Zutons, Coral, Summertyme against fracking

There's plans afoot to smash the bedrock of Wirral to pieces in order to release some fossil fuels, because if we don't burn that gas we might not be able to hit the oil industry's target of making the planet uninhabitable by 2020.

There's protests against the plan, including a gig with some Merseyside luminaries:

The Fight UCG and Fracking gig is being organised by Wirral band The Sundowners with Zutons guitarist Paul Molloy. It will feature sets from Viper Kings with guests Dave McCabe (Zutons) and James Skelly (Coral), Ian Skelly and the Serpent Power, We Are Catchers, Sundowners (acoustic) Edgar Summertyme and Marvin Powell.

There's a petition on 38 Degrees if you'd like to add your voice without having to listen to The Zutons.

Ringo still hoping everyone's moved on

Having tried in May to get beyond having told Jonathan Ross he doesn't miss anything about Liverpool, Ringo's tried again today:

Speaking after a performance ahead of a European tour - which includes a date in Liverpool - he said: “There’s lots I miss, of course.

“I did that joke with Jonathan Ross and I’m still paying for it, it seems - where three people from the Wirral complained.

“But of course I love Liverpool"

It's a sign of just how much he loves the city that he's only just got round to popping back now, and so finds himself belatedly fighting a fire from a TV appearance he made three years ago.

Still, having a pop at Wirralites will unite the Scousers behind him, right? Although, to be fair, people from the Wirral go to Liverpool more often than bloody ex-Beatles manage.

According to one of the comments on the Echo article, the Empire has a lot of seats left at all prices for Ringo's date. That's not strictly true - there's only one seat in the stalls left. But over 350 upstairs left untaken. You'd suspect this is less down to anything Ringo might have said, and more down to the getting on for seventy quid for a ticket.

McCartney battles to save a Post Office

One of the Post Offices near one of Paul McCartney's homes is to close, and Macca - and his brother Mike "McGear" McCartney aren't happy:

Paul's brother Mike McCartney is to read a message from the former Beatle outside the post office in Lower Heswall, Wirral, which could be axed.

Mike, 63, said: "We have both had our homes here for over 40 years. This is the local village and post office."

Mike doesn't find time to address the irony that a lot of villages are losing their amenities like pubs and post offices because rich people buy up houses and only live there for a few weeks a year, if that, while the local community - who would have used the services regularly, year-round - are priced out by the second and third home owners.

We imagine Paul's going to be sending a letter addressing this subject, just as soon as he can find somewhere to buy a stamp.