Midlands big screens for Royal Wedding

Saturday 19th February 2011, 11:30AM GMT.

Kate Middleton and Prince William
Kate Middleton and Prince William

Big screens are being planned at attractions across the Midlands to allow crowds to watch the Royal Wedding, it was announced today.

Families are expected to flock to Birmingham’s Victoria Square to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton marry. The Black Country Living Museum and The Public in West Bromwich are also considering screening the event.

The £1 million large screen already set up in Victoria Square will broadcast the ceremony on April 29.

The BBC screen was installed in 2007 but stood unused for three years due to a planning wrangle.

The square has royal connections as it is where well-wishers gathered to watch King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during a visit to the city in November 1945.

A traditional street party to mark the big occasion is also being planned at Black Country Living Museum in Tipton Road, Dudley.

Director and chief executive Andrew Lovett said: “We are organising a street party and looking into whether we can show the wedding on a big screen in Folkes Park.”

Staff at The Public said they could also offer visitors the chance to watch the celebrations while visiting the attraction.

Marketing officer Charmaine Pearce said: “We are planning to celebrate the Royal Wedding and we are looking at what activities we can offer visitors.”

Traders in Hednesford are planning a community day to mark the occasion with a large plasma screen to show the ceremony. A Victorian market and mini funfair, stalls, face painting, games, competitions, fun run and a street party will be part of the fun in the town centre.

Applications have starting to trickle in for road closures across the region to allow residents to celebrate the wedding with street parties.

One authority, Dudley Council, has lifted road closure fees for anyone thinking about holding an event.

By Heather Large


  1. 1
    annon

    all this fuss over a ryal weddin people really wanna get a grip on life its just another waste of tax payers money !

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    Smithy

    I thought we are supposed to be tightening our belts utter waste of money, If you want to save money sack the barm pots who thought it up

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    anon

    Its well worth the money hardly any taxes are being spent on it and the sale of memorabilia and tourism will bring a lot MORE money into the economy

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    Rebecca

    Anyone who cares about or watches the wedding is a sycophantic wanna serf.

    Get back to the middle ages!

    Report abuse

  5. 5
    smelly

    better this than giving billions of tax payers money in overseas aid

    Report abuse

  6. 6
    David

    A few hundred thousand spent on this is no big deal compared to the fat cats in the top levels of local councils taking home more than £50k each. In some cases £150k, £200k etc.

    That’s every year! So annual waste.

    This is a one-off, won’t cost that much and will bring in revenue from memorabilia and tourism.

    When i see the council fat cats seriously tightening their belts i will understand people’s frustration at this expenditure.

    Report abuse

  7. 7
    The Hague Wolf

    As bad as over here. Just what is the point of royals running around the place getting in the way?

    Report abuse

  8. 8
    Joe

    Well I would be visiting these places to get away from the Royal Wedding.

    Report abuse

  9. 9
    barry scott

    how exciting , i’m on the edge of my seat.

    Parasites.

    Report abuse

  10. 10
    Ghost

    seriously are we supposed to care??

    just what do this lot do anyway!

    Report abuse

  11. 11
    Smithy

    Annon your contradicting yourself m8 with two totally different views and David hope you are saying the same thing when your council tax bills rocket in the very near future

    Report abuse

  12. 12
    oldrocker

    I think I feel sick!

    Who gives a damn?

    Report abuse

  13. 13
    John

    I’d have more respect for these people if they had what I consider to be more respect for this country. And as for this being a big media event..I’m sure it will..a big, politically-correct event like always, ramming multi-culturalism down out throats at every single opportunity. No thanks. When the English have more say running England, then I’ll be interested and more receptive of supporting the monarchy in general. This whole fiasco will only serve to make good television for people the other side of the pond..come here and you’ll soon see the reality of this green but not so pleasant land.

    Report abuse

  14. 14
    most_haveTVs

    As most people have TVs why are these needed? For a public outpouring of love?
    No lets save the money for real people and jobs

    Report abuse

  15. 15
    Richard

    How much money is that going to waste, saying that councils love to waste money on crap…

    Report abuse

  16. 16
    Jonah

    Well as the Queen is the largest land-owner in the entire world (Google it), then it is only fair the she should pick up the entire cost of staging the event.
    If any of the diminishing number of Royalists in the country don’t agree with this then I’m sure that you would only be happy to chip in out of your own pockets. Good look to Kate Middleton in marrying into the Saxe-Coburg Gotha clan (real name of the “royal” family. not Windsor), she is going to need it!!

    Report abuse

  17. 17
    Nicola

    I am really looking forward to the royal wedding. I feel it will bring a bit of sun shine and happyness into this sad world we live in.

    Im thinking of organising a street party, to bring abit og community spirit!!!

    Cheer up guys!!!

    Report abuse



Video News From ITN

Business Awards

Book a Business Awards table Book a Business Awards table

Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now

Lifestyle

Interactive Dining Out map Interactive Dining Out map

Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.

entertainment

All the film reviews All the film reviews

Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases

OUR NEW APP

Get the new E&S app Get the new E&S app

Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.