Regional Focus on Chester

"Chester is a glorious ancient city with a rare elegance in its beautifully preserved old buildings. Yet it is surprisingly young and lively. A living city with a zing in the air, yet mature and relaxed, a city that knows itself to be happy in its skin."

We have put together a guide to help you while you're making the decision to relocate to Chester. All you need to do is get in touch with a recruitment consultant at BCL Legal who will be able to advise on the legal jobs opportunities in the Chester area.

Around and About Chester

Chester is the county town of Cheshire, and the lovely agricultural land of the county surrounds the city which is situated on the north bank of the River Dee. One of the oldest and most complete walled cities, Chester is one of the jewels in Britain's crown.

Chester has been written about by many people, perhaps Samuel Johnson summed it up most succinctly when he wrote to Boswell in 1779, "Chester pleases my fancy more than any town I ever saw". Many people feel the same today, for what you find is a city full of history, with truly stunning architecture. This is a city with excellent shops and restaurants, lively and vibrant, where locals and tourists alike delight in Chester's rich heritage.

You will find historical legacies from almost every period in Chester; the Romans occupied the town in 79 AD and built their fortress (Castra Devana), named 'Deva' after the River Dee. Parts of the original Roman walls still remain and are now a pleasant walkway, with elevated views of the city.

Chester's Roman Amphitheatre, is thought to have held 7,000 spectators; the largest of its kind in Britain. Roman times are brought vividly to life at the Deva Roman Experience, which welcomes visitors daily.

A considerable amount of land in Chester is owned by the Duke of Westminster who owns an estate at Eaton near the village of Eccleston. Grosvenor is the Duke's family name, which explains such features in the city as the Grosvenor Hotel and Grosvenor Park. Much of Chester's architecture dates from the Victorian era, with many of the buildings that aren't modeled on the Jacobean half timbered style of the medieval times being designed by John Douglas, employed by the Duke as his principal architect. He had a trademark of twisted chimneystacks, many of which can be seen on the buildings in the City Centre

Retail Therapy

The city is a popular shopping centre with its unique 'rows' or galleries (basically two levels of shops) which date from medieval times. The city is heavily populated by chain stores both in the centre and on retail parks to the west, and also features two indoor shopping centres, an indoor market and a department store, Browns of Chester, once known as 'the Harrods of the North'. There are two main indoor shopping centres, The Grosvenor Mall and the Forum. The latter refers to the city's Roman past, and is to be demolished in the Northgate Development to make way for new shopping streets, a new indoor market, a new library and a performing arts centre.

Leisure & Culture

Chester Zoo, the second biggest in the country, covers over 100 landscaped acres. There are moated islands, the biggest monkey house in Europe, and an amazing menagerie of animals, kept in conditions as near to their natural environment as possible.

The city has two cinemas and a theatre, the Gateway Theatre, and in the summer the city hosts the annual Chester Music Festival, the Chester Midsummer Watch Parade and the Chester Mystery Plays, the latter of which dates from medieval times.

Numerous pubs populate the city, as well as wine bars and various nightclubs. The city also has a football team Chester City F.C., who play in the Deva Stadium and a national basketball team, the Chester Jets, who play in the city's Northgate Arena Leisure centre.

More than two hundred thousand people a year visit Chester Racecourse for "a day at the races."

There is something for everyone from the family seeking a relaxing Sunday picnic to the company entertaining guests in the lavish surroundings of the Racecourse.

For more information visit www.visitchester.com

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