VisitEngland’s Summertime News 2024
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July 2024 – English summertime is in full bloom! Here VisitEngland shares the destination’s latest summer news including quirky hotel openings, exciting exhibitions, museum launches and a range of brand-new festivals focussing on bespoke themes such as wild swimming, hot air ballooning and accessibility in the great outdoors.
Shining the Spotlight on the Best of England’s Tourism Experiences
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 Gold Winners Announced
The annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence celebrates tourism businesses across the country who have gone above and beyond to deliver the very best travel experiences in England. The gold accommodation winners for 2024 were named as; ‘B&B and Guest House of the Year’, The Bosham Boathouse B&B, West Sussex; ‘Large Hotel of the Year’, The Grand, York, North Yorkshire; ‘Small Hotel of the Year’, The Gallivant, East Sussex; ‘Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year’, Sleepy Owl Devon; and ‘Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year’, The Secret Garden Glamping, Lancashire. In the all-important food and drink categories, The Peterville Inn, Cornwall won ‘Pub of the Year’ and Allium at Askham Hall, Cumbria won the ‘Taste of England Award’. The ‘Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award’ went to Hoe Grange Holidays, Derbyshire and the ‘Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award’ went to Mill Farm Eco Barns, Norfolk. England’s diverse array of tourism experiences were also celebrated, with Northumberland’s Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, winning ‘Experience of the Year’ for their Grey Seal & Seabird Cruise; The Wizard Walk of York, North Yorkshire being named ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’; WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire winning the ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year; and Nothe Fort, Dorset winning ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’.
www.visitengland.com/visitengland-awards-excellence-2024
*Link to VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 Gold Winner images in notes to editors
Gig-Tripping Galore: Music, Comedy & Festivals
Harry Styles Home Village Tour, Cheshire
Now – September 2024
In 2023 over 5,000 Harry Styles fans visited Holmes Chapel to tour the pretty Cheshire village where their icon grew up. This summer local community group Holmes Chapel Partnership launched Harry’s Home Village Tour to take fans on a safe guided tour of Harry’s hometown including Mandeville's Bakery, where Styles had a Saturday job before entering X Factor, and Twemlow Viaduct where he reportedly had his first kiss.
www.hcpartnership.org.uk/guided-tours
The Kirkstall Abbey Comedy Festival in Leeds, West Yorkshire
28 July 2024
The city’s first large-scale, open-air comedy festival will hit Leeds this July, showcasing the very best in British comedy. The event will feature the likes of Katherine Ryan, Ross Noble, Maisie Adam, Reginald D. Hunter and Mike Wozniak. The festival will be run by Leeds Comedy Festival and Futuresound who are behind major events such as Live at Leeds and Ed Sheeran’s Roundhay Park performance.
Live from the Yard in Hull, East Yorkshire
8 – 11 August 2024
A new live music weekend is coming to Hull at Zebedee’s Yard. With top-notch production and premium local food and drink, it promises to be one of Hull’s standout summer events. Event goers can enjoy the likes of Ministry of Sound Classical, Razorlight and Calum Scott.
Novum, Newcastle’s Newest Multi-Arts Festival Experience
8 – 11 August 2024
Expect live DJ sets, visual art installations, circus entertainment, spoken word performances, theatre shows and gigs as NOVUM returns to Newcastle bigger and bolder for its second year. The four-day multi-arts festival experience takes place at Newcastle Civic Centre and Great North Museum showcasing local, national and international talent and includes a range of free and ticketed events. Highlights include a bespoke and immersive Audio-Visual showcase from DJ Yoda; gravity-defying circus from Cirque Bijou and Motionhouse and Breakdancing (the newest Olympic sport) from local talent.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, London
15 – 20 August 2024
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour has already brought much joy to Liverpool and London this summer, with five more show still to come at Wembley Stadium – making it a record-breaking concert series for the venue. In fact, the capital is hosting more performances of the tour than any other city in the world, with more than 700,00 people due to attend the shows across London’s eight dates. Whether or not you’re in the possession of one of this summer’s hottest tickets, Visit London has curated a guide to Swift-themed events and activities including boat parties, brunches and visiting landmarks from her lyrics. Transport for London has also recently paid homage to Swift's love of London by re-envisioning the iconic Tube Map to celebrate Swift's tour and launching the ‘Tube Map Taylor’s Version’.
www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/music/taylor-swift-in-london
Inclusive Experiences & Events
Pride, Nationwide
Summer 2024
It’s officially Pride season where events dedicated to LGBTQ+ communities up and down the country help spread the message of love and equality for all. In the South, Brighton Pride (3 – 4 August) promises stand out performances with major headliners Girls Aloud and Mika gracing the stage in the coastal city. Bristol Pride’s fortnight-long series of events (29 June – 14 July) including pop star performances culminating in a Pride Parade through the city. In Kent, Dover Pride (24 August) will host a day of music and entertainment in this historic town. In the North, Newcastle’s Northern Pride (19 – 21 July) attracts over 70,000 people each year and this year will start with a march through the city and culminate in a candlelit vigil. Manchester Pride (23 – 26 August) is set to be the city’s biggest yet, with topline acts Rita Ora, The Sugababes, Jessie J, Katy B, Keala Settle, BIMINI and Loreen. Leeds Pride (21 July) is the biggest event of its kind in Yorkshire with 2024 headliners including Sonique and Louisa Johnson. Over in the East Midlands, Lincoln Pride (17 August) will host a free seven-hour concert with incredible performances from local and global artists.
Fells For All Festival, Cumbria
Now – 31 July 2024
Fells for All is a new three-month festival in the Lake District launched in May aimed at making the county’s famed landscape more accessible for everyone. The celebration is all about unlocking access to a range of open spaces and will promote access to people with physical impairments alongside those with hidden disabilities such as neurodiversity, arthritis or hearing loss. Over the next 12 months, a wide range of organisations are being encouraged to develop events which are inclusive to people with additional access needs – from walking routes and outdoor activities to dementia friendly sensory walks, creative workshops and relaxed theatre performances.
www.visitlakedistrict.com/whats-on/festivals/fells-for-all-festival
Paralympic Inspiration at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Buckinghamshire
Summer 2024
As the birthplace of the Paralympics and permanent lighting place of the Paralympic flame, Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Buckinghamshire is a timely place to explore this summer with the Paris Paralympics coming up (28 Aug – 8 Sept). Home to many of the Olympic and Paralympic sports, it is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, and since 2019 the county has been home to the National Paralympic Heritage Centre, a free museum celebrating Britain's extraordinary Paralympic heritage. Buckinghamshire is continuing to work with local businesses to further expand the range of attractions, experiences and accommodation on offer to those with accessibility needs and disabilities.
www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/Pages/Events/Category/events-and-exhibitions
www.visitbuckinghamshire.org/attraction/national-paralympic-heritage-centre-at-stoke-mandeville
New Homegrown Flavours
UK’s First Beer Spa at Norfolk Mead, Norfolk
Launched June 2024
Beer fans can experience redefined indulgence at the Norfolk Mead boutique hotel which launched the UK’s first-ever beer spa. Opened in June, wooden hot tubs filled with vitamin-rich malt and hops will await guests to the spa, along with access to their very own beer tap. Derived from European traditions, this innovative spa treatment is said to soothe both body and mind, promoting skin rejuvenation, relaxation, and mental well-being. The Norfolk Mead, a Georgian country house, is situated in eight acres of private grounds in the heart of the unspoilt Norfolk Broads.
Feast On, Bristol
26 – 28 July 2024
This new flavoursome festival will hit the streets of Bristol this summer, showcasing food and drink from the very best restaurants and chefs around. Food isn’t the only thing on the menu, festivalgoers can partake in wine tastings, food sustainability talks and live fire cooking demos. Other senses won’t be neglected as people can enjoy live music, entertainment and a communal banqueting area.
www.visitbristol.co.uk/event/feast-on/347726301
Pip by Mary-Ellen McTague, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Late Summer 2024
A brand-new restaurant by Manchester chef Mary-Ellen McTague will take over the ground floor of the upcoming Treehouse Hotel in Manchester. Pip is set to bring seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms and an innovative low-waste approach to its menu, meaning each dish draws from the full potential of its ingredients in a sustainable effort that mirrors the ethos of the hotel. Following suit from the restaurant, Treehouse is set to open over 14 floors of a former hotel in Deansgate, with a rooftop with a nature-inspired design that evokes a playful, yet eco-conscious atmosphere.
New Leicester Food Festival and Taste the Place Adventure Trails, Leicestershire
10 – 11 August 2024
Debuting this August, the Leicester Food Festival promises to be the region’s biggest food event of the year. Food enthusiasts can explore a whole host of different cuisines from local and international vendors, including street food and breweries. The event will also offer live music, entertainment, workshops, tastings, talks, cooking classes and family-friendly activities. In addition, this summer Visit Leicester has launched five new Taste the Place adventure trails with maps which spotlight some of the best cafes, restaurants, farm shops and producers that Leicestershire has to offer.
www.visitleicester.info/whats-on/leicester-food-festival-p943381
www.visitleicester.info/taste-the-place/trails
Great Outdoor Inspiration
Knepp Estate’s Wilding Documentary, Sussex
Released in UK cinemas in June 2024
Based on Isabella Tree’s book ‘Wilding: How to Bring Wildlife Back’ this new documentary explores overcoming the impossible and transforming arid land into a lush paradise filled with reintroduced species. Set on Sussex’s Knepp Estate, the documentary explores how a young couple defied the odds and achieved this tremendous rewilding initiative, despite initial backlash from their local community. Knepp is a 3,500 acre estate just south of Horsham, West Sussex. Since the rewilding project began, extremely rare species like turtle doves, nightingales, peregrine falcons and purple emperor butterflies are now breeding there. Visitors to the estate can now experience a vehicle-based safari or guided walking tour, and/or stay in the heart of nature in either a beautiful treehouse, shepherd’s hut, tent or yurt.
OxTrail, Oxford, Oxfordshire
6 July – 7 September 2024
OxTrail is Oxford’s first ever sculpture trail, which includes 30 life-sized ox sculptures decorated by local and international artists – capturing the city’s history, culture, places and people in their designs. Displayed for eight weeks, the trail encourages locals and visitors of all ages to explore Oxford’s iconic attractions and find its hidden gems. In September 2024, after it closes, the colourful beasts will be gathered from their locations to be auctioned at a final live event to raise funds for local hospice Sobell House.
The Wild Swimming Festival, Dorset
20 – 21 July 2024
Set against the backdrop of Swanage Bay, the Wild Swimming Festival is set to offer a blend of live music, swim races, expert-led water safety sessions, local culinary delights and guided swims led by coaches and lifeguards. Swanage's clear, calm waters will provide the setting for the Jurassic Swim Challenge, featuring a 4km or 2km race around the bay. For those seeking a personal challenge, festival-goers can join small group guided swims to Swanage's iconic locations.
www.thewildswimming.co.uk/events/thewildswimmingfestival2024
Ocean Scilly, Isles of Scilly
23 August – 1 September 2024
Ocean Scilly, a nine-day maritime festival, will bring a vibrant celebration of the seas to the Isles of Scilly this summer. The festival will feature numerous aquatic activities, marine life and maritime heritage events, along with family-friendly activities such as paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing and snorkelling with seals. Attendees can also engage in seabird talks from The Wildlife Trust, panels and workshops with seafaring experts and a series of mini-events on the famed pilot Gig Boats.
www.visitislesofscilly.com/experience/whats-on/ocean-scilly-2024-p3397673
Redcar Beach Base, North Yorkshire
Opening summer 2024
The Redcar Beach Base provides a fantastic space for exciting activities, food, drinks and events on the North Yorkshire coast. These include the land, beach and water-based experiences the region is famous for, such as windsurfing and kiteboarding alongside walking, running, cycling and yoga. It will help attract major local and national events in the heart of Redcar including Between the Tides Festival (24 – 25 August), a free weekend of adventure and exploration for children and families.
Museums and Exhibitions
Moco Museum, London
Summer 2024
Established in 2016 in Amsterdam, Moco Museum expanded to Barcelona in 2021, aiming to exhibit modern and contemporary art to a broad audience, from first-time museum goers to art lovers. In summer 2024, the new Moco Museum London will open in the newly renovated premises at One Marble Arch and 1 Great Cumberland Place. The new London site is set to become one of the city’s must-visit art museums, showcasing a diverse collection of modern, contemporary and digital immersive art by renowned artists like Basquiat, Banksy and Murakami.
www.mocomuseum.com/locations/london
Benjamin Zephaniah – A Brighter Flame, Birmingham
5 – 31 July 2024
Birmingham city centre will host a free exhibition celebrating late poet and activist Benjamin Zephaniah this summer. 'Benjamin Zephaniah - A Brighter Flame' will feature large-scale black-and-white portraits by Pogus Caesar, photographs of Zephaniah's first typewriter and stills from the film The Tiny Spark. Poems and photographs from the project Handsworth 1985 Revisited will also be displayed. The exhibition will be held in Chamberlain Square, with flags designed in Zephaniah’s memory flying on Colmore Row.
www.visitbirmingham.com/event/benjamin-zephaniah-a-brighter-flame/161904101
Barbie®: The exhibition – The Design Museum, London
5 July 2024 – 23 February 2025
Barbie celebrates her 65th birthday this year – and to mark the occasion, The Design Museum has created the ultimate treat for her fans. Three years in the making, the exhibition will explore the design evolution of one of the world’s most famous dolls, and her influence on fashion, architecture, furniture, vehicle design and more. Through a unique new partnership with Mattel Inc., the London institution has been granted special access to the Barbie archives in California, allowing it to showcase dozens of rare and one-off items alongside other key loans and acquisitions.
www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/barbie-the-exhibition
New Exhibition at The Beatles Story to celebrate 60 years of Hard Day’s Night Film, Liverpool
11 July 2024
The Beatles Story Museum at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock celebrates 60 years of the A Hard Day’s Night film with a special exhibition and charity screening. The exhibit features recreations of key scenes, memorabilia from 1964 and rare Beatles items. Highlights include replicas of the Fab Four's silver-grey suits from the film, recreated by tailor Gordon Millings using original patterns.
Hopetown Darlington, County Durham
16 July 2024
Ahead of the 200-year anniversary of the UK’s first railway (the Stockton and Darlington Railway) in 2025, Hopetown Darlington will open this summer as the north’s newest heritage site, exploring stories of rail transport engineering, ideas and invention. It will encompass purpose-built and heritage buildings, including the former Head of Steam rail museum, creating a major attraction with a state-of-the-art 4D virtual reality time travel ride and much more.
Enhancements to Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Summer 2024
The Black Country Living Museum’s £30m Forging Ahead project started in early 2021 – and will be ready this summer, offering a rich and immersive visitor experience like never before. It is the biggest development since 1978 at the Dudley venue and will extend its reach from the 1700s all the way to the 1960s. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in post-war Britain, seeing the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush, the foundation of the NHS and the settlement of South Asian immigrants. Expect new and fascinating stories, fresh experiences and interactive fun to bring the region’s diverse history to life.
Quirky Cultural Happenings
Chariots of Fire at The Crucible, Sheffield
Now – 27 July 2024
A new production by Standing at the Sky’s Edge director Robert Hastie, Chariots of Fire, is set to make hearts race as the Oscar-winning movie is adapted for the stage, set to a soaring musical score. The Crucible theatre in Sheffield will play host to the telling of this extraordinary story, based on true events when Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell raced in the 1924 Paris Olympics in the hopes of becoming the fastest men on Earth. The play will explore the navigation of faith, glory, courage, honour and conviction.
Balloon Festivals light up the skies, Northumberland and Bristol
12 – 14 July; 9 – 11 August 2024
Northumberland’s skies will be ablaze with colourful hot air balloons at a brand-new festival in Corbridge. With sunrise and sunset launches planned, visitors will also be able to enjoy family-friendly entertainment and live music. One of the festival’s highlights is the Night Glow event, where balloons are illuminated in a choreographed display against the night sky. For those further south, the free Bristol International Balloon Fiesta returns to Ashton Court this August with its famous Night Glows, mass ascents and entertainment. New food offerings for 2024 include a new fire-based fine-dining experience from Pasture, centred around sustainability and provenance.
www.northumberlandballoonfestival.com
www.visitbristol.co.uk/event/bristol-international-balloon-fiesta
Return of the Dunmow Flitch Trials, Talberds Ley, Essex
13 July 2024
The peculiar tradition of the Dunmow Flitch Trials will return to Essex in 2024, for the first time in four years. Thought to date back to 1104, this unusual festival sees married couples claim their love before a ‘judge’ and ‘jury’ (comprising ‘six maidens and six bachelors’) – and if successful, they are granted a packet of bacon. Successful couples are carried through the streets on the ancient Flitch Chair by local people, while unsuccessful couples must walk behind – and receive a ‘consolation’ prize of gammon. It takes place every leap year, so won’t return until 2028.
www.visitessex.com/whats-on/dunmow-flitch-trials-p1641841
Kynren – New Immersive Viking Village Enhances Epic Tale of England at Flatts Farm, County Durham
Saturdays from 27 July to 14 September 2024
Travel through time and watch legends come to life at the UK’s ‘must-see’ spectacular outdoor live action show hosted at Flatts Farm in Bishop Auckland. For 2024, the Viking Village will offer new immersive pre-show entertainment, allowing visitors to wander through an authentic recreation of a traditional 9th Century village complete with a cookhouse, cottages and a working blacksmith’s forge. Kynren – An Epic Tale of England is a multi-award-winning outdoor theatre spectacular with a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers who take audiences on an immersive journey through 2,000 years of history, myth and legend. Rebellions, wars, magic, majesty, celebration and heartache are vividly brought to life. Kynren returns for eight spectacular shows in summer 2024, starting on Saturday 27 July.
Ryde Carnival, Isle of Wight
24 – 31 August 2024
The UK’s oldest carnival, dating backing to 1887, Ryde Carnival is an all-inclusive and joyous series of parades of colour and light marking the end of summer. Three parades will take place across the week, with the Main Carnival on 29 August, the Illuminated Carnival on 31 August and a Children’s Carnival Day on 24 August, which will include various activities and culminate in a Children’s Parade along Ryde’s high street.
New Summer Stays
New ‘Bath on Screen’ Holiday at Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath
Available now – 30 September 2024
Bath’s Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is offering a new holiday package which includes a two-night stay with breakfast and lunch, spa access and a private bespoke tour. During the tour guests can embark on a cinematic journey through Bath with Fred Mawer, an award-winning Blue Badge Tour Guide. This exclusive two-hour walking tour showcases Bridgerton's filming locations, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights into Regency England. The tour covers Bridgerton Seasons 1-3, Queen Charlotte, and includes Bath's cinematic history with productions like Wonka and Les Misérables.
www.royalcrescent.co.uk/packages-offers/bath-on-screen
New Self-Catering Cottages at The Auckland Project, Durham
Launched June 2024
Visitors to Auckland Palace can now enjoy a break at the new individually designed self-catering residences in the heart of the Bishop Auckland area, with exclusive guest benefits including an unlimited annual pass and out of hours access. In addition, three new gardens also open this summer as part of Auckland Palace's ongoing regeneration project. The Wilderness Garden offers the chance to connect with nature; the Faith Garden is a space to pause; and in the historic Walled Garden a striking new glasshouse will take centre-stage. Visitors will have the chance to meet the gardeners who tend to the produce, much of which is served in the cafes and restaurants on site.
www.aucklandproject.org/visit-us/stay/self-catering-accommodation
Medieval-themed hotel at Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
Opening 22 July 2024
Warwick Castle is opening a new medieval-themed hotel this summer, featuring an outdoor play area, landscaped gardens and leisure areas. The family-friendly property will offer 60 rooms and suites, as well as an elevated walkway to link the new hotel to the existing Knight’s Village restaurant. Upon entering the hotel lobby, guests will feel Warwick Castle’s 1,100 years of authentic history comes vividly to life with immersive experiences before retreating to their medieval-themed room. The new Warwick Castle Hotel joins the existing accommodation offering at Warwick Castle, including cosy Woodland Lodges, Medieval Glamping, and the lavish Tower Suites. Warwick Castle was originally developed from a wooden fort built by William the Conqueror in 1068.
No.124 Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex
July 2024
Your first glimpse of No.124 Kings Road Brighton is likely to be a restaurant and bar spilling onto the outside terrace right on Brighton’s seafront. Inside the Regency-style, part-Grade II-listed Georgian building are seriously comfortable bedrooms, all with fresh views and covetable curios. Swimmers can be in the water in a hop, shoppers can hit The Lanes in minutes, and lovers of all-things kitsch can be in the pier’s arcades in next-to-no time.
www.guesthousehotels.co.uk/no-124-kingsroad-brighton
New Stately Manor Site for The Secret Garden Glamping, Lancashire
Summer 2024
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 Gold winner The Secret Garden Glamping has featured on Channel Four and Five, Four in a Bed, and most recently wowed the Dragons on BBC’s Dragons Den, receiving four offers from the investor before taking up Deborah Meaden’s offer. This summer, owner Derry Green will open a new site at a nearby Grade II Listed Stately Manor with spa facilities and the capacity to host weddings and events. This new site will double The Secret Garden Glamping’s offering, with 15 glamping units in a private five-acre woodland. The Secret Garden Glamping aims to minimise its environmental impact, using renewable energy sources and employing eco-friendly practices to create a balance between luxury and nature conservation.
www.thesecretgardenglamping.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For more summer travel ideas head to www.VisitEngland.com
- VisitEngland’s comprehensive What’s New in England 2024 overview can be downloaded here. The password is England2024
- Images of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence winners can be downloaded from the VisitBritain Asset Library ‘VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 – Gold Winners’ album. Alternatively, search for the name of the business that you are seeking images of using the quick search bar
- Registration to the VisitBritain asset library is required to download images. Register here.
For more detail visit www.visitengland.com/media-centre / www.visitengland.com