One of the positive things about life returning to something approximating normality is that movies have started to come back to theaters.  Many films that were to see their premieres during the pandemic were pushed back, sometimes repeatedly and other times indefinitely—but now they are finally hitting theater screens all over the world as originally intended.  We’ve found five movies coming out in the next few months to screens large and small that you may want to see and listed them below.  If there’s something you think we left out, please let us know in the comments. But beware, with COVID still going around, the release dates for all of these films may change!

No Time to Die (10/8)

Daniel Craig’s last outing as master spy James Bond was one of cinema’s pandemic victims, repeatedly pushed back for its opening day until finally landing on October 8.  The movie sees Craig’s Bond brought out of the happy retirement he was sharing with Lea Seydoux’s Madeleine to foil a plot by new villain Safin, played by Rami Malek.  Also starring Lashana Lynch as Bond’s 00 replacement and Ana de Armas, the movie is sure to kick off the season with a lot of action.

Last Night in Soho (10/29)

Largely known for comedies such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs the World, director Edgar Wright tackles his first psychological thriller with Last Night in Soho.  Thomasin McKenzie plays Eloise Turner, a modern-day woman who finds herself reliving the life and brutal murder of Sandie, a singer from 1966 played by Anya Taylor-Joy.  Matt Smith and Terence Stamp appear as Jack, a man Sandie falls for in 1966 who may know what happened to her while Diana Rigg also appears in one of her final screen appearances.

Belfast (11/12)

Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, Belfast is a coming-of-age film set in the Northern Irish city.  The movie focuses on a child named Buddy (Jude Hill) as he grows up during the tumultuous 1960s as tensions heat up between Protestant Unionists and Catholic Republicans.  In addition to the introduction of Judge Hill, the film also features Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, Judi Dench, and Caitriona Balfe.  Modern scenes are filmed in color while the bulk of the film is black-and-white.  Branagh has called it his “most personal film” and it was actually shot during the pandemic in London before moving production to Belfast.

Shaun the Sheep:  The Flight Before Christmas (12/3 – Netflix)

Some time back, Netflix managed to snatch up the rights to any Shaun the Sheep films and specials to release exclusively on their platform.  This began with Farmageddon and continues to this year’s The Flight Before Christmas.  For this half-hour special, Shaun, Bitzer, Timmy, the Farmer, and the rest of the flock return for a holiday that’s sure to be full of wooly antics.  The story kicks off when the flock decides to raid the Farmer’s house for bigger Christmas stockings and Timmy goes missing, prompting a harrowing search for the young lamb before he becomes someone else’s Christmas present.

The King’s Man (12/22)

A prequel to the Kingsman series of films from comic book creators Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, The King’s Man is set in the early days of the spy organization.  Ralph Fiennes leads the Kingsman organization as Orlando, Duke of Oxford, and sets about with his agents to stop a plot by Rasputin that threatens millions of lives on Earth.  In addition to Fiennes, the movie also stars Rhys Ifans as Rasputin, Gemma Arterton, Daniel Bruhl, Djimon Hounsou, Tom Hollander, and Harris Dickinson.  It’s certainly not the first time for Fiennes playing a spy, following up on films like The Avengers (no, not those Avengers) and his turn as M in the James Bond franchise.

Nostalgics and motor racing fans alike have been flocking to West Sussex for the Goodwood Revival – said to be the UK’s only race meeting staged entirely in period dress.

The Revival aims to recreate the halcyon days of Goodwood Motor Circuit as the spiritual home of British motor racing.

There is a fair amount of maintenance required, given the vintage of some of the motors on show.

Two wheels are also welcome to join the fun at the circuit near Chichester.

But it is the celebration of the glamour of bygone days that sets the Revival apart from other race meetings, as the crowds dress up to the nines in vintage fashions…

… as well as the odd nun going down a helter skelter.

Anglotopia has a new book out, and I think it’s going to become one of our cornerstone titles. We originally launched pre-orders for this back in March during the Save Anglotopia Appeal, and the publishing process delayed the release a little bit. But I’m happy to report that the book is now on its way to everyone who ordered back in the spring.

It’s now also available to everyone else. We have it in stock. It’s also now stock at all major booksellers and also available in eBook form as well. As always, we make the most money if you purchase the book directly from us – you can do that here. But we’re happy no matter where you choose buy the book – Amazon seems to be what people prefer the most and that’s fine.

You can find the links to all the other bookstores at the bottom of this post.

This book has been a long time in the making. I’ve had the idea for years, and when we were developing ideas for the Save Anglotopia Appeal earlier this year, this one seemed like ‘low hanging fruit.’ I thought it would be easy to compile as we had published articles about a lot of these topics on Anglotopia over the years.

Oh, how wrong I was.

As the book developed over the last few months, it became clear that I only had half a book when I compiled the relevant articles. I had to write dozens of new chapters from scratch to cover everything I think a basic guide to British culture should cover. So, that means there are hundreds of pages of new content in the book – not just a regurgitation of what’s here on the website. That’s why it took so long to get this book done. Thank you for your patience!

The book is massive – clocking in at 350 pages.

I can confidently say that this is the book I wish I’d come across many moons ago when I was a burgeoning Anglophile, and I had so many questions about British culture. Of course, I couldn’t possibly cover everything there is to know about British culture, but we’ve made a good effort on the basics. I suspect there will be a sequel one day. But for now – the book is done and ready, and you can buy it now.

Please buy it!

This book also makes a great companion to our very popular British Slang Dictionary, so we’ve created the British Culture Bundle to buy both at the same time and save! Check out the British Culture Bundle here.

About the book

British Culture is endlessly fascinating and complicated. 101 UK Culture Tips is your user guide to all things British. Do you know your Dukes from your Marquesses? Who is Doctor Who? What is the Crown, and how does it relate to the Queen? Have you ever wondered how British politics works? This book is your complete guide to understanding all things British, presented in 101 chapters, broken down, and easy to read for novice and advance Anglophiles. This makes the perfect armchair guide for watching your favorite British TV shows!

British Culture Topics:

• UK Geography
• British Basics
• Aspects of British Culture
• British History
• Britain’s Heritage
• British Food
• British Tea
• Pubs
• London
• British Entertainment

Book Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Anglotopia LLC (September 1, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1955273138
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1955273138
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.74 x 9 inches

Where to buy 101 UK Culture Tips

Print Version

• Direct from us: Anglotopia Store
• Amazon
• Bookshop.org
• Indiebound
• Barnes and Noble
• Books a Million
• Half Price Books

eBook

• DRM-Free Direct from us: Anglotopia Store
• Amazon Kindle
• Nook
• Kobo
• ebooks.com

*Note – we’ve made the eBook available to pretty much all the eBook platforms – so if it’s not listed above, just search. You should also still be able to get it through your local library’s eBook programs (we still get paid – libraries are great). 

101 UK Culture Tips Excerpt

Multimillionaire Sir Clive Sinclair was Britain’s leader of the microchip revolution.

The maverick entrepreneur masterminded an incredible shrinking world of tiny computers, televisions, and even cars.

But the shy guru of new technology also had remarkable plans with his vision for the future of the world – one where robots would carry out our every command.

He was born on July 30, 1940, into a middle-class London background. His father was an engineer and designer of machine tools.

Sir Clive went to a succession of schools – Boxgrove Preparatory in Guildford, Highgate, Reading and St George’s College, Weybridge – before quitting formal education at the age of 17.

He became a technical journalist with Practical Wireless, where he wrote specialist manuals. After four years, at the age of 22, he formed his first company, Sinclair Radionics.

He set up the company in 1962 at a house in Islington, north London, with just £25 borrowed from a friend.

The firm made small radio kits and sold them by mail order, the most well-known being a matchbox-sized product which was the smallest transistor radio in the world.

In 1967, Sir Clive moved his company to Cambridge, where a “club” of self-made young entrepreneurs with revolutionary business thinking was starting to form.

Sir Clive pioneered the pocket calculator, which earned him the title of “electronics wizard” but had tough competition from Japan and the US in the fast-moving consumer markets.

An expansion into digital watches led to trouble, but in 1976 the Labour government’s National Enterprise Board (NEB) poured in capital to help him complete development of his first miniature television set.

It was launched as the world’s smallest television set, having only a two-inch screen, but Sir Clive ran into trouble again with an almost £2 million loss.

By 1979, the NEB saw the future of Sinclair Radionics in the steady business of selling scientific instruments in known markets, but Sir Clive wanted the rollercoaster world of consumer electronics and left with a reported £10,000 golden handshake.

He set up his current company, Sinclair Research, at the start of the computer boom and in 1980 launched the Sinclair ZX 80 personal computer.

It astonished the world. Barely a generation before, computers cost thousands of pounds and occupied special rooms. The ZX 80 measured 9in x 7in x 2in and cost just £99.95.

Sir Clive then launched the even more powerful ZX 81 in March 1981.

It sold half a million units with the price tag cut to under £50 before the American and Japanese competition could catch up.

In April 1982, he launched the ZX Spectrum, the start of a wider and more powerful range of Sinclair computers to come.

By 1983, Sinclair had become the first company in the world to sell more than a million computers – making it a household name around the Western world.

Sir Clive also realized a radical change in television design with a new version of the Sinclair pocket television, using a unique flat screen.

He had numerous other projects on the boil, the biggest gamble being a small, highly maneuverable electric car.

The C5 was a low-set, one-person, battery-powered tricycle. It was a critical and commercial flop but went on to become a cult item for collectors.

In 1983 Sir Clive bought a 200-year-old manor house near Cambridge and offered top salaries to scientific geniuses to establish his own “think tank.”

He owned 95% of his company when 10% of its shares were placed in the city in 1983. The outcome then valued his personal worth at around £130 million, making him one of the country’s richest men.

At the time he separated from his wife, they had three children.

He was knighted in the birthday honors in June 1983 after his many accomplishments had been praised as examples to British industry.

Sir Clive had many interests. He was chairman of British Mensa, the High IQ Society, a trustee of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, and a marathon runner, competing in the London and New York events.

His great passion was poetry – between thinking up numerous ideas for future products and the social and economic changes he predicted would take place in Britain through the growth of new technology.

Many people who worked for him went on to form their own highly successful companies – a process which Sir Clive welcomed.

His vision of the future was that industry in Britain would be based around small, innovative groups of people – not large factories – producing “products of the mind.”

It was a vision Sir Clive sought to establish, with one of his ultimate products being a domestic robot which would carry out household duties on command.

Carnaby Street is one of the most iconic fashion centers in the world and, in the 1960s, was probably the most famous street in Britain to not be directly name-dropped in any Beatles songs or album titles. And, starting later this month, Queen will celebrate their 50th anniversary by setting up a pop-up store there.

The shop, called Queen, The Greatest, will open on 28 September 2021 and stay open until sometime in January 2022 (they don’t seem to have worked that out, but given information that I’ll elaborate on later, I suspect it might end earlier in the month than later). It has an unusual 2-floor design that, while the official press release doesn’t explain it very clearly, seems to cover both five decades of the band’s history (through visual installations) and the history of retail, with a 70s thrift store like the stall Freddie and Roger had in Kensington Market, a 90s Record Store, and 2010s “tech concepts,” which I think may be a nod to places like the Apple Store (it at least gives me more of an image than “80s iconic live performances and tours” and “00s DVD homage.”

It was made in collaboration with Bravado, Universal Media Group’s merch division with other collaborations with brands like Champion, Wrangler (these will apparently include denim clothes with song titles on them), and jeweler Johnny Hoxton. There will also be an exclusive T-shirt of Freddie, whose proceeds will go to the band’s HIV awareness/fundraising charity, the Mercury Phoenix Trust. Some of the other exclusive items will include reproductions of vintage tour shirts from 1975’s Night at the Opera tour to 1984’s The Works Tour and a Queen Monopoly game.

In addition, each month the store is open (excluding the three days in September and however long it’ll stay up in January) will be given its own theme. October will be Music Month, which will spotlight the band’s music, with new limited edition vinyls every week. November will be Arts and Design Month, with new items like a limited-edition Steiff teddy bear and the unveiling of a pinball machine. December will be Magic Month, which, according to the press release, “[Fuses] the magic of 5 decades of Queen with the magic of Christmas. Product includes Rubix Cube, Christmas jumpers, cards, wrapping paper, and accessories.” January has not been given its own theme, which is why I suspect it will likely close earlier than later in the month.

For those of us who can’t make it to Carnaby Street, especially for those of us who live in a country where travel quarantines are still a thing, and the Yanks here do. You can find a selection of the items, including the vinyls and presumably most of the other limited edition items made specifically for the store here. Or, at least you will when the store opens on September 28.

Quoth Queen: “We are pleased to collaborate with Bravado on this project, which will be an exciting experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy. Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for the store to celebrate five decades.”

Quoth David Boyne of Bravado: “We are delighted to announce this innovative partnership with Queen.  The project will add another cultural moment to their rich legacy and will be a destination for fans to immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world’s most iconic and beloved bands.”

Queen the Greatest will be at 57 Carnaby Street starting September 28, and its hours will be 11-7 Monday through Saturday and 12-6 on Sundays.

And for those of you into that sort of thing, here are the limited edition vinyl records dropping each week of the first month:

• 28/9 – Greatest Hits
• 8/10 – Roger Taylor – ‘A’ side: Radio Ga Ga / ‘B’ side: I’m In Love With My Car
• 15/10 – John Deacon – ‘A’ side: Spread Your Wings / ‘B’ side: One Year Of Love
• 22/10 – Brian May – ‘A’ side: We Will Rock You / ‘B’ side: Sail Away Sweet Sister
• 29/10 – Freddie Mercury – ‘A’ side: Somebody To Love / ‘B’ side: You Take My Breath Away

Kew Gardens has secured a new world record for the “largest collection of living plants at a single-site botanic garden.”

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London, has gained recognition from the Guinness World Records (GWR) for a feat in biodiversity, housing a total of 16,900 species of plants within its 320-acre site.

The achievement will be honored in the upcoming GWR book to be published in 2022.

Richard Barley, director of horticulture and learning at RBG Kew, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to hold the record for the largest living plant collection.

“It is a fantastic accolade, and a credit to the tireless work of our horticulturists and scientists.

“It also reinforces the importance of botanic gardens around the world, as not only beautiful places to enjoy, but as essential hubs of inspiration and education, increasing awareness of the vital importance of plants to the health of our planet.”

This is not the first time the Unesco World Heritage site has earned a world record. Other records it holds include the world’s biggest water lilies and the world’s tallest plant.

This title went to the prehistoric plant known as the titan arum, famed not only for its height at a whopping 3 meters but also for its flowers that give off an aroma of rotting flesh.

Around since the time of the dinosaurs, the plant achieved its GWR title for world’s tallest bloom at Kew in 2018.

Adam Millward, managing editor of Guinness World Records, said: “It’s been a pleasure recognizing some of RBG Kew’s record-breaking plants in recent years.

“I’ve had the (dubious) honor of smelling the pungent titan arum up close; contended with the steam and sprinklers to measure a prodigious pitcher trap, and put the giant waterlily’s robust pads to the test with a GWR certificate.

“Working closely with Botanic Gardens Conservation International, it’s fantastic to be able to celebrate the entire collection – surely one of the jewels of the botanical world – in the GWR 2022 book”.

Airbnb is allowing Disney enthusiasts to stay in a custom-made Winnie-the-Pooh inspired house for one weekend only.

The home, built in a tree, is in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex – the original inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood in AA Milne’s tales.

The guesthouse has been curated by Disney-appointed illustrator Kim Raymond, who drew inspiration from the original book illustrations of EH Shepard when designing the treehouse.

“I have been illustrating Winnie the Pooh for 30 years, and I continue to be inspired by the classic decorations of EH Shepard and the more recent Disney stories,” Mr. Raymond said.

“The ‘bearbnb’ is a unique experience that brings the charm of Pooh to life for fans whilst honoring the original adventures that have been so important to many people for 95 years.”

Kitchen shelves stocked with model honeypots await guests, allowing them to embrace their natural surroundings and “live more like Pooh,” who is famous for going at his own pace.

During the stay, guests will also receive a guided tour through a reimagined Hundred Acre Wood and can enjoy locally sourced honey-inspired meals.

The home will host two separate stays on September 24 and 25 for £95 per night, and the available booking dates will go live from September 20.

Catherine Powell, Airbnb’s global head of hosting, said: “Winnie-the-Pooh is a childhood jewel beloved by families the world over. This year, the original books celebrate their 95th anniversary.

“What better way to commemorate (Milne’s) classic work than with these two once-in-a-lifetime stays. A perfect place to do nothing. As Pooh said, “doing ‘nothing’ often leads to the very best something.”

The world-famous British Pie Awards are “back on the menu” after a Covid-enforced postponement, with a crowded field battling it out to be named among the upper crust.

There are 800 entries across 23 categories, with the Vegan category, which controversially provided 2019’s supreme champion, attracting the most interest this year.

Apart from what has been dubbed “the rise of the vegans,” other challengers range from the gourmet, such as Moroccan spiced lamb and apricot, to old favorite the pork pie.

Organizers of the awards, whose winners will be announced on Friday, said it had been a “tough” few months after the original March date was postponed due to the global pandemic.

But the 150 judges were back, excitedly hunched over hundreds of entries in the contest’s traditional setting of St Mary’s Church in the home of the pork pie, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, for the start of proceedings on Wednesday, which began with the ceremonial blessing of the pies.

Also popular with bakers this year are pasties, a category which has previously provided a supreme champion, with 48 entries for 2021.

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said the food-on-the-go favorite, originally from Cornwall, could be “making a comeback” this year.

However, free-from entries are also well represented this year, with Mr. O’Callaghan adding it is “thanks to the awards you can now get a decent gluten-free pie.”

He said: “In fact, they’ve actually slipped some of their pies into other classes, and people don’t notice it’s gluten-free.

“What can you say, better than that?”

He said getting the awards back on track this year, amid the pandemic, had been a challenge.

“We’ve had 800 pies entered – a cracking lot of judges, some really interesting pies,” he added.

“The British pie is back on the menu, but it was tough.

“Obviously, we didn’t know if it was going to be Covid or not, we’ve spaced the tables out, we’ve taken a number of safety measures so as to limit the impact of Covid.

“But it has been tough.

“Pie-makers have gone under, sadly.

“There are others who are short-staffed, others who are working their socks off because the hospitality sector is open.

“So it has been really tough getting people to put pies in (for entry), getting the judges; the whole thing has been twice as difficult as before, but it’s happening – the pies are back.”

As for the sometimes thorny issue of what people think constitutes a pie, for the purposes of entries, Mr. O’Callaghan said the rules are clear – and even have a definition backed by Parliament.

“A pie is a filling completely encased in pastry and baked,” he said.

“So it’s not samosas, which are not baked, it’s not tarts, it’s not frippery things with lattices and all those sorts of things.

“Interestingly, the House of Commons debated that definition some time ago, and I am sure they came to the right conclusion – that’s what a pie is.

“I hate going into a pub and being served a pie, and effectively it is a biscuit with nothing on the bottom, in a foil.

“No, that’s not a pie; that’s a casserole with a biscuit on top.

“A pie has to be totally encased in pastry – lid, bottom, and sides.”

The focus this year has been about putting on the awards, with no new categories offered.

But next year could see an expansion of the competition, which has been running since 2009, including the possibility of a halal class, according to Mr. O’Callaghan.

He said: “We are looking now for next year at new classes – there are people saying we want a halal class, for example.

“So there are other opportunities, hopefully, to extend the pie awards – new classes, include more people in what we’re offering.”

As for this year’s trends, he said more bakers are going gourmet and “trying to put a restaurant in a pie,” adding that the British public’s appetite, with a £1 billion worth of pies eaten each year, shows no signs of waning.

“I think everybody is now starting to say ‘Let’s start developing the pasty’ and that’s an interesting class that’s coming forward,” he added.

A Spitfire donated to Stoke-on-Trent by the RAF in 1972 is set to go back on public display in a new glass-fronted £5.4 million gallery as an “anything’s possible” symbol of hope.

The aircraft’s official unveiling in a 3,800 sq ft extension to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery on Wednesday, being attended by the great-nephew of the Spitfire’s designer Reginald Mitchell, follows a multi-year restoration program and coincides with Battle of Britain Day.

The dedicated Spitfire Gallery, making the illuminated aircraft visible from the street at night, opens to the public on Saturday and will be used to promote engineering as a career to young people, as well as allowing visitors to learn about the history of the aircraft and more than 20 others designed by Staffordshire-born Mitchell.

The Mark XVI Spitfire, built at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, in May 1945, saw service in Germany shortly after the Second World War ended and last flew in 1952, when it was damaged during take-off at RAF Middle Wallop in Hampshire.

It was then used as a “gate guardian” at RAF bases before being donated to Stoke-on-Trent in honor of RJ Mitchell, initially going on display in a large greenhouse-type structure on the city’s Bethesda Street.

Speaking before the unveiling of the plane and its new surroundings, including numerous displays detailing the aircraft’s engine and history, Mitchell’s great-nephew Julian Mitchell told the PA news agency he could remember being taken as a small child to the previous ceremony in June 1972.

Mr. Mitchell, whose great-uncle died aged 42 in 1937, said: “I am delighted that it has come back restored to how it was when I first saw it.

“The plane means a lot to the people of Stoke-on-Trent. I think it means a lot to the people of the country, and it’s a symbol of hope, the Spitfire.”

Predicting that the aircraft and its gallery would inspire visitors to think about the possibilities in engineering, Mr. Mitchell added: “There’s a massive skills gap in engineering, and we need to do something to plug that gap.

“We want people to see how their future could be in engineering, and also at the same time tell the story of Reginald Mitchell the local boy, educated locally, born locally, apprenticed locally, who then went on to create the most beautiful aircraft that ever was built, that ever flew, and helped save the country in its hours of greatest peril.”

He said of the Spitfire, which has shortened “clipped” wings and had an engine tuned for lower altitudes: “It’s been situated looking out so that as you drive down Broad Street, you can see between the buildings, and you’ll be able to see it, particularly at night when it will be lit up.

“It is here, as a symbol of hope, of inspiration, and really something that says to anyone who drives past ‘anything’s possible’.”

Mr. Mitchell added that the Spitfire had “endured” more than any other aircraft – with the sight of one in flight “a wonder to behold” and the sound of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine unmistakable.

Ahead of the official unveiling, Second World War veteran Norman Lewis, aged 102, was given a sneak preview of the restored Spitfire, which he described as a “wonderful” sight.

Mr. Lewis, from Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, was captured in June 1940 in France while serving with the Royal Engineers.

After chatting with Mr. Mitchell, the centenarian told PA he had spent five years as a prisoner of the Germans before escaping and returning home via Odessa, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, and Gibraltar.

He told PA: “I covered 10,000 miles in three months, and I arrived home on April the 1st, 1945. Some good news was when I got to Egypt; they told me I’d got five years back-pay to pick up, which was wonderful.”

Stoke-on-Trent’s Spitfire spent three years in a workshop at an airfield in Kent, where it was restored, before being transported back to North Staffordshire in June, with a crane lifting it into its new home.

The exhibition has been funded through a successful bid for £210,000 from a joint funding pot run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation.

Further funding totaling £47,000 was also raised with help from Operation Spitfire, The Friends of the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, and through visitors’ donations.

Cracks and holes in the stones which form Stonehenge are to be repaired for the first time in more than 60 years.

Work is taking place after laser scans showed that the lintel stones, joints, and concrete mortar that balance them across the vertical stones have eroded.

English Heritage’s conservation plan will prevent further erosion to the stones themselves and repair earlier works from the 1950s and 1960s.

Scaffolding will be used to access the tops of the stones in order to remove the old deteriorating mortar and repack joints with lime mortar to prevent the lintels and joints from suffering further erosion.

Heather Sebire, English Heritage’s senior curator for Stonehenge, said: “Stonehenge is unique among stone circles by virtue of its lintels and the special joints used to secure the lintels in place.

“Four-and-a-half-thousand years of being buffeted by wind and rain has created cracks and holes in the surface of the stone, and this vital work will protect the features which make Stonehenge so distinctive.

“Thanks to the sophisticated laser scan technology and our regular checks and monitoring, the stones will now be able to stand the test of time – and Salisbury Plain weather – for many more years.”

The conservation work will be carried out by Strachey Conservation, specialist conservators contracted by English Heritage, and will take up to two weeks.

Visitors to the site will be able to see the conservation work in action. If you’re counting on scaffold-free pictures of Stonehenge when you visit, you may wish to wait to visit until the work is done.

A milestone has been reached in the creation of a new intertidal habitat in Cornwall.

A 15-meter breach has been made in a 19th-century riverside bank on the Tamar estuary, ready for the tide to flood in over low-grade farmland.

The farmland was created in 1850 when an embankment was built, allowing the land to be drained for agriculture.

The National Trust is now creating the intertidal habitat and allowing the land to return to nature.

The project will also help alleviate flooding during high tides or heavy rains by creating more space for water.

Alastair Cameron, from the National Trust, said: “By creating new wetland habitat similar to that found before the embankment was built, we can make space for nature and water.

“This month, we’ve made a relatively small breach in the bank, and now we’ll let nature and the tides take their course. It’s really exciting to see the water flowing in now with the spring tides.”

The new habitat will, over the next decade, start to attract a wide range of wildlife, including worms and a range of wild birds, such as shelduck, redshank, and teal ducks.

“Over the coming years, we’ll start to see changes in the habitat which should attract typical Tamar estuary species, and in time, we’ll see more permanent intertidal vegetation increase like reeds which will attract more and different wildlife,” Mr. Cameron said.

The project is being jointly funded by the Environment Agency and the National Trust.

Rob Price, from the Environment Agency, added: “We are very much looking forward to seeing the new intertidal habitat established over the next few years as the project now turns its focus to monitoring the benefits that this enhanced area will provide for local wildlife, habitats, and people.

“This valuable work is an important part of an integrated program of works to build the Tamar catchment’s resilience to a wide range of environmental pressures including those related to climate change.”

A bird’s eye view of a fishing trawler has won this year’s annual photography prize for the UK’s ultimate image of the sea.

More than 1,500 entries from amateur and professional photographers were received by The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society.

Entrants were challenged to submit pictures that captured the essence of the UK’s enduring connection with the sea, including merchant ships, fishermen, the coast, harbours and ports.

The overall prize went to Michael Marsh for an aerial shot of a fishing trawler taken in Whitstable, Kent.

The charity’s chief executive Justin Osmond said they competition had been running for nine years and provided a platform to acknowledge the UK’s maritime communities.

“This year, whilst the difficulties associated with the pandemic seem to be receding, there are still many challenges facing the seafaring community and the competition gives us a great platform to acknowledge and celebrate our maritime community and ensure that those working within it have access to vital support,” he said.

The charity has worked since 1839 to provide financial assistance to fishermen and mariners and their dependants who have suffered hardship, misfortune or poverty.

At the start of the pandemic, it launched a £1m Covid response fund to support working maritime professionals hit by the pandemic.

I’m about to be an empty nester after 28 years of parenting! This week we’re taking my youngest to college in a medium-sized city in England and boy, has it been an experience.

Photo; courtesy Pixabay

Having put his two sibs through college in the States and written a book on the subject, I’m well-versed in all things States-side. There’s not a lot you can tell me about the Common App, D1 sports, or class registration, but even though I went to a British university, the UK version was a bit of a learning curve. I’ve not only had to unlearn the American version but bring myself bang up-to-date on the UK stuff because when I applied back in the dark ages, there wasn’t even a World Wide Web. You can imagine how much things have moved on!

Terminology – First of all, even when they have “college” in the name, they’re generally called ‘university’. References to ‘college’ cause major confusion as that is usually reserved for technical colleges and for 6^th form colleges that cater to the US equivalent of HS upperclassmen. Other terminology differences are “halls” instead of “dorms”; “halls” is the shortened version of “Halls of Residence”, but I hear that the word “accom” is also being used now. They have “flatmates” instead of “roommates” because, mercifully, they’re not required to share a bedroom with a complete stranger. (Don’t even get me started.) “Ensuite” showers and toilets are also fairly common these days.

The Application process -might make a few Americans green with envy. They’re only allowed to apply to five universities and it all goes through a central portal called UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions service). Kids submit one application and one essay – called their Personal Statement, which is limited to 500 words or so. That’s it.

Extra-curriculars – aren’t really needed. Admission to UK universities is based much more on academics so there’s far less worry about editing your high school newspaper, being Valedictorian, or playing for sports teams. There’s not much room on the forms to mention anything like that, and even if you manage to squeeze it into your personal statement, there’s no guarantee it’ll be read. The word on the street is that personal statements are only read if there’s a borderline decision.

Destination – Kids leave high school not knowing where they’re going next! Yes, you read that correctly. Offers are usually conditional and based on projected grades from teachers. There is no GPA over the course of high school although a battery of national exams taken two years prior gives both teachers and universities a good idea of academic standing. Students (usually) sit national exams at the end of their final year and must achieve the grades requested by their chosen universities. These results usually don’t come out till August (although the International Baccalaureate results are earlier) which gives students about a month to figure things out if it all goes pear-shaped.

Clearing – However, if they don’t get a place at their chosen university, UCAS is there to help with its “Clearing” program. Here, they take all the open spots around the country and match students up with them. Kids can phone up individual universities on their own, but the offer and acceptance all still has to go through UCAS.

Registration – nothing seems to have happened in our house. He’s in. No anguish over which classes are pre-requisites, no sitting by the computer waiting for registration to open. You choose a subject to study for three years (no majors and minors here, for the most part) and they give you a schedule. In years 2 and 3 he’ll have a few electives to choose from, but for his first year, it’s cut and dried. (Oh yes, and bachelor’s degrees take three years.)

Orientation – While he has a full week of freshman activities, (called “freshers’ week”), there’s nothing for parents. With my other two, there was practically a separate calendar of sessions for parents, covering everything from what the kids would be learning to how to cope without them. I haven’t received a single piece of correspondence from his university. Hallelujah!

Since my son was raised in the US till he was fourteen, there’s been a little more learning in the Hargis house.

“School” – you just left school. You are no longer at “school” since you’re now in higher education.

“Self-catered” versus “catered” – No son, “catered” doesn’t mean room service. It means queue up in the dining hall with other students for breakfast and dinner and if you don’t, you don’t eat, (but we still pay).

“Crockery” (which he has to take to his self-catered accommodation) – means things that break, like plates, bowls etc. Not plant pots and not pans.

“Cutlery” is what we used to call either “silverware” or “flatware”. If you say either of those in the UK, they’re either going to think you live at Downton Abbey or are some kind of blacksmith.

“Canteen” – is what we often call a dining room. It has nothing to do with cowboys.

“Refectory” – is another word often used for dining room, and nothing to do with churches. .

And YES, there really is a bar on the second floor of the Student Union building, because you can drink when you’re eighteen here.

CHEERS!

Queen and PM lead tributes to ‘extraordinarily fabulous’ Emma Raducanu. The teenager was hailed as an amazing British athlete after winning the US Open.

The Queen and Prime Minister have led tributes to “extraordinarily fabulous” teenage tennis champion Emma Raducanu.

The 18-year-old, who won Saturday’s US Open final in straight sets 6-4 6-3, was praised for her “poise and guts” during the historic match.

The teenager is the first qualifier to win a grand slam, and her victory comes just three months after she took her A-levels.

It led to praise from royalty, other sports stars and celebrities who were gripped by her remarkable and unprecedented success.

Following her win, the Queen congratulated the teenager, saying: “It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age and is testament to your hard work and dedication.”

She added: “I have no doubt your outstanding performance, and that of your opponent Leylah Fernandez, will inspire the next generation of tennis players. I send my warmest good wishes to you and your many supporters.”

Boris Johnson wrote: “What a sensational match! Huge congratulations to @EmmaRaducanu.

“You showed extraordinary skill, poise and guts and we are all hugely proud of you.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “What a winner. A true British hero. Congratulations @EmmaRaducanu on an inspirational win. From qualifier to champion without dropping a set. A phenomenal achievement.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey said: “What an absolutely amazing match – and what an amazing British athlete we have in Emma Raducanu.”

A tweet from the official account of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was signed C to signify Catherine, who is a huge tennis fan.

It said: “Huge congratulations @EmmaRaducanu on your stunning performances and historic Grand Slam victory! Incredible – we are all so proud of you.

“@leylahfernandez well done on your amazing achievements at this year’s #USOpen; it’s been a pleasure to watch. C”

Celebrity fans also added their voices to the long list of congratulations and praised both teenagers for their performances.

Pop group The Spice Girls, who first went on hiatus two years before Raducanu was born, tweeted, “Wow! Amazing tennis from @leylahfernandez and @EmmaRaducanu that’s Girl Power right there!!

“Congratulations Emma.”

TV presenter Gary Lineker said: “First time in my life I’ve ever tweeted whilst on air but my goodness what a performance, what a triumph, what an amazing young woman,” he said.

“Congratulations @EmmaRaducanu on a truly staggering achievement. US Open winner at 18 without losing a set.

“Extraordinarily fabulous.”

Comedian Dara O Briain said: “Well that is both brilliant and ludicrously unbelievable. Well done Emma Raducanu.”

8 Out Of 10 Cats host Jimmy Carr described the teenager as a “legend” and admitted he had become emotional through the match.

“Emma Raducanu – 20 straight sets. What a performance? What a legend? The game I love played beautifully,” he tweeted.

“I think it’s ok I shed a tear. Congratulations Emma & also well done on those A Levels.”

Fellow Cats panellist Jon Richardson added: “What a treat and a privilege that was to watch.

“Thank goodness for sport in a messed up world and thank goodness for Emma Raducanu. Absolutely superb.”

Former Countdown host Carol Vorderman said: “Amazing…..huge congratulations to our new Queen of Tennis…. ”

But people also praised the standard of play on both sides of the net.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon added her congratulations.

“Just incredible! @EmmaRaducanu is a star, a role model and a champion. Congratulations!” she tweeted.

“I suspect tonight is one of these sporting occasions that will be talked about for decades to come.

“Two great players who will no doubt dominate women’s tennis for years to come.”

TV presenter Nick Knowles tweeted: “The quality of the us open tennis women’s final is epic!”

Piers Morgan wrote: “BREAKING: ⁦@EmmaRaducanu⁩ wins the US Open.

“This is one of the greatest achievements in British sporting history. Congrats, Emma – you champion.”

We’ve done some major updates to the official Anglotopia App. The app is still fundamentally the same, we’ve just updated the graphics, increased compatibility with various devices, and reorganized a few sections (and what they display). I noticed it wasn’t looking good on my new tablet and it required a big update to look right.

So, both the iOS and Android versions of our app are now updated and should look great across both platforms.

For those who don’t know what I’m talking about – Anglotopia has a mobile app. It allows you to read Anglotopia ad-free anywhere and everywhere instead of accessing it via our websites. It also notifies you when we publish something new (or if we have an announcement). It allows us to stay connected to you directly, rather than have to rely on Facebook/Instagram/etc.

It also allows you to interact with the various other things we do – like our discussion forum, our store, our pictures, etc. It’s a safe space for Anglophiles and it’s completely ad-free.

Our app is also completely free. Please download it!

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A new Wallace and Gromit bronze bench and sculpture has been unveiled in Preston.

Creator of the popular animated series, Nick Park, attended the reveal of the sculpture alongside Mayor of Preston, Javed Iqbal, on Friday.

The sculpture, which is inspired by how the inventor and his loyal companion appeared in the 1993 short film The Wrong Trousers, has been placed outside of the city’s market.

It consists of Wallace standing on one leg with another sticking out while wearing the mechanical trousers and giving a thumbs-up.

Gromit, meanwhile is sitting on the bench and reading a newspaper while looking up at Wallace.

It was designed by Park and animation company Aardman, the Bristol-based studio which produced the Wallace and Gromit movies and television series, in consultation with local sculptor Peter Hodgkinson.

The bench was produced at the Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Wales.

Mr. Iqbal, said: “It is my pleasure to welcome Nick Park back to Preston to unveil this brilliant bench specially designed for the city, which I am sure will become a favorite spot to visit for residents and visitors for years to come.

“To celebrate this new Preston landmark, we have special guests coming to the city center that will delight our younger visitors, as well as a range of family activities based in the Harris.

“I look forward to seeing the many photographs and selfies taken with the iconic duo over the coming days and weeks. This fun new addition to the city center is a sight you don’t want to miss.”

After the sculpture was announced in June, Park said: “It is such a great honor for me, as a proud Prestonian, to see my characters Wallace and Gromit cast in bronze and given pride of place in my hometown.”

The bench is one of five pop-up projects delivered as part of a £1 million fund received from the Government’s national Towns Fund.

The pop ups aim to encourage visitors back into the city after the pandemic.

Divers have documented the hidden habitats of the sea caves of a remote Scottish island for the first time in a project to increase understanding about them.

Marine surveys were carried out in about 70 caves on Fair Isle, with dive teams battling difficult weather conditions to carry out full biological surveys of four.

Images captured beneath the waves show the characteristic sea cave habitats and the species discovered, including the beadlet anemone, corals, sponges, and the baked bean sea squirt.

Fair Isle, situated between Shetland and Orkney, is home to Scotland’s only Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area (MPA), designated in 2016.

The data gathered will help to map the sea caves around Fair Isle in more detail and increase knowledge about habitats and species in the community-led MPA, as well as sea caves around Scotland’s coastline more widely.

The surveys were commissioned by NatureScot and carried out this summer by a team of divers from Heriot-Watt University.

Carol Hume, NatureScot marine protected areas adviser, said: “With so many challenges facing a survey of this kind – not least the weather and remoteness of this special Scottish island – we were really delighted to reach Fair Isle and complete work with the survey team.

“To have gathered information for around 70 sea caves is a fantastic achievement and, along with four biological surveys, has given us a much greater understanding of these hidden habitats within the MPA.

“While the sea caves have been explored by local residents and divers, this is the first extensive and systematic documentation. It was an extremely special survey to be part of, and we were hugely welcomed by the local community, for which we’re really grateful.”

The caves surveyed included one on the west of the island known as Diamond Cave which is 200 meters long.

Dr. Dan Harries, a marine ecologist at Heriot-Watt University, said: “The coastline of Fair Isle is breathtakingly spectacular, and it was a privilege to document the sea caves and their inhabitants.

“The majority of the sea caves were very shallow, so their walls were heavily scoured: the sand and stones on the bottom swirl around the cave during heavy seas, scrubbing off any life that might cling to the walls.

“The caves with deeper floors are where richer communities had established themselves. Some cave walls were decorated with the sponges, including the delicate ‘lace sponge,’ others with dense thickets of oaten pipe hydroids, which are related to jellyfish and corals.

“The deeper caves were also home to the aptly-named baked bean sea squirt, which looks exactly as you might imagine.”

The Fair Isle Demonstration and Research MPA is a community-led designation, with the aim of supporting research to expand understanding of the local marine environment, implement impactful conservation measures and illustrate the influence of small communities on policy development.

Stewart Thomson, a member of the Fair Isle community, said: “As a participant in the Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative (FIMETI), and a one-time scuba diver, I was very interested in the cave survey team’s visit in August.

“I was pleased that the island was given a talk demonstrating what they were finding and explaining how and why the various organisms and animals choose to live in such seemingly challenging habitats, and stressing their importance in the wellbeing of marine life.”

Jeremy Clarkson wants to convert his lambing shed at his Oxfordshire farm into a restaurant, according to residents.

The television presenter, 61, called a meeting with local people at the Memorial Hall in Chadlington after there was “gossip” in the village over the Diddly Squat farm shop’s future.

In the hour-long meeting, which was packed out and only open to residents in the nearby village of Chadlington, locals said Clarkson hoped half the lambing shed would become a kitchen and half would be a restaurant area.

He added it would be “cheaper” than nearby restaurants, meaning people would pay around £60 for a meal for two.

Clarkson also apparently told locals he was hoping to curb the number of people who visit the shop daily – it has seen shoppers travel from across the country and queue for hours to purchase goods such as candles, fresh milk and cheese.

Jonathan Moore, 53, a doctor who lives nearby, was inside the meeting.

He told the PA news agency: “It’s all subject to planning, so he can’t promise anything yet, but he’s hoping to change the lambing shed into a restaurant. We thought it would be for 150 (people) but it’s actually 60 seats, and he’s trying to control the number of people coming to the farm shop in the future.

“It’s very expensive to sell his produce so he wants to try and sell as much through the farm shop and the restaurant as he can.

“As expected there were some people who had very strong views either way, the people who had negative views made them more strongly. He gave his views for the future and that’s all we can really hope for.”

Mr Moore added: “I am sympathetic – no-one could ever have dreamt it was such a successful series. He couldn’t ever have predicted that. I think it will be good as long as it’s controlled – I don’t want to stifle success.”

Fellow resident Maggie Jackman said: “It went very well, he was very entertaining. A lot of people were completely won over.

“When we got to valid points about short-term and long-term solutions, that’s when we came up with some very sensible ideas. So, we just have to watch the space.

“I’m waiting to see if he puts words into action. Actions speak louder than words, so let’s see how it goes.”

Another resident told PA: “There were two or three local people who were very negative but I got the feeling that the majority was open to this project.”

Arriving at the packed meeting in the village hall, Clarkson was questioned about what he thought might happen.

He told reporters: “Who knows? I’m just here to listen. Gossip spreads in villages and they don’t know what we’re doing so I thought, the best thing I can do is come down and say, ‘This is what we’re doing’, and then it isn’t gossip any more.

“Someone gave me the finger on the way in.”

Questioned about the traffic caused by customers to his popular farm shop, he quipped: “Hey listen, the village has created a bit of a traffic jam tonight.”

He later declined to comment on how the meeting went as he departed in his Land Rover Range Rover Vogue.

The chairwoman of Chadlington Parish Council, Zoe Townsend, declined to comment.

Clarkson’s business is the subject of an Amazon Studios series called Clarkson’s Farm.

He bought the farm in 2008 and it was run by a villager, but when he retired in 2019, the TV presenter decided to see if he could run it himself.

The series won plaudits for its beautiful cinematography coupled with the lovable group of staff who were not afraid to tell Clarkson when he was being useless.

It charted the difficulties faced by farm workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Solent took centre stage for its yearly role in cricket folklore as the Island Sailing Club took on Royal Southern Yacht Club in a match played on an exposed sandbank in the sea.

The fixture provides one of the most unusual locations for willow to collide with leather, with both teams taking advantage of low tide to play in a game like no other, with a decidedly difficult wicket for bowlers and batsmen alike.

The fear of being scuppered left both teams treading water as they vied for supremacy in conditions that were decidedly on the wet side in the stretch between the south coast west of Gosport and the Isle of Wight.

But the two teams made a splash with a fair wind for the annual nautical encounter.

The bowler had only a thin sliver of sand to pitch the ball while the batsmen had to wade to the other end as they completed a run with conditions far from ideal.

On a more positive note for the batsmen, when they did connect the fielders had to take the plunge if they were to pull off a catch unless the ball headed straight towards them.

There was not much movement off the pitch for the bowlers who might have considered trying a flipper or two as bait to reel in the batsmen.

It was not just the batsmen who got bogged down, with the scorers too feeling the south coast waters lapping around their feet as they tried to keep up with the ebb and flow of the match on what looked to be good conditions for ducks.

The maritime match was a magnet for boaters and photographers took up position just outside the boundary to watch the event, with a drone providing a good aerial view of the naval battle.

Fielders, having to navigate their way to retrieve the ball, were most at risk of unscheduled drink intervals.

When stumps were drawn, it was time to drop anchor and return ashore to perhaps a different kind of watering hole.

Shoulder pads, Cold War, Thatcherism, the Falklands, Privatization, and Hip Hop.  These things are just some of what has defined the 1980s for the United Kingdom, but there are many more.  From a wedding to a final straw, the 1980s were a tumultuous time for Britain, and we have written down ten of the most important events that took place during the decade by year.  This is by no means a complete list of events, so if there’s something you think we left out, you can share that with us in the comments.

1981 – Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana

Watching on television, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer would have seemed like a fairytale to most.  Certainly, the biggest event of the year, Charles and Diana’s marriage, would provide drama for years to come until their divorce in 1996.  The events that took place before, during, and after continue to shape the monarchy to this day.

1982 – Falklands War

The defining military conflict for Britain in the 1980s, the Falklands War, began when Argentina occupied the British dependent territories of the Falkland Islands as well as South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands.  Hostilities lasted ten weeks, and the British military response resulted in Argentina’s surrender.  Interestingly, the war helped to improve life for both the islanders and Argentinians, the former having their British citizenship restored and economy boosted, while the latter saw the military government’s image crumble and democracy restored the next year.

1983 – Thatcher Wins Landslide

Another outcome of the Falklands War for Britain was the boost in popularity that Margaret Thatcher received for the successful outcome.  Favorable opinion polls for the Conservative Party left Labour and Liberal/Social Democratic Party Alliance far behind.  Consequently, the Tories gained 58 seats in the 1983 General Election and secured another term as Prime Minister for Thatcher.

1984 – Miners’ Strike

Beginning March 6, 1984, the Miners’ Strike was a walkout in protest of coalmine (also known as colliery) closures in the UK by Thatcher’s Conservative government.  The National Union of Mineworkers held out for a year until many returned to work after union pay ran out.  This severely reduced the power of the union to negotiate with the government and arguably made the economic situation of the miners worse as customers switched to gas or found other providers.

1985 – Live Aid

Founded by musicians and philanthropists Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, Live Aid was a benefit concert for famine relief in Ethiopia held simultaneously at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia and Wembley Stadium in London.  Acts in London included Adam Ant, Sting, Phil Collins, U2, Dire Straits, David Bowie, The Who, and Queen, amongst others.  The concert raised over $127 million for famine relief.

1986 – Major Industries Privatized

A major goal of the Thatcher government was to privatize many industries that had been nationalized in the early 20^th Century.  Amongst the industries that went private within a couple of years of 1986 included British Gas, British Airways, the National Bus Company, Rolls-Royce, Council houses, and many more.  The privatization was pushed aggressively by the Tories, who relied on their overwhelming majority to accomplish their political goals.  Pushback from the public and a weakened Conservative government led to a slowing of these efforts.

1987 – Thatcher Wins Third General Election for Conservatives

In perhaps what might have been a reality check to some of the Tories’ more aggressive policies since the landslide in 1983, the Conservative Party lost 21 seats in Parliament after the 1987 General Election.  While still enough to give Margaret Thatcher another go at Prime Minister, nothing was really the same.  Pushback against privatization led Conservatives to pursue other issues and sometimes individual agendas and was arguably the beginning of the end for Thatcher’s premiership.

1988 – Liberal Democratic Party Forms

The previously-mentioned alliance between the Liberal Party and the Socialist Democratic Party had been around since the 1970s but in ten years had failed to achieve its goal of supplanting Labour as the UK’s other major political party.  In response to the 1987 General Election, in 1988, the two merged to become the Social and Liberal Democratic Party, eventually known as simply the Liberal Democratic Party (or Lib Dems).

1989 – Tim Berners-Lee Invents the World Wide Web

Arguably the most significant technological advance of the 20^th Century, the world wide web (or the Web as we know it today), was the creation of Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 1989.  It was the product of Berners-Lee’s merger of hypertext with the internet to create an information-sharing network amongst researchers.  The first public web pages appeared only four years later and has revolutionized our world.

1990 – Poll Tax and Tacher’s Resignation

Margaret Thatcher’s government introduced the “Community Charge,” more commonly known as the Poll Tax, in 1990 as a flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult in the UK to fund local government.  To say that the poll tax proved unpopular would be a massive understatement.  The unpopularity brought the first serious challenge to Thatcher’s leadership of the Conservatives, and she opted to resign, effectively ending her tenure as Prime Minister.