THORPE Park has been named the country’s best theme park by the Great British public.

The UK Theme Park Awards took place last night, with the Surrey-based park bagging the top spot.

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The awards were organised by ThemeParks-UK.com who publish independent consumer guides.

More than 360,000 votes were cast by the public and combined with scores from expert judges to rank the country’s best theme parks.

Awards were spread across 22 categories, including the Best New Attraction, the Best Theme Park for Families, the Best Seaside Park and the New Park of the Year.

Thorpe Park beat the likes of Alton Towers and Drayton Manor to be named the best in the country for 2024.

The Surrey-based theme park, which first opened to the public in 1979, also took first place for the best new attraction, Hyperia.

Hyperia opened to the public earlier this year, becoming the country’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster.

Standing at a whopping 236ft tall, the hypercoaster claims to be the UK’s highest, swiping the crown from Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s The Big One by just a few inches.

It also smashes coaster speed records, reaching break-neck speeds of 81mph.

Hyperia wasn’t the only new addition this year, with American-themed Big Easy Boulevard also opening this year.

The new area replaced the park’s Angry Birds land, which had been in place for ten years.

Big Easy Boulevard is based on New Orleans and has several rides, as well as a 4D cinema.

Detonator, a drop tower ride that sends people plummeting 100ft, remains in the area from the Angry Birds land – although it has been rebranded to fit in with its new surroundings.

Other rides at the theme park include Stealth, the UK’s fastest launch coaster, and Vortex, a giant pendulum that swings riders through the air.

Drayton Manor’s Gold Rush took second place as the best new attraction at a UK theme park, with Legoland’s Minifigure Speedway coming in at third.

OTHER AWARD WINNERS

Nemesis Reborn

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Other winners of the night included Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers, which was named the Best Reimagined Attraction.

Nemesis was first unleashed to the public in March 1994 and has become a favourite among thrill-seekers ever since.

However, it closed in November 2022 for retracking and for other changes to be made to the rollercoaster.

After undergoing the biggest overhaul in its 30-year history, the ride was renamed Nemesis Reborn.

You can read our world-first review of Nemesis Reborn here.

Paultons Park

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Paultons Park bagged the top spot for the Best Theme Park for Families and Toddlers.

Paultons Park features more than 70 rides, including roller coasters, family rides, and attractions.

It is also known for being the home of Peppa Pig World, voted the No.1 theme park on TripAdvisor.

Guests will find Grampy Rabbit’s Sailing Club, The Queen’s Flying Coach, Grandpa Pig’s Little Train, and Peppa’s Big Balloon in the Peppa Pig World.

Kids can also enjoy play areas, as well as meet and greets with Peppa Pig and George Pig.

Peppa Pig World isn’t the only attraction at Paultons Park, as there’s also Tornado Spring, a world set in a midwest desert resort town in the 1950s.

Other themed worlds include the Lost Kingdom, Critter Creek, and Little Africa.

Drayton Manor

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Drayton Manor topped the list as the UK’s Best Value Theme Park.

The park is already considered to be among the more affordable resorts in the UK, with UK Family Break previously describing it as “the ideal place for an unforgettable cheap family day out”.

Drayton Manor is home to more than 50 attractions, including Stormforce 10 River Rapids, Thor, Accelorator, Thomas and Percy’s Submarine Splash and The Bounty Pirate Ship.

Meanwhile, this new theme park with 25 attractions has opened in Europe – and flights are only £15.

And here are five European theme parks that are alternatives to Disneyland.

The Sun’s review of Hyperia at Thorpe Park

The Sun’s Lee Bell visited Thorpe Park to try the new ride out. Here’s what he thought…

“I was able to ride the steel monster three times, experiencing its exhilarating speeds in the middle of the train, at the front and then, for my last (and best) ride, right at the back.

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“First impressions: it’s unlike any other rollercoaster in the UK right now.”Not only for the obvious reason that it’s over double the height, but its focus on flinging riders out of their seats and experiencing ‘weightlessness’.

“It’s no surprise that the first drop is what really steals the show on this rollercoaster.

“While it’s the tallest in the country, it’s unique in that it twists riders 180 degrees while they plummet down a huge vertical drop right before reaching the ground at top speeds of over 80mph.

“The back row is easily the best place to experience this, since you’re catapulted over the crest of the drop at speed, and right into the drop with a free-fall-like feeling.

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“It’s an incredible ride that will make you want to ride it again and again.”It’s certainly a coaster that can compete with some of the best in Europe and is easily, in my experience, the best the UK has to offer.”

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Benjamin Netanyahu has struck a deal with opposition politician Gideon Sa’ar to bring his right-wing New Hope party into government, in a move that will bolster the Israeli prime minister’s ruling majority.

The agreement comes as polls suggest that support for Netanyahu’s Likud party is recovering from the depths it plumbed after Hamas’s October 7 attack, as Israel has launched aggressive operations in both Lebanon, where it has delivered a series of devastating blows to Hizbollah, and Iran.

Sa’ar, a hawkish lawyer who began his career in Likud before falling out with Netanyahu and becoming one of the prime minister’s most vocal critics, will enter the cabinet as a minister without portfolio.

In a joint press conference on Sunday night, Netanyahu acknowledged the pair’s fractious history — which also included Sa’ar joining and then leaving the emergency government set up after October 7 — but said that the two men had decided to put those differences behind them.

“It’s not a secret that we have had disagreements in the past,” he said. “But since October 7, we have both put all the grudges of the past behind us.”

Sa’ar, who has staked out hawkish positions on the war, including urging a more aggressive approach both against Hizbollah and in Gaza, said he had decided to rejoin the government because he had concluded that “the majority of [the opposition’s] members hold views on the war that are different from mine”.

“This is a time when my duty is to contribute to decision-making,” he said.

The addition of New Hope’s four seats means that Netanyahu’s now six-party coalition with an assortment of rightwing, far-right and ultrareligious parties will control 68 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament, weakening the ability of smaller partners to extract concessions.

Since the coalition came to power in 2022, both ultranationalist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to pull their parties out of government owing to disagreements with Netanyahu. But now neither would on their own be able to topple the government by doing so.

The arrival of Sa’ar could ultimately also pave the way for Netanyahu to replace his defence minister Yoav Gallant, who has been increasingly critical of Netanyahu’s leadership, including over his failure to reach a deal with Hamas to free the Israeli hostages still held by the militant group in Gaza.

Sa’ar announced last weekend that Netanyahu had offered him the position of defence minister, but said he had decided not take up the role at that time, as a change of minister in the middle of an escalation with Hizbollah would be an unnecessary distraction.

Netanyahu previously attempted to fire Gallant in March 2023 after Gallant warned that the polarisation sparked by a controversial judicial overhaul being pushed by Netanyahu’s coalition was undermining Israeli security, only to back down in the face of mass protests.

A UNIQUE holiday destination in Suffolk has just been named one of the friendliest accommodation providers in the UK. 

Hippersons Boatyard in Beccles has been announced as one of this year’s winners at the Visit Britain’s ROSE Awards. 

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The awards recognise the accommodation providers across England who provide visitors with the warmest of welcomes.

But Hippersons is very different from your usual holiday park or self-catered apartment. 

Guests can stay in in one of six quirky houseboats which are nestled on the River Waveney in The Broads National Park.

The boatyard is self catering, offering fun for families or a romantic getaway for couples. 

Each accommodation has a private rowing boat for exploring the river, and there are a wide range of other water-based experiences on offer. 

Canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and a pedal boat are all available for hire. 

There are also self drive boats you can take out for the day to explore the wider Broads. 

Among the houseboats to choose from are ‘Secret Water’ – a luxury floating glamping pod with a large deck at the front to watch the sunrise and sunset from, a double room and a bunk room, small kitchenette, and a wet room with underfloor heating. 

Local cafe Relish can make food hampers if you’re in need of supplies, or if you need some time out from cooking, there are plenty of pubs and restaurants nearby. 

Nearby attractions include the Beccles Lido, where you can book a slot and swim in the outdoor pool.

There’s also Beccles Museum with displays on local industries and crafts.

A 30 minute drive away is Secret Sauna, a wood-fired sauna cabin in a secluded location, perched on the banks of the River Waveney.

And if it’s speed you’re after, you can book a turn at Beccles Go Kart race circuit.

One Hippersons Boatyard guest, who visited in August this year, described their stay on Tripadvisor.

They wrote: “The accommodation was well finished with a beautiful view out of the boatyard towards the river. My kids (and I) loved watching the fish swim past as we ate out on the water. We were welcomed by very hospitable staff and found a welcome hamper on arrival. The boathouse came with a dingy and life jackets, which we could use at our leisure.

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“The boatyard is really well placed a short walk from the historic centre of Beccles (but no road or town noise!). My kids loved visiting the headed lido and we enjoyed a meal out at the Royal Oak. Both Norfolk and Suffolk attractions were accessible from Beccles. Just a brilliant stay, I really can’t recommend enough. We’ll be back!”

Prices start from £315 for a three night stay. To book, visit the Hippersons Boatyard website.

Hello and welcome to the working week.

In this year of elections, there is also (inevitably) a changing of the guard. On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum becomes Mexico’s first female president. There are many challenges ahead for her, as my colleagues have noted.

That same day Nato gets a new secretary-general as former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte replaces Jens Stoltenberg. He faces many challenges as the FT’s editorial board outlines.

The Conservative party conference is under way and it’s fair to say it is less of a draw than previous years, except for its leadership contest. Will one of the contenders perform a David Cameron? The goal for the four remaining candidates is to still be on the ballot when it is whittled down to two on October 9 and the contest is put to a vote among party members.

There are still significant elections to be had, most obviously the US presidential contest, and Tuesday will see the vice-presidential candidates duke it out on the CBS News channel. For more insight into the Republican candidate JD Vance, read Ed Luce’s recent column. Meanwhile, Inside Politics writer Stephen Bush explains why Democratic candidate Tim Walz fits the mould of many previous vice-presidential candidates, including that of Donald Trump in 2016.

On the corporate front, the week brings a thin but steady flow of results, notably Tesco, Nike, Greggs and JD Wetherspoon.

Shares in Tesco are up by a third in the past year to their highest level since late 2013. The British supermarket chain is capitalising on the woes of rivals Wm Morrison and Asda, which are struggling under the debt burdens heaped on to them by their private equity owners. Tesco has picked up a precious half-point of market share over the past year, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Greggs is also riding high, helped by July’s very strong first-half results, which showed a 14 per cent increase in total sales, a 16 per cent advance in underlying pre-tax profit and a 19 per cent rise in the dividend. This is a trading update but investors will be keen to hear more about its app, which has been a strong driver of that growth, an initiative to increase evening opening hours and the ongoing store rollout programme.

JD Wetherspoon’s shares are broadly flat over the year, even though the pub group, with an estate of about 800 sites, is expected to report record sales for the year to July 2024. The issue is therefore profit, and in particular the impact of increased wages, utility bills and interest costs on the company’s £670mn net debt position.

The economic data run this week is limited, but will include US employment figures, German inflation figures, the final UK Q2 GDP estimate and PMI comparisons between G7 nations and China, before the latter begins its National Day public holiday. More details on all of this below.

One more thing . . . 

Runners will this Saturday celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Parkrun, which took place in Bushy park in the affluent London suburb of Teddington. Parkrun is now looking at more than 2,300 events taking place around the world with more than 9mn registered parkrunners. I’ve never been drawn to the concept of spending one of my day’s off doing one of the sports I least enjoy in a public space, but I found a more positive take on the volunteer-led phenomenon in the FT archives from markets columnist Katie Martin.

Talking of archive material, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Lunch with the FT series, my colleagues have created a free, pop-up newsletter, providing you with a favourite lunch every Sunday through to November 17, with fresh insights from the interviewer. Sign up here.

What are your priorities this week and what are you most looking forward to in the next month? Email me at jonathan.moules@ft.com or, if you are reading this from your inbox, hit reply.

Key economic and company reports

Here is a more complete list of what to expect in terms of company reports and economic data this week.

Monday

• European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde attends the quarterly monetary dialogue with the European parliament Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, giving her views on economic and monetary developments and discussing economic and financial developments

• Witan Investment Trust holds a first general shareholder meeting to vote on the proposed recommended winding-up of the company and combination with Alliance Trust. A second shareholders’ meeting is scheduled for October 9

• China: Caixin September manufacturing and services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data

• Germany: September consumer price index (CPI) and harmonised index of Consumer Prices (HICP) inflation rate data

• Japan: August preliminary industrial production figures,

• UK: revised estimate of Q2 GDP. Also, Nationwide September House Price Index.

• Results: 3i Infrastructure pre-close update, Alliance Pharma HY, Carnival Q3, Playtech HY

Tuesday

• Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill speaks at the CBI Economic Growth Board

• Nationwide’s acquisition of Virgin Money UK is expected to become effective after the deal was approved by shareholders at the building society’s annual meeting in July

• Darktrace acquisition by Thoma Bravo is expected to become effective, after shareholders approved the deal at a general meeting in June

• Canada, Eurozone, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, UK, US: S&P Global/HCOB/HSBC September manufacturing PMI data

• China National Day. Financial markets closed

• EU: preliminary September eurozone HICP inflation figures

• Mexico: Inauguration Day. Financial markets closed

• US: fiscal year begins

• Results: Greggs trading update, James Halstead FY, McCormick Q3, Nike Q1, PayChex Q1

Wednesday

• China: National Day Golden Week continues. Financial markets closed

• India: Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Financial markets closed

• Israel: Rosh Hashana Eve, Jewish New Year Eve. Financial markets closed

• Russia: final Q2 GDP estimate

• Results: ConAgra Brands Q1, JD Sports HY, Lamb Weston Q1, Saga HY, Topps Tiles full-year trading statement

Thursday

• Canada, Eurozone, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US: S&P Global/HCOB September services PMI data

• China: National Day Golden Week continues. Financial markets closed

• Germany: National Unity Day, marking the anniversary of reunification in 1990

• Israel: Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Financial markets closed

• UK: Zoopla September House Price Index

• Results: Constellation Brands Q2, Tesco HY, SSE notification of close, SSP Q4 trading update

Friday

• Eurozone, France, Germany, Italy, UK: S&P Global/HCOB September construction PMI data

• India: HSBC September services PMI data

• US: September employment figures

• Results: JD Wetherspoon FY, Yaskawa Electric Q2

World events

Finally, here is a rundown of other events and milestones this week.

Monday

• UN General Assembly debate concludes in New York

• France: trial begins for French party leader Marine Le Pen, her father and predecessor Jean-Marie Le Pen and 25 others for alleged misappropriation of EU funds to pay the assistants of MEPs who were in fact working for their party, Rassemblement National, between 2009 and 2017. Marine Le Pen denies the allegations. The damage allegedly amounts to €6.8mn

• UK: annual election of the Lord Mayor of the City of London, an ancient title which now involves promoting British financial and business services globally

Tuesday

• Belgium: Nato ceremony to mark the transition to its new secretary-general, former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte

• Canada: government imposes 100 per cent surtax on all Chinese-made EVs, including electric and certain hybrid passenger automobiles, trucks, buses and delivery vans

• France: strikes and protests expected across France, backed by trade union CGT, over President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to appoint Nouveau Front Populaire candidate Lucie Castets as prime minister

• Mexico: Claudia Sheinbaum assumes office as the country’s first female president

• US: 100th birthday of former president Jimmy Carter. Also, televised debate between Republican vice-presidential nominee, senator JD Vance, and Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota governor Tim Walz

Wednesday

• Annular solar eclipse, this year appearing almost entirely over the Pacific Ocean, but also visible from Easter Island and a small portion of Argentina and Chile

Thursday

• Rosh Hashana, aka Jewish New Year, with customs including the sounding of the shofar and eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey

• Brazil: G20 environment and climate ministers meeting begins in Rio

• UAE: 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup cricket tournament opens, featuring 10 teams including Bangladesh, Australia, England, New Zealand and India

• UK: the main flu and Covid-19 vaccination campaign commences in England

Friday

• France: Francophonie Summit, a biennial meeting of heads of state and government from French-speaking nations, begins in Villers-Cotterets

Saturday

• UK: Claire Hanna is ratified as the new leader of Northern Ireland’s Social Democratic and Labour party at its annual conference. She was the only candidate to have declared an interest and replaces Colum Eastwood, who announced his resignation in August

• UK: 20th anniversary of the first Parkrun, the free 5km running event organised by volunteers

• US: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show, Pennsylvania, the site of the July 13 assassination attempt

Sunday

• Australian Daylight Saving Time begins

• Israel: Anniversary of Yom Kippur war

• Laos: Asean Summit and related meetings begin

• Tunisia: presidential election

A WOMAN who now lives on a narrowboat to save thousands of pounds each month has given three major warnings to people looking to start living in waterways.

Nesha, who vlogs her life while living on her dream boat, revealed how starting a life on narrowboats may be as easy as it looks.

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The expert, who posts her video on her YouTube channel Driftwood Folk, has now revealed a few tips that could help anyone ditch their homes and start a life on boats.

Nesha said that people should have a good budget before they plan to buy a narrowboat and renovate it as it may not always be cheap.

She then revealed how it could cost a lot of money just to maintain it over time.

Her advice was to be prepared to spend at least £35,000 to start a life on a boat.

Furthermore, Nesha explained why painting boats can cost a fortune.

She said: “Every work that you get done on a boat counts as a specialist job. You’ll be more likely to get work done on the boat at a boatyard.

“The problem is that it tends to be quite pricey, especially if you’re getting work done like welding.”

“And when you live in a metal tube, it’s very likely that you will get some welding done at some point.”

Nesha’s next tip for anyone looking to live on a canal boat was to be prepared to live in a tight space, especially if someone is moving out from a traditional hopping structure.

She advised: “If you are someone who really likes their own space and you live with a partner or you have children, you might find living on a canal boat a bit difficult because space is very limited.”

She also emphasised how maintaining boats can be a difficult job – but an extremely important one.

The expert said: “Even though it’s portrayed as a simple life – which it can be to some degree –  there is a lot of maintenance involved

“It isn’t just a case of living a slow, simple life and never having to do much. There is always something to do on a boat.”

It comes after a woman who lives on a 20ft micro narrowboat said she’s terrified it might tip over, but revealed a hidden compartment that keeps her safe.

Kat, known as Gentil Lentil’s Green Life on YouTube, shared an insight with her viewers about what it’s like to live on a small boat.

The content creator explained that she fears storms could tip over her 20ft micro narrowboat.

Fortunately, in the video, she revealed two compartments designed to help prevent it from tipping.

One of the compartments, located beneath her bed, contains a water pump that removes excess water from the bottom of the hull.

These are found on most boats and are an essential piece of equipment.

It comes after an artist shared what it’s like to live off-grid in a canal boat where she can save £600 a month.

Shannon Lane, 29, ditched her room in Clapham for a 30ft narrowboat which she cruises in with her pug, Gilbert.

She decided to move on the water after learning her landlord was raising the price of her rent to £1,000 a month.

The freelance artist and video producer took out a loan to buy a £24,000 narrowboat and now spends just £300 a month paying it off.

Ever since Shanon moved, her mental health has improved and she no longer suffers from “bad anxiety and depression“.

Nonetheless, the transition from bricks to a floating home takes adjusting to.

She told The Sun: “The first night I moved in I thought what the hell have I done.”

She couldn’t figure out how to get her electrics to work and at one point ended up blindly making her way through a 20-minute tunnel because her headlights didn’t switch on.

She added: “There have been incredibly stressful moments. I moved in in January and I had to learn how to use the stove fire.

“I’d envisioned this amazing life and suddenly everything was actually really hard.”

But Shannon was saving thousands.

She said: “My electricity all comes from solar panels and then everything else is normal household spending like food and toiletries.”

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The main negotiator tasked with recovering billions of dollars lent by Greensill Capital has left UBS, as the Swiss bank attempts to take control of a three-year scandal that led to the collapse of its former rival Credit Suisse.

UBS has restructured a special task force set up to deal with the fallout from Greensill’s implosion, with $2.3bn of debts still outstanding, according to people with knowledge of the internal moves.

Eraj Shirvani, a former Credit Suisse executive who acted as a lead negotiator in trying to recoup the assets, left UBS over the summer, while the bank has also cut back on the use of recovery advisers such as Swiss law firm Walder Wyss.

The Greensill affair was one of the final major scandals in the years running up to the implosion of Credit Suisse, which was rescued by UBS last year.

UBS has tried to kill off a spate of lawsuits over the Greensill losses by offering to repay up to 90 per cent of the money owed to former Credit Suisse clients, whose money was used by the collapsed specialist finance firm.

Around 95 per cent of fund investors have signed up to the UBS offer, though some large investors are continuing to pursue legal claims.

Credit Suisse had persuaded 1,200 of its most prized clients to invest in the group of so-called supply-chain finance funds, which promised enticing returns with little risk. But in March 2021, Greensill filed for bankruptcy, trapping $10bn in the funds.

Several investors joined class action lawsuits against Credit Suisse, while the bank was also investigated by Swiss police — including raids on its offices, bankers’ homes and a hotel room — over its dealings with Greensill.

In the wake of Greensill’s collapse, Credit Suisse set up a specialist group to recover the assets for clients.

Shirvani, a 36-year Credit Suisse veteran who was chair of emerging markets at the bank, was given the responsibility of leading negotiations with the biggest debtors, including industrialist Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance and the Bluestone Resources mining group owned by West Virginia governor Jim Justice. 

Walder Wyss advised the task force on negotiations as well as on litigation issues.

But since taking control of Credit Suisse, UBS has taken responsibility for reclaiming the assets in-house, according to people involved in the moves. UBS has tried to reduce the amount it spends on external service providers.

UBS is now the biggest creditor on the Greensill debts, having bought up more than 95 per cent of fund units from former Credit Suisse clients. 

The bank is still trying to recover around $2.3bn through a series of negotiations, lawsuits and insurance claims. In April UBS said recovery of the assets could last until at least 2031 and cost $321mn, up from a previous estimate of $291mn.

UBS declined to comment. Shirvani and Walder Wyss did not respond to a request for comment.