THING OF THE WEEK

EN-CLERGY… As the old saying goes, it takes something very special to get a bishop on the roof of a cathedral. If you happened to look skywards while passing Chester Cathedral recently you may have seen Bishop of Chester Mark Tanner up there waving his aspergillum round. Bishop Tanner and Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford’s presence was required on the roof so that more than 200 newly installed solar panels could be blessed with holy water. Installing the PVs panels on the roof of the grade one-listed building could generate 22%-25% of its total energy consumption and contribute to the Church of England’s aim to be net zero by 2030.

 

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SOMETHING TO TACO ‘BOUT… Get your orders ready. A taste of Tex-Mex could be coming to Cheshire, with plans submitted for the county’s very first Taco Bell. The American fast-food chain is planning to move into Crewe’s Phoenix Leisure Park, complete with a 24-hour drive-thru. Approval would fill the leisure park for the first time in five years – and what better to fill it with than quesadillas?  

Credit: via planning documents

THRHYL SEEKERS… ZipWorld’s new £2.5m Skyflyer is coming to Rhyl next month. Visitors will be elevated 400 ft above the North Wales coastline for panoramic views across the region – which even extend to Liverpool on a clear day! With 360-degree views and beachside location, it’s the perfect spot to lose a few hours.

Credit: via Jayne Moore Media

PEACE AND LOVE… Unveiled today, a year since the start of the Ukranian conflict, a 22 ft tall aluminium statue will bring a symbol of hope to Liverpool’s Strawberry Field in time for Eurovision in May. Designed by 16-year-old Osbelit Garcia-Morales, the Ukrainian Peace Monument is exactly what it says on the tin – dedicated to the hopes for peace for Ukrainian people. It will temporarily reside in the Merseyside grounds until it is safe to be transported to Ukraine. 

Burnham was among the mayors who attended the summit. Credit: Place North West

EARS BURN-HAM… When asked about the possibility of the government devolving more powers to Metro Mayors for transport, Huw Merriman seemed open to the idea. At Thursday’s Northern Transport Summit, the rail minister – who was deputising for Transport Secretary Mark Harper – praised the work of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in relation to bus franchising and said more collaboration between Whitehall and the regions could only be a good thing. Burnham’s ears must have been burning because, at that very moment, he walked through the doors to the conference suite at Liverpool Maritime Museum where Merriman was speaking. Why he only arrived for the last moments of the speech is unclear. Maybe his train was late.