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WIN £300 OF SUMMER
Like the Avengers but with somehow more leather, we've teamed up with the Mailbox and two of their indy stores, English Brands and Burrows & Hare, to offer a menswear prize worth over £300. Burrows have got a Brooks England bag — made just four miles away in Smethwick — worth £150, while the shoe boffins at English Brands are chipping in with a £180 voucher, so you can spruce up your tootsies for summer. To be in with a chance of winning you need to subscribe to the Mailbox's newsletter here, and follow English Brands over on Instagram. A two-step sort of a deal. The winner will be picked at random on June 20 and notified by email. Local pro tip: Burrows & Hare design an outstanding corduroy jacket made in Sutton Coldfield. Not too shabby, eh?
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COMEDY: SEAN McLOUGHLIN
These are strange times for comedy. Certain acts claim “You can’t say anything these days.” However, as long as there are comedians such as Sean McLoughlin around, it doesn't feel like it's the case. And, instead of tub-thumping, Sean lets the comedy speak for itself. Self-hatred, thwarted love and emotional turmoil are constant themes, and this isn’t a persona that’s been created to shift tickets. This is a genuinely edgy act who puts himself through the mangle for our entertainment. Such is the darkness, it’s as if he doesn’t realise how brilliant he is. Bill Burr and Ricky Gervais clearly rate him – he’s supported both comedy icons on tour. And perhaps Sean must never know: his pain makes for glorious comedy. June 28 at Glee, tickets are £12.50.
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Venue: The Lyttelton Arms, Hagley, DY9 9LJ; website
Choice: Grilled lamb kofta (£7.50) Chooser: Hannah, waitress
Slap-bang in the middle of Hagley, over Kidderminster-way, the Lyttelton was renowned for nice looking food and even nicer looking clientele. It’s recent refurb has managed to big-up the opulence whilst dialling down the pretentiousness and as a result the new-look pub, bar and restaurant feels exclusive but no longer excluding. A mere 7 Uber-minutes from Stourbridge Junction (to which there are six direct trains an hour from Moor Street), the interior is lush to look at, even if it’s a little too eager to flag its Ivy-esque aspirations. The bar area, in particular, was a fine spot to sup a blood orange and passionfruit Tom Collins, like the naughty Fanta you really want to be sipping on your hols. Starters saw freshly shucked oysters (£3.95), topped off gloriously by the teeniest bottle of Tabasco and tart pickled red onions. Next up, the aubergine, lentil and chickpea tagine (£10.95) isn't a repeat order for us but the smoky grilled lamb kofta made us glad that we dared to veer away from the steaks and burgers the rest of the dining room seemed to be chowing. Finally, the (will it, won’t it?) melting chocolate and peanut bomb (£8.95) was well worth the minor case of brain-freeze that came with it. Oh, and after the most British of awkward pauses, it did. Menu
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