The new museum where touching items is allowed
The V&A East Storehouse, a new concept from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), has opened in London's Olympic Park, offering public access to its storage facilities.
The Storehouse spans 16,000 square meters and contains over 250,000 objects, 350,000 books, and 1,000 archives, representing "5,000 years of creativity," according to Kate Parsons, the museum's director of collection care and access.
A key feature is the "Order an Object" service, allowing visitors to book appointments to view and handle specific items, such as a Vivienne Westwood sweater or a Balenciaga gown.
Designed by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, the Storehouse also displays large-scale items, including a Mughal colonnade and a Frank Lloyd Wright office, and will soon house the David Bowie Center in September.
The Storehouse aims to increase transparency by openly discussing the provenance of its collections, ensuring equitable access for researchers and the public, as emphasized by senior curator Georgia Haseldine.
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The Guardian
33 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Frederick Forsyth obituary
Frederick Forsyth always claimed that when, in early 1970, as an unemployed foreign correspondent, he sat down at a portable typewriter and 'bashed out' The Day of the Jackal, he 'never had the slightest intention of becoming a novelist'. Forsyth, who has died aged 86, also became well known as a political and social commentator, often with acerbic views on the European Union, international terrorism, security matters and the status of Britain's armed forces, but it is for his thrillers that he will be best remembered. Forsyth's manuscript for The Day of the Jackal was rejected by three publishers and withdrawn from a fourth before being taken up by Hutchinson in a three-book deal in 1971. Even then there were doubts, as half the publisher's sales force were said to have expressed no confidence in a book that plotted the assassination of the French president General Charles de Gaulle – an event that everyone knew did not happen. The skill of the book was that its pace and seemingly forensic detail encouraged readers to suspend disbelief and accept that not only was the plot real, but that the Jackal – an anonymous English assassin – almost pulled it off. In fact, at certain points, the reader's sympathy lies with the Jackal rather than with his victim. It was a publishing tour de force, winning the Mystery Writers' of America Edgar award for best first novel, attracting a record paperback deal at the Frankfurt book fair and being quickly filmed by the US director Fred Zinnemann, with Edward Fox as the ruthless Jackal. Forsyth was offered a flat fee for the film rights (£20,000) or a fee plus a percentage of the profits – he took the flat fee, later admitting that he was 'pathetic at money'. The 1972 paperback edition of The Day of the Jackal was reprinted 33 times in 18 years and is still in print, but while readers were happy to be taken in by Forsyth's painstakingly researched details (about everything from faked passports to assembling a sniper's rifle), the critics and the crime-writing establishment were far from impressed. Whodunit? A Guide to Crime, Spy and Suspense Stories, published in 1982, by which time Forsyth's sales were well into the millions, declared rather loftily that 'authenticity is to Forsyth what imagination is to many other writers', and the critic Julian Symons dismissed Forsyth as having 'no pretension to anything more than journalistic expertise'. It was a formula that readers clearly approved of, with the subsequent novels in that original three-book deal, The Odessa File (1972) and The Dogs of War (1974), being both bestsellers and successful films. Novellas, collections of short stories and more novels were to follow. These included The Fourth Protocol (1984), which had a cameo role for the British spy-in-exile Kim Philby and was also successfully filmed, with a screenplay by Forsyth and starring Michael Caine and a pre-Bond Pierce Brosnan and, against type, The Phantom of Manhattan (1999), a sequel to Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. Nothing, however, was to match the impact of The Day of the Jackal and when a Guardian journalist spotted a copy in a London flat used by the world's most wanted terrorist, Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, or 'Carlos', in 1975, the British press dubbed him Carlos the Jackal, with no need to explain the reference. Born in Ashford, Kent, Frederick was the son of Phyllis and Frederick Sr, shopkeepers at 4 North Street – his mother's dress business operated on the ground floor and his father sold furs on the first floor. He was educated at Tonbridge school, where supportive teachers and summer holidays abroad ensured that Frederick excelled at French, German and Russian. At the age of 16, he enrolled on an RAF flying scholarship course that brought him a pilot's licence by the age of 17 and eased his way into the RAF proper for his national service, where he obtained his pilot's 'wings' and flew Vampire jets as the youngest pilot in the service. However, when he failed in his ambition to be posted to a frontline squadron, he opted for a change of career and in 1958 entered journalism as a trainee with the Eastern Daily Press in their King's Lynn office. In the autumn of 1961 he set his sights on Fleet Street, and his fluency with languages (which now included Spanish) got him a job with Reuters press agency. In May 1962, he was posted to Reuters' office in Paris, where De Gaulle was the target of numerous assassination attempts by disaffected Algerians. The experience was not lost on Forsyth, but before he could put it to good use in The Day of the Jackal, there were other journalistic postings, a war to survive and a non-fiction book to write. The Reuters' office in East Berlin was a plum posting for any journalist in 1963 as the cold war turned distinctly chilly, despite the attentions of the East German security services. However, when he returned to Britain in 1965 for a job as a diplomatic correspondent with the BBC, it was Broadcasting House rather than East Berlin which he found to be 'a nest of vipers'. Forsyth's relationship with the BBC hierarchy was antagonistic from the start and deteriorated rapidly when he was sent to Nigeria in 1967 to cover the civil war then unravelling. Objecting to the unquestioning acceptance of Nigerian communiques that downplayed the situation, by both the Foreign Office and the BBC, Forsyth began to file stories putting the secessionist Biafran side of the story as well as the developing humanitarian crisis. He was recalled to London for an official BBC reprimand but returned to Nigeria as a freelance at his own expense to cover the increasingly bloody war and to write a Penguin special, The Biafra Story (1969). He returned to Britain for Christmas 1969, low on funds, his BBC career in tatters and with nowhere to live. On 2 January 1970, camped out in the flat of a friend, he began to write a novel on a battered portable typewriter. After 35 days The Day of the Jackal was finished, and fame and fortune followed. In 1973 he married Carrie (Carole) Cunningham, and they moved to Spain to avoid the rates of income tax likely to be introduced by an incoming Labour government. In 1974 they relocated to County Wicklow in Ireland, where writers and artists were treated gently when it came to tax, returning to Britain in 1980 once Margaret Thatcher was firmly established in Downing Street. By 1990, Forsyth had undergone an amicable divorce from Carrie, but a far less amicable separation from his investment broker and his life savings, and claimed to have lost more than £2m in a share fraud. To recoup his losses, Forsyth threw himself into writing fiction, producing another string of bestsellers, although none had the impact of his first three novels. He was appointed CBE in 1997 and received the Crime Writers' Association's Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement in 2012. In 2016 he announced that he would write no more thrillers and that his memoir The Outsider (2015), which revealed that he had worked as an unpaid courier for MI6, or 'The Firm' as he called it, would be his swansong. He acquired a reputation as a rather pungent pundit, both on Radio 4 and in a column in the Daily Express, when it came to such topics as the 'offensive' European Union, the leadership of the Conservative party, the state of Britain's prisons and jihadist volunteers returning from Middle Eastern conflicts. He was an active campaigner on behalf of Sgt Alexander Blackman, 'Marine A', who was jailed for the murder of an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan in 2011. Forsyth maintained that Blackman had been made a scapegoat by the army from the moment of his court martial. In 2017 the conviction was overturned. Often concerned with military charities, Forsyth wrote the lyrics to Fallen Soldier, a lament for military casualties in all wars recorded and released in 2016. Forsyth was not the first foreign correspondent to take up thriller-writing. Ian Fleming had led the way in the 1950s, with Alan Williams and Derek Lambert carrying the torch into the 1960s. The spectacular success of The Day of the Jackal did however encourage a new generation, among them the ITN reporter Gerald Seymour, whose debut novel, Harry's Game, was generously reviewed by Forsyth in the Sunday Express in 1975. Years later, Seymour remembered the impact of Forsyth's debut, The Day of the Jackal: 'That really hit the news rooms. There was a feeling that it should be part of a journalist's knapsack to have a thriller.' Despite having declared Forsyth's retirement from fiction, his publisher Bantam announced the appearance of an 18th novel, The Fox, in 2018. Based on real-life cases of young British hackers, The Fox centres on an 18-year-old schoolboy with Asperger syndrome and the ability to access the computers of government security and defence systems. For Christmas 1973 Disney based the short film The Shepherd, a ghostly evocation of second world war airfields, on a 1975 short story by Forsyth. The following year The Day of the Jackal was reimagined by Ronan Bennett for a TV series with Eddie Redmayne taking the place of Fox. Later this year a sequel to The Odessa File, Revenge of Odessa, written with Tony Kent, is due to appear. Forsyth will be a subject of the BBC TV documentary series In My Own Words. In 1994 he married Sandy Molloy. She died last year. He is survived by his two sons, Stuart and Shane, from his first marriage. Frederick Forsyth, journalist and thriller writer, born 25 August 1938; died 9 June 2025
The Sun
34 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island 2025 updates: Fans convinced they know who will be dumped TONIGHT as show starts with brutal twist
THE new series of Love Island is underway and all the ladies have arrived in the villa. Six new gorgeous girls who are looking for a summer of love have made their entrance and they are all very glamorous - and excited. In a shock move, one singleton has already been booted out of the villa - and viewers are convinced they know who it is due to a big clue. The girl was told to grab her case and go after the arrival of bombshell Antonia Laites - who will be known as Toni in the show. In scenes yet to be aired, Toni - who is American - will make her dramatic entrance after all the islanders are coupled up. She is told to get to know the boys before choosing one to couple up with - leaving his girl being handed a one-way ticket back to the UK. Excited viewers think whoever is coupled up with Ben Holborough will be the person to get the chop, as Toni has already admitted to fancying celebs and 'popular' lads. Sexy model Ben has already been tipped as a front-runner for this year's series due to his good looks and cheeky personality. Love Island is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year – and has hit 2 BILLION streams on ITVX. Host Maya Jama will kick off the brand new series tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. You can follow our live blog, below, for all the latest updates and best fan reaction ...
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Revealed: The UK's best restaurant
Its chandeliers, tablecloths and ballroom-esque dining room might make it feel like the set of Downton Abbey, but The Ritz is experiencing something of a renaissance. Earlier this year, the restaurant – which was in fact used as a location for the hit BBC period drama – finally won a second Michelin star, and in 2024 King Charles granted the hotel a royal warrant. Now it has been named the best restaurant in the United Kingdom. Voted for by a panel of over 200 food writers, chefs and restaurateurs convened by Restaurant magazine, The Ritz beat decidedly more modern locations to the top prize at the National Restaurant Awards 2025 on June 9. Despite opening 119 years ago, the hotel is firmly in vogue. Its old-school charm, complete with duck press, beef Wellington trolley and crêpes suzette flambéed by waiters in liveries, struck a chord among the judges. Skip to: The full top 100 list The top five restaurants 'The Ritz is a transformative restaurant,' says Stefan Chomka, the editor of Restaurant. 'The moment you cross its threshold you are taken to a place unlike any other in London or indeed in the UK. In an ever-changing dining scene where newness and innovation are often at the forefront of people's minds, The Ritz is a refreshing counterpoint, sticking to old-school tradition and focusing on a style of cooking that can wow. It's not a restaurant for every day, but for that special occasion it delivers a level of cooking and service that is both remarkable and memorable.' Diners (smartly dressed: ties and jackets compulsory for men; trainers forbidden) are entertained by the twinkling ivories of a live piano while dishes including Brittany pigeon with pea, broad beans and truffles or turbot 'ton sur ton' – a classic French preparation involving two separate sauces – are washed down with pricey grand crus. Despite a seven-course meal costing £221 (with wine pairings topping out at £750), the restaurant is routinely full. Its success at the National Restaurant Awards (having been 'a contender on the list for many years,' admits Chomka), 'is a victory for tireless endeavour, tradition and the eternal appeal of a fabulous room,' says The Telegraph 's restaurant critic, William Sitwell, as well as 'for serious cooking, for the charming but steely leadership of John Williams – and for a lot of very silly and extremely tall chef hats.' Williams, The Ritz's executive chef, has been in the role since 2004. The result marks a surprising resurgence of French cuisine. The more rustic Bouchon Racine in Farringdon, London, came fifth on the National Restaurant Awards list, while the celebrated French chef Claude Bosi had three restaurants in the top 50. It also shows how the nation's appetite for fine dining, despite the ever-increasing costs associated with eating out, shows no sign of waning. Four of the top five restaurants were fine-dining establishments, with scores more celebrated in the top 100. London's grip over the British restaurant scene continues to rise. More than half of the top 100 restaurants are located in the capital, with the city home to 15 of the top 20 and an incredible 70 per cent of the top 10. The highest newcomer, Oma, a chic, Greek-inspired tapas joint, demonstrated that more casual restaurants can achieve success in the awards. Despite the urban dominance, the 2025 awards did see rural restaurants feted. Outside of London, many of the country's top establishments are located in country estates, bucolic pubs, small villages and on farms. The north on England was well represented, particularly Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumberland. Moor Hall, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in Lancashire and two-time previous winner, finished second behind The Ritz. Its chef, Mark Birchall, won chef of the year. Meanwhile Skye Gyngell, who heads Spring at Somerset House in London and is culinary director at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, picked up the lifetime achievement award. 'The inclusion of restaurants serving more rustic French food as well as Greek, Indian, British, Thai, Chinese, African, Spanish, Korean and Italian cuisine shows that the UK's restaurant scene is among the most inclusive in the world,' argues Chomka. But with the win for London's iconic five-star hotel, however, it seems old-school charm and unashamedly French cooking is still puttin' on the Ritz. The top 100 in full 100. Maison Francois, London 99. St. John, London 98. Trivet, London 97. The Palmerston, Edinburgh 96. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon 95. Luca, London 94. Crocadon, Saltash, Cornwall 93. Lisboeta, London 92. Gymkhana, London 91. Planque, London 90. The Quality Chophouse, London 89. Lita, London 88. Forge at Middleton Lodge, Richmond, north Yorkshire 87. Fallow, London 86. Solo, Omskirk, Lancashire 85. The Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland, Lancashire 84. Hide, London 83. The Grill by Tom Booton, London 82. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield, Staffordshire 81. The Black Swan at Oldstead, Oldstead, north Yorkshire 80. The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich, Kent 79. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh 78. Inver, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute 77. Heft, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 76. The Muddlers Club, Belfast 75. 74. Sola, London 73. Restaurant Hjem, Hexham, Northumberland 72. Mýse, Hovingham, north Yorkshire 71. The French House, London 70. Wildflowers, London 69. The Clove Club, London 68. Annwn, Narberth, Pembrokeshire 67. Solstice, Newcastle 66. The Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar, Fife 65. Wilsons, Bristol 64. Plates, London 63. Starling, Esher, Surrey 62. The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Brampton, Cumbria 61. Sollip, London 60. Skof, Manchester 59. Morchella, London 58. Cornus, London 57. Humble Chicken, London 56. Gorse, Cardiff 55. The Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria 54. Brat, London 53. Chez Bruce, London 52. Akoko, London 51. Agora, London 50. Kol, London 49. Restaurante Interlude, Horsham, West Sussex 48. Opheem, Birmingham 47. Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire 46. Dongnae, Bristol 45. Updown Farmhouse, Deal, Kent 44. Grace & Savour, Hampton in Arden, Solihull 43. Jöro, Wharncliffe Side, South Yorkshire 42. Frog by Adam Handling, London 41. The Glenturret Lalique, Crieff, Perth and Kinross 40. Chishuru, London 39. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London 38. Core by Clare Smyth, London 37. Camille, London 36. Higher Ground, Manchester 35. L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria 34. The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent 33. Kolae, London 32. Bibi, London 31. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham 30. Row on 5, London 29. Sabor, London 28. The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk 27. Canteen, London 26. Restaurant Pine, east Wallhouses, Northumberland 25. Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow, Cornwall 24. Endo at the Rotunda, London 23. Josephine Bouchon, London 22. Kitchen Table, London 21. Lyle's, London (closed since May 18) 20. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London 19. Da Terra, London 18. A Wong, London 17. Lyla, Edinburgh 16. Ikoyi, London 15. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale, Berkshire 14. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London 13. Kiln, London 12. The Devonshire, London 11. Mountain, London 10. Dorian, London 9. Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach, Ceredigion 8. Osip, Bruton, Somerset 7. AngloThai, London 6. Oma, London The top five 5. Bouchon Racine, London Henry Harris's Lyonnaise menu stars snails, steak tartare, veal chop, côte de boeuf, crème caramel and more. 'If you don't like it, you don't like food,' writes William Sitwell. 4. Trinity, London A Michelin-star restaurant in Clapham Old Town, Adam Byatt's Trinity is still going strong after 19 years. Four courses at dinner costs £140. 3. The Ledbury, London Brett Graham opened The Ledbury, in Notting Hill, in 2005. Having gained two Michelin stars it was forced to close for almost two years because of Covid; it reopened in 2022 and has gone on to win back a full three stars. The dinner tasting menu is £285. 2. Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire Mark Birchall's elegant restaurant with rooms also holds three Michelin stars and has helped to make Lancashire a destination for food lovers. 1. The Ritz, London Victorious for the first time in the National Restaurant Awards and 'the best example [of top-end French cuisine] in this country,' says Stefan Chomka.
