More than 60 artists and makers based at Yorkshire Artspace in Sheffield will open their studios to the public, next Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21

Sculpture, painting, photography and print, furniture, jewelry, silverware, metalwork, ceramics, textiles, stained glass and mosaic will all be on show and much will be available to buy

The is a chance to explore the award winning Persistence Works, the UK's largest purpose built studio complex for artists and makers. The occasion will also be the first time visitors can look around Porter Brook Studios, a new creative complex for 18 artists, next door.

A full programme of activities is scheduled for the Open Studios event, including:

• live music with acapella harmony from The Purple Cats
• Saturday Cafe selling homemade cakes and refreshments
• original art and craft on The Marketstall
• Kid Acne talks about his new mural at Yorkshire Artspace
• a sweet making performance by Sweet Theatre, with a limited edition candy created for the event.

During the free Open Studio days, visitors can win an original painting by Paul Evans and work with artists to: Read more...

The humble fish and chip shop, affectionately known hereabouts as "the chippy", is more than just another cheap, fast food option. In Britain, it is a national institution.

Seafish, a public body sponsored by four government fisheries departments, is looking for the National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2009. They've named the 10 finalists. The winner, chosen on the basis of quality, value and choice, will be announced in January.

Check out the list of finalists and, if one of them is your local or if you've tried it during your travels, do please add your comments to let us know:

• Atlantic Fish Bar, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
• Broughton Fish & Chips, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
• Daniel's Fish & Chips, Weymouth, Dorset
• Finnegan's, Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
• Fish & Chicken, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
• Great British Eatery, Birmingham, West Midlands
• Linford's Traditional Fish & Chips, Peterborough, Lincolnshire
• Metro Fish Bar, Bury, Lancashire
• Royal Fisheries, Whitby, North Yorkshire
• Scooby Snax, Colchester, Essex

National institution or not, the local chippy is still one of the most economical choices for a healthy meal in Britain. Here are some more options for inexpensive dining in the UK:

• Cheap Eats in the UK
• How to Order a Balti Meal
• Cheap Eats in London
• Brown's Café - Cheap Eats in Oxford

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London Mayor and recent have-a-go hero Boris Johnson took a few jovial swipes at Britain's traditional rival, France, yesterday, before going on to describe developments that are making his city a better place for both visitors and Londoners.

Citing an Outer London commercial bakery that annually exports £5million worth of chocolate cake to France as an example of "the intellect, resilience and genius of Londoners", he challenged French President Nicolas Sarkozy to stop pushing Paris as a financial capital of Europe to rival London and instead, "Look to your cake."

Opening the 30th World Travel Market at London's ExCel exhibition centre, the Mayor joked, "I say, let them eat cake...made in Walthamstowe."

Before that, he had used the occasion, that attracts 5,000 exhibitors and 50,000 senior travel professionals, government ministers and international press, to make several significant Read more...

Have you got an act the public Must see? A dance company, stand-up routine, musical ensemble, play or performance art event that's time has come?

The Brighton Festival Fringe, England's biggest fringe festival, may be just the place for your debut. Registration for 2010, for performers and companies opened this week. You can register between now and February 8, 2010 to participate in the festival, scheduled for May 1 to 23, 2010.

There's an online registration form for participants who have it all sussed. But if you're not sure what's involved in putting on an event at the Brighton Festival Fringe, check out the Participants page and the very helpful Get Involved section.

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