Trying Not To Make A Mess Of Laurel And Hardy’s Scottish Connections

To this day, they seem the most unlikely of comedy pairings, the thin waif-like Stan Laurel, and the “well padded” Oliver Hardy.   Whilst Ulverston born Stan Laurel’s connections with Scotland are well documented, Janice Hawton, a leading light in one of the branches of the Laurel and Hardy appreciation society, is making investigations as to what, if any,  connections Oliver Hardy had with Scotland.

Hardy was born Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia, USA, in 1892.  His father, Oliver, had been a sergeant in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, and his mother was Emily Norvell. Some  biographies on the internet seem to suggest that Hardy's paternal ancestors were of  English origin, while his maternal side had Scottish origins.

Despite help from the staff and volunteers at the Oliver Hardy Museum in Harlem, nothing concrete is appearing. No direct link has been established, but Norvell is recognised as a Scottish name. Scots from in and around Inverness, and also lowland parts of Scotland, were among Georgia's early European colonists in the 1700’s. Highlanders were recruited because of their reputation as fierce warriors and were brought in to defend territory against Spanish colonists.

While Hardy's ancestral past might not be too clear, his and Laurel's affection for Scotland was evident in their visits to Britain. Janice Hawton said: "Both Laurel and Hardy visited Glasgow and Edinburgh. They stayed at the Central Hotel in Glasgow. Oliver Hardy was a great golfer and he did go to Gleneagles during their tour of the UK in 1932."

They visited Scotland again in the 1940s and 50s. Some of the duo's films also featured Scotland, including  the 1927 short silent movie Putting Pants on Philip, described as the first true Laurel and Hardy film. This was said to be Laurel’s favourite silent short.

Laurel's kilt-wearing character arrives in America from Scotland to stay with an uncle, played by Hardy. The uncle mistakenly believes his nephew's Highland dress is a lady's skirt, a storyline that is so typically Laurel and Hardy. Later on, they made Bonnie Scotland, a feature length film.

Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston in the Lake District of England, but moved to Glasgow while still a boy. Laurel joined his father working in the box office of the city's Metropole Theatre. but, like his actress mother before him, he was drawn to a career on stage rather than behind it.

Lough Erne Resort Still Has An Uncertain Future

As a marketing exercise, it is second to none, and most land and property agents would give their right arm to have the sort of exposure that the Lough Erne Resort has received during the G8 summit.

The 120 bedroom County Fermanagh resort is for sale for around £10m after its previous owners went into administration in 2011, having used an estimated £35m to develop the complex. The resort was only open for four years before closing.

But despite worldwide attention, it appears that there are still no takers, although accountants KPMG say they are "very hopeful that the profile will assist in the sales process".

The Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh

The five-star hotel and championship golf course was originally posted on the market in September 2012, but suffered a setback two months later after a fire caused substantial damage to the pool area. This didn’t stop Prime Minister David Cameron from naming it as the venue for this year’s summit, despite the announcement being just a day after the fire.

When market conditions were buoyant, it was valued in the region of £30m. At the time that the owners, Castle Hume Leisure, went into administration, they owed Bank of Scotland Ireland £25m.

The hotel part has 120 rooms and suites. Its facilities include a dedicated conference and banqueting space for 400 people, five food and beverage outlets and a Thai spa.

The complex itself  has two championship golf courses - the Castle Hume and the signature Faldo course - two floodlit driving ranges and boasts the only Nick Faldo Academy in Europe.

http://www.lougherneresort.com/

Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens Still in Limbo

Moving from crisis to drama and back again, redevelopment plans for Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens have suffered another setback, with the rejection by the Council of the latest set of proposals.

The plan that until now had been on the table, had been deferred by council members who were concerned by the heightof the proposed hotel on Cranborne Road.

Bournemouth Winter Gardens Theatre

The developers, Planning Solutions Partnership, had offered to lower the hotel frontage, but revised plans, which also included flats, restaurants and a cinema, were rejected by the council planning board. All of this follows on from the rejection of the firm's original £150m plans last year.

This latest setback comes despite the fact that the new version had been recommended for approval. Councillor Beryl Baxter who was among those voting against, said it would have affected the "quality of life" of Cranborne Road residents.

"The design of the structure didn't fit with the brief of what that area needs," she said.

For those who have followed this sad tale since the beginning, it is hard to imagine, but the Winter Gardens concert hall closed in 2002 and was demolished some seven years ago.

Welsh Government Seeks £1 Billion Boost to Tourism Industry

With a refreshing attitude of seeking an expansion of the tourism industry by way of organic growth rather than subsidies, the Welsh Government is looking at an expansion of some 25%  in tourism income by targeting the United States, Germany and Ireland. Economy Minister Edwina Hart said the target was "challenging yet realistic".

The cornerstone of the sought after growth will be the provision of a higher standard of accommodation, with more luxury, spa and heritage hotels as part of a strategy to boost earnings up to the year 2020..  The current position is that visitors spend about £4.5bn a year in Wales, supporting nearly 89,000 full-time jobs.

Partnership for Growth, the Welsh government strategy for tourism for the next seven years, looks for a focus on more heritage hotels that use historic and distinctive buildings, more luxury and branded hotels and more "well-being" facilities like spas. There were calls also for more all year-round attractions, activities and cultural experiences, and more "distinctive" products.

The Welsh Assembly Government is hoping for the £1bn financial boost

Pleasingly this expansion would not be at the expense of UK visitors, and marketing in Wales, London, south-east Midlands and Yorkshire will continue to rise.

Ms. Hart said, "This is a challenging yet realistic and achievable target, taking into consideration these tough economic conditions and bearing in mind that the negative economic climate in some of our key generating markets would also make growth difficult."

Tourism leaders gave the plans a cautious welcome. Peter Lavin, of North Wales Tourism, said: "Obviously it's very tough economic times so if you are looking at it today you would say it's very ambitious, but in a year or two's time you may say it's not ambitious enough. "I guess they're between a rock and a hard place.

"We have to have targets and we have to be ambitious. All our competition is also being ambitious so we have got to go for it."

Ian Griffiths, of Celtic Camping in Pembrokeshire, said he would like to see the Welsh government help open up new markets. "They could push for advertising to countries beyond the UK and bring students in, especially from Europe," he said. "We get a lot of Dutch, German and French but we could do more within Europe."

Dorset “Still Open for Business” Despite Landslips

Grappling with the problems that have resulted from coastal landslips, Dorset County Council has issued a message that the county’s tourism industry is very much alive and kicking. There are currently four sections of South West Coast Path, including above St Oswald's Bay, remaining closed in the county following landslips caused by heavy rain.

They were at pains to point out that the closures had affected "only a tiny proportion" of the coast. About 80 miles (130km) of the 630-mile path, from Somerset to Dorset, runs through the Dorset boundaries.  
Nevertheless, the South West Coast Path Association described the path as "hugely important" to the economy, estimating its contribution to the south west of England to be about £350m each year. A spokesperson said although the association had received calls from visitors concerning landslips along the Dorset coast earlier in the year, they were no longer having an impact on visitors because people were aware of the temporary diversions.

The South West Coastal Path

John Hayes, senior ranger for Dorset County Council's countryside coastal ranger team, said: "Landslips have affected only a tiny proportion of the Dorset coast and even where the coast path has had to be closed, diversions are in place that normally only add a little extra time to people's walks.  Dorset's beautiful coast is open for business - we would just urge people to use their common sense and avoid potential hazards, even if they are familiar with the area."

The April collapse of a 20 metre section of the path above St Oswald's Bay, east of Durdle Door, was described by Portland Coastguard described as "massive". The council said work was planned to permanently divert the path inland and added "relevant permissions" were currently being sought.
Decisions were still awaited on two sections of path between Blacknor and Priory Corner on Portland, which closed in January. Survey work into cliff movement has been carried out, but the reopening of the path remained in abeyance.

Natural England had been approached for funds for repairs here and on the path between Kimmeridge Bay and Houn's Tout, which also closed in January. The mile-long path between Burton Freshwater and Hive Beach, where 22-year-old Charlotte Blackman, of Heanor, Derbyshire, died in a landslide in July, has now reopened with a 1,300ft (400m) section permanently diverted inland.

http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/

More Good News for Thames Fishermen

The Environment Agency have been excelling themselves on the River Thames lately, much to the satisfaction of all of those parties who get involved with fish based matters. Works that are aimed at boosting fishing facilities along the River Thames in Berkshire have now been completed.

The Environment Agency has continued its fine work

These include better signage as well as new angling platforms around the Cookham Lock area. There has also been an increase in fish stocks. The project is similar to one that has been undertaken at  Penton Hook, close to one of Britain’s largest inland marinas.

John Sutton, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Agency , said that the work would make a "big difference" to anglers and hoped it would encourage more people to enjoy the River Thames.

http://www.visitthames.co.uk/about-the-river/river-thames-locks/cookham-lock

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

UNESCO Decisions Concerning World Heritage Mining Site

Following on from an announcement that permission has been granted for a new supermarket development at Hayle, Cornwall and west Devon's prestigious World Heritage Mining Site may be placed on an endangered list this week.

In the far off reaches of Cambodia, a UNESCO world heritage committee could make the decision that  the retail outlet would be out of place with the rest of the site. World Heritage Status could be removed, but it is hoped that this will be unlikely.

Echoing the feelings of the full council, Phil Mason, Cornwall Council's head of planning, housing and regeneration said: "The really important thing is the community of Hayle. The development was approved because we believed it would help the community of Hayle. That's why I think the decision was the right one to make."

UNESCO is set to make some big decisions

Deborah Boden, the Cornwall co-ordinator of the World Heritage Site, said: "In theory they could say Hayle Harbour has been negatively impacted and decide to remove the status from the whole of the site. I doubt they would do that.

"It's only a small part of the much wider 20,000 hectare World Heritage site across Cornwall and west Devon."

If the status is put on an endangered list, then a spokesperson for UNESCO said it would consult with the UK government to create "a programme for corrective measures, and subsequently to monitor the situation of the site".

A sign in Hayle states the town was the "cradle of the Industrial Revolution", and shipbuilding, as well as Harvey's Foundry, a reminder of the local mining industry, make Hayle a part of the heritage site.  UNESCO says that the mining heritage of the region operates as a "testimony to the contribution Cornwall and West Devon made to the Industrial Revolution in the rest of Britain".

Let’s All Blame The Atlantic For Our Poor Summers

Even the most steadfast supporter of the British holiday industry would admit that the recent summers have been less than helpful over the last few years. True, we have had spells of fine weather - who can forget the wonderful second half of March that we had last year, or the splendid June of a couple of years ago.

But anyone with any knowledge of the industry will tell you that the “summer” months, namely those that cover the school holiday months of July and August hold the key to a successful season, year in and year out. “Indian” summers put the icing on the cake only if the preceding months have been the real deal.

It’s true that out of season breaks are flourishing, to cope with the peculiar times of year that decent weather can arrive (often unexpectedly), but  fine weather at these times cannot always guarantee the level of daytime temperature that many holidaymakers require, and that romantic “after dinner” stroll along the beach will most likely be taken in pitch darkness, as the bright summer evenings have yet to arrive.

Well, apparently recent research suggests that the problem is somewhere out in the Atlantic, with a cyclical warming of that contentious stretch of water taking the blame. Scientists and meteorologists say that this 10 to 20 year pattern of Atlantic warming was shifting the jet stream, leading to washouts in six of the last seven summers. They gathered at the Met Office in Exeter, obviously not trusting themselves to find somewhere warmer!

But there was hope that the pattern would change at some point in the next decade, with the location of the fast moving winds of the jet stream being central to the UK's weather. When it becomes fixed in position south of the British Isles, low pressure systems find themselves stuck in the peaks and troughs that form along the edge of the stream, giving us the seemingly endless rainy days that have been part of our summers in recent years.

Prof Stephen Belcher from the Met Office Hadley Centre, who lead the discussions said that changes in the Atlantice Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), as the ocean current is called, was one of the prime factors.

"It's the pattern of warm and cold water, it's the contrast of the warm and the cold, when that sits in the right place beneath the jet stream, it can kind of steer the jet stream and influence where it goes," he said. "I'm excited about this work, it's a new thing that we didn't really know about."
Explaining the cold winters of 2010/11 and this past spring were more of a challenge, said the scientists. Dr James Screen from the University of Exeter said that a more complicated basket of factors was involved.

"The cycle we've been talking about in the north Atlantic seems to be more important for controlling summer weather in the UK, our current understanding of the role of Arctic sea ice is that it is more important in controlling winter weather."

The researchers say that the glimmer of good news is that the AMO might change in five to 10 years, and warmer summers might return. However the winter was more difficult to predict said Prof Belcher. "There are hints we are coming to the end of the cycle. With the cold winter weather, the loadings of the dice don't seem to follow cycles," he said.

Well that’s all well and good, even if you do understand what they are on about! But what are our chances for this year?  According to Dr Adam Scaife from the Hadley Centre, you'd be wise to keep an umbrella handy.

"In 2012, like the previous few summers, we've had conditions in the northernmost Atlantic that were much warmer than normal.  So that pre-conditioning was there this year and that shifts the odds slightly in favour of this summer being wetter than the historical average.”

Protestors Highlight The Uncertain Future Of The National Railway Museum

To little boys (and even big boys!) everywhere, it would be like the unthinkable happening. But there is an outside chance that the unthinkable could happen in the not too distant future, with protestors gathering recently to oppose the possible closure of the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York.

Is nothing sacred! Apparently not to the owners of the NRM, the Science Museum Group (SMG), who have been warning about further budgetary cuts that they may have to make. This could extend as far as actually closing one of the northern museums in their ownership, the other two at risk being the National Media Museum in Bradford or the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

The SMG, which also owns the Science Museum in London, has said that a further 10% reduction in government funding would leave it "little choice" but to close one of its northern museums.
Speaking at a rally organised as a protest against the possible closure, James Alexander, leader of City of York Council, said: "We need to be vocal and show cross-party support. We can't be in the situation where just because we are the north of England, we are ignored by the government because we are not in London."

A letter written by York Council's Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green group leaders to Maria Miller, culture secretary pointed out that the National Railway Museum played a "critical part" in attracting tourists, who contribute £443m annually, to the city.

Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, said  he was "shocked" by warnings that one of three museums in the north of England would close if funding was cut any further.

                                                                    http://www.nrm.org.uk/

Cambridge Street Gets Individual “Blue Plaques” For The Annual Street Party

Blue plaques with a difference appeared on all the houses in Covent Street, Cambridge in time for the annual street party. As you will know, the iconic Blue Plaque scheme that is now run by English Heritage, seeks to link properties with notable figures who would have lived there at some time in their lives. It has been organised since 1865, and is the longest running such scheme in the world.

The Blue Plaques erected outside each house in Covent Street however, were as a result of research undertaken by retired professor of music history and resident, Ian Bent who garnered information about the everyday lives of people who lived in the street over the years. The replica laminated plaques were created by Mr Bent's wife Caroline.

Mr. Bent gained access to census data and historical documents to research past occupants of all 44 houses in Covent Garden, and discovered amongst other things, connections to a prostitute's murderer and a barber who cut hair in the corner of a bakery.

Frederick Scriven, who had resided at number nine for almost 50 years from 1872, was a tailor whose assistant ended up being hanged for the murder of a 16-year-old prostitute in the city in 1876. Emma Rolfe was killed by former soldier Robert Browning, aged 25, on Midsummer Common. Her throat had been cut. Browning was tried on 29 November 1876 at the Norwich Assizes, and having been found guilty, a plea of insanity was rejected.

He was hanged in the Cambridge Borough jail on the south-east corner of Parkers Piece, and Emma Rolfe was buried locally.

Five other houses on the street were purchased as tied cottages and used by officers from the Borough police force during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, including Moses Free, who rose to the rank of inspector, and whose grandson still lives in the city.

Also resident was Archibald Frost, who set up his own hairdressing business in the corner room of a baker's shop at the top of the street.

"He had his own entrance, but it was still basically part of the bakery," Mr Bent said. "He ran that business until 1955, and someone who used his services told me Archie was 'more like a sheep shearer than a hairdresser’!"

Mr Bent said: "Every year I like to do something for the party, and this year the blue plaque scheme seemed like a good idea. I basically looked at past residents and picked on one who had the most interesting story."

Battle Lines Could Be Drawn Over New National Park

As a crucial enquiry takes place in Northern England over plans to extend the National Park status between the Lake District and The Yorkshire Dales,  equally controversial plans are taking shape for a proposal to create a new Dorset and East Devon National Park.

Already it is being dubbed the Jurassic National Park as the coastline of the new entity would closely follow the already existing World Heritage Site of the Jurassic Coast which currently runs from Orcombe Point by Exmouth in the west to Old Harry Rocks by Swanage in the east.

An obvious bone of contention that immediately arises is the fact that should National Park status been granted, it would remove planning powers from the district council. Unsurprisingly, top East Devon district councillors have been asked to refuse the proposal that would effectively run from Exeter to Poole.

The proposal for a Jurassic National Park, that brings together the designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in Dorset with those in East Devon, has been made by the recently formed Dorset and East Devon National Park Group. The final decision would rest with the Government's environmental agency, Natural England.

Whereas the Group feels that the idea would have significant economic, social and environmental benefits, as well as a benefit for tourism across the region through the holistic management of extended recreational opportunities, the main advantage cited for the creation of the park was to improve the connection between existing protected areas in order to promote the delivery of "crucial national conservation objectives".

The loss of planning powers to the new National Park authority is a big stumbling block to those who already hold those powers, namely East Devon District Council. Head of policy, Matt Dickins, is recommending a motion opposing the idea.

This stance is backed by The East Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who echoed his concerns regarding the loss of district council planning powers. Mr. Dickens also said it could restrict rural development while consequentially putting "development pressure" on towns and villages.

He said that a clash in interests could arise between the council and the park authority, adding: "It could frustrate, restrict or otherwise prevent necessary rural-based growth and development across a large part of East Devon thus restricting efforts to address areas of low skill, low wages, economic weakness and housing shortage, especially affordable housing.

"In addition, further pressure on jobs and housing could impact on new developments in the west of East Devon and Exeter Growth Area," adding that restrictions on development within the National Park could force it into other areas."

He added: "Sensitive but non-National Park designated areas of the district may come under increasing and concentrated development pressure."
Tim Hale, the chairman of the East Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said the group did not support the premise: "We would urge caution."

The estimated time to establish a park is about 10-20 years, and the Group is calling for extensive consultation. It seems as though this one could run and run.


                                                              http://jurassiccoast.org/

                                                       http://www.eastdevonaonb.org.uk/

                                                          http://www.dorsetaonb.org.uk/

                                                        http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk/

Excavations Begin Again At Maryport Roman Temple

For what will be the third summer in a row, The Senhouse Roman Museum is starting excavation on the site next to the Roman fort at Maryport in Cumbria. The work will be undertaken in collaboration with the University of Newcastle and the Camp Farm landowners Hadrian’s Wall Trust.

Professor Ian Haynes from the university and Tony Wilmott of English Heritage have returned to direct the excavation, the aim of which is to re-examine once again a building first excavated in the late 19th century by local bank manager and amateur archaeologist Joseph Robinson, who believed that he had discovered a previously unknown Roman temple possibly dedicated to Jupiter. Several altars were also found next to the building.

However, photographic evidence from Robinson’s excavations appear to suggest that he did not clearly excavate the building.  Professor Haynes said: “The Maryport altars have been at the centre of international debate about the nature of religion in the Roman army for decades. This project represents a marvellous opportunity.”

This excavation is running for the best part of six weeks, and the results will be added to the Senhouse Roman Museum’s collections, joining finds discovered previously by Joseph Robinson.
Alison Fowler, from the Hadrian’s Wall Trust, said: “The previous two years’ excavations focused on the area in which the altars were discovered in 1870 and yielded remarkable and surprising results. This year sees some further work at the 1870 site and the start of a planned three year project.”

The excavation will be open to visitors as part of a visit to the museum on weekdays until July 22 at 2pm and 3.30pm.

All public access will be by guided walks to the site led by the museum’s volunteer guides followed by a tour of the excavation led by one of the site supervisors.

When Maryport was first established as a fort around AD 122, it was known as Alauna. It was  a command and supply base for the coastal defences of  Hadrian’s Wall  at its western extremity. There are substantial remains of the Roman fort, which was one of a series of forts from Hadrian's Wall, intended to prevent the wall being outflanked by crossing the  Solway Firth.

                                                   http://www.senhousemuseum.co.uk/

Three More Norfolk Beaches Claim Nationwide Success

Norfolk Tourism chiefs can give themselves a pat on the back as three of the county’s beaches featured in the Top 50 British Beaches as identified by the Sunday Times Travel Supplement.  This is coupled with the fact that recently three other Norfolk beaches were to be found amongst the 55 Blue Flag award beaches. It is a curious fact that none of the six appear in both lists, meaning that Norfolk has six magnificent beaches included in its one hundred miles of wonderful coastline.

Let’s start with the Sunday Times award, where the beaches at Wells-next-the Sea was placed 10th, just ahead of Brancaster, in 11th, as part of a top 20 dedicated to family beaches. Salthouse, further east along the Norfolk coast, was placed in 31st position.

The recognition has been welcomed by Wells Town Council chairman, and coxswain at Wells Lifeboat Station, Allen Frary.

“It’s a good boost for the town’s tourism industry and a bit of a feather in the cap to say the beach is one of the best in the country,” Mr Frary said.
“We have wide expanses of sand from Wells to Burnham Overy Staithe so you can take a walk if the weather is a bit inclement.

“Most of the beach is family friendly, there are no major issues with the tide unless you cross the channel, and most people are sensible. There is sand for kids to play in and dunes if you want to take
a bit of shelter. It’s a good, safe beach and it’s nice to have it recognised as such.”

The survey also describes Brancaster beach as: “Two miles of sand offering huge skies, vast open spaces, superb beachcombing and even a shipwreck.”

Not content with its high position in the national poll, Wells also took further praise, with two of its chip shops named among the survey’s six “most outstanding seaside chippies”. “Platten’s and French’s are the Norfolk resort’s rival chippies and locals are divided as to which establishment is the better,” the survey states. “Our advice is to pick the one with the shorter queue.”

We at Brit Breaks featured the revised Blue Flag Award beaches last month, where Norfolk beaches at Cromer, Sea Palling and Sheringham, all made an appearance. All these beaches are managed by North Norfolk District Council.

The “Our Norfolk” website also has some quirky comments about Norfolk Beaches, check out the site below:

                    http://www.ournorfolk.org.uk/coast/the-our-norfolk-top-5-best-beaches/

MPs Speak Out Against The Severn Barrage

If there is ever going to be a barrage built across the estuary of the River Severn, the path to success is turning out to be a very rocky one.

Two steps forward one step back, is danger of being reversed, particularly now that a committee of MPs  has said that Hafren Power, the firm behind the scheme, had failed to make a case that it would be good for the economy or the environment.

The House of Commons' Energy and Climate Change Committee, in a report, has criticised a "lack of information and a perceived lack of transparency" about the proposal, saying the case for the barrage remained unproven, and that Hafren had “yet to provide robust and independently verified evidence of the economic, environmental and technological viability of the project".

The committee had been alerted to the potential of job losses in nearby ports, and also concluded that the scheme is no "knight in shining armour" to meet renewable energy targets. They said that the UK government should continue to have an open view about considering a project in the Severn but "far more detail and evidence" would be required to make an informed decision about Hafren Power's proposal.

The company had also failed to overcome the concerns of conservation groups about wildlife and the local environment.

Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "We think the effects on wildlife could be very damaging.  There is a lot of evidence to suggest that these impacts will be very, very hard to alleviate. The report does acknowledge that there is the potential to generate energy here. Indeed, we suggest that it might be worth exploring a smaller scheme initially where the impact would be less dramatic."

Hafren Power chief executive Tony Prior said: "The report is unhelpful and frustrating - we all know we have a lot more work to do and we will do it.

"The government has already told us it is not against the barrage and we are determined to press ministers and officials to engage fully. We have a team of experts, consultants and engineers... to discuss how we can provide the correct mitigation for the impact the barrier will have."

Flights Could Return To Skye Next Year

In what is being called an enormous economic boost, commercial flights to and from the Isle of Skye could be started as early as next year. It is some twenty five years since the last flights ceased when Loganair flew out of the island's Highland Council-owned Ashaig Airfield, near Broadford.

The likelihood of resuming flights has been closely investigated by the local council, the transport body Hitrans, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Having described the possibility of the resumption as being an “enormous” economic boost, businessman Ian Blackford, a member of FlySkye, went on to say, “I think for tourism, for business, for leisure, and for the people who live here, we really need to be able to connect to the central belt and beyond.

"That is something that is very difficult to do today if you live on Skye. To get to Glasgow by car it takes you in excess of five hours."

The length and width of the runway appeared to be a key to the matter, as resuming commercial flights would only need investment of between £2.3m and £2.8m if current circumstances met with the Civil Aviation Authority's approval. Higher figures of up to £15.3m had been mentioned otherwise, according to a feasibility study published in March.

Ancillary works needed agreement with the Department for Transport on Capital expenditure matters, such as security fencing, airline operators on hangars and the fire service on what facilities it would require.

Other agreements would also have to be reached about matters such as the airstrip meeting certain standards on runways, such as length and width as well as requirements on runway end safety areas.

The Skye Air Services Feasibility Study that was published in March had looked at what would be needed before scheduled services could resume.

                                                                http://www.skye.co.uk/

The Fascinating History Of The Copper Kingdom

Now it is no more than a sleepy town on the north Anglesey coast, but in the mid 18th century Amlwch, coupled with its coastal outlet, Poth Amlwch was at the very centre of the world’s copper mining trade, with vast deposits of copper ore having been discovered at Mynydd Parys.

Resulting in an entire re-shaping of the local landscape, in their heyday the Parys mines were among the wonders of the world – visited by men like Michael Faraday and James Watt, the most prominent scientists and engineers of the day.

Such was the importance of the port, that in 1793, it was enlarged and regulated by way of an Act of Parliament. The leap from a “small cove between two steep rocks” into the world’s major exporter of copper was complete.

Inspired times bring forth inspired people, and such a man was Anglesey-born lawyer Thomas Williams, and under his guidance, novel uses of copper were introduced including sheathing for the hulls of wooden warships. Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory was a recipient of this, providing extra speed and manoeuverability crucial to success at Trafalgar.

With the raw materials on site, Amlwch even minted its own copper coins.

Fortunately, when the copper mining industry waned as quickly as it had risen, men of vision came to fill the gap, and the port at Amlwch developed its own thriving ship-building industry, launching vessels famous for their fine appearance and speed.

As a result of this vibrant past, there is much for you to explore today. The abandoned mine workings at Mynydd Parys remind many people of a moonlike landscape, and film makers obviously think the same as it is a regular film set. The rock formations are visually stunning with red, yellow and purple coloured rocks. Your holiday experience is maximised by heritage trails in the mountain area, allowing you to discover for yourself the vast man-made opencast pits and ruined mine-buildings. Truly an unforgettable experience!

Take in also the quiet majesty of the old port at Porth Amlwch. Close your eyes and visualise how things must have been when the copper and ship building trades were at their peak. There are original buildings to explore, now standing idle. See the Copper Bins, the Watch House and the Workshop Chimneys.

At the Sail Loft Visitor Centre, enjoy a delicious snack or browse the gift shop but don’t miss the exhibition of Amlwch’s world renowned ship-building heritage.

                                                            http://www.amlwch.org/

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

Monty Don Tells Us Where To Find The Finest Roses

When Monty Don, famed for his appearances on the BBC’s Gardeners World tells us where to find the best rose displays in the country, then we had better listen.  Having seen most of the exotic plants that the world can offer, he still holds that the traditional rose is his favourite of them all.

We have sat gloomily through the darkest and coldest autumns and winters for many years, and now we need to get out and enjoy the summer days that seemed only a hazy dream a few months ago.

By careful nurturing and pruning, the rose season can be stretched out for most of the warm summer months, but time moves so quickly and it will not be long before the first smells and cold snaps of autumn will be playing around our doors again.

So where should we go to see the best displays, apart from the many beautiful parks around the country. Well Monty has named his top five venues, which are set out below.

And when Monty talks, we had better listen!

To enjoy roses at their most perfect, here are some of the finest gardens to visit this month . . .

Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent
Vita Sackville-West’s garden has a superb collection of ‘Old’ or shrub roses, many planted more than 60 years ago, forming one of the country’s most romantic rose gardens.

Mottisfont Abbey, Romsey, Hampshire
The roses in this National Trust garden were collected by the great rosarian Graham Stuart Thomas, who died ten years ago, and the walled garden was planted in 1972.
To see it in its late-June splendour remains one of the great gardening experiences.

Coughton Court, Alcester, Warwickshire
In 2006, the Rose Labyrinth, which features more than  200 types of rose, was given the Award of Garden Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies — the first time any UK garden had received this accolade.

Castle Howard, North Yorkshire
The gardens of this spectacular mansion include a modern rose garden within the 18th-century walled garden, with a wide collection of old and modern roses.

Gardens of The Rose, St Albans, Hampshire
This is the home of the National Rose Society and is dedicated solely to the cultivation and celebration of roses of every kind.
It is open from this Saturday, June 8,  to July 28, though members may visit throughout the year.


                                                                   http://www.rnrs.org/

Ironbridge Gorge Heritage Status Is An Expensive Business

Heritage comes in many forms, and it may be understandable, yet a little surprising to find that the Ironbridge Gorge falls into the same category as the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids. Yet in these financially conscious times, everything has to pay its way, and the fiscal spotlight has been shone in some very strange places over recent years.

It has never been a priority that sites with UNESCO Heritage status should have to “pay their way”, as they were preserved for the benefit of the nation, but figures suggest that although the actual Abraham Darby III iron bridge is still in fine fettle, the same cannot be said for the surrounding Ironbridge Gorge, which has a fragile landscape, having suffered from  landslides, floods and even collapsed houses and roads.

Engineers are saying that to protect the gorge even for the immediate future could cost more than £80m, which brings into question as to whether it is worth doing. Telford and Wrekin Council said it had a commitment to protect the area, while Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust said it was important to remember it was not simply "a theme park", but "people's homes".

"You can assess the likelihood [of a landslide], depending on rainfall and other triggers, but you can never say 'We're going to expect one tomorrow, or in a week or in a year'," Neal Rushton, from the local authority, said. It is his team who are responsible for monitoring, countering and repairing ground movement falls

"We've got 300 years of records, but landslides have been happening in the gorge for 10,000 years, so it feels like we're still doing a bit of crystal ball gazing," he said.

Because of the volatility of ground and weather conditions, the local authority also has to prepare for a major emergency, even though it said gradual ground movements were far more likely. There are evacuation centres and warning pamphlets, although the authority said "major events" in the gorge typically happened every 30 to 50 years, with the most recent occurring in the 1980s, when houses collapsed in Jackfield and Salthouse Road and fell into the river.

Next year’s stabilisation works will remove the “temporary” wooden road set up at that time, and will include metal piles being driven into the ground to anchor it in place. The banks of the River Severn will be reinforced to prevent erosion. By the time the latest work is completed in three years time, some £33m will have been spent on shoring up the gorge since 2001.

According to former chairman of English Heritage Sir Neil Cossons, far more will be needed in the coming years. One of the team who put together the original bid for UNESCO, Sir Neil said the site "absolutely deserved" to be protected, not just for Telford, but the nation as a whole. “The very activity that earned Ironbridge its place among the world's most important heritage sites has, however, also contributed to its problems.” Mr Rushton confirmed this, saying that his teams regularly came across old mine workings.

Senior curator of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Matt Thompson, said there was practically "guerrilla mining" in the gorge during the 18th Century. "Two or three blokes would work a seam on some land they had permission on. They'd dig a hole and work it for as long as they could," he said.

The mines grew up around the blast furnaces and iron casting sites that set Britain on the road to becoming the world's first industrial power.

So it can be seen that if the Gorge was a business, it would be close to bankruptcy now. As a comparison Stonehenge costs about £2.4m a year to run, but brings in £6m in revenue.
Ironbridge Gorge is an icon of Britain’s Industrial history. The area's claim as the birthplace of the industrial revolution is largely based on Abraham Darby I's pioneering use of coke, rather than charcoal, to smelt iron in 1709.

Ironbridge is named after Abraham Darby III’s bridge, the world’s first iron structure, built in 1779, and became an immediate hit with 18th Century tourists. The world's first steam locomotive was built in the area in 1803.

                                                              http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/

St. Asaph Cathedral Looking For Funding After Expansion Plans Agreed

As a pointer to the future perhaps, St. Asaph Cathedral has received permission from Denbighshire planners for a £300,000 extension to make the historic building available for wider community use. Now the search for funding is on, with £30,000 having been raised so far for works that will include additional space, including toilets.

Excavations will go ahead before any works as it is thought two bishops could be buried nearby, and as the site dates from AD560, there could be more of interest to find.

The actual building dates from the 13th Century when the cathedral was rebuilt after being destroyed by Edward I, whilst it suffered further indignities at the hands of the troops of Owain Glyndwr, before being restored in the latter half of the 15th Century.

Some more works were carried out in the nineteenth century, while another extension which was completed in the 1960s is likely to be affected when work starts on the latest plans, probably next year.

The Dean of St Asaph the Reverend Nigel Williams said the extension would make the building more accommodating for wider community use. At the moment the cathedral is used for community events such as ceremonies for the nearby Glan Clwyd Welsh medium school as well as concerts.
Mr Williams said that the area around the south transept was "untidy" and in need of improvement.

He hoped work could start next year and be completed by 2015.

English Channel Weather Delaying Salvage Of German Bomber

The English Channel has on many occasions been a last line of defence when it comes to repelling unwanted invaders, and it is proving an obstacle again, although in a slightly different way. Poor weather in the area has been delaying the lifting of the only surviving World War II Dornier 17 bomber in a high profile salvage operation.

Original plans have been cast aside in favour of a a faster but riskier approach which has been compared with the salvage of the Mary Rose, the famous Tudor warship raised from the Solent in 1982, and which has also been in the news this week, with the opening of its new museum at Portsmouth.

The salvage barge with large crane on board arrived on site a month ago today, but weather conditions have not been helpful. An aluminium cradle or frame was to be built around the wreck, which would offer the greatest protection to the aircraft.

Fifteen days diving have been lost, with shelter being sought in Ramsgate harbour on a number of occasions. It has now been found that the wreck is partly lying on chalk bedrock as well as sand and silt.

Financial constraints are now coming into play, with the original budget of more than £500,000 only allowing 35 days to complete the project. If they stuck with the original plan it would  take 50 days, longer if the bad weather returned, incurring extra costs of tens of thousands of pounds,

"We're having to rely to a larger degree than we originally planned on the structural integrity of the aircraft," said Ian Thirsk, the RAF Museum's head of collections.
"But we have no choice. We're doing what we can to save a unique and precious heritage asset. If we leave it one thing is certain - it won't be there in a year's time."

The Dornier 17 was a mainstay of the German bomber fleets during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The plane in question is thought to be aircraft call-sign 5K-AR, shot down on 26 August that year at the height of the battle.

                                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_17