Travel & Tourism

You can now stay at the cosy and historic Smithy Lodge in Heaton Park

The perfect winter getaway situated just on the outskirts of Manchester.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 14th December 2022

Is the frosty weather making you long to wrap up in a cosy winter setting somewhere like you’re the main character in a Christmas movie? Let us introduce you to the Smithy Lodge in Heaton Park.

Nestled against a treeline in Manchester’s beloved Heaton Park, home of festive favourite Lightopia and, of course, the legendary Parklife festival, is the historic Smithy Lodge, a quaint little cottage perfect for living out your Cameron Diaz in The Holiday fantasy.

Seriously though, this beautiful Grade II listed building dates all the way back to 1806 – named after a local blacksmith’s workshop situated nearby on Middleton Road – is one of the most picturesque little hideaways that we’ve come across in Manchester.

Cut to today and the lodge is now a luxury two-floor space that makes for an ideal staycation for those who want to get out of the city but don’t want to travel too far.

Smithy Lodge facilities
Credit: Hoseasons

Sleeping four people and having quickly become a popular site for couples getaways, the Smithy Lodge not only feels like a blast back through time but the pristine, traditional and fundamentally rural surround makes it feel like a high-end experience that few other Manchester hotel stays can offer.

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Complete with all the modern amenities you need as well as private parking, an electric car charging station and nearby access to the golf course combines English heritage with the expected hallmarks of modern city break culture.

Better still, if you’re travelling from out of town and still looking to head into the city centre or any of Greater Manchester‘s surrounding boroughs, the Heaton Park tram stop is just across the park.

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This former octagonal gatehouse might be a little bit more updated and mod-con than Hagrid’s Hut but it’s definitely giving us the same cosy winter vibes.

You can stay overnight in a replica of Hagrid’s Hut from Harry Potter

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It goes without saying that one of the lodge’s main selling points is having Heaton Park, with its long stretches of open fields and serene lakes all on your doorstep. Say no more.

Prices currently start from £289 but this number obviously changes depending on popularity and the season, with rooms often selling out rather quickly.

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You can check availability at the Smithy Lodge HERE and two festive slots are still free if you’re looking for a last-minute winter getaway this holiday season.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Hoseasons/Wikimedia Commons

Travel & Tourism

Avanti West Coast staff set to strike on major days over festive period

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Avanti West Coast staff are set to strike on some major days over the festive period, it has been announced.

Train managers who are members of the RMT Union will stage industrial action on New Year’s Eve and 2 January 2025 after “overwhelmingly rejecting” the train company’s “inadequate proposals” on rest day working arrangements.

On top of this, strikes will also go ahead on Sundays between 12 January and 25 May too.

According to the union, up to 400 members are involved in the dispute with Avanti, and 83% of those voted against a suggested deal.

Strikes were previously planned for 22, 23, and 29 December as well, but they were suspended last week after a suggested agreement was put to a referendum of RMT members.

Avanti West Coast staff are set to strike on several major days over the festive period / Credit: Avanti West Coast

“Our members have resoundingly rejected Avanti’s latest offers in two referendums,” explained an RMT spokesperson. “Sustained strike action is now the only way to focus management’s minds on reaching a negotiated settlement with the union.”

In case you weren’t familiar, Avanti’s West Coast Main Line operates six routes along the west of the UK, including from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, as well as services from London to other major cities such as to Blackpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Holyhead, Wrexham, and Liverpool.

Avanti has warned its customers that the strikes will likely cause “significant disruption” on the West Coast Main Line.

The train operator took to X to assure that its plans will be confirmed “as soon as possible”.

“The RMT union has announced strike action affecting Avanti West Coast on 31 December and 2 January, along with all Sundays from 12 January to 25 May 2025,” the statement reads on X.

“We’re looking at how this industrial action will impact our services and we’ll confirm our plans as soon as possible.”

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson also added in response to the industrial action being called yesterday: “We’re disappointed our train managers who are RMT members have voted to decline the very reasonable, revised offer made to them to resolve the rest day working dispute and avoid inconveniencing our customers.

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“We remain open to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”

Featured Image – Avanti West Coast

Travel & Tourism

New ‘B Plates’ introduced so drivers can identify themselves as being bad at parking

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

New ‘B Plates’ have been introduced so drivers who are bad at parking can identify themselves for all to see.

Consider yourself good at parking? Well, that’s bold of you to claim… because for a lot of us, we wouldn’t be so confident to say that, and it turns out we’re not alone either, as some new research has revealed that 48% of drivers think they could benefit from more training or assistance with their parking manoeuvres.

The new B plates – with the ‘B’ standing for ‘bad parking’ – are designed to be attached to a vehicle so you can apologise to other motorists for your lack of parking prowess.

On top of the 48% of bad parkers, the research by Scrap Car Comparison found that a further one in six (17%) say they have experienced stress or worry about having to park their car, while a third of drivers (30%) say they spend extra time searching for a parking bay with free spaces either side.

New ‘B Plates’ have been introduced so drivers can identify themselves as being bad at parking / Credit: Supplied

74% of new drivers aged between 17 and 24 say they could benefit from more guidance in lessons.

Overall, one in four motorists (23%) claim that they weren’t taught well enough when it came to parking maneuverers, according to the research.

It’s hoped that the new B Plate stickers will encourage drivers to ‘own’ their parking pitfalls, the company says, as well as seek the additional guidance required to gain more confidence behind the wheel. 

48% of drivers think they could benefit from more training with their parking manoeuvres / Credit: Supplied

“Just like a P plate enables new drivers to ask for patience from other road users, our B plates will give people the chance to hold their hands up, say sorry and ask for forgiveness, if they know their parking leaves a lot to be desired,” explained David Kottaun, who is the Operations Manager at Scrap Car Comparison.

“We hope the plates also serve as encouragement for drivers to seek additional parking guidance to build up their confidence.”

Want to get your hands on one then?

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Scrap Car Comparison are offering a limited number of B plate stickers to interested drivers for free if you fill out the ‘register interest’ on its website here, and then based on interest levels, they will be made more widely available in 2025.

Featured Image – Supplied

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