Christmas

Top restaurant revealed at Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards

Less than two years after opening, Bottle and Thyme has been named as Chesterfield’s Restaurant of the Year, taking the top honour in the town’s 2018 Food and Drink Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Chesterfield College.

Based on Knifesmithgate in Chesterfield town centre, Bottle and Thyme was one of 13 bars, restaurants, food producers, cafés and individuals to scoop an accolade across 15 categories.

Now in its sixth year, the awards ceremony recognises the very best in the town’s growing food and drink sector. Once again held at Chesterfield College’s Heart Space building, the awards ceremony was hosted by celebrity chef, Lesley Waters, who explained: “I was delighted to host the 2018 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards.

“There is a real passion amongst food and drink businesses in the area for using locally sourced produce. As well as supporting local business, it’s about using fresh ingredients and creating great food. I firmly believe the best food is made with passion and there is plenty of that in Chesterfield.”

Since opening in December 2016, Bottle and Thyme has made a big impression on the town’s food and drink scene. Last year, it took home the titles of Best Newcomer and Best Customer Service, in the 2017 Food and Drink Awards.

Hannah Grainger, Owner of Bottle and Thyme said: “It feels incredible to win Chesterfield’s Restaurant of the Year. We were so happy to win the two awards last year and, this year, we are ecstatic to win this – it means so much. We try to use as many local suppliers as we can and always try and make our menu seasonal to change it up; keeping things exciting.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Once again the awards have been a tremendous success and reflection of a thriving sector in Chesterfield. The awards – in terms of nominations, businesses and guests, increase year on year, and 2018 was no exception. They epitomise everything that is great about the Chesterfield hospitality scene – great food, drink and partnerships between both the business community and education sector.”

This year, the awards saw the introduction of two new categories – Apprentice of the Year and Apprentice Employer of the Year, recognising the contribution that apprenticeships make to the hospitality industry.

Corey Elliott, an apprentice chef at The Lilypad Café & Restaurant was named as the Apprentice of the Year, while Stephenson’s Tea and Coffee House was named as the Apprentice Employer of the Year. Stephenson’s’ owners, Claire and Sam Wood had cause for double celebration on the night after being named as the Café/Tea Room of the Year.

Chatsworth Road-based Junction Bar was also a double winner on the night scooping the awards for Pub/Bar of the Year and Best Customer Service.

More than 250 people attended what has become the biggest night of the year for Chesterfield’s food and drink community. Held in association with The Chesterfield College Group, the awards are also a hands-on learning experience for the College’s hospitality students, who prepared and served a two-course menu at the event.

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of The Chesterfield College Group said: “I am delighted that the role of apprenticeships in the industry was celebrated for the first time this year, alongside the achievements of the Young Chef of the Year finalists.

“We are training the next generation of catering and hospitality experts both in our classrooms and working with employers through apprenticeships, so it is fantastic to be able to inspire them by helping to showcase successful businesses in the sector.

“I am very proud of our catering and hospitality staff and students who have worked hard to prepare and serve an amazing meal for guests, which highlights the quality of their work and their professional approach.”

Lesley Waters added: “Having worked in education myself as a former Head Tutor of Leith’s School of Food & Wine and now owning my own cookery school, it is very exciting to see Chesterfield College and its budding chefs of the future so actively involved with the town’s foremost food and drink event.”

To see all of the winners of the 2018 Chesterfield Food and Drink awards, visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards/.

Supporters of the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards include Apprentice Town, Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Chartered Accountants, Casa Hotel, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Building Control Partnership, Derbyshire Times, Elder Way (Jomast Developments), East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire), FEAST (The Food and Drink Forum) Hoods Florist, Jumble Creative Design, Juxta-Post Media, Kier Group, Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group), MSE Hiller, Owen Taylor & Sons, Peak FM, Reflections, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Reflections, Steve Faulkner and Winster Foods.

bottle and thyme

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Christmas, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Patient donates lifetime of artwork to raise funds for Ashgate Hospicecare

Ashoka Sen, from Holymoorside, who is a Day Hospice patient at Ashgate Hospicecare in Old Brampton, Chesterfield, has decided to donate her lifetime of artwork to raise funds for the Hospice. These intricate and vibrant paintings, prints and merchandise will initially be sold in the Hospice shop and at the Hospice’s Christmas Market on Saturday 17th November 2018.

Ashoka has a life-limiting illness which means that her health is declining day to day. Her right arm does not work as well as it used to, and so she cannot paint large paintings as she once did. However, she still enjoys doing smaller drawings when she comes into the Day Hospice each week.

Ashoka said, “It means a lot to me that the legacy of my artwork will live on. I’m not very well now and I was very concerned that my paintings would just sit in my house and not go anywhere as my son doesn’t have the space for all of them. It’s wonderful to know that other people will be able to enjoy my work for years to come and that the Hospice will be able to raise lots of money and help more patients.”

Ashoka is a self-taught artist who was born in India, but she has lived on the edge of the Peak District for over 40 years. Many of her paintings are inspired by nature and the beauty of her surroundings in Derbyshire.

Sanjoy Sen, Ashoka’s son, said, “We’re very pleased to be able to donate the artwork to raise funds for the Hospice. We’re going to be staying in touch with the staff at the Hospice to ensure that more merchandise such as prints, cards, gift wrap, mugs and bags can be made from my mother’s works. I’m looking forward seeing how much we can help to raise and to keep it going year on year.”

Ami Brunyee, Activities Coordinator at the Day Hospice, said, “It’s clear that Ashoka is a very skilled, passionate and creative artist who produces absolutely spectacular things and it’s great that we’ll be able to sell her paintings at the Hospice on her behalf. I’ve already bought an original – a beautiful painting of a tiger leaning over a tree branch that reminds me of my daughter when she was a baby. It’s so nice having a painting with a story; one that was created by a patient. I also think people will appreciate the text that accompanies each picture about Ashoka’s inspiration for it. It’s definitely going to fly off the shelves!”

To buy Ashoka’s artwork and merchandise, you can come to Ashgate Hospicecare, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, you can come along to Ashgate Hospicecare’s Christmas Market on Saturday 17th November – click here for more information. To see more about Ashoka and her artwork, you can visit her website at www.ashokasen.co.uk.

artwork funds Ashgate Hospicecare

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Visiting

New festive event launched for Chesterfield

The Street Food and Craft Market is a brand new event taking place in the market square in Chesterfield this Christmas.

The Event has been curated by Edge Events who are also the organisers of the Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival and Street Food and Grooves Festival.

A spokesperson for Edge Events said “We are passionate about supporting local traders and celebrating the wide range of food, drink and craft producers that Chesterfield has to offer. By organising the Street Food and Craft Market the Edge Events Team hope to bring the public back to Chesterfield’s town centre therefore increasing the revenue for not only the traders that have a stall at the market but for other companies and shops in the surrounding area.”

“The Edge Events Team would really like to welcome people from far and wide to celebrate at this festive event. We really hope that by you supporting this event it can grow into a fantastic annual festive celebration that everyone can enjoy!”

The market place will be in full swing with local traders selling a variety of crafts, jewellery, Christmas decorations, furniture, books, toys and many other items for that unique gift for Christmas!

There will also be a choice of hot and cold street food such as gourmet turkey sandwiches, venison arancini, beef bourguignon and Neopolitan pizza which you can wash down with a festive mulled wine, cider or even an artisan gin.

The event will run across four days from the 14th until the 17th Dec and will be open from 9am until 4pm on all four days.

Discover more about events happening in Chesterfield this Christmas.

Street Food and Craft Market

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Visiting

Celebrity Chef Chesterfield-bound for town’s Food and Drink Awards

The celebrity chef Lesley Waters will be arriving in Chesterfield on Wednesday 31 October to host the town’s sixth annual Food and Drink Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Chesterfield College.

Well known for her regular television appearances on Ready Steady Cook and This Morning, Lesley Waters will announce the winners of 15 categories including Chesterfield’s Food Hero at the sell-out event.

Lesley said: “I am delighted to host the 2018 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards. There is a real passion amongst food and drink businesses in the area for using locally sourced produce. As well as supporting local business, it’s about using fresh ingredients and creating great food. I firmly believe the best food is made with passion and there is plenty of that in Chesterfield.”

Once again, the awards ceremony, which is being held at Chesterfield College’s Heart Space Building, will be used as a learning experience for Chesterfield College’s catering and hospitality students, who both cook and serve a two-course meal on the night to more than 250 people.

Lesley commented: “Having worked in education myself as a former Head Tutor of Leith’s School of Food & Wine and now owning my own cookery school, it is very exciting to see Chesterfield College and its budding chefs of the future so actively involved with the town’s foremost food and drink event.”

35 businesses and individuals are shortlisted in the 2018 awards, with 12 businesses taking part for the first time and 13 hoping to retain their titles from 2017. This year, the awards also see the introduction of two new categories recognising the vital role apprentices and their employers play in the Chesterfield’s food and drink sector.

The finalists in each category are:

Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council

Blu Bistro & Coffee House

Bottle & Thyme

Cocina at Casa Hotel

Cafe/Tea Room of the Year – sponsored by Kier

The Lilypad Café and Restaurant

Qoozies

Stephenson’s Tea and Coffee House

Gastro Pub of the Year – sponsored by Derbyshire Building Control Partnership

The Fox & Goose Inn

The Market Pub

The Rectory

Pub/Bar of the Year – sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors

Chesterfield Arms

Junction Bar

Rose & Crown, Brampton

Chesterfield’s Best Newcomer – sponsored by BHP Chartered Accountants

Ciuri Ciuri

The Crafty Dog

Pump & Grind


Best Customer Service – sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)

Bottle & Thyme

Junction Bar

Stephenson’s Tea and Coffee House


Best Out of Town – sponsored by Shorts Chartered Accountants

The Devonshire, Upper Langwith

Kathmandu Ghurka, Clay Cross

The Three Horse Shoes, Clay Cross

The Tickled Trout, Barlow


International Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by MSE Hiller

Dehli 41

Einstein’s

Nonnas


Family Friendly Award – sponsored by Jumble Creative Design

Chesters

Mason’s Coffee Lounge

The Soulville Steakhouse

Conference and Banqueting Venue of the Year – presented by the Mayor of Chesterfield 

Casa Hotel

Proact Stadium

Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa

 

Food Producer of the Year – sponsored by Winster Foods

All Things Brownie Beautiful

Cup and Saucer

Original Recipes

Young Chef of the Year – sponsored by Owen Taylor & Sons

Ashley-Darrah Pienaar

Callum Taylor

Kye Homiak

Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Apprentice Town (Led by Chesterfield Borough Council)

Ben Forster – Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa

Corey Elliott – The Lilypad Café & Restaurant

Courtney Slater – Katey’s Coffee Shop

Apprentice Employer of the Year – Sponsored by Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group)

The Rectory

Stephenson’s Tea & Coffee House

Van Dyk

Other supporters of the awards include Derbyshire Times, Elder Way (Jomast Developments), FEAST (The Food and Drink Forum) Hoods Florist, Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group, Peak FM, and Reflections.

For more information about the Chesterfield Food and Drink awards, please visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards/.

Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Christmas, Destination Chesterfield, Visiting

New retailer on the way to Chesterfield town centre

The Entertainer has announced it will be opening a store in Chesterfield.

The ambitious toy retailer has a vision that every childhood should be filled with wonder and its mission is to be the best-loved toy shop.

The grand opening of The Entertainer’s Chesterfield store, which will be on Packers Row, is expected to take place on the 10th November at 9.00.

The opening day event is going to have character visits, live demos and lots of toys! There will also be a competition with the first twenty families through the door having the chance to pick a gift card at random where they could win up to £100.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager said “It is great that The Entertainer will be opening a new store in Chesterfield.

“It joins Chesterfield’s existing mix of independent and high street retailers, bars, restaurants and historic market, which are key reasons why so many people, locally and nationally, visit the town each year.”

This latest investment follows the recent opening of Sorbo Lounge in the former Post Office and the redevelopment of the Co-op store, which will include a new Premier Inn.

Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield

Chesterfield Town Centre

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

Children’s TV favourite cast as Chesterfield’s Cinderella

Pomegranate Theatre and Paul Holman Associates have announced that popular Children’s TV Presenter Naomi Wilkinson will star in this year’s spectacular family pantomime in the title role of Cinderella from Saturday 1st December 2018 to Sunday 6th January 2019.

Starting her career as a Butlin’s Redcoat, Naomi soon made a splash as the effervescent host of Channel 5’s Milkshake! which she presented for 10 years. She has been a constant and well-loved face on UK TV screens ever since, notably as the presenter of Marrying Mum & Dad, Countryfile, Finger Tips and Live ’n’ Deadly with Steve Backshall among many others.

Naomi quickly established herself as a Children’s TV favourite, well-loved by children and parents alike for her bubbly, energetic persona and daredevil attitude. She found herself travelling the globe in her own show, Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature, now in its 4th series, in which audiences see her conquer her fears and face extreme challenges including sky diving, swimming with sharks without a cage and coming nose to nose underwater with a 4.8m crocodile in Australia. She was nominated for a prestigious Children’s BAFTA as Best Presenter for her work on the hit show.

Pantomime Producer Paul Holman said: “I’m delighted to have secured Naomi to play Cinderella. Not only will she be adored by audiences of all ages but, as an experienced pantomime performer, she will bring magic to Chesterfield this Christmas’.

Cinderella, also starring Rhydian Roberts (X Factor) as Prince Charming, promises to be Chesterfield’s most enchanting pantomime yet with good old-fashioned family fun and plenty of audience interaction plus sensational special effects, breath-taking costumes and scenery and an exciting line-up of stars ready to whisk audiences off to the ball.

Cinderella runs at Pomegranate Theatre from Saturday 1st December 2018 to Sunday 6th January 2019.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

New soft play comes to North Derbyshire

Matlock Farm Park has recently opened its brand new Rainforest soft play.

The new all year round facilities are an indoor place of adventure in a Rainforest, with a new cafe lounge in the ruins of an Inca temple. It has an underwater themed soft play area for the toddlers with an interactive eye spy panel.

The Rainforest also has two new rooms for use with birthday parties and as classrooms.

Admission to the facilities are included with the entry fee to the Farm Park.

A Matlock Farm Park spokesperson said ” We needed to make Matlock Farm Park more of a 12 month facility, this new barn provides a warm dry area for those cold rainy days. Also we have the new Ark, where we will winter some of our animals are housed and there for a visit.”

“The Farm Park Vision, was to create an indoor play/learning centre, incorporating an overflow café with two classrooms.”

The new facilities were part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Rainforest Matlock Farm Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Over a thousand Santas heading to Queen’s Park this Christmas Eve

Around 1,300 people have signed up to take part in the CBD Training Ltd Chesterfield 5k Santa Fun Run & Walk and Unit 1 Martial Arts 1500m Santa Fun Run & Walk in Queen’s Park on Christmas Eve.

John Cannon, Organiser of the event, who staged the first Santa Fun Run 12 months ago, is delighted with the response. He said:-

“People will be travelling from all over England and abroad to take part, all dressed as Santa, which is fantastic.

“With Christmas carols from Ashover Band, together with demonstrations from Unit 1 Martial Arts, a Chesterfield FC Community Trust target game, stalls and walking football, it promises to be a great day.”

Money raised from the event will be split equally between Ashgate Hospicecare, Weston Park Cancer Charity and retreat@Royal for the Mayor’s Appeal.

At the event there will be both a 5k which is 4 laps of Queen’s Park on park footpaths and a 1500m run that is three and a half laps of the cricket pitch. Both runs are traffic free and marshaled, suitable for all abilities to run or walk the chosen distance.

In addition to the main sponsors, CBD Training LTD and Unit 1 Fitness and Martial Arts, the following organisations are also kindly supporting the event: Chesterfield Borough Council, Queen’s Park Leisure Centre, Chesterfield FC Community Trust, North Derbyshire Running Club, The Unique Network, Elastic FM, Fredericks Ice Cream, The MOT Centre, Siddalls Roofing, Mercol Engineering and Banner Jones Solicitors.

Santa Fun Run & Walk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas

Radio station find their voices for charity

Chesterfield Champion and online radio station, Spire Radio, will be playing themselves on the radio this Christmas – but it’s all for 2 great causes.

Dave Trickett, Community Director at Spire Radio, and one of his oldest friends, Paul Wilbraham have been raising money throughout 2017 in memory of Dave’s daughter, Kimberley, who lost her fight with cancer in 2009 at the age of just 20.

Since then Paul and Dave have been fundraising tirelessly for both Ashgate Hospice and Teenage Cancer Trust, raising over £80,000.

This year they are aiming to raise another £10,000 for the two charities. After running 5 marathons, a grueling 24-hour treadmill run at Tesco in August and holding a Posh Pie and Peas fund raiser in November this year, Paul and Dave are getting into the festive spirit to raise more money by becoming popstars.

The idea to release an original Christmas single to celebrate a mammoth year of fundraising was first mentioned back in April and it has taken trips to Stoke on Trent as well as recording sessions in Chesterfield to make this a reality. Everyone involved in the single has given their time for free with one simple aim – to raise as much money as possible for both Ashgate Hospicecare and Teenage Cancer Trust.

Dave Trickett, Community Director at Spire Radio, said:-

“This year has been amazing and the recent Pie and Peas night at the Proact Stadium in November was a great night- not just for Paul and I but for everyone that has helped and supported us. This isn’t the end, Paul has already booked for the Brighton marathon for next year, while I’m doing the London marathon for the Teenage Cancer Trust.”

Working with Lyn Sheppard at Positive Impulse Ltd, Dave and Paul provide the voices of Santa while many of the Spire Radio presenters have lent their voices to an original Christmas single written by Charlotte Elizabeth and featuring Chesterfield artists, Anthony Parsons, Georgii Bailey (Derbyshire Singer of the Year 2016), Amy J Bannister, Dino Bedrocker and Hattie Drury.

Amy Hartshorn, Director at Spire Radio, said:-

“I began working with the Trickett family around 5 years ago, the whole family are amazing and have such strength having been through such tragedy. Kim was a beautiful, inspirational person and as such has inspired all of us to keep her legacy alive. Spire Radio raised £5,100 for Kim’s memorial fund in early 2016. Kim was cared for by both Teenage Cancer Trust and Ashgate Hospice which is why Dave and Paul have taken on these epic challenges this year to raise such a huge sum of money.

“They are quite simply two of the most amazing men I have had the privilege to meet, and we will continue to support them in all of their future challenges, and it has been brilliant to be involved in the Christmas single and I’d like to thank everyone that has been involved – even if they’ve only sung one line – we couldn’t have done this without you.”

Debs and Denise, the LOL Girls, Ali Murray, Alan Wilkinson, Maisie Saikia from Spire Radio were joined by the Senior Musical Theatre students from Chesterfield Studios as well as Market Hall traders and the Ashgate Hospice Warblers to raise some festive cheer this Christmas.

The single, A Children’s Christmas Time costs 99p and is released as a digital download via Amazon Music and Spotify.

Christmas single

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas

New Festive Fayre announced for Chesterfield

A new three day Christmas Fayre has been announced set to take place in New Square from the 22nd – 24th December.

The Chesterfield Festive Fayre, organised by Cobbled Street Events and supported by Chesterfield Borough Council, will be a welcome addition to the towns festive event calendar.

There will be a number of quality stalls, selling festive gifts and food and plenty of family friendly festive activities including a visit from Santa, fun rides, donkey rides, street entertainers, flash mob, stalls galore and much more.

Alongside the market there will be a variety of entertainment acts from a top Michael Buble tribute performing on Friday to Princess Anna & Elsa (from Disney’s Frozen) and Spiderman visiting the Fayre on Saturday. There will also be an opportunity for local acts to perform in the ‘busking challenge’ being held over the event.

The event is set to be streamed live on S41 local radio from the stage in New Square.

Peter & Rob, representatives of Cobbled Street Events and organisers of Chesterfield Christmas Fayre, said:-

“We are two market traders, with over 50 years experience of trading, and running markets and events.

“The council have given us the chance to bring the town, people and local business’s of Chesterfield together, to have a great free fabulous family 3 day event.”

Chesterfield Festive Fayre

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas

Chesterfield lights up for Christmas

Chesterfield is set to be bathed in Christmas glow yet again with the annual Christmas lights switch-on event.

The event takes place on Sunday 19 November with a special market taking place from noon offering entertainment, stalls, games and rides in the market place and New Square.

Youngsters can also meet one of their favourite characters as Chase from Paw Patrol makes appearances outside the Visitor Information Centre in Rykneld Square, outside the Crooked Spire church at noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

The stage show gets underway in New Square at 3.30pm with Peak FM presenters Cat and Ricky taking to the stage offering opportunities for the audience to join in the fun.

Stars from the Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, this year’s pantomime at the Pomegranate Theatre, will perform on stage and will perform the switch on at 4.45pm with Chesterfield’s mayor and Chase from Paw Patrol.

Councillor Steve Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said:-

“Each year thousands of people come along to take part in Chesterfield’s Christmas lights event. It is a great opportunity for families to come together and get into the Christmas spirit.

“We organise the event as part of our commitment to make Chesterfield a thriving borough and to improve the quality of life for local people.”

Chesterfield residents can use their free parking disc to park for free in the following Chesterfield Borough Council off-street pay and display car parks:

  • Albion Road
  • Derbyshire Times
  • Devonshire Street
  • Durrant Road
  • Hollis Lane (excluding on-street bays)
  • Holywell Cross (The Donut)
  • Queens Park (North and South)
  • Spa Lane
  • Station Road
  • St Mary’s Gate
  • Theatre Lane.

Free coach parking is available by arrangement with Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre.  For more information telephone 01246 345777/8.

There’s a full programme of entertainment for Christmas in Chesterfield from traditional markets to stand up comedy. Find out more about Christmas in Chesterfield here.

Christmas lights switch-on

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting