visiting chesterfield

Family friendly fireworks event returns to Stand Road Park

Chesterfield is set to be lit up as Chesterfield Borough Council’s fireworks extravaganza returns for 2022.

The council has partnered with Chesterfield Football Club again to deliver the entertainment at this year’s family friendly fireworks extravaganza.

The event takes place at Stand Road Park on Friday 4 November, the gates will open at 4.30pm and close at 9pm.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Our fireworks event is a fantastic event for the whole family to enjoy.

“It was great to work with the football club last year and I’m delighted that we are working with them again this year. Please wrap up warm, wear suitable footwear and come along to join in the family fun.”

Bridget Ball, Chesterfield FC’s marketing manager, said: “Presenters from our in-house radio station, 1866 Sport, will help to provide the entertainment.

“It was a fantastic night last year and we are looking forward to another successful event.”

The fireworks display will begin at the family-friendly time of 7pm and there will also be a selection of fairground rides and food vendors. There will be live entertainment for families to enjoy from 5.30pm.

Entry to the event is £3 per person – free for children under five. Visitors are asked to have the exact money ready as change cannot be given.

The Fireworks Extravaganza is a family event and in the interest of safety please do not bring alcohol, fireworks, or sparklers, these items will be confiscated if found.

Parking for the event will be available at Chesterfield FC’s Technique Stadium for a donation of £5 per car, which will help cover the cost of stewards with any excess being given to Chesterfield FC Community Trust.

There is also a bus stop on Sheffield Road which is less than a two-minute walk from the park, find more details about bus services that stop here on the Stagecoach website.

The fireworks extravaganza is one of a series of events organised by Chesterfield Borough Council.

More information about entertainment and safety at the event will be available on the Chesterfield Borough Council website.

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Experience folk tales, sparkling pine forests and Nordic traditions at Chatsworth this Christmas

The Norse god of mischief, enchanting folk tales and the heady scent of pine forests evoke the magical atmosphere of a Nordic winter this Christmas at Chatsworth.

Deep Midwinter: A Nordic Christmas at Chatsworth takes inspiration from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway where long winters are embraced with traditions to celebrate light and the beauty of nature.

The Devonshire family has a long history of celebrating Nordic culture and its connection to wilderness and nature, with pieces in the Devonshire Collections that have inspired this Christmas season being woven into the displays.

Visitors to Chatsworth will be taken on a journey into the forests and folklore of the Nordic region. A procession of radiant candlelit Santa Lucia crowns dressed with foliage in the Chapel Corridor elicits the Swedish festival of light that brightens the dark days of midwinter each December.

Giant Finnish Christmas Himmeli decorations hang in the Green Satin Room with almost 50,000 paper straws used to create this striking installation. These delicate geometric structures have been popular in Nordic countries for centuries, pre-dating the tradition of the Christmas tree. Traditionally, Himmelis hung above dining tables to ensure a good crop for the coming year.

A delectable handmade gingerbread house sits proudly on the piano in the Ante Library. Building a gingerbread house is a time honoured Christmas tradition for many Nordic families and the aroma of ginger and spices will add to the immersive experience.

Norse god Loki will delight and surprise with stories, music and magic tricks, marking a welcome return to character-led performance this Christmas after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

Full of mischief, Loki will have a few tricks up his sleeve in the Great Dining Room where the richly dressed table is encircled by woodland, bringing to life the Norwegian fairytale, The White Bear.

The fully immersive experience drawing on scent and sounds of the natural environment will enchant all who walk through the Sculpture Gallery’s ancient pine forest with dappled winter light dancing through the canopy of leaves above.

A monumental wall of ice laced with intricate carvings of oak trees and woodland creatures will greet visitors as they enter the Oak Room. A giant woodcut bauble hangs from the Oak Stairs ceiling lantern hinting at The Little Fir Tree, the Hans Christian Andersen tale about a fir tree so anxious to grow up and experience greater things that he cannot appreciate living in the moment.

Image Credit: Chatsworth House Trust. Image Credit (Top Right): DPC Photography

Botanical illustrations of wild native Danish plants in Flora Danica, one of the most ambitious botanical publications of its age bought by the 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920-2004) and a delicate and extremely rare strand of raw silver, collected by the 6th Duke (1790-1858) originating from Ilsoe mine, Konsberg in Norway are among the items in the Devonshire Collections to inspire the Chatsworth Nordic Christmas.

Clothing worn by the 11th Duke of Devonshire on his treks and expeditions into the wild – including his walking boots, rucksack and gloves – bring the story back to the Devonshire family’s connection to wilderness and nature.

The evocative fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen are woven into the experience with postcards to collect featuring stories such as The Snowdrop and The Teapot. Younger visitors will have the opportunity to follow a trail from the house out to the garden in the guise of Loki, following the clues to explore the Nordic-inspired lights.

The Christmas experience continues outside with an illuminated walk around the garden to view ‘northern lights’ over the Canal Pond and – for the first time – see the historic Maze lit with wands of light and filled with festive music. Visitors can also soak up the festive atmosphere at the Chatsworth Christmas Market from 5 November to 23 November. Chatsworth’s shops in the Orangery and the Stables will offer a selection of Nordic gifts, decorations and homeware for those inspired by Christmas in the house.

Also making a welcome return to the house will be the wish trees to enable visitors to make a special Christmas wish to hang on a tree before they leave.

Tickets have been released today (22 September). Tickets for Christmas at Chatsworth are priced at £29.50 for adults, £18 for children, and £78 for a family (two adults and up to three children), and include access to the house, garden and farmyard, as well as car parking and access to the Christmas market between 5-23 November. Advanced booking via the Chatsworth website is required.

For anyone wishing to only visit the Christmas market, a Christmas market car park ticket must be booked in advance via the website.

This year’s Christmas event is kindly supported by CW Sellors, one of the UK’s leading fine jewellery and luxury watch specialists, and Investec Wealth & Investment.

For more information and to book, please visit www.chatsworth.org/Christmas

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

Image Credit: Chatsworth House Trust

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Visitors encouraged to celebrate all things vintage at the Chesterfield 1940s Market

Residents and visitors to Chesterfield can shop for all things vintage and enjoy some classic entertainment as the 1940s Market returns to Chesterfield this half term.

On Thursday 27 October between 10am and 4pm, visitors can enjoy 40s music, entertainment, exhibits and meet the flea market stall holders in period dress.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The 1940s Market gets more popular every year and our team have worked really hard to find some fantastic new acts and activities for this year.

“We’ve made sure there is lots to see and do for every member of the family and of course it’s also a fantastic opportunity to support our local businesses and traders.”

New for 2022 will be a Home Guard encampment, the family friendly reenactors will be based in the church yard and will be running activities throughout the day including drill lessons for children, a first aid station, and a signals station.

There is also a new activity in the Pavements Centre where you can learn about the challenges of bomb disposal during World War Two from a reenactor and have a go at defusing three different dummy ‘bombs.’

Our partners at Wessex Archaeology will be running an activity in the Pavements Centre to design and print 1940s tiles.

The Chesterfield Museum team will be taking over a shop in the Pavements Centre where they will be explaining more about rationing, allowing people to get hands on with history with their World War Two handling objects and evacuees’ suitcase.

The weekly flea market will take place in the market place with traders in 1940s costume. There will be a competition for the best dressed trader and visitors are encouraged to get into the 40s spirit by dressing in period costumes.

As well as great activities there will also be 1940s themed entertainment throughout the day.

Kalamazoo dance band, an escapologist act and a selection of 1940s singers will be performing throughout the day.

There will also be a selection of classic vehicles including a vintage fire engine.

More activities and entertainers are still being confirmed. You can find out more about the event by visiting: www.visitchesterfield.info/40s

The 1940’s Market is a free event that aims to bring more visitors and shoppers to the town centre to support local businesses and market traders.

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Approval granted on widespread improvements for Staveley Town Centre

Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet has given its approval to a new long-term vision for Staveley town centre and an initial £5m package of improvements, to be delivered over the next four years.

A public consultation which took place late last year showed strong support for the draft Staveley Town Centre Vision Master Plan, with 70% of respondents stating that they would be more likely to visit Staveley town centre if the Master Plan’s proposals were implemented.

The immediate improvements planned for Staveley town centre also received a high level of support from the public. These improvements include the regeneration of the Market Square, a shop front improvement scheme, a new and improved link to the canal, a new landmark pavilion building, an enhanced public realm and better signposting of facilities and attractions.

The initial package of improvements will be funded and delivered through the Staveley Town Deal and have been selected on the basis of their ability to improve the current town centre offer, uplift footfall, and prepare the ground for future investment. They are also deliverable within the set timeframe for the Town Deal.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy said: “We want Staveley to be a thriving town centre, that attracts both residents and visitors, encourages new business start-ups and supports existing retailers and businesses to flourish.

“We received lots of support for the ideas and proposals that we set out within the draft Vision Master Plan but we cannot deliver everything at once. Our aim is to make best use of the Staveley Town Deal funding to deliver an initial package of improvements that will help ensure Staveley has a bright future as a place to start, to stay and to grow.

“We will continue to work closely with Staveley’s retailers, businesses and residents to ensure we deliver the planned improvements to time and budget.”

The planned improvements, many of which are conditional on receiving planning consent, include the regeneration of the Market Square, which was supported by 77% of respondents to the public consultation. Elsewhere in the Market Square, the disused toilet block will be demolished and a landmark pavilion building with new commercial space created.

The Market Square will also benefit from new paving, lighting, planting, and benches, as well as improvements to Barnfield Close to encourage members of the public to shop and socialise. Ninety percent of respondents to the public consultation indicated that they would be more likely to visit the town centre if there was more space for festivals and events, which the planned improvements are designed to achieve.

The High Street will benefit from a rejuvenation of the public ream, and a shop front improvement grant scheme will encourage retailers to make changes to their store frontages.

There will also be a focus on increased connectivity both to the canal and wider Staveley area with improved signage, paths and cycling hubs. These improvements were supported by 74% of respondents to the public consultation. There will also be enhanced digital connectivity through the creation of a town centre wi-fi network.

As part of the process of developing the draft Vision Master Plan an independent review was undertaken by IntoPlaces Ltd., a team of three High Street Task Force experts. IntoPlaces Ltd. commented that the Vision Master Plan has the capacity to transform Staveley town centre into a vibrant hub by creating new and diverse spaces and enhancing the current offer. The planned improvements have also been supported by Derbyshire County Council.

The next step is for the Council to appoint a dedicated design team to finalise the planned improvements and seek planning consent, where applicable. More details about the future designs and how the community can get involved will be shared as soon as possible.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, added: “It will take time for us to finalise our plans and gain planning consent but we are committed to working with the community throughout the delivery process in order to ensure that we achieve the best possible outcome for Staveley town centre, its residents and businesses.”

Find out more about the Town Deal and the projects that have received funding on the council’s Staveley Town Deal page.

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New Burning Man Sculptures at Chatsworth ahead of October Burn Event

More than 500 schoolchildren have worked alongside the artists at Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man at Chatsworth to create and build three huge new interactive sculptures as part of the UK exhibition.

These latest additions to Radical Horizons make a total of twelve works spread across a site more than a mile long and half a mile wide and set in 1000 acres of free-to-access parkland surrounding the house at the Derbyshire estate.

Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man runs until 1 October when it will close with the ceremonial burning of the new sculpture Relevé to symbolise the ‘letting go’ of the exhibition. The ceremony follows tradition set by the global Burning Man event in Nevada.

A nine-metre high structure built primarily in wood by the artist Rebekah Waites with hundreds of children from local schools, Relevé was inspired by Derbyshire folklore that says a bronze age stone circle near Chatsworth was formed from the remains of nine ladies turned into stone for dancing on the Sabbath.

Relevé not only pays homage to the nine ladies, but also celebrates the rebellious spirit of dance, music and art. By challenging the folklore behind this archaeological site, Relevé attempts to rewrite the story and release the women from their eternal stillness. Nine twisted structures made of wood and intricately decorated with a rope and string laced facade, dance around one another.

Relevé – Photo taken by Chatsworth House Trust

Over the past few months, schoolchildren and young people from Derbyshire and Sheffield have collected materials and helped build the three new sculptures, mirroring the process in Nevada that sees teams of volunteers gathering in the desert to create new artworks. Burning Man is an arts and cultural event that usually takes place annually in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA.

Alongside Relevé, schoolchildren have worked on-site at Chatsworth with US artists, Shrine, Dana Albany, Heather Henderson, Flash Hopkins, and Kathy Richardson to create and build Coralee and Elysian Towers.

Relevé by Rebekah Waites with Watercliffe Community Primary, Sheffield, 240 children; St Anne’s Primary, Baslow, 17; Stanton in Peak Primary, 42; Rowsley Primary, 29: Relevé was inspired by the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, a Bronze Age archaeological site at Stanton Moore near Chatsworth and this sculpture will burn at the end of the exhibition as a celebratory finale.

Coralee by Dana Albany, Heather Henderson, Flash Hopkins, Kathy Richardson with Spire Junior School (Chesterfield): The sculpture takes the form of a mermaid – inspired by the folklore of the Mermaid’s Pool, situated just below Kinder Scout in the Dark Peak – and has been built of everyday metal and glass donated by Chatsworth, its staff and the local community. Look closely to spot spoons, bolts, keys, chandeliers and bicycle chains.

Coralee – Image taken by Chatsworth House Trust; Image Top Right, Duke Of Devonshire with The Flybary by Christina Sporrong – Image taken by Chatsworth House Trust

Elysian Towers by Shrine (also known as Brent Allen Spears) with Derbyshire Virtual School: Shrine has worked with young adults from Derbyshire Virtual School to create Elysian Towers. The artwork is made from ‘rubbish’ and found objects sourced locally by the participants themselves, using recycled glass donated by Ardagh Glass and plastic bottles stacked into towers, celebrating the joy of the unknown and making a monument dedicated to making the not-precious precious.

Elysian Towers by Shrine – Image by Chatsworth House Trust

These new participatory builds between the artists and local children and young people were organised by Chatsworth’s in-house Learning and Engagement team. Focusing on curriculum linked, hands-on, arts engagement sessions its work is designed to enhance visual literacy and develop technical and creative skills, while outdoor learning sessions include multisensory activities to help develop environmental understanding.

Kerry Fernandez, Arts and Engagement Manager: “This has been a wonderful experience for many children and young people who had never visited Chatsworth before. They have been given a rare opportunity to engage with contemporary art and artists, while learning new skills and techniques. We hope it will draw them into a lifelong engagement with the arts which can open their eyes to seeing things in new ways.”

Chatsworth supports 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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Local businesses commended for work in bringing Knife Angel to Chesterfield

Local businesses and organisations in Chesterfield were commended for their efforts in bringing the poigniant ‘Knife Angel’ sculpture to the town.

The sculpture, made out of discarded blades was created to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime. The monument went on display in Chesterfield, near the famous Crooked Spire church in October/ November 2021.

Now, the businesses and organisations which enabled the visit to happen have been awarded with commendations by Derbyshire Constabulary’s North Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Hayley Barnett.

The organisations commended included Leverton UK, Pinewood Properties, Ava Print,  Chesterfield Borough Council, The Community Safety Partnership and The Crooked Spire.

Marcus Leverton, Director of Leverton UK explained their vital role in bringing the sculpture to the town. He commented: “Inspector Mathew Winterbottom is a close friend and he asked me prior to the event if we could help with the secure fencing that was to be erected and dismantled on a daily basis to prevent any potential problems with people mistreating the sculpture at night-time.

“We as a company provided this service free-of-charge for the duration of time that the sculpture was in chesterfield. It was important to us as a business to be involved with this scheme, as with most people I have spoken to the sculpture is quite a powerful statement and very moving when you understand that each knife used was from real life crime, some cases were even fatal.

“It was an important message for the Police to get out there, to raise local awareness and to call for a knife amnesty to prevent any further unnecessary deaths or injury through knife crime.

“We were very proud to be involved and it was great work from the full team who contributed to this project’s success.”

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “The Knife Angel brought a very powerful and moving message about the horrific reality of knife crime – one which thousands of people had chance to reflect on when they visited the sculpture in Chesterfield town centre.

“Chesterfield is a safe place to live, and we want to keep it that way, by working with our partners to lead hard-hitting and difficult conversations with our young people. Through a variety of engagement and awareness sessions, the Knife Angel’s visit has prompted these discussions, which is a really positive result.”

During the monument’s visit, Derbyshire Police and Chesterfield Borough Council gave people the opportunity to surrender any unwanted knives, and as a result more than 100 knives and bladed articles were taken into safe keeping and off the streets.

Leverton UK, Pinewood Properties and Parish Church of St. Mary and All Saints support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Knife Angel Chesterfield

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Chairman’s Blog: New office spaces are helping Chesterfield attract investment

Summer in Chesterfield is proving eventful, and I’m not just talking about the weather.

Once again (the pandemic years excepting) we are seeing a packed events calendar – Chesterfield Pride, The Festival of Cricket, The Great British Food Festival and the Peak District Highland Games to name just a few.

Chesterfield Pride

It’s wonderful to see most things returning to normal. The same, however can’t be said for the extremes of temperature and rising energy prices, which we have all been experiencing.

Amongst many other things, these issues have only highlighted the need for high quality, sustainable, energy efficient office space to be available in Chesterfield. Workers need to be at a comfortable temperature, businesses need to be able to afford the occupational costs, including energy bills.

The many businesses that have chosen to make the stunning new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre their home must be feeling particularly pleased with their decision. The Enterprise Centre, which opened in July, is the first of two recently constructed high quality office developments in Chesterfield town centre.

One Waterside Place at Chesterfield Waterside will open later this year giving the town much-needed modern large floor plate office space which will help us attract investment as well as provide space for growth for established businesses in the borough. Tenants have already been identified for significant elements of the space, who will take up occupation on completion.

The Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place are a key part of Chesterfield Council’s ambitious growth strategy that will see large scale investment and regeneration across the borough.

A key part of that strategy is ensuring there are jobs and opportunities for local people, particularly school leavers. It is important that they know they can grow their careers here in Chesterfield, and that there are suitable premises available for potential employers.

Destination Chesterfield has long worked with education and training providers across Chesterfield to both raise awareness of the skills requirements from businesses and introduce young people to the careers available to them here.

We have also been actively involved in delivering a number of proactive initiatives targeting young people, including Apprentice Town, MyFuture and the forthcoming Made in Chesterfield campaign in November.

Made in Chesterfield school visits and activities alone have introduced more than 3500 pupils to STEM careers in the local economy since the campaign was launched in 2015 and Chesterfield College has also reported an increase in the number of students getting involved in STEM related subjects.

The Made in Chesterfield school visits and activities are open to all year 6 – 13 pupils and are free. I would urge as many schools as possible to take advantage of these.

Whether business owner, educator, parent or relative, we all have a role to play in actively encouraging more young people to both live, work and grow their careers in this great town.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Property and Construction, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , , , ,

Shortlist announced for 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards

First-time finalists have dominated the shortlist in this year’s Love Chesterfield Awards.

Twenty businesses have made the shortlist in the 2022 awards for the first time with 11 of them being brand new businesses.

Following almost 1500 public nominations, the shortlist for the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards features a total of 34 businesses across 11 categories.

Amongst the shortlisted businesses, Chesters and Adorn Jewellers are hoping to retain their 2021 Love Chesterfield Awards titles.

Last year, Chesters was named as Restaurant of the Year while Adorn took the title of Retailer of the Year in the annual awards which are organised by Destination Chesterfield.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “While the town and the retail sector are facing their challenges, the number of nominations we received for such a huge variety of businesses in this year’s Love Chesterfield Awards paints a very positive picture for the town.”

A mystery panel of judges will now evaluate the shortlist and the winners will be announced at a glittering black-tie awards ceremony which is being held at the Winding Wheel Theatre on Wednesday 12 October 2022.

Organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with EntireFM – Complete Facilities Management, the popular awards return for their second year. There are a total of 15 categories in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards with more shortlisted businesses, projects and individuals to be announced later in the year.

Peter Currey, Chief Executive Officer of Entire FM added: “It’s great to be a part of the prestigious Love Chesterfield Awards again and it’s even better to see the support for the range of great businesses we have in Chesterfield. There’s been some tough competition this year with so many great names. On behalf of all the team at EntireFM, we wish all the finalists good luck.”

The businesses shortlisted so far in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards include:

Best New Hospitality Business

The Batch House

Boba Shack

Host Coffee

Best New High Street Business – sponsored by Sutton McGrath Hartley

Barkworthy Dog Emporium

The Lucky Magpie Salvage

MD Hair

Restaurant of the Year – presented by headline sponsor EntireFM – Complete Facilities Management

Chesters

Devonshire Arms, Middle Handley

Sicily Restaurant

Retailer of the Year – sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)

Adorn Jewellers

Dotique

Hasland Pet Supplies

Master Debonair

Excellence in Customer Service

Chesterfield Escape Rooms

Il Mondo Travel

Nora Eve

Independent High Street Business

Aurora Beauty Studio

Blanc & Blanc Occasions

Dava Boutique

Less than Zero Barbers

Café of the Year

Figaro

Graze

Koo

Pub/Bar of the Year – sponsored by Shorts Chartered Accountants

Junction Bar

The Rectory

The Three Horseshoes, Clay Cross

Food Producer of the Year (within 10 miles) – sponsored by MSE Hiller

All Things Brownie Beautiful

Little Morton Farm Shop

Resting Devil

Market Trader of the Year – sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council

Grandad’s Sweets

Flower Girl Plants at Chesterfield Market

Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce

Accessibility Award – sponsored by Spirecross Ltd

The Batch House

Cocina at Casa Hotel

Northern Tea Merchants

Other categories in the Love Chesterfield Awards 2022 include the Regeneration Award – sponsored by BHP Chartered Accountants, Sustainability Award – sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council, Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by DBC Training and Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors.

The 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards are supported and made possible by several sponsors and partners, including: Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, Chesterfield Borough Council, DBC Training, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), EntireFM – Complete Facilities Management, Elder Way, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, Minuteman Press Chesterfield, MSE Hiller, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd, and Sutton McGrath Hartley.

Peter Swallow added: “We’re expecting the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards ceremony to be our best yet, which is only possible through the generosity of our sponsors. We’re encouraging those who would like to show their appreciation for the town’s business community to make an enquiry about the four remaining sponsorship packages.”

If you’re interested in sponsoring the awards or ceremony, information about the remaining sponsorship packages is available at:

https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/sponsors/sponsorshippackages/

Or by contacting Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator by emailing Tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk or calling 01246 207 207.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield’s Tapton Lock Festival announces exciting 10th anniversary plans

It has been revealed that Chesterfield’s Tapton Lock Festival is set for a return this September, with exciting plans in place to mark its 10th anniversary.

Over the weekend on the 10th and 11th September, the banks of the Chesterfield Canal will come alive with outdoor theatre, music and dance, arts and crafts workshops, stalls, a climbing wall, ‘’have a go’ canoes, boat rides and much more.

To mark this special birthday, organisers Junction Arts and Derbyshire County Council’s Countryside Service have invited the Chesterfield BME Forum to showcase a number of special multi-cultural performances.

More information will follow, but the team has already confirmed that on Saturday 10th September a performance of Ukranian music and dance by the Hoverla Dance Ensemble will take place, meanwhile visitors can enjoy a spectacular Chinese Lion Dance on Sunday 11th September.

Jane Wells, Project Coordinator at Junction Arts commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled! This is a huge milestone for us, to have been able to make the festival happen for 10 years is such an achievement and we feel really proud. We have to work very hard all year round to fundraise for the event as it’s our number one priority that the festival is free, so that no one is  excluded from attending on financial grounds. We want this to be a festival for everyone to enjoy.”

Speaking on the range of multicultural performances taking place at this year’s event, Jane stressed how important it was for the festival to be inclusive of people from all backgrounds: “The festival is well attended but we noticed that our visitor demographic wasn’t representative of the cultural mix of Chesterfield and surrounding area.

“As a first step, we invited members of the Chesterfield BME Forum to have a stand at last year’s festival and it proved to be really successful. The 10th Anniversary  seemed to be the perfect moment to do more so we applied to the National Lottery for funding and were successful. The grant will support four local groups to attend and showcase their cultures, including some incredible music and dance performances, amazing food tasting from around the world plus displays and information. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the  National Lottery players for their support.

Jane also commented on why bringing the community together in celebration was of high importance to the charity: “The mainstay of our work is to build stronger communities through the arts and The Tapton Lock Festival does this in bucket loads! We deliver the event in partnership with DCC Countryside Service and the aim of the festival is to raise awareness of the area along the Chesterfield Canal and the network or footpaths and cycleways to encourage people to spend more time in nature with family and friends becoming healthier and happier.

“Another way the festival brings communities together is through the school outreach we do.  Each year we work with a local school, this year St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. The year 5 pupils visited the canal last week to learn all about the flora and fauna of the canal with a countryside ranger, they also had a boat ride!

“In September, Junction Arts will go into school and work with the children to create artwork that will be displayed at the festival. So, I hope you can see how the festival brings people of all ages and from all backgrounds together, to celebrate this beautiful part of town in a safe, inspiring and creative environment.”

The event takes place around the Tapton Lock Visitor Centre from 11:00am until 4.00pm on both days and entry to the festival is free. Find out more here.

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.

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“Chesterfield has the raw ingredients to become a great place to visit”

Chesterfield is set to undergo a major transformation in the next few years, with work taking place to improve the town’s public spaces; creating a welcoming and attractive place for visitors.

The town’s Property and Construction Group continues to help in shaping these developments, working with partners to ensure the quality of the built environment across the town meets those ambitions.

Tony Buck is a member of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Steering Group and Associate Director at Oasis Studio. He has given his views on the importance of maximising the built environment, to increase Chesterfield’s reputation as a vibrant and welcoming town with a strong and diverse visitor economy.

By many Chesterfield isn’t considered a typical tourist destination and we must ask ourselves why? Over the last 12 years, I’ve become very familiar with the town and it’s clear our town has bags of raw ingredients to offer the tourism sector.

It’s no secret that millions of pounds worth of investment are beginning to take shape across the town and I’m confident these exciting plans will evolve Chesterfield into a superb visitor destination. From working closely with Destination Chesterfield and the Property and Construction Group it’s clear that attracting more tourists to the town is high on the agenda.

Let’s take a dive into some of the key developments and unpack why the built environment is vital in terms of attracting more visitors.

A good place to start is the ‘Heart of Chesterfield’ project; a major transformation in the town centre with refurbishment plans for several key sites. When I think about Chesterfield, I think ‘handsome market town’ so I’m particularly excited to see the marketplace revamp take shape.

This is a great opportunity to re-imagine the current model and create a more defined and vibrant area for visitors to shop. As part of the revamp, we’ll also see the flexible space host other events such as festivals, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings.

This has been core to the strategy and acts as a key ingredient in attracting a wider, more diverse audience beyond the typical market visitor of today. Once complete I look forward to visiting and hope to discover amazing produce, street food, craft beers and gifts that are unique to Chesterfield and add to the cultural narrative of the town.

Bookending of the ‘Heart of Chesterfield’ project are plans to remodel and refurbish the Stephenson Memorial Hall. I’m particularly intrigued about the impact this will have on the visiting economy. Packed full of history and architectural merit the proposals aim to extend the Pomegranate Theatre and provide a modern museum offering.

Alongside this gallery and café spaces provide visitors with a place to enjoy. Once complete this landmark building will extend the town’s cultural offering and provide a go-to destination for visitors to enjoy live events.

Beyond this, the Chesterfield Station Masterplan aims to create a welcoming first impression of Chesterfield for visitors by rail. Currently, the existing station and public realm are a little uninviting.

Diving into the details it’s clear that a real sense of arrival, framing of the crooked spire and progressive urban design are considerations to address this. The people of Chesterfield are welcoming and open for business, I certainly look forward to a station that reflects this for visitors.

It’s clear to me that the developments highlighted above, combined with the wider regeneration proposals, will result in our town centre becoming a more attractive, safe and healthier place for visitors to spend time and immerse themselves in the Chesterfield economy.

In my opinion, Chesterfield’s best tourist attraction and visitor playground is the Peak District. It’s located on our doorstep and attracts millions of tourists to the area each year.

Those visitors planning a weekend trip or holiday need more incentives to stay the night in Chesterfield. Currently, the night-time attractions are relatively limited… Shout-out to Ches-Vegas. To maximise the visitor economy, more must be done to increase this offering. There are development plans that seek to address this (some mentioned above), but it’s worth highlighting the requirement for more available hotel space for visitors to stay.

Circling back, Chesterfield has the raw ingredients to become a great place to visit. The community is inviting and we’re home to a diverse selection of businesses that cater for the tourism sector.

We’re located in the heart of the UK with great transport connections. We also have handsome buildings with bags of history and so much beautiful scenery on its doorstep. Chesterfield is underrated as a tourist destination and with the planned future investment it will only get better. I call for all local businesses and fellow Chesterfield Champions in the town to celebrate this!

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Development, Leisure, Property and Construction, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , , ,

New bar and coffee shop open in Chesterfield town centre

Chesterfield is welcoming yet another new addition to the historic town centre, with The Empire Bar & Coffee Shop opening up on St Mary’s Gate.

The new business offers a range of draught and bottled beer and cider, wine, fresh cocktails, fresh bean barista coffee and various hot and cold drinks.

It officially opened it’s doors at the beginning of June and is situated over two floors with an additional outside seating area.

All hot drinks can be made with plant based products including almond, soya, oat and coconut milk. The Hot Chocolate is also vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Offers throughout the week, paired with the ever-friendly welcome from owners Simon Chidlow and Carlton Francis make Empire a unique experience. Not only is Empire child and dog friendly until 6pm daily, but the accommodating hosts want everyone to feel welcomed and accepted, offering BSL (British Sign Language) for a number of its already growing customers.

The owners stated: “Whether you’re looking for entertainment for all ages, affordable drinks or a space to host a small gathering or your next corporate event in our comfy upstairs area, you can rest assured that Empire will always try to accommodate.”

Since opening, the pair have welcomed back customers on numerous occasions, which demonstrates the warm and friendly appeal that drew them in on their first visit. With owner Simon growing up in Chesterfield, he says: “After COVID, everyone is eager to get back to normality, and we are excited to provide a space where people feel comfortable to do so!

“Local businesses bring with them a support for developing the local area and ultimately in supporting them, our customers are continuing to drive development in Chesterfield.

“Our aim is to support and work together with local independent businesses to help us all make a success and thrive.

“We have teamed up with Totally Cheesecakes and Bakes based in Clay Cross to offer locally made individual cheesecakes and this is the beginning of the food options available to come in the near future.”

Information on the offers and entertainment available can be found on Google, or Facebook and Instagram under @barempirechesterfield.

There are so many great restaurants, coffee shops and tea rooms, pubs and bars – you’ll be spoilt for choice when eating out in Chesterfield. Find out more about the town’s unique food and drink offer here.

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