News
Westside feature April 2009
25th March 2009
For years Whirlowbrook Hall in Sheffield has been the perfect venue for an elegant wedding. Set in 39 acres of beautiful parkland with lawns and lakes and a gloriously tranquil atmosphere, it has been the place where many society couples have started married life.
But how many people know that Whirlowbrook Hall has a chic, sleek ‘sister’ - The Maynard at Grindleford. This superb recently refurbished boutique hotel can offer the same high standard of service and an equally memorable wedding experience, but with a stylish contemporary feel. A number of celebrities including Dermot O’Leary, The Arctic Monkeys, and members of the Human League have all been guests since the refurbishment.
The two venues – both managed by the Sheffield family firm, Fretwell-Downing - provide couples with the special day of their dreams, a wedding day tailored exactly to their desires and wishes, whether they are looking for traditional formality or a more relaxed, informal wedding.
Built at the turn of the last century, Whirlowbrook Hall was once the home of Sheffield steel baron Sir Walter Benton-Jones. It stands in a secluded spot just outside the City and on the edge of the Peak District in extensive grounds which lend themselves to more traditional and distinctive weddings.
Every type of occasion can be accommodated. The intimate ceremony for just family and a few close friends can be hosted in the elegant Drawing Room where 22 guests can sit down to dinner.
For a more lavish wedding there is the magnificent Egyptian Room, with its oak panelling, sophisticated lighting and beautiful dance floor. The Egyptian Room can seat up to 120 guests and offers a wonderfully versatile space which can be rearranged to suit the day. There is a bar in the adjoining Oak Room and glass doors open up onto the garden where guests can wander at will and almost step back in time to the days when Whirlowbrook Hall was a family home. The garden makes a stunning backdrop for those very special wedding photos.
The gardens at The Maynard are a lovely setting for wedding pictures too. The hotel’s idyllic situation overlooking the picturesque Derwent Valley is all the more incredible when you realise just how close it is to Sheffield. It can be a delightful ten minute drive from Whirlowbrook Hall or a train ride from Dore, which brings you to The Maynard’s door in just seven minutes.
Weddings at the Maynard are very different, largely because the hotel has undergone a stunning transformation over the last couple of years turning it from traditional country inn to sophisticated boutique destination.
But also because of wedding planner Carly Montisci, who according to Director Paul Downing: ‘provides the very antithesis of the off-the-shelf, mass market wedding.’ Weddings at the Maynard are personal - boutique perhaps – and absolutely nothing like those at national hotel chains and larger wedding venues.
Professional and unflappable, Carly guides couples and their parents through every aspect of the wedding from the moment the date is fixed to when the happy couple leave for their honeymoon. Meetings with Carly are informative and fun, she will show the families round and talk at length to the bride and groom to find out exactly what they want. She will do as little or as much as is needed – and if they want her to take the entire organisation of the reception off their shoulders she will. She can organise it all from the flowers and table plans to the music and even the cake stand and knife – and can also recommend photographers and other tried and tested professionals as well.
Like Whirlowbrook Hall, The Maynard can cater for wedding parties of all sizes from just the happy couple and their witnesses right up to a larger gathering.
A memorable wedding breakfast can be held in the Windsor Room which caters for up to 30 people, while 50 can be hosted in the superb new dining room which opens on to a decked terrace with the garden beyond. Then there is the elegant ballroom holding up to 130 guests and boasting a superb sprung dance floor which is legendary among regular visitors.
It’s tempting to think that the apparent grandeur of The Maynard and Whirlowbrook Hall comes at an unaffordable price. But Paul is acutely aware of the current economic situation and can offer special mid-week wedding deals which make getting married an attractive proposition even in a credit crunch.
The Maynard’s food is prepared by head chef Ben Hickinson – a ‘local lad’ who has worked his way through the ranks to secure the top job. Together with his team he takes great pride in offering a superb choice of menus using fresh local ingredients. And they must be doing something right; The Maynard already has two AA rosettes, awarded in double-quick time in 2008, shortly after the refurbished restaurant re-opened.
‘Local’ is very important at The Maynard. Paul has pledged to use suppliers from the immediate area wherever possible…and not just when it comes to produce. The exotic flower arrangements found all over the hotel come from a local florist, the pictures in the dining room and reception lounge are by local artists. One is a magnificent scene by Georgina Atkinson of Giant Minds Art in Wirksworth, which shows the panoramic view had there been a window in that particular wall. Kristian Baggaley of Sheffield painted the original picture which was the inspiration for the colourful landscape print on the ceiling.
The cutlery in the restaurant comes from David Mellor’s Hathersage workshop, the wine for The Maynard is provided by John Hattersley of Bakewell and for Whirlowbrook by John Mitchell of Sheffield.
But what makes The Maynard such a special venue is the uncompromising attention to detail reflected in the refurbishment. The history of the building with its stone mullioned windows is honoured with the coats of arms etched into the glass, contrasting with the very modern charcoal walls and leather sofas in the reception lounge where bridal parties can have drinks before the wedding breakfast. There is more art here – an eclectic mix chosen by Paul, which is both surprising and pleasing.
The hotel has ten double bedrooms, all en suite with plasma screens and all individually designed, making them a popular choice not just for the newly-weds to spend their first night, but for other wedding guests as well.
The bridal suite is superb with lavish magenta and gold wallpaper, a stripped oak floor and, surprisingly, a roll top bath in the room – discreetly placed so there are no compromising situations. It’s the little touches like the Penhaligon toiletries and the gloriously fluffy bathrobes which help to make everything perfect.
The other rooms have their finishing touches too – how many hotels have whirlpool baths with relaxing coloured lighting which changes as you bathe?
And one other detail, exclusive to The Maynard, is the stationery. All wedding information goes out on notepaper backed with the same design as the wallpaper in the bridal suite. And the hotel also has a series of fun door hangers asking housekeeping staff to either tidy the room or not disturb the occupants. Where else would you find instructions such as “Pillow fight in progress…”, or “Go ahead, make my day…”?
Happily the fantastic facilities at both venues are not restricted to weddings; indeed they are perfect for conferences, corporate events, dinners and dances and private parties too.
Whirlowbrook Hall has a range of beautifully appointed rooms which can be used for almost any purpose. As well as the Egyptian Room, which can be opened up for a larger event, there is The Oriental Room, perfect for intimate lunches and particularly popular for companies wanting to meet away from the office. The Music Room can be set up for meetings of up to 18 people and receptions for up to 24 and the elegant and versatile Drawing Room, can host dinners, theatre style meetings or buffet receptions.
And you don’t even need to be part of a formal event to visit Whirlowbrook Hall – one of the venue’s best kept secrets is its café, which is open to everyone who visits the park.
Families, dog walkers, anyone out for a quiet stroll can call in and enjoy a cup of tea and a toasted sandwich or piece of cake. Sunday lunches and other exciting developments are planned for Whirlowbrook Hall for the summer.
The facilities at The Maynard are equally as good for meetings and conferences, with smaller ‘break out’ rooms available too; but are particularly popular for parties and dances in the ballroom.
When quality counts with important events whether they are weddings, conferences or other celebrations, having two contrasting venues to choose from, both delivering consistent high quality, makes a challenging job very much easier.
Ends…
The Maynard
Main Road
Grindleford
S32 2HE
01433 630321
www.themaynard.co.uk
e-mail: info@themaynard.co.uk
Whirlowbrook Hall,
Ecclesall Road South
Sheffield
S11 9QD
0114 221 3003
www.whirlowbrookhall.co.uk
