English – Latest News https://latestnews.top Fri, 18 Aug 2023 22:23:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://latestnews.top/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-licon-32x32.png English – Latest News https://latestnews.top 32 32 Meet the English couple who moved to an outback town of 50 people to open Australia’s https://latestnews.top/meet-the-english-couple-who-moved-to-an-outback-town-of-50-people-to-open-australias/ https://latestnews.top/meet-the-english-couple-who-moved-to-an-outback-town-of-50-people-to-open-australias/#respond Fri, 18 Aug 2023 22:23:16 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/18/meet-the-english-couple-who-moved-to-an-outback-town-of-50-people-to-open-australias/ It might have a population of only 50 people, but Adrian Bennett made his dream come true by moving from Bradford, England, to the tiny dusty town of Silverton in the NSW outback. The reason Adrian moved his wife and three children to the other side of the world to a rural village on the […]]]>


It might have a population of only 50 people, but Adrian Bennett made his dream come true by moving from Bradford, England, to the tiny dusty town of Silverton in the NSW outback.

The reason Adrian moved his wife and three children to the other side of the world to a rural village on the NSW/SA border? Because he is a Mad Max super fan, and he wanted to build a museum in the rural area where the second movie, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, was filmed.

The English family moved to the country in 2006, and while it was always their intention to open the museum, Silverton became their home four years later when the Mad Max 2 Museum was finally erected.

Despite having such a small population, the town has a stretch of road with several galleries on it, including The John Dynon Gallery, and of course, Adrian and Linda’s Mad Max museum.

The small wacky building is instantly recognisable as a museum dedicated to George Miller’s post-apocalyptic movie.

Adrian and Linda Bennett (pictured) made their dream come true by moving from Bradford, England, to the tiny dusty town of Silverton in the NSW outback

Adrian and Linda Bennett (pictured) made their dream come true by moving from Bradford, England, to the tiny dusty town of Silverton in the NSW outback

It is a must-see for any film buffs, as it is filled with a large collection of photographs from the movie, character costumes, and an impressive collection of original and replica vehicles from the flick – including two interceptors.

While speaking to Adrian, it is clear that he is obsessed with the movie franchise, and building and running the museum was a dream come true for him.

‘Some people think I’m joking when I talk about how much I love the movie,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.

The couple built a museum in the rural area where the second movie, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, was filmed

The couple built a museum in the rural area where the second movie, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, was filmed

Adrian first saw the action movie when it was released in cinemas in the UK when he was 18-years-old.

His wife, Linda, said she wasn’t one bit surprised when he came up with the plan to relocate to Australia and start the museum.

‘The first thing he said to me when we met was, “Have you seen a movie called Mad Max?”‘ she said.

‘So when we had been together forever I wasn’t surprised [he wanted to move to Australia].

‘And I always thought it would be nice to come out here, he was always planning it in his head.’

Mel Gibson in the first Mad Max film that was released in 1979

Mel Gibson in the first Mad Max film that was released in 1979

Despite their clear passion, the couple said many people thought they were mad to start a business in a town that has a population of just 50 people.

‘There are two comments I remember from certain people and one was, “You’re a bit of a financial genius aren’t you, starting a museum in a town with a population of 50 people?”‘ Linda said.

‘And I said, “Financial genius? Yes, this town gets hundreds of thousands of tourists.”‘

Adrian said that on top of the town being popular for tourists, Australia needed to have a dedicated Mad Max museum.

‘They needed this museum, it didn’t make sense not to have something like this,’ he added.

‘When we moved in 50 people were living here but I said yes, the financial genius gets 160,000 tourists coming through [the town every year].

‘If I got a dollar off every 160,000 people coming through I’d be doing alright wouldn’t I?’

Despite their clear passion, the couple said many people thought they were mad to start a business in a town that has a population of just 50 people

Despite their clear passion, the couple said many people thought they were mad to start a business in a town that has a population of just 50 people

While it costs $7 to enter the museum, there is also an abundance of merchandise on sale.

However, the couple said despite their success, it has never been about the money for them.

They’ve just always wanted to live comfortably while living their dream of owning a Mad Max museum in the outback.

‘We have never been driven by cash, we just want to live comfortably, for me I’m living the dream anyway,’ Adrian said.

Linda added: ‘It was built from a passion and if this door shuts tomorrow because no one was coming in we still wouldn’t sell up.’

The museum is a must-see for any film buffs, as it is filled with a large collection of photographs from the movie, character costumes, and an impressive collection of original and replica vehicles from the flick - including two interceptors

The museum is a must-see for any film buffs, as it is filled with a large collection of photographs from the movie, character costumes, and an impressive collection of original and replica vehicles from the flick – including two interceptors



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Travel writer who visited 40 English seaside resorts reveals her favourite spot, the one https://latestnews.top/travel-writer-who-visited-40-english-seaside-resorts-reveals-her-favourite-spot-the-one/ https://latestnews.top/travel-writer-who-visited-40-english-seaside-resorts-reveals-her-favourite-spot-the-one/#respond Thu, 10 Aug 2023 06:48:16 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/10/travel-writer-who-visited-40-english-seaside-resorts-reveals-her-favourite-spot-the-one/ Author Madeleine Bunting tasked herself with visiting a staggering 40 English seaside resorts  The average Briton might visit a handful of seaside resorts over two years – but one travel writer tasked herself with exploring a staggering 40 coastal towns in that space of time. Revealing everything she discovered along the way, Madeleine Bunting documented […]]]>


Author Madeleine Bunting tasked herself with visiting a staggering 40 English seaside resorts

Author Madeleine Bunting tasked herself with visiting a staggering 40 English seaside resorts 

The average Briton might visit a handful of seaside resorts over two years – but one travel writer tasked herself with exploring a staggering 40 coastal towns in that space of time.

Revealing everything she discovered along the way, Madeleine Bunting documented her travels – which took place from 2020 to 2022 – in new book The Seaside: England’s Love Affair.

Speaking to MailOnline Travel, the author reflects on the experience, shedding light on the town that surprised her the most, the resort she found to be ‘stunning’ – and the town that left her feeling ‘bewildered’…

What inspired you to do this project?

Madeleine has fond memories of  the 'glorious' visits she made to Scarborough, above, on school trips in the late sixties

Madeleine has fond memories of  the ‘glorious’ visits she made to Scarborough, above, on school trips in the late sixties 

Madeleine says: ‘I always love the seaside and when my sister told me that Scarborough had fallen on hard times, I remembered the glorious visits I made there on school trips in the late sixties. We all know seaside resorts have high levels of deprivation but I became curious…’ 

The author said she started to wonder about ‘how poor’ certain seaside towns had become and why they’d faced ‘such a long steady decline’. She also wanted to find out, she reveals, ‘which towns have managed to turn [their fortunes] around’. 

How did you choose which towns to visit?

'Skegness was where my husband had his early childhood holidays,' says Madeleine. She captured the above photograph during her visit to the Lincolnshire resort

‘Skegness was where my husband had his early childhood holidays,’ says Madeleine. She captured the above photograph during her visit to the Lincolnshire resort 

‘Born in North Yorkshire, my childhood holidays were on that coast, so I had to start there,’ Madeleine reveals.

She continues: ‘Skegness was where my husband had his early childhood holidays and after that, I kept going round the coast anti-clockwise. Sadly, I couldn’t get everywhere and there are lots of towns I would have loved to have added in – Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft for example.’

Summing up her thoughts on the counties she toured, Madeleine says: ‘Essex was full of surprises, Kent was fascinating and I’ve always loved the Sussex coast. Because my focus was the big resorts, I didn’t cover Cornwall in-depth.’ She adds that ‘Blackpool and Morecambe made a very satisfying finale’ to her travels.

In each town, where did you stay and what did you do?

Madeleine says: ‘My aim was to sample every kind of accommodation so I stayed in hotels, holiday camps, hotels and Airbnbs.’

She continues: ‘In every resort, I swam and ate fish and chips, walked the promenade and talked to anyone who would talk to me. I had wonderful conversations with strangers who sometimes ended up telling me their life stories.’

How have seaside towns changed over the past century?

Madeleine notes that 13million people visit Blackpool (pictured above) annually

Madeleine notes that 13million people visit Blackpool (pictured above) annually

‘That’s a huge question – and the whole book is about that process of change,’ Madeleine says.

She reveals: ‘The odd thing is that [English resorts] probably have as many visitors as they did at their peak in the 1950s – 13million visit Blackpool annually – but they don’t stay for that traditional two-week holiday, which was the mainstay of the towns’ income.’ 

Have towns changed for the worse in any way?

Madeleine says that in some places, there are ‘pockets of deep deprivation with issues around substance abuse’ and ‘low life chances for those born in the town’ – both of which are ‘painful results of economic decline’.

Which is England’s best seaside town?

A photograph captured by Madeleine on her visit to 'stunning' Scarborough

A photograph captured by Madeleine on her visit to ‘stunning’ Scarborough

Madeleine reveals: ‘[This is] such a tough question because I enjoyed so many of them but I think Scarborough is stunning and full of intriguing reminders of its glamorous past.’ 

And the worst?

Madeleine says she can’t single out one seaside resort as the worst, but she admits that visiting Padstow in Cornwall ‘was a bewildering experience’. 

While there, she saw ‘a few streets packed with people who couldn’t get into the expensive restaurants, which are booked up in advance’. She also found that Padstow’s ‘crazy house prices’ mean that ‘locals no longer live in the town’. 

The author says that visiting Padstow in Cornwall (above) 'was a bewildering experience'

The author says that visiting Padstow in Cornwall (above) ‘was a bewildering experience’

What’s so special about England’s relationship with seaside resorts?

‘We’re island people, nowhere is far from the sea,’ says Madeleine. 

She continues: ‘All of us have a special relationship with our many coastlines. Readers are now writing to me with their own biographies of where they went when… my aim was to prompt that, so I am delighted.’

Elaborating on this ‘special relationship’, the author notes that ‘we visit the coast at key moments – to scatter ashes, to get engaged, that type of thing’. 

Which town surprised you the most?

Madeleine says that she found 'surprises everywhere' on her tour, including Southend's 'crystal clear water' and the 'charm' of Margate (above)

Madeleine says that she found ‘surprises everywhere’ on her tour, including Southend’s ‘crystal clear water’ and the ‘charm’ of Margate (above)

Research for the trip was carried out from 2020 to 2022. Along the way, Madeleine was taken by Folkestone (above) and its 'stunning' gardens

Research for the trip was carried out from 2020 to 2022. Along the way, Madeleine was taken by Folkestone (above) and its ‘stunning’ gardens

Madeleine says: ‘There were surprises everywhere: the Lincolnshire beaches are vast; Southend had crystal clear water; Margate’s charm; Folkestone’s stunning gardens; Blackpool’s Comedy Carpet; Morecambe’s Midland Hotel. 

‘The list just goes on and on; our coastline is hugely varied in its geology, architecture and history.’

Are there any resorts you predict will get a new lease of life in the future?

Madeleine captured this shot in Clacton-on-Sea, a seaside town in Essex

Madeleine captured this shot in Clacton-on-Sea, a seaside town in Essex

‘There is huge potential in many coastal towns with the right infrastructure of good public transport [and] digital links,’ says Madeleine. 

She continues: ‘Many of them have charming period housing which is relatively cheap; for families, they could offer a wonderful quality of life. Hybrid working can open up new possibilities.’

The author recalls: ‘I met a young Indian couple working in Scarborough; he was an engineer and she was a landscape architect. Professional, highly educated and loving North Yorkshire’s coast. They filled me with hope of a new dynamic future for these beautiful towns on our coastal edge.’ 

Are there any you predict will be lost to time?

The author says that there is ‘very little left of’ New Brighton in Merseyside ‘except a tea shop with lots of framed photos on the wall of its incredible history when ferries loaded with visitors crossed the Mersey for day trips’.



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Premier League confirm FIVE English clubs could qualify for the Champions League next https://latestnews.top/premier-league-confirm-five-english-clubs-could-qualify-for-the-champions-league-next/ https://latestnews.top/premier-league-confirm-five-english-clubs-could-qualify-for-the-champions-league-next/#respond Wed, 09 Aug 2023 18:34:15 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/09/premier-league-confirm-five-english-clubs-could-qualify-for-the-champions-league-next/ Premier League confirm FIVE English clubs could qualify for the Champions League next season  Usually the top four clubs in the Premier League qualify for Champions League Extra spot to be awarded based on performance across European competitions In five of the last six seasons English clubs would have merited additional team By Sonny Cohen For […]]]>


Premier League confirm FIVE English clubs could qualify for the Champions League next season

  •  Usually the top four clubs in the Premier League qualify for Champions League
  • Extra spot to be awarded based on performance across European competitions
  • In five of the last six seasons English clubs would have merited additional team

History could be made during the 2023-24 season as for the first time five Premier League teams could qualify for the Champions League through league position.

A change in format for the 2024-25 campaign sees 36 teams competing in the competition in a ‘Swiss league’ style allowing for an additional place to allocated to the two countries whose club’s perform best across all UEFA competitions.

For this to happen, the English clubs in this year’s campaign would have to provide one of the top two performances across the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.

A Premier League statement said ‘We will likely only know when that fifth spot will come into play for the UCL towards the end of the season, when the geographical spread of the participating clubs in the latter stages UEFA competitions is known.’ 

Traditionally there has only been four clubs who have qualified for the Champions League through their league position.

Should Manchester City repeat their Champions League heroics a fifth Premier League team would qualify through league position

Should Manchester City repeat their Champions League heroics a fifth Premier League team would qualify through league position

On one occasion though five Premier League teams did qualify for Europe’s elite competition when Liverpool lifted the trophy during the 2005 season, but finished outside of the top four.

Last season saw Manchester City win the Champions League against Inter Milan, while West Ham beat Fiorentina to claim the Europa Conference League. A European performance that would be enough to see a fifth team qualify had the new rules been implemented for the upcoming campaign.

The Premier League have confirmed that in five of the past six seasons and seven of the past 11 that the performance of English clubs in Europe would have merited the extra spot.

The change in rules could in fact see a maximum of seven clubs qualify, although that would require both the Champions League and Europa League winners to be from the Premier League and both teams finish outside the top five.



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Gary Lineker insists the Saudi Pro League WON’T rival English football until a player https://latestnews.top/gary-lineker-insists-the-saudi-pro-league-wont-rival-english-football-until-a-player/ https://latestnews.top/gary-lineker-insists-the-saudi-pro-league-wont-rival-english-football-until-a-player/#respond Sat, 05 Aug 2023 00:15:15 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/05/gary-lineker-insists-the-saudi-pro-league-wont-rival-english-football-until-a-player/ Gary Lineker insists the Saudi Pro League WON’T rival English football until a player ‘like Kylian Mbappe’ agrees to go Gary Lineker is unconcerned by any imminent threat from the Saudi Pro League Saudi Arabia’s top-flight is attempting to lure top European stars to the nation But Lineker admitted the threat to the Premier League […]]]>


Gary Lineker insists the Saudi Pro League WON’T rival English football until a player ‘like Kylian Mbappe’ agrees to go

  • Gary Lineker is unconcerned by any imminent threat from the Saudi Pro League
  • Saudi Arabia’s top-flight is attempting to lure top European stars to the nation
  • But Lineker admitted the threat to the Premier League is currently minimal

Gary Lineker is unconcerned that Saudi Arabia will rival the Premier League, despite the Middle East’s clamour to bring household names to the Kingdom.

The Saudi Pro League has ramped up their recruitment efforts since Cristiano Ronaldo cut ties with Manchester United and became their most high-profile name in December last year.

Since then, Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs have began delving deeper into their bounty of riches with a host of Premier League talents ditching the English top-flight for the huge wages on offer.

Jordan Henderson gave up the Liverpool captaincy to seal a £700-000-per-week deal to join Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, Ruben Neves left Wolves, while N’Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy were some of the names to swap Stamford Bridge for life in the desert.

However, while club chiefs in the form of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp warn of the growing attraction from Saudi Arabia, Lineker feels that any imminent threat to the Premier League is minimal.

Kylian Mbappe refused to discuss a move to Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first high-profile name to move to Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo (right) became the first high-profile name to move to Saudi Arabia, but Kylian Mbappe (left) recently refused to entertain talks over a move to the nation

Gary Lineker believes the threat posed by the Saudi Pro League is minimal until they sign a current star like Mbappe (pictured)

Gary Lineker believes the threat posed by the Saudi Pro League is minimal until they sign a current star like Mbappe (pictured)

While Ronaldo and current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema now ply their trade scoring goals in Saudi Arabia, the league has been unable to attract a world class player in their prime years.

They attempted to do so by offering Paris Saint-Germain’s hero-turned-villain Kylian Mbappe an outrageous deal worth over £600m-per-year, but the French superstar refused to even hold conversations over a move.

And until they are unable to do so, Lineker is largely unconcerned by the threat posed by Saudi Arabia’s football ambitions, as he explained writing in his column for the Sun.

The 62-year-old Englishman said: ‘But until they sign Kylian Mbappe, or another genuine world star in his prime, then the major European clubs will remain relaxed about it.

‘Right now, it’s just the latest league where older players go to die their footballing deaths — like Karim Benzema joining Al-Ittihad — for one last earner.

Lineker insisted similarly to the MLS' ability to sign Lionel Messi (right) the Saudi Pro League is a place for players at the end of their careers

Lineker insisted similarly to the MLS’ ability to sign Lionel Messi (right) the Saudi Pro League is a place for players at the end of their careers

Lineker is largely unconcerned by the threat posed by Saudi Arabia's football ambitions

Lineker is largely unconcerned by the threat posed by Saudi Arabia’s football ambitions

‘It’s the same with Major League Soccer in America, it was the same with China for a while, and I did it myself in Japan at the end of my playing career.’

Lineker is no stranger when it comes to swapping England for opportunities elsewhere as he did when he left Everton to move to Barcelona in 1986, but the lure of the Camp Nou has always been about more than just money, unlike Saudi Arabia.

The iconic presenter’s admission that the Middle East is the same case as America’s rise to become a late-career resting home for stars is reinforced by Lionel Messi’s decision to leave Europe for Miami.

There is belief in the Premier League that Saudi Arabia is capable of continuing with their splash-cash approach for the next decade, but according to Lineker, the Middle East’s offering shouldn’t prompt irrational fear amongst European ranks. 



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Once the joke of the industry, it now rivals champagne: How English bubbly became the https://latestnews.top/once-the-joke-of-the-industry-it-now-rivals-champagne-how-english-bubbly-became-the/ https://latestnews.top/once-the-joke-of-the-industry-it-now-rivals-champagne-how-english-bubbly-became-the/#respond Fri, 04 Aug 2023 00:19:16 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/04/once-the-joke-of-the-industry-it-now-rivals-champagne-how-english-bubbly-became-the/ Vines in a Cold Climate by Henry Jeffreys (Allen & Unwin £16.99, 294pp) In 1972, British wine merchant Steven Spurrier was trying to arrange delivery of five cases of English wine to the British embassy in Paris, where the Queen was due to host a black-tie dinner for President Georges Pompidou. Two days before the […]]]>


Vines in a Cold Climate

by Henry Jeffreys (Allen & Unwin £16.99, 294pp)

In 1972, British wine merchant Steven Spurrier was trying to arrange delivery of five cases of English wine to the British embassy in Paris, where the Queen was due to host a black-tie dinner for President Georges Pompidou.

Two days before the event, he got a call. The wine couldn’t be cleared through customs, he was informed, because ‘English wine does not exist’.

For centuries, the idea that Britain could produce drinkable wine has been widely mocked. 

In 1875, Punch magazine suggested that consuming it would be a four-man job: one man to drink it, two to hold him down, and one to pour it down his throat.

Why (apart from our climate) has Britain been so bad at wine, when we’ve been producing it for centuries?

In 1972, British wine merchant Steven Spurrier was trying to arrange delivery of five cases of English wine to the British embassy in Paris, but was told 'English wine does not exist'

In 1972, British wine merchant Steven Spurrier was trying to arrange delivery of five cases of English wine to the British embassy in Paris, but was told ‘English wine does not exist’

The Medieval Warm Period, from the 10th to 13th century, led to vineyards springing up all over the south of England, especially in East Anglia, Kent and Sussex, the areas that today are most associated with winemaking. 

In the 17th century, Samuel Pepys wrote of drinking a wine from grapes grown in Walthamstow, then a village outside London.

By 1967 there were enough growers to form the English Vineyard Association, although what they were producing wasn’t particularly palatable. 

Wine writer Oz Clarke described English wine-tastings in the 1970s as ‘sodden affairs with sodden people giving you sodden wine’.

Starting a vineyard is an expensive business, conforming to the ‘double down’ rule: everything takes twice as long as you think it will and costs twice as much. Even so, there was no shortage of aspiring wine producers.

Wine critic Jancis Robinson called it ‘a retirement occupation for the well-heeled with a paddock to spare’. 

But despite a largely amateur approach, English wine started to show signs of real promise in the 1980s, because winegrowers realised that making sparkling wine was the way to go.

Our cool climate means that, while English grapes are usually too acidic for table wines, they are just right for sparkling wine.

In 1988, an American couple, Sandy and Stuart Moss, started planting grapes at their medieval manor house, Nyetimber, in West Sussex. 

The Mosses stood out because they were not only fiercely determined, but also had the deep pockets to back it up.

The first Nyetimber wine was released in 1996, and a year later it beat champagne in the sparkling wine category of a prestigious wine competition. 

The ultimate accolade came when the Royal Household, which since time immemorial had served champagne to royal guests, started buying Nyetimber. The vineyard’s success put English wine on the global map and ‘put a rocket under the English wine industry’.

Our cool climate means that, while English grapes are usually too acidic for table wines, they are just right for sparkling wine

Our cool climate means that, while English grapes are usually too acidic for table wines, they are just right for sparkling wine

In Nyetimber’s wake, other English winemakers started producing excellent sparkling wine, such as Ridgeview in East Sussex and Chapel Down in Kent. 

Having once shrugged dismissively at the idea of English wines, French champagne houses started investing in English vineyards. 

Taittinger’s vines cover 120 acres of what was prime fruit-growing land in Kent, while Pommery has planted 30 acres in Hampshire.

The economics of it make sense. In Champagne, a hectare of prime vineyard can cost £1 million, compared with £30,000 for an equivalent plot in the South Downs.

Temperatures in south-east England are now similar to Champagne in the 1970s. 

Winemakers in France worry that if temperatures continue to rise, their grapes will get too ripe and lose their all-important acidity, and this makes England’s vineyards an enticing prospect.

For all its success, he points out, the production of English wine is still tiny. Our 4,000 hectares of vineyards produce 15 million bottles in a good year, 92 per cent of which is sold domestically, whereas Champagne alone turns out 300 million bottles a year.

Surprisingly, the English county with the most vineyards is Essex. Chelmsford, with its sticky clay soil, has the highest concentration of vines in the country, and the Dengie peninsula is now all the rage with wine growers. Essex is producing some fine reds and may yet compete with Burgundy.

Henry Jeffreys, who used to work in the wine trade, is an amiable and entertaining guide to ‘the English wine revolution’, revelling in the eccentric characters he meets along the way and in some of the arcane goings-on in the wine industry.

Who knew that, until the 1990s, the vineyards in Champagne were fertilised by rubbish from Paris, which is why you will often see flecks of plastic in the famous Champagne soil, or that badgers are one of the main pests in England’s vineyards, standing on their hind legs to gobble the grapes?

Vines In A Cold Climate makes it clear that English wines are always going to be expensive, because the yields are inevitably lower than in sun-drenched countries like Portugal or Australia. Nonetheless, Jeffreys remains optimistic about the future for the English wine industry.

Its modern incarnation may be barely 50 years old, but ‘with the sheer diversity and quality of wines we now produce, it’s hard not to be excited for the future’. Let’s drink to that.



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Tom Brady buys Birmingham City! NFL legend adds minority stake of 148-year-old English https://latestnews.top/tom-brady-buys-birmingham-city-nfl-legend-adds-minority-stake-of-148-year-old-english/ https://latestnews.top/tom-brady-buys-birmingham-city-nfl-legend-adds-minority-stake-of-148-year-old-english/#respond Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:09:11 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/03/tom-brady-buys-birmingham-city-nfl-legend-adds-minority-stake-of-148-year-old-english/ Tom Brady buys Birmingham City! NFL legend adds minority stake of 148-year-old English soccer club as he admits he has ‘a lot to learn’ about the OTHER football The 46-year-old already owns a minority stake of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces  He planned to buy a Raiders stake, but new NFL rules put that deal […]]]>


Tom Brady buys Birmingham City! NFL legend adds minority stake of 148-year-old English soccer club as he admits he has ‘a lot to learn’ about the OTHER football

  • The 46-year-old already owns a minority stake of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces 
  • He planned to buy a Raiders stake, but new NFL rules put that deal in jeopardy
  • DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

Tom Brady is ready to give football a chance.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion has invested in Birmingham City, a 148-year-old soccer team in England’s second division, the EFL Championship.

Neither the size of Brady’s stake nor the price he paid has been revealed publicly. Regardless, Brady will have a roll with the team, applying ‘his extensive leadership experience’ while advising ‘on health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery,’ according to a club statement.

‘So here’s the deal, I’m officially coming on board at Birmingham City Football Club,’ Brady said in a social media video. ‘And maybe you’re asking what do you know about English football, Tom? Well let’s just say I’ve got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they may translate pretty well.’

Brady, who celebrates his 46th birthday on Thursday, already owns a minority stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. He also had plans to buy into the NFL’s Raiders as well, until the league’s new rule blocking equity distribution to employees put that deal in jeopardy. Then last month, he bought a racing boat team with Rafael Nadal and Formula One star Sergio Perez.

NFL icon Tom Brady has become a minority owner of Birmingham City Football Club

NFL icon Tom Brady has become a minority owner of Birmingham City Football Club

The seven-time Super Bowl winner will be Chairman of the Advisory Board at St Andrew's

The seven-time Super Bowl winner will be Chairman of the Advisory Board at St Andrew’s

Brady’s acquisition comes shortly after American billionaire Tom Wagner became the club’s chairman as part of his ongoing takeover of the club. 

Birmingham City opens its season against Swansea City in Wales on Saturday in the club’s first game as it hopes to return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2010-2011 season. 

And in that sense, Brady’s investment offers upside potential. Whereas London’s Chelsea sold for $5.6 billion last year, Birmingham City went for just $44 million to Wagner’s group. 

Promotion is anything but a given (Birmingham City finished 17th last season) but if the club can ascend to the EPL, Brady will have a much more lucrative asset on his hands. 

‘Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent,’ Wagner said in a team statement. ‘We are setting the bar at world class.

‘Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board, Tom will have a direct impact on the club. The men’s, women’s, and academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge.

‘The goal that Tom has committed to own is to make Birmingham City a respected leader in nutrition, health, wellness, and recovery across the world of football.’

The 46-year-old has been building his business empire since retiring from the NFL in 2023

The 46-year-old has been building his business empire since retiring from the NFL in 2023

Burnley minority investor JJ Watt responded to his old NFL rival on Twitter following the deal

Burnley minority investor JJ Watt responded to his old NFL rival on Twitter following the deal

The former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback joins a number of other American sports stars to invest in English soccer clubs.

Most famously, LeBron James has a minority stake of Liverpool FC, while PGA Tour golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are in the process of buying shares of Leeds United. 

Former NFL player J.J. Watt recently became a minority investor in Burnley, which has just been promoted to the Premier League.

Naturally, Watt was quick to respond to his former rival’s Birmingham City acquisition. 

‘Well well well, what do we have here,’ Watt tweeted. ‘Happy for you, wishing Birmingham all the best and hope to see you in the PL real soon! Up The Clarets!’



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Rail journeys that leave you on cloud wine! Day trips by train to these five English https://latestnews.top/rail-journeys-that-leave-you-on-cloud-wine-day-trips-by-train-to-these-five-english/ https://latestnews.top/rail-journeys-that-leave-you-on-cloud-wine-day-trips-by-train-to-these-five-english/#respond Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:13:16 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/08/01/rail-journeys-that-leave-you-on-cloud-wine-day-trips-by-train-to-these-five-english/ An increasing number of Britons are turning to rail travel to transport themselves to ‘cloud wine’, Trainline has revealed. Data gathered by the rail and coach platform shows that stations serving five UK vineyards have all seen a marked increase in footfall this July compared to last year, with Trainline’s Chief Product Officer Dave Price […]]]>


An increasing number of Britons are turning to rail travel to transport themselves to ‘cloud wine’, Trainline has revealed.

Data gathered by the rail and coach platform shows that stations serving five UK vineyards have all seen a marked increase in footfall this July compared to last year, with Trainline’s Chief Product Officer Dave Price pointing out that ‘Trainline’s digital railcards are a brilliant way to make a saving’ for group trips to the vines – with no designated driver needed, of course.

Here we reveal the five vineyards trending for train trips. 

Which one is your pick of the bunch?

DENBIES WINE ESTATE, SURREY: 41% RISE IN TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST STATION – DORKING

Denbies Wine Estate, pictured here, is just a 10-minute walk from Dorking station in Surrey

Denbies Wine Estate, pictured here, is just a 10-minute walk from Dorking station in Surrey

Along with several other English vineyards, Denbies shares the Champagne region¿s chalky ground, enabling its sparkling wine to give French fizz a run for its euros in the taste department

The estate produces one million bottles a year

Along with several other English vineyards, Denbies shares the Champagne region’s chalky ground, enabling its sparkling wine to give French fizz a run for its euros in the taste department. The estate produces one million bottles a year

The vineyard is proving popular, with Dorking station seeing a 41 per cent rise in travel compared to last year

The vineyard is proving popular, with Dorking station seeing a 41 per cent rise in travel compared to last year

There are trains from London that reach Dorking station in under an hour – and from there it’s a speedy ten-minute walk to the 265-acre Denbies Wine Estate, so you’ll be sipping premium wine before you know it.

Along with several other English vineyards, Denbies – which produces a million bottles a year – shares the Champagne region’s chalky ground, enabling its sparkling wine to give French fizz a run for its euros in the taste department. 

What’s more, it has a hotel in the old farmhouse with 17 rooms. 

RATHFINNY WINE ESTATE, EAST SUSSEX: 41% RISE IN TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST STATION – SEAFORD

At Rathfinny there are vineyard tours to enjoy, 'dine in the vine' experiences to savour and scenic vine walks to embark upon

B&B doubles at Rathfinny cost from £100 or £238, including dinner for two and harvest tour

At Rathfinny there are vineyard tours to enjoy, ‘dine in the vine’ experiences to savour and scenic vine walks to embark upon. Fancy staying the night? B&B doubles cost from £100 or £238, including dinner for two and harvest tour

It’s a 90-minute walk from the station at Seaford to the Rathfinny Wine Estate, which lies just three miles from the English Channel, but Trainline points out that the scenery along the way is ‘beautiful’ and the quality of wine awaiting you impressive.

Plus, there are vineyard tours to enjoy, ‘dine in the vine’ experiences to savour and scenic vine walks to embark upon.

Fancy staying the night? B&B doubles cost from £100 or £238, including dinner for two and a harvest tour.

RIDGEVIEW WINE ESTATE, EAST SUSSEX: 35% RISE IN TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST STATION – BURGESS HILL

The vineyard offers a winery shop, open every day from 11am to 4pm with complimentary tastings, and a restaurant - The Rows & Vine - that's open Thursday to Monday

The vineyard offers a winery shop, open every day from 11am to 4pm with complimentary tastings, and a restaurant – The Rows & Vine – that’s open Thursday to Monday 

After alighting the train at Burgess Hill station it’s a ‘lovely’ 35-minute walk to the Ridgeview Wine Estate, notes Trainline.

The vineyard, which sits on the edge of the South Downs National Park, has cemented itself as one of England’s most prestigious producers.

Queen Elizabeth II served bottles of Ridgeview’s Grosvenor sparkling wine to guests at her 80th birthday party and a glass of its sparkling rose, Fitzrovia, to Barack Obama during a state visit. 

The vineyard offers a winery shop, open every day from 11am to 4pm with complimentary tastings, and a restaurant – The Rows & Vine – that’s open Thursday to Monday.

TINWOOD ESTATE, WEST SUSSEX: 35% RISE IN TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST STATION – CHICHESTER

At the Tinwood Estate visitors can stay overnight and wake up with a view of the vines

At the Tinwood Estate visitors can stay overnight and wake up with a view of the vines

Hop off the train at Chichester station, then hop on the number 55 bus and it’ll take you to within a 15-minute walk of the Tinwood Estate

This vineyard offers the chance to learn the journey of its award-winning sparkling wines ‘from grape to glass’ on a one-and-a-half hour tour before relaxing in its tasting room with three samples to try, paired with food from the vineyard kitchen.

Visitors can also stay overnight and wake up with a view of the vines.

ARTELIUM WINE ESTATE, WEST SUSSEX: 30% RISE IN TRAVEL TO THE NEAREST STATION – PLUMPTON

Data gathered by the rail and coach platform shows that stations serving five UK vineyards have all seen a marked increase in footfall this July compared to last year

Data gathered by the rail and coach platform shows that stations serving five UK vineyards have all seen a marked increase in footfall this July compared to last year 

Tours and tastings are on offer at Artelium, which boasts of being a ‘vineyard with hospitality at its heart, a space to enjoy wine and art against the breath-taking backdrop of the Sussex countryside’. 

The vineyard also offers a ‘Collective’ membership, which includes 18 bottles of fine English wines annually, exclusive cuvee discounts, culinary experiences, and estate gatherings.

It’s a 20-minute walk through fields to the estate from the nearest station, Plumpton.

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE: RAIL TRIPS TO 5 UK VINEYARDS ARE ON THE UP

 1. Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey has seen a 41 per cent increase in travel to its nearest station, Dorking.

2. Rathfinny Wine Estate in East Sussex has seen a 41 per cent rise in travel to its nearest station, Seaford.

3. Ridgeview Wine Estate in East Sussex has seen a 35 per cent rise in travel to its nearest station, Burgess Hill. 

4. Tinwood Estate in West Sussex has seen a 35 per cent rise in travel to its nearest station, Chichester.

5. Artelium Wine Estate in West Sussex has seen a 30 per cent rise in travel to its nearest station, Plumpton.  

Source: Trainline 

 



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The English village so beautiful that its website reminds visitors that ‘it’s not a theme https://latestnews.top/the-english-village-so-beautiful-that-its-website-reminds-visitors-that-its-not-a-theme/ https://latestnews.top/the-english-village-so-beautiful-that-its-website-reminds-visitors-that-its-not-a-theme/#respond Tue, 20 Jun 2023 01:37:03 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/06/20/the-english-village-so-beautiful-that-its-website-reminds-visitors-that-its-not-a-theme/ Pictured: The English village so beautiful its website reminds visitors that ‘it’s not a theme park and there is no entry fee’ By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline Travel Editor Updated: 12:33 EDT, 19 June 2023 Advertisement There is a village in England so picturesque that its official website is forced to remind visitors that it’s not […]]]>


Pictured: The English village so beautiful its website reminds visitors that ‘it’s not a theme park and there is no entry fee’

Advertisement

There is a village in England so picturesque that its official website is forced to remind visitors that it’s not a theme park – and does not ‘open and close’.

The village in question is Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds – and these images show why some might be forgiven for thinking they’d arrived at a fantasyland theme park.

It’s the quintessential English hamlet, a real-life Neverland with olde-worlde honey-coloured stone buildings and a serene river – the Windrush – flowing underneath quaint arched bridges.

Rough Guides describes it as ‘one of the most romantic places in the UK’, while the Bourton-on-the-Water website, Bourtoninfo.com, tells visitors: ‘Bourton is not a theme park, it does not open and close, nor is there an entry fee. It is a vibrant village, home to some 4,000 residents, buzzing with many community groups, local events and fantastic small businesses.’

It adds: ‘Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops, restaurants, cafes and tea rooms. Or simply the space for you to enjoy some pleasurable time engrossed by the movement of the sparkling waters of the River Windrush, spanned by its five arched bridges.’

Bourton-on-the-Water (above) is so picturesque its official website is forced to remind visitors that it's not a theme park

Bourton-on-the-Water (above) is so picturesque its official website is forced to remind visitors that it’s not a theme park

Bourtoninfo.com says: 'Bourton is not a theme park, it does not open and close, nor is there an entry fee'

Bourtoninfo.com says: ‘Bourton is not a theme park, it does not open and close, nor is there an entry fee’

Tripadvisor users are almost universally in agreement with this assessment of the village, which is a two-hour drive from London and 15 miles east of Cheltenham.

Tripadvisor user ‘Postponer15‘ gave the village a five-out-of-five ‘excellent’ rating and wrote: ‘Lovely place to visit, especially on a summer’s day.

‘Take a blanket or rug and sit on the grass beside the river with some refreshments or ice cream from a nearby cafe or ice cream stand – there’s plenty of them.

Rough Guides describes Bourton-on-the-Water as 'one of the most romantic places in the UK'

Rough Guides describes Bourton-on-the-Water as ‘one of the most romantic places in the UK’

'Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops,' says Bourtoninfo.com

‘Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops,’ says Bourtoninfo.com

Bourton-on-the-Water is in the heart of the Fosse Way, an ancient route linking Exeter with Lincoln via Cirencester

Bourton-on-the-Water is in the heart of the Fosse Way, an ancient route linking Exeter with Lincoln via Cirencester

Bourton-on-the-Water is a two-hour drive from London and 15 miles east of Cheltenham

Bourton-on-the-Water is a two-hour drive from London and 15 miles east of Cheltenham

‘The water is shallow and lots of people will play in the river when it’s warm. The little bridges make for beautiful photos – I can see why it’s nicknamed “Little Venice”.’

Bourton-on-the-Water is in the heart of the Fosse Way, an ancient route linking Exeter with Lincoln via Cirencester.

Bourtoninfo.com reveals the Romans considered the crossing place on the River Windrush ‘to be of strategic importance’.

The five bridges that cross the river today, meanwhile, date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, with two built in the 20th century – in 1911 and 1953.

Tripadvisor user 'Postponer15' gave Bourton-on-the-Water a five-out-of-five 'excellent' rating and wrote: 'Lovely place to visit'

Tripadvisor user ‘Postponer15’ gave Bourton-on-the-Water a five-out-of-five ‘excellent’ rating and wrote: ‘Lovely place to visit’



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New dialect is appearing in Southern Florida that mixes Spanish and English https://latestnews.top/new-dialect-is-appearing-in-southern-florida-that-mixes-spanish-and-english/ https://latestnews.top/new-dialect-is-appearing-in-southern-florida-that-mixes-spanish-and-english/#respond Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:10:15 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/06/12/new-dialect-is-appearing-in-southern-florida-that-mixes-spanish-and-english/ If your first thought when hearing ‘get down from the car’ is that someone is standing on your hood, you’re probably not from southern Florida. Researchers have identified new speech patterns and expressions in the greater Miami area that they believe are a new English dialect developed over time from repeated direct translations between Spanish and […]]]>


If your first thought when hearing ‘get down from the car’ is that someone is standing on your hood, you’re probably not from southern Florida.

Researchers have identified new speech patterns and expressions in the greater Miami area that they believe are a new English dialect developed over time from repeated direct translations between Spanish and English speakers.   

The linguists compared local and national responses to over 50 turns of phrase that were increasingly common in Miami — like ‘get down from the car’ instead of ‘get out of the car.’

Those choices in words are because the standard Spanish phrase is ‘bajar del carro,’ and ‘bajar’ means ‘to get down.’ 

Locals were much more likely to rate these expressions as ‘okay’ or even ‘perfect’ compared to the majority of national subjects surveyed, who found phrases like ‘make the line’ for ‘wait in line’ to be ‘awkward.’

Linguists have identified a new English dialect in the greater Miami area, which they believe developed over time from repeated direct translations between Spanish and English speakers

Linguists have identified a new English dialect in the greater Miami area, which they believe developed over time from repeated direct translations between Spanish and English speakers

‘Words come from somewhere and someplace,’ wrote the study’s lead author Phillip Carter, a sociolinguist at Florida International University, for The Conversation.

‘Every word has a history. That goes for all words spoken in Miami.’ 

Carter and his coauthor, SUNY Buffalo linguist Kristen D’Allessandro Merii, identified three categories of borrowed phrases, or ‘claques,’ that have come into frequent use in Miami from direct Spanish-to-English translations between people.  

First, they found ‘literal lexical calques,’ or direct, word-for-word translations of many common Spanish phrases, in routine use around southern Florida.

For example, the researchers found residents said ‘throw a photo,’ from ‘tirar una foto,’ as a variation of ‘take a photo.’

Given this history, native Spanish speakers are much more likely to think of themselves as stepping ‘down’ from the car to the curb moreso than stepping ‘out’ of the car.

The second category the linguists found was ‘semantic calques’ based on unique double or multiple meanings for words in Spanish. The word ‘carne,’ for example, can translate to mean either all kinds of ‘meat’ or ‘beef’ specifically, depending on the context. 

‘We discovered local speakers saying ‘meat’ to refer specifically to ‘beef,” Carter wrote in a recent essay for The Conversation, ‘as in, ‘I’ll have one meat empanada and two chicken empanadas.”

Researchers at Florida International University and SUNY Buffalo compared local and national responses to over 50 turns of phrases that are newly common to Miami. Locals were much more likely to rate these expressions as 'okay' or even 'perfect' compared to national subjects

Researchers at Florida International University and SUNY Buffalo compared local and national responses to over 50 turns of phrases that are newly common to Miami. Locals were much more likely to rate these expressions as ‘okay’ or even ‘perfect’ compared to national subjects

Their last category, ‘phonetic calques,’ covered new phrases where aspects of a word’s Spanish equivalent carries over into the speaker’s English usage. 

According to Carter and Merii, many in Miami hold so closely hold ‘thanks’ and ‘gracias’ in their minds that they view the final ‘s’ as comparable. 

So, you’re more likely to hear someone say ‘Thanks God’ there, inspired by ‘gracias a Dios,’ than in most other parts of the United States.

The linguistic researchers collected their data by surveying the reactions of both first- and second-generation Cuban Americans in Miami, getting their reaction to different phrasings unique to their region. 

They pulled in a national perspective by conducting the same survey via Amazon’s crowdsourcing marketplace Mechanical Turk.

While their results, published in April in the academic journal English World-Wide, found that some claques faded out between the first and second generations of Cuban immigrants — some expressions stuck. 

Phrases like ‘get down from the car,’ ‘super hungry’ and ‘meat empanada’ were still commonly used among second-generation Cuban Americans. Even very particular phrasings, like ‘give me a chance’ meaning ‘let me cross,’ was used by both generations.

Many of these were phrases the national audience found via Mechanical Turk were more likely to rate as ‘awkward.’ 

National audiences were particularly baffled by ‘made the line’ used instead of ‘waiting in line’ and ‘eating shit’ as a euphemism for ‘doing nothing.’

‘This is how dialects are born,’ Carter said in a university press statement. ‘Minor things add up.’

‘This shows Miamians assess certain phrases differently and don’t see some examples as ‘ungrammatical,” he explained. ‘So, those are the ones that are passed down.’ 

Carter quickly points out how fluid and patchwork all human languages are. 

He said that what’s happening in Miami is not an entirely unique state of melding or some breakdown in English decorum, but the natural state of human speech over millennia.

Everyone may recognize the French origins of a word like ‘croissant’ or a phrase like ‘Déjà vu,’ but the English language is laced thoroughly with more borrowed loan words than most would recognize. 

‘Pajamas’ from Hindi; ‘gazelle’ from Arabic, via French; and ‘tsunami’ from Japanese,’ Carter noted. 

Each new introduction of foreign words into a new language brings with it the history that brought it there, in his view, be it through war, colonialism, immigration or other factors.

‘When we conduct research like this, it’s a reminder there aren’t ‘real’ or ‘pretend’ words,’ Carter said. ‘There are only words.’



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English TikToker who’s set up home in America reveals ‘the things that make no sense to a https://latestnews.top/english-tiktoker-whos-set-up-home-in-america-reveals-the-things-that-make-no-sense-to-a/ https://latestnews.top/english-tiktoker-whos-set-up-home-in-america-reveals-the-things-that-make-no-sense-to-a/#respond Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:26:14 +0000 https://latestnews.top/2023/06/02/english-tiktoker-whos-set-up-home-in-america-reveals-the-things-that-make-no-sense-to-a/ Melissa Herrera is originally from Norfolk but moved to South Carolina in August 2021 Moving from the UK to America can be a culture shock – and one British TikToker in the U.S is brilliantly capturing that experience. Melissa Herrera is originally from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, but moved to the Fort Mill area of South […]]]>


Melissa Herrera is originally from Norfolk but moved to South Carolina in August 2021

Melissa Herrera is originally from Norfolk but moved to South Carolina in August 2021

Moving from the UK to America can be a culture shock – and one British TikToker in the U.S is brilliantly capturing that experience.

Melissa Herrera is originally from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, but moved to the Fort Mill area of South Carolina in August 2021. She has made several videos about the things she finds ‘strange’ about life as a Brit in America and they’ve struck a chord with TikTok users – she’s garnered more than 74,000 followers on the video platform.

The video titles include ‘Things in American house that British people would find strange’, ‘Stuff in an American neighbourhood that makes no sense to a British person’ and ‘Things that scream I’m in America’.

In her videos, the 31-year-old documents uniquely American customs such as ‘weird’ drive-through ATMs, ‘odd’ outdoor TVs on porches and ‘glittery’ fake boulders that are designed to obscure neighbourhood power boxes.

Melissa has made several TikTok videos about the things she finds 'strange' about life as a Brit in America - such as drive-thru ATMs (above)

Melissa has made several TikTok videos about the things she finds ‘strange’ about life as a Brit in America – such as drive-thru ATMs (above)

The TikToker finds it 'odd' that some Americans have outdoor TVs on their porches

The TikToker finds it ‘odd’ that some Americans have outdoor TVs on their porches

Other unusual-for-British-people features she captures on camera include a drive-thru pharmacy (‘helpful if you’re really sick’); wreaths on doors (‘I don’t understand why, it’s not Christmas’); colourful flags pinned outside houses (‘I don’t know what the point of them is’); water coolers in homes (‘random’) and top-loading washing machines (‘I did not even know this was a washing machine when I came here… so strange’).

Melissa – who lives with her wife Stacie and their pet dogs – also captures people driving around her neighbourhood in golf buggies, signs outside houses to mark birthdays and graduations, and basketball hoops (‘every single house has a basketball hoop’).

She tells MailOnline Travel separately: ‘Everyone is very, very patriotic out here and I’d say a good 80 per cent of the houses all have the American flag hanging outside. Even when it’s not a special occasion.’

Other peculiar things she has noticed? In one clip, she reveals that she got fined for leaving their wheelie bins on show in front of their house, and in another, she points her camera at the ‘one and only’ roundabout that she has seen since being in America.

Melissa – who lives with her wife Stacie and their pet dogs - reveals how people drive around her neighbourhood in golf buggies

Melissa – who lives with her wife Stacie and their pet dogs – reveals how people drive around her neighbourhood in golf buggies

Above is a fake boulder designed to obscure neighbourhood power boxes

Above is a fake boulder designed to obscure neighbourhood power boxes

Melissa reveals that she got fined for leaving their wheelie bins on show in front of their house

Melissa reveals that she got fined for leaving their wheelie bins on show in front of their house 

Melissa's top-loading washing machine. She says: 'I did not even know this was a washing machine when I came here… so strange'

Some U.S homes have water coolers, which Melissa describes as 'random'

Pictured left is Melissa’s top-loading washing machine. She says: ‘I did not even know this was a washing machine when I came here… so strange’. Some U.S homes have water coolers (right), which Melissa describes as ‘random’

Melissa, who met her wife Stacie through TikTok and moved to America to be with her, is also amazed by the facilities in her residential community, which is run by a private ‘homeowner association’. Her videos show how the neighbourhood has its own clubhouse with a gym, as well as a private pool and a tennis court for residents to use. ‘[It] blows my mind because we would not have this in England in our neighbourhood,’ says the TikToker, who describes herself as a ‘full-time dog mum and housewife’.

A major plus point to such U.S neighbourhoods, she reveals, is their cleanliness. She says in a video: ‘Ten out of ten for the tidiness of the neighbourhoods in these areas. There’s no litter ever. Britain does not look like that.’ Melissa also notes that American street signs ‘look a lot more classy than the street signs in Britain’.

That said, she’s startled by the sheer size of everyday items and buildings in the U.S. The content creator says: ‘Everything is so, so much bigger here. It’s on a supersized level.’

Melissa explains: ‘The American houses I have seen and been in are all on a very, very large scale. We have two living rooms, four bathrooms, [and] walk-in closets in every room. [It’s] just very, very big, but in the area I am in this sized house is considered the “norm”.’

In one clip, Melissa points her camera at the 'one and only' roundabout that she has seen since being in America, noting that they're so unusual one-way signs are needed

In one clip, Melissa points her camera at the ‘one and only’ roundabout that she has seen since being in America, noting that they’re so unusual one-way signs are needed

A video shows how Melissa's neighbourhood has its own clubhouse with a gym, a private pool and a tennis court. '[It] blows my mind because we would not have this in England in our neighbourhood,' she says

A video shows how Melissa’s neighbourhood has its own clubhouse with a gym, a private pool and a tennis court. ‘[It] blows my mind because we would not have this in England in our neighbourhood,’ she says

Melissa's 'huge' bed. She says: 'Everything is so, so much bigger here.' And the steps? They're for the dogs

Melissa’s ‘huge’ bed. She says: ‘Everything is so, so much bigger here.’ And the steps? They’re for the dogs

Her videos hone in on her big pantry, her ‘mammoth’ fridge-freezer, a walk-in wardrobe that’s ‘the size of a bedroom’ and the ‘huge’ bed that ‘would not fit in any bedroom in England unless you lived in a mansion’.

In one, she turns her camera on a vast high school (‘the size of London’) and a ‘huge’ American liquor store, and remarks that ‘every single car is like an army tank’.

What are the biggest positives to life stateside? Melissa muses: ‘The best thing I have found about living in America is definitely the nicer weather we have here in South Carolina. The beaches are a lot nicer.’

She also highlights ‘the convenience’ of life in the east coast state, noting how ‘the stores are nearly all open twenty-four-seven’ and ‘you can have anything and everything delivered to your house’. Melissa notes: ‘I also love that you can go to a normal mall here nearby where you live and buy designer make-up and clothes, whereas in the UK you have to go to specialist shopping centres.’

Melissa with her wife Stacie at the World Trade Center station in New York

Melissa with her wife Stacie at the World Trade Center station in New York 

Melissa with her dog Vincent. She describes herself as a 'full-time dog mum and housewife'

Melissa with her dog Vincent. She describes herself as a ‘full-time dog mum and housewife’

And the low lights? Melissa reveals: ‘The worst thing about living in America is that absolutely nothing is familiar or even similar to the UK. It never really feels like “home”. I have found the food here to not be very nice as they put a lot of extra stuff into their produce which we do not have in the UK. I miss English Sunday roasts so, so much!’

The TikToker adds that, in her opinion, McDonald’s in the U.S’ tastes disgusting’ compared to the chain’s food in the UK.

On top of that, she misses driving in the UK, saying: ‘In America, it’s so, so big I never know where I’m going and everything seems to be a long drive away.’

Melissa’s experience of adapting to the American lifestyle hasn’t been plain sailing. She says: ‘In all honesty, I am a true Brit through and through and have really struggled to adjust to life in the USA.

‘I may be biased, but I think the Brits do everything better on the whole! Our food is better, our sense of humour is better, and our restaurants are nicer. I really could go on but don’t want the whole of America to hate me!’

Reacting to Melissa’s videos, some American TikTokers highlighted how different life in South Carolina looks compared to everyday life in other parts of the country. User Brian Allen wrote: ‘Looks completely different than where I live in USA. Interesting.’ And user ‘No’ wrote: ‘I don’t live in this type of USA.’

One user, meanwhile, was impressed by the drive-thru concept. Alice Darrand wrote: ‘What! A drive-thru ATM, that’s something Great Britain should invest in!’

To see more videos from Melissa, follow her on TikTok at tiktok.com.



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