BRITAIN’S first Hollywood theme park with a 500-room hotel, entertainment zone and its own train station, takes a huge step forward.

Last year, Universal Studios bought a 480-acre piece of land in a UK town and then announced plans to build a major theme park.

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If all goes to plan, Bedford will host Britian’s first Hollywood theme park.

According to the 16-page planning document, the new site could hold a hotel, a retail, dining, an entertainment zone, restoration zone, landscaped area and lake zone.

It also claimed that rides, attractions and buildings at the theme park would be capped at a maximum height.

However, in September, negotiations between Universal and the government.

This was due to whether Bedford was a good site for the company’s first European theme park.

Nevertheless, there appears to be “no red flags” to provide Bedford Borough Council with reason to stop the arrival of the theme park.

Regardless, while the company negotiates with the government they will remain in a “period of quiet”.

Sam Fox, a priority projects consultant for Bedford Borough Council said: “We’ve now entered a period of quiet from Universal in the public domain, so we’re not expecting them to be saying anything.

“We’re not expecting the government to be saying anything publicly.

“We simply await the outcome of the government and Universal negotiations on that financial package

“There was talk because there’s an international investment summit taking place on October 14, I think people were putting two and two together and making a number.

“There was hope that the investment decision would be announced at that conference.

“My gut feeling is that it’s very, very, early days in their negotiations and there’s no real likelihood of that taking place on October 14.”

He added: “So if you had heard that, don’t be disappointed if nothing is announced at that summit.”

The committee heard that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is the project sponsor.

If the planning application goes ahead, it’ll be dealt with by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Mr Fox continued: “That planning application will be in the form of what’s known as an SDO, a special development order.

“When the planning response unit in MHCLG have dealt with the application, they will write up a report that will go to secretary of state in MHCLG.

“And the secretary of state will sign off that planning decision before it’s laid in Parliament as a statutory instrument.

“We have a two stage approach to the scheme, the first is the investment decision.

“For instance, who pays for infrastructure like road improvements, rail improvements, that needs to be agreed between HM government.

“The second stage is once that negotiation has taken place around the investment decision and they’ve reached an agreement in principle the planning decision will be taken forward.

“We at the council will be a statutory consultee, and we’ve now confirmed that our formal response to the [30 day] consultation will be signed off by the executive.

He added: “It won’t actually come to the Planning Committee, but it’ll be an executive decision.

“I’m pleased to say there’s no major red flags for us that we’ve seen from a technical point of view that would make us think, actually the council can’t support this, or we don’t recommend that the council supports this.”

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Columbia Hillen

A chubby dog created from orange plastic, a giant white globe standing in the middle of the lobby and eclectic paintings hanging high above are among the first things to catch one’s eye upon entering the Pullman Toulouse Centre Ramblas. 

Columbia Hillen

The result of the hotel’s ongoing collaboration with local art gallery, iX! This esoteric collection creates an explosion of color and intrigue, a striking impression enhanced by an abundance of light flooding through the hotel’s modern glass floor-to-ceiling entrance.

Such quirky furnishings also feature in an open leisure room overlooking the lobby, a space that is also used for business meetings. Here you’ll find gaily painted oil barrels as tables, miniature pétanque and billiard tables, a stand-up computer game machine and trash cans shaped like eggs.

Columbia Hillen

This 4-star hotel, with 119 rooms and 6 suites, is conveniently located on the new Ramblas in the city center near Toulouse-Matabiau train station within an easy 10-minute walk of the historic Place du Capitol, home of City Hall. The streets around the hotel are filled with bars, cafes, restaurants and shops of all kinds.

Columbia Hillen

Our room, 712, on the hotel’s top floor, featured a beige color scheme, with two windows granting panoramic views over the city. Furnishings included a chic silver-colored standing lamp, a bench-like table, mini-fridge, coffee and tea facilities, large wall mirror and TV, an orange armchair and a coffee table. Interestingly, lighting for the room is not the normal ceiling type but emanates from behind the bed, and is less harsh on one’s eyes. Don’t forget to read the creative messages on the complimentary ‘Renew & Refresh’ vanity kits housed in vintage brown envelopes. 

Columbia Hillen

Breakfast is served in a cosy ground-floor restaurant off the lobby designed like a homey kitchen with hanging copper pots and cups, shelves filled with knickknacks, including a toy rabbit and carrots, a carpeted floor designed partly as tiles and the names and photos of staff members pinned along the wall granting a personal touch. Lots of windows permit lots of light while enticing posters of foods make one feel hungry.

Columbia Hillen

A varied buffet is offered with the names of local producers written in large letters on the wall above the food, including Toulouse sausage from Maison Garcia, cow and sheep milk from Bethmale and yogurt from the Pyrenees. Cheeses, cold cuts and excellent salmon slices are among the items with several hot dishes to choose from.

There is also an a la carte menu listing various omelets including ham, cheese, mushroom, onion and tomato, as well as pancakes with chocolate, exotic fruits, maple syrup and the hotel’s own honey as toppings.

Columbia Hillen

Juices are plentiful. I noted pear, apple, orange and a detox mix, as well as two types of kombucha, lemon and ginger and citrus and spirulina. There is also a wide range of breads on display including organic baguette, multi-seed sourdough and a kia and pistachio combo, as well as a range of gluten-free baked goods such as muesli, madeleine, caramel shortbread and cake. You’ll not regret trying them with the hotel’s delicious hot chocolate.

Columbia Hillen

Elsewhere, Le 84 bar with its shelves of books, and rugby balls symbolising the city’s most popular sport, is an attractive place for a quiet drink while the South West Bistro Ramblas offers what it terms ‘regional bistronomic cuisine.’ The hotel also has a fitness lounge with treadmill, rowing machine and weight training equipment.

Overall, the Pullman Centre Ramblas is a chic accommodation choice that’s extremely convenient for enjoying the highlights of the ‘Pink City.’

Acqualina Resort & Spa

Acqualina Resort & Spa is more than just a place to stay, it’s a destination in and of itself. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or treating yourself to an unforgettable staycation, the opulent retreat offers a luxe beachside experience designed to meet your every desire.

Acqualina Resort & Spa

Nestled on 4.5 acres of stunning beachfront along the shores of Sunny Isles Beach, this award-winning property in Florida’s Rivera blends elegance, personalized service and relaxation in your own backyard. From the moment you arrive, the grand Mediterranean-style architecture and marble-clad lobby with bespoke finishes (and Fendi furniture) make it clear that you’re in for a luxurious stay. The resort’s 98 impeccably appointed guest rooms and suites showcase floor-to-ceiling windows and spacious balconies with panoramic views of the ocean or Intracoastal Waterway.

Oceanfront Suite

The property offers endless options to relax or stay active, showcasing a private beach with iconic red umbrellas and beach loungers—plus three oceanfront pools reserved exclusively for guests, including a kid’s pool and adults-only pool. You can play beach basketball or king-sized chess while attendants are on standby to cater to your every need, from food and drinks to sunscreen and towels. There’s no shortage of ways to indulge, from beachfront yoga and water sports to curated cultural experiences, private yacht cruises and shopping excursions at nearby Bal Harbour Shops. For families, the AcquaMarine Children’s Program is designed to educate and entertain young guests with marine-themed activities. There are also “Acqua Experiences” like mermaid lessons, scuba diving, painting classes, or family photo shoots.

AcquaMarine Kids Club

For those who want to just kick back and relax, the impressive two-story Aqualina Spa spans across 20,000 square-feet and is a sanctuary of wellness. The space features separate and co-ed relaxation lounges with Himalayan salt walls and amenities including dry heat saunas, crystal steam rooms and a pool terrace with heated jet pool and Roman waterfall spa. The skilled team of therapists creates tailored treatments to completely customize each experience with range of wellness and signature treatments, massages, and facials.

Acqualina Spa

The dining options on property are also next level, with gourmet options for every palate preference. Indulge in the finest Italian cuisine at Il Mulino New York, enjoy fresh Mediterranean dishes at Costa Grill, Japanese fusion at Ke-uH, fresh Greek dishes at Avra Estiatorio Miami,or hand-crafted cocktails at the resort’s stunning oceanfront bar.

Avra Estiatorio Miami

At Acqualina Resort & Spa, every moment feels like a personalized escape into luxury, offering the perfect backdrop for a relaxing and unforgettable staycation.

IT’S that time of year again, when we need to remember, remember, the fifth of November.

Britain’s annual Bonfire Night celebration goes back centuries. Here we have an essential guide to all the best fireworks displays for under £15.

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Every year Brits like nothing more than standing round a warm bonfire and watching a spectacular fireworks display go off.

Steeped in history, Bonfire Night has been an annual occasion since the 1600s.

Big events are going on up and down the country, and many of them don’t break the bank to attend.

Some fireworks displays can cost no more than £15 a ticket, while others are completely free.

Battersea Park Fireworks, London

November 2 from 6pm and November 3 from 4.30pm

Running over two days, this incredible event is brought to you by the same people who do London‘s New Year Eve display.

This family outing is filled with entertainment, a bonfire and of course fireworks.

Wrap up warm for this event in South London, where there will also be plenty of food and drink on offer.

Cost: Adult £13.10, child £8.80, under 5s free

Fireworks Extravaganza, Mayfield Park, Manchester

November 1 to 3 from 5.30pm (each night)

If you live in the north why not bundle up and head out to Manchester‘s Mayfield Park for their Fireworks Extravaganza.

Happening over three nights, this display always gets rave reviews, and sees thousands of revellers attend.

Another perk is all children get a free sparkler to enjoy.

There will also be mulled wine for the adults to buy, as well as hot chocolate and candy floss.

Cost: Adult £10, child £6, under 3s free

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Midsummer Common Bonfire Night, Cambridge

November 5 from 7pm

Brought to you by Cambridge City Council, this much-loved event has been running for years and is always a big hit.

It is known for being one of the largest free displays in the local area and takes place on Midsummer Common.

Around 20,000 people are predicted to attend, so expect it to be busy.

Cost: Donations of at least £3 per person are encouraged.

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Low Noise Fireworks at Old Down Country Park, Bristol

November 4 from 5pm and November 5 from 5pm

This event is aimed at families, especially ones with young children.

The display uses special bang-free fireworks, hence the name.

There will also be fairground rides, food stalls and live music for the whole family to enjoy.

Cost: Adult £13, child £9, under 2s free

The Tar Barrels of Ottery St Mary, Devon

November 5 from 7pm

This iconic event kicks off with a parade of flaming tar barrels carried through the streets of Ottery St Mary in Devon.

The barrels are lit outside local pubs and put onto the shoulders of the historical “barrel rollers”.

Please be aware, this event has a bonfire but no fireworks display.

Cost: Free

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Lewes Bonfire Night, Lewes, East Sussex

November 5 from 5pm

This fireworks event has been running for over 300 years, and attracts around 80,000 spectators every year.

This traditional bonfire night includes all the trimmings and has a whole host of activities to keep the family entertained.

There are also food and drink stalls, to help make the night even better.

Cost: Adults £10

Fireworks displays for over £15

Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival, London

November 2 from 4pm and November 3 from 6pm

If you’re willing to splash out a bit more on Bonfire Night, head to Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival.

This North London event has everything to keep the family entertained.

Not only will there be fireworks, but there is also ice skating and fairground rides on offer.

There is a beer festival going on plus live music from The Cuban Brothers (Friday) and Artful Dodger (Saturday)

Cost: Adult £18, child 11-15 £12, child under 11 £6.50

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Chatsworth House Firework Display, Derbyshire

November 1 to 2 from 6pm (each night)

Taking place over two nights, this family friendly event is promising a huge bonfire as well as an impressive fireworks display.

There will also be food stalls which includes a delicious hog roast.

There is also the option of an adult-only two-course dinner before the firework display, which is served in the Cavendish Restaurant.

Cost: £22 for adults; £15 for children (aged 4-16).

Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular, Kent

November 9 and 10 from 2pm (each day)

Leeds Castle in Kent is the perfect backdrop for a fireworks display.

Set in the moat of the famous landmark, revellers will be treated to live music and a fairground.

Anyone arriving early can also enjoy the castle’s maze, as well as its play areas and adventure golf.

Cost: Adult £27, child £18, under 3s free

A MAJOR airline has upgraded its cabins which includes better seats in economy.

American airline Delta operates a number of flights from the UK including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Edinburgh.

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These flights operate to US destinations such as New York, Boston and LA.

And the airline has revealed its brand new cabin interiors being rolled out this autumn.

The new designs are to celebrate Delta’s centennial anniversary.

Mauricio Parise, Vice President of Customer Experience Design said: “Delta has a 100-year history of creating a customer experience that feels welcoming and thoughtful with intentional design elements woven into every aspect of a customer’s travel.”

New materials have been used on the seats, with better lighting and upgraded bathrooms onboard.

Economy seats are more monochrome with blue and grey colours – a colour often used by airlines as studies have found it to be calming.

Memory foam cushions are also being added to all of the seats.

The mood lighting will help passengers adjust to the time zone they are landing in.

Parise explained they had added “sunset lighting” when sleeping as well as “calming” lights during meals.

The upgrades include the economy cabins, as well as Premium and business class.

Business seats will change from leather covers to wool-nylon blends which are “better at regulating body temperature”.

The new designs will be introduced on the narrowbody Boeing 757 aircraft that has both domestic and short haul international routes.

It will then be rolled out on longer international flights on the widebody Airbus A350 next year.

The revamp comes after British Airways’ mega £7billion makeover of the entire airline.

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This includes new seat and cabin designs, made from Scottish leather with adjustable headrests.

The short-haul business Club Europe will get a leather tray between the seats, as well as USB charger ports.

New overhead lockers will also allow more luggage storage, with suitcase packed on their side rather than lying flat.

And a new First Suite is being rolled out on UK-US routes.

Of the £7billion, £3.5billion is being spent on new aircraft orders.

We try the new United Airlines business cabins

The Scottish Sun’s Travel Editor Heather Lowrie tries it out:

“Flying Polaris business you get all the VIP perks. Fast track security. Tick. Lovely lounge with free food and drink. Tick. Priority boarding. Tick.

“That sets you up nicely for a fabulous onboard experience, with attentive staff and a stunning new limited edition day blanket designed by Claude Kameni in collaboration with Saks, which, along with the duvet, is made from recycled plastic bottles.

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“There’s also a new amenity kit with offerings from wellness technology company Therabody, including an amazing eye serum which has taken pride of place on my makeup shelf. It all comes in a recycled, and very handy, bum bag.

“A welcome drink and hot nuts were followed by a very tasty red Thai prawn curry, all served on real porcelain and cutlery.

“And dessert comes from a trolley packed with sweet things, including ice-cream sundaes where you get to choose your topping. Yummy.”

Brussels Airlines has revealed it’s huge expansion plans, which includes a €100million (£85million) revamp of its cabins.

And airlines are even launching cheaper “business class lite” fares which are thousands of pounds cheaper.

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AN airport on an overlooked Greek island is being transformed – making it much easier to get to.

Paros is found between Santorini and Mykonos, although has far fewer tourists visit.

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Just 200,000 tourists visit a year – compared to Santorini’s two million – with the easiest way to visit via a 40-minute flight from Athens.

But the airport is undergoing a huge €41million (£34million) renovation.

A new terminal is being added, to cope with the increasing popularity of the island.

Inside will be four gate lounges, as well as seven check in counters, duty free shops and food and drink.

The new Terminal of Paros Airport was planned by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority as a response to the steadily increasing popularity of the Aegean Island.

Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP) Governor George Saounatsos said the new terminal will be “17 times larger” than the current one, according to local media.

He said: “The functional and modern design of the new terminal will position Paros as a leading destination for tourist arrivals through the airport.

“Passengers will benefit from a significantly enhanced travel experience thanks to the upgraded infrastructure.”

The runway is also being extended with from 1,400m to 1,800m, meaning it can take on larger aircraft, along with the on-site car park.

A new state-of-the-art control tower and new 12,500sqm passenger hall are also being added.

The works, which were first announced in 2020, hoped to be finished by 2023.

This was later delayed, with most of the phases to now be finished by 2026.

While it hasn’t been confirmed which airlines this could include, there are hopes it will encourage international flights.

The Paros municipality said: “We are certain that the airport’s upgrade – with the necessary staff and equipment – will spur the interest of more airlines”.

If you fancy visiting Paros, it was recently named one of the top trending destinations for 2025 by American Express.

While the easiest way to visit is a flight from Athens, you can also visit on day trips from Mykonos or Santorini by boat.

Its much more affordable too, with cheaper hotels and typical spends around £100 lower than Santorini.

It’s not the only new airport opening in Greece.

Kastelli International Airport will replace the existing Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport in Heraklion by 2027.

The current airport has been open since 1937, and can only handle eight million passengers a year.

The newer airport – estimated to be costing (£422million – will be able to handle 18million passengers per year.

When built in Crete, it will be one of Greece’s biggest airports.

Greenland, the world’s biggest island, is opening three new airports.

And Hong Kong’s airport is undergoing a £13.9billion renovation – with a new runway opening next month.