Fancy a squirrel sandwich? Head to Stirchley

‘Squirrel? No, I shouldn’t like to eat that… Is it nice?'

Dear Patchers — How many of you eat meat? If you do, are you part of the 71% of people in the United Kingdom who feel guilty about it? Last week, before the chaos of Storm Darragh, Alex went to Stirchley to visit Ethical Game, a small business that has apparently changed the way locals consume meat. Word on the streets of Stirchley is that it’s so ethical, that even vegans are eating the wood pigeon! Regardless of whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or a full-on carnivore, you’re sure to be surprised — and hopefully not put off your tea!

Before that, your mini briefing.

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Brum in brief

💸 Birmingham City Council has reached a long-awaited deal to settle historic equal pay claims made by its staff. While the full terms of the settlement are confidential, ITV’s Anushka Asthana has reported that their compensation payment could be around £250m. This has reignited questions about why the council revealed the much larger potential liability figure of £760m in June last year, ahead of officers issuing a section 114 notice (effectively announcing its bankruptcy) the following September. The settlement has been reached with members of GMB and UNISON, who launched their campaign on behalf of 6,000 low-paid, predominantly women workers four years ago.

⚖️ An actor from the hit Netflix show Sex Education has been found guilty of 26 sex offences at Wolverhampton Crown Court, including raping a school girl and assaulting a child over eight years. Alexander Westwood, from Albrighton in Shropshire, had a fascination with pornography from a young age, jurors heard. Among his victims were two 16-year-old girls who came to him for acting tuition. Westwood will be sentenced at the same court on 25 February. “He is a predator,” prosecutor Andrew Wallace said.

🏨 The Japanese hotel chain owner of the historic Station Street pub The Crown has had its attempt to overturn the building’s listed status rejected. Tokyo Inn wrote to the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to argue that the decision to give the pub a Grade II listing should be reviewed, outlining several arguments including that the address is wrong (the pub sits on the corner of two streets). DCMS rebuffed all arguments in a letter that was published by culture sector figure Jez Collins on X on Monday.

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Fancy a squirrel sandwich? Head to Stirchley

By Alex Taylor

Alan in the Meat Shed. Photo: Alex Taylor / The Dispatch.

“Is there anywhere that sells whole frozen squirrels?”

“Yes. If you ask them, I'm sure Ethical Game on the Pershore Road, Stirchley would be able to keep some aside when/if they get some. Bought squirrel from them once. Not something I'd be desperate for again.”

This is the Birmingham Reddit exchange that enchanted Dispatch HQ last week. My mind raced with questions about Ethical Game. For example, where do they get the meat? The first answer that comes to mind is roadkill. But, surely this Stirchley shop owner doesn’t scavenge the streets with a snow shovel for every badger or bird that bounces off a BMW’s bumper?

I’m aware that the somewhat grizzly topic of meat consumption is enough to steer away the faint of heart. However, while researching this piece, I’ve been continually surprised. So, lower your cutlery (including pitchforks), and bear with me.

Of course, there’s a buffet of justifications for and against eating meat.