This month sees the return of two inherently-English characters: the hopeless romantic, Bridget Jones and everyone’s favorite 007 spy James Bond. Helen Fielding’s heroine, Bridget Jones, returns in a third book, Mad About the Boy, released today on October 10,, 2013, while the latest James Bond book Solo is currently shooting off the shelves.

 

To celebrate the release of these new novels and return of their legendary leading characters, VisitEngland is highlighting truly English girls’ and boy’s trips, inspired by Bridget Jones and James Bond and the locations in which their classic stories are set. 

 

Ladies, Pack Your Bags

 

Seventeen years after we last saw her, Bridget Jones returns in a third book, Mad About the Boy, now in her late 40s, still single and looking for love… 

 

In tribute to the ultimate English rose, here is a round up of some of the best experiences across England for single ladies looking to relax with the girls.  Everything a girl needs to be – in the words of another iconic singleton, Sex in the City’s Carrie Bradshaw – “single and fabulous, exclamation point.”

 

Where to Stay

 

Re-inject some va-va-voom with a stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester, which offers a ‘Friday Girls' Night In’ package. This good old-fashioned girly sleepover includes a beauty treatment (choose from an Express Manicure or Pedicure by Jessica or a Tension Release Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage), sparkling wine, chocolates and a selection of chick flicks, including of course, Bridget Jones’ Diary. Even better, Saturday morning offers the chance to unwind and enjoy a dip in the onsite Jacuzzi and thermal suites. Package costs £119/$190 per person. www.doubletreechester.co.uk.

 

Outside of the capital, Stoke Park took a starring role in the film as the spot where Daniel Cleaver whisked a rather windswept Bridget away for a much longed-for mini break in the country.  After an eventful afternoon's rowing, filmed on the Club’s glistening lake, the couple retire to the Club's grand Pennsylvania Suite. Those looking to relive the romance can book Stoke Park’s ‘Bridget Jones Mini Break’ package. The stay includes one night's accommodation in a Mansion or Pavilion Room, a bottle of chilled chardonnay, a three course dinner, beauty treatment and Bridget Jones's Diary DVD to take home. Package starts from £490/$784 per room, based on two people sharing. www.stokepark.com.

 

What to Do

 

Sex in the (capital) city

For the wanton sex goddesses, London Cabaret Festival (October 1 – 31) has a thrilling calendar showcasing cabaret’s vital elements of sex, innovation and transgression. One of the highlights includes Cabaret Roulette at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club on October 17, a new show based around a concept chosen by the last show’s audience. October’s ‘Ghost Stories’ event is bound to heighten the senses, with experiences that scare and excite in equal measure. Ticket prices vary. For more information and full events listings: www.londoncabaretfestival.com.

 

Lose 20lbs

If like Bridget, you are forever resolving to lose that stubborn 20lbs, forget the gym – girls are more likely to find success by crunching iron at a hard-core boot camp. Gruelling exercise and guaranteed inch loss is promised at boot camps run by Wild Fitness on the Isle of Wight. The 3-day ‘Energizer’ course is held at Northcourt, a beautiful old English manor with quirky, wild trimmings – the ultimate escape for a British Wild Fitness experience, including three group training sessions per day, practical workshops and series of stress-busting activities. All this is accompanied by fresh, home-grown cuisine and lodgings at Northcourt Manor. Package costs £725/$1160 per person for a shared standard room and £935/$1497 per person single standard room. www.wildfitness.com

 

If all that sounds too tasking, how about of spot of spiritual healing? You don’t need to don a backpack and head for the Far East to ‘find’ yourself. In Gloucestershire visitors can enrol in a three-night ‘Open to The Goddess’ workshop. Guide Anna Ziman aims to help all women in the group uncover their real selves. The sessions take place at various locations in England, from Norfolk to The Forest of Dean. It might sound slow-paced, but this is stirring business – the idea being that it teaches guests to bring new ‘powers’ into their everyday life. Prices vary, depending on venue. www.goddessworkshop.co.uk.

 

Where to Shop

 

LBDs, big knickers and Christmas jumpers

Go in search of the perfect Little Black Dress and all-important big knickers at Oxfordshire’s Bicester Village, an hour by train from the London station of Marylebone. Here, you’ll find Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith, Burberry and Vivienne Westwood, as well as niche English labels and international designers – with stock constantly updated – at a minimum discount of 30% on the original price. www.bicestervillage.com.

 

For that ‘so bad it’s good’ Mark Darcy-inspired Christmas jumper, check out London’s Beyond Retro on Brick Lane. Each year this vintage institution celebrates the festive season with an array of classic yuletide garments and winter warmers. Jumpers start from £14/$23. www.beyondretro.com.

 

Nightlife

 

Vodka and Chaka Khan

When you’ve had a day that calls for Vodka and Chaka Khan, England’s nightlife reigns supreme. Manchester is well known for its party scene. Head to the Northern Quarter, where you’ll find some of the best independent bars and traditional pubs around as well as a host of live music venues. For an experience like no other check out Common (www.aplacecalledcommon.co.uk), a bar on Edge Street in which hosts regular DJ nights and exhibitions.

 

For more girly holiday ideas, visit www.visitengland.com.

 

 

Gentlemen, Get Ready to Unlock Your Inner Bond

 

With the release of the latest James Bond book Solo this month, and new series ‘Fleming’ assigned to Sky Atlantic later this year, fans will be eager to get their fix of the spy who has loved us all. While even the world might not be enough for Bond, his spiritual home remains in England where there’s plenty of Bond themed action for fanciful future spies.

 

Where to Stay

Martini Mixing in Bond’s Spiritual Home

Tucked away behind the grand Georgian facades of Mayfair lies the small but perfectly formed DUKES hotel. It’s a truly English affair with the equally small but charming DUKES Bar, world renowned for its martinis and cocktails. This was James Bond creator Sir Ian Fleming’s martini bar of choice, making it the best place to learn how to make martinis that James Bond would be proud to drink.

Barman Alessandro Palazzi is a cocktail connoisseur and will teach you how to make the perfect martini, along with other classic tipples, while filling you in on the story behind each cocktail. After you’ve picked up a few tricks of the trade, you’ll be able to mix your own martini – shaken not stirred, of course. www.dukeshotel.com

 

What to Do

 

BOND IN MOTION, Beaulieu National Motor Museum

View an exhibition of 50 iconic James Bond vehicles – the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world – at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.  Extended until January 5, 2014 due to popular demand, Bond in Motion features a range of vehicles that have appeared in Bond films over the years. Vehicles include Goldfinger performers, 964 Aston Martin DB5 and the 1937 Phantom lll Rolls-Royce, the Lotus Esprit S1 nicknamed ‘Wet Nellie’ from The Spy Who Loved Me, the Bede Acrostar jet flown in Octopussy, the BMW 750iL from Tomorrow Never Dies, and the original Parahawk (powered parachute) which starred in The World Is Not Enough.  Admission costs £17/$28 for adults, £10.50/$17 children. www.beaulieu.co.uk/attractions/bond-in-motion

 

London RIB Bond Experience

If you want to be shaken and stirred, try a thrill ride on a speed boat down the Thames on the London RIB Bond Experience.  Power straight through the heart of London along the world’s most famous river whilst strapped into a twin engine 245hp speedboat. The trained guides will reveal fascinating facts and anecdotes about MI5 and MI6 as you speed by the real life HQ of the British Secret Service. There’ll be just enough time to catch your breath after roaring down to the O2 Arena before weaving your way back to a soundtrack of classic Bond music. www.thamesribexperience.com/

 

Spy Games, Milton Keynes

How well do you think you’d do on Her Majesty’s Secret Service? You can have a taste of the spy life yourself at New Spy HQ in the small town of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. Courses of various lengths for various ages include learning how to use hidden camera and bugging equipment, how to protect a VIP in a protection scenario, unarmed combat, axe throwing, how to use a pistol, fire machine guns and sniper rifles and taking part in all-out laser tag games. Available for families, groups and corporates. www.spy-games.com

 

Royal Navy Museum, Plymouth

For a more sedate look at Bond, head to the Royal Navy Museum in Plymouth. Sir Ian Fleming was a British Naval Intelligence Officer himself. You can gain insight into his life and into the fascinating history of the Royal Navy at the largest naval base in Western Europe. www.plymouthnavalmuseum.com

 

Ends.
 

For further press information please contact:
Emma de Vadder
VisitEngland Press Office, North America
Tel: +1 212 850 0363
Email: Emma.DeVadder@visitengland.org 

 

Notes to Editors:

About England

• Historic yet contemporary, traditional yet cutting-edge, metropolitan yet wild: England is truly a unique destination and a real powerhouse in global tourism.

• With ancient Hadrian’s Wall straddling the wild north and the world’s biggest indoor tropical rainforest nestled in the far south, England really is the ultimate mix of old and new as well as being home to some of the most iconic sites in the world, including Stonehenge, the honey-hued Georgian terraces of Bath and the towering peaks and glistening meres of the Lake District.

More information can be found on www.visitengland.com