Latest news with #Mitre
NZ Herald
08-08-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Nine young Whanganui sports stars backed by Future Champions Trust
Future Champions Trust chairwoman Philippa Baker-Hogan (left) with recipients (front, from left) Mickey Zang, Tazia Parker, Matt Smith, Poppy Priddle, Paige Conley, Sarah Gibson (Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui) and trustee Richard Millward; (back) Sport Whanganui chief executive Tania King and Hayden Gibson (Mitre 10 Mega). Whanganui's Future Champions Trust has backed nine promising athletes in its second funding round of 2025. The Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui Future Champions Trust aims to give young people a 'hand up' to reach their full potential in their chosen sport. It supports youth athletes, aged 13-23, who have, generally,
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Telegraph
This Sussex country house hotel has a spa, outdoor pool and rooms from £165
What's the point of an English country hotel? For me: a venerable old house, graciously repurposed, in a beautiful location with plenty to see and do in the vicinity. It should act as a comfortable, attractive, kindly base to return to after an excursion, preferably with a spa in which to relax. There are plenty of addresses that offer these things, but one knotty problem remains: can you afford it? And if so, does it cut too many corners in terms of design, comfort and service? The Alfriston has just opened in the medieval village of the same name, where fairytale St Andrew's Church sits on a rise overlooking the village green and the Cuckmere River, with the old Clergy House, the National Trust's first property, next to it. So far, so very good. Location (lovely village; glorious, uninterrupted Downs views): tick. Things to see and do (Glyndebourne, Charleston House, Eastbourne, Rathfinny Wine Estate, Long Man Brewery, walks high on the Downs, on the Seven Sisters cliffs or along the Cuckmere River, canoeing, paddle-boarding, paragliding): tick. Value for money? Let's look at that. First, the back story. This is the fourth boutique hotel in the Signet Collection, which started with the excellent Mitre at Hampton Court in 2020. Backed by investors, owner Hector Ross then opened the Retreat at Elcot Park near Newbury, the Barnsdale in Rutland and now this, formerly Dean's Place, which began life as a 14th-century farmhouse and became a hotel in the early 20th century. Its previous general manager, James Dopson, whose parents-in-law were the owners, has stayed on, thrilled with the refurbishment. The heated outdoor pool has been given a facelift, though the gardens need work, while the new spa contains a secret weapon called Alessandra, whose facials and massages were, my friend Geraldine and I both agreed, the last word in blissful relaxation. Ross is a delightful fellow who with his wife Sammy has project managed each hotel himself, and often helped out building them. But four hotels in five years is a lot and corners, in the process, have been cut in terms of design. This, he tells me, is the last one: now to perfect what he has so rapidly created. This is not the only boutique hotel in tiny Alfriston. Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi was probably not best pleased when Ross landed here too, but in fact the two hotels complement one another. What the Star, one of three Polizzi Collection hotels, lacks in location (it looks on to a car park though its courtyard garden is lovely), it gains in the peerless interiors of Olga Polizzi, Alex's mother, and is altogether more polished and luxurious – and therefore expensive: from £340 for a standard double with breakfast as opposed to £165 at the Alfriston. Take your pick. At the Alfriston, you will find an attractive colour palette throughout, particularly in the airy dining room; prettily decorated bedrooms, each with a statement headboard, coir carpeting, patterned fabric lampshades, sparse art on the walls and neat, functional tiled bathrooms. But no radio, no flowers, no books, no minibar, making it fall short of boutique luxury. But my Sussex room had wonderful views and it was called Ravilious, which is nice, because he is my favourite English artist. The Star also gives guests a chance to dine elsewhere on their second or third night at the Alfriston, and vice versa. Geraldine, who came with me when I reviewed the Star in 2021, and I both thought that would make a perfect break. I tell you what else makes a perfect break. A swim in the pool (drinks brought to us), a spoiling spa treatment, a visit to this-must-be-the-South-of-France Rathfinny Wine Estate, then a short drive and an early evening stroll, followed by lolling on a bench on Seaford Head with a bottle of Rathfinny bubbly and stunning views of the Seven Sisters cliffs and the Cuckmere Valley. There were a few dog walkers about and a group of Korean tourists who had come to see the Seven Sisters, which feature in a popular series back home. The weather was lovely and we felt we were having a special day. Back to the Alfriston for an excellent dinner from a simple menu – jamón ibérico and a pork chop for me, moules and lemon sole for Geraldine – a comfortable night and a help-yourself buffet breakfast (again, several notches down from what you would find in a luxury establishment). But value for money? I think so.
Times
19-06-2025
- Times
The UK's most glorious riverside pubs where you can stay the night
You can't beat sitting riverside on a sunny day, soothed by the sound of the water and the occasional quack or splosh of a paddle from a passing kayaker, with a cool fizz or local ale in hand. These inns have delightful outdoor spaces and lovely rooms to make a weekend of visiting them, so there is more time to stroll riverside paths or perhaps even get on the water. I've spent a couple of years visiting as many inns such as these as I can to find the best for my new book, Paddle and Pub, covering more than 100 of the best hostelries that you can reach by kayak or paddleboard. Even if you want to stay on dry land they make for gorgeous escapes. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Londoners and visitors to the capital looking for an outdoor space along the Thames to enjoy a Pimm's or three en plein air are spoilt for choice, with dozens of inns having existed to lubricate boaters on the river for centuries. One — dating from 1665 and with great, colourful rooms attached — is the Mitre, which once housed guests to Hampton Court Palace, its neighbour. Sit on the waterside Aix Terrace with a rosé, sip a cocktail in the Boathouse or dine on tomato gazpacho and chicken Milanese in the riverside 1665 Brasserie (mains from £20).Details B&B doubles from £200 ( On the banks of the mighty River Thames, the Compleat Angler is a longstanding riverside boozer, although it has morphed from the simple inn it once was into a luxurious hotel with fine dining. It was one of the earliest guesthouses in the country, yet was at risk of overtourism even in Dickens' day — the writer commented in his Dictionary of the Thames that it was often booked out by boating parties. These days there are Sindhu, Atul Kochhar's upmarket Indian restaurant (mains from £19), the Riverside Restaurant fordishes such as chargrilled monkfish (mains from £20) and rooms that are pretty if slightly chintzy — really you're here for the food and the history. Details B&B doubles from £150 ( Ten of the 25 rooms here offer views of an idyllic bend in the River Hodder as it curves around the grounds, with the fells of the Forest of Bowland beyond. Heavy wooden bedheads, unusual framed fabrics and antiques bring country house character to all, and the food — under the chef Jamie Cadman for two decades — has helped to put this quiet corner of Lancashire on the map. Try the fish pie or slow-cooked shoulder of pork with ham hock fritter alongside any one of the 400 wines sourced by the pub's vintners. The pub has four rods for trout and salmon fishing along seven miles of the Hodder, as well as yoga and spa treatments on offer. The Piggeries, its stylish self-catering cottage, has three double bedrooms and a garden leading to the water. Details B&B doubles from£160; three nights' self-catering for six from £1,940 ( • 15 of the most beautiful places in England In a prime spot on the River Tay, known for its salmon fishing, this boutique pub with rooms dating from 1820 has fishing rights and fly-fishing courses, so it's hugely popular with anglers. Even if you're not so inclined, though, it's well worth visiting for the watery views and the food, made with a touch of 'Gallic zest', they say, with ingredients supplied by gillies, farmers and gardeners, plus the in-house butcher. Try a tomato and Crowdie cheese mousse, then a Meikleour venison saddle (mains from £17). Its 11 bedrooms are decked out in floral fabrics and an array of colours, with Arran Aromatics toiletries and sherry decanters on the nightstands. There are also 18 holiday cottages nearby — some with river views in the walled garden of Meikleour House, less than a mile away, another in the local village. Part of the Meikleour Estate, the pub is within reach of Perth, Scone and B&B doubles from £120 ( • Revealed: 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK for 2025 This 18th-century inn on the Harbourne River, a tributary of the Dart three miles south of Totnes, was owned by the flamboyant TV chef Keith Floyd between 1989 and 1996. He spent millions of pounds doing it up, adding eccentrically decorated bedrooms and anchoring fake crocodiles in the water to scare tourists. Now somewhat less wacky, but still with a dining room named for its former owner, the pub is in a lovely spot where the riverbanks are lined with tall trees. The present chef, Anton Piotrowski, jointly won MasterChef: The Professionals in 2012. The six bedrooms, in an adjoining building, are simple, but the owners are planning a renovation. Hire kayaks from Paddle Devon in Totnes and go all the way to Dartmouth, Stoke Gabriel or the Dartington Estate, before finishing with a beer back on the sundeck of the inn (half-day guided kayak trip £47pp; B&B doubles from £80 ( • 19 of the best UK pubs with rooms The idyllic village of Grantchester, south of Cambridge, is on the River Cam, which used to tempt Byron in for a dip, leaving in his memory an adjacent spot named Byron's Pool, now part of a nature reserve. There are a gaggle of pubs here too, including the Blue Ball, a 250-year-old coaching inn with river views, local ales, home-cooked food and a two-bedroom holiday apartment in creamy colours overlooking Grantchester Meadows. Walk a couple of miles north along the river — perhaps joining the wild swimmers for a dip — and you'll reach St John's College and the intricate Bridge of Sighs, which has an arched base similar to its Venetian namesake, as well as the Backs university fields and Mathematical Bridge. Nearby, the Mill Pond is lined with pubs and you can hire a punt here — look out for the Pimm's Punt floating bar. Details One night's self-catering for four from £200 ( • 20 top pubs in the UK to visit by paddleboard, kayak or canoe There are excellent waterside pubs along the River Wye that are perfect stop-offs for boaters and paddlers. One of the smarter options is the Hope & Anchor, near the Welsh border, with a large, busy beer garden on the riverbank and the nearby town full of bookshops and quirky cafés. The pub hosts live music at its bandstand, while the Hut, in its garden, serves wood-fired pizzas and cakes alongside drinks. The food in the main restaurant runs from Wye Valley beer-battered cod and chips and Herefordshire steak burgers to not-so-typical poke bowls (mains from £16). Many of the 12 neat bedrooms have river B&B doubles from £81 ( Gemma Bowes is the author of Paddle and Pub: The Best British Pubs to Get to By Kayak, Canoe or Paddleboard (Bloomsbury, £19.99, pp240). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members Have we missed your favourite? Share your recommendations in the comments
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Why is there a new Premier League ball?
Puma is the new official supplier of the Premier League match ball after Nike's contract ended in 2025-26 ball - named Orbita Ultimate PL - was revealed on Tuesday, 3 has 12 panels - which will evenly distribute weight and keep the ball balanced - plus long-lasting durability and deeper seams to improve aerodynamics and shape retention."On average, a professional footballer has control of the ball for around 109 seconds every game, so when you have the ball at your feet you need to make it count and create moments that make a difference on the pitch," said Richard Teyssier - Puma marketing Nike's 25-year partnership, the first official Premier League ball sponsor was Mitre - from new ball will make its first appearance in July at the Premier League Summer Series in the United also supplies all EFL competitions, Mitre makes the FA Cup ball and Adidas the Champions League. This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... Why are 1bn euro release clauses becoming more common?When are the 2025-26 Premier League fixtures released?Summer transfer window - your questions answered
Scottish Sun
31-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
I stayed at the English seaside caravan park with private lido, Vegas-like cabanas and cosy pub
You can choose to have the most secluded and private break or throw yourself into eight hours of non-stop activities and entertainment HAVE TO SEA IT I stayed at the English seaside caravan park with private lido, Vegas-like cabanas and cosy pub THE West Sussex town of Selsey famously has just one road in and out of it – but the seaside spot is so fun-packed, the exit lane should be scrapped. My family and I had just spent a long weekend at the Cove's Seal Bay resort, where every lodge, caravan and holiday home sits just a short stroll from the ocean. Advertisement 5 Selsey is a coastal gem and perfect for the whole family Credit: Supplied 5 Some of the lodges at Seal Bay are just steps from the shore Credit: Supplied We were staying in Green Lawns, the most rural of the site's four themed sections, which lives up to its name with a pond and trees that my sons were constantly scaling. Our classic lodge was filled with mod cons, including a deep bath, huge shower, washing machine, dishwasher and classy electric fire. For nearby food, this zone is also home to the giant Viking Bar which, despite looking like an imposing cowboy saloon from outside, is like a warm and welcoming local pub. A little farther away, the burgers, beers and ice creams at Cafe Lido are of bafflingly good quality — yet the 'double burger' is just £9.99 and the classic hotdog not even a fiver. Advertisement We have holidayed on caravan sites for almost 40 years and having affordable restaurants and action-packed activites within walking distance of your home is a huge perk. But only now, after all those years, do I recognise how vital holiday parks might be for little ones with special educational needs, or even younger kids who tire more easily. When long flights, unfamiliar surroundings or sensory overloads might be too much for someone, places like Seal Bay are so important. You can choose to have the most secluded and private break or throw yourself into eight hours of non-stop activities and entertainment. Advertisement A short stroll from our lodge was the White Horse area, offering lots of sporting action. Then there's the Dockyard, which has a stunning lido, with a splash area and swimming pools surrounded by bright-orange cabanas that wouldn't look amiss in Vegas — these come at an extra charge. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport Indoors there is a nine-hole crazy- golf course, state-of-the-art climbing wall and a death-defying bounce- playground above your heads. And around the corner is the vast and lush sports field where the Seal Bay Soccer Academy is run by brilliant staff with grade-A equipment — Mitre balls, goals, bibs, cones, hurdles and slalom poles. Advertisement We had a family match against new friends Taylor, Sarah, Mick and Archie, who made the hour fly by. The largest zone in the holiday complex is West Sands, which sits right on the beach. It even has a wave simulator, Wave Rider, open May to September. We had blistering weather so spent as much time as possible on the beach or in the ocean, but the indoor Oasis Bay pool is ideal for wetter weather. We ventured down to this area on Saturday and found a giant TV screen, on the beach rocks, showing the FA Cup Final. Advertisement 5 Surf's up at the wave simulator at the resort Credit: Supplied 5 Have fun ten-pin bowling Credit: Supplied My boys split their time between watching Crystal Palace spring a brilliant upset over Man City and diving into the waves. Then we headed for a BBQ dinner at Smokey's Ocean Bar. Advertisement There, the lads demolished the Pitmaster's Feast of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, buffalo wings, sausage, chilli and sides and somehow had room for ice-cream sundaes. A family of three were stuffed for just over £50. We used our stroll back to base camp to walk off the meat sweats but there is a courtesy bus — that loops around the park, stopping at all the key areas — plus electric bikes and pedal go-karts to hire. On Sunday we finished off with the brilliant Zorbing experience — you strap your child into a giant bubble and let them play crash-test dummies — then another swim and an archery session, before my kids slept the whole way home. Advertisement And I would love to tell you we partied all weekend into the early hours but we were shattered and asleep by 8pm every day, dreaming of the next day's adventure. 5 There's entertainment galore on site Credit: Supplied
