Hire a Georgian country house

ARRANGING a really big Christmas bash for friends and family? 

The Vean, a Georgian country house in Cornwall, could be the answer.

Available on a self-catering basis, it sleeps 16 guests in eight ensuite bedrooms, and has a dining room for up to 20 guests.

In the Porthluney Valley, it has access to beaches less than a mile away.

Discounted rates for three- to seven-night bookings range from £1,700 to £3,960.

thevean@caerhays.co.uk


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Picture Credit: caerhays.co.uk

Benedict puts Sherborne on the map

SHERBORNE, Dorset, is celebrating its new-found fame as Benedict Cumberbatch's new film, The Imitation Game, opens in cinemas.

The film features Sherborne School as the set for the biopic film starring Cumberbatch as the WW2 Bletchley Park code-breaker Alan Turing, who was a pupil at the school in the 1920s.

Dominic Elliott, Mayor of Sherborne during the filming, commented on the impact of the film crew and the interest in the town. ‘We have a history of filming in this town and I am very pleased to see it continue. Like the filming for Far From the Madding Crowd, this puts Sherborne back on the map.’

Sherborne can expect more interest next spring, with the release of the much anticipated Thomas Vinterberg adaptation of Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan and Tom Sturridge. Film locations included Sherborne Abbey, Castleton Church, and Abbey Close, the streets of which were transformed into an 1870s market square located in the town of Casterbridge.

Sherborne School and the surrounding area will feature again in a BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel's novel.

Why can't Hollywood and independent film makers keep away from this small market town situated on the Dorset-Somerset border?

It has two castles, one of which was commissioned by Sir Walter Raleigh, Sherborne Abbey – which goes back much further than its perpendicular arches suggest – the 16th century Sherborne School, and an independent butcher, J & M Parsons, which can trace its trading history back to 1840.

www.sherbornedorset.co.uk

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Picture Credit: 'The new castle, Sherborne' by Pengannel via Wikimedia Commons

Tourism worth £1.8 billion … and 108,000 jobs

UKinbound will be at the forefront of voicing the UK tourism industry’s concerns ahead of next year’s general election after new research found the sector is worth more than £1.8 billion to the UK economy and supports 108,000 jobs.

The organization’s CEO Deidre Wells says it is numbers like these that will help it in discussions with government and get recognition of its importance to the country’s economy.

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Adelaide apartments

ADELAIDE’S Quest Serviced Apartments are now open. Located in the heart of the city centre, Quest King William South features 105 studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Services available include pantry shopping, dry cleaning, and baby-sitting. www.questapartments.com.au


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Picture Credit: From Top - "Adelaide at night from Mount Lofty" by Original uploader was Maggas at en:WP - Transferred from en:WP via Wikimedia Commons; "Adelaide - The Festival Centre and Torrens Lake" by myself - Own work via Wikimedia Commons

Travel trade cautious on plan to devolve Scottish APD

THE travel industry has given a mixed reaction to the news that Scotland could gain control over some of its taxes, which would include Air Passenger Duty (APD).

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that Chancellor George Osborne will cut the tax for children under 12 in his autumn financial statement on December 3. Campaigners claim abolishing the tax would help families who face a hike in the cost of flying during school holidays, while costing the Treasury just £50 million.

The Smith Commission – set up by the UK government to look at devolving powers to Scotland following the referendum earlier this year – has recommended that the Scottish Parliament should have full control of income tax rates and bands, and APD.

Both the Association of British Travel Agents and the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR UK) said the move could further put England, Wales, and Ulster at a competitive disadvantage if the Scottish government decides to scrap APD.

BAR UK chief executive Dale Keller said: ‘The Scottish government has already indicated it would slash or scrap the world’s highest air passenger tax to stimulate the local economy. The right time is now for the whole of the UK to share equally in the benefits a phasing out of APD would deliver.’

Mark Tanzer, CEO of ABTA said: ‘Any inconsistencies between what a passenger pays flying from Scotland compared to elsewhere in the UK could create an uncompetitive and damaging situation for travel businesses.’

Flybe welcomed the news and said scrapping APD would allow new routes to open up for Scotland.

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: ‘This is a kneejerk – though not unexpected – reaction from the travel trade. It appears to assume that holidaymakers living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will book flights from Scottish airports in order to avoid APD. But in many cases, the time, hassle, and cost of getting to Glasgow, or Edinburgh, or Aberdeen would be equal to, or possibly outweigh, the saving.’

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Padstow at Xmas

THE annual Padstow Christmas Festival runs from December 4 to December 7.

Free to attend, the festival is where world-class chefs and local artisan producers come together around the town's harbour to enjoy four days of demonstrations, entertainment, and festive food and drink.

The event will feature 64 cookery demonstrations and workshops, which start from midday on Thursday 4 December across the Sharp's Brewery Demonstration Theatre and separate Festival Kitchen. A star line-up of chefs including Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, Nathan Outlaw, Angela Hartnett, Mitch Tonks and Mark Hix will be preparing a range of signature dishes in front of live audiences.

Event organiser, Tina Evans, said: ‘This is our biggest event to date with more than 40,000 visitors expected to join us for the festival. Alongside a packed schedule of demos, we'll have a spectacular fireworks display, lantern parade, Narnia-inspired grotto, activities for children, pop-up food stalls and live music.’

This year also sees the return of Padstow's traditional Christmas market with more than 100 stalls from South West crafts folk and food producers. Local boutique shops in the town will remain open for extended hours offering special discounts throughout the event.

www.padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk


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Picture Credit: "Padstow resident - geograph.org.uk - 1240406" by Jonathan Billinger - via Wikimedia Commons

easyJet profit up as passenger numbers increase

EASYJET has posted a 31.1% rise in its profit after tax, as its passenger numbers soared to 64.8 million this year.

Earnings before tax went from £711 million in 2013 to £823m in this year’s full-year results.

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