Blackpool And The Fylde Coast Strengthening Their Sea Defences

Appropriate news, particularly in view of the storm that has just passed over Britain.  Firstly it has been announced that the well known infrastructure group Balfour Beatty will assist  Blackpool in its defence against stormy seas after winning two contracts worth £73m.

Plans to safeguard Blackpool's coastline

The work in question is for the replacement of  more than a mile of the original 1930s seawall along the area’s famous promenade, home to the Pleasure Beach and the Blackpool Tower. The contract, with Blackpool and neighbouring Wyre councils, will commence this winter and is expected to be completed by 2017.

‘We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with both Blackpool Council and Wyre Council,’ said Balfour chief executive Andrew McNaughton. These schemes will protect over 12,000 properties and local infrastructure from the risk of coastal flooding.’

The funding for the project has been provided by the Environment Agency and is part of an overall £86m scheme to upgrade the area’s coastal defences, which was launched earlier this month.
Meanwhile, details of this £86 million scheme have been announced for the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, with the government approving the funding for flood defences at Rossall and Anchorsholme. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has pledged £64m for defences at Rossall and £22m for Anchorsholme.

The seawalls between Rossall Hospital and Rossall Point and Kingsway to Little Bispham at Anchorsholme, will be improved under the scheme. The funding was raised as a result of a partnership between The Fylde Peninsular Coastal Programme (FPCP), a partnership between Wyre Council, Blackpool Council, Fylde Council and the Environment Agency

Councillor Roger Berry, cabinet member with responsibility for sea defences at Wyre Council, said: "Although Rossall and Anchorsholme are two different schemes in terms of the type of defences required, Wyre Council and Blackpool Council along with the Environment Agency have formed a very fruitful collaboration to ensure the future protection of the Fylde coast."

Councillor Fred Jackson, cabinet member for urban regeneration at Blackpool Council, said: "The reconstruction of the seawall is of huge importance and will protect the community of Anchorsholme, their homes, local businesses and highways from flooding and coastal erosion, whilst improving access to the beach."

The work is expected to be completed in 2015. The FPCP will also be bidding for £17m for sea defences improvements between Fairhaven Lake and Church Scar, Lytham.

Scotland Hits The Heights In 2014 Travel Guide

That purveyor of quality travel guides, The Lonely Planet, has served up a real boost to Scotland’s tourist chiefs in the run up to the all important 2014 season. It has been named as the third best country to visit next year, with the company stating that its "jam-packed schedule of world-class events" made it "the place to be" in 2014.

A Great Year Ahead For Scotland

It highlighted The Commonwealth Games which take place in Glasgow next summer, as well as The Ryder Cup being held at Gleneagles. It was also pointed out that next year is also Scotland's Year of Homecoming.

The book also cited the Highland Games and the Edinburgh festivals as events that will draw travellers to Scotland next year, and it said the country's cities were well worth a visit.

It is to be hoped that residents of Edinburgh will take it the right way when their home is described as "the most gothic city outside Transylvania". The Guide also encouraged travellers to "take the high road to Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and Cairngorms National Park and fall in love with the landscape that inspired poet Robert Burns".

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 contributor Tom Hall said: "Next year Scotland will be well-deservedly taking the spotlight on the world stage.  The country's buzzing cities and stunning scenery have plenty to offer visitors, combined with an incredible calendar of events and Scotland looks set for a year-long celebration."

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: "It's clear that 2014 is Scotland's chance to shine on the world stage, and to have this commendation from Lonely Planet is a fantastic seal of approval. From the bells bringing in our year-long Homecoming celebrations on Hogmanay, to the biggest ever sporting events to take place in Scotland - the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the Ryder Cup, this could be the greatest ever chance for our country to be seen as a globally recognised, must-visit destination for many years to come."

With its position as the host for the football World Cup, Brazil was the top country destination for 2014, although the choice of second placed Antarctica is a reminder that The Lonely Planet can be a guide that works close to the edge. It is described as "a chance to take life on and follow in the path of other intrepid explorers". Next year marks the centenary of the start of Ernest Shackleton's infamous attempted Antarctic crossing.

The Sikkim area of India was chosen as the best region to go to, and Yorkshire can give itself a pat on the back by coming third in this category, with the grand depart of the Tour De France from Leeds being classed as a major event.  Paris was voted the top city in a list that also included Cape Town, Shanghai and Chicago, while the Greek Islands were seen as the best-value destination.

Best family travel spot was Denmark, while Cappadocia in Turkey with its "fairy chimney" landscape was the best honeymoon destination.

                            Find out why the Lonely Planet has fallen in love with Scotland

Popular Dorset Kite Festival Saved “In Principle”

It may not be a ringing endorsement, but in a financially strapped age where well regarded and long lived events are falling like nine pins, the fact that Weymouth’s late spring based kite festival has been “saved in principle” is probably as much as we can hope for.

The phrase was coined by the organisers of the town’s carnival who are stepping in to help because local authority cuts are placing the future of the event in danger.

Flying high as a kite at Weymouth

The borough council have plans to cut funding for the festival and some of the town's summer fireworks displays in a bid to save about £20,000 a year. Representing the Weymouth Carnival Committee, Mike McManus made the offer at a public meeting.  The council has welcomed the move and a final decision is expected in February.

The authority said by that by cutting funding for the two-day International Beach Kite Festival in May it would save about £9,200, and by also reducing the number of summer firework displays, which take place every Monday in August, to one during the Weymouth Carnival, it would also save £11,300.

Ever on the lookout for a catchy sound bite, Mr McManus said he was as "high as a kite" following the meeting at Weymouth Pavilion and said the group would also be hopeful of  saving the fireworks. He added that the funding for the festival would be raised through sponsorship and said that extra trade stands would be brought in to cover running costs.

Ian Bruce, head of tourism and culture at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said he was "delighted" the committee had stepped in. "Weymouth Carnival Committee has a wealth of contacts and experience which it brings to the table," he said.

                                                   Weymouth's A Great Place To Visit

£50 million Luxury Village Called Off In Carmarthenshire

Economic figures may be looking a little brighter, but Carmarthenshire has received a salutary lesson that the recession is not yet over. The £50 million plans by a Chinese based company to build a luxury development of a 80 holiday homes with a swimming pool and a hundred bedroom hotel have been shelved indefinitely.

Called off indefinitely?

Maxhard Ltd had planned that the 22-acre (9 hectares) site near Llandeilo would be aimed at "a select international clientele", and was expecting to reach visitor figures in the region of 20, 000 people a year.

The initial stumbling block was because the opening application was of an “inappropriate” design. As a result a smaller scheme is under consideration, but this is where a decision is yet to be made.
It was said that the developers has proposed submitting altered plans in June of this year, but the scheme's architect Julian Castle said they are no further forward and no revised plans had been submitted. He added the project could "possibly" go ahead or it "possibly won't".

"There hasn't been much encouragement from the Welsh government, although there has been a lot of local interest," he said. "At present the plan is on hold and due to the financial climate it's difficult to say whether or not it will be completed."

It had been hoped that up to seventy local jobs would have been created by the development, which also included 10 shops and a car park. Maxhard, which has offices in London and China, had envisaged that it would have been a "luxurious development for a select international clientele looking to enjoy a tranquil Welsh retreat".

It would have been a neighbour to Pantglas Hall, where a separate resort offers timeshare log cabins, a restaurant and leisure facilities.

The managers of that site raised concerns about the scale of the tourist village. Also, Eifion Bowen, head of planning at Carmarthenshire council, said there had been discussions to amend the design.

"While the application has been withdrawn, the authority is available at any time to discuss a revised application," he said.  A Welsh government spokesperson added: "We had been in discussions with the developer and were awaiting full details of their scheme, which would be subject to usual planning consents."

Public Hearing To Decide On Future Status Of Haverfordwest Castle

Eleventh century Haverfordwest Castle is fighting a battle unlike any that its original builders would have ever intended. At the heart of the matter is the wish of campaigners to keep the grounds open to the public, and they have applied for Village Green Status.  If successful it  would stop the site being used for private redevelopment, such as  a recent interest in setting up a hotel.

Two councils at war over the castle

It is turning into a battle of two councils, and as a result of the dispute the matter is now going to a public enquiry. Haverfordwest Town Council is behind the application but Pembrokeshire County Council said the plan was flawed and wants to sell off the land.

 "We feel it is in the best interests of our town to retain its heritage by having the castle left open for public use," said Haverfordwest town councillor Peter Lewis. "It's just one of these places where people feel they should be able to walk at any time.

"Haverfordwest castle is what the town has been built around - it is fundamental, it is our iconic building, it pervades everything. If you look at all of our sports clubs, they carry the castle motif. Everyone sees that as the central feature of our town."

The site is actually in the ownership of Pembrokeshire council, and it is true to say that only a few of the original stone walls remain of the 11th Century castle. For some considerable time,  the public has enjoyed open access to the area. The town museum is housed there and the site is used by people to walk their dogs, eat lunch in fine weather and watch occasional events on the grass.

In 2010, Pembrokeshire council announced that it was putting part of the castle site - an old Victorian prison building which for years had been home to the county records office - up for sale.
During last year an architect and developer had expressed an interest in turning it into an eight to 16-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant, but it proved controversial. As a result, some time later the developer walked away.

It was because of this “scare” that the town council felt  that the only way to offer protection to the site for good was to apply for village green status.  It has also put in an offer to buy the Victorian prison building for £50,000.

Pembrokeshire council said the castle grounds had been declared a public open space in 2009 and the town council had the chance to challenge it but failed to do so. It takes the stance that  its status as a public open space means public events in the castle grounds can be organised and managed effectively with the granting of the appropriate licences.

Deputy leader Huw George said village green status would change forever what could be done with the site. "It will make it very difficult to regulate who uses it and when they use it and that causes us a great concern," he said. "Our greatest concern is the objection [against development] they've put in, which is by nature flawed.

"The objection I believe should have come in 2009 when it was declared a public open space. We're now in 2013, which seems to me a little bit flawed." He added: "By turning it into a village green we curtail many options which may harm the development economically and with tourism in the future, and I think Haverfordwest deserves to have all opportunities left open."

Because of the formality of the enquiry, both sides are being represented by a solicitor, and the public hearing will be presided over by the Planning Inspectorate.  The hearing has been described by the county council as an "unnecessary application" and said it was costing a "great deal of public money at a time when every penny counts".

But Mr Lewis said the action was necessary. "It's going to cost us well over £10,000 and it's going to cost the county council more than that to defend it but we feel we've got no choice," he said.

                                                                 Haverfordwest Castle

Mother Nature Is Rearranging The Norfolk Coastline Again

As we once again enter the season of storm tossed seas and high autumnal tides, spare a thought for the poor old Norfolk coastline, a part of England that so often bears the brunt of nature’s anger.
 

Beach defences at Snettisham, Scalp and Hunstanton have been in the news over the last couple of days for the wrong reasons. Coastal erosion that in some places is running to as much as ten feet (three metres) has been reported in the general area, with a shingle ridge being eroded by stormy seas between Snettisham Scalp and Hunstanton and beach material having been lost from the bottom of concrete coastal defences along Hunstanton's south promenade.
 

Coastline under pressure

These two areas are important parts of the beach defences and the Environment Agency is having to make essential repairs.
 

Greg Murphy, from the Environment Agency, said: "Although the damage is not unusual, we would normally expect the shingle ridge to be in this condition by February.  We have lost a significant amount of material from the shingle ridge in places along the beach and we run the risk of losing more if we have another strong storm. This material plays an important part in reducing flood risk to coastal communities, and if this is left to wash away we could see further deterioration of the shingle ridge."
 

Mr Murphy said that there was a public safety factor in play as the edge of the ridge had become unstable in some areas. The repairs should protect against normal high tides and reduce the risk to public safety, he said.
 

Meanwhile, further around the coast, just north of Great Yarmouth at Hemsby, the village has invested in new concrete sea defences along the beach in the hope of saving their homes from pounding seas whipped up by the strong easterly gales.
 

These gales together with the stormy seas have had a serious effect on  the cliffs and sand dunes along the beach at The Marrams in Hemsby. One property has been condemned and a house owned by Steve and Jackie Conley is in imminent danger from the sea.
 

Villagers have banded together and have now installed huge concrete blocks to prevent further erosion along the base of the cliffs. Easterly gales in March resulted in millions of tonnes of sand washed away and the bottoms of the cliffs eroded.
 

Mrs Conley said she stood to lose everything if the sea came any closer. "We're doing our best but we're not fully confident the house will remain on Hemsby's dunes for much longer because of the continued erosion and the effects of further storms," she said.

Rob Gets A Response From A Stag And Wins The Contest

Curious Britain strikes again! For those of us who sometimes worry about our social skills and how well we interact with people, the news that Rob Follett of Withycombe in Devon has actually held a passable conversation with an Exmoor stag would be something that would be beyond our comprehension.

Talking to the animals

Perhaps some explanation is required, as the little scenario took place as part of the Annual World Bolving Championship held at Draydon Rails, near Dulverton in North Devon. Unless we describe what “Bolving” is, the position doesn’t become any clearer.

Richard Eales, past winner and organiser of the 10th Championships explains. He said bolving referred to the noise made by red deer during the rutting season, which normally starts from early to mid-October.  He explained: "The red deer make a roar - a challenge - and you can mimic it and get the red stag to answer you, It's a deep sort of roar from the belly, it's got to come from the belly. You open your throat, put your hands up and it's got to be a blood curdling roar from inside."

The challenge for the participants imitating the low bellowing sound of the red deer is for a real stag to answer their call.  This year 45 people took part in the event, so one can suspect that there were a number of particularly confused stags in the area that day.

He said the bigger stags rounded up the females known as hinds. "One stag will keep his harem of hinds together, but this is his challenge - this roar. The basic line is 'come and have a go if you think you're hard enough'.

"You'll get two big stags and they'll be bolving, running around sizing each other up, then they'll have a bit of a tussle and the weaker stag normally gets pushed off.  Or if they're evenly matched then that's when you get the classic rutting scene of the red deer stags going down and locking antlers and having a bit of a battle."

35 year old Rob was amongst the competitors who got a response from a real stag. It was the first time he had plucked up the courage to enter the contest, and he said: "I can't believe I have won. I love watching the deer and have listened to the stags call and roar over the years."

All money raised will be given to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

Peace And Tranquility On Rathlin Island

You may not have heard of Rathlin Island, which is to be found just six miles north of the Antrim coast. Those who live here, and they can be numbered at around a hundred, almost live as part of one big extended family, but this is not to the exclusion of visitors, who are more than welcome.

With a gentle pace of life, the traditional skills of fishing, farming and boat-building are still carried on, but more young people are making the decision to set up businesses to support the growing tourist trade.

Rathlin Island -  a close knit community

Teresa McFaul has four children and her one grandchild, Rowan, who was born in May, is the designated youngest island resident.

"If there is a function on, everybody goes, down to the new baby. It's just part of what you do," she said. She admits she has "to be in the middle of everything" and is an enthusiastic member of the island's drama group. "Since we first started the drama group, I've been involved in every production. Every year I would look up plays and sort out who would suit the parts and annoy them," she said. "From about February, everybody hides from me."

Michael Cecil is one of the skippers working with the Rathlin Ferry Company, and he has lived on the island for all his life. He is also the current chairman of the island's development and community association.

With three children of different ages, their circumstances span the spectrum of what the educational life means for the island children. He has one child attending the island's primary school, another ready for secondary school and his oldest child is attending university. For island children, the transition from primary to secondary school involves living away from home.

"We are in the process of getting Orlagh ready for boarding school. I think she's looking forward to it, but it's a nervous time for everybody, an anxious time. It will work out," Michael said.
She is the only pupil in Rathlin's P7 primary school class and one of just nine children attending the school.  When she moves to boarding school which is in Belfast, she will rely on the ferry to get her home at weekends. The ferry is the island's lifeline as well as being  one of Rathlin's biggest employers.

There is an acceptance amongst the islanders that sending their children to boarding school is just part of what island life entails.  Noel McCurdy spent 20 years working on lighthouses around Ireland before returning to Rathlin, where, among other jobs, he is the island's postman.

"People tend to have a second job. My other job would be (with) the water service and the Irish Lights," he said. "The lighthouse service job is basically call-out only and you do a bit of maintenance once a week or once a fortnight."

Having always been self sufficient, the islanders have to provide services that other people would probably take for granted. Michael Cecil said Rathlin's volunteer fire crew meets on most Monday evenings for pump practice using water from the lake.

"It's normally what we would use for any fire on the island. Believe it not, water is quite limited on an island. We have a very limited fresh water supply at the fire hydrants, so most times, for gorse fires, we would have to find water at another location, from the lake or the sea or small streams."

Now, oil has been discovered off the County Antrim coast, and it obviously raises concerns about a possible environmental impact on the island. Some islanders feel that drilling off the island could have serious repercussions for the future.

"People would be concerned that there would be some damage to our tourism sector or maybe some environmental damage," Michael Cecil said. "The uncertainty is probably the biggest concern. We don't know what is going to happen, we don't know when it is going to happen. If we had some clarity on that, it gives people a focus."

Michael feels that a campaign of total opposition to drilling operations would tend to split the Rathlin community. "My preferred approach would be to sit down and engage with government, engage with the oil companies, make sure all environmental protection is in place, all the legislation is followed, all the health and safety procedures and possibly extract some community benefit from any potential revenue that's there," he said. "It's a beautiful place and it should be left as a beautiful place for the next generation."

                                                        The Rathlin Island Community

Two Councils Join Forces In £1 billion Hydro Electric Scheme

In what could turn out to be one of the most interesting of “marriages” between local authorities, the councils of Cardiff and Bristol are joining forces in what could be the first of a series of ground breaking collaborations.

Unsurprisingly in view of the geographical position of both cities, the project in question relates to a hydro electric development in the Severn Estuary, involving further plans to harness the energy created by the second highest tidal range in the world.

The Severn Estuary - a huge tidal range

The two authorities are hopeful of signing a memorandum of understanding once it has been approved by both cabinets, and assuming that it goes ahead the Cardiff authority said the first joint initiative could be a twin tidal lagoon.

With the proposed Severn Barrage currently running into stormy water, it is suggested that the proposed tidal lagoons could generate enough electricity to power the whole of the region.
"Obviously the tidal lagoon is what's catching the headlines today, but that's only part of something much bigger," said councillor Ashley Govier, Cardiff council's cabinet member for environment.

"Cardiff and Bristol are both too small to compete on our own with the city-regions of London, Birmingham and Manchester, but we can be big players if we work regionally and collaboratively.

"Taking charge of our own green and affordable energy needs is part of that, but also we need to work on housing, transport and a whole raft of issues to make the Severnside area a more attractive place to live and work."

Under the proposal, the project would consist of a series of hydro-turbines encased in a concrete wall at either side of the Severn Estuary. The scheme is similar to one currently being considered in Swansea, although the Cardiff/Bristol project would double the renewable electricity for 100,000 homes that Swansea hope to achieve. There are even suggestions that neighbouring authorities could be involved.

"As the biggest two authorities, Cardiff and Bristol had to take the initiative on this project and on the regional partnership as a whole," added Mr Govier. "But we very much want to bring in our neighbouring authorities, so for us the Vale of Glamorgan, Newport etc and from Bristol's point of view the Somerset authorities."

The project would work by harnessing the Severn's tides behind concrete dams. When there is a sufficient difference between the depths on either side of the dam, sluice gates would be opened to release the trapped water, turning turbines and generating the electricity.

Mr Govier said that while Cardiff and Bristol were in discussions with several private companies, he hoped it would remain a project which could ultimately benefit taxpayers.

"The scale of the tidal lagoon project we're envisaging would cost considerably more than £1bn, so it's obvious that the only way we could achieve it would be with private backing," he said. But it's not something we'd just sell on, it has to have a tangible benefit for the region and its people.

"We could either sell the electricity into the National Grid to raise income and reduce our reliance on taxation, or alternatively we could sell it to a specific electricity supplier with the caveat that it has to be passed on to consumers in the region at a heavily reduced rate." He added: "As a council and a region we need to be doing more to make Severnside an attractive option for business to come to."

Wiltshire Heritage Museum Stages £750,000 Bronze Age Exhibition

Quite rightly hoping to cash in on the current high level of interest in Stonehenge because of the imminent opening of the startling new visitor centre, the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes is staging a quite magnificent exhibition of gold objects that date to a similar time scale as the famous megalith.

It is the first time that these objects have gone on display in the county, and include a ceremonial axe, dagger and jewellery which are among 500 Early Bronze Age objects on show.  It is hoped that the £750,000 exhibition will attract "substantial numbers" of visitors from nearby Stonehenge.

Cashing in on "Stonehenge Mania"

David Dawson, from the museum, said: "Many of the items may well have been worn by priests and chieftains as they worshipped inside Stonehenge itself. We've got lots of gold objects that are on display for the first time ever because we've never had the security and environmental conditions we need to display them properly," he added  "And most of the pieces were discovered within a half mile radius of Stonehenge."

The  axe and dagger are, according to Mr Dawson, "identical to images of weapons carved into the stones of Stonehenge. The objects tell the story of the people who lived in and around the Stonehenge landscape when the monument was one of the great religious focal points of western Europe," he said.

"We believe it's a major step forward in helping to explain the extraordinary sophistication of the remarkable people who used the prehistoric monument."

The exhibition has been funded by a combination of the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and Wiltshire Council. On display is a collection of 30 pieces of Early Bronze Age gold - the largest ever to be put on public display in England, according to the museum.

Unearthed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the rarely seen collection includes "high status objects" from the burials of people who used the ancient site.

                                                     Wiltshire Heritage Museum

Route Changes Planned To Dartmoor’s Ten Tors Challenge

Whilst accepting that events such as Dartmoor’s Ten Tors event gain their reputation and popularity as a result of the level of endurance involved, the iconic challenge is to undergo its most significant overhaul in 30 years as Army bosses attempt to improve safety. The annual event is for young people aged between 14 and 19, in teams of six, trekking up to 55 miles (89km).

Route changes in the offing

Changes planned for next year will mean that there will be fewer river crossings and should therefore significantly reduce the need for air support in bad weather. Changes have been on the agenda since the mass evacuation during storms in 2007, this being the same year that schoolgirl Charlotte Shaw died after falling into a river while training.  Charlotte, 14, was helping a friend to cross the Walla Brook, a stream which had been swollen by torrential rain, when she fell in and was swept away. She died the next day in hospital.

Brig Piers Hankinson, director of Ten Tors, said: "We want these teams to be self-sufficient, we do not want to intervene at the river crossing points. Therefore I want to remove the dangers and [the risk of] the event being cancelled because of heavy rain."

Rob Steemson, from Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: "Over the last few years there have been many incidents and problems caused by teams trying to cross rivers which is exacerbated during and following heavy rainfall.  This has at times challenged the supporting back-up provided by the Ministry of Defence and its partners."

Brig Hankinson continued : "We continue to improve the event to avoid such circumstances happening during the Ten Tors event. Teams will have to navigate between a series of check points and tors in a way they haven't had to do previously, making it harder. They [teenagers] will still be going on to the high tors, experiencing the wild moor camping and trekking - if anything it will be more challenging."

Neil Cameron, who runs the Ten Tors team at Kingsbridge Community College, in south Devon, said: "It always is a worry when you're sending students out on Dartmoor - it has the potential to be not very nice. I think it's a good idea to review the routes on the grounds of safety. But they'll still be walking up to 55 miles and training for the same amount of time."

Brig Hankinson said that the check points - where participants can leave the event - would be closer to the moor's roads to reduce the dependency on helicopters if the weather was to deteriorate.

In 2013, the poor weather restricted the use of air support during the challenge. It is envisaged that the changes would be introduced in 2014, and Brig. Hankinson observed that  the routes had not been altered since 1984.

                                                                The Ten Tors Challenge

Hastings Pier Shares Sale Proving A Success

Following swiftly on from the impressive news that the £4.2 million revamp of Penarth Pier in the Vale of Glamorgan is now complete, more news is filtering through suggesting that the future of our iconic seaside piers could be taking a turn for the better.

Ten days after shares in Hastings Pier went on sale, over £70,000 has been raised at the rate of £100 per share. It is hoped that a total of £300,000 can be raised in this way with those who contribute having a say in the future of the pier.

How Hastings Pier Could Look

The pier is being rebuilt with £14m of money raised mainly through the Heritage Lottery Fund, having almost been completely destroyed by fire in October 2010.

Simon Opie, CEO of the Hastings Pier Charity, said the shares were important to continue interest in the pier after its restoration. He said: "[The shares] are not just about the money, but it is about creating shareholder members, people who are invested in the pier, people who care about the town, the heritage of the pier, and people who will be here for the long term.

"The money that we have raised will restore the pier but beyond that it needs to have an economically viable future and that's what we hope we will create. The company is a community benefit society, so it remains a charity in law and it's run for the benefit of the community and for charitable purpose.

"But we are allowed to recruit shareholder members who are the owners of the company, members of the charity and every shareholder has a say in the future of the pier," he added.

Hastings Council leader, Jeremy Birch, said: "This is the people's pier so let them have a stake in it."

It is hoped the restoration will be completed by spring 2015.

                                             Learn more about what's happening at Hastings Pier
                                                    How can I buy shares in Hastings Pier?

New £6.7 million Distillery Results From Joint Venture

As a result of a partnership between Perthshire Distiller John Fergus and Co, and the Indian drinks group, Kyndal, it looks as though there will be a new distillery in Glenrothes, Fife. All things being equal, the micro distillery and bonded warehouse will be up and running by 2015

New distillery seeking emerging markets

The focus of the new distillery will be to export to markets in India, Africa and the Far East. It is hoped that the move will create fifteen new jobs, with expectations that the exports will result in earnings of about £3.6m over the next three years.

A £1.6 million grant from the Scottish government's Food Processing Marketing and Co-operation Scheme (FPMC) is facilitating the project, while Scottish Enterprise is also providing a £240,000 Regional Selective Assistance grant to support employment at the new distillery.

The news was announced by Minister for External Affairs Humza Yousaf during a visit to India to promote business links between the two countries. Mr Yousaf said: "This project is proof yet again that there are strong and positive economic reasons for setting up business in Scotland.  It is also another reason to celebrate our strong relationship with the Indian business community and an example of why we should seek out more collaborations."

This announcement comes as talks continue to drag on between India and the European Union on a free trade deal which will hopefully result in cuts to tariffs across a wide range of products and services, including Scotch whisky. India currently levies a 150% duty on whisky imports.
Kyndal Group managing director Siddharth Banerji commented: "Kyndal Group is an emerging markets player.

"Developments towards rationalisation in import duty structures would open up a large market for Scotch whisky, and Kyndal in partnership with John Fergus & Co would like to maximize this huge opportunity. Together, we would launch high-quality premium Scotch and ad-mix brands in these markets."

Kyndal Group was set up in 2002, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Whyte & Mackay. Following the buyout of Whyte & Mackay by India's UB Group, Mr Banerji led a management buyout of Kyndal India in 2006.

The company currently employs more than 100 people in India, with sales offices and warehouses across the country.

All Of England’s Grade II Listed Buildings To Be Surveyed

It will be one of the biggest surveys ever undertaken, but English Heritage feels that it is one that is long overdue. All of England's Grade II listed buildings are to be surveyed for the first time, and the charity is putting out a call for an "army of volunteers" to determine which of the 345,000 are at risk from neglect.

Big Mill at Leek

When a pilot scheme was undertaken as part of the well publicised “at risk” survey, it was found that over 700 buildings were identified as needing attention. English Heritage itself only collects information on buildings within London.

Commenting in the first ever survey of this magnitude, Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage said, "For English Heritage it means we will eventually get, for the first time, a complete picture of the condition of all England's listed heritage,"

He added: "We can use this information to decide how best to deploy our national expertise to help owners and all those tackling heritage at risk on the ground."

The pilot scheme previously mentioned involved 350 volunteers inspecting more than 5,000 Grade II listed buildings. They found that 4.2% were at risk and 10.1% were vulnerable. The pilot schemes surveyed buildings in a number of areas.

Prominent among those found to be in need of urgent attention were The Ruins of Old Buckingham House, in Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. The original building, built in 1820, was badly damaged by fire in 1910. English Heritage said the surviving structures were in increasingly poor condition.

Other sites highlighted by the volunteers were Big Mill in Leek, Staffordshire, Llanthony Provender Mill, in Gloucestershire and the western lock on the Northern By-Pass Channel at Appley Locks, in Lancashire. The announcement seeking volunteers came as the At Risk Register 2013 was published.

Volunteers received a day and a half’s training, and had surveyed an average of 13 buildings per day. The eighteenth century built former YMCA building in Whitehaven, Cumbria, had been highlighted during a survey in that area. The spotlight also fell on the former Methodist Church in the town, which was designed by architect TL Banks. It was built in 1877 but has deteriorated and now stands with broken windows and crumbling stonework, English Heritage said.

David Day, who volunteered in Whitehaven, said: "Many of us are concerned about the neglect of local buildings that are crucial features of our town. We are worried that we will literally lose sight of the past and in so doing we lose the chance to understand the present."

Ann Buck, a volunteer in north Norfolk, said: "These buildings are our heritage and the fact that we have lost so many is tragic. English Heritage and the National Trust are the last resort for a lot of them, we are never the owners of such buildings, just the custodians."

English Heritage said that there was a starting point to be used, as some councils already kept lists of structures and what condition they were in, which the volunteers would help to update. Otherwise, they would expect to have to create a list from scratch. The number of Grade II structures judged to be in need of some repair is expected to grow as a result.

Mr. Thurley said: "We will have a grass-roots network to spread understanding and appreciation of local heritage so that less of [the buildings] become at risk in the first place. One pilot project even passed details of buildings found to be vacant and vulnerable to the police and fire services, making them better aware of places likely to attract crime."

The project is being launched at the Granary Building in central London – which is a Grade II building that has been rescued from dereliction as part of the redevelopment of the King's Cross railway lands. English Heritage said it hoped to begin recruiting for the first full surveys next autumn and asked would-be volunteers to contact its customer services department.

                   Find out all about volunteering to help with the English Heritage Survey

Coventry’s Grade I Listed Charterhouse Is Also At Risk

Yesterday, we drew attention to the plight of the first British warship called HMS Illustrious which has been placed on the English Heritage “At Risk” list, as it lies in the waters of the Solent.  As a contrast, we highlight today the problems faced by Coventry’s Charterhouse, a much more visible reminder of what “At Risk” really means.

Another beautiful building at risk

A former monastery dating from 1381, Grade I listed Charterhouse was previously owned by City College and used as council premises. A charitable trust took over the building in November last year and attracted Heritage Lottery Funding for a plan to open the site as a visitor attraction. Volunteers that are involved say that funds are urgently needed to repair a leaking roof.

Dr Sarah Lewis, from the organisation, said: "The register is a way of raising the profile of sites so that they're more successful in their fundraising events and so that more people get involved and interested and start caring about what is local and in poor condition that perhaps they hadn't noticed before."

She said the urgent need to protect "fantastic wall paintings" from the 15th and 16th Centuries at the Charterhouse was key to the property's inclusion on the list for the first time.

"A leaking roof at the Charterhouse is even more critical than a leaking roof in a building that doesn't have the same vulnerable plasterwork inside," she added.

Ian Harribin from the Charterhouse Coventry Preservation Trust said: "It [the listing] really helps the fundraising effort to restore all the buildings. Funding from charitable sources and other bodies like the lottery is very competitive and they prioritise their funding to those most at need."

In August it was announced the trust has far reaching ideas about opening the property as a visitor attraction, bolstered by £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The secretary of the Charterhouse Coventry Preservation Trust, John Ruddick, said plans are underway to apply for major grants to fund extensive restoration work.

                                           Learn more about The Coventry Charterhouse

Public Ownership Beckons For Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport

Proving that running a regional airport can still be fraught with problems, it possibly comes as no surprise to learn that there are plans afoot for the Scottish government to buy Glasgow Prestwick Airport off the current New Zealand based owners, Infratil.
 

The airport has been available for sale since March, this being set against a background where annual losses are running in the region of £2 million.
 

Ryanair welcomes government intervention

Having just announced the step, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will now begin the nitty-gritty of negotiating with Infratil. Ryanair, which is a large user of Prestwick with 27 routes said that it welcomed the move, suggesting that a little bit of stability was required.
 

The minister informed MSPs that there had been no shortage of interest from the private sector, but none of the interested parties had been able to match Infratil’s requirements as far as a timescale was concerned.  She also said that the Infratil board had been considering its options, one of which was to seek commercial discussions with a view to public sector ownership and the other being to close the airport.
 

Prior to making the announcement, Ms Sturgeon confirmed that ministers had "examined carefully" the implications and consequences of both options She declared that the closure of Prestwick would be a "serious and unwelcome development" for both the Ayrshire and the Scottish economies, with about 1,400 jobs linked directly or indirectly with the airport.
 

She said: "We believe Prestwick Airport can have a positive future. It will require investment and it will take time. However, we believe it can be returned to profitability. We also estimate that the cost of closure to the public purse would be very significant and this is an important factor in our decision."
 

Ms Sturgeon said that public ownership of airports was "a familiar concept", pointing out that the Scottish government already had responsibility for 11 airports through Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.  She also argued that some other major UK airports - including Manchester, Stansted, Newcastle and Cardiff - were owned wholly or substantially by the public sector.
 

She added: "I can therefore advise parliament that the Scottish government has advised the current owners of our intention to commence a process towards acquisition of Prestwick Airport. Following the agreement of its board earlier today in Shanghai, we are entering into negotiations with Infratil for the potential acquisition of Prestwick Aviation Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries.
 

"Conclusion of this process will, of course, be subject to the Scottish government carrying out confirmatory due diligence.  The terms of sale will be on a commercial basis and in accordance with the market economy investment principle."
 

She added that she was hopeful that the government could complete due diligence and detailed negotiations with Infratil on the terms of sale over a six-week period. In return, Infratil has agreed to make sure that the airport is kept fully open and operational while the process is ongoing.
 

The only scheduled passenger airline at Prestwick, Ryanair, said: "We welcome today's announcement, which gives certainty to the future development of Prestwick Airport. Ryanair remains committed to Prestwick, where we have a large route network and base maintenance presence."
 

The Scottish Conservatives were anxious to make sure that  the Scottish government should make efforts to return the airport to private hands at the earliest possible opportunity. Transport spokesman Alex Johnstone MSP said: "It is going to take an enormous effort to get the airport back in to profit and make it sustainable for the future.
 

“That will involve a significant level of restructuring and the Scottish government has to have the courage to do what's necessary, rather than simply pouring money into something without accruing any benefit. It's also important that, even if this airport is publicly owned, it is managed and run by people whose job it is to manage and run airports."
 

Welcoming the announcement, Labour MP for Central Ayrshire Brian Donohoe said: "Major money is required to develop the airport which is why I have always said it should be given for a penny to a developer willing to spend the cash.
 

"I hope the Scottish government did not pay much more than that."
 

Pointing out that the airport’s performance had been "moribund" for about 10 years he said: "The actual income against the expenditure hasn't matched." Mr Donohoe added that, as a result, the airport's owner had not made "the necessary investment".

Literary Worlds Come Alive In The Worth Valley

From the angst ridden characters of the novels of the Bronte family, to the never-say-die Waterbury children lifted from The Railway Children, the Worth Valley in Yorkshire has vivid connections to part of Britain’s great literary heritage.

Trains with a literary connection

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has always played an important part in the railway conservation movement, with the closure of the line in December 1961 being the catalyst for angry locals to lease the entire five mile stretch from British Rail.

Coincidence plays a big part in the next step as the opening date in 1968 coincided with a planned dramatisation of  The Railway Children, with a more famous version being the 1970 film produced by Lionel Jeffries. Both used the line for location work and the rest as they say is history.

There is great walking in the area mixing the railway with the River Worth and its tributaries, and the Waterbury family house, The Three Chimneys can be seen close to Oakworth Station.

You can use the train to get to Haworth with its steep cobbled streets, that was also famous as the home of the prolific Bronte family of writers. Their home, the Bronte Parsonage is a shrine to their works and their vision of Victorian society. There are many paths and tracks that lead you deep into the moors and it is a simple task to appreciate where they gained the inspiration for their books.


                                                       Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

                                                                 The Bronte Society

                                                          About The Railway Children

Is The Cafe More Important Than The Attraction

With the new Stonehenge visitor centre very much in our thoughts, some writers have been taking a light hearted look at the importance of the facilities that some of these centres offer, and even suggesting that the restaurants, cafes and gift shops are sometimes more important than the attraction itself.

Pointing out that the new £27 million visitor centre at Stonehenge has an “eating area” that accounts for the best part of 50% of the entire floor area, some observers are suggesting that centre amenities are becoming an important part of the visitor experience.

V + A - free objets d'art with your salad

We are reminded of an iconic campaign that was run by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1988, which asked the question, "Where else do they give you £100,000,000 worth of objets d'art free with every egg salad?"  It continued by describing the museum as: "An ace caff, with quite a nice museum attached."

All of this might strike a chord with regular visitors to National Trust venues where the obligatory queue for a cuppa and something to eat is considered equally as important as viewing the occasional Landseer or Reynolds.

Food writer Giles Coren can remember visiting London Zoo when he was young and caring more about the gift shop than the animals: "Thousands of school children, coachloads of them have to visit these places, and all they care about is the shop."

He associates past visits to stately homes with rock-hard scones but thinks for many people it's increasingly all about the food. "It's like the Colosseum in Rome, people go all that way to see it only to discover it's a lot of boring old stones, but at least you can get an excellent pizza."
With visitors now demanding a nice place to eat, having to put up with poor facilities is becoming a thing of the past. Coren suggests. "Everything in Britain has been rubbish for years and people won't put up with it anymore."

There is scepticism among some about the new generation of visitor centres, with web sites being full of reviews from  people who are far from impressed.  Ranging from internal alterations at attractions right through to the quality of the vegetable soup (we had to ask for butter to go with our roll!), there are still members of the public out there who feel that things are just not right.

But the general feel is that the trend is for the cafes in museums, galleries and castles to get better and better. Those in the heritage business are not unhappy with that.

"A good shop and cafe greatly enhance the overall experience," says Matthew Tanner, chairman of the Association of Independent Museums. "No visit is complete without an interesting shop, a fine cup of tea, and not forgetting a good loo too."

There are two good reasons to spend money on the facilities, namely visitors have come to expect them, and the revenue raised helps subsidise the attraction.
One place where this takes place is RHS Wisley in Surrey where the gift shop and cafe are to be found before people enter the gardens. Nigel Eaton manages the shop and says it is part of the whole experience.

"We've got three kinds of customers - we have the RHS members who visit on a regular basis, the gardeners who come just for the plants and then we've got what we call the payers, who come on coaches for a nice day out. Every penny that is spent in the shop goes back into the RHS, so the shop is very important to us."

Over a million people visit Wisley every year, and the results of a customer survey have revealed that 22% of those visitors came just for the "retail experience". Last year the shop - including one of the world's biggest gardening bookshops - made £3.8m and they expect to make an even bigger profit this year.

Wisley - £3.8 million from facilities

David Else has visited a lot of tourist attractions and feels that they are a good thing "In the case of Stonehenge, a good visitor centre is going to tell you so much more about the history of what is essentially a group of old stones. I've got no problem with cafes, either - I like a good cup of tea after a visit and don't mind if they want to make a few bob to help preserve the site."

Getting the shop and cafe right at an attraction is a win-win situation, according to Jane Temperley from the Association for Cultural Enterprises. "Sure it is about generating income - everyone is looking at how to make their sites more sustainable. But research says visitors enjoy cafes and shops, happy visitors spend more and tend to become repeat visitors or members, which generates more income."

RHS members account for 80% of Wisley’s members, therefore making many repeat visits. Over 25% of the Wisley staff work in either the cafes, shops or restaurants, emphasising the importance of these facilities.

Laurent Trenga is the chef responsible for the planning of menus at Wisley. He points out that a burger and chips at Wisley is no ordinary burger and chips. "Our burger is made from locally sourced quality pork and apples grown in our own orchards, even the bun is made fresh on site."

Apparently the plants are rather splendid as well.

Warning About Turbines In “Dark Sky” Park

It wouldn’t be an article about the environment if it didn’t include something  doom laden about wind turbines. Whether you love them or hate them, they are certainly a topic “for the moment”. However, taking a different angle, astronomers and land charities have issued a warning that Britain's only Dark Sky Park is being threatened by applications for wind turbines.

Britain's First Dark Sky Park

In case you were unaware, the location of our only Dark Sky Park is in the Galloway Forest, having secured that status in 2009. But the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, the John Muir Trust and the Scottish Wild Land Group have written to the Scottish government, asking it to rule out wind farms in the vicinity.

They issued the warning to a background whereby there have been nine proposals for turbines near the park's observatory. The applicants are big hitters in the energy industry including E.ON and RWE npower renewables, among others.

Mark Gibson, chairman of the board of trustees of the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, pointed out that while some applications had been turned down, having one approved could open the door for further development.

Visible light from the turbines would intrude into the Park, by way of  the infra-red illumination as well as the possibility of training or search and rescue, these being Ministry of Defence and Aviation Authority safety requirements. Turbines near the park could fall into the search and rescue category, and the campaigners said it would affect both the ability of astronomers to use sensitive equipment, and the visibility of stars, galaxies, comets and northern lights.

The Scottish Wild Land Group has made a plea  for the park to be given protection similar to that afforded to areas of wild land, and has called on the Scottish government to update planning policy to rule out the construction of wind farms around the park.

The Park remains the only such entity in Britain, although both Exmoor and the Brecon Beacons national parks have been awarded Dark Sky Reserve status. It is also home to the world's only publicly accessible, research-grade observatory within a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park. The observatory was officially opened by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond last year.

Prof John Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, said: "Installing any large structures that require illumination (whether visible or infra-red) would be akin to putting a factory in Glen Coe or electricity pylons along the Cuillin Ridge.

"Our first minister was instrumental in helping to secure funding for the observatory and he opened it with much passion and aplomb in October last, praising Scotland for leading the world with this fine public and educational facility.

"But Mr Salmond is also an ardent advocate of wind farms and so faces a dilemma. I, for one, would call upon him now to prove his sincere interest in our wild lands and skies by ensuring wind farms and other dark sky contaminants are excluded from the entire Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park. This would lay down a benchmark for future decisions on all similar wild land sites where wind farms are wholly inappropriate."

However, Jeremy Sainsbury of the renewable energy consultancy, Natural Power, said studies had shown that the type of beacons used did not contribute in any significant way to light pollution.
"This is low level background infra-red - visible to pilots but it does not penetrate the upper atmosphere," he said. "It only stays within the clutter of the lower atmosphere so is very, very localised to wind turbines." He said that wind farm and studies had confirmed this to be the case.

A Scottish government spokesman said: "The Scottish government consulted on the draft Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) earlier this year. It included proposals to guide local authorities in the preparation of spatial frameworks for wind energy development.
"We received a large number of responses to the consultation, including many views on onshore wind, and will take these responses into account when we publish the finalised SPP next year."

                                        All about The Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park

Proposed 800 Lodge Anglesey Leisure Park Hits Stormy Waters

Tourism is crucial to Anglesey

As a perfect example of the eternal struggle to balance new jobs against the environment, the current planning debate being played out on Anglesey epitomises how hard these decisions can be.
Six hundred jobs are said to be at stake at a country park development that has been refused permission by local planners. The developer, Land & Lakes, wanted to create a "quality destination" leisure resort with about 800 lodges but has found that  opposition over size and impact has been quite strenuous.

The development was planned to be based at three sites at Penrhos, Cae Glas and Kingsland, but the proposals were refused by five votes to two with one abstention.

Battle lines are being formed, but the plans will now come back to a further meeting of the authority because the refusal was against officers' advice. The developers will also consider an appeal.
It was planned that Penrhos would be the base for the leisure resort with about 500 lodges and cottages and a water park along with a sports hall, spas, saunas, restaurants, walking and cycling routes.

Cae Glas would have been used in the short term to house workers for building the Wylfa B nuclear power station and would also have been home to a hotel, football and cricket pitches. In due course it would have been turned into an extra 315 lodges with a nature reserve being created.

Finally, the Kingsland site would initially have had 360 houses which would be used for construction workers building on the Cae Glas site before being turned into residential housing.

The developers appear to have been in close discussions with land owners Aluminium Metals, Anglesey council and the Welsh government on the matter.

Council leader Ieuan Williams and spokesman for economic development Aled Morris Jones said: "This has been an emotive application which has been met with much local objection. The application, however, also offered significant opportunities for job creation and economic growth which was also widely recognised.

"As planning committee members chose to vote against officer recommendation, there will now be a one month 'cooling off' period before the application returns to the committee to be ratified."
Speaking before the meeting, Richard Sidi, chief executive of Land and Lakes, said: "Our objective is to create a quality destination leisure resort of national significance to provide a sustainable economic legacy for the area.

"This is a unique site in a unique location and we are hugely excited about developing our plans for this 'flagship' leisure resort which will include extensive local amenities."

The former smelting works at the Anglesey Aluminium Metals (AAM) site was closed in 2009 and put up for sale the following year, with offers invited in the region of £10m.

First Minister Carwyn Jones had spoken on the matter in the early stages, describing the plans as"ambitious" when they were announced 12 months later adding that the plans could "enhance the tourism offer of both Anglesey and north west Wales". Anglesey council also welcomed the proposals for the site.

But opponents to the scheme had always said that they had "significant" concerns over its size. Natural Resources Wales said it did not object to the proposal in principle but was concerned about the impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It was also suggested that the proposed development had been in conflict with the adopted development plan which meant the Welsh government could have called in the application for determination had it been approved by Anglesey council.

                                                 Learn more about Land and Lakes
                                                     
                                                            All about Anglesey

Poll Results Show That Youngsters Vote Cardiff The Place To Be

A poll that has been commissioned by the insurance giant Legal and General has offered good news to 18 to 30 year olds who live in Cardiff, as well as providing a boost to the local tourist industry that is seeking to project the city as a vibrant holiday and leisure destination.

Great place for the youngsters

It has been voted the best UK city for young adults because of its low cost of living, good job opportunities and decent wages. In doing so, the Welsh capital was positioned above London, Edinburgh and Belfast after researchers spoke to more than 2,000 18 to 30 year olds from across the UK.

Of those living in Cardiff, seven in 10 stated that they loved their job and took home an average annual wage of £21,585. The poll also found 70% were happy with their work-life balance.

By way of comparison, London appeared to have the highest average wages, but it scored poorly on cost of living, rental rates and levels of crime. The UK's capital was ranked only 15th on a table of cities offering the best quality of life for 18 to 30 year olds. Sheffield and Wakefield were disappointingly in last place on the table because of low average wages and young adults in the cities saying they were unhappy with their work-life balance.

Edinburgh, which was in fifth place in the poll was rated as the UK's culture and entertainment capital. Dr Esmee Hanna, an expert in demographics who was commissioned to write the report by Legal and General's insurance arm, said: "We asked 18 to 30s directly what they feel has the most significant impact on their quality of life.

"Job satisfaction and cost of living proved to be the factors they feel are most crucial to their quality of life, with work-life balance also proving important. Cardiff tops the ranking of overall quality of life for 18-30 year olds and the city appears to have a lot to offer young adults, such as good job opportunities, decent wages and the ability to put money aside each month - all factors that 18 to 30-year-olds deem important to their lifestyle."

                                                         Find out more about Cardiff

December Opening Date For Stonehenge Visitor Centre

It is not often that the timing of the Winter Solstice is an important issue when it comes to finalising a completion date on an important building project. But then not every building project is as important and high profile as the new Stonehenge Visitor Centre.

Open In Time For The Winter Solstice

English Heritage have announced the 18th December as the appropriately seasonal date for the completion of the centre which will be located about a mile-and-a-half (2km) from the stones. Visitors will be taken to the site by way of a little train, pulled by a Land Rover.

Included in the £27 million project is the grassing over of the A334 alongside the ancient monument and closing another section of the busy road.

Lorraine Knowle, from English Heritage, said the "beautifully and sensitively designed" centre "fits into the rolling landscape of Salisbury Plain very well. It will give visitors a real sense of anticipation because the building is really just a stepping stone on the way to seeing the monument," she added.

Stonehenge, which attracts the best part of one million visitors a year, 70% of whom come from abroad, was built somewhere between 3,000 BC and 1,600 BC. It is believed that it served as an important religious site, and it is thought that its stones are from Pont Saeson in Pembrokeshire - more than 240 miles (386km) away.

On the Summer Solstice (Litha), the central altar stone aligns with the heel stone, the slaughter stone and the rising sun to the north east. It was in the last century that pagan celebrations began at the Henge.

The onsite museum will benefit from artefacts found around the stones which are now held in  local collections in Salisbury and Devizes and will be lent to the visitor centre.

Joe Studholme, from the Salisbury Museum said for the first time visitors to the stones will be able to put the exhibits in context. "Before people go to the stones they need to know much more about the background. Previously there hasn't been any background about the story of the stones. We're thrilled to be in partnership with English Heritage and to be able to tell the whole story about Stonehenge and the wonderful area".

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

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/news/2013/stonehenge-exhibition-and-visitor-centre-     opens-on-18-december

Quiet Retirement In Surrey For The Last Vickers VC10

As aviation history goes, this was quite an emotional moment. For this is when the last Vickers VC10 built in the UK flew into Surrey, to retire in the county of its birth.

Well earned rest for the last VC10

Carrying the  RAF serial number ZA150, it touched down at Dunsfold Park  after flying from Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. It was one of two VC10s used as air-to-air refuelling tankers, which both flew their final missions on Friday. ZA150 was the last VC10 of a total of 54 built at the Vickers factory at Brooklands in Weybridge in the 1960s.

There were about 200 people present to watch the final landing of the VC10, which was flown to its new permanent home by a six-strong crew. The aircraft will be on display at the airfield, whose staff have worked tirelessly with Brooklands Museum to return it to its home county.

"It is hugely important for us to have saved this aircraft as the last heavy airliner ever to be completely built at Brooklands - and indeed in the UK," said director of Brooklands Museum, Allan Winn. "It is also significant as its retirement marks the end of an unbroken century of front-line service by Brooklands-built aircraft with the British armed forces.”

Having started life as 5H-MOG for East African Airways, it was stored at Filton in Bristol for several years at the end of its airline service, before beginning its “second life” as an RAF tanker in 1984.

Before finally closing in 1986, Brooklands was a centre for aircraft design, construction and testing having first done so in 1907.  A motoring and aviation museum is now to be found at the site, which was also the home of the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit.

The RAF operated 28 VC10s, which gave 47 years of service. Its replacement, the Voyager, is the RAF's largest aircraft, with a 60m (197ft) wingspan, and is also nearly 60m long.

                                                    http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/