Day 146 - Blackpool and my thanks to three Pride of Britain hotels – The Chester Grosvenor, The Devonshire Arms and Northcote

I have been on the road for a week in the North West and the friendliness, warmth and hospitality has been quite amazing. The BRIT 2012 mile walk is not funded by BRIT as a charity and therefore it’s self-funded or supported by “gifting” along the way. New Balance is assisting with some of the fuel costs which help considerably; however, the other expense that mounts up is accommodation. The hotels that seem to be able to step in and support me are those that are privately owned or not part of large chains. They gift accommodation or reduce the rates considerably to allow me to afford to stay and I am very grateful for their kindness and generosity. 

Three hotels that have gifted support in succession in the North-West all belong to a group of 40 privately owned hotels who are part of a consortium called Pride of Britain Hotels; http://www.prideofbritainhotels.com/ I am very lucky that members of this consortium have stepped forward to help me on this BRIT 2012 mile walk.

The Pride of Britain Hotels consortium was formed in 1982 to enable like-minded hoteliers to pool their resources to reach a wider audience of discerning customers. Their Mission statement is: 'To effectively market and support a collection of the finest privately owned hotels in Britain'.

Membership is limited to a maximum of 50 properties, and it is the members themselves who decide whether a new applicant is suitable to belong to the consortium, following anonymous inspection and a ballot. They have no formal links with third party travel companies and employ no overseas representatives. Members pay a fixed annual fee and this, along with all income from sponsorship, is spent on marketing the collection. The consortium is a not-for-profit organisation. The consortium seeks to represent a mixture of traditional and contemporary styles of hotel, with an emphasis on great hospitality.

On this BRIT 2012 mile challenge, I am walking in every county of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The further afield the county of walking location, then the longer the journey and the longer the day. I have felt absolutely shattered when out on the road and after a long day I just need a hot shower or long soak to relax my leg muscles and back, grab a bite to eat and then have some sleep. Living out the car isn’t a hardship, however after what can be emotionally, physically and mentally tiring days of walking, to feel looked after and experience the warmth of sincerity and hospitality does have a hugely positive effect on me. I am very aware of how lucky I am to be the recipient of assistance to reduce the cost of the challenge, and to be accommodated in such beautiful hotels and experience outstanding hospitality is a real treat.

For the whole of last week I was given reduced rates at The Chester Grosvenor http://www.chestergrosvenor.com/ Owned by and named after the family of The Duke of Westminster and celebrating its 147th birthday, The Chester Grosvenor is situated in the centre of historic Chester, close to the Roman walls, Chester Cathedral and the famous Eastgate Clock.

The hotel is ideally situated in the North-West of England, close to the motorway network, north Wales, Liverpool, Manchester and the Lake District. It was a perfect location for me to walk at Crewe, Chester, Tatton Park, Halton, Warrington, Everton, Liverpool and St Helens last week.

The Chester Grosvenor is a Grade II listed building, with its black and white timbered façade and there are two award-winning restaurants, most notably Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor, previously named Arkle, which has recently undergone a gentle refurbishment. The restaurant has retained its Michelin star since 1990 and is one of just 26 restaurants in the UK to have been awarded four AA Rosettes.

With inspirational figures from every sector of society pledging to gift 24 hours when the BRIT Centre of Inspiration is built, I have always been supported by inspirational chefs including Brian Turner CBE, Gordon Ramsay OBE and Jamie Oliver MBE, all of whom are BRIT Mentors http://www.britishinspirationtrust.org.uk/People

Executive Chef, Simon Radley, of "Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor"

Every Chef I have met has always positively complimented fellow chefs and I have always been impressed by their professionalism to champion each other’s work and achievements. Simon Radley is a distinguished chef and for young people who aspire to be chefs, this is the link to find out more about Simon and his remarkable achievements; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Radley

My thanks to Jonathan Slater, Managing Director, Ross Grieve, Hotel Manager, Laura Fergusson, Reception Manager, and all the staff at The Chester Grosvenor for looking after me. I must also thank the House Keeping staff who washed and dried my clothes after being soaked for two consecutive days so I had clean walking clothing for the rest of my walks. My stay at the Chester Grosvenor was an unforgettable experience and I am very grateful to everyone for making me so relaxed and for looking after me.

My next stay was supported by the Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants group http://www.devonshirehotels.co.uk/ which is owned by The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.



The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire

The Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants are an intimate collection of unique places, located in tranquil and unspoiled locations in Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

The hotel I stayed in on Saturday was the Devonshire Country House Hotel & Spa http://www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk/ which is situated on the Duke of Devonshire's 30,000 acre Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales. The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel and Spa offers 40 individually designed bedrooms, the relaxing Devonshire Health Barn, the Burlington Restaurant, with a Michelin Star and 4 AA rosettes, and the Devonshire Brasserie and Bar which is perfect for an informal bite to eat.

Steve Smith is the Head Chef at the Devonshire Arms and his reputation precedes him, having held a star at each of his previous postings over the past eleven years.



Inspriational Chef, Steve Smith-Head Chef at the Devonshire Arms

Once again, if young people reading this blog aspire to be a Chef, then click here to watch Steve in action; http://www.devonshirechefs.co.uk/video-steve-smith.cfm or to read more about Steve’s inspirational career, click here; http://www.devonshirechefs.co.uk/

My next stay, where I arrived this evening, was at Northcote in Lancashire; http://www.northcote.com/index.htm Northcote is a small country hotel where inspirational chef Nigel Hawthorne is now joint Managing Director. Born in Accrington, Lancashire, Nigel attended Accrington & Rossendale Catering College, before leaving to work five seasons, one in Gleneagles Scotland and four in Switzerland.

Chef and Managging Director-Nigel Hawthorne

In March 1984 he began the challenging role of Head Chef at Northcote Manor and became joint Managing Director and 50% shareholder in 1989. Nigel was awarded a Michelin Star in January 1996 and has successfully retained this to present day, along with many other accolades and awards through his career.

Once again, I am sincerely grateful to everyone at Northcote for welcoming me so warmly and for supporting the BRIT 2012 mile challenge. Today was the 146^th day of the BRIT 2012 mile walk and in Blackpool.

Blackpool is a borough, seaside town and unitary authority area of Lancashire. The population is approximately 140,000 and a population density that makes it the fourth most densely populated borough of England and Wales outside of Greater London. My first visit was to Blackpool Football Club; http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/Home

Day 146 of the BRIT 2012 mile walk
and at Blackpool Football Club

Blackpool rose to prominence as a major centre of tourism in England when a railway was built in the 1840s connecting it to the industrialised regions of northern England. The railway made it much easier and cheaper for visitors to reach Blackpool. In 1881 Blackpool was a booming resort with a population of 14,000 and a promenade complete with piers, fortune-tellers, public houses, tram, donkey rides, fish-and-chip shops, and theatres. By 1901 the population of Blackpool was 47,000, by which time its place was cemented as "the archetypal British seaside resort". By 1951 it had grown to 147,000.



On the Golden Mile with Blackpool Tower
 behind me on Day 146 of the
 BRIT 2012 mile challenge

Shifts in tastes combined with opportunities for Britons to travel overseas have affected Blackpool, however it remains firmly rooted in the tourism sector, and the borough's seafront continues to attract millions of visitors every year. In addition to its sandy beaches, Blackpool's major attractions and landmarks include the Blackpool Tower, Blackpool Illuminations, the Pleasure Beach Blackpool, the Winter Gardens, and UK's only surviving first-generation tramway.

Miles away from The Blackpool Tower after a refreshing coastal walk
 along the seafront in Blackpool on Day 146 of the BRIT 2012

My thanks to the people of Blackpool and Blackpool Football Club for looking after me on Day 146 of the BRIT 2012 mile walk.  I am finishing the day with 1021 miles to go.

Best wishes,

Phil