THING OF THE WEEK
BOUQUET…Looks like spot listing can sometimes be a good thing, at least when it comes to a bucket fountain in Liverpool. Development plans for Beetham Plaza had to be delayed due to Richard Huws’ bucket fountain, and it has now been listed on Historic England’s National Heritage List this year, along with 47 other sites in the region. Looks to be…buckets of fun.
GOOD CHAT… Sometimes when you go for a walk and you feel a bit lonely, don’t you wish a bench would reach out? Well, if you live in Chester, your dreams have become a reality with the addition of “chatter chairs” into the Hoole Way sunken garden, to encourage conversation at a time of the year when people feel particularly lonely. A reminder to all of us to reach out to those we may know in need of a good chat.
ZIP IT… The confirmed best way to get to work is by zip wire, and Liverpool inhabitants, your commute is about to get much better. Zip World, which operates zip lines across Snowdonia National Park, has submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council for its first urban zip line. The plans would see customers travel from the top of St Johns Beacon to the top of the Liverpool Central Library. If approved it would open in 2021, so you have plenty of time to get your helmets ready.
SPROUTS… The nation’s most controversial, albeit essential, Christmas accompaniment is the sprout, but around 1m kg of sprouts are thrown away every Christmas, which equates to the size of Manchester; that’s a lot of sprout. In a nationwide survey of Brits commissioned by One Billion Lives and YouGov, it was also revealed that Christmas pudding is the second most thrown away item, and third was Christmas cake.
APPROVAL… Manchester planning committees are always a delight; whether a dramatic meeting or a controversial scheme, they are always a highlight of the month. Cllr Sam Wheeler, a representative of the Northern Quarter Ward, has been scathing over a few schemes in the past, but at a committee meeting yesterday, Wheeler made light of his previous derision: “I know this will surprise some, but I actually quite like this scheme,” he said of Far East Consortium’s application for 80 apartments on Addington Street. Ultimately, the scheme was deferred, but nobody can say it was off Cllr Wheeler’s back.
