Rossendale

Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 September
www.heritageopendays.org.uk – fully events listing and details

Later this week properties across England will throw open their doors for free as part of the country’s annual celebration of local architecture, history and culture.

Supported nationally by English Heritage and run locally by an army of volunteers and community champions, Heritage Open Days takes place on people doorstops and is the country’s leading grassroots cultural event.

One million people are expected to take advantage of the four day event, exploring more than 4,000 properties of every style, period and function, many of which are normally closed to the public or usually charge an admission fee.

Participating properties in North West England include:

Barrow – Dalton Castle (Dalton-in-Furness)
Birkenhead – Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead Priory, Lady Lever Art Gallery
Blackpool – Blackpool Tower, Winter Gardens
Bolton – Bolton Steam Museum
Burnley – Gawthorpe Hall (Padiham), Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
Bury – Fusilier Museum, East Lancashire Railway, Peel Tower
Carlisle – High Head Sculpture Valley
Chester – Chester Racecourse, Grosvenor Museum, Little Moreton Hall (Congleton)
Kendal – Abbott Hall Art Gallery, Museum of Lakeland Life, Sizergh Castle
Lake District – Beatix Potter Gallery (Hawkshead), Blackwell (Windermere),
Liverpool – St George’s Hall, Cunard Building, Liver Building,
Macclesfield – Quarry Bank Mill
Manchester – Victoria Baths
Morecambe – Morecambe Town Hall
Oldham – Saddleworth Museum
Penrith – Acorn Bank
Preston – Samlesbury Hall
Rochdale – Healey Dell, Rochdale Pioneers Museum, Touchstones,
St Helens – World of Glass
Stockport – Hat Works, Staircase House, Air Raid Shelters, Bramall Hall
Warrington – Norton Priory (Runcorn)
Wigan – Museum of Wigan Life, Trencherfield Mill Engine

Experience the sights, sounds and tastes of a Wakes Weekend bonanza at Lancashire Museums on Saturday, 29 & Monday, 31 May.

‘Wakes’ is a celebration reliving the golden age, when mill towns across the North of England would shut down and thousands of workers celebrated their annual holidays.

On Saturday, 29 May drop in at Queen Street Mill Textile Museum as mill workers have fun with an Edwardian Wakes Day. Join in and learn how Edwardian mill workers spent their playtime!

Come and see a traditional Punch & Judy show, let the children roll up their sleeves and enjoy craft activities or take part in Edwardian games. Visitors can listen to a local band singing traditional Lancashire songs, and a special touring exhibition on Burnley’s famous film-maker, Sam Hanna, will also be at the museum. The shop will also be open selling a wide range of goods from pocket money toys to our own Simply Textiles merchandise.

Events will be running throughout the day and the museum will be open from 12pm to 5pm. Normal admission charges apply; Adults £3.00, concessions £2.00 and accompanied children go free.

Holiday celebrations will continue at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum on Monday, 31 May with a slight twist to the theme as they celebrate Wakes Day 1940′s style!

Throughout the day you will be able to see the waterwheel that once powered the mill, and demonstrations of the Cotton Mules and Carding Engines. There will be a traditional funfair ride for the children with lots of craft activities and games too. The Coffee Mill café will be open serving specially made Wakes style cakes and treats for all the family to enjoy.

Helmshore will be open from 12pm to 4pm and usual admission charges apply; Adults £4.00, concessions £3.00 and accompanied children go free.

For more information visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums

The award winning Coffee Mill café at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum is now officially open for the summer season.

Recently accredited with the prestigious Taste Lancashire Quality Assurance award by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, the café has been recognised for its excellent food, the use of local produce, great visitor facilities and friendly, welcoming staff.

Set in the stunning Rossendale Valley, the Coffee Mill is a great place to unwind while enjoying some of the finest, local home cooked food in the county. A newly improved menu offers loads of choice and there’s even a separate menu for the little ones. New for this year are a variety of hot ‘Specials’ and a delightful selection of afternoon teas.

In the museum, unravel the stories of inspirational inventors and their magnificent machines at one of the UK’s greatest industrial heritage sites.

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum and The Coffee Mill are open weekdays, 12pm to 4pm and weekends, 12pm to 5pm until 31st October. Admission costs £4 adults, £3 concessions and accompanied children go free.

For more information contact Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Holcombe Road, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4NP on 01706 226459 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums

Rossendale Markets are proud to host a series of specialist Christmas Markets this year. Alongside the existing markets, there will be specialist Christmas stalls including roast chestnuts, pancakes and gift stalls.

The markets are being held at Bacup Market on 5 December, Haslingden Market on 11 December, and Rawtenstall Market on 12 December. The markets are open from 9am to 4pm.

To really get in the Christmas spirit, the 3 markets will also have local bands and choirs singing carols on the Christmas Market days, as well as Santa’s Grotto. Each of the markets will have free mince pies on offer and Bacup Market even has children’s entertainment.

But the festive fun doesn’t end there. Throughout December, Rossendale’s 3 markets will have musical entertainment from local bands and choirs including Haslingden & Helmshore Brass Band, Rossendale Male Voice Choir, Water Brass Band, the Salvation Army, Stacksteads Brass Band and Whitworth Junior Band.

Bacup Market will open Santa’s Grotto every Saturday in December and Rawtenstall Market opens its grotto every Thursday and Saturday throughout the month.

Rawtenstall Market and Bacup Market will be open on Christmas Eve for last minute Christmas Shopping and collecting your festive goodies in time for the big day.

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum in Rossendale has been accredited with the prestigious Taste Lancashire Quality Assurance award by Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board.

The award recognises establishments who provide a consistently high quality dining experience and a commitment to using local produce.

The Coffee Mill, which opened following a £1.3m museum refurbishment in 2008, provides visitors with freshly made food, using a variety of Lancashire’s finest produce including local cheeses and chutneys.

The café has been recognised by the Taste Lancashire award scheme for excellent food, the use of local produce, visitor facilities and friendly, welcoming staff.

Louise Jacobsson, assistant keeper at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum said, ‘To get this award is fantastic and a credit to our staff. We aim for visitors to experience amazing heritage that’s stood the test of time at our museum, whilst enjoying local food with a homemade feel in our Coffee Mill café. This award recognises our commitment to serving high quality food and it’s great to end the season with another fantastic success for Helmshore Museum.’

If you don’t get the chance to visit the Coffee Mill before they close for the season on Saturday 31st October, remember they are open for the annual traditional Christmas Fair on Sunday 6th December and also host private group bookings throughout the year. Admission to the Coffee Mill is free of charge.

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum is open weekdays, 12 to 4pm, and weekends, 12 to 5pm.

Admission costs £4 adults, £3 concessions and accompanied children go free.

For more information contact Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Holcome Road, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4NP on 01706 226459 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums.

A new and fully revised visitors’ guide has been published by Rossendale Council in a bid to attract more tourists and visitors to the valley and help them find out when the borough has to offer.

The lively, colourful, 80 page guide features brand new high class glossy photography, showing the best that Rossendale has to offer.

It includes new visitor itineraries for the towns and villages in Rossendale, giving tourists suggestions for how to spend a day in each place.

The Visitors Guide will be distributed to all Tourist Information Centres in the North of England and within 90 minutes drive of Rossendale information points, Moto service stations, Little Chefs, local attractions, libraries and at Boundary Mill.

Copies will also be provided in Rossendale to all local attractions, accommodation providers and advertisers as well as local restaurants and information points, including the One Stop Shop in Rawtenstall.

The initial print run is for 10,000 copies of the handbag sized guide and a further 10,000 will be produced next year when the guide is refreshed with events for 2010 included.

The guide has been backed by 63 of the areas tourism and leisure providers who have placed adverts in it.

The 2009 Northwest Tourism Awards will be held at Blackpool Tower on September 28.

The event will be hosted by BBC presenter Ranvir Singh and is being organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency.

The finalists are:

Large Hotel of the Year

Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, Cumbria
Preston Marriott Hotel, Preston, Lancashire
The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
Malmaison Liverpool, Liverpool

Small Hotel of the Year

Peckforton Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire
Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel, Windermere, Cumbria
Mytton Fold Hotel and Golf Complex, Ribble Valley

Bed and Breakfast of the Year

Harrop Fold Farm, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Storrs Gate House, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
The Ashton, Lancaster, Lancashire
Brooklands Lodge, Sale, Greater Manchester
The Ambassador Townhouse, Southport, Merseyside

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire
Walby Farm Park, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Blackpool Tower and Circus, Blackpool
Imperial War Museum North, Manchester
Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

Arley Hall & Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire
Wordsworth House and Garden, Cockermouth, Cumbria
Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Helmshore, Lancashire
Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Manchester
Acorn Farm, Liverpool

Self Catering Holiday of the Year

Kerridge End Holiday Cottages, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Hall Hills, Dalston, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, near Clitheroe, Lancashire
Blue Rainbow Apartments, Manchester
Premier Apartments Liverpool, Liverpool

Holiday Park of the Year

Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park, Keswick, Cumbria
Sunset Park, Hambleton, near Blackpool

Business Tourism Award

Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Warwick Mill Business Village, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green, near Blackpool
The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
BT Convention Centre, Liverpool

Taste of England’s Northwest

Walk Mill, Chester
Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop, Kendal, Cumbria
La Locanda Ristorante Italiano, Gisburn, Lancashire
The Modern, Urbis, Manchester
Delifonseca, Liverpool

Tourism Experience of the Year

Roman Tours, Chester
Silverband Falconry, Penrith, Cumbria
Farmaggedon, near Ormskirk, Lancashire
Costumed Performers, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Art in the Age of Steam, National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool

Customer Service Award

Janet Bradshaw, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire
Jennifer Taylor, The Archway Guest House, Windermere, Cumbria
Hannah Lee, The New Holly, near Preston
Mahendran Mayan, Renaissance Hotel, Manchester
Christina Dixon, Jurys Inn Hotel, Liverpool

Sustainable Tourism Award

Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester
Langdale Leisure Ltd, Ambleside, Cumbria
Malkin Tower Farm Holiday Cottages, Blacko, Lancashire
Radisson SAS Hotel Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester
Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool, Liverpool

Tourism for All Award

Kerridge End Holiday Cottages, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Ullswater Steamers, Glenridding, Cumbria
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
The Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester

Tourism Event

Nantwich Food and Drink Festival, Cheshire
Westmorland County Agricultural Show, Milnthorpe, Cumbria
Blackpool Illuminations, Blackpool
Manchester Pride, Manchester
Creamfields, Merseyside

Public Space Award

Cockermouth Market Place Regeneration Scheme, Cumbria
County Square Environmental Enhancement Scheme, Ulverston, Cumbria
Pier Head Public Realm and Canal Link, Liverpool

Tourist Information Centre of the Year

Congleton TIC, Cheshire
Coniston TIC, Cumbria
Cleveleys TIC, Lancashire
Wigan TIC, Greater Manchester
St Helens TIC, Merseyside

Travel Journalist of the Year

Chris Moss, Time Out
Craig Fleming, Blackpool Gazette
David Atkinson, Freelance
Paul Croughton, The Sunday Times
Stephen McClarence, The Observer

On Saturday September 19 2009, visitors to Helmshore Mills Textile Museum in Rossendale can relive Wakes Week, the holidays when entire towns in North West England would close down while their populations migrated to seaside resorts for their annual holidays.

Activities on offer include clog dancing demonstrations and workshops, along with a traditional Punch and Judy show. There will also be an opportunity to sample some wonderful food and drink from times gone by in the Coffee Mill cafe.

As well as enjoying the Wakes spirit, take the time to look around the museum. Find out about famous textile inventors and their amazing machines and discover how wool and cotton become yarn.

Normal admission charges apply; adults £4 and concessions £3. Accompanied children go free.

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum is situated on Holcome Road, Helmshore, in Rossendale. Visitors with satellite navigation systems should note the postcode is BB4 4NP.

Visitors looking for a cheap place to stay in North West England next year (or indeed the rest of the UK, Ireland or Spain) should take note that Travelodge today launched an amazing offer on budget rooms.

The budget hotel chain is offering 50,000 rooms at only £12. The rate applies for stays between January 1 and April 1 2010. Rooms are also available from £19 (book 21 days ahead) and from £29 (book 7 days ahead).

To take advantage of this amazing offer, visit this page on their website.

Lee Quarry in Bacup is getting a major new piece of public artwork to complement the exciting new mountain bike trails developed as part of the Adrenaline Gateway scheme.

Metal and Mixed Media Designer, Robin Dobson has been commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts to produce three separate but linked pieces of work – named triptych – to celebrate Rossendale’s stone quarrying heritage and the dramatic natural landscape.

The first piece to be installed, Ferro-terrosaurus is a sculpture and ‘drop off’ obstacle for trial bikers, inspired by industrial machinery and skeletal detailing. The sculpture is expected to be in place by the end of summer 2009. The project has been delivered by Mid Pennine Arts and Groundwork Pennine Lancashire with support from Rossendale Council and Lancashire County Council.