Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Worcester shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Worcester offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Worcester at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Worcester? Wrong! If the Worcester is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Worcester then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Worcester? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Worcester and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Worcester wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Worcester then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Worcester site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Worcester, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Worcester, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{| border=1 cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" width=300 style=margin-left:10px|-!colspan=2 align=center bgcolor="#ff9999"|City of Worcester|-|align=center||align=center|
Shown within Worcestershire]:||West Midlands (region)|-|Admin. County:||Worcestershire:
- Total||[List of English districts by area
1 E7 m² square kilometre|-|Admin. HQ:||Worcester|-| British national grid reference system: || |-|ONS coding system:||47UE|-|Distance from London:|| 113.4m|-!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Demographics|-|Population:
- Total ()
- Density

/ km²|-|Ethnicity:||96.5% White
2.0% S.Asian|-!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Politics|-|colspan=2 align=center|Worcester City Council
http://www.worcester.gov.uk/|-|[Local government in England#Councils and councillors:||Leader & Cabinet|-|Executive:||{{EnglishDistrictControl||-|MPs elected in the UK general election, 2005:||Michael John Foster|}Worcester (pronounced ) is a City status in the United Kingdom in the West Midlands (region) of England. With an estimated population of 94,300, Worcester is the county town of Worcestershire and it is situated some 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Birmingham and 29 miles (47 km) north of Gloucester. The River Severn runs through the middle of the city and the Worcester Cathedral overlooks the river.

History Occupation of the site of Worcester can be dated back to neolithic times, a village surrounded by defensive ramparts having been founded on the eastern bank of the River Severn here in around 400 BC. The position, which commanded a ford (crossing) on the river, was in the 1st century used by the Roman Empire to establish what may at first have been a fort on the military route from Glevum (Gloucester) to Viroconium Cornoviorum (Wroxeter) but which soon developed — as the frontier of the empire was pushed westwards — into an industrial town with its own pottery kilns and iron-smelting plants.

Roman Worcester (which may have been the Vertis mentioned in the 7th century Ravenna Cosmography) was a thriving trading and manufacturing centre for some three hundred years, though by the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in 407 it had dwindled considerably in size and is not recorded again until the mid-7th century when documents mention the Anglo-Saxons settlement of . The fact that Worcester was chosen at this time—in preference to both the much larger Gloucester and the royal centre of Winchcombe—to be the Episcopal See of a new diocese covering the area suggests that there was a well established, and powerful, England Christian community living on the site when it fell into English hands.

The town was almost destroyed in 1041 after a rebellion against the punitive taxation of Harthacanute. The town was attacked several times in the civil war (in 1139, 1150 and 1151) between Stephen of England and Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England.

By late medieval times the population had grown to around 10,000 as the manufacture of cloth started to become a large local industry. The town was designated a county corporate, giving it autonomy from local government.



Worcester was the site of the Battle of Worcester (September 3, 1651), when Charles II of England's attempt to regain the crown by force was decisively defeated, in the fields a little to the west and south of the city, near the village of Powick. After being defeated, Charles returned to his headquarters in what is now known as King Charles house in the Cornmarket, before fleeing in disguise to Boscobel House in Shropshire and his eventual escape to France. Worcester was one of the cities loyal to the King in that war, for which it was given the epithet "The Faithful City".

The Royal Worcester factory was founded by Dr John Wall in 1750, although it no longer produces goods. A handful of decorators are still employed at the factory and the Museum is still open.

During the 18th century Worcester's trade languished compared to more modern towns of the West Midlands. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal opened in 1815 allowing Worcester goods to be transported to a larger conurbation.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is reputed to have been founded in the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary building in Castle Street around 1860. This building has now been closed and (as of 2006) will be redeveloped as the University of Worcester city campus.

In the 1950s and 1960s large areas of the medieval centre of Worcester were demolished and rebuilt as a result of decisions by town planners. There is still a significant area of medieval Worcester remaining, but it is a small fraction of what was present before the redevelopments.

The current city boundaries date from 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 transferred the parishes of Warndon and St. Peter the Great County into the city.

Politics In the 2007 election the City Council went from Conservative control to No Overall Control,http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/display.var.1706462.0.beaten_tory_keeps_a_low_profile.php however, Conservative Party (UK) have the most seats overall with 17 out of 35 seats. Worcester has one member of Parliament, Michael John Foster of the Labour Party (UK), who represents the Worcester (UK Parliament constituency).

Industry and commerce Industry is now quite varied. In the 19th and early twentieth century, Worcester was a major centre for glove manufacture, but this has declined greatly. The late-Victorian period saw the growth of ironfounders, like Heenan & Froude, Hardy & Padmore and McKenzie & Holland and the inter-war years saw the rapid growth of engineering, producing machine tools James Archdale, H.W.Ward, castings for the motor industry Worcester Windshields and Casements, mining machinery MECO and open-top cans Williamsons. Still located in the city are the Royal Worcester porcelain factory (near the cathedral), and, somewhat out of the centre, the factory that makes Worcester's most famous product, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. The engineering industry is still represented by Joy Mining Machinery, of the United States, which has its UK manufacturing headquarters in the St. John's, Worcester area, and by Carnaud Metalbox, part of Crown Holdings, also of the United States, which has its seaming systems division located in the Perry Wood district. The foundry heritage of the city is represented by Morganite Crucible Morganite Crucible at Norton which produces graphitic shaped products and cements for use in the modern industry. The Kays kays.com mail order business was founded in Worcester in the 1880's and operated from numerous premises in the city Kays Heritage until 2007. Worcester is the home of what is claimed to be the oldest daily newspaper in the world, Berrow's Worcester Journal, which traces its descent from a newssheet that started publication in 1690. The city is also a major retail centre with several covered shopping centres that has most major chains represented. Worcester Bosch Group is in Warndon Villages. Another of Worcester's long standing companies is Froude Hofmann, Froude Hofmann originally named Heenan & Froude. This engineering company has occupied several sites around Worcester including buildings close to Worcester Shrub Hill railway station and Worcester City F.C.. They are currently located on Blackpole Trading Estate East.

Major Businesses/Employers in Worcester

Retail and leisure Retail Like many other town and cities Worcester has the traditional ‘High Street’, though in Worcester’s case that is the actual street name of the main shopping thoroughfare. High Street is home to the major stores including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Boots Group, WH Smith, Superdrug, River Island, Woolworths Group, Next, Monsoon etc. Part of the High Street was revamped in 2005 amid much controversy, many of the issues focussing on the felling of long standing trees, the duration of the works (caused by the weather and an archaeological find) and the removal of flagstones outside the City’s 18th Century Guildhall. However, the revamped area has been mostly praised for its appearance, openness and brightness compared to the previous look.

The other main thoroughfares are The Shambles and Broad Street, which between them include Argos, MK One, Evans, Ethel Austin, Milletts etc, while the The Cross (and its immediate surrounding area) is seen as the city’s financial centre with the majority of Worcester’s main bank branches located here.

There are 3 main shopping centres, those being CrownGate, Cathedral Plaza and Reindeer Court. CrownGate is the largest and is split in to 2 centres. Both centres incorporate and/or back on to major stores such as House of Fraser, BHS, Debenhams etc. CrownGate also includes an outdoor market which was previously located in Cornmarket, and as such often referred to at The Corn Market despite its current location. Cathedral Plaza is the next largest and was called the Lychgate Shopping Centre prior to its revamp and current, and somewhat, controversial name. Cathedral Plaza also includes/backs on to major stores such as Next & H&M. Reindeer Court is a traditional part-open shopping centre mainly featuring local specialist retailers.

Worcester’s City centre, past and previous, has been known by its residents to sometimes have more than 2 outlets of a retailer which is unusual for a settlement of its size. Currently, there are 2 Marks & Spencers, Greggs, Superdrug, 3 Cooks, Homebase, Waterstone's and Halifaxs.

Also like many other towns and cities, Worcester has retail parks, the main ones being Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole Retail Park and Shrub Hill Retail Park. The first 2 are virtually next door to each other in the Blackpole area of the city, while the latter is on the outskirts of the City centre in the Tallow Hill/Shrub Hill area. All 3 retails parks consist of the traditional out-of-town stores including Comet, Homebase, Currys, Wickes, Staples, MFI, PC World and Halfords.

Recently plans have been made to update the current Crowngate & Cathedral Plaza shopping centres. As well as a new Shopping centre proposed in Lowesmoor to include Worcester's first Asda.

Leisure Whether true or not Worcester was once cited as having more pubs/bars per population than any other town/city in the country. While many closed during the 1960s and 1970s there are still a large number of pubs/bars in Worcester. Many are owned by breweries, while many in the City centre are chain pubs such as O’Neills, Pitcher and Piano, Lloyds No. 1 Bar and Postal Order (Wetherspoons). There are a few free houses around the city, while a couple of pubs are award winning promoters of real ale such as The Swan with 2 Nicks (in New Street), The Dragon (in The Tything) and The Plough (in Fish Street). Worcester's oldest pub is the Cardinal's Hat in Friar Street. See Public Houses in Worcester.

There are 2 cinemas in Worcester, both located at opposite ends of the City centre, these being Vue (which encompasses nearly 80% of the Worcester Market share) and Odeon.

There are 2 10-pin bowling centres in Worcester, these being Worcester Tenpin Bowling and Bowl Xtreme. There was a 3rd - Westside Bowl - but it closed down in 2006

Along with a number of fitness centres/gymnasiums there are currently 3 City council-run sports complexs, these being Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Nunnery Wood Sports Centre and St. Johns Sports Centre.

Education University Worcester is home to the University of Worcester, which was awarded university status in 2005. From 2001 to 2005 it was known as University College Worcester (UCW) and prior to 2001 it was known as Worcester College of Higher Education.

State sixth forms and colleges

State high schools

Private schools Worcester is also the seat of a number of public schools: The Royal Grammar School Worcester has existed continuously since 1291 and The King's School, Worcester was re-founded in 1541 under King Henry VIII of England. Both lay claim to having roots in the 8th Century ecclesiastical school based around the site of the present cathedral. The Alice Ottley School and Saint Mary's Convent School are other private schools in the area.The Royal Grammar School and Alice Ottley School have recently merged to form the new and improved Royal Grammar and Alice Ottley School, Worcester aka RGSAO.The King's School, Worcester and what was RGSW were, and still are, rival schools.

New College New College Worcester (Royal National Institute of the Blind) caters for blind and partially sighted students from the ages of 11 to 18. New College

Famous citizens at the end of Worcester High Street

Probably Worcester's most famous citizen was composer Sir Edward Elgar, whose father ran a music shop at the end of the High Street; a statue of Elgar stands near the original location of that shop. His birthplace is a short way outside Worcester in the village of Broadheath.

Hannah Snell, famous for impersonating a man and being enlisted in the Royal Marines in the 18th century was born and raised here.

Sir Charles Hastings, founder of the British Medical Association lived in Worcester for most of his life - the newly built Worcestershire Royal Hospital stands in a road named in his honour.

Philip Henry Gosse, naturalist, was born in the city in 1810.

Sir Thomas Brock, a sculpture most famous for the Victoria Memorial (London) in London was born here in 1847.

Civil engineer Edward Leader Williams, designer of the Manchester Ship Canal, was born and raised in Worcester, residing at Diglis House (now the Diglis House Hotel) with his brother, noted landscape artist Benjamin Williams Leader. William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, automobile manufacturer, spent the first three years of his life in the city.

Poet and author Reverend Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, famously known as "Woodbine Willy", was for some time the Vicar of St. Pauls Church in the city. He rose to fame during World War I when he became an army chaplain, his sermons and poetry helping boost morale to the troops. He acquired his nickname from his habit of handing out "Woodbine" cigarettes to the men in the trenches.

Writers Ellen Wood (author) and Fay Weldon were born here.

Worcester is home to electronic music producer and Aphex Twin collaborator Mike Paradinas and his record label Planet Mu.

Cyclist Ernest Payne was born in Worcester and rode for the local Worcester St Johns Cycling Club. He won a gold medal in the team pursuit at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

Worcester is also the home town of Aviator Sheila Scott.

Culture and arts Festivals and shows Every three years, Worcester becomes home to the Three Choirs Festival, which dates back to the 18th century and is credited with being the oldest music festival in Europe. The location of the festival rotates each year between the Cathedral Cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester. Famous for its championing of English music, especially that of Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, Worcester is next scheduled to host the festival in August 2008.

The Worcester Festival is a relatively new venture established in 2003. Held in late August, the festival consists of a variety of music, theatre, film and workshops, as well as the already established Beer Festival, which now runs under the Worcester Festival name.

The Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre is a major source of tourism every December. Elton John came to the Worcestershire Cricket Ground, New Road on Saturday 9 June 2006.

The 8th Campaign for Real Ale Worcester Beer and Cider festival took place for three days from the 17 August 2006 From camra.org.uk and was held as usual on Pitchcroft Race Course. On entry there is a choice between a (free) half or pint glass, with this year's having orange writing.

Theatre, music and cinema Famous 18th century actress Sarah Siddons made her acting debut here at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton, Ann Julia Kemble Hatton otherwise known as Ann of Swansea, was born in the city. Matilda Alice Powles, better known as Vesta Tilley, a leading male impersonator and music hall artiste was born in Worcester.

In present-day Worcester the Swan Theatre The Swan Theatre stages a mixture of professional touring and local amateur productions. The Countess of Huntingdon's Hall Huntington Hall is a historic church now used as venue for an eclectic range of musical performances, while the Marrs Bar The Marrs Bar official site is a venue for gigs and stand-up comedy. Worcester also boasts two multi-screen cinemas (a six screen Vue Cinema complex located on Friar Street and an Odeon Cinema The Odeon Worcester Page on MySpace, boasting seven screens, at the heart of the city on Forgate Street).

In the northern suburbs of the city is the Art Deco Northwick Cinema. Built in 1938 it contains one of the only two remaining interiors in Britain designed by John Alexander (the original perspective drawings are still held by Royal Institute of British Architects). It was a Housie Hall from 1966 to 1982 and then empty until 1991; it was then run as a music venue until 1996, and was empty again until Autumn 2006 when it became an antiques and lifestyle centre, owned by Grey's Interiors, who were previously located in The Tything.

There are also a number of Arts organisations in Worcester, one of which is C&T. Term Time Drama in Worcester Based at the University and also Bishop Perowne Performing Arts College is C&T Collar & TIE. C&T is an educational theatre company that specialises in theatre for young people tackling topical issues through a unique blend of drama and new media technologies.

Places of interest Parks and Open Spaces There are 3 main parks in Worcester, these being Cripplegate Park, Gheluvelt Park and Fort Royal Park, the latter being on one of the battles sites of the English Civil War.

Gheluvelt Park was opened as a memorial to commemorate the Worcestershire Regiment's 2nd Battalion after their part in the Battle of Gheluvelt, during World War I.

There are also two large woodlands in the city, those being Perry Wood, at 12 hectares, and Nunnery Wood, covering 21 hectares. Perry Wood is often said to be the place where Oliver Cromwell met and made a pact with the devil. Nunnery Wood is an integral part of the adjacent and popular Worcester Woods Country Park, itself next door to County Hall on the east side of the city.

Buildings Probably the most famous landmark in Worcester is its imposing Worcester cathedral. The current building, formally named The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, was begun in 1084 while its crypt dates from the 10th Century. The chapter house is the only circular one in the country while the cathedral also has the distinction of having the tomb of John of England.

Religion Worcester contains a diverse range of religious groups, as well as both Catholic and Church of England centres, there is also an Islamic mosque, a large centre for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), a Baptist Church and a number of smaller interest groups regarding Eastern Religions such as Buddhism and the Hare Krishna's. BBC Hereford & Worcester feature on the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON)

Sport

Suburbs Astwood, Arboretum, Barbourne, Battenhall, Bevere, Blackpole, Blanquettes Estate, Brickfields, Cherry Orchard, Claines, Copperfields, Diglis, Dines Green, Fort Royal, Henwick, Henwick Park, Merrimans Hill, Perdiswell, St Peter the Great, St John's, Tolladine, Trotshill, Red Hill, Rainbow Hill, Lower Wick, Shrub Hill/Tallow Hill, Spetchley Estate, Ronkswood, Northwick, Warndon Villages, Warndon, Woodgreen

Transport Road Worcester almost sits on the M5 motorway and is served by junctions 6 and 7. This makes the city easily accessible to most parts of the country, including London which is only 120 miles/1 & half hours away (via the M5, M42 motorway and M40 motorway). The city is encompassed by a partial ring road which is formed, rather inconsistently, by single and dual carriageways.

Rail The city is served by 2 stations, Worcester Foregate Street railway station and Worcester Shrub Hill. Although featuring 2 tracks Foregate Street actually consists of 2 single working tracks, one of which forms part of the Birmingham-Malvern-Hereford line while the other is the end of the Cotswold Line, which Shrub Hill also serves. Both stations frequently serve Birmingham and nearby towns/cities. London is also served by both stations via the Cotswold Line and, infrequently, via the Birmingham-Bristol/Gloucester-Swindon and Bristol-London lines.

Although connected to a mainline only 2 miles away, in this case the Birmingham-Bristol 'Cross-Country' line, Worcester is not served by Inter City 'Cross-Country' services. This, bizarely, makes Worcestershire the only county in England where 'Cross-Country' services pass through but do not stop in during normal scheduled timetables.

Being the bigger of the 2 stations, and due to its location, Shrub Hill is often used as a stabling point and a through route for freight trains.

Public transport The main operator of bus services in and around the city is FirstGroup plc which prior to mergers and acquistions was Midland Red West, itself one of the companies that formed part of the huge Midland Red operation before Midland Red was split into 5 companies in preparation for dereglation. A handful of other smaller operators provide services in Worcester, most notably Astons and Bromyard Omnibus Company. The terminus/interchange for many bus services in Worcester is CrownGate Bus Station. First also operate the Worcester Express, part of the Worcester North Park and Ride Scheme. The service operates on a circular route through Worcester, also serving the Park and Ride site at Perdiswell which offers out of town parking.

References and footnotes

External links

Local Media



{| border=1 cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" width=300 style=margin-left:10px|-!colspan=2 align=center bgcolor="#ff9999"|City of Worcester|-|align=center||align=center|
Shown within Worcestershire]:||West Midlands (region)|-|Admin. County:||Worcestershire:
- Total||[List of English districts by area
1 E7 m² square kilometre|-|Admin. HQ:||Worcester|-| British national grid reference system: || |-|ONS coding system:||47UE|-|Distance from London:|| 113.4m|-!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Demographics|-|Population:
- Total ()
- Density

/ km²|-|Ethnicity:||96.5% White
2.0% S.Asian|-!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Politics|-|colspan=2 align=center|Worcester City Council
http://www.worcester.gov.uk/|-|[Local government in England#Councils and councillors:||Leader & Cabinet|-|Executive:||{{EnglishDistrictControl||-|MPs elected in the UK general election, 2005:||Michael John Foster|}Worcester (pronounced ) is a City status in the United Kingdom in the West Midlands (region) of England. With an estimated population of 94,300, Worcester is the county town of Worcestershire and it is situated some 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Birmingham and 29 miles (47 km) north of Gloucester. The River Severn runs through the middle of the city and the Worcester Cathedral overlooks the river.

History Occupation of the site of Worcester can be dated back to neolithic times, a village surrounded by defensive ramparts having been founded on the eastern bank of the River Severn here in around 400 BC. The position, which commanded a ford (crossing) on the river, was in the 1st century used by the Roman Empire to establish what may at first have been a fort on the military route from Glevum (Gloucester) to Viroconium Cornoviorum (Wroxeter) but which soon developed — as the frontier of the empire was pushed westwards — into an industrial town with its own pottery kilns and iron-smelting plants.

Roman Worcester (which may have been the Vertis mentioned in the 7th century Ravenna Cosmography) was a thriving trading and manufacturing centre for some three hundred years, though by the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in 407 it had dwindled considerably in size and is not recorded again until the mid-7th century when documents mention the Anglo-Saxons settlement of . The fact that Worcester was chosen at this time—in preference to both the much larger Gloucester and the royal centre of Winchcombe—to be the Episcopal See of a new diocese covering the area suggests that there was a well established, and powerful, England Christian community living on the site when it fell into English hands.

The town was almost destroyed in 1041 after a rebellion against the punitive taxation of Harthacanute. The town was attacked several times in the civil war (in 1139, 1150 and 1151) between Stephen of England and Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England.

By late medieval times the population had grown to around 10,000 as the manufacture of cloth started to become a large local industry. The town was designated a county corporate, giving it autonomy from local government.



Worcester was the site of the Battle of Worcester (September 3, 1651), when Charles II of England's attempt to regain the crown by force was decisively defeated, in the fields a little to the west and south of the city, near the village of Powick. After being defeated, Charles returned to his headquarters in what is now known as King Charles house in the Cornmarket, before fleeing in disguise to Boscobel House in Shropshire and his eventual escape to France. Worcester was one of the cities loyal to the King in that war, for which it was given the epithet "The Faithful City".

The Royal Worcester factory was founded by Dr John Wall in 1750, although it no longer produces goods. A handful of decorators are still employed at the factory and the Museum is still open.

During the 18th century Worcester's trade languished compared to more modern towns of the West Midlands. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal opened in 1815 allowing Worcester goods to be transported to a larger conurbation.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is reputed to have been founded in the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary building in Castle Street around 1860. This building has now been closed and (as of 2006) will be redeveloped as the University of Worcester city campus.

In the 1950s and 1960s large areas of the medieval centre of Worcester were demolished and rebuilt as a result of decisions by town planners. There is still a significant area of medieval Worcester remaining, but it is a small fraction of what was present before the redevelopments.

The current city boundaries date from 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 transferred the parishes of Warndon and St. Peter the Great County into the city.

Politics In the 2007 election the City Council went from Conservative control to No Overall Control,http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/display.var.1706462.0.beaten_tory_keeps_a_low_profile.php however, Conservative Party (UK) have the most seats overall with 17 out of 35 seats. Worcester has one member of Parliament, Michael John Foster of the Labour Party (UK), who represents the Worcester (UK Parliament constituency).

Industry and commerce Industry is now quite varied. In the 19th and early twentieth century, Worcester was a major centre for glove manufacture, but this has declined greatly. The late-Victorian period saw the growth of ironfounders, like Heenan & Froude, Hardy & Padmore and McKenzie & Holland and the inter-war years saw the rapid growth of engineering, producing machine tools James Archdale, H.W.Ward, castings for the motor industry Worcester Windshields and Casements, mining machinery MECO and open-top cans Williamsons. Still located in the city are the Royal Worcester porcelain factory (near the cathedral), and, somewhat out of the centre, the factory that makes Worcester's most famous product, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. The engineering industry is still represented by Joy Mining Machinery, of the United States, which has its UK manufacturing headquarters in the St. John's, Worcester area, and by Carnaud Metalbox, part of Crown Holdings, also of the United States, which has its seaming systems division located in the Perry Wood district. The foundry heritage of the city is represented by Morganite Crucible Morganite Crucible at Norton which produces graphitic shaped products and cements for use in the modern industry. The Kays kays.com mail order business was founded in Worcester in the 1880's and operated from numerous premises in the city Kays Heritage until 2007. Worcester is the home of what is claimed to be the oldest daily newspaper in the world, Berrow's Worcester Journal, which traces its descent from a newssheet that started publication in 1690. The city is also a major retail centre with several covered shopping centres that has most major chains represented. Worcester Bosch Group is in Warndon Villages. Another of Worcester's long standing companies is Froude Hofmann, Froude Hofmann originally named Heenan & Froude. This engineering company has occupied several sites around Worcester including buildings close to Worcester Shrub Hill railway station and Worcester City F.C.. They are currently located on Blackpole Trading Estate East.

Major Businesses/Employers in Worcester

Retail and leisure Retail Like many other town and cities Worcester has the traditional ‘High Street’, though in Worcester’s case that is the actual street name of the main shopping thoroughfare. High Street is home to the major stores including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Boots Group, WH Smith, Superdrug, River Island, Woolworths Group, Next, Monsoon etc. Part of the High Street was revamped in 2005 amid much controversy, many of the issues focussing on the felling of long standing trees, the duration of the works (caused by the weather and an archaeological find) and the removal of flagstones outside the City’s 18th Century Guildhall. However, the revamped area has been mostly praised for its appearance, openness and brightness compared to the previous look.

The other main thoroughfares are The Shambles and Broad Street, which between them include Argos, MK One, Evans, Ethel Austin, Milletts etc, while the The Cross (and its immediate surrounding area) is seen as the city’s financial centre with the majority of Worcester’s main bank branches located here.

There are 3 main shopping centres, those being CrownGate, Cathedral Plaza and Reindeer Court. CrownGate is the largest and is split in to 2 centres. Both centres incorporate and/or back on to major stores such as House of Fraser, BHS, Debenhams etc. CrownGate also includes an outdoor market which was previously located in Cornmarket, and as such often referred to at The Corn Market despite its current location. Cathedral Plaza is the next largest and was called the Lychgate Shopping Centre prior to its revamp and current, and somewhat, controversial name. Cathedral Plaza also includes/backs on to major stores such as Next & H&M. Reindeer Court is a traditional part-open shopping centre mainly featuring local specialist retailers.

Worcester’s City centre, past and previous, has been known by its residents to sometimes have more than 2 outlets of a retailer which is unusual for a settlement of its size. Currently, there are 2 Marks & Spencers, Greggs, Superdrug, 3 Cooks, Homebase, Waterstone's and Halifaxs.

Also like many other towns and cities, Worcester has retail parks, the main ones being Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole Retail Park and Shrub Hill Retail Park. The first 2 are virtually next door to each other in the Blackpole area of the city, while the latter is on the outskirts of the City centre in the Tallow Hill/Shrub Hill area. All 3 retails parks consist of the traditional out-of-town stores including Comet, Homebase, Currys, Wickes, Staples, MFI, PC World and Halfords.

Recently plans have been made to update the current Crowngate & Cathedral Plaza shopping centres. As well as a new Shopping centre proposed in Lowesmoor to include Worcester's first Asda.

Leisure Whether true or not Worcester was once cited as having more pubs/bars per population than any other town/city in the country. While many closed during the 1960s and 1970s there are still a large number of pubs/bars in Worcester. Many are owned by breweries, while many in the City centre are chain pubs such as O’Neills, Pitcher and Piano, Lloyds No. 1 Bar and Postal Order (Wetherspoons). There are a few free houses around the city, while a couple of pubs are award winning promoters of real ale such as The Swan with 2 Nicks (in New Street), The Dragon (in The Tything) and The Plough (in Fish Street). Worcester's oldest pub is the Cardinal's Hat in Friar Street. See Public Houses in Worcester.

There are 2 cinemas in Worcester, both located at opposite ends of the City centre, these being Vue (which encompasses nearly 80% of the Worcester Market share) and Odeon.

There are 2 10-pin bowling centres in Worcester, these being Worcester Tenpin Bowling and Bowl Xtreme. There was a 3rd - Westside Bowl - but it closed down in 2006

Along with a number of fitness centres/gymnasiums there are currently 3 City council-run sports complexs, these being Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Nunnery Wood Sports Centre and St. Johns Sports Centre.

Education University Worcester is home to the University of Worcester, which was awarded university status in 2005. From 2001 to 2005 it was known as University College Worcester (UCW) and prior to 2001 it was known as Worcester College of Higher Education.

State sixth forms and colleges

State high schools

Private schools Worcester is also the seat of a number of public schools: The Royal Grammar School Worcester has existed continuously since 1291 and The King's School, Worcester was re-founded in 1541 under King Henry VIII of England. Both lay claim to having roots in the 8th Century ecclesiastical school based around the site of the present cathedral. The Alice Ottley School and Saint Mary's Convent School are other private schools in the area.The Royal Grammar School and Alice Ottley School have recently merged to form the new and improved Royal Grammar and Alice Ottley School, Worcester aka RGSAO.The King's School, Worcester and what was RGSW were, and still are, rival schools.

New College New College Worcester (Royal National Institute of the Blind) caters for blind and partially sighted students from the ages of 11 to 18. New College

Famous citizens at the end of Worcester High Street

Probably Worcester's most famous citizen was composer Sir Edward Elgar, whose father ran a music shop at the end of the High Street; a statue of Elgar stands near the original location of that shop. His birthplace is a short way outside Worcester in the village of Broadheath.

Hannah Snell, famous for impersonating a man and being enlisted in the Royal Marines in the 18th century was born and raised here.

Sir Charles Hastings, founder of the British Medical Association lived in Worcester for most of his life - the newly built Worcestershire Royal Hospital stands in a road named in his honour.

Philip Henry Gosse, naturalist, was born in the city in 1810.

Sir Thomas Brock, a sculpture most famous for the Victoria Memorial (London) in London was born here in 1847.

Civil engineer Edward Leader Williams, designer of the Manchester Ship Canal, was born and raised in Worcester, residing at Diglis House (now the Diglis House Hotel) with his brother, noted landscape artist Benjamin Williams Leader. William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, automobile manufacturer, spent the first three years of his life in the city.

Poet and author Reverend Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, famously known as "Woodbine Willy", was for some time the Vicar of St. Pauls Church in the city. He rose to fame during World War I when he became an army chaplain, his sermons and poetry helping boost morale to the troops. He acquired his nickname from his habit of handing out "Woodbine" cigarettes to the men in the trenches.

Writers Ellen Wood (author) and Fay Weldon were born here.

Worcester is home to electronic music producer and Aphex Twin collaborator Mike Paradinas and his record label Planet Mu.

Cyclist Ernest Payne was born in Worcester and rode for the local Worcester St Johns Cycling Club. He won a gold medal in the team pursuit at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

Worcester is also the home town of Aviator Sheila Scott.

Culture and arts Festivals and shows Every three years, Worcester becomes home to the Three Choirs Festival, which dates back to the 18th century and is credited with being the oldest music festival in Europe. The location of the festival rotates each year between the Cathedral Cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester. Famous for its championing of English music, especially that of Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, Worcester is next scheduled to host the festival in August 2008.

The Worcester Festival is a relatively new venture established in 2003. Held in late August, the festival consists of a variety of music, theatre, film and workshops, as well as the already established Beer Festival, which now runs under the Worcester Festival name.

The Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre is a major source of tourism every December. Elton John came to the Worcestershire Cricket Ground, New Road on Saturday 9 June 2006.

The 8th Campaign for Real Ale Worcester Beer and Cider festival took place for three days from the 17 August 2006 From camra.org.uk and was held as usual on Pitchcroft Race Course. On entry there is a choice between a (free) half or pint glass, with this year's having orange writing.

Theatre, music and cinema Famous 18th century actress Sarah Siddons made her acting debut here at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton, Ann Julia Kemble Hatton otherwise known as Ann of Swansea, was born in the city. Matilda Alice Powles, better known as Vesta Tilley, a leading male impersonator and music hall artiste was born in Worcester.

In present-day Worcester the Swan Theatre The Swan Theatre stages a mixture of professional touring and local amateur productions. The Countess of Huntingdon's Hall Huntington Hall is a historic church now used as venue for an eclectic range of musical performances, while the Marrs Bar The Marrs Bar official site is a venue for gigs and stand-up comedy. Worcester also boasts two multi-screen cinemas (a six screen Vue Cinema complex located on Friar Street and an Odeon Cinema The Odeon Worcester Page on MySpace, boasting seven screens, at the heart of the city on Forgate Street).

In the northern suburbs of the city is the Art Deco Northwick Cinema. Built in 1938 it contains one of the only two remaining interiors in Britain designed by John Alexander (the original perspective drawings are still held by Royal Institute of British Architects). It was a Housie Hall from 1966 to 1982 and then empty until 1991; it was then run as a music venue until 1996, and was empty again until Autumn 2006 when it became an antiques and lifestyle centre, owned by Grey's Interiors, who were previously located in The Tything.

There are also a number of Arts organisations in Worcester, one of which is C&T. Term Time Drama in Worcester Based at the University and also Bishop Perowne Performing Arts College is C&T Collar & TIE. C&T is an educational theatre company that specialises in theatre for young people tackling topical issues through a unique blend of drama and new media technologies.

Places of interest Parks and Open Spaces There are 3 main parks in Worcester, these being Cripplegate Park, Gheluvelt Park and Fort Royal Park, the latter being on one of the battles sites of the English Civil War.

Gheluvelt Park was opened as a memorial to commemorate the Worcestershire Regiment's 2nd Battalion after their part in the Battle of Gheluvelt, during World War I.

There are also two large woodlands in the city, those being Perry Wood, at 12 hectares, and Nunnery Wood, covering 21 hectares. Perry Wood is often said to be the place where Oliver Cromwell met and made a pact with the devil. Nunnery Wood is an integral part of the adjacent and popular Worcester Woods Country Park, itself next door to County Hall on the east side of the city.

Buildings Probably the most famous landmark in Worcester is its imposing Worcester cathedral. The current building, formally named The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, was begun in 1084 while its crypt dates from the 10th Century. The chapter house is the only circular one in the country while the cathedral also has the distinction of having the tomb of John of England.

Religion Worcester contains a diverse range of religious groups, as well as both Catholic and Church of England centres, there is also an Islamic mosque, a large centre for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), a Baptist Church and a number of smaller interest groups regarding Eastern Religions such as Buddhism and the Hare Krishna's. BBC Hereford & Worcester feature on the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON)

Sport

Suburbs Astwood, Arboretum, Barbourne, Battenhall, Bevere, Blackpole, Blanquettes Estate, Brickfields, Cherry Orchard, Claines, Copperfields, Diglis, Dines Green, Fort Royal, Henwick, Henwick Park, Merrimans Hill, Perdiswell, St Peter the Great, St John's, Tolladine, Trotshill, Red Hill, Rainbow Hill, Lower Wick, Shrub Hill/Tallow Hill, Spetchley Estate, Ronkswood, Northwick, Warndon Villages, Warndon, Woodgreen

Transport Road Worcester almost sits on the M5 motorway and is served by junctions 6 and 7. This makes the city easily accessible to most parts of the country, including London which is only 120 miles/1 & half hours away (via the M5, M42 motorway and M40 motorway). The city is encompassed by a partial ring road which is formed, rather inconsistently, by single and dual carriageways.

Rail The city is served by 2 stations, Worcester Foregate Street railway station and Worcester Shrub Hill. Although featuring 2 tracks Foregate Street actually consists of 2 single working tracks, one of which forms part of the Birmingham-Malvern-Hereford line while the other is the end of the Cotswold Line, which Shrub Hill also serves. Both stations frequently serve Birmingham and nearby towns/cities. London is also served by both stations via the Cotswold Line and, infrequently, via the Birmingham-Bristol/Gloucester-Swindon and Bristol-London lines.

Although connected to a mainline only 2 miles away, in this case the Birmingham-Bristol 'Cross-Country' line, Worcester is not served by Inter City 'Cross-Country' services. This, bizarely, makes Worcestershire the only county in England where 'Cross-Country' services pass through but do not stop in during normal scheduled timetables.

Being the bigger of the 2 stations, and due to its location, Shrub Hill is often used as a stabling point and a through route for freight trains.

Public transport The main operator of bus services in and around the city is FirstGroup plc which prior to mergers and acquistions was Midland Red West, itself one of the companies that formed part of the huge Midland Red operation before Midland Red was split into 5 companies in preparation for dereglation. A handful of other smaller operators provide services in Worcester, most notably Astons and Bromyard Omnibus Company. The terminus/interchange for many bus services in Worcester is CrownGate Bus Station. First also operate the Worcester Express, part of the Worcester North Park and Ride Scheme. The service operates on a circular route through Worcester, also serving the Park and Ride site at Perdiswell which offers out of town parking.

References and footnotes

External links

Local Media





Worcester City Council, Worcestershire
Worcester City Council, Worcestershire ... Worcester City Council Orchard House Farrier Street Worcester WR1 3BB Tel: 01905 722233

University of Worcester - Welcome to the University of Worcester
Welcome to the University of Worcester. Our high quality teaching and research in education, nursing, social care, sports, arts, sciences and business is recognised throughout ...

Worcester Racecourse
Worcester Racecourse information on horseracing fixtures, racing, events and sponsorship opportunities. Racing news, racing links and a list of today's racing fixtures.:- 2007 ...

Worcester Rugby Football Club
Official site. Includes news, fixtures, reports, ticket information, history, message board, and online shop.

Welcome to Worcester's Homeowner area - Worcester Homeowner area
Worcester is dedicated to delivering heating comfort for homeowners. Our aim is to provide you with as much information as possible about our range of high efficiency, A-rated ...

Worcester Students Union - The Home for Worcester University Students
Contact details, what's on and services. Includes information about clubs and societies.

Welcome to the Diocese of Worcester - England - Part of the worldwide ...
Contact information, diocesan structure and parish links for the Church of England in Worcestershire.

Worcester City F.C. official website > Home
The official site with news, results, fixtures, match reports, and club history.

Worcester Tourism - An Ancient English City with a Modern Outlook
Official site with information about where to stay, what to do, and what's on.

University of Worcester - Accommodation
University of Worcester has modern, purpose-built Halls of Residence ... There is a diverse choice of accommodation available to you at the University of Worcester, including ...

 

Worcester



 
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