Newbury’s Giant Easter Egg Hunt 25 March–2 April 2016

The giant Easter bunny is hopping around Newbury delivering giant Easter eggs to secret locations in the town centre, which can only mean one thing … the Giant Easter Egg Hunt is back!

Taking place from Good Friday 25 March until Saturday 2 April, this is a fabulous event for all ages.

Head for the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway (open every day of the event 10.30am–4pm, with the exception of Easter Sunday 27 March) where there will be activities for children, including free face painting, arts and crafts, treats and toys to play with.

To participate in the Giant Easter Egg Hunt, collect an entry form from the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway or from the main square in the Kennet Centre. Follow a trail around town – all within easy walking distance – to find 15 giant eggs and work out clues which will help you crack a secret code. Crack the code and return your form to the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway no later than 4.30pm on 2 April.

Correctly completed forms will be entered into a fantastic prize draw: 1st prize a £150 John Lewis voucher; 2nd prize a £50 voucher for The Entertainer toyshop; 3rd prize a ‘You Crack me Up’ Easter egg from Hotel Chocolat. Prize winners will be announced on Monday 4 April.

Now in its third year, the Giant Easter Egg Hunt is fun for all the family, brought to you courtesy of Newbury BID, Parkway Shopping and Rainbows of Inches Yard, Newbury.

Newbury Spring Festival – Booking Now!

West Berkshire’s extravaganza of a musical festival happens in May but tickets are on sale from 1 March, and with so many brilliant performances planned you are advised to book early.

The first thing to be aware of is that this is no elitist music festival. With a variety of genres to choose from – and a wide variety of price-points – the Newbury Spring Festival is for anyone and everyone who enjoys music, and all are welcome.

In 2016 the Festival takes place from 7–21 May, at a variety of locations in Newbury and outlying villages. Every day for the whole fortnight there is at least one event at the Corn Exchange, and this is where you can collect a brochure for the full low-down on what’s on, where and when (there are daytime and evening performances), or look on line at www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk.

Whilst everything has a musical element, there are delights other than full-blown concerts to enjoy – some events come with a special twist.

For example, Rainer Hersch and his orchestra (above) is known for having audiences in stitches with his comic genius. Joe Stilgoe is another hot favourite, and this master of music and wit will be at The Vineyard where you can dine in style at the same time.

For jazz lovers there is not only the wonderful Clare Teal but also the National Youth Jazz Orchestra; and for guitar enthusiasts the legendary John Etheridge’s Sweet Chorus.

Quartets are a theme this year ­– including 4 Girls 4 Harps, Ferio Saxophone Quartet and The Escher Quartet – one of the USA’s leading ensembles who will perform at Englefield House, the same venue hosting none other than The Duke of Devonshire with his talk about his ancestral home, Chatsworth. Or how about hearing mega-star Elaine Paige in conversation at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s home?

For something a little edgy and different, Breaking the Rules is a part concert/part play about extraordinary 16th-century composer Carlo Gesualdo. Or how about ballet? The Royal Ballet is being screened live from the Royal Opera House with their premiere of Frankenstein.

Opera fans are catered for with a gala performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto at Combe Manor. On a lighter note the extravagent Little Baroque Company bring Bach’s Coffee Cantata to town (with coffee and cake an added temptation).

Children are well catered for too – again the Little Baroque Company lay on something special with their Tales Through Music. Sound Beginnings with Sleeping Beauty at Sheepdrove Eco Farm at Lambourn is especially aimed at babies and small children – truly the way to introduce little ones to the delights of the classics. And the delightful Hand to Mouth Theatre returns to the Corn Exchange with a charming and sweet puppet show.

With anniversaries this year of Shakespeare’s death and the Battle of the Somme, Newbury Spring Festival marks these with Stile Antico’s Touches of Sweet Harmony, celebrating The Bard, and international British baritone Christopher Maltman with The Solider – from Severn to Somme; a perfect opportunity to hear his magnificent voice in a local venue.

For lovers of everything classical there is a huge choice – from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to the remarkable young pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, from the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra to the Vienna Piano Trio, and from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to award-winning choir Tenebrae performing Russian Treasures.

On the subject of choirs, everyone who loves to sing is invited to the ‘Sing Your Heart Out’ workshop, to rehearse and later perform with the Newbury Spring Festival Choir – guaranteed to be a fun day.

But that’s not all, so do pick up a brochure or look on-line to find out what else is in store.

www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk

Box office 0845 5218 218

Christmas is coming ...

Hurry along to Newbury on the weekend of 12 and 13 December to meet Father Christmas (by Christmas magic he will be in more than one location!) and join in the beautiful Lantern Procession on Sunday.

On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December you can meet Father Christmas on his special Santa Boat Trip. The iceboat Jubilee departs from The Wharf in Newbury at 12noon and 2pm on both days and sails along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Greenham Land. During the trip there will be a Christmas story, festive songs and a present for the children (plus a mince pie and mulled wine or a hot drink for the grown ups). Tickets are £8 and available from Newbury Visitor Information Centre. Other dates are also available; call 01635 30267 or email tourism@westberks.gov.uk.

If you prefer to see Father Christmas on dry land, he will be at the Kennet Centre on both Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December too! His sleigh is being prepared for Christmas Eve so on this occasion he will be arriving by none other than a marvellous Batmobile at 10am on the Saturday with some special super hero friends before parading around the Kennet Centre and settling in to meet lots and lots of children. Do pop in and see him over the weekend!

As darkness falls on Sunday 13 December, Newbury will be aglow with the annual Festival of Light Lantern Procession, a fantastic family event organise by the Corn Exchange. Take along your own lantern or just go along and join the procession or simply enjoy the spectacle as it passes by. Meeting time is 4pm and the procession starts at 4.30pm in Northbrook Street, wending its way to the Market Place where the huge Christmas tree stands in all its glory.

And if you still haven’t met Father Christmas, there will be a chance to see him in his grotto opposite Debenhams in Parkway from 17 to 23 December (Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm and Sundays 11am–4pm).

And make sure you’re in Newbury on Thursday 17 December as both during the day and evening the town will be awash with entertainment, late-night shopping opportunities and choirs.

Activities start at midday with children’s rides throughout the town, street entertainers and festive market stalls … and even three wise men on camels!

Road closure is extended to 9pm for a safe, traffic-free environment, and there is free parking 5–9pm at Parkway, Kennet Centre and Northbrook multi-storey car parks.

As it starts to get dark, local choirs will be out and about singing in different parts of town, before everyone gathers in the Market Place for the grand finale: the fantastic Choir of 1,000 Voices – a truly special annual Christmas event in Newbury. You don’t need to be in a choir to join them, just turn up and you will be given a free song sheet so that you can join in the singalong (and hold on to that song sheet for a chance to win a £100 John Lewis voucher).

It’s always a very Merry Newbury Christmas!

Biddy: Like a Kid in a Toy Shop at Camp Hopson

I love a good toy shop and was delighted when Camp Hopson opened a toy department earlier this year. It was my first port of call when my grandson, DD, turned 3 a few weeks ago and now with Christmas fast approaching I made another pilgrimage.

Situated on the first floor of Newbury’s famous department store, what I really like about Camp Hopson toy department is that it is not too big. I find those ‘toy supermarkets’ overwhelming – just too much stuff and too much choice in my opinion – so having it all in a contained area at Camps suits me very well.

Another thing I especially like is that there is a fantastic range at very sensible prices. Yes, you can get a rocking toy lion for several hundred pounds if you feel the need, but there are lots of toys and games for well under £10 too.

And yet another thing I like (I know, I do go on!) is that many of the items are ones that will give children something to do – so they are often educational but in a fun way. There is a good range of Lego, for example, and activity books and craft kits – the sorts of things that will keep children entertained for hours, and certainly well beyond Christmas Day.

Rest assured there are, of course, plenty of hard-to-resist cuddly toys, cars, dolls, trains and so forth, too … something to delight every child on Christmas morning.

It is no surprise to me that the family-run Morleys group (who took over ownership of Camp Hopson a year ago) were named Toy Retailer of the Year 2015, claiming the crown above such toy legends as Hamleys and Harrods.

If you have little ones to buy for, I’d recommend putting Camp Hopson at the top of your Christmas shopping list.

And what have I got for DD? Well, that’s between me and Father Christmas …

Happy shopping … and Happy Christmas!

Biddy x

Newbury Artisan - Sunday 1 November

The first Newbury Artisan – a new type of market in the pedestrianised part of town – takes place on Sunday 1 November, with a focus on food, crafts and ‘suitcase sales’.

Edible offerings will include street food to feast on there and then, and farmers’ market-style wares, such as artisan breads, local cheeses, fresh veg, hand-made pies and cakes, local beers and ciders … all great for taking home to enjoy later.

Alongside the food stalls will be handcrafted goods and gifts from designers and craftspeople who aren’t usually on the high street. Something a little different will be ‘suitcase sales’, where micro-businesses can, as the name suggests, create a diminutive market to sell from a suitcase. This might be anything from jams, chutneys and honey to vintage treasures and trinkets.

Newbury Artisan will be a diverse, quality, shopping experience that celebrates independent producers. Equally importantly, it will create a place where you can enjoy a day out, meet friends, eat, drink, browse and chat to the craftspeople, making for a social shopping experience.

Brought to you by Newbury BID, plans are in place to introduce the market as a regular monthly feature next spring. Taking over the whole of the pedestrianised area, Newbury Artisan will be held on the second Sunday of the month and offer a new social event on the Newbury calendar.

Newbury Michaelmas Fair

Newbury Michaelmas Fair

14–17 October 2015

The sun is a-rising to welcome the day.

Heigh-ho! Come to the fair!

So go the words of the old song, and fingers crossed that the weather will be set fair for the Newbury Michaelmas Fair this year, which takes place in Goldwell Park, Newbury RG14 1RS.

The centuries-old Michaelmas festival is named after ‘The Feast of St Michael the Archangel’ and was one of the four days in the year which marked the changing seasons. The tradition of Michaelmas celebrates the end of harvest.

In Newbury, this has evolved to become a traditional fair held in the autumn and the fun of Michaelmas Fair starts on Wednesday 14 October and doesn’t end until Saturday 17 October, so there are plenty of days on which to go and enjoy all that the event has to offer.

The fair is officially opened on 14 October at 6pm by the Mayor of Newbury. This is ‘half-price night’ so you can enjoy all the fun for only half as much as you would normally be paying.

Over the course of four day there is much to see and do, with over 20 fabulous fairground rides – including white-knuckle thrills on the Oribitor, where you spin 150 feet above the ground, to the ever-popular dodgems and, for those who like to take things at a more gentle pace, the pretty carousel.

Michaelmas was traditionally a time for feasting on goose, but in the 21st century you can feast on all sorts of tasty treats at the Newbury Michaelmas Fair while browsing over 50 stalls, including the chance to win prizes on lots of games. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a fair without a fortune teller.

On Friday 16 October at 9pm there will be much ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ when the fuse is lit for a spectacular firework display.

Finally, there is the last night to look forward to on Saturday 17 October before Newbury says goodbye to the Michaelmas Fair for another year.

Biddy at Beale Park

Have you been to Beale Park? It’s at Lower Basildon, not far from Pangbourne.

It’s a great family day out and the husband and I took our grandson DD there recently. He is pre-school and there was much there to entertain him, but it is great for bigger children too and I am sure many schoolchildren have passed through its gates over the summer holidays.

There is lots here for adults as well, so don’t for one minute think it only appeals to children. The animals are a big draw for all ages and it would be hard to choose between the ring-tailed lemurs, the meerkats and the monkeys in terms of cuteness. However, DD had different ideas and his favourite area was the one that the guinea pigs and such like call home … mainly because there is a tunnel there that he could run through, all very exciting when you are only two and a half.

They are big on birds at Beale Park, and we got to see a peahen strutting her stuff very nonchalantly with two of her brood, as if on a royal progress. We enjoyed the beautiful parrots with their flashes of bright colours and, having had a bit of read up, I learned that they actually have 120 species of birds here, one of the biggest collections in Europe. And all thanks to Mr Gilbert Beale, who in 1956 had private land converted into parkland so everybody gets a chance to enjoy it. Thank you, Mr B! 

For some time-out, the gardens are a lovely place to sit and relax or take a stroll to enjoy the water features, and there is a small museum with a model boat collection in the Pavilion. Another museum, particularly appealing to those of us of a certain generation, is Treasured Toys, where if you were a child in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s you are sure to say, ‘I had one just like that!’ Happy days.

There were a couple of school trips underway when we visited, but you would hardly have known it as the park is so vast. The children just could not get enough of the various play parks; DD was straight in there too and had great fun on Pirate Island, and especially liked the sandpit. Then there is the 12-inch-deep paddling pool … but be warned it is a tad chilly! There are changing rooms, so remember to pack swimming gear.

Best of all for car-mad DD was the Little Tikes Village, full of the plastic houses and cars that youngsters so love. He would, I am sure, have spent all day there, but having driven every vehicle several times and run in and out of every little house, we managed to persuade him away with promises of lunch. (By the way, there is an indoor Little Tikes area too; great for rainy days.)

You can take your own picnic to Beale Park – the deer park is all geared up for this, and there is even a zipwire should you have the urge to fly above the scene. However, we opted for the Peacock Restaurant where there is plenty of seating, both inside and outside. Whilst DD had a child’s lunchbox with a variety of goodies, the husband pushed the boat out with burger and chips and I had a hot beef roll, and we both voted them very good choices.

We saved the final treat of the day to the end of our visit – a ride on the miniature narrow-gauge diesel railway; the price of one ride is included in your entry ticket. The driver was lovely and friendly, clearly enjoying his job and never tiring of waving to the children watching the train go by.

If you want a day out in Berkshire, with or without children, I would recommend a trip to Beale Park (www.bealepark.co.uk for more details). It definitely gets the thumbs up from me.

Biddy x

Battle Proms at Highclere Castle

A summer’s evening in the grounds of Highclere Castle (‘Downton Abbey’ to many fans); what could be a more perfect setting to wave the patriotic flag and sing a rousing rendition of ‘Rule Britannia’? 

This year’s Battle Proms takes place on Saturday 1 August, and is a chance to picnic in the splendid grounds of Highclere Castle – historic home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and where the ever-popular television series ‘Downton Abbey’ is filmed – whilst enjoying eclectic entertainment, magical music and fantastic fireworks.

You are welcome to take your own picnic and relate equipment, or you can pre-order and let someone else do all the preparation so that you just turn up, relax … and have fun. 

The Battle Proms themselves have been staged since 1997, the first event taking place at Battle Abbey in East Sussex and the purpose being to create a stage for the live firing of dozens of replica Napoleonic cannon to the strains of ‘Beethoven’s Battle Symphony’. This year, of course, the event will be extra special, marking 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo.

The programme of events starts when the gates open at 4pm. Time to lift the lid on those hampers, pop the champagne corks and soak up the atmosphere.

Early evening sees a Napoleonic display of mounted cavalry taking to the battlefield.

Fast forward more than a century and see the vintage-style group The Rockabellas performing songs to mark milestones in the Second World War, reflecting the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the end of the Second World War 70 years ago.

At 7.25pm comes the Battle of Britain Gun Salute, leading in to the main event: the magnificent musical programme.

All eyes will be drawn to the skies as the Grace Spitfire performs in perfectly choreographed style to the opening pieces of this evening of classical favourites, performed by the New English Concert Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Coombes and hosted by the BBC’s Pam Rhodes.

The event draws to a close at around 10pm, with, as you would expect from all the best Proms, a flag-waving sing-along, culminating in a spectacular firework display as a finale.

Pre-booked tickets from now until 31 July are £36 for adults (£40 cash on the gate and subject to availability so pre-booking is strongly advised); children age 5–15 £17 (free to those age 4 and under). Discounts for advance group bookings. 

To book tickets, reserve picnic hampers and furniture, and for all further details visit: www.battleproms.com. Tickets are also available locally from the Visitor Information Centre and Corn Exchange in Newbury.