THEY used to eat "cold and lumpy" food off airplane-style trays in a noisy and uncomfortable dining room.

Today, pupils at Thoresby Academy, in west Hull, are enjoying the trappings of their own bistro after a £74,000 summer refurbishment.

Food is freshly prepared on the premises.

Headteacher Melissa Milner says children love the new space.

She said: "They love it. Previously, the food was brought in.

"Kitchen staff and ourselves have always felt that the quality of food could be a lot better."

The bistro has already led to an increase of 100 pupils having school lunches.

Previously, about 230 of the 460 pupils ate a school dinner. Now, up to 326 per day are eating hot, nutritious meals.

Mrs Milner said: "We used to throw a lot of food away. But the children are really enjoying the food now and there is much less waste."

She said teachers are already noticing a boost in concentration levels.

She said: "It's early days, but teachers are noticing a difference.

"It is also about the social element for the children. It will really develop their social skills.

"They get to sit down and have a discussion at a table with no other distractions and it is like being at a real bistro."

The idea was to create a family environment, where children can eat off plates rather than the aeroplane-style trays on which lunch and pudding would sit side by side.

Having their own chef also means the children can have a much bigger say on what food is dished up.

Mrs Milner said: "They are already telling the chef the things that are really popular.

"We have a child who needs gluten- free food. Before, there was very little choice, but now we are able to cater for dietary needs as well."

Head boy Jackson Sutherland, 11, said: "Everything was a bit chewy before. The carrots were really, really sweet and the mash had bits in it.

"We used to sit on long benches and they were a bit hard. Everyone really likes the new bistro because it is nice and comfy.

"We can smell the food now and are getting to know the smells and we think 'yes, it's sausages today'."

Deputy head girl, Emily Ghizdeanu, ten, is also impressed.

She said: "The pasta and lasagne were all stuck together before and it was quite burnt.

"It has improved a lot. Before it was quite noisy in the hall, but now there is two rooms and the chairs and tables are really comfortable."

A typical menu might include choices of home-made pizza, jacket potato and beans, garlic bread, chilli con carne or a sandwich from the chiller.

Victoria Leake, ten, head girl at the school, said: "The healthy meals are really good because they help you in school. They keep you healthy and help you work better."

The school's chef, Wynona Ware, says it is great seeing the reactions on their faces to the freshly cooked food.

She said: "It is really rewarding when you see the excitement on the children's faces and see they are enjoying it and that is nice for us.

"Previously, we were just getting the food in and it wasn't good.

"Now it comes straight from the ovens and it is much better.

"It is cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients so the dinners are not as processed."

TOURISM generated almost £200m for Hull's economy and helped create more than 4,000 jobs last year, states a newly published independent report.

The research was commissioned by tourism agency Visit Hull & East Yorkshire and prepared by the Tourism South East Research Unit.

A total of £195.6m was spent on trips to Hull last year – an increase of 7 per cent on the previous year.

It is estimated to have created about 4,098 full-time jobs – up by 6 per cent on 2012.

Jobs have created across a wide range of service sectors including retail, catering, travel and hospitality.

Councillor Steven Bayes, Hull City Council's portfolio holder for visitor destination and UK City of Culture 2017, said: "This is fantastic news for our city and really demonstrates the positive impact of tourism on the local economy.

"What is important is that these figures are for the period before Hull won the UK City of Culture 2017 title, so this means that this is as a result of a natural progression of incre- ased tourism and jobs growth."

The research was carried out in order to measure the volume, value and economic impact of tourism on the city of Hull.

Money people spent during trips to the city also increased by 11 per cent, from £125.4m in 2012 to £139.2m last year.

Overall, the total value of tourism activity in Hull last year is estimated to have been about £259.9m – up 6 per cent on 2012.

Cllr Bayes said: "There is huge potential to really change the tourism landscape and come 2017 we hope to be a world-class visitor destination with a large focus on increasing visitor spend within the local economy."

ONE of Hull's best-loved charities has found a new home after the closure of the city's trades and labour club.

Golden Leaves is moving to Banks Harbour pub in Beverley Road after landlord Danny Banks stepped in to offer them a new venue.

The organisation, which is a former Mail Charity of the Year, will now hold its Pensioner's Club at the pub every Monday.

Organiser Rose Sutcliffe said: "We're just so relieved we've got somewhere else to go.

"We can't thank Danny enough for coming forward. It's where we started all those years ago and we're delighted to be going back."

The Trades and Labour Club in Beverley Road closed its doors for good earlier this month, forcing many organisations to seek new places to hold their events and meetings.

Mrs Sutcliffe said: "I'd heard rumours that it was closing for ages but nothing was said officially. One of my members told me last week and I starting calling around the members to tell them.

"I've known Danny for years. but he left the pub and I bumped into him a little while ago and he told me he was back.

"When this happened to the club, he called me and said come back to where we belong. He's always been so good with Golden Leaves and we're really glad of his support."

About 50 older people attend the Monday meetings held by Golden Leaves and pay £1.50 for a game of bingo and raffle and fun.

Money raised through the meetings goes to providing social outings, holidays and meals out for members.

Mrs Sutcliffe set up Golden Leaves in 1996 with her friend Lynne Greening as a promise to her dying mother that she would dedicate her life to helping older people.

The name of the group was chosen to represent people in their autumn years, with the motto "helping them stay young at heart" and the two women set up clubs and events to reach out to people who were alone or had nowhere to go.

Lynne died in November 2002 aged just 52 after returning from a holiday in the Cotswolds with a Golden Leaves club but Mrs Sutcliffe, now 72, has carried on the work.

The group has provided lifeline telephones, special mattresses, wheelchairs and equipment for elderly people. They have also raised funds to buy a minibus for Raleigh Court and specialised housing equipment for ward 18 department of medicine for the elderly.

Danny Banks has supported Golden Leaves since its early days and was delighted to step in to help again.

He said: "Rose is just so lovely and it's been a struggle for her on her own since losing Lynne so it's nice we can help. It's a really friendly place here and they'll be really welcome."

• Email your views to letters@hulldailymail.co.uk, comment on our Facebook or tweet to @hulldailymail

Despite claiming back-to-back victories in their opening two games of the 2014-15 season over Rotherham and Gateshead, the Tigers reserves boss has aired his concern over his side's 'panic-mode'.

With knock-out football on the agenda at Turf Moor this evening, Pennock wants his side to keep calm and collected, and he's adamant the goals will keep on coming.

"If we can carry on showing the same application that we have shown in the first two games of the season, and improve our quality in possession a little bit, then we will be better," he told the Mail.

"All they need to do is believe in themselves and believe they are good footballers.

"We need another good performance at Burnley, it's a very tough place to go.

"We didn't start the best against Gateshead. In another game, we could have gone 2-0 down after four minutes which would've given ourselves a mountain to climb. Fortunately Joe Cracknell made two terrific early saves.

"Retaining possession is a big thing for us and we musn't panic. The boys need to prepare to work as hard as they have already against other experienced teams."

Keeper Cracknell was one of many changes Pennock made to the side in the 2-1 win over the North East outfit, and he's handed every player an opportunity to impress so far.

Although keen not to disrupt the rhythm of a winning side, the academy boss sees game-time as a must for the young Tigers.

"We'll pick our strongest team every week but we are in many cup competitions, which gives all of the boys an opportunity," he said.

"It's important that they all get a chance to perform for the Under-21s and play as much as they possibly can. They have to make the most of it.

"I felt we were quite young against Gateshead. We had four first-year pro's playing and they were quite inexperienced.

"We'll see how everyone has recovered. The boys had some much-needed rest after last week's game."

One player that caught the crowd's eyes in the Gateshead success was highly-rated Irish starlet Brian Lenihan, who was signed from Cork City by Steve Bruce near deadline day.

Pennock was pleased with the 20-year-old's Tigers debut, but realises he's yet to reach his full potential.

"To be fair to Brian, it was his first game for a very long time," added Pennock.

"We watched him a number of times over in Ireland and you saw against Gateshead how he gets balls in good positions.

"He carries the ball well and gets forward a lot. He's certainly one to look out for."

About 135 staff at manufacturing firm Fenner Dunlop are facing shorter working hours for the second time in months.

The company, which makes conveyor belts for the mining industry, put half its employees on a three-day week in December.

They were able to return to full hours earlier this summer but have now been told they could be cut again.

Political instability in Eastern Europe because of the Ukraine crisis has led to a market downturn, bosses said.

Manufacturing manager David Wood said: "We've announced there's a possibility of short-time working.

"We have issues with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the impact on exchange rates.

"Medium to long-term, we still see everything being OK. We're not looking at any redundancies."

The last slowdown was caused by a reduction in demand from coal and potash mines across the world.

It meant Canadian customers built up a surplus of machinery made at the factory in Marfleet Lane, east Hull.

However, staff came back to full hours after the stockpile ran out and more equipment was needed.

Demand is rising again from companies producing potash, which is used to make fertilisers.

But with many of Fenner's key coal customers affected by the Ukraine crisis, that market continues to lag behind.

Mr Wood said: "We've seen a small return to normality on the potash side but the coal market still seems a concern, especially with Russia and Ukraine.

"We have a few customers over there.

"We see a slow return to normality with potash.

"That market is returning to normality, not as quickly as we would like, but we see some signs of improvement."

Staff were told of the possibility of short-term working at a 10am meeting on Friday.

They were given four weeks' notice, meaning it will not be introduced before mid-October at the earliest.

Mr Wood said it was too soon to know how many staff would be asked to come in and stressed nothing was set in stone.

He said: "We're not definitely going into a short-time period – we just have to give notice there's a possibility.

"We're not in one yet. Hopefully we won't have to go into one."

The company was confident things were improving only a fortnight ago.

At the time, human resources manager Diane Quigley was optimistic about the future.

She said: There are some difficulties because we do supply into the Ukraine, specifically into the area where the troubles are currently taking place, but other markets are holding up.

"We do still have some issues and we're keeping the situation under review.

"Longer-term, we see the outlook as good."

The factory's parent business Fenner is listed on the stock exchange and is one of Hull's most successful companies

It released a mixed trading statement in July, saying the Advanced Engineered Products division was performing well.

However, Fenner said the Engineered Conveyor Solutions arm, which includes the Hull factory, was suffering due to decreased interest from the US coal and Australian mining markets.

Many Fenner Dunlop employees are represented by GMB.

There has been no official contact on the possible reduced hours between the groups as yet, but full-time union officer Dave Oglesby is looking to find out more as soon as possible.

He said: "They've not formally written to me."There's a four-week lead-in to reduced hours.

"Anything could happen in four weeks – at this stage, the warning is precautionary.

"I'm looking to meet them within the next week or so. I had a conversation with our rep and we're looking to have a meeting with them as soon as possible."

• Business news for Hull and East Yorkshire

• Motoring news from the Hull Daily Mail

HIS talk is all about fast cars, tattoos and body piercings, girls and nights out with his friends.

The joy of living bursts out of Kye Eastwood and his spirit is uncrushable despite doctors telling him he has got cancer for the third time in two years.

Now, undergoing further treatment to save his life, Kye, 23, remains defiant. Talk of survival rates is cast aside.

Quite simply, he is refusing to die because he wants to live.

"I'm not going to let this affect how I live my life," he says. "There is too much I need to do in my life for it to kill me."

Kye was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after he developed lumps on his neck and his chest.

Doctors originally said it was a thyroid problem before delivering the shock that it was cancer.

"I was a bit down for maybe a week but then I said to my dad, and I still live by it today, that I'm not going to let it affect how I live my life," he says.

Kye underwent gruelling treatment, beginning on Christmas Eve 2012 before a PET scan shows the cancer cells were inactive.

"We were over the moon," he says. "I came to the end of my treatment and got another scan but, this time, it was positive for cancer.

"At that stage, I just didn't know what was going to happen next. I've always had this thing in my head that I'm not too bothered what they are doing as long as it's the best thing they can do for me. I just do what I'm told, when I'm told to do it."

Kye underwent a further round of treatment and he picked up his hectic life once more.

But in the summer, doctors carried out more tests on a tumour in his chest and discovered that, despite overcoming Hodgkin's lymphoma, he was now one of the few patients to also develop non Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"I didn't get upset," says Kye. "I already knew I had cancer, so when they told me it was a different type of cancer, it's just another name and another type of treatment.

"When they told me, I just thought 'tell me what the treatment will be and what my options are this time'."

"If it doesn't work this time, it will work the next."

Alongside another round of chemotherapy, Kye's two sisters, Rebecca and Charlotte, are preparing to donate stem cells to help their brother.

Sitting alongside Charlotte in the living room of their mum Amanda's home in east Hull, they're like any other brother and sister – mocking each other – but the affection is obvious.

"I'm doing it for my mum because she'd be upset if anything happens to him," says Charlotte, the sideways glance at her brother suggesting otherwise.

Kye is busy making plans. While he's now undergoing treatment at Castle Hill's Teenage Cancer Unit and facing a six-week stay in hospital in Sheffield for the stem cell harvest and donation, he's got his eye on the future.

When he's not in treatment, he's out with his mates at Spiders nightclub, winking at the girls. When he's not out on the town, he's elbow-deep in oil, tinkering with his beloved cars, with four, in various degrees of roadworthiness, outside his home.

There are plans to see Jimmy Carr with other patients from the unit and he's keen to take part in the go-karting session arranged by staff at the unit to coincide with a time when he's over the worst of his next round of treatment.

He has taken inspiration from teenager Stephen Sutton, who refused to allow cancer to stop him living life to the full. Stephen set himself a £10,000 target to help other young people with cancer and when he died earlier this year at the age of 19, his target soared to £5m with donations from people moved by his story.

"I wish I'd met Stephen, but I never got the chance before he died," says Kye. "But I take my inspiration from him.

"Lots of people have commented on my positive attitude but that's just me. Everyone has different ways of dealing with it. It's not like I go around walking up to everyone saying I've got cancer.

"I've always been a smiley person. I think I've raised my voice maybe three or four times in my life. And I'm still as happy as I can be just now and I've always got a smile on my face."

The love and support of his parents, his sisters and his older brother Dan mean the world to Kye.

Mum Amanda says the whole family has drawn strength from Kye's courage and spirit over the past two years.

"As a mum, you want to make your children better when they are poorly but in this situation, there is nothing I can do," she says.

"It has been very difficult.

"Kye has been very open about how he still wants to live his life to the full and how it won't stop him doing what he wants to do and we have supported that and tried to keep it as normal for him as possible.

"He has been absolutely amazing throughout this and we have seen a young lad grow into a man and we are so proud of the way he has handled this from start to finish."

Kye's friends have played a massive part in his positive attitude, particularly best friend Tom Williamson.

Both former pupils at Malet Lambert School, Tom and Kye have grown closer over the past couple of years.

"When he was 13, Tom had this really long hair and a beard, so we used to call him Jesus and it kind of stuck," says Kye. "I can't go far wrong with Jesus by my side, can I?"

Former Hull City player Dean Windass is taking part in a campaign to help cancer sufferers.

Musician Daniel Eastwood, brother of Kye, has launched an appeal to collect woolly hats for people losing their hair as they undergo treatment for cancer.

Launched on social media with the hashtag #hatsoffforteenagecancer, Daniel, known on the music scene as Daniel Rhythm, has received support from many of his 58,000 followers on Twitter.

Dean Windass has donated a hat along with UK Mobo Award-winning group Big Brovaz.

People can take part by taking photographs of themselves wearing their hats and posting them on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #hatsoffforteenagecancer to show their support.

Fit 24 in St Stephen's shopping centre has a collection bin for the woolly hats donated to the appeal.

• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

• Health news for Hull and East Yorkshire

• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

• Crime news for Hull and East Yorkshire

HDM Sport on Facebook TRANSFER rumours and talk of a loan move also continue to follow Harry Maguire around after his limited game time in the top flight this season. The 21-year-old, signed in a £2.5m deal in summer, has played for a matter of minutes this season and will be kicking his heels following City's European exit and Capital One Cup capitulation last week. Now, Steve Bruce is being tipped to send him on loan to a Championship club and his former side Wigan are the favourites to land him, according to The Mirror. The Mail understands no move is imminent, though, as he is set to play for City's development side as an over-age player in tonight's Under-21s Premier League Cup clash at Burnley.Wolves want Sagbo HULL City striker Yannick Sagbo could be the first through the exit door if reports coming out of the Midlands are on the money. Sagbo is believed to be a loan target for Wolves after falling behind new £10m man Abel Hernandez and Nikica Jelavic in the pecking order at the KC Stadium. The 26-year-old hitman has struggled for goals since signing from Evian for £1.6m ahead of last season, scoring just four goals in 28 outings in black and amber. But although he has failed to get on the goal trail regularly, he has impressed as a targetman and that has prompted the Championship outfit to enquire about his availability, according to The Sun. Sky Sports are also suggesting the Ivory Coast international is being primed for a move to Wolves boss Kenny Jackett.UPDATED 12:20pm: Looks like this one was a good shout as Sagbo has since joined up with his new club and may play as early as tomorrow. Read the full details hereDid Bruce lead England to World Cup win? HAVE you heard the one about Steve Bruce captaining England to World Cup glory? No, it's not a joke. Although it did become something of a laughing matter for the Oldham dressing room following a recent feature in their programme. That's because when assistant groundsman Billy Quarmby went head-to-head with defender Connor Brown, the latter had no idea who had skippered the Three Lions to glory in 1966. So, he plumped for the Tigers manager as the man who inspired England to the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley. Perhaps footballers do deserve their reputation as not being the brightest button in the box, after all!See next generation for just a few quid THINKING of heading to Burnley to watch City's development squad in tonight's Under-21s Cup clash? If you are, tickets for Turf Moor are priced just £1 for Hull City Season Card holders. Adults without a pass will pay £3 on the gate and concessions £1. Can't say fairer than that.

Whether it is George Clooney's nuptials in Venice or Kimye (that is Kim Kardashian and Kanye West to the uninitiated) tying the knot with celebrations in Florence and Paris, it seems we all love a good wedding.

Closer to home, the latest celebrity love match to hit the newspapers and glossy magazines is Kerry Katona's marriage to beau and third husband George Kay.

The photos of the day feature exclusively in this week's OK magazine, but one woman in Hull can already testify to how the blushing bride looked.

Lesley Wilks was at the ceremony in Gloucestershire to cater for the Atomic Kitten star's beauty needs for the big day.

Lesley, of Kingswood, has won a string of celebrity clients through her business, which provides everything from make-up services to treatments such as facials and skin therapy.

It began with the establish- ment and running of an award- winning salon in the city centre, Colour Lounge in Carr Lane.

"When I was running the salon, I felt I had taken it as far as I could," said Lesley.

"I wanted to do more. I was concentrating on running the business when my passion was for doing make-up and treatments myself on clients.

"When you are running things from the business side, it is very difficult to do both."

An invitation to do some work outside of the salon sparked a chain of events that led to a change in direction for Lesley, 46.

"Running the salon, I got asked to do make-up backstage at the Freedom Festival," she said.

It was an experience she thoroughly enjoyed and her naturally warm personality saw her make contacts that led to exciting new opportunities.

"I was always good at networking with people," she said.

"You never burn your bridges with people. If they like you, they will work with you again.

"When I had Colour Lounge, for example, Abi Titmuss was in Hull doing something at the theatre.

"She wanted to come to the salon and we ended up having quite a good relationship with her."

Finally, after a decade building up the business at Colour Lounge, Lesley decided to go it alone and she has not looked back since.

Recommendations led to other well-known faces such as Hollyoaks actresses getting in touch, as well as work with the prestigious Nouveau Beauty Group, whose brands include HD Brows and LVL Lashes.

Now, she travels across the country to look after clients, as well as offering treatments right here in Hull.

"In a typical week, I could be anywhere from going to Liverpool, down to London, up to Newcastle and Sheffield and working in Hull," she said.

"It's a mix, but that is what I love.

"I wanted to concentrate on my clients and I have got a business here now where it is just myself and I am able to do that. It's almost like a concierge service."

Despite working with TV personalities – ITV's The Big Reunion and the National Television Awards are two recent bookings she has under her belt – Lesley seems down to earth and professional.

"I spent a long time with Kerry beforehand, it wasn't just about the day, it was making sure everything was right for her," she said.

"It's about keeping it real, that's why I think people want to work with me. They trust me and I can sort things out for them."

With contacts in the hair and beauty world, Lesley also sources other services for her clients, often securing work for people locally.

"I just organise the best people," she said.

"When I work with somebody, I want to make sure they are totally happy with everything.

"I got a lot of other people involved in Kerry's wedding, one of my friends in Hull even did the invitations."

The rich and the famous are not Lesley's only clients, however, and she seems to take equal pride in working with "normal" people, too.

"I treat all my clients the same," she said.

"It's about just giving people back that feeling of having the confidence."

She cites examples of how permanent make-up – some- thing that she specialises in – has transformed the lives of some of her clients who otherwise crept out of bed every morning, afraid to let their husbands see them without make-up.

"I want to offer a really relaxing experience," she said.

"I don't want to be like a normal salon. My clients feel comfortable with me and it's about that connection."

Her latest venture, with hairdresser Sam Johnson, of Harringtons in Hepworth Arcade, whom she first met when he worked with her as a trainee at Colour Lounge, is the VIP Glam Squad, which sees the pair travel to clients for pampering wherever and whenever they want it.

"Sam was responsible for the hair and colouring at Kerry's wedding and as a GHD style- squad member, he has that something special, which is why we set up working together. We complement each other," she said.

"We arrange the full ultimate beauty and hair experience with the best professionals in the industry, whether it be a one-day pop-up salon or a pre and on-the-day wedding pamper, you pay per day not per person.

"We can go out to homes or businesses if they have a night out planned to do hair and beauty. It gives you more flexibility with people.

"In Liverpool and Newcastle, the salons are rammed on Friday and Saturdays with people getting their hair and make-up done for the weekend, but it is not something that seems to happen around here.

"We have got to get the glam back in Hull."

Visit www.lesleywilks.co.uk for more details

MORE people are socialising in Hull city centre but booze-related crime and hospital visits have decreased, according to the latest figures.

In the two years since Hull secured its Purple Flag status, alcohol-related and violent crime has fallen 7 per cent at "key times" over the weekends.

But the number of visitors to the city centre has risen by 10 per cent since last year.

The Purple Flag is awarded to town centres deemed safest during the evening and nightlife.

On a tour of Old Town ahead of the Purple Flag awards in November, Humberside police and crime commissioner Matthew Grove said he would not have brought his family for a drink in the centre ten years ago but would happily do so now.

He said: "What I can see on an evening now is we have a better balance of people. Young and old, rich and poor, people having a good time in different ways.

"It is no longer dominated by rowdy, drunk individuals and because of the mix of people, it almost polices itself.

"This places less reliance upon robust policing so issues are nipped in the bud before they escalate."

According to figures collated by Citysafe, alcohol-related and violent crime has been recorded up to this summer at levels of about 3 per cent lower than for the same period last year and 7 per cent lower than in 2012.

Falling crime levels is also reflected in figures for admissions to the accident and emergency department at Hull Royal Infirmary for patients with alcohol intoxication issues.

There were 7 per cent fewer people seen in A&E for alcohol withdrawal or intoxication up to July this year than for the same time last year, which is an ongoing downward trend since the spring of 2012.

The improvements made to the city centre stretches further than policing, with Hull City Council improving the lighting and the Holy Trinity Church's Street Angels helping revellers in need, alleviating the strain on the emergency services.

Hull is one of 42 UK cities to have the Purple Flag status and it formed an important part of Hull UK City of Culture 2017 bid.

Kathryn Shillito, the city centre manager for Hull Bid, said: "The evening economy isn't just about drinking, it is about showing vibrancy and choice.

"The police have worked really hard to deal with drink-fuelled antisocial behaviour and getting it out of the city and that has created a feeling of safety.

"The council has done a lot with lighting and signs, too, and now we have a city centre to be proud of.

"When you are trying to attract more people to the city, they want to feel safe and looked after."

Hull will find out if it has retained its Purple Flag for a third year on November 1 – something Mr Grove feels confident will happen.

He said: "Two years ago, the city won the Purple Flag status and since that time, we have not sat back on our laurels, work has continued to make the city a better, more vibrant place to be.

"I have every confidence it will retain its Purple Flag status, which is something everyone in the city should be immensely proud of."

Purple Flag champion Linda Levantiz, landlady of the Bonny Boat in Trinity House Lane, will drape her bar in purple bunting and balloons to celebrate Hull's status as a safe city centre all week.

At the weekend, punters were given purple floral necklaces, and beer mats promote the Purple Flag.

She said: "I don't get many opportunities to do anything like this for the town centre. I think it is brilliant and all the customers love it, too.

"We don't get much crime at all and we like to think we are a very safe bar.

"We have our own door staff but they are there more to control the crowds rather than disperse trouble.

"Being in a Purple Flag city centre has made a difference to us and there is always plenty of policing down here on a night.

"We know that if we did have any bother, which we haven't in a long time, the police are there."

• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

• Crime news for Hull and East Yorkshire

It's been five years since Noel Fielding last took to the stand-up stage. In that time, he became a huge star as one half of The Mighty Boosh, attracted more Camden street cred as the surreal team captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and then non-plussed a section of his fans with his off-the-wall E4 series Luxury Comedy.

The latter has just returned for a second series in a slightly more toned-down, slightly less flamboyant form, which he says will prove more accessible to a wider TV audience.

But he won't be preaching to the unconverted when he arrives at Hull City Hall with his new live show, An Evening With...later this month.

The venue will no doubt be packed with devoted followers. No missionary work needed here – just pure unfettered glam rock extravagance.

And, after all those years pandering to a TV audience, the 41-year-old Peter Pan of comedy is looking forward to feeling that live buzz again.

"The problem with TV is that it takes years to make, and after a while you can't remember what it's like to tell a joke and get a laugh from it," he says.

"The great thing about live comedy is that it cuts out the middle men – all those TV producers and directors. It takes out everything that gets in the way, so it's just you and the audience. It's a really pure set-up.

"As a stand-up, you spend all day being nervous. But as soon as you step onto the stage and get the first laugh, it's magic time. It's like being in a dream. It's a real buzz."

Fielding knows that he is an acquired taste, but says that even those who are wary of his outlandish humour are often won over when they see him live.

"Some people might think they're allergic to you, but if they come to a live show and see everyone is laughing, it's hard to say that it's not funny. It was the same with the Boosh. Sceptics were convinced when they came to our shows."

The comedian, who will be joined on stage in by his brother Michael Fielding (best known as Naboo and Smooth from The Mighty Boosh) and Tom Meeten (who plays Andy Warhol in Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy), says the new show won't be a standard stand-up show.

"The first half is set in a cabaret club," he says.

"Then I get kidnapped from my own show, and in the second half the rest of the characters have to find me. I'll be playing other characters during the second half. It becomes like a play. It's a sort of farce."

The show promises a typically uplifting variety of disparate elements. "That's why I've called it 'An Evening with Noel Fielding', because it's not something I'd usually do," he says. "It's more like something Barry Humphries would do."

"It's so abstract. It's like you turn the radio dial, and something random comes on. You're not quite sure what it is, but you warm to it."Noel FieldingWhen: Thursday, October 23, 8pmWhere: Hull City Hall, Victoria Square, HullCall: 01482 300300Entry:£25Web: www.hullcc.gov/uk

He once spent his nights fighting crime on the streets of Hull. Now, former police constable Jon Barratt will fight wannabe boxers when they take to the ring for charity.

The 39-year-old has signed up to the Ultra White Collar Boxing fundraising event, held to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Held at the KC Stadium, it will see men who have never boxed before battle it out.

Jon, who once worked for Humberside Police's sexual exploitation unit, hopes his time on the beat will help him in the ring.

"I have had some training, a couple of sparring sessions and now I'm wondering what I have signed up for," he said.

"In the police, I had to do some form of self-defence every six months, so that has possibly assisted me a little bit, and no doubt policing the streets on a Saturday night in Hull city centre also helped."

Ultra White Collar Boxing tours the country holding events for Cancer Research UK and has raised £300,000 so far.

Competitors from each town or city the sport arrives in sign up online, and once enough put their names forward they are matched according to size and ability.

They are then given eight weeks free training by ex-professional boxers and trainers to prepare them for the big fight night.

Jon, a keen rugby player, signed up ahead of his 40th birthday, having always wanted to fight in a boxing match.

He said: "I hit 40 next month and one of the things on my 'bucket list' to do before my birthday was a charity boxing match.

"I have never done anything like this before.

"I did a little bit of boxercise on a Saturday morning a couple of years ago, but that lasted all of two months, so this is completely new to me.

"I have always fancied giving it a go but never tried and now, sadly, I am reaching the age of 40, so it seemed like a good idea.

"It is going to be a great night, a great event, and it is all to support a great charity."

Jon, who is on a four-year career break to help his wife Claire with her hugely successful ClaireaBella handbag business, is now selling tickets to the event on Sunday, November 16.

Claire, a former detention officer at Humberside Police, is now a designer to the stars, who can't get enough of her unique, personalised handbags and accessories.

The tournament will have all the music, lights, crowds and cheers found at a professional boxing match.

Jon said: "I am feeling more prepared but I keep being told the biggest fear on the night itself is stepping into the ring.

"That is probably going to be the hardest part of it all, physically getting on the stage – the blackout, the music, the lights – but within five minutes I know I'll be lapping it up, especially when I see my friends and family in the crowd."

For tickets, visit ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk and to donate, visit justgiving.com/Jon-MrClaireaBella-Barratt to donate.

THE preferred design for a major new footbridge over Hull's busiest road is expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

But Hull architecture graduate Ashley Forrester has beaten the Highways Agency to the draw by coming up with his own idea for a link across Castle Street in the city centre.

The 25-year-old, who lives in Wellsted Street, west Hull, said the original bridge options released by the Highways Agency earlier this year prompted him to formulate his own design.

Mr Forrester said: "When I saw them. I wasn't particularly impressed. I believe the location really demands a striking design and none of the five options really appealed to me.

"I thought there was scope to come up with something better so I got down to work."

Now working in the construction industry, Mr Forrester relied on his interest in urban design, which formed the basis of his degree course at the University of Nottingham.

"I'm from Hull, so the whole improvement scheme for Castle Street interests me," he said.

"The best option would probably be to sink the whole length of the road but I understand from a financial point of view that is not going to happen."

Mr Forrester said he took inspiration for his scheme from the New York High Line project, which has seen parts of the city's now defunct overhead railway freight line transformed into a series of new-look public spaces.

"In my scheme I've created a public space on the south side of the marina at one end of the bridge, which could be used as viewing area, a picnic spot or an outdoor venue for live music," he said. "It also complies with current Disability Discrimination Act access regulations and would probably be cheaper than the current designs published."

Mr Forrester said he had not approached the agency over his designs.

"I want them to be put out there so people can see them and give some feedback," he said. "I don't expect it to be taken up, but as long as it provokes some debate about the design merits of whichever bridge is eventually chosen, that would be fine by me."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said the long-awaited development order covering the work on the £160m Castle Street project will be submitted for approval in the autumn.

"A preferred bridge design option will be made public at that time," the spokesman said

The improvement scheme proposed for Castle Street will cover a one-mile stretch of the A63 as it runs through the city centre.

The most noticeable change will be the lowering of the existing main east to west route at the Mytongate junction with Ferensway. The idea is to end the current congestion at the junction by removing all traffic signals and ensuring a smooth run for traffic between Myton Bridge and the Daltry Street flyover at Hessle Road.

The current proposals envisage the road being lowered by about 7m into a cutting, while drivers heading between Ferensway and Commercial Road would pass overhead on a raised road.

Five design options for a large pedestrian footbridge between Princes Dock and the Marina were published by the Highways Agency this year.

The Humber Local Enterprise Partnership has secured £4m of government funding to help pay for the cost of the new bridge.

• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

•Politics news for Hull and East Riding