
Business

PETA stunt displays ‘trapped orca’ in busy shopping street to protest animal abuse in leisure tourism
An activist dressed up as an “orca” was displayed in a ‘tank’ outside a leisure tourism store in Birmingham today, protesting alleged animal cruelty. The publicity stunt organised by animal rights group PETA involved a campaigner in a dolphin costume pleading to be freed as they lay “trapped in a cramped tank” outside TUI’s Birmingham city centre store in…

West Midlands mayor Andy Street unveils plans for a massive global ‘Tech’ festival to overtake London in terms of growth
West Midlands mayor Andy Street has unveiled plans for a massive global ‘Tech’ festival – and predicted that the region’s booming innovators can help it overtake London in terms of growth. ‘FutureFest’ will supercharge and provide an ambitious global showcase for the West Midlands Tech sector, he claimed, which is worth over £15.3 billion and…

Small business leaders meet West Midlands mayor to discuss opportunities for business growth
More than 100 businesses from the West Midlands, all graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, came together in Birmingham to discuss the challenges and opportunities for small businesses in the region. Meeting with the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, and others from the small business ecosystem in Birmingham, including Henrietta…

Cadbury World announces new immersive ride for popular Birmingham attraction
A sweet treat is in store for Cadbury World visitors this year as the popular Birmingham attraction has announced a brand new ride set to launch in spring. Cadbury Chocolate Quest will be launching at the chocolatey world, offering guests an immersive, interactive and educational experience, the operators behind the attraction have announced.

Fresh jobs created as new Poundland store opens in Birmingham Perry Barr
A brand new Poundland store has opened in Birmingham, creating 20 new jobs in the local community. The new store at is located at the One Stop Shopping in Perry Barr, and offers over 7,000 sq ft of shopping space, launching a new range of merchandise from the store’s parent company Pepco.

Nearly 500 jobs to be based at new Coventry business park following £24m investment
Nearly 500 jobs are set to be based at new Coventry business park following £24m investment, it has been revealed. Work to transform part of the former Meggitt aerospace site in Coventry into a new business park featuring hundreds of jobs has been completed “thanks to a multi-million-pound investment,” the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announced.

Gaza campaigners block entrance to Barclays bank in Birmingham city centre amid boycott action
A group of protesters blocked the entrance of a Barclays bank in Birmingham to highlight the ongoing bombing of Gaza. The activists held aloft Palestinians flags and banners in front of the city centre branch yesterday (Saturday 27 January) as part of a national day of continuing protests against the bank.

Amazon workers strike in Sutton Coldfield over pay disparity
Workers at a recently opened Amazon warehouse in Sutton Coldfield have walked out in protest of low wages. Around 60 members of the GMB union, representing a smaller portion of the 2,000-strong workforce, joined the picket line on Thursday (25 January) morning.

Why are pro-Palestinian activists targeting Barclays bank?
In recent weeks, pro-Palestine protests have been held across the country in response to the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Among the calls for a ceasefire, activists have been pushing for a boycott of companies believed to be funding or supporting Israel’s military machine or state policies. Popularly known as ‘BDS’ – Boycott, Divestment and…

Andy Street meets local entrepreneurs at the NatWest Clean Transport Accelerator
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has paid a visit to entrepreneurs who have taken part in the NatWest Clean Transport Accelerator at The University of Warwick, to hear how the expertise it provided has helped them to grow their businesses. Launched in 2022, the NatWest Clean Transport Accelerator supports businesses in the mobility industry to develop…