Latest news with #WestSussex
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I stayed at the English seaside caravan park with private lido, Vegas-like cabanas and cosy pub
THE West Sussex town of Selsey famously has just one road in and out of it – but the seaside spot is so fun-packed, the exit lane should be scrapped. My family and I had just spent a long weekend at the Cove's Seal Bay resort, where every lodge, caravan and holiday home sits just a short stroll from the ocean. 5 5 We were staying in Green Lawns, the most rural of the site's four themed sections, which lives up to its name with a pond and trees that my sons were constantly scaling. Our classic lodge was filled with mod cons, including a deep bath, huge shower, washing machine, dishwasher and classy electric fire. For nearby food, this zone is also home to the giant Viking Bar which, despite looking like an imposing cowboy saloon from outside, is like a warm and welcoming local pub. A little farther away, the burgers, beers and ice creams at Cafe Lido are of bafflingly good quality — yet the 'double burger' is just £9.99 and the classic hotdog not even a fiver. We have holidayed on caravan sites for almost 40 years and having affordable restaurants and action-packed activites within walking distance of your home is a huge perk. But only now, after all those years, do I recognise how vital holiday parks might be for little ones with special educational needs, or even younger kids who tire more easily. When long flights, unfamiliar surroundings or sensory overloads might be too much for someone, places like Seal Bay are so important. You can choose to have the most secluded and private break or throw yourself into eight hours of non-stop activities and entertainment. A short stroll from our lodge was the White Horse area, offering lots of sporting action. Then there's the Dockyard, which has a stunning lido, with a splash area and swimming pools surrounded by bright-orange cabanas that wouldn't look amiss in Vegas — these come at an extra charge. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport Indoors there is a nine-hole crazy- golf course, state-of-the-art climbing wall and a death-defying bounce- playground above your heads. And around the corner is the vast and lush sports field where the Seal Bay Soccer Academy is run by brilliant staff with grade-A equipment — Mitre balls, goals, bibs, cones, hurdles and slalom poles. We had a family match against new friends Taylor, Sarah, Mick and Archie, who made the hour fly by. The largest zone in the holiday complex is West Sands, which sits right on the beach. It even has a wave simulator, Wave Rider, open May to September. We had blistering weather so spent as much time as possible on the beach or in the ocean, but the indoor Oasis Bay pool is ideal for wetter weather. We ventured down to this area on Saturday and found a giant TV screen, on the beach rocks, showing the FA Cup Final. 5 5 My boys split their time between watching Crystal Palace spring a brilliant upset over Man City and diving into the waves. Then we headed for a BBQ dinner at Smokey's Ocean Bar. There, the lads demolished the Pitmaster's Feast of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, buffalo wings, sausage, chilli and sides and somehow had room for ice-cream sundaes. A family of three were stuffed for just over £50. We used our stroll back to base camp to walk off the meat sweats but there is a courtesy bus — that loops around the park, stopping at all the key areas — plus electric bikes and pedal go-karts to hire. On Sunday we finished off with the brilliant Zorbing experience — you strap your child into a giant bubble and let them play crash-test dummies — then another swim and an archery session, before my kids slept the whole way home. And I would love to tell you we partied all weekend into the early hours but we were shattered and asleep by 8pm every day, dreaming of the next day's adventure. 5
BBC News
16 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Olympian turns hand to padel as new court opens in East Grinstead
An Olympic gold medallist who played club hockey in West Sussex is vying to reach the top of another sport - Bray, who was part of the Great Britain hockey side which won gold in the 2016 Rio games, retired from hockey in has swapped the hockey stick for a racket by taking up padel, which she plays on a new four court facility which will be fully open to the public in East Grinstead from this years on from her Olympic gold, Bray has risen the rankings and currently sits in the top 20 women's padel players in the country. She said it has been a "great replacement for playing hockey"."It's super social and there's more enjoyment as the improvement curve goes up," she said."I think while I was still playing both sports, the girls used to laugh at me that I was playing padel on the hockey pitch."Played in doubles on an enclosed court, padel - considered a blend of tennis and squash - is on the rise in the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) estimates that there will be more than 1000 padel courts in the UK by the start of 2026 - up from just 50 back in enthusiastic about competing, Bray has taken part in LTA tournaments and is keen to see where this journey takes for East Grinstead's new facility, she believes it makes an "amazing club" even better.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Is John McDonnell's criticism of Keir Starmer's Labour fair?
John McDonnell clearly takes responsibility, along with Jeremy Corbyn, for the 'policy platform' they developed together in the hope that 'eventually Labour would return to power' (Starmer and co are trashing Labour's legacy. We must take back control of our party – before it's too late, 28 May). Throughout his article, McDonnell argues for an alternative strategy to that being followed by the current prime minister, Keir Starmer. At no stage does he acknowledge that, when standing on this Corbyn/McDonnell policy platform, Labour lost two general elections. By losing these elections they condemned this country to seven years of Tory rule – seven years during which the Tories wreaked havoc. Yet I note that not once in his piece does McDonnell offer any kind of apology for these years of mayhem. Starmer is at least attempting to put this right. He changed the party's policies in order to make it more electable, and he was (thankfully) successful. Now let him get on and finish the job. Passing 'control' back to McDonnell and his sidekicks will merely send Labour back into the SoperMidhurst, West Sussex John McDonnell has identified Labour's malaise, which, he reminds us, affects not just its members in No 10 (hubris) but the entire movement (disillusionment). Almost a year ago seven MPs – including him – were suspended when they voted against maintaining the two-child cap on benefits, and after Labour's recent U-turn we can only look forward, in hope, to their reinstatement. But, as he warns us, we face a looming crisis. He is right to characterise how Labour is governing as 'timid'. Its tone-deaf acceptance of corporate gifting was dismissed as trivial sniping by the left. Try citing that as an excuse when attempting to retain support on the doorstep and being met with 'they're all the same' while those desperate for change look over your shoulder at Reform. The number of MPs who vote with the government, or abstain, when it attempts to cut disabled people's benefits will be a measure of how deeply unwell the party has Peter ManganBeckenham, Kent John McDonnell's criticism of the Labour government may well be music to the receptive ears of people frustrated by a lack of progress on many issues of concern to those in the labour movement and beyond in these still early days of Starmer's government. I'm reminded of the early years of Tony Blair's government, during which so many felt frustrated with progress. But look at how that changed and bore fruit, to the extent that by 2010 Labour was deemed an overspending, reckless, leftish government. In 2010, in the dog days of Gordon Brown's tenure, I recall sharing a platform with John McDonnell, who castigated Brown as a rightwing monetarist who had failed the labour movement and the people. What we would all give to have those levels of social spending now. Trevor HopperLewes, East Sussex Like John McDonnell, I am in my 70s, a lifelong Labour voter, and I have been a member of the party for more than 40 years. I would just note that every Labour government in my lifetime, including the great Attlee government, has been accused of betrayal and abandoning principles, mainly by people who claim to be on the left. I would also note that, despite the criticisms, it is Labour governments that have delivered almost every social advance and economic improvement in the lives of ordinary British voters over those more than seven GallagherLargs, North Ayrshire Bridget Phillipson says it is the moral mission 'of this Labour government to ensure that fewer children grow up in poverty' (Report, 27 May). What's with 'fewer'? Shouldn't it be that no children grow up in poverty, or am I missing something?Simon Lauris Hudson Pontefract, West Yorkshire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Moment feral yob attacks PCSO outside newsagents before have-a-go heroes intervene
This is the moment a feral yob left a police community support officer with a suspected broken nose after he attacked him outside of a newsagents. The man, who was wearing a grey hoodie, was seen running towards the PCSO and unloading a barrage of punches to his face. The officer tried to duck away to avoid the blows and could be heard shouting 'help me' to passersby who then ran over to intervene. One bravely grabbed the attacker while the others tried to protect the PCSO. It happened at around 6.45pm on May 29 at Broadfield, Crawley, West Sussex. Police arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and assault. He reportedly remained in police custody today. The PSCO was released from hospital in the early hours of this morning and is recovering at home. A Sussex Police spokesperson said: 'The officer had responded to a report of a man acting suspiciously in the Broadfield Barton area around 6.45pm on Thursday, May 29. 'But as he approached the suspect to engage with him, he was punched to the face several times. 'Members of the public stepped in to help detain the man while further units arrived, and the officer was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose.' Supt Imran Asghar, said: 'This was a totally deplorable act on a PCSO, whose purpose is to serve and protect the community. 'And I'd like to remind the public that assaults on emergency workers will absolutely not be tolerated. 'Our officers put on their uniforms each day to catch criminals, protect the public and deliver an outstanding service. 'Being assaulted will never be considered 'part of the job', and anyone caught committing offences of this nature can expect to face the consequences. 'I'd like to commend the brave members of the public who stepped in and helped to detain the suspect. 'Their quick-thinking actions ensured the suspect could be arrested and the PCSO could receive the necessary medical treatment he needed.' The people who helped the PCSO were praised by locals. Tracy Smythe said: 'That poor officer, hope he is okay.' Sophie Hearn said: 'Fair play to those that stepped in to help rather than just standing and watching it happen.' Darren Palmer added: 'I don't know who that guy in the white shirt is but someone should be buying him a drink.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Rachel Whiteread hits the countryside, Derby's great hero and museums reinvented – the week in art
Rachel WhitereadThe Sussex countryside is haunted by grey concrete ghosts and white mortuary slabs as Whiteread proves her vision is as melancholically powerful as ever. Goodwood Art Foundation, West Sussex, 31 May to 2 November V&A East Storehouse This enjoyable, utopian and generous reinvention of what a museum can be is an unmissable experience. Opens 31 May, admission free Hamad Butt: ApprehensionsOverdue retrospective of an artist who died young but left a body of uncanny, highly imaginative works. Whitechapel Art Gallery, from 4 June to 7 September Glenn Brown and Matthew Weir: The Sight of SomethingPaintings and drawings that drip with dream-like memories and peculiar fantasies fit for Freud's Museum, London, from 4 June to 19 October Leonardo Drew: Ubiquity II Sprawling, chaotic installation that looks like the aftermath of a hurricane. South London Gallery, until 7 September The Ethiopian photographer Aïda Muluneh took a month-long road trip around the UK in a minivan, resulting in The Necessity of Seeing, 22 images that explore identity, gender and conflict. 'It was like getting a crash course in UK history and contemporary life,' she says. Read about the project and see more of her pictures in our interview with her Lauded photographer Sebastião Salgado died at 81 Australian women played a vital role in forging international modernism William Morris played a blinder with his football kit designs Two Somerset villages hosted a bite-sized biennale with global reach Black artist Tomashi Jackson explores how colour theory echoes discussions of race Bob King's theatre posters have helped turn shows into global hits The Goodwood Art Foundation's opening exhibition is a winning choice Sign up to Art Weekly Your weekly art world round-up, sketching out all the biggest stories, scandals and exhibitions after newsletter promotion Cartoonist, illustrator, playwright and detective novelist Barry Fantoni has died Banksy posted a new lighthouse work thought to be in Marseille Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1523 The theologian and classical scholar Erasmus, the most famous and influential thinker of the north European Renaissance, poses in his study with a gentle almost-smile. Holbein paints him, not as an idealised or formal figure, but with an immediacy that makes you feel Erasmus is right there, patiently keeping his head in the position the painter requires, tolerantly spending this time being depicted. It has the same sense of an actual encounter between artist and sitter that you get in Holbein's portrait drawings, especially his intimate studies of Thomas More and his family. That is no coincidence. Holbein knew Erasmus personally, not just professionally, when they both lived in Basel. When Holbein wanted to go to England, Erasmus wrote a letter of introduction to his friend More, who commissioned a family portrait on his recommendation. Holbein is often seen as a simple portraitist but this painting reveals him as part of an intellectual circle, mixing with More and Erasmus and influenced by their warm, witty humanism. National Gallery, London If you don't already receive our regular roundup of art and design news via email, please sign up here. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@
