THING OF THE WEEK
RIDE… An inquiry into Blackpool Council’s decision to refuse Blackpool Pier Company permission to install a log flume and a 77-metre-high star flyer close to South Pier has been taking place this week. The appellant contests that it should be allowed to erect the rides, especially given that the council has since approved its own application for an Upside Down House nearby. BPC also states that delivering rides such as the log flume and the star flyer are the “only viable means of generating the additional income” needed to fund repairs to the ageing South and Central piers under its ownership. And most importantly, who doesn’t love a log flume?!
Credit: PNW
RIVER… Primary school pupils from across Liverpool have been given the chance to design their ideal river environment as part of an initiative run by the Environment Agency and Mersey Rivers Trust. The project is aimed at creating a new generation of “river guardians” and their designs will be showcased at an event at Anfield Stadium next week. We are expecting waterslides in place of waterfalls and fizzy pop instead of water.
2026 will be the event’s fifth edition. Credit: via Cubed Thinking
RUN… Property charity LandAid has put a call out for willing participants to take part in its annual fun run. Billed as “the property industry’s biggest race against youth homelessness” Race for LandAid 2026 offers 10k and 5k routes around Media City. The event will take place on 10 September, at which point this heatwave will hopefully have dissipated. Last year, runners raised more than £13,500, if you fancy helping out to beat that total in 2026, you can sign up here.
CONSULT… Ever wondered who actually attends public consultations apart from disgruntled locals seeking to have their say? Check out this neat infographic from Muse Architects following their recent engagement event on proposals for the residential redevelopment of the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre in Rochdale. The event brought together 188 people from various sectors to take a look a the plans. Tier one and tier two contractors turned out in their numbers, which is unsurprising given their love of early enagement.
The Manchester Suite is located in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. Credit: Nat Callaghan on Unsplash
FANDOM… The 370-acre Wharfside masterplan was launched this week at Manchester United’s Old Trafford. The famous footballing surroundings and the fact the masterplan features a great whopping new stadium slap bang in the middle both contributed to an outbreak of football fever in the Manchester Suite. One symptom saw speakers who took to the stage involuntarily blurt out their footballing allegiance.
Trafford Council’s director of place Richard Roe, for example, felt it wise to put it out there that he follows a different united – Leeds specifically – but that he had no problem at all spending a good chunk of his working week in and around the Theatre of Dreams, honest. We also learned that Cllr Liz Patel, deputy leader of Trafford Council, grew up supporting West Ham while Collette Roche, Man United’s chief executive of new stadium development is, of course, a Red Devils fan. What other choice does she have?
