One of the most historic houses in Manchester is ready to welcome overnight guests for the first time, as The Station Agent’s House enters its staycation era.
The beautiful Grade I-listed building on Liverpool Road is part of the Science and Industry Museum’s site, and dates all the way back to 1808.
Officially one of the oldest homes in the city, the charming property has now been sensitively adapted by building conservation charity The Landmark Trust and will open as a residence for the first time in 100 years.
Capable of sleeping up to eight guests, the house is just a 10 minute walk from Deansgate and just next door from the new Aviva Studios.
Upstairs, there are views sweeping across many eras of railway infrastructure and the heritage buildings that make up the Science and Industry Museum.
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Its restoration has included plenty of work to the bones of the building – re-roofing and repointing, replacing the sash windows, and swapping out chipboard floors for parquet.
There’s now step-free access and a lift to the first floor living area, with fully accessible bedrooms and bathrooms.
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And at the heart of the house is a specially-made oval skylight to enhance the original staircase.
Views from upstairsThe restored kitchen
Breaks at the self-catering holiday home will start from just £24.38 per person per night.
Casting back to the building’s beginnings, The Station Agent’s House was built in 1808 for Castlefield dyemaster John Rothwell.
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It was later acquired by the Liverpool Manchester Railway directors for the Manchester terminus of the world’s first purpose-built passenger line at Liverpool Road Station (now the site of the museum), and it became the home to the Station Agents working there.
In the 20th century, the house was converted into a shop selling sausages and later car parts; after the railway line was closed in 1975, it was altered again into office use for the museum.
Dr Anna Keay OBE, director of the Landmark Trust says: “The Landmark Trust is proud to be able to give a new future to this grade-1 listed building, part of the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station.
Details of the restored The Station Agent’s House in Manchester. Credit: Landmark Trust
“Its extensive repair and renovation has been a labour of love, made possible by many generous donations. It is our first building in Manchester and will make a wonderful base from which to explore this peerless industrial city.”
Sally McDonald, Director of the Science and Industry Museum, adds: “The Landmark Trust has brought expertise in sensitively restoring this incredible heritage building, meaning Station Agent’s House can now be experienced in a new way by the public.
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“It’s a spectacular transformation that has breathed new life into the building while complimenting its historically significant status.
“It’s an exciting time at the Science and Industry Museum as we undergo a multi-million-pound repair and improvement project with the aim of bringing into use every part of our historic site. This includes the reopening of Power Hall next spring, as well as new galleries, the re-opening of the 1830 Station and outdoor experiences in the coming years.
“We are so pleased that Station Agent’s House has become the latest regenerated space thanks to The Landmark Trust, who are supporting our vision to create a more sustainable museum and reveal new spaces and perspectives for everyone to enjoy.”
The Landmark Trust will open the Station Agent’s House for free public open days each year, including from 10am till 4pm on Sunday 19 May. An additional bookable lates event from 5pm on Thursday 23 May welcomes The Poetry Takeaway for an interactive evening experience.
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester says: “Manchester’s rich history is woven into the fabric of the Station Agent’s House. We are thrilled to see the Landmark Trust’s restoration of this unique building, in partnership with the Science and Industry Museum, which makes it the first in the city for the building conservation charity.
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“As we approach the bicentenary of the 1830 Liverpool and Manchester railway opening, the preservation of this historical house adds immense value to our heritage and identity.
“Joining local venues such as the Science and Industry Museum, Castlefield Viaduct and Aviva Studios in the growing Castlefield neighbourhood, the Station Agent’s House will undoubtedly add to the city’s vibrant cultural landscape as it opens to the public for the first time, and will also provide a welcoming and distinctive experience to the growing accommodation offer in the city-region.”
Calum McGowan, Chair, Castlefield Forum says: “We are absolutely thrilled at this restoration, and what great news to see more of the Museum’s estate come to life.
“Part of our mission at the Forum is to ensure that we celebrate and cherish the heritage assets in our neighbourhood so this is another great contribution towards that. The building looks set to be a wonderful place to stay, on iconic site, in an iconic neighbourhood!”
Aer Lingus is serving ‘classic’ Christmas dinners in the sky this festive period
Danny Jones
Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus is taking plane food up a notch with a whole new seasonal range throughout the festive period, including ‘classic’ Christmas dinners.
Yes, that’s right: you can get the mother of all Sunday roasts in the sky.
The Irish flight operators and flag carriers are no strangers to pulling out the stops when it comes to convincing people to choose one of their planes the next time they travel, having recently held a huge Black Friday sale on trips to key holiday destinations.
With that in mind, their latest perk certainly got our attention; when have you ever heard of someone eating a Christmas dinner during a flight? Be honest: you haven’t – that’s why it’s such a great idea.
I see roasties and a sweet. Sounds like they understand the Christmas dinners to me (Credit: Aer Lingus).
What’s better than the feeling of knowing you’re on your way to a relaxing getaway? Adding arguably everyone’s favourite meal of the year on top of it for the journey, and that’s exactly what Aer Lingus has done with the new festive menu.
Starting from Sunday, 8 December, passengers on board long-haul Aer Lingus flights departing from Ireland and down the road at Manchester Airport will be serving up what they’ve dubbed a classic Christmas dinner with all these usual suspects on the plate. Meat, gravy, stuffing, veg – you get the gist.
Those flying across the Atlantic during the holidays to destinations like New York, Orlando and Barbados – three of the airline’s most popular destinations – will actually be able to enjoy food and drink from a choice of more than 50 festive favourites.
Be it the familiar roast open or the likes of seasonal turkey sandwiches, Irish cream liqueur desserts, cheese boards and special ‘Merry Berry’ champagne cocktails available in business class, with the latter coming as a winter warmer welcome drink (don’t mind if we do), there’s plenty to choose from.
Even if you’re flying economy, there’s still a scrumptious orange chocolate mousse for afters or a special Santa-inspired chocolate treat for the little ones. Provided they’ve eaten all their veggies, of course…
You don’t have to stick with a roast either (Credit: Aer Lingus).
To top it all off, the airline will also be screening plenty of classics to watch whilst you’re enjoying your food, from Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express and Love Actually, to as well as Christmas TV specials like Friends, Father Ted, The Big Bang Theory, The US Office and more.
If none of those takes your fancy, there are also plenty of documentaries, kids’ entertainment, podcasts and games as per usual, or you should tilt your head back and enjoy some seasonal music.
Aer Lingus‘ Chief Customer Officer, Susanne Carberry, said: “At Aer Lingus, we take great pride in the role we play in bringing family and friends together to celebrate the special moments, particularly at this time of year. With the holiday season getting underway, we’re doing all we can to ensure that we make every journey count for our customers.
Christmas meals will be available onboard from 8-24 December, so if you’re looking to fly transatlantic during the festive period, you may want to take an airborne Sunday dinner into account.
Carden Park – The award-winning Cheshire hotel with a stunning outdoor garden spa
Daisy Jackson
Carden Park has long been one of the UK’s best spa hotels – in fact, just in September it was named Spa Hotel of the Year… again.
In the last 12 months its shelves have begun to groan under the weight of all the awards it’s accumulating, with its fine dining restaurant The Vines at Carden earning a third AA Rosette, placing it within the top 10% of venues in the UK.
And now Carden Park has unveiled the first phase of its £6.5m refurbishment, boosting its status even further with smart new bedrooms decorated in soft hues of blue and gold.
Carden Park is famed for its golfing and its outdoor pursuits, as well as its outdoor garden spa (we are very much here for the latter).
The luxury spa opened back in 2020, and features staggering features like a vitality pool, heated relaxation beds, Finnish sauna, a salt steam room, an aroma steam room, aroma showers, and a beautiful bio sauna with panoramic windows overlooking the hotel’s sweeping grounds.
And that’s just the indoor spa at Carden Park – I’m just getting started.
Carden Park’s indoor poolThe Finnish sauna at Carden ParkThe indoor pool at night
Its crowning glory is its outdoor garden spa, where footpaths weave between sunken hot tubs and heated thermal pods.
There’s an outdoor pool, also heated, with body massagers built in, and the sight of the steam rising from the pool over the frosty lawns is one for sore eyes and limbs.
From the all-weather Bollinger champagne bar, you can order a mulled wine or a glass of fizz, to sip around the fire pit or on a sun lounger (maybe not the latter at this time of year).
There’s also a panoramic herbal lounge, with sweeping views of the 1000 acre estate at Carden Park.
A panoramic herbal loungeThe fire pitThe Bollinger Bar at Carden Park SpaCarden Park’s outdoor poolA heated outdoor pod with Carden Park in the background.
A current package running until the new year – the Comfort & Joy Spa Experience – includes access to this incredible spa as well as a 50 minute ‘Time to Pause’ treatment.
Here, your sore muscles are scrubbed and loosened before you flip over for an invigorating facial, using cold stones to cool, soothe and drain toxins from your face.
It’s one of the most thorough and efficient treatments I’ve had at a spa and will leave you feeling pampered, relaxed and invigorated all at once.
The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience package also includes overnight accommodation, dinner in either restaurant, breakfast, a mulled wine or hot chocolate, and loads more.
A refurbished bedroom at Carden ParkThe view from the refurbished bedroomsA refurbished bedroom en suite at Carden Park
And back across at the main hotel, Carden Park’s 197 rooms are slowly being refurbished and crafted into luxury spaces with plenty of British details.
From the premium beds to the huge marble bathrooms, you’ll want to stay forever.
While The Vines at Carden might be the hotel’s more lavish restaurant, its Redmond’s Brasserie is also exceptional, with a menu full of British dishes including steaks, pies, and puddings.
This is also where guests head for breakfast, where there’s a full buffet of hot food, continental items and even a pancake-making machine.
The bar upstairs at the Carden Park spaDinner at Redmond’s BrasserieRedmond’s Brasserie
And after your breakfast, you can stroll around the hotel’s magnificent grounds, where there’s a vineyard, tennis courts, a lake, and a full sculpture park.
Director and general manager of Carden Park Hotel Hamish Ferguson said of the new refurbishments: “The overhaul of our hotel bedrooms marks a significant chapter in Carden Park Hotel’s journey.
“We are thrilled to embark on this exciting project to enhance our luxury accommodation, reinforcing our commitment to providing an exceptional and rejuvenating experience for our guests.
“Sustainability has been at the forefront of all previous renovations at the hotel, and we endeavour to continue this trajectory in all future transformation projects.”
The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience at Carden Park
A morning garden spa experience between 9am and 1pm (8.30am arrival)
Overnight luxury accommodation
A divine 50-minute Time-to-Pause ritual treatment; including back exfoliation and calming facial. Learn more about the treatment here.
£30 dinner allowance to be used in either Redmond’s Brasserie or The Vines (Thursday only) – Cheshire’s award-winning fine dining restaurant
Full English and Continental breakfast included in your stay
Access to the hotel state-of-the-art leisure club and 20-metre pool
Either a mulled wine or luxury hot chocolate included in your spa experience
Daisy Jackson -
18th May 2024 
