The month of May so far has been wet, windy and cold with the odd bit of sunshine thrown in. A stark contrast to the heatwave which made the first lockdown last year bearable, writes Bill McCarthy.
So it was a colourful display which lit up some of the early evening gloom on Monday when not one, but two rainbows appeared after a day of heavy showers.
Something I have never witnessed was the double spectrum arcing over the houses in Four Oaks.
Light at the end of the tunnel as lockdown measures are due to lifted further next week.
Sometimes its the little things the grab your attention when driving a new car. Yes, the Leon is typically SEAT; sleek profile with sharp styling and proud to be known as the sporty arm of the VW group.
But it was the puddle lights in the door mirror that caught my attention, reflecting the Spanish word ‘hola’ onto ground when activated by the key. A clever gimmick, but the new SEAT has so much more to offer.
A plug-in hybrid that offers economy and pace, low Benefit in Kind taxation benefits, starting at just six per cent for the baseline model. It’s also competitively priced, starting at just over £30k, even if this tested range topper will set you back more than £41k.
The power unit is a combination of a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine and an 85kW electric motor to offer 204PS of power, mated with 13.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack to deliver a claimed electric range of up to 38 miles and CO2 of 28g/km.
Official economy figures show between 217 and 235mpg, a figure theoretically possible, but real world figures are harder to determine. Keep it fully charged and there will be few trips to the petrol station, but running on petrol alone with the battery discharged, around 40mpg seemed possible.
‘The Leon offers a pleasing mixture of sharp angles and flowing curves’
It also delivers performance well into hot hatch territory, with rapid pace from a standing start and a top speed not nearly double what’s permitted on UK motorways. It races to 60mph in just 7.5 seconds and on to a theoretical top speed of 137mph.
Based on the Group’s MQB architecture it offers a pleasing mixture of sharp angles and flowing curves and low profile. The FR models feature sporty front and rear bumpers, dynamic, dual exhaust pipes and lowered suspension.
The interior is dominated by a 10-inch touchscreen which controls major functions like connectivity, infotainment and navigation and the now familiar customisable digital cockpit, seen on other VW brands.
Fixtures and fittings are high quality and the bland black interior is lifted by red stitching. Seats are comfortable and head and legroom good. Hatchbacks are practical by definition, but space in this hybrid is compromised by the position of the large battery to the rear, this eats up a substantial 100 litres of stowages space over the non-hybrid models, with 270 litres available, rather than 380.
On the road, the car is a fine performer, offering sporty performance, aided by MacPherson suspension at the front and a multilink system at the rear, together with the Dynamic Chassis Control deliver a composed but firm ride.
Even the entry level FR is packed with standard kit, while this range-topping First Edition model adds luxuries like 18-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, heated front seats and steering wheel, rear view camera and keyless entry.
All have excellent safety features including full complement of airbags. and this model included, Dynamic Chassis Control, Safety and Driving Pack consisting of dynamic road sign display; adaptive cruise control with follow to stop and speed limiter.
The car always starts in all-electric mode (when the battery is sufficiently charged). The drive switches to hybrid mode if the energy capability of the battery drops below a certain level or if the accelerator is pressed to such a point that the engine is required to assist with acceleration.
In Hybrid mode, the driver has the possibility of maintaining the charge status to a defined level. By doing so, the vehicle runs almost entirely on petrol power, using both the engine and regenerative braking to charge the battery. This makes it possible to drive into an urban destination area under electric power and with zero emissions.
Remotely, the SEAT Connect app can manage the charging process via the e-Manager, control the air conditioning – the vehicle can be pre-heated for up to 30 minutes between 15 and 22 degrees celsius – and manage departure times (to ensure vehicle is charged and ready) all from the smartphone app.
Factfile
SEAT Leon e-HYBRID FR First Edition
Price: £ 41,745
Mechanical: Combined 204PS 1498cc, four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor driving front wheels via six speed DSG auto gearbox
Sandy Lane in Barbados is among the places seeing an upsurge in spending
Travellers are splashing out on higher-level upgrades as they look forward to returning to their holidays, more than a year after the pandemic first struck, according to tour operator Pure Luxury.
Dubai and Barbados are among the destinations luxury travellers are investing more, including an increase of nearly 200 per cent in the average price per night of rooms booked at Sandy Lane Barbados with Gold Medal’s trade-only luxury brand.
Similarly, the average price of rooms sold at Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf has increased by nearly a quarter, while bookings for villas at the resort grew by 14 per cent compared to a month ago.
The bookings jump has been driven by the launch of Next Level Luxury, a campaign by Pure Luxury to help agents proactively upsell and “tap in to the desire of customers to travel in style when things reopen”.
The operator produced a 22-page mini brochure featuring 24 offers in destinations in the Caribbean, Dubai & Arabia, the Indian Ocean and the Far East, with deals and offers also promoted across social media and via e-shots agents could share with customers.
“The Next Level Luxury brochure has gone down well, especially among those who have saved over the last year and a bit, and now want to spend more on holidays,” said David Walker, owner of agency, The Travel Snob, part of Not Just Travel. “It’s been a great tool in sending both to those clients that reached out initially to talk later about a trip, and to those regulars who I like to say book ‘wherever they fancy, whenever they want’.”
Overall average value of bookings made to key destinations such as Dubai, the Caribbean and Mauritius via Pure Luxury have been 29 per cent, 56 per cent and 67 per cent higher respectively than they were four weeks ago, suggesting agents have been able to leverage offers to encourage higher spend, said Nick Hughes, Gold Medal’s director of sales.
“It’s great to see the Next Level Luxury campaign deliver on its objectives to help agents inspire consumers to take their holiday to the next level of luxury,” he said. “We’ve heard from so many agent partners that their customers are dreaming of how they can make their next holiday extra special – whether that’s turning left on the plane as a special treat, or splashing out on bigger, better accommodation.”
The campaign was initially launched in response to the already rising numbers of high value, luxury bookings the operator was identifying – average booking value had increased by nearly a third over a four-week period.
Pure Luxury then ramped up the tools to inspire agents’ higher-spending customers, focussing on premium room types such as club, suites and villas that come with added value benefits such as club lounge access, butler service, activities or private areas, pools and beaches.
Jeremy Vine will be hosting the latest quiz at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
Broadcaster’s Sutton Coldfield Town Hall date
Broadcaster and Eggheads host Jeremy Vine will be the next celebrity host of our community quiz on Wednesday 19th May. The interactive quiz is part of a series of community events and initiatives since the temporary theatre closure, to bring entertainment to audiences at home and keep in touch whilst preparing for live shows to return.
It will also raise money for the restoration of Sutton Coldfield Town Hall. Jeremy Vine is one of the UK’s most successful broadcasters. In more than thirty years at the BBC, he’s presented Newsnight, Panorama, Crimewatch, Eggheads and Points of View — as well as his daily Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2, the UK’s most listened-to radio news programme and his daily Channel 5 show.
Ahead of his rescheduled live talk at the Town Hall on 24September, (tickets available here), Jeremy has been asked to guest host the virtual community quiz in the meantime, following a successful quiz hosted by The Chase’s Paul Sinha in April.
The interactive quiz, run by producers InQuizition, will be broadcast live to ticket holders via zoom. It is challenging enough to make players think, but with a focus on accessibility and fun.
Revenue from tickets will go towards a £5 million major renovation of the charity trust-run town hall. The essential renovation works will secure and restore our Edwardian venue for future generations to use and enjoy.
Paul Sinha hosted the previous quiz
Tickets are £7.50 per device. Audience members can operate as a team or alone at home, or work with friends and family over the telephone or messaging apps. Quizzers cannot be seen but can message the host and each other live.
Ticket holders will be quizzed on a range of topics from popular culture to geography, history to science, and everything in between.
The quiz on 19th May will take place at 8pm, with streaming starting at 7.50pm, until around 9.15pm. To purchase a unique link, or for more information, visit the What’s On page at https://www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.com or go to SCTH.ORG/VirtualVine.
Businesses / Teams wanting to take part should contact the Town Hall to arrange a group booking.
Claire Barton, Sue Chandler and Melanie Floyd with Chas
People urged to back summer raffle to support hospice ‘unique care’
The daughters of a musician who spent his final days at St Giles Hospice are calling on people to support the charity by backing its summer raffle.
Claire Barton and her sister Melanie Floyd say that their family would not have made it through their dad’s illness without the help of St Giles.
Claire said: “We are so thankful that St Giles were there for us and they were involved every step of the way during dad’s last months at home and then in the hospice. We will always be so very grateful.
“I hope people will support the St Giles Hospice Summer Raffle. At any moment you could find out that a family member or a friend needs the support of St Giles. It’s our community’s hospice and I want to ensure that it is there in future for families like ours.”
Claire and Melanie’s parents Sue and David – known as ‘Chas’ – Chandler moved back to Lichfield in April 2019 after living in Wales for 13 years. During the previous Christmas the family had all noticed that Chas’s behavior seemed to have changed, and after watching him struggle to cope with the house move Claire and Melanie encouraged him to seek medical help.
Chas, 72, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer and was put in touch with the St Giles Hospice community team.
Claire said: “Our community nurses, Amy and Katie, were amazing and we couldn’t have managed without them. They organised a care package so mum could look after dad at home.
“After six months of being cared for at home, dad was transferred to the Inpatient Unit at the hospice for the last few days of his life. Amy and Katie made sure that the timing was right for him to go into the hospice, and when they told him he gave us all the thumbs-up, which was his only way of communicating with us by then.
“As soon as we arrived at the hospice we knew he was in the best place, with someone there to help him and us at all times. It was so calm and peaceful and the sense of security, safety and love was just such a massive relief.”
Claire added that her dad received “truly unique care” at St Giles before his death in November 2019. “He was a musician and the nurses would talk to him about his music and listen together to CDs of him playing,” she said. “It was all about the music for him and they tuned in to that and allowed him to share his gift with them, which was lovely for him.”
It costs more than £10 million to provide the care St Giles offers every year and the hospice needs to raise £850,000 each month to keep its services going and continue to support more local families living with a terminal illness.
Tickets for the hospice summer raffle are now on sale at £1 each and prizes up for grabs include a jackpot of £8,000, a second prize of £2,000 and other cash prizes.
Musician Chas playing his guitar
Alison Jerram, Individual Giving Manager at St Giles Hospice, said: “We are asking our local community play our 2021 summer raffle – it’s an easy way to support St Giles while also having a bit of fun, with the chance to win fabulous cash prizes.
“With so much of our fundraising continuing to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, our summer raffle is a vital source of income for St Giles. Every ticket sold in our raffle will help to ensure we can continue to be there for local people like Chas and his family when they need us most.
“Tickets are now on sale and we are so grateful to our community for continuing to support us.”
Anyone wanting to enter the draw can find out more or buy raffle tickets online until midnight on Wednesday, June 30 at www.stgileshospice.com/raffle or by calling the Lottery Office on 01543 434020. The raffle draw will be made on Wednesday, July 14.
For more information about St Giles Hospice and the expert care it provides, please visit www.stgileshospice.com
Police are anxious to trace these two youths after a 16-year-old boy was robbed of his mobile phone while waiting for a bus in Sutton Coldfield town centre.
Officers have launched an appeal, asking the public if they recognise the two youths.
Police want to talk to them about the robbery which took place at the Number 5 bus stop on Lower Parade in the town on 8 April at around 4.10pm.
The 16-year-old had his mobile taken by two youths, who later boarded the same No 5 bus as the boy.
The pair were wearing face masks and had hoodies up.
One was descried as 5ft 6ins, wearing a light grey tracksuit with grey trainers. The other was 6ft 3ins, wearing a dark blue hoody and blue jeans.
The pair got off the bus at Duke Street.
Police have asked witnesses to call them on 101 quoting 20/153282/21.
MG’s supermini has taken a quantum leap forward from the first version introduced back in 2013. Better in virtually every area, but still offering incredible value for money, an iconic badge and industry-equalling seven-year warranty – notot to mention low insurance rates, making it particularly attractive for younger buyers.
It’s also stylish and practical, with the largest boot space in its segment. The firm’s blurb says: “Designed to make a bold statement, the New MG3 is targeted at style-conscious buyers seeking something different from the rest of the market, offering a wealth of personalisation options.”
A typical sales pitch, but accurate in many ways. One of the first things that strikes you about it is the ease of entry and exit, the kind you would expect on a larger SUV.
It is a smart looking car, with the iconic MG badge set in the middle of a deep, wide grille flanked by LED daytime running lights, wit deep air scoops below.
In addition there are body coloured door handles, powered electric door mirrors and rear spoiler, together with side sills with body coloured with black insert, so it does have a funky, sporty look.
Equally distinctive is the side profile where the body coloured side skirts lower the stance and it is all finished of nicely with 16-inch diamond-cut alloys.
“It’s quite a package and hard to argue about value for money”
if that’s not enough, there are also customisable options, with six distinctive colour variations.
It is well equipped, with many goodies found on much more expensive cars. It features all round electric windows, all versions come with Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming and AUX/USB as standard, plus an eight inch colour touchscreen and steering wheel audio controls.
The interior continues the sporty theme, but lacks some of the soft touch plastics sophistication of some of its competitors. But the harsh dark plastics are nicely offset with a tartan finish on this model, together with matching red stitching and graphic highlights. This model also featured sports seats and multi-function steering wheel.
The centrepiece is the screen, which features navigation, smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay, DAB radio and also houses the reversing camera on this model. Other controls are functional, if looking slightly dated.
Underlining the easy access and exit from the car is the class-leading head and legroom, which accommodates four people in comfort, with the fifth a tight squeeze. No surprise really in this class of car. But it does have a roomy feel to it especially with the large glass areas allowing plenty of light into the cabin.
The 105 bhp petrol engine is a lively unit. Mated to a slick-shifting five speed manual gearbox, it hits 60mph in just over 10 seconds. It is refined enough and has just enough poke on the motorway for reasonable overtaking. Fuel economy is a claimed 47-odd mpg, but I struggled to get 40, while CO2 emissions are on the high side.
Road performance is good with sharp, sporty handling making it an engaging drive, while the direct, responsive steering adds to the agility of the car. This can be at the expense of comfort through the firm ride. The suspension is specifically designed for British roads and can become uncomfortable over lesser surfaces.
In practical terms, it has one of the most spacious boots in its class, with an impressive 285 litres of capacity. Rising to 1,262 with the seats folded. A sizeable stowage space in a small car.
Versions include Excite at £12,195, Exclusive and Exclusive Nav and all featuring the single 1.5 litre petrol power unit.
Safety features include twin front, side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control, corner brake control, hill hold control and traction control as standard.
It’s quite a package and hard to argue about the value for money, with even this range topper costing £13,840 on the road.
Oh yes, and there’s that warranty, seven years or 80k miles for extra peace of mind.
Factfile
MG3 Exclusive 1.5
Price: £ 13,840
Mechanical: 1498cc, 105bhp, four-cylinder petrol engine driving front wheels via five speed gearbox
The typical interior of one of the The Giggling Squid’s 35 UK restaurants
Chain set to open in Sutton Coldfield
A specialist Thai restaurant chain, which prides itself on its tapas-style simplicity and ethical approach to business, is to open its doors in Sutton Coldfield.
A spokesperson for Giggling Squid, which offers ‘simple, rustic, fresh Thai food,’ confirmed the company is set to move into Mulberry Walk in Mere Green.
It will join a diverse group of restaurants operating in Mulberry Walk and Mere Green, with a specialist offering of Thai food.
It will take over the former Gustos restaurant which closed last year, subject to planning approval.
Giggling Squid opened its first restaurant in 2009 and currently operate over 35 restaurants, including an establishment in Harborne, Birmingham, employing around 900 employees who are all directly employed rather than agency staff.
The brand founded by husband and wife Andrew and Pranee Laurillard, prides itself on serving ‘staggeringly good Thai food.’
Pranee said: “My husband and I sat in the basement of a tiny, tiny fisherman’s cottage (now our Brighton restaurant!) way back in 2002 and pulled together our first Thai Tapas menu.
” Our idea was to cook simple, rustic, fresh Thai food. We wanted a menu that people could eat like they do at home. In Thailand, mealtimes are all about lots of dishes that everyone shares.”
The opening date has not been confirmed yet, but all of its other venues will open for dine-in guests on Monday 17th May. A typical selection of what it offers can be found here
An interesting presentation of what to expect and Gustos, which has now closed
The group say it is proud to its ethical manner and works to key values such as integrity, quality and treating everyone fairly and this ethos runs through our business decisions including employment policies and supply chain management.
In a statement on its website, Giggling Squid says: “We have long-standing, close relationships with suppliers and prioritise quality and provenance. We continue to monitor suppliers that we believe may present high modern slavery risks in our supply chain.
“We are committed to continuously improving our practices to eliminate any slavery and human trafficking in the supply chain and to act ethically and with integrity in all business relationships.
“Over the course of the next financial year we will be implementing new policies, training and key performance indicators to help us identify, prevent and mitigate any risks of modern slavery or human trafficking in relation to new and existing suppliers and in relation to our own operations.”
A statement from Gustos said COVID-19 has had a significant impact on its business, like many in the industry, and it had to make the incredibly tough decision to close four of its restaurants in order to protect the future of Gusto.
Police in Sutton Coldfield have recovered a knife from the town’s railway station as part of a week-long campaign.
Knife crime is a serious issue in many parts of the country and has tragic consequences and creates too many victims.
West Midlands Police are conducting Operation Sceptre and the week long campaign will see officers conducting weapon sweeps, knife arch operations , and extra high visibility patrols.
They have been working alongside colleagues from the British Transport. The knife was recovered on Monday morning by neighbourhood team officers from Sutton Coldfield who say the knife taken off the street will help make journeys safer.
Police are urging the public to play their part and remain vigilant and made the following appeal:
If you see ,or suspect some one has a knife then call 999.
If you find a knife, make a note of its location and report this immediately.
If you think some one you know may be considering getting involved with knife crime, or has contacts with those that are then report this to the police or visit: http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111
Even superminis are getting the steroids treatment these days as the appetite for SUVs/crossovers seems insatiable.
So I suppose it should be no surprise that Audi, who produce some pretty mean SUVs already, has given its smallest car the muscle treatment.
The A1 Citycarver is a striking looking car with a striking name. What is the idea behind it? Does it carve its way through city traffic? Who knows. But it’s sure to be popular with Audi enthusiasts offering the rugged look with Audi quality and a price that will not actually blow your socks off. Those looking for all-wheel drive will be disappointed however, so despite its looks there is no Quattro version available yet.
There’s a choice of two petrol engines, the lively 1.5 litre, 148bhp petrol on this model and a smaller, three pot one litre,113bhp power unit.
The design is based on the A1 Sportback, but the more muscular look includes wheel arch cladding, underbody protection, a stainless steel finish and raised suspension giving around four centimetres of additional ground clearance for easier entry and better visibility. The striking black grille has the knobbly honeycomb finish seen across the range while two slots above the grille differentiate it from the Sportback.
It also features a large bumper to the rear, full LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels and roof edge spoiler. The colour palette is extensive and features include a two-tone option like the unmissable yellow and black combo on the model driven here, enhancing, or diminishing the muscular look, depending on your point of view.
While the exterior looks different, the interior pretty much mirrors the A1 with the centrepiece the familiar eight-inch MMI touchscreen that controls major functions like navigation, infotainment and smartphone connectivity mirroring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It sits in the middle of a sweeping, ergonomically designed dashboard, which also houses a version of the Audi digital ‘cockpit’ which can be configured in various ways to show a different combination of dials and information readouts.
Fixtures and fittings are sturdy and typically Audi with soft touch finish for the most part, but some cheaper plastics thrown in which you won’t find on some its bigger (and more expensive) stablemates.
The power unit is excellent, mated to the seven-speed DSG auto transmission, it has plenty of urge and even when pushed hard retains a sweet note.
Acceleration is brisk, the car hitting 60mph in just under eight seconds, ideal for smart getaways around town, and can confirm it is a pretty refined motorway cruiser, have completed around 300 miles on the country’s main highways. There’s plenty of power in reserve for overtaking, while road and engine noise is barely noticeable. Economy is pretty impressive to with official figures of 44mpg.
Sitting higher off the ground than the A1, handling is only slightly compromised and it feels assured when cornering, with lots of grip, while the steering is direct and nicely weighted.
Seats are comfortable with decent space in the front, even for taller occupants, but is cramped in the rear, which you would expect with this type of car.
Small it may be but it scores well with practicality with a decent sized, sensibly shaped boot. Stowage space is also good with 335 litres, increasing to 1,090 litres with the rear seats folded.
Standard spec includes full-LED headlights with dynamic rear turn signals, air conditioning, the Audi drive select dynamic handling system and assistance technologies such as cruise control, and for safety a full complement of airbags, plus Audi Pre-sense Front with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, lane departure warning and hill-hold assist.
As ever with Audi options abound and this model included the Technology pack at £1,695 and Comfort & sound pack at £1,150. The Technology Pack incorporating the Audi virtual cockpit with an increased range of views and functions, MMI navigation plus with larger 10.1-inch high resolution screen, Audi connect with its wide variety of online services and the Audi Phone Box facilitating wireless smartphone charging.
Comfort and Sound Pack adds Parking System Plus with acoustic and visual assistance and additional front protection to complement the standard rear sensors, front seat heating and the Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with 560 watts of music power.
Factfile
Audi A1 Citycarver 35 TFSI S tronic
Price: £25,435
Mechanical: 150PS, 1,498cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 7-speed DSG auto gearbox
Sutton Coldfield Life 