Latest news with #DuchyOfLancaster
The Guardian
7 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘They could poo for England': the mystery of the peacocks plaguing a village
In a village there are many things that cause neighbours to argue: differences in politics, disagreements over hedge maintenance, disputes over who will be Santa this Christmas. In east Staffordshire, however, the battle lines have been drawn over something far more unusual. Over the past 25 years, the village of Tutbury has been the home of an ever-growing pride of peacocks and hens who some residents say destroy crops, leave large amounts of mess and whose distinctive calls can be heard at all hours of the day and night. George, who owns a patch of land in the village's allotment where crops are fortified to avoid being ransacked by the peacocks, says the birds are like 'marmite' to the village. 'The people who love them really love them, and the people that hate them really hate them,' he says. Like the situation itself, the peacocks' origin story is a unique one. According to residents, decades ago three peacocks were housed in Tutbury Castle, which sits on a hill overlooking the village. Who put them there and cared for them is a source of debate, but all accounts say that one day whoever fed and looked after them, for reasons unknown, stopped, causing them to scavenge for food in the village. Some people also claimed that, possibly due to the Tutbury Castle being part of the Duchy of Lancaster, the peacocks are also technically owned by the king, hence the lack of action to control them. The disagreements have created such a divide that many of the doors you knock on refuse to speak on the record as people try to avoid conflict with their neighbours. Humphrey and Jackie Toon, 78 and 64, are two of only a few people in the village who feel comfortable making their feelings known publicly. The couple, lifelong residents of Tutbury, believe the peacocks don't mean any harm and are good-natured, but have become a nuisance. 'They wake us up at half four every morning – it's ridiculous,' says Jackie. 'They stop buses, they attack cars if they see their own reflection and they poo everywhere. They could poo for England.' Their sentiments are shared by others. One resident, who wished not to be named to avoid conflict with the peacock-loving household across the road, likened the experience of being surrounded by the birds to being trapped. 'It's like being in a zoo: they're around you, you can't get rid of them. It's like you're in the cage with them; day and night they're there.' They also said the constant noise from the peacocks has made it hard for he and his partner to recover from separate surgeries, and that they planned to move away from Tutbury to escape them. The local parish and borough councils said they were aware of the issue but that neither could do much to help because that was the responsibility of 'whoever owned the peacocks'.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- BBC News
All you need to know about King Charles III's visit to Lancaster
King Charles III is to visit Lancaster Castle later, with organisers planning to make the royal visit a "proud day" for the will mark the first time the King, who is also the Duke of Lancaster, has visited Lancashire since he was will close as huge crowds are expected in Lancaster to welcome the monarch, who will be handed the keys to the castle in front of the John O'Gaunt gateway as part in an ancient ceremonial Police said measures have been put in place to manage the influx of well wishers to the city, and warned people they will need to plan ahead to avoid disruption. What will the King do during his visit? King Charles will receive the keys in front of the John O'Gaunt gateway at the entrance to the castle. The structure was built by Henry IV in the 15th century as part of the castle defences and includes a statue of his father John of Gaunt, a key figure in the history of the Duchy of the ceremony, Pam Barker DL, Constable of the Castle, will officially present His Majesty with the King will then meet with local business representatives and attend a reception with a wide range of community from Willow Lane Primary School have been chosen to go to the ceremony and greet his majesty. What roads will be shut? Ch Supt Hassan Khan of Lancashire Police said there will be some disruption to traffic in the is expected to be very busy and people are advised to allow extra time for their will be road closures and diversions in place by Lancaster Castle from about 06:00 and restricted access areas have been created to allow for public viewing and event parking bays on St Mary's Parade will be suspended until 21:00 BST., while Dallas Road car park will be closed from 06:00 until 18:00 except by prior and business owners in the Castle Hill and Castle Park area have been contacted directly with details of alternative expecting deliveries have been told to reschedule for another will not be able to gain access to areas adjacent to St George's Quay due to road closures and the low railway bridge on the quayside. What has the council said? A spokesman for Lancaster City Council said "We appreciate these arrangements may cause some inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation." A range of local organisations are working closely together to make sure the visit is a "proud and memorable moment for the city of Lancaster", he The authority added: "We hope you will take the opportunity to witness this historic occasion, and we thank you for helping to make it a success." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Times
King Charles net worth — Sunday Times Rich List 2025
What is King Charles's net worth?▲ £640 million£610 million in 2024 The magnitude of the King's wealth continues to divide opinion. Some commentators insist that Charles III is a billionaire, arguing that the Duchy of Lancaster and even the Crown Estate are his personal assets. We disagree. Both these estates come with the job as sovereign and there are rules circumscribing a monarch's ability to sell or profit from them. To consider these the King's personal holdings would be akin to an executive viewing the office laptop or the company car parked on their driveway as their own. • The Sunday Times Rich List 2025 revealed Then there is the even more confusing question of the monarch's mass of art and jewellery, as
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Thousands of London civil servants to leave city as government cuts costs
Thousands more civil servants are set to be moved out of London as the British government seeks to cut costs and 'radically reform the state'. Advertisement Under plans announced on Wednesday, the government will cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and shift jobs to a series of new regional 'campuses' across the country. The changes will also see 11 government office buildings in London close, including one of its largest Westminster sites, in a move expected to save £94 million (US$125 million) a year by 2032. Pat McFadden, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said the government was 'taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK'. Government departments will be expected to submit plans for relocating staff, including senior civil servants, as part of the spending review due to be completed on June 11. Advertisement The move will see two new major 'campuses' created, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and another in Aberdeen on energy.
