I LOVE Oddfellows on the Park, Bruntwood Park

28 Jan 2019

Bruntwood Hall stands proud at the heart of Bruntwood Park, between Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme. Unloved for many years, the imposing Gothic-style Victorian mansion is now the picture-perfect setting for Oddfellows on the Park. Bruntwood Hall has been stunningly restored, revived, reinvented… Oddfellows are renowned for eclectic quirkiness and unashamed, yet attainable, luxury. Bruntwood Hall was a prime candidate for an Oddfellows trademark restoration.

Oddfellows on the park

Bruntwood’s Rich History

Bruntwood Hall’s history is rich and diverse. Built in 1861 as the home of Stuff Merchant, John Douglas, it was named Bruntwood after his wife’s Scottish roots. Bruntwood Hall became the Cheadle and Gatley UDC Town Hall from the outbreak of war in 1944. The council then moved to Abney Hall, in 1959. The Hall was also a great equestrian stud, as well as home to a film company.

Unlike other notable local buildings, like Abney and Bramhall Hall, Bruntwood Hall never quite inspired affection. Now, however, it’s as though the building has found its calling. As a rag-tag office premises through the eighties and nineties, the once-great hall was tired and unloved. Less chic and more shabby, it could easily have passed for a haunted house. Indeed, disturbing TV drama, Bedlam, featured Bruntwood Hall as a former mental asylum. That classic Gothic splendour is now imposing and impressive. At last, the building has the presence it deserves, helping to make Oddfellows on the Park a really desirable destination.

Oddfellows on the park

History, Reinvented

The interior has retained as much of the hall’s history as possible and reinstated some more. This wasn’t easy, as the Victorians weren’t big on Health and Safety – but the designers and contractors have been incredibly innovative and yet totally sympathetic. Some of the history is more recent. As a nod to the Bruntwood bike track, there’s a light fitting made from the chains and handlebars of BMX bikes. Mostly though, Oddfellows is elegant and classically Victorian – mosaic floors, original tiles, solid oak woodwork, beautiful picture windows and heavy, arched doors with ornate ironwork. Wandering through the hotel is like revisiting a bygone era.

Oddfellows on the park

The MOST Beautiful Bedrooms

That same eye for detail has gone into the décor of the stunningly appointed rooms. All are equally beautiful. Each is entirely unique. From the Park rooms, Club rooms and Club Plus rooms through to the sumptuous suites, every detail adds to the comfort and charm. The Tower Suite is breathtaking. Set over two levels, there’s a separate sitting area and dressing area. Style and substance abound equally – from four-poster beds to roll top baths, THIS is what luxury looks like.

Happy as a Pig in Mud

Oddfellows also boasts its very own salon. The quirky Pigsty – Salon de Beauté is a perfect fit for this opulent yet off-the-wall retreat. Petite, yet perfectly-formed, the Pigsty is so named due to its state when Oddfellows bought the building. “It was hard to believe we would be able to make a beautiful salon in Cheadle out of the pigsty we found in this building!”

The Pigsty offers 2 comfortable treatment rooms and a Rasul mud room. There are a lovely welcoming atmosphere and a ‘social salon quarter’. This is the perfect place for a get-together with friends or to enjoy a quiet retreat without having to travel too far. Whether it’s for a quick polish of the trotters, or a pampering day wallowing in luxury and lunch with friends, the Pigsty will deliver a delightfully different experience.

Eat, Drink and Make Merry

The restaurant, bars and function spaces are every bit as fabulous as the rest of the hotel, with the same level of eccentric, eclectic elegance:

The Galloping Major Restaurant is perfect for a special occasion, or midweek lunch ‘just because’. The afternoon tea is a real treat and fits perfectly with the quintessential Englishness of the Galloping Major and Oddfellows overall. Originally Bruntwood Hall’s ballroom, The Galloping Major Restaurant celebrates the notorious Major who was the second owner of the hall and extended it to the grand mansion it is today. He was something of a local legend, and not always in a good way…

The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, dishing up the very best of British produce with that unique Oddfellows twist. Head Chef Ross Chatburn’s reputation precedes him. Joining from the well-regarded Manchester Hotel Gotham, Ross is a local lad. He grew up round here and has many happy childhood memories of Bruntwood. An innovative chef who lets ingredients shine, he draws inspiration from his environment – foraging through the 120 acres of Bruntwood Park but also by creating dishes inspired by the beauty therein.

The Stud Bar Room is a handsome and imposing cocktail bar, inspired by both the original owners’ Scottish roots and the equestrian stud that later became an important part of the estate. Rich wood panelling and antique flooring set off this welcoming room, warmed with traditional tweeds and comfy, yet stately, wingback chairs. The building’s original safe is now a table housing only the best bottles of plonk! Table service with all the trimmings and a delicious Park Bites menu available all day.

Oddfellows on the park

Oh! What a Wonderful Venue

The fabulous Parlour Bar at Oddfellows On the Park can be used as part of a larger event alongside The Parlour Rooms, or as a more intimate setting for a cocktail party or private dinner. The Parlour Bar is home to a lavish hexagonal bar, ideal for mingling around. Several double aspect windows fill the room with light, while a private door leads out to the wrap around terrace overlooking Bruntwood Park.

The adjoining Parlour Rooms sit park-side. These would have been some of the most noteworthy reception rooms at Bruntwood Hall. Located on the ground floor, they benefit from French doors leading to a beautiful terrace overlooking glorious Bruntwood Park. These views of the park offer beauty at any time of year – whether it’s the lush Spring and Summer blooms and blossom, spectacular Autumn landscape, or crisp, white Winter artistry. What a truly amazing venue for a real storybook wedding – or indeed to make any occasion unforgettable.

Oddfellows on the Park has brought something very special to Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme – and yet also very accessible. See for yourself. This all-new Bruntwood Hall really is a jewel in our area’s crown.