The Lowry has warned of a “a major challenge” in the coming months over fears its energy costs could triple this winter.
The CEO of the Salford Quays-based theatre, gallery, and arts entertainment complex said it was facing a bill “substantially” higher than the £860,000 annual grant it receives from Arts Council England, which looks to pose a “a major challenge” for the charitable organisation.
It’s even believed energy costs could total £1 million throughout the winter months.
“Compared to the previous year we’re projecting that the Lowry’s electricity bill for the year 2022-23 will have increased threefold,” CEO Julia Fawcett told The Guardian.
“To give an idea of the scale of this increase, this amount is substantially more than the figure the Lowry receives annually from Arts Council England’s National Portfolio funding programme.”
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Ms Fawcett said she could not reveal the exact projected electricity costs for the complex as they are “actively working to renegotiate contracts and suppliers”, and this unfortunately means they are unable to publicly reveal the exact figure as it is “commercially sensitive”.
The Lowry theatre fears its energy costs could triple to £1 million this winter / Credit: The Lowry
While The Lowry – which opened in October 2020, and welcomes around 850,000 visitors through its doors each year – is known for being a modern steel and glass-clad building in comparison with many of its older theatre counterparts across Greater Manchester, it is still expensive to run – with with annual building-related costs alone being £1.9 million, according to Ms Fawcett.
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The Lowry receives 6.3% total funding from the Arts Council England, Salford City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
The venue is also known to be heavily-supported by public funding.
Ms Fawcett said the “anchor institution” that is The Lowry is one of the most-visited cultural destinations in the north west, and has a business model that is “flexible and built for resilience”, which allows it to “pivot when needed and in the face of external changes”.
Featured Image – The Lowry
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Emily Sergeant -
19th August 2022 
