Church Hill Blog

12/12/2025

A cold and mostly dry evening ahead with temperatures steadily falling after dark. Skies remain largely cloudy overnight, although a few clearer spells may develop later. It will feel cold throughout, with temperatures dropping to around 2°C by the early hours. Patchy frost is possible in sheltered areas.

Tomorrow starts cold with plenty of cloud around first thing. Some brighter spells may break through at times during the day, but it will stay cool overall. Daytime temperatures are expected to reach around 6°C, with light winds and largely dry conditions.

12/12/2025

A reminder from West Mercia Police around the law for e-scooters and e-bikes this Christmas.

12/12/2025

Church green and unicorn Hill look really smart, however, there is still parking occurring with no permanent enforcement.

Redditch town centre gets a fresh new look! ✨

The upgrades to Unicorn Hill and Church Green West are complete! 🙌

🚶 New footways, seating, bins, and cycle parking make the area cleaner and safer.
🚴 Wider, green cycle lanes and better drainage mean safer rides for cyclists.
🚗 New loading & disabled bays plus redesigned taxi rank improve access and support local businesses.
✨ Old street furniture removed for a cleaner, modern streetscape.

📸 See the transformation here: https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/council-services/planning-and-developments/completed-schemes/completed-public-realm-schemes/redditch-town-centre-improvements

11/12/2025

The Oast House serves their traditional Sunday roasts every week from 12 pm to 4 pm, with all the favourites ready and waiting. Slow roast beef, rosemary lamb, thyme roast turkey, honey and mustard glazed ham and a hearty cauliflower, mushroom and lentil pie for the veggie choice.

Every roast arrives with the full trimmings, seasonal veg, Yorkshire puds, stuffing, new potatoes and the best roast potatoes in town* finished with plenty of gravy. You can settle in for a relaxed Sunday afternoon or pick up a takeaway if you would rather enjoy it at home.

Desserts are worth saving space for. Sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble both make a perfect finish.

It is advisable to book ahead as their Sunday slots tend to fill up fast.

📍 The Oast House, Paper Mill Drive, Redditch, B98 8QJ
📞 01527 596037




*Yes we really said best in town.

Round off your weekend with something worth talking about. A Sunday roast at The Oast House has a way of turning an ordinary afternoon into something that feels special, and you may find yourself already planning your next visit before the plates are cleared.

11/12/2025

The Quiet Rise of Buy Now Pay Later Apps And Why It Deserves a Second Look

Over the past few years, services like Klarna, Clearpay, Laybuy, Apple Pay Later and PayPal Credit have quietly moved from niche online checkout options to something you can now use almost everywhere, including high-street shops in Redditch. Supermarkets, clothing stores and even beauty counters now offer the ability to split payments in seconds.

It feels convenient. It feels harmless. And it is presented as modern, flexible and almost effortless.

But the truth is much simpler
It is still borrowing. You still owe the money. And it still has consequences if you fall behind.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) has risen sharply this year, especially with households facing higher costs. What used to be a method for spreading the cost of large purchases has increasingly become a way of getting through everyday spending: clothes, food shops, small home items, even takeaways.

How it works

Most BNPL platforms allow shoppers to split their purchase into several instalments. Some offer a 30 day delay. Some offer 3-month or 6-month plans.
In the moment, it feels painless. You walk away with the item and pay “later”.

However:

• Every instalment is a legal debt
• Missed payments often lead to additional charges
• Many providers share data with credit agencies
• Debt can build quietly because there’s no traditional credit check upfront

It is borrowing disguised as convenience.

Why more people are using it

BNPL appears during checkout the way card terminals used to. You tap, accept, and walk away. It normalises debt through design.

For people managing tight budgets, it feels like breathing room. For retailers, it increases sales. For lenders, it is extremely profitable. Nobody in that chain has an interest in telling you to pause and think.

Where the risk creeps in

BNPL makes it easy to lose track of what you owe because the payments are small, scattered and automated.

You can end up with:
• 4 instalments at Klarna
• 2 at Clearpay
• 3 purchases on PayPal Credit
• An Apple Pay Later balance

Individually, each looks manageable. Combined, it can be a problem.

When the payments hit together at the end of the month, it stops feeling “flexible”.

The illusion of ‘free money’

Some people genuinely believe BNPL is not “real debt” because the apps advertise themselves as lifestyle tools rather than lenders. But the law, your bank and credit agencies do not see it that way.

If you miss payments:
• Your credit file can be affected
• Interest can be added
• Your bank can classify the debts the same way as other borrowing
• The company can escalate collection

BNPL is not the same as paying outright. It is not free. It is not optional once agreed.

If you choose to use BNPL, here are sensible safeguards

• Treat every instalment as a bill you must pay
• Keep a list of all active BNPL agreements
• Avoid using more than one provider at a time
• Never use BNPL for food shops or essentials
• If an instalment plan feels necessary, ask why your budget can’t absorb the cost
• If you feel tempted, wait 24 hours – if you still want it tomorrow, reconsider

BNPL has a place. For some people, it helps manage cashflow responsibly. But it can also become a blind spot in household budgeting, especially during December and January when retailers push it heavily.

Final thought

Debt does not look like debt anymore. It comes wrapped in pastel colours, friendly icons and “pay later” buttons. But the obligations are the same as they have always been.

If it feels too easy, that is the point.
If you use it, do it with your eyes open.

10/12/2025

Pubs around the country are reportedly banning Labour MPs over the budget proposals that will affect them.

Will any local venues here will follow suit, or we will politely keep serving the very people taxing the industry into extinction.

Share your thoughts below 👇🏻

A wave of anger is sweeping through pubs and restaurants across Britain as furious landlords bar Labour MPs from their premises, saying crippling tax pressures

10/12/2025

Council calls for volunteers to grow trees at home.

Redditch Borough Council have announced a new scheme asking residents to grow saplings at home to help “protect and enhance” the borough’s woodlands.

A touching idea, especially given how many mature trees have quietly disappeared in recent years to make way for housing, access roads and various other “essential improvements”. Nothing says woodland protection quite like watching established trees come down while being handed a plant pot and told to start again in your kitchen.

The council say mature saplings are expensive and external funding is not available which is why residents are now being asked to step in and raise trees themselves. They will kindly provide pots, soil and advice. The sunlight water and several years of your time will presumably be supplied free of charge.

Volunteers will even get the chance to name their tree when it is finally planted which is a nice touch. Some may prefer to name theirs after the oak that used to stand where the latest housing plot now sits.

If you would like to take part you can email the council.

What do you think? A genuine community effort or a case of residents being asked to fix a problem the council helped create?

09/12/2025

The government has today confirmed the creation of Great British Railways which will take over responsibility for running and coordinating the national rail network.

The new organisation will bring track and train back under one structure with the aim of creating a simpler system for passengers. Timetables, fares, infrastructure and customer service will all sit under one roof rather than being split across different private operators.

The first look at the new GBR branding has been released with a red, white and blue livery and the familiar double arrow symbol making a return. Ministers say passengers should expect a more joined up railway, clearer ticketing and a more consistent experience across the country.

For Redditch commuters this could mean easier planning, fewer operator changes and a more reliable service if the reforms deliver what has been promised.

We will keep an eye on developments as more details are released.

What do you think about the introduction of Great British Railways and the new look trains?

📷Department for Transport

09/12/2025

What a wet and miserable day it is out there today, which makes it the ideal moment to enjoy something warm and comforting at The Oast House

From 12 noon, you can tuck into favourites including burgers, curries, steaks, wraps, pub classics and desserts like cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding and chocolate fudge cake. The lunchtime selection gives you plenty to choose from, and from 5 pm, Chef returns serving the full range of main dishes for the evening.

Most dishes are also available to take away – just give them a call to place your order.

📍 The Oast House, Paper Mill Drive, Redditch, B98 8QJ
📞 01527 596037

Perfect day to let the sun do the shining while the pub does the warming. 😄

* Lunchtime is served between 12 pm and 2 pm.

08/12/2025

Coughton Court to Return to Family Management and Join Historic Houses Scheme

Coughton Court has announced it will join the Historic Houses membership scheme as the Throckmorton family prepares to resume day-to-day management of the estate from next year.

The Tudor house and its grounds are currently closed for the winter and will reopen in March 2026. When it does, visitors with a Historic Houses membership will be able to tour the historic property, explore the award-winning gardens, and enjoy the wider walks across the estate. Membership costs £68 per year for individuals, with additional adults at £60. Each visit will generate a small contribution back to Coughton Court to support upkeep and maintenance.

For those not planning to enter the main house, access to The Stableyard will remain free. The newly refreshed café, estate shop, charity bookshop, and children’s play area will all be open to the public, offering a welcoming space for local residents.

Magnus Birch Throckmorton said the family is delighted to be preparing for visitors again in 2026 and to be joining the Historic Houses scheme, calling it a privilege to continue centuries of family stewardship at Coughton Court.

Historic Houses has also welcomed the move, noting that Coughton Court now becomes one of several independent heritage sites in the Midlands available to members at no extra cost.

The Throckmortons, descendants of Sir Robert Throckmorton who built the house in 1409, will resume operational control after a long period of National Trust management. The estate was gifted to the National Trust in 1946, with the family retaining a long-term residence and management lease. The Trust took on day-to-day running of the attraction in 2005 under a renewed agreement that continued on a rolling basis, including a pause during the pandemic.

From 2026, the Throckmorton family will take back responsibility for running the visitor attraction while the National Trust continues to oversee the long-term conservation of the property.

08/12/2025

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM
Did Worcestershire’s consultation truly reflect public opinion?

Worcestershire County Council has now submitted its formal position to government on how the county’s councils should be reorganised. But a major issue remains unresolved, how many residents actually had a say?

The consultation earlier this year attracted just over 4,200 responses across the entire county. Compare that with Redditch’s population of around 87,800, and Worcestershire’s much larger total population, and it becomes clear that well under one percent of residents took part.

When we previously posted about this issue, many of you told us that you never saw the consultation, didn’t know it was happening, or only heard about it after the deadline had passed. Some said they would have responded if they’d known it existed.

So now that Worcestershire County Council has voted, we are left with a difficult question:
Can a decision of this scale be considered legitimate when the overwhelming majority of residents didn’t participate in the process that informed it?

The government will now consider all proposals from across the county. However, given the incredibly low engagement, there is a growing argument that the entire process should be paused until a second, properly publicised consultation is carried out, one that gives residents clear information, multiple ways to respond, and enough time to take part.

Because whether people support the north–south split or a single unitary council, the principle remains the same:
Decisions affecting every resident should not be based on feedback from less than one percent of the population.
What do you think, should the government pause Worcestershire’s restructure until residents are properly consulted?

08/12/2025

🎄✨ Christmas is Coming to The Oast House ✨🎄

The team are already getting ready to make this Christmas extra special. Their festive menu is now available to view and pre book throughout December.

Enjoy favourites like thyme roast turkey breast with pigs in blankets and stuffing, slow roasted beef with Yorkshire pudding, and cider glazed pork. Vegetarian guests can tuck into a fabulous roasted root vegetable hot pot, full of comforting winter flavours.

And of course save room for dessert, from traditional Christmas pudding with custard to warm chocolate fudge cake and winter berry cheesecake, and more there is something for every sweet tooth.

📅 Available throughout December

📞 Booking is required. Call 01527 596037 or visit The Oast House on Paper Mill Drive, Redditch, B98 8QJ to pick up your menu and booking form.
A £5 deposit per person secures your festive table.
Create your perfect festive gathering at The Oast House!