There is nothing like being by a waterside setting or in historic surroundings to inspire and refresh the senses and creativity.
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Tag: Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare Distillery to re-start group tours from 19 May
The award-winning Shakespeare Distillery is to re-start its popular and informative group distillery tours from 19 May.
The independent artisan spirit producer based in Stratford-upon-Avon has successfully been distilling Gin for the last five years on their own premises. Their products are inspired by the Tudor period, which is ingrained in the history of the town, being known worldwide as the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
The company has been working hard during lockdown developing new products including a White Rum named ‘Jester’ to accompany their portfolio of handcrafted premium products. The name ‘Jester’ is taken from the famous sculpture of a Jester which sits in Henley Street, yards from Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Almost all of Shakespeare’s jesters were fond drinkers, and known to be bold, memorable, and popular characters – the ideal traits for a new British-made spirit. Shakespeare Distillery is one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK to create their rum in its entirety onsite.
Pre-booked tours include a Gin or Rum and choice of mixer, tutored tasting of three spirits, a guided distillery tour, an amusing & informative talk on the history of Gin and 10% off distillery shop purchases. The experience lasts around 90 minutes.
Shakespeare Distillery offer great group rates along with complimentary places for the coach driver, tour manager or guide. There is free coach parking, and the building is accessible throughout. Having completed the “Good To Go” industry standard, groups can be assured that Shakespeare Distillery adheres to all COVID19 safety measures.
Shakespeare Distillery has also teamed up with Avon Boating to offer Gin Tasting Cruises on the Avon where groups enjoy a short talk on Gin, a tasting of 3 spirits followed by a glass of Stratford Gin & Tonic, all whilst on a 60-minute cruise to see the riverside sights including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare is buried. Cruises will restart this summer and can be booked for groups of up to 40 at any time during the season.
Jane McKay, Groups/Travel Trade Manager at Shakespeare Distillery said:
“We are delighted to re-open our doors and welcome back visitors on our fun and informative tours after being closed for a long period.
We are also looking forward to giving our visitors the chance to try our new Jester Rum along with our award-winning gins!”
In February 2020, the company won the New Tourism Business Award in the West Midlands Tourism Awards for their destination distillery experiences.
For group bookings and any enquiries please contact the Groups/Travel Trade Manager, Jane McKay on 07775 587663 or email jane@shakespearedistillery.com
For more information about Shakespeare Distillery please visit their website HERE
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Line-up announced for Stratford Literary Festival
The Stratford Literary Festival celebrates its glorious 12th year with another great line-up of speakers and events.
Continue reading “Line-up announced for Stratford Literary Festival”
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Hotel Indigo Stratford upon Avon to open in January 2019
Hotel Indigo Stratford upon Avon will open its doors at the end of January 2019 and officially open on 4 February after a multi-million pound major restoration project.
Continue reading “Hotel Indigo Stratford upon Avon to open in January 2019”
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The MAD Museum has Christmas all wrapped up with some unique & quirky gift ideas
The MAD Museum (Mechanical Art and Design) has everything all wrapped up for Christmas whether it’s a unique and quirky gift or treating someone to a day out interacting with 90 pieces of kinetic art and automata.
Continue reading “The MAD Museum has Christmas all wrapped up with some unique & quirky gift ideas”
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Make Christmas 2018 unforgettable at Hallmark Hotel’s Stratford-upon-Avon Welcombe
‘Hallmark Hotel Stratford-upon-Avon The Welcombe’ is offering a range of festive and New Year party options this Christmas.
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MAD Museum on the move as it celebrates fifth anniversary in Stratford-upon-Avon
This October The MAD (Mechanical Art and Design) Museum is celebrating its 5th anniversary of moving to Stratford’s most popular tourist street, also home to Shakespeare’s Birthplace.
The MAD Museum moved to Henley Street in 2013, one year after it had opened and has since welcomed over 250,000 visitors. The MAD Museum is the only permanent museum of its kind in the UK which showcases over 90 pieces of kinetic art and automata. Visitors can watch and interact with mind-boggling mechanical creations such as flying mechanical birds, clever clocks & witty characters, plus build marble runs and learn some engineering and physics principals along the way.
This quirky family friendly attraction combines inspirational creativity, witty design and engineering ingenuity. The pieces on display have been sourced from creators from all around the world. Voted the ‘Best Museum in Warwickshire’ on Trip Advisor, families are encouraged to press buttons, decipher mind-boggling design and become inspired. The MAD Museum also supports the STEAM Subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Maths. Catering to all age groups, MAD encourages learners to interact, examine and be inspired by the inventions.
Another reason to visit this half term is to take advantage of an extra-special Family Super Saver ticket which combines visits to The MAD Museum, Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall and Stratford Butterfly Farm. Visitors can see all three attractions and save over 15%. Family tickets cost £57 (2 adults & 2 children) and a ticket for an extra child is £9.60. Visitors have 1 month to visit the venues and tickets can be purchased from each attraction.
Katie Wilson, Head of Marketing said “The MAD Museum is completely unique and offers something for all ages whatever the weather. Although small in size, it’s perfectly formed and takes up to 2 hours to experience – great for a morning or afternoon. If you buy one of the Family Super Saver tickets, then you get to see two of Stratford’s other popular attractions as well!”
The Museum is open Monday to Friday from 10:30am to 4:30pm and at weekends/holidays from 10.00am to 5:30pm.
To find out more information about The MAD Museum, visit their website here.
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Experience the wonders of Shakespeare’s England in 2018
Experience the wonders of Shakespeare’s England in 2018 with a host of exciting events and activities for all the family. See two new exhibitions at Compton Verney and six new summer productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, book into a new boutique hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrate several anniversaries at key attractions and take part in a variety of festivals celebrating arts, literary, music, food, poetry, motoring and the river.
Continue reading “Experience the wonders of Shakespeare’s England in 2018”
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Experience the wonders of Shakespeare's England in 2018
Experience the wonders of Shakespeare’s England in 2018 with a host of exciting events and activities for all the family. See two new exhibitions at Compton Verney and six new summer productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, book into a new boutique hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrate several anniversaries at key attractions and take part in a variety of festivals celebrating arts, literary, music, food, poetry, motoring and the river.
Continue reading “Experience the wonders of Shakespeare's England in 2018”
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Get ready to enjoy festive fun in Shakespeare’s England!
Enjoy plenty of festive fun in Shakespeare’s England in the coming months with a host of seasonal activities including the chance to see Father Christmas, listen to festive plays and carol concerts, enjoy candlelit tours, craft fairs & markets and see a Royal Shakespeare Company performance of A Christmas Carol.
Christmas markets are held in Stratford-upon-Avon on the last five Thursdays to Christmas – 23 & 30 November & 7, 14, 21 December. Visit the Shipston on-Stour Rotary Victorian evening on 1 December. The lights are switched on in Royal Leamington Spa on 19 November, in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23 November and in Kenilworth High Street on 1 December and in Warwick Road on 3 December. Visit Yuletide Fayres in Leamington every Sunday from 19 November. The Warwick Victorian Christmas Evening featuring craft stalls and traditional entertainment is on 30 November when the lights are switched on.
A new traditional Victorian Christmas Market opens in Stratford-upon-Avon from 8 – 10 December with 150 stalls selling gifts, local produce, homemade crafts, handmade cakes, decorations plus traditional roast chestnuts, mulled wine, ciders, gin and Bailey’s chocolate. Join in the spirit of Christmas with the sound of choirs, instrumental performances, dance displays, stilt walkers, a Victorian carousel and barrel organ music.
This winter the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) presents the delightful comedy, Twelfth Night, featuring Adrian Edmondson as Malvolio and Kara Tointon as Olivia from 2 November – 24 February and a new stage adaptation by David Edgar of Dickens’ seasonal classic, A Christmas Carol from 27 November – 4 February with Phil Davis as Scrooge. Both plays run in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
On 18 November Father Christmas will ride through the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon in a horse drawn carriage. From 23 November – 24 December, the Frostmakers Guild are taking over Stratford’s magical attraction, Magic Alley, and inviting visitors to discover the tale of the legendary Frost Phoenix and get their own Frostmakers Passport before meeting Father Christmas and solving the mystery of the missing Frost Phoenix. As part of Stratford’s Victorian Christmas weekend, the Magic Alley Players will be performing traditional street theatre as they recreate a Victorian Nativity with the help of the audience who are then rewarded by a visit from a very special guest! Tickets for Magic Alley and a visit to Father Christmas must be pre-booked to avoid disappointment.
The Shipston Rotary Victorian Evening, which takes place on Friday 1 December, is a nostalgic, but contemporary, introduction to the Christmas festive season. Visitors can enjoy dozens of festive stalls, the Tree of Life, music, singing, food and the arrival of Father Christmas to his grotto in the town centre which is closed to traffic for the evening.
Visit Stoneleigh Abbey for a Christmas Craft Fair on 26 November from 11am – 4pm. The Riding School Cafe will be serving drinks and snacks and ‘Birds of all Feathers’ will entertain visitors with a static Bird Display. There is free onsite parking.
Take part in a Christmas Wreath Making workshop at Kenilworth Castle on 8 December and learn about the different techniques used to make a wreath. Christmas at the Castle takes place from 9 – 10 December with crafts, storytelling and the chance to meet Father Christmas. Enchanted Kenilworth takes place from 15 – 23 December in the grounds of the Castle after dark. Strings of lanterns and fairy lights will lead visitors along a garden trail into a magical wonderland with a traditional fairground, carousel and swing boats. Visitors can enjoy mince pies, mulled wine and shopping at heritage-inspired stalls.
Enjoy Christmas at Chedhams Yard in Wellesbourne on 16 December with carols in the Visitor Centre around the wood fire plus music and traditional Fayre including cake and mince pies. Children can also meet Father Christmas and take part in activities. Open from 10am to 4pm. Free entry!
See a performance of Sleeping Beauty at The Royal Spa Centre from 2 – 31 December. Joining Spa Centre favourites JP McCue and Sean Dodds are Sally Peerless as the good fairy Gabriella, Denise Pitter as the wicked fairy Carabosse, Chloe Fay as Princess Rosa, Glyn Dilley as the King, James Leeman as Prince Victor and Teddy Moynihan as Carabosse’s side kick, Fran. Tickets cost from £13.50.
Watch Jack and The Beanstalk at Stratford ArtsHouse from 20 – 30 December. The pantomime will feature sensational scenery, stunning costumes, incredible special effects and plenty of audience participation. Mattie Parkinson plays Dame Trott and the sensational Clare Reilly stars as Fairy Beansprout. Tickets cost from £10.
There are plenty of Christmas activities at Shakespeare’s Family Homes from 2 December – 2 January each day. Meet Dickens as he walks around Shakespeare’s Birthplace garden and tells the tale of acquiring the Birthplace to continue spreading the word of Shakespeare. Discover Shakespeare’s family Christmas at Shakespeare’s New Place. What would they have eaten, worn & how would they have celebrated? Step back in time to the 1600s at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and follow the generations of Hathaway’s to discover their story and how they left their mark on the cottage. Take a step back in time to the 1930’s at Hall’s Croft and find out how the people celebrated Christmas in the time between two wars.
Visit Ragley Hall and see the stunning stately home in a new light with candle lit tours on 1, 3, 9 & 10 December. Pre booking is essential. Tickets cost from £14. Alternatively enjoy 3-course Christmas Dinners which are available on selected dates in December.
Enjoy a festive Jazz Sunday lunch at The Arden in Stratford on 17 December. 2-courses costs £20.50 per person or a Christmas Day lunch with Champagne & a 5-course lunch for £99 per person. Glam yourself up for the Masquerade New year’s Eve celebrations with a Champagne and canapé reception, 4-course dinner, live music and dancing. Cost is £99 per person.
Visit Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa for its Christmas Fayre on 8 December for coffee whilst you shop followed by a 2-course lunch with a glass of wine. Cost is £35 per person. Enjoy Christmas Eve Carols and a festive supper on 24 December with mince pies, mulled wine and carols from the Boy’s and Men’s Choir of St Mary’s, Warwick followed by dinner. Cost is £35 per person.
For more information on Christmas in Shakespeare’s England, head to the website here http://shakespeares-england.co.uk
The Landlocked Traveller 