This week, bank holiday event at Alexanders, Hunter street closure, Eaton Hall gardens, Little Theatre cast and crew search, Action Transport Theatre event in Whitby Park, new crowdfunding platform, and Christmas shop opening.
The Loud & Local Festival returns next week with it’s 5th year at Alexanders. The event, which happens on Sunday, the 29th of August, features local musical favourites including Campfire Social, Sam Lyon & Will Riding, as well as regional heavyweights including Seazoo, COW & Eyesore & The Jinx. You can expect indie/guitar acts out on their garden stage, with acoustic/folk over in the courtyard. Local label and promoters Restless Bear will be inside for a showcase afterparty later on in the evening. It runs from midday to midnight with tickets priced at £6 advance & £8 on the day. It is family-friendly and under 12’s get in free, plus there will be food stalls there to keep appetites at bay. For full lineup details and ticket links go to https://m.facebook.com/events/854606235452640
Hunter street will be closed from the 4- 24 September to complete the construction of the Northgate development’s multi storey car park (opening summer 2022) which will replace the ageing market car park. At the same time, the closure will enable several electricity, water and gas ducts to be laid across Hunter Street into the Northgate scheme, reducing the need for further closures in the future. Pedestrian access along the full length of Hunter Street will remain open during the closure. Northgate Street will operate as a two-way traffic flow during the closure with exits via Canal Street and the Fountains Roundabout.
In order to reduce the number of vehicles using Northgate Street, a traffic marshal will be positioned at the northern end of Northgate Street (at the junction with George Street and Canal Street), between 10:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Saturday, to ensure access-only traffic is allowed.
In addition, to ensure that two-way traffic can use Northgate Street and obstructions can be minimised, loading will be prohibited on Northgate Street between George Street and Hunter Street, Monday to Saturday between 10:30am and 4:30pm other than in the lay-by outside Chez Jules, where the current restrictions will remain in place. All other current restrictions in the vicinity, including city centre access via the Town Hall bollards will remain unchanged during the Hunter Street closure. The free Shopper Hopper bus service from the Chester Bus Interchange will stop and pick-up on St. Werburgh Street outside Barclays Bank, instead of Hunter Street, and run every half-hour.
The Eaton Hall Charity Garden Open Day returns on Sunday 29th August. This year tickets must be booked in advance via http://eatonestate.co.uk. All proceeds go to Cheshire Young Carers – who support young carers across the county in three key areas, school holiday respite programmes, individual and group support as well as working with schools/colleges to provide specialised support. https://www.cheshireyoungcarers.org/about-us
Chester’s longest running theatre, Chester Little Theatre in Newtown are looking for cast and crew for their forthcoming production of Fred Carmichael’s Murder on the Run. The play will be performed in December, with a play reading on the 14th September (7.30) and auditions on the 16th September (7.30)
This Comedy-Mystery is set in a 1980s American Ski Chalet and opens with a thump… as Jane falls down the stairs playing Sardines in the dark! As her friends gather in shock around her corpse, Jane stands up and cries out “Tripped, hell! I was pushed! I’ve been murdered!” Kitty is tasked with helping Jane discover who killed her, so that after clearing her last 75 demerits, will finally (after nearly 200 years) be able to pass through the pearly gates!
The Theatre are looking for the following cast members (all requiring an American accent):
HUGH, a handsome actor, middle aged male.
BETSY, Hollywood’s girl-next-door, stunning, actress, mid 20s female.
VALERIE, A beautiful actress who is middle aged with “unknowable age” due to perfect make-up and more than one successful facelift, female.
EDWINA, A middle aged journalist/columnist only out for herself, similar to Valerie in appearance but with more “cracks’!
JUSTIN, A middle-aged movie director always trying to be the leader, male.
JANE, a 20-30’s script writer with a more down to earth outlook than her friends, female, dead.
KITTY, happy, bright, cheerful . Guiding ghost and story narrator.
Other roles required for the play include : Wardrobe, Stage Management, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer Props, Set builders, Set dressers, Prompt and other back stage roles such as hair, makeup and technical. To register interest please email the Director Mark Townsend for more information- m.c@townend.org.uk
Ellesmere Port based theatre group Action Transport Theatre are transforming Whitby Park with Porto’s Peculiar Playground Arts Adventure Trail . (Daily from 10am running until 31st August). The art and adventure trail features installations, “peculiar goings on” and “curious happenings”, giant pink Flamingos, a Cabinet of Curiosities, Vegetable Nannies, a junk orchestra and more. Free tickets available for this family event at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/action-transport-theatre
Community projects are being encouraged to register their ideas by Wednesday 15 September ahead of the Cheshire West Crowd’s first round of funding. The Cheshire West Crowd, which is being run by Cheshire West and Chester Council in partnership with Spacehive, is a new digital crowdfunding initiative, providing an opportunity for community-led ideas to come to life so the borough can become more vibrant, resilient and connected. The Spacehive platform pools together funds between councils, businesses, foundations and the local community to pay for projects that improve local places, which typically results in projects securing three times more funding than if they were relying on council funds alone.
If you have an idea for a project that helps your local area, visit Spacehive and click ‘Create’ to get started. Your project will be automatically matched to the funds on the platform, where you can pitch for a pledge from the Council by a deadline of 15 September. spacehive.com/movement/cwc.
Examples of projects funded elsewhere include renovations to much-loved community centres, youth projects, allotments and much more. All project ideas that benefit the community are welcome.
Councillor Louise Gittins said: “We’ve had an excellent response to the Cheshire West Crowd so far, with hundreds of people attending the virtual launch and showing an interest in adding their projects to the platform.
“There are a number of exciting funding opportunities through the Council, along with possible donations from elsewhere, as part of this first round so I’d encourage everyone to submit their ideas by the deadline.
“If anybody feels the first round might be a bit early, it doesn’t matter as you’ll need to take some time to crowdfund and you don’t necessarily have to begin your project straightaway.
“It’s important you start talking to the team at Spacehive about your idea so you can add it to the platform and begin your crowdfunding journey.
“Local people are best placed to understand the challenges and opportunities in their local area and this model using the Cheshire West Crowd puts them and their ideas in the driving seat.
“I’m really excited to see how the Cheshire West Crowd develops in the coming months and how the different projects come to life.”
The platform pools together funds between councils, businesses, foundations and the local community to pay for projects that improve local places, which typically results in projects securing three times more funding than if they were relying on council funds alone. Projects can range from building a new community centre or improving the local park to building a playground or putting on a street festival. spacehive.com/movement/cwc.
Finally Chester’s retail scene will be boosted soon by the opening of, The Nutcracker Christmas Shop (Bridge street) . The all year round Christmas shop has branches in Edinburgh, York and Stratford upon Avon. https://nutcrackerchristmasshop.com/
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