Latest news with #Nigel
Press and Journal
a day ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Union Vinyl no more: Haven for Inverness music lovers closes its doors
Union Vinyl owner Nigel Graham has never been one for the easy option. Even when struggling to keep his Inverness business afloat amodt costing of living rises he has been loathe to sell some of the biggest albums around. Taylor Swift, he explains, won't be found on any of his shelves. 'It's not really what we do,' he told The Press and Journal. 'They can go to HMV for that.' Nigel quietly closed the doors of the Market Brae record store on Saturday for the last time. The business celebrated its 11th birthday just a few weeks ago, but rising costs meant it couldn't continue. It has been a must-visit destination for music lovers from the city and further afield, and will be missed by its many regulars. His musical journey will, however, continue at Union Vinyl's sister shop in Nairn. Nigel told The Press and Journal: 'The cost of living has proved too much. 'Unfortunately, it was just not sustainable to keep the shop going. 'I had been looking to have someone take it over, but no one could get it over the line. 'It takes a special kind of person to do this job. 'It's a passion project. It's not for the money'. Union Vinyl was born because of Nigel's long-time love of collecting records. He began at just 10 years old and would travel around the country as a teenager to find Bowie recordings. When money was tight, he decided to sell a few of his prized records and discovered that he could turn his passion into a business. Initially opening as a pop-up on Union Street, the record store went from strength-to-strength, moving first to Academy Street and later to Market Brae Steps. How an obsession for collecting records cued up a business opportunity in Inverness Nigel also opened a second premises, Vinyl 2 Vintage, in his hometown of Nairn in 2021. Vinyl 2 Vintage will remain open and Nigel plans to move much of Union Vinyl's existing stock to the shop on Nairn High Street. There will, however, be a final chance to visit Union Vinyl and maybe pick up a bargain. A closing down sale is to take place on June 6 and 7. Although Nigel has no desire to stock many of today's more popular artists, plenty of his records were still flying off the shelves. Blondie's Parallel Lines, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album Rumours 'never last more than a couple of days' before selling out, he revealed. He was also always keen to recommend any album by his idol David Bowie. On the shop's last day, Nigel's employee Robert Ross played Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust one last time before closing the doors. The last song on the album is Rock 'n' Roll suicide, which Nigel described as 'quite apt'. Nigel said: 'The overheads are not as high for our shop in Nairn, but in Inverness we were paying a lot more and it just got too much. 'We just weren't getting the customers. 'They say there is this big vinyl resurgence but I don't think there is – we have never really seen the impact of that. 'Big businesses and corporate companies do kill the independent shops.' He added: 'We do have a certain type of customer though. 'If they are into Taylor Swift or whatever, they can quite happily go to HMV for that. 'It's not really what we do. 'I was also stretched between the two shops. That was a factor. 'The shop in Nairn is bigger and better and I will have more time to devote to it now. 'I hope some people will want to cross the divide to Nairn to come look at some vinyl. 'I like to think some of my regular customers will come over.' Despite looking forward to devoting more time to his Nairn shop, Nigel said he was sad to close his Inverness shop. It sits just yards from where he used to hunt for records in his younger years. He said: 'I do feel it's a shame. 'There has been a record shop on Market Brae steps since the 1970s. I think it's a loss of a tradition. 'I would love someone to take it on.'
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
Wrexham man loses incredible seven stone in Slimming World journey
Nigel Hughes attends the Tuesday evening Slimming World group held at the Wrexham War Memorial Club and has been doing so since being told he was borderline diabetic and could face having to control it through insulin. In April 2024, the 64-year-old had a surgery which meant he was off work for four months, during this time he found he became more inactive and said he "piled the weight on". "We went on holiday and I gained more weight," he said. "Returning from holiday I knew I needed to do something. Nigel pictured before his weightloss journey. (Image: Amanda Malcolm) "Before taking the first step in my Slimming World group I really struggled with knee pain and breathing was difficult on hot days. I was what I would call myself a 'couch potato'. I work long hours and shifts and found when I got home from work I would eat watching TV and my energy levels were really low. "I joined my group and haven't looked back." Nigel said he now "can't" miss his weekly weight check in. "After my first week I returned to group to discover I had lost half a stone and this just gave me the drive to continue," he said. Amanda Malcolm, the class' consultant, said that male slimmers often say that while they were nervous at the idea of joining a group - once they joined they were surprised by the food they could enjoy and overwhelmed by the warm and friendly support from fellow members. "We know that being in group has a vital part to play in members success," she said. "It helps to be with like-minded people who are also on theirsSlimming journey. Getting ideas and support from group members is what helps with those mindset and behaviour changes that are needed for long term success.' Research shows that 90 per cent of men said that they wanted to lose weight to improve their health, and just 21 per cent rated their health as good or excellent before starting Slimming World. Nigel said: "In all honesty, I have never felt hungry once during my weight loss, I love the variety in all the foods I can eat and I must admit I have learned so much at group about different foods that it has helped me plan my meals a few days in advance. "This helps me to food optimise to the maximum benefit, I love to use the Slimming World barcode scanner to scan my foods as go around the supermarket, this is another layer of support that Slimming World offers. "This helps me to keep check on the foods that go in my trolley. I always say, failure to plan is planning to fail.' (Image: Amanda Malcolm) 'One of my favourite meals I make is what I call left over curry, basically it's any leftover vegetables, chicken if there is any about, but if not then a can of chickpeas, mayflower curry sauce and a good old Uncle Ben's rice. Sundays we love a roast dinner as a family.' Nigel has now been discharged from the diabetic nurse, he has lots more energy. He added: 'I walk for pleasure, rather than take the car, but the best thing is, I can play with the grandchildren rather just sitting and watching them and not having the energy to take part. I am also now the first on the dance floor and the last off it.' MORE NEWS: Police reveal why armed officers descended on Flintshire estate The class' consultant, Amanda Malcolm, said: "Nigel's determination is incredible, he is a fantastic support to fellow members too. I feel proud at being a part of his weight loss journey. "I love that being a consultant I get to witness first hand the changes that Slimming World makes to peoples lives, and Nigel has made a some simple changes and achieved amazing results. 'We are aiming to open more groups across the Wrexham area, so we can reach out to help as many people as we can our local communities." You can find Amanda's group on a Tuesday at the Wrexham War Memorial Club - held at 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7pm.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
Wrexham man loses seven stone in Slimming World journey
Nigel Hughes attends the Tuesday evening Slimming World group held at the Wrexham War Memorial Club and has been doing so since being told he was borderline diabetic and could face having to control it through insulin. In April 2024, the 64-year-old had a surgery which meant he was off work for four months, during this time he found he became more inactive and said he "piled the weight on". "We went on holiday and I gained more weight," he said. "Returning from holiday I knew I needed to do something. Nigel pictured before his weightloss journey. (Image: Amanda Malcolm) "Before taking the first step in my Slimming World group I really struggled with knee pain and breathing was difficult on hot days. I was what I would call myself a 'couch potato'. I work long hours and shifts and found when I got home from work I would eat watching TV and my energy levels were really low. "I joined my group and haven't looked back." Nigel said he now "can't" miss his weekly weight check in. "After my first week I returned to group to discover I had lost half a stone and this just gave me the drive to continue," he said. Amanda Malcolm, the class' consultant, said that male slimmers often say that while they were nervous at the idea of joining a group - once they joined they were surprised by the food they could enjoy and overwhelmed by the warm and friendly support from fellow members. "We know that being in group has a vital part to play in members success," she said. "It helps to be with like-minded people who are also on theirsSlimming journey. Getting ideas and support from group members is what helps with those mindset and behaviour changes that are needed for long term success.' Research shows that 90 per cent of men said that they wanted to lose weight to improve their health, and just 21 per cent rated their health as good or excellent before starting Slimming World. Nigel said: "In all honesty, I have never felt hungry once during my weight loss, I love the variety in all the foods I can eat and I must admit I have learned so much at group about different foods that it has helped me plan my meals a few days in advance. "This helps me to food optimise to the maximum benefit, I love to use the Slimming World barcode scanner to scan my foods as go around the supermarket, this is another layer of support that Slimming World offers. "This helps me to keep check on the foods that go in my trolley. I always say, failure to plan is planning to fail.' (Image: Amanda Malcolm) 'One of my favourite meals I make is what I call left over curry, basically it's any leftover vegetables, chicken if there is any about, but if not then a can of chickpeas, mayflower curry sauce and a good old Uncle Ben's rice. Sundays we love a roast dinner as a family.' Nigel has now been discharged from the diabetic nurse, he has lots more energy. He added: 'I walk for pleasure, rather than take the car, but the best thing is, I can play with the grandchildren rather just sitting and watching them and not having the energy to take part. I am also now the first on the dance floor and the last off it.' MORE NEWS: The class' consultant, Amanda Malcolm, said: "Nigel's determination is incredible, he is a fantastic support to fellow members too. I feel proud at being a part of his weight loss journey. "I love that being a consultant I get to witness first hand the changes that Slimming World makes to peoples lives, and Nigel has made a some simple changes and achieved amazing results. 'We are aiming to open more groups across the Wrexham area, so we can reach out to help as many people as we can our local communities." You can find Amanda's group on a Tuesday at the Wrexham War Memorial Club - held at 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7pm.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
Protect tomorrow, today
This article was prepared by nib and is being published by the New Zealand Herald as advertorial. When life takes an unexpected plunge, will the people you love be protected? No one likes to think about death. It can feel scary, or distant, and most of us would rather focus on the here and now. But life doesn't always go to plan. An unexpected loss, diagnosis, or injury doesn't just bring fear, it brings financial stress and pressure for the whole family. Life and living insurance is one of the most important financial decisions you can make to protect your loved ones, ensuring they're financially secure no matter what the future holds. At nib, we've seen time and time again how important it is to prepare for life's most difficult moments before they happen. Don't wait for catastrophe, act now. For psychologist, presenter, and author Nigel Latta, one phone call made all the difference. In mid-2024, Nigel received the news no one wants to hear. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer that was not only inoperable, but – they said – incurable. Nigel and his wife were left shocked, upset, and didn't know what to do. But they had to do something. They needed a lifeboat. So the first call Nigel made after his diagnosis was to his insurance adviser, Andy. Like many people, Nigel couldn't remember anything about his life or living insurance policies and was reeling with worry. What if he hadn't paid it? What if it wasn't enough? He was scared that he had let down the people he cared about the most – that he was going to leave them with a mortgage and huge medical bills on top of the grief. But then Andy answered the phone, and Nigel discovered that he'd been on the right track ever since taking out his policy years ago. They had some early payouts which would help cover things and settle their initial fears. He says he felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders on what was one of the hardest days of his life. When it feels like you're sinking, Life and Living Insurance provides a lifeboat. If you've been injured or diagnosed with a serious medical condition, the last thing you want to be burdened with is financial strain. You want to focus on treatment and getting better. And in more serious cases of terminal diagnosis or unexpected death, you want the reassurance that your loved ones are taken care of once you're gone. It might be uncomfortable to think about, but that's why it's important to think about it now. At nib, our mission is simple: empowering you to take control of you and your family's wellbeing so you can tackle whatever comes your way. That may be through our Life and Living Insurance options which can be tailored to suit your changing needs. Because insurance isn't just some words on a page, it has the potential to give you the most important thing – time with your loved ones to focus on the things that matter. It's time that you can't get back.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
EastEnders fans spot ‘biggest clue yet' huge star is set to return to soap 17 years after exit
Could a familiar face be heading back to Walford? soap sleuths EastEnders fans spot 'biggest clue yet' huge star is set to return to soap 17 years after exit Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EASTENDERS fans have spotted the 'biggest clue yet' hinting at a huge star's return after 17 years. The character has family connections in Albert Square despite leaving almost two decades ago. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 EastEnders fans have spotted a "clue" suggesting a former star could return Credit: BBC 4 Gemma Bissix played Clare Bates across two stints Credit: Getty 4 Clare's adoptive dad Nigel returned to Walford last year Credit: BBC Viewers have been gripped by Nigel Bates' (Paul Bradley) health storyline since he returned to EastEnders last year. The soap icon has been suffering from young onset dementia and been struggling to cope. Fans have shared their hopes for Nigel's adoptive daughter Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix) to join him in Walford again. Taking to Reddit, a viewer shared a screenshot of Gemma's sharing kind words on Instagram about former co-star Steve McFadden - who plays Phil Mitchell. This user penned: "Probably a stretch but I'm hoping that Gemma Bissix (Claire Bates) talking about Steve McFadden a few weeks back means she'd be open come and give Nigel a little visit! "She obviously still watches the show, so she'll know Paul Bradley is back." Gemma originally played Clare Bates in the BBC soap from 1993 until leaving alongside Nigel in 1998. The character returned as an adult in 2008 - reconnecting with Dot Cotton (June Brown) and having a brief romance with Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements). This fell apart when Bradley discovered Clare's plans to take his money and demanded she leave Walford. Nigel himself returned to Walford in 2024 - while the likes of Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and David Wicks (Michael French) all returned for guest appearances around the same time. EastEnders airs shock return for character after 27 years - but with a twist The Sun previously revealed Gemma was reprising her role as another Clare - Hollyoaks villain Clare Devine. A source said: 'Gemma's much anticipated return to Hollyoaks has been kept top secret and her character is set to stir up plenty of on-screen drama as the soap kicks into gear around it's 30th birthday. 'She is delighted to be asked back, especially as she's rising from the dead. The scenes will be explosive.' It means fans are left divided as to whether the actress would return to EastEnders. One viewer commented: "She's just signed on for Hollyoaks so probably not likely. "I can't believe no one has tried to find contact methods for Julie yet and told her." EastEnders' 40th anniversary cameos so far With the 40th anniversary of EastEnders coming up, fans are looking forward to some more incredible cameos from iconic faces of Walford's past. But who have we had so far? Tracy-Ann Oberman - Oberman returned as Chrissie Watts, a character she last played nearly two decades ago. Paul Bradley - Bradley returned as Nigel Bates, a character he last played over 25 years ago. Micheal French - French returned as David Wicks, a character he last played two decades ago. Patsy Palmer - Palmer returned as Bianca Jackson, a character she last played in 2019. Ricky Groves - Groves returned as Garry Hobbs, a character who has not been seen since 2009. Cliff Parisi - Parisi returned as Minty Peterson, a character who was last seen on the square in 2010. Ross Kemp - Kemp has returned to play Grant Mitchell, a character he first played in 1990. The BBC has described Kemp's storyline as "explosive". Kemp said it was an "absolute honour" to return to the show. Other aspects of the EastEnders 40th anniversary celebration include: A wedding between fan favorites, A huge explosion at the Queen Vic, and A live interactive episode. While another suggested: "Whilst Gemma is returning to Hollyoaks, there could be a slim possibility she has already filmed something and its being kept under wraps like other surprise appearances have been." They added: "We can only live in hope." Gemma's Hollyoaks character Clare wreaked havoc in the iconic Cheshire village. However, she was once thought to have been killed by Dr. Browning back in 2013.
