Latest news with #PB
Metro
2 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Major UK seaside theme park slammed for ‘disgraceful' £25 non-rider fee
A new admission fee at Blackpool Pleasure Beach has sparked strong reaction online — with some on social media calling it 'daylight robbery'. The seaside theme park, which welcomes around 5 million visitors each year, was previously free to enter, but a Non Rider eTicket has been launched, offering basic park access for a flat price of £25. This is separate to standard adult admission, with unlimited rides and entertainment, for £30 when booked in advance or £50 on the day. Up until 2009, the resort allowed guests to walk around for free, charging between £2 and around £10 per ride (although unlimited wristbands were available at certain points). For £25 (both when booked in advance or on the day) this ticket includes: Entry to the park (without rides) £5 in Pleasure Beach Pounds to redeem towards food Discounted show tickets Nickelodeon and PB character meet and greets Unlimited transport around the park via the PB Express Access to the Chinese Puzzle Maze, Bella's Learning Garden and Spectacular Dancing Fountain Water Show Access to entertainment such as Summer of Slime, PAW Patrol Month, Summertime Games, live DJ, and fireworks. Anyone visiting the park between July 10 and September 13 will also get a free matinee performance of the spectacular Hot Ice Show included in their ticket. It later introduced £5 and £10 non-rider passes, but these were axed in 2019, allowing guests to enter Blackpool Pleasure Beach for free once more. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. The new Non Rider eTicket was designed to offer guests greater 'flexibility when planning their day out.' It also includes £5 worth of 'Pleasure Beach Pounds' to put towards food, discounted show tickets and attractions like the Chinese Puzzle Maze. But some don't feel it offers value for money. On the Pleasure Beach Resort's Facebook, Peter Burrows wrote: 'Having to pay a massive £25 to spend more money is beyond belief. Charging non riders is greed, nothing less.' '£25 is way over the top,' added Jennifer Samuel, while Lindsay Davies called the change an 'absolute joke.' Many on the Welcome to Blackpool page were similarly outraged, with commenters describing the non-rider fee as 'ridiculous', 'disgraceful' or a 'rip off'. 'Absolutely disgusting that you have to pay just to walk round,' added Julie Pearce. 'It's daylight robbery.' This is what you can expect to pay for a day out at each of the UK's main theme parks. Adult day ticket : From £30 when booked in advance or £50 on the day : From £30 when booked in advance or £50 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids aged 11 and under): From £30 when booked in advance or £45 on the day From £30 when booked in advance or £45 on the day Non-rider day ticket: £25 Standard day ticket : From £29 when booked in advance or £68 on the day : From £29 when booked in advance or £68 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids under 90cm): Free with an adult ticket Free with an adult ticket Non-rider day ticket: Not available Standard day ticket : From £29 when booked in advance or £66 on the day : From £29 when booked in advance or £66 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids under 120cm): Free with an adult ticket Free with an adult ticket Non-rider day ticket: Not available Standard day ticket : From £29 when booked in advance or £66 on the day : From £29 when booked in advance or £66 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids under 90cm): Free with an adult ticket Free with an adult ticket Non-rider day ticket: Not available Standard day ticket : From £27.50 when booked in advance or £45 on the day : From £27.50 when booked in advance or £45 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids aged 2-3 years): From £15 From £15 Infant ticket (0-23 months): Free Free Non-rider day ticket: Not available Standard main season day ticket : £46 when booked at least a week in advance, or £58 when booked less than two days before your visit. : £46 when booked at least a week in advance, or £58 when booked less than two days before your visit. Standard low season day ticket: £30 when booked at least a week in advance, or £38.50 when booked less than two days before your visit. £30 when booked at least a week in advance, or £38.50 when booked less than two days before your visit. Junior day ticket (for kids aged 3 and under): Free Free Non-rider day ticket: Not available Adult day ticket : £45 when booked in advance or £45 on the day : £45 when booked in advance or £45 on the day Junior day ticket (for kids under 100cm): Free Free Non-rider day ticket: Free There were others who felt differently though, including Jason Bowler who wrote: 'I think it's a good day out for the price… I don't want loads of people walking around for free causing queues for food and drink and taking up space. I don't know any other theme parks that let you in for free.' More Trending In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for Pleasure Beach Resort tells Metro: 'The cost of operating a clean, tidy and safe environment has increased significantly over the years. We really value guest feedback and introduced the Non Rider eTicket in response to this, in a way that is viable for us in 2025. We're really pleased to be the only major UK park offering non-riders a lower priced ticket.' It comes just months after the theme park announced it would be closing a number of attractions for the 2025 season: Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers, and Red Arrows Skyforce. The company also began offering afternoon tickets to try and encourage more people through the doors, alongside unveiling plans for the £8.72million Project MMXXVI ride, set to open in 2026. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Leamington Spa's fly invasion is so bad they're 'crawling over babies in cots' MORE: 'Underrated' UK seaside town gets direct train to London for first time in 30 years MORE: Disposable vapes officially banned in the UK from today
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Prosperity Bancshares (PB) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus. Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases. Prosperity Bancshares (PB) is headquartered in Houston, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of -7.38% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.58 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.32%. In comparison, the Banks - Southwest industry's yield is 1.22%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.6%. Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $2.32 is up 2.7% from last year. In the past five-year period, Prosperity Bancshares has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 4.82%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Prosperity Bancshares's current payout ratio is 44%. This means it paid out 44% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend. PB is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $5.75 per share, with earnings expected to increase 12.52% from the year ago period. Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout. Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, PB is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (PB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Category wins all the rage for Drogheda & District athletes at Enfield 5k
Conditions on the night were favourable, with little or no wind, and the quality field of runners were chomping at the bit as the Starter called the athletes to the line. This race always attracts the middle ground of Irish distance running, the quality club athletes, and this year was no exception, with the race being won in an impressive 14:25 by Kevin Kelly from St. Coca's AC. First home in the red vest for Drogheda & District was the flying firefighter Paul Smith who finished well up the field when taking the runner-up spot in his M45 category in an eye opening 15:37. Next in and close behind was Colin Leonard in a lively 15:53, followed by Colin Dyas who perhaps had the run of the night with his 32-second PB time of 15:58. Dyas is one to watch out for over the coming season and his upper body strength from his previous sporting career as a boxer showed in spades on the run-in to the finish. Close behind were Brian Martin in 16:00, followed by Stephen Kelly in 16:34, while Rodney Thornton ran well to cross the line in 17:09. Also running well were Colm Reilly 17:22), John Reilly (17:48) and Derek Hackett (18:41). The M70 category saw Giancarlo Orlandi take the win in 23:30, while arch rival Conor Cooney finished runner-up in 25:20. Amongst the Drogheda & District ladies, first home was Mary Leech (inset) who's coming into good form and her run of 18:55 saw her win her W50 category. Leech's training partner Yasmin Canning finished fourth in the same category in a solid 20:10. Meanwhile, one of the club's newest members - Kathryn Meade - gave a glimpse of her emerging talent when running the course in 19:32 and she's a real find for Drogheda & District AC. Orange Group coach Andrea McArdle is reaping the rewards for her dedication in training after she recorded a new PB time of 21:11, and the sub-21 time is on the cards by the end of the season. The ever present Nuala Reilly, Ireland's answer to the Duracell Bunny, showed her opponents a clean pair of heels when winning her M65 category in 24:07, while daughter Olivia ran the course in 24:14. Others who ran included Fiona Murphy (24:04) and Carmel Keenan. Just 24 hours later it turned out to be a fantastic evening for Drogheda & District AC at the Louth Relays, held in beautiful sunshine and perfect conditions for racing at the Lourdes Stadium. The club entered a remarkable 14 teams across various age groups and delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home an even more remarkable six gold medals! The club's U11 and U12 girls teams are heading to the Leinster Relays this coming weekend.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Sachin Yadav now wants to conquer the world
There will be 60 Indians in action over five days at the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships in Korea, but while many are established names on the track and field circuit, there will also be those looking to prove themselves. Sachin Yadav, for one, is keen to make a winning start to his international career. The tall, powerfully built 25-year-old, the second-best in the country behind Neeraj Chopra since 2024, will be spearheading India's challenge in javelin throw in his maiden outing for the country. With a personal best of 84.39m this year, Sachin's main target is to qualify for the World Championships (85.50m). 'I will try to do that first, then we will see whatever distance I can manage. But my competition is always only with myself, I never target a specific distance in competition, only try to keep getting better,' he said during an interaction here on Thursday. The Indian squad will be leaving for Gumi in two batches from New Delhi and Trivandrum. Often compared to Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem — who reportedly is targeting the 100m mark at the AAC — for the similarity in their physique, Sachin will be up against the Paris Olympics champion but insisted he wasn't thinking about it. 'He is an Olympic champion and a record holder, so obviously it is great motivation. But comparisons don't affect me, they only push me to do better — stronger the opponent, bigger the challenge. I never feel overwhelmed or scared by names,' he declared. Several Indians have breached 80m since Neeraj, but the consistency has been missing, along with dope taints on some big names. But Sachin is unfazed, saying that simply being strongly built doesn't make one a champion. Sachin Yadav of UP with a big PB of 84.39m to win mens javelin throw gold at the National Games. The 25 year olds previous best was 84.21 last year. — jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) February 12, 2025 'Technique is the most important thing in javelin. You have to maintain overall strength, posture, explosive power because even the smallest of variation — in your arm, leg, body, head position — can mean a difference of 3-4m. 'The only way to ensure consistency is to work hard, maintain focus and trust your body and mind. It's when you try to do something drastically different for strength or stamina that problems and injuries start,' he shrugged. VIDEO | Here's what India's rising javelin star Sachin Yadav said on being asked about the preparations for upcoming Asian Athletics Championship in South Korea starting from May 27: "I'm not nervous. I am playing my first international competition for India, and I feel proud.… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 22, 2025 While most Indian sportspersons start early but fade away after landing a job, Sachin's journey began in earnest after he joined UP Police, thanks to his neighbour Sandeep Yadav, who introduced him to javelin. That also explains him never competing in any age group event at the national level. 'Honestly, I never thought of reaching this level. I was doing 73-74m but once I got the job (in 2023), I stopped training for two months, I was satisfied with what I had. But Sandeep bhai told me to get back to training and even sent me to train with guru ji (Naval Singh) in Delhi, which changed everything. Even then I was only thinking of 80-82m but now the world is the target,' he insisted.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UPI, credit cards grab top spots for insurance premium payments: Policybazaar data
According to PB Fintech-run Policybazaar, in the last one year, health, term, and motor insurance products have witnessed the highest adoption of UPI payments. Meanwhile, credit cards have emerged as the most popular payment method for term insurance products and insurance-cum-savings products, where the ticket size might be on the higher side. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and credit cards have emerged as the two most popular payment modes used by consumers while paying for their insurance premiums, according to data analysed by insurance marketplace Policybazaar PB Fintech-run Policybazaar said health, term and motor insurance products have seen the highest adoption of UPI payments in the last one year. Motor insurance purchases already had more than 50% of payments going via UPI. For health insurance, the share of UPI payments stood at 25%.Policybazaar is the largest insurance marketplace in India. The Gurugram-based company processed Rs 23,486 crore in insurance premiums in FY2025. The publicly listed firm currently has a market capitalisation of Rs 79,274 crore. It closed FY25 with a total revenue of Rs 4,977 crore and a net profit of Rs 353 cards have emerged as the most popular payment method for term insurance products and insurance-cum-savings products, where the ticket size might be on the higher side.'This suggests a behavioural shift that customers are actively choosing credit cards to tap into rewards and financial flexibility. While UPI grows here too, the dramatic rise in credit cards signals a calculated, desktop-driven purchase behaviour,' said Harsh Vardhan Masta, head of payments at all the payment modes, debit cards have shown a 17% decline in usage year-on-year (YoY) for all kinds of insurance purchases. The trend shows that consumers mostly try to use their credit cards for large purchases, or if they are paying from their bank accounts, prefer UPI over debit the usage of net banking has continued to grow, even when cards and mobile payments have taken off. Overall usage of netbanking for these payments has doubled in the last one year, data debit cards might have lost favour in India, for Indians settled outside the country, cards continue to be the most popular payment mode. According to FY25 data, credit cards had a 57% share of the payments and debit cards, 42%.
