Latest news with #MarkLloyd
Telegraph
18-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Water regulator to be scrapped as sewage spills soar
While it is understood that ministers have not yet received the final report, which will be published on Monday, Sir Jon's interim report last month criticised 'deep-rooted, systemic' problems across the water industry, laying the blame at the door of both companies and regulators. Ofwat has been criticised for its part in failing to prevent sewage spills and then allowing water companies to put up bills by almost £10 a month on average to fund improvements in environmental standards. The regulator has also been criticised for failing to hold Thames Water to account before it slipped into crisis. Thames Water nationalisation Britain's largest water company – Thames Water, which is saddled with debt – faces the prospect of government control, with its boss warning this week that it will take at least a decade to turn the company around. Environment Agency figures showed a sharp jump in pollution incidents in England, with Thames Water, Southern Water and Yorkshire Water the worst offenders. Ofwat declined to comment, while a government spokesman said: 'We are not going to comment on speculation'. Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Rivers Trust, which represents trusts across the country, welcomed the proposed overhaul. He said: 'The problem for Government is clear: economic and environmental regulation of the water industry has been very muddled since privatisation and is the root cause of many of the issues with the sector. 'Greater clarity, consistency, certainty and accountability of regulation are urgently needed for water companies to improve their performance and to attract investment. They therefore face a choice between reforming the current regulatory framework to make it work better or creating a new, single regulator.' Thames bondholders also welcomed proposals to scrap Ofwat, pointing to the regulator's failure to rein in Thames Water's debt binge.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rivers Trust responds to open water swim company's closure
Henley Swim said it was forced to close due to "relentless publicity" over water quality in the River Thames causing a drop in numbers entering its swims (Image: Archant) The chief executive of a conservation charity has responded to the closure of an open water swimming events firm. Henley Swim had been running events on the River Thames for more than 20 years before it was forced to close down at the start of the month after "relentless publicity" over water quality in the river led to a drop in numbers entering its swims. Responding to the news, Mark Lloyd, chief executive of The Rivers Trust, said: "We are incredibly sorry to hear the news that Henley Swim has stopped trading and that their events this year will not go ahead. "Since we were the official charity partner for Henley Swim Festival in 2022, The Rivers Trust has attended the event every year and we were due to attend again in July 2025. ADVERTISEMENT "We have also worked year-round with their team to advocate for increased environmental awareness and safe river swimming." Mr Lloyd said the closure of Henley Swim shows there is "much more to do both to address river pollution and to help the public make informed decisions about swimming". He added: "Despite the immense challenges our rivers are facing, The Rivers Trust firmly believes that safe river swimming is possible in the UK, but swimmers must be aware of the risks and take necessary precautions when doing so. "We will continue to fight for our vision of wild, healthy, natural rivers that can be enjoyed by swimmers and river users alike."
South China Morning Post
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for April 17-19
The long-awaited Easter weekend is here! Between Easter egg hunts, egg-themed dishes and extended relaxation in the warm weather, we have a full line-up of guest shifts worth checking out over the course of four days. If you're not flying out for the long weekend, enjoy the local bar scene – world-class concepts from Jakarta, Beijing and even our sister SAR get behind the stick at some of our best venues. Thursday, April 17 Wing Lei Bar x Honky Tonks Tavern Wing Lei Bar's new head mixologist Mark Lloyd is visiting Hong Kong from Macau for a guest shift at Honky Tonks Tavern on April 17. Photo: Handout What: Mark Lloyd, newly minted head mixologist at the revamped Wing Lei Bar at Wynn Palace in Macau, comes to Hong Kong for a gauntlet of guest shifts this Easter weekend. The Scotland native brings a CV of venues from Bangkok, Shanghai and more to three of our most rambunctious venues, hitting Mark Lloyd, newly minted head mixologist at the revamped Wing Lei Bar at Wynn Palace in Macau, comes to Hong Kong for a gauntlet of guest shifts this Easter weekend. The Scotland native brings a CV of venues from Bangkok, Shanghai and more to three of our most rambunctious venues, hitting Honky Tonks Tavern on Thursday, Artifact on Friday and Soho House on Saturday. Visit any of these venues to get a taste of Wing Lei Bar right here on our home turf. Advertisement Where: Honky Tonks Tavern, Pak Tsz Lane Park, 1 Pak Tse Lane, Central When: 7pm-11pm Friday, April 18 Bar Long Fong x Penicillin Penicillin in Hong Kong welcomes Bar Long Fong co-founders Xu and Fan from Beijing on April 18. Photo: Handout What: Heading down south all the way from Beijing are co-founders Xu and Fan of Bar Long Fong, who take over our very own Heading down south all the way from Beijing are co-founders Xu and Fan of Bar Long Fong, who take over our very own Penicillin this Friday! Bar Long Fong is known for its contemporary approach to cocktails, often combining multiple base liquors with unusual modifiers. That includes whiskey and two types of huangjiu with blackened banana and almond for their Banana, Almond & Huangjiu cocktail, or pisco, gin and whiskey with six types of seeds or nuts for their Francis Albert's Daily Nuts – both off their current Simple Drink menu. Where: Penicillin, LG/F, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Road, Central When: 7pm-9pm Saturday, April 19 The Cocktail Club x C108
South China Morning Post
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
The hottest new openings in Hong Kong and Macau, March 30
Shop 201, 2/F, Shui On Centre, 6-8 Harbour Road, Wan Chai Steered by head mixologist Mark Lloyd, Wynn Palace's luxe cocktail bar has revamped its menu with 12 new signature cocktails. The drinks fall across four categories – sours, stirred, twists on classics and modern martinis – with ingredients spanning everything from croissant-washed Cognac to avocado oil. Or put your faith in Lloyd (formerly of J. Boroski across Bangkok, Hong Kong and Shanghai) as he crafts a bespoke cocktail for you, using a four-question approach he's honed over the years.
South China Morning Post
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for March 14-16
As the weather turns a corner, Hong Kong's bar scene is starting to emerge from its post-Lunar New Year hibernation. Taipei's Bar Without visits Hong Kong's The Opposites, while Mandarin Oriental celebrates art month with three art-inspired cocktails. Meanwhile, in our sister SAR, Wynn Palace overhauls Wing Lei Bar and brings Scottish mixologist Mark Lloyd to helm the concept – a perfect way to cap off any weekend trip to Macau. Thursday, March 13 Bar Without x Opposites The Opposites has partnered with Pedison Kao from Taipei's Bar Without. Photo: Handout What: The Opposites looks to ease you into the weekend courtesy of host Pedison Kao, brand director of Bar Without in Taipei, and partners Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, The Singleton and Tanqueray. Kao was the Taiwan bartending champion, placing in the top three globally in the Diageo World Class competition 2024. Bar Without offers contemporary, high-concept cocktails using ingredients such as kaoliang, tea, burnt miso, tobacco, shio koji, pineapple chips and more. Advertisement Where: The Opposites, LG/F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Central When: 8pm-11pm Friday, March 14 Art Month sips at the Mandarin Oriental The Aubrey's Angry Girl, available throughout March to celebrate Hong Kong's art month. Photo: Handout What: With some of the year's biggest art fairs including Art Basel and Art Central just around the corner, the Mandarin Oriental is unveiling an array of dishes, menus and cocktails that dazzle in both style and flavour. The Aubrey is offering the Angry Girl Highball, which focuses on coffee-infused shochu, cacao and barley, and is based on the Angry Girl series of paintings by Yoshitomo Nara. The Chinnery's Self Portrait, available through March to celebrate Art Month. Photo: Handout Elsewhere in the MO, the Captain's Bar is serving The Comedian, which adds banana, marsala and coconut to the classic Negroni, inspired by the viral piece of the same name by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. At the Chinnery, the Self-Portrait pays tribute to – you guessed it – painter George Chinnery, in the form of a gin sour riff. Where: Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central When: Advertisement The Aubrey, noon-9.30pm
