Latest news with #DianneBourne
Daily Mirror
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Best' UK theme park is wildly overlooked and tickets are available for just £14
Dianne Bourne went to Gulliver's World with her kids and realised it's one of the best value-for-money family days out in the region For a brilliant family day out, there's one destination that offers exceptional value whilst keeping youngsters thoroughly entertained. Manchester Evening News lifestyle editor Dianne Bourne ventured to Gulliver's World with her children and discovered this theme park is seriously underrated. According to Dianne, the Warrington attraction is "arguably one of the best value-for-money family days out in the region". Daily passes start from just £14 per person, available through "secret sales" on Gulliver's official website. During Dianne's visit on a glorious Sunday at the beginning of school holidays - likely the busiest and most "peak" period possible - day passes were priced at £25 per person, or £16 for afternoon entry, reports the Express. The top 20 'childish' activities that parents secretly adore Blackpool Pleasure Beach makes controversial change to its entry policy She wrote: "Even at £25 per person, I found it to be excellent value, considering the enjoyable full day I spent here with my two children, aged nine and five." Gulliver's frequently gets overshadowed in the theme park hierarchy, especially given its proximity to the enormous Alton Towers. Whilst it might not rival adult thrill-seekers' expectations, Gulliver's targets the family demographic specifically, featuring attractions tailored for ages two to 13. Dianne observed: "I was quite impressed that even during peak times, queue lengths never exceeded thirty minutes for any attraction." Those who haven't been to this Cheshire theme park in a while will be amazed by the fantastic new additions. The standout feature is The Land of Oz, which was Dianne's family's starting point for their day out. This magical new area takes its cues from the much-loved Wizard of Oz story and its unforgettable characters. Dianne said: "Visitors can stroll, or dash as my children did, along a yellow brick road... inevitably humming 'follow the yellow brick road' repeatedly - if you're anything like me." The first sight that greets guests is the Upside Down House, where you can wander around and marvel at the rather puzzling spectacle of it all, before exiting via a huge slide (adults included) at the end. Dianne added: "My younger son was particularly fascinated by the twitching limbs of the Wicked Witch pinned beneath the house." Next to the house is a child-friendly driving experience where little ones think they're in charge - and they'll probably enjoy spotting a munchkin (and other colourful characters) along the forest path. However, the most striking new attraction in this part of the theme park has to be the Winged Monkeys. These creatures from the classic Wizard of Oz have haunted many a dream over the years. Yet here at Gulliver's World, visitors can climb aboard one of these spooky creatures as they glide through the air. The brilliant thing about this attraction is that older kids (and grown-ups) can choose to hit a button to flip upside down for an even more thrilling experience, whilst younger ones can simply enjoy the journey as the monkeys bounce up and down. Dianne revealed: "My nine-year-old dared to try one spin in the monkey before deciding to remain upright for the remainder of the ride, much to my relief." Following all the thrills of the new Land of Oz, Dianne chose to explore Western World and was delighted to discover just a brief queue for one of the most beloved attractions, Apache Falls. She explained: "This ride is a bit of a hybrid between a Rapids ride and a log flume, and one thing's for sure - you're going to get wet. Not that my children minded, they absolutely loved it." Meanwhile, Gully's Cartoon Studios serves as an excellent spot for lunch and features an extra soft play zone inside the restaurant. Dianne noted: "It's these little extras that make a day out like this more manageable for parents, I believe. The soft play provided a distraction for the kids while I queued for our hot food at the takeaway." There's so much on offer that Dianne and her family couldn't experience all the attractions. She commented: "One of the things I adore about Gulliver's World is its compact layout, making it easy to navigate and ensuring everything feels within reach. "The park is also visually appealing, boasting plenty of greenery and a large pool at its centre, home to numerous ducks and moorhens that kept the children entertained during our brief ice cream break." Compared to other family attractions like the Trafford Centre Summer Funfair where Dianne once spent £64 on rides for two children over just two hours, plus an entrance fee of £10.50 for three of them, Gulliver's World (which cost £75 for three) offers incredible value for a full day out. Dianne stated: "I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to entertain children under 12 during the school summer holidays. If you can be flexible with your dates, keep an eye out for those £14 tickets too."
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
The Mancunian Way: Locked up locks
Hello, I hope you had a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend and really took advantage of the lovely weather. I spent mine in bed with a virus - but it did give me a chance to rearrange the medicine drawer, so swings and roundabouts. In today's Mancunian Way, I'll be focussing your attention on Manchester city centre. We'll be reminiscing about the spectacular former Air and Space hall at MOSI, discussing the council's vision for the next decade and what our readers think needs to change in the city centre. We'll also be looking at Dianne Bourne's investigation into Deansgate Locks which, as she found, has become a shadow of its former self. ADVERTISEMENT READ MORE: Five retired Greater Manchester Police officers arrested for alleged sexual abuse of woman who was pimped out as a child READ MORE: She was enjoying an afternoon with friends but soon doctors told them to say their goodbyes Deansgate Locks in Manchester pictured on a Friday night at 11pm -Credit:MEN But first, I wanted to share these wonderful images from Greater Manchester's VE Day celebrations with you. The actual anniversary isn't until Thursday, but neighbourhoods across Greater Manchester have already enjoyed street parties to mark the day fighting in Europe ended, heralding the beginning of the end of the Second World War. Our roving reporter Rami Mwamba joined in the celebrations and found an abundance of union flag outfits, bunting and cake. A VE Day party in Mornington Road, Sale. Jack and Sam Tracey with residents -Credit:Andy Stenning/Daily Express In the Wigan outpost of Abram, he spoke to Victor Johnson, of Ruskin Crescent, who was born on VE Day. 'I feel 80 years young,' he told Rami, cheerfully. ADVERTISEMENT Caption: Residents of Beaumont Road in Chorlton, Mornington Road in Sale and Okehampton Crescent in Sale celebrate VE Day with street parties. Pics: Andy Stenning Locked down locks When Dianne Bourne popped down to Deansgate Locks it was suggested by a bouncer that she might be more comfortable on Peter Street as the only nightclub open was 'full of kids'. Despite that bruising ego blow, Dianne ploughed on. She was on a mission to discover why this once booming nightspot has become a shadow of its former self. Deansgate Locks in Manchester pictured on a Friday night at 11pm -Credit:MEN 'Walking around the corner of Albion Street, across from where the legendary Hacienda club used to sit, and it's deathly quiet as I spy the first arch of The Locks,' she writes in her opinion piece on the state of play. In fact Dianne found that only two businesses remain in the 12 iconic arches of the Locks - nightclubs Ark and Popworld - and they are only open on weekends and Wednesday night. ADVERTISEMENT As Dianne writes: 'It's hard to scratch from your memory all those years where you've seen, and joined, queues of revellers across every wooden bridge waiting to get into the bars and clubs here. 'Or to forget the gaggles of worse for wear groups tottering around on Whitworth Street West, jostling for space in the queue for the taxi rank. But now what you see is most of the wooden decking completely empty of a night.' -Credit:MEN Dianne has tried to find out how a spot that was once so popular and lucrative - in such a developed part of town - could have become so unpopular. She suggests that a change in 'going out' culture could play a major factor, with people more likely to go out in comfy clothes rather than deal with the strict dress code that was once a feature of many bars on the Locks. But officially, a long-standing issue with 'water ingress' is at the heart of the issues at the Grade II listed railway arches. ADVERTISEMENT As a result of Dianne's article, Manchester councillors say they will look to meet with the owners of the Locks to find out what progress is being made with the repairs, and what help they may be able to give. 'It's clear to me that once those repairs are complete, there needs to be a new strategy for these spaces, to get people excited and flocking back to The Locks once again,' she writes. You can read the full piece here. What the future holds Manchester's population is bigger, more diverse and better educated than ever with more jobs available and wages rising faster than the national average. Meanwhile the city centre skyline has changed beyond recognition, as have the rents people pay to live here. And while efforts have been made to tackle homelessness, rough sleeping remains a serious issue. Manchester Council Leader Bev Craig -Credit:ABNM Photography Manchester council is looking ahead to the next 10 years and has spoken to more than 10,000 people to inform the latest Our Manchester Strategy. Politics Writer Joseph Timan has spoken to council leader Bev Craig about how she hopes to preserve the character of the city amid all this change. "It's an ambitious city that has long punched above its weight,' she told him. You can read the interview here. 'Used to be beautiful' -Credit:Manchester Evening News We asked our readers to tell us the one thing you would change about Manchester city centre - and hundreds of responses came flooding in. Perhaps unsurprisingly there was mention of cycle lanes and skyscrapers. But the main bone of contention was Piccadilly Gardens. As one reader put it: "Piccadilly Gardens. Used to be beautiful.' You can read the comments here. A 'broken' system Uber drivers protest on Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, on May 1 -Credit:LDRS While we're on the subject of town, there's one sight synonymous with the city centre that those at the forefront have warned could disappear - black cabs. At the end of March, cabbies warned hundreds of black cabs could disappear on New Year's Eve because new emissions rules for 2026 meant older, dirtier cars could no longer operate here. At the start of May, Uber, Bolt, and Addison Lee drivers went on a 24-hour strike, protesting against pay rates. And in mid-April, Andy Burnham unveiled plans to overhaul how Greater Manchester's taxi licensing system works, describing it as 'broken' currently. Ethan Davies has the lowdown on the issues faced by cabbies here. Weather Wednesday: Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by late morning. 17C. Roads: A572 St Helens Road southbound, Leigh, closed due to roadworks from A578 Twist Lane to Bonnywell Road until June 30. A577 Mosley Common Road, Astley, in both directions closed due to roadworks between B5232 Bridgewater Road and A572 Chaddock Lane until July 22. Worth a read Avro Shackleton plane in the hall -Credit:Science and Industry Museum Another former fixture of the city centre was the Air and Space Hall at the Museum of Science and Industry. It featured a kamikaze aircraft, a rather rickety flight simulator and a spectacular RAF Avro Shackleton - which took up much of the space. Castlefield's Lower Campfield Hall, which housed the collection, is due to reopen this summer as a co-working space. But for those of us who remember that fascinating aerospace collection, it'll always be synonymous with some great feats of engineering.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Mancunian Way: Starstruck
Skof has only been open for nine months. But it's already bagged a Michelin star - the most prestigious gastronomic award going. Winning the approval of the hard-to-please Michelin inspectors is notoriously difficult. And doing it after less then a year, is a feat few chefs can ever dream of achieving. Lifestyle editor Dianne Bourne sat down with head chef Tom Barnes to ask 'How did you do it?'. Tom admits he was worried before opening back in May last year that 'no one would come'. READ MORE: Night of chaos as 'gang of 20 in balaclavas' cause havoc on Salford Precinct READ MORE: Council votes to WITHDRAW from Greater Manchester masterplan at extraordinary meeting But he needn't have worried - as soon as reservations opened Skof, housed in a grand old textiles building on Federation Street, was booked out for weeks in advance. And it's remained one of the toughest places in town to get a table ever since. "I was really worried at the beginning, would people want to come?,' said Tom. 'It was a big risk to leave my old job to do this, but my team have done such a brilliant job.' The 'old job' that Tom refers to was his executive chef role at, arguably, the best restaurant in the country - Simon Rogan's L'Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria. Having presided over a kitchen bestowed with three Michelin stars, it was no wonder that before Skof even opened its doors expectations were high. You could say he had the recipe for Michelin success from the off. But Tom, 36, from Barrow-in-Furness, set out from the off with a mission to remove some of the 'pretentiousness' around fine dining. But from the off the menu has been unashamedly fine dining, with tasting menus priced at either £120 for 12 courses or £165 for 15, or a smaller four course lunch menu for £50. In a city where many have moaned that there 'isn't an appetite' for these kind of prices, Tom has roundly defied those critics. Why does he think that is? "I don't know if part of it is the fully open kitchen, people can see how many staff it takes to do this, they can see how hard people are working here,' he says. 'I know it's not for everyone [at] these prices. "Manchester is such a great city, there's such an amazing variety of restaurants, and they're all brilliant in their own way so I'm just pleased I can add my own little thing into the scene." Read more From fine dining to grabbing a bite to eat during a shopping spree. The Trafford Centre has unveiled its new multi-million pound food court 'Eastern Gardens'. And it's filled with homegrown, independent restaurants - including operators such as Nichi, Chit 'n' Chaat, Hello Oriental restaurant and bakery, and Blanchflower Coffee and Bakery. The first anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment into Manchester United is approaching. But it's unlikely the Failsworth-raised billionaire will be breaking out the Champagne. 'It has been a year littered with mistakes and missteps,' writes football reporter Tyrone Marshall. 'A year when the decisions of Ratcliffe and his expensively assembled football structure have only worsened United's grim financial picture. 'Sticking with Erik ten Hag, giving him £200m to spend and then sacking him a few months later. The Dan Ashworth fiasco. It has been a mess.' Collyhurst is undergoing massive changes as part of the huge Victoria North development, which will see 15,000 new homes built in the inner-city district. And now it's also set to get a new tram stop. It comes after the government announced £1.5m for a 'new town'. Manchester council said the cash will be used to bring the Metrolink to Collyhurst. The long-running saga of Greater Manchester's housing masterplan has been thrown into disarray once again after Oldham voted to withdraw from the controversial blueprint. At a tense meeting last night councillors narrowly voted to have Oldham removed from Places for Everyone, which aims to bring 170,000 new homes to the region across nine Greater Manchester boroughs, including 11,500 in Oldham. But speaking last night, Oldham Lib Dem leader Howard Sykes described it as a 'developer and profit-led plan, not a people and need based plan', adding: 'Expensive luxury housing on the greenbelt is not the answer to the housing crisis.' But council leader Arooj Shah argued the plans, which are supposed to be 'brownfield first', would in fact protect the greenbelt. She said: 'It would be a mistake for Oldham, for the greenbelt and for our residents who desperately need housing.' Charlotte Hall reports Keep up to date with all the big stories from across Greater Manchester in the daily Mancunian Way newsletter. You can receive the newsletter direct to your inbox every weekday by signing up right here. Friday: Partly cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning, 5C. Trains: Buses run instead of trains on Northern between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, and between Manchester Oxford Road and Wilmslow on Sunday due to engineering works. Airport pleas: Two brothers have denied assault charges after an alleged altercation with police at Manchester Airport. Muhammad Amaad, 25, and his younger sibling Mohammed Amaaz, 20, both of Rochdale, entered not guilty pleas to the charges they face. The pair were charged after video footage emerged of an alleged incident involving police officers and members of the public in July last year. Read more Precinct mayhem: Around 20 youths in balaclavas caused a night of chaos on Salford Precinct, with people and property targeted. Police have watched 'extensive' CCTV footage from the scene and now believe several criminal offences took place. More here Speeding: Nearly half of all UK police forces caught drivers exceeding 90mph on 30mph roads, new figures have revealed. In Greater Manchester, one motorist was clocked in a 30mph zone travelling at a staggering 112mph, according to a study carried out by the RAC. And that speed wasn't even the highest recorded, as a driver in the south Yorkshire area was caught at 122mph. Paul Britton reports Ruth McDonald had spent her whole life believing she was just a bit awkward. The 43-year-old, from Atherton, always needed a set routine, became anxious whenever she met new people and felt very drained after work. But her social struggles were always dismissed by doctors as OCD or anxiety. That was until colleagues joked she may be on the autism spectrum – leading to a diagnosis that would change her life forever.
