Lucie Jones from the TV show The X Factor will switch on Preston’s Christmas lights next Saturday (November 21 2009).
The event, at the Flag Market, will run from 2 pm to 5.30 pm, with the main show beginning around 4 pm. Other acts and stars appearing include the cast of Cinderella, Hollie Steel from Britain’s Got Talent, Preston North End players, and Laura White.
Last year around 5,000 people attended the event.
Preston City Council have announced the return of a giant ferris wheel to Preston city centre this Christmas season.
The wheel, to be situated on the Flag Market, is scheduled to arrive in the city on Thursday 12 November and following a build up operation will open for trial runs on Thursday 19 November. It will then be open every day, except Christmas Day, until the January 2 2010.
The decision whether to move the National Football Museum from Preston North End’s Deepdale stadium to Urbis in Manchester has been delayed.
The trustees of the museum had been due to decide the fate of the attraction today, but have delayed making the final choice until an independent report on the move has been produced and evaluated.
Lancashire and Preston councils recently launched a bid to keep the museum at Deepdale.
‘Scare Kingdom Scream Park’, the UK’s newest Halloween scare entertainment venue will open in October 2009. Hosted at Hawkshaw Farm Park, on the A59 between Blackburn and Preston, it has been developed and produced by ‘AtmosFEAR! Scare Attractions’, the UK leaders in independent location based scare entertainment.
Following the sell out success story of last years ‘HEX in the Harvest’, hosted at the same venue last Halloween, AtmosFEAR!, lead by TV presenter and author Jason Karl, have been working on Scare Kingdom for the past 10 months, and have stepped up the fright factor for 2009 with new special effects, more live actors and even more terrifying attractions for thrill seekers and families!
During the October half term, Scare Kingdom opens daily and delivers Halloween fun with everyone in mind.
For children under 10 -- ‘Hubble Bubble: A Spellbinding Trick or Treat’ is a 45 minute interactive theatrical experience. Featuring songs and games that will enthral youngsters, friendly witch sisters ‘Toil and Trouble’ will cook up a spell to keep everyone entertained. After the show, why not try and navigate the ‘Wicked Witches Corn Maze’?
At night the Kingdom comes alive with two headlining terrifying scare attractions that will leave guests screaming for more! For families and young adults -- ‘Dead Alive: Legend of the Pumpkin Man’ -- amid the 8 acres of rotting mist covered cornfields lay the ruins of Strangleweed Hollow, in its day a booming town where many made their fortunes during the gold rush. Now nothing more than a ghost town… This 40 minute fright fest begins at Mother Strange’s old decaying farmhouse, here she waits, night after night still longing for her long lost son who disappeared into the fields so long ago – the Pumpkin Man!
For thrill seekers and families -- ‘Blood Bath; the Mad Doctor will see YOU now!’ -- in the heart of a derelict war bunker, long since forgotten, a diabolical doctor -- Cornelius Van Der Blood, has set up his secret blood soaked chamber. Evicted from Gaunt Hill Asylum under a cloud of accusations and rumours of unspeakable deeds, he is now continuing his bizarre and twisted experiments deep underground, away from prying eyes, where the screams of his ‘patients’ cannot be heard.
For information, exact opening times and bookings visit www.scarekingdom.com or call Ticketweb on 08444 771000, quoting BLACKSCAR for £2-off evening admission.
A half million pound revamp of derelict woods in Chorley is set to be officially unveiled to the public.
For the past two years Big Wood and neighbouring Copperworks Wood have undergone a major transformation creating around 18 hectares of woodland and a network of footpaths specifically designed for low mobility users.
Now an official opening of the new extension to Yarrow Valley Country Park is to be held on Thursday, October 22.
The work was made possible thanks to funding from Chorley Council, REMADE (REclamation and MAnagement of DErelict Land), funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Lancashire County Council, Biffa Award and Action Douglas and Yarrow.
To date approximately £500,000 has been spent, with a further £75,000 allocated for spring 2010.
The woods were previously derelict, underused and neglected and included the old lodges for the former Chorley Bleach Works, which has long since been demolished.
The first phase of works between 2007 and 2008 involved extensive engineering works to the lodge. The old outlet and weir were removed, the culvert under the lodge was capped and a new wave wall and spillway were constructed. Contaminated material was removed from the top lodge and a new silt trap was created. Other works included the capping of five mine shafts and contaminated land in Copperworks Wood.
The second phase of the scheme, to reclaim the land, started in autumn 2008 and was completed by summer 2009. This phase included woodland management and native planting along with the creation of a 1700m footpath network specifically designed for low mobility, including the installation of bridges, handrails, steps, wheelchair access kissing gates and picnic areas. Access controls have also been installed to prevent misuse by motorbikes.
Fingerposts and signage have also been added to complement the improved public access and create a direct link between the town’s most popular green spaces of Yarrow Valley Country Park and Astley Park.
Councillor John Walker, Chorley Council’s Executive Member (People) said: ‘We have seen a vast transformation of this area over the past two years and now we can unveil a fantastic recreational resource for the local community and visitors to Chorley. It will be managed by the Council’s ranger service as part of Yarrow Valley Country Park and will provide the perfect place for people to go for a walk and enjoy the countryside.’
A management plan has been agreed to ensure continued aftercare and maintenance of wildlife, trees, wild plants and the upkeep of paths and associated infrastructure is undertaken.
The Big Wood and Copperworks Wood site is one of a number of reclamation schemes being implemented through the Lancashire County Council REMADE Programme, which was established to reclaim derelict, underused and neglected land across the county and is funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
Funds were also donated by Biffaward – a multi-million pound environment fund which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services – and Chorley Council in partnership with Groundwork.
Big Wood and Copperworks Wood are located close to Yarrow Valley Way and Common Bank.
The 2009 Northwest Tourism Awards will be held at Blackpool Tower on September 28.
The event will be hosted by BBC presenter Ranvir Singh and is being organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency.
The finalists are:
Large Hotel of the Year
Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, Cumbria
Preston Marriott Hotel, Preston, Lancashire
The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
Malmaison Liverpool, Liverpool
Small Hotel of the Year
Peckforton Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire
Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel, Windermere, Cumbria
Mytton Fold Hotel and Golf Complex, Ribble Valley
Bed and Breakfast of the Year
Harrop Fold Farm, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Storrs Gate House, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
The Ashton, Lancaster, Lancashire
Brooklands Lodge, Sale, Greater Manchester
The Ambassador Townhouse, Southport, Merseyside
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire
Walby Farm Park, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Blackpool Tower and Circus, Blackpool
Imperial War Museum North, Manchester
Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Arley Hall & Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire
Wordsworth House and Garden, Cockermouth, Cumbria
Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Helmshore, Lancashire
Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Manchester
Acorn Farm, Liverpool
Self Catering Holiday of the Year
Kerridge End Holiday Cottages, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Hall Hills, Dalston, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, near Clitheroe, Lancashire
Blue Rainbow Apartments, Manchester
Premier Apartments Liverpool, Liverpool
Holiday Park of the Year
Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park, Keswick, Cumbria
Sunset Park, Hambleton, near Blackpool
Business Tourism Award
Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Warwick Mill Business Village, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green, near Blackpool
The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
BT Convention Centre, Liverpool
Taste of England’s Northwest
Walk Mill, Chester
Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop, Kendal, Cumbria
La Locanda Ristorante Italiano, Gisburn, Lancashire
The Modern, Urbis, Manchester
Delifonseca, Liverpool
Tourism Experience of the Year
Roman Tours, Chester
Silverband Falconry, Penrith, Cumbria
Farmaggedon, near Ormskirk, Lancashire
Costumed Performers, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Art in the Age of Steam, National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool
Customer Service Award
Janet Bradshaw, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire
Jennifer Taylor, The Archway Guest House, Windermere, Cumbria
Hannah Lee, The New Holly, near Preston
Mahendran Mayan, Renaissance Hotel, Manchester
Christina Dixon, Jurys Inn Hotel, Liverpool
Sustainable Tourism Award
Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Langdale Leisure Ltd, Ambleside, Cumbria
Malkin Tower Farm Holiday Cottages, Blacko, Lancashire
Radisson SAS Hotel Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester
Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool, Liverpool
Tourism for All Award
Kerridge End Holiday Cottages, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Ullswater Steamers, Glenridding, Cumbria
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
The Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester
Tourism Event
Nantwich Food and Drink Festival, Cheshire
Westmorland County Agricultural Show, Milnthorpe, Cumbria
Blackpool Illuminations, Blackpool
Manchester Pride, Manchester
Creamfields, Merseyside
Public Space Award
Cockermouth Market Place Regeneration Scheme, Cumbria
County Square Environmental Enhancement Scheme, Ulverston, Cumbria
Pier Head Public Realm and Canal Link, Liverpool
Tourist Information Centre of the Year
Congleton TIC, Cheshire
Coniston TIC, Cumbria
Cleveleys TIC, Lancashire
Wigan TIC, Greater Manchester
St Helens TIC, Merseyside
Travel Journalist of the Year
Chris Moss, Time Out
Craig Fleming, Blackpool Gazette
David Atkinson, Freelance
Paul Croughton, The Sunday Times
Stephen McClarence, The Observer
Government has decided that the future of Preston’s £700 million Tithebarn regeneration project will be decided at a public enquiry, expected to take place in 2010.
The news was delivered to Preston City Council on Thursday.
Council leaders issued a joint statement today, stating ‘It’s disappointing as we still believe a public inquiry into Tithebarn is unnecessary. There are very clear and strong planning reasons why Tithebarn should be allowed to go ahead in Preston and we will now make that case at public inquiry.’
Government has written to Preston City Council stating it needs more time to consider whether the planning application for the Tithebarn project should be subject to a public inquiry.
Preston City Council approved the £700 million regeneration scheme in July 2009.
A statement from Preston City Council states, ‘We are pleased that the Government is taking its time in making a decision. We submitted a very large amount of detailed evidence in support of the Tithebarn development and it will take time to fully consider this. We are convinced that given this strong evidence in support of Tithebarn that there is no need to hold a costly and unnecessary public inquiry and hope that by taking their time, the Government will agree with this and allow Tithebarn to proceed unhindered.’
Heritage Open Days allow visitors free access to properties that normally charge an entrance fee or are not usually open to the public.
The event starts tomorrow and runs until Sunday September 13.
Hundreds of attractions and properties in the North West are taking part. For more details visit the official Heritage Open Days website.
Highlights include:
Barrow
Preston City Council has issued a response to the news this morning that the National Football Museum is in talks with Manchester City Council to move from Preston to Urbis in Manchester.
Councillor Ken Hudson, Leader of Preston City Council, said ‘The National Football Museum is an important attraction for Preston and we desperately want the museum to stay in the city. We have an urgent meeting with museum representatives on Monday (14th September), when we will discuss the future of the museum.’