Bearwood, West Midlands

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Bearwood is an area in Sandwell, West Midlands, England, lying in the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough and is part of Smethwick.

Bearwood has a busy shopping area on Bearwood Road, including a market, and a number of other local amenities such as banks, supermarkets, bakeries and pharmacies. There are several opticians and a large NHS dental practice situated on this road. The Birmingham Outer Circle bus routes (the 11A and the 11C), which link Birmingham's suburbs, have stops here. Bearwood also has a number of restaurants serving a range of different cuisines.

Bearwood Road leads northwards to Smethwick High Street, and at the southern end joins Hagley Road, one of the main arterial routes into Birmingham from the M5 at Junction 3. If the plans for the Midlands Metro extension along the Hagley Road are realised, Bearwood will also have a tram stop.

Lightwoods Park runs alongside Hagley Road and features a skateboard ramp and bowling green. It also has a walled garden called "The Shakespeare Garden" with benches, ponds and plants.

Warley Park, colloquially called "Warley Woods", is nearby. It is grade II listed on the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It covers 100 acres and includes a meadow, woodland and a public golf course.^[1]

Some of the Birmingham conurbation's older properties can be found in the roads adjoining Bearwood Road. A traditionally upper working class area of Victorian terraced houses, this has more recently become much sought after, as house prices in neighbouring areas such as Harborne have moved out of the range of first time buyers.

Also situated on Bearwood Road is Bearwood Primary School, for children of both genders, between the ages of 3 and 11 years. It is well above average size, serving 479 pupils.

St Gregory's Primary School on Park Road, just off Bearwood Road, also is a mixed school for children between 3 and 11.

Every year Bearwood hosts a music festival - Bearstock - to promote local bands and artists.

Bobba-Boo and Tomcat live in the Magical Mushroom.

Local Entertainment

Bearwood has a small range of local restaurants: Azzari Too The King's Arms Teknaf Cuisine