English yacht company, Sealine, is the latest to be hit by hard times. It is closing down two of its three sites and is set to lose 297 jobs (it employs around 630 people). The firm, which is based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, is entering into a 90-day consultation process with its staff to reduce redundancies among its office and production workers. Sealine has been in business since 1972 and manufactures around 300 boats a year ranging from 25 to 60 feet. All their boats are constructed entirely in house. A spokesperson for the company has said that the current economic conditions are the reason for the downsizing.

Whether you're looking for the perfect final touch for your home bar or simply love antiques and English history, these pub signs available from J. Peterman are truly unique specimens. Each authentic and hand-painted and many still in their original wood or metal frames, the collection includes subject matter going back to the time of Queen Victoria. Some signs represent subject matter commonly used by pubs over the years (such as the swan in this sign) while others are more unique, like the Wilton Arms sign shown here that honors the coat of arms belonging to the local lord. Prices vary from $495-$1895.

English restaurant chain Belgo is serious about their Oktoberfeast and has hired a "beerologist" to go on a beer hunt to find unique Belgian beers for their menu. The beerologist, otherwise known as Sam Hjelm, has tracked down eclectic and delicious beers, which include Trappist brews, still made by monks using traditional medieval recipes. The menu, which will be available throughout October, includes Abbey and lambic beers, a strawberry fruit beer and blonde beer, each matched to specific dishes, including: moules blanches (mussels cooked in brugs witbier with bacon lardons); carbonnade flamande (braised beef cooked in faro beer, nutmeg and brown sugar); and even a leffe beer ice cream, served with syrop de liège and pralines. The menu will cost £27.50 per person for three courses with three glasses of matched beer.

Some say that the air taxi era might be dead before it even really gets off the ground but that hasn't stopped the rise of new air taxi businesses. The latest is British air-taxi operator startup FlairJet which plans to start flying next May with a pair of Embraer Phenom 100s. They will lease the very light jets from an Embraer customer in Europe that has 10 Phenom 100s and have ordered one Phenom 100, as well as an option for another but won't get this airplane in 2012. If business expands before then though they can lease further Phenom 100s beginning in 2010. The service will be based at Oxford Airport in southern England and will serve customers in the surrounding counties.

One of Britain's esteemed Savile Row clothing firms Hardy Amies may become a victim of changing styles and changing finances. As my colleague Jared Paul Stern reported earlier this year, British couturier Hardy Amies, whose Savile Row shop opened back in 1946, designed clothes for everyone from Stanley Kubrick to the Queen of England. Sir Hardy Amies died in 2003 (at the robust age of 93) but since then his company has carried on and recently launched a handbag line.

But The Guardian delivers the sad news that the firms is now struggling and has said that t it may have to go into administration after failing to secure funding from a major shareholder. When the funding didn't come through the company requested that the stock exchange suspend the shares until the company can regroup. Icelandic investment firm Arev Brands Limited (ABL) owns a 49.3% stake and has provided substantial loans to prop up the company but has refused to give additional funding. The company has has losses for several years. Some say that the brand is done, that it is too matronly and does not understand today's woman. A ready-to-wear line also failed to capture public attention.

It seems that unless the brand is sold to someone who will buy the business as a whole or additional funding is secured, we may witness an ignominious end to a great British brand.

English entrepreneur Rick Hill is only 30 but he's already looking toward retirement and selling his six-bedroom home in Church Road, Hockley. To sweeten the deal is also throwing in his Lamborghini Gallardo. Hill, who made his fortune through online businesses and marketing is seeking a simpler life and wants to relax and according to a quote in Echo News " let someone else enjoy the house and car." The house is on the market for £1,150,000 and also has a conservatory, indoor swimming pool, gym and games room.

A rare and beautiful 1964 Porsche 904 GTS sports racing coupé (above), one of only 100 made, is expected to fetch up to $1 million during Bonhams' sale at the Goodwood Revival in West Sussex, England on Friday. The car, veteran of several important and historic competitions, is from the collection of renowned French racecar driver Bernard Consten and has won concours d'élegance honors.

Also on offer during the Goodwood Revival, billed as the world's most popular historic motor race meeting, is Consten's equally alluring 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ1, est. at $430,000 - $500,000; a 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Volante convertible, est. $450,000 - $540,000; a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246GT Berlinetta, est. $115,000 - $135,000; a 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7-Litre coupe, est. $50,000 - $60,000; and more. See the gallery for pix.

[via Affluent Page]

Tomorrow, Bonhams will auction off a number of classic and highly collectible cars at the Beaulieu National Motor Museum in the South of England. One of the most desirable lots is this bright red 1971 Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Saloon with a black leather interior, estimated at $70,000 - $80,000. Some purists call the DB6 the last "real" Aston Martin, made before the company was sold off and modernized in the '70s. There are some beautiful Jaguars in the sale as well, including a 1956 XK140 Coupé, est. at $60,000 - $70,000; and prime Porsches including a 1964 356C, est. $43,000 - $46,000.

London luxury goods maker Dunhill has teamed up with legendary auto marque Bentley on an exclusive new set of leather luggage for Bentley owners. Dunhill's craftsman designed the luxe pieces in collaboration with Bentley's Design & Styling team at the automaker's head office in Crewe, England. The set, made to fit the trunk of Bentley sedans, consists of five pieces: a large suitcase (above), small suitcase, briefcase, weekend bag, and wash bag.

Each is handcrafted in brown natural grain leather with matching interior trim, in a fluted design similar to that found on the leather seats of the $250,000 Bentley Arnage. The custom-designed hardware features a unique lock mechanism with a knurled edge and an inset Bentley "B". The entire set will run you about $9,000 and is now available to order from your friendly neighborhood Bentley dealer with a 2-4 week delivery time.

A celebrated British car brand is about to return to production. Lagonda will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year and Aston Martin will bring back the brand which produced cars independently until 1947 when it was bought by Aston Martin. After that Aston used Lagonda as a model designation from 1976 to 1989 creating a boxy four-door car. The last model Lagonda produced was the 1961-65 Rapide, a nameplate which Aston used on its upcoming four-door coupe model under the Aston Martin name. The concept car for the new Lagonda will be be unveiled at the Geneva show next March. Autoblog's sources say that the new car may be a sedan competitor aimed at Bentley and Rolls-Royce but focused on more on performance than long distance cruising.

One of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands is getting into the polo game in a big way this summer with the first annual St. Regis International Cup. England and Italy will compete for the prestigious trophy in the inaugural match, taking place this Sunday (the 31st) at the historic Cowdray Park Polo Club in West Sussex, surrounded by the ruins of Cowdray Castle.

Of course, St. Regis isn't about to slack off when it comes to hospitality either. They've partnered with Asprey, Veuve Clicquot and Audi to create the ultimate VIP tent at Cowdray, where a crack regiment of St. Regis butlers brought in from the hotels will cater to the toffs' every need. Even the general public will be able to avail themselves of a bar serving the signature St. Regis Bloody Mary. Damned democratic of them, no?

Prince Charles has long been known for his eco-efforts including driving a wine powered car. But Queen Elizabeth is green-minded too. The Daily Telegraph reports that Queen Elizabeth who has also set up an energy-saving committee at Buckingham Palace, is turning Balmoral, her Scottish estate, into a property that is completely energy self-sufficient. A small hydro-electric plant has been installed at at Balmoral and it sells electricity to the national grid. The plant was developed on the Gelder Burn, a stream in the estate forest and generates enough power for Balmoral and for 1,000 private homes in the area. A water-driven turbine was originally installed in the 1920s to provide electricity, in the 1950s it was used to power the estate sawmill, and now since the mill is no longer in use a generator was installed which allows the turbine to be connected to the National Grid and offer power to the surrounding homes.

The Balmoral woodlands are registered with the Forestry Stewardship Council which supports sustainable forestry worldwide and all farming practices are registered with the Soil Association, which promotes organic food and farming. The estate is also a big recycler turning tons of organic waste into compost each year. Even the royal protection officers pedal around the estate on bicycles and use their vehicles less. It's all part of the Queen's commitment to climate change initiatives, a stance which she has urged other nations to adopt.

The new Aviator hotel in Farnborough, England has dubbed itself the "UK's sexiest airport hotel." The hotel is located at TAG Farnborough, an airport that caters to private jets and business travelers. The Tines Online recently checked it out, finding that the building, which looks like a plane propeller, has a distinctive charm. The hotel, founded by the people behind the Malmaison and Dakota chains, has 150 rooms spread over three floors, with 19 suites on the fourth floor. Rooms include Bose sound systems, flatscreen TVs, large beds and wifi. Suites have both a bathtub and a power shower. The hotel includes two bars, one for the suite holders only and one for the rest, The Brasserie which serves seasonal menus.

The TImes Online reviewer deemed the hotel very stylish indeed but questioned whether those landing at Farnborough might just truck on to London instead. Now at least, weary travelers have the option of an elegant stay without a long car ride. Rates start at £195.

Jonathan Denby, who owns three hotels in England's Lake District, takes the food he feeds his guests very seriously. In addition to thriving kitchen gardens, he has an entire farm devoted to raising livestock. Now he's taken it to the next level by importing embryos of Japanese Wagyu calves. Denby plans to become a Wagyu breeder to provide the famous luxury steaks for his three hotel restaurants. Denby is continue the Wagyu-style tradition by pampering his calves with massages, classic music and tastes of the local beer. While most restaurants and suppliers in the UK import the meat from elsewhere, Denby would be one of the few to offer meat he raised himself. His first two calves were just born recently so it will be a bit of a wait for that steak dinner.

Lots of us have been put off by port's connotations of crusty vintages and even crustier connoisseurs. You don't actually need an English country house, a kennel full of fox hounds and a gouty leg to enjoy it, however.

Ironically, it fell to Warre's, the oldest British-owned port producer dating to 1670, to give the storied fortified wine a facelift. With the introduction of their Otima bottlings, Warre's managed to modernize the drink without turning it into some kind of silly snake oil marketed to wannabe rap stars.

Otima is a premium tawny (the best of port's non-vintage iterations) with a "lighter, more contemporary style," available in 10 and 20-year-old versions.

The "contemporary" vibe is admirably captured by the clean, elegant clear glass bottle and minimalist labeling, making for an aesthetically pleasing addition to your bar without sacrificing any of the wine's sophistication. On the palate it presents pleasing notes of honey, raisins, nuts and dried fruit. If you've never tried port before we suggest starting here.