A long weekend in Lake Annecy: high thrills and haute cuisine


Catherine Henderson enjoys high thrills and haute cuisine in Lake Annecy – arguably one of France’s most beautiful areas

Spotlight on San Francisco

Ahead of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday on May 27, San Francisco has never looked more golden writes Kaye Holland. Read her guide to the city with its head in the clouds, here

HM Revenue and Customs

From the website:

“HMRC’s purpose is to make sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services. We also help families and individuals with targeted financial support”

Saving Hastings Pier

You will remember that Hastings Pier was devastated by a fire a last October. Piers are regarded with some nostalgia as things from Victorian times and our childhood. They don’t quite have the same number of followers as steam trains, but followers there are. So from the ashes, so to speak, an appeal is about to be launched to raise money to renovate the pier and bring it back into use. The sum required is relatively quite small at £800,000 and with the backers it has attracted, this should be attainable.

The Holiday Booking Rush Begins

It looks as though those of us who haven’t booked holidays are finally getting around to it. Over the weekend, travel agents that we’ve spoken to saw more customers than they expected. Last minute bookings seem to be the theme this year again.

Be Cautious Booking Travel Online

The travel industry has been one of the biggest users of selling their products online. Rail companies, accommodation providers, tour operators, cruise companies and tourist authorities have all leaped in and provide online suites to book services, order brochures or to join sites where you can talk about your holidays. Today about 60% of all UK internet searches are for holiday related information.
But from Get Safe Online, the government backed website that encourages safe online trading, comes a message that we all should remember. Be careful which sites you use. Be careful of offers that seem too good to be true. Check any online sites that you haven’t heard off with a reliable source before using them.

Letter from London: Great British dining

London’s food scene is heating up. Jane Eggington reports…