'It's as if I too was stabbed straight through the heart'
'It's as if I too was stabbed straight through the heart'
Cody Fisher's mom speaks out
Dear Patchers — Welcome to your Tuesday briefing.
Today’s newsletter leads on the final verdict in the Cody Fisher murder trial which ended yesterday. Remy Gordon, 23, and Kami Carpenter, 22, were found guilty of killing the young footballer at Crane nightclub on Boxing Day 2022. Read on for a link to the full report on the crime which horrified the city.
We also have notes on a business boost for central Birmingham (one that includes low carbon jobs), the latest on HS2 (yes, again!), and why tensions are rising in Coventry over cars. Plus, there are a couple of delightful little culture recommendations for you. Don’t say we don’t treat you.
Until next time. Dan
Brum in Brief
⚖️Remy Gordon, 23, and Kami Carpenter, 22 have received life sentences for murdering Cody Fisher, 23, on December 31 2022 at Crane nightclub in Digbeth. Fisher was surrounded and beaten by masked men before Carpenter stabbed him. The trial heard it was a revenge attack for a previous incident in which Fisher brushed passed Gordon on Christmas Eve at Solihull’s Popworld nightclub and didn’t apologise. In her victim statement, Fisher’s mother, Tracey, described her son as an “angel” and said: “Since this horrendous day, I feel my own life has ended, as if I too was stabbed straight through the heart.”
👨💼Business boost for Brum: Technology giant Hitachi Energy has moved its UK HQ to Birmingham. The move has been hailed as a boost for the region’s low-carbon jobs landscape and will see the firm take out a ten-year lease in Alpha Tower. Laura Fleming, country managing director for UK & Ireland at Hitachi Energy, said: “Moving to Birmingham is a significant milestone” and the beginning of “an exciting chapter”. Full story here.
🚆Final HS2 approvals: The final two viaducts to bring HS2 into Birmingham have been approved by Solihull Council. The move marks a significant milestone for the project and will see a near half-kilometre structure built just south of Solihull. The approvals come after feedback from the community was built into the plans, including the planting of trees. All the details.
🚗Parking furore in Cov: Council wonks have revealed that Coventry’s car parking tickets are catching up to pre-Covid levels as the city admits there is no single solution to traffic woes. A new city report detailed which areas are struggling with surges of traffic noting that car ownership and cracking down on bad parking are adding to stresses. Body cameras are now worn by traffic wardens who face rising violence. More here.
🎨Much ado about Banksy: A Gay Village bar has decided to protect a mystery mural which popped up overnight — despite Banksy’s Twitter account claiming it wasn’t his work. The stencil of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz appeared on Sidewalk in the same style that made the mysterious graffiti artist famous. Regardless of provenance, Sidewalk’s manager is delighted. Phil Oldershaw told The Mirror: “I'm going to protect it whether it's Banksy or not.” Full story here.
📽️Hans Zimmer double-header: Tonight and tomorrow, Brummies can head over to Resorts World Arena to catch performances from the world of Hans Zimmer, the musical genius behind the scores for Dune, Pirates of the Caribbean and Interstellar. The audience will be taken on a unique musical journey that will “immerse them in completely new dimensions” — or so says the marketing copy. Details and tickets at a click.
👩Orgasm gap: For readers who like their gender parity with a side of pleasure, comedian Eleanor Conway is bringing her show Talk Dirty To Me to the Hare and Hounds on Thursday. She probes gender equality, sex, marriage, and bedroom politics. Expect laughs and scandal. More here.
unrelated to any of your stories, but I cannot send you tips for interesting stories because the link that you give to do this leads me only to a blank substack page. this is using Safari on a Mac. Any advice welcome.