Congratulations to the winner of our competition with Hooray's British Gelato Kitchen

- Amanda Young has won a big tub of Hooray's ice cream! 👍  

Many thanks to everyone who entered.

Happy New Year.

Local Independent Giftshop 'For Something Different’ Dazzles to win the Public's Vote in Christmas Window Competition!

Local independent gift shop, ‘For Something Different’ has won the inaugural Public Vote for Stratford’s Christmas Window Competition for their Nutcracker themed window. 

Comments on Facebook include a ‘Beautiful, colourful and artistic display’,   ‘so much attention to detail and Christmas pizazz! 🎅 ‘ and ‘it’s always inspired’.

Shop owners Jondon and Ewa Gourkan, ‘ We are over the moon aim to have won the public’s vote and hope more people will pop in to see the unusual gifts we offer at great value for money - especially at Christmas!”

Runners Up

Joint runners up as voted by the public are Knights Fine Jewellery on Wood Street and Mistral on Bridge Street.  The competition was organised by Stratforward BID.

Everyone who voted was included in a prize draw to win £50 in vouchers to spend in town.  The winner was Amy Price, who voted For Something Different.

Joseph Baconnet, BID Director, awarded the certificates and stated, ‘Many congratulations to ‘For Something Different’ for their display created by the husband and wife team. Stratford looks incredible especially at Christmas and the shops and businesses work hard to make the town so festive.  Shopping local is the key for us all, as where we shop matters to the future of our town.’

Images

For Something Different: Ewa & Jondon Gourkan, Proprietors 

Mistral: Amy Rogers Manager,  Natasha Tout Assistant Manager, Joseph Baconnet – Stratforward BID Director

Knights Fine Jewellery: Chris and Steve Allpress, Proprietors

The deadline to apply to perform is Sunday, December 15th.

To perform on the Bandstand or Acoustic Stage please email a brief description with links to online recordings (YouTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp etc), your website and contact details to stratfordriverfestents2020@gmail.com (Do not use the facebook application option.)

Applications received after December 15th will not be considered.

This year’s Stratford River Festival is 4-5 July 2020.

Many thanks

Stein, Doug and The Crew

Ents Manager Stratford River Festival 2020

Stratford is included in the Guardian's top 15 places to go for a pre-Christmas Break! 

Winter Weekender: 15 picturesque UK towns for a pre-Christmas break

by Gemma Bowes

Christmas was not really a thing in Shakespeare’s day. There’s Twelfth Night of course, and a line in Hamlet (and did you know that Falstaff’s red-nosed drinking buddy, Bardolph, is believed to be the model for Rudolph?) ... yet the Bard only used the C word three times in his writing. How we celebrate today (or did before Black Friday and vegan wellington) is really Charles Dickens’ doing, with roots dating back no further than the 1840s. But that won’t stop Shakespeare’s birthplace going full-throttle on the festivities.

The house where he was born, now the Shakespeare’s Birthplace museum (£17.50/£11.50) is draped in winter foliage by local floral designers until 5 Jan, with exhibits telling how Tudors spent the 40 days prior to Christmas fasting and praying, with houses only decorated on Christmas Eve. Tudor Wassailing is revived from 30 Dec-1 Jan, with cups of traditional hot spiced cider to try. Tudor World (£6/£3), an interactive museum, has Christmas quizzes and atmospheric evening Christmas carol tours with (not Tudor but Victorian) “Ebeneezer”.

Further Tudor and medieval traditions, local history and more Bard facts than you can shake a spear at are covered on a town tour with Stratford Town Walk (£6/£3, daily, even on Christmas Day). Stallholders dress the part at the Victorian Christmas market today and tomorrow, with funfair and light displays.

Pick up gifts Uncle Drosselmeyer would approve of at the Nutcracker, a year-round Christmas shop on Henley Street; vinyl and collectables at Henley Street Antiques Centre; and artisan cheese from Paxton and Whitfield.

You should probably see some theatre. A Christmas Carol at the Attic Theatre (9 Dec), The Nutcracker, or comic show Did We Mention the Free Mince Pies? at The Bear Pit (19-20 Dec) are good options.

Where to eat? All ingredients come from within Warwickshire at 33 The Scullery, where December’s menu has roasted vegetable and walnut crumble or slow-braised local game with mulberry gin and puff pastry topping. Former OFM young chef of the year Paul Foster is chef-patron of Salt, doing clever cooking such as partridge with parsley ketchup and cured halibut with pear, kohlrabi, buttermilk and dill.

Three miles out of town, well-regarded Baraset Barn Restaurant (doubles from £140 room-only) added 16 bedrooms (neutral but with wild fabrics) this year.

See link to the article: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/dec/07/christmas-break-winter-weekend-15-pretty-uk-towns?CMP=share_btn_tw 

Market Cross. Photograph: Stuart Black/Alamy

Formal Consultation is in progress to build an 80 bedroom hotel

with retails units at the current Debenhams site. 

You can email comments or questions to Eddie Wrench by 7th January on planning.applications@stratford-dc.gov.uk.

Application(s) reference: 19/03319/FUL   

Proposed demolition and construction of 6 no. retail units (Use Class A1/A3) and an 80-bed hotel (Use Class C1)

33 - 35 High Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6AU, ForBlue Coast Stratford LLP

The application, plans and any other documents submitted may be viewed at www.stratford.gov.uk/planning  or by using the link below:

Shopkeepers in the frame for a Double Window of Opportunity in Stratford’s prestigious Christmas Competition

Shopkeepers won’t be ‘paned’ to discover they could still be in the frame to win Stratford-Upon-Avon’s Christmas Window Competition, despite two winners being announced.  It was a transparent victory for Cosy Chic Pet Boutique and Dr C P Grey Opticians, the two winners of this year’s competition as voted by the Stratforward BID panel but there are still winning spots up for grabs. 

Vote for your favourite Christmas Window 

For the first time, the public can vote for their favourite Christmas themed window. Votes can be made on the Stratforward website or Facebook and Instagram posts. The closing date is Sunday 8 December. Voters get the chance to win £50 vouchers at a local business of their choice. 

Dr Roy Lodge of Stratford Lights Committee, head judge of the Stratforward BID panel (which also included Stratford Herald editor Richard Howarth and members of the Stratforward team) congratulated the two shops, both local independents, for winning joint first for their stunning displays. “Dr Grey’s windows are as eye-catching as their options of frames! Simply spec-tacular!” he said. “And Cosy Chic Pet Boutique has made great use of their space creating a fantastic display full of charm. It was impossible to separate the two.”

Winning Opticians

Nick Grey from Dr C P Grey Opticians, which won the competition for the second year in a row, said: “Greys Opticians is thrilled to be joint winners of this competition. Grace puts a huge amount of effort into our window displays all year round, not least at Christmas, so it’s great for her creations to get this recognition. She’s outdone herself this year, we can’t find a frame big enough to fit the reindeer!”.

Winning Pet Boutique

Courtney Savannah from Cosy Chic Pet Boutique said: “We’re so delighted to have won! It feels like the perfect start to a wonderful first Christmas in my shop. From everyone here at Cosy Chic, we woof you a Merry Christmas!”. 
 
Outstanding Displays

Scouring the town centre, the Stratforward panel noted many outstanding displays including El Greco which was awarded the Best Illuminated Building title; Gemini, with its dramatic effect where each window was framed with garlands, was awarded a Highly commended; as was Daisy Chain for its detailed attractive display.

Roly’s Fudge excelled itself with the creative touches taken by the shop’s team. Carluccio's gigantic circular wreath was also widely admired and Laura Ashley made the most of its large window by creating a traditional heart-warming scene.  Stratford Sweet Shop’s upside-down Christmas tree also caused much amusement. And of course, Pragnel deserves acknowledging for another stunning light display making Wood Street glow!

Shop Local this Christmas 

Stratforward Marketing and Events Manager, Tor Wilkes said: “Stratforward organises the Stratford Christmas Window Competition to recognise the hard work and thought behind the window displays and hopes to remind people of the pleasure of coming into town.  

“Shopping local is so important especially at Christmas and it’s critical to the survival of many businesses.  

“Keep your eyes peeled for our adverts and posts, to promote Stratford over Christmas. They are based on the popular 48 page Stratford Christmas brochure which has inspiration on gift ideas from Stratford shops and other businesses. Supporting your local town really matters.

Images: Nick Grey of Greys Opticians, Courtney Savanah of Cosy Chic Pet Boutique

Vote NOW for your favourite Christmas Window

in Stratford-upon-Avon to win £50!

Which is your favourite Christmas window display in town?  There are some great displays.  Take a walk around town and let us know your favourite to have a chance to win £50 in vouchers at a town centre business of your choice. Last day to enter is Sunday 8th December.

The winning voter will be chosen at random on Monday 9th December.  

Vote NOW for your favourite. Click to vote on our website here. 

#lovestratforduponavon 

Father Christmas took the winners of the Make a Wish Competition on a magical horse-drawn carriage ride around Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 18th November.

Bell Court's lights were switched on by the winner to an enthusiastic audience.

Magic Alley will be the home of Father Christmas from now until Christmas Eve. To book go to see Father Christmas, click here. 

Win a big tub of mouthwatering Hooray's ice cream!

What's your favourite festive flavour at Hoorays?  They make all their own gelato on the premises in their gelato kitchen in Stratford-upon-Avon on the High Street.

Santa's Grotto, Christmas pudding, Brandy Butter, Gingerbread Deluxe, Fig Cheesecake, Spiced Orange & Cranberries to name a few.

To be in with a chance to win go to Facebook to vote. 

Hooray's British Gelato Kitchen

#eatlocal #independent #gelato #competition

Tuck into the Stratford Christmas Brochure for inspiration on gifts, a what's on listing, ideas on fantastic places to eat and drink and more! 

Click here to see the brochure or you can pick up your copy from most places in town.