Milton Keynes is a city of contrasts. It combines the fun and enjoyment of city life with plenty of scope for leisure and relaxation. Busy and prosperous, its prime location promises business success and offers the sophistication and innovation to rival any other city. Milton Keynes is famous as a new city, so visitors could be forgiven for assuming that it has no history - nothing is further from the truth. When building the new town in the South East of England there was a unique opportunity to study and record the archaeology and landscape history of over 20,000 acres of countryside.
Places of interest:
Milton Keynes has a vast array of intriguing modern art. Enjoy a fascinating stroll around one of the largest collections of outdoor public art in England.
Most of this art is based in the City Centre, or in Campbell Park.
Milton Keynes Gallery is free to enter. It is the city's most successful and imposing gallery and presents between 6 and 8 exhibitions a year. These are of contemporary and modern art.
Gullivers Land provides great family entertainment and is a great day out for the younger family. It is aimed at children between the ages of 3 - 13 years and is great value for money.
Xscape is the ultimate entertainment destination in Milton Keynes. It combines a large indoor 'real snow' ski slope, an indoor rock climbing wall, a multiplex cinema, a family entertainment centre which includes ten pin bowling, health and fitness centre, bars, restaurants, cafes and lifestyle and fashion retail outlets - all under one roof.
Willen Lakeside Park is the place to go to for a picnic, take part in water sports, jog, attend events or simply sit and watch the world pass by.
The City Discovery Centre was set up in 1987 and adopted the heritage site of Bradwell Abbey as its permanent base in 1992. Bradwell Abbey is the site of a 12th century Benedictine Priory.
Things to do:
For the visitor whose ideal break includes sporting pursuits Milton Keynes has facilities available throughout the city and surrounding areas. For those whose idea of a good time is shopping there is one of the largest covered shopping complexes in Europe.
The cycling in Milton Keynes is top quality; we have a huge network of cycle paths. These pass through beautiful scenery and guarantee an enjoyable bike ride.
Milton Keynes has over 70 Community Buildings in and around the city. These buildings include Community Centres, Meeting Places, Sports Grounds, a Windmill, Golf Courses and Swimming Pools.
Shopping in the city centre is dominated by the centre: It is a glass construction about a half mile in length and is one of the longest under-cover shopping areas in Europe, incorporating over 230 shops from large national stores to smaller specialist shops. It attracts nearly 30 million visitors a year. Within the shopping building there are a number of specialist barrows selling a wide variety of distinctive goods and four days a week there is an open market alongside the building. Being built on ground level with automatically-opening doors and with ample parking around the building, it is also very popular with visitors with disabilities.
Food & Drink:
Milton Keynes is well known for the varying different styles of restaurant. There are American, Chinese, English, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Thai Restaurants, and many more in and around the Theatre District. There are many different places to go out for a drink, either for a night out with the lads, or a quiet evening drink.
Eastern Paradise is in the Wolverton area of Milton Keynes. The contemporary surroundings are pleasant and spacious. You are immediately captured by the bright colours and the art work which has a very east meets west feel, and this is reflected on the menu.
The Swan Inn is in the picturesque village of Cranfield, a few minutes from Milton Keynes centre. The striking interior gives off an atmosphere of a contemporary minimalism. A small but simple Italian menu means that the food is freshly prepared every day. Vegetarian alternatives are available.
La Tasca, the Spanish restaurant is situated in the heart of the Xscape complex. On entering the restaurant you are immediately met by a traditional Spanish setting. Every detail is Spanish, the wooden Spanish tables, the flowers, beautiful pottery adorns the walls, the colour is rustic and to top the atmosphere lovely Spanish music plays in the background and with subtle lighting in the background. The menu comprises all the traditional Spanish dishes that seem so familiar.
Hotels & Accommodation:
Milton Keynes offers the usual variety of accommodation for the visitor in the guise of Hotels, Guest Houses and Bed and Breakfast accommodation. What makes it different from most cities is the amount of accommodation to let on a short term basis, usually a minimum of one week. Some of these fully furnished apartments also offer home office facilities for the business traveller.
Campanile Hotel- Milton Keynes
Comfort Inn- Milton Keynes, Formerly The Shires Mo
Best Western Moore Place Hotel
The Cock
Parkside Hotel
Broughton Hotel
Quality Hotel Milton Keynes
Express by Holiday Inn Milton Keynes
Novotel Milton Keynes
Harben House
Entertainment
There is nowhere like Milton Keynes in England. You'll find great entertainment and unlike other cities not all of it is situated in the centre.
Milton Keynes theatre building uses the most technically advanced equipment available. It is able to accommodate a vast range of productions, from large-scale West End musicals, to smaller, more intimate drama. In addition to bringing a variety of performances to the city, Milton Keynes Theatre provides a focus for the city's already thriving cultural life.
The National Bowl is UK's premier open-air concert venue with no permanent seating. It consists of a grass amphitheatre, crescent shaped and gently sloping down to a large flat area in front of the stage allowing excellent viewing of the performance from all parts of the arena.
There are a couple of cinemas in Milton Keynes, which means you always have a choice of venue depending on mood, and there is always something on to see.
Hailed as “Comedy’s Unofficial National Theatre", The Comedy Store will present “The Best In Stand Up" from around the globe, showcasing the brightest names in comedy talent. The Comedy Store is showcased at Bistro L!VE The location of Milton Keynes makes it accessible by all forms of transport. With the M1 motorway on its doorstep, and the London to Birmingham train line running through it, Milton Keynes is ideal for the local traveller wanting an enjoyable day out. For the international traveller a regular coach service runs to the centre of the city from Luton Airport.
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Biography
Name: Maria Williams Website: http://www.sleepuk.com Biography: Maria writes for Sleep UK - providers of cheap uk hotels.
Odds: 10/1
Last Five Seasons 2005/06 - 22 (League One, Relegated), 2004/05 - 20 (League One), 2003/04 - 24 (Championship, Relegated), 2002/03 - 10 (Championship, as Wimbledon), 2001/02 - 9 (Championship, as Wimbledon).
2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup Third Round vs Southampton (a) - lost 4-3. Carling Cup First Round vs Norwich City (h) - lost 1-0 after extra time. Football League Trophy Southern Section Quarter Final vs Colchester United (h) - lost 2-1.
Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Izale McLeod (striker) - 18 goals.
Players In Sean O'Hanlon (Swindon Town - Tribunal), Jon Hastings (Tooting & Mitcham - Nominal), Drissa Diallo (Sheffield Wednesday - Free), Jon-Paul McGovern (Sheffield Wednesday - Free), Jamie Smith (Bristol City - Free).
Players Out Wade Small (Sheffield Wednesday - Nominal), Malvin Kamara (Cardiff City - Free), Nick McKoy (Cardiff City - Free).
Since Wimbledon ceased to exist and MK Dons took over their mantle, the club has struggled in the Football League, suffering relegation twice in the past three seasons. Desperate to stop the rot, Chairman Pete Winkelman has brought in manager Martin Allen to instil some fighting spirit and a winning attitude into the team.
Allen quit as manager of Brentford after seeing them fail in last season's League One play offs and will relish the chance to take the Dons back up the divisions. However, he may need to do so without leading goal scorer Izale McLeod, after revealing he won't stand in the striker's way should he receive an offer to play at a higher level. McLeod, with 18 goals in each of his last two seasons at the National Hockey Stadium was the subject of a ?1 million plus bid from Championship side Wolves in January.
The Dons have been busy in the transfer market, shoring up a defence which conceded 66 goals last season. Highly rated Sean O'Hanlon arrives from fellow relegated side Swindon Town, while Drissa Diallo was signed on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday. Attacking right winger Jon-Paul McGovern was another free transfer signing from the Owls as Allen looked to improve the supply line to McLeod.
Allen missed out on Huddersfield's Pawel Abbott who decided to remain with the Terriers and fight for his place. Abbott scored 46 goals in 106 appearances for Huddersfield, but started just one game in the last three months of the 2005/06 campaign. Swansea City also rejected a ?100,000 bid from the Dons for goalkeeper Willy Gueret.
Verdict Martin Allen turned Brentford from relegation candidates to play-off contenders during his first season in charge and could do the same with the Dons. If the club manages to keep hold of Izale McLeod they have a realistic chance of winning League Two outright at odds of 10/1.
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