Big shake-up on the high street this week — Kings Heath's Billesley pub has shut its doors without warning, and the old Pear Tree keeps hinting at a mystery next chapter (wrestling venue, anyone?). We dig into what it means for local pubs battling the cost-of-living squeeze, then head straight into a stacked calendar for Birmingham, UK's Kings Heath and neighbouring Moseley. There's a pop-up food bank and this month's Neighbourhood Forum both happening the same day, the Moseley Jazz Funk and Soul Festival kicking off a full weekend, a free acapella set at All Saints Café, free kids' cricket sessions, the ever-popular Kings Heath Art Market, a free disco all-dayer with an England game screening at The Station, a free community climate film screening, a family fun day just over in Moneyhole, the Kings Heath Artisan Market, and a lino printing workshop at Enki. Plus a quick word on Wimbledon, England's World Cup qualifier win, and a heads-up that from next week we're switching to early Thursday morning releases. Got something on in Kings Heath we should know about? Send us a voice note or email — we're not mind readers.

Chris flies solo this week on Heath Talk — the podcast covering all the news, gossip and goings-on in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK — while his co-host is off filming a movie. He shares a genuinely heartwarming story from Highbury Park, where a community rallied round after a bad bike accident, plus news of a new coffee shop on Station Road, Kaur Coffee Company, serving local roasted coffee, local dairy and a soundtrack of vinyl. There's also a last chance to catch the Flora exhibition at Nook Gallery before it closes on 5th July, in person or in VR. Then it's on to a packed week ahead in Kings Heath and Moseley: live music at The Station, an open mic night for homeless charities at All Saints Cafe, the ever-popular Kings Heath Farmers Market, dub legend Mad Professor at the Hare & Hounds, open days at historic Highbury Hall, live sessions at Fletcher's on York Road, and a first-of-its-kind menopause talk at Dawberry Corner Community Garden. Local news, local events, local voices — Heath Talk is your weekly guide to what's happening in Kings Heath.

It's been a scorcher of a week in Kings Heath, and Chris and Chris are back with the heatwave survival guide alongside everything you need to know about what's on. After a quick word on keeping yourselves and your dogs safe in record-breaking June heat (tarmac test, anyone?), they look back at a brilliant week that included the ever-popular Queen's Heath event — complete with stunning street photography from local snapper Mikey Evans — and a sold-out England fan zone at the Community Centre. St Mary's Moseley also opened its doors as a cool, calm refuge from the sun, proving church architecture has its uses beyond Sundays.

Then it's on to the week ahead, and there's a lot packed in. Thursday brings a relaxed art group for the 50+ crowd at Brandwood Centre and live cover music in the garden at the Station Pub. Friday is a big one: free live music and football at the King's Arms, the gloriously named Balls Out Bingo at E57 Social Club (18+, filthy comedy and four games of bingo included), and a charity quiz night for Operation Santa Trust at Moseley Golf Club.

Saturday sees a free self-defence workshop for women and girls at Brandwood Centre, plus a fermentation workshop at the Community Centre — they're after your old jam jars, so dig them out. Sunday rounds things off with Queer as the Dog comedy night at the Hare & Hounds, Moseley in Bloom's Open Gardens trail running alongside the Moseley Farmers Market, and the ever-valuable Kings Heath Community Kitchen offering free food, clothing and haircuts at New Life Baptist Church.

All that, plus some questionable opinions on what actually counts as fermentation. Stay cool out there, Kings Heath.