Christmas

The Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent today announced that Jennifer Ellison will be starring alongside Jonathan Wilkes in a brand new pantomime title this year. The all new panto, Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates, is being produced by First Family Entertainment (FFE). FFE have produced The Regent pantomimes since 2005 including the smash hit productions of Mother Goose, Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and last year’s Dick Whittington.

With only 212 days to go until Christmas is upon us once more, the City Council are asking for your views on which services are available over the festive period. At the moment only certain services are open such as waste collection, residential care and mortuary services. Officers are on-call for emergencies such as dangerous structures and pest control. You might want the council to open the libraries, the museums and Local Centres or you may have your own views.

A targeted campaign over Christmas and New Year aimed at getting drink-drivers off Staffordshire’s roads resulted in 177 arrests. Staffordshire Police carried out 2,132 roadside breath tests between the 1 December 2009 and the 1 January 2010, resulting in a positive test rate of 8.2 per cent. In all, some 5,000 vehicles were stopped – in addition to tests carried out at road traffic collisions. The number of drivers breath-tested rose from last December’s figure of 1,832, when there were 80 peop

The annual campaign to target drink and drug drivers in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire has begun in a bid to cut fatal and serious road traffic collisions and protect other road users. In last years campaign in Stoke-on-Trent officers recorded 21 positive breath tests out of a total of the 442 they carried out. This was a slight improvement on 2007/08 which saw 452 tests carried out, and 24 proving positive.

Burslem's first speciality market comes to Burslem Town Centre today (Friday 4th December 2009). This market includes quality gift items from handmade metal work to sweet smelling soaps, arts and crafts. Why not come to the first of Burslem's speciality market day out and get a special gift for Christmas.

What on earth has happened to the Hanley Christmas Tree? Has anyone noticed that this year's effort is a credit-crunched effort that's half the height of previous years, and looks a bit like the the tower of pisa? The council has evidently cut-back on the expenses of the festive season. And in the difficult economic times, I don't suppose we should be surprised.

By Mike Rawlins Stoke City first team & management team will be guests of honour at the switch on of the Christmas lights in Hanley this year. Tony Pulis said “It’s a great honour for the football club to be invited to turn on the Christmas lights. To see so many people turn out will be magnificent and shows what a fantastic city Stoke-on-Trent is.