Visit Chesterfield

Peak Sightseer open-top bus tours expand to cover two routes

The Peak Sightseer open-top tour bus tours are now up and running for 2024, with operator Stagecoach announcing an expanded service.

Peak Sightseer was launched last year, and is back again with a more extensive service this Summer, giving visitors the chance to explore some of Derbyshire’s best-loved attractions.

There are two routes, both based on Chatsworth House. The blue route serves Baslow, Calver, Grindleford, the National Trust Longshaw Estate, Surprise View, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope, Castleton and the spectacular Winnat’s Pass to Blue John Cavern.

The red route links Pilsley, Hassop Station (for the Monsal Trail), Bakewell and the village of Ashford-in-the-Water.

There are linking trips from Chesterfield Rail Station at the start and end of day, ensuring visitors and residents in our town can access the Peak Sightseer buses easily.

Partially funded by DfT BSIP funding, the tours have been made possible thanks to partnership working between Chatsworth Estate, Derbyshire County Council and Visit Peak District and Derbyshire as well as many others.

John Young, Commercial Director for Stagecoach in Chesterfield said: “We are delighted to have expanded the Peak Sightseer service to cover two routes.

“It has been fantastic to see the popularity of the new services since launching, which showcases the best of Derbyshire’s local attractions and beauty spots.

“Having the connectivity of Chesterfield Rail Station in such close proximity to the Peak District National Park makes the whole area much more accessible as a destination for visitors, and we can’t wait to welcome more people to North Derbyshire over the coming months.”

Nick Hogan, Destination Chesterfield Board Member commented: “We strongly welcome this initiative from Stagecoach, providing an innovative and sustainable way for people to enjoy Chesterfield and the surrounding area.

“Our town is a great base for exploring the Peak District, and the Peak Sightseer service adds another valuable link for those wishing to make the most of their visit.”

For more information on the service, including routes and timetables, go to: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/yorkshire/peak-sightseer

Chesterfield is ideally located in the centre of the UK, and is easy to reach via road and rail. Find out more about visiting Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

Looking for things to do in Chesterfield this summer? Head over to our Summer in Chesterfield page for some great ideas.

View from open top bus travelling through Winnats Pass

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

Save the dates – Peddler Market returns to Chesterfield this May and July

Chesterfield town centre will be buzzing in May and July as Peddler Market returns for two more weekend events this summer.

The popular street food market will be in New Square on 17 to18 May and 19 to 20 July. These are the final events for 2024 as the multi-million pound regeneration of the town centre is expected to start over the summer.

Ben Smith, Director at Peddler Market, said: “We are looking forward to signing off the summer with a bang! Peddler offers a fantastic opportunity to meet up with friends and family in the heart of the town centre; enjoy a drink, sample some of the UK’s most exciting street food talent and soak up the atmosphere from the live stage.

“With New Square being rejuvenated later this summer, we are happy to have provided a blueprint for how street food can play a pivotal role in transforming Chesterfield’s night-time economy in years to come.”

There will be a fantastic range of award-winning street food from around the world at the event in May.

Syiok-Lah will be serving up authentic Malyasian cuisine, Get Wurst will be offering German style Currywurst and Bratwurst, Cow Boys will be bringing brilliant burgers, The Spicy Biker will have a range of Indian street food, Brúm Mì will be dishing out East Asian street food, Luigi will be offering a taste of Italy with Arancini and Panzerotti, De Boeuf will be slicing up their mature beef, Madame Crêpe will have a range of fresh crepes and Vanilla Bean will be serving coffee and baked treats.

The weekend also features a strong line-up of live music with something for everyone to enjoy including, indie-rock band The N.S.O, folkie singer-songwriter Jack Weston, pop punk outfit 2x Fast,  Viva La Vintage  who performs a mixture of classic soul, swing and rock n roll, singer songwriter Masha Jana, and unique band Honey Trap, with some more acts still to be confirmed.

On Saturday Sunflower Dance will be providing family friendly entertainment with a dance workshop designed for children.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Peddler Market has been a unique event in our town, and I know lots of people have come out to support the three events so far. I hope to see lots of returning faces and new visitors come along in May and July to show their support for this fantastic event before we start work on the regeneration of the town centre.

“These events are a fantastic way to kickstart your summer in Chesterfield with your friends and families.”

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will see extensive works to key town centre areas to support a range of uses including markets, events, festivals and more. The work is due to start in summer 2024 in the Market Place.

Funding to help bring the event to Chesterfield has been provided through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Chesterfield Borough Council received £2.69m of UKSPF funding which will be invested across the borough. A portion of this will be invested into promoting the borough as a place to visit, and providing support for arts, culture, and heritage activities.

Planning on visiting Chesterfield on a Peddler Market weekend? Find out more about what’s on offer in the town here. 

Peddler Market Chesterfield - family enjoying some food and smiling for the camera

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Peak District & Derbyshire businesses celebrate English Tourism Week

People are being reminded about the many great attractions and locations just waiting to be explored in the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby as part of the area’s celebrations for English Tourism Week.

Taking place from 15 to 24 March 2024, English Tourism Week aims to raise the profile of the industry and celebrate the value and quality of tourism in England.

This year’s campaign, co-ordinated by VisitEngland, is using the strapline ‘supporting tourism, the heart of our communities’ to highlight the industry’s important economic, cultural and social impact.

Tourism in the Peak District and Derbyshire continues to be a key driver of jobs and growth for the area, generating an estimated £2.59 billion for the local economy and employing over 28,000 people.

The Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) aims to grow the visitor economy further, working with local, national and regional stakeholders to create a strong, sustainable tourism sector that benefits everyone.

As part of the local celebrations for English Tourism Week, Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council, Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, and Stella Birks, Visitor Economy Development Manager at Derby City Council, visited Derby’s historic Museum of Making to show their support.

The visit kick-started a week of digital activity that will see the teams from Visit Peak District & Derbyshire and Visit Derby showcasing local tourism businesses and urging visitors and residents alike to explore everything the area has to offer.

From stately homes and show caverns, to farm parks and gardens, museums and galleries, and award-winning pubs, restaurants and places to stay, the area offers a fantastic variety of attractions for everyone to explore.

As part of the activity, the LVEP joined team members at Destination Chesterfield to visit local attractions, such as the Crooked Spire, Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Chesterfield Market and Market Hall, Casa Hotel, and local independent retailers such as Adorn Jewellers and The Cheese Factor.

As well as showcasing some of the destination’s key tourism businesses, the activity will celebrate the hardworking people who work in the area’s visitor economy sector.

English Tourism Week also coincides with Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s annual Season Opener and Leaflet Swap, which is being held at Thornbridge Hall near Bakewell on Wednesday 20th March.

The popular event – funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered via the East Midlands Chamber’s Derbyshire Accelerator Project – is an opportunity for local tourism businesses to collect visitor collateral for the coming season, network with industry colleagues and benefit from short workshops and advice surgeries.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “English Tourism Week is an opportunity to put tourism centre stage and showcase this vibrant industry which supports thousands of jobs and communities across the Peak District and Derbyshire.

“It’s a great chance to recognise the value of the sector, worth £2.59 billion locally, champion the hardworking people behind the businesses, and highlight our world-class destination as a great place to visit and stay. With Spring upon us and the Easter break just ahead, there’s never been a better time to visit or revisit some of the fantastic places we are so fortunate to have on our doorstep, and I encourage everyone to get out and show their support.”

Find out more about the range of exciting attractions in Chesterfield and plan your visit to the town: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

To see what the Peak District and Derbyshire has to offer visit the Visit Peak District & Derbyshire website: www.visitpeakdistrict.com.

Visitors to the county’s attractions and local tourism businesses are being urged to share photos of their visits on social media using the hashtag #EnglishTourismWeek24, tagging @visitpeakdistrict and @visitderby. For more information on events and activities taking place in Chesterfield, search for @ChesterfieldUK on social media.

CasaMollieandNadia

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , ,

Chatsworth opens new accessible Changing Places facilities

Chatsworth House Trust has officially unveiled its new fully accessible bathroom facility, with local partner Accessible UK attending to help celebrate the occasion and provide ongoing guidance.

Changing Places facilities feature specialist healthcare equipment including greater space to allow for a wheelchair and carer, a privacy curtain, height-adjustable bench and a ceiling-track hoist system.

Situated near the entrances to the house and garden, the new facilities help ensure that Chatsworth continues to be a place for everyone, improving access for visitors with additional needs.

Members of local charities joined for a day of celebration to launch the new facility including Accessible UK, a consultancy formed in 2014 to help improve the lives of those living with disabilities, and Fairplay, a charity formed by a group of local parents to provide accessible activity groups for children and young people. Attendees enjoyed a visit to the farmyard and lunch provided by Chatsworth.

Gillian Scotford, Director of Accessible UK, said: “Changing Places Toilets make a day at Chatsworth possible for the 250,000 people in the UK who need this vital facility. My son Thomas sadly passed away in 2017 aged 21 and he needed this facility.

“As a family we absolutely love Chatsworth and enjoy a Chatsworth Friends membership This beautiful venue has excellent accessibility, and the Changing Places was the missing link. Visitors can now relax and enjoy a full day out to explore this wonderful ‘Role Model’ attraction of excellence.”

Additional facilities to improve access at Chatsworth include free manual wheelchairs and electric scooters for visitors with limited mobility to the garden, a lift installed within the house to ensure easy access for tours, and induction loops for those with hearing disabilities.

Guided touch tours, designed for blind and partially sighted visitors, are also available at Chatsworth. A specially curated selection of items including scale-models of the House, genuine articles from collections and a range of textiles are used to give visitors the chance to interact with the history of Chatsworth through object handling and sensory engagement.

The Chatsworth shops, Carriage House and Cavendish Restaurant are also accessible, including the nearby recently refurbished Chatsworth Farm Shop which has four parking bays for Blue Badge holders.

Emma Flack, Head of Visitor Experience at Chatsworth, said: “Accessibility is a real priority for us in ensuring Chatsworth continues to be a place for everyone to enjoy independently, a home for culture and community that has people at its heart. From exploring the garden and farmyard to discovering the art collection and events taking place throughout the year, there is truly something for everyone.

“These new facilities are just one of the ways we are working to make Chatsworth even more welcoming for our visitors, and we look forward to reopening our doors for a new season next month!”

Chatsworth House Trust is a registered charity dedicated to looking after the house, collections, garden, and parkland, for everyone. Visitor income funds essential conservation and an ambitious programme of exhibitions, events, learning and community outreach. Every penny generated by ticket sales and membership is reinvested into the charity to make this possible.

For more information on Chatsworth’s accessibility facilities and to plan your trip, visit the website.

Are you planning a visit to Chatsworth or the Peak District? Find out more about Chesterfield and plan your visit to our historic town: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

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

Changing Places Chatsworth

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Organisers celebrate record-breaking year for Tapton Lock Festival

Chesterfield’s Tapton Lock Festival celebrated a record-breaking attendance this month, with a host of new activities and performances for local families to enjoy.

Over 3,000 people attended the two-day festival at the Tapton Lock Visitor Centre, making it the most-attended year since it started in 2012.

The free annual event is organised by Junction Arts and Derbyshire County Council, bringing outdoor theatre, music and dance, arts and crafts workshops, stalls and activities to the banks of the Chesterfield Canal.  The aim is to encourage families and friends to come together to enjoy the outdoors and promote better health and well-being.

This year, visitors took part in a number of arts and crafts activities, music and dance workshops, ‘have a go’ canoes and boat rides.

Firm favourites, the bubbleologist, storytellers, circus skills and the climbing wall all returned, but there was also some new entertainment for 2023, which included performances from Bollywood dancers, African drummers, and the Babbling Vagabonds Magical Market Stall!

Visitors also tried their hand at Lego printing, clay sculpting, creating wire bubble wands and forest school activities.

tapton lock 2023 bubbles

Junction Arts Project Coordinator, Jane Wells said: “The Festival was a huge success and the nice weather encouraged even greater numbers this year!  We had a really varied programme, including amazing outdoor theatre from the Babbling Vagabond’s and their Wagon of Wonder, incredible performances by visitors of all ages who took part in Nisha Lall’s Bollywood dance workshops and lots of arts and crafts activities for people to take part in, and all for free.”

“We were also thrilled that visitors could experience the rich cultural heritage of Chesterfield with representation from the Chesterfield Asian Association, the African Caribbean Community Association, Polonia Chesterfield and Verba, the Ukrainian Social Group.  Lastly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who helped make this such a successful event and to all our funders and sponsors.”

Find out more about events and activities for the whole family taking place in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

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

tapton lock festival 2023 families

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Research shows how town centre hotel boosts visitor spending

Research has found that guests staying at Premier Inn Chesterfield Town Centre, which is located in the former Co-op department store on Elder Way, are each spending, on average, £79 a night in the local area.

Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hospitality business and owner of Premier Inn, carried out the research. It found that Premier Inn guests typically spend £137 externally on items such as entertainment, with £79/night (56% of the total spending) being spent in the local area within which their chosen Premier Inn is located.

The comprehensive study by Whitbread involved surveying more than 12,600 Premier Inn guests staying in 357 Premier Inn hotels across the UK within 24-hours of check-out.

Alex Flach, UK Development Director in the UK & Ireland for Whitbread, said: “From shopping to sight-seeing, local dining to local drinks, this analysis shows the positive economic impact of Premier Inn hotels on local economies across nations and regions of the UK.

“As a business, we are committed to using our scale and national footprint to make a positive difference to people’s lives and to create long-term value. We are delighted that, for the first time, we can demonstrate clear evidence of the economic impact our hotels have on the communities they serve.”

The Premier Inn Chesterfield Town Centre, which is located on the upper two floors of the former Co-op department store on Elder Way, has proved popular since opening, with nearly 90% of guests rating it as either excellent or very good on TripAdvisor.

The 92-bedroom hotel was opened in 2019 following the transformation of the upper floors of the iconic building by regeneration specialist Jomast. The hotel also benefits from the proximity of a secure car park, Saltergate Multi-Storey, which opened the same year.

Jomast subsequently went on to transform the ground floor of the building into eight large street-level units with contemporary glazed frontages.

There are currently a number of leasing opportunities available at the 21,761 sq ft scheme, from smaller E Class and Sui Generis Bar units of 1,420 sq ft upwards to larger units of up to 4,704 sq ft.

Joint agents for Elder Way, WSB Property Consultants and FHP are now marketing the units at food, drink, entertainment, retail and clinical operators.

Mark Hill, Commercial Property Director of Jomast said: “We have worked with Premier Inn to bring the hotel chain to a number of Jomast’s developments throughout the country. We recognise that having Premier Inn as an anchor tenant is very attractive to tenants of our schemes, and Whitbread’s research into guest spend in the local area supports this.”

Food and drink and entertainment were the top categories of spending for Premier Inn guests followed by non-food shopping and travel.

Whitbread calculates that spending by its guests on food, drinks, entertainment, shopping, and local transportation could be contributing £1.6 billion annually to those catchments that have a Premier Inn. This is equivalent to an average annual benefit of £3.3 million in visitor expenditure for local businesses in each Premier Inn hotel location.

Chesterfield’s businesses are set to benefit from further hotel investment in the town after the Holywell Hotel by Voebeg received the green light from planning officers recently.

Located next to the town’s well-known Holywell Cross or ‘Donut’ roundabout in the heart of Chesterfield, developer of Holywell Hotel, Voeberg, is set to undertake a £1 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed building.

The building will be converted into one two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom apartments for use as short-stay accommodation.

Emily Smith, Property Investor and Mentor at Voeberg commented on the ‘imminent’ Holywell Hotel saying: “It’ll complement other hospitality and retail businesses’ offerings in the town and we’re looking forward to partnering with many local businesses through the development and then the running of the hotel.”

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We are aiming to attract more tourists and visitors over the next four years and there are a number of new hotel developments planned to support this growth. It is useful to understand how guests at hotels support our wider town centre economy and provide a boost for local businesses.”

If you’re a business looking to benefit from the opportunities on offer at Elder Way, contact Alan Pearson at FHP on 07587 133540 or Adam Mobley at WSB Property Consultant on 0113 234 1444, or visit www.elderway.co.uk.

Find out more about the wide range of benefits associated with locating your business in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Elder Way, Holywell Hotel by Voeberg and Chesterfield Borough Council support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chesterfield Elder Way

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Property and Construction, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield named the happiest place to live in the East Midlands

Chesterfield is the happiest place to live in the East Midlands, according to a recent survey.

Property firm Rightmove has published its annual Happy at Home Index, now in its 10th year. The company asked more than 21,000 residents to tell them how they feel about where they live, as well as ranking 10 happiness factors.

Chesterfield was placed 68th in the UK overall, out of more than 200 towns and cities. The latest study also shows that moving is making people happier. Community is also really key, with feeling a sense of belonging, the friendliness of local residents, and being able to be yourself in an area among the most important measures of happiness.

It was also recently revealed that there has been a recent surge of interest from commuters eyeing up homes in Chesterfield.

Dom Stevens, manager of Destination Chesterfield said: “It is great to hear that Chesterfield has been recognised as the happiest place to live in the East Midlands.

“Our town with the famous crooked spire and historic market located on the edge of the peak district national park, is the perfect place to live and also to locate a business. Chesterfield is a friendly place with a real sense of community and our central location with excellent transport links makes it the perfect place to set up home.

“With many more homes currently being built across North Derbyshire and over £1billion of regeneration taking place we look forward to welcoming people who choose to make Chesterfield their home.”

Looking at the overall results and rankings of happiest areas across Britain, Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister said: “Last year’s lockdown periods continue to have an impact on our priorities and what makes us happy, which is one of the reasons why community and a sense of belonging continue to be so important to people this year.

“Last year redefined the importance and role of our home and local community in our lives, and this has carried on into this year, even as wider society has started to open up again.”

Find out more about visiting, living and working in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

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