Latest news with #Halls
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
The most notorious building in Glasgow: a way forward
The actual owner, Derek Souter, got in touch with me the other day to put his side of the story. For 27 years, he says, his companies, USP and USI, have liaised with countless council officers and heritage officials to try to find a future for the building. He also says he remains committed to engaging constructively with the council to ensure the Halls are preserved and returned to long-term commercial sustainability – at minimal cost to the public purse, he insists, while ensuring a fair return for him and his companies. As for the council, it says the owners don't appear to be developing any viable scheme. Amidst all the details Mr Souter sent to me, it's hard to tell what the current position actually is, but I did ask him at one point if he'd show me round the place and he did and it was fascinating. You'll know already that the building is covered with scaffolding, obscuring all the Greek Thomson details it's famous for, which means you have to enter through the back of the vape shop on the ground floor. Once we were inside, we headed up the stairs where there were signs, dusty and faded, of all the previous lives the building has had: restaurant, bar, first-aid centre, inland revenue training school, even a cinema. It's hard to watch: buildings fading like this. Its exact condition is also hard to tell. Mr Souter showed me all over the place – we even went out on to roof where there are brilliant views of Buchanan Street and Central Station – and to my layman's eye, it looked dry and watertight and in pretty good nick. But it's been on the Buildings at Risk register since 1990 and the council says its condition has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Without some kind of intervention, they say, there's a serious risk of a significant failure in the fabric. On a busy street like Union Street, that is not good news; in fact, it's potentially dangerous news. Read more 'Key milestone' in efforts to return Egyptian Halls to full life | The Herald Glasgow's rubbish-bin millions: where has the money gone? 'Get it up ye Sturgeon!' The new front in the trans war So some kind of forcing of the process is welcome, and Mr Souter will be entitled to put forward his development plans along with everyone else. The idea he's talked about in the past is what he calls the Mackintosh-Thomson Mews, which would open up a thoroughfare from Central Station to Buchanan Street via the Egyptian Halls, the Lighthouse and Mitchell Lane. Mr Souter told me that some 13 years ago there was also a real opportunity to turn the Halls into a hotel but the funding fell through, funding being the key word here. The bottom line in this is money and who's going to come up with it. What seems clear – and everyone would appear to agree on this point – is that both private and public money will need to be involved. It's hard to see what kind of purpose or use would justify funding it entirely with public money (if you can think of one, let me know). As for private money, the sums simply would not add up for any kind of developer faced with a heritage building like the Egyptian Halls, the state it's in, and the kind of restrictions that would be put on developing it, for perfectly good reasons. So public and private money it is. Assuming this as the baseline, the list of potential futures for the Egyptian Halls isn't a long one. Retail is certainly out, apart from the bottom floor, the problem being that it would be hard to attract retailers to Union Street given the state it's in, and given the state the high street is in generally. This is the first place that a lot of visitors to Glasgow see when they emerge from Central Station and yet it's one of the worst streets in the city, thanks in part of course to the state of the Egyptian Halls. Anyway, it means that no retailer with money to invest (and they're rare now) would be interested in opening up on Union Street and spending the money it would need to get the Halls into decent shape. Inside the Halls (Image: Newsquest) The office option is also a non-starter. There was a time when the council thought big office complexes was the way forward for the city, and it earned them decent money for a bit. But then the pandemic hit and people started working from home and other people started 'working from home' and the city was basically filleted of its office population; they're all at home now in their slippers scrolling. Which means that even some limited office accommodation in a refurbished Egyptian Halls would probably be too much. Which leaves only one realistic option, the only way forward: residential, but even that is going to require some significant policy changes. The truth is there's a lot of new accommodation going up in the centre of Glasgow but it's all student flats because that's the only model that works at the moment. I spoke to Stuart Patrick, the chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, about this and his take was that you won't see better quality mixed residential development until the Scottish Government changes its policy on rent controls, which Mr Patrick believes could release hundreds of millions of pounds. The sums have to add up for developers basically, and that would include any potential developer of the Egyptian Halls. The council would also have to do their bit (i.e. put up some money) to support any residential development, on the basis that the Egyptian Halls is in a prestigious location (or what should be a prestigious location) and needs to look good so let's see which potential developers come forward and what ideas they have. In the meantime, all we can do is skulk under the scaffolding, look up in disappointment, or frustration, and try to imagine what this fine old building might look like one day. The brochure describes it as masterpiece of Victorian architecture. And it is. But look at it. Just look at it.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Luckiest owners ever' switch horses including ‘unbelievable' chaser from Paul Nicholls to Nicky Henderson
HEND GAME It's a notable shift ahead of the new season AN 'unbelievable' horse and serial Cheltenham winner has made a shock stable switch from Paul Nicholls to Nicky Henderson. Ginny's Destiny, owned by Gordan and Su Hall, was second in the 2024 Turners Novices' Chase won by Grey Dawning. 3 3 3 Prior to that he had won three times in a row at the home of jumps, rocketing up the ratings from 133 to 155. With more than £150,000 in career earnings, the nine-year-old has more than paid his way for his popular owners. But the Halls have decided now is the time to move on and have sent him to Henderson instead. The horse's updated page on the BHA showed he moved to the Seven Barrows handler earlier this week. Ginny's Destiny had been with 14-time champion trainer Nicholls since July 2023, having previously been with Tom Lacey for just shy of three years before that. Promising bumper winner Act Of Innocence is another of the Hall horses on his way to Henderson. The five-year-old gelding looks like he could be set for a season novice hurdling after winning at Taunton when last seen in March. Don't Tell Su, a 118-rated hurdler and novice chaser has also gone to Henderson. While £100,000 Old Park Star, who Nicholls bought alongside Tom Malone in June 2023, will now be trained by Henderson too. Gordon, who runs a construction company, and Su have been labelled the 'luckiest owners in racing'. Their first horse together was Truckers Lodge, an eight-time winner who finished second in the 2019 Grand National and won the 2023 London National under Nicholls' expert care. Owners Neil and Alfie Smith have moved Scottish Champion Hurdle runner-up Kabral Du Mathan to Dan Skelton from Nicholls. While the Ditcheat boss has been busy stocking up his squad with some eyecatching purchases, including the hugely promising £260,000 Gold Cast. Henderson is starting to welcome some of his horses back from their summer break. He recently posted a photo of Constitution Hill alongside Sir Gino. Both stars will be on recovery missions in the new season. Constitution Hill looked nothing like the breathtaking Champion Hurdle winner when falling twice last season. While Sir Gino was forced to miss Cheltenham after one of his legs suffered a nasty infection. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
ABC News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
What to watch in July, from 1880s homestead reality series Back to the Frontier to Washington Black
What happens when you take a bunch of technology-dependent teenagers and force them to swap their 21st-century lives for an 1880s homestead? This is the premise of new reality series Back to the Frontier, which sees three families stripped of their creature comforts and hauled off to spend a summer in the wilderness. Each hopes that trying something this big will change the way they not only relate to each other, but to the world around them. Also new this month, we have a whirlwind adaptation of Canadian author Esi Edugyan's Booker-nominated novel Washington Black, as well as a reality show that looks at what it takes to write a number one song. But that's not all — there's also a fresh nature documentary led by the ABC's resident nature journalist, Ann Jones, and a powerful queer Pasifika story set in Western Sydney. Reality series Back to the Frontier opens as the extremely particular Hanna-Riggs, the incredibly emotional Halls, and the frankly very capable Loper families are dropped at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of western North America with little more than the clothes on their backs and three scarcely habitable cabins to call home. They have one objective: to prove they can work the land. Just like the real-life 1880s homesteaders, they will be judged on their ability to build a secure, comfortable home, farm the land and fill their pantries with enough meat, vegetables, baked goods and dairy to survive an entire winter. Don't go into this show expecting things to get that tough: the fact this series focuses on families should be enough to tell you HBO was never going to let these people struggle like the contestants on hit survival competition Alone. But, unlike the competitors on Alone, these people have little to no skills. And while they presumably went into this fully aware they wouldn't have makeup or any technology whatsoever, let alone electricity or running water, they can't handle it. There is a lot of crying — and not just from the kids. This is a show that wants you to lean into peak voyeurism. But it also provides a surprising amount of information about the original homesteaders, with experts including historians and modern homesteaders dropping in along the way. The result is a series that's quietly heartfelt, and which features some wholesome conversations around confidence and the importance of community. Not everyone is into it, though — some conservative Christians in the US are furious a gay couple was cast. Make of that what you will. For fans of: Colonial House, Alone When 11-year-old George Washington "Wash" Black (Eddie Karanja) escapes the 19th century Barbados sugar cane plantation where he was born at the beginning of this series, it feels like an against-all-odds miracle, never to be repeated. But then he hitches a ride away from the Caribbean in a bizarre flying machine with his white saviour/scientific mentor Titch (Tom Ellis) and takes up with a band of pirates. The adult version of Wash (played by Ernest Kingsley Jr) goes on to find not only freedom, but love, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Executive produced by Sterling K Brown (who also stars in the series as Wash's friend, Medwin) Washington Black isn't your typical narrative about the horrors of slavery. Told from the perspective of a sensitive and brilliant young boy, this eight-part series is a story about daring to dream, despite the circumstances. You'll frequently have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this odyssey; adapting a fantastical story like this for the screen is immensely difficult. But this series has just as much to say on white guilt, romance across class lines, and the notion of freedom as the book that inspired it. For fans of: Kindred, Belle Netflix's latest unscripted series is for everyone who's ever looked at the songwriting credits of a hit song like Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso and wondered how it took so many people to come up with the lyrics "Say you can't sleep, baby, I know / That's that me espresso". Hitmakers offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a number one song. The show follows 12 hit writers and producers from the US as they compete against each other for the privilege of writing new tracks for John Legend, Shaboozey and Lisa of Blackpink/The White Lotus season three. Over six episodes, the creatives behind the likes of BTS' Butter, Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next and Beyoncé's Cuff It attend three different songwriting camps, where they have just six hours to come up with a hit. Hitmakers isn't sure whether it wants to be a documentary or a reality show. It has the tension and pacing of a reality show and goes out of its way to confect drama, and yet it treats the craft of songwriting as a docuseries would. The famous musicians almost feel like an afterthought, dropping in at odd moments. Who knows if there will be a Hitmakers season two? The idea that this may never be repeated somehow makes the first season more compelling. For fans of: Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, Formula 1: Drive to Survive When Moni (Chris Alosio) returns to Western Sydney for his baby sister's wedding after 10 years in London, he doesn't expect to see his dead mother Tina (Tina Leaitua) there. She has no idea she's dead and he has no idea how she's returned — or why he's the only one who can see her. Then Moni is reminded of the Samoan proverb, "Teu le Va", which roughly translates to, "tend to your sacred spaces". To achieve this, one must live a life of truth. Moni reluctantly comes to the realisation his mother's apparition has to do with their avoidance of two very different things. If she has any hope of passing on, they must both accept their truths. For Moni, this means embracing his sexuality and learning how to be part of his Samoan community as his full self. For Tina, it's about admitting her failures as a parent. This genre-bending, queer, Pasifika-led series packs a lot into its six 10-minute episodes — from explorations of the varying lived experiences of queer Samoan-Australians, to the importance of remembering the cultural lessons of one's parents. Moni could have used a hell of a lot more funding (it's part of the SBS Digital Originals initiative, which supports new Australian stories), but the messages at the heart of this layered and intimate series will stay with you, regardless. For fans of: White Fever, Swift Street Nature journalist Ann Jones joins scientists trying to gain a deeper understanding of some of the world's most reclusive — and dangerous — animals in this moreish six-part docuseries. Starting with bull sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, each episode offers an intimate look at one animal. The deadly sea snakes of the Pilbara in WA are next, followed by the orangutans of Borneo, three different species of turtle in the Dampier Archipelago region of WA, and the dugongs of Queensland's Moreton Bay region. Last up: the elusive pangolins, again of Borneo. As the ABC's beloved "nature nerd", Ann brings a contagious blend of enthusiasm and curiosity to this immersive series. In less than 30 minutes, she'll have you reconsidering your understanding of each of these creatures. Bull sharks, for example, are more than just opportunistic killers. And did you know there's a breed of sea snake that hatches its eggs internally? For fans of: The Kimberley, Australia's Wild Odyssey
Time Out
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time Out
East London is getting a massive new M&S this week
Back in April Marks and Spencer announced that it would be pumping a whopping £90 million into its London stores – and that the capital would soon receive six new M&S Food Halls. This week one of those supermarkets will officially open its doors in a prime east London location. Marks and Sparks' new Food Hall will open on Leytonstone High Road this Thursday, July 17 at 9am. The store, which is spread over 12,000 feet and takes over the site of an old Matalan, will boast a bakery, coffee station and flower and wine shops – as well as, of course, M&S' usual food offerings. A total of 55 new jobs have been created for the store, including 14 from M&S's Marks and Starts youth training scheme. The scheme is run with The King's Trust and helps 16 to 30 year-olds gain retail experience. Commenting on the new opening, Councillor Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Waltham Forest Council, said: 'Supporting our young residents into employment is a priority for us at the council, and I am delighted that Waltham Forest residents have secured new jobs through the Marks and Start programme. Our employment teams have worked closely with M&S in the past, so it's great that we have been able to work together again to help even more young people gain employability skills. 'This has been made possible by our regenerative work in the borough, looking at new opportunities for our town centres, attracting reputable retailers like M&S to expand locally.' Marks and Spencer Food Hall, 829-837 High Road, E11 1HH.
Hamilton Spectator
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Hometown Champion: A passion for pickleball leaves a lasting legacy
When Dave Hall returned to his hometown of St. Thomas in 2012, he couldn't find anywhere to play his favourite racket sport. Sure, there were tennis courts scattered across the Railway City, and a few squash courts at local health clubs, but nothing for pickleball, despite its nascent popularity. At that time in St. Thomas, there was nowhere to play and nobody with whom to play. 'When we first came down here (from Manitoulin Island) in October of 2012, we had been playing pickleball for many years,' wife Helen Hall said. 'And then when we moved down, we thought, 'Well, we'll start to see how many people know about pickleball in St. Thomas.' 'Well, nobody knew anything about it.' That would soon change. The couple put ads in the newspaper seeking other players while booking time slots at the then-Timken Centre so they could teach others to play. 'By the end of 2013 (in) about October, we had 41 people that we had taught to play, and we decided to form the (St. Thomas Pickleball Club),' Helen said. Twelve years later, and two years after Dave's death at the age of 76, that same club is working to honour his enduring legacy. City council is considering a club proposal to rename the eight pickleball courts in Pinafore Park in the city's southwest the Dave Hall pickleball courts. 'He introduced the sport. He gave lessons to people. He arranged for us to have places to play on a regular basis. . . . He was the driving force behind having (the Pinafore Park pickleball courts) built here and bringing the love of pickleball to St. Thomas,' St. Thomas Pickleball Club secretary Catherine Upfold said. Combining elements of other racket sports, such as tennis, ping pong and badminton, pickleball boasts fewer – and more straightforward rules – than many of its counterparts, making it easier to learn. Played with a perforated plastic ball on a badminton-sized court with a dividing net in singles and doubles matches, the sport also requires less specialized equipment, making it widely accessible to new players. Dave served as president of the club he co-founded for nearly a decade, lobbying city officials for court time while organizing multiple pickleball events. 'Before the new courts were built, we used to go to the old tennis courts. The city gave him permission to do that, to chalk the lines on and bring portable nets,' said Upfold, noting Dave was 'a very dedicated man.' That dedication also resulted in the 2017 installation of those eight Pinafore Park courts, where Dave, Helen and other club members taught 'hundreds of people to play.' Upfold estimates Dave, who also served on Pickleball Ontario's board of directors, may have taught nearly a thousand people to play the sport he loved. The Halls also were interested in bringing pickleball to a wider demographic by encouraging local high school students to take part in their annual pickleball tournament for the Dave and Helen Hall Cup. The couple integrated their passion for the sport with philanthropy by using pickleball tournaments to collect donations for the local food bank. 'We always think we should put back into the community, because this city has been so good to us,' Helen said. Dave was born in St. Thomas in November 1946. A graduate of Guelph University, he worked as a high school teacher, spending most of his career in nearby Woodstock. After his retirement, the Halls moved to Manitoulin Island — the largest lake island in the world — where they operated a bed and breakfast for nearly a decade. Not surprisingly, they also helped found a pickleball club on the Lake Huron island in 2009 which is still thriving. The Halls had embraced the sport while spending that previous winter in The Villages, Fla., a community that offered more than 100 dedicated pickleball courts. While St. Thomas council is still considering renaming the Pinafore Park courts in Dave's honour, Mayor Joe Preston said the proposal reflects the inspiration that comes from honouring a hometown champion by putting their name 'on a building or park or something like that.' The mayor lauded Hall's role in building the sport – one Preston described as a 'recent phenomenon' – in St. Thomas. 'Mr. Hall was certainly well in line when someone said, 'Why don't we name the pickleball courts after him as a recognition of his contribution for pickleball in our community?'' Preston said. 'We actually constructed pickleball courts before many communities and have a plethora of them now, and the demand is there for maybe more. We also ... have more people starting that sport at all ages,' Preston added. The mayor also voiced support for naming more locations in St. Thomas after people who have contributed to the well-being of the community. While citing a few more recognizable names – like NHL hall-of-famer Joe Thornton, whose name now graces the recreation centre, and Hollywood star Rachel McAdams – Preston emphasized the importance of also honouring local community builders. 'We continue to want to recognize St. Thomas's favourite sons and daughters, but we also want to recognize those who may not be known outside of our community, too,' the mayor said. As part of the city's parks and recreation naming policy, a 30-day consultation period is required before a final decision can be made on renaming the pickleball courts in Hall's honour. City residents are urged to review the proposal and share their thoughts online by the July 31 deadline. Regardless of council's final decision, Upfold said Hall's influence on the sport's popularity and his contributions to St. Thomas are 'undeniable.' 'It's very incredible what he has done,' Upfold said. 'He did a lot for the club. He did a lot for the community.' bwilliams@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
