THING OF THE WEEK  

ZIP IT… It seems like a lifetime ago that we were all getting very exercised about the prospect of a 400-metre zip wire stretching from St John’s Beacon to Central Library in Liverpool. While the project is no longer in the pipeline, Zip World, the company behind it, is still making its presence felt in the city. This advert (above) was spotted close to where the attraction would have been. 

Get ready pic.twitter.com/3uyCPglo40

— steelyardkelham (@SteelYardKelham) August 14, 2021

STEEL LIFE… Steel Life Group has been picked to operate a Box Park-esque development in St Helens. The food and beverage venture is to be created as a meanwhile use on the former Chalon Way car park before the site is redeveloped into a mixed-use scheme. Steel Life Group has previous for this kind of product, the company is behind the popular SteelYard Kelham in Sheffield. As Sheffield is famous for steel production, perhaps we could see the company’s St Helens venture named in homage to the town’s glass industry when it opens this summer. A burger at the Glassworks anyone?

Credit: via Manchester Airport

FLIGHT FEAR… Manchester Airport has a new attraction. A flight simulator has been installed at the airport’s Runway Visitor Park for people who enjoy motion sickness without the end result of ending up in a warmer country. Those unfortunate enough to have experienced a descent during the recent hat-trick of storms will probably be steering well clear of the Fly 360 simulator, which allows users to fly inverted in a P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft. Sounds great. On the plus side, at £6 a go, it is marginally cheaper than some Ryanair flights. 

Credit: via Rumpus PR

NOTABLE… We already knew Rudy’s Pizza was moving into the former Dawson’s music store on Portland Street in Manchester and now the fate of the retailer’s vacant Warrington branch has been decided. Drum roll please… IP Properties is investing £2m to convert the store into 14 apartments and Priestley Construction has been appointed to build the Sankey Street project. Let’s hope that the project plays an instrumental role in Warrington’s wider regeneration. Get it? 

Credit: via CWAC

TICK TOCK… Billed as the second most photographed clock in the country, Chester’s Eastgate clock often steals the headlines. However, it is another Chester clock that is the focus of attention this weekend. The town hall clock was removed last year for repairs and on Sunday it will return after a couple of months on the treatment table. About time, you might say. Let’s see if anyone notices.