The Met Gala’s 2026 theme, “Fashion is Art,” might be the event’s most ambiguous dress code yet.

Tonight’s annual star-studded fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute is inspired by “Costume Art”, the Met’s blockbuster Spring exhibition, which explores depictions of the dressed body through a series of thematic body types: “the naked body,” “classic body,” “pregnant body” and “ageing body.”

Guests have been instructed to “celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history” on the red carpet, and stylists have told us to expect plenty of naked dresses and subversive, sculptural silhouettes. But which celebrities will play it safe, and who will leave us speechless?

Actor Nicole Kidman was one of the first stars to arrive on the blue carpet Monday night in her role as co-chair for this year’s event, wearing a breathtaking sequinned and feathered Chanel gown — gorgeous, but not exactly nailing the dress code (yes, we are the theme police tonight).

Beyoncé, who returned to the Met Gala for the first time in a decade (now as a co-chair), blew us away in a custom diamante skeleton-style bustier dress by Olivier Rousteing, with her daughter Blue Ivy by her side in an all-white ensemble.

On the more bizarre end of the spectrum, Katy Perry was channelling fencing chic in a futuristic headpiece covering her entire face and a matching white gown from Stella McCartney, while Heidi Klum — known for her imaginative fancy dress looks — transformed into a walking statue.

Find our best and worst dressed below…

Beyoncé

Doechii

Madonna

Nicole Kidman

Naomi Osaka

Emma Chamberlain

Connor Storrie

Sabrina Carpenter

Gigi Hadid

Ashley Graham

Heidi Klum

Kylie Jenner

Katy Perry

More to follow….

East of England, 16 closures to 3,682 pubsWest Midlands, 11 closures to 3,910 pubsSouth West, 13 closures to 4,582 pubsNorth West, 18 closures to 5,145 pubsYorkshire and The Humber, 10 closures to 4,235 pubsSouth East, 26 closures to 5,643 pubsLondon, 17 closures to 3,432 pubsNorth East, 2 closures to 1,926 pubsEast Midlands, 10 closures to 3,579 pubsWales, 3 pubs gained to 2,901 pubsScotland, 41 closures to 4,188 pubs

GameCentral prepares for the launch of Directive 8020 by listing some of the best sci-fi horror video games ever made, from big publishers and indie devs.

Having taken a crack at ghosts, witches, vampires, and serial killers, horror anthology series The Dark Pictures is making its long-awaited return, after 2022’s The Devil In Me, with a full-on sci-fi flavoured entry called Directive 8020, which is out later this month on May 12.

We have high hopes for this one, as The Dark Pictures’ games have gradually improved with each entry, although it also has us thinking about what other sci-fi horror games we’d recommend, should Directive 8020 leave you hankering for more.

So we’ve put together a list of what we consider the best sci-fi horror games of the modern era, all of which are easily available right now, across consoles and PC.

Alien: Isolation

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Alien: Isolation is one of the most effective movie adaptations of all time, perfectly replicating the aesthetic and atmosphere of the original Alien film.

It could’ve done with a stronger narrative, and it drags itself out for far too long, but it is suitably and effectively scary. With very few ways of defending yourself, you truly feel helpless as the titular alien stalks you through an abandoned space station.

Since there is room for improvement, the promise of a sequel means we’re very excited to see what developer Creative Assembly is cooking up next. A purposefully vague teaser was shared recently, but hopefully it’s just setting the stage for a proper reveal trailer later this year.

Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android

System Shock 1 and 2

Long before AI technology threatened to take away developers’ jobs and make graphics look worse, SHODAN was many players’ introduction to how villainous AI could be in video games.

The original System Shock (which was remade in 2023) holds up well despite being over 30 years old, with an impressive degree of non-linearity as you navigate a space station to thwart SHODAN’s plans, whose constant and chilling presence throughout the game makes her one of gaming’s best villains.

Thankfully, everything great about System Shock is still present in its sequel (which saw a remaster just last year) alongside newly incorporated role-playing elements that incentivise multiple playthroughs.

A System Shock 3 is apparently still in the works (or at least there’s no official word on its cancellation), but if it ever does see the light of day it has a lofty legacy to live up to.

Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC

Dead Space

The original Dead Space maintained a cult following even after the series strayed from its horror roots and was eventually abandoned by EA.

Sadly, Dead Space has now died a second death, with EA reportedly putting the series ‘on ice,’ which is a shame as developer Motive Studio proved it was perfect for taking over stewardship of the franchise with the 2023 remake.

While it didn’t fix all of the original game’s issues, it strode the fine line between being a faithful remake and a modernised update, with very natural feeling new elements. It’s not necessarily the scariest horror game ever, but it’s still a very tense and atmospheric adventure.

Spiritual successor The Callisto Protocol tried to fill the void Dead Space left behind (it was even directed by Dead Space’s creator Glen Schofield), but it’s difficult to recommend and you’re much better off sticking with the remake.

Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

F.E.A.R.

Before it worked on the Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor games (and eventually got shut down), Monolith Productions created horror themed first-person shooter series F.E.A.R.

It’s more action-focused than most survival horrors, with plenty of weapons and means of dealing with enemies, and was noted at the time for its state-of-the-art enemy AI.

The whole series could do with a modern re-release on consoles as the two sequels maintain the enjoyable shooting and foreboding atmosphere. The third one even had John Carpenter, director of The Thing and Halloween, help out with the script and cut scenes, as he’s a self-professed fan of the games.

You can get the series on current Xbox consoles through backwards compatibility, but the first F.E.A.R. still requires a physical copy, while the second and third games can be purchased digitally.

We also want to give a quick shout-out to Monolith’s two Condemned: Criminal Origins games, which seem paranormal at first but are gradually revealed to have more sci-fi elements than expected. A planned movie tie-in would’ve even involved aliens.

Available on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl is certainly one of the more unique entries on this list as it’s a hybrid of first person shooter, survival horror, and role-playing game; one that sees you exploring a more fantastical depiction of the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl power plant.

The ‘survival’ part is especially emphasised, as you need to contend with both hunger and exhaustion as well as the horrific mutants that stalk the Zone and the bizarre anomalies that can kill you if you get too close.

It’s consistently compelling thanks to its non-linear progression and engaging open world, and while its primary focus is not horror it certainly does make you fear for your life when you’re low on resources.

Now is a good time to check it out since its first DLC expansion is scheduled to launch later this year, which will add two new areas and new story content.

Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

SOMA

Like many, we didn’t fully appreciate SOMA when it launched in 2015, but the 2017 revamp helped propel it to new highs, ironically by adding an optional Safe Mode that makes it so you can’t die.

The clumsiness of dealing with enemies is one of SOMA’s weakest aspects, so removing that helps you better appreciate the writing and puzzle-solving, although the atmosphere remains chilling throughout, proving games can be scary even when the dangers are purely mechanical.

SOMA’s still guilty of indulging in some horror game cliches, like audio logs filling you in on the backstory, but it’s a fantastic sci-fi sister title to developer Frictional Games’ more supernatural flavoured Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Signalis

Another indie gem, and so far the only release by two-person German studio rose-engine, Signalis is a deliberate throw back to the early days of survival horror.

There is a satisfying clunkiness to it all, with Resident Evil style fixed camera angles, deeply interactive puzzles, and resource management, though its anime-inspired visuals and stylish presentation help keep it feeling modern.

Its biggest downside is that it’s too easy, with enemies rarely posing that much threat and generous amounts of healing items. Thankfully, Signalis’ setting of an underground lab on an alien world makes up for that with its atmosphere.

Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Routine

Routine only launched last December, following a 13-year development cycle, but it absolutely deserves its spot on this list alongside older games, with small indie team Lunar Software delivering something on par with Alien: Isolation (which it clearly takes some inspiration from).

Stuck on a moon base with a malfunctioning security system, your job is to fix it while avoiding the patrolling Terminator-like robots. This is a welcomingly unkind game, leaving you to figure out how to progress without any helpful icons or yellow paint to guide you, which makes the whole experience incredibly immersive.

Combined with the impressive graphics and excellent sound design, Routine is perfect for those who truly want to feel helpless in their horror games and are frustrated by intrusive hand-holding.

Available on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Doom 3

In a way, the Doom games have always been survival horrors… except you’re the big scary monster mowing through hordes of demons from Hell. Doom 3, though, is a more traditional stab at horror gaming.

You’re still armed to teeth, as you fend off Hellspawn and mutated zombies, but some levels are cloaked in darkness, forcing you to choose between lighting your way with a flashlight or aiming your weapon – which doesn’t make much sense but is very atmospheric.

The updated re-release made it so you can have a flashlight and gun out at the same time though and it also comes with the fun The Lost Mission DLC, although that’s more of a straight shooter, like the original Doom.

Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

Before SHODAN, there was AM, the AI mastermind responsible for wiping out most of humanity, leaving only five survivors – for the express purpose of torturing them for eternity. Such is the basis for the short story I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison.

Cyberdreams, a developer well versed with psychological horror thanks to its Dark Seed games, later adapted I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, with Ellison’s assistance, into one of the most acclaimed and disturbing point ‘n’ click adventure games ever made.

Given how it tackles adult themes such as mental illness and the Holocaust, forcing you to partake in extreme ethical dilemmas, it’s no wonder it flopped when it launched in the 90s. It’s thankfully not faded into obscurity and persists through a very affordable remaster.

Fittingly enough, the remaster was handled by Nightdive Studios, which is also responsible for the aforementioned System Shock remake and System Shock 2 remaster.

Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android

Resident Evil 2

While the sci-fi genre tends to be associated with outer space, aliens, and futuristic settings, it technically also includes Resident Evil, where the monsters are not otherworldly but manmade scientific creations that highlight humanity’s hubris and science gone awry.

Most Resident Evil games end up with you exploring an underground lab, including Resident Evil 2, which kickstarted the modern run of remakes and emphasised that the zombies and biological weapons are entirely man-made.

Its success led to other remakes, such as Dead Space and the purely supernatural Silent Hill 2. We’d be remiss not to also shout out Capcom’s other survival horror classic Dino Crisis, which traded mutant zombies for time-displaced dinosaurs and is in desperate need of a remake itself.

Furthermore, Square Enix’s Parasite Eve, which was an early attempt by Square Enix to tap into the success of Resident Evil, is also technically sci-fi, with its biological monstrosities, complete with disturbing Thing-like transformations. Sadly, it’s not been re-released though and remains locked to the PlayStation 1.

Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS

Bloodborne

On a surface level, there’s nothing obviously sci-fi about Bloodborne, especially given its Gothic Victorian-inspired setting. However, it is heavily inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, with its Great Ones clearly based on the eldritch Great Old Ones.

Although their origins are open to interpretation, especially in Bloodborne, Lovecraft’s Cthulhu is an alien, not a demon or supernatural entity. Bloodborne is even classified as a game about alien invasions on Wikipedia, even if that’s not how most people think of it.

So-called cosmic horror is difficult to make work outside of prose but arguably the first Alien movie, and by association Alien: Isolation, is part of the genre, with its unknowable horrors and descents into madness.

The excellent Look Outside is a more traditional portrayal of the concept, while the recent Saros, and its predecessor Returnal, are filled with Lovecraftian themes – even if they’re not strictly horror games.

As for Bloodborne, it’s genuinely baffling that Sony and FromSoftware haven’t done anything with it, since its release over a decade ago – not even a PlayStation 5 patch, let alone a remaster. Although an animated movie adaptation was announced last month.

Available on: PlayStation 4

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The Tuesday letters page wishes Forza Horizon 6 was coming out on PS5 this month, as a reader is surprised by Sony’s obsession with Until Dawn.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Disappointing return
I’ve been playing Saros over the bank holiday weekend, and I was really looking forward to it after enjoying Returnal so much. It has been good, but even after knowing of the drawbacks from GC’s review I still find myself disappointed.

Yes, the combat is amazing. There is no argument from me on that, but I don’t like the story, all the areas I’ve been so far are too samey, and I think the skill tree actually makes it feel more repetitive than before. The underground machine level is the only one that doesn’t look like a rejected biome from Returnal and I don’t find any of the characters sympathetic.

But the problem with the skill tree, I find, is that when you die you come back and unlock a few things but with Returnal it was more subtle than that. You were more looking to see what the new layout was and maybe upgrading your gun a bit, but the focus was on you training yourself up and getting better.

In Saros it almost feels like you’re just dying a set number of times until you’re powered up enough to win. It’s not quite that obvious but I’ve found it quite demoralising at times and the whole thing is just miserable and grey instead of the weird, dreamlike Returnal. It’s good but I’d say it’s a step back and quite disappointing.
Cranston

New battlefields
I can’t believe there’s a new Star Wars film out in a couple of weeks and I haven’t even bothered to watch the trailer. If my younger self knew that it would absolutely blow his mind, but here we are.

I do agree that the games have been doing a lot better than the films, and been more consistent than TV, even if I don’t feel there’s been a top tier game out of any of them yet. For me the Star Wars Jedi games are slightly overrated. They’re good but the whole Dark Souls thing seems a bad fit to me and some of the level design is very contrived, including in the second one.

I am hoping for the best with Zero Company and the new Knights Of The Old Republic, but I can’t say I’d care too much if Eclipse never happened, given who’s making it. What I’m dying for though, is for them to announce a Battlefront 3.

I worry that the last two weren’t quite big enough though and it’d need a new film with lots of ground action to justify one, and I don’t think anything like that is coming soon. The next film after is Starfighter with Ryan Gosling though, so hopefully that will inspire some new games at least.
Caliban

Eternal Dawn
For a game that has never been that popular, and where they scared away the original developer so they can’t work on it anymore, Sony sure does have a strange obsession with Until Dawn. Now there’s rumours about another spin-off as a PlayStation 6 game?

I mean, if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to convince people to part with £500-odd for a console they know they don’t need it’s a spin-off to a 11-year-old interactive horror movie that isn’t very scary. And even if it’s not Until Dawn related the rumour is still something horror-based. Is that really a good idea for a lunch game?
Tacle

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Mad world
The number of times I have to question reality itself when reading the news nowadays is getting truly disturbing, but I didn’t think I’d be doing it with gaming as well. GameStop is going to buy eBay by borrowing $20 billion? GameStop… the shop that sells boxed games and Funko Pops? I don’t even know what to say, except why has the whole world gone mad?

I’d actually forgotten, until you mentioned it, that EA has done the same thing to themselves as well, and that wasn’t even a hostile takeover. Of course, it’ll be superyachts for everyone when it comes to the execs but give it five years, or less, and none of these companies are going to exist anymore.

I’d be surprised if Xbox did either or Ubisoft come to that. It’s all the American companies, of course, so no surprises there and… I’m not sure I even care anyway. They all make so few games nowadays, and the ones they do are so completely uninteresting and safe, that I’d barely notice. If it wasn’t for the thousands of developers that’ll be losing their jobs I’d say good riddance to them.
Bernie

GC: Ubisoft is French.

Busman’s holiday
Two new indie titles have recently been released and I highly recommend everyone goes and checks these out. They are Restore Your Island from Paiband Game Studio and Bus Simulator: Ultimate from Gamersky Games.

These are good games to own and play and it shows that there are some good indie titles being made. They are currently on Microsoft Windows and hopefully these can come to next generation consoles in the future.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

GC: Well, as long as it’s the ultimate bus simulator and not just a run-of-the-mill one.

Timed exclusive
While I don’t disagree that Xbox is a worrying mixture of delusional and running scared, I think the stupidest thing they’ve done lately is not releasing Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation 5 at the same time as Xbox. They’re going to do all the marketing and making all that fuss and then the format that it’s going to sell the most on has to wait for who knows how many months. It doesn’t make any sense.

If the PlayStation 5 version wasn’t going to be ready until next year I’d get it, but it’s out this year. Why on earth wouldn’t you just delay the Xbox and PC versions until then and have them all come out at the same time, with one big marketing blow out.

The only excuse I can think of, other than stupidity (which I wouldn’t rule out), is that this is what the new Xbox boss means by exclusivity. Having a new game appear on Xbox for a few months early and then going to PlayStation 5.

I can’t really see any benefit in that though and if they think people are going to be so jealous of Xbox they’ll run out and buy a new console, just to get a game a couple of months early, I think Microsoft are going to be very disappointed.

Forza Horizon 6 should’ve been the biggest multiformat release ever for Microsoft and it still probably will be, once it reaches PlayStation 5, but they’re really not dong their best to take advantage of it.
Curly

Infinite money glitch
GTA 6 might not ending up cost £100 but I will be surprised if it doesn’t involve some kind of subscription service, probably connected to GTA Online 2.

It probably will be just £70 but there’ll definitely be deluxe versions that will cost much more and I best some kind of thing for the online, where you’ll get free items and money and whatever. They’ll definitely do a battle pass too.

A company as successful as Rockstar knows you don’t need to make all your money just from the first purchase, they can have people paying for years to come. Based on GTA 5, maybe decades.
Charlie

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Keep it coming
I’m actually really glad to see so many Resident Evil rumours going around at the moment. Even if most of them are fake I’ve never seen it like this before, which goes to show just how much bigger Requiem was than usual. I’m not convinced about the movie myself yet, but the extra buzz from that is definitely going to help too.

So, as far as I understand, we’ve got some kind of ‘minigame’ this month, story DLC probably not till next year, and maybe a Code: Veronica remake reveal this summer. It may be a bit early for that under normal circumstances but I feel that with Resident Evil being so hot at the moment Capcom will figure that at least a tease at the next remake will go down well.

As for the idea of bringing in new characters… well, first of all I wouldn’t believe a word Capcom says. They’re not going to give away any plans at this stage and can just say they changed their minds later. I don’t think anyone wants to see the Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny version of Resident Evil but I also don’t want to see Leon and the gang getting turned young again through some Umbrella virus, which I really worry they’re building up to.

At this point I think they need to commit to having them older and bring up a new group of younger characters, which I feel they’re doing well. I think everyone liked Grace and I definitely would like to see her again.

I also don’t see any reason not to do flashback games to their younger days. In a way that’s what the remakes are so when they run out of those just do some of unseen missions of Leon, Jill, Claire, and the rest. What’s clear is the world wants more Resident Evil and hopefully Capcom is happy to provide.
Korbie

Inbox also-rans
Dear GameCentral, May the 5th be with you!
Tim Keeling

GC: Better late than never.

To celebrate Star Wars Day I played Jedi Power Battles just for the nostalgia kick. It was rubbish, as usual, but I still loved it. And that’s what Star Wars is all about, right?
Cooper

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Critics have branded the recent decision to sign 38-year-old Amanda Knox for a stand-up show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as “offensive” and deeply insensitive

Amanda Knox has vowed “not to let the bullies win” — as she defends her upcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe gig.

The 38-year-old author, who with her then boyfriend was convicted of roomate Meredith Kercher’s murder and then acquited two years later, will debut her first full-length comedy performance at the famous event this summer. It’s a move which has been slammed with critics describing it as “offensive”.

And even Amanda has admitted she feels “nervous” about the performance, but has chosen to do it in an attempt to challenger her “bullies”. The mum of two said: “Ultimately it comes down to wanting to silence me because I raise an uncomfortable reality. I feel wronged and I don’t like letting the people who wronged me win — I don’t want to let the bullies win.

“I know I have something legitimate to say, I’m not just going up there just for the heck of it. It’s not just about me but it’s about what it means to be a woman in the world.”

READ MORE: Schoolgirl, 14, dies after horror incident on train tracks as police release statementREAD MORE: Girl, 4, killed by own gran who forced her to drink bottle of whisky in cruel punishment

Amanda was a 20-year-old student in Perugia, Italy, when her friend and flatmate Meredith, a British student, was killed at their home. She was covered in the DNA of the man eventually convicted as her murderer.

But Amanda was convicted of the murder in 2009, and was sentenced to 26 years in prison. In 2011, the conviction was overturned and Knox was released, whereupon she returned to America. In 2013, her acquittal was overturned after a successful prosecution appeal and a retrial was ordered. In 2014, an appeals court in Florence, Italy, convicted Amanda of murder for a second time. In 2015, the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation definitively acquitted Amanda of Meredith’s murder.

Amanda’s address at Edinburgh Fringe, called Cartwheel, references what she says is the persistent fabrication that she turned cartwheels during police interrogation. The writer, originally from Seattle, Washington, continued: “There are a lot of situations where there are survivors of terrible ordeals and people who didn’t survive. Have we ever said, ‘You need to shut up and disappear because you make people uncomfortable?’

“The messaging from critics is any and every way that I’ve told my story has been wrong; because it is me, it must be at someone’s expense.”

The Times reports Amanda has a strong group of supporters, including executive TV producer Monica Lewinsky, who has argued society cannot progress unless women like Amanda speak without shame. Speaking to the publication, Amanda added: “I don’t like assuming the worst about people or places. I want to believe that at Edinburgh I could get a fair hearing.”

The scheme aims to give residents in busy areas the chance to park closer to their homes

A new “demand-led” residents’ parking scheme has opened for applications across Northern Ireland. The parking zones aim to give people in residential areas the chance to park closer to their homes or businesses.

The scheme follows on from a pilot run in the busy residential streets close to Queen’s University in Belfast since 2018. There are certain criteria areas must meet to be eligible for the scheme, which is open for applications until July 31.

Residents are entitled to one permit per household, which allows them to park in spaces available within the zone. A pay and display option is typically available for those parking in the area without a residents permit.

READ MORE: 10,000 road defects and potholes repaired in eight weeksREAD MORE: New Translink train ticketing system to be rolled out, Minister confirms

What are residents’ parking schemes?

A residents’ parking zone is an area where only vehicles with a valid permit or parking ticket are allowed to park during certain times of the day.

Residents and businesses can apply for a permit to allow them to park within that particular area. Only those with a valid permit are allowed to park within the zone during its hours of operation.

Which areas are included in the parking schemes?

To be considered for a residents’ parking zone, an area must:

• have persistent commuter or nuisance parking
• be all public (not private) roads
• have less than 50 per cent of properties with access to off-street parking (driveways etc)
• include evidence of local support for a scheme

How to apply for a resident’s parking scheme

You can apply to request a parking scheme in your street or area. When applying, you will need to outline the parking problem in your area and provide evidence to show local support for the proposed zone.

Applications to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) for residents’ parking zones can only be made during the designated application window, which is open from April 28, 2026 and closes on July 31, 2026.

You can find out more and apply for a parking scheme by clicking here.

Will a residents’ parking scheme guarantee a space outside my home?

No, residents’ parking schemes do not guarantee residents a specific space outside their homes or businesses. The aim of a residents’ parking zone is to improve the overall availability of parking within an area so residents can park close to their houses. A permit does not guarantee availability of parking spaces.

How does the scheme work for HMO properties?

If you’re a tenant in the residents’ parking zone area, you will need to provide your tenancy agreement and your V5C(NI) document for your vehicle.

A household which has been split into a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) but that only has one Unique Property Identification Number and therefore one rates bill, will only be eligible for one resident permit for the household.

How much does a resident’s parking permit cost?

If you live in the residents’ parking zone area, you can apply for a resident permit, which costs £30 per year.

Permits are issued free of charge to Blue Badge holders who are residents within a parking zone, and residents of zones either wholly or partly within a Neighbourhood Renewal Area.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Stilt-walkers, jugglers, balloon artists and aerial performers from Newcastle Circus Arts gave displays of their talents and workshops for visitors to Hopetown.

The Hopetown Circus Spectacular included everything but the big top, with youngsters having a go at some of the basic circus skills.

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Foundry Green, at Hopetown, played host to the event, which benefited from a largely sunny day.

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Newcastle Circus Arts is a hub for circus arts and training in the North East, with the aim of inspiring trainees to try their hand at a range of multidisciplinary circus arts.

Hopetown Circus Spectacular (Image: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo)

Read next … more cultural events from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

Hopetown Darlington is a railway-themed visitor attraction which formally opened in July 2024.

It highlights Darlington’s pioneering railway heritage, while serving as a community focal point, hosting events, activities and festivals.

Hopetown is situated on the route of the ground-breaking route of the 1825 Darlington to Stockton Railway, the world’s first steam-powered passenger railway.

It shares the site with North Road Railway Station.

What do you think of this event? Let us know in the comments

The popular Channel 5 documentary is back on Tuesday, May 5, following Reuben Owen’s work and life in the Yorkshire Dales.

Owen, son of Our Yorkshire Farm’s Amanda Owen, stars in the show alongside close friends Tommy and Sarah as they grow his heavy plant machinery business in the countryside.

Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales (Image: CHANNEL 5)

Taking to Instagram this week, he said: “So excited for the start of the new series. Here are a few shots of what to expect. It’s going to be fantastic. Tune in next Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 5.”

The programme offers a behind-the-scenes look at the farmer’s efforts to expand his business, Reuben Owen Ltd, which handles a variety of rural construction projects, including drainage, muck shifting, and landscaping.

Season three opens with a job to build a sheep pen for a local farmer.

But when a gate post proves difficult to secure, the team is left scratching their heads and looking for a solution.

The episode also features a more personal moment, as they gather to celebrate Owen’s father Clive’s 70th birthday at the village pub.

Now in his early twenties, Owen has quickly established himself as a young entrepreneur, running his own “five-star business”.

Recent updates on the company’s Facebook page show the variety of work undertaken by his team, including installing 900 metres of water pipe in just one day across difficult, boggy ground.

The social media post drew praise from followers.

Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales (Image: Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales/INSTAGRAM)

Away from the cameras, Owen’s personal life has also attracted attention.

He is in a relationship with Jessica Ellwood, whom he met at a Young Farmers’ convention in 2024.

Ellwood, who works on her family’s farm at Brough Castle, regularly appears in his social media posts.

The couple went public in November 2024.

Before his relationship with Ellwood, Owen was dating Sarah Dow, a long-time friend.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, Owen confirmed the pair remain close despite no longer being together.

He said: “Me and Sarah were together, we’re no longer together but we’re still very good friends.

“She’s kind of gone her own way and is pursuing her own career.”

The new series is expected to build on the success of previous episodes by combining light-hearted workplace challenges with insights into daily life in rural Yorkshire.

Viewers can expect a mix of mechanical mishaps, problem-solving, and the camaraderie that has made the show a hit.

It airs Tuesday, May 5, at 8pm on Channel 5.

In the midst of this there has been renewed speculation over Sir Keir’s leadership of the party, with suggestions that possible challengers to the PM, such as UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner could be preparing to move.