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Adam Toms visited a classic British market town and was left shocked shortly after arriving.

Some UK towns can feel like they are in a state of decay, leaving locals feeling their taxes are little better than money down the drain. Many high streets have become ghost towns, with only large chains or resilient independent businesses managing to survive.

Burgess Hill, once renowned for its thriving brick and tile-making industry and an annual St. John’s Sheep Fair, is nestled just north of the affluent coastal city of Brighton in Sussex. However, some locals claim it’s now a town in decline, teetering on the brink of oblivion.

The story they tell is one that will be familiar to many: once a bustling hub with its own market, attracting shoppers from far and wide to its array of local shops, it has since fallen into disrepair. And shortly after arriving in the town and paying for parking, journalist Adam Toms was confronted with what he described as a scene more reminiscent of The Last of Us than a typical English provincial town.

A desolate patch of land, eerily reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher’s infamous “walk in the wilderness”, was flanked by vacant retail units, their interiors hauntingly empty. Messages left by former staff were scrawled on the doors.

Adam went on to share: “A piece of barren land – which put me in mind of the famous photos of Margaret Thatcher’s ‘walk in the wilderness’ – was surrounded by empty retail units with ghostly, empty interiors. On their doors were messages written by staff who had since moved elsewhere.”

Signs declared “STORE CLOSING. EVERYTHING MUST GO” and “SALE 50%”. Windows had been boarded up after apparently being smashed by local youths, rainwater leaked from pipes, and metal fencing and red plastic barriers cordoned off a particularly dismal passageway.

He continued: “It wasn’t all this bad. Burgess Hill has a number of shops operating in its actual high street, and an amazing Creative Community Hub, which is run by volunteers and puts on skill-sharing activity sessions, including sewing and pottery.”

Run by volunteers, the hub hosts skill-sharing activities such as sewing and pottery. However, the locals he chatted with seemed somewhat embarrassed and disheartened, feeling their hometown was being eclipsed by more prosperous areas like Horsham.

“One woman, Susan Truran, 68, a retired revenue analyst, asked if I was lost when I explained who I was. People added that they have been let down by promises to improve the area,” said Adam.

The latest proposal aims to revamp the shopping district into a contemporary, lively retail and leisure hotspot, while also creating new homes and jobs. Developer New River is collaborating with Mid Sussex District Council on this project.

Planning permission has been granted for 50,000 square feet of fresh retail space, including a 21,000 square foot food store, 172 new residences and a 102-room hotel.

Jo Homan, a volunteer at the creative hub, stressed that Burgess Hill isn’t the only UK town facing challenges. She commented: “It’s pretty much the same everywhere, isn’t it? A lot of towns are like it.”

This is certainly accurate, and numerous other local authorities are pledging to spruce up their areas. Adam said that he has also visited Margate and Weston-super-Mare, where locals spoke of their towns’ urgent need for regeneration.

Folkestone in Kent presented a unique scenario, with businessman Sir Roger De Haan sharing details of his £100million investment that’s rejuvenating the area. And over in Hampshire, locals expressed their disappointment at the current state of Aldershot.

Back in Burgess Hill and Andrew Griffin, 56, an employee at an insurance firm, highlighted to Adam that it has room for growth, being home to major employers like American Express.

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer discussed Labour’s Pride in Place plan, announcing that around 40 new areas across England will have the power to decide where up to £20million is invested in their localities: “It is the same story in towns across the country. Youth clubs that have been abandoned, shops boarded up and high streets decimated,” he said.

“We must reverse the devastating decline in our communities and give power, agency and control to the very people who want to improve their community – those who have skin in the game. Through the Pride in Place Programme, communities – backed by the state and fired up by pride – will join the fight for national renewal and a Britain built for all.”

A picturesque village just off the motorway boasts pretty cottages, a microbrewery and plenty of shops and restaurants as well as strong links to dinosaurs

When driving along the motorway, most people will have a go-to service station or stop on the way. However if you’re heading towards the likes of Cheshire and Warrington, there’s one picture-perfect village that’s well worth having on your radar.

With the busy roads, high-sided lorries and fast traffic, people could be forgiven for thinking any quiet villages of the North West must be miles away.

But the chocolate box village of Lymm in Cheshire is mere minutes away from the grey blocks of perpetually busy road on the M62 and M6, and it’s a historic gem of a place that has plenty to occupy and entertain visitors on a day trip or those wishing to stay a little bit longer.

A short walk from the village centre brings you out at the picturesque scenery of Lymm Dam – with woodlands and meadows teaming with wildlife – or, back in the village, you could choose to take a stroll along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal which has an abundance of interesting boats moored up that add to the village’s unique atmosphere.

The area is not only famous for its water but also for a history that includes a dinosaur’s footprint that’s a staggering 240 million years old.

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At Lymm Heritage Centre, those interested can even meet the reimagined Chirotherium dinosaur, often referred to as a ‘hand beast’ – a Triassic creature which has feet roughly the same size as a human hand. The actual fossilised footprints are in a nearby town centre display.

Meanwhile Lymm Cross dates back to the 17th Century when it was likely used as a meeting point, and was restored in 1897 for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. It’s now recorded in the National Heritage list of England as a designated Grade I listed building.

Away from history, the village has its own micro-brewery and also a huge choice of pubs, bars, coffee houses and restaurants from The Jolly Thresher described as the ‘best pub in Lymm’ to La Boheme which serves old school French fare and Mediterranean eatery, Ego at The Green Dragon.

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The centre also has plenty of independent shops selling a range of items appealing to all kinds of visitors.

One reviewer said: “Lymm is lovely, the village centre is very quaint and Lymm Dam is beautiful. It has a magnificent amount of picturesque countryside.”

Another commented: “Lymm is a perfect day out – peaceful, pretty and full of charm. Lymm Dam is a beautiful, peaceful spot with just the right mixture of woodland walks, calm water and village charm. The cottages along the dam are like something out of a storybook with white walls, yellow doors and flowerboxes bursting with colour. The whole area is spotless and well-kept.”

CBS News has no plans to drop health guru Peter Attia from his contributor role after his emails to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein surfaced last week.

Attia was among the 19 contributors named by CBS News Editor-in-chief Bari Weiss when she addressed staff about her future plans for the network on Jan. 28.

Two days later, Attia showed up in the latest batch of files on Epstein. A Stanford-trained physician who has gained prominence for his expertise in longevity medicine, Attia had a number of email exchanges with Epstein, including a crude discussion about female genitalia.

Another message showed Attia expressing dismay that he could not discuss Epstein’s activities. “You [know] the biggest problem with becoming friends with you? The life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul …” Attia wrote.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution, including from a minor. He was and found dead in his jail cell in 2019, about a month after being arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges

Conduct such as Attia’s association with Epstein would typically be grounds for a network news organization to cut ties with an individual, especially one who is not a full-time employee. Contributors are usually paid by the appearance.

But Weiss is said to be opposed to cutting Attia, according to two people familiar with her thinking. As founder of the digital news site The Free Press and as an opinion writer, Weiss spoke out against so called cancel culture and does not want to be seen as reacting to the Epstein frenzy.

Weiss joined CBS News in October after parent company Paramount acquired The Free Press, which gained a rabid following due to its willingness to criticize the political left. She has been a polarizing figure since taking editorial control of CBS News, making moves that some insiders believe are aimed at pleasing President Trump, such as delaying a “60 Minutes” story on the treatment of undocumented migrants being held in El Salvador.

CBS News has not publicly commented on Attia’s status.

Two companies have dropped Attia since the Epstein files surfaced. AGI, a company that makes powdered supplements, has dropped him as a scientific adviser. He has also stepped away from his role as chief science officer for David, a protein bar maker.

CBS News is pulling a “60 Minutes” profile of Attia that first aired in October. The segment was scheduled to re-air Sunday on a “60 Minutes” episode made up of repeats, which the program typically runs when the Super Bowl telecast is on a rival network.

Insiders say even if CBS News’ ties to Attia are not publicly severed, it’s unlikely he will ever be seen on the air. Health-related segments on TV news typically come with sponsors attached. It’s hard to imagine any advertiser will want their commercials running adjacent to a former Epstein pal.

In a Monday post on X, Attia apologized for his interactions with Epstein. He said he had not been involved in any criminal activity and had never visited Epstein’s island.

“I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public, and that is on me,” Attia wrote. “I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it.”

Attia wrote the best-selling book “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” and hosts a popular podcast. His company, Early Medical, offers a program that teaches people to live healthier as they age.

OLBIA in Sardinia was recently named one of the ‘best places to travel to in 2026’ by Lonely Planet, and it’s arguably the easiest beach city break destination in the world.

Located on the northeast coast of the island, the city has a charming old town, ruins and white sandy bays, it also has one of the best transfer times – just 3 minutes drive from the airport to the town centre.

British Airways will soon launch a new service, with flights running twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays from London Stansted to Olbia – starting on May 23 and ending on September 27, 2026.

The journey takes two and a half hours and a one-way ticket starts from £127.

Olbia has a great mix of pretty beaches, Roman and Greek history, and plenty of bars and restaurants.

Be sure to try the local dish of bread lasagne,made of cheese and bread soaked in broth.

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Crispy Sardinian flatbread, mussels, stuffed dumplings and pecorino cheese also feature heavily on the menu, washed down with locally-made wine like Cannonau.

Late spring is a great time to visit, with highs of between 22 and 24C and rooms from £31pp a night.

For proper sunbathing weather, average highs reach the early 30s in July and August, when tourists head to the beach to cool down – two of the most beautiful are Costa Corallina and Porto Istana Beach, which has fine white sand.

Porto Istana also has views across to Tavolara Island which is a sought-after snorkelling spot where you’ll see shipwrecks and plenty of colourful fish.

Then, hop onto a boat for an excursion towards Figarolo and the Golfo Aranci for bottlenose dolphin-spotting.

Dolphin tours generally start at £30 per person.

For souvenirs as well as boutiques and gelato spots head down Corso Umberto which is the main shopping street that stretches from the train station down to the waterfront.

When it comes to staying in Olbia, you can book a seven-night stay at the Olbia City Hotel & Spa from May 23 to May 30, 2026 for £217pp – or £31 per night.

Just a five-minute drive from the city centre, the 4-star hotel has a garden, a bar, small swimming pool and air-conditioned rooms.

Lonely Planet named Sardinia as one of its best places to travel to in 2026 thanks to its “pristine beaches”.

Sardinia was also named as a Destination of the Year by Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report.

If you fancy exploring more of Sardinia, one must-see is the beach called Cala Goloritzè, which is two hours south of Olbia.

Cala Goloritzè is tucked away in-between enormous limestone cliffs and was awarded the title of being 2025’s best beach in the world.

For more inspiration, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding headed to Sardinia last year where she ventured to the south side of the island.

She said: “Most travellers head to Olbia in the north of the island, but Cagliari in the south – the capital of the island – is also a great destination to explore.

“The south of the island and around Cagliari is full of quaint villages, rocky hills and breathtaking beaches. You can also do a number of activities from the resort, including a two-hour horse ride up into the island’s hills.

“The city is small, but even on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, its streets were quiet, free from hordes of tourists.”

For more on island holidays, here are five island-hopping holidays across Europe and the Maldives.

And see what one Sun Writer got up to when he went to a barely-visited Greek island with Hawaii-like beaches that wants Brits.

Before arriving at CBS News in October to become editor in chief, Bari Weiss had never been inside a television control room.

But on Tuesday, she presented her plan for taking the storied news division forward after a series of moves that has damaged its standing among viewers, failed to improve ratings, lowered internal morale and generated highly negative press coverage.

Weiss, addressing the staff gathered at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan, reached out to those who have not been impressed with what they have seen so far. “I’m not going to stand up here today and ask for your trust,” she said, according to a transcript provided by CBS News. “I’m going to earn it, just like we have to do with our viewers.”

The statement was an acknowledgment that the early days of Weiss’ tenure have not been smooth. Weiss has dealt with her own lack of familiarity with TV news procedures, the entrenched culture of a legacy media institution and suspicion that partisan politics are driving changes. The town hall-style meeting was an attempt at a reset.

Weiss fought the claims that her mandate at CBS News is to provide friendlier coverage to the Trump administration as parent company Paramount pursues an acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. She said she has never discussed CBS News coverage of the White House with Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, to whom she reports.

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison attends the premiere of “Ghosted” at AMC Lincoln Square in New York in April 2023.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

“I’m here to do one thing,” Weiss said. “It’s not to be a mouthpiece for anybody. It’s simply to be a mouthpiece for fairness and the pursuit of truth.”

She told employees her business goal for CBS News is to expand its reach on digital platforms.

“We are not doing enough to meet audiences where they are, so they are leaving us,” she said, adding that the network’s strategy until now has been “to cling to the audience that remains on broadcast television. If we stick to that strategy, we’re toast.”

Weiss said she wants to focus on expanding the most successful CBS News programs — “60 Minutes,” “CBS Sunday Morning” and true crime magazine “48 Hours” to other platforms, including podcasts, newsletters and live events. “We need to shift to a streaming mentality immediately,” she said, adding that “our competitors are not just the other broadcast networks.

The pronouncement — which could have been made five to 10 years ago — was welcomed by some CBS News employees who believe the operation has lagged in using its resources to expand beyond traditional TV. Overall, they were encouraged by Weiss’ remarks.

“She went a good way to bring people together,” said one attendee. “That was a good start.”

One question posed to Weiss, which is likely to loom over her tenure, is how much time does CBS News have to replace the substantial revenue still generated by traditional TV with digital enterprises. Ad rates for digital platforms are substantially lower than those for TV, which means greater dependence on subscriptions and other revenue sources.

Weiss did not provide any specifics on the level of investment for the new initiatives. “The emphasis going forward is going to be building things that people are ultimately willing to pay for,” she said.

Weiss said the network is recruiting “fresh young talent” that will focus on reporting first through social media, “but will appear everywhere else too.” She showed three recent hires based in London, Kyiv and New York who deliver their stories across different platforms using their iPhones.

Weiss also announced the hiring of 19 new contributors, several of whom have already appeared on the Free Press, the digital news site that CBS News parent Paramount acquired as part of the deal to bring her into the company.

The dependence on contributors, who are not employees but paid for their TV appearances, is commonly used on cable news networks that need to fill hours of programming.

Weiss has acknowledged to colleagues that she’s not familiar with the process of moving the assembly line of stories from the assignment stage, through the reporting and editing process and onto a schedule of programs, some of which run 365 days a year.

Her lack of experience was glaring in her handling of “60 Minutes,” the network’s most prestigious and profitable program. CBS News staffers were stunned when she decided to pull a segment on the abuses at an El Salvador prison used by the U.S. government to detain undocumented immigrants from Venezuela.

“CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil and the network’s chief national correspondent Matt Gutman.

(CBS News)

The story had been researched and reported for months by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and fully vetted by the standards department when Weiss yanked it one day before its originally scheduled Dec. 21 air date. Alfonsi called the move political and the conflict added to the narrative that Weiss is trying to placate the White House.

Weiss insisted Alfonsi’s story needed more reporting including an interview with an administration official, even though the White House had already declined requests to participate. The segment ran a month later with only minor additions to the reporting which executives inside the news division say was not worth the public drama created by Weiss’ editorial decision.

At the meeting, Weiss acknowledged she would have approached the matter differently but defended her intent.

“It’s always gonna be my prerogative as editor of this newsroom to say that I want more information, and to push to get more information,” she said. “Now, am I ever going to hold something again after it has been put out there with promos? I don’t want to make that exact same decision again, no I do not.”

Weiss added that Paramount management had no influence on her decision to hold Alfonsi’s story. “I wanna just say this as plainly and clearly as possible,” she said. “I was not pressured by David Ellison or anyone else.”

She said the journalism standards at the network have not changed since she arrived, but believed the division has been more welcoming to a wider range of viewpoints.

“I don’t think a year ago CBS News would’ve had [former National Rifle Assn. spokesperson] Dana Loesch, let’s say, on the morning show,” Weiss said. “I think that’s something to be proud of.”

Weiss praised the revamped “CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil” — with a new anchor she handpicked, even though critics have been harsh and the ratings have slipped. All three of the major network evening newscasts are down in January compared to a year ago, but CBS is off the most at around 20%.

Segments on the program, such as Dokoupil’s frothy tribute to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a brief item on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington that had President Trump calling it the fault of the Capitol police, were widely panned. But the attention has died down as the program has settled into being a straight-ahead newscast.

While the fiascoes involving “60 Minutes” or the first week of the “CBS Evening News” have been demoralizing, some journalists in the division are still hopeful Weiss can be a catalyst for change and want her to succeed.

But her rocky start will be tough to turn around according to Tom Bettag, a former network news producer who is now a lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

“Weiss started off so miserably with ’60 Minutes’ and the Dokoupil launch, that you wonder if she can redeem herself,” Bettag said. “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Weiss isn’t the first executive to be put in charge of a TV news operation without any hands-on experience. It was not easy for the others, either.

Michael Gartner, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor was appointed to oversee NBC News in the mid-1980s. During his turbulent five-year tenure, he struggled with talent egos as he tried to get costs under control. Walter Isaacson came from Time magazine to run CNN in 2001. He was gone after 18 months, expressing bewilderment over the public scrutiny of every network move.

Weiss’ previous management experience was running the Free Press, which has a staff of 60 compared to the sprawling CBS News operation with more than 1,200 employees around the world.

Weiss is also an anomaly as she comes to the job with an established point of view. Her journalism career was as an opinion writer before she launched the Free Press. The site gained a following for its criticism of the progressive left and purveyors of so-called “woke” policies.

Weiss has been vocal in telling CBS News employees that the public has less trust in legacy media, an assertion that is often pushed by Trump and his supporters. (She told the meeting that the network needs to target “independents … those who want to equip themselves with all the facts, who are curious to hear what’s going on, even if it offends their sensibilities.”)

Weiss carries that agenda while she tries to overcome the whispers of “she’s not one of us” at CBS News, which even loyal insiders believe leans too heavily on its storied history defined by 20th century journalism icons such as Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow.

“I think this place has allowed the ghosts of the past to walk these halls a little too much,” one CBS News journalist said. “They need to be acknowledged, but not obsessed over every day. The New York Yankees don’t sit around dwelling on Babe Ruth every day. They focus on winning.”

While “60 Minutes” and “CBS Evening News” are the editorial backbone of the division and are getting the bulk of Weiss’ attention, the division also has to chart a future course for “CBS Mornings,” a major revenue generator. Co-host Gayle King’s contract is up in May and last year there were leaks to an industry trade suggesting that Paramount wants her to return in another role and presumably a lower salary.

“CBS Mornings” is in third place behind ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today,” but still has a following and King is the most recognizable star in the news division. Morning show viewing is habitual and a change in the host chair could lead King’s fans to abandon the program. Once viewers leave, it’s hard to get them back, especially in today’s fragmented media environment where consumers have a seemingly endless array of alternatives.

At the town hall, Weiss gave a positive shout-out to King, who is angry over the press reports. “I’ve had people come and pet me like a puppy and say, ‘I’m sorry that you’re leaving CBS, I won’t watch those guys anymore,’” King said.

“I just want everyone here to know that she’s absolutely beloved,” Weiss said. “And we see her long into the future here at CBS.”

People close to the morning program who were not authorized to comment publicly believe King would return for another contract. But the network is already preparing for the future if King does depart.

Adriana Diaz and Kelly O’Grady were named co-hosts of “CBS Saturday Morning” and will be the principal fill-ins for King on the weekday program, clearly an attempt to get them familiar with the audience. “It’s a very explicit attempt to start building a bench,” said one insider.

Before the town hall meeting on Tuesday, many CBS News veterans were frustrated that Weiss had not addressed the entire division during the first three months of her tenure. King, who told colleagues she was impressed overall with the presentation, told Weiss they needed to meet sooner.

“For many people — they’ve never even heard your freakin’ voice,” King said. “So it’s good to hear, to see you’re a real person and this is what you want.”