A HUGE festival-style space with rides, live music, beer and film showings has opened in the North-East by a Darlington-headquartered business.

The owners of bowling chain Lane7, which is headquartered in Darlington and has sites in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, has opened a first-of-its-kind seasonal outdoor entertainment experience called Burn It Up.

Burn It Up will host the best outdoor festival-style street food, drinks, and entertainment venue. 

It opened yesterday, April 12, opposite Royal Quays in North Shields. 

With space for 1,000 people across the vast 1.6-acre space, the site has five different areas including The Pavilion, The Picture Yard, The Village Hall, Gin Garden, and Feastery Street.

Some North-East foodie favourites will also be there, including Acropolis Street Food, What's Your Beef? specialty burgers, Wood Fired Pizza Truck and more.

There will be fairground rides, live music, comedy nights, and bingo in the 400-seater Pavilion.

The Picture Yard will play host to screenings of cult film and this summer’s top sporting moments, including the delayed Euro 2020 matches, Wimbledon and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Dedicated family-friendly mornings will also run a range of child-friendly clubs, entertainment, and kids’ films, with dedicated family-friendly morning opening hours.

Owner Tim Wilks, who is behind the Lane7 and Glitterball chains, said: “With outdoor socialising becoming the new norm in hospitality, we want to inject some much-needed entertainment back into the calendar.

"Crucially, this will be done in a safe and secure way in the lead up to summer and beyond. We’ve worked very closely and positively with all parties to make sure we deliver a safe, friendly environment for people to enjoy themselves in what is a large outdoor space.  

“We’re encouraging everyone to book ahead and it’s heartening to see those bookings coming in thick and fast.”

Organisers are also on the lookout for 100 new team members.

The site will be open daily from 3pm till late Monday to Thursday and from 9am till late Friday to Sunday.

Visitors are encouraged to pre-book tables, which can be done online.