Changes to Norwich Park & Ride come into force
Changes to a city's park and ride service are coming into force.Buses at all five sites in Norwich will operate earlier in the morning, later in the evening and on Sundays.Norfolk County Council said the "enhanced" provision followed a re-tendering process at the end of last year.To mark the changes, all park and ride services, excluding Costessey, are free to passengers on the first day of the new arrangements.
Graham Plant, a Conservative councillor and cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: "The Norwich Park & Ride service is an important part of our transport plan for Norfolk and it gives people a great value and greener option for getting into Norwich."During these difficult financial times, we made it our ambition to find a solution so that this service could be run without any subsidy."We've not only achieved that, but we're also giving people what they asked for from the service, which is earlier and later buses and Sunday services."From Sunday, First Bus will run a fully-electric service for Norwich Airport, Thickthorn and Sprowston, while Simonds, a Diss-based bus firm, will provide journeys for Harford and Postwick.The council had previously announced plans to close the Postwick site, which was used as a medical testing centre during the Covid-19 pandemic, due to low passenger numbers, but decided on a U-turn in 2023 following requests by local villages.Later that year, Mr Plant warned that the park and ride network could close permanently if passenger numbers did not grow. The council said adult fares would remain £3 thanks to funding from the government.
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Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Owner of top Welsh restaurant forced to close down speaks out
Owner of top Welsh restaurant forced to close down speaks out Michelle Evans, who runs Paternoster Farm, and her family have been fighting for answers from the council Founder of Paternoster Farm Michelle Evans and her family are looking for answers after they were told they would have to move elsewhere as their tenancy at the farm had not been renewed (Image: Paternoster Farm ) The founder of an award-winning restaurant in Pembrokeshire has said she is "mentally exhausted" after she received news that it would have to close later this year. Paternoster Farm in the village of Hundleton, Pembrokeshire has been hailed as serving some of the very best food in Wales and has received rave reviews by the likes of The Good Food Guide, The Times, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It employs around 12 members of staff and sources tens of thousands of pounds worth of produce from local suppliers. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here. But last month its founder Michelle Evans confirmed the restaurant would have to close as their lease on the farm had not been renewed by its landlord Pembrokeshire County Council. Since receiving the news Michelle and her family have been fighting for answers from the local authority. The mother-of-two has expressed frustration at the council's handling of the situation, claiming they haven't provided her answers on why the business' future was abruptly cut short and offered to another party without consultation. "It's been mentally exhausting," Michelle said. "When I already had a full life anyway – the farm work, the restaurant, admin, and kids – this happens. Article continues below "I've got two kids who maybe we're not doing as much with them as we would normally try and fit in because I'm working on this. "I'm constantly writing something. I'm doing FOI (freedom of information request), then another FOI, and then another FOI. "It takes a lot out of you. I'm just exhausted by it all." The family have been at Paternoster Farm since 2016 after Michelle and her husband Leum decided to take over the small holding's tenancy for 10 years. Michelle started out with a beach hut, which focused on street food before deciding to start a business in the farm's former milking parlour. During the Covid-19 lockdowns Michelle initially opened a farm shop selling home-reared meat and pastries which then evolved into a restaurant. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here . Over time the business transformed a small farmstead into a hospitality destination which was featured in The Good Food Guide for three consecutive years and profiled in The Times, which described it as a "rural gem reinventing Welsh dining". During the Covid-19 lockdowns Michelle initially opened a farm shop selling home-reared meat and pastries which then evolved into a restaurant (Image: Paternoster Farm ) According to Michelle the family had "no doubt" the tenancy would be for a decade but when they asked Pembrokeshire County Council about the likelihood of renewing their tenancy after the first 10 years the council hoped there would be no issue. In an email exchange between Michelle and an asset manager for the council in April of last year, seen by WalesOnline, Michelle was told that there was a "lot of support" within the authority for the county farms and that they hoped that "any decision on a renewal would be favourable". In response to WalesOnline's query to this exchange a Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said they had "hoped to be able to offer and provide a tenancy in one of [their] larger farms",but confirmed the "language used in correspondence with [their] tenant did not make that clear" and "may have given the impression that a renewal of the current tenancy at Paternoster would be possible". The restaurant has received rave reviews from The Times and The Good Food Guide (Image: Paternoster Farm ) Michelle explained that in November of last year representatives of the council came to inspect the farm and conduct a survey. She said: "They came out, they spent about two hours here – we walked the land, they looked at the livestock. "They were really happy with how the animals looked, happy how the land was. It was looking really good for that time of year." The conclusion of their visit did not come until four months later. "We heard nothing then until a letter arrived in February," Michelle said. "It was just this one paragraph saying: 'We're not renewing your tenancy. We're offering you a larger farm in Solva. Here's a map. Yours faithfully…'. That was literally it – one paragraph." Hundleton is around an hour's drive from Solva in Pembrokeshire. According to Michelle such a move would disrupt their business, livelihoods, and their children's education. Michelle said she has tried to get an answer on the council's decision not to renew their lease at Paternoster Farm. Michelle has sent a request asking for records including emails, reports, minutes, and transcripts of all meetings in regards to the decision not to renew the lease. But in response the local authority said they had searched their records and the information requested was not held by them. While Michelle feels frustrated by the council's response she also feels uncertain about the future. "It's the uncertainty of not knowing," she said. Michelle has said she feels 'mentally exhausted' and uncertain about the future following the news (Image: Paternoster Farm ) "We're obviously looking at alternative sites for restaurants and cafes because we'd be daft to just tread along fighting this but not have a Plan B. "I'm worried about money. The cost of having to move is going to be enormous. "It's a terrible time for restaurants as it is but the cost of moving a restaurant and establishing somewhere else, as well as the cost of being closed for that time, will be huge." But the recent news has also had an impact on Michelle's children and especially her 14-year-old daughter who has a passion for farming. "When she first found out she took it upon herself to write a letter to the farm's manager," Michelle said. "We didn't know – I didn't know about it until afterwards. "She hopped off the school bus in the village, got some stamps, and posted the letter. They didn't reply to her. "And then she was frustrated so she emailed and asked for a reply and that prompted the farm manager then to email me and say she'd written a letter and that they weren't going to reply because she was a child. I was furious." Michelle added: "She's really into farming. She works in the restaurant and she works every weekend with me. "And she really thought that, with the renewal, the next 10 years would be the start of her adult life here. "She thought she'd be farming with us. She's got her own sheep, she's got her own ducks, she sells her eggs and helps out with the lambing. "She's also only a few years away from GCSEs, which is another thing, because when the tenancy runs out she's only 12 months away from sitting her exams. As any parent would know that's not the time to be moving a teenager." Michelle and her husband Leum have launched a petition calling for a full and thorough review of a policy (Image: Paternoster Farm ) Following the news that their lease renewal was denied Michelle and her husband Leum have launched an online petition calling on Pembrokeshire County Council to conduct a full and thorough review of its County Farm Policy. Previously the county council said their proposals at Paternoster Farm were in line with the policy offering the tenancy to new tenants and providing "those who wish to farm a way of entering into the industry". But the petition argues that the policy is "not fit for purpose" as it does not support "farm diversification nor integration into the community". It continues: "If County Farm Policy does not support and encourage our type of farming enterprise, one which farms the holding to its fullest whilst caring for the land, farms regeneratively, provides employment, fosters community links, supports a wealth of local businesses, supports local schools, feeds farm produce to the community every single week of the year, then it cannot possibly be said to be fit for purpose." It later adds: "County Farm Policy lists its objective as facilitating entry into farming, and moving tenants up to larger farms, but to what end? "Has the authority actually considered who it aims to benefit, and why do they not seek to measure the success, or otherwise, of the policy? "It is all very well to seek to help new entrants into farming, but what are the authority really trying to achieve? Farming for farming's sake is not enough. The authority has to ask, who will benefit, and to what extent?" So far the petition has received more than 500 signatures. In response the county council has said the petition will be "fully considered" with the policy said to be due for a renewal next year. "The amount of support we've received is unbelievable," Michelle said. "I didn't expect it. I thought some people would be angry but everyone was really supportive." She added: "And that support continues with people signing the petition. Within less than two hours we got the 500 signatures that we needed to enable it to be heard by the full council. "I think the restaurant has eclipsed the farm and that's why there's been a bit of a pushback from people." Although no official closing date has been set Paternoster Farm is expected to remain open into the autumn with bookings made available through the restaurant's Instagram page and via For now Michelle and her family remain hopeful that they will get answers. "We've been here nine years," she said. "It's our home, it's our children's home. This place means a lot to us because we've made a huge success at the restaurant. "But at the same time had we known in advance that we'd need to move we'd have made quite different business decisions. "I'm not an unreasonable person. We could have made plans to move and I think, although it would have been difficult, we would have been okay with that as we would've kept other options open. "My issue is the way they've treated us – that's what it comes down to. "The fact that in November, when we spoke about renewal, they went away to do their report and made the decision and then came back in February and only had until March to give us notice if they were going to renew or not. "So it was right down to the last minute. And the way that letter was so unceremonious with one paragraph and no explanation." In response a Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said: "Renewing the lease on a long-term basis would be contrary to the existing County Farm Policy which is designed to provide opportunity and movement up through the different-sized tenanted farms. Hundreds of people have signed the petition (Image: Paternoster Farm ) "In April last year we hoped to be able to offer and provide a tenancy in one of our larger farms in accordance with our policy; unfortunately, the language used in correspondence with our tenant did not make that clear and may have given the impression that a renewal of the current tenancy at Paternoster would be possible. "As part of our approach the E-petition will be fully considered in accordance with our petitions policy. "That will include a debate at council should there be sufficient valid signatures on the petition. The County Farm Policy is due for renewal next year and will therefore be reviewed in the near future; the petition contents will also be considered as part of this review. "The council supports and commends the contribution and success of the Paternoster Farm restaurant. "However extending the tenancy to facilitate the restaurant on a long-term basis would contravene the existing County Farm Policy; this aspect will be further reviewed along with the policy. "Any relevant information will be released to our tenant in accordance with our data control policies, freedom of information requests, and subject access requests as appropriate." Article continues below
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
'Delicious' letterbox brownies slashed to £5 with deal stack perfect for Father's Day
'Delicious' letterbox brownies slashed to £5 with deal stack perfect for Father's Day Cutter and Squidge's Mixed Mini Brownie Box has been a go-to gift for all sorts of occasions and with Father's Day a week away, shoppers can order in time for the special day Customers can save more than £15 with the deal (Image: Cutter & Squidge ) Father's Day is just one week away and for those still searching for the perfect gift, shoppers can now get a major discount on a treat ideal for the occasion. If he's got a sweet tooth, Cutter and Squidge's brownie box might be a winning ticket - and customers can get it for under £5 with a deal stack. The retailer's Mixed Mini Brownie Box is a popular choice with shoppers. It comes with a Father's Day sleeve and contains an assortment of rich, gooey mini brownies in various flavours for £21.99. The London-based bakery is renowned for its letterbox-friendly boxes of handmade brownies, cakes, and biscuits, each wrapped in occasion-specific packaging. They can be shipped anywhere in the UK, though it's worth noting for last-minute buyers that a next-day service does incur an extra charge. Thanks to a limited offer with TopCashback, shoppers can make significant savings for this special occasion. New customers to both TopCashback and Cutter and Squidge will receive a £15 new member bonus plus additional cashback, meaning the Mixed Mini Brownie Box will effectively cost £4.79 after cashback. For existing Cutter and Squidge customers who are new to TopCashback, the brownie box will be £5.52 after cashback. The Father's Day mini mixed brownie box from Cutter & Squidge (Image: Cutter & Squidge ) This year there are plenty of online foodie gifts still available for dads who appreciate the finer things in life, the Luxury Wine, Cheese, and Rillette Hamper (£70) from is an excellent gift option, reports the Mirror. This hamper is filled with artisan cheeses, crackers, a bottle of wine and more to savour. Alternatively, Bloom and Wild also offer a range of sweet treats available to send to a special someone by post. But for the sweet toothed, the Mixed Mini Brownie Box from Cutter and Squidge has become a versatile present for numerous celebrations, with customers able to adapt the packaging for various occasions while enjoying the same variety of delicious treats. The Birthday Box is a hit on the brand's website, securing a hefty 4.8-star rating from 164 reviews. A satisfied shopper commented: "The Mixed Brownie Box is a perfect selection of deliciousness and comes in lovely packaging that matches each occasion." Another customer said: "I received these brownies as a birthday gift and they were so delicious that I ordered a box of 12 to be sent to a relative for her birthday. They are highly recommended - a great gift to send and receive." Despite the majority of positive feedback, a few buyers pointed out that the brownie sizes might be modest, which isn't surprising for assorted boxes designed to fit through a letterbox. Meanwhile, another buyer praised the product saying: "Fantastic selection of the most delicious brownies!". How to get the Cutter and Squidge Father's Day Brownie Box for less than £6 Article continues below To claim the new member bonus, new members of TopCashback need to sign up via this link Search for Cutter & Squidge and click 'Get Cashback Now' Shop and check out as usual. Cashback will track and appear in members' TopCashback accounts after around seven working days.
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Reeves to splash billions of pounds on NHS and schools - but other cuts loom
Chancellor Rachel Reeves admitted that some vital public services will lose out on funding in next week's Spending Review - 'I'm not able to say yes to everything' Rachel Reeves will pour cash into the NHS, schools, security and firing up the economy as she hit back at fears of fresh austerity for cash-strapped public services. The health service is expected to be the big winner in Wednesday's Spending Review, with a 2.8% hike to the Department of Health's annual budget - amounting to around £30billion in additional funding by 2028/29. The Mirror understands schools will also get a major boost to per pupil funding, with £4.5billion extra for the core schools budget. But other vital services will feel the squeeze, with painful cuts expected in areas like local government and policing. On Wednesday, the Chancellor will spell out how much cash will be allocated for day-to-day budgets over the next three years. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror in her Leeds West and Pudsey constituency, she said: "This is a far cry from what you would have had if you'd had another five years of the Conservatives - £300billion above that. Under our plan, spending will increase every year in this Parliament. "I tell you what austerity is, it's what George Osborne did, where spending fell by 2% every year when he was Chancellor and [David] Cameron was Prime Minister. Spending will grow at close to 2% every year under the plans that I will lay out." There will be a £190billion increase in funding for day-to-day spending over the period, funded partly by tax hikes in the Budget in the autumn. A shake-up of borrowing rules has also freed up around £113billion for capital investment for big ticket items like homes, transport and energy projects. Security will be top of the agenda as "we live in a changed world, everyone can see that," the Chancellor said. "The first duty of any government is to keep its people safe." The Government has already promised to hike defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027/28, funded through a raid on the foreign aid budget. The NHS will get a big cash injection to help the Government meet its commitment to slash waiting lists currently around 7.4million. Her other focus will be growing the economy to drive up living standards for ordinary Brits. But Ms Reeves admitted some areas will lose out. "I'm not able to say yes to everything, and there are things that I would like to do, but we don't have the money to do them," she said. "But your readers will remember two and a half years ago when a Conservative Prime Minister and Chancellor crashed the economy. "As a result, they paid more for their mortgages and more in their rents, and readers who run their own business, particularly small businesses, found that the cost of running their business went up as inflation and borrowing rates went through the roof. "So we have to say no to some things, because we've got to make sure that that stability is returned to the economy." This week, the Chancellor confirmed plans to rip up Treasury rules blamed for favouring investment in prosperous areas in the South of England. Instead, some £15.6billion will be handed to mayors to improve trams, trains and buses outside of London. Ms Reeves said: "It means that people can be able to stay in the place where they grew up, the place they want to live, where their families are, but still be able to access some of those great jobs paying decent wages in the city, and they will be able to commute in easily and affordably in a way that isn't possible today. "That narrows down the options for lots of people about the jobs they do. Also for young people, it narrows down the options about where to go to college, what apprenticeship to take up. "And I don't want people's options to be narrowed. I want people's options and opportunities to be broadened and their aspirations to know no limits." But she acknowledged that voters are sceptical and said there was "no time to waste" in delivering for parts of the country betrayed by Boris Johnson's levelling up boasts. "We've got to get on with [it]", she said. "I don't want people waiting for another decade before they see improvements in their area. "We've spoken about a decade of national renewal, but there's no time to waste. We're getting started." Pressed on whether she would deliver where the Tories failed, she said: "Yes, and the reason that I can say that to Mirror readers is because I know that there's a lot of cynicism that things have been promised in the past." She added: "I'm as cynical as the next person when it comes to these promises, but we've set out five years worth of funding this week." Ms Reeves admitted she'd had to take tough decisions, including hiking national insurance contributions for businesses in the autumn Budget and plans to slash £5 billion from the welfare bill. Labour MPs are in revolt over the decision to make up most of the welfare savings from cuts to Personal Independence Payments (Pip), which help disabled people with the added costs of daily life. Ms Reeves said that difficult decision had allowed her to plough cash into public services and invest in the future. She said: "We are choosing investment rather than decline. The previous government chose decline. That is not the path that we're choosing. We're going to renew Britain and make working people better off in the process." Ms Reeves said she recognised the last few years had been tough for ordinary Brits but added: "We're beginning to turn the corner because of the choices that we've made." 'We will reduce child poverty' Rachel Reeves said driving down child poverty is a "moral mission" and insisted Labour would lift more kids out of hardship. The Chancellor said the decision this week to extend free school meals to more than 500,000 additional pupils next year was a statement of intent. From next September, all children in families receiving Universal Credit will get a free school lunch - in a major victory for the Mirror's campaign to end hunger in the classroom. But the Government is under intense pressure to commit to more drastic action to end the scourge of child poverty. A long-awaited strategy has been delayed to the autumn amid mounting calls from Labour MPs for an end to the Tory two-child benefit limit, which has been blamed for pushing families into poverty. Asked if she was listening to these calls, Ms Reeves told the Sunday Mirror: "I joined the Labour Party when I was 17 years old, because my experience at my local state school was that my sixth form was two prefab huts in the playground joined together. "Our school library was turned into a classroom because there were more students than space and never enough textbooks to go around." She added: "There were loads of girls that I was at school with who did not have the opportunities. They went to school every day and probably felt that the government didn't care very much about communities like ours and families like theirs. "When Tony Blair talked about 'education, education, education', that really resonated with me, because I strongly believe that whatever your parents do, whatever income your family's got coming in, whatever your background, you deserve a really good start in life. "And I know that kids who are going to school in empty bellies, who don't have a space at home to do their homework, who don't have the opportunities of books at home, and where the mums and dads don't have the security of a job that pays a decent wage, that they just don't have the opportunities that other kids do. And that's what I came into politics to do something about." She added: "We will lift more children out of poverty. We will reduce child poverty. That is a moral mission for all of us."
