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The Independent
23-04-2025
- The Independent
10 best cheap UK holiday destinations, including Liverpool and Lake District staycations
Lighter, longer days are already upon us, meaning thoughts are turning to summer holidays. With the cost of living continuing in earnest, savvy holidaymakers are looking for ways to save their money as well as having a holiday to remember. For this reason, staycations are often a good choice for budget holidaymakers keen to explore the treasures on their doorstep. Luckily, the UK has a wealth of potential destinations that are accessible on a budget, from stunning beach holidays to culture-rich city breaks and adrenaline-fuelled countryside getaways. From the wilds of Bodmin Moor to the white sands of the Outer Hebrides, Britain is blessed with a range of diverse landscapes and experiences, from a romantic trip for two, to a family getaway during the school holidays. If you're travelling by train, it's well worth exploring the range of railcards on offer to save big on travel. From Two Together (two people who travel together, meaning a discount of one third applies to friends as well as partners), to Family and Friends (up to four adults get one third off and up to four children aged 5-15 get 60 per cent off – and users do not need to be related, just travel together), you can often save money on fares from just a single trip. It goes without saying that the further in advance you book, the better the odds of scooping a cheaper fare. Whether you're wandering the canals of Liverpool, or hiking the fells of the Lake District, here is our pick of the best budget staycations to inspire you to get out and discover the wonders of the British Isles this summer. Best cheap UK holiday destinations 1. Newcastle: Best for culture Newcastle is famous for a nightlife scene made notable by university students and a certain long-running Geordie TV show. What many people don't know is that the city is remarkably picturesque, with a range of architectural styles visible within the city centre. The jewel of this eclectic mix is Grey Street, with a range of 19th-century buildings that includes the city's Theatre Royal and Central Arcade. The Tyne Bridge and the Angel of the North are the main monuments, but other areas – such as Ouseburn or the Quayside – are worth exploring. The city is also home to a wealth of free cultural attractions, such as BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, The Laing Art Gallery and the award-winning Great North Museum: Hancock, if you're in need of some artistic inspiration. Direct trains from York run regularly and can be picked up from as little as £9.50 one way, while single tickets from London can be secured for £39.90 if booked in advance. Stay INNSide, a hotel project from the Melia group, has cheap double rooms in an excellent city centre location; some rooms even overlook the Tyne Bridge. 2. Lake District: Best for families Consistently ranked as one of Britain's favourite UK holiday destinations, the Lake District offers reasonably priced accommodation alongside dozens of activities for all ages. Windermere, the biggest lake in England, is the main attraction, but others such as Buttermere and Derwentwater also provide a scenic setting for walking, picnicking or hiking. Brockhole on Windermere – a not-for-profit attraction run by the National Park Authority – lists archery, axe throwing and laser tag among its activities, while fans of water sports can canoe, kayak, dive and rent boats while on the lakes. Head to Keswick or Bowness-on-Windermere to see tranquil English towns and several Beatrix Potter-related sights, including her house and the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction. A single train ticket from London to Oxenholme costs from £25.50, while single fares from Manchester can be found for as little as £7.50. Stay The Rayrigg Villa Guest House sits just over a mile from Lake Windermere, in the heart of town close to The World of Beatrix Potter. This detached Victorian property also has shops, restaurants and pubs within a two-minute walk. 3. Liverpool: Best for music lovers Liverpool is a Unesco Music City that still thrives off its musical history. The Beatles museum is an ever-popular attraction (as is Penny Lane), while the Liver Building and cathedrals are among the architectural sights. Most visitors will want to take a walk around the canals and the Royal Albert Docks, while those who prefer museums and galleries have the pick of the Tate Liverpool, the Maritime Museum or the International Slavery Museum among others. A visit to this bustling city wouldn't really be complete without a night out, so head to the Cavern Club for a 'touristy' but worthwhile peek into the city's music scene, or take your pick from any of the dozens of popular pubs and clubs. Single tickets from London can be found for as little as £14, while those from Edinburgh can be purchased for £15.50 if booked in advance. Stay The Leonardo Hotel is located right on the waterfront, a mile from the city centre but only 0.2 miles from the Albert Dock and 0.6 miles from the Liver Building. The location is also perfect for anyone attending events at the M&S Bank Arena, which is adjacent to the hotel. 4: Scottish Highlands: Best for wilderness The wild Highlands area spans almost 26,000 square kilometres and is home to just 600,000 people, making it one of the most sparsely populated places in Europe. It's home to both Ben Nevis (the highest peak in the UK) and Loch Ness (the largest lake by volume in the UK), while the vast woodlands contain dozens of lakes, waterfalls and even beaches. Some of the other best natural attractions include Achmelvich beach, the Falls of Glomach and Loch Lomond. Inverness is the main city and is likely where you'll travel to at the start of your Highland adventure. Train tickets to this northern outpost are not cheap, however, with single train tickets from London starting at £84.30. We found one-way easyJet flights from London Luton for just £31, however; we also found single train fares from Leeds from £53.20. Use Inverness as your base with a stay at the Royal Highland Hotel – located just 150 metres from the station – before heading out to explore the Highlands. 5. Glasgow: Best for couples Scotland's largest city may not have the historical attractions (or Fringe Festival) of Edinburgh, but it is the country's 'cultural heart', with a vibrant arts scene including the Centre for Contemporary Arts, the Hunterian Art Gallery and Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum. Those in search of music or a night out can head to venues like the O2 Academy, Barrowlands or SWG3, or enjoy some laughs at The Stand Comedy Club or The Glee Club. There are shops, restaurants and cafes aplenty in the centre (make sure to take a walk down Buchanan Street, the city's picturesque main shopping street) and areas such as the South Side neighbourhood, where artisan bakeries and delicious brunch spots meet Michelin-rated restaurants. On the first and last Sunday of the month, the area also hosts the Park Lane Market, where local artists and businesses showcase their work. We found £40 return flights from Bristol to Glasgow travelling in July, while a single train fare from Leeds can be purchased for as little as £21.20. Stay Revolver Glasgow is a fun and stylish hostel for travellers on a budget, located in the heart of the Merchant City. 6. Brighton: Best for LGBT+ travellers Perhaps the UK's most famous seaside resort, Brighton has long attracted visitors for its city setting, beach, excellent dining and nightlife. One of the main attractions is the Palace Pier, stretching over 500m into the sea and filled with an arcade, dozens of rides and plenty of food and drink options. If you'd prefer to enjoy something more than pier food, the centre of the city has dozens of excellent eateries that are easy on the pocket such as Nanima Asian Kitchen & Café, Fatto a Mano and Brighton institution Pompoko. As the home of one of the UK's biggest pride festivals and the UK's first trans pride festival, Brighton is a popular destination for LGBT+ visitors, with a range of bars, clubs and drag shows to enjoy. It's also a hotspot for clubbers and partygoers, so pack your dancing shoes and prepare to sweat. Single tickets to Brighton from London can be purchased from as little as £7, while single fares from Birmingham can be secured for £36.90. Stay The ibis Brighton city centre is conveniently situated near the railway station and just a 10-minute walk from the beach. Rooms are clean, modern and soundproofed and couples rated it highly for a one-night stay. 7. Pembrokeshire: Best for walkers With over 400 kilometres of shoreline and a coastal path that runs for almost 300km, this county in south-west Wales has no shortage of opportunities for a day spent hiking or sunning yourself by the sea. The county welcomes just over four million visitors a year, with holidaymakers enjoying some of the UK's best beaches, including Barafundle Ba y and South Beach. The largest town is Haverfordwest, but St David's is perhaps the most well-known. Britain's smallest city is home to the cathedral (the burial site of the country's patron saint), the Bishop's Palace and the Wales Coastal Walk. There are no direct trains to Pembrokeshire from London, but we found single fares from London to Haverfordwest from £57.40, changing at Swansea. Stay Winner of the Croeso Award for Hotel of the Year in 2024, Tŷ Milford Waterfront a great option for travellers in an area where places to stay are not abundant (and get booked far in advance). As the name suggests, this hotel sits on the waterfront in Milford Haven, with lovely views of the town and its harbour. 8. Bristol: Best for foodies Sitting along the River Avon in the south-west of the UK (and very close to the England-Wales border), Bristol has developed a reputation as one of the best places to live and work in the UK. The city's reputation as a cultural centre has grown dramatically in recent years, propelled by a booming arts scene, dozens of cultural and historical attractions (including the SS Great Britain, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of the UK's most ingenious engineers), and various sights such as the suspension bridge and the houses of Cliftonville. It's also garnered a reputation for its dining scene, making it an ideal destination for foodies – head to St Nicholas Market for a whole host of budget eateries. Clifton Village is the perfect place to explore on foot during the mornings, with a wealth of independent coffee shops. Stokes Croft is the more characterful, edgy cousin, with street art lined roads leading to Gloucester Road, credited with being the longest street of independent shops in Europe. We found single train fares from London to Bristol Temple Meads for as little as £16 in June, while single fares from Manchester cost £32.90. National Express single coach tickets from London to Bristol are also a good choice and start at just £4.90 for a single. Stay The Clifton Hotel offers charming accommodation within walking distance of the village and just a short bus ride (or 20-minute walk) from the city centre . Attached to it is Racks, a lively bar and restaurant (with heated outdoor terrace) that's popular with students and locals. 9. Portrush, Northern Ireland: Best for beach time Situated on a mile-long peninsula on the Atlantic Coast, Portrush was once a ' humble fishing village ' that has grown into a popular seaside town for Northern Irish and international tourists alike. The East and West Strand beaches have long stretches of golden sand and crystalline waters, while Whiterocks provides a more natural setting surrounded by white rocks formations and cliffs. Water sports are the main activities here, with surfing, kayaking, sailing and diving all popular. Coleraine is the ' informal capital of the Causeway Coast ' and offers all the basic amenities, while the town of Portstewart (and its beaches) are just four miles away if this section of County Antrim proves too small. Visitors to Portrush will likely have to go through Belfast; the easiest way to reach the town from England is via plane, with regular flights from London from £30 and flights from Manchester from £16. Flights from Glasgow start from around £24 single. Stay Built in the style of a classic US motel, the North Coast Motel receives consistently excellent reviews from guests for its location, cleanliness and the standard of rooms. Within walking distance of several beaches and local attractions, it's the perfect base for a seaside retreat. 10. Weymouth: Best for a quintessentially British seaside break Visitors flock to Weymouth for its impressive beaches and the pastel-coloured Georgian buildings that line its harbour (and house several shops, cafes and restaurants). More picturesque than neighbouring Bournemouth, the town also benefits from being along the Jurassic Coast – one of the UK's Unesco World Heritage Sites – with easy travel to exceptional beaches such as Durdle Door and Chesil Beach. A truly charming English seaside resort, Weymouth has everything that the stereotypical British seaside getaway needs: long stretches of sand, chippies, ice cream parlours and bars and restaurants with waterside seating and music. Perfect for reliving childhood memories, a single train fare from London can be bought for as little as £17. Stay While much of the town's accommodation can be expensive, B&Bs such as The Bay Guest House offer a charming, quaint setting. Just one minute from the seafront (and six from the station), all rooms offer en-suite bathrooms, and guests can look forward to a traditional full English every morning.
Telegraph
08-04-2025
- Telegraph
The world's best (and worst) countries for driving
What's your least favourite piece of road? The M6 near Birmingham? London's North Circular? The A303 when everyone in West London is bound for Devon and Cornwall? Would they be so bad if you were alone, able to take things at your own pace, and not quite so fed up with the same old schlep? A driving holiday is all about turning the A-to-B part of the trip into a pleasure rather than a pain. This can mean everything from petrol and EV charging stations, to basic road safety, and a decent bite to eat in a pleasant service station. It might also mean a scenic experience – whether that's deserts and canyons, volcanoes and rainforests, or distant views of cities and big skies. For some, spotting Stonehenge or the Angel of the North from the road might be a thrill. Others might get high on just not seeing any other cars. If you're taking the family, you will want plenty of places to stop. If the roads are not all paved, you will want to be able to hire an affordable pick-up or jeep-type vehicle. So, how can you ensure you choose the destination best-suited to your specific road-trip requirements? Helpfully, we've done the leg work, crunching the data available and surveying national media and international reports (by the likes of the UN) to give scores for 10 crucial criteria, using the overall scores to come up with 10 great destinations for a driving trip – as well as three best avoided, and some honourable mentions. The 10 best countries for driving 10. Namibia 'Africa' and 'fly-drive holiday' do not go together naturally. Mauritania, the DRC and Chad have some of the worst roads on earth. Nigeria and the more developed southern nations are crash zones. Namibia is an outlier, however – and a fairly well-established fly-drive destination, with or without a professional chauffeur. The roads in the vast coastal Namib Desert are, unsurprisingly, not the world's best, and you will need a good 4WD for the gravel – and dune visits – but the region in general is very doable by car. Namibia's Caprivi Strip is a narrow belt of land that runs east towards Victoria Falls, wedged between Angola to the north and Botswana to the south. It's full of game and has stunning riverine landscapes, and a tarred road. Namibia used to have a bad road accident rate, but appears to now be improving. 9. Argentina The eighth-largest country in the world is great for long-distance driving holidays. Three highways create a mega-triangle of epic challenges: the Ruta 9 from Buenos Aires to the Bolivian border via the Andean valleys around Salta; the Ruta 40 from the border all the way down to Southern Patagonia, running parallel to the mountains via the wine regions near Mendoza, the lake district and the Unesco-listed Cave of Painted Hands; and the Ruta 3, from Ushuaia on the Beagle Channel all the way back to Buenos Aires, via the Pampas. The number 2 and 11 highways are fast tracks to the seaside resorts of Mar del Plata and Villa Gesell. Local drivers can be temperamental, to put it mildly, and some macho drivers behave like pound-shop Juan Manuel Fangios. But highways are not busy by European standards, and there are spectacular high roads into the glacial valleys of the south and the multi-hued mountains of the north. Avoid Buenos Aires and other big cities with their grid layouts, raging rush hours and creeping taxis. 8. England Familiarity needn't breed contempt, but decades of misguided development have left the British motorway system in a deleterious state. Logistics hubs, vans and lorries have spawned like a virus. A-roads are snarled up too, and seem to be the chosen drag-strip for aggressive boy (and men) racers. The food in motorway service stations is anti-nutritious junk, and country lanes are insane 60mph zones with too few passing places and lots of tractors. But this is home, and there is something deep and a little bit magical about ignoring the obstacles and joining the generations of gazetteer-wielding tourers and revisiting your country by car. The key things are: take it slowly, time your departures carefully, avoid motorways, enjoy the journey as well as the getting there. We are some of the most courteous drivers on earth – we can celebrate that. 7. United States It has a rotten traffic accident rate. It has freeways with so many lanes that you have to plan your slip-road exit half an hour before taking it. It has bewildering highway naming and numbering systems. It has ultra-fat gas-guzzling cars and mean cops. But the USA has mythologised its roads through movies, literature, photography and songs. It provides the comforting diners and cartoonish roadside architecture that make a fly-drive holiday feel special and surreal. This film set stuff really exists! Tourist-friendly circuits like the Pacific Coast Highway and Blue Ridge Parkway are sublime. Empty highways like those around northern Arizona or across deepest Texas are dreamlike. Spotting Monument Valley in the mirror is too awesome to ignore. Drive by daylight, keep your daily mileage down and stick to the law, and being on the American road is still a great adventure. 6. Costa Rica Small, mountainous, wild and beautiful, Costa Rica is generally viewed as 'Central America lite'. It's certainly the region's easiest country for a fly-drive (though Panama is also very easy to explore by car). The Pan-American Highway provides a fast track to main towns and inland national parks but national routes 126 and 140, north of capital San José, are more fun if you want to slow down through the steep, green hills, white-water rivers and coffee plantations. There are decent roads to Puerto Limón on the Caribbean coast and all the way down the popular main Pacific Coast, though the Osa Peninsula has very poor roads and Tortuguero is only viable by plane and boat. Pitted roads can be an issue anywhere in Costa Rica, so hire a car with good suspension. 5. New Zealand Temperate, mountainous, lake-filled, gorgeously green: New Zealand is ideal for a car or campervan experience. The 5.4 million-strong population is concentrated in a few cities and towns, and once you're out on rural highways, you can feel quite alone – but are rarely far from a place to refuel, sleep or eat. The variety of landscapes is impressive. The North Island lends itself to a big circular drive over a week or so, taking in Auckland, Napier and the Whanganui National Park. An easy trip with a year-round balmy(ish) climate and some spectacular scenery is the Coromandel Peninsula. South Island is more about big country views, with Fiordland as the grand finale. New Zealand is only a wee bit bigger than the UK, but driving there couldn't be more of a contrast. It's not all perfect, though; some back-country roads are pitted and pocked (though the government has committed £1.8bn to improve things), and government statistics show 'alcohol or drugs was a factor in 48 per cent of fatal crashes', so care has to be taken. 4. Jordan Most visitors to Jordan hire a driver, partly in order to relax and enjoy the ride – and views – but also because it's a great way to make local connections. The 115-mile King's Highway connects Amman to Aqaba via, with a few short detours, Mount Nebo (where Moses glimpsed the Promised Land), the market town of Madaba – which has some of the best preserved Byzantine mosaics in the world, Shobak and the Dana Biosphere Reserve, and the hilltop city of Al-Karak. There are signposts in Arabic and English. Not far off the highway lie Petra, the desert of Wadi Rum and the resort hotels of the Dead Sea. 3. Scotland Of the four UK nations, Scotland has the most alluring roads. The NC500 circular road trip is now a victim of its success, with too many campervans to make it much fun for locals or cyclists – but there are still many options around and off this popular tourist circuit. Good A-roads cut through the Flow County and Dumfries and Galloway, with its star-loving dark skies. Away from the loch-side roads there are heavenly little lanes to relatively tourist-free hamlets and rural lodges. Aberdeenshire and Moray have their own road circuit, NE 250, that takes drivers through the sunniest, driest regions of the country. And, if you take yourself to Shetland, there's easy cruising over the main islands, with hops on car ferries for taking breathers. And there's EV charging all the way. 2. Spain Spanish motorways are fast and dull, as elsewhere, but once you move on to back roads in regions such as Andalucia and Extremadura, the magic of the interior is all around. A small car is best for the narrow, sharp-cornered lanes that wind through the tiny mountaintop towns and villages. Roads shadow the ancient trade and pilgrim routes as well as fabulous byways: the Via de la Plata, Don Quixote's La Mancha, the Camino de Santiago. There are sherry, ham and wine roads. The coast – lazily generalised as 'the Costas' – feels very different when you do it by car, weaving in and out of resorts and inter-resort towns, and slowing down to explore wilder, less impacted places like Cabo de Gata. The same goes for the islands: Majorca has a superb round-island road just up from the beach strip. Even Benidorm is a bit like LA when you approach by road. 1. Iceland Few numbered highways are circular; even fewer are nice – but Iceland's glorious Route 1 (known as the Ring Road) is all the things the M25 isn't. The 828-mile route runs round the edges of this large island, visiting many of the most sublime landscapes. A three or four-day jaunt from capital Reykjavik on the so-called Golden Circle is perfect for seeing key sights, including Thingvellir National Park and Thingvallavatn Lake, the famous Strokkur geyser, Gullfoss waterfall, lots of mountains and glaciers, and the Blue Lagoon. Tourism is big business, but roads are quiet in shoulder and off-seasons. Iceland is dotted with lovely roadside chalets with hot tubs (wonderful after a day behind the wheel), and also has the world's lowest road-fatality rate per capita. On the downside, car hire is very expensive. EV charging is not as widely available as in market leader Norway, but thanks to the superb renewable energy infrastructure, it is the cheapest in Europe. Just as well, really, as there are no railways in Iceland – so car is king, whichever way you look at it. Honourable mentions Choosing a top ten is tricky, to say the least. We aimed for diversity of landscapes as well as the suitability of a country for a driving holiday, plus safety and practical concerns. Some countries that didn't make the grade are nonetheless favourites with British road tourists. Ireland feels familiar but more mellow and has the splendid Wild Atlantic Way coast road in the west; France, which is something of a national equivalent of the A303 for the monied classes of southern England, has its well-liked aires and some lovely rural roads; Italy has iconic appeal, especially for soft-top and sports car pilots who want to live out their James Bond fantasies on the Amalfitana. Australia didn't quite make the premier league because it has great tracts of nothingness that are arguably better suited to a rail trip – though the southeast corner has obvious appeal, and more varied vistas. Tasmania is great, too. In the Americas, Mexico, Canada, Chile and Peru are very drive-able. Mexico is a bit like the US, with fabulous desert highways and the excellent Carretera 1 that runs the length of Baja California. The food is better, the towns prettier and the indigenous culture is more highly valued than north of the Rio Bravo/Grande. But the FCDO map for Mexico is a confusing patchwork of green and orange sections, which can make planning a road trip a challenge. Canada is great for long lonely drives. Chile has one amazing road from the north to the south, which extends on to the Carretera Austral. Peru is great for driving on the Andean high plain and along the coast, but Lima is hell. Three of the worst countries for driving China About twenty-five years ago, a quarter of a billion Chinese people began to swap their bicycles for four wheels. Beijing became, very quickly, a gridlock monster, encircled by concentric M25-type orbitals. Problems abound: slow drivers; drivers not looking left, right or behind; mega-tailbacks at toll gates; terrible rural and mountain roads; cops and other officials who speak nothing but Mandarin and perhaps a local dialect. India The horn-code music system used on Indian roads is harder to work out than the Hackney cab driver's Knowledge. Cows and rickshaws cause havoc. Markets stray onto city roads. Rates of road traffic accidents are middling, but India has the highest number of road fatalities globally, at 250,000 deaths a year. Like the rest of South and South-East Asia, it's best to have a driver here – and even that can be hairy as well as exhilarating. Zimbabwe From being stopped all the time for no obvious reason to encountering maniacally fast overtakers and blood-curdling accidents, Zimbabwe is not recommended for driving holidays. The FCDO reports, 'The standard of driving is very poor in Zimbabwe. Traffic accidents are a common cause of death and injury'. Its list of hazards includes deep potholes, broken traffic lights, vehicles without lights (including heavy good vehicles and cyclists), poorly lit roads, stray livestock and pedestrians. Zimbabwe's road-crash fatality rate in 2022 was 2,000 deaths per year – more than five deaths per day – but 'may be over three times higher at some 7,000 road deaths per year', according to WHO estimates. The UN predicted this 'to triple in the next ten years in the absence of concerted action'. None was taken.
Telegraph
01-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Massive monument to celebrate Christianity will finally be built... near the M6
A 169ft-high monument to celebrate Christianity is expected to finally be built this summer – near the M6. The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, which will be more than twice the size of the Angel of the North, is to be built in Coleshill, on the outskirts of Birmingham. The project was expected to be built in 2022, but construction was delayed by rising inflation during the cost of living crisis, as well as other 'unforeseen' costs and design 'complexities'. In an email sent to supporters, the charity behind the monument - also called the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer - added that it was 'getting closer and closer to work starting'. The charity revealed that it had 'an urgent and immediate £65,000 shortfall', but that a scale model had passed wind testing. It will be visible from up to six miles away and be seen by thousands of people each week as they drive past on the motorway. People in cars on the M6 and M42 will be able to glimpse the monument on their journeys, as will those on flights to and from Birmingham Airport. Richard Gamble, the monument's founder, told The Telegraph that building work was scheduled to begin over the summer and the landmark will formally open in autumn 2027. Built in the shape of an infinity loop, and resembling a mathematical Möbius strip, the wall will represent how 'God has no beginning and no end'. It will feature a million bricks, with each one digitally linked to a story 'revealing how Jesus has answered a specific prayer for an individual'. 'I would get funny looks' The project has cost around £10 million in total, with the vast majority of funding coming from the public. Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Gamble described the journey to completion as 'brutal but a privilege'. 'I've never built a national landmark, so part of the delay has been my own naivety, not realising that something so complex would take so long,' he said. 'Now, we are hoping to start building in summer once the final testing stages are completed.' Mr Gamble became a Christian in 1990 and told the Telegraph that he had the idea for the wall in 2004. He said that the concept came to him while carrying a wooden cross on his back to mark Easter, which he 'recognised as God'. 'I just had this flash of a thought that came through my mind, which I recognised as God, of building a wall made of a million bricks where every single brick would represent the story of answered prayer,' he said. 'It was just a thought that came in, that was not my own, that interrupted my thought pattern. I've learnt that it is from God,' he told the Telegraph. He said that his idea was greeted by scepticism for 10 years, explaining: 'I would talk to people about it and just get funny looks'. But in 2016, Mr Gamble quit his job running a software business and launched a crowdfunding campaign, initially raising £47,000 to fund a competition sponsored by the Royal Institute of British Architects. The panel selected the infinity loop designed by Southampton-based Snug Architects. 'Landmark will serve as a place of hope' It was given the green light in 2020 after North Warwickshire Borough Council granted planning permission. Andy Street, then the mayor of the West Midlands, said: 'This landmark will serve as a place of hope for many, and one that will help us remember the Christian heritage of our nation'. The team have been collecting messages detailing stories of answered prayers since 2018, which they say increased in number over lockdown. Mr Gamble said: 'The idea behind Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer has always been to build a crowd-created piece of public art that will make hope visible.' 'We're not building this landmark to have something nice to look at, we're building a community-focused structure that carries a legacy; generations in hundreds of years' time will see it and be inspired.' Commenting on the monument, MP Stephen Timms described it as an 'inspiring idea' and a 'fantastic design'. He added: 'I think it will make a big impact on the national consciousness. 'It's a reflection of the fact that many, many people in Britain today, as well as in our history, have experienced answered prayer.'
BBC News
16-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Newcastle United fans at Wembley hoping for Carabao Cup final win
Excitement is building on Tyneside and at Wembley as Newcastle United prepare to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup than 32,000 fans have travelled to London, with many taking over Covent Garden on are hopeful the Magpies will return to St James's Park with their first major trophy since Newcastle, people are already lining up outside fan zones and pubs across the city ahead of 16:30 GMT kick off. Listen to the build-up with Matt Bailey on BBC Radio Newcastle live from Wembley Way Lifelong supporter Kevin said he had witnessed the Magpies score only one goal in seven visits to Wembley."Mostly it's been very disappointing, but great occasions," he when asked by BBC Radio Newcastle if he believed his team could win this time, he said yes. The last trophy for the club was in 1969, the old Fairs Cup, but the 1955 FA Cup was the club's last domestic Shearer, who captained Newcastle in the 1999 FA Cup final, said he "will be as nervous as any supporter"."I know I am biased but if any set of fans deserves a trophy it is the Newcastle supporters because of their passion, their loyalty and how they have stuck by the team over the years," he wrote for BBC Sport. On Saturday, the iconic Angel of the North statue in Gateshead was draped in a black and white shirt, with crowds of people turning up to take fan, Steph who brought her family to see it, said: "It just represents so much as well about pride in the city and bringing people together."The Gateshead Millennium Bridge spanning the River Tyne also displayed a banner. Follow BBC Newcastle on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
BBC News
02-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Star of Caledonia at Gretna: Border artwork divides opinion
The designs for a landmark artwork near the Scotland-England border has divided opinion after the plans were revealed last 33m (108ft) high, the £10m Star of Caledonia hopes to attract up to 250,000 visitors a year to the Gretna Green it secures planning permission it is hoped the giant winding sculpture - complete with illuminated spikes - could be open to the public by Scotland News readers have been delivering their verdicts on the plans. Liz Chasey, from Aberdeenshire, was among those in favour of the proposals."I think the star is a wonderful way to celebrate the diversity of nations within the UK," she said."Transitioning from one country to another should be marked by a significant monument, plus large public sculptures are exciting and so capture the public's imagination." However, Gavin Whittaker from the Borders, who lives closer to the proposed site of the structure, was less impressed."Truly awful sculpture," he said."I'm so tired of having ever larger sculptures and so-called 'art' imposed on our landscapes, particularly when they come with lighting to draw your attention at night."For me, it's very simple: if I want to see art I can go to a gallery, what I don't want is having it foisted on me." For former Borders resident Phil Hawes who now lives it Norfolk, it was more a question of priorities."I'm not against the project but I think given the housing crisis, the money would be better spent on affordable housing for local people," he said."The design? Well, what is pleasing to one is unattractive to another - I'm not a fan."Irene Allison from North Lanarkshire had similar concerns."I cannot understand why you would even consider spending this money on this eyesore when people are struggling to heat (their homes) and feed their kids with rising costs for both," she said."Also councils have been deprived of funds and basic services are struggling due to lack of funding." Ian Blois from Invernessshire was more worried about the appearance of the Star of Caledonia."Looks like something designed by an architect for a 1970s inner city revamp," he said."Wrong design for a rural setting. More suitable for a new town roundabout."The Angel of the North works because it reflects the industrial heritage of Newcastle and appears to have risen organically from the surrounding landscape." A number of readers described it as a "waste of money" with Brenda Wallace from the Wirral going further and calling it a "hideous monstrosity"."If you must waste money on the horrible thing, please don't light it at night," she added. "The countryside is beautiful, why blot it with this?"Simon Hyslop from Dumfries said it was "one of the stupidest vanity projects and waste of money our area doesn't need"."We had plenty of visual outdoor assets in the form of the spectacular vistas now despoiled by wind turbines," he said."Give the money to the NHS or to provide the homeless with homes and food, or support neglected horses, dogs or donkeys." 'Very original' However, others approved of the way the project had been expanded to include more than just the Bade from Kent said he found the design "very attractive and very original".He thought that it was a "good idea for the accompanying visitor centre to be added".There will still be time for the public to have its say as the project makes its way through the planning and Galloway Council will have to give the green light before the Star of Caledonia can hope to shine.
