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Plans for a huge new water park resort with swim-up bar just over an hour from Manchester
This looks very proper good
There’s plans for a huge new water park resort, complete with hotel, zip-line and pool with a swim-up bar, just over an hour’s drive from Manchester.
Plans for the new water park resort could be submitted to Derbyshire County Council as soon as April for the new development.
Public consultation on the proposals is now underway with construction estimates coming in at around five years by developers Hillcrest (Crich) Limited.
The resort called ‘Amber Rock Resort’ would take over the derelict 44-acre Crich Quarry just north of the Derbyshire village.
The resort will feature a giant indoor water park as well as a 166-bed hotel, 148 straw bale lodges – seven of which will float on the quarry lake – and 210-holiday apartments.
Some of the quarry faces will be turned into climbing walls. There will also be a zip-line running across the site from a viewing platform on the top of the quarry. Visitors can also expect a bowling alley, shops, a restaurant, swim-up bar and a sports hall.
The waterpark will be built across two levels and feature the usual waterslide, raft ride, lazy river and outdoor pool as well as the rather tropical addition of a swim-up bar.
The website hosting the consultation reads: “Combining a mix of eco-friendly accommodation and exciting leisure activities, our vision for Amber Rock will restore the old quarry set within this beautiful rural backdrop, preserve its heritage, and boost the local economy.
“We want the Amber Rock resort to become an asset for the community.
“The Amber Rock resort will actually increase the environmental value of the area through improved biodiversity and added landscape amenities.
“Celebrating the unique features and history of its location, Amber Rock will also preserve the local environment and protect the community for years to come, ensuring the site will never be used for mineral extraction or future industrial use.
“Plus, a unique mix of leisure activities suitable all year round, making it a destination with the community at its heart and somewhere to create unforgettable memories.
“Amber Rock’s diverse facilities will actively encourage longer stays to reduce the number of day trips, while specific check-in/check-out times will be applied to reduce effects of peak traffic flow. We’ll also arrange various shuttle buses to transport guests to local attractions.
“Our vision is also about restoring this beautiful setting. Carefully designed to blend into the stunning rural landscape, and to be constructed using locally sourced and sustainable materials where possible, it will deliver minimal visual impact beyond the quarry.”
The project will be built using many of the materials from the quarry itself and generate 200 jobs. The resort will also have 100 full-time and part-time staff once open.
The developers explain that extensive work has been carried out to assess the impact of traffic on the village of Crich itself, the nearby tramway village and Sherwood Foresters Monument.
Who’s looking forward to this?
What's On
Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Can’t wait for this!
Live From The Grill is returning in 2024 for a third year, bringing with it next level barbecue food, drinks, live music and DJs.
Deansgate Square will once again host a weekend of BBQs from some of Manchester’s best restaurants, including Hawksmoor, who will be serving up the ultimate steak sandwich.
Also serving up some top scran will be Knight’s Caribbean BBQ, Japanese robata by Kitten, Food Sorcery Cookery School, and Chit ‘n’ Chaat with Indian street food.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Plus, there’s £3.50 pints all day and other drinks deals exclusively for Manchester’s Finest subscribers – so make sure you get signed up.
The free event is taking place on Saturday August 31st and Sunday September 1st, down at one of the city centre’s most exciting new neighbourhoods, New Jackson.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s day-long parties are free to attend with tickets. Saturday will feature Rinse.FM residents Habitat, DJ G2 & Friends, soulful drum and bass from Rare Groove, and Manchester’s longest-running club night, Funkademia.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Sunday is curated by Gigpig and is all about the bands, including rising jazz superstar Kemani Anderson, electro-soul singer Yemi Bolatiwa, 60s and 70s-inspired blues duo Corduroy Moustache, singer-songwriters Ruby J and Grace Kelly, as well as a set from DJ Lenny.
Live From The Grill 2024 is happening at Deansgate Square, New Jackson, M15 4TN, from 12pm till 8pm both days.
Tickets are free, grab them here.
What's On
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
Get yourself down!
What promises to be Manchester’s biggest after work drinks is happening this week, and you can head down for a pint on us.
Manchester’s Finest is serving up complimentary drinks at a secret location in town, and you’re invited to enjoy an after work drink on the house.
This is in collaboration with the new ChinChin app, which helps you organise nights out with your mates.
Manchester’s Finest Group
The massive after work social is happening this week, on Thursday August 15th.
Simply head to the secret location from 5.30pm to enjoy one of 400 pints being given away – choose from Amstel, Inch’s cider or a soft drink.
The fastest and easiest way to make plans with friends, download the ChinChin app to find out where to head and join in the fun.
Manchester’s Finest Group
To secure your invite (and free pint), create your ChinChin account, click the link to let us know you’re coming, and head to the secret spot – which will be revealed on the app.
And if that’s not enough, ChinChin will also throw in £5 Uber credit for attendees to safely get home too – redeem it when you first check-in on ChinChin.
Please drink responsibly.
What's On
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
The best street food is coming to Manchester
The British Street Food Awards Northern heats are coming to Freight Island this weekend, bringing with it some of the region’s best street food.
Part of the largest street food competition in the world, the free event arrives in the city this summer this weekend, August 17th and 18th.
The Northern champion will be selected by a panel of judges: Matty White, known for his work on Manchester’s Finest and Steph’s Packed Lunch, Luke Payne, chef at The Pack Horse in Hayfield, and British Street Food Awards founder and food journalist Richard Johnson.
Hello Oriental
The participating traders have now been released, along with their taster dishes which are all available at £6.50, as well as an additional ‘killer dish’.
You can sample Caribbean food from Back-a-yard Jamaican, Baldy’s artisan pies, Burgerism, Colombo Street’s Sri Lankan street food, and Asian fusion from Fuku, and Hello Oriental.
There’s Greek classics from Mega Gyros, Mia’s Arepas, Pattersons fried chicken, Indian street food from Payal, Rio-Mex’s fusion of Brazilian and Mexican street food, and BBQ from Smoking Coal.
British Street Food Awards
Don’t miss traditional Malaysian cuisine from Syiok-Lah, That Ziki’s Greek street food with a modern twist, and Zapp, who are bringing traditional Polish street food.
Past winners of the prestigious award include MEATliquor, Wingmans and BAO. The winner of this year’s competition will head to London for the UK finals in September.
And in even better news, you can head down yourself and try all of the North’s best street food over the weekend.
Colombo Street
You can also have your say in the People’s Choice award, with the winners of both announced on August 18th.
The awards coincide with Freight’s summer of top tier – and free – music programming too, with Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip headlining Sunday’s line-up, alongside the Body Heat DJs.
Grab your free tickets here.
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Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
