Do You Want To Join The Club? 😎

WEATHER

Thurs - 16°C ⛅️ | Fri - 15°C ☁️ | Sat - 14°C 🌦️ | Sun - 15°C 🌧️

COMING SOON?
The Royal Insider Club… 

With more big closures of some of our favourite restaurants across Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham announced over the last week we want to help support as many local businesses as possible and give you even more incentive to support them.

We are considering bringing Sutton Coldfield’s first local discount card - perhaps named something like ‘Royal Insider Club’.

To see if it’s viable - I need you to vote in the poll below if you’d consider supporting. But here’s the basic premise:

You would receive a physical environmentally friendly card that gives you 3 months (maybe more) of discounts at Sutton Coldfield based eateries, cafes and shops. Price point will likely be around £12-£15.

The idea being that a couple of uses would save you more than the cost of the card, but you could of course use it more and save more over the 3 months. You could use it yourself or even gift it to a friend or loved one.

The initiative will also help fund the costs of this newsletter and allow us to continue to promote local events and businesses to our growing audience.

Is this something you’d be interested in? Let me know below.

If you want your business involved in this initiative and be placed in front of thousands of Sutton Coldfield locals then please reply to this email and let us know.

Sponsored
Struggling with the Breakup of a Significant Relationship?

Sutton Coldfield has hosted workshops for this wonderful charity for the last 20 years and in that time we have made a huge difference to the lives of hurting people who are going through a divorce (or breakup of any significant relationship).

As well as the proven techniques we teach to help people to come to terms with what has happened and to start their life again - I can't overstate the value of becoming part of a wonderfully supportive group of friends who are on the same journey together. We run 2 groups per year over 6 Tuesday evenings and the next one starts on November 5th.

We use the excellent facilities of Sutton Coldfield Baptist Church, right in the centre of the town and all our volunteers have been through divorce themselves and have a deep understanding of the recovery process.

For a full information pack please call, text or email Richard & Lucy on: 07899 950109 or [email protected]

SUTTON SPOTLIGHT
The Most Magical Of Stories

Magical Story has returned to Sutton after 6 years and it's bigger and better than it was before. It’s now in the old Laura Ashley shop opposite Costa in the Gracechurch Centre. The perfect location for seasonal shopping. I dropped in on Sunday morning after enjoying a maple hazel coffee to get me in an Autumnal mood. 

Magical Story is a gift and homeware shop which currently has an extensive Halloween and Autumn range, as well as their gorgeous (and huge) Christmas section. It really does live up to its name, even as you approach it feels magical with twinkling lights in the beautiful window displays. 

I went with my daughter and we browsed the cute pumpkins and Autumn wreaths before heading into the enchanting, sparkly Christmas area which felt like the ultimate Christmas grotto.

If you want to get in the festive mood then it's the perfect place to get started. As my daughter said, it has ‘Autumn vibes’.

LOCAL SPORT
Results & Upcoming Games

FOOTBALL:

Sutton Coldfield made it 8 wins a row at home on Saturday when The Royals ran out 2-1 winners over Hinckley with second half goals from Remmie Birch and the in form Owen Parry to come back from a goal behind to take the spoils.

The home winning streak came to an end on Tuesday evening though with a 0-0 stalemate as Bedworth United visited the Dominos Arena - it was still enough to see The Royals take 5th place in the league. Next up is Darlaston Town away on Saturday.

Boldmere St Michaels steadied the ship with a tricky fixture away at Coventry Sphinx and claimed a 1-1 draw. All the goal action game in the second half as Oliver West saw his shot deflected to give The Mikes a one goal lead, only to see it cut short from the penalty spot after Coventry substitute Roan Newey was fouled in the box and Shay Willock slotted home from the spot. A fair result that could have gone either way.

Next up, Boldmere face mid table Anstey Nomads at home on Saturday - kick off is at 3pm.

HOCKEY:

Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club Women’s 1st Team are still searching for that elusive first win of the season with a 7-2 defeat at the hands of top of the table Reading last Saturday. This Saturday they take on Nottingham University at Wyndley Leisure Centre at 12pm.

The Men’s First Team remain unbeaten thanks to a thrilling 3-3 draw against Boots and have a tough encounter this weekend as they take on Loughborough Town at home at 4.30pm on Saturday.

GET INVOLVED
Watercolours in Wylde Green

On Tuesday evening I attended one of Naomi’s watercolour evenings at the fantastic Inji in Wylde Green and loved it so much I simply had to share the experience with you.

Naomi started experimenting with watercolours during lockdown (when I was honing my sourdough skills) and I’m so glad she did! She now runs fantastic watercolour workshops that require no prior experience and are a great way to get started.

I like painting but never really felt confident with watercolour, however Naomi breaks it down into simple steps, gives great advice and is so lovely that I left feeling proud of what I had created.  

She has another workshop scheduled for 31st October. This time it is a Halloween Painting Party for kids and parents. Adult price is £30 and kids are £10 and this includes a meal - I’m already booked in!

More details here

LOCAL OPENINGS
New Supermarket For Mere Green & More…

Mere Green is set to welcome the new Aldi on Belwell Lane with the opening date set for 31st October. The store is located on the former Waitrose and Atlas House sites and will be open 8am-10pm Mon-Sat and 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Any charities that can take advantage of surplus food are welcomed to partner up and should contact [email protected].

Mere Green has also been spoilt this week with the brand new opening of Wilton Patisserie - only the second in the UK following the first that opened in London in 2008.

The company that was formed in Cyprus in 1986 offers some of the finest freshly made cakes, desserts and savoury treats and some fantastic Greek specialities such as Galaktopoureko, Paklava, Kateifi and Kalo Prama.

You can even order online and collect a few days later - perfect for an impressive celebration cake.

Dizi has taken over the former Farina site on Beeches Walk and promises the ‘real taste of Persian food’. I’m yet to try this one and will endeavour to bring you a full report on it soon - but the menu looks great and the latest reviews from punters are impressive.

THINGS TO DO
Royal Cinema Senior Showings Revealed For November

There is still one showing left for October but the November showings for the £5 senior cinema mornings have now been revealed:

Wed 06 Nov: The Great Escaper
Wed 13 Nov: One Life
Wed 20 Nov: The Color Purple
Wed 27 Nov: Twisters

You can also book ahead now for an early Christmas treat as It’s A Wonderful Life will be showing on Wednesday 18th December.

All Royal Senior showings are just £5 and include a hot drink and biscuits.

More info and booking here

SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Keep Christmas Costs Down With ReUsers

The ReUsers, a charity department store on Norris Way (off Coleshill Rd) has just launched its Christmas section. You can snag everything from trees, lights and table decorations to gifts and even a good old Christmas jumper.

They have new stock(ings) being added all the time so if you want to keep either the financial or environmental cost of Christmas down this year, why not head down to their store and see what’s on offer.

View opening hours and more details here

EMPLOYMENT
Local Jobs Roundup

New local employment opportunities:

Pierre’s Bar Team Member at Bistro Pierre - Details

Counter Assistant at WH Smiths - Details

Subject Leader For Chemistry at The Royal Sutton School - Details

Estate Agent - Property Valuer - Details

WHERE IN SUTTON
Where is this picture taken?

Lot’s of correct answers last week. Do you know where in Sutton Coldfield this is? If you do, hit reply and be the first to answer correctly for a mention next week.

Answer to last week: Lot’s of correct answers last week but it was that man again, Laurence Bonner with the fastest fingers as he sent this by 7.13am: “Looking up the link footpath from Railway Road to King Edward Square.” He went on to say, “My go to curry house is Shaban in Boldmere. Doing a great job 👏 “

LIVE MUSIC & OTHER EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
What’s Going On In Sutton This Week…

TODAY:

Acacia Charity Event - Headlining Monkey Business 
7pm - 11:30pm at The Rhodehouse

Batik Workshop  
6:30pm at Inji

Community Sing Along, Chat & Laughter (part of Fifty + Festival)
2pm - 3:15pm at Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Walk & Talk (part of Fifty + Festival)
10am, 12pm & 2pm at Boldmere Gate, Sutton Park

FRIDAY:

ABBA Tribute Evening  
7pm at Moor Hall Hotel

Soul Junction
7pm at The Rhodehouse

The Bohemians 
7:30pm - 10pm at The Town Hall

Deep Phase
at The Town House

SATURDAY:

Big VIP Record Fair
9am - 3:30pm at Holy Trinity Parish Church

Lino Printing Workshop
10am - 12:30pm at Four Oaks Methodist Church

Virtual Horse Racing
7:30pm at The Royal British Legion Club

Under The Covers
9pm at The Rhodehouse

An Evening Of Song And Dance
7:30pm at The Town Hall

Limelight 25 The June Collins Band
at The Town House

Jason & The Arguments
at The Gate Inn

SUNDAY:

Wedding Fair
11am - 3pm at Moor Hall Hotel

Mama’s Morning
10am - 11:30am at Studio 27

Sound Bath Meditation 
6:30pm - 8pm at Quaker Friends Meeting House

Bob Marley - One Love (Film) 
7pm for 9:30pm start at Highbury Little Theatre

BOOK AHEAD:

Scream ‘N’ Steam Halloween
2pm - 8pm, 26th October at Echills Wood Railway, Kingsbury Water Park

Kids Halloween Party
31st October 5pm - 7pm at The Plough & Harrow