 Dobson, chief executive of Geek Retreat, said: "We have made sure all of our stores are welcoming and accessible to gamers whatever their interests, providing a place for our loyal customers to get out of the house and play safely post-lockdown. The franchise, which opened in 2013, currently employs 110 people in 14 shops. New shops will be popping up in Bournemouth, Northampton, Liverpool and have recently opened in Northwich and Chelmsford. Watch: Why job losses have risen despite the economy reopening East Anglian town earmarked for new store for 'geeks' Geek Retreat's Chelmsford store - the chain is looking to expand throughout the UK including in Suffolk and north Essex Picture: GEEK RETREAT Geek Retreat High street chain Geek Retreat says it is planning to expand into Suffolk and north Essex – with the first of its stores likely to be in Bury St Edmunds. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. The gaming culture retailer says it is planning to open 14 stores now, with a further 100 in the pipeline over the next two years, creating 600 jobs. It is looking at lease options in the Suffolk town. The stores – which are open to everyone – aim to provide vulnerable customers such as those on the autistic spectrum or with mental health issues with a "safe place to meet and play in an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment". MORE – Shoppers across region stay home as pandemic resurgence blights recovery The expansion follows the "immense popularity" of franchises such as Marvel and Stranger Things – where customers can enjoy "geeky interests and games", it said. The Geek Retreat franchise opened its first store in Glasgow in 2013 and now employs 110 people. Its store offer includes a comic bookstore, gaming cafe and events hub. You may also want to watch: It currently has 14 city centre stores, including Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, Motherwell, Bradford, the Wirral, Nottingham, Middlesbrough, Llandudno and two in London. The most recent outlets to open are in Northwich and Chelmsford. Others are due to launch shortly in Bournemouth, Northampton and Liverpool. All stores are operating to coronavirus rules, the retailer said. Chief executive Peter Dobson said: "The UK's gaming and hobby sector is a real success story and Geek Retreat is a home for the communities who are at the heart of this phenomenon. "The wellbeing of our customers and staff has always been incredibly important to us – now more than ever everyone should expect a friendly, safe and clean environment to meet and play. We have made sure all of our stores are welcoming and accessible to gamers whatever their interests, providing a place for our loyal customers to get out of the house and play safely post-lockdown. "This is particularly important for our more vulnerable customers, like those on the autistic spectrum, or with mental health issues where being in an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment is very important. It is strength of the relationships which our stores build with local communities that is a key driver of growth."Updated: March 12, 2021 10:31:27 pm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the first-ever Quadrilateral grouping’s leaders’ summit, where US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga were present, asserted that the countries will work together to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We are connected by our democratic values and our commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes the Quad, a force for global good,” PM Modi said while referring to the world leaders as his friends.
Speaking at the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2021
Calling the meet an extension of the ancient Indian philosophy ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which regards the world as one family, the Prime Minister added, “Quad has come of age and will remain an important pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Following the meeting, Modi tweeted,.”
Meanwhile, speaking on the outcome of the Quad summit, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the countries have adopted a positive agenda focusing on contemporary issues such as vaccines, climate, emerging technologies.
“Quad nations have agreed to a plan to pool their financial resources, manufacturing capabilities and logistical strengths. The vaccine initiative that is aimed at ramping up manufacturing, distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in the Indo-Pacific region is most pressing and valuable. It also recognises our own manufacturing capacities and capabilities,” Shringla added.
The foreign secretary further said that the summit has set a benchmark for Quad’s future efforts and interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Quad summit is Prime Minister Modi’s first meeting with Biden, after the new US administration assumed office in January this year. They have spoken over the telephone twice since November, when it became clear that Biden had won the US elections. The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping have met thrice so far, twice in-person, and once virtually.
The Quad grouping was revived in 2017, and it has been re-invigorated in the past few years, in the face of belligerence by China.
Quad going to be vital arena for cooperation in Indo-Pacific region, says Biden
Kicking off the summit, US President Joe Biden said Quad is going to be a vital arena for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. “The United States is committed to working with you and with all our allies in the region to achieve stability. This group is particularly important because it is dedicated to the practical solutions and concrete results,” he added.
In an apparent reference to China which has been flexing its muscles in the region, the President said, “We know our commitments…Our region is governed by international law, committed to all the universal values and free from coercion but I am optimistic about our prospect.”
Speaking on Covid-19 vaccines, Biden said, “We are launching a new ambitious joint partnership that is going to boost vaccine manufacturing for the global benefit and will boost vaccination programmes in the Indo-Pacific region.”
With.Tobias and the Super Spooky Ghost Book by Tom Percival is our second Picture Book Saturday feature. Check out the review below!
Night after night, Tobias the lonely ghost hangs around his empty house, longing for fun - but nothing ever happens. Until one day a little girl moves in...Tobias can't wait to play some spooky tricks, but he might just be in for a few surprises himself!
Tobias is only small and he lives in this giant ramshackle home with a variety of far older ghosts. He's lonely and he's bored. Until a little girl called Eliza moves in with her parents (they are alive). Tobias sees this as the perfect chance to play various spooky tricks on Eliza. And he wastes no time doing it.
Eliza is of course, as all little girls called Lizzie or Eliza, not that easy to scare and she very soon sees Tobias off with the very book of scary ghostly spells he used on her. The tables are turned and Tobias runs off scared, until Eliza realises that the creatures she unleashed aren't going back into the book of spells.
All ends well though, thanks to a quick thinking Uncle. And after extracting a promise from both young people to behave themselves things turn out okay. Tobias and Eliza are initially tentative of each other but become friends quite quickly and get up to all sorts of mischief.
A great little picture book with truly wonderful illustrations by Tom Percival (whom I met and my copy is signed!) I really loved the wonderful illustrations and would quite happily frame some of the pictures for the wall. They are bright and vivid and encourages young readers to look further than just what you can initially see on the surface. I also loved that Tobias has the chance to make a friend his own age, even if there is such a big difference between the two of them (being dead and all) but I also loved that Eliza stood up for herself and gave as good as she got, even if she had to be saved in the end.
This is Tom's great website and find a cool Halloween party pack to download.
2 comments:
This is on my ever growing To Review Pile. I loved it. Have you seen the fab work Tom Percival has done in creating the weapons images fir the Department 19 website?
Great review. I love the sound of this book but wonder if it might scare the 5 year old a little bit?Honi Hame'aggel: Mishnaic sage, lived through the Second Temple’s destruction. Known for his efficacious prayers. He is known as Honi the “Circle Maker” because he once ended a severe drought by drawing a circle in the earth and telling G-d that he would not leave the circle until it would rain.
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