Latest news with #BarrowInFurness
Telegraph
24-06-2025
- Telegraph
Women will pay the price for Labour's open borders
When property developers applied for permission to turn a former hotel into a 'house in multiple occupation', they claimed it was to accommodate nurses. According to the planning application, the occupants would 'predominantly' be NHS staff who would 'contribute to the local economy'. But instead of being filled with hard-working staff from the nearest hospital, the 17-bedroom property was swiftly packed with new arrivals. Far from breathing new life into a downtrodden area, it became yet another blight – and a new source of anxiety for local women. Mothers and daughters in Barrow-in-Furness have every reason to be fearful. Such is the concern for the safety of female staff working in other migrant hotels in the town that they are said to have been issued with rape alarms. When a concerned resident used freedom of information legislation to find out what was going on, Cumbria Police revealed that in the space of 12 months, more than a dozen potential crimes were linked to 'guests' at the Imperial, including three sex offences. Quite the record for a small premises. There is a mountain of evidence – both official and anecdotal – that what is happening to women and girls in Barrow-in-Furness at the hands of illegal immigrants is happening to women and girls all over the country. The Home Office does not publish crime statistics according to immigration status. Nor are the police required to collect and share such data. Instead, arrests and charges are only recorded by nationality – a system that creates some very convenient ambiguity about how long the perpetrators have lived in this country. When voters are crying out to know just what kind of individuals are pouring across the Channel, and how likely it is that any will ever make a positive contribution to our society, it is an extraordinary omission. Just what are the authorities – along with all those who keep peddling the false narrative that all Channel migrants are good people – trying to hide? What little information is routinely published about crimes by foreign nationals provides a very strong clue. Despite making up less than ten per cent of the UK population, 'foreign nationals' account for around 15 per cent of all sexual offence convictions, including rape. When convictions in which the offender's nationality is 'unknown' – ie not British – are taken into account, that figure rises to almost one quarter (23 per cent) of all sex offences. It is known that only a fraction of sexual assault and rape complaints ever reach court. How many more female victims of sex offences by foreign nationals, particularly the occupants of migrant hotels, are out there, never getting justice? Among the best witnesses to the disgusting attitude of some asylum seekers towards women are female staff in migrant hotels. Unfortunately, they cannot speak out. Forced to sign confidentiality contracts, their experiences at the hands of rude, leering, entitled occupants of migrant hotels have never been documented. Some time ago, on condition of anonymity, I interviewed a cleaner at one of these places in Derby. She too spoke of rape alarms; harassment; and bowls of free condoms in the hotel foyer. One police force has felt the need to draw up a PowerPoint presentation to educate local asylum seekers about British culture. It includes recognising that women 'have the same rights as men' so 'must be treated with respect and courtesy'. What on earth are we doing continuing to provide for foreigners who are so ignorant and disrespectful that they have to be told that 'violence of any kind is not acceptable'? Crimes that do reach court offer a terrifying glimpse of the nightmare our leaders have created. Witness the case of the Qatari camel herder, who as a member of a conservative Bedouin tribe, had never had 'any meaningful contact' with a woman except his mother before coming to the UK to receive treatment for a rare heart condition. During treatment at a clinic in Marylebone linked to the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, he dragged a woman into a disabled toilet and attempted to rape her. In court, he blamed his 'limited interaction' with females in the Middle East, where his lawyer says he prefers a 'desert environment.' In another case a 29 year old Channel migrant cited 'cultural misunderstanding' and language barriers after luring a teenage girl behind a pub and raping her. The victim had repeatedly told him she was only 15 years old. A cursory internet search reveals umpteen other such cases – along with some very welcome honesty from Baroness Casey. Her report into the grooming gangs revealed that asylum seekers and foreign nationals make up a 'significant proportion' of live police investigations. Finally, someone in a position of power, telling it as it is! Neither the Home Office, nor the police, can justify continuing to hide what is going on. As thousands more undocumented young males continue to pour across the Channel, it is women and girls who are at most risk.
BreakingNews.ie
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Dave Myers' widow says memorial motorcycle ride has become ‘more than a tribute'
Dave Myers' widow, Liliana Myers, has said a memorial motorcycle ride in his honour has become 'more than just a tribute' as it helps people to work through their grief and make friends. Motorcyclists returned to the TV chef's hometown of Barrow-in-Furness on Saturday, a year on from the first Dave Day, in memory of the 66-year-old who died last year following a battle with cancer. Advertisement Myers was part of the motorcycle-riding cooking duo the Hairy Bikers with co-presenter Si King, who also attended the event at the weekend. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Hairy Bikers (@hairybikers) 'It's magical and amazing. Last year we had the bike ride and then a concert, but this year there's been a lot more. It's been a full weekend of events,' Myers told BBC Breakfast. 'It just started with a bike ride. Started at Ace Cafe in London. We were in the sun. It was scorching hot at some points, water just dripping off all of us.' She added: 'The last stop that we planned, we couldn't do it because it was packed with bikes. Advertisement 'So there were about 7,000 bikes in Burton-in-Kendal and we had to go past it. We couldn't stop. 'We got into Barrow earlier than we planned anyway, because of missing one stop, and we had about 40,000 bikes again on the roads this year. 'So many messages that I received from drivers on the other side of the motorways saying how amazing that was and how tearful they were to see the convoy. So (it was) really magical, beautiful. 'Then when we arrived there, we had a concert waiting for us. And on Saturday, a bike exhibition, bike stand, the Dave museum… It's so emotional.' Advertisement She added: 'I'm on a high, very tired because I think I had a couple of hours sleep the whole weekend. But it was so uplifting and so wonderful to see all those people from all over the country coming to pay a tribute. Motorcyclists at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, as they ride from London to Barrow ahead of Dave Day in 2024 (Jacob King/PA) 'And it became a little bit more than just a tribute. It was an occasion for people to manifest. 'Whether they were going through grief, through loss, whether they just needed a friendship, or a friend to talk to. 'I had a book signing, and I spoke with about 300 people that were there, and every one of them had a story about their health or about learning to cook watching Dave and Si on the TV because they've been part of people's living rooms for more than 20 years. And it's just amazing to see the legacy that they have.' Advertisement Dave Day 2025 raised money for NSPCC Childline and CancerCare North Lancashire and South Cumbria, an independent charity providing therapy and support to people affected by cancer. Last year the memorial ride raised £127,460.60, according to the Dave Day website. King and Myers were friends for more than three decades and fronted a series of cooking and travel programmes on the BBC from 2004. Myers' death came while the pair's last series, The Hairy Bikers Go West, was being aired – seeing them travel along the west of the UK from Scotland down to Devon. Advertisement Outside of their travelogue series, Myers competed on Strictly Come Dancing and the duo published more than 25 cookery books.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Poundland launches major 70% off sale ahead of closure of beloved store as 200 could shut for good
POUNDLAND has launched a major 70% off sale ahead of closing a beloved store for good. Its branch in Barrow in Furness is set to close on June 12, giving customers just two days to say their goodbyes. 1 To help shift stock before it closes for good, the retailer has launched a 70% sale to shift stock. One shopper shared the find on social media and managed to pick up a garlic masher for 12p and a wine and beer glasses for 25p a pop. They also picked up a USB charger for 37p. Another shopper said they had also visited the closings store and "picked up loads" in the sale. It comes just eight months after the affordable store shut another branch in the area. Its site at Hindpool Retail Park closed last autumn, in another blow to shoppers. The news has came as a blow to locals, with one even describing it as their "second home". A Poundland spokesperson previously told The Sun that the store is closing because it has been unable to agree terms that would allow the brand to keep trading there. The store still has 800 stores trading across the UK. It comes as Poundland could undergo a radical restructuring plan to help keep the business afloat. Poundland to be sold for JUST £1 as frontrunner for shock takeover is revealed after wave of store closures Up to 200 stores could close and hundreds of stores have been identified for steep rent cuts, according to reports. The retailer was put up for sale in March, with ex-Laura Ashley owner Gordon Brothers and Hilco named as frontrunners in the race. Last month, sources told The Sunday Times the budget business could be priced at "effectively a pound". It's owner Pepco said it expects the sale of Poundland by September. The brand has already closed a number of stores in the past year. That includes stores across Gravesend's St George's Centre, Clapham Junction station in London. Liverpool's Belle Vale Shopping Centre also pulled down their shutters for the final time. This is the full list of stores that have closed, or are set to close in the coming months: Connswater Shopping Centre, Belfast – closed March 2024 Macclesfield – closed August, 2024 Maidenhead – closed October, 2024 Sutton Coldfield – closed October, 2024 Clapham Junction Station, London – closed May 2 Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool – closed May 6 St George's Centre, Gravesend – closed May 8 Southwark Park Road – closed May 14 Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich – closed May 20 Brackla, Wales – closed May 24 Chiswick High Road – closed May 28 Filton Abbeywood – closed May 31 Surrey Quays – closing June 11 Barrow Dalton Road - closing June 12 Union Gate, Bristol - closing June 20 Flint - closing June 21 Cowes, Isle of Wight – closing July (exact date tbc) Newquay, August 1 OTHER RETAIL CLOSURES Poundland is not the only retailer facing troubling times. Hobbycraft is set to close nine stores on June 21, as part of an overhaul by new owner Modella Capital. Sites across Bristol, Dunstable, Borehamwood and Basildon are all set to close. A further two sites in Essex and one in Gloucestershire are also set to close, with a site in Kent closing earlier this year. Elsewhere, up to 11 Original Factory Shops stores are to set to close this month, including sites across Worcestershire, Durham and Cumbria. Meanwhile, another five stores across Nairn, Market Drayton, Troon, Blairgowrie and Castle Douglas have been put up for sale. It comes as part of a major restructuring carried out by new owner Modella Capital with a number of loss-making stores having to close as result. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
The Sun
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Huge £17.5MILLION boost for England's ‘saddest town' where high street is dubbed ‘death row'
ENGLAND'S "saddest town", where the high street has been dubbed 'death row', has been given a huge financial boost to improve it's town centre. Barrow-in-Furness was once a thriving port town, but fell into disrepair after jobs in the steel industry dried up, with most shops now boarded up. 5 5 5 The Office for National Statistics has classified it as one of England 's most deprived towns, and a YouTuber who explores the UK's roughest areas described it as " England 's saddest town." Police battle rampant drug gangs, and many buildings have been vandalised with graffiti and broken windows. Barrow resident James Riche previously told The Sun: 'Covid hit the town centre hard. "I call it death row because so many of the shops are shut and boarded up. We avoid it." However, the Cumbrian town's look is about to change. Barrow is home to the BAE Systems factory, which builds the UK's key military submarines - including the Trident nuclear programme. And because of its "importance to National Defence" has been granted a whopping £200 million from the government, which will be used to give the town a facelift over the next 10 years. This is on top of the £17.5 million of cash that was given to the town back in October 2021. The council said: 'Extra funding made available through Team Barrow means significantly more money is now available and this has the potential to deliver a more transformational regeneration of the town centre. 'The additional funding from Team Barrow would be on top of the money already committed by Government for the current town centre regeneration works. 'In recognition of the town's strategic importance to national defence and security, the Government has agreed to invest more than £200m in Barrow over the next 10 years. 'Team Barrow will use this money – and seek to secure additional private and public sector investment – to help transform the town, delivering improvements across health, education, transport, the economy and community.' Plans for the regeneration are currently being finalised, but could include a new and improved theatre and events space, better food and drink offerings and leisure and market facilities. Simon Case, chair of Team Barrow, said: 'We have bold and ambitious plans for Barrow and this includes transforming the town centre. 'While these are very early stages, with a significant amount of work now required to develop these plans, we are clear in our vision that this must deliver more than simply high street regeneration. 'The Government's investment in Barrow presents us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the challenges which face the town. "This means that in addition to delivering a town centre that has a strong retail, leisure and cultural offering, we will also prioritise improvements in housing, health and education.' Bae Systems is set to drastically expand its workforce, due to a surge in demand, meaning that the population in Barrow is set to swell from 60,000 to 90,000 over the next decade. Some of the newly employed workers and their families will be housed in a new 800 home waterfront development, called Marine Village. Case has likened the regeneration of Barrow to the town of Bourneville, which was built specifically to house Cadbury 's factory workers and their farmers. He said: "With the pressure that we've got on getting the Astute boats finished, then Dreadnought and then Aukus, we started to focus on this two years ago for almost Bournville-like reasons.' "The town is a strategic national asset, although it hasn't always been viewed that way. 'Pretty quickly, we realised we needed Team Barrow to create an environment that would deliver that happy, skilled workforce we need to support the defence nuclear enterprise. "Thanks to Mr Putin and Mr Xi, the business case makes itself!' 5 5
Bloomberg
02-06-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
Allegra Stratton: Starmer's Need For Speed
If you've never been to the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, just south of the Lake District, then it's worth a trip. I have been a fair bit both as a day tripper and also as a TV reporter, when I always found the local 'Spoons stuffed with submariners having a pint before heading off on what they call their 'Silent Service' through the planet's seas. But the ultimate spectacle is to walk over the bridge in Barrow and find yourself staring right at one of Britain's nuclear subs: half submerged like a resting black electric eel. The one in the dock in March, when the prime minister became the first Labour leader to visit in 30 years, was HMS Agamemnon, or 'awesome Aggie' — part of the new Astute-class of subs that will protect the UK's nuclear deterrent and the rest out at sea. When I've visited, the skills and pride of the technicians are clear to see, as they thrum around the boats.
