Happy New Year!

Very best wishes from all at The Malthouse B&B to our guests, friends and relations. 

We hope that 2014 is a very happy, prosperous and healthy year for you.   

 

 

If you're out celebrating tonight hope you have a great time!
Look forward to seeing you next year!





PS:
Looking forward to visiting Alton Towers in 2014? 
The Theme Park opens on Saturday 22 March 2014!

Merry Christmas from The Malthouse!

Hi everyone!

Now that Christmas Eve has arrived it's all systems go here at The Malthouse!
Hope you're busy getting ready for the big day tomorrow. 
Lets hope you've been good so that Santa delivers you a lovely present or two!

Over the last 24 hours the weather here's been very blustery with plenty of rain and it looks as though there's more to come soon but so far compared to some areas we've lucky and have got off pretty lightly.  This morning the sun has been out for a while so our dog Poppy has been out for a walk in the village wearing her Santa Suit - well it is Christmas after all!

Poppy and our cat Smudge have been especially good lately so Santa is bound to leave a few gifts for them under our Christmas Tree.

We're about to start on our second glass of mulled wine, so before we get too merry we would like to wish all our guests, friends and relations a safe and very happy Christmas. xxx

Baby's Got to Go!

Sad but true, our little yellow sports car "Baby" has to go! 

Baby car has been our pride and joy for just over 5 years BUT it's time for a change, so we're selling her.  We've loved owning this bundle of fun and will be very sorry to see her go! 

Here she is, looking gorgeous.

If you've been to stay at our B&B we're sure you will have seen Baby as we're always making sure she looks her best!

Looking for a little yellow sports car?  Give us a call 01538 703273.

Baby is an MG TF 2003 1.8 135 convertible with very low genuine mileage 13,000.
IMMACULATE CONDITION inside & outside.
She has everything:
Hard top, soft top, tonneau cover, windstop, alloys, radio/cd, electric windows etc.
A very reliable car that has been serviced regularly.  MOTD & Taxed.
£3,400

Our little Baby is looking for a caring new owner!

Early December News from The Malthouse B&B

Are you starting to get ready for Christmas?  Here at The Malthouse we are! 
We really enjoy Christmas.  It's the one time of year that we get to spend plenty of family time just chilling out together and we love it!  

Now that we're well into December it's all systems go.  During the last few days we've been writing Christmas cards, buying presents, decorating our tree, putting up outdoor lights and getting in the festive spirit with a glass or two of mulled wine.  Well it is December after all!

After a few days of really high winds here in Alton the weather has taken a turn for the better, it's much calmer now and pretty mild for the time of year.  In between putting up our outdoor Christmas lights we've been tidying up in the Garden as it's so pleasant outside.    

Today we took a walk around the village to deliver Christmas cards to our neighbours and friends.
Our dog Poppy came to assist wearing her reindeer outfit.  Here she is, cute or what!

 

Watch this space, Poppy might have another outfit or two to show you!

Christmas day is only just over two weeks away, so hurry along and get ready it'll soon be here!

Great Deals for Alton Towers with Tesco Clubcard Boost

We've just had a letter from Tesco regarding their latest Clubcard Boost offers.  If your planning to visit Alton Towers next year they have some great deals if you're a Clubcard member.

Here are just some of the Clubcard Boost deals we've seen for attractions near to us here in Alton:
Exchange £12.50 Clubcard Points for a 1 day ticket to Alton Towers
Exchange £2.50 Clubcard Points for £10.00 tokens for Trentham Gardens

There are lots of great deals to be had.  For full details why not visit www.tesco.com and take a look.
HURRY though! The Boost offers are not available for too long!

Poppy Gets An Award

If you've been following our Blog OR been to stay with us recently you'll know that in June a new member joined The Malthouse team - Poppy our miniature schnauzer puppy.

 

All youngsters have to learn to behave, so we've been taking Poppy along to a local Puppy Training Class.  Poppy loves going to the sessions as she gets to meet other puppies and really enjoys the training too!

 

Last week she was awarded a certificate and rosette at Puppy Training.  Here she is looking very pleased (if a little tired) with herself.



 

We like to think that Poppy got her award for her excellent behaviour and hard work but perhaps we're just deluded owners!  Some days she is good and pays attention to us and other days she  ignores us and does exactly as she likes.  We guess all pups are the same! 
 

Alton Towers Scarefest Starts Soon!

This years Scarefest at Alton Towers starts on Saturday 19 October 2013, so not long to go!

 

We've had great reports from guests staying at our B&B about previous Scarefest events, so we're sure that this year's spooky celebration will be just as fantastic.

 

Alton Towers Theme Park will be open late each evening so that those who dare can go on the rides in the dark.  The Smiler, this years new roller coaster at Alton Towers has been given a big thumbs up by most of the visitors we chat to, so we're sure riding it in the dark will be spectacular!

Need accommodation near the theme park? 
Why not telephone us to check availability? 
Call The Malthouse B&B on 01538 703273.

Tesco Fills for Thrills 2 4 1 Entry to Alton Towers



We went along to our local Tesco Petrol Station to fill up earlier this week and were given two 2 4 1 entry vouchers for Alton Towers.  Not having seen or heard of this promotion before we thought we'd let you know about it! 

 

We're not even sure why we were give the vouchers!  We filled up with just over £70 of diesel, handed over a money off petrol voucher (we got this after doing our grocery shop) paid just over £65 and were given two vouchers that say 'Thank you for swapping your fills for thrills, this coupon entitles you to 2 4 1 entry'.  There is plenty of small print to read BUT the vouchers are valid at Alton Towers until 8 November 2013.

See terms & conditions at www.merlinentertainments.biz/terms/tescopetrol for full details. 
As always please check information carefully.

  

Alton Towers Offer with Tesco Boost

We've just had our Tesco Clubcard Vouchers arrive in the post.  Along with the vouchers was a leaflet announcing the launch of Tesco Boost the new name for Tesco Rewards and Tesco Voucher Exchange. 

Did you know that you can make huge savings on entry to Alton Towers using Tesco vouchers?
Want to visit Alton Towers and save money on tickets but don't shop at Tesco?  Start shopping at Tesco and become a Clubcard member straight away to collect points OR bribe a friend to let you have their Tesco vouchers!  Just £12.50 worth of Tesco vouchers will get you entry for one person to Alton Towers.  See the following link for full details
http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/deals/product.aspx?R=3495& bci=4294967294|Days Out
OR maybe you'll get a leaflet in the post soon if your already a Tesco Clubcard member.

There are lots of ways to save money on entry to Alton Towers.  Why not spend the money you save on accommodation?  Telephone us at The Malthouse B&B 01538 703273 to check availability or visit our website www.the-malthouse.com to book online.

Poppy Progress Report

Thought we'd let you know that Poppy our gorgeous Miniature Schnauzer puppy is doing just fine.  She's growing fast and into everything!  Here she is taking a much needed bath after a busy day exploring in the garden.

Like most puppies Poppy loves to eat,  play - her favourite toy at the moment is a squeaky pink rabbit, sleep and take numerous trips to the garden to get into mischief and powder her nose!

Here is a snap of Poppy that we took in our garden on a sunny day last week, cute or what. 

Poppy likes everyone BUT her favourite person (or cat in this case) is our cat Smudge.  She enjoys nothing more than following Smudge around, if he moves she trails after him, if he lies down she rests too, it's like watching a game of follow the leader!  Great entertainment for us!

Here are the best friends taking a much needed rest after chasing each other around.  We wondered how Smudge would cope with a young pup but we thinks he's secretly enjoying all the attention he's getting from his new admirer!

Feeling HOT HOT HOT!

You've not heard from us for a while, SORRY! 
Here in Alton it's HOT and we're really enjoying the fabulous weather, hope it's nice and warm where you are. 

 

The only downside to the heat is that it's making us really sleepy and very lazy.  Once we've finished the jobs we have to do each day at our B&B the heat is all too much and we find ourselves sitting down when we should be working!  As soon as the weather cools a little normal blog service will be resumed.  Anyway signing off for now to go and get an ice cream!      

Introducing Poppy!

Now for those of you who've stayed at The Malthouse regularly you'll know we LOVE animals.  We've waited a long time for a dog of our own and now here she is!  Poppy is a Miniature Schnauzer puppy, just 8 weeks old.  She came to live with us at the weekend and though she misses her brothers and sisters here she is meeting some new found friends two of our guests Sally and Louise. 

 

 

She already loves running around the orchard but occasionally stops to chew the grass.

Meeting new people and playing in the garden can be very tiring, 40 winks is just what I need!

 

We were a little worried about how our cat Smudge would respond to his new housemate but all seems well at the moment.  Watch this space!

The Smiler at Alton Towers is Making our Guests Grin!

Thought you'd like to know that we're getting fantastic feedback from guests staying at our B&B  who've been on The Smiler the new roller coaster at Alton Towers Theme Park.

 

Our guests are giving The Smiler a huge 'thumbs up' and are grinning from ear to ear!
Well done to Alton Towers this new ride seems to be a big hit! 

Two Old Faithful Family Friends Retire!

We've been thinking about it for a while and putting it off but eventually these two old family friends are being put into retirement.  Who are we talking about we hear you cry? 
Well our faithful old washing baskets of course - here they are!

 

As you can see both washing baskets are looking a little worn and well past their best.  The yellow one is 43 and 'bluey' is even older, in fact he is heading towards a 50th golden anniversary!

They've served our family and B&B guests well over the years but we think it's time to retire them now before they fall apart altogether.  Are they the oldest washing baskets ever?  Let us know if you have a laundry aid older than ours.

Anyway, you know what softies we are, we're having difficulty actually throwing them away, so we have decided to find jobs for them that are a little less taxing - maybe storage.  Ideas please!  

 

Here is one of the two new washing baskets we bought to replace our old friends.  They have three sturdy handles and one side is curved to fit nicely onto the hip (very handy when the basket is really full as ours usually are)!

Hope you're reading this and see the funny side, if not you'll probably thing we're basket cases! 

The Smiler - Check the Alton Towers Website to Keep Uptdate

After publishing the last item on our blog to wish Alton Towers good luck with the launch of their new ride 'The Smiler' it seems out best wishes were a little premature!

We would like to thank our facebook fans for letting us know that there seems to be a problem so the launch of the new ride has been delayed. 
You might like to take a look at http://www.altontowers.com/the-smiler-faqs/ to see the latest information from Alton Towers.
We hope that the 'teething problems' are fixed quickly so that every ones smiling again!

Want to follow us on facebook? 
Our page is: The Malthouse B&B near Alton Towers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Malthouse-BB-near-Alton-Towers/113336075382087?fref=ts
We'd love to see you on facebook!

'The Smiler' Opens Tomorrow! Good Luck Alton Towers.

Alton Towers Theme Park open their new rollercoaster ride 'The Smiler' tomorrow,

Thursday 23 May 2013.

 

The Malthouse Bed & Breakfast would like to wish everyone at Alton Towers "good luck" for the launch the new ride, we're sure it'll be a great success.

 

We can't wait to go on 'The Smiler' and we know our guests are looking forward to its arrival too!

   

 

Alton Towers Offer with Tesco Clubcard Vouchers



If you shop at Tesco and have a Clubcard they've got a great offer for Alton Towers at the moment.  For £8.50 (was £12.50) worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers you can get a 1 day pass to Alton Towers Theme Park - GREAT!

Take a look at:
http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/deals/product.aspx?R=3486& bci=4294967294|Days Out
for full information and instructions.

If you're going to take advantage of this fabulous offer hurry along as tokens need to be ordered by
10 June 2013.

MALT TIP: This offer is a fantastic way of getting entry into Alton Towers for a very low price.
If you don't shop at Tesco find someone that does and beg, borrow or bribe them to get your hands on their Clubcard vouchers!

With the savings you've made on entry in to Alton Towers why not turn a day out into a short break? 
To check our availability at The Malthouse B&B telephone us 01538 703273,
email enquiries@the-malthouse.com OR book on line at www.the-malthouse.com we're just one mile away from the theme park!

The Smiler Opens Next Week!

Next week on Thursday 23 May 2013 Alton Towers opens its new rollercoaster 'The Smiler' and we can't wait!

 

The Smiler is the world's first 14 looping rollercoaster. If you dare to have a go on the new ride you'll probably be grinning like a Cheshire Cat when you get off and look a bit like this!

 

Planning a trip to Alton Towers and need accommodation near to the park?
Our B&B The Malthouse is one mile away from Alton Towers located in the village of Alton.
To make an enquiry or booking telephone us 01538 703273, or email enquiries@the-malthouse.com.
Take a look at our website www.the-malthouse.com  for more information or to book online.

Alton Towers The Smiler Opens 23 May 2013!

If you're a roller coaster fan you'll be giddy to know that it's not long until the new ride for 2013 opens at Alton Towers Theme Park.  The new ride 'The Smiler' is due to open from 23 May 2013.  

We can't wait for the new ride to be ready and guests who regularly stay at our B&B are really looking forward to The Smiler opening too!

Need accommodation close to Alton Towers?
Our bed and breakfast 'The Malthouse B&B' is just one mile away from Alton Towers.
We're in a perfect location if you want to be right by the Theme Park and close to pubs for a meal in the evening.  Located in the village of Alton we're within very easy walking distance of pubs that serve evening meals.  After a go on The Smiler you'll probably need a stiff drink or two!
Want to check our availability, have a question or would like to book?
Telephone us 01538 703273 we're always pleased to answer queries or take booking by phone.
Take a look at our website www.the-malthouse.com you can book online if you prefer. 
We are delighted to offer our guests FREE car parking and FREE WiFi!     

Our Grand Day Out at Chatsworth

Last week we had an afternoon off and decided to visit Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. 
We hadn't been to Chatsworth for a few years and as the afternoon was sunny we decided it would be a perfect time to visit. 
Chatsworth is approximately 1 hour by car from our B&B in Alton.  We chose to go via Dovedale in the Peak District, it was a really lovely journey through beautiful countryside with lots of lambs!
Even though we've been to Chatsworth before when you first glimpse the house as you drive along it takes you breath away, it must easily be one of the most impressive grand houses in the UK. 
We arrived at lunchtime and went straight to the old coach house for a bite to eat.  The food was hot and really delicious, just what we needed. 
Next we took a leisurely walk around the inside of the house.  The rooms, artwork and treasures on display have to be seen to be believed.  There are plenty of old pieces to admire but the Devonshire family are clever folk and are mixing old with modern art.  Not to every ones taste we're sure but they are trying to move with the times.  Nice to see even though the modern stuff wasn't our cup of tea.
After our tour of the house we enjoyed an ice cream and a stroll (well more like a hike!) around the magnificent garden.  There are statues, a hot house, fountains, a maze, water features, lakes, trees and plants galore.

 

Here is a snap we took on our tour of the gardens.  Makes the pond in our garden look like a puddle!

 

A browse around a shop or two and the afternoon was over, it was time to head home!
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Chatsworth, clearly a huge amount of effort is put in by the staff there who were all friendly, helpful and seemed happy in their work!
MALT TIP: If you visit Chatsworth make sure you have at least one whole day there so that you get to see everything.

Gorgeous Lambs!

If you've read our blog before you'll know that as well as being 'Bird Bonkers' we're 'Lamb Lovers'!   A few days ago we were working in our garden at The Malthouse and heard an unmistakable noise.  It was the sound of ewes and their lambs being let out into a field on the opposite side of the valley from us.  The noise was so beautiful that we stopped working for a while and just took in the sights and sounds of the sheep, it was lovely!

 

The next day we couldn't resist taking a short walk up to the field to see if we could get a better look at the sheep.  There is a public footpath that crosses the field so we were able to get these close up pictures of the new arrivals with their mums.  Gorgeous I'm sure you'll agree! 



 

To avoid causing the animals unnecessary stress we only stayed in the field for a couple of minutes before tearing ourselves away.  If you're coming to stay at our B&B soon be sure to bring your camera.  Spring has eventually arrived here in Alton so there are plenty of super photo's to be had!

Need a Spring Break?  Take a look at our website www.the-malthouse.com you can send us an email or book online.  Like to book by phone or have any questions?  Why not telephone us 01538 703273 it's good to talk!

The Malthouse B&B - Charity Update

Our bed and breakfast is located in the beautiful village of Alton in Staffordshire.  We really love living in the countryside and all the guests that come to stay with us seem to enjoy it too!

There is a downside though to living in a rural place.  If there is an emergency and medical attention is needed it can take a while for assistance to arrive but thanks to two local charities help is at hand. 

We are extremely lucky to we have a wonderful team of  'Community First Responders'  based just up the road from us at Alton Towers.  Locally if 999 is dialled the First Responders often arrive within a few minutes to start giving aid before an ambulance comes.

Sometimes an accident can occur in a place that it is difficult to get to by ambulance.  Or a patient might need to be taken to hospital very quickly.  On these occasions the County Air Ambulance might be needed.    

The service that the Community First Responders and the County Air Ambulance offer is invaluable to people in a rural location.  For this reason we have been supporting both of these charities for a number of years. 

If you come to stay here at The Malthouse you'll find a charity box for each of these very worthy causes in our hallway.  Recently the boxes were emptied and we are pleased to report that there was in excess of £100 in each box.   

We shall carry on supporting these charities and wish the County Air Ambulance and the
Community First Responders continued success.     

2 for 1 Alton Towers Tickets with O2 Moments



If your an O2 customer and coming along to Alton Towers Theme Park why not take a look at

O2 Moments to see if you can use their 2 for 1 ticket offer.

 

 

 

 

 

Need accommodation near to Alton Towers?  We are just one mile away!
To book or make an enquiry at The Malthouse B&B telephone 01538 703273, email enquiries@the-malthouse.com or visit our website www.the-malthouse.com we're waiting to hear from you!

Hurry!  This offer is only valid for visits to Alton Towers before 31 May 2013.
O2 may not list the offer for much longer so if your interested move it!
As always please check the small print!

It's Cool but Dry!

Hope you've had a Happy Easter! 

 

Now that April has started we're hoping for some better weather. 

This weeks weather forecast for Alton is cool but dry, great no snow!

 

If you're coming to stay here at The Malthouse in the next few days make absolutely sure you pack plenty of warm clothes. 

Guests staying at our B&B in the last day or two have reported that they've managed to stay nice and warm by wrapping up well.  Sensible people - it's been pretty chilly!

  

MALT TIP - Don't forget to pack:

Vests

Long Johns - we kid you not!

Lots of layers of warm clothes

Winter Coats

Hats

Gloves

Scarves

Ear Muffs (cute)

Sunglasses - believe it or not we've had some cold but very sunny weather.

 

Winter woollies may not be the height of fashion but at least you'll be cosy.  A reindeer jumper in April may look odd but as long as you're warm who cares! 

 

Hope you like this photograph of The Malthouse. 
It was taken recently by local photographer Russ Brierley.  A lovely shot - thanks Russ! 
If you're coming to stay with us you might like to purchase a postcard of this photograph. 
Send the postcard to a friend or keep it as a memento of your visit!

Want to check our availability?  Telephone The Malthouse Bed & Breakfast on 01538 703273 as you'll know if you've stayed with us before - we love to chat!

PS: How many Easter Eggs did you get?  Lots we hope!

We've Made Improvements to our WiFi Access!

We are delighted to announce that work has been completed this week to make the FREE WiFi access we offer visitors staying at our b&b even better!

When our WiFi was installed a couple of years ago we had no idea how popular it would be. 
We love to chat to out guests and have been surprised to find out just how many people make good use of the WiFi while they're staying with us.

We're always trying to make improvments to the services we offer here at The Malthouse.
As technology moves at such a pace we decided it was time to see if any improvments could be made to our WiFi signal.  A new antenna and a few pounds later and our WiFi access is now better than it's ever been.  Even places that sometimes proved to be 'patchy' in the past now show much improved signal strength.  When you come to stay with us happy surfing! 

Hello from a Snowy Alton!

Well what a difference a day or two make!  Since our last blog we've gone from cold to snow in Alton just like many other parts of the UK.  Thought you might like to see a few photo's that we took first thing this morning.  The snow might be a bit of a nuisance to people BUT boy does it make everywhere look pretty!

These photos of the orchard at our b&b are really beautiful.  The snow looks wonderful when it's just fallen.

We were greeted at the back door this morning by our cat Smudge.  Here he is showing us the route to the outhouse where he has his breakfast.  Cute or what, he's such a good boy!

 

If you have snow, hope you're safe and well.  Make the most of the wintry conditions though, it won't last forever we hope.  Bring on the Spring eh!

Alton Towers 2 for 1 Voucher with Kellogg's Cereals

MALT TIP:

If your looking for 2 for 1 Vouchers to get into Alton Towers look out for promotional packs of Kellogg's Cereals.  This is a great deal as vouchers are valid until the end of October 2013!

Happy voucher hunting!

Accommodation near to the theme park is essential!  Don't forget to look at our website www.the-malthouse.com or phone us 01538 703273 to check availability at The Malthouse B&B. 

Alton Towers is Open!

Alton Towers is now open for it's main 2013 season - Yipee!

 

Here is a pic we took of the fantastic Spinball ride at Alton Towers.  If you like spinning around this is a ride not to be missed it's great!

Want to get away for a day or two and visit Alton Towers?  We are just one mile from Alton Tower!  Why not contact us at The Malthouse Bed and Breakfast to check our availability?  Call us 01538 703273, Email enquiries@the-malthouse.com OR Book Online at www.the-malthouse.com

What's the weather doing where you are I wonder?  A couple of weeks ago Spring seemed to arrive early in Alton.  We spent quite a few days working outside in the garden at our B&B tidying up.  It was sunny so we thought why not get outside, it was lovely.  It's gone a bit cooler though now but at least it seems dry so as long as your wrapped up being outside is fine.  Lets hope the warmer weather returns.  If your planning a visit to Alton Towers soon bring sunglasses and winter coats so that you're prepared whatever the weather does!

HELLO!

Where does the time go?  We've been up to all sorts since our last blog! 

Here are just a few of the things that have been going on:
We took a well deserved holiday
Christmas came and went  
A family Wedding - it was lovely!
New Year Celebrations
Another short holiday
The weather - need we say more!

Now that we're well into 2013 it's time to start thinking about getting The Malthouse ship shape so that we're ready to welcome guests to our B&B.   The spring seems a long way off but before we blink it'll be mid March and Alton Towers Theme Park will open for their main 2013 season! 

Love Alton Towers?  If you do make a note on your calendar 'Alton Towers Opens' on 16 March 2013!  We can't wait to see what their new ride is like!!!

Must dash off now!  Plenty of decorating, spring cleaning, washing and ironing to do!