Congratulations are in order… because Salford has been shortlisted for the prestigious ‘City of the Year Award’.
That’s right, the spotlight is firmly on Greater Manchester‘s second city – which is absolutely a city in its own right, by the way, after quite-rightly earning its city status all the way back in 1928 – right now, as it’s been announced that Salford has grabbed a spot on the shortlist for a coveted prize at Estates Gazette‘s annual awards.
The property publication’s annual awards ceremony, the EG Awards, is now its 20th year and is all about recognising the “very best things about the real estate sector”.
Salford has been shortlisted for the ‘City of the Year’ award at the prestigious awards ceremony – which is taking place down in London later this November – which seeks to champion the UK’s cities and celebrate the work they are doing to make them liveable and successful places.
Salford has been shortlisted for City of the Year
The city is setting the sustainability bar nationally with delivery of exemplar office and residential schemes, with communities and quality at the heart
— Salford City Council (@SalfordCouncil) June 21, 2024
As it marks the beginning of what is a “greener chapter for the city”, and continues to work with its partners to build a “fairer, greener, and healthier” community for everyone living in it, Estates Gazette says Salford has made the shortlist for showcasing exactly what is achievable in the future of green development.
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The local city has been praised for helping to set the sustainability bar across the UK, according to Salford City Council.
Impressive business and residential schemes with “communities and quality at the heart” have been particularly highlighted.
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Salford City Council’s Chief Executive, Tom Stannard, says the city is “leading a green revolution”.
Salford has been shortlisted for the prestigious ‘City of the Year’ award / Credit: Eden at New Bailey | ECF North West
“[We have a] pioneering approach to sustainable office space, and we are delivering the largest affordable housing programme the city has seen for over 60 years,” he added in a statement.
“Recently, we had the recent completion of Eden at New Bailey, which has the largest living wall in Europe, and is one of the UK’s most sustainable office buildings to run, costing just 2% compared to the standard office.
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“Major players in the business world have seen our pioneering and holistic approach and want to be located here. And in response to the growing number of people on our housing waiting lists, we are building affordable homes. The first tranche of 104 new homes were built to Passivhaus standards, which means they are extremely energy efficient, and this reduces the energy bills significantly for our residents.
“We’re proud to be making a huge impact for Salfordians.”
Will it take the title? Salford’s fate will be announced at the EG Awards 2024 in London on Thursday 21 November, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Cundall
News
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Emily Sergeant -
25th June 2024 
