Leisure

Successful Opening for new Designer Menswear Store

24th March 2016

Local lads from Chesterfield have secured a place in UK fashion history this month when they opened their new designer store doors last weekend on Chesterfields high street, becoming the only stockist outside of London to sell famous fashion designer Joshua Kane tailoring.

The Chesterfield-born brothers, George and Joe Ward, have been rubbing shoulders with some of the most famous fashion brands to secure this exclusive contract, as well as several other fashion designers including Hackett, 7 for all Mankind and local clothing manufacturers Smedley’s, who will be providing their excellent range of casual t-shirts, cardigans and jumpers – all made just down the road.

“Our little medieval town has a lot going for it, from our famous spire attracting tourists to our booming nightlife and shopping – being ‘born and bred’ here, there was no better location for our new store than the town centre. We named the store ‘Weekend Menswear’, after all it has everything a guy needs, ready for the weekend or night on the town” says George.

“Our opening last weekend was a fantastic success, we met hundreds of local people and some even travelling from further afield to come celebrate with us and take a look at our ranges; we were surprised how much we sold just on opening weekend – this clearly shows a desire for men of Chesterfield and surrounding areas to look good, which reiterates we’ve pitched the business at the right point and market”

London is well renowned as the most fashionable city in the world – yet, with the launch of Weekend Menswear in Chesterfield, that title could be up for the taking…

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure, Visiting

Chatsworth opens for exciting new season

23rd March 2016

Chatsworth House, Garden and Farmyard has opened for Easter ready for another great year of events with plenty of entertainment for all the family to enjoy from The Dodson & Horrell International Horse Trials to the Chatsworth Country Fair.

Exhibitions this season include the ‘bringing home’ of Dan Pearson’s award winning Chelsea Flower Show garden and a fascinating glimpse into the glittering social circle of Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire through a rare collection of photos by Cecil Beaton.

Chatsworth will celebrate the Grand Tour through the eyes and collection of the Devonshire Family with an exhibition including an evocative collection of drawings by Sebastian Vrancx, previously unseen at Chatsworth, as well as the final phase of Chatsworth’s momentous £32.7million Masterplan restoration project.

The Duke of Devonshire said: “2016 is set to be another remarkable year at Chatsworth, with exciting developments across the house and garden to enjoy. We’re delighted to present the rejuvenated Trout stream where features from the award winning RHS Chelsea Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth garden have been installed and planted under the direction of Dan Pearson.

“Whether it’s to admire the splendour of the house, explore the garden, meet the animals in the farmyard, enjoy afternoon tea and shopping in the stables, we always look forward to welcoming visitors for the new season.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Welcome Jeff Stelling to the Proact

22nd March 2016

The latest international to be staged at the Proact Stadium takes place when England U17s face their Turkish counterparts on Thursday evening.

Fans are encouraged to welcome Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, who will be arriving at the Proact at around 5pm as part of his charity walk. Jeff, who hosts Soccer Saturday, is walking from Hartlepool United to Wembley Stadium in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.

Spireites representatives Chris Turner, Kevin Fitzgerald, Bob Newton and Nick Johnson will join Jeff on the walk from Rotherham United’s New York Stadium to the Proact via Hillsborough and Bramall Lane. Jeff will be interviewed by Nick at pitch-side before kick-off.

Admission to the game, which kicks off at 7pm, costs just £3 for adults and £1.50 for concessions. Tickets can be purchased by phoning 01246 269300, emailing tickets@chesterfield-fc.co.uk, or calling in at the ticket office at the Proact. They will also be available on the night.

More information about the England U17s v Turkey U17s match can be found here.

To make a donation to the fundraising effort, please visit www.justgiving.com/Chesterfield-FC

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

New parking rate to attract shoppers to Chesterfield

18th March 2016

Shoppers will be able to park at a reduced rate of £3 for three hours – equivalent to £1 an hour – in all Chesterfield Borough Council-run car parks from 1 April.

The rate is part of a move to standardise charges across different car parks with the aim of attracting drivers to stay in the town for longer to go shopping or do business.

It previously cost between £3.30 and £3.90 to park for three hours, depending on the car park used. Most car parks will also see reductions in the cost of parking for four hours with a new standard rate of £4.30 replacing charges that varied between £4.30 and £5.20.

Parking for up to two hours will remain the same in the most popular car parks – Soresby Street, Rose Hill and Holywell Cross – but increase in others to a consistent rate across the town.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said:

“Shoppers have told us that they want to spend longer in town at a reasonable rate and the introduction of the new £3 for three hours rate in all council run car parks enables us to deliver that.

“In addition we offer a range of permits that enable commuters or daily shoppers to park for less. Depending on the permit chosen these can work out at an average of £2.30 for a whole day’s parking.

“In the past we had different charges for car parks depending on how far away from the town centre they were. To simplify things for customers we have now designated car parks as either short stay or long stay and standardised charges across them.

“This is on top of the residents’ free parking scheme that lets people who live in the borough of Chesterfield to park without charge before 10am or after 3pm Mondays to Saturdays and all day on Sundays and bank holidays at the car parks named on the back of their free parking permit.”

From 1 April all Chesterfield Borough Council-run car parks will charge:

• 70p – for up to 30 minutes
• £1.30 – for up to an hour
• £2.60 – for up to two hours
• £3 – for up to three hours
• £4.30 – for up to four hours

Above four hours it will cost a flat rate of £5 in long stay car parks and an extra £1.30 per hour in short stay car parks.
The following car parks will be short stay car parks: Holywell Cross, Rose Hill, Soresby Street, and St Mary’s Gate.

Long stay car parks will be: Albion Road, Derbyshire Times, Devonshire Street, Durrant Road, Hollis Lane, New Beetwell Street multi-storey car park, Saltergate multi-storey car park, Spa Lane, Station Road, Queen’s Park Annexe, Queen’s Park North, Queen’s Park South, Theatre Lane and West Street.

The price of parking permits have also been standardised across council long stay car parks, except for multi-storey car parks.

They are now:
• £60 a month – which works out at approximately £2.50 a day if used 25 times in a month or
• £600 a year – which works out at approximately £2.30 a day if used on weekdays throughout the year.

Scratch card prices have also been standardised. They can be bought in blocks of five and cost a flat rate of £3.50 a day in all long stay car parks, except for multi-storey car parks, which require a separate pass.

Anyone wanting to buy a parking permit or scratch card can ring 01246 345593 or email parking.services@chesterfield.gov.uk Scratch cards are also available from the Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre in Rykneld Square.

Chesterfield Borough Council is not responsible for running all car park areas in the town. Some car parks are privately owned, while on-street car parking charges are set by Derbyshire County Council. These organisations set the charges for these parking areas.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Custom Solar to Sponsor Chesterfield Festival of Cricket

16th March 2016

The Chesterfield-based renewable energy company, who recently installed over 500 solar panels at The 3aaa County Ground, has thrown its support behind the six-day festival, which starts on Sunday 3 July.

The action-packed festival features two NatWest T20 Blast fixtures, against Northants Steelbacks and local rivals Yorkshire Vikings – which sold out in advance in 2015 – on consecutive Sundays, and a Specsavers County Championship fixture versus Northamptonshire which begins on Monday 4 July.

The Custom Solar Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, held in association with Chesterfield Borough Council, will represent the fourth successive year that title sponsorship has been attributed to a commercial partner for the annual event.

Custom Solar Director, Matthew Brailsford said: “To sponsor the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket is an exciting prospect. As a local Chesterfield business we remain active across the region and where possible support events that raise the profile of the town and county. To do this in partnership with one of our flagship clients is ideal for us.

“We will utilise the event to continue spreading the word of renewable energy and to show our continued support for local sport, both of which make us incredibly proud.”

Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chief Executive, Simon Storey added: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership and to have Custom Solar as our principal festival sponsors for the next three years.

“The Chesterfield Festival is always one of the highlights of the summer and we are looking forward to another fantastic week of cricket.”

Custom Solar Chesterfield Festival of Cricket 2016
NatWest T20 Blast
Derbyshire Falcons vs Northants Steelbacks
Sunday 3 July; 2.30pm
Specsavers County Championship
Derbyshire vs Northamptonshire
Monday 6 July to Thursday 9 July; 11am

NatWest T20 Blast
Derbyshire Falcons vs Yorkshire Vikings
Sunday 10 July; 2.30pm

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure, Summer

Campaign launched to attract more visitors to Peak District & Derbyshire

16th March 2016

Young, hard-working professionals are being encouraged to escape to the beautiful Peak District to recharge their batteries and experience new adventures in a new campaign launched by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

‘The Land to Forget Time’ was revealed to unsuspecting shoppers at Birmingham’s Bullring on Saturday as a young, innocent bystander hit a flashing escape button before entering an Escape Pod and, just minutes later, re-appeared carrying a mountain bike over his shoulder looking blown away by a recent adrenaline-fuelled experience of bombing down some of the best mountain biking trails in the country. The audience watched in awe as TV and video screens suddenly flashed on, revealing a short captured moment of a mountain biking experience viewed from the riders’ handle bars!

This was just one of three fun social media flash events designed to gather audiences, connecting them together and encouraging them to participate by sharing the experience with others through social media.

The pace slowed down on Sunday when the adrenaline-charged Escape Pod was re-introduced as the ‘Recharge Pod’. Shoppers were invited to inhale the fresh air offered by the Peak District and Derbyshire and even getting a taste of it from the oxygen bar, whilst enjoying a complimentary head and shoulder massage, before being handed a goody bag full of exclusive offers and a few extra surprises.

Following on from this event, both Manchester and Birmingham commuters will be wowed by billboards and mega bus rears portraying some of the iconic attractions and things to do in the Peak District and Derbyshire. Online and printed coverage delivered by the Guardian and a well-planned social media strategy will make sure this campaign drives up a successful return on investment.

“This campaign is very exciting and has really captured the imagination of our partners with many helping to fund it. We have every confidence this campaign will capture the imagination of our target audience, and successfully influence their ideas for a short break. We want to encourage people to help us breathe real life into the campaign by taking their own short videos and GoPro films that capture ‘moments’ in time”, said Jo Dilley, Managing Director, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

“Historically the area has always performed well in attracting families and over 50s – but this campaign has been carefully crafted to widen that reach by appealing to a young ‘hip’ urban audience, the results being twofold with the campaign attracting new additional visitors, increasing spend and boosting both the local and regional economy.”

‘The Land to Forget Time’ graphic is based on a photograph taken by Dronfield-based Mark Henson, one of Experience Peak District & Derbyshire’s Destination Partner Photographers.

To have your opportunity to get involved with this campaign simply take your own short video or GoPro film of your ‘moment’ in the Peak District and Derbyshire and upload it at www.thelandtoforgettime.co.uk for the chance to win a prize worth in excess of £2,000!

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

Fun and games at Chatsworth this Easter

15th March 2016

Huge Easter egg hunts, Eggspress Trailer rides, and hands-on spring activities are just some of the treats in store for those who visit Chatsworth this Easter as the estate opens up this weekend for the new season.

Spread across the house, garden and farmyard, there’s something for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Golden egg hunts take place in the garden every day during the school holidays and there will be animal sessions in the farmyard where visitors can see new-born lambs and chicks, and there’s a chance to get involved in the guinea pig village during animal handling sessions.

Visitors can take a ride on the Easter Eggspress trailer ride through the park to try and spot the Easter bunny every day of the Easter weekend (25 – 28 March). Other activities on offer include face painting, which will take place at Flora’s temple, with entertainment coming from a vintage barrel organ.

There will also be a new outdoor family event on 31 March. Families will need to use teamwork and imagination to build a den using natural materials found in Stand wood. Children will also build a bug hotel to take home for the garden. The Family wildtime event takes place at the Stickyard outdoor education centre. Tickets are £14 per child and £15 per adult and include admission to the garden on the day.

Chatsworth re-opens after the winter break for the new 2016 season on 19 March 2016.

For more ideas for the Easter holidays click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Primary Dance Festival wows sell-out crowds

15th March 2016

Local parents and families were treated to a variety of carefully choreographed routines from nearly 30 schools at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership’s eighth annual Primary Dance Festival.

Due to the popularity of the event, the festival was held over two days for the first time with over 1000 people attending over the four sessions held on 8th and 9th March.

With the 2016 Olympics around the corner, this year’s theme was ‘Rio 2016 Carnival’ and each school embraced it by dressing up in masks and bright clothing, playing drums and getting into the carnival spirit. There were many highlights, including Spire Junior School’s use of a large Brazilian flag as part of their energetic dance. Poolsbrook Primary also involved the majority of their school by bringing a samba band to play before the dance.

Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, said: “The primary dance platform provides an opportunity for every young person to perform and showcase their personal best. It takes a huge amount of courage and determination to take the steps onto the stage and perform, and to see the self-confidence, pride and smiles as they leave the stage is why we do it.

“Our dance festival is a long-standing annual event and to see it grow over the past few years, to run over two days with four performances is testament to the support of the primary schools across Chesterfield and to the hard work of teachers and parents.”

Zoe, a dancer from Hollingwood, said: “My favourite part was dancing on the stage.”

Her classmate Tilly added: “I enjoyed watching everyone else” and Abigail said: “We’ve practiced really hard every dinner time and after school too.”

Larissa and Abbie, pupils at Brimington Junior, were delighted after their performance. Abbie said: “It took about ten weeks of practice to get the performance ready and the lifts. Everyone was brilliant.”

Larissa added: “Everyone was so colourful and when all the schools were downstairs it looked like a carnival coming together. I liked everyone’s dances and couldn’t choose a favourite.”

Miss Bailey, of Cutthorpe Primary, whose solely boys group opened the final session, said: “It was a really nice event, always fantastic. It’s been so colourful as well. The boys have been coming up with their own ideas for the dance and really got into it – they were brilliant.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

Coalite redevelopment moves a step closer

14th March 2016

Plans to redevelop the former Coalite site could soon become a reality now measures to bring it back into use are gathering pace.

The 140 acre site, which lies partly in North East Derbyshire District and partly in Bolsover District, has already been granted planning permission for employment use by Bolsover District Council.

A further application for up to 660 houses, a school and a neighbourhood centre is due to be considered by North East Derbyshire District Council in the coming weeks.

And now Derbyshire County Council has given the project a further boost by agreeing to look at potential funding to help kick start the long-awaited regeneration of the site which has remained derelict since the Coalite coking works closed down more than 12 years ago.

If planning permission is granted for the ambitious plans drawn-up by Bolsover Land Ltd, a joint venture between Marcol and St Francis Group, work will first be needed to clear up a number of contaminants on the land − and we’ve offered to help.

Derbyshire County Council Leader, Councillor Anne Western said:

“The Coalite site has been an eye sore for many years since the plant closed down but it has massive potential to help regenerate the area.

“We’re using our experience and expertise in successfully developing the former colliery site at Markham Vale to support Bolsover District Council, North East Derbyshire District Council and developers Bolsover Land Ltd in their proposals to develop Coalite for jobs and housing.

“We all want to see the site properly cleaned-up and we’re taking bold steps and exploring funding options to help pave the way for redevelopment.”

Councillor Ann Syrett, Leader of Bolsover District Council, said:

“The regeneration of Coalite has been a long-standing priority for the council and the people of Bolsover and we welcome the involvement of the county council to help make this development a reality.”

Councillor Graham Baxter MBE, Leader of North East Derbyshire District Council, added:

“We’ve been working closely with all the partners concerned to make sure the whole of the Coalite site is redeveloped. We’re determined to see high quality jobs and houses on the site and this commitment from the county council to work in partnership with us to clean up the land is a major step in the right direction.”

Derbyshire County Council is due to meet with Bolsover Land Ltd over the coming weeks to discuss funding options.

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

Play on the Proact pitch

11th March 2016

Businesses, local football clubs and individuals are being given the opportunity to play on the pitch at Chesterfield Football Club.

The Spireites are now taking bookings to give fans the chance to experience what it’s like to be a professional footballer.

From corporate events and inter-company matches with colleagues, to charity events, or even a game between friends who fancy an upgrade on a public park, the Proact Stadium will be available on the following dates:

May 17 – 7pm kick-off
May 18 – 7pm kick-off
May 19 – 7pm kick-off
May 24 – 7pm kick-off

One of the first businesses to take part will be the Proact themselves, based in Chesterfield, following their participation last year.

Each organisation that books will get the chance of a 90-minute, 11-a-side game, including full use of the stadium’s playing facilities, from the dressing room to the players’ tunnel.

A match co-ordinator and referee will be provided by the club and entry to the Proact Stadium will be free for spectators, with each business that signs up given two complimentary footballs to use during the game – and keep as a souvenir.

The cost to ‘Play at the Proact’ is just £1,750 per time slot. Playing slots are limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis, with a maximum of 16 players per squad, and a non-refundable deposit of £300 is required to confirm the booking. The full balance is due 30 days before the game.

To book, please contact Janice Kew on 01246 269300 (ext 4153) or email janicekew@chesterfield-fc.co.uk.

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

Harry Ramsden’s comes to Chesterfield

11th March 2016

World-famous fish and chip restaurant, Harry Ramsden’s is preparing to open in a Chesterfield pub next week.

Making an entrance into the licensed trade sector, the iconic British brand will launch at the Wingerworth on Derby Road on Tuesday 15 March.

Harry Ramsden’s at the Wingerworth will feature an updated interior design popular with families, at the same time as retaining the pub’s local identity and remaining true to its own heritage.

Joe Teixeira, CEO of Harry Ramsden’s comments:-

“We relish this opportunity to enter into a new market and the great location, surroundings and reputation enjoyed by the Wingerworth Pub and Kitchen make Chesterfield the ideal place from which to unveil our newest model and further extend the modern day face of Harry’s to a new generation of customers.”

This latest opening comes as a result of its partnership with Punch Taverns and the Harry Ramsden’s team will manage of all aspects of the outlet’s day to day operation serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting