First phase of historical theme park approved
Kynren - The Storied Lands will be a new daytime attraction set within the wider Kynren attraction in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
The plans, which include a 3,600-seated arena for a bird show, were approved by Durham County Council's planning committee on Thursday.
Objectors warned the new development did not support the vitality of Bishop Auckland town centre, but the council's planning officers disputed the concerns.
An oval-shaped arena resembling a bird's nest will be created for The Lost Feather bird show, and will include a small lake, landscaped hillside performance area and performance bridge.
The show will be performed using 300 birds.
A report by planning officers said the development "would not impact the vitality and viability of Bishop Auckland town centre" due to its link to the "established operation" of the Kynren site.
It also stated the plans would support Bishop Auckland, increasing footfall in the vicinity.
Set to open in summer 2026, the focus of The Storied Lands will be live action shows with storytelling stunts and music, rather than rides.
Phase one of the park will feature five shows and immersive experiences, with themes including Neolithic Britain, Viking battles, and the gas-lit streets of Victorian England.
The Legend of the Wear performance will use water stunts to retell the Lambton Worm myth.
Separate planning applications are expected to be submitted in due course.
Kynren's existing evening show has already generated a significant profile, generating £65.5m to the north-east of England economy, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Historical theme park to 'take people back in time'
Durham County Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
FLOKI's Valhalla MMORPG Storms U.S. Television With 60-Day National Commercial Blitz
FLOKI's flagship play-to-earn MMORPG, Valhalla, has officially entered the U.S. mainstream with the debut of its first-ever national television commercial. The 30-second spot aired on Saturday, August 9, at 6:30 p.m. EST during Valhalla's interview segment on New To The Street. For the next 60 days, viewers across the United States will see Valhalla's Viking-themed adventure showcased in 350 commercials broadcast on Bloomberg, Fox Business, and CNBC. The campaign is expected to reach over 1 billion households, marking one of the most ambitious media pushes in FLOKI's history. The TV commercial blitz is part of FLOKI's previously announced three-month U.S. media campaign with New To The Street, aimed at driving awareness for Valhalla following its June 30 mainnet launch. This extensive promotional effort includes bi-monthly FLOKI spokesperson interviews on Fox Business and Bloomberg Television, delivering sponsored programming to more than 219 million U.S. households. The interviews will be complemented by a steady rotation of high-impact Valhalla commercials during prime business hours. The campaign also extends beyond television. FLOKI has secured a digital billboard takeover in the heart of New York City's Times Square. Ads will appear on the iconic Reuters 42nd Street Billboard up to 20 times per hour for four weeks each month, with the initial run highlighting Valhalla's immersive metaverse experience. This visual domination in one of the world's busiest intersections ensures that the Valhalla brand will be front and center for millions of pedestrians and commuters. In addition to television and outdoor coverage, FLOKI's partnership with New To The Street brings a strong digital and press distribution component. Monthly recaps from the NYSE floor and ecosystem case studies will help position FLOKI and Valhalla as leaders in blockchain gaming. The campaign will also leverage New To The Street's 3.16 million YouTube subscribers, along with its social media channels, ensuring 12-month archival access and SEO-optimized reach. Investor engagement will be another focus area during the campaign. FLOKI plans to participate in broker meet-and-greets, retail-focused gatherings in New York City, and virtual presentations to family offices and accredited investors. About Valhalla Valhalla is a blockchain-based MMORPG inspired by Norse mythology, offering players the chance to discover, tame, and battle with creatures called Veras. The game features a player-driven economy and a hexagonal battlefield designed for dynamic combat. You can play the game now, and it will be officially launched on Mainnet on June 30, 2025. Valhalla was developed by FLOKI. Learn more at About Floki Floki is the people's cryptocurrency and utility token of the Floki Ecosystem. Floki aims to become the world's most well-known and most used cryptocurrency and intends to achieve this ambitious goal through a focus on utility, philanthropy, community, and marketing. Floki currently has 550,000+ holders and a strong brand recognized by billions of people worldwide due to its strategic marketing partnerships. Contact Vidal Pedro FLOKI
Los Angeles Times
08-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Late-night leader Greg Gutfeld reminds fellow host Jimmy Fallon about their drunken first meeting
Jimmy Fallon once grabbed a cigarette out of Greg Gutfeld's mouth, crinkled it up and tossed it to the ground, hollering at the Fox News personality, 'Those things will kill you!' But it sounds like the place where they were hanging out had a shot at killing them too. The two late-night hosts were both 'wasted' about 15 years ago when he and Fallon met for the first time at an illegal Hell's Kitchen bar run by a mutual friend — one who looked like 'a cross between a Viking and a larger Viking,' the 'Gutfeld!' host said Thursday night on NBC's 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.' The bar looked 'like a place where special-ops forces waterboard terrorists,' he added. 'There was no bar ... it was a cooler, like the kind you take to a beach.' 'Dude, you're not making this up,' Fallon said. 'I totally know what you're talking about. ... I think I remember bringing beer into the bar and then him charging me for my own beer.' The men's magazine editor-turned-satirist recalled that their mutual friend operated that way. 'He is very cheap, but if you want someone dead, he'll do it.' So he walks into the illegal bar with his buddy Andy Levy after the two had just finished taping something — perhaps 'Red Eye w/Greg Gutfeld' — and Fallon sees him and then tackles him, he said, 'like a giant golden retriever.' Then the NBC host grabs Andy and the two fall to the ground wrestling. So Gutfeld decides it's a good time to spark up a cigarette. But Fallon leaps up, rips it out of his mouth and shouts the aforementioned you're-gonna-die warning. 'I go ... 'Dude, I'm not rich. You're rich,'' Gutfeld said. 'Cigarettes are expensive in New York City.' He said Fallon's face suddenly changed to one of sadness. 'And then you left.' Five minutes later, the 'Saturday Night Live' alumnus came back toting a fresh pack of Parliaments, which he handed to the co-host of 'The Five.' 'And I go, 'That was really sweet. You want me to die.'' Gutfeld, who was on 'The Tonight Show' to promote a new game show he's hosting, then remembered the group piling into Fallon's car and tooling around to another bar that was, well, in the same building. 'We literally drove from one door to another door ... I think you wanted to impress that you had a driver.' These are the things, apparently, that happen to the rich. 'Yeah!' Fallon said. 'We had a nice ride, right?' A nice ride indeed. Short, but nice. Meanwhile, over on 'Gutfeld,' fill-in host Kat Timpf was talking about her erstwhile boss taking two full days off work to get a colonoscopy. Oh, how times have changed. And the tables have indeed turned quite a bit in the last 15 years: 'Gutfeld!,' which airs on Fox News at 7 p.m. local time and 10 p.m. Eastern and riffs on politics and the news of the day, is leading the nighttime chat show pack with — according to LateNighter — 3.289 million viewers in the second quarter and 238,000 in the advertiser-coveted demographic of those ages 18 to 49. Fallon's 'Tonight Show' drew only 1.19 million viewers in the second quarter with 157,000 in the demo. That trails Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show,' which has a year to go before cancellation and leads the 11:35 p.m. broadcast pack with 2.42 million viewers and 219,000 in the demo in the second quarter, followed by 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' with 1.77 million viewers and 220,000 in the demo.
Business Upturn
05-08-2025
- Business Upturn
Is The Curse of Oak Island season 13 happening? Everything we know so far
If you're low-key obsessed with The Curse of Oak Island, trust me—you're not the only one. Since 2014, it's been the perfect mix of history, mystery, and the kind of treasure-hunting drama that just keeps pulling you back in. Rick and Marty Lagina have spent over a decade digging (literally and figuratively) into Oak Island's secrets, and after Season 12 wrapped up on May 20, 2025, fans have been wondering the same thing: Is Season 13 happening or not? Let's break down what we know so far. Has Season 13 Been Confirmed? As of July 2025, the History Channel hasn't made anything official. No big press release, no teaser trailer, no cryptic tweet. But that doesn't necessarily mean bad news. The show's been going strong for years, and it still pulls in a solid fanbase who lives for every 'could it be?' moment. Plus, the way Season 12 ended—with the 25th episode titled 'Uplifting Discoveries' —felt more like a mid-journey pause than a goodbye. There are still so many unanswered questions about the Money Pit, the swamp, Lot 5, and all those puzzling Templar/Viking connections they keep chasing. Oh, and get this—some fans spotted camera crews and equipment on the island earlier this year. Someone even posted a photo on Facebook that sparked a whole wave of 'it's happening!' comments. While that's not official confirmation, it lines up with the show's usual filming schedule (summer shoots, fall premiere). So yeah… something might be brewing. What Could Season 13 Be About? Assuming it is coming, Season 13 would probably pick up right where things left off. The Money Pit still holds center stage—especially after that frustrating shaft collapse slowed them down last season. The team might bring in new tech (there's talk about a 'Honeycomb Caisson barrage'—whatever that is) to go deeper and safer. Lot 5 has been another major focus, especially after they found that mysterious gemstone and started linking things to the Knights Templar. Some fans think it might've even been a sacred site of some kind. And don't forget the swamp—because of course the swamp still has secrets. Cobblestone paths, weirdly shaped structures… it never stops. Oh, and remember that Malta trip from Season 12? They were chasing a bloodline tied to the Templars. That international angle could easily continue, maybe even expanding to Viking theories. This show loves blending history, myth, and science—so expect more of that mashup. Who's Coming Back? Unless there are major surprises, you can probably expect all the familiar faces to return: Rick Lagina , the heart and soul of the whole hunt. Marty Lagina , his practical, often-skeptical brother who keeps things grounded. Craig Tester , the quiet powerhouse behind all the drilling ops. Alex Lagina , Marty's son, who's taken on a bigger role over the years. Gary Drayton , the metal-detecting legend who never met a 'bobby dazzler' he didn't love. And the usual crew: Laird Niven, Jack Begley, Dan Henskee, Charles Barkhouse, and Peter Fornetti—basically the Oak Island Avengers at this point. There's no official word on any new faces, but this core team is a big part of the show's charm. They're the reason fans keep watching—even when the treasure stays stubbornly out of reach. When Could Season 13 Premiere? If the show follows its usual pattern, and if Season 13 is indeed filming now, we could be looking at a premiere around November 2025, or maybe early 2026 if production takes longer. Funding from Nova Scotia Business Inc. has helped keep past seasons alive, so there's always a chance we'll see more support to keep the dig going. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
