Latest news with #Southsea
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Marines Museum to be converted into luxury hotel
A plan to convert Southsea's former Royal Marines Museum into a 96-bedroom luxury hotel has been hotel will be operated by the Grand Hotel Excelsior International Limited and the Grade II listed building's exterior will be left buildings will be used for a gym, treatment rooms and a swimming pool after Portsmouth City Council approved the project on museum building is about 150 years old but the former museum at Eastney Barracks was closed in 2017 after its "irreversible deterioration". The site was sold to the hotel company in 2020 for £4.5m, when it was announced the Yomper, the statue of a Royal Marine in the Falklands War, will remain in its place.A new Royal Marines Museum is planned for the Grade II listed Boathouse 6 building at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Woman who calls herself ‘UK's poshest thief' fined for stealing Le Creuset cookware
A former criminology lecturer who calls herself the 'UK's poshest thief' has been fined for stealing more than £1,000 worth of Le Creuset cookware, steaks, wine and gin. Pauline Al Said and her husband, Mark Wheatcroft, have been fined £2,500 between them after the thefts from a garden centre and a branch of Marks & Spencer. Sentencing the couple, the judge, Keith Cutler, said shoplifters walking out of supermarkets with 'full trolley loads' was becoming more common and the public were calling for 'appropriate' sentences. He imposed the financial penalty after concluding Al Said would not comply with community service. The 35-year-old former senior criminology lecturer at Bath Spa University calls herself the 'UK's poshest thief' on her X account. She was found guilty of two counts of theft and Wheatcroft was convicted of one count of theft and one assault. Representing themselves, the couple, from Southsea in Hampshire, told Portsmouth crown court their actions were on the 'lower end'. A jury heard that the first theft took place at Old Barn garden centre in Horsham, West Sussex. Laura Duff, prosecuting, said John Dunkling, a security officer, saw Al Said walking toward the shop's exit with two bags without paying. On her way out, Al Said was stopped by another member of staff. One of her bags contained spirits including gin and spiced rum. The second bag contained more alcohol, Le Creuset cookware and a Le Creuset condiment set. The couple were asked to go back into the store and Wheatcroft threatened to punch Dunkling, the court heard. He then 'made contact' with the Dunkling's back. Al Said used a security tag remover to snip off and discard tags around the store, the court heard. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The second incident took place at Marks & Spencer store in Winchester when an undercover security professional spotted Al Said loading meat into a trolley. She had more than 30 steaks and nine bottles of wine. Al Said was fined £750 for each theft offence and Wheatcroft was ordered to pay £750 for the charge of shoplifting and £250 for the assault.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why the Isle of Wight needs a hovercraft emoji right now!
In this whirlwind of digital communication we navigate, the emoji has become a potent tool. A well-placed smiley face can soften a terse message, a thumbs-up can convey swift agreement, and a string of party poppers can share joyous news without typing a word. From hieroglyphs to pixels, we've always sought succinct expression. Yet, for us Islanders, there's a glaring omission in this colourful lexicon, a void frankly more noticeable with each Solent crossing. I speak of the majestic, iconic, and utterly indispensable hovercraft. Now, I'm sure the Unicode Consortium, our emoji gatekeepers, are frightfully busy. They're no doubt deliberating over the precise curvature of a new croissant emoji or the exact shade of a contemplative face. We appreciate their diligence. We have emojis for steam trains, for cruise ships, even for a rather futuristic-looking monorail. But no hovercraft. How can this be? Imagine the scene: you're gliding across the water, the Spinnaker Tower shrinking in your wake, a seafort slipping by. You want to share this moment, to send a quick message to a loved one - "Just leaving Southsea, be with you soon!" And then you reach for the emoji keyboard. A ferry? Too pedestrian. A speedboat? Not quite the same gravitas. A rocket? Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration of its speed. The current situation is frustrating. I've found myself resorting to unsatisfactory combinations - perhaps a ship, a gust of wind, and a bird's wing, hoping the recipient deciphers my Solent-specific shorthand. It's hardly ideal. Possible, but you lose something in the translation. Think of the sheer utility! A quick tap of a hovercraft emoji could signify "I'm on my way over," "Meet you at the terminal," or even, with a preceding sad face, "Oh dear, it looks like the hover might be off due to this pesky fog!" The possibilities are endless, and the boost to Island pride immeasurable. Perhaps this seems a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things. But isn't it often the small, everyday things that bring a touch of joy or, in this case, a minor but persistent niggle? We Island dwellers are a practical, innovative bunch. We built the world's first commercial passenger hovercraft service, for goodness sake! Surely, we deserve the digital equivalent to acknowledge this pioneering spirit. So, I put it to you, fellow hovercraft fans, and perhaps even to those mysterious emoji arbiters across the globe: isn't it time the hovercraft took its rightful place amongst the digital icons of our age? It's a small ask, but one that would bring a disproportionate amount of satisfaction to those of us who know and love these remarkable machines. After all, if there's room for a floppy disk emoji (a relic most of Gen Z have never encountered), there's certainly space for a vessel that continues to zip across our waters with such distinctive panache. Let the campaign commence! Now, who knows the email address for the Unicode Consortium?
BBC News
16-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Century-old anchor discovered by Southsea Coastal Scheme
A century-old anchor has recently been found by a coastal defence project.A Southsea Coastal Scheme team was working along Southsea Common in Portsmouth, Hampshire, when it found an iron Admiralty-type anchor weighing about 200kg (441lbs).It was recovered along the area which stretches from the Blue Reef Aquarium to the Hovertravel project said anchors of that type had been "frequently left behind" as they had been considered "disposable" in their day, making that "an exciting, but not entirely unexpected discovery". Also called fisherman's, the Admiralty-type anchors were often used around Portsmouth for various maritime tasks, from securing pontoons to steadying buoys. Their design uses two flukes attached to the central shank by arms perpendicular to the main axis. They have been described as difficult to handle and needing to be extremely heavy to provide adequate and heritage services company Wessex Archaeology visited the site to document the principal heritage consultant Naomi Brennan said the discovery was "a recognisable symbol and tangible evidence of Southsea's maritime heritage". "This one appears to be around 100 years old, and the modern rope found tied around it suggests it could have been in use from the mid 1900's onwards."However it could be made from parts that are much older as this type of anchor was in use since the mid-19th Century." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Historic swimming pool set to be transformed into waterpark with kitesurfing, paddleboarding & restaurant among plans
A HISTORIC swimming pool is set to be demolished - with plans in the works to replace it with a packed-out water sports facility. The location has seen over a century of British history, providing a training ground for World War II heroes. 3 3 Eastney Swimming Pool in Southsea, Portsmouth closed its doors in 2020 during the Covid pandemic and has never re-opened. Portsmouth City Council described the building, which first opened in 1904, as outdated and in a dangerous condition, citing structural issues with the walls and roof. Plans were officially approved earlier this year to demolish the historic structure. A £23.4 million project at nearby Bransbury Park will see a new leisure centre facility replace the former pool, featuring a swimming pool, gym, and GP surgery. However, the fate of the Eastney Swimming Pool site remains less certain. The demolition could potentially make way for a new water sports centre, says Portsmouth City Council. The hub would include facilities for kite-boarding, kayaking, and paddle-boarding. And of course, kayaking is deeply rooted within the site's history, as the Cockleshell Heroes are reported to have trained there. The iconic mission saw 13 Royal Marines attempt to paddle in kayaks to blow up German ships in the occupied part of Bordeaux in 1942. These men are believed to have trained for the stealthy mission in part at the former pool. The perfect Haven holiday park for a kid-friendly break - with direct beach access, indoor waterpark and neighbouring seaside theme park Only two of the marine survived the partially successful raid. Historic England declined to support listing the pool as a protected structure over its association with the mission. Portsmouth City Council has allocated £100,000 for the historic pool's demolition. The pool was also one of the first venues to host underwater hockey - octopush - matches. A new water sports venue on the site could provide a centrepiece for Portsmouth's Seafront Master Plan, most recently updated in 2021. This Heated Lido Is In The Middle Of London This outdoor pool is next to a popular London tube station... There's a heated outdoor swimming pool in central London that gets missed by most tourists. Less well-known than other lidos in London like Brockwell Lido, London Fields Lido and Tooting Bec Lido, the Oasis Sports Centre is arguably a quieter place to visit on a hot summer 's day. Located on Endell Street, the Oasis Sports Centre is just a five-minute walk from Covent Garden Tube Station. Despite being in the heart of central London, the outdoor swimming pool isn't well-known among holidaymakers. Known only to locals and lido enthusiasts, the outdoor pool stretches for 27.5m and is heated throughout the year. Because it is set inside a sports centre, there are other facilities at the central London lido too, including an indoor pool and gym that operates a range of classes. There are also three squash courts, a sauna, and a large rooftop terrace on the site. The plans for the water sports hub include facilities like changing rooms, storage, and showers. "It has been an ambition of the council to provide a facility like this for many years, so it's great news that we can start to move forward on this project," said Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth Council. "We have a real opportunity to create something that enhances this very unique environment, so we need to make sure we get this right. "This is why we are consulting early, so we can get a clear understanding of what sports should be provided for and what other facilities should be provided in any new centre." One of the country's oldest Edwardian swimming pools is set for a multi-million pound renovation. And an abandoned Victorian church that was turned into one of the UK's most beautiful swimming pools. 3
