ANYONE seeking Christmas luxury can add a trip on this incredible train to your festive wish list.
For the seasonal period, the Northern Belle has launched three new offerings from exploring Edinburgh to wandering around Christmas markets, and indulging in dinner with all the twimmings.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The 1930s style Northern Belle is returning to UK cities and towns for ChristmasCredit: InstagramGuests can expect luxury as well as plenty to eat and drinkCredit: Northern Belle
From November 15 until December 20, the Northern Belle, is going all out for Christmas.
One of the experiences is for the ‘Christmas Lunch’ where guests are welcomed in style as a red carpet is laid across the platform.
Onboard there’s welcome Champagne and tasty canapés, once guests are settled into a comfortable armchair, they will be served a seven-course festive feast.
The sample menu includes a Scottish salmon roulade starter, roasted white onion potage and a turkey dinner.
There’s a choice of three desserts; spiced apple and cranberry tart, dark chocolate and hazelnut delice, and a mandarin and gingerbread panna cotta.
To finish off the meal will be a seasonal dessert, cheeseboard and glass of Port.
Throughout the meal, live musicians will play festive tunes, and there’s even an onboard conjuror to entertain.
After the meal, passengers can relax with a Fortnum & Mason cup of tea and petite fours.
Most read in Best of British
The Northern Belle is heading all over the country for the festive treat, and is heading to cities like Newcastle and York.
But it will also visit some market towns too. For example the journey from Norwich will also pick up passengers at Ipswich.
After the seven course dinner, passengers will be served dessert and a cheeseboardCredit: Northern BelleMusicians will entertain by playing a selection of festive tunesCredit: Northern Belle
On the journey to Preston, the train will make three initial stops at Chester, Liverpool and Wigan – but wherever you get on, the Northern Belle does a round-trip to each destination.
Tickets for Christmas lunch on the Northern Belle start at £395 and are available to book now.
The Northern Belle came in fifth place between the Glacier Express at number four and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at number six.
Other trips onboard the Northern Belle include Historic Edinburgh at Christmas.
The journey begins in Hull at 7.25AM where passengers can enjoy a three-course brunch with a Mimosa or Bloody Mary cocktail.
The vintage style train is made up of seven carriagesCredit: northernbelle
Passengers will journey up to Edinburgh where they will have five hours to explore the city.
On returning to the train, guests can indulge in a champagne reception that awaits before enjoying a six-course dinner with fine wine – the price for this starts at £495 per passenger.
The other Christmas offering is exploring York’s festive markets for passengers who hop on in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The journey involves the same cocktail and three-course brunch offering as the Edinburgh exploration and then free time will be exploring York and the markets.
On the return journey guests will again get to enjoy a six-course dinner – tickets start at £495pp.
Next year, the train is offering Mother’s Day Lunches onboard, Afternoon Tea, as well as trips to Cheltenham, Chatsworth House, the Sandringham Flower Show, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Torquay.
The spa town beat the likes of Stratford-upon-Avon and Anglesey to the top spot of best staycations in the UK, and it’s not hard to see why.
Nicola Roy Spare Time writer and Astha Saxena
11:02, 06 Oct 2025
There is so much to see and do in Harrogate(Image: Teamjackson via Getty Images)
If you’re keen to get away this autumn but don’t want to venture too far, there are so many beautiful spots in the UK to choose from – with one in particular being very worth a visit.
Harrogate, a picturesque town in North Yorkshire, was crowned the best staycation spot in the UK. Just a two-hour drive from Greater Manchester, Harrogate beat out competition from Stratford-upon-Avon and Anglesey to claim the top spot.
Staycations have surged in popularity as Brits discover the wealth of beauty spots on their doorstep. With this in mind, AA experts analysed the top staycation destinations that are perfect for a road trip.
They considered factors such as accommodation options, local happiness ratings, availability of car parking spaces, petrol stations, and EV chargers to compile the “ultimate top 10 locations for the perfect staycation”.
The spa town of Harrogate came out on top, boasting the highest ‘happiness rating’, 7.8 out of 10, and the most activities (62), reports the Express.
The town is famed for its stunning architecture, the renowned Betty’s Cafe and Tea Rooms, RHS Harlow Carr gardens and much more. Surrounded by breathtaking countryside, there’s plenty to explore nearby, including the Brimham Rocks beauty spot. This year, it was also named as the third poshest town in the UK by The Telegraph.
Harrogate gained popularity in the 19th century as a health resort thanks to its mineral-rich spring waters.
Today, Harrogate seamlessly blends historic charm with modern touches, making it a favourite destination for visitors and residents alike.
Valley Gardens is a must-see in the town, boasting a beautiful park filled with a variety of flowers, walking paths, and remnants of the town’s renowned spa waters.
Another highlight is the Royal Pump Room Museum, which provides a glimpse into Harrogate’s spa history, showcasing the town’s evolution as a health resort.
Not to be overlooked, Stratford-upon-Avon came in second place with a happiness rating of 7.6, over 6,000 parking spaces, and more than 60 attractions.
Famed as Shakespeare’s birthplace, it offers pretty walks and historical sites such as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Cornwall’s Newquay clinched third place, offering 326 AA-approved accommodations, over 3,500 parking spots, and a happiness rating of 7.5.
This pretty market town, with its high street bursting with boutiques, is delightful even on a rainy day
I visited pretty market town home to ‘poshest pub crawl’ where houses sell for £750,000(Image: Sophie Grubb/ Bristol Live)
If there was any doubt that the town we’d stopped in during our long drive was more upmarket than most, it was dispelled as we walked past a shop front for ‘wealth management services’. A fancy patisserie, an antique store and a few wine merchants’ later, our suspicions were confirmed: Topsham in Devon is really posh.
That’s just the uneducated impression of a first-time visitor, but don’t just take my word for it. For years it has been hailed as home to Devon’s poshest pub crawl, while in 2023 it was reported to be home to one of the UK’s most prestigious residential streets, reports Bristol Live.
The market town on the outskirts of Exeter has an enviable position, overlooking the estuary of the River Exe. The boats bobbing along Topsham Quay looked picture-perfect as we arrived, even on a rainy Monday.
Huddled under umbrellas, we searched for somewhere to take shelter from the unexpected downpour, and shuffled into The Boathouse Café just behind the ferry landing. This cosy cafe is apparently known for its crepes, but we discovered it also does a perfect flat white coffee, which was a reasonable (by Bristol standards anyway) £3.50 and set us up for the day nicely.
The high street is lined with luxurious-looking boutiques, gift shops and lunch spots, including two that have made it into the Michelin guide(Image: Sophie Grubb/ Bristol Live)
A break in the clouds tempted us outside again in no time, and we even considered a boat trip as the sun made a brief appearance. You can get a ferry ride for £9 return, with hourly departures listed on the blackboard during the day we visited, although it seems frequency varies from day to day.
It goes back and forth between Topsham Quay and the Turf Hotel, which pitches itself as an “idyllic” spot in an “extraordinary waterside location”. We decided to give that a miss given another turn in the weather, setting out instead for a spot of shopping.
The high street is a short stroll from the water’s edge, though we took a scenic route past some impressive historic buildings along the way and even more jaw-dropping houses – detached homes here sell for an average of £756,042, according to Rightmove. The high street is lined with luxurious-looking boutiques, gift shops and lunch spots, including two that have made it into the Michelin guide.
The pretty pink exterior of Sara’s Petite Cuisine patisserie in Topsham(Image: Sophie Grubb/ Bristol Live)
That said, there are still bargains to be had if you’re shopping on a budget. I can’t resist a charity shop and found three that were open in Topsham, including Estuary League Of Friends where there was an incredible £1 sale rail. Devon Air Ambulance also has a specialist ‘vintage and variety shop’, which was a treasure trove of retro clothing, antiques and homeware.
On a Saturday there is a weekly market at Matthews Hall, described by organisers as having a “glorious mix of stalls” including food, gifts, clothes, vintage and home items. It’s an indoor market, making it another ideal spot for a rainy day.
Elsewhere we loved the look of Country Cheeses cheesemonger, but it wasn’t open on a Monday. The vibrant painted exterior of the Squid and The Kid meant I couldn’t give that a miss, where I could have spent a small fortune on adorable toys and clothing for my toddler.
Boats in the quay at Topsham(Image: Sophie Grubb/ Bristol Live)
I was a bit hesitant about finding somewhere family-friendly for lunch, but we had a lovely bite to eat at Route 2 cafe, where there were plenty of high chairs as well as a baby change facility. For something sweet there were bakeries, coffee shops and delis with mouth-watering displays in the window, but we ended up trying Sara’s Petite Cuisine as it has such great reviews online.
After stepping through the pastel-pink entrance I was slightly alarmed to realise there were no prices displayed on the counter, but I felt too embarrassed to check as there were a few customers already seated in the tiny cafe within earshot.
Preparing for a shock to my bank account, I decided on the delicious-looking banoffee cake and was pleasantly surprised by the £4 fee for such a generous portion – I’ve paid more for a cookie at some of Bristol’s trendy bakeries.
We did have a bit of a battle to get the pushchair back out the door past a rather impatient waiting customer who felt no obligation to step aside, but otherwise everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly and welcoming of the obvious imposters in their midst.
How to get there
Topsham is easily accessible from anywhere along the M5, as it’s just 10 minutes from Junction 30. From there it’s straight along the A376 and into the town, where there are a couple of council car parks. We opted for the Holman Way Car Park as it’s bigger than Topsham Quay and a short walk away.
Sand’s End – Scandinavia’s seas and sights are an easy win for a no-fly cruise, says Nigel Thompson, who boarded Ambassador’s 1,400-passenger cruise ship Ambience
The ship is a “genuine showstopper”
My left foot is in the Baltic Sea, my right foot is in the North Sea and waves are dancing towards me from opposite directions. It’s wild, wonderful and a little weird as I step off what feels like the edge of the known world into the chilly water.
This is Grenen, in Denmark, at the tip of the Jutland peninsula where a 20-mile long sand spit narrows to nothing as it is swallowed up by the famously treacherous seas of the Skagerrak (North) and Kattegat (Baltic), which meet but do not mix due to differences in salinity, density and temperature (or possibly they are just neighbours who fell out over a boundary dispute). Not so much Land’s End, as Sand’s End.
My wife Debbie and I were on a tour from Ambassador’s 1,400-passenger cruise ship Ambience, which is docked in nearby Skagen, Denmark’s most northerly town.
It’s a smart, likeable place of yellow-hued, red-roofed homes, shops, hotels and restaurants, which draws two million visitors a year to see the Grenen spit, a church half-swallowed by the omnipresent sand, a fishing and lifeboat museum and memorial to the many lost sailors – and to paint in what is regarded as glorious light for artists.
The fishing port is one of Europe’s largest, it’s the chief local employer and we were amazed by the vast size of some of the trawlers. We’d joined the ship, built in 1991 and given a major refurbishment in 2022, for a voyage to Scandinavia (or should that be Sandinavia?) from the London International Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, Essex. The Art Deco building dates from 1930 and is Grade II listed.
Handily, it’s just a half-hour drive from home for us – Ambassador also offers many convenient regional sailings from ports such as Bristol, Newcastle, Liverpool and Dundee – and it was an absolute doddle with the car park and luggage drop, then a short stroll to the terminal.
It’s worth taking the time to check the displays on the Empire Windrush immigration ship from 1948 and mail and cargo manifests from more than a century ago when Tilbury served the empire by sea.
So, speedily processed in the terminal and cruise cards picked up, we had gone from car park to cabin in a very impressive 41 minutes. Beat that.
The cabin is the fanciest Nigel has stayed in
And when I say cabin I more mean Manhattan penthouse! I have lived in flats considerably smaller than this and with none of the luxuries such as Occidental amenities, two TVs, a bath and shower, lounge/diner, dressing room, minibar, a vast amount of storage space and a large balcony.
A genuine showstopper and easily the poshest cabin we’ve ever had in a cruise ship. And we’ve had a few. We were still taking it all in (and taking many photos) when the bags arrived, again super-speedy work, and our friendly steward Mario introduced himself and gave us the cabin tour.
Helpfully, all the plugs are three-pin British with USB ports and the tea is Tetley, with a coffee pod machine and daily refilled bottles of filtered water. With a sailaway at 5pm, we had time to explore the 70,285 gross tonnage ship to get our bearings and do musters then watch the journey down the Thames Estuary with a glass of Prosecco on the open deck. Later, we’d be back on deck to look at the vast, mesmerising North Sea wind farms.
After a leisurely sea day (admittedly we’d overslept with the clocks changing and entirely missed breakfast!), day two had us docking in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city. We’d booked an excursion to Marstrand island, former royal summer retreat of King Oscar II (an Oscar wild for women, apparently) around an hour up the coast from the port.
Ambience holds 1,600 passengers
The island is reached by just a 200-yard ferry journey to the pretty harbour with cobbled streets, upscale shops, cafes, taverns and restaurants. However, just past the (allegedly) randy king’s summer house is one of the most forbidding castles you’ll ever see.
Carlsten fortress dates from the mid-17th century, looks like it escaped from Game Of Thrones and we were not too surprised to learn it was also a prison. Our guide showed us the cells, the display of torture and execution instruments and the separate cells used for five years in solitary.
These are bleak beyond belief and one features a painting of horse and rider on a wall. What did the prisoner use for paint, you ask? His blood. What was his crime, you ask? He had publicly denounced Holy Communion. Harsh, those 17th-century Swedes.
We cheered ourselves up with a visit to the gallows in the keep then took in the view of the coast from the battlements.
Back on board, the avuncular and chatty Captain Egil, from Norway, was on the Tannoy that evening to tell us that the second stop in Sweden, Helsingborg, was now off-limits for cruise ships of a certain size (not that Ambience is particularly large by modern standards) so we would be staying in the Danish capital Copenhagen overnight and an extra day. Not the worst news we’d ever had.
The ship docks in the southern part of Copenhagen port and means a 30-minute stroll to the city centre, via the ‘‘The Most Photographed Woman in Denmark’’. Yes, of course the Little Mermaid statue, which is slightly underwhelming but draws huge crowds of tourists for that essential Copenhagen photo opp.
It’s a grand-looking city of canals, redbrick older buildings, some modern development around the port mostly, but overall such a handsome, clean place and a pleasure to walk around – not least as the numerous local cyclists actually stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings.
We’d been a couple of times before, but not to the world-renowned Tivoli Gardens, a jolly city centre oasis of ponds, gardens, bars and restaurants and 30-plus theme park rides.
That was first on the list and we sauntered around, whizzed on roller coasters, flying carpets and swings and wound down in the serene aquarium. Next day, another must-see beckoned – pretty Nyhavn, a canal flanked by colourful buildings which are home to numerous bars and restaurants. Here, you can join a canals and harbour boat tour and we enjoyed the hour pootling around with a guide telling us about the historic and modern architecture and those fascinating snippets you only get from alocal.
He recommended the Broens street food market across the harbour (there is a pedestrian/cycle bridge from Nyhavn) where we narrowed down an overwhelming choice to fish and chips, as that seemed to be what the locals were mostly having!
Our Copenhagen sailaway that night took us past Helsingborg and, across the strait in Denmark, Kronborg Castle, which was the setting (as Elsinore) for Hamlet.
Skagen and Sand’s End seen (we noted how the captain gave it a very wide berth), a sea day with a spa treatment and another night took us back to the Thames Estuary, where we docked at Tilbury at 8am, were off the ship to the car park via bag collection at 8.30am and home by 9.15am.
We had such an easy, enjoyable week away and did not have to go to the ends of the Earth to find it. Well, actually…
We visited the top-notch, main included, Buckingham restaurant on five nights and were superbly looked after by servers Adie and Noor with standout dishes including a roast beet tartare with goat’s cheese, walnuts and rocket, a beef Wellington and a roast pork belly.
Our only quibbles were a couple of the grilled fish dishes we had contained some small bones and we sometimes felt a bit rushed. The drinks package allowed us to have the premium Spanish wines, with the zingy rosé proving perilously good. Also included is the Borough Market buffet, which can be very busy at breakfast and lunch but we always found a seat and something we liked.
Ambience has two extra-charge speciality restaurants and our seven-course tasting menu at Sea & Grass was fabulous. As the name suggests, it showcases seafood and meat and the smoked salmon, mushroom soup and pulled lamb were especially memorable with superb presentation and service.
Curry house Saffron also impressed, with excellent kebab starters and Thali veggie dishes and tamarind prawn mains. Our cleared plates said it all. The Coffee House is the go-to for that caffeine fix (extra charge), while The Grill by the pool rustles up included hotdogs, burgers and pizzas.
Our favourite bar was the swish and popular Botanical, perfect for anaperitif accompanied by the delightful sounds of classical violin and piano pair Mystic Duo.Version:1.0 StartHTML:000000096 EndHTML:000003119 StartFragment:000000186
We had plenty of variety, including a shocking performance in the interactive pop quiz (at least the winner was on our table!) in the Purple Turtle pub, but better efforts in the natural world and decades quizzes.
In the main theatre, we loved a wryly amusing stage play based on infidelity and a video doorbell and a murder-mystery matinee set in 1963 Cold War Berlin with more smiles via witty audience participation.
Late-night action saw us at the Observatory lounge’s lively Abba night and the brilliant mash-up of all four house bands, which filled the dance floor.
The farm shop is in the news again this week because US vice president JD Vance arrived with a huge entourage of security and police — I visited earlier this summer and one thing was glaring long before I got inside
Steffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director
14:20, 13 Aug 2025Updated 14:21, 13 Aug 2025
I went to the UK’s poshest farm shop — the first thing I noticed wasn’t the food(Image: Steffan Rhys )
I’ve never been anywhere quite like this — it’s got to be the poshest farm shop anywhere in Britain. Nestled in the middle of the stunningly beautiful Cotswolds countryside, Daylesford Organic sells hampers for £690.
The manicured shelves feature £36 honey, £10 chocolate and cashew butter sourdough cookies, £175 tablecloths, £40 mushroom coffee and a £23 “immunity formula”.
Outside, a beautiful garden centre displays £1,600 garden dining furniture and £1,000 trees. Walking around it in the sunshine was one of the highlights of my summer. The whole place is gorgeous — and the customers (and their dogs) are as meticulous and beautifully presented as the shop. I came away with a bag full of Isle of Wight tomatoes (the best I’ve ever tasted) and a lavender bush which cost £20.
Daylesford Organic has made headlines for its prices in the past. But it’s back in the news this week because the US vice president, JD Vance, called in. Donald Trump’s second-in-command is in the Cotswolds for a holiday with his family and footage shows his huge entourage of security and police at the farm shop and in the surrounding lanes on Monday. He reportedly spent hours there.
But on my visit, the first thing that struck me wasn’t the food or the prices. It was the cars in the car park. I immediately spotted two Ferraris, several Porsches and too many Range Rovers to count. Right outside the front door was a white Ferrari with a number plate reading “cash”. I parked my car in a distant corner of the car park and then did my best not to look too gobsmacked as I walked around.
I went to the ‘poshest’ farm shop in England and the first thing I noticed wasn’t the food(Image: Steffan Rhys)
A white Ferrari in the car park with a number plate reading “cash”(Image: Steffan Rhys)
But this level of ostentatious wealth isn’t surprising when you consider the area. The farm shop is around halfway between Chipping Norton and Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, every inch of which belongs on a postcard. People who call this area home include the Beckhams, David and Samantha Cameron, Mike and Zara Tindall, Princess Anne, Kate Moss, Ellen DeGeneres, Simon Cowell, Richard E Grant and many, many more.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are among the many A-listers who call the Cotswolds home(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for RH)
David and Victoria Beckham also live in the Cotswolds(Image: Getty Images)
Zara and Mike Tindall also live there, as does Princess Anne(Image: Getty Images)
Jeremy Clarkson has made it even more famous with his huge Amazon Prime Video hit Clarkson’s Farm, on which you’ll see sweeping drone-shot views of the sunlit countryside and farmland. I’ve been to his (very different) farm shop too, which you can read about here, as well as his sensational pub, which you can read about here.
And the farm shop itself was founded in 2002 by Lady Carole Bamford, whose husband is JCB founder Lord Anthony Bamford. The couple are said to have a joint fortune of £9.45bn, making them comfortably one of the very wealthiest people in the UK. Earlier this summer, Lady Bamford was pictured alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla at Ascot Racecourse. The Bamfords own several prize-winning horses, including one bought for £1.4 million.
Lady Carole Bamford (far left) with Ascot race-goers including King Charles and Camilla this summer(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Carole Bamford started Daylesford with ‘a handful of fields’ and ‘a desire to make a difference’(Image: PA)
Walking around the shop and its outdoor garden centre, I enjoyed trying to figure out if I recognised some of the more glamorous customers (I didn’t). But visitors this week would have had no trouble figuring out who the most famous customer was, given the convoy of black SUVs he arrived with.
Locals in the Cotswolds have likened the security lockdown around Vance’s holiday to the Men in Black as roads, footpaths and village lanes were blocked.
There were rows of black SUVs at the farm shop for Vance’s visit(Image: SWNS)
Nearby roads were closed off by police and locals were spoken to – they compared it to Men in Black(Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)
One said: “Stopped off at a farm shop…so did JD Vance. Security everywhere.” Another said: “There were a few American SUVs and then loads of Mercedes. And a full police riot van and about three police motorbikes. “Because of this, there are loads of police everywhere at the moment – normally, you’d never see a police car around here.”
One local said: “You do seem to get a few political celebrities round here – Kamala Harris has been, David Cameron lives around here, and Boris Johnson often comes. I go to Daylesford Organic most days with my kids. It’s not often you see a presidential motorcade here though!”
There was a protest against Vance in the area this week(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
I’d go most days myself if I could and am certainly looking forward to my next visit. It would have been wonderful if Cotswolds farm shop rival Clarkson had decided to pop in at the same time to check out the competition. He has described Vance as “a bearded God-botherer who pretty much thinks that women who’ve been raped should be forced to have the resultant child”.
Clarkson, whose Diddly Squat Farm Shop is no more than a mile from the vice-president’s fortress-like holiday mansion, also said: “I’ve searched for the right word to describe him and I think it’s ‘t**t’.”
Oh well, I still hope Vance, who has also said the UK is a “truly Islamist” country, enjoyed his visit as much as I did. At least he could probably afford to buy a bit more than I could.
A luxury train journey vowing to ‘showcase the very best of modern England and Wales’ has hit a major snag following a last-minute cancellation, despite passengers forking out thousands on a ticket
The stunning train journey showcases the very best of modern England and Wales(Image: Getty Images)
The country’s most luxurious new train which idles past rolling countryside and golden beaches has hit a major snag – for the second time this month. There’s no denying the UK’s railways are in dire need of significant reform. Riddled with hefty delays and last-minute cancellations – most Brits have endured the commute from hell thanks to unreliable trains and overcrowded carriages.
When you’re forking out a staggering £11,000 for a double cabin, you would expect a much better, more efficient, service. However, the acclaimed Belmond has axed its inaugural run of its newest fleet, the Britannic Explorer, once again.
The Britannic Explorer has been branded one of the poshest trains in the world(Image: Belmond)
Featuring an onboard spa, a world-class menu curated by a Michelin-star chef, and sleek rooms that look like they belong in a five-star hotel – the Britannic Explorer is the epitome of elegance. Earlier this year, the sleeper train unveiled it will be taking passengers on an incredible three-night journey to Wales via the west of England and the iconic Cotswolds.
Not only do guests get to marvel at stunning stretches of coastline, lush mountain ranges and unspoilt countryside – they can also partake in excursions such as hikes in the Welsh national parks, clay pigeon shooting and a trip to a luxury boozer.
The unique experience, does however come with an insane price tag – with a double cabin costing £11,000.
Hopping on board isn’t cheap, with double cabins priced at £11,000(Image: Belmond)
“Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic-style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart,” the company said. “Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train’s windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales.”
The boujee train was due to depart from London Victoria at 3.45pm on Monday, July 21 – but passengers were informed the night before that the journey had been suddenly cancelled. This follows a similar decision to cancel a three-night trip to Cornwall earlier this month (July 4).
The train has been cancelled twice this month(Image: Belmond)
Speaking to the Mirror, a Belmond spokesperson said the ‘difficult decision’ to postpone the inaugural journey of the Britannic Explorer was not ‘taken lightly’. “During the routine pre-trip protocol checks over the weekend, we encountered unforeseen technical issues related to the door mechanism,” they said.
“Despite the dedicated efforts of our engineering team, the issue could not be resolved in time, and as a result, we had to make the difficult decision to cancel the trip. As always, guest welfare and reliability of our train operations remain paramount.”
Belmond confirmed that that every affected guest was offered a full refund, along with a complimentary future journey aboard the Britannic Explorer in 2025 or 2026. “In addition, we are covering any related expenses incurred as a result of the cancellation,” the spokesperson added. “Our team worked closely with each guest to arrange immediate alternative accommodation where needed.”
Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.
The UK’s poshest service station boasts a fancy cheese counter, rustic farm shop, and canteen-style kitchen – but is it really worth the hype, and how much can you get for just £5?
Liam Gilliver is an NCTJ-trained journalist with more than six years of experience in the industry. He first joined Reach Plc back in 2021 and is now a Senior Reporter for the Mirror. He covers a wide range of topics, from the EU travel destinations to huge infrastructure projects, personal finance and much more.
The service station feels worlds away from the bleak motorway
The crème de la crème of UK service stations feels like the love child of Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm and Booths – but how far can you get with just a fiver? If you’ve ever endured a long slog on Britain’s motorways, you’ll quickly learn that there is an art to pit stops.
You see, you have your bottom-tier service stations, the ones that offer an overpriced Burger King, tiny Costa Coffee and wee-drenched loos. If you ever stop at one of these unfortunate hell holes, hold your bladder and get out of there. Then there’s the more premium stations, where you’ll find an even-more-than-usual overpriced Waitrose, Starbucks, M&S and potentially something resembling a vegetable (like a Subway or Pret).
The stunning service station has been crowned the UK’s best(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
The service station comprises of a canteen-style kitchen, a ‘quick’ kitchen, farmshop, toilets, and showers(Image: Trip Advisor)
Gloucester Services states it works with more than 130 producers within 30 miles of the area, which is easy to believe when you see the stunning displays of pastries, cookies, pies, and cheeses. Of course, there are a bunch of packaged snacks available too – from sour cream pretzels to fancy meringue bites and classic cola bottle sweets.
The choice, and constant bustle, can be slightly overwhelming – but there’s no denying you’ll be spoilt for choice. Some items seemed ludicrously overpriced, but then others felt a lot more affordable. I picked up two dark chocolate and ginger balls for less than £1 – mistakenly thinking my budget would go a lot further than it did.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
I headed to the canteen, which sells flatbreads for £9.25 or £11.75 if you add salad. While the lemon and garlic tofu sounded delicious, I was told they’d run out of the vegetarian dish (somewhat unsurprising when you’re just an hour away from Bristol) and that I’d need to wait ‘for a while’. Slightly deflated, I headed over to the Quick Kitchen and picked up a sandwich… for £5.75.
Despite not being a huge fan of the sarnie (which was extremely dry) and having failed my mission – I found a seat right next to the window and watched a group of baby ducks follow their mum into the waters. It felt like I was a million miles away from the bleak M5 – and made me realise that the service station has turned into the destination itself for many visitors. This is fine if you have hours to kill, but if you’ve still got hundreds of miles left – you may leave feeling slightly rushed.
The service station can get extremely busy, especially on weekends(Image: Western Daily Press)
The entire place was faultlessly clean, and the lush green space at the back of the service station really elevated the experience. My partner had a much better culinary experience too, and wouldn’t stop raving about how nice his chicken wrap and sausage roll were while I picked at my crumbling sandwich.
In fairness, a packaged sandwich is ever only going to be so good, and I would have probably spent a similar amount if I’d stopped at a service station with an M&S or Waitrose. So, I would still recommend Gloucester Services, especially if you have children (who get to eat for £1.50 when you buy an adult meal).
However, my favourite service station has to be Annandale Water in Scotland, on the A74. Its offerings might be a little limited (there’s a Chopstix, McDonald’s, WHSmiths, and that’s about it) but it has bizarrely become a haven for a group of geese who now permanently roam around the green. You’ll spot them as soon as you come up, along with the signs warning you to slow down in case they’re crossing. Seriously, it’s the cutest sight ever – and in my opinion – trumps an endless row of pies and pasties.
*Which? rankings were based on a survey of 8,677experiences from 4,078 Which? Connect members in November – December, 2024.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.
A woman and property expert recently shared her experience after visiting a McDonald’s eatery in Monaco – and was surprised by how different it is compared to the UK
17:41, 27 May 2025Updated 17:41, 27 May 2025
McDonald’s in Monaco left a Brit floored recently (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
A woman from Yorkshire has given us a glimpse into what it is like to visit McDonald’s in one of the world’s poshest countries – and how the menu differs. When we jet off abroad, most of us are keen to sample the local grub and steer clear of eateries we can easily find back home, but it is always intriguing to see how our favourite big brands adapt their menus to cater to local tastes and traditions. Monaco is synonymous with luxury – think swanky restaurants, the Grand Prix, yachts and being the priciest city globally for property. Despite the lack of fast food giants in the country, there are two McDonald’s outlets – one in Monte-Carlo and the other in Monaco-Ville.
Property guru and entrepreneur, Abi Hookway, enjoys giving her Instagram followers a peek into how the other half live and sharing money-saving tips on her page @abi_hookway, where she has an impressive following of 475,000. Recently, she took us inside the McDonald’s in Monaco-Ville.
As she walked in, she remarked: “This looks like we could be in the UK,” but she quickly spotted some notable differences on the menu.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Abi was taken aback as she explored the fast food joint and noticed a bakery cabinet at the front of the counter, brimming with mouth-watering baked treats like donuts, cheesecake, muffins, cookies and macarons.
“My McDonald’s in Yorkshire doesn’t have this does it, wow,” Abi exclaimed. She was chuffed with the meal deal offering three burgers, chips and a drink for just six euros, but felt the rest of the menu didn’t live up to her high expectations.
“I was expecting like millionaire, gold…it’s letting me down a bit,” she reflected. Nonetheless, she was over the moon with being able to order macarons in a branded box, an iced coffee with a dollop of cream which arrived in a recyclable plastic cup and cherished being able to sit outdoors courtesy of the substantial seating area.
Upon sampling the potato wedges, Abi declared: “We need to have these in the UK.”
Intrigued by Abi’s video, one viewer pointed out: “Also the same food in Portugal with the dessert cabinets.”
Echoing the sentiment, someone else posted: “They have these desert cabinets all over Germany McCafé.”
Another person commented, expressing their affinity for the crockery: “I love the cups and bowls. Would be great to reuse at home. I wish the UK had the same.”
There exists a smattering of unique McDonald’s locations around the globe, with the “most beautiful” one sitting pretty in Rome, Italy.
Just minutes away from the iconic Spanish Steps, this particular McDonald’s greets visitors with what appears to be a sculpture of Venus herself.
Furthermore, New Zealand’s got a McDonald’s that serves up its food from a retired airliner, while, in Germany, you can even grab a McDonald’s meal from a floating restaurant.
AN ICONIC pub in Britain’s “poshest town” has finally re-opened after locals slammed its sky high prices.
The historic Windmill Inn of Linton re-opened its doors vowing to offer punters good value drinks with pints costing as little as £4.80.
6
‘Britain’s poshest pub’ finally re-opened this week after being shunned by locals put off by sky high bar pricesCredit: SWNS
6
Michelle Landers, 49, and Rob Lamb, 55, landlords of Windmill Inn who run its day to day businessCredit: SWNS
6
The Windmill Inn of Linton, near Leeds, opened its doors vowing to offer locals good value drinks with pints costing as little as £4.80Credit: SWNS
The watering hole, which dates back to 1564, suddenly closed it doors in late January when the previous landlady left.
Some locals blasted the high prices for snubbing the hostelry which is in an area renowned for having many wealthy residents and with house prices in one street averaging £1.7million.
Now new leaseholders Sharon, 58, and Simon Colgan, 59, have reopened its doors and the residents are “over the moon”.
Sharon said: “Just because you are in a posh area doesn’t mean you should have to pay the expensive marked up prices.
“For those who want to pay extra they can – but it isn’t necessary if they don’t want to.
“We want to return the pub to it’s former days being somewhere the local residents can enjoy and call their own.”
She added that locals had been “so supportive” and that she was “thrilled to be able to give something back to them”.
The shock closure of the beloved pub came on January 24 after it hit financial difficulty.
But three months on, veteran pub landlords Sharon, 58, and Simon Colgan, 59, have signed an agreement to take on the joint.
Locals Heartbroken as Auchenmalg’s Only Pub, The Cock Inn, Closes Down
They were approached by its owners Bars and Stars – who are owned by Heineken – to see if they would like to take on the historic venue.
The duo who run 12 pubs in partnership all across the UK agreed, singing the documents on April 22.
Since then they have pumped £80,000 into refurbishments which include new carpets, a full re-paint, French polished tables and chairs, and updated outdoor benches.
The duo have also invested in new glass washers and a coffee machine.
They have even hired a new head chef and upgraded parts of the kitchen – purchasing new equipment like a cooker, new utensils, and microwaves.
Sharon said the boozer is “worth every penny”.
She said: “The pubs we are used to are what you would call old man pubs with proper ale and proper pub grub to fill customers’ belly.
“This is a new adventure for us – a little above our pay grade – but we are very excited to see where it takes us.”
6
The pub is located in the exclusive village of LintonCredit: SWNS
6
It has seen a stunning £80,000 refurbishmentCredit: SWNS
The Windmill Inn sits in Linton which is Yorkshire‘s most exclusive village.
One of it Streets – Linton Lane – was found to have an average house price an eye-watering £1,791,000.
Sharon appointed Michelle Landers, 49, and Rob Lamb, 55, as landlords to run its day to day business.
The couple have worked with Sharan and Simon before running one of their earliest projects, The World’s End in Knaresborough, North Yorks, five years ago.
Michelle said: “The community feel of this pub is second to none.”
“Whilst we have been cleaning and preparing for it’s reopening residents have been popping by telling us how thankful they are it is returning.
“We are really pleased with how it has come out so far – we are chuffed about the whole project.”
Sharon and Simon will pay £4,250 a month – £51,000 a year – to keep the doors open.
She said: “It’s not cheap but we know it will be worth it.
“We weren’t planning on taking on another location, but it is such a historic place in such a stunning location, we found it hard to say no.”
The duo are keen on keeping prices low but offering upgrades for those who are willing to pay.
Pints will cost range from £4.80 to £5 with the average meal setting customers back around £18.
The pub also sells sharing platters including steak and shrimp priced at £65.
The most expensive spirit is a single malt whisky which cost £7 for a single.
Sharon says the couple will pump all profits back into the pub to keep it going for a “couple hundred more years”.
6
Pints will cost range from £4.80 to £5 with the average meal setting customers back around £18Credit: SWNS
