logo
Reopening date confirmed for Cassiobury paddling pools

Reopening date confirmed for Cassiobury paddling pools

Yahoo06-05-2025

Watford's popular Cassiobury Park paddling pools are set to reopen later this month, after a brief post-Easter hiatus.
The Everyone Active-managed site has been shut since April 21, having opened for two weeks during the school holidays.
Watford Borough Council has confirmed that the pools will be open to the public again from Saturday, May 24 - and will remain in use until September.
In a social media post, the council explained that this seasonal schedule is based on the usage of the pools in recent years and is aimed at "making sure they're open when families enjoy them most".
Cassiobury paddling pools. (Image: WBC) This year's Easter season brought changes that WBC says are designed to "improve the visitor experience".
A 50/50 entry split has been reintroduced, meaning here will be 135 places per session available by the booking app (everyoneactive.com/centre/cassiobury-park-paddling-pools) and 135 walk-in spaces offered on a first come, first served basis each session.
Session times have also been increased, with each one now lasting 90 minutes.
The Cassiobury paddling pools, managed on behalf of WBC, welcomed 53,000 people last year along – highlighting its appeal as a top family destination, the council has said.
Nestled within 190 acres of beautiful parkland, they boast three splashpads, exciting water jets, and fountains for children to enjoy during the warmer months.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wildfire warnings issued in the Canary Islands as millions prepare to holiday there
Wildfire warnings issued in the Canary Islands as millions prepare to holiday there

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Wildfire warnings issued in the Canary Islands as millions prepare to holiday there

As millions of holidaymakers prepare to head to the Canary Islands this summer, authorities have issued a wildfire pre-alert across the archipelago. The warning, announced by the General Directorate of Emergencies on Sunday, applies to tourist hotspots El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. It comes as the islands enter a high-risk fire period following the wet season, as hot, dry winds known as the 'calima' begin blowing in from the Sahara Desert. The risk of wildfire is nothing new for the Canary Islands. The volcanic terrain, Mediterranean climate and fire-adapted vegetation - plants that have evolved to thrive in fire-prone environments - make them susceptible to summer blazes, and scientists say wildfires are part of the archipelago's ecological rhythm. Some of the worst occurred in 2023, when forest fires ravaged Tenerife, destroying more than 15,000 hectares of land and forcing 12,000 people to evacuate. The blaze was later found to have been started by arsonists. This year, officials are urging tourists and locals alike to take extreme caution, warning against launching fireworks near forests and discarding cigarettes on dry ground. Related You'll need to book via app to visit these spectacular beaches in Sardinia this summer Greece boosts firefighter and drone numbers to tackle growing risk of wildfires But even as the fire warnings roll in, the Canaries' appeal shows no signs of slowing down. In 2024, the islands welcomed nearly 18 million tourists, including a record-breaking 15.5 million international arrivals. Among them, British travellers led the way, recording 6.3 million visits – up 500,000 from 2023. While the Canary Islands continue to attract record numbers of tourists, residents are increasingly voicing concerns about overtourism. In April 2024, tens of thousands of islanders participated in protests, holding signs that read 'the Canary Islands have a limit' while rallying against rising housing costs, environmental damage and the strain on public services. Over Easter this year, about 80,000 hospitality workers in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro walked out in a dispute with unions over pay. The surge in short-term rentals has been especially contentious. Locals have reported getting priced out of their neighbourhoods as properties are converted into holiday lets, the cost of living soars and wages stagnate. Despite these concerns, tourism remains a significant part of the Canary Islands' economy, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of its GDP. After welcoming seven million tourists in 2024, Tenerife remains the most visited island. Its year-round sunshine and wide beaches keep it a firm favourite among families, especially during the UK's summer school break and throughout the winter months. Related Svalbard, Chios, El Hierro: How these European islands have successfully avoided overtourism Is it safe to travel to Lanzarote? Latest advice after Storm Olivier sweeps through Canary Islands As the peak summer season picks up, local tourism boards have made no indication that the fire pre-alerts will disrupt travel plans. But authorities remain focused on prevention this year. More than 2,000 firefighters are on standby. Meanwhile, the government has distributed detailed safety advice, urging people to prepare a go-bag, stay informed and follow emergency evacuation or shelter-in-place instructions if fires erupt.

Gatwick Airport baggage handler dispute resolved
Gatwick Airport baggage handler dispute resolved

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Gatwick Airport baggage handler dispute resolved

A dispute between Gatwick Airport baggage handlers and their bosses which resulted in industrial action in April has been resolved. More than 100 baggage handlers, check-in and flight dispatching staff from Red Handling had gone on strike for four days across Easter in a row over pensions and working conditions. Strike action on 18 and 25 May and 1 June was suspended because of the negotiations, which have now concluded. A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said they were pleased an agreement had been reached. The Red Handling workers, who are members of the Unite union, said the dispute was over "long-standing issues" with pensions, including having contributions not paid and plans not set up. Staff had also complained of being overworked and not having proper breaks between shifts, but had since agreed on new working terms which included receiving overtime pay and having guarantees about time off, Unite said. Ben Davis, the union's regional officer, said: "The situation with pensions, late wages and a lack of breaks was taking a big toll on our members and they are glad this has now been resolved." Red Handling has been contacted for a comment. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Gatwick downplays effect of Easter strikes EasyJet to run full service despite Gatwick strike Gatwick strike called off but disruption looms Gatwick Airport Unite the Union Red Handling

Trump Issues Sweeping Travel Ban Full of Contradictions
Trump Issues Sweeping Travel Ban Full of Contradictions

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Trump Issues Sweeping Travel Ban Full of Contradictions

Donald Trump's new travel ban is hard to make sense of. In a sweeping order Wednesday night, Trump fully banned travel from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The order, which is set to go into effect on June 9, targets mostly African and Muslim-majority countries, and many of the banned countries were also on Trump's original travel ban in his first term. The new ban also partially restricts travel by nationals from an additional seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The order includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, and certain visa holders such as Special Immigrant Visas (which many Afghans received after helping U.S. forces). Trump framed the ban as necessary to combat terrorism and strengthen national security in a video announcement posted to social media. But if that's the case, the order is full of contradictions. In his video, Trump specifically cited Sunday's attack in Colorado as why the ban is needed. 'The recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas,' he said. But the man charged in that attack was an Egyptian national who initially arrived on a tourist visa, and Egypt isn't even on Trump's list of banned countries. Trump's order also cites visa oversays as a reason why multiple countries were targeted. But as The Washington Post reported, it's not clear why some countries were added to the list while others with higher visa overstay rates weren't. In some cases, the visa overstay rate was high, but the total number of overstays was relatively low. The justification listed for specific countries was a mess. The order cited the establishment of 'criminal networks' and 'national security threats' as justification for the ban on nationals from Haiti. But there is little evidence that Haitian gangs are taking over the U.S., nor is there much evidence that Haitian gang members are among the small number of Haitians entering the country. 'Haitians as a group have not exerted any kind of violence,' Renata Segura, director of the Latin America and Caribbean program at the International Crisis Group, told the Post. 'The idea that Haitian gangs could be traveling to the U.S. by legal means is completely out of the realm of the possible.' And in the case of Venezuela, which is facing partial restrictions, Trump's order claims the country has 'historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.' But in the past few months of Trump's second term, Venezuela has repeatedly accepted Trump's deportation flights, even sending Venezuelan planes to pick up immigrant deportees from the U.S. For those trying to make sense of Trump's logic with this order, don't even bother.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store