Comment & Opinion
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Agromenes: Evolution, not revolution, is what we need for a green and sustainable future
The short-term pain of a green transition will be worth it in the long run. What we need is some bold vision to get there.
By Agromenes Published
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The proposed National Gallery extension is a ray of light in a stormy sector
The announcement of a new wing for one of the nation's top art galleries 'is a transformative initiative undertaken through private philanthropy to clear and universal benefit. What is there not to celebrate?'
By Athena Published
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Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the bats
Bats and newts are an easy target, but can they actually be blamed for not building enough houses?
By Country Life Published
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Agromenes: Why is our tax money not being spent on British food?
A Freedom of Information request reveals that many of our local councils and government departments aren't buying British-grown food. It's an insult to our farmers.
By Agromenes Published
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Affordable, sustainable, rural: How a group of volunteers embarrassed the government and built some of the best new homes in the country
Hazelmead has won almost every RIBA award going. The development on the outskirts of Bridport might be a springboard for a rural housing revolution, much like the Arts-and-Crafts movement more than a century ago.
By Tim Abrahams Published
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William Hanson: Why etiquette must evolve to suit modern life
Noodle slurping and the left-handed taboo. The king of modern manners details the evolution of proper conduct in his latest book.
By William Hanson Published
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Athena: In the eyes of Government, will the Arts always be last?
After a year of Labour rule, life doesn't seem to be getting any better for Britain's cultural institutions.
By Athena Published
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Agromenes: 'See it. Say it. Sorted. This is truly where Britain is broken'
Country Life's Cultural Crusader rails against the constant annoying reminders of how we should live our lives.
By Agromenes Published
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In our built heritage, is the truth stranger than fiction?
Athena considers how our historic buildings are presented in an age of film and television.
By Athena Published
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Will Hosie: In defence of gatekeeping and why we have to stop confusing TopJaw with proper critique
Modern audiences expect critics to keep up with the times, but it's always been their job to keep some places under wraps.
By Will Hosie Published
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Defanging the Gardens Trust will hurt our most precious landscapes
The Government has proposed to remove the Garden Trust's position as a statutory consultee in planning permissions for up to 1,700 historic landscapes and gardens in order to speed up building.
By Country Life Published
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Patrick Galbraith: 'The publishing company I had just begun working for went pop pretty spectacularly. Capitalism is a bucking bronco and occasionally you hit the ground'
Our columnist discovers that being in your early 30s can be quite confusing.
By Patrick Galbraith Published
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Art saved for the nation? Not enough, it would seem
The recent publication of a report on export control of art from the UK makes depressing reading.
By Athena Published
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The quiet corner of Suffolk where the country pub is thriving — and why it matters
Pubs are more than just a place for a drink, they are the heartbeat of rural communities. Agromenes celebrates their survival.
By Agromenes Published
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Opinion: If we want to keep our architectural heritage, why do we tax those who repair it?
It beggars belief that the state lists buildings in order to protect them — and then doesn’t contribute to their upkeep, says Country Life columnist Agromenes.
By Country Life Published
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Roger Morgan-Grenville: We need to reset our children's connection to nature — and it starts at school
Our schools can — and must — lead the way in teaching the next generation the incalculable value of the natural world.
By Roger Morgan-Grenville Published
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William Kendall: 'We need to build a lot more solar farms and some wind turbines, too'
The thought of losing of productive arable land to renewable-energy developments can be dispiriting and alarming, but informed local knowledge may be the key to their successful design.
By William Kendall Published
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The National Gallery rehang: 'It is a remarkable feat to hang more with the feeling of less', but the male gaze is still dominant
Almost everything on display at the National Gallery has been moved — and paintings never previously seen brought out — in one of the the biggest curatorial changes in the Gallery's history.
By James Elwes Published
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Exploring the countryside is essential for our wellbeing, but Right to Roam is going backwards
Campaigners in England often point to Scotland as an example of how brilliantly Right to Roam works, but it's not all it's cracked up to be, says Patrick Galbraith.
By Patrick Galbraith Published
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Minette Batters: 'It would be wrong to turn my back on the farming sector in its hour of need'
Minette Batters explains why she's taken a job at Defra, and bemoans the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
By Minette Batters Published
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Curious Questions: Why do the clocks go forward in Spring?
As we move from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time, some of your might be wondering: why — and if we'll always continue to change the clocks twice a year.
By Martin Fone Last updated