Travel

UK Travel

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A taste of the high life

The picturesque harbour at Ramsgate

Ramsgate by Bill McCarthy

Crashing a Spitfire on landing is not my finest hour. Luckily it was in a flight simulator at an aircraft museum and I was so agonisingly near the the perfect flight after an extraordinary few days in Kent, but more on that later. 

Ramsgate may not trip from the lips as a must seaside destination for Midlanders, but it a fascinating place with a history of famous sons and daughters as evidenced by a plethora of blue plaques and somewhere to seriously consider once the pandemic has subsided. 

The celebrities who have lived or worked in the Kent town include Elizabeth Fry, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, John Le Mesurier, and artist Vincent Van Gogh, who taught in the town. 

It was also significant during the Second World War and has the only royal harbour in the country (a status granted by George IV in 1821) and some of the finest hotels and dining. 

One of these, the Royal Harbour Hotel, proved the perfect base for all things Ramsgate, a town also famous for the part it played in in the rescue of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. 

The hotel is divided across three Georgian-style buildings with 27 individually styled rooms, most with spectacular sea views and easy access to all amenities. The hotel is a mix of quaint and modern with quirky old furniture melded with ultra-modern bathrooms. 

An iconic wartime Spitfire at the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum 

Memorabilia is everywhere, celebrating the town’s seafaring heritage. Our bedroom, with a view over the harbour, featured a four poster bed, complimentary bottles of water and biscuits.

For extra comfort, there were also couple of armchairs and even a TV above the bath. 

In the main hotel, there are a couple of sitting rooms one, with honesty bar, roaring fires and an eclectic mix of vinyl records to play on the vintage record player. 

A truly relaxing atmosphere in a superbly comfortable environment. 

Fine dining is offered in the hotel’s two restaurants, the Empire Room, which is in a basement part of the complex and The Little Ships, just a short walk down the seafront. Having eaten in both, it is fair to say that one is excellent and the other outstanding. You will need to visit to make your own mind up. 

The men behind them are hotelier James Thomas and Michelin-trained chef Craig Mather who have put together imaginative and competitively priced menus for both venues, whether the more expensive a la carte or cheaper set menus. 

The Empire Room is decorated with red walls and furnished with Victorian and Georgian wooden tables and chairs, original Empire magazine covers on the walls and history books on library shelves. 

Down the road The Little Ships is a more contemporary affair, a kind of continental restaurant come bistro/cafe, with modern furnishings and open plan kitchen. 

Both offer varied menus, with the Little Ships seafood a particular delight. Having chosen squid, admittedly not something I would eat on a regular basis, it was by far the best I have ever tasted, while the seafood linguini was nearly as good.

My wife, in customary fashion, went with the meat and got stuck into a pork chop the size of a dinner plate. I know that doesn’t sound exotic, (there are more exotic dishes), but the food is truly exceptional and served imaginatively. Incidentally, both restaurants score highly with Tripadvisor. 

The award-winning Empire Room offers a slightly different menu and the Kentish loin of beef proved a real winner for me in what is a charming and atmospheric dining experience, while the other half went for a meal I thought she would have at the other place, shoulder of lamb. 

You could wax lyrical about both restaurants, suffice to say both offer fantastic food with first class service. Out and about, the Ramsgate Tunnels are really a must visit.  A labyrinth of tunnels criss-crossing the town, built during the war, that became shelters for many and home for some. 

A guided tour gives an understanding of what life was like during the the Blitz, while Margate and Broadstairs are just a few miles away 

Down the road is the RAF Manston History Museum, where you can lose yourself with the history of ancient and modern aircraft and get an understanding of the 100-year plus history of the RAF with some fantastic exhibits. 

Just across the car park is the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum, which concentrates on the iconic aircraft that won the Battle of Britain and, returning to the beginning, where you can take a virtual flight, or crash a Spitfire, in an exhilarating flying experience. Worth every penny of the £30 on a special few days 

Fact file 

Visitors at the extensive wartime tunnels complex at Ramsgate
Business, Travel

Airline capacity halved over winter

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A leading airline has warned that its winter capacity for 2020/21 will be halved as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chairman Philip Meeson expects the airline and operator’s winter capacity to be half that of last year owing to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Jet2 placed around 80 per cent of its UK staff on furlough during the six months to September 30.
The business this November disclosed a pre-tax loss of £119.3 million for the six months to 30 September, down from a £337 million profit during the same period last year.

Operational profit, meanwhile, fell from £365.1 million to a £111.2 million loss during what Jet2 described as a period of “unprecedented operational and financial challenges” during which it was forced to ground much of its fleet from mid-March through to mid-July.
“Few could have foreseen the prolonged impact of the pandemic,” said Mr Meeson. “Jet2 plc has adapted quickly to the challenges by taking considered, but decisive actions to bolster liquidity, minimise losses and reduce cash burn.”

Mr Meeson said Jet2’s “disciplined approach” to flying capacity, which involved focusing on profitable routes and bringing them to market quickly when travel restrictions permitted, had allowed the business to deliver a better result than forecast back in mid-May.
Looking ahead to the winter, Mr Meeson said he anticipated winter 2020/21 seat capacity would be approximately 50 per cent less than winter 2019/20, adding with travel advice uncertain, forward bookings would likely continue to come with a “pronounced” shorter lead time than in previous years.


He said: “As is typical for the business, further losses are to be expected in the second half of the financial year as we ready ourselves operationally for the proposed summer 2021 flying programme,” said Mr Meeson. “In addition, the ability to fly in the short term remains uncertain, as UK government guidance currently restricts international travel except in limited circumstances until at least 3 December.”
Jet2 plc’s half-year report reveals the extent of the business’s efforts to preserve liquidity and control cash burn: it placed around 80 per cent of UK staff on furlough under the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and tapped similar schemes for overseas workers; froze recruitment and discretionary spending; and cancelled 12 summer-only third-party leased aircraft.
Staff were also asked to take a pay cut, while performance-related bonuses for the year ending 31 March 2020 and the firm’s discretionary colleague profit share scheme were not paid.
Passenger numbers, though, fell from 10.07 million in 2019 to just 0.99 million on an average load factor of 69 per cent, down from 93.1 per cent. However, Jet2’s proportion of package holiday customers increased as a percentage of those who did travel during the six months to 30 September.
On refunds, Meeson said Jet2 had taken “great pride” in refunding customers promptly, and paid tribute to the airline and operator’s virtual contact centre, customer service and social media teams for their “tireless” work, which he added was duly recognised by the CAA in its airline refund investigation.

Travel

Athens: A city steeped in history and culture

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The heritage of the classical era is still evident with ancient monuments, the most famous of all being the Acropolis. Pictures: @mtravelspr
Travel by Bill McCarthy

It’s the city that never sleeps, or so it seems, the home of modern civilisation, home of the Acropolis and Parthenon, and the home of a million taxis – I don’t think I have ever seen so many, even in New York.

Athens is a wonderful city, steeped in history, alive with culture and with a diverse and as it seemed to us, young, population. 

The birthplace of democracy, it is often referred to as the cradle of western civilisation and is one of world’s oldest cities, its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years. 

A stunning night view of the Acropolis from Athens city centre 

Classical Athens was a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato’s Academy and Aristotle’s Lyceum. 

It seems hard to believe Greece itself was in such dire straits and needing a bailout just a few short years ago, and now, like the rest of the world, is suffering from the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic.

But this teeming thriving metropolis sitting on the edge of the Mediterranean and Aegean sea bounced back from the financial crisis and will certainly recover from the pandemic.

The bustling Monastiraki Square is a busy shopping and leisure centre 

We spent two memorable days the heart of the city at the Athens Tiare Hotel, on historic Omonia Square, a central as you can get in Athens and the oldest square in the city 

The hotel stands proudly overlooking Omonia, also known as Concord Square. The hotel is within easy reach of landmarks, museums, cultural centres, wining and dining, shopping and anything you may desire. 

A two-minute walk from the city’s subway, you can buy a 10 Euro ticket from the airport and arrive at the square via one change on metro in around 40 minutes. 

From here most of the major attractions are within easy reach, even walking distance for this wishing burn off the excess calories from the excellent Greek street food. 

The 10-storey hotel dominates the square and offers various accommodation, from comfort through to family and executive quality rooms. All have been refurbished and our deluxe room featured comfortable king-size bed, huge wall mounted flat-screen TV, drink making facilities and a state of the art bathroom with high end power shower with massaging jets. 

Exceptional comfort. 

A De-luxe room with city view is comprehensively equipped 

We stayed on B&B basis, with breakfast served in the cafe-style Artensis restaurant on the mezzanine floor. It offers a comfortable ambiance, offering a chic, modern dining area, with a fantastic view over the square. 

Other facilities include free computer and printer use at the business centre, small library and fitness centre as well as a ground floor lobby lounge and bar with outside area, that also proved popular with passers-by, stopping off for a coffee or early evening tipple. 

Importantly the whole building was spotlessly clean for our visit with the staff courteous and helpful. You can see why it would be equally popular with tourists and business users. 

The cafe-style restaurant overlooking the main square 

Within minutes you can take a journey through ancient civilisation to the modern days, and enjoy landmarks, museums, cultural and government centres, shopping and an impressive flea market. 

The heritage of the classical era is still evident seemingly everywhere in the city, represented by ancient monuments and works of art, the most famous of all being the Acropolis and Parthenon, considered a key landmark of early Western civilisation. Other archaeologically important sites such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch and the Tower of the Winds are nearby.

An informative and comprehensive view of the city can be had on one of the many open top city tour buses. A multi-lingual commentary gives passengers all the information about the city and its origins. 

A spectacular view of Athens from the Acropolis 

The metro also takes you in two stops to Syntagma Square with many cultural and civic buildings nearby the very heart of Athens, and to Monastiraki Square, the historic core of the city, which is jam packed with shops, open air stalls and that flea market. This station also features ancient Greek ruins, while the metro itself can take you even further afield to the historic Port of Piraeus, one of the trading hubs linking Europe with Africa and Asia. 

Be prepared for a real hike however if you decide to visit the Acropolis of Athens on foot. The word acropolis means the highest point and there are many others in Greece. 

It is the home of several ancient ruins, including the most famous of all, the Parthenon, a former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, who the people of Athens considered their patron. Construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the peak of its power. 

Hugely popular, even in early May literally thousands were queuing to see the iconic landmark. At 20 euro, it is a price worth paying for surely must be one of the wonders of the ancient world.

As said earlier, it is quite a hike up the hill from the city centre, but buses and taxis, would cut that journey by two thirds. 

A fantastic thriving capital city with a terrific transport infrastructure. Everything is near at hand and one of the most important historical and archaeologically important sites in the world. I would go again. 

Business, News

Garden waste service ‘hibernates’

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Sutton people should make a last sweep of their garden rubbish before collections end on November 23 and will not resume until spring.

According to Birmingham City Council: “As our gardens ‘hibernate’ for the winter, so does our garden waste service!”

The last collection for this year will be during the week commencing 23 November – on your usual collection day. Households can check their collection day online: birmingham.gov.uk/waste.

If you have any garden rubbish you need to dispose of during the winter months you can take it to one of five household recycling centres. You will need to book a slot before you visit, find out more here: birmingham.gov.uk/hrc

Sales will re-open soon for the 2021 garden waste service, and the council will be contacting householders with the relevant information.

Anyone with queries about the garden waste service visit birmingham.gov.uk/gardenwaste.

Schools

Sutton offers A* for education

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Wide choice of schools on offer for parents

Sutton Coldfield schools have a proud record for education students, with many achieving some of the best results in the country.

There are a number of secondary schools, both selective and comprehensive, in the area, including Fairfax School is on Reddicap Heath Road in the east of the town.

Opposite the school is The John Willmott School, while Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is on Jockey Road.

Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, its male equivalent, is on Lichfield Road in the centre of the town adjacent to Birmingham Metropolitan College.

The Arthur Terry School is on Kittoe Road in Four Oaks in the north of the town near Butlers Lane station, while The Plantsbrook School (formerly The Riland Bedford School) is on Upper Holland Road near the centre of the town in Maney.

Bishop Walsh Catholic School is next to the Sutton Park Line and New Hall Valley Country Park and is a 10 minutes from Wylde Green. All these schools are for ages 11–18. However, from September 1972 until July 1992, schools in the Sutton Coldfield area were divided into first school for pupils aged 5–8 years, middle schools for pupils aged 8–12 years, while the entry age for secondary school was set at 12 years.

There are also many primary and infant schools in the area including : St Joseph Catholic Primary School; Whitehouse Common Primary School; Deanery Primary School; Banners Gate Primary School; Holy Cross Infant and Junior Catholic Primary School; Walmley Primary School and Moor Hall Primary School in the Mere Green area.

Others include Four Oaks Primary; New Hall Primary and Children’s Centre; Little Sutton; Coppice Primary; Hill West and Mere Green Combined.

Highclare School, founded in 1932, is a primary and secondary school located on three sites in the Birmingham area. Two of the sites are located in Sutton Coldfield, with the other being located in nearby Erdington. The Sutton Coldfield facilities are on Lichfield Road in the Four Oaks area and in the Wylde Green area to the south, which houses the nursery.

St Nicholas Catholic Primary School in Jockey Road is a voluntary aided Catholic primary school. Established in 1967.

Your area

Your area: Streetly

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A spectacular display of autumn colours in Sutton Park, near Streetly Gate

Streetly is an unusual part of Sutton Coldfield as it comes within the borders of three local authorities.

It lies around seven miles (11 km) to the north of Birmingham City Centre. It is uniquely located within the borders of Birmingham, Lichfield and Walsall district authorities, and is part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is adjacent to Sutton Coldfield, New Oscott, Great Barr, Four Oaks, Little Aston and Aldridge.

Streetly is a semi-rural district, lying close to many farms and is separated from Walsall by open fields and the North Birmingham green belt. The local area includes Sutton Park of which Streetly has its own dedicated gate. Streetly is part of the Birmingham Metropolitan Area and the Birmingham Urban Area.

Streetly is named after Icknield Street, a Roman road, of which parts can still be found in Sutton Park. Streetly was a rural area of Staffordshire until the 1960s, when the character of the area became suburban due to the mass construction of modern housing in response to the urbanisation of Birmingham. Streetly was in Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District until the creation of the metropolitan West Midlands County in 1974.

Lifestyle, Travel

Cyprus cleans up to welcome tourists

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Vaccine brings hope of return to normal

With hopes a new vaccine offering hope of a return to near normal for tourism, the spectacular island of Cyprus is making sure it retains its attraction during the winter months.

This a big clean-up with dozens of volunteers,  took place at the historic town of Larnaca in preparation for the anticipated return of tourism in 2021.

 The initiative was organised Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), which was established in 2006, with the goal to promote the development of sustainable approach to tourism in Cyprus.

A group of volunteers collected around 1.5 tonnes of garbage from Larnaka Marina and the Fishing Shelter, including bicycles, cutlery, fans, batteries and tyres.

The clean-up also focussed on waste from one of the area’s most popular and beautiful attractions, McKenzie Beach, with the majority of rubbish being cigarette butts and plastic straws.

The campaign was organised by CSTI (@CySustTourism) and the Larnaka Tourism Board with the support of Larnaka Municipality and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.

 Tributes were paid  to 60 volunteers and the diving and watersports centres that participated.

For those wishing  to know about travelling to Cyprus, visit http://visitcyprus.com for more information or Larnaka Tourism at larnakaregion.com and @LarnakaRegion.

Business, News

Give a gift of care for Sutton hospice

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  • St Giles Hospice Clinical Director Katie Burbridge with the Merry Messages poster
    St Giles Hospice Clinical Director Katie Burbridge with the Merry Messages poster

Call to support Katie’s Christmas appeal

St Giles Hospice is asking people to come together and give the gift of care this Christmas by supporting Katie’s Christmas Appeal.

The charity has two local hospices, one in Lindridge Road Sutton and the other in Lichfield, together with shops in Mere Green and Boldmere.

Even though we can’t currently all meet up in person as we usually would, St Giles hopes local families, businesses, schools and groups will feel a little closer to each other this festive season by signing up to take part in its simple, fun and COVID-19-safe fundraising activities.

The hospice has launched Katie’s Christmas Appeal to support its work caring for patients living with a terminal illness, and their families, at the end of a year in which it has been forced to close its shops during two national lockdowns and cancel most of its organised fundraising events – including its popular annual Christmas Fair.

The campaign is named after Katie Burbridge, the Clinical Director at St Giles Hospice. Katie said: “Our care doesn’t stop at Christmas time. This festive season our staff will be creating special memories with patients and their families – for many of whom, this Christmas may sadly be their last.

“The cost of providing inpatient care on Christmas Day alone is over £16,000. It’s only thanks to the generosity of our supporters that we can give the gift of care. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for allowing us to be there for local people at this really important time of year.”

Among the campaign’s suggested activities are making a donation and donning festive knitwear for Jolly Jumper Day on December 11; chipping in and writing a note on the Merry Messages poster in lieu of Christmas cards and keeping kids amused by donating and downloading Olly’s Christmas Activity Pack.

Or fundraisers can use the props provided to post an Elfie Selfie (#StGilesElfieSelfie); take part in a Secret Santa Swap by donating to St Giles the funds they would usually spend on a secret Santa gift; or support ‘Donate Your Christmas Plate’ by making a donation to help fund Christmas meals for hospice patients.

Elinor Eustace, Income Generation Director at St Giles Hospice, said: “With the cancellation of so many events throughout 2020, we’re all the more determined to have a ‘cracking’ Christmas this year!

St Giles Hospice in Lindridge Road, Sutton Coldfield, will be taking part in the activities

“We may all be socially distanced at the moment, but we hope that people will have lots of festive fun as they raise much-needed funds and update their St Giles Christmas Stocking Totaliser poster along the way. They can use our festive-themed fundraising ideas in or out of work, or with family and friends.

“Our fundraising team are always on hand to help with ideas and support, and we look forward to seeing your own personal touches too. Whether you do your bit in a novelty knit, or donate your Christmas plate, please support us this festive season and help make Christmas count for our patients and their families – we’ve never needed you more than we need you today.”

Supporters who sign up for a Festive Fundraising Pack will receive a list of fabulous fundraising ideas, a Merry Messages Poster, cut out props for their Elfie Selfie, and a St Giles Stocking Totaliser to help them keep track of their progress. Printed packs are also available on request, which include a money box, for a recommended donation of £5.

Anyone wanting further support can email the St Giles fundraising team on fundraising@stgileshospice.com or call 01543 432538. They will be happy to provide fundraisers with additional materials, such as a collection tin, cardboard collection box or St Giles piggy bank.

For further information about the appeal or to request a fundraising pack visit www.stgileshospice.com/how-you-can-help-us/fundraise-with-us/christmas-appeal/

News

New EE mast sparks local anger

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The old mast standing in front of the new, much taller mast at Walsall Road

Four Oaks residents are up in arms after the completion of a huge new telecoms mast, saying the site looks like a ‘bomb site.’

The towering EE mast at Walsall Road near The Crown pub on Walsall Road, has recently been completed after the firm’s successful appeal. Much to the annoyance of many neighbours, who are annoyed at the ‘mess’ left after the previous mast was not removed.

Their annoyance has been echoed by Four Oaks ward councillor Maureen Cornish who described it as a ‘frustrating situation.’ She has also launched and enforcement complaint to tidy up the site.

The work was completed during October, and will provide the latest 5G communications across the area, with the 50ft.

Councillor Cornish

 The development proposed is a proposed telecoms upgrade with monopole, c/w wrapround cabinet at base and associated works. 

The new mast was initially refused planning permission by Birmingham City Council, who said the main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the visual amenity of the area, with particular regard to the proposal’s scale and siting, but MBNL (EE Ltd and Hutchinson of 3G UK LTD) launched an appeal under  under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission. 

 The appeal was upheld by Andrew McGlone an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Local resident Patrick James, from Four Oaks Common Road, described the scene as an unsightly mess.

He said: We all understand the need for better communication, but the area has been left in a right state, a bit of a bomb site really, not to mention the disruption while the work was carried out.”

 Councillor Cornish, Shadow Cabinet Member for Education Skills and Culture at Birmingham City Council, said she had launched an enforcement complaint over the what has been left at the site.

She added: “The Telecommunication installation at the Crown Pub has and still is a frustrating situation. Residents do not object to providing 5G but the number of boxes  and the disgraceful appearance is unacceptable. I have been working with planning officers over a number of weeks requesting the situation is rectified.

My meeting, held last week, has produced the following: ‘The appeal file for the new mast and plans show that the old mast and some of the existing cabinets should be removed  once the new mast is in place.’

“It may be that, due to Covid the removal of old cabinets have been delayed. I have registered an enforcement complaint and they will be in touch and keep me updated.”

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News

Sutton remembers fallen heroes

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Rev Canon Adrian Leahy leads the Remembrance ceremony at All Saints Church
By Bill McCarthy

A Remembrance Sunday with a difference was celebrated with a small but poignant ceremony at All Saints Church, Four Oaks.

Reverend Canon Adrian Leahy gave a short tribute and prayer in memory of the fallen in a ceremony attended by just a handful of people, where previously there would have been hundreds, in a service hampered by Covid 19 lockdown restrictions.

He then laid a wreath, as did a representative from Sutton Coldfield Town Council and the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.

A bugler then played the last post before a two-minute silence was held in memory of the fallen British and Commonwealth servicemen and women.

The Remembrance ceremony takes place on the Sunday closest to the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month when the First World War armistice was signed.

Rev Leahy concluded with some of the words from a poem from Robert Laurence Binyon:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Rev Leahy said the event had proved a challenge with the Covid restrictions in place.

He said: “The hardest thing for me is seeing that church door behind us closed and the grounds almost empty where there would normally be hundreds of people.

“I’m pleased we were able to put something together and am grateful to those who took part.”

He also praised the efforts of Scouts and Guides who had managed to help decorate the church grounds with plastic poppies along lawn edges, wrapped around a large tree and a number of painted memorial stones at the foot of a tree in the church grounds..

Despite the restrictions, Rev Leahy said he was still managing to conduct services with the help of a loudspeaker and Zoom connection and said he was grateful for everyone’s patience.

All Saints Church is on the corner of Bellwell Lane and Walsall Road, for information, visit www.allsaintsfouroaks.org.uk