The plastic wrap around cucumbers serves a number of purposes

Advertisement

Cucumbers are a popular addition to numerous salads and sandwiches. When purchased from the supermarket, they arrive wrapped in plastic.

The plastic covering around the cucumber is frequently assumed to be there for hygiene purposes. As many of us try to reduce our plastic consumption, I approached experts to understand why cucumbers are sold in plastic and what their true purpose is.

Ann Cooper from Southampton bakery Wonderberrys incorporates cucumber into their afternoon tea sandwiches. She explained: “People often assume the plastic wrap on cucumbers is just about cleanliness, but we’ve seen first-hand at Wonderberrys why it’s really there.

“While we mostly focus on cakes and sweet treats, our takeaway afternoon tea offerings rely heavily on fresh cucumber sandwiches. The wrap helps to retain optimum quality by stopping the cucumber from drying out.”

Content creator and Slow Cooker Meals founder Ryan Allen concurred that the plastic covering is entirely about preserving freshness. He stated: “Unlike regular field cucumbers, English cucumbers have thin, tender skin.”, reports the Mirror.

“Rapid dehydration no doubt comes from the fact that [it has] thin skin. With the plastic wrap, though, moisture loss is cut to almost nothing, and freshness is retained for up to a week.”

Ryan suggested the plastic wrapping can help prevent cucumbers from bruising and even reduce food waste. He noted: “Thin-skinned cucumbers mark easily during transport.

“But the plastic, by serving as a thin protective barrier, still blocks much of the wear, keeping the products looking better, cleaner, newer on the shelf.”

He explained: “If wrapping keeps food from spoiling, then the net environmental impact can be lower than selling items unwrapped and throwing more away.”

Cucumbers wrapped in plastic do remain fresh for longer than those without wrapping. Consumer website Which? has been reported that cucumbers in plastic stay fresh for approximately 14 days, whilst unwrapped ones last just five.

Cucumbers should be stored in the fridge, preferably in the crisper drawer.

They require the plastic wrap to maintain their moisture levels and stop them from drying out.

The plastic is said to function as a second skin, preventing dehydration. Whilst in shops, the plastic wrap helps shield the cucumber’s skin from damage.

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has not allowed the United Nations nuclear agency access to its nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States during a 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report by the watchdog circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency stressed that it “cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” or the “size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities.”

Iran has four declared enrichment facilities, but the report warned that because of the lack of access, the IAEA “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran.”

The report stressed that the “loss of continuity of knowledge … needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency.”

Iran has long insisted its program is peaceful, but the IAEA and Western nations say Tehran had an organized nuclear weapons program up until 2003. The U.S. is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons.

Highly enriched material should be verified regularly

The IAEA reported that Iran had informed the agency in a letter dated Feb. 2 that normal safeguards were “legally untenable and materially impracticable,” as a result of threats and ”acts of aggression.”

The confidential report also said Friday that Iran did provide access to IAEA inspectors “to each of the unaffected nuclear facilities at least once” since June 2025, with the exception of a power plant at Karun that is under construction.

Iran is legally obliged to cooperate with the IAEA under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but suspended all cooperation after the war with Israel.

According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent interview with the AP. He added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon.

Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.

IAEA observes activity around nuclear sites

In the absence of direct access to the nuclear sites, the IAEA turned to commercially available satellite imagery.

Observation of the Isfahan facility, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, showed “regular vehicular activity” around the entrance to a tunnel complex used to store enriched material, the report said.

Isfahan was struck by both Israel and the United States in June.

The IAEA said it also observed activity at the enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow, but added that “without access to these facilities it is not possible for the Agency to confirm the nature and the purpose of the activities.”

IAEA joined Geneva talks

The IAEA reported on Friday that Grossi attended negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on Feb. 17 and Feb. 26 in Geneva at which he “provided advice” on the verification of Iran’s nuclear program. The report said that those negotiations are “ongoing.”

Thursday’s talks, the third round this year under Omani mediation, ended without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region.

An Omani official said lower-level technical talks would continue next week in Vienna, the home of the IAEA. The agency is likely to be critical in any deal.

Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Similar talks last year between the U.S. and Iran about Iran’s nuclear program broke down after the start of the war in June. Before then, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity.

———

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/

Located in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Hawes has long been known for its markets and cheesemaking heritage.

Now, visitor reviews suggest the town is striking a chord with a new wave of travellers looking for what many describe as “proper Yorkshire” and “a base where you can park up and explore everything on foot”.

Hawes (Image: DARREN OWEN/CAMERA CLUB)

Online, recent visitors frequently highlight Hawes as “busy but not overcrowded”, “friendly without feeling touristy” and “a great mix of scenery and things to do”.

At the centre of Hawes’ appeal is the Wensleydale Creamery, the town’s largest employer and one of its biggest draws, welcoming around 250,000 visitors a year.

The creamery produces Yorkshire Wensleydale, a name protected by geographical status, meaning it can only be used for cheese made in Wensleydale itself.

Just outside Hawes (Image: STUART COTHILL/CAMERA CLUB)

Cheesemaking in the area dates back to the 12th century, when French monks first developed the recipe.

Visitors can tour the site and sample a wide range of varieties in the tasting room.

Reviews often describe it as “a highlight of our trip to the Dales” and “worth the stop even if you’re just passing through”.

The creamery has also picked up major accolades in recent years, including Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show’s Cheese and Dairy Show for its Yorkshire Cheddar.

And in a nod to local pride, one of the town’s well-known fish and chip shops serves deep-fried Wensleydale cheese, a detail that regularly features in social media posts from amused visitors.

Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve (Image: SARAH HARLAND/CAMERA CLUB)

Recent reviews describe the town centre at Hawes as “full of independent shops and proper cafés” and praise its “traditional feel” compared to larger, busier destinations elsewhere in the Dales.

The Dales Countryside Museum, located in the former Hawes railway station, doubles as the National Park Visitor Centre.

Visitors often describe it as “a great place to start” with practical facilities including parking and toilets, as well as exhibitions telling the story of life in the Yorkshire Dales.

Just beyond the town, Hardraw Force, the highest single-drop waterfall in England, continues to attract walkers, as does the dramatic Buttertubs Pass linking Wensleydale to Swaledale.

Cyclists frequently describe the pass as “brutal but beautiful”, while drivers and photographers praise its views and limestone scenery.

Wildlife enthusiasts can head to the nearby Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve, where sightings of red squirrels and roe deer add to the area’s appeal.

Despite its popularity, Hawes remains a functioning rural hub.

Farms in the surrounding area raise sheep and cattle, with more than 40 supplying milk to the creamery.

For many visitors, Hawes combines everything they associate with the Yorkshire Dales: dramatic scenery, traditional food and a sense of history.

As one recent visitor summed it up online: “If you want cheese, waterfalls, proper pubs and views in every direction, Hawes ticks every box.”

Villa are fortunate others have stumbled sooner and for longer this season – ensuring they have maintained a decent grip on third place until now.

Chelsea have dropped 17 points from winning positions at Stamford Bridge and 19 points overall in the Premier League this season.

They go to Arsenal on Sunday hoping to capitalise on Villa’s latest slip – before travelling to Villa Park on Wednesday for a game which could define both teams’ seasons.

Lille, in the Europa League on March 12, and a trip to Old Trafford on 15 March will then loom large for Villa.

Individual form has also plummeted, with Ollie Watkins scoring just once in 11 games – reminiscent of the spell where he scored only one goal in the opening 19 matches – while Morgan Rogers is on a similar streak.

The slump was sparked by injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans last month as Villa’s lack of depth was exposed.

Players argued between themselves as Ezri Konsa – who also had a flashpoint with fans at the end – and Amadou Onana urged Emi Buendia to leave the pitch quicker as he was substituted.

The cracks are showing and even the players are admitting to feeling the pressure.

“It does weigh on us but it shouldn’t,” said Rogers. “We deserve to be here and we should not forget that.

“Our run lately has not been as good as usual but that is the battle of the Premier League. We are going to get back to our good run of wins.

“We set our standards high and we have the ability to win every game. Obviously that is not realistic but we are playing good football as a whole and there is nothing to worry about.

“They [the next fixtures] are the games you want to play and, with so much on the line, we need to show why we deserve to be where we are.”

It wasn’t at all what I expected and I’m now just a little bit addicted and can’t wait to return

When I told my friends I was off to an Ikea car boot sale they looked a little puzzled and I have to say I don’t blame them – visions of pushing and shoving with other people to try and grab bits of a Billy bookcase to then wonder how to put it back together when I got home did not appeal to me but I was curious to investigate.

How I have progressed to middle age without ever having been to a car boot sale is also a puzzle – as I child I loved jumble sales in the local church hall and I am often seen rummaging around in charity shops on the lookout for a bargain.

But my future trip to a boot sale was not met with excitement at home – we have worked hard recently to declutter so it was suggested as I left the house that really only things that were attractive or useful should be coming back in – I was a little worried I didn’t fit that criteria so maybe I wouldn’t be getting back in too!

READ MORE: I travelled the world with £2,000 in the bank to chase my dream -now I’m an award-winning chef

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: I went to Wales’ best place to live and now I know what all the fuss is about

It was unclear what time the car boot sale actually started for buyers, I saw the start time online as 8am and 9am, so I left at 7.20am and drove through appalling rain and wind, and through a network of worrying pot holes on the A4232, to arrive at my destination.

There was a slight ‘car queue’ to park under the actual Ikea store as there was a very helpful woman with a clipboard directing sellers to the location of their car boot ‘pitch’ and buyers to the general parking. She later told me that she worked for Ikea to make sure the event ran smoothly, and it did.

Of course being under cover is a massive bonus that, being a novice, I hadn’t really thought about until one seller told me that at another boot sale last weekend the weather was so bad it had to be abandoned. Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

One aspect of the event where I wasn’t dozy was realising that I needed cash on me to buy any bargains, but I was a little internally embarrassed that I thought there would be Ikea stuff there too – there wasn’t, it was a car boot sale at Ikea not by Ikea, but there were plenty of other things for sale to distract me from my foolishness.

Advertisement

Usually held on the last two Sundays of the month the car boot sales are part of the Ikea’s sustainability strategy, aligning with the commitment to becoming a circular business by 2030, including encouraging customers to reuse and recycle products rather than throwing them away whilst helping consumers navigate the cost-of-living crisis with budget-friendly options.

Other initiatives in the strategy include the company’s buy back and resell service and circular hub inside the store which I’ve always known as, and called, bargain corner.

Since January 2025 Ikea Cardiff have asked sellers for a £5 donation to support local charity ‘Shelter Cymru’ and the stall pitch needs to be booked in advance as they sell out, and it is free for buyers to attend. The store is, of course, closed at the time of the boot sale so there are no toilet facilities.

Advertisement

At first I sat in the car as I could see only about 60% of the seller pitches were occupied but then I could see buyers wondering around – early birds looking to catch the best worms – so I joined them and started at one end of the nearest of the three rows of stalls that ran the width of the store.

As more sellers arrived and started putting their items out, on trestle tables, on rugs or plastic sheets on the floor, on mobile shelving units, on rails, and in containers I was almost mown down by a swarm of people rushing by me to be the first to see the ‘fresh’ items and that was a pattern I witnessed during the 90 minutes I stayed.

One particular stall was so busy that as soon as the boot was opened and emptied people barged past me to join the growing crowd gathering around it, and I never got to see what they were actually selling – that will remain a mystery.

Advertisement

I spotted a little pine set of drawers I thought I could sand and upcycle and dived in with my first purchase – it was £2 and I was caught up in the excitement of bagging a bargain, some readers will totally understand the thrill while others will think I’ve wasted my money on buying someone else’s ‘tat’.

There was a whole range of items for sale across the stalls, with children’s toys and clothes popular items, but most stalls offered an array of goods rather than a theme. Of those with a focus I saw a stall with tools, one mainly jewellery, and one selling Marvel, super hero, and pop culture artwork.

One of the more unusual items I saw was a trumpet, which was bought by a very happy woman who wandered off with a big beam on her face. I also spotted a telephone pull along toy that took me right back to my childhood, plus one stall had a range of different coloured cowboy hats.

Potentially the award for the most unusual item was a box of laxatives (I’m not kidding) but then I rather bizarrely saw a massage table, or maybe it was a doctor’s examination, and that secured the win.

Things I realised as the morning progressed was that I needed to get very close to each stall to see everything, not to miss anything smaller or partially hidden, and that is how I spotted the Little Miss Chatterbox mug for 50p, perfect for me as I think chatting should be an Olympic sport as well as ideal for my morning brew.

The other thing I noticed was I was starting to get picky on quality as my money started to dwindle, which is maybe a bit ridiculous as everything was so cheap, I also had to rein myself in as I was starting to try and find a reason to buy things just because they were one or two pounds.

My biggest purchase was at the stall I liked the most as a significant amount of the product was vintage china and pottery – my weakness.

I spotted a Celtic design pottery set – four mugs, a jug and a sugar bowl – but it was £10. I waited until the crowd of around 200 buyers began to dwindle and started to circle like a shark desperately hungry for another pottery set I’m never going to use.

Advertisement

I struck when the stall was quiet and went in with a £8 haggle – I’ve never done that before either and, to my great joy for my newly found confidence to go in at a lower price, it was accepted.

I’m now looking at my haul – that I am very pleased with for a first timer – and wondering if it fits the family’s criteria, I may have to sneak my bargains into the house under the cover of darkness.

I told one seller that this was my first time at a car boot sale and she laughed and warned me about getting addicted – there is every chance that is going to happen.

Another seller chuckled and said she was once a buyer but she had been to so many boot sales that now she had to become a seller just to clear out the clutter, so maybe one day I too will be on the other side of that trestle table in the Ikea car park.

With hints that both Sony and Microsoft are moving back to focus on single-player console exclusives, a reader is relieved at the idea they’re changing their approach.

It’s not been easy being a PlayStation fan this generation. We’ve had some great games – by the time you read this hopefully I’ll be playing Resident Evil Requiem – but not nearly enough of them have been from Sony. Naughty Dog still hasn’t made a new PlayStation 5 game yet and we’re six years into the console’s lifetime.

These complaints are not new, of course. After all, six years is plenty of time for people with much more insight than me to complain about Sony’s bizarre, self-defeating attitude. Although the story this week, of them managing to schedule betas for both their upcoming live service games at exactly the same time really did take the biscuit for me.

That takes a special level of laziness and indifference and while I don’t care, because I don’t like those sorts of games, it really does sum just how incompetent they’ve been this generation. And yet, to my surprise, there has also been some hope, with talk that Sony is pulling back from their PC support.

This wasn’t just some guy on Reddit but two of the most reliable and respected leakers in the business, so there’s every reason to think it’s true and that Sony is beginning to realise that it was shooting itself in the foot with PC ports, swapping short term games for the long-term health of their console business.

There was an open goal for Sony this gen, where Xbox was in absolute disarray and had no first party games that anyone cared about. Considering how good Sony had been in the PlayStation 4 era this was the chance to deliver a killing blow but instead they did the opposite and essentially started to copy Xbox. Because clearly a Switch port of Patapon and The Last Of Part 1 on PC is going to be the difference between financial success and failure.

The money they make with multiformat releases is relatively miniscule but the amount they lose, in terms of undermining the whole purpose of consoles is enormous. But if these rumours are right they have finally realised what they’re doing is wrong and damaging. One can only hope they feel the same about live service games and that was in fact one of the other rumours this week, albeit from a leaker I’d never heard of before.

And then at the same time essentially the first thing the new boss of Xbox said, in reply to random Twitter fans, was a hint about bringing back exclusives. She didn’t say which ones, and I suspect she has no idea how hard that would be, but I think it’s very interesting that she recognises that it would be a good idea.

So all it’s taken is six years and suddenly the two big console manufacturers have realised that the status quo of the previous 40 years was in fact the best way to do things. What a complete waste of time, with a ridiculous business plan based on nothing but hope and vibes.

Running a console business isn’t hard. You make the console, you let other people make games for your console, but you also set the standard with your own games. First party games get to show off the technical abilities, they take advantage of the console manufacturer putting a lot of money into it, and they provide a specific, exclusive reason for people to buy the console over a rival’s.

It’s not rocket science. It’s also not anti-consumer or whatever other nonsense Microsoft has tried to say over the years (mostly driven by their CEO, I suspect, who constantly proves he knows nothing about games). You don’t like how Sony does business then go buy a PC, nobody’s stopping you.

That’s the way consoles have always worked and there’s never been a problem until now. (I also resent the idea of upgrade consoles like the PS5 Pro. The whole point of a console is everyone has exactly the same hardware).

So please, Sony and Microsoft, admit your mistake and go back to how things used to be. Innovation is needed in hardware and games but not in the way the industry works. That was all going fine until you messed it up for no reason, and now you have to try and put it back together again.

By reader Gollum

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: Why is Microsoft destroying the Xbox? – Reader’s Feature

MORE: Sony has betrayed fans over Bluepoint and I’m selling my PS5 – Reader’s Feature

MORE: Playing Metal Gear Solid again after 28 years is a mix of good and bad – Reader’s Feature

When questioned about the photograph showing the former president lounging in a hot tub with the person who appeared to be a woman – whose face is blacked out to protect her identity – Bill Clinton told lawmakers that he did not know her. When asked if he had sex with the woman, he said he did not, a source told the BBC.

Cosy games like Stardew Valley are more popular than ever and a reader has an idea for simulating the slowest, and most relaxing, form of water transport.

One of my favourite pastimes beyond the digital world is getting out and about on the waterways by foot. Over the last decade I’ve been walking along the Grand Union Canal and River Thames, appreciating the beauty and solitude of the waterways, imagining ever so briefly giving up the world of banking and a fixed abode and sailing the canals, moving from place to place in a transient lifestyle.

One of my secret guilty pleasures is a niche Amazon series called Travels by Narrowboat, where a recently separated man used the money he had left to buy a narrowboat to explore the canals and rivers around the UK. It’s a series you can switch on and listen to the sounds of the canals and countryside in the background. It felt very familiar – having walked a great deal of one particular canal over the years – and made me consider whether a game based on this pastime could work, or is it entirely too narrow an idea to appeal towards a big enough audience and demographic?

Sailing simulators exist, certainly, but they tend to replicate and recreate the excitement of sailing the seven seas. I can’t imagine there’s a high demand for taking a narrowboat up the Grand Union Canal, from London to Birmingham, through a mixture of the suburbs and countryside.

Recently, I was playing around in the virtual sandbox of Watch Dogs Legion, exploring its virtual depiction of London in the near future, when I suddenly remembered you can ‘hijack’ and sail on its limited waterways on a narrowboat. Admittedly, they are a basic form of a tank on the water, due to their length and limited mobility, but for a few brief moments sailing near the Camden basin, it was fun to experience a slight hint of what I imagine a narrowboat sailing game could be, stripping away the bright lights of the city and placing you onboard your own boat heading out into the countryside.

In recent months I’ve been trying to get into the discipline of walking every day to improve my fitness and health, if only for a couple of miles using the stillness of the waterways around my flat to inspire me to get out and about, even if I’m feeling tired or unmotivated. I love the peace of walking along the towpaths with only the sounds of nature and the smell of wood fires from the narrowboats in the mornings to distract me.

It’s a wonderful space to be in mentally, to tune out a lot of the noise of the outside world, to focus my thoughts and feel more energised for the day ahead. One aspect of the long walks, that tailed off a little towards the start of the year, was the peace of being alone for three or four hours surrounded by the countryside/ I got that feeling again watching the narrowboat series, which inspired me to consider how a game based on that experience would be received by a modern audience?

I envision an open world environment of sorts, that seems relatively easy to bring to the virtual domain. Long stretches of open but relatively narrow canals passing through the countryside, with brief passages through rural and urban environments. From a gaming perspective, the option to customise your narrowboat both on the exterior and interior living spaces came to mind.

You could add a simulation experience in the vein of Sailaway with seasons affecting the natural environment around you. The appeal wouldn’t be in the challenge, it’s in presence. You’d drift slowly between rural calm and urban grit, the canals acting as veins through Britain’s changing landscape. There’s quiet joy in the rhythm of slow travel, managing your floating home, and choosing where to moor next. From a thematic perspective, it could draw upon solitude after change, rediscovery of purpose, and the healing rhythm of movement.

It wouldn’t be a mainstream release, the idea of giving up the trappings of modern life and sailing a slow-moving canal boat through the urban and rural environment is a distinctly British mindset and a relatively niche game to consider. It would fit into that relaxation sim style genre, in the spirit and tonal design and aesthetic of Eastshade and Lake. There would be no traditional motivation to win, the emotional core of the experience would simply be to provide an experience to unwind in a relaxed environment.

That experience is about mindfulness, solitude, and the small pleasures of everyday life on the water. It is a story-less narrative, one told through mood, environment, and rhythm rather than scripted dialogue or quests. Each stretch of canal becomes a space for self-reflection – an unhurried journey where the act of moving forward, no matter how slowly, becomes its own quiet reward.

I imagine a style of soft textures, muted colour palettes, and natural lighting that evoke the gentle melancholy of a Turner landscape or a misty English morning. A game inspired by the seasons, rich autumn golds, pale winter blues, the vivid greens of spring, the environment subtly shifting over time to reflect the passing of the year.

Narrowboats, towpaths, and small towns would be rendered with care and intimacy. Weathered bricks, flaking paint, ivy creeping up an old lock wall. Every detail tells a quiet story, every journey along the canals and waterways a unique tapestry. The early mornings and late afternoons drenched in sunlight, the gentle patter of rain on the rooftop evoking a sense of emotion. Soft lights at nighttime reflecting on the water surface creating a feeling of isolation.

Breaking down the game mechanics, you can easily imagine some of the more obvious concepts, resource management carefully balancing the demands of stopping for fuel, food, and water along the way. Upgrade and customisation: do you stay with your original purchase or invest in solar panels and upgraded wiring to make a more modern experience? You could meet other boaters along the way, creating interpersonal relationships with those you meet on the waterway. You could have seasonal weather impacting on your journey and tonal experience.

The isolation of sailing in the winter contrasts with the spirit of exploration in the summer months. You could have an easy mode, in the spirit of modern day open world adventures, where some of the more challenging aspects of sailing run in the background, or a more challenging experience where you have to navigate the canals and locks with meticulous attention to detail.

In the end, it’s just one man’s idea for a game, something modest in its appeal, perhaps, but heartfelt in its intent. A game for those who find beauty in the slow pace of life, who seek calm amid the noise of the modern world. There are no scores, missions, or achievements here; only the steady, familiar pulse of a diesel engine echoing softly along the waterway. You could expand on the technicalities of steering a boat or navigating the locks, but I feel that would take away from the spirit of a game like this.

In the spirit of farming life simulators like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, it offers a space to unwind, to find meaning in small routines and quiet reflections. The concept of a slow, transient lifestyle feels both nostalgic and quietly radical in a culture that moves too fast. Maybe that’s the point. Sometimes, moving slowly is the truest form of progress. And peace, when it comes, is found not in arrival, but just beyond the next bend in the water.

By reader comfortablyadv (Facebook/Instagram/X/WordPress)

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: PlayStation and Xbox have finally realised exclusives are the heart of gaming – Reader’s Feature

MORE: Why is Microsoft destroying the Xbox? – Reader’s Feature

MORE: Sony has betrayed fans over Bluepoint and I’m selling my PS5 – Reader’s Feature

Newton Aycliffe-based Collins Seafoods was named Supplier of the Year at the 2026 awards, which celebrate excellence across the UK’s fish and chip industry.

The company supplies fish to shops across the UK and is a supplier to Bells Fish and Chips and Yarm Road Fish and Chips.

Craig English, managing director of Collins Seafoods, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been named Supplier of the Year at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2026.

“I’d like to pay tribute to all of my colleagues at Collins Seafoods who’ve made this award possible.

“Any business is only as good as its staff, and I’m proud to say that we have some of the very best in the industry, all dedicated to giving our customers the highest levels of service.

“To be shortlisted alongside respected businesses such as Middleton Foods, V.A.

“Whitley and Isle of Ely Produce demonstrates the strength within this category, and we’re proud to be recognised among them.”

Collins Seafoods has been supplying fish and chip shops with “frozen at sea” fish for more than 45 years.

The company said it is committed to quality, sustainability, and supporting the long-term future of the industry.

Its fleet is fully MSC-certified, ensuring responsible sourcing from sea to shop.

The team described the award as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of every staff member.

They also thanked the National Federation of Fish Friers for hosting the event and the wider fish and chip community for its continued support.

The company said it remains focused on delivering high-quality fish, maintaining sustainable sourcing, and supporting fish and chip businesses across the UK.

It plans to continue serving the industry with the same dedication that earned it the award.

​Unique Home Properties’ application seeking retrospective permission for shopfront advertising in Scarborough’s conservation area has met with opposition from town councillors.

​Located at 91-91A Westborough, the vape and confectionery shop installed its signage “without prior advertisement consent” due to an “inadvertent oversight and not to circumvent planning”.

However, members of Scarborough Town Council’s community and place committee said the signage was “garish”.

​Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, February 25, Cllr David Knowles said: “It’s hideous and garish signage, especially in a town conservation area.”

​The committee voted unanimously to oppose the application over its visual incongruence with the area.

​However, North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the proposal.

​In a submission to the planning authority, the agent for the applicant said: “Our client acknowledged the need for consent and submits this retrospective application in good faith.

“The signage is human-scale, unobtrusive and visually compatible with the surrounding streetscape.”

​The agent added: “We respectfully request that the council grant retrospective advertisement consent for the signage.

​“Our client is willing to consider any reasonable adjustments the Planning Department may require to ensure compliance and visual amenity.”