Solihull
All the latest news, advice and events for the Solihull business community
Contact: Joan Smith T: 0121 678 7488
Zoe cooks up a
storm at Hogarths The AA four silver-star Hogarths Hotel in Solihull has welcomed a new addition to its award-winning team of chefs. Zoe Turnecliss has joined the hotel from a Michelin-starred pub in Kenilworth. Zoe trained at the University College of Birmingham and completed a course in professional cookery, patisserie and confectionery. She was one of the first students to take the
course and on completion was named ‘apprentice of the year’. She said: “It is such privilege to have been
accepted into the Hogarths family – I heard from many people how good the hotel was and was attracted to the hotel following them be named one of the best employers in hostility.” Alex Alexandrov, executive head chef of Hogarths, said: “Zoe has settled into the team really quickly and is showing so many great skills in the pastry section. The quality of food we provide at Hogarths is vital to the hotel’s success, and as we all know the pastry section is one of the busier parts of the kitchen, where detail is so important.”
New face in the kitchen: Alex Alexandrov with senior pastry chef Svet Yovev and Zoe Turnecliss
Martin Murphy: Future vision
New vision for high performing academy
A Knowle-based school is hoping to leave its outdated premises and move to a new facility in Solihull. The school is Arden Academy, one of the country’s highest performing educational establishments. It is currently based on a site in Station Road,
but key buildings there are now 50 years old and still largely as they were when built. But rather than replace these buildings
piecemeal, which could leave the school as a building site for ten years, the decision has been taken to move lock, stock and barrel. The new premises will be funded by selling
the existing site. The whole plan adds up to a £30m project, and the next step is to seek permission from the local council.
School principal Martin Murphy said: “Arden is
a school marked out as being one of the country’s highest performing academies. “Whilst we have had some new development
on-site, the bulk of the premises are no longer fit for purpose and hinder the incredible potential for student attainment and wider community use. “We therefore developed a vision a new
school, ‘The Arden Centre for Community Learning’. This vision could incorporate a new Arden with a performing arts theatre, sports centre, a floodlit pitch, gymnastics centre, community library, day nursery and youth centre. “We await confirmation from Solihull Council
as a preferred site which will then go through a consultation exercise next year.”
A year of success for Chamber patron
Monkspath-based FLR Group has joined the ranks of Solihull Chamber’s patron members. FLR Group, owned by husband and wife
team Jeff and Faith Walker, is a building and flooring specialist. Founded in 1982 as a floor restorations business, it today works for schools, offices, shops and others to carry out maintenance and refurbishment projects. Among work it undertakes are upgrades to
windows, doors, partitioning, suspended ceilings, floors and lighting, through to routine repairs such as carpentry, glazing and masonry, and large refurbishments and extensions. Faith Walker, commercial director at the
company, said: “We are now approaching our 35th year of trading and over this time we have achieved good steady growth culminating in this being our most successful year ever.
30 CHAMBERLINK December 2016/January 2017 New patron: FLR’s Faith and Jeff Walker “Setting our goal to help achieve this
success, coupled with sustainable growth, has not been the main thing, it has been deciding how we go about achieving it and staying with that plan.
“Part of that plan has been our involvement
in the Chamber and further developing our relationships within the organisation. “The shared enthusiasm of Chamber’s
facilitating staff and its members to work together and encourage growth has cemented our belief that by becoming patrons, we can encourage business at a higher level. “ Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said: “I
am delighted that Jeff and Faith Walker have made the decision to upgrade from 1813 to patron members of Solihull Chamber. They have a great business model and their warm and friendly approach is one of the reasons why they have a longstanding workforce. I look forward to working with them and their team to promote FLR and raise their profile through Solihull Chamber.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68