Westminster visit to highlight Hull's culture strategy
Delegates from Hull are appearing at an event in the House of Commons later to highlight the city's culture.Civic leaders and artists will launch a new culture and heritage strategy, the city council said.About 40 people from organisations such as Arts Council England, Visit Britain and Sport England will attend the event.Council leader Mike Ross said it was a "fantastic opportunity for show what Hull has to offer the rest of the country and indeed the world".
He added: "The city has already shown what Hull can do during our time as UK City of Culture 2017 and want to build on what was achieved during that time."We want to work with national and international organisations and stakeholders to lever investment and partnerships. "We want to ensure the city fulfils its potential as a cultural driver for the communities of Hull, for the north and the nation."The council recently unveiled a five-year plan for boosting music in the city, including applying to become a Unesco Creative City of Music.Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
The radio debut of the House of Commons: ‘there could be a long-running series here' – archive, 1975
Permanent radio broadcasts from the House of Commons began on 3 April 1978, and from the House of Lords on 4 April. Television broadcasts began on 21 November 1989. 10 June 1975 Ed Boyle, the commercial radio commentator for the first broadcast of parliament, yesterday spent two hours cooped up in a tiny glass box at a temperature of nearly 90 degrees, wearing a jacket, tie, and buttoned up collar, suffering from a particularly ferocious type of dysentery which has already brought his weight down to eight stone. Just to add a touch of challenge to the job, he was operating a new type of microphone kindly supplied by the BBC with operating instructions entirely in Japanese. In spite of this, Mr Boyle and his BBC colleague, David Holmes, who were trapped together in the same tiny glass box, managed somehow to give composed and informative account of the proceedings. Mr Holmes admitted afterwards that the heat had been so great that at times he had thought he would not be able to carry on, and though listeners may have noticed his voice fading occasionally, he always remained strikingly coherent and apparently in command. Mr Boyle now intends to make a few swift changes to make life slightly more bearable. Apart from sartorial changes to Bermuda shorts, for himself, he plans to make commentating easier by fading out some members when the discussion gets too technical. 'Some of the questions are really on very minor and erudite issues, and I guess the MPs won't mind if we turn them down occasionally so as to explain to the listeners what is happening.' Yesterday the two broadcasters were blessed by a good chunk of pungent topical debates, with Tony Benn using industry questions as the chance to prove himself a good Euro-democrat, and with splendid quotations like: 'If the opposition wants any head on a charger, the leader of the Conservative party will have to be a lot more seductive as a Salome than she has been so far.' At the same time, there were highly complex questions about, for example, the funding of the new pod for the stretched version of the Rolls-Royce RB 211 – a matter of great importance, but one which cannot be explained in the few seconds between question and answer. Both commentators had to trim down their remarks to within a second or so either way: Mr Holmes reckoned that if he did not spot immediately whether the speaker was calling an MP for a supplementary or for the next question on the order paper, he would lose two of the four or five vital seconds of explaining time. Time was so tight that Mr Boyle had to make a definite policy decision to give the first name of each MP as well as his surname and party. Often their time was so limited they could only say: 'This is a question about Europe' or, 'This is about British Leyland.' Mr Holmes hopes to grab a few more seconds of talking time while MPs are laughing and cheering between answers. But both men were pleased with the way things had gone, and came out of the box easier in mind if not in body than they had been when they went in. 'What's encouraging is that it looks as if we can do a proper job without the house having to change its way of going about business or even the tempo of its debates, so no one need feel that we are interfering in any way,' said Mr Holmes. The commercial company plans to use more material than the BBC will use, with prime minister's questions live every Tuesday and Thursday, plus special debates. It will also have an hour of extracts and highlights each morning – twice as long as the BBC – with an instant feedback service from a panel of MPs who took part in the debate; and possibly a Saturday morning edition giving chunks of the week's committees. Val Arnold-Forster, our radio critic, adds: It was a lucky day for broadcasters, according to David Holmes at the end of the transmission – audibly breathing a sigh of relief. It was too, it was a well or luckily chosen parliamentary day. At first, both Holmes and his opposite number, Ed Boyle of IRN, seemed to feel a trifle defensive about parliament. Well they might, for BBC listeners anyway missed not only some of Woman's Hour and a play, but since political events always seem to invade children's entertainment, they also missed Listen with Mother. Before the actual live broadcast started, both political editors showed us round like keen members of a parent-teachers association displaying their school: eager to tell us about the hallowed tradition, the problems that the whole institution had in a changing society, and the usefulness of the work done. The leader of the house, Edward Short, appeared on both channels in his headmasterly capacity to say that this was a particularly noisy House of Commons, but he hoped that the MPs would be on their best behaviour. A bit unruly, he thought, and not only the MPs either. There would have been more room, said Mr Short, in the tiny broadcaster's box if IRN and BBC had done the decent thing and agreed to a joint transmission. Nobody need have worried: from the moment question time started we were in capable hands. Both David Holmes and Ed Boyle chipped into the debate sotto voce, to identify and give party allegiances and explanations. Both tried valiantly to feed the listener with the details that make the House of Commons come alive. 'Mr Bidwell, chairman of the Tribune Group … Mr Denis Skinner, always a lively performer … Mr Benn is smiling to himself.' But they need not really have bothered: the proceedings were jolly enough. For those of us used to hearing politicians debating cautiously in front of untried audiences or answering laboured questions and phone-ins, it was an entertaining experience to hear such skilful parliamentary technicians as Harold Wilson and Tony Benn, parrying questions, riposting, joking, and scolding. The jokes were not always very good, but that's true of other radio comedians. Perhaps the laughter and applause sometimes seemed excessive but the barbed retorts were well placed and, as in other radio shows, what seemed like impromptu repartee must have been rehearsed, if only in the bath. 'I do not require lessons in political morality from an honourable member who regularly signs the oath of allegiance and snipes continually at the royal family,' snapped Tony Benn to Willie Hamilton. The uproar which worried Edward Short was cheerful mostly. The general cosiness, which came through strikingly as everyone complimented everyone else on performances in the referendum debate, seemed as easy to grasp as the Archers: we could become as familiar with William Whitelaw's idiosyncrasies as Walter Gabriel's. Final verdict: early days yet, but there could be a compulsive, long-running series here.
BBC News
7 days ago
- BBC News
Oldham: Historic Coliseum theatre reopening delayed until 2026
A historic theatre which is being refurbished after a long campaign to save it will not reopen in time for the 2025 panto season as planned, a council has Coliseum theatre is undergoing a £10m revamp and was due to throw open its doors again in Street actor Julie Hesmondhalgh was among those who joined the campaign to save the 135-year-old venue after the Arts Council withdrew funding in March Oldham Council has now said unexpected extra work could delay the reopening until well into 2026. However, Hesmondhalgh, a member of the Friends of the Coliseum group, said the group was "relieved and happy" with the postponement as it would give them more chance to prepare."Better to return with a beautiful, bold and glittering bang than do something half-baked in a building that isn't yet ready," she said. Arts Council England withdrew funding for the theatre on Fairbottom Street amid concerns over the theatre's after the campaign it U-turned on its plans to replace it with a brand new building and pledged a £10m spend to reopen the Tilbury Douglas started work on the theatre earlier this year. More work to remove asbestos from the walls and roof has led to the postponement, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Council leader Arooj Shah said: "It's disappointing not to be reopening for Panto 2025 as it's such a special part of Oldham's festive season, but unexpected bumps in the road often happen with a project of this scale."Rather than rush to open before the building is ready, our decision to extend the construction period gives us the time needed to get the details absolutely right." Martina Murphy, CEO of the the Coliseum production house, said she was "gutted" by the delay, but was confident the theatre would be "back with a bang" in Coliseum's production house will still be putting on shows around the area in the meantime. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
ITV News
7 days ago
- ITV News
Oldham Coliseum reopening delayed until next year after refurbishments hit 'bumps in the road'
The Oldham Coliseum Theatre will not be reopening in time for the 2025 pantomime season, the council has confirmed. The historic venue is currently undergoing a £10 million refurbishment, with the hopes of welcoming theatregoers back for its festive programme. However, unforeseen works have pushed the reopening date back, with the theatre on Fairbottom Street now expected to reopen in 2026. The 135-year-old theatre closed its doors in March 2023 following the loss of its Arts Council England funding, amid concerns about its management. The decision sparked a major public campaign to save the Coliseum, which ultimately led the council to scrap plans for a brand-new venue and instead commit to restoring the original building. Refurbishment works, led by contractors Tilbury Douglas, began earlier this year. But the discovery of significant asbestos within the walls and roof has led to delays, prompting the council to push back the reopening to ensure the building is safe and fully prepared. Council leader Arooj Shah said: 'It's disappointing not to be reopening the Fairbottom Street building for Panto 2025, especially as it's such a cherished part of Oldham's festive calendar. But with a project of this scale, unexpected issues can arise. "Rather than rush the process, we're taking the time to make sure everything is done properly. We owe it to the artists, staff and—most importantly—our audiences. "This is about creating a sustainable future for theatre in Oldham that will serve generations to come. I can't wait to open the doors in 2026.' Martina Murphy, CEO of the Oldham Coliseum Theatre production company, said she was 'gutted' by the delay but remained optimistic, promising the theatre would be 'back with a bang' once reopened. Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, a leading member of the Friends of Oldham Coliseum, also welcomed the decision to wait: 'The Friends are relieved that this year's panto has been put on hold. "Better to return with a beautiful, bold, and glittering bang than attempt something half-baked in a venue that isn't ready.' A council spokesperson confirmed that while the timeline has shifted, the refurbishment project remains within budget, and they are 'confident' the theatre will be fully operational by the 2026 panto season. In the meantime, the Coliseum's production team will continue delivering performances at other venues across the borough.
