Town’s last shirt works
set to be demolished?
by David Skentelbery
THE last surviving shirt works at Warrington – once a major centre for shirt manufacturing – looks set to be demolished.
Plans to demolish the Revelation Shirts factory in Bewsey Street and build a block of 18 apartments on the site have been submitted to the borough council.
A company spokesman said: “We ceased manufacturing shirts on the site last year and now source our good abroad. Only the offices are still in use.
“We plan to move our offices to another site in Warrington.
“We tried our best to keep manufacturing in the UK but in the end found it impossible.” Up until last December, more than 100 people worked on the Bewsey Street site.
At one time there were anything up to a dozen shirt works, of varying sizes in Warrington.
But Revelation outlasted the others by many years.
Any plan to build on the factory site will have to be sensitively handled as it lies within the Bewsey Street Conservation Area and is adjacent to some of the finest Georgian terraces in Warrington.
But Bewsey Street is, historically, a residential area and in recent years planners have encouraged a return to housing uses.
First Film Festival
to hit Warrington!
by Gary Skentelbery
A unique taster event for young film enthusiasts is set to take place in Warrington as part of the town’s first ever young peoples film festival.
During the past three months, young people all over Warrington, have been busy submitting scripts and film ideas for the chance to make a professional film with local film-makers as part of The Warrington Young Peoples Film Festival.
Now a special taster event will offer youngsters the chance to see some of the best entries developed into mini performances.
The exciting two-part experience offers a visual insight into the development of film ideas from the page to the stage, through experimental workshops and live performances.
The first session will take place in the form of workshops from 12:00pm – 6:00pm on Saturday December 11 at the Pyramid, Warrington, with actors from Warrington Youth Theatre and Acting Up.
The second part will showcase 14 mini performances and live music, starting from 7:00pm. Your vote and a panel of Judges will decide on the two winning scripts. Expect fast and furious drama as each act has a five-minute time limit!
Warrington Young Peoples Film Festival is the first of its kind to take place in Warrington, and it’s specifically designed to capture the voice of the youth on issues that concern them.
A number of activities have been taking place to inspire young people to enter the festival, including a number of scriptwriting, film-making and drama workshops, delivered at the Pyramid Centre, the Peace Centre and various youth clubs in the area. These events have helped to give an insight into creating films and have sparked lots of positive feedback and interest about the screenings.
The theme of the festival is “Getting Your Voice Heard” which is the main aim of local voluntary organisation Warrington Advocacy, who are helping support the event.
Warrington Advocacy provides non-judgemental support for local people, to help them to put their point of view across and be heard.
The two winning entries to get turned into a film made by professional film-makers Glow Works Limited. These two films will then premiere at the festival on April 14 2005.
The film festival is supported by Warrington Advocacy, The Pyramid Centre, Glow Works Limited, Connexions and Artist in Education, and is funded by Warrington Borough Council, the Local Network Fund and Awards for All. For more information visit www.warringtonfilmfestival.co.uk or call 01925 24 68 90.
Pubs company taken over
in ?119 million deal
by business staff
BURTONWOOD, the Warrington-based pubs chain – and the town’s last surviving brewery – has been taken over in a ?119 million deal.
New owners are Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, who will now run Burtonwood’s 460 pubs in the North West, Midlands and North Wales.
Chief executive Ralph Findlay said the acquisition was a “good geographic fit” at a time of consolidation in the industry and cost pressures such as higher fuel bills, rises in the minimum wage and more regulation.
Burtonwood chairman Richard Gilchrist accepted his company would struggle to compete in the rapidly changing pubs sector.
He said the offer price was attractive “at a time when the market dynamics within the UK pubs sector have evolved to make future growth more difficult for smaller pub companies such as Burtonwood.”
The Wolverhampton brewery has 1,675 pubs, with more than two-thirds run by tenants or leased through its Union Pub Company. Annual savings of ?3m were expected from the deal.
Burtonwood had a turnover of ?50.4m and profits of ?10.1m in its final year.
Residents’ chance to vote
on key policing issues
by John Hendon
RESIDENTS of the Whitecross area of Warrington will get a chance this week to decide the key policing priority for their community.
For the first time local people will vote for a particular issue to be addressed as part of a new initiative which brings together police and partner agencies with local communities to identify the problems affecting that area.
Community Action Meetings (CAMs) are currently being piloted across Cheshire, but Whitecross will be the first place in Warrington to host this new style meeting where the public will cast their vote.
Two weeks ago a group of local volunteers joined a members of the police Community Action Team (CAT) for a “CAT Walk” around Whitecross, identifying areas of criminal damage, vandalism and graffiti.
This was followed by a survey when residents were given the chance to have a say on how the area should be policed. More than 160 people took part.
The results of this, together with the findings from the CAT Walk, will now be discussed at the CAM to determine one key priority for police and partner agencies to work on.
The CAM is open to everyone and police want to hear what residents have to say.
CAT officer Tony Davidson said: “If there is a particular issue affecting where you live, whether it’s vandalism, or anti social behaviour, it’s important you take your chance to vote for that issue to become our priority.”
The CAM is being held on Wednesday (December 8)at 8pm at St Barnabas Primary School, Collin Street, Whitecross.
Borough is flying
its green flags
FLAG raising ceremonies have taken place in four of Warrington’s green spaces to celebrate receiving the prestigious Green Flag award.
In November Risley Moss and Fox Covet Cemetery achieved the Green Flag Status award – the national standard for parks and green spaces.
And Walton Lea Crematorium and Walton Gardens retained their status for another year.
Warrington is unique in its success, having received awards for a major town park, a site of Special Scientific Interest, a cemetery and crematorium.
Parks and Bereavement Services staff took part in the flag raising ceremonies at the four parks this week together with friends groups and partner organisations.
Coun John Kerr-Brown, the borough council’s executive member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “It is fantastic news for our green spaces and parks to have achieved these awards and highlights the fact that the council is committed to creating and maintaining spaces that the whole community can use and enjoy.
“Warrington is brimming with parks, such as the picturesque Walton Gardens, for people to make the most of and to enjoy a pleasant day out.”
Picture shows staff taking part in the flag raising ceremony at Risley Moss.
Co-op boost for
Wolfpack party
by
staff reporter
UNITED Co-operatives have given a boost to the Warrington Wolves Wolfpack (Junior Supporters) Christmas Party by donating 400 chocolate selection boxes from their depot in Warrington.
Father Christmas will be handing the selection boxes out to all the children attending the party tomorrow (Tuesday) night at the Martin Dawes Stand, The Halliwell Jones Stadium at 7pm.
The Wolfpack are the Junior Season Ticket Holders (Under 16s) who attend the games throughout the season.
More than 10 years ago an independent committee was set up by parents who had children in the Wolfpack to organise events for the children outside of the rugby to meet the players and importantly other children who attended the rugby games.
As part of their calendar of events they organise a Christmas Party. This year they approached United Co-operatives to help them provide the children with a gift from Father Christmas as they are a non-profit club and organise these events quite often out of their own expense. The Wolves will also be visiting the Children’s Ward at Warrington Hospital in the lead up to Christmas delivering the selection boxes to children who are staying in hospital over the festive period.
Roy Hankey, chairman of the Wolfpack Committee said: “The generosity of the United Co-operatives has been overwhelming and is set to make the Wolfpack Christmas Party one to remember this year.”
