A planning application has been submitted which would see the disused takeaway renovated and transformed to house up to six people.

Originally built as a home, it was most recently used as the fish and chip shop and was listed for sale last year with a guide price of £82k.

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The listing described it as a “superb business opportunity”, stating it was “historically extremely popular with local residents and was a very successful takeaway with plenty of passing trade”.

It also suggested it would “not take much to get it back to what it used to be plus more” but instead an application has been submitted to turn it into housing. The applicant, Ben Ros Estates, owns the adjoining building which was once The Peters Bar and is now a HMO.

The application states: “The proposal is therefore not a new or unknown HMO operation, but the extension of an established, coordinated operation across two neighbouring properties under common ownership and management, with shared oversight of occupancy, refuse, parking and maintenance.”

It adds: “The proposal would convert an existing building in a sustainable, mixed-use location to a six bedroom House in Multiple Occupation for no more than six occupants. It would deliver single person shared accommodation – the borough’s greatest single housing need – in an accessible location of the kind the council’s HMO policy supports, to a standard that meets the council’s adopted amenity requirements, and under the management of an operator already running the consented HMO immediately next door. 

“It would not harm neighbouring amenity, would not give rise to an unacceptable concentration of HMOs, and would improve the appearance of the building.”

Crews from Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service were called to Ormskirk Road shortly after midday on Sunday (26 July) to reports of a fire at a derelict commercial building.

On arrival they found that the upper floor of 29 Ormskirk Road, above a vacant unit that was once home to So Noodle Bar, was well-ablaze.

Read more: Takeaways operating from Deepdale car park shipping containers ask for permission to keep going

Crews were at the scene for several hours and stayed to extinguish hotspots and make the building safe.

The fire service confirmed that the cause of the fire is now subject to an investigation.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service said: “At 12:08, four fire engines, an aerial ladder platform and supporting officers attended a fire at a derelict commercial property on Ormskirk Road, Preston.

“Firefighters used breathing apparatus, two hose reels, one main jet, a triple extension ladder and an aerial ladder platform to tackle a fire involving the first floor and roof space of a three-storey building measuring approximately 30 metres by 30 metres.

“Firefighters are carrying out searches of the property and remain on scene extinguishing hotspots. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

Police were in the Pope Lane area of Penwortham on Saturday (25 July) when they saw two people riding Surron electric bikes wearing balaclavas.

Upon spotting police, they reportedly attempted a u-turn and attempted to leave the scene. One of the riders got away, but the other lost control which police attributed to a rear tyre that had ‘seen better days’.

Read more: Takeaways operating from Deepdale car park shipping containers ask for permission to keep going

The rider was searched under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act but nothing was found.

However, the rider was not old enough to hold a licence, had no insurance and no crash helmet.

He has been reported for riding otherwise than in accordance with a licence, riding without insurance and riding without protective headgear.

The bike was seized and police say it will be crushed.

A spokesperson for police said: “A big thank you to everyone who has reported concerns about these bikes over the past few weeks. Your information helps us target the right areas, and yesterday it certainly paid off.

“We’ll continue to target those using off-road bikes antisocially across South Ribble, so if you’ve got information, please keep it coming by reporting this online, or calling 101.”

Described as an “open-air food takeaway”, the development is up and running at a site off Kent Street, featuring outlets including Meat Street and the Burger Station.  However, planning permission is not yet in place.

Approval has been sought for a total of seven units which will operate from existing shipping containers on the plot, which is surrounded by commercial, industrial and residential properties.  

Read more: Business rate cuts for pubs and clubs welcomed in Preston – but Andy Burnham urged to go further

To that end, an application lodged with Preston City Council states that there will be no reduction in the 34 available parking spaces on the site, which borders Frank Street.

Documentation submitted in support of the proposal by applicant Wasim Mohammed states that it “represents an efficient use of previously developed land and will provide additional food and beverage facilities within an accessible urban location”. 

It adds:  “The retention of the existing parking provision ensures that the site’s established function remains available whilst introducing an additional commercial use that will contribute to the local economy. 

“The proposal is also considered to align with the objectives of Preston City Council’s development plan by supporting economic growth, encouraging investment and promoting sustainable development within the urban area.”

There are two access points to the site for vehicles, from both Kent Street and Frank Street.

Anybody wishing to comment on the application should search for reference number 06/2026/0675 at preston.gov.uk/planningservices.

A separate bid for permission was recently made by a different applicant for permission for an already-trading food truck at another car park elsewhere on Kent Street.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service sent three crews to Grimshaw Street where one person was taken to safety from a fire.

The road was closed at the Church Street junction while crews battled a fire in the kitchen of a flat.

Read more: Councils in Lancashire have less than a month to veto authority names put forward by government

The fire was reported shortly after 3pm on Sunday (26 July) and Preston Police also attended.

Crews from Leyland, Fulwood and Bamber Bridge were sent to the city centre and spent nearly an hour-and-a-half at the scene using a thermal imaging camera and a gas monitor.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and the road has re-opened.

It was the second fire service presence in the city centre during Sunday afternoon as crews battled a major fire at an empty building in Ormskirk Street close to Preston Bus Station.

It has undergone significant change in that time. In 2006, it was the Mad Ferret and what it lacked in gloss it made up for with character in spades. The stage was at the opposite end of the room compared to now, the underneath of the protective glass covers on the tables was stuffed with used train tickets from far and wide. 

In 2024, the venue was taken away from the threat of closure after £2.5m was raised via a community share offer and the venue was purchased by the Music Venues Trust. Preston City Council also contributed to that – giving a £150,000 loan. 

Read more: Event to celebrate accessibility and inclusive businesses across Preston

Matt Fawbert is manager of The Ferret and has been officially working there for around five years – but has been part of the furniture for considerably longer. He first played a gig of his own at The Ferret in 2006. 

He tells Blog Preston: “The changes are more striking for people who haven’t been here for a long time. Crocodiles were in last week and first played in 2009, and hadn’t been for a decade. 

“They really spoke about how much it’s changed – but in some ways it feels like it’s not changed very much at all.”

What hasn’t changed is The Ferret’s commitment to hosting original music on a regular basis. Acts to have played there like Alt J, Blossoms, Idles, Ed Sheeran and – infamously – Royal Blood tend to hog the mentions but it has been a crucial place for artists to hone their craft for two decades now – and for people who just want to watch something. 

The Ferret is 20 gigs are a run of shows marking the anniversary – celebrating the history of the venue with some familiar faces while also showcasing some new bands too. The shows have been put on with support from Arts Council England – and there’s a new lighting rig on the stage too. 

Matt says: “We had a massive wishlist of artists that we would say are part of the story. Everything here is done quite swiftly – we don’t know where we’re going to be year on year so we don’t plan that far ahead. 

“There were some we didn’t bother trying with – like Ed Sheeran.”

The important thing to remember is that while the building is safe and secure as a music venue thanks to the intervention of the Music Venue Trust (and everyone associating with the campaign) – that doesn’t mean the story is finished.

Running a live music venue is still an enormous challenge and making the numbers stack up from a financial perspective is as important as it has ever been.

Matt adds: “The business itself needs to keep making profit and it’s a tricky time. It will always be a music venue – but we have to run it and if we fail then we’d have to leave.” 

The future of The Ferret is interesting. Plans have been approved by Preston City Council that would see the creation of new performance spaces, recording studios and a rehearsal area in the Grade II-listed former spinning mill behind the Fylde Road venue. 

But it’s far from a sure thing – the cost of the revamp will be significant and planning permission was specifically sought because it was required to request support from places like National Lottery and Arts Council England. 

Rae Morris – Blackpool-born but with significant roots in Preston – is tonight’s headline act and it’s a sold out show. Support comes from Aubrey’s Dance, a piano and vocals two-piece led by Hannah Greatorex whose voice brings a very busy room to silence, and David Shurr who performs an impressive set of beautifully rough-around-the-edges acoustic songs. 

We chat to Rae after her soundcheck but before she ignores our food recommendation of Coco’s Soul Food to try PLAU a little further up Friargate. During her soundcheck, it’s immediately striking how polite she is to everyone from the sound engineer to Matt to the supporting artists, who she does have history with, and even the journalist. 

We make that observation and she tells Blog Preston: “That’s worrying about everyone else you’ve been interacting with.

“It is a conscious decision because I do want to be nice to everybody. But I can sometimes take it a level too far and not put my own needs forward so I’m trying to work on that actually.”

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Rae really started to find her feet and voice as a performer  when she took the decision to “do something different” and attend Newman College in Preston – something that required catching the 61 bus an hour each way every day.

She says: “I think I went to Newman because I had that thing that 16 year olds have where I wanted to do something different to everyone else. I did feel very excited to do something that nobody else was doing. And I really liked the grounds, and I loved that it was on this beautiful sloping hill down to a lake. 

“That time on the bus was really important because I was shaping thoughts and ideas, listening to music and imagining what I would do in the future.”

The Ferret’s opening mic nights in 2011 were central to Rae Morris ultimately being signed by a major record label when that happened – and encouragement from one of her tutors was central to it all.

She says: “I used to go to this one in Garstang and then that was the gateway. It felt more serious when I came to The Ferret. 

“There was a teaching support lady in my art class at Newman who happened to be best friends with the person who ultimately signed me. She was this amazing gateway to the music industry for me and she told people about me and they all came to The Ferret.

“These A&R people all came to The Ferret. There was one very important night where loads of music industry people came up from London to hear me play for the first time. The guy that I signed with introduced me to Fryars (Rae’s husband and fellow performer) and is now godfather to our daughter.

“So this place truly started my life.”

Rae was watched by industry bigwigs at The Ferret in April 2011 and signed her major label contract in September the same year at the age of 19. Since then she released her debut album Unguarded in 2015 and her second album Someone Out There. Her song Don’t Go, which she plays tonight, featured in the TV show Skins. 

She supported artists including George Ezra, Bombay Bicycle Club, Lianne La Havas, Noah and the Whale, and Tom Odell. She contributed backing vocals for Bombay Bicycle Club, most notably via the song Luna which is also performed by Rae this evening. She co-wrote a song for Spice Girl Melanie C. 

In 2022 she released Rachel@Fairyland her third album and she comes to The Ferret on Friday (24 July) as part of reintroducing herself to live shows again after a break during which her daughter Marla and son Larry were born. 

The show itself is a success – and a reminder of how good Rae Morris is. But both conversations, with Matt Fawbert and Rae Morris, highlight how important The Ferret is for musicians. 

In 2024 when the campaign to save the venue from the threat of closure happened, it came with the tagline ‘this place matters’. In 2026, unsurprisingly, it still does. 

The Ferret is 20 shows are running into August. The Bug Club are performing on 30 July, Home Counties are performing on 14 August and James Lavelle is on 15 August. Full listings are available here

Each Saturday throughout August, the Markets will feature a variety of attractions including street performances, live music and specialist markets.

The programme begins on Saturday 1 August with Pep Talk’s first anniversary party. The Box Market coffee shop is hosting DJs playing vinyl and a pop-up from Show Me The Dough serving Neapolitan-style pizzas.

On Saturday 8 August, visitors can enjoy Covent Garden-style street entertainment from Chris Cross with a blend of magic, escapology and comedy. The same day will see the return of Real Deal Record Fair, offering music lovers the chance to browse and buy vinyl records, CDs and memorabilia from specialist traders.

The entertainment continues on Saturday 15 August with the arrival of Granny Turismo, said to be the world’s first and only shopping trolley dance display team. The street theatre act features seemingly sweet grannies performing hilarious stunts and routines.

On Saturday 22 August, acclaimed entertainer Mark Russell returns after impressing crowds during the Markets’ 150th anniversary celebrations. Mark is known for his quick wit and skills including penny-farthing riding, juggling, comedy and audience interaction.

The month concludes on Saturday 29 August with Fat Cat Brass, a high-energy brass band renowned for performing pop classics on stilts. The band’s interactive roaming performances are guaranteed to bring plenty of fun throughout the day.

Read more: Event to celebrate accessibility and inclusive businesses across Preston

Visitors can also enjoy free live music every Saturday evening from 8pm at The Orchard Craft Beer Bar, located beneath the Victorian canopy. The events will showcase local up-and-coming and established musicians.

Alongside the entertainment, Preston Markets offers a range of independent traders selling everything from fresh local produce to vintage vinyl, cosmetics, real ale and gourmet coffee – plus a variety of places to eat and drink.

Councillor Martyn Rawlinson, Cabinet Member for resources at Preston City Council, said: “We’re delighted to welcome visitors to Preston Markets this August for a fantastic programme of free entertainment.

“These events are a great way to support our local independent traders while enjoying some truly unique performances and activities. We encourage everyone to come along, shop local, discover what our traders have to offer and make a day of it at Preston Markets.”

For more information about Preston Markets and upcoming events, follow @prestonmarkets on Instagram and Facebook, visit the Preston Markets website or call in during your next visit to the city centre.

Crews from Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service were called to Ormskirk Road at around midday on Sunday (26 July).

The upper floor of 29 Ormskirk Road, above a vacant unit that was once So Noodle Bar, was well-ablaze.

Read more: Too soon to say if all of Preston will be covered by Andy Burnham’s £2 single fare cap

A hose-reel jet was being used by crews from the fire service to help extinguish the fire.

Watch footage below, or on YouTube, of what firefighters faced in Ormskirk Road

A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service said: “At 12:08, four fire engines, an aerial ladder platform and supporting officers attended a fire at a derelict commercial property on Ormskirk Road, Preston.

“Firefighters used breathing apparatus, two hose reels, one main jet, a triple extension ladder and an aerial ladder platform to tackle a fire involving the first floor and roof space of a three-storey building measuring approximately 30 metres by 30 metres.

“Firefighters are carrying out searches of the property and remain on scene extinguishing hotspots. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

The event took place at the Lostock Hall Conservative Club and saw more than 120 people in attendance.

Rainbow Hub is a Mawdesley based charity that helps both children and young adults that struggle with physical and neurological disabilities.

Read more: Ashton business becomes newest Founder Patrons of Preston’s Vault Youth Zone

The five women who headed the event are Joanne Berends Sheriff, Michelle Jackson, Gemma McLoughlin, Gemma Darwin and Keighley Harrison.

Whilst Gemma is from Formby, the rest are from Preston and all five of them have children who have been attending Rainbow Hub for five years or longer.

Joanne spoke on behalf of the mums and said: “It was another amazing evening and worth all the hard work.

“Our grateful thanks go to everyone who has helped us.

“Rainbow Hub is a very special place for our children and we are delighted to be able to help them continue to provide the services that are vital for the children and families they support.” 

The event, sponsored by Fletchers Solicitors, was hosted by Steve Donaldson and had a cover band and DJ for entertainment.

Emma Parish, Corporate Relations and Events Manager for Rainbow Hub, said: “It was a night to remember thanks to our five very determined Supermums who made it all happen.

“Special thanks also to Fletchers for sponsoring the night; WD 40 – Covers Band for the music; M.C Steven Donaldson; DJ Lacey for keeping the party going and LM Event Hire for transforming the room with gorgeous summer themed décor.

“You all helped raise an incredible amount for our life changing services for children with disabilities across the North West.”

Ministers announced last week how the county would be carved up when its 15 existing local authorities are abolished.

Those current councils had put forward five different suggestions for the size and shape of their replacements under the government-ordered revamp – along with what were largely generic geographical monikers to identify what will be merged municipal areas.

Read more: Positive response on South Ribble, Chorley and West Lancashire merger but disappointment at lack of more comprehensive review

When the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government revealed its chosen option for the new-look Lancashire last Thursday, it referred to the new councils by the slightly more nuanced names that had subsequently been suggested for them by the existing authorities in those areas.

At that point, the titles remained provisional, but a letter sent to Lancashire’s local authority leaders and chief executives this week – seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) – reveals they have now been formally signed off by Whitehall.

The matter is set to be discussed at a strategic board meeting in Lancashire next week when alternatives could be put forward, but the government has said it would only consider any “unanimous” proposals for changes – and only until 17 August.

Blog Preston understands that Preston, Lancaster and Ribble Valley will be putting forward a name that features all three areas – not unlike the BCP Council made up of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in Dorset.

In other areas, there are likely to be similar pushes to keep a sense of place within authority names.

Otherwise, from 1st April 2028, Lancashire will be served by local authorities called:

North Lancashire Council – covering the current Preston, Lancaster and Ribble Valley council areas (373,664 residents);

South Lancashire Council – covering the current Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire council areas (358,947 residents);

Fylde Coast Council – covering the current Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre council areas (348,381 residents);

Pennine Lancashire Council – covering the current Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Pendle council areas (520,563 residents).

The names will not officially be instituted until the legislative process to establish the new authorities has been completed in Parliament next year.

Once they are operational, the replacement councils will have the same power as all local authorities to change their names via a vote of their memberships, should they wish to do so.

Possible names were put forward for all of the councils that could have been created under the five proposed reconfigurations that Lancashire submitted to ministers last November –  initially just by those authorities that backed each option.   Later, the existing councils offered their opinions on how any new authority that might be adopted in their area should be identified.

The new councils will be responsible for delivering all local services in their enlarged areas, ending the current two-tier split between Lancashire County Council and the 12 district authorities in the county.  The four will each be all-service ‘unitary’ councils, as the existing Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen councils have been since 1998.

The county council, the dozen districts and the two current unitaries will all cease to exist on 31st March, 2028.

Protecting Lancashire’s cities in shake-up

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The government letter – which deals with various arrangements for the formation of the new councils – specifically references the implications of the changes for the city status held by Preston and Lancaster.

It notes that the title has been “conferred by the Monarch and applies to a defined locality”, adding that “arrangements need to be put in place to ensure that this status is preserved” once the local authorities covering those cities are no longer coterminous with them.

The correspondence states that the establishment of “Charter Trustees” is the usual solution in such a scenario – and that they are empowered to “hold historic property, such as charters or insignia” for a city.

Lancaster’s city status was bestowed on it back in 1937, whilst it was granted to Preston as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee celebrations in 2002.

Preston’s council patch passing into history

Preston was first granted a charter in 1179 and had the status of an ‘ancient borough’ – the lowest tier of local government.

It morphed into a ‘municipal borough’ authority under nationwide reforms that took place in 1836 – and when Lancashire County Council was established in 1889, Preston was deemed large enough to stand separately from that new organisation and deliver all of its own services.  

The present district council for Preston – on its current borders – was established in 1974 after a massive local authority shake-up, at which point it became second-tier authority and higher level services to its residents were taken over by the county council.   That set-up has remained in place ever since, but now has less than two years to run.

South Ribble to sail into the sunset

Last week, less than 24 hours before the government’s decision on Lancashire’s revamped local government landscape, South Ribble Borough Council debated whether to make a bid to ensure its name lived on by lobbying for it to be adopted by the new authority area that has since been christened South Lancashire Council.

Mounting the attempt to preserve the South Ribble as an entity – 52 years after it was created in the last major council overhaul in 1974 – Conservative opposition group member George Rear described ‘South Lancashire’ as a “geographically inaccurate” title.

He said the term historically referred to an area now largely contained within Merseyside and Greater Manchester – noting the distinction between the historic, and much broader, County Palatine of Lancashire and the administrative area by which Lancashire is often defined today.

“Our local towns and villages across the three boroughs [South Ribble, Chorley and West Lancashire] are defined by rivers like the Douglas, Lostock and Yarrow that flow into the Ribble catchment.  We are, in a real geographic sense, the flood plain south of the Ribble,” Cllr Rear said, making the case for the retention of the name.

However, South Ribble’s Labour leader, Matthew Tomlinson, said there were “bigger things to fall out about” – and also noted the prematurity of any vote on the subject at that point, gien that the new councils had not then been announced.

“I am not going to step into a brave new world…by saying that my red line for the people of South Ribble is the name of the new council,” Cllr Tomlinson told the meeting.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat group leader David Howarth said there were “numerous other challenges that we’re going to have” in delivering services as a standalone new council – and suggested that the focus should be on those.

“I don’t think the public are really that bothered, especially when you’re trying to get your child into a school [or] you’re trying to get care for an elderly relative,” Cllr Howarth added, a sentiment that was shared by the authority’s lone Reform UK member, Cllr Mathew Forshaw.

Cllr Rear’s proposal was duly voted down.