THING OF THE WEEK
SYSTEM… All IT systems must be checked for bugs and efficiency. That includes local authority planning portals, which can be prone to glitches. Lancaster City Council has been running some checks on its portal this week and it is probably fair to say, judging by the image above, the person in charge of doing so is not a property person.
Spinningfields went Pot Noodle mad this week. Credit: PNW
GONE TO POT… There is always someone trying to give you something for free on the streets of Manchester in a bid to drum up interest in a brand, product, or religion. It is normally a leaflet or a line from the Old Testament but this week it was Pot Noodle, which for the many students descending on the city may well become a religion in the coming weeks as loans are frittered away and nutrients become a luxury.
The purveyors of freeze-dried atrocities set up shop in Spinningfields, right outside Pret a Manger, and thanks to a DJ disturbing the peace, managed to attract quite a crowd. Place witnessed more than one person queueing for Pret turn on their heel and join to clamour for free Bombay Bad Boys. Word spread quickly and before long, half of the office workers in Spinningfields could be seen scurrying back to the office clutching a Pot Noodle.
The colonel should have seen the rejection coming. Credit: P. L. on Unsplash
CHICKEN… KFC has had its request to extend the opening hours of its Piccadilly Gardens outlet until 5am rejected by Manchester City Council. The authority cited concerns about the impact noisy late-night chicken fiends might have on the tranquillity of residents living in flats above the shop as a factor in its decision-making.
The colonel probably should have seen this coming, just last year the same city council rejected a proposal from rival fast-food chain McDonalds to become a 24-hour operation on similar grounds.
The garden is located between Mayfield and Piccadilly. Credit: via ING
TREEMENDOUS… Nineteen trees with the ability to tell you when they are in distress have arrived in Manchester. They are located within a new pocket park close to Mayfield that was designed by architect Studio Egret West and uses ideas and materials from the Avanade Intelligent Garden – designed by Tom Massey and Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winner.
The so-called Talking Trees use AI technology that experts believe could be crucial in understanding the needs of our tall green friends as the climate becomes more and more unforgiving. At present, up to 30% of urban trees fail to survive their first year, which is a cheery thought.
Steven Gerrard talking to children about the power of sport. Credit: via Team Forward
STEVIE… Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has announced plans to invest millions developing new sports pitches and padel courts in Liverpool and Knowsley. Gerrard is behind proposals for six pitches and 16 courts across sites at Childwall Sports and Science Academy and King George V Playing Fields in Huyton, which is a stones throw from where Gerrard grew up. He said: “Liverpool gave me so much growing up, and I’ve always wanted to give something back to the city where I was born and the place I’m proud to call home. Sport has the power to change lives. It builds confidence, creates opportunity and opens pathways into education, training and employment.”
