A twist on Oliver: a Dickens-themed family holiday in Broadstairs, Kent

A Victorian cottage paying homage to Oliver Twist is the perfect place for children to indulge in make-believe. Plus seven more magical themed places to stay in the UK

Among all the TV specials and stage productions at this time of year, one story is always guaranteed to be retold – A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Fans might be jollied to know about a new holiday cottage near the seafront in Broadstairs, Kent, which recreates a setting in another favourite Dickens novel – Oliver Twist.

Fagin’s Den – which its owners claim is the first Dickens-themed escape in the UK – has been styled as a Victorian thieves’ hideout, like that of the book’s shifty pickpocketing character.