Leisure

Redbrik Half feeling refreshed with new soft drinks partner

The Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon has confirmed a new official soft drinks supplier for its 2019 event in Queen’s Park.

Franklin & Sons Soft Drinks, part of the Global Brands franchise of businesses, will provide drinks for runners, spectators and volunteers at the 2019 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, which this year takes place on 20 October 2019, starting at 9:30am.

With its main outlet stationed in Queen’s Park at the start/finish line, Franklin & Sons will also provide additional prizes for the Redbrik Half’s event winners – details of which will be confirmed soon.

Ruby Sterland, Assistant Brand Manager at Franklin & Sons, said: “We’re really proud to have partnered with the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.”

“To be part of what is one of the region’s biggest – and best! – mass-participation events is fantastic, and gives us a brilliant opportunity to give back to the local community.”

Ruby added: “As a community-focused organisation, it’s great to be involved – we take part in a huge amount of CSR activity as a business and as individuals.”

“We look forward to supporting event runners, volunteers and spectators, and also a great cause in the form of our charity partner, Ashgate Hospicecare.”

John Timms, Event Director at Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, said: “We’re delighted to have Franklin & Sons on board for the 2019 Chesterfield Half – and runners, spectators and volunteers no doubt will be, too.”

“This is the latest in a long line of important partnerships with renowned local and regional businesses, all of which are crucial to growing the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon event and its brand awareness locally, regionally and nationally.”

“We want to make the Redbrik Chesterfield Half an event for all ages – we’re really excited to see everything come to fruition on event day and seeing our runners get some refreshing drinks when they cross the finish line after all their hard work!”

Entries remain open for the 2019 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, Peak FM Five Mile Run and the Blachfords Fun Run online at www.redbrikchesterfieldhalf.com.

Entries are also being taken for the 2019 Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge. To enter the challenge as a business or group and receive a 10% discount on entry fee, email info@redbrikchesterfieldhalf.com with the appropriate business name and the team will be in touch.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure

Chesterfield Medical Partnership and Royal Primary Care join together

The Chesterfield Medical Partnership (CMP) will officially join together with Royal Primary Care (RPC) becoming ‘RPC Chesterfield North-West’.

CMP provides primary care services to 14,000 patients out of surgeries based in Ashgate, Holme Hall and Whittington – and is rated ‘GOOD’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). RPC – covering areas of Chesterfield South-East (Grangewood, Staveley and Inkersall) and North East Derbyshire (Clay Cross and Grassmoor) has also delivered rapid improvements, achieving the same CQC ‘GOOD’ rating earlier this year.

CMP approached RPC about a mutual and beneficial collaboration, attracted by RPC’s way of working and visible improvements.  As a clinical division of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) for the last five years, RPC is outside the more traditional primary care model, complimenting the model delivered by CMP.  With both organisations innovative and forward thinking, joining together ensures they remain viable and sustainable and can respond to the significant challenges primary care faces.

Patients and staff won’t see any visible difference (staff, surgeries and opening hours will remain exactly the same across CMP and RPC).  This new collaboration simply offers a range of opportunities and improvements for the future.

For example, as part of the Chesterfield Vocational Training Scheme, CMP brings expertise in GP training programmes – and it also hosts a long-standing and successful commercial research company.  Both CMP and RPC support  effective mixed clinical teams, in line with the goals set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, which advocates the development of ‘fully integrated community-based health care’ – including the creation of multidisciplinary teams, where GPs, pharmacists, nurses, mental health and allied health professionals work across primary care and hospital sites’.

In addition, with a combined and larger clinical team in place, there is the potential for ‘the new RPC organisation’ to run its home-visiting service in a different way;  along with more options available to cover surgeries and balance workload at times of high-demand and operational pressures.

Commenting on the approach Chesterfield Medical Partnership made to RPC, Kate Chilton, Practice Director said: “We are a thriving and successful practice.  Nevertheless, across the country, fewer GPs are inclined to become partners in a practice – so we were interested in how Royal Primary Care operates, as a way to future-proof and secure our services for our own patients.  We felt that we’d really fit with RPC because they have a clinical model similar to ours and want to progress.  We are pleased to have the opportunity to ‘join forces’ as we can see the potential it offers.  We will benefit from being part of a larger group at a time when the Long-Term Plan for the NHS recommends that GP practices work in networks to proactively manage the health and well-being of their populations. We feel really excited about this opportunity!”

Divisional Director at Royal Primary Care, Dr Peter Scriven agrees that this is an exciting pooling of skills, knowledge and experience: “We are delighted to come together with the Chesterfield Medical Practice in a constructive way, so we can work on a common approach to improving patient and carer experience for the 44,000 local people we all look after.  We are like-minded organisations. CMP brings expertise with it that will strengthen RPC – to improve the primary care offer to all of our patients.  As a GP I fully understand how important continuity of care is and I want to emphasise that all our patients will continue to see the same GPs, in the same buildings which will be open at the same times as normal, I hope they’ll also appreciate the benefits of being part of a larger primary care group in these challenging times.”

The development has been subject to robust scrutiny – with workforce, working practices, finances, governance, building and facilities all going through examination.  The amalgamation has been approved by local commissioners NHS Derby and North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, as well as NHS England.  There has also been engagement with staff, patient participation groups and other interested parties – sharing details about the agreed merger, its opportunities and any potential risks.

Chief Operating Officer for Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Tony Campbell, is the executive lead for RPC and comments: “We’ve learnt a lot from the two RPC developments we’ve led over the past five years – clearly demonstrated by the CQC ‘GOOD’ rating both of them have now achieved.  There have been challenges to overcome, although we have shown that this model can succeed and does improve patient care and services.

“The Trust’s Board of Directors considered the Chesterfield Medical Partnership’s approach over a number of months. We feel that bringing CMP into our Royal Primary Care division is a positive that has a number of advantages.  With a larger clinical team that includes a range of professionals, RPC as a whole is well-placed to support the NHS Long-Term Plan and it’ aims to keep patients well and independent, as well as caring for them when they have an urgent clinical need.  What matters most is that we work as a single entity to provide safe, high-quality and effective care to our patients.”

It will remain ‘business as usual’ for patients – who will continue to contact their GP surgery as they would do normally for appointments, repeat prescriptions or other queries. Regular updates and information will also be posted on Royal Primary Care’s Facebook , Twitter and Instagram pages, as well as on its website.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Leisure

Tourism sector in the Peak District and Derbyshire is worth £2.3 billion

Latest figures reveal the Peak District and Derbyshire’s tourism sector is now worth £2.3 billion to the local economy, with 42 million people visiting the area in 2018 and supporting over 30,000 jobs – marking another year of significant growth and a remarkable 7.4% increase on the previous year.

New research released by official tourist board Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire reveals significant yet sustainable growth across the area’s tourism industry.

In line with the tourist board’s long-term strategy to increase overnight stays and visitor spend, the area saw a 13.5% increase in overnight stays in 2018 with an extra 504,000 bed nights across the region. Meanwhile day visitor levels were maintained with a moderate 1.3% increase on last year.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “This is fantastic news for the visitor economy in the Peak District and Derbyshire. The significant rise in tourism’s overall value signals that our long-term policy to run innovative marketing campaigns that showcase the area as a great place to stay is really paying off.

“We know that these are testing times with the uncertainty around Brexit, however, our recent business survey suggests that confidence is high with 68% of respondents experiencing an increase in bookings during 2019.

The rise in overnight stays has contributed to the significant increase in the overall value of the sector, with overnight visitor spend increasing by 19%, contributing to a total spend of £823 million during 2018.

The sector continues to support and sustain a significant amount of jobs across the area, with the number increasing by 5.2% and breaking the 30,000 mark for the first time.

James Berresford, Chair of the Derbyshire Culture, Heritage and Tourism Board, said: “This significant increase in the value of tourism is fantastic news. Derbyshire is a wonderful destination, proved by the fact that people are voting with their feet.

“It is very encouraging to see the growth in overnight stays, which proves that more visitors are choosing to stay for longer than a day. This has led to an increase in visitor spend in the area, which is great news for local businesses and clearly demonstrates the importance of the tourism industry to the local economy.”

As well as highlighting the value of the tourism industry to the local economy, the latest figures also support the area’s bid to become a national Tourism Action Zone. Following the announcement of the Tourism Sector Deal in June, it was revealed that the Government is looking to create a number of Tourism Action Zones, which would offer opportunities to secure funding and support for selected areas to boost their visitor economy.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure, Visiting

A summer spectacular attracts thousands to Chatsworth Country Fair

Star chefs, the UK’s leading motorcycle display team, and fierce Cossack warriors made up an action-packed programme at this year’s Chatsworth Country Fair, drawing in more than 70,000 thousand visitors.  

Joined by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in the Grand Ring, the daredevil motorbike riders Bolddog Lings FMX Display Team made their Chatsworth Country Fair debut with gravity-defying stunts alongside the Ukranian Cossack Stunt Team to open the annual event. Show-stopping entertainment also came from favourites including a Spitfire flyover, the Poppy Parachute Team, Global Stars Aerobatics Display and Pony Mounted Games, plus much more. 

One of the nation’s favourite cookery writers and television presenters, Mary Berry CBE drew in the crowds over in Stoves Cookery Demonstration Theatre on Friday with her culinary delights. Over the weekend, the star-studded line up of top food celebrities continued with live demos and book signings from James Martin on Saturday and The Hairy Bikers on Sunday. Top local chefs also joined the bill including Chris Mapp, owner of the award-winning The Tickled Trout in Derbyshire, nutritionist Eva Humphries, and James Payne, head chef at Derbyshire’s Baslow Hall.

As honorary Country Fair President, TV presenter Julia Bradbury went about her duties greeting visitors, performers and exhibitors (including a book signing on her own Outdoor guide stand) throughout the weekend: “I was brought up in Sheffield so Chatsworth has been and is still very close to my heart. it’s a real honour to have attended the Show as President and see the best of the British countryside in the flesh!”

The Duke of Devonshire said: “The Country Fair is a highlight for everyone at Chatsworth and a much-loved event for so many people in Derbyshire and beyond. The Bolddog Lings motorcycle stunt team were both thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and we were delighted to welcome The Hairy Bikers here to make their debut in the Cookery Theatre.”

Dates for next year’s Chatsworth Country Fair have been confirmed as 4th, 5th and 6th September 2020.

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield hosts annual well dressing festival

Residents and visitors to Chesterfield can enjoy a Derbyshire tradition as the annual well dressing takes place.

The wells will be in place from Saturday 7 to Saturday 14 September.

The well dressing at the town pump in the market place, designed by Chesterfield Borough Council, will feature Beauty and the Beast and the one in the porch at St Mary and All Saints’ Church, designed by church members, will feature All Things Bright and Beautiful – the famous hymn written by Cecil Frances Alexander.

This year will also see a third well dressing designed by the Friends of Spital Cemetery and on display at the cemetery chapel which celebrates the work carried out in the cemetery to dedicate an area as a garden of remembrance for those left behind after the First World War.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Well dressing is an old Derbyshire tradition and each year, we receive hundreds of visitors to see the wells in place.

“It is a great opportunity to see the well dressings and support the shops and businesses in Chesterfield town centre.”

People can see the wells being dressed until Friday 6 September at the Pavements Shopping Centre in the mall from 9.30am to 4.30pm and at the ‘Crooked Spire’ church porch from 10am to 4pm.

There will be a blessing service at the church on Saturday 7 September at 10am followed by garland and Morris dancers in Rykneld Square from 10.30am.

Hallmark of Harmony and Sheffield Harmony will be performing a selection of songs from their repertoire on Saturday 7 September in the following locations:

  • 12.30pm to 12.50pm at Chesterfield Market Hall
  • 1.05pm to 1.25pm at the ‘Crooked Spire’ church
  • 1.50pm to 2.10pm at the Pavements Shopping Centre
  • 2.30pm to 2.50pm at Chesterfield Market Hall.

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

‘Eat, Drink, Explore’ Campaign celebrates food and drink in the Peak District

Fantastic food and drink is placed right at the heart of the local tourism offer in Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s exciting new campaign, launched  by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth Country Fair.

Celebrating the area’s diverse food and drink scene and the passionate people behind the products, the video features 20 local businesses and includes well-known faces from the food and drink industry, together with ambassadors for the area.

Additionally, Marketing Peak District & District has launched a fabulous food and drink guide providing visitors with inspiration and information on eating and drinking in the area.

Championing everything from exceptional eateries to unique delicacies such as Bakewell Pudding, the guide seeks to inspire visitors to sample local produce, explore more and uncover fascinating stories about the Peak District and Derbyshire’s passionate producers.

Click here to access the digital version of the Eat, Drink, Explore guide. which includes Richard Alsop from Chesterfield Champion’s Edge Events talking about his favorite food places in Chesterfield.

The brochure will be available free of charge at food and drink businesses, boutique accommodation providers and cultural hotspots across the area and in surrounding cities.

The ‘Eat, Drink, Explore Peak District & Derbyshire’ campaign will target food-lovers both locally, nationally and internationally, showcasing the area’s year-round culinary offering in a bid to drive overnight stays and extend the tourist season.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire, said: “We’re delighted to launch this exciting new campaign promoting the Peak District and Derbyshire as a one-of-a-kind culinary destination.

“From fine dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant to unique local delicacies, brilliant behind-the-scenes tours and fascinating foraging experiences, the Peak District and Derbyshire can cater for all tastes.

The Duke of Devonshire said: “As the most enthusiastic advocates of Derbyshire, we are delighted that Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire are championing the exceptional wealth of culinary talent that the region has on offer.

“We are incredibly lucky to have wonderful pubs, talented chefs, lots of loyal local farmers,  suppliers and producers for our restaurants and award-winning Farm Shop on the Chatsworth Estate – we are thrilled to be able to share these with an even wider audience.”

In October, Destination Chesterfield will announce the latest winners of the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards showcasing more of the wonderful businesses in the Peak District.

Find out more about the best places to eat and drink and the amazing food producers in Chesterfield

Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards

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

£79 million requested from government to deliver Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route

Derbyshire County Council’s Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route plans have been included in a priority list of road schemes for government funding by Sub-national Transport Body Midlands Connect, with a request for £79 million to deliver it.

The scheme is amongst 11 in the Midlands submitted to the Department for Transport, as part of a £3.5 billion fund available for local road improvements from 2020-2025.

The Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route will create a new 5.7km single carriageway connecting the A619 north of Chesterfield town centre to the A6192 and A619 at Staveley. It offers an alternative to the often congested A619, supporting new jobs and homes, providing new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, and making five regular bus services that use the existing A619 more reliable.

Midlands Connect was empowered by the Department for Transport (DfT) to work with the 22 councils in its partnership to identify priority schemes to improve local roads in the region. The fund covers upgrades to the Major Road Network (MRN), a new category of the busiest and most economically important local authority ‘A’ roads, and Large Local Majors (LLM) schemes, which focus on bigger upgrades to local roads and includes the Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route.

Following detailed consultation and a rigorous assessment, Midlands Connect has submitted 11 schemes to the DfT for consideration, in the East Midlands and West Midlands.

The total cost of the Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route is estimated at £93 million, including local contributions of £14 million. If successful, Derbyshire County Council would deliver the physical infrastructure required.

The total Midlands-wide funding request to the government is £596 million, with an additional £143 million to be funded locally.

Simon Statham, Midlands Connect’s head of technical programmes, said: “North Derbyshire has huge regeneration plans, including 5,700 jobs alone in the Staveley and Rother Valley Corridor Area Action Plan. This new route is critical to these developments, not to mention the proposed HS2 Infrastructure and Maintenance Depot at Staveley, another huge opportunity to create jobs.

“We are confident that we have provided all of the evidence the government needs to fund all 11 of our priority schemes in full, and we expect to be celebrating a £600 million investment in to the region to help our local authority partners get on and deliver this transformational programme of upgrades.”

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways said: “Unlocking economic growth and access to economic opportunities is a key priority for us and getting the right infrastructure in place is key to its delivery.

“This scheme would be a huge step towards major regeneration in the area, helping to bring much-needed jobs and reduce congestion on the existing road network which would further support local businesses to thrive in Derbyshire.”

Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, said: “I am urging the government to back this investment, which will support new homes and jobs at major development sites, including the HS2 Infrastructure and Maintenance Depot at Staveley. It will make a huge difference to the quality of life and economic prospects of the local community.

“This much-needed investment will reduce congestion on the A619 and make sure we have a resilient alternative to the M1 during incidents and events. I will continue to work with Midlands Connect to support the scheme’s delivery.”

Midlands Connect is encouraging the government to allocate funding for shortlisted schemes as soon as possible to ensure their smooth delivery.

Read the Major Road Network priority scheme submission to the Department for Transport summary report here.

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

Chesterfield Canal 2027 Restoration Appeal

The Chesterfield Canal Trust has launched a new appeal for funds to finish the restoration of the canal. Its last two appeals raised a combined total of over £100,000.

The Chesterfield Canal was completed in 1777. The Trust is aiming to complete the last nine miles of restoration by 2027 which is the 250th Anniversary of that great event. All the money donated will go directly towards to costs of restoring the canal.

There are six ways to contribute:

  • One-off Donation, which can be done by cash, cheque or online.
  • Monthly payment, which can be done by Standing Order.
  • Certificated Donation, which is for larger donations, which will be acknowledged by a formal certificate. There are four levels – Silver (£100), Gold (£500), Platinum (£1,000) and Diamond (£5,000).
  • Legacy – increasing numbers of supporters are leaving legacies in their wills.
  • Major item sponsorship – this could be major pieces of infrastructure such as lock gates, footbridges or lengths of towpath.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility – the Trust is very happy to discuss opportunities with both public and private sector organisations.

Full details are available on the Trust’s website – search for Chesterfield Canal Trust.

In 1989, the twenty miles of canal from Worksop to Chesterfield were derelict. Since then, 12 miles have been restored along with 37 locks, 11 major road bridges and 2 marinas. The Trust is finalising plans for the restoration of the remaining section between Staveley and Kiveton Park.

Between 1996 and 2003 a new marina was built at Shireoaks and the restoration of 6 miles of canal, several bridges and 31 locks extended the head of navigation from Worksop to the Norwood Tunnel.

At the isolated western end, five miles and five locks from Chesterfield to Mill Green were made navigable between 1990 and 2002. Staveley Town Basin was opened in 2012, the new Staveley Town Lock was opened in 2016 and Hartington Harbour was first put into water in 2018. Much of this work was done by volunteers.

A new terminal basin is the centrepiece of the £350 million Chesterfield Waterside complex currently under construction.

The Chesterfield Canal Trust has recently appointed a full-time Development Manager, George Rogers (right), who is working with partners, including the Canal & River Trust and Derbyshire County Council, to realise the Trust’s bold ambitions for 2027.

The Trust’s Restoration Committee Chair, Mark Potter, said: “These are very exciting times for the Chesterfield Canal. We hope that the public will respond generously to our new appeal, as they have in the past, so that we can realise our dream of the canal being fully restored by its 250th Anniversary in 2027.”

Chesterfield Canal Trust talk Winding Wheel

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure, Visiting

Vicar Lane charity draw raises £376 for The Pilgrim Bandits

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is thrilled to announce that their draw in aid of The Pilgrim Bandits held on Sunday 18th August raised an impressive £376.25 for the charity.

The draw, which saw tickets for a unique chair, upholstered in a replica of the uniform of Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson MBE and sold via Total Giving for just £5 per ticket, took place during the Chesterfield Motor Fest. The lucky winner was thrilled with their win but has decided to pay it forward by donating it back to Ben’s charity – ‘Ben’s Challenge’. Ben and his friend Roberta were also collecting for Ben’s Challenge throughout the day.

A second chair was presented to Ben Parkinson himself, as a token of the Centre’s appreciation and to honour him for his achievements, sacrifice and service to our country.

A surprised Ben said: “I’m overwhelmed by the chair and the generosity of Chesterfield people. My chair will take pride of place in my front room.”

Vicar Lane went on to present a further two items – one, a framed montage for Ben’s mother, Diane Dernie, who was unable to attend due to ill health. The montage includes a description that reads:

“I am a soldier but not in a war

I never shot a gun or seen all the gore.

But I go into battle each and every day

from my intended purpose I shall not stray.

There are people who need me, this I know

and from this experience I will grow.

If the truth be told, I’ll say it first

I need them more, It’s them I thirst.

They don’t always like what I have to do

in time though, I think they’ll gain a clue.

It does get tough, I will not lie.

Sometimes it’s easy to just stop and cry.

Am I a soldier? Yes! You can call me that.

But you’ll never see me in straight combat.

Those who know me call me by another.

What was that word? o’h yes, it was mother.”

The second framed montage was presented to Ben’s best friend Roberta Drewitt, who has been raising funds for Ben’s Challenge.

The inscription reads:

“We few. We happy few.

We band of brothers, for he today

That sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother.”

Roberta was overwhelmed by this gift as it was one with very personal meaning. Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane will go to Ben’s home to present the frame to his mum at a later date.

Roberta said: “I cannot believe this I’m sat here smiling so hard. Ben and I are overwhelmed at the support we received on Sunday 18th August at Vicar Lane. We had an amazing time meeting and chatting to the people of Chesterfield. We raised just over £1700 for our charity ‘Ben’s Challenge’ which is just fantastic. We were very surprised that the winner of Ben’s chair has re-donated back to us and cannot express our appreciation and gratitude to them. Ben has decided to auction the chair off at one of our charity events at the end of this year and all monies raised will be donated to Bens Challenge on behalf of the kind people of Chesterfield. Thank you all.”

The draw was a fantastic way for members of the public to show their support for a cause that does so much to help those who make such great sacrifices to serve and protect our country and for one lucky individual to walk away with a unique, statement piece of furniture for their home that is sure to be a talking point for years to come.

The Chesterfield Motor Fest was a hugely popular event, with lots of people visiting Chesterfield to see the cars, enjoy luxury car rides, enjoy live music and explore the many stalls on offer.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane said, “We’re really impressed by the generosity of the people of Chesterfield in our charity draw. The popularity of the event is testament to the appreciation of the people of Chesterfield for the likes of Ben, who sacrifice so much.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure

Brampton Brewery wins multiple awards at SIBA Midlands Region Independent Beer Awards 2019

Chesterfield Champions Brampton Brewery took home 2 Gold Medals, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze across multiple categories in both Cask and Bottle at the SIBA Midlands Region Independent Beer Awards, which took place at Peterborough Beer Festival.

The winning beers are listed as follows :

Menin Gate 7.4% – won Gold in the bottled Strong Beers category, and is a premium Belgian Dubbel style ale.

Speciale 5.8% – won Gold in the bottled IPA category, and is a true English style IPA.

Tudor Rose 4.6% – won Silver in the bottled Premium Pale Ales category, and is a hoppy, refreshing pale ale.

Wasp Nest 5.0% – won Silver in the bottled Premium Bitters category, and is a true English Best Bitter.

Impy Dark 4.3% – won Silver in the bottled Dark Beers category, and it a traditional dark mild ale.

Brampton Best 4.2% – won Bronze in cask Best Bitters category, and is a quintessentially British Best Bitter.

Ian Fozard, SIBA Chairman said: “Judges had a tough job separating the pack as the standard was extremely high once again. The winners from the SIBA competition are officially the best independent craft beers in the UK, something brewers should be extremely proud of.”

The SIBA Midlands Region Beer Awards judged a huge range of beers across a number of styles in separate cask and bottle & can competitions. As the awards are judged mostly by brewers, industry experts and beer journalists the SIBA Independent Beer Awards are very much seen as the prestigious ‘Brewers’ choice Awards’ by the industry.  In total the Midlands Region supplied 177 different cask ales and 107 beers in bottle or can which were all judged on the day.

Brampton Brewery Managing Director Chris Radford had this to say on their win: “It’s another fantastic achievement for us and testament to the dedication and hard work of all the team we have at Brampton Brewery. Winning awards is not necessarily what it’s all about, but it’s always better to be winning them, than not. It feels particularly special to win here – your peers, industry experts – there’s no higher compliment. We had a great year last year too, but we’ll do what we do – get our heads down and go again.”

Brampton Brewery were formed in 2007, bringing the fine art of craft brewing back to Brampton, Chesterfield for the first time in over 50 years, and resurrecting a once-proud name that brewed successfully in Chesterfield for around 180 years.  They now operate 3 tied houses – Rose & Crown and Tramway Tavern on Brampton and The Glassworks on Whittington Moor – and a specialist off-licence at the brewery site on Chatsworth Road.

Brampton Brewery’s Head Brewer, Eve Clarke, is presented with one of the brewery’s Gold Medals at the recent SIBA Midland Beer Competition.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure

European Funding set to boost tourism industry in Peak District & Derbyshire

The tourism industry in the Peak District and Derbyshire is set for a significant boost after the area’s official tourist board secured a further £1.2million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) extending their current business support programme until 2022.

Following the success of the ‘Growing and Developing the Visitor Economy Within Derbyshire’ project (Phase 1), which ran from 2016 to 2019 and delivered £1.3million of business support to over 700 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the area, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has obtained an extension of ERDF funding.

200 visitor economy businesses are expected to benefit from this phase of the project, which will be launched in the coming months and will run until March 2022.

Called ‘Delivering a World Class Visitor Economy Within Derbyshire’, the project aims to improve the quality and increase the profitability of visitor economy businesses in the area through a programme of business support workshops, networking opportunities and a series of small grants ranging from £1,000 to £10,000.

In delivering this project, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire will continue to be supported by Derbyshire County Council, the Peak District National Park Authority, Derbyshire Dales District Council, High Peak Borough Council and University of Derby.

Key themes will include workforce development, extending the tourist season, international tourism, accessible tourism and green tourism – with the overall aim of supporting businesses in the visitor economy to grow in regional, national and international markets.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “Following the success of Phase 1 of our ‘Growing and Developing the Visitor Economy Within Derbyshire’ project, we are looking forward to working closely with our partners over the next three years to achieve more great benefits for the local economy in Phase 2.”

“The Peak District and Derbyshire’s valuable tourism industry is worth over £2.15 billion, attracting 40.45 million visitors each year and supporting over 28,000 jobs.”

“The aims of the project are to drive up the quality and profitability of visitor economy businesses in the area, make the most of emerging international opportunities, and support small to medium-sized businesses though initiatives specifically geared to create more prosperity in this valuable industry.”

Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said: “Supporting local businesses to start, thrive and survive is one of our key priorities.”

“This funding is enormously valuable and will help provide much needed, tailor-made business support to the tourism sector in Derbyshire. It will also support our wider efforts to create more jobs, encourage visitors to stay longer and maintain our county’s reputation as a national and international tourist destination.”

Brendan Moffett, Director of the University of Derby’s Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism, said: “Tourism is an essential part of the local economy and this valuable ERDF funding will ensure that tourism businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire can continue to grow and thrive.”

“Together with the announcement of the Tourism Sector Deal in June, which identified tourism as a leading industry for the Government’s future economic planning, it signals a bright future ahead for the tourism industry.”

Image credit: Visit Peak District & Derbyshire

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