Ale aboard! Northern celebrates the best places to hop off the train and have a pint

TO mark National Cask Ale Week, runs until Sunday, 1 October 2023, and Northern is raising a glass to the best pubs on its network. The train operator has released a list of the best places to enjoy a pint at the start or end of your journey across the North of England.

Track and Sleeper... Knaresborough, North Yorkshire... Head to platform 2 for this small, but perfectly formed bar, operated by craft beer brewers, The Gorilla Brothers, who transformed the formerly derelict storage rooms into a now popular micropub; winning a heritage award in the process.

The Rat Race... Hartlepool, County Durham... This quirky pub has opening hours that align with train timetables (currently opening at 12.02 exactly) and offers 4 changing beers and 2 ciders.

The Snug... Carnforth, Lancashire... Snug by name and nature, this cosy micropub has a frequent rotation of drinks that sees them bring in a variety of beers from Manchester, Cumbria, Liverpool and further afield.

The Tap... Harrogate, North Yorkshire... You'll be spoilt for choice at The Tap, which boasts an extensive selection of beer with 12 traditional cask hand-pulls and 15 more modern kegs. Not to mention bottles and cans from microbreweries and larger, more established breweries the world over. The premises are located within the only remaining part of the original 1862 train station building and make for an amazing atmosphere.

The Mallard Inn... Worksop, Nottinghamshire... Formerly the Worksop station buffet, the pub offers a warm welcome as well as 4 changing real ales as well as a selection of foreign bottled beers, country fruit wines and specialist gins. The Mallard was the winner of the Nottinghamshire CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2015 and has received numerous awards from North Notts CAMRA; so you know you're in good hands here.

The Ticket Office... Ilkley, West Yorkshire... With its chandeliers, dark wood ceiling and stylish decor, this bar and restaurant is a destination not to be missed. There is a small, but perfectly formed list of cask and craft ales to enjoy in this wonderful setting.

Victoria Tap... Manchester Victoria, Greater Manchester... Due to open next month Victoria Tap will showcase a range of beers and lagers from local and international breweries. It will also feature an 'all-weather' beer garden and is the second pub at the station alongside The Beer House.

Mayor Rotheram announces GameChangers pledge to tackle video games talent shortage

A new initiative from the Combined Authority's Careers Hub brings together studios, educators and industry organisations to pave the way for the next generation of video game creators.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram has announced his pledge to develop a new generation of creators who can take the Region's video game industry to the next level.

Combining the creative might of game development studios, the expertise of education providers and the guidance of careers education, the Mayor's GameChangers pledge is committed to developing new learning pathways, partnerships, funding opportunities and ways of working across the Region.

Leading games studios including:- Avalanche Studios Group, D3T, Lucid Games, Ripstone, Scenegraph Studios, Skyhook Games, Universally Speaking, Firesprite and Wushu Studios have already signed a pledge committing to working together to develop local games talent. These studios have been bolstered by educational and charity institutions such as NextGen Skills and the LFC Foundation.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "Our area is home to a burgeoning digital and creative sector that supports thousands of SMEs, jobs and training opportunities, and generates millions for our local economy too. Fortunately, we have some of the best Universities and Colleges on our doorstep that can help us to attract and retain the graduates and trainees with the creativity and skills to shape the future of the sector. GameChangers is our pledge to support the next generation of video game creators, to nurture their imagination and fresh ideas, and ensure that together, we can take 1 of our fastest-growing industries to the next level."

Gill Walsh, Strategic Careers Hub Lead at the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub said:- "This is such a fantastic initiative. Inspiring our young people about the possibilities open to them in the world of work is the foundation of what we do at the Careers Hub, and the Gamechangers will play an important part of the work we do. With a gaming heritage that contributes approximately £50 million annually to the local economy we know that there is a significant demand for talent within the ever-growing video game industry in Liverpool City Region. The GameChangers skills pledge signifies a commitment not only from us but more importantly from the gaming industry itself to showcase this exciting industry to our young people ensuring its ongoing expansion and a bright future."

Cllr Ian Maher, Portfolio Holder for Employment, Education and Skills said:- "We have a rich gaming heritage in Liverpool City Region and a significant demand exists for additional talent within this growing video game industry. However, there is a shortage of candidates applying to fill the many roles that are on offer. That is why it is fantastic to see such an inspiring initiative from the Region's gaming studios to help address the local talent shortage and inspire our future generations to come."

Jamie Brayshaw, Chair of GameChangers and Head of Marketing at Ripstone said:- "Collaboration is the cornerstone of the GameChangers mission. Many studios and organisations are doing great work individually to support talent, but together we are more than the sum of our parts. We firmly believe that pooling our collective resources and passion will increase awareness of games as a viable career, remove barriers to entry and usher in a new era of trailblazing game development in Liverpool City Region."

GameChangers is calling on all studios,Universities, charitable organisations and industry bodies in the Liverpool City Region to join GameChangers by pledging themselves to the partnership. The details of the pledge will be outlined on 28th September at the GameChangers launch event being held at Nova Scotia, Mann Island on the Liverpool Waterfront.

The Gamechangers programme is being delivered by All About Futures / All About STEM on behalf of the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub.