Latest news with #Aintree
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Woman holds alternative Ladies Day in back garden for forty years
A woman who missed a train to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in 1982 and held a garden party at her Lancashire home instead has turned the "joyful" gathering into an annual Gamester from Skelmersdale said missing the trip was devastating for her and her friends, who were "all dolled up in our finery", and one of their group "started crying because she'd been so excited"."Undeterred, I invited everyone back to my garden, we popped the champagne, ran our own book and gave the proceeds to charity," she alternative Ladies Day tradition has continued for the past 40 years, and grown to the point she even hired Aintree Racecourse for more than 500 women. "We had a wonderful time in my garden that first year," Ms Gamester told BBC Radio Lancashire."We went to Royal Ascot the following year and everybody said to me 'Paula it was better in your garden, we had a better time' and that was how it all started."The following year I just invited everybody back and it's just grown."Eventually the party got too big for the garden and moved to the local church "then that became too small and we ended up hiring Aintree Racecourse", Ms Gamester said."We had a look-a-like Prince Charles and it was just great fun."We've used Aintree for many years now and generated income for Alder Hey Children's Hospital."But this year Ladies Day is returning to her back garden in West Lancashire. Ms Gamester's 92-year-old mum recently underwent surgery for a heart condition, so this year, all the money raised will go to the British Heart said her mother " just loves coming along, so this year is a special one for my mum and all of her friends. "She is a character, we call her the duchess she is an inspiration."There will be about 25 women all done up to the nines."It's brought lots of joy to women across Lancashire and Merseyside."The Thursday of the Royal Meeting at the Berkshire racecourse when the Gold Cup is held has been known as Ladies Day since about 1823, when an anonymous poet described "Ladies Day… when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine." About 270,000 people are expected to attend with a strict dress code allowing racegoers to flaunt their finery. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Ikea closing two UK stores today - full list of affected locations
Ikea closing two UK stores today - full list of affected locations The Swedish furniture giant said that the closures were 'a result of valuable learnings' IKEA has confirmed it is closing two stores today (Image: Getty ) IKEA has closed two of its UK stores, citing "valuable learnings" as the reason behind the decision. The Swedish retail giant, which has 22 stores across the UK since opening its first branch in Warrington, Cheshire in 1987, has announced the closure of its Aintree Plan and Order Point store in Liverpool. Launched in December 2022 at the Aintree Racecourse Retail Park, the store was the first 'test and trial format' in the UK, offering customers home furnishing guidance and specialising in kitchen and bedroom planning. However, IKEA has decided to shut down the store, stating that the closure is "a result of valuable learnings which will take the conceptual format in a direction to better suit the needs of UK customers." A spokesperson for IKEA explained: "There has been an increased demand for Click and Collect services, a desire to shop a smaller selection of home furnishing accessories, as well as the ability to return goods to physical IKEA units, something which, owing to the space available, the current location is unable to offer." Article continues below To better service its customers, future Plan and Order Point openings, including in Dundee, Hull and York will offer these services. "IKEA also remains committed to trialling new formats including its upcoming small stores, one of which will open in Chester later this year." The Aintree Plan and Order points will close permanently on June 16, with customers able to collect any purchases from Tesco Extra Birkenhead or Tesco Arrowe Park. The co Superstore in Old Swan, the Warrington branch, or the soon-to-be-opened, smaller Chester location are alternatives. Article continues below IKEA Stockport, located in Merseyway Shopping Centre and only opened two years ago, will also be closing its doors on the same day. Existing Stockport customers are now being redirected to the nearest main IKEA store, which is the Ashton-under-Lyne branch in Tameside. Locals can also collect their IKEA orders from Tesco Extra in Stockport and the Tesco Extra in Stretford via Click and Collect. Other Plan and Order points, such as those in Dundee, York and Hull, will be modified to cater to these new requirements and will also offer a small selection of home furnishing accessories for purchase.
Rhyl Journal
6 days ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Parliamentary group ‘demand action' over online tax threat to racing
Timothy, whose constituency of West Suffolk includes Newmarket, is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, which will release a report on Monday that warns the industry could be deeply affected by proposals to raise online betting taxes, added to existing concerns around affordability checks and a failure to deliver a more sustainable central funding model. Ahead of the budget, the Treasury is also seeking views on replacing the current three-tax structure of online gambling duties with a single remote betting and gaming duty, which would tax bets on racing at the same rate as more profitable online casino and slot games and possibly lead to a reduction in bets on racing, which would affect the sport's funding. Timothy said: 'Horse racing is one of the crown jewels of British sport and culture. Newmarket, in my constituency, is the centre of racing and breeding in Britain. Some of the most important racing operations in the world are based in Suffolk, and these businesses invest huge sums of money into the local economy. 'This is a story we could tell across the country, from rural villages to towns like Cheltenham and Doncaster, where horse racing is part of the social fabric and has been for centuries. 'The public recognise this. Nobody will forgive ministers if their decisions lead to the decline of the nation's second-biggest spectator sport. The time for warm words has ended – we now demand action. The government must listen to the public and take immediate measures to secure the future of horse racing in Britain.' Fellow co-chair Dan Carden counts Aintree in his Liverpool Walton constituency and he added: 'The message from this report is clear: British racing needs this Labour Government to be on its side. 'Racing is part of our national story, and its enjoyment and support extends all the way from rural to urban working class communities. 'I'm calling on the government to listen and to act in order to secure a fair funding model, protect jobs and allow horse racing to thrive for future generations.' Brant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, believes racing is a 'cherished national institution, loved by people across every part of society, across every type of community, across every political party' and it should be 'allowed it to survive and thrive instead of risking its future'. He said: 'The cultural, social and economic value of racing is huge for towns and rural areas across Britain. It is those communities that will suffer the job losses, the decline in community pride and the loss of identity that will come if racing is allowed to fail. 'British racing cannot – and must not – be allowed to fail. All of us who love and depend on this iconic sport call on the government to recognise the depth of the feeling and act now to back British racing.'
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Parliamentary group ‘demand action' over online tax threat to racing
Timothy, whose constituency of West Suffolk includes Newmarket, is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, which will release a report on Monday that warns the industry could be deeply affected by proposals to raise online betting taxes, added to existing concerns around affordability checks and a failure to deliver a more sustainable central funding model. Ahead of the budget, the Treasury is also seeking views on replacing the current three-tax structure of online gambling duties with a single remote betting and gaming duty, which would tax bets on racing at the same rate as more profitable online casino and slot games and possibly lead to a reduction in bets on racing, which would affect the sport's funding. Timothy said: 'Horse racing is one of the crown jewels of British sport and culture. Newmarket, in my constituency, is the centre of racing and breeding in Britain. Some of the most important racing operations in the world are based in Suffolk, and these businesses invest huge sums of money into the local economy. 'This is a story we could tell across the country, from rural villages to towns like Cheltenham and Doncaster, where horse racing is part of the social fabric and has been for centuries. 'The public recognise this. Nobody will forgive ministers if their decisions lead to the decline of the nation's second-biggest spectator sport. The time for warm words has ended – we now demand action. The government must listen to the public and take immediate measures to secure the future of horse racing in Britain.' Fellow co-chair Dan Carden counts Aintree in his Liverpool Walton constituency and he added: 'The message from this report is clear: British racing needs this Labour Government to be on its side. 'Racing is part of our national story, and its enjoyment and support extends all the way from rural to urban working class communities. 'I'm calling on the government to listen and to act in order to secure a fair funding model, protect jobs and allow horse racing to thrive for future generations.' Brant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, believes racing is a 'cherished national institution, loved by people across every part of society, across every type of community, across every political party' and it should be 'allowed it to survive and thrive instead of risking its future'. He said: 'The cultural, social and economic value of racing is huge for towns and rural areas across Britain. It is those communities that will suffer the job losses, the decline in community pride and the loss of identity that will come if racing is allowed to fail. 'British racing cannot – and must not – be allowed to fail. All of us who love and depend on this iconic sport call on the government to recognise the depth of the feeling and act now to back British racing.'
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Parliamentary group ‘demand action' over online tax threat to racing
Timothy, whose constituency of West Suffolk includes Newmarket, is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, which will release a report on Monday that warns the industry could be deeply affected by proposals to raise online betting taxes, added to existing concerns around affordability checks and a failure to deliver a more sustainable central funding model. Ahead of the budget, the Treasury is also seeking views on replacing the current three-tax structure of online gambling duties with a single remote betting and gaming duty, which would tax bets on racing at the same rate as more profitable online casino and slot games and possibly lead to a reduction in bets on racing, which would affect the sport's funding. Timothy said: 'Horse racing is one of the crown jewels of British sport and culture. Newmarket, in my constituency, is the centre of racing and breeding in Britain. Some of the most important racing operations in the world are based in Suffolk, and these businesses invest huge sums of money into the local economy. 'This is a story we could tell across the country, from rural villages to towns like Cheltenham and Doncaster, where horse racing is part of the social fabric and has been for centuries. 'The public recognise this. Nobody will forgive ministers if their decisions lead to the decline of the nation's second-biggest spectator sport. The time for warm words has ended – we now demand action. The government must listen to the public and take immediate measures to secure the future of horse racing in Britain.' Fellow co-chair Dan Carden counts Aintree in his Liverpool Walton constituency and he added: 'The message from this report is clear: British racing needs this Labour Government to be on its side. 'Racing is part of our national story, and its enjoyment and support extends all the way from rural to urban working class communities. 'I'm calling on the government to listen and to act in order to secure a fair funding model, protect jobs and allow horse racing to thrive for future generations.' Brant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, believes racing is a 'cherished national institution, loved by people across every part of society, across every type of community, across every political party' and it should be 'allowed it to survive and thrive instead of risking its future'. He said: 'The cultural, social and economic value of racing is huge for towns and rural areas across Britain. It is those communities that will suffer the job losses, the decline in community pride and the loss of identity that will come if racing is allowed to fail. 'British racing cannot – and must not – be allowed to fail. All of us who love and depend on this iconic sport call on the government to recognise the depth of the feeling and act now to back British racing.'
