CITY FOCUS - Birmingham

ISSUE 8 A guide for the discerning landlord

NOV / DEC 2014

BIRMINGHAM

Where to invest in the UK’s second city?

Birmingham rocks the birthplace of heavy metal Plus winter-proof your property!

W

elcome to the Christmas Issue of City Focus – our regular magazine for the discerning landlord.

In this action-packed edition, we take a jaunt to the midlands, taking a look at Birmingham’s history, places to visit and investment opportunities.

As always, there is also a bundle of landlord news, tips and advice to feast on too.

Plus, for a chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher simply answer the following: According to City Focus, how many start-up companies were registered in Birmingham last year?

Email your answer to editor@citylandlord.co.uk or tweet it to @citylandlord – one correct answer will be chosen at random on 21st December.

Richard Anthony – Editor editor@citylandlord.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW? Cluedo was invented by a Birmingham man who lived on Brighton Road, about two miles south of the city centre. There’s a plaque up on the wall of the house where he used to live.

94% of renters break tenancy agreement 94% of renters admit that they may be in breach of their tenancy agreement, according to new research.

tenants questioned admitted not fully reading their tenancy agreement before signing it and moving in.

50% admitted to keeping a pet in the property, whilst 58% of them burn candles, despite being prohibited from doing so, and 54% have redecorated without permission, a survey by Ocean Finance found.

Shockingly, one in five (20%) didn’t even have a tenancy agreement in place.

One in 20 tenants has sub-let a room for their own financial gain, 21% admitted that they had left the property vacant for more than 14 days, and 18% had let the garden become overgrown.

Most tenancy agreements prohibit all of the above, although the specifics do vary from property to property.

Many tenants may not be breaking the rule intentionally however; over half (57%) of

“Many standard tenancy agreements contain a lot of ‘niggly’ clauses about cutting the grass and emptying the bins. While breaking these conditions might seem trivial, doing so could have serious consequences,” Ian Williams, spokesman for Ocean Finance.

“Blu-Tac stains on the walls might be just the excuse the landlord needs to withhold some or all of their deposit, while keeping a pet or subletting rooms could result in being asked to leave the property.”

NOSY NEIGHBOUR

In each issue we take a sneaky look at what’s been going on in rental properties across the UK

Acton Landlord ordered to pay £41,500

Landlord fined £14,500 for damp flats

A landlord in Acton has been ordered by a court to pay more than £41,500 after unlawfully converting his three-bedroom home to accommodate 14 people.

Philip Dean, who owns five self-contained flats in a house in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, failed to ensure they were up to the required standards.

As part of the alterations Sohaib Anwar had split the first floor of the family home into sections and changed the layout to create a nine-bedroom house. Tenants paid up to £400 per month in rent for each room and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Sohaib Anwar appeared before Ealing Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to comply with an enforcement notice for breaching planning permission.

On Monday 29th September at Isleworth Crown Court he was given a confiscation order of £31,969 from the benefit of his criminal conduct and was sentenced to pay a £2,500 fine and £7,088.95 in costs – bringing the total to £41,557.95

Dean pleaded guilty to seven counts of failing to comply with regulations under the Housing Act. The landlord did not ensure his contact details were displayed in the flat and he also failed to ensure the yard area was in good condition and clear of glass. And he did not ensure appliances for heating were maintained.

Magistrates ordered him to pay a £13,000 fine, a £120 victim surcharge and £1,443 costs.

CITY SPOTLIGHT

[ BIRMINGHAM ] - Each issue we shine our spotlight on a different part of the UK, focussing on what it has to offer everyone from property developers to casual daytrippers.

B79

B78

B77

B74 B75 B73B72 B43 B76 B44 B42 B23 B20 B24B35 B21 B36 B6 B19 B7 B8 B34 B69 B66 B18 B65 B68 B67 B3B4 B33 B37 B46 B16B1B2 B9 B64 B5 B10B25 B17B15 B12 B26 B11 B40 B63 B13 B27 B62 B32 B29 B14 B28 B92 B30 B31 B91 B71 B70

B45

B38 B47

B61

B90

B48

BIRMINGHAM

B93

B94

B60 B97 B98

B80

B95

B96 B49

B50

B

irmingham has had a hard time over the years, mocked nationally as a place you pass through rather than intentionally visit. However, the city has been completely revitalised over recent years by major redevelopment.

Most notable of which is the £189 million spent on the new library – the largest in the UK – as part of the Big City Plan designed to transform the city centre, increasing the city core’s total area by nearly 25% and improving connectivity and standards of living.

The area also boasts Europe’s largest Urban Park, covering 970 hectares, complete with seven lakes and ancient woodland perfect for ramblers and cyclists alike. The canal ways, once surrounded by rubbish and

graffiti, are now lined with restaurants and bars, especially around Gas Street Basin.

The second city?

There has long been debate between Birmingham and Manchester over which should be considered Britain’s ‘second city’ (after London of course). Birmingham has traditionally taken the tag since around the time of the first World War. However, numerous public polls, media references and global city rankings, have quoted Manchester as the second city since 2000. According to the 2011 census the population of the urban area of Manchester was 2.55m, compared to 2.44m for Birmingham.

As such a campaign has been launched to rename the West Midlands as ‘Greater Birmingham’, the new region would incorporate Birmingham city itself, along with Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Solihull – though each borough would retain its administrative independence.

High Speed 2 The proposed HS2 rail link should cut journey times from Birmingham to London to just 49 minutes, meaning now could be a great time to invest in the area as those working in London look to avoid the capital’s extortionate rental prices.

“I think it (HS2) will really help property prices which have fallen over the last few years,” says Clare Morrell, owner of local estate agent Adobe Residential.

Birmingham is currently particularly popular with renters and has a large number of foreign students, especially from China, plus many young professionals working for some of the city’s major companies.

Typical residential yields in the city are between 5% and 6.8%, with the average asking price currently standing at around £178,208 and rental rates of around £393 pcm per room.

Where to Invest Aston Aston boasts plentiful parkland, great architecture and some of the best yields in the UK. The B7 postcode covering nearby Nechells can deliver investors returns of up to a 10.6%, according to property website Move With Us. The flipside of this is that crime rates here are relatively high and there may not be much capital growth on offer either: “You can buy a house here for around £80,000 and get up to £600 a month in rent but the properties won’t rise in price as quickly as buying in a better area,” says Adobe Residential’s Clare Morrall.

DID YOU KNOW? People from Birmingham are affectionately known as ‘Brummies’, a term derived from the city’s nickname of ‘Brum’. This originates from the city’s dialect name Brummagem, which may in turn have been derived from one of the city’s earlier names, ‘Bromwicham’.

Ladywood

Sutton Coldfield

Close to Birmingham’s main nightlife area Broad Street, Ladywood was once considered a very rough part of town, but its reputation is rapidly improving. The high class apartments which have sprung up in areas such as King Edward’s Wharf make it very attractive for young professionals. As such it will set you back at least £300,000 for a two bedroom apartment and over £600,000 for a 4 bed apartment.

One of the most sought after parts of Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield remains an attractive option, especially for families, due to its top Grammar schools, Bishop Vesey for boys and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls.

Solihull A recent standards of living report from USwitch.com, declared Solihull the best place to live in the UK. Located between Birmingham and Coventry it boasts superb transport links from the M40, M42 and M6, yet has retained a very villagey feel. It is also very convenient for those working in Birmingham with just a 20 minute (9 mile) commute.

However, in leafy Four Oaks to the north you can easily pay £500,000 for a good sized 4 bedroom property and even a more modest 2 or 3 bedroom terraced house will set you back between £250,000 and £300,000.

Brassington Avenue, a 240 unit development for the older generation, designed by the award-winning Glenn Howells Architects, has also recently won planning permission.

Selfridges Shopping Centre

CITY SPOTLIGHT - BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM - the facts and figures Get the lowdown on the city with our handy info-graphics

PROPERTY RENTS BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS 1 BEDROOM

£491 pcm

2 BEDROOM

£697 pcm

3 BEDROOM

£690 pcm

4 BEDROOM

£854 pcm

5 BEDROOM

£917 pcm

(source: home.co.uk)

AVERAGE RENTS BY PROPERTY TYPE ROOM

£393 pcm

FLAT

HOUSE

£649 pcm

£723 pcm

(source: home.co.uk)

AVERAGE ASKING PRICE

£178,208 (source: home.co.uk)

Twinned with Birmingham is twinned with the below cities:

Chicago

USA

Lyon

Milan

France

Italy

Johannesburg

South Africa

Work With 16,281 start-ups registered during 2013, Birmingham has the highest level of entrepreneurial activity outside London,

Population = 2.44m Birmingham’s population increase of 88,400 residents between the 2001 and 2011 censuses was greater than that of any other British local authority.

2013 est.

Quality of Life Birmingham came 51st in the world in this year’s Mercer Quality of Life Survey – the second highest rating in the UK.

2nd

IN THE UK

Did You

Know

Birmingham has more canals than Venice! The city has 35 miles of navigational canals compared to Venice’s 25 miles.

PLACES TO VISIT Whether you’re looking for great food, a nice place to go for a walk, or to immerse yourself in history, here are some of our favourite places to visit in Brighton.

1

2

3

Cadbury World

1

Winterbourne House & Garden

2

Linden Road, Bournville

University of Birmingham, 58 Edgbaston Park Rd

Enjoy a fascinating, fun-packed day out discovering the history behind Britain’s biggest chocolate manufacturer. There is free chocolate along the way too!

Winterbourne House is a unique heritage attraction – set within seven acres of beautiful botanic gardens. This hidden gem is home to beautiful antiques and over 6,000 plant species from around the world.

www.cadburyworld.co.uk/

http://www.winterbourne.org.uk/

Egbaston Cricket Gr

Egbaston is home to W County Cricket Club a

by England for Test m day internationals an internationals. The opened its gates in 18 has a capacity of 25,0

www.edgbaston.com

Symphony Hall Broad Street

4

With its world class acoustics and stunning auditorium, Symphony Hall is considered to be not only the UK’s finest concert hall but also one of the best in the world. The venue opened in 1991 and has played host to many of the world’s greats. www.thsh.co.uk/symphony-hall/

Pen Museum

5

60 Federick Street

Run entirely by volunteers, Birmingham’s pen museum is the only one of its kind in Britain. It hosts an amazing collection of over 5,000 objects related to the Birmingham Steel pen trades and the history of writing. http://www.penroom.co.uk/

GETTING AROUND IN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham is well served by bus, road and rail. But with many attractions just a few minutes’ walk apart, it can also be explored on foot.

Visit: http://visitbirmingham.com/travel/getting-around/ for more info.

6

5 4

6

Jewellery Quarter

round

One of Birmingham’s most vibrant and lively locations, the Jewellery Quarter is steeped in history. Here you can find unique shops, boutiques, exhibitions, cafes and restaurants, earning it the nickname ‘Birmingham’s Gem’.

3

Warwickshire and also used matches, one nd Twenty20 ground first 882 and now 000 people.

m/

http://www.jewelleryquarter.net/

7

Birmingham Museum & Arts Gallery

8

7

Bullring Birmingham

8

Chamberlain Square

Explore over 40 galleries of art, social history and archaeology in this grade II listed landmark. Free entrance (although some exhibitions and events may charge).

Shop ‘til you drop at the city’s biggest indoor shopping centre. This unique building contains many major high street brands, as well as a host of eateries, and has great transport links and ample parking.

http://www.bmag.org.uk/

www.bullring.co.uk/

CITY SPOTLIGHT - BIRMINGHAM

FAMOUS RESIDENTS

Birmingham has healthy heritage of literary, television and musical personalities. Here are just a few of the city’s favourite sons and daughters:

J.R.R Tolkien

Adrian Chiles

Tolkien grew up in the Egbaston area of the City and was the brain behind two of the biggest selling novels of all time, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Nearby Moseley Bog is thought to have inspired the settings of his fantasy stories which have now also been adapted into a hugely successful film franchise.

Television and radio presenter Chiles was born in Quinton, Birmingham and is an avid supporter of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. He claims that his distinctive ‘Brummie’ accent has helped in his favour throughout his career, which includes being the inaugural presenter of the BBC’s One Show.

Jamelia

Toyah Willcox

Singer and television presenter Jamelia was born in the Handsworth area of the city in 1981. After a successful chart career, including eight top ten hits and many awards, she is now a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women.

Willcox has released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in ten feature films, over forty stage plays and presented numerous television shows. She was born in Kings Heath in 1958 and is married to Robert Fripp of the band King Crimson.

Jasper Carrott

Trevor Eve

Born as Robert Norman Davis in Acocks Green, Birmingham in 1945, Carrott is a much loved comedian, television personality and writer.

In 2007, he came 20th in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians list.

A successful theatre and television actor, Eve was born in Sutton Coldfield in 1951. In 1997 he was awarded his second Olivier Award, for his performance in Uncle Vanya. More recently he starred in the BBC’s critically acclaimed Waking the Dead.

Food & Drink in Birmingham Food and drink has played an important role in the commerce and culture of Birmingham. Famous food brands that originated in Birmingham include:

Typhoo Tea

Bird’s Custard

Typhoo Tea has a long and rich heritage, stretching back to 1903 when Birmingham grocer John Summer developed and sold a blend of tea in his shop. John’s sister, Mary, was the inspiration behind the product development, as she highly regarded tea as a cure for indigestion.

Bird’s Custard was first formulated and cooked

by Alfred Bird in 1837, because his wife was allergic to eggs, the key ingredient used to thicken traditional custard.

The name Typhoo comes from the Chinese word for ‘doctor’.

Photo: www.kitschagogo.com

A food and drink survey carried out in 2000 found 99% of customers recognised the brand, which accounts for around 45% of the custard consumed in the UK.

Photo: gallery.nen.gov.uk

Cadbury Cadbury is the second largest confectionery brand in the world, and is best known for its products including the Dairy Milk chocolate, Crème Egg, and the Roses selection box.

Cadbury was established in Birmingham in 1824, by John Cadbury who sold tea, coffee and drinking chocolate.

Dairy Milk chocolate, introduced in 1905, used a higher proportion of milk within the recipe compared with rival products. By 1914, the chocolate was the company’s best-selling product.

Where the Balti style of cooking originated is uncertain; some believe it to have been invented in Birmingham, while others believe it originated in the northern Pakistani region of Balistan in Kashmir from where it spread to Britain.

However, based on the knowledge of people living in Birmingham at the time, Balti cooking originated at Abdul Adil’s Restaurant on Steelhouse Lane in 1977.

Balti restaurants are often known in Birmingham as ‘Balti houses’. Some Balti houses have a sheet of glass on the table top with menus secured underneath. Balti houses often offer very large “Karack” naan bread, meant to be shared by the whole table.

Balti houses originally clustered along and behind the main road between Sparkhill and Moseley, to the south of Birmingham city centre. This area is often referred to as the ‘Balti Triangle’ and contains a high concentration of Balti restaurants, as well as some of the oldest found in the city.

The food and its style of presentation proved very popular during the 1980s and grew in the 1990s; Balti restaurants gradually opened up throughout the West Midlands and then a large part of Britain. However, some have claimed that it is impossible to get a ‘proper’ Balti outside Birmingham.

Photo: advertisingredefined.wordpress.com

Balti Balti is a type of curry served in a thin, pressed steel wok-like “balti bowl”. The term refers to the pot in which the curry is cooked, rather than to any specific ingredient or cooking technique.

Photo: www.captaincooks.co.uk

Birmingham Rocks!

It is perhaps fitting that the city at the heart of the industrial revolution should also be the birthplace of metal and heavy rock music.

Built on a legacy of metalworking in noisy factories filled with grinding, thumping machinery, Birmingham provided the perfect template for a new type of raucous rock.

The city’s tanneries also helped create the leather-and-studs look synonymous with metal bands and their fans.

Here are some of the city’s main players who gave birth to a new sound:

Led Zeppelin Ozzy Osbourne Born in Aston in 1948, Ozzy is the singer of rock legends Black Sabbath, where he allegedly once bit the head off a live bat as part of their show! Along with his wife Sharon, son Jack and daughter Kelly, he was also subject of MTV reality show The Osbournes, which ran between 20022005.

With seminal albums such 1970’s Paranoid and 1971’s Masters of Reality Black Sabbath helped define the genre, and were recently ranked by MTV as the ‘Greatest Metal Band’ of all time.

Robert Plant, vocalist and lyricist with rock legends Led Zeppelin was born in nearby West Bromwich in 1948. Along with guitarist Jimmy Page, drummer Jon Bonham and keyboard player John Paul Jones, they became one of the biggest names in 70s music and remain hugely influential today.

Rolling Stone magazine described them as “the heaviest band of all time” and “unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history.”

The band are estimated to have sold between 200 and 300 million records worldwide!

Judas Priest Formed in Birmingham in 1969, Judas Priest have sold over 45 million albums worldwide.

They are widely recognised as one of the finest and most influential metal bands of all time and for introducing the leather-and-studs look into heavy metal.

In 1989, they were named as defendants in an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging that subliminal messages of ‘do it’ on their albums had caused the suicide attempts of two young American men.

Slade Hailing from nearby Wolverhampton, Slade rose to prominence in the 1970s glam rock era with six number ones hits.

Their best-selling single “Merry Xmas Everybody” has sold in excess of one million copies and is ubiquitous at this time of year!

Glenn Hughes Born in Cannock in 1952, Hughes was the bass player in Deep Purple – responsible for underpinning one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time in ‘Smoke on the water’ - and also fronted Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s. He also lead the supergroup Black Country Communion from 2009 to 2013.

Slade are still going strong today, although distinctive frontman Noddy Holder has now retired from music and is replaced by Mal McNulty.

DID YOU KNOW? Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi developed his distinctive style after he was forced to re-learn to play the guitar from scratch after losing the tips of two fingers in a sheet-metal factory accident

Preparing your property for winter

W

ith the cold air setting in and Christmas fast approaching, it’s important that you take some extra steps to look after your property.

If it’s suitable for your property, then you may wish to consider cavity wall insulation, and don’t forget to insulate the water tank and lag the pipes also.

Here at City Focus we’ve compiled some handy tips to make sure your property is in top shape this winter:

Check windows and doors

Clear the gutters and drains You should regularly clear out the drains and guttering throughout the year, but it is especially important in the winter when they tend to clog up with leaves, plants and other debris. It is a good idea to check that the junctions of the gutters are watertight too.

Check the roof If you can’t see the roof from the ground or don’t wish to climb a ladder, then it may be a good idea to arrange for a professional to inspect the roof for you. Cracked or missing tiles can let rain into the roof itself, which can cause damp, mould and even rot.

Bleed the radiators If your radiators have been idle over the summer, then they may need bleeding in the winter to release trapped air, especially if they feel colder at the top than the bottom.

It’s a relatively straightforward job – all you need is the key and a towel – but it will improve the efficiency of the property’s heating.

Fully insulate your property Good insulation can help cut energy bills by reducing heat loss from the property.

The best place to start is the loft as you can lose up to a quarter of the heat through the roof if the loft is not properly insulated.

Doors and windows can let in cold air and rain water if they are in a poor state of repair. It therefore makes economic sense to carry out minor repairs now, or pay more in the long run!

Also check the woodwork outside for rot and damage, and don’t neglect the upper floors either.

Service the boiler Be proactive and service your boiler before the cold weather really sets in, this will help prevent an emergency when the temperature dips below freezing.

You should service the boiler at least once a year as this may be a condition of your insurance cover. The service should always be carried out by a registered Gas Safe engineer.

Don’t neglect the chimney Chimney fires are common around this time of year and can be costly and dangerous. Before you or your tenants light the first fire of the year, you should employ a professional to sweep the chimney.

If no one intends to use the fire, consider using a chimney balloon to prevent hot air escaping upwards and cold air sweeping down into the living room.

Now is also a good time to check that your insurance is up to date, call 0800 2944 546 now for a quick quote!

ONLY FOOLS AND HOUSES WHAT WOULD THESE ON SCREEN HOUSES BE WORTH TODAY?

The Royle Family

Only Fools & Horses

The first series started in 2000, with most of the action taking place in the living room of Jim Royle’s humble three-bedroom family home.

A Peckham high rise such as the one lived in by the Trotters in Only Fools and Horses could set you back as much as £330,000 today, new research has revealed.

The much loved BBC sitcom started in 1981, the year after Margaret Thatcher extended the housing act to introduce right-to-buy council homes, and a flat similar to Del Boy’s famous ‘Nelson Mandela House’ abode would have rocketed in value ever since, according to new research from eMoov. co.uk.

Photo: kitschreligion.wordpress.com

The award-winning fly-on-the-wall comedy focused on a low income family in Manchester.

At the time, such a property would have cost around £36,000, a figure which has now risen to around £125,000.

Photo: www.theapricity.com

Bread

About a Boy

The Boswell family lived in Liverpool, and the properties used for filming can still be seen on Elswick Street today.

The show began in 1986, when a two bedroom terraced house in Toxeth would have cost around £18,000. The UK average at that time was around £35,500.

In the movie adaptation of Nick Hornby’s classic novel, hippy mother Fiona and her son Marcus lived in a two bedroom flat in Kentish Town, just North of Camden.

Today a two bedroom terraced house on Elswick Street Liverpool would still only set you back around £90,000.

The film was released in 2002, when such a property would have been worth around £200,000, but London’s buoyant property market would north around a quarter of a million pounds.

“Our research into popular TV houses might just be a bit of fun, but highlights what has happened to house prices over the past few decades. It showcases the distinct gulf in prices and the north / south divide of the UK property market,” says Russell Quirk, CEO of online estate agent eMoov.co.uk.

Photo: tvcream.co.uk

Harry Potter The property used for filming scenes at Number 4 Privet Drive - The Dursley home where Harry Potter grew up - is actually Picket Post Close in Bracknell, Berkshire.

The house has been sold a few times since the first movie launched in 2001 and is now valued at £350,000.

Photo: meagandmatthews.wordpress.com

Photo: dvdreleasedates.com

WHAT’S ON

Our guide to the best events going on across the UK in November and December

BIRMINGHAM Flog It! Ragley Hall Alcester, Warwickshire 27th November Tickets: FREE Get up to three antiques or collectables valued for free by experts from Flog It, the popular BBC 1 antiques series.

Doors are open between 9.30am4.00pm on a first come first served basis. www.ragley.co.uk

The Who – 50th anniversary tour

Frankfurt Christmas Market

Victory Square, New Street 13th November – 22 December 2014 Tickets: FREE (Food is not) Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market is the largest outdoor Christmas Market in the country; explore over 180 stalls selling gifts, jewellery, decorations, and of course the ever popular Gluhwein! birmingham.gov.uk/frankfurtmarket

Horrible Christmas – Horrible Histories live

National Indoor Arena, Birmingham 7th December 2014 Tickets: from £67.90

The Old Rep Theatre Station Street 13th November to 17th January Tickets: £19.50

Mod legends The Who have announced a nine date tour dubbed ‘The Who Hits 50’, which will make its way around the UK from November.

The Horrible Histories team bring their Christmas extravaganza to the Old Rep Theatre. From Victorian villains to Medieval monks, Puritan parties to Tudor treats, the show takes you on an adventure through the history of Christmas.

http://www.thenia.co.uk/

www.birmingham-box.co.uk

Jersey Boys New Alexander Theatre 9th December 2014 – 4th January 2015 Tickets: from £17.90 The smash-hit musical has won 55 major awards worldwide, and continues to play at the Piccadilly Theatre, London.

The show will come to Birmingham as part of its first ever UK tour. http://visitbirmingham.com/

LONDON Urban Food Fest Euro Car Parks, 163 – 175 Shoreditch High Street Every Saturday until 20th December 2014 Tickets: FREE (Food is not)

Dozens of food stalls and trucks serve a frankly intimidating variety of global cuisine; jerk chicken, wood-fire oven pizza, pad thai, sushi – we could go on. http://www.urbanfoodfest.com/

Cadbury World this Christmas

Silent Disco at The View from The Shard Joiner St, London Every weekend until 8th February 2015 Tickets: from £18.95 Pick your channel and choose your side as three DJs battle it out over separate wireless channels, playing the best in pop, rock and party classics, while you dance the night away at 1,000ft. http://www.the-shard.com/

Cadbury World Every weekend until Sunday 21st December 2014 Tickets: from £15.15 Santa will once again be flying in from the North Pole to his magical Christmas grotto, offering small free gifts to every child.

BRIGHTON Royal Pavilion’s Ice Rink Royal Pavilion, Brighton, East Sussex 8th November – 18th January 2015 Tickets: from £7

There will also be sprinkling of Christmas cheer across the attraction, with our festive decorations and outfits!

With the former Royal Pavilion as a backdrop, a huge rinkside bar and 40m terrace, this is the perfect place for those who want to skate in a truly beautiful setting.

http://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/

http://www.royalpavilionicerink.co.uk/

MANCHESTER Manchester Christmas Lights

Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester 7th November onwards Tickets: FREE See Manchester’s stunning Christmas lights (switched on by a host of stars including Jason Manford) and finish off your shopping at one of the city’s festive markets. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/

LIVERPOOL Russell Howard Wonderbox

GLASGOW Celtic Connections Various Venues, Glasgow 15th January – 1st February 2015 Tickets: See website Glasgow’s annual folk, root and world music festival, celebrates Celtic music and its connection to cultures across the globe; including: late night sessions, festival club and a whole lot more. http://www.celticconnections.com/

LEEDS Leeds International Film Festival Various Venues, Leeds 5th – 20th November 2014 Tickets: From £6 The largest film festival in England outside London, it’s held in various venues throughout Leeds showing over 200 films from around the world. http://www.leedsfilm.com/

BATH Bath Christmas Market Echo Arena, Kings Dock, Liverpool 17th December 2014 Tickets: £31

Back by popular demand, Russell Howard is returning to Liverpool’s Echo Arena for an extension of his 2014 Wonderbox world tour. http://www.russell-howard.co.uk/ splash

Bath Tourist Information Centre, Bath 27th November – 14th December 2014 Tickets: FREE

If you are looking for something special to make your Christmas perfect, Bath Christmas Market is the place you’ll find it. All of the retailers sell unique, handcrafted items, many of which are made in the local area. http://visitbath.co.uk

“I grew up in Birmingham, where they made useful things and made them well” Lee Child - writer

City Landlord is now on Pinterest!

Words

Richard Anthony

Design

Gaurav Ahluwalia

Liher Landeta

www.pinterest.com/citylandlord

We hope you have enjoyed issue seven of City Focus. We welcome any suggestions and feedback, so please email editor@citylandlord.co.uk with your thoughts.

You can also follow us on twitter: @citylandlord or visit facebook.com/landlordinsuranceuk for all our latest news, as well as exclusive deals and offers. citylandlord.co.uk Phone: 0800 2944 546

City Landlord • The Business Exchange • 26/28 Hammersmith Grove • London, W6 7BA