Tag Archives: Hull

Business Headlines, Hull, Kingston Upon Hull, News Headlines, Out & About

New Whitefriargate Rooftop Bar To Be Created

Visitors to Hull city centre will soon be able to enjoy a new rooftop bar thanks to Levelling Up Funding.

Added Value Portal Limited has been awarded £75,000 from the government-funded scheme towards creating the facility at 55 Whitefriargate.

The project will include a multi-functional bar, food and leisure area on top of an extension at the back of the original building, creating six full-time equivalent jobs and adding to the area’s evening economy.

Once completed, it will accommodate up to 60 customers and will be accessed by a new staircase and chairlift.

Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “This project complements what is already a vibrant place for people to work and socialise. This new rooftop bar will enhance the appeal of the city centre as a destination to help drive footfall and boost the hospitality and evening economies.”

55 Whitefriargate, on the corner of Parliament Street, has undergone significant regeneration in recent years.

Built in 1879, the former bank is now home to Bar55, situated in the old bank vaults.

Gerard Toplass, The 55 Group chief executive, said: “Whitefriargate was the heart of the city for so long and it’s fantastic to be part of the regeneration that will bring life back into this fantastic part of Hull.”

“We have built our business in Whitefriargate and we are looking forward to continuing our investment with help from the Levelling Up Fund. We are excited about building an urban landscape and rooftop experience to rival what is available in cities like Manchester and London.”

In 2021, Hull City Council was awarded £19.5million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to support infrastructure and deliver a package of city centre regeneration works.

£7.5million of this being used for the Levelling Up Fund grant scheme, which aims to bring unused floorspace of any vacant or partially occupied property back into use and creating new jobs.

Similar to previous grant schemes in the Old Town, the Levelling Up Grant scheme will allow various diverse businesses to open and operate, breathing new life into the area.

Arts & Culture, Hull, News

Internationally Renowned Installations Revealed In Hull

The Awakening is returning to Hull in 2023, bringing a new perspective to our maritime identity. This week, the team is revealing more information about the artists coming to Hull as part of the event.

Freedom Festival Arts Trust has curated a creative programme of installation and performance which highlights the city’s relationship with nature, the changing of the seasons and folkloric traditions. In partnership with Hull City Council and supported by Hull Maritime and the Heritage Action Zone, focus is drawn to historic parts of the city centre around Queens Gardens, Whitefriargate, Ferens Art Gallery, Trinity Square and Zebedee’s Yard.

Audiences can wander into the city centre to enjoy an awe-inspiring experience on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 March from 18:00 – 22:00. All the way from Australia, company Parer Studio and Artist Amanda Parer, a (literally) big highlight of the evening will be experiencing Intrude, a family of giant bunnies who will take over the Rose Bowl.

Looking across to Queens Gardens, witness Nature Nocturnal, a kaleidoscope of colour as we see the natural world at night through beautiful glowing and twinkling lanterns created by Liverpool’s Lantern Company. These works bring a new lens on this space of maritime history, which had transitioned from town dock to green space in 1935, and are the last events in the calendar before it undergoes major works.

Mikey Martins, CEO & Artistic Director at Freedom Festival Arts Trust, said: “The Awakening aims to bring new perspectives to our wonderful maritime identity by uncovering themes through the creative programme. The installations and performances will focus on the city’s relationship with nature, the changing of the seasons and folkloric traditions.”

“So, make your Fox Masks, pop them on, let’s celebrate the end of winter together and create a new annual tradition for Hull.”

Moving down past Whitefriargate, throughout the night at various times, audiences will be treated to sound and visual performance from four companies including local artist Andy Train, alongside the popular Worldbeaters’ Spark! Drummers and An Act Above’s Lightwalkers, and returning favourite from last year, Sound Intervention’s Projector Bikes.

At Zebedee’s Yard, meet Unfurl, the world’s largest and softest robots, a garden like no other where nature, art and technology combine. And wander down Posterngate to come play in Trinity Square, filled with light, sound and interactive games by French company Groupe LAPS.

Just like last year, many local businesses will be opening their doors later than usually to celebrate the event and accommodate visitors. Some venues will be offering refreshments and their own entertainment, and others are hosting special events as part of The Awakening programme.

Ferens Art Gallery will be opening their spaces later the usual and are offering another chance to see the fascinating film and music projection piece, RE:SCORE by The Broken Orchestra (a favourite from last year) in their studio space, as well as a brand new unique immersive music performance called Riparian on 18 March at 20:00.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “This exciting programme is an invitation for everyone to come together and enjoy this spectacle across the city centre, celebrating the change in seasons from winter to spring and our maritime links.”

“The line-up of international installations and performers is world-class, and I am sure people will be inspired by this spring festival as well as appreciate our wonderful spaces, art gallery and collections.”

There will be plenty to see and experience at this year’s Awakening. A digital copy of the on-site guide and the #FreedomFox mask pack is now available on their website, and you can expect more resources and information coming out this week.

Business, Events, Hull

Hull To Boost Filming Locations

Hull is stepping up its profile as a filming location hotspot just as Apple TV arrive with the city’s biggest production to date.

‘Blitz’ is currently filming at locations across the city, including Hepworth Arcade and Walton Street fairground, over the next two and a half weeks, and has recruited more than 750 extras to be involved.

Hull City Council is now capitalising on this and other successful productions, including Enola Holmes 2, The Crown, The Extraordinary Life of David Copperfield and A Royal Night Out, by developing a TV and Film Prospectus and marketing plan.

The prospectus will detail how the council has moved from simply being a location finder to a full-service provider. It sets out all the services the council can offer, including professional management services, client liaison and onsite operational delivery.

The council’s partnership with Screen Yorkshire has helped to showcase the city to national and international location managers and producers, resulting in regular site visits and more filming already scheduled. The prospectus will help to further promote the city’s offer to this important creative sector.

The Leader of the council, Councillor Mike Ross, said: “The council’s events and destinations teams have been working closely with film and TV location managers for a number of years now, building strong relationships and the reputation of the city as a prime location.”

“It is clear we can and do provide more than just somewhere that looks great – we have an incredibly professional set-up and our reputation is building across the film industry.”

“But now we want to take it up to the next level, and that’s why we’re now launching our prospectus. I am sure our city can reap the reward as Hull takes on more of these exciting productions.”

“Having these large-scale productions in the city is not just fantastic for our residents to see and be part of – it has a real financial benefit. With crews filling our hotel spaces and using our leisure and hospitality offer, most productions will recruit extras from the local area too. This brings in upwards of £250,000 direct spend across the city’s hospitality, retail and accommodation sectors.”

Apple TV’s current filming continues this month across various locations. The TV and Film Prospectus will be launched shortly.

Community, Council News, East Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull, News, Other News

Hull Landmarks To Turn Purple For Holocaust Memorial Day

Hull City Council will mark Holocaust Memorial Day by lighting up city centre landmarks purple and flying the Guildhall flag at half-mast.

Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on 27 January each year to remember the six million Jews and the millions of people from other communities who were murdered by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust. It also remembers the victims of the more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

To mark this solemn day of remembrance, landmarks across the UK will be lit up purple during a powerful national moment of commemoration and solidarity.

From dusk on Friday January 27, the council will illuminate buildings and structures across Hull city centre in purple light. The Union Flag on the roof of the Guildhall will also be flown at half-mast.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “The Holocaust threatened the very fabric of our civilisation, and we must remain vigilant to the risks genocide still presents to many people around the world. Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable, and we cannot be complacent.”

“Holocaust Memorial Day is for everyone. Every year thousands of people across the UK come together to learn more about the past and take action to create a safer future.”

“We must learn more, empathise more and do more to ensure that hatred and prejudice are challenged by us all and have no place in our society. Together, we bear witness for those who lost their lives through genocide, honour the survivors and all those whose lives have been changed beyond recognition.”

The UK Online Commemoration for Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 will be streamed online on Thursday 26 January from 7pm-7.45pm.

People will be invited to light a candle during Thursday’s online commemoration, or place one safely in their window for Light the Darkness national moment at 4pm on Friday.

For more information, visit Holocaust Memorial Day.

Community, Council News, East Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull

Community Projects Boost For Kingswood Ward

Hull’s Kingswood Ward will receive a boost to two of its projects thanks to almost £5,000 worth of funding from Hull City Council.

A decision record has been published to award £4,918 to fund targeted youth outreach projects through the New Life Support Kingswood Youth Hub.

The money will also go towards supporting the maintenance and grass cutting of Foredyke Green and Wilberforce Woods, which is carried out by volunteer groups.

The funding has come in the form of a Capital/Revenue Swap between the Leader’s Contingency Fund (Revenue) and the Kingswood Ward’s budget (Capital) in order to allow revenue support for an increasing amount of local community engagement projects this year.

Leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross, said: “I am delighted to have been able to support these community projects in the Kingswood Ward. Through the Leader’s Contingency Fund, we were able to make this happen and both initiatives are key to the vitality of the ward.”

“I look forward to seeing the projects flourish and have positive impacts on the ward.”

Back in 2017, Kingswood Residents Association, aware of protecting vital green spaces on the ever-expanding estate, had the opportunity to transform and old piece of land which was a target for fly tipping and anti-social behaviour.

With the support of the local councillors and council officers, along with consulting residents, the association embarked on developing this area into a usable green space for all to enjoy, renaming the space Foredyke Green.

The area serves its community as a place to walk and enjoy the great outdoors, whilst also harbouring an array of wildlife.

Features include a wildlife pond, wooden animal carvings which are scattered around the site, a labyrinth, outdoor art gallery produced by students from local schools and a new addition for 2023 is the newly planted fruit trees and bushes.

Community, Council News, East Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull, News

Primary Pupil Designs Hull City Council Christmas Card

Hull City Council Leader, Councillor Mike Ross and Chief Executive, Matt Jukes, have picked the winning design for the Council’s e-Christmas card, following judging 147 entries from primary school pupils across the city.

Sheneli Matiwala Kumbura Mudunkoth Gedara, age 11, from Estcourt Primary Academy submitted the winning design. Her design will be sent to hundreds of people and businesses, giving Christmas wishes.

Jacqueline Hammond, age 11, from Estcourt Primary Academy was the runner-up, and Isabella Stark, age 10, from Sutton Park came in third place. All three pupils will receive gift vouchers.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council said: “Firstly, a big thank you to all those who entered the competition. I’m delighted we had so many fantastic designs and hope the children had lots of fun doing them.”

“We decided this year’s theme should be ‘Together at Christmas’ and for pupils to show what Christmas means to them. We felt Sheneli’s design stood out with a brilliant image of Hull City Hall, a landmark building in the city. I am sure those who get the e-card this year will appreciate Sheneli’s efforts as much as we did.”

Communication Headlines, Health & Welfare, Hull, Kingston Upon Hull, News

Arco Partners With Hull And East Yorkshire Children’s University

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Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has partnered with Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University (HEY CU), a local children’s charity that aims to raise the aspirations of young people by building their confidence with unique learning experiences.

As part of the partnership, Arco will provide new branded uniforms for the charity’s 15 volunteer leaders as well as funding for an ‘experience’ session for a class of children in 2022/2023, which will include a visit to a farm, something which most of the children will have never experienced.

They will learn about where their food comes from, as they look at different crops and they will also get to meet some of the resident animals.

In the past, HEY CU has designed a range of exciting and engaging learning experiences intended to stimulate ambition, physical health, historical knowledge, creativity and an understanding of careers for their future.

HEY CU aims to improve the mental wellbeing of children through engaging activities and sessions run by experienced leaders and volunteers. This is particularly important post Covid-19 pandemic, as an online survey, which took place between October 2020 and February 2021, found that 41 per cent of 10-to-11-year-olds and 52 per cent of 16-year-olds felt their mental and emotional health had worsened during the pandemic.

Arco and HEY CU have a history of working together on various projects and initiatives, including hosting educational visits by students from local schools to the company’s National Distribution Centre (NDC), and are now, following the pandemic, looking at new ways for Arco colleagues to volunteer and mentor local children and support Arco’s goal of helping young people to achieve.

Natasha Barley, CEO of Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University, said: “HEY CU has a long standing relationship with Arco, who have provided us with great support over the years, including experiences at the National Distribution Centre for primary school children who learn about careers at Arco, Arco staff volunteering and fundraising for the charity, donations from the Arco Community Panel to support our work, donations of uniforms for our mini City of Culture reporters in 2017 and more recently for our team at HEY CU.”

“It’s wonderful to have this relationship recognised formally in a partnership and we look forward to working even more closely with the team at Arco to inspire local children to fulfil their potential.”

David Evison, Managing Director at Arco, said: “Helping young people to achieve their full potential is one of Arco’s core objectives when it comes to supporting the communities we operate in.”

“Having worked with HEY CU for a number of years, we are delighted to be supporting them further through the funding of an experience session for a class of children in 2022/2023 and by providing new branded uniforms for their team of experienced volunteer leaders.”

“We are also looking at how our colleagues can help HEY CU through volunteering and mentoring opportunities. The Covid-19 pandemic reduced the number of opportunities for our colleagues to volunteer, but with restrictions now eased, we are supporting more of our colleagues to help some great local causes just like the Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University.”

Community, Council News, East Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull

New Crime Prevention Fund To Make Hull Safer

Local residents and community groups will soon be able to bid for grants to tackle crime within their neighbourhoods.

A £250,000 Crime Prevention Fund has been given the official go-ahead by Hull City Council, with the aim of supporting community-based safety solutions.

As well as traditional schemes such as ten foot gating and security lighting, projects that could help reduce the likelihood of people getting involved in crime, improve local facilities, and events that raise community awareness of measures to reduce crime could also get funding.

Cllr Rob Pritchard, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Crime Prevention and Culture, said: “I’m pleased to see the establishment of this fund, and I’m confident it will benefit communities throughout the city.”

“We know residents want to see persistent crime and antisocial behaviour problems tackled, including drug use and dealing, burglary, fly-tipping, speeding, the misuse of motorbikes, and damage and graffiti.”

“The aim of the Crime Prevention Fund is to help people tackle these problems and make communities safer places for everyone. All work will support the key aims of Hull’s Police and Crime Plan, which are to have engaged, resilient and inclusive communities; safer communities; and effective organisations.”

“With our partners in the police and other organisations, we understand that nobody wants to be a victim of crime or become involved in crime themselves. Work to provide opportunities for people at risk of being drawn into criminal activity can make a huge difference, alongside physical crime prevention measures themselves.”

“Above all, we want to see neighbourhoods and public spaces that are safer, cleaner, more inclusive and pleasant for everyone.”

“Details of how to apply for our Crime Prevention Fund will be finalised and communicated soon. We encourage residents and organisations throughout Hull to design creative and effective projects and come forward with a bid.”

Arts & Culture, Arts & Culture Headlines, Hull, News

Interactive Artwork Commissioned For Whitefriargate

A new interactive artwork has been installed on Whitefriargate as part of Maritime Tales Week 2022.

Whitefriargate Windowscape, by local artist Alex Hunt, is a collaboration between Hull Maritime, Hull Whitefriargate High Street Heritage Action Zone, and Hull Trinity House.

Running until Saturday 29 October, the playful installation at 31-33 Whitefriargate (formerly Thornton’s Chocolate Shop) invites people to notice and explore the maritime tales hidden in the pavements, buildings, and architecture of Whitefriargate and surrounding areas.

The specially commissioned piece is made up of three interlinked elements: a ‘Whitefriargate Waves’ scene which brings to life architectural details of Whitefriargate’s streetscape and stories of Hull Trinity House; a rich Hull Maritime patchwork made up of the project’s key sites and collections; and a textual piece reminding people to Look Up, Down and All Around.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “Whitefriargate is an incredibly important historic street in Hull, and we are excited to be drawing attention to that in a vibrant and really quite magical installation by local artist Alex Hunt.”

“This artwork celebrates the storytelling power of buildings, places, and objects, and there are plenty of opportunities to interact with the piece and get creative.”

Alex Hunt, said: “This piece is all about the heritage of Hull, to make a playful piece that includes maritime tales, buildings, and architecture found on Whitefriargate and in the surrounding areas. I think there are a lot of buildings and details that go unnoticed in Hull, I hope this piece ignites that fire of interest in people to take a moment to “Look Up, Down and All Around.”

Charlotte Tomlinson from Hull Maritime, said: “This project has been all about partnership – for example it’s been a real pleasure to work so closely with Alex over the past couple of months to explore the history, architecture and mythologies of Whitefriargate, and also to deliver the project alongside the Whitefriargate Hight Street Heritage Action Zone. Hull Trinity House have kindly provided the space and their own maritime story – which is longer than even the city of Hull itself – is central to this piece.”

Families are invited to get involved by picking up a free activity pack from local businesses and shops, Ferens Art Gallery, or the Museum Quarter. The pack includes a creative ‘window hunt’ along the street and a ‘Become a Window Artist’ competition with the chance to win prizes.

Participants are also encouraged to take photos with the pieces and share them on social media with the hashtag #MaritimeTalesWeek.

Whitefriargate Windowscape is part of Hull Maritime’s Maritime Tales Week 2022 which runs from 22-29 October. The full programme includes storytelling sessions, live theatre performances, and a jam-packed schedule of online content, including behind-the-scenes insights into the Hull Maritime project.

Hull Maritime is funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund and encompasses the restoration of the Spurn Lightship and Arctic Corsair, the creation of a new visitor attraction at North End Shipyard and the transformational refurbishment of Hull Maritime Museum and Dock Office Chambers. Hull Whitefriargate High Street Heritage Action Zone is funded by Historic England.

Council News, Infrastructure

Green Light Given To Albion Square Development

The proposed Albion Square development has been given the go-ahead by the Planning Committee which gives the green light to the next stage in the regeneration of Hull.

Cabinet approved the development in December 2021, and since then demolition of the former BHS and Co-Op buildings site has been taking place, by VINCI Construction.

This is the second time plans, designed by Faulkner Browns Architects and landscape architects Gillespies, have been discussed at Planning Committee. The development plans have been altered from the first submission, in conjunction with stakeholders.

The approved plans incorporate flood mitigation measures and a reduction in the height of the residential accommodation in Bond Street to bring the height in line with buildings to the corner of Jameson and Bond Street.

Demolition will take a total of 80 weeks and includes the removal and renovation of three existing murals; the Grade II listed Three Ships Mural, Sponge Mural and Alan Boyson’s Shoal of Fish Mural which was successfully removed in the summer. All three murals will be incorporated into the new development.

Construction is now expected to start in 2023. It has been supported by £832,000 from Homes England and £7million Levelling Up Funding, along with £2.5million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund, which was secured by the Hull and East Yorkshire LEP as part of the Government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse.