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Wintry walks around the gorgeous Georgian treasure house at Nostell Priory
Nostell Priory, the National Trust estate, located near Wakefield, has been glammed up for Christmas since December 1st and is ready to welcome you for a lovely day of festive fun.
Winter walks on a crisp Christmas morning never seemed so tempting.
Nostell Priory, the National Trust estate, located near Wakefield, has been glammed up for Christmas since December 1st and is ready to welcome you for a lovely day of festive fun.
With beautiful, pristine gardens to explore and the Georgian house to wander around, visiting Nostell is a wonderful day out at any time of year. This Christmas though, the house has been dressed up to the nines with glamourous decorations, and the historic rooms have been opened for special events to get everyone feeling the festive spirit.
The woodlands, walks, and parkland at Nostell showcase the Yorkshire countryside and are truly difficult to beat. With ancient woodland and lakes on the grounds, there are countless options for a beautiful, crisp winter stroll through the grounds.
There’s nothing quite like a Christmas walk, and although you’ll need to wrap up warm, the grounds and lakes are especially beautiful on a crisp, winter morning.
Also, with a range of different gardens to discover, including the Kitchen Garden, the Menagerie Garden, and the Pleasure Grounds, you definitely won’t run out of walking space, and you could spend all day wandering through these vast grounds and discovering new spaces in the great outdoors.
If you’re needing to keep the kids entertained during your festive day out, Nostell Priory has got you covered. Although it may be a tad chilly at this time of year, there’s an outdoor adventure play area for the little ones to enjoy and, if that wasn’t good enough, the Percy the Park Keeper’s winter wander is a new festive addition to the programme.
This trail is sure to keep the kids entertained whilst you enjoy a relaxing walk around the grounds and, with the chance to get a delicious hot chocolate at the café, the entire family will be able to warm up from the cold and reflect on the festive fun you’ve all enjoyed.
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.
Brand-new ‘party pub’ to take over the old Revolution site on Call Lane after £600,000 investment
Clementine Hall
We hope you're ready to party Leeds, because a 'party pub' experience is coming to Call Lane.
Following a whopping £600,000 investment, Bonnie Rogues is preparing to open in the former Revolution site in Leeds city centre that will close this month.
After a major refurbishment, Leeds’ first Bonnie Rogues venue and the sixth site for the fast- growing UK brand will open in November 2026.
Designed as an all-day-to-night social destination, Bonnie Rogues combines live music, live sport, and late-night celebrations in one immersive venue.
From big nights out to spontaneous after-work drinks and even Sunday Roasts, Bonnie Rogues aims to offer something completely different from the traditional pub experience.
Expect live performances, crowd-involved entertainment and interactive moments in an atmosphere that flows seamlessly from day to night.
Russell Quelch, CEO of NEOS Hospitality, said, “Leeds has such a strong social scene and a real appetite for experience-led venues, so we think Bonnie Rogues will fit perfectly into the city.
"It’s a concept that brings together everything people love about going out - live music, sport, food, entertainment and great atmosphere, all in one place. We’re excited to bring something new to Leeds and can’t wait to welcome guests later this year.”
The Leeds opening forms part of a wider rollout of Bonnie Rogues venues across the UK, as NEOS Hospitality continues to expand its portfolio following its acquisition of multiple Revolution and Revolución de Cuba sites earlier this year.
We'll keep you updated with opening dates as and when we know more.
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2022 
