News

Blackpool Illuminations season to be extended again for 2021

Blackpool’s annual Illuminations display is set to be extended by two months for a second consecutive year.

The Manc The Manc - 11th February 2021
Blackpool Illuminations / Image: Wikimedia Commons

Blackpool Illuminations will run for an extra two months in 2021 – with the festival of lights set to remain on display beyond New Year’s Eve.

The seaside town’s popular tourist attraction is usually held between late August and early November, but was extended by an extra eight weeks in 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions scuppered visits and lowered footfall.

On Wednesday, tourist organisation VisitBlackpool confirmed that the illuminations season will run a longer edition for the second successive year.

The official light switch-on will take place on Friday 3 September 2021; brightening the skies until Monday 3 January, 2022.

VisitBlackpool has also confirmed that this year’s illuminations will be complemented by a ‘significantly enhanced, resort-wide Christmas offer’, with details due to be announced in the coming weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT
VisitBlackpool

Organisers stated the extension was being made to give the seaside town’s hard-hit tourism industry an essential boost, with the pandemic expected to cause continued disruption throughout the first half of 2021.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, Cabinet Member for Tourism & Culture for Blackpool Council, said: “Although last year’s extension was disrupted by tier restrictions and a second lockdown, all of the evidence showed that there was a huge appetite for the public to visit the Illuminations in a safe and enjoyable way.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We know from the all of the positive feedback that we received that, amid so much gloom, the Illuminations provided a much-needed tonic to so many people.

“We are making this decision early so that our businesses can start to plan for the extended season. At the same time, we are planning a comprehensive package of themed shows, events and attractions to give visitors plenty of reasons to come to Blackpool over the festive season.”

A number of events have already been announced for Blackpool’s winter programme, including Friends Festive Live at the Winter Gardens in November and Strictly judge Shirley Ballas starring in a Cinderella panto at the Opera House in December.

Last year, Blackpool’s famous light switch-on event was replaced for the first time in 70 years – presented as a virtual show in association with MTV.

For more information on the Blackpool Illuminations 2021 season, head over to the VisitBlackpool website. 

News

Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body

Danny Jones Danny Jones GMP appeal after body of Chorlton man found dead in bedroom

A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.

William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.

Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.

Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.

Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.

Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.

“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”

Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.

“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.

“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”

Read more:

With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”

You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.

Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police

News

Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.

As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.

This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.

According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting. 

The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.  

Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.

Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.

More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.

Read more:

This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.

It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.  

Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)

More News

News

Avanti West Coast staff set to strike on major days over festive period

Business

Full list of Christmas opening hours at all UK supermarkets 2024

City Centre

Man jailed after robbing and throwing hot coffee over elderly man in Piccadilly Gardens

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches