Karen Bradley

ON Monday, England moved into Step 4 of the Prime Minister’s Roadmap out of lockdown.

This means that legal restrictions around social distancing and mask wearing no longer apply.

However, we are all being urged to use our common sense and apply caution to make sure we manage the virus, which is now endemic in the country.

This means that masks will still be required in some shops and public transport, but this will be a matter for those businesses.

As we regain more of our freedoms, and with the end of the school year, many people are thinking about a summer holiday.

We have seen more visitors to the Moorlands over the pandemic and I know well the stress that has put on residents and public amenities and facilities.

I am working with several organisations to find ways to help people who visit the Moorlands to do so responsibly and with sensitivity to those that live and work here.

One way to help that to happen is by encouraging people to stay overnight so that they have a base here and don’t clog up our roads.

So, it was fantastic to visit a brand new hotel that has just opened, The Tawny in Consall, on the site of the Consall Hall Gardens.

The Tawny is described as a deconstructed hotel. Residents stay in purpose-built lodges, treehouses and pods that are scattered throughout the grounds.

Each is incredibly private, and I am sure that visitors will be overwhelmed by the views of the gardens and the tranquillity of their surroundings. There is also a restaurant that serves locally produced food, a heated swimming pool and a dedicated and separate wedding venue.

The Tawny is a great addition to the Moorlands and I wish everyone there the very best in making it a success.