Holidays

La Super-Rica is a California original, a culinary mecca in a taco shack setting devoted to chile, cheese, charred meat and masa. It’s true that there are other Santa Barbara taquerias with more inventive salsas (pistachio at Mony’s) or adventurous cuts of meat (beef head, cheek or lip tacos at Lilly’s, with eye and tripas on weekends). And, yes, you will be standing in the fast-moving line with other out-of-towners who may have read about the long-ago accolades from Julia Child or spotted a replica of the white-and-aqua stand in Katy Perry’s “This Is How We Do” video. Yet as an Angeleno with hometown access to some of the world’s best tacos from nearly every Mexican region, I rarely pass the Milpas Street exit off the 101 without joining the crowd. My late husband and this paper’s former restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold, was a Super-Rica partisan, and both of my now-grown children remain loyal to the restaurant founded in 1980 by Isidoro Gonzalez. But it’s not nostalgia that brings me back. I’m here for the tacos de rajas, strips of pasilla chiles, onions and cheese melded onto tortillas constantly being patted and pressed from the snow drift of masa behind Gonzalez as he takes your order; for the crisp-edged marinated pork adobado, either in a taco or in the Super-Rica Especial with pasillas and cheese; for the chorizo, sliced and crumbled into a bowl of queso; or for the tri-tip alambre with sauteed bell peppers, onion and bacon. It’s never easy to decide, especially with Gonzalez’s board of specials. But I never leave without Super-Rica’s soupy, smoky pinto beans with charred bits of chorizo, bacon and chile.

Listen. That’s the low hum of the highway you hear behind me, offset by the rumble of the ice machine down the breezeway. We gather today to celebrate the motel, a uniquely American creature, conceived in California through the unholy embrace of the automobile and the hotel.

Since that beginning in 1925, motels have multiplied like bunnies. They have been implicated in countless crimes and liaisons. They have been elevated by some savvy architects, undercut by assorted chain operations and frequently left for dead by the side of the road.

Yet certain survivors have done some dramatic social climbing, especially lately. Plenty of motels have moved from budget to boutique, often renaming themselves as inns, lodges or hotels and capitalizing on their vintage looks. Like turntables, typewriters, tiki bars and film cameras, these midcentury motels are back, seducing millennials, Gen Z and baby boomers like the character Johnny Rose on the beloved TV series “Schitt’s Creek.”

“I always saw motels as a last resort, a dreaded pit stop,” said Rose, played by Eugene Levy, pitching Wall Street investors. “But I was wrong. Motels have the potential of offering a window into the unique charm of small-town life.”

He vows “to revitalize the classic roadside motel for a new generation.”

Out here in the real world, it’s happening.

Nowadays you can spend $1,000 a night in a born-again California motel. You can order “eight-minute eggs” with your Champagne brunch (Le Petit Pali, Carmel), browse in a curated bodega (Hotel Wren, Twentynine Palms), nosh on caviar (Skyview Los Alamos), borrow a small car (Surfrider Hotel, Malibu), or ease the planet’s miseries by reaching for tree-free toilet paper (Pearl Hotel, San Diego).

Yet if you’re nervous about money in these nerve-racking times, you can still find a mom-and-pop operation with high standards, a long family history and — sometimes — rates that dip under $100. You can even find one of those that features concrete teepees (San Bernardino’s Wigwam Motel, run by a family with roots in India).

In other words, it’s a wide, wide motel world out there, too broad to fit into one road trip. And so, in honor of the motel centennial, I took a road trip. Well, a few road trips.

All told, I covered about 2,500 miles, all within California, stalking properties born between 1925 and 1970, avoiding the big chains, sleeping in a new room every night. The way I defined a motel? If a lodging’s guest rooms open directly to the outdoors and there’s a parking lot handy, industry experts say, it probably was born as a motel or motor lodge. Especially if it’s a low-rise building with fewer than 60 rooms, brick walls and a VACANCY sign visible from the street. But owners can call their lodgings what they like — or turn them to other uses.

On the way, I found a few landmark motels that don’t take overnight guests at all. I also learned how the state’s Project Homekey — conceived to house people at risk of homelessness — bankrolled the purchase and conversion of more than 30 Southern California motels and hotels from 2020 to 2024, with mixed results.

Now, buckle up and let’s roll the montage of old postcards, weathered neon signs and swooping Googie rooflines, then zoom to the spot where motel history began.

The Mo-Tel is born

The first stop, I knew, needed to be a scruffy lot alongside U.S. 101 at the eastern edge of San Luis Obispo.

This is where a car-loving Pasadena architect named Arthur Heineman opened his first roadside lodging in December 1925, less than a year before Route 66 connected Chicago to Los Angeles. Having seen the first vacation camps and motor courts spring up across the country, Heineman hatched the idea of building one midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

After a few false starts, he called his place the Milestone Mo-Tel, combining motor and hotel. Later it became the Motel Inn. Heineman gave the buildings Mission Revival features and planned to build 18 statewide, his own mission system.

That never happened. But Heineman’s lodging endured for decades and the word motel caught on. As the automobile transformed American life and roadside commercial culture lit up like a new neon light, that word spread.

But we’re not lingering at the Motel Inn. It shut down in 1991 and much of the old complex has been leveled. Despite a proposal for a new hotel that got local planning commission approval in 2023, the site remained idle as of March 7. An uninspiring sign still stands, along with a Mission-style office building, bell tower and a single wall from the old restaurant. For someone who prizes roadside Americana, this is the visual version of the sad trombone sound.

Fortunately, the Madonna Inn — the visual version of an accordion orchestra — is just three miles away. Under a big pink sign.

When one California castle is not enough

Nowadays the Madonna Inn is a vast enterprise with restaurants, bakery, bar, stables next door and 110 guest rooms — each different, each with its own postcard in the inn’s three gift shops. It’s so ornate, so frothy with kitsch, you have to smile. But when Alex and Phyllis Madonna opened in late 1958, the inn was a 12-room experiment.

The timing must have seemed right. Motels had been multiplying nationwide for more than 30 years, often adding swimming pools to lure more families or adopting elaborate themes to stand apart.

On Columbus Avenue in San Francisco, a circular Villa Roma motor hotel rose up (until it was leveled in the ’80s). Farther north in Crescent City, a man named Tom Wyllie built the 36-room Curly Redwood Lodge out of a single redwood tree in 1957. You can still sleep there, often for less than $80.

But here’s what gave the Madonnas a crucial boost on their motel in San Luis Obispo: Earlier that year, the state of California had opened the ornately furnished Hearst Castle in nearby San Simeon as a tourist attraction. Once the Madonna Inn opened that December, a traveler from L.A. could sleep at one lavishly decorated only-in-California castle on the way to another. Legions still do.

“It is the grandest motel of them all,” roadside design expert John Margolies once wrote, “and it is the definitive expression of an individually owned and operated hostelry — light-years removed from the almost scientific sameness of the large franchised chains.”

Boom, bust and boom again in San Francisco

From San Luis Obispo I drove on to San Francisco, ignoring Union Square, North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf, heading for the straight part of Lombard Street. That’s the part that carries U.S. 101 traffic through the Marina district on its way to the Golden Gate Bridge, and it’s full of old motels. In their vintage signs and often-weary façades, you can see proof of the industry’s boom and the decline that followed.

How ubiquitous did motels get? By 1964 there were 61,000 motels across the U.S. It’s hard to imagine there were ever so many, until you peek at @deadmotelsUSA or @merchmotel on Instagram or you’ve come across Heather M. David’s splendid 2017 coffee table book, “Motel California.”

Alas, by 1964, they were already beginning to get less interesting. Once the first generation of mom-and-pop motels prospered, the first chain operations arose and followed, targeting travelers who wanted no surprises. Two of the biggest chains, in fact, were born in Southern California — Motel 6 in Santa Barbara and Travelodge in San Diego.

As the national freeway system grew through the 1960s and ’70s, more chain operations positioned themselves to collect freeway drivers. Along the now-much-quieter highway, the old mom-and-pop operations died off or were gobbled up and “reflagged” by the chains.

By 1980, the freeway system and the chain hotels were thriving. Motels, not so much.

But in 1987 — in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, of all places — a 26-year-old Stanford MBA named Chip Conley tried something that changed the motel narrative. He bought a bedraggled old place called the Caravan Lodge and dubbed it the Phoenix, with Miss Pearl’s Jam House as its on-site restaurant and bar. Then he positioned the property as a hotelier’s version of Rolling Stone magazine, all wrapped around a playfully painted pool. And he offered free massages and bus parking to touring musicians’ road managers.

And lo, the bands came, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sinead O’Connor, M.C. Hammer, k.d. lang, Laurie Anderson, Etta James, David Bowie, Bo Diddley and Deborah Harry. As the Phoenix flourished, Conley revived dozens more motels and small hotels, conceived a brand called Joie de Vivre, then sold it to Marriott.

The Phoenix has less momentum now. Its restaurant opens only for special events and the Tenderloin’s crime and blight persist. If I were in the city with children, I’d sooner stay near Lombard Street at the Motel Capri or Hotel Del Sol (which charges a staggering $45 for parking but has a pool).

Then again, a new owner took over the Phoenix last August — Michel Suas, a celebrated Bay Area pastry chef. If any Phoenix can rise from the ashes twice, it’s this one.

Rethinking rooms for a new generation

Meanwhile, up and down California, there’s a new generation of motel entrepreneurs and designers following Conley’s lead, rethinking what it means to be a motel. Though the nationwide number of motels dwindled to an estimated 16,000 by 2012, reclamation projects have been multiplying.

Kenny Osehan’s Ojai-based Shelter Social Club manages six reclaimed California motels in Ojai, Santa Barbara, Los Alamos and Solvang.

The Beverly Hills-based Kirkwood Collection includes 11 redone California motels and hotels.

The Southern California-based brand Casetta has opened four redone Southern California motels and hotels, with two more opening soon in Los Angeles and Taos, N.M.

The San Luis Obispo-based Nomada Hotel Group has relaunched five motels and hotels along the Central Coast.

None of those companies existed before 2012. All are still growing and trading on the idea that a lodging with 30 rooms feels friendlier than one with 300.

Drive south from San Francisco with a motel geek — which you’re now doing, by the way — and the born-again motel variations roll past like Kodachrome images in a slide show.

At the Glen Oaks Resort Adobe Motor Lodge in Big Sur, the rooms huddle at the edge of a thick forest. You turn an old-school metal key in your door and find a room full of stylishly recycled furnishings — woodsy but luxe, with yoga mats leaning in a corner.

At the Cambria Beach Lodge, where once you might have found a bedside Gideon Bible or a Magic Fingers vibrating mattress, now you borrow a bike to ride by Moonstone Beach or bathe with some of the motel’s goat’s milk soap.

Rolling through Paso Robles, you confront a generational motel choice. You can seek reassurance at the Melody Ranch Motel with its tidy, basic rooms, Gideon Bibles, second-generation family management and rates around $100 a night. Or you can head to Farmhouse Paso Robles or the River Lodge, both of which have been updated dramatically by the Nomada Group.

“It’s not that we set out to refurbish motels, necessarily,” Nomada partner and creative director Kimberly Walker told me. “One thing we are passionate about is giving old buildings a new chapter. We can’t ever see ourselves buying a piece of land and starting from scratch.”

With the best old motels, “There was just so much personality and thought put into what these buildings look like that they’re able to be reconceptualized again,” Walker said. “You can always find one thing to start your design journey with, and then build off of that.”

Two of the biggest challenges, Walker said, are parking and bathrooms. At the River Lodge, Skyview Los Alamos and Hotel Ynez in Solvang, Walker’s team moved the parking area farther from rooms, making more space for greenery and patios. In small bathrooms, the team has deployed fancy tiles, lots of light and glass partitions instead of shower curtains.

Especially at Skyview, the combination of Modernist and farmhouse design elements yields entertaining results. Agrigoogie, anyone?

And then there’s the question of those cool old signs that say motel.

“When we first bought Skyview, and I hate that I did this, but I was like, ‘Maybe we should change the sign from “motel” to “hotel,”‘” Walker confessed. “I’m so glad that I didn’t follow through with that, because the motel sign is the beacon. Guests love taking their pictures with the sign.”

In Cayucos, design veterans and hospitality newbies Ryan and Marisa Fortini faced a similar question when they bought and renovated an old motor inn on the main drag. They chose to lean even harder into the m-word and called their project the Pacific Motel. It opened in 2022.

And now the Fortinis are doing it again. In 2023 they bought the nearby Cayucos Motel. So far, that still-open property remains as beach-rustic-plain as the Pacific Motel is beach-rustic-chic. But more changes are coming and Ryan Fortini shared with me a new word that may help describe them.

“Motique,” he said. “A boutique motel.”

Motel variations: Hot springs, beachfront perches and iconic signage

The farther south you go, whether on the coast or in the desert, the wider the variety seems to get.

At the Surfrider Malibu, guests ordinarily have exclusive access to a roof-deck restaurant, several loaner surfboards and a pair of Mini Coopers — but some amenities are on hold as the hotel accommodates many guests displaced by the Palisades fire in January.

In the boulder-strewn hills between San Diego and Calexico, the revivers of the once-moribund Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel have rebuilt that resort (which opened in 2023) with geothermally heated pools and a global desert theme.

On a pier in San Diego’s Pacific Beach, there’s been no dramatic rebirth — because none was necessary. The tidy cottages of the Crystal Pier Hotel, run by the same family since 1961, still look much as they did in the 1930s, tide lapping below, reservations required months ahead. (And you have to make them by phone or in person.)

“The motel thing is coming back,” said general manager Julie Neal, sounding surprised. “It’s actually kind of cool now.”

Out in the desert, where Midcentury Modern design has never gone out of style, there were revived motels left and right.

The most subdued of those was one of the most tempting: Hotel Wren in Twentynine Palms, which only opened in March, a 12-room, high-end retreat with muted colors, enormous rooms, custom furniture and poolside mountain views.

The least subdued? That would be the former Ruby Montana’s Coral Sands Inn, in Palm Springs.

My family and I booked most of the place with friends several years ago, and I was struck then by how entertaining it was to sleep, read and play in a seven-room motel that had been painted pink and filled with thrift-shop tchotchkes and vintage furnishings.

Well, Ruby’s gone now, and the Trixie Motel (its name since 2022) is proof that even if one hotelier goes wild, there’s still room for the next one to go wilder. Especially if that next owner is a drag queen.

The motel is still pink, but now staffers wear pink outfits, every room has its own custom thematic wallpaper (Atomic Bombshell, Pink Flamingo, Yeehaw Cowgirl). Barbie dolls cavort in the office and trendy persons fill the motel’s Barbara bar. Next to all this, the Madonna Inn looks like just another Ramada.

The road ahead runs through the middle of nowhere

Because the point of a motel is to help you toward someplace else, there’s no perfect way to end a motel journey. But Amboy works.

It’s a 20th century ghost town along Route 66, about 45 miles northeast of Twentynine Palms. Roy’s Motel & Cafe stands there like a forgotten stage set, topped by an iconic 1959 sign whose promises are all false.

Roy has been gone for decades. With potable water in short supply, neither the cafe nor the motel nor its six roadside cottages have been open since the 1980s. But Roy’s has gas, snacks and souvenirs, which is enough to attract film crews, selfie snappers and legions of drivers (especially desert-smitten Europeans) on their way between Las Vegas and Joshua Tree.

With Route 66 turning 100 in 2026, Roy’s owner Kyle Okura and manager Ken Large are doing their best to somehow get the six roadside cottages up and renting before that year is over. (Who can resist a centennial?)

It’s too soon to tell if that rebirth will happen. Still, the road warriors come, including off-duty trucker Chris Birdsall, 51, of Omaha, who turned up shortly before sunset one recent day.

“I want to see the sign lit up,” he said.

Soon after, Roy’s assistant manager Nicole Rachel called Birdsall into the old motel office, showed him the three switches that control the 50-foot sign and invited him to do the honors.

Birdsall did his bit, then grinned like a kid as the motel sign blinked to life in red, blue and yellow like a neon mirage or a road-tripper’s dream.

Rachel often invites visitors to throw the switches, she told me. But even if you don’t get that privilege, I can’t think of a better place to stand on the blacktop and imagine what might be down the road.

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Denise McKinney says she has probably somewhere close to half a million matchbooks tucked away inside her Riverside home.

She’s been collecting for years and will typically pick up whatever strikes her fancy, no pun intended. She has specialties now, like matchbooks with animals on them or matchbooks that advertise radio and TV stations, but she says her biggest collection by far is books from Southern California, including vintage motel matchbooks.

The president of the Angelus Matchcover Club says she likes matchbooks because of how they reflect a region’s history. She’s grabbed books that tout Route 66 attractions or places from her Orange County hometown.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the motel, a concept that originated with the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo (later renamed the Motel Inn). Though it didn’t become widely known until after World War II, “motel” is essentially a portmanteau for “motor hotel,” or a lodging place where the rooms could be entered through the parking lot rather than through a central lobby.

To get travelers in the door, motels used gimmicks to stand out among the stiff competition, like neon signs and themed decor, but also promotional materials like free postcards and pocket-sized matchbooks. With the 100th anniversary in mind, we wanted to look back at some of Southern California’s motel history as seen through collectors’ matchbooks. These books represent just a small fraction of the thousands of motels that have operated in the region but are a great place to start.

The motel, a word born in California, turns 100 this year. And for road trip adventurers, there have never been more options.

You might stay at the legendary pink palace that is the Madonna Inn. Or Surfrider Malibu, where you can borrow a Mini Cooper and cruise along PCH. There’s Sea & Sand Inn, which clings to a breathtaking Santa Cruz clifftop. And Pioneertown Motel, a charming desert outpost with Old West vibes.

In this guide, we jangle our room keys to explore the greatest motels across the state. Along the way, we stop to discover cool vintage history, iconic restaurants and essential roadside attractions.

Ready to hit the road?

Life, death, crime, kitsch, nostalgia, immigrant aspirations and witty design — all of these elements converge in the world of motels, which didn’t exist before 1925.

Here are five facts and phenomena from the century of history.

Where Magic Fingers are found

From the late 1950s into the ’80s, thousands of motels proudly advertised their Magic Fingers — a little collection of vibrating electric nodes under your mattress that would give you a 15-minute “massage” for 25 cents, inspiring creators from Kurt Vonnegut to Frank Zappa. Alas, their moment passed. But not everywhere. Morro Bay’s Sundown Inn, which gets two diamonds from the Auto Club and charges about $70 and up per night, is one of the last motels in the West that still features working Magic Fingers, offered (at the original price) in most of its 17 rooms. “We’ve owned the hotel for 41 years, and the Magic Fingers was here when we started. We just kept them,” said co-owner Ann Lin. Ann’s mother- and father-in-law immigrated from Taiwan and bought the property in 1983.

Motels, hotels and Patels

Many motels and small hotels are longtime family operations. Sometimes it’s the original owner’s family, and quite often it’s a family named Patel with roots in India’s Gujarat state. A recent study by the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. found that 60% of U.S. hotels — and 61% of those in California — are owned by Asian Americans. By one estimate, people named Patel own 80% to 90% of the motels in small-town America. The beginnings of this trend aren’t certain, but many believe that one of the first Indians to acquire a hotel in the U.S. was Kanjibhai Desai, buyer of the Goldfield Hotel in downtown San Francisco in the early 1940s.

Motels, media and murders

There’s no escaping the motel in American pop culture. Humbert Humbert, the deeply creepy narrator of Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel “Lolita,” road-tripped from motel to motel with his under-age victim. Edward Hopper gave us the disquieting 1957 oil painting “Western Motel.” In the film “Psycho” (1960), Alfred Hitchcock brought to life the murderous motel manager Norman Bates. When Frank Zappa made a movie about the squalid misadventures of a rock band on tour, he called it “200 Motels” (1971). When the writers of TV’s “Schitt’s Creek” (2015-2020) wanted to disrupt a rich, cosmopolitan family, they came up with the Rosebud Motel and its blue brick interior walls. And when executives at A&E went looking for a true-crime series in 2024, they came up with “Murder at the Motel,” which covered a killing at a different motel in every episode.

The Lorraine Motel, before and after

The 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made the Lorraine Motel in Memphis globally notorious. But before and after that day, the Lorraine played a very different role. Built as a small hotel in 1925 and segregated in its early years, the property sold to Black businessman Walter Bailey in 1945. He expanded it to become a motel, attracting many prominent African American guests. In the 1950s and ’60s, the Lorraine was known for housing guests such as Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Roy Campanella, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Hampton, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and the Staples Singers. After King’s assassination, the motel struggled, closed, then reemerged in 1991 as the National Civil Rights Museum, now widely praised. Guests follow civil rights history through the building, ending at Room 306 and its balcony where King was standing when he was shot.

The man upstairs in the Manor House

In 1980, a Colorado motel owner named Gerald Foos confided to journalist Gay Talese that he had installed fake ceiling vents in the Manor House Motel in Aurora, Colo., and for years had been peeping from the attic at guests in bed. The man had started this in the 1960s and continued into the ’90s. Finally, in 2016, Talese spun the story into a New Yorker article and a book, “The Voyeur’s Motel,” sparking many charges that he had violated journalistic ethics.

ANTHONY JOSHUA is to have surgery on his elbow THIS WEEK – as talks to finally fight “big tease” Tyson Fury move a step closer.

Joshua, 35, is yet to return since his September knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, 27, with a secret injury delaying his comeback.

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AJ has since revealed the setback was caused by a problem with his elbow – which promoter Eddie Hearn reveals is due to be fixed this week.

Hearn told SunSport: “He just goes back into camp and just can’t fire on all cylinders consistently.

“So he can go back, have a couple of sessions, bit of soreness in the elbow.

“They tried to let it rest and recover and they’ve told him that I think it’s this week, he has a small keyhole surgery in the arm.

“Clear out, and it’s four-six weeks, he’s good to go. So I think we’re looking post-September.”

Following Joshua’s loss and Fury’s double defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, last year, it set up the beaten Brits to finally settle their overdue score.

That was until Fury announced a shock retirement – the fourth of his career – in January only one month after Usyk won their rematch.

But the unpredictable Gypsy King has since ended his social media silence to begin hinting at a comeback – leaving Hearn hopeful.

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The promoter said: “Tyson Fury is a big tease, every day I open up Instagram like today and he’s got his wraps on saying he’s done 12 rounds.

“He looks super fit, Tyson Fury, he looks like he’s ready to go now! Which is encouraging, but obviously probably the delay that AJ’s got is a blessing, to be honest with you.

“One, you’ve got Usyk against Dubois coming up so that gives you a little bit of time.

“And number two, you’ve got Tyson Fury who could potentially come back to the ring so it’s gonna be interesting to see what plays out.”

Turki Alalshikh’s introduction to boxing and his deep Saudi pockets have helped bridge the gap between Hearn and long-time rival Frank Warren.

The previously warring promoters even share the sports streaming platform DAZN now – paving the way for talks between AJ and Fury.

Hearn admitted: “I’d be lying if I said we haven’t discussed it socially, because obviously everyone’s desperate to make it happen.

“But, no one said, ‘Oh, I think it’s coming, I think he’s coming back.’ But at the same time, he’s training.

Tyson Fury is a big tease, every day I open up Instagram like today and he’s got his wraps on saying he’s done 12 rounds. He looks super fit, Tyson Fury, he looks like he’s ready to go now! Which is encouraging

Eddie Hearn

“And I feel like with Tyson Fury over the years, you’ve seen him not training and balloon out of shape and then it takes him a long time to come back.

“Now it looks like he’s either ready to fight or he’s ready to begin camp, which is hugely encouraging. But I just don’t think he’ll be able to leave it alone, if I’m honest with you.

“Because, the money’s one thing, but just the occasion and the challenge, and he’s a competitor, he’s a winner. And I just can’t believe he’s gonna let it slide.”

While Fury is Joshua & Co’s main target, Hearn warned they will await the result of Dubois’ July 19 rematch with Usyk at Wembley.

Hearn is adamant AJ will fight before the year ends – with or without Fury.

He warned: “Next couple of months, if there’s no movement, we fight.

“I mean there’s no way AJ’s not fighting this year. So who that will be? I can’t tell you.

“I mean, that’s the million dollar question at all times, but I think more importantly is, do we get any news from Fury in the next four, six, eight weeks?

“If we do, we’ll fight him this year. If not, we’ll fight and then maybe he comes back next year, who knows?

“But I’d be lying if I said we weren’t desperate to see him return. But, at the same time we can’t just wait around and see what happens.”

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Spain has launched a fresh crackdown on a specific group of pedestrians known as ‘phone zombies’ as it looks to cut down on road accidents in the country

Holidaymakers caught wandering dangerously with their phones in Spain could be slapped with a hefty fine.

Spain has initiated a tough new campaign against careless pedestrian conduct to tackle the surge in street mishaps – and it spells trouble for holidaymakers addicted to their smartphones. The Spanish traffic authority, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), has delivered a stern caution to those who wander the pavements engrossed in their devices.

Under fresh rules, pedestrians caught using their mobile phones while walking, particularly close to or on streets, could face an €80 (£67) penalty, while graver infractions like jaywalking may incur fines up to €200 (£170).

Officials have identified the growing problem of “phone zombies” – individuals who meander into traffic while engrossed in texting or browsing – as a significant danger not only to themselves but also to other road users.

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In a direct message posted on its social media platforms, the DGT stated: “Use the zebra crossings properly, they’re there for a reason. Don’t use your phone while crossing, no, not even for a selfie. Eyes up, feet down, and only step out if it’s safe for you and the drivers.”

The statement continued with clear instructions: “Obey traffic signals. Stay off motorways and dual carriageways, they’re for wheels, not heels,” emphasising that the clampdown is vital for “safe mobility for all.”

Particularly, tourists planning trips to popular destinations like Majorca are being cautioned, reports the Express.

Authorities on the island, which has long been subject to complaints about both local and tourist driving standards, are facing increasing pressure to address traffic chaos and pedestrian risks. The problem is only anticipated to escalate as a proposal is being considered to permit learner drivers to practice with experienced drivers, not just instructors, at the helm.

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As Spanish roads become increasingly challenging for both drivers and pedestrians, both tourists and locals are being encouraged to pay more attention and look up from their phones, or they could face a substantial fine whilst on holiday.

There are plenty of other laws in place across Spain designed to control behaviour. In Alicante for example there are heavy fines for noisy tourists. Recently the city tightened versions of their 2019 rules placed by the city council. These simple rules against tourist noise pollution, however, could cost Brits over £25,000 if breached.

The country as a whole has declared that tourists will now be fined as high as £8,000 for not having legal proof of their accommodation whilst travelling. This translates into a booking confirmation letter or email – which is easy enough for hotel stayers, but for those visiting friends and family that reside there, proof becomes a lot more complicated.

Cities like Benidorm have announced a new change to their tourist law: a beach fine for any who steps onto its sandy coasts between midnight and 7 AM. In an effort to preserve its beaches and prevent potential crime, Benidorm’s fines are a significant sum that can land between £640 and £1,030 and will also target romantics opting for a night-time swim or sleeping under the stars.

The council chairman of a popular UK tourist destination has said that introducing a new car park was “not plausible” as the village continues to struggle with overtourism

Plans for a new car and coach park in one of England’s most idyllic villages have been withdrawn to deter more tourists from visiting. While some destinations clamour to intrigue travellers, this holiday hotspot in Gloucestershire says “enough people” are already visiting.

Bibury – often called the ‘Capital of the Cotswolds’ – sees thousands of tourists visit from across the world annually. But the fairytale-esque village is considered a victim of its own beauty, as hordes of tourists have been causing significant traffic and chaos in the area.

As reported by the BBC, Craig Chapman from Bibury Parish Council said that a potential proposal for a car park would have been rejected by planners had it made it to the council. While the proposal was eventually dropped, Chapman said there are “enough people coming into the village”.

READ MORE: Insanely beautiful UK village is so magical you won’t ever want to leave

He continued: “the thought of having an out of village car park with 130 cars and 10 coaches – at least 500 people shuttling down to the village or walking the narrow pavement was not plausible.”

Bibury has garnered a reputation as the ‘most beautiful village in England’ as once described by 19th century writer William Morris. Today, it is home to a few hundred residents but welcomes thousands of visitors daily, with up to 50 coach buses coming into the village a day.

Locals have grown increasingly unnerved by the massive tourist crowds descending on the area. To address the problem of overtourism, residents have formed a working group that includes councillors and police. Gloucestershire County Council has also announced plans to tackle overtourism in the village.

Early this year, reports emerged that coaches could soon be banned from stopping and parking in the village. However, less drastic measures will be implemented sooner.

Over the next few months, the layout of parking bays will be updated to prevent coaches from parking or idling in the layby on the B4425. This is next to the Swan Bridge in the centre of the village.

The second phase of plans will see the potential introduction of restrictions on coach access to the centre of Bibury. In order to move forward with this, a legal consultation process would be needed and is set to start in early summer.

Longer-term recommendations from the working group also include improving signs to direct coaches away from the village’s narrow lanes. In addition, the group wants to explore alternative parking options outside the village.

Finally, the local working group wants to encourage tourists to use other modes of transport to visit the village, including walking, cycling or using public transport. There is no direct train into Bibury, however many travellers take a direct train to Kemble from London and then get a 24-minute taxi to Bibury.

All said, there are still plenty of other villages in the Cotswolds to explore and which deserve traveller attention. Despite being slightly less popular than Bibury, Broadway is considered to be the ‘jewel of the Cotswolds’.

Located in the north of the region, the village is known for its manicured lawns, art galleries and classic tea shops. Broadway is a particular gem for art and antique lovers and collectors.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER appears to have made a lighthearted joke about his arrest with a bold outfit choice at the PGA Championship.

The American, 28, was arrested by police outside of the PGA Championship hours before tee-off last year after trying to drive into the entrance around the scene of a fatal bus crash.

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He faced charges of second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.

The criminal charges against him were dropped just 12 days after his arrest, but not before his mugshot from the Valhalla Golf Club incident went viral across the internet.

And it is that famous image of him wearing orange overalls that he appears to have taken a nod to with his outfit this year.

The World No.1 was seen wearing an orange polo shirt with the Nike symbol plastered on.

He appeared to be in far calmer waters wearing orange colours this time around.

Reacting on social media, one fan said: “New tradition.”

A second said: “I was so hoping that he would do this. Nice move Scotty.”

A third added: “They let anyone in majors now a days,” followed by laughing emojis.

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Another said: “He’s got to be messing?”

Other users reckoned the burnt orange colour was a nod to his time at the University of Texas in Austin, with the orange being the burnt orange.

Scottie Scheffler is eyeing his third PGA Championship at Quali Hollow in North Carolina.

The first round of tee offs have already begun, with Scheffler in the same round one group as Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele at 1.22pm UK time.

In the UK, the PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf.

Sky Sports customers can live stream all the action via the Sky Sports app.

Defying the crime-riddled reputation of UK seaside resorts, this tiny coastal village – framed by its own island – has been crowned of the most relaxing spots in the country

Tucked away in the stunning South Devon coastline, where rolling countryside melts into turquoise seas – lies one huge anomaly. Bigbury-on-Sea boasts some of the UK’s very best scenery, from long stretches of golden sands to crystal clear waters. But, it was also branded one of the safest and most ‘relaxing’ resorts in the country.

The gong comes after UK holiday firm Parkdean Resorts compared coastal hotspots from across the UK, analysing factors such as cleanliness, green space, local safety, light and noise pollution, and population density. According to the Express, it crowned Bigbury-on-Sea the ultimate winner, thanks to its unspoilt nature (being surrounded by three areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty helps) and low crime rate.

READ MORE: ‘Stunning’ UK seaside town with three-mile beach sees house prices plummet by £13,000

Whether you’re after an active holiday filled with beach-side yoga, surfing, and paddle-boarding – or want to soak up the rays with a good book – this village has you sorted. There are also plenty of hiking trails of varying ability for those who can’t resist those Instagram-worthy views – or boat cruises for holidaymakers not wanting to break a sweat.

“One of the distinctive features of Bigbury-On-Sea Beach is the tidal causeway that connects the mainland to Burgh Island,” hailed Visit South Devon, the area’s official tourist board. “At low tide, visitors can walk across the sandy pathway, immersing themselves in the tranquil surroundings and enjoying breathtaking views of the surrounding coastline.

“As the tide rolls in, the sea covers the causeway, creating a sense of isolation for those on Burgh Island, accessible only by sea tractor or boat. It also boasts an award-winning hotel, elegant and rather genteel; it’s an ideal romantic retreat for couples.”

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Bigbury-on-Sea is some 234 miles from London, meaning you’ll need to endure a gruelling four hour-and-a-half-hour drive to get there. However, direct trains from the Big Smoke to Totnes slash two hours from the journey time. You’ll then have to get a 41-minute taxi ride.

If you’re flexible with dates, you can grab single adult fares for as little as £44. If you have a railcard, you’ll be able to get tickets for even cheaper.

Accommodation in Bigbury-on-Sea varies depending on your budget. For example, a weekend’s stay (Friday, June 6-8) at the four-star Swallow Barn will set you back £653, based on two adults sharing a two-bedroom holiday home. However, a one-bedroom apartment at Steepfield Studio costs a much more affordable £485 on the exact same dates.

*Prices based on Trainline and Booking.com listings at the time of writing.

What’s your favourite UK seaside resort? Let us know in the comments section below

Garden owners are flocking online to pick up a ‘brilliant’ and ‘powerful’ gadget that’s 47% cheaper right now.

Amazon has slashed the cost of a hugely popular garden paint sprayer from £94.49 to £49.99.

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Wagner Fence & Decking Paint Sprayer, £49.99 (was £94.49)

The sun’s out, the weather is glorious, and summer is nearly here.

The UK is currently basking in a glorious heatwave, with temperatures soaring and some Brits being hit with a drought warning.

With all this extra time being spent outdoors, it’s no wonder Brits want to give their gardens a bit of a spruce-up.

And if your decking or fence is looking a little ragged, it’s Amazon you need to head to.

The Wagner Fence & Decking Paint Sprayer, now 47% cheaper in this May deal, is Amazon’s number one best-selling paint sprayer.

This sprayer is made for small to medium jobs like fences, sheds, decking, and garden furniture.

You don’t need any fancy sprayable paint either – it works with normal fence paint, oil, varnish, stains, and wood treatments.

It’s got some cracking features to make the job easier.

You can adjust the paint flow for precise painting and switch the paint jet to suit what you’re working on.

The gun’s detachable, so it’s dead easy to clean, refill, or swap attachments, and has a decent 1.4-litre capacity.

It can reportedly spray a whole fence panel in under two minutes.

We’ve not tried it ourselves, but over 4,300 people on Amazon have, and they’ve left it with an average 4.5 out of 5-star rating.

“Wish I’d purchased this sooner!” one happy shopper writes. “If you’re looking for a fence/decking sprayer to do the job – this thing is more than adequate!

“Best £50 I’ve spent in a LONG time!! Fantastic product, easy to use and most importantly – a major time saver!!!”

Another said: “Excellent coverage. Powerful and lightweight. Totally impressed with this machine.

“I still can’t believe how good it paints and how fast. In no time we have garden benches and fence panels that look as good as new.”

One more added, “Works like a dream… Brilliant!

“I was dubious about getting this as I had tried pump-type sprayers before, but they were useless. The results were brilliant, quick and easy.”

If your shed, fences, or garden furniture need sprucing up, now’s the time to sort it out – ahead of the summer months.

Wagner Fence & Decking Paint Sprayer, £49.99 (was £94.49)

Shoppers looking for other gardening items should check out these tried and tested round-ups of the best chainsaws and best solar lights for the garden.

Green-fingered shoppers who love gardening might also want to snap up this deal on a summer flowering bulb collection, which is half the usual price.

This Somerset village offers a wealth of green spaces, woodlands and hamlets to explore – reachable by foot or bike. It is also a designated part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

If you’re in need of some staycation inspiration, then this Somerset destination should definitely be on your radar. Close enough to Bath that you can enjoy the comforts of the city while remaining distinctly on the outskirts, visitors can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Freshford is just five miles from Bath, but its location at the junction of the River Frome and Avon makes it feel like a world away. The village’s landscape of stone buildings, fields and woodlands create a distinct serenity to the area that has been unmarred by tourists – mostly because it is relatively under the radar.

The civil parish of Freshford dates back to Saxon times and was once home to a mill from 1086 – the remains of which still stand in the village to this day. The mill is a notable site of interest, home to 17th-century buildings made predominantly from natural stone, clay tile, and slate. One of the unique features of Freshford houses is its lack of house numbers, which are replaced instead with names.

READ MORE: Magical UK village just as pretty as Bath but without as many tourists

Freshford is also home to many sites of historical interest, one of which is the Freshford Manor which dates back to the 18th-century. There are also some religious buildings you can visit, including the 15th-century St Peter’s Church which has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.

Dating back to the early to mid 16th century, the Freshford Bridge stretches directly over the River Frome and is a truly picture-perfect spot. From Freshford, travellers will be able to see across the Avon valley to the Kennet and Avon Canal. But keep in mind, the nearest crossings are a bit further off at Avoncliff and Limpley Stoke.

Surrounded by hills and valleys, the village has plenty for nature-lovers to explore without needing to venture too far. Freshford is known for its rich diversity of flora and fauna and is even part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) within the green belt.

The village centre is also a conservation area, created during 1975 and extended in 2007. You would also be remiss not to stop by at the nearby hamlets of Friary, Sharpstone, Park Corner, Woodside and Staples Hill.

Freshford’s jurisdiction includes these hamlets, though they are all separated from the centre of the village by lush open fields. That said, visitors can make a day of exploring the many low-intensity paths to the surrounding hamlets.

Popular walks in and around Freshford

• The Ilford Loop : 2 hours and 4.5 miles long: beginning from the Freshford Galleries, you can head directly to the hamlet of Friary
• Circular Hike to Dundas Wharf : 2 hours and 5 miles long: This is an intermediate hike with one or two busy roads to cross. It leads from the Freshford Galleries down to Limpley Stoke.
• Farleigh Hungerford Loop : 2.5 hours and 5 miles long: A great country walk across open fields to the English Heritage site at Farleigh Hungerford Castle.
• Hike to Avoncliff Aqueduct : 1.15 hours and 2.85 miles long: This is a low-intensity walk from Freshford to Avoncliff along the River Frome and then the River Avon.

MEGHAN Markle and a beanie-clad Prince Harry have boasted about attending a hugely famous singer-songwriter’s gig – and even left with a signed book.

The pair, which included a beanie-wearing Harry, even took a photograph with the singer.

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The actress was pictured with music icon James Taylor – the hitmaker behind tracks including You’ve Got a Friend and Fire and Rain.

Meghan posted a picture with the singer which she captioned: “in my concert era. Thanks James!”

She included a snap of herself and Harry with James, alongside the singer’s brother Henry Taylor.

Meghan also posted a picture of the Prince and the singer standing together.

Harry wore a simple grey beanie, covering up his famous red hair, and an understated grey jacket.

In another picture, Meghan even revealed that she was given a signed book from the famous songster.

Entitled Sweet Baby James – which is also the title of one of the singer’s hit albums – the book contains illustrated pop-up designs and sells for $25.

James is currently on tour in the United States with his special guest Tiny Habits.

Meghan posted a picture from the crowd at his concert in Santa Barbara, California, on May 14 – one of the earliest dates on the tour.

The actress and her husband have made headlines in recent months, after rumours emerged which claimed they were embroiled in the Beckham’s widely reported feud.

According to an insider, Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham dined at the Sussex’s home.

The source said: “Harry and Meghan were very empathetic and very kind to them both.

“Harry was fully aware of the situation and offered Brooklyn his unwavering support as someone who has been through similar.”

Brooklyn had shunned all of David’s 50th birthday celebrations, sparking rumours of a feud.

David is said to be “heartbroken” by the rift with his son, which has been described as Victoria’s “worst nightmare”.

The Sussexes’ dinner with Brooklyn and his wife took place at their home in Montecito – where they live with Archie and Lilibet.

The home is valued at £12 million and has nine-bedrooms, as well as a whimsical koi fish pond.

Harry and Meghan’s house also has a lavish swimming pool and a tennis court, alongside a private playground for their children.

Home Improvement expert Justin Nielsen, from Wolf River Electric, estimates that the property will need around 10 to 15 staff members to keep it in tip top condition.

He added: “Given the array of features, including a swimming pool, tennis court, koi pond, children’s playhouse, and chicken coop, the annual upkeep costs could easily reach between £150,000 and £250,000.

“This estimate accounts for landscaping, utilities, specialised care for the koi fish, and general maintenance.”

Avoid the droves of bustling crowds with this pristine beach – located just 15 minutes away from one of Barcelona’s busiest hotpots – that has been described by one local as the ‘perfect escape’

A local has revealed the ‘perfect’ escape from Spain’s bustling beaches that most tourists struggle to find. Renowned for its Gaudí architecture, ubiquitous history, and fancy rooftop cocktail bars – Barcelona, located in Spain’s Catalonia region, has long been a tourist hotspot.

Last year, a staggering 15.6 million tourists flocked to cosmopolitan city, to soak up the sun and pretend they’re suddenly art and history connoisseurs. It’s a 100,000 decrease compared to 2023 overnight figures, but still means finding a beach where you’re not rubbing shoulders with a complete stranger an almost impossible feat.

Playa de Bogatell is a popular spot for sun-worshipping Brits, boasting sugar-like sands, cobalt waters, and a slew of sea-view eateries. However, in the peak seasons – the stretch of sand can become insufferably crowded.

READ MORE: ‘Stunning’ EU country loved by Brits threatens tourist tax following huge boom

Luckily, TikTok channel Explorebarcelona explained that just a stone’s throw from the busy beach lies a stunning shore that has somehow managed to escape the tourist limelight. “Most tourists will never find this place, but most locals know it’s the perfect escape,” the account said.

“Tired of crowded beaches, and overpriced drinks? Just walk 15 minutes further and you will find Platja Nova Mar Bella, a hidden gem where locals actually relax. [There are] no vendors, no noise, just clean sand, clear water, and space to breathe.”

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On TripAdvisor, Platja Nova Mar Bella has garnered hundreds of five-star reviews from impressed travellers.”The sand was light coloured tan with no rocks and clean surroundings,” one visitor hailed. “The drop off into the sea was substantial and with smooth rocks to walk into the water. Beverages were easily attained as were umbrellas to rent.”

Another agreed, commenting: “[It’s] quieter than beaches nearer the town. There are spacious toilets, bike racks to lock up rental bikes, and showers. It’s a relaxed unintimidating beach for people of all ages and all shapes and sizes!”

A third added: “Very nice tapas bar in the middle of the beach, very nice sand and clean water. Very convenient and free parking,” while a fourth penned: “The beach was closed to swimming because of high wind and surf conditions but that didn’t stop us from dipping our feet in the water and enjoying the sun!”

However, others argued the beach’s pristine reputation had already started to fade. One-star reviews complaining about ‘aggressive’ vendors and pickpockets have now started to tarnish the review site.

“The place is nice and clean,” one person wrote. “The only downside is the shoppers. [They’re] very aggressive and insistent… they had to be put back in their place vigorously.”

Others pointed out the beach was actually a nudist beach, despite a lack of notice boards. Many have branded the beach a ‘gay beach’, as it tends to attract LGBTQ+ visitors.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.

BARGAIN-hunting Brits are rushing to a major supermarket to grab a limited-edition ‘mystery’ flavour of Pringles for just 98p.

The curious crisps have been spotted at Sainsbury’s stores across the UK, where eagle-eyed shoppers have clocked the Super Mario-themed “Mystery Flavour” 165g cans being cleared from shelves in a flash.

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A photo of the discounted snack was shared on Facebook, sparking a flurry of comments from snack fans desperate to uncover the flavour.

One user wrote: “I would love to know the flavour please, thanks.”

Speculation has run wild online, with people offering their best guesses.

“My partner had them, said they tasted like salt and vinegar,” one person commented.

Another added: “Bit spicy – should’ve read the ingredients on the box.

“Nothing to go wild about.”

Others reckoned the crisps were meant to mimic classic Italian flavours, with one writing: “They’re supposed to be like a pepperoni pizza flavour but they weren’t nice,” while another suggested: “I think they are spicy meatball flavour.”

One fan said: “They mostly taste pickled onion flavour,” and another chimed in: “I believe they’re random flavours – hence the mystery.”

The Mario-themed cans are part of a special Pringles line featuring multiple mystery flavours – and Pringles isn’t spilling the beans just yet.

Fans have been left to rely on their own taste buds, with theories ranging from ketchup and spaghetti to “Magic Mushroom” flavour, a cheeky nod to the iconic Nintendo game.

The mystery surrounding these crisps has sparked plenty of debate online, with many fans expressing their excitement over the flavour hunt.

One Facebook user even joked: “I can’t wait to open one and see if it tastes like the power-ups Mario collects!”

It’s not the first time Pringles has teased taste buds with a mystery range.

Previous surprise flavours have included carbonara, Southern Fried Chicken, and Pickle – each of which garnered mixed reactions from shoppers.

This latest release seems to have struck a chord with fans, though, who are eager to get their hands on the elusive taste.

For those intrigued by the Mario connection, it’s clear that the theme has added an extra layer of excitement to this mystery.

With Super Mario’s popularity ever-growing, it’s no wonder that fans are flocking to the supermarket to get their hands on the latest Pringles craze.

In the midst of this snack craze, Pringles continues to dominate the crisp world with their bold experiments and limited-edition offerings.

Whether it’s a mysterious flavour or a nod to a beloved gaming character, the brand knows how to keep fans guessing.

And with Doritos also hinting at a major shake-up – possibly ditching their iconic triangle shape for a square – it seems the crisp aisle is full of surprises this month.

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SIR Keir Starmer is preparing to wave the white flag to Brussels in a fresh Brexit betrayal, Kemi Badenoch has warned.

The Tory chief accused the PM of lining up a string of concessions to the EU just to say he’s “reset” Brexit relations.

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It comes as the PM is heading to Albania today for last-minute talks with EU leaders ahead of a major London summit, where he’s expected to sign a new defence and trade pact.

It is understood that in return, Sir Keir has put fishing rights, immigration rules and legal powers all on the line.

Writing for The Sun, Ms Badenoch said: “Keir Starmer walks into negotiations with a white flag at the ready…

“The Brexit vote was not a polite suggestion, it was a clear instruction: to put Britain first.” She warned British waters could be handed back to French trawlers “for no good reason”, calling it “a fundamental betrayal of Britain’s fishing community”.

And she raised alarm over Labour’s support for an EU Youth Mobility Scheme, saying it “would see us accepting seemingly unlimited numbers of unemployed 20-somethings from Romania and Bulgaria… all coming over here to take UK jobs.”

The Tory leader accused Labour of preparing to make Britain “a rule-taker from Brussels once again” by aligning food laws, restricting farmers from using modern crops.

And she warned the plan to join the EU’s carbon trading scheme will leave Sun readers “saddled with even more expensive bills, just so Keir Starmer can say he ‘got closer’ to Europe.”

Vowing to reverse any Brexit row backs, Ms Badenoch said: “A future Conservative Government will take them back. I will always put Britain first. And when the time comes – I will make it right.”

Ms Badenoch will head to Brussels herself today to speak at the IDU Forum – a global gathering of centre-right parties.

She will argue Britain’s relationship with EU countries can be improved without “being supplicant”.

POLICE have launched a desperate appeal for information after a 17-year-old girl vanished with her baby girl.

Skye Conway was last seen with the infant near Strood town centre at around 7.30pm on Tuesday 14 May 2025.

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THE Lady-Datejust, the Pearlmaster, the Oyster or the Yachtie – whatever your favourite Rolex is, it’s probably worth well over £10,000. 

The Swiss watch brand is synonymous with luxury, and us normal folk will probably spend our whole lives dreaming of owning one of its timepieces. 

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But where do we turn when saving up the five figures needed for an opulent watch is impossible? As it goes, Primark. 

The fast fashion giant has released a Rolex dupe for a mere £10. 

The affordable design is a copycat of the luxury brand’s Lady-Datejust in oyster steel and yellow gold – which costs a staggering £17,300 to buy direct. 

“Gold is coveted for its lustre and nobility,” a Rolex blurb reads. “Steel reinforces strength and reliability. 

“Together, they harmoniously combine the best of their properties.”

Money-saving content creator Aimee Michelle unearthed the imitation watch in her local Primark and took to Instagram to alert fellow fashionistas. 

“The comparison is uncanny,” she said. 

“Everything down to the fluted bezzle, the stainless steel with the gold and even the ‘mother of pearl’ face.

“It’s the only one they have currently in store… but this is big news.”

The Primark watch’s official name is The Edit Metal Watch, and it is made from 80% steel and 20% zinc. 

“Add a touch of luxury to your accessories edit with this timelessly sophisticated metal watch,” high street bosses said. 

The timepiece has a classic and timeless design that will be relevant and stylish throughout every season, meaning you’ll get way over your £10’s worth of wear. 

Like the Lady-Datejust, it is smaller and more delicate compared to many other watches.

As such, it’s ideal for women who prefer a more understated and elegant size without compromising on style.