Scones with jam and cream are a British institution and people from Cornwall and Devon each claim the cream tea its own. But the Cornish believe they have the might of mathematical reasoning behind them.

It’s a seaside town known for its idyllic picture postcard scenery, but an area of Newquay has been turned into a warzone by menacing gulls.

Miccoli, and Cassano have – at various stages, and in varying degrees – seemed to absorb obsolete bulk

Given that I'm currently embroiled in a bitter political battle against my local council (albeit with the hearty support of my MP) I might be Steve Richards' toughest audience member tonight, somewhat resistant to the idea that politicians are human beings, insecure and tortured by dilemma.

The meat is reportedly banned by most supermarkets and burger chains

Osborne's choice of a £10 takeaway Byron burger has caused a stir, with the Chancellor being quizzed on Radio 4 this morning over his "posh" tastes.

Powered by some of the lushest arias and duets in the canon, Bizet’s pearl-fishers have become synonymous with Oriental chic. But one could argue – as Penny Woolcock did in her 2010 production for ENO – that this opera’s ‘savage’ backdrop has more relevance today than it did in 1863.

Serves 6

A short walk from St Mark's Square, a 13th-century mercantile building is now an intimate guesthouse

'In Tokyo, I spent nights sitting in bars, eating noodles, raw fish and fried foods'

New York is always caught up in some food trend or other. It  seems to be a constitutional requirement. There was the ramen craze of ’04, when Momofuku’s David Chang looked like he was about to be beatified. Cupcakes came and conquered in ’06, of course, and then came the fast-moving food-truck trend of 2009. The current vogue is for a bit of deep-fried pastry.

When is a butcher not  a butcher? When it’s “a cult-like phenomenon” in the Ginger Pig’s case: not my words, but those of Tom Parker Bowles on the back  of this week’s book.

This Golden Age silk-weaver's workshop has been refashioned into a stylish guesthouse, says Sarah Gilbert

It's just an excuse to laugh at poor people and farting