Horwich Advertiser Issue 608

Page 26 April 2024 AD SALES 01204 478812 Let Wizards Thatch cast its magical spell TRAVEL TO ADVERTISE CALL 01204 478812 LOOKING like it has jumped out of the pages of a Harry Potter novel, Wizards Thatch has been described as ‘One of England’s most romantic places to stay’. This magical hotel in the heart of Alder- ley Edge in Cheshire is a 400-year-old haunt which allows you to step back in time – to relax and let the centuries old aura cast its spell on you. It has recently gained over 1,000 excellent Tripadvisor reviews – not too bad for one of England’s smallest boutique hotels. Everything is five-star luxury – it combines the ancient with every modern convenience, making your stay is a truly unique experience – “A little piece of heaven on earth,” they say! Situated less than a minute’s walk from Alderley’s famous street of restaurants and bars that now adorn this celebrity Cheshire turf. The village is noted for its notable clien- tele - David Beckham being a former resident - who enjoy the lifestyle it has to offer. “Romance is always in the air at Wizards Thatch - honeymoons and romantic breaks make up most of our bookings” says owner Ian Lambert. With medieval sounding suites, Camelot, Merlin and The Wizardry, guests are treated A SPECTACULAR pro- gramme of shows, events and new attractions has been unveiled as Black- pool looks to cement its place as the UK’smost pop- ular seaside destination. At its annual season launch, VisitBlackpool, Pleas- ure Beach Resort and other major players in the tourism economy showcased a huge programme of entertainment lined up for the year ahead. The launch revealed another two-month exten- sion to the autumn Illumina- tions season, a return of the hugely successful ‘Christmas by the Sea’ festival, and mil- lions of pounds of investment in free events and new fam- ily attractions. These include an IMAX cin- ema, an interactive museum of entertainment, an exten- sion to the seafront tramway and a new four-star hotel. New events for 2024 include Elmer’s Big Parade, an ele- phant art trail featuring over 30 uniquely designed versions of the popular children’s book character, and Blackpool Capital of Dance, a month- long festival celebrating the resort’s status as the spiritual home of dance. The world-famous Red Arrows have also confirmed they will be performing a spectacular new show on CUMBRIA has further boosted its reputation as a world-class ‘culinary capital’ after scooping 15 coveted Michelin Stars plus one Michelin Green Star across 13 restaurants. It already held the highest number of Michelin starred restaurants per county out- side London, and again has extended that record-breaking total with newcomers Cedar Tree Restaurant, at Farlam Hall and Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside both achieving the coveted Michelin star status. Michelin Star restaurants lure foodies from all corners of the globe and are famed for offering the crème de la crème of eating and din- ing experiences. Hrishikesh Desai, chef patron at Cedar Tree Res- taurant, said: “To receive a Michelin Star within a year of our new beginnings at Farlam Hall is a testament of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. “Of course, this is not an individual effort, the entire team Farlam Hall has con- tributed towards this won- derful accolade.” Cumbria’s culinary stars shine Gill Haigh, managing director of Cumbria Tour- ism, said: “This is a spe- cial moment, both for the individual businesses and our wider status as the ulti- mate UK destination for a foodie escape. “The attainment of 16 esteemed Michelin stars in Cumbria is a truly remark- able achievement, showcas- ing our region’s exceptional landscape and abundance of locally sourced produce. “Running restaurants at continuously high stand- ards is no small feat and we undoubtedly boast the best of the best. Big congratulations to everyone involved!” She added: “As well as fine dining restaurants, we have outstanding breweries and distilleries, cosy pubs, lake- side cafes and so much more. “A vast array of talented and hard-working businesses continues to play a vital role in helping the Lake District, Cumbria to maintain its well- earned reputation as being among the very best food and drink destinations you are ever likely to find anywhere in the world.” THE full list of Michelin Stars in Cumbria now includes: • L’Enclume, Cartmel (three stars + green star) • Rogan&Co, Cartmel (one star) • Alliumat AskhamHall, Askham (one star) • Cottage in theWood, Braithwaite (one star) • CedarTree Restaurant, Brampton (one star) NEW • Old StampHouse, Ambleside (one star) • SOURCE at GilpinHotel,Windermere (one star) • Pentonbridge Inn, Penton (one star) • The Samling,Windermere (one star) • TheDog&Gun Inn, Skelton (one star) • The Forest Side, Grasmere (one star) • Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside (one star) NEW • HEFT, Newton in Cartmel (one star) Seaside’s special both days of the Blackpool Air Show in August to celebrate their 60th anniversary. The expansive events pro- gramme planned for 2024 includes a vast range of shows and live entertain- ment as well as the return of VisitBlackpool’s programme of blue riband events includ- ing Air Show Weekend, Ride the Lights, Illuminations Switch-On, World Fireworks Championship Blackpool and Lightpool Festival. The Switch-On event, which last year attracted a record crowd on the Promenade to watch Sophie Ellis-Bextor turn on the Illuminations, will be staged on the night of Friday August 30 and will once again be free to access. Pleasure Beach Resort also announced a series of new additions to the park offer for 2024 as well as millions of pounds of investment in exist- ing rides including a re-imag- ining of the Ghost Train. Plans include a major investment into entertain- ment, which means more live shows and pop-up perfor- mances including high-tech, stilt-walking, LED ‘Glow- bots’, which lit up the park over Easter. Firework nights have been increased to five across the year and there will be eight opportunities for thrill-seek- ers to ride after dark, includ- ing at the inaugural ‘Twilight Thrills’ event which took place on Sunday March 30. to pure nostalgia in fairytale surroundings. There are oak beams everywhere, the place is packed with memorabilia and the four poster beds are to die for – super comfy, draped in red and gold tapestries - some 7ft long! It all means that this luxury retreat is a favourite for those in the know. International rock stars, famous actors, renowned writers, sports personalities, Fleet Street journalists and even a government min- ister have all come to Alderley Edge to stay at Wizards Thatch. Wizards Thatch also took part in Channel Four’s popular Four in A Bed series. Its epi- sodes featured Dom and Steph Parker ‘the Posh Couple!’ who made their TV debut at Wizards Thatch. Visit the website www.wizardsthatch.co.uk or call Ian 07951 602969 for reservations.