Visit Lancashire

Guest Blog: Martin Hargreaves, senior chef de partie at Stanley House

Twenty-four year old Martin Hargreaves, senior chef de partie at Stanley House Hotel’s fine dining restaurant Cassis, was crowned Lancashire Young Chef of the Year in at the LETS Awards (Lancashire Excellence in Tourism Skills) in November 2009 before going on to compete in the finals of North West Chef of the Year 2010.

Martin, from Hoghton near Preston, trained at Blackburn College and has worked at Stanley House since it opened nearly six years ago. He started as a trainee in the Cassis kitchens and then moved to the pastry kitchen as a commis chef for two years. He was promoted to senior chef de partie last year. This is his blog:

A magical evening with Peter Pan

It’s a rare event; an annual pilgrimage; an experience passed from one generation to the next. The Dukes’ walkabout performance is here again, to be precise for the 24th year running and this year it’s Peter Pan.

The production itself was beautifully crafted moving from the Darling household, where Peter Pan first appears to Wendy and teaches her to fly, to Neverland and the Lost Boys with the first half concluding in a spectacular scene of mermaids, bubbles and pirates on the lake. Each scene delighting young and old, who de-camp enthusiastically to each location with their fold out chairs, rugs and in some cases very full picnic baskets!

Working at Clitheroe Castle

Rachel Jackson has been Site Manager at Clitheroe Castle Museum since it re-opened in 2009 following major restoration work. I met Rachel in early 2010 to find out more about one of Lancashire’s newest visitor attractions and what it’s like to work in the museum.

Rachel starts by telling me that they have been very busy since the museum re-opened and that she’s working on a number of projects including two with a local school on a media project to produce a film of the castle and another to organise a one day Norman experience in the grounds of the castle. It is clear that Rachel likes the hands on approach to learning;