Saturday 21st February
Charlotte Balderstone-Hughes
I’ve known of Charlotte for a long time but have only recently become actual friends after meeting at a Working Women’s Club.
The first time I actually heard about Charlotte was when my Dad (who was probably about 60 at the time) came back from the Golf Club one day and announced he and mum were going to go to one of the biggest and most exclusive club nights Ibiza has ever had to offer and his mate David at the golf club had sorted it all out for him with his daughter, Charlotte.
Right I thought, well, we’ll see, then promptly forgot all about it until I received a picture from Dad – sure enough in Ibiza, and sure enough, in the DJ booth at Space on Sunday.
So Charlotte now owns The Scarlet Hen at Norfolk House (one of the most sensational houses in Huddersfield). Basically a boutique hotel but completely private to you and your guests. They specialise in hen parties and offer a full service so you only have to concentrate on having a good time, and as you will read – Charlotte REALLY knows how to have a good time!
Charlotte… fill us in. What do you look back on now and think ‘I can’t believe that was my life’?
In the 90s and 2000s we had an exciting and fast-paced life. We were flying all over the world putting on huge dance music events, employing friends and family, and building some of the most iconic dance parties in the world. I was working as an interior designer and artist, and we spent six months of every year in Ibiza. We opened Home, a 7 storey, £11 million nightclub in central London, and another in Sydney’s Darling Harbour. My husband Darren founded Cream in Liverpool and Creamfields festival, and we hosted Sundays at Space in Ibiza for over 20 years, so partying was quite literally our profession. It was a very exciting time musically and we felt at the core of this prolific change.
It was an extraordinary chapter. Fast, ambitious, slightly surreal at times. When I look back now, it feels like we were very lucky to live this lifestyle and meet so many amazing people.
That era brought a cast of characters you couldn’t invent. Cocktails with Madonna, Ibiza trips with Kylie, the Spice Girls dropping in regularly. Pete Tong and Kate Moss were part of the fabric of it all. We even had to escort Jade Jagger out of the club one night, and having a firm word with Lily Allen when it was time to go home.
Some stories can’t be told, some probably shouldn’t. After all, what happens on the dance floor stays on the dance floor.
(I think we all need to go for a glass (bottle) of wine with Charlotte and get these stories out of her….)
What brought you back to Huddersfield?
We loved living in London, but when I decided to start a family I knew I wanted something different. I loved growing up in Huddersfield and I wanted that grounding for my children.
We saw Norfolk House on the front page of The Yorkshire Post and said, “We’ve got to have it.” That was it.
The quality of life here feels richer and easier. I’m a country girl at heart. I need the Pennines on my doorstep. Yorkshire always calls me home.
What’s your favourite thing about your job right now?
I love that I get to share my home, my interiors, and our town with people from all over the world. Norfolk House isn’t just a business, it’s personal.
I’m also proud of the independence it gives me. I’ve built something that allows flexibility and creativity. That balance matters.
What’s the most exciting thing you’ve done as part of your job?
Seeing Norfolk House gain national press coverage off the back of viral social media moments has been exciting. When you build something from the ground up and suddenly national newspapers are talking about it, that’s a pinch-me moment.
I’m also proud that I’ve created a business my children can inherit. Sharing our story hasn’t always been easy, but honesty resonates. People connect with real journeys.
What are you most proud of?
I’m super proud of what my husband has achieved. He’s one of the bravest and most ambitious people I have met, a true entrepreneur.
Without question, my children, Hugo and Jasper. They’ve grown up inside this business. It wasn’t always easy, especially moving out of their home most weekends while guests checked in, but they embraced it. They understood the bigger picture.
They are grounded, capable, and kind. That makes me prouder than any business success. They both went to Manchester Met University to study Events Management. They are already running their own dance music events in Manchester and Newcastle, and Hugo has relocated to Sydney, Australia. They have a great group of friends and lovely girlfriends.
Can you tell us about someone from Huddersfield who has had a profound impact on you?
My father.
He left school to work in the textile mills. He started at the bottom and went on to become Director of Crowther’s Mill. After retiring, he took up drystone walling as a hobby, became Yorkshire champion, and started an entirely new chapter in his sixties. He was President of Huddersfield Golf Club (as all the best Dad’s are…) and a good friend to many.
That determination shaped me. He had so many good quotes and his favourite was ‘work hard play hard’ which is really resonated with me. His grandfather built a textile mill from nothing. That work ethic and resilience runs deep in Huddersfield families. I carry that with me every day.
What does a working day look like for you now?
No two weeks are the same, which I love. I’ve built a strong team so the house runs like clockwork.
Some days I’m working on interiors, guest experience or strategy. Other days I’ll co-work at Big Box Gym café after training. There’s a real sense of community there.
Thanks to a solid tech stack and automation behind the scenes, I can work from anywhere. That freedom is intentional.
Where did you grow up and what did you love about it?
I grew up in rural Little Lepton with uninterrupted views across Whitley Willows. Summers were spent in the woods, building dens, roaming freely and learning independence.
It gave me a deep love of the Yorkshire landscape. I was always a Brontë girl at heart; I feel a deep romantic connection to the Yorkshire countryside.
We felt safe. That kind of childhood stays with you. Whenever I need perspective, I go back to those walks.
Where do you live now and what’s special about it?
Monday to Friday we live at Norfolk House in Edgerton. At weekends, when guests take over, we pack up and rent a cottage somewhere rural, usually around Holmfirth, Slaithwaite or Little Lepton.
It’s an unusual routine, but it keeps us connected to the countryside. In many ways, I’ve come full circle.
Favourite childhood / teen memory in Huddersfield?
Videotech.
Their under-18s Saturday afternoon disco was iconic. MTV had just exploded and they played the music videos on a huge screen alongside the tracks. It felt very grown-up.
We were too young for pubs but too old for youth clubs. Videotech was that perfect in-between. Dressing up, dancing, meeting people from across Huddersfield. It felt like something new was happening.
Best night out – what happened, where did you go?
Ramsden’s Landing in Aspley was the place in the late 80s and early 90s. It felt smart and exciting.
Around the same time and completely different from the wine bar culture, the illegal raves popping up across West Yorkshire were electric. It was the birth of dance music culture. You could feel a shift happening and West Yorkshire definitely played an important part.
Favourite place to go out and eat?
Devour. The food, the atmosphere, the setting. Olivia has been brave backing a concept like that in Huddersfield. Something like that would automatically work in Leeds; here it takes courage.
My top tip? Make sure you sample their amazing cocktails and book an outdoor table in the summer.
You have a rare unexpected day off. What are you up to?
Brunch at Peel Street Social in Marsden with friends and family, then a walk up Wessenden Reservoir.
I’m addicted to vintage and charity shop hunting. Kirkwood in Honley is a favourite for good-quality pieces that are properly priced.
If I’m finishing the day well, it’s Sunday lunch at Shibden Mill Inn.
Three words to sum up Huddersfield?
Proud
Real
Resilient
Well – I think we can all agree, that was outstanding – thank you SO much Charlotte, you are totally fascinating. Norfolk House is available to hire now, and you can follow The Scarlet Hen here.
Photo credits: Charlotte Balderstone Hughes and Elspeth Mary Moore
