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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We live in the cheapest seaside town in the UK - it's in the middle of nowhere and it rains all the time - but we love it
It's a town so adored by locals that Paul McCartney dedicated his hit song to it in 1977. Located along the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland - 140 miles from Glasgow -Campbeltown sits on the coast and largely inspired The Beatles star's famous folk number 'Mull of Kintyre', which topped the UK charts for nine weeks straight. McCartney owned High Park Farm just outside the town and, like many of the 4,500 residents still living there today, loved the area for its idyllic setting and quieter way of life. Campbeltown made new headlines this week when it was named the cheapest coastal region to buy a property in the whole of the UK - much to the surprise of its adoring residents. The average home in the area is just £103,078, research by Lloyds Bank found, compared to the £965,708 you'd have to fork out to buy in Sandbanks, Dorset, the most expensive seaside town. Audrey Jopson, who moved to Campbeltown seven years ago to experience its small town charm, told MailOnline: 'It's lovely. It's peaceful, quiet, and everybody's friendly.' One shop owner, who was born in the town, said: 'It's just a different way of life. It's so relaxed, so beautiful; the beaches, walks, fresh air, the whole atmosphere of Campbeltown is lovely. 'It's a beautiful place to live. I don't understand [why it's cheap] because the properties are beautiful, absolutely stunning.' The shop owner travels between Edinburgh and Campbeltown and rents his seaside home of 30 years as an AirBnb - a phenomenon becoming ever more common within seaside towns across the UK as holidaymakers flock to the coast to escape city life. Emilia McMillan, proprietor at estate agent Kintyre Property Co., said the growing number of holiday lets in Campbeltown are making it harder for locals to rent. 'The properties are great, especially for those who are looking to invest, Buy To Let, it's very good return,' she said. 'Holiday lets are very good return, because quite a lot is happening although it's a small town, in the summer especially. 'Flats are ranging from £30,000, even less, to £60-70,000; it depends on the area, the condition and the size of it.' Ms McMillan added: 'The actual houses are very popular; unfortunately there is a shortage of those, for renters, because there are quite a lot of people buying to put them through AirBnb, so that's creating a shortage of housing. '[So it's difficult] maybe not to buy but to rent.' Containing two primary schools, one high school, a police station, Post Office, health centre, leisure centre, churches, several pubs, cafes and a vets, the town arguably has everything one would need to happily live there forever. Additionally, the area even boasts the tiny Campbeltown Airport, which offers twice-a-day, 17-seat flights to Glasgow taking just 45 minutes - by far the quickest way to travel to the nearest major city. But for the younger members of the town, settling there for the rest of their lives seems unlikely given the limited career and social opportunities. Millie West, 19, who runs second hand shop Campbeltown Supplies with her family, adores Campbeltown but has dreams to one day go off to college. 'I've lived here for nearly 18 years. I really like that it's a lot quieter, because in the bigger areas there's a lot more violence and everything. Here, you kind of know everybody, at least by face, so you know what's happening. 'Also, everyone kind of flocks together. Here we did all this on our own. Everyone helping out, everyone chipping in, everyone helping each other, it's a really good community for that. 'Obviously with it being so small, you can walk about a lot so it's not always that you need a car to get here, a car to get there.' Ms West said the nightlife is 'decent' for youngsters, with a few pubs and a DJ night on Saturdays. 'There are a couple of pubs that people tend to flock to, like The Feather and The Commercial,' she said. 'Because you can get the DJs in there on a Saturday night in The Feathers, and there's a pool table and everything in The Comms.' Information signs at Linda's memorial garden in Campbeltown, which explain what she did for the town and its surrounding areas On whether she wants to stay in Campbeltown forever, Ms West said: 'Probably not, but while I'm young I'm enjoying my time here. 'Eventually, hopefully, I'll go off to college or something because I've not done that yet. 'But it's something in the pages for me - I'm not quite there yet - but hopefully, eventually, I'll get there, and I'll be able to do my own things, and get a job that I'm wanting to do. Obviously I'm wanting to do this [run the shop]; it was my idea.' Ms West said it is possible youngsters will be able to buy houses one day, but it's made harder by the limited job opportunities in the area. 'It kind of depends what kind of job you're wanting to do [...] because there's not an awful lot of jobs around here,' she said. The teenager said it rains a lot but 'you get used to it' quickly. Like Ms West, 22-year-old Demi has lived in Campbeltown her whole life and works in the town's sweet shop. 'I think because you're used to it, if you were to come back, you'd probably see there're a lot more things to do in Glasgow, or wherever else, but it's good. Everybody knows everybody as well.' On whether she will leave Campbeltown, Demi said: 'I don't think so. I did think about it for uni when I wanted to go. I stayed. I was going to but I decided not to. 'I don't think I would cope with the business of a different setting. 'There're two primary schools in the town, and there's one high school. There are not too many people you wouldn't know.' Considering whether she will buy a house in the town one day, Demi said: 'Eventually yeah. I'm still living at home right now just saving, but hopefully a wee flat or something.' Despite its small size, Campbeltown was dubbed the 'Whisky Capital of the World' during the 19th Century due to its role as a major whisky production centre. At its peak, the town boasted more than 30 active distilleries, with three still operating there today. But perhaps what the town is most famous for is its links to The Beatles star McCartney, who bought High Park Farm just outside Campbeltown in 1966, marking his first home with his then wife, Linda. Before Linda's tragic death from breast cancer in 1998, the couple were married for three decades and had three children together, sharing a love for Campbeltown and its surrounding areas. Seven years after his public split from The Beatles, McCartney released 'Mull of Kintyre' in 1977 with his new rock band, Wings. The song details McCartney's 'desire is always to be here, Oh, Mull of Kintyre' and expresses his love for the area's 'dark distant mountains with valleys of green'. The hit's music video features McCartney, Linda and co-founder of Wings Denny Laine, strolling through the peninsula's hills. The clip also famously features The Campbeltown Pipe Band, made up of seven pipers and seven drummers, most of whom remain in Kintyre today. McCartney and his first wife were so devoted to the area that a memorial garden for Linda stands in Campbeltown's centre today, featuring a statue of Linda holding a lamb. Eunice Crook, a trustee at Campbeltown Heritage Centre, is an expert on the town's history - having been born there - and recently moved back after years away ever since attending university. Mrs Crook said she was not surprised to see Campbeltown offered the greatest value for money on properties and described it as a 'great place to live'. 'My husband and I were living in Glasgow [...], we spent a lot of time overseas, and then after Covid we decided that we needed to get out of Glasgow. 'We were looking around and Campbeltown was one of the places on our list, and it turned out that the right house came up here and we absolutely love it; we haven't regretted at all coming back.' Mrs Crook added: 'It's a nice community, it's a nice place to live. Although it's 140 miles from Glasgow, because it's the largest town for miles around, you've got the health centre, the leisure centre, we've got good connections. We've got everything you need. 'Given our age we wanted to be able to walk to a shop basically. We bought the house. Because I'm essentially local, and my sisters still lived here, I knew you could get good value for money in Campbeltown. And there are a lot of very nice properties.' Kenny McMillan, a 70-year-old mechanic who has lived in Campbeltown his whole life, said the cheap property prices are a reflection of the low wages offered to workers in the area. 'We've lost a lot of people as they go to university, colleges, and their jobs are not here to come back to,' he said. '[Property prices] are reflected in the wages. It's an attraction for people to come here and retire.' He added: 'I like the remoteness because I go to Glasgow a lot. We don't have the same problems you have in the cities.' Meanwhile, others were not born in Campbeltown and flocked to the area more recently for its offer of a quieter life. Ali Nash, 32, who runs a barber shop in the town centre, made the move from Liverpool to Campbeltown last year, and said he has bought his own house. 'It's a quiet town so a safe town,' he said. 'Liverpool is a busy town; it's better for the young but here is a quieter town, for safety.' Recent research by Lloyds found that Rothesay, on Bute, was the second least expensive seaside town in Scotland to buy a property, with an average of £111,764, followed by Millport, in Cumbrae, where the average cost was £114,008 and the Bute village of Port Bannatyne close behind with £115,421.
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
This week in 1967: The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Although their previous studio album, Revolver, is now the more acclaimed, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is arguably The Beatles' most famous work and the one that had the most influence on the music and society of its time. It had no track breaks, a message in the run-off groove and was developed loosely from Paul McCartney's concept of an album by a fictitious band. The lyrics were printed on a lavish gatefold sleeve, with its famous front cover by Peter Blake, reflecting the tenor of the time and opening doors of both perception and excess. Having retired from touring, the band was free to use the recording studio to the ultimate, with no time or financial restrictions and limited only by their own creativity. From the suite-like 'A Day In The Life', with that long thunderous chord coaxed from a bewildered orchestra, to the alleged-and-denied drug references in 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', the beautiful 'She's Leaving Home', the sentimentality of 'When I'm Sixty Four' and George Harrison's mystical wig-out 'Within You Without You', it sparked argument and amazement in equal measure. Originally, the album was to include 'Penny Lane' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever', but that didn't stop it from becoming a benchmark; the term 'their Sgt Pepper' later applied across the board to any band's supreme lifetime achievement.
The Verge
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill' the AI industry
As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would 'basically kill' the AI industry. Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn't feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first. 'I think the creative community wants to go a step further,' Clegg said according to The Times. 'Quite a lot of voices say, 'You can only train on my content, [if you] first ask'. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.' 'I just don't know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don't see how that would work,' Clegg said. 'And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.' The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May. The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the 'Britain's economy needs both [AI and creative] sectors to succeed and to prosper.' Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to 'steal' work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Five Liverpool sisters feature in exhibition celebrating Cunard glamour
Five sisters from Liverpool are featured alongside Hollywood icons in a nostalgic photographic exhibition charting Cunard's 185 years since its first transatlantic crossing from the of Glamour curated by photographer Mary McCartney, daughter of the Beatles' Paul McCartney, opens on Tuesday at the Royal Liver features 185 images sent illustrating Cunard's timeline and bond with Liverpool as well as guests who have graced the luxury cruise Julie Madden, Christine Rushton, Carol Kenny, Maria Hewitt and Irene Ashworth said their image taken in 2018 onboard the Queen Victoria captures their love for "adventure and dressing up". A Cunard spokesman said the exhibition combines "glamorous" photographs selected from more than 1,000 submitted by include images never been seen before from the Cunard archive as well as rare shots of Hollywood icons, musicians and politicians at sea to celebrate 185 years of ocean image of Jacqueline Butcher's second voyage with her husband Tony on flagship Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) in the Caribbean in 1980 is also part of the Butcher, from Liverpool, said she had longed to sail on the QE2 since her teenage years and the photograph "captures a moment of glamour and excitement as we experienced our first long-haul flight to join the ship". "The memories from those early voyages remain cherished, from the opulent midnight buffets to the elegant dress codes that are still upheld on Cunard today," she 185th image will be of the five "Liverpool icons" chosen to represent the city at the Queen Anne naming ceremony in June: Spice Girl and author Melanie Chisholm, broadcaster Ngunan Adamu, restaurant entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, artistic director Jayne Casey and Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson. McCartney said curating the exhibition has been a "brilliant project" to work on. She said: "To delve into 185 years of photographic history, I had the privilege of exploring not only Cunard's iconic legacy but also the real, heartfelt moments shared by its guests on board."As I went through the archives and read the stories submitted by passengers from all corners of the world, I was struck by the strong sense of community and connection that Cunard has fostered over the years. "I loved seeing the personal submissions - moments of joy, connection, and family milestones."She said it reminded her that "glamour isn't only found in images of royalty or Hollywood stars, but in the shared experiences of all Cunard passengers".The exhibition opens as the Cunard's Queen Anne ship returns to Liverpool on Monday for HRH The Princess Royal to officially start the 185th anniversary celebrations on Tuesday. Sea of Glamour runs from 10:00 BST to 16:00 until 17 June at the Royal Liver Building Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Toronto Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
SEX FILES: Sun's out, buns out: Why is everyone fantasizing about outdoor sex?
A dating app survey revealed that public sex is the most common fantasy. Photo by stock photo / Getty Images In 1968, the Beatles famously asked, 'Why don't we do it in the road?' Paul McCartney wrote the song after observing two monkeys shamelessly getting it on in the middle of a road in India. More than 50 years later, it seems the urge to get freaky in public hasn't cooled off – in fact, it's heating up. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account According to a new survey by Flure, the first 'explorationship' app, public sex remains the most common fantasy, with 50% of adults admitting they crave the risky thrill of getting it on without getting caught. This summer, as temperatures rise, so do the search trends: Flure reports that Google searches for 'is public sex legal' have surged by 249%, as people look to turn up the heat and potentially take their sex life into the great outdoors. However, consider a few things before you take your pants off (unlike the Beatles fantasy, someone could be watching). First, the sexual spike in springtime has biological roots. 'Because of increased vitamin D production from the sunshine and increased physical activity from the higher temperatures, people will produce more of the endorphin serotonin, which can put someone in the mood for many fun activities including sex,' says Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Fleshy and author of Eve's Blessing: Uncovering the Lost Pleasure Behind Female Pain . Longer days can also make you feel more energized and in the mood for sex. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When it comes to the fantasy of public sex, Weiss says the fear of getting caught triggers adrenaline. 'The whole body experiences an excitation response, and blood flow increases, including to the genitals,' she says. Carol Queen , Good Vibes staff sexologist and author of the book Exhibitionism for the Shy , agrees. 'Winter is not kind to exhibitionists!' she jokes. We're going out more and wearing fewer clothes; the desire to be seen – or almost seen – ramps up. As Queen shares, 'For some, flouting taboos is extremely exciting, and this IS taboo for so many,' explains Queen. Still, there are ethical and legal concerns. 'It is generally illegal in the U.S. and Canada to expose your genitals in public, though specific penalties vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction,' says Weiss. Instead, Weiss says, 'If it turns you on to be watched having sex, I would recommend attending a sex club, swingers' party, clothing-optional resort, or other private setting where sex in front of others is permitted.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Queen echoes that sentiment. 'You can't get consent from a whole parkful of people enjoying a sunny day. Was it Queen Victoria who quipped about doing it in the street and frightening the horses? Don't frighten the horses — it's unethical and keeps public play illegal!' It's also worth noting that just because nudity is allowed, for example, at a nude beach, doesn't mean public sex acts are. 'If you haven't chosen an acceptable place for this, a citation could result —sometimes even a sex offender registry. It's worth doing some homework!' says Queen. Fortunately, there are creative ways to explore exhibitionism without breaking any laws. Anna Richards, founder and producer of , suggests semi-private scenarios, like a parked car or playing with a remote-controlled vibrator. She adds, 'You can have sex by a window in your own home, as you're unlikely to get reported to the police just for this, especially if you live in a high-up place where there won't be many onlookers.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. No floor-to-ceiling windows? No problem. 'You can rent an Airbnb that has a private deck with an outdoor jacuzzi and enjoy some sexy times there, with the wind blowing on both your bodies and the possibility of the neighbours hearing what a good time you are having,' suggests Richards. Recording videos of yourself to share with your partner can also be a fun way to scratch the exhibitionism itch. Richards says, 'One fun thing to do is to create an OnlyFans just for your partner, though it's possible others could find it and subscribe. That may also be part of the thrill for you.' Lastly, don't discount role-play. Queen says acting out a scenario with your partner in private is a great way to test the waters ('Don't look now, but I think those people over there can see us!') Ultimately, no one wants to get caught with their pants down – literally or figuratively. Engaging in sexy role play allows you to get on the same page and decide what you want from the experience before going public.
