Custodians of the spaces and places that people love.

The Needles Landmark Attraction has gained recognition as a World Origin Site.

This prestigious status celebrates the location’s historical significance to wireless communication. This is the site where the world’s first wireless station once stood, marking a pivotal moment in technological advancement.

Recognition of a ground breaking achievement

General Manager, Marino Zanti, expressed both honour and delight in receiving this acknowledgment.

The award highlights a remarkable event in history: 126 years ago, Guglielmo Marconi, a visionary inventor, set up his ground breaking wireless equipment at The Needles Hotel.

This event laid the foundation for what would become modern telecommunications.

Marconi’s legacy at The Needles

The renowned Marconi Monument located at The Needles Attraction pays homage to Marconi’s pioneering work at the end of the 19th Century.

His experiments and achievements at this site paved the way for the development of radio and the entirety of today’s telecommunications industry.

King Charles indulged in a royal wee dram yesterday at his first Mey Highland Games since becoming monarch.

His Majesty wore a kilt in the Prince Charles Edward Stewart tartan to watch traditional dancing from the royal box in John O’Groats.

His grandmother, the Queen Mother, attended the annual gathering until her death in 2002. He has spent the first week of August at her former home, the Castle of Mey, before going to Birkhall, his home on the Balmoral estate.

The Eurovision Song Contest is known for its mesmerizing performances and breathtaking venues. This year, Liverpool’s Royal Liver Building became the stage for an extraordinary moment as Sam Ryder, the talented singer-songwriter, filmed scenes for the Eurovision Grand Final performance of Kaluch Orchestra’s 2022 winning song Stefania.

During his visit to the Royal Liver Building 360 tour, Ryder brought his artistry to new heights, quite literally, as he stood atop the iconic structure, capturing the essence of Eurovision magic for the scene which was showing in the opening of the Eurovision Grand Final.

Sam was one of a number of famous visitors who graced the tour during the week with GMB’s Richard Arnold, Scott Mills visiting as well as BBC Breakfast’s Carol Kirkwood returning to present the weather from the building after presenting it on the opening day in 2019 also.

In early June, there was an emotional day for all those who work at The Needles Landmark Attraction on the Isle of Wight.

After 46 years of fantastic service to the company for Mike Kullander (the Deputy Manager), and 40 years of equally brilliant service in the retail department for his wife Catherine Kullander, the couple have chosen to retire.

This amazing couple have contributed hugely, and dedicated enormous amounts of time and effort to make The Needles Landmark what it is today – a fantastic day out and must visit attraction on the island.

Mike and Catherine will be missed dearly by all those at The Needles Landmark and Heritage Great Britain.

The entire company would like to wish the couple all the very best for their retirement and hope that they look forward to enjoying this together.

Thank you both for all of your hard work and dedication.

Land’s End have launched a major new £800,000 immersive indoor adventure golf attraction, The Lost Treasure of Lyonesse, as ticket sales continue to soar.

The Lost Treasure of Lyonesse – based on traditional Cornish legend – is a 15-hole indoor course with a variety of interactive elements, voice overs, sounds and smells. There are also several hidden features to add fresh drama and excitement to each round.

Players can also take advantage of a themed bar, with golfers able to take drinks around the course.

The iconic Land’s End welcomes more than half-a-million visitors each year, offering popular family attractions such as Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience, which steps into the life-size world of Aardman characters such as Wallace & Gromit, Shaun The Sheep and Morph.

Alongside the world-famous signpost, Land’s End visitors can also enjoy the 4D cinema, Greeb Farm and a wide variety of eateries.

At Greeb Farm, the 200-year-old farmstead, visitors can interact with a multitude of small animals, including sheep, goats, rabbits, pigs, ferrets and even miniature ponies. The 4D cinema experience, meanwhile, transports you into the middle of the Jolly Roger story with squirting water, air blasts, seat movement and much more.

Land’s End offers visitors the opportunity to purchase a Lyonesse Package ticket starting at £15 for children and £20 for adults, in which visitors can enjoy all four of the stunning attractions. Individual golf experience tickets are priced at £6.50 for children and £7.50 for adults.

With photographic proof of address, Cornish residents can take advantage of a 50% discount on all attractions as well as free parking when registered.

Land’s End also offers spaces for private hire and evening events for families and adults, while plans are being made for evening openings. Further events and information will be announced via the Land’s End social media pages.

Following the opening of The Lost Treasure of Lyonesse golf experience, Land’s End General Manager Trevor Broome said:

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new indoor adventure golf attraction at Land’s End.

“We believe The Lost Treasure of Lyonesse has a strong sense of place within the area, with the course rooted deeply in Cornish myth and legend.

“The attraction, like our other family experiences, is one of its kind in Cornwall and our substantial investment guarantees an unprecedented level of quality and detail.

“We have worked hard to create an experience that is fun, challenging and engaging for everyone.

“We believe the adventure golf is the ideal addition to the Land’s End experience and cannot wait to welcome visitors and share this exciting new attraction with them.”

The new indoor adventure golf attraction is now open at Land’s End. To find out more, visit https://landsend-landmark.co.uk/attractions/golf-adventure/. To find out more about Land’s End, visit https://landsend-landmark.co.uk/.

Snowdon Mountain Railway trains will return to the summit of Snowdon this summer for the first time since 2019.

Hafod Eryri, the popular summit visitor centre, will also re-open its doors to the public after a historic upgrade to the track.

The iconic Snowdon Mountain Railway trains have not run to the summit for over three years, originally due to Covid-19, before upper mountain track upgrades began.

The work was a significant first for the famous Snowdon, with over 1,000 metres of track being relayed in a successful refurbishment of the popular tourist attraction.

While Snowdon Mountain Railway opened its doors for the 2023 season on April 1st, the service has only travelled ¾ of the distance to the summit, ending at Clogwyn Station.

But due to the triumphant enhancements of the line, Snowdon Mountain Railway will return to the summit to much fanfare on June 27th as the much-loved Hafod Eryri also reopens to the public.

Snowdon Mountain Railway has also completed a widespread recruitment drive for the improved service.

Vince Hughes, Commercial Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway, is excited for a busy 2023 season after a ‘historic and successful undertaking’.

He said: “We are extremely excited to once again offer our visitors the full journey to the summit of Snowdon, and to welcome passengers and walkers back to Hafod Eryri.

“With over 1,000 metres of line relayed for the enhancement and long-term improvement of the Snowdon Mountain Railway service, this was a historic and successful undertaking.

“Our operations and commercial teams have worked incredibly hard in preparation for our trains returning to the summit, and we are looking forward to a busy few months ahead.

“This is a massively exciting time for Snowdon Mountain Railway and we have plenty to look forward to!”

The railway runs for 4.7 miles from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon and is the only rack and pinion railway in the UK.

It is a seasonal attraction which operates from April until the end of October.

Bookings from Llanberis station to Snowdon summit can be made online at www.snowdonrailway.co.uk

For more information on Snowdon Mountain Railway visit www.snowdonrailway.co.uk or find us @SnowdonMR on Facebook and Twitter and snowdonmountainrailway on Instagram.

The railway’s summit service will recommence and Hafod Eryri, the summit visitor centre, will reopen in May

Snowdon Mountain Railway are busy preparing for services to return to Snowdon summit for the first time since 2019. Hafod Eryri the summit visitor centre which has been closed since 2019 will also open its doors once again.

The railway is due to reopen on the 1^st of April, initially travelling to Clogwyn Station ¾ distance up Snowdon until trains are able to reach the summit. The diesel service to the summit is due to recommence and Hafod Eryri, the summit visitor centre, will reopen on the 13^th of May. The steam service to the summit will also recommence on the 15^th of May.

The railway has not run all the way to the summit for the last three years initially due to the pandemic and more recently as a result of essential upper mountain track work and has instead been running to its early season destination Clogwyn Station.

The railway management and employees are currently busy preparing for the start of their 2023 season, and a recruitment drive is planned for the coming weeks to recruit for seasonal staff to work up at the summit, onboard the trains and at Llanberis Station.

Vince Hughes, Commercial Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway said:

“We’re extremely excited to once again be able to offer our visitors the full journey to the summit of Snowdon, and to welcome passengers and walkers back to Hafod Eryri.

Our operations and commercial teams are working hard in preparation for our opening on the 1^st of April, and we’re looking forward to a busy 2023 season.”

The railway runs for 4.7 miles from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon and is the only rack and pinion railway in the UK. It is a seasonal attraction which operates from April until the end of October.

Bookings from Llanberis station to Snowdon summit are now being taken for the 2023 season, and can be made online at www.snowdonrailway.co.uk

Snowdon Mountain Railway is looking forward to the coming months with the anticipation of a busy summer season ahead.

Royal Liver Building 360 has won a prestigious Silver Award at the Visit England Awards for Excellence held at the Library of Birmingham on the 8^th June.

Having won Small Visitor Attraction of the Year for the last 2 years at the Liverpool City Region awards, RLB360 was selected as a finalist for the National title along with Gold winners Nothe Fort in Weymouth and fellow Liverpool attraction, the British Music Experience, who took Bronze.

Judges praised the “Outstanding Staff” at Royal Liver Building 360 in delivering an amazing guest experience.

The Silver award is further recognition of RLB360 following being name as Tiqets Most Remarkable Venue for the UK and Ireland in December.

 

Entering service in 1922, No.6 steam locomotive Padarn enters its 100^th year of service taking passengers up Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa.

Padarn is a coal-fired, steam locomotive built by the Swiss Locomotive & Manufacturing Co. of Winterthur for a cost of £3,000 (equivalent to almost £200,000 today) and was a later addition to the railway. The railway opened in 1896 and Padarn was added to the fleet six years later in 1922. Allegedly the locomotive was a demonstrator engine for Winterhur and had been used on another railway in Switzerland before it arrived at Snowdon Mountain Railway in Llanberis. The locomotive was originally called Sir Harmood, named after the then chairman of Snowdon Mountain Railway, Sir John Sutherland Harmood-Banner, but was later renamed Padarn in 1928 after the lower lake in Llanberis, Llyn Padarn.

To celebrate this momentous occasion the railway invited local school children from Ysgol Dolbadarn to ride in a heritage carriage powered by the 100-year-old Padarn. Many of the children were experiencing a ride on the railway for the very first time and thoroughly enjoyed the journey up the mountain to Clogwyn.

Royal Liver Building 360 was proud to be named Small Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards for the 2nd year in a row.

RLB360 which opened in 2019 and takes visitors on a guided tour to the top of the Royal Liver Building had already been named Tiqets Most Remarkable Venue for the UK and Ireland in December 2021.

The dual awards have been a proud moment for all members of the team at RLB360 and we at Heritage Great Britain couldn’t be prouder of them!

We’re delighted to share some exciting news with you all…

 

Following a rigorous 9 month process that started in May 2021, the Land’s End Hotel was judged on a combination of entry submissions, digital presence, and visits from independent judges.

 

The award body focuses its judging process on excellence, innovation and resilience as 3 key factors amongst several others.

 

Surpassing all expectation; given the challenged last 2 years we have faced, we were delighted to receive the news that the team achieved a silver award in the Large Hotel of the Year Category from the well established Cornwall Tourism Awards.

 

Every individual associated with this business played a role in winning this award and a huge congratulations is deserved for the entire Land’s End team.

 

What a fantastic way to start the year!

Royal Liver Building 360 has launched the “Capsule of Culture” commemorating the events of 2020

The ‘Capsule of Culture’ includes memorabilia from the Black Lives Matter movement, a copy of the Brexit Bill, commemoration of NHS work and support, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a vaccine vial.

A Liverpool FC shirt signed by the Premier League winning team, a model of Everton FC’s proposed new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, signed boxing gloves from Tony Bellew and a copy of the Liverpool ECHO from the day lockdown came into force on 20 March have also been added.

Liverpool FC superstar Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall, RU Paul’s Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, Everton’s Chief Executive Officer Denise Barrett-Baxendale and Olympic gold medalist Katarina Johnson-Thompson were all part of the decision-making panel for the items nominated by the public.

The Capsule has been shaped like a replica of the tower of the Royal Liver Building complete with it’s own Liver Bird and was officially unveiled by World Champion boxer Tony Bellew, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr. Anna Rothery as well as football legends Graeme Sharp and John Aldridge

Visit @rlb360 on social media for more information

Investment in new family activity makes Sandham Gardens a ‘must visit’ tourist attraction on the Isle of Wight. 

The Isle of Wight’s Sandham Gardens has now opened their brand new headline attraction, “Skynets – The Big Bounce”.

The popular tourist destination, a favourite with families, locals and tourists alike, has benefitted from a massive £650,000 investment in “Skynets – The Big Bounce” in time for the summer season as it seeks to further enhance activities for visitors.

Already offering action and adventure with an exciting array of activities and attractions for people of all ages, Sandham Gardens is now a ‘must visit’ tourist attraction on the island.

Situated opposite the “UK’s best beach”, as voted for by Countryfile Magazine readers, Sandham Gardens already offers electric go-karting, gigantic Jurassic golfing adventures and beautiful gardens set against a backdrop of stunning sea views.

The new high nets adventure course will allow visitors to play and bounce across four huge nets suspended high up between posts around one, central treehouse. Akin to a massive, open-air bounce park, children and adults alike will be able to enjoy the ‘big bounce’ experience.

“Skynets – The Big Bounce” officially opened on Saturday 4^th July.

Christian Zanti, Operations Manager at Sandham Gardens, commented:

“We are extremely happy that we can now begin to welcome visitors back to Sandham Gardens and we are incredibly excited to have officially opened our brand new Skynets attraction. This new activity represents a major investment in Sandham Gardens as we continue to offer more choice and value for the thousands of tourists we attract every year. We’re confident that Skynets – The Big Bounce will also be popular with local people as we continue to offer a 20% discount across all our attractions for island residents.”

Allan Leech, Chief Executive Officer of parent company, Heritage Great Britain said:

“We are working hard to make the Sandam Gardens visitor experience and destination bigger and better every year. It is amazing news that ‘Skynets – The Big Bounce’ is finally open after many months in the making and with comprehensive hygiene and comfort measures in place. This is an outstanding addition to the Sandham Gardens portfolio of attractions which already includes a massive Jurassic adventure golf course along with electric go karting.”

For more information on Skynets: The Big Bounce and other attractions at Sandham Gardens please visit their website.

The wonderful John O’Groats brewery visitor centre is now taking shape, with a view to welcoming people who make the long journey to see them in the far north of Scotland.

The John O’Groats Brewery is an artisan brewery producing the finest craft ales, using only the beautiful unspoilt waters from the highlands of Scotland.  All their beers are produced with attention to detail and created in small batches within the village of John O’Groats at the North Eastern tip of Scotland.

For more information about the John O’Groats brewery and visitor centre, please visit their website.