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Wales will reopen borders for staycations from July

Borders are set to open for tourism for the first time in weeks, with holidayers permitted to visit Wales and stay in "self-contained" accommodation.

The Manc - 19th June 2020

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has confirmed the country will be welcoming back Brits for holidays from July 6.

Welsh borders are set to open for tourism for the first time in weeks, with holidayers permitted to visit and stay in “self-contained” accommodation.

This includes cottages, static caravans and a selection of hotels.

Mr. Drakeford admitted that the country would proceed with caution and keep a close eye on the stats, stating: “We’ve got to be sure the virus is still under control at that point.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the First Minister commented: “On Monday 6 July, provided the virus is still under control, we will lift our ‘stay local’ instruction here in Wales and at that point the tourism economy will reopen in Wales.

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He continued: “I’ll be saying today to our tourism sector that they should use the next three weeks to prepare so that beyond that, self-contained accommodation will be able to reopen in Wales.”

Tourism businesses will be able to take bookings again from July 13.

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Chester Zoo announces return of its £10 tickets for limited time only with extended opening hours

Kids at Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo has announced the return of its popular £10 tickets deal for a limited time only.

You may remember that earlier this summer, Chester Zoo invited people from across the North West to visit for just £10, and as the offer proved so popular, they’ve now brought it back again for a limited time.

For the past three years running now, Chester Zoo has officially been named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews, and now as the summer draws to a close, you’ll get to see exactly what makes it such a special place worth visiting for a cut price.

With the offer only applicable to afternoons this summer, Afternoon Tickets allow entry to Chester Zoo from 2pm onwards – with the last entry being one-hour before it closes.

World's rarest lions at Chester Zoo — Chester Zoo is offering £10 tickets to visitors this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is offering £10 tickets to visitors this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo

Without this offer, standard admission tickets to Chester Zoo usually cost up to £38 for adults, £37 for students, and £28 for children, all including a 10% donation to the zoo’s conservation efforts, while babies and carers go free.

So it really is worth making the most of these limited-time £10 tickets while you still can – with the offer now running until 6 September.

The best bit about the offer returning? The zoo is currently operating its extended opening hours until 6pm too, so included for the bargain price of a £10 ticket, you’ll even get to see all the animals while the sun goes down.

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Afternoon tickets are only available online and must be booked in advance to claim the £10 offer.

Read more:

Tickets can only be purchased online before 4pm on the day of your visit, and standard admission tickets can be purchased from our ticket office at the main entrance.

Find out more and book your £10 tickets online here.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend

A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.

Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.

Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.

Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.

A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM

A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM

As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.

For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.

Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.

But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.

🏳️‍🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.

To allow the parade to take place:
– There will be road closures in place
– Some buses may operate on diversion
– Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays

For… pic.twitter.com/gpzkqoPOQQ
— Bee Network (@BeeNetwork) August 25, 2026

Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.

“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.

“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”

Read more:

You can find out everything you need to know about Manchester Village Pride here, and see the full list of road closures here.

Featured Image – TfGM