Following a wide-ranging review of public media services, it has been decided to relocate diamond geezer to the north of England.
Its core mission must be to deliver for the whole of the UK, so the blog will shift its creative and journalistic centre away from London to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country. This radical and ambitious change empowers a significant creative and journalistic rebalancing of the blog's footprint and will more effectively represent different voices and perspectives, covering the stories that matter most to audiences and reflecting the passions and identities of a culturally diverse UK.
Rather than focusing on the metropolitan elite, daily blogging will now be rooted in, and inspired by, the wider UK community.
diamond geezer is therefore to be uprooted to the North of England and a fresh base in the town of Rochdale. This key Pennine location is perfectly balanced for easy access to Yorkshire, Lancashire and the wider North West region while still within easy travelling distance of the West and East Midlands. Rochdale boasts excellent motorway and rail connections as well as its own tram terminus and a historic canal. With the cultural hubs of Greater Manchester and the Calder Valley on the doorstep, this relocation redefines diamond geezer as a genuinely UK-wide media presence.
Census to turn Rochdale landmarks purple
This weekend is a historic one, not just because it's census day but also because key landmarks across Rochdale will be turning purple. These include the bridge over the river Roch in the town centre, St Leonard’s Parish Church in Middleton and the Grade-I listed Rochdale Cenotaph. The idea is that Rochdaleans will notice the purple lighting and then, duly inspired, instinctively go home to complete their census declaration. Other national landmarks to change colour include Blackpool Tower and Guildford Castle, but Rochdale is having to make do with the best of what it has, Gracie Fields statue excepted.
Pete Benton, ONS director of census operations, said: "We wanted to shine a light on important local buildings and landmarks, highlighting the importance of the census in helping shape the communities we live in." He supposedly continued "We’re thrilled with the support we have received and thank the borough of Rochdale for their participation", confirming that marketing folk continue to put words in executives' mouths even 150 miles from the capital. When you see the pretty purple lights, remember to complete your decennial survey and help determine the future of the Rochdale community we live in.
Bakery chain Greggs opens unit at Rochdale Riverside
Lovers of vegan sausage rolls were left disappointed when Rochdale's newest shopping mall opened beside the tram terminus in April 2020. Not only did the onset of lockdown entirely mute the celebrations but the sole refreshment option at launch was M&S Food. It's since been joined by Heavenly Desserts, Crust and Loaded Burgers, but none of these do a decent tuna baguette or steak bake which means Greggs aficionados have been forced to continue to use the branch at Rochdale Exchange, the one watched over by Judith Bluck's three bronze sheep. So hurrah that a new Greggs has now opened at Rochdale Riverside in a 1000 sq.ft unit between Boots and the Reel cinema offering all the finest savoury treats. Indoor and outdoor seating will be made available as soon as the current lockdown eases.
Hourly trains will blight Smithy Bridge
During the last year we've all enjoyed essential exercise around HollingworthLake, the man-made reservoir that feeds the Rochdale Canal. The Victorians definitely knew what they were doing with those paddle steamers. But as travel restrictions ease there are fears that upcomingchanges to the rail timetable may relegate the local station to “insignificance” and could lead to an increase in car use, because Northern's spring timetable will see Calder Valley services at Smithy Bridge halved from half-hourly to hourly.
Richard Lysons, chair of the Friends of Littleborough Stations, said: "Smithy Bridge station should be a focus for people wanting to visit the local countryside, as well as using the train to go on shopping trips and days out. All that an hourly service will achieve is to encourage people to jump into their cars and drive to Rochdale station and catch a train or tram there, putting more vehicles on the town's congested roads."
Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: "Though we will maintain a good service during the morning and evening peaks, I completely understand that one train per hour during off-peak may be frustrating for our customers. This is not a decision we took lightly and stakeholders were consulted. By carefully managing the services we operate we can better ensure a reliable and stable service for rail travellers across the north of England."
Green e-scooter trial to explode across Rochdale
Wow, it's just been announced that a trial e-scooter scheme will launch in Rochdale before the end of March. The green steeds of Lime, supported by Transport for Greater Manchester and the borough council, will start to litter the town centre within days. If the current trial in Salford is anything to go by, expect sustainable travel transformation. And if all goes well the scheme will be extended in phases to Heywood and Littleborough, potentially enabling leisure trips to Hollingworth Lake, although at 15p a minute it might be cheaper to take the hourly train. Get scooting!
Coming soon to diamond geezer (north)
» The Co-Op Pioneers (a 20 part series)
» Ellenroad Engine House Steam Museum
» Rochdale's Least Used Tram Stop
» Hooley Bridge to Crimble
» Mild Urbex - Trub roundabout (M62 J20)
» Secrets of Saddleworth Moor
» Is it possible to walk to Oldham?
» Waterloo Road - the filming locations
