Category Archives: Entertainment

Entertainment

Foster & Allen in first show at Sutton town hall

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Irish duo take centre stage

Popular Irish duo Foster & Allen make their first ever appearance in Sutton Coldfield in November when they bring a wonderful night of melodic Irish music to the town hall main stage. 

The ever-popular duo – Tony Allen and Mick Foster – formed in 1975 and have enjoyed over 40 years of success in record and CD sales, TV performances and their hugely popular live concerts. 

They have released over 30 albums, many of which entered the UK Albums Chart.

The legendary partnership have performed sell-out shows all over the world. Their performance at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall will be part of their 20 date UK tour, entitled “We’ll Meet Again”. Tony Allen and Mick Foster will be supported by their regular full live Irish band. 

 Hear the masters of Irish ballads and traditional Irish music perform their many top hits, including “Old Flames”, “I Will Love You All My Life”, “After All These Years” and the classics, “Bunch of Thyme” and “Maggie” plus many more. 

They will include a rich array of well-known Irish songs in their Town Hall performance, including “The Fields of Athenry”, and other Celtic classics that will bring the green fields of Ireland a little nearer to Sutton Coldfield. 

Following on from the appearance of The Kilkennys at the Town Hall in April, which completely sold out six weeks in advance, tickets are expected to be in high demand for Foster & Allen. 

Tickets are on sale now from the Sutton Coldfield Town Hall box office in person (Monday to Friday, 10am – 2pm), online at: www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.com or by ringing the box office on: 0121 296 9543.

Entertainment, Lifestyle, News

Musical magic at Sutton Town Hall

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Tribute to rock legends

Two of the biggest act in music are being celebrated at tribute shows at Sutton Town Hall in September.

Go Your Own Way is on stage on September 10 and is a spellbinding show featuring the music from the legendary multiple Grammy Award Winning Fleetwood Mac.

Their rock n roll legacy is beautifully performed by a highly talented and acclaimed ensemble of musicians who will take audiences on a powerful journey through their incredible song book.

Meanwhile, on Thursday 15 September, BILLY JOEL – The Piano Man is the ultimate celebration concert to one of the most iconic and best-selling artists of all time, Billy Joel.

In this brand-new touring theatre show Robert Schmuck (Billy The Kid) and his amazing 7 piece band perform breath-taking musical arrangements of multi-million selling songs such as ‘My Life’, ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘River Of Dreams’, ‘Tell Her About It ‘, ‘Still Rock n Roll To Me’, ‘An Innocent Man’, ‘Movin Out’, ‘Just The Way You Are’, ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’, ‘Piano Man’, ‘The Longest Time’ and many, many more, it’s a non-stop hits show!

The Fleetwood Mac show features hits including “Dreams”, “Don’t Stop”, “Everywhere”, “Rhiannon”, “Gold Dust Woman”, “Little Lies”, “Big Love” and many more.

Paying tribute to their “Rumours” line up of Stevie, Mick, John, Christine & Lindsey, which remains their most commercially successful to date, this show perfectly recreates the live energy and passion of Fleetwood Mac.

Tickets for both shows are now on sale – just click the ticket link box for online ticket sales, or call the box office on: 0121 296 9543, Monday to Friday, 10am – 2pm. 

Entertainment, Lifestyle, News

Get your brains in gear as quiz returns to Sutton Coldfield

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Amnesty International Quiz returns after two years

Amnesty International quiz back in town after a two-year pandemic absence.

A popular quiz is returning to Sutton Coldfield after a two year absence caused the the Covid pandemic. The royal town’s Amnesty International group is inviting you to pit your wits some of finest quiz brains when its annual quiz returns to Sutton Coldfield Football Club.

The group has held online events for the past two years due to Covid but is looking forward to being back in person for its blockbuster quiz.
Sutton Coldfield Amnesty International chair Andrew Hindle, who is also quizmaster, said: “We are so glad go be back with an in-person quiz and we’re hoping local people will come out in their droves
to support us.
“We aim for the quiz to cover as many subjects as possible from sport, music and television to current affairs, history and geography. It’s a fun event which also raises money for a great cause.”
Taking place on Friday 24 June from 7.30pm, entry is £5 per person which is paid on the door.Teams are a maximum of six people and there is also the chance to buy raffle tickets for a range of prizes.
Drinks and bar snacks are available at the bar of the Coles Lane football club.
All money raised goes to Amnesty International’s essential work supporting human rights across the world.
The Sutton Coldfield Amnesty International group meets at 8pm on the second Tuesday of every month (except August) in the Conference Centre, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 69 Lichfield Road,
Sutton Coldfield, B74 2NU and new members are always welcome.

For more information see https://www.amnesty.org.uk/groups/sutton-coldfield/about-0

Entertainment

Night fever comes to Sutton Coldfield

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Disco revival takes the stage at town hall

SATURDAY 2 APRIL 2022

Think of Disco and Saturday Night Fever, Disco Inferno or Le Freak may spring to mind. The huge phenomonen of the 1970s took the world by storm after springing up from the United States’ urban nightlife scene.

From the Bee Gees to Gloria Gaynor to Earth Wind and Fire its popularity was worldwide, and now a celebration is coming to Sutton Coldfield.

For all those who dreamed of going to New York’s Studio 54, Disco Inferno is the spectacular all singing, all dancing celebration of everything D.I.S.C.O., live at the town hall on April 2.

From the smoking hot girls to the guys in platforms, this electrifying show just screams glitter balls and good times.

You’ll be thrilled by pitch perfect harmony, high energy, slick choreography and Disco classics such as Blame It On The Boogie, Car Wash and It’s Raining Men.

You’ve all seen Abba, you’ve all seen Motown, but have you all danced to the ultimate UK Disco tribute and sang along to your favourites by Earth Wind and Fire, Barry White, Donna Summer, The Trammps, and many many more?!

Produced by Veritas, who excel in shows with crowd engagement and interaction, Disco Inferno has the wow factor that everyone will be talking about for months to come.

Tickets costs £22 and are selling fast and include FREE after show party

Show Starts: 7:30PM

House & Lounge Bar Opens: 6:30PM

Age Guidance: 16+ | Under 16’s must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Book your tickets here

Entertainment, News

Sun shines on Sutton town hall charity fete

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John S White played King Henry VIII at the event. Picture: Claire Taylor

1,000 turn out for Community Heritage event

More than 1,000 people enjoyed brilliant sunshine when they turned out to support a community fete at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.

The inaugural fete, on 12 September, received a Community Grant from Sutton Coldfield Town Council to help set up the event.

The neighbouring Tudor Community Sports Trust provided activities such as Crown Green Bowling tasters on its recreation area as a linked event.

The fete, opened by the town mayor, Councillor Terry Wood, who said: “I was delighted to be invited to open the Town Hall’s first Community Fete. The weather was kind to us, which helped everyone get into the swing of the event.

“Having so many people turn out to support really does show just what a brilliant community we have here in Sutton Coldfield and one that we are all very lucky to be part of. The organisation of the fete was a great effort from everyone involved and I would like to say a sincere thank you to all the people who helped make it a great success.”

Local community groups and businesses rose to the occasion by adding activities to their stalls such as biscuit decoration, quizzes and messy play. The UP Creative Community ran an interactive craft tent on the theme of the town hall’s forthcoming pantomime Cinderella.

Action from the coconut shy at the town hall.
Picture: Claire Taylor

Sutton Coldfield Litter Action Group generated enough support for 23 more local roads to be adopted for litter picking and visitors were able to study old maps of the area with Folio Sutton Coldfield.

The Town Hall hosted a coconut shy and band stage, and staff member and carpenter Colin Troman created a wooden storytelling stage in the grounds for performances through the day and a pair of stocks.

As part of the national project ‘Heritage Open Days’, the town hall conducted five backstage and heritage tours over the day, which included rare access visits to the roof and the reportedly haunted ‘below stage’.

King Henry VIII, played by performance historian John S White, re-enacted the granting of the town’s charter to the delight of visitors and Andrew Mitchell MP joined him on stage to thank visitors for supporting the event.

The King also helped launch the town hall’s own charity mascot ‘Town Hall Tara’, a £10 fundraising toy based on a real Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was also there to meet and greet visitors through the day.

A live music stage featured local bands, co-ordinated by local musician Job Baker-Sullivan of Ceol Agency and was hosted by presenters Sam Rabone and Lauren Hill.

Entertainment, Lifestyle

Triple helping of laughter at town hall

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Comedy fans in Sutton Coldfield are in for a triple treat when a trio of comedians take the stage at the town hall. Rosie jones, Justin Moorehouse and Mrs Barbara Nice will present a night of comedy at the town venue on Thursday, November 18.

Rosie, currently appearing on the Last Leg Paralympics show, has quickly become a must-see act on the UK comedy circuit.
The ex-television researcher was awarded second place in the Leicester Mercury’s New Comedian Of The Year Award 2018 and has gone on to star on Live At The Apollo, The Jonathan Ross Show, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

She is also a regular on The Last Leg.

Justin has appeared on Live At The Apollo, Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.
Justin brought back tiger-faced Young Kenny for the record-breaking run of Phoenix Nights Live at The Manchester Arena, which raised over £5 million for comic relief; told fantastic tales about Australia and Manchester on Live At The Apollo.

He won The Champion of Champions on BBC 5Live’s Fighting Talk; and appeared as Dean the rival cricketing landlord on Coronation Street. All this as well as helming his own critically acclaimed podcast About 30 Minutes, No More Than 45.

Mrs Barbara Nice was created by award-winning comedian and theatre director Janice Connolly, Barbara Nice is the overenthusiastic housewife alter-ego of Birmingham-based performer Janice, who previously appeared in Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, and is well known on the circuit for her lively, upbeat presence.

Barbara performs playful, life-affirming shows for all the family. With the affectionate attitude of a playgroup leader at a wild Iggy Pop concert, she is guaranteed to warm the heart of any audience, say the organisers.

The show is hosted by Wayne Beese and is for over-16s only.
Tickets are still available and cost from £15-£18. The doors and bar open at 7pm, with the show starting at approximately 8pm

* Line-up may be subject to change, top quality comedy show always guaranteed

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Lifestyle, News

Thai restaurant opens doors

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The new Giggling Squid restaurant will open in Mulberry Walk on July 26

New venue opens in Mere Green with 50% discounts

Sutton Coldfield’s newest restaurant has announced the opening date for its new venue in Mere Green and is offering a 50 per cent discount during its first week.

The new Thai tapas-style restaurant, Giggling Squid, will take over from a former Italian restaurant in Mulberry Walk, and will open to the public on July 26.

As part of their launch celebrations, they will be hosting an exclusive first look at the restaurant over on their Instagram channel on July 23, before fully opening to the public on the following Monday.

Bookings are now open and diners will be notified the moment bookings go live for the opening week which includes a celebratory 50 per cent off all meals. For booking info, visit the new website at https://www.gigglingsquid.com/restaurant/mere-green/

The chain, began in the basement of a fishmerman’s cottage in Brighton in 2002,

Founded by Pranee and Andrew Laurillard, Giggling Squid now operates 38 venues across the UK.

A spokesperson for the chain said Giggling Squid has established a strong reputation for bold Thai cuisine, complemented by a stylish and relaxed setting. The varied menu comprises a competitively priced lunch menu and a more extensive evening offer, as well as separate children and vegan menus.

Co-founder, Andy said: “Thai mealtimes are energetic, informal, adventurous and where food is celebrated. It’s relaxed and there’s no standing on ceremony. Every Giggling Squid has its own personal touch to it, and this restaurant is no different; it’s a beautifully designed space that we hope will bring a lot of pleasure to our guests. We can’t wait to welcome everyone.”

The spokesperson added: “Catering to the community during the new normal, Giggling Squid guests will still receive the same great food, service and atmosphere the restaurant chain is known and loved for, but with even more stringent health and safety policies in place, making it the safest place possible for all guests and staff.”

Giggling Squid is expected to open Monday-Thursday 12pm – 10pm, Friday-Saturday 12pm – 10.30pm, Sunday 12pm – 9.30pm.

A wide takeaway menu will also be available for click & collect or telephone orders as well as delivery.

Business, Entertainment, Food and Drink, News

Thai time for new restaurant

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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.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, News

Fun in the sun as lockdown eased

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Enjoying a pint at the Mare Pool in Mere Green

Sutton rocking as restrictions lifted

“It’s like a carnival out there”, said one businessman returning from his first shopping trip to Sutton Coldfield town centre in months. “There’s crowds of people everywhere, ” he added.

He was, of course, referring to the latest relaxation of lockdown rules, which saw hundreds of people flock into the town and fill the pub gardens in what another observer described as like a VE Day celebration.

In the town centre, both The Station and The Town House, formerly The Royal, were packed out in their gardens.

But in a sobering reminder, just down the road at Sutton town hall, vaccinations were still taking place.

The reopening of non-essential shops, pubs, hairdressers and gyms and other venues was blessed with fine weather as the sun shone on drinkers and shoppers.

Not all pubs have reopened with some waiting for a further relaxation next month when, Covid cases permitting, people will be allowed back inside, but for those that did open it was boom time.

Top left, clockwise: in the garden at the Station; keeping warm with a pint in the Town House; The Old School House in Mere Green; the Cock ‘n’ Bull on Lichfield Road and pictures of The Butlers Arms on Lichfield Road and The Crown on Walsall Road

In Four Oaks, The Butlers Arms, The Crown, The Old School House and Wetherspoons were doing a roaring trade is people wrapped up against the early spring chill.

It seemed, however, that many had thrown caution to the wind, with social distancing being at best patchy and in some cases non existent.

But for Sutton businesses and those across the rest of the UK, it is a welcome release from the icy grip of winter and the death grip of the coronavirus.

Fingers crossed we have seen the last of lockdown and there are better times ahead.

Meanwhile, the lifesaving vaccination programme goes on at Sutton Town Hall
Entertainment, Lifestyle, News

Olly Murs centre stage

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X factor star at Warwick Castle

ward-winning X-Factor finalist Olly Murs will be returning to Warwick Castle as one of the venues for his open-air summer 2021 tour.
Guests can enjoy the singer’s cheeky performance style and catchy vocals against the stunning backdrop of the Castle on Tuesday 20 July 2021, and Olly says: “I’m so excited to come and perform at this beautiful location again”. The singer last performed at the Castle in 2011, and this time fans can expect to hear some of his biggest hits including ‘Dear Darlin’, ‘Heart Skips A Beat’, ‘You Don’t Know Love’, and ‘Wrapped Up’ during his set.
Liam Bartlett, Operations Director at Warwick Castle said: “We are thrilled to be able to welcome Olly Murs back to Warwick Castle next summer. This announcement adds another exciting date to the 2021 calendar following our previousl
y announced Michael Bublé concert, demonstrating what a fantastic live events venue Warwick Castle is.
We have lots of other exciting plans ahead to ensure that after a very challenging year, 2021 is a bumper year for great entertainment.” The Castle will also be hosting Michael Buble as part of his rescheduled ‘An Evening with Michael Bublé’ tour on Friday 23 July, making for a month to remember at the Castle following Olly Murs’ performance on Tuesday 20 July.
Well-known as a fantastic live shows and concert venue, Warwick Castle has previously played host to artists such as Jessie J, The Beach Boys and Simply Red.  Since becoming runner-up on The X Factor in 2009, Murs has achieved four number one albums, five platinum LPs, collaborated with Demi Lovato, Snoop Dogg and Flo Rida and scored four UK number one singles.
He’s become one of the most successful alumni from the reality TV competition and has returned to host the series as well as become a coach on rival series The Voice.
Tickets for Olly Murs’ concert at Warwick Castle go on sale on Friday 9 October via AXS.com. For more information on the Castle’s events during 2020 and 2021, head to www.warwick-castle.com.