A new charity dedicated to the memory of the late Bobby Ball has been set up to raise money for causes close to his heart.
The Oldham-born comedian and actor – whose real name was Robert Harper – sadly died at the age of 76 in October of last year after contracting coronavirus (COVID-19).
He was best-known for being one half of comedy double act Cannon and Ball – who rose from playing working men’s clubs, to hosting their own Saturday night ITV show in the 1980s – before dropping out of the spotlight in the 1990s and then finding new fame as the father of fellow Northern comic Lee Mack’s character in the BBC sitcom Not Going Out.
He also had roles in Last of the Summer Wine and Heartbeat, as well as being known for twanging his braces on stage, while saying: “Rock on, Tommy.”
Bobby and his wife Yvonne moved to the popular Lancashire seaside town of Lytham more than 25 years ago after falling in love with the place while working in nearby Blackpool in the 1980s, and he was known to have thrown himself into being part of the community, and getting involved to help out where he could.
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And now, because of his love for the town, his widow Yvonne has launched The Bobby Ball Foundation to raise money for the organisations along the Fylde Coast that Bobby was so passionate about.
The first two events in The Bobby Ball Foundation name have already been organised and will be held at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens this November, with all money raised going to Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion and Blue Skies Hospitals Fund, which are two organisations that Bobby was an active patron and supporter of.
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Two star-studded events will be held at @WGBpl this November – major stars of stage and screen will entertain with a Variety performance in the splendid Opera House on Fri 12 Nov, plus a spectacular “Bobby Ball” to take place in the stunning Empress Ballroom on Sat 13 Nov pic.twitter.com/D6wp7mNPOg
On top of that, money from the foundation will also be donated towards the cost of a Bobby Ball statue in Lytham’s Lowther Gardens.
Bobby was often known to joke during his lifetime about having a statue in his favourite seaside resort, and in December 2020, his wish was finally granted, with the green light for the go-ahead and planning being given by Fylde Borough Council and more than £20,000 already raised towards its cost.
Speaking about the formation of The Bobby Ball Foundation, Yvonne said: “Bob was born to entertain and whether he was on stage or spending time with friends, it was always his mission to make people laugh.
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“We are all devastated he has gone but we are lucky to have years of many happy and very funny memories.
“Bob was a huge personality and while he loved to perform he was also passionate about helping others. He would be absolutely honoured to know we have set up a charity foundation in his name and that we are planning two big fundraising events.
“Like Bob, these events are going to be filled with big personalities and we look forward to revealing more as final plans are put in place.”
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th March 2021 
