THING OF THE WEEK

MONO MEANING ONE… At MIPIM UK, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram accidentally-on-purpose let slip the news that Liverpool was looking at reinstating the former Dockers’ Umbrella light railway in the form of a monorail. Whether Steve has ever seen The Simpsons is anyone’s guess, but twitter users were keen to point out the famous episode, where Springfield pours a pot of cash into a monorail that doesn’t exactly do what it says on the tin – or should that be pudding can? While the mayor was keen to say it was at the early stages, he told Place the city was looking at “transformational projects” to shape Liverpool’s future. We admit it’s a novel idea, but if it comes forwards, let’s hope the training programme for the drivers goes beyond “mono meaning one, rail meaning rail”.


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LIVERPOOL AT LARGE… Manchester’s absence from the UK property conference was frequently commented on, however this gave Liverpool and Lancashire a chance to shine. Liverpool, for the first time at MIPIM UK managing to persuade Knowsley to come under the same banner, took over the stand previously shared with Manchester, and dominated the room. Credit to Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram who put in the hours and the shoe leather, appearing on many panels and the only Mayor in attendance other than West Midlands’ Andy Street.


Pizza Thing Of The Week

PIZZA CAKE… Many congratulations to Rudy’s Pizza in Manchester’s Ancoats which nabbed the crown of the UK’s top pizza restaurant, according to travel website Tripadvisor. It was a one-two for Manchester as well with Chorlton’s Double Zero Pizza grabbing second place, while Liverpool didn’t miss out on a slice of the action with Crust coming in ninth. Rudy’s is on an expansion drive with a second site opening in Manchester earlier this year, while a site is coming to Liverpool soon. In a year where both cities have seen high-profile restaurant closures, it’s good to see the food scene thriving – and having eaten both Manchester sites your author can give the Place seal of approval to each of them.


Manchester Skatepark 2

DONATE TO SKATE… Back in May Place covered an ambitious plan to make Manchester “the city of skateboarding”. Now, that dream could become a reality after Projekts MCR launched a crowdfunding drive to start a transformation of its skate park under the Mancunian Way. The not-for-profit community group is looking to raise £200,000 through a community share offer to get the plans of the ground. Projekts is looking to add 7,500 sq ft to its existing site including new concrete ramps, a café, community space, a viewing platform, and a replacement of its existing surfaces to add more capacity and to provide skateboarding lessons and private hire options. We know property folk are more into lycra-clad cycling rather than skating but you can support the project here.


Electricycle

ELECTRIC AVENUE… If cycling rather than skating is more your groove, head down to Hatch on Oxford Road next Thursday for an event hosted by Manchester Science Partnerships as part of Manchester Science Festival. One of the main attractions will be a collection of LED-lit energy-generating bikes, where cyclists will have the opportunity to be part of a “human power station”. If you fancy your chances you could also race against Olympic cyclist Sarah Storey, who will be in attendance. If you’d rather just watch people exercise rather than doing some yourself, never fear: Hatch has food, beer, and coffee, and will have a special cocktail offering available in the evening. The event is free to attend and you can register here.


Ikozie Bedroom Low Res

MINI MANSIONS… The UK’s first iKozie micro-homes are set to built on a brownfield site in the centre of Worcester. The housing concept, designed by Eastabrook Architects, features homes of just 185 sq ft, but these feature a bedroom, shower room, living area, and a full kitchen. Apparently inspired by yacht interiors and first-class airline suites, the 16 homes are designed for single occupancy and the first five will be allocated to people from Worcester City Council’s housing list, with the rest available for private rent. They might be small, but the homes have been lauded as a solution to the country’s housing shortage, and will welcome their first residents by next autumn.

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