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What’s on this May half term at Continuum Attractions

Embark on The Quest to discover the world’s most famous legend, ascend 110m to take in one of the UK’s most historic views, snap selfies with soap stars on the cobbles and meet furry friends in the Welsh woodland, this half term.

The Loch Ness Centre – The Quest

Where: Inverness

When: Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th May

Drumnadrochit , Scotland, Saturday, 1 June 2024
Loch_Ness_Centre
Picture by Michal Wachucik/Abermedia

What: Uncover the truth behind one of the world’s most famous legends. Tales of Nessie date back almost 1,500 years and monster hunters continue to flock to Loch Ness to catch a glimpse to this day. The Quest spans four captivating days, uniting individuals and organisations in a collective exploration to solve the mystery of Loch Ness and its elusive monster. Through a series of engaging events, you’ll search, debate, and delve into the mysteries that shroud this legendary loch. Become a Nessie Hunter and join the Surface Watch, take part in a Hydrophone Discovery Cruise, and debate the evidence so far.

Discover the legend…

GreenWood Family Park – Discovery Week

Where: North Wales

When: Saturday 24th May to Sunday 1st June

What: Discover thrills, nature and new skills this half term. Learn to create suncatchers, bird feeders and more beneath GreenWood’s idyllic forest canopy, before riding the world’s only people-powered rollercoaster and the UK’s first solar-powered water ride. Embark on a scavenger hunt, meet a whole host of furry animals and walk the Barefoot Trail to make it a family day out to remember.

Book your woodland adventure today…

Coronation Street Experience – Star Tours

Where: Manchester

When: Weekends and bank holidays

What: A long list of Corrie legends from Dame Maureen Lipman to Andy Whyment have graced the set’s Star Tours in the past so who could you meet this May? Coronation Street’s iconic cobbles are open for guided tours of the nation’s favourite street meaning fans can pay a visit to locations including the Rovers Return and Roy’s Rolls, or upgrade to meet a cast member. The Coronation Street Exhibition is also open every day to take a trip down memory lane.

Walk the iconic cobbles…

The Real Mary King’s Close – A Dram of History

Where: Edinburgh

When: Fridays and Saturdays

What: Step into the shadows beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for a whisky experience like no other. The tour blends hidden history with a bold taste of Scotland’s national drink. Begin your evening with a specially curated one-hour guided tour that dives deeper into the story of whisky and its role in the bustling world of Mary King’s Close. Once a lively centre for trade – including alcohol – the preserved underground streets are the perfect backdrop for a tale or two. Then, raise a glass in one of our vaulted rooms during a 30-minute whisky tasting.

Sample whisky with a dark twist…

York’s Chocolate Story – Family Masterclasses

Where: York

When: Saturday 24th May to Sunday 1st June

What: Immerse yourself in the ultimate hands-on chocolate-making experience this half-term. Create a range of tasty treats and perfect your chocolate-making skills, all under the guidance of our expert chocolatiers. Experience a live chocolatier demonstration, learn to create and decorate ganache-filled truffles, handcraft a chocolate bar, decorate your own chocolate plaque and much more. If that wasn’t enough, you can also take part in a Classic Guided Tour or try out a Truffle Rolling Tour.

Sample a sweet half term…

Emmerdale Village Tour – Star Tours

Where: Leeds

When: Weekends and bank holidays

What: Step into the heart of Emmerdale, where some of TV’s most dramatic moments have unfolded. Walk in the footsteps of the Dingles, Sugdens and Tates around the external Emmerdale Village Tour set, located in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside. Pose outside iconic landmarks like The Woolpack and David’s Shop, and learn about the secrets behind the idyllic filming location before mingling with a surprise cast member and grabbing that all-important selfie.

Who knows who you might meet…

Oxford Castle & Prison – Guided Tour

Where: Oxford

When: Daily

What: For over a thousand years, Oxford Castle & Prison has stood watch over the city. Join a costumed tour guide on a journey through 1000 years of Oxford’s history; from Viking raids and the Norman conquest to the Castle’s role in Georgian and Victorian era justice. Uncover the origins of education in the city, experience the stories of the Castle’s most infamous residents, climb the 101 steps of St. George’s Tower and descend into the crypt.

Uncover Oxford’s dark history…

Spinnaker Tower – Discover the View

Where: Portsmouth

When: Daily

Spinnaker tower by Scott Kershaw Photography

What: Take in one of the nation’s most historic views, more than 100 metres above the Solent. Dare to walk the Sky Walk, unwind in the open air Sky Garden and take in Afternoon Tea in The Clouds. Look out over the Historic Dockyard, across to Spice Island, out in the Solent and even as far as the Isle of Wight. Every ticket includes all-day admission to the tower so you can return to sample the ever-changing view.

See Portsmouth from a new perspective…

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Hearing loss won’t hold me back: Meet Coronation Street Experience’s Neil Doyle

To mark Deaf Awareness Week (5th-11th May), we’re celebrating the inspiring people who make our experiences truly special. One of them is Neil Doyle, a Tour Guide at the Coronation Street Experience. New to the team but not to the industry, Neil brings a wealth of experience – and a powerful message about resilience.

How long have you worked at the Coronation Street Experience? I’m very new to the experience, having only been here a few months!

What inspired you to work in the visitor attraction industry, and specifically at Coronation Street Experience? I’ve been in the tourism industry since leaving college. Being in Manchester, the Coronation Street Experience was a natural choice – it’s an iconic British institution and right on my doorstep. Across the tourism industry, I’ve done everything from training new starters and behind-the-scenes operations to being front and centre as a performer.

Would you feel comfortable sharing more about your level of hearing loss? I have had hearing loss since I was a child and spent many years with things like grommets. I learned to live with it. Unfortunately, three years ago, I started losing a lot of my hearing on my right side and I was having dizzy spells where I was unable to control my balance and stand up. I was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease which is a condition that will get worse over time. It’s resulted in 85% hearing loss on my right side and I still occasionally have fits of dizziness to varying degrees.

Do you use any assistive technology? Yes – I use hearing aids, mainly to balance my hearing and help reduce dizziness. I don’t hear typically through them, but my body responds to having ‘equal’ sound on both sides.

What challenges does being deaf pose at work, and how do you overcome them? Sometimes I need to lipread or be close enough to hear guests clearly. Public perception can be a hurdle, but it’s rare – and the support here is amazing.

How has the company supported you? My managers have been great, asking if there’s any adaptions that they need to make when communicating with me and making sure that they’re aware of what my condition means and how they would need to react if I was to feel unwell. I feel comfortable enough with the team here that if I did need to change something to help me do my job, I could ask and they’d do what they can to help.

What advice would you give to other deaf individuals considering a career in this industry? Your disability shouldn’t be a reason for you not to pursue your passion. There are so many different roles within the industry and there are a lot of ways that companies can support you to ensure that you can thrive in the workplace.

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An Easter to remember as Continuum record significant year-on-year boost

This year’s late Easter holidays returned record visitor numbers across our portfolio of brands, which cover the length and breadth of the UK. 

Group-wide figures reported at the close of the two-week holiday period revealed a phenomenal 60 per cent year-on-year increase in guest numbers, with GreenWood Family Park recording a standout 174 per cent upshot versus 12 months ago. 

The wonderful Easter weather was a significant boost to the North Wales park’s numbers but the successes were not limited to outdoor attractions. York’s Chocolate Story – which always comes into its own at this time of year – reported a 66 per cent uplift compared to Easter 2024, showing the pull of immersive storytelling was significant whatever the weather and whether indoors or out. 

Be it exploring iconic landmarks like Spinnaker Tower or The Loch Ness Centre, diving into history at The Real Mary King’s Close or Oxford Castle & Prison, or walking in the footsteps of the stars at the Coronation Street Experience or Emmerdale Village Tour, each and every attraction saw record visitor numbers. 

Easter highlights included: 

🎢 GreenWood Family Park – up 174 per cent 

🍫 York’s Chocolate Story – up 66 per cent 

🦖 The Loch Ness Centre – up 59 per cent 

🎬 Emmerdale Village Tour – up 51 per cent 

This group-wide success reflects the strength of our storytelling, the passion of our teams, and the enduring appetite for unique, place-based experiences. From exploring Edinburgh’s hidden closes to tasting your way through York’s chocolate history, guests came ready for real, immersive days out. 

But it’s undeniable that the warm Easter weather and the fact it fell towards the end of April, also came as a huge benefit. Insights from Navigate’s recent ‘How was Easter 2025 for visitor attractions?’ report highlighted how “last-minute bookers and walk-ups dominate” this year’s audience trends, with the sunny weather inspiring guests to get out and about at short notice. Flexible staffing to welcome these late-bookers was key to converting those spontaneous decisions into even more great guest experiences. 

While every attraction saw significant year-on-year growth, the incredible 174 per cent uptick at North Wales’ GreenWood Family Park was a particular highlight. 

Commenting on the Easter success, Chris Jones, GreenWood’s General Manager, said: “This Easter has been nothing short of phenomenal for us. The sunny weather and late Easter certainly helped bring people out, but what really drove our success was the growing appetite for meaningful, memory-making family days out. GreenWood offers exactly that as a place where families can play, explore and connect in nature – so it’s clear that message is resonating more than ever. 

“We were thrilled to welcome so many new and returning guests, and credit goes to our brilliant team for delivering an outstanding experience throughout the holidays. We can’t wait to carry this momentum into a fantastic summer ahead!” 

With summer just around the corner, we’re now planning to build on this momentum and help make even more memories.