Check out our new website

A great many exciting changes have been taking place at LDS Tourism Services over the past 12 months – not least our newly designed website, which went live on 1^st September. 

Created by tantrumedia, an innovative, Wirral-based multi-media B2B company, we now have an aesthetically pleasing site with plenty of scope for further development. 

Potential clients can read about LDS and discover why we are still at the top of our game after 22 years in business; our various services are described in detail; and a news page allows customers to stay abreast of all the latest developments. 

Tourist Information Centres (TICs) can request brochures via our newly updated online ordering facility, which displays pictures of all the available leaflets and guides prior to selection.  

Signing up for this free service is really easy: simply click the shopping basket icon at the base of the page, register your details (remembering to select a memorable password) and you will receive a confirmation e-mail. However, please don't panic if you run into difficulties as assistance is at hand in the shape of Tim – an IT whiz and the designer of our web site. He can be reached by phoning 0800 012 2486 and shouting 'help'!

If you have any queries or comments, please feel free to use our contact form, or alternatively, drop us a line at lds@ldsts.co.uk.

We don’t care what the weatherman says

It may have been a soggy summer but the double-dip recession, grey skies and rainfall didn’t stop our clients from bucking the trend and experiencing a successful season.

Back in July, the Museum of Liverpool celebrated its first birthday by announcing that it had exceeded its initial 12 month target of 750,000 visitors by 500,000 to reach 1.261 million. Director, Janet Dugdale revealed that this figure comprised 50% of visitors from Merseyside – right in the heart of LDS Tourism Services’ distribution area.

The Llangollen International Eisteddfod sold nearly 2,000 more concert tickets than last year. The event’s Music Director, Elir Owen Griffiths, commented to the Daily Post: “We can safely say that Llangollen International Eisteddfod is back on its feet financially and withstood weather conditions, unlike other festivals.”

Cholmondeley Pageant of Power celebrated its “biggest and best ever” gala in spite of the dismal weather. Thousands of petrolheads turned out to enjoy even more supercars, helicopters, powerboats and interactive features than ever before. James Hall, the event director, was quoted in the local newspaper as saying: “The Pageant has well and truly secured its place as Britain’s most thrilling and most interactive day out.”

Thousands attended the seventh Wirral Food and Drink Festival at Claremont Farm during the August Bank Holiday. Over 20,000 people poured into the site over two days without regard to the mud and rain. The festival’s organiser, Andrew Pimbley, confirmed that the event was an enormous success.

There were “record-breaking crowds” at the 21st Southport Air Show earlier this month when 150,000 spectators were treated to breathtaking aerial displays. Tony Corfield, head of tourism at Sefton Council told the Southport Visiter: “It was a phenomenal success. With a combination of strong displays and good weather, we were actually at capacity on [the] Sunday – the car parks were full and we even used all the reserve car parks.”

Even those of our clients hardest hit by the bad weather, rising fuel costs and the ‘Olympic effect’ appear to have lured a significant number of holidaymakers throughout the season. For instance, Peter Furniss from Llangollen Wharf was quoted in the Denbighshire Free Press as saying: “Business has not been as bad as it might have been. We’re very weather dependant, but the weather has improved slightly since the schools broke up, which is good.”

If you run an attraction within our service area we would love to hear from you. Let us know how the rains and recession of 2012 effected your business. If you would like us to organise your distribution and display campaign in 2013, please ring us on 01244 671859 or drop us a line at lds@ldsts.co.uk.

Image: Clouds, © Copyright Free Photos 2012

The official opening of the Wales Coast Path 2012

Official Opening of the Wales Coast Path 2012, a set on Flickr.

The Wales Coast Path opened to the public on Saturday 5th May 2012. Team LDSTS went along to Flint Castle to join in the celebrations!

Tourism boosts the local economy

We may be in the throes of a double-dip recession, but tourism operators across the country will no doubt welcome the news that domestic trips and holidays have increased to record levels for the third consecutive year. Recent surveys have shown that domestic tourism has grown by 14%, expenditure on day trips is now almost £54 billion per annum and spending by tourists is at a record high of £125 billion.

There have been many encouraging reports from clients within our service area. For instance, Wirral tourism boosted Merseyside’s economy by £3 billion in 2011, mainly due to a string of high-profile events, and Wirral Borough Council say that the area is now very much on the map as a destination choice for affluent visitors.

According to Marketing Cheshire, tourism is now worth more than £2 billion to the Cheshire and Warrington economy and supports around 30,400 full time equivalent jobs. Recent figures have also revealed that more people are visiting Cheshire East - the value of tourism is up by 6% in the area and is worth around £578 million to the local economy.

The newly extended Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has brought a significant number of new visitors to rural North East Wales. A 230sq km (89sq mile) area of land in Wrexham and Denbighshire was designated part of the AONB following an order by the Countryside Council for Wales. It would seem that the total tourism revenue for Denbighshire alone is worth more than £91 million.

A fascinating visitor survey showed that tourists staying in North Wales rated the friendliness of its people the chief draw for their holiday or break in the region. Over 80% of UK and international visitors to the area had been before and ‘the environment’ was named as the biggest pull for day trippers, scoring over nine marks out of 10 on average in a scale of satisfaction.

There are plenty of reasons to feel positive, even during these difficult times. Here are just a few recent 'good news' stories concerning our clients and service areas: 

Ø  Liverpool’s World Museum has been shortlisted for a national award (the Museums and Heritage Awards for Excellence takes place on 16 May). 

Ø  Guest house owners in the borough of Conwy are reporting that bookings are up for 2012 and visitors are staying much longer.  

Ø  St Asaph has been granted city status, which has been bestowed by the Queen as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. 

Finally, we have had a phenomenal response to our previous blog post about Waitrose. If you would like your literature displayed in this upmarket retail outlet (or in any of our exclusive sites), please drop us a line for further details.

Image: Daffodil, ©Copyright Free Photos 2012

Display your leaflets in Waitrose

We are delighted to announce that LDS Tourism Services is to supply Waitrose stores with complementary literature stands.

Our partner company in South Wales has negotiated an exclusive contract to display printed materials in Waitrose outlets throughout the UK. We will be responsible for selling and restocking pockets within our usual service area.

There are stores throughout England, Scotland and Wales, but over the next five years, the retailer plans to open at least ten new shops in the North West. The company aims to spend £100 million on new sites throughout the region, including a second Chester branch at Boughton Retail Centre. Much to the delight of Anglesey residents, a new Waitrose store also opened in Menai Bridge last March, taking over the old Co-Op premises. 

Since Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor opened their first small grocery shop at 263 Acton Hill, West London in 1904, Waitrose has become one of the UK’s leading food retailers – combining the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop. 

Our stands will contain literature on community based events, sports, arts, theatre and tourism. The artwork on the holder will incorporate Waitrose’s logo alongside our own (or that of the local distribution company – depending on the area). However, no third party unauthorized literature will be allowed, so please contact us if you would like your promotional print displayed in any local or national Waitrose store.

We end the year on a high

As 2011 draws to a close, we share a few good news stories with our readers to brighten up the festive season:

One of the big industry storms of the last few months has been over the closure of popular Tourist Information Centres up and down the country. However, the picture isn’t entirely bleak. The TIC in Mold’s Daniel Owen Square has recently been given a face-lift and is now focusing on promoting Flintshire as a tourist destination. The official opening earlier this month was attended by local dignitaries, including the chairman of Flintshire Tourism Association, John Les Tomos. Rebranded as Mold Visitor Centre, it is hoped that the office will continue to be used on a regular basis by locals and visitors alike.

Last week, Chester Zoo announced that it was celebrating the highest ever number of visitors through its turnstiles. The attraction’s Managing Director, Barbara Smith, said: “Never before in the zoo’s history have so many people visited us in a calendar year and so we’re absolutely delighted – it’s a fantastic feat.”

The zoo has also revealed that a “bigger and better” set of animatronic dinosaurs from the USA is set to return in 2012, following the huge success of Dinosaurs at Large! earlier this year.

Finally, a few random facts and figures to gladden the heart: VisitBritain says it expects about 30.7 million visitors, spending some £17.6 billion, to stay in Britain next year; festivals in North Wales (including the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod) are set to share in a £1.5 million cash boost from the Arts Council of Wales and; newly released data shows that the UK attracted 2.77 million international travellers in October - the best results in three years and just below a record 2.82 million arrivals in October 2007, prior to the global economic downturn.

As regular readers of Swift Flyer will know, LDS Tourism Services has several exciting projects in the pipeline – all will be revealed over the coming weeks. The Company will also be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2012, so it is going to be a very special year for founders, Diana and Paula Bardell-Hedley.

In the meantime, we would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Here’s to a successful and prosperous year ahead!

LDS Tourism Services joins FTA

Last month LDS Tourism Services joined the Flintshire Tourism Association (FTA), an independent group of tourism operators with strong links to Flintshire County Council. The chief aim of the Association is to enhance the profile and importance of the County’s tourist industry by organizing events, publishing promotional literature and interacting on social media networks such as Facebook.

The FTA currently has a number of exciting projects in the pipeline, such as creating a 32 page newspaper called Discover Flintshire - which will be distributed to 30,000 outlets in the North West - and a Green Energy Expo scheduled for January 2012.

We’re thrilled to be part of this dynamic group of local business people and look forward to getting involved in future activities.

Image: © Flintshire Tourism Association  2011

Tourism industry enjoyed unexpected autumn boost

Following a cool summer, unseasonably warm weather gave a welcome boost to tourist attractions across the region at the beginning of the month. 

In North East Wales, Wepre Park and Loggerheads Country Park both reported a massive rise in visitor numbers, GreenfieldValley Heritage Park experienced an influx of tourists (having already reported a 10% increase this year) and the Met Office revealed that the village of Hawarden had made it into the record books when temperatures peaked at 28.2C (82.8F) there on 1st October.

Meanwhile, in North West Wales, resorts such as Llandudno had camera crews filming on their busy beaches. Hoteliers were shown putting up ‘No Vacancy’ signs and telling reporters they could hardly believe their luck at a time of year when some were preparing to close for the season. Thousands also headed off for the mountains of Snowdonia.

As Merseyside basked in the heatwave, ticket sales at tourist attractions topped the expectations of even the most optimistic analysts. People visiting Knowsley Safari Park watched baboons slurping ice creams and local newspapers published pictures of the animals basking in Mediterranean-like warmth.

In Cheshire, visitor numbers to Chester Zoo rose by 149% in just one day and over 20,000 people flocked to watch the spectacled bears eat frozen watermelon and the elephants being hosed down by the keepers.

There was also positive news from the hospitality sector with hotels and restaurants recording the strongest increase in consumer spending in September (Visa Europe's Expenditure Index).

Image: © Britainonview / Rod Edwards 2011

Statistics show an improving tourism economy

After a couple of difficult years, the region’s tourist industry is showing definite signs of recovery. Business bosses have revealed that adventure tourism is set to bring 1,000 jobs to North Wales over the next five years, hotels in the Wirral are second on Hotels.com’s ‘most searched for’ list and, nationally, VisitBritain says the number of overseas visitors to Britain is rising.

A great many positive statistics have been published about our clients and service areas over the last couple of months. For instance: 

Ø  Over 32,500 people visited Tatton Park between 22^nd and 25^th April 2011, which is 30% up on the attraction’s previous Easter weekend. 

Ø  The Wirral’s visitor economy is worth over £250 million a year and has increased by a substantial 11% in the last five years. 

Ø  During the May Bank Holiday over 2,500 visitors flocked to the National Trust’s Erddig in Wrexham – double its figures for the same period in 2010. 

Ø  So popular has Liverpool become since it was European Capital of Culture in 2008 that a strategy document says its tourism industry is likely to be worth £2 billion and support 37,000 jobs by 2020. 

Other News

We can report that two long-standing clients of LDS Tourism Services (namely: Knowsley Safari Park and Blue Planet Aquarium) have been nominated to take part in Eden’s Top Wildlife Attraction 2011. Knowsley was the winner last year, so please take a few moments to register your details and cast your votes.

Cheshire Taste Café, which can be found in the recently re-refurbished Chester Visitor Centre, has created a lovely new website. Managed by the talented chef, Dave Mooney and his lovely fiancé, Jane Casson, the establishment has quickly gained a reputation for serving delicious locally sourced products. Weather permitting, diners can enjoy some of the best Cheshire beers, cheeses, ice creams and cakes on the terrace overlooking City’s famous Roman amphitheatre. The Visitor Centre is also home to Chester Box Office (which sells tickets for local attractions), Busybus, Chester Heritage Tours, a lovely Gift Shop and our very own TIP (Tourist Information Point). Please contact us if you would like your leaflets or brochures displayed in this popular venue. 

Finally, we would like to congratulate Merseytravel’s U-boat Story for being named as Small Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Mersey Partnership’s Annual Tourism Awards 2011.

Image: Liverpool Albert Dock @VisitBritain 2011

Erddig: The real Upstairs Downstairs

We spent an enjoyable day at Erddig earlier this month - a unique stately home located just a couple of miles outside the town of Wrexham.

Designed by Thomas Webb for Joshua Edisbury, High Sheriff of Denbighshire, the original house was completed in 1687 and subsequently purchased by John Mellor, Master of the Chancery, in 1718. Mellor extended and furnished Erddig (you can still see his acquisitions in the State Bedroom, Saloon and Tapestry Room), before bequeathing the property to his nephew, Simon Yorke, in 1733. The house then remained in the hands of the (delightfully unconventional) Yorke family until 1973, when it was handed over to the National Trust so that it could be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

The weather was somewhat unpredictable during our visit but the rain stayed away long enough for us to amble around the estate buildings where the joiner and blacksmith worked. We walked through the midden yard with the saw mill and cart sheds to the stable yard with its tackroom, carriages, cars and cycles.

We then stopped off at the restaurant for sandwiches and cakes (I would highly recommend the hot chocolate) before making our way to the house via the bakery, complete with authentic baker kneading dough (you can buy his fresh loaves in the restaurant). From this point on, visitors were no longer allowed to use flash photography - understandable given the age and fragility of the photographs and portraits adorning the walls - but the use of cameras was still permitted.

There were human guides posted on every staircase and in each room, all eager to answer questions and impart their knowledge about the historic kitchens, agent’s office, butler’s pantry and fascinating collection of photographs and verses detailing the lives of those who worked for the estate. We made our way upstairs to a set of elegant rooms, used for formal entertainment, and from there we visited a nursery, the bedrooms, chapel, female servants’ quarters in the attic and spent several happy hours poring over the accumulated treasures of a family that ‘never threw anything away’.

The rain was falling quite heavily by the time we had finished our tour of the main house. We sat in a shelter for a time but the downpour showed no sign of abating, so we dashed to the gift shop for postcards and presents. The famous 18th century walled garden with rare fruit trees, a canal, pond and National Ivy Collection would have to wait for another time. Perhaps on our next visit we will hire bicycles and explore the country park with its motte-and-bailey castle and cylindrical cascade, known as the ‘cup-and-saucer waterfall’.

Erddig is open all year round (with the exception of 25th December) but times vary according to the season. You can pick up a copy of the official leaflet (The jewel in the crown) from most LDS Tourism Services’ information points in the region.

Image: The Bakery at Erddig, © LDS Tourism Services Ltd, 2011

Spring brings new growth for local tourism

A great many attractions have reaped the benefits of the double Bank Holiday and glorious sunshine this year. Tourism operators in the region are reporting an upsurge in visitors from France, China and the USA – due in no small part to the low level of the pound – and accommodation providers say they have been forced to turn people away.

Industry insiders are starting to see improvements this spring, in some cases because visitors are changing their habits. For instance, the National Trust (NT) recently conducted research into the habits of British holidaymakers and found that 27% of them were planning to take at least 10 single-day holidays this year. A further 36% said they intended to take between five and 10 'daycations' during the same period. According to NT, these multiple single days off work will allow Brits to make the most of their time off and have shorter holidays more frequently within the UK.

More good news from our clients

Chester Zoo has a delightful baby elephant named Jamilah to thank for helping it achieve a massive 33% increase in visitor numbers at the start of the year. The popular attraction announced it had 104,856 visitors between 1st January and 27th February, compared with 78,833 in the same period last year. The charity also revealed it was the most visited zoo in the UK during 2010, with 1,154,285 people passing through the gates, making it the 17th most popular visitor attraction in the country.

Cadw has allocated £600,000 from its Heritage Tourism Project to allow Denbigh Castle to begin work on a new visitor facility. Enhancements to the 13th century fortress will include new walks, improvements to its interpretation and upgraded links with Denbigh's wider historic landscape.

On Good Friday, Cambrian Heritage Railways started operating a passenger service from a station in Shropshire for the first time since the 1960s. After twelve months of hard work, the service now operates over half a mile on a restored line from Oswestry Station to Middleton Road Bridge. We are delighted to have been asked to market their promotional leaflet and wish all those involved a fun and profitable season.

Promote your business for free

I am now a Foursquare Ambassador, which means that you can access my page to connect with your loyal customers and gain new ones by finding and claiming your establishment. It’s completely free to sign up and you will be able to manage Specials and monitor your Venue Stats. Click this link and follow three simple steps to verify your business on Foursquare.

Please feel free to contact us if you have questions regarding location based marketing or any other service supplied by LDS Tourism Services.

Image: Cherry Blossom, © Eve Parry, 2011

The Countdown to Easter Begins

While March has certainly been ‘mad’ for LDS Tourism Services, it has also seen several major developments for national and local tourism – especially following publication of the government’s long awaited Tourism Strategy earlier this month. The 52 page document proposes a raft of measures including the formation of a task force to reduce red tape and moving the May Day Bank Holiday. Conspicuous by its absence, though, is the widely supported suggestion that Britain should move over to “double summertime” (which would see the clocks go forward by one hour in summer and winter) in order to lengthen the holiday season.

As a Supplier member of Visit Chester & Cheshire (VCC), news that it is to be renamed Marketing Cheshire from next month is of obvious interest to LDSTS. The new organisation will switch from reliance on public sector funding to a revue model based on private sector support from members and commercial partners. It will, however, continue to support and market the local tourist industry. Invest in Cheshire and Live in Cheshire will soon be launched as two completely new brands while Visit Chester and Visit Cheshire will be retained to promote the region to consumers.

A survey conducted by Travelzoo revealed several fascinating facts about its subscribers. When it comes to booking a hotel in Britain:

• 93% of consumers compare prices before reserving a room
• 79% do not consider a hotel's brand to be important
• 61% say it is important to have a hotel that does not allow young children to stay
• 58% prefer to book online directly with the hotel
• 42% rate poor standards of cleanliness as the most annoying thing

Both Tatton Park and Shugborough Estate were presented with a 2010 Sandford Award for Heritage Education at a ceremony last month. The prize was created by the Heritage Education Trust to encourage those responsible for running historic houses and guide their educational endeavours by monitoring standards. The prize is valid for five years – although this is the 7th consecutive year Tatton Park has been the recipient.

The Welsh Assembly Government announced that three attractions in North Wales will benefit from £700,000 funding, creating or safeguarding 57 jobs in the area. One of the beneficiaries is the iconic visitor attraction, Snowdon Mountain Railway, which will receive £300,000 to purchase new carriages. It is hoped that the investment will “help increase demand for the service in high season as well as improve visitor comfort and visibility”.

Finally, we should like to remind clients that some schools start closing for the Easter break on 4th April (Good Friday falls on 22nd April and the Royal Wedding takes place on 29th April), so you should ensure that we receive your promotional print as soon as possible. Please drop us a line or ring our head office on 01244 671859 to make arrangements.

Image: Snowdon Mountain Railway, ©Britainonview 2011

Wrexham Has Big Plans

Bangor Bridge crossing the River Dee

Having watched the first episode in the second series of Hotel Stephanie (New Hotel Stephanie, BBC1 Wales, 10.35pm) on Tuesday night, Diana and I were looking forward to meeting the indomitable Stephanie Booth at an official gathering of the Wrexham Chamber of Trade & Tourism (WCT&T) the following evening.

For those who have been living in a hole for the last few years, Stephanie is the millionaire owner of a chain of up-market, highly successful hotels in North East Wales (seven at last count). She is also Chair of both Llangollen Chamber of Trade & Tourism and WCT&T; Group Managing Director at Global Investment Group plc. and star of the aforementioned fly-on-the-wall series. In her spare time she cares for over 300 rescue animals.

Regular readers will be aware that LDS Tourism Services has long supported the FSB’s Keep Trade Local campaign and (for obvious reasons) we very much want to see tourism thrive in the region. Joining WCT&T is our way of giving something back to the area while hopefully advancing our own business interests.

The group met at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel (Stephanie’s latest acquisition) in Wrexham town centre. Free coffee and bacon butties were provided in the Function Room before the meeting commenced, which gave everyone plenty of time to chat before the minutes were read and approved.

Stephanie is a warm, vivacious lady, with an incredible memory for facts and figures and a lively sense of humour. She spoke animatedly about her plans for the area and encouraged all present to “work together to achieve success”. Indeed, her mantra seems to be, “little people become very powerful when they work together”.

A great many topics were covered in just under two hours and much enthusiasm was shown by the vast majority of those present. Up for discussion were the Chamber’s new website, the Christmas Festival and Victorian Market, a forthcoming meeting with Wrexham County Borough Council, the Year of Culture, public toilets, hot air balloons and the importance of social media marketing.

We left feeling extremely positive about the future of Wrexham and would urge anyone with a business based in the County to join. You can download an application form right here.

The next meeting is likely to take place on 13th October at the Wynnstay Arms. Keep watching our regular Twitter updates for any changes.

Image: ©Britainonview, 2010

Adventures in Trees

by Hayley Tabarn

We were lucky enough to have a spell of sunshine this Bank Holiday weekend, so what better way to spend it than enjoying the great outdoors.

Spotting the sun on Monday morning, my fiance, James, and I hopped in the car to visit Wepre Park. There are a number of attractions within the park itself and we had fun roaming around Ewloe Castle, which was built in the 13th Century and is now in the care of Cadw. While walking through the woods you can't miss the 'red rocks' and there is wildlife all around.

Strolling along the wooden path next to Wepre Brook, we came out by the waterfall and then followed the path up to the Visitor Centre. After stopping there to pick up some more information about the park, we went on a hunt for the Pet Cemetery. As you can see from the photograph (top), on the way there James got a little distracted on his own adventure, but we eventually found our way through the Old Hall Gardens to the small pet graveyard. A little on the side of the macabre but still fascinating, as it has been there for over one hundred years.

There was still plenty left for us to explore, so we decided to visit again soon, but I think we'll probably borrow a dog to discover the park with us.

In keeping with the theme of tree top fun, James had an opportunity to 'Go Ape' this summer at Delamere Forest. For anyone who hasn't heard of it, Go Ape is an activity course set up in the forest canopy; a high-wire forest adventure.

Everyone was clambering across rope bridges, flying down zip lines and scrambling up cargo nets. I was able to watch safely from the forest floor and everyone looked like they were having a brilliant time. James says he would recommend it to anyone, even though he was a bit sore the next day. Watch this space and maybe I'll give it a go myself. All in the name of research, of course!

If you have enjoyed a great day out this summer, please let us know and we may publish it in this blog.

Images © LDS Tourism Services Ltd., 2010

Our Clients’ Winning Ways

Hawarden Estate Farm Shop

Visit Chester and Cheshire’s 6th Annual Tourism Awards took place on 11th June at Chester Racecourse and proved to be an excellent night for many of our clients and TIP hosts.

Tatton Park won Large Visitor Attractions of the Year; Blue Planet Aquarium took Best Tourism Experience of the Year for their Shark Dive; Chester Zoo received the Sustainable Tourism Award; Cholmondeley’s Pageant of Power walked off with Best Tourism Event and Anderton Boat Lift collected the Access for All Award.

Of our TIP hosts, Carden Park Hotel came first in the Excellence in Business Tourism category and Manor Wood Holiday Park carried off the Holiday Park of the Year award. Doubletree by Hilton Chester was also Highly Commended in the Large Hotel of the Year category.

We were delighted to learn that over at the TMP Tourism Awards in Merseyside, Echo Arena Liverpool won Performance Venue of the Year. In the Manchester Tourism Awards, the Lowry Hotel won both the Taste of Manchester and Outstanding Customer Service awards and Martin Mere Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust was Highly Commended for its Swan Spectacular at the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourism Awards.

Many congratulations one and all!

Over to Wales

We wish our Welsh friends and clients all the very best of luck at the National Tourism Awards for Wales, which will take place at the Vale Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort near Cardiff on Thursday 21st October 2010.

Fresh Fruit at the Farm

Diana and I went to Hawarden Estate Farm Shop earlier this month, an outlet specialising in delicious homemade, locally sourced, handpicked "foodie favourites" from around the UK.

The Estate consists of almost 20 acres of fruit and vegetable rich land (their asparagus is renowned for being exceptionally tasty), a food emporium – complete with deli counter - and the Cook Shop Cafe, which serves a mouthwatering selection of cakes, pastries, sandwiches and hot daily specials.

We thoroughly enjoyed mooching around the grounds, following the nature trail and looking at the pigs and hens, before relaxing with a coffee on the terrace. The Emporium was brimming with a splendid assortment of cheeses, cooked meats, puddings, chutneys and other treats for the taste buds, while shelves in the cafe were stocked with a range of unusual kitchenware and gift items from the Farm Shop’s sister company, Pedlars.

If ‘real food’ produced in North Wales and Cheshire is your bag, you should definitely take a look at Hawarden Estate’s excellent website and sign up for their newsletter - or even better, go there for breakfast or lunch (you can place your order over the phone so it will be ready when you arrive).

Hayley will be dropping in for the Real Food Fete, which is taking place on 19th and 20th June (10am-4pm) to coincide with the start of the fruit-picking season, so be sure to look out for her wandering around the stalls indulging in homemade ice cream.

Image: Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, ©LDS Tourism Services Ltd. 2010