Ever been to a great bash? Or maybe one you remember for all the wrong reasons? Janet Reeder asked some Cheshire friends about their most memorable parties.
Huseyin Bozkurt
is the Food and Beverage Manager at The Lowry Hotel. He has been in hospitality for 25 years and lives in Altrincham
During my career I have attended many parties both in my personal and professional life. I have hosted events for Chanel and Hermes, an after-show party for Kanye West with Kanye and Jay Z, Victoria Beckham’s jeans and perfume launch, Vivienne Westwood’s after party, both attended by the designers and the great and good of Manchester. One of the most memorable at The Lowry Hotel was the launch of a new Louis Vuitton watch. It was the first time in the city they did such a big launch and we erected a marquee with a tunnel to the hotel with 500 high profile guests in attendance, all leaving with a Louis Vuitton gift at the end. At the end of the night none of the Louis Vuitton special edition candles were to be found!
Clare Nasir
is a Channel 5 weather presenter based in Wilmslow
Back in the days of GMTV I would get together with Andrea McLean for our Christmas ‘do’ basically an ‘office party’ for just the two of us. We’d go to town, have drinks and dinner and then do a Secret Santa. But one year, it was just me. Andrea couldn’t make it as she was pregnant, so I did Secret Santa alone!
Stacey Forsey
is one of the Real Housewives of Cheshire. She lives with her husband in Prestbury
The best party I have ever been to was my 40th birthday party which I held last year in a marquee in the garden of my Prestbury home. The guests included all of my closest friends and family, as well as my children who were there for the first couple of hours. I loved it because it was so wonderful to have all the people who are important to me in the same venue for one evening. I organised the whole event myself and provided entertainment including a singer, percussionist and saxophonist who ended up working alongside each other and delivered the most fabulous music for all my guests. I also hired Tokio Myers, a pianist who plays dance music with a classical twist. It provided me and my guests with a unique way for us to dance away into the early hours.
Diane Cooke
is a Cheshire Life columnist and freelance journalist
It was a party in a big house somewhere in Cheshire, I can’t remember where, or maybe I’ve just blocked it out of my mind. I’d gone to the loo, which was in one of the most spacious bathrooms I’d ever been in but there was no lock on the door. I was sitting there with my Spanks around my ankles when a man came in and rather than turn around and make a quick exit he literally just stood there! Eventually he did leave but I really didn’t know what to make of it. I went back into the party, opened the door and everybody just burst out laughing. It was the classic ‘nightmare’ scenario, except this was for real!
Emmanuel Vass
is a classical pianist who lives in Davenport
I recently went to a party at Castle Howard in Yorkshire where the Brideshead Revisited TV series was filmed many years ago. It was held by Simon Howard for close family and friends and I was the entertainment. I will be playing there throughout the Christmas season. The champagne was flowing and we were free to roam the house as it was a private event. We started off having drinks and canapés in the Great Hall before heading for the Golden Room where were greeted by the sight of an opulently decorated table. Simon’s wife Rebecca Howard was dressed in her finest jewellery and designer clothes and the food was amazing. It was such a massive thing dining at Castle Howard, It was absolutely phenomenal - just like being in Brideshead Revisited!
