Latest news with #StephenSimkins
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bilston Outdoor Market's £5m redevelopment set to get under way
Work is set to begin on the £5m redevelopment of an outdoor market in Wolverhampton. Improvement works to Bilston Outdoor Market is officially get under way on Wednesday 23 July, City of Wolverhampton Council 200-year-old market relocated to Bert Turner Boulevard, High Street and Church Street in October last year, to make way for the works, which should be completed by June traders claimed a 60% drop in sales after the temporary move, but a motion appealing for financial support was defeated at a full council meeting in June. The council said the market will deliver "the absolute best market in the West Midlands" - with more modern, accessible and "vibrant spaces" for traders and the local new market will have better access for pedestrians from the bus and Metro station, a new canopy, new toilets, stall improvements and improved public spaces. 'Challenging ground conditions' Council leader Stephen Simkins, said that despite the discovery of difficult ground conditions at the market site, the council was "100% committed" to delivering the full scheme as agreed with said: "Unfortunately, surveys revealed far more challenging ground conditions at the site than we had anticipated, so we have had to re-engineer parts of the project. "This has driven up the cost of the scheme - but I can assure traders we will not compromise on our ambition and will deliver the full scheme exactly as agreed with them."Council bosses have identified additional contingency funds of up to £2.5m to address the re-engineered scheme and other council also said it will freeze rent costs of the indoor and outdoor market traders and is investing £15,000 in activities and events in and around the indoor market to help drive added: "We promised traders they'd be the first to know once we got the timeline of the works, and I met with them face to face first this morning to talk through the plans and let them know how we're supporting them." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- BBC News
Vandals cause £100k damage to two Wolverhampton schools
"Mindless vandals" have caused damage to two schools near Wolverhampton in a "violent rampage", the city council has Park School, which caters for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and nearby Stowlawn Primary School, were broken into and vandalised by intruders at about 20:30 BST on Thursday, before they disturbed by a caretaker and fled the officers have been on site in Bilston with police and school staff to assess the damage, which is estimated at over £100,000. Police investigations are now under way. The council said the intruders had caused "major criminal damage", including damaged external and internal doors, as well as fire doors, while toilets and interactive whiteboards were smashed, iPads and ICT equipment were also destroyed, and fire extinguishers were discharged.A mobile swimming pool was also damaged and changing rooms ransacked, and attempts were made to start fires inside a and carers were notified of the incident and told that both schools were closed on Friday. It is unclear when they will reopen. The leader of the local authority, councillor Stephen Simkins, branded the acts of vandalism as "disgusting" and called for the prosecution of those said: "We are absolutely appalled by this disgusting act of mindless vandalism. "Those who have committed this crime need to be caught and prosecuted to the full power of the law. These idiotic vandals are a blight on our communities and we will not tolerate them."Together, we must stand against this kind of senseless behaviour and reaffirm our commitment to protecting our schools and the children and young people who depend on them". Councillor Jacqui Coogan said the vandalism had caused "so much upset and disruption for staff, children and families" at both schools and that repairs would cost upwards of £100,000."This is money that the schools, the council and the city's taxpayers can ill afford," she Park headteacher Lorraine Downey said: "Our heartfelt thanks goes to our brave community caretaker, who intercepted the intruders."Stowlawn Primary headteacher, Kate Charles, said: "We are absolutely devastated that someone would choose to target our schools like this for no reason. The impact over the past few hours for the staff, children and our families has been immense."However, the local authority support has been amazing, as have the police, and we have received so many messages of support from our amazing families and local community."Luckily the damage is repairable and we are working to welcome our children back to school as soon as we can." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New Wolverhampton Lockworks Cinema to open next week
The date for the opening of a new independent cinema in Wolverhampton city centre has been Cinema is taking over the space formerly occupied by The Light House, an independent cinema and arts venue which closed in 2022 after 35 much anticipated four-screen cinema will open to the public on Friday 11 July, after the 8,000 sq ft council-owned space was converted by independent commercial operator of Wolverhampton Council said PDJ had recruited locally for the three permanent and 20 part-time jobs created. PDJ and the council made a joint £2m investment in the refurbishment programme of the cinema and have entered into a 30-year council claims the venue is predicted to attract up to 130,000 visitors a year to the city centre at full flow and boost the local economy by £500,000 annually. James Jervis, director at PDJ Management, said: "We're incredibly excited to welcome film lovers back to Wolverhampton city centre from next week. "We're confident audiences will love what we've done with the cinema, and we're committed to delivering the very best experience for our customers." City of Wolverhampton Council leader Stephen Simkins said: "PDJ have delivered an exciting, affordable luxury offer in our city centre that will bring joy to thousands and thousands of movie-goers, young and old."It is all part of a transformation creating new destinations, better public spaces and inner-city living opportunities, coupled to a broader entertainment and events programme, to attract more visitors - helping both existing and new businesses to thrive and grow." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New Bilston council homes ready for tenants to move in
Eleven newbuild council homes have been completed and are ready for tenants to move in at a formerly empty site in Ettingshall Road development in Bilston consists of seven two-bedroom houses, two three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom began in September and the site was handed over to the council by the developer this council said the properties were built using sustainable methods and brought land back into use which had been blighted by fly-tipping. They each come with solar panels and are gas-free, the authority said work was also beginning or set to start in the coming months on 81 additional properties across six city Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council leader, said there was a growing demand for housing."This is a great example of how we are delivering good quality homes at pace and bringing small disused sites back into use," he said the properties would be allocated to local people according to the council's housing policy."This development also builds substantially on the investment already made in Bilston in recent years that is seeing the town flourish," he Partnerships managing director Tom Broadway said transforming sites like Ettingshall Road was important for local pride, and the energy-efficient homes would reduce bills and "make life more comfortable" for residents. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Scheme launched in Wolverhampton to repurpose unwanted items
A scheme has been launched to encourage tip users to help struggling families by granting a second life to unwanted but reusable items. People visiting the household waste and recycling centre on Shaw Road, Wolverhampton, will be able to leave any such items at a drop-off point under the Too Good to Chuck goods would then be found a new home with another household. Items with minor yet fixable damage would be repaired before distribution. City of Wolverhampton Council leader Stephen Simkins, who launched the scheme on Thursday, urged people to not simply throw away things that could be used to "help other families in the city". "In these continuing tough financial times, we all need ways to make the most of our homes without spending a fortune," he that can be donated include wooden or metal furniture, bicycles, crockery, cutlery and decorative pieces such as mirrors or council added, however, that anything electrical would not be accepted, along with soft furnishings or heavily damaged items. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
