On Thursday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to provide rates relief to pubs and music venues in England

The owner of a Belfast City Centre pub has called for greater support for bricks-and-mortar businesses after the Prime Minister announced new measures to help hospitality venues in England.

James McAlister from The Morning Star pub said businesses in Northern Ireland were being left behind when financial support schemes were introduced elsewhere in the UK.

His comments come after the UK Government announced a 20 per cent business rates relief scheme for pubs and music venues in England.

The move has prompted renewed calls from Northern Ireland politicians for similar support to be extended here, alongside demands for a reduction in hospitality VAT to help businesses compete with those across the border in the Republic of Ireland.

Mr McAlister said announcements made in England often failed to translate into support for businesses in Northern Ireland.

Speaking to Belfast Live, he said: “These things are announced in England, and they don’t seem to be ever passed across, and I don’t think it’s just hospitality.

“I think you have to look at bricks and mortar businesses within any city centre and look at what way government locally and nationally is supporting those.”

The Belfast publican said the challenges facing city centres went beyond individual businesses, pointing to concerns around dereliction and anti-social behaviour.

He added: “You just have to look at the dereliction and the anti-social behaviour that’s going on, and I think any support should be passed on.

“It should really be highlighted in terms of the value that bricks and mortar businesses, city centres offer to the community and to the general public.”

Mr McAlister said businesses were looking for “equity and equality” in how support was delivered.

He said: “You’re looking for a bit of equity and equality across the board.

“Is that a redistribution of taxes and rates and whatever else? There’s definitely answers there, and it’s all well and good me saying it, but whether people listen is another thing.”

He said helping businesses survive would benefit Belfast as a whole by ensuring the city centre remained attractive to visitors.

“[It would be ] great if we get it, but I think it’s across the board because there’s so many great businesses there and if they can develop that, it’d be fabulous for Belfast.

“You just look at the Fleadh and the amount of people coming up and they want to see a thriving city centre, they don’t want to see dereliction, they don’t want to see the anti-social aspects.”

The Department of Finance said Minister John O’Dowd remained committed to supporting businesses but stressed that business rates were devolved to Stormont.

A spokesperson said: “Business rates are fully devolved. Funding arising from the Prime Minister’s announcement has not yet been confirmed and will be for the Executive to allocate in line with local priorities and financial pressures.”

The Department said Mr O’Dowd had raised the issue of Northern Ireland’s finances during a call with the Chancellor, arguing Westminster needed to place funding here on a “fairer and sustainable footing”.

It added that draft Budget proposals included an additional £10 million to expand Small Business Rate Relief, which could see thousands more businesses benefit if approved.

The Finance Minister also recently launched consultations on a Business Growth Accelerator and changes to Non-Domestic Vacant Rating, aimed at encouraging investment and bringing empty premises back into use.

Meanwhile, MPs have continued to call for Northern Ireland to be included in wider hospitality support measures.

South Antrim MP Robin Swann said Northern Ireland businesses faced the same pressures as those in England but without the same support.

He also renewed calls for a pilot reduction in hospitality VAT, highlighting that businesses in the Republic of Ireland currently benefit from a 9 per cent hospitality VAT rate compared to 20 per cent in Northern Ireland.

Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood has also called for the rate reduction to be extended to Northern Ireland while arguing that a VAT cut for hospitality was needed.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Jennifer Lopez seemingly hinted that her life is ‘better’ following her divorce from Ben Affleck as she celebrated turning 57 on Friday. 

The On The Floor songstress, who recently posed naked in a bathtub as she also marked her sister’s birthday, jumped to her main Instagram page to share a clip as she rang in the special milestone. 

The star filmed herself while sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle with the window rolled down. 

A strong breeze caused her long locks to whip around her face as she gazed towards the camera. 

Lopez donned a white sundress that was held up with thin straps and contained a lowcut neckline on the front. 

A warm blush and highlighter was added to her cheekbones for a radiant glow, while a glossy tint was worn on her lips. 

Her birthday comes only days after what would have been her fourth wedding anniversary with Affleck; former couple seen in 2023 in L.A. 

In the caption of the post, the performer typed out, ‘When you keep going it just keeps getting better.’ 

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Lopez for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

Lopez previously got candid about her thoughts towards aging and beauty during an interview with People in January. 

‘I can honestly say that I think of myself five years ago and I’m a totally different person now.’

She continued, ‘And a lot of that has been the journey, not just the beauty journey, but the inside.’ 

The JLO Beauty founder expressed that she has ‘grown so much’ before adding that ‘so much has happened in my life in the last five years.’ 

‘I really feel like I’m a different, more self-realized, self-aware person, and that contributes to the beauty,’ the Office Romance actress told the outlet. 

During a conversation with Oprah Daily in 2023, Lopez shared that she has a positive outlook on getting older. 

The songstress jumped to her main Instagram page to share a clip as she rang in the special milestone

The star filmed herself while sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle with the window rolled down

Lopez donned a white sundress that was held up with thin straps and contained a lowcut neckline on the front

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In the caption of the post, the performer typed out, ‘When you keep going it just keeps getting better’

‘I really feel like I’m a different, more self-realized, self-aware person, and that contributes to the beauty,’ the Office Romance actress told the outlet

‘Honestly, when I think of my younger self, I laugh,’ the singer admitted. ‘Now I feel so much more confident and like I know myself more. I’ve earned the right to be comfortable in my life and in my skin.’

However, Lopez explained that it takes ‘years of work to get there. That’s something to look forward to, not something to dread.’

The star’s younger sister Lynda also recently celebrated her 55th birthday which took place on June 14. 

And earlier this week, Lopez gave her followers a closer glimpse at the ‘double birthday sister trip’ that the pair had taken together. 

The singer uploaded a photo which captured her soaking in a bathtub while nibbling on a tasty treat. Lynda was sitting on the floor nearby while also indulging in the same treat. 

Another snap showed the siblings blowing out candles that were placed on top of a sugary dessert. 

‘A double birthday sister trip is always a good idea!! I love you Lynnie!! Happy birthday!!’ the songstress wrote in the caption. 

Her birthday comes only days after what would have been her fourth wedding anniversary with Affleck. 

Lopez previously rekindled her romance with Affleck back in 2021 after the pair had initially split in 2004.

She uploaded a photo which captured her soaking in a bathtub while nibbling on a tasty treat. Lynda was sitting on the floor nearby while also indulging in the same treat

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Another snap showed the siblings blowing out candles that were placed on top of a sugary dessert

The two stars went on to say ‘I do’ in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022 and took part in a larger ceremony in August 2022 at the actor’s Georgia property in front of family as well as close friends.

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding. The divorce was finalized in early 2025.

Despite the split, the pair seemingly have remained on good terms and have also worked on projects post-divorce such as the film Kiss Of The Spider Woman (2025).

The former couple reunited as they walked the red carpet at the premiere of the movie in NYC in October 2025.

A source told People at the time that there is ‘no romantic union’ but stated that the pair are ‘in a really good place.’

The insider added, ‘They continue to support each other. They’re both proud of what they accomplished together.’

While having a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, the Gone Girl actor also offered insight into her relationship with his children post-divorce.

‘For the record, Jennifer Lopez is spectacular. Great to my kids, great ongoing relationship with them.’

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding. The divorce was finalized in early 2025; seen in October 2025 in NYC 

‘For the record, Jennifer Lopez is spectacular. Great to my kids, great ongoing relationship with them,’ Affleck said; seen in January in NYC 

He continued, ‘I love her kids. They’re wonderful. She’s [an] enormously important, tremendous person of a lot of integrity who I adore and am grateful to.’

Lopez is mom to 18-year-old twins Max and Oskar (formerly Emme), whom she shares with ex Marc Anthony. Affleck also shares Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

Following the divorce, the songstress has been vocal about embracing her single era.

Back in March during an interview with Juju Chang on Nightline, Lopez was asked if she was in a hurry to meet someone new.

‘No! No I’m not! God forbid, I don’t want to ruin anything!’ she revealed. ‘It’s so nice right now! I’m so happy! It’s the best. I just feel really good right now.

‘And that was a scary thing for me when I was younger. I didn’t know if I could do that. I was always really afraid to be alone.’

‘I should have done it sooner,’ Lopez further expressed to the host. ‘I’ve been doing it all wrong. I’ve been doing it all wrong, trust me’; seen in June in L.A. 

The singer also discussed her relationship status during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! last month in June.

At one point during the interview, Kimmel asked the On The Floor hitmaker, ‘You’re single right now?’

‘I am!’ she confirmed with a cheerful smile as the audience erupted into supportive cheers and applause.

‘I should have done it sooner,’ Lopez further expressed to the host. ‘I’ve been doing it all wrong. I’ve been doing it all wrong, trust me.’

It’s undoubtedly a premium brand, but the starter kits aren’t cheap and the subscription model is off-putting – no-one wants a surprise direct debit landing if they forget to cancel.

So when I spotted Lakeland’s new own-brand dupe for £14.99, I was curious to see whether it could really compete.

After using the Mist & Clear Starter Kit throughout my home, I genuinely think it does – and in a few important areas, I actually prefer it.

First impressions

For £14.99, the kit feels surprisingly luxurious.

Inside the box you get:

• Two reusable amber glass trigger bottles
• Four concentrated cleaning sachets
• A soft microfibre cloth
• Simple instructions to get started

The amber bottles have the same stylish apothecary look that’s made refillable cleaning products so popular, and they’re attractive enough to leave on the kitchen worktop rather than hiding under the sink.

Each sachet simply dissolves in warm water to make a full 500ml bottle of cleaner – so a fair bit bigger than Purdy & Figg – and they clean everything from kitchen worktops to bathrooms and mirrors.

It actually cleans brilliantly

I’ll admit I expected the lower price to mean a compromise on performance. It didn’t.

The Glass & Mirror Cleaner was the standout product, leaving mirrors and windows streak-free with very little effort.

The Multi-Surface Cleaner tackled everyday kitchen grease just as effectively as cleaners I’ve paid much more for, while the Bathroom and Shower sprays quickly removed soap marks and water spots without endless scrubbing.

At no point did it feel like I was using a “budget” alternative.

The concentrates come in little pouches and are easy to mix (Image: Jade Wright)

The scents are even better

The biggest surprise for me was the fragrance.

Purdy & Figg has built its reputation on botanical essential-oil scents, and while I understand why people love them, I actually preferred Lakeland’s.

The fragrances smell lighter, fresher and more modern, without the stronger earthy essential oil notes that some refill brands have. They leave the house smelling clean in a subtle way rather than overpowering the room.

My favourites were Neroli Light & Lavender, which made the kitchen smell incredibly fresh, and Lotus Flower & Fig Tree, which gave the bathroom a luxury spa feel after cleaning.

Fragrance is always personal, but to my nose these scents smelled more expensive and lingered longer after I’d finished cleaning.

The biggest difference? No subscription

This is the feature that really won me over. Unlike some premium refill brands, Lakeland doesn’t tie you into a subscription.

When you run out, you simply buy another pack of refill sachets whenever you need them.

There’s no monthly payment to remember, no recurring deliveries arriving when your cupboards are already full and no pressure to keep receiving products.

That flexibility makes a huge difference, particularly if you don’t go through products at exactly the same pace every month.

Excellent value

For £14.99, you’re getting:

• Two reusable glass bottles
• Four concentrated cleaning refills
• A luxury microfibre cloth
• Four premium fragrances
• A three-year guarantee. Like everything at Lakeland, if there’s a problem, they’ll sort it with no quibbles.

Comparable premium refill cleaning kits can easily cost twice as much before you’ve even started buying replacement refills.

Verdict

Lakeland has quietly produced one of the best refillable cleaning kits I’ve used. It feels like enough of a treat to motivate me to clean regularly (I know, it should be its own reward, but sometimes I need a bit of inspiration).

It delivers premium-looking bottles, excellent cleaning performance and fragrances that I actually preferred to Purdy & Figg’s – all for around half the price of the P&F starter kit (which is itself discounted).

The fact there’s no subscription is the icing on the cake. You simply buy refills when you need them, making it feel like a much more flexible and affordable way to switch to refill cleaning.

If you’ve been considering Purdy & Figg but couldn’t justify the cost or didn’t want another monthly subscription, Lakeland’s Mist & Clear Starter Kit is a fantastic alternative that punches well above its £14.99 price tag.

Kevin Hollinrake MP for Thirsk and Malton has raised concerns that households with ‘complex needs’ are being relocated from larger urban areas such as Middlesborough and areas of West Yorkshire into small market towns and villages like Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside.

Mr Hollinrake was speaking following a meeting in Helmsley last month attended by a large number of residents in Helmsley to raise their concerns with several public agencies.

The meeting was organised by Kevin Hollinrake MP and the North Yorkshire Councillor for Helmsley, George Jabbour.

York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles, together with representatives and officers from Yorkshire Housing, North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council, listened to the concerns that local people highlighted, answered their questions and committed to addressing the issues raised.

Mr Hollinrake said following correspondence with North Yorkshire Council following the meeting he remained ‘deeply concerned’.

He said: “It cannot be right that households with complex needs are being relocated from larger urban areas such as Middlesborough and areas of West Yorkshire into small market towns and villages like Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside, where there are few support services and limited visible policing.

“That is setting those families up to fail and leaving local communities to deal with the consequences of unacceptable and lawless behaviour.

“I will keep pressing hard on this matter to North Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire Housing and Foundation Housing on their allocation policies and the management of difficult cases. Social housing in rural communities should, wherever possible, be prioritised for local people, and vulnerable households should only be placed where the right support is available.

“This issue affects communities across North Yorkshire and I will keep banging the drum until we get answers and the changes local people deserve.”

“I also will press for the Government to look again at the national rules governing social housing allocations. The current system is not working for rural communities like ours.”

Helmsley’s representative on North Yorkshire Council, Cllr George Jabbour, said: “Further to the concerns and questions that were raised by local people at the meeting that we organised last week, I have continued working closely with our MP Kevin Hollinrake and liaising with all parties involved.

“We will not stop fighting for our community until we ensure that we get to the bottom of the issues that we heard and that the worries of the residents are addressed and resolved.

“I also took the opportunity at the recent meeting of the Neighbourhood Watch group in Helmsley to provide additional updates to the attendees.”

North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for community development, Nic Harne, said: “We understand the concerns that have been raised and are working closely with Yorkshire Housing and our community safety partners to review the issues identified in Helmsley.

“There is currently no evidence to suggest that the allocation of social housing has contributed to the issues raised. In addition, movement between different parts of North Yorkshire remains relatively low, with most applicants choosing to live in or close to the communities where they already have established connections.

“While tenancy issues and anti-social behaviour can occur in any area, we take concerns from residents seriously and will continue to work with housing providers and partner agencies to ensure appropriate support and action is taken where needed.”

A couple from the United States said they heard “an explosion” when a police boat travelling at “high speed” struck Westminster Bridge on the River Thames today, injuring five officers.

Jim Bagley, from Gloucester, Massachusetts, told the Press Association: “We were standing in line to get onto the city cruise hop on, hop off tours, and we saw two police boats coming up the river.

“One was an orange boat that went under the bridge and left a great big wave, and then there was a black boat that came up behind it, the police boat.

“It looks to me that he got stuck in the wake of the other boat that had just passed through the bridge and slammed into the wall on the opposite side.

“We didn’t see it happen, but we heard the explosion… the next thing we saw was three people in the water, coming down the river.”

He added: “We were wondering why they were under way at high speed to begin with.”

Katherine Bagley said: “They were both in pursuit of something farther down the river, but they never… the second boat never got to it because it crashed into the bridge with a big bang.”

What do kids need to be ‘school ready’?

What parents can do to support

The best sensory and learning toys to get kids ready for school

As well as being a fun creative task where kids can draw colourful shapes with the stencils, this kit teaches scissor skills and builds hand strength.

Another toy to help develop their motor skills, this set uses play sand to help your little one learn how to hold a pencil. Beware, things are going to get messy.

“All about Me is a popular first topic during the first few weeks of a new school term where children learn about their own identity and about their peers so products that can enhance social skills and emotional development are not only beneficial but also wonderful to play with together,” says Hayhurst.

“Our All About Me collection not only helps to give children a better understanding about themselves and the world around them, they are also designed to support colour recognition, pattern spotting and matching.”

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This set uses counters to help your kid explain what you family looks like.

Meanwhile, these mirrors are to help encourage self-awareness by teaching them about facial expressions, body language, and emotions. On one side is a regular mirror, and the other has a distorted effect for an extra element of fun.

Likewise, this set supports kids to develop emotional awareness and creates a safe space so they can talk about their feelings.

To teach them easy maths skills like adding and subtraction, this dinosaur kit comes with 115 blocks that can be assembled through challenges and puzzles.

Yearsley Villa, a small residential care home in Huntington Road, has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its latest inspection.

The care home provides support for two people, both of whom have mental health needs, but only one person was under its care at the time of the inspection in May, according to the CQC’s report.

Inspectors visited the home from May 7 to May 21 and said they found “significant improvements were required to ensure safe, effective, and well-led care”.

Yearsley Villa declined to comment.

Yearsley Villa, a small residential care home in Huntington Road, has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its latest inspection (Image: Google)

Inspectors said people had not been affected by the “shortfalls identified”, but “people were put at potential risk of poor care due to the concerns found during the inspection”.

They said the care home was “receptive to feedback during the inspection and had started to make some improvements, including updating documentation”. “However, these changes were not yet embedded or sufficient to demonstrate sustained improvement.”

In their report, inspectors said care records at the home “were often incomplete, inconsistent, or lacked detail, and did not always reflect people’s current needs or how care should be delivered”. “There was limited evidence of person-centred planning, including people’s preferences, routines, and goals.

“Risks were not always assessed or mitigated effectively. Risk assessments were either missing or lacked sufficient detail in key areas such as mental health, finances, and behaviours.

“Following incidents, there was limited evidence of review or learning, and appropriate safeguarding notifications had not always been submitted, which is a regulatory requirement.”

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Inspectors also raised concerns over how medicines were managed at the care home.

They said people were described as “self-medicating” but there were no “clear risk assessments, capacity assessments, or consistent systems to monitor this safely”.

“There were also shortfalls in staff training and recruitment practices,” the report said. “Training was out of date in key areas and recruitment checks had not been consistently completed in line with the provider’s own policy.”

Inspectors raised further concerns about decision-making processes at the care home, which they said “were not always in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005”.

They found that “capacity assessments and best interest decisions were either absent or not decision-specific, meaning we could not be assured that people’s rights were consistently protected”.

Watchdog finds people satisfised with care but raises concerns over systems

Meanwhile, inspectors said “people expressed satisfaction with their care” and were “positive about their experience of living at the service”, but “found the systems in place did not always support consistent, person-centred care”.

They also found that the facility was caring, writing: “Providers knew people well and we observed kind and compassionate interactions, with people treated with dignity and respect.

“People were supported to maintain relationships and access the community, and feedback reflected a relaxed, family-style environment.

“The environment was safe, clean, and well maintained, with appropriate safety checks in place.

“The provider collaborated with external professionals, including mental health teams, to support people when their needs changed.”

Craig Bowe was enjoying a family day trip to West Mersea with his wife and daughter when he heard harrowing screams coming from the sea – he has described the moment he decided to step in and help

A dad on a family day trip to West Mersea has reflected on his attempts to save a mother and daughter who drowned off an Essex beach.

Craig Bowe, 42, was on a day trip from Hertfordshire to celebrate his daughter’s 10th birthday they arrived at the beach at about 11am and recalled seeing the victims having a “great time” together, until several houts later they heard harrowing screams coming from the water on Wednesday evening.

Without hesitation Craig sprang into action and managed to haul Shally and Samiha Rahman from the waves and also helped a seven-year-old boy onto a lifeboat. However, despite his efforts Shally and Samiha – aged 41 and 15 – sadly died at the scene. While the young boy was airlifted to hospital and remained there in a critical condition on Friday.

The tragedy unfolfed at around 5.35pm when Samiha had tried in vain along with her mother Shally to save her seven-year-old cousin from the water . The mother and daughter were reportedly caught in the high tide and, despite the the valiant efforts of teenagers on the beach, were unable to be saved.

Craig, from Northaw, sprang into action after hearing a man screaming in the water and seeing bodies floating. He told the BBC: “When I got there, the first two people I saw were actually face down, so [it was] more serious than I initially thought.”

Speaking about how he helped load the seven-year-old boy and another child, who were about 150 yards (137m) out at sea, onto a lifeboat he said: “I helped sort of shoo him onto the boat, because he was face down too… but the seven-year-old was not in a good way.”

Bowe’s wife, Carly, was among the group of people trying to resuscitate the mother and daughter on the sand. She told the BBC: “I just wanted them to survive and every bit of me was willing her to breathe.”

She added: “Everybody on that beach that day played their part in giving that family the best chance they could to survive. Everyone really stepped up and it was incredible to see.”

Essex Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: “My thoughts, and those of my team, are with the friends and family of the woman and girl who died yesterday. We can now confirm they were a mother and daughter from London and we are supporting their family in what is an unimaginable time.

“Since yesterday we have been working to establish the circumstances which led up to this incident. At this stage we believe they were trying to help a seven year-old boy who had got into difficulties.

“The boy was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition but the woman and teenage girl, sadly, died. All the people involved in this incident are related to each other.

“As part of our investigation we are working through speaking to dozens of witnesses and taking their accounts, and we are building a picture of what happened. These enquiries are ongoing and I need anyone who has any information to get in contact.

“Finally, I want to thank the first responders who worked tirelessly to try save their lives and I want to pay tribute to their efforts.”

Just days after the tragedy Colchester Council said an independent Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK beach risk assessment was carried out on West Mersea Beach four months ago – and found that life-saving equipment was “not recommended” as it was “unlikely to be deployed effectively”.

A spokesperson the council said “decisions on water safety measures” are “informed by professional risk assessments and advice from specialist organisations”.

A Colchester Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of views that have been expressed regarding additional public rescue equipment. However, decisions on water safety measures are informed by professional risk assessments and advice from specialist organisations.

“As part of our risk assessment process for the site, the council commissioned an independent RLSS UK beach risk assessment in March 2026, which did not recommend the installation of public rescue equipment within the assessed area of West Mersea beach.

“The assessment concluded that, due to factors including the beach profile, tidal range and lateral currents, public rescue equipment would be unlikely to be deployed effectively in an emergency and was therefore not recommended on that stretch of coastline.

“We continue to work closely with partner organisations through the Mersea Water Safety Forum, a multi-agency partnership that brings together organisations with expertise and responsibilities in water safety. Together, the forum assesses local risks and develops and implements measures to help improve safety in and around the water.”

Cllr David King, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Local Government Reorganisation, Communities and Public Protection, added: “Everyone at Colchester City Council is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two people following the incident at West Mersea.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and all those affected by this devastating incident. We would also like to pay tribute to the emergency services and volunteers who responded.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the importance of taking care in and around the water. We encourage everyone visiting any coastline this summer to follow water safety advice and take appropriate precautions to help keep themselves and others safe.”

The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK’s growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer.

Find out more about the campaign and how you can support it here.

Jaspah Too has moved from Derwent Street to Durham Street in Blackhill, Consett and reopened this month (July 3).

The business stocks handmade gifts and cards created by local people and books by local authors.

The previous Jaspah Too shop on Derwent Street. (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

The business thanked customers for the support they have already received: “We’d just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has popped in to see us.

“We’re absolutely loving our new location, and it’s been great to welcome lots of new customers, as well as seeing plenty of familiar faces again.”

The shop sells jewellery, candles, ceramics, skincare, and more.

The shop boasts an almost perfect rating of 4.9 stars on Google.

One review said: “I love Jaspah Too.

“It is my local go-to place when am looking for a gift idea for someone.

“I treat myself too.

“There is so much to look at, so much variety, I always spend a while trying to look at everything.

“The friendly staff are people that make what is on for sale in the shop, and it is interesting to talk to them too.

“Do pop in, you will love it, I’m sure.”

Jaspah Too is open 10 am-5 pm, Monday to Saturday.

A gorgeous garden location near Cambridge has 250 acres of peaceful nature to explore, including lakes and trees – and it’s home to the ‘most beautiful bridge in Britain’

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One of the most tranquil places to visit in the UK is just an hour away from Cambridge. We could all benefit from spending more time outdoors to help clear our heads from the endless hours we spend glued to screens and confined inside, and there’s no finer way to achieve this than heading out for a walk and embracing the natural world.

Britain is brimming with wonderful walking destinations, and one spot just over an hour from Cambridge has recently gone viral online for being home to “the most beautiful bridge in Britain”, alongside a host of other breathtaking attractions. If you’re struggling to find things to do with the children during the summer holidays, this could make for an ideal day trip.

A woman named Braidie shared a video of Stowe House and Gardens on her travel TikTok, where she and her partner, Dan, regularly showcase “hidden gems” across Britain that are well-suited to those on a “budget”.

She said: “Stowe House is one of the most beautiful National Trust properties I’ve ever visited, with its temples, lakes, and amazing bridge. Save for your next UK day out.”

Stowe Gardens is a National Trust property in Buckinghamshire, situated approximately an hour and a half from Cambridge. The gardens offer 250 acres of grounds to explore at your leisure, filled with trees, temples, monuments, shrubs, and peaceful stretches of water.

Should 250 acres not prove sufficient, there is also a more expansive 750-acre park where visitors can stroll and observe wildlife. The parkland additionally features bridleways for those who enjoy horse riding.

Stowe Gardens are also home to Stowe House, although this is not owned by the National Trust. You can visit the grounds of the house, but the two locations have separate entrances, and you must pay separately to enter each area.

As Stowe Gardens are owned by the National Trust, members of the organisation can visit for free. For non-members, entry costs £18 for adults, and £9 for children aged five to 17, with under-fives going free.

For the house, adults must pay an additional £9.50, or £7.50 if you’re a National Trust member, while children are charged £3, and under-fives continue to enter for free.

Stowe Gardens has an almost perfect 4.4 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor, with over 1,300 reviews. Those who have visited the location before say the area boasts “great walks and beautiful views,” which are made even better by the on-site café, which serves delicious ice cream and cake.

One person said: “I love these grounds. I can spend hours just wandering around looking at all the different things, then popping into the cafe for a coffee. Everything is kept so neat and tidy. I have never been when I felt like it was too busy; it is always quite tranquil. If you want to while away a few hours in some beautiful gardens with great views then i would highly recommend Stowe Gardens.. Another added: “Beautiful. Lovely walks and even better during the week, no crowds at all.

Very different to the weekend. “. “What I would recommend is looking into getting national trust membership, paying without this is quite expensive, but getting membership means we keep returning to the delight of our dog. Nice Ice cream, and cakes!

“. A third shared: “Another lovely outing to another beautiful National Trust site. It’s a bit out of our usual area, and this was our first visit here.

It was lovely and a beautiful walk. We’d happily visit again.

“.