indoor

ONE of the UK’s largest indoor waterparks is set to close next week until next year.

Despite usually remaining open year-round, Aqua Park in Stoke-on-Trent will close for renovations next week.

The park is part of Waterworld and will be closed from November 2 until early next year.

The park is hosting a ‘Last Splash’ party on November 1 before the closure with a DJ between 12pm and 4pm.

Few details have been revealed about the renovation, but the park currently has 30 rides and attractions.

The website simply states that it cannot wait to welcome back visitors with “exciting upgrades”.

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Wayne Goodall, Managing Director of Waterworld Leisure Resort, said: “Our closing party is the perfect chance for visitors to make a last splash with us before we close for a short time to make exciting changes across the Aqua Park.

“At its heart, Waterworld offers families a place to spend time together, escape from everyday life and enjoy that holiday feeling, whatever the weather.

“The upgrades we have planned are set to build on that sense of fun and enhance the way we tell our story, creating a more immersive experience for our guests.

“We can’t wait to reveal more about the upcoming investment soon.”

Adventure Mini Golf and Adventure Mini Village will remain open while the Aqua Park undergoes renovation.

Waterworld first opened in 1989 and is heated to a toasty 30C year-round, with numerous different slides such as Cyclone, Hurricane and Stormchaser.

There are racing slides as well and even a water rollercoaster.

If thrill rides aren’t your thing though, you can relax in the wave pool or bubble pools.

There’s also a rapids area, hot tubs and a children’s splash area.

THERE are waterparks all over the world, but this one has just been crowned one of the best – and it’s just hours from the UK.

Aquashow Water Park in Portugal has been crowned Europe’s Leading Water Park 2026 at the World Travel Awards.

The waterpark has a huge seasonal outdoor pool complex which will reopen in May 2027.

It has a splash park called Aqualandia with slides and tipping buckets for little ones – but there’s plenty of high thrills rides too.

The Flash Coaster is one of the biggest rides in the park and it’s quick too at 62mph.

There are also racing slides, flumes, a wave pool and for those brave enough, try out Free Fall.

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It’s the biggest free fall jump in Europe and the only one in the Algarve; there are two slides, each 32 metres high and 129 metres long.

Outside are food stalls serving up burgers, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches, ice cream, pastries and drinks.

Outdoor waterpark tickets for those between 11-64 range from €34 – €38 (£29-£32), junior and senior tickets start from €25 (£21).

When it’s the off-season and it’s a little cooler in the Algarve, make the most of the indoor pools.

There are different kinds to choose from including its wave pool, children’s pool, relax pool and spa.

Then there’s the adventure pool with a climbing wall and a circuit of suspended rings over the water.

Adventure Island is where kids can splash about with smaller slides, and water features.

There are also larger and faster flumes and racing slides too.

It’s not all water activities, the Sky Challenge is a high-ropes course, and there’s an indoor playground with soft play, trampolines and climbing walls.

Tickets for a three- hour sessions at the indoor waterpark start from €25 (£21) for children between 6-12. For adults aged 13-64 tickets are €35 (£29).

For anyone wanting to visit, the waterpark has its own on-site hotel – all its rooms have air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi.

You’ll also find a restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace.

A family of up to six can stay for two nights at the hotel from €884.75 (£740) including breakfast.

The hotel is 2.5 miles from the Quarteira resort centre, where you’ll find shops and restaurants – the nearest beach is about 2.7 miles away.

For more on the World Travel Awards, this theme park with no rides or rollercoasters was named the best in Europe.

And these are the world’s best hotels from beachfront island resorts to mega theme park stays, and there are two in the UK.

A HUGE multi-million pound upgrade is set to transform two popular holiday parks in the UK.

The two holiday parks are Parkdean’s Skipsea Sands Holiday Park in East Yorkshire and Thorness Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight.

At Skipsea Sands Holiday Park, there will be number of new activities including an indoor adventure climbing experience, indoor adventure golf and off-road driving experiences for children aged four and over.

The play areas, both indoors and outdoors, will be expanded including the bounce park, sports court and a Bear Grylls themed escape room.

The park will also add a Scoops Ice Cream shop and Joe’s American Grill as well as have a new outdoor entertainment space with seating.

The £5million investment is set to be completed by Easter 2027.

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Steve Richards, CEO at Parkdean Resorts, said: “We’re committed to investing £5million in Skipsea Sands Holiday Park, upgrading our accommodation and further enhancing the holiday experience for guests and owners in East Yorkshire.

“From exciting new activities that include adventure golf and high ropes to an enhanced food and drink offering, there will be even more for families and holidaymakers to enjoy.”

Then, as for Thorness Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight, the £6millon transformation will include a new high ropes, indoor adventure golf and off-road driving experiences for children aged four and over as well.

Just like Skipsea, the indoor and outdoor play areas will be improved too, with a bounce park, sports court and a Bear Grylls themed escape room.

The park will also gain a new two-storey building that will be home to the Hat-Tricks sports bar with interactive darts, pool and shuffleboard.

Food and drinks spots will also be expanded at the park with a new Scoops Ice Cream parlour, a Joe’s American Grill and Thunderbird Strip Shack.

And once again similar to Skipsea’s expansion, there will be new outdoor areas for entertainment and dining.

Steve Richards, CEO at Parkdean Resorts, said: “This investment reflects our continued commitment to supporting local jobs, tourism and economic growth in the communities where we operate.

“We look forward to welcoming guests to a new and improved Thorness Bay from Easter 2027.”

A number of other Parkdean Resorts parks have recently undergone upgrades including Highfield Grange Holiday Park in Essex and Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth.

Vauxhall Holiday Park revealed its £5million upgrade earlier this year, with a new sports bar, darts and indoor adventure golf.

The holiday park has also been upgraded to include more kids’ play zones as well as high rope courses.

THE highly anticipated Therme attraction coming to Manchester has just announced some big changes.

The first-of-its-kind resort in the UK, has altered its £500million design – but it will still have indoor beaches, waterslides and relaxation zones.

According to reports, Therme has tweaked its layout to create a “more striking design”.

One of the new additions will be a public plaza which will link the resort and the Bridgewater Canal – and it’s adding a 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.

In the updated plans, the two multi-storey car parks have also been removed to “create more open views”.

There will still be parking, but this has been relocated and the number of spaces has been reduced by around 100.

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The new plan’s aim is to have better connections with local transport which includes the Metrolink station at the Trafford Centre.

Everything else about £500million Therme Manchester resort remains the same.

Inside the resort, visitors can expect a large-scale waterpark with more than 25 waterslides as well as a wave pool.

It will be heated to 33C and will have lots of spa and wellness facilities that will be split into three different zones these will eb called Play, Relax and Restore.

In the Play zone will be ‘next-generation’ water fun, a warm water pool, steam rooms, saunas as well as lounging and family dining experiences.

This zone will also have an outdoor beach.

The Relax zone which will be adults-only with a focus on “premium wellbeing experiences”.

It will also have well as indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms, saunas and casual dining.

Finally, in the Restore Zone – the second adults-only area – there will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

In August of this year, the Therme Group announced it had reached a milestone of 12 tower cranes being built.

It said the progress marked “the start of an exciting new phase of construction for Therme Manchester.”

The Therme Group also recently announced it would be teaming up with Marriott International.

In terms of booking, Marriott Bonvoy members will be offered exclusive travel and lodging packages linked directly to Therme destinations – which when it opens will include Manchester.

THE biggest tropical waterpark in the UK will close at the end of October – and won’t reopen until 2027.

Waterworld in Staffordshire is a year-round attraction for families, thanks to its 30C temperatures.

But after the end of October half-term, Waterworld will temporarily close for upgrades to its waterpark.

It is expected to reopen early next year, although no date has been confirmed.

Visitors can enjoy the last day of thrills on Waterworld’s 30 rides and attractions on November 1 along with a live DJ.

Wayne Goodall, managing director of Waterworld Leisure Resort, said: “Our closing party is the perfect chance for visitors to make a last splash with us before we close for a short time to make exciting changes across the Aqua Park.

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“At its heart, Waterworld offers families a place to spend time together, escape from everyday life and enjoy that holiday feeling, whatever the weather.

“The upgrades we have planned are set to build on that sense of fun and enhance the way we tell our story, creating a more immersive experience for our guests. We can’t wait to reveal more about the upcoming investment soon.”

He added that the Adventure Mini Golf and Adventure Mini Village will remain open.

The tropical waterpark sits at 30C even in the winter along with slides like the Space Bowl which is shaped like a UFO.

Nucleus is a popular water rollercoaster, there’s also Stormchaser and Cyclone.

The waterpark is also home to Thunderbolt, which is the UK’s first trap door drop slide.

As well as the main wave pool, there are river rapids and the Jungle House is suitable for youngsters with water cannons and the monsoon monster splash.

The bubble pools are a more relaxing spot away from the high-speed watercoasters thrills.

During the summertime, there’s an outdoor pool open to visitors too.

Of course, the waterpark is still available to book now with tickets available for £17.50 – for children under three-years-old tickets start from £7.

Away from the waterpark, there are two mini golf courses inside the resort, each with 18-holes as well as a mini Adventure Village with everything from doctors to libraries.

Both of these attractions will remain open throughout the rest of the year.

There’s also a restaurant, cafe and gift shop on-site which are also expected to remain open.

In recent years, the attraction has undergone a number of renovations.

One of the newest additions to the waterpark as well is the M Club Spa and Fitness.

In 2023, it opened its new £250,000 immersive play village, then in 2024, £13million was spent on behind-the-scenes upgrades to the waterpark.

A CLOSED Wetherspoons once labelled as the most beautiful in the UK is set to be turned into a huge indoor soft play attraction.

The pub closed down back in 2023 after more than two decades in business.

The Capitol Pub on London Road in Forest Hill was often regarded as the grandest or most beautiful in the range of budget pubs.

It was housed in a former 1920’s Art Deco building that used to serve as a cinema.

The picture house showed its last film in 1978 then opened as a bingo hall before JD Wetherspoons snapped it up in 1996.

But, new life is set to be breathed into the Grade II listed building as developers have revealed plans to transform it into a soft play, according to News Shopper.

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Planning permission was approved back in January, with developers now working through a series of conditions to ensure the original features in the building are protected.

A multi-level play structure, party rooms, café facilities and an on-site manager’s flat is set to feature in the building.

Meanwhile, accessible toilets, buggy parking and areas for staff are also set to be built.

However, fans of the building need not worry as its original cinema entrance and distinct features will be protected.

No opening date has been confirmed for the soft play area, but works continue to be underway.