Banbury in Oxfordshire and Mansfield near Nottingham have been chosen as the locations for two major new UK visitor attractions – Shakespeare’s World and Outlaw’s Kingdom respectively.

Shakespeare’s World – which is intended to be an international tourist destination – aims to recreate William Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, in order to celebrate his life and the culture of his time.

Outlaw’s Kingdom will be an artificial medieval village based on the legend of Robin Hood.

Both schemes are expected to include rides, as well as heritage and educational elements.

The main idea behind the parks is to make visitors feel as though they have stepped back in time, says the private entrepreneur behind the scheme, Kris Kliszewicz. Kliszewicz recently appointed property development consultants Oak Holdings to oversee the projects.

Both schemes are still in the very early stages, with planning applications yet to be submitted. Details: www.oakholdings.co.uk