reopen

The airport is expected to welcome passenger flights again in 2028

A UK airport that shut down three-and-a-half years ago is set to reopen following the resolution of a funding dispute this week. Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) near Finningley in Doncaster was once a key regional flight hub known as Robin Hood Airport, operating from 2005 with flights to holiday destinations including Alicante, Majorca, Paris, and various other locations.

However, the airport was compelled to close in 2022 after its owners, Peel Group, declared it financially “unviable”. The closure left South Yorkshire without an international airport.

Yet, in September 2025, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) officially approved a £160million funding package based on previous commitments to reopen the airport as DSA in a significant boost for the region. Its resurrection followed campaigning by residents and local politicians, and received backing from the British Government.

Nevertheless, the scheme had been thrown into doubt in recent weeks during a deadlock over a £57million loan from Doncaster City Council to support the reopening plans, after Reform UK councillors expressed concerns about whether taxpayers would receive a return on investment.

The airport scheme was championed by the local authority’s Labour mayor, Ros Jones, who is believed to have been re-elected by a narrow margin largely owing to her commitment to delivering the potentially transformational scheme, despite a surge in support for Reform.

The structure of local Government in Doncaster means she retains executive authority as Mayor despite Reform securing a majority on the council at the last election, and now controlling the budget.

Nigel Farage’s party originally backed the airport scheme, but in April indicated they would contemplate voting to withdraw approval, as they requested additional details about how the funds would be allocated and benefit local people, reports the Express.

At the end of last month, Mr Farage attacked the terms of the lease agreement being negotiated with the current site owners, The Peel Group, arguing the council needed to secure the freehold to prevent it becoming a “massive drain” on taxpayers.

Ms Jones told the BBC News at the time: “Last week Reform said DSA should be privately funded and today they’re saying it should be acquired by the council or government, even if that means through a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

“It is important to remember we offered to buy the freehold back in 2022 and Peel refused, the offer of a lease effectively killed off any chance of a successful CPO.”

She added that a CPO application could take between five to seven years with minimal chance of succeeding. The standoff sparked concerns that the scheme would have to be scrapped, despite significant progress in attempts to prepare it for commercial air traffic once more.

However, at an extraordinary meeting of the council last week, Reform dropped its opposition to the loan on the condition that they are able to review copies of the new lease before it is approved, according to ITV News.

Ms Jones said she was “delighted to see Reform’s done the U-turn”, dismissing the threat from the hard-right party as a “political stunt”.

Freight services at the flight hub could get under way as early as next year, with passenger flights expected to launch in 2028, according to reports.

FlyDoncaster, a council-owned company established to reopen and run the airport, has teamed up with German operator Munich Airport International (MAI) on the venture.

In an update last month regarding preparatory work at the site, Christian Foster, Director of council-owned operator FlyDoncaster, said: “Over recent months we’ve been building the right team to take on this task. That has included individuals with experience at major airports such as Manchester, Gatwick and East Midlands, taking up roles like Head of Security, Head of Airfield Operations and Head of Health & Fire Safety.

“We’re also going through a critical Airspace Change Process, a regulatory hurdle that means we’ll have our own area of airspace around the airport to manage. This is critical to our plans.

“We’re due to hear the result of stages one and two imminently, and we’ll be asking the public for their views in the summer, with a view to being re-certified in spring 2027.”

He says preparations for reopening and welcoming passengers back have been well underway, which has involved acquiring “vital equipment such as a new radar and fire appliances, completely refurbishing the fire station and control tower, and making plans for renovating the terminal building”.

The terminal building is set for a “full makeover, giving passengers somewhere that feels really special at the start of their holidays”, alongside improvements to the site’s infrastructure “to make this one of the most accessible airports in the UK for those with a disability”.

On top of this, talks are ongoing with airlines and partner organisations.

Mr Foster says the airport is already equipped to handle hundreds of thousands of tonnes of freight, and is also in dialogue with firms at the forefront of aviation innovation – including sky taxis, vertiports, and alternative fuel technologies – about how these could be incorporated into the site.

ONE popular UK attraction often considered a ‘time-warp town’ is set to reopen next month after months of closure.

Blists Hill is a living Victorian Museum that allows visitors to step into the 1900s with a period pub, pharmacy, and school, and there are even Shire horses trotting about the streets.

Blists Hill closed in February of this year after being taken over by the National Trust.

Now, it’s understood the site is set to open next month, but the exact dates haven’t been announced yet.

The National Trust said on its website: “Details of timings and prices will follow on our website in the next few weeks.”

For those who are keen to visit, the Victorian town is found in Shropshire and is a completely immersive experience.

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There are staff in costume working in the businesses like ironmaking – which is what the site was originally used for in the 18th and 19th century.

There’s also a candle factory, butcher shop, shoe smith and even a school which has been deconstructed and rebuilt on the site brick by brick.

At the bank, visitors can exchange pounds into shillings and pence to spend on treats like sweets at the confectionery shop.

Blists Hill even has resident Shire horses like George and Bernie, who provide carriage rides around the town.

It was late last year that that the National Trust announced it would take over the running of certain museums once operated by Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, like Blists Hill, with the help of a £9million grant.

The National Trust will oversee 10 museums and 35 listed buildings, with some sites opening “in a phased fashion” over the year.

For example, Toll House in Ironbridge, a small museum on the historic Iron Bridge, is set to reopen in mid-June

When Travel Writer Ryan Gray stepped into Victorian life, he confessed his favourite spots were the pub and chip shop.

He said: “The first cast member greet me was a friendly policeman, Guy Rowlands, who has been working on the site for more than 20 years. He also leads the singalongs in the New Inn, the on-site working pub, which takes place every afternoon.

“Staff recommended I take a bag of chips into the pub to enjoy with a pint on arrival, but as I was driving, I settled for a dandelion and burdock instead.

“Nevertheless, I was still able to enjoy the incredible levels of detail throughout the bar, including old local football fixtures written in cursive on the blackboard and ‘wanted’ posters hung up on the wall.”

Prior to its closure, Blists Hill was open from 10am to 4pm every day, with the museum advising customers to allow for up to four hours to explore it fully.

An adult day ticket to the site is £27, with a £30 option also available.

A BEACH in the UK that has been closed for nearly two decades could soon welcome tourists back.

Newhaven West Beach in Sussex is – bizarrely – owned by French company Newhaven Port and Properties.

The sandy beach was closed to the public back in 2008, claiming it is “too dangerous” to reopen.

However, a new bill being backed by parliament could see it force to reopen to both locals and tourists again.

If passed, it would not only see it reopen but would also require them to have safe public walking routes onto the beach where access is allowed.

James MacCleary, local Liberal Democrat MP, said: “West Beach is not just a strip of sand. It is part of Newhaven’s history, its identity and its community life.

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“For 17 years, local families – including my own – have been denied access to a beach where generations once swam, played and made memories. That cannot be right.

“My West Beach Bill is about fairness. It is about standing up for a community that has been shut out of its own seafront for far too long.

“Of course safety and harbour operations matter. But they cannot be used forever as a blanket excuse to keep people away from a much-loved public amenity.

“This is the first parliamentary bill that attempts to put the right of access to West Beach into law. It sends a clear message: Newhaven deserves its beach back. The Government must now adopt this Bill and make it Law”.

It comes head of plans for a multi-million pound upgrade of Newhaven to turn it back into a popular seaside resort.

The current ferry port allows Brits to travel to Dieppe in France in just four hours.

Last year, Newhaven Fort reopened last year after a £7.5million makeover which included an escape room and adventure playground.

A splash park and playground, as well as new restaurant and outdoor gym are planned for the seafront.

The UK’s biggest waterpark nearly opened in Newhaven as well, although these plans were scrapped in 2012.

WASHINGTON — The United States has launched a new military operation to ensure commercial shipping vessels can safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, deploying scores of warships, fighter jets and drones to counter Iranian efforts that have threatened the narrow waterway that carries a fifth of the world’s oil.

At a news conference Tuesday at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new initiative — dubbed “Project Freedom” — is a temporary and defensive operation meant to resume the flow of traffic through the international waterway as hostilities have continued in the region.

“We are not looking for a fight, but Iran cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway,” Hegseth said, while calling Iran’s tactics “international extortion.”

The operation comes nearly a month after the United States reached a fragile ceasefire deal with Iran, a truce that Hegseth said remains in effect even though Tehran has continued to attack U.S. forces and commercial vessels.

“The ceasefire is not over,” Hegseth said.

Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that since the ceasefire took effect, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times, seized two container ships and attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times. All of these instances, he said, are “below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point.”

Those attacks have left more than 1,550 vessels trapped in the Arabian Gulf, unable to transit, disrupting global trade and pushing energy markets toward crisis, with fuel prices climbing and shipping costs surging.

The new U.S. mission was cast as separate from the broader military campaign over Iran’s nuclear weapons program. As negotiations to denuclearize Iran continue, Caine said commercial vessels wanting to cross the strait will now “see, hear and frankly feel the U.S. combat power around them, on the sea, in the skies and on the radio.”

Two U.S. commercial vessels, escorted by Navy destroyers, have already moved through the Strait, Hegseth said.

“We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact,” Hegseth said. “They said they control the strait, they do not.”

Hegseth called the operation a “direct gift from the United States to the world,” aimed at resuming traffic through one of the world’s most vital waterways.

“To what remains of Iran’s forces: if you attack American troops or innocent commercial shipping, you will face overwhelming and devastating American firepower,” Hegseth said. “The president has been very clear about this.”

On Tuesday evening local time, the UAE’s defense ministry said in a statement on X that the country’s defensive systems “are actively engaging with missiles and UAV threats and that “sounds heard across the across the country are the result of ongoing engaging operations.”

Tuesday’s barrage marks the second consecutive day of attacks targeting the UAE since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire took hold on April 8. On Monday, the UAE said it engaged a total of 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran.

Times staff writer Nabih Bulos, in Beirut, contributed to this report.

AFTER five years of being shut-off, one small island off the coast of Montenegro is set to reopen, as is its luxury resort.

Called Sveti Stefan, the pretty spot has been closed for half a decade due to backlash from locals.

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

A few miles away from Montenegro‘s town of Budva is the small and beautiful island of Sveti Stefan which is home to a luxury resort, Aman Sveti Stefan.

The hotel is accessible only to its guests who have to walk across a small strip of land which connects it to the mainland.

Historically, the island has been popular with celebrity clientele like Marilyn Monroe, Princess Margaret and Brad Pitt.

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But the hotel closed back in 2021 due to a dispute between the property operator and locals over access to its public beaches.

When the hotel first opened in 2009, it made its surrounding beaches including Miločer Beach (King’s Beach) and Queen’s Beach accessible to its guests only.

Access for locals was made difficult with the luxury resort charging high fees around €200 (£172.63) for sunbeds and umbrellas.

However, these had historically been free for all to enjoy with space for locals to lay down a towel.

Restriction of the beaches caused a lot of backlash and there were even protests back in 2021.

The dispute between locals and the hotel ended up with the temporary closure of the resort which stretched on for five years.

In 2023, Europa Nostra, the European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, said: “The Montenegro State has almost half privatised this national treasure and disenfranchised its own citizens from their own public domain.

“Public access to Sveti Stefan old town and other parts of the site has been forbidden, even during winter months when the hotel is closed, making it impossible for locals and non-hotel guest tourists to enjoy this cultural landscape.”

Five years on and the hotel operator, Aman, has confirmed the island retreat in Montenegro will be reopen on July 1, 2026.

The luxury resort still looks like a small village, and is made up of hand-restored stone cottages and suites all updated with modern furnishings.

Some of the more luxurious suites even have private swimming pools, courtyards and terraces.

Stays include a daily breakfast, in-room refreshments and access to snorkelling equipment and paddle boards.

A stay in the Deluxe Cottage which is based on an original island home starts from €2,973 (£2,566.12) per night.

The resort has a mainland retreat called Villa Miločer, that and its Aman Spa will welcome guests back on May 22, 2026.

As for its surrounding beaches, these are open to the public once more with free access – but there are no shower, changing cabins or toilets.

For anyone who wants a glimpse of Sveti Stefan, the nearest airport is Tivat which is a three-hour direct flights from the UK and as little as £38 each way with easyJet.

THE BIGGEST outdoor swimming pool in the UK is reopening this week for the season.

Tooting Bec Lido, which first opened in 1906, is one of the most popular freshwater lidos in London.

Measuring twice the length of an Olympic pool, it can welcome up to 1,400 swimmers at once.

And despite being unheated, you can expect it to be busy when it reopens on May 1, with temperatures expecting to hit 26C.

Anyone wanting to visit will have to register for a free membership and, while tickets are sometimes available on arrival, it is recommended to book ahead – especially on hot days.

From May to August, it will be open from 6am to 8pm, with two swimming sessions a day. In September it closes earlier at 5pm.

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The lido underwent a £40million upgrade last year, which will “safeguard it for the next 50 years” and includes new water systems and filtration systems to keep the pool cleaner.

The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey raved about the lido, saying: “When I used to live in South London, this was the best place to spend the mornings.

“Not only was it the best brisk wake up, but there was a form of comradery amongst other swimmers, all supporting each other when the cold got a bit too much.

“In the summer, it has the best vibes, especially after ending with a coffee to relax on Tooting Common to warm up.”

Hillsea Lido is also reopening this week, after a £7million makeover.

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A HISTORIC Gloucestershire lido may not open in time for summer, as the council review risk assessments into its damaged infrastructure, reports the BBC.

The site, that saw its heyday back in the 1940s, is struggling under the burden of its ageing facilities.

The Stratford Park Lido, located in Stroud, Gloucestershire, has been serving open air swimmers since 1937 and cost £20,000 to build.

Recently, there were suggestions that the lido could reopen this summer, after Stroud District Council agreed to explore cheaper repair options.

The council had warned that safety concerns and a £5million repair bill would ultimately take too long to settle in time for summer.

However, during a meeting earlier this week, discussions arose that the lido would be unlikely to open this summer due to the condition of the facilities.

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In February, a risk assessment revealed serious hazards, including a cracked foundation and excessive corrosion on the pipework.

There was also discussions about the lido becoming the property of the Stroud community or the town council in the future.

Friends of Stratford Lido and the Save Our Lido Campaign Group, alongside the council, have organised a meeting to discuss these decisions.

There had been 100 written requests from residents to understand what would happen to the lido in the future.

The Save Our Lido Campaign group also argued that previous maintenance plans included unnecessary upgrades, such as heating.

Now, it will cost the council’s Strategy and Resources Committee up to £200,000 to investigate whether the lido will open this summer.

AN AIRPORT in the north of the country has taken one step closer to welcoming back passengers.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in 2022 after operating for 17 years, but has been recently backed by the government to reopen.

Now, the regional airport has taken another step closer to welcoming flights as it is launching a search for an operational partner.

Operator Fly Doncaster is looking for a Fixed Based Operator to have a permanent place within the airport.

This type of organisation would provide services that include aircraft handling, fuelling, and parking.

What this means is that private flights could return to the airport before the end of 2026 – with plans for passengers flights much later.

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Simon Hinchley, Executive Director for Airport Operations at Fly Doncaster said: “As we work towards reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, our focus is firmly on building a safe, efficient and operationally robust airport that is ready to serve a broad range of users from day one.”

In early 2025, the UK government revealed that £30million was being put towards its reopening.

More recently, a report for City of Doncaster Council’s cabinet announced that the cost of reopening the airport had risen to £193million.

Fly Doncaster said that when the airport reopens, it could see as many as four million passengers through its doors.

There has also been talks of a rail link to and from the airport that could have connections with the Lincoln Line and East Coast Mainline.

Prior to its closure, airlines like FlyBe, Wizz Air and TUI operated flights from Doncaster Sheffield.

As of yet, no airline has confirmed it will open base, but Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme Labour MP Lee Pitcher said last year that he was in talks with both Ryanair and TUI.

In July 2025, he told local media: “Yesterday, I chaired the latest meeting of the DSA Action Group, where we sat down with TUI’s UK & Ireland commercial director.

“It was a productive discussion, and we’ll continue to work with TUI, other key stakeholders, and push the Government to keep Doncaster Sheffield Airport firmly on the agenda.“

The airport is expected to be operational with passenger flights for summer 2028.

Another airport that is in talks to reopen is Manston Airport, in Kent which once offered flights from the UK to Europe.

Passenger services stopped when KLM pulled out of the airport in 2014.

The current plan is to reopen the airport for cargo planes which is scheduled for 2029.

There have been talks to start commercial flights once again, but this could take longer to start.

Tony Freudmann – the public face of the site’s owners, RiverOak Strategic Partners told Kent Online: “We need, by the time we open, to have enough advance commitment from cargo operators to see that it is going to work.

“At that point, if we get the right approach from passenger carriers, wanting us to build a passenger terminal and base some aircraft here, we’ll go with that.”

Here’s more on airports as chaos sweeps Europe with new travel rules that have resulted in three hour queues and passengers missing their flights.

And this Spanish airport is set to close for over a month with all flights cancelled and thousands of Brits set to be impacted.