Solihull Council has entered an agreement with the award-winning Heartwood Inns to transform the former Missoula and Luna unit on Solihull High Street. The development – which is part of a wider strategy to invest in Solihull – will provide a contemporary ‘pub with rooms’, breathing a new lease of life into the prominent listed building. In a nod to the area’s natural heritage, Heartwood has announced that the site will be renamed The Muddy Fox. With the name ‘Solihull’ said to derive from the ‘soily hill’ on which St Alphege church stands, the name pays tribute to the pub’s…

Residents in Chelmsley Wood, and neighbouring wards, are beginning to feel the benefits of the Council’s Healthy Homes Scheme, with the first solar panels now installed on local homes. Among the first to benefit are Mr and Mrs Hanrahan, who recently had their new solar panels fitted and are already beginning to see the advantages of cleaner, greener energy at home. As part of the free home upgrades funded through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the couple also received an improved ventilation package, to reduce the risk of mould and damp, and upgraded loft insulation. It’s estimated that 25%…

Solihull children, young people, and families with special educational needs and disabilities will soon have access to an even wider range of SEND specialist short break activities. This is thanks to continued funding from Solihull Council and new support from the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)Programme. These include sessions after school, in the evenings, at weekends and during school holidays. From Easter 2026 to August 2027, ten local organisations will be offering 18 different activity programmes. These will include everything from non-contact boxing and forest school, to arts and crafts, youth groups and more. The aim is to give…

Solihull Council’s adult social care services have been rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published today (Wednesday 18 March 2026). The Council received a score of 84% and that places Solihull fifth in the country against other local authorities that have had a recent CQC inspection (as of 18 March 2026). The inspection looked at nine quality areas in which Solihull achieved three ‘Outstanding’ and six ‘Good’ ratings – very few councils have achieved ‘Good’ or better for all nine areas. Councillor Tony Dicicco, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health,…

Work on the exciting Holbeche Place development in Solihull will begin this June, marking the start of a major investment in the future of the town centre. To minimise disruption to shoppers, visitors and businesses, work is being delivered in phases. As part of phase 1, the Mell Square car park and public toilets will close on Tuesday 31 March 2026, allowing Solihull Council to begin safely decommissioning services and equipment ahead of demolition. The closest alternative council car parks are Poplar Road car park (formerly Marks & Spencer), Lode Lane Pay & Display, and Dominion Court on Herbert Road. The Council is committed to ensuring that Solihull remains inclusive and accessible to all. 33 additional disabled parking…

On Friday 27 February the owner of Boss Mart 4, which was formally operating out of premises on Stratford Road in Shirley, was fined almost £7,000. In his absence at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Mr D Kharoty of Ferguson Road, Oldbury was sentenced for selling illegal vapes and ordered to pay £1,100, plus a victim surcharge of £440 and £5,189 towards costs, totalling £6,749. Solihull Council seized the illegal vapes during raids of the premises in 2024. Boss Mart 4 ceased trading from the premises in October 2025 but it was subsequently occupied by another company, operating under the name Boss…

Solihull’s flagship low‑carbon energy network is entering its final stages of delivery, with construction and fit‑out of the new Energy Centre at Tudor Grange Park now nearing completion. Landscaping works around the site are set to begin shortly, marking another visible step toward the network becoming fully operational. All pipework for the first phase of the scheme has now been successfully installed, creating the spine of the new town centre energy network. With the underground infrastructure in place the next phase of works includes final connections to customer buildings, and testing and commissioning of the system. Once complete, the…

Wednesday (11 March) is no smoking day, when smokers across the country are invited to kick the habit and go smokefree. No Smoking Day reminds smokers that the best thing they can do for their health is stop smoking. This year’s campaign aims to highlight that “a smoke-free life starts with a smoke-free day”. An image of a heart on a yellow background, with the text Smokefree Solihull, stop smoking support Quitting smoking is easier with support. Anyone who lives or works in Solihull can contact the Smokefree Solihull team for free personalised support. The team…

This week I’ve got news of developments from our town centre energy network and £400k of funding available for community groups, but first – dodgy convenience stores. I welcome the news that the owner of Boss Mart in Shirley has been fined nearly £7000. I’m happier that the shop has now shut down after being given notice that the Council would be applying for a closure order. Shops like this blight our high streets, not just with their appearance but with the illegal and often dangerous products they peddle and their tendency to attract antisocial behaviour. We have a…

Students repurpose old materials to create a blooming gorgeous flowerbed For the second year running, Malvern Park in Solihull town centre has welcomed another stunning flowerbed designed by the talented students from Newlands Bishop Farm. This year’s theme – chosen by the council’s environmental contractor, Veolia – was re-use and upcycle. The team repurposed old materials, including tyres and a wheelbarrow, to creatively display plants to create striking focal points within the flowerbed. The display includes bee friendly plants as well as sensory aspects, creating a colourful vision for all park users to enjoy. The team has also sourced, grown…