Tag: The Swan

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NEWS: Police arrest two men over attack by Village Green in Erdington Town Centre

Words by Erdington Local editorial team

Police cordon off area of Erdington High Street following reports of an assault / Photograph supplied by Erdington bid

West Midlands Police have confirmed they have arrested two men over an attack by the Village Green in Erdington Town Centre last week.

The force further confirmed the men are “in custody” and will be facing questions on “suspicion of wounding”, which can carry maximum jail terms of between five years to life imprisonment – depending on the severity and intent of the assault.

On Wednesday 2 July, emergency services responded to a call regarding a violent altercation between individuals on the pedestrian area near Oikos Café and The Swan Pub, with police cordoning of a large section of the High Street whilst investigating.

Broken pieces of Dragons Stout beer bottle found behind police tape at crime scene on Erdington High Street / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID

Erdington Local was also at the scene and was by told by staff from local businesses in the area, who witnessed the incident, how one man took an empty bottle of Dragon Stout beer from a rubbish bin and used it to attack another man following a verbal altercation.

An Erdington Street Warden, who works with Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) to help support and secure the Town Centre, was also at the scene and administered first aid to one man – who was seen to have “a pool of blood” coming from his back.

To read Erdington Local’s initial article following the reported attack, click here.

Police tape off pedestrianised area around crime scene on Erdington High Street / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID

After a week of investigating and enquiries, a spokesperson from West Midlands Police has now confirmed that arrests have been made and those responsible for any crime will be questioned and processed accordingly.

West Midlands Police told: “Operation Fearless officers have arrested two men after an assault on Erdington High Street, where a man was attacked with a glass bottle outside a pub on 2 July.

“He was taken to hospital with injuries that thankfully, were not life-changing.

“We’ve been carrying out a thorough investigation and this morning (9 July) officers from Operation Fearless arrested two men aged 35 and 58.

“They are both currently in custody being questioned on suspicion of wounding.”

Suspected blood and broken glass on the pedestrianised area inbetween Oikos Cafe and The Swan pub / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID

They added: “Operation Fearless, which recently expanded to the Southside area of Birmingham, continues to support colleagues in Erdington and together they are committed to making it the safest possible area for people to live and work.

“Fearless and our dedicated Erdington High Street team will be continuing patrols around the area as we support #SaferStreetsSummer.

“If you have information about crime in the area, call us on 101.”

A spokesperson for the Erdington BID, which is supported by local retailers and businesses, told: “There are legitimate concerns from local businesses that the space by the Village Green is in danger of becoming a hotspot for crime and anti-social behaviour.”

“Over recent weeks, there has been a rise of incidents and reports made over issues around the Village Green area, after Operation Fearless has driven certain activities and individuals out of the centre of the High Street.”

Area between The Swan pub and Borch Electrical store known to be used by street drinkers / Photograph suppliued by Erdington BID

They added: “Erdington BID is in constant talks with the local police teams and wider units, as well as the Operation Fearless team and other partners, to increase police presence and enforcement in the area.

“We welcome the extra efforts being made and the increasing partnership work between uniformed officers on patrol in the Town Centre and our own Steet Wardens – alongside our incredibly resilient retailers.

“There has been a very positive change made on Erdington High Street after Operation Fearless and everyone, including the police, are 100% committed to moving forward and not backwards.”

For more on the local police in the Erdington visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/area/your-area/west-midlands/birmingham/erdington

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NEWS: “Incident” by Village Green leaves part of Erdington High Street cordoned off as emergency services respond

Police cordon off area of Erdington High Street following reports of an assault / Photgraph supplied by Erdington Local

Words by Erdington Local editorial team

An “incident” on the pedestrianised area by the Village Green left part of Erdington High Street cordoned off by police on Wednesday 2 July.

Blue and white police tape stopped shoppers from walking through the crime scene at around 1:30pm yesterday, as emergency services responded to a 999 call from a local business – following reports of two men fighting in the street.

Blood and broken glass could be seen in the centre of the High Street, with several local people reporting a man had been “stabbed” with a broken bottle.

Police tape was finally removed from the area and members of the public were allowed back onto the concourse at around 3pm.

Broken glass and what is believed to be blood seen behind blue and white police tape aftre incident on Erdington High Street / Photograph supplied by Erdington Local

A spokesperson from West Midlands Police told: “We were called to Erdington High Street at around 1.30pm yesterday (2 July) following reports a man had been assaulted.

“It’s believed he was attacked with a glass bottle… and he was taken to hospital with injuries thankfully not believed to be life-changing.”

They added: “A full investigation has started with officers reviewing CCTV and speaking to witnesses.

“Anyone with information should contact us on 101 quoting crime reference 20/295081/25.”

A spokesperson from West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed: “We were called to an incident on High Street in Erdington at 1.30pm and sent an ambulance and paramedic officer to the scene.

“On arrival, crews found a man who they treated for serious, but not life-threatening injuries, before conveying him to hospital.”

Police tape on lamppost near crime scene on pedestrianised area of Erdington High Street / Photgraph supplied by Erdington Local

West Midlands Police were also quick to attend the scene, with people in the area saying the response teams arrived “in a few minutes” and began gathering local intelligence.

Erdington Local was also at the scene and was told the incident had been filmed by members of the public and it was hopped the man responsible for the attack could be clearly identified.

It was also reported that the Erdington Street Warden on duty at the time was one of the first at the scene and was quick to administer first aid the victim – who was seen to have “a pool of blood” coming out from underneath his clothes on his back.

Staff from local businesses in the area, who witnessed the reported assault, told Erdington Local how after a verbal altercation between two men, one man took an empty bottle of Dragon Stout from a rubbish bin and used it to attack the other man.

Broken pieces of Dragons Stout beer bottle found behind police tape at crime scene on Erdingotn High Street / Photograph supplied by Erdington Local

Erdington Local could see broken parts of a Dragons Stout bottle – a high percentage beer that is mainly sold in off-licences and not in any of the neighbouring licenced premises – on the ground next to a small pool of what looked like drying blood.

People in the area further informed our reporter that before the fight they had seen the attacker sitting on a small wall in between the Borch Electrical store and The Swan pub – where the rubbish bin is located.

Neither businesses have been implicated in the incident by any emergency service.

The bin had been put there by local volunteers to help tackle the rising rubbish, including empty bottles and fast-food packaging, around the growing hotspot for street drinking and visible drug taking.

Several local residents and businesses vocalised to Erdington Local they believe the area is becoming troublesome in part after anti-social behaviour has been displaced from other areas of the Town Centre by the recent police initiative, Operation Fearless.

Area between The Swan and Borch Electrical store known to be used by street drinkers / Photograph supplied by Erdington Local

The sunny weather is also cited as a potentially exacerbating factor, although people are known to gather in the area during all conditions.

A spokesperson for the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID), which is supported by local retailers and pays for the Street Wardens, confirmed the area has been highlighted to local law enforcement who took the situation “very seriously” and had promised to address concerns over criminality there.

Only a few days previously, on Tuesday 24 June, police had responded to reports of another “disorder” in the area, where officers confirmed they “arrested two men aged 32 and 39, and recovered two knives” – adding that “thankfully, no-one was seriously injured.”

Area covered by the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in a around Erdingotn Town Centre / Image supplied by West Midlands Police

The High Street around the Village Green falls inside the ‘restricted zone’ of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), that covers Erdington Town Centre and some of the surrounding streets.

A PSPO is a widely used law enforcement tool, which gives local police more powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and to remove repeat offenders from the designated area.

Erdington Local has asked West Midlands for any updates or developments surrounding the incident on Wednesday 2 July.

For more on the local police in the Erdington visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/area/your-area/west-midlands/birmingham/erdington

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NEWS: The Swan pub raises over five thousand pounds to support John Taylor Hospice

Words by Ed King

The Swan on Erdington High Street / Image supplied by Stonegate Group

The Swan pub recently raised over five thousand pounds to help support John Taylor Hospice in Erdington.

The popular local boozer organised a series of fundraising events to raise money for Birmingham Hospice, the charity which manages end of life and palliative care facilities in both Erdington and Selly Oak.

Events including hamper raffles, toy drives, clothes collections, and book sales, saw The Swan raise a total £5,140 from generous regulars and local residents.

Fundraising sign / Image supplied by the Stonegate Group

Throughout January, staff at The Swan also gave up alcohol in bid to raise even more funds for the hospice charity, with bar top collection buckets getting a steady stream of donations.

Staff at The Swan thank the generosity of the Erdington community, with many local residents and pub regulars having personal connections to John Taylor Hospice.

Pub operator Wayne Hinton told: “To see the community come together to support such an important charity was a heartwarming and prime example of what makes the Erdington community so brilliant.

“The hospice is very close to all of us in the area and I’d like to personally thank every single person who has been generous enough to give money to a fantastic cause.”

He added: “A huge thanks must also go to our own staff who have not been afraid to get stuck in, raising a huge £5,140, and we’re not going to stop there! We have plenty more fundraising efforts to come in the coming months so watch this space!”

The Swan, located at 65 Erdington High Street, is a longstanding and popular community pub, operated as part of the Stonegate owned Craft Union Pub Company.

Drinks on draught / Image supplied by the Stonegate Group

Recent fundraising efforts are part Craft Union’s ‘Make it a Million’ campaign, which started in 2024 and aimed to raise £1 million for local causes through its network of over 600 pubs across the year.

At the time of writing the national portfolio of pubs and licenced had raised approximately £972,660 during the twelve month campaign, with staff at Stonegate’s support team contributing a further £96,813.

For more on The Swan visit www.craftunionpubs.com/swan-erdington

For more on Birmingham Hospice visit www.birminghamhospice.org.uk

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OPINION: Festive fun comes to Erdington High Street on 25 November and 2 December

Words by John Hodgkiss, Erdington BID & Town Centre Manager

With the challenging year which we have all had, it’s that time again when we focus on Christmas and maximising on footfall in Erdington Town Centre throughout late November and December.

The festive period is a crucial time for retail in general, so once again, we want to focus on showing Erdington in its best light and provide family entertainment to increase footfall from the end of November through until New Year.

Erdington’s Christmas Lights will be officially turned on 25 November, on what will be a packed day of entertainment and fun and maybe even a brief visit from Father Christmas himself! From The Salvation Army Band to Bhangra Dancing, there will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy as the festive season kicks off!

Then he will be back on 2 December at his HQ in Erdington Library, with a FREE Santa’s Grotto for Erdington Children, so it’s best to stay on his good list!

Further details of Christmas events through until the day itself will be advertised and posted online throughout the next month.

(Ed’s note… Erdington Local will be publishing a full CHRISTMAS SPECIAL feature on Sunday 12 November, giving you more info on what’s coming to Erdington High Street over the festive season.)

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A quick guide to the completely free Christmas Lights Switch On – Saturday 25 November

Check out what will be happening across the afternoon as we countdown to the official Erdington Christmas Lights Switch On. Five, four, three, two, one…

  • Completely free and open to all ages
  • Live music and dance on the High Street from midday – hosted by BBC WM Breakfast presenter Rakeem Omar
  • Salvation Army Band – playing your favourite Christmas carols and traditional winter songs
  • The Nitecrawlers playing live rhythm and blues – following on from the success of the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival
  • Bangra dance for children and adults – from award winning performer and CBeebies presenter, Sohan Kailey
  • Come and meet larger than life Pokemon characters – have your picture taken with Pikachu and Alakazam
  • A special winter market by the Village Green – outside Oikos Café and The Swan

Watch out for more about the festive fun on Erdington High Street on the Erdington Business Improvement District Facebook page: www.facebook.com/erdingtonBID

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NEWS: One man and two women charged after ‘swift arrests’ following assault outside Swan pub

Words & pics by Ed King

West Midlands Police have charged one man and two women following a vicious attack outside The Swan pub on Friday 10 February, which left a man fighting for his life in hospital.

The three people arrested, all in their thirties, have been charged with ‘offences of public order and assault’ and have been remanded in custody until they will appear in court on 21 March.

The victim is in a ‘serious but stable condition’, after being rushed to hospital by emergency services.

The attack sparked widespread condemnation for those responsible, with many fearing the victim of the brutal assault had died from his injuries.

A statement from West Midlands Police told: “We have arrested three people following a disorder in Erdington High Street on 10 February, in which a man suffered serious head injuries.

“A 38-year-old man and two women, aged 34 and 31, have been charged with offences of public order and assault and have been remanded in custody.

“The injured man remains in hospital where he is in a serious but stable condition.”

The horrendous attack occurred early on the evening of Friday 10 February, with local law enforcement responding quickly to calls of a violent disturbance outside the popular High Street pub.

One Erdington local was drinking in The Charlie Hall when he saw uniformed officers come into the neighbouring pub, presumably on the hunt for those involved in the attack.

He told Erdington Local: “It was only early, around six or seven, and about four police (officers) turned up and started searching the pub and beer garden.

“I didn’t know anything about what had happened, I don’t think anyone did at that time, but you could tell they (the police) were looking for someone.

“It caused a few jokes when they came in, a few punters put their hands in the air. But to be fair to the police they were well natured about it – although it was clear they weren’t leaving until they’d either found who they were after or made sure they weren’t there.”

Erdington High Street has become a hotspot for crime in recent years, with many local residents and businesses feeling unsupported by the local police teams. And whilst people still strive to celebrate the positives in the area, the growing problems with theft and antisocial behaviour have become an unassailable issue for many who visit and work on Erdington High Street.

A meeting was held on Tuesday 14 February to hear the concerns of local retailers, who have told Erdington Local they are losing thousands in regular attacks from shoplifters – many of whom are known to both the shop staff and police.

Organised by the Erdington Business Improvement District, at the request of Paulette Hamilton MP, the meeting was the first time several local retailers reported having met with either the police or Erdington’s Town Centre Manger to discuss the problems over crime on the High Street.

Erdington Local will also be meeting with West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford on 28 February, requesting a stance of ‘no tolerance’ to crime on the High Street and to support an ‘effective working partnership’ local officers and the High Street’s existing security staff.

Following the announcement three people had been arrested and charged over the 10 February attack, West Midlands Police further told Erdington Local:

“Keeping our communities safe is our priority and we know anti-social behaviour and public disorders like the one which occurred recently can cause upset and concern among local residents.

“As part of our investigation, we made swift arrests and three people have now been charged to appear at court on 21 March.

“We’re grateful to members of the local community who supported us with our enquiries. We will continue to challenge this kind of behaviour and our officers recently visited the Swan public house to offer reassurance and to make a further appeal for witnesses to the recent disorder.”

Anyone with information can contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat on www.west-midlands.police.uk or by calling 101 quoting log 3244 of 10 February.

If you have been affected by crime and antisocial behaviour on Erdington High Street, or by anything raised in this article, you can tell us your story via [email protected]

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NEWS: Police tape cordons off Erdington High Street after alleged assault on Friday evening

Words & pics by Ed King

Part of Erdington High Street remains closed off today, following an alleged violent assault that took place early in the evening on Friday 10 February outside The Swan pub.

According to sources on the High Street, a man was assaulted at around 6pm on the Friday as he tried to break up a fight between other people who were arguing on the street outside the popular Erdington boozer.

Another source who was close to the incident told Erdington Local the attack was unprovoked, with police reviewing CCTV footage to confirm details of the alleged assault.

A statement from West Midlands Police said: “We were called to a disorder in Erdington High Street shortly after 6pm on 10 February. One man suffered serious head injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

“Following the incident, the offenders have made off and investigations are now underway. Anyone with information can contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting log 3244 of 10 February.”

Blue police tape has cordoned off a large area outside the pub, with police riot shields laid over areas of the pavement – possibly protecting areas for forensics to study.

Erdington Local has not heard anything implicating The Swan with the alleged assault, with officers remaining on the High Street primarily to keep people away from the crime scene.

During a visit to the scene this morning, Erdington Local saw two members of the public crawl under the police tape – with one looking like he was trying to make his way into The Swan, despite the pub having closed its doors whilst police search for clues.

Officers at the scene confirmed to Erdington Local there is no ongoing danger to members of the public whilst the “investigation is ongoing.”

Two Street Pastors were also at the scene this morning, trying to find out what had happened and to offer support to anyone who might be frightened or worried by the significant police presence.

Erdington High Street is too often blighted with crime and anti-social behaviour, and the presence of blue police tape cordoning off parts of the busy thoroughfare can quickly spark fear and speculation in the minds of Saturday shoppers.

The Street Pastors, Sue and Janet, told Erdingotn Local: “We were just on our patrol this morning and somebody in The Cube has told us something has happened down here (by The Swan) so we walked up here.

“We don’t know what happened fully, but we just pray God’s blessings on the situation and the families affected. We will be here on the High Street if people want to talk; we’re here for them.”

Erdington High Street has become a hotbed of crime and anti-social behaviour over recent years, with routine shoplifting and brazen drug dealing turning what was once the busiest High Street in the city into a “lawless” area where people are increasingly too afraid to visit.

The Erdington Street Warden, who is employed by the Erdington Business Improvement District (EBID), and the individual shop security teams work tirelessly to keep people safe and deter crime on the High Street.

But private security in the area have told Erdington Local they feel often unsupported by a lack of official police presence – especially in the absence of PCSO Sue Haskin, who is well known and respected with her constant patrolling on the High Street but is off duty due to injury.

Even when shoplifters are apprehended and detained, if police do respond to their call the offender is too often released or not processed in anyway to act as a deterrent to other offenders – Erdington Local has been told.

Erdington Local will be meeting with West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford on 28 February, as part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s monthly Board meeting.

We will be asking the region’s top cop if he will commit to a stance of ‘no tolerance’ to crime on the High Street, working with both local officers and the High Street’s existing external security to turn the tide of criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.

Anyone with information can contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat on www.west-midlands.police.uk or by calling 101 quoting log 3244 of 10 February.

If you have been affected by crime and anit-social behaviour on Erdington High Street, or by anything raised in this article, you can tell us your story via [email protected]