News

Bolesworth Estate has announced plans to open its doors as a new film location in the North West.  

The family-owned Estate boasts a 6,500 acre portfolio of TV and Film locations, including studio and set-build space, alongside ancillary spaces such as production offices, green room and workshop space. 

Having already welcomed production crews from Netflix, BBC and Lime Pictures, and less than an hour from neighbouring cities Manchester and Liverpool, the Estate is likely to quickly establish itself further as a key location within the North West.  

The opening of the Estate for TV and Film production will be welcome news for  the industry.  Indeed as many productions emerge from lockdown,  the demand for production space is likely to surge. 

“At a time when demand for studio space far outstrips supply in the UK, the Bolesworth Estate has the best of all worlds. We have set-build spaces, both interior and exterior and we also have 6,500 acres of unique locations. The Estate really is a one-stop-stop for productions looking for studios, locations or indeed a home near Liverpool or Manchester” said Charlie Greenstein, Head of TV & Film at Bolesworth Estate.  

Nestled in Cheshire’s rolling countryside, the much-loved view of the Grade II listed Bolesworth Castle has been an admired and familiar sight in Cheshire for nearly 200 years, but this unique location is about so much more than mystical castles and rolling hills. 

Within the Estates location portfolio sits a wealth  of niche locations including an historic church complete with pews, vestry and stunning glass stained windows, a winding network of private roads, a heli-landing pad, and  world-class equestrian facilities already used by the Netflix series Free Rein.   .  

Fancy a visit? Location viewings are available by appointment, click here for more information.

With staying ‘in in’ the new going ‘out out’, and bars and restaurants shut for the foreseeable, many of us are in need of a little at home tonic to help us through this challenging time. 

What’s more, with the spring sunshine making an appearance, many of us are raising a glass in the comfort of our gardens, so to give you a little helping hand, Bolesworth has teamed up with Cheshire gin manufacturer, Hunters Cheshire Gin, to bring you three inspiring at home gin recipes. 

With its heart in leafy Cheshire, Hunters Gin is a high quality, export strength London Dry Gin, full of character. Subtle citrus overtones and a spicy fruit edge using apples from historic Norton Priory Garden’s ancient orchard, the single batch distillation is derived from a 300-year-old recipe.   

All Hunters ingredients are natural, no artificial flavours, oils or essences are used. 

TRULY HUNTERS: Classic, simple and refreshing 
Glass: 12oz Highball  
Ingredients: 50ml Hunters Gin, Fresh pressed apple juice, 10ml Elderflower cordial  
Garnish: Slice of apple  
Method: Fill glass with ice, add the Hunters Gin and elderflower, fill to the top with apple juice and then add the garnish. 

HUNTERS CHESHIRE CHAMPAGNE: Fabulous, sophisticated and zesty  
Glass: Champagne Flute 
Ingredients: 10ml Hunters Gin, 10ml Fresh lemon, 5ml Sugar syrup (Gomme) 
Garnish: Lemon peel twist 
Method: Shake the gin, fresh lemon and sugar syrup together then pour into the base of the flute. Top with chilled prosecco and add garnish. 

HUNTERS GIN MARTINI: Sublime, understated and timeless 
Glass: Martini 
Ingredients: 1 Dash of orange bitters, 70ml Hunters Gin (frozen), 15ml Dry Vermouth 
Garnish: Lemon twist 
Method: Chill the martini glass by filling with ice cubes. Add ingredients into a Boston glass and shake hard. Discard the ice from the Martini glass and strain cocktail into the glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. 

For more information about Hunters Gin, including stockists and additional recipes, head to: www.huntersgin.com  

LEADING Olympic riders from across the disciplines, as well as horse racing jockeys and celebrities have shown their support for a major fundraising initiative launched by the team behind Bolesworth and Liverpool International Horse Shows. 

‘Equestrian Relief’ is an urgent fundraising campaign to raise money and change lives, with donations going directly to support the efforts of the wonderful work being carried out by the NHS.

Leading names are all showing their support including two Eventing World Champions Ros Canter and Zara Tindall, Olympic Gold Medallists Carl Hester & Scott Brash and racing legends AP McCoy and Frankie Dettori.

Each day two members of each team will take part in a daily challenge. The five challenges, which are; On the Gallops, Plankety Plank, Horse Drawn, Showstopper and Dark Horse will test our riders skills physically, creatively and artistically. Much more will be revealed over the coming days so make sure you join in the fun at 7pm each evening from Monday 6 April – Monday 13 April where our daily highlights will be broadcast across all the Liverpool International Horse Show channels and all info can be found at www.equestrianrelief.com

Said Nina Barbour, Bolesworth Managing Director: ap

“Our priority is to unite the horse world to support our health workers and our goal is to raise a sum of money that will make a real difference. All donations will go directly to NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Crisis Fund – supporting NHS staff and volunteers on the frontline as they work under pressure and in the most challenging of circumstances.”

“We’ve already got some fabulous sponsors on-board – including long standing Bolesworth supporters Equerry, Equitop and Horse Scout – who have all made generous contributions to get us started.

The campaign will also be launching a charity auction On Monday 6 April with a host of ‘money can’t buy’ experiences up for grabs! Bid for the chance to get one on one with some of our equestrian celebrities for an exclusive Q&A session online, go behind the scenes with ITV racing, or even bid for a round of golf with AP McCoy and Oli Bell.  The paintings produced by the teams in the Horse Drawn challenge will also be included in the auction lots!  

Zara Tindall said: “It’s a very challenging time for the equestrian community right now with so many people affected in so many ways. Being a high-risk activity, we also have a responsibility to minimise the impact on the NHS who are valiantly working to support the nation and save lives. Taking part in Equestrian Relief and knowing that donations are going directly to help NHS workers on the frontline makes it a no-brainer for me.  I am happy to be part of this campaign and look forward to seeing just how much we can raise”.

Frankie Dettori said: “I am super excited to announce that I will be taking part in Plankety Plank and Bake Off Easter Showstopper all in aid of Equestrian Relief. It’s going to be great fun, however we are all very competitive so I can’t wait to get started – so please make sure you support us!”

Scott Brash said: “All over the country we are coming together to support the phenomenal NHS staff during these very challenging times. As a strong equestrian community we must stay united in the battle against Covid19 and we are hopeful that Equestrian Relief can make a huge impact in raising funds directly to support those who are putting their own lives at risk to help others. Let the challenges commence and please make sure you support us and give what you can to this incredible cause.”

Ellie Orton, CEO of NHS Charities Together said: “Every person on our team and NHS teams throughout the country, are playing a vital role in being there for others during this emergency. Please join in with the Equestrian Relief team effort by showing your appreciation, gratitude and solidarity for our NHS workers who are responding heroically to the biggest challenge the NHS has ever faced’.

To donate and for details of the Equestrian Relief campaign visit www.equestrianrelief.com

In light of COVID-19, many of you are likely to be self-isolating and the reality of working from home will be setting in.  

A space that was previously a safe haven from the stresses of office life, and allowed you to maintain that work life balance, has now converged to be the epicenter of everything in your life. From your workout space, to the children’s playground; working from home can prove “challenging” in the current environment.  

To give you a little helping hand, we’ve collated a few tips to help you stay productive and, importantly, motivated while working from home. 

No. 1 | Exercise  

Mental wellbeing is paramount. Period. But during social isolation, your mental wellbeing is especially important. With gyms closed it is easy to slip out of your exercise routine.  But stick with it.

The Cheshire countryside that surrounds our homes is awash with an abundance of breathtaking walks, all right outside our doorstep, including one of the finest routes in the North West, the Sandstone Trail.  

No. 2 | Window Seat 

Book yourself a window seat. Exposure to light helps us to regulate sleep, boosts our mood and even raises our productivity levels.  

What’s more, making use of natural light reduces the need for us to turn on lights indoors, helping reduce energy bills. 

No. 3 | Eat Fresh 

It is no secret that food choices impact our mood, wellbeing and energy levels, so it makes sense to make healthy choices.  

Local food producers are working hard to ensure we stay fed and watered. More than ever it is important that we all stand together and support local. Where we shop matters. 

No. 4 | Get Social 

Make time to socialise (at a 2-metre safe distance!). Working from home doesn’t mean you have to work every hour of the day. Keep structure and routine; set boundaries in the form of clear working hours.  

Fancy a tea break? Why not jump on Zoom and have a video call with colleagues? Or why not phone a neighbour to check-in with them. 

No. 5 | Create A Workspace 

At a time where your home is becoming more multifunctional than perhaps you would like, ensuring a set working space is key.  

Design a home office space that maximises your productivity and allows your creativity to flow… ideally next to a window for that much needed natural light!  

On behalf of the Barbour family and all here at Bolesworth Estate, we hope you stay safe and well at this challenging time.  

We have been closely monitoring the status of the COVID-19 pandemic as events have unfolded Nationally and Internationally.  Following the Government public health guidance regarding social distancing, and the termination of non-essential travel, together with the statement that emergency services have been withdrawn from supporting mass gatherings, it is clear that events of this scale pose far too greater risk to continue for the foreseeable future.

We have therefore made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show which was due to take place from 9^th – 14^th June.

We would like to acknowledge that many riders, visitors and supporters will be disappointed by this news, and would like to reassure everyone that we are totally committed to planning a spectacular event for next year.

All pre-purchased tickets and Hospitality will be refunded in full.  Online bookings will be automatically processed within 28 working days.  If you booked Hospitality via our office, our team will be in touch shortly.

Nina Barbour said:

“Whilst we are very disappointed, our focus is to support the huge efforts being made by the government to keep us all safe.  The Bolesworth Elite Yearling Auction was also due to take place at Bolesworth on Friday 12^th June.  We are currently evaluating the feasibility of running this as an online auction on a similar date and are committed to supporting the industry in any way that we can under the current challenging circumstances.”

If you have any ticket related enquiries about CarFest United, queries not directly answered here, please feel free to email CarFest directly at tickets@carfest.org.

Any other queries please email info@carfest.org

• If I have a ticket for CarFest North, what do I do?

Nothing at the moment, we will automatically allocate you a ticket for CarFest United, you will receive this in the usual way through the post.

• I can’t make the new dates what are my options?

If you cannot make it to CarFest United this year, then you have the following options:

• You can transfer them to a friend or family member that may be able to attend
• You can transfer your tickets to 2021
• You can donate the money to charity 
• You can get a refund

For any other of the above queries, please email carfest.org with your reference number, details of your existing booking. Please bear with us, this is a complex process and nothing that we’ve ever experienced before.

• How can I get to the South? 

We are currently in the process of arranging alternative transport for all our CarFest North visitors. As soon as we have more information, we will contact you directly. Please make sure you keep checking the website, our socials and that you have signed up to the newsletter, as we will be using all these methods to keep you updated.

• I have booked both North and South – can I get a refund for North?

Yes of course. If you would prefer to transfer the tickets to friends or family to join you, we can also arrange this for you. Alternatively, you can also hold on to your tickets for CarFest North 2021.

• Are the camping arrangements the same as at CarFest North?

Yes, the pitches are the same size and all similar campsite facilities will be available.

• Will my CAMC Permit still be valid?

Yes, this will still be valid.

• Will we still get the same sized pitch in the south for my caravan/motorhome

Yes, you will.

• Will my Hotel Bell Tent or Tangerine Fields booking be automatically changed over?

Yes, they will. We are just in the process of managing this with both Hotel Bell Tent and Tangerine Fields. We will be writing to you in the next couple of weeks to reconfirm how the process will work. You will also receive communications from either Hotel Bell Tent or Tangerine Fields, to confirm your booking.

• When are you going to announce the line-up?

We will start announcing our guests and line-up throughout April and ahead of our 2^nd ticket release on 23^rd April.

• When is the next ticket release?

Our 2^nd ticket release will be on 23^rd April.

• Will tickets only be available on 23^rd April or throughout the period up to CarFest United?

We will continue to sell any remaining tickets up to the weekend of CarFest United, but we cannot guarantee which tickets may be available after 23^rd April.

For all enquiries relating to CarFest, please contact CarFest directly at www.carfest.org

*IMPORTANT UPDATE*

It is with great regret that we announce that the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show will not be opening for public access during the event.

A huge effort has been undertaken by the team throughout the build-up and with continued improvements site wide on going, however with the significant volumes of consistent rainfall we have experienced in the past 48hrs and with further significant rain forecast, we have had to take the difficult decision on the grounds of safety to close the event for public access.
Whilst we are preserving the site to best effect for the sport to continue all week on the all weather surfaces, the ground is not safe enough to allow public vehicles on and off the event site. There are also significant issues on the surrounding roads with standing water limiting access.

The sport schedule for June 12th remains unchanged and we will update all competitors later today on any further changes to the schedule ahead of tomorrow and the coming days. Sport can still be watched on the Livestream via: https://www.bolesworthinternational.com/live-stream

Full refunds for tickets including – general admission, season passes, membership upgrades, camping and parking will be provided via the ticket agent you purchased from within 10 working days.

Thank you for all your support to date, this isn’t a decision that we at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show have taken lightly and we ask for your patience during this busy period whilst we continue to make provision for the sport aspects of the event to continue running.

This week will see the dawn of a new era for Bolesworth Estate in Cheshire as The Barbour family launch its much anticipated rebrand and vision to the public during The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show.

Their flagship event, The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show, is being held at Bolesworth Estate from 12th-16th June and will serve as the perfect platform from which to launch this exciting new phase for Bolesworth Estate.

Set in over 6,500 acres of Cheshire’s countryside the much-loved view of the Grade II listed Bolesworth Castle has been an admired and familiar sight in Cheshire for nearly 200 years, but this unique location is about so much more than equestrian sport and rolling hills. The Barbour family have steered this historical Estate and enterprise into the future through their investment in the place and the business. They have recently been praised by the House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Rural Economy and held up as a shining example of diversification of a rural enterprise.

Following a 12-month strategic process, with the help of The Juniper Company, Bolesworth have created a powerful new vision for the next 5 years:

‘To be brave, be different, be passionate;

In delivering world class events, creating amazing spaces and building an environment for success.’

The Estate has over 150 commercial tenants who between them employ well over 1,100 people. Highlights of the portfolio that Bolesworth has been instrumental in developing include the Chowley Oak Business Park, Gifford Lea – a luxury retirement village and even a 300-berth marina, all of which have been part of an ongoing policy of investment and expansion at Bolesworth.  The Estate is also home to well-known tenant, the Ice Cream Farm, a visitor attraction that holds the Guinness World Record as the largest ice cream parlour, employing over 70 people and supplying 1,000 pubs, restaurants and retail units with ice cream throughout the UK. It is listed as one of the ten most visited free to enter sites in England with visitor numbers of approx. 800,000 per year.

Jonathan Fell, the Ice Cream Farm, said:

“My family have worked closely with Bolesworth for the past few decades – their innovative and supportive approach has played a key part in helping us develop and achieve our vision here at the Ice Cream Farm.”

This new era will put Bolesworth on the map as an inspirational place, and stunning film location with the historic castle and its ancient subterranean cellars, hidden caves and panoramic views, as well as a leading business with a huge variety of development opportunities, commercial and residential space.  This unique and accessible venue is fast becoming a favourite for discerning promoters hosting large scale events including the hugely popular ‘Car Fest North’ organised by Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans for more than 80,000 festival goers, as well as private parties and media launches on a grand scale.

Chris Hughes, Car Fest, said:

“Beautiful Bolesworth is the perfect fit for CarFest North – a world-class venue run by a top team – that’s why we keep coming back.”

With an agenda lead by an all-female dynamic trio of the Barbour family – Anthony’s eldest daughter Nina, her mother Diana and younger sister Cleo – the family are committed to continuing the Bolesworth legacy and to drive their ambitious vision forward whilst preserving the heritage of this incredibly special location.

Nina Barbour, Director of Bolesworth commented:

“My father set the bar high, changing Bolesworth through diversification from a dairy farming estate to the prospering commercial entity that is it today. We are dedicated to driving the business forward, developing our opportunities, and improving the relationships between our customers and local stakeholders. The rebrand process we have been through over the last 6 months has enabled us to change the culture throughout our organisation, and we are very excited about the next chapter.’

The freshly released www.bolesworth.com gives an overview of the vast opportunities that the Bolesworth Estate has to offer and there is still opportunity to attend the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show where key contacts will be available to give further background to the all the possibilities; tickets can be booked via www.bolesworthinternational.com.

Huge amounts of work and fund-raising have gone on behind the scenes to commemorate the Armistice Centenary which will be remembered in a series of events and projects to be held during the weekend of 11 November 2018.

 These will comprise a series of remembrance and legacy projects as well as celebrations, in line with the centenary anniversary of the end of The Great War.

As a taster, we publish a photograph of the newly positioned Commonwealth War Graves Commission signage which has been installed by Bolesworth Estate at All Saints Church, Harthill. Both St Alban’s Church in Tattenhall and St John the Divine Church in Burwardsley will have identical signage erected in advance of the Remembrance Weekend.

This national project is part of a programme to raise awareness that there are, in fact, many Commonwealth War Graves sited in local Churchyards, including our own locality.

Families had several options available to them at the end of the conflict — they could remember their relatives who died in conflict on a local War Memorial, on a family grave, on an official Commonwealth War Graves Headstone erected in a local Churchyard and, in line with government initiatives, as close to where they died as was possible. Some families chose all options.

Tom Kerridge’s food and music festival, Pub in the Park is coming to Knutsford! The laid-back summer celebration will be heading to The Lambing Shed from 7 – 9 September for three days of gourmet food, cracking music and lush vibes.

You can expect amazing grub from pop-up pubs including Tom Kerridge’s Michelin-starred The Hand & Flowers and The Coach, James Mackenzie’s Pipe & Glass, Yorkshire hero Andrew Pern with The Star Inn at Harome and Josh Eggleton’s Pony & Trap. Cooking demonstrations will also take place on the Chef Demo Stage from the chefs of the pubs involved at every festival as well as top cooking talent including Great British Bake Off 2016 Winner Candice Brown.

There will also be bars serving every tipple from Greene King’s refreshing pints and British bevs from Pimm’s to crisp cider from Westons and cocktails from Fentimans, amongst others.
Masterclasses and tastings will also be on offer throughout the weekend from Sipsmith and Dark Horse Wine, as well as lots of shopping from the Artisan Market and Shopping Village, and – of course – cracking music from household names including Tom Odell, Melanie C, Razorlight, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Squeeze and many more. Sounds like a lush day out!

Tickets are selling fast, grab them at pubintheparkuk.com