Author: News Desk

When hippy squatters took over a multi-million pound Piccadilly mansion | UK News It was the summer of ’69, and just like the Bryan Adams song, Richie Garnder, 17, thought the summer would last forever. Richie was a hippy. That counter-culture of mushroom-munching, ‘peace not war’, shower-avoiding people – at least, to the tabloids. The busker and musician spent the summer squatting at derelict buildings on Endell Street and Broad Court in central London. He and his fellow occupiers were among the founding members of the London Street Commune. But Richie, now 72, way prefers being called a ‘freak’, a…

The UK’s best croissant has been revealed and it costs just £3.45 from ‘divine’ bakery If you’re going to judge a bakery on one item, it should be their croissant. The flaky, buttery treat is a classic for a reason, but it’s a fact that not all are made equal, and nothing compares to the joy of biting into a perfectly crisp yet sumptuously soft croissant. While many will head to Paris to have the finest pastries from the likes of Cédric Grolet, you don’t have to hop on the Eurostar to get your fill. The UK is home to…

Woman last seen on night out in Soho a week ago found dead | UK News A ‘vivacious, outspoken and glamorous’ woman has been found dead after disappearing more than a week ago. Natasha Reddington-Romanov, 55, was last seen walking from the jazz club Trisha’s in Soho, London, towards Bateman Street between 1.45am and 2am on September 20. She didn’t show up to work on Monday, prompting a frantic search for the ‘much loved’ Londoner. But police confirmed today that a body was found in the River Thames near Vauxhall Bridge, about two miles south of Soho, on Saturday. ‘The death is…

Rick Stein says he opened first restaurant to avoid bankruptcy after police shut down his nightclub Rick Stein has said he got into the restaurant business to avoid bankruptcy after his nightclub venture was shut down by the police. The chef and restaurateur discussed his businesses and the evolution of British cuisine during a wide-ranging talk at a sold-out event at the Henley Literary Festival. The Independent is the festival’s exclusive news partner for the second year in a row. Speaking about how his first restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall came about, as he looks towards its upcoming 50th anniversary, he…

Tory grandees warn of ‘monumental’ party rebuild as infighting breaks out on eve of conference Tory grandees have warned the Conservative Party leadership candidates not to play into the hands of Reform UK as the contest threatens to spiral into infighting with the annual conference set to start on Sunday in Birmingham. As MPs and activists flock to the International Convention Centre, former prime minister Theresa May and ex-Tory leader William Hague said those vying to replace Rishi Sunak need to acknowledge the scale of the defeat suffered by the Conservatives in July. Lord Hague said the party must understand…

Boris Johnson says he was asked to give Harry ‘manly pep talk’; Palace sources deny claim – Royal news live Sources close to Buckingham Palace have denied that Boris Johnson was asked to give Prince Harry a “manly pep talk” to convince him not to step away from royal duties in January 2020. The former prime minister claimed in his new book Unleashed that officials from the palace and Downing Street had asked him to intervene, which he described as “totally hopeless”. However, sources familiar with these meetings have told The Telegraph that no such request as made. This comes…

Rosie Duffield slates Labour ‘sleaze and nepotism’ as MP Rosie Duffield has resigned the Labour whip, accusing the prime minister of “hypocrisy” and pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies. In a resignation letter, Ms Duffield attacked Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test winter fuel payments. In her resignation letter, she wrote: “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale.” Ms Duffield, who will sit as an independent, also slated Sir Keir’s acceptance of more than £100,000 of freebies including clothes. Earlier, Kemi Badenoch warned that Tory members will be “very angry” if MPs…

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield’s resignation letter in full Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailGet our free View from Westminster emailRosie Duffield has quit as a Labour MP, criticising leader Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners and also his decision to retain the two-child benefit cap for parents.In a three-page letter, published in the Sunday Times, she also slammed his treatment of fellow MP Diane Abbot, as well as his “managerial style and technocratic approach.”She plans to sit as…

Uefa has reopened the bidding for stadiums to host the 2027 Champions League final, after the match was stripped from Milan. The San Siro was to be the venue for the showcase final but, after Milan officials failed to assure Uefa that planned redevelopment work would not hamper the event, European football’s governing body opted to take it away from them. AC Milan and Inter Milan are considering building a new stadium in the San Siro area. The new host stadium for the 2027 final is expected to be announced in May or June 2025. The decision was taken at…

‘Nothing good ever happens after 2am’ – the rise of the daytime ravers With a nightclub shutting down every two days, we are just six years from the UK becoming a cultural desert after midnight. Economic problems in the industry, the rise of the sober curious movement and the cost of living are among the myriad reasons that clubs are shutting down, and if they are to follow this trajectory, from 2030, there will be nowhere left to dance until dawn, according to a troubling report from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). But all is not lost, apparently. Clubs…