Chaos at Heathrow as burst water pipe causes train cancellations May 30, 2026 Passengers are facing major travel disruption travelling to and from Heathrow airport after a burst pipe ground train services to a halt earlier today. Transport for London said there were no services on the Elizabeth Line between Hayes and Harlington and Heathrow due to a signal failure caused by flooding at Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3. The Heathrow Express was also affected [...]
Can Newcastle go posh? Our honest review of city’s first five-star hotel May 29, 2026 In a far cry from the late noughties zeitgeist of Geordie Shore, Hotel Gotham offers a fresh brand of sexy that differentiates Newcastle from its MTV days. Once famous as the hangout for characters from that reality show, like Scotty T and Gary ‘the parsnip’ Beadle, Newcastle has quietly been building a higher-end repertoire of [...]
Turbulence for Luton as court decides if expansion project can leave the ground May 19, 2026 The Court of Appeal will today hear a challenge to the government-approved expansion of Luton Airport from an environmental group over whether the development should have been green-lit last year. The dispute was escalated to the appeals court by the campaign group, Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN), who brought [...]
Why now is the perfect time to visit Cyprus May 16, 2026 There are many reasons why Brits love holidaying in Cyprus. The weather, of course, but then there is the driving on the same side of the road, the plugs are the same and communication is easy. “As my mother used to say” says Mario, my excellent guide, “even our cat speaks English”. Competition may come [...]
‘An impish sense of fun’: Claridge’s announces new era with fresh restaurant May 15, 2026 Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair has traded on its British history ever since Queen Victoria chose it as her preferred choice for a cocktail. The late Queen was another fan of the property, which first opened in 1812. But the hotel has experimented with that image lately, welcoming a kitchen takeover from New York restaurant Dante. [...]
Pan Pacific London director: The City is ‘incredibly special’ May 15, 2026 We have launched the Toast the City awards 2026 and throughout the year we’ll be speaking to some of the nominees. Today we caught up with Pan Pacific London director of marketing communications Michelle Whittemore, whose hotel has been nominated in the Best Overnight Experience category. To nominate your favourite Square Mile spots, from bars [...]
Why Uzbekistan is the pick of the Silk Road, with amazing food and design May 15, 2026 The Silk Road is calling. You no longer need a Bactrian camel, and with a fair wind, you can fly from London to Tashkent in the same time it would take you to travel by train to Penzance or Glasgow. For the first time in history, Uzbekistan is a viable destination for a long weekend. [...]
P&O Ferries hikes prices as Iran war puts holidays on brink May 10, 2026 Leading ferry operator P&O Ferries is saddling holidaymakers with up to £50 surcharges as the Iran war threatens to derail Brits’ summer holidays. P&O, which is owned by Dubai-based DP World, has said it will impose one-way surcharges of £27 per vehicle for its route between Hull and Rotterdam, meaning passengers will pay £54 more [...]
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin clashes with Ryanair over airport breakfast booze May 7, 2026 The boss of JD Wetherspoon has clashed with the chief of budget airline Rynair over calls for airports to crack down on early morning drinking. Tim Martin, chair of the UK’s best-known pub chain, has said regulating alcohol consumption at airports is a “Big Brother” approach which could lead to passengers being breathalysed. Ryanair boss [...]
Two million global airline seats cut as jet fuel shortage grounds travel May 6, 2026 Airlines are preparing to slash millions of seats from this month’s schedule, as the Middle East conflict and soaring jet fuel prices drive up costs ahead of the industry’s busiest travel season. Some 13,000 flights have been removed from May schedules worldwide, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium. Istanbul, one of the [...]