Podcasts about Covent Garden

British Olympic diver Tom Daley joins the show. Over fresh pasta, Tom tells me about becoming an Olympian for the first time at age 13, his special relationship with his late father, and becoming a dad with his partner ‘Milk' screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. This episode was recorded at Bancone in Covent Garden, London. Want next week's episode now? Subscribe to Dinner's on Me PLUS. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, but you'll also be able to listen completely ad-free! Just click “Try Free” at the top of the Dinner's on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. A Sony Music Entertainment & A Kid Named Beckett production. Get 15% off your Saily plan with the code ⁠⁠dinnersonme⁠⁠. Just download the Saily app or head to ⁠⁠https://saily.com/dinnersonme⁠⁠. Stay connected — and don't miss your dinner reservation. Stay connected — and don't miss your dinner reservation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 29 August 1923, the BBC officially launched SB: Simultaneous Broadcasting.  They'd been testing SB for months, via crossed lines and cross conversations with the General Post Office. It would dramatically change the shape and big idea of what broadcasting was and could be. Using landlines, they linked stations - so a Covent Garden concert could be heard nationally for the first time, as other stations gave over the schedules to big concerts, or news bulletins, or... whatever London wanted. Generally speaking. Yes, other stations could take over too - Birmingham or Glasgow might offer a concert of play. But questions were asked, even back then, of whether listeners would prefer their regular local programming, or news/concerts from the capital. Oh but we can provide you big stars, said the Programme Department. It's a move forward. But a move backward for local programming, alas - even if it was pitched to them that they could enjoy a night off. Hmm... As we explore and unpack that, we also welcome a guest - Mary Englsh, who began at the BBC in 1973 as a studio manager, wrote for The Two Ronnies, and nearly bled over Margaret Thatcher thanks to an editing accident. We hear from her, including the timely observation that the BBC perhaps win trust by "broadcasting their defeats". (In the week this podcast lands, the BBC has broadcast two of their defeats - with news reports about their Gaza documentary and Gregg Wallace. Would another channel amplify their failures quite so much? Should they? Answers on a postcard...)   SHOWNOTES: Original music is by Will Farmer.  Paul's recent talk at the Early Recordings Conference, on the earliest BBC recording and what happened to it: https://youtu.be/JdJVGhPKtjM Our Substack: paulkerensa.substack.com Paul at Camden Fringe with An Evening of (Very) Old Radio, in August 2025 - come! https://camdenfringe.com/events/an-evening-of-very-old-radio/ Paul on elsewhere on tour: www.paulkerensa.com/tour. Our walking tour of old BBC sites, 9 Aug and 6 Sept 2025 - come! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walking-tour-of-old-bbc-and-pre-bbc-buildings-pwyw-tickets-1401875560539   This podcast is nothing to do with the BBC. Any BBC copyright content is reproduced courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. We try to use clips so old they're beyond copyright, but you never know. Copyright's complicated... Comments? Email the show - paul at paulkerensa dot com. Do like/share/rate/review this podcast - it all helps. Support us on Patreon (£5/mth), for bonus videos and things - and thanks if you do! ...Latest Patreon video is an even deeper dive into the Sykes Report - we read the lot (well, most of it): https://www.patreon.com/posts/vid-1923s-sykes-132182661 Next time: Episode 103: Aug/Sept 1923 - Rob Roy and the first cat on radio! More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio  

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter  or Bluesky for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcast.Competition ends on 23rd July 2025. The winner will be contacted via Bluesky. Show references:  Sam Mullins, Trustee at SS Great Britainhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sammullins/https://www.ssgreatbritain.org/ Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: What an amazing day out here. Welcome to Skip the Queue. The podcast for people working in and working with visitor attractions, I'm your host, Paul Marden, and today you join me for the last episode of the season here in a very sunny and very pleasant Bristol Dockyard. I'm here to visit the SS Great Britain and one of their trustees, Sam Mullins, who until recently, was the CEO of London Transport Museum. And I'm going to be talking to Sam about life after running a big, family friendly Museum in the centre of London, and what comes next, and I'm promising you it's not pipes and the slippers for Sam, he's been very busy with the SSGreat Britain and with other projects that we'll talk a little more about. But for now, I'm going to enjoy poodling across the harbour on boat number five awaiting arrival over at the SS Great Britain. Paul Marden: Is there much to catch in the water here?Sam Mullins: According to some research, there's about 36 different species of fish. They catch a lot of cream. They catch Roach, bullet, bass car. Big carpet there, maybe, yeah, huge carpet there. And then your European great eel is here as well, right? Yeah, massive things by the size of your leg, big heads. It's amazing. It goes to show how receipt your life is. The quality of the water is a lot better now. Paul Marden: Oh yeah, yeah, it's better than it used to be years ago. Thank you very much. All right. Cheers. Have a good day. See you later on. So without further ado, let's head inside. So where should we head? Too fast. Sam Mullins: So we start with the stern of the ship, which is the kind of classic entrance view, you know. Yeah, coming up, I do. I love the shape of this ship as you as you'll see.Paul Marden: So lovely being able to come across the water on the boat and then have this as you're welcome. It's quite a.Sam Mullins: It's a great spot. Isn't it?Paul Marden: Really impactful, isn't it? Sam Mullins:  Because the amazing thing is that it's going this way, is actually in the dry dock, which was built to build it. Paul Marden: That's amazing. Sam Mullins: So it came home. It was clearly meant to be, you know,Paul Marden:  Quite the circular story.Sam Mullins:  Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Paul Marden:  Thank you. Wow. Look at that view.Sam Mullins: So that's your classic view.Paul Marden:  So she's in a dry dock, but there's a little bit of water in there, just to give us an idea of what's going on. Sam Mullins: Well, what's actually going on in here is, preserving the world's first iron ship. So it became clear, after he'd come back from the Falklands, 1970 came back to Bristol, it became clear that the material of the ship was rusting away. And if something wasn't done, there'd be nothing left, nothing left to show. So the innovative solution is based on a little bit of science if you can reduce the relative humidity of the air around the cast iron hull of the ship to around about 20% relative humidity, corrosion stops. Rusting stops. It's in a dry dock. You glaze over the dock at kind of water line, which, as you just noticed, it gives it a really nice setting. It looks like it's floating, yeah, it also it means that you can then control the air underneath. You dry it out, you dehumidify it. Big plant that dries out the air. You keep it at 20% and you keep the ship intact. Paul Marden: It's interesting, isn't it, because you go to Mary Rose, and you go into the ship Hall, and you've got this hermetically sealed environment that you can maintain all of these beautiful Tudor wooden pieces we're outside on a baking hot day. You don't have the benefit of a hermetically sealed building, do you to keep this? Sam Mullins: I guess the outside of the ship is kind of sealed by the paint. That stops the air getting to the bit to the bare metal. We can go down into the trigger, down whilst rise up.Paul Marden:  We're wondering. Sam, yeah, why don't you introduce yourself, tell listeners a little bit about your background. How have we ended up having this conversation today.Sam Mullins: I'm Sam Mullins. I'm a historian. I decided early on that I wanted to be a historian that worked in museums and had an opportunity to kind of share my fascination with the past with museum visitors. So I worked in much Wenlock in Shropshire. I worked created a new museum in market Harbour, a community museum in Leicestershire. I was director of museums in St Albans, based on, you know, great Roman Museum at Verulamium, okay. And ended up at London Transport Museum in the 90s, and was directed there for a long time.Paul Marden: Indeed, indeed. Oh, we are inside now and heading underground.Sam Mullins: And you can hear the thrumming in the background. Is the dehumidification going on. Wow. So we're descending into thevery dry dock.Paul Marden: So we're now under water level. Yes, and the view of the ceiling with the glass roof, which above looked like a lovely little pond, it's just beautiful, isn't it?Sam Mullins: Yes, good. It sets it off both in both directions, really nicely.Paul Marden: So you've transitioned now, you've moved on from the Transport Museum. And I thought that today's episode, we could focus a little bit on what is, what's life like when you've moved on from being the director of a big, famous, influential, family friendly Museum. What comes next? Is it pipe and slippers, or are there lots of things to do? And I think it's the latter, isn't it? Sam Mullins: Yes. Well, you know, I think people retire either, you know, do nothing and play golf, or they build, you know, an interesting portfolio. I wanted to build, you know, something a bit more interesting. And, you know, Paul, there's that kind of strange feeling when you get to retire. And I was retiring from full time executive work, you kind of feel at that point that you've just cracked the job. And at that point, you know, someone gives you, you know, gives you a card and says, "Thank you very much, you've done a lovely job." Kind of, "Off you go." So having the opportunity to deploy some of that long term experience of running a successful Museum in Covent Garden for other organisations was part of that process of transition. I've been writing a book about which I'm sure we'll talk as well that's been kind of full on this year, but I was a trustee here for a number of years before I retired. I think it's really good career development for people to serve on a board to see what it's like, you know, the other side of the board. Paul Marden: I think we'll come back to that in a minute and talk a little bit about how the sausage is made. Yeah, we have to do some icebreaker questions, because I probably get you already. You're ready to start talking, but I'm gonna, I'm just gonna loosen you up a little bit, a couple of easy ones. You're sat in front of the telly, comedy or drama?Sam Mullins: It depends. Probably.Paul Marden: It's not a valid answer. Sam Mullins: Probably, probably drama.Paul Marden: Okay, if you need to talk to somebody, is it a phone call or is it a text message that you'll send?Sam Mullins:  Face to face? Okay, much better. Okay, always better. Paul Marden: Well done. You didn't accept the premise of the question there, did you? Lastly, if you're going to enter a room, would you prefer to have a personal theme tune played every time you enter the room. Or would you like a personal mascot to arrive fully suited behind you in every location you go to?Sam Mullins: I don't know what the second one means, so I go for the first one.Paul Marden: You've not seen a football mascot on watching American football or baseball?Sam Mullins: No, I try and avoid that. I like real sport. I like watching cricket. Paul Marden: They don't do that in cricket. So we are at the business end of the hull of the ship, aren't we? We're next to the propeller. Sam Mullins: We're sitting under the stern. We can still see that lovely, gilded Stern, saying, Great Britain, Bristol, and the windows and the coat of arms across the stern of the ship. Now this, of course, was the biggest ship in the world when built. So not only was it the first, first iron ship of any scale, but it was also third bigger than anything in the Royal Navy at the time. Paul Marden: They talked about that, when we were on the warrior aim the other day, that it was Brunel that was leading the way on what the pinnacle of engineering was like. It was not the Royal Navy who was convinced that it was sail that needed to lead. Sam Mullins: Yeah, Brunel had seen a much smaller, propeller driven vessel tried out, which was being toured around the country. And so they were midway through kind of design of this, when they decided it wasn't going to be a paddle steamer, which its predecessor, the world's first ocean liner, the Great Western. A was a paddle steamer that took you to New York. He decided that, and he announced to the board that he was going to make a ship that was driven by a propeller, which was the first, and this is, this is actually a replica of his patent propeller design. Paul Marden: So, this propeller was, is not the original to the show, okay?Sam Mullins: Later in its career, it had the engines taken out, and it was just a sailing ship. It had a long and interesting career. And for the time it was going to New York and back, and the time it was going to Australia and back, carrying migrants. It was a hybrid, usually. So you use the sails when it was favourable when it wasn't much wind or the wind was against. You use the use the engines. Use the steam engine.Paul Marden: Coming back into fashion again now, isn't it? Sam Mullins: Yeah, hybrid, yeah.Paul Marden: I can see holes in the hull. Was this evident when it was still in the Falklands?Sam Mullins: Yeah, it came to notice in the 60s that, you know, this world's first it was beached at Sparrow Cove in the Falkland Islands. It had lost its use as a wool warehouse, which is which it had been for 30 or 40 years. And a number of maritime historians, you and call it. It was the kind of key one realised that this, you know, extraordinary, important piece of maritime heritage would maybe not last too many war winters at Sparrow cope had a big crack down one side of the hull. It would have probably broken in half, and that would have made any kind of conservation restoration pretty well impossible as it was. It was a pretty amazing trick to put it onto a to put a barge underneath, to raise it up out of the water, and to tow it into Montevideo and then across the Atlantic, you know, 7000 miles, or whatever it is, to Avon mouth. So it's a kind of heroic story from the kind of heroic age of industrial and maritime heritage, actually.Paul Marden: It resonates for me in terms of the Mary Rose in that you've got a small group of very committed people that are looking to rescue this really valuable asset. And they find it and, you know, catch it just in time. Sam Mullins: Absolutely. That was one of the kind of eye openers for me at Mary rose last week, was just to look at the kind of sheer difficulty of doing conventional archaeology underwater for years and years. You know, is it 50,000 dives were made? Some immense number. And similarly, here, you know, lots of people kind of simply forget it, you know, it's never gonna, but a few, stuck to it, you know, formed a group, fund, raised. This is an era, of course, you know, before lottery and all that jazz. When you had to, you had to fundraise from the public to do this, and they managed to raise the money to bring it home, which, of course, is only step one. You then got to conserve this enormous lump of metal so it comes home to the dry dock in which it had been built, and that has a sort of fantastic symmetry, you know about it, which I just love. You know, the dock happened to be vacant, you know, in 1970 when the ship was taken off the pontoon at Avon mouth, just down the river and was towed up the curving Avon river to this dock. It came beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which, of course, was Brunel design, but it was never built in his time. So these amazing pictures of this Hulk, in effect,  coming up the river, towed by tugs and brought into the dock here with 1000s of people you know, surrounding cheering on the sidelines, and a bit like Mary Rose in a big coverage on the BBC.Paul Marden: This is the thing. So I have a very vivid memory of the Mary Rose being lifted, and that yellow of the scaffolding is just permanently etched in my brain about sitting on the carpet in primary school when the TV was rolled out, and it was the only TV in the whole of school that, to me is it's modern history happening. I'm a Somerset boy. I've been coming to Bristol all my life. I wasn't alive when Great Britain came back here. So to me, this feels like ancient history. It's always been in Bristol, because I have no memory of it returning home. It was always just a fixture. So when we were talking the other day and you mentioned it was brought back in the 70s, didn't realise that. Didn't realise that at all. Should we move on? Because I am listening. Gently in the warmth.Sam Mullins: Let's move around this side of the as you can see, the dry dock is not entirely dry, no, but nearly.Paul Marden: So, you're trustee here at SS Great Britain. What does that mean? What do you do?Sam Mullins: Well, the board, Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance of the charity. We employ the executives, the paid team here. We work with them to develop the kind of strategy, financial plan, to deliver that strategy, and we kind of hold them as executives to account, to deliver on that.Paul Marden: It's been a period of change for you, hasn't it? Just recently, you've got a new CEO coming to the first anniversary, or just past his first anniversary. It's been in place a little while.Sam Mullins: So in the last two years, we've had a, we've recruited a new chairman, new chief executive, pretty much a whole new leadership team.One more starting next month, right? Actually, we're in July this month, so, yeah, it's been, you know, organisations are like that. They can be very, you know, static for some time, and then suddenly a kind of big turnover. And people, you know, people move.Paul Marden: So we're walking through what is a curved part of the dry dock now. So this is becoming interesting underfoot, isn't it?Sam Mullins: This is built in 1839 by the Great Western Steamship Company to build a sister ship to the Great Western which was their first vessel built for the Atlantic run to New York. As it happens, they were going to build a similar size vessel, but Brunel had other ideas, always pushing the edges one way or another as an engineer.Paul Marden: The keel is wood. Is it all wood? Or is this some sort of?Sam Mullins: No, this is just like, it's sort of sacrificial.So that you know when, if it does run up against ground or whatever, you don't actually damage the iron keel.Paul Marden: Right. Okay, so there's lots happening for the museum and the trust. You've just had a big injection of cash, haven't you, to do some interesting things. So there was a press release a couple of weeks ago, about a million pound of investment. Did you go and find that down the back of the sofa? How do you generate that kind of investment in the charity?Sam Mullins: Unusually, I think that trust that's put the bulk of that money and came came to us. I think they were looking to do something to mark their kind of, I think to mark their wind up. And so that was quite fortuitous, because, as you know at the moment, you know, fundraising is is difficult. It's tough. Paul Marden: That's the understatement of the year, isn't it?Sam Mullins: And with a new team here and the New World post COVID, less, less visitors, income harder to gain from. Pretty well, you know, all sources, it's important to keep the site kind of fresh and interesting. You know, the ship has been here since 1970 it's become, it's part of Bristol. Wherever you go in Bristol, Brunel is, you know, kind of the brand, and yet many Bristolians think they've seen all this, and don't need, you know, don't need to come back again. So keeping the site fresh, keeping the ideas moving on, are really important. So we've got the dockyard museum just on the top there, and that's the object for fundraising at the moment, and that will open in July next year as an account of the building of the ship and its importance. Paul Marden: Indeed, that's interesting. Related to that, we know that trusts, trusts and grants income really tough to get. Everybody's fighting for a diminishing pot income from Ace or from government sources is also tough to find. At the moment, we're living off of budgets that haven't changed for 10 years, if we're lucky. Yeah, for many people, finding a commercial route is the answer for their museum. And that was something that you did quite successfully, wasn't it, at the Transport Museum was to bring commercial ideas without sacrificing the integrity of the museum. Yeah. How do you do that?Sam Mullins: Well, the business of being an independent Museum, I mean, LTM is a to all sets of purposes, an independent Museum. Yes, 81% of its funding itself is self generated. Paul Marden: Is it really? Yeah, yeah. I know. I would have thought the grant that you would get from London Transport might have been bigger than that.  Sam Mullins: The grant used to be much bigger proportion, but it's got smaller and smaller. That's quite deliberate. Are, you know, the more you can stand on your own two feet, the more you can actually decide which direction you're going to take those feet in. Yeah. So there's this whole raft of museums, which, you know, across the UK, which are independently governed, who get all but nothing from central government. They might do a lottery grant. Yes, once in a while, they might get some NPO funding from Ace, but it's a tiny part, you know, of the whole. And this ship, SS Great Britain is a classic, you know, example of that. So what do you do in those circumstances? You look at your assets and you you try and monetise them. That's what we did at London Transport Museum. So the museum moved to Covent Garden in 1980 because it was a far sighted move. Michael Robbins, who was on the board at the time, recognised that they should take the museum from Scion Park, which is right on the west edge, into town where people were going to be, rather than trying to drag people out to the edge of London. So we've got that fantastic location, in effect, a high street shop. So retail works really well, you know, at Covent Garden.Paul Marden: Yeah, I know. I'm a sucker for a bit of moquette design.Sam Mullins: We all love it, which is just great. So the museum developed, you know, a lot of expertise in creating products and merchandising it. We've looked at the relationship with Transport for London, and we monetised that by looking at TFL supply chain and encouraging that supply chain to support the museum. So it is possible to get the TFL commissioner to stand up at a corporate members evening and say, you know, you all do terribly well out of our contract, we'd like you to support the museum as well, please. So the corporate membership scheme at Transport Museum is bigger than any other UK museum by value, really, 60, 65 members,. So that was, you know, that that was important, another way of looking at your assets, you know, what you've got. Sometimes you're talking about monetising relationships. Sometimes it's about, you know, stuff, assets, yeah. And then in we began to run a bit short of money in the kind of middle of the teens, and we did an experimental opening of the Aldwych disused tube station on the strand, and we're amazed at the demand for tickets.Paul Marden: Really, it was that much of a surprise for you. And we all can talk. Sam Mullins: We had been doing, we've been doing some guided tours there in a sort of, slightly in a one off kind of way, for some time. And we started to kind of think, well, look, maybe should we carry on it? Paul Marden: You've got the audience that's interested.Sam Mullins: And we've got the access through TFL which, you know, took a lot of work to to convince them we weren't going to, you know, take loads of people underground and lose them or that they jump out, you know, on the Piccadilly line in the middle of the service, or something. So hidden London is the kind of another really nice way where the museum's looked at its kind of assets and it's monetised. And I don't know what this I don't know what this year is, but I think there are now tours run at 10 different sites at different times. It's worth about half a million clear to them to the museum.Paul Marden: It's amazing, and they're such brilliant events. So they've now opened up for younger kids to go. So I took my daughter and one of her friends, and they were a little bit scared when the lights got turned off at one point, but we had a whale of a time going and learning about the history of the tube, the history of the tube during the war. It was such an interesting, accessible way to get to get them interested in stuff. It was brilliant.Sam Mullins: No, it's a great programme, and it was doing well before COVID, we went into lockdown, and within three weeks, Chris Nix and the team had started to do kind of zoom virtual tours. We all are stuck at home looking at our screens and those hidden London hangouts the audience kind of gradually built yesterday TV followed with secrets of London Underground, which did four series of. Hidden London book has sold 25,000 copies in hardback, another one to come out next year, maybe.Paul Marden: And all of this is in service of the museum. So it's almost as if you're opening the museum up to the whole of London, aren't you, and making all of that space you're you. Museum where you can do things.Sam Mullins: Yeah. And, of course, the great thing about hidden London programme is it's a bit like a theatre production. We would get access to a particular site for a month or six weeks. You'd sell the tickets, you know, like mad for that venue. And then the run came to an end, and you have to, you know, the caravan moves on, and we go to, you know, go to go to a different stations. So in a sense, often it's quite hard to get people to go to an attraction unless they've got visitors staying or whatever. But actually, if there's a time limit, you just kind of have to do it, you know.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Everybody loves a little bit of scarcity, don't they? Sam Mullins: Should we go up on the deck? Paul Marden: That sounds like fun to me.Sam Mullins: Work our way through.Paul Marden: So Hidden London was one of the angles in order to make the museum more commercially sound. What are you taking from your time at LTM and bringing to the party here at the SS Great Britain?Sam Mullins: Well, asking similar, you know, range of questions really, about what assets do we have? Which of those are, can be, can be monetised in support of the charity? Got here, Paul, so we're, we've got the same mix as lots of middle sized museums here. There's a it's a shop, paid admission, hospitality events in the evening, cafe. You know that mix, what museums then need to do is kind of go, you know, go beyond that, really, and look at their estate or their intellectual property, or the kind of experiences they can offer, and work out whether some of that is monetisable.Paul Marden: Right? And you mentioned before that Brunel is kind of, he's the mascot of Bristol. Almost, everything in Bristol focuses on Brunel. Is there an opportunity for you to collaborate with other Brunel themed sites, the bridge or?Sam Mullins: Yeah. Well, I think probably the opportunity is to collaborate with other Bristol attractions. Because Bristol needs to. Bristol's having a hard time since COVID numbers here are nowhere near what they were pre COVID So, and I think it's the same in the city, across the city. So Andrew chief executive, is talking to other people in the city about how we can share programs, share marketing, that kind of approach.Paul Marden: Making the docks a destination, you know, you've got We the Curious. Where I was this morning, having coffee with a friend and having a mooch around. Yeah, talking about science and technology, there must be things that you can cross over. This was this war. This feels like history, but it wasn't when it was built, was it? It was absolutely the cutting edge of science and technology.Sam Mullins: Absolutely, and well, almost beyond, you know, he was Brunel was pushing, pushing what could be done. It is the biggest ship. And it's hard to think of it now, because, you know, you and I can walk from one end to the other in no time. But it was the biggest ship in the world by, you know, some way, when it was launched in 1845 so this was a bit like the Great Western Railway. It was cutting edge, cutting edge at the time, as we were talking about below. It had a propeller, radical stuff. It's got the bell, too,Paul Marden: When we were on, was it Warrior that we were on last week at the AIM conference for the first. And warrior had a propeller, but it was capable of being lifted, because the Admiralty wasn't convinced that this new fangled propeller nonsense, and they thought sail was going to lead. Sam Mullins: Yeah. Well, this ship had, you could lift a you could lift a propeller, because otherwise the propeller is a drag in the water if it's not turning over. So in its earlier configurations, it was a, it was that sort of a hybrid, where you could lift the propeller out the way, right, set full sail.Paul Marden:  Right, and, yeah, it's just, it's very pleasant out here today, isn't it? Lovely breeze compared to what it's been like the last few days. Sam Mullins: Deck has just been replaced over the winter. Paul Marden:  Oh, has it really. So say, have you got the original underneathSam Mullins: The original was little long, long gone. So what we have replaced was the deck that was put on in the in the 70s when the ship came back.Paul Marden: Right? You were talking earlier on about the cafe being one of the assets. You've done quite a lot of work recently, haven't you with the team at Elior to refurbish the cafe? What's the plan around that?Sam Mullins: Yeah, we're doing a big reinvestment. You always need to keep the offer fresh anyway, but it was time to reinvest. So the idea is to use that fantastic space on the edge of the dock. It's not very far down to where the floating harbour is really well populated with kind of restaurants and bars and an offer, we're just that 200 meters further along the dock. So perhaps to create an offer here that draws people up here, whether they visit the ship, you know, or not. So it's money, it's monetising your assets. So one of the great assets is this fabulous location on the on the dockside. So with early or we're reinvesting in the restaurant, it's going to go in the auto into after some trial openings and things, Paul, you know, it's going to have an evening offer as well as a daytime offer. And then it's been designed so the lights can go down in the evening. It becomes, you know, an evening place, rather than the museum's all day cafe, yes, and the offer, and obviously in the evenings would similarly change. And I think our ambition is that you should, you should choose this as the place to go out in the evening. Really, it's a great spot. It's a lovely, warm evening. We're going to walk along the dockside. I've booked a table and in the boardwalk, which is what we're calling it. And as you pay the bill, you notice that actually, this is associated with Asus, Great Britain. So, you know, the profit from tonight goes to help the charity, rather than it's the museum cafe. So that's the,Paul Marden: That's the pitch.Sam Mullins: That's the pitch in which we're working with our catering partners, Eli, or to deliver.Paul Marden: Andrew, your CEO and Claire from Eli, or have both kindly said that I can come back in a couple of months time and have a conversation about the restaurant. And I think it would be rude to turn them down, wouldn't it?Sam Mullins: I think you should test the menu really fully.Paul Marden: I will do my best. It's a tough job that I have. Sam Mullins: Somebody has to do this work. Paul Marden: I know, talking of tough jobs, the other thing that I saw when I was looking at the website earlier on was a press release talking about six o'clock gin as being a a partnership that you're investigating, because every museum needs its own tipple, doesn't it?Sam Mullins: Absolutely And what, you know, I think it's, I think what people want when they go to an attraction is they, they also want something of the offer to be locally sourced, completely, six o'clock gym, you know, Bristol, Bristol beers. You can't always do it, but I think, I think it's where you've got the opportunity. And Bristol's a bit of a foodie centre. There's quite a lot going on here in that respect. So, yes, of course, the museum ought to be ought to be doing that too.Paul Marden: I was very kindly invited to Big Pit over in the Welsh Valleys about 8 or 12 weeks ago for the launch, relaunch of their gift shop offering. And absolutely, at the core of what they were trying to do was because it's run by Museums Wales, they found that all of their gift shops were just a bland average of what you could get at any of the museums. None of them spoke of the individual place. So if you went to big pit, the gift shop looked the same as if you were in the centre of Cardiff, whereas now when you go you see things that are naturally of Big Pit and the surrounding areas. And I think that's so important to create a gift shop which has things that is affordable to everybody, but at the same time authentic and genuinely interesting.Sam Mullins: Yeah, I'm sure that's right. And you know I'm saying for you is for me, when I when I go somewhere, you want to come away with something, don't you? Yes, you know, you're a National Trust member and you haven't had to pay anything to get in. But you think I should be supporting the cause, you know, I want to go into that shop and then I want to, I want to buy some of the plants for my garden I just seen, you know, on the estate outside. Or I want to come away with a six o'clock gin or, you know, whatever it might be, there's and I think, I think you're more likely to buy if it's something that you know has engaged you, it's part of that story that's engaged you, right, while you're here. That's why everyone buys a guidebook and reads it afterwards.Paul Marden: Yeah, it's a reminder, isn't it, the enjoyable time that you've had? Yeah, I'm enjoying myself up on the top deck. Sam Mullins:  But should we go downstairs? The bow is a great view. Oh, let's do that. I think we might. Let's just work our way down through.Paul Marden: Take a sniff. Could you travel with these smelly passengers? Oh, no, I don't think I want to smell what it's like to be a cow on board shit. Sam Mullins: Fresh milk. Just mind yourself on these companion, ways are very steep now. This is probably where I get completely lost.Paul Marden: You know what we need? We need a very good volunteer. Don't we tell a volunteer story? COVID in the kitchen. Wow. Sam Mullins: The Gabby.Paul Marden: Generous use of scent. Sam Mullins: Yeah, food laid out pretty much based on what we know was consumed on the ship. One of the great things about the ship is people kept diaries. A lot of people kept diaries, and many have survived, right? You know exactly what it was like to be in first class or in steerage down the back.Paul Marden: And so what was the ship used for? Sam Mullins: Well, it was used, it was going to be an ocean liner right from here to New York, and it was more like the Concord of its day. It was essentially first class and second class. And then it has a founders on a bay in Northern Ireland. It's rescued, fitted out again, and then the opportunity comes take people to Australia. The Gold Rush in the 1850s. Migration to Australia becomes the big kind of business opportunity for the ships. Ships new owners. So there's more people on board that used to it applies to and fro to Australia a number of times 30 odd, 40 times. And it takes, takes passengers. It takes goods. It does bring back, brings back gold from because people were there for the gold rush. They were bringing their earnings, you know, back with them. It also brings mail, and, you know, other. Kind of car goes wool was a big cargo from. Paul Marden: Say, people down and assets back up again.Sam Mullins: People both directions. Paul Marden: Okay, yeah. How long was it taking?Sam Mullins: Well, a good trip. I think it did it in 50 odd days. Bit slower was 60 odd. And the food was like this. So it was steerage. It was probably a bit more basic. Paul Marden: Yeah, yes, I can imagine. Sam Mullins: I think we might. Here's the engines. Let's do the engines well.Paul Marden: Yes. So now we're in the engine room and, oh, it's daylight lit, actually. So you're not down in the darkest of depths, but the propeller shaft and all of the mechanism is it runs full length, full height of the ship.Sam Mullins: Yeah, it runs off from here, back to the propeller that we're looking at. Okay, down there a guy's stoking the boilers, putting coal into into the boilers, 24 hour seven, when the engines are running. Paul Marden: Yes, that's going to be a tough job, isn't it? Yeah, coal is stored in particular locations. Because that was something I learned from warrior, was the importance of making sure that you had the coal taken in the correct places, so that you didn't unbalance the ship. I mean,Sam Mullins: You right. I mean loading the ship generally had to be done really carefully so, you know, sort of balanced out and so forth. Coal is tends to be pretty low down for yes, for obvious reasons.Paul Marden: So let's talk a little bit about being a trustee. We're both trustees of charities. I was talking to somebody last week who been in the sector for a number of years, mid career, interested in becoming a trustee as a career development opportunity. What's the point of being a trustee? What's the point of the trustees to the CEO, and what's the benefit to the trustees themselves? Sam Mullins: Well, let's do that in order for someone in the mid part of their career, presumably looking to assume some kind of leadership role. At some point they're going to be dealing with a board, aren't they? Yes, they might even be doing, you know, occasional reporting to a board at that at their current role, but they certainly will be if they want to be chief executive. So getting some experience on the other side of the table to feel what it's like to be a trustee dealing with chief executive. I think he's immensely useful. I always recommended it to to my gang at the Transport Museum, and they've all been on boards of one sort or another as part of their career development.Sam Mullins: For the chief executive. What's the benefit? Well, the board, I mean, very directly, hold the chief executive to account. Yes, are you doing what we asked you to do? But also the wise chief executive recruits a board that's going to be helpful in some way or another. It's not just there to catch them out. Yeah, it's it's there to bring their experience from business, from IT, from marketing, from other museums into the business of running the place. So here we've got a range of Trustees. We've been we've recruited five or six in the last couple of years qquite deliberately to we know that a diverse board is a good board, and that's diverse in the sense not just a background, but of education, retired, still, still at work, young, old, male, female, you know, you name in.Paul Marden: In all of the directionsSam Mullins:  Yeah. So a diverse board makes better decisions than one that just does group think all the time. It's, you know, it's a truism, isn't it? I think we all kind of, we all understand and understand that now and then, for the trustee, you know, for me, I particularly last couple of years, when the organization has been through huge changes, it's been really interesting to deploy my prior experience, particularly in governance, because governance is what it all comes down to in an organisation. You do learn over the course of your career to deploy that on behalf, you know, this is a great organisation, the story of Brunel and the ship and and, you know, his influence on the railways. And I travel down on the Great Western railways, yeah, the influence of Brunel is, you know, is enormous. It's a fantastic story. It's inspiring. So who wouldn't want to join? You know what in 2005 was the Museum of the year? Yes, I think we'll just go back there where we came. Otherwise, I never found my way.Paul Marden: Back through the kitchen. Sam Mullins: Back through the kitchen. It looks like stew is on the menu tonight. You've seen me at the mobile the rat.Paul Marden: And also the cat up on the shelf. He's not paying a lot of attention to the ratSam Mullins: Back on deck. Paul Marden: Wonderful. Yeah. So the other great endeavor that you've embarked on is writing, writing a book. Tell us a little bit about the book.Sam Mullins: Yeah, I've written a history of transport in London and its influence on London since 2000 since the mayoralty, elected mayoralty was, was started, you know, I was very lucky when I was running the museum where I had kind of one foot in TfL and one foot out. I knew lots of people. I was there for a long time, yes, so it was, it was easy to interview about 70 of them.Paul Marden: Right? I guess you've built trust levels, haven't you? Yeah, I don't mean that you don't look like a journalist walking in from the outside with an ax to grind. Sam Mullins: And I'm not going to kind of screw them to the Evening Standard, you know, tomorrow. So it's a book based on interviews, oral reminiscences. It's very much their story. So it's big chunks of their accounts of, you know, the big events in London. So what was it like to be in the network control room on the seventh of July, 2005 when the bombs went off? What was it like to be looking out for congestion charge the day it started? Yep. What was it like to kind of manage the Olympics?Paul Marden: You know? So you're mentioning these things. And so I was 10 years at British Airways. I was an IT project manager, but as well, I was a member of the emergency planning team. Yeah. So I got involved in the response to September the 11th. I got involved in some of the engagement around seven, seven, there's seminal moments, and I can, I can vividly remember myself being there at that time. But similarly, I can remember being there when we won the Olympics, and we were all sat in the staff canteen waiting to hear whether we'd won the Olympics, and the roar that erupted. There's so many of those things that have happened in the last 25 years where, you know, you've got, it's recent history, but it's real interesting events that have occurred that you can tell stories of.Sam Mullins: Yeah. So what I wanted to get in the book was a kind of sense of what it was like to be, really at the heart of those, those stories. And there are, you know, there are, there are people in TfL who made those big things happen? Yes, it's not a big, clumsy bureaucracy. It's a place where really innovative leadership was being exercised all the way through that 25 years. Yes, so it runs up to COVID, and what was it like when COVID struck? So the book's called Every Journey Matters, and it comes out in November.Paul Marden: Amazing, amazing. So we have, we've left the insides of the ship, and we are now under, what's this part of the ship? Sam Mullins: We're under the bow. There we go, and a bow spread that gets above our heads. So again, you've got this great, hulking, cast iron, black hull, beautifully shaped at the bow. Look the way it kind of tapers in and it tapers in and out.Paul Marden: It's a very three dimensional, isn't it? The curve is, is in every direction. Sam Mullins: Yeah,it's a great, great shape. So it's my sort of, I think it's my favourite spot. I like coming to look at this, because this is the kind of, this is the business, yeah, of the ship.Paul Marden: What have we got running along the front here? These these images in in gold.Sam Mullins: This is a figurehead with Victoria's Coat of Arms only sua Kim Ali points on top with it, with a lion and a unicorn.Paul Marden: It's a really, it's not a view that many people would have ever seen, but it is such an impressive view here looking up, yeah, very, very cool. And to stand here on the on the edge of the dry dock. Sam Mullins: Dry Docks in to our right, and the floating harbor is out to our left. Yeah.Paul Marden: And much going on on that it's busy today, isn't it? Sam Mullins: Yeah, it's good. Paul Marden: So we've done full loop, haven't we? I mean, it has been a whistle stop tour that you've taken me on, but I've loved every moment of this. We always ask our guests a difficult question. Well, for some it's a difficult question, a book recommendation, which, as we agreed over lunch, cannot be your own book. I don't think, I think it's a little unfair Sam Mullins: Or anything I've ever written before.Paul Marden: Yes, slightly self serving, but yeah.Sam Mullins: It would be, wouldn't it look the first thing that comes to mind is, I've actually been reading my way through Mick Herron's Slow Horses series, okay, which I'm a big fan of detective fiction. I love Ian Rankin's Rebus. Okay, I read through Rebus endlessly when I want something just to escape into the sloughhouse series Slow Horses is really good, and the books all have a sort of similar kind of momentum to them. Something weird happens in the first few chapters, which seems very inconsequential and. Suddenly it turns into this kind of roller coaster. Will they? Won't they? You know, ending, which is just great. So I recommend Mick Herron's series. That's that's been the best, not best, fiction I've read in a long time.Paul Marden: You know, I think there's something, there's something nice, something comforting, about reading a series of books where the way the book is structured is very similar. You can, you can sit down and you know what's going to happen, but, but there's something interesting, and it's, it's easy. Sam Mullins: It's like putting on a pair of old slippers. Oh, I'm comfortable with this. Just lead me along. You know, that's what, that's what I want. I enjoy that immensely.Paul Marden: And should we be? Should we be inviting our listeners to the first book in the series, or do they need to start once, once he's got his, got his, found his way? Sam Mullins: Well, some people would have seen the television adaptation already. Well, that will have spoilt the book for them. Gary Oldman is Jackson lamb, who's the lead character, okay, but if you haven't, or you just like a damn good read, then you start with the first one, which I think is called Sloughhouse. They're all self contained, but you can work your way through them. Paul Marden: Well, that sounds very good. So listeners, if you'd like a copy of Sam's book, not Sam's book, Sam's book recommendation, then head over to Bluesky and repost the show notice and say, I want a copy of Sam's book, and the first one of you lovely listeners that does that will get a copy sent to you by Wenalyn. Sam This has been delightful. I hope listeners have enjoyed this as much as I have. This is our first time having a @skipthequeue in real life, where we wandered around the attraction itself and hopefully narrated our way bringing this amazing attraction to life. I've really enjoyed it. I can now say that as a West Country lad, I have actually been to the SS Great Britain. Last thing to say for visitor, for listeners, we are currently midway through the Rubber Cheese Annual Survey of visitor attraction websites. Paul Marden: If you look after an attraction website and you'd like to share some information about what you do, we are gathering all of that data together to produce a report that helps people to understand what good looks like for an attraction website. This is our fourth year. Listeners that are interested, head over to RubberCheese.com/survey, and you can find out a little bit more about the survey and some of the some of the findings from the past and what we're looking for for this year. Sam, thank you so very much.Sam Mullins: Enjoyed it too. It's always good to rabbit on about what you do every day of the week, and being here and part of this really great organisation is huge privilege.Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others to find us. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them to increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcripts from this episode and more over on our website, skipthequeue fm. The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

“They told me I'd never make it in recruitment.”Jason Connolly's career started with magic tricks and ended in million-pound billing months—but only after surviving a toxic police department, a mountain of self-doubt, and a manager who swore he'd fail.In this raw and riveting conversation, Jason sits down with Susanna and Tiarna to talk about the truth behind career pivots, burnout, and what it really takes to succeed in legal recruitment. From busking in Covent Garden to founding one of the UK's most people-focused recruitment firms, Jason proves that resilience, mentorship, and a little unfiltered honesty can change everything. If you've ever questioned your path or been underestimated, this episode is for you.Must-Hear Insights and Key MomentsFrom Magic to the Met – Jason shares his unconventional beginnings as a magician and Virgin Atlantic crew member, and how a random police application changed the course of his life.Why the Police Almost Broke Him – Jason opens up about the trauma, institutional dysfunction, and discrimination he faced during his time as a police officer—and how it nearly cost him his self-worth.The Recruitment Rebuild – After leaving the force, Jason reveals how self-study, podcast binging, and a refusal to quit helped him go from billing zero to becoming the top recruiter in his agency.The Birth of JMC Legal – Jason shares the real story behind starting his firm, mentoring trainees to MD level, and the painful lessons learned from hiring mistakes and toxic management cultures.Feedback, Pressure, and Real Talk – The trio dives into why feedback is non-negotiable, how to lead without ego, and the “pressure cooker” reality of recruitment culture—and how to survive it.Words of Wisdom: Standout Quotes from This Episode“The worst thing you can say to me is, ‘You can't do it.' That's my fuel.” – Jason Connolly“I didn't need recruitment to save me—I needed it to test me.” – Jason Connolly“I don't care what your degree says. If you've got grit, I'll teach you how to bill a million.” – Jason Connolly“The recruiter's opinion doesn't matter. It's about understanding what the candidate really wants.” – Jason Connolly“Feedback isn't an insult. It's a gift. But only if you're brave enough to take it.” – Susanna Gray“It's not about KPIs. It's about mentoring people into the version of themselves they don't believe in yet.” – Jason Connolly“Sometimes the most powerful thing a recruiter can do is hold up a mirror.” – Tiarna McCormack“You don't need a script—you need emotional intelligence.” – Susanna Gray“Success is being unhinged in your pursuit, but grounded in your values.” – Jason Connolly“Legal recruitment didn't need more ex-lawyers. It needed more heart.” – Jason ConnollyFollow The Counter Offer:⁠⁠⁠⁠Susanna's LinkedIn⁠⁠Tiarna's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

In this episode we throw a line out to catch the fish below the ice and delve deep into the mind of the great Barry Andrews. We discuss XTC, Shriekback, the new album Monument and the significance of the 'Tiny Green Garden Sticks' from Covent Garden. You can purchase the new Shriekback album from this website: https://www.shriekback.com/store Video version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBcBiS30Jas&t=37s   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063297726030 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KnownPleasuresPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knownpleasurespodcast/ Twitter: @pleasuresknown The Known Pleasures Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvn2bfFxC-0

Children's writer and academic Katherine Rundell is the multi-million selling author of adventure stories including Rooftoppers, The Wolf Wilder and The Explorer which won the Costa Children's Book of the Year. Impossible Creatures, the first of a five book series, was named Waterstones Book Of the Year in 2023. Her biography of the 17th century poet John Donne was a non-fiction bestseller and she became the youngest ever winner of the £50,000 Bailey Gifford Prize. At the age of 36, Katherine Rundell was named author of the year at the 2024 British Book Awards. Talking to John Wilson, Katherine Rundell recalls Saturday morning bus journeys from her home in south London to Covent Garden where her father would take part in amateur dance classes. Along the route of the 176 bus he would point out cultural landmarks and helped instil in Katherine a lifelong love for the city. She also explains how her father's job as a civil servant took her family to live in Zimbabwe when she was a child, an experience that fuelled her imagination and fascination with the natural world. She also remembers the profound loss she felt at the death of her foster sister, and reveals that much of her writing for children has been driven by this tragedy. She chooses the Chronicles Of Narnia series of books, especially The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis as a huge influence on her own fantasy writing and the poetry of John Donne which she describes as her "greatest literary passion". Katherine also reflects on the importance of encouraging children to read and the current state of children's publishing. Producer: Edwina Pitman

Send us a textWelcome back to The Bulletproof Entrepreneur, the podcast that gives you the mindset, strategies, and tools to build a resilient business and thrive under pressure.Today, I'm joined by a true pioneer in the world of food entrepreneurship – John Stapleton.John is best known as the co-founder of The New Covent Garden Soup Company, where he didn't just launch a product; he created an entirely new category in the UK food market. He later took that same disruptive energy to the US and then back to the UK again with Little Dish, the toddler food brand that redefined what healthy eating looks like for young children.Across multiple ventures, John has built and scaled companies from the ground up, exited successfully, and stayed right at the heart of innovation as a founder, investor, and mentor.In this conversation, we explore how to spot market gaps, stay resilient through the highs and lows, prepare for exit, and reinvent yourself after success. If you're a founder scaling towards a sale—or just trying to build something that lasts—this episode is packed with the kind of insight that only comes from the real entrepreneurial trenches.So without further delay, let's dive into this inspiring conversation with Mr John Stapleton.https://www.johnstapleton.eu/about-johnhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/john-b-stapleton/This podcast is produced by GR Media Sponsored by Capital Asset Management

In a special episode we got the opportunity to speak to Cameron Black, VP GM of Saucony EMEA at the official opening of their flagship store in London, Covent Garden!He gave us a much valued insight into the importance of the retail experience to Saucony and also how they believe this specific store will help grow the brands familiarity with people on a global scale! For all this and more, make sure to tap in with TheStockroom podcast!CHAPTERS00:00 - Introducing Cameron Black - Saucony's VP of EMEA 00:25 - Where Did The Idea Of A London Store Start?04:48 - The Importance of A Physical Retail Space11:50 - What does “Catering To All” mean to Saucony15:37 - How Important Has Content Been To Saucony's Resurgence?20:26 - What Does A Day In The Life of A Vice President Look Like?#saucony #flagship #fashion

This was a pleasing Friday crossword - the grid looked daunting, and the clues were definitely on the hard side (Mike in particular wallowed in the bottom third of the grid), but it was overall a great end to the work week. We have deets inside, as well as a delectable Fun Fact Friday™️ segment, so check it out now! Show note imagery: The stunning ROYALOPERAHOUSE, in Covent Garden, London.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Kevin goes back to Floral Street in the heart of  London's Covent Garden to revisit a place that lives long in his memory. A place that changed his life and his destiny. And he asks the question: What is your favourite street? Is there one that has special significance in your life? Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Russia's brightest ballet star, Rudolf Nureyev, evaded his KGB minders and defected from the USSR on 16th June, 1961. According to feverish newspaper reports, the dancer dashed towards the barrier, proclaiming in English, "I want to be free," and was swiftly escorted to the airport police station, marking the start of his life in the West. His defection, while fraught with personal sacrifice - including a potential permanent separation from his family and homeland - became a major propaganda victory in the Cold War, highlighting the repressive nature of the Soviet regime. In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal how Nureyev's uncompromising dedication to artistic freedom clashed with Soviet norms; discover what his groupies used to chant outside the Stage Door in Covent Garden; and uncover Jerome Robbins' succinct description of his awesome talents… Further Reading: • ‘How Rudolf Nureyev danced to freedom' (The Guardian, 2014): https://www.theguardian.com/stage/dance-blog/2015/dec/14/rudolf-nureyev-dance-to-freedom-bbc-documentary-film • 'Rudolf Nureyev: from small steps to one giant leap' (Financial Times, 2015): https://www.ft.com/content/9fab8b22-9ce2-11e5-8ce1-f6219b685d74 • ‘Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nureyev Pas de Deux in LE CORSAIRE' (1962): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79IYUS63agQ Love the show? Support us!  Join 

Welcome to Episode 5, Series 13 of Spill The Tea with Womenkind Collective!We're diving deep into the conversations that matter—exploring the real, raw, and often overlooked topics affecting our health and well-being. This week we are talking about how our hair changes during menopause and mid-life with the wonderful Paul Windle of Windle Lab London. Paul has over 35 years industry experience and is one of the UK's most respected hairdressers, who is now on a mission to help people struggling with the changes in their hair as they age, he has founded Windle Lab, a range of products specifically aimed at mid-life hair, with the help of his team they are helping hundreds of women, from hair loss and thinning, changes in colour and texture to hair becoming dehydrated and difficult to handle. We visited his Covent Garden salon in London where we were treated to a treatment and a cut and style, we had just the best conversation with Paul, we took a trip down memory lane to when we were all hairdressing in the 80's and 90's and how hairdressing and hair care has changed, through to busting hair myths and discussing how you can care for your hair and get your locks healthy again. We have an exclusive Windle Lab product discount code for you to use: WOMENKIND10.So, grab a cuppa and listen to Paul's wonderful words of hair wisdom. We continue with our Book Collective book for the series, How To Kill A Witch. A Guide For The Patriarchy. By Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi, we read chapters 3 & 4, where we learn about the horrors of the torture that was endured by those suspected of witchcraft. You can join in with our Book Club, send us a DM or voice note with your thoughts on the book. There's some weekly inspiration to give you some good news stories that you might have missed, and there's a beautiful quote to send you off for the week with.It's an episode brimming with chat and all the usual sweary shenanigans! So, go and get the kettle on and settle in for our weekly collective chat while we spill the tea! If you've enjoyed our Podcast you may like to consider buying us a Ko-Fi at https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcastHere you can find updates, photos and some inclusive content we won't post anywhere else and your donation will help us ensure we continue to bring you great quality of content and sound.You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel: Womenkind Collective. Paul Windle & Windle LabsTo buy products or book an appointment: www.windlelondon.comI: @windlelondon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 152 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, guest Kristen Gonzalez shares her eight-day family adventure through England with her husband and parents in their late 70s, highlighting their experiences in London and the Cotswolds during April. She details their thoughtful planning process, excellent transportation arrangements with XFA Cars, and memorable tours including Go Cotswolds excursions  (enter code UKTAVPLAN for a 5% discount for our UKTP community) and a Seven Sisters coastal day trip from London.• Choosing the Cotswolds and London combination to showcase diverse aspects of England• Using private transfers instead of driving or navigating train connections• Taking two different Go Cotswolds tours to maximise exploration of picturesque villages• Staying in Covent Garden as the perfect London base with excellent dining and entertainment options• Finding the ideal balance between scheduled tours and free time for spontaneous exploration• Enjoying unique experiences like a historic Royal Pub tour, afternoon tea on a bus, and Tower Bridge's glass floor walkways• Discovering Mr. Fogg's Society of Exploration for cocktails and small plates in London• Visiting the Seven Sisters cliffs and Brighton on a well-organised day trip from LondonKristen also offers invaluable tips for travel planning, particularly on booking ahead. Tune in for practical advice, inspiring stories, and plenty of laughs to help you plan your own perfect UK getaway!⭐️ Guest - Kristen Gonzalez

Speaking from London's Old Bailey, we're joined by The London Standard's courts correspondent, Tristan Kirk, with the latest on the major hack of the UK's justice system by cyber criminals.And in part two, we learn about the new Guinness micro brewery which will be coming to London's Covent Garden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 171 Chapter 30, EMS Analog Synthesizers. Works Recommended from my book, Electronic and Experimental Music  Welcome to the Archive of Electronic Music. This is Thom Holmes. This podcast is produced as a companion to my book, Electronic and Experimental Music, published by Routledge. Each of these episodes corresponds to a chapter in the text and an associated list of recommended works, also called Listen in the text. They provide listening examples of vintage electronic works featured in the text. The works themselves can be enjoyed without the book and I hope that they stand as a chronological survey of important works in the history of electronic music. Be sure to tune-in to other episodes of the podcast where we explore a wide range of electronic music in many styles and genres, all drawn from my archive of vintage recordings. There is a complete playlist for this episode on the website for the podcast. Let's get started with the listening guide to Chapter 30, EMS Analog Synthesizers from my book Electronic and Experimental music.   Playlist: MUSIC MADE WITH EMS ANALOG SYNTHESIZERS   Time Track Time Start Introduction –Thom Holmes 01:34 00:00 1.     Delia Derbyshire, “Dance From ‘Noah' " (1970). Composed for a television program. Used the EMS VCS3. 00:55 01:44 2.     Selections from the demonstration disc, EMS Synthi And The Composer (1971). Excerpts from Harrison Birtwistle, “Medusa,” Peter Zinovieff, “January Tensions,” and Tristram Cary, “Continuum.” 06:15 02:34 3.     Peter Zinovieff and Harrison Birtwistle, “Chronometer” (1971–2). Featured both the EMS Synthi VCS3 and modified sound recordings of the ticking of Big Ben and the chimes of Wells Cathedral clock. 24:23 08:48 4.     Mike Hankinson, “Toccata And Fugue In D Minor” (Bach) (1972) from The Classical Synthesizer. South African record realized using the Putney (EMS) VCS3. 07:04 33:06 5.     Electrophon, “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” (1973) from In a Covent Garden (1973).  Electrophon Music was described as the studio where the electronics were recorded and produced in the UK by Radiophonic musicians Brian Hodgson, Dudley Simpson. A variety of synthesizers were used including the obscure EMS Synthi Range, a multi-effect instrument. 03:04 40:10 6.     The Eden Electronic Ensemble, “Elite Syncopations” (Joplin) (1974) from The Eden Electronic Ensemble Plays Joplin. Realized using the EMS VCS3 and Minimoog synthesizers. 04:53 43:12 7.     Peter Zinovieff, “A Lollipop For Papa” (1974).  Realized with the EMS Synthi AKS. 06:26 48:04 8.     Peter Zinovieff and Hans Werner Henze, “Tristan” (Long Section) (1975). Tape accompaniment realized with the EMS Synthi AKS. 07:40 54:40 9.     J.D. Robb, “Poem of Summer” (1976) from Rhythmania And Other Electronic Musical Compositions. Realized using the EMS Synthi AKS. 02:04 01:02:18 10.   J.D. Robb, “Synthi Waltz” (1976) from Rhythmania And Other Electronic Musical Compositions. Realized using the EMS Synthi AKS and Synthi Sequencer 256 (digital sequencer). 01:52 01:04:24 11.   Bruno Spoerri, “Hymn Of Taurus (Taurus Is Calling You!)” (1978) from Voice Of Taurus. Realized using a host of equipment, including a few EMS instruments: EMS Synthi 100, EMS VCS3, EMS AKS, EMS Vocoder 2000, Alto Saxophone with EMS Pitch-to-voltage Converter & Random Generator, plus the Lyricon, Prophet-5 Polyphonic Synthesizer, ARP Omni & Odyssey, Minimoog, Moog Taurus Bass Pedal, RMI Keyboard Computer, Ondes Martenot , Vako Polyphonic Orchestron, Bode Frequency Shifter, AMS Tape Phase Simulator, Echoplex, Roland Echo, Roland Rhythm Box, Bruno Spoerri. 02:48 01:06:16 12.   Henry Sweitzer, “Open Windows” (1979) from Te Deum.  Realized with the EMS Synthi AKS. 11:11 01:09:02 13.   Eduard Artemyev, Yuri Bogdanov, Vladimir Martynov, “Le Vent Dans La Plaine,” “Io Mi Son Giovinetta,” and “Why Ask You?” (1980) from Metamorphoses. Composed and realized using the EMS Synthi 100, a large synthesizer unit combining several EMS3 models and connecting circuitry. 08:38 01:20:14 14.   Jean-Michel Jarre, “Les Chants Magnétiques,” (side 1) (1981) from Les Chants Magnétiques. Portions realized with the EMS Synthi AKS, EMS Synthi VCS3, and EMS Vocoder 1000. 17:58 01:28:52 15.   Alessandro Cortini and Merzbow, “AAMC” (2017) from Alessandro Cortini And Merzbow. Recent recording with all sounds realized using a vintage EMS Synthi AKS. 04:49 01:46:40   Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes. My Books/eBooks: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020. Also, Sound Art: Concepts and Practices, first edition, Routledge 2022. See my companion blog that I write for the Bob Moog Foundation. For a transcript, please see my blog, Noise and Notations. Original music by Thom Holmes can be found on iTunes and Bandcamp.  

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher is joined by Jo Morgan, Operations Director at The Other House, for a brilliant conversation on how modern hospitality is evolving — and what it really takes to scale a hybrid hotel model that blends flexibility, technology and heart.Jo shares her journey from Yorkshire pot-wash to cruise ship director, through to leading one of London's most exciting hospitality concepts. They talk scaling without losing culture, how tech like Mews and Lightspeed power better experiences, and why warmth and human connection still matter most.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Štefan Margita vystupoval v Metropolitní opeře v New Yorku, v milánské La Scale, londýnské Covent Garden či pařížské opeře. Pro své rozloučení s velkými divadelními produkcemi si ale vybral Národní divadlo. „Mám pocit, že tam toho musíme dokazovat víc než kdekoli ve světě, protože jsme tam doma,“ říká v pořadu Alex a host.

Choreographer Sir Wayne McGregor is one of the most acclaimed, innovative and influential figures in contemporary dance. His works are often the result of creative collaborations with artists, musicians, filmmakers, or with scientists to explore technological issues. In 2006 he was appointed as Resident Choreographer at the Royal Ballet. He has created more than 20 new works at Covent Garden in that time, including Chroma, set to music by Joby Talbot and The White Stripes, and Woolf Works, a full-length ballet based on the life and writings of Virginia Woolf. More recently, McGregor brought the post-apocalyptic vision of Margaret Atwood to the stage in his ballet MaddAddam, based on the writer's acclaimed trilogy of novels. He has worked as a movement director on films including Harry Potter Goblet Of Fire and Mary Queen Of Scots, collaborated with bands including Radiohead and Chemical Brothers, and choreographed the virtual concert, ABBA Voyage. In October 2025, Somerset House in London will mount a landmark exhibition dedicated to McGregor's trailblazing collaborations that have radically defined how we think about performance, movement, and the body. Having won numerous awards, including two Oliviers, Sir Wayne McGregor was knighted in 2024.Wayne McGregor talks to John Wilson about his childhood in Stockport, where he took dance classes and was inspired by John Travolta's moves in Saturday Night Fever. He recalls the house and techno music of the late 80s when he was a student, and how the freedom of expression he felt on nightclub dance-floors informed his style of choreography. Whilst living in New York after leaving university, Wayne came across an open-air performance by the legendary American choreographer Merce Cunningham, whose company was dancing to live music conducted by the avant-garde composer John Cage. It was a chance encounter that had a profound impact on McGregor. He also discusses how science and technology has been a major thematic influence on much of his work in recent years, and how AI has been used to create new works through analysis of physical movement and artistic expression.Producer Edwina Pitman

Michelle is responsible for the management of Shaftesbury Capital's £5bn property portfolio, including asset management, investment, leasing, and marketing across Covent Garden, Soho, and Chinatown London, and is a member of the Executive Committee. Michelle was previously on the Board of Capco and has significant financial and real estate experience having joined Capco in 2014 undertaking a number of senior roles across the business.  Michelle is an experienced Corporate financier and was previously at UBS Investment Bank, advising companies across the UK listed real estate sector. 

Faheema Adia of Momentum Securities unpacks Shaftesbury Capital's confirmation of a 25% sale of Covent Garden estate at their valuation – could this be a prime real estate opportunity? Gibs's Professor Adrian Saville explores the budget vote stakes – what happens if it doesn't pass, and is the real issue a lack of imagination? Jashwin Baijoo from Tax Consulting SA breaks down the latest Sars revenue data – what's the story behind the numbers?

The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and the Achilles tendon captures much of our ankle attention. As JOSPT Insights listeners know, there's plenty more to the ankle than the ATFL. Today, Liz Bayley shares her approach to diagnosing, managing and ideally, preventing ankle pain in active people. Liz covers diagnosing the problem, where imaging fits, and how to support return to function, including high-level sport. Liz is a former professional dancer, who now works as a dance-specialist physiotherapist. Her clinic is in London's West End, in close proximity to the freelance professional and student dancers she works with, at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and on 'Matilda The Musical' in Covent Garden. ------------------------------ RESOURCES Lateral ankle ligament sprains clinical practice guideline: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2021.0302 Updated model of chronic ankle instability: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31162943/ Predictors of chronic ankle instability: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26912285/ Intrinsic foot muscle training systematic review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35724360/ Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for foot intrinsic muscles: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35142810/

Our featured interview tonight is with Simon Bosko from the YouTube Channel London Calling with Simon. He also produces the LCS Briars line of handmade pipes. London Calling has over 9,000 subscribers and over 2,000 videos. In his pipe making, Simon focuses mainly on 9mm filter pipes in both classic shapes and artistic styles. Simon has lived in London his entire life. He bought his first pipe, which was a Butz-Choquin at the Segar and Snuff Parlour in Covent Garden. At the top of the show in our Pipe Parts segment, we will have Brian's last discussion on the fallout of the STG buyout of Mac Baren and Sutliff with the mass discontinuation of tobaccos.

We did it! (they did it!) Newcastle United are the 2025 Carabao Cup winners, and in some style...Grab your headphones and enjoy a weekend in stereo in London. From King's Cross, to Covent Garden, to Wembley, to Dreamland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We did it! (they did it!) Newcastle United are the 2025 Carabao Cup winners, and in some style... Grab your headphones and enjoy a weekend in stereo in London. From King's Cross, to Covent Garden, to Wembley, to Dreamland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposer, en un seul spectacle, un aperçu des artistes les plus enthousiasmants, charismatiques et talentueux du monde de la danse, tel est le pari un peu fou que s'est lancé Marie Doutrepont, la fondatrice. Si, en théorie, ce projet semble irréaliste, il a toutefois donné naissance à l'un des rendez-vous culturels les plus attendus de l'année. Plus encore, il est désormais l'unique gala, de stature internationale, organisé sur le territoire belge. Ex-danseuse professionnelle de plusieurs compagnies (Royal Ballet de Covent Garden, Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse et Ballet de Flandres), la liégeoise a su capitaliser sur son réseau pour attirer à Liège la crème des solistes mondiaux. Depuis la première édition des Hivernales, elle a opté pour une programmation qui ne tombe dans aucun cliché du genre. À la fois pointu et accessible aux non-initiés, son programme comprend des extraits phares du répertoire classique ainsi que de petits bijoux contemporains, à cela s'ajoutent parfois des créations. La particularité ? Marie ne dévoile pas le programme du Gala, la liste des danseurs invités uniquement. L'idée est de s'installer sans attente, excité par la découverte et en totale confiance, puisque la qualité des prestations des Hivernales de la Danse est maintenant chose acquise Merci pour votre écoute N'hésistez pas à vous abonner également aux podcasts des séquences phares de Matin Première: L'Invité Politique : https://audmns.com/LNCogwPL'édito politique « Les Coulisses du Pouvoir » : https://audmns.com/vXWPcqxL'humour de Matin Première : https://audmns.com/tbdbwoQRetrouvez tous les contenus de la RTBF sur notre plateforme Auvio.be Retrouvez également notre offre info ci-dessous : Le Monde en Direct : https://audmns.com/TkxEWMELes Clés : https://audmns.com/DvbCVrHLe Tournant : https://audmns.com/moqIRoC5 Minutes pour Comprendre : https://audmns.com/dHiHssrEt si vous avez apprécié ce podcast, n'hésitez pas à nous donner des étoiles ou des commentaires, cela nous aide à le faire connaître plus largement. Distribué par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Hello! Andrew and Aaron have spent the afternoon in Covent Garden - but was it as good as two years ago? Or was it different? And is that a good thing. Owen Younger from the newsdesk at Chronicle Live also joins us to share his experience of travelling to London via the supporters bus! https://nordvpn.com/toon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we share highlights from our unforgettable winter trip to London! From navigating the iconic Tube to staying at one of the city's best hotels, this episode is packed with tips and stories:

durée : 01:28:43 - Jakub Hrusša, une direction noble et chaleureuse - par : Aurélie Moreau - Jakub Hrůša, chef principal de l'Orchestre Symphonique de Bamberg et directeur musical désigné de l'Opéra Royal de Covent Garden, conjugue les plus belles qualités d'une direction qui « laisse les phrases chanter jusqu'au bout. » (Christian Merlin).

This week Harriet and Producer Martin talk to Will Lewis, the publisher of the Washington Post, about WaPo's new editorial direction; we speak to friend of the show Sir Douglas Brown CBE, chairman of Southern Central Thames Oil, about why his company, like other oil producers, have ditched their green commitments; and after President Trump announced a $5m (£3.9m) "golden passport", Eshaan Akbar has a Hot & Spicy Take about rich foreigners.If you enjoy the show and fancy early, ad-free episodes, full videos of every segment, bonus podcasts and exclusive video content, as well as the nice warm feeling you get from supporting the arts, pop over to Patreon.com/NonCensored and sign up.With thanks to Rosie Holt, Brendan Murphy, Eshaan Akbar, Will Sebag-Montefiore, Oliver Izod and Ed Morrish.Rosie's book, Why We Were Right, is available now.Brendan is taking his show, Buffy Revamped, on tour all over Britain, and you can see dates and buy tickets here.Eshaan has a stand-up special on YouTube, The Pretender, and he is currently on tour with his show Can't Get No Satisfakshaan.Will has a podcast called Legitimate Likes that you can listen to here, and he does sketches on Instagram.Oliver can be found busking in Covent Garden.Ed also produces P.O.V., a sketch show that features a lot of NonCensored regulars, which is on Radio 4 at 6.30pm on Thursdays for six weeks from the 30th January, and Sound Heap With John-Luke Roberts, an improvised sketch show that returns for a fourth series on Monday 3rd March.Show photography is by Karla Gowlett and design is by Chris Barker. Original music is by Paddy Gervers and Rob Sell at Torch and Compass.NonCensored is a Lead Mojo production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marianela Núñez is a Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet and Opera. Born in Argentina in 1982, Marianela knew she wanted to be a ballet dancer from the age of five and joined the Teatro Colón Ballet School in Buenos Aires when she was eight.She dedicated herself to becoming a professional ballerina and had the full support of her parents despite having to leave home at fifteen to join the Royal Ballet in the UK. After spending a year at the Royal Ballet School and learning English from watching episodes of Friends, she joined the corps de ballet and worked her way up the company to become Principal Dancer. She has danced the lead roles in the ballet repertoire on the London stage and around the world as a guest artist. In 2018, she celebrated her 20th anniversary with the Royal Ballet with a performance of lead roles in Giselle, The Winter's Tale, Manon, Marguerite and Armand, and Swan Lake in her anniversary year. Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O'Hare called her “one of the greats of her generation”. Marianela has many awards for her dancing including the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2013. She lives in London with her two cats.DISC ONE: Adíos Nonino (“Goodbye Grandad”) - Astor Piazzolla DISC TWO: Hoy Puede Ser Un Gran Dia (“Today Could Be a Great Day”) - Joan Manuel Serrat DISC THREE: Dancing Queen - ABBA DISC FOUR: Don't Stop Me Now - Queen DISC FIVE: Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, TH 13 / Act 1: 8a. Pas d'action: Introduction (Andante) - Adagio ("Rose Adagio") Performed by The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by Mark Ermler DISC SIX: Adam: Giselle / Act 2: Lever du soleil et arrivée de la cour. Performed by The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by Richard Bonynge DISC SEVEN: Count on Me - Bruno Mars DISC EIGHT: I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash BOOK CHOICE: The Collected Works of Jorge Luis Borges LUXURY ITEM: A cashmere blanket CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, TH 13 / Act 1: 8a. Pas d'action: Introduction (Andante) - Adagio ("Rose Adagio") Performed by The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by Mark Ermler Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor

In this episode I'm chatting about some of the things that have been happening in the ever busy beauty industry this week. Fom Lisa Eldridge's new launch to an exciting new makeup store in Covent Garden to a wonderful new plan for beauty therapists. Oh and I'll be talking about some of the beauty trends we can expect to see this year. Enjoy fellow beauty nerds xx

News; Martin Wágner's Negatives from the Trash; Jakub Hrůša brings Czech music to London's Covent Garden; Czechia's new treaty with Vatican: what are its uses and problems?

If you're looking for a fragrance, are after something a little bit different and want to make a day of it then you need to listen to this episode.This is my guide to some of the very best perfume shops in London...the ones that will elevate the simple act of shopping to something truly experiental and unforgettable.I've got a store in Covent Garden where the knowledgable and passionate staff will help you explore the exciting world of niche fragrances, a perfume lounge which is so cosy you'll never want to leave, eccentric boutiques hidden down historic little parades in Piccadilly and a luxurious little store in Mayfair that is overflowing with rare and mind-blowing scents.I hope that this will inspire some of you to go on what Suzy Nightingale and I love doing most...a Scent Safari! Do it with your best friend, have some bubbly and have fun! Oh and don't forget to bring a  notebook and pen so you remember your favourites!!

Libby is joined by David Pearl, Founder of Street Wisdom, a creative walking practice that encourages groups of people to go on guided walking workshops (ie - Walkshops) encouraging them to turn ordinary streets into extraordinary experiences. Having spent years exploring how our urban environment can deliver fresh insight, in 2013 David set up the first Street Wisdom event in Covent Garden, London. Since then, the movement has grown to over 87 countries and counting, led by volunteers sharing the power of Street Wisdom free of charge through communities across the globe.  For more on Street Wisdom visit: https://www.streetwisdom.org Keep in touch:  https://www.thismorningwalk.com/ Instagram: @thismorningwalk Alex Instagram: @alex_elle  Libby Instagram: @parkhere     Blind Nil Instagram: @blindnilaudio Please direct business inquiries to: blindnilaudio@magnolia.com Music Credits:  Valante / Ramo / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daphne: Alexandra von der Weth Gaea: Jane Henschel Mägde: Rebecca Nash / Gweneth-Ann Jeffers Apollo: Johan Botha Leukippos: Roberto Saccà Peneios: Alfred Reiter Schäfer: James Rutherford / Peter Auty / Graeme Broadbent / Darren Jeffery Conductor: Stefan Soltesz Royal Opera, Covent Garden 15 May 2002 Broadcast

The Current Keeper of the Museum of Sex Objects, Deborah Sims, joins Eva Oh for a fascinating discussion on women and freedom on the #teakink Podcast. We discover more about the origins of the Museum, WeWork Dominatrix Dungeons, Coven Garden Industrial Spanking, and the museum's objects - including a whip made from Meretrix hair of Roman times. Deborah and Eva chat rage, 'Poor Things', historical patterns of sexual and female liberation and the importance of remembering our history - including cases of forced female circumcision in Notting Hill not that long ago. Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/evaoh More on Eva Oh: https://eva-oh.com HIGHLIGHTS: Here are the timestamps for the video episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Welcome. What is #teakink (00:23) - Meet Deborah Sims, the Keeper of the Museum of Sex Objects (02:15) - The Objects, from Roman times to Today (05:50) - Why the Museum Came About, Untold Stories and Straightjacketed Women (11:10) - The Intersection of Freedom, Desire and Cat Ladies (15:30) - Rage and Forced Female Circumcision in Notting Hill (20:35) - 'Poor Things', Female 'Hysteria' and Roe vs Wade (21:30) - Historical Patterns of Sexual and Female Liberation? (27:10) - The Importance of Remembering History (30:10) - Matriarchal Sex Cults and 18th Century Industrial Spanking (33:40) - Societal Challenges and Hopes for the Museum (37:40) - Coco de Mer and the Ladies of Covent Garden (40:30) - Sexy Soho Walking Tours and the WeWork Dominatrix Dungeon (43:05) - Manet's 'Olympia' (44:45) - The Unpaid Sexual Labour of Marriage vs(?) Sex Work (48:50) - Rethinking Censorship on Social Media, Awareness and Freedom(51:40) - Pain is Pleasure

In episode 127 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, host Tracy Collins is joined by Melissa Jones, a first-time international traveller from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who shares her exciting London trip report. Melissa recounts her solo adventures in London, from iconic landmarks like Trafalgar Square, Kensington Palace, and the Tower of London, to cultural gems such as the Victoria and Albert Museum. Discover her tips for planning an itinerary, navigating public transport, and the importance of pre-booking attractions to avoid long queues.Melissa also shares her experiences of indulging in traditional British cuisine, including sticky toffee pudding, fish and chips, and a memorable afternoon tea at Claridge's. She offers insights into her shopping adventures, highlighting unique finds from Covent Garden's antique market and London's renowned department stores. Whether you're curious about solo travel in London or eager to hear about Melissa's favourite spots and tips, this episode is packed with inspiration for your own UK adventure.⭐️ Guest - Melissa Jones

In this exploration of backstage food, Jaega Wise meets actors and musicians to find out how they eat to fuel their performance. The journey begins backstage at the Criterion Theatre in the West End, to meet stars of the hit musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty. From there Jaega chats to baker Stacy Donnelly who's provided thousands of real-life pies for Waitress the Musical on broadway, and gets advice from nutritionist and dietician Jasmine Challis on the best diet to fuel dancers. She also heads to Joe Allen's in Covent Garden, which is renowned for feeding Hollywood stars, and chats to author of “My Family and Other Rock stars”, Tiffany Murray, who's written a memoir about watching her Mum Joan acting as chef for performers of the 70s such as Queen, Black Sabbath and David Bowie. And finally she'll be getting to know popstar couple Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Richard Jones, to talk riders, eating on tour, and the breakfast Sophie can't do without.Presented by Jaega Wise and produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Tory Pope.

Adam Reed @adamreedhair is one of the most passionate perfume-lovers we've ever met, filling his fabulous Covent Garden salon with his personal collection, and recently launching his own Arkive eaux de parfums. We just HAD to get him on the show!Adam is the founder of Arkive @arkivebyadamreed, having worked in the hair care industry for 35 years - trusted by clients such as Madonna, Reese Witherspoon, Sophie Dahl and Harry Styles, (to name a handful), as well as styling countless runway shows, with his editorial work featured in just about every glossy magazine you've ever heard of. He's also a Global Ambassador for both L'Oréal Professionnel, GHD and the Green Salon Collective.Always an advocate for openness about mental health, we were SO moved by Adam's emotional honesty during this interview - talking about the many connections he has to fragrance. We also discuss how although the right scent can't exactly mend everything that's broken in your life; it CAN give you something beautiful to hold on to while you find your way through a horrible time.Here are some of the scents that infuse Adam's life…[NB. Some images of vintage / discontinued products couldn't be found]@diorbeauty Christian Dior Jules Talcum Powder (Vintage)@santamarianovella1221 Melograno Talcum Powder (Discontinued)@avon_uk Tai Winds Bath Cubes (Vintage)@jomalonelondon Lime Basil & Mandarin Candle@thenue_co Forest Lungs@rpparfums Fracas@lorealparis Elnett Hairspray@bourjois_uk Soir de Paris@chanelofficial CHANEL N°5@oldspice Old Spice CologneInsignia Deodorant (Vintage)Claude Montana Parfum de Peau (Vintage)@cacharelparfums LouLou@diorbeauty Christian Dior Poison@cotyinc ExclamationMary Quant [possibly P.M. fragrance?]@poloralphlauren Ralph Lauren Polo@yslbeauty Jazz@calvinklein Obsession for Men / Obsession for Women@esteelauder Youth Dew / Youth Dew Amber NudeImperial Leather SoapTomato leaves@isseymiyakeparfums L'Eau d'Issey / Pour Homme@diptyque Tam Dao@alexandermcqueen Kingdom@4711 4711 CologneBadedas Bath Gel@arkiveheadcare ARKIVE Makes Scents:Decorated WoodsNo One ElsieFuture BloomA Kind of Floral

Have you ever thought about how you breathe? For many of us, the 20,000+ breaths we take each day go underneath our conscious awareness. But every now and then, a short-lived spout or a chronic case of breathlessness can remind us just how vital good breathing is for our health. But can we all breathe “better”? Some wellness trends suggest so... James Gallagher gets to grips with mouth-taping: the practice of taping the mouth shut during the night to promote exclusive ‘nasal breathing'. Many claim it has improved their sleep, their athletic performance and even given them a more chiselled jaw. Ken O'Halloran, professor of physiology at University College Cork, explains what research has been done looking into this trend and warns about when taping might do more harm than good. James also visits The Coliseum in Covent Garden to hear how an operatic training programme has improved the quality of life for people living with Long-COVID. ENO Breathe, designed by The English National Opera and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has seen 4000 people learn to breathe like a classical singer to help them handle breathlessness. Creative director, Suzi Zumpe, and respiratory registrar, Keir Philip, talk through the programme and its impacts. Finally, could taking consciousness control of our breathing for a short time each day improve our health? Guy Fincham, researcher at the University of Sussex, dives into his PhD research on breathwork, including his initial studies looking at who might benefit from these practices. Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Julia Ravey Content Editor: Holly Squire Studio Engineer: Giles Aspen Production Coordinator: Ismael Soriano This programme was produced in partnership with The Open University.