Upon the completion of the first phase, the journey from Birmingham to London would take less than one hour, 49 minutes to be precise.

Although plans seem to have been given the go ahead, large sections of the public remain unconvinced. The main stumbling block appears to be the concern for the effect it will have on the environment and already dwindling sections of England’s countryside. The map below shows the planned route from London to Birmingham.

Another major issue in the eyes of the public is, is it in fact needed? The overall cost for phase one alone could reach up to £17 billion, a price a fair share of the public deem unacceptable, especially when considered it would only shave approximately 17 minutes off the journey.

One thing which can’t be denied is the wonder of the modern engineering which would go into the project, bringing one of the most technical supreme railways to the British public.

Over the next few months we will keep a keen eye this project, eagerly awaiting to see if a production date is finalised and when that date would be.

The voucher offers you the opportunity to dine from the set menu for two, which includes: 2 Starters, 2 main courses, 2 lentil side dishes, 2 naan breads, 2 rice and 2 deserts. Normal price, up to £75.00, now £29.99.

If you’ve never before had the pleasure of experiencing Milan’s unique approach to Indian Cuisine, then there is no time like the present.

All of the food served at Milan is freshly prepared on a daily basis using the finest ingredients, ensuring your dining experience is of the highest quality.

Head Chef Parvinder Singh Multani’s creative and fresh approach to Indian Cuisine has not gone unnoticed as time and time again he is rewarded with fantastic reviews from both customers and critics.

To obtain your free voucher click on the picture below.

After months of careful deliberation the Olympic panel have finally released the planned route for the 2012 Olympic torch. 

Like us here at Look Local we’re sure you will be delighted to hear that the torch will be passing through Solihull on July the 1st.

To be in with a chance to see the torch you will have to be up bright and early, as it travels through between the hours of 6 am and 9 am … on a Sunday!

If like us, you will be braving the early morning to catch a glimpse of the famous ceremony then you will be most interested in the map below, which highlights the torches route from Birmingham to Solihull.

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Before we start remember: A small change can make a big difference.

Number One: The First tip we recommend is changing your ISP (Internet Service Provider). If you have had your current internet set-up for over 24 months then chances are your contract is up and you’ve been placed on a rolling 1 month contract. When moving you are more than likely going to receive a better internet package e.g. faster speed / unlimited downloads / a brand new wireless router all while paying a lesser price. This tip could save you anywhere from £10 to £30 every month. To compare broadband packages go to: www.uswitch.com

Number Two: Tip number two is a relatively new and therefore unheard of concept, sell your old clothes online. The best way to do this, if you don’t have the time to manage an Ebay account is: www.clothesforcash.com. This website sends you a bag via the post, you fill up the bag, schedule a pick up date and they pay you, £18 per 60kg to be precise. What could be simpler?

Number Three: Following on from the previous tip you could sell your unwanted CD’s DVD’S and games. Let’s face it most of us have old CD’s, DVD’s and games knocking around gathering dust, why not turn them into cash? Visit www.musicmagpie.co.uk to see how much you could make.

Number Four: In a similar fashion to tip one, don’t forget to have a look and explore all your options when renewing your car insurance. Use websites such as: www.comparethemarket.com & www.gocompare.com to find your cheapest option.

Number Five: Finally, think about your weekly food shop… Say it costs £100 per week, now times that by 4 and that’s £400, times by 12 and that’s £4800! Now, £4800 is a huge amount to be spending on food, so why not make full use of www.mysupermarket.co.uk and compare supermarket prices. You may just find out you can slice your food bill down considerably by changing where you shop.

So now you’ve seen all our tips let us know what works best for you in the comments below, or even add in your own suggestions. Oh and Good Luck!

Come and enjoy free family fun in Stratford-upon-Avon with music, narrow boats on the River Avon, craft and food stalls, family zone, charity stalls, illuminated boat parade and spectacular fireworks.

The festival which returns for it’s 4th consecutive year was a smash hit last year with the attendance reaching 35,000.

The unique event will be held within the recreation ground in Stratford-upon-Avon on the banks of the River Avon opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

If you wish to contact the Stratford Upon Avon River Festival you can use the online form here: (click here). Or use the provided telephone number:  0871 7813 538.

For more information go to: http://www.stratfordriverfestival.co.uk/

The event which is being held on Friday the 4th of May 2012, gives attendees the opportunity to play at the Forest of Arden Golf Club in Meriden, which is often regarded as one of the finest golf courses in the Midlands.

To view information on the golf day and the evening dinner, including pricing see the attached poster below.

Additionally businesses also have the opportunity to sponsor parts of the golf day and the dinner dance, this is a great opportunity to have your business associated with a popular and highly thought of charity.

To enter the golf team, download the form from the following link and follow the enclosed instructions: Golf team entry form 2012.

For more information on The Lily Mae Foundation please visit: http://www.lilymaefoundation.com/

The 5 mile run is scheduled to take place on the 13th of May (Sunday). In order to cater for all types of runners the event is split into several categories, ranging from juniors to super veterans.

Organisers are hoping that the event will continue to attract growing interest, building on last years impressive haul of 2000 athletes.

This years nominated charities are as follows:

• Alzheimer’s Society.
• Crossroads Care.
• Dorridge & Knowle Scout groups (for the refurbishing of their huts).
• Up to 30% will be retained for other local and Lions causes.

In order to support the event and the sponsored charities Look Local has provided a  trophy, which will be awarded by the V.I.P to the best fancy dress runner.

To learn more and sign up for this years Fun Run simply click on the following link: http://www.knowlefunrun.org.uk/

Finally, from everyone here at Look Local good luck! And remember, it’s all for a good cause.

Due to the outstanding success of the app we thought we would share our top 5 apps of 2011. So in no particular order:

1: Yelp App: If you’re looking for a local restaurant, cinema, bar, whilst on the move? Yelp App is your answer. Not only does the app list attractions near your current location, you also have the ability to modify your search, factoring in money, distance etc. Very handy for that weekend away!

2: GT3: The first of two games in our list is Grand Theft Auto 3. GT3 highlights the sheer power your iPhone has in its tiny CPU. The addictive game which scored favourably when reviewed runs smoothly, providing users with fast paced, frantic game play.

3: Infinity Blade: Our second game listed is Infinity Blade. Like GTA 3 this game shows users just how powerful the iPhone is and how far mobile gaming has moved on since everyone’s old favourite, snake.

4: HBO GO: Finally an app which makes streaming TV programmes easy. Add on the fact it’s not regular TV it’s HBO TV, and you have what many would class as a dream app.5: Instacast: Finally to round us off a simple app. Instacast is all about simplicity, download your favourite podcasts with just a few simple clicks. No more connecting your iPhone to your itunes.

1. Fenton the Dog. Views: 3 Million.

2. Ojai Valley Taxidermy. Views: 8 million.

3. Homeless guy with golden voice. Views: 17 million.

4. VW Darth Vader commercial: Views: 45 million.

5. Scared Baby. Views: 26 million.

So, what do you think of our list? If you think we’ve missed any off, or if you think the list is as good as we do, let us know in the comment section below.