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Plans to relocate the Grand National to Yarmouth Racecourse finally get green light

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Plans to relocate the Grand National to Yarmouth Racecourse finally get green light

The biggest betting event on the sporting calendar is finally coming to East Anglia, it has been revealed.

The Randox Health Grand National will relocate to Yarmouth Racecourse from 2021 ending it’s 180-year association with Aintree. It is a notable victory for campaigners who have spent the last seven years tirelessly promoting the region’s sporting heritage.

The BHA will formally announce the switch following the conclusion of this year’s renewal on April 4th. Tiger Roll will go into the contest as the favourite once again and will be searching for an unprecendented third success in the iconic steeplechase. He is likely to be amongst many people’s 2020 Grand National betting tips, although whether he can continue his remarkable run on the east coast remains to be seen. 

Many trainers are reportedly in favour of the move as it enables them to holiday in the region prior to the event. Handlers such as Willie Mullins, Phillips Hobbs and Donald McCain have already spoken of their plans to visit ‘irresistible’ Norwich and sample some of the cities most notorious watering holes.

Yarmouth racecourse exclusively stages flat racing during the summer months, however volunteers will now spend the first few weeks of the year building a series of challenging fences using a variety of local foliage. Competitors will be required to complete four laps of the track and must clear a number of bespoke obstacles such as ‘The Delia’ and ‘Mustard Mount’.

Although the capacity at the historic racecourse is significantly lower than its Merseyside counterpart, track officials have recently struck a deal to screen the contest at the nearby Caravan Club and are also planning to erect a big screen on the North Dene Dunes. This will allow locals and tourists to enjoy all of the action whilst simultaneously boosting the local economy. 

The venue attracted a variety of high-profile names in 2019 including former Spandeau Ballet man Martin Kemp and more high-profile bookings are expected to follow this year. Zig and Zag, Homes Under the Hammer’s Martin Roberts and Henry Hoover will all play DJ sets on Grand National day with further names to be announced in due course. 

Extra trains and buses will be running throughout the weekend in order to help ferry the legions of racegoers around the region. The A47 will also be widened in order to accommodate additional traffic ahead of the event.

The move has been widely praised by horse racing fans who are looking forward to seeing their favourite chasers tackle the undulations of Yarmouth Racecourse. The track beat off stiff competition from Fakenham and Market Rasen to sign the lucrative contract which will enable them to host the world-famous steeplechase until at least 2026. Aintree’s loss is Yarmouth’s gain and the local area is likely to benefit significantly from the BHA’s decision to move the greatest steeplechase in the world to East Anglia. 

Greater Anglia launches investigation after train runs on time

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Greater Anglia launches investigation after train runs on time
A new Greater Anglia trains that works (Photo: Boevaya Mashina under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Under pressure rail operator Greater Anglia has promised a full investigation after it emerged one of its trains ran on time.

The extraordinary event happened this morning when the 7.49 from Ipswich to London made it to the capital without any issues whatsoever.

Commuters are used to delays or their services not running at all, so were alarmed when the train arrived on schedule.

A Greater Anglia insider said: “We would like to apologise for the shock caused by a train running on time.

“We promise to get to the bottom of it and make sure it never happens again.”

Commuter Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “I arrived at work on time and my boss nearly fainted.

“We expect far less from a rail company that ordered a new set of trains, put them in service before they worked properly, and sold off all of the old trains in the meantime.

“I expect they have some comedic excuse for this morning’s train arriving on time. Perhaps it’s because nothing else was running so it had a clear track?”

The best online games of the 21st century

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The best online games of the 21st century
Minecraft village scene

Since online games started to become more popular with an increase in the availability of the internet, they’ve become one of the top forms of entertainment. The worldwide online gaming market is now worth around $46 billion which is expected to double by 2024.

With the industry bigger than ever and producing more innovative and immersive hits each year, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest and best online games of the century.

World of Warcraft

Originally released in 2004, World of Warcraft gave players the chance to live out their dream of playing as a dwarf, elf or other fantasy-based characters. Players were part of a huge online world and could interact and join one another to take on quests.

World of Warcraft is the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) of all time. In 2009 the game had a player count of more than 10 million, whilst in 2014 there were over one hundred million registered accounts.

The success of the game has made the Warcraft franchise the highest-grossing video game series of all time. Its success spawned countless copies and other MMORPGs, but none could match the quality of World of Warcraft.

Online Slots

Slots which would traditionally only be found in casinos can now be played directly from the comfort of your home. Aside from offering you the chance to win big prizes, slots can be great fun to play. Many online casinos have realised the popularity of these games and now offer hundreds of online slots.

Whilst traditional slot games typically all followed the same design, innovation thanks to demand and competition has meant today’s slots are a lot more exciting. These days you can find high-quality animations, exciting bonus features and interesting themes featured on the latest video slots. Find out more about new and exciting online slots at 100 euro ohne einzahlung casino.

Recent years have seen the use of online casinos and slot games increasing as most sites also offer mobile play. The ability to play slots whilst on the go is a big plus for many players.

Minecraft

Whilst it didn’t start out as a multiplayer game, Microsoft’s version of Minecraft has come a long way since the original. Beginning in 2009 as one man’s project to provide players with a Lego-like procedurally generated world, Minecraft soon became something much bigger.

By the time the game was fully released in 2011, it had 10 million players who enjoyed the creative and unlimited aspects of building in the game. Over time, Microsoft began to release the game over other platforms including game consoles and phones, helping to reach new audiences.

Now with other 175 million copies sold, Minecraft has become a social hobby for many young players who set up servers to build and play with their friends. Hundreds of schools throughout the world even use the educational version of Minecraft to help teach students about diverse subjects such as physics, art, electronics and sustainable farming.

Battle Royale Games

The late 2010s saw the arrival of a new format of online game, the Battle Royale. Widespread access to fast internet speeds have meant the scale of online games has increased and Battle Royale games see up to 100 players all battling against each other.

After the success of Fortnite BR and PUBG, many other games followed, trying to match the success of the previous games by adding new features. Although games such as Apex Legends and PlanetSide Arena have been popular, none have matched the impact of Fortnite and PUBG.

PUBG has racked up more than 400 million players worldwide and is available across multiple platforms including mobile devices. Fortnite, meanwhile, has amassed more than 250 million players and made a reported $2.4 billion in 2018, not bad for a free game.

Adrian’s wall is NOT visible from space

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Adrian’s wall is NOT visible from space
adrians wall
Adrian Smith by his front wall

Scientists have conclusively shown that Adrian Smith’s front garden wall is not visible from space.

The study of satellite photos shows that, despite it being a long-held belief, Adrian’s wall cannot be seen from the moon. In fact, it’s pretty hard to spot it from up the road.

Professor Lorraine Fisher, 34, of Suffolk University’s astrophysics department, said: “We’re not sure where everyone got the idea that Adrian’s wall was visible from space, but it’s simply not true. It’s an urban myth.

“It is much to thin to be spotted, which is a shame because it’s a lovely Victorian-era brick.”

Mr Smith, 31, said: “My wall has been something of a tourist attraction here in Ipswich simply because people thought it was a feat of engineering.

“I’ll admit I had even applied for a grant from English Heritage so it could be re-pointed.

“I don’t suppose I’ll get that now.”

Mr Smith, a company director, says the news has not put him off his wall, which keeps his large detached home nice and private.

“It’s a nice wall – and does it really matter that folks on the space station can’t see it?”

Impact of mobile gaming on the online casino industry

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Impact of mobile gaming on the online casino industry

The casino industry has always done pretty well for itself for a wide range of reasons, one of these being the fact that players not only enjoy the games but the added bonus of winning is also a great reason to play.

This reason alone is in fact usually enough to get players going in the first place, but ultimately the gaming experience at 666casino.com is the main thing that pulls us in most of the time. 

So what is the impact of mobile gaming on the online casino industry? Overall, it is pretty positive stuff, and with the rise of digital, smartphones and gaming going hand in hand, there is a clear correlation as to how mobile gaming has gone up because our devices have too. 

Convenience 

This means that convenience has won here. It is somewhat ironic that in the way that the online casinos once did, mobile casinos have climbed up the popularity ranks since their inception. 

So much so in fact, that since then the growth of mobile casinos has contributed a huge 15 per cent of revenue in the gambling industry. 

Which is ironic when you think about it because only about eight years or so ago, nobody and especially not gamers saw this kind of change in gaming happen. 

Not that that is a bad thing, but what actually made this event happen and cause the mobile casinos growth? 

The short answer is that it all comes back to convenience – now we have plenty of apps on our smartphones, and it just so happens that in our day to day life we use those phones probably more than we use anything else. 

This means that the online casino industry is booming like a mobile casino, but the cross over in the two helps. 

You might find a game online for example, and decide to download it on your mobile, and in this way, you have got the best of both worlds. 

But what exactly is the impact of mobile gaming on the online casino industry then? Well, as more and more of us choose to play games through our smartphones – in particularly casino games – fewer people are playing with an online casino. 

As many as 44 per cent in fact of casino gamers choose to play their games online over their smartphones and through apps rather than with online casinos. 

But, having said that, that is not to say that online casinos are failing now. Most of the casinos you can find online have more than 100 games on offer in any one catalogue, and this is growing as developers find more ways to create innovative games. 

It is also worth noting that it is not all about convenience. The user experience when it comes to gaming has rapidly improved too as with the growth of mobile gaming. 

With better graphics and better software, it is perhaps only a matter of time before mobile gaming might just overtake online casinos.

New to Airbnb: recently renovated Windsor cottage

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New to Airbnb: recently renovated Windsor cottage
frogmore cottage on airbnb
Screenshot of new Airbnb listing

This gorgeous, private cottage in Windsor is now available to rent for £10,000 a night on Airbnb because the owners are moving abroad.

The property has been renovated recently at great expense – about £2.4 million – and comes with all the mod cons and extensive security and personal staff.

Despite unexpectedly moving to North America, host Harry writes on the Airbnb page that he wants to keep the cottage, even though he doesn’t actually own it.

“One is needing to become financially independent, so we are reluctantly allowing the great unwashed to stay in our cottage.

“It’s only £10,000 a night, and you’ll find the key in a key safe by the back door. I will send you the combination code prior to your arrival.”

The Airbnb page is full of glorious photographs of the Grade Two-listed property but warns against families with young children renting it out.

“There is a dodgy uncle who might pop round uninvited. Don’t let him in, whatever you do,” host Harry adds.

Airbnb property listings executive Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “There has already been a lot of interest in this Windsor cottage, with most people saying they want their money back even though they have never stayed there.”

Rural Norfolk villages connected by modern new bus service

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Rural Norfolk villages connected by modern new bus service

Norfolk bus service

By Ian Bred, Norfolk Correspondent

A bus service has been launched to connect isolated communities in parts of rural Norfolk for the first time, operators confirmed today.

The fleet of shining vehicles each carry two passengers in a secure, air-conditioned seating area, and are capable of whizzing them from village to village inside two hours.

Up until now, it has taken women living in remote areas like Downham Market, Swaffham and Fakenham all day to fetch water from regional wells or to forage berries from far-away hedges.

But the new fleet introduced by Luxor Traction Ltd means they now have more time to attend to their other daily duties – like sweeping out their hovels.

Edna Spratt, 37, who lives near Downham Market with her brother and their nine children, said: “The new bus service is excellent. I can catch the 7.37am from the end of my track and get to Salters Lode to collect water in under two hours.

“It’s then just a five-hour wait for the 2pm service back towards Downham Market. I have heard that abroad in places like Suffolk they have something called locomotives on tracks which can carry more than two people, but that sounds like the devil’s work.”

Luxor Traction Ltd launched its fleet of 15 buses to service most parts of rural Norfolk in recent weeks.

Company chief executive Mr John Deere said: “We are very proud to open up parts of rural Norfolk for the first time. Public transport will transform the lives of hard-working local people like Edna.

“It’s taking a bit of time to catch on because these folk do not have televisions or read, so it is difficult to get the word out. But we are confident of turning a profit by 2023.”

Lorraine Fisher, 34, had nothing to say about this story.

Old woman is first to circumnavigate Suffolk by bus

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Old woman is first to circumnavigate Suffolk by bus

They said it could never be done – but 81-year-old Maggie Moore has become the first person to circumnavigate Suffolk by bus.

The thrill-seeking pensioner has climbed Himalayan mountains in the past, but this year Maggie swapped K2 for the number 62 as she left herself at the mercy of public transport.

“I knew that travelling by bus in Suffolk was difficult, but I never realised it was this difficult,” said Maggie as she clambered off the number 173 to a crowd of journalists and well-wishers on her triumphant return to Felixstowe.

“Until you’ve experienced it yourself, you can never understand the extraordinary mental and physical effort it takes to get from Brandon to Eye on a Sunday.

“Climbing six thousand metres at high altitude is nothing compared with trying to figure out the timetable for the number 312.”

 

 

 

Maggie Moore, third left, on the Lowestoft leg of her trip

 

Moore’s epic trip took her on a treacherous circular route around the edge of the county, taking in the likes of Ipswich, Sudbury, Brandon and Lowestoft, before finally returning to her home town of Felixstowe on Saturday. In total, the journey took 63 days, during which time she consumed 72 flasks of tea, 253 cheese sandwiches and 20 packets of peppermint creams.

 

“I had to deal with a lot – loneliness, isolation, body odour. There were some dark times,” admitted Maggie. “Anybody who takes a bus in Suffolk and tells you they haven’t thought about suicide is lying.”

Maggie’s epic voyage has proved an inspiration to the people of her home town, as Felixstowe resident Lorraine Fisher, 34, admitted. “She’s a great role model. Young people in Suffolk will look up to Maggie and realise that, one day, if they work hard and are prepared to make sacrifices, they can take a bus journey too.”

But fellow resident John Mortimer, 62, was less enthusiastic. “I don’t agree with taxpayers’ money being wasted on free bus trips for adventurers. What if she had become stranded and had to be rescued?”

The story also made headlines in Essex, where reports claim Maggie’s journey has finally proved that Suffolk is round.

Meanwhile, here’s a bonus for you…

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