Plans for a huge expansion of Solihull’s Touchwood shopping centre remain in limbo with no update on the ambitious scheme moving forward. The plans were approved towards the end of 2015 but planning consent has now expired. The expansion plan included the creation of 30 new retail outlets and restaurants and the demolition of two…

The family of Jack Donoghue has paid an emotional tribute to a ‘loving son’ following his tragic death yesterday (30 November). Police were called to Poplar Road in Solihull town centre at 3am following reports of a stabbing. The 21-year-old was taken to hospital but sadly nothing could be done to save him and he…

Officers were called to Poplar Road, near to Popworld and Yates Bar at 3am this morning (30 November). A 21-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries, sadly nothing could be done to save him and he died a short time later. Extensive CCTV enquiries are ongoing and the scene will remain closed for…

The death of a rider crushed beneath her horse when it ‘somersaulted’ after clipping a fence was accidental, an inquest has found. Clare Bedford, 31, had been competing in a one-day event at Solihull Riding Club in July this year, when tragedy struck. She was nearing the end of the cross country course when her…

More than 50,000 over 65s will be living in Solihull by the middle of the next decade, spurring a new wave of care homes and retirement villages. A meeting this week heard that the ageing population posed huge challenges finding enough people to staff facilities and for those GPs facing a major increase in demand….

A gin distillery – producing up to 10,000 litres of “upmarket” alcohol each year – could open in Solihull, under plans handed to the council. Land to the rear of Widney Manor Road has been identified as the “perfect” location for the business, with plans to plant hundreds of juniper trees and construct a building…

A midsummer date for the next Velo bike ride through Solihull could cause major disruption for weddings, community events and Father’s Day celebrations, it is feared. Concerns have been raised that holding the event on Sunday 21 June could scupper fetes and local fundraisers – popular at that time of year – and clash with…

A Solihull environmental campaigner has called for more trees to be planted across the borough after seeing the huge impact of the town centre’s new Homer Road development. Homes and trees in the area have been pulled down to make way for a new seven storey office block. The latest pictures show the loss of…

A heroic barista tackled a suspected thief – and held him down on the floor during a dramatic café confrontation. Astonishing footage captured the employee as he bravely took the law into his own hands at Desco Lounge, Parkgate Shopping Centre in Shirley. The incident took place just two minutes after the Stratford Road café…

Shopkeepers on Green Lane in Castle Bromwich are being forced to lock their doors during opening hours – amid fears crime is worsening in their area. A funeral directors, hairdressers and a veterinary clinic revealed how they stay locked-up until a customer arrives for their own safety. News of the closed-door policy emerges just a…