Tourism Message Is “Getting Lost” Say Snowdonia Businesses

It is a message that is being conveyed by traders connected to the tourism industry in Wales, but I wonder whether their counterparts in other parts of the country sometimes think the same. The message in question is that they feel that there are too many bodies trying to promote the tourism industry in Wales leading to unnecessary duplication.

Snowdonia National Park

Pointing out the existence of bodies such as Cadw, the Welsh Heritage body, and the Welsh Government sponsored body Visit Wales, they also refer to local councils and area tourism groups, all of whom sometimes appear to be promoting the same message.

Snowdonia businesses feel that somehow the overall tourism message is being lost, and their concern is such that The Welsh government has agreed to their request for a meeting.

Attractions Of Snowdonia is a group that works with around thirty tourism operators to promote attractions in the area, and its chair, Jonathan Williams-Ellis, said: "There are too many people - all with their fingers on the buttons.... we're losing our message to potential customers.

"We're unhappy with the way the tourism industry is being governed or being looked after by the [Welsh] government at the moment. We're always working with different people and we don't seem to have a single message. We see duplication of work, different ideas, different PR [public relations] organisations working and something's got to happen. It's not good."

Snowdon Mountain Railway

With the Welsh government having set a target to increase earnings from tourism by 10% or more by 2020, there are concerns in North Wales that this is all fine and dandy but there has been insufficient discussion.

Chris Chance, secretary-manager at Conwy Golf Club, said: "We weren't asked for any feedback. If you're going to consult then you need to consult the actual attractions, not just the bodies they report to."

Attractions of Snowdonia also takes the view that marketing should be improved at both Liverpool and Manchester airports to attract visitors to Wales. Having requested a meeting with the Welsh Economy Minister Edwina Hart, they hope that it can be arranged as quickly as possible, as we move into the second half of the summer tourism season.

                                              http://www.attractionsofsnowdonia.com/

Heritage Lottery Fund Announces £47 million Boost For Six Attractions

Six heritage tourism projects in Britain are today celebrating the news that they have, well, won the lottery as the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced a £47 million injection,  awarded to existing and potential tourist attractions.

Brecknock Museum

The six projects that are getting the metaphorical champagne bottles out are Flax Mill Maltings in Shropshire which has been awarded £12.8 million, Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire (£10.5 million),  the Windermere Steamboat Museum in Cumbria (£9.4 million),  Knole Mansion in Kent (£7.75 million), Chester Farm in Northamptonshire (£4 million) and Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery which receives £2.5 million).

HLF announced that the grants "will enhance and promote a better understanding of our heritage while contributing to the £26bn UK heritage tourism economy".
Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF said that through research it had been discovered that more than a quarter of all UK holiday activities undertaken by UK residents now involve heritage sites. "These projects all offer the public the chance to explore and enjoy our rich and complex history," she said.

The largest award to the Flax Mill Maltings is an interesting one, with the money being used to develop a complex of 18th and 19th Century industrial buildings in Shrewsbury.
This complex includes the world's first iron-framed building, the forerunner to the modern skyscraper. In this case the money will be used to restore the buildings for commercial, community and visitor uses.

Windermere Steamboat Museum in Cumbria has been awarded £9.4m which will provide a  new museum on the edge of Lake Windermere to show the development of 200 years of  boatbuilding in the Lake District and will provide training and apprenticeship opportunities.

The Chester Farm in Northamptonshire, has received £4 million, which will be used to protect a complex of grade II and II* buildings that are currently at risk. The site provides evidence of human activity over 10,000 years.

Twenty Six Signal Boxes Given Grade II Listed Status

This is a good time to be a railway enthusiast. Having only just recovered from seeing the A4 class steam locomotive “Bittern” hitting 94 mph just outside Grantham earlier this month, they now have the news that twenty-six of the "rarest" signal boxes in England have been granted Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

In accepting that interest in trains and railways was one of the country's "most endearing and enduring national preoccupations", Culture minister Ed Vaizey made the grant at a time when there is a joint venture, between English Heritage and Network Rail, to modernise the railways.

A number of mechanical boxes are being replaced by regional operating centres. "These are very special buildings, at one time a familiar sight on our railway system," said English Heritage's senior investigator John Minnis. The preservation of 26 "highly distinctive" signal boxes would provide a "window into how railways were operated in the past," he added.

One of the “jewels in the crown” Hebden Bridge signal box, which was built in 1891, will be preserved as it has a "time warp quality" and has retained its original 1914 signage. English Heritage would not be against some of the listed buildings being "rejuvenated" as cafes or museums, such as the 1923 signal box in Totnes, Devon.

Such is the speed with which signalling has changed over the years, that the 10,000 or so boxes that functioned in 1940 have now been reduced to about 500 according to Network Rail. Signal platforms were first introduced in the 1840s, but British engineer John Saxby first created a building housing levers in 1857.

Because there were so many different railway companies in the early days of the railway system, as a consequence, there were a huge variety of designs.

Those signal boxes achieving the status are as follows:

•    Hebden Bridge, Calderdale, West Yorkshire
•    Hensall, Selby, North Yorkshire
•    Bournemouth West Junction, Poole, Dorset
•    Lostwithiel, Restormel, Cornwall
•    Marsh Brook, Shropshire
•    Par, Restormel, Cornwall
•    Totnes, S Hams, Devon
•    Brundall, Broadland, Norfolk
•    Bury St Edmunds Yard, St Edmundsbury, Suffolk
•    Downham Market, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk
•    Skegness, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
•    Thetford, Breckland, Norfolk
•    Wainfleet, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
•    Wymondham South Junction, South Norfolk, Norfolk
•    Aylesford, Tonbridge and Malling, Kent
•    Canterbury East, Kent
•    Cuxton, Medway, Kent
•    Eastbourne, East Sussex
•    Grain Crossing, Medway, Kent
•    Littlehampton, West Sussex
•    Liverpool Street, City of London
•    Maidstone West, Maidstone, Kent
•    Rye, Rother, East Sussex
•    Shepherdswell, Dover, Kent
•    Snodland, Tonbridge and Malling, Kent
•    Wateringbury, Maidstone, Kent

Lincoln Seasonal Market Secure Despite Losses

With the country enduring record temperatures and sleepless nights, it may seem a funny time to be talking about Christmas markets, but if we do, then it only goes to prove that tourism is a 52 week a year business.

Lincoln Christmas Market

With this in mind, Lincoln City Council has sought to allay fears about the future of the local Christmas market, by issuing a statement saying that this year’s market will go ahead despite last year’s £100,000 loss.

The situation was not helped by a drop in visitor numbers from 350,000 to 250,000 year on year. These in themselves are pretty impressive visitor figures, but the reduction is worrying. Local council officials admitted that a much-criticised one-way system had been a major factor in higher costs and lower income.

They take the view that the Christmas Market gave a dramatic financial boost to the local economy, running into millions of pounds, and they would seek to reduce the losses rather than call a halt to the whole thing. Changes to the 2012 had resulted from complains and concerns about overcrowding in 2011, so it seems as though it is a question of getting the balance right.

Kate Ellis, assistant director planning and regeneration at the City of Lincoln Council, said: "We are committed to the market because it raises the city's profile and benefits the economy. But we are not in a position where we are able to continue to write off that amount of money, so it is down to people like myself and the team to come up with ways of making it more cost-effective."

Mark Hollingworth of the Bailgate Area Guild, which represents retailers in the area, said: "The market has wider benefits that just trying to make money but it should at least be able to break even."
Basic pitch prices have been raised by 5%,  and now range from £945 to £1,260, but organisers said they cannot raise prices further and remain competitive.

This year’s market is scheduled to take place 5th to 8th December inclusive.

                                                  http://lincoln-christmasmarket.co.uk/

                                                      http://www.lincolntourism.co.uk/

Protestors Out Today As Oil Drilling Set To Start In West Sussex

With today’s news article featuring on hopeful progress for a wildlife reserve in Lincolnshire, another environmental issue is hitting the headlines. There is more contention in West Sussex however, where Cuadrilla, the energy company is set to start exploratory drilling for oil near the village of Balcombe.
Having received the waste permit from the Environment Agency, this being the last part of the permission process, the company are now on site, and are looking to start operations this coming Saturday.

Balcombe, West Sussex

Not unexpectedly, there is local opposition, and a "Great Gas Gala" will be held today by campaigners who are  protesting over fears of a large increase in the number of lorries in the area, and Cuadrilla's involvement in shale gas exploration using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Brenda Pollack, regional campaigner for Friends of the Earth South East, said: "Shale gas and oil are not the solution to our energy challenges. They threaten local communities, pollute our atmosphere and there's plenty of evidence they won't bring down fuel prices. It's time to end the nation's costly addiction to dirty fossil fuels and build a clean future based on energy efficiency and harnessing the power of the wind, waves and sun."

The energy company said: "Cuadrilla's forthcoming activity at Balcombe is for exploratory drilling only and is a temporary operation that will not include hydraulic fracturing. Should Cuadrilla wish to undertake further activity, they would need to apply for new permissions and licences from the relevant regulatory authorities.

"We have communicated what we are doing to the local community through information sessions and written communications.  Furthermore we have been in regular contact with the parish council and other local councils as well as going through all the necessary planning and permit applications to undertake this work. We will continue to inform the community of our actions as we progress."

It is some three years ago that West Sussex County Council granted Cuadrilla planning permission to undertake exploration work.

Yorkshire Looking To Maximise 2014 Tour De France Windfall

With all the marketing publicity in the last few days being hogged by Scotland’s preparations for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Yorkshire is stepping up to the plate to remind us that another important event is taking place in their part of the world in 2014.

It was top news when it was first announced, and our memories are now being jogged that Yorkshire will host the Grand Depart when the Tour de France gets under way in next year, with high hopes of  emulating the success of the last time that it visited the UK in 2007., when the ramp was rolled down in London.

With Chris Froome achieving an unheard of second successive British victory in this year’s race, the job of Gary Verity, chief executive of organisers Welcome to Yorkshire, has been made just that little bit easier.

He sees that the growing profile of the sport in the UK with Olympic and Tour success will result in a much greater economic impact than when this cycling jamboree last visited these shores.
He envisages that hosting the world's most famous cycling race will bring in excess of £100m in economic benefit to the region. He says: "It could be double or treble that, who knows?

"It's a great boost to the economy. At this stage in the economic cycle, it will be very welcome indeed. I am in no doubt they will come to Yorkshire in their millions, lining the length and breadth of the route to cheer on the champions of world cycling and our home-grown British heroes."

The economic figures are rather mind boggling, reinforcing what a big event this is. With an estimated cost of £6.5m to Yorkshire councils, this sum including a £4million “staging fee”, plus £10m in assistance from the Treasury, the capital investment is not insignificant.

The English Tourist Board perhaps states the obvious in highlighting the race as one of the star attractions of a busy year of cycling events in England in 2014, bringing an electric atmosphere on the route and encouraging would-be visitors to arrange their holidays to coincide with it.

That famous Yorkshire tourism attraction, Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms, has branches on the route in three locations and stands to benefit from an increase in visitors to the region both in the short and long term.

It is as famous outside the county for its Taylor’s tea brand, and catering and retail operations director Paula Kaye said, "For us the Tour is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Yorkshire and Bettys to an international audience with two to three million visitors expected, many visiting Yorkshire for the first time. Longer term, regardless of footfall during the event, it's about putting Yorkshire on the map and encouraging return visits."

She says: "We can't let teams and tourists leave Yorkshire without experiencing a Bettys afternoon tea and real Yorkshire hospitality," adding that she believes the race's presence in Yorkshire can only be positive and help to deliver a feel-good factor to the region, very much along the lines of that generated by the Olympics and the Jubilee.

There are, however, voices of caution amongst all of the positive talk. The projected windfall to the county is estimated at about £100million, representing a 0.1% gain to the local economy. This may not be evenly spread however.

A Cardiff University study also pointed out that in 2007, London gained more than Kent in economic terms, as it already had the infrastructure, as a capital city, to cope with the sudden increase in visitors and a race entourage of 4,500 people.

Professor Simon Shibli of Sheffield Hallam University suggests that the places that will gain the most could be venues where the race stops overnight. This could mean that Leeds and the Cambridge area - where the third stage begins - stand to be the biggest winners from the Tour circus coming to town.

                                                               http://letour.yorkshire.com/

Work Commences On £38 million Suffolk Flood Barrier

Work has just started on a flood barrier that is being built at the mouth of the New Cut of the River Orwell on Ipswich waterfront, and upon completion in some five years time, will offer protection for some 1,500 homes and 400 businesses.

Site Of Proposed Flood Barrier

There is a great deal of symbolism in the timing of the recent celebration of the ground breaking works, which tie in poignantly with the 60th anniversary of the 1953 east coast tidal flood in which 400 people lost their lives.

Ben Gummer, Ipswich MP, said: "By ensuring we will have the best protection possible from the risk of flooding, the scheme will be a signal to developers that we can now get cracking with the patchwork of disused sites that lie around the centre of Ipswich."

Richard Benyon, Minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: "We recently remembered the 60th anniversary of the 1953 east coast tidal flood  and we wanted to make sure we're protecting big, important economic areas like Ipswich.We know we get £8 back for every £1 spent on flood defences in terms of benefits to the economy, regeneration and people not making claims on their insurance."

Planners have calculated that the 400 businesses that are going to benefit from protection are responsible for 4,000 jobs in the town centre.

Charles Beardall, area manager for the Environment Agency, said: "As sea level rise increases, we need to make sure Ipswich gets the protection it needs. With 1953, it's not if it's going to happen again, it's when."

With a number of ancillary works, there is a likelihood that the overall bill could be closer to £53 million. In February, the government pledged £24.5 million, and the balance will come from Ipswich Borough Council, Haven Gateway and the New Anglian Local Enterprise Partnership.

First Details Emerge Of 2014 Commonwealth Games Marketing

With a budget of some £2.4 million available, tourism chiefs have made public the first details of the marketing strategy for Glasgow 2014. Visit Scotland has already set its sights on many potential domestic visitors, using a number of direct mailing initiatives and e-zines.

Clyde, the Games Mascot

There will also be a range of television adverts to be shown across the UK and Ireland later on this year. The agency said that it planned to tap into the enthusiasm and goodwill that had resulted from London 2012, including targeted marketing in the South East of England. It would also focus on the North West of England, including Manchester, where the 2002 Commonwealth Games took place with some success.

Further afield, journalists from such far flung places as India, Australia, and Canada are being invited to experience and understand Glasgow. They will be given a tour of the Games venues as well as being taken on trips outside the city. A series of sales missions, trade workshops and media events are also scheduled to take place in India, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: "As Scotland's biggest ever sporting event, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games offers a magnificent opportunity to promote Glasgow and the country's prowess as a world leading tourism destination.

"Ahead of welcoming the world in 2014, we're working hard to promote the Games as one of the must-see events next year, engaging with world leading publications as well as pursuing a marketing campaign which will see activity from Bangalore to Toronto, alongside an extensive push here at home. Our message is clear: enjoy a magnificent Commonwealth Games, enjoy one of the best cities in the world - now go and enjoy the rest of Scotland."

Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing added: "2014 is an exciting year for Scotland, when we will welcome the world through three major events: the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Homecoming and the Ryder Cup.

"The Games alone will attract athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories, and through this £2.5m campaign we will be offering a warm welcome to people worldwide to join us in 2014.

"The Commonwealth Games is not just a world class sporting event - it's also an opportunity to showcase Glasgow internationally as a first-class visitor destination."

                                                        http://www.glasgow2014.com/

Reports Suggest Nearly £10 billion Boost From Olympic Legacy

It is probably one of the hardest figures to calculate, but having invested some £10 billion in bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to these shores,  the government would want to suggest that within a year that figure has already been recouped by way of inward investment into this country.  With further projections pointing to a minimum return of about £28 billion by the year 2020,  all those parties involved in the organisation will be keen to shed the most positive of lights onto the legacy that the Games have left.

2012 Olympic Logo

Whereas there can be no doubt that the sense of self esteem and well being that surged through the country as the Games unfolded was a tangible benefit, many commentators point out that the Queen’s Jubilee was hardly a side show, and there was certainly a positive effect on the country and its world standing that reflected itself in proportionately higher tourism figures.

With the eye catching title of “Inspired By 2012”, a report prepared for the Government and the Mayor of London highlights the  influence of the Games on sport and regeneration. It also says the Games volunteers inspired more people to take up similar roles in their communities.
The report adds 1.4 million more people than in 2005, when the Games bid was won, are playing sport at least once a week, and the legacy of all the permanent venues on the Olympic Park has been secured within a year of the Games.

Prime Minister David Cameron said companies across the country were "harnessing the Olympic momentum and delivering the lasting business legacy of the Games". He added: "The Games are also delivering a strong social legacy. Last summer, Games Makers changed the way Britain views volunteering. Since then, thousands of people have been inspired to get involved with their local sports club."

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "There is no doubt that the London 2012 Games proved a success story for British business. This has created a multi-billion pound business springboard to take British expertise to the world."

In a message in the report, Olympics legacy ambassador Lord Coe, who chaired Games organiser Locog, said: "Progress reflected in this report against each of the legacy commitments is a promising start.  There can, however, be no room for complacency. Just as the Games took 10 years to win, plan and deliver, so legacy must be seen as a 10-year project to realise lasting change."

Independent commentators are urging caution in accepting some of the highlights of the report, saying that some of the perceived increases in exports and inward investment may have happened anyway, as the world economy shows slow signs of recovery.

Although they cannot argue with the increase in participation in sport since 2005, they point out that in the last year it's actually dropped by 200,000.

Therefore the arguments ebb and flow. What can’t be denied is the immense feeling of pride that filled this country this time last year, shining like a beacon in gloomy economic times. To many, the summer of 2012 will never be forgotten.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/224148/2901179_OlympicLegacy_acc.pdf

£500K Will Buy You Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Hideaway

History tells us that Bonnie Prince Charlie (The Young Pretender) probably hid  away in several places during his quest to stay one step ahead of government forces, who were interested in “having a quiet word” with him. One such hideaway was the beautiful Hebridean island of Wiay, which having been put on the market for sale, can be yours for the “princely” sum of £500K

Wiay, close to the more famous Skye

Whilst raising the obvious question as to why these remote and rugged islands are only placed on the market in fine weather, the historical connection will play a part in the marketing tactics, even if Charlie only stayed in a cave on the island for a few days, after the defeat at the Battle of Culloden. As  a prominent figure in the failed Jacobite rebellion in 1745,  a cave on a remote island was pretty much par for the course.

Having been uninhabited for over a century, the current owners, a family from England who purchased the island in 2003, have used the island for holidays and summer camping. There is a ruined croft which can be redeveloped, and would provide spectacular views of the island’s surroundings when completed.

Mark Mitchell, head of selling agents Bell Ingram, said: “An area of land with as much history and beauty as the Island of Wiay does not come up on the market very often. It has a fantastic back story, once being the hidey-hole for Bonnie Prince Charlie, which is paralleled by the stunning views of the surrounding Benbecula and South Uist islands, making it the ideal location for those looking to totally escape the rat race.”

So it looks as though the agents will be playing the historical card for all it’s worth,  although the 970-acre island also has sporting rights, and has, over recent years been used for woodcock and duck shooting. There is also red deer stalking and fishing.

You are just half a mile south-east of the more famous Benbecula, and Wiay is reached by private boat from Petersport to a sheltered bay close to the ruined cottage on the west side of the island. Mainly heather clad, Wiay has a small number of freshwater lochs, rising to 335ft at Beinn a’Tuath.
Charlie’s involvement in the area was part of his elaborate escape plan that resulted in the journey immortalised in the Skye Boat Song.

Scottish islands represent a sound investment on the property market at the moment, while in 2011, Taransay, also one of the Western Isles, and the largest unpopulated island in Britain, was put up for sale. It benefitted from the fact that it featured on the reality TV show Castaway which obviously gave it a bit of cache,  but a bid to buy it by TV personality Ben Fogle, who appeared on the show, was unsuccessful after it was bought by a local landowning family on Harris for £2 million within two weeks.

Balnagowan, near Oban, stretching to just 36 acres and with planning permission for a bothy, sold last year for £300,000.

    http://www.bellingram.co.uk/latest/news/2804_own_a_slice_of_history_with_island_treasure

What A Change Around For English Vineyards – Disaster To Vintage In One Year

What a difference a year makes. Last October, the papers were full of doom and gloom about the prospect of there being any meaningful harvest for the increasingly important English wine industry due to the exceptionally poor summer. Indeed, at about that time, one of the leading award winning vineyards, Nyetimber in West Sussex, had made the “exceedingly difficult” decision to scrap its entire 2012 harvest, a pretty monumentous step from the producers who had provided the wine for the Queen’s barge during the Jubilee.

English Vineyards Set To Expand

Fast forward nine months to today, where the same papers are reporting that growers throughout the important wine producing areas such as Kent and Sussex, are now quietly saying that if the  weather remains helpful for the rest of the summer, then the vintage of 2013 could be one of the best over recent years.

Although the weather over the last few years has proved disappointing to say the least, the average temperatures are generally on the increase, and it seems likely that we will be seeing more vineyards established in places where soil constituency and temperate conditions prevail.

There are now some 400 vineyards throughout England and Wales, covering approximately 3,500 acres, and that number is growing. Sparkling wine has made great inroads into world markets, and as long ago as 2007, the Theale Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay 2003 beat off stiff competition from fine Champagnes and top sparkling wines to make it into the world’s Top Ten Sparkling Wine at the world’s only dedicated sparkling wine competition, French-based Effervescents du Monde (Sparkling Wines of the World).

There are even moves to start growing wine in Scotland, although as with the industry as a whole, there is some way to go. Wines grown in this country still account for a minute portion of the domestic market, and perhaps it is only as the economies of scale come into play that greater inroads will be made.

                                                     http://www.englishwineproducers.com/

Mayor of London Seeks To Increase The UK's Airport Capacity

Proving to be a subject that will always be with us until a firm decision has been made, the vexed question of increasing the UK’s airport capacity flew back into the public gaze again this week. To the forefront once again was the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson who has put forward three proposals.

Airport space is at a premium

Taking the view that the further development of Heathrow would, in his words be “crackers”,  his thoughts included a four-runway hub on an artificial island in the Thames Estuary, previously dubbed Boris Island. He also proposed a hub on the Isle of Grain in Kent or expanding Stansted Airport
By the 19th July, the three proposals will have been passed over to the Davies Aviation Commission. Chaired by Sir Howard Davies, this is an independent Commission tasked with identifying and recommending to government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation.

Mr. Johnson listed the advantages of each proposal as follows:-
•    Thames Estuary: Artificial island would remove problems of noise pollution.
•    The Isle of Grain: Close enough to London to provide fast access by public transport, yet take-off  and landing over water would reduce impact on as small a population as possible.
•    Stansted airport: Building on existing infrastructure at Stansted would have none of the environmental or wildlife issues that would need to be overcome in the estuary.

Mr Johnson said: "Ambitious cities all over the world are already stealing a march on us and putting themselves in a position to eat London's breakfast, lunch and dinner by constructing mega airports.  For London and the wider UK to remain competitive we have to build an airport capable of emulating that scale of growth."

Friends of the Earth remained sceptical about the island in the Thames Estuary ever being built, a view echoed by other independent commentators. Other local figures seemed to be taking equally dismal views. Leader of Medway Council Rodney Chambers said: "Boris has failed to listen to the huge number of people who have said that placing an airport in North Kent, on or near the Thames Estuary, is a complete non-starter.  "There are no roads or rail lines there to support an airport that would carry up to 150 million passengers a year, and putting these in place would cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds - a needless waste of money."

The Davies aviation commission will consider a number of options to maintain the country's status as an international hub for aviation and will report back in 2015. Also,  later this year, it will also recommend what improvements can be undertaken to improve the use of existing runway capacity for the next five years.

A decision on whether to support any of the recommendations contained in the final report will be taken by the government.

Discovery Of What Could Be “The World’s Oldest Calendar”

With a headline like that, you would be expecting to learn of another landmark discovery in one of the so called “cradles of civilization” such as the Near and Middle East or Greece.  It would undoubtedly come as a surprise, therefore, to learn that in fact this pretty significant find had taken place in a field in Aberdeenshire.

Crathes Castle

The field in question is at Crathes Castle, and takes the form of a series of twelve pits, their layout appearing to follow the phases of the moon and track lunar months. One of the most plausible theories appears to be that the monument was laid out by hunter-gatherers the best part of 10,000 years ago, this at least is the thinking of a team led by the University of Birmingham. The pit alignment, at Warren Field, was first excavated in 2004. It is also possible that there could have been a wooden post as well as the pits.

The findings have been published in the journal, Internet Archaeology, and gives rise to the possibility that what would be called the Mesolithic calendar is thousands of years older than previous known formal time-measuring monuments created in Mesopotamia.

What is also interesting is that the pit alignment appears to line up on the Midwinter sunrise, providing whoever created the monument to have a sort annual "astronomic correction" so that they follow the passage of time and the seasons. Vince Gaffney, Professor of Landscape Archaeology at Birmingham, has been leading the analysis project.

He said: "The evidence suggests that hunter-gatherer societies in Scotland had both the need and sophistication to track time across the years, to correct for seasonal drift of the lunar year and that this occurred nearly 5,000 years before the first formal calendars known in the Near East.
"In doing so, this illustrates one important step towards the formal construction of time and therefore history itself."

Other involved universities included  St Andrews, Leicester and Bradford. Dr Richard Bates, of the University of St Andrews, said the discovery provided "exciting new evidence" of the early Mesolithic Scotland. He added: "This is the earliest example of such a structure and there is no known comparable site in Britain or Europe for several thousands of years after the monument at Warren Field was constructed."

The discovery of the site is interesting in itself, as it came to light resulting from an investigation into unusual crop marks seen from the air by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).

Dave Cowley, aerial survey projects manager at RCAHMS, said: "We have been taking photographs of the Scottish landscape for nearly 40 years, recording thousands of archaeological sites that would never have been detected from the ground.

"Warren Field stands out as something special, however. It is remarkable to think that our aerial survey may have helped to find the place where time itself was invented."

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has care of Crathes Castle and its estate, and between 2004 and 2006 there was an excavation of the site by Murray Archaeological.

NTS archaeologist Dr Shannon Fraser said: "This is a remarkable monument, which is so far unique in Britain. Our excavations revealed a fascinating glimpse into the cultural lives of people some 10,000 years ago - and now this latest discovery further enriches our understanding of their relationship with time and the heavens."

Top Landmark Award Goes To Durham Cathedral

Recognised as one of the more influential awards in the tourism calendar, purely because it is the closest that you get to the ordinary British public speaking their mind, the annual TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards, which compares millions of visitor ratings, reviews and opinions from worldwide travellers has provided another perhaps unlikely winner.

Fighting off obvious candidates such as Windsor Castle, The Tower of London, Stonehenge and Edinburgh Castle, it is a big round of applause this year to Durham Cathedral, which wins the award for the top UK attraction.

Already in our spotlight here at Brit Breaks because it is hosting the summer display of the Lindisfarne Gospels, the cathedral can trace its roots back to 1093, taking some 40 years to build.  As is the way of the world, we rather take it for granted because somehow, it has always been there, but it has to be remembered that it was also one of the first buildings in Britain to be awarded a UNESCO World Heritage site status.

It even has imposing surroundings on its side, being set in the heart of the City of Durham on a majestic parcel of land created by a bend in the neighbouring River Wear. It suffered in the dissolution under Henry VIII, and the grave of St. Cuthbert, after whom the cathedral is named, and who wrote the said Lindisfarne Gospels, was destroyed. The body of the saint was exhumed, and according to the Rites of Durham, was discovered to be in good order. It was reburied under a plain stone slab, but the ancient paving around it remains intact, worn by the knees of pilgrims.

In winning this prestigious award, Durham Cathedral, which has also gained popularity from its appearances in Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary, found itself in illustrious company, joining such well known destinations as the Parthenon in Athens, and the church of the Sacred Family in Barcelona.

                                                    http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/

                                    http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Attractions

Iron Age Hill Forts To Be Put On The Map

Although there are said to be in excess of 5,000 of them scattered throughout Britain, archaeologists have always been a bit reticent to admit that not enough research has been carried out on the country’s hill forts.

Hopefully that is about to change with news that the industry is hoping to draft an army of volunteers  to help map every ancient hill fort across Britain and Ireland. At the end of the project, it is hoped  to create an online atlas of these iron age remains.

Enthusiasts with a working knowledge of the period will be asked to identify and record features such as ramparts, ditches and entrances.  Professor Gary Lock, of Oxford University, said: "We want to shed new light on why they were created and how they were used."

Professor Lock, who has actually excavated some of the forts in England, said that despite their name archaeological evidence suggests they may not have been primarily used for military purposes.  "We have found pottery, metalwork and evidence of domestic activities like spinning and weaving, also of agriculture, crops like wheat and barley and of keeping pigs, sheep and cattle," he said.

It is a source of some surprise that with many important projects on the go, there has been little academic work carried out on hill forts, and their uses and regional differences across Britain and Ireland, the researchers say.

There are suggestions that they may have been meeting places for religious festivals or market days. Archaeologists are confident in saying that the oldest hill forts are in Ireland and Wales and could be up to 3,000 years old. The arrival of the Romans signalled the abandonment of many of the structures, but in areas that the Romans did not occupy they were used for longer.

The research will want to come out of this with information not only on well-preserved forts but also on sites where only crop marks indicate their existence. The idea is to build a free online database.
"We are hoping that local archaeology societies will get involved," said Professor Lock.

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

At Last The British Postal Museum And Archive Will Do Itself Justice

In an age where there seems to be a museum that celebrates almost every aspect of everyday life as we yearn for knowledge of less complicated days gone by,  one museum that in truth should be near the top of every must-see list is in fact tucked away in an inconsequential industrial unit not far from Kings Cross Railway Station. If you were to miss the red painted fascia that is displayed above the door, you would be well within your rights to walk straight past without a second glance.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the current whereabouts  of the British Postal Museum and Archive.  Despite its mundane appearance security is high, as here you will find such untold treasures as a sheet of the first Penny Blacks ever printed, historic telegrams and the Battle of Britain celebratory stamps with no Queen’s head. There is also row upon row of historic letterboxes.
Because of this low profile, there is an average of only ten visitors a day, all of whom have to make an appointment. Now however, all that will change with a new museum being created not far from the current location.

There is an initial aim of some 80,000 visitors a year to come and take in some of the top exhibits, and that figure could easily double when the public are given access to the London Post Office Railway that runs below ground.

There is a level of fascination however about the funding for this project which will not be cheap. The ubiquitous National Lottery Fund is set to provide some £20 million towards the project, but another £5 million will be raised by an historic stamp auction tomorrow at Sothebys.  The museum trustees have carefully selected suitable items for auction, with others deemed to be “out of bounds” as they are protected by law.

So, some 200 years after Wakefield was the first place in Britain to have a post box, albeit in a wall, perhaps we will have a Postal Museum to be proud of.

                                                     http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/

Welsh Councils Talking Tough On National Parks

Wales is blessed with three of the most diverse and picturesque National Parks in Britain, but that wouldn’t be the case if the leaders of Powys, Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire councils had their way. They claim that the park bodies are no longer affordable, and with councils looking to make savings, the spotlight has been shed, albeit dimly, on the future of the national parks.

Powys council's leader David Jones said in tough economic times it was difficult to justify national park planning services. "It does seem strange that we have 22 local authorities in Wales but we have 25 planning departments in Wales. I find that very difficult to justify," Mr Jones said.

"Local government and all public services in Wales are obviously feeling the effects of the financial situation.  We're all being subjected to cuts but perhaps more importantly we're being told to cooperate with our neighbours.

The Brecon Beacons National Park falls within his borders, so it was perhaps obvious that Mr. Jones would use that particular area to reinforce his point of view. He said that the Brecon Beacons National Park was responsible for economic development within its borders.

"If we're doing that work over 85% of Powys it seems to me to make sense that we do for the other little bit of Powys, presently covered by the national park," he added.

Not unexpectedly the National Parks had a dim view of the idea. The chief executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Tegryn Jones, perhaps spoke for all three entities when he said that scrapping the national parks would result in limited savings.

"We all recognise we face difficult times and national park authorities are no different to the rest of the public service but national park authorities receive less than £15m of public money, so the view that national park authorities will save significant amounts of money is ill-informed and probably based on a lack of understanding of what we do," said Mr Jones.

"In Pembrokeshire the national park authority spends several hundred thousand pounds maintaining the coast path, a key tourism resource, so are the council leaders seriously suggesting that we stop doing things like that?  No, this work would need to be undertaken by somebody else and probably in this case it will be with the local council, so you're not going to get any savings for the public purse."
Echoing this thought, the chief executive of Snowdonia National Park Aneurin Phillips said consultants were looking at whether the three Welsh national parks could form closer ties over planning issues.

"Greater collaboration, joint working and integration between the three national parks at all levels is the way ahead in my view," he said.  We also recognise that the debate about why we have 25 local planning authorities in Wales is inevitable in the context of future public sector cuts.  However, the planning service in Wales has stood the test of time. We should not rush into a decision just to save money if what we create is a dysfunctional service."

Two-thirds of national park members are appointed by councils with a third by the Welsh government, but they are not directly elected.

New Painting Adorns Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre

Turning into a true cult figure some 530 years after his death, the iconic figure of Richard III is now the subject of an impressive and imposing new painting at the Bosworth Battle field Heritage Centre.  Richard died at Bosworth in 1485 at the hands of forces fighting for Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII. The picture, by Buckinghamshire artist and historian Graham Turner, depicts Richard at the battle.

Although undoubtedly the world focus that resulted in the discovery of Richard’s skeleton in a now famous Leicester car park has raised the profile of Mr. Turner’s painting, work began on the project some time before the discovery. Mr, Turner said that all that had subsequently happened had helped him complete the work with a greater understanding of his subject. He, like all of us, was enthralled by events as they unfolded.

He said: "Like quite a lot of other people in the world, I was on tenterhooks waiting for the news from the DNA tests. When they discovered the skeleton was Richard's and did the facial reconstruction, I was able to incorporate all that new information into the painting."

As a result, Mr Turner claimed the painting was one of the first "lifelike" depictions of the king.
The new work shows Richard at the moment that he caught sight of Henry Tudor across the battlefield, resulting in him leading the charge which ended in his depth.

Mr Turner has painted Richard on many occasions during his 30 years as a historical artist, but his previous works were based on copies of portraits available from the king's lifetime.

"These copies are the only paintings of Richard believed to exist," he said. "The facial reconstruction is remarkably close to these portraits but there are still small differences. Hopefully my painting will be the first that shows him as he was."

                                                    http://www.bosworthbattlefield.com/

                                         http://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/graham_turner.html

Unveiling Of A New Tartan To Celebrate The 2014 Ryder Cup

Even if you are not a fan of golf, you would hazard a pretty good guess as to the possible venue of this august competition in 2014 if you were told that a new tartan had been unveiled in its honour.
Yes, that’s right, you’re spot on, it’s being held in Scotland, at Gleneagles in Perth and Kinross-shire to be exact.,and the creation of the tartan in question has been a studied affair, with input from the European team captain Paul McGinley.

Luckily First Minister Alex Salmond and European Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills just happened to be on hand at Lochcarron of Scotland in Selkirk for the unveiling event.  Trying hard not to get completely carried away, the design features four shades of blue inspired by Scotland's landscape, white to hint at elements of the Saltire, and blue and gold to reflect the core colours of the European flag. It will be available in ties, scarves, trousers and kilts.

Mr Salmond said he was delighted to be part of the launch. "Tartan's importance to Scotland cannot be overestimated," he said. It is deeply embedded in Scottish culture and is an internationally recognised symbol of Scotland therefore this beautiful tartan is the perfect way for the Ryder Cup to celebrate its return to the home of golf."

Mr McGinley said he was "very honoured" to have been part of the design process. While it was obviously important that the tartan was uniquely Scottish to reflect the host nation of the 2014 Ryder Cup, I also wanted it to illustrate the continent of Europe that we will all be representing at Gleneagles next September," he said.

"I think we have done that superbly with the subtle blending of the blue and gold of the European flag."

Daniel Kim, of Lochcarron of Scotland, said the company was "really excited" to be part of the project. "We have paid careful attention to ensure the design reflects the unique quality and drama of the most treasured trophy in golf, while still paying close tribute to the Scottish heritage behind the game," he said.

The new tartan can breathe a sigh of relief as it has been approved by the Scottish Registrar of Tartans, which is just as well. The Ryder Cup will take place at Gleneagles in September of next year.

English Heritage Casting Off Fund Raising Constraints

Receiving a one off payment of £80 million from the government is helping to pave the way for English Heritage (EH) to become a charity on a self financing basis.  Although EH will remain in public ownership, the new charity, which will be set up in 2015,  will have more  freedom to generate greater commercial and philanthropic income to safeguard and present to the public what is arguably England's most vulnerable and important collection of cultural treasures.

It will retain the name, and the long term aim is for it to become financially self sufficient, no longer needing tax payer support.

English Heritage was set up in 1983, under the terms of the National Heritage Act of that year. Its functions for maintaining ancient monuments had previously been undertaken by part of the  Department of the Environment which was the successor to the Ministry of Works.

English Heritage is the guardian of over 400 sites and monuments, the most famous of which include Dover Castle, Iron Bridge and Stonehenge. Whilst many have an entry charge, more than 250 properties are free to enter.

Unlike the National Trust,  English Heritage holds few furnished properties. New sites are rarely added to the collection as other charities and institutions are now encouraged to care for them and open them to the public.

                 http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/80million-boost-heritage/

The South West And The Enormous Business Potential Of Hinkley C Power Station

With the recent news that the government intends to underwrite investment in the new Hinkley C nuclear power station on the Somerset coast, business leaders in the area are already banging the drum about the wide ranging business opportunities that the development will bring.

Tim Jones, chairman of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, said it presented "enormous opportunities", and he talked of how companies in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset could benefit.

"It's bigger than the Olympics - a £14bn programme - and 80% of that cost is in the 'civils' contract, so it's not specialist nuclear activity," he said. "In there is a great opportunity for local businesses in Plymouth, across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset to get involved in it as part of the supply chain. There's also a great opportunity during the construction of the facility - there's a requirement for 6,000 workers over a 10-year period."

In March Energy Secretary Ed Davey gave the necessary consent for French energy giant EDF to construct Hinkley Point C. Whichever way you look at it, it is an undertaking of considerable magnitude, being capable of powering five million homes.

Mr Jones said the South West was privileged to have such a project on its doorstep, adding that "pretty good number crunching" had shown the benefit to the economy would be about £5bn. He  cited the wide range of firms that were "well suited" to become contractors, as well as strong links with the Royal Navy and keen interest from local colleges and universities. He felt that the embroyonic Hinkley C gave the South West an opportunity to develop a "nuclear skills academy".

"We're going to be building at least another six nuclear power stations - unless there's a very big change in government policy," he said. So setting up an academy, recognising that the far South West has that skill set and ensuring we build off the nuclear opportunity that Hinkley brings us, is something that I think could put us on the national stage very quickly.”

                                        http://hinkleypoint.edfenergyconsultation.info/

Cyclists Get Boost From Lake District Bus Route

Aimed specifically towards cyclists holidaying in the Lake District in the summer season, a Cumbrian coach and bus company, Reays, is introducing a service that will give cyclists easy access to mountain trails and remote roads, without disturbing other passengers.

The service  will comprise a single-decker bus on the route between Cockermouth and Keswick, via the Honister Pass, and will have a bike rack fitted at the back. Subsiduary to that, the same company will be starting an open-topped bus to give tourists great views between Keswick and Seatoller.

It is expected that both these routes will operate between 20 July and 4 September, which would coincide with the main summer holiday period.

Managing director Chris Reay said: "Obviously it's a very popular area for tourists but we are also hoping that local people, including families, will enjoy getting direct access to such remote locations from two busy towns.

"Both the 77R and 78R will actually be following part of the route for the Tour of Britain bike race when it's in Cumbria later this year."

Talking of the Tour of Britain Race, it will be in the Lake District for what should be a tough route from Carlisle to Kendal (September 16) - at 225km, it's the longest stage in the race's history.

Yet Another King May Be Coming To Light

They always say that the trouble with the No 37 bus is that you wait for ages for one to turn up, and then two come along at the same time. It looks as though the same is happening with historic kings of England, where we have recently had the high profile discovery of the remains of King Richard III in a Leicester car park, as well as exploratory works concerning the possible location of the grave of Alfred The Great in Winchester.

Now Lincolnshire is trying to get in on the act, with the discovery of  “exciting” remains at Lincoln Castle. It is being suggested that a skeleton found in Lincoln Castle could well belong to a Saxon king or bishop, according to archaeologists.

The skeleton has been discovered in a stone sarcophagus that is thought to date from about AD900., and although it has yet to be opened, an endoscopy has shown that the remains are buried alongside other objects - possibly gold. The       sarcophagus is buried approximately 3m (9ft) underground.

Trying not to get over excited, programme manager Mary Powell, of Lincoln Castle Revealed, said: "We think it's somebody terribly important - possibly a bishop or a Saxon king."

"At the moment, we can see the side of the coffin, but not the lid," Ms Powell added. It's going to be incredibly challenging to get it out, so we are being very careful.  There is a danger it could disintegrate because of the change in environmental conditions. When we do finally lift the lid, the plan is to record what's inside immediately, in case it starts to disintegrate."

She revealed that it was to be hoped that there would be some detail on the lid of the sarcophagus which might give a clue as to who the inhabitant was. "We know so little about the Saxon period and Saxon coffins are very rare," she said. "We are all excited about lifting the lid and seeing who is in there and what is buried with him."

There you are .... excited, but not over excited!

The limestone sarcophagus was discovered, with eight other skeletons, by a Saxon church, all of them in wooden coffins, one of them having a woollen shroud. DNA examinations are being carried out, with a possible digital reconstruction of the skeleton being another option.

Ms Powell said they were considering the possibility of a connection with an 8th Century king of Lindsey named Blaecca. The discovery of two Roman town houses was another result of the dig, along with a skeleton of a baby

The £19.9m Lincoln Castle Revealed project is aimed at creating a visitor attraction at the venue, including an underground vault in which to display Lincoln's Magna Carta. Many of the finds will go on display when the project is completed in 2015.

"Nobody really expected to discover as much as we have," said Ms Powell. "We don't think one room is going to be big enough. We may need to find a bit of extra space."

                 http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lincoln-castle-revealed/100256.article