Latest news with #Devon-based
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Incredible UK seaside town with beach that could be in the Mediterranean
If you want to escape to the Med without all the hassle then take a trip to this gorgeous British beach town instead, which features pristine waters and a beautiful beach bar You don't have to hop on a flight and spend hundreds of pounds to enjoy an idyllic beach holiday – this British coastal gem looks just like the Mediterranean. The UK's tumultuous weather makes it easy to forget that there are an abundance of gorgeous beaches all across the island. Plus, most avoid the large swarms of crowds that flock to Spain and Greece every summer. So, if you're looking for a beach getaway that still boasts stunning views, this English bay is ideal. Located in the south of Devon, Blackpool Sands looks like it could be an upmarket beach spot in the south of France or Ibiza. The yellow beach is surrounded by trees and features encompassing views of the coast. It also boasts a dining venue which features a tropical-style beach bar and a rich seafood-focussed menu. Built with natural wood and stone, the building looks like it organically springs from the beach. Even better, its floor-to-ceiling glass doors maximise the amount of light that enters the space – making it look like you've stepped straight into a sun-soaked holiday scene. The decor is also reminiscent of a Mediterranean getaway, with straw umbrellas and . Although much of the interior is designed using the Devon-based brand, Nkuku, as reported by The Sun. Of course, when it comes to food, the restaurant sticks to its roots, which includes classics like fish and chips and local goat's curd. You can also tuck into crab sourced from the nearby town of Dartmouth. It's ideal for those looking to unwind and sup on a delicious beverage. The bar serves up an array of unique cocktails, including a 'Beach Pimms' and a "Midnight Sun" gin and tonic. Plus, vegans and vegetarians don't have to miss out either, as the restaurant provides many diet-friendly options. You can also sup on true Devon-style cream tea all day. 'Such a beautiful beach' One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote: 'Fantastic beach, felt like Summer in October. Amazing food had breakfast, lunch, coffees, they have sauna on the beach, loos, showers, parking, cold water dipping, a beach shop.' Another said: 'Such a beautiful beach with a fantastic cafe and facilities. We went for afternoon fish and chips which were lovely, especially the curry sauce!' Equally, the beach is a great spot for adventure lovers. The calm, sheltered waters make it an ideal spot for activities like kayaking and paddle boarding. The beach also has a Blue Flag status, which means that it has excellent water quality and environmental management. So you don't have to worry about swimming in unclean water. Although, reviewers do warn that the name of the beach is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is composed of fine shingle rather than side. For this reason, it's advisable to don footwear when strolling along it.
Scottish Sun
16-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
English beach bar overlooking one of UK's most popular beaches that people say is like ‘being in the Med'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NESTLED on the coast of Devon, is Blackpool Sands - one of the UK's most picturesque beaches, and now it has a tropical-looking lounge, cafe and restaurant. Located on the edge of the beach, Blackpool Sands' newest dining venue overlooks the beautiful beach and has an interior design similar to bars found in the Mediterranean. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Blackpools Sands has a lounge, cafe and restaurant Credit: Instagram 6 The interior design features lots of natural materials Credit: Instagram 6 Items on the menu use local ingredients Credit: Instagram And what is even more special about the interior design is that a lot of the products are from Devon-based brand, Nkuku. The destination includes natural materials, such as wood and stone and has floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which flood the entire venue with natural light. Outside, there are a number of tables and chairs to enjoy dishes from the restaurant, with straw parasols as if from the Mediterranean islands. On the menu, there is a range of dishes using locally sourced ingredients and everything is centred around limiting environmental impact. Some of the dishes include seafood like classic fish and chips or Dartmouth crab. The destination even has an entire breakfast menu, where visitors could grab a full beach-breakfast, including smoked back bacon, Devon sausage, field mushrooms, vine tomatoes, beans, has brown, fried egg and sourdough, for £15. There is also a range of options for vegetarians and vegans. And in typical Devonshire style, creams teas are available all day. Drinks wise, the bar serves a range of tipples including local favourites such as Hunts Cider, Salcombe Gin and Bays lager and IPAs. If you find yourself there on a Saturday morning, you will also be greeted by live music at the lounge. Underrated Caribbean Sunshine island Aruba is perfect for beach getaway Blackpool Sands is privately owned by the Newman family, who joined forces with local hoteliers Charlie and Zuzanna Deucharin in 2023, to create a new visitor experience, reports The Dartmouth Chronicle. The long-stretching beach is also often compared to the Mediterranean. One visitor said: "This is the most beautiful beach I have been to in the UK! Spectacular views! "Encompassed by forest, tall pines and green fields, dotted with sheep and daisies. The sea looked blue like the Mediterranean! Just wow!" In 2023, the beach was also named the best in the UK by Conde Nast Traveller. 6 Live music also takes place at the venue on Saturdays Credit: Instagram 6 Many of the drinks served are also from local suppliers Credit: Instagram In addition to this, the beach has won several awards over the years for its cleanliness. In fact, the beach is cleaned daily and has some of the clearest water. Recently, the world's best beaches were also revealed and one in the UK makes the list. Plus, the white sand beach in the UK so beautiful that it gets mistaken for Thailand.
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
English beach bar overlooking one of UK's most popular beaches that people say is like ‘being in the Med'
NESTLED on the coast of Devon, is Blackpool Sands - one of the UK's most picturesque beaches, and now it has a tropical-looking lounge, cafe and restaurant. Located on the edge of the beach, Blackpool Sands' newest dining venue overlooks the interior design similar to bars found in the Mediterranean. Advertisement 6 Blackpools Sands has a lounge, cafe and restaurant Credit: Instagram 6 The interior design features lots of natural materials Credit: Instagram 6 Items on the menu use local ingredients Credit: Instagram And what is even more special about the interior design is that a lot of the products are from Devon-based brand, Nkuku. The destination includes natural materials, such as wood and stone and has floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which flood the entire venue with natural light. Outside, there are a number of tables and chairs to enjoy dishes from the restaurant, with straw parasols as if from the On the menu, there is a range of dishes using locally sourced ingredients and everything is centred around limiting environmental impact. Advertisement Read more on beach bars Some of the dishes include seafood like classic fish and chips or Dartmouth crab. The destination even has an entire breakfast menu, where visitors could grab a full beach-breakfast, including smoked back bacon, Devon sausage, field mushrooms, vine tomatoes, beans, has brown, fried egg and sourdough, for £15. There is also a range of options for vegetarians and vegans. And in typical Devonshire style, creams teas are available all day. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Drinks wise, the bar serves a range of tipples including local favourites such as Hunts Cider, Salcombe Gin and Bays lager and IPAs. If you find yourself there on a Saturday morning, you will also be greeted by live music at the lounge. Underrated Caribbean Sunshine island Aruba is perfect for beach getaway Blackpool Sands is privately owned by the Newman family, who joined forces with local hoteliers Charlie and Zuzanna Deucharin in 2023, to create a The long-stretching beach is also often compared to the Mediterranean. Advertisement One visitor said: "This is the most beautiful beach I have been to in the UK! "Encompassed by forest, tall pines and green fields, dotted with sheep and daisies. The sea looked blue like the Mediterranean! Just wow!" In 2023, the 6 Live music also takes place at the venue on Saturdays Credit: Instagram Advertisement 6 Many of the drinks served are also from local suppliers Credit: Instagram In addition to this, the beach has won several awards over the years for its cleanliness. In fact, the beach is cleaned daily and has some of the clearest water. Recently, Advertisement Plus, 6 The venue overlooks the beach, which is often compared to the Mediterranean Credit: Instagram
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Woke red tape stops British armoured vehicle-maker raising funds in the City
A BRITISH firm behind an in-demand armoured military vehicle dubbed 'The Jackal' is urging ministers to clear away red tape so the business can thrive. Devon-based Supacat says it is 'fighting a bit of a battle' to access finance — despite the popularity of the 7.6-ton bruiser which can tackle the roughest, bumpiest terrain. Advertisement 5 The Jackal, which Sun Business Editor Ashley Armstrong took for a spin Credit: Neil Hope 5 The Sun's Ashley at Supacat, which exports worldwide, making around £40million a year Credit: Neil Hope 5 Supacat is shunned by some investors, who consider defence firms unethical Credit: Neil Hope The Jackal, which Sun Business Editor Ashley Armstrong took for a spin, can carry 2.1 tons of cargo, such as missile launchers, medical supplies and drone killers. Supacat — which exports worldwide, making around £40million a year — recently won a new contract from the British Army. But it is shunned by some investors, who consider defence firms unethical as they do not have 'B Corp' status. CEO Nick Ames said the defence industry has not been 'top of the popularity tree' for more than a decade. Advertisement READ MORE BUSINESS NEWS WAT A MOVE Anthony Joshua in talks over 'serious investment' in ex-Premier League club And he said Supacat was unlikely to list in London to raise funds. He added: 'The City has for years said we, 'Don't do that sort of thing'. You'd like to see a lot more activity and liquidity on the AIM (Alternative Investment Market). You're more liquid as a business.' 5 CEO Nick Ames said the defence industry has not been 'top of the popularity tree' Credit: Neil Hope With global politics becoming increasingly fragile, the Government plans to increase military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP within two years. Advertisement Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Healey have pledged to give more of the Ministry of Defence budget to smaller British companies, such as Supacat. The firm, which employs 250, is known to many because Jeremy Clarkson uses one of its ex-Army six-wheelers to get around his Diddly Squat farm. Phil Applegarth, head of Supacat, said: 'For the first time in our lives defence spending, which has always been cut, is rising. Keir Starmer must hike UK defence spending soon to have any credibility & ditching woke nonsense can help fund it 'To get in on this ride up we need skilled people, enthusiastic people who aren't frightened to go and join defence firms rather than be shoe-horned into B Corp. Advertisement 'There is a real sense of pride in working on what we do. We're making something that is vital. It's keeping our forces safe.' He added: 'We need to build up capability now to be the deterrent that prevents a potential war.' Mr Applegarth said the defence industry was waiting for the Government to outline its Strategic Defence Review, which is delaying investment. He added: 'There seems to be a desire to wait rather than keep going and then change. Advertisement 'You're hearing a lot of top-level speeches saying, 'Prepare, prepare' but the best we could have is longer-term contracts. The longer it is, the more we can invest in resources and skills. 'The current spiky ordering doesn't help as we have to keep getting fresh prices from the supply chain — switching the supply chain on and off rather than keeping it warm and running.' BAE TO RECRUIT 2,400 WORKERS DEFENCE giant BAE wants to hire 2,400 apprentices, graduates and undergrads this year as it gears up to meet soaring demand. It has also shrugged off the threat of President Donald Trump's tariffs, insisting it builds systems for the US Department of Defense in its US factories with a domestic supply chain. BAE said yesterday it expected to grow sales by up to 9 per cent and earnings 10 per cent as it wins more contracts for combat aircraft and vehicles, missile systems, artillery, sensor technology and drones. WIND AXE BLOW FOR GREEN ED 5 Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's wants to quadruple the number of offshore wind farms by 2030 Credit: Getty THE Government's Clean Power push looks increasingly far-fetched after a Danish firm axed a major offshore wind project, blaming higher costs. Advertisement Orsted said it will not go ahead with its Hornsea project, where 180 wind turbines off the Yorkshire coast were to power millions of homes. It is a blow to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's desire to quadruple the number of offshore wind farms by 2030. Orsted's chief exec Rasmus Errboe said that the project was unlikely to provide value for money because of 'increased supply chain costs, higher interest rates and increased execution risk'. Andy Mayer, analyst at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'It is a reminder of the folly of legally binding climate targets. Advertisement "The Government's plan to decarbonise the power grid by 2030 denies real trade-offs between lower emissions, energy security and affordability.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Couple plan for new fruit and veg delivery business
A couple who run an organic produce company has applied to set up a new fruit, veg and flower business. Dorset Council has received the application for a site in Bowgrove Road, Beaminster. The proposal includes plans for a shepherd's hut, barn, polytunnels and propagation greenhouse on a 0.2 hectare (0.49 acre) plot. The couple, who run Devon-based West Hays Farm, is asking for a five-year consent to demonstrate the viability of the business. The plot is part of a larger 2.6 hectare (6.4 acre) holding, which the couple plan to mostly retain for grazing. The application says they are looking to site a temporary agricultural workers dwelling "to aid in the set up of a new rural enterprise, West Hays farm, producing vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers for sale into Beaminster via our veg box scheme and sale to local shops and restaurants." According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, research from Beaminster Museum suggests the land supported traditional orchards, three homes and gardens, dating back to the mid-1800s and fell into disuse in the early 1900s. In the application paperwork, the couple say the site was historically used for sheep grazing and in May 2024 started to be converted to an organic market garden and tradition orchard. The proposal is open for public comments until 14 May and many have already backed the development. A resident from Coombe Down said: "In a time when farming and small businesses are being brought to their knees, here is an application to start a small niche market garden enterprise which can only benefit the whole community." A Hawkchurch resident added: "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring ecological benefit to the local area through environmentally friendly farming practices, with two extremely experienced and considered individuals at the helm. "It goes without saying that new local food production will benefit the community of Beaminster directly and protect the land from being taken over by irresponsible and greedy developers." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Farm staff 'let down' by green fund closure Underground farm is 'green and sustainable' Dorset Council
