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Church Gate Continued

Continuing on from our previous blog post in which we discussed the fabulous dining experiences which Church Gate and Church Gate Mews has to offer, we are now going to explore the retail stores and hair and beauty salons which occupy this street. Church Gate is full of wonderful boutique shops which offer an alternative shopping experience to the usual high street stores. Bare Essentials and Brief Encounter are the places to go if you're looking for some beautiful new lingerie, with Bare Essentials offering specialised lingerie for many body types, and Brief Encounter providing you with a host of different lingerie brands.

If you’re looking to spice up your wardrobe, but are after something a little different from the traditional high street shops, then why not check out Caroline James, Genevieve, or Irish Clothing? Red, located in Church Gate Mews is a great little store to discover, and all these shops offer a host of fabulous clothing options which you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. So, if you want to stand out from the rest then head down to Church Gate and Church Gate Mews and see what they have to offer!

With your fabulous new clothes you’ll need some new shoes to complete your wardrobe, so during your trip to Church Gate head to Loafers or Luxe and see what they have to offer you. Click here to have a quick look at the Loafers website to entice you even more! And of course, no outfit would be complete without some beautiful new jewellery to wear with it. So if you’re buying for yourself or for someone else, head down to Church Gate Mews and browse in Primo for some amazing pieces of jewellery with something for everyone.

No trip to Church Gate would be complete without a visit to one of the amazing hair and beauty salons which occupy this street. Just to name a few, we have Dignified Hair Design, Petra Bentley Hair, and Taylor and Co., all offering fabulous hair treatments if you’re ever in need of a trim. Thomas and Joseph are also located on Church Gate, and they offer a truly relaxing and high-end salon experience. Check out their website for more information.

After all that shopping to replenish your wardrobe, and to accompany your brand new hair style, you might want to head down to one of the awesome beauty salons which are located on Church Gate. Jacqui’s Beauty offers the traditional manicure and pedicure treatments, facials, and massages, alongside some newer and more specialised treatments such as permanent make-up, and the ever fascinating vajazzle. Accompanying this boutique on Church Gate is Beautique, which offers a whole host of beauty treatments, alongside some relaxing spa treatments for both men and women, to ensure that there’s something for everyone. If you would like to find out some more details on what they can offer you, then click here to visit their website.

Church Gate Mews also offers some fabulous hair and beauty treatments, with places such as Me Me in the Mews offering hair treatments, and Laser and Light and The Beauty Suite both offering beauty treatments which are sure make you feel fresh and relaxed after your trip to Church Gate and Church Gate Mews.

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Church Gate

Continuing our tour around Loughborough in our blog, we now move on to Church Gate, a quaint and beautiful part of Loughborough town which offers an alternative shopping experience. There are a whole host of retail shops, café’s, restaurants, and hair and beauty salons to explore when you head to Church Gate, and in this post we are gong to look at where you can go to relieve those food and drink cravings.

Goodliffe’s is a fabulous bar and restaurant located on Church Gate. Its interior is completely lovely with a cheeky twist on traditional English decor, and this creates a dining experience like no other in Loughborough. The menu offers the unique Goodliffe’s Supper Club on Mondays and Tuesdays, Burger Nights on Wednesdays, 2-4-£10 Cocktails on Thursdays, and Fish & Fizz on Fridays…Yes, that’s Fish with prosecco, what more could you want?! These weekday deals as well as their regular live music nights make the Goodliffe’s experience fit for anyone, and after going there for a cup of hot chocolate not so long ago, it has been in my mind ever since! Have a look at their website for more details.

If you’re after more of a laid back experience when exploring Church Gate, then why not try Casa Café? This quaint little café has been described as “delightful” by its visitors, and is perfect for a relaxed cup of tea or coffee whilst you take the weight off of your feet as you wander around Loughborough. And if whilst you’re finishing your drink at Casa Café you happen to be in the mood for some cheddar or brie, then just take a couple of steps to the side and you will find Cheese Cottage right next door! This awesome deli has a range of cheeses for you to fill your boots with, as well as a huge selection of cold meats, panini’s, omelettes, toasties, and jacket potatoes. Sticking to the coffee shop theme, A Perfect Blend is a lovely little coffee shop located on the corner of Warners Lane. The interior has a lovely decor with amazing food, so go down and check it out!

Possibly the most exciting part (for me anyway) about going to Church Gate is Chocolate Alchemy. Located in Church Gate Mews just through the little archway, this fabulous shop offers a dining experience consisting of cream tea, afternoon tea, and even chocolate afternoon tea, as well as a range of other chocolaty goodies for you to taste. This shop is definitely fit for chocolate lovers, and you can even go along to workshops hosted by Chocolate Alchemy where you can have a change to taste and make your very own chocolate treats! Parties and hen-do’s are also popular here, so why not check out their website for more details!

As you may know, this is not all that Church Gate has to offer, so keep a look out for the next blog post which will explore the retail stores and hair and beauty salons in Church Gate!

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Baxter Gate

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year or so, you will have heard about the brand new complex which is currently opening on Baxter Gate, consisting of a Pizza Express restaurant, a Starbucks, and the much anticipated Nando’s restaurant, just to name a few. At the head of this new development is the new Cineworld cinema, which boasts eight screens, over 1000 seats, and regular screenings of the latest film releases. Love Loughborough were lucky enough to be invited to the opening of this amazing new cinema complex, and the pictures below show just what a fabulous night it was. Inside the screening of Jojo Moyes’ screenplay, Me Before You, based on her novel of the same title, the surround sound and the enormous screen made the whole experience extraordinary, and the seats allowed for a huge amount of leg room and were super comfy!

After you’ve been to watch one of the latest releases at Loughborough’s brand new cinema, you now have a whole host of new restaurants to choose from when deciding where to dine after your wonderful Cineworld experience. Fancy some Mexican cuisine? Then Loco Mexicano can offer you traditional Mexican food, including fajitas, tortillas, enchiladas and much more. Or, if you are looking for something slightly more oriental to tickle your taste buds, then Mimosa may have just what you’re after, offering Pan Asian food prepared by chefs who grew up in Asia and are passionate about the food they serve. After a completely unique dining experience? Then you have to try Rodizio Preto, who promise “a dining experience unlike any other”, with unlimited servings of fabulous meats, bringing some Brazilian flair to Loughborough. If you’re feeling slightly more romantic, and would like to bring a touch of Italy to your night, then Bella Italia or the hugely popular Pizza Express will serve you well. Both offer a large variety of pizzas, pasta, salads, and much more, but make sure to book in advance because these tables are going quickly! For a more laid back experience at the new Baxter Gate complex, check out Starbucks or Loungers. The former is, of course, a well known café chain around the world, and the latter offers an informal café/bar area open all day, serving food and drinks in a comfortable and relaxed environment. And finally, if you're after a “cheeky Nando’s”, then Loughborough can finally offer you Portuguese flame-grilled PERI-PERI chicken, courtesy of Nando’s, as well as many more wonderfully cheeky dishes.

Although not all of these new places are open just yet, there’s still so much to entertain you within this amazing new complex. The whole area has been designed with luxury in mind, and offers fabulous seating areas outside, perfect for the beautiful summer days which are just around the corner! You will not be disappointed if you head down to Baxter Gate, and with all of this excitement surrounding the new development, don’t forget to support our other amazing independents in the area when visiting the complex. For something a little different, why not try Delice Deli Café, serving everything from charcuterie and jams, to afternoon tea and a range of fabulous wines and local ales. Half Bake & Shake is a great complement to the new complex, offering a wonderful place to take the family for milkshakes and cookies! Plus, Ryan’s Indian Restaurant brings some spice to Baxter Gate. And finally, how about popping in to Titania; although not offering food and drink, it is a great little jeweler to find that perfect gift.

Complex opening dates: Cineworld - Open Pizza Express - Open Bella Italia - Open Starbucks - Open Mimosa - Opening late May Loungers - Opening May 25th Nando’s - Opening early June Rodizio Preto - Opening soon Loco Mexicano - Opening soon

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Wards End

Loughborough is full surprises and hidden gems that not many people know about, and Wards End is home to many fantastic businesses which you may not even know exist. Wards End is probably most known for its bars and restaurants, with The Orange Tree, The Moon & Bell, and The Kelso all residing here, however how often do you have a cheeky cup of coffee and a slice of cake at Fifty Three? I love finding new café’s and cute coffee shops that I can go to with my family and friends, so I checked out just what Fifty Three has to offer.

Far from being your usual coffee and cake café, Fifty Three offers delicious hot and cold food options at amazing prices. The cakes which they have on offer are changed on a daily basis, perfect if you want to go back on different days to experience something a little different each time. Possibly the most impressive thing which I discovered about this unassuming café is that they offer catering services to both business functions, and parties and events of varying sizes - amazing! And if you’re looking to bring a little luxury into your home, then Fifty Three offers the opportunity to purchase a variety of products, including caramel sauces, infused ground coffee, and even hangover tea! Check out their Facebook page for updates on all things Fifty Three.

Now, there are a whole host of places in Loughborough for you to buy fabulous clothes and gifts, and Wards End has a variety of shops such as Funky Dory, Squirrel, Madeline’s Gifts & Flowers, and Ideas Gift Shop to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Head down to Wards End and check out some of the amazing things that you can pick up for that special person, and don’t forget about Fathers’ Day coming up soon - the perfect opportunity to go gift hunting on Wards End! And if you’re looking to treat your father, or yourself this coming June, then why not grab a haircut at one of the hairdressers on Wards End? Foxes Hair and Beauty, Just Cuts, and Scotneys are all available and ready to chop your locks and make you look your best, so head down and check them out!

Wards End really does have something for everyone, and if wine is more your cup of tea…than tea…then you must head down to George Hill Wine Merchants and discover the different types of wine that they have on offer. Look out on our Facebook page for a competition coming up where you could win some delicious wine from George Hill Wine Merchants!

So that’s bars, restaurants, café’s, gift shops, hairdressers and wine merchants, all on one street! Now if that doesn’t impress you, then I don't know what will!

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Coming Up This May…

Loughborough may not be the biggest town around, but there certainly is a lot going on in this small market town. The events which are put on within Loughborough attract large crowds all year round, and this May there are some events which are sure to take your fancy, whether you're a history fanatic, or an arts and crafts superstar.

On Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May, a collaboration between Charnwood Arts, Loughborough College, Excavate, and Chorus Theatre bring Night of the Zeppelin Recreation to Loughborough. This historic event which took place on January 1st 1916 is remembered as an event which shook Loughborough as a town, as ten innocent people were killed by the German L20 Zeppelin who bombed the town from above. This event deserves huge recognition, and as a result it is being undertaken in a variety of locations all around Loughborough, including Queen’s Park and the Market Place. To find out more information about this event, please visit this page and this will also enable you to view a schedule of performance times and contact information for the event.

If arts and crafts are more your cup of tea, then why not come down to the Market Place on Sunday 15th May for the annual Ceramics in Charnwood event. Potters and ceramic artists will be coming to Loughborough to sell their amazing work, with old exhibitors returning for the fair, alongside some new-comers. To add to the fun of the day, a pottery tutor will be on hand with her potter’s wheel to give you a chance to make your very own pottery. For more information on this event, click here and I hope to see you there!

The annual car show is always a huge event within Loughborough, and this year Love Loughborough are hosting its very first Bike and Trike Fest on Sunday 22nd May from 10am to 4pm. As the name suggests, there will be a variety of bikes and trikes at this event as well as live music, so for the bikers among you this is not one to be missed. Check out this page for more information, and to find out how to display at the show.

Alongside these exciting events coming to the Market Place this May, The Needle & Pin bar are hosting two events, including live music on Saturday 14th May, and wine tasting on Wednesday 18th May. Check out their Facebook page for more information.