Category: Attractions

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• 24/07/08 08:24

  English Heritage unveils blue plaque at Alastair Sim's London home
  

  An English Heritage blue plaque has been unveiled at the home of the late character actor Alastair Sim. The plaque hangs at the north-west London home where Sim lived for more than 20 years towards the end of his life.....

  
  

• 21/07/08 07:12

  Blackpool opens new Promenade walkways
  

  Blackpool's legendary Promenade will open its new walkways tomorrow, as part of the first stage of its most revolutionary civil engineering project ever. According to the BBC, the new parades are part of the historic seaside town's most recent coastal protection scheme, estimated to cost £73 million, which aims to replace its 100-year old sea wall.....

  
  

• 17/07/08 06:13

  Bristol Zoo Gardens submit £70m plan for wildlife reserve
  

  Bristol Zoo Gardens has submitted a £70m pioneering proposal for a world wildlife reserve to be built in the city's northern outskirts. The proposed 55 hectare National Wildlife Conservation Park (NWCP), which has been designed to link ecosystems and conservation programmes from across the world, will be the first park of its kind in the United Kingdom.....

  
  

• 17/07/08 06:01

  Europe’s first artificial surf reef starts construction in Dorset
  

  Work to build Europe's first artificial surf reef has begun in Dorset.The project, which is estimated to cost £2.....

  
  

• 14/07/08 04:00

  Devon and Cornwall will see more lifeguards this summer
  

  As the peak season of summer hits, many will be taking to the beaches to enjoy some surf, sand and sun. But for many beachgoers - particularly families with young children - a trip to the beach entails concern for safety due to the unpredictability of factors such as tides, currents and winds.....

  
  

• 11/07/08 03:24

  Blackpool hoping to 'diversify' tourism
  

  According to a recent government report, Blackpool is taking measures to 'diversify' the type of tourists it attracts. Liz Meek, regional director of the Government Office North West, says Blackpool needs to attract "more visitors from social classes A and B" - understood as the upper middle class and middle classes.....

  
  

• 08/07/08 02:24

  Ancient Roman wall in Scotland gains World Heritage status
  

  UNESCO has awarded World Heritage status to an ancient Roman wall that stretches across Scotland's central belt, the BBC reports. The Antonine Wall, which takes its name from Emperor Antoninus Pius, was constructed in 142 AD and covered 27 miles between Bo'ness in West Lothian to Old Kilpatrick in West Dunbartonshire.....

  
  

• 07/07/08 01:48

  Byzantine 'Holy Grail' to feature in London exhibition
  

  The Royal Academy of Arts will be exhibiting a rare and impressive collection of Byzantium Art from October this year.As part of the collection, entitled "Byzantium: 330 - 1453", the London gallery will host the famous Antioch Chalice, believed for many years to be the Holy Grail, the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.....

  
  

• 03/07/08 00:36

  Four new galleries dedicated to Welsh art launched
  

  The National Museum of Wales has launched four galleries dedicated to Welsh art. The move has cost £350,000 and more galleries will open in 2009 and 2010.....

  
  

• 03/07/08 00:24

  British Museum sees its most successful year ever
  

  The British Museum has been revealed as the most visited cultural attraction in the UK 2007-08 - touted to be its most successful year since it started counting visitors.A record six million people visited the London museum, beating the Tate Modern and adding one million visitors onto its previous year's figures.....

  
  

• 02/07/08 00:13

  Public invited to comment on Stonehenge initiatives
  

  The public have been invited to express their opinions on the future of ancient tourist attraction Stonehenge.According to the BBC, a three-month consultation period will allow people to give feedback on the location of proposed visitor facilities and nearby roads.....

  
  

• 02/07/08 00:00

  Cash boost for popular Scottish Science centres
  

  £250,000 of extra funding will be shared between Scotland's four science centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, the BBC reports.Popular Scottish science centres Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, Glasgow Science Centre, Sensation in Dundee and Aberdeen's Stratosphere will have access to funds intended to encourage more young people to explore the world of physics, engineering and technology.....

  
  

• 30/06/08 09:01

  Adam Smith statue to be unveiled in Edinburgh
  

  A statue of the "father of economics", Adam Smith, is to be unveiled on Friday at 1215 BST in Edinburgh. The sculpture will be placed beside St.....

  
  

• 27/06/08 08:48

  Famous names appearing at Edinburgh Art Festival
  

  Prominent names in the art world, including Tracey Emin, Turner Prize-winner Mark Wallinger and Elizabeth Blackadder, are to appear at this year's Edinburgh Art Festival.Edinburgh's celebration of visual arts was set up five years ago to increase the prominence of the medium in the festival calendar - the central Scotland event is now one of the best of its kind in the UK.....

  
  

• 25/06/08 08:01

  4000-year-old settlement unearthed near Wrexham
  

  Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 4000-year-old Neolithic settlement at Borras Quarry in Wrexham. The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) began digging after areas resembling cooking pits were revealed during an expansion of the quarry.....

  
  

• 25/06/08 07:01

  Cutty Sark receives £3.3 million gift
  

  The Cutty Sark, a 140-year-old clipper ship, will be fully restored after a £3.3 million donation from shipping magnate and philanthropist Sammy Ofer.....

  
  

• 23/06/08 06:25

  Nottingham erects UK's tallest freestanding public artwork
  

  The tallest freestanding structure of public art in the UK was completed today, as cranes ceremoniously lifted the final piece into place. The Nottingham University sculpture, named Aspire, towers over the university's campus and is the tallest independently-standing structure in Britain.....

  
  

• 20/06/08 06:12

  Lack of sheep could cause 'disappearance' of Cerne Abbas
  

  The decline in sheep farming in South West England has endangered one of Dorset's proudest assets - the Cerne Abbas chalk giant.The famous chalk figure has stood prominent on the hillside for hundreds of years, but a lack of sheep this year has meant that the wet start to the summer months encouraged rapid growth of vegetation, rendering the figure almost invisible.....

  
  

• 19/06/08 05:48

  Officials to monitor effects of climate change in the Highlands
  

  Scottish National Heritage (SNH) has launched the Snowbed Project, an attempt to discover how climate change is affecting fauna and flora traditionally native to Scottish mountains.Through the scheme, 'corries' - large, hollow depressions found on mountainsides - will become lookout points for official observers.....

  
  

• 18/06/08 05:13

  Iconic bridge to redefine Hull skyline
  

  Plans for a new, iconic swing bridge to be built in Hull have been approved by the government.The £6.....

  
  

• 17/06/08 05:00

  Six more historic sites to be protected by English Heritage
  

  English Heritage has added six more historic sites to its "at risk" register, in order to protect the landmarks now and in the future.The six sites include: Uxbridge Lido in west London, Newbury Battlefield in Berkshire, the Salcombe Cannon site in Devon, a seventeenth century lead mine in Derbyshire, Lowther Castle and Birkrigg Stone Circle, both in Cumbria.....

  
  

• 16/06/08 04:00

  Bournemouth seaside to be revamped
  

  An extensive makeover for Bournemouth will move a step further when plans are discussed by the council this week. It is hoped that the so-called Vision project will regenerate the Dorset seaside town, with completion pencilled in for 2035, according to the BBC.....

  
  

• 12/06/08 03:25

  Scotland-England border to get its own Angel of the North
  

  The Scotland-England border looks likely to get its own Angel of the North in the future, as funds are agreed to support a landmark artwork in Gretna.According to officials, the aim of the project is to recognise Gretna's role as the "gateway" between Scotland and England, as well as creating a piece of public art to rival Newcastle/Gateshead's Angel of the North.....

  
  

• 12/06/08 03:12

  Beach huts return to Devon after 20 years
  

  The iconic British beach hut has returned to the Devon coast after an absence of 20 years.The BBC states that 15 new and improved beach huts have been revealed by Teignbridge Council in the south west England region along the promenade at Dawlish Warren.....

  
  

• 11/06/08 07:48

  Stirling Castle to see £12m makeover of its royal lodgings
  

  The Royal Lodgings of Stirling Castle will be rejuvenated in a £12 million restoration project. The scheme hopes to return the Royal Lodgings to their 16th century glory with the help of Sally Rush, an art historian at Glasgow University.....

  
  

• 06/06/08 01:01

  Prince Charles to unveil 'unique' historic Scottish mansion
  

  rinces Charles will visit Ayrshire to open a unique stately home that he helped save to the public.Dumfries House, near Cumnock in Ayrshire, sits in nearly 2,000 acres and was designed 250 years ago.....

  
  

• 02/06/08 09:24

  New heritage trail to be established in Basildon
  

  Basildon will be home to a brand new heritage trail this autumn, as plans get underway to create a new way for guests to explore the town.Lottery funding has been awarded to fashion a 10km heritage trail in the east England town, according to the Guardian.....

  
  

• 30/05/08 09:01

  Scottish coast sees rise in recognised 'bathing waters'
  

  Scotland's profile as a prime seaside destination in the UK was raised today, as 20 more sites were added to its number of officially recognised bathing waters.These additions bring the total number of officially-recognised bathing waters in Scotland to 80 - a rise of a third on 2007's figures.....

  
  

• 29/05/08 08:37

  Tourists flock to Perth's new family history centre
  

  A new Family History Centre has been opened in Perth, offering people hungry to learn about their ancestors access to a range of old records.The centre, launched by Perth & Kinross Council, holds parish records from across the central Scotland area.....

  
  

• 28/05/08 08:01

  The Hayward Gallery celebrates its 40th anniversary
  

  The Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank has launched a new exhibition to mark its 40th anniversary.'Psycho Buildings: Artists Take on Architecture' incorporates work from ten different artists, situated inside and outside the London gallery.....

  
  

• 28/05/08 07:49

  Glasgow plans new WW2 garden
  

  An appeal fund is being launched to fund a new World War 2 memorial in Glasgow.According to the BBC, there are plans to commemorate one of WW2's many tragedies with an Italian-style cloister garden in Glasgow.....

  
  

• 27/05/08 07:37

  Wales needs to 'maximise' cultural holidays
  

  A review of Welsh heritage tourism has recommended that the country should "maximise its cultural icons", the BBC reports.Officials estimate that cultural holidays in Wales are worth £120 million alone, and that culture should be a primary aspect of tourism development and marketing.....

  
  

• 22/05/08 05:49

  Test flights for new tourist balloon - a fresh way to see Devon
  

  Tourists will soon have the opportunity to experience Devon from the air, as a sightseeing hot air balloon undergoes final test flights.The balloon can carry up to 30 tourists at a time and is designed to fly 400ft above the ground - offering a bird's eye view of the Torbay area.....

  
  

• 20/05/08 05:00

  Public given chance to bid for historic London tours
  

  The public are being given the rare chance to see some of London's hidden historic sites by bidding for the privilege on eBay.Through the online auction site, people can bid for prizes like a rooftop walk on Hampton Court Palace or a personal tour of the crown jewels, which are kept in the Tower of London.....

  
  

• 19/05/08 04:48

  Visitors explore one of Britain's largest caves in Yorkshire
  

  Potholing enthusiasts were given the opportunity to explore one of Britain's largest known underground caverns this weekend.Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales is 145 metres long, 25 metres wide and 35 metres tall - a space that's large enough to contain York Minster, according to The Times.....

  
  

• 19/05/08 04:36

  Wallace Monument to see facilities improve
  

  One of Scotland's finest landmarks, the Wallace Monument, is set to see its facilities improve as new building work gets underway.The Wallace Monument, which is located near Stirling and attracts over 125, 000 visitors each year, will have a new visitor centre, restaurant and ticket office when the work is completed.....

  
  

• 16/05/08 03:49

  Edinburgh Zoo urged to halt panda scheme
  

  One of Scotland's most popular tourist attractions, Edinburgh Zoo, has come under fire from MPs and animal rights groups over plans to bring a pair of giant pandas from China to the Scottish capital.Under the scheme, the two Chinese pandas would be brought to Edinburgh by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) - the zoo's owners - for ten years, during which time it is hoped that the pair will give birth to cubs.....

  
  

• 14/05/08 03:01

  Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort plans to be amended
  

  The Trump Organisation has revealed amendments to its plans for a £1 billion golf resort in Aberdeenshire.The proposed area for development is designated a site of special scientific interest and conservation bodies have opposed plans for the golf resort since its announcement.....

  
  

• 09/05/08 01:36

  Kelvingrove is Scotland's most popular attraction
  

  The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow has been revealed as Scotland's busiest tourist attraction in 2007. According to VisitScotland, who carried out the research, 2.....

  
  

• 08/05/08 01:24

  'White Horse' could be Britain's largest public sculpture
  

  Proposals for what is likely to be Britain's largest piece of public sculpture have been unveiled.The five artists competing for the privilege of having their work exhibited at the apex of a hilltop in Ebbsfleet, Kent, are former Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger, Rachel Whiteread, Richard Deacon, Christopher Le Brun and French artist Daniel Buren.....

  
  

• 08/05/08 01:13

  Dorset’s Jurassic Coast suffers huge landslide
  

  The World Heritage Jurassic Coast in Dorset has suffered the area's biggest landslide in 20 years.Beginning with a perceptible rumble on Tuesday night, the situation escalated until chunks of land were tumbling into the sea off Dorset.....

  
  

• 07/05/08 01:00

  New Lego tower could be world's tallest
  

  A 100ft (30.4 metres) tall structure made entirely of Lego bricks has been unveiled at the Legoland theme park in Windsor, Berkshire.....

  
  

• 01/05/08 09:12

  Capital of Culture remains England's "most deprived place"
  

  Despite being this year's European Capital of Culture, Liverpool is still England's most deprived region, according to two recent reports.According to the BBC, a study carried out by the University of Liverpool shows that the Merseyside city is ranked as the most deprived out of 354 towns and cities surveyed in England.....

  
  

• 28/04/08 07:49

  War memorial to be built in Edinburgh gardens
  

  An international competition to create a significant new war memorial in central Edinburgh was launched this weekend.According to the Scotsman, the memorial will be erected in West Princes Street Gardens and will commemorate people from Edinburgh who have been killed in battle.....

  
  

• 25/04/08 07:13

  Cutty Sark restoration passes "major milestone"
  

  One of the Britain's most famous historic ships, the Cutty Sark, has passed a "major milestone" in its restoration plans, according to the Chief Executive of the Cutty Sark Trust.In May 2007, the nineteenth century tea clipper was ravaged by a vicious fire in Greenwich, its current London abode.....

  
  

• 25/04/08 07:00

  Plan for new Aberdeenshire golf course gets approval
  

  A new plan for a £115 million golf course in Scotland has been granted approval by Aberdeenshire Council.The golf course, designed by Scottish golfing pro Paul Lawrie, has been proposed on the site of Blairs Seminary in Aberdeenshire, which was once the country's only seminary for training Catholic priests.....

  
  

• 22/04/08 05:36

  Queen Mother memorial gates unveiled in Scotland
  

  Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, visited northern Scotland yesterday to unveil a set of memorial gates in honour of the Queen Mother.The gates, which took six months to build and feature the deceased royal's coat of arms, were revealed to a crowd of around 200 people outside Glamis Castle in Angus, the Queen Mother's childhood home.....

  
  

• 21/04/08 04:25

  General joins campaign to save Norfolk Broads
  

  General Sir Richard Dannatt has lent his weight to the battle to protect the Norfolk Broads from flooding.A proposition by environmental organisation Natural England to abandon 25 miles of the Norfolk Broads to the sea has attracted much criticism from locals and conservationists since its announcement in March.....

  
  

• 18/04/08 04:24

  Britain's smaller art galleries dominate Art Fund prize shortlist
  

  The 2008 shortlist for the largest arts prize in the nation is dominated by small regional galleries and art exhibitions.According to the Independent, the Art Fund award - previously known as the Gulbenkian Prize - aims to stimulate originality and excellence and recognises the best new galleries emerging in Britain, as well as renovated galleries and shows that have taken place in the past 12 months.....

  
  

• 17/04/08 04:00

  Victoria Crosses exhibition opens to the public
  

  The largest display of Victoria Crosses (VCs) in Britain will be shown in a public exhibition at the Spink Gallery in London. The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration for gallantry that can be awarded in the Armed Forces, and is a very prestigious accolade.....

  
  

• 15/04/08 02:36

  Liverpool venues see 30 per cent rise in visitors
  

  Liverpool's status as European Capital of Culture this year has significantly boosted the number of people visiting the city's venues.According to the BBC, more than two million people attended a cultural event in Liverpool between January and March 2008, a 30 per cent rise on 2007 figures.....

  
  

• 11/04/08 02:00

  Tower of London set for facelift
  

  The Tower of London's oldest building, the White Tower, is set for a £2 million facelift in what is to be the biggest restoration work ever undertaken at the site.The White Tower has been covered by a giant canvas, which will cover the façade of the building until work is completed in 2011 - the same year as the Tower's 225th birthday.....

  
  

• 09/04/08 00:48

  Scottish coastline faces new threats from climate change
  

  Scotland's coastline is in danger from a series of new threats due to rapid climate change, according to a new report.The Scotsman states the report, entitled "Scotland's Seas - Towards Understanding Their State", highlights that 740 miles of Scottish coastline has suffered serious erosion problems, and is at risk of increased flooding and ruining a number of natural wildlife habitats.....

  
  

• 09/04/08 00:36

  Big Ben is Britain's favourite landmark
  

  Big Ben has been voted the UK's favourite landmark in a poll that marks the 202nd birthday of 19th century British engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The poll of over 2000 people was conducted by construction company Faithful+Gould and saw six structures in London make it into the top 10.....

  
  

• 08/04/08 00:24

  Protected seahorses find new home in East London
  

  A protected species of seahorse has been living in the Thames estuary for the past 18 months, much to the delights of wildlife lovers across Britain.The species, whose scientific name is Hippocampus hippocampus, was discovered by conservationists who have been carrying out surveys on the types of marine life supported by the Thames estuary.....

  
  

• 07/04/08 09:48

  New "artistic" map of Dundee to be created
  

  The creation of a unique map of Dundee relies on the assistance of "artistic" volunteers, the BBC reports.The new map, which is also an interactive piece of art, utilizes modern technology combined with the traditional art of sewing.....

  
  

• 04/04/08 08:48

  'Eco towns' under fire from greens and locals
  

  The government's proposals for new eco-towns in England got off the ground this week as a shortlist of 15 locations was put forward.These 15 locations will be whittled down to 10 in the next six months, and will become the first new towns to be built in the country since the 1960s.....

  
  

• 01/04/08 07:48

  Edinburgh's Old Town to see £40 million development
  

  Edinburgh's Old Town is to be revamped in a £40 million scheme that will transform the area that was ravaged by fire in 2002.Whiteburn - the developers who became the official owners of the site in 2006 - have released images detailing how the area would be transformed, with new links that will create thoroughfares to main city centre roads, like the Cowgate and South Bridge.....

  
  

• 31/03/08 07:12

  Historic Norfolk villages could be given up to flooding
  

  Residents of Norfolk are up in arms over a proposal from the Environment Agency that could see six villages around the Norfolk Broads given up to flooding over the next century.The Norfolk villages at risk are Eccles, Sea Palling, Horsey, Hickling, Waxham and Potter Heigham.....

  
  

• 28/03/08 06:24

  Shipping magnate donates £20m to the National Maritime Museum
  

  The National Maritime Museum has received a £20m donation from a shipping magnate, in what is to be the largest single donation to a British cultural project ever made. Sammy Ofer, an 86-year old Israeli billionaire, gave the money to fund a new wing for the London museum, the Times reports.....

  
  

• 27/03/08 05:36

  Paisley Museum could experience radical revamp
  

  Renfrewshire Council are planning a £15 million revamp of Paisley Museum, which could see the Grade A listed building undergo a radical overhaul.Under the proposals, the council plans to apply for lottery funding to upgrade the 130-year old museum building and move the Central Library in Paisley to the Town Hall.....

  
  

• 26/03/08 05:01

  £9 million restoration of Leeds music hall announced
  

  One of the countries last remaining music halls, the Leeds City Varieties, is to be refurbished with the help of funds to the tune of more than £9 million.The historic music hall will receive £3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £1 million from the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd, and another £5.....

  
  

• 25/03/08 04:13

  Historic Stanley Mills opens its doors to the public
  

  The historic Stanley Mills have opened their doors to the public following a £4.6m preservation project.....

  
  

• 20/03/08 04:00

  Britain's biggest planetarium opens its doors
  

  On Good Friday, the 21st of March, the country's largest planetarium will open its doors to the public.The new planetarium is located at the Intech Science Centre in Winchester, South East England, and offers a 176-seat theatre.....

  
  

• 19/03/08 03:00

  Mumbles pier in Swansea to be restored
  

  Restoration plans for Mumbles pier in Swansea, South Wales, have been revealed. The £39m regeneration plans were proposed by the family firm Ameco and Swansea Council's leader told BBC news that he was "delighted" by the proposals.....

  
  

• 18/03/08 02:48

  More people moving to the West Country's holiday hotspots
  

  West Country counties like Devon and Somerset might be best known as two of the UK's favourite holiday destinations, but a recent study has also placed them as among the UK's most popular places to live.The research, conducted by monitoring address changes through the Royal Mail, saw 10, 847 householders move to Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire in the past year.....

  
  

• 14/03/08 01:37

  Cairngorms National Park to extend boundaries
  

  The boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park are to be extended, according to an announcement made by Scotland's Environment Minister this week.Following campaigns made by local communities in the north of Scotland, the MSP Mike Russell stated that the borders of the Cairngorms - already Britain's largest national park - would be redrawn to include parts of eastern and Highland Perthshire and Blair Atholl.....

  
  

• 13/03/08 00:37

  Birnbeck pier at Weston-super-Mare set for revival
  

  The once grand piers of Edwardian Britain may have been left to the ravages of time in recent years, but it appears that Weston-super-Mare's Birnbeck pier may be set for a revival.The Guardian reports that a multimillion pound transformation of the 141-year old Birnbeck pier will be unveiled by developers today.....

  
  

• 12/03/08 09:36

  Hampshire village offers best quality of life in Britain
  

  The tranquil Hampshire village of Hart has just topped a survey of UK areas with the highest quality of life.According to the Telegraph, the Somerfield study placed the picturesque village in the south east of England at the apex of the top 20 table for its low crime rate and high average household income of £33, 738.....

  
  

• 11/03/08 09:12

  Yorkshire Dales visitor newspaper goes online
  

  The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has announced the online unveiling of its yearly newspaper.The Visitor 2008 is a newspaper produced by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) that aims to provide a wealth of information for visitors to Yorkshire , including a comprehensive pull-out listing of area events.....

  
  

• 10/03/08 08:37

  Scottish woman leaves £2mn to Edinburgh museum in will
  

  The Royal Museum in Edinburgh has been bequeathed the largest single donation in its 147-year history: a £2 million legacy left by an elderly woman who died in late 2006.Adele Stewart, a 79-year-old Edinburgh-native, was well-known as one of the Royal Museum's most regular visitors, and became a patron in 2006.....

  
  

• 31/01/08 04:54

  January storms wreak havoc on Scottish heritage
  

  Storms in January have caused thousands of pounds' worth of damage to Scotland's historic buildings, a charity says. According to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), some of the country's best-loved historic buildings and gardens have suffered in "the exceptionally bad weather this month".....

  
  

• 30/01/08 06:17

  Blackpool illuminations light up January sales
  

  Blackpool Council held a January sale with a difference today, auctioning off some of the resort's famous illuminations to the highest bidder. The sell-off, the first of its kind to be open to both private buyers and the public, comes as the council updates its collection of attractions for the annual Blackpool Festival of Light.....

  
  

• 30/01/08 04:27

  Rare Cornish fish fingered
  

  Two of Cornwall's estuaries have turned up some surprising aquatic residents. The Environment Agency has been scouring the Fal and Camel estuaries since last year, and says that the diversity of species it has found so far is an encouraging sign of healthy waters.....

  
  

• 29/01/08 09:41

  Massive sculpture for Ebbsfleet
  

  A huge public artwork is being planned for the new Ebbsfleet International train station in North Kent, which was officially opened today. The structure, proposed to be twice the height of the Angel of the North, will be created by one of five short-listed candidates, and will be positioned close to the A2.....

  
  

• 28/01/08 06:41

  Lewis wind farm "to be rejected"
  

  A proposal to create one of Europe's biggest land-based wind farms in the Western Isles is set to be rejected by the Scottish Government, according to reports from BBC Scotland. The proposed £500 development on the Isle of Lewis had been approved by the Western Isles Council in February 2007.....

  
  

• 24/01/08 09:41

  Squirrel campaigners see red
  

  Efforts to save Northumberland's remaining red squirrels have led to the death of almost 12,000 greys squirrels over the last year, it has been claimed. The Red Squirrel Protection Partnership (RSPP) says it has trapped and killed almost 11,615 grey squirrels, two thirds of Northumberland's population, over the last year.....

  
  

• 23/01/08 05:30

  £400m Clapham vision unveiled
  

  Plans to transform the UK's busiest train station and its surrounding area have gone on public display. The plans for Clapham Junction and Battersea aim to tackle passenger congestion around the site, and to create a better living and shopping environment.....

  
  

• 23/01/08 04:44

  Royal Hall reopened by Prince
  

  Harrogate's restored Royal Hall has been officially reopened by the Prince of Wales. The Hall, one of the region's most prestigious buildings, was built in 1903 to a design by renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham.....

  
  

• 22/01/08 03:37

  Capital of Culture title boosts Liverpool's web
  

  International web interest in Liverpool has rocketed since it became 2008's Capital of Culture, say the city's tourism chiefs. The Mersey Partnership, an organisation promoting local business and tourism, claims that traffic on the Visit Liverpool website increased by 283% between 10 and 11 January 2008, compared with the same dates last year.....

  
  

• 17/01/08 06:27

  Aim to protect Cornish pasty
  

  Cornish pasty makers have launched a new website, as part of their ongoing campaign to win legal recognition for the food. The Cornish Pasty Association (CPA)'s site is the latest tool in its campaign to secure Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for the meat and vegetable parcel, which would prevent makers outside the county from legally using the "Cornish pasty" name.....

  
  

• 16/01/08 04:26

  Gateshead to celebrate Angel's birthday
  

  Gateshead is to celebrate the 10th birthday of the Angel of the North with a year-long programme of events, and one special photograph. The sculpture, which can be seen from the A1, the East Coast Mainline and even from space, was officially "born" on 14 February 1998.....

  
  

• 15/01/08 03:40

  Lake District hikers and climbers warned
  

  Walkers in the Lake District have been warned not to underestimate the terrain on the region's most challenging peaks, after two men died in the area within a week. Both men died in falls from Helvellyn – at 3,117 feet, one of the region's tallest peaks.....

  
  

• 14/01/08 04:41

  £1 billion makeover for Coventry
  

  The centre of England's ninth-biggest city is set to be rebuilt on a scale rarely seen in the UK. Coventry city centre was extensively bombed during World War Two, and almost entirely rebuilt in the 1950s to a modern design.....

  
  

• 11/01/08 01:07

  Liverpool kicks off Capital of Culture year
  

  Liverpool will this evening celebrate becoming Capital of Culture 2008, with an official opening party that features more than 600 performers. The party, on St George's Plateau, is the start of a year-long celebration of the city's cultural contributions, which range across literature, music and the arts.....

  
  

• 10/01/08 05:30

  Bath's 'oldest' building loses 143 years
  

  A building previously considered to be the oldest in Bath may not be as venerable as it was thought, it has emerged. Sally Lunn's tea shop was believed to date back to 1482, but the recent discovery of a map from 1610 reveals only trees on the site of the building.....

  
  

• 09/01/08 09:27

  Trafalgar Square art contenders revealed
  

  The six artworks competing for a place on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth have been announced. The winner will replace Thomas Schütte’s sculpture Model for a Hotel, which was unveiled in November 2007.....

  
  

• 09/01/08 05:43

  Campaign to save 'Wonderland' hotel
  

  Campaigners are fighting to save an ex-hotel in Wales once regularly visited by Alice Liddel, the child thought to have inspired Alice in Wonderland. Pen Morfa in Llandudno was the seaside holiday home of the Liddel family, who owned the building from its construction 1861 until 1873.....

  
  

• 24/12/07 06:21

  Thousands expected for Sunderland's Boxing Day Dip
  

  Several thousand people are expected to turn out on Wednesday for this year's Boxing Day Dip at Seaburn beach in Sunderland. The annual event is one of several held around Europe on 26 December where swimmers, many in fancy dress, brave cold sea waters to raise money for charity.....

  
  

• 20/12/07 02:16

  'Iconic’ new bridge for Scotland
  

  A new cable bridge linking the south-east of Scotland to the north-east will be built to replace the existing structure, which was showing signs of corrosion from increased traffic and the weather. Costing up to £4.....

  
  

• 19/12/07 05:08

  Bournemouth beauty spot recognised
  

  A Bournemouth beauty spot has been named as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). The 23-acre stretch of land on the Boscombe and Southbourne Overcliff is home to wildlife including the wall lizard, a rare non-native reptile which has established colonies along parts of the South Coast.....

  
  

• 19/12/07 02:46

  Liverpool prepares for year in the spotlight
  

  Liverpool will soon be showcasing its cultural assets, as its year as European Capital of Culture draws near. Liverpool 08 begins on 11 January, with The People’s Opening, a free open-air show in St George’s Plateau featuring Ringo Starr.....

  
  

• 18/12/07 05:13

  Horse-lovers in London for international show
  

  The Olympia horse show is getting underway in London. The London International Horse Show runs until Saturday 22 December at the Olympia Exhibition Halls in West London.....

  
  

• 18/12/07 03:34

  Welsh mountains "overlooked" by tourists
  

  A group of business people are calling for the Cambrian Mountains in Wales to be acknowledged as an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). The Cambrian Mountains stretch across North Wales and South Wales, almost filling the region between the Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons national parks.....

  
  

• 17/12/07 05:26

  Brighton lights up "antidote to commercial excess"
  

  This year’s Burning the Clocks parade will take place in Brighton on Friday 21 December. The parade is held to mark the winter solstice, and aims to be an "antidote to the excesses of the commercial Christmas".....

  
  

• 17/12/07 03:43

  Big spoon in progress outside Cardiff Castle
  

  An attempt to create a world-record-breaking wooden spoon is currently under way on the grounds of Cardiff Castle. Ed Harrison is using a chainsaw to carve the spoon, which already measures 25ft 9in.....

  
  

• 14/12/07 04:32

  Cash boost for Scottish gallery
  

  The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has secured funding of £10 million for a refurbishment. The Edinburgh gallery is receiving a grant of £5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as a further £5 million from the Scottish Government.....

  
  

• 14/12/07 02:17

  Evesham excitement at "Banksy" graffiti
  

  Graffiti on a public toilet in Worcestershire has prompted speculation that the work is by the famous artist Banksy. The picture, which appeared this week in Evesham, features a man wearing a hooded top, painting a sign that asks "what is art?" Local author Lynn Davies told BBC News that the work's appearance is "the most exciting thing that's happened in town in quite a long time".....

  
  

• 13/12/07 05:15

  South Yorkshire garden celebrates fifth anniversary
  

  A Sheffield garden celebrates its fifth anniversary today, having already received six million visitors. The Winter Garden was built in 2002 and officially opened in 2003.....

  
  

• 12/12/07 04:38

  London ‘world’s greatest holiday destination’
  

  UK tourism chiefs were delighted last night when London beat the likes of Sydney, New York and Barbados to be crowned the world's top holiday destination. The capital won the accolade at the World Travel Awards, based on the votes of 160,000 travel agents and widely regarded as the most prestigious in the travel industry.....

  
  

• 11/12/07 05:33

  Falcons settle on Wrexham church
  

  Christmas shoppers in Wrexham are being encouraged to take a break to watch two of the town's most impressive avian residents. A pair of peregrine falcons has taken up residence on the roof of St Giles' church, dubbed one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.....

  
  

• 11/12/07 03:22

  Christmas magic at the NEC
  

  The Magic of Christmas gets underway at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham this Friday. The festive event will see visitors greeted by a Christmas tree fairy, before being led on a performance-based journey to a "magical village".....

  
  

• 07/12/07 04:54

  Last weekend for Bath Christmas Market
  

  Bath city centre is currently hosting its annual Christmas Market, but anyone hoping to pick up that special something will need to move quickly. Festive shoppers have just two more days to take in the festive atmosphere at the market, which is located in the area between Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths.....

  
  

• 06/12/07 02:18

  Slade singer honoured in Walk of Stars
  

  Noddy Holder is the latest celebrity to be honoured on Birmingham's Walk of Stars. Holder is best known as the singer from Slade, the glam-rock band behind one of the UK's most iconic Christmas songs, Merry Xmas Everybody.....

  
  

• 05/12/07 05:27

  'Pride of Place' polls celebrate local attractions
  

  UK residents have been voting for the local attractions they are most proud of in the Pride Of Place survey, results of which have now been released. Winners in the polls, which were conducted by local councils, include the Watts Gallery in Surrey, Claydon House in Buckinghamshire and Ullswater in Cumbria.....

  
  

• 05/12/07 01:09

  'Tis the season at Kew Gardens
  

  Visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are guaranteed snow this Christmas - inside a 12-metre diameter dome. The dome will give visitors an "arctic experience", complete with a "snow storm" and "northern lights".....

  
  

• 04/12/07 03:09

  Liverpool's a stage this Christmas
  

  The streets of Liverpool will be playing host to a live televised nativity play this Christmas. The hour-long production, Liverpool Nativity, can be seen on BBC3 on 16 December.....

  
  

• 03/12/07 04:56

  Christmas Deluxe transforms Covent Garden
  

  Covent Garden in London is currently hosting Christmas Deluxe, a "unique and lavish Christmas experience" – with no Santa Clauses in sight. Christmas Deluxe sees Covent Garden's cobble-stoned piazza transformed by lights for a series of events in the run-up to Christmas.....

  
  

• 03/12/07 04:10

  Tattoo tickets on sale 9 months early
  

  Tickets for the 2008 Edinburgh Military Tattoo have gone on sale today, 9 months before the three-week event is set to open. The full programme for the 59th Edinburgh Military Tattoo will not be revealed until nearer the time, but some acts are already confirmed.....

  
  

• 30/11/07 04:32

  Movie boost to Oxford tourism
  

  Hollywood blockbuster The Golden Compass could tempt up to one million extra holidaymakers to Oxford, the city’s tourism chiefs have said. Jane Lubbock, facilities manager at Oxford City Council, said the film, which stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and 12-year-old Dakota Blue Richards as main character Lyra, could bring in an extra £15m in revenue.....

  
  

• 29/11/07 01:06

  Yuletide traditions on display at Blenheim
  

  Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire is currently dressed for Christmas. Until 9 December, the World Heritage site will be home to displays which aim to educate visitors about some of the nation's favourite seasonal traditions.....

  
  

• 28/11/07 04:34

  Foodies head to Birmingham
  

  The BBC Good Food Show is getting underway at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. The event runs until Sunday, and will give foodies the chance to see some of their favourite chefs in action.....

  
  

• 28/11/07 03:10

  Festive markets open in Manchester
  

  The annual Manchester Christmas Markets are now open, offering visitors and residents an unusual Christmas shopping experience. Organisers say that the markets, in which traditional wooden chalets house the stalls, have proven so popular in previous years that they are now running in five city centre locations.....

  
  

• 27/11/07 05:47

  Tourism awards hail Bournemouth attractions
  

  Hospitality businesses and tourist attractions in Bournemouth have been celebrated in an awards ceremony held last week at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC). The Bournemouth Tourism Awards 2007 recognised the "quality, achievements and continuous hard work of the tourism industry" across the Dorset town.....

  
  

• 26/11/07 05:24

  Scottish tarts go down well with Sainsbury's shoppers
  

  A traditional Scottish tart is proving to be a festive rival for the mince pie, after going on sale in Sainsbury's. Ecclefechan tarts are made with grated lemon peel, ground cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.....

  
  

• 26/11/07 04:45

  Santa's grotto comes to the UK
  

  Children won't have to fly to Lapland to meet Father Christmas this year, after it emerged that he also has a base in the Kent countryside. Lapland UK, described by its proprietors as an exciting and ambitious Christmas experience, is based in Forestry Commission-managed Bedgebury forest, near Cranbrook.....

  
  

• 23/11/07 01:47

  £90 'nappies' for Blackpool's horses
  

  Plans to fit Blackpool's famous carriage horses with a form of nappy have been approved by the town's council. Residents and visitors to Blackpool have complained about the smell of horse droppings on the promenade, and a voluntary scheme encouraging carriage drivers to pick up the dung has proved only partially successful.....

  
  

• 23/11/07 01:44

  Transport Museum reopens in London
  

  The London Transport Museum (LTM) reopens today, after a £22 million refurbishment project that closed the museum's doors for two years. The Covent Garden museum tells the story of the development of London and its transport systems over the last 200 years.....

  
  

• 22/11/07 02:10

  Hogmanay programme launched
  

  The official programme for this year's Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh has been launched by the event's organisers. Hogmanay 2007 will begin on 29 December, with a ceremonial torchlit procession and "spectacular celebration" of fire and music.....

  
  

• 21/11/07 05:09

  Baby rhino born at Whipsnade
  

  The birth of a rhino at Whipsnade Zoo has boosted the zoo's endangered species breeding programme. The male Asian one-horned rhino arrived on 5 November, just ten months after the birth of the Bedfordshire zoo's first rhino for 17 years.....

  
  

• 20/11/07 12:54

  London lightens up
  

  Last week saw London's Oxford Street Christmas lights switched on by singer Leona Lewis, but festivities in the capital certainly aren't ending there. At 6 o clock tonight the Regent Street Christmas lights, which organisers describe as "modern and futuristic", will be turned on.....

  
  

• 19/11/07 12:48

  Sea eagle surge for Scotland
  

  One of Britain's rarest and most impressive birds of prey has staged a strong comeback this year, the RSPB has announced. The number of breeding white-tailed eagles in Scotland has jumped to a record 42 pairs, up from 36 pairs in 2006.....

  
  

• 16/11/07 03:14

  Swimming squirrel surprises tourists
  

  Visitors to the Lake District were given a shock when they saw a red squirrel going for a dip in the middle of Ullswater. Passengers on a pleasure boat spotted the squirrel 300 yards from the lake shore.....

  
  

• 15/11/07 05:40

  Cigarette sketch of matchstick men
  

  A 1930s sketch by the artist L S Lowry has sold at auction for £5,280, despite being crammed onto the inside of a cigarette packet. The pencil sketch, which measures only 2.....

  
  

• 14/11/07 05:30

  New Forest wins top eco tourism prize
  

  The New Forest has beaten exotic locations like Costa Rica and Sri Lanka to be named overall winner at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. The national park also scooped two other gongs: best personal contribution for New Forest tourism destination manager Anthony Climpson OBE, and best destination award.....

  
  

• 12/11/07 04:52

  London show of gems and jewels: Priceless
  

  Some of the world's most expensive jewels and gems are to go on display at the Natural History Museum in London later this month. The 'Devonshire' Emerald and the 47.....

  
  

• 08/11/07 05:35

  Skates on around the UK
  

  Outdoor ice rinks are set to open in the next few weeks, as festive celebrations get under way. The more well-known rinks such as Somerset House and Hyde Park are opening soon, but London isn't the only place for a winter's skate – outdoor skating facilities are being set up all over the country.....

  
  

• 07/11/07 01:52

  TV restaurant opens in Oxfordshire
  

  The winners of BBC television programme The Restaurant have opened their new business in Oxfordshire. The series saw nine couples compete for the grand prize of starting a new food venture in Oxford, with backing from French chef Raymond Blanc.....

  
  

• 06/11/07 03:46

  Cate Blanchett film to promote UK tourism
  

  Tourist chiefs eager to tempt film-loving holidaymakers to Britain have launched a major campaign to tie in with the release of new film, The Golden Age. Starring Australian actress Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I, the film features several historical locations already popular with visitors, such as Brean Down in Somerset, Cambridge University and Westminster, Winchester and Wells cathedrals.....

  
  

• 02/11/07 03:29

  Edinburgh named UK’s top tourist destination
  

  Edinburgh has topped a prestigious poll of the UK’s best cities for the eighth year running. Guardian readers voted it their favourite UK city break destination in its Travel Awards 2007, now in its 21st year.....

  
  

• 31/10/07 02:20

  Awards hail Devon and Cornwall tourism
  

  Many businesses in Devon and Cornwall have been recognised in the annual South West Tourism Excellence Awards. The awards, which aim to reward and promote tourist attractions in the South West region, were handed out on Monday night at an 'Oscars'-style dinner in Paignton.....

  
  

• 30/10/07 02:28

  Red Arrows aim for 2012 London Olympics
  

  The Red Arrows are likely to fly at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, it has been confirmed. Rumours that the RAF's Lincolnshire-based aerial display team would not be appearing had sparked the creation of an e-petition on the Downing Street website.....

  
  

• 27/10/07 11:05

  Dorset island on sale on sale for £1 million
  

  An unspoilt island in Dorset is likely to be snapped up on impulse, according to the estate agent selling it. Thirty-acre Long Island, which neighbours notoriously expensive Sandbanks in Poole Harbour, is on sale for more than £1 million.....

  
  

• 24/10/07 02:41

  London tops gay traveller poll
  

  London has been named as the best European destination by a poll of American gay and lesbian tourists. The online poll, conducted by research firm Community Marketing Inc (CMI), surveyed the opinions and experience of 7,500 travellers who identified themselves as gay or lesbian.....

  
  

• 23/10/07 02:42

  Pub in Ludlow to reopen after floods
  

  A Shropshire pub reopens on Thursday, four months after floods swept through the building. Plaster was stripped from the walls of the 17th-century Unicorn Inn when the neighbouring River Corve overflowed on 25 June.....

  
  

• 23/10/07 02:38

  Newport and Plymouth top eco cities league
  

  Newport and Plymouth have tied at the top of an environmental table produced by charity WWF. The table ranks 60 of the UK's cities according to the 'ecological footprint' of their inhabitants.....

  
  

• 22/10/07 04:55

  Brighton & Hove "most sustainable" city
  

  The city of Brighton and Hove is the most sustainable in Great Britain, an index has found. The sustainable cities index, produced by charity Forum for the Future, placed the East Sussex coastal resort above the UK's 19 other largest cities when judged for its environmental impact, quality of life and future plans for sustainability.....

  
  

• 19/10/07 02:57

  Turner Prize opens in Liverpool
  

  The Turner Prize 2007 exhibition has opened today at Tate Liverpool. It is the first time since the prize began in 1984 that its exhibition is being held outside of London.....

  
  

• 18/10/07 03:55

  Laser beams from Blackpool Tower
  

  A laser visible from a distance of 30 miles has been beamed from the Blackpool Tower, as part of the annual Blackpool Festival of Light. Organisers of the event, which runs between late August and early November, claim that the laser is the UK's largest.....

  
  

• 16/10/07 04:25

  Good time for Big Ben visitors
  

  Public tours of the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster resumed today, as it reopened after seven weeks of repair work. The tower is popularly referred to as Big Ben, although Big Ben is more correctly the nickname for the 13.....

  
  

• 15/10/07 05:23

  Welsh church becomes Cardiff museum piece
  

  A medieval church reopens to the public today, after having been dismantled and rebuilt at a museum in Cardiff. St Teilo's Church has been restored to its 1520 appearance at the National History Museum, 50 miles away from its original site near Swansea.....

  
  

• 12/10/07 04:10

  Eden Project honoured in construction awards
  

  The Eden Project in Cornwall has been named best British building of the last 20 years, at the British Construction Industry 20th Anniversary awards. The large-scale environmentally-themed complex triumphed ahead of the City of Manchester Stadium as the "best of the best" major project in the Building category.....

  
  

• 12/10/07 03:57

  Bolton statue to commemorate Dibnah
  

  Bolton is to get a statue commemorating local television hero, Fred Dibnah. Sculptor Jane Robbins is to begin work on a life-sized statue of the famous steeplejack, after winning a competition organised by Bolton Civic Society to find an artist for the job.....

  
  

• 11/10/07 11:32

  Local voice calls change for famous bridge
  

  A bridge in Middlesbrough is set to have a new voice, after people complained that the current announcer is too curt and 'southern.' Brian Hall is the new voice of Teesside’s Transporter Bridge, having won 45% of the public vote in a competition run by the Gazette local newspaper.....

  
  

• 10/10/07 05:13

  Surfers' reef relief in Bournemouth
  

  An artificial sea reef project looks likely to go ahead in Bournemouth, after successful talks with fishermen who had objected to the plan. The reef is part of a £1.....

  
  

• 10/10/07 05:07

  Doors open at Derby's new shopping centre
  

  A new multi-million pound shopping centre has officially opened in Derby. The £340 million Westfield shopping centre opened its doors to shoppers yesterday, in advance of an official ceremony that featured celebrities from the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, including host Tess Daly.....

  
  

• 09/10/07 05:31

  Lincolnshire bakers aim to land 'plum' protection
  

  Bakers in Lincolnshire have called for a fruit loaf made in the county to be granted EU protection. Lincolnshire plum bread, a sweet, dried fruit loaf that doesn't contain plums, has been made in the county for more than 100 years.....

  
  

• 09/10/07 05:26

  RSPB plans £12 million return to wetland for Wallasea
  

  An area of Essex farmland more than twice the size of the City of London is to be returned to its natural wetland state. Wallasea Island in Essex was an area of coastal salt marsh home to a wide diversity of bird and animal life, until, 500 years ago, it was drained and turned into farmland.....

  
  

• 08/10/07 05:21

  Tate Modern unveils latest art installation
  

  A giant hole was unveiled at Tate Modern today, the latest installation to be staged in the South Bank gallery's Turbine Hall. The work, which is titled Shibboleth 2007, was produced by Colombian sculptor Doris Salcedo.....

  
  

• 05/10/07 04:53

  Brum town hall back in business
  

  Birmingham Town Hall reopened last night after a £35 million refurbishment that had closed the building for 11 years. The reopening was marked by a celebratory concert, the first of a two-week series of special events.....

  
  

• 03/10/07 03:40

  Indian railway celebrates Welsh connections
  

  Wales' tiny Ffestiniog and West Highland Railway is to be twinned with one of the largest railway companies in the world, according to BBC News. The Welsh company is forming the bond with the Indian Railway Company, which runs services along the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Line.....

  
  

• 01/10/07 04:02

  September snow gives Highland ski centres hope
  

  Ski resorts in Scotland are hoping that this weekend's snowfall in the Cairngorms marks the end of a run of warm winters. The Cairn Gorm mountain ski resort had its busiest weekend for two decades, causing the resort’s hire centre to run out of skis.....

  
  

• 28/09/07 04:30

  New wave of funding for Newquay
  

  A £94,000 funding boost from Sport England will help to provide a new regional surf development coach within the South West, the British Surfing Association (BSA) has announced. The new £18K role will be based at the BSA’s headquarters at Fistral Beach, Newquay, but will cover the whole of the region.....

  
  

• 28/09/07 03:00

  Seaside view saved for £160,000
  

  A group of Lancashire residents have pooled their resources to preserve their much-loved seaside view. The 12 neighbours from Heysham paid £160,000 for Rayner's Field in order to stop any future development on the land, which had been put up for auction by Lancaster City Council.....

  
  

• 27/09/07 05:57

  Spoof Cornish beach is the last resort
  

  A spoof Cornish website is groaning under the weight of visits, after BBC News reported on its growing popularity earlier today. The Porthemmet beach website was created as a joke by Truro teacher Jonty Haywood, and has become popular through a group created on the social networking site Facebook.....

  
  

• 27/09/07 05:53

  Views sought on 'Jurassic Coast' corridor
  

  A survey is set to gauge the views of tourists who visit Dorset's Jurassic Coast. Local environmental group the Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) has launched an online questionnaire to assess visitors' impressions of the "signage, facilities and access" to the coastline in Dorset and East Devon.....

  
  

• 26/09/07 04:39

  Dounreay dome 'could become a hotel'
  

  The dome of Dounreay nuclear power plant could find a new lease of life as a hotel, BBC News reports. The corporation says that the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), which has responsibility for decommissioning the Caithness site, would consider preserving the dome if a suitable use could be found for it.....

  
  

• 25/09/07 05:18

  Apethorpe Hall opens for tourists
  

  A Jacobean hall that once belonged to Henry VIII has been opened to visitors. Grade I listed Apethorpe Hall near Oundle in Northamptonshire dates back to the 15th century.....

  
  

• 25/09/07 03:55

  Surf's still up in the West Country, say lifeguards
  

  Lifeguards in Devon and Cornwall are extending their season into October, reports BBC News. The decision to provide a longer season at four beaches comes after warm weather and big swells sustained visitor numbers into the late summer last year.....

  
  

• 24/09/07 08:28

  Dundee's "hidden treasure" coastal path reopens
  

  A Scottish coastal walkway has reopened after an £800,000 programme of improvements. The path, which was originally built in 1929, links Dundee harbour with Broughty Ferry, a seaside suburb founded by 15th century fishermen.....

  
  

• 24/09/07 08:25

  Lincolnshire's bathing beauties available for hire
  

  Five beach huts with a difference have opened up for visitors to Lincolnshire's coast. The huts, known collectively as the bathing beauties, have been built to the winning designs of a competition to "re-imagine the beach hut for the 21st century".....

  
  

• 21/09/07 01:14

  Rare reed birds ‘boom’ again
  

  One of England’s rarest breeding birds is continuing to recolonise the country, conservationists have said. In the spring of 1997, a total of just 11 male bitterns were recorded making their characteristic booming call in English reedbeds.....

  
  

• 18/09/07 03:18

  Baby rhino pulls crowds
  

  Paignton Zoo in Devon has seen a 40% increase in visitors in the six months since the very public arrival of a baby rhino, the zoo has said. The birth of Zuri to her mother Sita, filmed and shown online in March, is thought to have been the first time that a black rhino has been filmed giving birth in captivity.....

  
  

• 10/09/07 05:38

  Liverpool hosts major cycling and sailing events
  

  liverpool plays host to two world-class sporting events this week, as the tour of britain and a global yacht race both set off from the city. On Saturday 8 September, the ten 68-foot boats competing in the clipper 07-08 round-the-world yacht race arrived on the Mersey for a week of race preparations.....

  
  

• 06/09/07 02:09

  Elephant herd visits London’s Hyde Park
  

  Visitors to London’s Hyde Park this September may be forgiven for thinking they’re in India, as the park plays host to a herd of elephants. The 12 animals – life-sized replicas made from stainless steel and recycled willow – are on display in the park until 18 September as part of the Trunks meet Trunks project, a partnership between the charity Elephant Family and the Royal Parks Foundation.....

  
  

• 28/08/07 01:22

  Middlesbrough gallery boosts Tees Valley regeneration
  

  A publicly-funded Teesside gallery is attracting almost twice the number of anticipated visitors, it has emerged. More than 81,000 people have visited the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima) since its opening in January, with the attraction reaching 80% of its projected annual visitor numbers within just six months.....

  
  

• 24/08/07 10:44

  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at centre of waterway drive
  

  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the distinctive landmark behind a campaign to attract more visitors to Welsh waterways. British Waterways, which maintains the 202-year-old aqueduct, is aiming to double visitor numbers to waterways by 2012.....

  
  

• 23/08/07 10:56

  Spaghetti junction is top motorway icon
  

  Britain’s most convoluted road interchange has been named the top motorway view in an RAC opinion poll. Birmingham’s Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known as Spaghetti Junction, was the surprise winner, trumping more conventionally beautiful sights such as the Somerset Levels’ Wicker Man and Stirling Castle.....

  
  

• 22/08/07 05:47

  Notting Hill prepares for carnival weekend
  

  Final preparations are underway in West London for the Notting Hill Carnival, which takes place this weekend. The carnival has been a yearly fixture in the capital since 1965, with parades on both the Sunday and Monday of the August bank holiday weekend that each attract up to half a million people.....

  
  

• 20/08/07 04:08

  Final countdown to Liverpool’s 800th birthday
  

  The City of Liverpool celebrates its 800th anniversary this week, with a string of events culminating in a huge birthday party. The city’s birthday celebrations don’t officially begin until Liverpool 800 Day, on 28 August, but this Wednesday marks the beginning of the Cavern Club’s International Beatles Week Festival.....

  
  

• 17/08/07 02:19

  Doncaster Racecourse reopens in good time for St Leger
  

  Doncaster Racecourse in South Yorkshire is open for a ‘trial day’ of racing, ahead of the prestigious St Leger Festival in four weeks’ time. The racecourse was closed in December 2005 to allow for the building of a £32 million, five-tier grandstand.....

  
  

• 13/08/07 11:29

  Norfolk whisky distillery opens its doors
  

  The first whisky distillery to be built in England for over a hundred years opens to visitors this week. The St George’s Distillery at East Harling in Norfolk cost £1 million to build, and began production last December.....

  
  

• 10/08/07 12:41

  Football season ready for kickoff
  

  The English football season resumes this weekend after its three month summer break, with seven Premiership fixtures on Saturday alone. Sunderland and Tottenham get the season underway with a 12.....

  
  

• 09/08/07 05:50

  Train company hires platform poet
  

  A train company has taken the unusual step of hiring a poet to perform for its passengers. First Great Western has commissioned Sally Crabtree, “the pink wigged pocket Venus from Cornwall”, to perform from 14-17 August.....

  
  

• 08/08/07 12:17

  Visit Britain sticks rock on the map
  

  The UK’s rock music is celebrated in a new campaign by Visit Britain. The tourism site has produced a map that highlights the places associated with Britain’s best-known musical exports.....

  
  

• 06/08/07 12:56

  2007 Eisteddfod underway in Flintshire
  

  The 2007 National Eisteddfod of Wales is well underway, with 16,710 people attending the opening day on Friday. The annual Welsh cultural festival is taking place this year on the Pentrehobyn Estate in Mold, North Wales.....

  
  

• 01/08/07 05:08

  Lottery win for Cambridgeshire’s Great Fen Project
  

  A Cambridgeshire environmental project has won the largest grant of lottery money yet for a natural project in England. The Great Fen Project will receive an award of £8.....

  
  

• 24/07/07 05:01

  County Durham steam railway is 'chuffed' to settle debts
  

  A County Durham steam railway has bounced back from administration to pay off its debts. The Weardale Railway entered into voluntary administration in January 2005 with debts of £1 million.....

  
  

• 20/07/07 05:22

  London life is a beach at the O2
  

  Traditionally, visitors to London have had to travel elsewhere to find a beach, but for the next few weeks the capital has its own. 1,000 tonnes of sand has turned part of the O2 (formerly the Millennium Dome) into a ‘resort’, hosting children’s beach parties during the daytime, and volleyball, live music and film showings in the evenings.....

  
  

• 20/07/07 03:48

  Month-long Dundee Festival enters its last weekend
  

  The annual Dundee Festival comes to an end this weekend with a final three days of events. The festival, which takes place over four long weekends throughout July, has this year taken the theme: “If music be the food of love, then play on.....

  
  

• 18/07/07 05:14

  Steve Cram to open England’s highest mountain bike route
  

  England’s highest purpose-built mountain bike course is to open in Northumberland. Deadwater Trail, which links the village of Kielder with the 610 metre (2,000ft) summit of Deadwater Fell, has been built in 18 months by a group of local volunteers.....

  
  

• 16/07/07 05:23

  Forth hovercraft picks up its skirts
  

  The two-week trial of a new hovercraft crossing of the Firth of Forth has got underway. During the trial, a 130-seat craft is making 11 return journeys a day between landing points in Kirkaldy and Portobello, from where a bus link takes passengers to Edinburgh city centre.....

  
  

• 13/07/07 12:41

  Fairford set for air tattoo takeoff
  

  Aircraft and pilots from across the globe are landing at a Gloucestershire air base in preparation for the world’s largest military airshow. The Royal International Air Tattoo, which takes place this weekend at RAF Fairford, will showcase the pilots and planes of the RAF alongside those from air forces as far afield as Finland, Jordan and India.....

  
  

• 12/07/07 11:49

  “Smoke-on-Trent” gives smokers a last gasp
  

  A city in Staffordshire has become the only place in England to escape the ban on smoking in enclosed public places. After an apparent administrative error by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the city has been left without any legal means to enforce the ban, which came into force on 1 July.....

  
  

• 06/07/07 02:36

  Edinburgh’s month of festivals
  

  Visitors to Edinburgh in August are likely to find a wealth of music, theatre and comedy, as the city gears up for a month of festivals. Since its inception in 1947, the Edinburgh International Festival has had the aim of providing ‘a platform for the flowering of the human spirit’.....

  
  

• 05/07/07 01:58

  Hastings pier to reopen after repairs
  

  Parts of an East Sussex pier are to reopen after the completion of a £300,000 programme of repairs. The pier in Hastings was ordered closed last June by the borough council, after a survey raised serious concerns over the 145-year old structure’s safety.....

  
  

• 04/07/07 03:43

  Liverpool celebrates its heritage with MP3 tour
  

  Liverpool is celebrating its status as the 2008 European Capital of Culture with the launch of a free, downloadable heritage tour. The tour, narrated by Lloyd Grossman, takes visitors to the city on an hour-long journey through its 800-year history.....

  
  

• 02/07/07 05:23

  London attractions trump Europe’s best
  

  Two London tourist hotspots are at the top of a table of European attractions compiled by the online travel community TripAdvisor. The 135-metre-tall London Eye came first in the list, beating the Tower of London into second place.....

  
  

• 28/06/07 12:53

  Monkey business opens Manchester Festival
  

  Manchester International Festival gets underway today with the world premiere of a new opera. Monkey: Journey to the West is based on