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Green Sefton, Sefton Council’s coast and countryside service, is looking for ideas on how it can breathe new life into buildings within Sefton’s parks and greenspaces.

The Council is inviting people to share expressions of interest on how they think land and buildings can be used in ways that will benefit the community and visitors. This follows on from a recent call out for ideas on how the Council can refresh how it uses some of its coast and greenspace.

Green Sefton is working closely with community and ‘friends of’ groups who have already shown what can be achieved if communities come together to make use of these buildings. This call out for ideas will allow these groups to expand on any ideas they may have as well as introduce opportunities for further partnership work.

A number of buildings have been put forward as potential sites for brand new ideas to help encourage new investment and opportunities to sites across Sefton while opening up a wider choice of potential retail units across the borough. These sites include buildings at the Botanic Gardens, Hesketh Park and Derby Park in Bootle and a number of other sites across the borough from pavilions to old toilet blocks.

Some suggested ideas include ice cream kiosks, small cafes, bakeries, small businesses, office space and community use areas. However, expressions of interest are not limited to these suggestions and Green Sefton is keen to hear about any creative ideas people may have to transform the buildings. Ideas can be submitted online by visiting www.the-chest.org.uk until Friday, December 20, 2019.

Ideally, the new ideas will be financially viable and should remain universally accessible for all.

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “This is a brilliant opportunity to transform disused buildings, some of which have fallen in to states of disrepair, and create new and exciting opportunities for both residents and visitors.

“I am excited to see what ideas are put forward and hope that this gives budding business owners  and community groups across Sefton the chance to put their plans into action.”

A new global business event is coming to the city region in October 2020.

The Good Business Festival will be a multi-venue event focused on showcasing, promoting and encouraging ethical business, and aims to attract household names from across the world.

With the lead message that “Profit comes from Purpose”, the festival aims to help businesses thrive while operating ethically and responsibly, in a way that benefits the community.

Commissioned by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the festival will be delivered via a collaboration between Hemingway Design, the influential design company headed by Wayne Hemingway MBE, and Culture Liverpool.

Wayne Hemmingway said: “Consumers want businesses to act in a way that aligns with their own beliefs, the climate crisis is putting a sharp focus on what businesses are doing to help the environment and more transparency is forcing organisations to confront some uncomfortable truths about the way they may have operated in the past. The Good Business Festival will be the best place in the World to bring all of this together and for business of any shape and size to learn more about operating in an ethical way while delivering profit.”

The Good Business Festival will run from October 6 – 8, 2020. The line-up for the event and details on tickets will be announced in late January 2020.

For more info and to sign up for updates, visit www.thegoodbusinessfestival.com

Snooker fans will have the chance to see the world’s leading players in Southport in the New Year.

The Coral Players Championship will run from February 24 to March 1 in 2020 at the Southport Waterfront. The leading 16 players on the one-year ranking list will qualify for the first professional tournament ever staged in the town.

Ronnie O’Sullivan won the event last year when it was staged in Preston, coming through a strong field which included the likes of Judd Trump, Mark Selby, John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Mark Williams. Top prize this time is £125,000.

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “We are thrilled to be taking this great tournament to Southport for the first time. This is a marvellous opportunity to see the very best players on the planet. Certain sessions are sure to sell out quickly so fans must book now. It is sure to be a strong field packed with players in form and a tremendous spectacle of sport over the six days.”

Tickets start from £15. For all details visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets