11 h. ago ‘We spent £100,000 doing a gig in a scout hut!’ The Beta Band on debt, disastrous decisions – and their defiant comeback

Fiercely original and stunning live, they should have been massive – but they imploded. As the Scots return, they relive disowning their debut album, blowing Top of the Pops – and getting shocks off their battery-powered illuminated suitsSteve Mason is remembering the day in 2004 he was told the Beta Band was over. “There was enough money in the bank account to pay each of us a month’s wages,” says the singer, seated in a busy London greasy spoon. “And by that point, we were only on a grand a month. Then that was it.”For the previous eight years, life in the band formed in the Scottish seaside town of St Andrews had been one of constant reinvention and innovation. They’d made fiercely original records and experimental films, while putting on visually stunning live extravaganzas. Their transatlantic fanbase included Oasis, Radiohead, Irvine Welsh and actor John Cusack, who’d recommended their song Dry the Rain for a now-famous scene in High Fidelity. Playing a record store assistant,...

Economics

16 h. ago UK seaside town sees sudden surge in tourists before summer for magical reason

Newquay in Cornwall has seen an early uptick in tourism, arriving much sooner than the usual summer rush, and it's because everyone wants to see one thing

Politics

39 h. ago Insanely beautiful UK seaside town in Lake District brimming with charm

Nestled in the heart of Cumbria, just a few miles from the iconic Lake District National Park, Grange-over-Sands is a hidden gem that has captivated visitors for centuries

Politics

42 h. ago Beautiful UK seaside town has barely changed in 100 years with 'finest' high street

St Ives may be a popular tourist spot, but it's not hard to see why when it has retained charm and its historic value for decades

Politics

61 h. ago Hiker left terrified after discovering secret hidden under dustbin lid in UK beauty spot

Hiker Devon Banks took to TikTok to share the spooky encounter he had when he and a friend discovered a dustbin lid in the hills of the Lake District and ventured into the void beneath it

Events

63 h. ago Insanely beautiful Spanish seaside town with incredible beaches and £1 pints

A Spanish town that enjoys year round sunshine has a number of beautiful beaches surrounded by bars and restaurants where you can quench your thirst with a super cheap pint

Economics

64 h. ago Pretty UK seaside town is one of the cheapest in England with £109k homes

This heritage-rich coastal town boasts nature reserves, cycle tracks, and sandy beaches, while also being one of the most affordable coastal towns to buy a home in the UK

Economics

65 h. ago Insanely beautiful Greek island with the best views and cheaper than Santorini

Not all five-star hotels feel welcoming for children, but one beautiful, high-end resort on this Greek island couldn’t be more family-friendly, as we discovered

Politics

65 h. ago Incredible EU seaside town so magical it's inundated with Spanish tourists

A town in southern Europe has miles of golden sandy beaches, beautiful scenery and a cool, relaxed vibe that has attracted Spaniards looking for a chilled break for years

Politics

3 d. ago Insanely beautiful tropical island plans huge £78 daily tourist tax for thousands

Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance and a lawmaker in Bali’s Badung regency, has claimed that officials are weighing up whether to introduce a hefty tourist tax for visitors to the Indonesian island

Economics

3 d. ago March weather will start more like a lamb than a lion, Met Office says

Temperatures are set to reach 14C in some areas next week.

Society

6 d. ago Insanely beautiful European seaside town with £1.50 pints rivalling Spain

It’s a great destination for those wishing to relax, but also do some sightseeing. Located in Bulgaria, Varna is an alternative from other European retreats - and it’s much cheaper

Economics

6 d. ago Utah close to fully banning fluoride in water, stripping cities' ability to decide

Utah appears to be the first state ready to put a full ban on fluoride in public water systems under a bill that doesn’t allow cities or communities to decide whether to add the cavity-preventing mineral

Events

7 d. ago Cheap £60k flat in north west seaside town with beach on its doorstep

It is bound to get snapped up at a bargain price

Economics

7 d. ago Underrated UK seaside town about to get tourism boom after £20m regeneration

Once in the shadow due to popular seaside towns like Brighton, this 'overlooked' and 'left behind' resort is starting to gain a pretty decent reputation - and it's only bound to get better

Economics

8 d. ago Inside Skegness before it became one of the 'worst' UK seaside towns: Spellbinding historic photos capture the resort's yesteryear glory days

Although it's now one of the UK's best-known seaside towns, Skegness was just a small village with fewer than 400 residents in 1850. Find out how it's changed over the years...

Culture

8 d. ago Is this REALLY the UK's most romantic town? Residents of faded seaside community once ranked among the worst resorts in Britain refuse to believe it has become the new hot spot for lovers

It was ranked one of England's worst seaside resorts in Britain in 2023 but its new claim to fame is that the most top-of-the-range bouquets are bought here.

Politics

8 d. ago Insanely beautiful Spanish seaside city with theme park named cheapest for Brits

Getting a holiday booked can be an expensive ordeal, but Travel Supermarket has named the cheapest city to visit in Spain for budget-conscious families

Politics

8 d. ago Insanely beautiful EU beach with pink sand where tourists are fined £2,898

A hidden gem in the south of Italy features a stunning pink sand beach, but access is prohibited, and fines can reach up to £2,899 for trespassing

Society

9 d. ago TV chef says 'f*** that' after filming in Welsh seaside town named 'worst in Britain'

Chris 'Flamebaster' Roberts visited the Welsh town for his BBC Wales show Chris Cooks Cymru and said he 'loved every second' of his visit

Culture