What To Book Around The UK This Season
Bingham Riverhouse, Surrey
Bingham Riverhouse and its spa has planned a month of wellness events to help guests relax into 2022. Experiences include a ‘Nourished’ menu full of energising and mood-supportive dishes and an Oto sleep retreat from 20th-21st March, which includes healthy seasonal vegan meals, restorative yoga sessions, a massage using Oto’s CBD-infused products, a sound bath, morning yoga and breakfast. Also on the agenda is ‘Renewal’, a spoken word evening in the members' drawing room on 23rd January, plus the opportunity to learn something new with a conversational Spanish course. We like the sound of the ‘Women Supporting Women’ event – yoga and breakfast in support of The Prince's Trust – on 24th January.
61-63 Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 6UT; until 21st March
Visit BinghamRiverhouse.com
Newlands House Gallery, West Sussex
Newlands House Gallery in the charming Sussex town of Petworth is one of our favourite small art spaces in the UK. This month, celebrated British artist Julian Opie is taking over the Grade II-listed space. Presenting him as both a collector and artist, Julian Opie: Collected Works/Works Collected displays Opie’s portraits and 3D sculptures, alongside works that have inspired him. This includes Japanese woodblock prints, contemporary art by Kara Walker, as well as pieces by Chuck Close and Roy Lichtenstein, and original manga sketches from Studio Ghibli. Just 60 miles from London, the exhibition is a brilliant culture fix away from the capital. You can find further reasons to visit Petworth here.
Newlands House, Petworth, GU28 0DX; until 6th March
Visit TicketTaylor.com
Country Creatures Supper Clubs, Cotswolds
Country Creatures, the Cotswolds boutique hotel and restaurant group, has created a fresh guest chef series for 2022. Part of an ongoing series across the group – which includes The Chequers in Churchill, The Swan Inn in Ascott-Under-Wychwood and the The Double Red Duke in Clanfield – the initial line-up includes Richard Corrigan, Ben Tish and Thomasina Miers. Collaborating with the head chef at each site, the guest chefs will prepare a multi-course menu that showcases their individual and creative cooking styles. There’s still availability for 23rd January’s event with Richard at The Double Red Duke. After that, Ben will be cooking at The Double Red Duke on 27th March, and Thomasina at The Swan Inn on 19th May. Ideal for anyone looking for excuse to book a weekend away in the Cotswolds.
Various locations across the Cotswolds
Visit CountryCreatures.com
Bank House, Chislehurst
This month sees the launch of guest chef series ‘Gillies and Friends’ hosted at Bank House, the independent wine bar and restaurant in Chislehurst owned by chef Stuart Gillies and his wife Cecilia. The event will kick off on 26th January with Michelin-starred chef Alyn Williams, who has worked with Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing and spent time in some of London’s top restaurants, including the Berkeley, Chez Bruce and Pétrus. The duo will be taking over the kitchen to serve guests a line-up of dishes drawing on French and British influences, including roast pumpkin with ceps and fresh chestnuts; and suckling pig with faggot, Tokyo turnip and burnt apple puree.
11 High Street, Chislehurst, BR7 5AB; 26th January and ongoing
Visit BankHouseChislehurst.com
Holm, Somerset
Nicholas Balfe, Mark Gurney and Matt Bushnell of south London neighbourhood restaurants Salon, Levan and Larry’s have opened their first rural outpost. In the village of South Petherton in trendy Somerset, Holm is housed in a former bank. As with the team’s London restaurants, the menu is driven by the seasons and has sustainability at its core: expect to sample the likes of BBQ squid with Jerusalem artichoke and sea purslane; Westcombe cheddar fries with pickled walnut; pappardelle with game ragu; and warm chocolate mousse with miso ice-cream. The sleek 34-cover dining room is laid out around the bank’s original vault, which now houses the restaurant’s collection of organic, biodynamic and low-intervention wines, while an open kitchen is surrounded by a six-person dining counter. A garden and terrace will soon host a custom-made grill and space for 50 guests to dine, surrounded by Holm’s own produce.
South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5BW
Visit HolmSomerset.co.uk
Hampton Manor, West Midlands
Hampton Manor is well loved for its experiential two-night stays, and now Dr Sally Bell is launching ‘Health Rewilded’, a three-day escape giving guests the chance to understand the importance of reconnecting with nature and themselves through food. The itinerary has been crafted for visitors to feel “rested, connected and curious in equal measure”. Highlights include dinner at Smoke, cooked by Masterchef: The Professionals winner Stuart Deely, and a sleep-focused yoga practice led by Fiona Morris. On day two, oxygen advantage master David Jackson will lead a breath workshop, before a fermenting workshop with award-winning nutritionist Lucy Williamson, single bean chocolate tasting, and a meal at Michelin-starred, on-site restaurant Peel’s. Dr Bell closes the stay with a guided mindful movement session, providing guests will all the tools they need to take with them into 2022.
Hampton in Arden, Solihull, B92 0EN; 9th-11th February
Visit HamptonManor.com
Leicester Comedy Festival, Leicester
The largest UK comedy event outside of the Edinburgh Festival, Leicester Comedy Festival launched in 1994 and has seen comics such as Bill Bailey, Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle perform on their way to superstardom. This year sees the return of live performances, with over 560 shows, 800 performances and 64 venues. A who’s-who of comedy stars – including Ed Gamble, Henning Wehn, Katherine Ryan, Maisie Adam, Mark Watson, Pam Ayres, Richard Herring, Rosie Jones, Ross Noble, Seann Walsh, Stewart Lee and Suzi Ruffell – will take to stages across the city alongside new acts. Also returning for a fourth year is the popular UK Kids Comedy Festival, which includes a variety of performances and activities suitable for families.
Various locations across Leicester; 2nd-12th February
Visit Comedy-Festival.co.uk
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia Tour, Various Locations
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia, accompanied by the Russian State Ballet Orchestra, are back on stage and touring the UK with their iconic performances of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Snow Maiden, Cinderella and Romeo & Juliet, all brought to life with special effects. This season marks the 20th anniversary of the company’s first visit to the UK. The company will tour until the end of March, and will visit Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Darlington, Edinburgh, High Wycombe, Hull, Ipswich, Leicester, Liverpool, Northampton, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Southend, Wimbledon and Wolverhampton.
Various locations across the UK; until 26th March
Visit RaymondGubbay.co.uk
Eleanore, Edinburgh
Eleanore is the new restaurant and wine bar from Roberta Hall McCarron and Shaun McCarron, located where their acclaimed Little Chartroom used to be. The new spot aims for a relaxed dining experience, with high-top tables and a constantly changing menu. The restaurant serves small plates from the open kitchen, highlighting the best of Scottish produce. Dishes include cured halibut with orange kosho, followed by cod with haricot beans, cockles, samphire and sea persillade. A regularly changing wine list has been curated by Johanna Cole (formerly of other Edinburgh hotspot Lucky Liquor Co.) and a selection of seasonal cocktails makes use of foraged Scottish ingredients and homemade shrubs. Interiors are inspired by the Scottish coastline, incorporating soft whites and hints of dark blues, with earthy tones reflected in the ceramics.
30-31 Albert Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HN
Visit Eleanore.uk
Seaham Hall, Durham
On a clifftop along Durham’s Heritage Coast, five-star Seaham Hall’s 37-acre grounds are a great backdrop for winter walks. New for 2022, the Georgian estate has introduced a variety of outdoor experiences. Beneath a wooden canopy covered with twinkling lights, a sunken fire pit area features faux fur blankets and alpine touches, where guests can enjoy fondue bites and toasted marshmallows. The hotel has also launched a collection of outdoor pods, kitted out with Bluetooth speakers, where groups or couples can order steaks or fish cooked over a Big Green Egg and winter cocktails. The hotel is just three hours by train from London and one hour from Edinburgh, and features two restaurants, a 4,500sq metre spa and 21 suites – some with private hot tubs.
Lord Byron Walk, Seaham, SR7 7AG
Visit Seaham-Hall.co.uk
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