What your wedding invitations should include

The dates set in stone, the venues booked; the ceremony is arranged now all you need are people to attend. Ideally your invitations will be sent at least one year before the date of your wedding. They should tell your guests everything they need to know about your big day. Follow the headings below to create the perfect invitations for your wedding say!

THE HOST

Traditionally whoever paid for the wedding was the hosts of the big day and therefore named as hosts on the wedding invitation. However, with the splitting of wedding costs to both families, variations of different hosts can leave you a little confused about how best to word them. So we’ve done the work for you.

BRIDE’S PARENTS –

{Carl and Carole Ferguson}

BOTH SETS OF PARENTS –

{Carl and Carole Ferguson}

and

{Doug and Carolyn Simkin}

COUPLE –

{Abbey Ferguson}

and

{John Simkin}

COUPLE & PARENTS –

Together with their parents

{Abbey Ferguson}

and

{John Simkin}

LOCATION

If you are to having ceremony in a place of worship, then the host will request the honour of the guest’s company. If your ceremony is anywhere else, the host will request the pleasure of the guest’s company.

E.G

CHURCH WEDDING / BRIDE’S PARENTS

…request the honour of your company

at the marriage of their daughter

{Abbey Ferguson}

and

{John Simkin}

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Don’t overdo it at the rehearsal dinner

I’m not the first person and definitely not the last person to admit that sometimes, just sometimes… on very rare occasions… one drink turns into ten. Maybe in an attempt to combat nerves and relax or maybe just because people are plying you full of drink and it feels rude to say no. The night before your wedding should definitely not be one of those occasions. Say no to the freebies, display excellent will power and do some yogic breathing to combat your nerves. The last thing you need on your wedding day is a horrendous hang over. Even the angelic sounds of a harp can be unpleasant with a banging head ache.

Don’t try new food
If you’ve seen Bridesmaid’s you’ll know why an adventurous or a risky dining experience is not ideal the day before your wedding. For those who haven’t seen that film I’ll just say it’s best to stay away from foods that may bloat, upset or disturb your stomach.  You can’t say ‘I Do’ if you’re stuck on the loo.

Don’t drink caffeinated beverages

With nerves and final little details running through your head it may be hard enough to get a good night’s sleep an excessive amount of caffeine probably won’t help. The night before your wedding you’re hoping for a restful restorative sleep so try to avoid anything that will prevent that.

Major beauty changes

No Last minute hair styles, colours or tans. Stay away from anything that could go wrong and be remembered forever in your wedding photographs.

Don’t watch a sad movie

Makeup artists can work magic BUT the last thing you want on your wedding day is puffy eyes from crying! Good chance you’ll shed a tear on the day itself.

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10 ways your friends can help with your Wedding planning

Those familiar word’s of ‘Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you’ are thrown around quite often throughout life. We don’t always take people up on the offers they present but planning a wedding is no small task and allowing people to help is essential. Below are some options of how your guests can help to make the planning less stressful and a little more enjoyable.

1. Perform at the Ceremony

If you’re lucky enough to have a musically-talented friend or family member, having them perform at your ceremony can be really special. If you have a specific song or style in mind, we advise hiring a professional ceremony musician, but your pal can still contribute their musical skills elsewhere. Friend’s in band could play your evening reception or serenade your guests whilst you’re having your photographs taken.

2. Ceremony Readings

This is something that any willing person can do, and is a particularly good way to get younger guests involved. Simply choose a ceremony reading for them or get them rto contribute something they want to and bobs your uncle!

3. Confetti Throwing

This is a really fun job that everyone can get involved with! You can either source the confetti yourself or ask your volunteer to pass them out to guests just before the big moment. Make sure to alert guests to any rules your ceremony venue has set in relation to confetti and prepare your photographer to capture the magical confetti moments.

4. Baking Sweet Treats

If you’ve got high hopes for your wedding cake, it’s essential that you hire a professional – even the best home bakers struggle when it comes to transporting the cake and keeping it looking and tasting fresh! If you’re having a cake table and asking multiple guests to bring sweet treats there’s less pressure. Don’t forget to assign a friend to get the table in order too – they should receive the cakes from the guests, label the bakes, and liaise with the venue to refrigerate anything that requires it.

5. Making Miles of Bunting

Bunting is such a quick way to add colour and atmosphere to a space, and although it’s fun to make your own, it can take a while. If you rope in a few friends, the experience will be quicker and more fun. This goes for lots of other DIY décor items, too.

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How to have a beautiful Wedding on a shoe-string budget

I get by with a little help from my friends:

Your Wedding guests aren’t after fancy arrival drinks and a swanky venue; they’re pumped to see their awesome friends getting married. With this sentiment at heart, most friends would also be thrilled to help you in any small way they can. Whether that’s collecting Jam jars for DIY centre pieces or jamming out on the acoustic guitar for your walk down the aisle. Friends and family are the perfect crowd to ask for support and help with Wedding elements that can save you a pretty penny. Firstly consider the most important elements of your Wedding allocate the money needed to those then consider how you can fill in the blanks with the help of your crew. A pro tip would be to keep a spreadsheet of the delegated tasks, it’s incredibly easy to forget who’s doing what amongst all of the organising.

Do it yourself:

As an avid crafter the thought of this fills me with enthusiasm and joy. Taking time to craft and prepare things for a wedding however fills me with stress and worry. I think the key to this is not over estimating what you can accomplish in the time you have and also planning ahead to allow yourself the most time possible. I wouldn’t wish a wedding eve like the night before final deadline hand in on anyone!! There are tons of amazing craft projects on Pinterest. See my previous blog to find a few of the Wedding Boards I recommended. (Link previous blog)

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How to Write your Wedding Vows

Marriage ceremonies can either be a very formal ocassion or a modern celebration of love. This is neither a good or bad thing and is entirely down to personal preference. Some people gravitate towards tradition and want to stick to the foundation of the marriages that passed before them and some people will opt for a modern approach. It’s becoming increasingly popular to personalise ceremonies and relax some of the more formal traditions. Writing your own vows is a lovely way to personalise your ceremony whilst still keeping the traditions alive. This blog will give you tips and a starting point to writing yours.

1. Make promises you can keep

A promise is a promise so make sure you can keep them. On top of the lifelong commitment you’re making to each other you should consider little intricacies that are special to your relationship. For instance I’m a fairly domesticated person. I can often be found cheerfully cleaning, washing, ironing and cooking for others in my spare time.  However, I have also been known to be extremely averse to taking out the bin and have gone to extreme lengths to avoid taking it out on many occasions. If my beloved promised to take the bins out until death do us part I would be truly elated and feel deeply understood.  OK so maybe the bins aren’t a big deal to you but hopefully it’s prompted you to think of promises you’d like to make to your other half.

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Bayley Mile

For the 3rd year running we have provided refreshments at this annual event, and, for the first time the sun was shining!

If you are a Telford resident, you will probably have heard of the Bayley Mile event.  It started in the 1930s and was revived 21 years ago – it sees children from schools across the town coming together at the start line to run a mile.

We are delighted and proud be sponsoring this event again.  We believe it’s our duty as a local business to get involved in the community, and as the start line at Wellington Leisure Centre  is only a couple of miles down the road from us, it really is a local event!

A big thank you to Siri, Priya and Griff who gave up their time to man the refreshment stall

Yoga for Pre-Wedding Nerves

So, a few weeks back we introduced you all to Abbey.  Abbey looks after all of our wonderful brides & grooms and all things wedding!  However, you are unlikely to know that she also teaches yoga.  Abbey tells us more;

‘My first interactions with yoga were purely for the physical benefits. I quickly fell in love with the postures and flows and slowly began to realise there was a more subtle transformation taking place. After several years the scheduled classes migrated into a consistent home practice then eventually a strong desire to teach and share my yoga journey.

Yoga has played a big role in shaping my life. Through the practice I found strength, gratitude, acceptance and a tool box for coping with life twists and turns. I completed my 200 hour teacher training in September 2018 with Green Yoga International in Mallorca. I am a Registered Yoga Alliance teacher’

This week’s blog from Abbey is about taking time to relax and is something slightly different.  I hope you enjoy it and also manage to practice it.

Clearing the Fog!

As far as planning and organisation for weddings go there are millions of individual resources with varied offerings. Every detail of a wedding is thought out, timed and premed to perfection.  This blog is hopefully going to give you a few tools to use in these ‘monkey mind’ moments!

1. Don’t Forget to Breathe

Perhaps the more obvious of the tips but definitely the most valuable. Breathing consciously in any way is an excellent tool to quiet the mind. One method is simply counting your breath. Exhale fully through your nostrils then begin to count to 5 seconds on your inhale. Don’t rush the counting.  It’s best to stick to the old ‘1 Mississippi 2 Mississippi’ to ensure you’re not shortening or quickening the breath. Once you’ve reached the 5 second counts for your inhale hold the breath for just a moment and begin to count your exhale for 5 seconds. You’re exhaling through the nose however it can feel very therapeutic to exhale through your mouth (imagine you’re trying to fog a mirror) making a ‘haaaaaa’ sound. Exhale fully and allow your body to release any tension further and deeper with each out breath. The breathing is balanced here with equal inhale and exhale; we’re trying to bring calmness and balance back to our mind by drawing the focus inwardly to our breath. PRO TIP: Extend your exhale for a second longer than your inhale to really empty your body and allow for a deep and full inhale.

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Wedding Planning Inspiration

This week’s blog is linked to our Wedding co-ordinator Pinterest account. If you’ve never previously heard of Pinterest allow me to introduce you to it. It’s essentially a virtual scrap book which allows you to ‘Pin’ or ‘Save’ images from other users ‘Boards’. You organise your ‘Pins’ into your own ‘Boards’. In wedding planning it’s extremely helpful and slightly addictive. You can spend hours trawling through centre pieces and dribbling over your dream dress. It’s full of inspiration, tips and DIY projects. Prepare yourself to discover little wedding intricacies that you never knew existed and find inspiration for every aspect of your wedding.

Here are a couple of boards that we follow:

Rock My Wedding –This wedding blog is Midland based and packed full of the most beautifully photographed love stories.

In their own words ‘We like weddings. We like the sexy the sophisticated and the pretty. We like timeless glamour, fashion-forward thinking and photographs that tell love stories.’

Wedding Chicks – This blog is followed by over 5 million people. The content is updated regularly and covers all aspects and provides inspiration for everything wedding.

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3 Little Touches to Enhance Your Day

What makes a wedding ceremony one of the most special and memorable days of your life? Is it the beginning of a lifelong commitment to your chosen other half? Is it the gathering of all your loved ones in one place? Or is it actually because you get to realise your fairytale dreams and live a fantasy for one day. Obviously it’s the first two but the third is a pretty great perk. This blog is to inspire you to think about the little touches that you could add to your day to make it personal and memorable for you and your guests for years to come.

1. Restroom Basket

Weddings are often an all day affair. Lots of eating, drinking and subsequently … restroom visitation! It’s a nice moment when your guests walk into the bathroom to find a selection of goodies and useful items to get them through the day.

Our Suggestions:

Bobby pins/Hair grips, Hairspray, Dry hair shampoo, Hair gel, Double-sided (boob) tape, Feminine hygiene products, Clear nail varnish, Nail file, Nail glue, Lash glue, Vaseline, Deodorant, Hand lotion, Mints, Tooth picks, Wet wipes, Baby powder.

Tips for the execution of a restroom basket:

• When finding your basket, box or container consider the size of the counter or table it will be placed on.
• Collect sample products from your local drug store to keep costs low. They are also normally a handy travel size.
• If you’re full to the brim with wedding tasks and planning delegate this task to a bridesmaid or helpful friend.

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Planning Your Wedding Timeline 

Planning a wedding can take on average 12 – 18 months. There is so much to consider and often the big day itself can be hard to envisage so far in advance. In-between booking the venue, suppliers and thinking about all the little details the final picture of how it all fits together will be easily lost. Today’s blog will be all about a wedding timeline and things to consider when arranging the organisation of your day.

Below are the foundational timings that we work from as a venue to plan your big day. Once you’ve got these timings in place the rest will follow.

First things first

Allocate 1 – 2 hours

‘The moment I wake up before I put on my make up’ (Thank you Aretha) I spoke about this briefly in my previous blog Wedding Planning Made Simple it’s important to consider how you want to wake up on your big day. You want to start your day off  in the best possible way.  Whether that’s an hour doing yoga or time spent with your loved ones, it’s yours to spend however you see fit.

Time for that Makeup

Allocate 2 – 3 hours

We’ve covered the ‘before the makeup’ stage so now it’s time to co-ordinate the arrival of makeup artists and hair dressing. Although it’s not an essential part of getting married, in our experience, it’s common practice for a bride and her bridal party to get pampered for the day. Normally you will have had a trial with your chosen Makeup Artist and you’ll have an idea of how long the process is from start to finish. Be sure to allocate enough time so you’re not especially rushed. This can be a nice time to capture candid moments of the pre- wedding excitement and butterflies so be sure to coincide this with your photographers arrival.

 Behind the scenes – Allocated time to be determined by suppliers

Whilst you are hopefully blissfully unaware, your months of preparation are paying off. Any room dressing suppliers are tying your chair covers, centring your centre pieces, carefully placing the cake and arranging the flowers. It’s important to confirm arrival times of all suppliers and co-ordinate it with the venue so that everyone is aware of what time everythings is arriving and were it needs to be. It’s a good idea to nominate your most trusted accomplice to oversee this stage of preparation whilst you enjoy a delightful stress free morning.

Civil Ceremony – Allocate 30 minutes

Your officiate will of been booked well in advance, your music is prepared (guide lines for music coming up in our next blog) all you have to do is turn up. Then live happily ever after.

Arrival drinks, canapés and photographs – Allocate 1 – 1½ hours

The time spent at this stage is determined by the types of images you’d like of your wedding day and the size of your gathering. A mixture of group photographs and couple images posed and candid are recommended but this can be discussed before hand with your photographer. Whilst you are off doing your couple photographs your guests can enjoy your arrival drinks and canapés or if you decide against providing arrival drinks you may find them naturally congregating at the bar. This step is entirely optional and some ceremonies flow straight into the wedding breakfast.

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Civil Ceremony Music

Hi everbody, this weeks blog looks at the music you can, or, more importantly, can not play during your your civil ceremony.  Your choice of music is a personal choice  and you will have, I’m sure a favourite song or piece of music that instantly springs to mind.  It is the most personal part of the ceremony (besides the vows) but be warned, choosing your music can be a bit of a minefield!

According to UK law any reading, music, words or performance which forms part of a ceremony of marriage celebrated on the licensed premises must be secular in nature.  In other words there can be no religious connections.  So, if you were thing about Bach’s Wedding Cantata or Schubert’s Ave Maria its almost certanily a no!

It is up to registrars and local authorities to determine that the music played during your civil ceremony, from the arrival to the departure of the newly married couple, whether sung or instrumental, or performed live or on CD, must observe this guidance.  They are, in my experience, human and they want you and your guests to have a good time.  A few years ago Robbie Williams song ‘Angels’ and Shania Twains song ‘From this Moment’ were a no, however laws have relaxed a little so it is important to check.

The normal spots for music are as follows:

• Music to encourage your guests to take their seats
• The bride’s entrance
• The signing of the register
• The married couple and guests leave the ceremony

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Wedding Planning

It’s been a month since Martin and I have taken on our new roles and what a month it’s been. In-between meeting our existing Brides and Grooms (who have all been lovely) we’ve been getting ourselves up to speed on every aspect of the department. Luckily working side by side has meant time for lots of laughter whilst digging into endless paperwork. Anyone who meets Martin will know that he has always got time to find the lighter side of life, to share a joke and a smile which makes working with him a pleasure.

During my first month in this role I’ve listened to our future Bride’s and Groom’s talk about how daunting it can be to plan a wedding. There is a host of research, planning and decisions to be made – not forgetting of course budgeting!

As a wedding venue that is family owned and operated we guarantee a more personal approach to wedding planning.  We are empowered to help in whatever way we can to make wedding planning a little bit less stressful.

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Martin and Abbey – The Wedding Planners!

Being a wedding planner, for some, is a dream job.  As wedding co-ordinators here at Buckatree Hall Hotel, both Martin and Abbey take a great deal of joy in the job they do.  Planning a wedding can be great fun, stressful, tiring, inspiring and exciting all at the same time.  Our newly appointed co-ordinators are taking over from Kaya who will be shortly leaving us on maternity leave. We wish Kaya and the family all the very best and can’t wait to meet the new Buckatree Bambino!

So, what do we know about Martin and Abbey?  Let’s start with Martin as he has been an integral part of the Buckatree family for over 5 years.  Martin’s new role is Banqueting Manager.  He is responsible for the operational side of running all weddings & events and will be assisting Abbey with appointments, show rounds and admin duties.  Many of you will already know Martin.  When asked what he is most looking forward to in his new role he said;

“I have always enjoyed meeting and looking after our guests.  In my new role the key focus has to be flexibility and adaptability.  I firmly believe that when you are in a service industry you should make yourself available when the client needs you and not the other way around.  For me, it is important to listen and take on board the needs of the client.  I do not subscribe to a philosophy of ‘that’s how we do it’.

Along with Abbey I look forward to meeting the challenges of my new role and exceeding the expectations of all our existing and future brides and grooms”

Abbey is a recent addition to our team but has been working alongside Kaya since she joined us in October.  Originally from West Bromwich Abbey moved away to work on board a super yacht sailing the Mediterranean sea!  Her experience of dealing with the ‘super rich’ has nourished her understanding of true hospitality.  Abbey went on to tell us;

“When I moved back to the area I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.  I was looking for work and applied for a receptionist position at the hotel.  I quickly learnt the ropes and found myself being drawn into the Events department where I soon took on the role as a part time co-ordinator in addition to my main duties on reception.

I think a lot of people are drawn to wedding planning, particularly us girls with our dreams of fairy tale weddings to our prince charming, as they think it is a glamorous and romantic job.  It is most certainly both of those things, but a lot of hard work and application is also required. Working alongside Martin is a fantastic opportunity as he has built up a wealth of knowledge about both the hotel and also the aspirations of many a bride and groom”

I have seen the passion from Martin, for wedding planning grow every year. I am inspired by the various brides and grooms-to-be who trust in him to deliver their dreams, I can think of nothing more rewarding in the work place than to have been part of creating such a memorable day.

Answering the mountain of emails and inquiries that come in every day requires strong administration skills and this is where Martin and Abbey will work together to answer everything as quickly as possible.

Buckatree Hall is an independent hotel with the support of a great management and operational team.  We are not a big corporate hotel and therefore we can guarantee a more personal approach to wedding planning.  Wedding planning is a wonderful career and most definitely not a 9-5 job.  Both Martin and Abbey are available to discuss your special day, anytime, night or day (within reason!).

For more information about the Buckatree Hall Hotel, visit www.buckatreehallhotel.com or call 01952 641821

Riase Your Glass

Our hotel is not only near one of the county’s most popular landmarks, we’ve also been chosen to represent the county by launching a speciality beer celebrating all things Shropshire.

Wayne Jenson and Reuben Crouch

Buckatree Hall Hotel will exclusively supply Shropshire Stout, created by Cleobury Mortimer-based Hobsons Brewery.

Reuben Crouch, commercial director at Hobsons, said: “I always enjoy coming to Buckatree Hall Hotel and seeing the bar full.

“We have worked together for a long time so we had no hesitation in offering our new beer to Buckatree first of all.”

Hobsons chose Buckatree Hall as their first outlet after the success of the Wrekin Havoc ale there last year.

Hotel general manager Wayne Jenson said: “This new beer further highlights how committed Buckatree Hall is to the local area and showcasing the very best of our county.

“A lot of people got behind Wrekin Havoc last year and it was certainly a talking point for our guests so we suspect this will be the same.

“We have a tremendous working relationship with Hobsons and are pleased to be showcasing this ale.”

Hobsons sources all its ingredients locally and prides itself on contributing to the county’s economy by working with Shropshire businesses.
The stout is a dark beer made using locally grown roasted malts and barley, local hops, water and yeast.

“It’s a great beer, think Guinness, only better!,” Wayne added.

“I am certain our customers will take to it.  Guinness is one of the most successful beer brands in the world.
“Hobsons Shropshire Stout is easily on a par with taste and quality.”

Other locations across the county are set to get their deliveries of Shropshire Stout in the coming weeks ready for Christmas.

For more information about the Buckatree Hall Hotel, visit www.buckatreehallhotel.com or call 01952 641821.

In the words of Slade – It’s Christmaaaaaassssssssss!

Now Halloween has passed, everyone seems to be turning their sights to the next festival and here at Buckatree it’s in full swing.

We have bookings left right and centre for our Christmas events and activities. In fact, we’re having to put on extra events to cope with demand.

Everyone seems to be in the swing of it a lot earlier this year and are busy booking up nights out, lunch parties and general get togethers.

Back in September bookings were already up compared to that time last year, so two months on we are really bursting at the seams now. A party at Buckatree is always a great occasion and words seems to have got around about that. We hope to be able to cater for everyone who wants to attend, so our advice is to get in quick.

We have increased our line up of Tribute Lunches throughout December to 7 of them and included 3 Tribute Dinners as well.

Buddy Holly, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Neil Diamond, Elton John and Tom Jones join us in the afternoons, whilst the girls from ABBA, Elvis & Elton John and Rod Stewart & David Bowie join us in the evening – or at least their best impressionists do.

We still have availability on some dates (although our All-Inclusive parties are in high demand so you better be quick!).

For more information on our events or to book visit the Christmas Parties page here.

October 2017

The sacrifices our veterans have made for us all is something we never take for granted at Buckatree Hall Hotel.

We are truly indebted to our heroes for what they have done for their country. We always mark Remembrance Sunday at the hotel and this year on November 12, we are inviting veterans to join us for a free lunch (terms & conditions apply).

It is our way of commemorating the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and servicemen and women in the two World Wars and more recent conflicts.

Offering a free lunch is only a small way to thank them but one way for us to show our huge appreciation.

I am General Manager here at Buckatree Hall, Wayne Jenson, and I have never been in any doubt that we would once again be offering a free main course for veterans this November.

The event was so successful last year, there was never any question about if it would do it again.

Last year we celebrated with 40 veterans and this year we hope to see even more on Remembrance Sunday. It is a great way for veterans to get together as well as to mark the memorable day with family and friends.

Veterans will receive their main course for free while starters, puddings and drinks will need to be paid for. Guests dining with veterans will need to pay the full amount too.

For more information or to book, see the hotel website, email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952) 641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @buckatreehall.

October 2017

We’re delighted to say we’re hosting a fashion show to raise money for our chosen charity of the year, Homestart Telford & Wrekin.

The show will take place on October 19th from 7pm and there will be fashion brand Captain Tortue showcasing the new collection.

We hope this will be a really popular event with lots of men and women wanting to come and try or buy – while at the same time raising money for charity.

Homestart Telford & Wrekin is a very worthy cause.

The aim of the charity is very simple but very important: to support those with children under five who may need a little extra help, whether they’re struggling with isolation, disability, domestic abuse or they’ve had twins or triplets or even just a hand to re-adjust to their new family life after having a baby.

They do this by training volunteers who then spend time with that family each week to help them find ways of coping and they also fundraise to take people out for rare days out and activities they probably wouldn’t otherwise be able to enjoy.

In addition, the team runs a number of courses which are all aimed at increasing parents’ confidence and helping them to raise happier and healthier little ones.

The fashion show is the latest in a series of fundraising events we are putting on.

Tickets are £5 per person and include tea, coffee and a selection of cakes.

It’s taking place here at the hotel, at the foot of the Wrekin and The Ercall.

To reserve your tickets call 07952 641 821 – we can’t book tickets here at the hotel.

The team at Buckatree are determined to make this our best year yet for fund-raising so we’d love to see as many of our regulars and new faces as possible.

There are collection tins in place for Homestart in our reception and we’re all ears if you have a fundraising idea to help the charity.

October 2017

Toot toot! Have you heard Wellington Train Station is getting spruced up?

For a lot of people the station is their first impression of the area we’re based in so we think it’s very important to have a train station looking as good as it can.

People stay at the Buckatree from all over the UK and beyond, often travelling by train then hopping in a taxi for the short ride to our front door.

That’s why Buckatree has decided to become a Friend of Wellington Station.

We’re sponsoring the revamp which is being completed by local volunteers.

They have been working very hard to make it look as good as new, spending hours tidying up, fixing things, painting and gardening.

They have planted a lavender terrace, a flower and herb cart and platform planters, but they also have exciting plans for a secret garden at Platform 3 as well as ideas for PopUps and Micro businesses.

A brand new visitor guide, sponsored by Go Carz, called Go Wellington, is also going to be published.

We really care about our environment and the people around us so this cause is well worth getting on board with.

There will be an official launch of the Friends of Wellington Station at 10am on October 10th and we’ll proudly be there, we’d love to see as many people as possible willing to come along for the ride too. 

Find out more about the event on the Facebook page here.

September 2017

We have been tucking into cake and enjoying tea and coffee here at The Buckatree Hotel – all for a good cause.

We took part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on September 29 to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support and it has been a huge success.

It was the third year we have supported the charity through its popular coffee morning and we were delighted to welcome plenty of customers to enjoy a chat and a piece of cake with us.

I’m General Manager Wayne Jenson and I’m delighted to say I had a particularly enjoyable morning as I was crowned Star Baker for what was described as an extremely tasty carrot cake and brownies – I’m delighted!

The event is especially close to our hearts as our team leader Martin Vickers, who has worked at the Buckatree Hall Hotel for more years than he cares to remember, has now been cancer free for eight years and had major heart surgery five years ago.

Martin will be a familiar face to many people. He was diagnosed with bowel and anal cancer in 2007 and underwent two years of treatment for 11 tumours, including 21 weeks of chemotherapy and four operations.

In 2012 he then had major heart surgery having suffered a worrying heart attack, which was preceded by more than 30 smaller attacks.

So we always like to support MacMillan Cancer Support.

He told us: “I am a cancer survivor. I had a lot of help and support while I was going through my treatment, mainly my family.

“When I was first diagnosed people from MacMillian Cancer Support came and spoke to me, gave me leaflets about the financial implications, which I had never thought of.

“They talk to you on the ward about what is going to happen to you and when.

“I managed to live through it but as a survivor, when you talk to people who have lost people – family members or friends – to cancer, you feel guilty. Particularly if they are much younger than me.

“I just want to give som–ething back so I’ve started fundraising for MacMillian.”

For more information about MacMillan Cancer Support visit the website or for more information about Buckatree Hall Hotel visit out website, email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952) 641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @buckatreehall.

September 2017
Here at Buckatree Hall Hotel it’s Christmas every day! Or at least that’s what we think.

We have a theory that you hear the word Christmas every single day. And now you’ve been made aware of it you’ll be listening out and realising that it might actually be true.

At this time of year people start preparing for Christmas and making plans (those really organised people do anyway), obviously it’s then Christmas so it’s mentioned all the time, in the New Year people are reminiscing about what happened over Christmas and in the summer… our staff dress up in Christmas hats and go out promoting!

That’s what they’ve been doing for the past few weeks. Our Summer Santa promotion has gone down a treat, we’ve had staff dressed up, crackers on the tables at lunch times and the best part was when our staff in Santa hats went down to Southwater to hand out flyers at exactly the same time that Telford & Wrekin Council had created a summer beach there!

Of course there were people who thought we were quite literally crackers, but it certainly got people talking about Christmas – and booking too!

Due to demand, we have increased our line up of Tribute Lunches throughout December to 7 of them and included 3 Tribute Dinners.
Buddy Holly, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Neil Diamond, Elton John and Tom Jones join us in the afternoons, whilst the girls from ABBA, Elvis & Elton John and Rod Stewart & David Bowie join us in the evening – or at least their best impressionists do.

All of the hard work has certainly paid off with bookings already up this time last year. However, do not despair, we still have availability on most dates (although our All-Inclusive parties are in high demand so you better be quick!).

It seems other people are mentioning Christmas more often than just during the festive period as well.

So, consider this today’s mention of Christmas for you and keep your ear to the ground, you’ll hear or read it more than you realise!

For more information on our events or to book visit the Christmas Parties page here.

August 2017

What do you search for when you are looking for a hotel?

Bright and airy? Close to amenities? In the countryside? With a gym?

Everyone has a preference. And everyone bases their choice of hotel on what is important to them.

With so much choice in the tourism industry these days it is important for us at Buckatree Hall to know what it is that people want.

We’re always looking at feedback and research into this type of thing so we wanted to share one of our favourite tools.
It’s a website which shows you what the public are searching for. It’s http://answerthepublic.com/.

So here’s the top searches worldwide for the words ‘hotel’ and ‘which’ together:
Which hotel to stay in San Francisco
Which hotel is closest to Disneyland entrance
Which hotel is closest to Disney world
Which hotel website is the cheapest
Which hotel program is the best
Which hotel points are worth the most
Which hotel chain is the best
Which hotel loyalty program is best
Which hotel chains accept dogs
Which hotel is the best in Las Vegas
Which hotel website is the best
Which hotel to stay in New York
Which hotel has the most rooms in Vegas
Which hotel chains offer free breakfast
Which hotel hotwire
Which hotel has the best breakfast
Which hotel chains allow pets
Which hotel is drais in
Which hotel has the best beds
Which hotel has the best pool in Las Vegas

So, whilst we can’t be near Disneyland, New York or Las Vegas – we can offer excellent discounts for loyal customers, our chefs slaves over the breakfast (which is included), we allow pets as long as they are on a lead in certain areas (see our pet policy here), but we do have great beds. And because we’re not a chain, we’re family owned, we have a family atmosphere and you don’t need to worry about us trying to meet demanding targets, we focus on you.

Try it yourself with your interests – http://answerthepublic.com/

August 2017

Happy New Year! It’s not something you often hear in August, but we’ve heard plenty of it recently.

The tickets to our New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner have been flying off the shelves so it’s clear plenty of people are thinking about what it is they want to do for the special occasion.

And in fact this week the tickets have sold out!

Wayne Jenson and Martin Vickers at NYE 2016-17

Our function suite will be dressed to impress as guests enjoy a special night of entertainment come December 31st 2017.

The dinner includes a 1960s Christmas show with a 7-course meal and live entertainment. Some have also opted to stay over at the hotel and enjoy the accommodation and English breakfast – no doubt there’ll be a few sore heads on January 1st.

We are really looking forward to the event and can’t wait to see what people think of the excellent entertainment we have lined up. It’s always a good night and plenty of fun is had. Last year my 1970s fancy dress went down really well, who knows what I might wear this year!

But don’t worry if you’ve missed out this time – there is still plenty of other occasions to party with us at Buckatree Hall Hotel.

We have Christmas parties, festive lunches and tribute acts to sing-a-long to at both lunch and dinner times throughout December.

And if you want to start 2018 in style there’s a New Year’s Day lunch too.

You can find our full list of Christmas events here.

But hurry and book your place quick before more events are declared sold out!

Book online here or call 01952 641821.

July 2017

Did you hear the one about the chocolate bar based on The Wrekin?

No honestly, it’s not a joke. It’s in the shops this week!

Forget Switzerland and it’s Alps, there’s a new, altogether British, bar inspired by our very own surroundings.

Poundland has launched a new chocolate bar called Twin Peaks, based on the shape of The Wrekin and The Ercall (more info here). And being the nearest business to The Wrekin we think this is great public exposure across the UK for our well known beauty spot!

The bar is similar in design to the Toblerone, but it has two ‘peaks’ on each triangle of chocolate instead of one.

So, to celebrate we’ve ordered the chocolate bars en mass and we’re putting on a special offer.

The Twin Peaks break here at Buckatree Hall Hotel gives you the chance to have two nights’ accommodation in one of our superior double or twin bed rooms with a 3-course evening meal on your second night and a full English breakfast both mornings.

Additionally, in your room there will be a Twin Peaks chocolate bar* and a signed copy of the book which tells the story of how the Wrekin and Ercall came to be ‘The Wellington Cobbler and The Wrekin Giant’ by Dave Weston.

We are so proud of our surroundings, we can’t wait to spread the word a little more and get The Wrekin (and Buckatree) on the map!

You can find out more about the Twin Peaks offer and book here.

* Please note that Twin Peaks chocolate bars are subject to availability.  If a Twin Peaks bar is not available at suitable alternative will be supplied.

July 2017

Welcome to our new feature, Tales from the rose garden, a monthly blog which aims to give you an insight into the lives and goings on in the kitchen.  As the name suggests, at the centre of this is our Head Chef ‘Rose’ Mclean Johnson.

Daughter to Jamaican parents Rosetta and Benford was born in Wellington, Shropshire.  She has an impressive track record in the catering industry spanning the last 30 years.  However, this is not the career path she first intended.  Rose had ambitions of becoming a nurse and attended Shrewsbury College where she enrolled on a pre-nursing course.

At the tender age of just 17 Rose sadly lost her father to leukemia.  She fell out of love with nursing and embarked on a completely new adventure.  Whilst not an obvious transition from nurse to Chef Rose has always been passionate about food – “I have a very large family.  Cooking, particularly for a celebration was always at the centre of my family life” Her first ‘proper’ job was in a chocolate factory where she packed Easter Eggs (sounds like heaven!).

Soon after Rose went to work at the Park House Hotel in Shifnal as a trainee chef working under the guidance of Paul Clarkson.  Rose quickly progressed and was soon assisting the company by carrying our relief duties at other hotels in the group.  It was from here she progressed and relocated to Southampton where she stayed for 2 years before being contacted by now Executive Head Chef Paul Clarkson who had himself moved to another hotel – Madeley Court.  Rose joined Paul once more and soon became head chef.  After 7 years she left Madeley Court, and Shropshire for stints in Gloucestershire, Kidderminster and Derby before taking on the mantle at Buckatree Hall back in 2004.  Rose has been Head Chef at Buckatree Hall for 13 years.

Recently Rose and I were completing an article for a ‘Chef’s Feature’ in an industry magazine which I thought would be good to share with you all.

What do you look for when creating a new dish or menu?

Whilst the obvious answer has to be seasonality the reality is somewhat different.  My menus are put together by taking into account our customer base, the abilities and time constraints that my team has to work within, and, more so now than ever before, costs.  The cost of food has gone up dramatically over the past 12 months.  Even less popular cuts of meat or fish have in some cases gone up by 100%.  It is not always feasible to pass on all of the increase to the end user, our customer.  This means we have to be even more creative and, in some cases, set trends rather than follow them.

What is proving to be the most popular dish on your menu at the moment?

We have just introduced two new summer salads which both have beetroot as a central ingredient.  I love beetroot, not just the taste but the vibrant colour it adds to any dish.  Both salads, one with Mackerel and one with Goats Cheese have been extremely popular with our guests.

You’re sharing a recipe today, why did you choose this one?

As I said earlier, sometimes you have to set trends and not just follow them.  I cooked my Apple and Stilton Crème Brule for my Head Chef at Bottley Park in Southampton nearly 30 years ago.  At the time it was very innovative and nobody was doing a dish quite like it.  Today it is just as popular and makes an appearance on the menu here at Buckatree Hall from time to time.

Who, dead or alive, would you love to cook for and what would you serve?

My dad.  I miss him very much.  I would cook him belly pork with a Caribbean twist.  We would chat for hours and he would, hopefully, be proud of what his daughter has achieved.

Please do check back next month for more stories from the ‘Rose Garden’

June 2017

Wow!  What a busy and action packed week we have had.  Over the past week all of the male staff members have walked a mammoth 1 million steps between them to celebrate and raise awareness for National Men’s Health week.

Our sister  properties, Carlton Park Hotel in Rotherham and Shap Wells Hotel in Cumbria have also encouraged their staff to get involved and so the competition begins! Pedometers have been given out to everyone so we can record the most steps.

We wanted to get walking to highlight the dangers of belly fat.  Why? Because it’s the type of fat that’s bad for your health and men are more likely to have it. It’s a problem because belly fat lurks not just beneath the surface but also gets down deep and surrounds your vital organs. Regardless of your overall weight, a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.

The week long campaign, run by Men’s Health Forum, is encouraging men to get out their tape measures!  So, how did we do?  Each hotel kept track of their own steps and awarded a prize to the most active.  Here at the Buckatree, Food & Beverage Supervisor, Gavin Gibbs (pictured above) walked 170,433 steps and was awarded a £25.00 cash prize.  Sadly he missed out on top prize of an additional  £60.00 which went to a staff member at the Carlton Park Hotel with over 230,000 steps!

Gavin said: “I really enjoyed being active and it was satisfying to see the steps quickly tallying up on my pedometer. I certainly walked further as I discovered my colleagues were catching up with me. “Being more active is definitely a good idea. I felt more focused as well as relaxed, just knowing I was not only working but getting some exercise”.

The team have really enjoyed the challenge. We are always keen to encourage staff to exercise and it’s been a fun way to promote a serious concern. Sadly we lost the General Manager of Shap Wells hotel almost 3 years ago after he suffered a heart attack and it really does focus you towards taking action. 1 in 5 men die before the age of 65.  The Men’s Health Forum covers a range of topics to help lead a healthy life.  We will definitely be taking part again next year.”

May 2017

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for a popular business award!
The finalists for the annual Shropshire Business Awards have been revealed this week and Buckatree Hall Hotel is up there with the best.
We are overwhelmed to have made the shortlist for the fourth year running and will be doing everything we can to bring home that trophy – just like we did in 2014!

In our category, the Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Award, we are up against Lakeside Coaches Limited, Hadley Park House Hotel and Wroxeter Hotel.

All companies which I am sure do their bit for Shropshire, but we are determined to make sure we do the most and do our family owners proud. We’ve been shortlisted because of the hard work we do in generating tourism for Shropshire, boosting the local economy here and making sure our guests are happy. So, in part, thanks goes to you as well for all your positive feedback – and the advice we have had about how to make your stay a better one, because we’ve reacted to it all.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be visited by a team of judges who will make the final decision.

It’s the 17th time these awards have run and we’ll find out if we’ve won in front of 600 people at an Oscars-style awards night at The International Centre in Telford on June 23.

The event is organised by Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and we’re delighted to be part of it yet again. We love business in Shropshire (as you can see from our last blog post…) and now we’re hoping that businesses in Shropshire love us enough to name us winner of this award. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

May 2017

Wayne Jenson with Shropshire Chamber of Commerce members

There are many different aspects to running a hotel and, while a big part of what we do is focused around guests’ experiences – making sure your food is delicious, your room is clean and the service you receive is top rate, we also do a lot behind the scenes to contribute to the business community here in Telford.

We’re one of 32 Shropshire Chamber of Commerce patrons – which gives us access to a whole range of opportunities such as business events across Europe. This helps us push the Buckatree even further and in turn offer you an even better experience here as we’re learning from the best of the best.

More locally, it enables us to work with partners from across the county, help Shropshire’s economy thrive and it also shows to you that we’re a respected part of the business community.

We also host the Chamber’s Telford breakfast networking club and regularly provide a venue for the Telford Business Club.

We do all of that because we care about what’s happening right here in Telford and we want to do our bit to promote our great town across the county and beyond.

There’s no point having such fantastic facilities (including the Buckatree of course!) if we don’t shout about them and ensure everyone knows what’s on offer here.

There is also a lot to be said for networking face-to-face, while so much these days happens online you can’t replace a good old chat with a fellow business owner. And weeks or months down the line while they may have forgotten about a faceless email sent to them, they’re less likely to forget about shaking your hand and sitting down for ten minutes or so to discuss the economy and what can be done to continue to ensure Telford thrives.

We’ve also got our own business club, with exclusive rewards including discounted accommodation and food, free meeting room hire and special promotions and offers.

You can join by visiting www.buckatreehallhotel.com/buckatree-business-club.

If you’re a Shropshire company then we encourage you to do all you can to be a valuable part of the business community – and if you’re a resident then why not consider what you can do to ‘shop local’ and keep the economy growing!

April 2017

You may not know but each year we pick a charity to support for 12 months, raising as much money as possible to assist the fantastic work they do.

There are so many incredible charities out there, especially within Telford which has an amazing sense of community, so it’s always tough to come to a decision – but I’m delighted to confirm Homestart Telford and Wrekin is our choice for 2017.

I have to admit to knowing little about them before I met their fundraising manager Julia Allinson at a Shropshire Chamber of Commerce event held here at the hotel.

But as soon as I got talking to her, I realised what fantastic work the charity does and what a difference they make to the lives of families in Telford.

In fact they scooped the Businesses for Children Award Charity of the Year title earlier this month.

The aim of the charity is very simple but very important: to support those with children under five who may need a little extra help, whether they’re struggling with isolation, disability, domestic abuse or they’ve had twins or triplets or even just a hand to re-adjust to their new family life after having a baby.

They do this by training volunteers who then spend time with that family each week to help them find ways of coping and they also fundraise to take people out for rare days out and activities they probably wouldn’t otherwise be able to enjoy.

In addition, the team runs a number of courses which are all aimed at increasing parents’ confidence and helping them to raise happier and healthier little ones.

Simple things like having a listening ear for a couple of hours a week, having some support to get out of the house or complete day-to-day tasks or having the chance to enjoy going out together are something all too many of us take for granted but for some it’s their only lifeline.

And that’s why myself and the team at the Buckatree are determined to make this our best year yet for fund-raising. We’re already planning a busy calendar of events which will include a big gin-themed event we know will be really popular!

There are collection tins in place in our reception and guests will be able to buy Easter eggs to donate to a child supported by Homestart.

We’re also all ears if you have a fundraising idea to help the charity and would like to talk to us about hosting your event at the hotel.

Thank you in advance to anyone who helps us help Homestart this year and do check back on our blog as we’ll be updating you throughout the year on upcoming events and how much we’ve raised.

April 2017

Gift vouchers can be the perfect present for anyone hard to buy for. And here at Buckatree Hall, at the bottom of the Wrekin, we have a range of different offers if you’ve got a special occasion coming up and you’re struggling for ideas.

Whether you want to buy a cash gift voucher ranging from £25 upwards or treat your loved one to a Sunday lunch or a Lakeside Restaurant dining experience, we’ve got it all covered and you can even buy online.

If you’re feeling especially generous, there’s even the option to purchase a spring break – a two night break inclusive of dinner, bed and breakfast. Of course we are in the Easter spirit so our guests will enjoy hot cross buns and tea on arrival and enjoy an Easter egg in the room too or a box of chocolates if you stay after the Easter break!

These vouchers are ideal because not only are you buying your friend or family member an experience they won’t forget in a hurry, you’re also giving them access to the beautiful Shropshire hills and plenty of surrounding attractions when they travel to the Buckatree to redeem their voucher.

Of course, there’s the fantastic Wrekin which the Buckatree sits at the foot of and lots of other hills and popular trails for keen walkers to explore but there’s much more than that to enjoy nearby.

If museums are your thing, then why not head out to Ironbridge which is just six miles away? There you’ll find everything from Blists Hill Victorian Town to Enginuity science museum, as well as the famous bridge itself.

Or if there are little ones in your party then there’s Hoo Farm on the outskirts of Telford or the Town Park right in the centre, featuring Wonderland, the ice skating rink, bowling and much more.

One thing’s for sure, you can be certain whether you’re seeking beautiful scenery or a day out all the family can enjoy you’ll find it right on our doorstep.

Simply click here to find out more about our range of vouchers and purchase one today.

April 2017

Spring is well and truly in the air.  With beautiful flowers popping up everywhere and milder weather on its way Buckatree Hall is here to help you celebrate the new season with a fantastic deal: a two-night break inclusive of dinner, bed and breakfast any time between March 20 and May 31.

For just £74.50 per room per night in one of our superior double or twin rooms – with upgrades possible subject to availability, you’ll enjoy a two-course dinner on both nights where you can choose between starter and main course or a main course and dessert and a full English breakfast both mornings.

Plus we couldn’t offer a deal around Easter time without the added bonus of hot cross buns and tea when you arrive plus an Easter egg in your room (one per couple through March and April or a box of chocolates through May).

The offer is already proving popular with new and returning customers, looking forward to celebrating the arrival of spring with us.

And it’s easy to see why, as well as being a great deal, it also gives you the chance to explore the Shropshire countryside at a fantastic time of year.

Keen walkers can climb the Wrekin, which is situated right on our doorstep, and the nearby Ercall or venture off to many of the other walking routes across the county.

Or if that doesn’t take your fancy, then why not enjoy one (or more) of the fantastic National Trust or English Heritage sites in Shropshire, or the World Heritage site of Ironbridge with its range of museums – and the Iron Bridge itself of course!

And don’t worry if the weather hasn’t brightened up enough to enjoy a day outdoors, there are plenty of indoor options in Telford and the surrounding area too.

In fact, when you arrive why not ask one of our friendly team who’ll be happy to point you in the right direction of an activity to suit your party.

Visit here for more information or to book our spring deal today.

March 2017

Wayne Jenson, Phil Morris Jones, Wellington Mayor and Byaley Mile organisers Caroline Mulvihill and Jim Moystn.

If you are a Telford resident, you will probably have heard of the Bayley Mile event.

It started in the 1930s and was revived 21 years ago – it sees children from schools across the town coming together at the start line to run a mile.

What you may not know is that last year we were right there next to them handing out refreshments to the thirsty boys and girls taking part, and this year we’ll be there again too.

At Buckatree Hall we’re really proud to be sponsoring this event and to have our staff there on Wednesday, May 17, from 12pm to 2.30pm to support all of the runners.

We believe it’s our duty as a local business to get involved in the community, and as the start line at Wellington Leisure Centre (Swimming Pool East car park) is only a couple of miles down the road from us, it really is a local event!

Not only it is a great for us to do our bit and give something back to residents, a lot of whom support us throughout the year, it’s also a fantastic day. Last year we loved getting involved and cheering everyone on, and it was amazing to see Paralympian Mickey Bushell MBE handing out the medals.

The track and field star won gold in the 100m at the London 2012 Paralympics so it was a real treat for everyone to meet him.

At the end of the day, there’s also an open race for any of the spectators wishing to get involved. Who knows, maybe you’ll see some of the Buckatree staff limbering up for that one?

If you’re free that afternoon, please do come down and support the children as they take on the mile-long challenge. And if you decide to take part in the open race then do pop and see us for much-needed refreshments afterwards!

Any schools interested in taking part in the council-run event should call Caroline on 01952 567696 or email caroline.mulvihill@telford.gov.uk.

And do keep an eye on the blog as we’ll be updating you throughout the year about the charity and community events we’ll be supporting!

February 2017

February is not all about us humans you know!  Did you know that today is National Love Your Pet Day!  For many of our guests, pooch is a member of the family! Buckatree Hall Hotel is perfectly situated for your four legged friend to explore The Wrekin, Ercall Woods and miles of walks that our Shropshire location has to offer – they will love it!

Man’s best friend deserves a holiday too but when you are checking into your hotel, often poor pooch is left checking into the kennels. What you need is a dog friendly hotel.

We give you the freedom to enjoy your hotel break without the hassle of booking kennels or arranging dog-sitters. If you have a four legged friend that you like to take away, then please refer to our pet policy here.

We look forward to seeing you, and Rex soon!

February 2017

If you are a Telford resident, you will probably have heard of the Bayley Mile event.

It started in the 1930s and was revived 21 years ago – it sees children from schools across the town coming together at the start line to run a mile.

What you may not know is that last year we were right there next to them handing out refreshments to the thirsty boys and girls taking part, and this year we’ll be there again too.

At Buckatree Hall we’re really proud to be sponsoring this event and to have our staff there on Wednesday, May 17, from 12pm to 2.30pm to support all of the runners.

We believe it’s our duty as a local business to get involved in the community, and as the start line at Wellington Leisure Centre (Swimming Pool East car park) is only a couple of miles down the road from us, it really is a local event!

Not only it is a great for us to do our bit and give something back to residents, a lot of whom support us throughout the year, it’s also a fantastic day. Last year we loved getting involved and cheering everyone on, and it was amazing to see Paralympian Mickey Bushell MBE handing out the medals.

The track and field star won gold in the 100m at the London 2012 Paralympics so it was a real treat for everyone to meet him.

At the end of the day, there’s also an open race for any of the spectators wishing to get involved. Who knows, maybe you’ll see some of the Buckatree staff limbering up for that one?

If you’re free that afternoon, please do come down and support the children as they take on the mile-long challenge. And if you decide to take part in the open race then do pop and see us for much-needed refreshments afterwards!

Any schools interested in taking part in the council-run event should call Caroline on 01952 567696 or email caroline.mulvihill@telford.gov.uk.

And do keep an eye on the blog as we’ll be updating you throughout the year about the charity and community events we’ll be supporting!

January 2017 

It’s that time of year again when everything seems to be about hearts, flowers and chocolates.

With the colours red and pink being unavoidable currently, there’s no excuse for forgetting about Valentine’s Day – especially if you’ve popped the question (or said yes!) over Christmas and New Year.

Last weekend, Emma, Kaya and Chantel were lucky enough to meet hundreds of loved up couples at the Telford Wedding Exhibition in Telford Shopping Centre where they started to help with the planning process ahead of the big day.

They joined more than 60 exhibitors who were also showcasing their services from flowers to dresses and suits to your transport – everything was covered!

Whether you made it along to our stand at the exhibition or you didn’t quite make it – don’t worry as you could still be in with the chance of winning a table for two on Valentine’s Day if you can pop along to our very own wedding fair on February 12th from 11am to 3pm.

Enjoy your own one-to-one discussion with our wedding planning experts in the very place you could tie the knot or celebrate your marriage.

Our show offers are also continuing until the end of the month and will be available at our wedding fair including deposit contributions, free chair covers and candy wheel or 15% off the final bill for all non-discounted packages.

This year we’re offering a two-night romantic break from just £74.50 per room per night – it includes accommodation in one of our superior double rooms with your own private balcony.

Rose petals sprinkled on the bed and a box of chocolates waiting when you arrive, and a full English breakfast is served on both mornings.

You can also choose which night to take advantage of the romantic dinner included within the deal which comes complete with a glass of chilled Prosecco – and a single red rose if you stay with us between February 10 and 15.

You could even upgrade to one of our feature rooms subject to availability.

If you’re not free over Valentine’s then you can still take advantage of the deal and book now for a romantic stay any time before November 30 – meaning you’ve both got something to look forward to throughout 2017.

To find out more and book today, simply visit https://goo.gl/0h93SG

December 2016

Basil Fawlty may be an extremely entertaining and comedic character but as a hotel manager he falls way short in the people skills needed to keep a successful business going.

Fortunately here at Buckatree Hall we have a general manager who continues to ensure our hotel maintains its position, high standards and professionalism among the very best.

We are a busy and hugely successful hotel – 2016 has been a record breaker for us – and we are always striving to ensure we maintain those goals for the good of our guests. This can’t be achieved without a highly committed and motivated workforce and here at Buckatree Hall we believe we have the best.

Part of the fun about being a hotel manager is meeting the countless number of people who come through our door – each one has a different experience of life and each has their own unique story to tell.

After taking on the challenge of running the independently owned hotel four years ago, we asked general manager Wayne Jenson to explain what continues to drive him on a daily basis:

“Ensuring everything is right day-to-day is truly a full-time job but it is also a hugely rewarding one and the thought each day that we have made the stay of our guests as good as we possibly can is very satisfying.

“To do this with the challenges any 24/7 business faces and still be able to maintain our very professional approach and high level of service is what it is all about.

“Whilst a lot of things are routine – two days are rarely the same. There is always something that needs addressing or requirements or requests by a guest that need sorting. Every day is different in some way or other.

“Some of the things we get asked or some things that happen are quite unusual but in the interests of guest confidentiality I don’t think I should relay them here.

“You always have to have an open mind and try to ensure the guests’ needs are dealt with in a professional and courteous manner.

“People visit us from all over the world and engaging them in conversation and hearing about their experiences is wonderful. So many from a wide diversity of backgrounds generate an interesting insight for us into their lives and places they come from. It can be a bit like going on holiday without ever leaving the hotel!

“Obviously I am responsible not only for the smooth running of the hotel and the welfare of the guests on a daily basis but also for the workforce. The hotel has 62 rooms and over 40 members of staff, so there’s enough to keep busy!

“We have an excellent staff base at Buckatree Hall and that helps me to keep things on track through the excellent structure we have in place.

“Things usually run well but there are always those instances that you can’t see coming and then it’s all hands to the pump to make sure every eventuality is catered for.

“Another great thing about working at Buckatree Hall is the wide range of events and services we have here. It is always busy and that’s good for me. Whether it’s weddings, functions or a host of meetings by various organisations, there is always something happening.

“It’s a real pleasure to do the job I do and I am so pleased to continue to be a part of such a huge success that is Buckatree Hall Hotel.”

Christmas market arrives in Telford.

A real European Christmas is here in Telford – and Buckatree Hall can help make the season even more festive.

For the first time, the town is hosting a European Christmas Market which is open in Southwater in the town centre until December 23rd.

You can visit the market from 10am to 7pm on Sundays to Wednesdays and 10am to 9pm Thursdays to Saturdays.

There will be around 32 chalets offering different Christmas treats, and visitors can indulge in a hot chocolate or even a festive tipple.

As well as authentic European stallholders selling food, drink and products, around 30 per cent of the stalls will be selling offerings from local companies. There will also be a small fun fair to entertain younger visitors as well as performances from local choirs and acoustic bands.

So as a special treat for those coming to the area to experience the market, from December 1st to 21st we’re offering a two-night break which includes accommodation in one of our superior double or twin bed rooms (with upgrades available).

Also included are a full English breakfast both mornings and a two-course festive dinner with a glass of house wine on one of the nights of your stay.

All of this costs from just £64.50 per room per night.

There is already only limited availability for some nights so do make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. Not only will you be able to browse around the market but you can also take advantage of the beautiful walks around our hotel, whether it’s the Wrekin just on the doorstep or any one of the hundreds of routes Shropshire is famed for – and you must fit in time for a visit to our world Heritage Site of Ironbridge too.

For more information, call one of our friendly team on 01952 641 821 or you can book online today.

November 2016

There’s nothing better than coming inside from a crisp winter walk and relaxing in comfort – perhaps with a bite to eat or a drink or two to warm you up.

That’s why Buckatree Hall Hotel is the perfect location if you’re looking for a base from which to go out and explore the famous sights of Shropshire.

We know thousands of visitors flock to the county each year thanks to our popularity as a walking destination – and where could be better to stay than right at the base of the landmark Wrekin?

The subject of its very own folklore legend and having given its name to not only the saying ‘all around the Wrekin’ but also the Wrekin White cheese produced in nearby Newport, it’s not to be missed for keen walkers coming to Shropshire.

We’re also in prime position for The Ercall, part of The Wrekin and The Ercall Site of Special Scientific Interest with its ripple beds and lava flows dating back hundreds of millions of years and plenty of wildlife including many butterfly species.

Both of these walks are situated right next us literally – (it will take you two minutes to get to the bottom of the Wrekin but a little longer to get to the top – but it’s worth every step!) and there are plenty more you can access just a short while away.

Whether you want to walk the Shropshire Way, take a stroll through the historical site of Ironbridge or perhaps Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail takes your fancy.

Whichever you opt for, Buckatree Hall makes the perfect base with our choice of 62 rooms providing an excellent place to rest for a busy walking day ahead, friendly staff on hand to advise you on the best locations to visit while you’re in Shropshire and we’ve even got a pet-friendly policy so you can bring along your dog to enjoy plenty of walkies too!

Enjoy delicious food in our restaurant or bar to fuel up for the walks you’ve chosen – and of course there’s the amazing views to enjoy too.

We love winter so much we’re offering a “Winter 2 for 1” deal – yes two nights dinner, bed and breakfast for the price of one in a superior double or twin bedded rooms with a two course dinner on both nights and a full English breakfast on both mornings.

And upon arrival we know you may have had a long journey or already enjoyed a walk so we’ll serve you a steaming bowl of homemade soup with half a round of cheese on toast at the side. So, prices are from £74.50 per room per night – but don’t forget it’s 2 for 1!

If a winter walking break at the base of the Wrekin sounds idyllic, then get in touch today to plan your break.

November 2016

Wow what a response to our Let It Snow – Princess Party! The phones went wild as news on our Facebook page reached more than 22,000 people!

There’s no doubt Frozen is as popular as it was 12 months ago! We don’t blame you – who wouldn’t want to take the chance to dress up as a little princess or prince and hang out with the ‘real princesses’ for a couple of hours!

Lots of people have bought tickets and given them as early Christmas presents off grandparents and aunty and uncles or just bought them to make sure everyone is in the festive mood for the big day.

So what’s happening and when?

Our Princess Party inspired by the hit movie Frozen will be held at the hotel on Wednesday December 21st from 12noon till 2pm.

We are expecting lots of mini princesses to turn up in their beautiful dresses and little boys ready in their party outfits to dance and enjoy the first week of the Christmas holidays.

We’ve had parents wanting to get in early and secure their tickets so they can book that special day off work. Or for those who will be still running around getting the last minute presents it will be a welcome two hours of sitting down and enjoying watching the children be entertained by someone else!

Children’s tickets are just £10.95 to include a sandwich lunch and entertainment (under 2’s are free) and £5.95 for adults to include coffee and a mince pie.

We don’t want your little prince or princess left disappointed so book today by calling 01952 641821.

November 2016

Here at Buckatree Hall Hotel we like to give our guests the very best – including top class entertainment on the lead up to Christmas with tribute act visits from Cilla Black, Frank Sinatra and Vera Lynn.

So we’re hosting Tribute Lunches from November 30 to December 19 and visitors can choose from a festive three-course lunch menu to accompany the top tribute act of the day for just £16.50.

The tribute lunches follow on from the success of last year and because of the sell-out dates of 2015 we decided to increase the number of acts this year from four to six – and half of those are already fully booked!

We won’t tantalise you with them (okay so you missed out on Elvis, Buddy Holly and Doris Day – but we have plenty more on offer)

So what’s what’s left?

• December 6th – Cilla Black and Friends
• December 15th – Vera Lynn

The fun will begin when our guests arrive at noon for lunch to be served at 12.30pm. The tribute act goes on stage at 1.30pm and we have some great singers to entertain you so come and join the festive fun at Buckatree Hall.

It’s the perfect date for friendship and community groups and sporting clubs who have their day times free and don’t necessarily want to venture out during the dark winter nights – but don’t wait around as there’s limited availability!

For more information or to book call (01952) 641 821 or email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com

November 2016

We know how much people enjoy an all-inclusive holiday so we thought we’d bring the all-inclusive Christmas party to Shropshire.

As far as we know we are the only independently owned hotel in the Telford area to offer this and we know it works – we saw how much you enjoyed it last year and the year before that too!

We have made it bigger and better every year – and 2016 is no different.

We know what the question is on the tip of your tongue – will there be branded alcohol available? The answer is “yes”. We will have selected brand name beers, house wine and spirits. Nobody will get disgruntled about buying the most expensive round or buying more rounds than anyone else.

Everyone can go to the bar when they are ready for their next drink without having to wait for others to finish or decide what they want.

But it’s not just about the bar! You will also enjoy a three-course choice menu with coffee, crackers, Christmas novelties and a disco.

The all-inclusive bar will be open from 7.00pm to 12.30am with dinner served at 8.00pm. Dancing will continue until 1.00am.

So who will you be partying with if you book in with us on a Friday, Saturday or even a mid-week party night?

We’ve got bookings from business owners who are looking forward to partying the night away, sports groups, community groups and groups of friends and family who want to celebrate together before the kids take over the festive diary!

We are already fully booked for most dates but we do still have availability on the following:

December 2nd, 15th and 22nd. (£49.00 per person)

So get your tables booked as we are selling out fast and why not see if we have a room available to stay over and make a night of it? Our special party night package is only £39.50 per person and includes a hangover kit in your room!

Call 01952 641 821 or email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com to check availability.

October 2016

Martin Vickers, centre, with Shelagh Atherton, left, and her cousin Margaret Baxter, right

Everyone says they go the extra mile but we officially do!  In fact, when it comes to customer service we seem to be getting into a habit of literally going hundreds of extra miles!

Most recently Martin took a trip up north when one of our guests had suffered a fall whilst visiting Ironbridge.  Shelagh was part of a coach excursion and could not face traveling back to her home in Manchester on the bus!

Martin personally chauffeured 85-year-old Shelagh Atherton and her cousin Margaret Baxter, 87, to their doors.  It comes after we have previously delivered a wedding cake back to a bride & groom in Southampton and again chauffeur driven a  guest back to his home in Northampton after his wife had suffered a heart attack.

Before leaving for her home in Manchester, Mrs Atherton said:

“I have never come across such amazing customer service in a hotel before and I have stayed in a few in my 80 odd years.  Martin’s offer to drive us back is unbelievable. Every member of staff has been wonderful. It is our first time visiting Shropshire and based on such wonderful hospitality and care we will definitely be back.”

When people are enjoying their holiday here in Shropshire the last thing we want is for them to leave with a bad memory due to illness or a fall so we always ensure we make it as easy as possible to return home safely.  I feel it is my responsibility as their host to get them home in one piece and with a smile on their face. It is imperative that they arrive home wanting to return to Shropshire again!

Most importantly none of this could ever happen without such a wonderful, caring team.

September 2016

Left – Phil Brown, Hotel Maintenance Manager and Right – Myself

We’re continuing our support of local sports and community initiatives here at Buckatree Hall by donating a new football kit to the Ercall Colts under-13s football team. Last month we donated 16 kits overall to make sure the kids could keepplaying the game they love!

The idea for the kits came about via the parent of a player on the team who happens to work here at the Buckatree, Phil Brown, who is our maintenance manager.

Phil approached me with the idea a few months ago and we have not looked back since.

Having a matching kit means the kids play together as a unit, and I know it’ll be a great boost for them.

The team’s coach, Nick Guy, told me the kids have already played a few games in their new kit and absolutely love them, which makes it all worthwhile. Nick told me he was glad to find such a community-minded business like ours to help out!

The Ercall Colts football club was established in Wellington in 1975, and now has over 100 players across different age groups, from five to 16. It’s a great place for kids to get out, get some fresh air, and take part in friendly competition.

Our donation to the colts is just another way that we’re trying to show our community spirit here at the hotel. We also donated a new bike for the Wrekin Riders BMX club earlier this month.

Buckatree Hall has always been community minded, even more so since the Moon family took over in 2010, and we think it is important that we work with a mixture of groups, so sponsoring the Colts was an easy decision to make.

August 2016

Hotel manager Wayne Jenson with riders Kasperi and Markku Reynolds

Even though the Olympics in Rio are now firmly behind us, the legacy is going to be with us for a while yet, and that’s why we here at the Buckatree wanted to do our bit to keep the excitement going.

With this in mind, we donated a brand new BMX bike to the Wrekin Riders BMX race club in Dawley.

As a Dawley resident myself, I’ve watched the talented youngsters in action, with the Buckatree even hosting many of the riders at the British BMX series a few months ago.

I recently read about the surge in riders since the BMX Olympic rounds in Rio, and this encouraged me to have a look at the facility which is right on our doorstep. It really is fantastic to have a National standard track right here in Telford.

It was brilliant to see such interest, but I knew that not every parent could afford to buy their child a race bike straight away.

With this in mind, I spoke to the club and discovered that whilst they do have bikes to hire to the novice riders, there are far more children than bikes.

The club provided business to us by bringing so many people to the area during the BMX championships, so I thought it was only fair to give something back to them.

I visited the track with my two daughters to hand over the bike, and it’s my hope they’ll start taking part in the novice sessions soon, and, once I’ve recovered from a recent ankle injury, I might even have a go myself!

When I spoke to club coach Kieran Edwards he told me: “We’ve had some fantastic novice and expert training sessions over the summer and we hope the weather will hold out so we can continue training as much as possible.

“There’s no doubt there’s some riders coming through who will certainly be ones to watch in the future.

“We would like to thank Wayne and all at the Buckatree for sponsoring a new club bike – it is generosity like this from the local community which makes it all worthwhile.

“It is exactly what we need – from businesses paying for a corporate trackside banner to donations of services and trades to generous purchases of bikes or equipment – every donation makes a difference.”

If you want to offer any services to the club, make sure you contact Wrekinriders@outlook.com. In the meantime, I’ll start practicing my riding, though we better warn A&E first…

July 2016

L-R, myself, David Weston, author of the book, and Toni Sian William, illustrator of the book and designer of the pump clip.

We’re going to be creating ‘Havoc’ after enlisting the help of Hobsons Brewery to have a special Wrekin Havoc ale on tap, giving drinkers a taste of the real Shropshire.

The unique tie-up between our hotel and Hobsons emphasises the good working relationship we have with our local suppliers, and customers can now feel the benefit of the union with this fantastic new beer.

The actual beer is one of the existing range from Hobsons, but has been specially renamed for us, which is a real honour. It’s a great name for a beer and we are certain our customers will take to it.

The Red Label means it has its own pump clip, and a name unique to the hotel, so it is effectively our very own beer.

Hobsons is based in Cleobury Mortimer and sources all its ingredients locally. It is a proud Shropshire firm serving Shropshire, just like us. We have a tremendous working relationship with them and are pleased to be showcasing this ale.

Artist Toni-Sian Williams designed the pump clip and I am very pleased with the finished article.

Toni also did the illustrations for the book ‘The Wrekin Giant and Wellington Cobbler’, which was written by local author, David Weston.

She said it was an amazing project to work on and great fun – she also said she hopes the design catches the eye of the customers and doesn’t cause too much Havoc in the hotel bar!

As a fan of real ale myself I am delighted with the end result – cheers!

June 2016

Liena Ergle has joined our team here at The Buckatree Hall Hotel after completing a course at Telford College of Arts and Technology.

Liena, 27, from Donnington is the second full time member of staff we’ve taken on as part of the continued partnership, as well as around a dozen casual staff.

We thought we’d share Liena’s thoughts with you:

“I have worked in shops, as a cleaner or in factories but I didn’t have any other experience so people wouldn’t give me any other jobs.

“I probably would have never got this job before, I really like it.

“I am learning everything – it’ll all new to me but it is easy to pick up.

“When you learn more about the company it is easier to do it, like knowing about the rooms and check in and check out systems for reservations.”

Liena has two children and speaks Latvian and Russian as a first language and despite speaking English for six years, decided to complete an evening course at Telford College of Arts and Technology to improve her English writing skills.

“You get to meet a lot of people here, it is nice getting to chat to them and find out where they are from,” Liena added.

“I make new friends as well.”

She landed the role after going to a CV writing workshop with Reed NCFE Senior Employment Broker Shelley Instone, based at Telford College of Arts and Technology, and being notified about the job.

The partnership between our hotel and the college sees 260 students, on 13 different courses, gain a realistic insight and experience the tourism industry.
Those studying business admin, event management, professional hospitality, and travel and tourism complete a traineeship involving one week working on reception, in the kitchen, behind the bar, in housekeeping and in the restaurant.

The aim is to work with professionals in order to make an informed decision about their future.

Mrs Instone said she is delighted to see the benefits of this continued partnership.

“This partnership has had a positive influence on many students.

“We are so proud to be able to work with this award winning hotel and offer a great opportunity for so many of our learners.

“For this to lead to employment for so many people, the latest of whom is Liena, just shows how effective it is and is a reflection of the strong working relationship we have built.
“Many employers may have been concerned at offering this role to someone with no recent experience, but Buckatree Hall Hotel has always been willing to consider the individual themselves and the transferable skills a person has to offer.

“The team are always willing to help others realise and achieve their potential. We are thrilled for Liena and wish her all the very best in her new role.”

Family-run Buckatree Hall Hotel won the travel, tourism and leisure category at the Shropshire Business Awards 2014.

It was also the highest ranking hotel in the BestOf Business of the Year 2016 awards across Telford & Wrekin and has been handed accolades from industry partners Laterooms, Booking.com and TripAdvisor®.

Our General Manager, Wayne Jenson, said: “Liena is a great addition to our reception team and has learnt the role quickly.

“She is efficient and I am pleased to have her on board.

“The partnership with TCAT is proving to be a real success.”

May 2016

It’s not often you get a big charity event on your doorstep, so when it does happen we feel it’s best to get involved.

And we were delighted to be involved in the Bayley Mile in Wellington yesterday.
Not sure what it is? Let me tell you.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager at Buckatree Hall Hotel, and I first heard about the Bayley Mile when I was looking into events that happen near our hotel. We like to be involved in a number of events nearby and help out whenever we can so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The Bayley Mile is a historic road race ran by local school children competing to win the fastest linear mile time.

This year it was the 20th anniversary of the event and we were so proud to be there watching these eager students – competitiveness was truly alive!

We pitched our gazebo in the car park by Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre and handed out squash, tea, coffee and biscuits to those who deserved it as well as family and friends who had come along to offer support.

And boy did they deserve it!

We had never been before so we were not sure what to expect but it was just a brilliant community event which celebrated everything about Wellington and the people in it. The children were great, I think many miles had been trodden in preparation and practice for the event and many trainers worn out.

Medals were presented by Paralympian Mickey Bushell MBE, who lives just down the road in Arleston!

It made us very proud to be based in Wellington and very proud to call this our local community. People were certainly thirsty after all this hard work so we were pleased to be able to provide the squash and biscuits to refresh them a little. It was a warm afternoon but thankfully not too sunny and no rain.

There was an open race at the end of the day too, for anyone who wanted to show the kids how it’s done – if only I hadn’t been wearing a suit or due back at the hotel, I definitely would have been able to show them a thing or two!

Organiser Ross Vickers

Leanne Roberts, F&B Manager, and Priya Don, Catering Assistant at Buckatree Hall Hotel

20 years of the Bayley Mile

April 2016

Do you realise just how many great places there are to visit in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin?

Not only that, do you realise you can get there with special offers from Buckatree Hall Hotel?

Well some people do – because our offer for a stay in the hotel and a trip on the Sabrina river boat on the Severn has been selling like hot cakes.

We’ve sold more than 500 of them in just three days, we can’t believe just how popular they have been.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel and I’m very proud to announce other new partnerships too.

The Sabrina deal is one of three new leisure breaks on offer.  We’re also offering walking breaks at the Long Mynd and at Acton Scott working farm.

We champion Shropshire and all the exciting places to see and things to do within our great county.

We’ve previously offered other deals with Heritage Passports for Blists Hill and deals for National Heritage too.

And it seems it is working – Mark Hooper from Sabrina Tours Ltd said these sales figures were the best he’s heard of.

He said: “We are really glad that we are working together with Buckatree hall Hotel and that this deal has sold so well.

“The figures are pretty phenomenal, I have never seen it sold so quickly before.

“It is great that we have a connection in the Telford area too, being a Shrewsbury based-business this is a big boost to our business too.
“We are always looking for businesses to pair up with and through working with Buckatree we are seeing people come here from all over Shropshire, the UK and beyond.”

And Richard Aldred, Marketing Officer at The Ironbridge Gorge Museums, said when we did it with them it was a success too.

He said: “We’re delighted to work closely with the Buckatree Hall Hotel on a number of joint promotions.

“The offers have always proven successful and help to further promote the area as a great overnight or weekend-break destination.”

So if you’re interested in seeing more of what Shropshire has to offer check out our deals here:

Walking break at Long Mynd

Victorian Farm break at Acton Scott working farm 

River Cruise Break with Sabrina Tours Ltd 

And if you run an attraction in Shropshire please get in touch, we’re always on the lookout for other leisure facilities we can partner with!

Contact me by emailing sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952) 641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @buckatreehall.

March 2016

Our historic family-owned hotel set has been named the best loved hotel in Telford & Wrekin – making that four awards in a matter of months.

We were rated the top hotel in the BestOf Business of the Year 2016 awards, coming 4th in the Telford & Wrekin category overall.

I’m General Manager Wayne Jenson and I’m so pleased, this is a huge coup for us.
It is the latest in a series of awards we have been handed and all voted for by the customers, which makes it all the more important.
We love meeting our customers and getting to know them, as an independent family-owned hotel we have time to invest in this and can make special arrangements for people when requested.
I am pleased this continued dedication is setting us apart from other hotels across Telford & Wrekin, there certainly are a lot of them but not many independent ones.
It is one thing to enjoy your stay but then to get round to leaving a review online is another step and we appreciate it when people take the time to do so.
We will always continue to strive to improve and take all feedback on board – both positive and negative.

This latest award comes at the same time as we were handed a Guest Review Award by online travel agent Booking.com, which showcases Buckatree as a symbol of excellence as a best guest experience provider.

It is also just weeks after we were awarded Top Rated status in the 2016 Simply the Guest Awards, run by global booking website Laterooms.

And last year our hotel The Wrekin was handed a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award.

The accolade by Booking.com and Laterooms is only handed to hotels which have a minimum review score of 80%, taken from genuine guest reviews over the past year, and the TripAdvisor award is given only to establishments that maintain an overall rating of at least four out of five.

February 2016

It’s not what you expect to see in the car park of a hotel in Shropshire.

Farriers from across the world pitched up with horses and equipment at Buckatree Hall Hotel in Wellington to compete for a variety of titles.

The Farriers Foundation charity, which was set up by Staffordshire Farriers to help farriers in times of injury or illness, held it’s annual perpetual trophy and winter ball at the historic hotel on Saturday.

The experts in horses hoof care travelled from as far afield as America, Germany, Norway, Ayrshire, Sussex, Kent and Wales, with 22 people competing during the day and 114 attending the evening.

They raised more than £5,500 for the charity and organiser Sara Nunn said it was a huge success.

She said: “It was a wonderful day of competition and evening celebration.
“Everyone enjoyed themselves,it is always a great occasion coming together for a good cause.
“Last year was our inaugural event and it went so well we decided to come back to Buckatree Hall, once again the hospitality was great.”

Buckatree Hall Hotel, at the foot of the Wrekin, is owned by seven time world champion farrier and trustee of the Farriers Foundation Grant Moon and his family.

Mr Moon said: “I am extremely honoured to be part of this event and delighted that the Buckatree can contribute to their success.
“Last year was very special, the charity was registered in 2014 and the event was held for the first time in 2015 – I didn’t think we could top it but this year has been even better.
“The addition of the competition in the car park was a great pull for crowds and everyone seemed to enjoy it, our loyal regular customers found it extremely interesting and I am grateful for their support as well.
“It is an excellent addition to our industry and I hope it will continue for many years to come.”

The Farriers Foundation is a dedicated, independent charity run by farriers raising funds to support, rehabilitate, educate and prevent for farriers and retired farriers and their families.

The initial inspiration and focus of the foundation was Richard Ellis, who sadly lost his fight with cancer in 2014, but had been mentor and tremendous inspiration within the industry.
Jon Nunn (Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, AWCF), chairman of the trustees of the Farriers Foundation, set up the charity and this year handmade the trophy for the champion of the Farriers Foundation Challenge.
Competition winners from the event at Buckatree Hall Hotel included champion Matt Randles, the Apprentice Champion was Alex Livingston, Lifetime Achievement Award went to David Gulley (Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, FWCF), John Hayes (AWCF) was named Outstanding Educator and Outstanding Achievement of 2015 went to Sarah-Mary Brown (FWCF).

The fundraising auction included many impromptu lots donated by farriers, many handmade.

Mrs Nunn added: “Last year we raised £12,000 for the charity but that was because of the particular lots in the auction – the largest contribution was £4,000 for a bark of a teek tree decorated with horse shoes made by the last seven world champion farriers.
“Although we didn’t reach that sum again this year we always knew we wouldn’t and we’re really pleased with how much we have raised.

“It will go a long way towards helping farriers in need.”

January 2016

We are delighted to announce Buckatree Hall Hotel has been awarded Top Rated status in the 2016 Simply the Guest Awards, run by global booking website Laterooms!

It comes just a few months after being handed a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award and is a great way to start the New Year.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and I’m delighted our hotel is now listed as one of the best-loved hotels in the UK.

The accolade by Laterooms is only handed to hotels which have a minimum review score of 80%, taken from our genuine guest reviews over the past year.

From 82 reviews of Buckatree 85% of people said the would recommended it to a friend, describing the hotel as ‘very good’.

The review score for each hotel is taken from the combination of feedback by guests when they review their hotel, after their stay.
It all means you can book our hotel with the added peace of mind that we offer a top notch stay that regularly ticks the boxes – and more – for fellow travellers.

We have put a lot of work into the hotel over the last year and customer satisfaction is always our number one priority. As an independent, family owned hotel we rely on our visitors enjoying their stay, telling others and coming back.
There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by our customers. As it’s based on customer reviews, this award is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to ensuring everyone enjoys their stay with us in Shropshire.

Guests don’t book here because they recognise the name through a brand, they do it because they know the will get a great service and being Top Rated shows us we’re getting it right. Of course, there’s still always work to be done and we want to push that percentage even higher for next year!

The scores we got on Laterooms are:
Cleanliness – 6/6
Customer service – 5/6
Family – 4/6
Food quality – 5/6
Room quality- 5/6
Value – 5/6

To put you in the picture, the TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award we were handed in September 2015 celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.
To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five.

For more information visit the website, email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952) 641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @buckatreehall.

January 2016

Well, it’s been a pretty busy few weeks here at Buckatree Hall Hotel – we’ve had Christmas parties, Christmas dinners and New Year parties too.

We hope you’ve had a good few weeks as well – maybe something very exciting has happened to you?

It’s a popular time of year for someone to pop not only the champagne but also the question too – so if you’ve got engaged, congratulations!

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager at Buckatree Hall Hotel, and I’d like to extend my congratulations to everyone who has got engaged over the Christmas and New Year period.

And great news – you’re just in time for our new, revamped wedding packages.

We want to see the biggest and best ideas for weddings you have.

It could be an outrageous theme, a never-before seen prop or just something new we’ve not seen here at Buckatree Hall before. Our main aim this year is to let our couples enjoy just what they want and do everything we can to get it for them – the only limit is your imagination.

We’re setting up a new flagpole and will begin creating personalised flags, we’ve been looking into releasing butterflies or balloons on the wedding day – did you know there is a company which will provide you with caterpillars which will hatch into a butterfly at exactly the right time!

We have seen more and more people decide on a themed wedding or ask us what it is we’re able to do for them – the answer is anything!

The only limit on what we can provide for a couple, other than their budget, is their imagination.

Our wedding event organisers Emma and Donna are looking forward to what is to come.

Find out if we can cater for your needs and find out more about the payment plans we offer by speaking to staff at an upcoming wedding event.

Our staff will have a table at the Telford Shopping Centre wedding fayre from January 28 to 31, the hotel will host an open evening on February 2, staff will man a stall at the wedding fayre at Engenuity on February 28, will host a full wedding fayre on March 13 and another open evening on May 3.

For more information visit the wedding section of our website, email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952) 641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @buckatreehall.

October 2015

Weddings are an excellent occasion and we have worked hard to boost the experience of couples getting married here at The Buckatree Hall Hotel.

I’m General Manager Wayne Jenson and I’m pleased to say we’ve introduced a new venue and gave away a wedding!

The competition to win a wedding was a way of celebrating when Telford & Wrekin Council approved a license for our new pagoda in the landscaped grounds – and now couples are enjoying it.

Victoria & Guy’s wedding setting – the pagoda outside the Buckatree Hall Hotel

Victoria and Guy Savage, of Wellington, were one of the first couples to get married in the pagoda and they said it was an absolute dream.
They chose our hotel because of the view, beautiful setting and the fact they are quite outdoorsy people who walk and camp a lot.

It was raining on the morning of the wedding so we rang to ask if they wanted to bring the ceremony indoors and we could arrange everything – but they stuck with it and rightly so, it turned out to be beautiful and very romantic! 

We wanted to introduce the pagoda as a licensed venue because we want to give as much choice as possible to couples, this is completely different to the Lakeside Restaurant and other functions rooms we have recently improved.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough fun, I got to pick the name out of the hat for the couple who won a wedding here.

It was Adam Pierce, 25 of Hollinswood, and Laura Beech, 22, of Woodside.
I rang Adam to tell him and he was thrilled, but about half an hour later I got a call back asking me to confirm it – he’d told Laura and she didn’t believe him so I had to confirm it in person with her too!

The couple, who got engaged this year and had been planning to save for two years before arranging the ceremony, will enjoy a wedding worth £5,000 in November next year.

It turns out the Buckatree was somewhere they wanted to get married anyway because they’ve stayed here before and really liked it, we’re thrilled for them.

Now another wedding to look forward to – I wonder if they’ll brave the outdoor pagoda in November….

For more information about the wedding facilities available visit our website or call (01952) 641821.

Victoria & Guy Savage getting married in the pagoda at the Buckatree Hall Hotel

April 2015

For a while now the hotel has been working with Lawley Primary School.  When we heard about their plans to be one of only handful of solar efficient schools we were keen to see how we could help.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and both myself and all the staff were keen to get involved.

After a ‘brain storming session’ we realised we could kill two birds with one stone by combining our plans to provide walking gear to guests that had been caught short and using the donations from guests towards the appeal.  A win-win situation we thought!

Read more HERE and HERE.

General Manager, Wayne Jenson with Head Teacher Carol Mcquiggin

April 2015

We were delighted to be joined once more by the Jaguar Drivers Club this month. Such a fantastic event with some amazing cars.

Organisers Mr Butterworth and Mr Hugo really ensure the members have a great time and we, as always, are delighted to welcome them.

March 2015

We recently ran a competition to find some of Shropshires’ finest dishes and we weren’t disappointed with the responses!  It turns out the folk of Shropshire are passionate about both their heritage and their food.

After many hours of having to endure tasting sessions we picked a winning dish and Shropshire Faggots were easily our favorite.

The winner, Andrew Constable, was invited into our kitchens to show us how they should be made.

Andrew is a local lad and picked the dish as it evoked memories of his childhood when Nanna Constable would cook them up for his brothers & sisters.

He said: “I have recreated and updated the recipe slightly and am sure Nanna would approve – being given the opportunity to actually cook the dish at the Buckatree was an amazing experience.”

Andrew, we salute you!

March 2015

Earlier this month we had the honour of hosting not one, not two, not three….. but four Golden Wedding Anniversaries.  All four couples were childhood friends having been at school together so it was a great occasion – we were only too happy to supply the cake!

Pictured below are Janet & Geoff Wilkins from Devon, Mary & Bill Heeks from America, Diane & Pete Heeks from Birmingham and Pam & Alan Green from Staffordshire.

Mary & Bill traveled all the way from America for the reunion and Bill & Pete are brothers.  A fantastic occasion and well deserved celebration.  We look forward to welcoming you all again.

February 2015

This week we were delighted to celebrate with Patsy LePennec & Jim Carty who got married here at Buckatree Hall Hotel.  Patsy and Jim live in Southampton but grew up locally and have family in Telford so Buckatree Hall was their first choice.

Following a great day’s celebration both bride and groom were ready to catch the train back to Southampton and begin their honeymoon, however, there was a problem.  How to get back home on the train with all their luggage, gifts and wedding cake?

They need not of worried as Team Leader Martin Vickers came to the rescue and offered to deliver the cake the following week when he too would be heading to Southampton to meet up with his brother.

Below are pictures before Martin set off and when he reunited the cake with Patsy’s sister as they were on honeymoon! Well done Martin.

February 2015

Following on from this month’s community minded project with Lawley Primary School we were delighted to be invited to meet Executive Producer of CBeebies, Tony Reed, and Funella Furchester from the programme The Furchester Hotel.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and of course, I was very excited to accept the invitation – before you could say Furchester Catastrophe I was gone!

My wife first told me about a new programme that was coming to CBeebies called the Furchester Hotel last year, I looked into it and thought it would be fun to start tweeting them, one hotel to another!

I even announced the opening a new hotel in one of our Chamber meetings! Nobody had a clue what I was talking about and most thought I was just plain crazy!

Several months later this is the end result and I am delighted that we have been able to bring this experience to the children of Lawley Primary School who also got to meet Funella and watch a brand new episode of the show.

It is exactly this type of event that brings communities together and Buckatree Hall is proud to be able to contribute, I am only disappointed that Martin, our Team Leader who enjoyed an episode of the show recently when the school children visited, missed out due to being on holiday.

The story made the local paper, see here:
SHROPSHIRE STAR

February 2015

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and this month myself and Team Leader Martin Vickers went back to school.

We entertained children from Lawley Primary School, Telford, baked cookies and watched an episode of the Furchester Hotel on CBeebies.

As a father-of-two I am an avid fan of the show, we all had great fun.

Martin was totally out of his comfort zone but did a fantastic job of both entertaining and educating the children. He also had his ’15 minutes of fame’ when he was interviewed by BBC Radio Shropshire – well done Martin!

I think the best testimonial I’ve heard was from Imogen telling her mum that “Eddie’s mum wasn’t at a meeting today she was at Butlins supervising!”

That shows how much fun they had – they thought we were Butlins!!!

Read the story in full HERE and HERE.

January 2015

Well, hello again, sorry its been a while since our last post back in September but It really has been a busy time for us here at Buckatree Hall Hotel.

Our year has started off very well indeed and I am pleased to report that we did not feel the effects of ‘Dry January’, quite the opposite in fact, we ran out of beer!

Business has been booming and we have been welcoming guests from far and wide with visitors from Denmark, Germany and America.

Take a look at some of our recent media coverage for more information here:

SHROPSHIRE LIVE

MIDLANDS BUSINESS NEWS

September 2014

The Hands Around The Wrekin event here in Wellington, Telford, is almost upon us,.

Sunday 21^st September is set to be a great day which will bring our community together in an attempt to break not just one but four world records!

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and we’re really looking forward to the day. About 8,000 people are expected to enjoy the day so we better start cooking the burgers and sausages for the BBQ now!

Here at Buckatree Hall Hotel Emma has arranged a Pirate Ship themed Bouncy Castle to keep the little ones entertained along with a face painter and music.

Of course, the main attraction taking place is the world record attempts which will happen at the base of the Wrekin itself, in addition a field to the side of the hotel will be the main entertainment arena.

Entertainment has been planned from 10.00am to 12.00pm and then again after the record attempts from around 3.00pm to 4.30pm.  Acts include, Connor Harris, Wrestling and the Jubilee Band.

The roads around the Wrekin, and therefore the road in front of Buckatree Hall, will be closed from 10.00am to allow safe passage to pedestrians.

But if you are coming to the hotel you can still gain access in your car, please be careful, and, be warned, the Buckatree Basset Hound aka Geoff will be on car park patrol!

Let’s hope the sun shines and that lots of money is raised for the nominated charities associated with this great event.

SHROPSHIRE LIVE

COUNTY WOMAN

SIGNAL 107

July 2014

We’ve only gone and won!  WOW! we are so happy to have won an award at this year’s Shropshire Business Awards.

The ceremony was held at the Telford International Center in front of over 600 people.

We were the winners of the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality award and were up against some of the counties best.  This is a fantastic achievement for us and all the team here at Buckatree Hall really deserve this recognition after nearly four years of hard work restoring this beautiful hotel and rebuilding its reputation.

This was the 14th Shropshire Business Awards – the annual ‘Oscars’ of the local economy – and proved to be another glittering celebration, reminding us that the county remains a beacon of excellence, supplying quality products, services and expertise all around the world.

WATCH THE VIDEO

May 2014

Woo Hoo!  We are now a Patron member of the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce. Following a chat with the lovely Teresa Rowe from the Chamber on a totally unrelated topic the subject of the Patron Scheme just came about.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and I must say how delightful it was talking to somebody who is clearly passionate about their job.

Within 48 hours I was drinking coffee with Richard Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Chamber, and shortly after signing on the dotted line.

Shropshire Chamber of Commerce & Enterprise has a mission – to ensure all of its members benefit from a support and services package that improves their business and gives them a competitive edge.  We have always been a member and given the opportunity to join as a Patron was quite simply an opportunity too good to pass up.

It looks like it’s going to be an early start every other Thursday morning from now on as we will also be hosting the fortnightly breakfast meetings.  I knew there would be a catch!

SHROPSHIRE STAR

March 2014

When I was growing up, and still to this day, Sunday lunch was all about family.  The one day of the week when we all came together, the telly gets turned off and occasionally we would all pitch in afterwards to do the dishes!

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and this is a lasting memory for me.

At the Buckatree Hall Hotel we embrace this tradition and serve quality, homemade lunches that the entire family will enjoy (and you most definitely won’t have to do the dishes!).

Our Head Chef Rose and Sous Chef Debbie have been at the hotel for 37 years between them and believe me they have seen some changes and could tell a tale or two! 

The one thing that has stood the test of time more than anything else is ours and your passion for the good old roast dinner.  We offer a choice of five starters, five main courses and five desserts.  For the little ones we also have a children’s menu or smaller portions from the adult menu.

So, if you’re looking for an excellent value Sunday lunch that isn’t yet another carvery why not give us a try and see what you’ve been missing.

I hope to hope to see you soon.

April 2014

Guests visiting the Buckatree this month could be forgiven for thinking they had walked into a fancy dress party – but it was in fact the mayors of Telford & Wrekin and Wellington greeting them at reception.

Councillors Leon Murray and Graham Riley rolled up their sleeves to take on work experience as part of English Tourism Week which aims to celebrate everything that is great for tourists in the country.

The mayors answered phones, changed beds, prepared meals and hovered carpets.

Councillor Murray said: “I was nervous but we had a great time. I had some idea before, but doing this made me realise that working in the tourism industry is hard work, which sometimes is not always appreciated by those receiving the service.
“The Buckatree is a fascinating facility with a good view and great staff, I think it is important to support all businesses and tourism plays a big part in the county.”

Councillor Riley added that the hotel was a feather in the cap of Wellington and a real attraction for the town – and so say all of us!

There is no better way to celebrate all things English than to invite the local mayor to help out the staff.  Both Councillor Murray and Councillor Riley have been a great sport and got stuck in to the experience.

See coverage of this story in the local press here:

SHROPSHIRE STAR

SHROPSHIRE LIVE

SIGNAL 107 FM

May 2014

Well, Fathers Day is just around the corner and unlike Mothers Day which is always a sell-out us poor dads are left on the shelf – again!

So, to combat this travesty we had a brain storm to see what we could do to encourage people to bring their dads out for lunch. I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of Buckatree Hall Hotel, and as a dad this is important to me.

What do dads get for birthdays, Christmas and in fact all special occasions? You’ve got it SLIPPERS!
We will invite dads to come to lunch wearing their slippers. In return you will receive a well deserved pint of beer, perfect!  Slippers of all shapes and sizes, styles, designs and in different states of repair are welcome.

It’s good to show our lighter side and hopefully we’ll see a huge range of slippers on display and there might even be a few brand new ones that have been given as Father’s Day presents on the day.

It will be something we have never done before at the hotel, usually you think of putting on your Sunday best when you go out for lunch for a special occasion.  I am interested to see who will turn up in what – if you’re struggling for an idea of what to get your dad for Father’s Day it would be a great opportunity to embarrass him with some big novelty slippers – but at least he’ll get a free pint too.

Father’s Day is on June 15^th costs £13.95 for adults and £7.50 children.

See the story here:
SHROPSHIRE CHAMBER

SHROPSHIRE LIVE

June 2014

Our Deputy Head Housekeeper, Jo, is soon to be married to her sweetheart here at the Buckatree Hall Hotel.  It’s a day that we have all been looking forward to and many of us will be at the night do so apologies in advance if service is a little slower than usual the following morning!

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of the Buckatree Hall Hotel.
Jo has worked here for four years and met Phil, her husband-to-be after winning the prizes on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.  No, Phil was not a model in a shampoo commercial – they met when Jo spent some of the winnings on a holiday to Greece in 2006.

I asked Jo during a very formal ‘interview’ with tea and cake why she chose the Buckatree for her big day.

She said: “I know from working at The Buckatree that the venue is fantastic, the scenery is great for photographs and all the staff are great, it is a family-run business and a great company to work for.
“I will be working up until Thursday so I will have to trust my colleagues that everything will be set for Saturday, but I am sure it will.”

Jo is a bit OCD when it comes down to detail (it’s why she makes such a great housekeeper!) so I really hope, no, I pray we get it right!
We will be pulling out all the stops for them, I know it will be an enjoyable day.

You may have seen the story in the local press, you can view the articles here:

SHROPSHIRE STAR

SHROPSHIRE LIVE

COUNTY WOMAN

WREKIN NEWS

August 2014

It’s been a busy summer (where does the time go?) and as always our owner Grant has been spending money!

This time it’s our fantastic Pagoda which sits at the end of the gardens, overlooking the lake. We had the structure shipped over from America and we think it looks great.

I’m Wayne Jenson, General Manager of the Buckatree Hall Hotel, and I’m delighted to say the pagoda has already been used by a number of brides and grooms for their pictures.

The plan is to have it licensed in time for next summer so we can hold outdoor weddings.

The pagoda was constructed by our hotel maintenance manager, Phil Brown, who worked tirelessly on it for two weeks, even in the pouring rain (poor Phil!).  Phil always goes one step further than the actual brief though and installed the decking around it which has the same appearance as one of those fancy infinity pools you see abroad, he also installed power for music and LED lights.  Not content he then decided to build new steps leading down from the hotel to the lawns (it’s a good job Grant doesn’t have short arms and deep pockets!).

It was great to watch the progress and guests would often go out to chat to Phil about what he was making, some even tried to employ his services for their own gardens!

We are in such a fabulous location with The Wrekin right on the doorstep so it is really important that we make the most of our surroundings.  Let’s hope the authorities approve and grant us the license for next year – fingers crossed.

SHROPSHIRE STAR

SHROPSHIRE LIVE