Debenhams Preston Wedding Fair Invites You!

DEBENHAMS in Preston are holding a wedding fair in their Fishergate Center (PR1 8HL),  on 16 February 2013, from 9am onwards.   At the event you will you will be welcomed by professional wedding experts.  Should you register into the Debenhams Wedding Service, on the day, in stall, you will be entered into a free prize draw. The draw has 12 fantastic prizes, aimed at helping you to have an even more magical wedding experience.   Just come on the day and take a look!

New homes plan for Queen Mary School Site

THE DERELICT site of a former city school is heading for a bright future, thanks to a proposed deal to deliver more than 160 new homes.

Liverpool City Council's Cabinet will be asked to give the go-ahead, on Friday 8 February, to plans to breathe new life into the former site of Queen Mary High School in Long Lane. The plans would see the council entering into an 'Option Agreement' with joint venture company Regeneration Liverpool, to build 164 new houses on the site.

The school was declared surplus in 2004 and its buildings were demolished in 2007. The council is proposing to transfer the 12-acre site to Regeneration Liverpool, under the city's 'asset-backed vehicle', model, which sees the council providing its land and private sector partners providing the funding for schemes.

Regeneration Liverpool would then drive forward with plans to secure planning permission and deliver the 164 properties for sale, through their affiliate, Countryside.

Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Ann O'Byrne, said:- "The Regeneration Liverpool Partnership is playing a major role in us driving forward housing renewal in this city. It's helping us maximise our land and assets while drawing in vital investment and expertise from the private sector.  We hope that the plans for the Queen Mary School site can be another success story for the partnership. It gives us an exciting opportunity to deliver new housing in an area which really needs it - providing fantastic homes for local people, improving the neighbourhood and removing a large derelict site."

If the deal is given the go-ahead by the Cabinet, the city council will carry out a detailed assessment of the viability of the proposed scheme as well as confirming that the council is receiving the best possible price for the land.

It is proposed that Regeneration Liverpool will pay the council a cash deposit representing 10% of the residual land value on exercising the option. The remainder of the value will be retained by the partnership.

Regeneration Liverpool is a joint venture, formed in 2007, between Liverpool City Council and regeneration specialist Sigma Inpartnership Limited. It was established to assist the Council with its ambitious regeneration strategy and is contributing to the Mayor's targets to deliver 5,000 new homes for the city.

The partnership is a long-term vehicle that in the first instance is regenerating approximately 63 acres of the former Boot Estate in Norris Green. Proceeds from schemes are re-invested in further regeneration projects for Liverpool or returned to the city council.

YOUNG BRITS DITCH BOOZER FOR THE CAFE

THE Café is fast taking over from the pub as the in-place for young people to meet; which is helping to turn Britain into a less 'boozy' nation.  According to a study by the British Beer and Pub Association, alcohol consumption levels among young people is on the decrease. Their study, using figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Office for National Statistics, shows that in 2003 70% of 16 to 24 year olds told interviewers they had had a drink in the previous week. By 2010 that number had dropped to 48%. Furthermore, overall consumption per person fell 12% between 2004 and 2011; a drop in pure alcohol terms from 9.5 litres per person per annum to 8.3 litres.

"One reason for this drop is that young people are choosing to go to café's to socialise as opposed to going to going out drinking. Indeed, cafes are fast becoming the social hubs in cities across the UK, regaining the position they once held. Indeed, back in the 1700s the London café scene was at the heart of life. People would not just go there for refreshments but also to get up to date with the latest news and to debate current issues. They were well frequented by politicians and leading figures such as Samuel Pepys." says Jim Winship, Director of the Café Society.

Social networking is a huge part of young people's lives and cafes provide an extremely easy and convenient meeting place where people can gather to chat, or just sit and plug in their smart phones or laptops in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere.

New Look Take-A-Way For Nevill Street, Southport

THE young fashion brand, Leeds based, Republic has been plunged into administration on Wednesday, 13 February 2013. Administrators from the accountants, Ernst and Young, said that the 121 shops would continue to trade while a buyer for the group is sought, but already the 150 staff at the firm's head office in Leeds have been made redundant. It is reported that about 2,500 staff are still facing redundancy should the chains shops close. On Merseyside, the chain has 3 shops, 1 in Liverpool One, 1 at The Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead and 1 on Bold St, Liverpool. It becomes the latest in a string of big name, high street casualties and warnings are that we will continue to see many more big names fail over 2013. If you work at any of the shops in the group, or are affected in any other way by this, let us know by emailing us to:- news24@southportreporter.com.

Where have all the Snakes slithered off to?

AS part of the Chinese New Year Liverpool's Happy Hookers Crochet Group knitted and decorated Bold Street in Liverpool with snakes at the request of Liverpool City Council. The snakes appeared on various signs in and around the Chinatown area, but have vanished. Lyn Francis said on Facebook:- "They were all in situ at 20:30 on Sunday evening but today every last one has gone... Stolen we presume!!! I know it was Liverpool but we hoped they would last longer than one day!! Would you be interested in issuing an appeal to locate the whereabouts of our babies???" If you can help shed some information on this disappearance please contact the group via their Facebook Page.

Republic goes into administration

THE young fashion brand, Leeds based, Republic has been plunged into administration on Wednesday, 13 February 2013. Administrators from the accountants, Ernst & Young, said that the 121 shops would continue to trade while a buyer for the group is sought, but already the 150 staff at the firm's head office in Leeds have been made redundant. It is reported that about 2,500 staff are still facing redundancy should the chains shops close. On Merseyside, the chain has 3 shops, 1 in Liverpool One, 1 at The Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead and 1 on Bold St, Liverpool. It becomes the latest in a string of big name, high street casualties and warnings are that we will continue to see many more big names fail over 2013. If you work at any of the shops in the group, or are affected in any other way by this, let us know by emailing us to:- news24@southportreporter.com.  Retail Trust, the only charity that looks after the needs of all 3 million people working in retail, has underlined its support for all 2,500 staff affected. In addition, the charity has recently announced that its Retail Ready People programme, organised in partnership with youth volunteering charity vInspired, is to launch its Leeds project next month.  Retail Ready People, which was started in 2012 with projects in Enfield and Brighton, is a 3 year project providing young people aged 16 to 25 with the opportunity to run their own pop-up shop in their local community.  The next 2 projects are to take place in Leeds and Rochdale and get underway in March, with over 50 young people set to benefit from guidance from retail experts and gain invaluable first-hand experience of the retail industry.  Meanwhile, Retail Trust continues to offer support to all staff affected by the recent spate of retail administrations through its Helpline, which provides free, confidential and independent advice and support. Any retail staff wishing to contact the Helpline can do so by calling:- 0808 801 0808 (Outside UK number:- +44 845 766 0113), emailing:- helpline@retailtrust.org.uk  or texting HELPLINE to:- 88010.  The Helpline also provides access to counselling and debt advice and Retail Trust's ReWork programme, which provides a range of free services to help retail staff find their next job, including workshops and career coaching.

PUT A BRAKE ON SPEED THIS FEBRUARY

MOTIRISTS are being urged to cut their speed this February as part of a campaign to reduce roads deaths and casualties in Merseyside.

Speeding is one of the major contributory factors in road collisions and officers are appealing to motorists to kill their speed before it kills themselves or other road users.

Last year 20 people were killed and over 500 people seriously injured on our roads with many collisions being as a result of excess speed and Merseyside Police is more determined than ever to reduce this number in 2013.

Merseyside Police's Roads Policing Department holds monthly campaigns concentrating on different aspects of road safety in a bid to reduce the number of road casualties.

This month sees the department focusing on speeding motorists and officers will be carrying out enforcement and educating drivers about the dangers of breaking speed limits.

Alongside day to day policing, traffic officers will also be attending colleges across Merseyside as part of the ENGAGE initiative educating young novice drivers about the risks of excessive speed and other issues related to road traffic collisions.

The first session took place on Monday, 4 February 2013, at Hugh Baird College in Bootle.

Sergeant Paul Mountford, of the Roads Policing Department said:- "All too often, our officers attend road traffic collisions where speed has been a major contributory factor. We see the end results - damage to vehicles, disruption to traffic flow and congestion, injury to drivers and other road users and sadly, in some cases the death of a loved one. Speed limits are there to save lives and my officers are working hard to reduce collisions on our roads. We will continue to engage with the public to ensure the message to cut speed is heard loud and clear - together we can maximise the safety of all road users and hopefully see reductions in road casualties in 2013."

This month's focus follows January's campaign which saw over 400 drivers given fixed penalty notices for either not wearing their seat belt or for using their mobile phones whilst driving.

APPEAL TO TRACE NEXT OF KIN IN SOUTHPORT OF TEESSIDE MAN GEOFFREY FORSTER

CLEVELAND Police are appealing for help in tracing the relatives of a Teesside man with links to Southport. Geoffrey Patrick Forster was found dead in his home in Limetree Court, Middlesbrough on 29 January 2013. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the 57 year old's death. It is believed that Mr Forster had relatives from Southport. Anyone with information is asked to call Middlesbrough Coroners Office on:- 01642 303 467.

WITNESS APPEAL - BIKE THEFT, FORMBY

MERSEYSIDE Police are appealing for information following a burglary Formby last week during which three bikes were stolen from a garden storage building.

It is thought that the break in took place some time between 2pm, Thursday, 17 January 2013, and 10.30am on Sunday, 2 February 2013 when the three bikes were stolen.

The first bike is a Montesa 250cc Dougie Lampkin replica trials bike. It is red and silver, with red powder coated handle bars. There is a scratch on the petrol tank going from left to right andd the rear mudguard has two drill holes in it, where the grab handle was attached.

The second bike is an Onza stunt bicycle, which is white and blue in colour and does not have a seat fitted so that the rider can practice stunts.

The third bike is a Gas Gas 125cc Raga trials bike in red, silver and black.  Inspector Gary Fairbrother said:- "These bikes are distinctive and have a combined value of over £5,000. They may be being used in the same areas visited by off road motorcyclists and I would ask people to keep their eyes open for them so that we can return them to their rightful owner. We are keen to talk to anyone who may have seen these bikes out and about, been offered them for sale or has any information at all to contact the local police."

Anyone with information is asked to contact:- 0151 777 3441 or call Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111.