The Dark Knight Rises North West Premieres - Printworks!

THE new Batman film will go on general release in line with the USA at 5am on Friday, 20 July 2012, so Mancunian fans will get to see the new Batman film before anyone else in the UK. This showing has already sold out!  The Dark Knight was shown exclusively in the IMAX 70mm screen format for the first time in the North West of England; this is the optimum size screen for this film as unlike some blockbusters over 70 minutes of the actual movie was filmed on IMAX cameras; so the footage will fill the entire 26.3m x 18.7m screen (with no black around the sides). It is size of 4 double-decker busses!!!  If you do not know what it is about, 8 years after Batman (Christian Bale) took the hit for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist leader; Bane (Tom Hardy) threatens Gotham’s finest, forcing the Dark Knight to resurface to protect the city that has branded him an enemy.  Also worth noting is that Manchester's own Generation Gallery Art Shop has got in on the act by flying over pieces from the official Batman fine art collection all the way from Washington DC for Bat fans to enjoy. These artefacts will be exhibited at the Printworks Odeon until September.  The Printworks makes a perfect bat cave once again with atmospheric theme music, Batman signal lighting and tenants are getting in on the act with Costa Coffee offering Bat themed coffees!   Fred Booth, Centre Director for The Printworks said:- “We’re really excited to offer this to our customers; we have often hosted big UK premieres at the Printworks and think this will be one of the best yet. We’re really excited to welcome Bat-mania to our venue bright and early to honour Gotham’s finest.”   For more information please go to the Printworks website; book tickets online or call:- 0871 22 44 007.

All A-Board for new approach

A news way of dealing with advertising boards outside shops, restaurants and other businesses is to be adopted in Liverpool. ‘A-boards’ have proliferated, especially in the city centre with hundreds out on the streets at any one time.  Previously they were put out without permission or any guidance about where they can be used safely and often appeared in locations which caused difficulties for disabled people and people using pushchairs, this often resulted in the Council, in line with other local authorities taking enforcement action.  However, the growth of A-board use required a different approach. Now, the Council is to allow businesses to put out A-boards, providing they have obtained permission, while ensuring that the pavements are accessible to all pedestrians.  “We recognise that A-boards are a major form of advertising for many firms, especially small and independent businesses and we want to support businesses of all types.  In the past the council just took the view that these boards were put out without consent so they had to go. Clearly, businesses feel they are valuable; otherwise there wouldn’t be so many of them.  But, on the other hand we have to look at the needs of blind and other disabled people and parents pushing children in buggies for whom the boards can be a real hazard. What we are proposing is a balanced approached which will allow good quality A- boards where they are safe and let businesses continue to advertise...” said Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration and transport. The guidelines about the suitability and location of A-boards has been produced which sets out the criteria under which permission will be granted, Businesses which want A-boards will be required to apply to the council for a licence. A fee will be applied to recoup the costs of managing the process.

Councillor Kennedy said:- “We are aware that some businesses will object to any cost, but what is being proposed is that, at most, a fee averaging out under £2 a week will be introduced– where else could they get advertising for that amount? This is not a money-making venture for the council, all the proceeds will allow us to manage the scheme properly. The alternative is to go back to the situation where we just took the boards off the streets and nobody wants to return to those days.”

Consultation has taken place with business groups and groups representing disabled people.   Councillor Richard McLinden, Chair of the Council’s Corporate Access Forum, said:- “We support this policy and hope that it will achieve a better pedestrian environment for partially sighted and blind people.”

Ged Gibbons, Chief Executive of City Central BID, which represents more than 630 businesses in the retail heart of Liverpool city centre, said:- "Many businesses will welcome this new, common sense approach to A-boards on our city centre streets. These are hard economic times and anything that can support businesses to promote their product to the public has to be welcomed. With footfall so high in the city centre, any form of advertising will be of benefit especially at such an inexpensive rate."

The policy will be reviewed after it has been in operation for a year.  Applications for an A-board licence can be made to the Council from 3 September 2012.  So do you think Sefton MBC should be follow this approach? Let us know by emailing us to news24@southportreporter.com today!