World’s largest play structure to launch adult-only night in the UK with DJ and booze
THE world’s largest play structure is found in the UK – and it soon won’t just be for kids.
The Alnwick Garden’s Lilidorei is launching adult-only nights, with booze and music.
The huge playground, which celebrates Christmas all year round, opened last summer with huge 85ft central structure that has six slides.
Along with this, there is the King of Lilidorei’s castle doubles as a playhouse with 295ft of tube slides, 558ft of bridges, 10 towers and a sliding pole.
Normally just for kids, the attraction has announced an adults-only session this bank holiday Monday.
From 6pm until 9pm, adults can climb the structure without worrying about getting in the way of any kids.
Not only that, but booze will be served at The Groggery snack hut.
The “disco evening” will also have a music playing from the 90s and 00s.
The Alnwick Garden’s Head of Marketing Ian McAllister said:: “Since opening Lilidorei last year, we have had a huge response from adults saying how much they enjoyed the village and play structure.
“So we thought it only right to open it up for a rare adults-only night that invites guests to leave the kids at home, release their inner child and have some fun.
“The carefully-selected DJ tunes aim to stir up some nostalgia and allow adults to let their hair down and dance the night away with friends.”
People have already shared their excitement online about the event.
One person wrote: “Love this idea! Lilidorei is fantastic it would be great to do it without the kids.”
Another agreed: “Please do more of these in the future!”
Tickets are now on sale and are £10.
The huge attraction was created by the Duchess of Northumberland Jane Percy 10 years ago.
What is Lilidorei like?
Mum Catherine Lofthouse recently took her kids to Lilidorei – here’s her verdict.
“Lilidorei makes an impression from the moment you arrive and head down a winding path below the Treehouse Restaurant, which has been welcoming diners for canapés in the canopy for 20 years.
“Although my boys weren’t interested in the storytelling sessions that happen at intervals throughout the day, there were plenty of enthralled children listening and taking part in the tall tales with the playtower setting the scene in the background.
“There were rope bridges to rampage along, slides to slip down, spiral staircases to scramble up and spherical cages to sit inside suspended in the sky.
“We even used our Blue Peter badges to get the boys’ tickets free.”
She previously said: “I started realising that I wanted to do something that was better at Christmas than it was in the summer.
“The story behind Lilidorei is really important – there’s lots of questions but no answers.
“The reason for this story is to get children to put their phones back in their pockets… you do not see children on mobile phones.”
If you want to explore the rest of the attraction, it is also home to the world’s biggest treehouse.
The Treehouse at The Alnwick Gardens is a huge 6,000sqft with a restaurant inside.
It took the crown as the world’s largest after 32,2000sqft The Ministers’ Treehouse in Tennessee burnt down.
The UK's best indoor attractions
The UK's unpredictable weather means finding indoor activities is essential for parents treating their kids to a day out.
Here’s a list of some of the best attractions found firmly underneath a roof in the country.
Empire of the Sea Dragon Indoor Zone
This play area claims to be the biggest indoor play park in the UK.
The entertainment hub is home to five floors, with slides, rope bridges, swings, net towers and rides.
There’s also the Trauma Tower, which Empire of the Sea claim is the “best indoor ride in Devon” because of its huge 50ft drop.
Other indoor rides at the Devonshire-based indoor play area include a Ferris Wheel and a Submarine Ride.
Play Factore
This indoor play zone claims to have been designed especially “to provide families with a state of the art active indoor play arena to play in together”.
Included in its attractions are the tallest standing indoor slide in the UK, as well as a full indoor laser tag arena, interactive trampolines and zip wires.
In addition to the UK’s tallest indoor slide, it also has the country’s largest indoor play frame, made up of a network of tunnels, slides and obstacles, including giant bubble balls, spider nets and rollers.
What’s more, for kids more into playing ball sports, it has a football pitch and a basketball court built into the play frame.
Gravity Max
Gravity Max has sites in both the north and south of the UK, including in Liverpool, Castleford and Wandsworth.
It also recently opened a brand new one in East London at the Westfield Shopping Centre.
The main draw of the site is its E-karting super track, which runs on two separate tracks across multiple levels, offering various different racing experiences.
It also has Tokyo-style arcades covering almost an entire floor of their own upstairs.
There’s also a nine-hole Coca-Cola minigolf course, which requires players to tap their club in before starting, so each shot can be counted digitally, meaning no cheating is able to take place.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the Heineken sports bar is found, which has private booths to allow those who have booked them to have their own choice of music, as well as their own TV screens to watch their choice of sport.
While at The Alnwick Gardens, you can also check out the 11th century Alnwick Castle.
Not only is it a beautiful Northumberland attraction, but it featured in two Harry Potter films as well as Downton Abbey.