Latest news with #Grantham
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm grew up in one of the UK's most ‘boring' towns – it's anything but with Netflix filming and beautiful castles
WHEN I was growing up in Grantham, it wasn't uncommon to hear the word 'boring' thrown around - and not just because I was a sullen teenager, In fact, the south-west Lincolnshire town where I whiled away my childhood had been branded dull on a number of occasions. 8 8 It was dubbed the 'most boring town in Britain' in a 1980 Radio One survey, when its most famous former resident, Margaret Thatcher, was prime minister. It still makes me chuckle that when Grantham received its 'Golden Yawn Award' almost half a century ago, one local suggested 'the only thing that ever came out of [it] was the A1' - and it 's a sentiment of tediousness that 'G-Town' residents have long internalised. That the town is still shorthand for 'monotony' is an unfortunate fact raised again by a new Daily Telegraph round-up that has made headlines in the past few weeks. Grantham sits amongst Stevenage, Surbiton and Swindon in the list of 'Britain's most boring towns'. However, now in my 30s, I can't help but disagree that, from things to do to sites to see, my hometown isn't so uninteresting after all. If you're into history, then Grantham has centuries of it - with sites arguably as impressive as nearby Stamford or Lincoln if you're after a weekend getaway in the area. There's the blue plaque to spy on the side of a shop on the town's North Parade where Thatcher was born in 1925 - which also happens to be a chiropractic clinic and natural therapy centre, called Living Health, if you fancy a massage too. There's likewise the Angel and Royal hotel - aged 821 years - which is believed to be one of the oldest hotels in the world, and has hosted no fewer than seven kings and queens. Even if you don't stay in one of its 31 bedrooms, you still pop in to the The Kings Room restaurant, as well as The Angel Bar - which serves cocktails and tapas. Just outside town, in the village of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, is the National Trust property Woolsthorpe Manor - the former home of Sir Isaac Newton. Grantham - underrated town of the Midlands It was from a tree at the premises that he famously saw the apple drop, leading to the discovery of gravity in 1666. Grantham has certainly had its brush with celebrity over the years, and usually as a filming location for iconic films and Netflix series. Belton House, a grand National Trust property on the edge of town - and a must-see in its own right - was famously enlisted for the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth. More recently, the 17th-century mansion was used for the Bridgerton spin-off Queen Charlotte - in which it doubles up as the interior for Kew Palace and the exterior for Buckingham House. Another fancy residence close by that is well worth a visit, Belvoir Castle was used to film The Da Vinci Code - with Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Ian McKellen spotted on set. 8 8 8 As well as A-list royalty, plenty of real royalty have also passed through - including King Charles, who stayed over at Belton House during his training at RAF Cranwell in 1971. Currently, the most famous local residents are arguably Rebekah Vardy and her husband, Leicester City player Jamie, who live in a 12-bedroom mansion just outside of town. If you like a good catch-up over a cappuccino, things have come a long way since I was a kid when the best place for a caffeine hit in town was Costa. Westgate Bakery is just off the Market Place, which hosts a market every Saturday selling all manner of lovely local produce, from honey to veg. The 14th-century Grantham House, yet another National Trust property, is currently the talk of the town since opening a new cafe within its five acres of walled gardens in April. Other local favourites for a cuppa include Kitchen and Coffee and the café at Belton Garden Centre. 8 8 The aforementioned Belvoir Castle's Retail Village is also great spot to spend an afternoon, and you can also pick up some nice bits from the farm shop too. Fancy something stronger? The Blue Pig, a 16th-century watering hole, is perfect for a pint, while The Tap & Tonic is unrivalled for cocktails. If you're after a way to blow off some steam - and perhaps have little ones in tow - then Grantham actually has plenty of things to do. The Grantham Meres Leisure Centre boasts a semi-Olympic-sized swimming pool, along with three leisure pools and its very own big windy slide. Feeling competitive? Grantham Bowl has 12 lanes and an American-style diner for refreshments, while you can go go-karting at Ancaster Leisure which has one of the biggest tracks in the region. In fact, for kids, you also can't go wrong with a trip to Belton House's adventure playground, which is the National Trust's largest in the country. For adults who fancy a bit of relaxation, then the country hotel Belton Woods is home to a popular spa and golf course. When I was growing up the cinema had just two screens and was a bit tired - however the shiny new five-screen Savoy Cinema multiplex was built on the same site and opened in 2019. One of my favourite free activities? A rural hike up to Belmont Tower - just a ten-minute drive outside town - from which you can see for miles on a clear day. So with the historic hotels, famous castles and new attractions - Grantham is anything but boring. 8
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada's economy charged ahead in the first quarter of 2025 as exporters sought to get ahead of tariffs
Canada's economy grew 2.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, Statistics Canada said on Friday. That maintained the pace recorded in the final quarter of last year and significantly exceeded estimates. In a note following the data release, CIBC economist Andrew Grantham cautioned that while real gross domestic product (GDP) growth was "solid," the number was "flattered by a surge in exports as companies looked to front-run potential US tariffs." Economists had expected the economy to grow 1.5 per cent on an annualized basis in the first quarter, according to consensus estimates published by RBC Economics. Grantham noted "weak" domestic demand in the quarter, with "only slight upward momentum heading into Q2." Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.1 per cent in March, matching expectations. The quarterly growth came in above the Bank of Canada's forecasts. The central bank expected real GDP to grow 1.8 per cent on a quarterly annualized basis, according to its latest Monetary Policy Report (MPR). The Friday data also include a revision to fourth quarter 2024 growth, which at the time came in above expectations, adjusting the figure from 2.6 per cent to 2.1 per cent. This story will be updated. John MacFarlane is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jmacf. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Peregrine falcon chicks hatch at Grantham church after 9 years
A church is celebrating the arrival of its first peregrine falcon chicks in almost a decade. Three chicks hatched inside a nesting box on the west front of St Wulfram's Church at Grantham in Lincolnshire two weeks Stuart Craddock, Rector of Grantham, said: "They're developing into some really healthy-looking peregrine falcons."He described it as "brilliant news" and is asking members of the public to suggest names for the trio. Father Craddock said it has been about nine years since the church has has a successful clutch of Peregrine falcon eggs. A nesting box was built a number of years ago by Lincolnshire Bird Trust and the eggs were finally laid on 31 March. Visitors can watch a live feed of the birds, broadcast inside the church from a camera planted near the nest."Lots of people are coming into church to see them which is great," Father Craddock said."You can see them walking about and scratching at the gravel in the tray and eating whatever mum and dad bring to them. It's really interesting." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm an A&E nurse and refused skinny jabs because of the side effects - now people are shocked by the even 'bigger risk' I took to lose 8st
An NHS nurse who couldn't lose weight through dieting has revealed how she lost 8st without resorting to skinny jabs such as Mounjaro. With a BMI of almost 50, at 18st and a size 28, Rhianna Berry, 26, from Grantham, knew she wouldn't be able to conceive with her long term partner, she was struggling to work, and felt she was eating herself into an early grave. Your browser does not support iframes.
Rhyl Journal
4 days ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
New Zealand teenager dies imitating collision ‘sport' trending on social media
Ryan Satterthwaite suffered a head injury on Sunday while playing a backyard game with friends in the North Island city of Palmerston North, police said. He died on Monday as a result of his injuries. Area police commander Inspector Ross Grantham described Mr Satterthwaite's death as 'a huge tragedy' and urged others to 'consider the significant safety and injury risks' of the game which is known as RUNIT or RUNIT Straight. 'A young man lost his life as a result of participating in what I understand to be a social media frenzy,' Mr Grantham said. 'While this is not a criminal matter, police will continue to undertake inquiries on behalf of the coroner.' Mr Grantham said 'the tackle game played by the group of friends was based on a social media-driven trend where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear'. 'While this was an impromptu game among friends, not a planned event, this tragic outcome does highlight the inherent safety concerns with such an activity,' he added. RUNIT is based loosely on the contact elements of rugby union, rugby league or the NFL and involves two competitors, a runner and a tackler, running at each other and colliding on a 20-metre by four-metre (65ft by 13ft) area known as a battlefield. Organisers have promoted the event as 'the world's fiercest new collision sport'. The game has grown in social media popularity through the Australian RUNIT Championship League which offers cash prizes to competitors. Two trial events in Auckland in recent weeks saw eight men compete for 20,000 New Zealand dollars (£8,800) in front of more than 1,000 spectators. Winners were expected to go into a championship event next month with prize money of up to 250,000 New Zealand dollars (£110,000). Two other events in Auckland were cancelled when organisers were unable to obtain permits. The RUNIT Championship League released a statement to the New Zealand news website Stuff on Tuesday, saying it 'does not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be done under the strict conditions'. 'This is tragic news and our hearts go out to the family and friends of Ryan. Any contact sport like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities should only be held in highly controlled environments which include professional medical supervision and support,' it read. RUNIT has been strongly condemned by experts in head injuries who say competitors run a high risk of a serious brain injury.
