If you’re looking to get a head-start on your Christmas shopping with the festive season just around the corner, then there’s arguably no better place in the north west than Cheshire Oaks.
Based in Ellesmere Port and just less than an hour’s drive from Manchester city centre, Cheshire Oaks is the largest Designer Outlet in the UK, and is home to over 400,000 square feet of retail space, with more than 150 boutiques, restaurants, and cafés to choose from.
Living up to its name, there’s up to 60% off the RRP in all of the brands on site, all year round.
No matter what it is you’re looking for, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste, with athletic labels, including Nike and Adidas, and high-street favourites such as Marks & Spencer and Next, to a selection of iconic fashion brands like Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Mulberry, Coach, Kate Spade, and so many more – so it’s not wonder it’s a brilliant destination to grab presents for all your loved ones this Christmas.
If all that shopping’s got you hungry, then you can even dig into Lebanese delights at Comptoir Libanais, ‘healthy’ street food at Leon, or make your way through Asian dishes at Yo! Sushi and wagamama – the list of restaurants on site is endless.
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But even though Christmas shopping is probably at the front of your mind right now, that’s not all you could be getting up to at the outlet over these next few weeks and throughout December.
Here’s everything happening at Cheshire Oaks this festive season.
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Winter Village
Winter Village / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
If you’re in need of a break from all of your gift shopping and you’re looking to grab a bite and properly get into the festive spirit, then the bookable snug huts at Cheshire Oaks’ Winter Village are the perfect place to stop, unwind, and soak up everything the season has to offer with loved ones after a buys day.
You can enjoy some traditional German bratwurst from the swing grill, or warm up with mulled wine at the bar, all under the twinkly lights of the UK’s largest Christmas tree.
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It’s important to note that the huts only be booked three days in advance.
Each bookable hut accommodates up to six people and can be pre-booked for one hour for a £10 deposit, with a £25 minimum spend per group.
No festive visit to Cheshire Oaks is complete without a visit to see the big man himself, and this year is certainly no different – but this time, you can help make all your little ones’ festive wishes come true with a morning they’ll never forget by grabbing breakfast with Santa at Carluccio’s.
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All kids eat free when two adult breakfasts are ordered from the main breakfast menu.
Breakfast With Santa at Carluccio’s is available to book every Saturday and Sunday between 9am-11am, from Saturday 4 December right through to Sunday 19 December.
For those with a creative edge, wreath making workshops are undeniably one of the best ways to get yourself feeling festive.
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So you can head on down to Cheshire Oaks throughout November and December to take part in one of the dedicated wreath making workshops, where Cheshire-based floral designer Heather will guide you through creating your very own Christmas wreath using a variety locally sourced and seasonal decorations and foliage.
There’s a range of classes on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout November and December, with tickets priced £68.32.
If you’re unfamiliar with this popular festive feature at the Designer Outlet, then it’s simple – if you’re big into your shopping, or you’ve just got lots of gifts to buy this Christmas, then all you’ve got to do is spend over £200 on site and you can receive your very-own personalised bauble to hang on your Christmas tree at home.
You can find out more about Bauble Bar at Cheshire Oaks here.
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#ShareTheMagic
#ShareTheMagic / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
It’s time to #ShareTheMagic
If you do end up taking a trip to Cheshire Oaks throughout November and December, then make sure you snap a festive selfie with your nearest and dearest, and the outlet will donate £1 to its nominated charity – Passion for Learning – for every selfie it receives.
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Find the most Instagrammable spot for the ultimate seasonal selfie, as from giant red baubles, to a 110ft Christmas tree, magical winter village, and so many more, you’ll have your feed sorted for at least the next year – so get snapping, and don’t forget to use hashtag #ShareTheMagic on Instagram.
Lola Young shares first public statement since cancellations and stepping away from the spotlight
Danny Jones
UK pop star Lola Young has shared her first public statement since cancelling the remainder of her tour and stepping away from the spotlight.
Lola Young, 24, took a break from her still-burgeoning career after numerous concerning incidents on stage, including throwing up and even passing out in the middle of a performance.
The BRIT School graduate announced the unfortunate cancellation of her upcoming shows “for the foreseeable future”, including a gig here in Manchester, at the end of September.
Breaking her silence after the best part of three months, the London-born singer-songwriter took to social media in a fairly brief but heartwarming statement.
As you can see, the time away from the public eye certainly seems to have been beneficial, telling her followers that “it has helped more than you will ever know”.
In addition to embracing ADHD – even labelling her hit song ‘Messy’ as an “ADHD anthem” in multiple anthems – she was also diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at just 17.
The latter can include symptoms such as psychosis, hallucinations, intense mood swings, bipolar mania, depression and more.
All that being said, we’re glad to hear that she’s on the mend; we saw her back in March, and you could tell from the crowd that she’s already got a very passionate cult following.
Both conditions and their associated obstacles have obviously affected her, but have equally helped influence her music and lyrical material, certainly, too.
Responding in the comments, fellow artist SZA wrote: “Love you, starfire angel. Your music is FULL of longevity and substance! We’re so grateful for you”.
Joining in support, ‘dark pop’ musician Carter James added, “Your wellbeing comes before anything. So excited for your next chapter whenever it arrives!”
We hope she’ll be doing better enough soon to get back on stage when she’s ready.
Nathan Aspinall urges PDPA to improve mental health support within the sport
Danny Jones
Local sports personality Nathan Aspinall has urged the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) to provide better mental health support moving forward.
It’s not the first time ‘The Asp’ has called for more awareness and provision when it comes to player welfare and mental wellbeing, specifically, which remains a prevailing societal problem in general.
The Greater Manchester native has opened up about his own struggles many times in the past and has made a public plea for the PDPA to intervene and offer more help.
Speaking at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championships after his opening round victory, the 34-year-old instead chose to focus on more important issues than his strong start.
As you can see, Aspinall began by stating that “the PDPA now need to step in and help these guys because there’s a lot of guys suffering.”
Having long been an champion for male mental health, in particular – supporting the local Healthy Minds practices in his hometown of Stockport, for instance – he’s been one of the outspoken player on the subject for some time.
Noting that there are at least “two or three people” he refused to name, his message was simple: “There’s a lot of fantastic dart players in our sport, but it’ll be a shame to see so many of them go because of mental health”
The 2019 UK Open and 2023 World Matchplay winner has battled with multiple obstacles, including an ocular condition known as bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome, as well bursitis, which causes inflammation around key joints.
But it’s not necessarly injuries and the physical side of things that have been his biggest concern.
𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗨𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁
"I really do not care anymore.
"I do everything I can to be a good sportsman and you still get s**t. So you know what? I don't care. Say what you want." pic.twitter.com/mCBjQ6kvyj
One of the biggest and most recurring challenges for him has been ‘dartitis’, which many players within the discipline wrestle with the more their careers progress.
Aspinall has confessed to suffering almost chronic panic attacks due to the mental blocks (also commonly known as ‘the yips’) brought about by the intense pressure of playing on stage/live on TV.
With that in mind, it’s great to see him not only back on form and pulling impressive performance such as his ‘big fish’ finish on Friday night, but continuing to draw more attention to the underlying mental health crisis, especially among men. Well played, Nath.
You can watch his post-match interview in full down below.
Emily Sergeant -
11th November 2021 
