Threatened Borders nurseries to stay open after parents' campaign
Five rural nurseries in southern Scotland have been saved from closure after a campaign by parents, supported by actor Jack Lowden.The Slow Horses star, who once attended one of the threatened facilities, added his voice to calls for a rethink.Scottish Borders Council initially planned to mothball Channelkirk, Cockburnspath, Ednam, Walkerburn and Yetholm nurseries after hearing they were operating at under 50% capacity but that was shelved last month. A special meeting has now approved a new plan that will allow them to stay open for the 2025/26 academic year.
Council leader Euan Jardine said they had been "innovative" in tackling a problem being faced around the country. Lowden, who has starred in films like Fighting with my Family, grew up in Oxton, where he attended the Channelkirk nursery. The closure plan prompted him to post on Instagram that he hoped a way could be found to keep the nursery open, along with other threatened facilities. Last month, the council said it had listened to concerns and agreed to "set aside" the previous decision.Now a special meeting has agreed new models of provision to allow the nurseries to operate during the next school year.A working group is also to look at the provision of early learning and child care in the region and will report back in October.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York marks 90th year
A theatre established to entertain factory workers is marking its 90th Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York was built by Seebohm Rowntree in 1935 to offer workers at his family's chocolate factory "entertainment and education".Of the many institutions established in York by the Rowntree family, the theatre is one of the few still being used for its original purpose, though now run by volunteers.A special fundraising concert for the venue will be held in July telling the 90-year history of the theatre. Seebohm Rowntree was one of the sons of Joseph Rowntree who had established the firm as one of the country's largest confectioners and was also a well-known by his father and the work of Charles Booth in London, Seebohm wrote three studies on poverty in was under his chairmanship of the family firm the theatre was constructed by the Rowntree Village Trust. Alex Schofield, who is directing the celebration concert, said the decision was partly inspired by technological advances which gave workers more free time."Through his [Seebohm Rowntree] social research he'd already noted the impact of mechanisation on the workforce and the reduction of working hours which was taking place and he predicted further falls."He wanted to build a place for employees of the factory, their families and also the wider community to be able to enjoy cultural activities in their increasing spare time." "Originally the dining block was connected to the theatre and workers would go in and watch films in chunks during their breaks."Events were staged there, fundraising events for charities, different teams in the factory were able to hold their own events."It was really part of that community."Rowntree's had moved to the Haxby Road site in 1890 and employed thousands of people in the city.A Quaker family, Rowntree's offered a number of benefits for their employees and had created several charitable trusts."It was the first one built by a Quaker family, as a purpose-built and standalone theatre, and it's still used for its original purpose," Mr Schofield said. He described the building as a "real gem" and although it had been modernised over the years it remained true to its art deco origins."It was built with a lot of modern technology," he said."It was reported that the automatic lighting systems they used at the time were the first in any theatre in the world at that point."After it opened there was widespread national media coverage talking about it as a 'luxury theatre'."Rowntree's continued in business until it was taken over by Nestle in 1988, and the firm ceased operational management of the theatre in it is run by a board of trustees and almost 200 volunteers."It's entirely volunteer-run, it wouldn't be there if it wasn't," Mr Schofield said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
'A police drama with a twist': Your favourite underrated TV thrillers
Conspiracy, crime, coverups. Just some of the hallmarks of TV thrillers that make them so bingeable. From cult classics like Twin Peaks to recent favourites such as Slow Horses, TV fans have been treated to a huge variety of gripping dramas over the years, and the genre is as popular as ever. But while well-worn series like Black Mirror and Mindhunter are worthy of praise, there's nothing quite like discovering a hidden gem that's been overlooked by the streamers or forgotten by modern audiences. We asked Metro readers to share their favourite underrated TV thrillers, to find out which lesser-known series should be added to your watch list. Justin Lawrence-Ball praised a political thriller from 1985, writing: 'Edge of Darkness. Not the Mel Gibson nonsense, the original 1985 TV series with Bob Peck.' A popular choice, Sharon Joyce echoed, 'Agree the TV series was brilliant.' Simon Silk also suggested a political thriller. 'House of Cards (the British version) from 1990.' The BBC series is set after the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister and, as Simon pointed out, 'came out the same week Thatcher was forced from office. By pure coincidence.' House of Cards aired on BBC One on November 18 1990, and Thatcher resigned on November 28. Elsewhere, a user calling themselves FizzbuzzAvabanana suggested the first series of BBC One's Messiah. They said: 'At the time it was way ahead of anything else, great cast, suspense etc,' but added, 'The rest were good but never quite lived up to the first series. Like Broadchurch, series one was a class above.' The series follows DCI Red Metcalfe (played by Ken Scott), who investigates a series of particularly grisly murders. Another user, Longirl, agreed: 'What an incredible show. Some scenes are still with me 20-odd years later.' Unfortunately, the first series of Messiah, which aired in 2001, is not available on any streaming platforms at the moment — though viewers can purchase series five on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. DaveBacon suggested River, a TV mini series from 2015, praising it as 'really good.' They added: 'It's a police drama with a twist, which I can't describe without spoiling it, though it gets revealed in the first episode. It's a really interesting one. It's on ITVX at the moment.' Other readers mentioned Stag, a 'very funny' black comedy that follows eight men on a deer hunting trip from hell. Collateral, a four-part drama from 2018 starring Carey Mulligan, was also praised, as well as The Worricker Trilogy, which features Bill Nighy as an MI5 officer. We're sure you've heard of Netflix's House of Cards, which starred Kevin Spacey and marked the beginning of the streaming service producing its own original content. But few know that it was based on the lesser-known British series from 1990, produced by the BBC. The series follows Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson), the fictional Chief Whip of the Conservative Party, and his manipulative rise to power as he plots against his colleagues to become leader of the party and, ultimately, Prime Minister. On Google reviews, several fans revealed they prefer it to the American version. Richard Saxe Coburg wrote: 'Excellent, thrilling, a web of exciting characters and plotted deep and multilayered,' adding, 'The US version is pale and forgettable. THIS is the one to watch!' Anne Suttor agreed, sharing they 'much preferred' it to the Netflix show, and praising the casting as 'perfect'. Where to watch: Series one is free to watch on UKTV, and all three series can be purchased on Apple TV from £1.89. Starring Bob Peck as policeman Ronald Craven, Edge of Darkness follows his efforts to unravel the brutal murder of his daughter, who is shot in front of him. The series plays on the fears that surrounded the Cold War in the 1980s, as Ronald's investigation leads him to uncover a government conspiracy at the Northmoor nuclear waste storage facility. Edge of Darkness was repeated on BBC One soon after it first aired, owing to the buzz around the series, and doubled its audience to eight million viewers. In 2010, the original director and producer, Martin Campbell and Michael Wearing, turned the series into a film starring Mel Gibson. Where to watch: On Apple TV from £2.49 or on Prime Video for £12.99. Six-part series River sees Stellan Skarsgård star as John River, a brilliant police officer who is haunted by his murdered colleague, Jackie 'Stevie' Stevenson (played by Nicola Walker). While attempting to hunt down Stevie's killer, he has to deal with her estranged family, his new partner (Adeel Akhtar) and a psychiatric evaluation as a result of his colleague's death. The series boasts an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it 'engrossing', 'dazzling' and 'heartbreaking'. Where to watch: Free on ITVX. This black comedy may not take itself as seriously as other Metro readers' picks, but perhaps that's what makes it underrated. It stars Jim Howick as Ian, a last-minute addition to a stag weekend trip, alongside Reece Shearsmith, Stephen Campbell Moore, Tim Key and Amit Shah. The obnoxious group of friends head to the Scottish Highlands on a deer hunting weekend, but things soon turn sinister when they find themselves being picked off one by one by a mysterious killer. Recommending the series in subreddit r/horror, one Reddit user wrote: 'The comedy is played completely straight, and the horror and gore is balanced perfectly with the humor. There's a number of twists, a number of fake outs, and a number of wonderful deaths. And the acting is perfect'. Where to watch: On Apple TV from £2.49 or on Prime Video for £6.99. Collateral is a four-part thriller set in London, with an impressive cast featuring Carey Mulligan, John Simm, Billie Piper and Nicola Walker. Taking place over four days, it sees DI Kip Glaspie (Mulligan) investigate the murder of a pizza delivery driver, who was gunned down by a masked shooter while delivering to the ex-wife of a politician (Simm). Glaspie refuses to believe it was a random act of violence, and soon finds herself untangling a conspiracy involving drug dealers, smugglers and spies. With a very respectable 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the series has been labelled 'gripping' and 'exciting' by critics. Where to watch: Free with a Netflix subscription. Ok, this might be a film trilogy rather than a TV thriller, but they did all air on the BBC. The three films (Page Eight, Turks & Caicos, Salting the Battlefield) star Bill Nighy in the lead as long-serving MI5 officer Johnny Worricker. In Page Eight, his life is turned upside down when his boss and best friend (played by Michael Gambon) dies suddenly, leaving him to deal with a top-secret file. More Trending We cant' say much more without spoiling the entire trilogy, but expect appearances from A-listers including Christopher Walken, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes. Page Eight received a near-perfect 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 4.1 rating on Google reviews. Viewer Geoff Harris wrote of the trilogy: 'What a delight, the stories intertwined, and of course Bill Nighy was on top form. With a great supporting cast, I really enjoyed the films, no doubt I will watch them again. The filming was excellent, great scenery and good storylines. Just superb.' View More » Where to watch: On Apple TV from £6.99. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Golden Spurtle review – a cosy celebration of porridge and its champions
The word 'porridge' to me evokes something modest and satisfying: mouthfuls of reliable pleasantness in a terribly volatile world. How lovely that The Golden Spurtle – Constantine Costi's charming documentary about the world's annual porridge-making championship in the Scottish village of Carrbridge – has assumed some of the qualities of the dish. It isn't flashy (and certainly doesn't scream 'must-watch') but, like a good ol' fashioned bowl of well-cooked oats, it's got it where it counts. This film is a pleasure to watch – with endearing salt-of-the-earth subjects, a lovely ebb and flow, and a tone that feels just right: neither overly serious nor tongue in cheek. Its appeal is not dissimilar to the Australian comedy series Rosehaven: sometimes it's just nice to escape into a fresh air-filled world with refreshingly low stakes. Even if the competitors, gawd luv 'em, treat the competition very seriously. The Golden Spurtle is also lovely to look at. It's displayed in a tucked-in 4:3 aspect ratio that has a slightly antiquated feel, which suits the material. The opening shot features a grassy field overlaid with text declaring that every year Carrbridge hosts the titular tournament, though the upcoming event is a little different: it's the last to be led by its head organiser, Charlie Miller, who is hanging up his stirring spoon after many years of service. This contextualises what comes next as an end-of-empire narrative, belonging to a pantheon of stories about dynasties that changed the course of history and rattled the tectonic, erm, oatmeal bowls of existence. Early moments introduce places in and around Carrbridge – including a pub and a cemetery – before we meet competitors and people of note in the world of rolled oats. They include the Australian taco chef Toby Wilson, who packs up a portable kitchen and flies with it across the world, and is competing against the likes of Nick Barnard, the co-founder of a wholesome food company who is 'burning with desire' to triumph after having made the finals several times. I wondered whether we'd meet the equivalent of a moustache-twirling villain: someone comparable perhaps to the cocksure Billy Mitchell from the video game documentary King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters – the reigning Donkey Kong champion who stopped at nothing to protect his throne. I initially thought we might have found one in Ian Bishop, a former world champion and porridge-making legend who returns for another crack and is confident he'll win. But this 'man of mystery' turns out to be pretty likable too. I also wondered whether there'd be any wild, revolutionary figures that upended tradition and blazed a mushy new path forward – the Jimi Hendrix of porridge cooking. Sadly not, though we do learn of a competitor who one year brought with him a deep fryer, which was considered 'dangerous' and 'crazy'. Momentum builds in the lead-up to the big day, when crowds pack into Carrbridge's modest community hall, where, for some reason, a whisky-tasting event is also taking place. People involved in The Golden Spurtle tend to, quite adorably, emphasise their own importance: one of the kitchen crew assures us, with a cheeky wee gleam in her eyes, that this is 'the boiler house of the world porridge championships', where all the important action takes place. It's all very sweet and agreeable: a palate-pleasing celebration of the noble oat. The Golden Spurtle is showing at Sydney film festival on 7, 14 and 15 June and will get a general Australian release later this year. A UK release has yet to be announced.
