Thursford Christmas Spectacular


I recently had a call from Ray Wordley who is the joint proprietor, with his wife, of Invitation Coach Events.  They organise short breaks by coach with a difference.  He told me a little bit about his company and the sort of trips he organises and mentioned that one of my readers, Beverley Hanrahan, had been on one of his recent overnight trips.  I thought it would be a good idea to find out what Beverley had to say about it.

On ringing Beverley she was so excited that I had to slow her down a couple of times but this is what she had to say about her trip with Invitation Coach Events......

“I went along to the Thursford Christmas Spectacular with my aunt in early November this year and must say I was very impressed.

We were warmly welcomed onto the coach when we were picked up in Hornchurch where my aunt lives, but Ray also offered a pick-up from the McDonalds Restaurant next to the Harlow junction of the M11. (Ray is keen not have too many pick-ups because it would irritate guests who joined the coach at the beginning of its journey.)  The coach had a toilet, air conditioning, tea & coffee facilities and a refrigerator stocked with cold drinks.  Ray acted as Escort for this particular trip and the attention to detail was superb. He doesn’t just offer a coach trip; he gives the highest customer service throughout and takes a personal interest in every guest.  He’s also got a good sense of humour, I thought.

On the way to Thursford we stopped off at a 3-star hotel in Newmarket for coffee en route to our overnight hotel which was directly on the seafront at Cromer.  The hotel was an elegant Edwardian Hotel with a beautiful ‘Gone with the Wind’ style staircase running down the centre of the main lobby and beautiful stained glass windows and doors.  The lobby lounge had a most inviting real log fire which simply begged to be sat around!  Ray’s accommodation is mostly 3 & 4-star business class.  He won’t use a hotel unless he has stayed at least overnight to sample the rooms, food and service, to make sure that it is likely to meet his high standards. 

Our rooms were all en-suite and spotlessly clean, comfortable and warm. This particular hotel is independently owned by a local family which made it all the more friendly with a great atmosphere.  All the bedrooms have sea views.

After taking our bags to our rooms we went into the ballroom-like Westcliff Room for our four-course Christmas dinner with silver service on round tables for eight. We had a good choice of dishes for each course from a menu that Ray gave us on the coach, He then phoned the hotel kitchen and, presto, it was ready for us when we got there.  Absolutely brilliant and soooooo delicious.  The food was hot and tasted like home cooked food and not the sort of mass produced food you sometimes experience in hotels that cater for huge numbers of people.  Christmas started here with a wonderful Christmas atmosphere. The staff wore sparkling bowler hats and Christmassy music played in the background. I was amazed when I found out that three hotel directors were amongst the waiting staff!

We then had some time to ourselves before we boarded the coach again and were taken to a tiny Norfolk village called Thursford for the evening performance of a truly spectacular Christmas show.  The first thing I noticed upon arrival was the hundreds of Christmas lights in the tall trees and how spectacularly decorated the surroundings were.  It was everything Christmas, but very tastefully done!

No expense was spared in staging the show.  Dazzling dancers in beautiful costumes, a choir dressed in various robes and candles carried through an audience of 1,470.  Add to that a 32-piece orchestra backed up by the Mighty Wurlitzer played by Mr Blackpool himself, Phil Kelsall.  Add to that the bagpipers & drummers, the brass band, the harp, the xylophone.  The cast of over one hundred also included a magician and a comedian ventriloquist. Everything was very extravagant.  The atmosphere, the energy, the colour, the music and the lighting effects were amazing.  It was definitely one of the most exciting shows I’ve ever been to in my entire life!

There are also Christmas gift shops housed in restored barns that had a truly Dickensian Christmas atmosphere.

We returned to our hotel just after 10.45 PM for a drink at the cosy bar lounge before retiring to bed.

After breakfast the next day we left our cases in the hall for the coach driver to load into the coach.  Different coloured luggage labels had been provided for every pickup so the coach driver could easily work out the best way to load them.

We chose where we wanted to spend the rest of the day (or 3 ½ hours of it anyway). Ray carefully explained the merits of both destinations.  Some of the party went to Norwich and some went to Wroxham, the capital of the Norfolk Broads.  He also showed us where to pick the coach up at the designated time and suggested various options for lunch. 

Ray looked after everyone throughout the whole trip making sure that we were all comfortable and we had all that was needed on the coach. We had a good view whilst watching the show (he went and got some cushions for one lady who needed them).  He even took round a basket of sweets and wet wipes on the coach.  We really felt we were being looked after throughout the whole trip.  Everything to think about had been thought of and there was nothing for me to do except enjoy it.

I think the trip is great value for money and well worth going on.  Ray thought of all the little things and was very professional, but he is a member of the Institute of Hospitality I found out afterwards.  Everything was just so…

I can’t believe that I have not heard of this trip before and I am going to make sure that I book up early for next year.  Apparently people book as early as January and February to make sure they don’t miss out.”    

Thanks for that review Beverley.  I’m definitely going to book up and take my mum next year. 

Click here to see details of 2011 events organised by Invitation Coach Events

or phone them on 01375-383000


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