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The town of Rye is one of my happy places. I go there at least once or twice a year to visit in-laws and its charm never fails to make me smile. It’s all twisting alleys and cobblestone and centuries-old houses. Retail and restaurant chains haven’t got the same hold here as they do in every other town in the UK – there’s a Boots and a Waterstones, but no Primark, H&M, Pret or Caffé Nero. There isn’t even a Costa. It’s a place that takes pride in its independent shops and restaurants. Some are quirky – a shop that sells antique French confit pots for hundreds of pounds, for example, or a pub called the Waterworks that renovated and refurbished the old, unused public toilets and now sells local beers and ciders. It’s very historic, too; the oldest hotel, The Mermaid Inn, was built in 1156 and is said to be haunted. I’m inclined to agree as my partner and I received a phone call just after falling asleep during our one night there, but no one was on the other side. Spooky indeed. But I’ve always thought there was one thing that the town desperately needed: a Nice Restaurant. Before Covid brought the restaurant industry to its knees, there used to be a family-owned Italian, Tuscan Kitchen. I never got the chance to visit for one reason or another, but my in-laws sang its praises all the time. But a couple of years ago, it closed when the family packed up and went back to Italy, understandably tired of life in the UK. Since then, the only other place to go if you didn’t want to cook and you didn’t want fish and chips has been Mahdi Lounge. It’s good, but the town has been gasping for something different. Then came The Union Rye. Previously The Union Steakhouse, the restaurant was taken over by Rajh Siva, who also runs The Plough, located closer to Winchelsea, and has since overhauled the menu to focus on modern British cuisine. The building was built in 1401 and is a rustic, relaxed space with cosy open fireplaces, exposed brick and wooden furniture. The warm and welcoming restaurant is headed by chef Ben Dafforn, previously of J Sheekey and Simpsons on the Strand in London. I visited The Union Rye recently while on a weekend away with friends, excited at the prospect of trying a new Nice Restaurant in my favourite small British town. I was first alerted to its existence by Marina O’Loughlin, former restaurant critic for The Times, and had been keen to try it for months. The four of us swept in on a Sunday night, and while it was rather empty, we hardly minded – it almost felt like having the entire restaurant to ourselves. Though I hope being empty at dinnertime won’t be an issue for it for much longer, as it truly deserves a visit. Resisting the urge to order the entire menu, we opted for lots of dishes to share. The seasonal menu changes on a daily basis as the chefs work with whatever fresh local produce is available, but this is exciting for me as it means trying new dishes and flavours each time I go. We started with marinated anchovies with caper berries that were simultaneously fresh, sweet and tart, and got very into a plate of ham knuckle croquettes that were fatty and rich, accompanied by a creamy aioli. We also had a rather unusual sweet and savoury granola dish, which comprised of cottage cheese-like curds with granola flavoured with fennel seeds and a jam to cut through the almost bitter, herby flavours. It was imaginative and surprising, which I took great pleasure in. Large fried sardines arrived with their heads still intact, opaque eyes and all, to be covered in burnt lemon. Fat, juicy scallops and their bright orange tongues with samphire on toast. Fried, caramelised mushrooms with hazelnuts and plenty of butter. A succulent pork chop with syrupy charred fruit. A burnt basque cheesecake to share among friends. Oh, how we feasted. The Union Rye is the Nice Restaurant that the town deserves. The dishes are bright and refreshing, but comforting at the same time. I highly recommend going with a group of family or friends so you can order plenty of dishes. It was certainly a night to remember, and I’ll be back there soon, I’m sure. The Union Rye, 8 East Street Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY | 01797 229289 | www.theunionrye.co.uk Read More Forest Side: Heavenly Cumbrian produce elevated to Michelin-starred proportions Papi: Pandemic troublemakers’ restaurant is a fun, flirty hit I tried the food at Idris Elba’s restaurant – he should stick to wine

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Almost a third of people in England and Wales said their mental health has been affected by soaring mortgage costs in the past year, according to new research. For people with existing mental health problems, nearly four in 10 said the rising costs had worsened their mental health. Mind, the UK’s biggest mental health charity, also said it had seen a 55 per cent increase in the number of people contacting its Infoline over the last 18 months about financial difficulties, including welfare, unemployment and personal debt. The charity’s survey of 3,015 respondents across England and Wales in March and April came before Thursday’s news that the Bank of England had raised interest rates to 5.25 per cent from 5 per cent. The hike, which is yet another bid to get inflation under control, will put more pressure on mortgage holders. Mind’s survey – carried out by Censuswide – suggested that 29 per cent of people had been affected by hearing about or experiencing increasing mortgage costs over the last year. Ten per cent said that it had affected their mental health a lot, the charity added. For people with existing mental health problems, some 36% said the increasing mortgage costs had made their mental health worse. The charity said younger people were particularly affected, with almost half (48%) of those aged between 16 and 24 saying that the mortgage situation had impacted on their mental health. Vicki Nash, Mind’s associate director of external affairs, said financial difficulties and mental health problems “often form a vicious cycle”. She said: “As we continue to grapple with the rising cost of living, news of yet another possible increase in mortgage rates will be difficult for many families to bear. “Money problems and mental health often form a vicious cycle, and when we’re struggling to deal with one, the other can become much harder to manage, particularly when it threatens to impact our housing situation. “We know some people are becoming so unwell that they need hospital treatment for their mental health. “When this happens the care they receive when they leave hospital is critical so we are calling for the introduction of comprehensive welfare checks, including of people’s financial situation. “These figures show this is a mental health emergency that everyone is going to need help to deal with. We know we can’t fix the cost-of-living crisis but support for your mental health is out there, and we are here for you. “This includes through Mind’s Infoline, online community, Side by Side and the useful information on our website that will be available throughout this difficult period.” Mind has a confidential information and support line which can be called on 0300 123 3393 between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, or people can visit mind.org.uk. Read More ‘Unsackable’ Jeremy Hunt to remain chancellor as Rishi Sunak eyes ‘election-ready’ Cabinet reshuffle Lizzo: All the allegations made by former dancers – from sexual harassment to body shaming The Bank hikes interest rates again – but the end of the pain could finally be in sight Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Another day, another retrograde. We know that Saturn, the Planet of Karma, just went retrograde — and while you may not be ready for another planetary backspin, it’s coming anyway. Neptune retrograde in Pisces begins on June 30 and ends on December 6, meaning we’re going to spend almost the entire rest of the year under this astrological influence. Are you ready?

K-beauty, for all its influence across the world, is largely misunderstood by the uninitiated. Often, it’s defined by its most intriguing, eye-catching, and out-there ingredients (snail mucin anyone?), or futuristic, sci-fi looking products destined for social media clout (see Dr. Jart+’s slightly terrifying Cryo Rubber Mask). For many, the only thing they know is the complicated 10-step skincare routines. But that is only a partial glimpse into the juggernaut that is K-Beauty -– and some of it is outright fiction. I have to admit, I was guilty of believing much of this. That is until I sat down with Jin Kwon, K-beauty expert and founder of TONIC15: the go-to shopping destination in the UK and Europe.

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