News

Pendley Manor Wins ‘Highly Commended’ at Beautiful South Awards for Excellence

The annual Beautiful South Awards are now in their 21st year and recognise businesses and destinations across the tourism industry for their exceptional levels of customer service and dedication to raising standards. A high number of entries to the prestigious Awards led to an impressive shortlist with winners announced by hosts Sue Saville, Managing Director, Tourism South East and John Williams, Chairman of Tourism South East.

‘We offer our congratulations to all tonight’s winners’, said John Williams. ‘Our industry’s commitment to providing the best possible customer experience and to exceeding customer expectations is outstanding.

‘The current economic climate continues to present many challenges for the tourism industry - however, the standards achieved by our Award winners this year show their determination to provide their visitors and guests with memorable and outstanding experiences,’ added John.

For further information about Pendley Manor call 01442 820087.

---

New access gates set to open up Ivinghoe Hills

Seventeen brand new disabled access gates installed at Ivinghoe Hills in Buckinghamshire will now allow more people to enjoy Buckinghamshire’s beautiful countryside and reach one of the highest and most picturesque parts of the Chilterns.

Buckinghamshire County Council's Rights of Way Team has been working with the National Trust and the Chiltern Society to improve access into the countryside. The funds were received through the ‘donate a gate’ scheme, which is run by the Chiltern Society. Buckinghamshire County Council is a key partner in the scheme through its role in negotiation with landowners and, in this case, installing the gates.

The culmination of this work has been to replace seventeen stiles and small refuge kissing gates for new wooden, British Standard, pedestrian gates. This has improved access for everyone, but particularly for those using medium and higher powered mobility scooters, who now have a greater choice of where to go. Both members of the public and a walking group from Dunstable have helped to raise £1,250 towards funding the new access gates.

---

New Inn – New Stowe 

The £9 million project to transform visits to Stowe, home to one of the greatest English 18th century landscape gardens.

In the late 1980s the world-famous landscape gardens of Stowe were handed to the National Trust and an ambitious programme of restoration began.  In the past 20 years, overgrown lakes and views have been restored, crumbling temples and monuments renovated, and lost statues and ornamental features reinstated.

Now the National Trust is creating an exciting new visitor centre on the site of a previously derelict coaching inn, which has always been known as New Inn.  The end result is a seamless combination of immaculately restored heritage and an area of new build designed to delight and inspire the modern visitor.

The historic rooms of New Inn have been sensitively restored and will be dressed to evoke the atmosphere of a Georgian country coaching inn.    The restored buildings around the original courtyard flow into an area of new build with light, airy rooms and high interiors showcasing the craftsmanship and quality of the materials that have been used.  The energy for the site is provided by a bio-mass boiler using wood chippings from Stowe and other National Trust sites in the area.

Local community groups have been involved in this project and our continuing engagement work will benefit from having a new room for local groups, school visits, community use etc.

New Inn is not only an exciting and impressive new visitor centre in its own right, but it also recreates the original entry point into the gardens, affording visitors views of the gardens which have not been fully enjoyed for centuries.

The National Trust looks forward to formally opening New Inn in March 2012.

---

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Spring Into Action for 2012

Having recently celebrated their first birthday and a hugely successful first year Aylesbury Waterside Theatre announces their new spring season bursting at the seams with musicals, drama, dance, comedy and much more.

There are musical treats galore - Kicking off the New Year is the Olivier Award-winning Broadway & West End sensation Legally Blonde starring Ray Quinn, Les Dennis and Claire Sweeney, OMG - it’s guaranteed to turn the town pink!  The writers of sell out sensation Dreamboats and Petticoats are back with a host of 60’s hits with Save the Last Dance for me transporting you back to music’s golden era. If you wish you’d swung the hardest partying pack in town now’s your chance as The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas are back with the coolest party in town. Be swept away to the South Pacific in May as the hit landmark production comes to Aylesbury following a sell-out season at London’s Barbican, starring West Side Story’s Daniel Cook and Eastenders’ Alex Ferns with more star cast to be announced,  this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the reinvented Lincoln Theatre Production of one of the greatest musicals of all time.

For drama be heartbroken and heart-warmed by a play from one of the UK’s best known playwrights Alan Bennett with The Lady in the Van.  Don’t miss the return of the National Theatre who in the Autumn brought the huge sell-out success of One Man, Two Guvnors to the Waterside, with the award winning actor Anthony Sher in the funny and fascinating Travelling Light.  Or settle in for a night of chilling suspense with J B Priestley’s classic thriller An Inspector Calls directed by Oscar nominated, Stephen Daldry (The Reader, The Hours, Billy Elliot) arriving direct from its fourth West End season.

Fantastic dance comes from two beautiful ballet masterpieces performed by the Russian State Ballet and Orchestra of Siberia, La Fille Mal Garde and Swan Lake.  Brendan Cole and his 14 piece band and dance extravaganza in Live and Unjudged. While Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag bring some spectacular moves to some fabulous Gershwin hits there’s more ballroom from Johann Strauss Gala guaranteed to put a smile on your face and spring in your step.

For the perfect night out, grab your girlfriends for non-stop laugh out loud musical comedy with Gillian Taylforth - Girls Night or Join Beverley Callard and the Hormonal Housewives as they battle against weight gain, weight loss, mood swings, wine and pms! Or enjoy one of the Uk’s top male glamour with the Dreamboys Full Frontal Tour.

For something a bit different look out for Back to Broadway... the musical – a real family treat and be wowed by Britain’s Got Talent’s Circus of Horrors and the Moscow State Circus.  Or join Celebrity psychic Sally Morgan on her latest visit.

Kids can look forward to joining the Little Princess live on stage in her theatrical premiere I want to Celebrate , Peppa Pig in her Treasure Hunt and the Little Big Club with all your favourites including Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam!

There’s more comedy than you can shake a stick at as the Waterside welcomes an audience with Pam Ayres, the controversial American Doug Stanhope, Irish/Australian superstar Jimeoin, TV fave Paul Merton and mock the weeks Stewart Francis.

Music lovers need look no further with shows from The Osmonds on their biggest ever UK tour, The Searchers with all of their classic hits, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, rock ‘n’ roll from That’ll be the Day the one and only Suggs, former front man of Ace, Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics Paul Carrack, X-Factor finalist Andy Abrahams and two classical concerts from the Watersides orchestra in association - Oxford Philomusica, in march featuring Julian Lloyd Webber.  Aylesbury’s Hobble on the Cobbles also come to you this year from the Waterside stage with acts including, Platform Soul, The British Guitar Academies ‘All-Star’ Band and much more.

Next season you can get involved in Bucks biggest talent show Best of Bucks, the brain child of the High Sherriff of Bucks with a celebrity judging panel including legendary broadcaster and DJ Dave Lee Travis with the chance to perform on the Waterside Stage, or by coming along an support local acts all in aid of local charities the Bucks and Milton Keynes Community Foundations.

The more intimate second space really comes to life this season with the return of the Comedy Club on the first Friday of every month with some of the finest up and coming comedians from the Uk Circuit and the launch of LiveScreen at the Waterside a programme of live screenings from theatres around the world.  Don’t miss, from the National Theatre, Collaborators, The Comedy of Errors and She Stoops to Conquer and from the Royal Opera House , Romeo and Juliet the Ballet and Rigoletto.

It’s a season guaranteed to chase away those winter blues and tickets are on sale now.  Book today at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office call 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury.