THING OF THE WEEK
DRESS-AGE… The White House Correspondents dinner is nerd prom. The Met Gala is celebrity prom. Chester Races’ Ladies Day? Well, that’s property prom. The sector appeared to take over the Champagne Bar on Thursday, soaking up the sun in full suit, tie, fascinator, and bright-coloured dress. The ties, in particular, caught our eye. Forgive us if we had forgotten that anyone owned one of those anymore – we have not seen the neckwear’s reappearance in such force since Covid! It was refreshing to see everyone dressed in their Sunday best and proof that there’s more in our closets than just blue suits.
Credit: Rafael Rex Felisilda on Unsplash
CHEQUE-MATE… Looks like the government has been ponying up £2,500 a pop to install 20 stone chessboards in public parks throughout the North West. The Department for Levelling Up gave the money to local authorities to help promote chess in disadvantaged areas in a bid to create the next Magnus Carlsen. Not everyone is a fan though, with Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s Henri Murison describing the chessboards as “[summing] up just how tokenistic levelling up had become”. Is the North West a pawn in the government’s game? Perhaps, but any good chess player knows that pawns are the soul of the game.
Lady Anne Dodd alongside the picture of her late husband Ken Dodd. Credit: Pete Carr
HOW TICKLED… A fetching mural has been unveiled on Liverpool’s waterfront celebrating the city’s sporting, artistic, comedic, and dramatic talent. Created by artist Joseph Venning, the mural at ACC Liverpool is designed to show off important characters from different eras who have defined the city’s cultural life. The artwork was funded by Liverpool BID Company’s Art & Culture Fund and was developed by ACC Liverpool and dot-art. The piece is divided into five key themes; music, sport, comedy, drama, and visual art. The comedy section is a nod to Liverpool’s famous sense of humour, with the late Paul O’Grady’s iconic Lily Savage depicted alongside Sir Ken Dodd and John Bishop. It’s sure to raise a smile among gig-goers as they enter the arena.
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CHURCH REPAIRS… No one can deny the charms of the buildings that populate the area around the Chester High Cross in the city centre. But just as commonplace as the historic rows in recent years has been the sight of scaffolding.
The red sandstone St Peter’s Church is one prominent building which has been blighted by temporary repairs since last year, when one of its walls was found to be in a serious and potentially dangerous condition. Thankfully a £40,000 grant from the National Churches Trust should soon put that right and restore the building to its full glory.
Now if only commensurate funds could be found for the repair of that collapsed section of the city’s walls…
Chester’s registry office is moving to Merchants House. Credit: CWAC
WEDDING BELLS… Great news if you’re looking for a fresh, light-filled wedding venue. Cheshire West and Chester Council has just opened a ceremony room, the Merchants Suite, at the Merchants House on Crook Street. Set to make wedding photographers breathe a sigh of relief, the suite has a “bright triple-aspect room with plenty of natural light”, according to CWAC. This should ensure perfect pics of the first moments of wedded bliss. In the coming months, Chester’s registry office will move entirely into Merchants House, so you can have your big day all in one place!
