Mitcheldean Terms

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To make enquiries or reservations - contact postmaster@millendmitcheldean.co.uk

Mitcheldean is located on the A4136. In the centre of Mitcheldean, in the Ross direction, with the church infront of you to the left, the George pub on the right and Steve Gooch Estate Agents also on your left, turn left in to Mill end. The Geneal Stores is the half timbered, medieval property on the left.

Drive past the property and take the first left turn onto New Street. Take the first left into New Street, and there is a set of wooden gates to the left of you, leading into a gravelled car-park. This is the parking for the property. Go through the second set of gates, down the steps and proceed to the back door where you will see a combination key safe by the back door. Visitors are requested to arrive no earlier than 5.00pm on day of arrival, and leave no later than 10.00 am on day of departure.

Please text the owner Liz Lewitt on 07971 249 726 or e-mail on postmaster@millendmitcheldean.co.uk, prior to your arrival for the combination code for the key safe. This will only be given once the security deposit has been received. The refundable security deposit of £200.00 GBP should be sent no less than two weeks prior to your stay, along with the non-refundable £50.00 should you wish to use the hot tub. Cheques should be made payable to Liz Lewitt and posted to 24 Fairlawn Road, Montelier, Bristol, BS6 5JS. The security deposit will be returned to you by cheque no less than two weeks after your stay, should the property be left as it was found.

Please be aware that should you wish to have a home delivery from a supermarket prior to your stay, cleaners are available at the house from 10.00 to 3.00 on each Friday. Also please be advised that the hot tub is completely emptied, cleaned, re-filled and chlorinated between each group of guests and so sometimes will not have reached optimum temperature by arrival time of new guests. Please do not be tempted to touch any dials other than the middle jet button and the two grey, turning jet dials. The jets will come on periodically of their own accord to continue and maintain the heating process during your stay. Thank you.

On departure, please put all your rubbish, properly bagged, and your re-cycling in the car-park binstore, close all windows, remove sheets from beds if you have time, close all windows and return the key to the key safe, remembering to change the comination. Thank you.

Access Statement for The General Stores, Mill End, Mitcheldean

Introduction

The General Stores, Mill End Street, Mitcheldean is a large property dating back to the 1400's, which is available for holiday or business let, for full weeks or weekend and mid-week breaks, for team building and training, for weddings, for photo shoots and film location and for family and friends. It sleeps 16-20 and includes a self-contained family unit.
Disabled and Partial Disability Facilities
• Because the house is medieval and grade two listed it does not have to comply with disabled access consent.
• We have made concessions where possible to make the house more user friendly in terms of grab rails in showers, and a bathroom leading directly to a bedroom on the ground floor in the main house, and a double bedroom and a bunk room having direct access to a bathroom within the downstairs apartment, but the house itself has a difficult spiral staircase to upstairs and many small steps up and down between rooms.
• There are also uneven stone steps down to the garden and backdoor from the car park.
• In our view the house, sadly, is not suitable for wheelchairs.

Pre Arrival

• We have a web-site available – www.millendmitcheldean.co.uk - with an awful lot of information relating to the layout of the house, the equipment and facilities and local attractions.
• If you have further queries, please contact me, Liz, on millend@millendmitcheldean.co.uk or text me on 07971 249 726.
• You need to send a security deposit of £200.00, made payable to Liz Lewitt, to 24 Fairlawn Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5JS, no less than two weeks prior to your stay. This will be cashed, then returned to you in full should the house be left as it was found, no less than two weeks after your stay.
• Should you wish to use the hot tub, there is a non-refundable hire fee of £50.00 per stay, which also needs to be sent no less than two weeks prior to your stay.
• Catering can be arranged for you for your stay, as can deliveries from local fruit and veg and butcher shops in the village. Please ask for details prior to your stay.
• Holistic and complimentary therapies can be arranged on site for you for pamper hen weekends, should you wish. Again, please ask for details prior to your stay.

Arrival and Car Parking Facilities

• There is off street parking for 6-8 cars, if parked carefully, in the gravel car park at the rear entrance of the house.
• Unfortunately luggage has to be unloaded from the car park to the back door. The back door leads directly into the kitchen.
• There are six or so uneven steps down into the garden, but there is a heavy duty hand rail and security lights come on automatically in both the car park and over the steps.
• There is a water tight gazebo porch by the back door, with hooks for outdoor coats, Wellington boot racks and a box of items for pet care.
• The back door key is in a combination code security box by the back door. There is a second set left in the kitchen.
• The combination is texted or e-mailed out on receipt of your security deposit.

Main Entrance and Ground Floor to The General Stores

• There is a door into a very small porch, and a door immediately at 90 degrees to the left into the Kitchen, with a high threshold. This is on a spring closure, and there is a heavy door stop inside to hold it open whilst bringing luggage in
• Flooring is terracotta quarry tiles
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, permanently on through the year
• There is a five ring gas hob and a built in gas oven. There is also a commercial convector fan oven and a microwave
• There are two fridges and a dishwasher
• There is a commercial gas cooker, fridge and dishwasher and all crockery, cutlery, china and glassware necessary for 20 guests

• There is a WC and Wet Room immediately to the left. The toilet flushes using a saniflow system so care must be taken with not allowing any items other than toilet tissue to go down
• Flooring is decking and black ceramic floor tiles
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, permanently on through the year

• The Family/Breakfast Room is in front and down a small step. This can seat 15 at one sitting, with the two tables pulled into an L shape
• Flooring is commercial brown carpet as this room receives the most foot traffic
• Heating is a wall mounted panel radiator
• There is a small step up and another down across the breakfast room, into the Snug Play Room, which contains toys and games for toddlers and small children.
• Flooring is oak tongue and groove
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, permanently on through the year
• The Hall is through the double doors to the left, and there is a cabinet to the left, which contains all the local maps and information leaflets and details of restaurants and takeaways etc. There is a small two seater sofa.
• There is a step half way across the hall, on the way to the sitting room
• There is a cupboard under the stairs with spare light bulbs, the hoovers and hoover bags. This also has the foot spa and facial steamer equipment, and clothes airers for hanging out washing

• The Sitting Room has three triple sofas and four other chairs. There are children’s books in the cupboard below the TV and children’s games in the wall cupboard
• There is a large collection of CDs to listen to, many DVDs for both adults and children, a boxed set of DVDs for toddlers, a wooden trunk of infant and toddler toys and a drawer of games for older children. There are also interiors magazines on the upstairs landing and books in every bedroom
• Flooring is a good quality, wool mix brown carpet as this room also receives the most foot traffic
• Heating is a window mounted gas central heating radiator
• There is a door leading into a corridor towards the ground floor apartment, which has a door on the right leading to the Twin Blue Room (2 singles), which has two single beds, clothes hanging rail and pegs, two chests of drawers, a chair and a blanket box. Opposite this is a door on the left leading back into the wc/wet room
• Flooring is carpet
• Heating is a wall mounted gas central heating radiator

Ground Floor Apartment to The General Stores

• The Main Dining Room seats 20, on vintage oak drop down seats in banks of 3 and 4, at large pine tables joined together
• It has double French doors to the courtyard garden, up onto a slate step
• Flooring is oak tongue and groove.
• Heating is via a wall mounted central heating radiators, controlled by a thermostat next to the wire shelves
• The Galley Kitchen has a commercial gas cooker, fridge and dishwasher and all crockery, cutlery, china and glassware necessary for 20 guests

• The Bunk Room (2 bunks) has double French doors to the courtyard garden over a small threshold step
• Flooring is oak tongue and groove.
• Heating is via a wall mounted central heating radiator, controlled by an individual thermostat

• The Rose Double Room (1 double) has double French doors to the courtyard garden over a small threshold step
• Flooring is oak tongue and groove.
• Heating is via a wall mounted central heating radiator, controlled by an individual thermostat

• The Black and White Bath Room has a bath with over shower, wc and wash hand basin. There is a shaver socket
• Flooring is black ceramic floor tiles
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, which is permanently on throughout the year

Upstairs of The General Stores

• Small step to the right at the top of the stairs and another step down, leading to The Bunk Room (2 bunks). This has a small chest of drawers, a blanket box at the end of the bunk, two runs of hooks along the end of the bunk and a rail with hangers for short garments. It has two single mattresses and is fully prepared with a duvet and white linen. This room is intended as a child’s room or for a group weekend where guests want to reduce the costs per head. There is actually no charge for this room, as it has long curtains to screen it off but does not have it’s own door and leads directly through to

• The Butterfly Room (1 double, 1 daybed). This has a door, a window with window seat, its own wash hand basin, two wardrobes, two small chairs, and a large, double sleigh bed and a built in daybed. There is no charge for the daybed, though it has an adult size single mattress and is fully prepared with duvet and white linen. The tumble dryer is in the left hand cupboard.
• There are extra quilts and blankets in the cupboards in the Butterfly Room for both this room and the bunk.
• Flooring is thick carpet
• Heating is a wall mounted panel radiator

• Small step down on the landing to The Japanese Room (1 double, 1 single). This has a step down in the doorway, a window to the street, a built in wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a king size, a double sleigh bed and a single sleigh bed and three bedside tables, all with lights.
• Flooring is wide, oak floor boards with large rugs
• Heating is a wall mounted panel radiator

• The White Room (2 singles) has a window to the street, a large chest of drawers, and a bedside table, with 2 lights.
• Flooring is thick carpet
• Heating is a wall mounted panel radiator

• Small step down in doorway to Small Bathroom, which has Bette Sitz mini bath with shower over, cloak room basin and wc.
• Flooring is black and white lino.
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, permanently on through the year.

• Three steps up to corridor, with window and window seat to garden, and door on right leading to
• Chinese Room (1 double, 1 single). This has a window to the street, a low wardrobe with shelves and hanging space, a bookshelf, three bedside tables each with light, a child’s cot and two chairs. There is a hair dryer in a box
• Flooring is thick carpet
• Heating is a wall mounted panel radiator
• From January 2009, this room will be en-suite with it’s own wc, bath and twin wash basins

• The next door on the right leads into The Family Bathroom, with a built in shower cubicle, a corner bath, a large wash basin, a toilet and a shaver point. The toilet flushes using a saniflow system so care must be taken with not allowing any items other than toilet tissue to go down. From January 2009, this bathroom will have been divided and have the same facilities but with a smaller bath
• Flooring is thick carpet
• Heating is via a wall mounted towel radiator, permanently on through the year.

• From January 2009, the final door on the corridor leads to Helen’s Four Poster Room (1 double four poster). This is a vaulted double height room with beams, and has a window to the street, a small window in the wc cubicle and two large windows with window seats looking on to the garden on the other side. It has two bedside tables, each with light, a chest of drawers and two chairs. It also has a free standing bath with centre taps set into a window alcove. There are custom made shutters on all windows.
• Flooring is oak floor boards
• Heating is two gas central heating radiators with individual thermostats

Laundry

• There is a washing machine in the main kitchen
• There is a tumble dryer in the cupboard in the Butterfly Room
• There is an iron and ironing board in the cupboard in The Japanese Room
• There are clothes airers under the stairs and a washing line in the garden
• For long stays, fresh linen can be provided for a fee, as can housekeeping services

Child Minding Services

• Claire at Pebbles Nursery on Plump Hill, Mitcheldean, provides an excellent part time service and could probably arrange baby sitting services if required - www.littlepebbles.org.uk, October Cottage, Plump Hill, Mitcheldean - 01594 541171

Outdoor Facilities

• Hot tub available for a hire fee of £50.00
• Sandpit and swings etc in garden
• Games barn with pub size pool table, table tennis, art stuff and play dough for kids, and lots of bats and balls. NB this is an outdoor barn across the courtyard from the kitchen door, and so an indoor, immaculate games room should not be expected

Garden

• Level top lawn with kissing seat and table with four chairs, getting evening sun
• Sand pit, swing, rope ladder and rings in shade of Yew Tree
• Sloping grassed walkway to lower garden
• Stone steps around hot tub
• Very small herb garden through wall opening beyond hot tub
• Layered garden with stone rockeries – the owners would like to warn mindful guests to watch small children. (Our own three year old has free reign and is fine, but we cannot be held responsible for accidents with unsupervised and less confident children)
• Large wooden table and benches next to hot tub and in front of kitchen window
• Small round table with four seats and long bench, receiving early morning sun, outside arched French doors from downstairs apartment
• Bench seat and stone seats by built in stone BBQ area, getting sun all day long

Hot Tub Care and Use

• Please do not use the hot tub if you have been drinking alcohol, and please eat at the table and not in the tub.

• Please only use plastic beakers, found in the baskets in the kitchen, on and around the tub – both for your own safety and that of future guests in terms of broken glass

• Please shower before you enter the hot tub – this is for health and hygiene reasons – sun creams and body lotions alter the ph balance of the tub and make the water appear cloudy very quickly

• Please remove as much debris as possible from your feet before entering the hot tub

• For the safety of children, and also to slow down the evaporation of chemicals from the water, please replace the lid when not in use

• The only button you need to use is the jet on and off button – and turn the two grey dials to increase and decrease the jets

• Please do not alter the temperature buttons or touch the box on the wall

• The hot tub will switch on and off, of it’s own accord during the day, as this is it’s way of circulating water over the heater elements to maintain the desired temperature. If you find this too noisy when not in use, check that the two grey jet dials are off – one needs to be up and the other down

• Please do not stay in the tub for more than 30 minutes at one time

• The hot tub water is completely changed, the tub cleaned and re-filled and new chemicals put in and tested prior to each change of guests – therefore you will only ever be sharing water with your own house guests! Because of this, sometimes the water will not have had time to warm up to it’s optimum temperature in time for your arrival. Please be patient and do not touch the temperature button – it will not make it heat up any more quickly.

• Please be aware that you use the tub entirely at your own discretion and are requested to follow these instructions for use. The owners cannot be held responsible for accidents or misuse

• Please respect the rights of our nearest neighbours not to be disturbed in the small hours by loud and lively hot tub use!

• Please do not sit or lean on the cover, or let your small children climb on it – it is polystyrene and will not take much weight. The cover cost £350.00 so if damaged during your stay, your deposit will be withheld in full. To lift, stand in front of the tub and flip the half lid over towards the back. Then go to the side and lift both halves back using the arm. Thankyou

There are currently 8 bedrooms (with Helen's and Snug rooms available from January 2009) - and a children's bunk-room, with beds as follows:

Ground Floor 'Blue' Room - a twin room in cornflower & white, with cerise furnishings (2)

First Floor 'Butterfly' Room - a white room, with a double & a single (3)

First Floor Bunk Room - an ante-room, leading to Butterfly Room - with bunk beds (2)

First Floor 'Japanese' Room - a large room, with solid, oak floor boards, sleigh beds, & red & black, japanese style furnishings, with a double & a single (3)

First Floor 'White' Room - a twin room, in white, gold and lilac, rococo style (2)

First Floor 'Chinese' Room - a double & a single, furnished in a soft, chinese style (3)

First Floor 'Helen's' Room - (Jan 2009) a master en-suite, four poster room with free standing bath in the room (2)

Downstairs Snug room - (Jan 2009) with double futon platform bed

Jovial Colliers Rose Room - double bedroom with french doors to garden

Jovial Colliers Bunk Room - bunk room with french doors to garden

Linen, Laundry & Provisions:
Toilet roll & cleaning materials and duvets, pillows & quilts, plus extra for the children's beds, are included in the price. Clean bed-linen and one towel per person are included. The house is cleaned before & after you visit, & the bed linen is washed professionally & changed, but please remove any used bed-linen & leave itin the wet room (if you have time) on your departure. Also, the cleaning services included are for general bed linen and laundry, emptying bedroom bins and hoovering etc, but DO NOT cover excessive mess, animal mess, mess of a personal nature and excessive washing up and cleaning kitchens.

Kitchen:
The following basics are included - tea/coffee/sugar/powdered milk & cooking oils/herbs etc. Please replace anything you finish. There are plenty of cookery books including Two Fat Ladies, Carluccio's, Culinaria Spanish and Italian & Marco Pierre White & a fresh herb garden outside, from which you are welcome to use the herbs . There is also plenty of cooking and baking equipment, including a full length fish pan, asparagus steamers, chocolate fondue sets, bread maker, professional mixers, chocolate fondue, doughnut maker and biscuit press etc. There is a local butcher on the High St, & the Co-op is open until 10.00pm. There is also a fresh fruit and vegetable shop next to the Mews, behind the library. Cinderford is 4 miles away, with a Co-op superstore and a Lidl, amongst independent healthfood shops and chemists etc.

In The House:
Art work by Bristol artists and photographers, and Il Bordello members - www.ilbordello.co.uk - hangs throughout the house - including Nick Walker (Judge Dread, Eyes Wide Shut), Dan Buzzo, Julian Monoghan, & North Wales' painters Helen Job and Dave Merrils . It is a very creative house, with lots of things you can use, but please respect them. There are books in the bedrooms, including children's books, & board & card games in the sitting room for both adults & children. There are CDs and DVD libraries also.

In the Malt House:
There is table tennis and a pool table, and there are plenty of bat and ball type games. The Malt House provides excellent, safe storage for mountain bikes whilst you stay.

Central Heating & Hot Water:
There is gas central heating in the Jovial Colliers apartment, blue room and sitting room. There are towel radiators on permanently all year round in the bathrooms and kitchen, and there are individually thermostated panel radiators in the bedrooms. The hot water is heated and stored in a large tank in the Butterfly Room, the hot water in the Jovial Coliers is on a separate hot water boiler and tank and there are three independent electric showers.

Hoover and Brushes etc:
These are all in the hall cupboard. Exterior brushes are in the porch. All cleaning materials are under the sink in the kitchen.

Washing Machine:
The washing machine is in the kitchen, and there is a tumble dryer in the butterfly room. There is a clothes line outside for fair weather drying, & a couple of clothes horses in the under stairs cupboard. Unfortunately, as the house is 600 years old, the ceilings are too low to hang a clothes pulley. There is a laundry basket & hoover under the stairs & an iron and ironing board in the japanese room cupboard .

Dustbins:
Bins go early on a Thursday morning. The cleaners will put bags outside the gate on a Wednesday night, but please make sure you have put as many bags of rubbish out as possible prior to that if you are staying for a week. There are boxes by the car-park gate for re-cycling. There are re-cycling bags by the back door but please make sure that you take them to the bin store in the car-park before you leave. For those interested, there is a compost by the herbs, past the hot tub. Thank you.

Smoking:
Please do not smoke in the house. There are ashtrays in the porch by the back door. Please help keep the house smelling fresh, and do not drop cigarette ends in the garden! Thank you.

Music and TV:
There is a TV and DVD player, & a CD/Radio system in the sitting room, and a CD/radio in the breakfast room.

Al Fresco Seating:
There is seating & a table in the courtyard garden, which gets the sun most of the day in summer. There is also seating in the built-in BBQ area, which has a south facing wall, under the very rare 'bee skip indentations' in the old Malt House Wall. There is also seating in the top garden, which catches the early evening sun, until it sets over the malt-house. Please feel free to water the tubs whilst you are staying, summer or winter!

Courtyard Parking:
There is parking space for 6-8 cars in the parking area. If you park alongside the barn wall, all cars can park and still go in and out, without having to move other cars. There is always free & safe parking in the quiet lane (New St) at the back of the house. Please park sensibly in the lane & respect local residents, as it is fairly narrow. Thank you.

Dogs Welcome:
Dogs are allowed, though not upstairs, & definitely not on furniture. Any fouling or damage to furniture will be charged for and deducted from the ecurity deposit. Please also do not leave any dog mess in the garden. There are spare leads, bowls & towels in the gazebo porch, along with nappy bags for picking up mess. Please make sure that dog mess is bagged up and then put into black bin bags.

The quickest & nearest places to exercise dogs areout of the parking area, & up the lane in a loop repeatedly turning left, along the path round the primary school. There is a public right of way at the top of New St, at the back of the house, leading straight up onto the hill with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Also, if you turn right out of the car-park and cross the road, go through the church yard and turn left, then right, there is a path leading to the swings and playing field, and a woodland hill-top walk.

Kids Welcome:
There are plenty of things for children to do, both in the house and within the village. In the house, there are games, books & colouring & art things. In the Malt House there are various ball games. The village has playing fields and a play-ground. The upper garden is ideal for football etc as it is away from windows. There is a cot available and a high chair, and a box trunk of baby toys in the sitting room. There are board books and early board jigsaws for toddlers in the cabinet under the television. There are plenty of toys in the snug playroom, including skittles, marble run, toy farm and animals and a wooden workbenchwith tools for pre-schoolers. There are board games and jigsaws for older kids in the sitting room cupboard.

Walkers and Cyclists Welcome :
There are plenty of hooks in both the internal and external porches for coats and jackets, and three racks of boot pegs. There is also a boot scraper and an outdoor hosepipe for cleaning off excessively muddy walking boots. Cycles can be stored the garden side of the second set of gates, which have a sliding bolt on the inside for overight security, or they can be stored indoors in the malthouse (2008).

Maps:
There are plenty of local maps & guide books in the hall drawers and tourist information display. The village library on the High St, carries a lot of local tourist information.

Library & Wireless Internet Access:
The local library, on the High St, offers temporary visitor’s membership for loan of books & videos, & has free internet access & use of Microsoft Office programmes. There is also a wireless internet hub in the house, with broadband connection.

Arts & Crafts:
Harts Barn is on the edge of the village, & has lots of craft workshops & a cafe. The mohair centre is between Mitcheldean and Longhope, and Ruardean Pottery workshops are on the other side of Mitcheldean, towards Cinderford.

Eating Out:
There are two pubs in the village. The George, immediately at the end of Mill End St, is the safest bet, with a good carvery, and offers 10% off the bill if you say that you are General Stores guests. There is a Chinese Takeaway in Mitcheldean, which also does English dishes & chips, and a new Pizza and Kebab shop called Marco's. For good food, we would recommend The Red Hart in Blaisdon (01452 830 477) or The Ship Inn in Newnham on Severn.

Cinema and Theatre:
The nearest cinema is in Coleford – 8 miles away. The library will probably have details of what is showing.

Shopping:
The nearest town with all the usual small, retailers, is Cinderford – 4 miles away. There are also the small local towns of Coleford and Ross-on-Wye, and slightly further afield, Gloucester & Cheltenham.

REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT:

Please pay your booking fee, in full, in advance & include your £200.00 refundable deposit for any damages or breakages, andyour £50.00 for the hot tub. Your booking is not considered confirmed until you have made full payment.

Please leave the property and it's contents as you found it when you arrived. We have put a lot of time and thought into providing as many things as possible to make your stay enjoyable. Cleaning and laundry is included (beds, towels, hoovering, emptying bins etc), but we do not expect to have to clean up mess of a personal nature or excessive kitchen or bathroom cleaning etc. Excessive cleaning requirements will be deducted from the deposit at an hourly rate, as will damage to furniture, any necessary maintenance to the hot tub or saniflow systems as a result of misuse, or complaints from neighbours re party noise.

You need to shower before entering the hot tub - apart from personal hygeine issues, sun cream or beauty products can have a negative effect on the ph/chlorine balance of the tub. Please do not enter the tub if under the influence of alcohol, and use plastic beakers rather than glass in the immediate tub area. Finally, please do not increase the temperature above 36 degrees, or stay in the tub for more than 30 minutes at a time, to avoid the risk of hyperthermia. You use the tub at your own risk and discretion, and the owners will not accept any claims relating to it's use. Thank you.

Smoking is permitted in the games barn only - not in the house. Thank you.

If you respect The General Stores and leave it as you found it, your deposit will be returned in full no less than two weeks following your visit.

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