Leek & Moorlands Echo

06/07/2023

Thank you and farewell from all us at the Leek & Moorlands Echo!

28/06/2023

Sad news to bring to you this week folks - it's the end of an era for the Times & Echo publications :-(

It is with great sadness that this week we are reporting the end of an era here at the Times & Echo publications. We will finish producing our three weekly newspapers after next week’s editions. The final editions of the Cheadle & Tean Times, which was established in 1896, and its sister newspaper...

26/05/2023

Anyone visiting the Luminarium at Leek Hockey Club this weekend? :-)
Please share your Luminarium selfies below or email them to [email protected] for possible use in our paper!

A large inflatable installation is set to visit a Moorlands town this month.
The ‘Luminarium’ from Nottingham based ‘Architects of Air’ is set to be installed at the grounds of Leek Hockey Club from Friday (May 26) through until Monday (May 29).
It is costing “under £12,000” to have the installation in town for the four days – and tickets to visit the attraction are free.
It is part of a new £1.2 million community arts project for the area called ‘Outside’ which is the Staffordshire Moorlands’ ‘Creative People and Places’ project funded by Arts Council England.
A spokesman for the Outside project said: “Community arts programme Outside will be bringing the stories and places of the Staffordshire Moorlands to life through colour this summer.
“The project, Colours of the Moorlands, kicks off in a big, bright and bold way with the Luminarium in Leek on May 26 to May 29 – and everyone is invited to this monumental experience to immerse themselves in a wonderful world of light and colour.
“The Luminarium is an interactive walk-in sculpture by Architects of Air and designed by Alan Parkinson.
“A dazzling maze of winding paths and soaring domes, it melds into an inspiring monument to the beauty of light and colour.
“Visitors will be transported and immersed into an amazing world of light and subtle, saturated hues, for a unique sensory experience.
“The Luminarium will be at Leek Hockey Club and open for schools and community groups on Friday, May 26, between midday and 6pm, and from Saturday, May 27, to Monday, May 29, between midday and 6pm for everyone.
“Tickets are free but need to be booked in advance on the Outside website – outsidearts.org.”

12/05/2023

Have you seen our fabulous community coronation events picture spreads in this week’s Leek & Moorlands Echo? Check out pages 8, 9, 11 and 12 to 15.
We will have more photos from our area’s coronation events in next week’s paper.

HM King Charles III’s Coronation took place on Saturday (May 6) and there was a host of celebrations across the whole country. In Leek and surrounding areas, communities came together to mark the monumental occasion. On Saturday (May 6), in Sparrow Park in Leek town centre, there was a proclamatio...

11/05/2023

Labour overtake Conservatives at district council
See pages 16 and 17 of this week’s Leek & Moorlands Echo for the full local elections results for the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The Labour party now has more councillors on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) than the former ruling party of the Conservatives. The news that there are now 24 Labour councillors on SMDC; 22 Conservatives, eight Independent, one Lib Dem; and one Green Party councillor, comes after las...

05/05/2023

Coronation Pics Appeal!
So this weekend will see the coronation of HM King Charles!
There’s lots of coronation celebrations going on in and around our town – see page 17 of this week’s Leek & Moorlands Echo for a round-up of events.
And then in next week’s paper we are aiming to run a picture special of lots of snaps from as many of those events as we can get to.
Plus please share with us photos of your celebrations and/or coronation decorations for possible use in next week’s paper – here’s a fabulous photo of Toby and Fiki all dressed up ready for their coronation celebrations.
Share your snaps below or email them to [email protected]

05/05/2023

Funding boost for town events

A Moorlands town has been successful in gaining a share of Government funding to help boost community events. Leek Town Council and two community groups in the town have been successful in their bids to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) for a share of the latest round of funding from t...

03/05/2023

MP quashes rumours about Britannia House

A member of Parliament has quashed rumours that a former bank headquarters in the Moorlands is set to be used to house illegal immigrants. The rumours that Britannia House in Cheadle Road, Leek, is set to be used by the Home Office for such a scheme have been posted a number of times on various […...

03/05/2023

It’s local elections time tomorrow (Thursday, May 4) folks!
Here are your candidates for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, and also for the town and parish councils in your area.
Don’t forget your ID when you go to your polling station to vote!

13/04/2023

This is most definitely worth a watch folks - if you can grab any of the last few remaining tickets that is!
Our News Editor Belinda attended last night's opening performance and found it highly entertaining from start to finish. Well done to all at Leek Theatre Company!
See Belinda's full review of the production in next week's Leek & Moorlands Echo newspaper :-)

Our Moley is overjoyed at a hugely successful first performance and some wonderful feedback from our audience!

⭐ Well done everyone. It was absolutely brilliant! Definitely the best show I've seen Leek Theatre Company do and was so funny and enjoyable to watch 😍 You should be so proud! 🙌🏻

⭐ Amazing show. Great from beginning to end.

⭐ Wow. I had my mouth open at times because it was really just so good! And more than anything, everyone looked like they were loving being in it which really reflected in the performances. You should feel so proud.

We still have very limited tickets available for tonight's performance and Saturday night if you haven't yet grabbed your tickets! Don't miss out! 🐸

06/04/2023

Don't forget to send us your Easter fun pics folks :-)

Easter Pics Appeal!!

It's that lovely Spring time of year when there’s lots of Easter focused activities and events – here's a fabulous photo of Fiki with an Easter Bonnet he has made.
Please share your Easter fun pics below, or email them to [email protected] for possible inclusion in our papers.

06/04/2023

There's quite a few roadworks taking place in our town lately - how's everyone coping?
And please be aware that, according to the One Network website, part of Broad Street is set to be fully closed on Monday (April 10) for “highway carriageway repairs” by Staffordshire County Council.

31/03/2023

Town council backs campaign for 20mph in town

A town council has agreed to back a campaign for a 20mph speed limit in their town centre. The backing by Leek Town Council to support the Leek & District Civic Society’s campaign for a 20mph speed limit is subject to where exactly the society defines the town centre and which streets they wish th...

30/03/2023

Easter Pics Appeal!!

It's that lovely Spring time of year when there’s lots of Easter focused activities and events – here's a fabulous photo of Fiki with an Easter Bonnet he has made.
Please share your Easter fun pics below, or email them to [email protected] for possible inclusion in our papers.

30/03/2023

Campaign to ‘save’ school’s listed clock tower

A fundraising campaign has been launched to ‘save’ a clock tower at a Moorlands school. The campaign by Westwood College in Leek was launched last week and has already raised more than £1,200 online. Headteacher Matthew Taylor explained: “The Clocktower at Westwood College is a significant an...

25/03/2023

New lamppost banners proposed for town. What do you think?

Proposals have been put forward to have eight advertising banners permanently placed on lampposts which are situated on one of the main highways into a Moorlands town. The plans for Newcastle Road in Leek are part of CP Media’s contract with Staffordshire County Council to “implement and manage ...

24/03/2023

Extra fees waived for community event. What do you think?

A district council has decided to waive extra fees that it had decided to charge a town council for putting on an event in an indoor market. Over the last few months we have been reporting about the concern which has been raised in Leek over fees that Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC)....

23/03/2023

Tributes to former ‘dedicated’ mayor. RIP Barry

Tributes have been paid to a former town mayor of the Moorlands. Barry Cowie, who was Leek Town Mayor in both 2006 and 2012, peacefully and surrounded by his family, passed away last Tuesday (March 14) at the age of 79 years. Barry, who moved from the Moorlands in 2015 to enjoy his retirement in [.....

17/03/2023

Red Nose Day pic appeal!

It’s 2023 Red Nose Day today!
Are you doing something ‘funny for money’ for Comic Relief?
Share your photos below or email them to [email protected] for possible use in our publications.

17/03/2023

Top award for the Old Mill. Well does Nath and team! :-)

A Moorlands bar and smokehouse restaurant has come out tops in a district-wide award. The Old Mill Bar and Smokehouse in Leek has received its second award from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). The Staffordshire Moorlands branch of CAMRA presented The Old Mill with its Spring Pub of the Season awa...

16/03/2023

Green light for McDonald’s in Leek. What do you think?

Fast food giant McDonald’s has been given the go ahead to build a drive-thru restaurant in a Moorlands town. Permission was granted by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC)’s Planning Committee on Thursday (March 9) for the “erection of a freestanding restaurant with drive-thru facil...

12/03/2023

Call for CCTV by Monument. What do you think?

A town council is considering putting up CCTV cameras around a historic building after reports of anti-social behaviour in the area. Leek Town Council is considering the move to put up such surveillance equipment by the Nicholson War Memorial – which is locally known as the Monument – in Derby S...

11/03/2023

Tributes to special, caring and funny Chris.

Tributes have been paid to a much-loved member of an all-girls movement in the Moorlands. Chris Swann, who had been a leader at a number of Girlguiding groups across the Staffordshire Moorlands, sadly passed away recently at the age of 70. Chris, who lived in Cheddleton, spent almost three decades b...

10/03/2023

Did you see our Staff Pet Pic Special in last week’s paper?
Please share snaps of your furry - or perhaps not so furry - pets below or email them to [email protected] for possible use in our papers.

10/03/2023

“This not scaremongering, we are stating facts” - says heritage railway after further incidents of trespassing.

The team at a heritage railway in the Moorlands is warning people of the dangers of trespassing on their lines. The warning from Churnet Valley Railway comes after a group of people have been caught on CCTV trespassing on the railway’s lines. A spokesman said: “Sadly again some members of the pu...

10/03/2023

Fun in the Snow Picture Appeal!
Wow – how much snow have we had across the Moorlands!?
We hope you are all staying safe and warm, but also enjoying this ‘snow day’?
Here’s a fab picture of folk enjoying the snow in Brough Park in Leek, which has been taken by Jason Burgess.
Please share your fun in the snow pics below – whether that be of you, your family or your friends; your pets and/or scenic snow scenes of our area.
Alternatively, email them to [email protected] for possible use in our papers.

09/03/2023

Fun in the Snow Picture Appeal! ❄️⛄️
We hope you are all staying safe and warm throughout the current flurry of snow in our area!
Here is a lovely photo of pooch Oakley enjoying the snow. Oakley lives with Vicky who works in our design and production department.
Please share your fun in the snow pics below – whether that be of you and your family, your pets and/or scenic snow scenes from our area.
Alternatively, email them to [email protected] for possible use in our papers.

04/03/2023

Calls for speed reduction on village road. What do you think?

Residents in a Moorlands village are calling for a speed reduction on the road outside their homes. The call by residents in Wetley Rocks comes after a driver was involved in a road traffic collision along the A522 which saw their car end up on it’s roof. Before the car ended up on its roof […]

03/03/2023

Vandalism at heritage railway

A representative of a heritage railway has aired their concern after vandalism in an area where their line is being extended. The incidents have been reported by Churnet Valley Railway. It comes as the railway is working to bring their line back into Leek. A spokesman for the railway said: “Railwa...

02/03/2023

Councillors walk out of town council meeting. What do you think?

Two councillors walked out of a town council meeting last week after a debate became politically heated. The walk-outs occurred while Leek Town Council were debating a motion, at their meeting last Tuesday (February 21), which had been put forward regarding asking Staffordshire Moorlands District Co...