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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Brilliant theme park 90-minutes from Liverpool and Manchester that kids won't want to leave
This theme park in North Wales is set against the stunning backdrop of the Snowdonia mountains and home to a large variety of unique rides and nature-focused experiences This theme park with enough attractions to captivate both younger and older children is every parent's summer wish come true. It is even more enticing with it comes with a picturesque setting that offers a touch of escapism for grown-ups as well. There's absolutely no question that GreenWood theme park in North Wales boasts an idyllic location - proudly eco-friendly and nestled against the breathtaking Snowdonia mountain range. Should you be planning a family break in North Wales this year, or simply fancy a relatively straightforward day trip from Manchester, this park ranks among the finest attractions around. It comes after sunbed wars see Brits forced to queue for 'over an hour' just to get to the pool. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes by car from Manchester, but it follows one of the most uncomplicated routes possible (via the A55 beyond Llandudno and A5 through Bangor). The stress-free journey also provides magnificent coastal vistas along North Wales. As one Manchester Evening News writer discovered, travelling with two children aged 9 and 5, the theme park provides a thoroughly packed day out with an abundance of activities - plus a genuine diversity of rides that sets it apart from typical theme parks. Consider, for instance, its Green Dragon rollercoaster - marketed as the "world's first people-powered rollercoaster". It's apparently the only theme park attraction of its type in the world- but don't fret, it doesn't require everyone to run Flintstones -style to power the ride. The attraction utilises funicular technology, first introduced in Welsh slate mines two centuries ago. All passengers clamber into a carriage which descends a hill, powering the rollercoaster up the incline. There are plenty of very unique features to encounter at this family attraction. Another is the Barefoot Trail - where you kick off your shoes and stroll through the woodland, allowing your feet to feel an invigorating variety of surfaces from water to straw and stones. There is stilt walking for beginners, archery, and during the first week of the school summer holidays, there are virtually no queues for any of the 20+ rides across the site. The only unavoidable wait will likely be for one of the park's more spectacular highlights - the colossal Solar Splash water ride. Another world-first, this ride is powered by solar energy, and allows both kids and adults to zoom down two massive central chutes, or a spiral chute next to them, before making a splash landing at the end. All the wild woodland play features scattered across the site, add an extra dose of intrigue. The park is nestled against a hillside so be prepared for some gentle inclines as you explore the grounds. The on-site Woodbarn restaurant boasts a large soft play barn inside, ensuring your little ones are kept amused while you order food and wait for it to be served at your table. The attraction has recently introduced alpaca walks that you can book as an extra (for £20), where children aged over 4 accompanied by their parents can meet and feed the three resident alpacas on the site. You can then embark on a guided walk with these furry creatures around their enclosure. Treetop Towers, filled with slides and climbing adventures, are situated across the park, and you can walk up to the top of the site to take in the view from the Snowdonia View Point. Entry is £25 per person for anyone over 1m, while those under 1m pay £10. A family ticket saver option is also available, costing £95 for a family of four (saving you a bit at £23.75 each). GreenWood is offering a 'Pay Once, Visit Twice' deal for the summer holidays. If you visit between 19th July and 24th August, you can return within seven days at no extra cost. Dogs are also allowed in for free, provided they're well-behaved and kept on leads.
North Wales Chronicle
19-07-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
GreenWood Family Park welcomes new manager Chris Jones
Chris Jones has taken up the role at the eco theme-park, which is situated near Bangor. Mr Jones, who speaks Welsh and who grew up locally, said: "There's a really valuable family feel here. "The locals love it and are proud of what they have on their doorstep, and rightly so. "It's a privilege to be part of something that means so much to so many." Mr Jones, who was formerly a commercial manager at Snowdon Light Railway, has a personal connection to GreenWood. His daughters, Awel, aged eight, and Enia, aged four, "are regulars" at the park, and he recalls visits with his nieces in the past. Mr Jones said of his daughters: "They basically live here now I work here. "My youngest thinks she owns the animals – she's especially fond of the guinea pigs and rabbits. "We were here nearly every day over Easter too – it's the best place to tire out two energetic kids." GreenWood reported a 179 per cent year-on-year increase in guest numbers during the Easter school holiday, which was the first school holiday under Mr Jones' management. The park attracts more than 150,000 visitors annually and features a range of eco-friendly attractions, including the Green Dragon, billed as "the world's only people-powered rollercoaster"; and Solar Splash, billed as "the UK's first solar-powered water ride." Families can also navigate the Barefoot Trail, ride the Forest Glider, explore Tree Top Towers, and more. Mr Jones said: "There's so much potential here. "I feel responsible for taking the park forward – not just because it's my job, but because it's part of where I'm from. "The Welsh language and our sense of place also really matter in this part of the world. "We want visitors, whether they're from around the corner or across the country, to feel that." Mr Jones' management has so far seen the launch of alpaca walks, which enable guests to pet and feed the animals as well as stroll alongside them. His plans include further engagement with special educational needs (SEN) schools. READ MORE: Bangor: Four-month roadworks by Ysbyty Gwynedd set to start GreenWood will host its first Festival of Fun from July 19 to August 31. Guests visiting during the summer school holiday can take advantage of a pay-once, visit-twice offer. More information about the Festival of Fun is available at
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
In the heart of tourist Boston, what is authentic?
But a plaque by its doorway cops to the real story: The original Green Dragon was located 'near this spot.' The current iteration opened in 1993. What's authentic and what is a marketing ploy? In the heart of the Hub, that line can be as blurry as a frosted beer mug. Take the warren of streets just across North Street from Faneuil Hall, where the Green Dragon and Bell in Hand are located. It's probably what most tourists think of when they think of revolutionary Boston, despite many of the buildings having been constructed decades after that war. There are cobblestone streets, brick buildings separated by tight lanes, and a blur of historic claims on various facades. Advertisement While the Bell in Hand's sign says it dates back to 1795, the building that now houses the establishment wasn't built until around 1844, according to state records. Adam Kessler, manager for the current bar, says it moved into its current home sometime in the 20th century. He's unclear on the exact year but thinks it may have been in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Advertisement Christine Sismondo, who wrote 'America Walks into a Bar: A Spirited History of Taverns and Saloons, Speakeasies and Grog Shops,' is skeptical of the bar's revolutionary-era claims. 'Most of the stuff around that area that is a drinking space does not go back as far as they say they do,' she said. There's often ambiguity in historical proclamations, she said, as interior spaces are often gutted and revamped over the decades and centuries, leaving little that is original. But even with a generous reading of history, the current iteration of the Bell in Hand 'really does fail' the smell test, she said. Any place claiming to have a bar — as in the physical rail where people order drinks — older than the actual establishment, as the Bell in Hand does, raises a red flag for her, she said. Additionally, Prohibition in the 20th century, she said, casts serious doubt on the establishment's claims of 'oldest continuously operating tavern.' 'Really, almost no one in America can make that claim,' she said. Kessler, though, defended the restaurant's lineage, saying during Prohibition, the Bell in Hand still operated but didn't serve booze. He said there is, in fact, an antique bar in the Bell in Hand. (One plaque says the bar top pre-dates 1844.) The bar still has a masthead carving from its early days centuries ago, he said. Another masthead carving from the bar was given to the Old State House, he said. 'We've had several different councils and historical societies been through the place and they've given us the same accreditation,' he said. Advertisement To be sure, the story the Bell in Hand presents is a good one. It claims that it was opened by Boston's last known town crier, Jimmy Wilson, who would ring his bell while sharing the news of the day in a booming voice and sharp wit. Edwin S. Grosvenor, president and editor-in-chief of the National Historical Society, has had a beer in both the Bell in Hand and Green Dragon. He points out that two books focusing on taverns in the early 20th century, one published in 1917, the other in 1926, both stated that no original taverns were left in Boston. (Kessler says the fact that the Bell in Hand moved explains that discrepancy.) Still, Grosvenor is magnanimous in his assessment. 'I love these taverns even if their claims sound a little silly or far-fetched to a historian,' he said. 'The events of the 1770s were so consequential that anything that helps the public recall them is to be welcomed. I put them in a category similar to battle reenactments.' Using history as a draw for commerce is not new. Whitney Martinko, a history professor at Villanova University, recently said that 'people who kept shops and taverns as early as the 1820s and 1830s definitely tried to highlight the history of their buildings to attract attention from customers and respect from the public.' Such associations, said Martinko, who has written a book on historic real estate, were sometimes legitimate. 'Often times these were shopkeepers or tavernkeepers who were in buildings that would have been perceived simply as dark, cramped, and old-fashioned — even lower class — at a time when cities were modernizing and when consumers in places like Boston and Philadelphia saw new styles of stores and hotels as most respectable," she said. Advertisement In Boston, Dan Keating, a Charlestown native and retired attorney who now guides walking tours for Boston By Foot, explained how Faneuil Hall, once known as 'the cradle of liberty,' has evolved over the years. Where there were once livestock and produce for sale, there are now shirts proclaiming you are 'Wicked Smaht' and rows of stuffed animal lobsters with 'Boston' emblazoned on their claws. Additionally, it's now more than double the size it was when first built in the 1740s. Back then, the structure also would've been hard on the water, a jumble of wharves at its rear, he said. Things change, is his point, even in the most historic of places. And when places are restored to their past glory, choices are often made to ignore or gloss over parts of the history of the place, he said. On a recent sweltering day, multiple groups of people stopped to take a photo of the facade of the Green Dragon Tavern, which shares its name with a place that was genuinely important as a meeting place for revolutionaries in the 18th century, according to multiple historians. But the building itself was constructed around 1850, A sign by its doorway admits as much, and different historians say the original Green Dragon was located at the present-day Boston Public Market or the edge of City Hall Plaza. Attempts to reach the bar's ownership for comment were not successful. Advertisement 'All these places now, they're using history to sell things,' said Peter Drummey, chief historian for the Massachusetts Historical Society, while walking around near the bar recently. 'It's not like it's all invented, there's a thread and sometimes those threads are probably stronger.' Drummey said there are many instances where there are facts that are sometimes related to but separate from the legend attached to a place. The legend, he said, 'isn't made up, necessarily, but it blends facts into a story people can understand.' 'There's no history police to go around and say, 'This is right and this is wrong,'' he said. 'And God help the person in the middle of some of these things.' To be sure, there is much legitimate history in the vicinity, with city archaeologist Joseph M. Bagley's book, 'Boston's Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them,' acting as a guide. The Union Oyster House, which, unlike its tavern neighbors, has achieved national landmark status, is no. 9 on Bagley's list, with the building dating back to 1716. It is steeped in history, including being the oldest operating restaurant and oyster bar in the nation, according to its national historic landmark designation. But even its operation has changed over the decades. It once sat 240 people, it now sits 560, said the restaurant's current chief executive, Joseph Milano. It has expanded into adjacent buildings, he said. Historians point out how the brickwork is different on various parts of its exterior, which reflects different time periods. For Milano's part, he views his role as a steward or caretaker for the property. Advertisement 'The busiest seasons,' he said recently, 'are when people are hungry for history.' Danny McDonald can be reached at
Western Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Milford Haven hotel recognised as one of the best in Wales
Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront, part of The Celtic Collection, has achieved Level 4 of the UKAS-accredited Green Dragon Environmental Standard, making it one of the first hotels in Wales to do so. The Green Dragon accreditation, owned and accredited by Groundwork Wales, recognises businesses for their commitment to environmental management and sustainable practices. Katy Stevenson, chief executive of Groundwork Wales, said: "We are delighted to have worked with the Celtic Collection and ICC Wales for a number of years, accrediting their venues through the Green Dragon Environmental Standard and now uplifting to Level 4. "This demonstrates consistent improvement and progress across a large and complex business." The award-winning hotel, which was named Hotel of the Year at the South West Wales Tourism Awards in 2024, is one of seven Celtic Collection properties to receive the Level 4 accreditation. The Celtic Collection includes the flagship Celtic Manor Resort in Newport and has more than 30 years of sustainable business practice. The group has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. Fitzroy Hutchinson, energy and environment manager at The Celtic Collection, said: "We are committed to making sustainability part of our everyday. "Having held the Green Dragon Environmental Standard at Level 3 at the Celtic Manor Resort for 20 years, we are delighted that our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and our environmental impact have resulted in us achieving Level 4 across The Celtic Collection and ICC Wales. "We have made significant investment in our facilities to minimise our energy and water consumption, reduce our waste and raise our recycling levels but perhaps the most pleasing aspect of Level 4 recognition is that it reflects the enthusiastic participation of our team. "More than 1,300 people have been trained to recognise and enhance our sustainability practices and we have proactive working groups in all properties and across every department. "This engagement has been instrumental in reaching the Level 4 standard." All Celtic Collection properties source 100 per cent of their electricity from REGO-backed renewable supplies, send zero waste to landfill, and recycle food waste into renewable energy. Waste oil is also converted into biodiesel. In 2024, the group opened Tŷ Hotel Newport, Wales' first all-electric large hotel. At Celtic Manor Resort, sustainability efforts include planting 5,000 trees, installing 120 bird boxes, and introducing four beehives housing 150,000 honeybees. ICC Wales, also part of the collection, champions sustainability through eliminating single-use plastics, using locally sourced produce, and maintaining Green Meetings Certified status.
CBS News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Here's how the Revolutionary War started in Massachusetts 250 years ago
This Saturday, April 19, marks 250 years since the start of the Revolutionary War in Massachusetts. It began with the "Shot heard 'round the world" on April 19, 1775 in Lexington and it marked the end of a decade of simmering tension between the colonies and Britain. You could say it started in 1763 over a cup of coffee. Following the French and Indian War, the English monarchy was heavily in debt. King George III imposed the Sugar Act, which taxed foreign imports of sugar and molasses. It also levied taxes on other items, like coffee. This riled colonists but the king wasn't done. In 1765 came the Stamp Act. This was a tax on any printed material in the form of a stamp. Newspapers, pamphlets even playing cards all had to have the stamp, and that cost money. By this time, the colonists had had enough. They started organizing in places like the Green Dragon Tavern in downtown Boston. "Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere. They all met in the Green Dragon, and they had a secret society, the Sons of Liberty," explains Noelle Somers, whose family now owns the cozy pub. The original location was on Union Street, but the current Dragon on Marshall Street is a page from another century. It was in places like this where the idea of revolution took shape. It was also convenient for gathering intelligence on British troops. "The bar was an English bar, a British bar and the redcoats would come and enjoy a pint and discuss what was coming," said Somers. It was after this that the rallying cry "No taxation of representation" was adopted. Resistance was so strong, the king repealed the Stamp Act a year later. To reassert sovereignty, George III legislated the Declaratory Act in 1766, which affirmed England's absolute right to rule over the colonies and tax them as it wished. The Townshend Act followed, which was a series of taxes on all manner of items. It was meant to raise more revenue for England but also raised tensions. On March 5, 1770, emotions bubbled over. Boston locals and English troops got into a confrontation, leading to the Boston Massacre. "It's chaos. With the firing, the crowd calms down of course. There are three people dead in the street, a couple others mortally wounded," explained Dr. Robert Allison of Suffolk University, an expert on the Revolutionary War. Five people were killed, six were wounded. The greatest impact, however, was how colonials used it as propaganda and a rallying cry against British rule. "Samuel Adams always said, 'Putting your enemy in the wrong and keeping him in the wrong is a good lesson,'" said Allison. The massacre was largely an organic event. Three years later, another watershed moment took place after weeks of planning. "We look at it as the single most important event leading up to the American Revolution," said Evan O'Brien, the creative services director of the Tea Party Ships & Museum in Boston. Between 100 and 150 people took part in what was the worst kept secret in town. More than 1,000 came to watch. "A combination of regular townsfolk, the Sons of Liberty, people from of all different backgrounds and classes all came down, right to this location on Griffin's Wharf," said O'Brien. Just like that, 92,000 pounds of tea went overboard and the Boston Tea Party became legend. King George III was livid. In the spring of 1774, he passed the Intolerable Acts. It closed down Boston Harbor and limited self-governance in Massachusetts. The colonists responded. In the fall of that year, the Continental Congress was formed. They outlined their grievances, organized resistance and prepared for the inevitability of conflict.
