Chester

On Thursday (7th July), Hobbs, the women’s fashion destination of choice for classic clothing and stylish footwear with a modern twist will be launching at McArthurGlen’s Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.

Joining the 145 stores at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks that make up the 1.2 miles of style, the new Hobbs outlet is the first from the brand to open in the North West and the fifth Hobbs outlet in the UK.

Along with recent additions Armani, Gant and Reiss, Hobbs will further increase the prestige of the impressive fashion line-up on offer at the designer outlet, all offering up to 60% less.

Colin Wilding, UK Country Manager and Centre Manager at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, says,“It is fantastic that Hobbs are joining us. Offering a collection of high quality accessories and an impressive range of classic women’s clothing at up to 60% less, the Hobbs outlet is a welcome addition to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks.”

Alana Mazza, Retail Director at Hobbs, says, “We are delighted to launch the Hobbs outlet at McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks – the first of our outlets to receive a new concept layout. Incorporating contemporary design elements of an English manor house, the store will feature an exclusive shoe lounge peppered with luxe seating and boutique-style fitting rooms for customers to relax in.”

From business suits and smart dresses to weekend wear and fine accessories, Hobbs represents uncompromised quality and craftsmanship.

Launching with a collection of High Summer products, the new Hobbs outlet will then move into Autumn Winter with the 2010 range, which features a strong selection of coats and boots.

British electronic pioneers Leftfield and rock band Feeder are the latest acts to sign up for the first ever Chester Rocks Festival, which takes place at Chester Racecourse Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd July. Both acts will be joining the likes of Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Australian Pink Floyd Show and Echo and The Bunnymen on Sunday’s bill. While the Saturday will host some of the biggest names in pop with the likes of Taio Cruz, The Wanted and McFly.

Paul Daley and Neil Barnes formed Leftfield in 1990. The pair were ground-breaking in the field of intelligent dance music and progressive house, being amongst the first to fuse house music with dub and reggae. Along with the Chemical Brothers and Underworld they were among the first electronic musicians to incorporate live guest vocalists.

Last year saw Leftfield return to the live circuit for the first time in over a decade. After a series of stunning headline performances at festivals including Rockness, Benicassim, L.E.D and Creamfields. Neil Barnes returns with a new live show set that will demonstrate once again why Leftfield Live remains one of the must-see music experiences on the planet.

“The reception we received last summer at the festivals was amazing. Now we can’t wait to get out there again and bring the full Leftfield Live experience to Chester Rocks. Let the bass roar” Says Neil Barnes.

Leftfield trail-blazed their unique sound in the early 1990’s, allaying rave with the power of rock music and taking The Sex Pistols and PiL frontman, John Lydon back to the top of the charts in the process. The band’s debut Leftism became a modern classic, heralded as one of the greatest albums of all time by Q Magazine. Sophomore effort Rhythm and Stealth went to number one, spawning the techno anthem Phat Planet which soundtracked that Guinness advert with the horses.

Revealed as the loudest band EVER to play Brixton Academy, Leftfield’s show made such a seismic impact that it remains the benchmark for live electronic music to this day. They can take recognition for inspiring some of the world’s biggest dance acts, including Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers and Underworld, and the original superstar DJ Sasha, who acclaims Leftfield as “writing the commandments on electronic music.”

Alternative rock group, Feeder are the latest addition to Chester Rock’s Sunday bill. The band are one of the most charted acts of all-time, with a total of 20 top 40 singles. The roots of the band can be traced back to Newport, Gwent in the early 1990’s, where Nicholas and Lee played together in short-lived local grunge band Temper Temper. Frustrated by small-town life, the pair changed their name to Reel and relocated to London in early 1995, recruiting Tokyo-born bassist Taka Hirose on the way.

The band’s new commercial dawn came with Buck Rogers – a brash, technicolour pop song that hit the Top 5 in early 2001. It was the calling card for Echo Park, Feeder’s accessible third album. Feeder supported the Manic Street Preachers on their European tour and Stereophonics in the UK, and ended their most successful year to date with a re-recorded version of the absurdly catchy Just A Day. Its selling point was a video featuring Feeder’s teenage fanbase air-guitaring their way through the track in bedrooms across the nation, and it saw the band wind up 2001 on an optimistic footing.

Sadly 2002 saw the death of founder member Jon Lee. The future of the band was thrown into doubt, but Nicholas and Hirose resolved to carry on under the Feeder name after pleas from fans and Lee’s family. Feeder carried on to great pop success.

2010 saw the release of their eight studio album with the current line-up of Grant Nicholas, Taka Hirose and Karl Brazil. The band have just released the download single Side by Side with all profits going to the Red Cross in aid of the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Saturday’s line-up includes; Taio Cruz, McFly, The Saturdays, Sugababes, The Wanted, Eliza Doolittle, The Christians and Stephen Langstaff.

Sunday’s line-up includes; Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Leftfield, The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Echo and The Bunnymen, Feeder, I Am Kloot, Shaun William Ryder, Lightning Seeds, and Tommy Scott and the Red Scare.

Tickets for the Saturday or Sunday are £47.50 each or £85 for both days and are available from www.chester-rocks.co.uk or by calling 01244 304 610.

For more information and updates on Chester Rocks check out:

Website: www.chester-rocks.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChesterRocksUK
Twitter: http://twitter.com/chester_rocks

Following the success of last year’s Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, organisers have announced that the 2011 show will be extended to a 3-day event, running from 15 – 17 July.

The inclusion of a Friday Preview Day will allow visitors to get behind the scenes in the pit area and view the international field of famous cars, racing drivers and motorcyclists as they take to the 1.2-mile sprint track for practice runs before the competitive race action starts on Saturday.

The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power is located in the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire, and was created to celebrate power and performance in its many forms. In 2011, the fourth Pageant will feature a range of thrilling displays unmatched in the UK, making it the perfect family day out.

A full event schedule and list of participants will be announced over the coming months, but the Cholmondeley Estate has already revealed some enticing details. On display and completing high-speed laps will be legendary vehicles celebrating the 40th anniversary of Tyrrell’s first Formula 1 World Championship, the Lotus that Stirling Moss famously piloted to victory at Monaco in 1961, the world’s only collection of four-wheel drive Formula 1 cars and, from Founding Sponsor Bentley, a Speed 8 endurance racer.

The Pageant will not only be a draw for petrolheads and motorsport fans. Four different classes of international powerboat will undertake full-throttle runs on the lake neighbouring the race track. For those that like action of a more explosive nature, there will be a display of British Army combat power, featuring tanks, troops and field artillery all engaged in a breathtaking battle simulation.

Taking to the skies will be the largest private helicopter gathering in Europe, facilitated by event sponsor, Eurocopter. Also set for a return in 2011 are the daring Breitling Wingwalkers, and a WWII fighter-plane flypast.

The Firework Concert that proved so popular in 2010 – raising over £75,000 for Help for Heroes in the process – will be back on the evening of Saturday 16 July. The Concert has been a long-standing highlight of the region’s social calendar since 1989, with the exceptional setting, spectacular fireworks and emotive music all contributing to a ‘Proms in the Park’ atmosphere. Last year’s Military Tattoo theme was such a success that it will be repeated in 2011.

James Hall, Events Director for the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, commented: “The 2010 Pageant was a wonderful occasion and visitor numbers exceeded all our expectations. It was thrilling to walk around the park over the weekend seeing tens of thousands of people enjoying the amazing displays.

“I calculated that we must have hosted over half a billion pounds worth of machinery here this year. One of the pit lane line-ups alone contained cars with a value of over £15 million. The next event will give visitors even more to get excited about, and the extra day will bring an exciting new dimension and attract many more from near and far.”

Winning the Best Tourist Event in Cheshire, and drawing in more than 50,000 visitors in 2010, the Pageant of Power has fast gained a reputation that makes early booking essential.

Ticket booking details and further event information can be found at www.cpop.co.uk. New ticket sale arrangements are in place, with savings to be made by booking in advance.

Chester’s annual Kite Festival returns this weekend.

Now in its 7th year, the popular event will take place at the Roodee (Chester Racecourse) on Saturday 18 September and Sunday 19 September from 10 am to 5 pm.

Admission on both days is free. Onsite car parking is £3.50 all day.

Organised by Cheshire West and Chester Council, in partnership with the Northern Kite Group, the high-flying spectacle will offer free fun for the whole family as a kaleidoscope of kites fly over the city.

Organised by Chester West and Chester Council in partnership with the Northern Kite Group, the event will feature a flying exhibition including synchronised acrobatics, altitude sprints, and fighting kites, plus a climbing wall and children’s rides.

Councillor Richard Short, Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “Chester’s Kite Festival, now in its seventh year, is a fantastic day out for all and proves hugely popular with people of all ages. And the festival isn’t just about watching the professionals – you can bring your own kite, make one on the day or buy one from the experts and fly it in the large public flying arena, along with hundreds of others.”

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

Several attractions and places in North West England could soon be UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A list of 38 entries is currently being scrutinised by the government and around 10 will be submitted to UNESCO next year.

North West entries bidding for status are Chester Rows, Blackpool, Jodrell Bank, and the Lake District.

Councillor Richard Short, Executive Member for Culture and Recreation at Chester West and Chester Council, said: “I am delighted that the Rows have been included – they are synonymous with Chester and known throughout the world.

“Whilst we firmly believe that Chester itself should be declared a World Heritage Site, we were advised that the Rows on their own would stand a better chance of receiving this international recognition.”

Added Councillor Short: “I believe that the Rows are unique – they are certainly amongst the most photographed aspect of Chester – and must rank among Britain’s best-known shopping malls.”

The ‘forest factor’ for experiencing rock and pop acts performing in beautiful woodland locations continues in 2010 with Delamere Forest performances by Simply Red (Friday 2nd July) and James Morrison (Saturday 3rd July) now sold out.

However due to extended recording commitments for their forthcoming album The View have regrettably had to cancel their July 4th Delamere Forest gig.

Ticket holders are advised to contact their point of purchase for ticket refund.

Money generated by Forestry Commission Live Music ticket sales is spent directly on the nation’s woodlands, benefiting everything from butterflies to mountain bikers.

Info:
www.forestry.gov.uk/music

A programme of work at the Groves in Chester has now been completed creating an attractive pedestrian-friendly promenade alongside the River Dee.

The work – called the Groves Link – is the final section of works to create a riverside promenade from the Chester’s Old Dee Bridge to the Groves. This route links with key tourist destinations such as the racecourse, the city walls and the River Dee.

The bollards at the Groves end have been moved up to the Groves riverside walkway. This has extended the area off limits to vehicles and created an attractive, fully pedestrianised promenade. The scheme also includes railings and seat furniture, improved street lighting and a provision for CCTV in the future.

Executive Member for the Community and Environment, Councillor Lynn Riley, said: “Now the work is completed the final result is excellent. The new pedestrian-friendly promenade will improve access around the city centre and make Chester’s lovely riverside even more appealing.”

Two sculptures linking Anderton Nature Park with Anderton Boat Lift have been officially unveiled.

The idea to link the two places came from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Countryside Ranger Dave James who is based at the park.

Local artists Tracey Cartledge and Karen Allerton worked with Year 6 pupils from Comberbach Primary School and two columns were created, highlighting the history of the area.

The creation took shape after the children visited the Anderton Boat Lift, undertook a river trip supported by British Waterways and also went along to the Salt Museum to explore the local impact of salt mining in the area.

Councillor Richard Short, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “This project is a really good example of partnership working between the Council, local industry, the local community and Comberbach Primary School.

“Our thanks go to INEOS Enterprises, Action Weaver Valley, British Waterways, the Salt Museum, Comberbach Primary and the Friends of Anderton and Marbury for making this such a successful project.”

Mandy Kelly, acting Headteacher of Comberbach Primary School, said: “The project was an enjoyable, stimulating way for our children to discover and appreciate their local history.

“It has given the school a wonderful opportunity to work with the local greenspace ranger and a rare opportunity to work with professional artists, developing skills beyond the classroom, all made possible by the generosity of INEOS Enterprise.”

Added Janet Ward, INEOS Enterprises: “It’s always a pleasure to support projects at Anderton and Marbury as all the partners work so well together and every project is delivered to a fantastic standard.

“Anderton and Marbury is such a wonderful nature park for the local people of Northwich, we are always happy to fund projects to improve the facilities even more.”

A museum in Cheshire is changing its name to reflect a shift in its focus.

On June 1 the Salt Museum in Northwich will be relaunched as the Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse.

The new museum will examine the wider history and heritage of the Northwich area while allowing the Lion Salt Works, in nearby Marston, to develop as the main salt-related visitor attraction for the area.