Latest news with #Monmouthshire
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Rockfield Studios: Growing up with Freddie Mercury next door
A woman who grew up at a recording studio used by some of the UK's biggest bands says it was "just normal" for Freddie Mercury to be in the next Murray from Blakeney, Gloucestershire, moved to Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire aged six after her mum, a Cordon Bleu chef, got a job there after being praised by the band Black Murray's memoir, "My Family and Other Rock Stars", details how her mother, Joan, cooked for the likes of Queen and David Bowie."I was an only child so she would be cooking in the kitchen until the early hours and cleaning up and I was left to my own devices, so I did wander into the studios and annoy musicians at an early age," Ms Murray said. Ms Murray previously lived in a house in Herefordshire, where her mum advertised rehearsal space to likes of Black Sabbath and Queen recorded there before moving onto Rockfield, where they would reminisce about Joan's food, leading to her being hired as the in-house "Bohemian Rhapsody", Coldplay's "Yellow", and Oasis' "Wonderwall" are among the songs recorded at Rockfield over the years."Mum and I lived with the bands on the Quadrangle," Ms Murray told BBC Radio Gloucestershire."We lived in the chalet, so you could have Freddie [Mercury] next door." She said there were other children who lived at the studios, so "it was just normal" in the local area, but, later in life, some jaws still drop when she divulges the tastes and palettes of some of Britain's most legendary artists."Mum said Freddie had quite a sophisticated palette, but not too rich," she said."The main she loved doing was Fanny Craddock's crêpes suzette. "She'd go into the dining room and set it all on fire in front of Queen and they'd all clap." While many would have bowed down to some of the stars that spent time at Rockfield, Joan ruled the roost as "queen of the kitchen", Ms Murray said."She was the matron and they were the boys of the school," Ms Murray said."Trying to control Motörhead was very interesting. I think she gave up on that one - particularly when my future stepfather, Fritz, was producing them and invited all these Hell's Angels down to record motorbike exhausts for a certain track." Although Ms Murray's experiences inspired her memoir, which is peppered with her mother's Rockfield recipes, she also believes her mother was the muse for one particular hit song written by Freddie Mercury, with clues in the lyrics."Killer Queen, I think, is written about my mother," she said."There are all the other theories but... 'Talked just like a baroness', 'the pretty cabinet' - she always drank Moët & Chandon. I think it is [about] my mother."She's still the woman she was then, even though she's 82 now."
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Our picturesque countryside views are ruined by 6ft tall ‘Great Wall of China' fence next door… so we got our revenge
FURIOUS villagers have succeeded in having a 6ft tall fence, that was blocking beauty spot views, torn down. Residents hit out at their local council for building the large "out of place" steel structure. 4 4 The massive 200 meter long, 6ft tall, spiked steel fence was built by Monmouthshire County Council in Clydach, Wales. Residents were given no notice that the fence was to be erected at a cost of £40,000. Furious with the hideous construction locals campaigned to have the fence removed. It blocked beauty spot views of the Brecon Beacons National Park leaving local residents infuriated and demanding it be taken down. Furious locals could see the fence on the hillside from their back gardens and said it failed to blend in. A heated council meeting in April saw residents fume at the local council with one branding it "disgusting." County council officials have now agreed to take down the fence, forking out an additional £20,000 for its removal. Made of steel spikes, locals blasted the fence as "disgusting" and said it was "absolutely hideous." The council was slammed for not consulting with residents before building the "great wall of Clydach." It was put up along the Pwll Du Road which has been closed off for five years. The council feared the road would collapse and put the fence up to block off the dodgy pathway. They have since agreed to remove the steel fence and replace it with a shorter structure that will "blend in" with the surroundings. Our kids' play area was blocked by huge 6ft privacy fence Nearby resident Clive Thomas said: "We've got a lovely back garden, and it's just an eyesore. "When the sun is on it and everything, it just looks out of place." Simon Elliott said: "There was no consultation with anyone. The fence has been put up with no understanding at all of what the area is. "All it needed was a low-level fencing to stop any cattle or people going over the edge into the quarry." Simon Howarth, independent councillor said he was pleased with the council's decision. He added: "we shouldn't have got here" pointing out that the huge bills could have been avoided. The councillor went on to say: "Overall we are where we should have started, but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off." A council spokesperson said: "Following a positive meeting, the local community and the council agreed with the proposal to reduce the height of the back line of the palisade fencing, replacing it with stock proof fencing and painting the reveals and pillars with a suitable colour to blend in with the landscape." 4 4 What to Do If You Disagree with the Council's Planning Decision Disputes over planning applications can be stressful, but there are steps you can take to challenge or resolve the situation: Understand the Reasons: Carefully review the council's decision and the specific reasons for refusal or enforcement. This will help you identify areas to address. Seek Professional Advice: Consult a planning consultant or solicitor with expertise in planning law. They can offer tailored advice and represent your case if necessary. Submit an Appeal: If you believe the decision is unfair, you can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Be prepared to provide evidence and technical details to support your case. Explore Compromise: Engage with the council to see if a compromise can be reached. Adjusting aspects of the development, such as materials or design, may lead to an acceptable solution. Engage the Community: Support from neighbours and local residents can strengthen your position. A petition or letters of support may highlight the development's benefits. Act Promptly: There are strict time limits for appeals and responses to enforcement notices. Ensure you act within the specified deadlines to avoid further complications. Remember, while it can be frustrating, maintaining a constructive dialogue with the council is often the best way to find a resolution.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Photographer turns lens on unheralded parts of Wales
David Hurn is routinely described as Wales' most important living photographer - but he's not a fan of overstatement. "I'm a photographer, it's like being a plumber - it's no better than, it's less useful than," he says from his cottage in Tintern, Monmouthshire. Over the past seven decades the 90-year-old has documented everything from the Aberfan disaster to The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania. For his latest project David, who made his name photographing people, has turned to something different - the Welsh landscape. Anyone expecting quintessential images of Wales' rugged mountains and dramatic coastlines would be mistaken. Instead his book takes in some of the country's lesser-celebrated sites, including graveyards, council estates and even a public toilet. "I wasn't the least bit interested in romantic sort of postcards, people do that for a living and they do it incredibly well so don't compete with someone who does something better than you do," said David. Instead he set about allowing various experts to suggest what he should photograph when it came to exploring the human effect on the landscape. The result - Wales As Is - is an unflinchingly unsentimental portrayal of Wales. Author Richard King, who David invited to write an essay to accompany his photographs, said he found the images refreshing. He said searching for Welsh identity in the landscape seemed to be "a national hobby and a national obsession". "The thing that really struck me is how much we want to impose a narrative on these places," he said. David said he wanted his photographs to explore what people in Wales meant when they said "this is my culture". "Because whenever I asked them what they meant by the word they got all defensive which means they don't know what they're talking about," he laughed. "I wish that people who wanted to talk about culture were cultured, it's not asking a lot." Richard and David first met when Richard interviewed David about his experience of photographing the Aberfan disaster for one of his books. On 21 October 1966, David was one of the first photographers on the scene when a colliery spoil tip collapsed onto a school killing 116 children and 28 adults. It is an experience that has remained with him all his life. "It was undoubtedly the most difficult thing I've ever had to do and that is because you can't think of anything more obscene than children being suffocated with slurry off a tip," he said. It was made all the harder because he understood that the parents and miners desperately digging children out of the slurry did not want to be photographed - but it was also imperative he did so. "That's very difficult to deal with, very difficult and in this case we're talking children which makes it even more difficult," said David. "It was obvious they saw you as voyeurs but you as a photographer, as a journalist, realised you had to be there because this was an important thing that needed to be documented and you didn't want it to be pushed under the carpet. One of the ways to stop things being pushed under the carpet is to document them and publish them." Alongside his documentary photography, David made a name for himself photographing stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, Sophia Loren and The Beatles. He also shot five covers for fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar. Photographer's images expose mum's dementia agony Dreamlike Wales inspires Egyptian photographer The photos capturing life on margins of society "Of course all these things pay a lot of money. It's the trivial that pays a lot of money and what you try to do seriously pays the least," he said. "To go to the Canary Islands with 11 models in the '60s was nothing but fun, I enjoyed doing it but I wasn't the least bit interested in the end result, it's as simple as that." Many people of his age and with a long career behind them may be thinking of slowing down, but not David. In fact he says work on his next five books is already underway. "It's difficult because my legs don't want to work and to shoot pictures you have to walk places and that's difficult now I'm at an age where I struggle," he said. "But I want to do it."
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
David Hurn: Photographer turns lens on lesser-celebrated Wales
David Hurn is routinely described as Wales' most important living photographer - but he's not a fan of overstatement. "I'm a photographer, it's like being a plumber - it's no better than, it's less useful than," he says from his cottage in Tintern, Monmouthshire. Over the past seven decades the 90-year-old has documented everything from the Aberfan disaster to The Beatles at the height of his latest project David, who made his name photographing people, has turned to something different - the Welsh landscape. Anyone expecting quintessential images of Wales' rugged mountains and dramatic coastlines would be mistaken. Instead his book takes in some of the country's lesser-celebrated sites, including graveyards, council estates and even a public toilet."I wasn't the least bit interested in romantic sort of postcards, people do that for a living and they do it incredibly well so don't compete with someone who does something better than you do," said David. Instead he set about allowing various experts to suggest what he should photograph when it came to exploring the human effect on the landscape. The result - Wales As Is - is an unflinchingly unsentimental portrayal of Wales. Author Richard King, who David invited to write an essay to accompany his photographs, said he found the images refreshing. He said searching for Welsh identity in the landscape seemed to be "a national hobby and a national obsession"."The thing that really struck me is how much we want to impose a narrative on these places," he said. David said he wanted his photographs to explore what people in Wales meant when they said "this is my culture"."Because whenever I asked them what they meant by the word they got all defensive which means they don't know what they're talking about," he laughed. "I wish that people who wanted to talk about culture were cultured, it's not asking a lot." Richard and David first met when Richard interviewed David about his experience of photographing the Aberfan disaster for one of his books. On 21 October 1966, David was one of the first photographers on the scene when a colliery spoil tip collapsed onto a school killing 116 children and 28 is an experience that has remained with him all his life. "It was undoubtedly the most difficult thing I've ever had to do and that is because you can't think of anything more obscene than children being suffocated with slurry off a tip," he said. It was made all the harder because he understood that the parents and miners desperately digging children out of the slurry did not want to be photographed - but it was also imperative he did so. "That's very difficult to deal with, very difficult and in this case we're talking children which makes it even more difficult," said David."It was obvious they saw you as voyeurs but you as a photographer, as a journalist, realised you had to be there because this was an important thing that needed to be documented and you didn't want it to be pushed under the carpet. One of the ways to stop things being pushed under the carpet is to document them and publish them." Alongside his documentary photography, David made a name for himself photographing stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, Sophia Loren and The also shot five covers for fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar. "Of course all these things pay a lot of money. It's the trivial that pays a lot of money and what you try to do seriously pays the least," he said."To go to the Canary Islands with 11 models in the '60s was nothing but fun, I enjoyed doing it but I wasn't the least bit interested in the end result, it's as simple as that." Many people of his age and with a long career behind them may be thinking of slowing down, but not fact he says work on his next five books is already underway."It's difficult because my legs don't want to work and to shoot pictures you have to walk places and that's difficult now I'm at an age where I struggle," he said."But I want to do it."
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Disgusting' mountainside fence to be removed after backlash
A huge fence put up across a mountain and overlooking a beauty spot is to be removed after a public 2.1m (6ft) tall steel fence - dubbed the "Great Wall of Clydach" by villagers - was erected without notice last month, along the Monmouthshire village's Pwll Du Road, spanning 200m (652ft).It sits across the face of Gilwern mountain in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and close to the boundary of the UNESCO Blaenavon World Heritage claimed the galvanised steel structure with sharp spikes was "disgusting" and demanded its removal. Monmouthshire County Council, which said it had to take action to stop people accessing the road - which has been closed to traffic on safety grounds for the past five years - has now agreed to replace it, according to the Local Democracy Reporting council has said it will use stock fencing instead and the posts at either end of the road, supporting the fence, will be reduced in will also be painted to blend in with the surrounding countryside. Simon Howarth, independent councillor for Llanelly Hill, said he was pleased with the outcome, but was critical of the council's actions and costs involved, saying "we shouldn't have got here".He said, at a recent meeting held at Clydach Village Hall, the council said it would be going out to tender to remove the fence, but costs would be in the region of £20, a public meeting held in April, the council confirmed the bill for putting up the fence was £40, said: "Overall we are where we should have started, but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off."The councillor said he was also pleased the council intended to allow access to the backside of the fence, between it and the mountainside, for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as holding talks with farmers and landowners over access for moving stock from the Keeper's Pond end of the mountain road. A council spokesman said: "Following a positive meeting, the local community and the council agreed with the proposal to reduce the height of the back line of the palisade fencing, replacing it with stock proof fencing and painting the reveals and pillars with a suitable colour to blend in with the landscape."The council had said its previous measures to keep vehicles off the road, including gates and boulders, had failed as they had been damaged or removed, while a rockfall in 2023 had prompted it to commission a further report which suggested the road should be closed to people, as well as report outlined alternatives including new footpaths over the top of the mountain and below the existing road, or rebuilding the road but moving the carriageway further back into the mountain, which the council had said would cost millions of Wayne Elliot, who was involved in court action that ruled the council was responsible for the road, previously said he had been battling with the authority since 2020 to get it moved back, claiming "the farmers would help do it, they'd get it done in a week".But a council spokesperson shut down this suggestion, saying it was "not going to happen".
