offering

These UK staycations could be an excellent choice for family get-togethers and getting into the Christmas spirit, offering everything from Santa visits to festive food

Trying to cram all your festive activities into December can be a challenge. From the big Santa visit to seeing a panto and Christmas markets, not to mention spending family time together, it sometimes feels like the month just isn’t long enough.

If you’re looking for an alternative that’s a little more relaxed, many holiday parks are now offering breaks in the run up to the big day. While you may associate caravan and lodge holidays with summer, these parks are opening in November and December for festive-themed breaks.

What’s on offer varies from park to park, but generally includes extras from Christmas-themed shows to Santa’s grottos, and even a Christmas tree in your accommodation. These breaks could be a great way to escape the pre-Christmas chaos, or to spend time with extended family without needing to host at home.

So, which holiday parks will be opening their doors for festive fun, and what’s on offer?

Haven – ‘sleigh-cations’

Four nights from £115

Haven will open the doors at nine of its locations in the run-up to Christmas: Craig Tara, Seton Sands, Devon Cliffs, Kent Coast, Cala Gran, Hafan y Môr, Primrose Valley, Seashore, and Rockley Park.

Staying at Haven means you can choose between accommodation from caravans to lodges, each with its own Christmas tree. The parks will also be adorned with decorations and lights, and Haven says there will be festive entertainment during the day and in the evening. Bookable activities will include pottery making, festive make-a-bear, and much more. Of course, there’s Santa’s Grotto, which will be an additional cost.

Haven will also be staging a Jack and the Beanstalk panto and promising “plenty of opportunities for a festive boogie.” Their on-site restaurants will serve festive food, including a three-course menu for Christmas day, while some Haven parks have their own Wetherspoons, which will offer the chain’s Christmas menu.

Find out more and book online.

Parkdean Resorts – Winter Wonderland breaks

From £145 for four nights

Parkdean Resorts will offer what it describes as the “full Winter Wonderland experience” at six parks in December: Camber Sands in Sussex, Warmwell in Dorset, Trecco Bay and Ty Mawr in Wales, Cayton Bay in North Yorkshire, and Cherry Tree in Norfolk. They’re also opening two parks in the Lake District with a “more relaxed festive atmosphere,” White Cross Bay and Fallbarrow.

Parkdean has a busy entertainment program for younger kids, promising Festive Milkshake! Mornings and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree with the PAW Patrol puppies. Families can enjoy breakfast with Santa or a trip to his grotto, watch a family pantomime, or even explore a festive market. Visit Warmwell and you can also enjoy their dry ski slope for skiing and snowboarding.

If you opt for a midweek break starting on a Monday, Parkdean also offers an all-inclusive option. This includes three meals a day, plus soft drinks and hot drinks, so you won’t need to worry about feeding the kids during your stay. Some parks will also have the option to book lunch on Christmas Day, so you can skip the washing up.

Bookings and more information can be found at the Parkdean website.

Center Parcs –Winter Wonderland breaks

Prices vary

Center Parcs arguably already has a festive vibe, thanks to its wooden lodges with open fireplaces. But during the festive season, they’ll be going all out to create a Winter Wonderland. Guests will be able to explore Enchanted Light Garden trails, watch the Santa’s Greeting Parade, or take a family photo in the Snow Zone.

They’ll also have Christmas shops stocking decorations and festive food, plus Tipis serving hot chocolates, Bratwurst and waffles, perfect for a stop after a chilly winter walk. Plus, the restaurants in each park’s village will have their own Christmas-themed food offerings.

There are also loads of extras that can be booked at a cost, including an elf pyjama party, a visit to Santa’s Workshop, or Christmas crafts. For an extra fee, you can also book a freshly cut Christmas tree for your accommodation, with a range of bows and baubles that you can take home with you for the perfect festive atmosphere.

Find out more and book on the Center Parcs website.

Butlin’s – Family Christmas Breaks

Prices from £39 per night

Butlin’s is offering a budget-friendly option for a Christmas break that’s all about family fun. Unlike most of the holiday parks on this list, the cost of meeting Santa is included for all families taking a festive break. Kids can enjoy Father Christmas’ Express Delivery, an immersive experience where they write their Christmas letter and deliver it to the man in red himself.

Also included in the cost of Butlin’s Christmas breaks is festive entertainment, including a panto, Snow White and her Magnificent Friends. Other themed shows include the Skyline Snowstorm party and Christmas Goes Pop, and there will be Christmas movie screenings for the family to enjoy together. The pools will be open, with Butlin’s offering a Festive Pool Party on each break. Visitors also get unlimited fairground rides and can enjoy activities such as making their own Christmas decorations.

The parks are set to be decorated for Christmas, with lights and decorations throughout, giving them a festive feel. There’s also Christmas-themed dining, so if you order a dining plan, you can tuck into popular dishes, from roasts to festive puddings, depending on the day.

The cheapest option at Butlin’s is to book one of their standard rooms, but they also have hotel rooms, apartments, and other upgraded accommodation if you want to splash out.

Find out more and book on the Butlin’s website.

Oct. 15 (UPI) — The Department of Homeland Security said it has credible intelligence that Mexican cartels have placed bounties on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers.

The Tuesday statement from DHS said criminal networks have instructed “U.S.-based sympathetics,” including Chicago street gangs, to “monitor, harass and assassinate” federal agents.

According to the federal agencies, the cartels are offering $2,000 for gathering intelligence, between $5,000 and $10,000 for kidnapping and assaults on standard ICE and CBP officers and up to $50,000 to assassinate high-ranking officials.

“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protected our borders and communities,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said.

ICE has been conducting an immigration crackdown in Chicago, employing aggressive tactics, such as the use of tear gas and forced entries, that have drawn criticism over the use of force and accusations of intimidation against residents. Local leaders have accused the Trump administration of overreach and violating the Constitution.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly attempted to deploy the National Guard to the city, but federal judges have blocked or delayed the move.

“ICE is recklessly throwing tear gas into our neighborhoods and busy streets, including near children at school and CPD officers,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday in a statement.

“The Trump administration must stop their deployment of dangerous chemical weapons into the air of peaceful American communities.”

Trump has criticized out at Pritzker for resisting troop deployments, saying he and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers.”

According to the DHS, gangs have established so-called spotter networks in Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. Groups including the Latin Kins have stationed members on rooftops with firearms and radios to track ICE and CBP movements to disrupt federal immigration raids being conducted under Operation Midway Blitz.

Last week, the Justice Department charged Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, with one count of murder-for-hire targeting a senior ICE agent involved in the Chicago operation.

Federal prosecutors alleged Martinez, identified as a Latin Kings gang member, sent a Snapchat message offering $10,000 “if u take him down” and $2,000 for information on the agent’s whereabouts.

On Oct. 3, DHS announced that more than 1,000 undocumented migrants had been detained under Operation Midway Blitz, which began Sept. 8.

One of the joys of living in California is that you’re never too far away from a great meal.

And the variety of Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine throughout the Golden State is unsurpassed.

Once again, our friends on the LA Times Food team have released a well-researched and delicious list to confirm California’s status as a national food mecca.

Critic Bill Addison spent more than a year traveling throughout the state, tasting and compiling selections for the 101 Best Restaurants in California guide.

In his latest article, he’s highlighted 15 of the best Mexican and Salvadoran spots throughout the Golden State, highlighting popular haunts and hidden gems.

Look, this doesn’t have to be a tacos-versus-pupusas debate (sorry, Brad Pitt is correct). We can enjoy both and other plates on this list.

Here’s a few recommendations from Addison’s guide.

(Bill Addison/Los Angeles Times)

El Molino Central (Sonoma)

A molino is the specific mill used to grind nixtamalized corn into masa, which has been the focus of Karen Taylor’s businesses for decades.

In 1991, Taylor started Primavera, a Bay Area wholesale operation built around tamales and tortillas, and a name under which she sells life-giving chilaquiles for breakfast on Saturday mornings at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza farmers market.

Nearly 20 years later, she translated what she’s learned about fresh masa into a tiny restaurant in the Boyes Hot Springs section of Sonoma County.

A portion of the menu flows with the seasons: in the summer, light-handed sopes filled with chicken tinga and chile rellenos filled with epazote-scented creamed corn arrive; winter is for butternut squash and caramelized onion enchiladas; and spring brings lamb barbacoa tacos over thick, fragrant tortillas.

Among perennials, look for the chicken tamale steamed in banana leaves and covered in chef Zoraida Juarez’s mother’s recipe for mole — hers is the color of red clay, hitting the palate sweet before its many toasted spices and chiles slowly reveal their flavors.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Popoca (Oakland)

At the most visionary Salvadoran restaurant in California, Anthony Salguero refashions his culture’s version of the beverage chicha, fermented with corn and pineapple, into a sticky, intricately sour-sweet glaze for grilled and braised chicken.

He shaves cured, smoked egg yolk over herbed guacamole as a play on the boiled eggs that often accompany Salvadoran-style guac. He serves a half Dungeness crab with tools to extract the meat and a side of alguashte, an earthy seasoning of toasted pepitas, to accentuate the crab’s sweetness.

Nicaraguan chancho con yuca, a slow-cooked pork stew, is the inspiration for a walloping pork chop marinated in achiote, grilled above glowing almond logs and poised at an angle, like a rakishly worn hat, over braised yuca and red cabbage.

Salguero ran the eatery Popoca as a pandemic-era pop-up in Oakland before finding a more permanent home (brick walls, pale wood floors, shadowed lighting) in the city’s downtown. While he focuses on reimagining the traditions and possibilities of Salvadoran cooking, he doesn’t abandon El Salvador’s national dish: The pupusas are exceptional, made from several versions of masa using corn he buys from Mexico City-based Tamoa.

(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)

Barbacoa Ramirez (Arleta)

Lamb barbacoa — when cooked properly for hours to buttery-ropy tenderness — is such a painstaking art that most practitioners in Southern California sell it only on the weekends.

In the Los Angeles area, conversations around sublime lamb barbacoa should start up in the north San Fernando Valley, at the stand that Gonzalo Ramirez sets up on Saturday and Sunday mornings near the Arleta DMV. You’ll see him and his family wearing red T-shirts that say “Atotonilco El Grande Hidalgo” to honor their hometown in central-eastern Mexico.

Ramirez tends and butchers lambs in the Central Valley. The meat slow-cooks in a pit overnight and, cradled in plush made-to-order tortillas, the tacos come in three forms: smoky, molten-textured barbacoa barely hinting of garlic; a pancita variation stained with chiles that goes fast; and incredible moronga, a nubbly, herbaceous sausage made with lamb’s blood.

Join the line (if it’s long, someone usually hands out samples to encourage patience) and then find a place at the communal outdoor table. Worried that options might run out, Addison said he tends to arrive before 9 a.m., an hour when Ramirez’s rare craftsmanship often inspires a mood where people sit quietly, holding their tacos as something sacred.

The week’s biggest stories

(Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

Trump administration, policies and reactions

Crime, courts and policing

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More big stories

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Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

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How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Some investors look for stocks that have good growth potential, while others look for stocks that can provide consistent income. It’s not always an either-or thing as some stocks have proven to do both.

Case in point: energy company MPLX (MPLX 2.05%). Although MPLX may not be a household name like other top energy companies, the stock has been on an impressive run over the past five years. In that span, it’s up close to 186%, while the S&P 500 is up 95% (as of Sept. 9).

No one can predict if the stock will continue growing at its current pace, but one thing’s for sure: Its ultra-high dividend is a dream for investors interested in income stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

How MPLX’s business works

You can think of the energy industry as three parts: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream companies explore for and produce oil and natural gas; midstream companies focus on storing and processing; and downstream companies refine, market, and sell end products like the gasoline you buy at gas stations.

Some larger companies may operate in two or three of the phases, but MPLX solely operates in the midstream section. Formed by Marathon Petroleum, it owns pipelines, processing plants, storage facilities, and other infrastructure that moves and conditions oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs).

MPLX says it handles over 10% of all natural gas produced in the U.S.

MPLX has a shareholder-friendly business structure

MPLX isn’t structured like your typical corporation. It’s a master limited partnership (MLP), meaning its profits and losses are passed on to partners (investors) to avoid paying taxes on the corporate level, allowing it to pay out more money to its investors.

Its current 7.6% dividend yield is below its 9% average over the past five years, but it’s still more than six times the S&P 500’s average.

MPLX Dividend Yield data by YCharts

MPLX’s dividend payout won’t be consistent like typical corporations because it depends on its distributable cash flow (DCF). However, its DCF has had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% since 2021.

MPLX has shown solid financials in recent years

MPLX makes money by charging fees for transporting, storing, and processing oil, natural gas, and NGLs. These are typically long-term contracts, which help provide the company with stable and predictable cash flow.

In the second quarter, MPLX generated $3 billion in revenue, which was down around 1.6% year over year. Its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) — which focuses strictly on its profits from core operations — was $1.7 billion, up 5% year over year.

MPLX isn’t a company that will typically produce double-digit percentage revenue growth consistently, but what matters most to investors is its DCF because that determines its dividend payout (the main reason many investors invest in the stock to begin with).

MPLX’s DCF in the second quarter only increased 1% year over year to $1.42 billion, but it was able to pay out $0.9565 per share compared to $0.8500 per share in the same quarter last year.

Should you own MPLX’s stock?

An ultra-high dividend yield is great for income investors, especially when it’s as high as MPLX’s. However, that alone shouldn’t be the sole reason you invest in a stock, because it could be a yield trap. Thankfully, when it comes to MPLX, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

MPLX likely won’t experience tech-like high growth over the long term, but it has solid growth opportunities. One of the key ways MPLX grows is via acquiring systems and assets that expand its footprint.

A recent example is its acquisition of Northwind Midstream, which it purchased for $2.375 billion. The company expects this to increase its treating capacity by roughly three times by the second half of 2026 and return mid-teen percentages, which is pretty impressive.

If you don’t mind dealing with the additional tax step needed when dealing with MLPs and their distributions (like filing a Schedule K-1 form), then MPLX can be a good income addition to your portfolio.

A MAJOR pub chain has launched a new loyalty rewards scheme where customers can get freebies including pints and food.

Greene King has relaunched its app and now has a feature where customers can get complimentary drinks and win prizes.

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These include free pints and vouchers to spend in its 2,700 pubs across the UK.

It’s the first time Greene King has offered loyalty rewards to customers.

The pub chain says customers can now “earn perks, unlock surprises, and access exclusive offers – whether they order at the bar or through the app”.

Among the new features for loyalty customers is a chance to “spin the wheel” to win a prize.

If you spin the virtual wheel on the new Greene King app, you’ll win either a free main meal, drink or dessert.

The free drinks include Peroni, Birra Moretti, Rekorderlig, Aspell, Hazy Day, Coca Cola, Schweppes Lemonade and Madri.

And if you place an order through the app worth at least £1, there’s a chance to win a £50 voucher.

There’s also a “Pub Match” game where every time you spend through the app or scan your membership ID at the till, you are in with the chance of winning more freebies.

The aim of the game is to make it onto the interactive leaderboard of loyal customers, and you have a chance to win up to £50 each month. 

The more you use the app, the higher the chance of winning a prize.

The rewards are redeemable at Greene King Pubs, Belhaven Pubs, Flaming Grill, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Hungry Horse.

Kevin Hydes, group marketing director at Greene King, said: “Pubs are about creating feel-good moments, but we know many people are keeping a close eye on costs.

“That’s why we’re always looking for ways to make visiting our pubs even more rewarding and to give back to our customers.

“With Spin to Win, we’re giving new customers a little something extra – a chance to enjoy a free treat on us, just for joining our loyalty programme.”

How can I get my rewards?

You can download the new Greene King app for free on your app store.

The Spin to Win game will appear on the homepage of your app.

You can also click into the Rewards section to see the rewards you’ve earned.

You can claim the reward either when you pay through the app or at the bar.

On the app just add all your items to the basket and then apply the reward at checkout.

If you order at the bar, you need to show your Membership ID to the bartender.

You can find this at the top right of your Rewards section on the app.

What other features are on the app?

The app will also let you make and manage your bookings, customise orders and pay.

Greene King says it will reduce wait times and let you order quickly.

There will also be the option to repeat orders with one click.

Which other pubs have loyalty schemes?

Greene King is not the only chain which has a loyalty scheme.

Butcombe, which runs more than 120 pubs across the UK, lets customers access exclusive discounts for downloading the app.

These include earning points, where you get five points for spending £1. Once you reach 500 points, £5 will be added to your account to spend.

You can also get 25 per cent off food every Wednesday.

O’Neills also gives members signed to its loyalty programme the chance to collect stamps that can be exchanged for rewards.

Walmart will soon expand its streaming offerings to its subscription members, with the retail giant announcing a new partnership with NBCUniversal’s Peacock on Monday.

Starting Sept. 15, Walmart+ subscribers can choose to receive ad-supported versions of Peacock Premium or Paramount+ as part of their membership. Every 90 days, Walmart+ members can switch between the two services.

“The additional option of Peacock Premium adds even more value and more choice to our membership, without raising the price,” said Deepak Maini, senior vice president of Walmart+, in a statement. “This is just one of the many ways we’re evolving Walmart+ to meet the needs and wants of today’s consumer.”

The move could appeal to consumers who feel overwhelmed by the different streaming choices and give them a chance to sample what each platform offers without dealing with additional cost.

Walmart+, which charges $98 for an annual plan, includes free shipping, free same-day delivery on groceries and prescriptions, gas discounts and other benefits. Adding more streaming content could help Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart compete with Amazon Prime, though Walmart does not invest in original content, unlike the Seattle e-commerce behemoth.

Walmart declined to say how many people subscribe to Walmart+.

In 2020, Walmart launched Walmart+, which competes with Amazon’s $139 annual Prime membership. Prime offers perks such as free shipping and streaming series such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and “Reacher,” action movie “The Pickup” and NFL football games.

Last week, Amazon announced that Peacock Premium Plus, the streaming service’s ad-free version, would be available on Prime Video for an additional fee, along with 100 other subscription options in the U.S. Amazon also said it had a multiyear deal for the Peacock app to be available on its Fire TV in the U.S.

Walmart has had a spotty track record on its own streaming efforts and currently does not have its own streaming service or produce its own originals. In 2010, Walmart purchased video-on-demand service Vudu and in 2018 partnered with MGM to create original programming for the platform. The retailer later sold Vudu to Fandango in 2020.

Before that, Walmart launched a web store to sell movie and TV show downloads but shut it down in less than a year after its partner, Hewlett-Packard Co., discontinued the technology for the site after it underperformed.

SMARTY’s latest offer hands you a massive data boost for no extra cash.

Right now, you can bag 24GB of data for only £7 a month, the same price you’d normally pay for just 8GB.

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Smarty SIM-only deal, 8GB 24GB data for £7/month

That’s triple the data without spending a penny extra.

It’s Smarty’s latest push to give shoppers more for their money, and frankly, it’s a pretty solid offer.

If you’re after enough data to stream Spotify, scroll socials, and cover your everyday browsing on the go, this plan has you well covered.

You’re on a low, flat monthly fee with no sneaky mid-contract price hikes lurking in the small print.

And because Smarty runs on rolling 1-month contracts, you can walk away whenever you like, no strings attached.

That kind of freedom is a big part of why Smarty has built such a loyal following among budget-conscious shoppers..

The service rides on Three’s network, which already offers solid coverage across most of the UK.

To be sure, you can double-check your signal with Smarty’s handy coverage checker before you sign up.

There are a few tempting offers on the table right now, but the standout is the 8GB SIM-only plan, currently boosted to a chunky 24GB for just £7 a month.

That’s not bad at all when you consider some providers will happily charge you twice as much for a fraction of the allowance.

Best SIM-only Smarty deals:

If 24GB isn’t enough, you’ll find other plans going up to unlimited data, still at budget rates.

Here are some of the best:

But for light-to-moderate users, the triple-data offer is hard to beat.

And with no contract tie-in, you can switch, upgrade, or leave whenever you fancy.

If you’re also hunting for other tech savings, there are a couple of standouts doing the rounds this week.

You can boost your online security and save 72% on NordVPN, and they’re throwing in a free Amazon gift card worth £50 just for signing up.

And for those who want a new handset without the big spend, there’s an ‘excellent condition’ refurbished iPhone 13 going for just £20 a month.

If these deals don’t quite fit the bill, have a look at our roundup of the best SIM-only deals from all the big networks.

Smarty SIM-only deal, 8GB 24GB data for £7/month

Aug. 8 (UPI) — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit this week challenging an Oklahoma law that provides eligible undocumented migrants with in-state tuition benefits, the latest litigation targeting migrants’ access to higher education amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

Though announced Thursday, the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The law, approved by the state’s legislature in 2007, offers in-state tuition at the 25 state-run colleges and universities to anyone — including undocumented migrants — who graduated from an Oklahoma high school and resided in the state with a parent or legal guardian while attending the state high school for at least two years before graduation.

The lawsuit argues the rule violates two of President Donald Trump‘s executive orders on immigration — one signed Feb. 19 directing federal departments and agencies to ensure no taxpayer-funded benefits go to “unqualified aliens,” and one April 28 ordering “appropriate” actions to end enforcement of laws and practices “favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens,” including those in-state tuition to undocumented migrants.

The Justice Department sayd that the law favors undocumented migrants over out-of-state Americans, calling it “unequal treatment,” and argues it violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which holds federal law takes precedence precedence over state laws.

Prosecutors are asking the court to declare the law unconstitutional and issue a permanent injunction against its enforcement.

The state’s Republican attorney general, Gentner Drummond, has filed a motion in support of the Trump administration lawsuit, saying Tuesday marked “the end of a longstanding exploitation of Oklahoma taxpayers.”

“Rewarding foreign nationals who are in our country illegally with lower tuition costs that are not made available to out-of-state American citizens is not only wrong — it is discriminatory and unlawful,” Drummond said in a statement.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has led a renewed crackdown on immigration, seeking to conduct mass deportations and limiting the protections of migrants already in the country.

This is the fourth lawsuit since since June challenging state laws offering in-state tuition or tuition benefits to migrants that are unavailable to out-of-state-Americans.

In early June, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against a similar Texas law. As in Oklahoma, the Republican-led state sided with the Trump administration, and the two reached an agreement to halt its enforcement.

Similar lawsuits have also been filed in Kentucky and Minnesota.

Florida ended in-state tuition for undocumented migrants in February.

According to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, 23 states and Washington, D.C., provide in-state tuition to undocumented students. Of those, 18 and D.C. provide access to state financial aid.

Grindr is making the app a one-stop shop for its original entertainment.

On 7 August, the popular dating platform announced that users would no longer have to leave the app to access their original content, thanks to the new Grindr Presents feature.

Now, the company’s popular entertainment offerings, such as the Katya-hosted Who’s The Asshole podcast, the viral Daddy Lessons series, editorials, music drops, and more, will all be available via a new in-app content hub.

In addition to making it easier for user to access their content, Grindr revealed that all of it will be uncensored, so say goodbye to the unwanted bleeps and hello to Katya and friends’ uncut and profanity-filled interviews.

Lastly, the social media company teased that Grindr Presents isn’t a one-off decision; instead, it’s a “bigger shift” into “making Grindr not just where the gays are, but where the culture is.”

Grindr Presents isn’t the only new addition introduced on the app this year.

Back in March, Grindr announced an expansion of its new Right Now feature – first implemented in Australia and the greater Washington D.C. area in 2024.

The intent-based option enables users seeking an immediate connection to upload text and photos to a real-time feed, separate from the main grid.

In a statement, the Chief Product Officer at Grindr, AJ Balance, gave insight into the new feature, stating that it “empowers users to find exactly what they want, when they want it – without the guesswork.”

“We built this intention-based feature based on feedback from our community so they can connect with like-minded people, without wasting time on mismatched expectations,” he said.

“Too often, people start a conversation only realize they’re looking for different things – one person wants a date, the other a quick connection. Right Now makes it clear who’s available and what they’re looking for, in real-time.”

A few months later, Grindr unveiled its new age verification feature for UK-based users, designed to address underage use of its app and ensure compliance with the UK government’s Online Safety Act.

Under the new policy, the app now requires UK individuals to confirm their age by uploading a “quick video selfie” or a video selfie paired with a photo ID.

For new users, the one-time action will be prompted during the registration process. Established users will be asked to complete the task upon opening the app.

UK individuals will be blocked from accessing the app until they complete the process, which uses biometric verification technology from FaceTec.

Lastly, Grindr has confirmed that user privacy will also be a priority, revealing that all documents and videos will “only be used for age assurance, are securely encrypted during the process, and are permanently deleted once age assurance is complete.”  

For more information about the aforementioned changes to Grindr, click here.