The UK's ten worst places for a city break (and why I still love them)
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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 (propa1.com), while Mexico 70 is ideal for experimental tacos (instagram.com/mexico__70). 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 (inncollectiongroup.com)
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 (galvinrestaurants.com) — while a visit to the New Hall Wine Estate allowed me to stick my nose in some chablis (newhallwines.com). Hot Box is a fantastic music venue (hotboxlive.co.uk), 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 (countyhotelchelmsford.co.uk)
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 (avenrestaurant.com), 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 (winckleystays.co.uk)
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 (nationaltrust.org.uk). 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 (instagram.com/blackcountrytype). 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 (themount.co.uk)
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 (xplorescience.co.uk), 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 (wrexhamlager.com), 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 (facebook.com/BankStreetSocialWxm). The Lemon Tree is an excellent small hotel doing top-notch food.Details B&B doubles from £70 (thelemontree.org.uk)
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 (bridgebarnewry.com). Canal Court Hotel is a four-star in the centre of town (canalcourthotel.com), 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 (airbnb.co.uk/rooms/613633313084147759)
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 (canalstcoffee.co.uk), 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 (bletchleypark.org.uk). The Craufurd Arms is convivial (thecraufurdarms.com), while the local street-food scene is something to reckon with, not least Good Times Café, which dishes out superlative cheese toasties (instagram.com/goodtimesuk). You could stay at the Travelodge for £30, but La Tour is a fancy alternative that has views of nearby Leighton Buzzard.Details B&B doubles from £80 (hotel-latour.co.uk)
Bradford is this year's City of Culture, and rightly so (bradford2025.co.uk). 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 (altreka.co.uk), 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 (saltsmill.org.uk), and then at Cartwright Hall (which will host this year's Turner Prize). Boar & Fable is the place for decent craft beer (boarandfable.com), while My Lahore is a British-Asian kitchen that does a banging spicy spag bol (mylahore.co.uk). 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 (victoriabradford.co.uk)
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 (lepublicspace.co.uk) 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 (vittoriosrestaurant.co.uk). I also encountered a peculiar monument to the local poet WH Davies, enjoyed some 'rogue' Welsh cakes at the revived indoor market (roguewelshcakes.com), 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 (celtic-manor.com)
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 (craigluscar.co.uk), 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 (firestationcreative.co.uk), 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 (garvock.co.uk)
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
21 freebies and discounts for parents this summer holiday including food and childcare
Scroll to see how to get free food if you qualify for free school meals CHILD'S PLAY 21 freebies and discounts for parents this summer holiday including food and childcare PARENTS can get thousands of pounds worth of free support to ease some of the cost pressures during the summer holidays. From free childcare hours to food vouchers, as well as summer clubs and extra benefits, there is plenty of help available. 1 Parents can get free food among other perks over the holidays Credit: Getty Images Here is a round-up of what you can get... 1. Free tennis Families can play tennis for free at tennis courts in London, Manchester, Glasgow and many other towns and cities across Britain thanks to Barclays Free Park Tennis. Find your nearest at Whatever your age or ability, Barclays Free Park Tennis is open to anyone looking to get started, improve their skills and enjoy free tennis. 2. Free football Kellogg's are also offering 30,000 free places at football camps across the UK. To secure their place, parents need buy a box of Kellogg's cereal and use the on-pack QR code to sign up. Head to to find a full list of over 150 camp locations. Parkplay is a nationwide scheme offering two hours of free community ball play Saturday mornings in a park or public space 3. Free exercise classes Nuffield Health offers free girls fitness classes run by expert instructors. Book at if you have a Nuffield gym near you. 4. Free run clubs Junior Parkruns are a series of 2km jogs held all over the country for ages four to 14. They are free to join and a great way to get kids moving. 5. Free clubs and food Families who receive free school meals can access the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. This is offered by most councils in England to help provide childcare, activities and healthy meals to children from low-income families. It can be used to sign up children to sports, music and arts clubs, as well as enjoy a nutritious meal each day for free. The help on offer varies by council. For example, in some areas you could be offered holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day. Others may run a standard 8am-3pm day for free. Contact your local authority to see exactly what is available and how to apply. 6. Free food eating out A number of restaurants run 'kids eat free' schemes over the holidays including summer. The exact terms of each scheme varies and some are better value than others so check the small print. Often, you'll need to buy an adult meal of spend a certain amount. But it's a great way to save on enjoying a meal out with the family at venues including Ask Italian, Asda, Tesco, Bills and Bella Italia. 7. Free vouchers for healthy food The Healthy Start scheme supports pregnant people and families with young children to help them afford healthy groceries, including fruit, vegetables, and milk. The scheme is a weekly allowance of £4.25 for people over 10 weeks pregnant, £8.50 for the first year of a child's life, and £4.25 a week for children aged one to four. That's as much as £442 worth of essentials over the year for each child Eligibility is based on income levels and entitlement to means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit or: Child tax credits (only if your family's annual income is £16,190 or less) Income support Income-based jobseeker's allowance Pension credit (which includes the child addition) Universal Credit (only if your family's take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment) For more information or to apply, visit 8. Free nappies Parents can get free nappies by signing up and testing nappies for Pampers. Head to the Pampers' website to sign up, you'll have to fill in your personal details, including your home address. Once you've registered, you can use your Pampers Squad membership and apply for all projects. If you regularly buy Pampers nappies, it's also worth joining its Pampers clubs where you'll get points for every pack you buy. These can then be traded in for free packs in future. 9. Free books Don't forget about your local library if you're looking for freebies to help entertain the kids over the summer. Of course, you don't keep the books but you can rent them for free giving you enough time to read and enjoy. Many libraries also put on weekly story time sessions for free or oter activties. 10. Free train travel Kids under 11 can travel for free across London using the TFL network including buses and tubes when travelling with a paying adult. And children under 5 can travel for free on most train services. Furthermore, if you're planning a day out and travelling by train you can get 2 for 1 tickets at a number of venues. 11. Free days out Lots of UK attractions offer big discounts or even free tickets to people who receive Universal Credit or other benefits. This means you can enjoy visits to some of the most famous historical landmarks, museums and zoos with your family this summer. We've compiled a list of some of the best spots. 12. Free trail walks Forestry England runs free trails, as well as summer activities in forests up and down the country. You can download a Wallace & Gromit themed walking trail or families can have a magical woodland adventure with Stick Man, the beloved character from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's popular book. The specially designed activity trails, running across 26 forests in England, invite young explorers to help Stick Man find his way back to the family tree. 13. Free museums There are plenty of free museums to visit across the UK, which is a great resource to tap into, especially when the weather isn't great. In London some of the top museums can be accessed without paying a penny including The National History Museum and The Science Museum. 14. £1 cinema tickets The whole family can head to the flicks as Cineworld brings back amazing family films for £1 per ticket. Running every week until the end of August, the films are family friendly so you can enjoy magical cinema moments together. 15. Free workshops A few retailers put on free workshops for kids over the holidays. Pets at Home runs activities where little ones can learn and meet small animals. See Garden centre chain Dobbies also runs its Little Seedlings Clubs with free workshops on a range of gardening topics suitable for children aged 4-10 years. See Ikea loyalty members can also book on to free workshops for children but these do tend to be popular so you'll need to move quick. Dates and events vary by store look up your neatest at John Lewis is another store that has free events for members, some of which can be suitable for kids. 16. Free farm visits You can visit farms across the country for cheap or free entry. Check out Swansea Community Farm, Bath City Farm, Heeley City Farm in Sheffield and Balsall City Farm in Birmingham, as well as different farms in London. 17. Free childcare Parents in England can get free childcare of up to 30 hours as week for children aged between nine months and four years old. However, this is limited to 38 weeks of the year to coincide with term times. But if you need childcare during the school holidays, you can often stretch out the help by taking fewer hours over more weeks. This means summer holidays costs won't come as such a shock. Ask your childcare provider about stretching out the help. Currently, the exact amount you can get depends on your child's age and circumstances, whether you're working and your income. If your child is nine months to two years old, you can get 15 hours per week of free childcare. Three to four-year-olds can get 30 hours per week for free. But from September this year, all eligible working parents of children aged nine months up to three years will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare a week. If you don't work, you might still be eligible for the same amount of free childcare if your partner is working and you're on carer's leave or if you get any of the following benefits: Incapacity Benefit Severe Disablement Allowance Carer's Allowance Limited Capability for Work Benefit Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance You can use a calculator on the gov website here to work out how much you can get. If you claim Universal Credit, you might be able to get help towards most of your child care costs. Parents claiming Universal Credit can now get up to £1,014.63 a month for one child and £1,739.37 for two or more kids. The money is used to cover up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs. 18. Tax-free childcare Working parents can get hep with childcare costs through tax-free childcare. This is often used to pay for nursery place or after-school clubs. But what you may not realise is that it can be used for a whole host of childcare providers, including those which runs during the school holidays. The government scheme gives £2 free for every £8 put into an account, which is then used to pay providers. Parents can get up to a maximum of £2,000 a year per child or £4,000 if their child is disabled. This can be a huge help in the cost of care, so it's worth looking specifically for childcare providers who accept payments from childcare accounts over the holidays. 19. Child tax credits You can make a claim for child tax credit if you already get working tax credit. The amount you could get depends on when your children were born. If you have two children born after April 6, 2017, you will get a child element worth £3,455 for each kid up to a maximum of two. If one child was born before then you could also get a basic amount called the family element worth up to £545 a year. To claim child tax credit, update your existing tax credit claim by reporting a change in your circumstances online or by phone. 20. Child benefit You can get Child Benefit worth up to £1,335 a year if you're responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16 or under 20 if they stay in education. Child benefit is usually paid every four weeks, but it can be paid weekly if you're a single parent or receiving certain other benefits, like income support. Make sure you're not missing out as it's welcome boost that doesn't stop over the holidays. 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For example, Medway Council, in South East England, is distributing school uniform vouchers to hard-up households worth £100. You receive £100 for every dependent school age child, per household per year, unless in exceptional circumstances. So, if you have two dependent children you can get £200. Contact your local council to see what exactly you can get
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Breathtaking £4.5m estate with turret & ‘party barn' once owned by King Charles is on sale – and he can still pop in
A COUNTRY home previously owned by King Charles III is on the property market, and could be yours for an eye-watering sum of £4.5 million. The stunning property, nestled within the breathtaking Dartmoor National Park was initially built as a hunting lodge in 1906. 6 6 6 The King sold the Edwardian residence in 1993, but he retained fishing rights to the property, meaning the His Majesty could pop round with just 24 hours notice. As well as a six-bedroom main house with bespoke interiors and period detailing, Brimpstead Estate also two guest cottages, which the estate agents, By Design say are perfect for "family or staff". The estate also features a "party barn" with a balcony and a garage big enough to fit six vehicles in. Set within nine acres of private grounds, with a breathtaking wildflower meadow and ancient bluebell woodland, the property is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in nature. As much of the land still belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall, it is incredibly rare to be able to own a property in the heart of Dartmoor. The property's current owners have spent 30 years extensively renovating the property, combining the charming original features with luxurious modern additions. The main house features six bedrooms, five bathrooms and spans a whopping 5,984sq ft. As soon as you walk through the doors, you are greeted by a huge oak-panelled reception, that doubles as a library. To one side of the reception is a magnificent drawing room, perfect for entertaining, which opens out in a high-ceiling-ed dining room. To the other side, the turret room features deep set windows with window seats, perfect for watching the world go by. Inside Ireland's 'magical' Disney castle with fairytale tower on sale for €7.5MILLION and it's minutes from the beach The master bedroom has "exceptional views" across the moors, and the five-oven AGA in the kitchen is perfect for hosting guests for cosy meals. Other standout features in the house are the curved turret bedroom, the cosy fireplace in the gunroom and the large glass lantern in the breakfast room. By Design said: "Throughout, the house speaks of a love for materials, light, and proportion. "Every decision, every finish, and every feature has been chosen with care creating a home that is not just beautiful to look at, but deeply rewarding to live in." What are the pros and cons of using the Help to Buy scheme? THE current Help to Buy equity loan scheme sees the Government lend up to 20% - or 40% in London - of the value of your property. You only need to put down just a 5% deposit for an eligible home - which are new-build properties. So far, the scheme has helped 313,043 people get on the property ladder and dished out a whopping £18.9billion in loans. The scheme was launched in 2013 to help low income Brits buy homes much easier. Although the old Help to Buy scheme let you buy pricier properties anywhere in the UK worth up to £600,000, the new scheme has a lot of merits too. Here's the pros and cons you should consider when applying for a Help to Buy Equity loan: Pros You can become a homeowner much quicker: you only have to save up enough money for a 5% deposit, which is half of what you'd typically need to save normally. Cheaper mortgage rates: applying for a Help to Buy loan means you won't need to take out as big a mortgage as usual - and says that as your loan to value ratio will be lower, you'll be offered a more competitive interest rate. You can pay off your loan in chunks: You can essentially buy out the government's stake in your home by buying chunks as big as 10% of your home's value, adds. Cons You have to pay interest on your loan after five years: the amount of interest you have to pay back on your loan rises by 2%, at least, each year. You can only buy a new-build home: Only these homes are eligible to buy through the Help to Buy scheme. Higher prices: New-builds can often cost more than a traditional property, and the scheme has come under fire in recent times for helping to push up house prices, leaving lower income Brits priced out of the market. You could be left in negative equity: This is when you owe more money on your mortgage than the value of the property, which as well as leaving you out of pocket, can in turn can make it difficult to sell or remortgage. Experts have previuosly warned that you could be at risk of this if you use the Help to Buy scheme. The estate is situated in a private area of the Dartmoor National Park, with no public rights of way crossing the land. Gorgeous woodland paths lead right down to a trickling river, providing a perfect spot or picnics. The property's current owners said: "It has been our family's sanctuary. A place of laughter, music, and memory. "From evening gatherings in the panelled drawing room, to quiet mornings in the turret, to watching the sun set from the Shed's balcony Brimptsmead has been a place to live, to love, and to remember." 6 6 6
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
‘Overheads have gone up': Britain's hospitality sector faces tough time this summer
On a sunny weekday in Norfolk, the lunchtime rush is getting under way at the White Horse in Brancaster Staithe. On the large terrace at the back of the pub overlooking the coast, families and groups of holidaymakers are tucking in to local lobsters, plates of crab and fish and chips. 'This is our Christmas,' says James Nye, the managing director of Anglian Country Inns, the hospitality business started by his father, Cliff, 30 years ago which owns the White Horse and nine other venues across Norfolk and Hertfordshire, stressing the importance of the key summer season. 'We've had a strong start to the year with three months of sunshine,' he says. 'But I think that has masked the challenges the sector is facing. When the rain comes you can see how overheads have gone up.' Nye reels off a list of soaring costs facing the White Horse that will resonate with pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels across the UK, underlining additional pressures facing the sector this summer season. 'Since April we have had a lot of increase in overheads, pretty much across the board. We've got food price inflation, the big one is labour, with the NICs [employer national insurance contributions] and national minimum wage, and everything is getting more expensive,' he says. Nye says his business, like many others, has been unable to absorb all the extra costs and passed some on to customers. But he and others are aware they have to tread a fine line at a time when many households are watching their spending. Holidaymakers Brian and Ann Hart, visiting from neighbouring Suffolk, are enjoying a glass of prosecco while waiting to check in to their room at the White Horse. They have found accommodation and meals in North Norfolk 'definitely more expensive' than during their last visit, says Brian. 'We would still come away, but maybe only a couple of times a year now because of the cost,' adds Ann. Tax rises and extra employment costs announced in last October's budget came into force in April, raising employer national insurance contributions (NICs) and lowering the threshold at which contributions are due. The minimum wage was also raised by 6.7% to £12.21 an hour. These measures are ultimately expected to raise £25bn a year, which the government has said is needed to restore crumbling public services. However, the trade body UKHospitality, which represents thousands of restaurants, hotels, pubs, cafes and nightclubs, has warned the changes will cost the industry an extra £1bn, forcing some to cut jobs or slash investment, while others are struggling to stay afloat. 'This is the toughest trading environment I've ever experienced in 30 years in the sector,' says Kate Nicholls, the chair of UKHospitality, calling it even tougher than the pandemic. 'It is that perfect storm of soaring costs, a cost of living crisis happening at the same time, which means you can't pass all of those costs on to customers, and a really intense squeeze on margins. Coming on the back of closures and losses during Covid, businesses are really lacking in resilience.' Hospitality has shed 84,000 jobs since last October's budget, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), making it the worst affected sector. UKHospitality predicts this figure could hit 200,000 by the time the financial year ends in March 2026. Meanwhile, warnings from the sector now appear to be becoming reality. The Italian casual dining chain Gusto and the Thai restaurant chain Busaba both collapsed into administration in recent days. Seven of Gusto's 13 sites were bought in a pre-pack administration resulting in 200 job losses, while Busaba was also bought in a pre-pack deal, saving about 240 jobs at seven sites across London and Essex. Nye also knows several pub operators who have had to call last orders for the final time, amid industry warnings that one pub will close down every day this year across Britain. Anglian Country Inns employs about 100 people at the White Horse, a third of whom are seasonal staff, and a further 400 across the rest of the business. Nye says they have worked hard to retain staff by treating them well, but amid current pressures they are trying to make teams more efficient in a bid to cut costs. They have 5% fewer full-time staff than last year and have hired fewer seasonal workers than in the past. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion This reduction in seasonal hiring is being repeated across the sector, and job postings for temporary hospitality jobs are 25% lower than this time last year, according to figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The knock-on effect is a cut in job opportunities for students or those looking for flexible work, who have traditionally relied on hospitality jobs to get their first taste of employment. It has resulted in a summer of disappointment and frustration for 19-year-old Jeremy Nunn from Hertfordshire, who planned to work in hospitality over the summer after finishing his first year studying history and French at the University of Leeds. Despite sending off about 100 applications for seasonal roles, he still hasn't found a job. 'It's a bit disheartening when you spend a lot of time on applications and then send them off online, it can feel like shouting into the void,' he says. 'On most of my applications I've received nothing back.' A few miles down the road from Brancaster in fashionable Burnham Market – nicknamed Chelsea-on-sea – the ice-cream van is doing a roaring trade and visitors are browsing in the town's boutique and homeware shops. The final customers are finishing their coffees and paying their bills after eating lunch at Socius, an award-winning restaurant known for its small plates featuring locally sourced produce, opened in 2018 by the husband and wife team of Dan and Natalie Lawrence. Dan Lawrence says challenging times are forcing kitchens to get creative. 'We have to be smarter, cleverer and try to make better profit to cover those costs,' he says, sitting next to the counter where his staff are preparing ingredients for the evening's dinner service. 'We change our menu every week, sometimes throughout the week, so we have close conversations with suppliers and they tell us what's good, what they've got plenty of, what's a good price or what not to go anywhere near.' Lawrence believes, like many others in hospitality, that the government could do more to help businesses struggling with high costs, such as the temporary reduction in value added tax (VAT) from 20% to 5% introduced by the then chancellor Rishi Sunak to kickstart hospitality after the first national Covid lockdown. For now, Labour ministers have announced plans to 'breathe new life into the high street' by overhauling planning and licensing rules, to make it easier for new hospitality venues to open in empty premises, as well making it easier for restaurants and pubs to get permission to allow customers to dine alfresco or enjoy a pint on the pavement. While many in the industry would welcome such a move, others found it 'galling' at a time of higher taxes and costs, says Jonathan Lawson, the chief executive of Butcombe Group, which runs 120 pubs and inns across the UK and Channel Islands, many of which are in rural locations. 'Most in the industry would say, because of the pain the government inflicted on the hospitality sector, why would new businesses choose to actually be starting up in some of those locations?' he asks. Lawson says Butcombe Group has grown well since the pandemic, partly through diversifying its business, including opening its pubs earlier for breakfast, while promoting its venues as places for couples to celebrate their weddings. 'In hospitality, our job is to provide what customers want,' he says. 'Hospitality is the third-highest employer in the UK, it can drive growth, it wants to invest. It's almost in spite of the government, rather than because of it.' Back in Norfolk, the sun is still shining, but Nye worries what will happen when the summer ends and the visitors leave. 'Our big fear is what happens when trade dies down, when the season gets a bit quieter. Carrying those extra overheads is going to really hurt us,' he says.
