Ever since I first dabbled into the world of Crazy Golf at Alton Towers, I have been hooked. There…read moreis just something about a group of adults with miniature putters and different coloured plastic balls walking around on fake grass that both amuses and entertains me greatly. When putting together a Weekly Yelp on fun things to do in the city, I spotted Mohamade A's review of this place and bookmarked it for something new to do on a Sunday. After a mad Friday night and busy Saturday, I just wanted to get out of house and do something fun (but not too intensive). Mini golf seemed to be the perfect low energy, silly activity for me and Dan to enjoy. First thing to note, Star City can be accessed by bus but offers plentiful free parking if you plan on driving. I haven't been here in a few years and was surprised to see quite a few newer businesses here (including at least a couple of independents). Adventure Island is at the front of the building and easy to spot with it's clear signage. As we had to get to the supermarket before it closed (ROCK'N'ROLL), we opted to do 18 holes instead of the full course. There are two different courses to choose from and you can do one for £6.45, the full 36 for £10.95 or there are combo deals for bowling and lazer tag as well. We decided on the "Lost Hut Trail" and off we went! Thus proceeded 45 minutes of frustration, fun and giggles around the course. In retrospect, we wish we had done both or opted for the "Hidden Cove" course (which boasts a volcano in the middle), but we will be back to try this at some point. It's of note that the venue has a bar (for golf/beer times) and does a 2-4-1 offer on a Wednesday. It would make a fun place for a date or a birthday party. Yeah, it's not high brow entertainment... but if you want to challenge someone to a duel - there are worse ways than with a miniture putter and a brightly coloured plastic ball. Recommended.

Since we always go bowling when in star city, we decided to try something else. We had amazing time…read morehere withgroup of friends. We thought it was going to be empty since it didn't look like anyone was going in or out by the entrance. We were suprised it was full of people. From couples to families. So many different crazy courses to keep you entertained and competitive till the end.

I'm in tears after the distressing experience with the general manager and the PT Maya…read more We paid over £200 in joining fee which the woman told us would go towards 3 PT sessions and 4 week tennis course. A badminton coach was also promised. After paying it turns out the tennis coach, badminton coach, the first PT, the second PT, the head of PT have all left within 2 weeks. That's 5 people- how is this normal? First session was form filling for 45 mins. Second the guy had a family emergency and we turned up for no reason. Third ( shockingly!) also had a fam emergency and we turned up at 730am for no reason to be turned back around. Third one was the worst- Aggressive woman PT Maya Makluka. She wasn't there when I came in. Went looking and found her strolling in a different part of the gym she asked me to go back and wait. She came down 10 mins later and brought a form out. First question she asked was 'is this a free session?!' I said we paid joining fee for this. I also told her we have already wasted a session filling out forms with the first PT. She said she hasn't spoken to this PT. I said but my form should still be here she said there are no systems and I need to get my form from (her ex colleague who's left!). She spoke extremely rudely and aggressively and was shockingly unprofessional I couldn't believe it was really happening. Finally SHE fumed off after this. Literally ran to the front desk before I could reach to complain- I then spoke to the general manager who said the pt has come in to her office in tears ( lol the fake clown) and been with them for years (2) so can't be wrong. She would get dean who works for her to call me. The general manager has apparently joined 6 months ago and has already had her mind made up. Disgraceful that this can happen to a human being, let alone a customer

Birminghams David Lloyds…read more After being able to open up again from the pandemic it's REALLY gone down hill! Awful customer service at reception, you pay so much money to be treated like , the gyms been refurbished but it's still horrible no AC, the lady locker rooms are disgusting!, My wife hates it!! Anyone is allowed in when they're not on a membership as certain staff members let their own people in for free causing disagreements and noise in the gym. They quality and reputation of DL has just disappeared, it now seems like an ordinary gym with extremely high prices. I have left DL shady lane after 10years because there is not point paying so much for a service that is bad. All good reviews are from staff members and there relatives they make it out like they're a good gym when they aren't - an insider actually told me this! Please reconsider, your working team represnting David Lloyds as they are not keeping up a good reputation. I could name individual staff members who I can see have been mentioned in other reviews aswell so it must not be nothing new as they must be constantly disrespectful and think they own David Lloyds themselves, they must be reminded they are here to serve the customers and don't actually have shares in the business no remorse is shown if anything at times I do think racial profiling but others get the same treatment. An oldish lady who was at reception desk today andra or something like that absolutely disrespectful no help just laughing. Gym has gone complete terrible, they've signed up way to many members and can't even provide a good enough service, some staff should consider resigning and whoever actually is in charge of the club should change the staff and improve its facilities.

If you're an enjoyer of local urban wildlife then I suggest a visit to this nature reserve. There's…read morearound 30 acres of natural open space, woodland, meadow and a number of pools. This is a natural attraction for all kinds of wildlife. There's a visitor centre manned by friendly and knowledgeable staff who take pride in their work. There's a Ranger Service too which is always on hand to help with education. Get children involved early with the Plantsbrook Young Explorers club which meet every third Saturday of the month, it's for 7 - 11 year olds and membership is absolutely free. Of course this area is used by the usual dog-walkers, joggers, strollers and so on but my advice when you pay a visit is to get involved, ask the staff about stuff, you'll be surprised what you learn.

I went to watch the F1 movie I'm a huge fan of F1 and I took my niece with me who also loves F1 the…read moreperson who directs you were to go sent us to the wrong cinema we were already few minutes late and the movie was playing we assumed it had started so we sat down and watched not realising that we had been sent to the wrong movie and it was half way through already . This ruined the movie for me as we only realised at the end we were sent to the wrong one .

Affectionately referred to by some as 'Stab City' (doesn't take a wild imagination to guess why)…read morethis is a kind of a shell of an entertainment venue. Yes, the Vue cinema is fine and has loads of screens - so whilst it gets busy you can normally see whichever film you want without feeling rammed into the last seats. The restaurants are all chains - and very bland ones at that. There used to be a fairly decent Mexican, but even that has now gone and been replaced by a KFC/Nandos/McDs/delete as appropriate. There's a casino, but I have no interest in that, and there's a bowling alley / amusement arcade which is always rammed with tweens. When it was first built, there was a climbing centre spanning the interior dome of the atrium, and they installed a dry ice slope to sledge down alongside the escalators.. there was also shops to keep people entertained, but slowly and surely these have all closed down. Now it's just a large vacuous space with chain restaurants, a chain cinema, and a gaudy casino skirting the edges. I go to Star City on the very rare occurrence they're showing a film I want to see that isn't on elsewhere, or if I manage to score free tickets via showfilmfirst or a similar offer. Otherwise, there's nothing for me in the entire 'entertainment' establishment.

If there's one activity that my friends and family are mutually fanatic about, then its bowling! We…read moreoften head down to Bowlplex, which is in the Broadway Plaza complex. Underground paid parking is available, although you could be cheeky and look for side-street parking. Bowlplex isn't limited to just bowling. There's a restaurant area, bar, arcade and American Pool upstairs. So, in general there's something to keep all ages engaged. Parties can be booked here too, so don't be surprised to find a whole load of balloons and excited kids if you go at the weekend! They usually have offers available during the holidays, although it gets very busy at this time. Generally, the more games you play, the cheaper it is. There is also a "Munch and Play" deal where you can eat from the grill and bowl (although not simultaneously!) for £13.50 for adults. It's a fun-day out for the family, especially when it's too cold to be outdoors!

Who loves Bowling?? Then if you do, Bowlplex is somewhere you should go. It's situated in the same…read moreBroadway complex where AMC cinema, Frankie & Benny's, Subways and more are located. Bowlplex (Broadway Complex) is situated just before you get to Hagley Road and just after the big six ways roundabout near Broad Street. Bowlplex is a great place to take kids if you have any because of the fun factor. It's a brilliant way to entertain the family but also as a parent enjoy and relax in the bar area which they have- you can even treat yourself to a cold beer or maybe just stick to a J20 which your kids play. They also serve food in the restaurant/bar area but if I remember rightly there is an age restriction in the bar area, so you'll need to be aware of this. I don't have kids so it's something I didn't enquire about when I last went. Not to worry about that though, as there's plenty of activities kids can do; not just bowling. There are arcade type games which the small and the big kids will all enjoy.

A beautiful and huge park - one of the largest urban parks in the UK in fact. There are wild…read moreponies, free range cows and plenty of other wildlife you can spot at various times of the year. There are frequent ice cream vans dotted about near the scouts jamboree stone and lots of pay2ride bike docks around the edge of the park including e-bikes (run by beryl) in my experience the normal bikes are well maintained and not very expensive if you use them properly and dock them after each use - you get charged an extra fee if you leave it non-docked and another fee if you leave it outside the beryl zone but this is clearly demarcated in the beryl app. It's a beautiful place to go especially with family. The only detraction is that some of the paths and tracks are a bit muddy and unstable so if you're really having a hike like I do it's best to go in strong sturdy boots with good grip. There is an information centre located near the Sutton Coldfield town centre entrance of the park and a gym and swimming pool called wyndley right near the park. Fishing is allowed within certain seasons but you will need a licence and I'm not sure if there are any other requirements as I've not done it yet in this park. You will enjoy coming here, even in winter. Just bring appropriate clothing and shoes!

Henry VIII hunting ground, and the reason why Sutton received the royal charter since he had such a…read morefabulous time... It's bigger than most urban parks, and spans both further than you would expect, and less, as it goes on so much further than most city/town parks (you do genuinely get to points where you can here no traffic nor see no houses quite quickly), it almost makes it feel more like an estate park- which of course it is smaller than, but I'd probably say not by much for many. There are quite a few little pockets of the park, so you can take in as little or as much of it as you like. There is plenty of wildlife, pools, paths and impressive large trees in ancient woodlands. It tends to get quite busy, but it's large enough for you to never feel cramped, and people tend to cheerfully be saying good morning.

A nice leisure centre, which has recently been renovated. There is a main pool and children's pool…read more There is a timetable of varied events, included a much appreciated 'Adults Only' session. There is also a sports hall, and fully equipped gymnasium. Staff are friendly and happy to help when needed. Clean, single sex changing rooms, and clean showers. Can obviously get quite busy during early evening and weekends.

this is a great place ive been here a few times inside it quite big with 2 swimming pools one deep…read moreand the other shallow. the gym is small but got lots excercise machines with televisions to watch whilst you excercise on the treadmills. the staff are freindly they have a laugh and a joke. thier is lockers to keep your stuff safe and showers. if your on benifits then you can join at a really good price. they have got vending machines and tables and chiars. upstairs they do classes like yoga, karate, boxing, on planned days. the carapark is quite big so no problem parking your vehicle. its worth visiting if you want to lose those stubborn pounds or even just a relaxing swim. and they do swimming lessons for children or adults at one good price ask inside for details

My first experience of this leisure centre was through swimming lessons at primary school but I…read moreenjoyed coming here for the water flumes and wave machine at weekends and during the summer. I would say it is more suited for families rather than for serious swimmers. One of the facilities they have is the Strokes Swimming Instruction which offers classes for various ages and abilities. Kingstanding Leisure Centre is more than just a swimming pool for example you can also take part in the following activities; Badminton, Zumba class, indoor bowls and Weight Watchers and they have two Sports Halls. It's very family orientated as there is a Childrens Party Room which you can hire out for birthday parties and if you want to use the gym or the toning suite you can leave the kids in one of the play schemes they host. If you're more of a fledgling Donald Trump than a budding Tom Daley then you can hire out one of the Training / Conference / Meeting Rooms. As well as the previously mentioned swimming classes on offer they also run First Aid at Work and National Pool Lifeguard courses and there is an Adult Education Centre on site which offers courses ranging from British Sign Language to Childcare and I.T. I would say its a brilliant place to visit if you want to keep the kids entertained over half term however if you are serious about swimming I would recommend that you head over to nearby Wyndley Leisure Centre and use the lanes there.

Really was not sure how to categorise - as this is not a music venue as such. Its one of those…read morelocal historical buildings that has thankfully been saved for future generations - and is used for many many events. Its a grade 2 listed building and victorian. Over the years I have watched allsorts of 'acts' here from comedians,, to bands, to pantomime and even a reknowned medium. I am sure there are many mildly famous folk who have trodden these boards over the years - but it does tend to be utilised more often than not for amateur and 'home grown' events. I am fond of this beautiful old building as it brings back happy memories of dancing competitions when I was but a girl, and our dancing school also held its annual show here ( see more uses). But I think anyone would say the place has character. The woodenstage is large enough for most purposes, with gorgeous red velvet curtains, and there is plenty of tiered seating. The back stage area is very good, with a cellar space that can be utilised as a secondary changing area too (again happy memories of tap shoes and leotards - sigh). Also there is a bar area which can be hired for events and a small 'refectory' style space to serve up refreshments. In terms of 'music' events I believe this is more suited to cabaret stle seated performances than live Rock bands and mosh pits - but that is my opinion alone. I genuinely applaud the local council for preserving this lovely piece of our heritage and I hope they continue to do so for many many more generations to come. I have just checked the stats and for those interested it seats 349 people and the stage is 'Proscenium Arch' in style 9means nothing to me sorry!).

an all rounder type of building which plays host to numerous events. at christmas there is usually…read morea panto held there, and throughout the year there are many other events. bands, comedians, even beer festivals.

I've always maintained that Handsworth Park fails to get the recognition it deserves. It's an oasis…read moreof well-maintained flower displays, a large lake and hilly landscape. It has Grade II listed status, which reflects its importance as a nineteenth century park. There are more facilities than you may expect from a local park, including a leisure centre, children's play area, toilets and Boat House Cafe. The cafe is open throughout the day but closes by the early evening. It overlooks the lake where you could take a boat ride or feed the ducks. There is a large car park that is accessible via Holly Road. The main entrances of the park are via Grove Lane and Hamstead Road. It's also easy to reach from bus routes: the number 16 from the city centre and the outer circle number 11. A beautiful Victorian park worth experiencing for a relaxing stroll!