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Last time I posted a blog it seemed like we still had loads of renovation work to do and now it’s all done! It was great fun but I’m glad it’s all over. Talk about stress…
It’s certainly been a challenging project. Working with a Grade I listed building with a rare breeding colony of bats is no easy task, but we all pulled together and opened on schedule (don’t mention budget!).
We launched 10 new stunning bedrooms and the 2010 Brasserie on 2 July. All rooms sold out straight away and have been fully booked since, which is great.
There’s a real buzz about the 2010 Brasserie and its secluded courtyard. The menus have gone down really well and everyone’s commented on the quality of the finish and all the original features of the new facilities.
In the 2010 Brasserie there are two original ranges and many of the new bedrooms have original fireplaces, amazing vaulted ceilings, fully restored windows with amazing views of the Castle grounds or the Cheshire Plains.
Then there’s the beauty treatment facility, Tranquility. Tranquility’s got a double treatment room and a single treatment room, plus a spray tan booth and nail bar area in the reception. Tranquility uses all the best products, like Elemis, and offers everything you’d expect to find in a first class venue.
So now you can pop in for a light lunch, manicure and spray tan!
We’ve also launched a new website. If you take a look you’ll see some photos of the new bedrooms, the 2010 Brasserie and soon we’ll post some for Tranquility. You’ll also be able to check out our special offers and if you leave us your contact details so we can send you information in the future you’ll be entered into a competition to win a 2-night stay with us.
So much new news! What else? Oh yes, we’re now using event company G3 for lots of our activities and team building events. Check out the Muddy Good Fun bit of the new website.
I’ll be seeing lots of you very soon for our launch events. I’m really looking forward to that. If you’re not coming for some reason, be sure to drop in soon and tell us what you think of the 2010 Brasserie, the menus, the new rooms, Tranquility, everything!
It seems the time between these blogs is getting wider! No wonder, given everything we’ve got going on. I’ve been spending so much time overseeing our £1.7 million renovation project and every day now I can see how it’s all really coming together and I just can’t wait until we launch everything in July! It’s going to be amazing.
One of the really nice things that’s come about as part of this project is the new children’s menu. As a business we’re really keen to work closely with the local community and local schools and we thought that asking local school children what they would like to see on a children’s menu would be a fun way to do it and a good way to listen to our customers. So, we invited children from the Key Stage 2 age group to design their own menu.
We put a competition together asking for 3 starters and 3 main courses with emphasis on using local, seasonal produce, because that’s what Peckforton Castle’s all about, and we sent it to schools within about a 10-mile radius.
The response was fantastic. Teachers told us they thought it was a great idea and the children were really enthusiastic about it. Our Head Chef Mark Ellis went to a few schools and talked to the children about the competition, Peckforton Castle and how we work with local producers.
When we started going through all the entries we were literally blown away by the effort made by the children – and no doubt some helpful parents – and the talent they’ve got! We had originally decided to award the winner a prize of a meal for 4 in the new Twenty10 Brasserie when it opens in July, plus a trip to Peckforton Castle with a tour, falconry display and picnic for the winner’s class, but when it came to judging it turned out differently because of the high standard of entries.
In the end we decided to have 2 joint first winners, both from Tarporley CofE Primary School. We’re using one for the actual design of the menu and the other for the starters and main course suggestions and there’ll be 2 classes that come for a trip to the Castle.
We can’t wait to see the menu all printed up and in action in the Twenty10 Brasserie and of course the 1851 Restaurant. So, when you see it you’ll now know the lovely story behind it!
Huge thanks to everyone who took part; teachers, parents and children.
See you soon, have a lovely bank holiday.
No doubt the next instalment will be all about the new facilities! Can’t wait for you to see them.
Spring is here at last and we’re certainly very grateful for the nice weather we’ve had. It means the work on the refurbishment is progressing nicely. What a project! Did you know we’ve had to call in bat man??
We’ve got bats at the Castle, so before going ahead with any renovation we had to call in Stan Irwin, aka, The Bat Man. Stan’s a man who knows everything there is to know about bats and their conservation and he’s been a great help to us.
Stan identified two colonies of bats at Peckforton. The main colony of about 100 bats has been identified as a breeding colony of Natterer’s bats, which are really quite special. The British population is of international importance and a fully protected species under UK and European wildlife legislation, no less.
They use Peckforton Castle to breed and raise their young after the winter. Apparently, the combination of cavities in the old stone walls and the nearby foraging habitat of the surrounding woodland make the site ideal for their specific requirements. So, they just love it at Peckforton!
So special are these bats that all work on the refurbishment must be scheduled so they’re not disturbed. This means that their breeding patterns won’t be upset and their lives will continue as before, only with upgraded facilities!
Stan also discovered two brown long eared bats in a room that forms part of the refurbishment project. These only visit occasionally so Stan is sorting some bat boxes for them. In fact, we’re going to have about 16 bat boxes in nearby woodland in the hope that in the future they will provide places for a greater number of bats to aid their conservation.
Once the bats are safely settled in their new boxes we’ll be able to renovate the room, which will mean another new en-suite bedroom for us and nice new homes for the bats!
We’ll keep you posted.
Well it’s been longer than I was expecting to this blog. It’s just been so busy, but all good. We’ve hosted loads of weddings already this year and work on the new brasserie, bedrooms and beauty treatment rooms is coming on nicely. It’s a tricky business renovating a Grade I listed building as everything has to be just so. We’re preserving everything possible and adding all mod cons. We’ve also been busy with the finer details such as the interior design, menus and other bits. One thing we’re really excited about is a competition we’re running with local schools.
We’ve been considering what to put on the brasserie menu and when it came to the children’s menu we thought it might be nice for local children to decide what they want to see on their menu, so we’re running a competition with local schools. It’s for 7 to 11 year olds and from the feedback we’ve received, it’s gone down really well and the children are all geared up for it. It’s great to be working with the local community in this way and we want as many of you from our local community to get involved with your local castle.
So, if you know of a child in Key Stage 2 from a local school, please make sure they and their teacher know about it. We’re pretty sure we’ve contacted everyone, but you never know.
We’re asking the children to suggest their ideal menu – a choice from 3 starters and 3 mains.
The winner will receive a great prize. We’ll invite the winner’s class to the Castle for a trip including transport to and from their school, a tour of the Castle, a nice picnic and a falconry session. Plus, the winner plus 3 people will be invited for a meal in the brasserie to east something from his or her menu!
As you might know, our 1851 Restaurant has won some awards for the quality of its dining experience, which covers everything from field to plate to stomach. We like to use the best local produce as far as possible. It’s the best thing to do for so many reasons. We figured on that basis we’d like to get children involved in putting their own menu together.
So, if you wouldn’t mind, if you know any local Key Stage 2 pupils and teachers please mention it to them
Thanks.
I can’t believe February’s almost been and gone. It’s supposed to be the most romantic month of the year and it has been at the Castle. We’ve been fortunate enough to host various weddings and the Castle has really been abuzz with wedding guests. I’m an advocate of winter weddings, having got married in the winter, myself. Valentine’s Weekend was great too. We had loads of couples come and dine and stay with us. Just magical!
When we acquired the Castle winter weddings weren’t really that popular, but we’ve certainly noticed a change in that trend and winter weddings are becoming as popular as summer weddings!
I guess the great thing about a venue like Peckforton Castle is that no matter what the weather you’re guaranteed to have a fantastic time with gorgeous photographs taken with a stunning backdrop.
Another plus point about Peckforton Castle is that we can be so flexible with our wedding parties. We can host small and large weddings, from 10 to 160 and 200+ for the evening do. Not to mention how convenient it is.
Our wedding team helps couples to plan every stage, so nothing’s forgotten. A second super convenience is the fact that everything’s under one big roof, so to speak. So there’s no need to worry about ferrying guests to and from the church or registry office, the wedding breakfast, the evening do and the accommodation. What we find is that guests really appreciate having somewhere comfortable to just sit and relax for a while and we’ve got loads of comfy sofas by log fires that are perfect for that.
There are loads of special points to weddings at Peckforton Castle, but just two more I must mention are the option to have a private blessing in the gorgeous Castle Chapel after the civil ceremony and the opportunity to have one of our owls bring the rings to you!
Oh, just a third thing. As we’re an up market venue people can sometimes think that they’d never be able to afford a wedding with us. Well, think again! Not only can we be flexible with the types of packages we offer, we are also very competitively priced, so why not have a chat with us?
Weddings are only going to get better at Peckforton Castle – if that’s possible! The new facilities I mentioned earlier this month will be a great benefit.
In fact this weekend – on Sunday 28 February from 12-4pm – we’re holding a Wedding Fayre, so please pop in and say hello and take a look at what we’ve got to offer.
Hope to see you there.
Until next time!
Goodness me! Talk about all go. I can’t believe how busy it is for us here at Peckforton Castle. The year’s off to a great start. As you may have seen from the photos posted on Facebook, we had a great Burns Night last month. We did Robbie proud and a fun time was had by all. We’ve also had the privilege of hosting a few weddings already this year (check out the great feedback!) and our corporate events calendar has be jam packed too!
What you may not know a lot about is our renovation project. That’s right folks; we’re getting even bigger and better. We currently only use 60% of the castle for the hotel and we’re in the process of renovating a further 20%. Worked started last month, so it’s hard hats and toe steel capped boots all the way. Amazingly, you can hardly tell there’s any renovation work going on as it’s all taking place ticked well behind where our birds of prey sit outside.
We’re bringing you a brand new brasserie, 10 new en-suite bedrooms and a couple of beauty treatment rooms. The brasserie will allow us to offer some stylish, informal dining. Those of you who’ve eaten in our 1851 Restaurant – holder of 2 AA Rosettes, don’t you know – will be aware that it’s a real fine dining experience and it’s certainly very special, but there are times when you just want a bacon sandwich and watch Sky Sports. Well, as from about May you’ll be able to do that. How exciting!!!
The bedrooms and beauty treatment rooms will be ready in about July and once everything is done and dusted we’ll be holding a couple of launch events and we’d seriously love you to come, so watch this space in the future for dates and RSVP details. We’re investing heavily in this renovation and we want to make it the best it can be, so your support for the launch will be greatly appreciated.
Before I go, just an update on our Valentine’s Weekend, which is almost here. Bookings have gone really well and we’re practically sold out of accommodation. Chef is busy flexing his culinary muscles getting ready to wow all you romantic diners. It’s going to be great. Thanks to those of you who’ve booked…and to those who haven’t for whatever reason, don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day next month (details on our website and Facebook page) and you’re still in time to book for that.
By the way, just in case you didn’t know we offer a loyalty card whereby you get 10% off in the restaurant. Ask us about it next time you’re in.
More soon! Enjoy the rest of the week and Happy Valentine’s!
PS: We had a great time on Sunday night at Wes Brown’s charity poker night. Thanks to our special guests for joining us. We managed to raise a decent amount of money for a great cause.
We’re just about to enter a very romantic month indeed – the month of Valentine’s Day. February is a dark, cold month so what could be better for us than embracing special festivals like Valentine’s?
Plenty of people talk about how important it is to show appreciation for one’s partner, but in the hurly burly of the hum drum it’s too easy to just coast along and take everything for granted.
Well, in February you have the chance to show that special person in your life just how much they mean to you by really making an occasion of it. It could be something simple like a breakfast in bed or something altogether far more unique and memorable…..
Knowing that Valentine’s is such a special day in the calendar, at Peckforton Castle we’ve decided to host an entire Valentine’s weekend! We’ll be welcoming lots of couples on each of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of Valentine’s weekend and we’ve got something very special in store for them.
It goes without saying that Peckforton Castle has got to be one of the most romantic locations in the country. Couple the fantastic venue with a special Valentine’s dinner menu in our award winning 1851 Restaurant and a stay in one of our sumptuous rooms and you’re onto something truly special.
The other very special point is the price! You can have a 3-course candlelit dinner with your partner, plus a gift, for just £40pp and Head Chef Steve Ramsden has lined up a stunning menu (see below). If you want to stay over you can take a package of £160 per couple to include dinner, bed and breakfast on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th February, or £180 per couple on Sunday 14th February. It would certainly be one Valentine’s celebration that you’ll cherish and remember forever. We’ve already sold lots of the accommodation packages though, so those are now very limited.
So, if you’d like to give your partner the ultimate Valentine’s treat, please call us on 01829 260930. It’s proving very popular, so best to act fast!
Here’s the menu to tantalise the taste buds:
Starters
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup served with Basil Crème Fraîche
Locally Smoked Salmon served with Buttered Confit Salmon Supreme Smoked Tomato and Tarragon Cake
Char Grilled Asparagus served with a Crottin of Melting Goats Cheese
Terrine of Peckforton Game wrapped in Bacon served with Cranberry Jelly Toasted Brioche
Assiètte of Miniature Starters (all of the above) £2.00 supplement
Main course
Pan Roasted Fillet of Beef served with Braised Ox Tail and Truffle infused Creamed Potato Smoked Bacon and Caramelized Baby Onion Jus
Wild Turbot served with Scottish Scallop Ravioli topped with a Poached Hens Egg Red Wine Essence and Parsley Puree
Corn Fed Chicken Supreme filled with Wild Mushroom Mousse Tarragon Infused Jus and Braised Fondant Potato
Pea and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto grilled Mozzarella Cheese and Chestnut Mushrooms
Dessert
The Castles Eaton Mess with Forest Berries, Strawberries and Crushed Meringue
Raspberry Crème Brûlée with Lemon Shortbread
A tasting of Chocolate – Chocolate Cone filled with White Chocolate Mousse Chocolate and Orange Tart and a Shot of Hot Chocolate Topped with Coffee Foam £2.00 Supplement
A selection of Cheese and Biscuits Served with Celery Grapes and House Chutney
Gift for your partner
We’ve got some great deals for Mother’s Day too, so watch out for that. Hope to welcome you soon to the Castle.
With our very best wishes.
For lots of people January is a quiet month, but not if Peckforton Castle is anything to go by! January is off to a roaring start and there’s a lot going on.
The fact that we’re hosting so many corporate events this month alone is an excellent sign of the optimism amongst the Cheshire business community and this is wonderful to see after the recession. Statistics have shown that many businesses have cut budgets and ‘luxury items’ such as conferences, away days and other corporate events, but our bookings show things are looking much brighter.
Just yesterday, for example, it was great to see so many people enjoying their corporate event with us, whether that was sat in the delightful Hexagonal Room for a sales conference or out learning about archery as part of a team building exercise. January continues a pace for corporate events and later this month we’ll welcome Giles Brandeth as the after dinner speaker for one special event.
The key word there really is ‘special’, as that’s what we do – we make every event special.
For corporate events, for example, Peckforton Castle offers a truly unique experience. It’s well documented that by taking a team off-site for a day or two, great things can be achieved, from moral boosting to leaving an entire team so stimulated and well bonded that they return to the business with a new injection of enthusiasm, which can translate into great business results.
Another point that makes events at Peckforton Castle so special is the fact that we can be flexible. We can accommodate small corporate events for less than 10 people, through to day events for up to 160! And then of course there’s the unique location, awarding winning restaurant and the excellent team who make everyone feel most welcome.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, you won’t be disappointed with Peckforton Castle. We can even arrange for your team to have a session with our exotic birds of prey, or perhaps do some off road driving in a landrover. Or, how about abseiling? The possibilities really are endless.
So, if you know anyone who’d like to discuss a corporate event with us, please ask them to call us on 01829 260930. We’re always very happy to invite people along to view our wonderful facilities.
OK, back to work now! There really is a lot going on. We’ve got Burns Night coming up tomorrow night and it’s set to be a fantastic tribute to Robert Burns. The Peckforton team is really excited about what Chef’s cooking up! At just £35 for a 3-course supper including a shot of whiskey to toast the haggis it’s not to be missed. See you there!
There are lots more events coming up so I’ll tell you more about those later. I’m off to see how the builders are getting on…that’s very exciting news!! More about that another time too. All good stuff.
During January and February, you can enjoy a one night stay at Peckforton Castle for just £39, room only rate in standard double or twin bedroom.
Breakfast and dinner are available in our 1851 restaurant at additional cost.
To secure this special pricing, you should download the required voucher from MoneySuperMarket.com, and special terms and conditions do apply.
The offer is not available on Friday or Saturday nights, or during Valentines.
During January and February, enjoy one of our exciting Falconry Encounters at the special rate of £50 for two people.
You can download your voucher at MoneySupermarket.com. The voucher is needed to secure this special price as terms and conditions apply.
Don’t forget to tell your friends!
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