Senior Site Manager Adam Rowlands told the Beccles and Bungay Journal: “Island Mere is one of the most popular places to watch wildlife at Minsmere, but the old hide was dark, cramped and beginning to show signs of age. With this superb new hide, we’ve improved views across the reedbed and mere, making it even more exciting for our visitors.”

Minsmere is famed for its colony of bitterns, which can be seen feeding in the spring. The new hide has full wheelchair access, allowing disabled visitors to enjoy this unique sight. The new hide was designed and built by top architects the Gilleard Brothers, and forms a key part of the reserve’s Discover Nature project, which will see the site’s visitor facilities undergo a full renovation.

The new look will include a cafe, shop and reception area, and will make this fantastic local resource even more central to East Anglia’s tourism industry.

Everyone’s done it…Your diary of things to do is piling up, and there’s a chance of other things slipping from your memory. One of those things might just have been someone’s birthday, and there’s nothing more embarrassing than having to admit to someone that you’ve forgotten their birthday.

Yet the people of Southwold are no longer worried about that as they are getting their birthday and other special occasion gifts at I4gotyourbirthday, specialising in Next Day Delivery Gifts. The local based website offers Next Day Delivery Birthday Gifts and Cards, so you can recover from your slip of memory!

The local site has become popular in Southwold as it offers something other gift websites don’t. You can choose from a brilliant selection of gift activity vouchers that give the person of your choice amazing days out. There’s everything from Water Sports Experiences to being able to backpack around the world

The Personalized Birthday Cards have been popular too, as you can personalise your card with a special message, before having it quickly sent out. It’s great to see the people of Southwold supporting local business and keeping Birthday boy’s and girl’s happy!

Ms Hursell began her role as Clerk on 1st October 1985, and retired in June 2011. During her 25 year service she played key roles in the Millennnium Hall project, Reydon Corps of Drums and Southwold Primary School.

She became secretary of Southwold’s Millennium Foundation and continued to be heavily involved in many local charities.

The MBE represents the end of a significant year for Ms Hursell, who became a grandmother twice as well as retiring and publishing her first book, Southwold Street Names.

This year’s Southwold Christmas lights ceremony on 2nd December, which saw a breathtaking display of illumination switched on by James Bolan, aka ‘Grandpa’ from CBeebies hit series ‘Grandpa in my Pocket’, was a resounding success. The lights, which have been a fixture of Southwold Christmastime for over sixty years, mark the beginning of a month of festivity and enjoyment around the town.

For the hordes of Christmas shoppers Southwold offers a rare opportunity to enjoy the best of the traditional British Christmas while taking advantage of the unique shopping experiences that the town has to offer. With Southwold’s amazing array of local shops and designer outlets, shoppers can enjoy all the convenience of shopping in a big city, but without the hassle, queues and crowds.

Southwold’s shops offer a huge variety of gift ideas, from fine art, gourmet foods and chocolates, antiquarian books and hand-crafted jewellery to bestselling movies, games and electronics. What’s more, by keeping it local you’ll be supporting Southwold’s businesses and ensuring that the festive delights of Christmas shopping in SOuthwold are preserved for years to come.

Their greatest hope may lie in new Property Management Software from CFP, which provides local firms with online facilities that rival those of the largest national companies.

Until now, the cost of dedicated systems has been prohibitively expensive, but with CFP’s software, local agents can now take advantage of dedicated social media marketing tools, virtual tours and even their own iPhone and Android apps!

By combining these cutting edge sales tools with the personal touch you only get from a local service, even the smallest agency can compete with the big boys of the industry.

The famous Southwold Common will be transformed into a centre of entertainment when the second ever Southwold Comedy Festival take place in August.

The Southwold Comedy Festival took place the first time in the summer of 2009 and was such a hugh success that the Norwich based promoters and organisers are hoping this year’s comedy festival will be even better than last year.

The Southwold Comedy festival is being held from Friday August 27 until Sunday 29 and will see comedy club favourites such as; Rich Wilson, Sean Meo and John Mann performing as well as a host of other top comedians. The weekend long event is organised by the Red Card Comedy Club.

Tickets to this years Latitude Festival are now on sale, and the headline acts have been confirmed for this popular festival which is being held on the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th July 2010. Best British Album BRIT award winner and flame haired songstress Florence + The Machine, legendary Scottish heroes Belle and Sebastian and US Billboard Chart toppers the Vampire Weekend have just been announced as headliners for the Latitude festival 2010.

Showcasing a wealth of diverse talent, each of the 17 arenas will be packed full with spell-binding performances from the very best in the worlds of music, theatre, comedy, literature, film, poetry, dance, art, fashion and cabaret.

Indulge in the spirit of exploration and discovery at the Latitude festival in Souhtwold in Suffolk.

Tickets are now on sale. Weekend tickets with camping cost £155 and Day tickets are £65 (subject to booking fees).

Many people like to enjoy a holiday in Southwold in Suffolk each year. Southwold has plenty enough to keep its visitors entertained, however most people will like to explore other parts of the beautiful Suffolk Riviera. These are our top ten places to visit near Southwold in Suffolk.

Visit the seaside town of Lowestoft in Suffolk

The large & historic town of Lowestoft in Suffolk offers many great entertainment opportunities. Lowestoft is famous for being the most easterly place in the UK, so visitors often like to have their photograph taken a Ness Point. Lowestoft, like Southwold has miles of award winning beaches and beautiful coastline. Visitors will find that there are lots of shopping opportunities in Lowestoft, with a large town centre and all the big name high street brands. Lowestoft is home to large theme parks, theatres & a popular nightlife. Lowestoft is also home to the now world famous Lowestoft Air Show Festival, where over 250,000 people visit over this 2 day spectacular. So there is always plenty to do on a day trip or longer when visiting lovely Lowestoft in Suffolk.

Visit Oulton Broad, Set on the entrance of the Broads National Park

Oulton Broad is just up the river Waveney from Lowestoft town Centre. This beautiful area of Suffolk is a very popular holiday location, especially for people enjoying a broads boating holiday as Oulton Broad is located at the entrance to the Broads National Park. Oulton Broad has lots of entertainment opportunities, such as enjoying nature, walking around waterside parks, mutford lock, pubs, restaurants, a zoo, good nightlife, hotels, and 2 railway stations. Oulton Broad is a great day out if you have kids and a great day without and children as well.

Visit the Village of Pakefield in Lowestoft, Suffolk

The Picturesque seaside village of Pakefield lies on the southern outskirts of the town of Lowestoft with the villages of Kirkley and Kessingland in between. Pakefield is a very beautiful village and a popular holiday destination for people of all ages. There are lots of things to do in Pakefield, such as walking the cliffs and strolling on the beach are especially an attraction for eager fossil hunters after a heavy North Sea storm. There is the thatched Church of All Saints and St Margarets which sits proudly on the Pakefield cliff top. visitors will find a selection of great pubs in Pakefield and great restaurants in Pakefield as well as various small independent shops positioned in the centre of the village with a large supermarket close by. With it’s close proximity to Lowestoft, which is the first place in Great Britain to see the sun rise, it is well worth making the effort to go out on to the beach early morning in favourable weather so as not to miss this brilliant spectacle.

Visit the Village of Kessingland in Suffolk

Kessingland is a large village set in idyllic Suffolk countryside and positioned on beautiful coastline, is around 3 miles south of the town of Lowestoft. Kessingland is both a popular family holiday destination and also an area of the highest historical importance. Kessingland has been an area of intense interest to archaeologists as Palaeolithic and Neolithic tools and implements have been found here and the remains of an ancient forest lie buried on the seabed off Kessingland. So if you’re coming to Kessingland on Holiday then don’t be surprised if you see some of the people from time team walking around the village!

Visit the Town of Beccles in Suffolk

Beccles is a market town in Suffolk, delightfully positioned within an area known as The Broads National Park. With population at around the 15,000 mark, Beccles is a market town which has grown rapidly [for the better] in recent years. Beccles has lots of lovely independently owned shops, cute restaurants and delicatessens to enjoy. Situated on the river Waveney there are lots of walks, boats trips and general nature enjoying activities to be had in the town of Beccles. The townscape is dominated by the detached sixteenth-century bell tower (known as the Beccles bell tower) of St Michael’s church which is a great spectacle and photo opportunity.

Visit the Town of Halesworth in Suffolk

Halesworth is a wonderful market town in north east Suffolk. Set in a beautiful area which is great to visit at any time of the year. Visitors will soon find that the town of Halesworth is steeped in the history. The main industries were that of brewing, malting and agriculture and evidence of time gone past is visible from most parts of the town. Halesworth, like most towns has undergone some modernisation so now offers an excellent mixture of old & new buildings. The people in Halesworth have always been known as friendly and polite to visitors and will be only to happy to inform you about the history of the town as well as directions and other questions you might have about Halesworth. A market town that is well worth a vist for a walk about and a spot of lunch.

Visit the Town of Bungay in Suffolk

The town of Bungay in Suffolk is a beautiful and bustling market town situated on the river Waveney. The town of Bungay is steeped in history so people often wish to see attractions which include the ancient Buttercross where markets are held each Thursday, the ruins of Bigod’s Castle and the old Borough well. Bungay has lots of great restaurants, cafes and bars to relax and unwind during a visit. Bungay has a modern indoor swimming pool which is popular as it features a fun water slide. The main events in Bungay each year are the 3 specialist market days, which are always very popular. These are, the Spring Garden Market, the Antiques Market and the Christmas Market. Bungay is simply a great place to visit.

Visit the Village of Reydon in Suffolk

Visitors to Southwold will come through the village of Reydon if you come to Southwold by road. Reydon Woods is worth a ramble featuring native trees and shrubs and is also well kept. During late srping the wood is covered in a blanket of beautiful bluebells which is a great sight and certainly one for keen photographers. Reydon also has some nice shops as well as a church and village hall. Reydon is a great place to enjoy walks and being at one with nature, and it’s less than a mile away from Southwold.

Visit the Village of Blythburgh in Suffolk

The 15th century Holy trinity church in Blythburgh is a very popular tourist attraction. It is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Marshes’ as it overlooks the main A12 road to Ipswich and Lowestoft. Legend has it that Oliver Cromwell used the church as a resting place when in the area and there is also the famous devils scorch mark on the inside of one of the church doors – a great photo opportunity. The River Blyth is situated in Blythburgh, this is a place on outstanding naturally beauty and is very popular with bird watchers and keen nature photographers. Blythburgh is only 5 miles from Southwold, so its well worth a visit.

Visit the Village of Dunwich in Suffolk

Dunwich was once one of the biggest ports in the UK and the capital of East Anglia, until the sea took eroded large parts of this historic place. Dunwich beach is a popular area for local fishermen and provides an ideal spot for inshore fishing vessels, who sell their freshly caught fish in the village. The Dunwich museum shows the extent of the loss of buildings to the sea, whilst the village provides many great walking opportunities with pubs & cafes to refresh yourself after a healthy walk. Dunwich is only 9 miles away from Southwold.

Southwold is a seaside town with a harbour. This means people will often need to know the Tide Tables for Southwold Suffolk UK. If you do need to know the tide times for Southwold then you might want to visit this 100% accurate tide time table which is specifically for Southwold in Suffolk.

If you are visiting Southwold via Boat then after you have checked the tide times you might then wish to explore the rest of the Love Southwold to see what the sumptuous Southwold has to offer!

Simply Click Below to view the Tide Tables for Southwold Suffolk UK

Happy Sailing from the Love Southwold Team!