Liverpool

Apr 29, Dodd to be immortalised at train station

A bronze statue of Liverpool legend Ken Dodd is take pride of place at Liverpool Lime Street train station. The statue, by Liverpool-based artist Tom Murphy, has been commissioned by Merseytravel and is set to be unveiled before the end of the year.

Ken Dodd received the news at the 20th annual Scouseology Awards, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel last week.

Previous works by Tom Murphy include the statue of John Lennon at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Apr 24, Enjoy England Awards 2008

The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence were held at St George’s Hall in Liverpool last night, the first time they taken place outside London. Winners from the North West were:

Gold Awards:

Tourism Website of the Year – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Tourism Information Centre of the Year – Liverpool 08 Place

Silver Awards:

Large Hotel of the Year – Radisson Edwardian Manchester
Meet England Business Tourism Award – Manchester Central
Caravan Holiday Park of the Year – Sunset Park, near Blackpool
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – Tullie House Museum, Carlisle

Apr 24, Structural Steel Design Awards 2008

Several new buildings and landmarks in the North West have been shortlisted for the 2008 Structural Steel Design Awards. The Liverpool Echo Arena, the Halo sculpture in Rossendale, the Singing Ringing Tree sculpture in Burnley, and the Turning the Place Over public art display in Liverpool will compete against the likes of Terminal 5 at Heathrow for the prestigious design award.

The winner will be announced at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on July 8.

Apr 17, Liverpool museum receives cash boost

The International Slavery Museum in Liverpool has received a cash boost of £1.8 million from the Northwest Regional Development Agency. The money will be used to extend the museum from its current location in the Merseyside Maritime Museum into an adjacent building.

Richard Benjamin, Head of the International Slavery Museum, said ‘The success of the International Slavery Museum so far can be measured by over 200,000 people that have visited since we opened in August 2007. The support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency will help take the museum to a new level, developing new facilities to continue its work as thought-provoking, stimulating and challenging.’

Apr 16, Vote for your favourite North West picnic spot

North West picnic lovers can vote for their favourite picnic spot in a competition being organised by Bolton-based bakers Warburtons. Ten sites in the region have been nominated:

Stanley Park – Blackpool
Lyme Park – Disley, Cheshire
Heaton Park – Manchester
Formby Beach – Merseyside
Beeston Castle – Tarporley, Cheshire
Barley Picnic Site – Pendle Hill, Ribble Valley
Jumbles Reservoir – Bradshaw Valley, Bolton
Beacon Fell – Goosnargh, near Preston
Fell Foot Park – Windermere, Lake District
Crook o’ Lune – Lune Valley, Lancaster

Votes can be registered at www.welovebread.co.uk until May 16 2008. All voters are entered into a draw to win a picnic in Central Park, New York.

The winner will be announced at the start of June and will go compete against the other regional winners for the title of ‘Warburtons Best Picnic Spot 2008’.

Apr 13, Northern Hospitality Awards 2008

The Lowry Hotel hosted the Northern Hospitality Awards 2008 last week. The winners included:

Best Restaurant - The London Carriage Works, Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool
Best Hotel – The Lowry, Manchester
Best Bar – Barlounge, Chester
Best Chef – Lisa Allen, Northcote Manor, Ribble Valley
Best Wine Offering, Northcote Manor, Ribble Valley

Mar 27, Queen concert at the Echo Arena

Rock legends Queen will be appearing in concert at the Liverpool Echo Arena on October 18 2008. The Rock the Cosmos 2008 tour kicks off its European leg in Moscow on September 16 and will promote their first studio album in more than a decade.

Venues for the other UK concerts are Nottingham Arena (October 10), Glasgow (October 11), O2 Arena London (October 13), Cardiff Arena (October 14), and Birmingham NIA (October 16).

Tickets for the UK dates go on sale April 5.

Mar 25, Finalists announced for the Northern Hospitality Awards 2008

Moorfield Media have announced the nominations for the Northern Hospitality Awards 2008. The winners will be announced at the Lowry Hotel on April 7. The finalists include:

Best Restaurant

Brasserie Black Door, Newcastle Upon Tyne
El Gato Negro, West Yorkshire
Holbeck Ghyll, Cumbria
The London Carriage Works, Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool
The Peacock at Rowsley, Derbyshire

Best Hotel

City Inn, Manchester
Hilton Manchester Deansgate
The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
Malmaison, Liverpool
Radisson Edwardian, Manchester

Best Pub

The Bayley Arms, Lancashire
The Highway Man, Lancashire
The Q Bar, Cheshire
The Shoulder of Mutton, Harrogate
The Swettenham Arms, Cheshire

Best Chef

Lisa Allen, Head Chef, Northcote Manor, Lancashire
Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The London Carriage Works, Liverpool
David Kennedy, Executive Chef, Black Door Group, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Simon Shaw, Chef Patron, El Gato Negro, West Yorkshire
Eyck Zimmer, Executive Head Chef, The Lowry Hotel, Manchester

Best Wine Offering

The Devonshire Brasserie and Bar
Hillbark Hotel
Malmaison, Liverpool
Northcote Manor, Lancashire
Warehouse Brasserie, Southport