Wednesday 29 September 2010

Stairlifts in Wiltshire including Salisbury, Trowbridge, Swindon and Chippenham (for moonrakers?)



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Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts Swindon and Wilstshire.
And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Give us a call today on 0800 007 6959.If you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Moonrakers! What's that? - many folk ask. Well, it's what Wiltshire people are called. If you wonder just why, and are looking for other fascinating facts about the area, then feel free to read on. Wiltshire now the home of one of the world's richest rock stars - a Stoke on Trent born lad who recently paid £8m pin money for Compton Bassett House as it is ideallly placed to indulge in his hobby - UFO spotting! See more below.

Swindon who's motto is "Salubritas Industria" (health and industry,) is the largest town in the county and grew from a small settlement on a hill in Saxon times. The origin of the town name is believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon words swine and dun meaning 'pig hill!' Not the nicest sounding place it didn't stop Isambard Kingdom Brunel from establishing his Great Western Railways works here in the 1840's, which massively expanded the town. The works were built by 200 men but went on to employ in its heyday 14,000 workers, nearly 3/4 of the towns population. Due to overcrowding, poor hygiene and a dangerous working environment the life expectancy of the workers was just 29 years. As a result of this the company decided to ask employees to accept a deduction from their pay in return for access to healthcare. They established an on-site clinic,pharmacy, laundry and leisure facilities for the employees. This has been seen by researchers as being an early model for the NHS, some 100 years before that organisation came into being in 1947.



Salisbury is the next biggest town in the county and is famous for being at the meeting of 5 rivers. This means the area is rich in waterways and is also home to Britains tallest church spire at the iconic Salisbury cathedral. The cathedral itself was built over 750 years ago, weighs 700 tons and is actually floating on a bed of gravel in those same water meadows. It is also the home of Europe's oldest working clock and has 332 steps to the top of the spire. By my calculations a curved stairlift to the top of the spire would cost, based on this stairlift quote, approximately £50,000. However, for your own house it would be considerably cheaper to get a lift for stairs that go round a bend.


Another tourist draw in the county that appeals to history buffs and others is Stonehenge. Older than Salisbury Cathedral by some 3 and a half thousand years it has drawn people to it with its mystical atmosphere for centuries.
The original name for the county came from Wiltonshire and is named after Wilton the famous carpet-making former county town. There were lots of weaving and carpetmaking companies set up in the county because sheep lived well on the Wiltshire Downs and there were easy routes to market in Bristol or London. It was the same for Chippenham, which was a market town on the old London to Bristol road which also traded cloth and wool. Nowadays because of the "M4 corridoor effect" it is now a commuter town for people travelling to work in Bath, Bristol, Swindon or London and the cloth trading has disappeared to be replaced by more higher tech industries and food producers. Two big employers in the town are Mattesons, who introduced pate to the UK and Nestle, famous for its coffee and chocolate.
Trowbridge is the current county town of Wiltshire and like some of the other places previously mentioned was a big weaving town. In the 1800's it was dubbed the 'Manchester of the West' because it had over 2000 wool producing factories. These mills have now been demolished or converted and the towns big employers include mobile phone giants Vodaphone and Virgin Mobile. It also houses the Wiltshire Farm Foods factory which makes "meals on wheels" meals. In fact, like Castle Comfort Stairlifts, it specialises in a professional service mainly for elderly or disabled people, direct to the home.




Before we come on to an amazing list of famous people past and present who originate from Wiltshire, you are simply desperate to know the origin of the nickname for Wiltshire people - 'moonrakers' Well just click on our old friend Wikipedia... a source of information that contains fantastic genuine facts about literally anything on this planet (and elsewhere) indeed if it's the first time you have met Castle Comfort Stairlifts - please have another glance in Wiki - HERE and see just how the company was founded and the reasons for its success.

Here below, as with all our regional stairlift blogs, we have some of the main towns and cities in the region – along with a selection of notable residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable, how many people do not know just who comes from their own town.

Amesbury – the ‘Amesbury Archer’, known as the ‘King of Stonehenge’, his grave was found in an excavation of the area. Bradford on Avon – Henry Shrapnel, inventor of the shrapnel shell. Calne – Walter Goodall George, athlete and nowe this delightful village is home of Stoke on Trent (home of Castle Comfort Stairlifts) born Robbie Williams who recently paid eight million pounds for Compton Bassett House and its 71 acres.
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Apparently Robbie's fascination for UFOs influenced his decision to buy a Wilts property that in recent renovations had a £350,000 power sub station built within it as it uses so much electricity! According to experts, ie The Sunday Times, the Compton Bassett House estate is criss-crossed by 'ley lines.' For the uninitiated these are the “mystical energy routes” that guide UFOs towards close encounters with earthlings. Does this, we ask the many thousands of his fans who have already tuned into this blog fans, make Robbie a 'Stoke on Trent Moonraker?' Please comment below. You may even get a Robbie comment in reply as we know he (and his Mum) follow us and what goes on in Staffordshire.

Chippenham - Alfred the Great, Anglo-Saxon king. Robert Peel, former prime minister. East Knoyle – Christopher Wren, architect. Highworth – Helen Shapiro, singer. Melinda Messenger, model. Malmesbury – Thomas Hobbes, father of English modern philosophy.


Marlborough – Pete Doherty, musician.
Melksham – Matthew Bound, footballer.
Salisbury – David Mitchell, actor and comedian and
John Rhys-Davies, actor.
Swindon – Billie Piper, actress and former pop singer. Julian Clary, comedian. Tidworth – James Blunt, musician. Trowbridge – Stephen Lee, snooker player. Jamie Pitman, footballer. Warminster – William Aldridge, nonconformist minister. Westbury – Ruth May Fox, women’s rights activist. Vernon Bartlett, journalist and politician.







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Stairlifts Swindon and Wiltshire

Friday 24 September 2010

Stairlifts in Gloucestershire - Gloucester | Cheltenham | Cirencester | Stroud


Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Gloucester

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Gloucester, Cheltenham and the wider Gloucestershire county.

And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Give us a call today by going direct to our Gloucester stairlifts surveyor on 01452 899902

If you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.

If you are trying to discover why Doctor Foster went to Gloucester, you'll find out later in this Castle Stairlifts blog.
If you are searching for interesting facts about the area and want to know which town boasts both a world famous rock and roller and England's most popular classical composer then read on to find out more.

Gloucester is the biggest city in Gloucestershire and is the county town. Founded in AD48 by the Romans, as a fort called Glevum, it was an important place being close to the border of England and Wales and also midway between Bristol and Birmingham.

In the Middle Ages the renowned cathedral was built. Famous for having the largest medieval stained glass window in the world it also surprisingly shows the earliest known images of the games of golf and football. It has also been featured in numerous Harry Potter films because of its spectacular vaulted ceilings.

As well as being the home of the choir here, the city holds the oldest annual music festival in the world called “The 3 Choirs” which it holds in rotation with Hereford and Worcester, which are all in easy reach of our stairlift specialists in Bristol or at our Birmingham stair lift office.

Cirencester, the so called “Capital of the Cotswolds,” is home to many independent shops, a Roman museum and is surrounded by the Cotswold Water Park. The Water Park around Cirencester is Britains' biggest water park, some 50% bigger than the Norfolk Broads and covers an area of 40 square miles and has over 100 individual lakes. The area attracts walkers, cyclists, birdwatchers and those interested in sailing and windsurfing.

In the second century the Romans made Corinium as it was known the second largest Roman city after London. It's Roman heritage can be seen at the museum where many artefacts can be viewed, having been unearthed from archeological digs. In the 1100's Henry I established a great Abbey here, though his descendant Henry VIII, the inventor of the stairlift, decided to demolish it in his war against the church.

Famous locals include model Elizabeth Hurley who has a home in the Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswold Water Park, TV presenter and ex-gymnast Suzanne Dando who was UK gymnastics champion and competed at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, and also Interior Designer and TV presenter Laurence Llewellyn Bowen lives around here too.

Cheltenham is the second biggest town in the county having a population of around a hundred thousand. It is famous for its racecourse and the Cheltenham Gold Cup festival, which is a 4 day event that takes place every March.
It is also famous for its health-giving Spa waters from its chalybeate spring which means it is rich in iron and other minerals. It is not possible to bathe in it today like in Bath but you can still take a drink of it from the Pitville pump room in Pitville Park.

There are many Regency houses in the town from its heyday as a spa resort and it still attracts a wealthy and cultured crowd who frequent the annual Cheltenham Literature festival which boasts writers, performers and TV presenters.

Another Olympian in a completely different sport is likeable Olympic downhill ski jumper Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards who was born here. He has travelled on many a chairlift in his training.
The town also has a couple of famous musicians mentioned at the top of the page. They are Brian Jones the founding member of the Rolling Stones and Gustav Holst who wrote “The Planets,” which is the most performed classical music piece by an English composer.

Stroud is surrounded by waterways that powered it's woollen industry and there are many workers cottages and mills from the textile industry that peaked here during the Industrial Revolution.

It hosts an annual vintage textile festival and although nowadays the industry has declined because of cheaper imports they still make the "green baize" material for snooker tables locally.

Famous resident writers include Jilly Cooper, pictured left and famous for her horsey romantic fiction, Katie Fforde another romantic novelist and Laurie Lee author of “Cider with Rosie.”

Before we come on to an amazing list of famous folk originating fron the area, see here the real truth about Dr Foster's visit to Gloucester.

Here below, as with all our regional stairlift blogs, we have some of the main towns and cities in the region – along with a selection of notable residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable, how many people do not know just who comes from their own town.

Bitton – Dick King-Smith, author. Cheltenham – Brian Jones, founding member of the Rolling Stones.

Richard O’Brien, actor. Chipping Campden – Graham Greene, author. Chipping Sodbury – J.K. Rowling, author. Cinderford – Jimmy Young, ex BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 disc jockey and Knight of the Realm. Cirencester – Pam Ayres, poet, actress and broadcaster. Gloucester – Alastair Cook, cricketer. Simon Pegg, actor, comedian and writer. Lydney – Steve James, cricketer. Moreton in Marsh – Gabrielle Glaister. Nailsworth – W.H. Davies, poet. Peter Reed, Olympic rower. Painswick – Gerald Finzi, composer. Stroud – Jilly Cooper, author. Keith Allen, actor. Tetbury – Brian Trubshaw, first test pilot of Concorde. Tewkesbury – John Moore, writer. Wotton under Edge – U.A. Fanthorpe, poet.


Click here to find new and reconditioned Stairlifts in Gloucestershire

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Bristol Stairlifts | Stairlifts Bristol



Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Bristol

Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts Bristol.


And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today by going direct to our Bristol stairlifts surveyor on 01179 059177.


Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those searching for stairlifts Bristol. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

If you are looking for interesting facts about the Bristol area and want to know which comfortable castle has entertained both the royal inventor of the stairlift and the Two Ronnies then read on.

Bristol is the largest city in the South West having nearly half a million people living here. At one time in the early Middle Ages Bristol was the third biggest city in England. The city expanded in the Industrial Revolution with the docks being a transport hub to Ireland and America. Unusually there are many famous drinks that were invented and started production here, that everyone will have tried at least once in their life. Harveys Bristol Cream and Schweppes among them. You might still drink one of them today, but don't ride your Bristol stairlift under the influence, will you.


Famous funfair and holiday camp entrepreneur Billy Butlin lived in Bristol with his mother and set up his first business here – a hoop-la stall. Later on he established the Butlins holiday camp company with it's infamous redcoats entertainers.


If I asked you to "think of a number" do I mean 0117 905 9177 the number to call for our Stairlifts Bristol team. It's a reference to another Bristolian - Johnny Ball, the TV maths wizard who was born here and incidentally started out as a redcoat too. There are other famous people from Bristol, just some of which are listed further on at the bottom of the page.


South of our Bristol stairlifts install region just along the M5, we have Weston Super Mare, Nailsea, Portishead and Clevedon, with its superbly engineered pier. All these areas are within easy reach of our stairlift engineers, to get you a free stairlift quote. Call the above number to find out more.


Weston-super-Mare is famous for its donkeys, its Winter Gardens and for just how far the tide goes out. At low tide the beach expands and is nearly a mile to the sea. Be careful though, there is treacherous mud here as well as sand on the beach. You might need to get a lift from a rescue helicopter, although being the HQ of Westland helicopters and the world's largest helicopter museum you are in a good place if you need some assistance!
If you need another type of lift - like a Minivator stairlift, an Acorn or one of the Stannah stairlifts then we install those and all the other reputable brands such as Brooks, Platinum or Bespoke too.


Remember my earlier question? A comfortable castle, that has entertained both “The Two Ronnies,” and the Royal inventor of the first heavy weight stairlift? It is Berkeley Castle and the current owner is the 28th generation of the same family to live there. It must be comfortable for his family to have stayed put for so long.


In Tudor times, Henry VIII honeymooned there with Ann Boleyn and "The Two Ronnies" filmed one of their shows there. They have had many visitors over the years, and you might have been for a day out there yourself. King Henry was famous for a lot of things, including the production of the world's first ever STAIRLIFT ! You want proof?

Nearby Kingswood, Yate and Bradley Stoke are some of the larger towns in South Gloucestershire served by our Bristol stairlift team.

Kingswood is famous for its Douglas motor bike company. As well as manufacturing motorbikes locally they also made Vespa's, the iconic Italian scooter, which they made under licence. Their bikes won many Isle of Man TT races and they also provided the bike for the first circumnavigation of the globe by motorbike way back in 1932, and detailed in the book One Man Caravan.

Bath is situated in the North East Somerset area, like Keynsham and Norton Radstock and we have got more than a decade of experience in stair lift installation in Avon. It's known for it's rich architectural heritage. Beginning with the Roman times Bath was originally named “Aquae Sulis” as it is the site of hot springs with beneficial properties. The city has been named after these spa water “baths.” In the 1800's it was one of the biggest cities in England that has historically been a trade centre. Famous for the Roman architecture, the baths are pictured left, and also for it's Georgian terraces and mansion blocks, many of which were built for wealthy industrialists.


From Bath to Bristol our stairlifts can be fitted anywhere from a terraced house to a mansion.



Here below, as with all our regional stairlift blogs, we have some of the main towns and cities in the region – along with a selection of notable residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable, how many people do not know just who comes from their own town.


Bath – Jane Austen, novelist. Peter Gabriel, musician. Bradley Stoke – Damien Hirst, painter and installation artist. Bristol – J K Rowling, author. Christopher Fry, dramatist. Clevedon – Bob Anderson, darts champion. Hartley Colreridge, writer and son of Samuel Coleridge. Keynsham – Bill Bailey, comedian. Mark Regan, rugby player. NailseaAdge Cutler, folk singer. Mervyn Kitchen, cricketer. Portishead – Eddie Large, comedian. George Wightwick, notable architect. Thornbury – James Symons, former manager of Leeds United and Newcastle United. Emily Webley-Smith, tennis player. Weston-super-Mare – Jeffrey Archer, author, politician and convicted perjurer. John Cleese, actor and member of Monty Python. Yate – Geoff Twentyman, footballer and radio sports editor.


If you know of anymore let us know in the comments section or give us a call on 01179 059177 and we will be pleased to add it in.



Plus, in common with our series of Castle Stairlifts blogs, we'll be having a dedicated section to keep all our sports fans happy - and Bristol City and Bristol Rovers football clubs will be the first to feature. If you follow either of these two Bristol based clubs - watch this space .. and maybe it's the opportunity for you to make a comment via the coupon below.



Bristol City is our first featured club and readers interested in a stairlift for their relative will likely remember the era of Alan Dicks who was offered the job of manager by Jimmy Hill who he coached under at Coventry. Under his guidance the team climbed to the First division in 1976 after a generation of languishing in the lower leagues.


In the early 80's the team declined to the fourth division and suffered financial setbacks but later on and in the 90's under Terry Cooper and Joe Jordan their fortunes were revived as they were promoted to the Third division.


Denis Smith was one of the best managers especially for bringing talent like Andy Cole to Bristol. Scoring 20 goals in 41 appearances he lit up the pitch and helped the club climb to the First Division. Unfortunately he was sold on to Newcastle and Man U where he set the highest transfer fee of the time. He never quite managed his goal every other game average that he did at Bristol. If you ever need someone to install a Bristol Stairlift to the top of the terraces then Castle Comfort is the name to call.








Click here to find new and reconditionedStairlifts in Bristol or Bath

Saturday 18 September 2010

Stairlifts in Lincolnshire - discover here the best supplier



Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Lincoln





Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Lincoln, Grimsby, Scunthorpe or Grantham, in fact anywhere in Lincolnshire and Rutland.
And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Give us a call today 
by going direct to our Lincoln stairlifts surveyor
on 01522 899769.

But if you are looking for fascinating facts about your area, then read on. For example, few folk from Lincoln actually know what a 'Lincoln stairlift' is.
Soon, all will be revealed.

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire is the UK's 2nd largest county and is bordered by 8 other counties, any of which you can also order a stair lift from. It has Britains shortest county boundary with Northamptonshire at just 20 yards. Mainly agricultural and food based the county has historically had connections to the sea through its busy ports bringing fish and other goods into dock, aswell as all along the coast there are the East Coast resorts of Skegness, Mablethorpe, Cleethorpes and Ingoldmells. Last year 17 million people visited Lincolnshire for tourism purposes and were worth nearly a billion pounds to the local economy.

Lincoln is the county town and is known for its cathedral and also for its picturesque marina called Brayford Marina. It was near the Marina that the town was founded in the first century. Nowadays a big university town it has lots to interest the tourist with its rows of independent boutiques, art and craft, food and gift shops especially along Steep Hill, pictured left.

Quaint and characterful shops and antique buildings line the route although a stretch of the hill was unfortunately nicknamed "Heart-attack alley" because of the strenuous climb. As a result the town launched a whisper-quiet electric service bus to trundle up the 1 in 7 gradient to the top steps of the incline which links the Marina at the bottom with the Cathedral at the top. Castle Comfort would have installed a stairlift if they had only asked, and although they can easily provide a bariatric stairlift that goes up to 30 stone the bus beats it by carrying the weight of 14 people!

Grimsby is our next town and is on the mouth of the Humber estuary and is Britain's busiest fishing port and also a bustling docks. In World War II the dock was the largest base for North Sea minesweepers keeping Britain free from the Germans. And in the 50's it was actually the biggest and busiest fishing port in the world! With container loads of fish coming in from Icelandic and other European boats together with the acres of vegetables being grown on the Lincolnshire Fens it was no surprise that food manufacturing and processing became big business in the area. Nowadays most of the UK's Scandinavian timber and car imports also come through the port while the Derbyshire-made Toyota Auris gets exported out through there.



Scunthorpe has Britain's biggest steel processing plant and has a few famous sportsmen associated with it too. Firstly Kevin Keegan played for Scunthorpe United before he made his name at Liverpool. Ian Botham the cricketer also made 11 league appearances playing for Scunthorpe while still being a top flight cricketer. The greatest golfer of a generation Tony Jacklin overturned America's dominance in the Ryder Cup through the late 60's and 70's and was the first European in 84 years to win the US open. He won 2 Majors and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.



Grantham is known for some of its past residents (born Hilda Margaret Roberts...) but did you know that it was here that the first caterpillar-tracked vehicle was invented. The Grantham inventor only sold one vehicle so an American bought the rights and subsequently went on to establish the massive Caterpillar construction vehicle company.
Source:Wikimedia

It was also where Sir Issac Newton the scientist who discovered gravity, maths theories and maker of the first reflecting telescope, went to school. Other notable firsts for the town were the first female police officers in 1914, the first production diesel engine and the first female Prime Minister was born here....Margaret Thatcher.


Close by is Englands smallest county of Rutland, having two main towns Oakham and Uppingham and although small has some claims to fame. Rutland Water is the areas biggest draw having an area similar in size to the Lake District's Lake Windermere and is one of Europe's biggest man made lakes. It is possible to walk and cycle round its 25 mile perimeter and there are boats for hire and fishing and birdwatching too. Did you know the county has the UK's highest fertility rate with an average household having 2.8 children. There must be something in that water!


Uppingham is known for its boarding school in the town which dates from the 1500's and which has more sports fields by area than any other school in England. Famous past pupils include comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry, John Suchet the newscaster and Rick Stein one of the most popular tv chefs who made a name for himself cooking fresh fish dishes.


The county is also home to BBC's Gardeners World where the demonstration gardens at Barnsdale are located, and was set up by the late Geoff Hamiton "The Peoples Gardener." You can still visit it today and see 38 individual gardens set out for your enjoyment and inspiration.

As with all our regional Stairlift Blogs, we have the main towns in the county of Lincolnshire, along with a slection of noteable residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable, how many people do not know just who comes from their own town.

Boston – John Motson, Sports Commentator. Ann Bradstreet, 17th century Poetess.
Grantham - Physisist, Sir Isaac Newton. Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister. Stephen Lewis, of ‘Last of the Summer Wine.’ Gainsborough – John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Movement. John Alderton, Actor of ‘Please Sir’ fame. Skegness – Billy Butlin, founder of Holiday Camps. Spalding – Ian Cashmore, Presenter of TV’s ‘Ghosthunters’. Gregor Fisher, star of ‘Rab C Nesbitt’ and ‘The Baldy Man’. Stamford – Nicola Roberts, Singer from Girls Aloud. Malcolm Christie, Professional Footballer. Louth – Jeffery Archer, MP and Author. Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown, Adult Comedian. Bourne – William Cecil, Lord Treasurer to Elizabeth I. Charles Frederick Worth, who revolutionised French fashion. Mablethorpe – Alfred Tennyson, Poet. Sleaford – Jennifer Saunders, Actress. Eric Thompson, British Actor and Narrator of 1960’s TV series ‘The Magic Roundabout’. Holbeach – Sally Reddin, Paralympic Gold Medalist. Normal Angell, Nobel Peace Prize winner 1933. Deeping St. James – Martin Adams, Darts Player. Market Deeping – Charles Hardwicke, British Explorer. Horncastle – Robert Webb, television sitcom Actor. Henry Simpson Lunn, founder of one half of the Lunn Polly chain of travel agents. Long Sutton – Alfred Piccaver, English Tenor. Woodhall Spa – Mixmaster Morris, DJ and Broadcaster. Crowland – Rodney Slater, Musician. Market Rasen – Rod Temperton, wrote ‘Thriller’ sung by Michael Jackson. Heckington – Abi Titmuss, Glamour Model. Alford – Captain John Smith, English Explorer and Author. Spilsby - Sir John Franklin – Explorer.
Coming soon- why are people from Lincolnshire known as 'yellowbellies' and what is a Lincoln stairlift?

Click here to find new and reconditioned Stairlifts in Lincolnshire

Thursday 9 September 2010

Want a Stairlift in North Wales? It's easy as ABC - In Anglesey, Buckley or Colwyn Bay



Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in North Wales



Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in North Wales.
And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.

Give us a call today on 0800 007 6959.If you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Welsh spoken - Cymraeg ar lafar.

But if you are looking for fascinating facts about your area, then read on.
This blogpost continues the successful series of Castle Comfort´s regional stairlifts blogs and showcases your area and unearths unusual and amusing facts for your reading pleasure. What do 007 James Bond and Ken Barlow from Coronation Street have in common? More than you might expect. Read on to find out.


The biggest city in North Wales is of course Wrexham / Wrecsam and is known for having the 2nd largest Industrial Estate in the UK with many blue-chip companies in foods, manufacturing and technology. Well-known local employers Cadbury's and Kellogs make their home here. In fact if you have ever visited Chirk Castle, pictured above and in the keep of the National Trust, I hope you wound down your window as you got nearer as you can smell the chocolate a mile or two before you see the factory. It's delightful. However I didn't see any oompa loompa's!


In the late 19th century Wrexham was known for its leatherwork, steelmaking and coalmining and also had 35 breweries. Cheers to that!


However, sadly these industries have declined so the A483 was built and investment has poured in. The city has now taken off as a retail mecca with it's Hambles Square, Island Green and Eagles Meadow shopping complexes to rival Cheshire's Chester.


Notable former resident of Wrexham is Ricky Tomlinson the actor from TV's "The Royle Family" who used to live in the area and in fact before TV stardom was a builders labourer who worked on the building of the A483. Also making their home here in Llay village near Wrexham is the snooker legend Dennis Taylor, who famously won the world championship in 1985.

From Wrexham we go to Rhyl, where we find one of the best old-time family seaside resorts. If you are of a certain age and you live in the North West or Midlands then it's highly likely you will have been to Rhyl with the family. It was originally a fashionable Victorian resort and had a Marine funfair in the 1890's. Expanding over the years until the 80's when they built the Rhyl Suncentre. It was here they constructed Europe's first indoor surfing centre. The old Ocean Funfair site in the West end of town is now sold and is earmarked for an £85million property development.

Someone who was born in the town and knows a thing or two about property development is Albert Gubay. You may not know the name, but from a beginning with market stalls he founded the Kwiksave Supermarket chain with one shop in Rhyl and at aged 65 when others were thinking of retirement he founded the Total Fitness gym chain which he sold 6 years ago for £85 million.


Another favourite that sits next to the sea is Llandudno. Historically known since Victorian times as a seaside resort many people have come here to take the sea air, walk the pier and promenade and explore the Great Orme. An exhilerating climb to the top via the Happy Valley awaits you or for an easier time of it a tram or cable car can take you to the summit from where on a clear day you can see Snowdon. Within easy reach of Liverpool, Manchester and the Potteries the town boasts 2 beaches, the quieter sand dunes of West Shore and the main Victorian Promenade beach where the Pier is on the North Shore. Here is where you will find Venue Cymru which has always been a landmark theatre on the front. It is now North Wales largest concert venue and has the capacity for touring productions of West End shows like Jesus Christ Superstar, chart topping bands like Westlife aswell as orchestras, comedians and singers. An enduring family favourite where you can still find candy floss and amusements it also boasts stunning scenery, rare flora and wildlife and extensive shopping.

Next we head to Anglesey with its busy port of Holyhead. Holyhead is the largest town on the island and provides ferries to Ireland where Castle Comfort have naturally got another office to serve the Irish stairlift market. The port serves ferries to and from Dun Laoghaire and Dublin and also large cargo ships from Jamaica and Australia bringing aluminium ore into the metal processing plant in the town.

A famous face from the town is comedienne Dawn French who was born here in 1947.


I mentioned Buckley earlier which is one of the larger towns in Flintshire and Deeside area. Castle Comfort Stairlifts has it's HQ in Stoke-on-Trent where coalmining and pottery were part of the same industrial heritage with many families having known at least one person employed in those areas. Interestingly the same is true of Buckley which in the 19th Century had 14 potteries and was known for ceramics and coalmining. Continuing the Stoke link there are two Stoke City players both from the town and these are Ryan Shawcross and Danny Collins.

If you want to see what a platform lift looks like that could save you time and money in place of a curved stairlift, take a look at our Stoke City dedicated fan cartoon travelling on one, by clicking on the platform lift blue writing above.


Still wondering about Ken Barlow and James Bond? Well Mr. Roache who famously plays the character went to school in the town of Colwyn Bay. And Timothy Dalton who played the character of Bond 007 in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill was born here.

So if you're still looking for stairlift information or stairlift prices and been distracted by the good looks of the pair of charmers above it's now time to get the assistance you need and either phone Keith or Ann directly on 0800 007 6959 or click to their website at www.castlecomfortstairlifts.co.uk/ for keen prices and a top quality service. Welsh spoken - Cymraeg ar lafar.

Here, as with all our regional Stairlift Blogs, we have some of the notable places in North and Mid Wales, along with a selection of famous residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable how many people do not know who comes from their own town.

Aberdyfi – Stan Hugill, musician and artist. Anglesey – Owain Tudor, grandfather of Henry VII. Tony Adams, actor. Aberaeron – Sir Geraint Evans, opera singer. Abercraf – Nipper Pat Daly, boxer. Aberystwyth – Laura Jones, journalist. Claire Evans, Miss Wales 2005. Bagillt - Dafydd ap Llywelyn, Prince of Wales 1240-1246. Bangor – Wayne Hennessey, footballer. Barmouth – Charlie Brooks, Eastenders actress. Johnny Williams,boxer. Beaumaris – Richard Llwyd, author and poet. Benllech – Goronwy Owen, poet. Bethesda – Leila Megane, singer. Blaenau Ffestiniog – David Nash, artist. Brynford – Henry Morton Stanley, explorer and journalist. Borth – Mark Williams, politician. Brecon – Andy Powell, rugby player. Buckley – Daniella Fray, actress. Sylvia Heal, politician.
Caernarfon – Edward II, King of England. David Green, cricketer. Capel Curig – Evan Roberts, botanist. Chester – Anthony Thwaite, poet and writer. John Douglas, architect. Chirk – Mike Jones, footballer.
Colwyn Bay – Terry Jones, Monty Python star. William Roache, actor. Criccieth – David Lloyd George, former Prime Minister. Crickhowell – George Everest, geographer. Deeside – Michael Owen, footballer. Deiniolen – T. S. Bradshaw, author. Gwynedd – Bryn Terfel, opera singer. Hedd Wyn, poet. Denbigh – Kate Roberts, writer. Mark Webster, darts player. Flint – Ian Rush, footballer. Holyhead* – Francis Dodd, artist. Dawn French, comedienne and actress. Holywell – Jonathon Pryce, actor. Knighton – Dick Heckstall-Smith, composer. Llandudno – Ben Johnson, artist. Alex Munro, comedian. Llangollen – Glyn James, footballer. Maentwrog – Russell Grant, astrologer. Mold – Jonny Buckland, guitarist for Coldplay. Nefyn – John Parry, celebrated harpist. Rupert Davis, actor. New Quay – Dylan Thomas, writer and poet. Newtown – Sian Lloyd, weather presenter. Penrhyncoch – Lewis Morris, scholar. Presteigne – Robert Weale, Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Prestatyn – John Prescott, politician, Carol Vorderman, media personality. Rhyl – Lee Evans, comedian. Lisa Scott-Lee, singer. Ruabon – John Downman, artist. Edward Hughes, footballer. Ruthin – Cynthia Lennon, first wife of John Lennon. Tremadog – T.E. Lawrence, British Army Officer, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. Tywyn – Griffith Huges, author. Wrexham – Dennis Taylor, snooker player. Rob Jones, footballer. Ystradgynlais – Josef Herman, painter.


*Holyhead of course is from where a ferry can be used to travel to Dublin, where Castle Comfort Stairlifts have now opened their most recent stairlifts office.



Click here to find new and reconditionedStairlifts in North Wales

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Stairlifts, Northern Ireland style - from Belfast to Bangor, Lisburn to Derry, Armagh to Antrim, Carrickfergus to Kilkeel - Newry too!



Click here to find new and reconditioned stairlifts in Belfast and Northern Ireland





If you are looking for the
Castle Comfort Stairlifts legendary website -





Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Give us a call today by going direct to our Belfast stairlifts surveyor on 02890 538653.If you are looking for fascinating facts about the area then feel free to read on.


Belfast is the biggest city in Northern Ireland and is surrounded by hills, the river and the sea. Named after Beal Feirste which means "mouth of the sandbars" its deep port is famous for at one time the largest shipbuilding works in the world. It was here that the Titanic was built, aswell as HMS Canberra and many others including aircraft carriers and ferries. As well as shipbuilding the port enabled Belfast to succeed in making rope and exporting linen.

It's not all industrial though as Belfast is home to over 40 public parks looked after by the Forest of Belfast a public/private partnership which has encouraged Belfasts flowering as a tourist destination. Indeed Belfast was named in 2009 by Frommers Guides as one of the Top10 must -see destinations in the world. Included in those gardens is the spectacular Botanic Gardens where there are tropical glasshouses inlcuding the Palm House which was one of the first curved cast-iron glasshouses in the world. A stroll around the scenery can be enjoyed and for the more energetic there are festivals and pop concerts held here.

If sport is more your thing then you will be well catered for in Belfast as a spectator or a player. In fact there are figures to prove that people in Ireland as a whole are more active than in England. The most popular sports are Rugby, Football, Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie.
A Belfast football legend, without question was one of the world´s outstanding and naturally talented geniuses in the history of the sport was born here. GEORGE BEST city airport is named after him.

Also, ALEX "Hurricane" HIGGINS came from Belfast - and was known for frequenting the Crown Bar, an unusual Victorian era Gin Palace not far from the train station and which has been restored and is now run by the National Trust. Take a look at its interior below. Alex will not be seen there anymore - this phenomena in the world of snooker passed away in the summer of 2010,

Here below, as with all our regional stairlift blogs, we have some of the main towns and cities in the region – along with a selection of notable residents – past and present. It’s always remarkable, how many people do not know just who comes from their own town.

Remember if you want to know how much stairlifts cost, what is the best stairlift to buy or even which stair lift companies there are in northern ireland we can give you whole of market impartial advice, from Castle Comfort Stairlifts, on stairlift prices for your individual situation. Give us a call on 02890 538653 between 8am and 10.30pm and we would be pleased to be of assistance.

Antrim – Alexander Irvine, author and poet. Armagh – George Russell, Poet, painter and writer. Ballycastle – David McWilliams, folk singer and musician. Ballyclare – Willie John McBride, rugby player. Alan Finlay, celebrated psychologist and artist. Ballymena – David Kennedy, international cricketer. Bryan Young, international rugby player. Bangor – Zoe Salmon, Blue Peter presenter and former Miss Northern Ireland. Eddie Izzard, comedian. Eddie Irvine, racing driver. Belfast – George Best, footballer. C. S. Lewis, writer. Van Morrison, musician. James Galway, musician Carrickfergus – Louis MacNeice, poet. Jackie Woodburne, Neighbours actress. Coalisland – Dennis Taylor, snooker player. Coleraine – James Nesbitt, actor. Andrew Bonar, former British Prime Minister. Comber – Thomas Andrews, shipbuilder of RMS Titanic. Cookstown – Jimmy Cricket, comedian. Derry – Phil Coulter, songwriter, artist, musician. Nadine Coyle, member of Girls Aloud. Seamus Heaney, poet and Nobel laureate. Donaghadee – Bear Grylls, adventurer, writer and television presenter. Downpatrick – Ian Mitchell, from the band Bay City Rollers. Dromore – Harry Ferguson, inventor of the tractor. Dundonald – Vivian Campell, guitarist of Def Leppard. Anne Gregg, BBC presenter and travel writer. Dungannon – Darren Clarke, golfer. Enniskillen – Samuel Beckett, playwright. Bobby Kerr – 1908 Olympic 100m Gold Medalist. Holywood – Clive Standon, actor. Kilkeel – Danielle McVeigh, World University Golf champion. Larne – Dave Clements – footballer and football manager. Limavady – Ruth Kelly, Labour MP and former cabinet member. Lisburn – David Crystal, academic, linguist and author. Lurgan – Neil Lennon, former captain of the Northern Ireland football team. Magherafelt – Peter Doherty, former footballer and manager of Northern Ireland. Newcastle – Richard Rowley, author and poet. Newtownards – Robert Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne, SAS co-founder. Newry – Pat Jennings, International footballer. Christine Bleakley, The One Show host. Sean Hillen – artist. Omagh – Sam Neill, Jurassic Park actor. Portadown – Alexander Walker, author and influential film critic. Portrush – Graeme McDowell, professional golfer who was the first Irishman to win the US Open. Portstewart – Briana Corrigan, vocalist with The Beautiful South. Randalstown – John Bodkin Adams, suspected serial killer. Strabane – Paul Brady, singer songwriter. John Dunlap, printer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Warrenpoint – Denis Donoghue, literary critic.

If we have missed anyone off that you know of let us know in the comments and we'll add them in.

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Stairlifts in Northern Ireland

Being fed properly at home is one of the most vital things for elderly and vulnerable people especially during cold weather. 'Meals on wheels' service has come a long way in recent years so whilst you may be looking for information on stairlifts - just consider if this Castle Comfort Stairlifts sister blog here, has information that may be needed by someone you know in Northern Ieland. Print off the section relating to Northern Ireland and pass it one. You may be doing them a great service.