Indonesian workers who paid thousands of pounds to travel to Britain to pick fruit on a farm that supplies most major supermarkets were sent home within weeks because they did not pick quickly enough. One of the workers said he had sold his family’s land and his and his parents’ motorbikes to cover the cost … Read more
In the run-up to the general election, Labour leader Keir Starmer has promised to “fix a broken Britain”. When it comes to tourism in the UK, he needs to be sharp about it. According to the latest statistics from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of British visitors in 2023 was still … Read more
The lush lawns and shady paths of Hampton Court are probably not the first places you would expect to find Ray Mears. Britain’s most renowned expert on bushcraft and survival skills has travelled widely during a 30-year television career that has taken him to some of the toughest terrain on the planet, not least via … Read more
Imagine 40,000 people living next to each other in a shed for six weeks. Your intuition would rightly consider this a public health problem. It’s no surprise then that commercial broilers, chickens raised for their meat under such conditions, are particularly susceptible to pathogens spreading quickly through their ranks. Bacteria that cause food poisoning, such … Read more
More Brits are putting on walking boots and hitting the road than ever before – and it’s no wonder given the many health benefits walking provides for both body and mind. Combined with the sights and sounds of nature, walking reduces stress and improves both mental and physical health. And once you’ve invested in a … Read more
Pembroke Castle has been a center of power for centuries. It was the birthplace of Henry Tudor, father of Henry VIII, and is one of the best preserved medieval strongholds in the country, with a maze of passageways, tunnels and stairs, as well as a huge gatehouse tower. Scientists have discovered that the fortress also … Read more
Until last week, few would have heard of Horse Hill, near Horley in Surrey, and even fewer would have been there. By ruling against Surrey County Council’s decision to extend oil drilling permits at the site, the UK Supreme Court has put this corner of semi-rural southern England on the map. In doing so, it … Read more
Levant Mine, Cornwall. The Levant Mine operated from the late 18th century until its closure in 1930, extracting tin and copper from beneath the seabed. Credit – Peter Thompson – Heritage Images/Getty Images IIn May 2024, British Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch claimed that Britain had been enriched by national “ingenuity … Read more
(Bloomberg) — From tractors stuck in muddy paddocks to raw sewage flushing from clogged waterways, extreme rain and flooding have wreaked havoc on British farmers this year. The soggy and turbulent weather – exacerbated by climate change – has hampered their ability to supply home-grown crops for bread, beer and almost every supermarket aisle. Most … Read more
All summer long we will be keeping an eye on the pulse of our most famous traditional seaside resorts, examining the efforts being made to revive them, and assessing whether they are still worth visiting. This week Helen Pickles explores Scarborough. Scarborough is blessed: two large sandy beaches, a dramatic headland topped by a castle, … Read more