National Trust Draws Attention To Some Special Places

Not afraid to show its romantic and wistful side, the National Trust has been encouraging a wide range of different personalities to lower their guards and share with us places that positively affect their wellbeing and happiness. These lucky and diverse people include former rugby international Austin Healey,  model David Gandy,  actor Jude Law, and chefs The Fabulous Baker Brothers.  This follows research that suggests that about 84 per cent of the public who were questioned admitted to having a favourite place.

An interesting point that emerged from this in-depth study was that about four out of five people said that visiting their favourite place had a bigger impact on their wellbeing than shopping or going to the cinema. About a third of those people (31 per cent) confirmed that their favourite place was where they grew up, while the same number chose a recent holiday destination. One in four (25 per cent) said that the location of a childhood family outing rang the right bells.

One in ten romantically-minded Brits shyly said that their special place was where they were married and in the same vein, five per cent proposed (pardon the pun) where they sealed their engagement.  87 per cent said their special place made them happy just thinking about it, with three quarters of those surveyed (75 per cent) revealing the place they loved the most had strong family connections.

Check out the list below to get some surprising replies:-

Actor Jude Law shares the stunning Cliveden House in Berkshire as his special place. A country retreat on a grand scale, Cliveden’s magnificent gardens and breath-taking views have been admired for centuries.

Actress Kim Cattrall nominates the wonderful Blickling Estate as her special place, one of the most majestic and complete country estates in Norfolk.

British Model, David Gandy has his favourite photograph of Melford Hall in Suffolk as his nomination.  This unassuming, mellow brick mansion is full of surprises for you to discover.

Tom and Henry Herbert, The Fabulous Baker Brothers want you to share their special place Dyrham Park near Bath.  With wonderful views over South Gloucestershire, you can see why this is a favourite place of theirs.

Nell McAndrew, Model and fitness expert has that special warm feeling about the beautiful 17th Century Ham House in London.

Johny Pitts, CBBC Children's TV Presenter has fallen in love with the stunning countryside views at Upper Derwent Valley in the Peak District.

Sienna Guillory, Actress best known for her role in Resident Evil shares Blakeney in Norfolk as her nomination .  Blakeney is perfect because its wide open spaces of natural and eye catching coastline.

Hugo Taylor, Made in Chelsea star loves to visit Carlyles House in Chelsea, which was once the home of a Victorian celebrity couple in the heart of one of London's most creative quarters.

Austin Healey, former England and British Lions rugby player is very happy to share his love of  Conwy Bridge as his special place, featuring the elegant Conwy suspension bridge and toll keepers house.

Naomie Harris delights in the breathtaking Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire as her special place.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/the-special-places-project/

New Book Charts Rutland Osprey Success

Proving once again how quickly ten years can pass, a new book has been published charting the success achieved during that period by the Rutland Osprey Project. Tim Mackrill, Tim Appleton and Helen McIntyre have between them been leading the project for those ten years, and with outstanding results, for their work has seen a rise in the number of migrating ospreys nesting at Rutland Water Nature Reserve during the summer months.  They are now officially launching The Rutland Water Ospreys, a book following the progress of the project over the years.

The new book will cover the Rutland Osprey Project

Senior reserve officer Mr Mackrill, 31, has been heavily involved working to bring ospreys to Rutland, and said “We had got to the point where a lot had happened. We knew the project had worked and it had created a legacy further than Rutland, so we thought we had enough to write a book.  It was all so fresh in my mind so it all came out easily. The launch will be an opportunity to promote the book but also to talk about the project generally.”

Mr Mackrill added: “It gives the book a whole extra dimension. The book should be very readable to everyone whether they are interested in wildlife or not.”

The book is much enhanced by the photography and illustration of John Wright, a field officer with the project, which beautifully complements the words of the three authors that tell the story.   The hardback version is on sale for £25 at www.ospreys.org.uk.

The launch will also celebrate the return of the first osprey this year from its migration to Africa and back. The first bird returned to a nest in Manton Bay at the weekend,  the arrival being the earliest that the reserve officers have ever seen.

http://www.rutlandwater.org.uk/

www.ospreys.org.uk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ospreys

Re-Opening of the Historic Bluebell Line is an “Emotional Day”

So said Chris Saunders, one of the workers on the Bluebell Railway Project, a heritage railway line that runs for about 11 miles  (17.7 km) along the border between East and West Sussex. The event that is bringing a tear to more than one eye is the reopening of the line to East Grinstead, after an extension linking the line to the national network opened.  Before that, the nine-mile (14km) track ran from Sheffield Park to Kingscote.

The cost of the work to extend the line the extra two miles had begun in 2008 and had cost about £4.5 million. The importance of the link to East Grinstead was that there is now a connection to the main railway network. Part of the emotion is also based on the fact that it is now 55 years since British Rail closed the line in 1958.

Bluebell Railway Preservation Society chairman Roy Watts said "the great day" was culmination of the best part of almost 40 years of work; first steps to extend the line to East Grinstead were taken in 1974 with the purchase of an old station site. The major obstacle to the project was having to clear the cutting at Imberhorne which had been used as a landfill site.

The Bluebell Railway Line

 "The bringing of the line to East Grinstead has been the society's number one project for the past 40 years,"  said Mr. Watts. "We always knew the last two miles would be the most problematic. This is the end of a very long journey. And so many people have looked forward to this day for so long, although sadly some people will not be there to see it."

He added that said that two of the railway founders, Bernard Holden and Martin Eastland, died last year. Together with Alan Sturt, Chris Campbell and David Dalimore, they came up with the idea of creating the heritage line when they were students. The first meeting was chaired by Mr Holden."Out of the five founders there are now only three," Mr Watts said, but revealed that “we hope to get them together in April."

It has been decided that it is now time for a rest, but there is an unwritten promise that the society will undertake further major projects in the future . The railway has ownership of the track-bed from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly, and has proposed that extending the line westwards is a project that may come about in the years ahead.

Because there is now a connection to the national railway system, it is possible to drive a steam train anywhere on the network providing it has enough water and coal on board, Mr Watts pointed out. Passengers will also be able to buy through tickets taking them across the country and along the steam railway on one fare. Network Rail will be selling those tickets in May or June. Mr Watts was proud to point out that a number of preserved railways had been extended across the country, but so far there had been nothing on this scale.

The final piece of track marked the end of more than four years of work.  Mr Holden's family were attending the official opening, Mr Watts said, and the Society has kept Mr Holden as its named president for the opening of the railway line. After he died last year at the age of 104, suggestions to honour his memory included a bronze bust, a plaque and an obelisk at the Imberhorne Cutting. Work to preserve the railway received backing from two Sussex councils, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and hundreds of volunteers.

The three stations on the line have been restored to different eras. Sheffield Park, which is home to the museum and locomotive shed, is in the style of the Brighton era of the 1880s. Horsted Keynes is the Southern Railway period in the 1920s. Kingscote is in the style of the 1950s.  The Bluebell Railway's station at East Grinstead is new and at Platform 3 of the town's main railway station.

Go Ahead Granted for £6 Million Harlech Castle Development

It has been a long time in arriving but at last the green light has been given for an ambitious and extensive redevelopment plan at Harlech Castle in Gwynedd, North Wales. The Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA) planning committee carried out a site visit before approving the plans with conditions.

Included in the plans will be the turning of the ground floor of the former Castle Hotel into a visitor centre and also the conversion of the upper floors into five self-contained visitor apartments. There will be the creation of a new café, together with a new more accessible bridge from the visitor centre to the castle.

Whilst the castle currently attracts about 93,000 visitors a year, it is  projected that the new development will increase that number to about 145,000 visitors. The conditions that SNPA stipulated parking for the disabled, non-reflective glass and potential noise for the electricity sub-station.

Harlech Castle

Cllr Caerwyn Roberts, who represents Harlech on Gwynedd Council, pointed out Cadw was putting about £6-million in the project. He added: “The project is a good opportunity for better interpretation of the castle and the history and the new bridge to the castle will make it accessible to everyone.”

Harlech Castle was built by Edward I between 1282 and 1289 as one of a series of coastal castle to help tame the rather rough and rebellious local Welsh Princes. It was at one time the home of Owen Glyndwr, which serves to prove how unsuccessful that part of its history was, but also had an involvement in the War of the Roses and the English Civil War. It held out for Charles I and was the last castle to surrender to the Parliamentary forces.

It is considered by UNESCO to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage Site. Its popularity helps to prove that Edward I was probably the greatest ambassador for the Welsh tourist industry who ever lived, although it is unlikely that he knew it at the time!

http://www.harlech.com/

http://www.caernarfon-castle.co.uk/

http://www.conwy.com/

http://www.denbigh.com/castle.html

Cliveden Will Be Back In The News During The Coming Months

Cliveden, the beautiful Italianate mansion and estate that has panoramic views over the River Thames in Buckinghamshire, will undoubtedly be drawn to the public’s attention in the next few months, as we come to the fiftieth anniversary of the Profumo Affair, one of the best known political scandals of the twentieth century. It is sensationalism of this type that is very much the forte of Cliveden, which in Lady Astor’s days was the meeting place of the “Cliveden Set”, a right wing upper class group of people who held much influence in Britain in the pre-Second World War days, although were generally in favour of German appeasement.

Cliveden House now operates as a luxury hotel

There was originally a house on the site as far back as 1666, having been first occupied by the 2nd Duke of Buckinghamshire. Other notables occupied the house during its early days including the first Earl of Orkney and also Frederick, who was the Prince of Wales in the eighteenth century. Other Orkneys, so to speak, also occupied the house, which was destroyed by fire in 1795, supposedly by a servant knocking over a candle.

A replacement of sorts was commissioned in 1824 by Sir George Warrender, but a further fire befell the property in 1849. The result of this set back was that the building that we see today was designed in by Sir Charles Barry, designer of the Houses of Parliament, for the second Duke of Sutherland, who bought the property from the Warrenders after the 1849 fire.  The property was completed in 1852, and remains very much the same today, although there have been additions and substantial internal re-arrangements.

Lady Astor, was born Nancy Langhorne in Danville, Virginia in the United States in 1879, and became the first woman to take her seat as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. She became chatelaine of Cliveden by her marriage to Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, whose father had purchased the property from the Duke of Westminster in 1893.  Cliveden served as a hospital under the auspices of the Canadian Red Cross during both World Wars, and indeed there are graves from that period in the Cliveden War Cemetery in the grounds.

During Viscount and Lady Astor’s time at Cliveden, it was visited by many famous people including Edith Wharton, Rudyard Kipling, A.J.Balfour, Henry James,  T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), F.D. Roosevelt, H.H. Asquith, Amy Johnson, Mahatma Gandhi,  George Bernard Shaw, Charlie Chaplin, Sir Winston Churchill and Joseph Kennedy (father of John and Robert Kennedy).

In 1942, the Astors gave the property to the National Trust on the understanding that they could continue to live there as long as they required. They also provided an endowment, worth about £8.5 million in today’s money.  They ceased occupation in 1968. Since 1984, it has operated as a hotel, ensuring that the great and the good of today continue to visit just as their predecessors did while the Astors were owners.

The grounds run to some 375 acres, with about 180 acres being gardens, the remainder set out as woodland and paddocks. There is also a famous maze that opened to the public in 2011. The house has appeared in films and television on many occasions, including the film, Scandal, about the Profumo Affair. And so the fifty years have come full circle.

Help Celebrate Four Hundred Years of Belfast This Easter

When Belfast was granted its Royal Charter four hundred years ago in 1613, it was just a small settlement of some two hundred hardy souls – a settlement that was positioned on a sandbank with no bridges at all. But that Royal Charter granted to the town four centuries ago this year laid the foundations for the city we know today.

By way of celebration, the Belfast 400 festival is being held over four days at Easter with an action packed and fun-filled programme set out to mark the anniversary of the Royal Charter that was granted by King James I in 1613. That occasion is further capped in 1888 when Belfast was declared a city. Taking the form of a series of exhibitions, workshops with other events, the festival runs from March 30 to April 2.

Belfast at night

The Ulster Hall and St George's Market are to host some events, and in the evenings there will be Belfast 400-themed City Hall tours, plus walking and bus tours. Lord Mayor Gavin Robinson explained that the city has evolved considerably since the basic settlement it was in 1613.

"This is another truly landmark year for our city, marking as it does the moment in history when the then relatively small town of Belfast was granted many of the rights which, over the last four centuries, have helped to shape the modern city we know today," he said. “The King James Charter granted Belfast the right to form a corporation, the forerunner of the modern Belfast City Council, and to appoint a 'sovereign' – the post now known as Lord Mayor – as well as many other rights, including the right to hold markets. It is important that, when we mark the anniversary of the granting of the Charter, we do so in an inclusive manner and for all the people of Belfast to enjoy."

Due to the city’s iconic connection with the Titanic, celebrations would not be complete without a connection to the famous liner, so auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son will display White Star Line and Titanic-related artefacts and memorabilia – including band leader Wallace Hartley's violin – in the city where it was built.

Highlights of this extravaganza include:

•A Journey Through Time photographic exhibition
•Face painting, craft workshops, caricature drawings and a treasure hunt
•A Mad Hatter's tea party by Stripey Socks Productions
•Street theatre, including walkabouts and shows
•A series of talks on 400 years of Belfast’s story
•A collection of films, animations and related workshops
•Live music and a retro tea dance
•Vintage car displays
•Fashion through the ages display by Belfast Metropolitan College students
•A Belfast Times modern art exhibition

The city has prepared an interesting list of some of the lesser known facts connected to Belfast, as compiled by Sean Connolly,

1. Belfast got a Royal Charter in 1613 because a meeting of the Irish Parliament was coming up. Charters were given to several towns to ensure a Protestant majority.

2. In 1613 Belfast was still at its planning stage. There was no bridge until the 1680s.

3. Belfast was founded in 1604 by a penniless soldier called Arthur Chichester. In 1613 it played second fiddle to Carrickfergus.

4. In 1613, the population of Belfast was some 200. It is 280,000 now.

5. In 1613, John Vesey was the first sovereign, now known as Lord Mayor, a post currently held by Gavin Robinson.

6. The main street in Belfast in 1613 was Broad Street, now Waring Street.

7. In 1613 the Farset flowed through what is now High Street. It is now in an underground tunnel.

8. Belfast was a basic settlement in 1613 with people working in the port by shipping out timber, oats and beef. The port is, of course, still an integral part of the city.

9. In 1613, Belfast had one church, a Church of Ireland, where St George’s now stands.

10. The harbour was not suitable for large ships in 1613 because it was full of sludge. Big ships had to be unloaded further out into lighter boats. It remained the case until the 1840s when they dredged the harbour.

Compiled with assistance from Sean Connolly, Queen’s University Belfast Professor of Irish History. For a full programme of events, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events.

Buxton Opera House Could Be The Place To Be Over Easter

Throwing off any suggestion that it is a place for old fuddy-duddys, Buxton Opera House is holding a super-dooper programme of events during the Easter holidays. Performances and workshops for toddlers up to 13-year-olds and their families will take place during Easterfest, which runs from Sunday March 23 until Sunday April 21.  The Pavilion Arts Centre will host most of the drama events, kicking off on March 23 with the fun production Mavis Sparkle, which uncovers the magic of the universe using illusion, animation and laughter.

Monday April 1 brings you Robin Hood, highlighting  live music and puppetry,  and offering an exhilarating look at the much-loved story of the outlaw Robin and his merry men.  Bringing Down The Moon on Saturday April 6 will hand the stage to a lovely tale of a mole who wants to pull the moon down to earth, but soon finds that some things are not as easy as they seem.

Buxton Opera House Auditorium

For the younger gang, well they can settle down and get comfortable for The Brothers Grimm on Tuesday April 9, a story full of the most enchanted fairy tales, while Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus on Thursday April 11 will encourage little citizens to make some noise for a sparkling show that tells of a cheeky pigeon, who in the absence of a driver is determined drive the bus (the mind boggles at that one!).

Turn up to Stories in the Forest on Friday April 12 and you will see  physical comedy, spontaneity and participation to tell tales of madness and mayhem at Cherry Tree Farm; and James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids on Saturday April 13 allows young people a chance to take on board their very own stand-up comedy. The Opera House will also play host to two productions, namely a wonderful adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s tale of the River Bank The Wind In The Willows on Sunday April 14, and a chance to celebrate the birthday of everyone’s favourite puppy with Spot’s Birthday Party on Sunday April 21.

Easterfest also features a series of fun and creative workshops running between Tuesday April 2 and Wednesday April 10, offering everything from craft making, painting and story writing to dressing–up and acting. Among the highlights will be a Roller Rave on Friday April 5, where participants can borrow skates and roller to live DJ music, while sipping a ‘mocktail’ and eating some sweets.

Further information on Easterfest is available by calling 0845 127 2190 or visit www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk.

If you just want to head to Buxton for a great Easter break (steering clear of the madness and mayhem of Easterfest), try contacting Buxton tourism to learn much more about the fascinating history of this glorious Derbyshire town and its connections to the Duke of Devonshire.

http://www.visitbuxton.co.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buxton_Opera_House

http://www.visitbuxton.co.uk/things-to-do/architecture

New Hartington Village Trail to be Announced by Town Crier

Not forgetting to take your ear plugs, you may want to turn up at the village pump at the Peak District village of Hartington at 2.00pm on Saturday 30th March, where the local town crier will be giving you some news in his own inimitable way.  Pausing only to take the occasional breath, he will announce the launch of a new Village Trail.

Peak District National Park Authority chair Tony Favell and Hartington Parish Council, who obviously care little for the well being of their ear drums, will unveil new information panels, while leaflets, local history displays, tea and cakes and a Village Trail prize draw will be available from 12noon to 4.30pm in the Village Hall.

Hartington Village Trail

Villagers themselves have been the driving force in helping to create the new Village Trail that leads visitors back in time and encourages them to support local businesses for the future. The trail leaflet has a self-guided map, illustrations that have been done by local schoolchildren, and eleven points of interest assembled by community groups, exploring the village’s rich heritage from the 1200s to the present day.  Aimed at families, adults can enjoy the fact-packed potted histories, and children, led by “Detective Duck,” can test themselves on a treasure-trail of questions.

Hartington Parish Council, community groups and Hartington Primary School worked alongside the Peak District National Park and Derbyshire Dales District Council staff to produce the leaflets and two information panels.  The pupils, who have been heavily involved in studying village history, produced artwork for the panels, one on a plinth built by local master dry stone waller Trevor Wragg in the centre of the village, the other on the school wall.

Peak District National Park ranger Rose Clarke, who helped steer the project, said: “We wanted to produce a guide that would be fun for families, help them learn about the Peak District’s special qualities, and encourage them to stay longer and visit local shops, cafes and pubs. People can pick up the free leaflet from March 30 in and around Hartington, or in national park visitor centres, and use it to explore the village in greater depth.”

This is a pilot project for a series of new Peak District Village Trails produced by villagers themselves. There was funding by the Peak District Sustainable Development Fund, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Hartington Parish Council and local businesses.

Hartington Village Trail will be available online at http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/villagetrails from March 30.

http://www.hartingtonvillage.co.uk/Home/Index2

http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/about-the-area/the-national-park.aspx

http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/rangerwalks

Leamington Open Air Theatre Back in Business

Heartbreak Productions was aptly named last year as the Leamington based open air theatre company suffered the double whammy of poor weather and funding difficulties.   But thrills, masks, dance and poetry will be back to entertain Leamington audiences when they return with its usual brand of popular open-air shows this summer. Crowds in Jephson Gardens can expect to see the company back in fighting form with Romeo and Juliet making an appearance to a modern spin this coming June, with Press officer Nicci Selby saying that it will “combine thrills and dynamism, masks, dance, blades, potions and poetry” and described it as a “must-see” for the summer.

Also something to watch out for is a brand new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s best-known tale for this year. Alice - An Extraordinary Adventure will offer the excitement, colour and song from Wonderland and provide the audience with a party atmosphere - which includes the tea-toting Mad Hatter, the crazy croquet-playing Queen and the picnic-nicking Knave, along with the rest of Carroll’s bizarre gang. The show will be interactive and imaginative and will be just right for children and adults alike.

Heartbreak Productions is back!

St. John’s Museum at Warwick will be the atmospheric setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Director Peter Mimmack said: “Dracula has inspired television and film successes such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Twilight, but our production takes you back to where the legend began and forwards - on a journey from Transylvanian castles to Whitby Abbey. Dark, passionate and scary, this production is not for the faint-hearted.”

Heartbreak runs educational productions including the Heartbreak Hub, Saturday morning drama and film wokshops for 5 - 16 year olds, and Educational Experience Days, bringing the high quality standard of the professional theatre to school environments.

Maddy Kerr is the Executive Director, and  is very proud to be part of a company with 20 years heritage, supported by the committed team at Heartbreak HQ in the Cultural Quarter, Leamington Spa and to have been a driving force behind diversifying the artistic output of the company in recent years. Maddy graduated from London University in 1987 and then went onto drama school. In 1991 in association with Peter Mimmack, she raised the curtain on Heartbreak Productions and in so doing realised a long held ambition to create theatre in the open air, a passion heavily influenced by childhood trips to The Minack Theatre in West Cornwall.

Peter Mimmack, the Artistic Director, developed an interest in acting at Newcastle University while studying surveying. He trained at the Arts Educational School London on a postgraduate course and has since gained extensive experience in theatre through forming Heartbreak Productions. The early years were spent either developing the company or on tour but in the last decade Peter has focused on directing.

All productions will open in Leamington and then tour the country. Tickets go on sale at the end of April. For details, visit www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk.

Upton-On-Severn Wants You To Know That They Are Open For Business

Having laboured under the reputation as being one of the most frequently flooded in Britain, Upton-on-Severn in Worcestershire is keen to tell anyone who will listen that things have changed for the better following the completion of a new £4.5m flood defence scheme.

West Worcestershire MP  Harriett Baldwin visited Upton-upon-Severn to have a look at some of the initiatives going on to boost the town’s economy as a result of  the far reaching programme to make flooding a thing of the past.

Upton-on-Severn is back in business

Worcestershire County Council is in the throes of spending some £400,000 to improve roads and pavements in the centre of the town.  A new tourist information centre has opened up alongside the heritage centre in the historic Pepperpot and the waterside Kings Head pub, which has been empty for almost six months, is set to reopen its doors before Easter.

Mrs Baldwin said she was particularly impressed by the efforts of traders and local officials to develop a new “brand image” for the town.  The branding, which has been developed with help from students at the University of Worcester,  has been available to residents and will be used in promotional material as well as by businesses and shopkeepers.  “This new Upton logo will go a long way to help present a fresh face for the town and I am sure it will look great in posters, merchandise and even paper bags,” Mrs Baldwin said.

News of the Kings Head re-opening has come as particular relief to people in Upton.  Town councillor Mike Ostick was so concerned it would still be empty at the start of Upton’s busy summer tourist season that he had written to its owner Enterprise Inns.  He said: “The Kings Head is in a very prominent position on our great new riverside walk and the last thing that we wanted was a big ‘to let’ sign right in the middle of it.”  Former landlord Grahame Bunn, who left last year to concentrate on his other town business, the Anchor Inn, said: “It will be very good to see the Kings Head open again.”

Something else that will lift the spirits of the local community is the realisation that we are now under two months away from the annual Upton Folk Festival which takes place from the 3rd to the 6th May. Couple this with the Jazz Festival at the end of June, and the Blues Festival in the middle of July, and you will see that Upton is setting its winter woes to one side and living life to the full.

http://www.upton.uk.net/

http://uptonbluesfestival.org.uk/

http://www.uptonjazz.co.uk/

http://www.uptonfolk.org/

It May Not Be The End For The Don Valley Stadium After All

At a time when the news is all about Olympic gold medalist Jessica Ennis and her sadness at the demise of the Don Valley Stadium, more upbeat news is filtering through that it may not be the end of the road for Sheffield’s iconic stadium after all.

It has been revealed that there are ambitious plans to redevelop the stadium at a total cost of £40 million would include a new sports medicine centre and college. A National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine and a second University Technical College for Sheffield would be created alongside a new rugby stadium and athletics facilities if the scheme goes ahead.

Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield

The plans would also include a ‘High Performance Centre’ linking existing elite sports based in the Lower Don Valley with Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sports Engineering Research. The centre would also be connected with the developing Medical Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Catcliffe. Now a feasibility study will be carried out to see if the scheme is a viable proposition.

£40 million is a substantial sum of money, although some funding for the project has been committed by Sheffield Council and the Government.

Former Sheffield Central MP and Sports Minister Richard Caborn, has been appointed by council leader Julie Dore to look at options after Don Valley closes, but confirms that the funding has not yet been secured.  The council has pledged £150,000 to the scheme and is bidding for up to £300,000 from Sports England and UK Athletics.  The National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine is being developed as part of a £10m scheme in Sheffield, which includes a revamp of Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre in Norton, with funding coming from the Government and NHS.

Mr Caborn said: “In effect it becomes an Advanced Sports and Well Being Park, giving a comprehensive delivery of the Olympic legacy.  This is an economic wealth generation project which would take the Don Valley Stadium site from being under-utilised to becoming an economic driver. It also builds on the large critical mass of activity around medical technology. More than 200 companies in the Sheffield City Region feed into this global market worth a projected £300 billion.”

Both universities, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, the trust behind Sheffield’s first University Technical College, and Sport England are supporting the scheme.  Andrew Snelling, deputy chief executive from Sheffield International Venues which operates Don Valley Stadium and the English Institute of Sport, also in the Lower Don Valley, said: “We are delighted to support this project and continue to work closely and support Richard Caborn to deliver this vision.”

East Lindsey Features in English Seaside Marketing Promotion

Marketing chiefs in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire are hoping that tourism in the area will be given a healthy boost, as the district is going to feature strongly in an up and coming marketing push about English Seaside experiences.

Being home to coastal resorts such as Skegness, Mablethorpe, Ingoldmells,  Sutton, Trusthorpe and St. Leonards, those involved in the local tourism industry are acutely aware of how important the job is that they do to bring much needed revenue to the area. Coastal tourism is as keenly competitive as any other sector of the market, as young tourists become older tourists with families of their own.

The marketing partnership is between East Lindsey District Council and VisitEngland, The campaign is one of two the district council is taking part in with VisitEngland in 2013., with the second campaign  being announced in the coming weeks. The council is investing £5,000 in each of the campaigns, which  include advertising for Skegness and Mablethorpe through a supplement in the Mail on Sunday on March 24, as well as air time on Classic FM together with a dedicated page on VisitEngland's website.

East Lindsey hopes to benefit from the marketing campaign

Portfolio holder for economic regeneration at East Lindsey District Council, Councillor Craig Leyland, said: "The Lincolnshire Wolds and our iconic coastline are the perfect destinations for people wanting a day trip or holiday.  The English Seaside campaign highlights what our district has to offer to residents across the UK and further afield."

Figures relating to the tourism industry in East Lindsey make remarkable reading with an estimated 7,000 people working in hotels, visitor attractions, holiday parks, restaurants and many supply businesses, that altogether generate a turnover of some £480 million per year. So the estimated spend of some £50,000 on overall marketing should help to boost figures in a way that the council and VisitEngland would want.

Chairman of Visit East Lincolnshire, Chris Baron, said: "Joining Visit England's national campaign is another opportunity for the district to champion its wonderful and varied visitor offer both on the coast and inland.  As well as the excitement generated by national radio and newspaper advertising, local people should be proud that VisitEngland recognises the importance and quality of the offer our area has to visitors."
For more information on the this national campaign visit www.visitengland.com/moreseaside.

Coincidently Lincolnshire Tourism is also hoping to catch the eye this coming weekend with its Discover Greater Lincolnshire Weekend. There will be discounts and free admission to attractions, as well as special events for people to participate in.

Check the website at: http://www.visitlincolnshire.com/DGL.aspx

Also, check out...

http://www.visitlincolnshire.com/

http://www.skegness.net/

http://www.mablethorpe.info/

http://www.visitlincoln.com/

Perhaps This Zip Wire Will Get The Go Ahead!

On previous months we have reported on the progress, or rather the lack of it on a number of plans to get zip wires up and running.  In November we touched upon plans that were running into heavy weather for a proposed zip wire at Honister Slate Mine in the Lake District, while in January local councillors were in a definite “anti-zip wire mood” about plans for a wire on Bournemouth sea front.

Third time lucky ? Well we’ll see, but the latest proposal at the national award winning Lakeland Climbing Centre located at Kendal may stand a better chance than the others. The plans are for an indoor Via Ferrata, a first for the UK, which involves steel rungs and ladders for climbers, complete with a zip wire descent.  It would represent a year-round wet-weather climbing activity in a county where rock climbing can often be weather dependent. Via Ferrata takes its name from the Latin for Iron Way and involves steel rungs and ladders being bolted to rocks. They were first installed in the Alps and Dolomites during the First World War to help troops with no climbing experience move quickly through mountains.

Honister, Lake District

Optimism is rife that it could be up and running by next year.  The new development at the centre on the Lakeland Business Park, will also include extra aerial activities and an upgrade of the centre’s 82ft climbing wall which is the tallest in the country.

The climbing centre is quite used to making the news as it was awarded the Silver Award in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category of the prestigious national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012. The company said it was the only climbing Centre ever to be recognised as a tourist attraction as well as an elite sport’s venue. You will find that there are similar indoor via ferratas in Europe which are extremely popular with  climbers including professional climbers wanting to avoid bad weather or test themselves ahead of trips to places like Switzerland, where there are as many as 50 outdoor via ferrata.

The centre at Kendal has spent almost £500,000 on its facilities and already specialises in indoor and outdoor climbing. It also has membership of the Association of Mountain Instructors and the Association of British Climbing Walls.

Andrea King, the Kendal Wall's office and events manager, said: “Plans are coming together for our unique indoor via ferrata and we are now projecting it will be up and running for summer 2014. This will be a fantastic, unique and adventurous activity for locals, tourists and climbers to use and will, once again, generate increased visitors to Kendal and the Lake District.”

Andrea Runkee, Cumbria Tourism’s Adventure Capital Project Manager said: "The Lakeland Climbing Centre is a truly world class product, which regularly hosts the British Climbing and Bouldering Teams.  The proposed enhancement of the site offers an entirely new indoor experience for visitors, which is a vital part of ensuring that people keep coming to the area. It also yet again reinforces the fact that the Lake District Cumbria is the UK’s Adventure Capital, able to offer a wide range of both indoor and outdoor adventure activity for every age and ability."

Robert Aide, of the British Mountaineering Council, said: “I’m aware of many high ropes courses in the UK but not an indoor via ferrata.  Via ferrata is a popular sport in Europe and a lot of people from the UK go across to try them. If we have a facility in this country where people can be properly trained up to get them up and running before they go out to Europe, it would be extremely useful.”

Our old friends at Honister Slate Mine opened the UK's first outdoors Via Ferrata in 2007.

http://www.kendalwall.co.uk/

http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk/via_ferrata_at_honister.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_ferrata

Hampshire’s Hurst Castle Faces a New Threat

Having originally been built in the 16th century as one of King Henry VIII’s Device Castles to guard the coast against French Invasion, Hurst Castle by Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, is used to being prepared for confrontational times. It even helped to combat the threat from the Germans during the Second World War. Now Hurst is facing an enemy of an entirely different kind, one that cannot be beaten by conventional means.

Hurst Castle

For Hurst Castle is under threat from coastal erosion and there will probably be a bill of millions of pounds if the problem is to be put right. Huge waves are damaging part of the castle following a sudden shift in the pattern of coastal erosion, sparking fears that public access could be restricted unless urgent action is taken.  There have been emergency meetings involving representatives from New Forest District Council and English Heritage, which is the owner the fort.

David Jupp, chairman of Friends of Hurst Castle, said millions of pounds could be needed to be spent on protecting the structure. “The pattern of coastal erosion has changed dramatically in the past six months,” he said. “Shingle separating the waves from the castle is being eroded away, threatening part of the ancient monument. Some of the stone cladding has fallen away and part of the foundations has been exposed.   It’s very difficult to judge what will happen next but we could lose portions of the southern wall if nothing is done. That would call into question the safety of the structure and public access might be denied.”

The castle occupies an eye catching and prominent position at the end of Hurst Spit, and it is this position that is the root of the problem. Remedial work was undertaken in the 1990s  with more than 600,000 tonnes of gravel being brought in to add strength to the Spit as part of a £5m sea defence scheme. The project was deemed so successful that plans to top-up the shingle after ten years were deferred.

Mr Jupp said that huge lumps of granite were now required to be placed in front of the castle to break up the wave action.

An English Heritage spokesman said: “Coastal protection works were undertaken around 20 years ago and these had |been effective until relatively recently.  However, this winter has seen an area of erosion develop along the east wing, where the level of shingle along the beach has dropped in some areas.  This has resulted in part of the concrete foundations being exposed to high tides.”

http://www.hurstcastle.co.uk/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/hurst-castle

Bidders for 2017 UK City of Culture Award Announced

Regional newspapers around the country are working themselves into a frenzy of support as the eleven bidders for the 2017 UK City of Culture are announced. The residents of Chester, East Kent, Hastings and Bexhill-on-Sea, Hull, Leicester, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, Southend-on-Sea. Swansea Bay in Wales and Aberdeen and Dundee in Scotland can expect to be inundated with positive vibes about their home towns until the decision is made. The current holder is the City of Derry which is now well into its tenure as the UK City of Culture 2013.

Who will win the award of being UK City of Culture 2017?

Sponsored by the government, the programme has been inspired by Liverpool's successful time as European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Announcing the list of contenders, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: "The competition brings together communities and creates economic and social benefits and I am pleased to see so many local authorities and different partners coming together." All 11 places must formally submit their initial bids by 30 April, and an independent panel that will be chaired by Phil Redmond, creator of popular TV series including Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks, will announce a shortlist in June. Mr Redmond said: "The UK City of Culture can be a real catalyst for change and I'm delighted so many places have registered their interest in the competition for 2017."

If you have been following the fortunes of the City of Derry as it has entered its chosen year, you can’t help but feel inspired by the amount of effort and positive thought that successful bidders put into making sure that their year of tenure is a success.

As mentioned, the local newspapers that cover the areas that are bidding are already ratcheting up the positivity to an extent that some more cynical residents may not recognise the place that they live in. But unsuccessful bidders in the past have said that despite not achieving the award has not dampened the renewed enthusiasm that people find towards the environment that they live in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_City_of_Culture

http://www.cityofculture2013.com/

Cardiff To Host Volvo Ocean Race In 2017/18

As the nineteenth century gently clicked over to the twentieth century, Cardiff was recognised as the greatest sea port in the world. Driven by the world’s insatiable demand for iron and coal, Cardiff was the coastal outlet for the produce of the coal from the valley coal mines and the iron and steel that was being produced in the area.  Those days are now long gone, but showing that there is life in the old dog yet,  Cardiff is basking in the news that it has been chosen as a stopping off point in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/18.

Welsh Sailing chief executive Steven Morgan has welcomed the news, saying ““This is great news for Wales and Cardiff’s reputation for hosting major sailing events, on the back of the Extreme 40’s three year agreement to run their Grand Prix event in Cardiff Bay,” said Morgan.

“With work about to start at Pwllheli on their £8.3 million academy and events centre, along with this announcement, it all adds to our aspiration that Wales will become one of the best places in the world to be a sailor and that we are a destination of choice for major sailing events.

The Volvo Ocean Race will come to Cardiff in 2017/18

“The event gives us an opportunity to focus our development attention on the SE Wales area and use the event to introduce more people to our sport. Welsh Sailing is determined to make the most of that opportunity.”

This is something of a coup for the maritime city as the last time that Britain hosted a stopover was in 2005/06 in Portsmouth, so it is the best part of a decade since the event occurred. It is perhaps appropriate that Portsmouth was the last venue, as it was here, in 1973 that the event began life as the Whitbread Round The World Race. It moved its headquarters from England to its new home in Alicante, Spain in 2010

So far, eight ports have been unveiled on the route for the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2014-15. They are Alicante (Spain), Recife (Brazil), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajaí (Brazil), Newport, Rhode Island (United States), Lisbon (Portugal) and Gothenburg (Sweden), where the race will finish.

Race organisers will announce the remaining ports for the 2014-15 Race over the coming weeks.

http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html

http://www.visitcardiff.com/

Blackpool is Not Clowning Around with This Statue

Doing absolutely the right thing to maintain its reputation for good, wholesome seaside entertainment,  Blackpool is erecting a statute to honour a top holiday star from Italy who made the coastal resort his home.

Having appeared at the Tower circus for forty consecutive seasons between 1939 and 1979,  Charlie Cairoli is widely recognised as one of  the greatest circus clowns who ever lived, and Blackpool will be proudly erecting a statue in his honour in the not too distant future.

Charlie Cairoli

The Rose Garden at Stanley Park is the chosen site for the statue, and artist Brian Nicholson has created the six foot fibreglass replica which will be set on a stone plinth.

Elaine Smith, chairman of the Friends of Stanley Park, said: “We’ve been working on this statue for the last six years and we are thrilled to see the finished version.  It’s definitely been worth all the hard work.

“When I first went to see it I was tickled pink. The statue looks fabulous and is a great likeness to Charlie himself. When he’s placed there Charlie will look great in the Rose Garden, it’s a wonderful tribute to him.”

A planning application for the statue has been submitted by Blackpool Council, with a view to work commencing almost as soon as the consent is received.

Coun Graham Cain, cabinet member for tourism and culture on Blackpool Council, said: “I’m delighted that we’re so close to properly commemorating one of Blackpool’s true legends with a permanent statue that will live on for years to come. A lot of background work has gone on to make this happen so that the stories of Charlie Cairoli can live on in Stanley Park.

“When it is installed, the statue will be a fantastic asset to the town and a fitting tribute to one of Blackpool’s most famous entertainers. It will also be a fantastic addition to the rose gardens.”

http://www.circopedia.org/index.php/Charlie_Cairoli

There’s a Real Page Turner on Display at Maidstone Library

There’s no doubt that many children will be looking out for their personal favourites as World Book Day approaches tomorrow, but a book of a very different kind is causing a stir at Maidstone library.

Maidstone library is home to the Lambeth Bible

Dating back to the mid 1100’s, the book, known as the Lambeth Bible, is one of the oldest and most expensive books in the county. It is estimated to be worth about £1 million and can only be handled when wearing protective gloves.

It is kept in a glass case at the St Faiths Street building, and staff must make sure that the pages are turned with regularity so they are not exposed to too much light. It is thought that an unpaid scribe – possibly a monk – would have laboured for several years over the perfect writing back in the mid 1100s, although even today the marks showing how he kept the lines straight are still visible if visitors look closely. Its pages are made of vellum, a type of animal skin, rather than paper and the red dye used in some of its details may have been made with cochineal, otherwise known as beetle blood.

Collections officer Samantha Harris said: "It is a really beautiful book. At the time this was written very few people would have been able to read or write so this person would have been considered highly educated, although they would not have been paid."

It is the second volume – the first is housed in Lambeth Palace Library – and the illuminated manuscript would have once stood on a church lectern, with a priest reading from it to his congregation, who would not have been able to read it themselves.

It has been linked to Faversham Abbey as it is believed it was produced for King Stephen and Queen Matilda. It was brought closer to its current home when it was resident at All Saints’ Church in Mill Street, Maidstone, in 1716.

Belfast Mixes Tradition with Family Based Entertainment

There have truly been difficult times over recent years for Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland,  which also prides itself on being home to the devolved government and the Northern Ireland Assembly. However, it has moved on quite dramatically since the times of “the troubles” and today is a top tourist attraction.

With a history traceable back to the Bronze Age, there was a time of castle building  in the twelfth century which suggests that there was a requirement for strong fortification. As with many important towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom, it was during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that industrialization created the basis of what we see today

The history of industrial Belfast is inseparably intertwined with the Harland and Wolff shipyards where at its peak the best part of 35,000 people were employed. As we have recently passed the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic, it is a salutary reminder that this world famous ship was built in these shipyards.

Belfast at night

There have been times in the past when Belfast was a bigger conurbation than Dublin, and it was therefore no surprise when it was declared the capital in Northern Ireland in 1922.  As a city, it has become renown for the spirit and fortitude of its residents, no more so than during the Second World War, when like so many industrialized cities on mainland Britain, it suffered badly from German bombing. Fortunately for us modern tourists, many fine buildings escaped damage during these dangerous times.

Nowadays, despite a chequered recent history, Belfast is a city that exudes optimism along with a strong fighting spirit.

There is much to entertain you when you have a holiday break including one of the most beautiful buildings to be found in the British Isles, namely Stormont, the Parliament buildings. Picking up on the Titanic theme, one of the most impressive exhibitions and attractions in the country is the Titanic Centre that can be found in Queens Road. It is a top notch attraction that really portrays how the city was at the time that the ship was built.

The Pumphouse is an Interperative and Visitor Centre forming part of the old dockyards, and the Belfast City Hall is worth a visit.

Families are important too, so look out for the Exploris Aquarium at Portaferry, which with the seal sanctuary is the only such attraction in Northern Ireland. Also Belfast Zoological Gardens is in the north of the city, with its ninety collaborative breeding programmes, and many user friendly awards.

Let the kids get rid of some of their excess energy at the Dundonald International Ice Bowl at Dundonald. There is ten pin bowling, Xtreme sessions, and Indiana Land, not just for the Jones family! The rink itself is of Olympic proportions. Slow things down a little with a visit to the Grand Opera House, Clonard Monastry, the Botanic Gardens and the Belfast Castle Estate.

Top quality dining, buzzing night life, and typical Belfast pubs. What more could you want ?  Visit Belfast and come away with wonderful memories and an undying sense of optimism for the future.

http://www.gotobelfast.com/

http://www.titanicbelfast.com/

http://www.theicebowl.com/home.asp

http://www.exploris.org.uk/

The Future Of Trentham Hall Looks Bleak

Already firmly established on the English Heritage “at risk” register, it looks as though the sands of time are running out for Trentham Hall, the 180-year-old Trentham Hall, in Trentham Gardens near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Estimated restoration costs are running at close to £35 million ($52.5 million), and although planning permission has been granted to turn the dilapidated building into a conference hotel, the cost of repairs are too high for developer St Modwen. Many millions of pounds have been spent on the estate since it was bought by St Modwen in 1996, when it was in such a state that both the buildings and extensive gardens were derelict and vandalised.

Mike Herbert, the North Staffordshire regional director at St Modwen, said that much money had been spent in maintaining the site from further deterioration. After a restoration of the gardens in 2003, the estate was re-opened in 2004 and now attracts some three million visitors every year.  He said of the Grade II-listed buildings: ‘We have planning approvals for the restoration of Trentham Hall but the cost of doing so is significantly greater than its current value.

‘To restore and rebuild it would cost around £30-£35 million, but the current value as a hotel is well below that. Therefore, it is just not economically viable in the current economy. Developing the hall was planned for five to ten years after we started the restoration but we have had somewhat of a recession in the last few years and this has delayed the plans completely.

Trentham Hall

'We are looking to see if there are ways of making the scheme work financially. The plan of a major conference centre is particularly expensive and difficult to market. We are committed to bringing the hall back to life, it's just a question of when we can make the numbers work.'

Dr Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, said: ‘Grade II-listed buildings are the bulk of the nation's heritage treasury so when one of them is lost, it is as though someone has rubbed out a bit of the past.  Something that made the area special will have gone. But now, with the economic climate putting more pressure than ever on these buildings, it is time to plug the one remaining gap.’

The spectacular and vast gardens were once tended by up to 50 gardeners and were recently refurbished and replanted with thousands of plants and flowers to return it to its former glory. It is still maintained by a huge staff and is seen by many visitors especially in spring and summer. The famous Italian Gardens were revived by award-winning designer Tom Stuart-Smith.

There are records of the Trentham estate dating back to 1086 and since then it has been home to many prominent people including the Duke of Suffolk, Sir Thomas Pope, Earl Gower and was the former seat of the Dukes of Sutherland until it was abandoned in 1905.

A sculpture gallery, the 100ft clock tower, parish church are among the buildings which remain after the main hall was demolished in 1913.

Originally an Augustinian Priory and then a convent, a large Elizabethan house was built in the 1630s.   It is thought to have been demolished to make way for the construction of the Georgian Trentham Hall.

The house was dramatically renovated by famous architect Sir Charles Barry during the mid-1830s, at the same time he was working on the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament.  He was commissioned by the second Duke of Sutherland to make the house grander in order to show off his wealth as the largest landowner in Britain at the time.

For more than 10 years, Sir Charles Barry made improvements to the house adding a new block with state bedrooms complete with dressing rooms and its own servants’ quarters as well as the sculpture gallery and the clock tower. New family quarters and a grand main entrance displaying the family coat of arms as well as life-size wolves were also built.

Even the River Trent was incorporated into the estate’s design. The river was diverted to flow into a lake in the extensive garden.  But the lake became a blight on the beautiful estate when it became polluted by sewage from local potteries around the 1900s.

Such a disfigurement on the estate, it was offered for free to the County of Staffordshire and the Borough of Stoke-on-Trent in 1905 but by 1907 it stood abandoned and so the bulk of the estate was demolished in 1912. Sad endings for a once illustrious estate.

Plymouth City Centre Looks Forward to a Major Overhaul

Despite being one of the more popular destinations in Britain for both holidays and weekend breaks, Plymouth in Devon is planning a major overhaul to keep pace with the nation’s changing shopping habits.  Old Town Street, near Drake Circus Mall, is to be turned into a restaurant quarter, with a major revamp of the “public realm” in the area, Councillor Mark Lowry, the city’s Cabinet member for finance, said yesterday.

Proposals that have rather drifted to revamp the West End are to be rebooted, and some empty shops would be turned into restaurants. It is likely that Frankfort Gate would be reopened to traffic.
With a £7 million refit just about to start on the Theatre Royal, Councillor Lowry set that work was being put in place to link the theatre to the West End.

Plymouth Hoe

 “We are looking at the way pedestrians and traffic interact,” he said. This is likely to include taking down the central railings on Royal Parade. We need our city centre to be vibrant, not only during the day but in the evening.” He said the potential development of a hotel in the Civic Centre building “would go a long way to bringing the city to life”.

“We are pushing forward the Mackay Vision for the city centre. It is still relevant and we need to continue with it. Land owners in the city centre are realising that the return on their investment is insignificant. In future they are just not going to get the return on their investment through retail.”

“The city centre needs to fundamentally change to reflect fundamental changes in the way people shop. Things like pop-up shops will be needed. There will have to be greater provision of leisure, residential and office space.”

But he said this would create a virtuous circle, where more people living or working in the city centre would help some shops to survive. “That is why when we redevelop the Civic Centre we want to keep a majority of council workers in the city centre because they do provide support for retailers.”

He said that a robust defence would be mounted against unwanted out-of-town development.

http://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/