THING OF THE WEEK

NAME GAME… Some people aren’t very pleased about Manchester City Council’s decision to sell the naming rights for Factory International to Aviva. Granted, the name Aviva Studios doesn’t scream cool, but when a project comes in £100m over budget, you can’t really blame the city council for taking the opportunity to claw some money back. Disappointed observers were no doubt hoping the naming rights would be sold to somebody altogether more Mancunian than a company that began life as Norwich Union. Perhaps the Vimto Arena, or the McVities Theatre – to be affectionally known as the biscuit tin.

TOWER POWER… Aside from dive-bombing seagulls and sand in your chips, nothing epitomises the British seaside quite like Blackpool Tower. The grade one-listed structure, which soars 158 metres into the Lancashire sky overlooking the Irish Sea, is arguably one of the most recognisable landmarks in the UK. For this reason, it is important to keep it looking its best. Tower owner Blackpool Council has applied to itself for permission to remove a set of old lights from the top of the tower and replace them with new ones. The job will require a contractor with a head for heights and an understanding of the tower’s heritage. A 53-page long heritage report – which seems quite long for changing a few lightbulbs – has been prepared by Arup and is full of interesting facts about the Blackpool icon. Did you know, for example, that the tower cost around £60,000 to build?  

The nightclub has played its last floorfiller Credit: via MCC

RAVE OFF… Greater Manchester Police has this week shut down an illegal nightclub in Newton Heath. The venue was “operating ostensibly as a takeaway”, according to a statement from Manchester City Council. While burgers and chips were being sold upstairs, the basement of Tasty’s – formerly known as Queens Lounge – was serving up certified bangers. Let’s file this one under unwise and illegal.

Credit: via Oldham Council

NO STONES… In Greater Manchester, when one door to a seedy underground nightclub closes, another to a historic conservatory opens. One of Oldham’s most recognisable buildings is back open to the public for the first time in two-and-a-half years after a £460,000 refurbishment. The historic Alexandra Conservatory, located in Alexandra Park, is more than 115 years old and has been used to grow many of the plants and flowers that the council’s environment team uses to brighten up Oldham’s streets and roads.  

 

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AND DIM SUM… Warrington’s Time Square is soon to be filled with the delicious smells of roast duck, salt and pepper chicken, and char siu bao as Yum Cha gears up to open this autumn. This will be the third location for the Yum Cha’s brand, which was founded by brothers Adam and Neil Wan in Liverpool. In addition to a spot on Liverpool’s Lark Lane, the Chinese restaurant also has a location at Manchester’s Kampus.