Holiday Cottages Blog

Articles and info on holidays and cottages in the UK and Ireland

Archive for category North West

Beech Road Festival, Chorlton, this Sunday 4th July!

Jul 3

Posted by elisa in Charity, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fun, North West | 1 Comment

For anyone who lives in Manchester or is visiting this weekend, then there is the annual famous Beech Road Festival in Chorlton tomorrow (Sunday 4th July).

It is free to attend and is from noon until late in the evening and will include music and performance in the park by:

8-BALL, DONNA MARIE, SPESS, BUGS IN EMBER, FEATURING STAVROS, THE POCKETS, LEFT AT THE ROBOT, SCAPEDOGZ

Along with:

- rides, stalls, face painting

- Unity Arts with music & art for children

- all kinds of wonderful foods & stalls along Beech Road

- the Tombola

- fantastic bars & shops open throughout

You can reach Beech Road from the centre of Manchester by catching either the 85 or 86 bus to the Chorlton Bus Station and Beech Road is just alongside this, here is a map.

‘The Chill Factore’ in Manchester scoops tourism awards

Jun 8

Posted by elisa in Articles, News, North West, shopping and culture | No Comments

VisitManchester organised the Manchester Tourism Awards at the Manchester Hilton last month.

The indoor real snow centre, ‘The Chill Factore’ won the ‘Access for All’ category award at the ceremony. Judges praised the efforts made to cater for the needs of guests with disabilities, including the close association with Disability Snowsports UK (DSUK)and also recognised the positive relationship The Chill Factore has with the local community.

Guest Services Manager, Jodie Finnegan, was also recognised in the ceremony, coming in the top three in the ‘Outstanding Customer Service’ category. She’s greatly improved guest satisfaction with a 5,000% reduction of complaints over the past 18 months and the complaint ratio now standing at less than 1 per 25,000 visitors – not bad going for such a popular and large attraction!

The Chill Factore also won the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) accreditation by VisitEngland, for their commitment to guests’ needs after being assessed on all areas that impact on the quality of the guest experience.

The Real Snow Attraction can now display the VisitEngland Tudor Rose Quality Marque which is generally known as a reassurance of a quality attraction.

Chief Executive, Stephen Evans said: “We’re delighted to have our hard work and commitment recognised by these prestigious organisations. At Chill Factore the enjoyment of our guests is of paramount importance to us all and we do all we can to ensure their needs are met. As the northern headquarters of snow sports charity Disability Snowsport UK, it is a particular honour to be awarded for the quality of care we give to everyone who visits us and the efforts our adaptive ski instructors go to to get those with disabilities skiing using specialist equipment.”

There are many things you can do at The Chill Factore, you can take lessons in learning to ski, or go to improve your skiing, snowboard and you can take the children to learn at the kids snow sports academy.

Become a part of Blackpool: The Movie

Mar 17

Posted by elisa in Fun, North West, Tourist Board, film locations, films | No Comments

Blackpool Tower by llamnudds.

Blackpool tower picture by Flickr User llamnudds

An interactive online film has been created to allow visitors to star in their own film in Blackpool and share it online with their friends and family. The move is to encourage more visitors to the seaside resort. Users can upload their favourite pictures to The Movie’s microsite www.blackpoolthemovie.com and automatically share their virtual adventure with friends and family online.

Blackpool: The Movie has been designed by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board to encourage potential holidaymakers to visit the resort and to maximize internet chatter on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Youtube.

The trailer provides a tour of Blackpool’s top attractions accompanied by a voiceover by the X Factor’s Peter Dickson. By entering their family name and home town, users will see their personal details become an integral part of the trailer, appearing on billboards, posters and lighting up the sky alongside a pyrotechnic firework display.

All entries will be entered into a prize draw and for one family to win annual passes to Blackpool attractions.

Mike Wilkinson of Lancashire Tourist Board said: “Blackpool has made a name for itself as a destination which uses leading-edge technology to encourage tourists to visit Blackpool and Blackpool: The Movie marks an exciting venture into the new world of virtual tourism.”

Cottage late availability – February

Feb 1

Posted by admin in Lake District, Last minute breaks, North West | No Comments

Tranquil Otter in Cumbria

Tranquil Otter in Cumbria

The Tranquil Otter in Cumbria, are offering some very last-minute availability at one of their cottages. There is a three-day short break available from tomorrow (2nd Feb 2010), and they also have the long weekend available from this Friday. It looks like a fabulous setting. You can view their listing on holidaycottages.cc. Quote voucher code 8LK9X to get the offer.

This and other last-minute cottage offers are available on the holiday cottages late availability page.

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair this weekend

Oct 23

Posted by elisa in Events, Exhibitions, North West | No Comments

I’ve just been to the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester; which will also be on throughout this weekend. It’s based in a temporary building in the heart of  Manchester’s Spinningfields district, which at first was a little difficult to find because I didn’t go far enough into Spinningfields at first, so if you do go, look for the sign towards Hardman Street and keep following it right down (if approaching from Deansgate).

 There were lots of stalls showcasing the latest in contemporary craft, including jewellery, ceramics and textiles. The building itself was a little uninspired but the stallholders had made an effort with their own displays of work, a few of which seemed to have special offers and prices on their work if bought at the fair itself.

 Tickets are £5 or £4 for concessions, and can be bought on the door.

 If you’re into crafts and up in the North this weekend then I’d recommend giving it a look, although I don’t think you’ll need to spend a whole day there.

Liverpool One

Jul 17

Posted by evekerswill in News, North West, shopping and culture | 1 Comment

If you’re having a cottage break in the north west this autumn, and feel like some city centre culture and shopping, bear in mind that Liverpool One – a new shopping, eating and leisure area in the city – will be fully opened by early October.

The new district has attracted big names like American Apparel (now open), the north west’s largest John Lewis, Urban Outfitters, and a number of independents as well. There are new bars and cafés, including Loch Fyne and Wagamama, many with outdoor terraces and views.

Liverpool seems to have learned a lot from being European Capital of Culture. It’s adopted European opening times so that people can shop until 8pm. And its 3,000 space car park is hidden underground and covered by greenery in a pleasant green space called Chavasse Park. French cities like Lyon have reaped the benefit of this arrangement of hidden vehicles under city centre oases for many years.

If the rest of your family or group can only take a limited amount of shopping, don’t forget that Liverpool has ferry rides on the Mersey, Beatle attractions, and apparently more museums and art galleries than any other city in the country. www.liverpool-one.com