Leisure

Ryan Duckett named Derbyshire Chief Executive

19th December 2018

Interim Chief Executive Ryan Duckett will officially take over as Chief Executive of Derbyshire County Cricket Club from 1 January 2019.

He replaces Simon Storey, who leaves to take up the role of CEO at Kent County Cricket Club.

Duckett, who moves from his position as Commercial Director, has worked alongside Storey for the past six years and has overseen record growth in cricket and non-cricket revenue.

The Club has established itself as a 365-day-a-year venue at the heart of the Derby community, hosting major events including concerts for over 15,000 people, as well as the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup and an annual Fireworks Night & Fun Fair event.

Duckett has overseen the major development in commercial activity, with consistent growth across ticketing, hospitality and events, as well as securing key sponsorship deals contributing to a record commercial turnover in 2017.

Chairman Ian Morgan said: “The Supervisory Board considered very carefully the appointment of a new Chief Executive and having listened closely to Ryan’s vision on the development of the Club, we recognised that he is an exceptional candidate and decided not to look externally.”

“Ryan, who has over 21 years of experience in professional sport, is the right person for the role and his skills and ability are recognised and well respected by Members, sponsors, partners and stakeholders, as well as our players and staff. ”

“We had no hesitation in offering him the position and we are confident that he will lead our Club forward both on and off-the-field by building on our strengths and addressing our weaknesses.”

Duckett added: “It’s a pleasure to take on this role at a great Club like Derbyshire which is built around a rich history, strong infrastructure and a desire to keep developing.”

“I look forward to working with our experienced Supervisory Board, as well as our Members, supporters and partners as we take the Club forward in what is an exciting time for the sport.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure

Craft beer shop opens in Chesterfield

18th December 2018

With its official opening day on Wednesday 19th December, Chesterfield Craft aims to become the biggest source of craft beer and ales in Chesterfield town centre.

Stocking beers from local brewers such as Thornbridge, Buxton and Abbeydale, national craft brewers such as Magic Rock, Cloudwater and Loka Polly and from overseas brewers such as To-Ol, Lervig and Basqueland Brewing Project, Chesterfield Craft looks to provide a real alternative for the people of Chesterfield.

Open until 6pm Monday to Saturday, customers can call in after work to pick up a craft beer or two to enjoy in the evening. Located at 12a Saltergate, in between Lime Living and the Spire Frier, it is within a few steps of the Holywell Cross (Donut) car park, and the Cavendish Street bus stops.

The new shop will offer take-out sales only, allowing customers to buy beers and ales to be enjoyed at home. There will also be a home delivery service for customers who cannot make it to the shop, with same day delivery available for orders completed before 4pm.

Richard Young, Owner and Director of Chesterfield Craft, said: “If there’s a brewery whose beers you’d like to see us stock, just let us know and we’ll see what we can do. If you are a local brewery, please get in touch if you’d like to see your products in our shop – we’d love to have you!”

Chesterfield Craft is open now! To find out more visit www.chesterfieldcraft.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Christmas, Development, Leisure, Visiting

River Rother to be reclaimed from industrial blight

17th December 2018

Thanks to a National Lottery grant of more than £450,000, two centuries worth of industrialisation are to be reversed around the River Rother in Derbyshire.

The grant will allow the follow changes to be made;

a 700m straightened stretch of the Rother will have meanders reintroduced recreating its natural appearance
some 170 volunteers will be recruited and trained to restore natural habitats. This will include planting trees, laying hedgerows, clearing litter and removing invasive vegetation. This will be in partnership with Moss Valley Wildlife Trust.
an ambitious citizen science education programme has been devised, involving 60 events and targeting more than 3,000 people. Activities will include BioBlitz days where groups undertake a ‘record everything’ census in a specific location, nature-themed treasure hunts and river visits for 600 children from 10 local schools
public access to the restored river and streams will also be greatly improved with waymark signs and interpretation boards

Rachel Walker, Project Manager at the Don Catchment Rivers Trust, said: “Not only does this funding mean we can restore a section of the River Rother to its natural course, but we can celebrate the natural, community and industrial heritage of the area. We can’t wait to get started, and neither can all of our project partners.”

Jonathan Platt, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: “This project will restore the natural environment while giving people the chance to learn about the important industrial heritage of the area. Whole communities will get the opportunity to be involved in a variety of ways and this is all thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Visiting

Proposals to change the way libraries are run to be considered

17th December 2018

Innovative proposals to change the way Derbyshire libraries are run are due to be considered at a meeting on Thursday 20 December 2018.

The county council unveiled its proposed Derbyshire Public Library Service Strategy ‘Libraries for Derbyshire’ in April and outlined its commitment to keeping libraries open as it launched a 12-week consultation to gather residents’ views.

More than 7,000 people had their say during the far-reaching consultation which asked for views on proposed changes including transferring 20 libraries out of a total of 45 to community management. A number of changes have been made to the draft proposals to reflect views given during the consultation.

Other proposals included in the draft report included a reduction in weekly opening hours across the library service, a reduction in the materials fund (books, eBooks, eMagazines, eAudio, online resources including newspapers), considering the future implementation of Smart libraries, transferring the mobile library service to community management and stopping the DVD hire service.

As well as an online and paper copy questionnaire, 49 drop-in sessions were held at libraries so people could talk about the plans face-to-face with staff, and 21 in-depth focus groups were held in all areas where the local library was proposed to be a community managed library (CML), as well as a focus group about the mobile service. More people took part in the consultation than any single consultation held by the county council before.

Derbyshire County Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis also held a public question and answer session at Chesterfield Library where people could quiz him directly about the plans. All the views were taken in to consideration before the report, which will be considered by the council’s Cabinet on Thursday, was drafted.

Those changes, which are now incorporated in to the report to be considered, include:

Supporting groups running community managed libraries (CMLs) with five years of grant funding, rather than four
Making £50,000 available to pay for independent support for CMLs
Seeking help from Locality (a national network supporting community organisations) to support CMLs
Giving more support and assistance in the financial processes of running a CML for the first two years
Managing the transition to a CML, with council staff support for the first two years
Helping with recruiting and training volunteers, and developing eLearning packages
Ensuring the council includes support for CMLs in any new staffing structure
Trialling the Smart library idea before any implementation
Keeping the existing DVD stock and loaning them free of charge until March 2021.

Councillor Lewis, who is also the Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism, said: “Since we launched the consultation in to the proposed changes I’ve made it very clear that the council is committed to the library service and no libraries will close on my watch.”

“The response to the consultation was excellent and we received thousands of responses with some interesting views and ideas. We listened to what people had to say and have changed a number of elements of the report to reflect what people told us.”

“We believe these proposals are the best way forward to secure the future of our libraries.”

“A lack of support for the proposals could lead to consultations on further reductions to opening hours and the materials fund, other than those outlined in the report. This is something people made clear they did not want.”

If the proposals are agreed at Thursday’s meeting, a drive to recruit interested groups to run one or more CML will be launched in the new year. More information on the Derbyshire Public Library Strategy ‘Libraries for Derbyshire’ is available.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Spireites appoint new Chief Executive

14th December 2018

Graham Bean been named as Chesterfield’s new Chief Executive. He will take up the role with immediate effect.

Club owner Dave Allen is delighted that Graham has accepted the role. He said: “Graham has a wealth of experience in the running of football clubs and is no stranger to Chesterfield, having been involved with the investigation of former chairman Darren Brown in 2000.”

Graham said: “I am delighted to be joining Chesterfield FC in such an important role. I am looking forward to the challenge of helping the club progress and working for the good of all, including the supporters. This is a good club and hopefully together we can move it forward.”

“I believe that I have some unique credentials because not only have I worked in senior roles within professional clubs and understand the workings of a club, but I have also had a spell as national chairman of the Football Supporters Association.”

“During that time I was involved in supporter-led campaigns and so I can fully understand and resonate with the frustrations that supporters of the club are currently experiencing. Indeed, I owe my time in the supporter representation world to my progression in the game and so will always look to embrace the views of supporters.”

“I do intend to look to improve the communication between the fans and the club but directors, staff and supporters can also be assured that I will use my best endeavours to improve all aspects of club life.”

“As many supporters will know, I have had a number of dealings with Chesterfield FC over the years and take pride in the fact that my investigation into the Darren Brown era, whilst working at the FA, contributed towards the saving of the club and subsequent takeover by the supporters. It is somewhat ironic that I now find myself back here.”

“This is an exciting opportunity and I am grateful to the owner and directors for giving me the chance to serve the club.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure, Visiting

Enjoy ‘Chatswoof’ in 2019 as dogs take a starring role at Chatsworth

14th December 2018

Chatsworth is celebrating all things canine throughout 2019 with four-legged friends taking a leading role in the exhibition and the wider estate set to become even more dog-friendly when it opens for the new season (Saturday 23 March 2019).

The Dog: A Celebration at Chatsworth exhibition will feature everything from working dogs, woven dogs, dogs on canvas and dogs on camera, to puppets and popular culture.

Borne out of an idea from the Duchess of Devonshire – who trains her own dogs for obedience and field trials – this exhibition explores the rich history of the dog in art, as well as the Cavendish family’s enduring love for dogs throughout the generations.

In the house, paintings, drawings, sculpture, letters, photographs and contemporary art will be brought together to provide a comprehensive reflection of mankind’s relationship with its faithful friend throughout history.

Alex Hodby, Curator of Exhibitions and Engagement, Chatsworth, said: “We will be delving deep into the Devonshire Collection to share stories, and capture the idiosyncratic, faithful, endearing and playful character of man’s best friend. The original idea for the exhibition was conceived by the Duchess of Devonshire, who combines a love of dogs with a great interest in collecting modern and contemporary works of art and commissioning portraits of family dogs.”

Specially selected loans from public and private collections will be shown alongside the Devonshire Collection and range in date from ancient objects to the present day. With Chatsworth’s historic interiors as its backdrop, The Dog will weave throughout the house, sharing tales and revealing stories of royalty and the aristocracy and how dog breeds have developed.

Chatsworth is also looking at range of ideas to become as dog friendly as possible. Dogs on leads can already explore the 105-acre garden and 1000-acre park and are also welcome in shops and Carriage House restaurant in the Stables.

Chatsworth even has its own dog mascot, Henry, a Goldendoodle born in the summer who has amassed thousands of fans on his Instagram account following his daily adventures on the estate.

Throughout 2019, Chatsworth is inviting everyone to join in the celebration using the hashtag #Chatswoof.

Follow the adventures of Henry, the Chatsworth Goldendoodle here: www.instagram.com/chatswoof

Rocket 6-1, 1987 Nicola Hicks © David Vintiner

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa wins 5 wedding accolades including England’s Top Wedding Venue

13th December 2018

Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa swept the board at the WeddingDates Awards picking up 5 accolades, winning the coveted title of England’s Top Wedding Venue.

The venue has also been announced as winner of East Midlands Top Rated Wedding Venue, winner of Derbyshire’s Top Rated Wedding Venue and winner of Country House Wedding Venue of the Year.

The final award was given to Nicola Williams, Wedding Coordinator at Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, for East Midlands Wedding Coordinator of the year.

In a year of notable achievements, Ringwood Hall Hotel has been awarded 4 Star Status by the AA, Conference Venue of the Year at the Chesterfield Food and Drink awards, a Gold Award in the East Midlands in Bloom awards, a 5 Bubble award for the Garden Secret Spa by the Good Spa Guide and a Bronze Green Tourism award.

Ringwood Hall has seen a transformation over the past two years since new owners purchased the property in 2016 and further plans are already in place to continue the investment into the Grade II listed building.

Rona Davies, General Manager at Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, said “I could not be more thrilled to have received these wedding awards. The whole team work so hard to ensure that every wedding is perfect for our couples.”

“These awards are based on customer feedback and therefore really do hold a special place for us. Winning the Country House Wedding Venue of the Year award, among the others, is just fabulous as the UK is home to so many beautiful properties. We truly feel honoured to be given such recognition.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

Peak FM launches Give a Child a Smile campaign

4th December 2018

Peak FM has launched its Give a Child a Smile campaign, during which it is collecting new and unwrapped toys and gifts for underprivileged children across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Sam Fielding, Station Director at Peak FM said: “We are grateful that once again Peak FM can help to make a difference in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. Give a Child a Smile is the name of our Toy Appeal this year and we are relying on the generosity of local people and businesses to help us collect toys for children who may otherwise go without this Christmas. We are asking people to pick up just one extra new and unwrapped toy or gift when doing their Christmas shopping and donate it at one of our official drop off points. We’d love as many people as possible to get involved and donate.”

Toys and gifts are being sought for boys and girls in the following age categories;

0 – 12 months
12 months – 3yrs
3 – 5yrs
6 – 8yrs
9 – 12yrs
12 – 18yrs

Drop off points in Chesterfield are at Tesco Extra, Queens Park Sports Centre and the Healthy Living Centre in Staveley. The final date to drop off donations is the 18th December.

Toys and gifts will be collected from Peak FM by the local charities and organisations and distributed at Christmas. Charities and organisations can also apply here to be considered for toy and gift donations.

For more information click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

New Chesterfield housing development on sale soon

3rd December 2018

Work has commenced on an exclusive development of 2-, 3- and 4- bedroom bungalows off Newbold Road, which will be released for sale before Christmas.

Redbrik Estate Agents, which has offices in Chesterfield and Sheffield, will take the lead on showcasing new properties designed and built by Woodall Homes.

The Barlborough-based Woodall Homes team has been delivering desirable homes since 2011 and prides itself on providing a high specification to all of its homes.

Woodall Homes Managing Director Dave Wood is looking forward to teaming up with Redbrik. He said: “This is an exciting collaboration for both firms. Redbrik has an excellent reputation for its award-winning marketing, customer service and use of new technologies. These are just a few of the many driving factors behind the partnership.

“We have several new projects in the pipeline and will be working closely together to bring these to market.”

Redbrik Director Mark Ross added: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the talented team at Woodall Homes, which is dedicated to delivering modern homes to the region.

“Our New Homes marketing department continues to go from strength to strength, and with a combination of our expertise and Woodall Homes’ high-quality properties, we believe together we can help even more people find their perfect home.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Leisure

New Saltergate car park on schedule

29th November 2018

Saltergate’s new multi-storey car park has been confirmed as on track for its planned opening in late spring 2019.

Owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council, the new car park will serve shoppers, commuters and people staying at the new Premier Inn hotel at the former Co-op department store on Elder Way.

With 530 spaces, the car park will be open 24 hours and have wider spaces and more disabled spaces than the previous car park, which was demolished earlier this year. It will also have six electric vehicle charging points, with the option to add a further ten.

Access to the car park will be controlled by automated speed gates at vehicle entrance and exits, while people will only be able to come through pedestrian entrances by using their parking ticket. Councillor Terry Gilby, the council’s cabinet member for economic growth, says:-

“It’s good to see the progress that is being made on the new Saltergate car park.

“One of our key priorities is to grow the local economy and this new car park will offer much improved facilities for shoppers and commuters travelling into Chesterfield and I hope will encourage people to come into the town centre.”

As part of the construction process, a temporary road closure will be required on the eastbound side of Saltergate from the junction with Rose Hill East to the Holywell Cross (Donut) roundabout to enable a crane to lift the key car park parts in to place. Traffic will still be able to travel westbound from the roundabout down Saltergate and there will also be access to the businesses along Saltergate.

A road closure order will be in place between 14 January and 28 February, although it is hoped the work can be completed earlier than this if the weather is not bad.

A temporary one way diversion will be in place taking drivers from Saltergate, down Rose Hill East by the side of Chesterfield Town Hall, on to Rose Hill, Knifesmithgate and Cavendish Street before returning to Saltergate.

The new car park is part of the Northern Gateway development which will see the opening of the new Premier Inn Hotel and improvements on Knifesmithgate and Elder Way. A planning application has also been submitted to build an enterprise centre on part of Holywell Cross (Donut) car park. This will offer extra space for start-up and existing small and medium-sized businesses, which is particularly needed as the current innovation centres at Dunston and Tapton Park are almost running at capacity.

In each of these projects, the council has used local labour clauses meaning that, where possible, local businesses have been in the construction process, and in supplying materials.

In total, the Northern Gateway scheme is due to create around 500 new jobs. For more information visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/northern-gateway/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Visiting

Success for Peak District and Derbyshire in British Travel Awards

29th November 2018

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s quest to promote the area as a world-class destination has been given a massive boost following news that it has won bronze in the prestigious annual British Travel Awards.

The Peak District and Derbyshire has scored third place in the Best Holiday County or Region category – beaten only by Northumberland (gold) and Cornwall (silver) – and fending off stiff competition from other key contenders, including Devon, Cumbria and the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

The news was revealed at a glamorous Gala Awards ceremony in London, attended by more than 800 professionals in the travel industry, last night (Wednesday November 28).

“The British Travel Awards are billed as the largest and most influential poll of consumer opinion on the performance of leisure, travel and tourism providers, so we are delighted that the Peak District and Derbyshire has received such a fantastic accolade,” said Jo Dilley, Managing Director, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official tourist board.

“This is the first year we have entered, so to perform so well is brilliant news, and a great tribute to our small, but dedicated team, who all work so hard to put the area on the regional, national and international map.”

“We have so much to offer, from stunning, specially-protected landscapes, exhilarating outdoor activities and brilliant attractions to rich history and heritage, quality accommodation and fine, locally-produced food and drink – so it’s wonderful to be recognised and rewarded in this way. Hopefully our world-class destination will achieve even greater things in the 2019 awards.”

BTA chief executive Lorraine Barnes Burton said: “Congratulations to the Peak District and Derbyshire on winning bronze in our Best Holiday County or Region category. The British Travel Awards are the only travel industry accolade voted for exclusively by the consumer, and they recognise all that is great about travel, as experienced by the travelling public. To win one is a true achievement.”

Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism, Councillor Barry Lewis, said: “We’re thrilled to hear that the Peak District and Derbyshire has come third out of ten areas for the best UK Holiday County or Region in this year’s British Travel Awards.”

“The area has so much to offer, from fabulous historic buildings to stunning beauty spots, towns and villages and much more. We’re really proud to support the tourism industry, boosting our economy and supporting thousands of jobs.”

“Congratulations to Northumberland, which took the top spot, and thank you to everyone who voted for the Peak District and Derbyshire – hopefully it will encourage more people to come and visit and discover its many delights.”

Launched in 2008, the British Travel Awards are considered the benchmark for excellence when it comes to finding out who is the best in the travel industry. The British Travel Awards is an independent organisation, verified by leading global business practitioners Deloitte.

Businesses and organisations under the spotlight each year include holiday companies; travel agencies and holiday planning; cruise lines, airlines and transport; accommodation and hotel brands; holiday add-ons and UK domestic holidays and attractions.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Visiting