VISIT England has named the best hidden gem attractions to visit in the country from a little-known London brewery and a Sussex vineyard to an aircraft museum.

Yesterday (October 22), the tourism board revealed the winners of its Visitor Attraction Accolades for 2023-2024.

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Visit England awarded accolades to 72 attractions across five categories, with seven being named as top hidden gems.

The awards were dished out based on scores obtained from Visit England‘s annual Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme Assessment.

Sambrook’s Heritage Centre in Battersea has been named as London’s hidden gem attraction.

Located on the oldest continuous brewing site in the UK, the London-based brewery has roots dating back to Henry VIII.

Visitors to Sambrook’s Heritage Centre will learn more about brewing techniques – but that’s not the best bit.

Heritage brewer and historian John Hatch runs guided tours on the weekend, explaining about the history of the site and sampling a selection of traditional ales.

Tours run at 1pm and 4pm every Saturday and cost £25 per person.

In addition to the tours, visitors can even become a brewer for the day.

An Oxfordshire brewery was also named in Visit England’s list of best hidden gem attraction.

The Hook Norton Brewery in Hook Norton is one of the few remaining Victorian tower breweries in England.

Just like Sambrook’s Heritage Centre, guided tours of Hook Norton Brewery also take place.

Other features of the family-run brewery include a visitor centre, a museum and a taproom where its award-winning ales can be sampled.

In addition to the two breweries, the Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex was also named one of the best hidden gem attractions in the country.

The vineyard, which has been running since the 1970s, also runs guided tours of its estate, explaining the wine-making process from vine to bottle.

The Sussex vineyard produces award-winning English wines and there’s also an on-site cafe.

Four museums were also named among England’s best hidden gem attractions, including Sheringham Museum in Sheringham, Norfolk.

The coastal museum explores Sheringham’s maritime history, featuring lifeboats, fishing heritage and local artefacts.

It’s best draw might be the views of the North Sea from its viewing tower.

The St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery in Lymington explores the history and the culture of the New Forest Coast, with exhibitions on maritime history, local art and photography.

Away from the coast, the Avro Heritage Museum was also among the winners.

Located in Stockport, the museum showcases iconic aircraft like the Lancaster Bomber.

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For £2 a pop, visitors can take tours of cockpits too, including an Avro Vulcan XM602 Cockpit and an Avro Lancaster ‘S Sugar’ Replica Cockpit.

The fighter jet museum also has a flight simulator and a virtual reality bombing raid.

Other features include interactive displays as well as memorabilia from the aviation industry.

There’s also the Green Howards Museum in Richmond.

Housed in the historic Trinity Church, the museum tells the story of the Green Howards Regiment.

Its collection of regimental artefacts and military history spans over 300 years of British Military history.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:  “These accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink, from great storytelling to outstanding customer service.    

“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time.

“From museums, gardens and nature reserves to farm attractions, estates and theme parks, these attractions go out of their way to make visits memorable.”

Meanwhile, this is town in the Lake District has been labelled a “party capital” because of its calendar of festivals.

And this little-known European town has its own pistachio festival every year.

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ENGLAND isn’t short of beautiful little towns – and one is surging in popularity this month.

The tiny town of Rye has seen a boost in train ticket sales, according to a new study.

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Conducted by Trainline, Rye has seen a rise of 167 per cent in ticket sales,

Just over an hour from London (when changing at Ashford) the small ‘seaside’ town isn’t on the beach, although has its own harbour on the coast.

Also called one of England‘s quaintest towns, the main Mermaid Street feels like going back in time.

Many of the Tudor buildings remain, with hidden lanes and paths between each of them.

Originally a fishing port, it was a famous pirate port in the 13th century – although this was sanctioned by the crown, who took a cut of the profits.

Now it is a popular staycation spot with tiny hotels, restaurants and cafes to explore.

Some of the popular attractions include Lamb House, a Georgian house owned by National Trust and once the home of a number of writers.

Or there is the retro independent Kino Cinema, built in a former Victorian library.

Shopping is a must – especially for chocoholics.

The first Knoops store opened in Rye, which is often considered as having the best hot chocolates in the country.

Otherwise there is also the nearby Rye Chocolates shop, all handmade at the harbour.

Interior lovers will enjoy both Sailors and Rae, with beautiful home goods and gifts, as well as Rye Art Gallery for some new prints.

Grammar School Records has more than 20,000 vinyls on sale (the name coming from its location, being built in a former 17th century school) while sweets can be found at the Rye Candy store.

When you need a food break, The Fig cafe is the highest rated, serving both lunch and dinner.

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One of the UK’s top chef‘s Ben Tish told Conde Nast Traveller it was where “all the locals” go, and raved about the aubergine shawarma.

Or head to the burger shack Frankie’s At The Beach, named the best place in the UK for a quick bite by Tripadvisor.

If you want to stay longer than a day trip, there are some stunning boutique hotels to choose from.

There is The Mermaid Inn, with parts of the hotel built back in 1156 and rooms from £90 a night, or the smaller hotel The Regent with rooms from £95 a night,

The fanciest hotel is The George in Rye, right on the high street and named one of the best places to stay in the UK by the Sunday Times.

It’s loved by by celebs too, with previous guests being George Clooney and Helene Bonham-Carter.

Or there is the nearby hotel The Gallivant in Camber, which was named mall Hotel of the Year 2024 by Visit England.

A visit to the nearby Camber Sands is one to do in spring – as it was named the UK beach that gets the warmest then hitting highs of 19C.

There is even a Parkdean Resort there, for a cheap family staycation.

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ONE of the the Haven holiday parks which has recently welcomed some very famous faces is to undergo a huge renovation.

The Presthaven Sands resort was visited by footballer Harry Maguire earlier this year with his family.

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And the holiday park has now revealed new plans to upgrade the resort.

New documents submitted to the local council include a huge extended play zone, with aerial adventure courses, climbing walls and bungee trampolines.

A new inflatable arena as well as a dog-friendly “Bark Yard zone” are also part of the plans.

In the planning statement, it said: “The proposal represents a major investment by Haven into the Presthaven Sands Holiday Park to enhance existing facilities and the customer experience.

“Haven are seeking to upgrade the existing adventure area between the entertainment complex and swimming pool complex.

“The refurbished Adventure Village will be solely for the use of holidaymakers already visiting the park, and will not therefore create any additional visitor pressure on the wider area.”

The improvements are yet to be given the go-ahead, with opening dates also yet to go.

In the mean time, the coastal holiday park has enough to keep you occupied.

There is the indoor swimming pool for when the weather turns, with an outdoor lazy river.

Also inside is the huge entertainment venue with amusement arcades too.

A NERF training camp, The Jump attraction, adventure golf and indoor soft play are all on-site.

It’s newest additions include the new Chopstix food stand, serving freshly cooked noodles and sides.

If you’re not a fan, there are other food options include Mash and Barrel, Burger King, Papa Johns and a chippie.

And if you want to brave the weather, there is direct access to the huge sandy beach.

Mum copies Harry Maguire’s Haven holiday

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Mum Rebecca visited the same Haven park – and stayed in the same lodges.

“Like most other Brits, I was surprised to hear that a well-paid footie star stayed at a Haven holiday park, and couldn’t resist going down to copy his holiday.

“Along with my six-year-old, we stayed in a Diamond Lodge like the Man United star and his family, and signed up for the same activities he did.

“The caravan was definitely celeb-worthy with huge marble kitchen with matching bathroom and en-suite as well as hipster lighting, floor-to-ceiling windows and a 40-inch TV.

“We also did everything from Make-A-Bear classes and pottery painting at the Creative Studio although were too tired for a night at the bingo, where Harry was spotted.

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“This trip was better than any fancy cruise or all-inclusive holiday abroad.”

Four-night caravan stays can still be found for £49, or you can book a November weekend break for £209.

Other Haven parks to choose from include Hopton Holiday Park in Norfolk, the highest rated of Haven’s resorts.

Not only is it right by the beach, but there is even a new indoor swimming pool.

Or there is Devon Cliffs, the largest of the Haven parks.

This year the park launched its new tube slide ride and beach bar.

And Haven Primrose Valley opened a Wetherspoons on-site earlier this year, the first of its kind – and we went down.

Haven holidays for 2025 can still be found for £49 too.

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A NEWLY-OPENED adventure playground has been described as a ‘child’s dream’ by visitors thanks to its huge play structures.

Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn has been a hit with families since it opened to the public in March.

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Set on the Chillington Estate, just outside of Brewood in Staffordshire, the attraction was built to offer a space for both children and adults.

After realising there was nowhere to go for both kids and adults, Tessa and Charlie Giffard decided to create the new attraction.

Housed inside a former agricultural barn, the adventure playground features a huge fake oak tree inspired by one King Charles II used to hide during the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

A central indoor turret inside the barn lets kids explore bridges, high-level walkways, tunnels, slides and ropes.

There’s also an outdoor area with zip lines, swings, slides and a designated area for toddlers.

Children and tweens can live out their Formula One dreams on a pedal go-kart track.

The track starts outside before heading indoors, with kids following a winding tarmac track.

There are also indoor and outdoor dining facilities, serving snacks such as cakes and ice cream as well as hot food such as sourdough pizzas and sandwiches.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) sessions run on the first Thursday of the month when the adventure playground is quieter.

Other themed events also run throughout the year, including Halloween activities like face painting, a treasure hunt and craft sessions.

Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn will also be transformed into a winter wonderland on selected dates in November and December.

Younger visitors will meet Father Christmas and his elves inside a specially-created grotto.

Kids will be given a gift from the big man himself, a deluxe hot chocolate, a seasonal biscuit and a Christmas craft activity.

Tessa Giffard, custodian of Chillington Hall and Estate, said: “We’re so excited to welcome Father Christmas to Hockerhill for the very first time this year.

“Families can share a wonderful experience and create unforgettable memories whilst enjoying two hours of play in our festive wonderland.”

Despite only being open since March, families have raved about the Staffordshire-based attraction on TripAdvisor.

One person wrote: “We had a superb morning at Hockerhill Playbarn.

“The kids loved the go-karts and the zip wire, it’s a child’s dream, with swings, slides, towers, bridges, walkways, zip lines and tunnels.”

Another person added: “This place is brilliant”.

A third person wrote: “This is without a doubt the best playbarn we have ever visited.

“We have three children of different ages and it is usually impossible to find somewhere that ALL the children enjoy, until we visited Hockerhill.”

Entry to Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn costs £8 for a full-paying adult, with tickets for kids starting from £5.

Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn is a 30-minute drive from Birmingham, and it’s a 25-minute drive from Stafford.

Another one in Wales has amazing rollercoasters and aerial attractions.

And one has been so popular, it’s staying open for winter.

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RYANAIR has confirmed new routes are being launched this winter from two airports outside of London.

Both Birmingham and Manchester will be welcoming the new flights later this year.

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From Birmingham, the budget airline will launch flights to Agadir and Marrakech in Morocco, as well as Paphos in Cyprus and Paris.

Other destinations include Lodz (Poland), Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Treviso (Italy) as well as Berlin and Derry.

An official start date for each destination has not been confirmed, although the flights are already on sale from £19.99 as soon as next month.

The airline has been operating from Birmingham for 34 years, with the new routes taking it up to 39 destinations.

Ryanair’s head of communications Jade Kirwan, said they would also be expanding their existing winter routes.

She told local media: “Ryanair will operate a total of 39 routes to/from Birmingham this winter with extra flights added on 8 of our most popular routes.

“[This includes] city breaks like Bucharest, Budapest, and Krakow, alongside winter sun hotspots, like Barcelona, Malta and Porto, giving our Birmingham customers even more choice and regular connections at the lowest fares in Europe.”

She confirmed that the airline saw a 13 per cent growth in traffic from Birmingham Airport this year.

And the two new routes being launched from Manchester are Memmingen in Berlin and Tangier in Morocco.

Ryanair currently operates 65 routes from Manchester, making it one of the major airlines at the airport.

The new routes will welcome as many as 7.6million passengers to and from Manchester.

Manchester Airport managing director, Chris Woodroofe praised the news.

He said: “We’re proud to connect the north to the world, with a route network unrivalled by any UK airport outside London.”

This week, new routes from Liverpool also launched.

Ryanair confirmed that Budapest, Marrakech and Paphos would now operate from Liverpool Airport.

Along with increased flights for existing routes, this takes the current destinations offered by Ryanair from Liverpool to 24.

Earlier this month, Ryanair launched their first ever flights to Turkey.

Having previously operated routes to Turkey from Dublin and Bratislava, the airline will now operate from London Stansted.

Starting next year, the new routes include Bodrum and Dalaman, with £30 fares.

Next week Ryanair flights to Lapland-Rovaniemi will take off from both London and Liverpool.

And back in April, the airline launched flights from Norwich Airport for the first time.

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