The Birmingham Post (England) back issues from May 2009:
A flowering passion.
May 01, 2009 ... A flowering passion The garden built to woo a queen food | drink | fashion | outdoors | film | antiques | local history | motoring | travel ...
A garden fit to woo a queen; Jo Ind visits Kenilworth Castle which has replanted a creation originally meant to impress Elizabeth I.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Jo Ind Idon't know if it made Queen Elizabeth I gasp, but that was my reaction when I glimpsed the sculpture in the middle of the fountain that was designed to seduce her. "Oh my goodness," I thought. "What's that? It's hideous." The fountain was huge, ...
Red and white vin man; Clive Platman talks to sommelier Franois Bourde about his loves - and pet hates.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Clive Platman There's an old story about a young American who takes his girlfriend to an upmarket restaurant. Looking at the wine list, he espies the sommelier wearing his standard-issue dinner jacket, cutting a rather haughty and imposing figure as he glides ...
Tasty Liaison is a secret affair.
May 01, 2009 ... Place: Liaison, 1558 Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birmingham. T: 0121 733 7336 Why go? A fiercely independent restaurant enthused with a love of good food. Great theatre, and flavours, delivered by its wonderfully idiosyncratic all-female owner/managers. Price: Knock-out lunch ...
Shape shifter; Vauxhall's Insignia estate is more stylish than its saloon, says Edward Stephens.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Edward Stephens There was a time when - shape wise - an estate car was little more than a square box on wheels. But those days have disappeared in the last few years with car makers vying to make their load luggers the sleekest on the road. In many ...
Record number of Jags lined up.
May 01, 2009 ... The greatest number of works supported Jaguars ever will take part in this year's Mille Miglia, with a D-type, four C-types and a Mark VII saloon being supported by Jaguar Cars and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. Joining the historic cars and a fleet of XKR and XFR support vehicles ...
Sophisticated Fiat scoops award.
May 01, 2009 ... The Fiat 500 has been chosen as the 2009 Design Car of the Year beating 51 shortlisted cars from the world's top car makers. The Fiat 500, along with the Citron C5 and the ...
Lotus Elise and Exige get extra fuel economy.
May 01, 2009 ... A revised range of Lotus Elise and Exige sports cars are going on sale with extra fuel economy of up to nine per cent. The Elise S shows the greatest improvement in fuel efficiency and is now capable of averaging 37.2mpg compared to 34mpg on the previous model. Emissions ...
Nearly-new Ford superminis hold value at auction.
May 01, 2009 ... Some of the first of Ford's new supermini models to come on to the used market have clocked up above average prices at auction. A sale including 15 new Fiestas and two new Kas saw average returns of 80 per cent. One Fiesta 1.4 Titanium 5-door petrol model sold for ...
Frock and roll; Fans of retro fashion, should head for Yo Yo which is closing down after 25 years, says Anuji Varma.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Anuji Varma If you're looking for edgy fashion with a twist then head to Yo Yo for the perfect retro style. The business has been in Birmingham city centre for 25 years, starting up in the infamous rag market and finally settling at Ethel Street, for the past ...
Pictures perfect; Jean Bonna shares with us his fine collection of drawings by European artists. Richard Edmonds takes a look.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Richard Edmonds Raphael to Renoir. Drawings from the collection of Jean Bonna by George Goldner, Colta Ives et al ( Yale: pounds 40.00) E verything is grist to the collecting mill - from 1930s milk bottles to rare drawings, silver and porcelain. Quite early ...
Will Self's new satire turns out to be all smoke and no fire.
May 01, 2009 ... The Butt By Will Self (Bloomsbury: pounds 7.99) Tom Brodzinski is attempting to live longer by giving up smoking. However, when he flicks away the fag-end of his final cigarette - during a holiday in a strange, unnamed land - the butt lands on the head of an elderly man. ...
Talons contest; New films reviewed by Roz Laws and Graham Young.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Roz Laws;Graham Young X MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Cert 12A, 107 mins The best film yet in the X-Men franchise takes us back to the beginning, to show how Wolverine got his name, an indestructible metal skeleton and a bad case of amnesia. Hugh Jackman plays the ...
Cheerfully grumpy; Tony Collins finds comedian Arthur Smith happily back on tour.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Arthur Smith Don't shout it out, but one of the stars of hit TV show Grumpy Old Men isn't that grumpy after all. That is the overriding impression gained after an interview with socalled "veteran" comedian Arthur Smith, who will be bringing his Audience With ...
Mystery screening.
May 01, 2009 ... Vue Cinemas is set to spice things up - with a series of Mystery Movie screenings. Once a month, from next Tuesday, cinemagoers will be able to view a film ahead of its release but won't know what it is until the opening credits. Whilst standard prices apply, ...
Hard times for museums despite visitor increase.
May 01, 2009 ... Britain's museums are seeing an increase in visitors but are facing budget cuts as the recession takes hold, according to a survey by the leading art charity, The Art Fund. The survey, carried out between September 2008 and March 2009, is the first of its kind, and The Art Fund ...
Sheer quality; Sally Hoban has found the ideal place to invest those 'interest free' savings.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Sally Hoban An original oil painting by L S Lowry valued at pounds 325,000 will be among the many fabulous treasures up for sale at The 45th Annual Buxton Antiques Fair this month. I love visiting this fair as it's the perfect opportunity to get a taste of fine antiques ...
Private screening; Strensham means more than a motorway service station stop as Chris Upton finds on a journey into the past.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Chris Upton Amotorway service station is not a place to promise much history, not unless there is a spare copy of Heritage Today on the magazine racks. Motorway services are nowhere, suspended in time and disconnected in space. Strensham services on the M5 is ...
It's hotting up as bees prepare for the summer; Down my allotment.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Robert Brenchley As usual this time of year, things are getting interesting. The bees are building up their numbers fast, ready for the summer, and the first drones are hatching. In a couple of weeks, I'll be beginning the process of raising the first batch ...
A piece of paradise p; Colin Hambridge describes the beauty of Grenada's inspiring, exotic gardens.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Colin Hambridge Visiting gardens is a national pastime in the UK, whether it be that of a suburban semi which opens once a year under the National Gardens Scheme or of a stately home open all year round. I recently had the opportunity to look at some of the ...
Sow in May to reap in August; in the garden.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Colin Hambridge If you like the idea of picking plenty of your own dwarf French beans or runner beans later in the summer May is the ideal time to make a sowing of these easily grown vegetables. Both are natives of tropical America and the seed of neither ...
outdoor diary.
May 01, 2009 ... TOMORROW n Maypole family fun at Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton. 11am to 4pm. Call 01902 761400. n Walk around Sheldon Country Park, Ragley Drive, Sheldon, to learn about trees. 2pm to 3pm. Call 0121 742 0226. n Learn about the deer herd at Attingham Park, ...
Wight casts off sandy image; Taking an eco-step in a green direction proved easier for Chris Highamthan she expected on a break under canvas.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Chris Higham First it was the Hollywood 'A' list, then David Cameron and now the Isle of Wight seems to have gone green. Perhaps it always was and it's just that the familiar golden sandy beaches overshadowed the green and pleasant land of the Island interior. ...
WATCH.
May 01, 2009 ... What: Boy Meets Girl Why: Entertaining body-swap comedy in which Martin Freeman and ...
EAT.
May 01, 2009 ... What: Wongs Why: Spacious dining room on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter offering tasty ...
BOOK.
May 01, 2009 ... What: Seal Why: The singer-songwriter and Mr Heidi Klum goes on tour to ...
SEE.
May 01, 2009 ... What: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Why: The action film is the best of the comic book X-Men series, with ...
TUNE IN.
May 01, 2009 ... What: Claudia Winkleman's Arts Show Why: Claudia brings listeners live music from Imelda May and ...
CONTENTS.
May 01, 2009 ... Cover story: Very big and very beautiful The 400 acre Halesend Estate - yours for pounds 6.5 million Pages 4-5 Country opulence A more affordable alternative to elegant living Pages 6-7 The shape of things to come How the rental sector is set for a surge Pages 16-17 Coach houses Extra ...
Brindley House takes the honours.
May 01, 2009 ... Birmingham's newest property landmark, Brindley House, scooped a top award in the apartment category at the Built in Property Awards, held at the ICC, Birmingham. Formerly an unlovely telecommunications building, Brindley House has been transformed inside and out by MCD ...
Pop Art for Shelter.
May 01, 2009 ... The average showhome is always dressed to impress potential purchasers, and visitors to Barratt West Midlands Edenside development in Wednesbury have been wowed by the examples of Pop Art. Now they have the chance to own their own piece of iconic decoration as items ranging from ...
Halesend Estate - where size really does matter; If you are in the market for a real country pile, then the Halesend Estate at Storridge might just tick all the boxes. Set in 400 glorious acres this nine-bedroomed home comes with a pounds 6.5 million price tag. Alison Jonessearches her purse and the back of the sofa for the spare change.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones "If you have a yearning to live in a house, A very big house In the country ..." ...as Blur memorably put it in Country House, then the Halesend Estate at Storridge on the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border could unquestionably fit the bill. It ...
Timeless class and space to spread out.
May 01, 2009 ... There is a lot of family history that comes with Fairfield, a stunning period home in Oldbury, near Bridgenorth in Shropshire. In the nearly two centuries since it was built it has only changed hands four times. The house, once part of a larger estate, is ideally suited for a ...
Grand Grade II farm; If pounds 6.5 million is a little on the steep side but you still want a taste of stately living, then why not consider these three elegant alternatives. Alison Jones takes a tour.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones The rather quaintly named Puddleford Farm sounds like something pulled from the fertile imagination of Beatrix Potter. The reality is somewhat grander than the cosy name would seem to indicate. The farm, at Eastham, Tenbury Wells in ...
A striking inner contrast; COUNTRYOPULENCE.
May 01, 2009 ... Kynnersley Manor may date back to the 19th century but its striking interior, with dramatic monochrome detailing is unquestionably 21st century in style. A solidly built large family home, constructed around 1840, Kynnersley Manor stands in the village of Kynnersley, just seven ...
For sale off plan at Summer Gardens.
May 01, 2009 ... CALA homes is releasing the first new houses for sale off plan at a luxury development in the Staffordshire village of Wombourne. Summer Gardens will have 12 new family homes and two one-bedroom apartments. They are being built on Brickbridge Lane and are being sold through the ...
Temporary ownership at the click of a mouse.
May 01, 2009 ... Erento.co.uk, the online rental marketplace where you can hire everything from handbags to motorhomes reveals that business is booming as people looking to save money by renting instead of buying. Traffic on the site - which includes a commercial properties, flatshare and flat ...
A sector that will benefit from the state of the market; With the property market suffering from its worst recession since men emerged from caves, there is one sector which stands to benefit. Alison Jones looks at how the rental market is set to boom.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones The recent upheavals when it comes to buying and selling homes is set to have a positive impact on the rental sector, according to experts. Leading figures in the industry, who gathered together for the Land Data Great Housing Debate in London, ...
Part exchange homes for quick sale.
May 01, 2009 ... In an attempt to encourage home buyers in a sluggish market property developers have been turning to schemes such as part exchange to help smooth the purchasing path by eliminating risky chains. However, this does leave them with an increasing number of older homes on their ...
Sound advice for the rental investor; Owning a rental property can be an attractive investment, but can also be a nightmare without careful planning and sound advice. Alison Jones gets some top tips.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones Thinking of buying with a view to let or perhaps renting out a house that you already own? It can be a straightforward way of making money from your assets. However, it does mean that you are reliant on a tenant's income remaining steady in order ...
Two lot property is just what the doctor ordered; COACHHOUSES: Former coach houses can be used for extra accommodation as these two properties demonstrate. Alison Jonesreports.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones buyers with a taste for development enjoy the challenge offered by the House and Coach House, a two lot up for auction this week by Andrew Grant. The house is in the heart of the village of Witley in Worcestershire. Though by countryside there ...
Have enough room to make a living; COACHHOUSES.
May 01, 2009 ... Tired of the rat race? Anxious to move to the countryside but can't take your work with you, then make your home your work. Glan-y-Wern is situated five miles north of Oswestry, close to the Shropshire/Wales border, making it ideal for holiday letting. It is made up ...
There's snow denying it, this two bedroom.
May 01, 2009 ... There's snow denying it, this two bedroom apartment on offer in the Le Village de Lessy certainly enjoys spectacular views. The four-star residence de tourisme is located in the traditional village of Le Chinaillon in the Les Aravis ski area of the French Alps, a year-round ...
Modern apartments that combine chic and brick.
May 01, 2009 ... A relic of the manufacturing heyday of the Jewellery Quarter has been given new life after its reinvention as a residential property. The former works in George Street metamorphosed into chic loft apartments that make the most of the old building's attributes, including the wide ...
A new lease of life for grand merchant's house; ELEGANTAPARTMENTS: A stalwart of Chepstow has been rescued and totally transformed. Alison Jones takes a look.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones A grand old merchant's house that has passed through the hands of the well-to-do of Chepstow, a town famous for its ancient castle, before serving as an army billet and then a school, has been rescued from dereliction and transformed into a collection of ...
Regency terrace offers a host of possibilities; For the property investor with an eye on Leamington, Grade II listed Newbold Terrace is well worth considering. Alison Jones reports.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Alison Jones It is unlikely that the Queen is ever going to be so strapped for cash that she would consider putting her des res at the end of The Mall on the market. However, property investors looking to buy in Leamington could get the next best thing - an ...
Finding a home at the touch of a button; PROPERTYEXPERT: Lee Bramzell, chief executive of property portal PropertyIndex.com, explains how the internet is changing the face of the housing market to the benefit of buyers, sellers and the estate agents themselves.: PROPERTYEXPERT.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Lee Bramzell The internet has made the property market more accessible than ever before which is fantastic news for estate agents who previously had to rely on property hunters hitting the high street and literally 'window shopping' for their dream home. Now, ...
High Street banks remain closed for business; Nick Hopkinson, director of Property Portfolio Rescue (PPR), comments on the latest mortgage lending figures from the British Banking Association.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: Nick Hopkinson Any talk of 'green shoots' in the property market has been well and truly quashed this week. The March 09 figures confirm the real situation in relation to home fi- nance - gross mortgage lending is down almost 50 per cent on last year and will continue to ...
GPs told to buy their own swine flu masks; EXCLUSIVE.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ALISON DAYANI Birmingham GPs have been told to buy their own masks and protective clothing to deal with swine flu as they complained they were being "left in the dark" on how to tackle a potential pandemic. Birmingham Local Medical Committee members sent a ...
Bugler Gareth.
May 01, 2009 ... Bugler Gareth Roberts, aged 25 from Shrewsbury, serving with the 5th Battalion The Rifles (5 Rifles), is reflected in the plaques on the memorial wall front of 20th Armoured Brigade headquarters on the main coalition military base at ...
FRIDAY: Gardens fit for a Queen food food.
May 01, 2009 ... FRIDAY: Gardens fit for a Queen food | drink | fashion | ...
The pounds 6.5m superhome.(PROPERTY)
May 01, 2009 ... PROPERTY: The pounds 6.5m superhome ISSUE 125 FRIDAY MAY 1 2009 A sporting chance to own one of the finest estates in ...
54.12/ 4243.71 17.61 / 8168.12 $ 1.4788 1.4788.
May 01, 2009 ... 54.12/ 4243.71 17.61 / 8168.12 $ 1.4788 EUR 1.1181 ...
pounds 21m KEY FIGURE.
May 01, 2009 ... The amount owed by Wrekin Construction ...
SHAREWATCH.
May 01, 2009 ... Who: Cadbury What: Shares in the Birmingham-based confectioner recovered well yesterday after falling sharply early on after what were seen a disappointing sales numbers for the first quarter of this year. Revenues were two per cent ahead in constant currencies - boosted by the ...
IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
May 01, 2009 ... Who: Geoff Percy Why: The chairman of CBI West Midlands announced Advantage West Midlands' sponsorship of a new CBI initiative to help school leavers enter the world of business. He said: "The young people involved have become better able to understand the needs of business and, ...
TODAY'S EVENT.
May 01, 2009 ... TODAY'S EVENT What: Denver based rock band The Fray perform live. Where: 02 Academy, Dale End, Birmingham city centre When: 8pm until late Details: Four-piece Denver ...
Brown's authority dented - but not fatally.
May 01, 2009 ... MP expenses U-turn - page 12 Gordon Brown has managed two Commons disasters in two days, thanks to his disastrous handling of the row over MPs' expenses. Earlier this week, his Government was defeated over the issue of allowing Gurkhas to settle in the UK, when Labour ...
Council social care revolution rumbles on; COMMENT.
May 01, 2009 ... Centres to close - page 14 Modernisers in politics are rarely respected in their own lifetimes, so Sue Anderson, the Birmingham cabinet member for adults and communities, must be hoping that the social services change agenda she is driving through with characteristic toughness ...
KEY WORDS.
May 01, 2009 ... We deplore the behaviour of banks who have received public money and ...
What may be the world's largest spongecake.
May 01, 2009 ... What may be the world's largest spongecake was revealed for the first time in London's West End yesterday. The West End Spongescaper was created by ...
NEXT WEEK IN THE BIRMINGHAM POST.
May 01, 2009 ... LIVING incorporating FASHION | DINING | POST PEOPLE | BEAUTY | WHAT'S ON MOD ALMIGHTY QUADROPHENIA FASHION HITS THE STREETS May 2009 THURSDAY TUESDAY Obama Join us for as tour around Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which is showing 52 portraits of advisers, aides and ...
1.05.2009.
May 01, 2009 ... BUSINESS SECTORS 21-27 PERSONAL FINANCE 21-23 DNA 25 SHARES 26-27 Test case for wills Cheap, off-the-shelf wills may not stand up to the rigours of a court case in the event of a complex dispute, a lawyer has warned. Page 21 CULTURE 18-20; 24 AGENDA 18 LETTERS 19 POST PEOPLE 20 PUZZLES 24 ...
US car giant files for bankruptcy protection; AUTOMOTIVE.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: MATT WILLIAMS Chrysler was last night set to become the first of the Detroit "Big Three" carmakers to be made bankrupt. The company filed for bankruptcy protection as it was announced that a rescue deal with Fiat of Italy had been reached. ...
LDV 'still alive' UPDATE.
May 01, 2009 ... Hopes were high last night at LDV that an 11th-hour deal can be struck to save the stricken Birmingham vanmaker. Talks were believed to be continuing with Malaysian company Weststar Group which has emerged as a potential saviour of the company, which ceased production in ...