With the number of Britons travelling abroad falling by 16% so far this year, 2009 ought to be a bumper year for tourism in the UK. But concerns appear to remain that the UK is all too often regarded as mini-break destination by its residents and those in the industry have been getting increasingly concerned that the £114bn UK tourism sector is receiving insufficient funding. Gordon Brown might have shown his support for UK tourism by holidaying in Suffolk instead of Barbados, but is he doing enough for an industry that supports 2.7 million UK jobs?
Monthly Archives: June 2009
The British pub fights back
Filed under Eating & Drinking
The pub industry has had a harrowing time in the UK in recent years. The smoking ban, cheap supermarket alcohol and the economic climate have all taken their toll. But, interestingly, whilst pubs all over the UK have been closing down, one chain is going from strength to strength. JD Wetherspoon has been bucking the trend and has opened 16 new pubs in the last three months! So why is it that has Wetherspoons has thrived whilst others have struggled? Competitive pricing… serving breakfast… or something else?
Summer Tyne Festival in Newcastle
Filed under Events
The Summer Tyne Festival in Newcastle is due to kick off next month, with the Sing for Water event starting the festivities. The festival will run form the 17th – 26th July 2009.
The Sing For Water event will see choirs performing water and river-related shows to raise money for the WaterAid charity, which aims to provide clean drinking water facilities to communities around the world.
As part of the Summer Tyne Festival, the Americana Weekend will be held on the 24th – 26th July. This weekend will see several popular American artists performing in Tyneside, including Lucinda Williams, Diana Jones, Taj Mahal Trio, Baby Gramps, The Flatlanders and Rodney Crowell.
Picture of the day: Clifton College, Bristol
Filed under Attractions
Today’s picture of the day is of Clifton College in Bristol. It opened in 1862 and was built by architect Charles Hanson who based the design on the Tudor buildings at Eton and Winchester Colleges. Clifton rapidly became one of England’s leading public schools. Today it is home to the open air classical music event, Prom on The Close.
Learn about the origins of cricket in Hampshire
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events
The Ashes are upon us, with all eyes on Cardiff on 5th July 2009 for the first Test, as the nation hopes to revisit the glorious summer of 2005 and reclaim the coveted urn. It seems only fair; we invented the game after all. In fact the modern rules of the game were created in Hambledon, Hampshire in the famous Bat & Ball pub back in the 1750s. To recognise its great cricketing past and to mark the start of the Ashes, Visit Winchester has launched its Cricket Guide – a tour of the landmarks of the sport’s evolution in Hampshire.
For those of us who can’t get tickets to the Tests, or who simply want to learn more about the sport’s historic past, the Cricket Guide takes visitors on a self-guided tour around the “cradle of cricket”. Usefully for those on a weekend break, cricket’s evolution seems to be strongly interwoven with inns and pubs. The guide can be downloaded from the Visit Winchester website.
Wales has a new ‘world wonder’
Filed under Attractions
A 200-year-old aqueduct in North Wales has been recognised as a World Heritage Site (the 28th such site in the UK) by UNESCO, joining the ranks of such illustrious sites as Stonehenge and the Taj Mahal. Pontcysyllte aqueduct on the Llangollen canal, a short distance from Wrexham, is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain and was built by Thomas Telford and William Jessop before being completed in 1805.
You can view it here:
Picture of the day: Reading Abbey
Filed under Attractions
Today’s picture of the day is of Reading Abbey. The abbey is spread over 30 acres and offers some impressive ruins dating back to 1121. St Laurence’s Church, the Hospitium and the inner gatehouse are the only buildings to have been restored. Founder of the Abbey, Henry I was buried in the church in 1136.
Win a short break in the UK
Filed under Accommodation
There are only 48 hours remaining on this month’s competition to win a short break at the beautiful Channings hotel in Edinburgh, from The Town House Collection. For details of how to enter, please go directly to the UKhotel.com competition page.
Picture of the day: Carbis Bay, St Ives
Filed under Attractions
Today’s picture of the day is of Carbis Bay in St Ives, Cornwall. It is a beautiful and tranquil beach that has stunning, long broad sands. It is within easy reach of Carbis Bay train station and is a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Norman hawks and arrows
Filed under Attractions, Events
On 4th and 5th July 2009, Raphael Falconry is presenting a variety of stunning flights from their collection of hawks, owls and falcons. As they swoop and hover, pounce and pitch, discover how each bird is uniquely designed for flight. Learn about the role of falconers in Norman times and why they had to keep their birds’ feathers in top condition. Find out about the history of the arrow and archery and see if you would have made a good archer yourself. The event is free for English Heritage members, or adults are £6.70, concessions £5.70, children £3.40, or a family ticket is £16.80.
