News Centre

Marketing Lancashire, the county’s destination management organisation, will be returning to The Blackpool Tower’s unique ballroom on Thursday 9 November for the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2017 with the University of Central Lancashire as Headline Sponsor; the event, now in its 12th year, is the only county-wide awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Lancashire’s £3.8billion […]

VisitBlackpool and the Winter Gardens Blackpool are heading to the premier international Meetings Show in a bid to target meeting and event organisers to showcase the plans for Blackpool’s new conference and exhibition centre. The Government announced earlier this year that the proposed new development will be part-funded from Lancashire’s Growth Deal allocation. It is […]

From public health to e-health and from poverty to psychology, Edge Hill University’s Festival of Ideas 2017 is set to welcome a host of high-profile guest speakers to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing the world today. Exploring the themes of ‘Identity and Belonging’, the Festival of Ideas offers an exciting programme of debates, […]

Hundreds of delegates will descend on Blackpool next week for the National Pensioners’ Parliament. The annual conference, which has been held in the resort for more than 25 years, is expected to attract up to 1,000 delegates from across the UK to the Winter Gardens. A march along the promenade will kick-off the Parliament on […]

A new app, that brings to life the history and characters of one of the county’s most important historic attractions, has cast fresh light on Lancaster Castle and had a marked impact on the county’s official visitor information website visitlancashire.com with unique visits for April-May showing an increase of 26%, compared to the same time […]

Lancashire County Council announced its new leader and cabinet at its full council meeting today (Thursday 25 May). County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE, leader of the Conservative group and county councillor for Preston North electoral division, has been formally appointed as leader of Lancashire County Council. As council leader, Councillor Driver appoints his cabinet which […]

Visitors to Chorley town centre will have the chance to sample food and drink from local producers and businesses as a new food event is set to excite people’s taste buds. A Taste of Chorley will bring together a variety of local businesses and food producers from within the Chorley borough, along with advice on […]

Global stationery chain Smiggle is set to open in St George’s Shopping Centre later this month, creating eight new jobs in Preston.   The Australian retailer will welcome shoppers from Friday, May 19 and will be located on the shopping centre’s first floor next to Pandora. Work to transform the unit, which previously housed the Original […]

Budding tennis players gained tips from the top as former British No 1 Tim Henman played guest of honour at the opening of a new world-class tennis dome at Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe. The new 1,375 sq meter air dome facility titled ‘the Glassbrook Dome’ was officially opened by the four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist. The tennis legend […]

YouTube sensation and ‘woman of a thousand voices’ Christina Bianco returns to Viva Blackpool for the final date of her UK tour.   Christina began her career on Broadway and the West End with numerous credits and has now taken her own brand of vocal cabaret to stages including the London Hippodrome, Royal Albert Hall […]

An ancient Celtic warhorn, the carnyx, is returning to the Forest of Bowland for the first time in 2000 years. William Bowland, 16th Lord of Bowland, has announced the world premiere of a specially-commissioned choral work featuring the carnyx. Written by Lakeland composer, Christopher Gibbs, The Music of the Forest will receive its world premiere […]

“Williamson Park is the most extraordinary wonderland for putting on a piece of theatre.” So says The Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis who appeared in The Dukes very first outdoor walkabout production in 1987 and is now one of the theatre’s  Honorary Patrons. Thirty years on, The Dukes will celebrate three decades of […]