Radio 1 has announced the line-up for the Big Weekend, Europe’s biggest free ticketed event. Artists playing at Preston’s Moor Park include:
May 19: Scissor Sisters, Razorlight, Kasabian, The Fratellis, Natasha Bedingfield, Groove Armada, Westwood and Judge Jules.
May 20: Kaiser Chiefs, Stereophonics, Rihanna, Maximo Park, Dizzee Rascal, Zane Lowe and Pete Tong.
The hopeful can apply for tickets on the Radio 1 website.
Blondie have announced dates for their UK summer tour. Their schedule sees July appearances at Blackpool Opera House, the Sands Centre in Carlisle (TBC) and Manchester Apollo. The American band gained fame in the late 70’s and early 80’s with hits such as Denis, Heart of Glass and Atomic. Tickets are available from See.
Dogs will be banned from Morecambe’s North Beach from May to September in a bid to make the beaches cleaner and safer for visitors. A similar ban was imposed in April 2004 on the town’s South Beach.
Shaun Woodward, Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism, visited the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery today. The visit comes just days after the collections from the former Lewis Textile Museum went on display in a new gallery at the museum.
Last week Princess Alexandra unveiled the latest addition to the fleet of charter vessels operated by Ullswater Steamers. The Lady Wakefield, previously known as Totnes Castle, was brought to Ullswater in 2005 and has since been undergoing major refurbishment.
Manchester City Football Club has received a £90 million bid to buy the club from a consortium headed by one of its former players, Ray Ranson. The player, who also played for Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Reading, retired in 1995 due to injury and then embarked on a career in business, making his fortune in insurance and football finance. Ranson and his associates have previously made two unsuccessful bids to acquire Aston Villa.
Feast! (Fri 1-Sun 3 June 2007) is a mass picnic with entertainment, taking place round the lakeside in Platt Fields Park. Outdoor theatre, circus, strolling musicians, magic, puppetry, games, activities and food stalls will keep the picnickers in top spirits all day. Feast! is produced by Manchester International Arts, the team behind Streets Ahead, Garden of Delights and last September’s much loved Platt Fields ‘fire garden’. In 2006, Feast! attracted 4,000 hungry picnickers who brought hampers, decorated their own picnic areas and mingled with other diners to create a magical experience.
On the final afternoon of the Feast! picnic, Exodus presents a free world music and dance stage, featuring performances from the brightest talents of Greater Manchester’s diverse refugee communities. Also on offer will be delicious home-cooked food from around the globe (including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Bosnia and Kurdistan), and a programme of performance workshops and activities for families in the Mosscare Marquee.
The North West fared extremely well at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2007, the country’s tourism equivalent of the Oscars. A ceremony at the Banqueting Hall in London held on Wednesday saw the national award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism go to Sir Paul McCartney and the city of Liverpool.
Gold Winners included the Number One in Blackpool (Bed and Breakfast of the Year), Stanley House near Blackburn (Small Hotel of the Year) and the Chester Grosvenor (Large Hotel of the Year).
Silver Awards went to the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester (Large Visitor Attraction of the Year) and the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere (Business Tourism Award).
A program to upgrade track on the Metrolink between Bury and Altrincham will mean that sections of the line will close between May 29 and September 12. The closures will take place in stages and can be viewed on this map. Replacement bus services will be offered. Trams between Eccles and Piccadilly station will be unaffected by the work.
Six forestry graduates from Cyprus have been helping plant trees around Bassenthwaite as part of a 9-week skills exchange program with the Lake District National Park Authority. The project was part of the Bassenthwaite Reflections’ programme and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Last month a group of six foresters from the Lake District visited Cyprus to carry out similar work.