Latest news with #GeoffHughes
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Butcher celebrates 50 years at market where he started work at 14
A butcher who has spent his whole working life at the market where he first got a job at 14 has been honoured for 50 years service to his local Hughes, from Chester, said he started working as a 'Saturday boy' in the city's market within the now closed Forum Shopping Centre in later set up Geoff Hughes Family Butchers in 1996, with his wife, Debbie, who he met whilst working in the old Hughes cut the ribbon to open the new market in November 2022 said: "I never dreamt I would be doing this for so long." His shop moved from the old market to the new as part of the switchover. Although one of his abiding memories of the former site is the day a remote controlled hospital bed complete with patient rolled into the market."Everyone fell about laughing I still don't know why it was there," he West and Chester councillor Nathan Pardoe congratulated him on "this incredible milestone" and said the butcher was "a respected member of the market community, cherished by his customers and other traders alike". His current regular customers include the husband of Chester MP Samantha Dixon."She is a very busy so it makes sense for him to come," he 'celebrity' customers include former St Helens rugby league player James Roby."We used to have this small lady coming to us very regularly and we found out her husband was James Roby [St Helens hooker] so we must have been doing something right," he said the job has changed since he first learned his craft, adding "it's often the names of the cuts that have changed". Mr Hughes said: "What we used to call skirt of beef and use for things like pasties - it is now called bavette steak and people fry it."They even cut it in the opposite way we were taught.""I have enjoyed every day as a market trader. It's been an honour to serve generations of families, and I'd like to thank my customers for their loyalty", he said."As the last butcher trading in the city centre I was delighted to be able to make the move to the new market." His stall is next to the market's two other produce traders, Chester Market Fishmongers and the Sheng Hai Oriental new market has welcomed more than six million customers in three years and has won multiple awards. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Decaying' cemetery chapel added to endangered list
A Victorian cemetery chapel built during a mortality crisis has been classed as "at risk" by a preservation charity. The building at Edgerton Cemetery in Huddersfield appears in the Victorian Society's list of the top 10 most endangered buildings in the country. Dating back to 1855, the Grade II-listed chapel's condition has deteriorated in recent years. Tom Ollivier of the Victorian Society, said: "Without preservation we risk losing part of our history." The town's public cemetery was laid out during a period when burials in urban areas were increasing. It was designed by James Pritchett, the architect behind Huddersfield Station. He included two chapels, one Anglican and one Non-conformist, which adjoined each other. The chapel has suffered repeated arson attacks. "The roof has caved in, it really is in a sorry state," Mr Ollivier continued. "If we can see that this building is either restored or preserved then it is a phenomenal feature of the landscape." The Victorian Society advocates for the protection of Victorian and Edwardian heritage, and hopes the addition of the chapel to the list will raise awareness of its plight. Geoff Hughes, a member of the West Yorkshire branch of the society, said the chapel "tells the story" of Huddersfield. "It is our history and how people have grown and how things have changed to become what they are today. "It has basically gone to rack and ruin over the last 20 years." Mr Hughes added that his vision for the Kirklees Council-owned site would be for it to become a park. "These were designed as cemeteries that, when full, would be turned into parks," he said. Chris Marsden, an architectural historian who lives in Huddersfield, said he would like to see more done to save the "magnificent building". "I think it would be a heritage crime to let it fall down or get demolished." He added that heritage sites like Edgerton Chapel gave people an insight into the past and act as a "history of the town in one acre". Both chapels narrowly escaped demolition in 1985 and were derelict and fenced-off by 2008, when ideas for new uses were explored. The Victorian Society's list of endangered sites is based on public nominations from across England and Wales. The buildings selected represent industrial, religious, domestic, and civic architecture from across the nation with unique historical and community significance and value. Mr Ollivier added that without the list, the country was at risk of "losing part of our history, part of our identity, we are losing something that makes that specific part of the world special". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. New promotion push for city's former textile hub Restored Victorian bear pit officially reopens Plans to revamp 140-year-old uni building approved Victorian Society
BBC News
22-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Huddersfield chapel added to endangered buildings list
A Victorian cemetery chapel built during a mortality crisis has been classed as "at risk" by a preservation building at Edgerton Cemetery in Huddersfield appears in the Victorian Society's list of the top 10 most endangered buildings in the back to 1855, the Grade II-listed chapel's condition has deteriorated in recent Ollivier of the Victorian Society, said: "Without preservation we risk losing part of our history." The town's public cemetery was laid out during a period when burials in urban areas were was designed by James Pritchett, the architect behind Huddersfield included two chapels, one Anglican and one Non-conformist, which adjoined each other. The chapel has suffered repeated arson attacks."The roof has caved in, it really is in a sorry state," Mr Ollivier continued."If we can see that this building is either restored or preserved then it is a phenomenal feature of the landscape."The Victorian Society advocates for the protection of Victorian and Edwardian heritage, and hopes the addition of the chapel to the list will raise awareness of its plight. Geoff Hughes, a member of the West Yorkshire branch of the society, said the chapel "tells the story" of Huddersfield."It is our history and how people have grown and how things have changed to become what they are today."It has basically gone to rack and ruin over the last 20 years."Mr Hughes added that his vision for the Kirklees Council-owned site would be for it to become a park."These were designed as cemeteries that, when full, would be turned into parks," he Marsden, an architectural historian who lives in Huddersfield, said he would like to see more done to save the "magnificent building"."I think it would be a heritage crime to let it fall down or get demolished."He added that heritage sites like Edgerton Chapel gave people an insight into the past and act as a "history of the town in one acre".Both chapels narrowly escaped demolition in 1985 and were derelict and fenced-off by 2008, when ideas for new uses were explored. The Victorian Society's list of endangered sites is based on public nominations from across England and buildings selected represent industrial, religious, domestic, and civic architecture from across the nation with unique historical and community significance and Ollivier added that without the list, the country was at risk of "losing part of our history, part of our identity, we are losing something that makes that specific part of the world special". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
