Tag: birmingham
Sutton Coldfield is a town in the suburbs of Birmingham, West Midlands. Also known as Sutton or Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, it’s considered the most affluent area in the county, with low crime rate and low level of unemployment. Whether you’re spending the weekend around the area or you’re about to move to Sutton, you can find some tips on exciting things to do.
Here’s a list of things on why Sutton Coldfield is a great place!
It’s incredibly popular
Looking for a house can be stressful, especially when deciding what zip code to move to. According to reports, Sutton is an incredibly sought-after town, as well as one of the most expensive post codes in the West Midlands.
Families are attracted to Sutton because of the local schools, which are some of the best in the Midlands, and it is renowned to be one of the best places to raise children in the UK! While this may not be of interest if you’re just passing by, it’s important to know that Sutton is super close to Birmingham city centre, less than 20 minutes away by train!
Green space
One of the main reasons why it’s so popular is the green space. It is home to Sutton Park, a national nature reserve and home to many activities, such as horse riding, jogging and golf. The Park is also home to a wide variety of animals and plants and is one of the largest ones in the whole of Europe. Quite impressive!
More specifically, some of the most popular activities include a kid’s playground, ideal if you’re spending the day with your family. The Park is also home to the Birmingham’s Donkey Sanctuary, where you can interact with a group of lovely donkeys throughout organised activities. Ideal if you’re with children or if you’re an animal lover! The Sanctuary will soon be open to the public.
Vibrant town centre
While the park is a big plus and buyers are attracted to the green in the area, let’s not forget the town centre. Outside the centre of Birmingham, Sutton is the place with the most restaurant and shops. This is great to spend a day shopping away from the busy Bullring, while enjoying a different scenery. The restaurants vary from chains to local businesses, and there is a great variety depending on what you’re craving.
While the town is mostly known to attract families, it’s also attractive for young people looking for some fun, with many clubs and pubs all in the centre.
Rich history
And for any history lovers, the town sure is rich of it! The town was given the name of Royal back in the 16th century, by a charter of King Henry VIII. Sutton was definitely great back then, and it still is now!
And of course, we couldn’t not mention the one and only Cookes Storage Service.
If you’re moving to Sutton for either domestic or business reasons and need extra space to store your belongings, Cookes is the right spot for you. With an easily accessible location, 24/7 CCTV, affordable prices and flexible solutions, we make sure your needs are met. For more information on our services, contact our friendly staff members. You can either give us a call at
0121 250 5055 , get a quote from our website or simply pop into our store.
The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield is a picturesque and affluent town in the West Midlands, just 7 miles from Birmingham City and near to the City of Lichfield. If you’re thinking of moving to Sutton Coldfield – locally referred to as Sutton – then here is what you need to know.
History of Sutton Coldfield
Despite Iron Age remains and the remains of the Roman Icknield Street running straight through the area, Sutton Coldfield did not exist as a settlement until the 13th Century.
Icknield Street connected the local fort to the settlement of Letocetum, now called Wall, near Lichfield – although its full length ran from Gloucestershire to Yorkshire. Visitors to Wall can see the remains of the Roman settlement, protected by the English Heritage.
The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia had its capital at nearby Tamworth, and it’s possible that Sutton originated as a hunting lodge, or manor, for the king. Possession of the land changed a number of times over the following centuries, and the first known village finally began.
Sutton Coldfield’s growth truly took off in the 16th Century, when local child John Harman joined the church and was promoted eventually to the position of Bishop of Exeter, changing his name to John Vesey. Through his support and patronage the town was given a royal charter by Henry VIII – thus the town’s full name now of The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield.
Henry VIII also donated his hunting land – creating what is now Sutton Park. Bishop Vesey’s influence is clearly seen throughout the town, from the grammar school he established, known today as Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, to churches, cottages and Vesey Gardens, a memorial park.
The town continued to grow in riches, and was seen as wealthy industrialists from Birmingham as the perfect place for their country homes. The advent of the railway also contributed to Sutton Coldfield as a tourist spot for the city folk, and a commuter town for workers wanting to live outside of Birmingham.
House types / Prices in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield has been named as the 4th least deprived area in the country and house prices can be high, particularly in the Four Oaks area. The average house price is over £307,000, double that of Birmingham.
The house prices are in part due to the abundance of green space, a beautiful nature reserve as well as a busy town centre and a number of high performing schools.
If you are thinking of moving to Sutton, you are not alone. Being so close to Birmingham, Sutton is a popular place for city workers, and is regarded as one of the best suburbs of the city to live in.
Schools in Sutton Coldfield
There are a number of primary and secondary schools in Sutton Coldfield. There are two grammar schools – Sutton Grammar School for Girls and Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School – and the Independent Highclare School.
Working and facilities
Sutton Coldfield is perfect as a commuter town for Birmingham, and so has very easy access routes via the M6 Toll, M42, A38 and railway to Birmingham and London.
There are two hospitals in Sutton Coldfield, the main one being Good Hope, which provides an A&E facility.
Things to do in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield has a main pedestrianised shopping mall in the town centre, with a multi-storey car park. There are a number of smaller shopping centres on the outskirts of the town.
There is a four screen cinema, the Empire, in an art deco Grade II listed building built in 1936.
Sutton Park is a 2400 acre nature reserve, roamed by cattle and wild ponies. Stop by the Visitors Centre for maps and advice about walking routes.
There’s plenty to do for families, with Drayton Manor close by. However, after the stress of moving home, you might prefer the chance to relax in the beautiful Moor Hall Spa.
Food and Drink
There’s plenty of places to eat and drink in Sutton Coldfield, with over 20 bars, clubs and pubs, and a variety of restaurants offering a mix of international cuisine.
Moving home in Sutton Coldfield
If you’re looking for a safe place to store your belongings while you sell your home or decorate your new house, then we can help.
Take the stress out of moving house with our handy storage facilities in Minworth, Sutton Coldfield. We even have our own in-house removals team to collect your furniture and belongings, so all you need to do is settle into your new home.
Call us now for a quote on 0121 250 555.
There are a few things we British find synonymous with spring – lighter evenings, lambs running through the fields, the drenching of an April shower – and of course, the spring clean.
There is nothing more satisfying than a thorough spring clean – it’s a time when we open wide the windows, letting the warm sunshine and fresh air blow away the dregs of the winter; when we delve deep into cupboards and sort through the unnecessary clutter; when we chase spiders and cobwebs out and put a shine on all the woodwork.
The spring clean is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years – possibly even to ancient Egyptian times if Wikipedia is to be believed! However, modern day living has brought with it some unique challenges.
It’s a fact that in today’s consumer lifestyle we have more stuff – more clothes, more sports gear, more gym equipment, more hobbies, more possessions and so on. It’s also true that modern homes are getting more compact and – as anyone who has been house hunting recently can attest – are seriously lacking in storage.
In times gone by we would have just heaved all of that extra clutter up into the attic space. But who has attic space anymore? That’s already been converted into an extra bedroom.
The rest would be squashed into the garage, carefully stacked and balanced to avoid the car. Except – we don’t really keep cars in the garage anymore, if you even have a garage, because it’s already been adapted into an extended kitchen.
Self Storage Heroes
That’s where your local self-storage heroes leap to your rescue. Indoor self-storage is a rapidly growing industry in the UK, as we discover the advantages to having additional storage units to keep all of our less used, bulkier possessions.
As you root through the cupboards and prepare for the beautiful months of sunshine ahead, sort all of your thick winter clothing into boxes. This will leave more space in the wardrobe for your summer wear – with air to let the fabrics breath.
You’ll soon discover piles of memorabilia – the children’s school reports and certificates, medals and trophies, that they no longer want to display, but you can’t bear to bin.
Not to mention the stack of exercise equipment – stepping machines, thigh trainers, weights and running machines – that you currently use as a rather expensive clothes dryer.
It’s time to take all of your “I’ll use it one day” belongings and place them in self-storage. There’s no need to pay for unused space – there are a choice of storage unit sizes so you only rent what you need.
Everything is packed away, safe, dry and secure, until you need it. Your self-storage hero from Cookes Storage will even come and collect it for you, so there’s no excuse not to get that clutter cleared.
And as you put the final polish on the shelves and rub the last smear from the windows, you can relax in your spacious, freshly cleaned home, ready to enjoy the rest of spring.