Site highlights

The Dish

2012-04-14T00:00:00Z

The Dish is an hilarious 2000 Australian film that tells the story of how the Parkes Observatory was used to relay the live television of man's first steps on the moon, during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. It was the top grossing film in Australia in 2000. The radio telescope at Parkes, New South Wales, Australia, was used by NASA throughout the Apollo program to receive signals in the Southern Hemisphere, along with the NASA Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station near Canberra.

The film tells a somewhat fictionalised story of three Australian scientists/engineers (Neill, Harrington, Long) and their American NASA representative (Warburton). It had been decided quite late in the planning for Apollo 11 to include a television camera to broadcast the first steps on the Moon. Due to the timing of this, Australia would be the prime receiving station. The film tells of the three dealing with a variety of problems, from a power outage wiping their computer memory, to high winds that could cause the whole telescope to collapse. After the 11 crew decide to walk immediately after landing on the Moon, Parkes thinks they have lost their chance to be the prime receiving station. However, due to delays on the Moon and problems with Goldstone they achieve the distinction at the last minute.

Director:

Rob Sitch

Starring:

Sam Neill
Billy Mitchell
Roz Hammond

To book a seat click here

Hoylake opens for Marco Pierre White

2012-03-18T00:00:00Z

Horse racing jockey Frankie Dettori and chef Marco Pierre White are to open a 'Frankie's Italian Bar & Grill' restaurant in Hoylake.

Pierre White has developed a global reputation for his culinary skills and fiery temper. He held three Michelin stars at the age of 33, at the time the youngest chef to have achieved the accolade. Dettori has been a prolific winner of races around the world since the early 1990s.

The duo run six other 'Frankie's' restaurants in London, Dublin and Dubai, including the flagship restaurant in Knightsbridge (pictured).

The restaurant is attached to the new Holiday Inn Express Hotel, a seven million pounds redevelopment of the King's Gap Court Hotel, recently revealed to show a contemporary glass frontage facing the King's Gap, although the restaurant will be operated as a separate business.

The arrival of this household-name branded restaurant and hotel must surely be good news for Hoylake.

Email us at info@hoylakevillage.org.uk or leave a review here to let us know what you think of it!

Three perspectives on shopfront security: solid shutters

2012-03-07T08:51:19Z

NB This page should be read in conjunction with our 'shopfront improvements project' page.

Below are three interesting and independent perspectives on the use of solid roller shutters as a means of providing 'security' for businesses. Key findings of our research are:

Police forces around the UK support the view that shutters create a hostile environment that is more likely to attract, rather than deter, crime
Solid shutters are not a requirement of insurance companies except in the most exceptional circumstances
Most burglaries occur at the rear of premises; shutters provide thieves with an opportunity to operate unseen
Shutters reduce trade as shoppers are unable to view window displays when the shop is closed
Councils around the UK, including Wirral, consider solid roller shutters 'unacceptable'. This poilicy is not enforced here.

Whilst we understand the needs of businesses to protect their livelihoods, this issue needs urgent consideration before more shutters turn Hoylake from an attractive seaside town into 'Fortress Hoylake'. A co-ordinated effort to improve the appearance of Market Street and Birkenhead Road will reduce the already low level of crime. A reversal of the situation we currently have with solid rolller shutters is central to this.

INSURANCE
Adrian Forber, Association of British Insurers:
“Insurance companies sometimes require policyholders to install security devices to make the premises acceptable for insurance. Companies usually propose a package of measures that needs to be implemented, which may well include electronic security and improved locks in addition to enhanced protection of shop frontages. It is very rare for an insurance company to actually insist upon the fitting of a solid roller shutter to a shop frontage. According to the Association of British Insurers, less than 4% of solid external roller shutters have been installed on the insistence of insurance companies. When a policyholder is asked to install improved security, insurance companies will always be prepared to take account of Local Authority requirements. The Association encourages the retailer, his/her insurance company, and the Planning Department to liaise closely. In the end, the Association believes that it is important to reach a mutually acceptable solution which provides the policyholder with the level of security commensurate with their risk, which does not have a detrimental affect on the local environment."

CRIME PREVENTION
Sergeant Tony Powell, Avon and Somerset Constabulary Headquarters:
“This guide to shopfront design contains information which, if followed, can effectively reduce the opportunity for crime whilst maintaining an aesthestically pleasing appearance. Many retailers are very concerned about ram-raids. However, research shows that 90% of burglaries against shops are carried out by more traditional methods involving insecured windows or rear doors. There is no need to have a ‘Fortress Mentality’ and shutters are not the only option. Stallrisers, for example, provide a high level of security whilst preserving the appearance of the shop. Effective partnerships between the police, local authorities, planners and architects can prove successful in reducing crime."

PLANNING
Wirral Council:
"If external shutters are used it is essential that they are housed internally so as not to protrude from the shopfront. They should also be coloured and of a "see through" or "perforated" style. Under no circumstances should shutters to retail premises be left in a raw, galvanised condition, or have prominent projecting shutter boxes…. Solid shutters are considered unacceptable as they create a dead frontage at night and create a negative visual impression of the area. Solid shutters are also susceptible to graffiti. This can reinforce a negative impression of an area. Perforated shutters allow light from within the retail units to disperse onto the street creating additional illumination. Perforated shutters also allow views into the unit. This creates the opportunity for passersby to window shop, thereby creating activity within the street scene, as well as providing additional surveillance into the unit itself."

To read more supporting documentation from councils and police forces around the UK, click here (large file).

Check out this recent news story: even solid shutters will not deter a determined burglar. A crime prevention document, produced by Hampshire Police, offers helpful advice for businesses.

Shopfront improvements

2012-03-07T00:00:00Z

In 2011, Hoylake Village Life produced a draft Shopfront Design Guide. Click here to download this document and email us to let us know what you think.

To read three independent perspectives on shopfront security and its impact on the environment click here.

For comprehensive background information in support of our approach to shopfront security, in particular solid roller shutters, click here (large file).

What do you think of this?

Appealing, isn't it? A simple awning, clearly branded, and some foliage from a wysteria plant.

In towns where there is a coordinated effort to smarten up shopfronts, footfall increases. It is a more welcoming environment. These towns usually have a shopfront design guide, and it works! So we've produced one… click here to download it.

By contrast, Hoylake's Market Street suffers from a lack of coordination.

Signage

Signage of all styles, sizes, materials and colours compete for attention in Hoylake. We understand why – shopkeepers and businesses feel a need to grab attention to get people through the door.

But therein lies a problem when we look at the bigger picture. Rather than being appealing, Hoylake as a whole drives people away. We are presenting a visual overload, known as visual clutter.

Less is more....

Night-time appearance

At night, solid roller grilles come down, with large, surface-mounted box housings. These can give the impression of a hostile place subject to antisocial behaviour, vandalism. The irony is that roller shutters generate an atmosphere that is more likely to attract antisocial behaviour... a vicious circle.

Security is, of course, important, but there are traditional 'open weave' or 'brick bond' shutters available that offer a more attractive alternative. These allow light to show through, making window displays visible and encouraging browsing after the shop has closed. Good for Hoylake... good for business. Click here to see an example.

Awnings

A Victorian 'box lot' awning of the type pictured is not particularly expensive - about £1,000 including installation. This compares favourably with a modern, UPVC type but is more in keeping with our Victorian and Edwardian heritage.

IN 2010 HVL applied for a grant to reinstate Hoylake's last original awning, with the justification that it could trigger a wider effort to improve the look of the high street, and thus contribute to economic regeneration. Unfortunately, we were not successful.

However, we are not going to gve up... and once this project is complete we will be negotiating with property owners and shops and applying for funding to install more of these awnings along Market Street.

Other factors

By considering the whole environment, choosing carefully the paint colours for window frames and doors, for example, a number of adjacent premises could agree to choose colours from a heritage paint pallet, uncovering and displaying original features, using open-weave shutters, and using simpler and professionally designed branding on signage, we can present Hoylake as a place that offers a welcoming, united shopping experience instead of a number of businesses competing with each other.

The plan

Can we develop a plan to make Market Street more appealing and easier to navigate? There are some lovely buildings (look up and see for yourself). Can we draw attention to these?

Improving Market Street will make Hoylake attractive to potential new businesses. This is a key to Hoylake's revival.

Could there be an annual competition for the best shopfront; not just window display but the treatment of the fabric of the building, signage, security provision?

What are your thoughts? Does Market Street need smartening up? Are you a designer or retail specialist who can offer your expertise?

Click here to download a pdf 'panoramic image' file of a section of Market Street.

Could this project be one for a new Hoylake Town Team? What do you think?

On the Waterfront

2012-01-29T00:00:00Z

On the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. Terry Malloy (Brando) dreams about being a prize fighter while tending his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly, the corrupt boss of the dockers union. Terry witnesses a murder by two of Johnny's thugs, and later meets the dead man's sister and feels responsible for his death. She introduces him to Father Barry, who tries to force him to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers.

The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard Bernstein. It is based on a series of articles written in the New York Sun by Malcolm Johnson. The film received eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. It is Leonard Bernstein's only original film score not adapted from a stage production with songs.

To book a seat now, click here

Director:

Elia Kazan

Starring:

Marlon Brando

Rod Steiger

Eva Marie Saint

Lee J. Cobb

Karl Malden

The Lives of Others

2012-01-29T00:00:00Z

The Lives of Others is a 2006 German drama film, marking the feature film debut of filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film involves the monitoring of the cultural scene of East Berlin by agents of the Stasi, the GDR's secret police. It stars Ulrich Mühe as Stasi Captain Gerd Wiesler, Ulrich Tukur as his boss Anton Grubitz, Sebastian Koch as the playwright Georg Dreyman, and Martina Gedeck as Dreyman's lover, a prominent actress named Christa-Maria Sieland.

The film was released in Germany on 23 March 2006. At the same time, the screenplay was published by Suhrkamp Verlag.

The Lives of Others won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film had earlier won seven Deutscher Filmpreis awards – including best film, best director, best screenplay, best actor, and best supporting actor – after having set a new record with 11 nominations. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 64th Golden Globe Awards.

ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Director:

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Starring:

Ulrich Mühe Martina Gedeck Sebastian Koch Ulrich Tukur

To book a seat click here

Hong Kong Exchange

2011-12-23T09:22:06Z

If you are aged 17-25 why not apply to go on an exchange visit to Hong Kong!

Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council have joined forces with Pine Court Housing Association to provide Merseyside teenagers with the chance of a life-changing exchange visit to Hong Kong.

Young people who sign up for the visit, which is sponsored by Cosmopolitan Student Homes, a member of the Cosmopolitan Housing Group, will spend two weeks in China’s economic powerhouse taking part in cultural, educational and sightseeing activities. They will also host a visit from their Chinese contemporaries when they visit Merseyside. As well as taking part in the visit, they will fund-raise for the trip and take part in awareness activities to learn more about their host country.

Successful applicants will not have to provide accommodation in their own homes, and applications are invited from people of all abilities and backgrounds. Young people who are chosen will have to pay £250, but will be given help to fundraise and help will be available in cases of hardship.

Said Houston Smith, Housing Manager at Pine Court: ‘We are looking for 16 people from Merseyside aged between 17 and 25 years of age who would really benefit from travel and new experiences.’

Houston has first hand knowledge of what a life-changing experience a youth exchange can be; she met her husband when she visited Britain on a youth exchange, and now lives and works in Hoylake.

‘It’s a great experience, not just the visit itself, but also the fund-raising, organisation and preparation that goes into it. You will learn many skills and meet many interesting people. It’s a great experience – I would urge anyone interested to have a go,’ she added.

To take part, applicants will be shortlisted after returning an application form, then interviewed. If successful, they will be part of a group that plays host to young Chinese visitors in July, and pay a return visit to Hong Kong in September.

Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council are working with Pine Court Housing Association to organise and host the visit.

Cllr Ann McLachlan, Wirral’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning, said it would be a marvelous opportunity for young people from both sides of the river: ‘Wirral and Liverpool both have strong ties with China, culturally and economically, and we’ll be working hard to make sure that the young people who take part really benefit from any opportunities that come as a result.’

Cllr Steve Munby, Cabinet Member for Liverpool Youth and Play Service, said: ‘This is a brilliant project which has the potential to completely transform the fortunes of the young people who are successful in winning a place on the exchange.’

Further details and application forms are available from Pine Court Housing Association’s website or by calling 0151 709 6878. Forms must be returned to Houston Smith, Pine Court Housing Association Ltd, 1 Nelson Street, Liverpool, L1 5DW, by Wednesday January 25.

For further information contact Gill Gwatkin, Press and PR Officer, Wirral Council, 0151 691 8360.

Hoylake Community Cinema

2011-10-11T13:03:31Z

Following on from the enormous success of our first film night at The Parade, and in response to overwhelming demand, Hoylake Village Life are delighted to announce our First Annual Film Season 2011-2012, with one film per month (excluding children's Saturday Matinees!)!

We are especially grateful to Glenda Jackson MP, and Daniel Craig, who have both sent their best wishes for the success of the project. Glenda says: “I am delighted to hear of this innovative project. It is a great programme for what I hope will be the first of many seasons. And for the Saturday matinees, I suppose the old black and white Flash Gordons are now too old?” Great suggestion! We'll think about that one... And Daniel took time out from preparing for a Bond filming schedule while in London to send a personal message: "Good luck and all my best wishes!".

CLICK HERE to download a flyer showing screening dates (pdf file may download in the background: check your browser's 'downloads' folder if it does not open automatically).

Background information on the films (subject to change; please bookmark this page):

It’s a Wonderful Life (Christmas special)
Fargo
On the Waterfront
The Lives of Others
The Dish
Nausicaa
The Apartment
The Last King of Scotland
Secrets and Lies
To Have and Have Not

The Story So Far

2011-09-01T00:00:00Z

Hoylake Village Life formed in late 2009 out of a concern about the number of empty shops in Hoylake. We explored opportunities to fill empty shops with temporary uses; for example pop-up galleries and shops. We met with local landlords and agents, businesses and other stakeholders. We quickly realised that, in order to tackle the problem effectively, our energies were best spent addressing the causes rather than the symptoms.

In 2009, Hoylake had the fifth highest vacancy rate in Wirral and was the lowest performing town centre in Wirral, according to the UK retail rankings. Combining this data with UK average spending, available comparison retail floorspace, and catchment population, we discovered that Hoylake’s potential turnover, based on national averages, is between £45-£60 million per annum.

In 2009, turnover was £15 million.

We are seeking to prove that Hoylake can realise its full potential; that together we can develop a strong sense of identity and pride in our village, and make the most of Hoylake’s many excellent assets to ensure a more prosperous and, importantly, more sustainable local economy.

Check out this website.

Post on our Facebook page

Email us at info@hoylakevillage.org.uk

This is what we do. Click here to dowload a pdf of our 'Story So far'...

Join HVX

2011-08-31T00:00:00Z

Are you aged 13-19 and live in Hoylake? Tired of having nothing to do? Fed up with being ignored by adults, the council, the police? Then do something about it.

HVX is a new group run exclusively by and for local teenagers. We are supported by Hoylake Village Life (HVL), a community interest company that wants to improve Hoylake for the benefit of all residents. That includes us...

HVL provides support and advice and helps us get the attention we need. We speak to the council, police, community groups and anyone else who will listen to us. We know we won't get everything we want but at least our voice is being heard. And if we work together we can be more persuasive.

HVX are responsible for developing our own programmes, events and facilities. We take the flak when it goes wrong. But we'll be big winners when it goes right. And we'll make Hoylake better for the next generation.

Download and a flyer to give to friends here (pdf file may download in the background: check your browser downloads folder).

We think it's got legs... so use yours and join us now; email hvx@hoylakevillage.org.uk