january2022 – Fylde Council

Over £46,000 Paid to Local Businesses in Latest ARG Vacant Premises Round

Fylde Council — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:17:50 +0000

New local businesses have received a total of over £46,000 from the latest round of Fylde Council’s ARG Vacant Premises Grant to help them get off the ground in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grant scheme, designed to help new businesses get started in the town centres of St Annes, Lytham and Kirkham, allowed small independent sole traders or locally based chains moving or expanding into a vacant premises in one of these locations to claim for up to 50% of the setup, shopfitting, refit and branding costs, to a maximum of £10,000.

Many businesses in Fylde and beyond have faced unprecedent challenges over the past two years, with in-person businesses having to work with the trading restrictions and additional expenses brought by following COVID-19 measures to keep their customers safe.

Cllr Karen Buckley, the Leader of Fylde Council, said: “These grant payments represent one part of Fylde Council’s commitment to supporting the recovery of our local economy after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a delight to see these new in-person businesses spring to life, and we will continue to do all we can to support our vital town centres and historic high streets.”

Shauni Houghton, owner of ‘Little Miss Candyfloss’, a new children’s clothing boutique at 3 St Andrews Road South in St Annes, was one of the beneficiaries of the most recent round of payments from the ARG Vacant Premises Fund, receiving an amount of £3,572.00.

Speaking with Fylde Council on the presentation of the cheque, Shauni said, “I’ve always wanted to operate a little clothing boutique, and I saw the niche for a children’s clothing store in Lytham St Annes. I’m thankful for the grant from the ARG Vacant Premises Fund, as it really helped to make the dream happen!”

Cllr Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde, presents a cheque to Shauni Houghton, owner of Little Miss Candyfloss

Other local businesses which have benefitted from this round of funding include:

No 10 Ale House, 10 Park Road, Lytham St Annes, received £10,000.
Keto Kitchen, 7 St Andrews Road South, Lytham St Annes, received £10,000.
Squires Gentleman’s Outfitters, 40 Wood Street, Lytham St Annes, received £2,553.01, with a further £446.99 to follow.
Card Market, 3 Market Square, Kirkham, received £10,000
Jakes & Co Tailors, 13b Queen Street, Lytham, received £10,000

More payments are due to follow as business who previously applied successfully receive their grants.

The ARG Vacant Premises grant is presently closed to new applicants. For more information about current COVID financial support for businesses, please visit the Fylde Council website: https://new.fylde.gov.uk/covid-19-support-for-businesses/

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Artists and Residents Work Together In ‘Green Loop’ Art Project

Fylde Council — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 10:04:40 +0000

Fylde Council are delighted to announced Green Loop, an exciting new environmentally themed participatory art project which will help Fylde’s communities connect with the coastline.

Comprised of three thematically linked strands delivered by the community in collaboration with professional artists and environmentalists, and funded in part by an Arts Council England Grant, Green Loop will explore our connection to and foster greater understanding of the natural world.

At the same time, the project will provide meaningful volunteering opportunities for isolated young people whose life paths have been impacted by COVID 19, helping them to develop skills and participate in social engagement.

Councillor Michael Sayward, Chair of the Tourism & Leisure Committee, said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has given many people the opportunity to explore creative outlets, and to develop a deeper appreciation of the natural environment. The Green Loop project aims to channel this positive spirit into something that helps those socially isolated young people in our community, and produces thought-provoking works of art.”

A commission created by Nerissa Cargill Thompson will explore the environmental impacts of plastic waste through a series of artworks created both using and inspired by litter found in the River Ribble. An artist and designer with 20 years’ experience, Nerissa will collaborate with local businesses in developing an exhibition trail to be hosted along Fylde’s high streets. The trail will aim to bring greater awareness of the human on impact on the local environment, looking at the legacy of plastic waste and exploring alternative choices.

A workshop programme will offer Fylde residents the opportunity to engage with two emerging artists and a professional environmental artist. With support from partner organisations Ribble Rivers Trust, Keep Britain Tidy, and Hopeful & Glorious they will research, design, create, promote, and retail a limited-edition, sustainable, and ethically produced range of wearable or home accessories, made from or inspired by plastic waste found in the Ribble Estuary.

This limited-edition range will be launched at the third strand of the project: an Eco Maker’s Market, co-produced by Fylde residents in collaboration with Lancashire based art and design events Hopeful and Glorious. Developed with an environmental ethos, the maker’s market brand will be produced in accordance with a set of green principles which will shape the design of the event from the marketing strategy through to the artisans selected.

Nerissa Cargill Thompson said: “I am really excited about being lead artist for the Green Loop project as it brings together the key aims of my practice: helping people explore their creativity, sustainability and increasing awareness of the issue of plastic pollution and the small ways that we can all make a difference.”

Partners UR Potential had this to say: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Fylde council on this exciting project. For details of enrolment or further information, contact Emma@urpotential.co.uk or by telephone 07460 131188.”

The Green Loop project will run from March 2022 to October 2022. More information will be available on the Discover Fylde website soon.

Housing Survey: New Households and Younger People, Have Your Say!

Fylde Council — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 09:46:34 +0000

Fylde Council is undertaking a Housing Survey to help provide an understanding of affordable housing need in Fylde over the next 5 years. A group of people of particular interest are new households seeking a place of their own.

These might be young people seeking a place of their own for the first time or families living with friends or relatives. A household can consist of one person or more. Some of these households may be eligible for low-cost home ownership such as shared ownership or discounted sale prices offered by housebuilders.

The Council urges anyone who is thinking of setting up home for the first time, either alone or with someone else, to take part in the survey.

Some households may have received a postal questionnaire already and the person responding should fill in the part of the survey applicable to new households on their behalf at section F. If no postal questionnaire has been received a new household can participate directly using the online survey using a PC tablet or smartphone at: www.tinyurl.com/fylde

Anyone taking part in the survey can opt into a draw to win one of three £100 prizes. The survey will be available from 17^th January 2022 and will close in the week beginning 13^th February 2022.

The more responses received, the more accurate the study will be, so the Council strongly urges individuals to participate either by post or online, and encourage others to do so, especially if they are in housing need or living in unsuitable housing.

The Council has provided a helpline for assistance with any of the questions or to discuss the questionnaire, on freephone 0800 6440017.

Housing Survey Seeks Essential Local Worker Opinion

Fylde Council — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 15:47:38 +0000

Essential local workers are frontline public sector employees, e.g., NHS staff, teachers, police, firefighters, military personnel, social care workers, and childcare workers. Some non-public sector workers are also included, e.g., those working in transport, food and necessary goods, communication, and financial services.

The Council urges anyone who considers themselves to be an essential local worker to respond to the survey, which is also open to anyone who lives or works in the Fylde Council area.

Some households may have received a postal questionnaire already, but anyone – including those who do not currently reside in Fylde but wishing to do so – can participate using the online survey: www.tinyurl.com/fylde

The survey, conducted by Justin Gardner Consulting and CNB Housing Insights, provides participants with the opportunity to explain their current housing circumstances and any future housing intentions. It also provides opportunity to highlight any additional support needs or concerns they may have. This will help Fylde Council to better understand affordable housing needs in the Borough and ensure that local needs are met.

Anyone taking part in the survey can opt into a draw to win one of three £100 prizes. The survey will be available from 17^th January 2022 and will close in the week beginning 13^th February 2022.

The Council has provided a helpline for assistance with any of the questions or to discuss the questionnaire, on freephone 0800 6440017.

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Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant Scheme Live

Fylde Council — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:15:42 +0000

A new round of grant funding aims to provide a vital injection of financial support to hospitality, leisure, and accommodation businesses impacted by the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, announced by the Chancellor on 21 December 2021, outlines eligibility criteria for one-off grants of up to £6,000 for businesses within this sector, dependent on the rateable value of their premises.

To qualify for this grant, businesses must:

Provide in-person services to the public from the VOA-rated premises; the main service and activity of the business must take place on these premises
Have been trading on 30 December 2021
Have been the liable party for business rates at the premises on 30 December 2021. Businesses on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) ratings list which are zero-rated or exempt are included as eligible
Not be in administration, insolvent, or where a striking-off notice has been made
Be in the hospitality, leisure, or accommodation sector

The following classes of business are specifically excluded:

Food kiosks, takeaways, and businesses whose main service (generating 50% or more of total income) is a takeaway
All retail
Coach tour operators, and tour operators
Dance and fitness studios, sports centres and clubs, sports courts, swimming pools, golf courses
All gyms and sports businesses where physical exercise or training is conducted on an individual basis or group basis
Private dwellings, education accommodation, residential homes, care homes, residential family centres
Beach huts

There is no open application process for this grant. Businesses which have previously been awarded a COVID-19 business grant have been assessed against the eligibility criteria, and those eligible have been contacted via email to outline the action required to claim the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.

The deadline to act is Tuesday 15 February 2022. All eligible businesses invited by email are advised to take the required action as soon as possible.

Cllr Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “On behalf of Fylde Council, I am delighted to be able to announce this latest round of grant support for local leisure and hospitality businesses. The impact of the Omicron variant on business in these sectors has been another blow to their prosperity, and this new grant underlines Fylde Council’s commitment to ensure that our business owners not only survive but continue to thrive. I encourage all eligible business owners to check their email inboxes and take action to claim the grant promptly.”

Those with businesses who believe they are eligible but have not received communication from Fylde Council should visit the dedicated OHLG webpage to read the full criteria and access details of how to contact the Council with the information required to access the grants process.

This scheme is a central Government grant with eligibility criteria set by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Fylde Council have no discretion on the criteria for the grant.

For further details, including eligibility criteria and what to do if you believe you are eligible but have not received an email, please see the Fylde Council website: Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (fylde.gov.uk)

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Talented Artists needed to create special features for Kirkham Town Centre

Fylde Council — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 14:53:14 +0000

Artists and creatives are being invited to apply to be involved in the regeneration of Kirkham’s historic town centre.

Fylde Borough Council and The Paul Hogarth company are looking to commission experienced artists to undertake the development of a number of artworks.

These opportunities are integral to the overall vision for revitalising the town centre’s public realm funded through Kirkham’s status as one of Historic England’s Heritage High Street Action Zones (HS HAZ) and the Government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF).

Urban regeneration design specialists The Paul Hogarth Company have drawn up an exciting series of plans to reimagine streets and open spaces within Kirkham’s historic central Conservation Area.

In Phase One of the works, parts of Poulton Street, Preston Street, Freckleton Street and Church Street will be comprehensively improved. It is also proposed to pedestrianise Market Square, rationalise on-street parking to keep footways clear and promote the use of the off-street car parks.

Handrails, seats, architectural lighting and bespoke public art, along with other elements of street furniture, will be crafted adding to the character of the historic town centre.

The public art commission opportunities range from engravings in sandstone paving, forged railings and artwork in ginnels.

This is a unique opportunity for artists and creatives to make their mark on Kirkham, a former Roman settlement and historic centre of Britain’s textile industry. The works commissioned will be preserved for countless years to come and will be a celebration of the town’s heritage.

Artists are encouraged to submit expressions of interest for one standalone commission, or develop a scheme of work that would include several.

For full details of the commissions please visit https://www.kirkhamfutures.org/get-involved/ongoing

The deadline to submit an expression of interest is noon on Friday January 28. A shortlist will be drawn up and interviews with selected candidates will begin at the end of February.

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‘Being Together Truly Matters’ say leaders of new Heritage-themed Health and Wellbeing programme

Fylde Council — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 14:49:45 +0000

Organisers of a programme aimed at boosting the health and wellbeing of Kirkham residents have praised the historic town’s community spirit as a new series of heritage-themed events gets underway.

History trail walks, art and cooking classes, horticultural workshops and gentle exercise sessions have been organised by the Phoenix Rising partnership.

The FREE classes are all part of a new Heritage Health and Wellbeing Programme being developed as part of Kirkham’s status as one of Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zones (HS HAZ).

Phoenix Rising workshop leader Sue Flowers said: “Developing a new wellbeing programme for the people of Kirkham has been a great privilege – there is a real sense of community here and a feeling that being together truly matters.

“Our programme draws on the heritage of the town and includes healthy walks, cookery and art workshops with further horticulture and textiles workshops planned from mid-February. Hopefully this means there will be something here for everyone.

“Each workshop is delivered by a highly experienced specialist with wellbeing knowledge. We aim to develop welcoming and inclusive spaces where even the most nervous person will feel welcome and included.

“Anyone needing to boost their wellbeing during these challenging times should come along and try something out.”

The new classes, which follow a series of successful ‘taster’ sessions held before Christmas include:

Chair-based exercise at Kirkham Community Centre (every Friday between 10am and 11am)
Mindful Walk around Kirkham (every Friday between 11.15am and 12.15pm)
‘Cooking Together’ at St Michael’s Church (every Thursday between 11am and 1pm)
Art class ‘The Fine Art of Cookery’ at St Michael’s Church (every Thursday between 1.30pm and 3.30pm)

Full details of the classes, including dates, times and how to book are available HERE

The classes, which run between now and the end of March, are open to all. They can be accessed by either booking online, in person at Kirkham Library or by being referred by a GP or NHS link worker.

Social Prescribing links people to a range of activities and can help those who:

have one or more long-term conditions
need support with their mental health
are lonely or isolated
have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing

And feedback from people who took part in the initial taster sessions in Kirkham included:

“What you are doing is truly magnificent and can really impact a variety of people, especially with the mental health rates soaring due to the pandemic”

“The art sessions give me so much confidence”

“I’ve grown in confidence as a result of the sessions and they improve my mood”

“I highly recommend the course to anyone who also struggles with self-esteem and self-worth”

Kirkham’s new Heritage Health and Wellbeing programme is a key part of Fylde Borough Council’s £10m Kirkham Futures regeneration masterplan designed to reinvigorate the town centre by bringing important buildings back into use, improve streets and open spaces as well as boost residents’ health.

Fylde Council has engaged Helen Shearn Associates, a specialist consultancy in arts, heritage and health, to steer the Kirkham wellbeing programme in conjunction with Historic England’s Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion, Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Lancashire County Council and Wyre Rural Extended Neighbourhood (WREN) Primary Care Network which includes Kirkham’s two GP practices.

Fylde Council nominated representative for the project, Councillor Liz Oades said: “The recent pandemic has had a huge impact on all of us isolating us and cutting us off from so many of our usual community activities and friends. I urge as many of you as possible to take part in some of the activities offered by this programme and, who knows, you may find a new hobby or new friends as we move forward and away from Covid.”

For more information about the Health and Wellbeing classes available go to www.phoenix-rising-wellbeing.co.uk/courses

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Fylde Folk Asked To Help ‘The Bride of Kirkham’ Unearth Local Love Stories

Fylde Council — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 14:12:55 +0000

A strange figure is soon to be seen pacing up and down Kirkham’s historic high street on the hunt for love stories.

The ‘Bride of Kirkham’ is a storyteller searching for local folk to share their heart-warming tales of the people and places that make Kirkham so special.

Where did you fall in love? Who did you fall in love with? What treasured buildings and places have a special place in your heart?

‘Kirkham With Love’ is a new interactive heritage project launched as part of Kirkham’s status as one of Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones (HS HAZ).

Historic England funding of £1.8m – a key part of Kirkham’s £10m regeneration masterplan – is being used to help give the high street a new lease of life by re-energising historic buildings and creating a new Cultural Programme celebrating the town’s heritage.

Storyteller and performer Izzie Major has been commissioned to help deliver the first year of Kirkham’s HS HAZ Cultural Programme along with visual artist Craig Sinclair.

Izzie is now taking on the role of ‘The Bride of Kirkham’ as she hosts a series of pop-up events to gather local loves stories.

Izzie explained: “The Bride of Kirkham is a travelling storyteller, travelling from place to place with a listening ear and an open heart gathering love stories and weaving together a rich tapestry of tales.

“I will be hosting a series of events in local churches, on the street and at heritage sites. I will also be doing tea and tale sessions where people can come along, have a brew and share their beloved tales of the town with me.

“Now, as a bride, I am, of course, really interested in love stories and these could be stories about people or places, special locations – say a school, a pub, a place where friends gathered years ago – that mean so much to people.

“Perhaps you attended a wedding party at Hillside Restaurant or tied the knot there yourself. Maybe you made a life-long friend in St Michael’s Church or had a night to remember in one of Kirkham’s former nightclubs? Is there a place you love in Kirkham – well, tell us why it is so special.

“We will gather all these stories and form a treasury of special tales which we can exhibit in the town.”

To help gather the love stories, a number of special post boxes will be erected around the town to allow local people to write and share their stories for inclusion in the project. Stories can also be emailed to kirkhamstorytellers@gmail.com

A number of the stories will be published, and some animated during workshops with local schools. The artwork created will then be exhibited in Kirkham during April and May.

THE ‘KIRKHAM WITH LOVE’ EVENTS INCLUDE:

Tea and Tales – Join these storytelling sessions (initially taking place virtually via Zoom) and share your memories with The Bride of Kirkham:

(Session 1) January 20, 11.00am (via Zoom). The Bride will be in the Pink Room at Hillside. Join a virtual chat and share your memories of this fabulous building and the events you attended there. Book your place now CLICK HERE

(Session 2) January 20, 7.30pm (via Zoom). Enjoy a virtual storytelling night on the town. Come along, let your hair down and reminisce over Kirkham’s nightclubs, pubs and the fashions of the times. To book CLICK HERE

Pink ‘Kirkham With Love’ Post Boxes. From January 21, two post boxes will be installed at listed buildings on the high street, the Charity Girls School (the former Lloyds/TSB) on Poulton Street and one other. Post your stories and memories of growing up and living in Kirkham. Post boxes will also be installed at several internal locations including St Michaels Church, Kirkham Community Centre, schools, Kirkham Library and day centres.
Art Installation – There will be an opportunity to help create a town centre installation during February, where individuals will be able to purchase a wooden heart from participating businesses, then write a message on it and add it to the installation by tying it to a ribbon on one of the participating buildings on the high street. All funds donated to Kirkham and Wesham Club Day.
Declarations of Love – Individuals will also be able to send a declaration of love to an individual, or the town, which will then be displayed in a participating shop window in February.
St Valentine’s weekend event – Join in the launch of ‘Kirkham With Love’ on Saturday February 12 by visiting the special stand on Market Square (between 11am – 3pm). You can purchase wooden hearts here, meet The Bride of Kirkham and listen to a few of her tales.

‘Kirkham With Love’ has been organised by Kirkham Cultural Consortium as part of the town’s HS HAZ Cultural Programme. The Consortium was set up by Fylde Borough Council and is made up of local residents tasked with helping develop a new cultural vision for the town.

The £80,000 HS HAZ Cultural Programme is an important part of Kirkham’s four-year Kirkham Futures regeneration masterplan. Together with funding from Historic England, Fylde Council and Kirkham Town Council, the masterplan is backed by multi-million pound funding from the Government’s Future High Street Fund (FHSF).

This will fund major improvements to Kirkham’s town centre streets, open spaces and shopfronts as well as re-energising historic high street buildings and creating new community facilities. It is hoped the programme of new cultural events and initiatives will not only inspire local creativity but improve health and wellbeing through increased community and social engagement.

Fylde Council nominated representative for the project, Councillor Liz Oades said: “I know there are many stories to be shared, as I’ve heard so many of them over the years. I encourage as many people as possible to come forward to share them to show what a wonderful community Kirkham is and how romantic so many of our residents can be!”

Supporting the launch of ‘Kirkham With Love’, Historic England’s Tamsin Cooke said: “Heritage is really about people and the places they care about, and through storytelling we can connect communities and bring the past to life. We’re looking forward to hearing the tales shared through this project and we hope lots of local people get involved.”

And if you are interested in joining Kirkham’s Cultural Consortium to help shape the cultural vision for the town email helen.juste@positiveplacemakers.org.uk

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Additional CCTV to be Deployed in St Annes

Fylde Council — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 10:58:46 +0000

Fylde Council will be deploying mobile CCTV in St Annes in response to recent incidents of anti-social behaviour.

An application has been approved to utilise the Council’s new redeployable wireless CCTV assets to monitor the section of Promenade including the St Annes Beach huts, following an act of vandalism resulting in damage to one of the huts. Another application proposes the deployment of a CCTV asset at Hope Street Park in St Annes to address concerns of residents after damage to park facilities.

Councillor Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “We have suffered a spate of anti-social behaviour over the last few weeks, including vandalism and criminal damage. I have been in touch with Fylde’s Police Inspector Jones who assures me that leads are being followed up and patrol plans are in place in areas of interest. The Council are keen to assist by deploying their mobile CCTV cameras and have identified the area by the Beach Huts and Hope Street Park as current hotspots.

“These wireless CCTV cameras have been used at locations across the Fylde, including Lytham Windmill on Lytham Green, and are a good deterrent against anti-social behaviour. They can only be deployed where there is evidence of need and so I’m grateful to the Police and the public for reporting the incidents. I hope their installation has the desired effect.

“As well as the mobile CCTV, we are budgeting for an overhaul of the permanent CCTV provision in all three Town Centres in the next financial year. The upgrade will mean higher-definition cameras including the ability to record colour at night-time. We want to support the public with crime prevention measures and the Police with detection so this investment will be most welcome.”

The town centres of Lytham, St Annes and Kirkham are each protected by a network of fifteen static CCTV cameras, managed and monitored by arrangement by Wyre Council at their Civic Centre headquarters in Poulton.

Data from the April 2020 – March 2021 CCTV report showed that a total of 561 incidents were monitored across the three town centre systems. Case studies from the period showed operators being able respond in real-time to developing situations and work cooperatively with police to resolve them, as well as captured footage providing vital intelligence for police investigations, underscoring the value of CCTV to public safety.

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Important Housing Survey Commenced by Fylde Council

Fylde Council — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:00:56 +0000

Fylde Council are undertaking a Housing Survey to help provide an understanding of affordable housing need in Fylde over the next 5 years.

In the second week of January, a postal survey questionnaire will be sent to a random sample of households living in the urban areas of the Borough. All households living in rural parts of the Borough will receive a postal survey questionnaire.

Households who receive the questionnaire through the post are asked to complete it and return in the enclosed envelope. However, the survey is open to everyone whether or not they have received a postal survey. The quickest and easiest way to participate in the survey is online. This will ensure participants only have to answer questions which are relevant to them. The survey can be found at www.tinyurl.com/fylde.

Anyone taking part in the survey can opt into a draw to win one of three £100 prizes. The survey will be available from 17^th January 2022 and will close in the week beginning 13^th February 2022.

Cllr Thomas Threlfall, Chair of the Environment, Health & Housing Committee, said: “It’s comforting to know that we’re doing all we can to help people much in need of affordable housing, and I welcome the fact that Fylde Council have this issue high on their agenda.”

The Council has provided a helpline for assistance with any of the questions or to discuss the questionnaire, on freephone 0800 6440017.