Bury

World Black Pudding Throwing Championships 2010 – Royal Oak, Bridge Street, Ramsbottom – 11 am till late

The 2010 World Black Pudding Throwing Championships will take place on Sunday September 12 at the Royal Oak pub in Ramsbottom, near Bury.

Contestants from all over the world will throw black puddings, aiming to dislodge a pile of Yorkshire puddings set on a 20ft high plinth.

Bridge Street will be closed to traffic for the day. Pudstock, a live music festival in the pub’s cark park, runs from 1 pm until 10 pm.

Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 September
www.heritageopendays.org.uk – fully events listing and details

Later this week properties across England will throw open their doors for free as part of the country’s annual celebration of local architecture, history and culture.

Supported nationally by English Heritage and run locally by an army of volunteers and community champions, Heritage Open Days takes place on people doorstops and is the country’s leading grassroots cultural event.

One million people are expected to take advantage of the four day event, exploring more than 4,000 properties of every style, period and function, many of which are normally closed to the public or usually charge an admission fee.

Participating properties in North West England include:

Barrow – Dalton Castle (Dalton-in-Furness)
Birkenhead – Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead Priory, Lady Lever Art Gallery
Blackpool – Blackpool Tower, Winter Gardens
Bolton – Bolton Steam Museum
Burnley – Gawthorpe Hall (Padiham), Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
Bury – Fusilier Museum, East Lancashire Railway, Peel Tower
Carlisle – High Head Sculpture Valley
Chester – Chester Racecourse, Grosvenor Museum, Little Moreton Hall (Congleton)
Kendal – Abbott Hall Art Gallery, Museum of Lakeland Life, Sizergh Castle
Lake District – Beatix Potter Gallery (Hawkshead), Blackwell (Windermere),
Liverpool – St George’s Hall, Cunard Building, Liver Building,
Macclesfield – Quarry Bank Mill
Manchester – Victoria Baths
Morecambe – Morecambe Town Hall
Oldham – Saddleworth Museum
Penrith – Acorn Bank
Preston – Samlesbury Hall
Rochdale – Healey Dell, Rochdale Pioneers Museum, Touchstones,
St Helens – World of Glass
Stockport – Hat Works, Staircase House, Air Raid Shelters, Bramall Hall
Warrington – Norton Priory (Runcorn)
Wigan – Museum of Wigan Life, Trencherfield Mill Engine

Hammerson has secured three brands from the Arcadia portfolio for The Rock in Bury.

Opening on the 16 July, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton will join the fashion line up at the new shopping and leisure destination alongside Cult, Next, H&M and Oasis.

Top Shop is taking a two level, 10,500 sq ft store which will double the size of its current unit in the town and will be located next to Cult and River Island.

Dorothy Perkins and Burton have a two level 8,200 sq ft outlet on Central Street opposite Peacocks.

Richard Poyser, Hammerson Assistant Leasing Director commented: “The Arcadia brands continue to be favourites on the British high street and securing a Topshop store of this scale is great for the scheme. We now have a strong cluster of youth fashion brands which compliment the offer of our anchor stores Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.”

The 640,000 sq ft retail and leisure offer at The Rock also includes flagship stores Next, Peacocks and Primark and leisure operators Vue, AMF Bowling and Pizza Express.

Excitement is in the air at The Rock as the team puts the final preparations in place for the official launch of the new landmark shopping and leisure destination for Bury.

Friday 16th July will see the highly anticipated first day of trading for the range of high street retailers and leisure operators which have made The Rock their new home. The launch day promises to unite Bury in a spectacular day of celebration and throughout the day visitors will be treated to a host of exciting activities for all the family to enjoy, including a chance to take part in a Guinness World Record Attempt.

The day kicks off to the sound of the Japanese Dojo drum, which will mark the start of the Bury Beat Parade – where some 180 local children will parade through The Rock’s Central Street, carrying flags adorned with artwork created by the children, to represent ‘what Bury means to them’. Rehearsals for the parade have been taking place over the past week at participating schools across the borough.

With the addition of The Rock, Bury is fast becoming one of the North West’s leading fashion hotspots, with national retailers showing their faith in Bury by bringing their full product ranges to the thriving town.

David Laycock, Centre Director for The Rock, added: “A great deal of work has gone in to creating The Rock and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve for Bury. We can’t wait to open on the 16th July and get the public’s reaction to the scheme – after all The Rock has been created for the people of Bury and the surrounding towns to enjoy!

“Alongside our own schedule of events for the day, retailers and our leisure operators are also getting ready for the launch with a host of offers for shoppers to enjoy, so no doubt there will be something for everyone to enjoy. All eyes will be on Bury on the 16th July, so we want to make it a day to remember.”

The Rock’s retail offering includes anchor stores Debenhams and Marks & Spencer alongside other flagship stores including Next, Peacocks, Primark, H&M, Cult, River Island and Oasis. Alongside Vue and AMF Bowling, restaurant operators at The Rock will include, Pizza Express, Frankie & Benny’s and Nando’s.

To generate some excitement in the lead up to the opening, 2500 artificial rocks have been dropped around the streets of the Bury, Bolton, Rochdale and Rawtenstall. Each rock contains a unique code, which when entered on Facebook will reveal the finder’s winnings. A range of prizes are up for grabs from shopping vouchers, coffees and leisure experiences, to higher value prizes, donated by some of The Rock’s flagship stores – one lucky member of the public has already bagged themselves a Hugo Boss watch worth £350.

Still up for grabs is a £500 diamond donated by independent retailer Peter Jackson Jewellers – a series of clues will appear across Facebook, Twitter and You Tube in the run up to the launch, so keep your eyes peeled to be in with a chance of winning. Insert facebook and twitter page

Launch day itinerary

10.00am
GATES OPEN

10.00-10.15am
REBORN – THE CALL

Spine-tingling and unique Taiko performance will sound across the scheme to call the people to The ROCK

10.15 – 10.55am
BURY BEAT PARADE

Parade of proud communities and effervescent carnival music and celebration

10.55 – 11.00am
REBORN – FINALE

Reprise of Taiko and countdown to Doors Open

11.00am
RETAILERS OPEN

The public get the first look inside the new high street line-up – shops will be open all day

11.00am-20.00pm
ACCESS ALL AREAS

Evocative and enthralling ambient entertainers connecting retailers throughout the day

13.00 – 18.30pm
MAIN STAGE FEATURES

A variety of musical performances and urban fashion dancers including the climax of Taikoall will perform at intervals throughout the afternoon.

4.15 – 4.55pm
BURY BEAT PARADE

Repeat of the Parade but with a twist and the end!

18.30pm
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK

Bury welcomes the World with Music – a totally unique Launch Day event – A WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT!!

19.00-20.00pm
ROCK XTRA! – (Dig the NEW Breed)

The Gala Performance from Bury’s Battle of The Bands Winning Musicians –

THE AFTERPARTY

Vue Entertainment, the UK’s leading developer and operator of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas, is delighted to officially announce that the long-awaited Vue Bury cinema at The Rock will open its doors to the public on Friday 16th July.

The original Bury cinema site in Pilsworth opened in 1989 and subsequently operated by Vue from 2003, was one of the first generation multiplexes in the UK. The cinema has had over 15 million cinema visits in the past 21 years, and now Vue is bringing the very best of the UK’s biggest and most technologically advanced cinema, Vue Westfield in London, to the heart of film-loving Bury. Vue Westfield took the capital by storm when it opened in February and Vue expects its new Bury site will also prove to be a huge success, delivering the ultimate cinema experience to its visitors.

The new Vue cinema is set to ‘rock’ Bury, bringing the latest in cinema innovation to the town’s doorstep. The multiplex will consist of 1,700 ultra comfortable stadium seats across ten screens, three of which are fully digital and 3D-enabled to deliver the highest possible sound and picture quality. The venue will also boast the only ‘VueXtreme’ screen outside London – a super-sized cinema screen, ideal for those seeking the most thrilling, all-immersive, big scale viewing experience.

Tim Richards, CEO of Vue Entertainment, says, “We are incredibly excited about the opening of our new 10 screen cinema at The Rock, as we know that there is a huge cinema following amongst the people of Bury. Vue is committed to providing something for everyone at the new cinema, with a wide range of cinema experiences and value options for many years to come.

“The cinema will include a super-sized ‘VueXtreme’ screen, comfortable VIP seats and incredible 3D film presentation. There will also be low priced ‘Kids AM’ films for young families and unique Teen Screen pricing and events for 13 to 18 year olds and there is a cheap day every Tuesday for everyone. Alternative content such as classical performances, live music and sporting events will also feature at the new venue. We expect this cinema to be a massive hit for the people of Bury and the wider surrounding areas.”

The general public of Bury is being given the exciting opportunity to see behind the scenes of The Rock shopping and leisure development on Sunday 20th June – four weeks before it opens it officially opens its doors for trading on 16th July.

The Rock public open day commences at 11 am until 3 pm and pre-registration is encouraged online at www.therockbury.com. Anyone interested to get a sneak preview should come down to The Rock on the day where regular guided tours will be taking place around the development. People are recommended to wear suitable footwear and rain ponchos will be available if required.

As it is also Father’s Day, The Rock will be treating the first 30 dads that register to two free cinema tickets from Vue Cinema. There will also be a prize draw for all dads to enter, to win a personal stylist session from one of The Rock’s flagship stores during the first week of opening. Goody bags will also be given out to visitors on the day, which will contain treats for all the family to enjoy.

Commenting on the public open day, David Laycock, Centre Director said:”This is a great opportunity for the public to see first-hand an exciting new shopping and leisure development taking shape. Many local people have been waiting to see The Rock come to completion so this is their chance to be among the very first to see what exciting new stores and leisure facilities await them this July.”

The Rock shopping and leisure destination has launched its community bursary scheme to support small community groups and charities throughout Bury and its towns.

Local charities and not-for-profit organisations will be invited to apply for up to £2,000 of the community bursary, with the aim of supporting vital community work, across all age groups and backgrounds.

The funding is specifically for projects that fit within the themes of art and culture, education and skills, health and wellbeing or sustainability and the environment. The projects must also be of value and generate tangible benefits for their local community.

The applications will be assessed by a special judging panel, made up of representative from The Rock, Hammerson and Bury Council.

Nikki Kitchen, Marketing Manager, The Rock said: “This is a really exciting initiative, supporting charities which provide a service that is well valued by their local community. We decided to introduce a community bursary – rather than a donation to one charity – as it allows us the chance to help a number of charitable organisations which support a variety of causes within the Bury borough.

“The community bursary scheme is an initiative which Hammerson has established in shopping centres across the country with great success. We are keen to replicate this success in Bury.”

Councillor Yvonne Creswell, Cabinet Member for Communities, added: “The Rock’s bursary scheme is a fantastic project that will help build strong relationships with the many community groups and charities in Bury. We would encourage anyone across the borough who thinks they might be suitable for this funding to contact The Rock’s bursary team, as we are looking to a support a wide variety of organisations and schemes.”

Applications for the community bursary will close on Friday, 24 September 2010. For more information on The Rock’s community bursary and to download an application form logon to www.therockbury.com

This is one of many community initiatives that The Rock plans to launch in the lead up to the official opening on 16th July and beyond. The Rock has recently launched a competition to find participants to take part it’s Bury Beat Parade, a creative community initiative, which local schools and community groups from across the Bury area have been invited to take part in by entering artwork into The Rock flag art competition. The winning schools from each town will be invited to represent their area in the Bury Beat Parade carrying the flag displaying the winning artwork.

Hammerson establishes community bursary schemes for its developments and projects. The schemes have been successful in providing funding for local charities in the towns and cities in which it operates.

The Rock, shopping and leisure destination is inviting the local community to help celebrate the launch of the development, by taking part in the Bury Beat Parade – an exciting feature within The Rock’s official launch programme on 16th July.

The Bury Beat Parade is a creative community initiative, which local schools and community groups from across the Bury area are being invited to take part in by entering artwork into The Rock flag art competition.

Letters to schools within Bury’s six towns have been issued asking pupils to participate in the competition by illustrating ‘What part of their local community are they most proud of?’. All the entries will be collated and a special judging panel, made up of representatives from The Rock, Bury Council, Bury Art Gallery, Museum & Archives and the Bury Times, will decide on the winning entries and which schools take part on launch day in the Bury Beat Parade.

The schools from each town will be invited to represent their area in the Bury Beat Parade carrying the flag displaying the winning artwork. The procession will bring together some 180 children, who will parade through The Rock led by a team of musicians and performing artists. Each team of children will be assigned their own colours, flags and t-shirts.

The launch will herald a new era for the town when The Rock opens its doors for trading, as it is the largest new retail scheme to be completed in the UK this year. The event promises to unite Bury with a spectacular day of celebration, colour and history, which will commemorate all that is special about Bury.

Commenting on the launch David Laycock, Centre Director for The Rock said: “The Bury Beat Parade will create a real buzz in the town in the run up to opening. Getting the local schools involved in this project and engaging with the community will help to form the heart of The Rock. We want this development to capture the real essence of Bury, which is why we have opened our plans for the launch out to the wider community and schools. We hope that the people of Bury are as excited as we are about opening this fantastic scheme.

“The Bury Beat parade is just one part of the fantastic programme of events that we have put together for the launch day. The 16th July will be a big day for Bury and we want everyone to put the date in their diaries and expect something special.”

Mrs Robinson, Head Teacher of St Marie’s R C Primary School said: “The school is extremely excited to be a part of such a momentous event for Bury. The Rock is a long awaited addition to the town and we are pleased that the local community it going to play such a big role in the celebrations. The children cannot wait to get involved in the launch day programme.”

Progress shows no signs of slowing at The Rock with over 18,000 sq ft of retail space signed up by retailers over the past seven days and the appointment of Nikki Kitchen as Marketing Manager.

Joining the team which will manage the £350million scheme, Nikki brings a wealth of retail and leisure experience, including roles at Shoppertainment Ltd, House of Fraser and more recently at The Printworks in Manchester.

Nikki’s appointment coincides with five new signings at The Rock, all of which are new brands to Bury. The Entertainer, the largest independent retailer of toys in the UK has taken 4,000 sq ft, and international shoe retailer, DEICHMANN, will occupy 8,300 sq ft. The Perfume Shop, has also signed up to occupy 510 sq ft.

Also joining the mix of high street favourites are two independent stores; high-end jewellers, Peter Jackson, which has taken 2,100 sq ft and family owned retailer, Hurley, which stocks well-known brands such as Firetrap, G-Star and Ted Baker, has taken 3,100 sq ft.

Nikki Kitchen, Marketing Manager for The Rock commented: “To be a part of bringing such an important development to fruition is very exciting. There is a fantastic mix of retail and leisure operators already secured and the five new signings which bring new brands to Bury will certainly add to The Rock’s retail appeal.”

The Duke of Gloucester will officially reopen Bury Transport Museum on March 26.

The museum closed in 2003 but over the last 2 years has undergone a £2.9 million refurbishment, partly financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The museum will be managed by the East Lancashire Railway and staffed by their volunteers.

While in the town he will also visit the Bury Black Pudding Company’s factory on Bridgehall Lane.