Hello, this is bbc news. The headlines the Prime Minister tells supporters in tony blairs old constituency in north east england that they have changed the Political Landscape and the country. Our country has now embarked on a wonderful adventure. And we are going to recover our national and self confidence, our mojo, ourself belief and we will do things differently, and better. Borisjohnson rejects demands for another independence referendum in scotland, despite a massive surge in support for the snp in the general election. As the labour party turns its focus to who will succeed Jeremy Corbyn as leader, shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell confirms he wont be part of the next shadow cabinet. We will all go now and a new leader will come in place, appoint a shadow cabinet. I will not be part of that shadow cabinet. I have done my bit. We need to move on at that stage with that new leader. Journey times are being cut, more services and new routes added as part of major timetable changes on britains railways. 21 year old australian krystal eve browitt has been named as the first victim of the white island volcano eruption in new zealand. Crucial United Nations climate talks in madrid are continuing, with no sign that an agreement is imminent. Now on bbc news. Its time for the travel show. This week on the travel show im in the uk to see up close how one of the nations most iconic landmarks is getting a much needed face lift. 0h oh my word. Look at that and with the Festive Season just around the corner, we are in londons historic burlington shopping arcade, as a famous face helps it celebrate its 200th christmas. Before i head east, to norfolks thursford spectacular, putting my feet to the test at britains biggest Christmas Show. Were starting this week right in the middle of london, and inside the landmark that, for generations, has been notjust a source of beauty but of power, too. They used to call this the mother of parliaments. The palace of westminster was first built in 1016, but until the 19th century it looked very different. A massive fire and a victorian rebuild created the gothic spires that have made the building famous. That is the 900 year old heart of the uk establishment, and one of its most recognisable landmarks, which you might know from scenes like this. The ayes to the right, 202. The noes to the left, 228. Recently, coverage of the ongoing, and often heated, brexit debates have brought images of this building into homes all over the world. Order order. But, the building is falling apart. Crumbling plasterwork riddled with asbestos and even in the chamber itself, the inner sanctum of british lawmaking, there are leaks. I want to finally finish my comments. The roofs leaking . With a leaky roof in the background. The sitting is now suspended and no photographs please rain sounds the palace of westminster has been a unesco World Heritage site since 1987, and in 2015 a joint committee determined that the longer essential works were put off, the higher the risk that the building could suffer a sudden catastrophic failure. The cost of repair has been estimated at 5. 5 billion. Even just the annual maintenance bill stacks up at a whopping £30 million. It is daunting for the man in charge of conservation, who meets me in the ancient westminster hall. This is the oldest part of the houses of parliament, it dates from 1099 and was extensively refurbished by richard ii in 1395 and finished off by henry iv in 1402. And it was high time it had a bit of attention, starting off with straightening the steps out over there, for example, sorting out the floor which was sinking in one corner and the roof is actually in quite good shape but it was rather dirty so we thought we should get up there and every so often a bit fell off. We used to have fly pasts, and little pieces of timber would drop off, and that is not really conducive to Public Health and safety, so to speak. That does sound like quite a challenge. Its a huge logistical challenge. It is always very difficult in a building that has seen intensive use. This is the seat of parliament, the legislator has primacy over everything we do, and we have to consider that. And so you tend to get a backlog of maintenance, because there isnt much time to do it in. One of the most famous parts of the whole site is the elizabeth tower, which contains big ben a bell, not a clock, as many think. Shutterbugs coming here on holiday will have been disappointed for the past two years as the whole thing has been encased in scaffolding. Restoring it has been a colossaljob. Were going over the top of portcullis house, and when we get to level 25 of the scaffolding, which is about 50 metres up, you go past the clock faces. Oh my very word look at that thats enormous, how big is that . Thats about just over eight metres in diameter. You can drive a double decker bus through it. Was it originally natural stone . Yes. And we found as we were painting our analysis of the dialframe itself, we went back through the colours and we found that this was the blue that was the original colour. And we carried out extensive repairs, were about halfway through those as well. So, has it been a straightforward process . Did they leave instructions on how to fix this thing . No, obviously no instructions. I think the team that i feel particularly for are the clock mechanics who have taken apart the clock mechanism for the first time in its history and now have to put it back together, and there are an awful lot of pieces that need to go back together. They are a phenomenally talented group of guys so i have no doubt that they will do it and do it very well. Just behind the clock face lies the main event. The enormous chunk of cast iron im up here to see. I guess thats it that is big ben. The name is apt. The bell is 13 tonnes in weight which is phenomenal. Feel the thickness of it, you cant even appreciate looking at it from the outside. Can i have a look under . You can. Oh, wow that is. 12 inches, maybe. Maybe slightly more. That is an impressive bell. In the past, you have only been allowed up into the tower by contacting your mp and only if you are a uk resident. The powers that be have not yet decided if they will be relaxing those rules when it reopens. As they come up the top of the stairs there will be a glass box, and just above you will be the quarter bell so it will be a really interesting viewpoint and one that will probably scare a few people, and you can also see up to big ben which previously, there was an old bridge structure which wasnt particularly impressive so we replaced it. It kinda gives you that visibility of big ben when you come to the top, it will be a real wow moment when people come up the stairs. U nforg etta ble, really. I can imagine after all those stairs, you would want something that is a wow moment. 324 steps. You get a bit of a break halfway just to catch your breath, but having walked it a few times i thought my fitness level would improve and it would be easier, but it is not. It is stilljust as hard when you get to the top. So it better be worth it when you get here. Thankfully, it really is. Restoration on the tower is set to continue until 2021, and the palace of westminster, years after that. But it has been such a privilege to come up here and see this up close and i cannot wait for the scaffolding to come down. It ought to be revealed and for everyone to get the chance to see it, t0o. But in the meantime, limited because of the houses of parliament, back on the ground, are Still Available for visitors from around the world. Its all getting nice and festive here in the uk. If you are planning a trip you have some last minute gifts to buy, here are some European Christmas markets we recommend. Croatias capital zagreb has become a huge citywide christmas market. A massive event that has seen it win awards for the last three years in a row. The theme this time is the nutcracker, which includes an escape room and a walk through cave to get you in the mood. 0ur tip, head for zrinjevac park which has a more traditional croatian feel, to try out what some of the croats eat at this time of year. If you are looking for winter wonderlands, salzburg in austria isnt a bad shout. Its market has roots going back to the late 15th century. Youll get all the usual mulled wine, wooden huts, gingerbread, and so on, but the activities here are pretty good too. They have organised singalongs in the main square, readings of childrens christmas stories and traditional wind music performed high above the square. Bruges ice rink has been replaced by an artificial one this year, that is said to be much more eco friendly. The annual Ice Sculpture festival has also been cancelled, because city authorities said it was too energy inefficient. But this little belgian town is so fairytail beautiful at this time of year, it is still well worth a visit. And the tiny alpine town of bolzano reckons it has got italys biggest christmas market. The organisers go big on rustic and traditional. There are about 80 stalls, most selling locally made gifts. It is all set around a nativity scene in a real wooden stable. Still to come on the travel show as christmas nears, we are off to meet the people behind one of londons most historic shopping arcades. And im heading to the east of england to take to the stage in britains biggest Christmas Show. So, dont go away. Now, at this time of year londons streets packed with last minute christmas shoppers and, perhaps, the most famous is Regent Street, which this year celebrates its 200th birthday. Butjust off Regent Street youll find somewhere else celebrating, too. Its the burlington shopping arcade that first opened back in 1819. We went to visit as it geared up for christmas in its own unique style. Hello, my name is mark lord, i am the head beadle at the Burlington Arcade here in the heart of mayfair. I think the beadles keep a great tradition. I love the way they stop people running, they dont let you sing and whistle, all that stuff makes it very different to most arcades. We have some very good customers and great characters. Arnold schwarzenegger is a Great Customer of ours. Bought several pairs once, didnt want to carry them around with him, was going to come back, we said what time are you coming back . As he left he turned and went and went, ill be back. My predecessors have told me the stories of when fred astaire danced in the arcade because someone bought some parker slippers. Marilyn monroe was filming with laurence olivier. His butler brought her here because apparently sir lawrence and ms munroe did not get on very well. We have all types of people. We have people from the Prime Minister to famous actresses, and just normal people. In 2006, i popped in here because it was time for me to look for an engagement ring, so a remembered Burlington Arcade, i popped in. And i was looking at the jewellery and i couldnt find the shoeshiner. I said, do know where the shoeshine guy is . And they said he hasnt come around for the last three months. I said, you are missing the point, i am a shoeshiner, i would love to be involved here. And from that, 13 years later, im here. You could travel the world and look at lots of different Luxury Retail stores and streets and they all look very similar, Burlington Arcade is a unique thoroughfare. Its not too big. It is not a shopping mall. Its very human in terms of size. Wejumped in anothertime, because almost nothing has changed in terms of decor. Its like being in a fairy tale or in a movie. Five, four, three, two, one cheering. They remind us of a winter wonderland, really, and its amazing the effect the Christmas Lights can have on people. Even after my 17 christmases in the arcade, it still gives you a tingle on the back of your spine when you are here and you see the joy on peoples faces and just a little skip in their step. It has a very, very, very special atmosphere. Now im heading 130 miles east, to norfolk. This part of the country is known for its beautiful countryside, and a network of waterways known as the norfolk broads. But as the winter chill draws on, it is the tiny village of thursford, which since 1977, has made christmas specialfor over six million people. And around this time of year you might be thinking of heading somewhere christmassy, like sa ntas grotto. Few places mostly scale of the Thursford Christmas spectacular. Each day during the Festive Season up to 50 coach loads of visitors come in here to see britains biggest Christmas Show. Let the drums roll out let the trumpet call while the people shout strike up the band with 2000 pom poms and 1. 5 million rhinestones, this is a show to remember for the 110,000 people who come here during the Festive Season. Now in its 43rd year, this family run production was started as one mans vision. Its a journey to christmas eve, basically, in music, song, and dance. But through its popularity through the years its had to come forward. So now it starts on november six. It is basically a nonstop extravaganza of music, dance, and song. I had a friend in Kings College cambridge who was one of the Kings College choral scholars, which was a school for norfolk at the time. And just 400 500 people turned up. But it was just in the middle of this building here. So it started with one show, then went to two, then four, then eight, ten, 16, and so on. The show still takes place injohns converted farmyard barn. And he begins preparing its Christmas Show injanuary. This year, over 3000 west end and broadway artists auditioned to be part of the company of over 120 performers. And, today, im going to bejoining them for the big finale. But first, a crash course in learning my steps. The front, one, two, three. Five, six, seven, eight. Hands, hands, bow, stand left foot. One, two, three, four, five. And then make your way back out. Thank you so much for teaching me. I hope i dont cause any disruption later. You were great. You will be great. What is it like for you to perform in a show like this . It is a little bit different, isnt it . Its very different. Im one of the singers in the show. I did the show last year and fell in love with it. So im back this year. Its just such a variety. Even as a singer i do lots of Musical Theatre stuff but this has lots of classical in there as well. Its nice to get that kind of mixture. One thing that is incredible is we are celebrating christmas for two months every day. You would think it would get a little tedious, but it doesnt. Because every show we have 1400 people watching and they are all there to celebrate christmas and it is just amazing to do shows every day, twice a day. Applause. I understand that this is quite a production. We are talking about over 100 performers. What kind of logistical challenges are there for you guys backstage . Its a massive one. There are thousands and thousands of costumes in the show. Every single musician, singer, dancer, variety act, they have all got 10 15 costumes each. And so, with backstage buzzing, this afternoons Christmas Spectacular is about to start. Ive been dreaming of christmas time. Every day through the year. Trees shine in every window. Children all dream of reindeer hoofprints in the snow. Ive been longing for christmas time. When hearts are warm and filled with joy. Theres love for all to share. As gifts. This is suzy, she is going to help me get into my costume. The best time of the year. I have to go onstage now. Lets hope i remember my steps. Music plays. 0h ok, so i didnt fall over, i didnt forget the steps, and i didnt cause any kind of incidents. So as far as im concerned, job done. I must say, being up there, looking out at the audience, standing, clapping, enjoying themselves, everyone singing, it really was something a bit special. And i didnt fall over. Yes well, thats it for this weeks travel show. Coming up next week. We will be looking back at some of our favourite moments of the year, like when mike climbed up one of natures giants in california. Condors get this view. Condors, and us. Its incredible. And when ade went full throttle in dubai. Oh yes so do join us then. And in the meantime, from all of us here at the travel show, we wish you a very happy Festive Season and, until next time, its goodbye. Good afternoon. The weather is u nsettled good afternoon. The weather is unsettled out there at the moment. Low pressure driving things, bringing plenty of blustery showers through the rest of the weekend. Plenty of those around already today. This picture taken by one of oui today. This picture taken by one of our weather watchers in merseyside earlier. Three the rest of today and for tomorrow we keep the theme of sunshine and showers, not raining all the time but some of those showers will fall as snow over high grounds. A risk of icy stretches through tonight and early tomorrow. The radar shows where we have had rain showers and white shows sleet and snow over the high grounds of the pennines. And parts of the grampian seeing snowfall. Through the remainder of the afternoon, dry weather across england and wales. In time, strong and gusty winds across most areas. Gusts of 50 miles an hour through the English Channel coasts but many see a blustery afternoon. Temperatures of 4 10d, feeling colder where exposed to the wind. A dry interlude, showers roll in from the west. Certainly a risk of ice. Particularly across parts of northern england, scotland and northern ireland. We will see more sleet and snow around high ground. White colours with sleet and snow showers in northern ireland, Southern Uplands and scotland, across the Cumbrian Mountains through the course of tonight. Clear spells, enough of a breeze to keep things first free across england and wales but in scotland and northern ireland, temperatures dip a few degrees below freezing. A cold and frosty day in the north, watch out for icy stretches on sunday. Low pressure for icy stretches on sunday. Low pressure sets to the north of the on sunday, pretty similar to what we have today with sunny spells, scattered blustery showers moving through on that westerly wind and sleet and snow over high ground, especially in the north. Gusts of wind tomorrow, 30 miles an hourfor many. As high as 50 round coastal areas, especially down in the south west. Temperatures nothing to write home about, 3 9d but feeling colder where you are out in the wind. Through into the coming week on the things remaining unsettled. Showers around at times, not as windy compared to the weekend and temperatures creeping up. Looking milderfor much of temperatures creeping up. Looking milder for much of the week ahead. This is bbc news. Im geeta guru murthy, live in westminster. The headlines at 2 the Prime Minister tells supporters in tony blairs old constituency in north east england that they have changed the Political Landscape and the country. Our country has now embarked on a wonderful adventure, and we are going to recover our National Self confidence, our mojo, ourself belief, and we are going to do things differently and better. Scotlands first minister, nicola sturgeon, warns borisjohnson he must not stand in the way of efforts to pursue a second Scottish Independence vote. It could not really be clearer now that the majority in scotland want a very different future to that that has been chosen by much of the rest of the uk
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.