A British man who has spent seven years reviewing public benches has finally awarded his first perfect 10/10, after returning to a favourite bench on his wedding day. Sam Wilmot started the Instagram account Rate This Bench in 2019 after jokingly judging benches while walking with friends. Since then, he has reviewed more than 300 benches and attracted nearly 18,000 followers. His long search for perfection ended at St John The Baptist Church in Old Sodbury, South Gloucestershire. The bench overlooks countryside stretching towards Bristol and Wales. Wedding Day Turns a 9/10 Into Perfection Wilmot had previously reviewed the same bench and awarded it 9/10. In fact, the Old Sodbury bench appeared among his favourite early reviews. Its significance grew after Wilmot and his wife, Sophie, chose the church for their wedding. “The first time I reviewed it, I gave it a 9/10. But when we first discussed getting married, I mentioned that I would like this church to be involved purely on the basis of this bench,” Wilmot said. Read More: Becca Bloom’s Plane Shopping Viral Video Sparks Huge Reaction After the ceremony, the newlyweds returned to the bench in their wedding clothes for photographs. “On the wedding day we came back in our suit and dress, and I reviewed it again and it was the very first 10.” Wilmot said the emotion surrounding the day made the bench impossible to beat. “People are always asking why there’s never been a 10,” he said. “I’m never going to sit on a bench again that’s going to have that feeling.” Seven Years of Reviewing Benches Wilmot said the account began almost by accident. “I was jokingly judging benches whilst out on a walk with friends, and one of them said ‘that’d make a good Instagram account’, so I just went for it,” he said. Read More: Social Media Search Helps Bring Wasim Akram’s Puppy Home Since 2019, his reviews have covered benches across England, Wales and Dubai. Followers also send him photographs and personal stories explaining why particular benches matter to them. Wilmot said those emotional connections are among the reasons he plans to continue the account despite finally finding his 10/10. Sophie has played an important role in the project as the account’s photographer since the couple met. “Taking the photos of all the benches is something I feel very grateful for, not only to help, but mainly be a part of the journey,” she said. She described their wedding-day return simply: “The best view, on the best day, sat on the best bench.” What Makes a Perfect Bench? Wilmot uses a surprisingly detailed scoring system. “They need to have armrests and a backrest, there needs to be curvature to the seat, I like a bench to be made out of wood,” he explained. He also awards points for a solid base, the surrounding view and location, and a dedication or plaque. The final point comes from what he calls the “wow factor”. City-centre benches often perform badly because of dividing barriers, awkward armrests and designs that limit comfort. “It qualifies as a bench, but it’s not really a bench,” Wilmot said. After hundreds of reviews, the Old Sodbury seat finally delivered something no technical scoring system could fully measure: a personal memory linked to the day he married the woman he loves.
Man Fired Minutes Into Hawaii Vacation as Wife’s Video Goes Viral
A man allegedly fired during a Hawaii vacation has become the centre of a viral debate about workplace loyalty and employee treatment. An X account reposted the clip on July 16, and it attracted more than 1.7 million views by the following day. The woman says her husband’s employer dismissed him through Microsoft Teams on their first full vacation day. Read More: Woman’s Netflix-Style Leave Request for Bali Vacation Goes Viral The couple had reportedly saved for months for the trip. Neither the family nor the company has identified itself. Independent reporting has not verified the circumstances. Family Holiday Interrupted by Unexpected Work Call Dressed in a swimsuit, the woman filmed herself while walking through the Hawaii resort. “So my husband and I both work full-time corporate jobs, and we saved up. We’re in Hawaii. We’re on a beautiful family vacation at a beautiful resort,” the woman said. Her husband is fired in the middle of a vacation. pic.twitter.com/iXuz5uaYOa — Dr.L (@DrAlmarielao) July 16, 2026 She said her husband received a call from his manager at around 9 am local time. “This morning at about 9:00 am Hawaii time, he gets a call from his boss, and says, ‘We need to get you on Teams,’” she said. According to the woman, the company already knew he had taken leave for the week. “Now they know he’s on vacation. He’s supposed to be on vacation the rest of the week. This is our first full day in Hawaii.” Teams Meeting Ends With Sudden Termination The woman said her husband joined the meeting after his manager instructed him to do so. However, the conversation ended his employment within minutes. “He gets on Teams, and within minutes he’s terminated,” she said. She then questioned why the employer contacted him during the holiday instead of waiting for his return. “We’re supposed to just enjoy our vacation like nothing happened?” she asked. Read More: Want to Travel More? This 9-to-5 Employee Shares Her Formula She said her husband also challenged the timing. “He’s like, ‘It couldn’t have waited till Monday? They couldn’t have waited till Monday?’” The woman said they had worked hard and saved specifically for the family trip. She ended the video with a blunt criticism. “There’s just no heart.” Viral Clip Sparks Debate Over Work and Loyalty Many social media users sympathised with the couple. Several argued that workers should avoid answering company calls or emails during approved leave. “That is why I don’t answer any work calls or emails on vacation. The office can burn down to the ground for all I care, I will find out when I am back. No work is ruining my vacation with its existence,” one person wrote. Another commenter warned employees against assuming that loyalty guarantees job security. Read More: Rising Hotel Prices Push Indian Traveler to Book Sri Lanka Instead “This is why you should never ever feel guilty for entertaining other offers of employment even if you are happy at your current job. A company will let you go and act like you never existed,” another said. “This is why I don’t get why people mill themselves for their jobs. Take that time off and go relax somewhere,” a user added. The video has renewed debate about employer conduct during leave and the emotional impact of sudden layoffs. However, the employer remains unnamed, and the company had not issued a public response.
