Portal Hotel Joins A49 Corridor Initiative

2nd June 2008

A luxury Cheshire hotel is among a handful of businesses which have joined together within a seven-mile radius to attract more leisure visitors.

The Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa in Cobblers Cross Lane, Tarporley, is among the initiative to jointly market businesses in the A49 corridor between Sandiway and Tarporley.

The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the area and encourage visitors from the North West and across the UK as well as from overseas throughout the year.

Vale Royal Borough Council is backing the campaign which will see staff from the businesses involved encouraging their guests to visit the other venues involved in the enterprise.

The award-winning Hollies Farm Shop, Cheshire Polo Club, Nunsmere Hall Hotel and Cabbage Hall in Little Budworth, The Alvanley Arms and Shire Horse Centre in Cotebrook, Blakemere craft village in Sandiway, and The Old Fire Station Chocolate Shop and The Swan Hotel as well as the Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa in Tarporley have signed up to the tourism scheme.

BusyBus is also providing special rates to groups and organisations for everyone who hops aboard its Destination 49 vintage tour bus.

Christine Jones, director of sales at the Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa, said the joint initiative would help all the businesses along the A49.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to offer our guests the chance to visit local places of interest whatever their reason for visiting for the hotel," she said.

"We can provide corporate groups with information on Cheshire Polo Club which is the oldest polo club in England and The Old Fire Station Chocolate Shop which gives chocolate making demonstrations.

"And families will love trips to see the animals and birds at Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre and the shops and aquatic and falconry centre in Blakemere.

"The Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa has completed its £11.8 million refurbishment and extension which means we are a great location for business and leisure guests travelling to Cheshire.

"The A49 initiative is primarily aimed at leisure visitors because each of the venues has something different to offer which we hope will encourage people to make return trips as well as people living in the North West to make day visits to the varied venues.

"Leisure visitors are an important segment of each business and it is great that we have received the backing of Vale Royal Borough Council to entice more people to this particular part of Cheshire."