Talk:Redditch

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[edit] Redditch

I feel that to say that "Redditch is near Studley", although technically true is a little misleading. It is a bit like saying "Birmingham, near Redditch". I will amend this unless anyone objects. Cabinscooter 06:46, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

Changed to "north of Studley". Even so no-one is going to find Redditch by finding Studley first. Maybe it should come out entirely. Fontles 11:26, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

I am not at all sure about the derivation of the name "Moons Moat" being attributed to a 'Prehistoric Celtic tribe'. The more likely origin that I had heard was that a family named Moon had a large moated house on the site of the moat within the last hundred or so years. Does anyone have any confirmation of this ? Cabinscooter

The comment about the name moon is false. I am a residant of Exhall Close in Redditch and can see Moons Moat out of my Kitchen Window. (it is surrounded by houses!!!...) It is taught to children in the area that is was an Anglo Saxon settlement. Not Celtic

Yes, the landmark may well be Anglo Saxon (I'm still not convinced that it is that old) but what is the origin of the name "Moon" ? Cabinscooter (talk) 09:47, 8 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Local Dialect

I would dispute that any "Soft Black Country" mode of speech, if it exists, has any connection with nearby Warwickshire. Perhaps the writer means Worcestershire/Stourbridge as mentioned below. If anything, the Redditch way of speaking is now more of a "Soft Brummie" accent or dialect. The Black Country dialect is quite distinct from Birmingham, changing quite rapidly within a couple of miles between say the Birmingham boundary with West Bromwich and Tipton or Wednesbury. Cabinscooter (talk) 06:35, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I grew up in Redditch, most of my family still live there and I've never heard any of the terms mentioned here used in the context suggested. NickBarlow 05:08, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC)


I lived in Redditch for 20 years and have many friends and family still there. I've never heard any of these terms used like this either. I think it's a wind-up. Tadgers and peckers refer to male genitals; the swings and roundabouts thing is clearly a joke; and the bit about monkeys is very hard to take seriously.80.41.229.3 16:34, 6 Feb 2005 (UTC)


I know this regards accent and not dialect, I'm also sure someone will disagree, but I've always noted three quarters of people you encounter around town pronounce the word "Bus" as "Buzz" or "Busses" as "Buzzes". Every time I suspect this has ceased, I hear it again. Someone please confirm it is not just me hearing this.


This is interesting, I originally grew up in part of the Black Country and my wife (a Brummie) is always pointing out to me that I pronounce bus as 'buzz' and busses as 'buzzes'. I have lived in Redditch for twenty-odd years but I'm sure that I did not pick this up in Redditch. Cabinscooter 20:03, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

I also attribute the use of buzz for bus to Black Country origin (it turns up in [1]); its use in Redditch is interesting, maybe it reflects continuing integration of West Midlands accents generally. Or perhaps I have been too hasty to assign Redditch as "Brummie" rather than any other West Mids accent? Actually I think a section on "Local Dialect and Accent" would be quite good if we had material to fill it.--Fontles 09:43, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

On the same theme, I suspect that the proximity of Redditch to Bromsgrove which in turn is probably influenced by Stourbridge , may have an effect on the accent. Stourbridge has a very strong Black Country accent and dialect. Cabinscooter 07:56, 5 August 2006 (UTC)


I've taken out the spurious wikitable that appeared here, I guess someone was using Redditch as a sandbox. Fontles 11:37, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Batchley Cheese

I moved to Redditch in 1975 when I was just six years old. My father and my sister still live there, as do several of my old school friends. None of us have ever heard of Batchley Cheese. Can someone confirm the existence of this local speciality?


Yep, I've heard of it out of Wikipedia - only throiugh folklore though, and the only thing I can find about it is here:

http://www.touchbirmingham.co.uk/business/list/bid/2992378


I think someone is having a laugh at your expense. The address for Batchley Cheese in Redditch is the former Bridley Moor School - just check the phone number and postcode. The whole thing is one big joke and it appears to have fooled people (including many journalists) writing about Redditch - be wary of anyone who claims Redditch is famous for its cheese.

I'm sorry to say I've taken out the Batchley Cheese thing as I added the history section today. I thought it was hilarious, but it's far too unlikely to be true to go in an encyclopedia without any evidence for it. I look forward to being proved wrong & making myself a Batchley Cheese sandwich! Fontles 00:15, 11 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Monkeys

The part about the monkeys living in the palm trees sounds rather unlikely. I stand to be corrected of course - but I can't see how this would work practically. Does anyone have any references to back this up? I would love to believe it btw. Fontles 12:13, 6 January 2006 (UTC)

I did a bit of anecdotal research into this one recently, and found several people who remember the Kingfisher Centre opening, and none who remember the monkeys. What I did find though, was claims that "Monkeys in the Palm Trees" is a long standing Redditch in-joke, and has been the subject of numerous local media April Fools stories over the years. On this basis, and the fact that no-one wanted to defend it, I'm going to remove this bit from the article. Fontles 22:00, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

oddly enough this came up while talking to a friend of my father's just after Christmas, who either worked for or with the Development Corporation as it then was. His recollection is that the centre management was planning to exhibit some monkeys as a marketing gag, but in some kind of enclosure (wire mesh cage or similar) around one or several of the trees, and that the Health and Safety people got wind of the plan and quashed it pretty quick. Unfortunately that's only anecdotal too I'm afraid. WarwickshireWarrior 14:41, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

This was indeed an April Fool joke done by the centre management team at the time (I work in the centre now) who claimed to local press that on the 1st April they would be releasing live monkeys into the palm trees. It was a wind up, but apparently hundreds turned out.

[edit] Teenage pregnancies

The claim about teenage pregnancies has been in the article for a long time now. Are there any statistics to back this up? Anecdotally it's believable, but it's pretty emotive to some people and also consistent with the "Redditch sense of humour" we've seen in some of the recent vandalism. Any ideas? Fontles 12:32, 7 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The Bus Station

As much as we all enjoy looking at the "Classic" Redditch bus station (1996 vintage), it now obviously looks completely different. I wonder if it would be possible for someone to provide a photo of how that area looks right now. I would do it myself, were it not for the fact I am away from the area at present. Kalgari 20:02, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

Why not have both images of the bus station (before and after) ? Cabinscooter 20:06, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

I think the "Classic" bus station meets the Wikipedia Notability criteria to much a greater extent than the current one. I mean, no offence to the architect or staff of the current station but the classic one was genuinely visually striking and formed a local landmark - in addition to lighthearted notability from the postcard and so on. The new one is really just a bus station, and not particularly photogenic or even easy to capture effectively in a picture. I would support a picture of the new one in Wikimedia Commons though, we have far too few pictures of Redditch in total. Love the designaiton as "Classic" btw. --Fontles 09:23, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] New Town

interesting the 14th July, 1964 London Gazette notes that the Redditch New Town included apart from Redditch urban district itself part of Bromsgrove Rural District, and part of Alcester Rural District, over in Warwickshire. There was apparently a transfer of part of Sambourne parish to Redditch in 1965 (of 28 acres) and a more substantial transfer of part of Studley parish in 1969 (247 acres). 213.107.21.212 17:14, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Spammy External Links

Every time I look at this page, someone has added an external link that's not really to do with Redditch, but is a site that just happens to be based in Redditch.

In other words... "Redditch Stamp Collecting Club" is not really about Redditch, is it. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 86.139.152.224 (talk) 19:36, 2 February 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Sport content

I've tidied up some of the sport (particularly football-related) content and given it a section of its own, as See Also wasn't really the right heading. I think some input from someone with sport knowledge would be valuable. In particular what about

  • this Phil Green guy who I think is a Villa reserve?
  • churchill united which must be a typo for Church Hill United - no problem with this but where do we draw the line? Loads of pub teams could potentially appear on the list.

Fontles 11:37, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

OK so the roll call of Redditch footballers continues with Ben Underhill. Does anyone have a case for the notability of Church Hill United or its players, or Ben Underhill? I get zero hits on google for "Athletico Grant C", or even "Athletico Grant". Behind The Wall Of Sleep 18:36, 11 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] General issues

I think to call the train service regular is humorous, I would favour a word such as 'occasional' or 'sporadic' to highlight it's infrequency and common cancellation.

The train service is every half-hour and does run until 11pm-ish - whatever its problems, by the standards of our railways these days this is a comparatively frequent service for a town the size of Redditch. Maybe "regular" is a bad choice of word! But it is an economically significant service to the town, making it feasible to commute to central Birmingham by public transport. Behind The Wall Of Sleep 12:11, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Similar comments can be made about the bus service, which though 'extensive', only runs until about 6pm

Also I think stating that Bridley Moor was 'academically successful' is laughable

I've no idea whether Bridley Moor was 'academically successful' or not (though that isn't consistent with the image it had around the town). Really I think this comment either should be removed, or needs to be reworded such that it can be objectively demonstrated, and supported by a citation. Behind The Wall Of Sleep 12:11, 14 June 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Nightclubs discussion

An anonymous user has been burning the midnight oil documenting the Redditch nightlife, which I think is worth a mention. I have to question whether the current volume of text discussing cheese nights etc. is really in proportion to Redditch's limited notability as a night spot (let's be honest, it's eclipsed by Birmingham in a big way). Also the claims about region-wide notability for Chicago Rock and the pub crawl (which I've never even heard of) amongst others, need some support (if indeed they warrant inclusion in an encyclopaedia at all...). Behind The Wall Of Sleep 12:13, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

I've tidied up a few bits in the nightlife section which had been getting worse, apparently including advertising for drinks promos at specific venues(!) Sadly the whole section is still full of subjective unsourced trivia. I'd love to see it turned into something encyclopaedic, but I think in the absence of that prospect the next step will be more ruthless pruning... Behind The Wall Of Sleep 10:04, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Redditch is a well known nightspot. My children and I live in Lichfield and they have friends in Redditch. They are always there with my sister, (who lives there). The Golden Mile, (the Headless Cross Pub Crawl), is well known. It is supposed to be unbeatable. But it is known. Also Cheese nights at fuse are also well known as thei featured in Cheltenham and Gloucester also. They also have their own web site. Chicago Rock is a well known national chain that centers in the Midlands. The Redditch one is the main one. I know all this as I am hopiong to purchase a pub in redditch and have done my research into the nightlife of the town.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Reddidan (talk • contribs) 04:29, 10 August 2007.

Hi Reddidan and welcome to Wikipedia. If you can share your research with us that would help a lot, particularly on Redditch nightlife but anything on Redditch would be useful. Check out WP:V for guidance on Wikipedia's verifiability criteria and also WP:CITE for tips on how to document your sources. I think the main things we need are for notability of Redditch as a nightlife centre outside of Worcestershire (of course people come from Beoley, but do they come from Wolverhampton?); notability of the Headless Cross Run; record that the Redditch branch of Chicago Rock is the HQ/the biggest/does the most trade/whatever. Finally, if you can follow your comments on talk pages with four twiddles/tildas (~) then everyone can tell which words are yours. Behind The Wall Of Sleep 11:57, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Education Section

I've edited the education section, making two primary changes:

  • The discussion of middle schools made it sound like it was the only place in Britain where kids go to Middle School, which isn't true as there are about 400 Middle Schools in England. The claim about the demise of Bridley Moor being all down to Middle Schools certainly needs a source to back it up - I gathered that numbers had been falling both there and at the Abbey for years and hence they were merged.
  • It looked in danger of becoming a "my school's got more fancy facilities than your school" section. I've listed (all?) four high schools and removed some of the (somewhat promotional style) lists of facilities. I have to say I think it's questionable whether the schools need naming at all unless they are of some specific notability beyond people who's kids go there.

I will also add New College if I get time as it surely deserves a mention.

Behind The Wall Of Sleep 16:34, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

I've deleted another new section about Bridley Moor, how it was the best and why it shouldn't have been closed. These things keep coming back but I honestly don't think they are in proportion in an article on the town as a whole. Nothing against BM but if the school was notable why not have a page about it and link from here? -- Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 18:30, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

There is now a central page for lists of schools in Worcestershire. I think this makes more sense than listing schools on the town page unless they are substantially notable features of the town, so I've replaced the list with a link. Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 12:20, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Jacqui Smith

Hi Reddidan here lol Just recently moved to Redditch and its a lovely town. The golden Mile is lethal to all drinkers weather seasoned or not. However the reason I edit this page today is different. I was wondering wether a section on Jacqui Smith could be added. I received my first copy of one of the two redditch papers today. Despite Ms Smiths claims crime in the uk has fallen the town of redditch has been bypassed. The town according to the Redditch Advertiser is wrife with theft, assault, murder, Anti Social behavior ect. It seems that ms Smith is neglecting her constituancy greatly. If our primeminister calls a snap election Redditch will be one area to watch. The constituancy is a marginal one after the changes to its borders recently with a greater number on Tory supporters coming under it. Ms Smith has to prove herself. Please can anyone comment about the adding of a section on her. Although all criticisms must be kept at a low the women is after all the first female home secretary. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.198.247.228 (talk) 21:23, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Hi again Reddidan. Glad to hear you are enjoying Redditch. Jacqui Smith has her own page, and that is the appropriate place to discuss media commentary on her policies and their effectiveness. I have to say that as one of our most prominent politicians, her page is awfully short, and I would be delighted to see it expanded, and maybe even talk about her relationship with constituency a bit too! After all, HS or not, representing Redditch is her job, and what she is elected to do. Like anything else here though, criticism of a living individual will need to be well researched and sourced (I recommend checking out WP:BLP first); if it's in any way politically contentious, extra care is essential and sources should be top quality (check out WP:V#Sources) otherwise it could degenerate into a slanging match between supporters of political parties, and is likely to get a hostile reception from some of the more hard-line encyclopaedists around. Behind The Wall Of Sleep 09:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)
I should have also said, the Redditch Parliamentary Constituency also has its own page, and that's a good place for discussing aspects about parliamentary representation, rather than about the town itself. Hope this helps! Behind The Wall Of Sleep 09:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Notable Residents

Do we know for sure that Mrs Smith is a resident of Redditch ? Other than any official address as it is her constituency. Cabinscooter (talk) 10:01, 8 December 2007 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Cabinscooter (talk • contribs) 09:51, 8 December 2007 (UTC)

Surprisingly perhaps it seems like she is, at least according to her official web site. I've added a link to the page. She's from Malvern though. Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 18:57, 9 December 2007 (UTC)
I personally know where she (or at least her family) lives. However, I don't think I'll publish this potentially sensitive information on the web.--EvilFred (talk) 23:01, 20 February 2008 (UTC)
I wasn't for a minute suggesting that Jacqui Smith's private address be published but so many people make their fame and fortune in Redditch but then a Redditch address is not good enough for them and reside in places perceived as more 'up market' such as Alcester or Stratford. Sorry to be cynical about this and I acknowledge the information from EvilFred Cabinscooter (talk) 07:33, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Does anybody know Rik Mayall's connection with Redditch? His pages say he lived at Droitwich Spa, but maybe he schooled in Redditch? 51kwad (talk) 15:28, 19 February 2008 (UTC)

Quoting TV.com "When he was three, Mayall and his parents moved to Redditch, Worcestershire, where he spent the rest of his childhood." Don't know how accurate that is, took it from a quick Google Search -- NRTurner (talk) 16:51, 19 February 2008 (UTC)
Well I reckon if it's worth asking, it's worth citing. I'd often doubted his Redditch connection but the TV.com link was enough to convince me, so I've added it to the article. If anyone actually queries it, then we could look for a more robust source. Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 11:14, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
Ah, now I've read the other article and now I see what you mean. I've left a note on Talk:Rik Mayall, as there must be Mayall experts around who can resolve this for us. King's School Worcester, though, is definitely in Worcester and not Droitwich or Redditch, and they apparently teach from age 2 up.Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 12:53, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

Surely you cannot omit Heavyweight Boxer Jimmy Moran from this list. Commonwealth gold medalist at the Edinburgh games 1986. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.153.23.200 (talk • contribs) 12:54, 27 February 2008

I've formatted it now that you have added it, but we really need a source that verifies this. I wasn't able to find one myself. -- NRTurner (talk) 15:24, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Area of the Kingfisher Centre

There's something of a conflict in here somewhere. Over at List of shopping centres in the United Kingdom by size it's listed at 92930m3. This is consistent with the content of the Prudential presentation (although that ranks them by some property other than size, I guess turnover or value?). If this is accurate, it would rank 17th in the current list. There's little discussion going on there though. Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 10:19, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The nearby prison/s

This has been a bit of a local hot topic, with regard to the naming controversy. I've tried to make the text in the article a bit more obvious. I think what we're trying to say is:

  • it's a collection of three existing prisons undergoing an administrative reorganisation. No new buildings, etc.
  • it was going to be called "HMP Redditch" but plans were changed for whatever reason and now it will be called "HMP Hewell"
  • all three prisons are actually at Hewell Grange, and not in Redditch at all.

Hence I altered the opening text about "designation" as HMP Redditch, as this seems to be historical. But I have to ask, as the prison isn't named after Redditch (and now has no plans to name itself so) and isn't in Redditch, and isn't a significant factor in life, economy or culture in the town, is this really still appropriate to the wp page on Redditch? It doesn't even seem to be that notable outside of the prison business, as it's a reorg, not actually a new prison. Behind The Wall Of Sleep (talk) 11:03, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Plans were changed to rename the town from HMP Redditch to HMP Hewell because of the outcry from the town. It was felt that having a prison with the same name of the town would dampen the desirity of redditch!!!!-Reddidan

[edit] Merger proposal

Headless Cross, Crabbs Cross and Astwood Bank are three districts of Redditch and not separate villages. Perhaps there could be a page created for the Districts of Redditch, but a page for each is just a waste and not very informative. If there are any more Redditch districts with their own article, please put merger tags. Thanks --EvilFred (talk) 16:54, 12 June 2008 (UTC)