Latest news with #CanveyIsland
The Sun
11 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
I've walked the whole UK coast and this often-mocked island one hour from London is the friendliest seaside town
WHEN Quintin Lake travelled for five years around the UK, he encountered all sorts of coastlines, and people too. For his new book The Perimeter, Quintin ventured across entire coastline of mainland Britain which covered 6800 miles and found what he called the "friendliest place I've ever been." 7 7 Talking to Sun Travel about his coastal adventure, Quintin told us: "I thought Canvey Island in Essex was the friendliest place that I'd been. "I wouldn't knock places like that either because it's really easy to get to from London." The Essex island in the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea that's separated from Essex by a network of creeks. The island's main attraction is an abandoned oil refinery which has since been turned into a nature reserve. It's now home to thousands of rare insects and plants, as well as nightingales, lizards and adders. Almost surrounded by water, it's no surprise that Canvey Island has lots of coastal spots that are popular with tourists. Concord Beach is a hotspot for crabbing, and there's even a tidal swimming pool. Just along the coast is Thorney Bay Beach which in 2021 received a Blue Flag award. The Canvey Seafront is a classic seaside resort, home to museums, cinemas, bingo halls, and a miniature railway. For kids, there's also Fantasy Island attractions, with rides and rollercoasters. Scotland's number one secret beach revealed 7 7 It's now the only theme park on Canvey Island after the closure of Leisure Island Fun Park. One of the biggest buildings on the front is Labworth Cafe, dating back to the 1930s, has been renovated and remains a beachfront dining area. To get to the island, visitors can get the train to Benfleet train station which takes 40 minutes from London Fenchurch Street, and then a bus from there, taking around 45 minutes. It wasn't just Canvey Island that Quintin was charmed by, he even went so far as to say that Essex was the most "underrated" county in the UK. He added that during his trip, he bumped into locals who were "really fun." He said: "It makes me laugh because all the counties next to each other have a real rivalry. "Everyone in Suffolk says Essex is horrible, and everyone in Suffolk says don't go to Essex. "But I find it quite endearing that every single county reckons that theirs is the best." 7 Photographer Quintin travelled through Wales, Scotland and England, finding incredible and sometimes hidden coastal spots. All in all, he took 1,300 pictures and spent a lot of time wild camping. Along the way he found some incredible spots like Achmelvich Bay which he said looked like it belonged in the Bahamas. There's white sands and bright blue seas - the only big difference will be the weather. Quintin's book, The Perimeter is out now and available to buy here. 7
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Britain's migrant hotel ‘king' becomes BILLIONAIRE after fortune soared by £265m, as Sunday Times Rich List released
SUNDAY Times Rich List reveals migrant hotel "king" has become a billionaire. Graham King has amassed a £1.015 billion from his asylum empire it has been revealed. The tycoon's wealth skyrocketed this year with a massive £265m increase pushing him over the line to become a billionaire. He is now among The Sunday Times Rich List's newest billionaires after only making it onto the list last year. King, 58, is an Essex asylum hotel tycoon who made his impressive fortune through his company Clearsprings Ready Homes. The company is paid by the home office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers. It has a massive £1.7 billion turnover with King's firm raking in almost £4.8 million a day. King now uses his wealth to fund a lavish lifestyle for him and his girlfriend and pursues his passion of amateur racing. His fortune reached record highs alongside record high numbers of people claiming asylum in the UK. The number of people claiming asylum climbed from 91,811 in 2023 to 108,138 last year, a record high. The news comes just after PM Kier Starmer announced a crack down on immigration. King once owned a caravan park and disco and grew up in Canvey Island, Essex. Clearsprings recent contracts include one with the home office that runs until September 2029. The most recent contract is estimated to be worth a massive £7.3 billion. The huge success of King's company has seen his personal wealth skyrocket. He is now officially a billionaire according to The Sunday Times Rich List. Graham King first made it onto rich list last year, owning 99% of Clearsprings ' shares. 5 5 5 His wealth has exploded since, catapulting him from the 221st spot on the list to the 154th. Home Office contracts to house asylum seekers have been awarded mostly to three companies. King's Clearsprings Ready Homes, Mears Group and Serco. Clearsprings provides accommodation mostly in old military barracks, flats and hotels. Graham King, now officially a billionaire, launched his property empire in 1999. He has made the news for the condition of his properties before with inspectors finding "failures of leadership and planning" in his operations. Asylum seekers were housed by King's company in "decrepit" and "run down" barracks in Kent and Pembrokeshire. King's already massive wealth rose 35% this year which and now sits at £1.015 billion. For the fourth year in a row, Goji Hinduja and family have topped the Sunday Times Rich list, with the investors sharing a net worth of £35.304 billion. They suffered a fall of £1.892 billion from last year's survey. The minimum entry level for the list flatlines at £350 million. Other celebrities who made the list include Ellen Degeneres, Charlotte Tilbury, Ed Sheeran and Brewdog Founder James Watt. 5
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Former England boss who made David Beckham captain makes shock management return with seventh-tier minnows
Former England manager Peter Taylor has made a shock return to the dugout by joining seventh-tier minnows Canvey Island. Taylor, 72, took charge of the Three Lions for one match as caretaker manager back in November 2000, stepping in for fellow interim Howard Wilkinson following Kevin Keegan's departure. Although the game saw England lose 1-0 to Italy, it marked an important moment in David Beckham 's career - who captained the Three Lions for the first time that day. The former Manchester United midfielder went on to captain England in 59 international matches, chalking up 115 caps in total before his retirement. Taylor, who himself played four times for England in 1976 and represented both Crystal Palace and Tottenham at club level, has been out of work for almost two years following his exit from Maldon & Tiptree in August 2023. But he has now made a stunning return to the game after being appointed by non-league outfit Canvey Island, who finished 17th in the Isthmian Premier League this campaign under former head coach Brad Wellmen. Taylor's appointment comes less than a month after Wellmen retired from his post following his four-year stint at the helm. The 72-year-old began his managerial career at Dartford before moving to Southend in 1993. He later took charge of Gillingham and Leicester before his first spell with England's U21s in 1996. During his time with the Three Lions' youth ranks, the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey and Jamie Carragher were promoted to the senior squad, ahead of his very short tenure in charge of the nation. In early 2001, Sven Goran Eriksson was appointed as England's first ever foreign manager, calling an end to Taylor's caretaker spell. The new Canvey Island boss went on to coach Brighton and Hull before returning as England's U21s manager for a second spell.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Former England boss takes on shock new job after two years out of management
Ex-England interim boss Peter Taylor has been appointed the new manager of Canvey Island in the seventh tier, marking the 19th club of his nomadic coaching career One-time England boss Peter Taylor has made a shock return to management in the seventh tier. Taylor, 72, has been announced as the new manager of Canvey Island, where he started his playing career in the 1960s. The former Three Lions manager, who took charge of one game before the late Sven Goran Eriksson's appointment in 2001, was sacked by Maldon & Tiptree in August 2023. Since then, Taylor has stayed away from the dugout. His coaching career started all the way back in 1986, spending four years as player-manager at Dartford before taking on the same role with Enfield. Following a move to Chelmsford City, Taylor focussed solely on playing before hanging up his boots in 1992. Sixteen clubs, three countries, two continents and nearly three decades later, Taylor has found his next job. The 72-year-old has put pen to paper on a deal with Canvey Island, who play in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Last season, they finished 17th. Boss Brad Wellmen resigned last month after four years in charge. A statement confirming the appointment of Taylor read: "The Board are pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Taylor as First Team Manager. Peter returns to the club where he started his career as a youth team player. Peter has always kept in contact with Canvey and is delighted to be returning." For Taylor, seventh-tier football is a far cry from the brief pinnacle of his career. In November 2000, while he was managing Leicester, he was appointed caretaker for England's friendly with Italy, replacing former interim boss Howard Wilkinson. Manager elect Eriksson hadn't yet been appointed by the FA, so former under-21 boss Taylor was tasked with taking charge of the Three Lions on a wet and misty night at Turin's Stadio Delle Alpi, once home to Juventus. Gennaro Gattuso's powerful strike in the 58th minute was enough to condemn England to a 1-0 defeat. The match saw David Beckham captain the Three Lions for the first time while Taylor fleshed out the squad with youth. Six players who, at the time, were still eligible to play for the under-21s were involved, some of whom would go on to become England mainstays - namely Gareth Barry, Jamie Carragher, Kieron Dyer, Rio Ferdinand, Emile Heskey and Seth Johnson.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Former England manager, 72, makes shock return to management with seventh tier minnows after two years out
FORMER England boss Peter Taylor has made a stunning return to management with seven-tier minnows Canvey Island. The 72-year-old had been out of work for two years after being sacked by Maldon & Tiptree. 2 2 But Taylor is now back in the beautiful game after penning a deal with non-league Canvey Island. They play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and finished 17th under former boss Brad Wellmen. He resigned last month after a four-year stint at the helm. And Canvey Island fans will be hoping that Taylor's experience sees them rise up the ranks quickly. The former winger has been around the block several times and enjoyed a glittering playing career with the likes of Crystal Palace and Tottenham. Taylor, who also played four times for England in 1976, then moved into management with Southend in 1993. He later enjoyed spells with Gillingham, Leicester and England's U21s. But the pinnacle of his career came in November 2000 when he was appointed England caretaker for a 1-0 defeat to Italy. Taylor stepped in for fellow interim Howard Wilkinson, himself a short-term replacement for Kevin Keegan. The game saw David Beckham captain the Three Lions for the first time. I tried Harry Kane's knobbly sticks after England star did a Gary Lineker by releasing snack brand - here's my verdict While stars like Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Emile Heskey and Gareth Barry were promoted from the U21s. But Taylor's time quickly came to an end when the FA appointed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England's first-ever foreign coach. Taylor then spent a while at Brighton, Hull and Crystal Palace while also managing the Young Lions again. Stevenage Borough, Wycombe Wanderers and Bradford City followed, as well as a spell as boss of Bahrain. Taylor returned to the England set-up again, this time with the U20s, before taking charge at Gillingham. He next moved abroad to India with the Kerala Blasters before returning to Gillingham. Taylor then managed Dagenham & Redbridge and Welling United before being appointed Maldon & Tiptree boss in December 2022. But he was axed eight months later before Canvey Island finally came calling this week.
