Latest news with #MaxWilkinson
BBC News
03-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cheltenham Promenade resurfacing plans paused after objections
Plans to resurface a historic high street have been paused after thousands of people objected to decision to pause the project to tarmac the Promenade in Cheltenham has been hailed as a victory by the town's civic County Council chiefs had planned to take up the York flagstones and lay a strip of asphalt instead, similar to what has happened at The Strand part of High StreetThe regional authority has said the civic society will be involved in any future decision making. The historic high street was first laid in 1818 during the Regency period and became a tree lined drive for has evolved into an important shopping street in the town and is used for activities like the Christmas market. In September 2024, Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson described the temporary repairs to the Promenade as 'tarmac cowpats'. He said the county council and utility companies had used cheaper material rather than replacing the original flagstones after carrying out work. In March the county council announced it was planning to take up the flagstones and lay asphalt instead, as early as a petition signed by more than 2,000 people and a campaign by Cheltenham's Civic Society has led to the plans to be paused. Cheltenham Civic Society said it has "won the battle" but the war to save the spa town's iconic Promenade may not yet be over, said the Local Democracy Reporting chairman Andrew Booton said: "We are concerned that the solution to be arrived at will fully respect the town's heritage, its beauty and the integrity of the Central Conservation Area."Shire Hall is now looking at other options which would allow vehicle access without breaking the stones. County council leader Stephen Davies said: "If we can find an alternative we will consider that, although installation may need to be phased if it is expensive."If we can't find an alternative we have agreed to meet again. I believe this is a common sense approach."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liberal Democrats launch campaign to keep Six Nations on free-to-air television
The Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign to save the free-to-air future of the Six Nations amid uncertainty over the competition's terrestrial future. The BBC and ITV are in the final year of their joint deal to show the tournament in the United Kingdom, with the tender process set to open in the next couple of months. TNT Sports confirmed this week that they were exploring the possibility of a bid, with speculation suggesting that the BBC may already be out of the running. While discussions are understood to still be at a preliminary phase, neither the men's or women's tournaments are currently protected by 'Category A' status that would safeguard live coverage on terrestrial television. And the Liberal Democrats in Parliament have tabled a motion calling for both the men's and women's competitions to be added to the so-called 'crown jewels' list. 'This is the Six Nations' 25th anniversary year - a key part of our national cultural calendar,' Max Wilkinson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport, said. 'Every year, every fan looks forward to the magic of each Home Nation competing for glory as winter turns to spring. I'm personally deeply concerned by the news that the tournament could be behind a paywall as soon as next year - and I'm sure many rugby fans up and down the country feel the same. 'It would be a travesty if the public were deprived of the right to see their countries compete. That's why it's essential that the Government acts now to protect free-to-air coverage and save our Six Nations.' The World Cup final is the sole rugby union event currently afforded Category A status, which also covers events including Wimbledon, the Grand National and the Olympic Games. These must therefore be offered to free-to-air broadcasters on 'fair and reasonable terms'. Under the current deal for the men's Six Nations, the BBC holds the rights to all Wales and Scotland home matches, with ITV showing fixtures in England, Ireland, France and Italy. TNT Sports took over the rights to November's Autumn Nations Series from Amazon Prime Video last year, and reported encouraging viewing figures. 'We are definitely having a look at the Six Nations," Scott Young, group senior vice-president for WBD Sports Europe, confirmed while announcing the merging of Eurosport with TNT in the UK and Ireland. "How that plays out, we don't know. Again, how it fits into the ecosystem of what we're doing, we don't know. But international rugby definitely worked on our platform, but not just for the month of November, it also helped elevate Premiership Rugby, which is also very important for us. And that's part of the ecosystem of being a sports broadcaster." A spokesperson for TNT cautioned this week, though, that broadcasting the Six Nations would prove 'challenging'. The spokesperson said: 'While we think the Six Nations is the best international rugby competition in the world, its important partnership with free-to-air television across the UK and Ireland, but particularly in markets like Wales and Ireland, would make our involvement very challenging.'
The Independent
31-01-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Liberal Democrats launch campaign to keep Six Nations on free-to-air television
The Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign to save the free-to-air future of the Six Nations amid uncertainty over the competition's terrestrial future. The BBC and ITV are in the final year of their joint deal to show the tournament in the United Kingdom, with the tender process set to open in the next couple of months. TNT Sports confirmed this week that they were exploring the possibility of a bid, with speculation suggesting that the BBC may already be out of the running. While discussions are understood to still be at a preliminary phase, neither the men's or women's tournaments are currently protected by 'Category A' status that would safeguard live coverage on terrestrial television. And the Liberal Democrats in Parliament have tabled a motion calling for both the men's and women's competitions to be added to the so-called 'crown jewels' list. 'This is the Six Nations' 25th anniversary year - a key part of our national cultural calendar,' Max Wilkinson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport, said. 'Every year, every fan looks forward to the magic of each Home Nation competing for glory as winter turns to spring. I'm personally deeply concerned by the news that the tournament could be behind a paywall as soon as next year - and I'm sure many rugby fans up and down the country feel the same. 'It would be a travesty if the public were deprived of the right to see their countries compete. That's why it's essential that the Government acts now to protect free-to-air coverage and save our Six Nations.' The World Cup final is the sole rugby union event currently afforded Category A status, which also covers events including Wimbledon, the Grand National and the Olympic Games. These must therefore be offered to free-to-air broadcasters on 'fair and reasonable terms'. Under the current deal for the men's Six Nations, the BBC holds the rights to all Wales and Scotland home matches, with ITV showing fixtures in England, Ireland, France and Italy. TNT Sports took over the rights to November's Autumn Nations Series from Amazon Prime Video last year, and reported encouraging viewing figures. 'We are definitely having a look at the Six Nations," Scott Young, group senior vice-president for WBD Sports Europe, confirmed while announcing the merging of Eurosport with TNT in the UK and Ireland. "How that plays out, we don't know. Again, how it fits into the ecosystem of what we're doing, we don't know. But international rugby definitely worked on our platform, but not just for the month of November, it also helped elevate Premiership Rugby, which is also very important for us. And that's part of the ecosystem of being a sports broadcaster." A spokesperson for TNT cautioned this week, though, that broadcasting the Six Nations would prove 'challenging'. The spokesperson said: 'While we think the Six Nations is the best international rugby competition in the world, its important partnership with free-to-air television across the UK and Ireland, but particularly in markets like Wales and Ireland, would make our involvement very challenging.'
