Britains

Ex-Prince Andrew was the tip of the iceberg. The latest trove of Epstein files reveals new details about former UK envoy Peter Mandelson’s ‘best pal’ relationship with the convicted sex offender that have pushed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour into a new crisis. Is this the scandal that defines Labour?

In this episode: 

• Kieran Andrieu (@kieran_andrieu) Political Economist and Novara Media contributor

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Melanie Marich, with Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe Li, Spencer Cline, Maya Hamadeh, Tuleen Barakat, Sonia Bhagat and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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GAUDY arcades, faded bucket and spade shops and donkey rides on the beach. You may call Blackpool stuck in the past, but I think it’s timeless.

Recently named as one of the best big towns in the UK, Blackpool may be about to see a resurgence.

As Britain’s original seaside holiday resort, this sometimes sunny stretch on the Lancashire coast embodies everything us Brits want from a holiday.

Blackpool, with its seven-mile sandy beach, three pleasure piers, seafront theme park and iconic tower landmark has everything you need for a family holiday – and unlike other coastal towns in the UK – can be enjoyed at an affordable cost.

As a travel writer and content creator, I travel almost every month for work and I’m lucky enough to have been to many of the world’s best holiday destinations, such as New York City, Thailand, Australia and Florida.

In fact, as a Disney travel expert, I’ve been to Disney World more than 50 times, but but I’ve had just as much fun on a weekend in Blackpool as I have at the Florida theme park.

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I live in London now and I also lived in Los Angeles in my 20s, but Blackpool has always held a special place in my heart. I know I will always go back.

Being from a working-class family, overseas family holidays were not something we did very often when I was growing up.

Instead, we would get the train to destinations like Weymouth, Margate and Blackpool from London.

No passport required, but holidays were still the most exciting thing we did every year.

Blackpool was always my favourite.

The seafront was so exciting. We would always walk from the station, passing B&Bs with neon Vacancy signs glowing in the window, that always smelled like egg and chips.

The Blackpool illuminations were dazzling for a little kid like me. Designed in 1879 as an ‘artificial sunlight’ attraction, this appeal has never faded.

Modern light trails and events are popping up from Land’s End to the Scottish Highlands these days – and often charge guests to enter. Even in 2026, Blackpool’s illuminations are still completely free to enjoy.

Who needs Vegas? The Blackpool arcades would be flashing and whirring, luring you inside to win big on the 2p machines. With the great British weather, this was often a necessary past time.

I became a master at winning naff pastel-coloured teddy bears in the grabber machine.

As a theme park nerd, something I inherited from my dad, Blackpool Pleasure Beach was my Disneyland.

The Big Dipper, a wooden rollercoaster built in 1923 and still going strong, was my first thrill ride. Being tall enough to ride this was like graduating tweenhood. My dad was thrilled as he finally had a rollercoaster buddy.

When The Big One opened in 1994, it was the highlight of the holiday. I was 12. From the top of the 235ft drop, you can see the whole of Blackpool Seafront laid out in front of you. It’s spectacular.

As you tip over the edge and race to the ground at 85mph with the wind in your hair, it’s exhilarating. For 12-year-old me, I was on the top of world.

Family holidays these days feel far more complicated. Even with short breaks in the UK, costs can add up.

I often want to create the wholesome British beach breaks of my childhood, but many destinations feel very different.

Some UK hotspots cost more than flying abroad. But, nabbing a great deal overseas can sometimes be stressful, confusing and time consuming.

Then you have to factor in long travel days, airports and finding somewhere with something for everyone that comes in under budget.

Like most parents, if I can take advantage of a kid’s club or send my two children on the rides together, while I wave from the side-line, I will. Life is busy these days and even 10 mins of peace can feel like a mini break.

But Blackpool hasn’t changed much since my memories of the early 90s.

Everything can be enjoyed together. Paddling on the beach, sharing a bag of chips, screaming in the lift to the top of the Blackpool Tower and enjoying the famous Blackpool Tower Circus.

The foundation for family fun is at the heart of this seaside town and I think it always will be.

Unlike many places which jump between personalities, Blackpool has always known its place – and better still, been proud of it.

I have gone back many times. I’ve also sold my friends on to Blackpool’s charms and we try to get a girls’ weekend in every couple of years too.

It’s an ideal weekend break for all ages.

Bursting onto the scene as a leisure destination for industrial workers and working-class families, in over 150 years, nothing has changed.

While other seaside towns have been infiltrated with artisan coffee shops, art galleries and trendy crowds migrating from the big cities, sending house prices and rents through the roof, Blackpool is still an affordable place to live and visit.

It’s not the spot for a delicate macaron or an eye-wateringly expensive afternoon tea.

But if you’re happy with a £2 doughnut and a hot cocoa in a paper cup, you can enjoy a great snack with sea views for under a fiver.

Budget-conscious visitors can get a decent hotel room for only £17 per night. Haven Morten Mare Holiday Park, just 15-minutes down the road has deals for £112 for a weekend for the whole family.

Attractions like the Blackpool Illuminations, Stanley Park, the promenade and piers are all free to experience. There are sometimes deals to enter Blackpool Pleasure Beach theme park for only £10 too.

As a mum, knowing I won’t be racking up a huge debt makes holidays less stressful from the start.

My kids are far more travelled than I was at their age, but I have noticed that spending big doesn’t always make them happiest on holiday.

Kids, like me and like my parents 30 years ago, just want to let off steam, have a bit of fun and have a bit of a break from life.

You don’t have to spend a lot to get that, especially in Blackpool.

I do sometimes splash out though. Mr Whippy with two flakes? Oh go on then.

A MUCH-LOVED family theme park has reassured Brits that it will still reopen to the public, despite entering liquidation last week.

Brean Theme Park in Somerset claims to be the ‘biggest free-entry theme park’ in the UK.

However, last week The Gazette – the UK’s official public record – published ‘resolutions for winding up’ for the company, meaning that it must cease trading and in other words, close.

However, in a turn of events, the theme park is now under a new organisational structure and is preparing to open in just weeks.

Peter Mainwaring, general manager, said: “We are working hard behind the scenes and will reopen for the 2026 summer season from Easter.

“Although the group structure has changed, our loyal visitors will still enjoy the same park, the same team, and the same great day out.

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The message also told fans to keep an eye on social media for updates on the park.

He added: “For clarity, Brean Theme Park is not owned by Unity Holidays.

“We operate as a fully independent business and lease land from them.

“We look forward to continuing to work together.

“Preparations are underway and we can’t wait to welcome you back very soon.”

Many excited fans also took to social media to express their happiness at the news.

One said: “This is good news. My children were quite upset to hear it may close.

“I will definitely be coming for our annual visits.”

Another added: “Brilliant news, that’s defo now been added to my list to visit ASAP and support.”

A third commented: “Aw what a relief – my kids look forward to going every summer holidays and other times when we can.

“They were gutted to hear the sad news last week but [are] thrilled now.”

Brean Theme Park originally opened back in 1946 as a campsite and today is home to over 40 rides including indoor and outdoor rollercoasters, carousels, crazy boats and dodgems.

It even has a ghost train, which according to the attraction’s website, is the best in the UK.

The park is usually open seasonally between March and October.

And even though entry is free, each ride costs a certain amount of credits which can be bought when you arrive at the attraction.

In other theme park news, here is the UK’s strangest (and coolest) theme park, which launches a new ‘crazy trikes’ attraction for 2026.

Plus, world’s first Paw Patrol land opens at UK theme park in weeks – here’s what it’ll look like.

BRITAIN’S busiest station will be hit by a string of closures which will impact millions of passengers for the whole of next month.

Network Rail explained the closures will enable vital maintenance, renewals and repairs to be undertaken.

Rail bosses have revealed plans for an entire month’s worth of major disruption at Liverpool Street Station.

All routes and services to and from the station will be impacted by works throughout the month of March.

Liverpool Street’s mainline station along with its concourse will close for a total of five days but these will be spaced out throughout the month.

The closures will impact Elizabeth line, London Overground and National Rail services, including Greater Anglia and c2c.

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However, the closures are planned for the weekends only and should not affect week day journeys.

On March 15th the whole station will be closed and London overground services will run from London Fields.

There will therefore be no access to the main concourse. but the Elizabeth line services will be running.

On March 21-22, the Elizabeth line services will again be running, but again there will be no access to the main concourse as the station will be closed.

There will be no Overground Weaver line trains on both of these days and on March 22 there will be no Elizabeth line trains.

The whole station including the concourse will be closed once more during March 28-29 and there will be no Overground Weaver line trains on both days.

Although the Elizabeth line trains will continue to run – there will be no access to the station on those dates.

Last year it was confirmed that Liverpool Street is the busiest train station in the UK.

BRITAIN’S first-ever Michelin breakfast tasting menu has just arrived – but how does it really compare to a cheap fry up?

The five-course meal is found at the Four Seasons Hotel’s Pavyllon restaurant on London’s swanky Park Lane, setting you back a whopping £70 for the ‘basic’ option.

On the menu are lobster dishes and decadent French toast – for an extra slice of luxury, you can even add a side of caviar at an extra fiver A GRAM. 

Bizarrely there’s not even a whiff of a Full English listed on the extravagant menu, and a morning cuppa will add even more to the extortionate price.

And if you go for the £20 juice pairings and add 15 per cent service charge, the bill tops £100 a head.

But is it worth it? I decided to give the fine dining option a go and compare it to my favourite fry-up at the Regency Café just over a mile away in Pimlico – which is a tenth of the price.

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Pavyllon’s £100 breakfast

The tasting menu, only available at weekends, kicks off with a sweet pastry. 

From the tray of delightful-looking tarts our friendly waiter brought over I picked out the ‘special’ – a light, crisp and buttery pastry filled with gooey pistachio cream and glazed with clementine marmalade. 

As I’d added in the drinks pairing I washed it down with a tiny cold moka, a chocolate-infused coffee topped with Chantilly cream. 

Up next was a lobster croast – a Pavyllon invention where the topping sits on a toasted croissant. 

As tasting menu diners are seated at a counter around the open-plan kitchen I could watch senior sous chef Nicholas Bussi prepare it, delicately dolloping spoonfuls of lobster mayo onto the croissant followed by rocket leaves and heaps of freshly grated parmesan.

It tasted out of this world, while the pineapple and cherry juice pairing added a sharp hit.

Then came a chia seed pudding soaked overnight in coconut milk and served with sticky mango and pineapple pieces. 

A sprinkling of salt added a twist, although the celery and apple juice pairing failed to excite. 

Next, eschewing the egg muffin which came with the optional caviar – the Benedict version had the menu’s only bacon – I chose instead the chef’s weekly special.

The beautiful wafer-thin omelette filled with prawns and cod roe in a lobster bisque was the stuff of dreams and came paired with a beetroot flavoured alcoholic-free kir royale.

Somehow I managed to squeeze in an indulgent French toast, made with brioche-style bread and caramelised hazelnut and tasting like your gran’s best-ever bread and butter pudding. 

A couple of cappuccinos added a further £16 to the bill so with the 15 per cent service charge, my bill ended up coming out to a staggering £121.90.

The Regency Café’s £10 breakfast

This well-known greasy spoon is decidedly down-to-earth, with formica tables, traditional half-mast checked café curtains and black and white photographs.

The 80-year-old caff may seem familiar – it’s appeared in films and TV shows like Layer Cake and Judge John Deed. 

If you go on a Saturday (it’s closed on Sundays) you’ll likely have to queue to get served at the counter. 

But when I visited on a wet Wednesday I could order immediately and opted for the popular set breakfast – two bacon rashers, a sausage, a fried egg, tomatoes or beans plus bread or toast and a mug of tea or instant coffee. 

Priced at a very reasonable £9.99 you can also add extras like bubble and squeak for £1.75 or chips for £3.50.

I managed to find myself a table, and tucked in. My bacon was done to perfection – thick cut and browned to a crisp yet chewy in the middle. 

The chunky banger was beautifully seared while the tomatoes were lightly singed on top yet juicy inside. 

My egg was slightly overdone – no oozing yolk – and if I was being picky I’d have liked more butter to smear on my white sliced toast. 

The tea however was tasty and piping hot.(Just don’t ask for anything fancy like a cappuccino – I’d asked for decaf tea and was told sternly, “Eh? We have tea.”). 

None of the meal was greasy and afterwards I was comfortably full without that sickly-stuffed feeling. 

Verdict

When it comes to the Pavyllon breakfast taster menu, the variety and the surprise element kept adding exciting twists.

I’m still dreaming of that lobster croast which I would happily have by itself without the rest of the menu.

And with the experience lasting a leisurely two hours, I didn’t need to eat again for most of the day.

But I’ve got to agree with social media reviews – The Regency Cafe is surely London’s best fry-up.

While the eggs were the slightly let down, I was seriously impressed with how well cooked the bacon and sausages were.

And at £10 it’s fantastic value for money – so with the alternative being a £120 pricetag? I’ll stick with the greasy spoon, thanks. 

A pretty English village looks like a postcard, but it’s also one of the UK’s most expensive

Tucked away in a tranquil corner of the Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary lies a charming village that’s earned a reputation as one of Britain’s “poshest villages”. South Pool in Devon boasts picture-perfect cottages with thatched roofs, set against a backdrop of lush, verdant hillsides.

Those who’ve visited describe “glorious Devon countryside” as well as praising the unique free house pub located here. This diminutive village is home to around 150 residents, guaranteeing plenty of peace and tranquillity.

Yet property prices in this idyllic spot average around £410,000 based on the past year’s sales figures, according to Zoopla. The village recently secured its place among Britain’s 48 “poshest villages” in The Telegraph’s rankings. South Pool also featured in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2022 list of the UK’s 20 most stunning villages.

Despite its modest size, the village boasts rich heritage, with its historic buildings and meandering lanes “would befit any chocolate box or postcard”, according to local holiday lettings company Toad Hall Cottages. They’ve also dubbed the village one of the area’s “hidden gems”, reports the Express.

At the village’s highest point stands a Grade-I listed church, believed to have been built in 1318. There’s also the Millbrook Inn, a celebrated gastropub that’s accessible on foot, by car and, unusually, by boat.

Tucked away where land meets water, perched at the head of a tidal inlet on the Salcombe estuary, the Millbrook Inn bills itself as a “hidden haven” where visitors arriving by canoe, boat and even paddle board can stop off for a pint of local brew or a freshly prepared pub favourite.

A recent visitor to the much-loved pub reviewed their experience on TripAdvisor, writing: “A return visit for a spot of lunch at this wonderful freehouse village pub. Situated by the stream in the centre of South Pool, probably one of the prettiest villages deep in the glorious Devon countryside.

“A hearty soup of the day with crusty fresh bread and a decent amount of butter. Quality paper napkins. It’s the little things that count. Log fire, doggy friendly cosy bar area. “

The surrounding picturesque English countryside provides the perfect setting for this charming village and pub, with rolling fields and lush greenery stretching to the horizon. The panoramic vistas are especially breath-taking during summer when sunshine bathes the nearby hills in golden light.

Given its proximity to the tranquil backwaters of the South Hams, aquatic pursuits prove hugely popular locally, from guided canoe excursions to stand-up paddle boarding adventures. The settlement also offers convenient access to nearby coastal spots, such as Lancombe Beach, South Sands Beach and Salcombe North Sands.

Naturally, rural life comes with a hefty price tag. The Telegraph reports that some of the area’s priciest homes have changed hands for as much as “£844,429”.

Village life in this sought-after location commands a premium when buying a home in the vicinity, with the equally pricey Devon town of Salcombe neighbouring South Pool.

Several of the properties in these locations, once family homes not so long ago, are now listed as “secret getaways” on short lettings sites such as Airbnb.