By Katie Isham. Join our resident mild adventure writer on her latest exploration of Southampton and surrounding areas. When is a farm not a farm? When it’s a park instead. A charming suburban park right at the heart of Hedge End. Dowd’s Farm used to belong to Vera...
Features
Photos: Brownsea Island
By Mike Daish. Recently, I embarked on a short journey from Totton to Poole by train, followed by a ferry ride to the tranquil Brownsea Island. It had been a couple of years since my last visit, so returning to such a peaceful and picturesque retreat was truly...
Opinion: Why I love Southampton
By Mabel Wellman. What comes to mind when you think of Southampton? To a lot of people, I find that frustratingly the only thing that may come to mind is the Titanic. However, there is a lot more to our city than just a sinking ship! Here are some...
Inside Southampton’s protest in support of trans people
By Sally Churchward. Photos by Lily Scott and Sally Churchward. “Like the sun, we will rise above this darkness” – a message of hope rang out across the crowd gathered in the early afternoon sunshine, at Watts Park, Southampton. And many did feel a renewed sense of hope,...
Interview – Alabama 3’s Rob Spragg chats ahead of playing Southampton
By Sam Wise. You may not think you know Alabama 3, but you probably do. Anyone who has watched The Sopranos is familiar with Woke Up This Morning, the churning, rumbling monster of a theme song that catapulted the band into the public eye. Personally, my favourite thing about...
International Women’s Day: Crowning the Queens of Horror Literature
By Laura McCarthy. To mark International Women’s Day on March 8th, we take a look at the great women of horror writing. Stephen King may be known as the ‘King of Horror’ but to decide on a Queen poses too much of a challenge, as there are just...
Interview: Holly Bannis, star of What’s Love Got To Do With It?
After a spectacular 2024 that had more than 60,000 Tina Turner fans dancing in the aisles, tribute to Tina TurnerWhat’s Love Got To Do With It? is back on tour, and coming to venues including Portsmouth Guildhall (21/2/25) and Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (9/3/25). Whether you’ve been a fan of...
Books & film: Risen from the dead – the modern horror revival
By Laura McCarthy. The recent success of media in the horror genre is undeniable. During the very first opening weekend at the cinema this year, we have seen Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu become the top grossing film at the box office in the UK, grossing £5.2million and becoming Focus’ seventh...
Suburban Safari: A tree is for life
By Katie Isham. There’s been so much tree exposure over the past few weeks. The shiny ones, the sparkly ones, the pink ones. But it’s all unearthed a deep-rooted need to commune with some more natural trees. Do you ever get the urge to walk among the trees? Drop...
Interview: London’s alt-indie band Blue Violet chat about their new album and more
By Lewis MacLean. Images: Stuart J Clapp. Blue Violet’s first album ‘Late Night Call’s was released in 2022 and received with appreciation and impressive reviews that talk of exciting fuzzy guitar intros and moody synth laden sonic landscapes. Hailing from a mixture of Argyll and the West Country, the...