A restaurant in Manchester is hosting a dining experience with a difference, giving its guests the chance to suspend one of their senses for an evening.
Sakku Samba, a glitzy Japanese and Brazilian fusion restaurant based on The Avenue in Spinningfields, is putting on a ‘dine in the dark’ experience where guests will be blindfolded for the duration of their meal.
Surrendering themselves entirely to the mercy of Sakku Samba’s wait staff, those taking part in the tasting experience will enjoy a special, secret menu while blindfolded – taking things up a notch from the usual candlelight dinner.
Spanning three courses with three different menus available for meat eaters, pescetarians, and vegans, guests will be asked to give up their sense of sight for the night as they dig into dinner.
In exchange, they are being promised a heightened sense of smell and taste, and even greater texture sensitivity – something that has actually been proven to work by research conducted by the British Psychological Society.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Dining in the dark is not a new concept and has only grown in popularity since the opening of restaurants such as Blindekuh (Blind Cow) in Zurich in 1999 and the Unsicht (meaning invisible) Bar in Cologne, Germany, in 2001.
Closer to home, of course, in London, we have the famous Dans Le Noir – which opened in 2006 and still going strong today, offering its diners the chance to taste gourmet, creative and seasonal cuisine in complete darkness, accompanied and served by unexpected guides.
Whilst here in Manchester, restaurants such as the Albert Square Chop House and 20 Stories have previously dipped their toes into the water with one-off dinners hosted in the dark.
Those planning on heading down to Sakku Samba on 27 September can choose from two sittings for the dinner, the first starting at 6pm and the latter at 830pm.
Tickets are priced at £60 per person, regardless of whether you go for the red, blue or green menu, but it is not clear whether drinks are included or need to be purchased on top.
Government to slash prices of cinema tickets, bus travel, and LOADS more across UK for kids this summer
Emily Sergeant
Cinema tickets, trips to the theatre and the zoo, and children’s meals out are all set to be cheaper than ever this summer.
That’s because the Government has announced its newest initiative, Great British Summer Savings, which means that from 25 June through to 1 September 2026, a temporary reduced rate of VAT – down from 20% to 5% – will be introduced on children’s meals in restaurants and family leisure activities over the summer period.
Children’s meals served in restaurants, children’s and family tickets for the cinema, theatre, exhibitions, shows, and concerts, and admission tickets – for both children and adults – to a wide range of different attractions will be eligible for the discount.
Whether you want to visit an amusement park, fairs, circuses, museums, zoos, adventure parks, soft play centre, or something similar this summer, it just got a whole lot cheaper.
The Government is slashing the prices of cinema tickets, bus travel, and LOADS more across UK for kids this summer / Credit: Artem Kniaz (via Unsplash) | Supplied
This aim of this initiative is to make family days out more affordable, while also supporting businesses through increased footfall.
The Government says it will work with eligible businesses to get the scheme ‘up and running’.
And to make it even better, this is a UK-wide initiative, so no matter where you are in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, the reduced rate will apply.
Going one step further, there will also be free bus travel for children aged between five and 15 in England in August, helping to support families getting out and about this summer.
The Government says the Great British Summer Savings initiative supports the action it has already taken to reduce the cost of living – including cutting energy bills, freezing prescription charges, protecting motorists from fuel duty increases, and raising the minimum wage.
Businesses will be able to apply the 5% rate of VAT on eligible sales between 25 June and 1 September.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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New record-breaking £8.72m ride opens at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Emily Sergeant
The day has finally arrived… the UK’s tallest ride is now open to the public.
After first being announced back in May 2025, thrill-seekers have been hotly anticipating the arrival of Blackpool Pleasure Beach‘s newest ride, Aviktas, for the past year – and now, the time has come, as passengers have travelled from across the country to be among the first to experience the adrenaline-pumping spectacle.
Not for the faint of heart, Aviktas launches its riders 138 feet into the air while reaching angles of up to 120 degrees.
Now officially open at the iconic Lancashire seaside theme park, Aviktas has became the largest ride of its kind in the UK – almost doubling the size of the previous tallest, Maelstrom at Drayton Manor.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s newest £8.72m ride is now open / Credit: Supplied
The jaw-dropping new ride features a unique design that’s been engineered to ‘maximise thrills’.
According to its creators, Aviktas’ restraints create a sense of freedom leaving its riders feeling weightless as they soar towards its 138 foot peak.
Pleasure Beach has invested £8.72m into the attraction, marking it as its biggest single investment in eight years.
Aviktas is now the tallest rollercoaster of its kind in the UK / Credit: Supplied
“Pleasure Beach has always had a reputation for going big and pushing boundaries, and Aviktas is no exception,” commented Amanda Thompson OBE, who is the CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort.
“Its sheer size and presence speaks for itself, there is simply nothing like it in the UK. We wanted to build something that sets us apart from anywhere else and gives our guests a genuine must-visit reason to come to the park.
Georgina Pellant -
29th August 2023 
