Stockport

The Stockport Open Art exhibition is back this summer for the first time since 2007 with a new name ‘The Open – Contemporary Art Exhibition’ and a new look. Despite the challenging economic climate a group of volunteers “SKarts” have rolled up their sleeves to re-launch “The Open” in 2011.

‘The Open – Contemporary Art Exhibition’ will be held at the Stockport Art Gallery from June 25th to August 14th.

Visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate many works of various genres including oil, watercolour, sculpture, ceramics and textiles. The Closing Ceremony on August 14th will include a ‘meet the artist’ event and presentation of ‘Visitors Choice’ and ‘Artist’s Choice’ Awards.

Whether you would like to buy an art work, get some tips from an expert, or simply admire outstanding talent the exhibition will provide a friendly engaging atmosphere for art lovers of all ages and backgrounds. There will be something for everyone to enjoy and entry to the exhibition is absolutely free.

Website: www.skarts.org.uk

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

Seven train stations in North West England have been identified as amongst the ten worst in the country.

Stations featured in the independent Station Champions report include Stockport, Manchester Victoria, Preston, Wigan North Western, Liverpool Central, Warrington Bank Quay, and Crewe. They will each receive a share of £50 million to carry out urgent improvements.

Last week Network Rail announced a £3.25 billion 5-year plan for station improvements to over 2,000 stations. The Station Champions report identified ten that required vital modernisation. Work on these will start as soon as possible.

The Station Champions, Sir Peter Hall and Chris Green, were appointed by Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis in May 2009 to review the condition of stations and to recommend improvements.

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

Furness Abbey (more…)

Visitors looking for a cheap place to stay in North West England next year (or indeed the rest of the UK, Ireland or Spain) should take note that Travelodge today launched an amazing offer on budget rooms.

The budget hotel chain is offering 50,000 rooms at only £12. The rate applies for stays between January 1 and April 1 2010. Rooms are also available from £19 (book 21 days ahead) and from £29 (book 7 days ahead).

To take advantage of this amazing offer, visit this page on their website.

Stockport Council has approved plans for a new hotel in the town.

The 165-room Hilton Garden Inn Stockport will be located at the King’s Reach business park, close to the Co-operative Bank Pyramid.

Stockport County has been placed into administration after a petition by one of their creditors.

Paul Reeves and John Titley of accountancy firm Leonard Curtis have been appointed joint administrators following the petition by David Farms Limited, owed £300,000 by the League One club.

Sean Connolly, Chief Executive, said ‘We have been working round the clock for the last few weeks putting together a package that would have guaranteed a secure future for County. We had the support of Cheshire Sports, by far our biggest creditor, who fully supported our approach. We had introduced a number of investors to help bring the club forward. The Trust would have continued to play a strong role. We were in the process of drafting heads of agreement and we were absolutely convinced that the deal could have been completed within the next 36 hours and we had informed David Farms of this early morning. As part of that deal the debenture holder would have had the loan of £300k paid back. In fact we offered to pay a large sum to them this morning as an earnest of our intent. Now, I don’t know what any of these parties will feel or do. One thing, none of us is going to give up on County as yet even though officially we no longer have a role in the Company which is now being run by the administrator.’

In accordance with Football League regulations, the club have had 10 points deducted.

12 buildings in the region have been shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards 2009 – North West.

Of 31 projects nominated the shortlisted entries are:

• Silver Cafe, Morecambe designed by Arca
• Midland Hotel, Morecambe designed by Union North
• Liverpool One Masterplan, Liverpool designed by BDP
• Chavasse Park, Liverpool designed by BDP in association with Pelli Clarke Pelli
• Bling Bling, Liverpool designed by CZWG
• 13b Paradise Street, Liverpool designed by Allies and Morrison
• Paradise Street Bridge, Liverpool designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects
• Wigg Island Visitor Centre, Runcorn designed by Hot Architecture
• Private House, Bramhall designed by MBLA Architects + Urbanists
• Alan Turing Building, Manchester designed by Sheppard Robson
• 3 Towers, Manchester designed by Union North
• BDP Studio, Manchester designed by BDP

The winners will be announced at ceremony at Urbis on May 20 2009 and will be eligible to be shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.

A pub in Stockport has been named as one of the best four pubs in the UK.

The Crown Inn is one of 4 finalists in the Campaign For Real Ale’s National Pub of the Year competition for 2008.

The other finalists are the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton, the Royal Oak in Rusper, and the Kelham Islan Tavern in Sheffield.

The winner will be announced in February.

The Crown Inn is situated on Heaton Lane in Stockport, under the Stockport Viaduct.

Budget hotel operator Travelodge is currently offering rooms at just £9 per night.

The offer is available on this special page on their website and is valid for bookings made now for stays between February and April 2009.

Rooms for other dates are also available from £19 and £29 provided bookings are made 7 and 21 days ahead respectively.