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The Londoner: Barnard Castle enjoys a Cummings tourist bounce

Evening Standard
·4-min read
AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

Barnard Castle is thanking Dominic Cummings for a spike in tourism. During the scandal over his lockdown whereabouts in May, the PM’s chief advisor claimed he had driven to the town from Durham in order to do an “eye test” for driving.

Now an English Heritage spokesperson tells The Londoner the town’s medieval castle has benefited from the chatter. “Barnard Castle reopened to the public on July 4 and it has had a steady stream of visitors since,” they said. “The opening week was certainly busier than the same week last year. It’s a beautiful site and we’re delighted to welcome visitors to see it.” Cummings drove from London to Durham when he had coronavirus symptoms. He then made a 52-mile round trip to Barnard Castle town on April 12 — the birthday of his wife, journalist Mary Wakefield. After a public outcry, he gave a press conference in 10 Downing Street’s rose garden.

Barnard Castle town has also seen a rise in visitors. Local mayor John Blissett said this week: “The crowds have been coming in and obviously the curiosity is there. I don’t know whether the opticians have had any more trade though.” Good to see the Government helping the economy.

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A valiant attempt at satire at BBC News, where painful meetings are happening online as bosses are telling staff about 450 job cuts. One cheerful attendee changed their Zoom avatar to bumbling “Head of Values” Ian Fletcher from BBC mockumentary W1A in an attempt to lighten the tone. Let’s hope they kept their job.

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(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley recalls being caught up in an attempted insurance scam while working as a children’s entertainer. Ripley told the Out to Lunch podcast she was tricked into going into a bedroom during a kids’ party. Later, police came round accusing her of stealing £75,000 of jewellery. It turned out the loot was buried in the garden. She said: “It was like an episode of Midsummer murders.”

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SW1A

(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

FORMER Labour Cabinet minister Jack Straw praised new(ish) leader Keir Starmer this week. Has he an eye on the peerage blocked by Jeremy Corbyn in 2016? Sources close to Starmer tell The Londoner there is little chance of that.

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(NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(NurPhoto via Getty Images)

LEADER of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg’s phone reads his texts automatically when he’s driving. This caused red cheeks in front of nanny when a reporter asked him about being a “sex symbol”. Blame the tech.

Noel gets black to normal as masked Aisling goes quackers

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Please note that this is not a paid for advertisement/ photoshoot by the Government, but by famed photographer Mario Testino as a collaboration between Vogue & Horny Lads Magazine. “No one reveals himself as he is; we all wear a mask and play a role.” Just classic deep me quoting Schopenhauer for the first time since my really useful philosophy degree fifteen years ago & still looking KYOOOT. She CAN do it all. Let’s wear motherf***king masks. I haven’t been wearing mine enough when popping into shops & cafés, but I’m going to from now on. At worst, they don’t work, but make other people including shop-owners & staff, who have already been out of work for many stressful months feel safer. It means not putting the emotional burden on them to have to work out how to ask a variety of strangers to please put on a mask without fear of losing a customer or getting some weird vibe or getting fined. In England, we’ve been told to wear masks in shops officially from July 24th. So let’s all wear motherf**king masks. It’s mildly hilarious how many people seem to be saying that being asked to use hand sanitiser & wear a mask, by people who have already been worried about their businesses, feels like a threat to FREEDOM. I hate wearing trousers & pants, but I put them on when I go to restaurants because it also makes people feel safer when I wear them. Even though I feel freer & sexier when I don’t. If you are very white like me and wear a cap and sunglasses, you get to look like an invisible man wearing props and a wig to blend in. **Scroll down my page for a post about the pattern and info on how to make the mask I have in the second pic if you are a sewing type. ***Duck - model’s own. #masks4thelads

A post shared by Aisling Bea (@weemissbea) on Jul 14, 2020 at 6:02am PDT

Bake Off presenter and painter Noel Fielding posted adashing picture from a Halloween exhibition to celebrate the reopening of the DON’T WALK WALK Gallery in Deal, Kent. Meanwhile, Star Wars actor John Boyega struck a low pose. Comedian Aisling Bea wore a different kind of mask and bath duck in a post urging followers to wear face masks: “I hate wearing trousers & pants, but I put them on when I go to restaurants because it makes people feel safer,” she said. Fair point.