Summer fun: what's going on across UK cities this summer?
A tour around some of our biggest cities to find out what's on during the summer months.
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00:00 The Trafford Centre has opened two attractions sure to keep everyone entertained over the
00:05 school summer holidays.
00:07 The Starwash Roller Disco and the Trafford Centre's annual summer fair, Summer Days,
00:12 are both open for the whole family to enjoy this summer, and we went down to take a look
00:16 around both for ourselves.
00:18 A dazzling disco-themed roller rink has arrived in the Orient at the region's famous shopping
00:24 centre and will be open from 19 July until 27 August this summer.
00:29 From 11am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 6pm Sunday, the rink is open for all thrill-seekers
00:37 looking to have their very own roller rink adventure.
00:40 There's a photo booth where you can snap a few pictures with disco-themed props, and
00:45 don't forget to get your requests in to the DJ who will be playing feel-good tunes and
00:50 disco beats all day long.
00:52 The immersive experience will have you grooving and shaking on the disco roller dance floor,
00:57 but don't forget it's only one way.
00:59 There's a handrail available for those who feel a little unsteady on their feet, but
01:04 all ages and experience levels are welcome down to take part in a 25-minute long session.
01:10 Roller skating is a little harder than it looks, so knee pads, elbow pads and helmets
01:15 are necessary to keep everyone safe on the rink at all times.
01:19 This session was a little busy, but there are relaxed sessions every weekday at 11am
01:25 with fewer skaters, dim lighting and quieter music for those who prefer a more chilled
01:30 out skating experience.
01:32 The roller rink is here for a limited time only, so get ready to get dressed up in your
01:36 best disco gear and skate into your own roller rink dream full of vibrant lights, pulsating
01:42 beats and a kaleidoscope of colours.
01:45 From the 22nd of July until the 3rd of September, the Trafford Centre is also hosting its much
01:51 anticipated event, Summer Days.
01:53 This year it has returned complete with a beach, funfair, live music, arts and crafts
01:59 and two splash parks.
02:01 From 12pm to 8pm every day of the week, the outside of the Trafford Centre will be alive
02:06 with laughter, thrills and music.
02:08 This year you'll see the return of favourite rides such as Sea Storm, Crash Test Roller
02:13 Coaster, Don Sapo and of course the classic teacups, as well as a few new additions.
02:19 There are over 20 fairground rides to enjoy this year and classic games such as Hook a
02:24 Duck if you fancy trying your hand at winning a special prize.
02:28 Don't forget the food stores filled with lots of yummy food and drink, including ice cream,
02:33 donuts, crepes, burgers and sweets.
02:36 The funhouse is not one to be missed as you take a trip up jumping steps, across moving
02:41 floors and head down the slide in this fun attraction for all the family.
02:46 The Trafford Centre is also hosting Family Thursdays, with summer themed crafting activities
02:51 taking place every Thursday throughout the summer holiday.
02:54 And Summer Saturdays will be the main attraction this year as the stage will come alive every
02:58 hour on Saturdays from 12pm to 5pm with music for everyone to sing and dance along to, including
03:05 summers biggest hits and well loved anthems.
03:22 Now this is something I did not expect to be doing at the Grainger Market, handling
03:26 a stick insect.
03:28 But this year during the summer events are taking place every Wednesday at the Grainger
03:32 Market.
03:33 The events have been very popular, the families seem to love it.
03:37 We've got balloon modelling, magic shows, things like that.
03:41 It's been very popular for the families, with it being free, things to do in the summer
03:45 holidays because with the weather being quite bad it gives people things to do.
03:50 With a lot of things already going on across the city, the market wanted to start something
03:54 that was accessible to everyone.
03:57 There is a hope that the events will also bring more football into the Grainger Market
04:01 and stallholders seem to think it will as well.
04:04 Barry has been working in the market for 42 years and started his own fruit and veg stall
04:09 and he now works for another company.
04:11 But he has seen a lot of change in the market over the years and said it has its ups and
04:16 downs.
04:17 Well it did obviously recover, everything was closed in the town centre.
04:21 But it's starting to pick up, it's starting to get a bit vibing again.
04:24 The feeling isn't right yet, but it will get there.
04:29 There have also been a lot of new food options added to the Grainger Market and one is King
04:34 Baby Bagels.
04:35 The bagel shop is quite a new addition to the market as they arrived about two years
04:39 ago.
04:40 The owners were working full time before they opened King Baby Bagels and Gordon said it's
04:45 going great so far.
04:47 Yeah, I mean, the Grainger's like, it's a bit of a funny one.
04:50 It's sort of hard to predict what week to week day to day is going to be like.
04:55 But for the most part, it's always a bit busier when the weather's not gruesome, which recently
05:01 it has been.
05:02 But it's still been good, it's still good.
05:05 You kind of notice when the students go away, things like that.
05:09 It's all the standard things really that make things pick up and go down, things like that.
05:14 But overall it's just fairly steady now.
05:16 I feel like a lot more people are aware that the market's actually a lunchtime option.
05:22 So we get a lot of, we have quite a few regulars who work in town.
05:25 So we see, a lot of the time we see the same faces like two, three times a week, which
05:29 is great.
05:30 And both Barry and Gordon seem to think that the events will bring more people to the Grainger
05:35 market.
05:36 Well, the events, I mean, it brings people down, doesn't it?
05:40 I mean, there's reptiles in the day, so it's brought a lot of kids down with them, parents
05:45 and that.
05:46 So it's always going to help.
05:47 But I think they are going to build a stage and then things like that next door.
05:52 So it looks good, you know, for the future.
05:55 Oh, definitely.
05:56 I mean, it's just sort of about just getting the word out that it's actually here.
06:00 I feel like a lot of people just kind of pass by the doors and kind of like look in and
06:04 don't really know what's going on in here.
06:05 But there's like loads of fantastic places in here and get like all sorts.
06:08 So yeah, it's just about getting the word out that it's actually here.
06:14 A huge leisure complex has opened in Liverpool.
06:19 Gravity Max Liverpool is only the third of its kind in the UK.
06:24 We opened our first site in London, which had a lot of the activities we have here in
06:29 Liverpool 1.
06:32 But coming to Liverpool 1, the city of culture, the music city, it was so important to me
06:40 that we really pushed on hard with the live entertainment and the social element that
06:48 the city deserved and the people of Liverpool deserved.
06:51 The venue brings together a mix of competitive socialising, immersive entertainment, live
06:56 music, sports screenings, food and drink, as well as a rooftop bar.
07:01 We've come to Liverpool, the first venue outside London, because of the people of Liverpool.
07:08 And the people of Liverpool are loyal.
07:11 If you look after them, they'll look after you.
07:14 And we've got our charity, which will be Love Liverpool.
07:19 We'll have padlocks that you can buy behind the bar and we'll have areas where you can
07:24 sign you and your partner or your loved ones on these padlocks and you'll have to lock
07:28 them all over the site as a bit of fun.
07:31 And all the profits will go to local Liverpool charities.
07:36 And we're not from Liverpool, but we are now part of the community and we want to be part
07:43 of it.
07:44 The space itself is huge and somewhat of a sensory overload, with 12 immersive experiences
07:50 and a capacity of 2,500 people.
07:54 I'm hoping it sort of changes the way people go out in Liverpool.
07:59 It's definitely wanting to drag people over from the Bold Street end and get this end
08:05 of the town going, not just through the daytime, which it predominantly does now, but also
08:09 into the evening.
08:10 You know, we do open till 1am.
08:12 The customer these days, they want to order something online.
08:15 It's easier to order something online.
08:17 We can't deny that.
08:19 But we're not here to replace the retail environment.
08:23 We're here to support it.
08:25 With an e-karting track, AR bowling alley, plus urban street golf, AR darts and more.
08:33 It's expected to be a huge draw to the shopping and leisure complex.
08:37 The department store in the 80s was the big, was a big draw.
08:42 We're a department store of fun.
08:44 And I'm hoping that we continue to be now the big draw.
08:49 This thing won't date, it won't get old because when these, these, you know, e-darts become
08:54 old fashioned, I'll remove them and we'll put new equipment in.
08:58 So this thing will constantly change.
09:00 And in two, three years time, it'll be a hell of a lot different to what it is now.
09:04 The company behind the business have invested £15 million and employed 150 people at the
09:11 former Debenhams site in Liverpool 1.
09:20 So in no particular order, here are 10 family days out that you might want to enjoy.
09:25 Drayton Manor theme park in Staffordshire offers an exhilarating escape, catering to
09:30 various age groups from the enchanting Thomasland with its 25 rides and attractions to the vibrant
09:36 zoo showcasing parrots, monkeys and snakes.
09:39 Leicester's National Space Centre invites you to explore the cosmos in a way that sparks
09:45 wonder.
09:46 Engage with forward-provoking exhibits and stellar shows within the UK's largest dome
09:51 planetarium.
09:52 Next, step into the enchanting universe of Harry Potter at Warner Brothers Studio Tours
09:57 in London.
09:58 Beyond the mesmerising sets unveil the secrets behind the film's spellbinding special effects,
10:04 the meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that brought the wizarding world
10:09 to life.
10:10 Alton Towers near Stoke-on-Trent promises a day of immersion and amusement for all ages.
10:16 It's got the world of David Walliams where beloved characters step off the page and into
10:20 reality.
10:21 And for those young thrill seekers, the theme park offers a treasure trove of exhilarating
10:27 rides.
10:28 Now we delve into the intriguing history of the RMS Titanic at the Titanic Belfast Museum.
10:34 An immersive experience that transports you to the ship's very birthplace.
10:39 Nine interactive galleries accompanied by digital screens and special effects captivating
10:45 therefore for young minds.
10:47 At Legoland in Windsor allow youthful imaginations to flourish.
10:51 Encounter Mythica, a realm dedicated to mythical creatures.
10:55 Marvel at Miniland's intricate reconstruction of our world crafted with an astonishing 40
11:02 million Lego bricks.
11:04 Fancy an adrenaline surge while the slide at the Orsalo Mittal Orbit in London's Queen
11:09 Elizabeth Olympic Park promises high-speed excitement.
11:13 Experience the thrill of descending the world's longest tallest tunnel slide all within the
11:18 embrace of the UK's tallest sculpture.
11:21 From the tranquil gardens to its well-preserved architecture, Warwick Castle offers an array
11:25 of attractions for all ages.
11:28 Young adventurers can explore the Zog and the quest for the Golden Star Trail while
11:33 older ones can venture into the exhilarating dungeon experience.
11:37 Rainy days could find a remedy at London's Science Museum.
11:40 From toddlers to teens, the exhibits offer a captivating exploration of spaceships, early
11:46 aeroplanes, robots and scientific phenomena.
11:49 Engage in the marvels of the universe through interactive displays and mesmerising 3D films.
11:56 For younger family members, what about Pepper Pig's World at Poulton's Park in Hampshire?
12:00 If Daddy Pig's voice resonates as well as your own, the allure of this charming park
12:04 is irresistible.
12:06 Soar on Miss Rabbit's helicopter flight and make cherished memories while meeting the
12:11 beloved pig herself.
12:13 Well that's just a small selection of some of the great days out you could enjoy this
12:17 summer.
12:18 Whatever you decide to do, I do hope you have a wonderful time.
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