Dance school booted out
after being double booked
by Gary Skentelbery
A DANCING school which has raised in excess of ?200,000 for charity is seeing red after discovering it was “double booked” at a Warrington venue it has been using for 17 years.
The Lymm based Enid Wrigley School of Dancing has now been told it cannot be accommodated at the Parr Hall on their chosen dates, despite making a provisonal booking early last year, leaving hundreds of women and children dancers disappointed.
Enid is particularly outraged because she only discovered the dates clashed with the Warrington Scouts annual Gang Show when one of her dancers, who is also involved with the Scouts, alerted her.
“I provisionally booked this show after last year’s event, the same as I have done every year for the past 17 years,” said a distraught Enid.
“I am absolutely disgusted by the way we have been treated. Our dancers have booked their holidays around this event.”
After contacting the Parr Hall to check her booking details Enid was “totally flabberghasted” when she was told that her booking for a dress rehearsal in February could still go ahead.
“What is the point of having a dress rehearsal if you can’t have the venue for your main event? I have been in the business for over 40 years and have never been treated so badly before.”
She was also upset that nothing could be done because of “programming policy.”
Enid is now planning to stage her event at Boteler High School on March 4/5.
“I would like to thank the school for stepping in a such short notice. I don’t know what we would have done without them.”
Gail Thorne, the council’s Cultural Development Manager, said: “Both Enid Wrigley and the Gang Show requested the same dates for their events this year. As the dates clashed, we had to make decision as to which group was allocated the date they requested. We had to consider a number of issues and it was a very difficult decision to make but the Gang Show runs for six to seven days in total and Enid Wrigley’s show for two days so we gave the Gang show priority this year.
“We appreciate Enid Wrigley’s Dance Schools have been actively involved at the Parr Hall for many years and it is a very valuable event with many people involved. We can only apologise if the decision we have made has upset anyone, but we hope people can accept that sometimes we have to make difficult decisions such as this. We have been attempting to discuss rescheduling the dates with Enid Wrigley. As yet, we have not come to a satisfactory conclusion.”
Landmark building
is up for sale
by David Skentelbery
PLANNERS have drawn up a development brief for one of Warrington most distinguished town centre buildings – the former Technical School in Palmyra Square South.
Town Hall chiefs agreed last year to vacate the building and offer it for sale on the open market and the brief is intended as a guide to potential purchasers as to what changes of use or alterations the council would be likely to allow.
The Technical School, which for many years has been used as council offices, is a Grade Two listed building, sandwiched between Parr Hall and new Pyramid Arts Centre.
It is also within the Palmyra Square Conservation Area which is now also part of the town’s designated “cultural quarter” – which means planners are anxious that any future use of the building should be compatible with its surroundings.
Built in 1900, it is of highly detailed design inside and out and planners want to ensure this features are preserved.
If a new owner wished to continue to use the building for offices, planning permission would not be needed, although listed building consent would be needed for any internal or external alterations.
Other uses which could be considered include theatre, arts centre, retail, surgery, health club, hotel or residential.
But any conversion would have to respect the interior of the building with regard to the subdivision of the larger rooms, the retention of the ornate central staircase and other features of note.
It would also be necessary to insulate the building from noise from the Parr Hall and the Pyramid.
A council spokesman said: “The Technical School is being marketed for sale with undeveloped land to the south currently used for car parking for the building. The council is ready to enter into discussions regarding potential development of this car park, taking into account issues such as land use, density of development and alternative parking arrangements.”
String quartet’s
church concert
by staff reporter
THE Sacconi String Quartet – formed four years ago at the Royal College of Music – are to perform at St Wilfrid’s Church, Grappenhall, near Warrington tomorrow (Thursday).
They will be playing works by Haydn, Janacek and Beethoven and the concert – part of the “Live at St Wilfrid’s” series has been described as “an unmissable concert for classical music enthusiasts.”
The quarter will be appearing fresh from an appearance on Radio 3 “In Tune” programme.
Noted for their passionate and compelling performances, the Sacconi received high praise during the programme. They are now being tipped for stardom and they have a busy schedule of bookings right through to November next year.
The Life at St Wilfrid’s series presents both established and up-and-coming musicians every month other than July and August.
The next concert is on March 5 when Marianne Thorsen (violin), Graham Oppenheimer (viola), Nicholas Jones (cello) and Martin Roscoe (piano) will present a programme of Schumann, Lekeu and Brahms.
All concerts start at 7.30pm.
Troubled area of town
under scrutiny again
by David Skentelbery
POLICE and local residents are to take a second look at the troubled Whitecross area of Warrington – some three months on from when they went on a walk-about to identify problem spots.
Officers from the Community Action Team (CAT) will walk the same route as they did in November – noting areas of criminal damage, graffiti, litter and vandalism.
They will then work with residents and other agencies to try and resolve any identified problems.
Every square inch of the area will be re-evaluated to see what progress has been made since the initiative started.
A police spokesman said: “Much has happened since the first CAT Walk took place back in November. A public perception survey has been carried out and two Community Action Meetings have been held where members of the public have voted for their key policing priority. To date anti-social behaviour and nuisance youths have been placed highest on the agenda.
“It’s now time to review all the work that’s been done so far and to keep the ball rolling so that everyone has a chance to have their say on how their neighbourhood should be policed.”
The next “CAT Walks” take place this Friday and Saturday (February 11-12) starting from, Whitecross Community Centre at 7pm and February 12.
PC Tony Davidson said: “As with last time every single street, road and avenue will be covered in this second tour of Whitecross. Volunteers, together with representatives from partner agencies will help us to record any new evidence of graffiti, criminal damage and litter. But there will also be special emphasis on checking the hot-spot areas highlighted last time. It’s important for people to see what has been done to address those issues and if there are any recurring problems to be tackled.”
A third Community Action Meeting is due to be held in Whitecross on Thursday February 24 at 7pm at St Barnabas Primary School, Collin Street and members of the public are invited.
Young business talent
put goods on show
by John Hendon
PUPILS from more than 15 schools in Cheshire will be taking part in a special event on Saturday (February 12) at Warrington’s Golden Square Shopping Centre.
The students have been invited to the centre in order to show off their business ideas and compete for custom in this year’s Young Enterprise Awards.
Young Enterprise is a registered charity founded in 1963. The organisation runs a range of business and enterprise education programmes for more than 150,000 young people each year.
The programme offers students the opportunity to run a real company and between 9am and 4pm members of the public will be able to buy the students’ products at Golden Square.
The youngsters have been busy manufacturing their products ahead of this event and the awards up for grabs include Best Display Stand, Media/Marketing, Customer Service, Innovation and Sales Award.
Trophies and cash prizes will be up for grabs in the event, which is sponsored by Golden Square, Cheshire County Council and Macdonald’s, and four judges will be taking a close look at the stands to decide on the winners.
Julie Smith, Young Enterprise Strategic Manager and organiser of the event, said: “This is our seventh Young Enterprise Trade Fair in the centre and each year we have increased the number of stands at the event because we are reaching more and more students with the programmes.
“It really is a great showcase for the achievements of these young people who improve their skills, knowledge and confidence so much in just one year. The students’ will be selling a range of products from vinyl clocks, cushions, ribbon flowers, Valentine’s Day products and even a product called Plastastic.”
Golden Square manager Andrew Ward said: “This event was a huge success last year and it’s fantastic seeing what our entrepreneurs of the future have been creating. We have to do our best to encourage our future workforce and if last year is anything to go by, we’re expecting our shoppers to be out in force offering their support as well.”
A musical journey
through time
by staff reporter
A MUSICAL journey through time – A Valentine’s Treat – is to be staged at Cinnamon Brow Farm, Warrington on Sunday (February 13).
The show will span six decades of music, featuring music from some of the most influential characters in popular music history.
Some of Warrington’s finest young talent will take part, including girlband Jademic and some not so young talent like local singer/songwriter Paul Dawson.
More information is available by 01925 824429.
Valentine hunk will
say it with music
by Lesley Wilkinson
FEMALE customers at Warrington’s Birchwood Shopping Centre are in for a treat on Saturday (February 12) when they have the chance to receive a Valentine’s red rose from a handsome hunk.
The centre hopes to get shoppers in the mood for love when the man, dressed in a smart tuxedo, plays romantic songs and serenades shoppers at his piano.
And the first 200 women who visit him in the main square, just outside Asda, will receive a free red rose.
He will be playing between 11am and 3pm, and there will also be a free raffle with prizes including a hair cut and a box of chocolates. Centre manager Gary Jones said: “We wanted to mark Valentine’s Day at Birchwood, so we’ve invited an easy-on-the-eye pianist to entertain our female shoppers and make them feel a little bit special with the red roses.”
Safety warning after
man escapes blaze
by David Skentelbery
FIRE chiefs have issued a warning after a flat dweller had a lucky escape following a blaze in his home at Warrington.
The fire was in the kitchen at the flat in St Katherine’s Way, Howley and was caused by a pan of fat left unattended on a cooker.
A smoke alarm fitted in the property had been disabled and the occupant – a middle-aged man – was fortunate to wake up as smoke filled the property.
He raised the alarm and left the property and was sitting on the doorstep in a dazed state when fire crews reached the scene.
A Fire Service spokesman said: “He was very fortunate because the pan did not have a lot of fat in it and the fire burned itself out. The smoke alarm was disabled so the man was extremely fortunate to wake up.
“Smoke alarms are no good if they are not working properly. This gentleman escaped but it could easily have been a different story.”
The fire caused extensive smoke damage in the kitchen and less serious damage elsewhere.
