We are pleased to say that after nearly 4 months of being closed, we are now able to open our doors again to guests.  Our first guests arrive in the middle of July and we are really looking forward to welcoming them to Tub Cottage!

Obviously lots of things have changed over the past few months and hopefully the information in my previous update in May will inform future guests of the types of procedures we have put into place to provide them with the assurance that Tub Cottage is a safe place to enjoy a relaxing and comfortable holiday, whilst being mindful of the new way of life that we are all having to adapt to.

Our local pubs, including the Red Lion in the village, are now open with restrictions.   The Red Lion is serving meals on a book only basis and all customers have to provide their contact details whether they are eating or just having a drink.  This is to adhere with the Government track and trace system.  Tables and chairs are provided outside the pub and a marquee has been erected on the green for use by customers.  Some local cafes and restaurants have opened with restrictions and are also offering a limited takeaway service.  Please refer to websites or local signage for specific information.

All other local amenities such as historic houses, visitor centres, children’s playgrounds and fun parks have their own restrictions in place, or are still closed.  Again, please refer to their websites or local signage.

Local grocery shopping:  Litton Shop/Post Office is open with shorter opening hours and reduced service.  It is operating on a “one customer in” basis, therefore, you may have to queue.  Many of the local residents who are vulnerable or self-isolating rely on the availability of groceries at the shop, so please consider limiting your purchases at the shop at this time, thank you.   The Co-op, greengrocers and bakery in Tideswell are all open with restrictions on numbers in the shop at any one time. Many of the online grocery delivery slots are fully booked in advance eg. Tesco, Morrisons etc. so getting a slot might be a challenge.  The bigger supermarkets in Bakewell and Buxton are open with restrictions and if you would like to treat yourself to some special groceries, Chatsworth Farm Shop is open with increased safety measures and at busy times are operating “one family member only” access to the shop.

There is, of course, an abundance of fresh air, wonderful scenery and plenty of walks from the doorstep of Tub Cottage!  This hasn’t changed and you can enjoy as much of this as you want!  The local wildlife has been thriving during lockdown, with regular sitings of fox, stoat, deer, hedgehogs, rabbits, water vole, and we even had a siting of a Lammergeier (bearded vulture) in Cressbrook Dale last week which has created a lot of excitement amongst the bird watchers!

We hope that the above provides sufficient information for your future stay.  Your welfare is our priority so if there is anything else that you feel we could do to make your stay more enjoyable, please let us know  We are all learning different ways of working at the moment so please feel free to comment and we will take your ideas on board whilst we all adapt to the new normal way of life.

We look forward to welcoming you to Tub Cottage in the near future.   In the meantime, take care and keep safe.

Leonie, Eric and May