Opus fixes the price not the diners options.


Birmingham restaurant Opus has once again reinvented the wheel with fixing the prices, but not your dining options.

Opus one of the leading fine-dining restaurants in Birmingham, has scrapped the individual prices on its à la carte menu and has instead introduced a fixed price for either two- or three-course dining.

Opus believes it is the only restaurant to have this standout offering. It will enable diners to choose any dish from its full à la carte menu, with a two-course lunch or dinner costing £27.50 or a three-course meal £32.50. 

The vegetarian menu costs £25 for two courses and £30 for three. 

The concept has been spearheaded by award-winning executive head chef Ben Ternent. He said: “Typically you find that the cheaper, fixe prix menus in restaurants offer limited options for diners, but we were keen to do something a little different from the norm.

“We decided that our diners deserved to enjoy our full à la carte options for a fixed price. It’s not something many restaurants do and I’m thrilled to introduce it here at Opus.”

Ben joined Opus, on Cornwall Street, as commis chef shortly after the restaurant launched in 2005 and worked in almost every section of its kitchen before being promoted to executive head chef in 2015, when it celebrated its tenth anniversary.
During his time at the restaurant, Ben has achieved a number of prestigious awards, including being crowned the British Culinary Federation’s Young Chef of the Year in 2006 and achieving his Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Award of Excellence in 2009.

Ann Tonks, managing director at Opus, said: “We’re renowned for doing things a little differently here and because we are independent, we are always looking for new and innovative initiatives that benefit our clientele. Ben’s idea to remove the individual à la carte prices and instead have a fixed price across the whole menu is a great idea and I’m sure our diners will agree, too.

Vegetarians can enjoy dishes such as creamy goats cheese mousse, roasted English tomato and red pepper soup plus Leicestershire wild mushroom and truffle Wellington, Evesham beetroot risotto and tian of Pershore vegetables followed by a warm dark chocolate fondant or raspberry and blueberry iced parfait and a strawberry pudding, the choice is truly yours. 

Diners can, of course, choose one course only if they prefer and those dishes are individually priced.”

The menu is available for lunch Monday to Friday and dinner Monday to Saturday.

Click to access Vegetarian-Menu.pdf

For full menu information, visit: 

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/

Goats cheese tart 

Beetroot risotto

Strawberry pudding

Ben Ternent.


Opus Restaurant Vegetarian Source Dinner with Worcester Produce is also on Friday July 16th at 7pm.

The Source Dinner series includes this Veggie extravaganza. Enjoy 5 courses with wine pairing in conjunction with Worcester Produce. The fruit, vegetables and salad are grown in their nurseries and farms in the Vale of Evesham, picked on day one and are in the Opus kitchen on day two. It’s always an evening to savour.

Look out for my review soon. 

 Price £65 pp. 

Call 0121-200-2323 for booking. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Thanks to Opus and Clive Reeves PR for the photos. 

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#TastyMorsels: New Veggie and Vegan happenings.


Nyam Nyam will be bringing their Caribbean vegetarian and Vegan food to the Moseley Festival on the 1st July. 

http://www.facebook.com/nyam_nyam_brum for updates and details on menus.

The second Vegan Vybes event is set for Saturday 17th June at Kings Heath Community Centre on Heathfield Road. 

They are popping up to share with you the joys of vegan living through urban food. Come and have a great time, meet new people, enjoy a truly lovely community atmosphere and take part in the vegan vybe. 


The Real Junk Food Project have another one of their Vegan pop ups at The Gunmakers Arms on the 17th June from 6-9pm.  Free admission. 

In fact they are at The Gunmakers Arms every month with vegan friendly beer from Two Towers Brewery. 

Pizza Express have announced that From June 20th, they will have a Vegan mozzarella alternative on the menu.

Made in Italy using Italian ingredients, it melts perfectly in the pizza oven and gives a creamy finish to any pizza. To celebrate, they have taken some of their favourite ingredients and created a new pizza recipe that combines artichokes with new season asparagus, red onion, garlic oil, black olives and seasoning all on a classic dough and passata base. Called the Vegan Giardiniera. 
The vegan mozzarella is available across the board on all their pizzas. 

Read more from their Head of Food and Drink, Holly Davies, here: 

https://www.pizzaexpress.com/news/vegan-giardiniera


Moseley craft beer festival is on from the 28th-30th July at The Dark Horse. Expect to find Vegan and Veggie friendly beers and lots of laughs. 


Burrito top dogs Habaneros have begun a kitchen residency at craft beer pub 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter. Expect some lip tastic veggie friendly burritos and tacos on the menu. Otherwise catch them In  city centre near the cathedral in their street food burrito mobile. 

Tipton pie people Mad O’Rourke’s have a Brewery selling pies opening later in the year in Digbeth. Veggie and vegan pies a plenty. Expect opening sometime after August. Watch this space. 

Finally, Veggie Foodie favourites Sabai Sabai will be opening up a fourth venue for their fine Thai food in Birmingham City Centre. Open later this year on Waterloo Street. 

Following on from the original Moseley restaurant, Harborne, and Stratford Upon Avon. 

See you there. 


Here’s my latest review of Sabai Sabai https://t.co/s1aprNIf3g

That’s all folks. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Food For Thought: The Hand That Feeds. A musical about food crime. 



There’s nothing quite like theatre to provide a platform for challenging issues and creating awareness. That intimacy you can have with the performance, the feeling of watching something evolve, live and breathe. Inside it’s power can resonate, outside the elements of weather, sounds and audience can bring a new dimension to the script. 

That’s why this free musical is something I would like to bring to your attention. 



The Hand that feeds is a musical about food crime, which is fraud at any stage in the production or supply of food and drink. It follows the story of Robbie, a regular guy who comes to realise the impact of his role in the food supply chain and the difference he can make. It’s a fun and energetic performance that addresses really interesting and important issues. The production was created with the input of the food supply network in Birmingham and stars Castle Vale Community Choir, alongside professional actor-musicians.

There are free, outdoor performances on Saturday 10th June in Castle Vale and on Tuesday 13th June at 1pm in Victoria Square in Birmingham City Centre-ideal lunch break fodder if you work in the city!

#StopFoodCrime

https://www.facebook.com/newoptimists/

The press release outlines the issue in more detail: 

‘The Hand That Feeds’ is a theatrical song cycle about food crime. Food crime, which involves fraud at any stage in the production or supply of food or drink, is a widespread and growing problem that affects us all. The project was conceived of by Kate Cooper, founder of The New Optimists: a forum for regional scientists.

‘The Hand That Feeds’ is composed by Sara Colman and written by Mez Packer. It follows the story of Robbie, “a hardworking family man” raised in Birmingham who comes to realise the impact of his role in the food supply chain and the difference he can make.

The project aims to raise public awareness of the issues and the widespread implications of food crime — both locally and nationally — and to create a platform for discussion. The New Optimists’ conviction is that a fun arts-based events can have a big impact in enabling a wider audience to engage in social matters, such as food crime, where the role of science, here the forensics of food fraud, play a big part in making our world a better place.

The content iwas built with people from across the food supply network in Birmingham, the largest economic sector in the city. As well as the core professional actor- musicians, The New Optimists are working with Castle Vale Community Choir, who will be the ensemble for the piece.

Professor Chris Elliott, who led the Government review into the integrity and assurance of our food supply network after the horsemeat scandal, and who coined the term ‘food crime’, is the Scientific Advisor on the project.

The free, outdoor performances of ‘The Hand That Feeds’ are taking place on / at:

Saturday 10th June: 12pm near St Cuthberts Church, Caste Vale, B35 7PL

&

Tuesday 13th June at 1pm in Victoria Square, B1 1BB

Audiences are encouraged to follow the conversation both in the run up to and during the live shows with #StopFoodCrime.

Founder Kate Cooper said: “The New Optimists is a forum of top-notch regional scientists from diverse scientific disciplines, keen to make our world a better place. Their work matters and The New Optimists is about getting their work — and their informed perspective — in on decision-making. This musical is one of many ways to do so.”

Join in the conversation and #StopFoodCrime

http://newoptimists.com

Facebook: https:// http://www.facebook.com/newoptimists Twitter: @newoptimists

Let’s hope the sun shines for them! 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Veggie Foodie shortlisted for the Midlands Food Drink and Hospitality Awards 2017 Best Food and Drink blogger category.


I’ve just found out that myself and my blog  Have been shortlisted for the Midlands Food Drink and Hospitality Awards 2017. 

This is a tremendous honour for me as I’m the only Vegetarian Food blogger to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. 

Now I’m not one to blow my own trumpet but I need your votes as it’s the public that vote for the winner from the nominations in each category. 

The awards cover every conceivable area that’s food and drink related and has nominations and a final shortlist from all over the region. 

The food and drinks blogging sector in Birmingham in particular is huge and growing fast. 

There are many fabulous bloggers in the region. Their blogs are an inspiration to me so I feel blessed to be nominated with some of them. 

It should be a good few weeks of voting.

The full list of categories can be found via the link below and there is also a category for best vegetarian and vegan restaurant. Feel free to vote in as many categories as you wish. 


http://www.mfdhawards.co.uk/vote-now/

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support without which I wouldn’t be blogging and wouldn’t have been shortlisted. 

Andy 😊

http://www.mfdhawards.co.uk/vote-now/



Natural Healthy Foods open: First all Vegan cafe now open in Birmingham city centre. 



The new Natural Healthy Foods eatery and store will open its doors today. 

They are  open from 10am til 9pm and  BASED OPPOSITE THE MAILBOX (just on the ramp on the left past subway sandwiches). 

They will have a new store ( similar to the one they already have in Digbeth) but with lots of new products! Over 1500 to be precise. 

A large range of Organic fresh fruit and veg are now been sold too. 

They will also have an Eatery where you can grab food and take away or stay and eat in new, modern surroundings! It will seat 54 people. Serving, hot and  raw food plus cakes, and puddings.

Or just have a drink hot or cold with friends, or pop in for lunch and chill.

They are using their Facebook page at the moment but will soon Have a new page dedicated to the new lovely store and Eatery. 

The new place is completely VEGAN / GLUTENFREE /REFINED SUGAR FREE / ORGANIC.

It will be Serving Food from 12pm- 9pm.

Unit 1 Sirius, Orion Building, 24 Suffolk Street, Queensway, Birmingham City Centre, B1 1 LT.

See below for menu sample. 



Sample of new menu: 

*Smoky Black Bean Chilli with a Walnut Chorizo*
*Creamy Kale with Ginger and Miso dressing*
*Red Rice Risotto with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash*
* Raw Vegan Fudge* 
*Key Lime Pie*
*Spirulina Cacao Brownie* 

Food is served buffet fashion, grab a plate, fill up with food and pay by the weight of the portion. Takeaway available. 


Look out for a review of the food and venue shortly on Veggie Foodie. 

Thanks for reading, 
Andy 😊

https://www.naturalhealthyfoods.co.uk/

Natural Healthy Foods are also open at The Warehouse, 54 Alison Street, Digbeth, next to The Warehouse Cafe. 

My previous post on Natural Healthy Foods in Digbeth: 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/vegiefoodie.com/2015/09/14/tastymorsel-now-open-vegan-natural-health-food-digbeth-birmingham/amp/

All photos courtesy of Natural Healthy Foods with kind permission by co owner Susan Waldron. Thank you. 

New Indian Streetfood restaurant Zindiya set to bring colour to Moseley. 




There have been a lot of false dawns with restaurant openings recently. The hype doesn’t always result in a place been good for repeat visits. For Vegetarians disappointment when the menu is presented to you, a lack of choice, a lack of thought. I can safely predict that Zindiya doesn’t fall into that category looking at the menu which is on first glance predominantly veggie. 

Zindiya, a new Indian Street food eatery and cocktail  bar opened on the 7th February in Moseley, Birmingham in a building that has been empty for 10 years. Some of you may remember Lukers  the bakery. Others won’t, well it was 10 years ago! Remembering last week is hard enough. 

But, you’ll remember Zindiya. Well that’s the plan from owners Ajay and Shivani Kenth. Moseley born and bred, and back to rock the village with little plated curry stuff. Hurray! 

Derived from the Indian name for life and the name of the owners daughter ‘Diya’. Seating 90 people it’s decor is colourful bustling, Indian street food market. 

Across the road, is one of the best. Kababish a Moseley icon is different so don’t go to Zindiya expecting the same. This is Street Food, tapas like sharing plates and dosas, flatbreads and more sharing dishes than  a family picnic in the summer. 

It’s the Cocktails that are on the tips of people’s tongues though. Created by Rob Wood the man behind so many great cocktails in the city they borrow influences from all over India and can be paired with food, which I’m hoping to be convinced is ok. 

Purity Beers are providing the beers for those that prefer. Lawless lager and Longhorn IPA is the name of the game. Plus delectable bakes from Miss Macaroon and wines from city centre based Connolys. 

Also Birmingham Lager from Indian Brewery Co.

The food menu is reasonably priced and won’t set you back on your mortgage repayments and includes for Vegetarians: 

Chaat street food: £4

Pani puri, papri chaat, Bhel puri, Aloo tiki chaat, Pav Bhaji, samosa chaat, chilli Paneer, and Vada Pav ( potato pasty and bun with chutneys) 

Side Street: £3

Chilli cheese toast (Mumbai cheese and toast) okra fries, Mogo Chips, onion bhajis, Masala chips.

A La Carte: £6.50

Idli Sambaar ( steamed rice and lentil dumpling served with sambaar, a lentil based stew, with coconut chutney, 

Trio of Dosas, (Masala aloo, Paneer)

Grill Street: £7 cooked over charcoal. 

Paneer tika, 

Hara Bhara Kabab(served with yoghurt dip and salad.

Paranthe Wali Gali: Flatbread. 12-4 Saturday and Sunday only. 

Aloo Paratra: potatoes and onions.

Plain Paratra 

Gobi Paratra (cauliflower)

Metri ( fenugeek leaves) 

Deserts include Chocolate Gol Gappe and kulfi and Cin alla Kreer (rice pudding) 

With so many Vegetarian options Zindiya goes straight to the top of the must visit list (for vegans check beforehand). 

Also available will be An Afternoon tea which includes sandwiches, Pakoras, Cardamon scones and chai infused prosecco. 

For the best in good value eat-drink-share It’s sure to do well and bring a spot of Indian colour to Moseley. 

See you there. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Zindiya is at 21 Woodbridge Road, Moseley, Birmingham. B13.

Closed Mondays. 

0121-439-0953 Or hello@zindiya.co.uk for bookings. 

http://m.imgur.com/a/nuOtV 

See the above link for full menu. 


All photos courtesy of Zindiya. 

The Mockingbird Cinema and kitchen launch. 



One of Digbeth’s most popular bars will be launching as a dedicated cinema following a major reinvestment into the business.


The Mockingbird Cinema and Kitchen based in the Custard Factory, will become a full-time cinema from Friday, November 18 – officially launching with the Warner Bros’ mega-release Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  

Following 12 months entertaining audiences with screenings of cult favourites – from Brat-pack classics to rib-tickling horrors – The Mockingbird will become one of the city’s only independent cinemas, screening blockbusters straight from Hollywood.  

The 100-seat cinema will typically offer four screenings a day, seven days a week, with special offers and concessions available to its customers.

For example, anyone booking to see the 11am and 2.15pm screenings of Fantastic Beasts can buy tickets for the price of just £5. 

Traditional cinema refreshments, like nachos, popcorn and sweets, will be available from the box office. 

However, for those who want to make a day or an evening out of visiting The Mockingbird, the cinema’s kitchen and bar will be open, offering a wide variety of southern American inspired food. 

Popular picks from the menu include chilli-cheese fries, sandwiches, and vegan burritos. 

The cinema’s co-owner and chef, Anthony Duffy, has also designed a specials menu and cocktail menu that will change to compliment the films on show. 

 As an example, those booked in to see J.K.Rowling’s latest offering, will have the chance to dine on a ‘fantastic feast’ or search through the cinema’s library for a list of magical cocktails.   

The cinema’s owners spotted that customers loved the quirky additions of movie-related meals and themed cocktails, so they wanted to make that a key part of the cinema experience they have on offer.

Anthony said: “We knew people wanted something a bit extra when we started putting on film nights where themed food and drinks were on offer as a tribute to what we were screening”.  

“One of our biggest successes was hosting a sold-out screening of The Big Lebowski, where every customer got a White Russian and an In-N-Out Burger. We still get people emailing us asking if we’ll be putting on another event like it. Well we’ll be doing it permanently now.”

Head of programming, James Brown, explained that he and his fellow co-owners wanted to make The Mockingbird a destination for film and food lovers – where they could spend all afternoon and evening enjoying the cinema and bar. 

James Brown, head of programming, said: “People love cinema.
“It’s an entire experience for a lot of people – to go out, maybe eat beforehand, buy snacks and enjoy a movie. 

“We wanted to create the ultimate cinema experience with The Mockingbird that few other cinemas can offer.”  

Anthony added: “We’ve aimed to create a destination in the Custard Factory.
“A place where people can join us for food, films, drinks and even dancing at the weekends, when our resident DJs take over the decks to spin some soul, disco and funk.” 

The bar will be open from 11am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, then from 11am till late on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Well worth a visit and supporting this unique independent business and the food is excellent. 

The Mockingbird Cinema

The Custard Factory

Gibb St

Birmingham

B9 4AA

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊


 

Welcoming The Physician, a new venue for Edgbaston. 


The growth in restaurants and bars in the Edgbaston village area in recent years is one of the significant success stories of the new found Foodie confidence in Birmingham. From the pioneering Simpsons to El Boracho del Oro, The High field, Blue Piano, the new Comida @ 21 Edgbaston and Cocktail bar The Edgbaston are providing Birmingham with places to eat and drink for the smart diner. Now another new restaurant is due to open soon, welcome to The Physician. 

Brunning and Price restaurant group are currently breathing new life into what was once the Birmingham Medical Institute building on the Calthorpe Estate within Edgbaston Village on the corner of Harbourne and Highfield Road.

The building was taken over in 1957 by the BMI. It once housed the extensive library before it moved to more modern facilities and when the chance came to take on such a wonderfully characterful property, it was an opportunity not to be missed by Brunning and Price.  

Lisa Rogers has recently been appointed as its General Manager and is keen to open the doors in order to get to know everyone and become a full and active member of the local community.

Lisa is new to the area, hailing originally from Southampton, she has worked within pubs since the tender age of 18, spending over 20 something years behind the bar and the last 12 of those in London as a pub manager. She jumped at the chance to run the Physician as it will enable her to live out 3 of her loves, great wine, good food and a love of history, as well as bringing her to her boyfriend Noel’s hometown to be closer to friends and family.

Lisa is joined at the Physician by Rachael Perry and Andy Harris, both will become Deputy Managers and compliment the team with Rachael’s love of wine and Andy’s love of real ale and a shared wealth of local knowledge being born and bred in the area. Our new head chef Ashley Kilroy joins us from Stourbridge and will head the kitchen team whose job it is to create daily menus which will have a core of modern British cooking and where possible use great local suppliers.

Now that the management team is in place they are busily looking for enthusiastic, personable people to make up the rest of the 40 strong team.

‘’We are looking for lots of local ‘crew members’ to work in the bar, or waiting, kitchen and maintenance roles. You don’t need to have experience, just genuinely love working with people and being generally ‘hospitable’, we will happily teach the rest if needed.

 To apply, for any role, please send your CV with a covering letter telling us about you and what makes you tick to Jan@brunningandprice.co.uk, check out our website http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/physician/ or find us on Facebook’’

‘’I’m really looking forward to creating our menu, finding some great new local suppliers and forming relationships. I love the idea of running beer and gin festivals and evenings where customers can meet local brewers or distillers to find out more and taste what’s on offer locally. We are fortunate to have a wealth of brewers in the area to choose from and I would love to hear from our customers about what they would like us to stock. The pub has a great bar at its heart and I hope that it will be a hub of local life.’’

The pub will have 2 private dining rooms seating around16 people in each. The bar is at the heart of the building with a mixture of rooms that incorporate lots of nooks and crannies to hide in or views out to the newly formed courtyard garden through the new Orangery.

Dogs will be welcomed in the bar area and we are busy mapping suitable circular walks from and to the pub so that customers can take in the many sites in this extremely historical part of town before they settle back with us to dine or quench their thirsts.

They plan to open in early November. We will update the website and Facebook with any notable dates and plans as they are finalised so we encourage anyone who is interested to follow our progress there.


  

BRUNNING AND PRICE INFORMATION

They are a group of 55 pub restaurants that were founded in the North West of England and North Wales, however, through popular demand and with the assistance of an A to Z they have now ventured further afield and have a substantial branch of the family in the South.

Each pub has its own style and flavour, though you’ll find good cask beers, freshly cooked food, decent and affordable wine and a good shelf of malt whiskies throughout. They like to think they run informal places for people who like to meet, eat, drink and talk in a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

Looking forward to The Physician opening in November. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

The Physician, Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DH.

 

 

#TastyMorsels: Two Towers Beers go Vegan Friendly and introduce a new ale. 


Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of publicity (particularly on the BBC) about Vegan friendly beer. 

Two Towers Brewery in Birmingham, have now announced that all their cask ales will now be Vegan friendly. Their bottles have been for a long while and this is great news for Veggie ale drinkers and dare I say it all ale fans. 

Two Towers Brewery have always been  supportive of Vegan and Veggie friendly drink and food holding the Vegan Beer Fest annually and holding nights that are devoted to vegan food at their pub The Gunmakers Arms in Birmingham city centre. 

Their bottles are also available at Vegetarian restaurant The Warehouse Cafe in the city and can be found at Brum Yum Yum street food events in Kings Heath amongst other places. 

A selection of Vegan friendly beers from Two Towers Brewery. 


Nx West Midlands have introduced the No’11 Ale trail around their bus route. Anyone who has travelled on the No 11 bus will know that it’s a long route around the city (called the Outer Circle). 

The trail is a handy guide to where to find real ale (CAMRA recommended) on the bus route. See below. 

Their are 11 pubs in total and stamps can be collected at each of the pub. 

Collect all 11 and receive a prize. Monthly prizes given. 

See blow link for details of pubs and map. 

Click to access ale-trail-z-fold-leaflet.pdf

To celebrate the route Two Towers Brewery were commissioned to brew a celebratory ale to mark the occasion. 

Called surprisingly the No’ 11 Ale its tasting notes suggest it’s a very pale ale with light fruit flavours, suggesting the sunshine that the ale appears to project. Sitting on top of biscuit malt and slight nutty hints. 

It is available along the route at selected pubs. 


On Saturday October 22nd The Gunmakers Arms will have another night of Sri Lankan vegan food with Gayanis Kitchen HQ, with Two Towers beers to go alongside five different vegetable dishes. 

For more details see their Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1787785324836610/?ti=ia

Gayanis Kitchen HQ.

A collection of Vegan friendly beer from TwoTowers brewery. 


Two Towers beer at Brum Yum Yum KingshEATh. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Sri Lankan Vegan night with Gayanis Kitchen HQ at The Gunmakers Arms.


    
Fancy Sri Lankan Vegan food? 

Then on the 10th September Gayanis Kitchen HQ are offering a sumptuous and mouthwatering menu at The Gunmakers Arms in Birmingham City Centre.

On the evening Traditional home cooked dishes using exotic Sri Lankan vegetables and spices and organic rice will provide a feast for the senses and the palate.

There will be a three course meal for £25 including tasters of Two Towers Brewery vegan friendly Ale. 

Please note their is a limit of 20 places available. 

Pre booking is essential and can be done by emailing office@twotowersbrewery.co.uk

The menu is 

Gayani Sewwandi 

Gayani Sewwandi 25 August 22:43

Stsrter: Chick pea baddum with pineapple salad . 

Main with Rice , mushroom curry, Lentil curry, okra baddum, vegetable curry, spring greens mallum, pol sambol, potato baddum , popadums and exotic fruit salad. 

Sounds a magical evening of delicious Sri Lankan food and quality local ales. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Gunmakers Arms, 93 Bath Street, Birmingham City centre. B4 6HG.