A weekend break in Chester

   A friend of mine from Chester recently started talking about her home town during a dinner party recently, and by the end of the discussion I was sold on a visit to her city!

So on the 18th of October, for £14 one-way, £28 return I had a cheap but windowless 2hr40min train ride, first with Virgin from Euston with a change in Crewe to Arriva, which was easy to manage.

 From the station into town is about a 10 minute walk and upon arrival into the city centre, you immediately understand what is unique about Chester, with its two-tiered shops/galleries, the Eastgate Clock (2nd most photographed in the UK to Big Ben) and the complete city wall all the way round the city. Shortly after these impressions came the second realisation – Chester has excellent shopping ! From high street to high fashion, the city is bursting with shops, and despite my greatest efforts, I was unable to even make a dent. The (not so scary) Night Ghost tour , starting from outside Chester Town Hall , was an excellent way to get to know the city with Alan the Blue Badge guide, and it brought the history of the city much more into focus than I would have otherwise had, plus plenty of gross out moments – fires, dead bodies, public hangings and mishaps of all kinds.

Lunch on Saturday was at Joseph Benjamin, a restaurant and delicatessen on Northgate Street in Chester, run by brothers Joseph and Benjamin, Chester natives recently returned from London. They have homemade produce (made on the premises) including cakes, pastries, pâtés, terrines, chutneys and pickles, and the on-site delicatessen is stocked with a selection of excellent quality items sourced locally, nationally and from around the world. Dinner at Oddfellows restaurant on Saturday night –excellent food, and guests of the hotel get to order first from the members’ lounge with champagne and then are escorted into the dining room when the first course is ready. There was even a full vegetarian tasting menu, which never happens, so a big plus for vegetarians.

Oddfellows opened 6 months ago, and has quickly become the hottest of hotspots in Chester. It is a restaurant with rooms, and is AA certified, says Communications director Izzy Grey, so we can in fact promote The Dining Rooms, the Oddfellows Bar, and the accommodation side as well. The rooms are only 4 – very private, one floor up from the members lounge with a separate entrance for those making Chester their dirty weekend of choice!

Since the weekend at Oddfellows, I have been struggling with the words to describe it, so here are just some facts: Odd is a way to begin, there is an Alice in Wonderland theme, an upside down table on the ceiling, giant candelabras on the bar tables, a tiny room which you can privately hire that fits just one table and two chairs and no-questions asked, a members-only club, the Dining Rooms restaurant which has just recently won a Rosette. There is a golden Hennessy safe in a special ‘meeting’ room that is filled to the brim with Hennessy (who sponsored its restoration after it was found on site during the refurb). Izzy will go the distance for her members and guests, will arrange any party, any activities on the right side of the law (including helicopters to the Lake District and Pajama Parties on site). Oddfellows restaurant with rooms, on a Saturday, is more a Club with a Bar with a Restaurant with rooms, so if you are looking for a peaceful getaway, Oddfellows would not be right. However, if you are looking for absolute fun in ‘the’ place to be in Chester, check out Oddfellows.

Sunday lunch was at Upstairs at the Grill  – interior decorator part owner of Oddfellows, similar design, owners of Upstairs own Bar Lounge (another Chester hotspot) and Hakkasan in London recently stole their chef, but in spite of this, the food was excellent (again, plenty of veggie options as well!) And above all and from everywhere I ate cheese – in the market, in every restaurant – I have never tasted so much excellent cheese as in Chester.

The rest of Sunday was shopping, shopping, shopping....until the 18:56 train back to London!

Blogger: Jessica Ainlay

Comments

[esther rosie]

Chester is a truly beautiful city. There is so much going on throughout the year. With plenty of annual historical events such as the Minerva Festival, Chester Folk Festival and many others; which are unique to the city of Chester UK.

[ashleygerrald]

Yes.. thanks for the great tourist information. I know the A weekend break in Chester is very famous in England actually i am planing to chester ferry trip i like so much Connecticut River. Warner's Ferry,