Birmingham Post

A Premier Royal Town Address

The best Midland architects were busy during the building boom of a century ago in the newly emerging top suburb of Four Oaks Park. And they were not above a bit of clever recycling, even in those forward-thinking days, preserving worthy remnants of a more distant past in their grand, brand-new homes for the best-heeled.

Residential Property: New Team to Bridge the Gap

Anew estate agency is officially launched this month in central Birmingham. Maguire Jackson will specialise in the city living market and work out of offices at the heart of the residential scene in Sheepcote Street. The property professionals behind the new venture are Denny Maguire and Philip Jackson, who were launch members of Stirling Ackroyd's Birmingham office, three years ago.

Residential Property: Lasting Recognition for Dorothy

Solihull developers Elegant Homes have ensured a lasting tribute to a special customer. The company has named its new Whitefields Road scheme after Dorothy Stych whose bungalow property provided vital site access.

Residential Property: Show Apartment Opens at K1

The wraps are finally off the new show apartment at the K1 apartment development in central Worcester. The unveiling comes after 12 months of restoration and conversion work by Neil Grinnall Homes at the Grade ll listed building, once headquarters to the Kay's Catalogue.

Residential Property: Canalside Views at Central Park

Keenly-priced homes with waterside views set a tempting target for aspiring Birmingham homeowners, believes housebuilder Lovell. First-time buyers on average incomes have resigned themselves to inferior plots where the best views generally mean premium prices.

Residential Property: Busy September in Worcestershire

The Worcestershire market remains confident, concludes the cathedral city branch of the Knight Frank agency after a busy September. 'The money is definitely there for the right property,' said partner Jonathan Bengough.

The Post Debate: The Green, Green Grass of Home ... But Whose Is It?

It has become a regular occurrence in urban and rural communities - gipsies and travellers at loggerheads with local residents and authorities over where they choose to settle. Emma Pinch talks to people on both sides of the debateThe Worcestershire countryside conjures up, for many, a rural idyll of beautiful views and peaceful living. But some of the most picturesque parts of the region have been caught up in a simmering dispute that shows no sign of abating.

The Post Debate: Are Gipsies and Travellers Abusing the System in Their Search for Land On Which to Settle?

YES: Travellers now breaking the law

Jon Walker: Why the Tories Face a Really Tricky Week

The theme of this year's Labour conference was winning a third term in office. But beyond that, a second goal was clear - preventing anything recognisable as a Conservative Party from gaining office again. Tony Blair said he hoped periods of Tory Government would be the punctuation marks rather than the sentences in which British history is written.

Perspective: It's Alternative - but Does It Actually Work? ; They Are Top of the First Choice for Many People These Days, but Do Alternative Therapies and Medicines Really Work? Sid Langley Investigates

Medicine is beginning to make me slightly sick. We've had a triple whammy this week. Firstly, we've been told that curry could help treat diabetes. Well, that's how the media put it. It's not quite that simplistic, of course. But it appears leaves from a tree that are used in curries have been found to slow the rate of starch breakdown, leading to a more even flow of glucose into the bloodstream. That may well be promising news for diabetics.

Perspective: The Word On the Street

Figures from the Yellow Pages Alternative Census reveal a new type of shop is appearing among the more typical retailers on our high streets. Where once the local butcher, fishmonger, bank and post office were closing to leave generic high street blueprints dominated by the multiples, so those retailers are now making way for the new breed. They include beauty and body image stores, alternative therapies and stress relief outlets, as well as the ubiquitous food- on-the-go and coffee shops - a...

Perspective: Intellect Behind the Palestinian Cause ; Anna Shepherd, a Postgraduate Student and Freelance Writer, Looks at the Legacy of a Pre-Eminent Palestinian Thinker, to Be Honoured at Warwick University Next Week

Controversial, demanding but widely respected public intellectual Edward Said died a year ago. Both Freud and the Non-European, taken from one of his last lectures, and Abdirahman A Hussein's Ed-ward Said: Criticism and Societyare published by Verso this month to honour the anniversary of his death. Said - a prolific author, critic and lecturer born in West Jerusalem and driven from Palestine with his family in 1948 - was an aggressive, energetic and thoughtful spokesman for the Palestinian c...

Archive

25 years ago You do not normally find people in airport lounges cheering when an aircraft takes off.

Theme for the Day

The success of Paul and Barnabas' First Missionary journey led them to prayerfully consider a second venture. In the preparation process, the differing personalities of the two were clearly revealed. For Paul, 'failure' was not a word in his vocabulary. Barnabas, however, lived up to his name, 'the encourager'. When it came to a second chance for John Mark, ' .Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.' Acts 1...

Culture: Rocket Back to the Future

SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW CERT PG 107 MINS Set in an alternate reality retro-futuristic Art Deco version of the 30s and shot almost totally against blue screen with computer generated sets and backgrounds added later, this is nothing less than first time writer-director Kerry Conran's love letter to the innocence and escapism of the RKO serials of the 30s and 40s, complete with a nod to the radio waves of the studio's classic logo.

Culture: Choir On a Mission ; Busier Than Ever, Birmingham Baroque Specialists Ex Cathedra Are Planning to Take Educational Projects to Winson Green and the Jungle of Bolivia, Writes Terry Grimley

Ex Cathedra launches its 2004-5 season with Handel's Messiah at Lichfield Cathedral tomorrow night, but the Birmingham choir will soon be treading some less familiar paths. They could even include the Bolivian jungle, if plans now being pursued by artistic director Jeffrey Skidmore come to fruition.

Culture: Tale From the City with Movie Ahead of Its Time ; Metropolis at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Fritz Lang's extraordinary film was far ahead of its time - that much was made quite clear at this totally arresting showing of a film most of us will never get a chance to see. I am delighted to note that the Symphony Hall programme planners are bringing in Chaplain's City Lights later this autumn. Lang used expressionist devices to tell his story of a sprawling metropolis doomed to destruction through infamous capitalism. So many things hold the eye including set designs (the mad scientist'...

Post People: Nspcc Agm

The Birmingham branch of the NSPCC held their AGM at Highbury, Moseley, former home of Joseph Chamberlain, a Grade II listed mansion, now owned by Birmingham City Council. The AGM was followed by a reception with wine, canapes and information on the organisation'sFULL STOP Campaign to end cruelty to children and the appeal in Birmingham for a wider external audience of local dignitaries, business group and individual supporters.

Post People: Order a Post People Page for Your Wall

Would you like to receive your very own framed copy of your Post People pictures? Whether it be the back page of the Birmingham Post or a page from Post Style on a Wednesday, we can frame the pictures for you. Hang it in your office reception, the MD's office, or your study as a constant reminder of your memorable event.