News & Events.
19.06.2000.
THE PUBLIC are being offered a say in the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Sheffield’s Midland Station. Ambitious proposals costing around £30m include the creation of a new public plaza, refurbishment of buildings, a multi-storey station car park and improved pedestrian access. An exhibition and model went on display in Sheffield today and 20,000 leaflets and questionnaires have been produced. Partners in the scheme are the city council, the Passenger Transport Executive, Midland Mainline and station owners Railtrack. They believe the proposals will bring the station and its surrounding area up to the most modern standards and provide opportunities to improve pedestrian and passenger links with the city centre. Plans include a new Supertram stop linked to a modernised station bridge with lifts and stairs to platforms. There will also be a new travel centre, check-in facilities for Manchester Airport, bus stops, better access for taxi users and space for shops. Pond Street could be closed at its junction with Sheaf Square and buses re-routed to the interchange.
16.06.2000.AROUND 1,200 South Yorkshire steel jobs are to go after one of the country’s biggest producers announced massive cutbacks today.Corus, formerly British Steel, plans to shed up to 3,000 jobs across Britain.It is understood around 300 workers at the company’s works in Stocksbridge could face the dole.Corus is blaming the job cuts on the strong pound which they say is hampering efforts to sell steel abroad, and gives an unfair advantage of foreign producers.
SHEFFIELD’S beleaguered National Centre for Popular Music is looking for cash to tide it over before it relaunches with a big lottery grant.The pop centre, which has struggled to attract visitors since it opened last year, is working on a strategy to revamp the entire centre.But before it can set wheels in motion it needs to buy itself more time.NCPM bosses are confident they can pull in a big lottery grant from the Arts Council next month.In the meantime they look likely to target the city council and the private sector for cash. Pop centre chiefs will promise any cash lent would be paid back whether the centre gets a grant or not.
19.10.1999.
Sheffield Center for Popular Music, which opened in March of this year, today called in solvency experts to try to find a solution to its financial problems. The center has not attracted the expected number of visitors since it opened. The Arts Council has promised to donate a further grant along with extra money coming from the city council.
15.10.1999.
The city suffered its second bout of bad news in a week when KLM, the Dutch Airline, announced it was to withdraw its service from the city airport. It had intended to transfer the operation to a sister company, but now states this will not take place. Passengers already booked on the service will be given refunds on their costs.
13.10.1999.
Sport in Sheffield suffered a major setback today when the Sports Council announced it had decided not to place its headquarters in the City, but to keep them in London. The Sports Council states they have consulted the athletes, and this is what they want. This decision has caused much concern from the city authorities who say they are very disappointed by this announcement. Some members of the city Council are to seek some compensation for the money spent by the city when the sports council promised to locate its headquarters to Sheffield earlier in the year.
18.08.1999.
The main Post Office in Fitzalan Square has closed, after 96 years service to the Sheffield public. All the staff have moved to new premises within the Sheffield Co-Operative Society Castle House building in Angel Street. The Post Office says the old building was very limiting, and regulations made it difficult to convert it in any way. It is hoped the move will give customers a more modern environment in which to conduct business. No decision has yet been made on what will happen to the old Fitzalan Square building.
17.08.1999.
The redevelopment of the city center continues on the Arundel Gate area. Planning application has been made to improve the area around the Odeon cinema and the Roxy nightclub, including improvements to pedestrian links with the Pond Street Transport Interchange. The plans include a two storey extension to the complex containing the cinema, nightclub and the car park. The nightclub would receive a new glass frontage, enabling people to see into the building, and the cinema would be extended to include more screens. A glass covered mall with lifts and escalators would provide pedestrian access to the Interchange. The mall would also include shops, restaurants, supermarkets and leisure areas. A new three lane road would replace the dual carriagway.
16.08.1999.
Flights to Amsterdam from Sheffield airport have been saved after operators KLM uk. announced some streamlining within the company. It was feared that the service would be lost to the city, despite the fact that the service had carried some 48,000 passengers in the first year. KLM uk. have announced the service will continue under a sister company, KLM Cityhopper, from October 31st.
20.07.1999.
Sheffield may soon have its own airline if a new company, now being formed, can complete talks with potential partners. Celtic Airways have plans to operate routes to Brussels and Cork. Aimed mainly at the business traveler, it also plans to cater for some of the leisure market by offering late reductions on empty seats and weekend package breaks. The new airline would have its head office in Sheffield, and employ 55 to 60 staff, about 35 of these recruited locally. Sheffield Airport continues to grow, the latest figures show that the British Airways service to Belfast were on average about half full. The Dublin service reaching some 70 per cent capacity, while the KLM uk service to Amsterdam was showing an average of 60 per cent capacity.
02.07.1999.
Wards Brewery finally lost its battle to stay open, when the proposed management buy-out bid collapsed. 160 years of brewing in the city came to an end when the gates to the brewery were closed for the last time today. All of the work force have received their redundancy notices.
14.06.1999.
A 29 seater British Airways Jetstream 41 took off from Sheffield Airport today, destination Belfast. Later in the day flights to Dublin began, in what is to be a new regular service to the two Cities. Later this summer services to London City Airport will also be available. Direct flights to Paris, Glasgow and Edinburgh will follow later in the year.
12.05.1999.
The long battle to save Wards Brewery continues with the news that another management buy-out bid looks set for success. Although officials had hoped to keep the news secret until a final acceptance of the offer by the Swallow group, the present owners of the brewery, they are optimistic but cautious that jobs at the brewery can be saved.
A multi-million pound Millennium party is planned at the city's DonValley stadium, expected to attract a crowd of more than 20.000. One of Sheffield's leading nightclubs has booked the venue for this special event, with tickets costing £100 a head. World famous DJs will appear on stage, and the event will be broadcast live on National Radio. Organizers promised the event will be the biggest dance event in the country and will be full of surprises fit for the Millennium.
Other Millennium celebrations will take place at Sheffield's three main public squares, Cathedral Square, Town Hall Square and Devonshire Green. Pyrotechnic and firework displays are planned following the midnight chimes, which will be counted down from each of the stages.
07.05.1999.
The Liberal Democrats party sensationally seized control of Sheffield Council in today's local elections. The Labour Party, who have ruled the Council for the past seventy years, lost eleven seats to give the Liberal Democrats a majority of seven, allowing them to take over the running of the Council. Party leader Paddy Ashdown paid a brief visit to Sheffield to join in the celebrations.
03.05.1999.
The annual World Snooker Championship has been taking place at the Crucible Theater over the last two weeks. This prestigious event is shown by television to many parts of the world, and is a great boost to the city. Former Champion Stephen Hendry emerged as the eventual winner of the event, making history by becoming World Champion for a record 7th time. He is the first player to reach this remarkable achievement.
24.04.1999.
Concern has been shown for safety standards at Sheffield Airport, because it lacks radar cover for pilots approaching the Tinsley runway. KLM - UK, who run a service between Sheffield and Amsterdam three times a day, have tried unsuccessfully to obtain radar cover from other sources. As a result special safety procedures have been drawn up for both arrivals and departures. The airport has a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority to operate without radar. Both the airport authorities and KLM stress there is no risk to passengers, and the airport meets stringent safety guidelines. A consultant has been appointed to install a radar system as soon as possible, especially as there are plans to extend services from the airport.
03.04.1999.
Further talks to avert the closure of the Wards Brewery collapsed after the Swallow group, who own the brewery, rejected a new offer from the management buy-out team. 650 jobs at the brewery look set to be lost with this latest breakdown in talks, although the Swallow group have stated they are still prepared to review any new offers.
The city council have given assurances that Sheffield's City Hall will not close despite falling audience figures and a lack of funding. The City Hall, which once only held ballroom dancing, now stages a wide range of events. But attendance's have been disappointing, and the number of events held have fallen below council guidelines. Last year the City Hall failed to secure a 12 million pound grant from the National Lottery, which would have been used to improve the facilities in the decaying hall. It is now proposed to apply for European funds to allow these improvements to continue.
Ski Center - Parkwood Springs.
Sheffield's Ski Center at Parkwood Springs has announced that it is to built a new Ski Jump alongside the present facilities. The British Olympic Association have stated that they will use the center to train members of the British team, when the construction of the new jump has been completed.
25.03.1999.
There was some good news and some bad news for the city today. The good news was the announcement that British Airways is to start scheduled services to London, Paris, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow and Edinburgh from Sheffield Airport. The service will start with three flights a day to Belfast, and a daily service to Dublin, from the 14th. June. In the Autumn the service to London City Airport will commence, followed by the service to Paris, Glasgow and Edinburgh later in the year. The expansion of services at the airport will create 25 new jobs for check-in staff and ground personnel. The routes will initially be served by 29-seat British Aerospace Jetstream 41 aircraft in BA livery. Larger aircraft will be introduced if there is a commercial demand.
The bad news for Sheffield workers came with the announcement that Wards Brewery in the city looks set for closure, following the failure of talks for a management buyout of the business. The workforce were called together today to be told of the breakdown in the talks, and that the brewery has been given 12 weeks to sort itself out. The closure would bring an end to 150 years of brewing in Sheffield.
17th. 03.1999.
Monica Lewinski, the girl who almost brought down the Presidency of the United States of America, came to Sheffield today to sign copies of her book at one of the cities leading bookstores in the Meadowhall Shopping center. Large crowds gathered at the store to see Miss Lewinski, who is on a nation-wide tour. At her previous signings, in other cities around the country, copies of the book have sold out. The Sheffield store had extra copies delivered in time for the signing.
14th. 03.1999.
The closure of the city's ' wedding cake ' registry office, ( see Photo Page ), took a step closer with the announcement that permission has been sought to transfer the performing of wedding ceremonies to the Town Hall building. This would also have the advantage that receptions could also be held in, magnificent and elaborately decorated, rooms available within the Town Hall. The registry of Births and Deaths would also be transferred to other offices at the Town Hall. The closure of the registry office would allow new shops and offices to be built as part of the city's regeneration program.
04.03.1999.
Work has started on the new Millennium Gallery on the site of a former car park in Surrey Street. The 35 million pound gallery and new Winter Gardens are the next stage of the, ' Heart of the City ' project. The Millennium Gallery will house the Ruskin collection, have a new Sheffield cutlery collection and rooms for temporary exhibitions. Work on the Winter Gardens, a huge conservatory, will start when the ' Eggbox ', the town hall extension, is demolished at the end of the year 2000. The Gallery and Winter Gardens will be run by the city's Museums and Galleries Trust, and is expected to open in the spring of 2001.
03.03.1999.
Sheffield will be the heart of a 140 million pound investment by the Government to build the Olympic champions of the future. 10 Centers of Excellence are due to be funded nation-wide, with Sheffield guaranteed some 40 million pounds to develop the headquarters of the UK Sports Institute.
01.03.1999.
After much media coverage during the last few weeks, Sheffield's National Center for Popular Music finally opened it's doors to the public. The center, which cost some 15 million pounds to develop and build, insists it is not a museum, but will provide a unique ' hands on ' experience for the visitor. Visitors will be able to ' interact ' with the exhibits, and express their talents and interest in all kinds of music, while touring the center.
12.02.1999.
On a day when the deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, was visiting the area to promote the use of public transport, the drivers of the MainLine Bus Company, the major bus operator in the city, voted to implement a one day strike over a pay dispute. As well as causing embarrassment to city officials, the strike caused much inconvenience to the city commuters. The city's transport exchange, usually a hive of activity, was deserted as commuters made alternative arrangements for their travel. The city's Supertram, ironically owned and operated by the same company, was not affected by the strike, and played a major role in providing alternative travel in the city. Talks to end the dispute continue as the drivers threaten to take further one day strikes.
06.01.1999.
The newly designed Peace Gardens finally opened in time for Christmas, and they were an instant success with the Sheffield public. Despite the many months of disruption to the city center, the new gardens are a credit to the city. The gardens,circular in shape, have a new multi-spray fountain as it's main feature. The gardens are enclosed on two sides by a wall that also has a number of fountains, with water cascading down coloured steps. Trees also form part of the boundary to the gardens, and specially placed lighting give the whole area a new look when darkness falls. The spring and summer months will see the gardens further transformed into a colourful area when all the carefully placed plants will be in full flower.
A candlelight procession by children, representing all the schools in the city, formed the opening ceremony.
28.11.1998.
The controversy continues over which statue is to be used on Fargate in place of the Goodwin Fountain. The organising body seems to be the Sheffield Town Trust who are insisting on an abstract statue which looks like a large size pile of giant 50p pieces. Sheffield people have voted against every choice put before them as have the Sheffield Council's Strategic Committee. Further meetings are planned to find a solution agreeable to all parties.
The famous Sheffield travel company Woodcock Travel have called in the receivers. This company is over 100 years old and has travel shops across the city. All holidays booked via Woodcocks are said to be safe.
Elton John played the Sheffield Arena to a crowd of 11,000. The concert, which lasted some two and a half hours, was a huge success with the artist singing many of his chart hits. The concert was well appreciated by the audience comprising all age groups.
13.11.1998.
Prince Charles visited Sheffield and hundreds sang happy birthday to him in honour of his forthcoming 50th birthday.( 14th. November. ) He carried out a number of engagements across the city, including meeting local people involved in the Princes Trust. Amid tight security, he also visited the troubled Manor district of Sheffield to look at the Cary Road Centre which is being constructed as part of the Manor development scheme. He also took part in an impromptu Full Monty dance, declaring himself to be a fan of the film.
The new fountain garden in the Peace Gardens will be opened on 9th December. Prince Charles paid a brief visit to the near-finished gardens.
08.11 1998.
The new Peace Gardens take shape.
The first time visitor to the city could be forgiven for thinking that Sheffield is nothing more than a building site ! The rebuilding of the City centre still dominates the main news, with the new Peace Gardens taking on a completely new look.
Virgin's Megaplex Cinema complex. The new Hollywood Bowling Centre.
Virgin's supremo, Richard Branson, paid a visit to Sheffield to open the latest development to his vast empire. A new cinema complex, one of the largest in the country, opened it's doors to the public along with other leisure facilities at a new development near to the Sheffield Arena. A new Bowling Centre, a new Night Club, and several restaurants complete this latest area to be modernised in the city.
The Meadowhall shopping centre is gearing itself up for the Christmas trade. New extended opening hours have come into effect to cover this busy period of the year. The centre has also been transformed with the addition of the Christmas decorations, which always prove popular with visitors.
05.09.1998.
The major rebuilding of the City centre continues, especially in the area around the Town Hall and the Peace Gardens. Although much more work is to be completed, both visitors and local residents can see that the plans are gradually taking shape.
The futuristic looking National Centre for Popular Music.
Sheffield's National Centre for Popular Music in Paternoster Road is also well advanced and on course for it's opening early next year.
Prince Andrew made a surprise, and unscheduled, visit to Sheffield Airport when he landed his helicopter on his way to an official engagement in another part of Yorkshire. Bad weather forced him to abort his flight, and Sheffield was the nearest airport. After meeting surprised, but delighted, staff and passengers, Prince Andrew continued his journey by car.
Another Royal visit to Sheffield is due on November 13th., when Prince Charles is due to carry out a number of engagements in the City.
03.08.1998.
The Grand Prix Athletics meeting, held at the Don Valley Stadium, proved a huge success with the 12,000 spectators that attended. The event saw wins for triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards, and Steve Backley in the javelin. Dwaine Chambers won the 100 metres, and John Mayock came second to Laban Rotich of Kenya in the mile. Paula Radcliffe made all the running in her 3,000 metres, winning by a margin of almost 50m.
The news that,'Golden Boy' Roger Black had announced his retirement from British athletics, and that the Sheffield event was to see his last competitive race, also made the meeting special for his many supporters. The former World Champion finished third in his final 400 metres, in front of his fans who had come to say an emotional goodbye. After giving their hero a tumultuous send-off, his admirers queued for over an hour for 32 year old Black's autograph.
After the meeting Roger Black said, " Sheffield was probably the best track I could have run my last race, it is a great stadium to run in. "
26th June 1998.
Work is about to start soon on another part of the City centre improvement scheme. A £ 5 Million development project will see Cambridge Street transformed with the addition of new shops, a restaurant, and flats.
A £ 47 Million development is also being planned for the Castlegate area of the City, including redevelopment of the Market, and the construction of a multi-screen cinema and a new hotel.
An even more ambitious development costing £ 120 Million involves the reconstruction of the Peace Gardens, adding a Millennium Gallery, and Winter Gardens. The Town Hall extension will be demolished and new civic and private offices built.
A skateboard park is due for construction in Devonshire Street, alongside the shopping centre there, being revitalised.
Much interest, especially from abroad, has been shown in the planned Sheffield's National Centre for Popular Music, which is being built in Paternoster Road. The centre, the worlds first visitor and education centre to deal in pop music, is due to open to the public in March of 1999. Visitors will encounter 3-D sound systems, video screens and inter-active exhibits.
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