Latest news with #Jag
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Abergavenny ‘electric' car bursts into flames outside Lidl
Last Sunday, (August 17) people in Abergavenny were left gobsmacked by a vehicle fire just outside the Lidl on Monmouth Road. The car, (believed to be a model of Jaguar) was fully engulfed in flames, emitted small popping sounds from the gas around the vehicle. According to Gwent Police this wasn't the result of a road traffic collision. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were contacted for a statement. The car on fire outside Abergavenny Lidl (Image: Jojo Arthur) South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: 'SWFRS received a call at approximately 14:06 on Sunday 17 August to report of a vehicle fire on Monmouth Road, Abergavenny. 'Crews and an appliance from Mid and West Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets. 'Stop message was received around 15:05.' A small 'gas explosion' from a car on fire outside Abergavenny Lidl (Image: Jojo Arthur) Local reaction was strong in the Facebook group Abergavenny Voice with some people saying that the car involved was an electric car. Steve Dee said: 'People have been brilliant helping with the flow of traffic and keeping people back. Really helpful. Sally Jones commented: 'Thankfully the owners got out safely.' Miroslav Rusev said: 'That does look like the new electric Jag.' Police confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result. South Wales Fire and Rescue later confirmed it was in fact not an electric car. They said: 'This was not an electrical car fire.'
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
The simple (and free) three-second hack that instantly lifts any outfit
Any go-to jewellery? I'm not really a jewellery person. I have a Rolex watch I never take off. Can you remember a favourite outfit from when you were a child? I had lots of hand-smocked dresses in Liberty prints and one with fluorescent pink and turquoise daisies that was very '60s. My parents' house burnt down in the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983, and nothing survived. However, because my dresses had been passed down to other children in the family, I eventually got that floral dress back and all my girls wore it. What was your first fashion moment? As a kid, I thought it was ridiculous that everyone dressed the same. When I was 13, I would wear a Jag denim dress and denim knee-high boots, or a navy paisley dress with a pussy bow and navy velvet blazer from Maria Finlay in Double Bay [Sydney]. All my friends were wearing Levi's cords and T-shirts. And your worst fashion mistake? I was invited to a party once, and I was misled that it was fancy dress. It wasn't. My friend and I arrived dressed as aliens, with silver face make-up and everything. So embarrassing. Loading What's on your fashion wish list? A layered, pleated Bottega Veneta midi skirt, and the Khaite 'Crosby' tote in Espresso. Is there something you'd never wear? So much. I find the Desigual printed stuff particularly offensive. Is there a current trend you like? I like a popped collar. And forearms, I love pushing sleeves up – on myself and other people. And I like burgundy; it feels like this season's neutral. What shoes do you wear the most often? Puma 'Speedcat' sneakers and Celine T-bar-strap kitten heels.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
The simple (and free) three-second hack that instantly lifts any outfit
Any go-to jewellery? I'm not really a jewellery person. I have a Rolex watch I never take off. Can you remember a favourite outfit from when you were a child? I had lots of hand-smocked dresses in Liberty prints and one with fluorescent pink and turquoise daisies that was very '60s. My parents' house burnt down in the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983, and nothing survived. However, because my dresses had been passed down to other children in the family, I eventually got that floral dress back and all my girls wore it. What was your first fashion moment? As a kid, I thought it was ridiculous that everyone dressed the same. When I was 13, I would wear a Jag denim dress and denim knee-high boots, or a navy paisley dress with a pussy bow and navy velvet blazer from Maria Finlay in Double Bay [Sydney]. All my friends were wearing Levi's cords and T-shirts. And your worst fashion mistake? I was invited to a party once, and I was misled that it was fancy dress. It wasn't. My friend and I arrived dressed as aliens, with silver face make-up and everything. So embarrassing. Loading What's on your fashion wish list? A layered, pleated Bottega Veneta midi skirt, and the Khaite 'Crosby' tote in Espresso. Is there something you'd never wear? So much. I find the Desigual printed stuff particularly offensive. Is there a current trend you like? I like a popped collar. And forearms, I love pushing sleeves up – on myself and other people. And I like burgundy; it feels like this season's neutral. What shoes do you wear the most often? Puma 'Speedcat' sneakers and Celine T-bar-strap kitten heels.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I can lend someone £100k in an hour': The life of a pawnbroker
If you've ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each week, our Money team speaks to someone from a different profession to discover what it's really like. Today, we chat to James Constantinou, owner of pawnbroker chain Prestige Pawn. You can't train for it… I was born into wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, so I picked it up from experience. It's something that I love doing, and there's not a course for it. If we're talking about my employees, they are all highly skilled individuals who have trained and become experts in their fields. We have around 60 experts who all excel in a range of specialisms - such as gemologists or art. My skills lie in pulling them together and keeping the work going. Those in their specialised fields will have degrees, diplomas and have studied for years. They can look at the fake Rolexes from today and compare them to the real ones from 10 to 15 years ago - there's almost no comparison. It's really difficult to tell the difference between fake and the real deal in some circumstances. People think my job is lots of TV, helicopters, boats and aeroplanes… But the day-to-day running of the business isn't always like that. There are the normal headaches of staffing rates, leaky air con units and floods - and all other things that go alongside. It's not quite as glamorous as how it's portrayed. It's a misconception to say we charge high and unfair interest rates… The monthly rate starts at 2%, and I don't advise people to take a pawnbroking loan out for a year or two - we only offer up to seven months, and most of our customers redeem in around three. You can't go into the high street and borrow £100,000 within an hour... but in one of my stores, you can, so it's quite rewarding to help people when they need it. When you are approached by someone who needs cash for something urgent and has been to the banks to borrow and denied, and then you're able to step in a way that other lenders aren't able to. There is no typical day… Today I'm at home because we have someone here doing some work, but I'm still on the phone. I've got an E-type Jag appraisal and a cherished number plate, so I'm helping the team. There are guys at Gracechurch Street dealing with some bullion at the moment, so I'm helping with that. Between the team, I'm helping us get deals across the line and closing them. I am interested in items worth £50 to £1m… It's not all about the money. I believe you need more of a passion rather than a skill to do the job well. A normal starting salary in this industry… is around £30,000. The best perk is… getting to see all the amazing assets that come in and drive the fancy cars. I've loved meeting all the fantastic people along the way, too. From where I came from and especially since I left school, I never in a million years thought I would be in this position. Opening the doors to our business in May 2009 was a big moment, and then… Our first customer walked through the door and we jumped out of our seats like "Oh God, someone's actually noticed us!" Two of us ran to the counter to serve him, and he said, "Oh sorry, I thought this was a hairdresser's." We had to point him next door. I make mistakes weekly… If you don't make mistakes, then you don't learn. In the past, we've bought watches and pieces of art that have turned out not to be genuine. That was early doors, so those items wouldn't get us today. As a fledgling business, you're going to make mistakes. It was a hard lesson to learn, but a journey we had to go through. We don't touch stolen goods… This is another misconception that maybe occurred in the 1940s or 50s when the industry wasn't as regulated. I'd say a pawnbroker is one of the last places you'd take stolen goods to. I'm not saying it's never happened in 15 years of trading, but when it has, very early on, those items have ended up in the hands of the police. When people come in, they are recorded, we take copies of their passport and driving licences and ask to see proof of purchase. We're also members of associations where, if a luxury item gets stolen, it gets reported. For example, if a Rolex gets stolen, it gets put on the stolen watch register. The first thing we do before purchasing is check all of these databases to make sure the assets aren't stolen. We are only custodians of goods, we rarely own them… Only about 20% of the items stay with us the full seven months and end up going to market. For those sold, we only look to recoup the money owed to us. Any overage we may receive is returned to the client. This surprises a lot of people, even those with contracts worded as such. We don't often turn people down… and leave them walking away with nothing. Most things have a value of sorts. We usually present figures to people, and I'd say that half or maybe 60% of them are accepted. Sometimes it's not the number they want to hear. Most of the time it's about managing some customers' expectations of their item's worth, especially with the reality of being in a time of economic downturn. Luxury goods are not as buoyant as they were four or five years ago. A man came in recently with a one-off hand-built trike that he bought for £100,000, but it was too specialist for us, and the market was very limited. We let him know that it wasn't one for us. People often think they can make money from royal memorabilia... Limited-edition royal memorabilia from 150 years ago can be worth a lot. But a mass-produced King Charles mug hidden in a cupboard for ten years is worthless. But gold is the opposite… It is a brilliant investment and considered bricks and mortar. But in recent years, we've been seeing massive hikes in its prices and worth - a 66% increase in the past three years. Gold makes a great investment for people with spare money who are looking for higher returns. A diamond bulldog keyring is one of my favourite items... One of the first things that came into the store in 2009 caught my eye. It was a bulldog keyring made of 18-carat gold and a diamond-studded collar. The bulldog was stood on his back legs and is now sitting on my keys. I loved the workmanship and thought it was an unusual item, which is why I've still got it on my keyring now. I get many people commenting about it. It's not worth a great deal, but it is sentimental to me. I don't plan on retiring… I don't want to only have the options to sit at home or play golf. I like to get up in the morning and have a purpose. Even if I'm not going into the office, I'm up at 6/6:30am every day. I tend to work 24 hours and sometimes even sleep dreaming about work and deals. I'm constantly connected and always getting messages on WhatsApp throughout the day. Some of the team go home and message me in the evenings and we'll have a conversation at whatever time because they're just as dedicated and passionate as I am. There's not a time I switch off - unless on holiday.
Scottish Sun
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
New Jaguar car that lead disastrous ‘woke rebrand' seen for the first time… with fans divided over whether they like it
NEW DIRECTION New Jaguar car that lead disastrous 'woke rebrand' seen for the first time… with fans divided over whether they like it Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JAGUAR'S controversial new concept car has finally been revealed in person for the first time - sparking intense debate between fans. Onlookers got to see the Jag which has been at the forefront of its "woke" rebrand. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 A Jaguar Type 00 concept car was displayed during the Goodwood Festival of Speed Credit: Getty 5 The car's blue was a departure from the new ad's pink Credit: Getty 5 One fan described the car's rear as 'horrendous' Credit: Getty 5 The new car drew big crowds at Goodwood Credit: Getty Jaguar unveiled its new Type 00 concept car for the first time on Friday morning at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car will never go on sale in its existing form. Instead, it is a concept car exhibited to showcase Jaguar's new "exuberant modernism." The car stunned Goodwood's guests with its spotless, striking blue exterior which drew large crowds from across the festival. The colour was a significant departure from the pink colour dressing the 00 when it was first announced late last year. This was preceded by Jaguar's glossy ad campaign with bright colours and catwalk models last November which sparked outrage. When the 30-second ad was first unveiled, flashing up a number of slogans, including "live vivid", "delete ordinary" and "copy nothing", fans on social media were not happy. The likes of Nigel Farage and even Elon Musk led the critics, with the Reform leader describing it as "woke" and warned the automaker risked "going bust" due to its new design choice. Musk simply asked Jaguar on X: ''Do you sell cars?' This weekend, fans had the chance to comment on the car's new design after physically seeing it. Jaguar boss doubles down & DEFENDS new 'woke Tesla' pink EV in controversial rebrand Speaking to The Times, many fans were left unimpressed by Jaguar's new concept car and new brand direction. "The back's horrendous," said one fan. Another assessed: 'They've wrecked the brand. "The logo is awful, it looks like it was designed by a child. One fan even said the new ad campaign had led him to sell his F-Pace. Others did enjoy some of the features of the new car, saying they thought it was cool and futuristic. In November, the controversial ad excluded any images of its sleek sports cars as it touted its transition to a fully electric, ultra-luxury company. The scrapping of the well-known big cat badge in favour of a geometric 'J' design also drew fierce criticism. At the time of release, one Facebook user commented: "If I wasn't sure before, now I'm convinced Jaguar have completely lost the plot. This woke nonsense won't gain anything." Another said: "As someone who worked for this iconic brand up until production cessation in June it really does sadden me to see the direction the company has decided to take."
