BURGESS FARM CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST

"They seem to forget that they were democratically elected by the residents to represent the residents but unfortunately they are not very democratic, they are a disgrace!" Burgess Farm Residents Group

Salford Council has officially informed the Planning Inspectorate that it won't defend Peel Holdings' appeal against the refusal of planning permission to build 350 houses on the greenfield site of Burgess Farm in Walkden.

The strange Salford Council position will be looked into at a Planning Inspectorate Appeal Pre-inquiry Meeting on October 11th…

SALFORD TRUTH PARTY TAKES SHAPE

"Politicians have been dealing in lies, lies and more lies…"

Salford's Josh Pendlebury is only 18 but is already fed up with politicians "who deal in lies" and "leave their morals at home".

Josh is aiming to form a new Truth Party for Salford and needs your votes.

SALFORD MARCH AND RALLY FOR THE ALTERNATIVE
Sunday 2nd October 10:30am
Meet Fire Station Square, The Crescent

"Let's make sure this Government of millionaires know that as long as they're in power we'll continue to fight them - especially in our own backyard!"

This Sunday, Salford Against The Cuts has organised its own feeder march from The Crescent to join a massive national demonstration at the Tory Party conference in Manchester. The march and demo have been organised to protest against the ConDem Government's massive cuts, pay freezes and attacks on public services.

SALFORD NEW HOMES HORROR

Government figures show that Salford is becoming the most squashed place in England outside of London.

The density of new homes being built in the city between 2007-10 was almost three times the national average, and areas of house building are almost four times denser than ten years ago. This fits with residents complaining in `New Broughton' that their houses are too small, and with the amount of flats built in the city recently.

ACE FINALE ENDS THE SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Salford Music Festival ended with a fitting finale yesterday afternoon and evening with musicians of every genre ripping up the four stages of The Willows…

SIR MATT BUSBY FILM EXTRAS WANTED FOR SALFORD

A huge cinematic feature film about Sir Matt Busby is currently filming in Salford, starring Brian Cox and Natascha McElhone. The producers are looking for extras to film this Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL FINALE Sunday 25th September

Today sees the final day of the Salford Music Festival with a over fifty bands and DJs ripping up The Willows from 2pm 'til 11pm. It's a family day and, for anyone who's skint, it's free!

Here we preview the day with details of all the bands and DJs taking part, including the debut live performance from V Thirteen…

Salford City 2 Ossett Town 2

OWN GOAL DIVOT DENIES SALFORD CITY VICTORY

An own goal by a Moor Lane divot and a dodgy penalty denied Salford City victory over Ossett Town yesterday, after goals by Rhodri Giggs and Jack Redshaw seemed to have sealed a win.

SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL – DAY 3 Saturday 24th September

On the third day, the Salford Music Festival grows even bigger, if that's possible - well over fifty bands playing eight venues, mostly for free.

Here we preview some of the happenings – including Kill For Company at The Crescent and Molotov Jukebox at Islington Mill. Plus a full diary of all the amazing gigs.

BIRDS, BANDS AND IRWELL STYLE WORLD CULTURE

Salford Music Festival – Day 3
Saturday 24th September
The Old Pint Pot, Adelphi Street
11am onwards free

Bird spotting, belly dancing, jamming, jiving and Silky DJs make up Salford's contribution to Earthdance, a worldwide party for peace and social justice.

The family day at The Old Pint Pot is a celebration of music, the environment and diverse cultures and runs for over twelve hours as part of Salford Music Festival.

NO FREE USE FOR THE COMMUNITY AT SALFORD REDS STADIUM

The community will not be getting any free use of the new Salford City Stadium, a Salford Council officer disclosed last night – despite £26million of public money backing for the new home of Salford Reds rugby club.

While there will be a private helicopter charter service and twelve hospitality suites for corporate clients at the Stadium, no free hours will be set aside for local kids and groups to use the pitches, or any other facilities. The word `Community' has also been dropped from the Stadium's title.

SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL – DAY 2 Friday 23rd September

The Salford Music Festival gets into full flow today with an incredible forty bands, rappers and DJs playing in nine different venues around the city, mostly for free.

Here we preview a few of the gigs, plus a full diary of everything that's happening.

SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL – DAY 1 Thursday 22nd September

Yep, Thursday sees the first day of the Salford Music Festival – 20 bands playing for free in half a dozen pubs, from 7pm 'til chucking out time. Plus the Grand Final of Salford's Got Talent at The Willows.

Here we preview three of the bands – The Abstracts (playing at the Ashley Brook), Well Kept Secret (playing at Ordsall Legion) and Fraser King (playing at The Old Pint Pot) – plus a full diary of the day.

SALFORD COUNCIL BACKS DOWN OVER BURGESS FARM

Having refused Peel Holdings planning permission to build on the greenfield site of Burgess Farm in Walkden in July, Salford Council is now chickening out of taking on the huge developers at a Public Inquiry.

This means that residents have been left to battle Peel on their own. And the latest news the Salford Star is hearing is that there might not be a Public Inquiry at all.

RESIDENT TELLS SALFORD COUNCILLORS TO BUY HER HOUSE!

"He yawned so much that I asked him if I was keeping him awake?"

Sixty something Salford resident, Doris Lyons, made her public speaking debut at Salford Council's planning meeting last week. She was objecting to the new plans for Moorside School. But having experienced democracy, Salford style, Doris felt compelled to write her first ever article for the Salford Star.

Here she tells of yawning ignorant councillors with a complete lack of compassion for residents' fears. And Doris ends the feature by offering her house for sale to the councillors who love their new plans for her neighbourhood…

FURIOUS FUSILIERS SLATE CHAPEL STREET REDEVELOPMENT

Salford's branch of the Lancashire Fusiliers is furious that its landmark statue on the corner of Chapel Street and Oldfield Road has been damaged and `disrespected' during the £10million redevelopment of the area.

The plinth of the Grade II listed monument has been badly chipped on two sides, the plaques have gone missing and a block of concrete lies on a wreath to the war dead. A statement about the Chapel Street redevelopment on Salford Council's website reads that "The stunning architecture in the area will be celebrated"…

UNISON SLATES SALFORD UNIVERSITY FOR £170,000 LOGO

The University of Salford's controversial new logo which now includes the word `Manchester' has cost £170,000 at a time when its management is making redundancies. Now the University's staff trade union, UNISON, has condemned the re-branding as a "waste of public money"…

SAVE SALFORD PEOPLE POWER GROWS AND GROWS

The Save Salford Facebook group, set up to oppose the ConDem Government wiping Salford from the political map, is growing at the rate of a thousand a day. Now there's Save Salford t-shirts being produced, loads of home made logos being created and the group is moving off the internet and into the real world with petitions circulating and actions being planned.

It's an incredible reaction to a little idea Victoria Connett had last Wednesday afternoon. The Salford Star met up with her in the midst of one frenzied week…

SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL KICKS OFF
Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th September

120 bands, 15 DJs and all sorts of events and happenings going over four days in Salford's pubs and clubs, with most of it free. Welcome to this year's Salford Music Festival pushing our city's identity and talent to the max.

The Festival kicks off on Thursday night at six pubs around Salford, plus the final of Salford's Got Talent at The Willows, continues for the next three days, and ends at The Willows on Sunday with an all day forty band spectacular. Plus there's DJs Jon Dasilva and Graeme Park, and Harry Potter star, Natalia Tena, at Islington Mill…

SALFORD'S GOT TALENT GRAND FINAL AT THE WILLOWS
Thursday 22nd September 7pm

Kicking off this year's Salford Music Festival is the Grand Final of Salford's Got Talent at The Willows. After five months of heats at venues all over Salford, the battle for the title of the city's ultimate act will be fought out between three hip hop acts, eight female vocalists, three singer songwriters, one male vocalist and a boy band.

Judges include Terry Christian and Happy Mondays' Mark Day.

BLACK LION RE-OPENS AS EXCITING CAFÉ PUB CINEMA LIVE VENUE

"The coffee will fund Salford artists!" Mark Ashmore

The Black Lion pub, the big one on the corner of Blackfriars Road and Chapel Street, is to re-open on Friday 23rd September as a pub, café meeting place downstairs, and as an arts co-op, cinema and live venue upstairs.

It's a self-funding venture and every coffee and pint sold will help support the happenings upstairs, as a real Media City begins to take shape miles away from the Quays.

Mossley 2 Salford City 1

UNLUCKY SALFORD'S UNBEATEN RUN AT AN END

Salford City gave Mossley a two goal start in the first 12 minutes and spent the rest of the match hammering back but just failed, having pulled one goal back and hit the post twice. This unluckily ended the six match unbeaten league run.

A SIGN OF THE SALFORD TIMES

Socialist Theatre Course
Working Class Movement Library
Tues October 4th for 10 weeks 7-9pm

Salford has a huge history of what used to be called `Agitprop', or political theatre, dating back to the days of Ewan MacColl Theatre of Action. It was so dangerous that one of MacColl's plays got raided by the police and he was banned from performing for two years.

Now a new Socialist Theatre course run by WEA at the Working Class Movement Library goes into this history with the aim of constructing a new piece of agitprop.

RAISE THE ROOF FOR SALFORD ARTS THEATRE
Fun Boxing Night
Thursday 20th October 2011
The Willows £10/£5 kids

The iconic Salford Arts Theatre, just off Liverpool Road, is desperately trying to raise money to sort its roof out and supporters have arranged a special Raise The Roof Boxing Night at The Willows to help with the fundraising.

The night will include full entertainment and a raffle with some top prizes…

SALFORD VENUE FOR UK LARGEST YOUTH CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT

Power Shift
University of Salford
7th-9th October 2011

The University of Salford (not in Manchester) is to host the largest key climate change event in the UK for young people.

The three day fun happening will include training, talks and workshops to inspire young people to demand positive political action on the issue with the aim of sparking a `green revolution'.

SALFORD UNI CAMPUS SPLATTERED WITH MANCHESTER LOGO

Back in July when the Salford Star exclusively broke the story of how the University of Salford was adding `Manchester' to its logo, a spokesperson for the Uni got in touch to say that... "it would not be necessary to include this locational device on signage on and around the campus".

Er, our spies have been out and about the campus today and our photos show a slightly different story…

BOUNDARY CHANGE MADNESS SPURS SAVE SALFORD CAMPAIGN

Following yesterday's revelations about Salford being broken up into a zillion new constituencies, none of which will be called Salford, a new Save Salford! Facebook group has been launched.

CANDLELIT VIGIL FOR LANCASTER HOUSE

Last night, the Save Lancaster House Campaign held a silent candlelit vigil outside the homeless support house to highlight the plight of the people who will lose the roof over their heads when Salford Council forces the closure of the project at the end of this month.

Salford City 5 Cammell Laird 0

CAMMELLS GET JUST DESERTS

`Barca…It's just like watching Barca…play Man United' 

Sir Alex Ferguson…Ryan Giggs…Robert Mancini…Sergio Aguero…tonight take your hats off to Salford City as they turned on the style to thrash Cammell Laird with a display of champagne football straight out of the dreams of your fans.

On the day that the Government tried to break Salford up politically and shove us into Manc-land it was apt that the Ammies showed there was only one proper footy team in this city – Salford City!

SALFORD WIPED OFF POLITICAL MAP

New proposals for English boundary changes will see Salford wiped off the political map. There will no longer be a Salford constituency in the 2015 General Election, if the changes come into force.

Langworthy, Ordsall, Weaste and (surprise, surprise) Salford Quays will become part of `Manchester Central', while Irlam and Walkden will become part of Leigh. Swinton will be the main Salford constituency.

SAVE LANCASTER HOUSE CANDLELIT VIGIL AS RESIDENTS FEAR STREET LIFE

Lancaster House, 7-11 Lancaster Road, M6 8AQ
Tuesday 13th September 8-10pm

Campaigners involved in the fight to `Save Lancaster House' are holding a candlelit vigil outside the homeless accommodation centre this Tuesday night in an effort to step up support against its forced closure by Salford Council, scheduled for October 1st.

Meanwhile, residents and staff have been telling Salford Star how they fear many current occupants of Lancaster House could end up on the streets.

SALFORD REDS END WILLOWS DAYS

Salford Reds 18 Catalan Dragons 44

Salford Reds waved goodbye to The Willows yesterday with their record Super League attendance, and a huge party for past players and fans on the pitch.

Now the Reds move on to be tenants in the new publicly funded, half privately owned stadium at Barton. But will this big crowd be there to watch them? A Salford Reds fan writes a review of the day…

Curzon Ashton 1 Salford City 1

SALFORD GET MOJO BACK

Salford City came back from the FA Cup disappointment by storming into top of the Evo-Stik League Curzon Ashton – and were unlucky to come away with only a draw.

That makes it five unbeaten league games in a row for the Ammies, now concentrating on securing a play-off place.

SALFORD HERITAGE
Until Sunday 11th September
Various venues free

This year's heritage weekend in Salford sees lots of historic places opening their doors to the public and putting on special events. These range from a Wedding Bliss 1888-2011 exhibition at St Clement's Church in Ordsall, to tours of the medieval Eccles Parish Church.

SALFORD MEDIA SCENE – OUT NOW!!!

The third issue of Salford Media Scene, the free magazine produced by SCMP (Salford Community Media Partnership) is out now and available at all good community outlets.

Amongst the packed 48 pages, the mag includes features on Coronation Street's Andy Whyment, `MediaCity Madness', `Steve Evets and the Hollywood Planks', top rappers Misfit Music and the incredibly ace Salford Artist, Jo Carlon.

NEVER MIND THE SALFORD RIOTS…HERE'S BINDLOSS AVENUE

"We feel bullied and taken advantage of by the Council - all we want is for them to put right the damage they've done to our house…"

When a stunning 14 bedroom Victorian mansion near Eccles had some bricks come loose in its chimneys, Salford Council decided to "make the property safe". It sent in demolition contractors which completely wrecked the place! 

Read this incredible story involving the Queen, Hazel Blears, looting, property developers and, of course, Salford City Council.

A Salford Star Exclusive

ALMOST £95MILLION OF CUTS FOR SALFORD!

Over the next three years Salford Council is intending to make a further £40million of cuts - on top of £40million cuts already made this year, and £14.8million identified for the next two years.

That's a total of almost £95million in cuts which is £3.5million more than Salford Council picked up from every resident in Council Tax last year.

WKD SALFORD TOPS ALCOHOL CONCERN LEAGUE

A new study by Alcohol Concern shows Salford has over twice the national average of off-licences per population and links it with the city's high level of alcohol-specific hospital admissions for under-18s, and even with the high rate of teenage pregnancy.

As the pubs close and the offies open, the report calls for `control of the concentration of alcohol outlets at a community level'...

SALFORD HURT IN THE MILL HILLS

After taking the lead in just 30 seconds, Salford suffered a humiliating loss in injury time against a team a league below to go out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

FRED WEST AND REAL LIFE DRAMA IN HIGHER BROUGHTON

Appropriate Adult, the two-part drama centred around serial killers Fred and Rose West, begins on ITV this Sunday. The scenes for the Wests' house in Cromwell Street were actually shot in Cardiff Street in the Top Streets of Higher Broughton. But in and around these streets are the real life horror stories of residents stuck in regeneration hell.

And on Monday, it's exactly six years since the real life Salford sheriff arrived with a posse of police to physically kick two brothers out of their home…

MEDIACITYUK VOTED WORST BUILDING IN THE UK

"Which truly creative person would ever want to work in such a place?" The Guardian's Jonathan Glancey

A `crime against the built environment'… A `lack of urban vitality' are just some of the nicer things said about Peel Holdings' MediaCityUK site as it won Building Design magazine's Carbuncle Cup today – given to the year's worst building.

The sterilized Media City site even held off the squashed oblong that is the new Liverpool Museum to take the least coveted architectural prize in the country.