Headlines: 'Bristol sporting quarter plans' and 'car boot row'
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Work will start soon on a new 5,000 capacity arena and conference centre at Ashton Gate, as part of plans to transform the area into a new "sporting quarter". An application has gone in to Bristol City Council planners, asking them to sign off on their 'phasing and delivery strategy' for the plans, according to Bristol Live.A former Gloucester car boot organiser has protested being "labelled a thug" amid a dispute over the recent award of a leasehold for a car boot site at Hempsted Meadows, Gloucester, reports Gloucestershire Live.And plans have been approved for the Cathedral Hotel in Salisbury as a five star establishment with a rooftop bar, says the Salisbury Journal.Finally, a 24-hour prescription machine has opened in Burnham-on-Sea medical centre.
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Gloucester Cathedral has announced its tower has been reopened, with a new roof deck which will allow for tours offering good views of the city.Meanwhile, students at Cirencester College have skipped a night of sleep in the name of science. The college said on Facebook that 50 students would be taking part in a variety of experiments, all fuelled by pizza of course. And the Salisbury Cathedral peregrine falcons fledglings have finally flown the nest, with cameras capturing them stretching their wings.
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The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
The Elizabethan spa hotel right on the edge of the Cotswolds
THE Greenway Hotel and Spa in its newly-remodeled glory still retains its Elizabethan charm. Here's everything you need to know about the hotel, from how much rooms cost to what to eat at the restaurant. 9 9 9 Where is the hotel? The building is a stunning Elizabethan manor house set in the Cotswolds, just outside of Cheltenham. The estate with its antique charm is well connected, just a 13 minute drive from Gloucester railway station. What is the hotel like? Found across eight acres of rolling countryside, this hotel is the perfect rural escape. Recently refurbished to the tune of £1.2million, it boasts 4 AA Red stars, blending historical charm with modern luxury. What are the rooms like? All 21 recently renovated bedrooms combine historical features with modern comforts. There are a large variety of rooms, ranging from the Classic Lodge to the Manor suite. Each room is designed with true indulgence in mind. For ultimate luxury, the Manor Suite has a king-sized bed, private living room and glorious views. Double rooms for 2 starting from £97 per person on a B&B basis. Book here. What is there to eat and drink there? The 3 AA Rosette Garden Room Restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Cheltenham. Opt for fine dining here, or go for a more relaxed experience in the Orchard Brasserie. Guinness-drinking horse pulls out of Gold Cup but watches race on TV in 'cutest Cheltenham moment of the week' 9 Menus, crafted by head chef Abhijit Dasalkar, change seasonally. For alfresco dining, The Hide offers a private outdoor space in the walled garden. What else is there to do at the hotel? The Elan spa has been awarded 5 bubbles by the Good Spa Guide. Indulge in TempleSpa treatments, take a dip in the hydrotherapy pool, or work out in the gym. 9 9 9 9 The hotel also hosts events, such as its Murder Mystery evening on November 9th, with a three-course dinner and some thriller twists. Additionally, there are numerous events in and around the Cotswolds to enjoy. You could attend the Local Jazz, Literature and Folk Festivals, or perhaps the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival. Is the hotel family friendly? Yes, the hotel is marketed as family friendly, with many activities provided for families by the hotel as well as in the surrounding areas. Nearby attractions include Costwold Wildlife Park, Westonbirt Arboretum, and Tewkesbury Nature Reserve. Family-friendly room options include the Classic Lodge, which can fit four people. Four legged friends are welcome only in specific rooms. Is there access for guests with disabilities? Whilst at Greenway Hotel and Spa there are no designated accessible rooms, certain requests can be accommodated upon request. The hotel encourage you to enquire for details. Looking for more places to stay? For hotel inspiration click here. 9
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Regional UK airport reveals major masterplan with new flights to US and Middle East… and millions more passengers
BRISTOL Airport has revealed it's masterplan to 2040, with dramatic passenger number increases and new destinations.. The airport's plans suggest that it aims to transform travel into and out of the region over the next five to 15 years. 5 Current proposals include serving more connections and destinations including new long-haul flights such as the east coast of America and the Middle East. In addition, the airport also wants to increase annual passenger numbers from 10million to 15million, by the late 2030s. If the plans go ahead, Bristol Airport will reduce the number of journeys taken to London airports from the south west and south Wales Currently, 10million passengers undertake journeys to London airports each year from these regions. Proposals also including rising the number of flights from 85,990 per year to 100,000. On a busy day in peak season, this would mean an additional 35 flights. Night restrictions are planned to be kept at the airport but the airport is also proposing to increase night flights by 1,000 flights a year. This would mean on average, four per night on a busy nigh in the peak season. In the shorter term - over the next five years - the airport's terminal buildings will be extended to include a larger immigration area for arriving flights, more space for baggage reclaim, more shops and a new lounge. The airport is also working to introduce an upgraded entrance with more car parking and a walkway so that passengers no longer have to get a bus out to planes. The new £7billion mega terminal opening at Changi Airport Over £60million will also be spent on improving bus and coach services in the region. There will also be a new drop-off and pick-up location, as well as e-charging points. Then - as part of the larger masterplan - by 2040, the airport plans to have new bus lanes, improved public transport links, highway improvements, a rapid EV charging hub, new buildings, over 8,000 more car parking spaces, additional hotel accommodation, an expanded car rental area and an extended runway. It is also even considering having a 'vertiport' for electric vertical, take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft services. The report states: "These zero-emissions aircraft are sometimes called 'flying taxis', and in future could play a role comparable to helicopters today. "While the technology is in the early stages of development, it is unlikely to be a major passenger service, but over time it could become viable to carry greater volumes of people between UK regions." 5 A planning application for the appropriate infrastructure for all of the plans, will be submitted later this year. There are currently 14 airlines operating from Bristol Airport to 115 destinations including Alicante, Majorca, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Tenerife and Barcelona. In 2024, Amsterdam was the most popular destination, followed by Alicante and Majorca. According to the report, the airport is primarily used for leisure (41.9 per cent), followed by visiting family and friends (26.9 per cent) and package holidays (15.9 per cent). Business customers make up the smallest portion of passengers using the airport (15.3 per cent). In total, the airport contributes around £2billion to the south west and South Wales regions each year. By 2040, the airport hopes to grow this to £3billion. And by 2050, the airport also hopes to become net-zero. Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, said: "We're continuing to see strong demand to travel to and from our region, with business travel surprisingly holding up since the pandemic and people wanting to connect with friends and family across Europe. 5 'More than 10 million people from our catchment continue to travel to fly from Heathrow and London airports every year. "We're confident we can capture a section of that demand and boost the economy of our region by providing direct connections to North America and the Middle East." Bristol Airport previously did fly to America via Continental Airlines - which is now defunct. There was a direct service between Bristol and Newark Liberty International Airport - which launched in 2005 and marked the airport's first ever non-stop transatlantic service from the southwest of England. The flights were popular with more than 400,000 passengers using the route. However, in 2010, the route was scrapped after the airline stopped operations at both airports. Bristol Airport does already serve the Middle East though, including destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus. Another UK airport also has major plans for millions more passengers ahead of £1.1bn expansion – with new flights to Europe this year. Plus, London Heathrow has revealed plans to expand two of its terminals as part of multi-billion renovation.
Telegraph
26-06-2025
- Telegraph
Railway tunnels to get phone signal in bid to eliminate ‘not spots'
Train passengers will no longer face the frustration of having phone calls cut out each time they enter a tunnel, under new plans from Network Rail. The track operator aims to eliminate so-called 'not spots' for voice calls, streaming and text messages by 2028 – with plans to extend connectivity to dozens of tunnels and cuttings on Britain's key intercity routes. The work to fill in gaps beyond the reach of existing masts on the East Coast, West Coast and Great Western lines will be undertaken by wireless infrastructure specialist Freshwave. The firm will, in turn, recoup its investment by selling bandwidth to mobile network operators Virgin Media O2, Vodafone/Three and BT's EE – which are backing the project. Dubbed Project Reach, the scheme will tackle signal blackspots in 57 tunnels of 250 metres or more including the 2.5-mile shaft under the Cotswolds at Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, one of the longest on the UK rail network. Freshwave will also upgrade wireless infrastructure at the main stations in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, together with five stations in London, with work due to commence next year. The London-based firm currently provides connectivity for more than 2,000 buildings and 200 high streets, as well managing hundreds of masts. Simon Frumkin, chief executive of Freshwave, said: 'Project Reach will make a noticeable difference in some of the most frustrating parts of their journey. The mobile connectivity will mean fewer dropped calls, smoother streaming, and more consistent access to travel updates.' One significant gap will remain following the project, with the provision of connectivity through the 4.5-mile Severn Tunnel, regarded as too technologically challenging. The longest underwater tunnel in the world until 1987, it contains a freshwater spring from which more than 10m gallons of water a day must be pumped. The scheme will also see Neos Networks deploy more than 600 miles of ultrafast fibre optic cable alongside the same three arterial railway lines, stretching from London as far as Newcastle, Cardiff and Manchester via Birmingham. Neos will install a 432-core high count cable, providing a huge capacity upgrade compared with the railway's existing 24 and 48 count cable similar to that found on residential streets. The cable will join up Neos data centres – of which there are 90 nationwide – by the easiest physical pathways, rather than serving rail passengers. However, the terms of the deal will allow Network Rail to take up 50pc of the broadband capacity created to facilitate the digitisation of railway signalling, seen as key to allowing trains to run faster and closer together, fitting in more services and cutting journey times. Network Rail said the cabling plan will deliver a saving of around £300m for taxpayers and could be extended to cover more than 3,000 miles of track in future, taking in routes such as the London to Brighton and Great Eastern lines. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said Project Reach will deliver a more reliable and efficient service for passengers while also supporting the 'broader goals of economic growth and digital innovation'. The move follows the Government's announcement last week of £41m of funding for satellite connectivity to improve the availability and speeds of Wi-Fi on mainline trains. Separately, Ofcom this week moved to expose the postcode lottery of Britain's mobile coverage, rolling out a new tool aimed at highlighting patchy signals. The regulator has launched a new mobile coverage map in an effort to give consumers a more accurate picture of network quality in their area down to a level of 50 square metres. Sir Chris Bryant, the telecoms minister, previously raised concerns about discrepancies between the industry's coverage claims and the reality of users' experience. While a user's phone may show it has a signal, the quality of the connection can be impaired by interference from weather and buildings and insufficient network capacity in busy areas such as railways stations and stadiums.
