You may go to the Hayes conference centre for the annual Writers Summer School or for other events held throughout the year including religious and secular groups.
Problem
What's the food and accommodation like? Some people say it's dire. Other say it's wonderful.
I say it's wonderful. But with these provisions:
Accommodation
Steadily upgraded over the years, from basic to motel style. This year I saw and stayed in the Main House which has a range of accommodation. The standard accommodation is likely to be upgraded.
I was allocated a room on an upper floor with a sloping ceiling which I found oppressive. I swapped rooms with a friend in order to gain her downstairs room. It has a wash basin. The toilets and showers are along the corridor and around the corner. Upstairs my room looked outside. Downstairs I had a room overlooking an inner courtyard.
Water, juice and coffee or tea were available from the moment we arrived.
The food is now served from self-service buffet stations which is a great improvement. Faster. More choice of food. The breakfast hot chocolatines were great.
Always fresh fruit available at meals. Hot or cold vegetables. Sometimes as many as five cakes for dessert. My favourites were the coffee cake, the carrot cake, the chocolate cake, the fruit salad.
Problem
What's the food and accommodation like? Some people say it's dire. Other say it's wonderful.
I say it's wonderful. But with these provisions:
Accommodation
Steadily upgraded over the years, from basic to motel style. This year I saw and stayed in the Main House which has a range of accommodation. The standard accommodation is likely to be upgraded.
I was allocated a room on an upper floor with a sloping ceiling which I found oppressive. I swapped rooms with a friend in order to gain her downstairs room. It has a wash basin. The toilets and showers are along the corridor and around the corner. Upstairs my room looked outside. Downstairs I had a room overlooking an inner courtyard.
Water, juice and coffee or tea were available from the moment we arrived.
The food is now served from self-service buffet stations which is a great improvement. Faster. More choice of food. The breakfast hot chocolatines were great.
Always fresh fruit available at meals. Hot or cold vegetables. Sometimes as many as five cakes for dessert. My favourites were the coffee cake, the carrot cake, the chocolate cake, the fruit salad.
The history of the building is shown in a cabinet. You have a shop on site. The gardens are lovely, flowers, trees, a lake, with tables outside on the lawn.
Tips
If it's raining, you can walk around indoors from the AB Centre to Lakeside.
You'll find ground floor public toilets in the main building, the corridor towards the main conference centre, the ABC Centre, and Lakeside. The Hayes shop sells colourful notebooks to which a pen can be attached. See wildlife at the Lake. Read up about the history of the building in WWII and the secret passage. (I have previous posts on The Hayes which I have been visiting for about twenty years.
For more details about the conference centre, see the Hayes website.
http://www.cct.org.uk/the-hayes/introduction
The Hayes Conference Centre, Hayes Lane, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 1AU, tel 01773 526 000.
Directions
If you are driving to visit or collect somebody:
About ten minutes drive from Junction 28 off the MI.
Turn off the motorway onto the A38 towards Derby.
Leave the A48 at the exit for A615 / A61 Matlock and Chesterfield.
Take the B6179 to Swanwick and Ripley.
At the traffic lights by the church turn left toward Somercoates. Look for a sign on your right to the conference centre. Free parking at the conference centre and free wifi.
Conference centre booking:
0300 111 4444
Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
To get there from London take the M1 to Junction 28 and follow your Sat nav.
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