Latest news with #UK-first
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
Scott Mills launches UK-first podcast
Scott Mills launches UK-first podcast The DJ is intervieiwing celebrities about everything from service stations to potholes Radio DJ Scott Mills has launched the UK's first podcast for van drivers. The star has partnered with Mercedes-Benz Vans to launch the Under the Bonnet podcast, a series of 30minute episodes in conversation with celebrities and guests to understand what makes Britain's van drivers tick. Scott, 52, whose dad Pete ran a removals company and drove a van, recorded the series discussed everything from his enduring love of service stations to the changing face of van drivers. The series, which has been launched to celebrate 30 years of the Sprinter, also delves into findings from the second annual Mercedes-Benz Vans Under the Bonnet report, which found conversations about potholes have overtaken football as the number one ice-breaker when talking to a stranger. The first episode of the Under the Bonnet podcast sees Scott in conversation with BBC Celebrity MasterChef judge and food critic Grace Dent, who reveals that her guilty pleasure is dining out at a motorway service station. In the second episode Scott opens up about his own mental health challenges as he talks to van driver David Curtis about the mental load of life on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Van Under the Bonnet report reveals 65% of van drivers have suffered from depression or anxiety. Scott said: 'As a child, I spent hours sitting in front of my dad's van, so recording a podcast in a Sprinter wasn't strange for me at all. Having grown up around it, I've seen first hand the invaluable role van drivers play in the UK. I'm proud to bring the Under the Bonnet podcast to the van driver community who work so hard around the clock to keep our businesses moving, our shops stocked and our deliveries made." Article continues below Iain Forsyth, Managing Director at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK said: 'Scott Mills is the voice of the UK in the mornings so who better to become the voice of our Under the Bonnet podcast as we mark 30 years of the iconic Sprinter van. Since we launched the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in 1995 the world has changed and so have our van drivers. Back then drivers only had radio for company. Our Under the Bonnet research shows its podcasts they now switch on, so it made sense to create a dedicated podcast just for our drivers that talks to them about the challenges they face day-to-day. 'We're really excited to launch the Under the Bonnet podcast to shine our full beams on the reality of van life.'
Hypebeast
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
BAO Celebrates a Decade of Creative Taiwanese Cuisine With Special Anniversary Menu
Summary BAOis set to mark its 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of Taiwanese-inspired innovation in London's culinary landscape. Founded by Shing Tat Chung,Erchen Changand Wai Ting Chung, BAO began as a humble street food venture, operating with nothing more than a cool box and a steamer. Over the years, it has grown into a renowned restaurant brand, famed for its cult-status Taiwanese steamed buns andxiao chiplates, influencing London's perception of Taiwanese cuisine. To honor this milestone, guests can enjoy BAO's classic steamed buns at their original street food stall price starting June 10 for a month. Guests can indulge in beloved fillings like braised pork belly, beef short rib and vegan daikon, all folded into BAO's pillowy-soft buns, delivering a nostalgic yet celebratory experience. Meanwhile, the restaurant is also unveiling a brand-new menu, introducing an entire section dedicated to Taiwanese fried chicken, featuring charcoal-finished fried chicken steak — a UK-first. Guests can personalize their dish with a house BBQ glaze dusted with garlic chili powder or a chili lime pour with shredded cabbage, alongside sticky Peking caramel wings and nuggets paired with Sichuan mayo, hot sauce, basil ranch, or yushiang for dipping. Beyond its savory selections, BAO is debuting the BAONUT, a decadent fusion of fluffy BAO and crispy Taiwanese donut, offering a unique twist on classic indulgence. Other exciting additions include a new calamari BAO, dry beef noodles infused with rich bone marrow, and a summer salad topped with juicy grilled chicken. The refreshing lineup of bubble teas introduces an aromatic mango and salted coconut flavor, expanding BAO's beverage offerings. Reflecting on the journey, Shing Tat Chung shared, 'We started BAO with no expectations – just three young creatives with a passion for food and design. We could not have imagined the journey that would come over the next decade.' Co-founder Erchen Chang added, 'We're grateful to every single one of our guests and team members from over the years and excited to celebrate our 10th birthday in style. Having recently been back to Taiwan, we're mixing up our menu for the first time, adding some new additions inspired by our trip. We can't wait to welcome BAO fans both old and new over the next month.' The anniversary celebrations will culminate in the Battle of the BAO, where alumni and current BAO chefs will compete for a spot on the new permanent menu. Hosted in collaboration with premium rewards card Yonder, the event promises a showcase of creativity and culinary expertise. BAO's new menu and special £3.50 GBP (approx. $5 USD) pricing will officially launch on June 10 with the celebratory offer available across all locations until July 10, 2025.
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Llangollen: Wales Comic Con guests confirmed so far
Earlier this month, it was announced that the event had found itself a new home at Llangollen Pavilion. The popular event has traditionally been held annually at Wrexham University. Formed in 2009, down the years it has proven to be one of Wrexham's most well-attended events on the calendar. But, this year, the comic con team has found themselves a new nearby location to host the event. They have announced that Llangollen Pavilion will play host to the 2025 Wales Comic Con on September 20 and 21. And some recognisable faces have already been confirmed to attend. Breaking Bad star Dean Norris was the first to be announced and he was followed by Joseph Mazzello, who has starred in the likes of Jurassic Park and Bohemian Rhapsody. TOP STORIES Also confirmed so far are; Tickets to the event are available to buy now from here. Click the image above for more local events (Image: Newsquest) Guests are advised to keep an eye on the Wales Comic Con social media channels for the latest updates. In a statement, the organisers said that they have signed a 'multi-year deal' to host the event at the pavilion. They added: "Join us for the first edition at this new venue on September 20-21 – it's going to be a weekend to remember. With more space than ever before, we'll be packing the site with our biggest line-up of displays yet, plus a UK-first unique panel experience that we can't wait to reveal."
Barnama
6 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Mavenir Collaboration with Three UK and Red Hat Doubles Glasgow 5G Speeds in UK-First Open RAN Small Cells Roll-Out
GLASGOW, Scotland, May 29 (Bernama) -- Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider, working in collaboration with operator Three UK and the world's leading provider of open source solutions, Red Hat, has successfully demonstrated the performance benefits of 5G non-standalone O-RAN compliant small cells in Glasgow City Centre – doubling 5G speeds at peak times. This milestone UK-first trial of Open RAN in a dense urban environment also marks the first live deployment of O-RAN compliant small cells working alongside legacy macro cells from traditional vendors in this environment – driving a significant reduction in traffic congestion by delivering high-quality coverage and additional capacity. During the initial phase of the trial, both 4G and 5G speeds doubled during the busiest times of the day, with Three UK's 5G speeds reaching an impressive 520Mbps across the trial area. The capacity boost also cascaded into further performance and user experience improvements in surrounding sites.
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
European energy giant to build hydrogen facility in Scotland
Statkraft, Europe's largest generator of renewable energy, has proposed the development of a green hydrogen facility at Hunterston, the former coal terminal in Ayrshire. Clydeport – part of Peel Ports Group, the UK's second largest port operator – has exchanged an option agreement with Statkraft to explore the potential development at its Hunterston PARC (Port and Resource Campus) site. The proposed facility would be used for the production, storage and export of hydrogen. Linked to the existing jetty at the site via pipeline, it will allow hydrogen to be exported from the UK on vessels in the form of ammonia. Lewis McIntyre, managing director - port services at Peel Ports Group, said: 'This is a very exciting new development for Hunterston – hydrogen is vital to the energy transition, and we're proud to play our part in making such a development possible here on the west coast of Scotland. 'It is testament to Hunterston's vast potential to house a range of innovative renewables projects. Not only are we bringing a brownfield site back into economic use, it will contribute massively to inward investment and job creation in a region that desperately needs it.' Stuart Marley, Statkraft's principal hydrogen project manager, said: 'Hunterston is an ideal home for this facility, given its location and outstanding infrastructure. Hydrogen is an important tool in addressing the emissions from carbon-intensive industries, and we look forward to progressing our plans for the site.' There are several renewables projects at advanced stages at Hunterston, including XLCC's UK-first undersea energy cable factory, Highview Power's world's largest Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) facility, and Bakkafrost's onshore aquaculture facility. Peel Ports Group has been granted planning permission for the £150m redevelopment of the site's marine yard, which it intends will house a facility to support offshore wind developments. Although it is currently in talks with several developers already the company is open to proposals for alternative uses for the marine yard. Talks are under way with several more potential customers, with the entire Hunterston site said to be on track to generate £3.5 billion in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs.
