A ￡4m art gallery overlooking the Hastings waterfront.
Louis Vuitton Selene MM M97141 DelicateMore used to genteel musings on form and function, the team behind the attraction have had to contend with outrage at the plan.But on Saturday the shiny black Jerwood Gallery will throw open its doors - after a four-year conflict over whether it is right for Hastings Old Town.Opponents argue the small shingle beach - home to a fleet of fishing boats - was not the best place for the development.Spoiled the view But supporters hope it will have similar success to other art projects that have popped up along the south-east's coastline.Margate's Turner Contemporary saw 300,000 people come through its doors in its first seven months, double the number expected for the whole year. Eastbourne boasts the Towner and Bexhill has the De La Warr Pavilion. They have attracted visitors and boosted the towns' images.So why has the Jerwood, which will house a collection of paintings not previously seen by the public, provoked such controversy?Opponents from the campaign think the gallery has been foisted on the area, known as the Stade, and would be better placed elsewhere. There is also anger the Jerwood plans to charge for entry (￡2 for residents / ￡7 for non-residents) whereas other galleries, including the Turner, are free. Many locals are unhappy the building, which is clad in black ceramic tiles, replaced a coach park that brought tourists to the town.It is this resentment that culminated in the bonfire protest in 2008. Other anti-hero figures who have featured in the town's display include Katie Price, traffic wardens and a bus company for putting up fares.
Louis Vuitton Selene PM M94035 Buy 'Sore point' Dean Adams, whose family has fished from the beach for generations, said the building was an eyesore that spoiled the view of the Old Town from the beach.He said: "The Jerwood has been a sore point since its conception ... A lot of people have labelled it the Berlin wall, it's dreadful." Mr Adams believes the east of the town towards St Leonards is in need of regeneration.He said: "Everything about the Old Town is a success and of course anybody wanting to bring a business would be stupid not to be right in the middle of it "But as a town and a community, we should have asked us them to go where we need it. There's some fantastic sites where it could have been put to the benefit of everybody."Unfortunately, it's absolutely spilt the Old Town community to pieces. I feel very strongly about that, it shouldn't have been allowed to happen."Not all fishermen are against the plans. Alongside the gallery, the borough council is funding a performance space, café and community education facilities.Paul Joy, who chairs the Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society, said: "We are looking at the long-term benefits of having Jerwood here."We've got market improvements that are linked to the Jerwood project, we've also got the Stade open space, the community centre that's been built on the back of Jerwood."We've got a training school and kitchen which wouldn't be built without the Jerwood."We've got to look at the bigger picture.
Louis Vuitton Selene GM M93988 Luxury There's no point saying you don't want change, because change happens."'Very lucky indeed' Alan Grieve, who chairs the Jerwood Foundation, said: "I believe Hastings is very lucky indeed to get a building of this kind put up."I think they are very privileged to have a collection like this. I don't think I would have any difficulty in saying to another city, another town, or another gallery: 'Would you like to have the Jerwood collection?'"As they say in the pubs, they would bite my hand off."The foundation has said the development of the Jerwood and the Stade will boost the local economy by an estimated ￡9m annually and create 90 jobs. The gallery is home to 20th and 21st Century paintings by British artists including Sir Stanley Spencer, Lawrence Stephen Lowry and Augustus John.Mr Grieve said he believed the gallery would prove to be a success. "I believe that after a little bit of time, people will like, and maybe love it," he said.We witnessed three sides to Alex Salmond in the chamber today. (I nearly wrote "faces" but that would have implied something completely different - and not in a Pythonesque fashion.) Those sides were, in order of appearance, combative, consensual and dismissive. Of course, it is possible to be all three at once, even in a single answer. For example, a Minister might declare: "I will pay no heed to that argument. It is complete and total bilge - and I feel sure that, on wiser reflection, my opponent will agree."However, Mr Salmond decided to scatter his talents around, in Parable fashion. (And, yes, I do know that the word has two meanings.)To Labour's Johann Lamont, he was dismissive.
Louis Vuitton Selene MM M93987 BrandIn fact, both were in rather good form - perhaps one might chalk the encounter down as a scoring draw. With, of course, prolonged extra time yet to be played. Ms Lamont raised the issue of child care. Why (oh why), she inquired, were the struggling families of Scotland being forced to wait for a further two years before the FM's pledge of enhanced provision was enshrined in law and enacted? Mr Salmond's reply was to the effect that he was doing much more than Labour had, either at Holyrood or Westminster. Except that he put it rather more elegantly than that - and with more sums. There were good lines on either side. Ms Lamont quoted Mr Salmond's conference speech, duly prompting cheers from the SNP benches. That, she riposted, had been "for the children at the back." When the topic of Glasgow Council was raised, Mr Salmond advised his opponent against pursuing that route, noting that Labour was losing councillors in the city more rapidly than they had shed votes in the Holyrood election. Then to the consensual - or pained consensual - bit. Ruth Davidson for the Conservatives raised the topic of the drug abiretarone. The drug may prolong life for prostate cancer sufferers but the Scottish Medicines Consortium has ruled that the balance of costs and benefits meant it was not value for money. Rich and powerful Ms Davidson argued for Scottish Government intervention. Mr Salmond said it would be wrong to interfere and over-turn expert advice. Ms Davidson said she was arguing for a Scottish cancer drugs fund. Mr Salmond cited significant flaws with such an approach.
Louis Vuitton Selene MM M93986 PurchasePerhaps he was tempted to suggest to his opponent that she was flat wrong - but he resisted, only too aware that there can scarcely be a more sensitive subject than the availability of medical treatment. And so he urged the entire chamber, Ms Davidson included, to consider the substance of the issue.Finally, to Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats, we witnessed Salmond dismissive. Mr Rennie - in an eerie echo of comparable claims made by Johann Lamont - started by linking the FM's name with the rich and the powerful. Then to the substance. Would Mr Salmond ignore the likes of Brian Souter (prominent SNP financial backer) - and agree to gay marriage on an equal basis? Mr Souter was duly ignored - in that Mr Salmond did not answer that point at all. Rather, he urged Mr Rennie to await the outcome of the Scottish consultation exercise while noting that ministers had begun the process minded to endorse the plan. The Lib Dem leader tried again, citing a veritable hierarchy of "serious forces" ranged against the idea, notably in the Roman Catholic Church. Stand firm, he urged. Again, Mr Salmond declined to play to the rules laid down by his opponent. Consultation meant just that -and was not helped by overblown rhetoric. The Scottish Government's consultation closed at the end of last year - and its 50,000 replies are now being assessed. A decision is promised "in the spring". But then these days, in climate change Scotland, the seasons are so malleable. Zara apologises for misusing Harris Tweed name
Louis Vuitton Selene PM M93984 LuxuryThe Harris Tweed Authority has forced the internet trading arm of fashion retailer Zara to stop misusing its name.Earlier this year ITX Fashion Limited was selling a product on its website described, but not actually labelled, as a Harris Tweed blazer. The authority said that because the jackets had not been made from Harris Tweed, ITX had broken the law. ITX has apologised and the case has been settled "amicably".The fashion firm has made assurances that it will not happen again.The authority said it accepted that the incident was "not deliberate and was an oversight on the part of ITX".However, it said it treated such conduct "with the utmost seriousness".It said: "Misuse of the Harris Tweed name risks diluting it and undermines the integrity of an iconic Scottish name."The Harris Tweed Act of 1993 ensures the name and symbol can only be used for fabric "handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides".Sales soar Recent sales of Harris Tweed have soared, reaching one million metres for the first time since 1993.The industry, which dates back more than 100 years, employs more than 250 craftsmen and women.Lorna Macauley, chief executive of the Harris Tweed Authority said: "We have a legal remit to protect and safeguard the historic fabric which is now synonymous with Scotland. "The values of quality, beauty, skill and craft are embodied in the trademark and provide assurance for our customers that their Harris Tweed is genuine.
Louis Vuitton Audacieuse GM M40592 2012 Therefore we will never hesitate to challenge misuse of the name".Fashion retailer French Connection has said it is reviewing its UK store operations after reporting a sharp fall in profits.Pre-tax profits fell to ￡5m for the year to 31 January from ￡8.9m the previous year, as losses widened at its flagship UK stores.The retailer's UK retail division reported a loss of ￡8.2m after cutting margins to maintain sales.French Connection said its UK retail operations had been "disappointing".Tough season "During the past year our wholesale, international and licensing businesses have performed well," said chairman and chief executive Stephen Marks."However in the most difficult winter season I have seen in all the years I have been in business, our UK retail division has been very disappointing and this has had a significant effect on our results for the year."The company said its review would focus improving sales and profit margins in what it described as its "core" UK retail business.It said the poor performance was down to the state of the UK economy, high cotton prices and its own "disappointing" comparative performance.In the year to 31 January, its UK High Street stores contributed ￡111m to total revenue of ￡215.4m.However, the firm's profits were driven by its wholesale and licensing operations in the UK, North America and Hong Kong.French Connection's UK wholesale operation made an operating profit of ￡6.1m during the period.
Louis Vuitton Audacieuse GM M40591 Purchase"At a time of high youth unemployment when young people desperately need to demonstrate experience on their CVs, this is completely irresponsible."Mr Gauke told the BBC News website: "It's advertising for a post for volunteers. Lots of people want to do it. It's good experience."It involves visiting my local Conservative Association, getting some experience of Westminster."I think that's perfectly reasonable and those that have had the experience of working there have enjoyed it and found it very good experience."'Decrease social mobility' The Low Pay Commission said on Monday that the number of unpaid internships was continuing to rise in industries including fashion, TV and politics.Alison Clements, of law firm Lewis Silkin, said a number of key questions had to be asked about any such advertisement. "Is the intern performing 'real' work for the organisation? Is the work integral to the business? Is the role for a significant duration (months rather than weeks)? Is the intern obliged to work fixed hours?" she said."If the answer to one or more of those questions is 'yes' then, unless one of the very limited exceptions in the National Minimum Wage Act applies, it is highly likely that the intern is entitled to be paid the NMW."Lawyers working for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have also told its ministers that most interns are workers and entitled to minimum wage.
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