Britain’s cider makers are enjoying one of their best harvests in years thanks to the long, hot summer – but the weather has produced drinks too strong to sell in pubs. The sunshine has led to record sugar levels in apples, which have fermented into ciders well above the typical strength demanded by publicans. “Pubs don’t really want to have 8.5 per cent cider. I’ve got one coming out at 10.5 per cent this year. I’m going to keep that one for personal consumption,” says Rob Clough of Charnwood Cider in Ulverscroft, Leicestershire.
The Times (David Lamming)
Performance anxiety
Two dozen men – and some women with drawn-on moustaches – strutted in a contest in Soho Square, London, to find the city’s best “performative male”. The online trope absorbs various fashion trends and aesthetic choices, but above all, the performative male is trying to send you a clear message – that he understands your struggles and is ready to listen to you, girl.
BBC (Catherine Dyer)
A clean sweep
A street cleaner who swapped the traditional wedding-car option for a new bin lorry said it was his wife’s idea. Danny Fitzpatrick-Ailara, 58, swept April off her feet by turning up in the refuse vehicle for the wedding in Southend-on-Sea. He said he was surprised when the company Suez, agreed to the whacky suggestion. He said: “You get the usual jokes from colleagues such as, ‘Did you wheelie get married?’ – but it’s been really positive.”
Echo News (Amanda Welles)
[Further reading: Of course China is a threat]
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This article appears in the 23 Oct 2025 issue of the New Statesman, Doom Loop
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