News

Embark on a magical Christmas adventure this festive season at Gulliver’s Valley Resort

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 24th September 2026

Get ready for an array of Christmas celebrations for all the family at Gulliver's Valley Theme Park Resort Rotherham.

The most wonderful time of the year is on its way, and if you're looking to really get in the spirit with the whole family then we've got just the thing for you.

Starting from Saturday 14 November, guests can embark on a magical trip through the winter wonderland to visit Santa where all children will receive a free present as well enjoy plenty of festive activities.

These include the one and only Santa's enchanted elevator, an enchanted virtual flight straight to the North Pole taking guests through snowy skies before landing right at Santa's Grotto.

Image: Supplied

Not only that, but families can also visit the beautiful Land of Lights which will be returning to Gulliver's Valley from Sunday 8 November.

Featuring a one-mile route, the Land of Lights includes beautiful illuminated trails and magnificent lantern displays for the whole family to 'oooh' and 'aaah' at.

Gulliver's Valley in Rotherham will be offering a variety of Christmas packages, so you can get the best experience for you.

Image: Supplied

Phil Bracegirdle, resort manager at Gulliver’s Valley, said: “We’re not sure where this year has gone to, it has zipped by so quickly - and we’re now all set for Christmas, the most magical time of the year! All our family favourite packages are there to guarantee a wonderful festive time for everyone. We are thrilled to have the Land of Lights back at the park for the second year running - it was so popular with families, who were dazzled by the incredible displays.

“You can buy standalone tickets for Land of Lights or our Twinkle package includes Christmas activities alongside a visit to the dazzling lantern festival.”

Image: Supplied

The peak-time packages start at just £27 per person with the ‘Smasher’, which includes selected outdoor Christmas rides and attractions, indoor attractions, a visit to the Dragon’s Lair, and the chance to explore Santa’s house and meet him in his grotto, where children can choose a gift from the Elf Workshop.

Guests can enjoy a ‘Festive Breakfast’ package for £33 per person, which includes everything featured in the ‘Smasher’, along with the chance to see Gully’s Christmas Show, alongside a breakfast to keep you fuelled for the day.

Image: Supplied

The ‘Cracker’ package, at £34 per person, features everything in the ‘Festive Breakfast’ but comes with dinner rather than breakfast and the ‘Twinkle’ package, at £39 per person, includes entry to the magical Land of Lights Lantern Festival.

And it doesn't stop there, there are also two off-peak packages – ‘Tinsel Tots’ at £15 per person and ‘Dancer’ at £19 per person.

All packages include a trip on Santa’s Enchanted Elevator.

Image: Supplied

Seen as though it is Christmas, why not add an overnight stay to your trip in the fantastic range of accommodation on offer, which includes Western and Woodland Lodges, Princess and JCB Suites, and Dinosaur and Unicorn-themed Lodges.

The best part? The park’s is offering a special Christmas 2026 sale of 25% discount on the Smasher, Cracker and Festive Breakfast packages for day visits on 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 28th 29th November and 21st December.

To find out more about these deals and to book your tickets, visit Gulliver's Valley Resort's website here.

Read more: The Leeds Cinema Crawl is back with music-themed films across three different independent venues

Featured images - Supplied

News

End of an era as historic Leeds pub announces shock closure with ‘heavy heart’

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

One of Leeds' longest-running pub will be closing.

The Cross Keys in Holbeck is a lovely little boozer.

And it's got a fair bit of history too. Dating back to the early 1800s, the pub has stood on Water Lane for more than two centuries, with its story closely tied to Holbeck's industrial past.

Back when the area was one of Leeds' major manufacturing hubs, the Cross Keys was a local drinking spot for workers from the surrounding foundries and engineering works.

The pub itself fell into disrepair and was abandoned in 1980s, before being brought back to life during a major restoration in the 2000s.

But now, The Cross Keys is closing once again.

Images: The Cross Keys

Announcing the sad news to Instagram, the pub said: "It's with a heavy heart that we share the Cross Key's will be closing its doors on the 3rd of October.

"The whole team thank you for your support during our time in business."

In classic Leeds fashion, the comments were flooded with support from fans of the pub alongside fellow local businesses.

One comment reads: "Absolutely gutted about this. I held my fiance (now husband’s) 30th at The Cross Keys and it was excellent and the team were so helpful and hospitable. So sad to hear this."

Whilst another said: "Gutted, the home of some great memories and significant pints in my life."

So, if you've had a significant pint in The Cross Keys and wish to bid it a proper farewell, you've got until Saturday 3 October to do so.

Read more:

Featured image - The Cross Keys

News

We’re In Love (Actually) at Lawrence Batley Theatre – romance is actually around each and every one of us | Review

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly

Love is so much more than a rental Rom-Com movie.

Before heading off to Goole, we managed to catch We're In Love (Actually) stop off at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield on Thursday 24 September, giving audiences the chance to experience the latest work from Dark Horse as a northern-based theatre group. 

If you don’t know much about Dark Horse Theatre Company, then I guess it’s time to find out.

The company shines a light on brilliant creatives with learning disabilities, challenging perceptions while giving its actors the opportunity to showcase exactly what they can do. Dark Horse premieres original work created by an ensemble of nine actors and theatre makers, while also providing vocational training to help actors with learning disabilities develop their skills and prepare for the industry.

Image: Supplied

And what better way to showcase that creativity than with a hilarious, heartwarming and wonderfully nostalgic love letter to the rom-com?

Set inside a video store on its opening day, We’re In Love (Actually) sees the staff quickly realise that their customers only seem to want one thing: romance films. The problem? There aren't any.

So, naturally, they decide to make their own.

From the moment the lights go up, the production transports us back to the nostalgia of video stores, where choosing a film was once an event in itself. The set creates that familiar Blockbuster feeling, with a huge screen hanging above the stage that helps transform the video store into a live film set.

And this small-scale production has a surprisingly huge creative pull. The staff begin piecing together their own romance film, taking inspiration from Titanic and Romeo and Juliet to Notting Hill, Love Actually and Pride and Prejudice.

Image: Supplied

The multimedia is one of the production's biggest strengths. Mark Craven live films many of the romance scenes on stage, with the action projected onto the screen above in real time.

It’s such a simple technique, but it makes the production feel so much bigger than its scale. Watching the actors create these cinematic moments while simultaneously seeing them appear on screen gives the show a real theatrical edge. There’s even a touch of Katie Mitchell in the way live performance and filmmaking are brought together, and honestly, it feels like the sort of inventive technique that wouldn’t look out of place on the National Theatre stage.

But we aren't just watching it happen - we're part of it.

From singing along to Céline Dion to playing a game of finding a movie star from the audience, the production constantly breaks the fourth wall and brings everyone into the story.

Image: Supplied

And this only adds another layer of comedy.

The cast have a brilliant sense of comic timing, with the character dynamics creating plenty of laughs throughout. Juliet, played by Rebekah Hill, is a particular standout, leading the ensemble with plenty of personality and leading lady talent. One of the highlights for me was her singing, getting the audience involved to then suddenly declare, “Just me, now”, is something that had me belly laughing.

One of my favourite moments is actually one of the simplest. The cast begin naming off romance films, only for Eve, played by Meghan Denton, to shoot them all down because apparently nobody wants to watch romance films.

And it got me thinking: are these sorts of films becoming dated? Do they give us false representations of what love actually is? We see a love story within this production between Rebekah Hill's character Juliet and Joe Sproulle’s Leo, and honestly I ship every moment.

But the question sits underneath the comedy throughout the production around the idea of love.

Then comes the second act, which kicks off with a full The Full Monty number - and what a way to start.

The production continues its journey through Notting Hill, Love Actually and Pride and Prejudice, before giving us the obligatory love triangle, because what would a rom-com be without one?

Image: Supplied

Rob, played by Mark Craven, gets his own Love Actually-inspired moment with the iconic handwritten signs for Juliet, and it’s exactly the kind of cheesy romantic moment you want from a production like this.

But underneath all the jokes, film references and romance anthems, there’s a much bigger message.

Towards the end, Eve begins to question the idea of love we so often see portrayed on screen. Because, actually, those perfect cinematic romances aren't always what love looks like in real life.

Love can come in all different forms. It can be romantic, but it can also be platonic. It can be found in family, friendship, community and in the people around us.

Romance is actually around each and every one of us - and that feels like the perfect message for this production.

But with Dark Horse behind it, there’s another layer that makes the whole thing feel even more important. It gives a group of actors who you might not always see taking centre stage the opportunity to lead a production, showcase their talents and, quite simply, have a bloody good time doing it.

And you know what? It’s pure joy.

Every actor who graces that stage deserves their flowers, and this production genuinely left me wanting more.

I think this is a production everyone needs to see. It shines such a bright light on the incredible talent on that stage, and it’s exactly the sort of work regional theatres such as Leeds Playhouse should be looking at when programming their seasons.

Representation, and more importantly visible representation, is beyond important. Seeing actors with learning disabilities leading a production, making an audience laugh and completely owning the stage shouldn’t feel like a rarity, it should be something we see far more often.

We’re In Love (Actually) doesn’t just give these actors a platform; it gives them the space to completely own it.

Showing at Goole Junction on 30 September - 1 October, tickets are available here.

Read more: The Leeds Cinema Crawl is back with music-themed films across three different independent venues

Featured image - Supplied

More News

News

Andy Burnham says he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands

Food & Drink

Brand-new ‘party pub’ to take over the old Revolution site on Call Lane after £600,000 investment

Leeds

Leeds has been crowned one of the most ‘stressful’ locations in the UK to drive in