Collar and cuffs are traditionally for the modern business woman for a<br />
sharp and professional look but they have now snuck out of the office to<br />
lend the party girl a touch of mysterious and interesting<br />
Frills and ruffles<br />
Frills and ruffles are no longer considered to be extravagant, romantic<br />
and exaggerated. The wearer will look feminine and attractive from day to<br />
evening.<br />
Midnight blues<br />
A blouse in midnight blue is possibly one of the most versatile pieces you<br />
can have in the wardrobe. It will look great with jeans but can also be worn<br />
with leather and can be dressed up or down for almost any occasion<br />
Tempting In Turqoise<br />
A key trend for Autumn Winter ‘16/’17 is heritage<br />
tweeds but we have given them a high-fashion<br />
makeover with an explosion of colours and pastels<br />
shot with opulent velvet lapels and side stripes,<br />
luxurious faux fur detailing, fringed trims and<br />
decorative buttons. There is an old Irish saying<br />
‘Blue and green should never be seen … except on<br />
an Irish Colleen!’ This month throw caution to the<br />
wind, be bold with your blues and step out in style!<br />
Turquoise Tweed Suit from Catriona Hanly<br />
Twill weave tweed top with velvet back, collar and<br />
bows | Twill weave tweed flared trouser<br />
RRP: €349 (Top), €295 (Trousers)<br />
All available from www.catrionahanly.com<br />
Don’t It Make<br />
My Brown Eyes Blue!<br />
If you love the ocean and the sky, there’s a sweet and simple way to bring a little bit of<br />
that blue wonder into your life. Colored contact lenses will ensure that your eyes sparkle<br />
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16 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />
A<br />
NEW<br />
YEAR<br />
A<br />
NEW<br />
YOU!!<br />
What would it be like to be able<br />
to create a new you? On any<br />
day of your choosing, at any<br />
point in time you can choose again who<br />
you want to be. You can make resolutions,<br />
change your habits or simply rewrite<br />
the script to old relationships. You can<br />
surprise yourself and others with a<br />
brand new you! That’s what New Year’s<br />
resolutions are all about!<br />
The creation of a new and reenergised life<br />
lies in understanding the inter-relationship<br />
between our unexamined thoughts,<br />
words and actions, and how through<br />
a structured and consistent critical<br />
evaluation of these three key areas – we<br />
can come to create ourselves anew. We<br />
create our context through our words and<br />
action, and these in turn come from the<br />
beliefs we have. The beliefs we have come<br />
from many places, but how often do<br />
we take stock and think about whether<br />
these beliefs are really from our own<br />
making, or have they been handed down<br />
to us - or even worse - have we just been<br />
conditioned into them.<br />
Sometimes it becomes very important to<br />
evaluate where these thoughts come from<br />
so that we are able to take a step closer<br />
to recreating and regenerating ourselves<br />
and actively choosing who we want to be<br />
in the context of a life we love to live.<br />
One way of doing this is to go deep<br />
into your thoughts and think about who<br />
you want to be and what you would<br />
like to create in your life. Be free in your<br />
consideration of the different areas<br />
in your life and when choosing, pick<br />
something you really want to be working<br />
on, don’t be afraid of being confronted<br />
by it. It helps to be totally honest with<br />
yourself and remember that you are doing<br />
this just for yourself and no one else.<br />
There are many reasons why people<br />
don’t stick to New Year’s resolutions<br />
or attempts to change different habits<br />
but let’s focus on making them work. To<br />
stick to the changes you want to make<br />
you must consider your intention to<br />
create and not the result you are trying<br />
to achieve. Let’s take weight loss as an<br />
example; instead of saying ‘I want to lose<br />
5kg’ which will have you focusing on the<br />
result you can focus instead on why you<br />
want to do that. The reason might be that<br />
you want to be healthier and revitalised.<br />
So a more effective intention is ‘To be<br />
healthy and full of vitality’. With the<br />
former scenario you are actually focused<br />
on the very thing you don’t want which<br />
by law of attraction will bring you more<br />
of what you don’t want, alternatively the<br />
latter has you attracting the very thing<br />
you do want.<br />
Focused on the intention it’s easier to<br />
create a desired outcome ‘I want to<br />
weigh 11 stones and be able to run a mile<br />
with ease’. From such an outcome you<br />
will create better actions, you are more<br />
likely to find out what it takes to live a<br />
healthier lifestyle, eating the right kinds of<br />
foods and engaging in the right kinds of<br />
exercises and that in turn will cause the<br />
weight to drop off and stay off.<br />
“IF THINGS<br />
DON’T GO TO<br />
PLAN DON’T<br />
GIVE UP”
FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />
17<br />
To achieve what we<br />
want we must clearly<br />
define it.<br />
1<br />
. Create an intention that is in<br />
alignment with your values and the<br />
kind of life you would like to live.<br />
2<br />
. Define what you want as an<br />
outcome, remember this is not about<br />
stating what you don’t want but rather<br />
shaping what it is that you do want. This<br />
should be what you would get if you<br />
fulfilled your intention.<br />
3<br />
. Create an action plan with actions<br />
that will bring you to your desired<br />
outcomes.<br />
4<br />
. Create a timetable where you map<br />
the things that you are doing on a<br />
day-to-day basis, look at those activities<br />
and decide which of those are serving<br />
you and which do not. Those that are<br />
superfluous, ineffective or not part of a<br />
greater purpose can be removed.<br />
5<br />
. In the same timetable add your<br />
new activities that serve the greater<br />
purpose which is a new.<br />
6<br />
. Create rewards for yourself when<br />
you fulfil your intentions through<br />
your chosen activities and enjoy your<br />
transformation.<br />
7<br />
. If things don’t go per plan don’t<br />
give up on all your efforts. Just take<br />
stock to work out why it didn’t work and<br />
then start again.<br />
At any point in your life you can make<br />
new decisions about who you are and<br />
who you want to be, it doesn’t matter<br />
who you have been, it’s never too late.<br />
Be true to yourself and create a you<br />
that lives a life out of the ordinary. You<br />
deserve it.<br />
To contact Aamna directly please email:<br />
info@leafcoaching.com
18 FASHION & LIFESTYLE // SPONSORED BY TITOS LONDON<br />
NEW YEAR,<br />
NEW BODY<br />
It might be the start of a New Year, but you can guarantee<br />
we’ll all still be making the same old New Year’s resolutions.<br />
Giving up smoking, cutting down on caffeine... there are<br />
plenty of things we choose to do to try and make sure that<br />
we lead healthier lives, but probably most popular of all is the<br />
choice to start up or renew a gym membership.<br />
The first thing to consider when joining a new gym is<br />
finding the best membership to suit you. Choosing a gym<br />
membership can come down to much more than just which<br />
gym is cheapest – different gyms will have different offers<br />
and facilities that suit you better. Consider your choice akin<br />
to buying a bespoke suit – you aren’t just making a singular<br />
purchase, but considering each individual component to<br />
get the best end result. With that in mind, In The City<br />
Magazine has some advice to bear in mind before joining<br />
up...<br />
Make sure you can actually get to the gym!<br />
It doesn’t matter if you’re the kind of early bird that uses<br />
excercise as a way to greet the day, or a night owl blowing off<br />
steam before bed, there is no definitive time of day to hit the<br />
gym. One thing to bear in mind though, is that different gyms<br />
have different opening times. As such, its best to thoroughly<br />
check your gym before signing any contracts – siging up for<br />
a gym which opens at 9am shuts at 7pm probably won’t be<br />
any good if you have a work pattern that means you seldom<br />
make it in time! The same applies for classes; if you are<br />
interested in taking part in a particular excercise, make sure<br />
that excercise is held at your gym at a time you can actually<br />
make.<br />
Does your gym have what you need?<br />
With the sheer abundance of gyms (including both national<br />
chains and independent locals), you might be fooled into<br />
thinking every gym offers more or less the same facilities<br />
and equipment. Even if certain staples *can* be found across<br />
the board (after all, you’re unlikely to find a gym that doesn’t<br />
have any kind of treadmill!), make sure your gym has exactly<br />
what you want. Decide on what’s best for you – do you mind<br />
using communal showers, or are you only comfortable in a<br />
private shower stall? Do you like to have a swim after working<br />
out? Or do you need to fully relax post-work out in the<br />
sauna? By figuring out exactly what you want, you can start<br />
to eliminate gyms until you find something perfect for your<br />
needs.<br />
The right kit to get fit<br />
Despite what Rocky IV might have taught us, there’s no<br />
shame in making use of special equipment when it comes<br />
to getting fit. The best way to approach getting equipment<br />
is to find things that will not only help you exercise, but stay<br />
safe whilst doing it. Knee supports and suitable footwear are<br />
essential if you intend to do lots of cardio (especially if you<br />
take up jogging), whilst wrist supports and gloves offer huge<br />
benefits for weight training. Ultimately, do some research to<br />
find out what exercises you will be doing and what you will<br />
need to do it effectively and safely.
SPOTLIGHT<br />
FOOD & DRINK<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
HEINEKEN<br />
WWW.HEINEKEN.COM
22 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />
TEAM BEHIND TASTE AND LIQUOR<br />
LAUNCH NEW VENUE!<br />
The “new hub for global street food, diverse arts<br />
and culture” is located in Digbeth<br />
Opening later this month, the team behind Taste and<br />
Liquor is launching a new venue called No21 Digbeth.<br />
The venue is located on Milk Street, and is described<br />
as “a new hub for global street food, cultural festivals and<br />
diverse community events.”<br />
Having launched eighteen months ago, Taste and Liquor has<br />
been a great success. They’re now back, with a new venue,<br />
weekly street-food parties and monthly experimental events.<br />
After outgrowing its original home on Essex Street, streetfood<br />
and festival organisers, has upped its sticks to a bigger,<br />
better site in Digbeth, launching on Friday, 27 <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
(<strong>2017</strong>).<br />
The opening launch will capture the essence of the brand’s<br />
mirror inspiration, as the venue transforms into a weekly<br />
Indoor Street Food Hub across Winter and Spring, made up<br />
of a range of international flavours paired with contemporary<br />
traders, to create novel future classics.<br />
With <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s landscape constantly evolving, Taste and<br />
Liquor wanted to provide an offering that was as unique<br />
as the city itself. With an every changing line-up featuring<br />
glorious food - from marinated and slow cooked Brazilian<br />
BBQ & Turkish Grills to Sticky Indian Pigs Cheeks Naan<br />
Sliders - the town is set to get a taste of the best food<br />
producers and traders in the region.<br />
Friday’s also shows support to New and Emerging Talent,<br />
by giving new traders the chance to experiment and really<br />
play with ideas without the pressure of having to take on a<br />
restaurant. With new chefs starting up whole new pop-up<br />
experience, Taste and Liquor aims to support new chefs<br />
throughout the year and plans are also in the pipeline for<br />
plenty of surprises along the way<br />
emerging stars of <strong>2017</strong>. This exciting platform launches<br />
with “one of the West Midlands' most exciting talents”<br />
(BBC Introducing) Ed Geater. <strong>Birmingham</strong> born singersongwriter<br />
and beatboxer Ed Geater, rhythmical dexterity is<br />
complemented by lyrical prowess.<br />
Every Friday, also welcomes The Digbeth After Work Club,<br />
between 5pm-7pm local residents are invited to start their<br />
weekend early, with specials two-for-one offers on all drinks.<br />
Head towards the main bar, featuring bespoke cocktails,<br />
craft beer, wines and a vase range of bespoke tonics and<br />
sprits.<br />
Monthly themed events will be also hosted every last<br />
Saturday of the month. Highlights include Gin & Meat<br />
Festival (February), Best of British Street Food (March),<br />
Brum’s Big Fat Pizza Festival (April), Mr Hyde’s National<br />
Burger Day Festival (August) and the launch more foodie<br />
festivals.<br />
Future plans are also in the pipeline for street-closures,<br />
cultural celebrations and festivals. Highlights include:<br />
Holi Rave Colour Festival (April), Taste and Liquor 1st<br />
Birthday Party Weekender (May), Asian Indepen-Dance – a<br />
celebration of 70 Years of Indian Independence and Pakistani<br />
Partition (August), Digbeth Mela (October), and much, much<br />
more.<br />
Taste and Liquor at No 21 Digbeth will launch on Friday<br />
27 <strong>Jan</strong>uary, and will be hosted every week. Friday Entry<br />
is free from 5.00pm. Last food orders 10.30pm. For more<br />
information log onto www.tasteandliquor.com or Whatsapp:<br />
07968260276 Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat: Taste and<br />
Liquor, Address: 21 Milk Street, <strong>Birmingham</strong> B5<br />
Taste and Liquor Friday’s will be championing live music,<br />
emerging bands and DJs with an exclusive platform<br />
showcasing the regions hottest act acts every week.<br />
Speakerbox, a showcase produced by Sharnita K Athwal,<br />
will present the best of the regions raw talent and hottest
FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />
23<br />
every friday<br />
HEATED & SEATED<br />
FREE ENTRY (5-11PM)<br />
NO21DIGBETH<br />
21 MILK ST.B5 5TR
24 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />
Non-stop<br />
from<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
to India<br />
every day.<br />
Now that’s<br />
pukka.<br />
Or as we Brummies say: Bostin!<br />
Why not fly direct from our<br />
Balti Triangle to India’s Golden<br />
Triangle. Formed by three cities,<br />
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, it’s one<br />
of the most popular tourist<br />
circuits in the world.<br />
Agra is home to the Taj Mahal,<br />
probably the most photographed<br />
monument on earth - and here<br />
it is again. Air India flies non-stop<br />
to Delhi and also to Amritsar.<br />
From Delhi you can get connecting<br />
flights to several other destinations<br />
including Mumbai, Goa and Kerala.<br />
So whether you’re going to visit<br />
relatives, attend a wedding or<br />
simply to soak up the sun, one<br />
thing’s for sure, you’re on your<br />
way to holiday nirvana.
Bookings<br />
0121 643 2233<br />
Pre - Theatre Menu<br />
Mon - Sat<br />
4-7pm<br />
2 for 1 Cocktails<br />
Mon - Fri from 5pm<br />
Saturday 12-8pm<br />
Club Sandwich Deal - £4.50<br />
Available Weekdays<br />
12pm - 9pm<br />
Sharing is Caring - £20<br />
Sharing platter and a bottle of Prosecco<br />
Weekdays 12pm - 9pm<br />
Bottle of house Wine - £9.99<br />
Weekdays 12pm - 9pm<br />
Live Music Every Thursday Night<br />
Club Nights Every Friday & Saturday<br />
VIP Booths<br />
The Chameleon Restaurant & Bar<br />
1 Victoria Square, Hill Street, <strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1BD<br />
Email: info@thechameleonbam.com Website: www.thechameleonbham.co.uk<br />
The Chameleon Restaurant & Bar chameleonbham @chameleonbham
28 FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />
BEET THE<br />
SICKNESS BUG<br />
LEFTOVER LUNCHES<br />
It’s safe to say that around Christmas we buy with our eyes,<br />
and there’s always some leftovers. Instead of repeating your<br />
roast for days on end, use those delicious bits and pieces to<br />
try a variety of leftover lunches!<br />
But how long can your leftovers really last? Most Christmas<br />
leftovers will stay fresh and tasty for at least a few days in the<br />
refrigerator and a month or more in the freezer. Use our helpful<br />
guide to know the best way to store your festive feast and how<br />
long it can last!<br />
Tupperware tips:<br />
• Refrigerate leftover meats, stuffing, gravy and other cooked<br />
dishes within 2 hours of serving.<br />
• Carve any meat off the bones before refrigerating and keep it<br />
separate to all over elements of the meal.<br />
• Divide leftovers into smaller portions and refrigerate or<br />
freeze in covered shallow containers for quicker cooling.<br />
BY HUMA<br />
Beetroot have a whole host of health benefits, so adding<br />
these bright purple veg to your daily diet will leave you<br />
feeling fit as fiddle. If you’re trying to keep your calories<br />
down and embarking on a New Year diet, beets are low<br />
calorie and taste great. Beetroot Juice has a high level of<br />
anti-oxidants and nitrates that can help improve blood<br />
pressure and blood flow through the body. Patients<br />
with blood pressure issues are often encouraged to<br />
drink beetroot juice weekly. Beets will also keep you<br />
raring to go, as they are high in carbohydrates- perfect<br />
as a pre-workout treat. These wonder veggies can are<br />
also a great source of iron and help to boost immunity<br />
and guard against diseases like Cancer. With so many<br />
health benefits, its no wonder this underrated food is a<br />
supersaver for the body.<br />
Item Pantry Fridge Freezer* Tips<br />
Turkey, or other Meats Fridge 2-3 months<br />
Ham — baked at home 3-4 days 3-4 months<br />
homemade Gravy 3-4 days 2-3 months<br />
Cranberry Sauce 1-2 days 1-2 months<br />
Cut whole bird into smaller pieces before refrigerating<br />
and bring out in the new year for some turkey and<br />
leek pie.<br />
It is important that this meat is covered correctly<br />
in airtight containers or in sealable freezer bags or<br />
aluminium foil for the freezer.<br />
Bring leftover gravy to a full boil before using on a<br />
number of dishes, or even in a casserole.<br />
Store leftovers in covered plastic or glass container.<br />
Cranberry sauce is great as a jam, a yoghurt topping<br />
or as a sweet and sticky glaze for meat.<br />
Cooked Stuffing 10-14 days 1 month Remove stuffing from turkey before refrigerating.<br />
Mashed Potatoes 3-4 days 10-12 months<br />
Apple Pie (Baked) 2 days 6 months 1-2 months<br />
Mashed potatoes freeze well; whole baked potatoes<br />
don’t.<br />
To freeze, wrap pie tightly with aluminium foil or<br />
plastic freezer wrap, or place in heavy-duty freezer<br />
bag.<br />
Wine, red or white (Opened Bottle)<br />
2-3 days<br />
after pantry<br />
storage<br />
1-2 months<br />
Freeze leftover wine for use in cooked dishes such as<br />
sauces and stews.<br />
Soft Crust Bread 4 -5 days 3-5 days 2-3 months<br />
Refrigerator storage is not recommended, as bread<br />
will quickly dry out and become stale — for longer<br />
term storage, freeze bread instead.<br />
Storing your leftover correctly means you can enjoy your festive feast well into the New Year!
FOOD & DRINK // SPONSORED BY HEINEKEN<br />
29<br />
•1 tbsp. olive oil<br />
•1 onion, finely chopped<br />
•1 garlic clove, chopped<br />
•680g/1lb 8oz leftover turkey, diced<br />
•6 tomatoes, seeds removed, diced<br />
•150ml/ 1/2 pint chicken stock<br />
•1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce<br />
•225g/8oz diced leftover vegetables (carrots,<br />
parsnips and sprouts)<br />
•115g/4oz frozen peas<br />
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
•450g/1lb roast potatoes<br />
•25g/1oz melted butter<br />
(SERVES 8)<br />
LEFTOVER<br />
TURKEY &<br />
POTATO PIE<br />
BY HUMA<br />
Method<br />
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion<br />
and chopped garlic. Cook until softened but not<br />
coloured.<br />
2. Add the chopped turkey meat and cook until<br />
lightly coloured.<br />
3. Add the diced tomatoes, pour in the stock and<br />
Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil<br />
4. Simmer until it starts to thicken, then add the<br />
diced vegetables and peas and bring up to the boil<br />
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
and pour into a large pie dish. Allow to cool.<br />
6. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.<br />
7. Slice the roast potatoes and lay carefully on top of<br />
the turkey mixture.<br />
8. Brush with melted butter and bake until hot in<br />
the middle and the potatoes are coloured, about 30<br />
minutes.<br />
FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />
COMPETITION - P11<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO<br />
THE NIGHT OWL<br />
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EVENT<br />
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PLEASE CONTACT US ON<br />
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SPOTLIGHT<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />
WWW.TOWNANDCOUNTRY.CO.UK
32 ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />
<strong>2017</strong>: NEW YEAR,<br />
NEW GIGS<br />
It doesn’t matter if it’s Black Sabbath or UB40 in the 70s,<br />
Judas Priest or Duran Duran in the 1980s, <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s<br />
musical history is illustrious with a wealth of acts arising<br />
from genres as diverse as Heavy Metal, Reggae, Pop and<br />
Indie. A scene can’t be sustained on big-name acts alone,<br />
however; the Midlands’ biggest triumph is in its continued<br />
support for emergent acts across the board, supported by<br />
a diversity of venues both in and out of <strong>Birmingham</strong> city<br />
centre. Those venues are in turn supported by another pillar<br />
vital to the sustenance of a healthy music scene; promoters.<br />
With <strong>2017</strong> in its dawning days, we here at In The City<br />
Magazine couldn’t think of a better way to look at both the<br />
year behind us and the acts yet to come than by contacting<br />
some of the city’s best independent promoters for their<br />
forecast on <strong>2017</strong>...<br />
The Stone Broken<br />
Hils’ Ovation<br />
As the officially recognised “Home of Metal”, it fits that the<br />
Midlands should have a promoter dedicated to the genre<br />
and its emergent acts. Enter Hilary Plimmer, of Hils Ovation,<br />
the Midlands primo Metal specialist.<br />
Hil’s Ovation’s 2016 in a nutshell:<br />
“There have been so many highlights in 2016 but I think for<br />
me, the fact that the West Midlands, especially <strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
has been bucking the trend with more and more people<br />
coming back to support local bands. We all know it's<br />
been a difficult few years for live music... so many venues<br />
around the country have disappeared and so many bands<br />
have thrown in the towel too, but numbers last year have<br />
continued to grow. Not just my shows either; <strong>Birmingham</strong> as<br />
a whole seems to be buzzing again which is fantastic! “
ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />
33<br />
The high points of 2016:<br />
It's so hard to pick just one... In fact, the more I think about<br />
it, it's impossible! But, one that stood out has to be when<br />
Stone Broken played <strong>Birmingham</strong> Academy back in July.<br />
The show sold out Academy 3 within a few weeks so had to<br />
be upgraded to Academy 2 and the night itself will be one<br />
that will stay with me for a very long time. The atmosphere<br />
in that room was electric, not just for Stone Broken but for<br />
supports Sonata Fall, Cower Hounds and Theia too. Standing<br />
in the wings watching hundreds of dedicated fans singing<br />
lyrics back to Stone Broken (every band's dream) was<br />
amazing, and quite emotional. I'm sure <strong>2017</strong> will see Stone<br />
Broken continue to grow and achieve great things and that's<br />
good for ALL local bands; it gives them the incentive they<br />
need to succeed too.<br />
I can't miss out November's Midlands Metal Crusade at<br />
Wolves Slade Rooms either; I love that venue. There's no<br />
other place like it, it really has become my second home<br />
(and that's coming from a born and bred Brummie). The<br />
people are the most supportive and dedicated music fans<br />
and the Crusade really has become my favourite event to<br />
organise – it's like one huge family reunion. November's<br />
Crusade was particularly emotional as it was West Midlands<br />
giants Martyr De Mona’s farewell show. The crowd did them<br />
proud, they were brilliant and the guys couldn't have asked<br />
for a better swansong. What stood out for me though was<br />
the comradery between ALL the bands on the bill. That's<br />
what it's all about for me and the Midlands metal scene has<br />
it by the bucketful.<br />
The low points of 2016:<br />
April 1st 2016 was the final show for my beloved Destroyed<br />
Beyond Belief. Those guys were (and still are) more than<br />
just a band I worked with, they were family. I’ve never known<br />
a band that had such a bond. You can’t manufacture that,<br />
it just happens when the right people come together and<br />
it’s incredibly rare. I don’t think I’ve ever cried as much at a<br />
gig than that night – I still get emotional just thinking about<br />
it. The West Midlands metal scene lost a very important<br />
component that night, and it’s still suffering the after-effects.<br />
Marching into <strong>2017</strong>:<br />
The exciting thing about a new year is you never quite know<br />
what’s going to happen, and that’s the same for me with<br />
forthcoming shows. I still have plenty to arrange but the one<br />
I’m most excited about right now is my first ever show at O2<br />
Institute. It’s on March 4th in Institute 2. It’s a big step up for<br />
me and a massive opportunity for local bands, but it also<br />
shows the confidence corporate venues like Academy Group<br />
have in the local music scene right now. Metal maestros<br />
Hostile (another success story from the West Midlands)<br />
headline March’s show and it will also feature some young<br />
emerging bands that showcase just how much talent we still<br />
have coming out of the “home of metal”. I’m hoping this will<br />
be the first of many at The Institute.<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> O 2 Academy<br />
My monthly shows at O2 Academy <strong>Birmingham</strong> will continue<br />
and I still plan to do a few Ovation nights at Wolves Slade<br />
Rooms too. Though, these won’t be as frequent as previous<br />
years purely because demand for dates there is so high while<br />
the Civic and Wulfrun Halls remain closed for refurbishment.<br />
Crusade VII will return towards the end of the year (though<br />
how I’m going to top the last one, I’m not sure). And of<br />
course, getting local bands opportunities to play with major<br />
touring bands will be my main priority. Wolves Civic Halls<br />
have always been really supportive with this and thankfully<br />
more and more booking agents are coming round to the<br />
idea too.
34 ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />
Baddies Boogie<br />
Stalwarts of the <strong>Birmingham</strong> Indie scene, brothers<br />
Tom and James Amphlett of Baddies Boogie work<br />
with some of the freshest faces on the gigging<br />
circuit.<br />
BADDIES BOOGIE FIRST BOOKING - THE SHERLOCKS<br />
Baddies Boogie’s 2016 in a nutshell:<br />
“2016 was a year where we continued to grow as a company.<br />
We held many sold out shows and added more shows<br />
each month, with regular nights at The Victoria and The<br />
Sunflower Lounge now taking place, as well as shows at<br />
the O2 Institute, The Flapper and Dares Bar (in addition to<br />
our weekly shows at The Rainbow Venues). The standard of<br />
these venues is really important to us and our expansion has<br />
allowed us to offer our bands more venue options to play<br />
across the city. We also launched our brand new quarterly<br />
show "The Magic Garden" with local legendary producer<br />
Gavin Monaghan. The aim of the show is to mix the most<br />
promising bands from our shows with the most impressive<br />
bands that Gavin has recorded from across the UK. The first<br />
night was a great success in November and we can't wait for<br />
the next one in February <strong>2017</strong>!<br />
Baddies Boogie’s Gig of 2016:<br />
“We mainly host shows for local talent but over the last<br />
two years we have booked exciting bands from around the<br />
country to headline some of our shows. Our favourites are<br />
The Sherlocks – a band we first booked in 2014 - who have<br />
now signed their first record deal! Their shows have been<br />
absolutely mental every time we've booked them. What<br />
lovely lads too! They really do deserve all the success and<br />
credit they've been getting.<br />
Marching into <strong>2017</strong>:<br />
“In <strong>2017</strong> we are mainly excited about finding new bands who<br />
make us excited about watching them. It's important to us<br />
that we offer help and guidance to the bands that we book<br />
and we are excited to see the development of bands in <strong>2017</strong><br />
who we've booked over the past couple of years. We will<br />
host four "Magic Garden" events and we just want them to<br />
get bigger and better. So keep your eyes peeled for those!”<br />
Keep your eyes peeled on our Entertainment section going<br />
into <strong>2017</strong>, as we speak to more artists and promoters to get<br />
their inside tips on what they think you should expect of<br />
2016...
36 ENTERTAINMENT // SPONSORED BY TOWN & COUNTRY INNS PLC<br />
No More<br />
No New More Years?<br />
New Years?<br />
No More<br />
New Years?<br />
It’s no small secret that 2016 claimed some of the biggest<br />
innovators and geniuses within the music industry. Whilst<br />
popular culture will mourn the loss of the likes of David<br />
Bowie and Prince, in the world of Rock Prog and Metal it’s the<br />
news that Mathcore mavericks The Dillinger Escape Plan will<br />
be calling it a day in <strong>2017</strong> that hit the hardest.<br />
Formed in 1997 and hailing from New Jersey to say that it<br />
was unlikely that a Prog-tinged Metalcore act would make<br />
waves on a global scale is an understatement. And yet, global<br />
waves have most definitely been made across the bands’<br />
two decade career. Spurning the stadium inclinations of<br />
their fellow New Jerseyans Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen,<br />
the band peddled entirely in their own market with a<br />
tremendously technical aural assault that took the best parts<br />
of Post Hardcore, Mathcore, Prog and Metalcore and mixed<br />
them into one very noisy brew.<br />
Ever the innovators, The Dillinger Escape Plan haven’t<br />
compromised one iota of musical integrity across their career,<br />
a move fittingly encapsulated with their decision to go out<br />
on a high during their 20th year. The band’s sixth (and final)<br />
album Dissocation was released to huge critical acclaim<br />
in 2016, a final installation in a musical journey which had<br />
seen the band tour the world and massively influence the<br />
landscape of modern Post Hardcore, Metalcore and Mathcore.<br />
From Heck to Gallows and beyond, the ripples cast by The<br />
Dillinger Escape Plan range far and wide. Influencing not<br />
just the sound of future bands, but also introducing ideas of<br />
creativity and experimentalism seldom seen outside of the<br />
Jazz and Prog genres (even less amongst musicians whose<br />
last name isn’t “Zappa”), the band haven’t so much created<br />
a blueprint for what should come next, as induce mass<br />
musically creative hysteria.<br />
And then, there’s the live shows. Notorious for taking the<br />
conflict ridden atmosphere of Black Flag, early Stooges<br />
and GG Allin and replicating it for audiences in the new<br />
millennium, the band’s most infamous moment came with<br />
their critically acclaimed set at Reading Festival 2002 when<br />
vocalist Greg Puciato defecated on-stage as a form of protest<br />
against the festival’s programming. Though stool-related<br />
incidents have since been kept to a minimum, the band’s live<br />
shows remain some of the most energetic and chaotic in the<br />
industry, notorious for their anarchic nature.<br />
With their final album landing them a Top-50 position (not<br />
bad for a band with less identikit Pop appeal than a hand<br />
grenade and twice the aural potency), you can be sure that<br />
the band’s final UK tour will be truly spectacular. Playing at<br />
the O2 Institute in <strong>Birmingham</strong> on Sunday 22nd <strong>Jan</strong>uary, you<br />
can be sure this show will be one of the hottest gigs of the<br />
year (both physically and metaphorically!).<br />
A true “must-not-miss” event, tickets for The Dillinger Escape<br />
Plan are still available on the O2 Institute Website (www.<br />
academymusicgroup.com) at the time of writing. See you<br />
there!
BOTTOMLESS<br />
PROSECCO<br />
L I F T Y O U R J A N U A R Y B L U E S<br />
WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY ALL NIGHT<br />
FRIDAY - SATURDAY 2 1/2 HOURS<br />
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ENTS<br />
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT - MINIMUM GROUP OF 4
SPOTLIGHT<br />
ARTS &<br />
CULTURE<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
BRIGHTLET<br />
WWW.BRIGHTLET.COM
40 ARTS & CULTURE // SPONSORED BY BRIGHTLET<br />
Verve<br />
Festival:<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>’s first<br />
& only poetry and<br />
spoken word festival<br />
in <strong>2017</strong><br />
A<br />
perfect festival event for the<br />
winter, the Verve Festival of<br />
poetry and spoken word is set to<br />
make its exciting debut in <strong>2017</strong>. Hosted<br />
at the <strong>Birmingham</strong> Waterstones store<br />
(after all, who knows warm winter reads<br />
more than Waterstones?) the event<br />
will be held between 16th and 19th of<br />
February and will bring together arts<br />
greats, enthusiasts and the curious alike<br />
for four fun days of activities.<br />
Surprising though it might seem, Verve<br />
Festival is currently the first and only<br />
poetry festival in <strong>Birmingham</strong> on the<br />
<strong>2017</strong> calendar. Set up by arts lovers with<br />
an eye to encouraging interaction with<br />
both poetry and spoken word, the event<br />
is both a perfect way to engage with<br />
the arts or become first acquainted.<br />
Unlike other arts festivals which seek to<br />
take their audience to the theatre, Verve<br />
works in reverse, bringing the theatre to<br />
their audience.<br />
Held in <strong>Birmingham</strong> city centre, Verve<br />
Festival hopes to fully take advantage<br />
of the city’s vibrant cosmopolitan<br />
environment to craft a vivid and exciting<br />
atmosphere of its very own. Among the<br />
types of activities and events guests can<br />
enjoy are;<br />
- Exciting children’s events (the perfect<br />
way to get children engaging with the<br />
arts)<br />
- Invigorating and thought provoking<br />
spoken word sets<br />
- Engaging poetry/theatre performances<br />
- Readings and workshops by awardwinning<br />
poets<br />
Kicking the event off with masterful<br />
poetry in the poetry parlour, will be<br />
Daljit Nagra at 7pm on Thursday 16th<br />
February. To close the festival, organisers<br />
have brought in the acclaimed “Anti-<br />
Slam” tournament. Hugely popular at the<br />
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Anti-Slam<br />
turns the idea of slam poetry on its head<br />
by crowning the worst poet the winner.<br />
That’s not to say that the poetry is bad,<br />
more that it is poetry that is so trashy<br />
and cringe-worthy that it transcends<br />
the art form (not unlike a poetry version<br />
of cult trash movie The Room). Held<br />
between 9 and 11pm on Sunday 19th,<br />
the event is a perfect way to subvert<br />
the traditional idea of poetry and bring<br />
plenty of smiles to faces.<br />
Verve Festival is aimed at engaging<br />
everybody, from the seasoned<br />
wordsmith to the tentative lyricist. All<br />
ages are welcome at the event and Verve<br />
promises to be plenty of fun for the<br />
whole family. Tickets for the event range<br />
in price from £4 (for individual events) to<br />
£25 up for a full festival pass. Tickets are<br />
available to book through Eventbrite<br />
(www.eventbrite.co.uk).<br />
Waterstones, 24-26 High Street,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B4 7SL
ARTS & CULTURE // SPONSORED BY BRIGHTLET<br />
What’s on at the theatre in <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Panto season might be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch some great theatre shows in <strong>2017</strong>!<br />
In The City Magazine has gathered all the information you need for what shows you should see this <strong>Jan</strong>uary.<br />
41<br />
The Moscow State Circus<br />
A globally renowned phenomenon,<br />
the Moscow State Circus offers<br />
one of the biggest spectacles on<br />
Earth. Returning to <strong>Birmingham</strong> for<br />
a Christmas Circus Spectacular, this<br />
is an event that the whole family<br />
will marvel at. The perfect way to<br />
brighten your family, you’ll find few<br />
better shows than when the circus<br />
comes to town.<br />
Where? Star City, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
When? <strong>Jan</strong>uary 1st - 8th<br />
How Much? £11 - £33, available on<br />
www.ticketmaster.co.uk<br />
Gaslight<br />
An exciting and tense thriller to<br />
see in the New Year, Gaslight pulls<br />
together an acclaimed star-studded<br />
cast for a show that puts the edge<br />
back into theatre seats. Written<br />
by one of Britain’s most renowned<br />
playwrights (Patrick Hamilton) and<br />
starring the likes of Kara Tointon,<br />
Rupert Young and Keith Allen,<br />
Gaslight takes the twists and turns<br />
of the psychological horror and<br />
transports them to the theatre. Sure<br />
to be a gripping event, this show is<br />
not to be missed!<br />
Where? Alexandra Theatre,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
When? <strong>Jan</strong>uary 6th and 14th<br />
How Much? £18 - £45.50, available<br />
on www.atgtickets.com<br />
Strictly Come Dancing Live<br />
The hit TV sensation is transported<br />
from the BBC to venues around<br />
the UK, including <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s<br />
Barclaycard Arena. A live tour unlike<br />
any other, Strictly Come Dancing<br />
Live allows fans to get close and<br />
personal with the show. Famous<br />
faces like Daisy Lowe, Ore Oduba<br />
and Louise Redknapp dance it<br />
out to try and dazzle judges Len<br />
Goodman, Karen Hardy and Craig<br />
Revel Horwood. Hosted by Anita<br />
Rani, Strictly Come Dancing Live is<br />
a great way to celebrate the start of<br />
the New Year.<br />
Where? Barclaycard Arena<br />
When? 20th – 22nd <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
How Much? £40.18 - £73.93, through<br />
The Ticket Factory (www.<br />
theticketfactory.com)
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 />
THETICKETSELLERS<br />
WWW.THETICKETSELLERS.CO.UK
44 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />
Welcome back to the<br />
Nightlife section of<br />
In The City Magazine,<br />
presented by<br />
Welcome to <strong>Jan</strong>uary, billed as the most depressing<br />
month of the year - but not for us! This year we<br />
are rebelling against this idea, we are challenging<br />
ourselves (New Year resolutions if you will) to discover new<br />
music that we wouldn’t normally listen to and try events /<br />
venues that are not our usual haunts. Feel free to join us at<br />
any events across the West Midlands, trying to broaden our<br />
horizons to discover new, exciting and fun things to go to in<br />
order to kick start the brand new year in style.<br />
We also have a little tradition here at TTS; we hold our<br />
Christmas party in <strong>Jan</strong>uary! Often people look at us in shock<br />
when we tell them this, but it helps us extend the festive period,<br />
gives us a reason to party in <strong>Jan</strong>uary, and we can usually get<br />
better discounts :) For this year, we headed over to the Resorts<br />
World <strong>Birmingham</strong> by the NEC and the lovely team at Genting<br />
taught us how to play poker and helped us celebrate our<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary Christmas.<br />
Enjoy the madness of the <strong>Jan</strong>uary sales and we hope to see<br />
you at an event real soon.<br />
TheTicketSellers team X<br />
Backstage<br />
Nozstock has evolved from a gathering of 50<br />
friends into an intimate musical odyssey joining<br />
the dots between pop, ska, folk, funk, soul, indie,<br />
drum’n’bass, psytrance, house and a whole lot<br />
more. For this month’s backstage we caught up<br />
with Rob, one of the Directors to find out a little<br />
more about the event.<br />
When did Nozstock start and how has it grown / changed?<br />
Nozstock started in 1998 on the family farm. It was a BBQ for<br />
around 25 of the families friends with a folk musician called Will<br />
Kileen playing on the lawn up a sheet of tarpaulin! After that<br />
initial party we decided to do it again and the following year<br />
used a bale trailer as a stage and had 3 local bands on. To our<br />
surprise over 100 people came along and it that was the real<br />
beginning of the family garden party that it has grown steadily<br />
and organically into over the last 18 years. It now has 10 stage<br />
multi genre stages and a plethora of crafts, workshops and other<br />
distractions. We really feel that because of our controlled growth<br />
we have managed to retain that original family garden party<br />
vibe.<br />
When did you start putting on events?<br />
I guess putting on events found us rather than us trying to find<br />
It. Over the years we've put on other events in pubs and clubs<br />
but they are always under the umbrella of Nozstock.<br />
What made you decide to be a Festival organiser?<br />
My Dad made me!
NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />
45<br />
NOT THE<br />
ROLLING STONES<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
Not The Rolling Stones have been rocking ever since<br />
Keef Le Reef spotted Mike Jagger (the greatest Mick<br />
Jagger lookalike in the world!) starring in BBC2’s<br />
Double Take, and tracked him down to darkest<br />
Wales. Picture the scene as their jaded eyes finally<br />
met over a cold Soho pizza.<br />
Numbers, olives and anchovies were exchanged, and<br />
the legend that is Not The Rolling Stones was born.<br />
The dream that had kept Keef alive through the long<br />
years of stalking the music biz was now a reality. He<br />
had found the perfect band to perform ‘The Golden<br />
Age of the Stones’.<br />
Seasoned players all (ex One The Juggler, Mick<br />
Ronson, Splodgeness-abounds etc) the line-up<br />
includes Charlie Whatnot on drums, Darryl ‘Honky’<br />
Clones on bass, Mick ‘Trash’ Trailer on lead guitar<br />
and Ronnie Weed on miscellaneous stimulants -<br />
sorry, instruments. Not to mention the vocal and<br />
(very) percussive talents of Mary Unfaithful aka<br />
Kristina Shaguilera!<br />
Capturing the authentic sound and spirit of The<br />
Greatest Rock’n’Roll Band In The World, Not The<br />
Rolling Stones have headed festivals and played for<br />
private clients all over Europe and the UK. Their set<br />
list includes all the classics of The Rolling Stones:<br />
Paint It Black, Honky Tonk Women, Jumping Jack<br />
Flash, Gimme Shelter, 19th Nervous Breakdown,<br />
Satisfaction, Sympathy For The Devil, Wild Horses<br />
and many more.
46 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />
How did you come up with your event name?<br />
The Nozstock part of it came from its early beginnings<br />
of a party. It was a way of showing people it a little more<br />
than a normal party with the "stock" on the end. We added<br />
the Hidden Valley after as we felt it help give people an<br />
understanding of what to expect. We are tucked away in a<br />
lovely little valley that you don't see until you enter the festival<br />
site.<br />
What's your favorite event (not your own)?<br />
I think the best festival I've been to in the last few years must<br />
be Shambala but my all time favorite must be Glastonbury.<br />
We used to go as a family when ours was first starting up and<br />
would go our separate ways in the morning to see completely<br />
different things then report back around the campfire the next<br />
morning. It's where the heart of our own festival lies really. We<br />
can all find something we love here even though our tastes are<br />
so different.<br />
What was the first festival you ever attended?<br />
Glastonbury, before the fence went up! Crazy and dangerous,<br />
but eye opening and beautiful.<br />
If you could have anyone headline your event who would you<br />
choose?<br />
Radiohead. 100%. Or maybe Hendrix.<br />
What is the craziest request you've had from an artist?<br />
A top DJ/Producer once asked for 3 fridge magnets of the<br />
local area and a framed picture of the word c**t in any font<br />
except Times New Roman. I think he wanted to make sure<br />
we had read his rider properly as there was some important<br />
technical specifications and I guess if you have queried these<br />
items there's a good chance you've read it all.<br />
If you weren't putting on festivals, what would you be doing?<br />
I guess a mix of working on the family farm and doing green<br />
wood carpentry as these are the things I do in the quiet parts<br />
of the winter.<br />
What's your number 1 tip for surviving your festival?<br />
Bring wellies and suncream.<br />
What are your 3 must have festival promoter essentials?<br />
Knowledgeable friends. A willingness to risk. The Internet.<br />
What makes your event stand out from all the rest?<br />
The way we've retained the family garden party vibe. We try<br />
very hard to build as much as we can ourselves so you don't<br />
see it at other festivals. Our bars are in old crook frame barns<br />
or old lambing shelters. Some of our more dance genre venues<br />
are old cattle sheds. I'm pretty certain there's not another<br />
festival like us in the country.<br />
Where would we find you on the last night of your festival?<br />
With my family and friends just in front of the viewing platform<br />
of our Orchard Stage. We all work so hard over the weekend<br />
and it has become a tradition to all get together for a few<br />
songs of the Sunday headliner.<br />
Finally - Do you ever get used to portaloos?<br />
I prefer to use the compost toilets if I'm out on the site but if i<br />
can I'll still nip home to the farm house. I can watch one of the<br />
stages from the bathroom window, so it's not too bad!
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 />
technicians and a UK call centre.<br />
Our priority is looking after our customers and making sure that we<br />
exceed their expectations and listen to their feedback so we can<br />
continuously improve our products and services.<br />
So why not join our 23,000 customers today who already benefit from<br />
franking.<br />
Contact Us<br />
FP Midshires<br />
1 Victoria Square<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1BD<br />
Phone: 0121 314 1445<br />
Mobile: 07962 652 262<br />
Fax: 0121 616 0555<br />
Email: peter@fp-wmid.com<br />
MIDSHIRES<br />
MAILING
48 NIGHTLIFE // SPONSORED BY THE TICKETSELLERS<br />
LISTINGS<br />
Big Wednesday<br />
Wednesday 18th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 3:30am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Family Pantomime - The Sleeping<br />
Beauty<br />
Friday 20th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7:30pm - 10:15pm<br />
Shirley Community Centre<br />
£11 Child, £13.50 Standard, £43.20<br />
Family<br />
Ribbon City Soul<br />
Friday 20th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8pm - 12:30am<br />
Arches Venue, Coventry<br />
From £8<br />
Orbits<br />
Friday 20th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8:30pm - 11pm<br />
The Red Lion, Jewellery Quarter<br />
From £6.50 for non-members<br />
Click Friday<br />
Friday 20th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 3:30am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Alex Hutton - Magna Carta<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7:45pm - 11pm<br />
The Red Lion, Jewellery Quarter<br />
From £13.40 for non-members<br />
Motorheadache<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8pm - 12:30am<br />
Arches Venue, Coventry<br />
From £9<br />
Le Freak: Soul Train Special<br />
Part 2<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
9pm - 4am<br />
The Night Owl, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £5<br />
Click Friday<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 3:30am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Family Pantomime - The<br />
Sleeping Beauty<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
Matinee - 2:30pm - 5:15pm<br />
Evening - 7:30pm - 10:15pm<br />
Shirley Community Centre<br />
£11 Child, £13.50 Standard,<br />
£43.20 Family<br />
Family Pantomime - The Sleeping<br />
Beauty<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
Matinee - 2:30pm - 5:15pm<br />
Evening - 7:30pm - 10:15pm<br />
Shirley Community Centre<br />
£11 Child, £13.50 Standard, £43.20<br />
Family<br />
FPS Grand Opening & Fundraiser<br />
Showcase<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7pm - 10:30pm<br />
FPS Fitness Studio, Yardley Wood<br />
£7.50 Child, £15 Standard<br />
Not the Rolling Stones<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8pm - 12:30am<br />
Arches Venue, Coventry<br />
From £11<br />
Loaded Saturday<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 4am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Big Wednesday<br />
Wednesday 25th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 3:30am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Vex Red<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
6pm - 11pm<br />
O2 Academy 3, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £14<br />
The SkaStuds<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7pm - 11:30pm<br />
The Windsor Theatre bar,<br />
Smethwick<br />
From £6.50<br />
Family Pantomime - The Sleeping<br />
Beauty<br />
Friday 27th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7:30pm - 10:15pm<br />
Shirley Community Centre<br />
£11 Child, £13.50 Standard, £43.20<br />
Family<br />
Scooby’s Tosh<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7:30pm - 10:30pm<br />
The Night Owl, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £5<br />
Counterfeit / Untouchables<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8pm - 12:30am<br />
Arches Venue, Coventry<br />
From £9<br />
Quadrophenia Night with The<br />
Atlantics and Guests<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
8pm - 1am<br />
O2 Academy 2, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £14.65<br />
Jeremy Healy<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
9pm - 2am<br />
The Swan, Stourbridge<br />
From £9<br />
Soul Nostalgia Night<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
9pm - 3am<br />
The Hilton Hotel, Coventry<br />
From £6.50<br />
Ravers Reunited: <strong>Jan</strong>uary Sales<br />
<strong>2017</strong><br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
9pm - 6am<br />
The Emporium, Leicester<br />
From £11<br />
Lose Control - 10 Years of<br />
Bassline<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10pm - 5am<br />
Streetlife, Leicester<br />
From £9<br />
Playaz: <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10pm - 6am<br />
The Rainbow Venues,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £19.50<br />
Bass Jam <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10pm - 6am<br />
Central Hall, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £19.50<br />
Loaded Saturday<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10:30pm - 4am<br />
Snobs, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4<br />
Good Gas Podcast<br />
Sunday 29th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
7pm - 11pm<br />
Comedy Loft (6 on<br />
Broadstreet), <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £10<br />
WWE Royal Rumble<br />
Sunday 29th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
10pm - 4am<br />
Walkabout, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
From £4.50
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55<br />
In the article this month I caught up<br />
with Dale Sampey, the owner of the<br />
sublime men’s grooming parlour, The<br />
Barber House, located in the centre of<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>’s Colmore Row district. Dale<br />
and I go way back, he was the guy who<br />
first took the plunge to stock Gruhme,<br />
a business I had only just started a few<br />
months earlier when we met. His bravery<br />
that day sums up the guy that he is as<br />
it’s been one brave more after another<br />
for Dale. Here is a bit more of his story.<br />
You run a highly successful business,<br />
picking up the top ranking for<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> when GQ ran an article a<br />
few years back, where did it all begin<br />
for you?<br />
It all started in a little Italian barbershop<br />
back in 1991. My first role was how<br />
it begins for most of us in the trade<br />
today: sweeping floors, clearing up,<br />
welcoming the customers and listening<br />
in on the conversations of the older<br />
guys in the barbershop whilst enjoying<br />
their particular styles of banter too. I<br />
knew from a young age it was what I<br />
always wanted to be, a respected gent’s<br />
hairdresser giving the best styles and<br />
service of my trade. My dad was not<br />
keen on the idea back then, barbering<br />
was not as trendy as today and he had<br />
expected me to follow a more “manly”<br />
profession. But there is little else more<br />
manly than barbering in my opinion,<br />
it takes great skill to make a customer<br />
return time and again, cutting their<br />
hair is only a part of that experience, it<br />
starts from the second they walk in (the<br />
handshake, the drinks, the conversation<br />
- all part of what makes them a loyal<br />
customer). When I started out most<br />
barbers were not giving their customers<br />
much choice or thought in terms of style<br />
and service so I have always set about<br />
to create a more tailored approach and<br />
that remains the case today too. Despite<br />
my father’s reservations I felt such a<br />
connection to the work I knew I could<br />
master it and make a living from it too.<br />
Wasn’t easy going against the old man’s<br />
wishes but I have never looked back!<br />
In your time at the chair you'll have<br />
seen some trends come and go but your<br />
shop seems more popular than ever<br />
with queues out the door, does it seem<br />
that way to you too?<br />
We've seen all sorts of styles come<br />
and go over the years, and not all need<br />
a comeback either! There have been<br />
Flattops, French crops, V cuts and many<br />
more. The latest David Beckham style<br />
always caused a spike in demand over<br />
the years and now we have the best of<br />
all: the Pompadours are back! (Ed: thinks<br />
Elvis and Bruno Mars for the Pompadour<br />
look). The Pompadour is lovely style to<br />
cut and we are all thoroughly enjoying<br />
it being so popular, I also think it will<br />
be around for a long time to come. The<br />
first 20 years were certainly hard graft<br />
to get established but the next 20 years<br />
will certainly be my best, it has all come<br />
together brilliantly. Having my own shop<br />
in the centre of <strong>Birmingham</strong> means we<br />
can attract plenty of customers and<br />
that provides a great opportunity to set<br />
my own style and influence to a wider<br />
market. The popularity of The Barber<br />
House is due to the way we give the men<br />
a chance to experience the very latest<br />
and best in men’s cuts. Barbering is very<br />
much in fashion these days and we are<br />
all having a great time - but we should all<br />
remember that fashions don't last so I'm<br />
going to make the most of this upward<br />
shift in popularity!<br />
There's been no mistaking the boom in<br />
men’s beards and the products to look<br />
after them. Any tips for those growing,<br />
or thinking of growing a beard?<br />
If you are going to grow a beard there's<br />
never been a better time to show it<br />
off, the choice of styles and products<br />
has just never been so good. There<br />
has been so much of it over the past<br />
few years that you can find plenty of<br />
experience in keeping that beard in<br />
tiptop condition too. This the first time in<br />
my career where the beard has been so<br />
mainstream and so fashionable, including<br />
in the corporate workplace too. We can<br />
certainly give advice to any starting out<br />
or wanting to launch that new look for<br />
<strong>2017</strong> – and suggest the best products<br />
to help you keep that beard in the ideal<br />
style and condition for you too. We pride<br />
ourselves on being experts in beards<br />
and shaving and making sure you can<br />
learn something new on each visit too,<br />
we only sell what we believe is right for<br />
the job.<br />
Is the day of the clean cutthroat shave<br />
likely to make a more mainstream<br />
appearance in <strong>2017</strong>?<br />
I think beards are going to be around for<br />
quite a few years but maybe the style of<br />
the beard will change. Expect we may<br />
see beards being longer on the chin and<br />
shorter on the sides but it's certainly<br />
still here for the foreseeable future as a<br />
popular look. The clean shave is far from<br />
beaten though; the appearance it made<br />
in Skyfall with Bond using a cutthroat<br />
shave certainly gave it a shot in the arm.<br />
The safety razor and brush combo is<br />
gaining popularity all the time too. We
56 MONTHLY FEATURE // SPONSORED BY ALPS ACCOUNTANTS & FINANCIAL ADVISORS<br />
still get a very satisfying feedback from<br />
our customers who come in for the full<br />
clean shave, especially when it is the<br />
first time, nothing compares to it for a<br />
feel good shave. For the uninitiated on<br />
cutthroat shaves I suggest they come in<br />
and let the experts give them the experience<br />
they won’t forget, it’s as close to<br />
pampering as us guys get.<br />
Does the <strong>Birmingham</strong> scene have its<br />
own favourite style or does it follow<br />
general trends?<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> certainly has its share of<br />
unique beards, and the guys wear them<br />
well (certainly our customers!). In terms<br />
of hair, the Pompadour had not been<br />
seen much for around 20 to 30 years<br />
and now it's everywhere and <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
has been amongst the first to adopt<br />
it for sure. The side parting Pompadour<br />
may be making a greater appearance<br />
next year and we’ll be doing more of<br />
those for the local scene too. The trend<br />
for a more fashionable style is going to<br />
stay around and we love that, the more<br />
the guys are keen to look the part the<br />
more fun our work is each day.<br />
Q6 You work long hours each day and<br />
you have a young family at home. What<br />
advice do you want to share about coping<br />
with and working in a business but<br />
having time for a home life too?<br />
What is the thing you like most about<br />
having a business in <strong>Birmingham</strong>?<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> really is the place to be<br />
right now, it’s got the perfect mix of<br />
a City vibe but a place you can get to<br />
know the locals properly too. There is<br />
so much development going on which<br />
is continuously helping bring in a more<br />
lively and interesting atmosphere. In the<br />
past few years since we opened there<br />
are so many new restaurants, bars and<br />
businesses coming to the area. It's great<br />
to be in the Colmore Row area and we<br />
are hoping to grow and do more here as<br />
a business ourselves too.<br />
What would be your advice for someone<br />
looking to up their game in <strong>2017</strong><br />
and go for a bold new look, which cut<br />
and style would you suggest? Any In<br />
The City promotions for <strong>Jan</strong>uary (wink,<br />
wink!)?<br />
A new look and a new style is a great<br />
way to start the New Year. Pop in and<br />
have a chat, we love giving people ideas<br />
for how they can adopt a new look.<br />
There's never been a better time to<br />
experiment too, combine some expert<br />
advice and our great choice of products<br />
and you can’t go wrong. <strong>Jan</strong>uary will be<br />
a good time to visit as we are running<br />
the <strong>Jan</strong>uary promotion on our online<br />
shop for 10% off all orders purchased by<br />
our new customers. I’m sure if you mention<br />
you saw this article we can throw in<br />
an extra free drink and maybe a deal if<br />
you’re lucky too!<br />
Would you do it all again?<br />
Absolutely. I wouldn't change a thing I<br />
did to get to where I am today either.<br />
At the right time, in the right place they<br />
often say you need a little bit of luck and<br />
some good timing, I've waited a lot of<br />
years for this but we definitely had the<br />
luck when we needed it - right when we<br />
opened the doors to The Barber House<br />
and it certainly feels we will be able to<br />
keep the positive momentum going for a<br />
long while yet!<br />
I've always worked hard but I actually<br />
work harder now I’m in my 40s then I've<br />
ever worked! I work 12 hours plus each<br />
day and travel either side of that as well.<br />
One thing I always make sure is I have<br />
a decent amount of quality time at the<br />
weekend with my family (the guys do a<br />
great job taking care of the shop over<br />
the weekends for me). Another way<br />
we keep close as a family is they all get<br />
involved in the business. We each have a<br />
role and my wife helps me a great deal,<br />
even drops by on the occasional Friday<br />
and we try and grab a drink together<br />
after closing too - my daughter is hoping<br />
to join in full time one day and has also<br />
been working Fridays with me and the<br />
guys. The good news with the family<br />
working together is it’s easier to not talk<br />
about the business at the weekends, as<br />
we’ve all seen enough of it during the<br />
week! (I'm laughing at this particular<br />
point because I still talk about the business<br />
far too much I bet!).<br />
If you take time off where is your favourite<br />
place to go?<br />
Holidays with the family are so important.<br />
We normally head somewhere<br />
warm and relax as much possible. We<br />
went to Ibiza this summer and had a<br />
great time. A good holiday makes all<br />
the hard work worthwhile, so time out is<br />
certainly important if you have to do the<br />
long hours needed to run a business.
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TAKE CHARGE<br />
OF YOUR HEALTH<br />
IN <strong>2017</strong><br />
Article by Tony Kelly<br />
As one of the Diabetes UK “Community Champions”<br />
for the West Midlands since the summer of 2012,<br />
it is my great pleasure to have been afforded this<br />
opportunity to write about health and wellbeing in the<br />
New Year edition of In The City Magazine. We must aim to<br />
improve our diet and lifestyle for the New Year and beyond...<br />
And more importantly, stick to it!<br />
As someone who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes<br />
twelve years ago (mine is hereditary) I have never taken<br />
any medication to keep this medical condition from getting<br />
worse. The complications associated with diabetes that<br />
I have witnessed amongst family members in Jamaica<br />
include heart attacks, blindness, strokes, limb amputations<br />
and kidney disease. However, if managed properly and kept<br />
under control these can all be avoided.<br />
Having disciplined myself by way of a healthy diet and<br />
physical activity, will power, motivation and determination<br />
keep me going. Some people struggle on their own, so<br />
joining a voluntary support group for diabetics can be<br />
highly effective. Diabetes UK, a well known charity who<br />
have an excellent website and produce every quarter a<br />
magazine called “Balance”, are highly recommended.<br />
This advice is meant not only for people diagnosed with<br />
diabetes, but prevention is also a key element of what I<br />
and others proactively aim to accomplish. At the start of<br />
2016, just a year ago, there were over 4 million people in<br />
the UK diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes,<br />
along with a further half a million who have the condition<br />
but are unaware due to not being screened or assessed.<br />
90% of diabetics have Type 2 which is mainly preventable<br />
if one eats sensibly, controls their weight (if needs be) and<br />
exercises regularly. It must be stressed that people of an<br />
average weight can also develop diabetes.<br />
Diabetes is a condition which occurs when the pancreas<br />
which makes insulin is not functioning properly and<br />
therefore cannot use glucose as it should. With diabetes<br />
your blood glucose levels stay up because your body<br />
cannot use it properly for the energy it needs. Glucose<br />
comes from some of the food and drinks that we consume<br />
especially carbohydrates such as rice, biscuits, cakes ,<br />
bread and fries along with sweets, fizzy drinks and fruit<br />
juices to name but a few. Aim for more fresh fruits and<br />
vegetables, oats and beans commonly known as “pulses”.<br />
The only exception to this is baked beans which tend to be<br />
packed with a lot of sugar.<br />
Contrary to popular belief, diabetes cannot be cured but<br />
can be kept under control or reversed. Some ethnic groups<br />
are more at risk of developing diabetes due to factors such<br />
as their DNA/genetics, metabolism, diet and sedentary/<br />
couch potato lifestyle.
Symptoms of diabetes include:<br />
1. Feeling thirsty more often<br />
2. Going to the toilet more often to pass urine<br />
3. Feeling tired/lethargic more often<br />
4. Losing unexplained weight, i.e. getting thinner<br />
5. Blurred vision<br />
6. Slow healing of cuts and wounds<br />
Nb. Sometimes one can have the medical condition for up to<br />
ten years and display no symptoms at all. I would therefore<br />
urge everyone to have a diabetes risk assessment done by<br />
your doctor or diabetic nurse.<br />
Any of the contacts below can signpost readers to training<br />
events or health care professionals to learn more about<br />
diabetes.<br />
Tony Kelly<br />
Diabetes UK Community Champion in the West Midlands<br />
Contact address: jubahead@hotmail.com<br />
Walsall Diabetes UK Regional Office<br />
Tameway Tower<br />
Bridge Street<br />
Walsall, WS1 1JZ<br />
01922614500<br />
or<br />
Diabetes UK website<br />
0345 123 2399<br />
www.diabetes.org.uk
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Chasing The Northern Lights<br />
You need look no further than David Attenborough’s fantastic show Planet Earth to see that the natural world is full of<br />
astounding sights and experiences. Though the animal kingdom provides much of the entertainment on Planet Earth,<br />
there’s no denying that the natural world is the unspoken star of the show, with stunning natural backdrops providing a vivid<br />
canvas for the action onscreen. When it comes to tourism, few natural sights quite capture the imagination as much as aurora<br />
borealis – the Northern Lights. Here is In The City Magazine’s guide to chasing the Northern Lights...<br />
How can I see the<br />
Northern Lights?<br />
Sadly, this is a question without any definitive answer. Much<br />
like other weather phenomena, the Northern Lights aren’t<br />
guaranteed to be located in any one place at any particular<br />
time. A wealth of online meteorology websites have popped<br />
up tracking patterns to try and inform users of the best<br />
times to try and seek out the Northern Lights, but ultimately<br />
it often comes down to a combination of luck and picking<br />
the right time of year/night to best seek them out.<br />
Traditionally, most tourists will travel somewhere in the<br />
far Northern Hemisphere to try and track down the lights.<br />
Destinations like Iceland and Scandinavian countries<br />
like Finland and Norway have proved hugely popular for<br />
tourists, yielding the highest possibility of catching the<br />
lights. As a result of this interest, tour companies have<br />
popped up across the board offering expeditions out to try<br />
and find the best spot to see the lights – these can be night<br />
excursions from your hotel, right the way through to full<br />
camping adventures in high-end glamping facilities.<br />
What are the<br />
Northern Lights?<br />
A spectacular explosion of colour caused by electrically<br />
charged particles from the sun crashing against the Earth’s<br />
atmosphere, aurora borealis is (rightfully) seen as one of<br />
nature’s most vivid and exciting natural phenomena.<br />
The lights down<br />
under<br />
Though we might know the phenomena as “The Northern<br />
Lights”, in truth this exceptional experience also has a<br />
southern hemisphere counterpart. Named Aurora Australis,<br />
the lights in the Southern Hemisphere are every bit as<br />
elusive as their northern cousins, but can be found in<br />
southernmost points including Patagonia (in Argentina)<br />
and Australia, offering adventurers a chance to see the<br />
dazzling lights in slightly more temperate climes.
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63<br />
Where is best to see<br />
the Northern Lights?<br />
As mentioned above, there isn’t necessarily a guaranteed<br />
place to see the lights, but there are some ways you<br />
can optimise your chances. In terms of geographical<br />
positioning, the further north a person is the better chance<br />
they will have of seeing the lights on display if conditions<br />
are right. As previously mentioned, many Scandinavian<br />
countries have an entire economy based around aurora<br />
borealis tourism. These offer tourists not just higher<br />
chances of seeing the lights than at home, but also more<br />
options to suit any kind of traveller, allowing holidaymakers<br />
the opportunity to tailor-make their own experiences.<br />
However, you needn’t go abroad to see the lights. Sightings<br />
of the Northern Lights in the UK are comparatively rare<br />
compared to the likes of Norway or Iceland, but they aren’t<br />
entirely unheard of. One rule that remains crucial amidst<br />
lights hunters is that sightings are much more common<br />
in rural areas. As such, in the UK most common northern<br />
lights sightings happen in hugely rural areas, especially<br />
countryside areas. If you can’t afford/justify a trip overseas<br />
to Scandinavia to see the lights, a domestic trip out into the<br />
Welsh/Scottish countryside could be just as productive and<br />
has added bonuses of being able to sort out at (almost)<br />
last minute, meaning you can use online sites to potentially<br />
optimise your chances.<br />
One of the UK’s more popular areas for northern lights<br />
tourism tends to be the north of Scotland, with cities<br />
and towns like Aberdeen or Stonehaven making a good<br />
home-base for rural trips out to potentially see the lights.<br />
Scotland’s geographical positioning in the Northern<br />
hemisphere might mean it suffers more from dismal British<br />
weather, but it certainly reaps the rewards of stunning<br />
visual displays!<br />
For truly intrepid travellers, a trip off-coast could also be a<br />
great way to seek out the lights without leaving the greater<br />
UK. Trips up to the Shetland Islands (including Skaw, on the<br />
island of Unst, the northernmost settlement in the United<br />
Kingdom) run from Scotland via both boat and plane –<br />
subject to availability. Though not necessarily the best idea<br />
in winter, trips up this way in milder weather can yield some<br />
fascinating sights. With the Northern Lights, a combination<br />
of good planning, luck and a sense of adventure can make<br />
all the difference.<br />
By sea, land or air?<br />
It’s no small surprise that the fervent nature of northern<br />
lights tourism has created a wealth of options for<br />
travellers seeking out the lights. The most cost effective<br />
method would be by land – hiking expeditions to natural<br />
high spots can be entirely self-organised and offer a<br />
personal way to try and seek out the lights. Of course, if<br />
you worry that you’ll miss the lights and the crowds will<br />
have better look, hiking expeditions are also often run by<br />
tour companies and guides in areas that see lots of solar<br />
activity.<br />
As previously mentioned, rural areas tend to yield more<br />
sightings of the lights, in no small part due to the fact<br />
they aren’t affected by high levels of light pollution in<br />
towns and cities. As such, an increasingly popular option<br />
for tourists has been to take to the sky in a northern<br />
lights flight expedition. Flights run from as far afield as<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> and London and often travel overnight to the<br />
reaches of the northern hemisphere to try and spot the<br />
lights. Costs vary greatly, but the uncertain nature of the<br />
lights can make this a risky proposition.<br />
A final hugely popular option has been to undertake<br />
a cruise – offering all the luxuries and amenities of<br />
transport alongside the freedom to get directly under the<br />
stars and engage with the phenomenon unfettered, this<br />
option generally costs the most but yields some of the<br />
best results and experiences.
SPOTLIGHT<br />
HOME & PROPERTY<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />
WWW.ASKALPS.COM
66 HOME & PROPERTY // SPONSORED BY ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />
brightLET<br />
Blog – The<br />
Importance of<br />
Saving<br />
Between bills, groceries and rent, it can often seem<br />
impossible to even start thinking about putting money<br />
aside for savings. And yet, it should be the first thing<br />
on all of our minds, regardless of wage. Though it might seem<br />
redundant to put small amounts aside, the cliché of “every<br />
penny counts” rings especially true with savings. After all,<br />
an amount as small as £25 a month can see you hitting the<br />
hundreds in no time at all.<br />
So, why save? The obvious reason given would be for a home<br />
and certainly, even with government schemes dropping house<br />
deposits as low as 5%, you’ll want a strong deposit on any<br />
home you look at, especially if you want a good mortgage.<br />
Luckily, saving for a first home currently offers up a wealth<br />
of options for the discerning saver with plenty of First-Time<br />
Buyer ISAs (both commercial and government-run) available<br />
to explore. These can see investors get annual bonuses on<br />
the money they save and are a great way to be rewarded for<br />
frugality (as well as secure some financial stability for a future<br />
home).<br />
Of course, saving for a house isn’t the only reason you might<br />
want to put money aside. Personal savings can be hugely<br />
useful as a safety net. Whether you’re looking to rent for the<br />
first time, or just looking for a new place, having a buffer in the<br />
form of savings can make all the difference.<br />
It’s easy to forget when looking at a prospective new home<br />
all of the unforeseen costs that can hit our wallets the hardest.<br />
Whilst we will account for costs like deposits and fees, all too<br />
often we don’t consider the other factors that make up the<br />
difference between moving into a new house and making<br />
a new home. Furniture alone can take a heavy toll on the<br />
bank account, but simple things like toiletries and first-shop<br />
groceries can also prove to be hugely costly.<br />
The easiest way to work out how much you can afford to save<br />
is to create a budget. Whilst it’s not the most glamorous task,<br />
programmes like Excel make creating a budget a fairly painless<br />
task. Once you have accounted for each of your monthly<br />
spends (for example; rent, bills, luxury amenities like internet<br />
or a mobile phone contract, travel expenses for work etc.) you<br />
can start to draw up a picture of how much money you have<br />
left available on each pay check. From there, figure out how<br />
much you want to save each month; a good rule of thumb is<br />
to either have a set amount you want to put aside (e.g. £100<br />
a month), or possibly get creative and save a set amount (e.g.<br />
10% of your wage) plus “bonuses” if you stay within budget<br />
(e.g. 50% of remaining money each month).<br />
As with First Time Buyer accounts, there are plenty of options<br />
available to savers looking to cash in on frugality. Popular<br />
options like ISAs can see you get small cash bonuses on the<br />
money saved, but can also come with drawbacks – e.g. a set<br />
period before any money can be withdrawn without penalty.<br />
The trick is to shop around and find the deal best for you,<br />
though it always advisable to keep savings separate from a<br />
general expenses account.
HOME & PROPERTY // SPONSORED BY ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />
67<br />
DECORATING<br />
ON A BUDGET<br />
With Christmas and New Year’s now out of the way, it’s high time to start thinking<br />
about what you want to do with your house in the year ahead. Of course it’s<br />
never as easy as it may seem on paper. Certainly, with the Christmas period only<br />
just behind us, bank accounts will be tight in <strong>Jan</strong>uary. But, that doesn’t mean you<br />
can’t look to sprucing your house up, it just requires a little creative budgetary<br />
innovation. With that in mind, In The City Magazine looks at the best tips for<br />
turning your house into a personal home without breaking the bank...<br />
Set a budget (and stick to it!)<br />
It might seem like an obvious starting<br />
point, but it is all too common that we’ll<br />
try to avoid spending too much in any<br />
shopping scenario yet somehow go well<br />
over budget. An easy way to avoid this<br />
is to simply set a hard budget from the<br />
get-go and then stick to it religiously. Of<br />
course, it might not be just that easy. If<br />
you’re just looking to do a spot of light<br />
decorating, it can be fairly easy to set<br />
a low budget that you will be able to<br />
stick to, but try not to stick an abritrary<br />
figure on your budget before you have a<br />
good idea of how much the things you<br />
will need are going to cost. After all, you<br />
won’t get far if you set a budget of £20<br />
but need a new settee or living room<br />
set!<br />
Every little helps (but can also hinder!)<br />
We can often be led astray by making<br />
numerous small purchases when<br />
shopping around, things that aren’t<br />
necessarily tied to the project but seem<br />
like good purchase ideas at the time.<br />
Enough of these and it is exceptionally<br />
easy to go overbudget, so a good rule of<br />
thumb is to keep note of everything you<br />
pick up. One of the easiest ways to do<br />
this is using a smartphone (or handheld<br />
calculator) and deduct everything you<br />
pick up from your overall budget; that<br />
way you have a constant goal in mind.<br />
Less can be more<br />
Remember, a decorating project doesn’t<br />
have to be a complete overhaul of<br />
your surroundings. Doing something<br />
as simple as re-painting the walls can<br />
refresh how you see a room and make<br />
it feel different, not to mention stop<br />
the walls from appearing dull or faded.<br />
As well as repainting, you might also<br />
consider ways to improve how you<br />
use space in your home. A few nifty<br />
purchases of items like door racks<br />
(perfect for keeping toilettries in the<br />
bathroom) or cupboard nets can not<br />
only increase the amount of space you<br />
have in a room, but also keep clutter to<br />
a minimum.<br />
Shop around (and don’t get suckered<br />
by “deals”!)<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary might feel like the best time to<br />
start updating the design of your home,<br />
especially as the <strong>Jan</strong>uary sales set in.<br />
As mentioned above however, don’t<br />
fall into the trap of picking up every<br />
reduced item you see when shopping<br />
for new materials – that lamp might be<br />
reduced from £30 to just £9.99 but if it<br />
doesn’t fit with the rest of your furniture,<br />
or you already have plenty of lighting in<br />
your rooms it’s just another expenditure<br />
eating into your budget.
68 HOME & PROPERTY // SPONSORED BY ALPS ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING SERVICES<br />
YES -<br />
PROPERTY<br />
IS BETTER<br />
THAN A<br />
PENSION<br />
BY Andrew & Peter Founders of PIRC<br />
NOW OPEN<br />
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables<br />
Smoothies & Juices<br />
Household Cleaning Products<br />
Nutritional Supplements<br />
Whole Foods (Nuts, Grains, Seeds)<br />
Condiments<br />
Home Made Energy Balls<br />
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Boxes Made to Order<br />
Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am till 4pm<br />
Tel: 0121 427 2567<br />
18 Lonsdale Rd, <strong>Birmingham</strong> B17 9RA<br />
www.organiceverything.co.uk<br />
Happy New Year and with a new year<br />
comes resolutions to make changes and<br />
improvements to our life for the year ahead.<br />
The New Year is an ideal time to review our<br />
short medium and long term financial objectives.<br />
It may come as a surprise to you, when last year the<br />
Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane stated<br />
‘Property is better bet’ than a pension. Stating pensions<br />
are too complicated and property is better due to<br />
continuously rising prices.<br />
As an investor in property this came as no surprise to<br />
us. When you consider average pension returns after<br />
fees over the last 10 years have delivered less than<br />
inflation returns, whilst Property has enjoyed average<br />
growth of 8% per annum excluding any rental income,<br />
which when taken into account average returns gives<br />
13%. Surely Property is complicated we hear you say<br />
and you require lots of money don’t you! Andy Haldane<br />
states property is a lot simpler than pensions and like<br />
any investment property is as complicated as you wish<br />
to make it. We ask you is your own home complicated<br />
to own and maintain?<br />
The added bonus with property is that unlike pensions<br />
the banks will lend you most of the money you need<br />
to buy your investment property this can increase the<br />
returns quoted above as you leverage your money.<br />
So we hear you say ask – How do I get into property?<br />
We recommend going along to a local independent<br />
property network meeting, most towns have one on<br />
www.meetup.com where you will find people just like<br />
you who already own property. The vast majority of<br />
landlords invest in property instead of a pension have<br />
regular day jobs and want to provide quality, safe<br />
homes for people contrary to what the press would<br />
have you believe.<br />
You will find those who invest in property are open<br />
to helping and supporting you answering questions,<br />
sharing best practice and suppliers. A great resource<br />
used by most investors that we recommend is the<br />
Property Investor Reward Club, www.PIRC-Card.co.uk<br />
They offer contract prices for all the goods and services<br />
you need to run your property business and also list<br />
suitable properties.<br />
If you would like to meet Peter and Andrew to discuss<br />
a property problem email info@great-properties.co.uk<br />
or if you want to meet us in person we are at the<br />
www.GreatPropertyMeet.co.uk every 3rd Monday of<br />
the month in Rugby at 7pm where property experts<br />
share knowledge on a monthly basis, this is a great<br />
property networking event . Come along for a chat if<br />
you are in the area.
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SPOTLIGHT<br />
MOTORS<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
MOTORBODIES UK
72 MOTORS // SPONSORED BY MOTORBODIES UK<br />
SHIFTING GEARS ON THE NEW YEAR:<br />
The Performance Car Show <strong>2017</strong><br />
What? The Performance Car Show<br />
Where? NEC, <strong>Birmingham</strong>, B40 1NT<br />
When? 12th - 15th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
How Much? Tickets start at £33 in advance for Adults, £21 for children. Family tickets are also available.<br />
The roads might not be optimised for driving, but<br />
that doesn’t mean you can’t dream of sunnier climes<br />
and the long road trips to come this <strong>Jan</strong>uary. So<br />
how best to look to the future (and possibly get a<br />
perspective on changing your own wheels) than to head to<br />
The Performance Car Show, hosted at <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s NEC this<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary.<br />
Hosted in association with Autocar and PistonHeads.com, you<br />
can be sure that The Performance Car Show will prove to be<br />
the perfect way to kick off the year for any excitable motoring<br />
enthusiast. Expect the automotive greats to be out in full force<br />
at the show, with the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren<br />
out to strut their stuff in the New Year. With some of the most<br />
recognisable and esteemed manufacturers in performance car<br />
history appearing at the event, you can be sure that the show<br />
will be the definitive article in getting to grips with the best<br />
performance cars of <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
The event is set to take place alongside the principle preseason<br />
motorsport event, Autosport International (which you<br />
can read about overleaf). Combined, these two events make<br />
the NEC the go-to place for motoring aficionados this <strong>Jan</strong>uary.<br />
Gear heads can look forward to dedicated displays by Autocar<br />
Supercar and PistonHeads, as well as Car Clubs and Hand<br />
Built British Sports Cars. Also among the attractions at The<br />
Performance Car Show will be high octane precision driving<br />
displays, utilising the talents of drift teams and stunt drivers<br />
for adrenaline-inducing excitement. As if this weren’t enough,<br />
visitors can also get involved in wheel-to-wheel racing in the<br />
UK’s largest indoor race circuit and take part in high speed<br />
action with Caterham driving experiences. The event will also<br />
host an “arrive-and-drive karting” attraction.<br />
The 2016 Performance Car Show hosted a massive 87,800<br />
visitors (a combination of 27,500 industry professionals and<br />
60,300 members of the general public). The <strong>2017</strong> event<br />
looks set to be even bigger, potentially topping last year’s<br />
attendance with visitors flying from all over the globe to<br />
attend. In 2016 alone visitors from over 60 different countries<br />
visited the event. Much more than just window shoppers, 59%<br />
of all visitors made a purchase either at the show, or shortly<br />
afterwards. This proves that The Performance Car Show is an<br />
event truly catering to the motoring enthusiast, offering not<br />
just great entertainment opportunities but also chances for<br />
networking and commercial interest.<br />
The event runs from 9am until 6pm daily. The event caters to<br />
both traders and the general public, with two trader-only days<br />
and two public days. Attendees of The Performance Car Show<br />
will also be given access to Autosport International.<br />
Read our Autosport International feature to find out more<br />
about this event.
MOTORS // SPONSORED BY MOTORBODIES UK<br />
73<br />
SHIFTING GEARS FOR THE NEW YEAR:<br />
AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL <strong>2017</strong><br />
What? Autosport International<br />
Where? NEC, <strong>Birmingham</strong>, B40 1NT<br />
When? 12th - 15th <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
How Much? Tickets start at £33 in advance for Adults, £21<br />
for children. Family tickets are also available.<br />
A<br />
sister event to The Performance Car Show (also<br />
hosted at the NEC on the same dates), the<br />
Autosport International <strong>2017</strong> is the grand master<br />
event that will see the automotive world rev its<br />
engines and get in gear for the New Year. Europe’s largest<br />
pre-season motorsports event, the Autosport International is a<br />
great way to kick off the motoring calendar, catering perfectly<br />
to traders and the general public alike. Whether you’re a<br />
professional in the automotive industry, a motoring enthusiast<br />
or just enjoy getting close and personal with some of the<br />
world’s greatest motors, Autosport International is sure to be<br />
the motoring event for you.<br />
Now celebrating its 27th year, Autosport International has<br />
firmly entrenched itself as a fixture of the motorsports<br />
calendar – a perfect build up to the high octane thrills of race<br />
season. Split between two trade-only days and two days open<br />
to the general public, the event perfectly balances both the<br />
professional and public worlds of motorsports.<br />
The definitive article when it comes to automotive exhibitions,<br />
Autosport International brings all the very latest developments<br />
in the world of motorsports to the show room for a fascinating<br />
and exciting exhibition. The event explores the inter-connected<br />
(but vastly different) worlds of motorsports and automotives,<br />
as well as cutting edge performance engineering technology<br />
to allow visitors to explore all aspects of automotives past,<br />
present and future.<br />
Cars and exhibitors from every level of motor racing are<br />
featured at the event, meaning the true petrol head won’t<br />
struggle to indulge their passion and interests. By perfectly<br />
striking a balance between professional and personal interests<br />
in the automotive industry, Autosport International can<br />
perfectly cater both to visitors who arrive looking to network<br />
and do business, as well as visitors who are just coming to<br />
engage with the very best in the motoring world.<br />
Doors to the Autosport International <strong>2017</strong> event open to the<br />
general public on Saturday 14th <strong>Jan</strong>uary, letting guests enjoy<br />
a weekend amongst some of the brightest stars and brands in<br />
the motoring world. The public event allows visitors to engage<br />
with a variety of exhibitions and features. Among these are;<br />
- The Trade and Technical Area: A who’s who line-up of<br />
technical motorsports suppliers and businesses, a gateway to<br />
the commercial aspect of the motoring world.<br />
- National Motorsports Area: A gateway to the world of<br />
entry-level motorsports, offering advice and opportunities to<br />
enthusiasts who aren’t content to just watch.<br />
- Historic Motorsports Area: Just as the name suggests, a hall<br />
of fame/museum type attraction that chronicles the best and<br />
most important moments in motorsports history.<br />
- Fitness and Preparation Area: A perfect New Year’s<br />
attraction, the fitness and preparation area is designed to<br />
give visitors the best advice, products and training regimens<br />
to help them succeed.<br />
- Experience Zone: VR is certainly one of the hottest<br />
properties in tech at the moment, so it makes perfect sense<br />
that the motorsports world would adapt its use with stateof-the-art<br />
simulators and other tech completely immersing<br />
visitors in their own motorsports experiences.<br />
With all of the above plus many, many others, Autosport<br />
International is set to be one of the biggest motosports events<br />
of <strong>2017</strong>, right at the start of the year.
74 MOTORS // SPONSORED BY MOTORBODIES UK<br />
The Continental Connection<br />
There’s no denying that electric vehicles represent one<br />
of the biggest and most important developments in<br />
the motoring world. Between government incentives<br />
designed to reward prospective car buyers for going green and<br />
the announcement that as of <strong>2017</strong> only fully electric vehicles<br />
will be exempt of road tax (where previously more eco-friendly<br />
hybrids could also be considered exempt), the fact is that the<br />
electric vehicle is here to stay.<br />
It shouldn’t be any surprise then, that some of the biggest<br />
names in the vehicular manufacturing world have announced<br />
plans to greatly expand the UK’s electric vehicle (EV)<br />
friendliness. Some of the world’s largest car manufacturers<br />
have announced joint plans to create a Europe-wide charging<br />
network for electric cars, finally putting paid to the rangebetween-charges<br />
concern of most fuel-to-electric sceptics.<br />
With over 400 charging stations set to be built across Europe<br />
by BMV, Ford, Daimler and VW Group, the project is set to<br />
be one of the world’s biggest ever international automotive<br />
developments. The route is set to make it easy for EV drivers to<br />
drive long distances across the continent. Due to be deployed<br />
along major routes in almost all major European countries, the<br />
network will offer up to 350kW charging facilities – more than<br />
double the wattage of current market leader, Tesla.<br />
Whilst no current EV has the capacity for these station’s<br />
maximum wattage, the manufacturers assure that the<br />
development is an investment into the future and the everevolving<br />
nature of electric vehicles. The stations are expected<br />
to be completed by 2020, with the long-term goal being to<br />
make charging at an electric station as easy as refuelling at a<br />
traditional petrol station.<br />
These plans represent something of a revolution in the electric<br />
vehicle market. The idea of a commercially open charging<br />
network standing as a stark contrast to the Tesla network’s<br />
proprietary system which only allows Tesla vehicles to recharge<br />
using Tesla stations.<br />
FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
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76 SECTION // SPONSORED BY COMPANY<br />
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SPOTLIGHT<br />
OUT<br />
IN THE CITY<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
TASC<br />
WWW.ASKTASC.COM
78 OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />
Hello, Auf Wiedersehen<br />
After what feels like an eternity, the <strong>Birmingham</strong> Frankfurt Market has finally left <strong>Birmingham</strong> for another year (or, 11<br />
months at least!). Don’t let that fool you into thinking that <strong>Birmingham</strong> hasn’t got anywhere to offer to the discerning<br />
partier though; In The City Magazine has all the information you might need to explore <strong>Birmingham</strong> City Centre post-<br />
German Market...<br />
The Victoria<br />
48 John Bright Street, B1 1BN<br />
Why go clubbing when you can enjoy some great music<br />
and tastebud tickling cocktails in The Victoria? With a<br />
litany of events held throughout the week, including pub<br />
quiz nights and performances by live bands, The Victoria is<br />
held in high esteem as a city centre nightspot. But, the bar<br />
doesn’t just operate by moonlight; during the day visitors<br />
can treat themselves to a tasty selection from bar’s menu.<br />
In particular, The Victoria’s pizza is something of a foodie<br />
revelation, the perfect dish for many a night (or day) out in<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>.<br />
Nuvo<br />
11 Brindley Place, 2 Brunswick Square, B1 2LP<br />
One of <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s most illustrious (and exclusive)<br />
bars, Nuvo is the primo destination for those who<br />
seek class. Services like private rooms and extensive<br />
cocktail, champagne and wine lists help build a sense<br />
of VIP treatment for all of Nuvo’s clientelle, offering an<br />
atmosphere of endearing indulgence to guarantee that<br />
all customers feel fully catered to. Facilities like cocktail<br />
masterclasses, a late lounge and a gourmet on-site<br />
restaurant act as final flourishes on the Nuvo recipe,<br />
a gleaming gemstone amongst <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s already<br />
illustrious nightlife scene.
OUT IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY TASC<br />
79<br />
Island Bar<br />
14-16 Suffolk Street Queensway, B1 1LT<br />
Just because it is <strong>Jan</strong>uary, that doesn’t mean you<br />
can’t enjoy a taste of Hawaiian Tiki goodness in<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> city centre. Serving up lashings of fine<br />
rum and refreshing cocktails all year round, Island<br />
Bar is a premier nightlife spot. With a massive and<br />
diverse drinks menu (including an impressive array of<br />
colourful and fruity cocktails), Island Bar is a perfect<br />
place for a night out on the town.<br />
The Trocadero<br />
Temple Street, B2 5BG<br />
Located on one of the many side streets leading away<br />
from New Street, The Trocadero is a gem tucked<br />
away from the bustle of the high street. Serving up a<br />
sumptuous menu of pub grub classics with premier<br />
twists, the bar is a perfect resting spot when visiting<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> city centre. The Trocadero has become<br />
a beloved watering hole in the city centre; open until<br />
midnight most nights, the bar is particularly popular<br />
as a post-work/pre-club refresher spot.<br />
Sunflower Lounge<br />
76 Smallbrook Queensway, B5 4EG<br />
Most commonly recognised as the venue that<br />
launched a thousand bands, the Sunflower Lounge is<br />
among <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s hottest nightlife fixtures. Live<br />
bands provide a lively soundtrack to most evenings,<br />
with the likes of local heroes God Damn, Youth Man<br />
and Dirty <strong>Jan</strong>e all honing their live prowess in the<br />
bar’s basement venue. Upstairs, the Sunflower Lounge<br />
is a chic spot to grab a drink and enjoy a dance; what<br />
the bar lacks in size it more than makes up for in lively<br />
atmosphere.<br />
Snobs<br />
51 Smallbrook Queensway, B5 4HX<br />
Quite possibly <strong>Birmingham</strong>’s biggest nightlife legacy,<br />
Snobs has been a clubbing institution since 1972. In<br />
the (almost) five decades sinc e it first opened, the<br />
club has been beloved for its huge parties which see<br />
DJs play everything from contemporary Pop and RnB<br />
to Soul and Mowtown classics. Since 2014 the bar has<br />
resided in new premises on Smallbrook Queensway,<br />
upgrading its facilities to allow for larger numbers of<br />
revellers, proving that even as it approaches its 50th<br />
year, Snobs is just getting bigger and bigger.
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BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />
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BEAUTIFUL BLUES - P14<br />
BARBER HOUSE - P56<br />
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84 BUSINESS & COMMUNITY // SPONSORED BY ALPS PRINT & DESIGN<br />
WHAT DOES THE<br />
NEW YEAR REALLY<br />
MEAN TO YOU?<br />
What does the New Year REALLY mean to you? New<br />
beginnings? New chapter in life? A fresh start? All of the<br />
above?<br />
Guilty as charged for using such a cliché but you can’t<br />
ignore the fact that for a lot of people <strong>2017</strong> really could<br />
mean ‘New Year, New You’. Taking on a fresh set of<br />
challenges a new year brings could mean the difference from<br />
feeling fulfilled, satisfied and content and feeling the opposite<br />
on the other end of the scale. This is true in life, business and<br />
in career. We spend all our lives working so it's important to<br />
find something that excites you every time you wake up in the<br />
morning and embrace the challenges each new day brings.<br />
I have met a few people who would say that they fell into their<br />
current role or opportunity and despite plodding away at it for<br />
many years they haven’t taken the courage to trying something<br />
new. Most of the time they are stuck in a rut or comfort zone or<br />
not willing to try new and different things, take that risk in life.<br />
Naturally, it’s important to earn a living to keep the roof over<br />
your head and put food on the table. However, hear me out, the<br />
idea of facing work that you don’t enjoy and denying yourself<br />
new challenges and opportunities just feels sad to me.<br />
I appreciate it’s not for everyone, not everyone can wake up in<br />
the morning and think that I don’t want to be where I am, I want<br />
to follow my dreams and passions in life. To explore something<br />
new, different and challenging.<br />
We all work to better ourselves and lead a better life but one<br />
thing is always key to remember when reflecting and assessing<br />
your career – is the act of setting personal goals, development<br />
and working towards them.<br />
We all want to feel as if we are making a difference, doing<br />
something worthwhile, get some form of job satisfaction and<br />
appreciation for what you do at work.<br />
I threw myself into a journey of personal development to better<br />
myself so that I can perform better at work and adopt a better<br />
positive mindset. It’s the small changes that made the biggest<br />
differences sometimes. As a result, I am looking forward to new<br />
opportunities in the new year, which I wouldn’t have got hadn’t I<br />
invested in myself and my own personal development.<br />
Think of <strong>2017</strong> as a new year of opportunities. If you’ve always<br />
wanted to learn a new skill, what are you waiting for? Just Do<br />
It! With technology theses days and the Internet, it's so much<br />
easier to up skill and this can only be beneficial for you in the<br />
long term. Who knows what the year will bring you. The only<br />
thing we do know for certain is without determination and<br />
focus, without some get up and go, things will remain the same.<br />
Embrace change and challenge yourself.<br />
BY KHALID KARIM, PATHWAY GROUP
BUSINESS & COMMUNITY // SPONSORED BY ALPS PRINT & DESIGN<br />
85<br />
TELL“FRED”<br />
TO SHUT UP<br />
BY MERISHA STEVENSON, FINANCIAL STYLE RADIO SHOW<br />
The most powerful voice you hear is your own. What<br />
you say to yourself has a greater influence on you than<br />
anything anyone else can say. But, how often do you<br />
stop to ask yourself what your self-chatter sounds like?<br />
Thinking is like breathing; it’s automatic. The constant<br />
chatter in our minds is the voice of our sub-conscious which<br />
is then interpreted by our conscious mind. Buddhists refer<br />
to it as ‘monkey mind’: thoughts in constant motion, jumping<br />
from branch to branch and chattering continuously in order<br />
to help us make sense of the world around us.<br />
The rhetoric of that voice could make you feel a range of<br />
emotions: depressed, worried, anxious, optimistic, upbeat.<br />
The first time I thought about this was during a management<br />
training course I completed several years ago. I forget the<br />
actual subject of the training, but I remember taking away a<br />
phrase that changed my life. It was, “tell ‘Fred’ to shut up”!<br />
‘Fred’ is the voice of doom and gloom. He is the voice of<br />
doubt, worry and pessimism. “I’m going to have a really bad<br />
day”, “It’s not going to work” and “They are going to let me<br />
down” are all things that Fred might say.<br />
The famous quote, usually attributed to the ancient Chinese<br />
philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu), sums up the impact of our inner<br />
voices/thoughts.<br />
“Watch your thoughts, they<br />
become words; watch your words,<br />
they become actions; watch your<br />
actions, they become habits;<br />
watch your habits, they become<br />
character; watch your character,<br />
for it becomes your destiny.”<br />
So, we must be careful that we are not giving too much<br />
power to negative ‘Fred’.<br />
Over the years, ‘Fred’ has told me many things. He told me<br />
not to leave my job to start a business. He told not to pursue<br />
my passion in media as there was no way I would get a<br />
media job without formal qualifications. Yet, I have achieved<br />
steady growth and success in business and have been<br />
offered a production job in media.<br />
I believe that anything is possible and whilst I still hear<br />
‘Fred’s’ voice from time to time, I have learned to be swift in<br />
my instruction to him to just shut up!<br />
Fred will not dictate my future; he will not hamper the<br />
amazing opportunities that will come to bear in <strong>2017</strong>. This is<br />
going to be the best year of my life, and it can be the best<br />
year of yours too.<br />
So just remember to keep ‘Fred’ at bay, and when he tries to<br />
take over, be swift and firm in telling him to, “SHUT UP!”<br />
BY MERISHA STEVENSON, FINANCIAL STYLE RADIO SHOW
86 SECTION // SPONSORED BY COMPANY<br />
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DIRECTORY<br />
WHERE?<br />
IN THE<br />
CITY<br />
PLACES TO<br />
EAT, DRINK,<br />
PARTY, SLEEP<br />
SECTION SPONSORED BY<br />
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88 WHERE IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />
RESTAURANTS<br />
British Restaurants<br />
Purnells<br />
55 Cornwall St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> 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 />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 2DE<br />
0121 200 2323<br />
opusrestaurant.co.uk<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 />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5 5JE<br />
0121 718 8000<br />
The Rectory Bar<br />
50-54 St Paul's Square,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B3 1QS<br />
0121 605 1001<br />
The Botanist<br />
14-16 Temple St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B2 5BG<br />
0121 600 7430<br />
The Vaults<br />
Newhall Place, Newhall<br />
Hill, <strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 3JH<br />
0121 212 9837<br />
Bank<br />
Brindleyplace, 4 Brindley<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 2JB<br />
0121 633 4466<br />
FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />
COMPETITION - P11<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO<br />
THE NIGHT OWL<br />
BEAUTIFUL BLUES - P14<br />
BARBER HOUSE - P56<br />
CHASING THE NORTHERN<br />
LIGHTS - P63<br />
Oriental Restaurants<br />
Chung Ying<br />
16-18 Wrottesley St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4RT<br />
0121 622 5669<br />
Ming Moon Chinese<br />
Restaurant & Bar<br />
16 Hurst St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4BN<br />
0121 622 5588<br />
Shogun Sushi & Noodle<br />
Bar<br />
The Mailbox, 27-29,<br />
Wharfside St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RS<br />
0121 632 1253<br />
Teppanyaki<br />
Unit E1, The Arcadian, 70,<br />
Hurst St, <strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
B5 4TD<br />
0121 622 5183<br />
Spanish Restaurants<br />
Amantia<br />
Apartment 9, Sun House,<br />
9-10, Bennetts Hill,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B2 5RS<br />
0121 643 3647<br />
El Borracho<br />
65 - 67 Harborne<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B!5 3BU<br />
0121 454 3568<br />
Don diego<br />
5 Manor Rd, Sutton<br />
Coldfield B73 6EJ<br />
0121 355 5354<br />
Bar Estilo<br />
110-114 Wharfside St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 1RF<br />
0121 643 3443<br />
Italian Restaurants<br />
Bella italia<br />
102 New St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B2 4HS<br />
0121 643 1548<br />
Zizzi<br />
The Mailbox,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RL<br />
0121 643 5605<br />
Cielo<br />
6 Oozells Square<br />
Brindley Place,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2JB<br />
0121 632 6882<br />
cielobirmingham.com<br />
Cucina Rustina Ltd<br />
24 Ludgate Hill,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 1DX<br />
0121 233 2277<br />
French Restaurants<br />
le monde<br />
Brindleyplace,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 2HL<br />
0121 271 0600<br />
Annexxe<br />
220 Corporation St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B4 6QB<br />
0121 236 1171<br />
Edmunds' s Bar<br />
Brindleyplace, 6 Brindley<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2JB<br />
0121 633 4944<br />
edmundsrestaurant.co.uk<br />
Cafe Rounge<br />
Bullring Shopping Centre,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4BG<br />
0121 616 1463<br />
EVENT<br />
PROMOTION<br />
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you want to promote<br />
Advert + Listing spaces<br />
available<br />
PLEASE CONTACT US ON<br />
t: 0121 230 8333<br />
e: sales@inthecitymag.com<br />
American Restaurants<br />
Ed's Easy Diner<br />
Barclaycard Arena<br />
King Edwards Rd<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2AA<br />
0121 233 4005<br />
TGI Fridays<br />
180 Hagley Rd<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 9NY<br />
0844 6920 0225<br />
Buffalo & Rye<br />
11 Bennetts Hill,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B2 5RS<br />
0121 643 3312<br />
Five Guys Burger & Fries<br />
Bullring Shopping Centre,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 8BU<br />
0121 643 0215<br />
Indian Restaurants<br />
Blue Mango<br />
Unit 5, Regency Wharf,<br />
Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2DS<br />
0121 633 4422<br />
Celebrity Indian<br />
Restaurant<br />
44 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2HP<br />
0121 643 8969<br />
Eastzeast Restaurant<br />
197 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 1AY<br />
0121 643 4808<br />
Asha's <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
12-22 Newhall St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B3 3LX<br />
0121 200 2767<br />
ashasuk.co.uk<br />
Maharaja Restaurant<br />
23-25, Hurst St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4BP<br />
0121 622 2641<br />
Jojolapa Nepalese<br />
Restaurant<br />
55-59, Newhall St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 3RB<br />
0121 212 2511<br />
Praza<br />
94 - 96 Hagley Road<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B16 8LU<br />
0121 456 4500<br />
Pushkar Cocktail Bar &<br />
Dining<br />
245 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2HQ<br />
0121 643 7978
90 WHERE IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />
Gastropubs<br />
The Victoria<br />
48 John Bright St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 1BN<br />
0121 633 9439<br />
The High Field<br />
22 Highfield Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 3DP<br />
0121 227 7068<br />
highfieldedgbaston.<br />
co.uk<br />
The New Inn<br />
74 Vivian Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B17 0DJ<br />
0121 426 3373<br />
The Brasshouse<br />
44 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2HP<br />
0121 633 3383<br />
The Plough<br />
21 High St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B17 9NT<br />
0121 427 3678<br />
theploughharborne.<br />
co.uk<br />
The White Swan<br />
Harborne Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 3TT<br />
0121 454 2359<br />
Bacchus Bar<br />
Burlington Arcade, New<br />
St, <strong>Birmingham</strong> B2 4JH<br />
0121 632 5445<br />
The Country Girl<br />
1 Raddlebarn Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B29 6HJ<br />
0121 472 7639<br />
FREE - ISSUE 10 - JANUARY 2016<br />
BIRMINGHAM & WEST MIDLANDS<br />
COMPETITION - P11<br />
2 FREE TICKETS TO<br />
THE NIGHT OWL<br />
BEAUTIFUL BLUES - P14<br />
BARBER HOUSE - P56<br />
CHASING THE NORTHERN<br />
LIGHTS - P63<br />
Other Restaurants<br />
Turtle Bay<br />
Carribean Restaurant<br />
81-91, John Bright St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1BL<br />
0121 643 1303<br />
Carat Bistro<br />
Carribean Restaurant<br />
27 Warstone Lane,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B18 6QJ,<br />
0121 236 0519<br />
Red Peppers<br />
Greek Restaurant<br />
The Mailbox, 117,<br />
Wharfside St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RF<br />
0121 643 4202<br />
Byzantium<br />
Mediterranean<br />
Restaurant<br />
11 York Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B14 7SA<br />
0121 444 5444<br />
Auntie Agatha’s<br />
Caribbean Takeaway<br />
17A High St,<br />
Kings Heath, B14 7BB<br />
0121 441 2562<br />
auntieagathas.co.uk<br />
Fiesta Del Asado<br />
Latin American<br />
Restaurant<br />
229 Hagley Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 9RP<br />
0121 455 9331<br />
Al Bader Restaurant<br />
Middle Eastern<br />
178-182 Ladypool Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, 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 />
The Wilderness<br />
1 Dudley St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5<br />
0121 643 2673<br />
Sabai Sabai<br />
Thai Restaurant<br />
25 Woodbridge Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B13 8EH<br />
0121 449 4498<br />
Chaophraya<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Thai Restaurant<br />
Spiceal St, Bullring,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4BW<br />
0121 643 2424<br />
Istanbul Restaurant<br />
Turkish Restaurant<br />
2 Stockwell Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B21 9RJ<br />
0121 448 5223<br />
Lokman Sofrasi<br />
Turkish Restaurant<br />
381 Dudley Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B18 4HB<br />
0121 454 4999<br />
EVENT<br />
PROMOTION<br />
Do you have an event<br />
you want to promote<br />
Advert + Listing spaces<br />
available<br />
PLEASE CONTACT US ON<br />
t: 0121 230 8333<br />
e: sales@inthecitymag.com<br />
Blue Piano<br />
South-East Asian<br />
Restaurant<br />
26 Harborne Road<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B15<br />
0121 454 6877<br />
Selfridges<br />
English Restaurant<br />
Upper Mall East,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4PJ<br />
0121 600 6869<br />
Stageside Bar &<br />
Restaurant<br />
Deli Bar & Restaurant<br />
Thorp St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4AU<br />
0844 338 9000<br />
Las Iguanas<br />
Latin American<br />
Restaurant<br />
The Arcadian, 70,<br />
Hurst St, <strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
B5 4TD<br />
0121 622 4466<br />
Rodizo Rico<br />
Latin American<br />
Restaurant<br />
207 Wharfside St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RN<br />
0121 285 2856<br />
Athens Café Bar Ltd<br />
Greek Restaurant<br />
31 Paradise Circus<br />
Queensway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2BJ<br />
0121 661 8182<br />
Himalaya Restaurant<br />
Asian Restaurant<br />
1716 Bristol Road<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B45 9QD<br />
0121 453 4336<br />
Wagamama<br />
Japanese Restaurant<br />
The Water's Edge, 66,<br />
Broad St,<strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
B1 2HL<br />
0121 643 7656<br />
Malsian Restaurants<br />
Japanese Restaurant<br />
Bugis Street Brasserie<br />
Paradise Place,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 3HJ<br />
0121 200 2727<br />
Rofuto<br />
Japanese Restaurant<br />
160 Broad St,<br />
Paradise Place,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B15 1DT<br />
0121 369 8888
92 WHERE IN THE CITY // SPONSORED BY LETTERBOX DIRECT UK<br />
Nightclubs<br />
Entertainment<br />
Hotels<br />
Bars<br />
Nightingale Club<br />
Essex House, Kent St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 6RD<br />
0121 622 1718<br />
Bushwackers<br />
103 Edmund Street,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B3 2HZ<br />
0121 236 4992<br />
The Chameleon<br />
Restaurant & Bar<br />
1 Victoria Square, Hill St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 1BD<br />
0121 643 2233<br />
thechameleonbham.co.uk<br />
Legs 11<br />
193 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B15 1AY<br />
0121 665 6660<br />
Mechu<br />
59 Summer Row<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 1JJ<br />
0121 212 1661<br />
Medusa Gentlemans Club<br />
142 Suffolk St,<br />
Queensway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 1LN<br />
0121 643 2442<br />
Spearmint Rhino<br />
64 Hagley Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 8PF<br />
0121 455 7656<br />
Nuvo<br />
11 Brindley place,<br />
2 Brunswicksquare,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2LP<br />
0121 631 1600<br />
nuvobar.com<br />
Bambu<br />
Kotwall House,<br />
1 Wrottesley St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5 4RT<br />
0121 622 4124<br />
Myyst<br />
Unit A304, The Arcadian,<br />
70 Hurst Street,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5 4TD<br />
0121 695 1191<br />
Pryzm<br />
182 Broad St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 1DA<br />
0121 667 4535<br />
The Rainbow<br />
160 Digbeth,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B12 0LD<br />
0121 753 1818<br />
New Alexandra Threatre<br />
Suffolk St, Queensway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4DS<br />
0844 871 3011<br />
The Crescent Theatre<br />
Brindleyplace,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 8AE<br />
0121 643 5858<br />
Hippodrome Theatre<br />
Hurst St, Southside,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B5 4TB<br />
0844 338 5000<br />
Bowlplex <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Bowling alley<br />
Broadway Plaza,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B16 8LP<br />
0844 477 0491<br />
Cineworld Cinema<br />
Resorts World<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, 181 Broad<br />
St, <strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 1DA<br />
0871 200 2000<br />
Odeon Cinema<br />
220 Ladywood<br />
Middleway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 8LP<br />
0333 006 7777<br />
Boutique Hotels<br />
4*<br />
The Edgbaston Boutique<br />
Hotel<br />
18 Highfield Rd,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B15 3DU<br />
0121 454 5212<br />
Saint Pauls House<br />
14 St Paul's Square,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B3 1RB<br />
0121 272 0999<br />
saintpaulshouse.com<br />
Hotel Indigo <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
The Cube, Wharfside St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 1RS<br />
0121 643 2010<br />
Hotel La Tour<br />
Albert St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5 5JE<br />
0121 718 8000<br />
Malmaison<br />
The Mailbox, 1, Wharfside,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RD<br />
0131 468 5000<br />
Hotel Du Vin<br />
25 Church St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 2NR<br />
0121 794 3005<br />
4*<br />
Ramada Hotel<br />
160, Wharfside St, The<br />
Mailbox,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RL<br />
0121 643 9344<br />
The Grand Hotel<br />
Hortons Estate Ltd<br />
33-34 Paradise Street<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
B1 2AJ<br />
0121 236 6481<br />
Macdonald Burlington<br />
Hotel<br />
Burlington Arcade,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B2 4JQ<br />
0344 879 9019<br />
Hyatt Regency<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
2 Bridge St, <strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
B1 2JZ<br />
0121 643 1234<br />
Radisson Blu Hotel<br />
12 Holloway Circus<br />
Queensway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1BT<br />
0121 654 6000<br />
Marriott<br />
12, Hagley Rd, Fiveways,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B16 8SJ<br />
0121 452 1144<br />
The Hilton Hotel<br />
The NEC <strong>Birmingham</strong>,<br />
Pendigo Way, <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
B40 1PP<br />
0121 780 4242<br />
The Belfry<br />
Sutton Coldfield,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
B76 9PP<br />
01675 238 600<br />
Crowne Plaza<br />
Holliday Street,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1HH<br />
0871 4234828<br />
Penthotel <strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Holloway Head,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1NS<br />
0121 622 8800<br />
Copthorne Hotel<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
Paradise Circus<br />
Queensway,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 3HJ<br />
0121 200 2727<br />
Zaras<br />
80 Broad St, Five Ways,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B15 1AU<br />
0121 643 3334<br />
zara bar.co.uk<br />
The Alchemist<br />
Colmore Row,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B3 2DA<br />
0121 200 2377<br />
Browns<br />
Bullring Shopping Centre,<br />
7 Spiceal Street,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B5 4BH<br />
0121 643 8708<br />
The Chameleon<br />
Restaurants & Bar<br />
1 Victoria Square,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1BD<br />
0121 643 2233<br />
thechameleonbham.co.uk<br />
All Bar One<br />
12G-13G, Water's Edge,<br />
Brindleyplace,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2HL<br />
0121 644 5861<br />
Harvey Nichols<br />
Restaurant & Bar<br />
65 The Mailbox, Wharfside<br />
St, <strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 1RE<br />
0121 616 6000<br />
Gingers Bar<br />
11 Newhall St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B3 3NY<br />
0121 200 1588<br />
Jekyll & Hyde<br />
28 Steelhouse Lane,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B4 6BJ<br />
0121 236 0345<br />
Nuvo<br />
11, Brindleyplace,<br />
2 Brunswick Square,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2LP<br />
0121 631 1600<br />
nuvobar.com<br />
Viva Brazil<br />
7 Bennets Hill,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B2 5ST<br />
0121 212 1020<br />
Pitcher & Piano<br />
The Water’s Edge,<br />
Brindleyplace,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong> B1 2HP<br />
0121 643 0214<br />
Bank<br />
4 Brindleyplace<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2JB<br />
0121 633 4466<br />
The Botanist<br />
14-16 Temple St,<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong>, B2 5BG<br />
0121 600 7430
EdmundsAdDec16_Layout 1 25/11/2016 17:41 Page 1<br />
CHEF DE CUISINE<br />
Didier Philipot<br />
“Food is our passion,<br />
Wine is our pleasure”<br />
Christmas Lunch £29.50<br />
Christmas Dinner £49.50<br />
Christmas Tasting Menu £70.00<br />
New Years Eve Tasting Menu £85.00<br />
WINNER OF 2 AA Rosettes 2016<br />
All Christmas diners will receive a Voucher for<br />
up to 30% off to spend on food in <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
6 Brindleyplace, <strong>Birmingham</strong>, B1 2JB<br />
T: 0121 633 4944<br />
E: info@edmundsrestaurant.com W: edmundsrestaurant.com
105 Vyse Street<br />
Jewellery Quarter<br />
<strong>Birmingham</strong><br />
B18 6LP<br />
Tel: 0121 236 2426<br />
info@sonnysjewellery.com<br />
sonnysjewellery.com