DLUXE Coventry Summer 2021 Issue 1

INSIDE OUR UK CITY OF CULTURE THE SHOW WINDOWS PLAN THE PERFECT STAYCATION COVENTRY: NEW MOTOR CITY DISCOVER: FARGO VILLAGE IN PAINT WE TRUST WHAT’s ON & WHERE! TREND SETTERS: COVENTRY’S NEW STYLE SUPPORTED BY

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SUMMER 2021 YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

REDISCOVER REDISCOVER COVENTRY COVENTRY CITY CITY CENTRE CENTRE

Rediscover RediscoverCoventry CoventryCity CityCentre Centrethis thissummer, summer, a acity cityrich richininculture cultureand andhistory. history.As Aswe wecelebrate celebrate our ouryear yearasasCity CityofofCulture Culturethere therehave havenever neverbeen been sosomany manygreat greatreasons reasonstotovisit. visit.

Head Headtotoour ourwebsite websitetotofind findlistings listingsofofallallthe thegreat great shops shopsand andrestaurants restaurantsplus plusthe thelatest latestdetails detailsofof experiences experiencesand andevents eventsavailable. available.

COVENTRYCITYCENTRE.CO.UK COVENTRYCITYCENTRE.CO.UK @COVCITYCENTRE @COVCITYCENTRE

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TALK TO US MANAGING DIRECTOR Kevin Urquhart Kevin@fu-media.co.uk 07713 740 272 GROUP EDITOR IN CHIEF Jonathan Fraser Jon@fu-media.co.uk 0772 580 9654 EDITORIAL Rebecca Rhodes Rebecca@fu-media.co.uk 0116 2533 445 EDITORIAL Francesca Arculeo Francesca@fu-media.co.uk EDITORIAL Scarlett Smith Scarlett@fu-media.co.uk

Ira Aldridge became manager of the Coventry Theatre in 1828, making him the first black person to ever run a British theatre. Art by Dreph.

06 AGENDA

36 MOTORS

Our personal picks of our favourite features, stories and products from around Coventry.

Which electric car suits your lifestyle plus we talk to the people in Coventry designing the future of global transportation.

Discover Coventry’s quirky side at FarGo Village

18 BID BUSINESS We talk to Coventry BID’s Trish Willetts about the city’s fighting spirit.

20 SHOW WINDOWS Discover how a team of artists have brought art out of the galleries and on to the High Street.

24 SUMMER TRENDS Pattern for her, Summer Smarts for him and a look at how Coventry students are setting the trends for the catwalks of tomorrow.

32 LIVING Bringing the inside out and a look at the key home trends for 2021 and beyond.

40 TRAVEL Who needs the seaside when there is so much to do in Coventry this Summer!

44 DINING City food and drink trails, new openings, old favourites and fabulous recipes to try.

50 IN PAINT WE TRUST Taking art to the streets, we talk to the team behind this Street Art project.

52 DIARY

What’s on and what’s coming up culturally within Coventry this summer.

INSIDE OUR UK CITY OF CULTURE THE SHOW WINDOWS PLAN THE PERFECT STAYCATION COVENTRY: NEW MOTOR CITY DISCOVER: FARGO VILLAGE IN PAINT WE TRUST WHAT’s ON & WHERE! TREND SETTERS: COVENTRY’S NEW STYLE SUPPORTED BY

WWW.DLUXE-MAGAZINE.CO.UK

SUMMER 2021 YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY DC Spring Agenda.indd 1

58 HOROSCOPES National treasure, sensational star gazer Russell Grant on what the future holds for us all.

Cover image: River Island.

10 AREA FOCUS

ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION Carey Hutt carey@fu-media.co.uk

28/07/2021 12:36:53

www.dluxe-magazine.co.uk info@fu-media.co.uk dluxe coventry

Disclaimer: Copyright Fraser Urquhart Ltd. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy in compiling this publication, the Publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, omissions, breach of copyright or otherwise since compilation. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any material submitted to the publication, not excluding advertisements. The views expressed within this title are not necessarily the views of the Publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by the Publisher. © Fraser Urquhart Ltd 2021

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Welcome to this, the inaugural print edition of DLUXE Coventry. With so many amazing things happening in the city over the last few years we’ve been itching to give the city its own magazine for a while. As you’d expect, the events of the last 18 months delayed that – until now!

It’s an amazing feeling to launch a luxury magazine for Coventry, not just because of the UK City of Culture celebrations, but because the city is well and truly ready and deserving of having its trumpets blown! And that’s just what we’ve tried to do within this first edition; celebrate and look again at what Coventry has got to offer – and it’s a lot!

We feature some of the things that define this city and some other things that may surprise you, such as the amazing work being done by graduating fashion students at Coventry University that will be coming to a catwalk near you soon and helping to define fashion for years to come. We’ve been looking at what’s happening to the city culturally, too. From taking art onto the high streets to making us rethink

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what art actually is, Coventry is a city that wants people to actively engage and isn’t afraid to break down boundaries and make us all think again. This shows a great confidence.

We may all be holidaying in the Costa Del Back Garden this year, but what a city to be doing it in, we say!

We’ve looked at some of the things you can enjoy to make the perfect staycation in the city, and we’ve been exploring some of Coventry’s hidden quirks with the great big box of urban delights that is FarGo Village.

We really hope you enjoy this first edition of DLUXE Coventry. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped pull this together including the amazing team at Coventry BID. All that’s left to say is pop the kettle on, sit back, relax and read up on all the wonderful things you can do right here on your doorstep.

Together, let’s send ourselves to Coventry. Until next time

Jonathan Fraser Group Editor In Chief

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Will Young Crying on the Bathroom Floor

Lynda La Plante Unholy Murder

Perhaps one of the UK’s most underestimated talents, Will Young’s newest release is a covers album of songs from female songwriters and performers that have, in many cases, somehow gone under the radar.

Ok, so even though many of us will not be jetting off to the sun this summer, that doesn’t mean we should forego time with a big summer blockbuster read, does it?

“After 18 years of recording and performing a lot of original material, I loved the idea of creating an album that celebrates some of the modern female artists I so admire in pop. In today’s times it’s so much easier and accepted to occupy other genders, ideas and explore new avenues. I wanted to understand what it might be like to sing their lyrics; a song about a boy called Daniel; crying on the bathroom floor, feeling like Elizabeth Taylor. This is not a covers album as such, well certainly not in the standard way. I wanted to bring songs from female artists who I admire into a new arena” Pick a copy up from HMV from 6th August.

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Queen of the page turner, Lynda La Plante, is back with an all new Detective Jane Tennison thriller, released on the 19th August, that’s sure to keep you glued to your garden chair this summer. A coffin is dug up by builders in the grounds of an historic convent - inside is the body of a young nun but in a city as old as London, the discovery is hardly surprising.

But when scratch marks are found on the inside of the coffin lid, Detective Jane Tennison believes she has unearthed a mystery far darker than any she’s investigated before. Get your copy from Waterstones or WH Smith.

DIRTY DANCING UK tour JAMES BOND NO TIME TO DIE Perhaps the most anticipated Bond film to date, No Time To Die, will finally hit cinema screens in Coventry on the 30th September at the Odeon after being hit by multiple Covid delays. Touted as Daniel Craig’s last on screen appearance as Bond, the iconic British spy will be seen alongside fellow franchise favourites Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Léa Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes with Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek, as villainous tech whizz Safin.

Nobody puts Baby in the corner! Following two blockbuster West End runs, four hit UK tours, and multiple sensational international productions, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story is coming to Coventry’s Belgrade from the 2nd to 6th November 2021. Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

Featuring the hit songs, Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the heart-stopping (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.

Coventry EXPLORE

Ford’s Hospital

A great place to eat, drink, shop and play, Coventry has safely reopened and invites you to explore everything the city has to offer.

Coventry Cathedral ©Rahul Argha Sen

Download your own copy of the official Coventry visitor guide here:

We are extremely proud to be the UK City of Culture, and for a whole year, we will celebrate our rich cultural heritage with events, music, dance, theatre and large-scale spectacle. As well as these big celebrations, our city will show its unexpected side, with more intimate experiences and ways to get involved across all areas of the city.

Coventry’s city centre has seen vast changes in recent years, with the stunning transformation of our public spaces, making them open, inviting and accessible to our visitors. The city is bursting with places to eat and drink, as well as remarkable museums and galleries, exciting independent shops, big high street brands, and even our own exhilarating waterpark. Within our city centre, and throughout the wider area, Coventry is filled with activity to captivate all ages and interests.

Whether you’re looking to reconnect with friends, celebrate a special occasion, immerse yourself in culture, or treat your taste buds to a foodie feast, a visit to Coventry can be anything you want it to be.

visitcoventry.co.uk visitcov |

visit_coventry |

visit_coventry | #ExploreCoventry

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MORE SHOWS announced AT ASSEMBLY FESTIVAL GARDEN The programme at Assembly Festival Garden for Coventry City of Culture grows bigger and better, as more shows are announced for the Queen of Flanders and Piccolo spiegeltents in July.

The pioneers of pop music parody, Frisky & Mannish, burst into the Queen of Flanders spiegeltent on the 30 and 31 July with their smash-hit show PopLab whilst stomping into the Festival Garden, just in time for the school summer holiday (f rom 15 July) will be Dinosaur World Live. Over in the Piccolo there is a magical time to be had by everyone, with a programme bursting with tricks and treats for all ages.

Midlands-based magician Jester Styles brings a little bit of mystery to the Festival Garden 27 – 31 July (not Fri 30), with a family-friendly show that will leave both children and adults alike asking how did he do it! Card Ninja will show off his journey f rom mild-mannered card player to silent assassin with his award-winning display of card stunts (27 and 28 July).

Away from the supernatural and towards the superhero, MARVELus brings an action-packed evening of laughs to Coventry, covering (almost) all the MARVEL films that will 6 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

delight the whole spectrum of fans (27 and 28 July); and Captain Breadbeard will make everyone ‘loaf-out-loud’ with his shamelessly pun-tastic show (31 July and 1 Aug).

There’s more comedy in store with a double bill f rom the globally acclaimed trio Police Cops (16 and 17 July), and fabulous new talent on stage at Coventry’s first ever Triple Threat Comedy Night (18 July). Birmingham theatre company Paperback Theatre present a new romantic comedy with a twist, in a new play by Lucy Bird, Me and My Doll (29 – 31 July); and three Welsh stand-ups discuss the moral quandaries of the day in the live version of hit podcast Here to Judge, with hosts Leila Navabi, Robin Morgan, and Priya Hall (18 July). Plus, there’s a fantastic line-up of stand-up on offer including, Elliot Steel (24 July), Christopher Macarthur-Boyd (30 July), and more.

For tickets and to keep up to date with what’s happening visit www.Assemblyfestivalgarden.com

DRINK LESS & BETTER WIth many of us more mindful of our alcohol comsumption after being left alone with the remains of our recycling bin for all of lockdown, LUXLO has launched 4 new glorious spirits with a focus on drinking less and drinking better having all the flavour you would expect f rom your favourite spirit but with lower calories and a lower alcohol content.

The range is low alcohol thanks to an ABV of 20% , low calorie, at just 28 calories per 25ml measure, sugar-free, gluten-f ree and vegan friendly.

What’s more they come presented in these beautiful botanical bottles with rose gold finished accents so they’re sure to look smart on any home bar. The range is available in four flavours; Ginnythe original flavour for those who love the juniper tastes of some spirits, Blood Orange for citrus lovers, Passion Fruit if you are looking for something exotic or Pomegranate & Raspberry for that popular taste of pink berries.

A full 70cl bottle of each flavour is available, priced at £30.00 and is also available in a miniature gift pack, priced at £16. You can get it at any good off licence or online at www.luxlospirits.com

Centenary CELEBRATIONS FOR COVENTRY Rotary Club The Club, which today has 38 members of a total 75 across Coventry was first established in 1921 by Sir Edward Iliffe and in its 100-year history, has encouraged educational exchanges; set up youth speaking competitions; supported outward-bound residential courses and respite for carers.

Support following both World Wars included Rotarians helping children whose fathers had not returned f rom the f ront with the children guided through school and into employment.

And the Club instituted a Get You Home service for soldiers arriving at Coventry Station during and after the Second World War. This involved 30 club members and friends transporting 4,500 servicemen 22,000 miles. Members also helped to distribute parcels to families distressed by the bombing of the city.

Other events arranged and supported over the years have included parties for disadvantaged and disabled children, shoes provided for children in need, garden parties, theatre trips, picnics, shopping trips, day trips and concerts for the elderly, trips and breaks at the seaside for underprivileged children, food parcels and donating goods throughout the year including Christmas and Easter.

Today a children’s automata (moving carousel) still stands in the City Retail Market and funds raised f rom this are shared between the Lord Mayor’s charities and the Rotary Club charities and each Christmas Santa’s Sleigh can be seen by families around the city, which is a major fundraiser for all of the

Coventry Clubs who work together on this annual event.

Chairman of the Centenary Committee for the Rotary Club of Coventry, Robert Villette, said: “The centenary is a remarkable achievement for the Club, I feel extremely proud to be part of something which has helped so many people across the world over the past 100 years and continues to do so today.”

To find out more about The Rotary Club of Coventry or how to join, visit: www.coventryrotary.org dluxe-magazine.co.uk 7

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Businesses taste success at INAUGURAL Foodie Awards

Two of the headline winners of the night were The Barn Kitchen, formerly of Binley Woods, which was named Foodie Champion, and Dhillon’s Brewery in Coventry which enjoyed triple awards success with: Artisan Drink Producer of the Year; Pub/Bar of the Year and The Godiva Award.

AN evening of celebration shone a light on some of the region’s best hospitality businesses in the finals of the first ever Coventry & Warwickshire Foodie Awards last week.

In partnership with Warwickshire County Council, Coventry BID and Visit Coventry, the first live local awards event since lockdown brought together more than 40 businesses vying for success across 15 food and drink categories.

The finalists had previously come under the scrutiny of a judging panel, including celebrity chef Glynn Purnell. And earlier in the month the ‘Yummy Brummie’ was joined by his former boss Andreas Antona, owner of The Cross in Kenilworth to preside over a cook-off to find the Chef of the Year.

Reacting to a successful night for Dhillon’s Brewery, Trish Willetts, Director of Coventry BID and award sponsor, said: “The Coventry Brewery have their brewing facility by the CBS Arena, and took their first city centre unit during lockdown restrictions in early 2021. They opened in the Christchurch Spire, one of Coventry’s three iconic Spires, and have gone from strength to strength.

“During the same time the team turned their brewery into a hand sanitising manufacturing unit to help with the battle of the virus supplying city centre businesses. Now they are embarking on their second bar which will be the Coventry City Tavern, a sports bar due to open on the outskirts of the city centre in August, with sponsorship from Coventry’s very own football team. They hit adversity in the eyes and kept on, keeping on!”

Images: Dhillon’s Brewery Team, Coventry BID’s Trish Willetts Trish Willetts presents the charity proceeds from the night to The Trussell Trust. Images by David Fawbert Photography.

HMV AND EMPIRE JOIN FORCES

YOUR WEDDING LIVE: COVENTRY With many of us unable to plan our dream weddings over the last 18 months, the chance to be immersed in the hottest wedding event at the Coventry Building Society Arena this October 23rd and 24th will be a dream come true!

Whether you’re in the early stages of planning your wedding, looking to fuel inspiration for a friend or add those final finishing touches, Your Wedding Live will have everything you need to create your dream day.

Organisers promise celebrity guests, hands-on advice from much-loved industry experts, show-stopping features, luxury, affordable shopping, eye-catching live shows, inspirational masterclasses, demonstrations and catwalk presentations.

Find out more at www.yourweddinglive.co.uk 8 dluxe-magazine

Coventry music venue, The Empire, has announced details of a partnership with leading entertainment brand, HMV and will be known as the HMV Empire when it relocates to the city centre this summer.

HMV Empire, Coventry will open on Hertford Street this year following a £500,000 re-development of a former retail site and cinema.

Patrizia Leighton, Marketing and Commercial Director, HMV, said: “As Coventry celebrates being the City of Culture for 2021, and as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, HMV’s sponsorship of this incredible new venue will help cement live music’s place at the heart of Coventry’s cultural scene and introduce music fans to new bands and artists. Together with the HMV Empire team, we’re looking forward to offering amazing live experiences as the country comes out of lockdown.”

Check out what’s coming up at www.coventryempire.co.uk

Once Once upon uponaawindow… window…

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Discover Discovermore morebybyvisiting visitingCoventry Coventrycity citycentre centrethis thisyear yearoror bybyvisiting visitingSmartify Smartifywhere whereyou youwill willfind findout outmore moreabout aboutthe the windows, windows,artists, artists,delivery deliveryteam teamand andother othercultural culturalactivity activity being beingproduced producedininCoventry CoventrybybyCoventry CoventryBID. BID.

The The Show Show Windows Windows is is co-produced co-produced inin partnership partnership byby Coventry Coventry City City ofof Culture Culture Trust, Trust, Coventry Coventry Business Business Improvement Improvement District District and and RIBA. RIBA. The The Show Show Windows Windows is is funded funded byby Arts Arts Council Council England.

England.

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GET QUIRKY IN COV @ FARGO

Having nothing whatsoever to do with the addictively entertaining American black comedy crime drama television series or the Cohen brothers movie from which it originated, FarGo Village does share their quirky vibe and sensibility.

An artistically re-purposed industrial space in Coventry City Centre, FarGo is actually a reference to its location on Far Gosford Street and has been designed exclusively for creative, independent businesses to begin, develop and to thrive.

Visitors can expect an eclectic mix of over 40 independent businesses on site including a craft brewery, artisan food producers, vintage interior, fashion and record stores as well as artists, designers and makers that offer visitors the opportunity to take home something truly unique home with them. You can even get your haircut, get a tattoo, take a CrossFit class and visit a Sgt Bilko museum here – told you it was quirky!

The flexible outdoor spaces also lends itself well to markets and festivals with a Summer Makers Festival featuring 30 local makers offering everything from ceramics to jewellery, plants to prints, clothing to candles, on the weekend of the 31st July. Caffeine connoisseurs can even get involved in September’s Coventry Festival that takes place on the 18th and 19th focusing on local, artisan roasters, independent food and drink retail and home-grown baristas.

FarGo Village is open daily but many stores only open Thursday to Sunday, 11 to 5 so it’s best to check the website before your visit. www.fargovillage.co.uk 10 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Buddha Boutique A holistic hippy shop run by Yoga instructor Yogamasti, Buddha Boutique is a peaceful haven where you would want to come, share, read, converse and leave with a content, inspiring feeling. They sell everything from Incense & Mantras, to Chakras & Mandalas.

Commonground Multipurpose art space in Coventry. Drink coffee, eat-in, view curated exhibitions, learn a new skill or improve an old one.

Buy something for you, or another, in the print shop and design store.

Container No 8 A totally unique shopping experience specialising in a range of locally produced preserves homemade using homegrown (as much as possible) produce.

Also on offer is a wide variety of other locally produced foodstuffs, specialty drinks, artwork and all manner of interesting gifts.

Fantayzia Designs Unique, handcrafted jewellery and artwork, through the creative use of unplayable vinyl records. The shop also stocks new and pre-loved vinyl as part of Fantayzia Records with classic albums to new releases from some of the hottest independent records labels.

Just Dropped In Independent Record Shop selling new and used vinyl, Indie, Psych, Rock, Dub and Electronic- you can lose many happy hours in here flipping through boxes and boxes of vinyl.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE PICKS FROM FARGO VILLAGE SHOP: Auntie Olive’s Attic Specialising in 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s fashion, furniture and home-ware, everything at Auntie Olive's Attic is, handpicked, cleaned and lovingly restored to ensure the best quality.

Olivia Thomas Handmade Handmade bath products and scented soya wax candles that are cruelty free, kind to sensitive skin, vegan friendly and long lasting.

Oshin Arts Beautiful handmade Kanzashi flowers and dolls inspired by Japanese culture and traditional arts made with respect to the original technique, but with designs adapted to a westernstyle.

Project Number 5 A sustainable fashion skate shop stocking vintage handpicked clothes from the 90s onwards, for women and men, for all seasons. Alongside the vintage section they stock skateboard hardware.

Ronnie’s Stuff A little treasure trove of curiosities, antiques and quirkiness. Browse through a selection of wall art, jewellery, home wares, cultural arts and the house specialty cameras: working 35mm SLR for budding photographers and lots of vintage and retro items looking for a loving home.

Sgt Bilko’s Vintage Emporium Specialising in vintage and modern film and television memorabilia and with a strong emphasis on everything ‘cult’ the store caters for a wide range of tastes, offering a varied selection of collectables.

Stacey’s Shabby Shack Husband and wife duo find old and unloved furniture to paint and reupholster as well as create unique home furnishings from this, that and anything they can find...pop into the shop if you have an idea and let them make it a reality.

The Big Comfy Bookshop Run

by Michael, surrounded by thousands of books of all genres, and topped off with locally made cakes. And then there's the Bar! Tea, Coffee, Beer and Wine. The bookshop is about getting the local community together to discuss, learn, play and create.

The Green Unicorn Vegan Store Stocking a wide variety of vegan goods from groceries and whole foods, snacks and sweets, chilled and frozen foods right through to vegan-themed handcrafted gifts as well as a Zero Waste vegan pick n mix counter, the only one in Coventry. dluxe-magazine.co.uk 11

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] Twisted Barrel Ale Their working brewery at FarGo Village opens its doors to the public each week to bring you the freshest, most local beer in Coventry including 12 of their own brews.

GROOM: Dashing Blades A retro style Barbers Shop offering traditional and contemporary hair cuts to Gents, beard styling & trimming and Hot towel cut throat shaves.

EAT: BIB Noodle Bar Freshly-made Chinese food, from hand-pulled noodles to dumplings, from fermented vegetable to chilli powers/sauces.

Come take a ride with them around the wonderful culinary culture of China.

Bubble Boba Friendly Bubble Tea & Milkshake Bar where there's never a shortage of fun to be had thanks to Old School games and Classic Console games to keep you and your friends entertained. Their Bobaristas are on hand to help you find your perfect Bubble Tea & Milkshake.

Choc N Roll Selling a range of chocolate products, macarons and pastries, a selection of homemade hot chocolates and award winning coffee as well as offering workshops.

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Dirty Kitch 100% vegan.

Expect to find a menu bursting with cravable and satisfying vegan soul food inspired by the dirty south, including crispy fried "chick'n" and meaty burnt ends in a caramelized bbq glaze.

100% vegan. Zero compromises on flavour.

Gourmet Food Kitchen A small, independent restaurant serving artisan fresh food made on the premises every day by chef Tony Davies.

Leave it to Esmie captures the vibrancy of West Indian cuisine. Let them take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey through West Indian cuisine. Menu highlights include: Salt fish fritters, Jerk Chicken Burrito, Curry Mutton and Callaloo Bake.

The Brownie Box Over the top, filthy brownie and cookie flavours with a constantly evolving menu of the very dirtiest desserts.

The Rock'n'Roller Parlour A freespirited and relaxing environment with services ranging from simple trims to complete colour makeovers in the glamorous salon or in the privacy of Ruby, a lovingly converted Freedom caravan that was the beginnings of the original Parlour.

The

Drawing Room A custom contemporary tattoo studio currently specialising in abstract black work and super bright watercolour tattoos. All tattoo work is custom drawn to suit each client’s individual ideas and preferences.

Wildcard Strength And Conditioning Why just look strong, when you can be strong?

That’s what Wildcard reckon; a gym dedicated to optimising human performance and specialising in CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting.

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INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS CELEBRATED “It’s also based on a year on hold. It’s about what happened to these people over the past year and what impact the pandemic has had on their lives – positive and negative. It looks at how so many women have had to reinvent themselves on the kitchen table. It’s all about celebrating being positive.

Successful entrepreneurs from Coventry are among the inspirational stories that form a new book set to raise funds for a national charity close to their hearts.

Inspirational Women, Inspirational Lives, celebrates female achievers from across the country, many with tales of overcoming adversity and even tragedy.

Compiled over nine months

by Tracey McAtamney, from Balsall Common, the book features the 58 finalists in the 2020 /21 Ladies First Network Awards “Compiling this book has been both very humbling and uplifting. I thought it was important to get it out there.

At the moment there are more women than ever who need support and inspiration.

“I hope that what people take away from this book is a belief in themselves, that they will see that, no matter how bad things become in your life, you can come out of it the other side.” says Tracey.

Coventrian contributors include Marie Rowe, Inspirational speaker and former Hollywood film producer, Christine Cooper, who launched the NoW Network, Corrine Seabourne, of Alsters Kelley Solicitors, Donna Vaughan, who runs Millie’s Paws Hydrotherapy Centre & Grooming Studio, Maria Holmes-Keeling, marketeer, Suneta Bagri, wellbeing and consultant coach, Trish Willetts, Coventry BID Director, Sharon Luca-Chatha launched The Luca Foundation in 2018, six years after her son, Luca, was stillborn, Phaedra Elson, from Exhall, is an illustrator, pet portrait artist and online retailer, trading as Pipistrelle Art, Lorraine Checklin, founder of Flourish Health and Wellbeing Ltd and Karen Ramsey-Smith, advanced transformational coach, mentor and mindfulness teacher.

Available on Amazon.

1000 JOBS AT FAIR More than 1,000 jobs will be showcased to jobseekers when national, regional and local organisations showcase employment opportunities at the Coventry Jobs Fair, held at Coventry Building Society Arena on Wednesday 15 September from 10am to 1pm.

Vacancies available range f rom traineeships and apprenticeships through to entry-level and up to mid-level management – with an importance placed on supporting individuals to find work who have found themselves unemployed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Entry is free on the day, and more information can be found by visiting www.thejobfairs.co.uk 14 dluxe-magazine

OUR FUTURE MOVES

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Coventry and Warwickshire’s world-leading transport innovation will be showcased during a year of celebration and activities, starting this July. Our Future Moves, which will run from July 2021 through to the summer of 2022, will launch with the major exhibition Our Future Moves at Coventry Transport Museum, which runs until 31 October and which will feature a diverse range of exhibits that highlight the region’s pioneering work in transport innovation – from autonomous vehicles to one person submarines.

The interactive exhibition will tell the stories of the objects on display by envisioning how future cities may look and exploring how pioneering developments in transport and technology could affect the environment and the way we live.

Turn to page 38 to find out more about the part that Coventry is playing in taking transport forward.

To find out more about the exhibition and to get involved visit www.transport-museum.com

ON YOUR BIKE! Why is gym equipment always so ugly? Especially as many of us are still choosing to workout at home rather than visit the gym. If you’re sick of ugly cardio equipment cluttering up your sitting room then may we introduce the Domyos Woodbike; designed to improve your surroundings as well as your wellbeing.

The beech wood frame blends seamlessly into the home whilst still providing similar durability and stability to that of a metal bike. Designed for high performance and regular use, the 6kg flywheel gives smooth and silent pedalling, whilst the gel saddle gives comfort to users, allowing them to jump on and work out when they want to. It’s sustainable too with trees planted for each tree used during the Domyos Woodbike manufacturing process.

in two separate parts for simple construction, part A comes with the wooden frame at £199.99 and part B comes equipped with flywheel, bottle holder, handlebars, phone/tablet holder, seat post, saddle and travel wheels at £149.99.

Available exclusively at Decathlon, the Woodbike is sold

Find out more at www.decathlon.co.uk

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AGELESS BEAUTY Silver-locked models are asserting their presence on the catwalk; makeup artists are enhancing rather than masking mature complexions; and more and more people understand that looking good as you get older doesn’t mean you have to look younger. Because beautiful skin is key to looking fabulous whatever your age, here’s our skincare must-haves for women or men in their 40s and 50s.

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SKINCARE IN YOUR FORTIES

MOTOFEST RETURNS TO CITY

If you’ve not included a serum in your daily skincare routine then now’s the time to start. Most contain effective antiageing ingredients that aren’t necessarily found in cleansers or moisturisers; retinol, for example, helps to promote cell turnover, prevent the breakdown of collagen and leave you skin feeling smoother and supple. Team with a hydrating toner and anti-ageing products that packed with retinoids, vitamin C or alphahydroxy acids to help soften fine lines.

MotoFest is coming back to Coventry this summer with four themed weekends to enjoy, so whether you are a two wheeled or a four wheeled fan, there will be something for everyone to enjoy!

This f ree family event in the UK’s Motor City will offer visitors some thrilling motorsport, heritage displays, global street food, live music and more.

Kicking off with a weekend celebrating the city’s amazing transports innovations on the 17th and 18th July, the fun continues with a Classic and Custom Motorcycle show as part of weekend two’s Motorcycle weekend.

Prestige and Classic car fans will line up to enjoy the spectacle that is the Coventry Concours event on the 24th to 25th July and weekend three will be all about celebrating Motorsport in and around the Skydome.

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The month-long celebration will come to a close with the Motofest Car Weekend on the 31st July / 1st August when hundreds of vehicles will descend on the City, showing the best original, classic vehicles in the heart of Coventry, right the way through to the modern and modified cars displaying around Skydome.

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Find out more at www.coventrymotofest.com

FIVE WAYS TO LIVE LONGER SKINCARE IN YOUR FIFTIES:

Small changes to your lifestyle could make you happier, and see you living a longer, healthier life. There’s no magical cure, but Nuffield Health’s Head of Clinical Research, Dr Ben Kelly, shares with DLUXE, five top tips to help you keep your mind and body firing on all cylinders well into retirement.

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It’s essential to keep up a good, antiageing daily regime with the addition of a heavier moisturiser that will add hydration to drying skin. Look for products containing hyaluronic acid and glycerine as these help skin hold moisture in without making you look greasy. Get into the habit of twice-weekly exfoliation to keep dead skin cells at bay, while enzyme peels gently exfoliate without stripping or scratching.

1. KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE 2. WARD OFF ILLNESS BY KEEPING FIT 6

1: Lancôme Visionnaire Serum Plus, £60. 2: NARS multi-action hydrating toner, £25. 3: Emma Hardie Vitamin C Intense daily serum, £49. 4: Pestle & Mortar pure hyaluronic serum, £37. 5: Elemis papaya enzyme peel, £35. 6: Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme + Global anti-ageing balm, £45.

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3. BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER THROUGH EXERCISE 4. GET MEDICAL CONCERNS CHECKED OUT 5. RELAX AND UNWIND For more information visit nuffieldhealth.com

Photo credit: Aaron Law Photo credit: Aaron Law Artwork: Hope by David Speed Artwork: Hope by David Speed

IN PAINT WE TRUST THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUTTHE THEYEAR YEAROF OFCITY CITYOF OFCULTURE CULTURE COVENTRY COVENTRYWILL WILLOPEN OPENITS ITSWALLS WALLSTO TOAASELECTION SELECTIONOF OF LOCAL, LOCAL,REGIONAL REGIONALAND ANDNATIONAL NATIONALSTREET STREETARTISTS ARTISTS ‘In‘InPaint PaintWe WeTrust’ Trust’will willsee seenew newartworks artworksappearing appearinginin unique uniquespaces spacesacross acrossthe thecity. city.Artists Artistswill willbebegiven given opportunities opportunitiestotoanimate animatealong alongpathways pathwaysand andwalls walls giving givingaudiences audiencesa achance chancetotoexplore. explore.

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Coventry.

@StreetArtStrategy @StreetArtStrategy

STREETARTSTRATEGY.COM STREETARTSTRATEGY.COM

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BID BUSINESS In a year that has seen High Streets being brought to their knees, we talk to Trish Willetts, BID Director at Coventry BID about how Coventry is fighting back into business and using arts and culture to heal the high street and strengthen the city centre.

Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

I'm Trish Willetts, I'm the BID Director for Coventry city centre, which is a Business Improvement District (BID) of 700 businesses that sit within the Coventry Ring Road. But as we call it in the BID, our beautiful moat! Once people get over our moat and come and see us in the city centre, they get to see this beautiful, medieval city being regenerated and brought to life before their very eyes.

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So, what is a BID? What’s it for?

Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) is a partnership between those businesses located within the ring road of Coventry city centre. We’re independent from the Council but we work in partnership with them ‘Driving the Future’ of Coventry city centre.

The aim of the BID is to promote, develop and boost the city centre to make it a great place to work and visit. We get involved with all different types of projects but our

priority areas are security and environment, enhancing the city and promoting its businesses and giving those businesses a voice and supporting their growth.

Every five years those businesses involved are asked whether the scheme should continue. Each business has one vote and in order for the scheme to be renewed there must be a clear majority by both the number of votes received and the total aggregate rateable value of the votes and I’m pleased to say that this is the BID’s fourth term.

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The way people look at the city now is a million miles from how they did five years ago!

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calling, FaceTiming and Zooming at both ends of the spectrum. Thank God for technology!

So how have things progressed with the UK City of Culture plans?

Well, it’s got off to a fabulous start hasn’t it! We’re honoured to be a delivery partner for it. We first got involved in 2017 and we visited other cities such as Nantes and Toulouse in France to see what they had done and it was really helpful as they are both, as cities, hives of industry like Coventry but that are extremely focused on their cultural heritage and legacy. Seeing that relationship between business and culture really whet my appetite for what we could do here in Coventry.

What a time to be involved in the growth of Coventry, not only as it celebrates its year as UK City of Culture, but as the country takes stock and rebuilds after a global pandemic.

Yes, we've been on quite the rollercoaster ride since the 7th of December 2017, when Coventry was announced as the UK City of Culture but, as you would expect, the last 12 months have been the hardest of my career.

We had to put the whole team on furlough, but I stayed and worked through it with support from our businesses and partners like Fraser Urquhart Media who, God Bless them, would listen to my rants every week, as we talked through and planned how we could help the city rebuild. It became like a therapy session!

So, it's been a really tough year, but Coventry is a strong city and, for me, working hard to make sure there is a positive future when we can get back to normal has really helped.

I’m a lucky girl in that I've got an incredible, supportive family that have allowed me to work all hours. I became a Grandma to baby Hugo in late 2019 so, like so many of us, have really missed his first year. I’ve also got a 90-year-old Dad, so we’ve been WhatsApp

For example, many of the shops in Nantes had wonderful windows and they has a really positive impact on the city so we thought, could we do that in Coventry?

And the answer was yes, we could! So we commissioned a designer from ITV Creates, Charlie Levine, to take inspiration from this and make it something unique to Coventry which she has done working with local artists for The Show Windows Project.

Tell us more about The Show Windows.

Inspired by Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum’s book, The Show Windows about shop window design, the idea has been to turn the city’s windows into places of fantasy. In tribute to Baum and with the concept of a land beyond the rainbows in mind we’ve had local artists Ben Javens reimagine Coventry as the Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz – even the river Sherbourne that runs right underneath the city is captured.

The Show Windows project has actually now received funding from Arts Council England, the first time nationally that a BID project has received a grant from ACE. That’s quite a coup…

It’s been wonderful that Arts Council England have seen the value in the work that we’re doing here in Coventry and are investing in it. And that it’s supporting work that is designed to drive people back into our city centres, at a time when they’ve never needed it more. We’ve worked really hard throughout the lockdown period towards becoming the UK’s first Cultural BID team, to make sure that culture and business work hand in hand to develop and improve the city and to keep the high street at its heart. We all know that going forward we need to look at keeping the life within our city centres differently and that’s what we’re committed to. All the money we receive from the projects we work on gets ploughed straight back into the city.

It opens the door to keep working with Arts Council England to revitalise our city centres.

Tell us about your other City of Culture partnership project, In Paint We Trust.

We’ve worked with the wonderfully talented Street Art Strategy to produce new artworks across the city in unusual and unexpected spaces both in the city centre and neighbourhoods. Local street artists have been given the opportunity to tell the stories that are important to the city on spaces that have been previously unloved. They’re vibrant, challenging, bold and beautiful conversation starters all across the city.

What is it about Coventry that makes it so special?

Coventry is the best city I've worked in. Ever.

Everybody cares. If the people of Coventry want to tell you something, then they will.

There’s nothing hidden behind a curtain.

They come out and tell you to your face because they care about their city, and they want it to succeed.

Coventry is a strong city. The way people look at the city now is a million miles from how they did five years ago. I’m really proud of the part we have played in that. We’re regarded within the city, I think, as a bit of a maverick team that’s always pushing forward with new, fresh ideas to support the city’s businesses.

I'm proud of the fact that I know the Christian names of ninety-nine-point nine percent of my business owners and managers, because I go out and I see them and visit them. I know when they've had babies or know when they've had grandsons and daughters, and I know when they're not feeling good. I'm really proud of the fact that my door is always open and that my businesses know that I am always there for them.

If you had to use just three words to describe Coventry, what would they be?

Honest. Vibrant. Regenerating.

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THE SHOW WINDOWS

L-R: Ella Lewis Williams; TrishWillets; Charlie Levine & Cara Pickering in front of Ben Javens ‘Coz as Oz’ artwork installation Chances are you’ve already seen bright flashes of Emerald Green around Coventry’s streets over the last few weeks but have you stopped for a moment to take a proper look? We hope so! The Show Windows is an art project in Coventry City Centre for Coventry City of Culture 2021 and features the bespoke artworks of local and international artists being displayed within the shop windows of Coventry.

Designed as ‘portals to another world’ the project has been designed to bring art out of the gallery and on to the streets, inviting audiences to rediscover and reengage with their city centres and, perhaps, start seeing them in a whole new light. Dluxe magazine’s Rebecca Rhodes caught up with The Show Windows Curator Charlie Levine and Ella Lewis-Williams the project’s Digital Content Manager, to find out more.

What are your roles within the project?

Charlie: I’m an independent curator. Born and bred in Birmingham, I’m thrilled to be back in Coventry, in the West Midlands, to realise a project called The Show Windows.

It was about this time last year that I was invited to see how we could realise a public art project in the city centre using shop windows as exhibition spaces and now I am the curator of what has to be said is a dream 20 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

project, putting artwork or creative pieces made by architects, designers, makers and creatives into shop windows around the city for the City of Culture.

Ella: I am the digital content manager for The Show Windows Project. I am an art critic and editor and I’ve worked with Charlie before on other public art projects. My role within this project is to discover, uncover and untangle all the secret hidden stories that exist within the artworks themselves, but also the places in which they are installed and the stories of the shops and their owners and to celebrate those.

Tell me about The Show Windows project.

Charlie: This is about us bringing art out of the museum or the gallery and putting it directly on to the high streets.

There’s something about people being reintroduced to their public spaces and taking ownership back over their high streets through art which is exciting. Especially as many people don’t feel that these traditional cultural institutions are for them, they don’t feel confident in those kinds of spaces.. And that idea of being out and about feeling confident, also feeling excited and inspired and hopeful is part of our agenda. It’s also about helping audiences develop a creative taste; not everyone’s

going to like everything and that’s OK as well. I think thats a really key part of engaging with art is knowing what you like and what you don’t like. So for me, it’s breaking down some of those barriers about accessing the creative industries.

One of the inspirations for the project was the L Frank Baum book, The Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors, which was published the same year as the first famous The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book, 1900. The link to Baum encapsulates the idea that these windows can be portals to other worlds, to inspire imagination, adventure and hope. That idea really shaped the project which is why we decided to rethink Coventry and its skyline as the Emerald City, the place in The Wizard of Oz that’s about magic, culture, creativity and the unexpected which is exactly what Coventry is.

So, the brief was about picking up on that L Frank Baum theme but making it specific to Coventry.

Charlie: Something BID was really keen to do was give that kind of excitement and hope back to the shopkeepers themselves and those people that work in retail and service industries. They’ve been closed for so long and now they’re open, it is amazing that we can help celebrate them and their

Piece Piece ofof Cake Cake Marketing Marketing Offering Offering complete complete marketing marketing support support toto businesses businesses across across Coventry Coventry and and the the West West Midlands Midlands

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] allows you to look inside museums and galleries all over the world through your digital device.

So how did you go about choosing the artists?

Charlie: What’s nice about the programme is that something will be happening every month. So for August we’ll be showcasing local Coventry creatives who will be mentored by some RIBA West Midlands architects to realise their own windows.

In other cases we created a brief that we worked to and we sourced the artist to match the brief. For example to start the programme we knew that we had to do an exterior window piece and it needed to be flat because of the restrictions around going into shops at the time. So then it was about finding the right artist. Ben Javens is based in the West Midlands and produced an incredible piece of work at the Hub a couple of years back. He just understood shape and structure and colour in such a unique way to create this sort of 3D immersive piece of work so I knew and understood that he could translate his illustrative work into something architectural. We gave him the brief and he produced the most amazing sketches.

Walking around the city now you can see how much he understood what his brief was, the green is so vivid and you spot it immediately but it’s not intrusive. It’s not in your face, but it’s exciting, specifically how he shows the Coventry skyline and the delicacy with which he approached some of the subjects. He has actually said that because he works much more with characters and people, as soon as he nailed the Lady Godiva statue, he understood how to then approach the rest of the drawing.

He approached it as a storyteller illustrator, with Godiva being his main character, and then he was able to create a city around her, which I think is lovely. As soon as you know that she suddenly takes on a different personality within the work.

stories a bit more by putting those creative moments within the shop windows, which then encourages further conversation.

Ella: It feels like we’ve been released again back into the world and we have an opportunity to see what was always there with new eyes. Putting art directly into familiar public places invites peopleto look at their environments completely anew.

Where previously they might have walked past somewhere without paying any real attention, now it suddenly becomes a place to stop, it becomes a moment, a surprising encounter. To then bring the shop owners into dialogues with artists and for them to see their shops anew as well, I think that’s what excites me the most.

And as part of the project, I believe there is an App? Ella: Yes. The Smartify App is the most 22 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

downloaded museum and art gallery interpretive app in the world. So, it’s really exciting that we’re able to partner with them because it places The Show Windows project within the same critical creative context as places like the National Portrait Gallery, which also uses Smartify.

Once you have downloaded the free app and enabled notifications it will ping if you’re near one of our windows and tell you all about it, which is really exciting. It also has a map function that shows youall of the window locatioins. Itworks via image recognition so youcan just hold your camera up via the app and media content will then appearing, telling you about the artwork and artist.

For those who aren’t able to come to Coventry, they are still able to discover the artworks via Smartify, using the browse function which

What would you say visitors will get from coming to see The Show Windows?

Charlie: I think that the point of these windows is to be welcoming and it is an invitation, so for me it would be about ‘please do join us, please do RSVP and say yes to that invitation’ because they’re going to be different every month and they can be a real chance encounter- miss it and miss out!

The windows are the starting points of a journey we want audience to go on.

Just a glance can be is enough because the minute you see it and you blink, it’s embedded in your memories, embedded in your mind.

Find out more about The Show Windows project at www.coventry2021.co.uk

keep up to date &

win tickets

Coventry, get ready...

Because Caribbean good times are coming to you!

to the opening events

We can’t wait to share our famous mix of rum, reggae and jerk with the amazing town of Coventry this year.

From Bottomless Brunch, to Late Night Happy Hour and everything in between, we’re ready for good times.

Turtle Bay, Unit 9 Cathedral Lanes, Broadgate, Coventry, CV1 1LL

turtlebay.co.uk

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PATTERN, PATTEN, PATTERN

If ever there was a season to go bold or go home, then this is the one!

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WHERE TO GET IT...

1. Floral Mini Dress, £50, River Island. 2. Tie waist top, £28, River Island. 3. 3 Pack Satin Printed Scrunchies £9.50, M&S 4. Jungle Dunagrees, £25.99, New Look, 5. Floral Mini Dress, £13, Primark 6.Facemasks, £2.50, Primark 7.Wellington Boot, £25 M&S, 8. Tiger Mule, £35, M&S 9, Floral Bucket Hat £5, Primark 10. Good News Trainers, £TBC, H&M, 11. Wrap Dress, £39.50 M&S 12. Floral Kaftan, £19.99 H&M, 13. Floral Dress £35, Marks & Spencer dluxe-magazine.co.uk 25

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SUMMER SMARTS

keeping it casual is the smart choice this summer

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WHERE TO GET IT...

1. Shirt £42, Stripe T-Shirt £25, Slim Stretch Chinos £45, Fat Face, 2. Stripe Top £29.50 M&S, 3. Stone Bdy Cross Bag £16, Next, 4. Belt, £14.99 TK Maxx, 5.Colour Block Jersey, £35, RI Studio, 6. Stone padded gilet £45, River Island, 7. Trainers £16, Primark, 8. Bag, £12, Primark, 9. Powder Pink Jacket, £35, Primark, 10. Powder Pink trousers, £15, Primark. 11. Loafers, £49.50, M&S, 12. Pink Jacket, £38, River Island.

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IN STORE | ONLINE | APP

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DESIGN FOR LIFE With an annual growth of 5.5%, it’s fair to say that the fashion industry is one of the past decade’s economic success stories. I mean, who doesn’t want to look fabulous? It should be of no surprise then, that this is an industry that the award winning Coventry University are renowned as leaders inthey’ve been educating some of the world’s leading artists, designers and creative thinkers since 1843 after all!

The arts and humanities department offer a range of courses designed to propel young designers, marketeers and business management professionals to the height of their careers.

This issue we take a look at the work of some of this year’s graduates that are placing Coventry well and truly on the fashion map.

Tiani Etheridge

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Amber Bailey

Adel Molnar

Nadezhda Valchanova

Munashe Mukombedzi

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE COURSES ON OFFER AT www.coventry.ac.uk dluxe-magazine.co.uk 29

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DESIGN FOR LIFE Emily Bowden Ana Carolina Moreira

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Emily Bowden

“

If you have a passion for fashion, dream of seeing your designs on the international catwalks or fancy yourself as the next IrisVan Herpen or Christopher Kane, our course will nurture your individual creativity and help you realise your dreams. Influenced by the needs and opinions of the profession, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in live projects, competition briefs and hear from visiting experts to provide a national and international perspective.

“

Angela Anderson, Course Director

Emily Yeomans

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BRINGING THE INSIDE OUT The last year has shown us just how important our outdoor spaces are and with a full summer of sunshine stretching before us, now is the time to make the most of our gardens.

All products available from Next Home.

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Indoor_Outdoor Recycled Borra Tufted Geo Cushion £20

Tile Embossed Planter, £30 - £50

Set of 2 Plastic Gin Glasses £8

Set of 4 Melamine Side Plates £12

Set of 4 Shatterproof Flamingo Tumblers £12

Stone Effect Sculpture £80

Mains Powered 40 Festoon Lights £25

Set of 2 Zinc Planters £64

Geo Patio Outdoors Rug by Asiatic Rugs From £42

Ice Bucket Side Table £99

Wood Effect Melamine Platter £10

3 Tier Plant Stand £50

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TEN INTERIOR TRENDS FOR 2021 The last year has proved that home really is where the heart is. So let’s make it amazing! Here are ten of the top interior trends that are sure to turn any house into a home, says Tracy Baker of Open Door Interiors.

1. Working From Home The way we use our homes has changed and will remain so for many years to come so perhaps it’s time to throw away that flatpack desk and invest in a workspace that’s more CEO than hell no.

Remember, you’re working from home not living at work so make sure everything can be stored away once playtime starts.

Image: Oak Furnitureland

2.Checks Once again, the catwalks crossover into interior style with oversized checks making an appearance in the best dressed homes.

Keep it classic on upholstery for a heritage feel or, for a modern take, get playful with plaid and clash colourful checks with geometric monochromes for maximalist mayhem.

3. The Nu Classical Mixing classical moulding and materials with the latest trends can create quite the statement. Look for ornate embellishments and match them with the super modern for a design that’s dual rather than a design that duels.

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4. We Green?

We’re not talking pastels here. We mean Green!

Whether it’s muted and matt or dripping in gloss, bold greens are a big, big trend in a year that has seen us realise the importance of green spaces. Green can be tailored to your own sense of style so easily.

Wanting glamour? Then go with jewel like emerald. More of a nature lover? Then embrace woodlands hues and leaf tones. A little wild at heart? Then jungle is still massive- just choose your print wisely.

5. Silver Image: Furniture Village The days of ‘if in doubt paint it grey’ are gone. Now we need to paint it silver. Chic, light enhancing and glamorous without being gaudy, Silver offers a stylish solution for rooms which crave light. Use it everywhere to create a sophisticated setting or add coloured accents for extra pop.

6. Open Kitchen Storage We spend so much time choosing the prettiest china and glassware for our kitchens and then hide them away in giant boxes on the wall that make our rooms feel smaller- what’s that all about?

The kitchen wall cupboard may be good at hiding chaos but do they also encourage it? Open shelves open up a space and lets you make a statement with your carefully chosen kitchenware.

Add in accessories and your shelving can become a display case where wine glasses become winners, saucers become super and mugs can be magnificent.

7. Bring Back the Bidet 2020’s toilet paper scavenging has made people more appreciative of the mainstay of the 1970s bathroom; the bidet.

With us all pursuing a greener lifestyle, the idea of reducing our carbon footprint by reducing our paper usage and production is not a bad one plus, in a world where we are all more focused on hygiene, bidets are the more sanitary solution…

IT’S VINTAGE DAHLING!

Secondhand Chic is not only good for your wallet, it’s also good for the environment and oh so stylish!

Who doesn’t love a bargain? writes vintage stylist Jonathan Fraser Urquhart.

I remember, in my youth, how friends would brag about how much they’d spent on their designer outfits when they all just dressed the same. I’ve never been a fan of following the crowd and have always enjoyed the unique and the unusual and charity shops and second hand fayres have always been a hunting ground for me. I’ve always been a charity shop rummager and when I got older and needed to furnish my home, my mindset was more focused on chalk paint than Chippendale and hand me downs rather than Heals. There’s just something so satifying in taking a piece which has seen better days and making it into something truly unique and useful again. Not only is it great fun getting creative, but it’s also kinder to your wallet and the environment too reusing is so much better than recycling!

8. Granny Dearest Mix bold florals with velvets and lace for an eccentric interior that’s reminiscent of granny’s front parlour. Perfect for vintage lovers that like to mix things up a little, layer textures, clash colours and accessorise with period prints, hand me down heritage pieces and gorgeous tchotchkes.

9. Mother Earth Nature has always been an interior inspiration but the muted tones of the earth itself is now one of the hottest interior trends. Neutralised hues like olive, camel, darjeeling and turmeric are perfect for those looking to create a mature and calming environment in which to truly relax.

10. Blush Blush has become the new neutral. Warmer than white and considered the millennials’ magnolia, blush tones can work with almost any style or colour combination and will make dark blues and greens sing and red, mustard and

TOP TIPS FOR A BARGAIN VINTAGE HOME If it doesn’t move, paint it! The shabbiest of furniture can be made to look a million dollars with the application of a bit of paint. I love chalk paint best - the lack of sheen is super stylish, looks expensive and covers a multitude of sins. It also dries really quicly meaning makeovers in minutes! Slap it on and sand it off for a super smooth finish before sealing with furniture wax and buffing.

Think in threes. When arranging accesories always places items in threes - it always looks better, trust me! Think about scale and texture when grouping items and don’t be afraid to mix something mundane with something unique - a vintage trinket can elevate and enhance a chain store basic.

Always keep an eye out! Charity shops, auction sites and social media swap sites are your hunting grounds for some true treasures. Keep away from car boot sales unless you’re prepared to get there super, super early. If you see something you like then act quick and don’t be afraid to barter whilst offering a benefit - ‘what’s your best price? I can paypal you now and collect today’ for example.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! - particularly if you’re upcycling. We’ve made dog beds out of suit cases, table lamps out of teapots and bookcases out of fruit boxes. Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. You can always rethink and reuse. At the end of the day have fun. If your interior makes you smile then you have succeeded.

Image credits: 1. Homesense, 2. Oak Furniture Land, 3. DFS, 4. Cuckooland, 5.

Furniture Village, 6. Very, 7. Victorian Plumbing, 8. Joe Brown, 9. Nest, 10. Cuckooland.

Jonathan Fraser Urquhart is a home stylist, vintage dealer and interior designer. find out more at jfid.co.uk

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OUR FRIENDS ELECTRIC

Fiat 500 - From £20,000

With car companies including Jaguar pledging to sell only electric cars by 2025 as sales surge, a new study from Uswitch has revealed the best everyday electric vehicles you should consider when making the switch.

The Fiat 500 is a well-known staple car that has built up a reputation over the years for its chic and stylish design. But some might say it’s time for a makeover. While still paying tribute to its classic look, the new, all-electric, Fiat 500 offers a sleek and modern finish, while its range can go as far as 199 miles on a combined cycle charge.

Are you on the lookout for a new electric vehicle but unsure of where to start ? Here are some of their recommendations.

VW iD3 - From £38,000

Volkswagen has made no secret of the fact that the ID3 is the next people’s car and a new chapter for the company as they embark on an electric, more sustainable future.

The five-door hatchback comes with a 45kWh battery pack that can travel up to 200 miles and feels airy and spacious, despite its compact design. So if you are looking for your next family car, the VW iD3 is perfect for you.

Find out more about the VW iD3 at www. volkswagen.co.uk 36 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Tesla Model 3 - From £40,000

It should come as no surprise that Tesla’s Model 3 proved popular among car lovers this year. At its reasonable price of £40,000, the car is the one with the most name recognition across Elon Musk’s brand and has even earned a spot on the Car and Driver’s Editor’s Choice List.

The sleek design has a better level finish than the Model S and includes a smart spacious interior, with a range of 263 miles per charge.

Find out more about the Tesla Model 3 at: www.tesla.com

Coming in a fleet of new colours including Celestial Blue, Ocean Green, Mineral Grey and much more, there will be a Fiat 500 to suit all your needs. (and outfits) Find out more about the electric FIat 500 at: www.fiat.co.uk

Renault Zoe - From £25,000

Recently revealed to be Europe's most popular EV, the Renault Zoe should be at the top of your list when considering an electric vehicle - and for a good reason.

Sticking with its classic 2012 design, Renault focused its efforts on the key problem areas from previous models and managed to provide an interior that is leaps ahead of other cars - including a powerful motor and range of up to 245 miles.

Despite its classic look, the car still remains one of the most comfortable and affordable electric vehicles on the road.

Coming in several different models, each E-Tron has a range of up at least 200 miles on one charge and includes a large 605-litre boot, LED headlights and charging points on either side of the vehicle. Find out more about the Audi E-Tron at: www.audi.co.uk

BMW i3 - From £38,000

As one of the smallest but expensive EV’s out there, BMW has certainly made a name for itself with its all-new BMW i3. The car first made its debut way back in 2013 and stood out for its fashionable and iconic style, but the new version manages to look just that little bit better.

With its easy to drive features and range of Find out more about the electric Renault Zoe up to 175 miles a charge, the car has a plush at: www.renault.co.uk interior, a new silver roofline strip and enough space for you to get comfortable as you drive.

Audi E-Tron - From £59,000

The Audi E-Tron is one of the brand's most conventional models. Yet, unlike other companies such as Tesla and Jaguar, the car allows for a regular SUV driver to seamlessly make the switch to a more eco-friendly vehicle, while not compromising on their style.

Find out more about the electric BMW i3 at: www.bmw.co.uk

Mini Electric - From £16,000

Selling strongly over the last decade, Mini has recently released a brand new electric version of their Cooper classics, complete with a range of 144 miles on each charge and a sleek comfortable interior.

Find out more about the electric Mini range at: www.mini.co.uk

Peugeot e-208 - From £25,000 Like Audi, Peugeot deliberately made the all-new E 208 that everybody knows and loves completely normal. However, the car is anything but.

With a range of up to 217 miles on one charge, the electric version has a sleek, high-quality environment including a gloss centre console and wireless charging pad.

So if you are looking for something a bit more familiar when it comes to an electric vehicle, the Peugeot e-208 should be next on your list to check out.

The Mini Cooper has been around for years Find out more about the Peugeot e-208 at: and is often a favourite brand for many UK drivers. But how about a new electric version? www.peugeot.co.uk dluxe-magazine.co.uk 37

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MOTOR MOTOR CITY CITY REB RE <<< motors

Coventry’s long association with car production started way back in 1896 when bicycle maker Harry Lawson, bought a former textile mill and produced the first Coventry Daimler basing designs on vehicles designed in Germany. The next century would see Coventry become home to hundreds of car manufacturers including Triumph, Jaguar, Alvis, Armstrong Siddeley, Chrysler, Peugeot, Singer, Humber and Rover.

Large scale vehicle manufacturer within the city may be no more but, the city’s role in vehicle evolution is far from over with Coventry playing a key role in the testing and development of the next stage of personal transportation, autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles, or self-driving cars, were once only seen in science fiction yet engineers in Coventry have been 38 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

quietly making them a reality and with the government recently approving the use of them on UK roads, Coventry is once again part of automotive history.

We talk to Carl Perrin, pictured, CEO of the Institute for Future Transport & Cities to find out how the city has been involved and what this new technology means to motorists across the globe and to discover Coventry’s part within it all.

So how did you get started in researching and developing self-driving cars?

My background is in automotive manufacturing and then I was at RollsRoyce in Derby as Head of Technology producing new parts and developing new technology. I left there and came to Coventry in 2014 to work with Coventry University to set up something called the Advanced Manufacturing Institute, which was basically a new engineering centre that’s based on one of Unipart manufacturing sites. It was

a partnership between Unipart and the University to train undergraduates, upskill and train people in the business, develop new technology, do R&D and commercialise projects. It was set up using government funding and it’s now self-sustaining. It’s designed to try and address the skill gaps so rather than just train people in a classroom, businesses are playing a big role in defining the learning content and in delivering it. We’ve developed lots of technology around the green agenda and moved into manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.

There have been a lot of collaborative projects and job creation as new products have gone through to market, so it’s been a great success.

I’m also working on a number of different partnerships in and around Coventry such as with the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research in Nuneaton and with the Mira Technology Institute where a lot of our degree apprenticeships are being conducted.

EBORN BORN

have a group working on advanced materials which is primarily looking at safety critical applications for aerospace.

cybersecurity and resistance to hacking and control of the system. So, there’s a lot of work going on at the moment around that.

There’s a really broad variety of projects in and around Coventry which all fall under what I would describe as Clean Growth and Future Mobility and we’re working with business to align it. It’s quite exciting. There’s a lot going on.

That’s something I never thought about!

Isn’t there just! With all of this happening in and around Coventry it sounds like the city’s former title of the UK’s Motor City is relevant once more.

That’s right. And there are lots of small businesses starting up in the region and trying to break into this technology. We are looking at trying to put a case together for a Gigafactory in Coventry to manufacture batteries so there’s a lot of investment here developing future transport technologies and all-around electrification and autonomy.

How important do you think that is for manufacturing in the city?

We really want to be on the map for the future. Manufacturing is a vital part of the UK economy and our export economy and as we shift away from internal combustion engines, it’s crucial that we have the technology and infrastructure, the businesses and the skills that continues to evolve and innovate.

Already in the region we have companies that are manufacturing electric vehicles such as London Electric Vehicle Company that creates the new electric Black Cabs and a range of commercial vehicles plus we have Jaguar LandRover and Aston Martin and all of their supply chains so there’s a lot going on in the region.

So how far away are we to before we have autonomous or self-driving vehicles on the streets of Coventry, would you say?

We have a project at the moment being funded by Innovate UK that is building a high speed autonomous test track that’s 1.2km long with a loop at the end, so we can really test vehicles, including autonomous ones at their limit. There’ll also be an autonomous parking facility there as well. We have partnerships looking at autonomy and the associated technologies such as connectivity and security around cyber-attacks and we’ll also be able to use that facility to test all of that. In Coventry we’re working with international companies developing battery technology, motors, power, electronics and hydrogen, as well as another green fuel.

There’s also the National Transport Design Centre on Coventry’s Technology Park where we do all elements of vehicle design, not just road but rail, air and sea. It looks at not just the stylistic element of design but also some of the human factors such as psychology and ergonomics so if you take, for example, autonomous vehicles, we might look at the impact of travel sickness on someone if they’re not facing in the direction of travel and we

Well, in a test mode that’s already happened, in a very controlled environment. The thing about autonomy though is that we won’t make a shift from no automation at all to full automation where you can just sit back, relax, and read a book whilst being driven. It’s not going to be like the sci fi films of the 1950s but what we will start to see is partial autonomy– we already have it with things like adaptive cruise control and lane correction. Taking that further we’re looking at vehicles being able to read and interact with its environment and other vehicles by using a variety of sensors and making decisions based upon them in real time. The technology for that is available now in some vehicles such as some Tesla models and as we’ve seen, sometimes these can go wrong.

One of the big enablers for autonomous vehicles is the roll out of 5G which allows us to transfer huge amounts of data very quickly which means that the reliability of data communication for the vehicles that are in autonomous mode will be a lot better. We’ve obviously got to manage all the issues of

Well, the areas that we need to overcome are security and trust in the systems. I’ve driven in an autonomous vehicle in fully autonomous mode on the tracks around Mira and it works flawlessly but that was a very controlled environment with nothing unexpected, not like an urban environment, for example. It may be that vehicles will stay manually operated in urban locations but move to autonomous mode on motorways for example, so one of the areas we are looking is that transition of control from manual to autonomous, from autonomous, back to manual and, looking at elements like how to make sure the individual is alert enough to be able to fully take control.

And how long does it take to become alert and take control again?

The environmental benefits of a system like that could be huge!

Yes, if we look at trucks, for example, the benefits are quite significant in terms of fuel, in emissions and in terms of managing congestion.

So what do you think will be on our driveways in say 25 years’ time?

We’re looking at close to 2050, so the chances are that the vehicles we’re going to drive will not have internal combustion engines as we should have made a pretty much wholesale switchover to electric vehicles. There will probably be some level of connectivity with the grid for better charging, perhaps even wireless charging.

As to whether vehicles will be fully autonomous, I’m not sure, but I do think responsibility for driving in certain environments will be just handed over to the vehicle. As I say, it wouldn’t surprise me if in certain environments like on the motorway, then we would expect the vehicle to take control rather than the human. But whether we even have a car on our driveway is the question. It’s more likely we’ll be using some form of on demand vehicle subscription service via an app. We’ll call a vehicle and one that meets our needs at that moment will simply appear and then go off again once we’ve done with it.

It may sound crazy but the technology for that sort of business model is there so maybe we’re not talking about 25 years into the future, we just need to see how autonomous vehicles fit into that.

Find our more about Carl’s work and the The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at www.ame.co.uk

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OH WE DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE COVENTREEE..

2021 is well and truly the year of the staycation and instead of thinking about all the things we can’t do this year to relax and unwind, we thought we’d focus on what we could do to create the best staycation ever! And what better year to do it than in 2021, Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture. There’s so much to do that we didn’t have room for everything so here’s our pick of some of the best things to do on your doorstep this summer!

The Wave Waterpark see info on p42

GET LEARNING COVENTRY MUSIC MUSEUM

Covering the history of Two Tone and much more, the recently expanded Coventry Music Museum celebrates the many artists to come out of Coventry & Warwickshire. King, The Enemy, Hazel O’Connor, Delia Derbyshire, Panjabi MC are all showcased, as are The Coventry Carol, Frank Ifield, The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat and Madness. www.covmm.co.uk

COVENTRY POLICE MUSEUM

Enjoying a new location at Hertford Street, find out about some of the city’s more gruesome past. Included in the museum is Mary Ball’s ‘death mask’, the last woman to be hung in Coventry in 1849 alongside original exhibits from the murder of Ringo-Bells pub landlady Amy Davis, which happened in 1945.

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COVENTRY TRANSPORT MUSEUM

COVENTRY WATCH MUSEUM PROJECT

Housing the largest publicly-owned collection of British vehicles on the planet, Coventry Transport Museum tells the story of a city which changed the world through transport. 14 fully accessible galleries are home to the fastest vehicle in the world, pioneering bicycles, transport champions and many of the most innovative, memorable and luxurious vehicles of the last 200 years.

Watchmaking was first recorded in the city in the 1680’s, but it was not until the 18th century that Coventry emerged as one of the main centres of the watchmaking industry in England. Proudly illustrating Coventry’s influence within the British watchmaking industry, the Coventry Watch Museum houses a display of clocks, watches, tools, artefacts and family history records and much more.

www.transport-museum.com

www.coventrywatchmuseum.com

GET ACTIVE

HERBERT ART GALLERY & MUSEUM This year home to the illustrious Turner Prize, The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is the perfect place to delve into Coventry’s history and immerse yourself in world class art. Investigate the natural world, modern art, and the Old Masters.

Permanent galleries range from the Visual Arts, to Social and Industrial History, Archaeology and Natural History. www.theherbert.org

MIDLAND AIR MUSEUM

Based by Baginton Airport, exhibits at the Midland Air Museum range from the magnificent Avro Vulcan bomber through more than 30 other historic aircraft, both civil and military, aero engines and other artefacts, to a wide range of memorabilia. www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk

GET HISTORICAL

THE WEAVER’S HOUSE

You can’t look into Coventry’s past without visiting Spon Street, home to The Weaver’s House which has been restored to show how it would have looked in 1540.

Experience how John Croke, a Coventry narrow-loom weaver and his family would have lived and worked. At the back of the Weaver’s House is a medieval garden showing the plants that would have been grown for food, flavouring, medicine and household use. www.theweavershouse.org

BALLROOM CLIMBING WALL

From beginners to professionals, the dedicated bouldering centre has over 200 bouldering routes across 700sqm of climbing surface and is constantly changing and innovating to bring the best experience to climbers. www.ballroomclimbing.co.uk

THE CHARTERHOUSE

Surrounded by parkland in the centre of Coventry, Charterhouse is a Grade I listed 14th Century Carthusian Monastery that was home to a silent order until the Chapel and other religious buildings were destroyed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and used as building materials. www.charterhousepriory.org.uk

GO APE

With the beautiful backdrop of Coombe Country Park to your treetop experience Go Ape has something for thrill-seeking adults and fun-seeking children with their high ropes and zip wires through the trees including the Plummet – a stomachchurning 12-metre vertical drop and an exclusive Alpine zip-to-zip. www.goape.co.uk

ESCAPE COVENTRY! ST. MARY’S GUILDHALL

The best view in Coventry! Open 7 days a week except during bell ringing sessions. the Cathedral Tower Climb is not recommend for children under 8 due to the amount of steps and the nature of the climb.

Located in the city’s historic Cathedral Quarter, St. Mary’s Guildhall miraculously survived the Second World War bombing raids and is home to stories of death, intrigue, scandal and spilt custard... A prison to Mary, Queen of Scots, a theatre for Shakespeare and an inspiration to George Eliot, St. Mary’s Guildhall is a fascinating free experience for all ages, at the historic heart of the city of Coventry.

www.coventrycathedral.org.uk

www.stmarysguildhall.co.uk

ST MICHAEL’S TOWER CLIMB

There are two escape games to play in Coventry with Fargo Village’s, Escape Live, offering an experience for 2-20 people in a fully immersive world where they must crack codes, solve puzzles and work together in order to unlock the mystery and escape the room. www.escapelive.co.uk Meanwhile Escape Reality in Broadgate gives teams just 60 minutes to escape one of their six uber-real rooms. www.escapereality.com/coventry

JAM JAM BOOMERANG

Perfect for those with younger children, Jam Jam Boomerang features a 3-floor play frame for children aged 4-12 years with bridges, rollers, aerial glides, ‘bish bags’, 4-lane wavy slide and the ‘depth drop’ covered slide. With a separate area for the younger children, Jam Jam’s have a 2-floor play frame and a great car track! www.jamjamboomerang.co.uk

TEEZERS RETRO GOLF & COCKTAILS

Teezers is 18-holes of retro-themed, adults-only mini-golf course, created from all your favourite memories of yesteryears in the centre of Coventry. Putt your way through all sorts of bizarre holes from Cool Runnings, ET, or even Bullseye. www.teezersgolf.co.uk

LASER QUEST

Laser Quest will challenge your skills, tactics and fitness; available for ages seven years and upwards. Be prepared for the ultimate Laser Tag experience taking you to a new generation of sport and fun! www.laserquestcoventry.co.uk

THE WAVE

Coventry’s brand new water park not only has an amazing pool to splash around in but there are six high-octane slides to enjoy that have been precision-engineered for maximum fun for thrill seekers and water babies alike. www.thewavecoventry.com

GET OUT! COVENTRY CANAL BASIN

Why not start one of the fascinating art trail treks from Coventry’s Canal Basin or take a ride on the The Coventrian Narrow Boat, owned and operated by The Living Environment Trust. The boat is available for private hire cruises, children’s parties and themed events; all cruises are operated by an experienced skipper, and hospitality staff are also onboard during the cruise.

BRANDON MARSH NATURE CENTRE

220 acres of nature to explore including a wide variety of large pools, bird hides, woodland walks and wildflower meadows.

This former quarry is now home to a number of iconic species including kingfisher, cuckoos and otter. www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/ BrandonMarsh

www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/ coventry-canal-basin

ALLESLEY PARK WALLED GARDEN

Explore the kitchen garden as it might have looked 200 years ago. The Walled Garden is an exquisite example of 18th Century Georgian planting at its best with one-quarter of the one-and-a-half acre site replanted with vegetable beds, fruiting trees and flower borders. www.allesleyparkwalledgarden.co.uk

RYTON POOLS COUNTRY PARK

With 100 acres to explore, Ryton Pools Country Park offers many different habitats to a wide range of birds and other wildlife. What’s more the excellent surfaced paths enable easy ,walking around the site and provide access to an adjoining ancient woodland. www.countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk

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In the old days of journalism, some of the best scoops were cooked up over a working breakfast, a liquid lunch or an after-work drink.

Forme & Chase is open all day – so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to relax here and create some stories of your own.

ROOMS · BAR · RESTAURANT · LOUNGE · GENERATORS ROOFTOP 157 Corporation Street, Coventry CV1 1GU 024 7526 2885 · info@telegraph-hotel.com www.telegraph-hotel.com · #CovTelHotel · @CovTelHotel

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TURTLE bay COMES TO COVENTRY

METROPOLIS openS WITH OPPORTUNITIES Coventry is all set to get a taste of the Caribbean when Turtle Bay launches its 5,140 sq. ft restaurant in the city’s Cathedral Lanes, this August.

This is the first site in Coventry for Turtle Bay, which is renowned for its social, warm atmosphere and vibrant design, serving delicious Caribbean inspired dishes and signature cocktails

throughout the day and into the evening. From jerk chicken to fiery goat curry, vegan dishes packed with punchy Caribbean flavour, delicious desserts and one of the best bottomless brunch offers out there - you’ll find something for everyone at Turtle Bay.

Coventry, said: “We are very much looking forward to opening Turtle Bay in the heart of Coventry. It’s always exciting to launch somewhere new, but the fact that we’re coming into the city in the midst of its UK City of Culture year definitely adds to the excitement!”

Carl Jones, Operations Manager at Turtle Bay

Charmain Wright, Centre Manager at Cathedral Lanes, added: “Myself and the team at Cathedral Lanes are thrilled to be adding Turtle Bay to our little part of the city. It’s wonderful to see so many big-name restaurants sitting alongside our amazing independent businesses and helping to bring the city back to life again.”

Turtle Bay Coventry will open to the public on Saturday 14th August and will be situated at Unit 9, Cathedral Lanes, Coventry CV1.

WOT NO MEAT?

BBQ season is upon us and as swathes of sausages and burgers make their way to the grill, Vegetarian and Vegans can feel left out when offered nothing more than a limp tofu burger. So why not pimp up your veggies and add some truly delicious greens to your grill to keep everyone happy this summer?

Here’s how to make veggies the star of the show this BBQ season: Be Considerate with Kebabs Any vegetable that can be cut into big chunks and skewered is a firm candidate to a kebab.

44 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Be creative and combine different colours, textures and flavours in each skewer. There’s just one golden rule: “Sturdies with sturdies and softies with softies”. You don’t want to bite a raw potato next to a totally dehydrated courgette.

Cook at the right tempo Controlling timing of a barbeque has never been easy. Especially when it comes to having everyone together at the table on time. But at least we can make sure all our vegetables are cooked to perfection and served at the right temperature.

A glamorous and groundbreaking new restaurant in Coventry will be serving careers as well as meals with the aim of changing the lives of young people.

Metropolis is set to be launched just as we go to print in the heart of the city centre with an all-inclusive menu that is filled with feel-good food.

Taking over the former Drapers Bar and giving it a 1920s Art Deco makeover, Metropolis will function as a training ground for young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

The aim is in this year alone is to have 100 young people begin their journeys and turn their lives around and move into the hospitality industry.

The restaurant is being set up by Fleur Sexton and Dave Lewis of UK leading training company PET-Xi. Fleur said: “We are extremely excited to be announcing Metropolis and everything that is represents for the city.”

“Metropolis will provide a life-affirming opportunity for unqualified young people not in education, employment or training to gain qualifications, experience and turn their lives around.”

To book a table, visit metropolis-restaurant.co.uk or call 024 7622 1100

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EAT WITH ELLEN Welcome to DLUXE’s guide to the best food and drink on offer in Coventry, produced by food writer and blogger Eat with Ellen in conjunction with Visit Coventry. This month’s focus is on outdoor dining, giving you all the al fresco options in and around the city

For drinks on the terrace, Cathedral Lanes in the heart of the city centre is home to The Botanist and the Cosy Club, both with outdoor terraces to enjoy a tipple or two.

Also in the city centre, Wetherspoon pub, The Spon Gate has plenty of outdoor seating to accommodate drinkers, while brand new bar Dhillon’s Spire Bar the creation of popular local brewery Dhillons - is already proving a hit at its home in the Christchurch Spire on New Union Street, offering great beers in a historical landmark with the option to enjoy drinks in its courtyard. Another new open air spot is the rooftop terrace, Generators Bar, at the recently-opened Telegraph Hotel, where you can enjoy cocktails and drinks teamed with tapas overlooking the cityscape.

For special occasions Gourmet Food Kitchen offers an al fresco supper club in FarGo Village where you can enjoy a fine dining menu in the open air. Another fine dining option just outside the city centre is Earlsdon Supper Club, where you can enjoy tasting menus of unique dishes - many of which are made with ingredients grown or foraged by chef Tobias himself. For a sweet-toothed special occasion, Coombe Abbey just outside the city is the perfect place for afternoon tea or lunch on the terrace in its beautiful grounds.

If you’re after something more casual, Coventry has plenty of street food options, with more on the horizon for this summer. A brand new 340-seat space dubbed ‘Factory’ is set to open at FarGo Village, bringing together street food traders and offering a new roof terrace and covered canopy.

Summer is here, and with it the promise of sunshine, al fresco lunches, warm evenings, long cocktails and crisp, cold beers. While the past year has brought many negatives, one positive is the addition of so many bars, restaurants and cafes with great outdoor space, giving more options than ever when it comes to drinks or dining outside, even if the sun fails to shine.

Whether it’s a long, lazy lunch outside, or a quick coffee in the sunshine, Coventry really does have something for everyone.

Whether it’s a breakfast or burgers, cocktails or a Caribbean feast, you can find something to suit any taste or budget and still enjoy it in the open air.

In the city centre, you can enjoy a Brazilian meal courtesy of Las Iguanas, 46 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

while Bella Italia and Pizza Express will give you an al fresco fix of your favourite Italian flavours.

The Slug & Lettuce is offering a special outdoor menu complete with small plates, as well as a bottomless brunch.

If you’re after a bit of a celebration, and The GD on Medieval Spon Street offers everything from brilliant burgers to stunning Sunday roasts.

For flavours from around the world, get a taste of the Caribbean courtesy of Leave it to Esmie at FarGo Village or tuck into authentic Korean barbecue food outside at Jinseon Korean BBQ Restaurant & Bar. And don’t forget Turtle Bay, which launches this August.

Also at FarGo Village, Twisted Barrel Brewery & Tap House offers open air tables to enjoy some of their own beer as well as wines, spirits, ciders, soft drinks and bar snacks. For street food in another great setting, Coventry Dining Club is back showcasing some of the Midlands’ best traders in the stunning setting of Cathedral Square. Slightly out of the city centre Good Food Cartel serves up authentic Mexican food at the Hearsall Inn to enjoy with drinks outside.

If it’s an open air party you’re after, head to Tiki bar Samoan Joes with its very own cocktail garden, while Coventry’s award winning LGBT+ venue The Yard also has outdoor seating and plenty of entertainment as well as drinks, karaoke, games nights and more.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Coventry’s dining scene has never been better, and that includes plenty of outdoor opportunities. So strap in and get ready for a summer of fun!

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RECIPE: Spaghetti alla puttanesca Celebrity chef, Theo Randall, brings a taste of the mediterranean to Coventry with this flavoursome feast from his new book, The Italian Deli Cookbook, that’s perfect for any occasion. What’s more, we’ve got two copies of the book to give away. For your chance to win visit www.dluxe-magazine.co.uk

’Nduja focaccia with tomatoes and rosemary 900g (2lb) strong white bread flour 100g (3½oz) semolina, plus extra for the tin 35g (1¼oz) fresh yeast, 15g (½oz) salt pinch of caster (superfine) sugar 30ml (1fl oz) good olive oil, plus extra to finish 500–550ml (17–19fl oz) lukewarm water 150g (5½oz) cherry tomatoes, halved and tossed in 3 tbsp good olive oil 100g (3½oz) ’nduja flaky sea salt roughly chopped rosemary leaves

Spaghetti alla puttanesca Pronounced poo-ta-neh-ska, the traditional spaghetti puttanesca recipe doesn’t include anchovies, but I think they make this simple dish even better.

Because of that simplicity, it’s important not to compromise on the ingredients, so if you can get spaghetti di Gragnano from your local Italian deli, do so.

Gragnano, in Campania on the Amalfi coast, is the birthplace of dried pasta and, as a result, the dried spaghetti from there is the best.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve 6 salted anchovies in oil, drained 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 1 tbsp miniature capers in vinegar, drained pinch of good-quality dried oregano 10 Taggiasce or niçoise olives, pitted 300ml (10½fl oz) tomato passata 500g (1lb 2oz) spaghetti sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

WIN

In a warm, non-stick frying pan, add the olive oil, anchovies, garlic, capers, oregano and olives. Cook gently on a low heat for about 2 minutes, so that the anchovies melt. Add the tomato passata and cook gently until reduced by half (about 5 minutes).

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet cooking time. Using tongs, remove the spaghetti from the water and place it in the frying pan with the sauce.

Add 2 ladlefuls of the pasta cooking water and cook on a medium heat, giving the pan a shake from time to time, for about 2 minutes, until the pasta and sauce come together.

Swirl the pan to emulsify the pasta and sauce, then divide between 4 warmed bowls. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and serve immediately.

We’ve got two copies of Theo Randall’s The Italian Deli Cookbook to give away. For your chance to win visit www.dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Mix together the flour and semolina in a large bowl. In another bowl mix the yeast with the sugar.

Add the salt, olive oil and 500ml (17fl oz) of lukewarm water to the yeast and sugar and mix together. Tip the yeast mixture into the flour and mix – by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook – to a soft but not sticky dough (you may need to add more water or flour). This will take about 5 minutes in a machine. Shape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

During this time, oil a roasting tin and sprinkle it with semolina. Gently spread out the dough in the prepared tin to a rectangle or square.

Mix the halved cherry tomatoes and ’nduja together in a bowl, then scatter all over the dough, positioning the tomatoes cut-sides upwards and pushing them down level with the top of the dough. Sprinkle over the flaky salt and rosemary. Leave to prove in a warm place for 10–15 minutes, until risen.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven at the same time.

Once proved, bake the focaccia for 10–15 minutes, until golden and it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Drizzle more olive oil over the top as soon as the bread comes out of the oven, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Serve in slices with some burrata or mozzarella, or on its own.

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IN PAINT WE TR

If you haven’t already seen some new, amazing, street art popping up in the city then you really do need to get out more – especially now that lockdown is over! From May 2021, a new street art project, In Paint We Trust, has seen new artworks appearing in unique spaces across the city centre and the neighbourhoods of Coventry and Warwickshire.

Artists have been animating along pathways and revitalising walls giving audiences a chance to explore. DLUXE Magazine’s, Rebecca Rhodes, talked to Event Producers Street Art Strategy’s Michael Batchelor and Melissa Smith to find out more about it.

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So how did this all come together?

Michael: Well we came together as a group to promote street art because we've all been doing different types of public art sort of separately and all been friends, all been at the same events and we wanted to do something as big in Coventry as what we’d seen elsewhere.

Our mission really was to engage more people with street and contemporary art so we looked at how we could do that with a strong community angle.

Following funding applications and meetings with councils we soon realised that coming together to do this as a group would be more successful. Singular people were not having much joy, so we joined our forces.

Melissa: I've been really passionate about street art for years and like Mick was saying, we were visiting all of these festivals in other cities and really wanted to bring it home to our own city so that’s why we joined forces. I'm not a street artist yet, but I'm a potential street artist in the making! I'm a doodler and an illustrator, so I do smaller pieces of work.

So Street Art Strategy are myself, Mick, Andy, Claire who's also a street artist like Mick, and then Jay Holder, who is deejay and music producer. All of our skill sets combine really nicely and it’s been really exciting working together to bring the street art movement to Coventry.

It's also about providing local street artists with opportunities as well so we’ve

RUST

So, for example, this is a partnership between Coventry BID, City of Culture and Street Art Strategy. We're bringing in local and national artists and then we've also got community outreach.

We’re having to liaise with the City Council which is all pretty new.

Although there has been street art in Coventry before, it's not been done on this scale so just to forge those networks and to start working in these new ways together means paves the way for the future.

Street art does seem to energise people Melissa: And it's such a talking piece like I've never been to a city that supports street art and come across any negativity there. Of course, you might get somebody not liking a piece but on the whole it does bring in tourism which brings in money and therefore supports the local economy. I think it's a really good opportunity this year for it to really take off in Coventry. It's working with potential landlords and building owners to say, look, this is the possibility, this is what we can do. Yeah. Just give us a wall, we can create some brilliant artwork.

So how did you go about selecting the artists?

Melissa: In lots of ways to be honest. We did have a huge, long list to start with them, but Covid sort of ruled a lot of people out due to the difficulties around international travel but then we looked at that in a positive and said ok, this is about celebrating our local and national artists.

We were really keen as well to get a high female percentage of artists here, as well as people from diverse communities. It's a brilliant opportunity for the people of England to get involved in Street Art.

focused on bringing local street artists and national street artists together so that they have a platform to celebrate what is an amazing art form.

So what is In Paint We Trust?

Michael: In Paint We Trust is an opportunity for us to get as many canvases as we can to paint on, and by canvases I mean buildings, electricity boxes, phone boxes, walls, indoor outdoor, preferably outdoor, and preferably as large as possible and to do it with the support of the art community, the council, the city of culture.

Melissa: For me, it’s giving people an opportunity for people to work together.

So how do you decide what goes where?

Michael: So, our canvases, or walls as you’d call them, are all owned by someone. Some people want to have a say in what goes on there whilst other people really don't mind; they’re simply happy to have something there and they give us a free rein. Alternatively, we could have full permission from the site owner, but the council might have an opinion on what should be in a particular area, if it's a conservation area for example.

So, the fun bit for us is to then try and match the artist to the spot. We might have preferences ourselves of who or what we’d like, so for example, if you were doing a canvas near the transport museum, we might want to stick with a

transport theme.

If you're in a historic street you might want to paint with a brush and do something in an old-fashioned style. If you want a modern building, you might do a neon spray painting.

Do all of the artists work to a theme?

Melissa: Some of our artists will have a theme to stick to but that can be quite hard to do for the smaller works. For the larger works we will give a brief but we don’t tell people what to paint.

Michael: The powers that be have made us do a sketch for the larger pieces but we’ve made it as sketchy as possible, so I wasn't really giving anything away.

We’ve had to juggle a lot; the art is the easy bit, it’s about juggling personalities, bureaucracies and expectations because the people paying for it want to have quite a big say in what the finished product looks like and also the people doing the painting want to have quite a big say. Then there’s us in the middle trying to make sure that neither party feels that they have lost anything of themselves within the process and that they’re happy with the end result.

I think we've been pretty successful so far.

There will be a huge variety of artworks though and I’m sure there will be something to please everybody. There'll be some things that some people won't like, but that’s art.

So why should visitors come and see the In Paint We Trust project?

Michael: I’d like them to take a journey around our city via the street art and see what else they find.

Melissa: Come and treat the city like an outdoor art gallery, you can do it day or night and see Coventry in a different light.

Visit www.coventry2021.co.uk for more information.

In Paint We Trust runs until May 2022 dluxe-magazine.co.uk 51

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DIARY: OUR PICK OF THE CITY’S BEST CULTURAL EVENTS, SHOWS, CONCERTS, EXHIBITS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SUMMER & BEYOND Observations of Being

Until Sunday 15 August This journey of selfdiscovery follows the flow of oxygen through the body, reactivating forgotten connections between humans and nature. Observations of Being is a stunning outdoor experience, suitable for the whole family, that will engage your senses and fire your imagination.

keep a vibrant cultural connection to their roots.

UK Sound systems were set up across the country and would compete to play the very best music combining the latest releases with one-off dubplates that set them apart. The final event in October will see Jamaica and Coventry’s very best loved Sounds connecting with local, national and international audiences both live and digitally.

Sound Systems

The Show Windows

Until 2nd September Sound Systems are an integral part of Jamaican popular culture and music history. The community that migrated to live and work in Coventry brought this sound with them, to 52 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Throughout 2021 Following a year where we have mainly been gazing out of our windows, we are now inviting you to look in. Working with Coventry BID, RIBA, curator Charlie Levine,

and artists. This project aids city centre recovery and helps us all embrace positive change post Covid-19 lockdown.

In Paint We Trust

Until May 2022 See the streets of Coventry awash with colour in this city-wide street art festival. Local, nationally and internationally

and their local city centre shops and businesses they have created a programme of ambitious window installations designed by local, UK based and international architects

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65.1 MILLION PEOPLE! WORTH MORE THAN £3.5 MILLION IN PR COVERAGE

W E C OUL D B E DO I N G T H E SA M E F O R Y OU !

www.fu.media.co.uk info@fu-media.co.uk TEL. 07713 740 272

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PLAY TACKLES DIVERSITY IN COVENTRY SCHOOLS

renowned street artists will be given access to unique and unexpected spaces encouraging audiences to explore Coventry. From May 2021, In Paint We Trust will see new artworks appearing in unique spaces across the city centre. Artists will be given opportunities to animate along pathways and walls giving audiences a chance to explore.

Arlo Parks

5th August at HMV Empire Arlo Parks is a singersongwriter from London.

In her words she spent most of school feeling like that black kid who couldn’t dance for shit, listening to too much emo music and crushing on some girl in her Spanish class. Her songs are confessional and tender, mainly inspired

by Portishead and Earl Sweatshirt.

CVX Festival

12th – 15th August CVX Festival is a pioneering three-day arts activism festival curated by young people in the city around the themes of community, unity and social change. CVX 54 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Coventry-based charity, Heart of England Community Foundation, has recently supported the production of I Ain’t Dumb an LGBTQIA+ play, written by Tom Wright and produced by Epicene and PlayWell Productions. The highly anticipated production is set to debut in February 2022, following the completion of Coventry’s City of Culture Festival 2021.

The play is inspired by Tom’s experience in Coventry during his time at school and follows an English class that pride themselves on diversity and inclusion, before a sudden culture war takes place. Exploring the themes around race, sexuality, police brutality, sexual assault and gang violence, the production will be hosted as part of the activity surrounding the City of Culture 2021. will bring together local, regional and national artists using their platform as role models to stand up for young people and take a stand against violence.

SeaView

November 2021 Belgrade Theatre.

Conceived before Covid-19 took the world of theatre online, SeaView follows the story of Steven, a highflying university student who appears to have a bright future ahead of him.

But talent, intelligence and humility aren’t always enough to see you through, and Steven struggles to escape the cycle of poverty, crime and violence that has entrapped his family.

Talking about the show’s development, it’s writer Tom Wright, said “It’s been a long road for production due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but we’re so pleased with all of the work that has gone into this. The funding received from Heart of England will help us to run workshops that offer skills and resources to the next generation of artists, specifically in the LGBTQIA+ community. Coventry 2021 is an amazing time to get people talking about Coventry, and I can’t wait for the premiere of ‘I Ain’t Dumb’ and to share my experience within the LGTBQIA+ community.”

Alongside the play, Tom has implemented an extensive engagement programme, collaborating with local LGBTQIA+ young people, artists and audiences, in order to stimulate conversations and offer a platform for the next generation of the LGBTQIA+ talent in Coventry. Further details on the show and the engagement programme will be released over the summer.

Over 180,000 people in the West Midlands identify themselves as LGBTQIA+, and with the loss of real-life Pride events and safe spaces during the pandemic, the last few months have been a challenging time for those looking for support. The Foundation is hoping that by funding projects just like I Ain’t Dumb it will help to reconnect the community.

FROM DIRTY DANCING TO SWAN LAKE AUTUMN’S ANNOUNCED AT BELGRADE week Cardboard Camps residency, will be staged on Friday 23 July.

Following two West End runs, four UK tours, and multiple international productions, Dirty Dancing is back at the Belgrade this autumn from Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 November.

Featuring the iconic hits Hungry Eyes and (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, we follow two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

Following the reopening of it’s doors, Belgrade Theatre has announced a whole host of new shows for its upcoming seasons are now on sale with highlights including the return of Dirty Dancing and Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong.

The Belgrade’s Autumn Season kicks off with a series of live music acts. The Best of Take That featuring Rule the World celebrates 30 years of Take That dominating the charts on Wednesday 1 September.

The Illegal Eagles then take to the stage on Thursday 2 September, celebrating 50 years since the formation of the legendary West Coast Country Rock band.

The Real Thing also arrive in Coventry on Friday 10 September, with original vocalists Chris Amoo and Dave Smith and a live band.

Later in the season, The Bluejays present Rave On, a celebration of ‘50s and ‘60s Rock n Roll, on Friday 22 October.

Acclaimed Mischief Theatre once again bring The Play That Goes Wrong to the Belgrade this autumn.

The multi award-winning international smash hit comedy has been hailed “a gut-busting hit” by the New York Times and is now in its seventh year in the West End. The slapstick comedy can be seen in Coventry from Monday 13 – Saturday 18 September.

From Thursday 30 September – Saturday 2 October, Original Theatre Company present Being Mr Wickham. Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the

role of Mr Wickham to set the record straight.

Written by Adrian Lukis and Catherine Curzon and directed by Guy Unsworth.

As part of its Coventry UK City of Culture programme, the Belgrade has teamed up with Cardboard Citizens to co-produce the new musical The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency from Saturday 9 – Saturday 16 October. Based on a true story from the 1970s, we follow the story of the workings of the world’s first ‘estate agency for squatters’ and the foundation of a new nation, Frestonia. The show is enlivened by a chorus of Coventry citizens who have experienced homelessness. Prior to this, a brand-new performance, carefully created with local people with experiences of homelessness in Coventry as part of their three-

The Russian State Ballet will also return with three classic ballets, accompanied by a 30-piece orchestra. Experience the beauty of Swan Lake on Thursday 11 November, Sleeping Beauty on Friday 12 November and The Nutcracker on Saturday 13 November.

The Belgrade’s annual Christmas treat for children aged 2-6 arrives this year with Santa’s Magical Mystery Guest. The latest in Imagine Theatre’s hugely popular Santa series, little ones can experience songs and laughter from Thursday 9 – Friday 24 December.

Finally, from Monday 13 – Thursday 23 December, the Belgrade and Chipping Norton Theatre present A Christmas Carol, starring David Bradley (Broadchurch, Game of Thrones). Charles Dickens’ classic novel has been adapted for the stage by Simon Callow. Bradley will be joined on stage by acclaimed folk musician and actor Sophie Crawford.

Tickets are available to book now. Call the box office on 024 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk where prices are cheaper.

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CITY Festival announces first headliner As excitement builds for the summer, Godiva Festival organisers have confirmed that ‘Craig David presents TS5’ will headline the main stage on Saturday 4 September

Theatre of Wandering

18 – 19th September In a new production cocreated and inspired by Coventry residents, this walk-about theatrical experience through the east of the city blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality.

TS5 started out as an exclusive pre-party that was hosted

by Craig David at his penthouse home in Miami but has quickly grown into a world-renowned show. The show has toured the US and has been featured at some of the UK’s biggest festivals including Glastonbury. album, Encore, for the first time in more than 38 years.

Contains Strong Language

Rivers of the World

1st September – 1st January Coventry City of Culture Trust, the Thames Festival Trust with support from Open Theatre will be working with eight Special Needs Schools in Coventry and their students to celebrate and re-engage with Coventry’s historic River Sherbourne.

The Specials

11th September at Coventry Building Society Arena Coventry ska-punk legends, comprised of Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter, will be performing a homecoming gig at the Coventry Building Society Arena after releasing a new studio 56 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

23rd – 26th September The four-day festival will be taking place in venues across the city, celebrating spoken word in all its poetic forms and revealing the best existing and emerging talent from Coventry and the Midlands.

Turner Prize 2021

Friday 1 October – Monday 10 January at Herbert Art Gallery & Museum The world’s best-known prize for visual arts, Turner Prize 2021, is in the West Midlands for the first time this autumn, presenting its annual exhibition of shortlisted artists at Coventry’s Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.

The set showcases Craig’s amazing ability to sing, MC and work the crowd, all while DJing simultaneously and will bring a prestigious party vibe to the Festival’s Saturday night.

The announcement of Saturday’s headline act comes at the same time as early bird tickets for the festival go on sale.

Tickets are available to buy from www.godivafestival.com/ buytickets and people are encouraged to get their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

‘Craig David presents TS5’ is the first act announced for Godiva Festival’s 2021 bill with lots more great acts to follow soon.

Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Events said: “We’re thrilled to be able to announce that ‘Craig David presents TS5’ is our first act for 2021 and will be headlining the main stage on the Saturday night.

“Craig is a household name and TS5 has graced some of the biggest and best festivals in the UK. So, it’s fantastic that this show will headline Godiva during our year as UK City of Culture.

“We know that many of you are eager to hear about who else is playing the festival and rest assured, we’ve got plenty more to announce very soon. It’s shaping up to be another fantastic festival and I encourage everyone to get their tickets early to avoid missing out.”

Festival-goers can look forward to seeing ‘Craig David presents TS5’, and much more, over the Godiva Festival weekend, 3-5 September, in the city’s War Memorial Park.

You can read more about ‘Craig David presents TS5 on our line-up page.

Find out more at godivafestival.com or follow @ godivafestival on Facebook and Twitter.

BOOK ONLINE to save money

5 – 7 Aug

Kids from £9*

13 – 18 Sept

From £15*

*2 – 6 Nov

From £18*

11 – 13 Nov

From £15*

Make your trip to the Belgrade extra special by joining us for dinner and drinks in our stunning new bar.

BOOK NOW www.belgrade.co.uk *Ticket price includes a £1.50 booking fee. No fee applies if booking online.

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Written in the Stars with CELEBRITY Astrologer Russell Grant To find out more or to arrange a personal reading, visit www.russellgrant.com ARIES (March21st-April20th) There might not be much time for fun and games in early August. Heavy responsibilities to friends, colleagues and neighbours must be attended before you can take a vacation. The New Moon on the 8th may tempt you to dropping some of these obligations. Instead of turning your back on the people who depend on you, finish what you have started.

LEO (July24th-August23rd) Beware of obeying an impulse to change your look on the 8th, when a challenged New Moon can tempt you to overhaul your image. It’s better to wait until next month to alter your hairstyle or dramatically update your wardrobe.

Your financial and professional prospects will soar during the middle of the month. This is a great time to negotiate a raise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov23rdDec21st) The New Moon on the 8th could make it especially tempting to brag about your accomplishments.

Bite your tongue and adopt a humble attitude. Your willingness to let others shine will impress an influential person. Don’t be surprised if they offer you a big career opportunity in midAugust; restraining your ego will pay off handsomely.

TAURUS (April21st-May21st) Your hair-trigger temper could cause problems at home at the start of the month.

Resist the temptation to lash out at a smug relative on the 8th, when the New Moon causes you to speak without a filter. You won’t be able to take back your angry words and your relationship will suffer as a result. That might not seem like a big deal now, but it will later, when you need their support.

VIRGO (August24thSeptember23rd) Push yourself to mingle on the 8th, when the New Moon could deliver a learning opportunity to you.

By mid-month, you’ll be attracting people who fuel your energy.

Discussing your favourite subjects will give you a new lease on life. Don’t be surprised when individuals who were once indifferent to your charm start treating you like an object of desire.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22ndJan20th) Bills could pile up at the beginning of August, making you nervous. Beware of tying your personal worth to your financial standing on the 8th, when the New Moon makes you feel defensive and defeated. By mid-month, your financial fortunes will dramatically improve. You could land a prominent leadership position that draws on your considerable expertise.

GEMINI (May22nd-June21st) Talking about religion, politics and culture can be extremely frustrating at the beginning of August. It’s best to stick to neutral topics like the weather and pets during this tense time. The New Moon on the 8th could bring some deep, dark secrets to light; prepare for several shocks. Your family will be a tremendous source of comfort throughout the middle of August.

CANCER (June22nd-July23rd) Financial shortages could drive you to distraction during the first half of the month. Beware of taking a low-paid job on the 8th, when the New Moon could make you panicky about money. Hold out for a position will pay what you are worth. A windfall from a business or romantic partnership could arrive in mid-August, helping you to breathe easier.

LIBRA (September24thOctober23rd) The New Moon on the 8th could prompt you to break away from a social situation that has become oppressive. Going your own way will cause you to breathe a huge sigh of relief. Your charm, wit and intelligence will be obvious to everyone during the middle of the month. On the 22nd, the Full Moon could mark a turning point in your love life.

SCORPIO (October24thNovember22nd) Instead of working harder at the start of August, to get the approval you desire, try to coast. Turn your attention to rewarding activities and relationships. Doing things that make you feel good will raise people’s opinions of you. If you lose a career opportunity on the 8th, it may be because the New Moon is arranging a better job for you.

To find out more or to arrange a personal reading, visit www.russellgrant.com 58 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

AQUARIUS (January21stFebruary19th) A close relationship will show signs of strain during the first half of August. The New Moon on the 8th could find you arguing with relatives about your choice of romantic partner. Defending the object of your affection will set a good precedent for your relationship. An intimate encounter will cheer you up during the middle of the month.

PISCES (February20thMarch20th) On the 8th, the New Moon warns against posting controversial opinions on social media. These remarks can throw you out of contention for a great career opportunity. A romantic or business partner can give you much needed support; two heads will be much better than one. The Full Moon on the 22nd finds you spending more time on your own, focusing on peaceful pursuits.

Coventry Transport Museum houses the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles on the planet and tells the story of a city which changed the world through transport.

Visitors can expect captivating displays, interactive galleries, and highly immersive exhibitions – a day to remember.

Admission charges apply to the venue transport-museum.com

The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is the perfect place to delve into Coventry’s history and engage with art and culture.

Investigate the natural world, modern art, and the Old Masters. Wander through dazzling interactive displays and enjoy the latest exhibitions while admiring the building’s unique architecture.

Free admission theherbert.org