Center Parcs Introduces A New Summer Entertainment Space In Nottinghamshire

Right, gather round, because I have news that will make your kids spontaneously combust with joy and leave you wondering if you’ve accidentally booked a holiday on a different planet. Center Parcs, the home of subtropical swimming and overpriced muffins, has just dropped a bombshell in Nottinghamshire. They’ve unveiled a brand-new summer entertainment space, and it sounds like they’ve finally listened to every parent who ever said, “I love the forest, but I also love a rave.”

The Big Reveal: Welcome to the ‘Outdoor Oasis’

This isn’t just a new patch of astroturf with a rusty slide. Oh no. Center Parcs calls it the “Summer Entertainment Space,” which sounds a bit like something a resort in the Maldives would launch, but this is in Rufford, Nottinghamshire. It’s basically a purpose-built, open-air arena designed to host live shows, silent discos, and—brace yourself—a giant waterslide integrated into the hillside. Yes, you read that right. They’ve weaponised a hill.

The space officially opens on July 1st, and it’s already being described as “the biggest investment in daytime entertainment” the chain has ever made. That means the usual “squirrel-spotting and looking at a pond” is now officially second-tier entertainment. The lead activity is now getting soaked in public while a DJ plays “Mr. Brightside” for the 47th time.

What’s Actually In It? (Or: Why You’ll Need a Second Mortgage for Suncream)

Let’s break this down. The space covers 4,000 square metres. That’s roughly the size of a Wetherspoon’s car park, but with more deckchairs and a distinctly higher chance of seeing a dad vape discreetly behind a fern. The centrepiece is a “watersplash play area” with fountains that shoot up from the ground. It’s like those public water parks you find in Spain, but without the €3 mojito and with a 100% increased chance of a child screaming because they got water in their eye.

There’s also a dedicated stage for live performances. And here’s the punchline: they’re hiring actual professional performers. I’m talking acrobats, comedians, and—I am not joking—a “circus-style aerialist” who will dangle from a hoop 20 feet in the air. While kids below throw ice creams at her. That is bravery, folks. That is a woman who knows her insurance is paid up.

The Silent Disco: Now With More Trees

One of the most surprising facts? The space includes a zone specifically for silent discos. You know, that thing where everyone wears headphones and looks like they’re having a stroke while secretly dancing to Queen. Center Parcs has optimised this. Instead of awkwardly grooving in a conference room, you can now do it under the canopy of an ancient oak tree. The forest will provide the ambience; you provide the dad-arse shaking.

But here’s the clever bit: the space is designed to be modular. In the morning, it’s a calm area for toddler yoga (yes, really). By midday, it’s a splash zone. By evening, it’s a fully lit, amplified stage for the “Summer Party Night.” That’s when they crank up the aggressive covers of S Club 7 and you realise you’re actually having fun. The Nottinghamshire site alone hosts over 1.3 million visitors a year, so prepare to queue for everything, including the chance to be lightly squirted at.

The Food Situation: Because You Can’t Survive on Thrills Alone

Of course, you can’t have a new entertainment space without food. Center Parcs has installed a new pop-up bar and grill called “The Forest Kitchen.” It’s basically a glorified barbecue hut, but they’re selling “wood-fired pizzas” and “bronzed burgers” which sounds fancy until you realise you’re eating them while a toddler drips ice cream onto your khaki shorts. The real surprise? They’re also serving a “forager’s salad” with wild garlic. Someone at head office has clearly been watching too much ‘Sous Chef’ on Netflix.

They also claim the space is “fully accessible and family-friendly.” That means pushchair ramps, plenty of shade, and a “quiet zone” for when the rave gets too real. Translation: a corner with some beanbags where a frazzled parent can cry into a chai latte without being judged by a magician.

The Surprising Science of It All

Now for a genuinely surprising fact: Center Parcs estimates that families spend an average of 47% of their time outdoors during a summer break. That’s according to their own internal research. So this space isn’t just a fancy addition—it’s statistically inevitable. They’re basically admitting, “Yes, you paid for a villa with a kitchen, but we know you’ll just stand in the rain wondering where the fun went.” This new space is their answer: fun, delivered to your soggy doorstep.

And here’s a wild historical fact you can use to impress your mates: the original Center Parcs concept was inspired by the Dutch campsites of the 1960s. Back then, entertainment meant “a man with an accordion.” Now, it means a woman in lycra spinning fire while children scream “Look, mummy, she’s on fire!” Progress, baby.

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So, is the new Summer Entertainment Space worth a trip to Nottinghamshire? Frankly, if you’ve got kids under the age of 12, it’s mandatory. The watersplash area alone will buy you at least 90 minutes of unsupervised peace (while you sip that overpriced latte). The silent disco will give you a story for the next office coffee break. And the live aerialist? That’s just epic chaos.

Book now, secure your spot, and prepare for the wettest, loudest, most gloriously ridiculous family holiday of your life. And if you see a dad crying in the quiet zone, just nod. He’ll have forgotten his headphones.