Author: Dom Stevens

Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club Academy moves forward

8th January 2024

A new academy being developed by Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club is being redesigned. The completed academy will support young people to gain qualifications in sport.

The project, which is funded through the Staveley Town Deal, had been progressing well over the last two years but due to inflation in construction costs the project is being redesigned whilst still aiming to deliver the same outcomes for young people in Staveley.

The original design would have seen a second storey extension to the clubhouse with new classroom facilities upstairs. Instead, two older buildings will be refurbished and a new unit in the club’s colours will be erected.

Terry Damms, chairman of the club, said: “This is an inspiring project that will create a new facility for 16 to 18-year-olds to gain qualifications and take the first step towards a career in the sports industry.

Unfortunately, ongoing inflation has meant that we can no longer expand our existing clubhouse, but we will instead be refurbishing existing buildings and creating a new freestanding unit.

This will not impact the quality of education we can provide or the numbers of people who can be enrolled. We’re continuing to finalise these updated designs, but we are aiming to welcome the first learners on site in September 2024.”

Students at the new academy will be able to work towards a Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development. The classroom space will also be used to provide community-based qualifications such as refereeing.

Ivan Fomin, chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Destination Chesterfield Board member, said: “This is a fantastic project, that will help transform young people’s futures. The Town Deal Board aims to ensure that Staveley is a place to start, to stay and grow and we can help realise this by investing in training facilities where young people can get the qualifications they need to succeed.”

As well as developing the Skills Academy the club led the site clearance and refurbishment of the car park opposite the Chantry Playing Fields. The enhanced car park provides more spaces and better visibility. It will not only help parents dropping their children off to the club’s youth games, it also serves the cemetery and links up with Poolsbrook Country Park and the Trans Pennine Trail.

Accelerator Funding through the Staveley Town Deal was also used to make drainage improvements to the junior pitches on the Chantry Playing Fields. These have helped ensure the pitches can be used throughout the year by young people in Staveley.

Staveley was one of 101 towns across England invited to make a bid for a Town Deal, and based on the Town Investment Plan was awarded £25.2m in March 2021. The funding will support nine projects which will help regenerate Staveley, creating economic growth and new opportunities for local people. All £25.2 million funding must be spent by March 2026.

Find out more about the Staveley Town Deal by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/staveley-town-deal

Artist impression of Staveley Miners Welfare Academy

Image supplied by Staveley Miners Welfare F.C. – Designed by Verteks Associates Ltd

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

Redbrik Foundation returns as title partner for Chesterfield 10K

8th January 2024

The Redbrik Foundation is proud to announce its continued support as the title partner for the annual Chesterfield 10K.

This partnership further highlights the Foundation’s commitment to promoting health and wellbeing within the local community.

The Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K, a highly anticipated event in the region, attracts thousands of participants each year, bringing together both seasoned runners and beginners. As the title partner, the Redbrik Foundation aims to encourage active lifestyles and inspire individuals of all ages to take part in physical activities. Any donations made to the Redbrik Foundation from the event will go towards supporting charities in Chesterfield.

The Redbrik Foundation’s involvement in the Chesterfield 10K goes beyond financial support. The Foundation actively participates in organising the event, ensuring its success and providing a memorable experience for all participants. This collaboration reflects the Foundation’s dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of people and communities across South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire.

David Cooper, director of Redbrik Estate Agents and trustee of the Foundation commented: “We are delighted to once again be the title partner for the Chesterfield 10K. Our ongoing support for this event not only showcases our commitment to promoting health and well-being within the local community but also helps support our efforts through the Redbrik Foundation.

“The Redbrik Foundation has recently introduced a new incentive to further support charitable organisations in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Each month, the foundation selects one charity from the region to receive a £2000 donation. Previous donations have been made to organisations such as Cavendish Cancer Care and Pathways in Chesterfield.
“By supporting the Chesterfield 10K, we can continue to make a significant impact in the lives of people and communities across our community.”

The Redbrik Foundation’s ongoing support has already made a difference to various charitable organisations in Sheffield and Chesterfield. Through their donations and partnerships, the foundation has supported initiatives such as Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, Fairplay, St. Luke’s Hospice, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, and many others.
The 2024 edition of the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K promises to be a memorable event, with the Foundation’s sponsorship ensuring its continued success.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home

SDL Minorfern launches charitable foundation to support local charities

21st December 2023

Family-owned vehicle parts distributor, SDL Minorfern has teamed up with the Matthew Good Foundation to launch the Minorfern Foundation, which will award grants to local charities and community groups.

When SDL Minorfern celebrated their milestone 45 anniversary earlier this year, they wanted to do something special to share their success with their local community. They saw an opportunity to support more local small non-profits, whilst encouraging employees to nominate who to support.

Small, local, well-run charities and non-profits transform lives every day but struggle to compete for funding. According to the NCVO Almanac 2023, larger charities with an income of over £1m per year are responsible for 83% of the charity sector’s income. Yet small charities have a tremendous impact, are agile, innovative, and well-placed in communities to help those most in need.

With a team of more than 320 valued employees, the newly created Minorfern Foundation has received a wide range of excellent nominations from SDL Minorfern employees for local organisations needing support, covering four main areas: Alleviating poverty, supporting children and young people, improving health and wellbeing, and caring for animals.

Nick Holland, Managing Director of SDL Minorfern said, “I am thrilled to announce the launch of the Minorfern Foundation on behalf of our entire team. Committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work, our foundation aims to support smaller regional charities that are truly making a difference.

“Over the next year, our team spanning 12 branches will select ten charities that have had a meaningful impact on either our staff members and wider families or great causes in our local communities.

“By the end of 2024, we aim to donate £40,000 and we look forward to actively contributing to these causes and creating a lasting, positive change in the regions where our business operates.”

Along with announcing the launch, the Minorfern Foundation has named the first two shortlisted charities to receive donations.

The Children’s Hospital Charity was nominated to receive £4,000 by the SDL Minorfern head office in Clay Cross, Chesterfield. The charity supports Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to change lives every day.

The grant will support the specialist Pre-Operative Healthcare Team that cares for children and young people with complex health needs that require specialist care. The funding will be used to create a calming atmosphere and welcoming environment for patients and their families that will include sensory equipment, toys and books.

The Minorfern Foundation will be managed in partnership with the Matthew Good Foundation – a grant-making charity that aims to amplify the voices of small non-profits by partnering them with businesses, stakeholders and individuals seeking to deliver positive social impact.

Michelle Taft, Executive Director, Matthew Good Foundation said; “We are delighted to be working alongside SDL Minorfern as their trusted partner to help them achieve their charitable giving aims by launching the Minorfern Foundation. SDL Minorfern is a family business that wants to make a difference in the communities it operates in and it’s a privilege to be able to help them reach the small and local nonprofits they want to support. Small and local nonprofits make a difference in our communities, and initiatives like this are vital to helping local charities thrive.”

Further charities and non-profits will be announced as beneficiaries of the programme throughout 2024.

SDL Minorfern and The Children’s Hospital Charity support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home

Construction work on new theatre and museum begins

20th December 2023

A multi-million-pound refurbishment of Chesterfield’s theatre and museum has officially started on site.

The project will create a new state-of-the-art cultural venue in the heart of the town centre.

The refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall home to both the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum includes the creation of a single entrance to both facilities, an expanded theatre, a reconfigured museum, community spaces and a new café bar. The project is led by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Leading Midlands construction firm G F Tomlinson took control of the site in November and will now work to deliver the enhanced building along with improvements to Corporation Street.

Initially announced in 2021 following a funding commitment from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, the project has been in development ever since. The Museum and Theatre closed in 2022 to allow preparatory works to begin including the removal of asbestos, ground investigations and a strip-out.

A landmark building in our town and a place where generations of Chesterfield residents have created lasting memories

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Since closing in 2022 we’ve been very busy behind the scenes both preparing the building for renovation and finalising the plans with our partners including our fantastic architecture team to ensure our ambitions can be realised. I’m delighted that G F Tomlinson have now begun work on site to deliver this project for our residents, we look forward to working closely with them over the next few years and keeping everyone updated on progress within the building.

“This is a landmark building in our town and a place where generations of Chesterfield residents have created lasting memories. This project seeks to protect this building for the future but also enhance the visitor experience which will encourage more people to attend shows and visit our museum.

“This ambitious project will benefit both our community and our economy – we are committed to investing in the future of our borough, to ensure it can thrive for years to come and has first class facilities for both residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Transforming the building into a landmark state-or-the-art facility

Chris Flint, managing director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re delighted to be commencing the delivery of the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall to revitalise this high-profile building into a cultural venue and tourism hot spot in Chesterfield.

“Works will include enhancements to the Corporation Street site, transforming the building into a landmark state-of-the-art facility in the main town centre. Once complete, we look forward to the opportunities that this will bring to the local area, in terms of its arts and entertainment offering – with its expanded theatre, reconfigured museum, improved community spaces and café bar.”

Celebrating the history of the building with a modern twist

The refurbishment of the Grade II listed Stephenson Memorial Hall aims to celebrate the history of the building but with a modern twist. The new Corporation Street link gallery extension will create a gateway impact improving the sense of arrival to Chesterfield. At night these elevations will illuminate the street scene, ensuring the building looks vibrant at all times of day.

By reopening the historic doorway under the tower, we will create a grand one-building entrance befitting the new combined cultural venue and encourage visitors to explore both aspects of the building.

From this entrance, visitors will be able to enter the welcome foyer with access to a museum exhibition space featuring the historic builder’s wheel, a retail space, the auditorium and a relocated café bar.

Upstairs four new Museum spaces will allow for the story of Chesterfield and the people that made the town what it is to be told. A climate-controlled room will allow more of the Museum’s collection to be displayed and interactive activities will help new audiences engage with the Museum.

Plans aim to enhance, expand and modernise the theatre without compromising the atmosphere and historic features. The auditorium will be refurbished with new seating, increased capacity, improved sight lines and new environmental controls. New theatre systems including lighting and stage rigging creates a contemporary theatre experience whilst the new seating layout retains the intimate feel of the auditorium.

A Privilege to be entrusted with the challenge of refurbishing and transforming such a significant part of the history of the town

The designs for the building have been developed by leading architectural firm Bauman Lyons.

Guy Smith, director of Bauman Lyons, said: “We are delighted to have been collaborating on this project with the wider design and client team over the last few years. It is a privilege to be entrusted with the challenge of refurbishing and transforming such a significant part of the history of the town so that it can continue to play a role for the community for years to come.”

The updated building will also improve accessibility with the addition of new lifts, new seating options in the theatre and a new changing places toilet.

In Autumn 2021 Chesterfield Borough Council received almost £20 million from the Government’s Levelling Up fund. A portion will be used to deliver the council’s Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield Project which aims to improve connections across the town centre and create attractive public spaces to support a range of events and markets.

Around £11 million of the Levelling Up Fund grant funding will be used to fund the £17 million renovation and remodelling of Stephenson Memorial Hall.

The project received a further funding boost with £695,000 from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme which will be used to install a ventilation system in the auditorium and create a new Changing Places toilet.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2025.

Information about the project and updates as work progresses are available on the council’s website: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/revitalise

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure, Property and Construction, Visiting

Christmas toy appeal brings joy to hundreds of families

20th December 2023

Chester’s Toy Appeal, organised by Chesterfield FC and sponsored by Brett Martin Ltd, has been another resounding success with over £12,000 worth of toys distributed to hundreds of families!

Marketing manager Bridget Ball expressed her delight at the outcome, saying: “It has been a tremendous effort once again, ensuring that many children receive presents to unwrap on Christmas Day.

“I would like to thank Brett Martin Ltd for their valued sponsorship and John Pye Ltd for providing a collection point and storage.

“Thanks also to KranLee Logistics Ltd for their sizeable donation and to everyone who has donated to the appeal. We could not have done it without all the tremendous support we have received.”

Mark Spacie, managing director of Brett Martin Ltd, added: “As a major employer in the Chesterfield area, we value important community initiatives such as Chester’s Toy Appeal.

“The response to the appeal has been fantastic and we are proud to have played a part in ensuring that many children who would otherwise have gone without will now receive a present on Christmas Day.”

Chesterfield F.C. is one of many Chesterfield Champions who continue to support Chesterfield’s community, with various initiatives.

Check out our latest roundup which features charitable donations, voluntary efforts, sponsorship of local events and festive cheer.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home

Banner Jones Solicitors celebrates 145 years supporting local people and businesses

20th December 2023

More than 130 members of staff from Chesterfield-based Banner Jones came together earlier this month for its annual celebration of achievements, and to mark the firm’s impressive 145^th anniversary milestone.

The event, which took place at Chesterfield football ground in December, saw CEO Simon Wright take to the stage to thank all of the employees from across the firm’s four locations for their contribution to the ongoing success of the business and to pay tribute to those who also played a pivotal role in supporting organisations and individuals across the East Midlands in the past.

Focused on supporting its clients, championing the local communities it serves, and nurturing its staff, Banner Jones (then Jones Middleton) moved into its offices on Chesterfield’s Glumangate in 1878 and is quite possibly the oldest surviving business in the town today.

The firm’s friendly and caring legal experts guide individuals through difficult times including divorce, probate, employment issues and personal injury claims, as well as exciting times such as buying their first home.

It has invested heavily in its IT infrastructure to ensure it keeps up to date with the latest technologies, most recently introducing a client portal which sees significant time savings for both our staff and clients, improves the client experience, and ensures accurate and comprehensive data collection in line with compliance.

Over the years, Banner Jones has supported numerous local charities by raising funds, including Ashgate and St Luke’s Hospice and The Samaritans, as well as participating in events such as Free Wills Month, Mission Christmas and the Kingsmill Toy Appeal, Banner Jones has a long-standing history of supporting great causes across the region.

As well as supporting the community, Banner Jones invests heavily in the health and wellbeing of the team, as well as their own personal and professional development.

The firm has a detailed and robust internal training programme, with nine trainee solicitors currently undertaking their Solicitor Training, two Apprentice Solicitors and various others working on CILEX qualifications, Licensed Conveyancer exams and legal diplomas.

15% of employees have been with the business for over 20 years, and eight for over 30 years! One such person is CEO Simon Wright, who undertook work experience with the firm aged 16 years old, before ultimately joining the firm in September 1987.

Commenting on the impressive milestone, Simon said: “The firm’s journey to date has been long and impressive and the ongoing development of its people and its IT infrastructure are continuing to make it a great place to work and, I believe, a great firm with which to do business.”

Banner Jones supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Home

It’s time to reflect on another year at Destination Chesterfield

18th December 2023

Do you reflect enough on what you have achieved and take time to celebrate your successes?

We discussed this question at our Destination Chesterfield Strategy Day.

As a place marketing partnership, we focus on promoting Chesterfield and telling the place story with our Chesterfield Champions and other partners.

This blog celebrates some of Destination Chesterfield’s achievements in 2023.

Working together to shape our direction

In January, we held our annual consultation session with our Chesterfield Champions. They wanted us to continue our activity to attract investment to the town and promote Chesterfield as a place to visit and spend leisure time.

In my view, the strength of the Destination Chesterfield Partnership comes from collaboration and a shared approach to promoting and developing our town. We give partners a chance to have a say on what we deliver, get involved if they want to, and influence policy for the borough.

Skills for the future

In February, we organised, for Chesterfield Borough Council, the Employability and Skills Conference at the Winding Wheel, focusing on businesses working with schools to develop talent for the future.

Future talent has been a focus for Destination Chesterfield’s Manufacturing and Property and Construction Groups this year. Local businesses committed to supporting initiatives such as Made in Chesterfield and the successfully piloted Careers Made in Chesterfield programme with Chesterfield Borough Council and Parkside School.

A vision for Chesterfield

The Celebrate Chesterfield Business event, attended by 300 delegates, relaunched the Chesterfield Story and showcased the new Chesterfield Borough Council Growth Strategy.

We asked partners to commit to their vision for Chesterfield in 2030 and collectively support the promotion of the town.

Team Chesterfield hit the road

A delegation from Destination Chesterfield, Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Champions attended UKReiif in Leeds in May.

The event is the largest Property and Infrastructure event in the country.

Destination Chesterfield coordinated activities which included showcasing major sites and opportunities at panel discussions, launching the new investment prospectus, a media campaign to support activity and arranging meetings with potential investors, developers and funders.

Bringing the town centre to life

June saw the launch of Peddler Market Chesterfield by Peddler Events and Chesterfield Borough Council. The Destination Chesterfield team supported the marketing and organised the launch event.

The first event was a success for the traders and attracted footfall to the town centre.

Following the success of the launch event, Destination Chesterfield has teamed up with Peddler Events to create Peddler Connect, an informal business networking event open to all businesses and will take place at future Peddler Market Chesterfield events.

As requested by some of our Chesterfield Champions in January, the event offers networking opportunities but supports our objectives of attracting people to the town centre.

An eventful summer

In January, Champions asked for more events and festivals in Chesterfield. Over the summer, it was great to see Eat in the Park and the Chesterfield Children’s Festival alongside the return of existing favourites such as the BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, Chesterfield Pride and the Chesterfield Medieval Fun Day.

Throughout the summer months, Destination Chesterfield managed the Summer in Chesterfield Campaign. The campaign was seen over 1.6 million times by target audiences. The Love Chesterfield Survey identified that 38% of people who saw the campaign said it influenced them to support local retailers.

The office is dead, long live the office!

In August, the Chesterfield Office Campaign ended. Launched in 2022, it showcased office space available in Chesterfield for businesses looking to start up and grow.

It has been great to see the success of One Waterside Place, which is now fully let, and the range of businesses that have chosen the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre.

A place to visit

Destination Chesterfield secured funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop and deliver a Short-break campaign for Chesterfield.

Research has been commissioned and is currently being carried out with both former visitors and non-visitors to shape a marketing campaign which will launch in 2024.

Why Chesterfield Why Now?

We delivered the Chesterfield Investment Summit in October. The event showcased Why Chesterfield Why Now. We heard from investors, developers and businesses who highlighted our strategic location, affordability and supportive local authority and business community as to why they chose Chesterfield.

The feedback on this event was positive regarding the content, the people attending the event and the business conversations that took place at or because of the event.

Christmas in Chesterfield

The Christmas in Chesterfield Campaign promotes the town over the festive period, encouraging residents to support local and attracting people within an hour of Chesterfield to enjoy our town.

The business community is leading the way

Destination Chesterfield is led by an independent board of directors from the private and public sectors. The Destination Chesterfield Review by Thinking Places recommended an update of the governance and a refresh of board membership.

Expressions of interest from employees at Chesterfield Champion businesses who would be interested in joining the board are now open.

Championing Chesterfield

Did you know we work with over 220 businesses and organisations that are Chesterfield Champions?

Throughout 2023, the number of businesses committing to work collectively to promote Chesterfield has grown again.

Every month, the team update partners through events and marketing activity.

They are also working with Champions to gather content for campaigns and celebrate the success of Chesterfield businesses through our news content.

Teamwork makes the dream work

I am immensely proud of what Destination Chesterfield delivers and the hard work the team put in to bring together a range of campaigns and activities to meet the objectives of our strategy and ultimately support Chesterfield’s growth ambitions.

Thank you to our board members, Chesterfield Champions and delivery partners for supporting us in raising the profile of and changing perceptions of the borough of Chesterfield.

Next year I am looking forward to launching the new Destination Chesterfield Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Join us at the Celebrate Chesterfield Business Event on the 20th March to discover more and get involved in delivering it!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in Championing Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield 2023, Dom Stevens

Qoozies collaborate with Italian Chef to launch Sunday brunch offer

28th November 2023

Qoozies have announced they will be opening on Sundays with a brand-new Sunday brunch experience at Vicar Lane.

Between 10 am-3 pm every Sunday, they will be serving a new Sunday Brunch Menu by Vito Scaravilli (the Italian chef behind Scaravilli Pasta Lab at the Batchhouse).

All dishes have been specially curated using the finest ingredients, including the Benedict (8 hour slow cooked beef shin, poached egg, hollandaise sauce and crispy shallots on a toasted English muffin), Pancake di Mama (American pancakes topped with eggs, crispy bacon, blueberries and maple syrup) and the Veganist (chickpea and beetroot hummus, avocado and black sesame seeds on toasted sourdough), to name but a few.

Over the festive period, they will be offering 10% off their Elfy-ccino hot chocolate for families that visit Santa’s grotto at Vicar Lane.

They have also launched seven new hot chocolates to be enjoyed over the festive period.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane says: ‘’Qoozies have long been popular amongst visitors to Vicar Lane, and we are so excited that they will now be opening every Sunday with an amazing new menu”.

There is a great range of independent food businesses across the borough of Chesterfield check out our guide of 50 you should try.

Don’t miss all the great things happening in Chesterfield on the run-up to Christmas and our gift and food guides from Chesterfield retailers. Discover more at Christmas in Chesterfield

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

Hospital celebrates National Tree Week

28th November 2023

To celebrate National Tree Week – which runs from 27 November to 3 December – Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is planting 230 trees across the hospital site.

The trees, which are from more than 20 varieties, are the result of a successful application to NHS Forest – an initiative which started in 2009 and has since seen more than 100,000 trees planted on or near to NHS property.

Thirty of the new saplings will be planted close to the Trust’s £2m Health and Wellbeing Hub – which opened in the summer and offers colleagues access to the latest gym and counselling break-out facilities, thanks to the Chesterfield Royal Charity’s fundraising appeal.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield and senior officials will be joined by 15 members of staff who were nominated by their colleagues – some due to their commitment to the environment, some who have gone the extra mile and were nominated to mark their hard work and dedication.

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive of the Trust, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to receive the 230 trees from NHS Forest. It’s great news for the Trust and our surrounding community as we recognise the importance of a cleaner and greener environment – linking directly to our Green Strategy.

“I think it’s incredibly symbolic that we have 30 colleagues and guests standing shoulder-to-shoulder to plant the final 30 trees, marking this occasion – especially since it is the 75^th birthday year of the NHS. It’s a great legacy for us all to have.”

The initial 200 trees are also being planted during National Tree Week. It’s expected to only take four hours for these saplings to be planted.

Dr Jon Cort, Chief Digital Officer, added: “We already have a huge commitment to our green spaces and trees across the Trust site. I personally believe this makes a great difference in improving the hospital environment. These 230 trees, of such variety, will stand the test of time and hopefully add to people’s health and wellbeing.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home

Collaboration is key to unleashing the potential of the region’s visitor economy

27th November 2023

“Collaboration is key to unleashing the vast potential of the region’s visitor economy” – that’s the overriding message from the annual Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Conference.

The conference was the first major business-to-business event hosted by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire in collaboration with Visit Derby as the area’s official Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP).

The event brought together over 120 industry leaders to discuss tourism insights, emerging trends and new opportunities for growth and collaboration. It also highlighted the importance of accessibility and sustainability in strengthening the area’s tourism offer and attracting new visitors to the destination.

As new research from the 2022 Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor, commonly known as STEAM, revealed the challenges facing the sector, the conference also highlighted issues including rising costs, high inflation and post-pandemic changes in consumer behaviour.

Opening the conference, Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, announced the area’s tourism sector is now worth £2.59 billion to the local economy – an increase of 4% since 2019.

However, against the backdrop of high inflation, the figures reveal that although the total revenue generated across the Peak District and Derbyshire by the sector was up on pre-pandemic levels, overall visitor numbers in 2022 were 7% down.

The data also shows that whilst stays in non-serviced accommodation were 10.5% up on 2019 levels, jobs supported by the visitor economy were 12.5% down (against a national decline of 20%). Stays in serviced accommodation and the number of serviced bed spaces in the destination continue to remain below 2019 levels, providing an insight into changing visitor behaviour.

Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby’s status as an LVEP – a new national portfolio of accredited tourism organisations, administered by VisitEngland – was a key focus of the conference and delegates heard how the organisation will drive tourism strategy for the region, working in partnership with local, regional and national stakeholders to deliver visitor economy priorities.

As an LVEP, Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby will be eligible to bid for Government funding streams to support the growth of the visitor economy, and the organisation will also be able to access additional support from VisitEngland including dedicated toolkits and training.

The keynote speech was delivered by VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes OBE, who said: “I was delighted to attend the Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Conference and see first-hand the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) in action providing expert support and guidance to tourism businesses and hearing about the exciting and ambitious plans for growth.

“LVEPs are at the heart of transforming the visitor economy landscape in England, and we are delighted to be working with the Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby LVEP on the national programme.”

During the conference, Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby highlighted plans to support and grow the visitor economy in 2024, including:

Developing an ambitious new Destination Development Plan for the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby to drive visitor economy growth in a sustainable and accessible way, with a focus on community and place.
Delivering a new programme of sector-specific business support events and workshops for tourism-related businesses, including a Season Opener & Leaflet Swap event that will be held on 20 March 2024, during English Tourism Week.
Running innovative marketing campaigns to increase visitor spend, boost overnight stays and extend the traditional tourism season.
Positioning the area as the destination of choice for accessible and sustainable breaks – working with partners, members and content creators to promote inclusive experiences and the use of public transport.
Harnessing the return of international travel by working closely with inbound tourism operators to attract overseas visitors and reach new markets.

An inspiring line-up of speakers covered topics including investment, regeneration, green tourism and the latest support and funding available for local businesses.

Posted in Business, Home

Top class cricket to return to Chesterfield in 2024

27th November 2023

The BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council, will return to Queen’s Park in June and July next year.

Derbyshire is set to do battle with local rivals Yorkshire.

The festival consists of two matches against Yorkshire, beginning on Sunday, 30 June 2024, with the 4-day County Championship match, and concluding with the fast-paced Vitality Blast T20 match on Sunday 7 July.

You can now enjoy the full week of cricket, at the picturesque Queen’s Park with a new Festival Pass. This gives access to all five days of cricket for just £49. You can book your tickets at https://cricket.derbyshireccc.com/chesterfield-festival-of-cricket/

There is a great summer of events in Chesterfield after it has been confirmed that both Eat in the Park and Chesterfield Pride will also return in 2024.

Jimmy Drew, Commerical Manager of Derbyshire County Cricket Club commented: “Chesterfield has a really good opportunity to capitalise on the great things that are taking place in the town and the surrounding area as well”.

Looking for details of events, and festivals happening in Chesterfield check out www.chestrfield.co.uk/events or sign up for our weekly email update here.

Derbyshire County Cricket Club and BRM Solicitors support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting