Latest news with #Darjeeling
Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
A Relaxing Day In Harrogate, Yorkshire's Historic Spa Town
Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms is a landmark of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. getty Harrogate might not be as well-known internationally as nearby York, but for generations of British travelers, it has represented elegance, wellness and quiet luxury. Once famed for its sulfurous spa waters, Harrogate today draws visitors for its manicured gardens and Victorian architecture. Just 45 minutes by train from Leeds or York, it's an easy day trip for travelers craving a slower pace without sacrificing style. Whether you're sipping Darjeeling at Bettys, strolling through flower-filled parks or soaking up the mystery of Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance, Harrogate delivers a day of gentle pleasures and old-world atmosphere. And best of all? It's incredibly easy to reach. One of Harrogate's biggest assets is its convenience. Regular trains from Leeds and York take around 30 to 40 minutes, making it an ideal side trip from either city. The train station sits right in the heart of town, so it's easy to start exploring on foot the moment you arrive. Buses are another option, particularly the comfortable and scenic route 36 double-decker that runs between Leeds and Ripon, passing through Harrogate en route. The Gardens Of Harrogate If the weather's kind, start your day with a wander through Valley Gardens, just a short ten-minute stroll from the station. Valley Gardens in Harrogate is popular with locals and visitors alike. David Nikel This lush, 17-acre park weaves together formal flowerbeds, winding woodland trails, and a handful of unexpected delights. Keep an eye out for the vintage paddling pool, a quirky mini-golf course and the curved art deco Sun Pavilion with its sweeping views over the lawns. It's easy to lose track of time here, especially with a takeaway coffee in hand from one of the nearby cafes along Valley Drive. The gardens also sit atop a network of natural springs, a reminder of Harrogate's long-standing spa heritage. For something more ambitious, RHS Garden Harlow Carr lies on the town's western edge. A 20-minute walk or quick taxi ride brings you to this much-loved showcase of British horticulture from wildflower meadows to woodland walks. One striking feature is the set of classical Doric columns, salvaged from Harrogate's old Cheltenham Pump Room and now standing as a romantic ruin within the grounds. There's also a branch of Bettys Tea Room, ideal for a mid-morning pause surrounded by flowers and birdsong. Discover Harrogate's Spa Heritage To understand what first put Harrogate on the map, look no further than its sulfur-rich springs. A good place to begin is the Royal Pump Room Museum, an elegant domed building constructed in 1842 around one of the town's most potent wells, once said to be among the strongest in Europe. Inside, exhibits trace the history of Harrogate's rise as a fashionable spa resort, from eyebrow-raising Victorian treatments to the habits and oddities of 19th-century visitors. Even today, the faint tang of sulfur near the wellhead lends the space an unexpected authenticity. The Royal Pump Rooms Museum gives a thorough overview of Harrogate's history as an important spa town. David Nikel Just across the road, the Turkish Baths offer a more immersive link to the past. These late-Victorian bathhouses, built in ornate Moorish style, still operate much as they did over a century ago. Step into the tiled lobby to admire the craftsmanship and atmosphere that helped define Harrogate's golden age of wellness. If you have time, book a session to experience the sequence of steam rooms and cold plunge pools. Pause For Afternoon Tea When it's time for lunch or something sweeter, Harrogate delivers in the most civilized fashion. The town is home to the original Bettys Café Tea Rooms, a Yorkshire institution since 1919. Expect smartly dressed servers, polished silver teapots and a menu that doesn't stray far from tradition. If you manage to beat the queue or don't mind the wait, you'll be rewarded with the full afternoon tea experience: dainty finger sandwiches and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam. And of course, a parade of miniature cakes arranged neatly on a tiered stand. It's every bit as refined as you'd hope. For a more relaxed or spontaneous option, Harrogate also has a second, less crowded Bettys branch at Harlow Carr Gardens, or you could try Mama Doreen's Emporium, a colorful and creative twist on the classic tea experience with themed treats and a more playful atmosphere. A Harrogate Mystery Worth Revisiting Harrogate's most famous visitor may not have come for the spa, or even the tea. In December 1926, Agatha Christie made headlines across Britain when she disappeared from her home in Surrey, sparking a nationwide search. Harrogate's Old Swan Hotel is something of a tourist attraction thanks to the Agatha Christie disappearance. David Nikel Eleven days later, she was found safe and well at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, living under a false name and seemingly unaware of her own identity. The circumstances remain a mystery to this day. Christie later refused to discuss the incident, but visitors to the Old Swan can still enjoy a drink in the same bar where she once dined during her self-imposed exile. The hotel embraces the connection and even hosts murder mystery nights. Harrogate's Montpellier Quarter Round off your Harrogate day with a stroll through the elegant Montpellier Quarter, just steps from Bettys. This charming district is home to over 50 independent boutiques, galleries, antique emporiums and cafes, offering everything from designer fashion and curated homeware to quirky gifts. Visit the Imagined Things Bookshop, a proudly independent store filled with an eclectic mix of literature and bookish gifts. Nearby, luxe boutiques like Morgan Clare and Farrah's of Harrogate (famous for its traditional blue-and-silver toffee tins since 1840) offer memorable souvenirs and timeless Yorkshire style. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes In Leeds, Shopping Comes With A View By David Nikel Forbes Why Joining Britain's National Trust Is A Travel Bargain By David Nikel Forbes Beyond Windsor, These 5 English Castles Are Must-Visit Treasures By David Nikel
Scroll.in
4 days ago
- Business
- Scroll.in
Prada's Kolhapuri sandal copies show that law alone can't protect India's cultural capital
Earlier this month, Italian fashion house Prada sparked an uproar in India when its newest collection at the Milan Fashion Week featured open-toe leather sandals that strongly resembled the iconic Kolhapuri chappal. Priced at Rs 1.2 lakh per pair, nearly 300 times their value in Kolhapur, these sandals were showcased by Prada without any mention of their cultural origins or the communities in the subcontinent that have sustained the industry around them. Since 2019, the Kolhapuri chappal has had geographical indication status – meaning that it is protected by an intellectual property rights regime that acknowledges that goods originating from a specific region possess a reputation and distinctive qualities or characteristics inherently linked to that location. A GI tag is a legal stamp that protects the cultural and economic identity of products from a certain place, such as champagne from France or Darjeeling tea from India. The Prada incident put the focus on the limitations of India's GI regime in enforcing the protection of its heritage when it was co-opted on the global stage. For decades, India's intellectual property trajectory in the cultural sector has been one of seeking recognition: mapping traditional knowledge systems, celebrating heritage crafts and filing for geographical indications with the hope that a legal tag would be enough to protect them. But recognition is not the same as enforcement. GI status legally identifies a product as originating from a specific region, and grants exclusive rights to local artisans, manufacturers, or registered associations in that region to use its name. It stops others from misusing the region-based name and lets authentic producers benefit from both cultural identity and direct income. The backlash in India against Prada's sandals accused the firm of cultural appropriation and theft of intellectual property. Yet, legally, the anger went nowhere. A public interest litigation before the Bombay High Court seeking an injunction against Prada was dismissed, largely on procedural grounds: the petitioners were not the registered GI proprietors and public interest was not adequately demonstrated. This signals the limitations of enforcing India's GI regime. Until now, GI registration has been celebrated as an end in itself, as a badge of honour that marks cultural uniqueness. But what happens when that uniqueness is exploited abroad, stripped of context and sold back to the world as high fashion? The case of the Kolhapuri chappal may be the first real test of how GI protection needs to evolve beyond domestic pride. GI tags In India, GIs are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in 2003 following India's commitments under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement. GI protection allows local artisans, manufacturers, and registered associations to register traditional products and prevent others from using the GI name without authorisation. Since the inception of the GI regime, over 400 Indian products have been registered: from Banarasi and Pochampally ikat saris and Mysore silk, to Nagaland's Naga mircha chilli, Kullu shawls and Aranmula Kannadi metal mirrors from Kerala. These registrations confer exclusive rights to artisans, manufacturers, artisans and officially recognised producer associations based in those regions to produce, market, and financially benefit from the GI-labelled goods. For instance, Basmati rice, one of India's leading GI products, generated export earnings of approximately Rs 38,000 crore in the financial year 2022-'23, showcasing the immense commercial potential of GI recognition. Core flaw Under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, enforcement hinges on the use of the GI name itself or instances of consumer confusion. Prada did neither. It did not market its sandals as Kolhapuris nor did it mislead its customer base about the product's origin. The company sidestepped the law's textual boundaries, while arguably trampling on its spirit. That highlights a core flaw in India's GI law: it was not framed to address subtle, stylised forms of imitation in transnational fashion circuits. This is not the first time Indian culture has been borrowed without acknowledgement. In 2018, for instance, Indian design studio People Tree said French fashion house Christian Dior had copied one of its prints. Similarly, H&M's 'Wanderlust' collection, created in collaboration with Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, was claimed to have used GI-tagged hand-block prints without involving or compensating the artisan communities responsible for them. But two elements make the Kolhapuri chappal episode stand out. First, it comes at a time when Indian policymakers are actively promoting GIs as tools of rural empowerment and soft power diplomacy. Second, its unusual aftermath: Prada, after facing public backlash, agreed to a collaborative, artisan-driven 'Made in India' collection. What the law could not compel, public pressure did. This unintended consequence, where a luxury brand voluntarily enters into a fair-trade collaboration, is worth reflecting on. It suggests that while legal enforcement may have failed, ethical compliance may still be a possibility. However, such goodwill cannot be the cornerstone of a country's intellectual property regime. There is an urgent need to reimagine GI protection through the lens of global commerce. This could include bilateral agreements that create binding obligations on GI, mandatory disclosure of origin clauses in fashion exports and soft law instruments under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and or the World Intellectual Property Organization that link heritage usage to benefit-sharing norms. The Prada controversy exposes another persistent weakness in India's GI law: the limited capacity of registered proprietors to monitor and act. In this case, the two state-run corporations that jointly hold the GI – Maharashtra's Sant Rohidas Leather Industries & Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd and Karnataka's Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Ltd – were silent spectators. It took the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, a trade body with no legal ownership of the GI tag, to intervene and negotiate with Prada. This asymmetry in enforcement resources, where smaller artisan groups rely on third parties or media outrage to defend their rights, must be corrected if India is serious about giving its GIs teeth. But perhaps the most valuable lesson is this: the future of GI protection cannot lie in legalese alone. It will require a cultural and strategic repositioning of India's artisan economy, not just as heritage to be preserved, but as intellectual capital to be globally commercialised on fair terms. Prada's eventual collaboration may offer a working model. It came too late to be legally meaningful but early enough to change the narrative. It brought the artisan into the boardroom. The challenge now is to ensure that this becomes the norm, not the exception. India's GI regime must stop being just about recognition and start being about clear enforcement of rights. Debargha Roy is a practising advocate and managing trustee at Project Saathi. Tejaswini Kaushal is a researcher at Project Saathi and writes on IP. Views are personal.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Road trip: White House tours Federal Reserve seeking fraud
It's not the Nantucket Summer Garden Tour. Yet a gaggle of White House officials and other GOP leaders led by President Donald Trump headed over to the Federal Reserve campus this week. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter They're checking out a $2.5 billion renovation that includes asbestos abatement, lead removal, refurbished marble, and no - repeat no - beehives on the roof. Related: Former Fed Chair sends stern message on economy, Fed The visit, or rather, inspection, is part of the Trump administration's ongoing heckling campaign of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. No word if Darjeeling tea and cream scones are on the menu, but Powell's head definitely is. Trump is really, really peeved at Powell and the Fed's policymaking Federal Open Meeting Committee for not lowering interest rates. The independent central bank avoids politics the best it can and sets monetary policy based on data, not egos. President Trump's berating threats, juvenile name-calling, and personal attacks against Powell over the last five months have been bolstered by the multitude of administration officials using more professional language and operational strategies to try to force Powell to resign. Related: Why the Federal Reserve matters so much The Fed Chair has said he plans to stay until his term ends in May 2026. Because of the Fed's unique independence, President Trump can't fire or "DOGE" him. It seems the only way Powell could be replaced with a Trump heir apparent is if Powell is fired for "cause." That term is somewhat loaded with mysterious definitions, but the word "fraud" keeps popping up. According to Yahoo Finance, Trump told reporters, "I mean, it's possible there's fraud involved with the $2.5 billion renovation." This, after he said earlier that the project "sort of is" a fireable offense. On July 21, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling for a review of the Fed's renovation project. So Team Trump is trotting over to the National Mall to learn why there are cost overruns to the original $1.9 billion price tag for the renovations of two building were erected in the early 1930s. Should those overruns prove to be due to Powell's lax management oversight, they could start what will undoubtedly be a protracted and nasty legal battle to remove Powell from the post. The White House provided no details about what President Trump will do at the Fed buildings. More Economic Analysis: GOP plan to remove Fed Chair Powell escalatesFederal Reserve official gives green light to July rate cutTrump deflects reports on firing Fed Chair Powell 'soon'Former Federal Reserve official sends bold message on 'regime change' Among the visitors for the tour: White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, Budget Director Russell Vought, and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte (an especially vocal and vitriolic Powell critic). For its part in "Fedgate," the central bank on Monday released a six-minute, 23-second video recorded July 18. It shows active construction scenes overlaid with text descriptions of the project and installation of infrastructure like blast-protected windows and modern heating, plumbing, and electrical systems. According to the Federal Reserve's website, the renovations of the two historic buildings include: Remediation and updates to make the buildings safe, healthy, and effective places to work by removing asbestos and lead contamination, and accommodating modern workplace replacement of antiquated systems such as electrical; plumbing; Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC); and fire detection and suppression structural work to bring the buildings up to modern code, including current accessibility, security, and safety work will also restore and enhance space for the public along the National Mall. The plans also show proposed areas that have been dropped for cost, including water installations and rooftop beehives. There is also no VIP elevator, nor a VIP dining room in the construction plans. Learn more about the historic preservation of the buildings and plans for the renovations here. "I just want to get eyes on sort of the whole project itself," Blair told Semafor. The administration is looking to analyze the project plans and get a better sense of what the renovations look like by cross-checking them with details sent in letters and comments made by Powell, Semafor reported. The Federal Open Meeting Committee is expected to keep the Federal Funds Rate steady at 4.25% to 4.50% when it meets July 29-30. Powell has repeatedly said he is focused on the Fed's dual mandate of low inflation and unemployment with steady economic growth. The Fed's "wait-and-see" approach to holding the fund rate is tethered to the impact tariff inflation will have on prices this summer. Many economists and Fed watchers expect the occur at the September FOMC meeting. Related: Tariff uncertainty resets inflation, July interest rate cut bets The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Fashion Network
5 days ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Prada scandal proves the power of India's troll army
Historically, the sandals were produced for specific communities. For farmers who worked in the fields, they were robust and able to withstand wear-and-tear; for the courtier class and nobles they were more delicate and ostentatious. In 2019, the footwear was awarded the Geographical Indication status, viewed as a mark of authenticity. (Other Indian items to have received this tag include Darjeeling tea and Alphonso mangoes.) But Prada didn't credit India for the designs, prompting a brutal social media backlash. The nationalistic sentiment whipped up by this controversy boosted sales of the traditional sandals. The country's online community is renowned for its digital ferocity — it accused the brand of cultural appropriation, and the furor forced the fashion house into damage control mode. It issued a statement saying it recognized the sandals were inspired by traditional Indian footwear. The luxury brand's experience is a reminder that in India, foreign firms have to be aware of how reputational risk could affect future revenue. Internet penetration is rising, with 55% of the population connected. Social media is growing fast, too: It's estimated the world's most populous nation is home to 462 million social media users. India is a rising global power, one international brands are keen to break into. But local and foreign firms face various challenges: Bureaucracy, shoddy infrastructure and unique consumer behaviors that include a fierce defense of India's rich heritage. All of these factors require a tailored approach. Success in the market lies in the ability to balance local authenticity and global appeal — and the willingness to 'learn to love and speak to India,' as Francois Grouiller, chief executive officer of the luxury consultancy IndLux recently noted. Foreign brands can't afford to ignore India's luxury market, which reached $7.74 billion in 2023, and is projected to approach $12 billion by 2028, a recent Kearney report notes. Other estimates predict the sector could more than triple by 2030, growing to upward of $85 billion. The number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals — people with a net worth of at least $30 million — is expected to grow by 50% by 2028. These forecasts come with the obvious caveats — most notably, there is still a huge wealth gap in the country. While the 100 million wealthiest people are splurging, 400 million of their middle-class counterparts have cut back. Global economic conditions are becoming less supportive, as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs fuel trade tensions and put pressure on future growth. Still, viewing consumers as a long-term opportunity rather than just a short-term play would help these firms thrive. Even more important is understanding that India is home to a diverse market with distinct needs. Some brands have grasped this already — high-end jeweler Bulgari SpA offers a pricey Mangalsutra necklace inspired by a chain traditionally worn by married women — tapping into the desire for luxury with home-grown sensibilities. The Italian brand is not the first — and neither will it be the last — to fall foul of cultural norms. Earlier this year, Gucci made the mistake of calling Bollywood star Alia Bhatt's custom-made sari-lehenga (a fusion of the traditional sari with a long skirt) a gown. Another online frenzy was set off in May, when a viral social media trend was criticized for calling the dupatta — a traditional South Asian shawl — a Scandinavian scarf. Prada doesn't own any retail stores in India, depending instead on the super-rich diaspora and wealthy Indians who travel overseas. But the firm — which has seen its shares lose about 30% since February as investors took fright at its purchase of Versace — isn't taking any chances. In a conciliatory move, it's now working with traditional artisans to understand the history behind the famed Kolhapuris. The luxury fashion house has learned the hard way that cultural fluency is no longer a 'nice to have'— it's central to business survival.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Britons are drinking sub-par tea - and this family firm wants to change that
Tea might be the nation's favourite drink, but do you know what's really in your daily brew? One family-run tea company say that Britons are unknowingly drinking tea that isn't as good as they think. In fact, many teabags are full of tea dust and stalk, rather than leaves. Birchall Tea, which launched in 2019, says it is on a mission to change the way the nation drinks their morning cuppa. It says that starts with showing households what goes into their teabag. But will Britons really give up their daily mug of Yorkshire Tea or PG Tips for a pricier but - Birchall claims - tastier alternative? We visited Birchalls' Wiltshire base to find out why it thinks they should. Steeped in history Birchall Tea's managing director Daniel Graham has tea in his DNA. Graham's great-great-grandfather was part of the early tea cultivation in Darjeeling, India and is buried there. His brother runs Birchall's sister business - a bulk-buying tea business that ships out of Mombasa, Kenya - while Graham has worked in tea for years. It might be Britain's drink of choice, but Birchall says consumers know very little about what goes in their brew. A Yougov survey commissioned by the company found that 87 per cent of consumers said they did not think tea originally comes from Africa, now the world's largest exporter of black tea. Fresher soil in East Africa makes it a prime spot, as higher altitudes and lower temperatures mean the bushes grow slowly and theoretically lock in more flavour. More shockingly, 10 per cent thought it might come from Yorkshire or elsewhere in the UK. It therefore not surprising that we might not know a good tea from a not-so-good one. What goes in to a good cup of tea? Every tea company has its own process, but tea grading means the leaves can be evaluated based on their quality and condition. The two top leaves in the bud are softer and generally of a higher grade than offshoots and stalks of the plant, which, when processed, can leave dust. Birchall says that the dominance of the teabag means suppliers can get away with putting in much lower-grade leaves. Before Tetley introduced the teabag to the UK in the 1950s, consumers would buy loose-leaf tea. 'If you're choosing fruit, you know not to pick a bruised one,' says Graham. 'Back then, you just knew tea should be black and there shouldn't be any brown stalks. The tea companies couldn't get away with it.' Birchall shows the difference between its 'main-grade' hand-picked tea and other leading brands. The difference is stark, as shown in the picture below. Birchall's tea is on the far left with black leaves, while large brands are in the middle and of lower quality with more dust. The lowest quality is a supermarket's own brand that is full of brown stalk and tea dust. The darker and more distinct - or bigger - the leaves, the better the quality, says Birchall. When brewed, the quality difference is even more apparent with Birchall's producing a golden cup of tea, while it claims the nearest competitor's is far duller. A blind taste test at British Airways saw it come away with the coveted prize of being the airline's only tea provider. 'Our tea tasters try 5,000 teas a week' By now, though, most consumers who aren't huge tea enthusiasts won't know the difference, especially if they've stayed loyal to the same brand for years. The difference, Birchall says, is in the taste. 'Tea's not going to change someone's life,' says Graham, 'but if it improves that moment even a tiny bit, you're onto a winner. That's why the taste has to be right.' He says this is why some brands, which he describes more as marketing than tea companies, come and go. The company has already collected a long list of awards, including multiple Great Taste awards, and the prestigious 'Leafies' award for the Grift Rift English breakfast tea. The secret to that taste is in part because of the bulk buying business, which means the company gets 'first dibs on the best tea'. Birchall has a team of 'master blenders' based in Mombasa, who taste around 5,000 teas. The tea tasters will have had to taste a million cups of tea as part of their training, which takes around five years to complete. 'They really are amazing,' says Dan. 'You can put a cup of tea in front of them and they can tell you which tea estate it's from, forget which country. 'Sometimes they can tell you which side of the plantation it's come from and they can pick up if there's been an issue in the factory.' Just 1 per cent is deemed good enough to go into Birchall's teas, equivalent to tea from around 30 to 40 estates. Do we need to pay more for better tea? Birchall is in a unique position to offer its quality tea for a lower price than some of the boutique teas. This is mainly because it uses fewer middlemen. However, its packs of 80 teabags retail for £5.50, equivalent to around 7p a serving, which is significantly higher than some of the supermarket own brands, that are around 2p a serving. Birchall says there needs to be a shift among consumers to pay more for their tea. 'We really try not to talk about a packet of tea because then you're talking about £2.50 or £5.50 and that sounds a lot,' says Dan. 'You're talking about 7p a drink. If you went to the pub and were able to buy everyone a round for £5.50, you'd do it every day.' For Graham, it's not just about paying for better taste but about getting the best deal for everyone in the supply chain. 'The person picking the tea leaves has to pick 5 kilos of green leaf to make a kilo of black tea, so you need about 1.5 kilos of green leaf to make a packet of tea. 'It takes a skilled tea picker all day to pick 30 kilos. 'That person needs to be paid. Everyone complains quite rightly that they're not paid enough, but if you're not paying enough here in your local supermarket, that's part of the problem. He also points out that the tea needs to be processed in a factory - 'a huge capital investment' - before it's fermented, dried, packed and shipped. When it reaches Birchall's factory in Wiltshire, it's put into a teabag machine which costs around €1 million, and distributed. They hope that tea will start to have the same premium attached to coffee or craft beer. It's an admirable intention, but also a tough ask - particularly as the average price of tea has increased by 29 per cent to £2.64 over five years, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. At the same time, there is a decline in black tea consumption across the board, according to Birchall, and there is concern that climate change could threaten the industry. Currently, tea grown in East Africa does not use pesticides because the location of the plantations is cool enough that bugs don't like it. However, if the temperature increases, 'no one knows what it means,' says Dan. 'The concern is bugs, new pests… who knows. It could cause real problems.' Even so, the tea company hopes that a small shift from 2p to 7p pence a teabag, paired with more of an understanding of what's in our tea, will help. Their recent growth - 20 per cent in the last year alone - suggests there is an encouraging shift in consumption habits. More importantly, now that it is British Airways' only tea provider, they can ensure their tea is put in front of consumers. Birchall will hope that the taste of its tea will do the talking, and convince people to pay as much for their tea as they do for their coffee.
