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.

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

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.

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

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 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.”

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 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.”

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.

Mike Booth, General Manager for the Fusilier Museum said: “we are delighted to be awarded this accreditation for the quality of our visitor service and it is a credit to the team that has worked so hard since we opened to give our visitors a high standard of customer service”.

This award follows the Museum Accreditation, awarded recently by the Museums, Libraries and Archives, giving the collection a national recognition for the quality of care and presentation of the collection.

The Fusilier Museum moved to its new location opposite the Bury Museum and Art Gallery on Moss Street last June and has had over 12,000 visitors since opening its doors. The Fusilier Museum is home to the collections of XX The Lancashire Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Together they record over 300 years of history and heritage. The museum is also home to the towns Tourist Information Centre, Hero’s Cafe bar, the Army Careers Information Office and the HQ of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

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 – Impressive remains of a Cistercian monastery.
Barrow Town Hall
Dalton Castle, Dalton-in-Furness – 14th century tower.

Birkenhead

Birkenhead Park – Grade I listed public space.
Birkenhead Priory – The oldest standing building in Merseyside.
Oxton Village
Port Sunlight Museum

Blackburn

Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington – Tudor-style Edwardian house in 9 acres of parkland. Home of Europe’s largest public collection of Tiffany Glass.

Blackpool

Blackpool Tower – Guided tour of the aquarium, circus, and ballroom.
Funny Girls – Opened as the biggest Odeon cinema outside London. Now one of Blackpool’s premier entertainment venues.
Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve – Nature reserve on the outskirts of Blackpool.
Stanley Park
Grand Theatre Blackpool – 1100-seat theatre designed by Frank Matcham in 1894.
Winter Gardens
Lytham Hall, Lytham St Annes – Grade I 18th century manor house in 80 acres of mature parkland.
The White Church, Lytham St Annes – Fairhaven United Reform Church.

Bolton

Bolton Steam Museum – Houses 25 steam engines that once drove the cotton mills of Northern England.
Hall i’th’ Wood – Tudor wooden-framed house.
Smithills Hall – Manor house.

Burnley

Burnley Football Club – Tour of Turf Moor, home of Burnley FC.
Oak Mount Hill Engine House – Cotton mill engine house dating from 1887 with recently restored steam engine.
Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
Rourke’s Forge – Watch blacksmiths at work.
Towneley Hall – Historic house, art gallery and museums, natural history centre, woodland walks and nature trails.
Gawthorpe Hall, Padiham

Bury

Bury Transport Museum
Fusiliers’ Museum – Tour of the new museum
East Lancashire Railway – Tour behind the scenes at the East Lancashire Railway, including a ride from Bolton Street station to Ramsbottom.
Peel Tower – Climb to the top of Bury’s famous landmark, built in 1852 in tribute to Bury-born Sir Robert Peel.

Carlisle

Carlisle Castle

Lake District

Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead – Home to original watercolours and sketches of Beatrix Potter.
Hill Top, Hawkshead – 17th century farmhouse where Beatrix Potter wrote many of her stories.
Townend, Windermere – 17th century stone and slate house.

Chester & Cheshire

Bear & Billet – One of the oldest pubs in Chester.
Chester Racecourse
Grosvenor Museum
Grosvenor Park
Little Moreton Hall, Congleton – Cheshire’s most iconic black and white house.
Beeston Castle, Tarporley – Former Royal Castle perched high on a rocky sandstone crag.

Kendal

Sizergh Castle

Lancaster

Lune Aqueduct – Canal cruise from Lancaster city centre to the Lune Aqueduct.

Liverpool

Britannia Adelphi
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral – Roman catholic cathedral.
Liverpool Town Hall
St George’s Hall – Grade I listed building opposite Lime Street station.
The Bluecoat – The oldest building in Liverpool city centre.

Macclesfield

Silk Museum
Quarry Bank Mill, Wilmslow – Former cotton mill.

Manchester

Manchester Town Hall
Monastery – Restored monastery in Gorton.
Victoria Baths

Morecambe

Morecambe Town Hall
Morecambe Winter Gardens

Oldham

Saddleworth Museum & Art Gallery

Penrith

Acorn Bank Garden & Watermill – Tours of the herb garden and Acorn Bank house.
Penrith & Eden Museum – Local history museum and Tourist Information Centre.

Preston

Museum of Lancashire – Museum in Preston’s Old Court House.
Samlesbury Hall – Historic house dating back to 1325.

Rochdale

Greater Manchester Fire Museum – Official museum of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
Healey Dell Nature Reserve – Guided walk.
Hollingworth Lake
Rochdale Pioneers Museum – The world’s first successfully operated co-operative store. Now a museum with restored historic shop.
Three Owls Bird Sanctuary – Wild bird hospital.
Touchstones – Arts and heritage centre with museum, art gallery, local studies library, tourist information, shop and café.

St Helens

Dream – Spectacular sculpture designed by world-renowned artist Jaume Plensa.
World of Glass – Explores the history of St Helens and its glass making heritage.

Stockport

Bramall Hall – One of Cheshire’s grandest black and white timber-framed Tudor manor houses.
Hat Works – The only museum in the UK dedicated to the hatting industry.
Lyme Park – Mansion house, gardens, and ancient deer park.
Staircase House
Stockport Air Raid Shelters – Underground labyrinth of tunnels built for shelter during World War II.

Warrington

Norton Priory, Runcorn – 38 acre site with excavated remains of the Augustinian Priory and woodland gardens.

Wigan

Trencherfield Mill – Restored steam engine.

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. The event will feature live music from local bands, children’s rides, and food stalls.

The fun begins at 11 am and goes on until late.

Key features of the plan include:

• Heywood Station – replacement of the existing temporary station with a permanent building.
• Extension to Castleton, Rochdale – extending the ELR from Heywood to Castleton and linking up with the Rochdale Canal.
• Bury Transport Museum – reopening an enhanced ELR Transport Museum in October 2009.
• Rawtenstall Station – the ELR will work with Rossendale Borough Council to offer improved café facilities, a platform canopy and improved links to the town centre.
• Burrs Country Park – the ELR currently passes through Burrs Country Park without stopping. A new stop will be built, linking the ELR with the park’s caravan site and activity centre.
• Buckley Wells Heritage Centre – development of a heritage railway visitor centre.
• Ramsbottom – raising the profile of Ramsbottom as a destination.

The East Lancashire Railway Trust comprises 3 local authorities (Bury Council, Rossendale Borough Council, and Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council) plus the East Lancashire Light Railway Company.

The event takes place on Friday May 15 at 7 pm. To book a place call 0161 763 8950.

It will open on Monday April 6 2009 at the new Lancashire Fusiliers’ Museum on Moss Street in Bury town centre.

Other winners chosen by Radio 4 listeners included the Unicorn Grocery in Manchester (Best Local Food Retailer), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (BBC Food Personality of the Year), and Adam’s Fish and Chips on the Isles of Scilly (Best Takeaway).

Breweries taking part include Bank Top, Boggart, Outstanding, and Phoenix.

The festival is organised by the Rochdale, Oldham, and Bury Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Opening times and admission prices are Friday 12 pm to 4 pm (£1.50), 6 pm to 11 pm (£4), and Saturday 12 pm to 11 pm (£2.50). Admission is free for CAMRA members.

Bob Black, Chairman of the Caravan Club said ‘We are very proud of this jewel of a site. Burrs Country Park Caravan Club Site will make a significant and positive contribution to the local tourism economy, providing the equivalent of over 80,000 ‘bed nights’ per annum for caravanners who will spend over £620,000 off site, in the locality this year. I think that the location with all it has to offer, combined with its proximity to the hundreds of thousands of caravanners that live in the North West, means it’s a terrific destination for weekend, as well as longer breaks.’