Latest news with #ChrisFord
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sweet P's closing downtown Knoxville location
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — After 10 years in business, an iconic Knoxville barbeque restaurant is set to close. Sweet P's Downtown Dive location is set to permanently close after service on Father's Day, June 15, 2025. While the barbeque restaurant at 410 W. Jackson Avenue will be closing, Sweet P's Uptown Corner in Fountain City will continue to operate, along with the catering kitchen at that location. Babalu on Gay Street closing for the second time A release from Sweet P's shared that business at Sweet P's Uptown Corner has increased in recent years, but business at the Downtown Dive has fallen. Additionally, owner Chris Ford pointed out that there has been an increase in competition in the downtown restaurant business. 'We are so grateful to our many customers who have supported us over the past 10 years,' Ford said. 'And I personally am proud of our hard-working and dedicated staff.' Ford also shared that he is reaching out to fellow restaurateurs to seek out opportunities for employees at the Downtown Dive. Inspector finds off temperatures, no sanitizer at Chinese restaurant in Morristown Sweet P's was initially founded as a catering operation in 2005. Ford, a former musician and leader of rock bands Gran Torino and Tennessee Power & Light, started Sweet P's when he left the music business. The first Sweet P's restaurant opened in 2009, as Sweet P's Barbeque and Soul House in South Knoxville. The location closed down in 2021, the same year Sweet P's Uptown Corner opened on the corner of Tazewell Pike and Jacksboro Pike. Sweet P's is the second restaurant in downtown Knoxville to announce it would be closing its doors in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, Babalu announced that it would be closing for the second time after nearly a decade on Gay Street. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Walsall grandmother spreads skin cancer awareness
"It's always nice to have a tan but it's just not worth the risk."Chris Ford, 78, from Aldridge, was diagnosed with skin cancer two years ago after noticing a new skin lesion by her eye was referred to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital and had a procedure under local anaesthetic to remove the cancerous the grandmother is committed to raising awareness of the importance of people looking after their skin. "I've always loved the sunshine, and I used to go on the sunbeds quite a lot when I was younger," she said."I'd always reach for a tanning oil over a high factor SPF and it's something I really regret now."Ms Ford was previously treated for a basal-cell carcinoma on her nose in 2014, which she was told was likely to have come from over-exposure to UV had surgery to remove the cancerous cells, and a skin graft was taken from her neck."It's awful knowing this could've been prevented if I'd have just looked after my skin properly in my younger years," she said she now "religiously" applied sun cream with a high SPF and took precautions to protect herself in warm weather."All my health scares have really changed my outlook on life, as I'm aware I could've easily had these experiences taken from me," she added."I now live for spending time with my two-year-old granddaughter Harper who's bought a new lease of life to me. "I also volunteer at Walsall Manor Hospital twice a week, fundraise for Guide Dogs UK and enjoy my fair share of holidays and day trips – but I can only do these things because I have health on my side." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gen Z expat's brutally honest savings revelation after moving to Australia: 'I'm being honest'
A German expat living in Sydney has candidly revealed just how little she has in savings. Australia is in the grips of a cost-of-living crisis, making it harder for many people to save any money right now. The 24-year-old was stopped in the street by Coposit, an app that helps people buy their first homes. The app has gone viral on social media for asking people if they'll share how much they have in their savings. The woman said she was originally from Berlin Germany and was brutally honest with her response, revealing she had no savings. RELATED Dad with no savings reveals surprising money message for struggling Aussies: 'Living pay to pay' Common $358 a day expense the ATO lets you claim on tax without receipts Aussies given fresh $100 energy bill rebate in $50 million cost-of-living promise 'I'm 24 and I've got 37 cents in my savings. I'm being honest,' she admitted. When asked what she was spending the most money on at the moment, she said it was the cost of rent in the pricey city. 'Rent is very expensive. I also like going out here,' she said. 'I think the nightlife here is very expensive as well and just the cost of living, to be honest.' House and unit rents are at record highs across the capital cities, with Sydney leading the charge. Domain's latest rental report found house asking rents are currently $775, while unit rents are sitting at $725 as a median. According to Numbeo, the cost of living in Berlin is actually 7.4 per cent lower than Sydney. Rent prices are also 35.7 per cent lower than Sydney, while grocery prices are 20.3 per cent lower. One thing that is more expensive in Berlin is restaurant prices, which are 8.4 per cent higher than in Sydney. The expat said she would 'love to' save up in the future and was hoping to buy a car as well as go home to Germany for a visit. 'It's always good to be prepared for anything,' she said. The high cost of living and lagging wages are making it harder for many Aussies to save money right now. A Compare the Market survey in February found that one in five Aussies had less than $100 in savings. Four in five Aussies said the cost of living had impacted their ability to save money over the last 12 months, with high grocery prices, housing, insurance premiums and household bills pushing savings down. 'It's quite a shock to see that so many Australians aren't able to save or have so little in their savings account, but this is unfortunately a sign of the times,' Compare the Market's Chris Ford said. 'Inflation may be returning to the RBA's target range, but the reality is it's going to take some time before our savings accounts catch up. 'Prices don't necessarily go backwards when inflation slows down, and boosting your savings can feel like an uphill battle – particularly if you're living paycheque to paycheque.' Westpac's latest data found that customers aged between 18 and 24 had a median of $2,200 in their savings accounts and a mean of $13,069. Financial advisers typically recommend people aim to have three months worth of living expenses as emergency savings.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More than £7million in funding approved to give 'seismic boost' to Penrith
MORE than £7million of government funding has been approved for two major projects in Penrith, including the 'reimagination' of the listed town hall. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has approved a £7.09m grant for the so-called 'Inspiring Eden' project which encompasses two major initiatives: an 'enterprise hub' at 2-3 Market Square and a 'creative and community hub' based in Penrith Town Hall. Councillor Jonathan Brook, Westmorland and Furness Council leader and cabinet member for economy, said: 'Enterprise, entrepreneurship, community and creativity will combine in Inspiring Eden, to bring wide-ranging and long-lasting benefits to Penrith, Eden and beyond. "The journey towards getting to this point has been a long one, and the vision has evolved along that journey. "The addition of the creative and community hub along with the enterprise hub is tremendously exciting. "These two projects will help transform heritage and historic spaces, create jobs, spark opportunities, nurture ideas, and support cultural economic life to thrive for generations to come." Subject to Westmorland and Furness Council signing a memorandum of understanding to seal the grant, detailed planning is set to start on the enterprise hub soon, with the first business set to be up and running in the hub by April 2027, according to the authority. The development of the hub started with a research collaboration between Eden District Council, Cumbria LEP, Penrith Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Lancaster University and University of Cumbria in 2019. That work, led by 'business ecosystems' expert and a senior lecturer at Lancaster, Dr Chris Ford, made the case for a business and innovation hub in the heart of town. Dr Ford said: "The town centre really needed a place with office space, meeting space, but also a business support and innovation service that fits our town and our needs. It has to be a powerful, visible presence that makes a bold statement about what is possible right here in Penrith." Initial plans for the hub were focused on a site at junction 41 of the M6. A funding bid for that site, initially rejected by the government, was then approved in November 2023. The site was sold to a developer and is now being marketed as commercial development site 'Penrith 41'. Former Barclays Bank building in Market Square, Penrith (Image: Google StreetView) In April 2024, Westmorland and Furness Council said it became aware that Barclays Bank were vacating 2-3 Market Square. In January 2025 the council presented a plan for 2-3 Market Square to MHCLG as the 'perfect opportunity' for a 'pivot' towards a major town centre project instead. The enterprise hub plans - which the council says will act as a 'catalyst for renewal' of Penrith town centre - have been praised by Penrith-based innovation company FIS360 Ltd as well as Professor Malcolm Joyce, pro-vice chancellor for research and enterprise at Lancaster University. Funding necessary for the Enterprise Hub has been calculated as £4.09million, leaving a balance of funding. Government requested the council find another project to use the residual funding of £3million and this led to the town hall being put forward as an additional project – the Inspiring Eden creative and community hub at Penrith Town Hall. Penrith's Grade-II listed town hall building, on Corney Square, had been used by the council since 1906 when it was created from two neoclassical houses on the site. But in 2024, the council moved its operations to the new Voreda House - the controversial brainchild of the former Eden District Council authority which had come in at more than three times its original budget. At that time, the authority said that options for the town hall were 'being considered'. The new plans for the 'creative and community hub' within the building will 'reimagine the town hall and celebrate the town's heritage, powered by the community to ignite imagination for generations to come', Westmorland and Furness Council said. Penrith Town Hall Residents, creatives, community groups and young people will be invited to help identify options for future use, and plans for uses are 'to be agreed by the end of the year'. The council's ambition is for the building to become a 'thriving incubator for local talent' – acting as a launchpad for creatives and providing a collaborative environment for artists, creatives and entrepreneurs, whilst remaining a civic resource for residents. "Penrith Town Hall is an important landmark and resource we are committed to securing a future supporting the town," said Councillor Virginia Taylor, the council's cabinet member for planning, culture and community wellbeing. "One of our ambitions is to ensure that the council uses its assets in the most appropriate and beneficial way." Westmorland and Furness Council has hailed the plans as potentially providing a 'seismic boost' to Penrith's cultural, community and business sectors. "The enterprise hub and the creative and community hub will boost the town in different ways but also support each other and contribute towards the council's vision of making Westmorland and Furness a great place to live, work and thrive," Cllr Taylor added.
9 News
12-05-2025
- Business
- 9 News
One state leading savings charge as Aussies abandon name brands
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Australia's most frugal state has been revealed, with Compare the Market crunching the numbers to find where shoppers have been turning away from brand-name products. Victoria tops the list, with 53 per cent of shoppers switching to generic brands to save money in the past 12 months. That's ahead of Queensland and Western Australia (48 per cent each), New South Wales (47 per cent) and South Australia (46 per cent). The average Aussie now spends $213.64 on groceries every week, equal to an 11.5 per cent increase, or an extra $21.98 weekly, compared to the $191.66 they were paying in January 2024. (Nine) The national average is 49 per cent. And the switch could be working for them, with Compare the Market finding shoppers could save up to 41 per cent by switching to generic brands. "Families have been doing it tough for long enough and with high prices in almost every aisle at the supermarket, it's hardly surprising to see so many Australians opting for generic brands over big names," Compare the Market's Chris Ford said. "Time and time again we see people being stung with high prices because they stay loyal to certain brands and our latest research shows the tide may be turning." The average Aussie now spends $213.64 on groceries every week, equal to an 11.5 per cent increase, or an extra $21.98 weekly, compared to the $191.66 they were paying in January 2024. Over a year, that's an additional $1142.96 on groceries alone. Compare the Market's data found that Australians were saying no in droves to brand-name milk (65 per cent), cleaning products (58 per cent), bread (57 per cent), frozen veggies (52 per cent) and toilet paper (50 per cent). "These are the common grocery items we simply can't live without, so it makes sense to see so many Australians trying to save money where they can here," Ford said. "And the savings can be significant. We crunched the numbers at major supermarkets and found a 50 per cent reduction when opting for a cheaper brand multipurpose cleaner, a 38 per cent saving by switching to home brand bread, and even a 27 per cent price difference between brand-name and generic brand milk." Meanwhile, around one in five Australians (18 per cent) were switching to generic brand confectionary, a quarter (23 per cent) had moved to home brand biscuits and snacks and around a third (31 per cent) made the switch to cheaper brands of toothpaste, soap and shampoo in the last 12 months. Compare the Market research found that when shopping for 13 common grocery items, ranging from toilet paper, pasta sauce, and teabags to poultry, frozen veggies, and confectionary, shoppers stood to save as much as 41 per cent, or $32.80, by switching from brand names to generic brands. The trolley total for brand-name items was $79.15 compared to just $46.35 for the generic brand alternatives. "In some instances, like Earl Grey teabags, there's a 63 per cent difference between brand names and generic brands, which is significant," Ford said. "In fact, we found major savings in every aisle by switching to generic brands." Cost of Living Shopping hip pocket Australia national CONTACT US Property News: The Perth suburbs where residents rarely leave.
