Travel & Tourism

Johnny Vegas is opening a glamping experience where guests stay in restored vehicles

Including a helicopter...

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 14th January 2023

Johnny Vegas is opening his own glamping experience, where accommodation is housed in lovingly-restored and converted vehicles, including a helicopter.

The Lancashire born-comedian and actor has chosen the grounds of stately home Melbourne Hall to be the permanent home of his The Field of Dreams campsite.

Guests will stay in converted vehicles including a German fire truck, Patricia the bus, an American School Bus and a classic Citroen Camper, with three new additions adding to the unique fleet for 2023.

The new options will include a boat, a stylish glamping pied-a-terre beside the lake, and even a helicopter, The Hoot reports.

The news of his new campsite follows the roaring success of the first season of the Channel 4 series, Johnny Vegas: Carry On Glamping, which saw him follow his dream to create a glamping spot with a difference.

ADVERTISEMENT
Johnny Vegas’s new glamping location. Credit: Supplied

This time, the glamping location has changed and we will watch as Jonny navigates the the challenges of expanding the site and developing the business.

The 2021 Yorkshire-based campsite was jam packed with bookings and received rave reviews, however ambitions for a bigger site meant Vegas had to move on from God’s own country (much to our dismay).

ADVERTISEMENT

The new site will be based at Melbourne Hall in Derbyshire, home of Lord & Lady Kerr.

Johnny Vegas inside a re-purposed helicopter.
Johnny Vegas in the helicopter that will be converted. Image: Supplied

The glamping site will officially open in April 2023 with bookings being taken now.

The iconic vehicles will be situated across two sites, both within a short walk from the pool for those wanting to take a dip and admire the breathtaking views.

ADVERTISEMENT

If you’d like to stay at Johnny’s brand new site, then you can book via the Melbourne Hall website.

Read more: All trains at Manchester Piccadilly to be cancelled on Sunday due to ‘roof repairs’

Featured image – Supplied

Travel & Tourism

One of Manchester’s largest hotels has reopened after an ‘extensive’ £33m renovation

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the largest hotels in Manchester city centre has now reopened its doors to the public following an “extensive” £33 million renovation.

A new chapter is officially underway for Manchester‘s Marriott Hotel in Piccadilly.

Conveniently located next to Manchester Piccadilly train station, and what is a world-class and ever-popular urban neighbourhood in Mayfield, the Piccadilly Marriott hotel is the second Marriott hotel in the city centre, and following its wide-scale refurbishment, the new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers“.

A stunning bistro-style restaurant and bar, a large function room, 11 meeting rooms, a 24/7 ‘MClub’ lounge, a state-of-the-art gym, and an Elemis spa with six treatment rooms and a thermal suite, can all be found inside the new hotel.

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly has now reopened following a £33m refurbishment / Credit: Supplied

Known as the largest four-star hotel in the city centre, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly boasts 338 “generous” bedrooms spread across eight floors with “unparalleled comfort” and interior design that gives a nod to the neighbourhood’s industrial and music heritage.

The biggest standard-sized rooms in Manchester, 16 ‘Panoramic Suites’, and a selection of family rooms, are just some of the accommodation options the hotel now offers.

As well as the rooms, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly is also considered to be one of the best hotels in the city for both corporate and social events, with meeting rooms, function rooms, and more all on site, and now, thanks to the recent renovations, these refurbished spaces all include the latest in digital screen technology, audio-visual equipment, high-speed WiFi, and air conditioning.

The 338-room hotel is now one of the largest in Manchester city centre following the “extensive refurbishment” / Credit: Supplied

The new hotel is also home to Manchester’s only Marriott brand exclusive, MClub Lounge – which is a unique club lounge space designed to be the perfect place to relax, socialise, or meet for business.

The hotel’s stunning new spa is also described as being a “haven of wellness”, as it boasts six treatment rooms in partnership with award-winning British skincare brand, Elemis.

The stunning new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers” / Credit: Supplied

Speaking as the new hotel opens its doors this week, Stephen Rycroft, who is the General Manager of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, commented: “We are excited to be part of this launch, bringing the flagship Marriott brand to this grand hotel, as it’s grand in both innovative design and size, making it the largest hotel in Manchester city centre.

“Our team is committed to providing exceptional experiences for both business and leisure guests alike.”

Read more:

Prices for rooms at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly start from just £129 per night, and you can find out more and book online here.

Featured Image – Supplied

Travel & Tourism

Classical music will be played at Northern train stations to ‘deter anti-social behaviour’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Classical music is to be played at dozens of train stations across the North in a bid to “deter anti-social behaviour”.

It may not be the first tactic you’d think of if you were trying to ward off trouble and prevent it from happening again in the future, but after a successful trial was conducted at 35 train stations in Greater Manchester and across the North back in 2022, Northern has now announced that “classical music is here to stay”.

After noticing a rise in incidents of anti-social behaviour, the train operator orchestrated a plan to play music inspired by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Handel at nine stations.

Following this, it was then introduced at another 26 stations last year.

As part of the trial aimed at “preventing loitering, vandalism, and graffiti”, the teams at the participating stations would play the classical music at certain times of the day that were identified or often associated with incidents of anti-social behaviour, but would make sure to control the volume so it didn’t disturb local residents.

Classical music will be played at Northern train stations to ‘deter anti-social behaviour’ / Credit: Northern

During the initial trial, the music was played at stations in Billingham, Shildon, Heighington, North Road, Orrell, Keighley, Hyde North, Ilkley, and Newton Aycliffe.

The following year, it was rolled out at Beverley, Birchwood, Bryn, Cottingham, Cross Gates, Fitzwilliam, Flimby, Halewood, Haltwhistle, Hattersley, Levenshulme, Lostock Gralam, Maryport, Mill Hill, Newton for Hyde, Penistone, Rainhill, Sowerby Bridge, Sunderland, Ulverston, Wetheral, Whiston, Nunthorpe, Seaton Carew, Stockton, and Seaham.

When the trail proved to be successful, passengers apparently “called for an encore” as they claimed the music made them feel safer at participating stations, because large groups had stopped gathering there on a regular basis to “cause a nuisance” – particularly during the school holidays.

It follows successful trials carried out at 35 stations in 2022 and 2023 / Credit: gov.uk

“We’re pleased to have found an innovative and effective way of deterring anti-social behaviour,” commented Tricia Williams, who is the Chief Operating Officer at Northern.

“Following the successful trial, we will continue playing classical music at these stations and look to introduce it at others in the coming months, as we want all of our customers to feel safe and secure when they travel.

Read more:

“This approach, along with other investment we are making, is working well.”

Featured Image – Jonny Walton (via Northern)

More Travel & Tourism

Manchester

Manchester United, GMP, and the Council is clamping down on ‘illegal’ matchday parking at Old Trafford

Business

Manchester Airport reveals shocking list of 400 items confiscated by security in just one morning

Travel & Tourism

You can stay overnight in a converted ex-military helicopter in Lancashire

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches