Tourism

Derbyshire and the Peak District promoted to the world at major travel events

Derbyshire and the Peak District has been promoted to the world at three major travel events last week.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire promoted the delights of the destination to thousands of consumers and travel trade buyers at events in Dublin and London to showcase the area’s tourism offer.

As international travel begins to increase, the area’s official destination management organisation has been working hard to keep the Peak District and Derbyshire front and centre in the minds of potential visitors and the world’s leading travel trade operators.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire showcased the destination to an estimated 40,000 visitors at Ireland’s biggest annual travel exhibition, the Holiday World Show, in Dublin and also met with key international travel trade representatives at VisitBritain’s Showcase Britain event and the Britain & Ireland Marketplace, both held in London.

While capturing demand from the rise in domestic staycations has been a key part of their recovery marketing efforts, keeping international markets warm has been just as important, and the Holiday World Show (27th-29th January) was the first large-scale opportunity the organisation has had since the pandemic to promote the Peak District and Derbyshire to overseas visitors and travel trade buyers.

Visitors to the Visit Peak District & Derbyshire stand were given information on the destination’s vibrant tourism offer and had the chance to taste quality local produce with whisky samples from Ambergate-based White Peak Distillery. Visitors also had the opportunity to win tickets to Chatsworth, an iconic cultural attraction for international tourists.

In a further boost, Visit Peak District & Derbyshire promoted the destination to international travel trade representatives at VisitBritain’s Showcase Britain event on 26th January before meeting with overseas tour operators and travel trade buyers at the Britain & Ireland Marketplace, in partnership with UKinbound and the European Tour Operators Association (EOTA), on 27th January.

The events provided a valuable opportunity to forge new relationships with key travel trade decision makers and promote bookable product – ranging from group accommodation to sustainable experiences – to hundreds of international buyers.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “Increasing international travel to the Peak District and Derbyshire is crucial for the recovery and growth of the visitor economy. Being part of these important face-to-face events helps showcase the area as a world-class destination for both international visitors and key travel trade buyers, inspiring visits from overseas markets which are continuing to build their confidence about returning to the UK again.

“There are lots of potential opportunities for the area to benefit from some big events happening in 2023, with international visitors expected to take a keen interest in both the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool and King Charles III’s Coronation, which gives us plenty of reasons to shout about the Peak District and Derbyshire as a must-visit holiday destination.”

Hot on the heels of these successful events, the organisation is also registered to attend VisitBritain’s flagship event ExploreGB, which brings together hand-picked international buyers from over 30 markets and the best of the UK travel trade.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s work to increase international visitor numbers is in line with its key aims to drive visitor spend, boost overnight stays, and extend the tourism season.

Inbound tourism has been identified as a key driver of recovery and economic growth and VisitBritain predicts international visits to the UK will total 35.1 million in 2023 (86% of 2019 levels), with a spend of £29.5 billion (104% of 2019 levels).

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire is a committed member of UKinbound, a trade organisation that represents the UK’s inbound tourism sector. Tourism businesses interested in working with the travel trade should contact industry@visitpeakdistrict.com.

Peak District and Derbyshire promoted in London and Dublin

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The Visitor Economy: a sector with a growing number of career opportunities

Chesterfield not only attracts local residents, but also visitors from further afield. Visitors spend in 2019 had generated an estimated £203 million into the visitor economy and supported over 2,347 jobs in the local area.

To help you understand what a career in visitor economy is like, we spoke to current and former apprentices who currently work within Chesterfield’s leisure, hospitality, and retail sectors.

What’s it like working in visitor economy?

A career in the visitor economy can be exciting due to the diverse range of job roles on offer. You could find yourself working in events, hospitality, accommodation, tourist services, visitor attraction and much more.

Meet Brandon Howard, a Level 4 Marketing Executive apprentice at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre. Working in marketing is usually about promoting and selling a product or service, but in visitor economy it’s all about selling and promoting a place for people to come and visit.

Vicar Lane Big Screen

Brandon said: “I enjoy working in the visitor attraction sector, as it’s really fulfilling organising events that benefits lots of local people and businesses, as well as visitors from further afield. I like being in such an open and varied environment with something different always going on.

My apprenticeship is a nice mixture between learning and working and I feel like I’m helping the company, as well as my own career progression, move forward. I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to others looking to take a similar career path to me. Apprenticeships are a great steppingstone to bright futures.”

Apprenticeships offer a fantastic progression route

Venues in Chesterfield such as the Pomegranate and Winding Wheel theatres host a range of musicals, stand-up comedy, music concerts and other productions, meaning they attract regional audiences and play an important role in our visitor economy.

Winding-Wheel

Jack Floyd, Senior Technician for Chesterfield Venues, completed a level 3 apprenticeship in Leadership and Management and explains why an apprenticeship offers a fantastic progression route.

Jack said: “An apprenticeship in leadership and management has allowed me to take the specialist knowledge gained throughout my career and properly apply it in leadership situations. I hope to take the skills I have learned and use them to progress into technical or venue management.”

You can discover more about becoming an apprentice here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/become-an-apprentice-in-chesterfield/

Develop transferable skills working in hospitality

Lucy Bacon, Assistant Marketing Manager of the Casa Hotel Group, demonstrates how working in hospitality helps you gain transferable skills which can be applied to other career opportunities.

Cocina Restaurant (002)

Lucy explained: “I started out at Casa Hotel working part time, alongside my school studies, in the Cocina Restaurant. This gave me a great base of transferable skills to grow on! I was able to work quickly and efficiently, think on my feet and was confident in speaking to all manner of guests. My journey in Cocina then quickly moved from part time to full time, and from Food and Beverage Attendant to Restaurant Supervisor. In my more senior position, I supported the restaurant team through busy service, communicated well with our Chefs, and dealt with any issues which may arise.

After some time developing my food and beverage knowledge further, I began to take interest in the Marketing of our products and services both for the Restaurant and the Hotel as a whole. The Management team here at Casa gave me the opportunity and support to gain my qualification in Marketing as well as move over fully into the Marketing of both Casa and Peak Edge. I am now the proud Assistant Marketing Manager of the Casa Hotel Group and am grateful of the opportunities I have been given whilst working in the Hospitality Industry.”

Fancy a career working in the visitor economy?

The visitor economy in Chesterfield is expected to see a significant boost from a number of planned developments across the borough and will create further job offers in the local area, creating even more career opportunities

You can use our search tool to browse the hundreds of apprenticeship vacancies currently available in and around Chesterfield: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/become-an-apprentice-in-chesterfield/find-an-apprenticeship-in-chesterfield/

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Derbyshire’s visitor economy receives £500,000 boost from community renewal fund

The area’s official destination management organisation has secured £500,000 to boost jobs, encourage growth and support the recovery of visitor economy businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire following a successful bid to the Government’s Community Renewal Fund.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, working in partnership with East Midlands Chamber, the University of Derby, The Food and Drink Forum and Nottingham Business Venture, has been awarded a share of an overall project totalling £1.47 million that will run until 30 June 2022.

Investment in low carbon solutions, business growth, employment, training and digital skills are amongst the key aims of the project, which is set to create jobs and breathe new life into local communities as part of the Government’s commitment to levelling-up the nation and achieving net zero carbon emissions.

Financial support for businesses will include growth vouchers and start-up grants of up to £2,000, plus flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 to help businesses access green solutions, adopt digital technology and receive specialist training.

Activity for the project will be delivered under five key strands, known as ‘Accelerators’, with Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire delivering the support for visitor economy businesses.

The five ‘Accelerators’ in the project are as follows:

• Race to Zero Carbon Accelerator to encourage investment in net zero business practices and to offer financial support for ‘clean growth’ such as the implementation of carbon reduction plans.
• Digital Transformation Accelerator to help businesses implement e-commerce solutions and become online bookable. This will also include collaborative pilots for the cultural and heritage sector to access technology solutions, develop town-based festivals and drive market town footfall.
• Start Up to Scale Up Accelerator to deliver mentoring to help start-ups launch a business idea and grants of up to £2,000 to launch a new business or product.
• The Kickstart Accelerator to deliver training and mentoring support to improve job retention, as well as a wage subsidy to convert a Kickstart or Graduate placement into a new sustained job.
• The Financial Accelerator to offer flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 to help businesses fund digital adoption, carbon reduction solutions and specialist training. Growth vouchers of up to £2,000 will be available for consultancy advice to support business growth and a wage subsidy will be available to support Kickstart or Graduate job retention.

The project also includes feasibility studies into the development of two apps, including a visitor app that would provide real-time data on visitor behaviour, and a transport planning app that would align bus and rail routes to popular destinations in the area.

More information on the Community Renewal Fund project, including the grants programme, can be found at: visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/community-renewal-fund

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re delighted that our Community Renewal Fund bid has been successful, creating a host of new opportunities to drive the post-Covid recovery and long-term growth of visitor economy businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire

“As highlighted in our Tourism Recovery Plan, our ambition is to become a leading destination in sustainable tourism and this, alongside our ongoing commitment to boosting jobs, skills and growth, clearly aligns with the Government’s aims for the Community Renewal Fund.

“We look forward to working alongside our partners and hope this project will pave the way for future funding to ensure visitor economy businesses can not only survive, but thrive, as we embark on the road to recovery.”

Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive and Community Renewal Fund lead at East Midlands Chamber, said: “The East Midlands Accelerator project will look at what the needs are locally and seek to address them with targeted, bespoke support that brings together key stakeholders across the region – with each strand connected by the golden thread of acceleration.

“We strongly believe these schemes, which will enhance the existing support out there, will have a transformative impact for so many businesses and individuals in the Peak District and Derbyshire.

“This area is a hive of entrepreneurship and we’re looking forward to assisting people to get great ideas off the ground and then scaling them up, while for more established businesses we can help them navigate their net zero and digital transformation journeys.

“We’re also excited about building on our success in the Kickstart Scheme, having been the UK’s largest and most successful gateway organisation in supporting businesses to create more than 1,800 placements in our region.”

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, East Midlands Chamber, and the University of Derby support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield’s The Gateway @PEAK development showcased at COP26 regional roadshow

Milligan’s forthcoming development on the Peak District National Park boundary, the Gateway @PEAK has been showcasing its sustainability credentials at the East Midlands COP26 Regional Roadshow, as part of its strategic partnership with the University of Derby.

Milligan and landowner Birchall Properties have formed a working group with the University of Derby to bring the latest applied thinking in sustainable tourism, circular economies, data collection and monitoring, geosciences and biodiversity planning to the project.

The Gateway @PEAK is a great example of the Net Zero Carbon developments being discussed at COP26 in Glasgow.

At the heart of the development is a Zero Carbon transport hub. Hydrogen powered vehicles will connect to a travel network that has the potential to remove over 500,000 car journeys from the park each year, drastically reducing carbon emissions and improving the visitor experience for everyone.

The travel network will also open access to thousands of park attractions, spreading the economic visitor benefit and relieving destinations that become overwhelmed during peak seasons. Planning permission for 2,800 car parking spaces and 5,000 overnight beds has already been granted to the Gateway at PEAK which is situated on 300 acres of fully reclaimed land.

The COP26 East Midlands Roadshow took place on the 11th November 2021, during the international summit in Glasgow. In the virtual conference, delegates were able to browse other projects from the region and learn more about the Gateway’s ambition to create a blueprint for the sustainable delivery of mixed-use ‘smart’ campuses.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the College of Science and Engineering, Prof Chris Bussell, said “The University will help the Gateway @PEAK project team define sustainable tourism, bringing innovation to this landmark project for the region, and for the UK’s National Parks.

“Our research and experience in building digital twins and data sciences will give the project a credible data strategy, which is critical to it delivering its sustainability goals. The collaboration offers university students an exciting, local project which is breaking new ground, and the project itself access to the latest thinking and research.”

Find out more about The Gateway @Peak and the Wider Peak Gateway, Resort, Campus development at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/peak-resort/

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Shortlist announced for Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards 2022

The shortlist for the Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards 2022 has been revealed, showcasing excellence and outstanding achievement across the area’s tourism sector.

Chesterfield Champions Casa Hotel, The Chatsworth-owned Devonshire Arms pub and Matlock Farm Park have made the shortlist, amongst some of the best businesses across the county.

Finalists have been announced in 15 categories celebrating the best of the visitor economy in the Peak District & Derbyshire, from attractions and accommodation providers to unique.

Finalists have been announced in 15 categories celebrating the best of the visitor economy in the Peak District & Derbyshire, from attractions and accommodation providers to unique experiences and great places to eat and drink.

Shortlisted businesses will go forward to the final round of independent judging before winners are revealed at a glittering awards ceremony at Casa Hotel in Chesterfield on Thursday 3 March 2022.

Organised for the second year by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, with support from the European Regional Development Fund, the 2022 awards will celebrate the success and resilience of tourism businesses whilst also highlighting the sector’s vital contribution to the local economy.

In regognition of the challenges faced by businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, two new core categories have been added for 2022: the ‘Unsung Hero Award’ and the ‘Resilience and Innovation Award’.

Two new local awards – ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Tourism Young Achiever’ – have also been added to recognise the thousands of jobs supported by tourism across the Peak District & Derbyshire.

At the awards evening, all Gold winners will be presented with a luxury award designed and made by Derbyshire-based C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches, whilst Silver and Bronze winners will each receive a certificate identifying them as one of the best tourism businesses in the area.

In a further boost, Gold winners in each of the 13 core categories will automatically progress onto the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022, which represent the highest accolades in English tourism.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “After such a challenging year for everyone in the industry, the Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards present a great opportunity to celebrate the hardworking businesses and individuals who continually raise the bar of the area’s tourism offer.

“These awards are a celebration of quality and excellence within the visitor economy and never has our sector been more deserving of recognition. We’re proud to be shining a light on some of the most inspirational tourism businesses in the area and look forward to celebrating with our finalists and partners at the awards ceremony next year.”

Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Councillor Barry Lewis, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards.

“The tourism sector has been one of the last areas to return to normal operation from Covid-19 and it’s great to see so many local businesses, individuals and attractions return with a bang and working hard to attract visitors into our beautiful county.

“These awards are a great way to recognise their fantastic efforts and congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted.”

Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards: The 2022 Shortlist

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

  • Croft Bungalow Accessible Holiday Let, Birchover

B&B and Guest House of the Year

  • Grendon Bed & Breakfast, Buxton
  • Sheldon House, Monyash

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

  • Landal Sandybrook, Ashbourne
  • Boutique Camping at Scaldersitch Farm, Sheen
  • Beech Croft Farm Caravan & Camping Park, Taddington

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

  • Landal Darwin Forest, Matlock
  • Fischer’s Baslow Hall
  • Pure Outdoor Ltd

Experience of the Year

  • Drive Dad’s Car, Great British Car Journey
  • myGuidedWalks
  • Pure Outdoor Ltd

Hotel of the Year

  • Casa Hotel, Chesterfield
  • Rafters at Riverside House, Ashford-in-the-Water
  • The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow

New Tourism Business Award

  • Country Luxe Derbyshire
  • Great British Car Journey, Ambergate
  • Manor House Farm Cottages, Sheldon

Pub of the Year

  • The Prince of Wales, Baslow
  • The Devonshire Arms, Pilsley
  • The Yorkshire Bridge Inn, Bamford

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

  • Stainsborough Hall, near Wirksworth
  • Manor House Farm Cottages, Sheldon
  • Oaker Farm Holidays, Hope

Taste of the Peak District & Derbyshire Awards

  • The George, Alstonefield
  • The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow
  • Fischer’s Baslow Hall

Visitor Attraction of the Year

  • Bluebell Dairy Ltd, Spondon
  • Matlock Farm Park, Matlock
  • Treak Cliff Cavern, Castleton

Resilience & Innovation Award

  • White Peak Distillery, Ambergate
  • Matlock Farm Park, Matlock
  • Treak Cliff Cavern, Castleton

Tourism Young Achiever Award

  • Jack Boam, Tagg Lane Dairy
  • Luke Henshaw, Great British Car Journey
  • George Finlay, Matlock Farm Park

Team of the Year Award

  • Pinelodge Holidays Ltd
  • Rafters at Riverside House
  • The Welcome Team Ltd

Unsung Hero Award

  • Rob Hattersley, Longbow Bars & Restaurants
  • John Whelan, Rafters at Riverside House

For more details see: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/tourism-awards

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Designers put finishing touches to huge garden transformation at Chatsworth

A new ‘meadow glade’ bursting with thousands of flowers including Primula, Campanula, Ranunculus, Deschampsia, Succisa and many more has been created to mark the final major planting in Chatsworth’s biggest garden transformation for nearly 200 years.

A trio of Britain’s leading garden designers, Tom Stuart-Smith, Dan Pearson and James Hitchmough, have worked with Chatsworth’s Head of Gardens and Landscape, Steve Porter and his team for more than three years to redevelop the world famous 105-acre garden.

More than 300,000 plants, including hundreds of trees, have gone into the ground across a previously underdeveloped 15-acre area known as ‘Arcadia’. Major work has also been done in a further 10-acres that includes a remodelled Rock Garden, the Maze Borders, the Ravine, Trout Stream and Jack Pond.

Work continued right through the pandemic with a reduced garden team given a helping hand by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire who were keen to develop a more sustainable future for the garden. During autumn 2020, around 95% of 70,000 perennials and bulbs were planted peat-free and were either grown in the open ground and transported bare root, or in biodegradable pots made from remoulded husks that are a by-product of the rice industry.

“The Duke and Duchess have often been in the garden helping out with planting, placing and watering, particularly when we were short-handed” says Head of Gardens and Landscape, Steve Porter. “They have been very involved and supportive of a more sustainable approach and that will be a key theme in the next round of changes in the garden.”

“We’ve been reducing the environmental impact of our work in all areas. The plants grown on site for Chatsworth’s shops are already completely peat-free and almost no pesticides or fungicides are used in the glasshouses – predatory bugs are released instead as part of an integrated pest control programme.”

James Hitchmough, based at the nearby University of Sheffield, has overseen the seeding of the new ‘meadow glade’ with thousands of perennial flowers, one of four new glades in Arcadia. New pathways take visitors deep into Arcadia’s heart, with earlier plantings already well established and flowering.

A wet glade known as the bog garden, contains more than 34,000 new plants and bulbs including 8000 Camassia grown onsite in Chatsworth’s own nursery. Drifts of more than 2000 Candelabra Primula in six different varieties are being planted as well as Iris, Rodgersia, Gunnera, swamp cypress (Taxodium), royal ferns and other plants able to thrive in damp conditions such as pond edges, stream banks or damp shady borders.

The overall plan for Arcadia by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, supported by Gucci, saw 15-acres cleared for the planting of hundreds of new trees and the four meadow-like glades connected by woodland walks. A major new art installation called ‘Natural Course’ has been created by the Derbyshire artist Laura Ellen Bacon using more than 100 tonnes of local stone to build a monumental sculptural centrepiece.

One of the Duke of Devonshire’s favourite shrubs, Daphne, features strongly in Arcadia, particularly around seating areas because of its scent, while winter Helleborus in different colours and Primula in spring are other highlights.

In the Rock Garden, Iris are a standout flower among more than 12,000 new plants, which include many more grasses and perennials. Work along the Trout Stream has included some 7000 additional plants familiar to a woodland floor, such as Tiarella and Epimedium.

Redevelopment of the Trout Stream has been intimately connected to Dan Pearson’s creation of Chatsworth’s ‘Best in Show’ garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015, which provided Dan with the conceptual inspiration for the new planting and seating.

The foundations of Chatsworth’s present garden and park were laid out by William Kent and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 18th century and Joseph Paxton in the 19th century.

The 105-acre garden is the product of nearly 500 years of careful cultivation and retains many early features, including the Canal Pond, Cascade and Duke’s Greenhouse. The famous waterworks include the 300-year-old Cascade, the Willow Tree Fountain and the impressive, gravity-fed Emperor Fountain, which reaches heights of up to 90m.

 

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All Systems Go for The Peak District Highland Games 2021

Matlock Farm Park has confirmed the return of the popular Strongman event, The Peak District Highland Games on Sunday, 29th August.

Now in its fifth year, this key Peak District event will see a team of some of the country’s strongest men take part in a schedule of six events throughout the day, including the Eight Tonne Tractor Pull, the Giant Stone Throw, Log Press and the Tossing of the Caber.

This year sees the introduction of women competing in their own Strongwoman event on the day.

Man Beast Strongman Events co-founder Andy Picken said: “It’s great for the guys to be back doing what they do best, bringing the strongman sport to audiences to witness some awesome feats of strength. With women competing this year too, they can demonstrate the same dedication to training and some amazing strength skills, as well as highlighting the diversity in rapidly growing strength sport.”

Abi Bradbury, General Manager of Matlock Farm Park, added: “We’re thrilled to once again be hosting this fantastic outdoor event, which has always been so popular with visitors of all ages. Along with watching the strongman and strongwoman events, and even having the chance to take part in a Tug of War, there’s so much else to do around the farm park, including small animal handling, wallaby encounters and children’s pony rides. We have great play areas and Kimmo the children’s entertainer is with us throughout the day too.”

The day will begin with a Scottish Piper band playing to lead the competitors into the arena, with representatives from the region’s official tourism board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire officially opening the event. On site there will also be food and craft stalls, Thornbridge beer tent and a gin garden.

The athletes themselves come from all over the country holding local, regional and even some world records, with a variety of work backgrounds from tradesmen to a train driver!

Andy Picken, who is also Master of Ceremonies on the big day, explained how the athletes feel about a return to competing: “It’s been such a hard time for the Nation and Lockdown has provided extra challenges to the athletes who have had limited home equipment to maintain strength. But with restrictions easing, they’ve been hitting the gym again with a renewed fire in the belly and they’re feeling very excited at the prospect of The Peak District Highland Games. Some have even got their own Caber to train with!

“With some new faces in the line-up, we have shaken up the competitors which gives some hungry fringe contenders a chance to shine and take on the established athletes. It’s certainly going to be a day to remember to those spectating!”

Tickets on sale now – Find out more about the event here.

Matlock Farm Park supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield Businesses encouraged to apply for Peak District & Derbyshire tourism awards

Applications are now open for the 2022 Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards, offering tourism and hospitality businesses the fantastic opportunity to achieve local and national recognition.

Now in their second year, the awards celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement in the area’s tourism sector, shining a spotlight on deserving businesses and individuals across the Peak District and Derbyshire.

There are 15 categories in total covering different aspects of the visitor economy, from B&Bs, hotels and campsites to attractions, experiences and delicious local food and drink.

Applications for the 2022 awards are open until 19th September 2021 and finalists will be named in October. Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony in early 2022, with Gold winners in the 13 core categories progressing on to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence for the chance to achieve national glory.

2022 Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Award Categories:

  • B&B and Guest House of the Year
  • Hotel of the Year
  • Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
  • Self Catering Accommodation of the Year
  • Visitor Attraction of the Year
  • Pub of the Year
  • Experience of the Year
  • New Tourism Business of the Year
  • Taste of the Peak District & Derbyshire Award
  • Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
  • Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
  • Unsung Hero Award
  • Resilience and Innovation Award
  • Team of the Year Award (Local Award)
  • Tourism Young Achiever Award (Local Award)

Details of all categories and how to apply are available at: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/tourism-awards

In recognition of the exceptional work undertaken by the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, two new core categories have been added for the 2022 awards: the Unsung Hero Award and the Resilience and Innovation Award.

Two new local categories – Team of the Year and Tourism Young Achiever – have also been introduced to celebrate the thousands of people employed by the tourism industry in the Peak District and Derbyshire.

The Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards are run by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire with support from the European Regional Development Fund and C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches, who will be designing and handcrafting luxury bespoke awards for all Gold winners.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “After a difficult year for the industry, the Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards offer a timely opportunity to recognise the area’s many innovative and resilient tourism businesses, and the passionate people behind them.

“These awards are a celebration of the tourism sector and the huge contribution it makes to the Peak District & Derbyshire’s economy. They are also a fantastic chance for businesses to recognise the hard work of their teams, and entering these local awards is the only way to qualify for the national VisitEngland awards. We urge everyone to get their applications in as soon as possible!”

The Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards are free to enter for current members of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire. Non-members can enter at a fee of £150 plus VAT per category. Entrants must be based in Derbyshire or within the Peak District National Park boundary, and must be part of the visitor economy.

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Chesterfield Escape Rooms celebrates official opening

Chesterfield Escape Rooms has officially opened to the public, after the highly-anticipated visitor attraction was given the green light by the easing of covid-19 restrictions.

There are a number of games to choose from at the venue, with the aim of solving the puzzles and escaping the room before the time runs out.

An official ribbon cutting was carried out on Monday (17th May) by Chesterfield’s mayor, Cllr Glenys Falconer who enjoyed a game of ‘Rob The Bank’ during her visit.

Nick Hogan, owner of Chesterfield Escape Rooms said: “It’s been a few months in the planning but it has finally happened, we’re open for business! Our original objective was to put a smile back on the face of Chesterfield and give the town centre a new focus and I think we have achieved it.

“We are only small cog in the amazing amount of positive activity taking place around the town, but nevertheless the feedback we are getting from the games is fantastic.”

The Escape Rooms now employs 15 staff on a mixture of permanent, Kickstart and casual contracts. They are all trained to ensure customers feel safe and enjoy their experience.

Nick continued: “What i have loved so far is watching teams from the Games Masters area, having fun. To see people together, smiling, laughing, joking and having fun has made the setting up of the business worthwhile. Our social reviews on trip advisor, Facebook and Google have been unbelievable and testament to the pride and hard work that all of the team put in to each game.”

“So many people i have spoken to have advised they have never played or even considered playing an escape room but have decided to support the business and give it a go. The very same people are the ones I love watching the most. One lady, who, in reception asked lots of questions due to her lack of understanding, was seen doing a full on fist pump when she solved her first clue!!”

“We really want our customers to embrace our different themes and experience all of the games and wow are some of them competitive! We have launched a set of monthly leader boards which are advertised in reception, starting the concept of being an ‘Escape Room Legend’ to get into our all-time Hall of Fame! A player must have successfully completed all three games to enter!”

To find out more about Chesterfield Escape Rooms and book your visit, head to http://www.chesterfieldescaperooms.co.uk/ or email info@chesterfieldescaperooms.co.uk

Chesterfield Escape Rooms supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Medieval Masterpieces ‘coming home’ as Chatsworth House reopens

Two medieval masterpieces are returning to Chatsworth after more than 60 years and will go on display to visitors for one season only as the house reopens on Tuesday 18 May 2021.

At almost 600 years old and measuring more than 11 x 4 metres each, the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries are one of the largest pictorial representations of any kind from their period and the only great 15th century hunting tapestries to survive. Depicting medieval scenes of fabulously dressed noble men and women hunting in imaginary landscapes, they are believed to have been made in Arras, France between 1425-1450.

Having been closed for more than six months, the house will reopen its doors to ‘Life Stories’, a new exhibition that shares stories about the fascinating lives of people associated with Chatsworth through the placement of nine paired portraits and objects. Life Stories will run throughout the house before visitors reach the last room, the magnificent Sculpture Gallery, where the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries will be hung on the walls.

The tapestries belonged to the Devonshire family for more than 500 years before they were accepted by HM Government in lieu of tax payable on the estate of the 10th Duke of Devonshire. They were allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum where they have been housed ever since. Chatsworth is working in partnership with the V&A to bring the tapestries back to the house for this eight-month display.

The Duke of Devonshire: “It is a great privilege to welcome these tapestries back to Chatsworth; they had been part of the Collection for very many years until they were given in partial lieu of death duties in the 1950s. Since then they have been superbly looked after at the V&A Museum and we are delighted that they are allowing us to enjoy them here in Derbyshire once again for a few months in 2021.”

Tapestries were enormously costly objects in the Middle Ages and therefore the preserve of only the wealthiest families. The details of the tapestries give an insight into medieval life, but the action is set in imaginary landscapes. Hunting tapestries, with scenes of forests, people and animals, were a popular subject, transforming the cold and draughty interiors of medieval castles and mansions into forest glades.

The ‘Life Stories’ exhibition (18 May – 3 October 2021) includes the pairing of the artist Elisabeth Frink’s Tribute I with Angela Conner’s portrait of Frink herself; Alicia Paz’s painting Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere is connected to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, to highlight her interest in politics, science and poetry; while Henry VIII’s rosary, Natasha’s Daintry’s 2015 ceramic work Skin Deep, and a recreation of Bess of Hardwick’s necklace of 1000 pearls, made by leading Derbyshire based jewellers C W Sellors, also feature. Focusing on the traces of lives in the house, the exhibition presents objects in new ways, demonstrating how past figures continue to resonate in our lives today.

The house completes a phased reopening at Chatsworth with the garden, farmyard and adventure playground already open to visitors.

Tickets are now on sale and must be booked in advance. Each area of Chatsworth will reopen in line with government guidance on social distancing, household mixing and travel restrictions applicable at the time.

Indoor restaurants will also reopen on 18 May while most other restrictions will be lifted from 21 June.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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‘Escape the everyday’ campaign launched in Derbyshire to boost holiday bookings

The county’s official tourist board, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has launched a new ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign, supported by funding from VisitEngland, to help local tourism and hospitality businesses recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Visitors are being encouraged to Escape the Everyday on a unique range of bookable experiences in the area as part of the £70,000 campaign, which aims to support the sector’s recovery by promoting short breaks and boosting visitor spend.

The campaign has kicked off with a short video and branded content across social media, digital display and radio advertising. The content also drives online ‘traffic’ to visitpeakdistrict.com/escape-the-everyday, where visitors can book a range of activities and experiences across the Peak District & Derbyshire.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has worked with local tourism businesses to create engaging content for the campaign centred around the themes of ‘Discovery’, ‘Freedom to Explore’ and ‘Treat Yourself’.

Experiences include walking with alpacas, feeding lemurs at a local wildlife park, foraging for wild ingredients on a fine dining experience, short breaks at luxury spa hotels and enjoying a rock-climbing taster day in the Peak District National Park.

The campaign will target pre-school families and young couples and is funded by the VisitEngland Destination Management Organisations’ Recovery Marketing Fund, which supports recovery during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re delighted to launch our Escape the Everyday campaign to encourage visitors to book their holidays and experiences here in the Peak District & Derbyshire.

“We have an outstanding year-round tourism offer and we hope this campaign will inspire people to explore and discover all that we have to offer, following official guidance, whilst helping our £2.3 billion tourism industry to recover.

“From foraging and fine dining to e-bike experiences, there is so much to enjoy right across the Peak District & Derbyshire and now is the perfect time to escape the everyday and support local businesses on a short break.”

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:“Millions of jobs and local economies depend on tourism right across the country and the industry needs all of us to make sure it gets back on its feet. It is great to see the activity that Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire will be delivering locally, with support from VisitEngland funding and aligning with our national ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign, to encourage more people to get out and discover the outstanding destinations and quality attractions here on our doorstep and to drive bookings.

“It will also support local businesses who have been working so hard to welcome visitors back safely, adapting and innovating to meet new ways of working and still providing a great visitor experience.”

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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