Press Centre

For any PR enquiries relating to the family, the Holkham Estate and its related businesses, please contact Perowne International, 6 Derby Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7AD telephone: 0207 078 0295 or email holkham@perowneinternational.com
High resolution images can be obtained by using our image library or by contacting Holkham Marketing Department Tel: 01328 713103 or please contact us by email.
Photography taken for any commercial use must have prior written consent from the Holkham Estate.

Local Charity Launches 25th Anniversary Appeal

Press release from The Benjamin Foundation.

2019 marks the 25th anniversary since The Benjamin Foundation was established. To mark this milestone the Norfolk and Suffolk based charity has announced plans for a high-profile, visually appealing, engaging and, most importantly, family friendly celebration, and they are appealing for the public to get involved.

They plan to create a dramatic art installation called Flight for Youth which will feature up to 25,000 glazed pottery butterflies glazed in one of the charity’s four distinct colours – pink, purple, orange or red. The public are being invited to purchase a butterfly but before taking receipt of their commemorative piece the butterflies are being used to create two dramatic and high-profile art installations, at The Assembly House and Holkham Hall.

The charity is also inviting schools, care homes and other groups and organisations to purchase unglazed butterflies, which they can design and decorate themselves using acrylic or enamel paint. The decorated butterflies can then be loaned back to the charity for inclusion on one of the installations at the Assembly House or Holkham Hall. Participants can then visit the installation and see their butterfly in situ.

Colin Lang MBE, Special Projects Manager who has created the appeal said: “We hope this presents an engaging, creative, fun and low-cost activity for your students, with plain kiln fired butterflies just £12 each. Groups could even create a competition or a fun Easter activity around the butterflies.”

Flight for Youth also aims to raise funds to continue the work of The Benjamin Foundation, so the charity is appealing to companies in the region to get behind the campaign through sponsorship. They are delighted that many companies have already pledged sponsorship, including Norwich High School for Girls, who are headline sponsors.

The Benjamin Foundation was founded in 1994 by Richard Draper and his wife Vanessa, following the death of their son Ben and for 25 years the charity has been helping people across Norfolk and Suffolk. Tony Ing, Chief Executive of The Benjamin Foundation says: “Twenty-five years is an important milestone for any organisation. It marks an opportunity for us to celebrate and reflect on where we have come from, what we have achieved and what our priorities are for the next quarter century.”

For more information about how to GET INVOLVED there are multiple ways to get in touch:

E-mail: colin.lang@benjaminfoundation.co.uk
Call: Colin Lang on 01603 886 933.
Website: https://benjaminfoundation.co.uk/flight-for-youth/
Twitter: @CharityTBF
Facebook: CharityTBF
Instagram: Charitytbf

22nd February 2019 - New Rooms to See in Holkham Hall

• Follow in the young Princess Victoria’s footsteps as history celebrates the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth.
• Holkham unveils the Venetian Bedroom and the Old Servants’ Hall to the public for the first time.
• Discover how life was lived upstairs and downstairs at one of the UK’s most prestigious stately homes on behind the scenes tours of the servants’ areas, attics and the cellars from April to October.

Holkham Hall in north Norfolk, built in the mid-18th century by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, is considered a Palladian architectural masterpiece and one of England’s great stately homes. This April Holkham will be opening up two new rooms for visitors to look into for the first time; The Old Servants’ Hall and the stunning Venetian Bedroom, as well as hosting a series of fascinating behind the scenes tours to areas of the hall which are not normally open to the public.

The hall has a grand history spanning the Georgian era to the present day. In 1835 Holkham was visited by a young 16year old Princess Victoria. With 2019 marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria, visitors can learn where the royal party and the Princess’s entourage would have been hosted during their state visit and also see the various state rooms used in the filming of recent docudramas about Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert.

The Venetian Bedroom
This sumptuous bedroom will delight visitors and art lovers. The bedroom features tapestry panels depicting Venus and Cupid, based on paintings by Francesco Albani. The historically important portraits in this room include Dame Rachel wife of Sir John Croke, school of Marcus Gheeraerts, and Mary, Princess of Orange, daughter of Charles I, school of Adriaen Hanneman. Even today, guests of the Earl and Countess of Leicester are lucky enough to stay in this room with its Spanish travelling bed, rich gilt work, over-mantel and striking Venetian window overlooking the stunning panoramic parkland to the north of the hall.

The Old Servants’ Hall
This room holds its own place in history for its exotic collections. It is home to an extensive and well-mounted natural history collection of over 120 examples of mostly local species, including birds, fish and mammals. Visitors can also expect to see a large billiard table, George II library armchairs, George III tub chair and Georgian tables. The Old Servants’ Hall was last used by the lower servants as their dining room in 1942, soon after the Kitchen Wing and the Chapel Wing (excluding the Chapel) had been requisitioned by the army. From then on, all the servants ate together in the Stewards’ Room.

Offering a further insight into Holkham’s social history, from April through to October 2019, there is an opportunity to enjoy two different behind the scenes tours, accompanied by an expert guide:
Hidden Passages and Servants’ Stairs: Behind the Scenes Tours of Holkham Hall
Taking in the hall’s many hidden passages and servants’ stairs, the curators have delved through the archives to uncover historic documents and personal memories to showcase the various roles at Holkham. Throughout its history, royalty, leading society and political figures of the day have stayed at Holkham Hall, with the servants’ quarters adapting to the foibles of these important guests. History lovers will find out how the army of servants managed to flit between the grand state rooms without being seen and how they serviced the state bedchambers, where royalty once slept. The tour ends with a trip up to the tower rooms and attics in the hall, where visitors can see what sits above the magnificent ceiling of the Marble Hall and hear how it was built.

Cellar Tours of Holkham Hall
Guided tours of the cellars will ensure that visitors are treated to a glimpse of the warren of corridors and chambers serving the hub of the building, from the old bakery and the heating system to the massive wood store ,which highlight the vast amount of maintenance and machinery required to maintain this great house, both past and present.

Visitor season 1st April to 31st October and entrance to Holkham Hall to see the new rooms is available on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays 12noon-4pm*
Standard admission £16 adult, £8 child and £44 family, also includes admission to the Field to Fork Experience and the Walled Garden.
*The Walled Garden, Field to Fork Experience, Courtyard Café and Gift Shop are open daily 10am–5pm.
The specialist tours: Hidden Passages and Servants’ Stairs are available on Wednesdays during the visitor season.
Tickets: £25 adult, £12.50 child - bookable online.
The specialist tours of the cellars of Holkham Hall are available on the first Tuesday of the month, during the visitor season.
Tickets: £25 adult, £12.50 child - bookable online.

20th February 2019 - Routes Revealed for HSBC UK | National Road Championships

Press Release from British Cycling

British Cycling has today revealed the routes that the country’s best riders will take as they bid for national titles at the HSBC UK | National Road Championships this summer.

Norfolk will play host to the championships as part of the wider Great British Cycling Festival – a weekend-long celebration of cycling at all levels which will see families and amateur cyclists able to get involved in a series of rides and activities. The pinnacle of the British domestic road calendar, the championships will see the men’s and women’s time trial champions crowned on Thursday June 27 and the road races contested on Sunday June 30. The Sunday will also see amateur cyclists of all abilities test themselves in the shadow of the professionals, with a 100-mile sportive.

Jonathan Rigby, British Cycling’s Commercial Director, said: “This is a hugely exciting time for cycling in this country, with the recent announcement that Glasgow will host the first ever combined world championships in 2023, and the forthcoming UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire. The HSBC UK | National Road Championships represent the pinnacle of our domestic road calendar, so we’re delighted that the Great British Cycling Festival will offer so many opportunities for the people of Norfolk and beyond to get involved in our fantastic sport.”

Thursday’s time trials – last year won by Hannah Barnes and Geraint Thomas, just three weeks before his Tour de France victory - will see elite men compete over 25.9 miles, and elite women and under-23s race over 17 miles. Both races will start and finish on the royal Sandringham estate, with the under-23 and elite races taking place across the afternoon. Sunday’s road races will both start and finish in Norwich city centre, with the men racing over 125.2 miles and the women 83.5. Both routes will head north from the city centre, via Wroxham, Cromer and Wells next the Sea, then through Holkham Hall for the men, taking in some of Norfolk’s most spectacular coastline before riders make their way back towards Norwich through Foulsham.

Jonathan Rigby continued: “We’re delighted to be able to confirm these routes. The list of previous winners of the road race or time trial titles – including the likes of Laura Kenny, Mark Cavendish, Lizzie Deignan and Geraint Thomas – gives some indication of the prestige of these titles, and to see them contested in Norfolk’s truly stunning surroundings will be a wonderful spectacle. We have worked closely with Golazo, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and Active Norfolk to ensure that we have routes which provide the very best experience for riders and spectators, and we’re very confident that this year’s HSBC UK | National Road Championships will showcase the county and our sport in a fantastic way.”

Sunday’s 100-mile sportive – the British Cycling Challenge 100 – is just one of the ways in which the general public can get involved in the festival. The sportive will follow the same route as the elite men’s road race, again starting and finishing in Norwich city centre, and allowing amateur riders to test themselves in the same conditions as the elite competitors.

Tom Caldwell, Director of event organiser Golazo, said: “The announcement of the route for the road races and associated British Cycling Challenge 100 sportive is a great milestone for the Great British Cycling Festival, and really whets the appetite for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of cycling. We share with British Cycling - as well as all partner organisations and the festival’s official sponsor, the University of East Anglia - a real determination to ensure that the top-level competition and great athletes we have in this country serve to inspire everyone to get more active through cycling, and the festival will be a great representation of that.”

Ben Jones, Director of Active Norfolk, said “The Great British Cycling Festival will engage local residents and visitors to Norfolk with the prestige and excitement of the world’s elite cyclists racing through some of Norfolk’s scenic countryside. We are working to generate an array of engaging opportunities for people to get involved, and will be working with local schools, community groups and businesses to animate the route and develop a festival atmosphere so people of all ages can enjoy this event.”

Cllr Andrew Jamieson, Walking and Cycling Champion for Norfolk County Council said: “The Championships will attract a huge number of visitors to Norfolk over the summer bringing revenue for local businesses and introduce thousands of new people to this beautiful county. “It is also hoped that the Great British Festival of Cycling will inspire a generation of new cyclists. Watching elite sportsmen and women cycling through our beautiful city and countryside and having the opportunity to take part in community events or the 100-mile sportive itself can’t help but encourage people to try it for themselves and start cycling on a regular basis. It’s a win-win for our region at all levels.”

This is a press release from British cycling. For further details, or to enter the British Cycling Challenge 100 sportive, visit https://gbcyclingfestival.co.uk/. Details of the other events which will make up the festival will be released in due course.

14th January 2019 - The Ultimate Romantic Retreats

Press release from SALT Norfolk.

SALT Norfolk, the boutique luxury holiday lettings agency specialising in properties along North Norfolk’s perennially popular coast, has just added the prestigious Holkham Lodges, part of the Holkham Estate, to its portfolio, offering visitors the chance to stay within the estate’s extensive, 25,000-acre grounds.

Comprising four, originally-styled, pet-friendly lodges, each sleeping two and unique to their individual setting and original purpose, guests will be treated to a bespoke welcome hamper packed full of local artisan goodies, seasoned logs to burn on the woodburning stove and complimentary continental breakfast for the first morning.

Visitors can choose from the following romantic retreats for their exclusive stay:

The Triumphal Arch
Sleeps 2 in 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 2 dogs allowed

Arguably the most iconic of the four lodges, the 18th century, Grade I listed Triumphal Arch was designed by renowned architect, William Kent, to impress travellers passing through to the North Norfolk coast. Modern-day guests will concur that he achieved his ambition, the arch presenting a striking welcome with beautiful panoramic views along the avenue to the south and north. A compact kitchen and cloakroom on the ground floor with stone, spiral staircase leading first to the shower room and then up to a separate toilet. Once at the top of the stairs you’ll be greeted by a truly welcoming, romantic space with roll-top bath, king size bed, open fire and comfortable seating – relax, put your feet up, unwind and dream. A truly elegant retreat.

Price from £574 for a three-night short break or from £765 per week.
How to book: SALT Norfolk, T. 01328 887600 www.saltnorfolk.co.uk

Palmers Lodge
Sleeps 2 in 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 2 dogs allowed

Perhaps the most luxurious of all the lodges, this Grade ll listed gatehouse offers sumptuous fixtures and fittings in the parkland of the Holkham Estate. An enchanting and romantic setting, perfect for celebrating special occasions or simply escaping to a rural hideaway. Relax in the open plan living space with vaulted ceiling, cosy sofa and toasty woodburning stove. The true uniqueness is revealed in the subterranean level; once the vaulted cellars, but now featuring a glass atrium allowing you to appreciate the clear Norfolk skies - perfect for star-gazing. On this lower level you’ll find a snug TV room, the bedroom with a super king size bed, large walk-in shower room and separate bathroom with bath.

Price from £935 for a three- night short break or from £1,246 per week
How to book: SALT Norfolk, T. 01328 887600 www.saltnorfolk.co.uk

Palmer’s Folly
Sleeps 2 in 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 2 dogs allowed

It’s this property’s peaceful woodland location, in a tucked away pocket on the Golden Gates Drive which makes Palmer’s Folly the ultimate romantic getaway. It’s just you, your loved one and the Fallow Deer which graze the nearby parkland for company (unless you bring the dogs, too). This bijou ground floor studio offers a cosy, relaxing space with a woodburning stove to warm your toes after a long walk along the beautiful sandy beach flanking the estate. The Folly is a Grade ll listed gatehouse with comfortable furnishings and tasteful décor.

Price from £643 for a three-night short break or from £857 per week.
How to book: SALT Norfolk, T. 01328 887600 www.saltnorfolk.co.uk

South Lodge
Sleeps 2 in 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 2 dogs allowed

South Lodge dates back to 1847 and was designed by well-known architect, S. S. Teulon. Lovingly restored after some years of disrepair, the lodge once again stands as sentinel to Holkham Hall and The Triumphal Arch on the Holkham Estate. The perfect retreat for a wander down to the beach during the summer months or to cosy up inside by the wood burning stove during the cooler climes. Relaxing and switching off from the everyday is difficult to resist. If you’re feeling energetic, explore the far-reaching parkland that will be on your doorstep; ideal for long walks or cycling around the lake whilst the deer herd look on, with bike hire available on the Estate during Holkham’s visitor season.

Price from £698 for a three-night short break or from £930 per week
How to book: SALT Norfolk, T. 01328 887600 www.saltnorfolk.co.uk

Guests will also be offered the following exclusive benefits, depending on the time of year:

• Parking passes for the park and beach
• 10% discount at The Victoria Inn
• 10% discount at The Beach Cafe in Wells-next-the-Sea
• 10% saving in The Courtyard Gift Shop and Café in Holkham park during Holkham’s visitor season
• 10% off standard admission to Holkham Hall, the Field to Fork Experience and the Walled Garden during the visitor season from April to October. It is advised that visitors check details of opening times for each attraction at holkham.co.uk.

Lucy Downing, Brand Manager for SALT Norfolk and Norfolk Cottages says:

“Situated in one of the region’s finest and most recognisable country house estates, we’re delighted to be able to offer these truly distinct, outstanding and idyllic retreats to the thousands of holiday makers we welcome every year and look forward to tempting those who have yet to discover the lodges to a stay this year.”

There’s also good news for romantics – if they hurry.

“As one of the most romantic retreats in the Norfolk holiday lettings market, it’s particularly timely that there’s still availability over Valentines Day weekend in some of the lodges,” she adds.

Peter Mitchell, Managing Director of the Holkham Estate commented:

“We are delighted to welcome SALT Norfolk and Norfolk Cottages on board and the opportunities to work in partnership that this presents, as both organisations have a substantial interest in the important visitor economy of North Norfolk.”

For more information about SALT Norfolk click here.
For more information about Norfolk Cottages click here.

Media Contact
For media requests please contact Rebecca Scrase:
www.rebeccascrasepr.com
01449 677033/ 07985 973973
rebecca@rebeccascrasepr.com
@RebeccaScrasePR

7th December 2018 - New President and Chairman for Regional Tourism Organisation

Press release from Visit East of England.

Two of Norfolk and Suffolk’s foremost tourism and hospitality businessmen are today announced as the new President and Chairman of the region’s visitor economy organisation.

Lord Leicester of Holkham becomes President, a newly-created position, and Dr Andy Wood OBE, chief executive of Adnams of Southwold, becomes chairman of Visit East of England, formerly known as Visit East Anglia. Lord Leicester said: “I’m delighted to be the organisation’s new President. The visitor side of my family’s own business, Holkham Hall and Estate enterprise, has increased enormously in the past few years, so I am very aware of its importance to the region as the largest sector and one of the main employers. This is an exciting time for tourism and I look forward to working with the industry to continue its success.”

Dr Wood said: “There is a big agenda to tackle, not least encouraging skills development and training, improving the perception of the industry, growing the year-round visitor economy and attracting more overseas visitors, particularly post-Brexit when we must ensure that we are seen as a welcoming and attractive destination. Working with partners and stakeholders in the sector, particularly the transport providers, gateways and local enterprise partnership, we want to ensure the East of England becomes a more top-of-mind destination. We must also work together to offer a collective voice when we are talking to government and national visitor organisations.”

The rebranding of Visit East Anglia as Visit East of England will culminate with the launch of a new website in the New Year, working closely with the New Anglia Cultural Board. Executive director Pete Waters said: “This is great news for the region’s tourism industry and will give us the higher profile we need to represent the sector’s interests and help address its many challenges. It is important that this region has a credible, authoritative voice for its visitor economy, particularly at a time when a sector deal with the government is on the horizon. Working with the Local Enterprise Partnership, we want to be on the front foot if initiatives like Tourism Zones come to fruition. Our objectives continue to be converting day trippers to stay visitors and raising the overall tide of tourism towards the high-water mark of summer, but as Visit East of England we also want to work with the sector to create careers for life and growth opportunities.”

Doug Field, chair of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Tourism is worth more than £5 billion per year to Norfolk and Suffolk’s economy. But more than that, our visitor and cultural assets are a vital part of our identity and offer to the world. We look forward to working even more closely with Visit East of England to support the sector to achieve even greater success in the future. The arrival of Lord Leicester and Andy Wood as president and chairman is a huge boost for Visit East of England. Both will bring a wealth of experience, talent and energy to their roles, which can only benefit the organisation.”

Councillor Matthew Hicks, Leader of Suffolk County Council, said: “I welcome the appointment of the new President and Chairman of Visit East of England. The region deserves strong leadership to ensure that collectively we promote the extent of the opportunities available, and also the allure and beauty of the region as a holiday destination.”

New President and Chairman for regional tourism organisation.

Councillor Andrew Proctor, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “I congratulate Lord Leicester and Dr Wood on their appointments and I look forward to working with them to further promote Norfolk’s outstanding tourism offer, which is an important part of our economy.”

The news follows the retirement of chairman Richard Ellis, of the family-owned Original Cottage Company, who co-founded Visit East Anglia in 2011 with leading tourism business owners after the demise of the East of England Development Agency and East of England Tourism.

The board has long-standing members including Martin Dupee of Banham Zoo and Africa Alive, Ian Russell MBE of Wroxham Barns and Keith Brown of Roost Hotels.

Visit East of England also manages Visit Norfolk and Visit Suffolk and has service contracts with Visit North Norfolk and Greater Anglia.

Notes to Editors

Visit East of England is:

The private sector-led organisation to promote the East of England visitor economy.
Supported by some of the most successful tourism businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Managed by experts bringing a unified tourism voice to the East of England.
Fully-aligned with New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s Economic Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk.
Working with the New Anglia LEP on the visitor economy sector skills development plan.
Committed to making the East of England a leading visitor destination in the UK.
The visitor economy of the East of England is £10bn pa. Norfolk’s 2017 Volume and Value figure (the total worth of tourism, using the Cambridge Model) was £3.25bn, and Suffolk’s was £2bn. Essex is approximately £3bn and Cambridgeshire approximately £2bn.