Preview: Cheshire Celebrates 150 Years of White Rabbits and Michelin Stars

11 Mar 2015

Cheshire Celebrates 150 Years of White Rabbits and Michelin Stars

Tourism partners across Chester and Cheshire will be celebrating several major anniversaries during English Tourism Week from 14-22nd March,showcasing the history and creativity of the county during such an important week of activity for the tourism industry.

The Chester Grosvenor will be celebrating 150 years of history and luxury in the city of Chester on Friday 20th March. The iconic hotel will be celebrating with daily Anniversary Afternoon Teas, served with an exclusive blend of Grosvenor Grey Anniversary Tea.

Events throughout the year include the history of tea from the hotel's artisan tea maker, hats through the ages from the hotel's milliner and a trip through Chester's heritage from the hotel's historian.

There is even a bespoke suite of jewellery designed to celebrate the anniversary by British luxury jewellers, Boodles, neighbours to The Chester Grosvenor since 1962.

Fine dining restaurant 'Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor has much to celebrate with 25 years of a Michelin star in a row to add to the accolades.

Jonathan Slater, Managing Director of The Chester Grosvenor said:

“Chester, as a city and as a destination, continues to grow and thrive. It is a testament to the city's heritage to see so many of our historic institutions, like The Chester Grosvenor, Chester University and the Cheshire railways, celebrating milestones and anniversaries.

At the same time, there is much new to celebrate in the innovativeness of the region's tourism businesses. Our hotels, restaurants and attractions are continually evolving and, as a region, our tourism offering is more exciting now than ever before.”

City visitors will be keen to visit quirky boutique hotel Oddfellows this summer to celebrate 150 years of Alice in Wonderland. The venue boasts a quirky Alice inspired private dining room, The Tea Rooms, featuring a tea party table hanging upside down from the ceiling. There is also a secret garden to enjoy on the same floor.

Mad Hatters tea parties and 'eat me' 'drink me' delights will be enjoyed across Cheshire this year as the county promotes its links with the famous children's story by Lewis Carroll. Carroll was born in the village of Daresbury in 1837 and his father was vicar at All Saints Church in the village. Visitors will be able to see a stained-glass window created in his memory and take a walk around the Lewis Carroll Visitor Centre based at the church. Just a few miles away outside Northwich the award-winning team room at Davenport's Farm Shop will be hosting several of their now famous Mad Hatter tea parties that are a big draw for foreign visitors. And of course the story wouldn't be complete without the famous Cheshire Cat, a carving of a grinning cat can actually be found at St Wilfred's Church in the village of Grappenhall in the county, which is said to have inspired the original Cheshire Cat.

Later this year tourists will also be able to travel on the curiouser and curiouser Alice in Wonderland themed train journey aboard the Belmond Northern Belle. The carriages are decorated with a Mad Hatter's tea party theme, with quirky, liveried staff on board to entertain during a tour of the beautiful countryside. Trains depart from Chester in October 2015.

Katrina Michel, Chief Executive of Marketing Cheshire, added:

“English Tourism Week is an opportunity to celebrate the less familiar but equally fascinating. Lewis Carroll lived his early life in Cheshire and created not just Alice but our famous Cat. The Grosvenor has been setting the standard for 150 years and is one of the reasons international visitors come back to Chester time after time.”

Cheshire celebrates a series of anniversaries and exciting openings in 2015 listed below:

1. 140 years of Anderton Boat Lift

The Anderton Boat Lift turns 140 this year! Built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lift cargo boats the 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal, from April to October you can enjoy boat trips through the lift and along the River Weaver Navigation.

2. 150 years of Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland celebrates her 150th birthday this year and you can mark the occasion in Lewis Carroll's birthplace, Cheshire! Davenports Tea Room, situated less than 2 miles from Lewis Carroll's birthplace, is themed around Alice in Wonderland and they are holding a very special Mad Hatters Tea Party on Sunday 5th July, Sunday 30th August and Sunday 27th September. Visit Daresbury Church where you can see the Lewis Carroll memorial window to mark a century since the author's birth and whilst you're visiting the All Saints Church why not also visit the Lewis Carroll Centre and explore the life of this iconic author.

3. 175 years of Teaching Excellence

To celebrate 175 years of teaching excellence at the University of Chester there are plenty of exciting activities and events for staff, students and the wider community, culminating in grand finale events in June 2015.

4. 150th anniversary of The Chester Grosvenor.

2015 celebrates the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of The Chester Grosvenor. There will be a calendar of events planned throughout the year. Themed lunches will take a look back in time, the history of tea from the hotel's artisan tea maker, hats through the ages from the hotel's milliner and a trip through Chester's heritage from the hotel's historian.

5. 175th anniversary of Railways in Cheshire

2015 marks the 175th Anniversary of two key Railways in Cheshire. In 1840 both the Crewe to Chester and Chester to Birkenhead lines were opened. This historic milestone is a great opportunity to celebrate the success and achievements of the rail industry and promote Cheshire, old Cheshire, Crewe, Chester and Birkenhead.

6. Islands at Chester Zoo

You can embark on your own wildlife expedition from June 2015 as we're recreating the amazing tropical environments of six South East Asian islands.
Islands at Chester Zoo is the biggest zoo development ever in Europe, spanning 50,000 square metres - that's the same as SEVEN full-size football pitches!

7. Lion Salt Works will open

After two years of restoration, the Lion Salt Works is set to open in Spring 2015.
The Lion Salt Works is being restored and developed as a heritage visitor attraction with an engaging approach to telling the stories associated with salt, an imaginative learning programme, themed play provision and an evolving calendar of events and museum activities.

8. New at Chester Cathedral

Chester Cathedral is hoping to open a falconry centre complete with nature gardens in their grounds. The centre would provide a range of recreational activities involving the birds of prey, and could be open as early as May.

9. Major new annual event at Tatton Park

Geronimo! This May Bank Holiday, it's time for Geronimo, the largest children's festival in the North West – with hundreds of activities for children aged from two to twelve and a host of popular characters like CBeebies' Mr Bloom.

10. Amazed by Science

Amazed by Science is BACK for 2015.
Due to the huge success of the debut Amazed by Science Festival in May 2014, the festival will return this May half-term with a range of great science events across Cheshire.

ENDS

Issued by Marketing Cheshire

For further information, please contact:

Laura Young, Marketing Cheshire

01244 405624 / 07919 004 116

l.young@marketingcheshire.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Please see the website link below for details of English Tourism Week activities:

http://www.visitcheshire.com/etw-2015

The official 150 year Anniversary of Alice in Wonderland is on 4th July 2015.

Chester Grosvenor

http://www.chestergrosvenor.com/