Third runway at Heathrow could see end to low flying aircraft

Posted: Wed 16 January 2019 at 13:57

Windsor is located near Heathrow Airport, which is one of the reasons why it’s such as popular location for tourists and business travellers. However, with the convenience comes a little aircraft noise on days when the wind blows in an Easterly direction. Now, news has come that the introduction of a third runway at Heathrow could reduce the amount of low-flying taking place over Windsor.

A new Airspace and Future Operations consultation has been launched at the airport to discuss the issues surrounding the third runway. One of the possibilities being discussed is that flights into the airport could use all three runways throughout the day, meaning an end to all-day flights over Windsor.

One anti-noise pollution campaigner said that the plans to change how Heathrow uses its runways amounts to a ‘near-revolution’ in the airport’s flight paths.

Additionally, the consultation is also going to talk about the extension of the gap in night flights in and out of the airport to ensure a longer gap overnight.

Although most Windsor residents say they no longer notice the aircraft noise, the news that it could be reduced may please some people visiting Windsor.

Heathrow’s executive director for expansion, Emma Gilthorpe, stated: “We are committed to delivery expansion responsibly and putting the needs of local communities at the heart of our growth plans.”

Windsor Great Park releases new group visitors guide

Posted: Wed 9 January 2019 at 11:59

If you’re thinking of visiting Windsor as part of a group this year, make sure you access Windsor Great Park’s brand new group visitors guide to the Savill Garden.

The Crown Estate itself has announced that a new group visitors guide will include lots of valuable information to help people get the very most from their trip to Windsor, and particularly to the Great Park and the Savill Garden.

The guide includes information on several special tours that groups can take part in. This includes the Royal Heritage Tour and The Savill Garden’, which involves a personalised coach tour of the Great Park. The statement says that the tour provides ‘the opportunity to be immersed in 1000 years of Royal History.’

It adds: ‘This limited availability tour allows visitors to understand how Windsor Great Park works in the modern day, as well as learning about its long history.’

Other ‘experiences’ for groups, which are detailed further in the new group visitors guide, include:

Windsor Castle and The Savill Garden
Frogmore House and The Savill Garden
The Royal Garden and River Boat Cruise – three options that include catering for you to choose from
Dorney Court and The Savill Garden

The guide also shows three rambling routes that groups of walkers can take use to get even more up close and personal with the Windsor countryside, each based around the Savill Garden.

The Garden has a recently built building at its heart, which embraces and complements the natural surroundings of Windsor Great Park. Inside you will find a range of excellent food and drink options as well as a popular gift shop. To find out more about the group visitors guide, visit www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk/groups

Stay put in Windsor this Christmas if you want to avoid traffic jams

Posted: Mon 17 December 2018 at 14:09

Experts have warned that the rush to see friends and family will begin this week and worsen on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st, causing massive traffic jams on some of the UK’s busiest roads.

Anyone visiting the UK this Christmas, and planning to get around on the roads, should take into account the advice from traffic experts. Traffic insights business, Inrix, has warned that Thursday 20th could be the peak day when compared with a regular day on British roads.

Drivers hitting the M25 from Windsor or elsewhere, on a regular thursday, might find some minor delays, but on Thursday 20th, there is likely to be huge numbers undertaking the ‘great Christmas getaway’, as it’s been dubbed by the tabloid papers.

Inrix’s Joshua Kidd, explained: “With most drivers setting out mid-morning, traffic will become heavier over the course of the afternoon and stay congested into the evening.”

He added that there are other factors at play that could add to the congestion on the 20th and 21st, such as the fact that delivery firms and Royal Mail workers will still be out and about making last-minute deliveries. In addition, huge numbers of us will still be hitting the shops this week as there are few chances after the weekend.

The worst-hit roads are expected to be the M25, the M6 and the M40, all of which are better avoided if you have the option. Why not stay put in Windsor instead and enjoy everything the town has to offer at this time of year instead!

Making the most of your short-term let in Windsor this Christmas

Posted: Fri 14 December 2018 at 12:11

We have a fantastic range of short-term lets in Windsor, which are popular with holidaymakers. Staying in your own apartment or even in one of our beautiful cottages, gives you independence and space. You’ll have the opportunity to experience Windsor like a local.

Here we take you through some of the ways you can get the very most out of your stay in one of our short-term lets in Windsor.

Cook!

Having access to self-catering facilities, including a fridge, a cooker and full range of pots and pans and utensils, means you can cook up a storm in your holiday home. Windsor has a fantastic farmers’ market on the first Saturday of each month on St Leonard’s Rd, which is a great place to source delicious local ingredients to use in your dishes. Even if you’re just buying some cheeses or a delicious cake to enjoy later on, you will be able to put it in your own fridge to keep it fresh – just as you would at home!

Host!

If you are visiting family or friends in Windsor or Eton, why not invite them over to your short-term let and host a dinner party? Having the space and facilities to host loved ones is a perk that you certainly can’t enjoy in a hotel room.

Take a day trip – and then enjoy returning to your own apartment at the end of the day…

There are some fantastic day trips to be taken right on Windsor’s doorstep and our staff at Accommodation Windsor will be more than happy to give you ideas about destinations and transport.

We love a trip to Cliveden National Trust, which is one of the loveliest places to explore within just 15 minutes drive from Windsor. Cliveden House Hotel is where the Duchess of Sussex spent the night before her wedding and it has since been given its own TV show ‘A Very British Country House’.

It goes without saying that London is easily accessible from Windsor, but why not try visiting the countryside around Windsor instead? A bracing country walk at Burnham Beeches is wonderful at this time of year, while a riverside visit to the nearby Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was signed is poignant and beautiful during the winter months.

At the end of a long day out seeing the sites, or walking in the countryside, enjoy coming home to your very own apartment or holiday cottage. You can kick off your shoes, relax on the sofa, watch the TV, listen to music, make a cup of tea (with a full-size kettle!) or fetch a cold glass of wine or beer from your very own fridge.

A growing number of holidaymakers are now renting short-term lets as their holiday accommodation with the main reasons being comfort and space. Christmas is perhaps the time of year when these things matter the most, and that’s why our short-term rentals in Windsor are always popular at this time of year.

Heathrow Airport strengthens its tech ahead of expansion

Posted: Fri 30 November 2018 at 12:06

Anyone living close to Heathrow Airport will be aware that it is planning to expand with a third runway in the not-to-distant future. It has now teamed up with a company called Copenhagen Optimization to upgrade the technology that forms the backbone of its services in preparation for this expansion.

Copenhagen Optimization offers a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service solution for airports to help them automate processes and better deal with various scenarios. Moving to the cloud-based solution means that Heathrow will be able to cope better with different challenges that its expansion might create. It also means that, for travellers, there are less likely to be delays and the movement through the airport could be quicker and more effective.

Heathrow’s Mark Burgess, the Head of Operational Planning, Performance & Transformation, said the new upgrade “will allow us to decrease wait times and continue to improve operations and passenger experience, as we prepare for the future of airport experience.”

Copenhagen Optimizations managing partner, Kasper Hounsgaard, explained that the ‘Better Airport’ system will mean that Heathrow will be prepared for anything. He said: “With Better Airport, the skilled planning team at Heathrow can optimise and automate their current planning processes, including the ability to quantify any what-if scenarios with hard numbers, which will lead to better resource allocation and higher cost savings. Heathrow is ready for significant future growth.”

Heathrow currently sees some 78 million passengers pass through each year and this is set to increase to a staggering 130 million passengers in the near future.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set to move to Windsor

Posted: Tue 27 November 2018 at 10:29

A move to Windsor is on the cards for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex come the New Year, according to the Royal household.

An official statement from Buckingham Palace explained: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will move to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate early next year as they prepare for the arrival of their first child.’

It was widely reported that the Queen had gifted Adelaide Cottage to the couple as a wedding present and that the pair were very fond of Windsor as a place to live and raise children. However, it has now been confirmed that the more modest Frogmore Cottage overlooking Frogmore House will be their first home as a family.

Living away from London, in a more private setting, will help them stay away from unwanted press attention. the couple will also have the pleasure of living within a short walk of the venues for both their wedding ceremony (St George’s Chapel) and their evening wedding reception (Frogmore House) back in May 2018.

The official statement continued: ‘Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate.

Frogmore cottage is reportedly undergoing renovation in preparation for Harry and Meghan’s move in early 2019. The premises has five bedrooms and has recently been split into separate homes to house Royal staff. Therefore, the renovation is necessary to return the cottage to a single household.

Charity tells public: “feed the Windsor swans!”

Posted: Fri 23 November 2018 at 12:20

A swan conservation organisation, based in Datchet, is urging members of the public and visitors to the town to feed the Windsor swans over the winter.

Without human intervention, some of the swans, who are already dangerously underweight, might not last the colder season, according to the experts at Swan Support.

Windsor is famous for its flock of beautiful swans that gather in great numbers around the riverfront areas and by Windsor Bridge. A few years back, a campaign was launched to try to dissuade the public from feeding bread to ducks, geese and swans. It was claimed that bread was bad for the birds, but Swan Support now suggests that this might be leading to the starvation problem.

“Our concern is that many birds will die throughout the harsh winter months as they have not been fed during the summer and will not be fed over the coming winter,” stated Swan Support. The organisation has now launched a social media campaign to try to promote the feeding of swans in the region.

“Please feed them bread, grains, cereals, swan pellets and leafy greens. Of course they should never be fed mouldy bread.” was the advice given.

So next time you’re admiring the swans at the river in Windsor, take along some food for them and you could help keep them healthy and well fed through the winter.

Heathrow Airport reports record passenger growth

Posted: Sat 17 November 2018 at 13:45

Windsor’s proximity to Heathrow Airport is one of the reasons why it attracts such as large number of tourists and business travellers each year. Now, Heathrow has announced that it is welcoming more passengers all the time, thanks to a greater number of larger aircraft.

In October 2018, Heathrow saw a 4.5 per cent increase in passenger numbers, with some seven million people passing through the airport during the month. The number of passengers travelling to and from North America led the growth, rising by 9.1 per cent last month.

American tourists love visiting the UK, particularly our historic destinations such as the Tower of London, Windsor Castle and Oxford University.

Growth at Heathrow is expected to continue. The airport saw a further boost to its popularity following news in the Autumn Budget that passengers from a number of countries, including New Zealand, the United States and Japan, will now be able to use the eGates at the airport. This will speed up the route through the airport for those travelling from these destinations. Anyone visiting the UK on business is likely to welcome this change in stance, as it will enhance the business travel experience for anyone using Heathrow.

Heathrow also recently announced that it will be boosting its green credentials. It is to waive landing charges for the entire first year of operation for electric-hybrid aircraft when they start to touch down on Heathrow’s runways.

What’s on in Windsor this Christmas?

Posted: Wed 14 November 2018 at 11:05

There’s nothing quite like getting involved in some Christmas events to get you into the spirit of the season. Here’s a quick round up of what’s on in Windsor over the coming weeks.

“He’s behind you!!”

Yes, that’s right, it’s panto season again and Windor’s very own Theatre Royal is celebrating 80 years of pantomime in the town with its version of Dick Whittington. Familiar faces such as Mike Read, Anne Heggerty and, of course, Basil Brush will be starring in this family favourite between 23 November and 6 January. That means there’s plenty of time to get your tickets and enjoy a touch of traditional English nonsense!

Windsor On Ice returns

This is the time of year that Alexandra Gardens turns into a Winter Wonderland, complete with children’s fairground rides, a large ice rink and traditional Bavarian-style Christmas snacks and drinks.

There will be mulled wine galore for the grown ups and enough candy floss to keep the kids buzzing until the 25th! Come along and enjoy the merriment from 17th November until 6 January.

Let there be light!

The annual Christmas lights switch-on in Windsor will be a spectacular event as usual. This year, the lights will be turned on on Saturday 17th November.

The highlight for most visitors will be the children’s lantern parade, which snakes its way through Windsor’s centre and up to the castle from 3:30pm. The event will climax in the switching on itself at 5:30, topped off with the impressive illumination of Windsor Castle’s Garter Tower.

Meet Santa at Daniel

Christmas in Windsor wouldn’t be complete without a trip to our historic department store, Daniel. This year, little ones can meet Santa at the store’s magical grotto every weekend day from 17th November. The grotto will also be open every day in the lead up to Christmas from 17th December. The price for a visit with Santa is just £7 and this includes a gift from the man himself!

And for the crazy…I mean sporty…among you…

Ever wanted to dress up as Santa and run around Windsor town centre with a bunch of other people dressed as Santa? Well here’s your chance. And it’s all for a good cause!

The Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Santa Dash is taking place from 9am on 25th November, from Bachelor’s Acre. It will take in the Long Walk, the Castle area and the shopping streets. Children are welcome to take part in the 5km fun run and the price of entry includes your very own Santa suit!