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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Josh Salisbury

Winter Wonderland shuts as Storm Darragh forces closures across London

Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park was forced to shut its doors on Saturday due to Storm Darragh’s heavy winds.

The tourist attraction said it would close all day Saturday as the capital is expected to be buffeted by 55mph winds.

In a statement on X it said: “The safety of our visitors and staff are our top priority and we are sorry for any disappointment caused.”

It added that ticket holders can be refunded and they are expecting to reopen on Sunday.

In London, all the Royal Parks, Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens will be closed on Saturday.

A spokeswoman said the closures included all park roads and cycleways, cafes and kiosks, Park Sports venues, the Serpentine Lido and Boating Lake, and the Royal Parks Shop.

Other events, including football games, have been cancelled as millions have been warned to stay inside.

The Football Association of Wales said all matches in the country were being postponed on Saturday.

A woman crossing a bridge during Storm Darragh (PA Wire)

In racing, Sandown's Betfair Tingle Creek Chase meeting and the Boylesports Becher Chase fixture at Aintree on Saturday must pass precautionary inspections due to the threat of high winds.

Belfast City Council said the city's Christmas market would close on Saturday due to the weather warnings, while the Enchanted Winter Garden events at Antrim Castle Gardens had been cancelled for Friday and Saturday.

Thousands of people across Northern Ireland, England and Wales have been left without power as they braced for the storm's impact.

As of 5am, National Grid reported more than 12,600 premises had lost power in the Midlands and south-west and more than 20,000 homes had been disconnected in Wales.

The Met Office said wind gusts of up to 92mph had been recorded overnight in Capel Curig in North Wales and Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula.

Gusts of between 72-78mph were recorded along the coasts of Wales and Northern Ireland.

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