Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced that late-night riding is returning once again for three nights only this summer.
With the summer officially here, the temperatures hotting up, and the nights staying lighter for longer, the Lancashire seaside town’s beloved theme park has announced that it will be bringing back its popular Late Night Riding hours for the next three Saturdays.
On Saturday 23 and Saturday 30 July, and Saturday 6 August, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be open from 10am until late, so thrill-seekers can enjoy their favourite rides throughout the warm evenings.
With schools across the North West now out for six-week summer holidays, and the theme park gearing up for what is always one of its busiest times of the year, Late Night Riding means that there’s now more hours to ride into the night on the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, the Big One, check out the twists and turns of ICON at twilight, enjoy a night race on the Grand National, and ride on the the Big Dipper at dusk.
Younger riders can also meet up with Paw Patrol and other characters at the UK’s-only Nickelodeon Land with its 12 amazing rides.
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They can also check out the world’s first Wallace & Gromit ride, Thrill-O-Matic.
If riding thrilling rides late into the evening wasn’t enough, SLIMETIME is also taking place at the FY4 area of Blackpool Pleasure Beach daily between midday and 4pm throughout July and August, and it means you can join the Slime Squad for slime games and competitions, while the resident Slime Sounds DJ provides the tunes.
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And in true Nickelodeon tradition, you can even get totally covered in green slime in the Slime Tank too, if you fancy it.
If you need a break from the summer heat, guests can cool off with a visit to Hot Ice – with this year’s show, Rapture, being the world’s longest-running ice show, and starring a cast of world championship performers, complete with stunning costumes and mesmerising special FX.
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The spectacular show will be running on selected dates until 10 September.
The fun always shines here @Pleasure_Beach so make the most of the warmer weather and celebrate your summer with us!
Booking 7 days or more in advance online saves £5 pp, including all of our remaining LATE NIGHT RIDING events!
— Pleasure Beach Resort🎢 (@Pleasure_Beach) July 13, 2022
Fancy saving a few pennies when you visit?
Taking advantage of Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s ‘Celebrate Summer’ offer means guests can receive £5 off an eTicket when they book at least seven days in advance of their visit – which is a saving of up to £14 on the gate price.
All you’ll need to do to redeem this limited-time offer is simply select a date seven or more days in advance and book on the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website here.
The discount will automatically be added to the booking.
Dispute over Manichester now ‘resolved’, say Mounfield family
Danny Jones
The family of the late, great Manchester musician, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, have said that the drama surrounding the highly-anticipated tribute festival in his name, Manichester, has now thankfully been settled.
Now the focus can once again return to remembering him as best as possible.
Following plenty of talk about the project following his passing late last year, a live music festival honouring Mani was finally confirmed in March, and the reaction following the event’s announcement has been unsurprisingly phenomenal.
Well, at least for the most part, as there was also some confusion over whether or not Manichester was still a charitable effort as advertised, with son Gene Mounfield disputing claims online. Fortunately, it all seems to have been put to bed now.
On behalf of the boys, and as their legal guardian, I want to thank everyone for the kind messages and concern for their wellbeing. There was a misunderstanding regarding the upcoming Manichester tribute concert, but we’re pleased to share that everything has now been resolved. pic.twitter.com/j8jEMrFzsD
Being organised by Madchester.com and locally-founded fashion label, GIOGOI, the debut edition was said to have the total blessing of Mani’s family, including his brother, Greg Mounfield.
It was also said that the funds raised by the show would be going to the legendary Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassists’ twins, George and Gene, but the latter recently argued that “nothing” was going to either him or his brother and that the news was “dropped” the plans just a fortnight prior.
Gene also said that “if it was a charity gig it would be at Co-op [Live] or Heaton Park, and it would be done by SJM [Concerts]”: a Manchester-based promoters and events company.
All of this was also wrapped up in ever more paper talk and sensationalism, as some were reporting that Noel and Liam Gallagher, as well as other members of Oasis, would be surprising fans as the still yet to be revealed ‘major headliner’.
These rumours have since been quashed, as has whatever miscommunication caused the misunderstanding between the parties concerned, and we are now back to simply looking forward to seeing an already stacked lineup here in the city centre this May.
Damon Minchella of Ocean Colour Scene (a fellow bassist who also tours with Richard Ashcroft) is helping organise and will also be performing on the night itself. As for the surviving Mounfields, they went on to add in an accompanying Instagram post: “We would also like to express our gratitude to PH.
“It means a great deal to all of us that so many people loved Mani enough to give their time and energy to honour his memory in this way. We are genuinely touched by the support.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the boys and for our whole family. We hope this event will bring some much‑needed joy and create new, positive memories for everyone who cared about him.
“With love and thanks – The Family”
It goes without saying that we can’t wait for this city and Greater Manchester as a whole to honour a Manc icon and are looking forward to another year celebrating the thing that never fails to bring us all together: music.
Featured Images — livepict.com (via Wikimedia Commons)/Publicity pictures (supplied)
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Sara Cox tipped to replace Scott Mills for Eurovision 2026
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s very own Sara Cox is reportedly set to replace Scott Mills at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest following his sacking from the BBC.
Mills was axed by the news and entertainment corporation on Monday, 1 April, for ‘misconduct’, which has now been revealed to involve a historic relationship with a boy aged under 16.
While the fallout surrounding Scott Mills is only just beginning, the task of finding his replacement in multiple roles has already begun – though it looks like one may have already been decided.
Now reported by multiple outlets, it appears as though Bolton-born Sara Cox is first in line to pick up Mills’ co-hosting duties for this year’s Eurovision show.
Having already been involved with coverage of the event on multiple ocassions in the past, it now appears that she’ll be in post for the Grand Final too.
As a long-standing radio and TV staple, it only takes a quick look at social media to see how much backing she has already received in the past, with a post from last year reading, “Great to have Sara Cox back commentating on Eurovision“, and others from over a decade ago praising her past presenting.
In fact, it might not end just here either, as many are already calling for her to replace the 53-year-old breakfast show host.
From her days as a Radio 1 favourite to becoming a BBC mainstay across the board, her popularity only seems to have grown over the last decade, especially thanks to her charity fundraising efforts.
While an official announcement is yet to be made, the feeling is that it is all but confirmed for her to take over from Mills as part of the Eurovision commentary team.
As for the now vacant early morning slot on BBC Radio 2, the likes of Claudio Winkleman, Vernon Kay, fellow Manc Nick Grimshaw, the aforementioned Rylan, and several others have all been floated as potential stand-ins/future full-time hosts.
Do you think both should be given to Sara Cox, and if not, who would you like to see replace Scott Mills?
Emily Sergeant -
21st July 2022 
