News

Cheshire Fest returns this summer with a headline set from The Zutons

The four-day festival's celebrations will coincide with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 8th April 2022

Cheshire Fest will return this summer for a four-day knee up over the June Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend, bringing the early noughties indie rock band The Zutons down from Liverpool for a headline set.

Taking place this year from a brand new home at The Lambing Shed, Moseley Hall Farm in Knutsford, the festival line-up will play host to a number of famous Manchester faces with further DJ sets coming from the likes of Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets) and Peter Hook (Joy Division / New Order / The Hacienda).

Elsewhere, there’ll be a massive craft beer festival, a huge Big Top bingo party hosted by none other than Bongo’s Bingo, a street food village, artisan markets, and family entertainment involving a giant bubble display and circus acts.

Image: Cheshire Fest
Image: Cheshire Fest

There’ll be more bars serving everything from artisan gin and prosecco to lagers and softs, with several hosted by gin brand JJ Whitley Neil, and a Cheshire Fest Pub, on-site.

As for cocktail lovers, the Tipi Disco will offer a vibrant escape with premium mixologists and soulful music from Liverpool Disco Festival DJs.

Thursday

Revellers will descend on a beautiful, new tree-lined location in the heart of the green Cheshire countryside for the event, which will kick off its first night with a Cheshire debut of Bongo’s infamous Bingo in the Big Top tent.

Here, festival-goers can expect crazy prizes, spontaneous dance-offs, rave intervals and magic moments of nostalgic escapism, all hosted by Jonny Bongo himself.

Bank Holiday Friday

Image: Cheshire Fest

On the Bank Holiday Friday, Cheshire Craft Beer Festival will take over the site from 4-11pm, bringing over 40 UK breweries along to serve up their finest pours including Tiny Rebel and Beavertown.

There’ll be street food too, as well as cocktails for non-beer drinkers, all hosted in what will be the Big Top Beer Hall for the day.

Tables, seating and solid flooring will enable festival-goers to dance the night away to a music programme led by Judge Jules, who is bringing his own 10-piece live band down to keep the party going with covers of all the biggest dance hits from the past three decades, plus further sets from Take That’s Howard Donald and Radio 1’s James Cusak.

‘Festival Day’ Saturday

Image: Cheshire Fest

Saturday will see Liverpudlian indie rock favourites The Zutons headline ‘Festival Day’, marking the fifteenth anniversary of their debut album Who Killed The Zutons with a mix of greatest hits and new tunes. produced by Chic co-founder Nile Rogers

Peter Hook and Clint Boon will team up as a DJ duo, taking over the Big Top, with further live performances from 90s house music queens Angie Brown and Rozella and a closing set from trio K-Klass. More artists are still to be announced.

Jubilee ‘Family Day’ Sunday

Image: Cheshire Fest

A family day will close the four-day festival, with the whole site becoming a giant street party for the afternoon.

A programme of family entertainment will see a magical, giant bubble show from eBulio bring all the colours of th rainbow floating through the fields, whilst elsewhere there’ll be a Greatest Showman Show by A Million Dreams, circus performances from Nula Hula and storytelling from Mark The Storyteller.

Elsewhere, music from cover bands like The Cavern Beatles, Manytones and more will send the vibrations of feel-good favourites floating across the site.

Speaking on the returning event,Festival Director, Benjamin Harris said; “We are so glad to be able to bring Cheshire Fest back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Read more: You can take part in an Alice in Wonderland-themed murder mystery night on a steam train

“The 2022 line up is definitely the best we’ve ever had and by partnering with so many local businesses, the festival will have a real community feel.

“It is the perfect festival for families and groups of friends to get together and enjoy some amazing music, great food and drink and enjoy socialising again.”

How to get tickets

The jam-packed weekend of events run from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5t June – with four days of celebrations planned in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The second release of tickets is on sale now and can be purchased for individual days, or the whole weekend via cheshirefest.co.uk.

Day tickets start at just £8.50 for children and £12.50 for adults.

News

The bizarre explanation behind Manchester’s new mini ‘green space’ – that’s completely closed off

Danny Jones Danny Jones Fenced off green space Manchester city centre gated lawn

One thing you always hear people who live in central Manchester calling out for is green space, but when a new patch of grass does arrive, you don’t exactly expect it to be completely inaccessible.

Just a quick FYI to those of you passionate about supporting what little nature there is left in our city centre: brace yourselves, as this one is rather annoying…

For anyone who’s walked down Whitworth Street West past the once lively Locks, or even got off at Deansgate–Castlefield tram stop and come down the glass stairs closest to the Albion Bridge, you may have noticed a rogue patch of grass surrounded by black fencing next to the City Road Inn pub.

It could be considered a nice little lawn were it not completely fenced off, but the question is, why has it popped up there? Well, local lad Curtis Rothwell has recently debunked the whole frustrating mess for us in a helpful video.

Yes, as explained by the Pre-Construction Manager who works for local utilities contractor Zenit Infrastructure Solutions Limited, the somewhat laughable but disheartening gated green space on Whitworth Street is essentially a feeble attempt at adhering to permission laws.

As detailed by Rothwell, the plot bought for a sizeable sum last year (only the original developers didn’t have the funding to actually pull off their initial plans) is now set to become student accommodation.

Currently, real estate firm Tri7 – which has now been fully folded into the parent group known as Fusion, as previous part-owners already – still has a hold on the land for now.

However, after being ordered by Manchester City Council to tidy up the area in the meantime, as they await planning permission to be fully approved, they decided to lay these new rolls of turf there.

Ok, so while the notion of the Council ordering a property company to make urban spaces look pretty and the idea of introducing more grassy zones into the city sound good on paper, as you can see, the real-life result doesn’t quite match up.

gates green space whitworth street west manchester
whitworth street lawn
fenced off green space bit of grass in manchester
Credit: The Manc

Not only does this feel like a bare minimum effort to appease the local authorities ahead of erecting yet another skyscraper, but more importantly, it feels like sheer nonchalant neglect and/or plain dismissal of those Manc residents crying out for more grass, nature and a break from the concrete jungle.

The fact that the rare green space is totally blocked by tall, almost authoritarian-feeling fences and sealed off by a big, black gate comes across like a casual two fingers to both the Council and those living in the city centre.

Speaking to The Manc, Curt commented: “It’s positive the council can take charge of how our empty spaces look after demolitions. In this case, maybe the demolition was carried out too early, which happens, but when it does, greenery is the best look they can give to local people.”

You can see the latest update on the planning permission HERE, and for now, if you’re looking for green spaces in Manchester, you’ll find them more frequently beyond the outskirts and heading into the boroughs; this one is strictly off limits. Find a whole bunch of ones that aren’t down below:

10 of the best green spaces around Greater Manchester
Sod the Whitworth Street Lawn, you can always go enjoy all the other green space gems across Greater Manchester.

Read more:

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Curtis Rothwell (via LinkedIn)

News

Angela Rayner’s statement in full as she resigns as Deputy Prime Minister

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Angela Rayner has resigned. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, David Woolfall

Angela Rayner has shared her resignation letter this afternoon as she announced she is resigning from Government, stepping down as both Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Stockport-born politician has been the subject of an investigation into her tax affairs by PM Sir Keir Starmer’s independent standards adviser.

Angela Rayner admitted that she had underpaid stamp duty on a flat she bought in Hove, East Sussex, earlier this year.

It’s reported that she paid £40,000 less than she should have.

Rayner has now publicly shared her resignation addressed to Sir Keir Starmer, in which she says: “I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.”

She said in her lengthy statement that the ‘ongoing pressure of the media’ is taking ‘a significant toll’ on her family.

Rayner wrote: “While I rightly expect proper scrutiny on me and my life, my family did not choose to have their private lives interrogated and exposed so publicly.

“I have been clear throughout this process that my priority has, and always will be, protecting my children and the strain I am putting them under through staying in post has become unbearable.”

She also said: “For a teenage mum from a council estate in Stockport to serve as the highest level of government has been the honour of my life.

“The challenges of government are nothing compared to the challenge of putting food on the table and getting a roof over our head when I brought up kids working as a home help. Too many people face the same across our country.”

You can read her full statement below:

Angela Rayner’s resignation letter

Dear Keir,

Thank you for the personal and public support you have shown me in recent days. As you know, on Wednesday I referred myself to your Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, to conduct a thorough investigation into my personal financial circumstances after I became aware that it is likely I inadvertently paid the incorrect rate for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

I have always taken my responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as a Member of Parliament with the utmost seriousness. I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards, and while the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.

I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements. I take full responsibility for this error. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.
I must also consider the significant toll that the ongoing pressure of the media is taking on my family.

While I rightly expect proper scrutiny on me and my life, my family did not choose to have their private lives interrogated and exposed so publicly. I have been clear throughout this process that my priority has, and always will be, protecting my children and the strain I am putting them under through staying in post has become unbearable.

Given the findings, and the impact on my family, I have therefore decided to resign as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

For a teenage mum from a council estate in Stockport to serve as the highest level of government has been the honour of my life. The challenges of government are nothing compared to the challenge of putting food on the table and getting a roof over our head when I brought up kids working as a home help. Too many people face the same across our country.

I’ve always known that politics changes lives because it changed mine. The last Labour government gave me the tools I needed to build a better life for me and my young son, and that’s why l’ve been working relentlessly from day one in government to do the same for the next generation. Every day I had in office, I worked to serve working class communities like the one that I grew up in, which are too often overlooked by those in power. I am proud that in every decision I made, I did it for them. I would never have become Deputy Prime Minister if not for the decisions taken by the last Labour Government, giving me a council house to support me, Sure Start to help raise my kids, and the security of a minimum wage – and I can only hope that the changes I made in government will have the same impact for young girls growing up on council estates like I did.

Through my Employment Rights Bill people across the country will receive the biggest uplift in workers’ rights in a generation. This landmark legislation will be game changing for millions of people stuck in insecure and low-paid work, giving them the dignity and security they don’t just need but also deserve. I am and will remain deeply proud of that legacy. I am so proud to have worked alongside the trade union movement, who have given me everything, to deliver that.

Our Renters’ Rights Bill will finally ban the oppressive rule of no-fault evictions and will reset the balance between renters and landlords through ground breaking protection for renters. Everyone deserves to live in a safe and decent home, and I know this legislation will deliver that for millions of people across the country.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will also be instrumental in getting the homes so many people across this country need built, and I am so proud that at the Spending Review we announced the biggest investment in social and affordable housing in a generation with the overwhelming amount of this going to genuinely social rent homes.

And last week, I introduced the English Devolution Bill to Parliament. The largest single package of devolution from any Westminster government to local people across England. This landmark legislation will permanently change the balance of power, giving true control to those with skin in game. We delivered an Elections Strategy which will mean 16 and 17 year olds getting the vote for the first time, as well as ambitious plans to ensure the most marginalised communities are registered to vote. We took steps to stabilise the broken foundations of local government and deliver the first genuinely fair funding review and the first multi-year settlement for a decade.

My department, through my excellent team of Ministers, has also provided the largest ever investment in homelessness prevention services to local authorities, to get Britain back on track to ending homelessness for good. We’ve worked relentlessly to bring an end to the building safety crisis and developed new measures to get peoples’ homes fixed quicker and hold rogue freeholders to account. We’ve also worked to boost community cohesion, tackle hate crime and reset the relationship with faith communities.

I have been lucky to work alongside the most talented group of Ministers who worked with dedication to deliver for working people. I thank Matthew Pennycook, Jim McMahon, Alex Norris, Wajid Khan and Sharon Taylor. I too am grateful to my brilliant parliamentary team, Harpreet Uppal, Mark Ferguson, and Gen Kitchen.

For me, being in office is the chance to change the lives of the people I grew up alongside. I will do whatever I can to continue doing so.

Thank you for your leadership and for your friendship. I will continue to serve you, our country and the party and movement I love in the weeks, months and years ahead.

Read more: Free books given to all high school and primary school starters in Manchester

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, David Woolfall

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