Historic UK landmark is transformed into a BEACH with splash pools, live DJs & 70m rides – and it's completely free
With the majority of UK schools closed for summer this week, parents will be desperately on the hunt for budget friendly ways to keep the kids entertained.
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Heading to the beach on a sunny day is one of the best parts of summer, but what if you live hours away from the sea?
Nottingham is one of the most landlocked places in the UK, with a drive to the popular seaside destination Skegness taking around two hours.
Nottingham Beach
So to ensure its residents can still enjoy the sand and sea, without trekking for hours, every year the enormous market square is turned into an artificial beach.
Located in the heart of the city, piles of sand are dumped on the historic landmark, Old Market Square, to create a unique beach location, for kids to build sandcastles in.
There's also a paddling pool for tots to splash around in, and plenty of deck chairs for parents to enjoy.
The giant beach is completely free to enter, with punters then able to pay for a selection of family-friendly fairground rides, such as Star Flyer and Bungee Trampolines.
Visitors can also transport themselves to the Islands of Greece by visiting the Santorini bar, which serves fruity cocktails and ice cold beer.
The bar is open from 10am- 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 10pm on Sunday, and features regular live music performances and DJ sets.
Every Monday, the beach bar hosts outdoor movie nights, with salsa classes taking part on Tuesdays, and volleyball tournaments every Wednesday.
If you're feeling hungry during your trip to the 'beach', there's also countless food stalls, selling everything from Nutella crepes to Gyros.
You have eyes of a hawk if you can find the hidden beach ball on this busy summer scene in less than three seconds_1
The summer attraction opened on Wednesday, July 16, and runs for six weeks, until Sunday August 31.
Organised by the Mellors Group, director James Mellors Jr said of the beach: "We have always been conscious of the cost of the beach.
"We want to keep it as a free-to-enter event. There's many people that can't afford to go to the coast.
"We own Fantasy Island and Skegness Pier which are two hours away but we still speak to many people in Nottingham who can't make it out that far so the beach itself is free, the paddling pool is free.
Full list of kids eat free offers
THERE are plenty of chains to choose from offering kids eat free programmes during school holidays. Choose from any of the following...
Angus Steakhouse – Kids under 8 and under eat free from the children's menu when an adult orders a meal; available daily from 12pm–5pm.
Ask Italian - During school holidays, kids eat for £1 when an adult buys a main. You'll need to get a code for the promotion by filling in a short form on the chain's website.
Asda Cafés – Kids' meals for £1 all day, every day across 205 stores nationwide. There's no minimum spend needed.
Bar + Block – Up to two children under 16 eat breakfast free with each adult buying one all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast for £10.99.
Beefeater – Two kids under 16 can eat free with every adult breakfast bought for £10.99.
Bellia Italia - Kids eat free every Thursday and for £1 until 6pm, from Sunday to Wednesday when an adult meal is bought.
Bill's – Up to two kids eat free from Monday to Friday, when one adult orders any main dish breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Brewdog - One free kids meal for under 13s, when purchasing an adults main meal over summer holidays.
Brewers Fayre - Two kids under 16 eat free with every adult breakfast for £10.99.
Dobbies Garden Centres – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main course,available every day.
Chiquito - One kid eats free with every adult main purchased overthe school holidays.
Côte Brasserie - Children aged 12 and under can tuck into two complimentary courses when parents spend a minimum of £20 over the school holidays.
Farmhouse Inns – Two kids eat free with one paying adult.
Franco Manca - One kid 12 and under get a complimentary individual kids pizza for every full-priced adult main meal from Monday to Thursday during the holidays.
Frankie & Benny's - Kids can eat for free every day when any adult meal is purchased.
IKEA – Kids meals start at 95p for pasta and tomato sauce available daily from 11am in restaurants.
Las Iguanas – Kids under 12 eat free with the My Las Iguanas App during the holidays.
Morrisons Cafés – One free kids' meal with any adult meal over £4.50. The offer is available daily.
Pausa Cafés at Dunelm – Kids eat free with every £4 spent in the café all day, everyday.
Premier Inn – Up to two kids eat free breakfast with an adult breakfast, £10.99.
PIzza Express - Kids get a free meal Monday to Friday when an adult meal is purchased during school holidays.
Sizzling Pubs – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main meal, Monday to Friday between 3–7pm.
Tesco - Kids eat free, worth £4, when you purchase anything from the menu including fruit for 65p if you're a Clubcard holder
TGI Fridays – Kids eat free with any adult main meal for Stripes loyalty members, available all day, every day.
The Real Greek – Kids under 12 eat free with every £15 adult spend on Sundays only.
Yo! Sushi - Kids eat free all day with a full-paying adult during local school holidays.
Whitbread Inns - Two kids under 16 eat breakfast free with every adult full breakfast, £20.99.
"The main thing is people can come down here and have a free day out and enjoy the vibe and the atmosphere and if they want to get a drink or have a ride then they can but we're trying to keep prices at a sensible level because we're here for six weeks until the end of August.
"We want people to come back time after time and the next time they come we don't want mums and dads to say, 'no, you're not going on there because it's too expensive'."
And Nottingham isn't the only city to have it's own artificial beach.
Manchester's city beach
Situated outside the Great Hall at Manchester 's iconic Trafford Centre, a huge family friendly beach and funfair is open from July 19 to August 31, and has countless activities to keep little ones occupied for hours.
Access to the fun-packed site costs £3.50 on the door or £3 (plus a 30p booking fee) online.
You can also try out zorbing in the splash zone and kids can get stuck in to a wide range of free crafts in the Summer Activity Zone.
If that's not enough to keep the family entertained, you can also purchase ride tokens for £1 each, with each ride typically costing between three and five tokens.
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