Christian Barnett

A City of Wolverhampton Council licensing committee will decide on August 26 whether the former Calif Bar in Stafford Street can reopen as Vivant Lounge. The venue’s previous licence was revoked after it employed a chef who had no right to work in the UK, leading to a £45,000 Home Office fine that remains unpaid, as well as a separate £14,000 hygiene fine. The reopening application, submitted by Lucky Iguodala, proposes opening from 11am to 5am, but the West Midlands Fire Service has objected over inadequate fire-safety assessments and West Midlands Police has requested a 2am closing time. The committee postponed its decision to allow the applicant to address the concerns.

Nearly 100 homes were evacuated after a second fire in two days struck the former Brandhall golf course in Oldbury, with two nearby homes destroyed. No casualties were reported, and most evacuated residents were allowed to return home the same night. Langley councillor Tuli Zefi praised neighbours for helping with evacuations and checking properties, while also recognizing police officers who supported residents as firefighters dealt with a major blaze in Stourbridge. Sandwell Council thanked emergency services, council staff and Our Lady & St Hubert’s RC Church for assisting those affected.

A planning appeal by Dean Investment Properties to convert a house on Woden Road in Wolverhampton into a six-bedroom HMO has been rejected. The planning inspector agreed that four bedrooms and the proposed communal area were too small and would create cramped, uncomfortable living conditions. The inspector found the council’s concerns about crime insufficiently evidenced, but upheld objections relating to space, functionality and residential amenity. Wolverhampton Council and West Midlands Police had also warned that another HMO could increase safety risks and contribute to a more transient character in Heath Town.

Plans submitted to Wolverhampton Council would convert Bilston’s long-empty Victoria Building, formerly an art college, into the Victoria Food Village. The proposed development would include a food hall with space for 16 vendors, a post-16 education facility, a gym, community and cultural spaces, and improved landscaping. Developer Victoria Mount Pleasant says the heritage-led scheme would preserve the landmark’s character while creating opportunities for students, families, businesses and visitors. The building has been vacant since 1999, and several earlier proposals, including apartments and a care home, were approved but never implemented.

Sandwell Council’s planning committee rejected plans to more than triple Tividale Mosque’s floorspace in Gate Street, Oldbury, citing a major shortage of parking and potential highway-safety risks. The proposed expansion to 1,280 square metres included a dome, minarets, mortuary, classrooms and additional prayer space. Although mosque trustees said the congregation would remain at about 80 worshippers and that most attendees would walk, the council said the proposal required 237 parking spaces but provided only 15. Planners also said the mosque had not supplied sufficient evidence that attendance would remain unchanged and had declined to reduce the prayer-hall area.

Reform councillors on Sandwell Council rejected a Labour motion calling on leader Ray Nock to review cabinet member Ritchie Massey’s position over historic social media posts allegedly containing an anti-Catholic slur. Reform said due process and existing standards procedures should be followed, while Labour councillors condemned the alleged sectarianism and criticised the response from Reform members. The debate also revived scrutiny of Massey’s cafe, which has operated amid unresolved planning applications, and Sandwell’s history of government intervention.

Sandwell Council leader Ray Nock has rejected calls to meet striking teachers, staff and parents from Orchard School in Oldbury, saying the industrial dispute should be handled by council officers. Staff have taken strike action over overcrowding, vacancies, insufficient support and safety concerns, while parents have highlighted flooding, makeshift facilities and a lack of specialist equipment. Labour councillors accused the Reform UK-led council of failing to show leadership, engage with unions or protect pupils’ education and wellbeing during the dispute.

G&G Market in Cradley Heath has had its licence revoked by Sandwell Council after repeated seizures of illegal cigarettes, illicit tobacco and prescription-only medicine. West Midlands Police said the shop continued trading despite warnings and allegedly supplied illicit cigarettes to an undercover child. The premises had already been closed for three months by Dudley magistrates, and the licence revocation means any future owner must apply again before reopening. The action forms part of a wider Sandwell Council crackdown, with several other Cradley Heath shops also receiving closure orders.

Muzy Mini Market on Merridale Road in Wolverhampton faces a licence review after inspections found 1,977 illegal cigarettes, 2,500 non-duty-paid cigarettes, rolling tobacco, non-compliant vapes, banned lighters and counterfeit Red Bull energy drinks. Wolverhampton Council will consider the licence on August 4, while West Midlands Police supports revocation, citing poor management and failures to uphold licensing objectives. The licensing process was further complicated by an improper transfer application and concerns that a worker had no right to work in the UK.

Plans submitted by Strykers Development Ltd would replace the vacant former Strykers bowling alley site on Shaw Road, Bushbury, with a 17,000-square-foot Storage Giant self-storage facility, office space, 36 parking spaces and a Starbucks drive-thru. The bowling alley closed in 2013 and was destroyed by fire two months later, after which the site suffered further damage from metal theft. Earlier Lidl supermarket proposals were withdrawn in 2023. Wolverhampton Council is being asked to approve the redevelopment, which the applicant says would restore employment uses and bring continued activity to the site.

City of Wolverhampton Council has approved plans to relocate Broadmeadow Special School from its ageing Lansdowne Road site to a purpose-built £20 million facility in Pendeford. The new school will accommodate up to 120 pupils aged four to 19 with special educational needs, compared with the current capacity of 75 pupils aged up to 11. The existing building requires major refurbishment, a new roof, improved toilets, a kitchen and replacement mechanical and electrical systems. The council said failing to relocate the school could cost at least £5 million annually to place pupils elsewhere, including outside Wolverhampton.

City of Wolverhampton Council rejected Sukhjinder Singh’s application to convert the former Shisha Point into a function room after inspectors found the building in a dangerous condition with an intolerable fire risk. West Midlands Fire Service had effectively closed the premises and raised concerns over unsafe materials and the kitchen. Despite Singh reducing proposed opening hours following police concerns, the licensing committee ruled that insufficient information and planning were provided and deemed the venue unsuitable until significant safety improvements are made.

Sandwell Council planners continue to oppose plans to triple the size of Tividale Mosque due to a major parking shortfall, as the proposal provides just 15 spaces against the 237 required under council calculations. The mosque argues its congregation will not increase and most worshippers arrive on foot, but the council says no evidence has been provided to confirm this despite a significant expansion of prayer hall space. Highways officers requested scaling back the design to match the stated 80 regular worshippers, but the mosque declined. A smaller alternative design was presented, though it would still require around 80 parking spaces. A final decision is expected at the council’s July 29 planning meeting.

West Midlands mayor Richard Parker endorsed a programme connecting more than 500 young people with uniformed youth organisations to improve confidence, skills and job prospects. Youth Organisations in Uniform West Midlands is delivering workshops in 50 schools using Department for Education funding secured by the West Midlands Combined Authority. Research, including a University of Nottingham report on the Combined Cadet Force, highlights improvements in well-being, resilience and attendance. Cadets described the benefits of discipline, leadership opportunities and increased confidence gained through their participation.

A Wolverhampton nightclub had its licence suspended for three months after a stabbing and repeated safety breaches. West Midlands Police reported failures in security, crowd control, and compliance with licence conditions, prompting the City of Wolverhampton Council to impose stricter operating rules, including earlier closing times, mandatory ID checks, and a ban on under‑18 events. CCTV evidence and officer testimony described disorderly scenes involving large groups of youths and insufficient security oversight. The club’s owner accepted responsibility, dismissed the security company, and argued the incidents were not caused by the venue, but the council cited ongoing concerns in deciding the suspension.

A shop in Great Bridge, Tipton lost its licence after Sandwell Council ruled that owner Vincent Shaanmugarajah Thamilnesan gave conflicting accounts over a missing £920 lottery prize. A staff member was accused of withholding the correct winnings, and West Midlands Police said the ticket’s CCTV evidence was overwritten, hampering the investigation. The licensing panel cited inconsistent explanations from the owner and revoked the 24‑hour shop’s licence. Thamilnesan had already been stripped of his lottery terminal licence by Camelot. His representative argued there was no dishonesty or financial gain, while the owner said he accepted a community resolution on legal advice.

City of Wolverhampton Council will vote on relocating Broadmeadow Special School from its deteriorating site in Whitmore Reans to a new £20 million purpose-built facility in Pendeford. The current building requires significant repairs, lacks essential facilities including a working kitchen, and faces ongoing mechanical and electrical failures. The new site would expand capacity to 120 pupils aged four to nineteen, compared with the existing 75 places. The council estimates it would cost at least £5 million annually to accommodate these pupils elsewhere if relocation does not proceed. The redevelopment would involve demolishing the unused Priory Green offices, while nearby community facilities would remain unaffected.

West Midlands Police requested a licensing review of Oxygene nightclub in Wolverhampton following a stabbing in March and a large disturbance during an under‑18s event in April. Police cited failures to follow safety conditions, inadequate security procedures and mismanagement by owner Alex Osiagor. A June hearing was adjourned and rescheduled for July 17. Fire services supported the review, noting previous agreements to limit capacity. Authorities are considering reducing opening hours and suspending the licence until compliance issues are resolved.

Sandwell Council approved plans to convert a former Evans Halshaw Peugeot dealership in West Bromwich into a Sadda Superstore, a multi‑million‑pound Asian supermarket. The project includes an investment of up to £7 million, creation of 30 jobs, a redesigned layout with expanded retail space, and a 107‑space car park. The redevelopment aims to revitalise a long‑derelict site, enhance the Carters Green area, and offer a specialised shopping option distinct from mainstream supermarket chains.

Sandwell Council approved plans to make an Oldbury storage facility permanent and allow 24‑hour operation, removing previous restricted hours. The decision follows an application from Rotala’s Simon Dunn, supported by noise monitoring that reported minimal impact on nearby homes. The site, formerly used for NHS laboratories and long vacant, had operated under temporary permission after initial 24‑hour plans were rejected.

More than £2 million will fund over 200 new school places across four Wolverhampton schools beginning in September, driven by rising pupil demand. Most of the investment will go to Moreton School and Aldersley High School through agreements with Amethyst Academies Trust, creating additional capacity across several year groups. Bilston CE Primary School will receive £150,000 for classroom reconfiguration and facility upgrades, while St Matthias School will add places without additional funding as further capacity discussions continue.

A government planning inspector overturned Sandwell Council’s rejection of D1 Gyms’ proposal to convert a vacant warehouse at the former Trident Steelworks site in West Bromwich into a 24‑hour gym. Inspector Chris Couper ruled the plan would provide health benefits, local accessibility, and potential job creation while fitting within future development uses. The site, long earmarked for housing and employment in local planning documents, remains undeveloped. The approved scheme repurposes the empty warehouse without structural changes and introduces a range of fitness facilities.

A licensing hearing for the Best One shop in Great Bridge was postponed after a required Tamil translator could not be secured for licence holder Vincent Shaanmugarajah Thamilnesan. The shop is under investigation after a customer received £30 for a lottery ticket that should have paid out a significantly higher sum. Police reported missing CCTV footage and inconsistent statements from the licence holder, while Sandwell Council officers raised serious concerns about licensing compliance and urged consideration of revocation. The hearing is scheduled to resume on July 10.

A government planning inspector has overturned Sandwell Council’s decision to block Dunedin Homes from adding six houses to a Cradley Heath estate previously affected by landslides. Inspector David Kay ruled that the additional homes would not harm privacy, local character or ecological value, despite 30 objections and the council’s concerns over design, overlooking and proximity to nature sites. The new three- and four‑bed properties will be built on former construction storage land about 150 metres from the site of earlier subsidence that had temporarily cut off residents.

Wolverhampton Council rejected a planning application seeking to legitimise the Fresh Look barber shop on Dudley Road, stating the business breached existing use restrictions and caused increased noise, traffic and parking pressure. The council warned that if the shop does not close and remove its equipment, it will pursue formal enforcement action. Officials concluded that the site’s approved use as a lettings agency poses fewer impacts on neighbouring homes and local congestion than the current barber shop operation.

City of Wolverhampton Council rejected a planning application intended to legitimise the Fresh Look barbershop on Dudley Road, which opened without permission and violated a prior condition limiting the premises to use as a lettings agency with restricted hours. Planners warned that the barbershop’s operations increased noise, traffic, parking pressure and disturbance for neighbouring homes. The council stated that if the business does not cease trading and remove equipment, it will pursue formal enforcement action to protect local amenity and highway safety.

Residents and local councillors raised objections to a proposal to convert the former Hargate Arms pub in West Bromwich into a Morrisons Daily with an alcohol licence operating from 6am to 11pm, citing risks of noise, disturbance, antisocial behaviour and parking pressures. Additional objections, including a petition, argued the site is unsuitable for late-night retail activity in a residential area. Sandwell Council’s licensing committee will decide on the application on July 7. A previous plan to expand the property’s HMO capacity was rejected in 2024 due to concerns about accommodation standards.