Local Jewellery Quarter marketing agency, Big Cat, has been nominated for “Partnership of the Year” at the Birmingham Post Business Awards. They will be extending their nominated collaborative project with the University of Birmingham which is investigating the use of figurative messaging in advertising campaigns. The six-month partnership has so far seen the use of the very latest academic research techniques, such … Read More

A new collection of contemporary landscape photography opens at Argentea Gallery on 2nd November 2018. Out of the Woods of Thought is an exploration of the natural world through a series of highly atmospheric works by some of the UK’s most exciting landscape photographers. The exhibition is curated by the photography collective ‘Inside the Outside’ and features work by its … Read More

This year for the first time there will be a Poppy Pop-Up shop in the Jewellery Quarter as part of the city-wide Birmingham Poppy Day Celebrations on Tuesday 6 November. Staff and volunteers from the Royal British Legion will be in the glass booth in the Big Peg on the Golden Square from 8 am to 4 pm selling a … Read More

Celebrate Halloween in the historic Jewellery Quarter throughout October half-term with the Jewellery Quarter Halloween Trail! There will be no tricks only free treats for any families who visit one of the five participating venues in costume between Saturday 27 October – Sunday 4 November. Download or pick up one of the free trails on-site for the full list of … Read More

Local Jewellery Quarter landmark, Anderson’s Bar and Grill, won not only ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for the West Midlands category, but also the 2018 Restaurant of the Year at the Food awards England on Monday 15th October 2018. The Food Awards England said, “These awards recognised the achievements of local suppliers who always provide the community with the freshest of products … Read More

The countdown to Christmas will officially start when the Christmas lights are switched on in the historic Jewellery Quarter by Willard Wigan MBE, creator of the world’s smallest handmade sculptures in history! Organised by the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID), this year’s event takes place on Friday 16th November. The live entertainment programme includes a show-stopping performance from a … Read More

This month we are taking a spooky trip down memory lane with our colleague Dennis Cluley, exploring the history and hauntings of the local Jewellery Quarter cemeteries of Warstone Lane Cemetery, Key Hill Cemeteries, and St Paul’s churchyard. For more spooky Halloween activities for families in October half-term see our Jewellery Quarter Halloween Trail.  The three Cemeteries of the Jewellery … Read More

Are you a “Craft-ista” based in Birmingham? Starting early next year, The Hive Heritage Hub will be hosting monthly craft sessions for members of the public. The Saturday Sessions start in January and will take place on the 2nd Saturday of each month, with different workshops programmed throughout the day and into the evening. The team is looking to commission … Read More

The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) Ambassador Matthew Crawley-Alexander joined the team last month. With fellow Ambassador Wendy Roach, he is the friendly face that greets visitors, workers and residents. We sat down for a quick chat to find out how he’s finding the new role and the Jewellery Quarter in general.  New Ambassador: Matthew Alexander-Crawley   1. Did … Read More

As a part of the JQDT (Jewellery Quarter Development Trust) structure, a Planning Consultative Committee meets and reviews applications on behalf of businesses and residents in the Quarter. The team lodge comments about planning directly to Birmingham City Council. The committee meets regularly and the city council recognises the comments made by the JQDT. Below is a planning tracker for the … Read More

One budding Midlands jewellery designer has been given a unique opportunity with the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter to be its first Jeweller in Residence, a project which aims to support emerging jewellery designers. Winner Fiona Harris, who previously studied at Birmingham City University School of Jewellery, is the first designer to be crowned with the title. As part of … Read More

This month, the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) is hosting a series of free Personal Safety Workshops together with Kaizen Performance Centre. These 1-hour long sessions are free to attend for anyone who works in the Jewellery Quarter BID area. The sessions will cover the fundamentals of personal safety theory and offer practical ideas and solutions. The workshops will … Read More

A new book celebrating 30 inspirational Birmingham women has been produced by JQ based The Emma Press and Birmingham City Council and features a stunning collection of portraits by an all-female team of illustrators. Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is being published as part of Birmingham City Council’s campaign to mark the centenary of women’s right … Read More

A global delegation from the Department for International Trade (DIT) visited Birmingham on Wednesday 5 September to explore current opportunities and learn about exciting plans for the city’s future. Delegates attended from all corners of the world including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the USA. The afternoon itinerary featured a dedicated visit to the … Read More

A three-year £2million Heritage Lottery Funded (HLF) project is searching for people to share their memories of living and working in the Jewellery Quarter. Commencing earlier this year, the Jewellery Quarter Townscape Heritage (JQTH) project began raising awareness of an area within the Jewellery Quarter’s ‘Industrial Middle’*. Historically a mixed industrial and residential area, many of the buildings remain today, … Read More

Renowned city chef Aktar Islam is due to open his latest restaurant, Legna next month. This brand new 70 seat cover is situated across the street from his current venture Opheem. Legna, which is Italian for “firewood,” will blaze a trail for Italian cooking, championing the finest ingredients and market-fresh produce. Diners will be able to enjoy a selection of delicious … Read More

This week the AnchorCert Group has launched a brand new website to support the AnchorCert Academy services. The Academy delivers retail-focused training courses to the jewellery sector, offering courses on everything from hallmarking and diamond grading to plating and social media. The new website has been designed to accommodate all services available from the Academy, with a clearer customer journey, more … Read More

We are kick-starting the festive season in the Jewellery Quarter with the annual Christmas Lights Switch On and fireworks display on Friday 16 November from 5 pm on the Golden Square outside the Big Peg building (B18 6NF). Sample food from some of Birmingham’s favourite street food vendors and a glass of mulled wine and enjoy brilliant live performances held … Read More

Talented students from Birmingham’s School of Jewellery are featured in the latest edition of JQ Life (Issue 2 is out now). This week, we have shared the full interviews from two of the students; Ugne Nikitinaite and Eleanor Tucker. Ugne Nikitinaite: HND Jewellery and Silversmithing What inspires your work? I am mostly inspired by nature, space, and anything that has a mystical or … Read More

The Autumn edition of the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) magazine’s has landed! The JQ Life magazine is full of news, opinions and features on the businesses and people of the Jewellery Quarter. The front cover star is dynamic and visionary reanimator Stuart Holt (Javelin Block) who talks about this JQ journey and his passion for the local community. … Read More

A three-year £2million Heritage Lottery Funded (HLF) project is searching for people to share their memories of living and working in the Jewellery Quarter. Commencing earlier this year, the Jewellery Quarter Townscape Heritage (JQTH) project began raising awareness of an area within the Jewellery Quarter’s ‘Industrial Middle’*. Historically a mixed industrial and residential area, many of the buildings remain today, … Read More

In this month’s Guest Blog, Councillor Philip Davies, City Heritage Champion and chair of Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT), gives his perspective on this year’s Birmingham Heritage Week. The event is a citywide initiative that runs from 6 – 16 September 2018 with workshops and activities across Birmingham that highlight the city’s unique history and heritage. Those of us lucky enough … Read More

Businesses, residents and students are being encouraged to attend a community litter picking event in the Jewellery Quarter. As part of World Cleanup Day 2018, the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) is organising an event on Saturday 15 September, between 10:00am and 12:00pm. Luke Crane, JQBID Director comments: “Keeping the Jewellery Quarter clean and litter-free is one of our … Read More

Argentea Gallery on St Paul’s Square has announced its next exhibition. Comprising of twenty-two images and two rooms of installation pieces, Tanya Houghton’s Songlines of the Here+Now aims to explore the past and present connections Australians hold to the ancient landscape they call home. Shot over the course of five weeks Houghton covered a total of 10,500 km collecting scattered … Read More

The West Midlands Combined Authority has embarked upon an ambitious plan to regenerate the region and to provide new opportunities for residents and businesses. Central to this plan is the expansion of the Metro network which will triple in size by 2026 providing high quality, safe and dependable Metro travel across much of the region. The Midland Metro Alliance has … Read More

The National Vegan Society based in the Jewellery Quarter is moving to a larger office reflecting the tremendous growth of the vegan movement in recent years. The charity’s previous premises were unable to accommodate all of its staff which has quadrupled from just 10 a decade ago to nearly 40. George Cill, CEO at The Vegan Society, said: “When I joined the … Read More

Cooksongold, the UK’s largest jewellery making supplier, is celebrating 100 years of being at the heart of the Jewellery Quarter. In 1918 Cooksongold, established a manufacturing site and sales office on Vittoria Street, to serve both jewellery manufacturers and industrial users in the Midlands area. The business grew considerably in the early years constantly expanding its range of products and production … Read More

International Jewellery London (IJL), the UK’s leading trade event for the international jewellery industry, will host a Spotlight on Birmingham in association with Birmingham School of Jewellery and supported by Cooksongold and Weston Beamor to be opened by The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito. It is a collaboration of industry, education and commerce; from the Assay Office Birmingham to the manufacturers, designers, wholesalers … Read More

Last month’s JQ Festival attracted people from across the city for a jam-packed programme of activities and events. Organised by the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID), and supported by local businesses, the event celebrated the craft, culture and heritage of Birmingham’s historic quarter. This year’s event was different from previous years. A brand new Makers Hub showcased the buzzing … Read More

Birmingham City Council’s (BCC) Clean Air Zone (CAZ) consultation is ending on 17th August. The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) is encouraging local businesses to read all the information available, attend events and provide feedback. The council is proposing a Clean Air Zone within the A4540 Middleway ring road (but not the Middleway itself), where the most polluting vehicles … Read More

The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) is looking to recruit an ambassador to join the team. The JQBID is a defined area within which the local business community works together to deliver projects and services that improve the business environment and the experiences of visitors, students and residents. The ambassador will work alongside our dynamic team as we implement … Read More

Birmingham Cocktail Weekend (BCW) returns from 13 – 15 July! Unlock access to new and exclusive £4 drinks at 40 participating venues across the city with the BCW wristband. In the JQ The Birmingham Whisky Club will be serving “Naked Rob Roy”, The Rose Villa Tavern are creating “Salted Caramel Espresso Martini’s” and The Vanguard at 1000 Trades are experimenting with the “Grand Sour”. The … Read More

The fun continues in the Jewellery Quarter this summer beyond the JQ Festival (20 – 22 July) with jazz performances throughout the Quarter, delivered by the Birmingham, Solihull & Sandwell Jazz Festival (20 – 29 July). Now in its 34th year, the event is including Sandwell for the first time. With a total of 233 performances in 114 venues, there’s … Read More

The JQ Festival is back next month (20th- 22nd July) and the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement (JQBID) is inviting local businesses and residents to an official JQ Festival Open Day Drop-in. Running across two locations – St Paul’s Square and Golden Square (JQBID unit underneath The Big Peg) – on Friday 6th July, members of the team will be on … Read More

The brand-new Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) magazine has landed! Formerly Quarter Life, the fresh-look JQ Life magazine is full of news, updates, features and information about the Jewellery Quarter. Following the renewal of the JQBID for an additional five-year term last year, the magazine was revamped and offers a fresh angle on the people of the JQ; whether … Read More

To celebrate Portugal Day on Sunday 10 June and her Portuguese heritage Karin de Figueiredo, JQBID Communications & Events Executive, explores the story of Salcooks – a new Portuguese Cafe in the Jewellery Quarter. Salcooks The feeling of happiness that comes from our favourite comfort foods often stems from positive memories of our childhood. My family is both Swedish and … Read More

A brand new city-wide festival kicks off this week with an ambitious programme of talks and events celebrating the dynamic design industry of Birmingham. Over the course of four days, Birmingham Design Festival (Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 June) will provide an eclectic range of free and paid events open to both novices and design professionals exploring the past, present, … Read More

UPDATE 19/06/2018 The phone number has been reinstated, please dial 0121 236 0519 to contact them. JQ cafe 24 Carat Bistro is temporarily using a different phone number for bookings – please contact 07377 366 132. For further information on the cafe’s food menus which includes Carribean specialities, visit the website.