Channel 5 is taking people behind the scenes at Grantley Hall, near Ripon, as it pursues its ambition to become one of the world’s best hotels.

The series Yorkshire’s Poshest Hotel: Grantley Hall uncovers how Barnsley-born Valeria Sykes bought the run-down country house in 2015 and – with the help of son Richard – transformed it into a five-star hotel. 

With rooms ranging from £1000-£4500 a night, Grantley strives to feel like a “posh guesthouse”, with down-to-earth Yorkshire hospitality, says the tv network.

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Cameras follow the team who make the magic happen— from managers to chefs, housekeepers and porters — capturing the relentless attention to detail required to deliver flawless service.

The first episode, says Channel 5, looks at the family who run Grantley Hall, uncovering how Barnsley-born Valeria Sykes bought the run-down country house in 2015 and – with the help of son Richard – transformed it into a luxury hotel, designed to rival the world’s best while “putting Yorkshire on the map.”

Managing Director Richard Sykes reveals how the ethos of Grantley Hall is to feel less like a formal hotel and more like a “posh guesthouse” with warm Yorkshire hospitality and down-to-earth staff.

The hotel’s tented bistro is undergoing a huge revamp, led by Interior and Ambience Manager Marek, who has only three days to complete his ambitious transformation, before a lavish launch party attended by restaurant critics and VIPs.

But when water starts leaking into the tent’s wooden foundations, the maintenance team is left with a major problem to solve!

Channel Five also says the programme features the hotel preparing for the arrival of a global pop superstar visiting from the United States.

This means a busy week for Guest Experience Manager Thierry and his team, as they put the finishing touches to one of their superior suites and plan a surprise gift, prepared by Pastry Senior Sous Chef Shannon.

Channel Five said: “When the special guest arrives, they are greeted at the gate by the hotel’s larger than life Welcome Host, Isaac, whose unique style of receiving guests has made him a much-loved member of the hotel team.

 “Another friendly face for guests is doorman Kevin, whose passion for history has led to a side hustle as the hotel’s resident historian.

“As well as offering history tours of the hall for guests, Kevin is also guardian of the Grantley Hall archives, documenting its fascinating past.

“The hall has been home to Lords and Ladies, played host to royalty and was even a convalescent home for troops during World War Two.”

The four part programme begins on Thursday March 26 and runs from 8pm to 9pm on Channel 5.

The change will cost higher-rate taxpayers approximately £124

People who work from home are set for a financial blow next month as a key tax break comes to an end. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in her autumn Budget that the government is scrapping the work-from-home tax relief in a move expected to hit hundreds of thousands of employees across the country.

Since the pandemic, many workers have relied on the ability to claim back costs for the extra expenses of running a home office – such as increased heating, electricity, and broadband bills. Currently, eligible staff can claim a flat rate of £6 per week without needing to provide receipts, or claim the exact amount of their increased costs.

However, from April 6, 2026, this allowance will be axed entirely for the vast majority of workers. Under current rules, you can only claim this relief if your employer requires you to work from home – for example, if they do not have an office space available for you.

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Those who choose to work from home voluntarily or under a hybrid arrangement have already seen their eligibility tightened in recent years. According to government forecasts, roughly 300,000 people will be directly impacted by the removal of the relief.

For a basic-rate taxpayer, the loss equates to around £62 a year, while higher-rate taxpayers will see their tax bills rise by approximately £124. While the tax relief for individuals is ending, employers will still be permitted to pay their staff a tax-free allowance to cover home-working costs if they wish to do so. However, there is no legal requirement for businesses to provide this.

The Chancellor also revealed many other tax changes in her Budget in November. One change was that the freeze on income tax thresholds will be extended until the end of the 2030/31 financial year.

This phenomenon, known as “fiscal drag,” acts as a “stealth tax,” because wages rise with inflation, the frozen thresholds mean more of your income is pushed into higher tax brackets. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates this will result in:

• 780,000 more people paying the basic rate of income tax
• 920,000 more people being dragged into the 40% higher-rate bracket

The personal allowance – the amount you can earn before paying any tax – will remain stuck at £12,570.

He has just returned from the UAE with crucial advice

A travel expert has issued a warning to individuals with flights booked to or from the Middle East. The alert comes as tensions continue in the area, with Israel and the US maintaining their strikes on Iran which commenced over a fortnight ago.

Iran continues to hit back with drone and missile attacks on several neighbouring and nearby nations. This resulted in Dubai, a major hub for international travel and home to the world’s busiest airport, temporarily closing its airspace for the second time in 48 hours due to strikes in the vicinity.

Simon Calder, a journalist with the Independent, has just returned from the United Arab Emirates. He provided an update on the current situation for those flying to or from the Middle East, including passengers transiting through the region en route to other destinations.

He stated: “I’ve just arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 4 after a fairly normal flight from Abu Dhabi on Etihad. What wasn’t normal was just how quiet it was when I arrived. Terminal 4, the main hub for the Middle East from London, is frankly a bit of a ghost town. Many of the flights that you would normally expect to see multiple departures on Qatar Airways to Doha and on Etihad to Abu Dhabi are not flying, and there’s also, for instance, Gulf Air based in Bahrain who are not going there.

“Having said that, there’s perhaps more flights than you might expect, given that, for example, Qatar and the UAE are on the Foreign Office no-go list. There’s a departure this evening to Abu Dhabi on Etihad and one a little later on Qatar Airways overnight to Doha. As well as that, El Al is going out to Tel Aviv. Now, you might have heard that the airspace in Israel is closed; well, it kind of is, but if you’ve got permission, and El Al certainly has, then you can go in.

“And finally, Gulf Air is flying from here later on today, but not to the normal destination of Bahrain. Instead, it’s going to Dammam, which is very close by in Saudi Arabia, from where passengers can travel to that island quite happily over the causeway. But bear in mind that the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain are all on the Foreign Office no-go list. If you choose to ignore that advice, then it’s likely your travel insurance will not be valid.

READ MORE: Travel expert issues holiday ‘rise’ warning as jet fuel price surges 70 per centREAD MORE: Simon Calder issues update for anyone flying with Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways

Unsurprisingly, the conflict has impacted international travel in numerous ways. Not only have passenger numbers and flights passing through the Middle East declined dramatically, but neighbouring countries favoured by Brits seeking spring sunshine, including Cyprus and Turkey, have also experienced a fall in visitor numbers.

Conversely, nations to the west boasting milder weather, including Spain and Portugal, have witnessed a surge in reservations – as has the Caribbean. The situation has not only left thousands of British holidaymakers stuck in the Middle East, but many are also anxious about their upcoming travel arrangements.

The Association of British Insurers attempted to address these worries with the following statement when questioned about whether insurance will cover the cancellation of a trip to the Middle East due to concerns over the conflict.

It stated: “As the situation evolves, we can understand why people may be reconsidering their future plans to travel to the region. If you wish to cancel your trip, contact your airline, accommodation provider or tour operator in the first instance. They may be able to rebook parts of your trip or offer a refund.

“Travel insurance may not cover cancellations linked to the conflict, depending on your policy’s terms, any war exclusions, and when you bought it. Policies differ, and insurers may take different approaches, so it’s important to check with your insurer to understand what’s covered.”

PARIS (AP) — We’ve long had your back, now it’s our turn. That is how the famously transactional U.S. President Donald Trump is framing his demands that allies help him with the Iran war. He wants to call in IOUs for decades of U.S. security guarantees.

The string of refusals indicates his stock of European goodwill is low. He has put allies through the wringer since returning to the White House, bullying them over tariffs, Greenland and other issues, and disparaging the sacrifices their soldiers made alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Now he’s demanding — not just requesting — that they send warships to help the U.S. unblock the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes — essentially mop up behind the conflagration that he and Israel ignited in the Middle East.

The reply has been a “global raspberry.”

That’s how a veteran French defense analyst, François Heisbourg, described allied responses.

No close ally has come forward with immediate help. Britain is flat-out refusing to be drawn into the war. France says the fighting would have to die down first. Others are non-committal. China, which is not an ally but was also asked to help, is ignoring Trump’s call.

“This is not Europe’s war. We didn’t start the war. We were not consulted,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday.

Trump’s frustration with the ‘Rolls-Royce of allies’

Trump has singled out the refusal from the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cultivated ties with Trump and reached an early trade deal with the administration, but is now among allies who refuse to join a regional war with no clear endgame.

The U.K. “was sort of considered the Rolls-Royce of allies,” Trump said Monday, adding that he’d asked for British minesweeping ships.

“I was not happy with the U.K,” Trump said. “They should be involved enthusiastically. We’ve been protecting these countries for years.”

Starmer said Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war” and that British troops require the backing of international law and “a proper thought-through plan” — suggesting those were not in place.

He initially refused to let U.S. bombers attack Iran from British bases before accepting their use for strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, said allies are “looking at the United States in a way that they never have before. And this is bad for the United States.”

Having previously appeased Trump, some European leaders are “starting to realize that there’s no benefit or value in using flattery,” he said.

European leaders say it’s not their war

Going to war without consulting allies was in keeping with Trump’s America-first outlook.

“My attitude is: We don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world,” he said Monday.

But failing to get an international mandate, as the U.S. did before intervening in the 1990 Gulf War, is boomeranging.

“It is not our war; we did not start it,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. “We want diplomatic solutions and a swift end to the conflict. Sending more warships to the region will certainly not contribute to that.”

French President Emmanuel Macron envisions possible naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz — but only once fighting has died down.

“France didn’t choose this war. We’re not taking part,” he said.

After bruising tariff battles with Trump last year, the first months of 2026 have further strained alliances. Trump’s renewed pressure for U.S. control of Greenland, including a tariff threat against eight European nations, and his false assertion that allied troops avoided front-line fighting in the Afghanistan War, upset partners in the NATO military alliance.

“Allies, or at least the Europeans, aren’t willing to be at the beck and call of a demand from Donald Trump,” said Sylvie Bermann, a French former ambassador to China, the U.K. and Russia.

“And even in asking for a helping hand, he is doing so in a brutal manner, saying: ‘You’re useless, we’re the strongest, we don’t need you, but come,’” she said.

A dangerous mission

Retired naval officers say that unblocking the Strait of Hormuz with military escorts while the war rages and without Iran’s consent would be dangerous.

France, which has rushed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, is working with other countries to prepare such a mission once the air war has subsided. French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet said any escorting would be conditional on talks with Iran, and Macron has publicized two calls in eight days with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

That has won points with Trump.

“On a scale of zero to 10, I’d say he’s been an eight,” Trump said Monday. “Not perfect, but it’s France. We don’t expect perfect.”

But he’s fuming at other allies.

“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said Tuesday.

Trump has leverage, including in Ukraine

Allies in Europe and Asia need oil, gas and other products from the Middle East to flow again. That gives Trump some leverage.

Allies also know from experience that resisting Trump carries risks of retaliation.

“It really could be anything. Are the Europeans prepared for that?” asked Ed Arnold, a former British army officer and now a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank.

European allies need Trump’s continued blessing for U.S. weaponry, intelligence, and other support for Ukraine, as well as financial pressure on Russia. The U.S. has started to chip away at some sanctions on Moscow by temporarily allowing shipments of Russian oil to ease shortages stemming from the Iran war. Allies also want him to reengage in talks to end the war.

“That was what kept European leaders quiet for a lot of last year in the face of the rhetoric and actions,” said Amanda Sloat, a former U.S. national security adviser who now teaches at Spain’s IE University.

“It is also the thing that is making them a little bit nervous now.”

__

Burrows reported from London. Associated Press journalists Jill Lawless in London, Lorne Cook in Brussels, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed.

Management at the Thomas Egerton, in the village of Egerton, north of Bolton, have submitted a retrospective planning application for  the structure, in the rear beer garden.

It seeks to retain timber wall cladding installed last year under an existing canopy at the Blackburn Road pub restaurant.

The cladding, enclosed the walls of an outdoor area which the management said ‘has long formed part of the pub’s established beer garden’.

A planning statement in support of retaining the structure has been published on Bolton council’s planning portal by 8planning.

It said the cladding works were carried out without prior planning approval, ‘as the landlord was unaware permission was required’.

The statement added: “An enforcement notice is currently in effect on the site, prompting this retrospective application to regularise the development and seek permission to retain the cladding.

“This statement sets out the justification for granting retrospective consent, demonstrating that the proposal causes no harm to amenity or heritage and aligns with local and national planning policies.”

The statement said the timber cladding was added by the landlord to enclose and warm an outdoor seating area.

Previously, a portion of the beer garden was covered by a permanent roofed canopy which was open-sided.

Last year timber cladding was installed on the interior walls under the canopy, enclosing the space to create a weather-protected alcove.

The statement added: “The covered area provides a comfortable, dog-friendly environment for patrons to eat and drink outdoors as dogs are not allowed inside the main pub, thereby helping the pub retain and attract customers.

“In doing so, the proposal supports the ongoing viability of the pub as a valuable community asset, as public houses perform a vital function in local communities .

“The Thomas Egerton is a popular social hub for the area. “No change of use has occurred – the space remains in use as a seating and drinking are as it always has, but is now simply made more usable year-round.”

Planners in Bolton will consider the application in the coming weeks.

Ross Martin, a former helm of the Atlantic lifeboat and current launch authority at RNLI Porthcawl lifeboat station, will visit towns and villages across the North East from March 19 to 21 as part of research into the tragedy.

The SS Samtampa, an American liberty ship travelling from Middlesbrough to Newport, ran aground at Sker Point, Wales, during hurricane-force gales on April 23, 1947.

Ross Martin, former RNLI lifeboat helm and Launch Authority at Porthcawl, will visit the North East in mid-March. (Image: RNLI/Stephen Jones)

All 39 crew members, many from the North East, perished along with eight crew from the RNLI Mumbles lifeboat who attempted a rescue.

Mr Martin said: “I’ve been interested in the history of the Porthcawl RNLI lifeboat station and shipwrecks in my local area for over thirty years.

“This is bolstered by a family connection to the Samtampa disaster.

“My great uncle Stan Rowe was with the Coastguard when the incident occurred in 1947.

“He tried to fire a line out to the Samtampa while she was in distress, but the awful conditions were against all efforts.

“It was a terrible blow to the local community.

“We couldn’t quite comprehend the sheer loss of life after the second World War had not long ended.”

Relatives of those lost in the Samtampa shipping disaster can speak with Ross Martin at Whitby and other lifeboat stations in North Yorkshire. (Image: RNLI/Nicholas Leach)

Mr Martin also serves as coordinator for the Remember 47 group, which aims to honour those lost in the disaster.

He is now appealing to relatives of the Samtampa crew, particularly those from areas such as Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Thornaby, Redcar, Staithes, Skelton-in-Cleveland, and Whitby, to come forward and share their memories.

Twelve crew members from the North East were buried in a Porthcawl cemetery following the tragedy.

Mr Martin said: “On behalf of the Remember 47 group, I’ll be visiting several venues throughout the North East.

“Next year witnesses the 80thanniversary of the Samtampa disaster and this could be the last chance in living memory for everyone to gather and remember those lost at sea during this horrendous incident.

“I am incredibly keen to connect with relatives of the Samtampa crew lost at sea in 1947.

“I encourage anyone who can recall any of these men to meet me at one of the venues I’ll be visiting.

“I would love to hear your story, look at photographs and hear how we can remember your loved one.”

The SS Samtampa broke into three sections after running aground, and the RNLI lifeboat was found capsized on rocks 450 yards from the wreck.

The Remember 47 group strive to preserve the memory of those lost in the Samtampa incident.

Mr Martin’s visit is part of ongoing efforts to gather first-hand accounts and preserve family stories ahead of the 80th anniversary in 2027.

Family members and anyone with information or memories of the Samtampa crew are encouraged to reach out and take part in the commemoration.

​A group of Independent and Green Party councillors have issued an official ‘call-in’ of NYC’s in-principal approval of the purchase of Resolution House in Scarborough from Anglo American at a meeting on Tuesday, March 17.

​The call-in means that the decision will be scrutinised by the authority’s oversight and scrutiny committee which independently monitors decisions made by the executive.

​The decision will see staff moved from Scarborough Town Hall and Malton’s Ryedale House to the building at the A64, which was marketed with a guide price of £4.5 million.

​Council officers said the price agreed with Anglo American was “substantially lower” than the guide price, which has not been made public, but which the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands is less than £2m.

​The call-in, signed by 10 councillors, states: “Given that the acquisition would commit the council to a significant capital decision and appears to rely on assumptions about wider estate changes that are not yet fully worked through, it is appropriate that the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee review whether sufficient information was available to support the Executive’s decision at this stage.”

​Speaking at a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council on Wednesday, February 18, Cllr Rich Maw said: “There are serious concerns about the move of council activity out of the town centre to the A64 at a time when footfall is declining.

​“Removing staff and democratic activity risks further weakening the economy and local democratic accountability.

“Moving out of town could well make it harder for residents to participate in and observe democratic processes.

“Why were Scarborough councillors and the town council kept in the dark, and will NYC commit to consulting with them before a deal is finalised?”

​The leader of the council, Cllr Carl Les, said: “I agree that the town hall is the civic centre of the town and there is no intention to change that. The Area Committee decides where to meet, and I decide where the executive meets.

​“As I’ve said before, there is no intention to relocate the customer services from the centre, and there was no intention to keep people in the dark, but property deals are often fast-moving. We’ve had good discussions with the town council, and it and other bodies will be involved in the future of the town hall.

“What’s clear to me is that we must provide better conditions than the shameful working conditions that staff are currently in.”

​Similar concerns were raised at the meeting by Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, who said the announcement of the plan to buy Resolution House was not the first time elected members found out about the council’s decisions on social media.

​Speaking at the full meeting, she said: “Is it acceptable for elected members to find out about important decisions, including about the use of second homes tax money in their ward or about the Resolution House plans, on social media?

​“The lack of information has prevented councillors from carrying out proper scrutiny and has prevented us from doing the job the public expects us to do.”

​Cllr Carl Les said that “in principle, I completely agree on the second homes funding announcement, we got it wrong, I’m sorry, and the officers are sorry”, and added that he stood by the policy.

​The Corporate and Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee is set to discuss the call-in at a meeting on Thursday, March 26.

The call-in was backed by councillors Rich Maw, Janet Jefferson, Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, Sam Cross, Kevin Foster, Arnold Warneken, Andy Brown, Mike Schofield, and Paul Haslam.

The shop owner said receiving the letter made his morning

A Welsh shop owner was left stunned after receiving cash and an apology for a theft that happened outside his shop years ago. Exotica Foods in Swansea received a letter from an anonymous sender who confessed to stealing a sign from the shop on a night out 15 years ago.

In the letter, they confessed that they and another student took a temporary PVC banner hanging outside the shop on St Helen’s Road after a night of drinking. The former student had a guilty conscious over the theft which happened over a decade earlier and sent the apology as well as five £20 notes.

The note reads: “Some 15 years ago as a student, following a night of drinking, I and another came across a temporary PVC banner hanging from your shop. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here

“For some reason we thought it would be funny to bring this home with us.“As an older man, I now see that what seemed funny to us at the time likely caused your shop some inconvenience.“I would like to offer my apology and hope you will accept this compensation.”The envelope also contained five £20 notes, totalling £100. The apology was signed simply: “A former foolish student.”The well-known international food store shared the note on social media after it was delivered to the shop.

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Shop owner Imran Ashraf joked about the long-delayed confession. “This has made my morning – thank you to whoever you are,” he wrote.His message attracted dozens of comments from locals praising the gesture.Many said it showed that “it’s never too late to do the right thing.”One commenter wrote: “Better late than never – well done!”Another added: “We’ve all done stupid things when we were younger. Fair play to him for making it right.”And one joked: “That must have been one hell of a guilt trip.”

Why should I wait until September to cut my hedges?

What if I want to cut them sooner?

Any other tips?