Latest news with #RibbleValleyBoroughCouncil
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Council to return to court over future of demolished pub
A council is to return to court to fight for the future of a listed 18th Century pub that was demolished without consent by the owners, who have been ordered to rebuild the historical grade II listed Punchbowl Inn near Hurst Green in Lancashire was bulldozed by Donelan Trading Ltd after the group ignored a Ribble Valley Borough Council decision in June council took the firm to the High Court last year, seeking an injunction requiring them to comply with a listed building enforcement notice and rebuild the pub to its original plan. Donelan Trading Ltd, which has been contacted for comment, has missed several deadlines to find contractors for the rebuild. The latest missed deadline came on Tuesday, after the firm had been granted three more months in May to find a contractor for the council will be able to go back to the court to ask them again to take the pub was demolished in 2021, five people were later fined more than £20,000 for their role in knocking it owners had argued that the building had become unsafe and was being targeted by Trading had submitted various plans for the site to the council before 2021 and although some were refused, a holiday lodge park was approved with Valley Borough Council says its unable to comment at this stage due to legal proceedings, but it is not clear when the case will go back before the High BBC has contacted Donelan Trading Ltd on multiple occasions for comment and has so far received no response. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas to and via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Irish Sun
06-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
Boy, 8, impaled by his bike's handlebars in horrific freak accident at BMX track
BMX HORROR Boy, 8, impaled by his bike's handlebars in horrific freak accident at BMX track AN EIGHT-year-old boy was impaled by his handlebars after a freak accident at a popular BMX track. The youngster was rushed to hospital after the bike went through his leg during the horriffic incident at a park in Preston, Lancashire on Friday. Advertisement 1 The youngster was impaled by his handlebars in the freak accident Emergency services were scrambled to Longridge Pump Track at the Recreation Ground on Kestor Lane. The boy received first aid from shocked onlookers, before he was taken to nearby Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. The track, which was opened to the public in April this year, is free to use for bikes, scooters, roller blades and skateboards. Ribble Valley Borough Council have defended the £100,000 attraction, claiming that it was not the result of a defect in the track. Advertisement A spokesman for the council told LancsLive: "We have not received a report of an incident at the Longridge Pump Track, but are aware of social media comments regarding an accident. "From reports, it appears that the accident was not the result of any defect in the track. "The track has been designed to meet all the latest safety standards, along with signage clearly on display regarding its safe use. "We will investigate what has happened and if necessary take further action to encourage the track's safe use." Advertisement Posting an update on Facebook, his mum confirmed he required leg surgery but would be okay. More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
The Sun
06-08-2025
- The Sun
Boy, 8, impaled by his bike's handlebars in horrific freak accident at BMX track
AN EIGHT-year-old boy was impaled by his handlebars after a freak accident at a popular BMX track. The youngster was rushed to hospital after the bike went through his leg during the horriffic incident at a park in Preston, Lancashire on Friday. 1 Emergency services were scrambled to Longridge Pump Track, which opened in April this year. The boy received first aid from shocked onlookers at the Recreation Ground on Kestor Lane. An ambulance then took the youngster to nearby Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. But Ribble Valley Borough Council have defended the £100,000 attraction, claiming that it was not the result of a defect in the track. A spokesman for the council told LancsLive: "We have not received a report of an incident at the Longridge Pump Track, but are aware of social media comments regarding an accident. "From reports, it appears that the accident was not the result of any defect in the track. "The track has been designed to meet all the latest safety standards, along with signage clearly on display regarding its safe use. "We will investigate what has happened and if necessary take further action to encourage the track's safe use."
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Padel courts at hotel approved despite noise and light fears from residents
Plans for the construction of four padel courts at a landmark Ribble Valley hotel have been approved. The sport, which if a mix of tennis and squash, has seen the number of courts across the UK double in the last year to around 400. Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK, and Mytton Fold Hotel, near Langho, is aiming to capitalise on the boom. Residents living close to the hotel raised concerns about light pollution from the floodlights and noise from players and spectators. Mytton Fold Hotel (Image: Archive) One person also said in a response to the council: "Padel is apparently noisier than tennis, so the noise from padel rackets hitting balls and balls hitting the court walls will be disruptive for local residents. "As it is a competitive sport there will also be cheering/jeering from the players within the open courts." Another person told the council the courts were "wholly inappropriate" for a residential area and that development would "change the character and peace of our immediate surroundings." They said the addition of floodlights "strongly suggests" the courts will be used at what they called "unsociable hours." READ MORE: MPs have Disabled people's 'lives in their hands' but do they really understand? READ MORE: £1.5m fund ready to help growing businesses in Lancashire In approving the development, Ribble Valley Borough Council imposed the condition that the courts can only be used between 6am and 10pm, with the lights to be switched off no later than 10.15pm. The council also said the courts will be restricted to use in association with the hotel, and cannot be used as a separate business. A design and access statement submitted in March said that provision of padel courts in the borough is low, with the nearest being at the Roefield Leisure Complex in Clitheroe, and then after that in Preston and Lytham. The scheme includes four outdoor doubles courts constructed to international standards, made with a synthetic turf playing surface. A stock image of padel rackets (Image: Pixabay) Enclosures will use glass and metal with mesh fencing, which it is said are compliant with safety standards. Energy-efficient LED floodlights will be installed to allow for play in the evenings and at night, and will be made with directional shielding to minimise light spill and protect the surrounding environment. There will also be seating areas for players and spectators. To view the plans in full, visit the council's planning website.
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
12 Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim this summer worth up to £4,300
PEOPLE on Universal Credit can get up to £4,300 worth of freebies and discounts this summer. Universal Credit is a monthly payment aimed at helping out unemployed and low-paid people. 1 Claimants can get upwards of £316.98 a month from the Government - but they might not know they're entitled to more help. From food vouchers to help with bills and even cheap days out, there is plenty of extra support available. Here's the full list of what you could be claiming this month. Household Support Fund – worth up to £500 The Household Support Fund has been extended until March 2026 – and it's dishing out direct payments of up to £500. The Government scheme is sharing out a pot of £742million between councils in England to help them support struggling households. Each council is setting its own rules on how it distributes the money, but many are offering vouchers or cash payments to help residents with food and energy bills. Ribble Valley Borough Council is giving out food vouchers worth between £200 to £500 to households with a combined income of less than £35,000 a year. Hartlepool Borough Council is awarding £100 food vouchers to families who have a child aged between two and 19 who is eligible for free school meals. Meanwhile City of Doncaster Council is giving a one-off payment of between £100 to £300 to families on Universal Credit. If you're outside of these areas, you should check your local council's website to see what's on offer and how to apply. Three key benefits you could be missing out on Cheap days out – save £108 You can get huge savings on days out across the UK if you're on Universal Credit. These are some examples of what you can get, but there's plenty on offer... ZSL London Zoo: Entry for £3. Adult tickets are usually priced from £27 so you can make a £24 saving Eden Project: £5 for adults or £1 for kids. Adult tickets are usually £38 and child tickets are £12, saving you £44 in total if you buy one of each Tower of London: £1 tickets for up to six people per household. It's usually £35.80 for an adult ticket, so this would save you £34.80 York Castle Museum: Free entry. It's usually £17 for an adult ticket As a single adult, you could save £108.80 in total by going to all of these attractions. But of course you'll save even more if you're taking other family members too. Healthy Start food help – worth £442 a year New parents or expectant mums can get up to £442 a year for essentials like fruit, veg and baby formula. It's part of the Healthy Start scheme, which gives you a prepaid card loaded with funds every four weeks. You can apply for it online if you're on benefits including Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit. Help to Save – get £1,200 bonus cash People on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit have access to the Government's Help to Save scheme. This gives you a 50% top-up when you put away savings. It's available on savings of up to £50 a month, meaning you can get a maximum of £2,400 over four years. The top-up is paid as a bonus at the end of the second and fourth years. Water bill help – worth £173 You could slash your water bill by hundreds through social tariffs or the WaterSure scheme. Every water supplier has social tariffs aimed at reducing costs for low-income families or people who use lots of water due to disability or large households. The eligibility criteria and level of support depends on your supplier. For example, Affinity Water offers a low-income fixed tariff (LIFT) for customers with a household income of less than £19,995 a year. The tariff is fixed at £143.80, but if you also receive a council tax reduction then your bill will be even lower at £95.80. Affinity Water said the average household bill for 2023/24 was up to £269, which would save you £173. It's not clear what the average household bill is for this year but it's likely to have gone up. You should contact your supplier directly to see what help is available. Some firms even offer free water-saving devices like shower timers and cistern bags to bring your usage down. Free prescriptions and healthcare – up to £119 If you're on Universal Credit, you might be eligible for free NHS prescriptions, saving you £9.90 a pop – or nearly £120 a year if you get your prescription monthly. You could also get: Free dental checks Free eye tests Travel reimbursement for medical appointments Free wigs or glasses Use the NHS online checker to see what you can get. Discounted broadband and mobile contracts – worth £290 You can also get social tariffs for your broadband and mobile contract if you're on Universal Credit. The cheapest deals start at £12.50 a month for broadband. Virgin Media Essential offers £12.50 a month for 15Mbps, with no set-up cost and a rolling 30-day contract. Its standard broadband deals start at £23.99 a month for a 24-month contract, so the social tariff would save you £137.88 a year. For mobile contracts, you can get social tariffs from the likes of EE, Smarty and Voxi. Voxi For Now costs just £10 a month and gives you unlimited data for six months, plus unlimited social media, calls and texts. Its usual unlimited data contract costs £35 a month, so the social tariff would save you £150 over the six months. In total both the mobile and broadband social tariffs would save you almost £290. Council tax support – up to £4,300 Those struggling with council tax could get a major discount – or even have their bill wiped completely. Council Tax Support varies by area, but if you're on a low income or receiving Universal Credit you could save thousands. For example, the Royal Borough of Greenwich offers up to 100% council tax discounts for eligible pensioner households. Council tax is as high as £4,323.52 in Greenwich. Head to to check your eligibility. Energy bill help – up to £2,000 Energy firms like British Gas are offering hardship grants worth up to £2,000. British Gas has a Gas Energy Support Fund that pays up to £2,000, but applications have closed for now. Other suppliers like EDF, Octopus, Ovo, Next and Utilita have no set limit on payments. If you don't qualify through your supplier, charities like Turn2Us have searchable databases to help you find other grants. The Household Support Fund also covers energy costs, so you can reach out to your council now. Pregnancy grant – worth £500 Mums expecting their first child could claim a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's available to those on Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits. You must apply within 11 weeks of the due date or six months after the baby is born. Print off the SF100 form online and get it signed by a midwife before posting. Support with travel and job applications – worth £150 Claimants can get 50% off travel across the UK by applying for a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card. It's aimed at helping you get to job interviews if you're actively job hunting. The card is free and lasts for three months. There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare Apply at your local JobCentre. Cheap gym memberships – worth £336 Some leisure centres offer Universal Credit claimants gym memberships from as little as £5 a month. For example, a Better Health national membership would cost you £70 usually. But if you get a concessionary membership it's £42 a month. That would save you £336 over the course of a year. Alternatively if you get a Better Flex Adult Concessionary membership for you get one activity booking for £5 a month. Everyone Active also offers discounted rates. Access is often off-peak and varies by location, so check with your nearest centre.
