Red Funnel News - Isle of Wight News

Florence and the Machine to headline Bestival

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Florence and the Machine have been confirmed as the final headline act on the bill of Bestival on the Isle of Wight this summer.

The band will be taking to the stage at Robin Hill Country Park on the Friday night of the festival and join Sigur Ros, New Order and Stevie Wonder on the bill.

Organisers of Bestival claimed the addition of Florence and the Machine - who had a massive hit single with You've Got The Love - confirms it is the most impressive Bestival line-up ever.

The xx, Caribou, Friendly Fires, Orbital, Frank Ocean, Hot Chip, Annie Mac Presents, Skream & Benga, Four Tet and Miike Snow are among the other acts to be heading to the Isle of Wight to entertain tens of thousands of revellers this September.

Curator Rob da Bank stated he is glad to be able to confirm the booking of Florence and the Machine and stated The xx will be warming up the main stage for them on the Friday night.

"The first time I met Flo she was whirling around like a spinning top to a Paul Simon track at a party I was DJing at. I hadn’t even heard her open her mouth but she had this alluring vibe already," he said, adding the shows she has played at Bestival in the last few years have been among the top highlights for a lot of the festival's attendees.

Florence is likely to embrace the wildlife theme at Bestival on the Isle of Wight this summer and attendees are sure to be looking forward to seeing her outfit choice for the big gig.

Other bands set to perform at the Isle of Wight-based event between September 6th and 9th this summer include Justice, Soulwax, Two Door Cinema Club, Rizzle Kicks, Spiritualized, Ben Howard, Orbital, Bat For Lashes, Warpaint and Emeli Sande.

Posted by Carla Winter

Isle of Wight venue gets Â£1m investment

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

One of the Isle of Wight's top tourist attractions is to benefit from £1 million of investments.

Ventnor Botanic Garden is set to be given £200,000 by the Isle of Wight Council, while a Community Interest Company (CIC) run by US businessman John Curtis is to pledge another £800,000 over the course of the next few years.

According to a report by the Isle of Wight County Press, the £200,000 from the local authority is set to be spent on urgent repairs at the popular facility.

The Isle of Wight Council is set to discuss the plans next Tuesday (May 23rd) and is expected to give them the thumbs up.

Ventnor Botanic Garden's Royal Garden Cafe is already operated by the CIC after the local authority indicated it needed to sell the venue off to save money.

The CIC has also promised any profits made at the site are going to be reinvested into the location, which attracts thousands of visitors on Isle of Wight holidays every year.

If the deal gets the green light next week as it is likely to, seven staff would be transferred from the Isle of Wight Council on their existing pay and conditions to the new CIC and they would remain part of the local government pension scheme under the agreement.

Ventnor Botanic Garden was founded on the site of the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, which was set up around 150 years ago by physician and naturist Dr Arthur Hill Hassall, but was demolished in the 1960s.

In 1970 it was set up as the Steephill Pleasure Gardens and over the course of the last four decades it has grown into one of the most important and popular tourist destinations on the Isle of Wight, boasting a wide range of rare plants.

Posted by Louise Parkes

Butterflies spotted early on Isle of Wight

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Tourists on Isle of Wight holidays may have seen butterflies during their time on the island, with sightings coming earlier in the year than expected.

According to Butterfly Conservation, the "wild" spring weather has led to the creatures coming out quicker than anticipated.

The mild winter and the warm March led to the Small Blue being spotted on the Isle of Wight on March 30th, with this species generally not being sighted until a month later than this date.

Richard Fox, butterfly conservation surveys manager, explained the weather this spring may mean butterfly numbers for next spring are adversely affected as a result.

"Last year we had a hot spring and a poor summer. This year we're having a poor spring, so let's hope the summer is better," he said.

Individuals interested in butterflies could head to Butterfly and Fountain World on the Isle of Wight, which is home to thousands of the creatures in their natural environment.

Posted by Carla Winter

Isle of Wight hosting Riverfest this weekend

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Tourists on Isle of Wight holidays this weekend could spend some of their break on the island at the Riverfest event that is being held over the course of the next few days.

More than 4,000 people attended the Riverfest celebrations when they were held in Newport last year and thousands more are expected to turn up tomorrow (May 19th).

According to a report by the Isle of Wight County Press, vessels of all colours, sizes and shapes are going to be travelling up the River Medina in order to mark the occasion.

It is the biggest free community event on the calendar in Newport and since its inception four years ago has become one of the most popular happenings on the Isle of Wight.

Local food stalls will be set up close to the banks of the river, making it an ideal place for those on Isle of Wight holidays to spend some time over the course of the weekend.

The celebrations get underway at 11:00 BST and one of the highlights of the day is likely to be a 2km stand-up paddle board race on the river, with contestants able to hire a board if they want to take part in the event or even bring their own.

Riverfest organisers have been working with the Isle of Wight Rural Community Council on a plan this year to host a 1,200 Strong event, which is a celebration of volunteering on the island with many national charities and home-grown local ones on hand to explain their work.

Bodies such as the Maritime Volunteer Service, Newport Rowing Club, the Royal Naval Association, Medina Mariners Association and the Medina Valley Centre have all confirmed that they are going to be in attendance at the event.

A tall ship from The Little Brig Sailing Trust is also going to be at Riverfest providing entertainment to the thousands of attendees who are expected.

Posted by Steph White

Hampshire cricket matches set for Isle of Wight

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Cricket fans on Isle of Wight holidays may get the chance to see some of the country's best batsmen and bowlers later in the summer after Hampshire announced they are playing two fixtures on the island.

They will take on a Professional Cricketers Association side that is going to be captained by the former England international wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.

Ventnor’s England star Danny Briggs and Shanklin seam bowler David Griffiths are among the Isle of Wight players who could be selected to play in the two fixtures that will take place at Newclose on June 11th.

They come as part of a warm-up schedule Hants has put together to prepare for this summer's Friends Life t20 competition, which gets underway just a few days later.

Newclose benefactor and trustee Brian Gardener stated it is a great honour for the Isle of Wight club to be picked to host the matches, adding: "Genuine top-class cricket will once again be played on the island and we intend to use the occasion to prove that Newclose is perfectly capable of staging cricket at the highest level."

If the event is deemed to be a success, Hampshire may elect to play County Championship matches on the Isle of Wight next season.

Briggs, a 20-year-old spinner, is thought to be close to a call-up to the England Test side and stated the whole squad is looking forward to playing on the Isle of Wight.

He noted the facilities that they will be using at Newclose are "excellent" and added the players are looking forward to competing in front of a "considerable" group of fans.

Tickets for the day start at just £10 and parking at the ground is free for attendees.

Briggs has been Hampshire's leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket in each of the last two seasons and will be the man to watch for the games.

Posted by Adam Pearson

Cowes Week fireworks get green light

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Individuals planning to book Isle of Wight holidays to attend the annual Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week sailing regatta will be able to see the iconic firework display.

It was announced a few months ago that the fireworks would not be taking place in 2012 as a result of a lack of funding.

But headline sponsor of the event Aberdeen Asset Management - which recently revealed it is to extend its deal with Cowes Week to 2015 - has stepped in to save the fireworks.

Chief executive officer of the firm Martin Gilbert explained the fireworks are one of the great traditions of the annual regatta, which draws thousands of people a year to the Isle of Wight.

"Aberdeen Asset Management, in partnership with a range of financial groups and other organisations, is proud to be playing a key role," he said.

Chief executive officer of Cowes Week Stuart Quarrie stated the organisation is "delighted" to be able to plan a fireworks display for the 2012 event.

"We are pleased to confirm that Cowes Week Limited is pledging to match any donations received from members of the public over the coming months," he said.

Any surplus funds will be set aside for the 2013 fireworks display, it was added in a statement.

The fireworks display will take place on the final night of the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week sailing regatta on August 17th after a full week of racing around the island, with the action getting started on the 11th.

Some of the world's top sailors will be heading on Isle of Wight holidays to take part in the event and among them is the triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie.

Champagne Lanson was recently revealed by the organisers of the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week to be the chosen official champagne of the regatta.

Posted by Jon Noble

Isle of Wight caravanning holiday 'may have health benefits'

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Isle of Wight caravanning holidays could be in demand this summer following the publication of a study into the health benefits of taking such a break.

According to Jon Dale, PR manager at The Camping and Caravanning Club, reports claim camping makes people emotionally richer.

Research carried out by John Moores University discovered 85 per cent of adult campers believe that it can make you healthier, while almost half agreed it should be prescribed on the NHS.

"The results conclusively proved that the health benefits of camping and caravanning were very important," Mr Dale said.

It is likely the Isle of Wight will be among the top destinations in the UK this year for those who want to spend some of their summer enjoying a caravanning holiday.

Earlier in the month, it was revealed that the island is the best place in the south-east of the country in terms of the quality of its beaches.

Posted by Steph White

Blue Peter show to be filmed on Isle of Wight

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

Blue Peter is set to travel to the Isle of Wight to film a special Olympic Games preview show ahead of the start of the global competition later in the summer.

The island's Osborne House will be the setting for the programme, which will aim to give youngsters an insight into some of the sports being held in London and around the UK.

Blue Peter's Big Olympic Tour is set to arrive on the Isle of Wight on July 14th and will be presented live from the stately home by Naomi Wilkinson and Barney Harwood.

Osborne House is one of the most popular places for tourists on Isle of Wight holidays to go to, due to the fact it was the vacation residence of Queen Victoria, who regularly crossed the Solent to enjoy breaks on the island.

Families who want to take part in the live Blue Peter show on the Isle of Wight can register their interest, with special events planned for after the end of the programme.

Blue Peter has been in the news this week after it was revealed it is going to be moved from its home on BBC television on to specialised children's digital channels.

A range of Olympic sports are going to be showcased by Harwood and Wilkinson on the day, which will give island children and those on Isle of Wight holidays an insight into some of the less obvious pursuits people will be competing in this summer.

Although the majority of the action is going to take place in capital city London, locations around the UK will be playing host to some of the sports, with football matches held across the nation.

The Olympics get underway on July 27th - just a couple of weeks after Blue Peter is filmed live on the island - and the event closes on August 12th.

Posted by Carla Winter

Isle of Wight bar awarded live music licence

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

An Isle of Wight bar is set to host a series of summer concerts after it was successful in its efforts to secure a licence for live music performances.

Joe's - which is located in Union Street, Ryde - will hold gigs on June 16th, July 13th and August 18th after it was awarded three Temporary Event Notices by the Isle of Wight Council's licensing sub-committee.

The Isle of Wight County Press reports that concerns had been raised by the police over the noise from the bar when the live music was on, but under the terms of the agreement, the doors of the venue must be kept closed after 22:00 BST.

Sound-proofing work must also be carried out on the premises prior to the shows in order to limit the disturbance to the locals.

Joe's is one of the Isle of Wight's most popular cafes and bars and it was established more than two decades ago.

Posted by Adam Pearson

Isle of Wight 'top in region for beaches'

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 BST

The Isle of Wight has been named the top area in the south-east of the UK for the quality of beaches by Keep Britain Tidy.

It has been awarded three prestigious Blue Flag awards and 11 Quality Coast Awards by the organisation.

Thanet received ten awards from the body, so the Isle of Wight's total of 14 puts it well on top for the south-east region.

Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor were all lauded by Keep Britain Tidy and were given Blue Flag awards as a result, while the beaches at Colwell, Cowes, East Cowes, Gurnard, Seagrove, Springvale, Totland and Yaverland received Quality Coast Awards.

Strict criteria on factors including high water quality and litter levels are among those that must be met by beaches if they are to be given the accolades.

George Brown, Isle of Wight Council Cabinet member responsible for tourism, described the news as "excellent", adding: "This retains our number one standing as the best tourism destination in the south-east for quality beaches and shows the hard work to maintain our beaches over the last year has been worthwhile. This is very good news for the island as we build up towards the main tourism season."

Families wishing to enjoy a beach break in the UK over the course of the summer may therefore wish to book Isle of Wight holidays in the coming weeks and months and have their pick of 14 great sandy stretches across the island.

Earlier in the month, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) highlighted a number of beaches on the Isle of Wight in its latest Good Beach Guide, with Shanklin, Ventnor, Totland Bay, Gurnard, Colwell Bay, Sandown, Sandown-Yaverland, St Helens, Compton Bay and Seagrove all given the top rating in the water quality category.

Rachel Wyatt, coastal pollution officer for the MCS, told the Isle of Wight County Press that this will attract people to book Isle of Wight holidays.

Posted by Steph White