Following a hugely successful debut year – Docksfest will return in 2025, and its first round of acts have already been announced. Last year, the debut Docksfest had over 4000 people attend. The festival was also nominated for “Best New Festival” and the “Best Small Festival” in the UK Festival Awards 2024. This year, organisers are hoping to build upon their almost instant success and deliver a better festival. Hosted by Grimsby-born comedian Lloyd Griffith, the 2025 Docksfest will be held on Saturday, July 5, 2025 at the Meridian Showground – in partnership with Dirty Docks Ltd, Docks Beers and Docks Academy. Six bands have already signed up, with the headline act and more yet to be confirmed. Ash, Maximo Park, Corella, Coach Party, EVER and Grimsby’s own Last of the Wonder Kids are already signed up for next yea’rs event. Last year, headline acts included the likes of Razorlight, Frank Turner and Lottery Winners. Docksfest is back in 2025 following a hugely successful first year – with over 4000 people attending (Image: Dockfest) Will Douglas, festival founder and Director of Dirty Docks, Docks Beers and Docks Academy, said: “Building on the incredible energy of this year’s festival, we’re thrilled to bring DocksFest back in 2025 for its second edition. DocksFest 24 was so well supported. “ “People came from all over the UK to enjoy the amazing atmosphere and outstanding live music performances. It showed beyond doubt that North East Lincolnshire deserves its own major live music festival. We’re doubling down with an artist line up for 2025 which will make next year an unforgettable destination event.” Organisers say that The second Docksfest promises to be a celebration of music, street food and locally brewed beer. Docksfest is back in 2025 following a hugely successful first year – with over 4000 people attending (Image: Docksfest) Chris Gadd, festival founder and Director of Dirty Docks and Director of Stage & Light, the Stallingborough based company responsible for the festival’s staging, light and sound, added: “We’re really looking forward to announcing our headliner. As well as chart topping acts, we will shine a light on the local music scene with the talents of Grimsby bands EVER and Last Of The Wonder Kids on the main stage, plus we will have acoustic performances from other local musicians on the VIP Tent Acoustic Stage. These local artist names will be confirmed early in 2025.” Tickets for Docksfest 25 are on sale now from www.docksfest.com or via SeeTickets.

Those who missed out on tickets to the much-anticipated Coldplay concerts in Hull will get another chance this week – at affordable prices. A limited number of ‘Infinity Tickets’ for the August 2025 shows at Craven Park are set to go on sale this Friday (November 22) at 12pm via Ticketmaster. Coldplay are releasing these tickets for every show on their Music Of The Spheres World Tour to make the concerts accessible to fans for an affordable price. They will be priced at just £20 each, plus booking fee, though they must be bought in pairs. Though the paired seats will be located next to each other, they could be anywhere in the stadium. There was huge excitement when, during the summer, it was revealed the A-list rock band will perform two shows in Hull on August 18 and August 19, 2025. As well as six dates at London’s Wembley Stadium, the east Hull venue is the only other one in the UK that Coldplay will perform at on this world tour. Tickets initially went on sale in late September with presale and general sale tickets quickly selling out, including a number that were exclusively available to people with HU, YO, DN or LN postcodes. Ten per cent of all of Coldplay’s proceeds will be donated to the Music Venue Trust. This is a charity focusing on maintaining grassroots venues around the country. Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Grimsby with our free newsletter Mark Davyd, CEO Music Venue Trust said: “Coldplay are the perfect example of a UK band who came through the grassroots circuit on their way to worldwide stadium-filling success. It’s fantastic to see them celebrating their own pathway to Wembley by giving back to the grassroots music venues that supported them and recognising the artists and promoters that are struggling more than ever to build their own careers. “Through our partnership with Save Our Scene – who introduced us to Coldplay last year – this money will go directly into work that ensures communities right across the country will continue to have access to great live music on their doorstep. The band’s support really will stop venues closing, make tours happen and bring the joy of live music to thousands of people.” Coldplay released their latest album, Moon Music, in October. Infinity Tickets will be available from noon on Friday, November 22 via Ticketmaster.

One of Grimsby’s greatest singers and musicians, Michael Dore, will be performing for his hometown in a magical evening at the Minster in the run-up to Christmas. Taking a moment away from working on movie soundtracks and with some of the world’s most famous pop icons, internationally renowned singer and celebrity vocal coach Michael Dore is returning to his hometown in December for a truly festive concert at the stunning, 900-year-old Grimsby Minster. Highly regarded among his peers and fans, Michael has over the years worked on many popular movie soundtracks, including Beetlejuice and Wonka and has more recently performed on the soundtrack for the forthcoming Pixar movie Win or Lose. As a vocal coach, Michael trained Harry Potter’s Emma Watson for her role in Beauty and the Beast and Taron Egerton for his role as Elton John in the Oscar-winning film Rocketman, while as a singer, Michael has performed with world-famous stars such as Sam Smith, Kylie Minogue, Sarah Brightman, and Adele. Living and working in London since the eighties, Michael remains extremely fond of Grimsby and has ties with the area through family and friends. People attending his sell-out shows across the globe will attest to the fact that Michael always speaks fondly of his childhood in the town and will readily fly the flag for Grimsby wherever he is singing. A flyer for Michael Dore’s Christmas concert at Grimsby Minster (Image: Michael Dore) Michael said: “I am really looking forward to coming home to perform at the Minster this Christmas, especially as this is a new venue for me and somewhere I have thought of playing for years. I have performed at world-renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall many times, and when I play in Grimsby it is usually at the Central Hall, but I have never performed at this venue.” Joining Michael will be his guests, the Grimsby Minster Choir, alongside their musical director Mark Wilde, and anyone who has seen Michael perform solo concerts previously will know that he will also be on stage with his own musical director, acclaimed musician and friend John G Smith at the piano. John is also musical director for Elaine Paige and is currently conducting the musical Hamilton, in London. Michael will sing songs from his new album, to be released next year, along with Christmas favourites such as ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’, a fantastic arrangement of ‘Jingle Bells’, and, appropriately, ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’. “I am very excited for the show and the festive atmosphere that comes with the time of year, particularly in a church setting,” Michael added. “It will be truly magical, and I am hugely looking forward to greeting friends, family, and anyone looking to have a relaxed, pre-Christmas evening.” The event will take place on Friday, December 6 at 7.30pm. Doors open 6.30pm. Mulled wine and refreshments will be available from the Minster Café. For tickets to Michaels ‘Home for Christmas’ concert, visit www.eventbrite.com and search for ‘Michael Dore’. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased directly from the Grimsby Minster Café, open from Tues-Sat, 9.30am to 2.30pm (cash only). Tickets are priced at £18 per person (booking fees apply on Eventbrite). Event security close to the venue. The nearest car park can be found at Cartergate, DN31 1RT.

With the dark, cold winter nights getting ever longer and chillier, many will already be looking ahead longingly to next summer – and details have been revealed for one of the season’s biggest highlights in Cleethorpes ahead of the much-anticipated 2025 event. Get ready for the comeback of The Gathering Fest – Cleethorpes’ premier dance festival – that will bring a memorable day of music and energy to Meridian Showground on Saturday, June 14. Next year’s lineup is already packed with internationally acclaimed headliners, special guests, and a handpicked selection of support acts, ensuring an electrifying experience for all electronic dance music enthusiasts. Performing across five main music arenas, they will be joined by an array of food stalls and adult fun-fair rides. An exclusive VIP area will also be on offer. Headlining the festival is Andy Whitby, famed for his dynamic performances and high-energy sets that never fail to ignite the crowd. He will be joined by Billy Gillies, an emerging talent who has been enthralling trance and techno fans globally with his innovative sound. Festival-goers will also enjoy a live set from DJ Sammy, whose chart-topping hits and unforgettable soundscapes are sure to reverberate across the resort. Adding a touch of Ibiza-inspired flair, Lovely Laura & Ben Santiago will bring their iconic saxophone and DJ duo performance, filling the air with uplifting vibes that fans worldwide have come to adore. The Gathering Fest will return to Cleethorpes in June 2025 (Image: ATA Events) In addition to these fantastic headliners, a lineup of special guests from across the dance music spectrum will deliver unforgettable performances. Highlights include Christina Novelli, K-Klass (Live) featuring Bobbi, The Thrillseekers, Scot Project, Ultrabeat, Graeme Park, and Lost Witness, with many more thrilling acts yet to be announced. Supporting acts for the festival include emerging talents and local favourites such as Daz Flatman, Kirk Lloyd, 8-Ball, Anna Mac, Richard Tulip, The Missus, Stu Magoo. Each act is set to showcase the best in dance, house, trance, and techno. A talented group of MCs including Clarkie, Danger, Finchy, Jonak, Keyes, and Rhythmarm will keep the energy levels high and the crowd engaged throughout the festival. The Gathering 2025 promises an immersive festival experience, featuring multiple stages, top-tier production, and captivating visuals. With music running from noon until 11pm, fans will have 11 hours to take in the sounds of their favourite DJs and artists. Tickets are available now through Skiddle.

Get into the spirit of the festive season, Vegas style, with The Rat Pack and their famous Christmas concert. Acclaimed nostalgia fest The Rat Pack: Christmas In Vegas arrives at Grimsby Auditorium later this month featuring David Alacey channeling his inner Frank Sinatra, Good Morning Britain and ITV News Central weather presenter Des Coleman in Sammy Davis Jr. mode and Paul Drakeley taking off Dean Martin. David has impersonated Ol’ Blue Eyes on BBC One programme Strictly Come Dancing and at the 2004 Royal Variety concert. Jazz great Buddy Greco, who shared vocals with the Basildon-born performer for One For My Baby, said: “As for David Alacey – well this guy really is Sinatra! It’s frightening”. Meanwhile, the Sinatra Estate remarked: “His recording of the theme from New York New York for Atari Games is too close for comfort.” “People can expect to take a trip back in time to the Golden Age of Christmas television spectaculars by the likes of Andy Williams and Perry Como,” said David. “In a show designed for all the family. Like those greats, The Rat Pack – Frank, Dean and Sammy – are synonymous with Christmas and as performers we look forward to the Christmas Tour throughout the year. We really can’t wait to get into the festive mood with classics such as Let it Snow and White Christmas. When audiences leave the theatre we make sure that they feel as though it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” Relive the Las Vegas heyday with a festive flavour (Image: Submitted Picture) The Rat Pack will take audiences on a trip back to the glamour and excitement of the Las Vegas heyday with hits including My Way, Mr Bojangles, New York New York, Amore, Fly Me To The Moon along with seasonal classics such as Winter Wonderland, Let It Snow and White Christmas. Just as Frank, Dean and Sammy were joined on stage at The Sands by surprise special guests, that element of theatrical magic is recreated in this show with appearances by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Nancy Sinatra and Liza Minnelli adding even more glamour to this stylish production. The Rat Pack: Christmas In Vegas takes place at Grimsby Auditorium at 7.30pm on Friday, November 29. More details are at grimsbyauditorium.org.uk

Fans of Paddington bear won’t have to travel to the jungle of Peru to find out the latest episode of his adventures as it arrives in cinemas. Bear cups and popcorn tins are on sale at each of Parkway’s cinemas to mark the launch of the third film in the series from midday on Friday. This week also marks the 20th anniversary of Parkway’s nine-screen cinema in Cleethorpes, opened by the late Gerald Parkes MBE in November 2004. Cinemas throughout northern Lincolnshire are ending the year on a high with the release of Paddington In Peru and other blockbusters including Gladiator II, Moana II, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King. The influx of big films in the last few weeks of the year is partly due to the screen writers’ and actors’ strikes in the USA last year. That created a backlog just as cinemas were beginning to recover from the loss of trade during the Covid pandemic. Paddington is set to top the charts with hundreds of families due to visit Parkway cinemas at Cleethorpes, Louth and Beverley. “If Paddington doesn’t come top it will definitely be in the top three,” said multi-site general manager, Andrew Cooper. He added: “We have already had lots of parents phoning up asking for merchandise and it is here are all our cinemas. “We are looking forward to welcoming everyone. The run of big films is a nice end to the year. We even have our Christmas trees going up this week.” Andrew started his career when the cinema opened in 2004 and began as a general assistant working for Mr Parkes. He now looks after 25 staff at Cleethorpes and those in Beverley and Louth. The story of Paddington In Peru tells of him and his adopted family, the Browns, as they head to his native Peru because Aunt Lucy is missing him badly. Several landscape scenes were shot on location, including some at the majestic Machu Picchu. But the cast – Hugh Bonneville as Mr Brown, Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins as Mrs Brown, Julie Walters as housekeeper Mrs Bird, and new arrivals Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas – did all their acting near Watford.

I think we can all agree that a good old Sunday roast is the perfect cure to warm the cockles when the weather gets a bit more chilly at this time of year. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside roasties, tender meat that just melts in your mouth, creamy cauliflower cheese and a massive homemade Yorkshire pudding – really, what could be better? One Sunday in late October, me, my partner and little one visited Cleethorpes Cricket Club on Chichester Road for a meal out with family. I’d never eaten there before but had heard really positive things, so I was eager to give it a try. The club itself is lovely, with a spacious area with plenty of seating to sit and enjoy a drink before it’s time to head into the smaller function room to eat. You can eat in the main area, too, but I really liked the function room as it felt more intimate. We were seated at a huge round table, and the friendly staff came to take drinks orders. One course was priced at £16, two courses at £20 and three at £25, which I thought was really reasonable. I went for the paté, warm roll and chutney for my starter, and opted for the beef roast dinner for my main – although you can choose a selection of meats if you wish. My Paté starter (Image: Grimsby Live) Anyone who doesn’t fancy a Sunday roast can enjoy an array of other options. When I visited, the choices were salmon fillet on mash with prawns and mussels in a creamy bacon sauce, mushroom and cheddar linguine or chicken breast with peppercorn sauce or gravy. The starters came quickly, and we dug in. The paté was served on a wooden board alongside a side salad with balsamic glaze, a warm roll and a generous slab of butter and chutney. Combined together, the dish was absolutely delicious, and the paté was packed full of flavour. I find the combination of paté and sweet chutney spread on a soft bread roll straight out of the oven to be just heavenly – and that’s exactly what this was. It wasn’t long after we’d finished our starters that the plates with our chosen meats, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing and gravy were brought out to us, as well as sharing bowls with the veggies, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese and dauphinoise potatoes. You don’t often get the latter with a Sunday roast, so it was a very welcome addition. The meat was delicious and tender, the dauphinoise potatoes were creamy and moreish and the Yorkshire pudding was actually one of the best I’ve ever eaten. The veg was all cooked beautifully – not underdone or overdone – and everything was spot on. The lady who cooks the meals at the club, I later found out, also offers an array of grazing platters, all of which look absolutely amazing. I’ve liked her page on Facebook for years but I never put two and two together that the business is based at Cleethorpes Cricket Club. To find out more about the meals at the club, you can like Grazing Platters on Facebook here. The staff can’t do enough for you, the food is gorgeous and the price is so reasonable, when you take into account how much you actually get. So, if you’re looking for a friendly and welcoming spot to enjoy a meal with your loved ones, I’d definitely recommend Cleethorpes Cricket Club.

We’re not baked bean snobs in our house. We’ll pick up a tin of whoever’s beans when out shopping to keep the food cupboard stocked up. Having said that, we did have a favourite brand for a long time, made by the famous pickle people, until we found them to have got too expensive on our weekly shop. And, shock horror, we’ve never been fussed about the biggest name in beans, brought to this country by Henry Heinz in the early 1900s, as we have always found the sauce a bit too sweet for our liking. Discovering that baked beans are among the food staples to have most increased in price over the past five years, with a reported rise of 70.5 per cent since 2019, according to analysis by savings experts BravoVoucher, we decided to put some own-brand beans to the test. Choosing the regular beans from the Big Four supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – as not all offered a basic bean choice, my other half and I took a bit of a scientific approach to one of our regular tea favourites, beans on toast, to see which beans offer the best taste for the best price. With a helping from each ring-pull can, served onto a half-slice of toasted wholemeal bread, we paid attention to appearance, bean to sauce ratio, consistency of the sauce and, of course, the taste. Here are the results – and no remaining beans were wasted, as I found out they freeze successfully. How supermarket own-brand baked beans compare (Image: Deborah Hall/Hull Live) 1 Sainsbury’s – 400g, 55p The label says “tasty tomato sauce”; we found it slightly sweet. The beans looked a bit anaemic on the plate, as the quite runny sauce slid off and pooled beside the toast. Though all the bean cans were the same size, it was interesting to see on closer examination of the label that the bean content here was the least of our sample tins, and most expensive. Oddly, this product contains the least sugars, when we detected sweetness, and it has the second-highest amount of salt. Overall score: 2/5 2 Morrisons – 410g, 45p Simply billed as “in tomato sauce”, we found the beans well-coated in a reasonably thick sauce. It wasn’t too sweet and there was a nice tomato-y flavour. Our verdict was these are perfectly pleasant beans, though the sauce could be thicker. These beans had the highest amount of sugars by some margin, based on a half-can serving, and the most salt. Overall score: 3/5 3 Asda – 410g, 42p The “full of beans” tag on the label was true to its word. On first opening the tin, the beans were apparent, rather than being that initial layer of sauce. The “rich tomato sauce” claim was also accurate, as this was the thickest of all the sauces and had a nice tomato-y tang to it. These beans were just second to Sainsbury’s in providing the lowest sugars, and also the lowest in salt of each of the cans. Overall score: 4.5/5 4 Tesco – 420g, 42p The most beans for your money. There were more beans to sauce than any of the others tested; it was a good, rich sauce (I got the impression of that tasty tomato soup tang) and Tesco is at pains to give you the most description on the front of the label – “best quality haricot beans carefully cooked in a delicately seasoned sauce”. The beans had the second-highest amount of sugars and second-lowest of salt. Overall score: 4.5/5

The Pear Tree has long been an enjoyable and convenient place to eat for me and my family over the years. Operated by Marston’s, the Humberston eatery is spacious and modern yet cosy inside, with a food menu that provides plenty of choice for adults and children alike. It’s a great place if you’re looking for a reasonably-priced restaurant for a family get-together or a quick, casual bite to eat with your other half or friends. One Sunday afternoon earlier this month, me, my partner and little girl decided to stop there for our tea. After we were sat down at our table by the friendly waiter, we were told that the Sunday roasts had sold out for the day – but not particularly fancying one anyway, we opted to stay and eat something else on the menu. I went for the Ultimate Veggie Burger (£12.29), which is described on the menu as deep-fried sweetcorn and Croxton Manor Cheddar burger, topped with salsa and BBQ cauliflower wings and smothered in a nacho cheese sauce. I swapped the regular chips for sweet potato fries. I’m not a vegetarian but I have been trying to cut down on the amount of meat I eat. Plus, I’ve always just absolutely loved the taste of most veggie burgers – sometimes even more so than actual meat burgers. The meals were served within about 15 minutes, and we dug in. The Pear Tree, Humberston (Image: GrimsbyLive/Donna Clifford) After the first couple of bites, I was well and truly won over. The creamy yet robust flavour of the cheese with the spiciness of the salsa and sweetness of the BBQ cauliflower wings was just a taste combination that was out of this world. And when dipped into the pots of salsa and burger sauce, it was even better. It was one of those dishes that makes you feel like being a full-time vegetarian probably wouldn’t be a bad thing after all. Inside The Pear Tree (Image: GrimsbyLive/Donna Clifford) For dessert, me and my little girl shared the Rocky Road Sundae, which she has always been a huge fan of. If you can find room after your main for a big and indulgent dessert to enjoy, I’d highly recommend this one. With chocolate and vanilla ice cream, combined with chocolate brownie chunks and marshmallows and topped with chocolate sauce, squirty cream and a chocolate flake, is absolute heaven. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals at The Pear Tree, which we do whenever we visit. I find the restaurant to be a lovely place to bring children, thanks to its low-priced kids menu with plenty of choice, and of course, the play area out the back. Staff are welcoming and friendly, and the place always has a relaxing and cosy atmosphere that is perfect for warming up on these colder and darker evenings.

The Wellow has been a firm fixture on the Cleethorpes food scene for many years, and has welcomed generations of families from near and far over the many years it has stood on Kings Road. From playing in the outdoor play area as a young child and attending birthday parties there as a teen to taking part in the Monday night quiz and taking my little one there for lunch, I’ve always found The Wellow to be a really versatile and pleasant place to go for pretty much any occasion. So, one weeknight recently with a couple of hours to kill before heading to the cinema, we decided to stop off there for our tea. After taking a seat in one of the booths and having a browse of the menu, I found the only thing I really fancied was the Southern-Fried Chicken Texas Toast, which is described on the menu as Texas toast stuffed with mac and cheese, southern-fried crispy chicken, Monterey Jack cheese and Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce, served with fries (£11.49). Sadly, this had sold out, as had a few other meals. Eventually, I decided on the Chicken Wings (£5.49) as a starter, for which diners can choose from a variety of sauces to be served alongside them. Being a fan of spice, I went for the Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce. I ordered the Chicken Wings for my starter (Image: Grimsby Live) The wings weren’t the best I’ve ever had, in all honesty, but they were OK. I think I would’ve preferred the sauce to be served in a little dipping pot alongside them rather than poured on top, but for £5.49, it’s not really a big deal. For my main course, I went for the Lamb Kofta flatbread (£13.49), which is described on the menu as warm flatbread, loaded up with a feta, red onion, tomato, and leaf salad, topped with lamb koftas and sweet potato fries, and drizzled in yoghurt and mint with a fresh herb and chilli garnish. To be completely honest, I never expect to be “blown away” when visiting a chain restaurant. I’m probably not alone in this. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some amazing meals from plenty of chain restaurants in the area, but more often than not the meals tend to just be above average when you compare them to more high-end, independent restaurants. However – and that’s a big however – the Lamb Kofta flatbread at The Wellow blew my socks off. Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Grimsby with our free newsletter The rich and peppery taste of the kofta combined with the freshness of the veg, creaminess of the feta cheese and contrast between the chilli and yoghurt meant the dish was just an explosion of flavours and textures. The portion size was massive, too. Because there was so much of it, I had to eat a lot of the filling before I was able to wrap it up in the lovely warm flatbread and take a bite – and it was so worth the wait. The whole thing as a wrap was just absolutely delicious, and tasted just as good as the kebabs served in authentic Turkish kebab houses. So, if you’re planning on heading to The Wellow for a bite to eat in the near future, I’d definitely recommend trying this one. It’s the ultimate healthy comfort food, and will leave you feeling full for the rest of the night. I’m already craving another.