Quarter Life – Summer 2013 by Quarter Life

issue one / summer 2013

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY TOM HUNTER REFLECTS ON HIS TIME IN THE JQ PAGE 22 FALLING APART LOOKING AT WAYS TO TACKLE DERELICTION PAGE 9

PAGE 11

PULLING POWER Showcasing the Jewellery Quarter’s leisure offering

LIVE LEARN WORK VISIT

JEWELLERY QUARTER www.jewelleryquarter.net

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE JEWELLERY QUARTER

BID BUSINESS Updates on JQ BID initiatives

AND WELCOME TO OUR FIRST ISSUE OF QUARTERlife THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

THE COFFIN WORKS The restoration project secures its final funding

FOR THE JEWELLERY QUARTER.

NEWS Tunnel closures and the Golden Square

his magazine, which is part of the marketing strategy outlined in the Jewellery Quarter BID prospectus, will be of interest to all the people who live, learn and work in the area. It will also become an informative guide for visitors who may not know what this wonderful area has to offer.

LIFE THROUGH A LENS Photos from the Findings launch and minister visit

BUSINESS PROFILE Betts Metal Sales

Positive changes are afoot in the Quarter with the likes of the Assay Office on the move, the redevelopment of the Coffin Works, and many BID initiatives underway and events being planned.

But there’s plenty more to do. We’re working with Birmingham City Council and the City Heritage Strategy Group to tackle dereliction at key sites in the area and look at ways to promote the area’s visitor attractions to a wider audience.

FINDINGS EXHIBITION Photographer Tom Hunter reflects on his time in the JQ

TACKLING DERELICTION Alison Monteith tries to understand the problem

When we started the JQDT, I recall referring to that lazy phrase ‘Birmingham’s hidden gem’, which is used to describe the Quarter. I hope you agree that the success of Findings (pages 20 and 22) and now the publication of QUARTERlife is a really good start to making sure that everyone knows more about us and our remarkable place.

HERITAGE Promoting the JQ’s heritage with the City Heritage Strategy Group

Enjoy!

David Mahony, Chairman – Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) and JQ BID

ON THE MOVE The Assay Office is moving to an Enterprise Zone

INNOVATION Glassdomain launches its new heated wall system

The Quarter is already known for its thriving jewellery trade so in the first issue we wanted to highlight its equally thriving leisure sector. See inside for our 8-page pull-out guide to the places to eat, drink and stay in the area.

A DAY IN THE LIFE of a music producer

LEISURE GUIDE The places to eat, drink and stay in the JQ

ON THE COVER

Frankie Heekin is a bartender at The Rose Villa Tavern on Warstone Lane.

For Jewellery Quarter BID enquiries: clairej.smith@jqdt.org 0121 233 2814 For magazine enquires: laura@barquespr.co.uk 0121 233 2080

LEARN Apprentice schemes and School of Jewellery courses

I ❤ JQ Chris Brown explains why he likes living in the JQ

CHARITY JQ businesses support worthy causes

JAZZ FESTIVAL Find out what’s on in the JQ during the jazz festival

A magazine by:

JEWELLERY QUARTER BID www.jewelleryquarter.net

QUARTERLife

SUMMER 2013

Designed and produced by:

www.barques.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF

KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH JQ BID INITIATIVES

ALL THAT JAZZ

Birmingham is hosting its 29th International Jazz & Blues Festival this summer and the Jewellery Quarter is proud to be supporting it with an exciting schedule of music events in the area. From 5th to 14th July, a number of JQ cafés, bars and restaurants, including The Jam House, The Drop Forge, Portofino, Cucina Rustica and Lasan, will be staging music events and offering special deals on food and drink. Bloc Hotel is also offering a discount on an overnight stay. Visit www.jewelleryquarter.net/jazz for more information.

Fleet Street

The JQ BID is also sponsoring the British Jazz Awards. The event will take place at St Paul’s Church on 10th July and will be attended by some of the most respected artists on the jazz scene. Visit www.theticketsellers.co.uk to purchase tickets. Businesses and residents have welcomed a deep cleaning initiative in key Jewellery Quarter streets. The cleaning programme, which is funded by BID levy payers and carried out by contractors Ramora, will see the removal of chewing gum and graffiti from the Quarter’s pavements.

MADE IN THE JQ

Local businesses will take part in a fringe event in the Jewellery Quarter, as part of this year’s Birmingham Made Me event. Birmingham Made Me, which runs from 6th to 21st June at Millennium Point, Birmingham, aims to promote innovation and the great products that are designed and made in the Midlands region. The JQ BID has arranged a series of open door events between 10th and 16th June that will allow visitors to experience the wealth of creativity, craftsmanship and expert skills in the Quarter. Visit www.birmingham-made-me.org for more information.

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Fleet Street was one of the first six streets to be cleaned in May. A further 15 streets will undergo a deep clean during June, July and November. Mark Jones, owner of Fleet Street Kitchen in Fleet Street, said: “Clean pavements really do make a difference to the appearance of the Quarter. Businesses should ensure their own properties are well kept but a pavement clear of chewing gum and graffiti helps to maintain the high standards our customers expect.” Please check www.jewelleryquarter.net for updates.

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NEWS

TAKE THE TRAIN Visitors, residents and employees in the Jewellery Quarter are being encouraged to use public transport in an effort to minimise the amount of traffic on the roads during major roadworks planned for this summer. From 19th July to 2nd September, the A38 St Chad’s and Queensway tunnels will be completely closed to all traffic while necessary improvements are carried out. The closure will be preceded by four weeks of overnight closures, from 10pm to 6am, and followed by up to two weeks of similar overnight closures. Amey, the company that manages and maintains the city’s roads in partnership with Birmingham City Council, has launched a dedicated website – www.brumtunnels.co.uk – to provide updates and suggest alternative routes into the city.

GOLDEN SQUARE UPDATE Golden Square – the new £1.5 million square planned for the heart of the Jewellery Quarter – is on target to start on site in autumn 2013 and is due to be completed in spring 2014. Covering an area of 3,763 sq m, it will be located on the area currently occupied by the car park in front of the Big Peg. The trees outside the Big Peg have already been cut down as part of advanced works needed to prepare for the new development. Golden Square will become the focal point for the Quarter – a place for businesses, residents and visitors to meet and relax as well as providing space for events and exhibitions.

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The development includes new trees to replace those removed, an orchard area and space for a Christmas tree, seating, a showcase retail unit and a new promenade area in front of the Big Peg. Golden Square is the flagship project in Birmingham City Council’s Big City Plan initiatives programme, which aims to stimulate investment and draw people into the core of the Quarter. The development also attracted a grant of nearly £700,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Visit bigcityplan.birmingham.gov.uk for more details and updates on the development.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

EMBRACING CHANGE LIKE MANY BUSINESSES, BETTS METAL SALES HAS HAD TO DIVERSIFY TO ENSURE IT REMAINS PROFITABLE DURING THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. MD CHARLIE BETTS EXPLAINS HOW THE COMPANY IS EVOLVING.

Established in 1760 at the dawn of the industrial revolution in England, Stephen Betts and Sons was set up as a smelting and refining business to recover gold and silver ores and precious metals from waste being produced in the newly established Jewellery Quarter. But more than 250 years later, Stephen Betts and Sons is now part of an exciting and diverse group of ninth generation family-run businesses, including Betts Metal Sales, Betts Envirometal, Charles Booth – a manufacturer of dental alloys, and Hummingbird Resources – a mineral exploration company operating in Liberia. Betts Metal Sales was founded in 1985 to complement the refining services of Stephen Betts & Sons. It is now one of the leading suppliers of wedding rings, bullion, castings and findings to jewellers in the UK. Charlie said: “Historically, we principally supplied wedding rings and bullion to the trade but we now provide a much fuller range of products for jewellers and add value by offering polishing, stone setting and finishing services in house.

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We’ve also increased our range of castings, added diamond-set wedding rings and are looking to grow the investment side of the business. “Going online has helped us reach a much wider audience. We are constantly developing our online presence and more than 25% of our sales now come through the website, as people can order items at their convenience rather than during office hours. “On the refining side of the business, we’re also looking at other industries such as healthcare. The NHS uses a lot of silver in X-ray films and to coat various instruments and implants due to its anti-bacterial properties. Once waste streams are ready to be disposed of Betts Envirometal can extract the recyclable materials and ensure the confidential data is destroyed, thanks to its various ISO accreditations. “Our company may be 250 years old, but it is constantly evolving and we will continue to introduce new services to make life easier for our customers.”

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MAKING A MARK THE BIRMINGHAM ASSAY OFFICE IS RELOCATING TO AN ENTERPRISE ZONE ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE QUARTER. QUARTERlife EXPLAINS WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE AREA. 1

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he Birmingham Assay Office is making good progress towards its move from Newhall Street to the opposite side of the Jewellery Quarter, where its arrival is expected to kick-start more investment in the area around the old Kettleworks and the site of the Birmingham Mint.

The new site – St George’s Urban Village – is part of the Enterprise Zone, which is being led by the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP). The GBSLEP will use powers agreed by Government to generate income, which will drive development across Birmingham. The Birmingham Assay Office was founded by Matthew Boulton in 1773 to carry out its statutory duty of hallmarking. In recent years, it has diversified to offer a wide variety of independent services to the jewellery industry and other closely linked sectors.

The Birmingham Assay Office has been based in Newhall Street since 1877.

An artist’s impression of the new building at St George’s Urban Village.

Its new activities, which include gem certification and jewellery valuations as well as precious and base metal testing in line with consumer product safety testing, are growing strongly but are constrained by the inflexibility and lack of space in the current building. The business has to move in order to protect jobs, survive and continue to grow. St George’s Urban Village offers attractive benefits and, along with a £1.2 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund, has made building a new Assay Office in the Jewellery Quarter a viable option. Detailed designs are in their advanced stages and construction is expected to start in summer 2013. Birmingham City Council has been extremely supportive of the move, doing everything they can to help the Assay Office stay where it belongs – in the Jewellery Quarter.

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IN THE

THE GBSLEP CHOSE BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE AS THE LOCATION FOR ITS FIRST ENTERPRISE ZONE (EZ). THE EZ

ZONE

COMPRISES 26 SITES ACROSS THE CITY CENTRE, FOUR OF WHICH ARE IN THE JEWELLERY QUARTER. HERE’S A SUMMARY OF WHAT’S PLANNED FOR EACH SITE.

ST GEORGE’S URBAN VILLAGE

LUDGATE HILL

The St George’s development will offer a mixed-use development of up to 58,000 sq m of low carbon BREEAM excellent offices alongside two hotels, apartments, car parking, shops and leisure space in the Industrial Fringe of the Jewellery Quarter. Outline planning permission is already in place for this mixed-use development. The area also includes the site of the new Assay Office, which is due on site this summer.

Ludgate Hill presents an opportunity for an office-led mixed-use development of up to 55,000 sq m on the doorstep of the Snow Hill train station entrance in Livery Street. The site includes the car parks on both sides of Ludgate Hill. Focused around a central square, the first phase will provide a multi-storey car park.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM

NEWHALL SQUARE

The new University College Birmingham campus, which is currently being built on land bounded by George Street, Holland Street and Charlotte Street, will create a world-class centre for education and the creative industries. The development will provide some 20,000 sq m of new education space. Construction will take place in three phases, with phase one due to be completed later this year.

The Newhall Square development will provide 16,827 sq m of leisure, hotel, retail and office space and 234 premium apartments. Planning permission is in place for this mixed-use development and the hotel element of the scheme – a 100-bed Travelodge – has already been delivered. The second hotel scheme – a 190-bed aparthotel to be run by Staycity will be on site shortly and is due to be completed in spring 2014.

For more information, visit www.birminghamenterprisezone.org QUARTERLife

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INNOVATION

WALL OF FIRE

lassdomain, experts in designing glass furniture based on Warstone Lane, has launched an innovative product that is set to rival under floor heating.

Graham Southall, owner of Glassdomain, said: “We are always trying to think of new ideas for working with glass. Underfloor heating only generates heat that quickly dissipates as it rises.

Unlike a traditional radiator that has to generate lots of heat from a small area in order to warm a large room, the ICON-GLASS Heated Wall System radiates heat evenly across the whole wall to quickly warm any sized room more efficiently.

“This is a totally unique product that radiates heat across the room. The surface temperature remains at a safe 43 degrees to comply with the latest Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) requirements. There is also a thermostat to control the room temperature settings.

Any digital image can be printed on to the surface of the glass to fit in with a company’s brand or office décor. ICON comes in a range of sizes and Glassdomain has developed an innovative hanging rail system to allow for easy installation.

“The heated wall system is stylish and luxurious but also practical and efficient. But don’t just take my word for it – visit our showroom to see it for yourself.”

For more information about the product, please visit www.glassdomain.co.uk, email info@glassdomain.co.uk or call Graham Southall on 0121 236 6005.

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TAC K L I N G

I DEREL CTION THE JEWELLERY QUARTER’S IMAGE IS BEING TARNISHED BY DERELICTION. ALISON MONTEITH, MD OF INTERIOR ARCHITECTS MONTEITH SCOTT IN GEORGE STREET AND A LOCAL RESIDENT, TRIES TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

alking around the Jewellery Quarter, as opposed to driving through it, gives you a completely different perspective of the area. I often catch a glimpse down seemingly empty alleyways to see them actually bustling with people coming and going from buildings that, from the outside, look unused but are actually home to small, thriving businesses. In contrast to the stunning architecture in the Quarter, this slower pace also highlights the many unkempt buildings that are in a state of disrepair. The greatest problem of dereliction seems to affect the well-known areas such as Legge Lane or Vittoria Street, but these are key routes through the Quarter that give visitors the wrong impression of it being a ghost town. There are a number of major landowners that own increasingly derelict sites in the Quarter. Birmingham City Council, with the help of the JQDT, is looking at how these developments can be brought forward. The council has already taken steps to work with landowners to improve the Legge Lane area: the UCB site on Legge Lane has been cleared of vegetation and secured, with further work planned over the summer; the George and Dragon pub on Dayus Square is the subject of enforcement action and the owner is talking about bringing forward a new scheme; and Euro Car Parks plan to start work over the summer to improve their derelict listed building on Ludgate Hill. As a member of the JQ BID Management Committee, I’m keen to see the BID instil a sense of pride and ownership back into the people who live and work here. We need to encourage investment while maintaining a sensible balance of businesses and residential. The JQ BID would welcome more family homes to bring a whole new demographic to the Quarter. The area already caters for the young, city dwellers looking for their first home after university or settling down with a partner. We would like to target the 30+ professionals who would benefit from the amenities on their doorstep with a school, shops, bars/restaurants and good rail connections. The Quarter has a diverse range of businesses and some very interesting characters live and work here. It’s up to the Jewellery Quarter and organisations like Marketing Birmingham to showcase what we already have, to encourage more investment in the area.

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the word SPREADING

COUNCILLOR PHILIP DAVIS, CHAIR OF THE CITY HERITAGE STRATEGY GROUP AND A JEWELLERY QUARTER RESIDENT, IS ON A MISSION TO PROMOTE THE QUARTER’S HERITAGE.

eritage means many things to many people; from family history and national identity, to historic buildings and taste in music. In the Jewellery Quarter there is a particularly rich mix of buildings and activities. Centred on the unique character of the area’s past and present manufacturing and creative traditions, this makes the Quarter attractive to residents, businesses and visitors alike. Working with Birmingham Museums Trust, the City Heritage Strategy Group is consulting on a new heritage strategy to guide Birmingham City Council and its partnering bodies in supporting city heritage up to 2018. With the arrival of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) and Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQ BID), which began in September 2012, the local community and the Quarter’s heritage attractions have new opportunities to work together to attract visitors to the area.

This plays to Birmingham’s need to tell its story more effectively. As a city that made a major contribution to global industrialisation through the steam power and factory revolution led by 18th century inventors Boulton, Watt and Murdoch, it’s a tale worth telling – but not yet told loudly or often enough to a national and global audience. The City Heritage Group wants to address this. Our ideas include linking heritage attractions like the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, the Coffin Fitting Works and J W Evans silver works with other key sites in Birmingham and the West Midlands region through the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). ERIH already pulls together key industrial sites across Western Europe. It offers valuable opportunities to showcase our unique contribution to creating world industry and attract international tourism. The City Heritage Strategy Group will work closely with the JQDT to help local heritage attractions prosper and promote the Quarter as a unique and enjoyable place to live, learn, work and visit.

To obtain a copy of the draft strategy document, please email phil.davis@birmingham.gov.uk.

THEN

LOOKING AT HOW THE FACE OF THE JEWELLERY QUARTER HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

and now

The receipt and dispatch department at the Assay Office: In the 1900s articles circulated around the operation in large metal receptacles and were weighed on delicate mechanical scales. Today items are contained in stackable plastic tubs and are weighed on electronic scales.

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HUNGRY? THIRSTY? TIRED? QUARTERlife’s GUIDE TO THE PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND STAY IN THE JEWELLERY QUARTER.

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Prepare your palate for a culinary guide to the Jewellery Quarter’s eating and drinking places, where you can see an award-winning celebrity chef in action, drink cocktails in a private booth, share a cuppa with a creative and dance the night away to live music.

now Hill station commuters have a handy pitstop tucked next door to the Livery Street entrance, with the independent coffee shop Brewsmiths. With door-stop bacon butties available all day, a range of specialist coffees, 30 leaf teas and a penchant for retro sweets and handmade cakes, this is a great place to refuel.

local deliveries to businesses. This café is proud of its Jewellery Quarter location and names its breakfasts after gemstones! For a portion of crisp, golden, chips for only a £1 head to Gordon Blue café. After choosing from a great choice of freshly made sandwiches, salads and jacket potatoes at Lunchlines and Café Neo, you can eat lunch in Café Neo’s garden or alfresco in Golden Square, which is due to open spring 2014.

For a more substantial start to the day there’s nothing better than a full English breakfast. Tiffany’s Café certainly agrees as their hearty servings demonstrate. If you eat breakfast on the run, then a sausage and egg sandwich from Pickwicks’ menu should keep you going until lunchtime.

For a lunch with a view then Saint Caffe has a great location in St Paul’s Square overlooking the church. A chic, but not snobby, interior displaying work by local artists, there are big tables for meetings and cosy chairs for getting away from it all with lots of free local magazines to read. In the heart of the Jewellery Quarter, craftsmen and creatives rub shoulders at Hylton Café, Lunchlines and Café Neo. The bicycle propped up outside Hylton Café is a hint that they make

The coffee lounge Fredericks looked over the pond to the USA for both design and menu inspiration. Their indoor and outdoor seating options offer a relaxed place that flows into the evenings as a bar with space that is good for private parties or events. Photo: Charles Davies

Philpotts is popular with office workers around Great Charles Street who take away freshly made baguettes with big eat fillings like New York Deli – peppered pastrami, Emmental cheese, dill pickles, Dijon mustard and loads of coleslaw, or a tasty salad box with tzatziki.

Birmingham has a large number of independent coffee shops that cater for the morning rush and meetings as well as a mid-afternoon boost. The floor to ceiling windows at the Urban Coffee Company make it easy for people watching. Inside the ‘Urbanistas’ serve connoisseurs with coffee blends from all over the world, breakfast or brunch. This coffee emporium is also licensed.

Brewsmiths

For an afternoon pick-me-up or break from shopping, the homeware store Pomegranate is an attractive airy, open plan coffee shop that also offers a 10% discount for students. This is the only gluten free specific café in the Quarter with a menu of sandwiches and cakes. After a visit to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Vyse Street, you can squeeze into the bijoux traditional tea shop at Vee’s Deli. A refreshing cup of tea or glass of cordial is perfect with one of Vee’s homemade cakes. You can also pick up store cupboard treats including the award-winning Lashford sausages that Birmingham is famous for and speciality Scotch eggs.

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Deli Heaven prides itself on homemade food freshly prepared each day. They serve a range of hot and cold sandwiches, panini, baguettes, jacket potatoes and salads.

espite not being in the city centre, the Jewellery Quarter has a busy evening social scene as many business owners and employees live locally. From real ale and live music to cocktails and table football, the pubs in the Jewellery Quarter have a lot to offer. The Brown Lion was refurbished last year, so it is a cosy nook to wind down in at the end of the day. Owned by the Two Towers Brewery, a full range of cask ales is available and you can book tours of the attached brewery.

@JQDTBirmingham

TWITTER FEED Followers of @JQDTBirmingham recommend their favourite places to eat and drink @steffi_j_b: @TheLordClifden for a stella burger, or @therectorybar for a fabulous cocktail #mojito @jimlucascbt: I love @urbancoffeeco for a decent cuppa & slice of cake @FrontPorchBBQ: The pork belly @RedLionUAB is amaze! Goats cheese and poached pear crouton @cucinarustica1 is the nuts!

A ‘Sombrero Burger’ of flamegrilled chicken with sour cream and salsa, washed down with a selection of Belgian and Czech beers keeps customers returning to The Red Lion, or it could be their garden, quiz nights and friendly service. The Victorian stained glass windows give you an idea of how old The Jewellers Arms is. It is a popular meeting place so the benches outside are often full, especially as it is a dog friendly venue. There are no literary pretensions at The Shakespeare, just a well stocked cellar of real ales. The smoking area and patio are popular and, like many places in the Jewellery Quarter, this pub is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. The Queens Arms is an eye-catching, Grade II listed 19th century pub, with a magnificent art nouveau style tiled frontage. A CAMRA favourite, the cask ales are well received and the pub features a guest beer each month. Tasty treats on the menu include Edward Moon Proper Pie Company from Stratford upon Avon. Don’t let the resident ghost have a bite though!

Fleet Street Kitchen

aving quenched your thirst, sate your appetite at one of the local eateries. Birmingham’s 200 restaurants dish up 27 different cuisines and in the Jewellery Quarter you can table hop your way through the best international flavours. With a bar upstairs and restaurant downstairs, at The Rectory you can enjoy an appetiser of chicken liver paté flavoured with Madeira, and slow cooked belly of pork with braised red cabbage, mashed potatoes, apple and prune compote and mustard grain sauce. The classically trained chef here creates satisfying, well-crafted food at reasonable prices.

You could also try Ethiopian cuisine at Blue Nile who serve an exotically spicy mix of vegetables, slow-simmered meat or grain stews, and fresh meat sautés. The Jewellery Quarter now has two premier steakhouses, making the grill the star attraction of their restaurants. Anderson’s Bar & Grill is housed in eighteenth century cellars that are a cosy, intimate space to enjoy the locally sourced Aberdeen Angus beef, matured for 31 days to intensify the flavour. Newcomer Fleet Street Kitchen sets out to be a place where you can eat, drink and party. They have introduced Brummies to the barbacoa grill. Housed in a neat alcove alongside the main kitchen, the lumpwood charcoal grill flavours the 28-day aged Herefordshire or

The Rectory

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Big Nanny’s is like a private supper club in the living room of its owner. The warm welcome is equally matched in the heat of Caribbean dishes. From the hot sauce on the saltfish fritters to the jerk chicken, you’ll find the short menu packed with recognisable Caribbean ingredients that are served with warmth and love.

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35-day dry aged Dexter beef. If you like baby back ribs, with meat softly falling off the bone and a mini pot of the fruity house sauce, or a whole roasted chicken, then this is the place for you. The quartet of Italian restaurants in the Jewellery Quarter all have outdoor dining areas to indulge in antipasti right through to dolci. If you can’t decide between the variety of pasta at Cucina Rustica – Spaghetti con frutti di mare, Penne arrabbiata con salsiccia, Fagottini ripieni di cinghiale – then let the chef surprise you with a selection

of three different pasta dishes. While you are deliberating over the menu, a dish of free olives is very welcome, as is the consistent cooking and accomplished service. At Locanta you’ll find the expected Chicken Parmagiana and Calamari Fritti, alongside Mediterranean inspired dishes like Don Paco’s Chilli Dish of prawns sautéed with chorizo, chicken, peppers, mushrooms and chilli tomato sauce. They regularly run wine nights, so check their website for details. Pasta di Piazza has a buzz that’s great for families. They are geared up for

groups and offer a larger than average set menu of two course from £18.95 to three courses for £22.95. On a summer’s day there’s nothing better than an Amaretto ice cream and a glass of Verdicchio with its bouquet of pears and spritzy finish. About to celebrate their first birthday, the newest restaurant to join ‘la famiglia’ is Portofino. Their signature dish is Portofino Chicken stuffed with spinach, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, with spicy Neapolitan sauce served with fresh ravioli. They host private events and welcome parties. At Gino, an Italian tapas restaurant and cocktail bar, guests can enjoy tapas and cocktails in a Mediterranean setting. At The Drop Forge nothing goes on the plate if it doesn’t taste fab. They are not interested in wacky techniques, for this Modern European restaurant it is all about careful sourcing of quality ingredients. The pared down menu of sharing plates, grilled steaks and gourmet burgers is well thought out, reasonably priced and updated seasonally. They have also won a design award for converting an industrial space into a hospitable bar and restaurant, with different seating areas both inside and out.

uality is king for the restaurant owners in Birmingham. The city has four Michelin star chefs, more than any other city outside London, and the Jewellery Quarter is home to celebrity chef Aktar Islam. Macher jhol – pan fried fillet of bream resting on garlic scented tender leaf spinach and new potatoes simmered in spicy Bengali tomato and coriander scented broth won Lasan Gordon Ramsay’s F Word Best Local Restaurant. Aktar has set the standard for high quality Indian fusion dining in the city. This innovation has won over restaurant critics and customers alike so book in advance.

Afghani Lamb 14

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Taken from the Hindi word meaning history, the decadent interior of Itihaas takes its inspiration from the colonial and maharaja eras. Carved elephants, wall hangings and paintings set the scene, with immaculately laid tables and high backed chairs placed under black chandeliers. The menu however is bang up to date and dishes like the Karahi Maha Jingah – king prawns, panfried in a traditional Indian wok and marinated in a deep thick masala gravy that is unique to the karahi cooking style – has earned Itihaas the accolade of the British Curry Awards 2012 for Best Restaurant in the Midlands. Milan has been open for more than 20 years and is a modern space of leather seats, low lighting and fresh white linens. The friendly and attentive staff make this Indian restaurant a cut above. Their reasonably priced menu is very popular with groups and parties, as its location is close to the Holiday Inn Express on Lionel Street. Deepalis is the Jewellery Quarter’s newest Indian restaurant catering to all types of dietary requirements. The family-run business serves high quality vegetarian Indian dishes that can also be adapted to suit vegans or people looking for a nut, wheat, gluten or dairy-free option. The Rajdoot Tandoori claims to have introduced tandoori-style cooking to Europe in 1966. Their skilled chefs have been preparing traditional, authentic North Indian cuisine for over 40 years, cooking with Tandoori clay ovens. From a mild Bhuna Gosht of tender lamb spiced with capsicum and fenugreek to monkfish pan-fried in the chef ’s special masala sauce, there is something to tempt everyone. Henry’s is the only Cantonese restaurant in the Jewellery Quarter. This well established family owned restaurant serves more than 200 dishes to diners from their a la carte menu, Sunday buffet and Banquet menu (that also includes a free birthday cake). ‘Three Monks’ is a classic Henry’s dish.

The Jam House

The king of the honky tonk piano Jools Holland opened The Jam House and its heritage as a lively, informal music venue lives on. Monkfish served in three styles – deep fried with sweet Thai chilli, steamed with garlic soy sauce and stir fried with hot and spicy sauce. An advertising board on Warstone Lane is the only clue that you’ve found 24 Carat Bistro. An unimposing doorway (along from Big Nanny’s) leads into a snug café serving traditional fayre. Cottage pie, lasagne, meatballs and mixed grill are comforting menu staples. Due to the tiny venue, you have to ask for a key to visit the toilet which is situated opposite the café – it’s all part of the experience! When the daylight dims the lights go on in the Jewellery Quarter bars, for a stylish and entertaining evening. Getting glammed up is par for the course at Mechu. The downstairs bar has a dark, clubby vibe before you go upstairs to the nightclub.

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The mirror balls and VIP booths are a back drop to dancing until 2.30am. Thursday’s Minted is a popular weekly student night with a DJ playing motown, soul and funk. Next door is Après, the cherry red bar where pizzas are cooked in the wood fired ovens. Customers here relax by watching sport on the plasma screens or soaking up the sun on the terrace. The king of the honky tonk piano Jools Holland opened The Jam House and its heritage as a lively, informal music venue lives on. The bar, restaurant and club is spread out over three floors, providing a one-stop venue for a fun night out for more than 500 people at a time. Live music is also on the menu at the weekends in The Ropewalk pub, where kids can make their own tortillas to enjoy in the family friendly garden.

The tardis like space of Stirlings means that you can quaff wine on the outdoor terrace, sip cocktails served to you in a jam jar on the mezzanine, or down beers in the bar. In the lower ground floor is a spacious room for the Friday and Saturday DJs to spin old skool classics. Occupying the vaulted underpinnings of an imposing Victorian building, The Vaults has a classy wine and cocktail list to match their distinctive and upmarket home. Eleven vintages of champagne and mixologists keen to show off their skills have caught the attention of The Independent, who included The Vaults in its list of top 50 cocktail bars. With eight private booths to book, plus a bar and boutique restaurant serving modern British dishes, this is a bar that aims to please. Just one block up from The Vaults, Vertu has recently opened a smart new roof terrace. Open seven days a week, the bar hosts DJs and live music all weekend. Every day is happy hour or ‘good times’ as they like to call their special promotions of selected drinks for £2.50 from 4 – 8pm and five bottles of San Miguel for £10. The Actress & Bishop is not a quiet cosy pub for a tête à tête. Expect a loud venue packed with friendly people. Their comprehensive listing of comedy and quiz nights will fill your calendar throughout the year. Monday night’s quiz has a cash jackpot, weekend DJs and live music fill the dancefloor and a great atmosphere is guaranteed. The Lord Clifden is the daddy when it comes to blending superior food, drink and entertainment. Without using the word cool, hipsters definitely feel at home in the urban art bar or playing table football in the garden. Lots of guest beers and a killer jukebox also help.

Continued on p18

Now you’ve read all about the cafés, bars, restaurants and hotels in the Jewellery Quarter, here’s a handy map to help you plan a day trip or an evening out: 1 Brewsmiths

20 The Queens Arms

38 24 Carat Bistro

2 Tiffany’s Café

21 The Rectory

39 Mechu

3 Pickwicks

22 Big Nanny’s

40 Aprés

4 Philpotts

23 Blue Nile

41 The Jam House

Livery Street

Newhall Street

Warstone Lane Newhall Street Great Charles Street

5 Saint Caffe

St Paul’s Square

St Paul’s Square Warstone Lane Great Hampton Street

24 Anderson’s Bar

& Grill Mary Ann Street

6 Hylton Café

Hylton Street

25 Fleet Street Kitchen

Fleet Street

7 Lunchlines

The Big Peg

26 Cucina Rustica

Ludgate Hill

8 Café Neo

Spencer Street

27 Locanta

9 Gordon Blue

Frederick Street

10 Pomegranate

Warstone Lane

Ludgate Hill

28 Pasta di Piazza

Brook Street

Vyse Street Company The Big Peg

14 Deli Heaven

Caroline Street

15 Warstone Café

Warstone Lane

16 The Brown Lion

Hall Street

17 The Red Lion

Warstone Lane

18 The Jewellers Arms

Hockley Street

32 Lasan

James Street

33 Itihaas

Islington Gates

34 Milan

Newhall Street

35 Deepalis

Hall Street

36 Rajdoot

George Street

37 Henry’s

19 The Shakespeare

Summer Row

QUARTERLife

42 The Ropewalk

St Paul’s Square

43 Stirlings

Ludgate Hill

44 The Vaults

Newhall Place, Newhall Hill

45 Vertu

Frederick Street

46 The Actress

& Bishop Ludgate Hill

48 The Rose

Hockley Street

Frederick Street

St Paul’s Square

30 Gino

31 The Drop Forge

13 Fredericks

Summer Row

47 The Lord Clifden

Frederick Street

12 Urban Coffee

Summer Row

29 Portofino

Frederick Street

11 Vee’s Deli

Warstone Lane

SUMMER 2013

St Paul’s Square

Great Hampton Street Villa Tavern Warstone Lane

49 The Church Inn

Great Hampton Street

50 Bloc

Caroline Street

51 Hatters

Livery Street

52 Holiday Inn Express

Lionel Street

53 Travelodge

Newhall Street

54 Comfort Zone

Branston Street

55 Hampton by Hilton

Constitution Hill

RD WA HO

ET STRE

YON KEN

ST ET

ST AT Birmingham Bouldering Centre

24 ET

Snow Hill Interchange

St Paul’s Church

43 LU

Snow Hill Station E

EL N

SUM

MER

ROW

Comfort Zone

University College Birmingham

’W

COLMORE BUSINESS DISTRICT

Q ST

LE AR

52 39

Holiday Inn Express

UCB The Spa

Birmingham Christian Centre

RE TT

SAND PITS

BT Tower

SL DE

University College Birmingham Campus

NEWHALL SQUARE

ST RG O

Travelodge

HILL

Birmingham Assay Office

HALL

20 53

NEW

Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Hall

5 27

For national and regional rail services, Metro and northwest bound bus services.

RBSA Gallery O

St Paul’s J A Gallery M ES S T 32 RE E

Consulate of Pakistan

ST PAUL’S SQUARE 42

Ramgarhia Sikh Temple

TA ET RE ST X

EET LANE

RE N

Hatters Hostel

TREE AM S GRAH

O O W H RT

STR GE

Stan’s Cafe

ST LL HA AR

ICK

RTH

St Paul’s

D O

Argent Centre LEG

Hampton by Hilton

Bloc Hotel

The Asylum

DER

TIT

CE Home to the country’sLlargest P A variety of specialist E N T jewellers REG as well as the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, the Pen Room and BIAD School of Jewellery.

EET

FRE

R A ST

ST NT EGE

ORI

Frederick Street 45

Jewellery Quarter VITT

BIAD School of Jewellery

C14 AR O

SQUARE

48 17 GOLDEN

38 22

T GHAM S

BU C K I N

LAN

JEWELLERY Warstone QUARTER Lane

ST WAR

ONE

ON S TRE

35 16 KENY

OR G E S S T R E E T

Information Centre

GREA

ET EE

The Red Lion

ST ST

Consulate General of India

Jewellery Quarter Police Station

15 7 12

College of Law

Post Office

The Big Peg

ST GEORGE ING

O EN

VYSE STREET

Vyse Street

The Blue Orange Theatre

Jewellery Quarter

T HAM P

St George’s Community Hub

O RF

TON

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

R ST

ROW

City Centre

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The team behind four other successful bars in the city gave The Rose Villa Tavern a contemporary makeover, to bring the grand old boozer bang up to date. The quirky design fuses an original phone box with the original stained glass windows and wall tiles. For any time of day the menu of American style breakfasts, gourmet sandwiches and burgers plus the traditional Sunday roasts is a winner. The cocktails blend classics with new inventions – anyone for a Chase Marmalade Vodka?

The Church Inn is a block up from The Lord Clifden and reopened in May 2013 following a £500,000 makeover. Run by the owners of the Soul Food Project, this new pub promises a taste of the Deep South with their Cajun inspired menu, outdoor cinema on their roof terrace and a secret bar hidden within the refurbished building.

or a sleepover after a business meeting, or to make the weekend last longer, the boltholes in the Jewellery Quarter combine budget conscious options with design-led luxury.

The concept for Bloc is that small can be beautiful and being competitively priced (from £45 a night) doesn’t mean that you have to forgo luxury. The Egyptian cotton bed linen and monsoon drench showers come as standard in this 73-room hotel. An additional 24 long-stay apartment rooms are planned. With rooms of one bed to twelve, Hatters tops the list for groups and partygoers. No longer the reserve of backpackers, the clean, cosy, safe en-suite rooms are managed by a team of knowledgeable staff who can recommend places to visit in the area. Value for money and a convenient location is what you’d expect from the Holiday Inn Express brand, which also offers the additional benefits of secure car parking, complimentary continental breakfast and a day pass to LA Fitness. The 223-room hotel has decent sized rooms with the standard work space, modem point, pull-out sofa and power shower in the compact bathroom.

Stirlings

Family rooms at Travelodge can sleep up to four people in this three star hotel. Built five years ago with 100 rooms, the modern, tidy rooms are well equipped for a good night’s sleep. If you prefer to do your own thing, then the three bedroomed self-service apartments with modern kitchens by Comfort Zone in Branston Street may suit you. The Quarter’s newest hotel, Hampton by Hilton, offers spacious contemporary bedrooms with free high-speed Internet access and Freeview on a flat screen TV. Guests can also enjoy the use of the gym and a complimentary breakfast. Bloc 18

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SUMMER 2013

ON THE COFFIN WORKS THE £2 MILLION TRANSFORMATION OF NEWMAN BROTHERS COFFIN FITTING WORKS WILL START THIS SUMMER. QUARTERlife EXPLAINS WHAT THE PROJECT INVOLVES.

pened in 1894, Newman Brothers Coffin Fitting Works in Fleet Street was once the best in the world and made fittings for the coffins of Winston Churchill, Joseph Chamberlain and the Queen Mother. Many of the handles, breast-plates, crucifixes and shrouds were left behind when the business closed in 1999.

Now, after almost 15 years in disuse, the 19th century Grade II* listed building is set to be transformed into a base for thriving businesses. The project is being delivered by Birmingham Conservation Trust, which took over ownership of the building in 2010. Since then, it has put together a funding package including Birmingham City Council, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. As part of the £2 million development project, which will be completed next year, commercial units will be created in the three-storey building. It will also be the new home for Birmingham Conservation Trust and a heritage attraction, which will build on the Jewellery Quarter’s existing tourism links. Work is due to start on site in July 2013 after the project successfully applied to the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) for support from the Growing Places Fund, and secured the final £200,000 it needed. The Growing Places fund is designed to get stalled infrastructure projects moving again, unlocking developments and enabling the delivery of new jobs, commercial space and homes. Councillor Bob Beauchamp, chairman of the Birmingham Conservation Trust, said: “The Coffin Works will not only be an exciting and unusual heritage attraction, strengthening the Quarter’s heritage and tourism ‘offer’, but a quirky ‘character’ location offering low-cost workspaces for creative and start-up businesses.”

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SUMMER 2013

FINDINGS LAUNCH

Members of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust with Sir Albert Bore (second from right).

Internationally acclaimed artist Tom Hunter gave guests an insight into the inspiration behind his photographs of the Jewellery Quarter, as he unveiled his new body of work in Birmingham.

Tom was commissioned by GRAIN at the Library of Birmingham in partnership with the Jewellery Quarter BID and Colmore Business District.

David Mahony, photographer Tom Hunter and Michele Wilby (Colmore BID).

Using a pinhole camera, Tom has captured some of the hidden but significant buildings and impressive interiors in these two key areas of the city. Findings is available to view until 19th July in St Paul’s Square, JQ, and Church Street Square, CBD.

Sir Albert Bore, Prof. Chris O’Neil (BIAD), Tom Hunter and Pete James (Library of Birmingham).

MINISTER VISIT

The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) recently hosted a visit from Don Foster MP, Minister for Communities and Local Government, to discuss its bid to become an official neighbourhood forum under the Localism Act. The Localism Act gives communities more rights and powers to shape new development in their area. JQDT chairman David Mahony showed Mr Foster around the Standard Works on Vittoria Street. They discussed the JQDT’s ideas for the future of the building and its wider work in the Quarter.

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SUMMER 2013

Don Foster MP with JQDT Chairman David Mahony.

David Mahony, Don Foster MP, Cllr Kath Hartley and Russell Poulton (Birmingham City Council).

Mike Henrick, Prof. Jack Cunningham, Don Foster MP and David Mahony.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUSIC PRODUCER

What kind of artists do you work with? Everyone from hip hop and grime to indie bands and bhangra. We offer rehearsal space, record demos and produce EPs. We also run an agency where we put bands together and secure them seasonal bookings in hotels abroad.

Any famous Birmingham artists on your books? The Twang used to rehearse here and Jamelia has recorded here in the past. She has a very powerful voice, much stronger than I was expecting having only heard a few of her singles.

Spotted any new talent recently? There are a few Birmingham artists I think are likely to break into the mainstream. Female MC Lady Leshurr is fast becoming the one to watch. She featured on Torqux’s first EP ‘Blazin’ – who recently signed to Chase & Status’ label MTA Records. Sleeka is a male MC whose first single, ‘Get Wavey’ – a club track – is played on music channels such as AKA and Flava. His second single ‘No Going Back’ featuring Scarlette, will be out soon. Call Me Unique is one of the hardest working artists in Birmingham. She’s already supported the likes of Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Pink, and is making a name for herself in the industry.

THE

MUSIC MAN THE OXYGEN ROOMS ON BARR STREET IS ONE OF MANY RECORDING STUDIOS IN THE JEWELLERY QUARTER. MUSIC PRODUCER NICK RENDALL EXPLAINS WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

QUARTERLife

Is there a formula to making a hit song? Just because a song isn’t in the charts doesn’t mean it’s not good. There are plenty of unsigned artists and songwriters that have written great songs but people just haven’t heard them on a commercial level. Generally, as long as you have a catchy melody and a hook, the artist and the promotion behind the song is what gets it to number one.

How long does it take to produce an album? We mostly work with artists who are starting out so haven’t got the financial support to make a whole album. They usually start with three or four tracks, which they send to record companies to try and get signed. The time it takes to produce a full album depends on the artist – most of our clients already have their lyrics and the melodies in mind so the process is smoother than someone who is still trying to find their sound.

SUMMER 2013

FINDINGS EXHIBITION – SHOWING UNTIL 19TH JULY

❝

It felt like entering

ALADDIN’S CAVE the further you go in the more treasures you find

❞ INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTIST TOM HUNTER VISITED THE QUARTER EARLIER THIS YEAR TO PHOTOGRAPH THE AREA FOR HIS NEW EXHIBITION, ‘FINDINGS’. HERE, TOM REFLECTS ON HIS TIME IN THE QUARTER AND EXPLAINS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND SOME OF HIS FAVOURITE IMAGES.

y first impression of the Jewellery Quarter was somewhat hampered by a freezing winter morning, with snow flurries and icy pavements. But even in this, St Paul’s Square stood out like a jewel and, as I got to know the area, its true beauty really began to shine.

Being allowed to explore the inner workings and sanctums of this unique place opened up an amazing world, from our industrial history frozen in time to real working factories and workshops – all enshrined in the most incredible architecture. It felt like entering an Aladdin’s cave, the further you go in the more treasures you find. In these buildings the treasures were stacked high, literally. The basements of the Toye & Co. building hold thousands of dyes dating back centuries. Other subjects included the Pen Museum, the Assay Office, the Kettleworks and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter.

2 22

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SUMMER 2013

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter.

The Coffin Works – Tom’s favourite Jewellery Quarter location.

Tom’s favourite photo, taken at the Bullion Room.

The making of The Bullion Room shot.

The Rose Villa Tavern.

Tom in the basements of Toye & Co. surrounded by thousands of dyes.

favourite location

he Coffin Works. The building is a true treasure trove; it has so many different rooms frozen in time. The basement where the men stood in trenches to pull the ropes to drop the weights for the stamps; the sewing rooms at the top of the building, soaked in light, where the departed robes were hanging from rails like ghosts; and the offices where photos of bosses and workers still hold pride of place but no-one collects their wages. All of these spaces paint such a vivid description of lives and times gone by and it was great to be able to capture the space before it was closed for redevelopment.

favourite photograph

he Bullion Room. The shot shows a worker in the process of pouring molten gold into a bullion bar. All the photographs for this project were taken on a handmade pinhole camera, which means all the exposures are relatively long, preventing the capture of movement. But in this photo the worker is half present, giving a ghostly impression. I also love the way the gold glows, drawing us in like moths to the flame.

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SUMMER 2013

The Findings project was commissioned by GRAIN Library of Birmingham, the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District and the Colmore Business District. The exhibition is showing in St Paul’s Square and Church Street Square from 25th April to 19th July. For more information, visit www.findingsbirmingham.co.uk

OF THE TRADE

he School of Jewellery is working in partnership with Holts Academy in London, the British Jewellers’ Association (BJA) and Birmingham City Council to offer young people, aged between 16 and 24, the opportunity to learn traditional craftsmanship skills in a real working environment. The scheme currently supports 16 apprentices employed across seven Jewellery Quarter businesses – Thomas Fattorini, Gladman & Norman, Charles Green, Hockley Mint, Weston Beamor, Toye & Co. and A.Wardle & Co. The placements are full-time for two years, which comprises four days per week in the workplace and one day at the School of Jewellery learning specialised skills such as enamelling, stone setting and hand engraving. The apprentices are also working towards achieving a fully accredited qualification in Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades.

David Grant, aged 24 from Tyseley, has an apprenticeship with Gladman & Norman – metal and enamel craftsmen based in Tenby Street North. David said: “The apprenticeship scheme means I get to learn the trade whilst working in a real factory. I’m learning lots of different skills, including mounting, sawing and buffing, as well as how to use the hand press. I’ve always had an interest in stones and how they are set so it’s great to be able to learn this specialist skill at the School of Jewellery too.” Mark Newitt, of Gladman & Norman, said: “Manufacturing isn’t a career that is encouraged in schools so companies like us only have a small pool of skilled people to choose from if we want to grow the business. “Apprenticeships are a great way for companies to train people from the grass roots, who will hopefully go on to become long serving members of the team.”

QUARTERLife

SUMMER 2013

School of Jewellery 2013 short courses Available to book now 24 June £170 Enamelling: one-day introduction 24 June £170 Successful silver soldering 24-26 June £395 Polishing for jewellers and silversmiths masterclass 25 June £170 Transparency in enamel: tips and troubleshooting 25-28 June £395 Jewellery making (intermediate): tips of the trade and troubleshooting 1-4 July £395 Jewellery making with silver for beginners 1-5 July £495 Stone setting: an introduction

For full course listings visit, www.bcu.ac.uk/biad

reservations and enquiries To make a reservation please contact Dawn Meaden-Johnson on 0121 248 4584 (Mon, Tues and Thurs – between 9am and 2.30pm) or email dawn.meaden-johnson @bcu.ac.uk

❝ I’m a big fan ❞

OF THE ROSE VILLA TAVERN

CHRIS BROWN, AGED 25, IS A PR ACCOUNT MANAGER IN BIRMINGHAM. HAVING LIVED IN THE JEWELLERY QUARTER FOR TWO YEARS, CHRIS EXPLAINS THE AREA’S APPEAL.

The Quarter has a community feel,

which you wouldn’t necessarily expect in a big city. Whether it’s in the local pub or around St Paul’s Square, you’ll bump into old friends and make new ones along the way.

A typical weekend would start with a ‘Porky’ breakfast and the weekend papers at The Rose Villa Tavern in Warstone Lane. Then I’d wander over to Urban Coffee for a cheeky slice of cake while I catch up with my emails and do some blogging. In the evening I’d go back to The Rose Villa Tavern for cocktails and a catch up with friends. As you may have guessed I’m a big fan of The Rose Villa Tavern. I’d highly recommend the Cherry Bakewell cocktail. If you’re after a quiet night with a close friend or the other half, Pasta Di Piazza in St Paul’s Square is a lovely place to share a bottle of wine over pizza.

In the summer you can’t beat a picnic in St Paul’s Square. You really can spend the

whole day there before nipping to The Rectory, just across the Square, for a glass of wine.

A 1hr 45min session of hot yoga at Yoga Haven is definitely worth experiencing. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or just want to sweat out the cocktails from the night before, this is one workout you won’t forget and it will leave you feeling amazing.

QUARTERLife

SUMMER 2013

ix Jewellery Quarter organisations have donated more than £1,000 to fund local community events for underprivileged children.

Fellows Auctioneers, Charles Green & Son, Samson Gold, Finch & Co, KM Taylor and Property For Kids all made donations to the children of Ladywood Ward, whose families are among the most deprived in the country.

FIL LIFE SWAP PAWS EFIL The Councillor-led support group organises events for children and their families living in Ladywood Ward. Fellows auctioneers also donated some toys for raffle prizes, including a giant teddy bear that proved to be very popular!

HIGHFLYER EAMON CUTS HIS SPENDING HABITS TO RAISE CASH FOR CHARITY.

millionaire swapped flash cars and exotic holidays for nights in and home cooking for a month to raise more than £130,000 for a cancer charity.

Eamon Gaughan, chief executive officer of JEEG Global Group of Companies, which includes The Bullion Room in the Jewellery Quarter, sacrificed his usual lavish lifestyle to live on just £800. The money was raised in aid of The Christie charity, which funds cancer research projects at The Christie Hospital in Manchester. Eamon donated the difference between his average usual monthly expenditure and the £800 budget to the charity fund. He also matched, pound for pound of his own money, any sponsorship he received from private individuals and, if he exceeded the budget, Eamon pledged to donate £10 for every pound he went over. He said: “I wanted to raise funds for a cancer charity as one of my close family members recently died from the disease. “I’m well aware that many people are used to living on just £800 per month. But I’m lucky enough to afford certain luxuries and people that know me, know it would be difficult for me to live without them. “I changed my car, cooked at home rather than going out for meals, quit smoking, didn’t buy any new clothes and didn’t go out socialising for the whole month. “If the money I raised helps just one person go into remission for cancer, it was all worth it.”

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SUMMER 2013

Stephen Whittaker, managing director at Fellows, said: “We are delighted to help support this charity. As a fifth generation family business, it’s a cause that’s very close to the Fellows’ DNA.” Cllr Kath Hartley, councillor for the Ladywood Ward, said: “Kind donations such as this ensure we can continue to support the families and children of Ladywood.”

FUNDING SUPPORTS PHOTO PROJECT Blue Orange Arts, the registered charity based at The Blue Orange Theatre in Great Hampton Street, has successfully secured funding from Awards for All, Big Lottery Fund. This will be used to deliver a series of exploratory workshops using drama and photography with adults with experience of mental health issues. ‘Click and play’ will begin in June and culminate in a photography exhibition in August.

JAZZ JQ BIRMINGHAM’S 29TH INTERNATIONAL JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL IS TAKING OVER THE CITY FROM 5TH TO 14TH JULY. HERE’S WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE JQ.

5 TH

Zingaros New Gypsy Tango

9 TH

The Trevor Burton Band

9 TH

Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

5 TH

Steve Ajao Quartet

Shreveport Rhythm

7 TH

The Great Birmingham Trombone Company

10 TH

12 TH

Kent DuChaine

British Jazz Awards St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Square, 7.30pm. Tickets £7 - £15 www.theticketsellers.co.uk

The Jonny Hepbir Quartet

Lindy Pop Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

12 TH

Art Themen Quartet The Drop Forge, Hockley Street, 8.30pm. Free

13 TH

Jazz in the courtyard Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Vyse Street, 12pm - 3pm. Free

Krupa Connection

Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

Bob Hall & Dave Peabody

Roy Forbes and Brian Dee Trio (afterparty)

Les Zauto Stompers De Paris

10 TH

Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

Tim Kliphuis Trio

Giedre Kilciauskiene & Andrej Polevikov Quartet Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

The Jam House, St Paul’s Square, 9pm. Free

Portofino, Frederick Street, 6pm. Free

Lasan, James Street off St Paul’s Square, 9pm. Free, if dining

Cucina Rustica, Ludgate Hill, 6pm. Free

Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

Fleet Street Kitchen, Fleet Street, 9pm. Free

Simon Spillett Quartet

The Potato Head Jazz Band

The Drop Forge, Hockley Street, 8.30pm. Free

11 TH

Lord Clifden, Great Hampton Street, 7.30pm. Free

The Will Johns Band The Jam House, St Paul’s Square, 10.15pm. Tickets £5

For more information, visit www.jewelleryquarter.net/jazz This programme of events is accurate at the time of printing

QUARTERLife

SUMMER 2013

IN 2013 For all the details on what’s on locally, please visit

www.jewelleryquarter.net/whatson

June

July

FINDINGS EXHIBITION

BE FESTIVAL

JQA BREAKFAST

Until 19th July, St Paul’s Square

2nd to 6th, AE Harris Factory, Northwood Street

10th, The Drop Forge

www.findingsbirmingham.co.uk

www.befestival.org

JAZZ FESTIVAL

October

Representatives from Centro and AMEY will provide an update on the tunnel closures and alternative travel options.

5th to 14th

JAZZ AWARDS

www.jewelleryquarter.net/jazz

10th, St Paul’s Church

JQA BREAKFAST 9th, The Drop Forge Guest speakers from Birmingham City Council – Waheed Nazir (Director of Regeneration) and Andrew Round (Development Planning & Regeneration Manager).

NEXT ISSUE SHOP TILL YOU DROP IN THE QUARTER

EDITOR: Laura Butler

FASHION SHOW

LEVY PAYERS’ DINNER AT UCB

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON EVENT

October

December

Further details will be confirmed in the next issue, but will be announced on the website as soon as the information is available.

We’ve told readers everything they need to know about the Quarter’s leisure offering in our pull-out guide, so in the September issue we are focusing on the retail sector. Do you own a gift shop, fashion store or jewellery shop in the Quarter? If so, we want to hear from you. We’re looking for business and people profiles as well as news and views about the sector. Please email laura@barquespr.co.uk to see how you can get involved.

DESIGNER: Lee Haynes

PHOTOGRAPHY: Viv Bailey

CONTRIBUTORS: Charlie Betts, Alison Monteith, Tracey Saunders, Cllr Philip Davis, Nick Rendall, Tom Hunter, and Chris Brown