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Signs go up at Arcadia Darlington as opening date nears

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Signs go up at Arcadia Darlington as opening date nears

The signs for Arcadia, which was originally meant to open in late 2025, have gone up at the site on Skinnergate.

Designed by Direct Signs (Northern) Ltd, based on North Road in Darlington, the Arcadia logo is now up above the building.

Signs for a bar and rage room have also been added to the windows of the gaming venue.

Earlier this month, bosses provided an update on the renovation works and said when residents can expect the venue to open.

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Signs have gone up for Arcadia on Skinnergate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Writing on Facebook, Arcadia said: “You may now see plenty of people coming and going out of the building, upstairs renovation is coming on quick and it’s looking amazing!

“Downstairs bar starts next week, today we finished ripping out the old bar and plumbing. We’re not covering the windows so you can keep an eye on us! If you see people inside, give them a knock and a wave!

“We’ve ordered our signs and window stickers for the front of the building, hopefully they should be up in the next couple of weeks.

“We’ve got our internet going in next week finally, only took Virgin a month to get sorted, all our 4K CCTV is up and active to keep an eye on everyone during their time inside.

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A picture posted to social media showed how the work is progressing at Arcadia Darlington (Image: ARCADIA)

“The second building lease process is coming along nicely and moving at a fast pace.

“Approximately four-six weeks until opening now, it’s finally so close and we cannot wait to show you all, what we’ve been creating, we want to be Darlington’s ultimate social fun safe space for everyone.”

In January, The Northern Echo reported the gaming site is set to open in early 2026.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Andrew Hoggart, the brains behind the idea, said: “It is not far off from being completed. Downstairs has not really been touched, but that is not going take that long to do. It should be open by February/March time.

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Andrew Hoggart (Image: CONTRIBUTOR)

“I can put a month on it now when I have not been able to before. Most people have been asking for a while when Arcadia will open, but I can say it will be February or March.”

The venue is set to have everything from 360° virtual reality to adrenaline-pumping simulators and retro arcade classics.

The gaming spot will also have a licensed bar and offer three different children’s party experiences.

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Bridgerton-inspried afternoon tea coming to Auckland Palace

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Bridgerton-inspried afternoon tea coming to Auckland Palace

Held in the Old Library at Auckland Palace on Sunday, March 15, fans of the show will be able to enjoy an afternoon of fine dining with their mothers.

Writing on Facebook, The Auckland Project announced: “Dearest gentle reader…

“This Mother’s Day, you are cordially invited to Auckland Palace for a delightfully decadent Afternoon Tea — set and served in the Old Library, where every mother shall be treated as the true diamond of the season.”

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Tickets for the afternoon tea are £30, with two 90-minute slots available to book at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

The menu, which can also be adapted to vegetarian and gluten free, for the special day has also been revealed, which includes:

  • Ham & Pease pudding, cheese & palace chutney and cream cheese & cucumber finger sandwiches
  • Homemade fruit scone with clotted cream and jam
  • An indulgent array of mini cakes & delights
  • Freshly brewed tea or coffee
  • Glass of prosecco or elderflower spritz

The Auckland Project’s attractions, including the Auckland Palace, reopened to the public in February after being closed for a winter break.

Last month, when Bishop’s Kitchen, a refurbished Tudor kitchen at Auckland Palace reopened, Kim Carruthers, head of hospitality operations at The Auckland Project talked about changes to the afternoon tea’s at the Palace.

She said: “We have gone back to doing pre-booking and the reason behind this is we can give a much better experience.

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“We will be able to cater in advance for any dietary needs, we can expect the people coming in and we can have the tables set.

“We have launched a Mother’s Day afternoon tea, which will be Bridgerton-inspired too, for which tickets will be sold digitally.”

To purchase tickets for the Bridgerton-inspired Mother’s Day afternoon tea, visit: https://tickets.aucklandproject.org/event-tickets/75377?branches.branchID=2536

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Premier League delete social media post mocking Guglielmo Vicario after Tottenham complaint

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Premier League delete social media post mocking Guglielmo Vicario after Tottenham complaint

The 13-second video, which was posted to the league’s official X account following Spurs’ 2-1 defeat by Fulham on Sunday, saw goalkeeper Vicario launch a free-kick out of play along with the captions: ‘Just how the play was drawn up’, ‘Whoops’ and ‘An interesting free-kick from Vicario’, accompanied by a crying laughing emoji.

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Where Portsmouth ranks among UK cities for prosperity in new economic study

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Where Portsmouth ranks among UK cities for prosperity in new economic study

Prosperity in the UK is no longer defined purely by size or population. While London continues to dominate headlines, a growing number of smaller cities are building strong economic identities of their own. High wages, skilled workforces, strong productivity and buoyant property markets are increasingly shaping where prosperity is concentrated. In many cases, university cities and well-connected commuter hubs are quietly outperforming larger urban centres.

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DWP confirms PIP award length changes from April

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DWP plans to increase the length of awards for people making new PIP claims

The UK Government plans to extend the length of awards for people making a new claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from April in order to help reduce the backlog of Work Capability Assessments (WCA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the measure is designed to free up health professionals to conduct more face-to-face assessments and complete additional WCA reassessments.

Currently, the interval between PIP award reviews can be as short as nine months and the majority of people do not experience a change in their award at review. This is to be lengthened for most PIP claimants aged 25 and over to a minimum of three years for a new claim, increasing to five years at their subsequent review if they continue to be entitled.

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These operational changes are separate from the Timms Review, which will examine the role of PIP, eligibility for the daily living and mobility components, assessment process and the criteria in supporting disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence.

The new measure in April will come into force alongside modifications to Universal Credit that narrows the gap between what people receive for being unemployed compared to long-term sickness. The alterations will see the UK Government fulfil a pledge it made in the Pathways to Work Green Paper to increase face-to-face assessments after they were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with contracts agreed by the previous government requiring 80 per cent of assessments to be completed virtually.

The proportion of face-to-face assessments will be increased, with those for PIP rising from 6 per cent in 2024 (57,000) to 30 per cent of all assessments, and the WCA from 13 per cent in 2024 (74,000) to 30 per cent, reports the Daily Record.

The UK Government said it is implementing these changes and “reforming the broken welfare system it inherited” by extending the time between assessments to check if a claimant’s condition still qualifies them for PIP, freeing up health professionals to conduct more assessments face-to-face and deliver more WCA reassessments.

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It added: “Reassessments play an important role in taking account of how changes in health conditions and disabilities affect people over time.”

In total, the measures are expected to save the UK taxpayer £1.9 billion by the end of 2030/31 and comes alongside employment support aimed at sick or disabled people including Connect to Work, and the redeployment of 1,000 work coaches.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden recently stated: “We’re committed to reforming the welfare system we inherited, which for too long has written off millions as too sick to work.

“That is why we are ramping up the number of assessments we do face-to-face and taking action to tackle the inherited backlog of people waiting for a Work Capability Assessment.

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“These reforms will allow us to save £1.9 billion, creating a welfare state that supports those who need it whilst helping people into work and delivering fairness to the taxpayer.”

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AI slop: Can players and football clubs do anything about it?

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An AI-generated image of Kylian Mbappe skiing while holding his turtle

Once again, it did not happen but looks so realistic.

And Cowan said it was difficult for there to be any recourse when content is presented “in a non-contentious manner”.

Unless a person has suffered commercial or reputational damage, options are limited.

“It’s always been quite challenging for an individual to enforce IP rights,” Cowan said. “If it is a deepfake that is showing them in a compromising position, let’s say, that’s different.”

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The Data (Use and Access) Act came into force last month, making it a criminal offence to create, share or request a sexually explicit deepfake.

But then you have AI-generated videos such as Celtic’s Luke McCowan punching an assistant referee. Could it damage his reputation, or is it just not believeable?

A more pressing concern for players might be ‘passing off’. This is where someone unfairly associates their own products or services with the reputation and goodwill of an established brand or business – or player.

It is intended to mislead consumers into believing they connected to it – to the detriment of the established brand.

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Cowan explained that in December 2024, as part of an AI-related consultation, the UK government said it was considering “introducing some kind of personality right”.

That would give a player more scope to take action.

Clubs, for their part, have a few more options open to them.

Social media accounts putting players in the shirts of their new team – or any team – is nothing new.

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But what if a club wanted to take issue?

“Where you’ve got, for example, the Man City kit they could look at other IP rights,” Cowan said.

“Have they infringed the trademark in their crest? Or design rights in their shirt? For that kind of image, that’s what a club or an individual would likely be looking at.”

BBC Sport understands City believe fans know official channels remain the only places to go for any genuine news, images or videos.

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But as the lines blur further, will clubs keep that stance?

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Tourette’s Campaigner Addresses Baftas N-Word Tic Incident A Week Later

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Tourette's Campaigner Addresses Baftas N-Word Tic Incident A Week Later

Last month, John attended the awards show with the cast and crew of I Swear, a film inspired by his life story and experiences of living with Tourette’s.

During the event, he experienced a number of involuntary tics, one of which occurred while Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage, resulting in him shouting the N-word from the audience.

In the last week, the incident has sparked a wave of headlines, with the BBC in particular facing scrutiny over how the uncensored slur ended up being included in the broadcaster’s Baftas coverage, which aired on a two-hour delay.

On Sunday, a week after the Baftas, John shared a message on his public Facebook page, claiming he’d been “waiting all week until the dust settles” to speak out.

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“I would like to thank each and every one of you who have shown love, support and solidarity towards myself and the rest of the Tourette’s community,” he began. “Your kind words and support have got me through a very difficult week.

“Whilst I will never [apologise] for having Tourette syndrome, I will apologise for any pain, upset and misunderstanding that it may create. This past week has been tough, and has reminded me that what I do, raising awareness for such a misunderstood condition, there is still a long way to go and I will keep on keeping on until this is achieved.”

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How a police data centre is heating London’s homes

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How a police data centre is heating London’s homes

A west London project will use waste heat from a data centre to supply low-carbon heating to 4,000 homes and a new commercial district

With millennia of history, hundreds of miles of underground rail and thousands of miles of sewers and pipelines, making large-scale sustainable infrastructural changes in central London is incredibly complex. A redevelopment project in west London is nevertheless set to use waste heat from a data centre in an ambient loop network to supply low-carbon heating to 4,000 homes and a new commercial district.

The network will circulate low-temperature water through underground pipes to capture heat from the Mopac Tower data centre, nearby Tube tunnels and other local sources. Building-level heat pumps then raise it to usable temperatures for heating and hot water. The development’s latest sustainability statement says these systems operate at about 264% efficiency, far higher than traditional gas boilers of around 80–90% because it is simply moving heat to create energy, rather than burning energy.

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Developers say the 44-acre, £8bn Earl’s Court project is one of the largest systems of its kind in the UK and almost entirely privately funded, supported by £1.3m of public grants.

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The development aims to be operationally net-zero carbon from day one, with a goal to eventually be energy positive, exporting low-carbon heat to nearby communities, says Peter Runacres, head of urban futures at the Earl’s Court Development Company.

Ofgem, which becomes the statutory regulator for heat networks next year, has promised to protect consumers and ensure they pay “a fair and proportionate price”, a necessary safeguard given the mixed performance of early UK schemes.

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Heat networks elsewhere in Britain have struggled with outages, slow repairs and opaque pricing, so the risk is real. ECDC argues its design avoids the pitfalls. Sutton said the system has “inherent resilience”, with a back-up plant, three interlinked loops so two-thirds stay online if one fails, and large storage tanks that absorb peaks in demand. Because the system runs on ambient temperature water rather than high-pressure heat, she said, it is less vulnerable than older networks.

Concerns about two-tier access, where some buildings benefit and others do not, have dogged other projects. Sutton said all buildings within the masterplan boundary will have the option to connect, though it will not be compulsory. The company is in discussions with Hammersmith, Fulham and Kensington, and Chelsea to extend connections across borough lines and reduce fuel poverty.

While these loop systems remain relatively new in the UK, smaller versions already operate at developments like One New Change in the City of London. Countries including Sweden and Denmark have deployed district heating far more widely, helped by planning systems more supportive of shared energy infrastructure and by historically higher heating costs that drove innovation.

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Images: ECDC

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Video appears to show US F-15 fighter jet crashing in Kuwait

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Video appears to show US F-15 fighter jet crashing in Kuwait

Footage verified by the BBC appears to show the moment an F-15 fighter jet falls from the sky and crashes to the ground near Kuwait City.

The video was filmed from the west of the city, on the edge of the Al Jahra area.

Earlier on Monday, Kuwait’s ministry of defence said “several American fighter aircraft came down this morning” with all crews having “survived unscathed”.

Unverified footage on social media also appeared to show the same aircraft falling, with other images purporting to show an unidentified pilot being rescued after ejecting from the aircraft.

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Norton woman describes ‘surreal’ situation in Dubai

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Norton woman describes 'surreal' situation in Dubai

Christine Carter, from Norton, had been enjoying her holiday in Dubai, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran at the weekend.

She is due to fly back to the UK on March 12 but is now unsure how she will get home.

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Christine said: ” It’s very surreal feeling and I think that’s for all the people here, at least I’m staying with family over here

“It was very frightening on Saturday night when all our mobiles were getting alerts and hearing the missiles getting intercepted. The noise of them were terrible big boom sounds.

“Yesterday again we heard the missiles. The locals are told to work from home and schools and parks are closed.

“People were still going to bars and restaurants and trying to keep normal as they can. Again this morning with missiles been intercepted more booms. The fighter jets have been in the air all morning. As far as getting home absolutely no idea. I’m supposed to fly back March 12.”

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Major airlines have suspended services leaving thousands of Brits facing uncertainty over when they will be able to fly home. More than 3,400 flights were cancelled on Sunday alone across seven major Middle Eastern airports, according to flight tracker Flightradar24.

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Single picture prompts Bonkle woman to change lifestyle and shed over three stone

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Before joining Slimming World, Lesley Johnstone’s health was beginning to suffer in several serious ways.

A single photograph changed everything for Bonkle woman Lesley Johnstone.

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Taken at her husband Stephen’s birthday celebration, the image stopped the 55-year-old in her tracks. She could not believe what she was seeing and in that moment she knew she needed to take control of her health and her future.

Before joining Slimming World, Lesley’s health was beginning to suffer in several serious ways.

She said: “I felt exhausted all the time, struggled with low energy and became breathless easily. I had been diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver disease, had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and she worried these conditions would only worsen as time went on.

“The thought of getting started filled me with anxiety and I knew I could not continue as I was.”

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Lesley joined Christopher’s Slimming World group in Coltness feeling nervous and unsure what to expect. But the moment she walked through the doors she was welcomed with genuine warmth and reassurance.

Those fears quickly dissolved and she felt ready to begin. Stephen, 57, decided to join at the same time so they could support one another from day one.

In the early weeks Lesley noticed small but powerful changes. She could climb the stairs without getting out of breath. Her energy began to lift.

She started to look forward to doing things again. For the first time in a long while she felt a spark of hope for the future.

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She was surprised at how generous and flexible the eating plan was. Lesley had avoided pasta for years believing it was off limits, but she was delighted to learn that it is a Free Food at Slimming World.

She enjoyed satisfying portions of real food and lost weight beautifully without weighing or counting.

Some of her favourite meals quickly became family favourites too, including Marry Me Chicken, Burger in a Bowl, Slimming World style loaded fries and her go to mousse desserts, which she says helped her stay on track without feeling deprived.

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She created new healthy habits that have stayed with her. She now eats more fruit, walks every day, cooks without oil and avoids butter.

Support from the group and her consultant Christopher played a huge part in her success. Christopher checked in with her during the week which helped keep her motivation high. Members shared ideas and strategies that helped them all through tricky moments.

Lesley says the real turning point came on her very first night during the new member talk which gave her the confidence to believe she really could do this.

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That belief paid off. Lesley went on to lose an incredible three stone 13 pounds and transformed her confidence, her health and her outlook on life.

Stephen lost 1 stone 8 pounds alongside her and together they have rediscovered their love of walking.

Days out with their dog Mitsy are now easier and far more enjoyable.

Her incredible achievement was recognised in group when she was proudly awarded Greatest Loser, something she describes as one of the proudest moments of her journey.

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READ MORE: Three thugs jailed after ‘brutal and savage’ blade attack on man in Motherwell

As World Obesity Day approaches on March 4 there is national focus on the challenges people face with their weight and the impact it can have on wellbeing.

Lesley hopes her journey shows what is possible when people find the right support.

Now Lesley is ready to support others. She will officially open her brand new Slimming World group on Wednesday, March 18, at 7pm at the Brass Band Hall on Windsor Street in Shotts.

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If you are struggling with your weight, worried about your health or simply want to feel more like yourself again, Lesley is encouraging you to come along.

She says taking that first brave step changed her entire future and she is ready to help others change theirs too.

READ MORE: Lisbon Lion Tommy Gemmell’s statue unveiled in hometown of Craigneuk

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