THING OF THE WEEK
SH-ELF LIFE… When it comes to Christmas, one could argue that the good ol’ folks on Stockport Council’s social media team are trying a bit too hard. But we’ll leave that to the Grinches, over here at Place we have been enjoying following along Stockport Elf’s adventures.
In fact, the only person who may be a bigger fan of the elf than us is Stockport deputy chief executive Paul Richards, who has become a proper elf stalker based on his LinkedIn feed. And the elf has not been making it easy to be found – this elf is decidedly not on the shelf and has been playing the drums at the town hall, trying out hats at the Hat Works Museum, and even sneakily trying on the Mayor of Stockport’s chains – always a good look.
An Oldham Council meeting ended with police getting involved this week. Credit: PNW
DIRTY POLITICS… Good manners went out the window at Oldham this week, where councillors resorted to calling each other dictators and Nazi sympathisers after a heated discussion about Places for Everyone. Who knew regional spatial strategy could inspire such ire? The result was the early adjournment of the meeting, two Conservative councillors pushing each other, and police getting involved. One thing is for certain, politics in Oldham is never boring.
Wondering what the kerfuffle was all about? Read more about Oldham’s push to jettison Places for Everyone.
The future park would sit within the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area. Credit: via Gillespies
PARK HATERS… Everyone loves a park… right? Not so in Flintshire, where county councillors have lodged their objections to a proposed new national park in North Wales. They said they were concerned about the long-term cost of establishing and operating the park – as well as the costs for those living around it. Not to mention the fact that a national park could put more pressure on the areas outside of its boundaries to provide employment land and housing. One council’s objections may not be enough to topple a national park ambition, but it is of interest.
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WALL DECOR… You have to love a bit of local decor. The folks at Placefirst have embraced their surroundings at their Liverpool office, recruiting artist Dave Draws to turn their office walls into a mural. Far from your traditional Three Graces print, this mural showcasing the city’s eastern side, an area that may be less iconic than the city centre but no less lovely.
A recipe for story success: a Lidl in Stockport. Credit: via planning documents
READER ANALYSIS… As we close out the year, Place North West took the time to reflect on all 2,400+ stories we wrote to find out which were the most popular with our readers. During the process, we learned quite a bit about you – namely, you are fascinated by Lidls, Aldis, and Stockport. Few stories seemed to delight you more than a Stockport Lidl piece. Are you all middle aisle obsessees? No judgement if so – we love a deal too.
Here’s to 2025, where you can expect more Stockport coverage and more news about your favourite discount supermarkets – as well as the key intel you need about schemes across the North. From our team to yours, have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
