THING OF THE WEEK

NOISY NEIGHBOURS… The UK and Ireland have formally submitted their final joint bid to host the 2028 UEFA European Championships and a pair of North West stadia have made the list of host grounds. Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium has been chosen alongside Everton FC’s new ground at Bramley Moore Dock, which is currently under construction.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no place on the list for Liverpool’s fabled Anfield Stadium or Manchester United’s Old Trafford. Old Trafford is the largest UK sporting stadium outside of London, yet has been overlooked. While some may say that the current state of the stadium – many argue it is in desperate need of an upgrade – is the reason it has not been selected this time around, there may be another factor behind the decision.

In 1996, when England last hosted the European Championships, Old Trafford became something of a fortress for eventual winners and England’s archrivals Germany. The stadium hosted four Germany matches, including 3-0 and 2-0 victories in the group stages and a 2-1 quarter-final success over Croatia before the side headed to Wembley to dispatch England out of the tournament on penalties. 

How the Tim Hortons might look. Credit: via planning documents

TIM TAKEOVER… Canadian coffee company Tim Hortons is continuing its rapid UK growth with plans to open its fifth outlet in Cheshire. The company wants to convert the former Frankie & Benny’s unit at Grand Junction Retail Park in Crewe into a Tim Hortons drive-thru restaurant. This scheme is the latest in the company’s growth strategy. Last year it announced plans to double the number of UK sites by the end of 2023. Just last month, plans for a restaurant in Oldham were unveiled. 

The brave money will go on victory for Levelling Up. Credit: Euan Kellie Property Solutions

RUNNERS AND RIDERS… Ahead of this weekend’s Grand National, the good people at Euan Kellie Property Solutions have, for the second year in a row, published their list of horses that might feature in the Planning Grand National.

The 2023 line-up has some familiar faces in it. Levelling Up returns but its odds of success have lengthened in the last 12 months from 66/1 to a whopping 150/1. Places for Everyone is also running for the second year in a row and things are looking rosier this time around – odds of victory have shortened to 50/1 from 100/1 – but it could still fall at the final hurdle.

There are some new (long) faces running, too. These include Nutrient Neutrality at 20/1, Deeper Devolution at fives, and Burden of Proof – worth a flutter at 12/1, but be sure not to lose your betting slip.

Eurovision Village will be located at Pier Head. Credit: Visit Liverpool via Liverpool City Council

EUROVISION… The countdown to the annual intracontinental musical festival has been on for some time and in host city Liverpool, the hype around the Eurovision Song Contest has been hard to ignore. Now, less than a month until the glitter cannons are fired on 5 May, more details about the programme of events within the Eurovision Village have been released.

Ukraine, which won Eurovision last year but cannot host the event due to the ongoing war in the country, rightfully features heavily in the proceedings. Current Eurovision Champions Kalush Orchestra will kick things off, while performances from the likes of Sophie Ellis Bextor, the Vengaboys, and Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon will take place at various points during the nine-day extravaganza. 

There are eight kitchens up for grabs. Credit: via planning documents

BOXPARK… Having secured planning approval, agreed a 15-year lease in the Baltic Triangle, and submitted a licensing application, Boxpark has now begun the hunt for traders to operate from its Liverpool site, the company’s first outside London. Boxpark is now inviting applications from the country’s best independent food and drink operators. Interest in the opportunity is likely to be high as there are only eight kitchens up for grabs, each valued at £100,000. Applications are now open until 30th June 2023.