only one day to go for Bath´s Xmas lights....

mara · a grateful fan

RE: only one day to go for Bath´s Xmas lights....

mara · a grateful fan

More local press articles:

Western Daily Press

Cage adds Hollywood sparkle to switch-on

458 palabras

27 de noviembre de 2009

FWDP

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F ilm star Nicolas Cage brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to

Bath last night - and the city to a standstill.

The 45-year-old actor attracted thousands of people to the switching on of Bath's Christmas lights.

Police estimated 5,000 people flocked to the city centre to catch a glimpse of the star, some watching on giant screens while others hung out of offices and shop windows.

The star of Con Air and Leaving Las Vegas said: "Thank you, citizens of Bath, for your kindness and graciousness in welcoming me to your community."

He told the crowds he would be spending his third Christmas in Bath with his family.

He said: "It is the most beautiful city in the world."

Smartly attired in a suit and tie he then joined city mayor, Councillor Colin Barrett and B&NES Council chairman Bryan Chalker in pushing a plunger to switch on the lights.

Getting the Hollywood legend to agree to do the honours in the city, where until recently he owned two houses, was a real coup.

Fans from as far afield as Manchester, Derby and Ipswich had travelled to Bath to see the star.

Matt Baker from Ipswich said: "I am a huge fan."

Also at the front of the queue to see her favourite actor was 37-year-old Linda Wall from Kingswood, Bristol. She said: "I like his voice, he has such a sexy voice, I can't help it."

Police closed off barriers to the stage early and there were regular requests to people to move back along Milsom Street.

Car parks and park-and-ride sites surrounding the city were full long before Cage took to the stage.

Historic Milsom Street was packed full of onlookers.

Before the Hollywood star appeared on stage crowds were entertained by a procession of musical acts.

These included Kingswood School, Bath, and the recently formed Bath Chorus Choir.

The switch-on coincided with the first day of Bath's popular Christmas market and a major primary school carol concert, which also attracted hundreds of people.

Before switching on the lights the Academy Award winner was told more about the heritage of the city by the mayor and clerk to the charter trustees, Anne Tipper. She said: "He was very relaxed and a lovely family man."

Later Cage was given another history lesson with a tour of the Roman Baths, before a reception at that venue with sponsors, civic dignitaries and local business people.

City centre manager Andrew Cooper said: "I think we are all amazed at the turnout of people.

"Everything has been fantastic and people were well behaved and orderly."

Cage attends Bath Christmas lighting event

120 palabras

27 de noviembre de 2009

UPI NewsTrack

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Hollywood film star Nicolas Cage helped turn on the Christmas lights in Bath, England, where he has a home, organizers of the yuletide event said.

The BBC reported the "National Treasure" and "Leaving Las Vegas" actor agreed to appear at Thursday's event after one of his neighbors left an invitation for him at his house.

"Thank you citizens of Bath, citizens of Somerset, for your kindness and your graciousness in welcoming me to your beautiful community," the BBC quoted Cage as telling the crowd of thousands of cheering admirers. "I wish you all prosperity in the new year, not just in your work, but also in the love you share with your families."

mara · a grateful fan

I want to thank our fearless moderators for all their research on this event!! Way to go...

Here´s more on the Bath Xmas lights, a couple of articles in the local press:

Nic cage - and alcatraz!

670 palabras

26 de noviembre de 2009

Bath Chronicle

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I have come to the (somewhat belated) conclusion that it takes an awful lot to impress some people in this city.

Maybe it's because Bath has always punched above its weight and attracted major events and famous people but it seems some Bathonians refuse to get excited about anything.

Take tonight.

Unless you have been on the moon over the last few weeks, you should by now know that Hollywood A-Lister Nicolas Cage is switching on Bath's city-centre Christmas lights.

This is a role normally (and very adequately) performed by the mayor or another worthy citizen. But Bath wanted something different this year.

So the Chronicle's ad director Paul Wiltshire and a few others on the Bath Christmas marketing team drew up a 'hit list' of who could bring the most people onto the streets to kick off the Christmas celebrations.

Top of the list was recent Circus dweller Nicolas Cage but I bet next to his name there was brackets around the phrase "nice idea but no chance".

Well, it seems there was every chance.

One of our enterprising young ladies here at the Chronicle, Emma Samways, did the really radical thing of asking Mr Cage via a polite letter if he would switch on the lights. And the rest, as they say, is history.

The news that a genuine Hollywood superstar would, quite literally, be lighting up the city, has caused a mixture of shock and awe in many circles. I sometimes think you have to go out of Bath to get a perspective on things because when I've mentioned this news to people who live beyond our borders, they have said 'how on earth did you pull that one off'?

In Bath, however, not everyone is so convinced.

We ran a letter a couple of weeks ago from someone asking us to stop putting Mr Cage in the paper, and there's been a number of similarly 'sniffy' remarks on our website too. Some aren't impressed with Mr Cage, others are worried about not being able to park and many are just a few words away from saying 'bah humbug'.

So, in the interest of balance, can I just say publicly that the visit of Nicolas Cage is a GREAT thing for our city. If our office is anything to go by it has caused a wave of excitement among those who live and work in our community and all the shops and market stalls must be rubbing their hands with glee at the thousands of potential new customers who will hit the streets tonight and see what Bath has to offer.

Talking of shops brings me to another example of some Bath people finding it hard to appreciate what's around them. I am more than happy to say that I really like the new SouthGate. I think it is an elegantly put together shopping centre which fits into Bath far more than the horrible mess that preceded it. But, again, not everyone is convinced.

This week, as you will see on page 49, someone on a website has (wittily I think) compared it to Alcatraz, and although this did make me smile which is why I've reprinted the image, we've already seen evidence in our letters pages and online that a lot of people just aren't as convinced by the new centre as we are.

Some people, for example, have criticised it for being 'faux Georgian' but sadly that's the best we can do as we're a couple of hundred years late to do the real thing! Equally, had it been more modern, I suspect the critics would have been lining up at the postboxes to write letters about how this betrayed the city's Georgian heritage. You just can't win!

Ah well, maybe such debate is why we all love the city so much.

Right, better go, rumour has it there's a Hollywood star in town...

Light duties for lady m

427 palabras

26 de noviembre de 2009

Bath Chronicle

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Someone asked me to write a column about the bad feng shui involved in getting from SouthGate to Widcombe's bustling High Street on foot.

I have written on this subject before, but if I can slip it past the sub-editors, I will reiterate. Someone else inquired as to why central Bath is only getting Nicolas Cage to switch on their Christmas lights, whereas the Widcombe Illuminations have none other than Lady Margaret.

I will try to combine both topics in one column.

Given good weather, there are 13 physical and mental barriers to overcome when taking the aforementioned route. As to the Lady Margaret/Nic Cage divide, it is all a question of budget. Whereas Mr Cage is no doubt offering his services gratis in the spirit of Christmas and more bums on cinema seats, Lady Margaret simply costs the earth.

However, the good traders of Widcombe, knowing that their up and coming area often misses out on the publicity stakes, have decided to dig deep, throw caution to the wind and invest in a visit from the good lady herself. Thus, at 6pm on December 3, Lady Margaret, sporting a new seasonal frock (specially run up for the occasion by her couturier in Frome) will plunge her plunger, and the electricity meters in every shop and business along Claverton Street will whirr into action as scores of Christmas trees light up.

Lady Margaret will be accompanied by two choirs (beat that Nic!) and will be cutting the tape on several new trendy shops as well as indulging in a free makeover courtesy of the street's new ethical beauty salon. (They'll have their work cut out, I hear you rudely shout!)

So, that evening, wrench your gaze from the tempting glitter of SouthGate and head for the delights of late-night shopping, twinkling trees and cafe society in Widcombe. We have art galleries, boutiques, two coffee bars, a pair of top-notch gastropubs and a real boozer, plus an Indian, a burger bar and a Chinese on the way, so do come and join us at our grand switch-on.

That is if you can negotiate two baffling pedestrian crossings, the melee of the station taxi rank, the dingy litter-strewn tunnel, its lurkers and trio of trip hazards, the rusty footbridge and its additional lurkers, another busy crossing, some lumpy gravel and the road junction from hell.

I think that's 13. Fourteen if you count the HGVs thundering along the street itself.

See you there. Maybe.

mara · a grateful fan

Serendipy, welcome to the forum! You´re sooo lucky, and a true blue fan! Please could you elaborate? We´re dying to learn the details of your dream come true...

Gerfalcon · Moody 'Wolverine' Freak

Welcome to the forum, Aisling! :)

You're so lucky! Could u share the pic if u think it's appropriate? Thx!

T.Z. · Space Knight

Gosh you're so lucky!! Can you tell us more about your greatest moment, Serendip21??

Serendip21 · Newbie

Travelled over to Bath from Ireland to watch Nic turn on the Christmas lights and purely by accident later, got to actually meet him, dream come true, cried loads afterwards!! Got to talk to, hug and take a photo with my hero, plus i made him laugh!! Best single moment of my life!

Gerfalcon · Moody 'Wolverine' Freak

Thanks for sharing Caz! I wish I were there screaming... biggrin

Here are two more vids related to the event... see how popular our man is! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH8lNzm9CxE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf7aFt2Nzfw

T.Z. · Space Knight

Just found this vid from BBC news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8382255.stm

Gerfalcon · Moody 'Wolverine' Freak

Here's the ITN report on this event beforehand... our man looks so gorgeous in the vid! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYGEIgydX-M

mara · a grateful fan

... and Nic fans are shaking things up already! Wish I was there among them!

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Plea-motorists-Nicolas-Cage-visit/article-1538940-detail/article.html