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Carlisle Newsletter

News, what's on listings and other useful info for people living in Carlisle, Cumbria.

13/01/2025

A £3.3 million transformation of Carlisle Library is set to get underway later this month 📚

It aims to enhance and improve the exist library, creating a state-of-the-art learning and community hub, delivering a wealth of modern facilities and services to meet the needs of today’s users.

Located on the first floor of The Lanes Shopping Centre, the library was originally opened in April 1986. Improvements planned include:

The existing space is set for a complete overhaul, with structural work, rewiring, and infrastructure updates to accommodate new technology and facilities.

The new library and hub are set to feature a children's zone, social space, adult learning classrooms, study spaces, and The Jackson Collection.

To prepare for the works to commence in late February this year, the library will close temporarily from end of day Saturday 25 January until the end of February, when a temporary library will reopen in part of the existing library. This will be a reduced offer, allowing the contractor to undertake the works on-site. This is an essential closure to prepare the site for construction, so we apologise for the inconvenience but please be assured, we will keep this closure to a minimum.

During February:

Service points will be available at library links within Carlisle at Morton Manor Community Centre, Denton Holme Community Centre, Harraby Community Centre, Carlisle West, as well as Longtown Library and Brampton Library where you will have access to PC’s, book borrowing and WiFi.

12/01/2025

Local student Alissa Moore is hosting Intro's first pop-up of 2025 as a celebration of Cumbria’s LGBTQIA+ community 🏳️‍🌈

A POP of Pride is a unique pop-up shop which champions LGBTQIA+ artists and the art of q***r creatives. You will be able to buy a range of artworks created in response to an open call.

And all work will be sold non-profit with proceeds donated to outREACH Cumbria.

This is a collaborative process that celebrates community, creativity and inclusion and there will be lots of amazing work for sale.

The POP of Pride pop-up is at Intro HQ, 7 Paternoster Row, Carlisle, CA3 8TT. It runs from Sunday January 12 to Saturday January 18 and is open every day from 10am to 5.30pm.

11/01/2025

Carlisle MP Julie Minns has called for the completion of the city’s flood defences as Carlisle marks 20 years and she paid tribute to the three people who lost their lives in the devasting floods of January 2005.

The flooding cut off the city with 1,800 properties in the city flooded.

£25 million was allocated for new flood defences for the city but the work has not yet been fully completed which has been an issue that Julie Minns has made one of her key priorities.

Speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on flooding this week Julie Minns said: “I have been personally affected by flooding. In 1985, our family home was flooded when the River Caldew in Carlisle burst its banks.

“I can testify to the terror and powerlessness that people feel when their home is invaded by water. Although over the past few weeks we have escaped flooding in Carlisle, tomorrow marks 20 years since Carlisle was flooded and three residents, Margaret Threlkeld, Margaret Porter and Michael Scott, lost their lives.

“At that point, the Labour Government commissioned and completed flood defences, but they proved insufficient to hold back the River Eden in 2015, and the city was flooded again.

“Flood defences were commissioned but not completed by the last Government.

“Does the Minister agree that it is unacceptable that the residents of Carlisle have been left unprotected as a result of the last Government’s inaction?”

In response, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for water and flooding, Emma Hardy MP said: “Hearing the news that anybody has lost their life in a flood event is truly devastating, and my sympathies are with the family and loved ones of those victims.

“My hon. friend is right to point out the importance of delivering on the promise to build flood defences and to highlight that poor maintenance of flood defences puts an additional 60,000 homes at risk of flooding.

“She has already proven herself to be a fantastic champion by getting hold of me at every available opportunity to advocate for her constituency, and long may she continue to do so.”

10/01/2025

Our business of the week is... The Magic Chest ✨

The Magic Chest is Carlisle’s newest communal gaming area. Since opening in mid December, it has quickly became popular amongst local gamers. It is a tabletop gaming shop with trading card games, events, single cards, cosplay props and are also hoping to host events/tournaments in the future.

The business was started by close friends Alejandro Ruse, Craig Whiteside and Robbie Evans. We spoke to Alejandro about how things have been since they opened, he said: “We are one of the first places to do this in Carlisle, we wanted to create a safe space where people can gather and meet new people. We have been ridiculously busy.”

The shop is open 7 days a week from 11am (12pm on Sundays) until 10pm, with specific nights dedicated to organised play. The shop’s most popular events include Yu-Gi-Oh! on Fridays, Pokémon on Saturdays, and Magic: The Gathering on Sundays.

As well as being a place to play a variety of games, they also offer a selection of products to buy, including Pokémon cards and merch, board/card games and more.

To find out more you can visit their Facebook or Instagram page here 👉 https://bit.ly/3WeXVmG

03/01/2025

A diabetic eye health event will take place in the Lanes Shopping Centre at Central Square (close to Primark) on 3 and 4 January 2025👁️

More than 2,500 people in Cumbria with Diabetes are overdue their free sight check and are at risk of losing their sight.

The event will be open from 9am to 5.30pm for anyone who wants to find out more about their eye health.

02/01/2025

There is still time to have your say... 🗑️

Cumberland Council launched a consultation recently that could result in some changes to the current frequency and method of waste and recycling collections.

Carlisle households currently have a mix of boxes and bags for their recycling collections.

It is proposed to provide wheeled bins to make it consistent with other areas within Cumberland.

Paper and cardboard will be recycled in one bin while glass, cans and plastics in another. The frequency of these refuse and recycling collections will not change.

It is proposed to provide wheeled bins from May 2026.

The public consultation continues until Wednesday January 8. Have your say here 👉 https://bit.ly/3ZZH2xk

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from Carlisle Newsletter ✨

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2025 🎈

30/12/2024

Carlisle's covered Victorian market has been sold to a new owner, who has pledged to bring the Grade II listed building back to life 🙌

The Eden Centre has been bought by the Llandudno-based Bearmont Group. CEO Rob Lloyd said the Eden Centre, which includes The Market Hall, a former Wilko store, a TK Maxx and a retail arcade, was "one of the few covered Victorian markets remaining in the UK". As well as acknowledging the building needed "some TLC" and refurbishment, Mr Lloyd said he hoped to increase the number of tenants.

"The centre is approximately 40% vacant and we would hope that Bearmont will provide its magic touch to get the vacant space let within three-to-six months," he said.

The Eden Centre was previously owned by BAE Systems 2000 Pension Funds Trustees Limited. A number of independent businesses trade from the market, including a greengrocer, a butcher, a flower shop and several cafes and food outlets. While Bearmont Group is now the site's leaseholder it will be managed on a day-to-day basis by Mason Partners.

Cumberland Council said it was looking at ways to improve The Market Hall, including creating a communal seating area to complement its food offering. An application has been submitted to gain "in-principle approval" for work that would affect its "historic fabric", the council said.

Labour's Barbara Cannon said the developments were "really positive news for Carlisle".

"The Market Hall presents a huge opportunity to create an exciting destination for residents and visitors that would contribute to the vitality and sustainability of Carlisle city centre," she said.

"It's been a much-loved part of the city's retail offer for generations and we're excited to see what the future holds."

23/12/2024

A personal safety app that aims to give people and their loved ones a greater peace of mind when they’re out and about is launching in Carlisle in time for Christmas.

WalkSafe will help those who live, work or visit the city to plan their journeys home and nights out in the safest way, while letting their friends and family know where they are on an online map.

The free app has received the backing of organisations and agencies including Cumbria Police, Cumberland Council, Armstrong Watson and the University of Cumbria.

It features a map of the city that pinpoints local venues that provide enhanced safety features which may make people feel safer on a night out.

The app also can help people plot a safer route home.

Users can share their live location with trusted contacts and the app will notify friends and family when they get home safely.

It features an SOS button to alert trusted contacts immediately that you feel in danger.

It can be downloaded on the App Store or at Google Play.

Detective Inspector Mike Taylor said: “Carlisle is a safe place to live and enjoy a night out.

“But we are never complacent and this is the latest in a list of ongoing measures we are carrying out with our partners to help make our streets safer and also feel safer for everyone.

“We must stress this app is for everyone – and can be used by men in exactly the same way.

“But we hope this will offer extra reassurance to women and girls due to concerns we have been made aware of."

WalkSafe has previously been rolled out in 35 towns and cities throughout the UK.

The app also highlights features such as venues that operate the Ask for Angela scheme, where people can ask a member of staff for support by “asking for Angela” and on-street support, such as the Safer Streets Welfare Hub in Carlisle city centre.

22/12/2024

Recycling, refuse and library opening times ♻️📚

There will be no waste and kerbside recycling collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. 23/24/30/31 December collections are as usual. 25/26/27 December collections will be on 27, 28 and 29 December. 1/2/3 January collections will be on 2/3/4 January instead.

For more information you can visit Cumberland Council’s website.

All Cumberland libraries will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day allowing their wonderful staff to recharge for the new year.

Branch libraries will be closed between Christmas and New Year but the main library in Carlisle will be offering a normal service and Borrowbox will remain open throughout as follows: 24 and 31 December from 9am - 1pm, on 27 and 30 December from 9am - 5.30pm and on 28 December from 9am - 4pm.

21/12/2024

Thanks to everyone who has made suggestions for shopping local and supporting Carlisle’s fantastic independent businesses this Christmas 🎄✨

If you’re looking for last-minute gifts don’t forget Whytes Cafe in St. Mary’s Gate just between Fisher Street and Castle Street. Alongside their great selection of home-made cakes, scones and preserves they have beautifully packaged Christmas cake and other festive treats such as Baileys tiffin which make great presents.

You can also buy Whytes gift cards which are the perfect way to spread a little local joy this Christmas. You can choose any amount to spend on a cosy breakfast, a lunch break or a catch up with a friend. If you’re doing some final Christmas shopping why not pop in and treat yourself to a delicious cup of coffee?

Suzanne’s Gifts in Earls Lane shopping centre near the bus station is a great place to find Christmas gifts, cards, balloons, toys and pyjamas. They also have personalised gifts including money balloons. You can pop your money in a gift box with a balloon that pops out when you open the present. They can also make up customised gift hampers with a selection of products chosen by you.

From all of us at Carlisle Newsletter, we'd like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year 🌟

20/12/2024

We'd like to thank ITV Border for showcasing the special exhibition at Intro HQ in the heart of Carlisle’s historic quarter... 🎨

Ciao Venezia is the culmination of an extraordinary adventure for Daniel Ibbotson who travelled to Venice to exhibit the work of 40 artists (30 from Cumbria) in this year’s 60th Venice Biennale art festival. The exhibtiion opened yesterday evening with a taste of Italy, complete with a ‘gondaleer’ parked outside.

Daniel, whose own work featured in the European Cultural Centre at the 59th Venice Biennale, returned to the Italian city this year with the Proseed Collective, to show work at the Palazzo Bembo, which overlooks the grand canal and Rialto bridge.

He decided to share the opportunity with a collaborative piece and invited other artists to submit work for the exhibition.

Daniel has now returned from Venice, along with all the work, and before it is returned to the artists, it is being shared with the people of Carlisle in a pop-up exhibition at Intro on Paternoster Row.

Artists whose work is on show include Malcolm Wilson of Black Box architects and Sophie Steadman and Mollie Hughes of the SoMo art collective. Molly and Sophie travelled to Venice to see their work on show.

Molly said: “Being a part of this experience was unlike anything I could have hoped for or expected so early on in my career as an artist. I feel so fortunate to have been thought of to exhibit alongside some incredibly talented artists from Cumbria.”

Ciao Venezia is open on 20 - 23 December from 10am - 4pm and on Christmas Eve from 10am - 3pm.

17/12/2024

Have you heard... 👀

The Cian art exhibition is coming to Intro on Paternoster Row 🎨

Over 40 works by local artists that have been shown in Venice at the 60th Venice Biennale will be exhibited.

The opening night is on Thursday 19 December and will be running until Christmas Eve 🎄

16/12/2024

Could you cope with four wheelie bins?

Cumberland Council is consulting on plans that could mean householders asked to use FOUR wheelie bins.

- a wheelie bin for cardboard
- another for glass, plastic and other recycling
- a third for general waste
- a fourth wheelie bin for gardening waste

Asked how residents are expected to find space for all the bins, a spokesman said that 'if storage is identified as an issue, alternative solutions will be considered. More information will be provided at the time of distribution'.

The council says proposed changes would harmonise waste collections throughout Cumberland’s area and enhance service reliability and efficiency.

A public consultation gets will run until Wednesday 8 January 2025.

Residents are invited to share their views on the following changes for Carlisle:

Households currently have a mix of boxes and bags for their recycling collections. It is proposed to provide wheeled bins to make it consistent with other areas within Cumberland. Paper and cardboard will be recycled in one bin while glass, cans and plastics in another. The frequency of these refuse and recycling collections will not change.

It is proposed to provide wheeled bins from May 2026.

It is proposed to collect and dispose of garden waste from one bin per property. It is proposed to make this change in March 2025. Collections will be fortnightly between March and November each year (Carlisle is currently all year but with a reduced service December - February).

The consultation document is quick and easy to complete online. It is available here 👉 www.cumberland.gov.uk/have-your-say

15/12/2024

Dyslexic youngsters in Cumbria are now able to access some high-tech help with their reading skills.

The West Cumbria Dyslexia Association has received a batch of specialist reading pens that scan text before reading it back aloud – thanks to a £,2,000 grant from the Fibrus Community Fund.

The association has also bought laptops and educational software with its grant.

Chairwoman Vivienne Tregidga said: “To the dyslexic child, reading is not a pleasure, it’s a difficult chore that causes them stress and anxiety. This is why we set up our Saturday Hubs to help these children from an early age.

“We make learning to read fun and give them the strategies to help them deal with their dyslexia.

“The C-Pens are a pen-like device that when drawn across text reads it out to the user. It can also spell out the word for easier understanding. These pens help us teach children who have come to us a bit later and are already word blind”

The association runs the popular Saturday Hubs in Seascale, Maryport and Carlisle. It also offers advice and support for parents and teachers.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/3ZN6FC

14/12/2024

St James Carlisle will be hosting, "Carols at Cornerstone", on Wednesday, 18 December at 7pm. This event will take place at 62-66 Denton Street, offering a festive atmosphere to gather in song. Also, on 25 December, there will be a Christmas Day celebration at the church starting at 10.30am, allowing attendees to come together and celebrate the birth of Christ.

At Carlisle Cathedral, there will be a Family Carols event on Sunday, 15 December at 3pm, providing a warm and welcoming experience for families. On Christmas Eve, the Cathedral will feature a Crib Service at 2pm, which will include a performance by the Cathedral's Cantate Children’s Choir. Later that evening, at 11pm, the Midnight Mass will take place, marking the arrival of Christmas. Finally, on Christmas Day, there will be a Communion Service at 10.30am, sung by the Girl Choristers and Lay Clerks, providing a sacred celebration to honor the birth of Christ.

13/12/2024

Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re searching for gift ideas, Carlisle Newsletter is urging you to Shop Local 🎁

We’ve been out and about in the city centre to highlight some great independent businesses. Lucy Matthews, of Bookends in Castle Street, was excited to hear about our campaign: ‘It’s so important to encourage people to Shop Local this Christmas. At Bookends Carlisle we have lots of great gifts, including calendars, diaries and jigsaw puzzles as well as cards and wrapping paper. If you’re not sure which books to choose, book tokens make a brilliant present too.”

✨ Carlisle World Shop is tucked away down Lowthians Lane, just near White Stuff. Here you can find a fantastic range of fair trade, ethically sourced and upcycled goods which have been made without any worker exploitation.

✨ Room 26 on Bank Street is closing down, but you can support them by heading along to their sale, which is full of fabulous half price bargains, including Paul Smith jackets and Belstaff gilets. Other labels include Nudie jeans, Universal Works, Norse Project, Napapijri and C.P. Company.

✨ John Watt & Son Coffee shop has a great selection of speciality coffee and tea, along with teapots, cafetieres and gift cards.

✨ Label of Brampton has opened a pop-up shop on Lowther Street, where you can pick up some great vintage bargains for party nights and festive celebrations. If you have good quality clothes, shoes and bags to sell, why not pop in and earn yourself a bit of extra spending money?

✨ Toys N Tech Ltd is an emporium crammed full of the latest must-have toys, games and gadgets. It’s a unique place to browse and pick up fantastic stocking fillers. They do gift vouchers too.

For any last minute suggestions to include in our final newsletter of the year next week, please feel free to email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you and feature your ideas in our campaign.

13/12/2024

SANDS UPDATE

Work to remove the RAAC panels from The Sands Centre auditorium roof has taken another step forward, with the help of a 130-tonne crane working at a height of 14 metres above ground level.

A secure enclosure is being created to keep the building watertight for when the panels are removed in the New Year.

Cubby Construction, working on behalf of Cumberland Council, will carefully remove the panels in sequence over a period of four to six weeks. This process will be weather-dependent and can only be undertaken when the wind speed is below 7m per second.

Due to the size of the crane, the work is clearly visible across the cityscape.

Approximately 200 tonnes of RAAC concrete will be removed from the project and delivered in 20 tonne wagons to a local recycling yard where it will be crushed and mixed in to make ballast for future construction projects.

Cumberland Council is aiming to have the roof works completed by late spring 2025.

Internal improvements will then be completed over the summer followed by a new full programme of events starting in autumn 2025.

Preparatory work to replace the Sands Centre, Carlisle RAAC auditorium roof started in September. Carlisle-based contractor Cubby Construction Ltd are undertaking the works.

In addition to the removal and replacement of the RAAC panels, the council is also undertaking some additional internal improvements to the auditorium including a full replacement of the customer seating and upgrades to the back of house facilities.

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We'd like to thank ITV Border for showcasing the special exhibition at Intro HQ in the heart of Carlisle’s historic quarter... 🎨 Ciao Venezia is the culmination of an extraordinary adventure for Daniel Ibbotson who travelled to Venice to exhibit the work of 40 artists (30 from Cumbria) in this year’s 60th Venice Biennale art festival. The exhibtiion opened yesterday evening with a taste of Italy, complete with a ‘gondaleer’ parked outside. Daniel, whose own work featured in the European Cultural Centre at the 59th Venice Biennale, returned to the Italian city this year with the Proseed Collective, to show work at the Palazzo Bembo, which overlooks the grand canal and Rialto bridge. He decided to share the opportunity with a collaborative piece and invited other artists to submit work for the exhibition. Daniel has now returned from Venice, along with all the work, and before it is returned to the artists, it is being shared with the people of Carlisle in a pop-up exhibition at Intro on Paternoster Row. Artists whose work is on show include Malcolm Wilson of Black Box architects and Sophie Steadman and Mollie Hughes of the SoMo art collective. Molly and Sophie travelled to Venice to see their work on show. Molly said: “Being a part of this experience was unlike anything I could have hoped for or expected so early on in my career as an artist. I feel so fortunate to have been thought of to exhibit alongside some incredibly talented artists from Cumbria.” Ciao Venezia is open on 20 - 23 December from 10am - 4pm and on Christmas Eve from 10am - 3pm.

Did you know that late night shopping in Carlisle starts next week? 👀 From November 28, many shops in Carlisle will be open until 7pm every Thursday until December 19, so there's plenty of time to get those presents. Shop local this Christmas 🎄

Carlisle Newsletter

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