In a world where there seems to be no end of plastic bunkbeds and shiny hotel rooms, it's fantastic to see that there's still plenty of unique staycations out there that are restoring parts of Yorkshire's heritage for new visitors to explore.
The Old Ticket Station is the perfect example.
Over in Allerston, where the local train station and railway track to Scarborough once stood is now home to short term rentals both inside the old ticket office and have even relayed tracks to place 1930s-style carriages.
Image: Host Unusual
Listed on Host Unusual, those looking for a proper first-class retreat will find that this rare opportunity to sleep inside a part of the Yorkshire town's heritage a true step back in time (in the best way possible).
Original features in the ticket office space have been painstakingly preserved whilst the cosy lounge and dining area still has the original fireplace from its humble beginnings the 1800s and 1900s.
The vintage details span across the walls with vintage posters and framed railway maps, and are complimented by modern appliances to give that old-world feel without having to compromise on convenience.
In addition to the communal areas, there's two bedrooms that can house either twin beds or a superking, depending on the visitor's preference. There's also two bathrooms fitted with a private garden area to the rear.
Images: The Old Station
Ebberston Station has been fitted to reminisce its 1930s appearance, but the holiday home was actually a functioning station from 1890 all the way up until 1953 when the track was lifted and both the station and surrounding areas became farmland.
Owners Mark and Carol Benson moved in around 1996 and made the decision to restore the space into the one-of-a-kind station staycation it is today.
The carriages were installed in 1998 and were painted and restored to look like the LNER period trains from the 1930s. By using a chocolate, green and cream colour scheme, the couple transformed three carriages to their former glory - with plenty of original features for visitors to peer at during their stay.
A quarter of a century on and all of the staycation homes are proving that character homes make the perfect home-away-from-home. Prices range from £394 for carriages and £560 for the station and are booked out on a three day or weekly basis.
For more information, including how to book either staycation, visit The Old Station website here.
Feature Image - The Old Station
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Here’s how you can get FREE Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea in Leeds next week
In honour of National Chocolate Week, two big brands are joining forces.
Fancy a freebie? Silly question, of course you do.
Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea have joined forces for National Chocolate Week to ask Brits to declare themselves a ‘Melt’...yes, really.
It comes after the brands discovering a new Gen Z dunking trend, with research finding that 80% of 18–24-year-olds say chocolate is their preferred tea-dunking treat.
To understand why the perculiar pairing has become so popular, the brands recruited Associate Professor of Psychobiology, Dr Lorenzo Stafford, to investigate what happens when tea and chocolate come together.
Associate Professor, Dr Lorenzo Stafford said: "It's fascinating to see how much thought Brits put into what makes a great dunk. Flavour, texture and temperature all shape how we experience food, and the combination of hot tea with melting chocolate creates a particularly enjoyable sensory experience.
"When it comes to dunking, tea and chocolate have great chemistry so it’s no surprise young people have embraced it."
If you want to try it out for yourself, then you can for free - but there is one catch.
From Monday 19 to Friday 23 October, anyone who walks into one of Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds and says ‘I'm a Melt’ will get a free mug of Yorkshire Tea and bar of Tony's Chocolonely.
Not only that, but the first 100 customers will also get a limited-edition ‘Melt’ cap.
Yorkshire Tea & Tony’s Chocolonely said of the partnership, “Brits love their tea and their chocolate and now the science shows why. This National Chocolate Week, we’re inviting everyone to give it a go, embrace their inner Melt and discover just how well chunky chocolate and a proper brew can work together.”
Leeds Bradford Airport strikes will NOT go ahead following ‘late offer’ over pay
Clementine Hall
This weekend's strikes at Leeds Bradford Airport have been cancelled.
Around 130 workers were set to walk out this weekend, Unite said, but this has been suspended to allow air traffic controllers to consider a new pay offer.
The Unite members planning on to go on strike were a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute had recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity which led to the decision to strike.
However, as of yesterday 15 October, the workers have been given new pay offers from the airport and the strikes will not take place to allow a ballot on the offers.
Air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff are being balloted separately on their respective offers.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "After receiving offers from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have suspended this week’s strike action in good faith to allow members to vote on pay deals.”
In a statement, Leeds Bradford Airport said: "While the ballot process continues with certain members of our frontline colleagues, we remain hopeful that a positive outcome can be achieved and that an agreement can be reached which works for everyone involved.
"Regardless of the outcome of this ballot, LBA has a robust contingency plan in place and will be operating as normal this weekend.
"Our focus remains on supporting a smooth and reliable experience for customers while maintaining safe and efficient airport operations."
Sophie Smith -
25th September 2023 
