www.beautifulbritain.net

Beautiful Britain August Issue

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:14:06 +0100

In the August issue of Beautiful Britain MagazineIn the new August issue we celebrate 10 years of the innovative Wetlands Centre in the middle of London, and we explore the heights and history of Wasdale in the Lake District, often regarded as Britain's favourite views. We've also taken a tour around the elegant Georgian City of Bath, to give you the highlights of this fascinating place.

And we've met some fascinating people this month. We spoke to the influential gardener Beth Chatto on the 50th anniversary of her famous gardens in Essex, we've learned about cartoonist Gerald Scarfe's favourite places, and we met the narrowboat enthusiast and learned about his life on the canals of Britain. We also met an enterprising couple in Anglesey to learn about the art of salt-making.

The well-known writer Simon Barnes shares his experiences of childhood, we visit Agatha Christie's home in Devon and take in the festivities at Wales's renowned Eisteddfods. As if that wasn't enough, the August issue includes book reviews, advice on where to stay, where to eat, things to do and lots of news and events from all around the country.

Preview our new August issue of Beautiful Britain today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

Beautiful Britain July Issue

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:38:19 +0100

In the July issue of Beautiful Britain Magazine we hike across Northern Ireland’s beautiful Mourne Mountains, we take an aerial tour over Britain’s finest landscapes and we talk to nature writer and broadcaster Robert Macfarlane about his love of Britain’s landscapes. We also explore the Eden Project in Cornwall and meet founder Tim Smits, and – just to keep our strength up – we taste the wares of chocoholics’ paradise Cocoa Mountain in northern Scotland.

Other highlights include a visit to Queen Victoria’s majestic home on the Isle of Wight – Osborne House – and a look at the state of Britain’s brass bands, in which we meet members of the famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band.

This packed issue also features our new contributors Jonathan Meades writing on urban housing and Nick Baker on the wonders of dragonflies. And Tony Burton tells us about the launch of Civic Voice – the organisation representing the many local civic societies involved in conservation and amenity projects around the country. As if that wasn’t enough, the July issue includes book reviews, advice on where to stay, where to eat, things to do and news and events from all around the country.

Preview our new July issue of Beautiful Britain today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

Beautiful Britain June Issue

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:35:07 +0100

In our latest issue of Beautiful Britain Magazine we tour Hardy’s West Country, we provide a guide to the great City of Edinburgh, and we meet Sir Ran Fiennes, our greatest living explorer, and talk to him about his life and his greatest challenge. We also talk to Chris Jesty, who has been busy updating the late, great Wainwright’s guides to the ever-popular Lake District. We meet members of the new pop sensation, the Cornish folk band Fishermen’s Friends and we enjoy the spectacle of Trooping the Colour. We discover the elegant architecture of Moseley Swimming Baths and talk to the local people who are fighting to save them, and learn about the history of William Morris’s Red House, and the National Trust’s plans for it.

Our June issue also features writer and broadcaster Stuart Maconie on Middle England, Shaun Spiers writing on the importance of tranquillity in the countryside, and articles on the truth behind the myths of Robin Hood, the preservation of heathland habitats, and why old caravans are cool again. As if that wasn’t enough, the June issue includes book reviews, advice on where to stay, where to eat and news and events from all around the country.

Preview our new June issue of Beautiful Britain today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

Beautiful Britain May Issue

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:32:19 +0100

In our new issue of Beautiful Britain Magazine we take a walk along St Cuthbert's Way on the borders of north-east England and Scotland, we meet Griff Rhys Jones and talk to him about his loves, hates and favourite waterways, and we tour the magnificent City of Durham. We also meet the Queen's Guide to Morecambe Sands, learn about the Hay Literary Festival, the restoration of one of Gertrude Jekyll's most impressive gardens at Hestercombe, saving the red squirrel, and we take a stroll down Carnaby Street as it was in the Swinging Sixties.

Our May issue also features Britain's leading nature writer Richard Mabey on the nightingale, English Heritage's Simon Thurley on preserving our places of worship, book reviews, advice on where to stay, where to eat and news and events from all around the country.

Preview our new May issue of Beautiful Britain today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

Beautiful Britain April Issue

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:30:06 +0100

In our first monthly issue of Beautiful Britain Magazine we find out how the South Downs will be affected by its new National Park status, we meet TV’s Monty Halls about his Great Escapes, and we talk to rock god Brian May about his passion for photography. We also find out about the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the effects of white-tailed eagles on Scottish communities, a restored Victorian kitchen garden, and we take a trip along the Antrim coast.

Our April issue also features Dara O’Briain, Sophie Raworth, wild swimming, wild boars, book reviews, advice on where to stay, where to eat and news and events from all around the country.

Preview our new April issue of Beautiful Britain today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

Beautiful Britain’s planning campaign takes off

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:45:31 +0100

Beautiful Britain magazine creates giant mural next to M5 - highlighting the need for greater local consultation on planning decisions.

BRISTOL, 16th April 2010 – This morning, drivers witnessed the appearance of a new `airport development` alongside the M5 near Bristol. A giant 70 metre-long mural in a field next to the motorway between junctions 14 and 15, is a blueprint of a runway with a ‘PLANNING APPROVED’ stamp across it. It has been created by recently relaunched magazine, Beautiful Britain to raise awareness of the need for greater local consultation in the planning process.

The magazine is concerned that the wishes of local communities are being ignored by central government in an attempt to meet national infrastructure targets. Just one month earlier, the magazine surveyed over 5,000 British people, revealing that eight out of ten feel that not enough is being done to protect the places that they love. In fact, one in seven would like to see more red tape when it comes to planning, to ensure that local voices are heard.

Facts about the runway mural:

At over 70 metres long, Bristol’s new runway mural is larger than Dorset’s famous Cerne Abbas Giant
It is made from white biodegradable paint and is expected to last for up to six weeks

Rob Yarham, Editor of Beautiful Britain magazine which commissioned the mural, said:

“Beautiful Britain magazine celebrates the best of Britain’s rural and urban landscapes. With this mural, we want to highlight the threat to those environments posed by ill-considered and rushed planning decisions. We chose a runway because many of these involve transport infrastructure but there are other types of project putting our landscape at risk, including energy and housing developments.

“We want planning policy to be at the heart of election debates. We’re concerned that the Infrastructure Planning Commission may fast-track large developments without giving local people enough input into projects that will affect them for years to come. Planning policy directly impacts the quality of people’s lives and now, in the run up to the elections, is a great time for people to ask the parties what is their policy. Also to ask their local MP what is their view of planning in their area and of potential large-scale developments in their locality. Now is the time to make your voice heard!”

As part of its campaign, Beautiful Britain has created an e-petition to ask the government to enhance local democracy in the planning process, along with a simple guide about what to do if anyone is concerned about a particular development.

Britain votes for top landmarks

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:13:23 +0100

Big Ben was today voted Britain’s best-loved landmark.

Westminster’s world famous, 316-ft-high clock tower claimed the title in a new survey commissioned by Beautiful Britain magazine. The clock’s “bongs”, which open ITN’s News At Ten programme, are witnessed by millions of tourists every year.

Second place went to Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument built between 3000BC and 2000BC and today a renowned World Heritage Site.

The legendary White Cliffs of Dover – celebrated in the hit song – came third in the survey.

The research was carried out nationwide among 5,000 adults by Beautiful Britain as part of their re-launch as a monthly magazine.

Rob Yarham, Editor of Beautiful Britain said: “As a nation we have so many buildings, structures and natural wonders to be proud of.

“Whatever corner of the country you live or work in, or visit, this list gives a fascinating insight into the landmarks that Brits view as special and eye-catching.

“Our country is steeped in history and Big Ben is a worthy winner – it’s recognised around the world and is one of those cultural symbols, along with red buses and black cabs, that immediately make you think of London and Britain.

“Britain has so much to offer, and more and more people are discovering and enjoying all the wonderful historic, breathtaking and fascinating places that they can find on their own doorstep.”

Edinburgh Castle was fourth in the survey. The Castle, which sits on top of a huge volcanic rock, has dominated the great city for hundreds of years and has played a central role in Scotland’s history throughout that time.

The rest of the top ten was dominated by other London attractions, including The London Eye, built to celebrate the turn of the millennium, and Sir Christopher Wren’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. Following hard on their heels was Buckingham Palace, occasional home to the Queen and one of the capital’s most visited tourist attractions, in seventh. Tower Bridge, a few miles away from Buckingham Palace in London, came eighth, and the Houses of Parliament came ninth.

The Roman Baths in Bath, in the county of Somerset, was tenth.

Landmarks finishing in the top twenty included The Natural History Museum, Windsor Castle, Blackpool Tower, Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Royal Albert Hall.

Rob Yarham added: “Britons’ love for their country certainly shone through in the survey – four in ten said they love the British landscape, seven in ten love the countryside and eight in ten think Britain is beautiful as a whole.

“Beautiful Britain magazine is all about celebrating Britain and these results are really encouraging. However, parts of our much-admired urban and rural landscapes are threatened by proposals to cut red tape as Government pressure to meet housing, energy and transport targets increases. The British public is in danger of losing their say about local development in the planning process.

“The survey also showed that a third of the British public don’t believe enough is being done to protect the country’s land and buildings and 68 per cent of those surveyed would like to see more red tape.

“We think it is incredibly important for people to engage in a clear and thorough planning process, so that the landmarks that we love so much are not overshadowed by more eyesores in the near future.

“This is why we have registered an ePetition for the Prime Minister to defend and enhance local democracy in the planning process.”

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BeautifulBritain/

Britain’s Best Loved Landmarks

Big Ben
Stonehenge
White Cliffs of Dover
Edinburgh Castle
London Eye
St Paul’s Cathedral
Buckingham Palace
Tower Bridge
Houses of Parliament
Roman Baths
Natural History Museum
Windsor Castle
Westminster Abbey
Royal Albert Hall
Blackpool Tower
The Globe Theatre
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Chatsworth House
The Gherkin
London Bridge

Beautiful Britain launches ePetition

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:14:22 +0000

'Spaghetti Junction' Motorways, Millennium Dome, Angel of The North, Amongst Biggest Eyesores in Britain. Beautiful Britain magazine stresses need for more red tape and launches e-petition

According to new research by Beautiful Britain magazine, concrete carriageways, like the Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham came top in a poll of structures and buildings that blight the UK landscape. Coming second in the list of cringe-worthy landmarks was Battersea Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames. The brick-clad, unused coal-fired building, which has seen numerous failed redevelopments, beat M1 Service Stations – like Watford Gap – into third place.

The survey was commissioned by Beautiful Britain to delve deeper into the issues surrounding local planning and measure public sentiment towards these issues. The findings reveal a disgruntled British population with three quarters of the public living within six miles of an eyesore and over one in ten taking drastic action and relocating as a result. Two thirds would also be ruthlessly happy to see UK eyesores like Birmingham New Street station and Rugby’s cement works demolished.

There are a number of significant planning projects underway across the UK, such as the Beauly-Denny pylons in Scotland, whereby the planning decision has not been representative of the local community it is impacting. The study reinforced this as eight in ten people do not feel consulted enough when it comes to building plans in their area and a staggering 68% of Brits wanting to see more red tape. Without significant consultation and planning, more unsightly eyesores could potentially plague Britain’s landscape.

Government pressure to reach targets on renewable energy, transport infrastructure and private housing is creating more problems for the planning process. With high targets set by the Government, such as 200,000 additional homes per year by 2016*, pressure is being put on regulators to cut red tape to ensure that these quotas and deadlines are met.

Rob Yarham, Editor of Beautiful Britain magazine which carried out the research amongst 5,000 Brits, said: “Beautiful Britain magazine aims to keep Britain beautiful by preserving and conserving the best of what we have now and therefore we’d like to highlight the importance of keeping ‘red tape’ rather than cutting it. Cutting red tape will fast-track the planning process and may prevent local voices being heard. We want more thorough consultation to take place with local people and as it turns out the public agree, with a third believing that not enough is being done to protect the country’s land and 68% wanting to see more red tape.”

Britain’s love for its country was also made clear in the survey with seven in ten saying they love the countryside and eight in ten think Britain is beautiful as a whole.

“It is great to see that British people love their surroundings and people want more to be done to protect it, but it isn’t just up to government, national or local, to protect our landscapes and environment. It’s up to all of us to stand up for what we love. If we don’t try to understand how everyone is affected by a planning decision we may find that we have lost something that contributes to the quality of the places in which we live, work or relax.” continued Rob Yarham.

Other findings from the survey:

Wind farms and electricity pylons also ranked highly in the nationwide study, coming fourth and fifth respectively as the worst eyesores
The Millennium Dome in Greenwich, with its large white marquee and twelve 100 metre-high yellow support towers, that failed to attract visitors, was the subject of political controversy and considered a financial flop, was sixth
Oxford’s Didcot Power Station was seventh, and the derelict Penarth Heights flats, in the Vale of Glamorgan, were eighth
The Angel of the North was voted in ninth place and Rugby Cement Works completed the top ten
Other buildings and structures deemed to spoil the UK landscape include Birmingham New Street Station (11), Gateshead Car Park (13), the Scottish Parliament building (15) and Manchester’s Arndale Centre (16)
Most Brits (82%) claim that wind farms are noisy and destroy the countryside, while only 18% see their benefits saying that they are good for the environment
Encouragingly, three in ten would protest but wouldn’t know how to, if a flyover or giant pylon was built next to where they lived. But 17 per cent would sit back and do nothing because they feel powerless in making a positive change and have adopted a‘It’ll happen anyway’ attitude
Run-down industrial estates, disused factories and concrete emerged as the worst type of eyesore, with three quarters preferring old style buildings

An e-petition has been registered at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ with the following call on government: “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to defend and enhance local democracy in the planning process and to resist the imposition through fast-track and other means of large scale and inappropriate development in the countryside”. Therefore, Beautiful Britain is urging the public to go online and take the first step in making a positive change for Britain.

For further information and regional survey results, please contact: Caryn Lobley or Selena Chan

Email: caryn.lobley@komodopr.com / selena.chan@komodopr.com , tel: 0207 680 5520

Britain’s Biggest Eyesores

Motorways
Battersea Power Station, London
M1 service stations
Wind farms
Electricity pylons
Millennium Dome, London
Oxfordshire's Didcot Power Station
Derelict Penarth Heights flats, Vale of Glamorgan
Angel of the North, Gateshead
Rugby Cement Works
Birmingham New Street station
Milton Keynes Concrete Cows
Gateshead Car Park
The Park Hill Estate in Sheffield
Scottish Parliament building
Manchester's Arndale Centre
Northampton Bus Station
Birmingham Central Library
Edinburgh's St James Shopping Centre
Bournemouth Imax Cinema

Britain’s Favourite Landmarks

Big Ben
Stonehenge
White Cliffs of Dover
Edinburgh Castle
5. London Eye
St Paul’s Cathedral
Buckingham Palace
Tower Bridge
Houses of Parliament
Roman Baths in Bath