Bristol Trades On Its Vibrant Past

Bristol is a city that has never really stood still. It made its name as a great trading port and a centre of innovation and invention, and the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel epitomised everything that the city stood for, his incredible feats include the development of the Great Western Railway to London and the design of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, as well as ships like the Great Britain, Great Eastern and Great Western.

Although remains found by archaeologists have dated human activity back some 60,000 years, public perception of this beautiful city has always been that this is a centre of innovation and expansion, a place that never rests on its laurels. Latterly the development of the Concorde supersonic aeroplane at Filton continued to cement Bristol's reputation for invention.

Trace history back to the latter days of the 15th century, and you will find the Italian navigator and explorer John Cabot coming to Bristol for sponsorship because the city had a reputation as being the only such city to have experience in expeditions of exploration.

A lot of this marine heritage is still available for you today to enjoy a short holiday break, for despite savage bombing during the Second World War resulting from its coastal importance, many fine old buildings and their surroundings remain intact today.

Redevelopment of the old docks area has resulted from the docks area being moved further down the Avon, and there are many modern family-based attractions. For more traditional tourist attractions, seek out places such as Bristol Cathedral and the famous Bristol Zoo. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building and displays many building designs and styles reflecting its long and varied history. Originally founded in 1140 it displays some features that were incorporated as late as 1888.

Bristol Zoo was founded in 1836, and is deemed to be the world's oldest provincial Zoo. Kids will love Explorers Creek and there is an aerial ropes course, known as ZooRopia.

Make sure that you find time to take in the views from the spectacular Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge, and the Cabot Tower, named after the aforementioned John Cabot who sailed from Bristol and landed in what became known as Canada in 1497.

Bristol also boasts a superb aquarium that is to be found in the Harbourside area. There are displays and exhibitions that include a full sized re-creation of a sunken ship. At-Bristol is a state of the art interactive science centre, while for something a little bit more sedate try a few hours at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Brunel's SS Great Britain takes centre stage as the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic, doing so in 1845 on a journey that took only fourteen days

As Bristol is regarded as Britain's eighth largest conurbation, you would expect it to deliver the goods as a fabulous tourist destination. Whether it is culture or down to earth old fashioned enjoyment, it really hits the mark.

Brighton Council Boss Highlights Problems Caused By Spending Cuts

Proving that there are financial difficulties even in the so called “prosperous South of England”, the leader of Brighton council, Jason Kitcat, has been drawing attention to the spending cuts of 2.8% that will be imposed on the city resulting from a new plan to fund local government.

Some town halls will receive more money, and local government secretary Eric Pickles claimed the new plan to fund town halls represented “a bargain for local authorities”. He added new handed-down responsibilities would give council bosses more incentives to improve their areas.

But politicians across Sussex warned reduced funding would hit services, residents and staff hard. The changes announced take into account the Government transferring a number of powers, such as administering council tax benefit and providing emergency funding to those in need, to local authorities. With town hall finance chiefs breaking down the detail, the full impact is not yet clear.

From April, Whitehall will also allow town halls to keep a portion of business rates collected in their areas, claiming the move “rewards those which improve their communities”. Mr Pickles claimed councils like Brighton and Hove, which had proposed a council tax rise for the coming year, were letting their residents down by “crying wolf”.

He urged local authorities to take advantage of a one-off sum to freeze the rates for 2013/14. The minister also produced a list of “50 ways to save” which he claimed would mean councils were run more efficiently.

But Coun Kitcat said he did not feel government funding should be allocated in a “robotic nature”. He added: “There’s no way a government minster can comprehend the diversity and the needs of areas.

“The only way they can do this is by devolving more power to councils rather than this pretend localism where ministers continue to hold the purse strings.” With more than £20 million of savings to be found, Coun Kitcat said there was some “room to manoeuvre” in the budget plans for next year, which will be discussed by all councillors in February.

In a telling phrase, Coun Kitcat said “We’re not a typical south east city. We’re not a Woking or a Guildford.” This serves to highlight the problem that arises when whole areas of Britain are assumed to have the same high standard of living. Even in the south east of England, there are obviously the haves and the have nots.

Dr Who Exhibition to Get New Neighbours in Cardiff

Building work is starting on a centre for creative industries on the final section of undeveloped land along Cardiff Bay's waterfront. The BBC's Roath Lock studios and Doctor Who Experience attraction have already opened as part of the Porth Teigr development.

Work is now beginning on the Welsh government's £6m flagship centre for creative industries. The building will create office space and should be open by June 2014.

The Porth Teigr project - to create a hub for the creative industries - will host up to 8,000 jobs when completed, the Welsh government said.

As well as studios and office space, the finished development will include shops, restaurants and some 1,000 homes. Business Minister Edwina Hart officially cut the turf to start the construction of the creative centre on Wednesday. When the centre was given the go-ahead by planners in October she said it had the potential to "act as a catalyst to create a strong sector cluster".

"Wales has a strong and diverse creative industries sector which has been identified as one of our strategically important economic sectors with high growth potential," she added.

The BBC's Roath Lock drama village - the first building work completed on the site - has been given a Breeam outstanding certificate for its green credentials. Breeam is an environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings.

The studio complex was the first industrial building in the UK to get the highest possible environmental rating. The new six-storey creative centre will also be built to Breeam standards and will have environmentally friendly features to minimise energy consumption and reduce the need for heating and cooling.

It will be the first building at Porth Teigr to provide office space to private companies and can accommodate up to 300 staff. It will be located directly opposite the BBC studios, overlooking the waterfront. The Welsh government has spent £12m on a road and bridge to the 38-acre Porth Teigr site, part of the old Roath Dock which was built in 1874.

The centrepiece of the development is Roath Lock, which is home to BBC programmes including Doctor Who, Casualty, the Welsh-language drama Pobol y Cwm and children's drama Wizards vs Aliens. Porth Teigr is also home to two new visitor attractions - World of Boats and the Doctor Who Experience.

One Step Forward, One Step Back For Major Bournemouth Redevelopment

Described as the biggest town centre redevelopment in Bournemouth’s history, the regeneration scheme of the Winter Gardens has been put before the planning board with a recommendation for refusal.

“It's an improvement but still not good enough” – that’s the verdict on the redrawn proposals. The plans are indeed ambitious with plans for apartments, hotel and a cinema.

Planning officers accept the town centre site has the potential for a mixed-use scheme and say the scheme is markedly improved from the first set of plans, which were submitted in January and withdrawn two months later.

But there are still concerns that the buildings are too dominant and out of character with the surrounding area, that the public square is not grand enough to be a focal point and that the cinema is tucked away towards the back of the development.

The report that was put before councillors on Monday stated: “The overall scale is inappropriate to the aims of the Area Action Plan and the development will not respect the character of the former Winter Gardens site and will not produce a good enough quality development between the Hotel and Terrace Mount sites.”

The scheme, which would cost around £75million to build, comprises a cinema, external piazzas for winter ice skating and public events, restaurants, a new 100 to 120-bedroom hotel, around 141 residential apartments and 595 car parking spaces.

They say there is interest from an “internationally-known American leisure operator” to run the cinema and leisure elements and that Accor Group has confirmed interest in running the hotel as a full-service Novotel.

Cllr Dave Kelsey, the chairman of Bournemouth’s planning board, said: “We will look at every aspect of it and make a decision accordingly. It’s a massive scheme for Bournemouth so it’s important we get it right.”

Motor Vessel Balmoral Won't Sail in 2013

Disappointing news from Waverley Excursions Ltd, that the motor vessel Balmoral, the fleet mate of the Waverley itself is unlikely to sail next year.

Kathleen O’Neill, chief executive of Waverley Excursions Ltd, said that the Balmoral’s cruise programme had been disrupted in recent years by bad weather, and that to continue to operate the ship in 2013 would risk the viability of both the Balmoral and the Waverley.

The Balmoral was bought by the Waverley’s owners, the Waverley Steam Navigation Company Ltd, in 1985 to boost the company’s earnings as a way of safeguarding the Waverley’s future.

In a letter to Waverley and Balmoral stakeholders, Ms O’Neill said: “Balmoral’s operation has been hampered increasingly in recent years by extreme weather conditions. This has led to many cancelled or disrupted sailings, which has had a significant impact on that ship’s contribution to operating results. Waverley’s timetable is less susceptible to such disruptions.

“Clearly, we are unable to predict the weather for 2013, but none of the forecasters is predicting a significant improvement over recent years. After taking a wide range of considerations into account, we have decided, reluctantly, that it would be too great a risk to operate Balmoral next year and that doing so would increase the threat to the future of both ships.

“We are not in a position to take such a risk and so we will not be operating Balmoral on a programme of cruises in 2013.

“At the moment Balmoral is being looked after on a care and maintenance basis by volunteers in Bristol. We are looking at alternative ways of utilising the ship in 2013 and, over the coming months, we will seek to identify a robust operating programme to offer the prospect of returning her to service in 2014 and beyond.

“Waverley will operate her usual extensive programme visiting all the areas she has served for so many years.

“This has been a very difficult decision but we consider that it offers the best way in the current circumstances to ensure Waverley’s continued operation.”

Built at Woolston, near Southampton, and launched in 1949, the Balmoral’s annual cruise programme has in recent years been increasingly focussed on the waters of the Bristol Channel, south Wales and the south coast of England.

Her last spell in Scottish waters was a short programme of cruises from Oban in September.
The Waverley’s own future has been under threat in recent years due to a combination of poor weather, rising fuel costs and the economic downturn.

Donations from several public and private sector organisations and individuals, including Largs-based Euromillions jackpot winners Chris and Colin Weir, raised enough money to keep the paddler sailing during 2012, 65 years since her launch, while a development board has been formed to look at other ways in which the steamer might be a source of income.

Appledore Library Refuses to Die

In a world where everything seems to be dominated by big issues and national problems, it warms the cockles of your heart to hear of local people pulling together to save a community service that is danger of dying.

Such a story has caught my attention lately, where the community of Appledore in North Devon has pulled with the strength of Sampson himself to save and ultimately secure the future of their local library. This is not a subject that will normally catch the attention of the national press, but surely sums up the fortitude that locals sometimes have to show to protect their local facilities.

The story begins in January 2006, nearly seven years ago now when it was announced that twelve Devon libraries would close. Nick Arnold, local resident and author of the “Horrible Science” books has been at the forefront of the campaign to retain the library and describes in a recent article how the decision was made to fight rather than let it happen.

By forming the Friends of Appledore Library, they had a vehicle as a “campaign bus” to use as a focal point. Even a local “Queen Victoria” turned up to harangue council officials on a June 2006 Consultation Day!

By November of that year, it was deemed that the library would not close, but that in many ways was the start of more serious problems. The community's offer to run the library could only be short term (why should they fund a facility that most of Devon received for free?),

Not to be disheartened, the community convinced all candidates standing in the 2009 elections to include a pledge for full funding, and this was achieved. Other truths then had to be faced, the main one being that the building itself was not “fit for purpose” (modern phraseology for damp, shabby and no disabled access!)

There was no council money, so step forward local hero Walter Fowler who for years had been selling used books in an Appledore garage. £18,000 was forthcoming from this source and hey presto!, work could commence.

Heaps of depressing rubble gave raise to pessimistic thoughts, but Jim Jackson, another local hero project managed the whole thing despite falling off a ladder. Neighbours provided power, and Devon Libraries funded lighting and new heating.

On the 15th August this year the Friends plus Devon County Council formally celebrated the opening, with speeches and Walter Fowler cutting the ribbon.If you visit Appledore, find time to visit this bright, sparkling building. There is a first floor events room, but as Nick Arnold concludes, the greatest benefit is the invisible one, and that is the young lives that will blossom and gain hope through reading. Local spirit and determination has won out yet again.

Check out the web site below for full details of the Appledore Book Festival and plans for the 2013 event.

http://www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

Portmeirion – Different Things To Different People

Located in Gwynedd, North Wales on the estuary of the River Dwyryd about 2 miles south east of Porthmadog, Portmeirion is a popular tourist village and one of the top attractions in Britain. There are different reasons for this popularity as we shall see as we go along.

Tourists flock to the coastal village as much for the sheer curiosity value as anything else, for Portmeirion is an Italianate style extravaganza designed between 1925 and 1975 by the well known English born architect Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis, who moved to the area aged four as a return journey to his father's homeland.

He inherited a local property called Plas Brondanw in 1908 and set about restoring and improving it. Work began on the construction of Portmeirion around 1925, and incorporated fragments of demolished buildings, including works by a number of other architects.

Sir Clough always tried to distance himself from the suggestion that the village was based on Portofino by Genoa on the Italian Riveria, but didn't help his denial by regularly referring to the village when talking of the beauty of the atmosphere of the Mediterranean.

In 1931, Sir Clough purchased Castell Deudraeth from his uncle, although the intervention of the Second World War interrupted his plans to develop this part of the Portmeirion Estate, although funding has now allowed its conversion to a hotel to be completed.

Another reason that people find their way to Portmeirion is not only to experience the atmosphere, but also to say that they purchased some of the beautiful Portmeirion Pottery that is on sale at a superbly presented showroom on site.

Founded in 1960 by Sir Clough's daughter Susan, the Portmeirion Pottery business was started from an existing small company in Stoke, and with the subsequent purchase of another small business a year later. The company purchased the Royal Worcester and Spode brands in 2009, cementing its place in the ceramics industry.

The third and perhaps most captivating reason for the popularity of the village is the fact that it was used as the setting for the cult TV series, “The Prisoner” which surprisingly lasted only between 1966 and 1967.

The village still hosts conventions and remains virtually unchanged from those days. Sir Clough insisted that the real life setting was not revealed until the final episode to avoid overcrowding and used the same reason to justify the levy of an entrance fee.

So whatever your reason, investigate Portmeirion and let it work its charm on you.

http://www.portmeirion-village.com

http://www.portmeirion.co.uk

http://www.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk

Fintona Comes Up Trumps With £1 Million Windfall

If you are small community located in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, supporting a community of some 1,400 hardy souls, it is pretty dramatic news when you find out that you have come into serious money.

Step forward Fintona, eight miles away from the county town of Tyrone, which is celebrating news that the area is to receive a £1 million windfall which will be spread over the next 25 years. The Fintona Community investment fund is being provided by the owners of the relatively small eight turbine Screggagh wind farm, built in 2010-11, which is located in the townland of the same name just outside Fintona.

The investment will be £40,000 per annum, (£5,000 per turbine), index linked to keep in line with inflation for a minimum of 25 years or the lifetime of the wind farm, and result in a minimum of £1 million investment at today’s value in local community initiatives. The cheques have already been signed on the first year’s instalment of £40,000 which will go towards a range of cross-community groups in the area.

Sinn Fein’s Frankie Donnelly said he has been involved in the negotiations with the company to finalise the funding on behalf of the wider Fintona community.

Following securement of the investment, Cllr Donnolly stated, “It has been a priority of ours for some time now in West Tyrone to ensure that local communities benefit from the installation of wind turbines in our communities.

“We have taken the initiative and engaged with wind farm developers/owners and the renewables industry in an effort to progress this. The renewable Industry’s response has been mixed.

“Whilst wind turbines are not favoured by everyone, where they are installed the local people and community structures should benefit, in that way sustainable energy can also contribute to sustainable communities and that is the intention for Fintona.”

Screggagh Wind Farm Ltd said it is “delighted” to make this commitment to the local area and town of Fintona.

A spokesperson said, “Screggagh was ten years in development before coming into operation last year, and whilst this fund was not part of the original plan, we do recognise that it is important to make a local contribution to community life.

“The case put to us by local elected representatives on behalf of Fintona was very convincing and our commitment to the 25 year Fintona Fund is in keeping with how we see ourselves as a socially responsible company. To demonstrate this commitment, the first year’s funding has been allocated to a range of local groups in the form of sponsorship totalling £40,000”.

This announcement comes on top of the recent £190,000 allocated to Fintona from ARC North-West through Dard’s Rural Development Programme.

Climate Change is Altering Plans for Next Year's East of England Show

Another example of how the change in our weather patterns is affecting the social calendar during the year came to light during the last week. A short while ago we were blogging about the Bridgwater Festival, one of the biggest carnival events of the autumn season, and describing how the number of floats was smaller because of greater problems in raising funds.

This question surfaced again, when we featured the outrageously popular “blazing tar barrels” of Ottery St. Mary where it was shown in some detail how poor weather conditions had impacted greatly on fund raising events.

Now, we hear that the organisers of the high profile East of England Show held in Peterborough in July are being forced to sit down and reconsider where the show goes from here following a pretty disastrous year with significant losses having been suffered.

Whilst denying claims that next year's show has been cancelled, Jeremy Staples, society chief executive, said: “The unprecedented wet weather at last year’s East of England Show resulted in significant losses for the East of England Agricultural Society and as a result, officials are reviewing plans for the event in 2013.

“A number of agricultural shows suffered similar issues in the summer with unrelenting wet weather – with some cancelled halfway through and others which were called off completely. Others soldiered on and subsequently suffered financial losses.”

Organisers have further denied suggestions that the losses ran as high as £400,000, but admitted that proposed changes would mitigate against similar weather conditions next year.

He said: “2013 will be a transitional year for the show and give us time to refocus our objectives which are education, Food Direct From The Farm campaign and rural life.”

He also pledged there will be three events taking place during one weekend in July including an education event – where the society expects more than 3,000 children to attend – a livestock event featuring cattle and sheep and a Food Direct From The Farm food festival.

He added: “From there, we will review the event for 2014.”

Shailesh Vara, MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said: “The show is a premier event for the area and it really is very regrettable to see that it’s in difficulties caused partly by the very bad weather.

“I very much hope, and I will do whatever I can to assist to ensure, that we continue to put on a premier show which I know is enjoyed by thousands in and around the area.”

Cromwell's Look Out Post Receives Lottery Grant

A fascinating story dating back to Cromwellian times has surfaced as a result of a successful application for a lottery grant. It recalls a not very pleasant time in the history of St. Cybi Church in Holyhead, Anglesey when it suffered at the hands of Cromwell's troops, not the first time in its chequered history that it had received rough treatment.

Let's sort this lottery thing out first. Although it was the last of the times that the church was used and abused, it had a pretty fundamental effect on the external appearance when a further seventeen feet was added to the existing tower in 1650, not to enhance the beauty of the building, but to increase its effectiveness as a look out post over the coast to provide greater warning against pirates. The church had not been well treated at this time as Cromwellian soldiers had been garrisoned there and had systematically destroyed the interior windows, font, tombs and statues. The empty niches in the porch stand in testament to their actions. Thankfully, the carvings above the door survived.

Now holding a Grade I listing, St. Cybi, which is located on the Wales Coastal Path has landed £4,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Wales heritage body Cadw has said it may give a grant of £21,000 to work at the 13th Century church.

The vicar, Rev Jane Bailey, said £111,000 is needed to complete the repairs. Rev Bailey said the renovation work would include removing vegetation growing on the tower and re-pointing the stonework. She added: "It is estimated approximately 10,000 visitors a year come to see the church, making it a key part of the community for businesses as well as residents.

"This work will help preserve the building for future generations of both worshipers and visitors and will greatly improve the visual appearance of Holyhead's most important building."

St. Cybi's can be dated back to Roman times, where it was within the protection of an abandoned Roman fort. St. Cybi was a first cousin of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. He ended his days here, having preached widely throughout Gaul, Cornwall, Devon and South Wales as well as more locally.

He died in 554 AD. The church was sacked by the Vikings in the 10th century and suffered further violation when Henry IV's army invaded Anglesey from Ireland in 1405, most of Wales being under the control of Owain Glyndwr at the time.

The Friends of St. Cybi are also delighted to report that the restoration work is complete on the sun dial. Check out their web site on:

http://www.stcybi.co.uk

Berwick – The Border Town with the Confusing History

With the plethora of local government changes that seem to take place with regularity, you can be forgiven for wondering where exactly you live half the time. Those responsible for the changes point to the fact that nothing stays the same forever, and with population patterns being fluid, and towns and cities becoming better known as conurbations, the needs of cities become very different to the needs of counties.

Hence the arrival of places such as Cleveland, Teeside, Avon, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and so on. Powys takes in old Welsh counties such as Brecknockshire, Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire, and Scottish counties can be mystery, even to the Scots themselves.

But having been a little critical of the “change for change sake” attitude, at least you wake up each morning knowing what country you live in. Five hundred years ago, living in the border town of Berwick on Tweed, you wouldn't even had enjoyed that luxury. For the price that the poor old town paid for being set on one of the most disputed borders in Britain was that it changed ownership between England and Scotland on no less than twelve occasions.

Even now, with ownership having been settled with the English since 1482, there are many people who would consider that Berwick is more Scottish than English. The home town team play their football in the Scottish league system, the “on-Tweed” part of the name suggests a more Scottish background, and the local accent is definitely rooted more in the north of the border than the south.

As a town it had a certain wealth which made it appealing, although its position was of equal significance. The result was that England and Scotland fought over this small patch of land as if there were no tomorrow. The French, always a nation with an eye to the main chance, also came into the picture, but we won't dwell on that for the moment.

William Wallace's arm being waved about (without the rest of him) in 1305 was one of many indignities that poor old Berwick had to contend with. Having said that, all of this military to-ing and fro-ing has left a wide range historic remains that now form the backbone of a thriving tourism industry. After all that it has been through, surely it is no more than Berwick deserves.

Top of the list would surely be Berwick Castle, although the fact that it is a ruin is not wholly surprising. All of the action that it has seen surely makes up for the number of other castles throughout the country who have seen very little action at all. Edward I took an oath of allegiance here in the thirteenth century, but the all-action Victorian industrialists built a railway platform on the very spot! Conservation is a word that meant little to our nineteenth century forebearers.

Equally as impressive are the Elizabethan town walls. £129,000 these days can buy you a reasonable house in some parts of the country, but in those times you could encircle a whole town and still have change. They hold a Grade I listing these days, although once again, they destroyed a lot of what was there previously. This is a theme that is developing here, namely Berwick gets there in the end but has to survive a lot of knocking about first.

The ramparts surround the town, there being only four access points. Wonderful town and North Sea beach views can be obtained during the three quarters of an hour that it takes to complete the walk.

There is one particularly curiosity about Berwick's history that had mighty Russia quaking in its boots and that was the fact that Berwick was once at war with that country. Historically some proclamations were made “in the name of England, Scotland and the town of Berwick-on-Tweed”, such as a “minor” one in 1850 when war was declared on Russia and the Crimean War ensued. When peace was eventually ratified, the wording “Berwick-on-Tweed” was left out, leaving Berwick, shall we say, slightly exposed. Fortunately things have been resolved, so that the Russians could at last sleep at night.

Look out for the viaduct that was opened on completion by Queen Victoria in 1850, having been designed by Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson of “The Rocket” fame. It looks fabulous when floodlit, a fine introduction to the town. Enjoy the attractions, the farmers markets and the Northumberland National Park, as well as the Heritage Coastline. Take the chance to pop over the border into Scotland, just a couple of miles north of the town. You never know, it could be time for a change again!

A Chance To Name The New Forth Road Bridge

The general public are to be offered the chance to name the new Forth Replacement Crossing, with a panel of civic, business and community representatives considering all entries, and then shortlisting names for a final public vote next year.

The construction programme is Scotland's largest infrastructure project in a generation and began last year with a projected completion date in 2016. A completion date for the new crossing was brought forward in the wake of concerns about the condition of the Forth Road Bridge, which is now more than 40 years old.

The new structure will take advantage of modern state of the art wind shielding, allowing it to remain open in more turbulent conditions than its predecessor can stand.

The money for the project is coming from the Scottish government's capital budget, and is expected to support more than 1,200 new jobs during construction and protect up to 3,000 posts. The bridge itself is costing £790m, while the the Forth crossing project - including motorway upgrades - is to cost between £1.45bn and £1.6bn.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "The Forth Replacement Crossing, as it is currently known, is an exciting, iconic and economically vital project that we want the people of Scotland to take pride in.

"We fully recognise that finding the appropriate name for the new bridge is a matter of considerable interest both locally and nationally.

"It is absolutely right then that the people of Scotland have the final say on the identity of this historic project."

Jan Short, of North Queensferry Community Council, said: "The building of this bridge is an historic event in the life of a village which is already steeped in history.

"The new bridge is very significant to the village of North Queensferry in many ways and it is important that we are represented on the bridge naming advisory panel."

Festive Blackpool Proves That It Is A Winter Resort As Well

With the decorations coming out of hibernation, Blackpool leaps to the fore to prove that it is more than a sunshine, candy floss and sun cream resort.

There are great shows on offer, and whether you fancy a family day out, an evening with friends or even a bit of retail therapy, Blackpool most certainly has it covered. For families everywhere Christmas means that it is panto’ season with Britain’s favourite holiday resort offering not one, but two spectacular pantomimes to choose from. Surely not ? Oh yes it is!

The Blackpool Tower Circus presents Alice's Adventures in Mooky's Circus Wonderland from November 24th to January 20th, while at The Grand Theatre it is Cinderella starring Emmerdale's Danny Miller and Milkshake's Amy Thompson.

The Grand will also feature a variety of events over the holidays including Beyond the Barricade on December 11th and a Christmas Concert with carols and Poulton-le-Fylde Brass Band on Tuesday 18th.

If it is thrills you are after then Nickelodeon Land at Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be transformed into a winter wonderland for twelve very special days of Christmas. Enjoy 12 amazing rides, a visit to Father Christmas in his Grotto and much more on selected dates throughout December.

For ice lovers there is also the opportunity to see Peter Pan’s Adventures on Ice at The Arena, Blackpool Pleasure Beach between December 23rd and January 1st.

At Blackpool Zoo, Santa's Christmas Workshop will take place on the 15th and 16th December where you can leave your children for two hours of fun making presents for the animals, eating a HUGE breakfast and meeting Santa and his reindeer.

Four free live shows will entertain visitors at North Pier over the festive season until December 22nd. Every Wednesday there’s Roberts ‘n’ Ashcrofts’ Christmas Cabaret, Thursday’s it is songstress Sara Cheston and That Swing Thing Band, Friday nights sees The Kasuals return to the Merrie England Showbar and joining the Christmas line-up every Saturday afternoon will be comedian Joey Blower with his Christmas House Party.

Meanwhile if you fancy an evening of glitz and glamour why not head down to Funny Girls where you are promised a spectacular evening? The Christmas show features brand new routines, new sets and costumes, and an unforgettable new finale.

But before all that fun and entertainment there is shopping to be done. You can take advantage of late night shopping every Thursday until 8pm at Houndshill Shopping Centre which will be extended to every evening between December 17th and 23rd. There will also be free parking at Houndshill from 5pm until closing on Thursdays until December 27th, and at the West Street and East Topping Street car parks between 5pm and 9pm each Thursday until Christmas.

Great festive stuff, and a chance to check the place out. Maybe a test run for next year's summer holiday ?

Northumberland's Belford Now Has A Permanent Exhibition Of History

With a ceremonial cutting of ribbons, the Northumberland village of Belford has just celebrated the establishment of its own permanent exhibition exploring the hidden history of the village. Located in the 100 year old Reading Room, the project has come to fruition thanks to a £25,000 grant from the National Lottery Village SOS scheme and a further £5,000 from the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership.

There was a happy band of some 60 people present when Majorie MacDonald performed the ceremony last Friday. Marjorie , a local lady, has invested most of her life in supporting the Belford community in so many ways and whose Belford-based family can be traced back to the 19th century. All of this has come to fruition as a result of many months of work and preparation by Belford Community Group’s Hidden History sub-committee.

Fiona Renner-Thompson, whose previous history exhibitions have led to this great achievement for the village, thanked the Reading Room trustees and committee and all who had helped provide material for the exhibition and the team of workers which had made the exhibition a reality.

With her extensive local knowledge, Majorie was able to reveal that the Reading Room had at various times been the home for people who could go in and read their papers, the base of several very successful snooker and billiard teams, and the place for many fund-raising events. It would now fulfill a new function in housing the artefacts, photographs, writings and a computer-based interactive display of the history of the Belford area.

Majorie also asked Dr George MacDonald, a descendant of the long line of Belford Drs MacDonald, to present the Pitt Cup on loan to the exhibition. The cup was first presented for billiards in 1925 and finally won by her husband James MacDonald, who beat local dentist Geoff Stephenson.
She paid tribute to ‘an excellent job done by a dedicated few’ before cutting the ribbon.

The guests took the chance to look around the exhibition and completed their visit with refreshments in St Mary’s church gallery where they also enjoyed the work of local historian, Joan Wright, whose photographic history displays have become a permanent feature of the church.

The Belford and District Hidden History Exhibition is open daily from 10am and is free, although donations are welcome to assist with heating and lighting costs.

The grants to put the Reading Room back into use were allocated in April and the exhibition had opened in September to coincide with with Heritage Open Days in the village.

Belford is located between Alnwick and Berwick-on-Tweed, not too far from the east coast. Its history is well reflected in attractions such as Belford Hall, a Grade I listed Palladian style eighteenth century mansion house, and Spindlestone Ducket Mill, an 18th century tapering cylindrical stone tower with a conical roof of Welsh slate. Its previous usage is uncertain.

Westhall is a privately owned Victorian house built in the style of the castellated fortified house that it replaced on the same site. The moat that surrounded the original building can still clearly be seen. It is now in use as a farmhouse.

Back To Those Pylons Again!

You may have picked up on the blog that I wrote on the 7th November about the plans to construct electricity pylons across the Somerset levels linking the Hinkley Point C Power Station and Avonmouth.

It is becoming apparent that there is more than the usual amount of fluffing of local feathers about this plan, and the objectors include some well heeled celebrities in a lane that is known as millionaire's row.

You will recall that for part of its length, it is planned that the connector route will run underground, but what is really causing the squawking in the local hen house is the remainder of the length that will cut through this sensitive environmental area by way of pylons carrying 400,000 volts.

The millionaire's row in question is Cadbury Camp Lane in Clapton-in-Gordano, home to luminaries such as TV presenter Carol Voderman, and show biz agent John Miles. There is currently a line of pylons passing over the area, but the voltage carried is at the lesser figure of 132,000.

The new line will come over Tickenham Ridge, along Cuckoo Lane and over Cadbury Camp Lane and Caswell Lane before heading out over towards Portbury.

The new power line will replace the existing one which currently crosses Cadbury Camp Lane – where the average property costs around £2 million. Residents on the lane have already held a series of meetings and are currently putting together a fighting fund and drawing up a battle plan.
Mr Miles, who is helping to lead the campaign, said: "When we bought our properties we knew there was a 132,000 volt line and we accepted that.

"But what we don't accept is the need to replace this with a 400,000 volt, much larger line which we believe should be put underground.

"There are 44 houses along Cadbury Camp Lane and none of us want to have to pass under this much higher voltage cable which will just be metres above us each day.

"It has been proven that these electricity cables pose health risks and we do not want this over our heads or those of our children."

Mr Miles added: "National Grid has said itself it would cost just an additional £1 on people's bills to put this line underground.

"I am sure that everyone in this area would agree to have a little more on their energy bills to get this line underground. This is not just about fighting for the residents of Cadbury Camp Lane, but everyone affected by this new power line.

"But if National Grid thinks we are just a small group of people it can ride roughshod over, it is very much mistaken."

All parties appear to agree that the line is needed to bring the electricity into the power network, and certainly it seems possible that many sensitive areas will receive protection via underground cables. But National Grid have said that putting the whole route underground was not practical due to the costs.

People have until December 18 to make comments on the draft route.

National Grid will then consult on more detailed proposals before making a formal application for consent to construct the connection.

Broadband Boost For Scottish Highlands

Proving that there is nowhere in Britain that can't benefit from modern technology, Three's Rural Broadband Working Group, a UK-wide initiative which works with local politicians to identify areas with a need for broadband, is providing free access to high-speed broadband for rural areas in the Scottish Highlands.

Three said it is bringing almost four million megabytes of mobile broadband to people and businesses in the northern coastal areas of Melvich and Durness, as well as connecting the port in Invergordon.
The project will give away 20 devices to community hubs, families and local businesses, providing around three million web pages-worth of free access. This is the first time that the group has operated in Scotland and will see sites such as a community hall, a hotel and two cafes benefit from connection.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "The numerous educational, economic and social benefits brought about by high-speed internet are often slower to come to rural areas such as the Highlands, so initiatives like this are crucial.

"This is all part of a longer-term commitment to ensuring Scotland enjoys a world-class digital infrastructure across the entire country by 2020."

Speaking on behalf of Three, chief executive Dave Dyson said, “"With the Highlands having some of the most remote areas in Europe, these communities often don't have access to the benefits of high-speed broadband. We have built a network specifically for the internet and are passionate about using this to connect people wherever they are, whether this is in the Highlands or towns and cities around the UK."

There was obviously a positive response from the people who will benefit from this largesse, and Kevin Arrowsmith, of Durness Development Group voiced the views of all of them when he said,
"Internet access is absolutely key to the economic and social well-being of Highland communities which are otherwise disadvantaged by their extremely remote location, so the more broadband we can get the better."

High Profile Battle Brewing Between Shakespeare Lovers and Developers

“Not In My Back Yard” or NIMBY is a modern phrase that most of us have heard of, and a battle is brewing between of all people the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and local developers in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

For the back yard in question, is not just any old back yard, it is Anne Hathaway's back yard. Anne (1556 – 1623) was better known as Mrs. William Shakespeare, and they were married in 1582. Although older than William by about eight years, she outlived him by a further seven years.

It is very likely that Anne was born in the cottage, the daughter of a yeoman farmer, and the property is obviously one of the jewels in the crown of the Birthplace Trust. The government has given the go ahead for up to 800 homes to be built near the cottage in Shottery.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is against the proposals and has taken its appeal to the High Court. The plans include a primary school, a health centre and shops and were given the green light by the government following a public local inquiry.

The inquiry came about after developers Bloor Homes and Hallam Land Management appealed against the district council's original decision to oppose the plans. Some of the land earmarked for development close to the childhood home of William Shakespeare's wife is owned by the trust.

Mr Richard Hyde, the deputy chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust said: "We looked at whether this application harmed or benefitted the cottage, the garden and the environment and we concluded that it actually harmed it and therefore we objected.

"We went through quite a careful process, weighed up all the evidence and concluded that to fulfil our charitable objectives we had to object, we did object and we are still objecting."

Mr Hyde said any decision over whether to eventually sell could be taken out of their hands because of "compulsory purchase powers".

The Trust is responsible for amongst other things for the care of Shakespeare's Birthplace, Nash's House and New Place, Mary Arden's Farm and Hall's Croft.

Showing us that it is not downhearted by the turn of events, Anne Hathaway's Cottage is putting its best Christmas face on this coming weekend, when on 1st December (1.30 to 3.30) it will host an event entitled “A Dickens Of A Do” allowing you to enjoy a true Christmas atmosphere in the gardens with carols and readings from “A Christmas Carol” to celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens's birth.

Young Farmers Offered a Chance to Run £1 Million National Trust Farm

Cast your mind back a year or so, when the National Trust launched an appeal to buy Llyndy Isaf, a remote farm located in the Nant Gwynant valley in Gwynedd, North Wales. The appeal was successful, and attracted support from high profile celebrities such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Matthew Rhys. With a target figure of £1 million, it was the largest such appeal since Sir Anthony Hopkins led the Snowdon appeal a decade earlier.

Having now established ownership, it is the intention of the National Trust to offer what will be known as the Llyndy Isaf Scholarship, handing the keys of the farm over to specially selected young candidates to run the farm for a period of a year.

The Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) will select candidates. To be eligible for the Llyndy Isaf Scholarship, candidates have to be members of Wales YFC and aged between 18-26. Candidates will be invited for interview and shortlisted before the first successful candidate is revealed next year.

The farm includes Llyn Dinas Lake, and includes threatened species like kingfishers and otters. Trystan Edwards, who is the the National Trust's farming adviser for Wales said that the successful person will have the support of specialists at the Trust. "This initiative will ensure that the successful candidate can build their confidence and develop their skills," said Mr Edwards.

Wales YFC chief executive Nia Lloyd said the successful candidate would have the opportunity and responsibility of managing all aspects of running the farm from practical work and stock management to administration.

Dafydd Jarrett, NFU Cymru policy adviser, said the union welcomed any development that provides an opportunity for young people in agriculture.

"Welsh farming needs highly skilled young people to help take the industry forward in future," he said.

"Skills development for running and taking management responsibility for a hill farm will be an unmissable opportunity."

The farm was put on the market by the former owner who was retiring and had no one to carry on the work. It took only eight months of campaigning to raise the necessary funds.

Walk This Way Please, But Not On The Isle Of Wight

There seems to be a difference of opinion on the Isle of Wight between two well respected groups as to the best way forward to include the Isle of Wight in the UK's Coastal Path. The protagonists are the the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Isle of Wight Rambler's Association.

There has been a consultation process instigated by the Department of Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and CLA responded to this by saying that there was an opportunity for the Island to provide coastal access in a better way rather than the slow and expensive duplication process currently taking place in the rest of England.

Isle of Wight CLA regional director Belinda Walters said: "The Isle of Wight already has an excellent coastal path, recognised to provide very extensive access to its coastal areas.

"It is difficult to see how this could be improved, given that any areas which are currently inaccessible are likely to remain so.

"Most inland diversions are for reasons of public safety, for significant environmental reasons or because of the presence of homes, private parks and gardens, hotels, caravan parks or other land that would be exempted under the Act.

"In Wales — where the Marine and Coastal Access Act does not apply — an 870-mile path has been completed in the same time it has taken to duplicate some 20 miles of the South West Coast Path in Weymouth."

The Ramblers Association claimed that a completed coastal path could be worth about £35 million a year to the Island's economy, although Isle of Wight CLA chairman John Harrison said: "Claims there will be significant economic gain following increased coastal access are very much overstated.

"Wildlife organisations and the CLA have huge concerns about the impact that bringing access to sensitive wildlife areas might have on the very special environments on the Island," he said.

With the government launched consultation period having recently ended, we await developments in due course.

Let Me Introduce You To Anthea

The Anthea in question is a most remarkable young lady that it has been my pleasure to exchange e-mails within the last week or so. Her name is Anthea Barteau and during this year which is gently coming to a close, she set herself the tall challenge of covering (including running, hiking etc. etc) a total of 2012 miles for charity, to coincide with the number of the year.

She achieved this incredible feat with half of November and all of December to spare, although there is a little self interest in that decision as it would allow her to have a celebratory glass of champagne at the O2E Charity Ball. She has raised in excess of £3,000 during this year.

O2E (Ordinary 2 Extraordinary) is Anthea's chosen charity, which describes itself with the following mission statement -

To make a difference to the lives of seriously and terminally ill children, whilst encouraging and supporting all ages to embrace sport and adventure, get out of their comfort zones and live life to the full.

Early indications coming out are that the Ball was its usual roaring success, with about £25,000 raised on the night. There are different charities supported every year by O2E, the lucky recipients this year have been Sparkle, GetKidsGoing, EACH and Riverside, which is located in the London Borough of Bromley..

Back to Anthea, because I think that this is a young lady we are going to be featuring a lot in the coming year. When I asked her what were the ups and downs of her year she replied, “ups have been losing nearly a stone in weight and the highs one gets from working out. The lows have been falling behind and then having to try and complete 100 miles in a week which was draining at times”.

What I find amazing is that she is setting herself a new challenge for 2013, and that is to swim 201.3 miles, all the more remarkable as she herself says, “This will be quite a task for me as I am not a swimmer. I am signing myself up for lessons soon”!

Having exchanged a few e-mails with Anthea, I very quickly came to the conclusion that not only is her enthusiasm almost indestructible, but she would also be a wonderful karaoke partner at a party. To that she would probably answer “I'm a hopeless singer, but I'm signing up for lessons shortly!”

We at Brit Breaks intend to feature Anthea and her chosen charity throughout the coming year and I look forward to following her progress.

Hay-on-Wye Festival Winter Weekend

Not content with having one of the top literary events in the spring and summer social calendar, the Welsh border book town of Hay-on-Wye is also staking a claim to a top spot in the winter season, with the increased popularity of its Winter Weekend. This extravaganza is taking place this coming weekend Friday 30th November to Sunday 2nd December, centered at the Swan Hotel but also covering other venues around the lovely market town famous for having around 35 book shops operating at both ends of the book trade.

There are twenty nine events in total, starting with an opening Ceilidh at the Swan, and then proceeding gracefully into Saturday where the BBC's political correspondent, Nick Robinson, will be live from Downing Street talking to Peter Florence. That perennial “have a go guy”, Ben Fogle is also headlining and will be making an appearance at the Swan Hotel Ballroom at 4.30 on Saturday 1st December.

One event that caught my eye was a focus on the year 1922 by Keith Jackson, who will be occupying the Swan Ballroom about an hour and a half before Ben. For those ladies seeking to make their way in business, Kitty Corrigan, former Deputy Editor of “Country Living” will be holding a workshop which will also be attended by successful local entrepreneurs who have a story to tell.

The children are not forgotten with the Sea Legs Puppet Theatre in attendance, and there is a master class with writer Horatio Clare, who will be encouraging young writers to write a book in a day. Booths Bookshop will be the venue for the making of Christmas decorations.

Something special to look forward to is the opening of Hay Castle's doors for the first time in a long while, with guided tours being available by the Friends of Hay Castle. Local traders will be out in force with a fine selection of local produce and handmade clothes and gifts to solve your Christmas Gift problems.

Many other events will take place and the whole outrageous weekend comes to a raucous end at the Swan Ballroom with the Remi Harris Quartet. No doubt, reputations will be won and lost as Hay leads the way into a month of Christmas festivities.

Already the town is gearing itself up for the next Hay Festival which starts next year on May 23rd and runs through to the 2nd June 2013.


http://www.hayfestival.com/winterweekend/index.aspx?skinid=11

http://www.hay-on-wye.co.uk/info/event_detail.asp?eventid=6

It's About Time That Gwrych Castle Was Treated With Respect

It may be a man thing, but I definitely fall into the category that believes that seemingly inanimate objects have a life and soul of their own. I know that I am not alone, because I have spent time in the company of grown men who used to burst into tears when Concorde flew over, and who gurgle with delight when a restored steam engine gets up a head of steam to carry out some heavy task, albeit these days connected to the tourist trade.

The gracious sea going Cunard liners of today are jaw dropping in their majesty and appearance, and this brings us to another point, which is why these things are always referred to as “she”. Concorde was a “she”, the Flying Scotsman which was patently a “he” is often called “she”, and the great liners are always called “she” because they are all called “Queen something or other.”

But what about buildings? Well I suppose that the “she rule” probably still applies, but what if the property is a former stately home that is in need of considerable renovation? I suspect that with due deference to the fairer sex, these buildings are referred to as “it”, particularly if it has been treated badly of late.

Step forward Gwrych Castle, near Abergele in Conwy, North Wales, which is in need of renovation and has certainly been treated badly of late. It would be a travesty to call this property “she” and so for the moment at least it will have to be called “it”.

This is another blow to a most beautiful looking building, now effectively a ruin, that really has had a raw deal since its construction in the period 1819 to 1825. Commissioned by the illustrious sounding Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh it was the home of the Dundonald family for thirty years from 1894 to 1924. Winifred Cochrane, Countess of Dundonald willed the property to the Royal Family on her death in 1924, but it was refused and passed to the Venerable Order of St. John. It was purchased in 1928 by the Earl of Dundonald.

It served as a shelter for Jewish refugees during the Second World War, and after the war it was open to the public until 1985, enjoying many uses including banquets and mock jousting, an occasional venue for the dragon rally motorcycle event and even as a boxing training venue.

Regrettably from that time on it has passed through a nefarious group of owners, each one less competent than the last, and all the time the fabric of the building has deteriorated including ownership by an American during which time it was extensively vandalised and looted. It did appear in the film Prince Valiant in 1996, but obviously not for its charm and beauty.

It appears that the building is currently in the last chance saloon, having been purchased for £300,000 by a local development company, who are currently in the process of applying for planning permission to turn the castle into a luxury hotel.

It will be a massive undertaking, but let's hope that it is successful, and once again we can refer to the building as “she”. In the meantime the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust has been set up to highlight the plight of this wonderful building, and we would urge you to make yourself aware of what is happening. We will certainly be returning to this story again in the future.

http://www.gwrychtrust.co.uk

Coal is Making a Comeback!

We have already featured the efforts of the country to increase our reliance on renewable energy, particularly talk of the chances of a barrage across the River Severn, and the never ending rise of wind farms. Therefore, it was perhaps a little surprising to learn that the old “bete-noire” of the energy world, coal, has been enjoying a surprising resurgence.

Without doubt coal is the dirtiest and most polluting of all the major fossil fuels, and in this day and age you would think that bad publicity alone would sink its chances of cleaning up its public image. But, no, apart from renewables themselves, coal was the fastest growing energy source showing a six
per cent increase over the last two years. In achieving these figures, it beat both gas and oil.

What is also strange to report is that the advance of coal consumption has been most marked in a part of the world that describes itself as being at the forefront of the cleaner energy campaign, namely Europe.

One of the reasons is that coal is value for money in these recessionary times. Over production has result in an over supply, and consequently the price of coal has dropped quite dramatically. Another factor is that there has been a dramatic increase in the production of shale gas in America that has resulted in a cheaper energy source over there. Excess coal in America is being exported to Europe.

Some fascinating figures have been discovered as a result of market research.

·Coal is responsible for about 40% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions from fuels
·Coal generates almost a half of the total amount of electricity produced in the US
·Coal emits almost a third more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than oil, and 80% more than natural gas
·Coal provides about a quarter of the world's energy needs and it generates almost 40% of the world's electricity
·Almost 70% of total global steel production is also dependent on burning coal.

Interestingly, Germany has just made a decision to discontinue the use of nuclear power stations and build more coal fired stations. This will only increase the demand for coal in the long term.

Lincoln Cathedral - The World's Tallest Building for Over Two Hundred Years

Religion has been responsible for some of the greatest buildings in Britain. London would be severely diminished if it no longer had St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and cities such as York, Durham, Canterbury and Salisbury owe much of their fame and reputation to the fact that they are homes to wonderful cathedrals.

In days gone by, religious leaders held considerable power, and it was because of this reason that Henry VIII carried out the dissolution to curb the threat that he felt the church held over the monarchy.

These days, religious buildings, whether they be restored and in every day use, or whether they be ruins, left just as they were in Henry VIII's time, form the backbone of the British tourism industry, and one particular religious building that dominates its locality is Lincoln Cathedral.

Once described as “the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have”, Lincoln Cathedral dominates its locality in a way that few other buildings can match.

It is the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln, and it is suggested that work commenced originally in about 1088, and carried on for some considerable time, with periods of rebuilding required on several occasions. Taking its position opposite the newly constructed Lincoln Castle, it is constructed of local Lincolnshire limestone, and despite its historical ups and downs, it is suggested that the arches to the west front may date back to the time of the original construction.

The historical ups and downs that I refer to include a fire in 1141, and even an earthquake in 1185, enough to make any self respecting insurance company run for cover. From then on the construction of the cathedral appears to have been a case of two steps forward and one step back, with the experimental nature of the Gothic style resulting in the collapse of the cathedral's central tower in 1237. This was described by commentators of the time as “a great setback”, which is perhaps a slight understatement.

The central tower was built to its present height in the early fourteenth century, and as a result the cathedral was said to be the tallest building in the world until about 1549. From then onwards to this day, it has been subject to a continuing programme of maintenance and improvement, and subsequent generations have added the wonderful carved screen, the 14th century misericords, the Wren Library and the Duncan Grant frescoes.

Bishop Hugh was one of the witnesses to the signing of the Magna Carta by King John at Runnymede in 1215, another indication of the power held by the clergy. As a result, one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta is in the ownership of the cathedral and sits these days in Lincoln Castle.

Lincoln Cathedral played a part in helping returning air crews in the Second World War. There were many squadrons based in the county and the cathedral, being such an unmissable landmark, was a marvellous way for the aircraft to get their bearings on the return journey. It has also been used as a film setting, particularly in the Da Vinci Code and The Young Victoria, where it doubled as Westminster Abbey.

At the time that the spire of the cathedral was allegedly the reason that the cathedral was the tallest building in the world, it stood at 525 feet. These days the tallest building in the world is currently the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 2,722 feet, the best part of five times taller!

Jobs Boost At Wind Turbine Manufacturers

Whether you love them or hate them, wind turbines are in the news again this week, but this time it is for the right reasons. Areva, one of the biggest producers of wind turbines in Europe have announced their intention to locate the UK arm of the business in Scotland.

With the likelihood of up to 750 jobs in both the manufacturing and support supply chain, this is a tremendous boost to the Scottish economy. The work will revolve around the manufacture of blades and turbine casings and the deal setting out the intention to locate has been signed with the economic development agency Scottish Enterprise.

Possible locations around the country have been studied, with the current favourite being the east coast in the Firth of Forth.

Luc Oursel, chief executive of Paris based Areva, said “Scotland is known to be a pioneer in renewables and its commitment to offshore wind in particular was a key part of our decision to locate our future UK manufacturing base there.”

Areva said it will manufacture its five-megawatt turbines in Scotland for offshore projects in the UK, complementing its base at Le Havre which will supply France, Belgium and more southerly UK projects.

A third base in Bremerhaven, Germany, will help establish an operation to cover the European market, the firm said.

The Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, who was a witness to the agreement signed by Mr Oursel and Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said “The manufacturing of nacelles (turbine casings) and blades for these turbines in Scotland will deliver nationwide economic benefits as well as much welcome inward investment to the chosen location once that has been agreed.”

“This is another powerful example of how attractive Scotland is for international investors - and is indicative of our shared energy future.”

Prime Minister David Cameron described the news as “brilliant for Scotland”. Of course there has been a series of mixed messages about wind farms from the National Coalition government of late. Lib Dem energy secretary Ed Davey was forced to remind his junior minister, Conservative John Hayes to tow the line on policy when Mr. Hayes recently said that the country was “peppered” with onshore windfarms and that “enough is enough” when he spoke in newspaper interviews.

The question of wind farms remains an emotive issue, but what cannot be denied is that the industry has been responsible for the introduction of nearly £3 million into Scotland's renewable industry since 2009, and in these recessionary times that, at least, has to be good news.

France Comes To England at Waddesdon Manor

Although by no means the oldest of the majestic country houses in Britain, you would have to go a long way to beat the “wow” factor of Waddesdon Manor in the Buckinghamshire village of the same name.

Taking on the Neo-Renaissance style of a French chateau, Waddesdon Manor was commissioned by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild and was constructed between the years 1874 and 1889.

With a French architect, Destailleur, and a design based on the chateaux at Chambord and Maintenon, Baron Ferdinand appears to have achieved exactly the design that he wanted. The steel frame was revolutionary at the time, and the specification included features that were very much ahead of their time, including an electric bell system for the servants, central heating, and hot and cold running water in the bathrooms.

Already the owner of exception eighteenth century ceramics, furniture and tapestries, as well as Dutch and English paintings, the Baron installed his marvellous collection on completion of the building.

Set in an elevated position overlooking the village, the Manor also has an English landscape park and formal gardens and once again contains a striking French influence produced by the landscape architect Laine.

There is a lovely story concerning Queen Victoria, who having invited herself in order to view the exceptional gardens, was equally impressed with the electrical system that had been installed, and spent a full ten minutes turning a newly installed chandelier on and off.

There was sadness in Baron Ferdinand's life, as his wife Evelina died giving birth to their still born son in 1866. He built, equipped and endowed the Evelina Hospital For Sick Children in Southwark in her name.

When he died childless at the Manor at the early age of 59 in 1898, his collection was bequeathed to the British Museum, and the Manor to his unmarried younger sister, Alice, and thence to their nephew James, who bequeathed it to the National Trust on his death in 1957. At the time, the Trust also received what is, to this day, their largest ever endowment, equivalent to about £13 million in today's money.

Nowadays, the property is one of the jewels in the crown of the National Trust and has often attracted around 400,000 visitors per year. In 2003, there was a burglary and over 100 French snuff boxes and trifles were stolen, none of which have ever been recovered intact.

Kelmarsh Hall Set For Major Renovation Works

Set on the Northamptonshire/Leicestershire border, five miles south of Market Harborough, Kelmarsh Hall is a delightful eighteenth century house, now in the care of the Kelmarsh Trust, which has been set up to protect the property for the benefit of the nation.

The Hall was constructed originally in 1732 for William Hanbury, who was a well known antiquarian. Even to this day it is surrounded by gardens and parkland and its working estate. There are about three thousand acres, with the gardens themselves being described as having a “haphazard luxuriance”.

What brings Kelmarsh Hall to our attention at the moment, however, is the fact that for the first time since 1820, the Hall is getting a new roof. Holding repairs carried out in 1970 have served their purpose, and the Westmoreland green slates in place are about to be replaced like for like.

These remedial works follow hard on the heels of another innovation, the installation of a renewable energy system, which seeks to reduce the annual oil bill by about 50%. E-On are seeking to set up a wind farm on the estate and support the energy system.

The Hall will be closed until Easter, which shows the balancing act that has to be carried out by attractions that rely on visitor income. The best time of year to carry out the roof repairs would be the summer, but this would dramatically impact on the cash flow.

Some events are still taking place in the Lime Shed, and details can be found on the Kelmarsh Hall website.

http://www.kelmarsh.com

Ladies Who Did More Than Just Lunch – Bess Of Hardwick

Although not quite fitting my previous criteria that I wanted to focus on women who had come from humble beginnings to defy the conventions of their respective times and became successful in a male dominated environment, Bess of Hardwick fits the bill all but the humble beginnings bit.

When born in 1527, hers was a relatively monied background, being an estate of some 5,000 acres, and Elizabeth as she was known was left a small dowry when her father died when she was still young.

Throughout her life she was married four times, the first being when both she and her husband Robert Barlow were only fourteen. Such was the speed of her life that she was only forty at the time of her fourth marriage.

Each marriage seems to have been to a man more distinguished and richer than his predecessor, and you are beginning to pick up a thread that Bess was quite a girl, not a recognised historical term maybe, but sufficient to tell you that this lady knew her way around Elizabethan society.

With a succession of titles which included Lady Cavendish, Lady St. Loe and ultimately the Countess of Shrewsbury, it is hard to keep up with her. You can find her legacy in a number of places around the Peak District which was her home.

Firstly there is Hardwick Hall at Doe Lea by Chesterfield, divided into the old hall and the new hall, these being relative terms as Bess herself was responsible the “new” hall in the latter part of the 1500's. Bess was known as an accomplished seamstress and at Hardwick Hall there is now the largest collection of tapestries, canvaswork and embroidery still in private hands.

When her husband of the time, the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury was the keeper of Mary Queen of Scots, the two ladies worked on what became known as the Oxburgh Hangings, beautiful tapestries that hang at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, the home at the time of the Catholic Bedingfield family.

Bess and Mary worked on these at Chatsworth, another beautiful and famous Derbyshire house for which Bess can claim responsibility. This came about as a result of her marriage into the Cavendish family, the name of the Dukes of Devonshire, who still own Chatsworth today.

During her life she was involved in manouevrings and machinations to work her family into the Royal Family by marrying her daughter to Charles Stuart, one of the Lennox family who had a claim to the throne.

There was a bit of a hullabaloo about all of this, as the marriage was considered a treasonable offence as no royal assent had been obtained. Bess was summoned to London, but ignored the summons and lay low at home until the row passed, so typical of her.

Bess passed away in 1608, aged 87, having lived a life sufficient to occupy two or three people. She had, at times received an annual income of the region of £13 million, and had enjoyed the company and patronage of some of the most famous and powerful people of her age, people that had treated her as an equal. In view of the efforts that she made to worm her way into the Royal Family, it is perhaps a point of great interest that our current monarch, Queen Elizabeth the Second is a distant relative of Bess.

Not quite what Bess had in mind, but success of a sort.

Children In Need Is Back Again!

As a mark of how quickly time seems to pass, it is once more the middle of November, and the whole country will be celebrating the arrival of the BBC Children In Need Charity Telethon. Using the day as an excuse to behave with wild abandon, many individuals and groups set out to do outrageous things with a view to raising money for their efforts, sometimes just on the day, or in many cases as the culmination of fund raising over a period of time.

Obviously caring little for the future of their careers, Sir Terry Wogan, Fearne Cotton, Nick Grimshaw and Tess Daly will be anchoring the celebration, when not for the first time, BBC 1 hands virtually all of its evening schedules over to the extravaganza.

Fund raising is set out in two ways, being money that is raised on the day, and further funds which are pledged and then collected a short time afterwards. The figures associated with this most popular of money raising events are mind boggling.

It is estimated that since 1980, it has raised around £600 million towards good causes relating to children. The most successful “on the evening” total is deemed to have been last year, when over £26 million was raised, a marvellous achievement in these recessionary times. The best overall total appears to have been in 2009 when over £40 million was collected.

The format for the evening has remained generally unchanged, with an invited audience full of people with out-sized cheques being entertained by show business acts either doing their usual day job, or making fun of themselves by parodying what has made them successful. Even shows from opposing TV channels are not safe, and the news readers have turned out to be good sports over the years.

Running money totals are flashed up, and there is generally a feeling of a jovial hard sell. Other stars that are appearing (and hoping that their careers will make a full recovery) include One Direction, Little Mix, Susan Boyle, Paloma Faith, Leona Lewis, Il Divo and Tim Minchin.

About twenty Olympian and Paralypian medal winners will be there, meeting Pudsey the Dog, winner of the 2012 Britain's Got Talent. The three day eventing team will dance “gangnam” style, and the aforementioned news readers will risk ridicule in a special edition of Top Gear. Kylie Minogue will be putting a more modern slant on some of her earlier hits.

So draw the curtains, sit back and marvel at the indomitable British spirit that allows so many people to make absolute fools of themselves ...all in a good cause.

Severn Barrage Arguments Still Rage

As we have mentioned before, the question as to whether to build a barrage across the River Severn from Weston-super-Mare to Penarth, next to Cardiff is one that is likely to run and run. With the potential to take advantage of the second highest tidal rise and fall in the world and provide up to one fifth of the energy required by the United Kingdom, it is obviously a scheme that could provide enormous benefits.

The suggested cost to complete the undertaking is put at about £35 billion, and although a previous government report has not looked favourably on the plan, the Prime Minister has inferred that he would consider proposals if they were deemed to be viable. Former Labour minister Peter Hain has also said that he would support the scheme.

The idea is being driven by a consortium based in South Wales, but perhaps not surprisingly, a group of four Local Enterprise Partnerships from the South West of England have decided that they would be opposing the scheme.

Colin Skellet, chairman of Bristol's LEP, said "We are all agreed the impact of the barrage on the environment far outweigh the benefits. The scheme is based on technology which is out of date and the carbon footprint of the barrage would be enormous."

Merlin Hyman, of environmental pressure group Regen South West, said "Of course if someone comes to the table with £35 billion of private finance to build this project, then the Government has to look at it. My principal concern is the barrage idea has stopped all discussions of alternative technologies, which we believe are more financially viable."

It can only be assumed that there may be other motives for this reticence to support the scheme, as one would have thought that as an island nation, we should be looking to harness the power of the tides, more so perhaps that the plethora of wind farms which don't always prove the answer.

Torch Auction Keeps Olympic Legacy Alive

If there were any doubts at the beginning of the year as to whether the Olympics would be a roaring success or an expensive failure, all doubts have surely been dispelled as we now come to the end of the year.

Leaving aside the incredible medal haul achieved by both our Olympians and the Paralympians, the games took up the baton (pun intended!) from where the Queen's Diamond Jubilee left off, and made sure that 2012 was a year never to be forgotten.

The feel good factor showed itself in many ways, including positive economic figures for the financial quarter in question, and even now, some two months after the last games finished, the benefits are still being felt.

For the Olympic torch that Sir Chris Bonnington carried to the summit of Snowdon is being auctioned at the Royal Geographical Society this coming Wednesday 14th November. There is a special significance relating to this particular torch as it reached the summit of Snowdon on May 29th, the fifty-ninth anniversary of the day that Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing reached the summit of Everest.

What appeals to me most is that the proceeds of the auction will go to help Community Action Nepal, a charity set up to help projects to benefit the country's mountain peoples. Surely this is a perfect way to honour Sherpa Tenzing's homeland for his efforts on that day 59 years ago, as well as recognising the wonderful contribution that the Gurkha Regiments have made to the British Army for many years.

“I really can’t think of a better use for my Olympic torch than to raise funds for this outstanding charity,“ said Sir Chris Bonnington.

He added “We often hear talk of an ‘Olympic legacy' - this will be a very useful legacy for some of the world’s poorest people.”

The auction is being arranged by Doug Scott, the first man to climb Everest’s south west face. He said “the aim of Community Action Nepal is to help the mountain communities remain sustainable, viable and to help stop the human drift into Kathmandu."

“The reality is that, with just a bit of support, the hill communities can provide a decent way of life, while the supposed attractions of Kathmandu invariably end in exploitation, despair and often tragedy for the hill people.”

The torch is being auctioned through open online bids at www.canepal.org.uk , and it is hoped to raise in the region of £10,000.

The SAS Are Involved, But Not The Ones You're Thinking Of!

If the SAS are involved, then there must be something serious happening involving the security of the nation. Well, there is something serious happening, but it's not the SAS that you are thinking of.

The SAS that is involved this time is the Surfers Against Sewage, and they are putting out a call for volunteers to assist in picking up litter from two of the country's most popular surfing beaches, Woolacombe and Saunton in North Devon.

The date when all this will take place is Saturday, 17th November, and is part of a continuing programme where the autumn has seen the SAS joined by the best part of five hundred volunteers who have removed about one tonne of rubbish from beaches around the country.

Those wishing to help are asked to meet at the foot of Saunton slipway for the beach clean, which runs from 10.30am–12.30pm and at Woolacombe, by the stream, for its event from 1pm–3pm.

Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Surfers Against Sewage, said "After the success of the North Devon Beach Clean Series in 2011, we are delighted to be working with The Crown Estate once again on the Autumn Beach Clean Series."

Tagholm added "Their support is helping us reach out to coastal communities across the UK to encourage people to get involved with protecting our precious beaches and marine environments from marine litter. "

This sort of public involvement brings the question of marine pollution right to the front of the many environmental issues that confront us these days. Apparently the last twenty years has seen an increase of about 100 per cent in the amount of man-made items being washed up on our coastline.

This includes fishing lines, carrier bags, bottles and plastic containers and general sewage-related debris. The effect on wildlife is devastating with more than 1 million seabirds, and in excess of 100,000 marine mammals and turtles dying each year.

The fact that the surfing community are getting so involved in this campaign should be a good lever to encourage the relevant authorities to try and take decisive action on this matter.

Subject to weather conditions, these hardy souls are one of the few groups who try and make use of our coastal seas three hundred and sixty five days a year, and most idealised views of a splendid coastline will always try and make use of a surfer of two, either seen striding majestically towards the waves, or as a series of bobbing heads at a distance.

If you live close to either of these splendid beaches, please see if you can find time to join the volunteers and play your part in trying to get the authorities moving.