Lancaster

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

Lake District based community singing group Tongue Tribe will spread a little sunshine beneath Morecambe seafront’s Eric Morecambe statue on Sunday 6th June with free concerts at 2 pm and 3 pm.

Tongue Tribe perform unaccompanied and unplugged. Their repertoire ranges from Sinead O’Connor to Artisan as well as their own unique arrangement of the classic hit Bring Me Sunshine.

In January 2010 Tongue Tribe received a BBC Choral Fund grant to further their aims as a performance group.

Other Tongue Tribe performances:

• Kendal High Street, Stealth Singing, Saturday 5th June
• Kendal Town Hall, Sing Owt with Tongue Tribe, cabaret style, Saturday 12th June 8.00pm
• Sedbergh FolkFest, Saturday 26th June, 2.00pm
• Staveley Carnival, Sunday 11th June
• Also: Kendal Quaker Tapestry, Singing for Pleasure workshop, Saturday 4th September 10.00 – 4.00

To find out more go to www.tonguetide.biz

The winners of the 2010 Cumbria Tourism Awards were revealed at a glitzy ceremony at The Rheged Centre, Penrith last week.

Hundreds of tourism professionals and businesses from around the county gathered at Rheged where the evening began with a drinks reception followed by a celebratory dinner. Host for the evening was Stuart Maconie, TV and radio presenter, who announced the winners and entertained the audience with a series of Cumbria related anecdotes.

Fifteen awards were presented on the night, recognising excellence in business, customer service and training and development.

Each category winner received a certificate and specially designed award, individually handcrafted by Jo Vincent of Jo Vincent Glass Designers.

The winners were:

• Taste of Cumbria Ward – The Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter
• Guest Accommodation of the Year – Number 43, Arnside
• Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – The World of Beatrix Potter – Bowness
• Small Visitor Attraction of the Year – Lake District Coast Aquarium, Maryport
• Sustainable Tourism Award – Elder Grove, Ambleside
• Large Hotel of the Year – Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa, Bassenthwaite
• Small Hotel of the Year – Overwater Hall, Keswick
• The Lady Inglewood Award for Training & Development – Roundthorn Country House, Penrith
• Tourism Experience of the Year – Cumbrian Heavy Horses, Millom
• Holiday Park of the Year – Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Ambleside and Woodclose Park, Kirkby Lonsdale
• Tourism Event of the Year – Great North Swim, Windermere
• Business Tourism Award – North Lakes Hotel, Penrith
• The Sheila Hensman Award for Outstanding Customer Service – Alan Gillon, Learning and Access Officer, The Beacon, Whitehaven
• Self-catering Holiday of the Year – Tottergill Farm Cottages, Brampton
• Access for All Tourism Award – The Beacon, Whitehaven

With summer approaching, Lancaster City Council is launching its annual programme of Sunday brass band concerts in Morecambe’s Happy Mount Park.

The concerts are as popular today as they where back in the 1970s, when they were first established, and regularly attract audiences of around 200 people from across the region.

This year’s programme starts on May 23, with the ever-popular Preston Concert Band. It then continues every Sunday, up to and including September 12.

Over the course of the season, the series will feature the very best of brass, drawn from across the North West. The concerts start at 2.30pm and are free of charge, but donations are welcome.

Situated at the east end of Morecambe’s promenade, Happy Mount Park provides a perfect setting for the concerts and is proud of its reputation of offering attractions for all ages.

As well as enjoying the music, visitors can take a stroll in the attractive parkland setting, sample the delights of the varied menu at the Café in the Park or try one of the park’s other attractions, such as the Happy Mount Express miniature railway, Splash Park or the recently opened adventure play park.

Seating is not provided, but members of the public might wish to take along their own picnic style chair or, alternatively, hire a deck chair at the park.

The full programme is as follows:

May

23 – Preston Concert Band
30 – Morecambe Bay Brass

June

6 – Blackpool Brass
13 – Morecambe Band
20 – Slaidburn Silver Band
27 – Kendal Concert Band

July

4 – Kirkby Lonsdale Band
11 – Kendal Concert Band
18 – Wilsden Band
25 – Morecambe Band

August

1 – Morecambe Band
8 – Morecambe Band
15 – Morecambe Band
22 – Pilling Band
29 – Morecambe Band

September

5 – Burneside Brass Band
12 – Morecambe Band

For more information contact the Visitor Information Centres in Morecambe or Lancaster (01524 582808 / 582394). Please note that the programme is subject to good weather and may change.

Lancaster City Council has deferred a decision on Lancaster Market pending the consideration of alternative options for the future of the site.

Yesterday Full Council agreed that the city council’s Cabinet should set up a special working group to look closely at detailed options on reducing the market’s current deficit of more than £400,000 a year.

These options will include, amongst other options, consideration of a business plan from the market traders, the alternative of a single storey market, alternative market sites and the option of a single trader.

In considering the options the working group will also seek evidence from the existing market traders, the National Federation of Market Traders, the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of British Market Authorities.

The working group will then report to Cabinet, which will make recommendations to a special meeting of Full Council before March 31 2010.

Coun Stuart Langhorn, leader of Lancaster City Council, moved Cabinet’s budget proposals.

He said: “We all want to see a thriving indoor market in Lancaster but at the same time everyone accepts that the current deficit is unsustainable and is not value for the tax payers of this district.

“The deficit is the result of a number of factors and has grown over the years since the market opened for business in 1995. It is no one’s fault, and to make it clear I do not blame the traders for this situation, but it now falls to us all to make sure that it is sorted out once and for all.

“Council’s decision will allow Cabinet to carefully consider the issues further and involve all those who wish to make a contribution.”

Lancaster Market has a substantial deficit, currently identified as £461,000 2009/10, rising to £492,000 in the next financial year.

The city council, along with other public services anticipates a reduction in the amount of Central Government funding it receives.

More than 60% of the council’s budget is funded by Government grants and, whoever forms the next Government, there is a very real likelihood that the money received in grants will be reduced.

The Guild @ Gallery 23, Lancaster
12th January until 20th March 2010

It’s a new year and Arteria with Gallery 23 is off to a flying start with an inspiring showcase of talent from The Art & Craft Guild of Lancashire.

The Guild was established in 1986 to provide support to professional artists, designers and makers. The Gallery 23 exhibition promises to be truly special as the members of the Guild are selected as such for their “qualities of originality and excellence in their work and design”

The credible artists, some of which are award winning, exhibit across the UK. The Lancashire based Guild to be showing at the Lancaster based gallery is an event that Managing Director Jane Richardson feels is an important one:

“We at Arteria are so proud to be presenting the work of The Art & Crafts Guild. It gives us great pleasure to champion such high quality local talent.”

Indeed the Guild itself believes this collaboration is a positive move for the creative profile of the North West and is enthusiastic about the Guilds achievements and members as Jane Bell, Chair of The Guild explains:

“The Art and Craft Guild of Lancashire has been in existence for nearly 25 years. running as a co-operative . The Guild seeks out artists and designer/makers who create imaginative art and make unique objects encompassing textiles, jewellery, ceramics, wood and glass. There are a wide range of desirable pieces to satisfy all price ranges. We are very pleased to be exhibiting at Arteria where we have had several successful shows in the past. Lancaster is extremely fortunate to have a such a gallery who continually seek out new makers producing innovative articles.”

The exhibition runs from 12th January until 20th March 2010. Work can be viewed Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9.30am until 5.30pm.

Contact the Gallery for more information on 01524 61111 or at info@arteriashop.co.uk.

Address: 23 Brock Street, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1UR

A scheme to regenerate Lancaster city centre has been rejected by the Secretary of State.

The plans, by urban regeneration specialists Centros, included a 97,000 sq ft Debenhams store, 30 new shops, 800 parking spaces, up to 179 apartments and townhouses, and improvements to the Dukes and Grand theatres.

Indoor ice skating will be offered in Morecambe this Christmas.

A synthetic ice rink will be at the Dome from December 15 – 24 2009. Sessions will start at the following times:

• Tuesday December 15 to Thursday December 17 – 3pm, 4pm, 5.30pm and 6.30pm.
• Friday December 18 – 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm.
• Saturday December 19 – 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm.
• Sunday December 20 to Wednesday December 23 – 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm.
• Thursday December 24 – 9.30am, 10.30am and 11.30am.

Admission is £4.50 for adults, £3.50 for children, for a 45 minute session.

The rink comes complete with a snow machine and a music sound system to complete the festive atmosphere. Refreshments are also available. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Father Christmas is again dropping in on Williamson Park to see all the good boys and girls, as he gets ready for his Christmas deliveries! He will be at the Ashton Memorial in his magical grotto on Saturday December 12 and Sunday December 13 between 12.30 pm and 3 pm.

The cost per child will be £3.75 and they will receive a special present. All the children will also receive a free drink from the Pavilion Café situated opposite the Ashton Memorial.

For more information please contact Williamson Park on 01524 33318.

Williamson Park in Lancaster is pleased to announce the return of its traditional season of carol concerts. They will take place in the Ashton Memorial from Monday December 14 to Friday December 18.

The Memorial will see the St Laurence Singers, The Lancaster Singers, The Choir of the Priory Church and The Rushley singers return for a week long series of traditional Carol Concerts.

Join the choirs for an evening of carols and some special guests, including a string quartet and complimentary mulled wine and mince pies at the conclusion of the concert.

• Monday December 14 – The St Laurence Singers – £7.50
• Tuesday December 15 – The Lancaster Singers – £8.50
• Wednesday December 16 – The Choir of the Priory Church – £7.50
• Thursday December 17 – The Rushley Singers – £7.50
• Friday December 18 – The Lancaster Singers – £8.50

All performances begin at 7.30 pm. For further information or to book tickets, please call Williamson Park on 01524 33318.