Visiting

Historic Pub Tour launched in Chesterfield

A new attraction launches in Chesterfield at the end of June. The Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour features 8 of the town centre public houses and the town’s historic sites along the way.

Taking place every Saturday from 12:00 noon, at the Pig And Pump on St Mary’s Gate, (formerly the White Swan), this walking tour takes 4 hours.    

Launching on the 29th of June and running until the end of August, the tour costs just £5 per person, which can be paid in cash to the tour guide on the day as booking is not required.

“I am hoping to attract visitors from far and wide”, said the Tour’s Creator, Shaun Stevenson. “There is a great deal of interesting history behind many of the pubs in Chesterfield, and I want this Tour to be both enlightening and fun”.

A guidebook, which contains much of the historical information, directions and also an observational quiz, is currently being put together, with the help of local historian, Janet Murphy. The guidebook will be available to purchase from the Tourist Information Centre, and at each of the venues from August.

Shaun is hoping to attract local people interested in the history of Chesterfield through the summer and is also marketing the tour to coach companies.

Pig and Pump

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield Museum wins award for the Trench Experience

Chesterfield Museum has won an award for its interactive display which commemorated the centenary of the end of the First World War.

The Trench Experience Exhibition, which ran from 12 October to 19 January at the popular Chesterfield Borough Council run attraction on St Mary’s Gate, received the award for enterprise and innovation at the recent Derbyshire Heritage Awards.

The awards, run by the Derbyshire Museums and Heritage Forum, celebrate the work taking place in museums and heritage organisations across the county.

Part of the museum’s art gallery was transformed into a section of a trench like those on the Western Front in France and Belgium from 1914 to 1918. Sights, sounds and smells were included to give visitors a good idea of a soldier’s life during the conflict.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “I am extremely proud of the hard work carried out by staff and volunteers at the museum to make this possible. It is great to see them recognised by the county for their innovative approach to marking the First World War.”

The exhibition was supported by many local organisations and was funded by Chesterfield Borough Council, a £1,500 grant from Museum Development East Midlands and donations from the many visitors to the Museum over the year.

The Trench Experience exhibition was extremely popular with both local people and visitors. The museum saw a 36 per cent increase in visitors while the exhibition was on show.

Chesterfield Museum is open each Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free. For information on the current exhibitions, visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/museum.

The Trench Experience

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Vicar Lane reveals community hero in their midst

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is proud to reveal the identity of an as yet, unsung hero who has been working under the cover of darkness to help local charities over the last 18 years.

Ken Harper is the centre’s Night Security Officer and, while undertaking his duties and nightly patrols of the centre, he collects the small denominations of change discarded by shoppers throughout the day, collecting them up to make a monthly donation to charity. Over the past 18 years Ken has donated this ‘loose change’ to charities including Hospices and St. John Ambulance and, most recently to Cancer Research and McMillan Cancer Support.

Each year, for the least 18 years, Ken has collected between £150-£190, donating over £1,000 in total to a variety of local charities, proudly pinning the monthly paying-in slip on the team notice board for all to see.

To explain, Ken says, “I thought this was a good way of helping these charities out. Not only do I collect the coins that have been discarded, but I also receive change that has been saved by the on-site cleaning, security and management teams, who bring it in and add it to the pot – it’s a real team effort. The charities I donate to are worthy causes that are dear to my heart.”

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said: “For one individual to demonstrate such community spirit over all these years is incredible. Ken is an inspiration to the Vicar Lane team and wider community and we’re proud to have him as a long standing member of our team.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Leisure, Visiting

Extensive developments begin at Hotel Van Dyk

An extensive two-million-pound development is well underway at Hotel Van Dyk on Worksop Road, Chesterfield.

An entirely new state-of-the-art hotel is in the process of being built at the venue that will house over fifty new bedrooms, a luxury spa, new restaurant and additional wedding, meeting and conferencing facilities.

The new hotel, which will be located next to the existing building, will see Van Dyk significantly boost the local economy by employing over one hundred new staff in a variety of positions.

The development is set to make Van Dyk the premier location within Chesterfield for accommodation, food and drink, weddings and conferences.

Building work at the site began in March and is expected to be completed by the end of November.

Marc Wildes, Managing Director at Van Dyk, said: “We’re all really excited with how it’s coming together, not long ago it was all just a plan. To see it start to take shape is amazing.”

“I’m so proud to be able to offer a venue like this to the people of Chesterfield, we wanted to put something together that ticked all the boxes. I can’t wait for everyone to see it when it officially opens.”

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

Chesterfield Town Centre Car Boot Approved

Plans for Chesterfield’s Sunday morning car boot to move to Chesterfield town centre have been approved by Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee.

At their meeting yesterday, members of the planning committee agreed to the move of the weekly council-run car boot sale, which is currently held at the Proact Stadium, to Rose Hill car park from July.

The last car boot sale at the Proact Stadium is due to be held on Sunday 14 July with the first one anticipated to take place at Rose Hill car park, behind the Town Hall from Sunday 21 July.

The car park will close each Sunday morning for the car boot sale to take place from 8am to 1pm with access for traders from 7am.

Plans have been put in place for traders arriving early to wait on Rose Hill to prevent disruption for residents on nearby streets.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy said: “It’s exciting to see the car boot sale move to the town centre.

“We have kept existing traders informed of the plans and we look forward to welcoming traders old and new as well as new customers to the car boot sale at Rose Hill car park from July.”

Chesterfield borough residents can use their free parking pass to park for free in nearby surface car parks including: Albion Road and Holywell Cross (Donut) car parks.

Additional free parking for residents is available at: Derbyshire Times, Devonshire Street, Durrant Road, Hollis Lane (excluding on-street bays), Queens Park (North and South), Spa Lane, Station Road, St Mary’s Gate and Theatre Lane car parks.

Any new traders looking to stand at the car boot sale at Rose Hill car park should contact the council’s markets team by calling (01246) 345999 or email markets@chesterfield.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Exhibition of Chatsworth treasures in New York could boost U.S. visitors to Peak District and Derbyshire

The Peak District and Derbyshire could look forward to a rise in visits from the US as a prestigious exhibition of art and objects from Chatsworth launches at Sotheby’s in New York.

Free of charge and open to the public from 28 June – 18 September 2019, Treasures from Chatsworth: The Exhibition, offers a rare chance to view the legendary Devonshire Collection in the US.

As well as offering a showcase to some of the Derbyshire stately home’s most famous treasures, it is hoped the exhibition will inspire more US tourists to book a trip to the Peak District and Derbyshire – discovering the area’s vibrant cultural scene in the process.

Treasures from Chatsworth will feature over 40 masterworks including fine art, decorative objects, furniture, jewellery, clothing and archival materials from the Devonshire Collection – widely celebrated as one of the most significant art collections in Europe. All objects have been accumulated over 500 years by the Cavendish family, and held at Chatsworth near Bakewell.

Research from VisitBritain shows that the UK’s culture and heritage is a huge draw for overseas visitors – with more than £8 billion spent annually by international tourists who visit castles/historic houses in the UK (based on 2016 figures).

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official tourist board, says the exhibition will help to raise awareness of the area’s rich cultural heritage, which ranges from stately homes such as Chatsworth, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, to a vibrant arts scene and sites of worldwide historical importance, such as the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

The US is the UK’s most valuable inbound visitor market for tourism spend, with US visitors spending a record £3.6 billion across the UK in 2017, up 9% on the previous year. Visits from the US grew 13% to 3.9 million in the same period.

The US also ranked the UK second out of 50 nations for its overall brand in the 2018 Anholt Nation Brands Index, up one place on 2017 and equalling its highest ranking ever.

Tourism’s value to the Peak District and Derbyshire economy was worth £2.15 billion in 2017, supporting 28,630 full-time jobs with 40.45 million visitors travelling to the area in the same period.*

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said:  “Promoting the Peak District and Derbyshire on a global scale is at the heart of our work, so it is fantastic news that items from Chatsworth’s prestigious Devonshire Collection will be exhibited in New York this summer.

“Boosting visitor numbers and increasing visitor spend is paramount in ensuring that the local economy can reap the benefits of tourism, and the Treasures from Chatsworth exhibition will serve as a great international showcase for the area’s rich cultural heritage.

“Chatsworth is one of the UK’s leading stately homes and we hope the exhibition will inspire more US visitors to add Chatsworth, and the wider Peak District and Derbyshire area, to their must-visit list.’

Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism, Councillor Barry Lewis, said: “Promoting Derbyshire as a global cultural and tourist destination is one of our top priorities and Chatsworth is one of the jewels in Derbyshire’s crown, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to our county each year.

“So we’re thrilled to hear some of the estate’s treasures will be showcased in New York and hope it will whet the appetite of American tourists who will be encouraged to visit Derbyshire and see all our beautiful county has to offer for themselves.”

Gavin Landry, VisitBritain Director of the Americas, said: “It is great to have this exhibition come to the US and shine a spotlight on the cultural draw of the Peak District and Derbyshire, inspiring Americans to travel to Britain.

“Our research shows that many US visitors are motivated to travel to Britain due to our history and heritage and this exhibition is sure to get more Americans to experience the delights of Chatsworth and the surrounding area and extend their stay.”

Images: Chatsworth House Trust

The Painted Hall at Chatsworth (credit Chatsworth House Trust)

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

Events aimed at ambitious writers and keen readers

Arts Derbyshire has been awarded £14,950 from Arts Council England to run a project for writers and readers.

The project, called Writing Ambitions: Commissioning, is a partnership between Festivity, Writing East Midlands, Junction Arts and Derbyshire County Council.

It will commission five writers to work with a Derbyshire-based arts festival during 2020 to produce and perform pieces of writing in the local community.

All of the festivals selected are members of Festivity, which is the arts festival forum for Derbyshire, and a part of Arts Derbyshire. It includes:
•Tapton Lock Festival in Chesterfield
•Melbourne Festival
•Erewash Festival of Light
•New Mills Festival
•Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Discovery Days Festival

Each writer will also have the opportunity to collaborate with a local Derbyshire library.

A networking and information day will launch the project this autumn.

The writers will be supported with workshops and mentoring by well-established and award-winning writers and poets Cathy Grindrod, Jo Bell, Matt Black and River Wolton.

Workshop places are open to all writers and will offer support to those interested in working to commission, in other words, being paid to complete a special piece of work.

The commissioned writers will also collaborate on a piece of work providing advice to writers hoping to be commissioned in the future.

Councillor Barry Lewis, Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for experienced or budding writers to take their writing further. Not only will the project foster local talent but it will boost local events and communities as well.”

The project will also deliver the LoveLit series of literature events and writing workshops for readers and writers held in Derbyshire libraries.

On Tuesday 18 June 2019 at Chesterfield library social historian and broadcaster Hallie Rubenhold will talk about her new book ‘The Five’ which looks at the lives of the women murdered by Jack the Ripper.

Writing workshops with Mike Gayle, Professor Joe Moran and Joanna Courtney are among the other events being held.

And the first Derbyshire Noir Book Festival on Saturday 17 August 2019, celebrating crime and psychological thrillers, will feature panels, talks and a chance to network for crime readers and writers at Chesterfield library.

Writing Workshops Chesterfield Library

Posted in About Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield Manufacturer’s Goods Selected for Famous London Retailer

Chesterfield business Ingmans is celebrating after a luxury briefcase which retails at £3,995 has been commissioned by Joseph Cheaney & Sons.

Their leather luggage brand “Cobb England” is manufactured in the heart of Chesterfield alongside their retail and cobbler business.

Andy Ingman said “To say we are proud to be commissioned by a 150 year old,  established English company, with such prestige as “Joseph Cheaney & Sons is an understatement of great magnitude.
Joseph Cheaney are one of the UK’s greatest quality, Goodyear welted shoe manufacturers. ”

“Great Britain ?? is  the cultivator of the shoe industry in the 18th century, and has held its own on a global front ever since. So for our company as small as it may be, shows craftsmanship, quality, consistency and tenacity has made us break through into our capital London. Not only that, Jermyn street which is famous for retail throughout the world.”

The business relocated to the former Burton’s Store in Chesterfield on Burlington Street in 2018.

Andy Ingman, added “We wanted to create a lovely place to shop with a unique experience where we can offer excellent customer service.  We have a beautiful stock of shoes, clothing & handmade leather goods and we have also created a wonderful workspace for shoe repairs.”

Ingmans have also been nominated as a finalist in the best new store category at the Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting

Pop Superstar STEPS into Chesterfield Panto

Chesterfield Theatres have announced that Lee Latchford-Evans from pop super group Steps will headline in the title role of this year’s spectacular family pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Pomegranate Theatre.

Lee joined pop phenomenon Steps in 1997 and achieved huge success with the band selling in excess of 21 million records worldwide and winning numerous awards including the prestigious BRIT award for Best Live Act in 2000.

After a decade apart pursuing individual projects, Steps re-formed in 2011 with top-rated fly-on-the wall documentary Steps Reunion. The overwhelming popularity with which Steps’ return was received sparked a second TV series, Steps on the Road, a sell-out arena tour and a No. 1 album.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2017, Steps released their fifth studio album, Tears on the Dancefloor which, again, topped the charts and had a sell-out arena tour, Party on the Dancefloor, leading to their epic outdoor Summer of Steps Tour in 2018. Following this, the band announced that they will be starting work on their hotly anticipated sixth studio album in 2019.

Away from the band, experienced actor Lee has also starred in musicals in London’s West End including playing Teen Angel in Grease, Niko Nikovsky in Eurobeat and touring with the stage version of All Creatures Great and Small. Lee’s feature films include Cash & Curry, The Rizen, DeadRinger and, most recently, horror comedy Paintball Massacre which completed filming in 2019. He has also starred in numerous pantomimes throughout the UK.

Pantomime producer Paul Holman said: “I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect Jack for Chesterfield’s panto. Lee has charm, good looks and, of course, an outstanding singing voice making him a ‘Step’ above the rest.”

With floor-filling songs, rip-roaring comedy, awe-inspiring special effects and a magical story that all the family can enjoy, Jack and the Beanstalk promises to be Chesterfield’s most STEP-tacular panto yet!

Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Pomegranate Theatre from Friday 6th December 2019 to Sunday 5th January 2020. Tickets are on sale now and can be booked online at www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or via the Box Office on 01246 345 222.

Chesterfield Pantomime - Jack and the Beanstalk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

Get a Free Personal Caricature at Vicar Lane

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield is excited to announce plans to offer customers the chance to receive a FREE personal caricature at the centre this spring bank holiday weekend.

They are inviting customers to come and take a seat for one of two professional caricature artists, who will be waiting with pens poised from 11am – 4pm on Saturday 25th May, to create a portrait of their cartoon likeness, completely FREE.

It’s the ideal occasion for visitors receive a unique piece of art for the wall or a memento of a day out with friends or family.

The artists will be located at St. James Square on the grass area throughout the day and Caricatures will be offered on a strictly first come, first served basis. These take just approximately 15 minutes to create, so customers are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We know how customers are expecting more and more from their shopping trip these days so we wanted to host a small-scale event to brighten their day. A free caricature is sure to make a unique and quirky addition to any home, so we’re sure customers of all ages will appreciate them.”

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

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

Chesterfield Named as One of the UK’s Most Instagrammed Towns

Chesterfield has been named the 32nd most instagrammed town in the UK according to research by Cheaphotels4uk.

The travel website used Instagram to analyse where can you find the most picturesque towns in all of the UK.

It researched the photo sharing platform to find out which towns are the most Instagrammed, by examining how many times a post of every UK town had been shared on the site.

You can read the full results at https://cheaphotels4uk.com/travel-guide/best-towns-uk

Find out what is happening in Chesterfield on Instagram – Give us a follow here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

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