Cinema box office taking reached a new record in 2008, according to figures released by the UK Film Council (UKFC), although there was also a downturn in film production spend.   The box office takings for the UK and the Republic of Ireland totalled £949.5m, an increase of 5% on 2007 and the highest record since 1989. British Films, such as Mamma Mia, accounted for nearly one third of cinema receipts.

Bournemouth Borough Council has approved plans to build a new ice complex at King’s Park.  The complex will include an Olympic-sized ice rink, a separate area for curling, indoor football with covered five-a-side pitches and an outdoor all-weather pitch. Other facilities will also include an indoor surfing facility, outdoor archery centre, mini golf and a climbing wall. Café’s and restaurants are also included in the proposals.

The government has given the go-ahead for the first artificial ski slope to be built in Cornwall.  Work is now set to begin on the Cornwall Ski and Snowboarding Centre, which will have a 180m main slope, a 100m halfpipe and a 40m toboggan run, as well as a function room, a bar and a restaurant.

Whitbread have said that sales have increased, with Premier Inn budget hotel chain doing well as the weak economy hits corporate travel spending. The firm said like-for-like sales rose 7% in the 24 weeks to 14th August. Premier Inn sales were up 10.2% as companies chose budget hotels over pricier rivals.

Whitbread has opened 14 new Premier Inns this year and 108 Costa outlets.

In terms of outdoor play for kids it has been reported in a study by ICM that only 21% of children play outside in the street or close to their homes every day compared with 71% of their parents saying that they did so when they were young.

Traffic seems to be the main factor but many believe that creating more safe play areas will both encourage outdoor play as well as prevent anti-social behaviour.  Play England has called for the Government and local authorities to do more to ensure that children do not miss out on “essential childhood experiences” offered by outdoor play.

Construction of £20m centre set to begin by end of the year. Portsmouth City Council has named Broadwater Leisure as its preferred bidder to develop the Mountbatten Sports Centre. The £20m redevelopment project will be centred on the construction of a new 50m community swimming pool. The Council aims to make the renovated Mountbatten Centre the hub of a sustainable network of community sports facilities across Portsmouth. The centre will also be at the heart of the city’s bid to host a pre games camp prior to the 2012 Olympic Games.