New Milton Advertiser 23rd Oct 2020

28 · Friday 23rd October 2020

news@adt.press · advertising@adt.press · 01425 613384 what’s on

half-term fun marwell zoo

AS well as the usual an- imal attractions, Mar- well Zoo will be offering half-term visitors the last chance to see its super- sized collection of building block sculptures. The display of 30 model animals and insects, creat- ed using more than 2-mil - lion toy bricks, was offi - cially unveiled when the zoo reopened to guests in June after the national lockdown. Prior to their installa- tion at the attraction, a team of professional toy brick builders spent an incredible 10,000 hours building the gigantic mod - els. All the animals, birds, reptiles and insects were

chosen for their colourful appearance in nature, un- usual abilities and because they could be magnified to an eye-popping size. Guests enter the zoo through a ‘shrinking ma - chine’ to start their jour- ney around an educational trail which dispels myths of some of the deadliest creatures in the world, all blown up to enormous proportions. Highlights include the fearless honey badger, venomous blue-ringed octopus and the aptly named assassin bug. The intricate peacock spider brick model is magnified 208 times larger than its 0.5cm real size – smaller than a fingernail.

Visitors will also en- counter a three-metre tarantula and a towering two-metre spitting co-bra as well as new sculptures which have arrived espe- cially for half term. These are a one-metre long glaucus atlanticus, a species of poisonous sea slug, and a competition winner’s drawing of a pink fairy armadillo which has been brought to life as a brick-built model. Guest will also be able to enjoy touring the land - scaped park which is home to over 140 species, ranging from snow leop - ards and rhinos to pen- guins and tiny monkeys. For more information visit www.marwell.org.uk

regal cinema fordingbridge

FORDINGBRIDGE’S commu- nity cinema has unveiled its plans to throw open its doors to the public but with fewer seats available. The not-for-profit Regal cin - ema, run by the Fordingbridge Regal Cinema Club, opened to private hires from Tuesday before public screenings start from 2nd November when two staff return to their normal working hours. The venue said: “Unfortu- nately, with such a small audi- torium, having to close a num - ber of seats to maintain social distancing will have a signifi - cant effect on our takings for each film and practically elimi - nate any profit margin. “We are hoping that there will be enough interest in the new version of our private hires to help us offset this loss in in- come from the seats we have to close.” It has made the “difficult de - cision” to pause its subsidised and themed monthly screen- WINCHESTER Science Cen - tre and Planetarium has re- opened to the public after a £1.1m extension and refur- bishment project. The attraction, which first opened in 2002, has seen the top floor of the venue com - pletely transformed with a new immersive exhibition, ex- perimentation zone and dedi- cated live demo area. Another new addition is a recombobulation room – a quiet place for people who need time away from the hus- tle and bustle of the science centre. Designed to coincide with the International Year of Sound 2020, the new inter- active exhibition is themed around sound, hearing and

ings. “We have done extensive fi - nancial forecasting and were sadly unable to create a sce- nario in which the club could continue to subsidise screen- ings without blowing through our reserves in a mere matter of months,” it said. Patrons should hold onto tickets to be offered a choice of a refund, voucher or donating the cost of tickets to the club, it said. The news was “disappoint- ing” but it said it was “com - mitted” to bringing back sub - sidised and monthly screenings as soon as it is “financially able”. The venue continued: “We hope you can understand that these decisions have been made to protect the future of Fordingbridge’s community cinema and that the temporary break from these screenings will hopefully enable us to bring you many more years of local cinema.” Private hires will cost £120 to vibration. Highlights include a huge 10-metre playable guitar, acoustic sonic rocket and gi - ant ear, and smaller table top exhibits such as tuning forks and pendulums. Families will also be able to experience real science ex- periments using fire, ice and explosions in the new Science Live demo area. Winchester Science Centre chief executive Ben Ward said: “Sound is so important to our everyday lives and our aim is to showcase this in a fun, ed- ucational and accessible way. “Our charity’s ambition is to make STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) accessible to everyone and we hope that we are one step closer to achieving this

members and £150 to non-mem- bers, with an additional £20 cleaning charge. Because of Covid-19 regu - lations, there will be no party element. The cinema said it in- tends to revert to offering full four-hour private hire events “as soon as we are able”. All members’ subscriptions will be extended by six months, the venue added, and any that expired while it has been closed will be reactivated. “We are more than a little heartbroken at having to take what feels like so many back- ward steps after having built up the Regal’s programming and screenings over the past three years since we opened,” the message on the venue’s website added. “Our growth and develop - ment pre-Covid was down to a hard-working small team at the Regal and thanks to our incred - ible family of volunteers, with- out whom none of this would be possible.” through our new visitor expe - rience. “It’s incredible to finally see our dream turned into a real- ity and we can’t wait to hear what our visitors think!” The top-floor transforma - tion is part of a bigger project to make the attraction acces- sible to everyone. Further improvements have included the installation of pioneering technology in the Planetarium allowing subti - tled shows, personalised audio tracks and 3D printed tactile resources for those with hear- ing and visual impairments. The facility has also opened a registered Changing Places toilet. Visit www.winchester sciencecentre.org

Spooky goings on paultons park

SPOOKY story-telling and a Little Monsters Ball show will be on the agenda at Paulton’s Park near Ower next week. The attraction, which is home to Peppa Pig World, has been decorated with thousands of pumpkins, hay bales and cheerful charac- ters as part of its spook-tac- ular Happy Halloween event. Younger visitors can be immersed in Peppa’s Hal-

loween, complete with dec- orations including Grandpa Pig’s World’s Biggest Pump - kin growing in its green - house and a giant Mr Skinny Legs the spider. As the sun sets, the creepy-themed fun will con- tinue with a special late- night opening until 7.30pm on Tuesday 27th October and Thursday 29th October. Visit www.paultonspark. co.uk sure that Bournemouth Sym- phony Orchestra is able to work in its home concert hall, enable regular groups and classes to continue and create a public programme to support artists and creative practitioners to provide our community with the arts and entertainment and community engagement work that our town and region needs and absolutely should have.” Visit www.lighthousepoole. co.uk

winchester science centre & planetarium

lighthouse theatre, poole

THE short-term future of Poole’s Lighthouse theatre and arts centre has been secured with a government grant worth almost £1m. The award has been allocated from the government’s £1.57bn package to safeguard the UK’s culture and heritage. Lighthouse chief executive Elspeth McBain said: “After a hugely difficult seven months and still no end in sight for be - ing able to get back to normal

business, the overriding sense is of joy, relief and immense grati - tude to the government for this 11th hour support which has saved us and many other cul- tural organisations from a very bleak and desperate situation. “Thanks to this award, Light - house will continue to play an important part of the cultural landscape of the region and the UK. “It has been a very long and stressful few months not only

for the team at Lighthouse but for all our colleagues working in the cultural sector and this funding will now enable us to focus on recovery.” The theatre and arts venue said the award, worth £987,964, will carry it thought to the end of the financial year when it hopes to welcome full-capacity audiences. Ms McBain added: “In the meantime, we will continue to use our spaces creatively, en-

SHOW HOME LAUNCH

We are pleased to announce the release of ten new apartments at Abbey Court, Herbert Road, New Milton.

SHOW HOME LAUNCH, SATURDAY 31 ST OCTOBER

The show home will be open on Saturday 31st October between 09.00 and 17.00 – viewings are by appointment only – we would love you to join us at the launch so please call today to book your private one to one viewing.

This stunning new development is being constructed by the award winning developer Pennyfarthing Homes to a superb design and specification. TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS | STUDY/BEDROOM 3 KITCHEN/DINING ROOM | UTILITY ROOM | BATHROOM EN-SUITE SHOWER ROOM | BALCONY OR PATIO CAR PORTAND LOCKABLE STORE

PRICES fROM £420,000

Contact Mitchells Estate Agents on 01425 616411 8-10 Old Milton Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6DT | www.mitchells.uk.com