Calling all explorers: get ready for the expedition of a lifetime as you don your VR goggles and embark on a truly magical adventure to an incredible jungle world.

Playable now at Birmingham Resorts World, bookings are now open for teams of up to 4 people aged 12+. Traverse floating islands as you try your best to journey home - keeping an eye on the clock as you go. This world may look like a paradise, but it’s not all it seems...

During a walk in the park, you found a portal that leads to the mysterious world. An amazing sanctuary populated by animals appears in front of you. But how do you get back? With only 50 minutes to get home, expect puzzles galore as you unlock portals and journey your way back to freedom. The question remains… will you be able to make it out? You’ll need to use all of your wits and work together with your teammates in order to escape. 

This unmissable interactive VR experience is available at Basingstoke, Birmingham Resorts World, Cheltenham, Norwich and the brand-new sites of Kingston-Upon-Thames and Watford. 

The restoration and redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Costume Workshop has been completed in the Company’s Stratford-upon-Avon hometown. The RSC has the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre and the future of costume making on the historical site has been secured through a mix of public and private support.
Over 30,000 people from around the world supported the Stitch In Time fundraising campaign, alongside the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Government’s Local Growth Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. With gifts from other trusts, foundations, companies and individuals, £8.7 million was raised for the Costume Workshop restoration and redevelopment.

The 30-strong team of costume makers have moved back into the new workshop which has some of the best facilities for costume-making. The redeveloped building, which includes more space and daylight, is now fit to provide training and apprenticeship opportunities to retain the costume-making skills and crafts locally. For the first time the Costume Workshop will be open to visitors where they will get a glimpse at the skills used every day to create RSC costumes, and to see the restored Grade II listed buildings that now sit alongside newly created spaces. Guided tours are expected to start in 2022.

The Costume Workshop team had to relocate for two years whilst the restoration and redevelopment took place. This involved packing and moving:

• Over 1714 reels of thread
• 7885m of stock fabric
• 3500 pairs of shoes
• 1131 magnets
• One pricing gun
• 126 paintbrushes
• Five Sheila’s Maids
• 115kg salt
• 97 hat blocks
• Two hat stretchers
• 27 fob watches
• One Sonic Jewellery Cleaner
• One swivel knife
• One power file
• One anvil pre-1950s
• 36 Mannequins
• 45 Sewing machines
• 862 square feet of stock leather
• One manual treadle machine from the 1920’s
• Seven tailor’s hams
• Eight velvet boards

All items are now in the new Costume Workshop which is home to many specialist skills, and crafts including men’s and women’s costume-making, millinery and jewellery, dyeing and costume painting, costume props and footwear. The workshop sits opposite the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres on the site of the 1887 Memorial Theatre Scene Dock, which is now the new entrance to the building.

Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director said: “Thank you to all who have supported the restoration and redevelopment of our Costume Workshop. The team create amazing costumes every year but were doing so in conditions that were not fit for purpose. Costumes are integral to an actor’s performance and to them becoming the character they are to play. As Judi Dench said, ‘no matter how much rehearsal time you have, you cannot get fully into the part until you are in costume’.

“We make, repair and recycle hundreds of costume pieces each year, which are seen by audiences around the world. Costumes have been made on this site continuously since at least the 1940s, and the workshop now has the costume-making facilities to secure the legacy of our costume-making skills and the heritage buildings that house them.”

Harriet Walter, RSC Associate Artist said: “Much as I loved visiting the rabbit warren where costumes and armour and everything else was made in the old days, I realise it was pretty much a Dickensian sweatshop and it was more fun to visit rarely than to work in permanently.

“The RSC costume laboratory has produced all kinds of magic and I can remember nearly every RSC costume I have worn on stage and many that I viewed from the auditorium. It is testament to the skill contained here that these costumes have endured and not fallen apart after all the wear and tear we have given them. Playing Cleopatra, I needed to be free to move around, to feel skittish and sexy and then transform into a grieving shadow and emerge from that grief with a final triumphant throned image. The costumes did most of that work for me”.

As part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund support for the project, Threads is a programme of engagement activity that will celebrate the opening of the Costume Workshop and run until the end of 2021. The aim is to share the heritage of the building, the technology and the people involved in costume-making in Stratford-upon-Avon through a series of family events, community projects, exhibition, and educational activity.
The Threads Costume Day on Friday 20 August will celebrate RSC costume-making heritage through a series of free pop-up performances, workshops and family-friendly activities taking place across Stratford-upon-Avon. Full details to be announced.

Anne Jenkins, Director England, Midlands and East, National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “It is wonderful that thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support Threads and the costume workshop restoration to ensure that these amazing services and unique skills are preserved for years to come, meaning that local people and visitors will be able to learn more about the RSC’s rich heritage on and off stage.”

Helen Peters, Board Director and Chair of the CWLEP’s culture and tourism business group, added: “The £1 million awarded from the Local Growth Fund will enable the public to access the costume workshop for the first time which will be a major boost to tourism in the town as we all recover from the pandemic.

“The CWLEP Strategic Reset Framework is focused on encouraging enterprise and innovation to drive forward the economy and this is a perfect example of collaborative working which will give the RSC the opportunity to train the next generation of costume makers as well as encouraging more people to visit Stratford-upon-Avon.”

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director for Arts Council England said: “We’re proud to invest in the RSC and delighted to hear its long-awaited costume workshop is now complete. Theatre is about so much more than just the final performance, so I hope this new space will not only give the costume department the resources they need but give visitors from around the world a rare insight into the intricate and inspiring work that goes on behind the scenes of this world class theatre company.”

Proving that electric vehicle (EV) conversions don’t have to cost the earth, London Electric Cars (LEC) has launched its own affordable electric-powered classic Mini, with prices starting from £25,000 (excluding local taxes, shipping and donor). Not only are LEC’s conversions some of the most cost-effective in the marketplace, they are also some of the most sustainable in terms of their end-to-end vehicle lifecycle impact.

Based in the heart of London, LEC is the only electric car conversion specialist within the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) as well as being the only EV converter based in one of the world’s largest cities. London Electric Cars is aiming to transform the face of electric vehicle ownership and electric-powered conversions of classic cars from petrol power. Founded in 2017, the company is on a mission to create sustainably-converted classic cars using electric power, with real-life EV mileage predictions based on real-world city driving and in-car usage, such as stereo and heater.

The base 20 kWh LEC classic Mini conversion, costing from £25,000 (excluding local taxes, shipping and donor), has a projected range of 60 - 70 miles, with owners having the ability to install a higher kWh motor and upgraded batteries to provide more range at an additional cost. Drivers can use any Type 1 or Type 2 public charger available country-wide, rapid charging on demand, as well as use their private home wall-box systems and also charge from a domestic 13A socket should they wish.

Focusing on the full lifecycle impact of the conversion, and not just the powerplant itself, the team has conducted extensive research, development and independent analysis to prove that by using a pre-owned Nissan Leaf infrastructure (motor and battery cells) it is a more sustainable solution than mining and creating materials for an LEC-only powertrain. The company also has plans to reuse and renew computer hardware and batteries inside traction packs and uses additive manufacturing technologies to assist with the production and engineering of the LEC classic Mini conversions, all conducted from its London-based workshop.

Matthew Quitter, Founder and Managing Director of London Electric Cars said: “As a classic car enthusiast and advocate for affordable and sustainable electric vehicle conversions, it made sense for us [LEC] to focus on the original Mini. [Alec] Issigonis was one of the most collaborative and free-thinking designers, but also someone who knew how to stick to a budget. With this EV conversion we wanted the classic Mini to be an affordable yet useful option for city dwellers, not just in our home town of London but all over the world to tackle traffic and help put a stop to pollution.

“There’s also a bigger picture to think of here. With the UK’s announcement of the world’s most ambitious climate change target of a 78% CO₂ reduction by 2035, it is clear that combustion engines will soon be a thing of the past. LEC offers an affordable conversion that keeps these British classic cars on the road. The vehicle becomes fast and clean whilst maintaining the originality and appeal that our customers love about a classic car.”

Owner of a London Electric Cars converted classic Mini said: “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and more. Not only does my classic Mini have a new lease of life, but it’s perfect for running around London and so cheap to run! No more worrying if I’ve forgotten to pay the Congestion Charge and there are so many public charging points around. It really is a win, win.”

London Electric Cars is based in the heart of the city in Vauxhall, employing a range of skilled classic car mechanics, technology-driven engineers, electronic gurus and sales-orientated commercial minds, all with the same goal of developing and delivering affordable conversions of combustion engine vehicles to run on electric power. The team, which is growing, has driven over 2,000 miles in its production-ready EV-powered classic Mini, with the order books now open.

The team has created its first customer classic Mini, setting the new benchmark in affordable and sustainable conversions for the much-loved classic Mini. For those customers who do not have a classic Mini already, but wish to have an EV conversion, LEC is able to source a donor at an additional cost to the client. Each converted classic Mini takes around six weeks to transform to run on electric power. The current waiting time is around six months for customers with cars in the UK, and the company has a range of customers looking to convert their cars and ship them to their homes around the world, with one of the biggest markets being America, closely followed by Japan. Each conversion starts from £25,000 plus donor, local taxes, duties and shipping for the basic 20 kWh electric adaptation.

The electric classic Mini conversion is part of the UK-based company’s affordable EV conversion range, which includes the iconic British Land Rover, Morris Minor and Morris Traveller. All of LEC’s conversions are road tax, Congestion Charge and ULEZ exempt. Resident’s parking is heavily discounted in most London and city Boroughs too. Costs to run LEC-converted cars are predicted to be as little as 5p per mile.

Dublin's Inhaler have released their new single It Won’t Always Be Like This on Polydor. The song launched as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record In The World on Radio 1 alongside a video directed by James Slater.  

Sharing its name with the band’s debut album, which is set for release on July 9^th, It Won’t Always Be Like This is a re-recorded version of an early single that the Irish rock quartet wrote over four years ago, but its meaning has changed between now and then. The world is a different place to when singer and guitarist Eli Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon formed the band as teenagers in Dublin seeking to emulate the big-thinking, big-chorused indie-rock bands they worshipped with some uplifting anthems of their own.
 
A run of euphoric singles had helped Inhaler gather thrilling momentum by the time the world went into lockdown in March 2020. Over the next year, as they crafted and honed a debut album in a manner that no-one has ever dreamed of making their debut album – writing sessions over Zoom, quarantine conditions in the studio, no pubs open to reflect on a hard day’s tracking – it was the words of their early single that they kept coming back to: “It won’t always be like this”. Six words to hang on to. That sense of remaining hopeful, of pulling through hard times, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, is the thread that ties this mesmeric collection of songs together. “There’s a sense of optimism on this album and the song It Won’t Always Be Like This is the main catalyst for that,” says Hewson. “We kept coming back to that title.”
 
When everything was going to pot, when the future looked uncertain, Inhaler kept the faith. It Won’t Always Be Like This is a coming-of-age record, an album about adolescence, love, getting lost and finding yourself again. It closes one chapter of the band’s life and opens another.
 
Inhaler will play an 18-date tour of the UK & Ireland later this year.

Football fans with designs on the top England job are the subject of a hilarious new music video released ahead of the EURO 2020 tournament kicking off today.

Created by footy-mad rapper T8PES in support of his new England anthem This is Football, the cheeky film pays tribute to ‘armchair managers’ up and down the country.

The spoof sees the Birmingham artist star as a sofa tactician, based on former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player Gareth Southgate - now in charge of the national team - as he prepares to watch the finals of the major tournament.

“After some unconvincing friendly warm-ups, Southgate’s performance will be under the spotlight in a big way. We’ll all be studying his player choices and tactics from the first whistle. He could go from waistcoat-donning hero of the last world cup to Euro 96 penalty missing zero if we fail to progress from the group stage of the tournament, particularly after being cited as favourites.”

“We wanted to map the journey that every football fan eventually takes as they move from eager spectator to critic, analyst and pundit, to eventual fully-fledged armchair management and international TV coach.”

This Is Football, released on Friday June 4, received support from T8PES’ old friend and global megastar Ed Sheeran, who said, “I love this England tune from my old mate T8PES. England’s gonna bring it home – make sure you check the song out!”

Described as a ‘people’s anthem’ by Birmingham artist, youth worker and Aston Villa fan Jimmy Davis, who records and performs under the moniker T8PES, the track is a rousing call to arms for fans to get behind Gareth Southgate and team as they progress through the major sporting event.

The track features a myriad of musical styles, including rapped verses from T8PES, guest vocals from emerging local talent Wolverhampton indie singer Jack Cattell and Hertfordshire pop artist Zoe Philips, as well as the brass section from UB40’s favourite tour support band Kioko.

Villa-supporting T8PES has penned football-based lyrics and freestyles about the ups and downs of the beautiful game in his weekly Premier League Wrap Up which led to MUTV asking him to perform on the channel.

And whilst his great grandparents hailed from County Mayo in Ireland, T8PES is a diehard England fan. The 39-year-old has watched every England game in European and world tournaments since the age of 9 when he was holidaying in Italy during Italia ‘90.

This Is Football is out across all streaming platforms now.

The Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) - Promoter of the 2021 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - has revealed exclusive renderings of the state-of-the-art Pit & Team Building that will be the centre-piece of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit – F1’s newest track.

With just 6 months until the greatest drivers in the world line up on the grid in Jeddah to fight for victory at the 2021 FORMULA 1 SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX, SMC has unveiled brand new images of the spectacular home to teams, drivers, staff and VIP guests alike during the inaugural F1 race weekend in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Considered the heart of a Formula 1 circuit, the newest Pit & Team Building in F1 will overlook the starting grid and back on to Jeddah’s majestic Red Sea coast. Designed by renowned Tilke GmbH architect, Ulrich Merres, the 280m-long, four-storey, cutting-edge structure takes the form of a composed landscape of multi-storey staggered buildings sitting splendidly alongside the main straight of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, defined in its detail by straight and sleek lines.

Housing all team garages as well as the race control centre and the exclusive Paddock Club premium hospitality suites, the Pit & Team Building will provide guests with a magnificent view down on to the Pit Lane and starting grid where the most crucial moments of the racing action will occur when Formula 1 makes its debut in Jeddah for the penultimate round of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Designed to fit harmoniously within the track and its surroundings, its architectural expression is equally inspired by its idyllic location on the banks of the Red Sea and the layout of the circuit.

Indeed, the building's functionality, visual connection to the track and sensible positioning mark it out as one of the most unique and innovative structures of its kind, guaranteeing spectacular views of the racing action as well as of the breathtaking Jeddah waterfront.

Commenting earlier, HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) said: “We are delighted to share these exclusive renderings of our stunning Pit & Team Building with the world today. The Pit Building stands as a symbol of all that this race represents: welcoming, modern and spectacular.

“With only 6 months to go until the pinnacle of motorsport reaches Saudi Arabia, preparations are progressing at an incredible rate as our dedicated team gears up for the first ever Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. We can’t wait to welcome you to Jeddah next December for a weekend of record-breaking racing and world class entertainment.”