A HISTORIC Victorian bathhouse is getting a new lease of life after closing nearly 50 years ago.
Manor Place Baths in South London is a 19th century bathhouse that was once a huge swimmingpool complex.
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A Victorian bathhouse is reopening as a free attraction – nearly 50 years after it closedCredit: NikeThe attraction is a collaboration with Nike and Palace SkateboardsCredit: NikeThere will also be a huge skatepark insideCredit: Nike
It later became a boxing venue before closing in the 1970s.
However, a new attraction is set to open inside the bathhouse, as part of a collaboration with Nike and Palace Skateboards.
Inside will be a thee ‘zones’ – The Park and The Cage, The Front Room, and The Residency.
A free to use skatepark is in the area where the men’s swimmingpool use to be (having since been paved over).
The ‘world-class’ skatepark will be made of concrete, with ramps, ledges and benches.
There will also be an underground football cage which can be used for three-a-side.
The Front Room will be an art venue with workshops and pop ups, as well as having Nike clothing on sale.
And The Residency will be creative studio spaces, which will be on rotation every nine months.
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Events will include “skate jams,” women-only sessions and a number of others.
Opening from November 11, it will be free to visit and open six days a week.
Art shows and pop ups will be part of the entranceCredit: Nike
Palace co-founder Lev Tanju said: “We had an idea of creating a large space for the community that would be about skateboarding and sport, and a space you could generally hang out in.”
Gareth Skewis, also co-founder of Palace, said: “I want Manor Place to be somewhere safe and friendly where people can skate, play football and discover new things.”
It has even been backed by English footballer Lenna Gunning-Williams.
She said: “Manor Place is important for the next generation because it’s so accessible.
“It’s going to be a place where people can connect — and it’s not just for footballers, it’s for skaters and creatives too.”
THE UK’s second-longest pier is set to have a £20million refurb, with work starting next year.
The Victorian Southport Pier has been shut since 2022 following safety concerns.
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Southport Pier has been closed since 2022 following safety concernsCredit: GettyNow the pier will undergo a £20million refurbishmentCredit: GettyAt the entrance to the pier, there is an arcade attraction that remains openCredit: Alamy
But now it will get a new lease of life with a full restoration, including replacing the decking boards and timber joists, steelwork repairs, as well as adding new gates and CCTV cameras.
The project is expected to take around 14 months to complete, according to the local council.
In total, it stretches 0.68 miles and is estimated to contribute more than £15million to the economy.
But the pier has a long history of issues and restorations.
For example, back in 1897, the original pavilion which stood at the end of the pier was destroyed by a fire.
In 1959, another fire caused a lot of damage to the decking of the pier.
Things then started to look up as in 1975 the pier was awarded a Grade II-listed status and in 2002, following a £7million refurbishment, the pier gained a new tram.
But then 20 years later, in 2022, the pier closed again due to safety concerns and has been closed since.
Councillor Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council said: “Southport Pier is a structure with a rich history but regrettably with a poor refurbishment programme carried out in the early 2000s, the refurbishment left the pier very vulnerable!
“However we have never considered giving up on it.
“The Pier is a symbol of Southport’s identity, history, and now, thanks to the Council and Central Government, secured for the town’s future too.”
Uniquely, the pier starts on the mainland before crossing over the town’s Marine Lake, then more land before it stretches out into the sea.
At the entrance to the pier, there is also Silcock’s Funland which remains open.
Inside, visitors will find a number of children’s rides and retro arcade machines, as well as a cafe.
There is also a family restaurant and outside, a carousel.
TRAVEL writer, Catherine Lofthouse, visited Southport recently – here are her thoughts…
When the sun is out, there’s no better place to be than by the coast, so I couldn’t wait to take my family to check out Southport.
There is a huge 17-acre parkland between the town and the sea which boasts a marine lake and hosts plenty of paid and free attractions, including boats, a miniature railway, a wooden playground, crazy golf and a model village.
There’s a free hall of mirrors inside the arcade that will give all the family a laugh and my boys whiled away an hour on the zipline and climbing frames in the gardens, so you can easily pass some time here without spending a penny.
My little boy loved the £1 track ride just inside Silcocks Funland arcade, while the carousel outside was only £2.25 per person.
If you only wanted to spend £20 and choose one family activity, there’s quite a few options on offer here.
A trip on Lakeside Miniature Railway, the oldest continuously running 15in gauge railway in the world, costs £4 return or £3 single per person.
At the marine lake, you can hire a pedalo for £20 for 30 minutes or take your family on a self-drive motorboat for 20 minutes for the same price.
One quirky place to visit if you’re after an indoor option would be the lawnmower museum in Shakespeare Street, which boasts a variety of machines, including some belonging to the rich and famous like King Charles and Paul O’Grady.
Entrance only costs £3 for adults and £1 for children, so it’s worth a trip just to say you’ve been!
For food, my top tip would be to head to the cafe at Southport Heritage Centre – you can buy a slush for just a quid, a Magnum for £2.50, or a portion of chips for just £2.50.
Out of sheer darkness, the Batman logo was emblazoned across the 86-foot-wide screen and dazzled my young eyes.
From Hollywood, I was instantly whisked away to Gotham City. The iconic DC comic book came to life and the booming thuds of the Caped Crusader smashing a pair of common thieves was real.
These were my first vivid memories of watching a movie in the larger-than-life Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard, and being amazed by the screen’s size and the sense of being transported into another galaxy.
But the dome is magical on the outside, as well as the inside. The concrete geodesic dome is made up of 316 individual hexagonal and pentagonal shapes in 16 sizes. Like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it’s a structure that has become a Hollywood landmark.
The Dome represented a special place for me, until it became just another of the dozens of businesses in L.A. that never returned after pandemic closures in 2020.
Ever since, there have been rumblings that the Dome would eventually reopen. Although nothing is definitive, my colleague Tracy Brown offered a bit of hope in a recent article.
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Dome Center LLC, the company that owns the property along Sunset Boulevard near Vine Street, filed an application Oct. 28 for a conditional-use permit to sell alcohol for on-site consumption at the Cinerama Dome Theater and adjoining multiplex. The application doesn’t mention an reopening date or any details about movie screenings returning to the dome but suggests that a reopening may be in the works.
Elizabeth Peterson-Gower of Place Weavers Inc., said Dome Center is seeking a new permit that would “allow for the continued sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with the existing Cinerama Dome Theater, 14 auditoriums within the Arclight Cinemas Theater Complex, and restaurant/cafe with two outdoor dining terraces from 7:00 am – 4:00 am, daily,” according to the application filed by the company’s representative.
This would would be a renewal of the current 10-year permit, which expires Nov. 5.
The findings document filed with the City Planning Department also mentions that “when the theater reopens, it will bring additional jobs to Hollywood and reactivate the adjacent streets, increasing safety and once again bringing vibrancy to the surrounding area.”
A representative for Dome Center LLC did not respond immediately Friday to a request for comment.
What happened to the Dome?
The Cinerama Dome opened in 1963 and had been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Since the closing, the news about the future of the theater has been ambiguous.
In 2022, news that the property owners obtained a liquor license for the renamed “Cinerama Hollywood” fueled hope among the L.A. film-loving community’s that the venue was still on track to return.
But the Cinerama Dome’s doors have remained closed.
Signs of life
At a public hearing regarding the adjacent Blue Note Jazz Club in June, Peterson-Gower reportedly indicated that although there were not yet any definitive plans, the property owners had reached out to her to next discuss the future of the Cinerama Dome.
Perhaps this new permit application is a sign plans are finally coming together.
After the kind of year Los Angeles has endured — with devastating fires and demoralizing immigration raids — it would certainly bolster the spirits of all Angelenos to have another local landmark reopen its doors to welcome movie-loving patrons like me.
Today’s top stories
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as he stands with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom during an election night news conference at a Democratic Party office in Sacramento on Nov. 4, 2025.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
Voters approve Prop. 50
After World Series celebration, ICE and Border Patrol gather at Dodger Stadium once again
Dozens of federal immigration agents were seen staging in a Dodger Stadium parking lot Tuesday morning, a day after the team returned home to celebrate its back-to-back championships with thousands of Angelenos.
Videos shared with The Times and on TikTok show agents in unmarked vehicles, donning green vests and equipped with white zip ties in parking lot 13.
Five months ago, protests erupted outside the stadium gates when federal immigration used the parking lot as a processing site for people who had been arrested in a nearby immigration raid.
Sen. Alex Padilla says he won’t run for California governor
“It is with a full heart and even more commitment than ever that I am choosing to not run for governor of California next year,” Padilla told reporters outside his Senate office in Washington.
Padilla instead said he will focus on countering President Trump’s agenda in Congress, where Democrats are currently in the minority in both the House and Senate, but hope to regain some political clout after the 2026 midterm elections.
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A view of landscaping at the home of Susan Gottleib and her Gottleib Native Garden in Beverly Hills.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Going out
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A question for you: What’s the best hiking trail in SoCal?
Alexandra writes: “Sullivan Canyon, for sure.”
Rochelle writes: “Can’t ever go wrong in Griffith Park, but for overall exercise, killer views, artifacts, and entertainment without wearing yourself out, my hiking partner and I like the Solstice Canyon Loop in Malibu, 3.4 miles. The most popular hike in the canyon, for good reason!”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally … your photo of the day
Joe Rinaudo hopes to host tours and educational opportunities at his home theater and museum through a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving photoplayers.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Andrew Campa, Sunday writer Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
THE UK’s oldest lido could never reopen despite years of renovation works, costing millions.
Cleveland Poolsin Bath, which was built in 1815 and is the country’s oldest, may never reopen to the public again.
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Cleveland Pools in Bath went through major restoration to open for 2023Credit: Cleveland PoolsJust four months later it was forced to close after flood damageCredit: Alamy
It was open for just four months in 2023 after receiving £9.3 million for a revamp. But it hasn’t reopened since, and it might never do so.
The trustees of the restored lido revealed in a report that it “might not be possible” to reopen the pool, according to the BBC.
The report stated: “The risk that the cost to repair the pools and the plantroom will be substantial and beyond the resources available to the trust.
“There is therefore a risk that the pools cannot be repaired and reopened.
“To mitigate against this risk the trust is exploring all potential avenues that would allow the pools to be repaired and reopened, including but not limited to legal recourse and external funding.”
The nextsteps for the trustees is to finalise the cost of repairs and work with the council and National Lottery Fund to secure money needed for the restoration.
Cleveland Pools is a Grade II listed lido, and is considered the oldest outdoor swimming pool in the UK.
It opened in the early 1800s and closed in 1984. It then took a huge campaign by the public, and almost £10million to reopen the lido in September 2023.
The money was raised by trustees from local donors, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
When it opened its doors for the very first time, tickets for the Sunday free swim were so popular that the system crashed.
Cleveland Pools is Britain’s oldest outdoor poolCredit: PA
The lido looked like it would have a very popular season, but it was forced to close months later due to flood damage.
Heavy rainfall during Storm Henk caused a huge amount of damage to the plantroom – where all the equipment to operate the lido is kept.
At the time, Cleveland Pools Trust apologised and Paul Simons, chair of the trust, said: “Once the river level has dropped the pools will be pumped out, jet washed down, re-filled and then the treatment circulation will recommence.
He added that the time frame for that “should take a number of days, not weeks.”
Nov. 1 (UPI) —Federal Aviation Administration officials on Friday night urged Congress to approve government funding as more air traffic controllers call in sick amid the shutdown.
The nation’s nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers and additional Transportation Security Administration agents are deemed essential, but they are not being paid during the government shutdown that started on Oct.1.
Now in its 32nd day on Saturday, the FAA said the strain on unpaid employees is causing many to call in sick due to other obligations, such as supervising children, and out of frustration, The Hill reported.
“A surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the [National Airspace System,” FAA personnel posted on X.
“Half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York-area facilities.”
The FAA post said the “shutdown must end” so that air traffic controllers can get paid and to ensure the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the country.
When experiencing staffing shortages, the FAA reduces the amount of air traffic to maintain safety, which could cause flight delays or cancellations, the post said.
Such staffing shortages caused delays at airports in Boston, Dallas, Nashville and Newark, N.J., among several others, according to ABC News.
The shutdown is the second-longest in U.S. history, but it is poised to exceed the current record-holder of 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.
During that shutdown, air traffic controllers again worked without pay until the government reopened and they received back pay.
Air traffic controllers earn a median salary of $150,000 annually, but new hires are paid about $50,000, aviation industry labor expertJake Rosenfeld of Washington University in St. Louis told ABC News.
The Senate has failed 13 times to obtain the 60 votes needed to overcome the Senate’s filibuster rule and fund the federal government while continuing to work on a 2026 fiscal year budget.
The Senate reconvenes on Monday, which is one day short of the record 35-day shutdown.
AN ABANDONED UK airport that was set to re-open in 2027 has been hit by a £193million blow.
The site is also expected to make a loss for the first nine years, which is an increase from its previous estimate of five.
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An abandoned UK airport that was set to re-open in 2027 has been hit by a £193million blow.Credit: Getty
South Yorkshire council leaders and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, approved spending £160m of public money to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
Previous owners, Peel Group closed the airport in 2022 after it continued to make yearly losses.
But, Mayor Coppard said reopening the airport would support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of £2bn by 2050.
However, the projected cost of re-opening has now risen by nearly £50m to £193m, according to City of Doncaster Council’s cabinet.
Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said the rising costs in the report set out the challenges and opportunities in a project “of this size and scale”.
She added that re-opening the airport was a massive undertaking but one that was “vital for the future prosperity, well-being and economic growth of the city, region and the country.”
She also stated: “The ambition is that the airport does become a success story for Doncaster and South Yorkshire.”
The report, however, says the £160m will only be released in annual instalments and will not cover all the start-up costs of the first few years.
However, the papers also suggest there is a chance that costs may continue to spiral even further by 20 per cent.
This would put the overall reopening costs at £222m, and the papers say that if this takes place – closing DSA would need to be considered.
The report explains: “The profile of the additional costs and extent of the increases would impact on the borrowing costs; therefore, the consideration of the potential closure decision point would need to be regularly evaluated, and scenarios updated.”
According to the council papers, the airport is projected to make losses for the first nine years of operation (2026-2034) of £81.1m.
However, the council is predicting that from 2034 onwards the airport will start to make a profit, totalling £230m before tax and interest by 2049.
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The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority had already allocated £16.1m to the project, with City of Doncaster Council expected to provide further funding of £17.4m.
A South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority spokesperson told The Sun: “These numbers are not new, nor do they identify any new risks.
“We’ve always been very clear and upfront about the commercial and financial challenges we have taken on when committing to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and the need for public financial support for those plans in the medium term.
“That’s why we took extra time and undertook significant added due diligence before agreeing the MCA’s funding commitment in September.
“The figures released in the City of Doncaster Council’s papers remain in line with the funding envelope we set for the project at that point.
“The information in CDC’s papers has been made available because of that additional work, which helped us understand the risks and opportunities of reopening DSA.
“The extensive work we have undertaken makes clear that reopening DSA and creating a world leading sustainable aviation and advanced manufacturing hub at Gateway East offers a unique opportunity for jobs and growth.
“We will remain diligent in the protection of taxpayers’ money as we pursue that opportunity, while recognising the risks and challenges we face developing a project of this size and scale. As we have been throughout, we will continue to be transparent and accountable throughout this process.”
The airport is expected to be fully operational with passenger flights, planned for summer 2028.
Gaza is often referred to as the world’s largest open-air prison, trapped between Israel’s blockade, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Rafah border post is the only crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip: a strategic gateway to the outside world.
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In 2007, Israel imposed an air, land, and sea blockade on Gaza.
Human Rights Watch says the closure of the Rafah crossing has devastated Gaza’s economy, contributed to the fragmentation of the Palestinian people, and enabled Israel’s system of apartheid – and that was long before Israel’s devastating war.
And despite the United States-brokered ceasefire, Israel has threatened to keep the crossing shut because of delays in returning the remains of its captives.
So, if and when the crossing reopens, how will it operate and who will be in charge?
Presenter: Dareen Abughaida
Guests:
Mustafa Barghouti – Secretary-General at the Palestinian National Initiative
Tahani Mustafa – Visiting Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations
Rob Geist Pinfold – Lecturer of International Security at King’s College London
