Press release 13 August 2014
Melksham Town Focus
13 August 2014
Melksham is a beautiful market town located on the banks of the river Avon and was once part of a vast royal forest and a favourite hunting ground of Tudor Kings.
The town is home to independent shops and plenty of cafes, pubs and restaurants. Melksham is compact and easily accessible; all within walking distance are the library, gym, swimming pool, tourist information centre and parks.
There is a market in the town centre every Tuesday from 9am to 2pm where shoppers can buy local food as well as home furnishing and household products. This summer the town centre will also be hosting Melksham Comic Con a fantastic sequential arts festival. The very best of the comic book industry will be showcased via retailers, guest artists and writers, and independent creators selling their own work. The festival will run from the 30 -31st August, 10.30-17.00 on the Saturday and 11.00-17.00 on the Sunday.
The festivities don’t end there as the following weekend (6-7 September) is the Melksham River Festival, a fun weekend for all the family on and by the river Avon. There will be boat trips, canoeing, lots of land based activities and an Edwardian theme.
The quite rural roads and beautiful landscape that surround the town are well worth discovering and there is no better way to do this than hiring a classic car from Vintage Classics. Choose from Jaguars E-Type or MKII, Austin Healey, MGC Roadster, Alfa Romeo GTV, Alfa Romeo Spider and Audi Quattro Turbo. Open seven days a week from 9.00-17.00.
Just minutes away by road, Lacock is home to the Fox Talbot Museum, Abbey and the village itself. It is famous for picturesque streets and has been the backdrop to many TV and film productions, including the Harry Potter films and Pride and Prejudice. The Abbey will be holding an Outdoor Cinema event on Friday 29th August at 9pm with a screening of the award-winning Grand Budapest Hotel. Tickets are £8, and viewers are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic.
Visitors staying in or around Melksham can choose from a number of hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses. Well House Manor is just a few hundred metres from the town centre and offers large luxurious bedrooms, fast Wi-Fi throughout and fresh coffee all day. Rooms are priced from £72 per night. Less than half a mile from the town centre Beechfield House Hotel, Restaurant and Gardens has 24 en suite bedrooms all refreshingly different from one another and named after the trees found in the beautiful grounds. Rooms are priced from £100 a night which includes breakfast. The Lock Keeper’s Cottage offers bright and comfortable accommodation just over two miles from Melksham situated right on the Kennet and Avon Canal. For a 3 night stay prices range from £124 to £209 per unit per night.
When eating out around Melksham there are a few great options. Celebrity Chef Marco Pierre White’s Pear Tree Inn is just two miles from the town, in Whitley, and was awarded the National Dining Pub of the Year 2007 and more recently 2 AA rosettes. The food is produced from locally based suppliers and the pub is open all year round. In the nearby picturesque village of Atworth is The White Hart, a traditional old English public house that dates back to the 17th century. The pub is both family and dog friendly and open every day of the week.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Josh Voulters 0207 886 8452
Sophy Norris 01392 248 934
visitwiltshire@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
Note to editors
VisitWiltshire was established in August 2011 and is the official Tourist Board for Wiltshire. It is a private sector membership organisation representing over 550 members. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.4billion and supports over 27,000 jobs.