This gorgeous village was put on the map a few years ago thanks to a famous singer, yet visitors will discover it has so much more to offerPaul McAuley Community reporter and Liv Clarke Tourism writer
16:20, 08 Jun 2025Updated 16:22, 08 Jun 2025
The Square at the centre of the village of Holmes Chapel(Image: CheshireLive)
Only an hour’s drive from Manchester is a charming village where you’ll find independent businesses, tea rooms and even a top ice cream shop. Yet it’s also a place which was put on the map thanks to one of the world’s biggest singers.
Holmes Chapel in Cheshire is home to picturesque buildings and around 7,000 people. But the singer Harry Styles once called this place home and the town was thrust into the limelight over a decade ago when a young Harry Styles first appeared on the X-Factor.
Now the village is globally recognised thanks to the Grammy award-winning former One Direction member. However, the area boasts more than just being the childhood home of the 31-year-old star, the Liverpool Echo reports.
The village was originally known as Church Hulme, the village began as a small farming community of around 400 people. But with the introduction of the railway line, train station, local road network and nearby M6, its population surged during the 1800s and 1900s.
Mandeville’s bakery is where Harry Styles had his first job(Image: Stoke Sentinel / Reach PLC)
The parish council describes it as a ‘thriving community’, praising its variety of local shops and amenities as well as the surrounding countryside which can be explored via the numerous footpaths, including along the River Dane at the northern boundary.
Boasting a top-rated comprehensive and two primary schools, it also enjoys a picturesque village centre, with the striking St Luke’s at its very heart, accompanied by a variety of shops and hospitality venues, as reported by ChesterLive.
One such local business is W. Mandeville’s bakery, affectionately known as just Mandeville’s. The establishment has been serving patrons for over a century, having opened its doors in 1900.
In recent years, it has often been dubbed ‘Harry’s Bakery’, as this was where the Watermelon Sugar singer was employed before he left to audition for the long-standing ITV talent show. The village features two pubs in the centre – the George and Dragon and the Red Lion – as well as the Bottle Bank bar.
George and Dragon pub in Holmes Chapel (Image: CheshireLive)
In the vicinity, you’ll find a Sainsbury’s Local, Costa and Tesco Express. The shopping precinct adjacent to the fire station houses numerous businesses including Morrison’s Daily and the well-liked London Road Fish Bar.
Tucked away on the cobbled path behind St Luke’s is The Cobbles Tea Room – a snug, independent café and B&B. Towards the southern end of the village, you’ll find The Vic, a social club, and the popular Chinese restaurant Fortune City.
The village also has a lot to offer families. Bidlea Dairy Ice Cream Farm recently had its busiest day of sales ever, thanks to the recent sunny weather.
Situated amidst stunning countryside with breathtaking views of Jodrell Bank telescope, the farm is a favourite destination for both young and old.
Bidlea Dairy Ice Cream Farm, cafe and shop in Twemlow, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.
Despite its rural location, the ice cream farm is easily reachable, being just four miles from Junction 18 on the M6 and near Goostrey’s main line train station.
Since opening its doors in 2021, Bidlea Dairy has quickly gained a loyal following due to its impressive selection of 80 rotating ice cream flavours and seating areas that offer stunning views of one of Cheshire’s most famous landmarks.
Bidlea Dairy has broadened its offerings with a range of fridges stocking its complete dairy range, including milk, creams, yoghurts, and family-sized tubs of ice cream.
Ice cream aficionados can choose from a rotating menu of flavours at the milk and ice cream vending machines. Every day, 24 options are available, including enticing varieties like Biscoff, birthday cake, bubblegum, and mint choc chip – all reasonably priced at £2.90 for a single scoop, £3.90 for double, and £5 for a massive triple scoop treat.
The Bidlea selection also includes indulgent ice cream milkshakes, made from any two flavours you desire, costing you £6. If you’re popping into the café, expect a delightful range of hot and cold drinks along with tasty snacks such as cheese toasties at £3.95, home-cooked soup for £4.50, or a substantial bacon and sausage bap also at £4.50.
Goostrey Home and Leisure is a farm shop, cafe and retail village in Cheshire with a free outdoor play area for kids.
Fido isn’t left out, as lactose-free dog ice cream is also available, ensuring that four-legged visitors are catered for. Visitors can enjoy the stunning panoramic views over the Cheshire landscapes and Jodrell Bank from the café’s outdoor area and raised seating platform, offering customers a clear view of the famous telescope.
The farm has expanded its appeal with Holmes Chapel Zoo now residing on the premises. They house animals such as meerkats, lizards and owls. The immersive experience prides itself on engaging, educating and inspiring all generations to conserve our world.
They regularly hold educational workshops and experience days where you can spend 40 minutes immersed in the world of meerkats inside their spacious purpose-built habitat, or an hour.
When you’re out that far from Liverpool, a day out wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Goostrey Home and Leisure. Tucked away in old farm buildings along the A50 between Holmes Chapel and Knutsford, it’s been enchanting guests for over two decades.
This is not your average farm shop – Goostrey stands out with its selection of local artisanal offerings, including fresh vegetables, meats, dairy products, and baked goods. Delve further into the barns and you’ll find yourself in an Aladdin’s Cave brimming with retail treasures.
Described as the “ultimate country shopping experience”, Goostrey is a warren of eclectic and unexpected stalls. Here you’ll come across a treasure trove of goodies such as gifts, homewares, crafts, plants, clothes, accessories, pet supplies, and much more.
There’s also a sizeable tearoom on site, adorned with a unique décor, where visitors can help themselves to hot meals and cakes displayed on stands.
Parents will appreciate the covered outdoor seating area next to the main café, which looks out onto a complimentary play space where the little ones can expend their energy.
For fun, the playground includes a structure with ladders and slides, adventure elements like a rope ladder and stepping stones, wings, tubes for clambering through, and a sandbox for digging.
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