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Times
2 days ago
- Times
The UK's ten worst places for a city break (and why I still love them)
Last year I discovered a life-enhancing travel hack — city breaks in unsung places. After a string of unsatisfying weekends in the likes of Edinburgh and Rome, I decided to give such hotspots a breather and seek out unfancied locations instead. After compiling a league table that ranked cities by popularity, based on stats supplied by tourism boards, I turned the thing upside down and proceeded from there, starting with Sunderland. Over the next year I visited some of the least fashionable cities in the UK — and loved every one of them. The outcome of my unconventional adventure is a book called Shitty Breaks, which is a celebration of the underdog, a love-letter to the wrong direction, and a small and imperfect answer to overtourism. Here are my top ten unsung cities in the UK. This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue When I first got a look at Sunderland, a former shipbuilding heavyweight in the northeast of England, I thought I was in California: a couple of Mackems were rollerblading on a sunlit prom while holding hands and drinking directly from a coconut. Over the next two days, I hiked to a folly, skied down a slag heap, jumped into the North Sea and watched a glass-blowing demo. I learnt that the artist LS Lowry was a big fan of the city, and that the Venerable Bede — a medieval boffin considered to be the father of English history — used to rent a bedsit by the river. Pop Recs is the spot for gigs and cappuccinos, Si King's Propa is doing game-changing pies ( while Mexico 70 is ideal for experimental tacos ( Where does the city fall short? I certainly wouldn't introduce all of its buildings to my parents, but other than that it's grand. The Seaburn Inn is a modern seaside hotel that won't let you down. Details B&B doubles from £80 ( The historic capital of Essex gave birth to the radio (via Marconi) and tried more witches than anywhere else in the country (nothing wrong with a strong judicial instinct). I went ice-skating, went kayaking and went green after trying the jellied eels at a place called Robins. A walk along the river delivered me to the best pub in Essex — the Galvin Green Man ( — while a visit to the New Hall Wine Estate allowed me to stick my nose in some chablis ( Hot Box is a fantastic music venue ( and the local museum punches well above its weight. I stayed at the County Hotel, which is blessed with a mural of local legend Grayson Perry on its south elevation. Details Room-only doubles from £104 ( The northwest underdog gave the world Wallace & Gromit, helped kick-start the industrial revolution and hosted the last major battle on English soil. I had the best lunch of my life at a place called Aven ( saw Freddie Flintoff at the bingo, spotted Harry Styles in a café called Brucciani's and even went curling. I enjoyed learning — halfway through a knees-up that began at Plug and Taps, continued to the Conti and wound up at the Ferret — that Preston is the spiritual home of the teetotal movement, and I also enjoyed learning about a local suffragette called Edith Rigby who, back in 1913, burnt down the cottage of a soap magnate from Bolton before escaping to Ireland by bicycle. The best thing in Preston is the bus station. It is massive and otherworldly and looks about to take off, which I suppose is appropriate for a transport hub. Winckley Stays is above the Aven and just up the road from a gorgeous Victorian park that must be one of the finest in the country. Details Room-only doubles from £67 ( Wolverhampton is a Black Country diamond that's the equal of Birmingham. The gallery is a must (not least for its pop art), while the National Trust's Wightwick Manor is a shrine to William Morris wallpaper ( I enjoyed learning that the old constituency office of Enoch Powell, infamous for warning of the horrors that would be delivered by a multicultural Britain, is now a social hub underpinned by the local Afro-Caribbean community. Wolverhampton luminaries include the singer Beverley Knight and two excellent writers in this paper's employ — Caitlin Moran and Sathnam Sanghera. There's a diverting array of architecture — from striking art deco to twee medieval — and local photographer Tom Hicks is in the habit of making Wolvo look gorgeous on Instagram ( I experienced an unfortunate moment at the racecourse, I'm sad to report, where I backed a horse called Probable that duly came last. I stayed at the Mount, which is attached to a golf course and was built by a local lad who did well out of varnish. Details Room-only doubles from £97 ( I spent most of my time in the venerable city of Wrexham looking for a Canadian called Ryan. When I wasn't doing that, I regret to say that I rather wasted my time: I went to a science discovery centre ( visited a gallery called Ty Pawb, and even tramped out to a Unesco-approved aqueduct. My weekend peaked at the Golden Lion, where I learnt that Wrexham was the birthplace of British lager ( and did a duet on the mic with someone called Racquel. Decent grub can be had at Lisbon tapas bar and the Fat Boar pub, while the barista at Bank Street Social deserves a gong for services to coffee ( The Lemon Tree is an excellent small hotel doing top-notch B&B doubles from £70 ( Newry is a small city in the southeast of Northern Ireland, between Belfast and Dublin. It's known for its shopping, being in the thick of The Troubles and ex-goalkeeper Pat Jennings. It's not known for the quality of its museum, the friendliness of its people or the beauty of its countryside — but it should be. Its town hall straddles a river and is a sight for sore eyes; and it has a number of excellent cafés: Nine Squared, Measured Brew Bar, Finegan & Son. The Bridge Bar will see you through to midnight ( Canal Court Hotel is a four-star in the centre of town ( but Balance Treehouse — a five-star retreat that offers a star-gazing hammock and a hot tub — is the place to bed down if you have enough pennies. Details One night's self-catering for two from £592 ( The 1960s new town of Milton Keynes was constructed an equal distance from London, Oxford, Birmingham and Cambridge — presumably so it didn't get in the way. The cakes at Canal Street Coffee are worth dipping into ( one Wetherspoons has no name and there's a dinosaur in the library. I went skydiving, saw Tom Allen at the theatre and strolled out to Bletchley Park, the home of Second World War codebreaking ( The Craufurd Arms is convivial ( while the local street-food scene is something to reckon with, not least Good Times Café, which dishes out superlative cheese toasties ( You could stay at the Travelodge for £30, but La Tour is a fancy alternative that has views of nearby Leighton B&B doubles from £80 ( Bradford is this year's City of Culture, and rightly so ( It is one of my favourite cities in Europe. There's just something about the place that gets under my skin. I walked an alpaca on Baildon Moors ( saw the telly scientist Brian Cox at St George's Hall and copped a lot of local painter David Hockney — first at Salt's Mill in nearby Saltaire ( and then at Cartwright Hall (which will host this year's Turner Prize). Boar & Fable is the place for decent craft beer ( while My Lahore is a British-Asian kitchen that does a banging spicy spag bol ( There's also the Science and Media Museum and plenty of excellent countryside on the city's doorstep. The Great Victoria is an old railway hotel which, unsurprisingly, can be found right by the station. Details B&B doubles from £71 ( When I told Alexis Conran on Times Radio that I'd rather have a weekend in Newport than a weekend in New York, he almost terminated the broadcast to check that I was all right. The Transporter Bridge and Le Pub ( are two reasons to visit the southern Welsh city, while the history and the people are two reasons to stay. I went to the rugby, enjoyed a session of track cycling at the Geraint Thomas Velodrome, learnt all about the Chartist uprising of 1839 (when a bunch of workers chucked their tools out of the pram and duly got deported to Australia), played on a Ryder Cup golf course, and discovered a wonderful Italian, Vittorio's, at the top of Stow Hill ( I also encountered a peculiar monument to the local poet WH Davies, enjoyed some 'rogue' Welsh cakes at the revived indoor market ( and met a statistician in the sauna at the Celtic Manor Resort, where you'll find both comfortable rooms and the golf course. Details Room-only doubles from £115 ( By my reckoning, the ancient Scottish city of Dunfermline has more history per square metre than Edinburgh. Robert the Bruce, Andrew Carnegie, St Margaret: the city is teeming with local talent that made an impression on the world stage. The city is also teeming with quirky diversions within walking distance. I went water-skiing at Town Loch, hovercrafting at Craigluscar Farm ( and saw the local football team come from behind to beat mighty Inverness. Caught a gig at the Monarch Bar, ate handsomely at Jack 'O' Bryans, discovered the work of Sandy Moffat at Fire Station Creative ( and fell for a café called Wynd. I loved the peacocks that bowl around town, strutting between buildings hewn from a handsome grey sandstone, and I will never forget the spicy haggis supper I had from a chip shop called Sauro's. 'Dunfy' is a special place, end of discussion. Garvock House is a good-looking boutique hotel with friendly staff and a formidable breakfast. Details B&B doubles from £155 ( Shitty Breaks by Ben Aitken (Icon £18.99). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hairy Biker Dave Myers' widow Liliana reveals how she has 'found her voice' after feeling lost following the death of her late husband - and is even learning to ride a motorcycle on her own
Dave Myers ' widow Liliana has revealed she has 'found her voice' after working on herself following the death of her husband last year. The Hairy Biker, who is best known as part of a cooking double act with Si King, passed away following a two year battle with cancer in February 2024. Liliana, who moved to the UK in 2007 to be with Dave, has spoken openly about her journey with grief after suffering the loss of her husband. In a new post, Lilian spoke about how she has found who she was without her late spouse, which she has spoken about her in new memoir, Dave & Me. The therapist has admitted she felt 'alien' when she moved to the country and leaned on Dave for support, 'loving and caring for him and his career'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. However, during a 'transformative perform' she has now had to learn how to cope without Dave and has found herself feeling 'stronger' However, during a 'transformative perform' she has now had to learn how to cope without Dave and has found herself feeling 'stronger'. In a new social media post, Lilian shared picture of herself holding a hard copy of her new book, and wrote: 'I moved homes, countries, changed languages and learned to live a completely different life… all for a man. 'I found myself feeling alien at times, inadequate, not good enough and never had a voice…I wrapped myself around him, loving and caring for him and his career. Then, my man died. 'All of the sudden everything I knew to be comfortable and familiar around collapsed. 'Same time with grieving for my loss, I had to find who I was. And I had to learn to dig deep and recall my strengths, my values, my voice… 'In this painful and transformative process, my voice appeared, at first shy and insecure. Then stronger. 'I wrote a book! Today I received my first hard copy and I'm proud of myself! It's a book about love, loss and resilience. My book! Yes I f***ing can!!!' Part of Lilian's journey has been learning to ride a motorcycle, something she didn't have to do before because Dave would always drive the bike. Recently sharing a picture of herself on a motorbike with a learner plate, Liliana revealed how she had taken steps to get on the roads on her motorbike Recently sharing a picture of herself on a motorbike with a learner plate, Liliana revealed how she had taken steps to get on the roads on her motorbike. She revealed she was taking her theory test, and said: 'Tomorrow is scary as I've got the motorbike theory test. Today I took on the road to see if I can do it. 'Well, it certainly doesn't come natural to me, I've got to work at it. Glad to report I'm still alive and safe. Can't wait to get my full licence, hopefully before Dave Day!' Before he died, she said that Dave had encouraged her to learn to drive a bike on her own among other things he had always done for her. Reflecting on his words, she said: 'When he said: Lil, you should learn how to ride a bike. I said: my love, I have you to do that. We enjoy sharing a bike together too much… 'When he said : you should follow recipes and cook nice food. I said: but my darling, you're cooking for me wonderful food… kitchen is your territory… 'When he said to me: Lil, you should get out there more, explore more on your own… I said: Dave, my life is wrapped around you, I love the experiences we have together and who I am with you… I don't need more. 'How right was he and how wrong was I…. Because when I lost him, I had to learn to do all of those things without him! And it hurts now that I did say no then… 'I'm telling you all these things because this has been a valuable lesson to me, and hopefully you feel inspired to: do, experience, live, love and enjoy everything for yourself, be daring and bold, don't hide behind someone else's dreams. 'Have your own dreams and fulfil them for yourself!' Lili first met the TV personality in 2005, while he was working on location in her native Romania. They became pen pals before establishing a romance, with Myers eventually becoming stepfather to her two children from a former relationship. The final motorbike he rode on The Hairy Bikers was recently sold for a huge five-figure sum, with the proceeds going to two charities. Lili Myers told how she wanted his final motorbike - which featured in the BBC's Hairy Bikers Go West - to go to a good home. The BSA Goldstar went under the hammer at the National Motorcycle Museum near Solihull and sold for a massive £15,800, with the proceedings going to two charities. Of the sale, Lilian told the BBC: 'That bike still has his DNA on it... I really really hope that the person who gets it, loves it.' 'I am really, really happy to see this bike being loved, and I'm sure the person who got it will love it as much as Dave did,' she added. The motorbike was sold to Si Harrison, who was friends with Dave, and the funds will be donated to NSPCC Childline and CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria. Harrison said buying the vehicle meant 'so much' to him and shared his plans to ride it on Dave Day, which sees the biking community gather to remember Myers. 'I couldn't think of a bike that I'd rather be on, and the idea of riding in Dave Day meant so much to me,' he said.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Bar and restaurant chain loved by celebrities closes THREE sites for good as owner admits ‘it's bitter pill to swallow'
A BAR and restaurant chain beloved by celebrities has closed three of its sites for good. Horticulture shut its city-centre location in Newcastle as well as its coastal venue in nearby Whitley Bay more than two weeks ago as the chain's owner has admitted the company was facing crippling costs. 2 Sister cocktail bar El Guapo, located next to Horticulture in Newcastle, had also had its doors locked due to the "challenging circumstances", the chain's owner confirmed. It had previously been said the venues were closed as the ownership "decided upon the next steps for the future." But now, in an emotional statement, it has been confirmed the sites have closed for good. They said: 'It's with deep regret and teary eyes we have to confirm the rumours are true, we have closed our doors on Market Lane. "A passion project we took on almost six years ago in an empty shell of a venue down the back alley called Market Lane. "An independent cafe bar restaurant to call home. "Pioneering brunch before it became commonly known nationally as 'bottomless', curating premium cocktails, the world's largest espresso martini menu, and also championing sustainable award winning small plates." The owners recalled how the restaurant had to power through difficulties with the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit just five months after it opened. This led to the furloughing of all staff before a "great return" in 2021 with "tons of local support". The restaurant also earned a nomination at the Top 50 Restaurant Awards that year before encountering "a number of challenging circumstances beyond our control". Beloved steakhouse chain to shut ALL its restaurants after collapsing into administration with no explanation As a result, they "sadly" had to take the "drastic and painful steps" to shut all three venues. They continued: 'To say we're devastated is an understatement, almost six years on Market Lane, over two years in Pepo/El Guapo and a further two years renovating the coast, it's a bitter pill frustratingly we must swallow. 'Thanks to all our amazing team over the years, our great stakeholders and all the industry folk who have helped guide us along the way and most importantly our lovely customers. "Thank-you from the bottom of our heart for all your support, love and business over the years. "We couldn't have done it without you. Team Horti x" El Guapo claimed to be home of the "world's largest margarita menu", while the other Horticulture locations boasted huge cocktail lists as well as the most-extensive espresso martini menu globally. The Newcastle branch, famed for its stylish decor and outdoor terrace, had become a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike. It also attracted celebrity chefs including Si King of The Hairy Bikers. During the night the venue would fill up with revellers to enjoy its cocktails and DJ tunes, played out across the bar area and suntrap outdoor terrace. Fans have expressed their sadness at the news, with many commenting under the restaurant and bar chain's announcement. One heart-broken customer wrote: "So sorry to hear this. "We will really miss your innovation and fabulous food xx." Another added: "You did such a fantastic job there, it's truly sad to see you go. "You started something original. Wishing you all the best cxx." In a moving tribute, a third recalled their "unreal memories" at the Horticulture outlet in Newcastle. They wrote: "Genuinely devastated. So many unreal memories here .. mine and Rys first date .. his 30th surprise party .. NYE 2023 .. my fave bar in town! "Hope youse are all okay and I'm sure your next venture will even top this one xxx." This comes as major restaurant chain Browns announced it would close its first ever branch located in the heart of a seaside resort. The bar and brasserie on Duke Street in Brighton will shut its doors soon, although no closure date has yet been confirmed. The restaurant, nestled in the heart of The Lanes, was the first of Browns' fleet to open over 50 years ago. 2
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Garraway and Si King share grief 'triggers' after deaths of loved ones
Watch: Kate Garraway and Si King share experiences of grief Kate Garraway and Si King have shared their experiences of grief a year on from the deaths of Derek Draper and Dave Myers as they spoke about emotional "triggers". The Good Morning Britain host welcomed King to the ITV show on Friday where he spoke about publishing one final cookbook of recipes created with his late best friend and Hairy Bikers co-star, Myers. Garraway spoke to him about her own experiences of grief and what triggered it after losing her husband Draper in January last year. Myers died in February 2024 and King spoke about the Dave Day ride out where he and thousands of motorcyclists commemorated his friend's life. Garraway and King have been going through a similar timeline of grief after Draper's death in January 2024 and Myers in February 2024. Speaking to TV cook King on Friday's Good Morning Britain, Garraway said: "Grief isn't linear, is it, we talk a lot about the stages of grief and you go backwards and forwards. "I find often one of the triggers, because Dave sadly passed away not long after my husband - you and I have talked about this together — but one of the triggers is actually smells and sights and sounds. Do you find yourself when you're making a recipe that you devised together just having a little moment of thought of him?" Read more: What are the grief stages? Hairy Bikers' Si King talks struggle since Dave Myers' death (Yahoo Lifestyle, 6 min read) Si King says creating new Hairy Bikers book 'tough' while grieving Dave Myers (PA Media, 2 min read) Hairy Bikers star Si King confirms solo work and reveals Dave Myers' heartbreaking wish (Birmingham Live, 2 min read) King agreed that he found the same thing and said: "I've often said that just because Dave's passed doesn't necessarily mean that he stops being my best friend. So of course, any meatball recipe, he had a penchant for meatballs." Talking about putting together The Best of Hairy Bikers cookbook — the last recipe book featuring the food they cooked together — he added: "The whole process was evocative and nostalgic, it was lovely." Garraway asked: "This probably felt like a finale of a chapter of your life." He replied: "It is, Kate, it's the last of the Hairy Bikers publishing run because Dave's no longer with us. I was just saying yesterday it's interesting putting the book together because food is comfort and grief is a very interesting emotion in the sense that it's as individual as the person that feels it. "It was a tough book to put together I have to say, because the team and I have been working together for 20 years. We all had a few tears and we all had huge laughs about what Dave would think of this and it was lovely, a lovely process, very cathartic." King had spoken to The One Show on Thursday about how difficult it was to choose which of their many favourite recipes would make the cut. King paid an emotional tribute to his best friend Myers last June in "Dave Day", which saw thousands of motorcyclists join him on a ride out from London to Myers' hometown of Barrow-in-Furness. Talking about what it had meant to him, he said: "It was absolutely remarkable, it was a tsunami of community, of fellowship. There was 46,000 motorcycles, 176,000 people lining the route. "There isn't a superlative in my vocabulary that I can express. You know when words aren't enough, and it's just about trying to feel that emotion and say it wasn't like anything. It was the most wonderful tsunami of love, affection, care and a sense of belonging and place that was quite remarkable." King also added that the next Dave Day, which will follow the same route, is set to take place on 21 and 22 June this year. Good Morning Britain airs on ITV1 at 6am on weekdays.
