Evelina Black

A visit to KP Frozen Foods Factory Shop in Birkenhead finds a large, busy warehouse selling frozen food and selected household groceries to the public without a membership requirement. Most products are reported to be around 40% cheaper than normal retail prices, including frozen chips, chicken products, burgers and other convenience foods. Owner Noel Davies says the shop began supplying the public six weeks earlier and grew from about 40 families per opening day to between 500 and 750, driven largely by word of mouth and social-media promotion.

Stockard Channing will direct a one-night production of Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre on 9 September 2026. The play stars David Westhead and explores an old man’s memories, lost love, ambitions and hopes through recordings of his life. The production is touring internationally during 2026 and 2027, and tickets are available through the theatre’s website.

Supermarket opening hours for the August 31 bank holiday are outlined for Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Most stores will operate reduced or location-dependent hours, while some convenience and Scottish or Northern Irish branches will maintain normal schedules. Shoppers are advised to check individual store locations online before visiting.

Lucy Wieland left her charity-sector desk job after developing Brew & Bake from a horsebox selling coffee and homemade bakes. She opened a shop on Birchfield Road in Widnes in December 2025, where the business has grown quickly, attracted customers from Liverpool and Crosby, and created three staff positions. Its frequently changing bakes, seasonal drinks and social-media presence have helped drive interest, while partnerships such as the sale of The Butterholic's pastries have broadened the menu. The business also supports its local community through fundraising for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and plans for a run club.

Friends Sam Patterson and Lauren Wright founded healthy fast-food restaurant PICNIC after developing the idea during a 2017 Ibiza holiday. Starting in a garage and later operating at Liverpool food markets, the business opened its Smithdown Road site in 2019 and a second venue in West Derby in 2023. Driven by strong local demand, customer feedback and an emphasis on menu customisation, PICNIC is now seeking a third location while continuing to expand its menu, including the recently introduced acai bowls.

Liverpool Biennial and Royal Albert Dock have launched “Think of Us,” a free outdoor artwork displaying hundreds of black-and-white portraits and recorded voices from Year 6 pupils across Merseyside. Developed through workshops with photographer Emma Case, sound artist Sara Wolff and facilitator Klaire Doyle, the Inside Out Project initiative explores how children want to be seen and heard and aims to amplify their voices before the transition to secondary school. The installation runs around the dock wall until August 23, with an accompanying online learning resource and children’s manifesto.

Townhouse, a swingers and BDSM club in Tranmere, Birkenhead, requires members to follow rules including obtaining consent before touching, respecting refusals, avoiding harassment, not opening closed doors, keeping phones away, maintaining cleanliness and respecting privacy. Owner Vicky Finney says the rules are essential to preserving a trusted and safe environment, with pushy or rule-breaking members warned or removed. The club has also been featured on a BBC Radio Wales podcast.

Heath Park Lake in Runcorn has nearly dried up for the second consecutive summer, prompting hundreds of residents to form the Friends of Heath Park Lake group and seek charitable status and funding for restoration. Resident John Frodsham says the lake is a vital community space and fears leaks and climate change are contributing to the decline. Halton Borough Council says structural inspections found no leaks and attributes the lower levels to low rainfall, drought and evaporation intensified by the pond's shallow design. The council rejects topping up the lake with drinking water on environmental and legal grounds but is working with residents and the Environment Agency to examine possible long-term water supply options.

Balti Spice, an Indian restaurant in St Helens owned by Steve Chowdhury, has been nominated for the Merseyside Curry Experience of the Year at the Northern England Curry Awards. Chowdhury, who has run the restaurant for 18 years, credits loyal customers and the local community for its success. Friend and social media manager Pam Case highlights the restaurant's fresh-ingredient cooking, informal pub-like atmosphere and welcoming “Balti family” of regulars. The nomination could bring Balti Spice its fifth award in five years, with voting open until a September 1 ceremony.

The International Festival of Glass will take place at The World of Glass in St Helens from August 28 to 31, 2026, celebrating the town’s glassmaking heritage and contemporary glass art. The programme will include live demonstrations by international artists, talks, exhibitions, workshops, community mosaic-making, film screenings, behind-the-scenes tours and an accessible British Sign Language tour. Local venues and organizations will host additional events, while The World of Glass and the Glass Art Society describe the festival as a major opportunity to showcase St Helens, support creative engagement and connect artists, collectors, industry professionals and the public. Most events will be free, with a full programme due to be released closer to the festival.

The Liverpool Echo profiles eight stylish people spotted around Liverpool city centre, including shoppers, students and three sisters. They describe their individual approaches to fashion, drawing on vintage and charity-shop finds, high-street brands, borrowed clothing, cultural heritage and personal accessories. Participants emphasize authenticity, comfort, self-expression and wearing what suits them, while the feature highlights the range of styles seen in the city.

A family guide lists 20 free or donation-supported activities and attractions across Merseyside for the summer holidays. Suggestions include parks, beaches, woodlands, farms, museums, galleries, public art and free events such as Liverpool ONE’s Beach Fest and Tickle the Ivories, The Atkinson’s craft workshops, and performances at Vale Park. The locations span Liverpool, the Wirral, Southport, Formby, Crosby and St Helens, offering outdoor recreation, wildlife, cultural experiences and children’s entertainment without admission costs.

Comic Con Liverpool has banned Meta glasses and all other wearable recording devices from its October 10–11 event at Exhibition Centre Liverpool after talent, agents and attendees raised concerns about secret filming and privacy violations. Anyone caught using such a device may be removed and lose unfulfilled autograph or photograph purchases. The convention has already confirmed 28 guests, including Christopher Lloyd, Emilia Clarke, David Harbour, Kit Harington, David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

Fans gathered outside Liverpool Experience Campus to see Paul McCartney as he attended LIPA’s graduation ceremony, where he awarded Companionships to Stephen Graham, Cathy Tyson, Paul Duhaney, Tom Fletcher and Lynette Howell Taylor. Supporters shared emotional stories about their admiration for McCartney, while the event celebrated more than 400 graduating students from 28 countries.

A new Liverpool venue, Kiku Hifi, has opened as a daytime coffee shop and evening bar inspired by Japanese jazz kissa culture. Owner Mike Girling aims to offer an analogue-focused listening experience featuring vinyl records, vintage audio equipment and a slower pace of music appreciation. The venue serves specialty coffee curated by DJ and barista Jade Edwards and prioritises local suppliers for drinks and pastries. Girling sees growing demand for such spaces and believes Kiku Hifi fills a gap in Liverpool’s bar and coffee scene.

Local businesses in Birkdale are preparing for over 300,000 visitors arriving for The Open at Royal Birkdale, with shop owners and venue operators anticipating a busy but rewarding week. Independent businesses describe the village as vibrant, community‑minded and increasingly popular, with many extending hours and stocking up for the influx. Several venues, including Platform X and Birkdale Cheese Co., expect significant footfall and view the event as a major opportunity to showcase their offerings. Residents highlight Birkdale’s café culture and strong sense of community, expressing excitement for the atmosphere the championship brings.

A new bar and pizza venue called Goldie's has opened on Colquitt Street in Liverpool, replacing the former BrewDog site. Created by the team behind Almost Famous Burgers and The Dog & Collar, the shop draws inspiration from New York slice culture and serves large 22-inch pizzas alongside an extensive drinks menu. The opening follows growing popularity of their offerings at PINS Social Club and comes amid BrewDog’s broader wave of bar closures linked to financial challenges. The owners plan continued expansion and are recruiting to support future growth.

People across Liverpool share their outfits, inspirations and style advice, highlighting vintage shopping, second‑hand fashion and social‑media‑driven trends. Interviewees describe varied aesthetics ranging from minimalist and European‑inspired looks to whimsical and retro styles, emphasising experimentation, comfort and personal expression.

A Romanian-born chef in Liverpool created a traditional Northern Spanish restaurant inspired by his experience working in Spain and the birth of his son. The restaurant, Yannis & Daddy, reflects his desire to bring authentic Spanish cuisine to the city, with popular dishes including Iberian pork, garlic prawns, sea bass and sangria. He attributes its success to homemade food and Spanish cooking techniques, celebrating positive customer feedback while noting that his son still prefers fast food.

A young entrepreneur expanded his Liverpool food business, CluckBox, after taking six months off from his engineering job, attracting customers from across the country. He applied skills from his meal‑prep company and engineering background to create a growing takeaway specialising in Nashville chicken and burgers. The business moved from a dark kitchen to a larger premises, with plans for franchising and new menu items. Family support played a major role, and customer feedback has been strong, driving continued recipe development and expansion ambitions.