CHESHIRE: VIVA discovers the fourth generation of Arighi Bianchi
| 24th October 2018
Set on the infamous Silk Road, widely known by both history buffs and local residents, lies Arighi Bianchi. Steeped in a rich family history dating back to 1854, Arighi Bianchi has been in the family for four generations. Here at VIVA, we were delighted to be invited to take a tour of Arighi’s and to discover the wonders for ourselves.
Although I can vaguely remember visiting Arighi Bianchi as a small child with my parents, I would consider myself, for want of a better term, an Arighi’s virgin. So, when I pulled up to the main entrance (there are lots of different entrances to the beautiful listed building) I wasn’t entirely sure where to start.
Guided by my stomach I headed on up to the café bar which was fairly easy to find, I simply followed my nose. I was met by Nick Bianchi, who is one of the current owners alongside his brother Robert, both the fourth generation of Bianchi’s.
From here, Nick gave me a personal guided tour of the building starting from the ground up. I was blown away by the uniqueness of each room. It is so easy to get lost in Arighi’s and this is in no way a bad feat. Part of what made the experience so incredible for me was immersing myself in the different interior styles that each room presented, all the while feeling completely lost in the many staircases and levels in this grand building. I have to be honest, the child in me did want to play the most epic game of hide and seek. Had I have been separated from the group at any point I would have initiated a game of Marco Polo to find my way back.
In my opinion, there are definitely a few misconceptions about Arighi Bianchi which personally, I find a real shame. The first is that Arighi’s is aimed at the older generation. This could not be further from the truth. Each part of Arighi’s is beautifully designed with styles to suit all tastes. They are on top of all the latest trends with four new collections in their new autumn edit which really are leading the way in terms of interior style.
The second misconception is that Arighi’s has such high prices that no normal person would be able to afford anything in there. I have to admit, before I visited I was told by a few people that this was the case and I couldn’t be happier to prove them wrong. Rest assured, there is something in there to suit every budget and furthermore, they also offer interest free finance options and deposit options to purchase.
One of my favourite parts of the tour was over in the flooring section. They have recently installed a state-of-the-art interactive flooring board, where users simply choose the flooring sample they would like to do and slot the sample into the machine. From here a full description and interactive video appears showcasing the flooring in a home environment.
Once the tour was over we ended up back in the café bar. Whilst the café is only open in the day, they do get phenomenally busy and a reservation is certainly needed to ensure you can secure yourself a table. However, having tried the food for myself I can see why the café is so popular. The food is beautifully presented, and the food quality is far superior than I could have imagined. The cakes are all homemade and they even have an on-site bakery.
Whether its brunch, afternoon tea, a midweek lunch through to your Sunday roast the café bar at Arighi Bianchi is definitely worth a visit.
VIVA Verdict: Overall, I went away with a full stomach, a head full of home inspiration and a deep respect for the Arighi Bianchi family, and the hard work over many generations that has made Arighi’s what it is today.
Be sure to check out Arighi Bianchi on Instagram here.
The Silk Rd,
Macclesfield
SK10 1LH