Amsterdam has launched a new tourism campaign, and it’s urging young British men who are looking for a “messy night” to reconsider.
In fact, it basically just tells them to “stay away” from the Dutch city.
The capital city of the Netherlands always has, and still continues to be, a popular tourist destination for travelling Brits, and has developed a reputation as being a go-to spot for stag and hen parties thanks to its nightlife scene and… other activities.
But now, it seems the city’s Council are keen to ditch this image with a series of new measures.
It comes amid continuous complaints by residents over the noise, drunkenness, and misbehaviour of tourists revelling in the city’s nightlife, and is part on the Council’s ongoing mission to improve Amsterdam’s reputation.
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The new measures most-notably include an online initiative aimed at young men aged 18 to 35, which involves a series of targeted warning videos.
Amsterdam urges young British men to ‘stay away’ in new tourism campaign / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The videos feature footage of men being arrested in Amsterdam streets, having their fingerprints and mugshots taken, and subsequently being locked inside police cells overnight – before warning them that they face hefty fines and “fewer prospects” if they “misbehave and cause nuisance” that leads to a criminal record.
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Amsterdam’s Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki said: “Visitors will remain welcome but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. As a city, we are saying: we’d rather not have this, so stay away.”
The videos will be triggered when people in Britain enter specific terms into search engines.
Some of search terms that could see Brits hit with these Council-developed warning videos include “cheap hotel Amsterdam”, “stag party Amsterdam”, and “pub crawl Amsterdam”.
The campaign – which has already been blasted by some critics for being “discriminatory” – is to initially launch in Britain but will be rolled out to other countries in due course if deemed successful, and joins other proposed measures announced by the Council last month to reduce “nuisance and crime”.
In a bid to make the Red Light District “less menacing” at night following complaints about mass tourism, alcohol and drug abuse, and street dealers, these proposed measures include smoking cannabis in the street, and earlier weekend closing times for bars, clubs, and sex work establishments.
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Bonfire Night may be loved by us humans for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that come along with it… but sadly, the November holiday isn’t quite so fun for our four-legged friends.
Loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives are just some of the reasons why fireworks are frightening to pets.
Not only that, but with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays across this time of year, pets are rarely able to pinpoint when and where the booming explosions are coming from, therefore creating even more anxiety around this time of year.
Classic FM will play calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks / Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST (via Unsplash)
Which is why, for the ninth year running now, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA for two Pet Classics programmes packed with ‘the most soothing and comforting classical music’.
The music has been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
A survey by the RSPCA revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Presenters Dan Walker, Aled Jones, and Dawn O’Porter will each host a night of the specially created programme to help keep the nation’s pets calm through the whizzes and bangs.
Dan will present the first programme on Bonfire Night itself (Thursday 5 November), and then as celebrations continue throughout the weekend, Aled will be on hand to bring some peace to Friday 6 November, and Dawn picks up the baton on Saturday 7 November.
All three Pet Classics programmes will be broadcast from 5pm to 10pm, and you can listen on Classic FM or Global Player available across the UK.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory
Emily Sergeant
If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.
But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.
There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.
YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.
And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.
What is the UK’s national dish? A new survey has revealed Brits’ pick in a landslide victory / Credit: The Manc Group
With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.
In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.
Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.
What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?
Fish and chips – 49%
Roast dinner – 24%
Chicken tikka masala – 3%
Curry (non-specific) – 2%
Full English breakfast – 2%
Bangers and mash – 1%
Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
Other – 3%
Don’t know – 15%
The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.
Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).
Emily Sergeant -
30th March 2023 
