Just two nights after bringing the curtain down on Andy Feests’ 22 year reign, the flag ship on George Street,the Queens Arms, re-opens tonight at 7pm.
At the helm, is former Lollipop girl, Barry Nelson who was till recently food and beverage manager at the Queens Hotel. Barry is the new manager at the Queens Arms where he intends to put the razzle back into dazzle and the sparkle back into cabaret.
Capt Baz
Barry is planning cabaret 5 nights a week, just like in the old days and is looking forward to working with all the other venues on the scene providing cabaret.
To show they are serious about working with everyone to make the scene better, Barry explains there will be a blackboard in the pub advertising cabaret times and entertainers for all venues on the scene every Sunday.
To get the ball rolling, Jason Sutton aka Miss Jason will be appearing tonight, the first of a regular Wednesday night residency, as you have never seen him before, with a new routine and a new show. Jason will be on stage from 9pm.
Magic, music, circus skills and crafts are all being offered for free this month as part of Newcastle Pride 2014.
Young people at Newcastle Pride 2013
The three-day festival, returns with a bumper line-up of entertainment and activities for the whole family from Friday July 18 to Sunday July 20.
Among the many highlights will be a fun fair, running at Newcastle’s Town Moor on Saturday (July 19) and Sunday (July 20), with a variety of dedicated entertainment zones also happening across both days.
This includes the Family Zone, complete with a sensory space, circus workshops, arts and crafts, face painting and music for younger visitors and the adjoining Youth Zone, sponsored by MESMAC, offering magic, art and sport for ages 12 and above.
Throughout the weekend female visitors can seek solace in the Women’s Zone, showcasing some of the North East’s finest musicians, songwriters and performers, while those hoping for a quieter respite can head to the Tea Tent, where they’ll be serving a selection of tea and treats.
A special Trans Zone will be open across both days, along with the Steve Paske Health Zone, sponsored by MESMAC, which will be offering free advice and STI Testing in a relaxed and confidential setting.
Several other specialist zones will also be running on Saturday (July 19) only, including a Cabaret Tent, sponsored by Eazy Street and Nandos, the new Bear Zone, with a separate bar and information area and the Power House Dance tent, sponsored by Accenture, with a host of award-winning DJs helping to bring a touch of the popular Newcastle nightclub to the Town Moor.
A host of stalls will also be open across the Moor throughout each day, offering the opportunity to buy a wide range of goods and seek advice on everything from adoption to employment.
Shayne Ward
On the Main Stage there will be performances by a host of big name stars, including Sinitta, Steps star Faye Tozer and X Factor winner Shayne Ward on Saturday (July 19) and Eurodance act the Vengaboys on Sunday (July 20).
At the end of each day (around 6pm Sat and 5pm Sun), visitors have the opportunity to travel from the Town Moor to Newcastle’s Times Square, where there will be additional live music throughout the evening.
Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, which organises the annual event, said:“Newcastle Pride is all about bringing the community together and this year we’re offering more activities for all ages than ever before.
“We hope that families from across the North East and wider UK will take the opportunity to enjoy a great day out and help to promote the importance of equality and inclusion at the same time.”
Newcastle Pride 2014 is free to attend, though a number of hospitality and ticket packages are also available.
Brighton & Hove Libraries in partnership with East Sussex Library and Information Service are hosting an afternoon of entertainment with writers and performers talking about and reading from their own work at Brighton Pride on Saturday, August 2.
The line-up includes: Writer and comedienne Claire Summerskill; Poet Dean Atta author of ‘I am Nobody’s Nigger’; Susannah Waters author of ‘Cold Comfort’ and ‘Almost Anybody’, in a duet with actress Federay Holmes; Roger Moss author of ‘The Game of the Pink Pagoda’; Clare Lydon blogger and author of ‘London calling’; Vernal Scott author of ‘God’s Other Children’; John McCullough, author of ‘Frost Fairs’,Maria Jastrzebska‘At the Library of Memories’ and Al Brookes author of ‘The Gift of Looking Closely’.
Claire Summerskill
Writers and poets from Queer Writing South, Queer in Brighton and budding performers from pre-Pride writing workshops will also take to the stage to show what they can do!
Tea and cakes will be available to make this a quintessential summer’s afternoon of literary Pride heaven!
The Libraries Partnership are looking for budding LGBT writers to perform at Pride on Saturday, August 2 in the Pride Literature & Spoken Word tent. If you are new to writing go to one of the FREE writing workshops they are offering where you can hone up your skills for writing and perform your work at Pride:
The workshops are on:
July 17 – Brighton Jubilee Library (16-19 only) 5.00-7.00pm
Sabah Choudrey explains what Trans*Pride means to him.
Sabah Choudrey
“Once upon a time, long before Trans* Pride existed, I didn’t feel proud. I didn’t feel proud to be in the LGBT community. I didn’t feel proud to be trans*, nor did I feel proud to be a person of colour. I was disappointed; it felt like we had already reached where we wanted to be, throwing a giant party in the city, and given up the fight, ignoring the ongoing issues the rest of the LGBT community around the world are facing.
“When a few friends of friends arranged a meeting at a café, I had no idea it would lead to what Trans* Pride Brighton is today. We talked about our invisibility and exclusion, how the trans* community is only ever thought of as the last letter in LGBT, how we’re grouped in with sexual orientation and stereotyped with binary gender roles.
“‘Trans*’ is an umbrella term in itself, but we’re never given the space to pop the umbrella open. The more we spoke, the more passionate we felt, and with each word that came out, there was no going back; we were going to have our Trans* Pride.
“It led to conversation after conversation – why has this never happened before? Why are we forced to continue hiding? Why has Pride stopped being a protest? Because it still is for many, we’re still fighting for our rights to be trans*, proud and happy, and to live visibly and safely.
“Our aim is clear, and we will continue to strive for true inclusivity, in sexual and gender diversity and across all people of colour, of all backgrounds and abilities. We are putting the T first.”
Brighton Half Marathon organisers have confirmed that all public places to the race have been snapped up, just two and half months after opening for registration.
The 2015 race which takes place on Sunday, February 22, sold out in record time, despite the number of places available increasing by 2,000 people to 12,500 runners.
2015 is the 25th anniversary of the event and atheletes finishing the race this year will receive a special commemorative medal to celebrate the milestone.
Event Manager Paul Bond said:“We are thrilled that the event continues to grow in popularity. To those runners that have registered; a huge thanks. We cannot wait to welcome you all in February and we wish everyone the very best of luck with their preparations.:
Runners who have missed out on a public place can still enter by registering to run and raise money for one of the official charities.
Details about running for one of the official charities can be found on the charity page on the event website. Charity partners include WaterAid (International Charity Partner), Scope (National Charity Partner), Rise (Local Charity Partner) and Chestnut Tree House (Youth Partner Charity).
Runners can also pledge to run on behalf of The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; the official charity partner to the Vitality Run Series.
The Brighton Half Marathon is organised by The Sussex Beacon, a unique centre providing innovative services to meet the changing needs of people living with HIV. The race is the charity’s main fundraising event and runners can choose to join Team Beacon and help raise funds directly for The Sussex Beacon.
Partners for the 2015 race confirmed so far include Visit Brighton, Brighton & Hove City Council and Studio57 Clinic.
Local politicians call for Green councillor to stand down.
Cllr Ben Duncan
Following comments made on twitter referring to soldiers as “hired killers”, by Ben Duncan, Green councillor for Queens Park, The Green Party of Brighton and Hove have this morning started a formal disciplinary process about his remarks.
A spokesperson for the Greens said:“The Brighton & Hove Green Party Executive this morning decided that disciplinary proceedings were justified and will report any outcomes in due course. A panel will now be formed to determine what, if any, further action is warranted.”
On Sunday to mark Armed Forces Day the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment paraded from the Peace Statue in Hove along the seafront to New Road in Brighton.
Councillor Duncan tweeted: “Armed Forces Day has certainly brought the hired killers onto the streets of Brighton today. Hard to explain to my son.”
Senior Green politicians including Leader of the Council, Jason Kitcat and Brighton Pavilion MP, Caroline Lucas moved quickly to distance themselves from his comments.
In a tweeted apology yesterday, Cllr Duncan said: “Apols for offence caused by tweet re soldiers on streets. Many will have been remembering loved ones who died & was insensitive to their loss.”
His comments caused wide spread offense with local politicians who called for him to stand down immediately.
Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of Labour and Cooperative
Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour and Cooperative group on Brighton and Hove City Council, said:“Cllr Duncan should resign and he should do so quickly. He is free to criticise politicians who send troops to war, but not those who risk and often sacrifice their lives as a consequence.
“His comments are stupid and deeply offensive, particularly when we are marking the anniversaries of D Day and World War One.
“Were he a councillor in my Group he would be gone by the end of the day.”
Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven
Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, said: “Cllr Duncan’s comments are deeply regrettably and he would do well to remember that many brave men and women have sacrificed, and continue to sacrifice, a lot for him to be able to make such ridiculous comments.”
“As the only Member of Parliament at the event, I was proud to show my support for all the soldiers, past and present, on Armed Forces Day. We owe these people a great deal.”
“It is important we let our Armed Forces know that they have our continued support and comments like Cllr Duncan’s are deeply offensive and misguided.”
Mike Weatherley MP for Hove & Portslade
Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove & Portslade, added: “Slurring our brave soldiers, on Armed Forces Day of all days, is unbelievably insensitive and presumably cause for resignation.
“We have the right to free speech – a right which Councillor Duncan is more than happy to exercise – because of the very people whom he insults.”
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