Hello Solihull 👋

What a weekend!

Solihull Summer Fest has been in full swing at Tudor Grange Park, celebrating its 10th anniversary in style and if you've spent your weekend singing along to Craig David, Culture Club or JLS, hit reply and tell us your highlights, we’d love to hear them!

And then there's the football. If you missed England's bronze medal match on Saturday night, it was one of the maddest World Cup games ever played, a 6-4 win over France, with a Bukayo Saka hat-trick, a Declan Rice screamer inside three minutes, and just enough late Jude Bellingham magic to survive an almighty French fightback. Third place. Our best World Cup finish since 1966. Not the trophy we dreamed of, but a team we can be genuinely proud of and I’m excited to see more of in the Euros we’re hosting in 2028!

The tournament isn't quite done with either, the World Cup final is tonight at 8pm, Spain v Argentina, with Messi chasing one last piece of history in what's expected to be his farewell.

And once the confetti settles, reality resumes: schools have broken up and the summer holidays officially begin! Six weeks! This edition is absolutely packed with ideas to get your last two weeks of July sorted, from free days out to big family adventures.

Let's get into it.

— Max

After years of planning, waiting and watching the diggers on Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common finally has a date for the diary. Aldi has confirmed its new store will open on Thursday 3rd September, transforming the old Edwins Autos site at the north of the village.

The store arrives with 93 parking spaces and a cycle shelter with room for 16 bikes, and it's one of just 16 new Aldi stores opening across the whole country this year as part of a £370 million national investment.

For Balsall Common residents, it means big-name value shopping right on the doorstep for the first time and a few new local jobs along the way. Just in time for the back-to-school shop, too.

👉 Balsall Common Aldi Proposal

If you use the A45 Coventry Road / Damson Parkway junction and if you've ever driven to the airport, the NEC or past JLR… this one's worth knowing about.

A major £16.4 million upgrade begins next month, and the first thing you'll notice is traffic restrictions starting Monday 27 July. The old footbridge comes down on 15 August, main works begin on 17 August, and the scheme runs right through to spring 2028.

Two years of cones is never welcome news, but there's a proper payoff at the end of it. The finished junction will have five lanes on the approach from Birmingham, a new bus lane, the dualling of Damson Parkway up to the JLR logistics centre, and modern pedestrian and cycle crossings replacing the ageing footbridge, all designed to finally tackle the congestion that builds at peak times and JLR shift changes.

Our advice? Allow a few extra minutes from the 27th, and keep an eye on the travel disruptions link in the checklist below.

👉 Details of the A45 scheme

A quick reminder that our giveaway with Empower Wellness Studio, Dickens Heath, a Power Trio Reformer Pilates 3-Class Taster Pack closes this Sunday 26 July at 11:59pm. To enter, like the giveaway post on Instagram, follow @EmpowerWellnessStudio and @SolihullSpotlight, and tag your friends (each tag = an extra entry).

And don't forget: Spotlight readers get 10% off all monthly memberships with code Spotlight26 until 31 August.

👉 Book Here

A very special shout-out this week to Margaret Sharp, who celebrated her 102nd birthday on Friday 17 July. 🎉

Born in 1924, Margaret is still as bright and sharp as people decades younger, keeping busy with activities most days. An avid reader, she spent years as a guide for the National Trust at Packwood House, and gave historical talks to the University of the Third Age, doing all the research and preparation herself.

These days Margaret lives in Shirley, with children and grandchildren close by in the area. By all accounts, an absolutely delightful lady.

From all of us at Solihull Spotlight, happy birthday, Margaret! Here's to you. 💙

👉 Know someone in Solihull who deserves a shout-out? Hit reply and tell us their story.

One of Solihull's best-loved green spaces has hit a very special milestone. Malvern Park is celebrating its centenary, marked by the burial of a time capsule capturing a snapshot of park life in 2026 for future generations to discover.

A hundred years of picnics, dog walks, first bike rides and summer afternoons, here's to a hundred more. If you've got a favourite Malvern Park memory, hit reply, I'd love to hear it.

👉 Time capsule marks 100 years of Malvern Park

And speaking of our parks, there's even more to celebrate. Solihull has just been awarded its 21st Green Flag — the international quality mark for the UK's best green spaces — giving the borough the highest number of Green Flag sites anywhere in the West Midlands.

Widney Manor Cemetery and Blythe Valley Park are the newest additions, with every existing site retaining its award. The Widney Manor win means all three of Solihull's cemeteries now hold Green Flag status — peaceful, beautifully kept places for residents to reflect and remember.

From Malvern & Brueton to Tudor Grange, from Knowle Park to Dorridge Wood, it's a lovely reminder of just how lucky we are — and a huge well done to the council teams, contractors and army of volunteers who keep our green spaces looking their best.

👉 Solihull's 21st Green Flag Award

With the sun settling in, I spent an afternoon this week in the beer garden at The Boot in Lapworth and honestly, it's hard to think of a better spot in the borough for it. A cold pint, good food, and that lovely buzzy-but-relaxed atmosphere The Boot always seems to get just right.

It's a stone's throw from the Grand Union Canal too, so pair a long lunch with a stroll down to Kingswood Junction and you've got one of the best low-effort summer afternoons Solihull has to offer. With six weeks of school holidays ahead, consider this your parental sanity checkpoint.

👉 The Boot Inn

For something completely different: I called into Wing Kingz at Touchwood this week and caught the Formula One on their big screens while working through a plate of wings. Great food, sport on every screen, it's the closest thing Solihull has to an American-style sports bar, right in the heart of town.

With a summer of sport ahead, it's a brilliant shout if you want the big-game atmosphere without the trek into Birmingham. Take the kids for the wings, stay for the sports!

👉 Wing Kingz Solihull

Kids Go FREE at West Midlands Safari Park

The summer holidays are off to a flying start with the Safari Park's Kids Go Free offer — one free child ticket (ages 3–15) with every full-paying adult ticket, valid for a limited time until 31 July. That covers the four-mile safari drive, the safari walk, and animal encounters from lions and giraffes to penguins and meerkats, with theme park ride access available as an add-on. Book online to claim the free child ticket at checkout.

👉 West Midlands Safari Park Tickets

Solihull Youth Bus — touring the borough this summer

For older kids and teens, the Solihull Youth Bus is out and about across the borough during the holidays, bringing free activities, games and a safe place to hang out with friends to local neighbourhoods. Keep an eye out for it stopping near you.

👉 Solihull Youth Bus

Costa del Solihull — The Beach at Touchwood, daily until 31 August

The borough's favourite seaside-without-the-sea is back. Touchwood's free beach is open every day in Theatre Square throughout the holidays — Monday to Saturday 10am–4pm, Sundays 11am–4pm — with sandcastle-building, live entertainment and free craft workshops running all summer. Pull up a deckchair; the Costa del Solihull sorts your no-plans days.

👉 The Beach at Touchwood

Knights School — Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens, Tuesday 28 July

Brave squires wanted! Head to the beautiful 10-acre baroque gardens at Castle Bromwich Hall on Tuesday 28 July, where Sir Olly of Bromwich will be training young knights of the Round Table. The sessions run outdoors and are perfect for ages 5–12, with family tickets covering up to two adults and three children (or one adult and four little knights) — parents stay for the fun throughout. A brilliantly different day out in one of the borough's most magical hidden corners.

👉 Knights School

Here2Help — support for Solihull families this summer

Six weeks of holidays can stretch any family budget, and Solihull Council's Here2Help scheme is there if you need it. It brings together support with food, money, energy and family activities in one place — including the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme offering free activities and meals for eligible children, and supermarket vouchers for families receiving free school meals. If things are tight this summer, or you know a family who could use a hand, it's well worth a look.

👉 Here2Help

Summer at Warwick Castle — daily until 31 August

Just half an hour down the M40, Britain's ultimate castle is going all-out for the holidays. War of the Roses LIVE returns from 18 July to 31 August — an action-packed jousting spectacular in the purpose-built arena — alongside the Falconer's Quest (the UK's largest birds of prey show), the mighty trebuchet firing, the Horrible Histories Maze and the magical Realm of Zog for younger adventurers. Summer-saver tickets start from £25.35pp, and booking online in advance is noticeably cheaper than the gate.

👉 Summer at Warwick Castle

Run Solihull — in aid of Age UK Solihull

Fancy a summer challenge with a proper local feel? Run Solihull returns on Sunday 9 August with a half marathon, 5k and Junior Race, all starting from Malvern Park — the half takes runners on closed roads out through Knowle, Barston and Eastcote countryside before returning to the town centre, while the Junior Race is a short and sweet loop through the park finishing by St Alphege Church. Every mile raises funds for Age UK Solihull, supporting older people right here in the borough — and registration closes Monday 27 July, so sign up this week if you're in.

👉 Run Solihull & AgeUK

Parkrun — Brueton Park & Babbs Mill, every Saturday

And if 13.1 miles sounds a bit much, Solihull's free weekly parkruns are the perfect way in. Brueton parkrun sets off every Saturday at 9am through the beautiful Green Flag surroundings of Brueton Park, while over in Kingshurst, Babbs Mill parkrun offers a scenic lakeside 5k around the local nature reserve, same time, same friendly all-abilities welcome, with walkers as welcome as club runners. There's junior parkrun on Sundays for the little ones too. Free forever; just register once online and bring your barcode.

👉 Brueton Park Run | Babbs Mill Park Run

Junior Snooker — The Grenville Club, Saturday mornings

A brilliant one for budding Ronnie O'Sullivans: The Grenville Club on Warwick Road runs junior snooker sessions on Saturday mornings 9.30am - midday, giving young players the chance to learn the game on proper, beautifully maintained tables at one of Solihull's friendliest clubs. A lovely, screen-free way to start the weekend during the holidays.

👉 The Glenville Club

The Hundred is back at Edgbaston — Friday 24 July.

Birmingham Phoenix open their 2026 campaign at home against local rivals Trent Rockets, and it's a double-header with the women's and men's matches on the same ticket. The whole thing is built for families — play zones, mascots, player signings, three-hour matches — and it's arguably the biggest local sporting event of the fortnight now the World Cup's done. Strong candidate for your edition.

👉 The Hundred, Edgbaston

Summer at the NEC — running all holidays

We're spoiled having the NEC on our doorstep, and it's packed this summer. The Gladiators Experience (until 31 August) lets contenders take on Duel, the Wall and more; Peppa Pig Space Adventure (until 8 November) is perfect for pre-schoolers; and Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition (until 13 September) is a stunning rainy-day option for older kids and grown-ups. And mark Saturday 25 July: the Cards Convention brings trading card fans from across the country, while sneakerheads descend on Crepe City, the UK's biggest sneaker festival — all before the Festival of Quilts rounds off the month (30 July–2 August).

👉 What’s on at The NEC

Summer at Resorts World — free family fun, including Dino Fridays

Just next door, Resorts World has lined up a summer of free family entertainment. Dino Fridays run every Friday from 24 July to 28 August, meet the dinosaurs, enjoy storytelling and magic shows, take on ranger training and join the dino hunt, all completely free. Little ones can also pick up a free Mini Adventurer Passport to earn rewards across the summer's family events.

And the outdoor cinema takes over with a Disney-packed line-up to end July: Finding Nemo on Friday 24 July, Frozen 2 on Saturday 25 July, Monsters, Inc. on Sunday 26 July and Beauty and the Beast on Friday 31 July. With the beach at Touchwood and free fun at Resorts World, that's your no-cost days out sorted before you've spent a penny.

👉 Summer at Resorts World

• Bin collections: https://digital.solihull.gov.uk/BinCollectionCalendar/
• Council news + updates: https://www.solihull.gov.uk/news
• Travel disruptions (West Midlands): https://disruptions.tfwm.org.uk/

Thanks for reading Solihull Spotlight 💙 let’s chat again on Thursday! Hit reply and tell me what you want more of next week: family, events, food, deals, walking routes, live music, sport, or hidden gems.

P.S. Want your you or your business in front of local Solihull readers? Reply and I’ll send over our options.

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