Latest news with #Punter
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lidl plan for bowling alley used by England players
A tenpin bowling alley used by England squad members is set to be demolished to make way for a supermarket. Namco Funscape, at Bowthorpe on the outskirts of Norwich, has 30 bowling lanes, an arcade, a cafe and a separately-owned pro-shop selling bowling equipment. A spokesperson said it had been running at a loss, but shop owner Phil Punter said it had one of the strongest regional bowling associations in the country. Norwich City Council's planning committee has been recommended to approve the plan for Lidl when it meets on Thursday, despite several objections. These include concerns about the loss of a leisure facility and issues with parking, traffic and safe pedestrian access. Some residents also said the area did not need another supermarket as there was already a Roy's, an Aldi and a Sainsbury's nearby. Roy's and Aldi have lodged formal objections, as has Waitrose, which has a store in Eaton. The purpose-built bowling alley opened more than 30 years ago and objectors claim it is the only site in the area that caters for league bowling. Mr Punter said it was used by a woman who competes for England and by four senior Team England squad members. Two of its juniors from Norwich recently represented England at the European Championships in Turkey, he added. "Tenpin bowling in Norfolk and Suffolk is very, very strong," Mr Punter said. "It's a bit sad that if it closes we're going to lose a lot of good bowlers from the region." A Tuesday night league, run by Mr Punter, has 13 teams of eight players, aged from juniors through to octogenarians. "If Lidl takes the site, there's nothing recreational," he added. Namco Funscape said the company's lease on the building was due to end in 2027 and the decision on its future lay with the landlord. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Neighbours object to 24-hour Morrisons drink sales Tesco sorry after mobile cancer unit told to leave Namco Funscape Norwich City Council
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lidl plan for Norwich bowling alley used by England players
A tenpin bowling alley used by England squad members is set to be demolished to make way for a Funscape, at Bowthorpe on the outskirts of Norwich, has 30 bowling lanes, an arcade, a cafe and a separately-owned pro-shop selling bowling equipment.A spokesperson said it had been running at a loss, but shop owner Phil Punter said it had one of the strongest regional bowling associations in the City Council's planning committee has been recommended to approve the plan for Lidl when it meets on Thursday, despite several objections. These include concerns about the loss of a leisure facility and issues with parking, traffic and safe pedestrian residents also said the area did not need another supermarket as there was already a Roy's, an Aldi and a Sainsbury's and Aldi have lodged formal objections, as has Waitrose, which has a store in purpose-built bowling alley opened more than 30 years ago and objectors claim it is the only site in the area that caters for league Punter said it was used by a woman who competes for England and by four senior Team England squad of its juniors from Norwich recently represented England at the European Championships in Turkey, he added."Tenpin bowling in Norfolk and Suffolk is very, very strong," Mr Punter said."It's a bit sad that if it closes we're going to lose a lot of good bowlers from the region."A Tuesday night league, run by Mr Punter, has 13 teams of eight players, aged from juniors through to octogenarians."If Lidl takes the site, there's nothing recreational," he Funscape said the company's lease on the building was due to end in 2027 and the decision on its future lay with the landlord. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
RNZ News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Are Australian podcasters, not politicians, driving Gen Z's election interest?
Tomorrow's Australian election will be the first in which Gen Z and millennial voters - those under 45 - outnumber baby boomers. However just how influential young voters will be on the result is far from clear, with analysis of the 2022 election by Griffth University showing many Generation Z voters only voted to avoid a fine. Voting in Australia is compulsory. Some commentators however believe this time might be different, as evidenced by the rise in popularity of online political influencers and podcasters who target engagement with younger voters. One online political influencer that is making a mark in Australia is Punter's Politics hosted by former teacher Konrad Benjamin. Punters Politics has around 415 thousand followers on [ Instagram] Benjamin said his site and others are engaging young voters this time around because they focus on context and single issues that young voters care about like housing, rather than the political punditry that main corporate media stations focus on. He said the success of online sites like his in politics is evidenced by the fact politicians are choosing to engage with online podcasters. In the US Donald Trump is thought to have boosted his vote with young male voters thanks to appearances on sites like the Joe Rogan podcast. Liberal leader Peter Dutton in Australia has appeared on the popular Australian podcast Diving Deep. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
