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 FestImage: 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.
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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.
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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.
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‘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.
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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.
“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.
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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
Police search for Moors murder victim Keith Bennett resumes as ‘skull is found’
Daisy Jackson
Police are back searching for Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett after a skull was reportedly found.
12-year-old Keith was snatched by notorious serial killers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 1964.
The pair’s victims were five children, Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, all aged between 10 and 17 years old at the time of their murder.
The victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor, but Keith’s remains have never been found.
Now a major breakthrough may have come from an author, Russell Edwards, who alerted police to ‘potential human remains in a remote location’.
Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – the serial killers behind the Moors Murders, including Keith Bennett
Specialist GMP officers have now begun initial exploration activity but say it is ‘far too early’ to confirm if human remains have been discovered.
Officers have also updated Keith’s brother Alan Bennett, who was just eight years old when his sibling vanished and who has dedicated much of his life to solving the mystery of the missing body.
MP Force Review Officer Martin Bottomley said: “At around 11.25am on Thursday 29 September 2022, Greater Manchester Police was contacted by the representative of an author who has been researching the murder of Keith Bennett, a victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
“Following direct contact with the author, we were informed that he had discovered what he believes are potential human remains in a remote location on the Moors and he agreed to meet with officers yesterday afternoon to elaborate on his find and direct us to a site of interest.
“The site was assessed late last night and, this morning, specialist officers have begun initial exploration activity. We are in the very early stages of assessing the information which has been brought to our attention but have made the decision to act on it in line with a normal response to a report of this kind.
Saddleworth Moor, where the search for missing Keith Bennett has resumed. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been discovered and this is expected to take some time.
“We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family. As such, we have informed his brother of the potential development – he does not wish to be contacted at this time and asks that his privacy is respected.”
A further GMP statement published by the Manchester Evening Newsadded: “We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family.
“Officers met with Mr Edwards yesterday evening (29th September) and he was able to locate a site of interest and provide us with further details of the work he has been carrying out.
“We are at the very early stages of assessing the evidence which he brought to our attention, but have taken the decision to excavate an area of land with a view to determining what lies there.
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been uncovered, but out of respect for Alan Bennett, who we regularly maintain contact with, we have informed him of this potential development.
“Alan does not wish to be disturbed at this time and we would ask that his request for privacy is respected.”
Featured image: GMP
News
Question Time audience stunned as first-time buyer says mortgage quote DOUBLED
Danny Jones
Thursday night’s Question Time audience could be heard audibly gasping after a fellow crowd member revealed that her mortgage quote had doubled followed the recent mini-budget.
Taping in Manchester on 29 September, the current events and politics programme was discussing property when would-be first-time buyer Rabia revealed that her mortgage offer had jumped from an initial amount of 4.5% interest to a shocking 10.5% in just a matter of days.
As you can see in the incredible clip, both the audience and the panel are taken aback at the revelation.
The gasps from the audience as this woman reveals she’s received a revised mortgage offer of 10.5%. pic.twitter.com/a5Nb1co8al
The Greater Manchester resident said she is desperate to know what the government’s plan for mortgages is as following the latest revision, she says she simply cannot afford to put the money down on her first home.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer weighed in on the social media reaction, quote tweeting the clip from his party’s own account and stating that “the Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget” as the current economic mess is being “paid for by working people”.
The government’s economic chaos is already clobbering those like Rabia who're trying to get a mortgage or to re-mortgage.
This crisis was made in Downing Street but it’s being paid for by working people.
The Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget. https://t.co/bw8B2TOUgl
To make matters worse, Rabia was given no clarification from her lenders, only that they were pulling her offers. Conservative MP and Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities, Paul Scully had little information to offer her either, simply stating it is a short-term effect and that the market will stabilise.
Scully was subject to an entirely different reaction from the audience as well after his blind attempts to defend Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng were met with laughter. Conversely, Richard Bacon was met with applause after he labelled the mini-budget “absurd”.
As if the anti-Tory sentiment wasn’t already at a high, the chancellor’s mini-budget – which saw the corporations, bankers and the generally wealthy benefit ahead of the working class – has seen fresh calls for a general election to be held as soon as possible.
Beyond declaring a so-called £2,500 limit on energy bills (which many have warned isn’t a guaranteed cap), there was seemingly very little in the way of policy that
For those still unclear as to what was announced in the divisive mini-budget, here is a quick summary:
Speaking in a speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, Starmer said that the government “haven’t just failed to fix the roof, they’ve ripped out the foundations, smashed the windows and now they’ve blown the doors off for good measure.
Georgina Pellant -
8th April 2022 
