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Thousands of spectators gathered across Cumberland on Wednesday 19 August to watch the opening stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women's race, enjoying a day of world-class cycling as the race passed through communities across the area.
The opening stage of Britain's biggest professional women's cycle race started and finished in Cockermouth, taking riders on a challenging 158.9km route through west and north Cumberland. The race travelled through Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Allonby, Silloth, Abbeytown, Wigton, Caldbeck and Aspatria before returning to Cockermouth for an exciting finish.
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is part of partnership agreed between British Cycling and Cumberland Council to grow cycling and tourism links in the region.
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Cumbria Combined Authority also provided support for the event.
Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes claimed victory in the opening stage sprint, taking the first leader’s jersey of the race. Italy’s Chiara Consonni finished second, while Britain’s Josie Nelson secured third place.
The event attracted large crowds throughout the day, with spectators gathering across the route to cheer on the riders. It also offered a chance to look ahead to an even bigger cycling spectacle, as visitors to the Cockermouth fan zone were able to see the Tour de France Grand Départ trophy and learn more about plans for 2027.
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Preparations for the Tour de France Grand Départ are already well underway, and organisers are now recruiting thousands of volunteers to help deliver the event.
Applications are open for JOY Maker volunteers, with opportunities available across all six stages of the event. Volunteers will play a key role in creating a memorable experience for riders, visitors and communities as one of the world's biggest sporting events comes to the UK.
Anyone interested in getting involved has until Tuesday 1 September 2026 to register their interest.
Photos by Stuart Walker.
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Also in this weeks edition:
As we approach the bank holiday, we want to ensure you know how to access our services during this time.
Some offices - including Carlisle’s Civic Centre and Cumbria House, Allerdale House in Workington, and Market Hall in Whitehaven - will be closed to customers on Monday 31 August
The main customer number (0300 373 3730) will close at 4.30pm on Friday 28 August and will reopen following the bank holiday on Tuesday 1 September at 9am. There will be no changes to refuse and recycling collections. If you have a scheduled collection on Monday 31 August, it will take place as normal.
Household Waste Recycling Centres will also be open as usual. For opening times and locations visit https://bit.ly/4cJJRIQ
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After months of hard work, revision and preparation, young people across Cumberland received their GCSE results this week. The results will help shape their next steps into sixth form, college, apprenticeships, training or employment.
Construction is underway on an Enterprise Campus based in Leconfield Industrial Estate in Cleator Moor.
We have appointed Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure Ltd to build Unit 9 and Unit 12.
The new units are expected to be available from late 2027.
The Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) Enterprise Campus is an economic regeneration initiative led by Cumberland Council with funding and support from Government through Town Deal and Levelling Up programmes, and other strategic partners including the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd.
The development of the site forms part of the wider regeneration programme being delivered across West Cumbria by iSH focused upon delivering economic growth opportunities around robotics, manufacturing and digital.
The Carlisle International Market returns next weekend!
From 27 to 31 August, Carlisle city centre will be filled with international flavours, artisan products and unique gifts as the popular International Market returns for the Bank Holiday weekend.
The International Market will be open:
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Thursday 27 August: 9am to 6pm
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Friday 28 August: 9am to 6pm
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Saturday 29 August: 9am to 6pm
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Sunday 30 August: 10am to 5pm
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Bank Holiday Monday 31 August: 10am to 5pm
Alongside a wide selection of continental and international cuisine, visitors can browse arts, crafts, fresh produce and speciality products from traders travelling from across Europe and beyond. Stalls will offer everything from handmade jewellery, clothing, candles and garden ornaments to unique gifts and artisan products. There will also be plenty of food and drink to enjoy, including gyros, kebabs, curries, tagines and Afro-Caribbean street food, alongside sweet treats such as macarons, tiramisu, baklava, Turkish delight and Portuguese tarts. Other favourites, including burgers, hog roast, dirty fries and a selection of beers and wines, will also be available throughout the event.
Carlisle’s regular Friday market will continue as usual on Friday 28 August, operating from the top of English Street. Visitors can browse a range of local produce, handmade crafts, gifts, clothing and other goods from local traders.
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An election for the Cumberland Council Harraby South ward was held on 20 August 2026.
The results are as follows:
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ALCROFT, Ruth Elizabeth - The Labour Party Candidate - 469
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CURRIE, Rob - The Conservative Party - 236
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KELLY, Stuart - Liberal Democrats - 23
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KEMP, Rose-Ellen - Green Party - 29
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KIRKWOOD, Josh - Reform UK - 560
Therefore Josh Kirkwood has been duly elected as councillor for the Harraby South ward of Cumberland Council.
Turnout was 27.89%. The size of the electorate was 4,733 and the number of ballot papers issued was 1,320.
Students across Cumberland are celebrating their hard work and achievements as A Level, T Level and other post-16 examination results are published today.
Provisional results indicate a positive picture for Cumberland, with all measures showing improvement compared to 2025.
Data shared by schools shows that the average Level 3 points score increased from 31.06 in 2025 to 33.09 in 2026, an increase of 2.03 points. Average A-Level points also rose from 31.35 to 32.76, while improvements were also recorded across academic and applied general qualifications.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat with the Cumberland Sports Village team at Workington AFC Official and Workington Town Rugby League Football Club last weekend.
It was great to meet supporters, residents and stakeholders, share the latest updates on the project, showcase the newest CGI visualisations and answer your questions about the plans for the new facility.
Your feedback and interest are helping to shape the project as it moves towards the next stage of delivery. If you didn't get chance to speak to the team, don't worry. The project website will soon be updated with the latest information, visualisations and key milestones, so keep an eye out for further updates.
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Essential resurfacing works planned on A69 Warwick Road in Carlisle
We will be carrying out essential carriageway resurfacing works on the A69 Warwick Road in Carlisle to help keep the road safe and in good condition for road users.
The works will take place between the Tesco junction and Tillbury Avenue and are scheduled to begin on Sunday 23 August for six nights, subject to weather and site conditions.
The works will take place between 7pm and 1am each night. The road will reopen at approximately 3am to allow time for the newly laid material to cure.
Public invited to help shape speed limits across North Cumberland
Have your say on a series of proposed speed limit changes across North Cumberland as part of its ongoing commitment to improving road safety across the area.
An informal consultation on 22 Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will run from Monday 17 August to Monday 7 September 2026, giving local communities the opportunity to review the proposals and provide feedback.
The proposals and supporting information will be available to view on the council's Traffic Regulation Order webpage from Monday 17 August.
Anyone wishing to comment on any of the proposals can submit their views by email to TROresponses@cumberland.gov.uk. Responses must be received by Monday 7 September 2026 and should clearly quote the proposal number and location. Comments both in support of, and objecting to, the proposals are welcome.
For more information and to view the proposals from Monday 17 August, visit the Cumberland Council Traffic Regulation Order webpage:
Our zero-tolerance approach to littering has led to a Carlisle man being ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £460 after he ignored a Fixed Penalty Notice issued for dropping a cigarette end in the city centre.
The offence took place on Devonshire Street in December 2025 when the individual was witnessed throwing a cigarette end onto the pavement outside a local restaurant before walking away.
The Rock Youth Project Community Open Day
We're excited to be bringing The Teenage Market to The Rock Youth Project Community Open Day in Carlisle on Saturday 5 September.
This is a fantastic opportunity for young people aged 8 to 25 to showcase their talents, sell their products, and gain valuable experience in a real trading environment.
With only 9 trader spaces available book your place now.
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The Teenage Market in Workington
The Teenage Market is coming to Workington for the first time on Saturday 12 September as part of Cumberland Council's Festival of Curiosities, and we want you to be part of it!
Whether you're an artist, baker, crafter or budding business owner, this is your chance to showcase your talents, sell your products, and meet new customers.
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Work began this week on a brand-new play area in Heysham Park, replacing the existing facility between Green Lane and Castlesteads Drive.
The new play space will be built alongside the current play equipment, meaning most of the existing play area can remain in use while construction takes place.
Groundworks and site preparation started on Monday 17 August, with specialist play equipment company Kompan Scotland Ltd then installing the new equipment and surfacing. The £85,000 project is being funded by Cumberland Council and is expected to be completed within 6 to 8 weeks.
Work will take place on weekdays only, and we'll do everything we can to keep disruption to residents and park users to a minimum while we create a fantastic new space for local families to enjoy.
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Do you live or work in Blennerhasset? We'd love to hear from you.
Join us at Blennerhasset and Baggrow Village Hall’s coffee morning on Wednesday, 2 September.
Representatives from our Lakes to Sea Community Panel will be there asking for your top three priorities for Blennerhasset. We’re finding out what’s great about the village and what needs investment. This will help guide future funding, both for the council and for other organisations.
There’s still time to get involved in our consultation on the proposed Thirlmere West Active Travel Route, which aims to create safer and more accessible connections for walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders between Wythburn and Legburthwaite.
Your feedback will help us understand how people currently use the route, identify key challenges and opportunities, and inform any future proposals.
Can't make it to a drop-in event? You can still have your say by completing our online survey:
No decisions have been made at this stage, and we're keen to hear from residents, businesses and visitors before any future plans are developed.
Missing a council tax payment can lead to additional costs and unnecessary stress.
Sign up for our free council tax text message service and receive reminders when your instalments become overdue, helping you stay on top of your account.
Your privacy and security are important to us. Any information you provide when signing up is collected and stored securely and will only be used to provide this service.
We will never ask you to provide passwords, bank details or other sensitive personal information by text message. If you are unsure about a message, verify this by contacting our council tax team.
Children across Cumberland have been enjoying Burps, Beats and Big Imaginations, an interactive workshop with author Salma Zaman, inspired by her book Benji & His Bellowing Burps.
Packed with music, storytelling, rap-writing, poetry and plenty of laughter, the sessions encourage children to get creative and let their imaginations run wild. Designed for children aged 7 to 11, the workshops are also fully SEND-inclusive, ensuring everyone can take part and enjoy the experience.
The workshops have already proved popular, but there are still tickets available for upcoming sessions at Workington and Whitehaven Libraries. Families are encouraged to book soon to avoid missing out on this fun and engaging experience.
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A new community rail project is helping people with disabilities gain the confidence and skills to travel independently by train while promoting some of the outstanding attractions along the Cumbrian Coast Line.
Developed by Community Rail Cumbria, part of Cumberland Council, in partnership with Northern Trains Ltd and three local Day Services groups – West House, Carlisle Day Services, and Allerdale & Copeland Day Opportunities, the "Ticket to Independence" project has created a series of unique display panels showcasing local walks, cycling routes, heritage sites, nature attractions and trails.
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Join Team Cumberland
See if there is a job for you at Cumberland Council on our jobs page. You can also find out more about life at the council on our dedicated careers page.
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