THING OF THE WEEK
A DO ON THE BRIDGE… Things are going pretty well at Castlefield Viaduct. Left to rust for decades, the 130-year-old structure was recently transformed into a park, billed as Manchester’s answer to New York’s High Line. Since opening last summer, people have flocked to check it out and the National Trust, the organisation behind the initiative, has been pleased with its popularity. So much so that it is planning to take things to the next level. The trust has applied to the city council for permission to host evening events on the viaduct. The attraction is closed until mid-February but you can expect up to 10 events a month once the weather picks up.
A 5yo tram enthusiast asked for a birthday cake that’s an exact replica of a @MCRMetrolink tram, and @Slattery_Cakes delivered! pic.twitter.com/xUO3xKduxz
— Vasileios Liolios (@vliolios) January 23, 2023
IS IT CAKE?… A Whitefield-based bakery has excelled itself this week with a creation that will really move you. Slattery Bakes’ Metrolink-themed birthday cake for one very lucky five-year-old looks like something straight out of an episode of Is It Cake.
Credit: via Aver PR
MERSEY-PRIDE… The spotlight is on local Merseyside artists this month. Merseymade has taken up space on Liverpool One’s Peter’s Lane to remind local artists and artisans that they will never walk alone. Made to celebrate the city’s creativity, Merseymade sells everything from original artworks to bath products by the likes of Jenny Dunlop and Alistair McCready. The pop-up will move over to Manesty’s Lane at the end of January to continue to grow and support the diverse community of creatives. It’s worth grabbing a ferry across the Mersey for this one.
Credit: via Boom Online
FETCHING… Liverpool John Moores University has invested in a robot dog. Rather than chasing sticks and sniffing things he shouldn’t, Spot is designed to carry out site surveys in environments deemed too dangerous for humans and was developed by American robotics company, Boston Dynamics. Anyone familiar with the series Black Mirror might rightly be creeped out by the appearance of the four-legged robot, which bears a striking resemblance to the machines that torment Maxine Peake’s character in the Metalheads episode. Here’s hoping LJMU keeps Spot on a short leash.
Credit: via Conwy Council
SEA-FENSE… Keeping the bay at, well, bay is the goal of Conwy Council’s £7.5m coastal defence project, which started this week. Those dreaming of visiting the beaches of Penrhyn Bay should water down their ambitions – the beaches will be closed during the 10-month process.
