THING OF THE WEEK  

PERI NICE… In 2011, McDonalds left Rochdale’s ailing high street. The Guardian wrote an article about it with the headline I’m leaving it, which I think we can all agree is pretty smart. The town has come a long way since then. A proactive council and a willing private sector have dragged Rochdale back from the brink and breathed new life into the town centre. McDonalds may be long gone, but Rochdale this week saw the opening of the town’s first Nando’s, a sure-fire sign that it is doing something right. 

Credit: Place North West

OXYGYM… Property Alliance Group’s Oxygen development has all the mod cons you would expect from a 21st century residential project in Manchester city centre: 24-hour concierge, cinema room, swimming pool etc. It also has a gym, and in said gym there is lots of top of the range, terrifying-looking equipment designed to tone and enlarge those who know how to use it. The attention to detail is breathtaking too, even the dumbbells are Oxygen-branded.  

Image from Unsplash

BIG CATS… Lions and tigers at Blackpool Zoo will soon be residing in a plush new pad. An application has been lodged to demolish the outdated big cat enclosure and create a new, larger one in line with changing rules on animal welfare. The plans include two public viewing dens, pens for the animals, as well as accommodation for keepers. 

Credit: via Clearfibre

BOOTCAMP… Manchester-based internet service provider Telcom Group is getting ready for the fibre revolution by launching a bootcamp to train the fibre engineers of the future. The idea is to address a skills shortage in the sector, and cut the reliance on third-party contractors, which can cause a whole host of problems, according to Telcom chief executive Shaun Gibson. It would be interesting to know what a bootcamp for fibre engineers would look like. One might assume it involves a lot of scrambling up cables while being yelled at. Find out more about becoming a tech engineer with Telcom.

Credit: via planning documents

CROC CRAZY… If you’ve seen the film Happy Gilmore – and if you haven’t you should – you’ll know that crocodiles and golf do not mix (RIP Chubbs). But American Golf clearly hasn’t seen the Adam Sandler classic. The company is proposing a golf/croc hybrid in the form of a crocodile-themed adventure golf course in Knutsford. A planning application has been submitted to Cheshire East Council for the project. However, the local authority has form in this space that might spell trouble for the applicant. Adlington Golf Centre had plans for an Australia-themed adventure golf course rejected last year.