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The Sun
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Our hidden corner of UK used to be thriving – now it's on its KNEES with nowhere to shop & overflowing bins everywhere
RESIDENTS have kicked back after their once thriving town has been brought to its knees in a major dispute with its council. One resident has claimed that the council's plans haven't 'worked so far', as businesses continue to close along the high street. 5 5 Monmouth, Wales, is a quiet town known for its eclectic shops. The town is home to a gothic souvenir shop and the oldest theatre site in Wales, but residents say that local businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Sherren McCab-Finlayson, Chair of the Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, has slammed the local council. She says that the council has enabled roadworks and building works to drag on, after expanding the town's pavements in 2020. Sherren claims this is preventing shoppers from parking and is driving down the town's footfall. Now, the once-thriving town is beset with empty shopfronts and dwindling numbers of shoppers. Sherren says: 'It all started in 2020. Monmouth was completely different before Covid. 'The council then widened the pavements for social distancing and said it would only be temporary. 'And yet years later we're stuck with these huge pavements because the council now doesn't have the money to dig them up.' Meanwhile, the council is pushing ahead with plans to install ' rain gardens' to create more spaces for residents to eat outside. Britain's retail apocalypse: why your favourite stores KEEP closing down Sherren claims that this idea 'hasn't worked so far' though. She added: 'The plan for rain gardens isn't popular. 'The extended pavements immediately reduced parking - leading to the town losing at least 20 parking spaces. Something which was always one of Monmouth's USPs was that shoppers were able to pull up for half an hour and do a quick bit of shopping. "There remains that need but it isn't possible in the town now. Shoppers often don't want to pay for an hour or two hours - they'll just go elsewhere if they have to do that." She claimed that water companies were doing work in the town for a year, leaving the town 'girdlocked', while scaffolding obscured shop fronts. Eirwen Rogers owns the Blessed Be Emporium but said that the chaos has made it impossible for people to find her business. Now she has been forced to transform the downstairs of the shop into a gaming and workshop space, out of 'sheer desperation to survive. She added: 'I have no opening hours at all now. I post them on Facebook every morning, because there are so few people in this part of town that sometimes it's not worth coming in. I am desperate for a massive reduction in my business rates. "I'm paying more than £700 a month business rates alone and they don't even empty my bins. It's impossible.' The Sun has approached Monmouthshire Council for comment. 5
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Thames Water are the latest corporate buffoons doing their utmost to bring my pub to its knees – it's time for revenge
YOU might imagine that staff at the near-bankrupt fish-killing enterprise known as Thames Water would be working round the clock. Ideally doing something about the hosepipe ban, rising bills and the torrent of sewage being pumped into the region's rivers every day. 6 6 Apparently not. A couple of weeks ago, two Thames Water inspectors arrived at my pub, with two people from the local council, and I assumed they were there to apologise for the woeful pressure, which is so low we have to harvest water overnight and store it in a 6,000-litre tank, because during the day all we get is a dribble. Nope. They were there to make sure I was complying with all their regulations. That seemed odd to me. I am one of their customers. I buy water from them so why should they be interested in what I'm doing with it. I sell beer to people, but I don't go round to their houses to make sure they're drinking it properly. Anyway, they were very thorough, even doing tests on the dog bowl taps we installed in the garden. And now I've received a massive eight-page list of changes they want us to make. It's stupid, petty stuff. Apart from one change they want making to our Rational steam ovens. Which, according to our plumber, would be impossible. Honestly, this is exactly the sort of corporate bullying that pubs really don't need right now. Menacing instruction Debt-ridden Thames Water hit with multi-million pound fine for polluting rivers as firm 'pushed to brink of collapse' One hostelry is closing every single day thanks to problems with mad Net Zero taxes, food allergy enthusiasts, staff shortages and the NI issues caused by Rachel Reeves 's idiotic Budget. And if they're now going to be hectored by water companies to change the flow rate of their taps, there won't be any pubs left at all. And it's not like we can just put the Thames Water missive in the bin because, naturally, it comes with a menacing instruction that everything must be sorted out within 21 days. Or else. Fine. Two can play at that game so here goes: Thames Water. You have 21 days to do the following. Or else. Upgrade the infrastructure so that you're able to supply your customers with a decent round-the-clock supply. Mend all the leaks in the region so the hosepipe ban can be lifted. Stop pumping faeces into our rivers. Undertake to cut bills to consumers by not paying your useless bosses massive bonuses. And know this. While you're getting on with that, we have started work on a bore hole. We're digging a 120ft-deep hole in the pub's garden so that we can pump our water from the massive underground lake down there. Unlike most of the water round these parts, there's no human s**t in it. You can drink it safely with no treatment at all. Also, we can pump it through our taps at whatever rate takes our fancy. And it'll cost us nothing at all. LATEST LECCY SHOCK THE Government recently announced a new scheme, which would give a £3,750 grant to anyone who bought an affordable electric car. They said it would only cost the taxpayer £650million and I'm afraid at that point I burst out laughing. Because I spent about ten seconds with a calculator and worked out that it would, in fact, cost billions. Turns out I was wrong. Because this idea was dreamed up by the Labourites, it doesn't really work. No one knows what cars are eligible for the discount and which ones aren't. Yes, it may have an electric motor, but unless it was built in a factory made from leaves and kale, it doesn't qualify. Salesmen in showrooms are saying the paperwork is ridiculous. It may well be then that no one can access the scheme, which means it'll actually cost the taxpayer nothing at all. ISLE SAY! SO the United Nations has decided that small countries should be allowed to sue bigger countries if they are causing too much global warming. Excellent. Because how hilarious would it be if one of those islands that only exist as an answer on Pointless sues Ed Miliband for not doing enough to save them. Can you imagine his silly little face. He'd be crestfallen. SEE THE LIGHT IN WALES I WATCHED a fascinating primetime BBC1 show this week called Guardian Of The Night. It was about the UK's taxpayer-funded 'dark sky officer' and her mission to turn off all the lights in huge chunks of Wales. Mostly this meant addressing a room full of parish councillor types and Liberal Democrats. Who were onside anyway. Her arguments were certainly amazing. She said that light pollution causes cancer and diabetes. Which is bad news if you live in, I dunno, a town or a city. But then she went on to explain that we need to be able to see the night sky so that we can spot an incoming asteroid. Er. I think if we are relying for our survival on a man called Geoff who uses a home-made observatory in Wales, we've probably had it. But don't worry, we aren't. So if you are reading this in Cardiff, don't worry. You can turn your lights on this evening. It'll make no difference. PHEW! IT'S JEZ 6 JEREMY CORBYN has announced that his new f ar-Left political party doesn't yet have a name. But he says suggestions are coming in from members of the public at the rate of 500 every minute. I bet they are. I bet they are. I must say, however, that I wish him every success. Because he will undoubtedly split the left's vote, thus ensuring that neither he nor that fool Starmer will win the next election. Maybe it should be called the 'Phew' party. HOW MY GREEDY LABS COULD COST ME DEER 6 6 TO try to train guide dogs not to tear off after every rabbit they see, boffins have strapped a toy squirrel to a radio-controlled car. Confused? I was too. But the idea seems sound. You take the trainee dog for a walk and have someone 'drive' the car back and forth so that, eventually, Rover gets used to it and won't yank the blind person's arm off as it sets off at 200mph in pursuit. I may try it with my dogs. They've learned not to chase the farm animals and will even sit quietly when our little army of guinea fowl clucks its way into the garden. But there is nothing I can do to stop them chasing deer. I spend half my life giving it the full 'Fenton' as they whizz about in a hopeless quest to catch something that's way faster than they are. So I shall buy a toy deer and strap it to a radio-controlled car. And see what happens. My only worry is that they're labradors. So if they catch it, they'd eat the toy. And the car as well.
Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
2 more local council officers nabbed in RM200,000 bribery probe
An MACC source said the two local council officers are believed to have received the bribes from contractors for the repair of footpaths, fences and rebuilding of mosques. SANDAKAN : Two more officers of a local authority have been remanded for five days to assist in investigations into a bribery case involving RM200,000 allegedly received from several contractors since 2022 in return for repair work on an infrastructure project. According to a source, initial investigations found that the suspects, a man and a woman in their 20s and 30s, respectively, were suspected of abetting in the act of corruption from 2022 until now. 'The arrests of the suspects follow five recent arrests. 'The two suspects are believed to have received bribes of about RM200,000 through transfers to their personal bank accounts from contractors for the repair of footpaths, fences and rebuilding of mosques,' he said. Sources said the two suspects were arrested between 7pm and 8pm last night after giving their statements at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office here. Sabah MACC director S Karunanithy confirmed the arrests when contacted and said more individuals could be detained in the near future. Yesterday, MACC remanded five people, including an engineer at a local council, until July 29 to assist in investigations into the same case. Senior assistant MO nabbed for alleged abuse of power MACC also obtained a four-day remand order for a senior assistant medical officer who allegedly abused his position to award logistics-related work to a company owned by his wife. In a statement, Labuan MACC said the suspect in his 50s was detained at its office at 5.40pm yesterday when he arrived to give a statement. He is suspected of having misused his position at his workplace in 2023 and 2024 to secure forwarding and logistics contracts worth RM20,000 for his wife's firm. Labuan MACC director Azis Malmod said the case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for abuse of power for personal gain.
CTV News
20-07-2025
- CTV News
Arctic birders combat impact of climate change and avian flu on delicate ecosystem
Seagulls sit in boxes of a so called Seagull Hotel at the harbour in Vardo, Norway, on July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Tommi Ojala ) VARDO, Norway — In one of the top Arctic birding destinations in the world, environmental and health challenges are threatening some of the seabirds that are part of Norway's unique coastal ecosystem. The population of kittiwakes has decreased by 80 per cent since the 1990s along the Scandinavian country's coast. The small seagull species, among others, is under siege from climate change, predation, local fisheries and the bird flu. So the town of Vardo, on the remote Vardoya Island in the Barents Sea, has stepped up to help the migrating visitors. Three years ago, local fisherman Jan Vidar Hansen built a 'seagull hotel' out of crates for kittiwakes and other seabirds to nest in safely. The hotel has the added bonus of limiting the spread of unwelcome smells, dirty nests and droppings that have become a nuisance for the island's human population. 'The first year there was 55 nests. Last year it was 74, and this year we have 76,' Vidar Hansen said. He hopes the local council will agree to build a bigger seagull hotel in the future. Seabirds have long been an important part of the identity of Vardo — so much so that the local museum has an exhibition dedicated to them. The town is known for its birding tourism as much as its radar station, which provides critical data to the U.S. Strategic Command thanks to its location nearly 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Russia's military hub on the Kola Peninsula. The Gulf Stream Norway's northern coast is an ecologically diverse area due to its topography as well as the Gulf Stream, which brings warmer water up from the Gulf of Mexico and then mixes with the cold Arctic air and water. This warmer water keeps the Barents Sea free from ice even though it's north of the Arctic Circle, and brings tons of fish larvae and other biomass up the Norwegian coast. But the Gulf Stream is affected by climate change and is now bringing water that is too warm into the Barents Sea, changing the rich composition of the species there. It affects congregations of seabirds, marine mammals and, of course, many fish species. Fish that need colder water are being pushed further north, while others that require the mix of warmer and Arctic water — like the small schooling fish called capelin — are seeing their migration patterns disturbed. Capelin, for instance, are a major part of the diet for surface-feeding seabirds like kittiwakes, according to Tone Kristin Reiertsen, a researcher with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. When capelin either swim deeper into the sea to get to colder water, or migrate further north, seabirds cannot get to them, she said. That in turn impacts the success of seabirds' breeding because they depend on capelin to bring to their chicks. Boris Belchev, a bird guide and ranger on the nearby Hornoya Island, says it's a frightening domino effect. 'I was seeing birds that usually eat fish on the tundra start eating berries because they don't have their normal food,' he said. With fewer seabirds surviving, those who remain are easy targets for predators like white-tailed eagles, Reiertsen said. Plus, fisheries situated close to the coastal cliff nesting sites can disturb the dynamics of the colonies. And then there's the threat of bird flu. In 2023, a large outbreak killed some 25,000 kittiwakes alone along the northern Norwegian coast, Reiertsen said. 'It felt like an apocalypse,' she said. Empty nests Vidar Hansen's seagull hotel in Vardø is one of seven such kittiwake hotels along the Norwegian coast, Reiertsen said. 'It's not an easy task to get the kittiwakes to move in to these hotels,' she said with a laugh. But it's working. The small seagulls in recent years have migrated deeper into Vardo's center in search of protection from predators. There were roughly 300 kittiwakes nesting in various buildings in the town and now the population there is roughly 1,300, she added. Before the Vardo hotel, there were 'many empty nests around the whole city,' Vidar Hansen said. Reiertsen said kittiwakes and other seabirds are crucial to the region's ecology. Their droppings bring important nutrients into the sea, and further decreases in their population could be dangerous to the entire ecosystem. She said officials need to change their mindset from monitoring the problem to figuring out how to fix it. A potential idea, she added, could be limiting or prohibiting fisheries and boat traffic near nesting colonies. 'We don't have much time,' she said. 'We have to act quickly.' Economic drivers The seabirds are also key to Vardø's economy. Just a short boat ride away from Vardø lies Hornøya Island, a birdwatchers' paradise. Thousands of visitors flock to the uninhabited Hornoya, which is home to some 100,000 seabirds nesting there during breeding season, including much-loved Atlantic puffins, common guillemots and razorbills. But the island's seabird population has also declined dramatically in recent years. There haven't been any recorded common guillemot chicks there since 2018, Belchev said. 'Last summer, I was shocked. 'What's going on here? Where are all the birds?'' he said. If Norway's government closes the island to the public, or birds stop nesting there and the birdwatchers stop coming, it could have a huge impact on Vardøya Island. 'Every small business in the town, it's depending on the tourists to come and visit the island and stay in the town and shop and use the gas station and use the small restaurants,' Belchev said. Heli Sivunen And Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press Dazio reported from Berlin. Tommi Ojala in Vardø, Norway, contributed to this report.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
Arctic birders combat impact of climate change and avian flu on delicate ecosystem
Norway Seabirds VARDØ, Norway (AP) — In one of the top Arctic birding destinations in the world, environmental and health challenges are threatening some of the seabirds that are part of Norway's unique coastal ecosystem. The population of kittiwakes has decreased by 80% since the 1990s along the Scandinavian country's coast. The small seagull species, among others, is under siege from climate change, predation, local fisheries and the bird flu. So the town of Vardø, on the remote Vardøya Island in the Barents Sea, has stepped up to help the migrating visitors. Three years ago, local fisherman Jan Vidar Hansen built a 'seagull hotel' out of crates for kittiwakes and other seabirds to nest in safely. The hotel has the added bonus of limiting the spread of unwelcome smells, dirty nests and droppings that have become a nuisance for the island's human population. 'The first year there was 55 nests. Last year it was 74, and this year we have 76,' Vidar Hansen said. He hopes the local council will agree to build a bigger seagull hotel in the future. Seabirds have long been an important part of the identity of Vardø — so much so that the local museum has an exhibition dedicated to them. The town is known for its birding tourism as much as its radar station, which provides critical data to the U.S. Strategic Command thanks to its location nearly 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Russia's military hub on the Kola Peninsula. The Gulf Stream Norway's northern coast is an ecologically diverse area due to its topography as well as the Gulf Stream, which brings warmer water up from the Gulf of Mexico and then mixes with the cold Arctic air and water. This warmer water keeps the Barents Sea free from ice even though it's north of the Arctic Circle, and brings tons of fish larvae and other biomass up the Norwegian coast. But the Gulf Stream is affected by climate change and is now bringing water that is too warm into the Barents Sea, changing the rich composition of the species there. It affects congregations of seabirds, marine mammals and, of course, many fish species. Fish that need colder water are being pushed further north, while others that require the mix of warmer and Arctic water — like the small schooling fish called capelin — are seeing their migration patterns disturbed. Capelin, for instance, are a major part of the diet for surface-feeding seabirds like kittiwakes, according to Tone Kristin Reiertsen, a researcher with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. When capelin either swim deeper into the sea to get to colder water, or migrate further north, seabirds cannot get to them, she said. That in turn impacts the success of seabirds' breeding because they depend on capelin to bring to their chicks. Boris Belchev, a bird guide and ranger on the nearby Hornøya Island, says it's a frightening domino effect. "I was seeing birds that usually eat fish on the tundra start eating berries because they don't have their normal food,' he said. With fewer seabirds surviving, those who remain are easy targets for predators like white-tailed eagles, Reiertsen said. Plus, fisheries situated close to the coastal cliff nesting sites can disturb the dynamics of the colonies. And then there's the threat of bird flu. In 2023, a large outbreak killed some 25,000 kittiwakes alone along the northern Norwegian coast, Reiertsen said. 'It felt like an apocalypse," she said. Empty nests Vidar Hansen's seagull hotel in Vardø is one of seven such kittiwake hotels along the Norwegian coast, Reiertsen said. 'It's not an easy task to get the kittiwakes to move in to these hotels,' she said with a laugh. But it's working. The small seagulls in recent years have migrated deeper into Vardø's center in search of protection from predators. There were roughly 300 kittiwakes nesting in various buildings in the town and now the population there is roughly 1,300, she added. Before the Vardø hotel, there were "many empty nests around the whole city,' Vidar Hansen said. Reiertsen said kittiwakes and other seabirds are crucial to the region's ecology. Their droppings bring important nutrients into the sea, and further decreases in their population could be dangerous to the entire ecosystem. She said officials need to change their mindset from monitoring the problem to figuring out how to fix it. A potential idea, she added, could be limiting or prohibiting fisheries and boat traffic near nesting colonies. 'We don't have much time,' she said. 'We have to act quickly.' Economic drivers The seabirds are also key to Vardø's economy. Just a short boat ride away from Vardø lies Hornøya Island, a birdwatchers' paradise. Thousands of visitors flock to the uninhabited Hornøya, which is home to some 100,000 seabirds nesting there during breeding season, including much-loved Atlantic puffins, common guillemots and razorbills. But the island's seabird population has also declined dramatically in recent years. There haven't been any recorded common guillemot chicks there since 2018, Belchev said. 'Last summer, I was shocked. 'What's going on here? Where are all the birds?'' he said. If Norway's government closes the island to the public, or birds stop nesting there and the birdwatchers stop coming, it could have a huge impact on Vardøya Island. 'Every small business in the town, it's depending on the tourists to come and visit the island and stay in the town and shop and use the gas station and use the small restaurants,' Belchev said. __ Dazio reported from Berlin. Tommi Ojala in Vardø, Norway, contributed to this report. __ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at Solve the daily Crossword
