Coronavirus business update: Latest news across the North West

Elements of this year’s Alternative Manchester Pride Festival will be streaming live from KAMPUS this August Bank Holiday weekend.

Due to the pandemic and the increased restrictions in place across many of the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, the charity will be holding no physical events, instead delivering three days of online content via United We Stream GM and YouTube.

The charity will set up a live studio in the Bungalow at KAMPUS to record live links and bring together content throughout the day.

KAMPUS – the new garden £250m neighbourhood being developed by HBD and Capital & Centric – sits next to Canal Street in the heart of Manchester. An ex-security cabin on stilts, the Bungalow was opened as a flexible event space earlier this year and looks out over the Gay Village.

Adam Brady, executive director at HBD, said: “KAMPUS is right next door to Canal Street, and the Village is one of our closest neighbours, so it seemed like the perfect fit for the festival to live stream from the Bungalow this weekend. We’ve been really impressed with the creativity and determination the charity has shown to deliver an event this year in such challenging circumstances.

“We’re creating a new garden neighbourhood at KAMPUS which will open up the other side of the canal and draw more people to the area. The site’s been empty and inaccessible for years and, frankly, a bit of a drag on the wider Village area.

“When complete, it’ll be open to everyone, not just people who live there, and we think it’ll really complement what the Village has to offer.”

Mark Fletcher, chief executive for Manchester Pride, said: “This has been a very strange year both for us and the LGBTQ+ people that we exist to support. It was so important to myself and my team that we delivered an LGBTQ+ celebration that we could all be proud of.

“We’re really excited to be streaming from KAMPUS. The Bungalow looks out over Canal Street so, even though we all can’t be there in person, people watching will still be able to feel a connection to the Village.”

The event will include live performances from Manchester Pride favourites including Louise, Karen Harding, Pixie Lott, Jodie Harsh, Gok Wan, Bright Light Bright Light, Husk, House Gospel Choir and Kelli-Leigh. The full line up can be viewed at www.manchesterpride.com.

KAMPUS is Manchester’s new garden neighbourhood, featuring 533 apartments across five individual buildings, with the first apartments launching in early 2021. The Bungalow will also become KAMPUS’s very own village hall, supporting community uses and activities as the site reaches completion.

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Another virtual event taking place this weekend is the Bolton Food and Drink Festival.

Online highlights will include a cook-along with acclaimed chef Simon Wood, a special performance from folk band Lancashire Hotpots, wild food foraging with popular chef Andrew Nutter, daily storytelling with Bolton Libraries, and a market place with special offers.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, council chiefs took the decision to change the popular, award-winning festival (August 28 to 31) to a virtual format this year.

The event is organised by Bolton Council, and sponsored by Warburtons, Bolton at Home, Bolton School, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and Stateside Foods.

The four-day extravaganza welcomed 400,000 people last year and was hailed by celebrity chef James Martin as the “biggest and best festival in the country”.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr David Greenhalgh, said: “Our beloved Food and Drink festival can’t happen in the usual manner due to the ongoing pandemic, but I am really delighted that the team have come up with a some innovative solutions to create a virtual version for us all to enjoy.

“Please take the time to enjoy all that is on offer – and join in over the weekend by sharing your stories on the festival’s social media channels.

“A big focus this year is supporting our local businesses and creative industries. There are so many brilliant businesses backing the festival, and, once again, I must say a massive thank you to our sponsors and partners for ensuring we can put on this event.”

Catch all the action on www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com, follow @BoltonFoodandDrinkFestival on Facebook or @boltonfoodfest on Twitter or Instagram for the latest updates, post using #boltonfoodfest #boltonvirtually.

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A drive-through coronavirus testing facility has opened at Carlisle Lake District Airport as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to increase testing.

Anyone experiencing COVID symptoms, however mild, can apply for the free swab test with results available the following day. Tests should be arranged as soon as symptoms begin at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

Testing at the new airport drive-through site began yesterday (August 26), with more appointments available each day.

The site, which is part of the Carlisle-based Stobart Group, will join the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history, including 73 drive-through sites, 45 walk-through sites, 236 mobile units, home testing and satellite kits and five laboratories.

Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will help people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission.

Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, advising them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus. They will be advised to also book at test if they develop symptoms.

Prof John Newton, national coordinator for the UK Coronavirus Testing Strategy, said: “This is another opportunity to make testing easily available to anyone who needs it. Sites like this allow people who develop symptoms to quickly get a test and find out whether they need to stay at home with their household or can safely return to work or a more normal life.

“This whole programme has been a great example of collaboration between industries, business and the public sector, working together to build the capability needed to protect the population from coronavirus.”

The testing centre is being operated in partnership with Mitie and will offer assisted and self-administered tests.

Simon Venn, chief government & strategy officer, Mitie, said: “Our priority during the pandemic is to support the nation’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and help keep the country running.

“Testing is a critical part of the UK’s strategy to combat coronavirus and we’re proud to support the Government with this vital task. A big thank you to all the NHS staff, Mitie employees and other frontline heroes in Carlisle, who are working tirelessly to keep us all safe.”

Glyn Jones, Stobart Aviation chief executive, said: “We are pleased to offer support in providing the testing site at Carlisle Lake District Airport.

“COVID testing plays a vital role in protecting the community and preventing the spread of the virus, everyone will need to play their part by isolating if symptomatic and booking a test as soon as possible.”