Warwick Castle

Posted on by

Warwick Castle will be offering a thrilling new long boating experience on the River Avon this summer from July 2012 in association with Warwick Boats.

The new boating experience is exciting, adrenalin pumping, and great fun for all the family! Paddle to power the boat, row to the beat of a drum, enjoy Britain’s ultimate fun. Suitable for complete beginners and children with experienced instructors and a Director of Imagination for entertainment and historical updates on board all boats.

Exhilarating river rides offer fun, excitement and adventure as the ultimate memorable family experience this summer. All this, set against the historic backdrop of Warwick Castle creates a fun addition to your action-packed day out.

Boating originated at Warwick Castle in 1898, when the current Boat House was built. The Countess of Warwick had the very latest of boats, an ‘Electric Launch’ with carpets, blinds and awnings!

Warwick Boats will offer a Long Boat ride on a thirty minute timed ticket experience priced at £5pp. Boats will seat between 10-20 people. Tickets can be bought on site from the Boating Ticket Hut. Paddles and buoyancy aids will be provided. The minimum age to take part with an accompanying adult is 4 years old. The minimum age to take part without an accompanying adult is 8 years of age.

The boat ride will pass the River Island, offering viewpoints of the mighty Trebuchet and the Jousting knights during the summer.

Commenting on the exciting new opening, General Manager Tim Harrison Jones says: “We are very proud to be working with Warwick Boats on this new experience. We want to offer something with a bit of edge to enthral and inspire this summer.”

This initiative is part of a new local strategy plan by Warwick Castle to support local businesses.

For a full day ticket, book online at www.warwick-castle.com up to seven days in advance to save at least 40 per cent off admission.

Raindance and Staffordshire University Announce an Autumn 2012 Intake

Posted on by

– Postgraduate Training Programme with Distance Learning Option –
Raindance – a leading UK film industry network and training organisation – is pleased to announce that
applications for its September/October 2012 intake are now open.

The Postgraduate Film Degree Masters Programme, available in both MA and MSc versions, was launched
in 2011 and designed to meet the needs of emerging filmmakers. It is based on a proven formula that
includes Raindance courses, industry networking (including one-on-one tutorials) and self-directed study.

From October 2012, both MA and MSc are available as a distance learning option, making the course
available to anyone with internet access wherever they are based in the world.

Raindance’s groundbreaking postgraduate degree enables students to set their own individual career and
project objectives. This is made possible by an unrivalled collaboration between Raindance, the
Independent Film Trust as a charity established to advance the cause of independent filmmaking, and
innovative academics at Staffordshire University who introduced the UK’s first single honours degree in
Film, Television and Radio Studies in 1990. Graduates of the Raindance programme are awarded an M.A.
or M.Sc. degree that is academically validated by Staffordshire University.

Students manage their own schedule and modules which are developed in regular discussions with their
tutors in one-on-one tutorials. Depending on the student’s needs and interests, the investigations could lead to an M.A. in Directing Independent Films, an M.Sc. in Digital Cinematography, or highly specialised issues like Producing Films with Crowd Funding or Writing Fantasy Screenplays, that traditional institutions would not be able to offer.

Raindance founder, Elliot Grove, said: “I am delighted to be working with one of Britain’s most forward-looking universities to deliver a programme designed to respond to the changing filmmaking climate, and the constantly changing influences of digital filmmaking and distribution techniques.”

Veteran producer Carl Schoenfeld who has overseen Raindance’s educational strategy said: “Students are
empowered by skills that enable them to take responsibility for their own learning throughout the course and beyond. This is a great opportunity for filmmakers anywhere in the world keen on developing
themselves in an inspirational higher education environment. This course allows them to explore their own individual voice and trajectory into the film industry and culture around them.”

James Fair of Staffordshire University says: “We have always pursued a combination of relevance and
excellence at Staffordshire. We feel that the partnership with Raindance demonstrates our ability to provide flexible learning opportunities that correspond to the demands of the workplace. This will be where theory and practice meet, mirroring the complex realities of filmmaking.”

Since 1992 Raindance has developed and delivered pioneering industry-relevant filmmaking courses which
combine practical and theoretical training. Raindance trained filmmakers include such legends as Edgar
Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), Oscar® winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park,
Downton Abbey), Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Sherlock Holmes), Matthew Vaughn
(Layer Cake, Kick-ass), and Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Dark Knight, Inception).

Applicants starting the programme on 9 September (London) and 15 October (Distance Learning)

Buying a Car?

Posted on by

1 in 4 used cars* are revealed to have finance owing against them, making it the biggest risk to used car buyers today. Now shoppers can avoid the danger with the help of a new vehicle history check service which includes finance data – carstatuscheck.co.uk.

Following on from the successful launch of the Car Status Check app on iTunes and Google Play, vehicle information experts HPI have now launched the service online, which provides three levels of protection, allowing used car buyers to choose the level of protection they need, at a price to suit them.

To get an instant picture of a vehicle’s past; users simply tap in the vehicle registration number (VRM) at carstatuscheck.co.uk to immediately get basic details, such as vehicle make, model and year of manufacture for free. The user then decides how much information they want to buy on their next used vehicle.

Buyers can purchase the ultimate peace of mind with the Platinum Car Status Check for just £9.99, which provides a full history of the vehicle, including if it has been stolen, declared a write-off by an insurer or has outstanding finance registered against it. In addition to this data, the Platinum check is supported with a Guarantee of £10,000 should any data be inaccurate or incomplete.

For those who want the full picture of a vehicle’s history without the Guarantee, the Gold level check is offered for £7.99, which provides a full history check and includes a finance check as part of the service. “We recognise that more cars than ever are bought on credit. If shoppers buy a car that they later find out is on outstanding finance, they stand to lose both the vehicle and the money they have paid for it,” comments a spokesperson from Car Status Check. “This is because the finance company may be the legal owner and have the right to reclaim it.”

Finally, for used car buyers who need to count every penny, but still want an idea of a vehicle’s history the Silver level Car Status Check is offered for £4.99, which provides vital information, including if a car is currently recorded by the police as being stolen, has been written-off by an insurer or it is at risk of being sold illegally.

All Car Status Check customers receive a report for them to download and keep for reference. This confirms if the car is ‘clear’ or not, and includes a CO2 Certificate giving emission ratings, fuel and Vehicle Excise Duty costs.

The spokesperson concludes, “The Car Status Check provides history check information for people on the move. Consumers are offered a choice on the level of vehicle data they need, with price points to match. Knowing the full history of a vehicle is crucial when buying a car, and with all the information available in just 90 seconds – used car buyers are a just a click away from potentially saving themselves from an expensive mistake.”

Prestige, pre-owned watches made affordable thanks to The Watch Expert

Posted on by

Watches are so huge that Vanity Fair dedicates an entire supplement to them.

A prestige watch is something many people dream of owning, but aren’t quite able to afford. Now thanks to new online retailer The Watch Expert the dream can become a reality.

TheWatchExpert.co.uk – part of jewellery chain Herbert Brown which has a 170-year High Street heritage – is dedicated to offering top quality, pre-owned Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Breitling and Tag Heuer watches at much lower prices than they were originally bought for.

For instance, an Omega Seamaster for men, manufactured in 2007, has a replacement value of £2,700, but is sold by The Watch Expert for £1,995, and a Rolex Datejust, manufactured in 1991, has a replacement value of £8,110, but is sold at more than half that price for just £3,395.

A woman’s Omega Constellation, manufactured in 2002, has a replacement value of £2,600 and is offered by The Watch Expert for £1,495, and a 2010 TAG Heuer, which has a replacement value of £1,810, is priced at just £1,350.

The Watch Expert has hundreds of stylish, pre-owned watches across a number of price brackets available at any one time, all of which come with a 12-month warranty.

What’s more, the online retailer offers the personal touch that you would enjoy in store but from the comfort and convenience of your own home. There is the opportunity to speak with watch expert David Beasley to ensure that you buy only the best watch at the best value. All interested customers need to do is send an email via TheWatchExpert.co.uk and they will receive a call back from an expert to discuss the watches of interest and answer any questions. What’s more, The Watch Expert offers a special sourcing service so if a customer already has a watch in mind, The Watch Expert will make it their business to find and refurbish it.

The Watch Expert’s David Beasley, who has 40 years’ experience of working with prestige watches, says: “In launching The Watch Expert we aim to make beautifully crafted watches more affordable. Prestige watches are generally thought of as things only the wealthy can afford, but this is no longer the case as all our pre-owned watches look, feel and work no differently to new watches, they just come at a much cheaper price.”

Sounds pretty cool to us!

Found! The most tight-fisted male daters in the UK

Posted on by

Frost exposes the most tight-fisted male daters in the UK

Male daters from Bolton are less willing to splash the cash in the search for love, according to FlirtFinder

Mobile dating service FlirtFinder.mobi, has revealed that Bolton boys are the most stingy when it comes to romance. According to the results, they are only happy to pay to respond to one in four messages implying that they would rather keep their wallets tightly sealed.

Based on the 1.2 million conversations that have been initiated by the female members of FlirtFinder, the results revealed that the lads of Llandridnod in Wales reply to over half of the messages that they receive from women, suggesting that they are happy to invest a few pennies in the search for their perfect partner.

 

Tightest daters in UK Most generous daters in UK
1)    Bolton 1)    Llandrindod Wells
2)    Ilford 2)    Telford
3)    Torquay 3)    Halifax
4)    Twickenham 4)    Carisle
5)    Sutton 5)    Dumfries
6)    Harrow 6)    Inverness
7)    Truro 7)    Worcester
8)    Huddersfield 8)    Gloucester
9)    Durham 9)    Taunton
10) Portsmouth 10) Reading

 

Justin Battell, managing director of FlirtFinder says, “When we looked at the differences in how our members use FlirtFinder, we found the areas where the men are most receptive bears no relationship to how affluent that region is.”

“There also doesn’t appear to be any evidence of a north and south divide, or any truth in commonly cited regional stereotypes, as the tightest and most generous areas include towns from all over the UK.”

The results are based on the probability of male members buying a message credit and replying to a woman who has contacted them directly.

FlirtFinder is a pay as you go mobile dating service where members buy credits only when they need them, rather than charging a recurring monthly subscription fee.

For more information on FlirtFinder, or to become a member, please visit: http://www.flirtfinder.mobi/

The Rise of the Staycation – Top Destinations 2012

Posted on by

The Staycation is going to be biggest since the recession began with the UK tourism industry set to benefit by a record £8.7billion

 

Cornwall is the top Staycation destination for 2012

 

In spite of 2012 being a tough year for many Britons, the one thing they are refusing to give up; is their summer holiday according to Travelodge’s annual holiday index out today.

 

The hotel chain surveyed 5,000 British adults to investigate their summer holiday intentions and discovered that 41% of Britons are holidaying at home this year (up 6% on last year) with the average week’s holiday costing  £433.47 (Up £10.78) on last year). This investment is set to benefit the UK tourism industry by £8.7bn (Up £1.5bn on last year).

 

The travel report also revealed that 48% of Britons will be taking four domestic breaks this year. (Up on the average of three breaks taken last year). The top three summer Staycation destinations for 2012 are: Cornwall, Edinburgh (Jumping to second position from fifth position from last year) and the Lake District.

 

Listed below are the top ten Staycation destinations for 2012 and 2011

 

           

2012 Destinations

 

2011 Destinations

1

Cornwall

1

Cornwall

2

Edinburgh

2

Lake District

3

Lake District

3

Devon

4

London

4

L ondon

5

Scottish Highlands

5

Edinburgh

6

Devon

6

Scottish Highlands

7

North Wales

7

Wales

8

Glasgow

8

Blackpool

9

Yorkshire Dales

9

Great Yarmouth

10

Blackpool

10

Scarborough

 

 

The annual holiday index also revealed that a third of adults are reliving their childhood and taking a traditional British seaside holiday this summer. Whilst 30% of Britons are taking a UK city break and a quarter of Britons are planning to explore the British countryside. Just one in ten Britons are taking a thrill seeking theme park holiday.     

 

Nearly half of British adults (49%) have waited until now to book their summer break due to financial budget constraints. Sixty five per cent of Britons have had to make major sacrifices to their household budget; in order to afford a holiday this year. Some of the financial cutbacks have included:

 

  • Not going out for a meal or drinks with family and  friends
  • Buying cheaper groceries and cuts of meal
  • Not buying new clothes
  • Not buying a present on a special occasion for their partner 

 

Around a fifth of Britons have relied on selling goods on eBay to cover the cost of their holiday this year.     

 

Grant Hearn, Travelodge, Chief Executive said: “It’s fantastic news that the Staycation is going to be bigger than ever this year despite British household budgets being attacked by a second recession. Our research highlights even in difficult financial times, Britons will make the necessary sacrifices in order to have a summer break. I guess everyone needs something to look forward to during these difficult times.”

 

“2012 is such a momentous year for British tourism and it’s a great bonus that the economy will be further boosted by £8.7 billion due to more Britons holidaying at home this summer”.

 

Further findings from the report revealed that over a third of British families (36%) are breaking up their traditional one week Staycation holiday into three shorter breaks, at different locations this year; so that their children will think they have gone on lots of holidays. 

 

A third of Britons are using their Staycation break to catch up with family and friends. One in ten Britons reported that taking a UK weekend break with friends was cheaper than a night out at home, whilst a quarter of couples surveyed stated they are taking more UK short breaks, so that they can spend quality time together.

 

Findings also revealed that 72% of Britons will travel to their Staycation break by car. Just 12% will go by train, whilst four per cent will choose to travel by coach and six per cent will opt for air travel.


Malibu Limited Edition | Cool things

Posted on by

Frost Magazine love the design for this limited edition Malibu.

Inspired by the vibrancy and feeling of summertime, this season will see the launch of the Limited Edition Summer ’12 bottle by the original coconut rum, Malibu.

Following the success of their first limited edition bottle in 2011, Malibu have continued to show their support to up and coming British designers by collaborating with acclaimed illustrator Sophie Harris-Greenslade. Hot off the catwalk, the bold, bright and beautiful techno-colour inspired print is this summer’s ultimate fashion statement, and this limited edition bottle is no exception. This impactful design is a one of a kind collectible which will be available in all major supermarkets from 1st July 2012.

After graduating from Kingston University with a degree in illustration and animation, Sophie Harris-Greenslade has worked on a variety of style shoots including French Elle, Now, W magazine, Disorder and Stylist and worked with numerous celebrity clientele including M.I.A., Cate Blanchett, Nicole Scherzinger and Keisha Buchanan. Sophie has also achieved great acclaim via exhibitions, which have earned her recognition in top publications such as i-D, Stylist, the Guardian and the Observer, as well as her regularly updated blog.

Sophie Harris-Greenslade says, “I wanted to create a vibrant and impactful design which captures the feeling of summer and stands out on the shelf! I usually work on a much smaller scale, so I wanted the patterns on the bottle to reflect the intricacy of my illustrations. The fluidity of the shapes also reflects Malibu’s easy going and fun filled attitude”.

The Limited Edition Summer ’12 bottle is part of Malibu’s 2012 campaign which kicks off this summer with the second Malibutique, following the success of its debut in 2011.

www.facebook.com/malibuuk and for more information on Sophie Harris-Greenslade, please visit theillustratednail.tumblr.com.