Latest news with #Peter
Edinburgh Live
an hour ago
- Edinburgh Live
Abandoned Edinburgh restaurant of 'disappearing Armenian cook' joins the market
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An abandoned Edinburgh restaurant that is 'shrouded in mystery' has been put up for sale. The historic building at 55 Abbeyhill dates back to 1896, when it was designed for use as a police station. It closed in 1932, and was owned by a church until the '80s. The derelict structure had a second (or third) life as an Armenian restaurant. An elusive eatery, entry was 'notoriously gaurded' - and the spot was found only by rumour or word of mouth. The owner, and cook, was a man who liked to be known simply as Peter. His restaurant, however, had a more extensive honorific - Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery in Exile - though locals labelled it simply 'The Armenian Restaurant'. Edinburgh resident Jo Spiller ate at the restaurant in 2010. She told the BBC: "I heard about it from friends, who heard about it from friends, and it was so difficult to book. My friend thinks he was calling a public phone box to make a reservation." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Out of nowhere, Peter disappeared in 2012. The restaurant, which has sat empty for over a decade, closed down. Having become a well-known figure in Edinburgh, residents were left perplexed. This was until 2021, when a segment on BBC's The Nine set out to find him - and it didn't take long. They found Peter had owned an Armenian rug shop, which was also in a derelict state. They ended up leaving a note for Peter, who agreed to meet them. Speaking to The Nine, he said: "People were so keen, I couldn't control the numbers. "Some nights we had guests in the three figures, people would bring chairs from home for more seating." As it turns out, Peter had been in Edinburgh the whole time. A robbery at the restaurant had seen all of his priceless Armenian antiques stolen. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Peter was distraught, and simply shut the eatery down and retreated from the public eye. Allied Surveyors Scotland's head of commercial agency Iain Mercer said: "'For years people have driven past these properties and often wondered about their past and, indeed, their availability. "As such, we anticipate they will pique the interest of domestic and international buyers such is their rich and colourful history. Whilst preserving their historic interest, the buildings would now lend themselves to a range of potential uses such as residential, gallery, museum, brewing or restaurant." Now, the B listed property is on the market. offers over £500,000 are being sought.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
My husband wrote 'Jaws.' We need to better protect the oceans he loved.
My husband wrote 'Jaws.' We need to better protect the oceans he loved. | Opinion It is almost quaint that in the 1970s, when 'Jaws' hit movie theaters, people considered sharks our greatest ocean threat. Today, our oceans face many urgent challenges. Show Caption Hide Caption Top 3 scary moments in 'Jaws' 'Jaws' turns 50 this summer and USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt celebrates with his favorite bloody moments. When my late husband, Peter Benchley, and I celebrated our 40th anniversary, I had one wish: to go cage diving with great white sharks. After decades of ocean expeditions together, I'd often been the last one in the water − if I made it in at all. This time, I wanted to come face-to-face with the animals we now know are critical to ocean health. June 20 marks the 50th anniversary of when "Jaws" − the blockbuster film based on Peter's bestselling novel − first hit the big screen. What began as a fictional thriller about a coastal town became a cultural phenomenon. It thrilled audiences. It scared them, too. But it also sparked something else: fascination and wonder. In the years after "Jaws," Peter received thousands of letters from people all over the world. Students, teachers, divers and future marine biologists − they were all curious about sharks and the ocean. Many wanted to be like Matt Hooper, the young ichthyologist played by Richard Dreyfuss in the movie. 'Jaws' helped spur conservation research This curiosity opened the door for shark and ocean conservation research, which has transformed our understanding of the ocean. We joined scientists on ocean expeditions and saw the damage firsthand: shark finning, plastic pollution, dying reefs. We have learned that more than 100 million sharks are killed each year to keep up with demand for shark fin soup in China and across Asia. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of conservationists and powerful public awareness campaigns, demand for shark fins has declined. The 'Jaws' effect: 'Jaws' scared swimmers out of the ocean 50 years ago. Here's what you didn't know about the shark saga. It is almost quaint that in the 1970s, people considered sharks our greatest ocean threat. Today, the ocean faces many urgent challenges. Climate change. Overfishing. Illegal and unregulated fishing. Deep-sea mining. Plastics. Offshore drilling. Warming and acidifying oceans. These aren't science fiction − they're happening now. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. This National Ocean Month, I hope scientists, activists, policymakers, legislators and state, local and federal leaders − and ocean lovers everywhere − will join this year's Peter Benchley Ocean Award winners and step up to support legislation to protect marine areas. Say no to expanded offshore drilling. Defend special places like sanctuaries and monuments. Choose sustainable seafood. Donate to conservation organizations. Volunteer for a beach cleanup. Visit your local aquarium and learn what's at stake. John Kerry and David Cameron: Help us protect oceans from climate change, pollution, overfishing | Opinion We still have much to learn about our oceans The ocean covers about 71% of our planet, yet we've explored only a tiny fraction of it. The vast majority of this enormous blue underworld is yet to be revealed. Each year, scientists discover new species − recently, a new species of guitar shark, for example. We could lose the opportunity to make such discoveries if we don't act quickly. As police chief Brody (Roy Scheider) famously said in "Jaws," "We're gonna need a bigger boat.' "Jaws" brought sharks and the ocean into the public imagination. Let's use this moment to protect it. We need all hands, working together, to fend off interests that would use the ocean to extract resources, threaten biodiversity and sacrifice cherished marine life. Wendy Benchley is an award-winning ocean advocate and scuba diver. She is cofounder of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, serves on the boards of WildAid and Blue Frontier and is an advisory trustee for the Environmental Defense Fund.
The Age
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Paul Snowden opens up on split with dad as new stable makes city debut
Paul Snowden says he was dirty on racing and didn't know if he was finished with the game after the split with his father, Peter, last year. Now building his own team on a 60-acre property half an hour from the Port Macquarie track, Snowden is happy to be heading back to Randwick on Saturday with his first city runner, Lunaite, as a solo trainer since the end of his 10-year partnership with Peter 11 months ago. Opening up for the first time about the split, Paul said: 'We hadn't been getting along for probably the last 10 years. 'We sort of kept it under wraps from everyone for a little while, so it was nothing new. I just wanted a change. 'I didn't know if I was finished in the industry. I was dirty on it. I didn't know if it was because of my work relationship with him, or I just needed to start again. 'After about a month I worked out, it's just a job. Since I've been up here, it's been good.' The father-and-son team, with stables at Randwick and Flemington, was formed after their move away from Darley in 2014. They went on to win more than 1260 races, including 20 group 1s and the first two editions of The Everest, with Redzel. Paul, though, said he had desires to go out on his own even before the partnership. 'I always knew I was going to be in his shadow all the time, and I didn't want that,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Paul Snowden opens up on split with dad as new stable makes city debut
Paul Snowden says he was dirty on racing and didn't know if he was finished with the game after the split with his father, Peter, last year. Now building his own team on a 60-acre property half an hour from the Port Macquarie track, Snowden is happy to be heading back to Randwick on Saturday with his first city runner, Lunaite, as a solo trainer since the end of his 10-year partnership with Peter 11 months ago. Opening up for the first time about the split, Paul said: 'We hadn't been getting along for probably the last 10 years. 'We sort of kept it under wraps from everyone for a little while, so it was nothing new. I just wanted a change. 'I didn't know if I was finished in the industry. I was dirty on it. I didn't know if it was because of my work relationship with him, or I just needed to start again. 'After about a month I worked out, it's just a job. Since I've been up here, it's been good.' The father-and-son team, with stables at Randwick and Flemington, was formed after their move away from Darley in 2014. They went on to win more than 1260 races, including 20 group 1s and the first two editions of The Everest, with Redzel. Paul, though, said he had desires to go out on his own even before the partnership. 'I always knew I was going to be in his shadow all the time, and I didn't want that,' he said.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Dunedin police call for sightings of missing elderly man
Peter was last seen on Thursday, 19 June night. Photo: Supplied/ Police Police are appealing for sightings of a man missing in Dunedin. The 77-year-old man, named only as Peter, was last seen about 10.30pm Thursday night in the suburb of Kenmure. He was wearing grey trousers, a black or navy-coloured merino top, and black slip-on shoes. Peter was last seen in the Dunedin suburb of Kenmure. Photo: Supplied/ Police Police said he could also have a jacket and a beanie. They asked for anyone who saw Peter or had information on his whereabouts to call 111, and quote the reference number P062923985. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
