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Wales Online
12 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Unlikely city street fast becoming a foodie paradise as new deli opens its doors
Unlikely city street fast becoming a foodie paradise as new deli opens its doors The boss of the new deli says he wants to combine the best local produce and interesting international flavours Chris Flynn at the helm of Flynn's Deil (Image: John Myers ) A few years ago Walter Road was no more than a slab on unremarkable concrete linking Swansea city centre with the suburbs of Uplands and Sketty - but something changed, it's now a crossroads of culinary delights. On one side you have the Pizza Boyz and artisan burgers from Smokin Griddle. On the other you have the Indian Street Kitchen. All three feature on our list of 50 places to eat in Swansea. Head down the road and you find the Albert Hall food court. Head up the road and you'll hit another string of restaurants, bars and cafes. Now a new deli is aiming to bring "flavour without fuss" to the community with a range of locally sourced and interesting international ingredients. Flynn's Delicatessen joins a growing band of independent bakers, coffee specialists and food businesses in Swansea of which the boss of the new deli says he is proud to be a part and wants to help grow. The deli is the brainchild of chef turned tech entrepreneur Chris Flynn who has returned to his first love to start the gastronomic business. As well as shelves of interesting ingredients, fresh bread, wines, and a cheese and charcuterie counter, the deli offers freshly made sandwiches and a mezze "small plates"-style menu that changes weekly. And of course the essential coffee and cakes. There new deli has just opened its doors (Image: John Myers ) Article continues below Londoner Chris said: "I've lived in Swansea for almost 15 years and always struggled to find a local deli that can source the ingredients I want to buy, having to travel to Cardiff a lot of the time. I felt there was a bit of a gap for a true delicatessen with fully stocked counters and somewhere that if you go in for something niche, they either have it or will get it in for you. "I wondered, 'Is there a reason nobody's done this here'? Some people said Swansea wouldn't get it but I live here, and I know people here love great food. So why not?" Inside the deli (Image: John Myers ) The deli boss said he wanted to work with local producers to ensure fresh seasonal products, emphasise sustainability, and help support fellow small businesses in the area, but also wanted to bring in interesting food from across Europe - for example he is currently talking to a family of hunters from Strasbourg in Belgium who craft wild boar sausages. And he said he's also open to recommendations from customers about new producers he can work with or products he can stock. Chris describes it as "flavour without fuss". He said: "Seasonal food just tastes best. When you buy fresh, local food at the right time of year, even simple meals can taste amazing. When the war in Ukraine disrupted wheat exports, it had a huge knock-on effect - not just on bread and pasta, but on animal feed too. That pushed up the cost of raising cattle and pigs, which we've seen reflected in meat prices across the UK. Flavours from near and far (Image: John Myers ) "The war really highlighted how fragile our food systems can be. We're focused on sourcing locally and seasonally where we can - not just because it tastes better, but because it's a more secure, sustainable way forward. It also helps to build our local economy which we all have a stake in protecting. "That being said, we're also passionate about bringing some of the best products from around the world to Swansea - things you might not find elsewhere locally. It's not about importing for the sake of it; it's about celebrating great food wherever it comes from while staying mindful of quality, sustainability, and responsible sourcing. We want people to feel curious and inspired, whether it's by a Welsh Saval or a salami from Naples." Though the doors of the Walter Road deli have only just opened the boss is already looking to the future, with hopes the premises on the edge of Uplands will become a "community hub" for people and ambitions to produce more goods in-house including - one day - the first registered Swansea cheese. Cakes to go with the fresh coffee (Image: John Myers ) He said: "There's a brilliant scene of artisan bakers, coffee roasters, and independent restaurants emerging here in Swansea. We want to add to that momentum by giving people a place to stock up on fresh, exceptional ingredients and feel inspired to cook with them. People in Swansea are curious, open to new flavours, and love great food. "There's a deep terror in putting something you've worked really hard on into the world and hoping that people also think it's cool. So far, we've had some incredible customers who have been really positive about the concept and the offering. Article continues below "When I moved to Swansea, it didn't take long for it to feel like home. It's where I met my wife, where we built our life together, and now where we're raising our son. This city has given us so much, and I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd want to run a business." Flynn's Delicatessen, 27 Water Road, Swansea. Current opening hours Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm
Metro
15 hours ago
- Health
- Metro
‘If I didn't want to work, I wouldn't have gone to a thousand interviews'
Nobody enjoys applying for new roles, but for Londoner Moses Tai, life is one long job interview. The dry mouth, racing mind and thumping heart that most of us experience during hiring meetings are daily occurrences for Moses, 46, who has spent ten years on a carousel of short term work contracts. He blames his stilted career on a social anxiety that fills his days with panic and turns normal interactions to dread. 'From the moment I wake up in the morning, I am in this mental state where it's like I'm just floating or spinning. I'm not there. I'm just going through the motions,' he tells Metro. After completing a masters in IT at the University of Greenwich, Moses has a full CV and is well-qualified but when he gets to the interview stage, he experiences rushes of anxiety that render him speechless. In a decade, he took on 20 short-term IT contracts as he struggled to maintain permanent work, many of which he lost. Around 300,000 people with a long term mental health problem lose their jobs each year, and at a much higher rate than those with physical health conditions, according to official figures. Moses estimates that he has been to more than 1,000 interviews in a decade. 'I just can't cope with them – especially if they are face-to-face. It's like mental torture,' he explains. 'I have this sensation, like I'm there, but I'm not there. I can't focus, and people can see that. The few times that I have managed to get a job, I didn't last long, because the workplace is like torture too.' The office environment leaves Moses breathless and reeling when faced with even the simplest of tasks. 'I feel this enormous pressure. People ask me questions, and I can't answer. I just can't talk. I should be able to cope with it, but I can't,' he says. 'If my manager gave me some tasks that needed doing straight away, I would start panicking, and if there is a situation with a group of people, that would be a huge issue. I would be struggling and I couldn't talk to anyone, or tell anyone what was going on. 'For years, I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I went through that whole process of getting professional help with preparing a CV and tips for how to apply for jobs. I became very good at that but every time the interview came around, the same thing happened,' he explains. Moses, who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2012, was offered counselling, but says he didn't find it helpful as it seemed to only address the symptoms and not the root cause. He was also offered medication, but refused because he's worried about addiction. Instead, he is left with his struggles which he fears make him seem standoffish and unlikeable. He is single and has few friends. 'People think I am aloof, that I don't want to talk to them or that I have an attitude. But actually, I'm just really suffering. One of the hardest things about depression and anxiety is how hard it can be to form relationships,' Moses says sadly. Rising living costs have taken a further toll on his mental health; he now struggles to afford food and everyday essentials and cannot afford to go out. 'It makes the anxiety worse and the ability to connect with people and form relationships more difficult, because then I am dealing with the financial anxiety on top of everyone else,' he explains. It's a problem being seen across the nation, according to mental health charity Mind, who say problems have been exacerbated by Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Minesh Patel, Associate Director of Policy & Influencing for the charity says: 'Across the UK people in the poorest fifth of the population are twice as likely to be at risk of developing mental health problems, compared to those on an average income. Money troubles and poor mental health have a cyclical relationship. If you're struggling financially, you're more likely to experience a mental health problem, and if you have a mental health problem, you're more likely to struggle financially. 'We cannot address the UK's mental health crisis without tackling the many issues which surround insecure work. This includes low pay, and being entitled to access vital employment rights such as statutory sick pay. 'Poverty and mental health problems need to be addressed together,' he adds. 'The government must stop the planned benefit cuts and make sure that people get the vital support they need, including mental health treatment.' Meanwhile waiting times for mental health services are rising and those on the breadline are struggling to get financial support. Moses, who is no longer in employment, relies on Universal Credit, while others, like Shane, need Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to get by. However, proposed changes to these lifelines under the Universal Credit And Personal Independence Payment Bill – to be debated in the Commons in the next few days – will change the eligibility criteria to save £5 billion a year by 2030. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has warned that proposed cuts to sickness and disability benefits could leave those with long-term mental health conditions facing unprecedented reductions in their income and a group of more than 100 Labour MPs have put forward an amendment to try to block the cuts. Shane, who uses the pronouns they/them, loved their job as a youth worker but was forced to hand in their notice at the start of the year as the physical and mental demands of the role got too much. Shane has generalised anxiety disorder, low mood disorder, and suspected PTSD, alongside Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. They also have a raft of physical health problems including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and hyper mobility that requires them to relocate their shoulders daily. The 27-year-old from Manchester, says: 'Being on a low income and stuck on waiting lists is a spiral. I've been waiting to see a psychiatrist since May 2023 and for NHS talking therapy since June last year. You're always asking yourself, do I have enough for rent and bills? All the stress makes it harder to manage my mental health, and that in turn makes it harder to work. 'When my physical health crashes, my mental health plummets, because I'm frustrated at not being able to do what I want without pain or fatigue,' Shane explains. The hobbies that they used to love; climbing, roller skating and martial arts, are inaccessible now due to chronic health problems, so distractions are harder to find. Shane wants people to understand that it's not as easy to claim benefits as some believe. 'There's still so much stigma around mental health. People assume you're lazy if you can't keep up, and politicians talk as if we want free money. They don't see the endless admin, forms and tribunals you have to navigate just to prove you're disabled. 'I want to work, but physically I'm not able to – I have to know my limits. I enjoy working with young people; it's fulfilling. But it's also completely exhausting and draining, because you're taking on the problems that they have, while also dealing with all of the stuff that's going on in my own life. Shane copes by spending time with friends in queer spaces and going to a weekly support group at Manchester Mind. 'And leaning on my mum,' they add. 'I'm in my second year of counselling at Arden University, and that structure helps, but balancing study, benefits administration and health appointments still takes a heavy toll. It shouldn't be this hard.' Fed up with the disappointing cycle of losing job after job, in 2019, Moses decided to set up his own organisation, African Development Choices, to support rural African communities. Building the charity and leading a team of volunteers has given him renewed purpose and helped him to feel much better, as well as work in a lower-stress way that suits him better. The difference he has seen to his mental health has been dramatic; where once he would have been unable to hold a conversation about his depression and anxiety, he has been able to talk to Metro with a newfound ease and confidence – and he has written a book about his plans for the future. More Trending The charity is yet to start fundraising, so Moses doesn't receive any income, but he hopes he will one day be able to sustain himself so he never has to apply for jobs again. He adds: 'I've now recruited a team of volunteers from all over the world, the organisation is fully set up and we're ready to start doing work. This is what's giving me optimism for the future and the energy to push on. 'I now have something to focus on and a sense that I can achieve something with my life. It's brought me a renewed sense of hope.' Mind's welfare benefits line can offer advice on the benefits you may be entitled to, cost of living support and benefit appeals. You can speak to an adviser on 0300 222 5782 or visit MORE: All of Keir Starmer's welfare cut U-turns 'will cost £4,500,000,000' MORE: I built a fashion business from the ground up — you don't need entrepreneur family to succeed MORE: I was punished for not telling my boss about my disability
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Furious Love Island fans ‘complaining to Ofcom' over boy's ‘disgusting, gross and disrespectful' bedroom behaviour
LOVE Island fans have vowed to complain to Ofcom in their droves in a bid to get a "gross" Islander axed from the show. Viewers of the ITV2 dating show were left disgusted by 23-year-old Ben Holborough after he laid into his villa partner Yasmin and claimed that none of the guys in the villa fancied her and he never had any intentions of pursuing anything with her. 3 Fans are complaining to Ben Holborough over his Love Island behaviour Credit: Eroteme 3 Ben appeared to get close to Yasmin in bed before ditching her The pair came to blows with Ben brutally going after Yasmin and delivered one shock comment after another. Ben told Yasmin that he had never been interested in pursuing a connection with her and that he had never "rated her". This came just one day after he got very close with her in the bedroom. The couple confirmed they enjoyed kisses during some steamy bedroom action in which Yasmin seductively whispered to him: "You don't get this with a nice girl." Read More on Love Island Now, fans have been left horrified by Ben's sudden switch and his bedroom antics with Yasmin before claiming he never was into her. Demanding that he be pulled from the villa, one fan said on Reddit: "No problem him not being into her but he basically just used her for whatever needs he needed seeing to that night in the bedroom, so gross and disrespectful." Another agreed as they echoed: "I found Bens behaviour to be very triggering. "Nothing wrong with not being into Yasmin but why did he go in on her and get aggressive. Most read in Love Island "He's incredibly toxic with his mentality and words. Nobody should be spoken to like this it was completely overreacted." A third went on to write: "Honestly I don't think I've ever heard a man speak worse to a woman on this show!!!" Love Island fans convinced couple secretly had sex after steamy bed scenes at night As a fourth penned: "We all need to complain to ofcom via their online form about Ben. "Call me sensitive but it was really uncomfortable watching Ben speak to Yasmin in that way especially since she did absolutely nothing to deserve that?" Ben sparked outrage on last night's show as he rowed with In a brutal put down, he told her: "You're lucky Shea even picked you. To be fair, I think you're lucky you're even in here now to be fair. "No one rated you when you were in here let's say. You've only come out your shell because you're in a couple with me." As she walked away, Ben shouted to the rest of the villa: "Eh, she's made content for the next three weeks lads." Love Island 2025 full lineup : A 30-year-old footballer with charm to spare. : A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads. : A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish. : International business graduate with brains and ambition. : A gym enthusiast with a big heart. : A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern. : An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins. : A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father's footsteps. : A towering 6'5' personal trainer. : A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro. : Love Island's first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress. : The 24-year-old bombshell hails from London and works as a commercial banking executive. : Pro footballer and model entering Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Giorgio Russo : The 30-year-old will be spending his summer in the sun, potentially his sister Alessia's successful tournament at the Euros in Switzerland. Departures : : Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing. : A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident. : A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa. : A teaching assistant from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, who entered Love Island 2025 as a bombshell . : Works as a scaffolder day-to-day and plays semi-pro football on the side. Poppy Harrison: The bombshell broke up with her boyfriend after finding out she would be in the villa Will Means : The fourth fittest farmer in the UK according to Farmers' Weekly in 2023 entered the villa as a bombshell 3 The pair clashed with Ben brutally having a go at Yas Credit: Eroteme
Time Out
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time Out
Where was ‘F1: The Movie' filmed? The locations behind the Brad Pitt racing epic
After filming neon-streaked light cycle races in Tron: Legacy and high-altitude dogfights in Top Gun: Maverick, director Joseph Kosinski brings the summer blockbuster to the Formula One circuit. Officially licensed by Formula 1, the Brad Pitt-led F1: The Movie one-ups previous motorsport films with unparalleled access to real-life racing seasons, immersive first-person camerawork from modified cars, and cameos by champion drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Pitt steers aerodynamic beasts as Sonny Hayes, a yesteryear driver hired as a last-ditch option by FI team APX GP, an outfit much closer to bankruptcy than titles. Meanwhile, Londoner Damson Idris plays Pitt's impetuous, insecure young teammate Joshua Pearce. Together, the veteran and the rookie trot across the globe's flashiest Grade 1 circuits, with occasional pitstops for a pint at the pub and a post-race party at a Las Vegas club. This is how and where they pulled it all off. Where were the races of F1: The Movie filmed? The racing scenes were all shot at actual tracks, from trial laps at Silverstone Circuit in the UK to a final nail-biter at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Daytona International Speedway, Florida Brad Pitt's Sonny Hayes is introduced in a non-F1 setting at Florida's Daytona International Speedway that hosts the '24 Hours of Daytona'. To footage of the endurance race, a fictional 'Chip Hart Racing' team was embedded within the 2024 edition. The crew used a Porsche and a BMW (from competing Daytona teams Wright Motorsport and Turner Motorsport) for the rainswept opening race sequence. Silverstone, UK Once Sonny's skills behind the wheel are established, he attempts a Formula One comeback with training sessions and early races at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. Located near villages of Northamptonshire, Silverstone hosted Kosinski and his crew during July 2023's Grand Prix weekend. Filming took place during practice laps or the short breaks during actual races. Pitt and Idris really did most of the driving, pushing the pedal on modified Formula 2 cars with Formula 1 fittings. The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi Other tracks used in the film include Hungary's Hungaroring, Belgium's Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Italy's famous Monza Circuit, Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands, Japan's Suzuka course, Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, and finally, Abu Dhabi's futuristic Yas Marina Circuit – the last track of the season. Where were the non-racing scenes filmed? Christina's Coin Laundry, New Smyrna Beach, Florida After his Daytona victory, Sonny Hayes can be spotted at Christina's Coin Laundry, which operates every day of the week at Florida's New Smyrna Beach. This is where he runs into his former teammate and now manager of APX GP, Ruben (Javier Bardem). Pappas Drive-In and Family Restaurant, New Smyrna Beach, Florida As Ruben tries to persuade Sonny to come out of retirement, the racer grabs a bite at the neighbouring Pappas Drive-In and Family Restaurant. The eatery has been a local staple since 1970. Sadly, shortly after F1 wrapped filming here in March 2024, Pappas Drive-In burnt down in a fire. The site remains closed, with the owners confirming the restaurant's demolition in a social media post from August. It might be some consolation that Pappas is now immortalised on screen, as the hungriest movie star in cinema history tucks into one of its pies. McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, England After a career-ending injury, Sonny is shown to have left the competitive racing circuit in the 1990s. As he plans his big comeback to F1, we find him and young rookie Joshua undergoing rigorous physical training and attending press conferences at the APX GP headquarters. The team might be struggling on the leaderboard, but APX's base boasts sleek, spacious modernist architecture. The McLaren Technology Centre in Woking stood in for the fictional team's headquarters. One shot shows Damson Idris using the high-tech facilities to push his physical limits, while Pitt jogs around the distinctive semi-circular glass building. Opened in 2004, the building has also been used in Star Wars series Andor as a spaceport on the planet Coruscant. The Globe Inn, Leighton Buzzard, England In between practice sessions for his big Formula 1 return, Sonny meets the team's technical director, Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), as they indulge in some friendly banter over pints. The rendezvous spot in this case is The Globe Inn, a cosy pub nestled by the Grand Union Canal in the Bedfordshire market town of Leighton Buzzard. Omnia Nightclub and Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, USA When his F1 team makes its way to Las Vegas for the US Grand Prix, Joshua has a moment of clarity at a nightclub inside Caesar's Palace. The club sequence also features a cameo from Dutch DJ Tiesto, who performs his Sexxy Red collaboration OMG!, an exclusive single that features on the film's soundtrack. A mainstay in numerous Las Vegas-set films, the interiors of Caesar's Palace also feature when Condon's Kate McKenna 'parent traps' bickering teammates Joshua and Sonny into a conciliatory drink. Who stars in F1: The Movie? Brad Pitt gets top billing in F1: The Movie for playing racer Sonny Hayes, joined by Snowfall star Damson Idris as his teammate Joshua. The Banshees of Inisherin breakout Kerry Condon plays APX GP's technical director Kate, while Oscar-winner Javier Bardem supports the ensemble as team owner Reuben. Other cast members include Tobias Menzies (The Crown), Kim Bodnia (Konstantin in Killing Eve), and Sarah Niles (Dr Fieldstone in Ted Lasso). Many real-life F1 drivers and team CEOs appear as themselves, including the likes of Lewis Hamilton (who also serves as producer and consultant), Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and many more. When does F1: The Movie come out? F1: The Movie releases on June 25 in UK and Ireland cinemas and June 27 in the US. The film is scheduled for a streaming release on Apple TV+ after its theatrical run. . .
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Runner chases after phone snatcher riding on e-bike in latest spate of thefts
Phone snatchers are still targeting poor Londoners just trying to go for their morning run, despite the Met's promise of a crackdown. London has seen an upturn in phone snatching in recent years, with victims targeted across visitor hotspots and busy streets. Latest footage shows a man running along when a thief, dressed in all black, pulls up onto the pavement on an e-bike near the river Thames. The bike, which has noticeably thick tyres, swerves off the road and onto the pavement with pedestrians. Soon enough, the man's phone is taken as he is mid-stride, making him stop in his tracks and hold his head in hands. And this man is one of thousands of victims in London. While the Met has made significant progress in stopping snatchers, it is clear more needs to be done. Adele Pearson has had her phone stolen twice while out and about. The TV producer had her phone first snatched by a man on an e-bike on London Bridge, followed by another theft in a pub just two months after the first incident. She told Metro previously: 'She said: 'I am a double victim, and it's frustrating it seems like work to stop the phone snatching is only just starting. 'I still don't walk down the streets the same way, if I see a tourist with their phone out I go up and warn them.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The phone-snatching epidemic has turned many Londoner into involuntary heroes as they have tried to stop thieves. Adele said a group of builders 'tried to chase the guy down for me but he got away' when she was targeted on London Bridge. Rutesh Durve was walking into Piccadilly Circus tube station when his phone was snatched straight out of his hands. He chased the thief down but realised it was too late, and just one week later his phone was in China. Rutesh, who works in stock markets, told Metro: 'I was walking down the steps and was checking a few messages and without any warning a guy on an e-bike wering a black hoodie and black clothes with his face covered and grabbed my phone. 'By the time I had realised what had happened he was so far away and it was very crowded. 'My wife started receiving messages pretending to be Apple, with fake links trying to get her to input my password – it was a sophisticated level of workmanship.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This week the Met announced they managed to arrest 10 people involved in phone snatching gangs with their new Flying Squad. On Thursday, 19 June eight men, aged between 20 and 31, and two 17-year-old boys were arrested at addresses in London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery. Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier, who is leading the investigation from the Met's Flying Squad, said: 'Phone robbery has boomed globally, and London is not immune. 'There is a concerted effort by criminal gangs to steal phones and sell them overseas as part of a multi-million-pound industry. Some 78,000 people had phones or bags stolen from them on British streets in the year to March 2024. That is a rise of more than 150% on the 31,000 'snatch thefts' in the 12 months before, according to data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Figures also show that four in five police investigations were closed before a suspect was even found and just 0.8% of 'theft from the person' complaints resulted in a charge. The government has pledged to crackdown on the scourge, with the Home Office saying it will work more closely with tech firms and police chiefs. In this year alone, 213 phones have already been stolen in the City of London. For the same period between 1 January and 30 April last year, there were 294 phone snatching reports. 'The Met is catching more of these criminals and operations such as this are vital to disrupting offenders who cause fear and misery to shop workers and communities.' More Trending The force also carried out a two week focus at the start of the year, leading to the arrests of 292 people. In footage released by the Metropolitan Police, one plain clothed police officer is seen spotting a phone snatcher, in a dark blue backwards baseball cap and black jacket in Oxford Circus. The thief had targeted an elderly person in the tourist hot spot, but one officer spotted the attack and tackled him to the ground in front of shocked pedestrians. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Champion jockey Oisin Murphy charged with drink driving after crash with tree MORE: 12 ways to spend London Pride 2025 including a day party with a performance from Nadine Coyle MORE: Man jailed for 12 years after beating neighbour, 75, to death over a garden gate
