The sign for the restaurant may not be up yet but The Cheshire Arms is open for business in Black Mountain after getting keys to the former Black Bear Tavern on July 1 The Cheshire Arms is a British pub located in the Cheshire Village Though Heather Townsend is a Georgia native Heather Townsend said she moved to New York to be an actress and picked up some waitressing jobs along the way she moved to manager positions at restaurants “I kind of fell in love with it,” Heather Townsend said “This is kind of like putting on a show every day but you know your lines and you just keep going with it.” Simon Townsend has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around Europe before landing in New York and helping to open The Shakespeare the Townsends met with Simon Townsend working in the kitchen and Heather Townsend working first as an assistant general manager and then the general manager When the family lost nearly everything in an apartment fire the Townsend’s moved south to Asheville to be closer to Heather Townsend’s family in Tennessee she was telling her husband about the commonalities between British food and American Southern food “We were trying to come up with what we wanted to do and we decided that a British pub would be a perfect little place,” Heather Townsend said “Pubs in England are traditionally the community centers It’s where the community gathers to talk about life and gossip and have a pint and all of those other things and we just felt like this was a perfect community to do that.” Heather Townsend said though one may be able to find other fish and chips in Black Mountain The Cheshire Arms is doing “something a little different” with a “different kind of vibe” that is more casual than diners may be used to “It isn’t required that you have a full meal or a sit-down dinner,” Heather Townsend said “You can just come in and hang out and have a cup of tea or talk with a friend or grab a pint.” She said she and her husband hope to bring the traditional pub fare and atmosphere of Britain to Black Mountain she said they are hoping to bring the Sunday roast tradition to the area as well The Cheshire Arms will host a roast featuring proteins such as chicken Yorkshire puddings and gravy will also be on the menu Heather Townsend said the hope with the roast and the restaurant in general is to bring people together “We just wanted to be a place where people can gather and enjoy themselves,” Heather Townsend said “That for me is what a pub atmosphere is all about The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m More: Visiting Black Mountain? Here are 10 popular restaurants to check out More: What restaurants have opened in the Swannanoa Valley in 2023? More: Beradu, new specialty restaurant and market, to open in Black Mountain Karrigan Monk is the reporter for Black Mountain News and Hendersonville Times-News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kmonk@blackmountainnews.com Guided walks around Holmes Chapel take in the bakery where the singer used to work and a viaduct featured in a One Direction documentary In recent years, the ticket office at Holmes Chapel station in Cheshire has become something of a shrine to the village’s most famous former resident A lifesize cardboard cutout of the music megastar Harry Styles stands at one side of the small building fans crowd round to sign a guestbook filled with messages to the star the village has become a mecca for his fans – known as “Harries” – so much so that from this week Holmes Chapel Partnership is running official guided tours the tours – which last about three hours and cost £20 a ticket – take in Mandeville’s bakery where Styles once worked part-time and where fans can pose with another giant picture of the singer The last stop is Twemlow Viaduct where the star reputedly had his first kiss and later returned to write his name on the bricks caught on film in the One Direction documentary This Is Us Daisy Photograph: Mark Waugh/The GuardianPhoebe Hodges They have been travelling around Europe for the past two-and-a-half months and on their way from London to Scotland they have stopped off at their only other English destination – Holmes Chapel “Phoebe is a huge Harry fan,” Tesolin said we went to his house.” They found out about the tour in the village from Stoke-On-Trent is also walking in Styles’s footsteps – her dad dropped her off at Holmes Chapel station this morning “I’ve been a fan of him for a long time now since I was a little girl,” she said of the star Fans were accessing the viaduct via a dangerous road and so the tour takes them along safe paths Photograph: Mark Waugh/The GuardianShe saw him in Coventry last year and constantly re-watches the videos on her phone saying “it’s become a daily routine for me” the vice-chair of Holmes Chapel Partnership said that last year they designed a free map of the village to hand out to the ever-growing numbers of Harries – and 5,000 were picked up fans were accessing the viaduct from a dangerous main road and so the tours were set up with safety in mind – taking Harries through the fields that Styles would have walked through himself Sutcliffe first became aware of Styles when he appeared on the X-Factor talent show “I’ve been a customer at Mandeville’s pretty much all my life,” she added “but I didn’t know he was going to be a global phenomenon I was just concentrating on my bread and cakes and boiled ham.” The interest in Holmes Chapel is “having a positive impact for the local businesses” Many are offering discounts to fans on the Styles tours Graham Blake passes on books full of messages to Styles via his father Photograph: Mark Waugh/The GuardianAnd in quiet periods – such as the days between Christmas and New Year – tourism supports local trade “I’ve spoken to retailers who said the only people they had coming in were Harries,” Peter Whiers Some residents had complained about fans scrawling names and messages to Styles in graffiti on the viaduct fans are given slate hearts to write messages on and leave instead “What we’d really love is to sneak [Harry] down here and give him a heart and let him write a message,” Whiers said The partnership received more than 150 applications for the job of tour guide during a recruitment drive in April with at least 30 of those from overseas including by people from Minsk In the end 11 part-time guides were recruited He said: “I’ve been a fan since I was six years old Since I’m local I thought it would be a really good experience It’s created a really good mood around the village that everyone can get involved with Instead of writing on the walls of the viaduct fans will be given slate hearts on which they can write messages Photograph: Mark Waugh/The GuardianLast year the ticket office at Holmes Chapel station was threatened with closure but it was saved – to the relief not only of older passengers buying paper tickets but also the legion of Styles fans from Japan He passes the books full of messages on to Styles via his dad Blake remembers Styles taking the train to London every week when he was on X-Factor Tickets for the tours went on sale on Thursday; by Friday about 5% of them had gone With the station marking the start of the tour Blake’s guestbooks are likely to get even fuller The first half of 2024 is over and Black Mountain News is looking back at the restaurants that opened and closed during that time period From new coffee shops to seasoned cafes closing there was no shortage of restaurant news the first half of the year OpenedRecess Coffee and Baked GoodsHarrison and Lexi Jones opened their coffee shop on Black Mountain Avenue with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb where the Joneses were living and doing anti-human trafficking work they sold sourdough and croissants at a farmers market After returning to the United States during the pandemic the couple began working at another Black Mountain restaurant before opening Recess Coffee and Baked Goods The coffee shop brings a “really nostalgic feel,” Harrison Jones previously told Black Mountain News The couple said they wanted to create a space that was meant for conversations between generations He also said that he believes there is room for all sorts of different coffee shops in town and he wants Recess Coffee and Baked Goods to add to what is already there “We’re not trying to compete for a market,” Harrison Jones previously told Black Mountain News “We just realize that there’s space for everybody Zella’s DeliPreviously located in the heart of downtown Asheville, Zella’s Deli made the move to Swannanoa and opened in the area in April The deli serves New York-inspired sandwiches ranging from pastrami on rye to meatball subs Opened in the former home of The Clean Plate Annie’s Culinary Garden offers “garden-to-table” meals with ingredients straight from owner Ann Forsthoefel’s garden The restaurant opened in June and offers preordered meals as well as food that can be ordered straight from the counter The British-pub style restaurant is the newest spot to grab a bite in Black Mountain the restaurant took over the former Black Bear Tavern The Cheshire Arms is owned and operated by Heater and Simon Townsend Heather Townsend’s background is in acting and restaurant management Simon Townsend has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe Heather Townsend previously told Black Mountain News that the new restaurant will bring “something a little different” with a “different kind of vibe” to Black Mountain She said the restaurant is aiming to be a casual place where patrons can come for a full meal or just a cup of tea “We just wanted to be a place where people can gather and enjoy themselves,” Heather Townsend previously told Black Mountain News The restaurant opened in 2009 and did not return for a 15th year The closure was announced on Instagram Feb She wrote that the decision to close came after “much reflection and many sleepless nights.” Costello thanked all the staff who worked at the restaurant over the years as well as the patrons who have stopped by “I would like to offer my sincerest thanks for all of your support and being part of this wild ride,” Costello wrote “I am forever grateful for the friendships and memories we have made together The Clean PlateAfter telling Black Mountain News in February that she did not know if the restaurant would make it through the winter due to staffing shortages and other concerns with running the business owner Catherine New announced the closure of The Clean Plate on Facebook on April 9 “We are now permanently closed for business,” New wrote with its first day of service five days before the COVID shutdown The Cheshire Village restaurant closed the weekend of June 8 after nearly a decade in business A Facebook post on June 6 announced the closure and said it had been a “great honor” to serve the community The post also announced that the spot would be taken over by The Cheshire Arms La Tapa LoungeThe eatery took to social media June 25 to share that its last day of operation was June 24 owner Kenny Snyder said he “chose to close” and that there were “many personal reasons” that led to the closure Snyder wrote that he remains “grateful” for the people who have worked for him and with him during his time owning the restaurant but I have cherished every last moment,” Snyder wrote “I’ve learned a lot about business and I’ve been amazed with how many folks continued to support me along the way.” the restaurant posted it was selling equipment and supplies now part-owned by Blackstone whose CEO backs Trump bought Cheshire in 2002 to move people en masse Now its owners include a big Trump donorThis article is more than 7 months oldGavin coal plant When residents here were routinely shrouded in a toxic blue-tinged fog of pollution from the plant two decades ago a unique yet telling solution was settled upon: the company causing the pollution would purchase the entire town to move people en masse from their homes For the several hundred people who lived here beside a nook of the Ohio River on the eastern border of the state the wrenching dismemberment of their community in 2002 is still raw Yet looming stubbornly over the remnants of this ghost town is the imposing Gavin coal plant as its owners battle federal regulators who allege ongoing violations of clean air and water rules is one that illustrates deep seams of support for coal in this part of the midwest but also – with a looming presidential election – salient politics Trump has vowed to kill off the rule he’s called “a regulatory jihad to shut down power plants all across America” if he returns to the White House, while Vance has complained of “wanton harassment of fossil fuel companies” and joined with other Senate Republicans in attempts to block the regulation “There is a trend of private equity walking away from polluting assets without being liable for the environmental cleanup,” Schafer added “They want to squeeze as much profit as possible while they can from this outdated “You can imagine folks at Blackstone want to see similar rollbacks under a second Trump presidency and you can imagine Vance towing the line,” said Schafer A Blackstone spokeswoman said the Gavin plant is a “legacy investment” that has spent more than $1bn to update its air quality control technology complies with federal and state limits on emissions and is in the process of closing a coal ash pond “All political donations by our employees are strictly personal,” she added The immediate surroundings of the largest power plant in Ohio The blue plumes are gone but the plant itself still gives off a pungent sulphur smell a violent whiff akin to rotting eggs that stings the nose The small cluster of Cheshire streets at the foot of the plant contain patches of grass where homes once sat like a mouth that’s had most of its teeth knocked out Old photographs show people’s old homes in Cheshire before they moved in 2002 Photograph: Maddie McGarvey/The GuardianA church a school and even the traffic lights here have been removed some people lifted their entire wood-paneled homes on to trailers and moved them away “I couldn’t even watch my house being torn down who grew up near Cheshire and moved to the town with her now late husband in 1980 “We spent the first 23 years of our married life and raised our kids here who served as Cheshire’s town clerk and lived a short distance from the Gavin plant remembers getting blurry eyes and tasting sulphur in the air in the late 1990s – a problem that worsened to the extent that a blue-hued haze of pollution would settle upon the town It became so bad that residents had to stay indoors the miasma so strong it would eat the paint off cars where this plume would come from the smokestack and touch down in town,” she said This combination allowed a sulphuric acid mist to flood into Cheshire, causing what the EPA documented as “irritation of the eyes and throat; shortness of breath; and asthma-like symptoms” among residents in 2001 “We had to fight them continually,” Harrison said of the plant’s owner “We had to become a pain in their ass just to finally get anything done.” facing mounting legal pressure over the toxic air eventually offered a deal thought to be a US first: $20m to buy the town of Cheshire with homeowners offered three times the asking price for their houses – around $150,000 each – in return for locals relocating and agreeing to not sue the company over any future adverse health impacts Harrison, who was involved in the effort to pursue AEP through the courts, said she was initially “shocked” at the offer but came to realize it was the only viable choice. “We probably should’ve held out for more but the lawyers told us that was the final deal,” she said. Read more“We felt if we didn’t take the deal we’d be stuck here forever and they wouldn’t fix the problem Most of the people let them buy the property and got out of town because at that point our properties were worthless.” you could hear your kids out playing on their bikes and know someone was looking out for them,” said Harrison The grief of this loss stirred anger among some Cheshire residents not so much at the coal plant in a stretch of Appalachia where the harms of coal have long been sold as a price worth enduring but rather at town council leaders like Harrison who struck the buyout deal angry words shouted and graffitied dollar signs were sprayed onto the Harrison family home “It was really unsettling,” said Megan Lawhon Harrison’s daughter who turned 18 the day before the buyout was agreed to “People blamed us for a lot of untrue things said we were greedy for taking the buyout money I find it really hard to even come back here.” Lawhon added: “The culprit is just still sitting here It’s like a family member has been murdered and the killer was just allowed to pay out some money and that’s it And everyone here accepts that’s just the price of living in Appalachia Advocates for the Gavin plant point out that it generates about half of the economic activity in Gallia county, in which Cheshire sits. There remains a certain cynicism that anything, such as a clean energy boom that Biden has sought to spur can replace the jobs and investment that coal has long conferred to the Ohio River valley In 2020, Trump, who has offered unfulfilled promises to resurrect the ailing coal industry, amassed 77% of the vote in Gallia county A barn sitting beside the Gavin plant features a large picture of the former president shaking his fist with the words: “The audits prove Trump won!” “I know if Kamala [Harris] and that other gentleman [Tim Walz] had their way this coal plant would be shut down right now and we’d be going back to the 1800s,” said Mark Coleman, who is mayor of Cheshire. Coleman lives on the outskirts of the town, which had its boundaries expanded to now cover a population of 124 “If that plant closed our area would be gone The problem was fixable and Gavin did fix it I was more frustrated with the people who sold out.” The Gavin power plant in Cheshire Photograph: Maddie McGarvey/The GuardianLightstone still owns the relic of Cheshire and has shown no willingness to sell the land to usher in new residents the two joint venture partners that form Lightstone Coleman said attracting new businesses here is tough; a plan for a Dollar General was recently dashed, and even getting a street paved is difficult. Drug addiction a marooned corner of a region where old certainties have evaporated “It’s hard to get things started back up again but at the same time we don’t go out to dinner with everyone The mayor has not heard from Vance about Cheshire’s situation The vice-presidential candidate didn’t respond to questions from the Guardian about his links to Blackstone and the Gavin plant or what his plan is for communities exposed to coal-related pollution “If JD Vance really feels a connection to Appalachia, which he has ridden hard you’d think he’d at least ask some questions about all this,” said Lawhon “But I’d be surprised if he even knew about us Which means that this whole thing could happen again somewhere else in the United States and somebody’s going to have to fight the exact same battle we did.” Jamaica – A man was shot dead in Cheshire Village a housing scheme built mostly for disabled people on Golding Avenue in Tavern The deceased is believed to be 23-year-old Micheal Sutherland residents heard loud explosions and summoned the police lawmen found the now-deceased lying face down in a pool of blood with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head black and red American Eagle underwear and a pair of black Police removed the body to the Kingston Public Hospital No motive has yet been established for the killing The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be intensifying efforts to advance the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities in Jamaica made the disclosure while addressing the handover of care packages by the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) at Cheshire Village “Our goal is to advance a rigorous and comprehensive national programme to develop more understanding across Jamaica and to promote their well-being and rights,” he said The Minister noted Government’s commitment to creating an enabling society for persons with disabilities and guarantee respect for all through the passage of legislation and other measures He cited several initiatives undertaken in 2024 to ensure greater inclusion for the disabled community including incorporating persons in the Overseas Employment Programme “They are doing an amazing job,” he pointed out Cheshire Village is a 20-house community for persons with disabilities the JCPD distributes food packages to the householders during the Christmas holiday season The initiative aims to address the needs of residents who are predominantly unemployed or under-employed ensuring they have provisions for the festive period The JCPD also collaborated with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to deliver special packages to households which include children with disabilities “We are grateful,” said Acting President of the Cheshire Village Citizen Association in welcoming the donation of items from the JCPD She also welcomed the Ministry’s increased focus on creating an inclusive society for persons with disabilities noted the “consistent” efforts by the Government to ensure that persons with disabilities can live independently and that their rights and dignity are as respected as everyone else in the society.” said the donation of items is appreciated by all the residents She said she continues to be “truly proud” of what the Administration has been doing to raise the “stature of persons with disabilities.” The JCPD is an agency of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with a mission to ensure that persons with disabilities are treated fairly and equally and enjoy the same fundamental rights as other people Send An Email Get the latest news & updates from the JIS sent to your inbox Holmes Chapel to hold day of auditions for tour guides after thousands of fans make pilgrimage to Cheshire village A Cheshire village that has been swamped by young visitors has appealed for tour guides with a very specific skill set: an expert knowledge of Harry Styles More than 5,000 fans – known as Harries – have descended on the quaint community of Holmes Chapel in the last year in a pop pilgrimage to the singer’s home town Some were said to be “risking life and limb” to visit the site of Styles’s first kiss a railway viaduct near a notoriously busy main road prompting villagers to publish a self-guided tour map last year Now local people have decided to go one step further has announced that it is launching its own official tours and is looking for Styles superfans to lead them The demand for the coveted roles is expected to be so great that the village will host an audition day later this month presumably in the style of The X Factor on which Styles rose to fame said they hoped to hire Harries aged over 16 but that “more senior individuals may also apply” Whiers said the influx of Harries from across the world had led to a business boom in Holmes Chapel including at the bakery where Styles worked part-time before finding fame with One Direction has a lifesize cardboard placard of their most famous ex-employee holding a white loaf – which The tour will also take in Styles’s former schools and the nearby Chinese restaurant where he once took Taylor Swift an otherwise unremarkable railway bridge where Styles reputedly had his first kiss The structure – known to fans as “Harry’s Wall” – is also where Styles scrawled his name during a biopic released in 2013 Since then fans from as far afield as Australia the US and Mexico have travelled to the usually muddy field in south Cheshire to write their name alongside their idol The Holmes Chapel Partnership warned last year that fans were “risking life and limb” by crossing a busy main road to get to Harry’s Wall as they released a safety-approved map for intrepid visitors Whiers said they were expecting “significant” demand for the new tours which are expected to begin in June and run until September He added: “Even during the wet winter months braving muddy banks and wet fields to pay homage at Harry’s Wall.” The market offers an eclectic range of products from independent makers and artisans By NOTICEBOARD · 3 September 2024 DIVERSE RANGE OF PRODUCTS: The market features around 55 unique stalls which celebrate the best of local talent A vibrant Cheshire market which showcases the very best in local craftsmanship and design has now been confirmed as a regular monthly fixture The Makers Market is now a regular event in Tarporley taking place on the third Sunday of every month from 11am to 4pm The introduction of The Makers Market on a monthly basis is a great event for the village bringing together the community and visitors alike to enjoy a diverse range of products from independent makers and artisans From handcrafted jewellery and home décor to gourmet food and drink The Makers Market offers something for everyone celebrating the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of local talent The establishment of The Makers Market as a regular event in Tarporley has been driven by the Tarporley Independents a dedicated group of local business owners committed to enhancing the village’s vibrant community spirit and supporting local businesses Their efforts have been instrumental in bringing this popular market (pictured above) to Tarporley providing a platform for small businesses to thrive and for residents and visitors to experience the unique charm of the village “We are thrilled to see The Makers Market become a regular part of Tarporley’s calendar,” said Woody Barlow director of The Swan in Tarporley and member of the Tarporley Independents “It’s a fantastic opportunity to support our local artisans and small businesses and we’re proud to host such a vibrant event on our grounds We look forward to seeing the market continue to grow and become a beloved tradition in Tarporley.” The Makers Market is not just a shopping experience but a community event that brings people together to celebrate creativity and local enterprise Visitors are encouraged to explore the variety of stalls and enjoy the lively atmosphere that has made The Makers Market a favourite in Cheshire The next Makers Market will be held on Sunday For more information, visit: www.themakersmarket.co.uk LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Sign our campaign for a grant funding review Lapland UK will open its second attraction at Capesthorne Hall Credit: Mark Percy via CC by SA 2.0 geograph.org.uk/p/3445693 Local councillors have approved plans for a 43-acre immersive Lapland experience at Capesthorne Hall but not everyone was in the festive spirit Lapland UK estimates the Cheshire venture – a four-hour immersive Christmas experience – could generate £24.5m a year for the area through projected visitor spend It would employ approximately 1,200 individuals each year Most of Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning committee liked the sound of that approving the plans by eight votes to two after more than an hour of discussion deputy leader of the council’s Conservative group which he said would harm the hall’s Green Belt setting responded by saying: “From the point of view of the employment [opportunities] and economic advantages I think we should welcome them “I would suggest that that the very special circumstances [to justify development in the Green Belt] do exist.” The only other current immersive Lapland experience is in Whitmoor Forest in Ascot and attracts around 170,000 visitors annually now have permission to bring the attraction to Capesthorne Hall west of Macclesfield for the 50 days leading up to Christmas day each year for the next decade Firstplan is advising Lapland UK on the proposals The project team includes David Jarvis Associates You can learn more about Lapland’s proposals by searching reference number 24/4504/FUL on Cheshire East Council’s planning portal Read our comments policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" but how will it impact regeneration and development in the area Find out at Place North West’s half-day conference in June The developer is seeking outline consent for a 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