Cheltenham Festival and 'one in a million' birth
Here is our weekly roundup of stories from across local websites in the West of England.
We have a daily round up as well. Make sure you look out for it on the website and the local section of the BBC News app.
Cheltenham Festival has been the talk of the week. A man who got tickets for him and his dad but went alone after his father died has been viewed thousands of times. And Cheltenham Borough Council posted about its safe space for women under 18 during race week.
There is just an 'E' left to paint before the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood is complete, Bristol Live reports. Work was abandoned because of protests by residents.
Wiltshire 999s has published an article about a man admitting to having sex with a Shetland pony in a Wiltshire stables, who will be sentenced in May.
ITV West Country has covered a 'one in a million' birth in Somerset. Five lambs have been born from the same ewe at a farm in Shapwick.
And in more animal news – kind of – a video of Bristol comedian Jayde Adams singing Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' in a Bristol accent has gone super viral.
Buildings cut into ancient monument could be removed
Queen visits Cheltenham after early snow on course
Former Bristol MP takes seat in House of Lords
'Yo-yo' birth-rate causing headache for schools
Life in jail for teen who strangled his sister, 19
Somerset Live has published an article about how shopping and hospitality has changed since Covid. To mark five years since the beginning of the pandemic, the website has done a lookback on what has changed.
Headlines: Tree set on fire and rare lamb quins born
Headlines: Snow and Queen at Cheltenham
Headlines: Jockey's comeback and green cycle lanes
Headlines: Cheltenham Festival, and Chappell Roan in a Bristol accent
Follow BBC West social channels in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
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Miami Herald
36 minutes ago
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AMC makes major theater change that will frustrate customers
AMC Theaters (AMC) had a rough start to 2025. The theater chain suffered a major loss as it struggled to attract moviegoers, despite major releases such as "Captain America: Brave New World," "Snow White," "Wolf Man," and "Dog Man." In its first-quarter earnings report for 2025, AMC revealed that its total revenues fell by about 9% year-over-year, while movie theater attendance in the U.S. dropped by 11%. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter AMC also reported a net loss of $202.1 million during the quarter, which is higher than the $163.5 million net loss it suffered during the same quarter last year. Related: AMC announces generous offer to win back customers "Setting aside those first quarters directly impacted by Covid and its aftermath, the January to March industry box office in 2025 was the lowest it has been since 1996," said AMC CEO Adam Aron in the report. The dip in attendance comes after AMC's average movie ticket price in the U.S. reached $12.31 during the first quarter of this year, which is higher than the $12.19 average it reported for the same quarter in 2024. Movie ticket prices have been rising over the past few years amid inflation. According to recent data from The Numbers, the average movie ticket price in the U.S. was $11.31 in 2024, which is 3% higher than the $10.94 average in 2023. As prices increase, some consumers have been avoiding movie theaters like the flu. A recent survey from the Wall Street Journal found that 65% of consumers said they prefer to watch movies at home, while 35% said they prefer to watch films in theaters. Amid this trend, AMC has made a bold move to dodge further price increases; however, customers may not be thrilled about the decision. The theater chain has reportedly landed a deal with cinema advertising company National CineMedia to run more commercials before movie screenings begin, according to a recent report from The New York Times. AMC claims this deal will allow it to rely less on increasing movie ticket prices to boost its revenue. Related: Paramount makes drastic decision amid shift in customer behavior "For the past five years, AMC has sought out crucial revenue that is not reliant on the increase of base ticket prices," said AMC in a statement to the Times, adding "while AMC was initially reluctant to bring this to our theaters, our competitors have fully participated for more than five years without any direct impact to their attendance." The move from AMC comes after its top rivals, Regal and Cinemark, signed the same deal with National CineMedia in 2019. AMC was also offered the deal that same year; however, it "flatly rejected" it due to its concerns that "U.S. moviegoers would react quite negatively to the concept," according to a press release. The deal is expected to make pre-show advertisements last, on average, 20 to 30 minutes long. It is no surprise that AMC is continuing to dodge increasing its ticket prices as it has recently made several attempts to make moviegoing more affordable for consumers, who are battling inflation and higher costs of living. A few months ago, the theater chain added a new A-List Classic tier subscription to its flagship subscription service AMC Stubs A-List. The new tier offers a lower-price plan for guests who prefer to watch a maximum of one movie per week at AMC Classic locations. It also made several tweaks to AMC Stubs A-List to attract more frugal customers, such as expanding A-List weekly movie access from three titles a week to four, and lowering the age eligibility from 16 to 13 to attract more teens and families into theaters. During an earnings call in May, Aron said these changes are "designed to ease the pain of a healthy price increase." Related: Disney CEO offers unexpected response to tariff concerns The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
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44 minutes ago
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Highly Opinionated: Eater Editors' Favorite Movie Theater Popcorn in Los Angeles
Popcorn can make or break the movie-going experience. A fresh, hot tub of salty popcorn can make even bad movies feel enjoyable, while a stale bag of hard kernels is enough to dampen even the best films. While chains like AMC offer fairly standardized popcorn, other theaters across Los Angeles, such as Tarantino's Vista Theatre in Los Feliz and the dine-in Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown, serve their own versions of the classic movie snack, topped with classic drawn butter, churro seasoning, and even truffle garlic. We've spent innumerable hours at theaters across Los Angeles, catching midnight screenings, the latest action flick, and 70 mm showings of cult classics. Between the three of us, pounds of popcorn tossed in butter (and imitations of butter) have likely been demolished. As regulars at the movies, we've tried it all — from adequate chain offerings to stale bags, all in search of that perfect, hot, buttery popcorn bucket. After lifetimes of research, here is where to find the best popcorn at Los Angeles theaters. At a 10 a.m. screening of Charlie's Angels , the smell of popcorn is already wafting out the front doors at the Vista Theatre, which stands at the crossroads of Silver Lake, East Hollywood, and Los Feliz. First opened in 1923 as Lou Bard Playhouse or Bard's Hollywood, the Vista eventually shuttered permanently in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as it seemed like it might never reopen, Quentin Tarantino purchased the property, adding to his Los Angeles theater portfolio that includes the New Beverly. After two years of renovations and the installation of a new 70 mm projection setup, the Vista reopened in 2023. Tarantino's Vista has retained all the charm of the original, sprucing up the once-faded exterior paint on the marquee and introducing the adjoining coffee shop, Pam's Coffy. 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The warm kernels are tossed with real butter, which outperforms flavored oils in every way. The fattiness coats the entire piece, enveloping it in a pleasant saltiness and an inimitable, creamy butter flavor. Joining the popcorn and candy at concessions are hot dogs (regular and vegan), White Castle burgers (kept fresh in a warmer), RC Cola from the fountain, glass bottles of Mexican Coke, and a selection of beer and wine. The Vista disavows seat reservations, so go early, grab a bucket of popcorn, and settle in for a movie — previews and all. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Alamo Drafthouse regulars know that the full-service model makes the Downtown theater one of the best cinematic experiences in Southern California. Located inside the Bloc on Seventh and Flower Streets, a handful of systems are in place to ensure an enjoyable visit. Programmers blend a mix of new and old by running Wes Anderson's latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, playing on the same day as the 1995 cult classic, Showgirls . The Austin-based chain has a firm rule on latecomers, forbidding entry after the movie starts, and will boot disruptive guests (especially those talking or texting) without a refund. Placing food and drink orders while watching a movie is one of the Alamo's best features, with goodies like pizzas, cheeseburgers, and beer or cocktails delivered right to one's seat. DTLA's Alamo might as well be a museum with its extensive movie poster artwork placed throughout. Alamo's reclining puffy chairs are an especially cozy touch. Right next to the entry is the Video Vortex bar and video store, where you can find old-school games and even karaoke after dark. Even driving through the whimsical, round parking garage can be fun. It sounds ideal, right? But we haven't even begun to talk about the popcorn. The bottomless buckets of popcorn at Alamo Drafthouse are a must-order. Staff work overtime to keep the servings freshly made with a nice balance of clarified butter. As for toppings, it's hard to beat the spicy ranch and truffle Parmesan flavors, with recent additions of chile garlic, churro, and dill pickle. For the very hungry and adventurous, it's entirely possible to try different flavors in one sitting. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest It seems impossible that a movie theater with an attached video movie rental is busy and thriving in 2025, but here we are. The current Vidiots opened in 2022 with a plan that keeps its Eagle Rock theater packed most nights. The establishment is a wonderful throwback to the '80s and '90s, when Vidiots first opened in Santa Monica on Third and Pico, blocks away from the ocean. The OG Vidiots catered to indie and overlooked films before closing in 2017, which is what the current version still does. 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The classic one-screen theater has been operated by Judy Kim and her family since 1976, accommodating a massive 800 people when fully occupied, though on this particular night, the second showing of Stanley Kubrick's war movie Full Metal Jacket drew in about a dozen viewers. The entire experience at Gardena Cinema feels pulled out of the 1980s; a booth up front issues torn tickets, neon graces the front lobby, while posters adorn the walls. Ever since Gardena Cinema dropped its approach of showing first-run movies and switched to classics, it's made the prospect of watching a movie here all the more nostalgic. My only wish would be for places like this to never go away so that I can come here with my son when he's old enough, so he knows what it was like when I went to the movies growing up. The concessions situation at Gardena Cinema punches well above its weight. Hot dogs twirl back and forth along a 7-11-style warmer, plump and snappy with a decent condiment bar featuring mayonnaise, Tapatio hot sauce, ketchup, and relish. There are dozens of candies and chips, and even Korean instant cheese ramen. A popcorn machine makes small batches, priced at $6.95 for a small and up to $10.95 for a large. Refill your popcorn for half the price. Instead of actual clarified butter, Gardena Cinema dresses popcorn with a vegan soy oil that tastes like butter so that it can accommodate vegans and those with lactose intolerance. Kim said over email that flavoring the popcorn with Flavacol, a butter-flavored seasoned salt, after popping it makes it 'more noticeable,' and makes movie theater popcorn special. It's hard to argue with the results. Gardena Cinema's popcorn is laden with seed oil fat, but tastes nutty and toasted, crisp without feeling drenched. Fine salt from the Flavacol gives it that MSG-level seasoning without actual MSG, a nice sleight of hand. I wolfed down the entire small bag of popcorn by myself and made it through the darkly comic but gruesome first half of Full Metal Jacket , my stomach unsettled not from the popcorn but from Kubrick's macabre film. I almost wish there was an intermission between the halves so I could get a refill of Gardena Cinema's excellent popcorn. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Los Feliz 3: This tiny neighborhood theater in Los Feliz is part of American Cinematheque, which also operates the Egyptian and the Aero Theatre. The popcorn here falls on the saltier side and has no frills. It's affordable by the bucket, and given the small size of the theater, concession lines are never too long. New Beverly: New Beverly serves the same concession lineup as the Vista, promising fresh butter, freshly popped kernels, and affordable prices. Landmark's Nuart Theatre: The flagship of arthouse theater chain Landmark, the Nuart Theatre screens a mix of cult-classics, documentaries, and other hard-to-find films. Popcorn, hot dogs, pretzels, beer, wine, and more are on the concession menu here. See More:
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
History of the San Diego County Fair
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — As the gates open once again at the San Diego County Fair, thousands of fairgoers may not realize they're stepping into more than just summer fun — they're taking part in a legacy that dates back to 1880. What began as a small agricultural fair where local farmers competed for the best citrus fruit, pies and fastest horses has evolved into one of the largest county fairs in the nation. For more than 140 years, the San Diego County Fair has been a celebration of community, culture and California agriculture. RELATED: San Diego County Fair rolls out tasty new food deals The very first fair brought San Diego's rural communities together to showcase farming innovations and homegrown talent. Initially held in rotating locations such as National City and Balboa Park, the fair found its permanent home at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in 1936 — where it continues to thrive today. The only interruptions in its long-running history came during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, when public safety and national priorities took precedence. But each time, the fair returned with renewed energy, embracing its roots while adding new traditions. The San Diego County Fair and Del Mar Fairgrounds are managed by the 22nd District Agricultural Association, a self-supporting agency formed by the State of California in 1891. A nine-member board of directors, appointed by the governor, governs the district and sets policies, including the annual fair theme which helps shape the exhibits and experiences. Each year, the fair spotlights a new theme, a tradition that began in 1980 during its centennial celebration. While early themes focused on agriculture, later editions explored broader topics, including California's Sesquicentennial in 1998 and various pop culture, science and art-inspired concepts in recent years. San Diego County Fair announces addition of 6 cultural festivals this summer Over its long history, the fair has also gone through a few name changes. From 1880 to 1953, it was known simply as the San Diego County Fair. In the mid-20th century, it took on the name Southern California Exposition, later becoming the Del Mar Fair from 1983 to 2001. Since 2002, it proudly reclaimed its original name — a nod to its county-wide roots. Today, the San Diego County Fair is much more than a midway and funnel cakes. It's a reflection of the region's agricultural heritage, creative spirit, and evolving community. Whether it's the 'Farm 2 U' exhibit connecting visitors to local growers or the historical displays honoring more than a century of tradition, the fair remains a vital part of San Diego's story. As this year's fair gets underway, one thing is certain: the spirit of 1880 lives on — in every bite of pie, every blooming flower, and every memory made. For more on the fair's history, visit the event's website. Have fun at the fair, San Diego. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
