pool

IF you’ve ever fancied trying a luxury sleeper train but can’t justify the price, how about staying overnight in a revamped train carriage instead?

At Brockford Railways Sidings, guests can choose between five disused train carriages that slightly differ from each other.

The first is Railway Carriage One, which has a living room, kitchen area and two bedrooms.

In Railway Carriage Two – which is a little bigger – guests will find two bedrooms as well as a further sofa bed and an open plan living area with an adjoining kitchen.

The third carriage is The Guard’s Van, which has two bedrooms, a living room, dining rooms and kitchen area.

The fourth option is staying in The Italian Carriage, which sleeps up to four people and boasts open plan seating in the centre of the carriage, as well as an outdoor patio.

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And last but not least is Wilby Halt, which is described as a “quirky and unusual property is split over two restored railway carriages”.

The carriages are linked by a railway platform, with one carriage being home to the living space and kitchen and the other carriage being home to two bedrooms.

All of the train carriages have views across the surrounding countryside.

Around the carriages, guests will find a children’s play area which is shared with other carriages also at the site.

And if you fancy a dip, there’s an indoor glasshouse with a swimming pool, sauna and hot tub.

If you have a bigger group, you can even book out all of the carriages for up to 29 people, as well as the Station House, which sleeps up to six people.

Seven nights in one of the carriages costs from £469.

One recent visitor said: “Peaceful location and quirky accommodation with everything you needed.

“Good pubs near by for food, use of swimming pool a bonus.”

Another added: “We were welcomed with tea and cake and found the guards van to be very cosy and comfortable.

“We loved the quirkiness of it and the surrounding carriages.”

Surrounding the carriages, guests can venture down country lanes ideal for walks or cycle rides.

The closest village is Mendlesham, about 1.5miles away, where guests can find the Kings Head Inn Mendlesham, described as a “nice friendly village pub”.

Attached to the pub is also a post office and elsewhere in the village you can find a fish and chip shop.

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From the village it is also a short walk to the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum, dubbed by locals as ‘The Middy’.

The museum is Suffolk‘s only standard gauge heritage railway and from the museum, visitors can often hop on steam railway ride in vintage carriages.

And for adults there’s The Kitchener Arms, which is a ale bar that sits inside a converted railway carriage.

If you don’t fancy an alcoholic beverage, then you can visit the Tea Room and Gift Shop for some freshly baked goods instead.

The museum costs £15 per adult and £8 per child to visit (and that includes unlimited steam train rides).

THE biggest theme park in Spain is getting two exciting new family zones – and some are the first in Europe.

PortAventura World is home to more than just a theme park as it also has the Caribbean-themed waterpark Caribe Aquatic Park.

And it is set to open the new family zone Coral Bay, La Leyenda Perdida.

The pirate-themed 6,000m2 zone will include watercoaster Cyclone which is the second of its kind in the world and the first to open in Europe.

There will also be Bahia Pirata which they also claim is the “world’s first multi-adventure pool“.

A multi-slide tower called the Crab will let riders choose five different routes, while Splash Port will be a water splash zone for younger kids.

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El Bucanero will be the dining area offering snacks and drinks.

And it’s not just a new water attraction the park is getting, but a “jungle trek” adventure zone.

Called Makamanu Jungle, The Adventure Trek, it will change the current Polynesia area into a new tropical-themed land.

The 135-metre open-air attraction will have climbing structures that are inspired by volcanic quarries.

For all ages, the 18 treehouse cabins will have everything from rope tunnels and net ladders to slides.

Both are set to open this summer.

If you can’t wait, you could also visit Ferrari World, home to Europe’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster Red Force.

Or head to the main PortAdventura Park where there are six themed lands – Mediterranean, Polynesia, China, Mexico, the Far West, and SésamoAventura – and 40 rides to choose from.

To get to the park, the easiest way is to fly to Barcelona Reus Airport which as Ryanair flights, as it is around 15 minutes from there.

One mum who recently visited told Sun Travel: “Even my too-cool-for-school teens were wowed.

“While the big thrill rides understandably grab the headlines, younger families are well provided for with a huge schedule of themed entertainment shows at the park, tea cup rides, log flumes, and mini rollercoasters.

“By staying in one of the park hotels, we also got unlimited access to the park and a day at Ferrari Land.

“So unlike Disneyland which generally closes at 9pm, PortAventura stays open until 11pm so you really can wring the maximum out of your stay.”

What’s 2,030-feet long-by-167-feet wide and blue all over? If you guessed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, you’re right!

Bonus points for triggering someone in your immediate orbit, because ever since President Trump announced his intention to apply blue paint to the basin of architect Henry Bacon’s 1923 pool, the mere mention of the project can make certain people’s heads explode. To wit, a lawsuit filed this month in district court by the Cultural Landscape Foundation and a former Park Service landscape architect, Charles Birnbaum, claims Trump’s actions have caused Birnbaum to suffer “aesthetic injury.”

The phrase might sound humorous at first read, but anyone who cares about art, architecture and the experience of shared public space knows there’s nothing funny about it. We’ve all felt the empty sorrow of staring into the abyss of a boxy Walmart superstore, and experienced a deep malaise of the soul when driving past an endless crush of fast food chains on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area.

It’s doubtful this sadness is shared by Trump, for whom an “aesthetic injury” might best be represented by a McDonald’s without its golden arches. Plus, our president clearly thinks a great deal of good will come from painting the reflecting pool at the center of the National Mall American Flag Blue.

Only a few days ago Trump posted what I can only assume was an AI-generated image of the final product on Truth Social. The blue in question is shockingly bright — like the sky over the Aegean Sea at noon on a cloudless day. That kind of blue can be breathtakingly beautiful, but in this case it swallows up everything around it, including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, which it was built to reflect.

The blue pool, in other words, is the main event — and that is not what was intended by its creators. Indeed, Birnbaum’s lawsuit notes the value of various design choices including, “the grey, achromatic basin of the Reflecting Pool as the source of the pool’s profound reflective depth.”

The lawsuit continues, “The ongoing resurfacing of the basin in vivid blue has materially degraded Mr. Birnbaum’s aesthetic experience. Mr. Birnbaum’s aesthetic enjoyment of the Reflecting Pool — as a historic designed landscape whose character he has documented, championed, and personally appreciated over many years — is being concretely harmed by Defendants’ ongoing alteration of its character defining features.”

Many other critics and vocal members of the public have claimed similar harm resulting from the numerous renovations Trump is making in the nation’s Capitol — mostly without court approval or congressional oversight — including his demolition of the White House’s East Wing, his construction of a massive ballroom to replace it, the building of a towering triumphal arch, and the creation of a Hero’s Garden in a public park space along the Potomac river.

Painting the Reflecting Pool American Flag Blue may not be the most intrusive of these impulsive, self-aggrandizing acts, but it was the pigment that broke the camel’s back.

I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt, in blue. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY

Gustavo Dudamel conducting the 2025-26 season opener at Walt Disney Concert Hall on September 25.

(Timothy Norris/Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
The departing maestro and his colleagues are in the homestretch and it’s a busy one. This weekend, there are performances of world premieres of Roberto Sierra’s “Estudios Sinfónicos” (Friday and Sunday) and Angélica Negrón’s “Mundillo (Little World)” (Saturday, featuring YoYo Ma). Both new works are paired with Richard Strauss’ “Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40.” On Thursday, Dudamel celebrates the musicians of the L.A. Phil with an eclectic program including compositions by Rossini, Paganini, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Philip Glass, plus the world premieres of “Bravo Gustavo!” by John Williams and Gabriela Ortiz’s “Mujer Arena.”
Strauss, 11 a.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Sunday; Yo-Yo Ma, 8 p.m. Saturday; Celebrating the Musicians of the L.A. Phil, 8 p.m. Thursday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com

Grangeville
A 2025 drama by the bard of Idaho, Samuel D. Hunter, the play considers the complex relationship of two half-brothers connecting virtually to discuss the care of their ailing mother. Tim Cummings and Jeff LeBeau star. Directed by John Perrin Flynn.
Through July 12. Ruskin Group Theatre, 2800 Airport Ave., Santa Monica. ruskingrouptheatre.com

How to Have Sex Again
The Rebel & the Warrior, a new theater producing collective, present their first L.A. production, the world premiere of a romantic comedy by Louis Reyes McWilliams.
8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday ; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. June 5; 3 and 8 p.m. June 6; and 7:30 p.m. June 7. June Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. sanguinenyc.com

Jodie Landau
The composer-performer presents the West Coast premiere of “Performance of Self,” combining memoir, concert, cabaret with original chamber rock compositions, backed by a six-piece ensemble. Directed by Diana Wyenn. Part of OperaFest LA.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org

Let’s Get It On: The Wearable Art of Betye Saar
The exhibition highlights the role of costume design in the artist’s life and work, including more than 200 objects, including photographs, drawings, garments, jewelry, artworks and historical materials from the 1950s-1970s.
Opening reception, 5-7 p.m. Friday; exhibition continues through Aug. 22. Roberts Projects, 442 S. La Brea Ave. robertsprojectsla.com

Shelley Conducts America @ 250
Pacific Symphony concludes its season with incoming new music director Alexander Shelley conducting the premiere of Peter Boyer’s “American Mosaic,” with accompanying video imagery by award-winning photographer Joe Sohm.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org

Leslie Uggams in 1972’s ‘Black Girl.’

(UCLA Film & Television Archive)

UCLA Festival of Preservation
“Don’t miss your chance to see these rarely screened films on the big screen where they belong,” writes former Times movie critic Kenneth Turan in his preview of the event. The 22nd festival, which opens with Ossie Davis’ 1972 drama “Black Girl,” presents 11 feature films, four television programs and 30 short works, cartoons and newsreels, all newly preserved and restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its partners and funders.
Through Sunday. Billy Wilder Theater, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu

SATURDAY

Actor Alec Baldwin will narrate “Lincoln’s Portrait,” part of Pasadena Symphony’s America @ 250 concert.

(Pasadena Symphony)

America @ 250
The Pasadena Symphony’s season ending concert, celebrating the nation’s sesquicentennial, includes John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” George Gershwin’s “Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra,” and Aaron Copland‘s “Appalachian Spring” Suite and “Lincoln Portrait,” the latter narrated by actor Alec Baldwin.
2 and 8 p.m. Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. pasadenasymphony-pops.org

Baroque in Bloom
Soprano Amanda Forsythe joins the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for arias from Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” and Bach’s “Wedding Cantata.” The program also includes LACO’s principal bassoon Andrew Brady performing “Vivaldi’s Concerto for Bassoon in A minor, RV 497,” Telemann’s “Don Quixote Suite” and Biber’s “Battalia.”
7:30 p.m. Saturday. Rothenberg Hall, the Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino; 4 p.m. Sunday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. laco.org

From Hell to Hollywood: Films Music’s First Golden Age and the Émigré Community
The Scott Dunn Orchestra performs the music of Arnold Schoenberg, Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Waxman, Dimitri Tiomkin, Bronisław Kaper, Kurt Weill, Ernest Gold and Miklós Rózsa.
7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org

Life, Liberty, and Los Angeles
Through historical and contemporary objects, media, art and community collaborations, the exhibition brings together stories of diverse Angelenos and demonstrates the ways their hopes and dreams built the city while reflecting the values of a burgeoning nation.
Opening May 30-Jan. 31. Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. theautry.org

Sydney Mancasola as Pamina in LA Opera’s 2026 presentation of “The Magic Flute.”

(Cory Weaver)

The Magic Flute
LA Opera music director James Conlon’s final production will be Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s fan favorite about a prince, a princess and an enchanted instrument. Starring Miles Mykkanen in his LA Opera debut as Prince Tamino, Sydney Mancasola as Princess Pamina, Kyle Miller as the sidekick Papageno, Aigul Khismatullina as Queen of the Night and Kwangchul Youn and Sarastro.
Through June 21 Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org

The Satie Project
The artists of Piano Spheres perform the complete four-hand works of French composer and pianist Erik Satie, plus seven newly-commissioned response pieces, alongside the experimental puppetry David Gordezky in what promises to be a truly zany show.
8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Boston Court Pasadena. 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. bostoncourtpasadena.org

SUNDAY

Bleak Week: The Cinema of Despair
Isabelle Huppert, Ari Aster, Denis Villeneuve, Werner Herzog and many others are the scheduled guests for the fifth edition of the global festival. The L.A. festivities, featuring 48 films from 18 countries, start with Béla Tarr’s 1994 film “Sátántangó” (2 p.m. Sunday at the Aero).
Through June 7. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N Vermont Ave. americancinematheque.com

Exhibition photography for “Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon” at the the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

(Emily Shur / Academy Museum Foundation)

Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon
A reevaluation of the actor’s artistry and image-making, the exhibition presents hundreds of original objects, including posters, portraits, photographs, production documents, letters, and rarely seen personal materials. A companion screening series also kicks off this week. Times culture critic Mary McNamara attended the opening and wrote about the enduring mystery that still surrounds the life and legacy of the film star 100 years after her birth.
“Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” 6:30 p.m. Sunday; “The Asphalt Jungle,” 7:30 p.m. Monday, with guests author and filmmaker Mark A. Fortin, actor Jack Huston, author, filmmaker and actor Joshua John Miller, and journalist Nancy Jo Sales; “Niagara,” 8 p.m. Wednesday; and “All About Eve,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with guest Vanity Fair contributing editor Lorraine Nicholson. Screening series runs through July 3; exhibition continues through Feb. 28. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org

Museums of the Arroyo Day
The theme is “Life in the Past Lane” as five local institutions celebrate Arroyo Culture with a day of free admission.
Noon-4 p.m. The Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena; Heritage Square, 3510 Pasadena Ave., L.A.; Los Angeles Police Museum, 6045 York Blvd., L.A.; Lummis Home, 200 E. Avenue 43, L.A.; Pasadena Museum of History, 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena. museumsofthearroyo.com

Now Be Here’s first photograph in Los Angeles, 2016, Hauser & Wirth DTLA.

(Isabel Avila & Carrie Yury, courtesy of Kim Schoenstadt, Now Be Here)

Now Be Here: 2026 Los Angeles Anniversary
A decade ago, the organization launched as a means to “give visibility to women and non-binary artists, bringing equity to the art world,” and was commemorated by the above group photo. To mark the moment, Now Be Here and OXY ARTS present a free day of events (including a new community photo) open to all on the Occidental College campus.
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road. oxyarts.oxy.edu/events

Tierra
Craft Contemporary’s 4th Clay Biennial focuses on the work of Latinx, Indigenous and Black artists, emphasizing their deep connections to the geographies that yield the materials they work with. Also opening this week is “Earthen Comforts: Airing Earth,” a courtyard installation led by architect Liz Gálvez, the latest partnership in the ongoing experimental architectural project curated by M&A (Materials & Applications).
Sunday-Oct. 25. Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd. craftcontemporary.org

TUESDAY

The Sun Rises in Harlem: Black Brilliance and the Harlem Renaissance
The performing arts collaborative MUSE/IQUE, led by artistic and music director Rachael Worby, pays tribute to this transformative era in American arts featuring the music of jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith. With Kecia Lewis, Sy Smith, Leo Manzari, DC6 Singers Collective and the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra.
7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday. The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino; 3 and 7:30 p.m. June 7. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. muse-ique.com

WEDNESDAY

Colburn Celebrity Recital: Joshua Bell/Jeremy Denk
Frequent collaborators, the acclaimed violinist and pianist perform works by Schubert, Grieg, Ives, Ysaÿe and Ravel in their first joint appearance at Disney Hall since 2010.
8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com

THURSDAY

Bodytraffic
The contemporary dance troupe closes out a 20-year run with its final three hometown shows, including works by choreographers Fernando Magadan, Cayetano Soto, Joan Rodriguez, Richard Siegal and Trey McIntyre.
7:30 p.m. Thursday and June 4; 2 p.m. June 6; the Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org

Arturo Sandoval
The legendary trumpeter and bandleader, a protégé of jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, performs an eight-show residency at the Blue Note.
7 and 9:30 p.m., Thursday-June 7. Blue Note LA, 6372 W. Sunset Blvd. bluenotejazz.com

Spectacular Balanchine!
American Contemporary Ballet continues its deep dive into the master choreographer’s work with dances from “Who Cares?,” “Stars and Stripes,” “Western Symphony” and “Union Jack” to music by George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa and Hershey Kay.
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through June 20. Bank of America Plaza, 333 S. Hope St., downtown L.A. acbdances.com

Arts anywhere

New and recent releases of arts-related media.

The book jacket for “Miles: The Autobiography.”

(Simon & Schuster)

Miles: The Autobiography
May 26 would have been jazz legend Miles Davis’ 100th birthday and Simon & Schuster has released a centennial edition of his award-winning 1989 memoir, in which he reflects on his career, relationships and battles with racism and addiction. Also check out filmmaker Stanley Nelson’s 2020 documentary, “Miles Davis: The Birth of Cool,” featuring studio outtakes from Davis’ recording sessions, rare photos and interviews with Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Davis’s family and other notables.
Simon & Schuster: 448 pages, $23; “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool,” streaming on PBS platform.

— Kevin Crust

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Daniel Harding, Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new music director, visited In-N-Out among other iconic L.A. locations upon his arrival Tuesday.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The big news of the week was the long-awaited, much-speculated-upon announcement of who will become the next music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic when Gustavo Dudamel departs later this summer to take his new role at the New York Philharmonic. Surprise (or rather not too much of a surprise depending on who you are and how closely you were watching), the L.A. Phil’s 12th music director will be Daniel Harding, a 50-year-old, Oxford-born conductor and part-time Air France pilot who made his U.S. debut as a young prodigy conducting the L.A. Phil at the 1997 Ojai Festival, writes Times classical music critic Mark Swed.

Gustavo Dudamel, the current Los Angeles Philharmonic music director, left, hugs newly announced L.A. Phil music director Daniel Harding, right, at Dodger Stadium.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The Times scored an exclusive ride-along with Harding the day after the L.A. Phil’s big announcement. His day included stops at In-N-Out Burger, the Beckmen YOLA Center and the Hollywood Bowl. The evening was spent at a Dodgers game with Dudamel where the two sported matching jerseys emblazoned with their names.

Artist Diana Thater’s new video projection at LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries will debut in the fall.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

We also got a first look at a new video installation scheduled to light up the underside of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries where it forms a bridge over Wilshire Boulevard. Designed by artist Diana Thater, the installation was filmed in Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France, and will officially debut in the fall, after which it will run from dusk to dawn, 365 days per year.

Times contributor Jane Horowitz sat down with photographer Catherine Opie to chronicle a moment in time that finds Opie experiencing “one of the most visible stretches of her career, with work appearing simultaneously across Europe and Los Angeles. This includes a career-spanning survey at London’s National Portrait Gallery that will travel to Edinburgh’s Royal Scottish Academy, as well as exhibitions in Kassel, Germany, and Trondheim, Norway. Closer to home, a new exhibit, ‘Holding Blue,’ opens May 28 at Regen Projects.”

Alicia Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” staged its L.A. premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.

(Quinn Murphy)

Alicia Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” made its L.A. debut at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre this week, and Times intern Katie Simons chatted with Keys to get at why this particular moment means so much to her. “We spent 13 years developing this piece,” Keys said. “I believe in this deeply. I stand behind it. I stand for it.”

Swed also wrote a review of the L.A. Phil’s performance of Wagner’s “Die Walküre,” which represented Dudamel’s last grand project with the orchestra, and featured sets designed by Frank Gehry before he died, including paper-sculpture clouds and galloping Valkyrie horses, as well as a fanciful organ-pipe tree.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

You know you want to read this interview with Barry Manilow by Times music critic Mikael Wood. Trust me, everyone else is.

Belgian defender Thomas Meunier caused debate recently after saying that France has the footballing talent to put out three teams capable of winning the World Cup.

Could Les Bleus, who are co-favourites with Spain in this summer’s World Cup, really lift the title with their second- or third-string team? Maybe not, but their talent is certainly Mariana Trench-deep.

Consider this: According to transfermarkt.com, a lineup of French players that didn’t make the 26-man cut would rank in value among the top five teams – ahead of Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands and reigning champions Argentina.

Lucas Chevalier 30 million euros ($35m); Pierre Kalulu 32 million, Jeremy Jacquet 55 million, Leny Yoro 50 million, Adrien Truffert 25 million; Boubacar Kamara 40 million, Eduardo Camavinga 50 million; Dilani Bakwa 28 million, Senny Mayulu 40 million or Khephren Thuram 40 million, Mousa Diaby 28 million; Junior Kroupi 40 million. = 418 million [38 million average]

So, how did Les Bleus get to this point?

It started with frustration after French teams consistently fell short on the biggest stage from the 1930s to the 1970s. The solution, national team manager Georges Boulogne said in the early 1970s, would be for the French Football Federation to create training academies known as Centres de Formation.

“France had not won any trophies, and it was decided they needed to create a new structure,” INF (Institut National du Football) Clairefontaine administrator Franck Bentolila told Al Jazeera.

The government backed the programme, viewing it as promoting French ideals through sports, as well as a recipe for winning trophies.

A total of 16 centres were set up, the first opening in 1974 with the main site in Vichy. It recruited widely, drawing young players from the entire country, plus overseas departments. The centres laid a foundation, preparing players for professional careers and the national team.

The record was initially mixed. In the 1980s, France won the European Championship and Olympic Games titles (both in 1984) and reached two World Cup semifinals, but then failed to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

But by 1998, everything fell into place, with the so-called “Black-Blanc-Beur” squad winning the World Cup at home. The multiethnic group represented the changing nature of French society, as well as validating the federation’s development programme. Bentolila said coach Aime Jacquet dedicated the victory to “all the amateur clubs and academies – it’s also your trophy”.

“The [1980s] period with [Michel] Platini, [Alain] Giresse, [Jean] Tigana, had a lot of talent, but we don’t win a World Cup,” Bernard Lama, a goalkeeper who captained the national team in the 1990s, told Al Jazeera.

“The difference with our generation, all the guys were from academies. And we were hungry to win a title. And, also, we had one exceptional talent with Zinedine Zidane.”

France went on to lift the 2018 World Cup and were runners-up in 2006 and 2022.

‘We have players who can make a difference’

Lama traces France’s success to the combination of the centres, with the contribution of immigration.

“You have people coming from overseas – Africa, French Guyana, Martinique – they give us two things, music and sports,” Lama said.

“And, now, there is a sub-generation coming from overseas, and they are French. [Ousmane] Dembele, [Desire] Doue, they are French, they are not naturalised, they grew up in France, the majority around Paris.

“And they are hungry, you understand, for a lot of reasons. But, also, it’s not only a question of work; the first thing is they have talent.”

Lama sees a danger in football, more broadly, of players becoming overly drilled and “robotic”, but France has many exceptions who can give them an edge.

“We are lucky to still have these players who are capable of making the difference,” Lama said. “Maybe that is why we are so good, we have players like [Kylian] Mbappe, Dembele, Doue. They hate to lose and, physically and technically, they can make the difference, individually.

“And that is the force of the national team, and also PSG, our capacity to score. Today, we have maybe four or five guys – [Maghnes] Akliouche, [Rayan] Cherki, a different kind of talent. When you have that explosion of talent, it gives the coach more solutions, offensive solutions.”

Most national team members, no matter their background, have gone through the academies, but their development starts long before that.

“It’s cultural,” Bentolila said. “In America, when you are young, you have a basketball in your hands, or a football in your hands. In France, you have a football at your feet when you are a baby – and free access to facilities.”

That part of the formula sounds similar to many countries. Is there a secret to French development, or are they just doing it better than most?

“The secrets,” said longtime coach and scout Stephane Nado, “are a combination of hard work, structure and organisation.”

Nado said: “The player is the centre, the heart, of the project. The player will receive education. And we will not take them away from their family. It is important for them to keep their roots, important psychologically. This is why France is one of the best in the world at developing players for export.”

Training at Clairefontaine blends street game skills with organisation, including “lots of 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2”, Bentolila said. “You have to fight. You’re good at dribbling and first touch, now you organise possession, 5 vs 2. As soon as you get the ball, you have to have good control. We do that a lot.”

Clairefontaine is now focusing on younger age groups, ceding responsibility for older players to clubs. And development is expanding beyond the centres and established club academies, Bentolila said.

“Paris and Sao Paulo are the best areas in the world for talent,” Bentolila said. “Why? Private academies. It is an amazing situation. Kids, eight- and nine-year-olds, playing every day. Amateur coaches offer not a meal, but a snack at 4 o’clock. Then, they do homework and training sessions. When they are 12 years old, they play like Mbappe.

“In Paris, you have amateur clubs nobody knows, and they can beat [the youth teams of] Barcelona and professional clubs. They are better than PSG, Paris FC. So many players – they play anywhere, any time, eight years old against 10 years old. They are like soldiers, they fight every day, and they are good because they play under pressure.”

In the 1980s, Les Bleus were dubbed “The Brazilians of Europe”. It’s taken a while, but France appears to have lived up to the moniker. And they’ve gone about it their own way.

“Brazilian coaches [used to] tell me, ‘In our country, we are poor, but we can succeed in football or music. So, we start the day with football,’” Bentolila said.

“In France, we go to school, first, and, after, practise football. We do it every day and, like Brazil, we play a lot, and play well.”

ONE of the UK’s oldest indoor swimming pools is getting a huge makeover after being forced to close three years ago.

Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, opened back in 1907 but has been shut to the public since 2023.

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Now, the Grade II-listed Edwardian pool will be brought back to life with a new community health and wellbeing hub as well as restored main pool.

The baths are split into three main pools: the Gala Pool (which used to be for upper class men); the second class men’s pool and then the women’s baths.

The Gala Pool – which closed back in 2003 due to safety concerns – will be completely restored and reopened, as will the mezzanine gallery around the pool and there will be a new ground-floor viewing area too.

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According to Visit Birmingham, the pool is “the grandest space in the building” with cast iron arches and viewing balconies on three sides of the pool.

The second pool onsite will then be converted into a flexible event space.

The Women’s Slipper Baths – which locals used to pay a small fee to bathe right up until 2004 – will be made into a community health and wellbeing hub and the Men’s Second Class Slipper Baths will be transformed into a community gym.

The former boiler room will then be made into another flexible studio space.

Following all of the upgrades, the baths are expected to reopen in late 2028.

Previous restoration works started in September last year, of the roofs at the baths and the Balsall Heath Library, which is getting a new mezzanine level.

Many original features will be kept though throughout the building, such as the oak wood ticket offices and 30-metre Gothic Renaissance facade with red brick and terracotta.

Other original features include glazed bricks in ivory, turquoise and cream and terrazzo floors.

In 2016, the baths were even placed on the World Monuments Fund’s watch list, placing the baths in the top 10 per cent of the most important historic buildings in England.

Joe Holyoak, Chair, Friends of Moseley Road Baths said: “For more than two decades, our community has fought to keep Moseley Road Baths open and to secure its future.

“Today’s news is a moment of immense pride.

“We will swim in the Gala Pool again, and this magnificent building will be a home for our community for generations to come.

“We’re hugely grateful to everyone who has played their part in making this happen, and to the swimmers who supported us along the way.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “Moseley Road Baths is a real Birmingham icon and it’s now closer than ever to reopening to the public because local people never gave up on it.”

CHRISTINE McGuinness looked stunning as she soaked up the Bank Holiday sun in a tiny black bikini.

The model, 38, had fun and cooled down in a paddling pool filled with plastic balls.

In a video posted to Instagram, the media personality took to the water in a skimpy black bikini with thong bottoms.

She grinned widely as her daughter jumped into the pool making a big splash.

The star wrote over the reel that she felt her problems were melting away as she spent time with her kids, with the clip first starting at “99 problems” and then ending with “0 problems” at the end of the clip.

Christine finished the look off with a pair of chunky sunglasses and kept her hair loosely falling down over her shoulders.

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Captioning the post, Christine wrote: “My mummy magic medicine, always. Life is just better with them.

“Wishing you all a Gawjus bank holiday, half term, heatwave!”

The star added in brackets: Stay hydrated and wear protection always!
sorry to be that mum!”

Fans of Christine thought she looked stunning and dropped compliments in the post’s comment’s section.

One user said: “Stunning as always Christine, hope you’re having a lovely bank holiday x”

A second shared: “Beautiful mummy.”

A third added: “If I had your body I would wear that to Tesco. Just saying.”

The sexy video comes just weeks after Christine was spotted locking lips with DJ Roxxxan in her Land Rover Defender.

They were first linked when we revealed they flew to Ibiza together in 2024.

The DJ — real name Roxanne Conway — is also a model and describes herself as “masculine”.

Christine was recently also linked to former boxing champ Nicola Adams, 43, after saying she would “love to have a wife one day”.

She added: “Not like a legalised marriage, but like a blessing, a celebration of love.”

Christine has also been growing close to Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, who has confessed that she’s “crazy” about the blonde bombshell.

While neither of the two women have directly addressed the speculation, Nicola took to social media to confess she’s head over heels right now. 

She shared a clip of herself dancing with her eyes closed with the caption: “Them – you’re not that crazy about that woman”

Nicola added: “Who me? [laughing emoji].”

Christine and Nicola attended The DIVA Awards 2026 recently, which is an event which celebrates the achievements of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people.

And an onlooker told the Daily Mail: “They were inseparable and looked like they were a couple.”

Christine and Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness, 52, divorced in 2024 but still live together in Cheshire with their three children.

SUNNY weather in the UK often makes you want a refreshing swim – and there is one spot that families are claiming is the best in the country to do this.

The Wave in Coventry is no normal indoor waterpark.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Instead visitors can expect the biggest wave pool in the UK.

The further into the pool you go, the bigger the waves get, reaching a total height of up to half a metre and will operate at specific times during a swim session.

How do you know the waves are coming? A warning signal will blast out.

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During the 10:15am to 12:15pm session, the waves will run at 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am and 12pm, for 10 minutes at a time.

During the 1pm to 3pm session the wave pool will run at quarter past and quarter to each hour for 10 minutes at a time, which is the same for the 4pm to 6pm session.

And across these sessions, the wave pool churns around 20 million litres of water, everyday.

But visitors get more than just waves when they visit as the waterpark also has six slides.

These include The Torrent, where – rather scarily – the floor disappears from beneath you, making you plunge into a pool below (though this is currently closed for the foreseeable due to technical issues).

There’s also The Crestar, which has two giant enclosed spheres you whirl around in as lighting effects flash around you.

And like any good waterpark, there’s a water coaster – The Rapids – which hurls riders up the ride before dropping them through a series of tunnels.

Other rides include The Cyclone, which is one of the fastest at the park and The Riptide.

For those who aren’t a fan of waterslides and rides, then there are other attractions too including a lazy river with bubbles and water jets.

Little kids are included as well, with The Reef splash zone, which includes mini slides, tipping buckets, jets and fountains.

One person on TripAdvisor even said: “Wow, I’m blown away, that is the best waterpark I have ever been to.”

Another added: “This was the best water park I’ve ever been to!

“It had a great DJ, loads of amazing slides and lots of fun for the whole family.

“The facility and how it is run is very slick. Would definitely recommend!”

Off- peak tickets cost £15 per adult and £13 per child and peak tickets cost £19.70 per adult and £15 per child.

If one parent fancies a little R&R while the other enters the waves with the kids, there is also the Mana spa onsite with a swimming pool, aromatherapy room, steam room, sauna and foot spa.

A three hour pass costs from £35 on weekdays, or £45 at weekends and on bank holidays.

If you do want to have a treatment, options include facials, pedicures and back massages.

There’s also a gym onsite.

What’s even better is that The Wave is just a 10-minute walk from Coventry train station.

Have you ever wondered what the inside of one of the most expensive hotel penthouses looks like? For a whopping £75,500 a night, it might leave your eyes watering

We all like a bit of luxury every now and then, but for a staggering £75,500 a night for a hotel suite, that’s something else entirely.

For that sum of money, you’d expect your own butler, sprawling swimming pool, private entrance, and some of the best views across Dubai – and that’s exactly what those forking out for a lavish stay at the Royal Mansion at Atlantis The Royal get. The price tag makes a little more sense considering a literal mansion in one of the world’s premier luxury capitals.

Dubai is renowned for its selection of opulent hotels and resorts, but the five-star Atlantis The Royal is one of the city’s most famous and luxurious beach resorts. Frequently named one of the best hotels in the world, it sits on the crescent of Palm Jumeirah, boasting a whopping 795 rooms, 17 restaurants, and 90 swimming pools, with its striking structure of six towers linked by an intricate design.

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For those who want to ‘live like royalty’ during a stay at Atlantis The Royal, the Royal Mansion is one of its signature penthouses, priced at around £75,500 (Dhs370,000 or $100,000) per night. Dubbed the ‘crown jewel’ of the resort, it spans 1,128 square metres across two levels, forming a penthouse that connects to both sides of the iconic hotel.

There’s a private foyer, complete with glass olive trees and sky-high ceilings, and four bedrooms that can sleep up to ten adults and one child, with three king beds and two queen beds. One of its most incredible features is the 476-square-metre terrace with an infinity pool, offering panoramic views across the Palm Jumeirah and the Dubai Skyline from a secluded, and very lavish retreat.

In addition, the penthouse features an outdoor kitchen, bar area, entertainment room, a library, a huge dining room table, both indoors and outdoors, a living area, a family room, a steam room and sprawling bedrooms with en-suites that are easily the size of a flat in London. The interiors are just as sumptuous and bespoke as you would imagine, with every corner designed to ooze indulgence.

As Atlantis The Royal states, “Every detail in the Royal Mansion will make you feel like royalty”. And there’s more.

Guests forking out for a stay in the mansion will also be given the five-star treatment. This includes in-room check-in, 24-hour dedicated butler service, 24-hour room service, a private in-suite lift, a private entrance, and privacy glass.

They can also lap up the benefits of an exclusive in-room celebrity chef dining, complimentary return airport transfers, complimentary minibar and complimentary breakfast, with the option of Gastronomy, in-room dining, or a floating breakfast. If that wasn’t enough, they also have daily access to the resorts’ AWAKEN Elements Retreat and exclusive “premium seating” at Aquaventure World, along with daily fast passes.

That’s just some of the additional benefits of booking the sprawling penthouse, which undoubtedly only welcomes the ultra-wealthy who can justify splashing out on what is twice the average annual salary in the UK for a hotel night away.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

THE best family-friendly campsite in the country has been revealed, and it has a heated outdoor swimming pool and games room.

Trefach Holiday Park tucked away in Pembrokeshire topped the ranks when it came to the most family-friendly campsite in the UK – and it’s not hard to see why.

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Pitchup.com, the UK’s leading outdoor accommodation website, has found the best campsites for families across the country.

The rankings are based on ‘child-friendly’ ratings from nearly 200,000 customer reviews. 

Trefach Holiday Park is tucked away in the Pembrokeshire valley, but is well-worth a visit for any families this summer and scored 9.3 for ‘child-friendliness’.

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When it comes to entertainment during the summer, Trefach Holiday Park’s star of the show is definitely its swimming pool.

The outdoor that’s heated pool makes for a refreshing dip in the summer and is open between May 25 and September 4.

Adults can watch as their children splash about from the courtyard terrace.

One visitor said: “The pool was a big hit with the kids and kept them entertained for hours.”

Another described the campsite as a “little gem” which was great for their “family trip.”

On-site is its own restaurant and cafe which in the high season (July and August) is open every day from 10am until late for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It also has a play area, games room, TV room, laundrette as well as toilet blocks and showers.

Location-wise, the campsite is close to the hills of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park so it’s a great base for those who like to take scenic walks or want to explore seaside villages.

The nearest fishing villages are the likes of Tenby and Fishguard, it’s also close to the town of Cardigan.

Around Cardigan Bay, visitors can take boats out to do some dolphin-spotting.

Pitch types vary from electric grass tent and touring pitches to electric gravel motorhome pitches. Tent pitches can sleep up to six people for £46 per night – or £7.60pppn.

A HUGE aqua park with wakeboarding and cosy lodges is adding even more to its site.

Slightly inland of Sandwich Bay in Kent, Whitemills Aqua Park is building new sauna pods and even a plunge pool with work planned to start in autumn.

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Plans have been approved for Whitemills Aqua Park to build a new gym, sauna pods, and plunge pool.

These were given the green light by Dover District Council (DDC) earlier this month.

Other additions include an outdoor pergola over a decked area at the back of the cafe which overlooks the main lake.

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A decked upper floor and a glass railing will be added to the roof of existing storage containers where the planned sauna pod, hot tub and plunge pool will be.

Managing director, Wayne Cooper, said: “We’re delighted the application has been approved and believe it will provide a real boost to the site, particularly during our off-peak season.

“We’re currently finalising the next steps, with construction expected to begin in the autumn.”

Whitemills Wake & Aqua Park officially opened its doors on July 9, 2022.

It consists of a huge lake with an inflatable playground that’s essentially an obstacle course with slides, climbing walls and balance challenges with sessions from £22.50pp.

The site is purpose-built for wakeboarding from beginner sessions to 1-2-1 lessons and even ‘Wake & Cake’ where every class finishes with coffee and cake.

Other activities include paddleboarding, Ringo Rides and open water swimming.

There is an existing sauna already on site which is designed for ‘deep muscle relaxation, detoxification, and stress relief’.

This is supposed to be followed by a cold plunge which helps with circulation and recovery.

A sauna and cold plunge experience can be booked from £12.50pp.

Visitors can even stay overnight in their wooden lodges or pitch up a tent at the campsites.

The lodges sleep up to six people which come with kitted-out kitchens, a private bathroom, cosy bedrooms and lounge area with a TV – six of the lodges are pet-friendly.

Tantrum Lodge is a special accommodation choice with a private outdoor bathtub designed to be used in the evenings outside.

There are 20 tent pitches too with electric hook-up, access to modern shower and toilet blocks, and there’s an on-site restaurant and bar.

Tent pitches for up to six campers start from £35 (or £5.83pppn).

The Whitemills Kitchen serves up everything from sweet treats and snacks to full-on meals from breakfast to burgers, pasta, pizza and Sunday roasts.

Whitemills Wake and Aqua Park is less than a 15-minute drive from Sandwich Bay.

The sweeping shingle beach is found between Ramsgate and Deal in Kent.

The pretty seaside town of Sandwich is worth the visit too with timber-framed buildings and pubs like the Mermaid’s Locker.

May 11 (UPI) — A nonprofit organization filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Monday over renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The lawsuit, filed by the Cultural Landscape Foundation and founder Charles Birnbaum, argues that the National Mall renovation violates environmental and preservation laws without proper authority by changing the “historic character” of the reflecting pool.

“The dark grey, achromatic basin was not incidental to the design,” the lawsuit reads. “It was the design.”

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to block the renovation from moving forward.

The National Historic Preservation Act, the main law cited in the lawsuit, requires a review process before changing historic properties like the reflecting pool.

The Trump administration plans to add a coat of “American flag blue” paint to the base of the reflecting pool.

“The [Interior] Department is proud of the work being carried out by our Park Service to ensure this magical spot can be enjoyed for not only our 250th, but for many generations to come,” the Interior Department said in a statement.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation called the project and other renovations led by President Donald Trump, such as the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom, a “desecration.”

“A blue-tinted basin is more appropriate to a resort or theme park,” Birnbaum said in a statement.

Trump announced the project last month with an estimate for it to be completed by July 4.

Ranked No. 1 in preseason, St. John Bosco’s baseball team suffered some surprising losses during the National High School Invitational and Boras Classic, losing three straight at one point.

“The little bump in the road was our last opportunities to get guys in there for non-Trinity League games to see what they could do,” coach Andy Rojo said.

The computer rankings didn’t appreciate St. John Bosco’s experimentation. The Braves closed the regular season with 11 straight wins and a Trinity League title, but were punished when the Southern Section Division 1 playoff pairings came out Friday. Orange Lutheran, second place to the Braves, was given a No. 4 seed ahead of No. 6 St. John Bosco.

The disrespect will only add to the motivation for the defending Division 1 champions. St. John Bosco finished the regular season 22-5 and 14-1 in the Trinity League.

It’s another lesson in this new era of relying on computer algorithms for playoff pairings. The people running the computers won’t release their secrets about how teams are really ranked. It’s locked up like the recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Two things are certain for all computer rankings: Head-to-head matchups are really not important and league finish doesn’t matter. Those are two criteria that used to be among the most important in the days when humans put together pairings, so you can understand why old-timers are having a hard time adjusting.

“We feel good,” Rojo said.

And he should. For Southern Section Division 1 baseball, it really doesn’t matter where you are ranked. The 16 teams are so good that everyone is set to go through a gauntlet and may the best team rise to the top.

Orange Lutheran is seeded No. 4 in the Division 1 baseball playoffs.

(Nick Koza)

St. John Bosco opens the playoffs on Tuesday in pool C facing probably the best opening opponent in Crestview League champion Cypress. St. John Bosco has ace Julian Garcia ready to go, but Cypress has multiple pitchers ready to compete. Sierra Canyon is the highest seed in pool C and opens at home against Oaks Christian.

Big VIII League champion Norco received the No. 1 seed for the first 16-team pool play tournament in Division 1. There are four four-team pools with the chance to lose one game and not go home. The first- and second-place finishers in each pool will advance to the single elimination eight-team quarterfinals.

“I love the double elimination,” Rojo said. “If you have a bad day, you get to redeem yourself.”

The other eight divisions remain 32 teams and single elimination.

The Braves effectively managed pitches for Garcia all season in his return from arm surgery that forced him to miss all of 2025. He was even taken out with a no-hitter in the sixth inning against Mater Dei while sticking with 85 pitches to preserve him for the playoffs. He’s had a pitcher-of-the-year season with a 7-1 record, 0.72 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 48⅓ innings.

The big change for the 2026 playoffs for St. John Bosco from 2025 is that closer Jack Champlin will be the No. 2 starter. Sophomore Brayden Krakowski has shown he can be an effective closer. A major decision by Rojo was to shake up his batting order after the three-game losing streak. He switched Jaden Jackson and James Clark, with Jackson becoming the leadoff man and Clark batting second.

“They’re both thriving,” Rojo said.

And so is St. John Bosco, whether computer believes it or not.

PLANS for a mega new city centre leisure facility costing £36million have been unveiled.

The first designs include two swimming pools, a cafe, a family play area, health and wellbeing rooms, a fitness suite, and a number of studios.

Peterborough City Council said plans have been finalised after consultation with residents, with further details set to go on public display at a drop-in session on Tuesday, May 19.

A planning application is due to be submitted in July, with construction at the Embankment site set to begin early next year.

The sports hub will then open in 2028, housing the city’s only public indoor swimming pool after Peterborough’s Regional Pool was demolished last year due to structural issues.

It is set to have a 25-metre eight-lane pool, as well as another 20-metre activity pool with a movable floor, among a range of other facilities.

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Members of the public will have an opportunity to talk to the design team at the drop-in session later this month, with further information provided on sustainability, floor plans, timelines, and transport options.

Jamie Fenton, culture, sports and leisure partnership manager at the council, said: “We know that residents are still feeling the loss of the Regional Fitness and Swimming Centre and that is why we are moving as quickly as we can to deliver a new, modern facility for the city.

“We had a fantastic response to the initial engagement activity earlier in the year and we have used what people told us to develop the next phase of planning and designs.”

He added: “It is really exciting to be at a stage where we can show these to people and start having conversations around what a new leisure development will offer our residents.”

According to the council, £20million of the site’s funding has come from the government’s Growth Mission Fund, while £16million has been committed by the authority.

The development is still looking for private funding and grants “to assist with the costs”.

A MUCH-LOVED lido nestled in the UK countryside is reopening this weekend. 

The Art Deco attraction, which features a “lagoon” pool and slides, first opened in 1935 as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations for King George V.

At the height of summer, Ilkley Lido, which was threatened with closure in 2024, attracts up to 5,000 people a day and is now Grade II listed.

Inside is a large swimming pool, with a shallow end for kids as well as a slide. It is surrounded by a grassy area and has views across Ilkley Moor.

An Art Deco cafe remains unchanged at the site, which also includes changing rooms, tennis courts and a picnic area.

It will reopen on Saturday, May 9, from 10am to 4pm. 

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From Monday to Friday it will be open from 7.30am to 8.30am and 2pm to 6pm, and open from 10am to 2pm every Sunday.

A full summer programme, with extended opening times, will come into effect on May 23.

Adult tickets cost £7.25 and £3.75 for children.

The lido has hosted the Ilkley Triathlon since the early 1990s – one of the longest running sprint events in the country.

There are, however, no plans as yet for open air events at the attraction this year.

As previously reported, the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group said the attraction runs at a £280,000 loss every year.

ONE of the oldest lidos in the UK is set to undergo a huge expansion with a new spa and children’s water play area.

Droitwich Spa Lido near Birmingham originally opened in 1935 and is one of the few remaining open-air, saltwater pools in the UK and now, it will get a £12.5million facelift.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

There will be several new features at the lido including a spa experience, a new brine pool, a new reception and a new water play area for little ones.

Other parts of the attraction will be updated, including reintroducing Art Deco features, enhancing the cafe and refurbishing the changing rooms.

Councillor Richard Morris said: “The Droitwich Lido is seen as one of the best in the country and when the public were consulted about the Town Prospectus the residents in Droitwich rated it the area they were most proud of after fighting for it to be reopened in 2007.”

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He added that the final design might evolve, but that the lido is expected to open in the first half of 2028.

Currently, the destination already includes a heated saltwater pool, children’s wet play area, sun terrace and a cafe.

The 40metre lido also sits on vast deposits of salt, which have been extracted from the ground for centuries.

In fact, the natural brine in the town is 10 times stronger than sea water and when the lido first opened, diluted brine was pumped from the local streams into the pool to keep it aseptic.

It was then heated to the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea and marketed as the ‘seaside of Droitwich Spa’, without actually being on the seaside.

The lido previously closed in 2000, but remained a popular attraction with many travelling to just see the once busy open air pool.

Then in 2007, the lido reopened having been completely refurbished, with the water still using a natural brine feed.

Previously, the pool was even named the fifth best in the country by The Times.

The pool is already open for the 2026 season and is heated to between 22C and 26C.

General swim sessions costing from £7.20 per adult for an hour or £9.40 for two hours and £7.20 per child per session.

IT’S one-kneel to supermodel Heidi Klum as she scores a bikini shoot for brand Calzedonia.

The mum of four, 52, still loves posing and said: “I’ve been photographed nude or in lingerie since 1992, way before Instagram.”

Heidi is married to musician Tom Kaulitz, 36.

Kaulitz is a German musician who has been dating Heidi since March 2018.

The pair were first spotted together on 14 March leaving Delilah in West Hollywood.

The Sun recently told how Heidi and fellow model Stella Maxwell took a pet dog for walkies on the catwalk.

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The pair were both glammed up in silver while strutting with Stella’s pet Trip, a chihuahua terrier mix.

They were on set filming for Germany’s Next Topmodel series in LA.

Heidi wore a plunging gown with a see-through skirt, while Stella, 35, was in a slashed minidress.

Stella calls Trip her “most treasured possession”.

A week previously, Heidi changed tack and joined forces with Robbie Williams at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC.

She donned two different dresses, switching up from a red sparkling number to a black blouse and diamante skirt.

Ibiza might be famed for its sleepless nights, but where you stay can shape the whole experience.

From serene sea-view luxury to buzzy beachside energy, the White Isle serves up escapes to match every mood.

Find rooftop heaven at Ibiza’s Ocean Drive Talamanca,

says writer Mia Lyndon 

Sleepless nights are often a given on this island – but not at this stylish retreat. Here, you’ll find panoramic ocean views, an extensive pillow menu and truffles delivered at bedtime. 

 Tucked between Talamanca’s sandy beaches and whitewashed architecture are Ocean Drive’s four pools and 117 rooms, all facing the sparkling waters of Talamanca Cove.  

Our room is decked out with a rainfall shower, floor-to-ceiling windows and a tower speaker – plus a welcome flaó, an Ibizan mint and aniseed cheesecake.  

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There’s a complimentary hangover supplement, too (though that remains in its box).  

Downstairs, walls are adorned with local modern art, plus there’s a balmy sun terrace and the Almendra Boutique shop, stocked with whimsical Ibizan trinkets.  

We catch the sunset at the hotel’s rooftop Up And Down eatery, and sip Montenovo, a crisp, vibrant white wine, £35 a bottle, while gazing at Ibiza Castle across the bay, as we tuck into fresh seabass and prawns in a rich coconut, oyster and lime sauce, £30. 

Lunch is equally tempting, with indulgent sandwiches loaded with Iberian ham, Mahón cheese and truffle, £24, soaking up our rosé sangria, £7 a glass, before we plunge back into the rooftop pool. 

Mornings here are slow and relaxed – breakfast is served until noon and boasts local meats, Spanish cheeses and warm, freshly baked cookies. 

We stroll along Talamanca’s sandy boardwalk ogling the yachts, and stop by B London Boutique to browse the colourful rails of swimsuits, wraps and shades (Blondonboutique.com), before setting up camp on the golden beach.  

This is bliss. Double rooms at Ocean Drive Talamanca cost from £170 per night (Od-hotels.com).  

Seek out Hyde Ibiza. . . For a cool pool scene,

says Assistant Editor Kelly Allen

Perched in the hills of Cala Llonga, 15 minutes further along the Isle’s east coast, is boho-chic Hyde Ibiza.  

Head to its main pool, Hyde Beach, for an excellent playlist and cabanas, from £131 a day, to live it up – the fee is redeemable on food and drink.  

At beachside eatery Sonrojo, we order seafood paella, £30, and sangria, £35 a jug.  

Later, we catch the sunset on the terrace of Japanese restaurant Niko, feasting on umami-rich tuna and truffle maki, £24, and miso-glazed black cod, £37.  

Hyde is just steps from the public ferry to Ibiza Town, Santa Eulalia and Leonardo DiCaprio’s fave nearby island, Formentera.  

It’s also just 20 minutes from UNVRS, where we catch David Guetta (Unvrs.com), Ushuaïa, where Calvin Harris performs alfresco (Theushuaiaexperience.com), and Hï Ibiza, with its Wild Corner complete with a DJ booth inside the unisex loos (Hiibiza.com).  

Recovery at beach club Amante proves a winner (Amanteibiza.com), and the views are so impressive that a mate back home thinks my pics are AI! Double rooms at Hyde Ibiza cost from £161 per night (Hydehotels.com/ibiza). 

You must pack this essential travel item in your suitcase before your next holiday to take your pool lounging to the next level – and a game-changer at an all-inclusive

Packing one item in your suitcase on your next holiday could help make relaxing by the pool even more enjoyable.

Fleeing the miserable British weather and flying off somewhere sunny is something many of us eagerly anticipate as soon as we secure some annual leave, or when the children break up from school. We Brits adore visiting destinations like Spain, Greece, and Turkey for reasonably priced all-inclusive breaks where we can bask in the sunshine poolside and let our worries fade away.

However, if you’re arranging a trip this summer, one woman on social media has insisted you shouldn’t even contemplate travelling without packing one crucial item that could make those poolside days even more pleasurable – particularly if you’re booking to stay at an all-inclusive resort.

In a clip on TikTok, Josie Mills filmed herself with a tray of cocktails in small plastic cups that she had collected from the bar on her all-inclusive break.

Typically, you’d need to keep standing up to fetch a fresh drink, or risk them becoming warm in the heat if you collect multiple beverages at once – but Josie has a trick that can conserve your energy and keep your drinks chilled.

All you need to do is ensure you’ve packed a Stanley cup or other insulated drinking vessel. These will keep your beverages ice cold for hours and can contain far more liquid than the small cups the hotel provides you.

She captioned her video: “This is your sign to pack your Stanley so your all-inclusive drinks stay ice cold all day and saves you going to the bar every five minutes.”

Those commenting on Josie’s video who had brought their insulated tumblers on getaways agreed the tip was certainly worthwhile, as it can be a “godsend” in sweltering weather, even if you opt to fill it with chilled water rather than cocktails. Numerous people revealed they had even taken their cups straight to the bar and requested them to be filled.

One person said: “Just take your cup to them, they’ll mix the cocktail straight in there for you. Saves faffing with the little cups!”

Another added: “I do this every time. Save the plastic and just give them your cup, they’re happy to do it.” A third said: “We did this and it was a godsend in high 30 heat.”

While Josie’s suggestion was intended for guests staying at all-inclusive resorts who receive their beverages at no additional charge, you can do this at most hotels – though it will cost more. You can also fill your tumbler with water if you anticipate spending extended periods by the pool, as this will help maintain your hydration in the heat.

How to stay safe in the sun on holiday

If you’re intending to lounge poolside in the sunshine during your break, you should ensure you’re following proper sun safety measures. This includes applying sunscreen and making certain you’re adequately covered during the hottest periods of the day.

According to the NHS, you should make sure you: For further guidance on protecting yourself from the sun’s rays, head to the NHS website.

• Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
• Never burn
• Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
• Take extra care with children
• Keep babies younger than six months out of direct sunlight
• Use at least factor 30 sunscreen – make sure to use enough and reapply frequently

For more detailed information on staying safe in the sun, visit the NHS website.