Plans for a 34-storey skyscraper on Liverpool’s waterfront have been approved by Liverpool City Council. The controversial building will be situated on Princes Dock, close to the new Malmaison Hotel. The first 12 floors will be home to a 129-bedroom hotel with a 10th floor bar, while the remainder of the building will house apartments and retail/office space.
An exhibition featuring the costumes of Kylie Minogue will be held at Manchester Art Gallery from June 30 to September 2 2007. Kylie – The Exhibition arrives in Manchester following a hugely successful UK debut at London’s V&A, includes items such as the overalls she wore as Charlene in Neighbours, the gold hot pants from the video of Spinning Around, and the jumpsuit from the video of Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. Entrance to the exhibition is free. A range of Kylie-related merchandise will be available from the gallery’s shop.
The Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board held its annual awards ceremony at the De Vere Heron’s Reach hotel in Blackpool last week. The winners were:
Bed and Breakfast of the Year: Riverside Barn, Ribchester
Small Hotel of the Year: The Millstone at Mellor, Mellor
Large Hotel of the Year: Lancaster House Hotel, Lancaster
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: ILPH Penny Farm, Blackpool
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Blackpool Zoo
Caravan Holiday Park of the Year: Sunset Park, Hambleton
Self Catering Holiday of the Year: Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, Bashall Eves
Taste of Lancashire and Blackpool Award: Kwizeen Restaurant, Blackpool
Business Tourism Award of the Year: Bartle Hall Country Hotel, near Preston
Best Tourism Experience of the Year: Keeper for the Day, Blackpool Zoo
Best Tourism Business Newcomer: The Fat Giraffe, Padiham
Visit Chester held their 2007 awards ceremony at Chester Racecourse earlier this month. Winners included:
Bed and Breakfast of the Year: Churton Heath Farm Bed and Breakfast
Small Hotel of the Year: Alderley Edge Hotel, Macclesfield
Self-catering Holiday of the Year: Jasmine Cottage, Chester
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre
Business Tourism Award: De Vere Carden Park
Best Retail Business of the Year: Corks Out
Best Holiday Park of the Year: Manor Wood Country Caravan Park
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Chester Zoo
Large Hotel of the Year: Grosvenor Pulford Hotel
Warrington Borough Council and Virgin Trains are set to redevelop Warrington’s Bank Quay train station. The plans include enhancements to the booking and entrance area, and improving access to the forecourt for both pedestrians and public transport. An exhibition of the proposals will be held at the Gateway on Sankey Street on June 20. The works are expected to be complete by early 2008.
Blackburn with Darwen Council is to introduce free short-stay car parking in a bid to revitalise town centre shopping. Council leaders hope the measure can be introduced within the next couple of weeks. Motorists currently pay 50p for 30 minutes and 90p for one hour.
Morecambe’s Happy Mount Park will celebrate its 80th birthday with a party on Sunday June 17. Coinciding with the national ‘Love Parks Week’ the event will feature a brass band, DJ’s, face painting and other activities for children.
Cumbrians unable to make it to Glastonbury this year can enjoy a festival on their doorstep at the end of July. The Kendal Calling Festival will be held on July 27 and 28 on Grate Farm, just outside Kendal. Acts scheduled to appear include Grooverider, and Dirty Pretty Things. Tickets are available from See.
Tennis legend Bjorn Borg has pulled out of the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament after being bitten by a dog at his home in Stockholm, Sweden. He has been replaced by former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek.
The tournament is being held at Liverpool’s Calderstones Park. It starts today and runs until June 17.
The chance of a permanent home for Donald Campbell’s boat the Bluebird moved a step closer to reality after development organisation Cumbria Vision approved a £250,000 grant to the Ruskin Museum. It will go towards the £750,000 required by the Coniston museum to build a permanent extension to house the record-breaking boat.
Last year Gina Campbell, the daughter of Mr Campbell, donated the boat the museum. The terms of the grant state that the remaining funding must be obtained by September and the project must be completed by June 2008.