Viva Lewes Issue #153 June 2019

Viva Lewes June 2019 | No. 153

153 

VIVALEWES 

EDITORIAL 

‘He walked alone along the Downs, this sad, ungainly man with beer-shot 

eyes who loved a girl in Earl’s Court – carrying an old bag of borrowed 

clubs and thinking of nothing but his game of golf. His face shone, his 

eyes gleamed…’ * 

Ah. The rejuvenating benefits of fresh air and exercise? 

Sport is our theme for this month, and it’s been fun. Joe swung a club at Lewes Golf 

Club. Anita Hall, a mallet, at the Cheyney Croquet Club. And I rolled up at Soulfit for 

a class of Iyengar Yoga with much-lauded Ali Hahlo. 

Meanwhile, Eleanor Knight, who starts her Keyboard worrier column this issue, shares 

a novel suggestion for how we all might get out on those hills. While the twitten runners 

have come up with an idea almost as bizarre – and made it their weekly reality. 

On top of all sorts of sport, we hear from Lewes Open Door on their plans, next winter, 

for a Night Shelter. Plus, the director of The Winter’s Tale on contemporary Shakespeare; 

the star of The Girl on the Train on life on the road; Helen Browning-Smith who’s, 

among other things, organising this month’s Gin & Fizz Festival; and the artist who’s 

painting The Towner. Literally. While wooden-kayak maker Chris Tipper shows us his 

magical workshop by the sea, in Newhaven. And Douglas Taylor shares a fine tribute to 

his brother-in-law, legendary Penguin Art Director, John Hamilton. 

* from perhaps my all-time favourite novel, Patrick Hamilton’s 1941 Hangover Square. 

THE TEAM 

..................... 

EDITOR: Charlotte Gann charlotte@vivamagazines.com 

SUB-EDITOR: David Jarman 

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Joe Fuller joe@vivamagazines.com 

ART DIRECTOR: Katie Moorman katie@vivamagazines.com 

ADVERTISING: Sarah Hunnisett, Amanda Meynell advertising@vivamagazines.com 

EDITORIAL / ADMIN ASSISTANT / HAND MODEL: Kelly Mechen admin@vivamagazines.com 

DISTRIBUTION: David Pardue distribution@vivamagazines.com 

CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Blencowe, Sarah Boughton, Mark Bridge, Emma Chaplin, Hasia Curtis, Fiona Dennis, 

Lulah Ellender, Daniel Etherington, Anita Hall, John Henty, Robin Houghton, Eleanor Knight, Dexter Lee, Alex Leith, 

Chris Lewis, Lizzie Lower, Carlotta Luke, Anna Morgan, Galia Pike, Rachael Playforth and Douglas Taylor 

PUBLISHER: Becky Ramsden becky@vivamagazines.com 

Viva Lewes is based at Lewes House, 32 High St, Lewes, BN7 2LX, all enquiries 01273 488882

THE ‘SPORTS’ ISSUE 

CONTENTS 

© Peter Blake, 2019. All rights reserved 

Bits and bobs. 

8-27. Cover artist Chris Lewis on the 

essence of good design; Helen Browning- 

Smith looks out onto the town she 

promotes; Photo of the month, from 

Chapel Hill; Greek Ava; Lewes Open Door 

Night Shelter seeks volunteers; Lewes Toad 

in the Hole in numbers; Jamie’s Farm on 

the benefits of responsibility and reflection; 

the word is spread to California and The 

Gambia; review of Louisa Thomsen Brits’ 

Path; U3A bike rides sound lots of fun; 

Carlotta Luke photographs Magnificent 

Motors; Craig wins at everything. 

Columns. 

29-33. David Jarman on writers at the 

cricket; Eleanor Knight meets doom with 

a smile and a wave; and John Henty on 

editing sports rather than doing it. 

On this month. 

35-49. Sir Anthony Seldon on why being 

PM is an impossible job; meet 14-year old 

cricket prodigy, Arwyn James; Same Sky 

celebrates its 30th birthday; Billy Bragg 

53 

51 

explains Americana before appearing at 

Black Deer; Samantha Womack stars in 

The Girl on the Train at Theatre Royal; 

Lewes Skittles Tournament is at The 

Grange; Lewes Little Theatre reinterprets 

The Winter’s Tale; and Dexter Lee 

rounds up this month’s movies; while 

Chris Horlock mourns a Lost Brighton. 

Art. 

51-61. Penguin Art Director John 

88 

Hamilton, remembered by Douglas 

Taylor; Sir Peter Blake is at Farleys; 

Art and about, including Moon Gazing, 

Horizonalia, Sussex Printmakers, a Secret 

Art Auction, and many others; and Lothar 

Götz paints the outside of The Towner. 

Listings and Free time. 

63-79. Diary dates, including open 

gardens in Southover and Southease, 

There’s no Planet B day, Raft Race, 

Dalloway Day, and masses more; Classical 

roundup stars Lewes Chamber Music 

Festival celebrating Fauré, plus Hamsey 

Festival, Glynde Place Concerts, and 

others; Gig of the month is Sandra Kerr, 

Photo by Ben Broad 

5

THE ‘SPORTS’ ISSUE 

plus ROME, Subhumans, English dance 

tunes, Capella, among others; Free time 

listings, including The Jungle Book, 

Doctor Dolittle and Teddy Bears Picnic; 

Bags of Books review of Football School 

Star Players; why to try Knockhatch; 

and tennis coaching for juniors at the 

Southdown. 

Food and garden. 

81-86. Joe eats his fill at The Pelham 

Arms; enjoy a Gin & Fizz cocktail recipe 

from The Copper Top bar; Emma 

Chaplin picnics; and Fiona Dennis on 

summer borders. 

The way we work. 

88-91. Or rather, the way we skate. 

Photographer Ben Broad captures 

99 

skateboarders in action at Malling 

skatepark. What’s so great about 

skateboarding?, he asks. 

Features. 

93-108. Running the twittens with 

Rob Read and friends; We try… 

Iyengar yoga; croquet in Ringmer; 

a round of golf at Lewes Golf Club; 

Patrick Gilmartin teaches front crawl 

Wednesday evenings at the Pells; and 

Chris Tipper shows us round his Selkie 

Kayaks; Michael Blencowe on Big Daddy 

the stagbeetle; Alex Leith goes businessnews 

walkabout. 

102 

Inside left. 

122. Running prevails: a vintage snap 

from the 80s. 

VIVA DEADLINES 

We plan each magazine six weeks ahead, with a mid-month 

advertising/copy deadline. Please send details of planned events 

to admin@vivamagazines.com, and for any advertising queries: 

advertising@vivamagazines.com, or call 01273 488882. 

Remember to recycle your Viva. 

Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content. 

Viva Lewes magazine cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors 

or alterations. The views expressed by columnists do not necessarily 

represent the view of Viva Magazines. Viva retains copyright for any 

artwork we create. 

Love me or recycle me. Illustration by Chloë King 

6

Spirit of the Rainbow 

We are starting a movement 

Awakening to Oneness 

Oneness means our first loyalty is to our humanity, above any country, religion 

or ideology: humanity both in the sense of all human beings and also of human 

decency, kindness, compassion. Oneness means we recognise we are part of nature 

and that we treat our environment with reverence and respect. Oneness works 

too at a personal level as we grow into a sense of wholeness. Oneness means we 

recognise that we are children of our universe however we experience it. 

OUR AIMS & ACTIVITIES: 

Come and share your ideas so together we can: 

• deepen our experience of oneness 

• spread our message locally and globally 

• build a world based on oneness 

Come to our first meeting on the 22nd June 2019 

Starting at 2.30pm and ending c.3.30pm 

@ Conference Room 2, Brighton Library, Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE 

For further information contact spiritoftherainbow@yahoo.co.uk

THIS MONTH’S COVER ARTIST 

Chris Lewis, who created 

our lovely cover, is a graphic 

designer, who works under 

the brand Studio Lewis. 

Until now based in Brighton, 

he’s just – the week we meet 

to chat – in the throes of 

moving to Lewes. “We pick 

up the keys on Saturday”, 

he says, “so I’m in the midst 

of packing boxes. Exciting 

though…” 

Chris has recently been 

working on a project all 

about the charms of Lewes 

and its surrounding area. 

In partnership with Helen 

Browning-Smith (see page 

11), he’s been leading the 

rebrand of Visit Lewes. He’s 

also designed our excellent 

skittles cover. How did he 

arrive at the finished product, 

I ask? 

“Well, I took your theme of 

sport. I thought quite a bit 

about the Lewes women’s 

football team – 

doing something 

about numbers 

on shirts, or 

something. But 

though there’s 

so much to be 

interested in 

in that story, 

as an image, it 

wasn’t speaking 

to me.” 

This is often 

the challenge 

in design work, we agree. 

So, when Chris alighted on 

the idea of skittles, another 

Lewes sport, he felt much 

happier. “So simple – but 

with an element of surprise.” 

Like much good design. 

Born in Wales, Chris moved 

to Sussex – Rustington, near 

Littlehampton – aged six. 

He’s always had a fascination 

with design and studied at 

Bath Spa before graduating 

in 2003. 

From 2011, he worked for 

seven years in Hove-based 

We Like Today before, a year 

ago, branching out alone. 

Chris really enjoyed his time 

there. “We Like Today is an 

architectural, interior and design 

agency and it was great 

being part of a team that had 

the opportunity to work on 

all aspects of a job, not just 

the print side,” he says. “I 

was lucky enough to work 

on great projects such as the 

redevelopment of The Bell in 

Ticehurst (the neon sculpture 

8

CHRIS LEWIS 

is my own handwriting which 

I still find thrilling), The 

Better Half pub in Hove, The 

Old Laundry at Shepherds 

Bush Market and Platf9rm.” 

So, what’s the essence of a 

good brand design, I ask? 

“A resonance with the past. 

A logo should make an emotional 

connection with the 

person who sees it. It should 

tell a story. So, with the 

new Visit Lewes logo, we’ve 

linked to the checks of the 

old town shields – at the same 

time as designing something 

new, and contemporary. Or, 

with Franklins Brewery, in 

Ringmer, the design plays 

with a little pattern that 

echoes the fields of the South 

Downs. I also really enjoyed 

working with the zero-waste 

Silo restaurant in Brighton – a 

restaurant unlike any other. 

I contributed some design 

to the Silo book that’s being 

released soon. 

“For the Visit Lewes rebranding, 

our whole focus has been 

on the vibrancy of the town 

and its environs today: all the 

characters who live and work 

here. The artists, the makers, 

the cyclists and the shopkeepers 

to name but a few. It’s 

about celebrating the people 

by sharing their stories… ” 

Charlotte Gann 

studiolewis.co.uk 

9

Celebrate the serenity 

and elegance of the 

waterlilies on our lakes 

© National Trust 2019 . Registered charity, No. 205846. © National Trust Images \Nina Elliot-Newman. 

The Waterlily Festival 

Sheffield Park and Garden 

8 June - 14 July 

Free Waterfall Walks 

Lino Print or Photography Workshops 

Waterlilies to take home from our plant sales area 

Art installations 

And more... 

Sheffield Park, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 3QX 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffieldpark

Photo by Charlotte Gann 

MY LEWES: HELEN BROWNING-SMITH 

How long have you lived in Lewes? I’m Sussex 

born and bred – grew up in Burgess Hill – and 

have always visited Lewes. I moved here in 2006, 

when my daughter Flora started school. Three 

years ago we moved to this flat in the High Street. 

I look out onto Victory’s face every morning – the 

War Memorial is right outside my window. 

You work as Tourism & Arts Manager for 

Lewes District & Eastbourne Borough 

Councils? Yes, I’ve been in this job since January. 

I concentrate on the Lewes District. It’s easy 

to promote a place I love so much myself. I’m 

passionate about the town’s unique cultural 

identity. I’ve always been drawn to its slight 

rebelliousness, as well as its wealth of art and 

culture. On top of that, we have the Downs – I 

love how you can see them from wherever you 

are in the town – and of course the coast nearby. 

It’s also great collaborating with so many 

excellent freelancers. I’ve been working with 

your cover artist, Chris Lewis, recently on 

rebranding Lewes tourism – bringing it up to 

date – including creating a new website which 

should be live by June. We hope people will 

take a look, and like what they see. Chris has 

been brilliant. Carlotta Luke, Nigel French 

and Peter Cripps have supplied some beautiful 

photography. Meanwhile, Galia Pike’s helping 

me with the Gin & Fizz Festival, and Charlotte 

Parsons co-ordinates Artwave. These are the two 

big events we organise each year, but I’m hoping 

we can develop more, in time. 

The Gin & Fizz Festival is in the Grange 

in June: how did it come about, and what’s 

involved? This is its third year (well, third and 

a half, because we also did a smaller version in 

December, at Late Night Shopping). The first 

summer event was in 2017. Three of us together 

came up with the idea (although I wasn’t yet 

in this role then). We wanted to find a way to 

celebrate all the amazing local drinks producers, 

and we’re thrilled with how it’s turned out. The 

first festival sold out. This year, we’re expanding. 

There’ll be a daytime event, with talks, music 

curated by Union Music, and a vintage ice cream 

van. Between 4-5pm we’ll be busy transforming 

for the evening: the ice cream van will make 

way for the Harvey’s mobile bar and a converted 

horsebox-bar – Coppertop, from Brighton – will 

serve cocktails of locally sourced drinks. 

Our issue theme is Sports. What’s your 

favourite way to exercise? Well, I’m definitely 

a walker – who could not be, living here? I don’t 

drive, so walk all over town. Climbing Chapel 

Hill doesn’t present too much of a challenge. I 

also like cycling. I’ll be pleased to see Egret’s 

Way open fully soon. Once it’s finished, there’ll 

be a direct link by bike from Lewes all the way to 

Paris – which seems pretty special in these, um, 

interesting times. Interview by Charlotte Gann 

Tickets to Sussex Gin & Fizz in advance 

from the website, Tourist Information, or 

Harvey’s. 29 June, Grange, 11am-4pm; 5-10pm. 

sussexginandfizzfestival.com; visitlewes.co.uk 

11

PHOTO OF THE MONTH 

MONOCHROME IN DETAIL 

Mike Morton sent in this brilliant black and white photo after a walk up Chapel Hill. We love it, including 

the clouds and Landport Bottom in the far ground. A picture to pore over for ages. 

Here’s what Mike told us: 

‘My wife and I often walk around Lewes, and on this particular day we decided to walk up to the golf 

club, and then across the Downs to Glyndebourne. Being a VERY keen photographer, I always carry a 

camera. We kept stopping along the way up the hill to look back at the view (and catch our breath), and 

this great view of the town presented itself. I love the detail in the monochrome picture, because there 

are no distracting colours to attract the eye.’ 

Please send your pictures, taken in and around Lewes, to photos@vivamagzines.com, or tweet 

@VivaLewes. We’ll choose one, which wins the photographer £20, to be picked up from our office after 

publication. Unless previously arranged, we reserve the right to use all pictures in future issues of Viva 

magazines or online. 

13

PETS AND BOBS 

PETS OF LEWES 

Ava, 2ish, adopted earlier this year from Greece. 

An uncertain mix of Labrador, Spaniel and Kakoni 

(a Greek breed). If she likes you she’ll ‘hug’ your leg, 

and she sneezes when excited. Join the club, pal. 

Ava was brought over by Desperate Greekies Greek 

Dog Rescue Centre – just check out their website 

for gorgeous dogs needing homes (as I’ve just been 

doing, while periodically whimpering). Find them at 

desperategreekiesdogrescue.com. 

Back to Ava. 

Loves: Mrs Hinch, blanket generalisations, Welsh 

blankets 

Hates: flashers, clickbait, the novels of Walter Scott 

Useless dog trivia: Your dog is as intelligent as a 

two-year-old toddler, but without the tantrums. 

According to research carried out by online journal Frontiers in Zoology, dogs like to poo in alignment 

with Earth’s magnetic field – ideally in a north-south axis. Who funds this stuff? 

@dogsoflewes 

19 —23 June 2019 — Preston Park 

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adam hills henning wehn tim key 

tom allen nina conti nish kumar 

rachel parris ed byrne david o’doherty 

desiree burch phil wang rose matafeo lolly adefope 

john robins suzi ruffell ed gamble rosie jones 

stephen k amos ivo graham zoe lyons 

andrew maxwell rhys james kiri pritchard-mclean 

brightoncomedygarden.co.uk 

14 

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BITS AND BOBS 

LEWES OPEN DOOR: NIGHT SHELTER 

The worst of the winter is well behind us, but 

Lewes’s own homeless charity, Lewes Open 

Door, is already making plans to offer a muchneeded 

night shelter service to support homeless 

people through next winter. We didn’t have one 

in place this last winter, though we really hoped 

to, and are determined to do so for the coming 

one. Local churches have been quick to offer 

the physical accommodation on a rotating basis: 

now, LOD is seeking volunteers to run the night 

shelter that will provide warmth, security and 

hot food when it’s most needed. 

The team running the night shelter project 

have identified the need for two very different 

kinds of volunteer. First, there’s the night shift 

trio – sleeping in shifts; at least two awake at any 

time – who’ll actually deliver the service, from 

the welcome hot drink on arrival, to breakfast 

the following morning. Then it’s the turn of the 

pack-up crew to take over, shifting camp beds 

and all other equipment to the next church on 

the night shelter circuit. 

Each team needs a leader – someone who’s good 

at working with people, both other volunteers 

and the guests, and has good admin skills. We’ll 

offer full training, and will help night shift volunteers 

obtain a DBS cert, which is a must. 

LOD’s volunteers have already discovered the 

work can be rewarding. One said: “Before I 

started helping here I was scared of the homeless 

people I saw in the streets, but now I’ve got 

to know them I can see they’re just ordinary 

people like me.” 

To find out more, please join us at the Night 

Shelter Mid-Summer Event, at Harvey’s rear 

yard off Cliffe High Street. Join us for drinks, 

food and live music from local indie folk duo 

Edenwood. The night shelter team will be on 

hand to answer all your questions. Come and 

sign up to be a volunteer! 

As told by David Griffiths to Charlotte Gann 

Mid-Summer Event, 27th June, 6.30pm, Harvey’s 

Yard. Or call David on 07806 777106, or email 

lewesopendoor@gmail.com 

lewesopendoor.wordpress.com 

facebook.com/LewesOpenDoor 

Photo by Catherine Benson 

LEWES IN NUMBERS 

Lewes’s very own sport is the pub game of Toad in the Hole. The game is believed to have been played 

in Sussex for over 200 years, and is similar to Pitch Penny elsewhere in the UK, or Jeu de la Grenouille 

in France. It is played with 4 brass ‘toads’ or coins, thrown onto a lead-topped table with a hole in the 

middle. With a team of 4 people, each match consists of 7 games – 4 single, 2 double and 1 team game. 

Each game is worth 1 point to the winner, and all games are best of 3 legs. 

Lewes has a local league, involving 18 teams in 2 divisions. About ½ the teams are from Lewes pubs, 

and the remainder from nearby. And the town also hosts the World Toad in the Hole Championships 

each April. This year’s – the 22nd world championship – attracted 48 teams and the winners were 

Rodmell Toad Club. Sarah Boughton 

17

ALL ABOARD FOR A SENSATIONAL 

SUMMER OF THEATRE! 

25 July – 17 August 

Devonshire Park Theatre 

Jump on board – 

this riotous spy thriller is 

a comedy packed 

joy ride! 

Stars Oliver Mellor (Coronation Street) 

Thriller 

Congress Theatre 

1 – 6 July 

Dirty Dancing 


15 – 20 July 

Calendar Girls 


6 – 10 August 

Annie 



T.Rextasy 


23 August 

Sarah Waters 

The Night Watch 

Devonshire Park 

Theatre 


Beyond the Barricade 


24 August 

Amélie - The Musical 

Devonshire Park 

Theatre 

9 – 14 September 

All this and more at Eastbourne Theatres 

01323 412000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk | EBTheatres

BITS AND BOX 

CHARITY BOX: JAMIE’S FARM 

What is Jamie’s 

Farm? It’s best 

explained like this: 

founder Jamie Feilden 

was a teacher in 

Croydon. One day 

he took two lambs to 

his school, giving the 

pupils the responsibility 

of looking after 

them. It had a big 

positive impact on 

the atmosphere in 

the playground. So he decided to take a group 

of his pupils to his smallholding in Wiltshire. 

Here they were immersed in agricultural life 

and given opportunities to reflect on challenges 

back home and in school that may be affecting 

their behaviour. With his mum Tish, a trained 

psychotherapist, they developed the founding 

principles for a five-day residential, built around 

‘farming, family & therapy’. 2009 saw the launch 

of Jamie’s Farm Bath, followed by Hereford in 

2015, Monmouth in 2018, and now this one 

in Lewes. Since we started, 6000-plus young 

people have benefitted; Lewes will cater for 

450-plus a year. 

What sort of farm is it? Jamie’s Lewes [situated 

between Plumpton and Cooksbridge] was, until 

last year, largely an arable farm, but we’ve taken 

it back to grazing. It’s a fully working farm, with 

150 ewes (currently lambing), four pigs, 13 piglets, 

a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle, five goats 

and 30 chickens. 

And you get the kids to do all the work? 

They do a lot of it, under the supervision of Eddie, 

the Farm Manager. There’s a daily round of 

feeding, and cleaning out, and animal care. And 

there are also more demanding jobs. Last week a 

group of pupils arrived 

on Monday at 2pm, and 

within an hour, one had 

delivered a lamb! 

What sort of children 

come to the farm? 

The pupils, aged 11-16, 

come for the week in 

groups of twelve, along 

with their teachers. 

Each group of pupils 

comes from the same 

school. They are chosen 

due to poor mental well-being and self-esteem, 

or poor behaviour and engagement, which often 

manifests itself as low attendance or attainment. 

Our job is to make them realise that, by 

completing real jobs with tangible outcomes, and 

by getting involved with group and one-to-one 

reflective sessions, they can develop positive patterns 

to carry back into their daily lives. It works! 

I guess you have to be strict… We set 

boundaries. For example, they have no phones 

while they are here and they are put on a virtually 

no-sugar diet. They soon adapt, because we 

keep them busy! Beyond the farm work there 

is cooking to do, communal meal-times, a daily 

walk, the reflective sessions, woodcrafts and 

horticulture. There is no TV. 

Can you tell how much the kids benefit? We 

have follow-up visits to the schools afterwards. 

Here’s a statistic we’re very proud of: 58% of 

those who were at risk of exclusion when they 

visited the farm were, six months later, no longer 

at risk. It’s incredible to see the change in these 

kids. Alex Leith interviewed Education Manager 

Toby Meanwell 

If you would like to be a volunteer at Jamie’s 

Farm, check out jamiesfarm.org.uk 

19

BITS AND BEACHES 

SPREAD THE WORD 

Michael Cotgrove and Sheila 

Wood sent in this atmospheric 

shot from California. Here’s 

what they wrote: 

‘California weather not quite 

up to spec. so Michael took 

this picture of Sheila reading 

Viva Lewes in Mission Beach, 

just north of San Diego. We 

make the trip to the West 

Coast every other year or 

so, to meet up with Sheila’s 

cousin, and we love the slightly 

off-beat atmosphere: Mission 

Beach is not your typical 

seaside town. 

Because of the inclement 

weather there were no takers 

for the switchback ride in 

Belmont Park, but Sheila is 

standing in front of a newly 

opened café, the shopfront 

stunningly decorated with a 

surf-board motif. A bit more 

sunshine would have helped...’ 

Oh dear. 

Meanwhile, Abi Saunders sent 

in this lovely picture of her 

daughter Tia. Looks perfectly 

sunny where she was. 

Abi told us Tia was ‘enjoying 

this month’s Viva at Kololi 

Beach Resort in The Gambia. 

It was her first trip to Africa, 

for the Easter holiday and she 

spent peaceful moments catching 

up on latest news from 

back home.’ 

Keep taking us with you and 

keep spreading the word. Send 

your photos and a few words 

about you and your trip to 

hello@vivamagazines.com. 

21

BITS AND BOOKS 

BOOK REVIEW: PATH BY LOUISA THOMSEN BRITS 

In this beautiful little book, Louisa Thomsen 

Brits takes the reader on a lyrical meander 

across the South Downs. Rather than written as 

an observation of the landscape from a walker’s 

or viewer’s perspective, Path is an incantation in 

the voice of one of – or all of – the chalk paths 

that slice through the hills. Subtitled A short 

story about reciprocity, the book is a call to pay attention, 

to be present and to be connected. 

Intertwining poetic language with muted photographs 

by Jim Marsden, and Linda Felcey’s textured 

artworks, there is a tactility and substance 

to Path that encourages us to engage all our 

senses as we travel through the world. Delicious 

local Sussex words smatter the prose, creating a 

rhythmic, flowing journey that demands to be 

read aloud to the windblown trees and trilling 

skylarks: ‘…up scrambly bostal,/ over rill and 

rimple,/ fists of thistle,/ rutted sod.’ 

Through animating 

a path, 

Thomsen Brits 

creates a sense 

of drawing 

from deep time 

to give a backstory 

and character 

to these 

ever-changing, 

yet permanent 

features of the 

local countryside she so clearly loves. Shapeshifting 

with the weather, the tread of feet, the 

upturning of flint and the crumbling of chalk, 

the path tells us to mark the beats and breaths 

of our lives; to ‘… stand in an intimate lattice of 

paths,/ laced in plenitude,/ and know that you 

are not alone.’ Lulah Ellender 

Cooper & Son 

Funeral Directors 

42 High Street, Lewes 01273 475 557 

Also at Seaford, Uckfield & Heathfield 

www.cpjfield.co.uk 

Because every life is unique

BIKES AND BOBS 

RIDERS OF LEWES #08 U3A SOCIAL CYCLING 

When I met John Downie, he’d just received a 

letter to say he’d won a Lewes Civic Award in the 

category of ‘Sport’, which fits in nicely with this 

issue’s theme. 

John has been organising the U3A bike rides for 

five years. The rides, which usually take place on 

Fridays and weekends, are mostly between 15 

and 35 miles long. John says they have around 50 

names on the mailing list, with about 15 regular 

riders. The age range is from late fifties to early 

eighties – it’s “sport for OAPs”, John jokes, 

though some participants are pretty fit, and some 

utilise ebikes to help with hills. 

“Social cycling,” is how John defines the events. 

“We chat, we talk about life, the universe and 

everything.” They generally end up cycling two 

abreast, then when a car comes they go single file, 

rejoining alongside someone else, keeping the 

conversation moving around. 

The rides take in quiet back roads and paths on 

the Downs, though in planning them, John says, 

“The key point is where we’re going to have 

lunch.” They do discuss notable features, but 

mostly it’s for exercise and socialising, with John 

working to “try and keep people together. My 

rule is to look after the person behind you.” 

Beyond the nominal annual subscription, the 

rides are also “completely free”. So older readers, 

why not give them a try? Daniel Etherington 

u3asites.org.uk/lewes/page/43273 

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CARLOTTA LUKE 

FOCUS ON: MAGNIFICENT MOTORS 

‘Sport’ comes in all sorts of forms. Carlotta 

took these photos at the Magnificent Motors 

Show in Eastbourne last month. Billed as ‘one 

of the biggest FREE motoring spectaculars 

on the south coast,’ it’s a gathering of more 

than 900 vintage and classic cars, motorbikes 

and buses on Eastbourne’s Western Lawns 

and Wish Tower Slopes. Check out the clouds 

reflected in the Jaguar steering wheel hub. 

And the strange Freddie Mercury/postie 

mannequin… 

magnificentmotors.co.uk, carlottaluke.com 

25

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27

COLUMN 

David Jarman 

Flannelled fools 

Which winner of the Nobel Prize for 

Literature appeared in Wisden Cricketers’ 

Almanac? The answer, as all ‘trivia’ 

aficionados will know, is Samuel Beckett. 

Representing Trinity College, Dublin against 

Northamptonshire in 1926/7, he made few 

runs and took no wickets, but even so… 

Beckett’s cricketing hero was, I guess, Frank 

Woolley, the elegant and cultured Kent and 

England all-rounder. Writing from Paris 

to a friend, on 7 July 1961, Samuel Beckett 

reminisced, mostly fondly, about a recent visit 

to England. It included a trip to the Lord’s 

Test Match – ‘a beautiful day but alas poor 

cricket’. It was something else that was going 

to stick in Beckett’s mind – ‘Frank Woolley 

was in the bar escorting blind 

[Wilfred] Rhodes’. 

Perhaps this vision of Woolley, 

acting as Rhodes’ ‘eyes’, made 

up for another visit to the cricket 

that Beckett describes in a letter 

to Harold Pinter, dated 22 March 

1970: ‘I hope if they fix my eyes 

that some day we’ll go to Lord’s 

together or better still the Oval 

where I once missed Frank Woolley 

just out when I arrived after having 

made something like 70 in half 

an hour.’ Pinter was certainly a 

cricket fanatic. The characters in 

his play, No Man’s Land, are, by 

his own admission, named after 

famous cricketers. He wrote a, 

mercifully short, poem about 

Leonard Hutton and an article, 

cloyingly nostalgic, entitled 

‘Hutton and the Past’. He 

sent a copy to Beckett who 

wrote back on 1st August, 

1973: ‘Many thanks for “Hutton and the 

Past”, much relished.’ 

Someone Beckett might well have bumped 

into at Lord’s was Philip Larkin. A friend got 

Larkin tickets for the Lord’s Test every year. 

Thanking Harold Pinter for sending him his 

memoir of the Somerset cricketer, Arthur 

Wellard, in a letter dated 5 January 1983, 

Larkin wrote: ‘I love your knowing about 

cricket. Kingsley [Amis] once said he was in a 

box at Lord’s, and seeing someone hit a four, 

called Good Shot. (He was no doubt boozed). 

Round turns Pinter and says, Thick edge off a 

long hop, and you call that a good shot?’ 

This reminds me of the one and only 

occasion I took my Canadian wife to 

a county cricket match. It was at 

Tunbridge Wells in June 1984, and 

we were joined by our great friend, 

John Grover who lived close by in 

Robertsbridge (source of so many 

cricket bats). John was the nicest 

man we ever knew. The other reason 

for choosing Tunbridge Wells was the 

wonderful rhododendrons gracing the 

ground, which would please my wife, 

even if the cricket didn’t grip. All 

was well until a comprehensively 

blazered buffoon exclaimed: “Well 

left, Sir.” Brought up on baseball, the 

idea that you could praise a player for 

not hitting the ball, was a step too far for 

my wife. 

Back to Beckett. During the time he 

spent in England in 1961 that included 

the visit to Lord’s, Beckett also went 

to a certain opera house. He wrote to 

Barbara Bray: ‘Glyndebourne Wed. 

in flannel bags for Donizetti’s Elixir. 

Picnic, at entr’acte. What a people.’ 

Illustration by Charlotte Gann 

29

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COLUMN 

Eleanor Knight 

Keyboard worrier 

Joie de vivre is 

not normally 

associated with 

apocalypse, but 

hear me out. 

I don’t know 

about you but 

to me nothing 

says good times 

like a half-naked 

samba band 

cavorting in the spicy wafts of falafel served 

from a flatbed truck that has a retired couple 

from East Dulwich glued to its rear suspension. 

Whatever you think of Extinction Rebellion’s 

methods, they brought cross-generational 

appeal and a long overdue burst of colour and 

excitement to the capital. And didn’t they have 

lovely weather for it. 

Which is the point of course. Extreme weather 

events now far surpass the traditionally wet first 

week of Wimbledon and Cliff Richard’s ironic 

rendition of ‘Summer Holiday’. Millions of 

species – humans included – are in peril from 

far worse, and as we know, all of us going on a 

summer holiday has not helped with that one 

little bit. 

What will it take for us to change? When the 

Ashdown Forest – aka The Hundred Acre Wood 

– burst into flames in April (#Winniemageddon) 

we might have reflected that had we but heeded 

the environmental message in the great flood 

narrative of AA Milne, in which an anxious 

Piglet finds himself Entirely Surrounded 

by Water, we might have gone some way to 

avoiding the altogether darker scenario in which 

that Very Small Animal is Entirely Surrounded 

by Fire. 

Trying to change the world’s behaviour can 

leave us feeling helpless. For every plastic water 

bottle we recycle, 

there are millions 

more clogging 

the South China 

Sea off Malaysia 

and Vietnam, 

where we – er – 

send our plastic 

for recycling. 

For every action 

we’ve organised 

by WhatsApp, there’s a dead yak floating 

downstream of the lithium mines on the 

Tibetan border. Indeed, lithium for phone and 

car batteries is in such demand that in Argentina 

the water needed for extraction jeopardises 

traditional agriculture, including – oh, Lewes – 

quinoa. 

But don’t despair. Here in Lewes we’re uniquely 

situated to pioneer one small behavioural change 

that will allow us to meet our doom with a smile 

and a wave should we not succeed in holding 

off fate altogether. It’s time to combine climate 

rebellion with outdoor fitness. Yes, I’m talking 

Semaphore, the internationally recognised 

code of signals using flags you can easily make 

at home. Switch off your phone and get up on 

the Downs – ideally station a friend on Firle 

Beacon or even out at sea. See? You’re feeling 

better already. And if that doesn’t raise your 

spirits, then the complete upper body work out 

you will have given yourself by the time you’ve 

signalled ‘The poetry of the earth is never dead,’ 

will really get the endorphins pumping, not to 

mention an increase in core stability. 

If you’re thinking you won’t have the strength 

these days for a complex message, don’t worry. 

Dig out that old Beatles album cover and make 

like Piglet. 

HELP. 

Illustration by Hasia Curtis 

31

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COLUMN 

Lewes Out Loud 

Plenty more Henty 

Unlike the fellow in the 

pic, a rare 1905 Donald 

McGill postcard from 

my collection, I never 

once scored a try at 

rugby. Even worse, I 

cheated in the school 

cross-country race and 

only made the third 

eleven at cricket. 

Incidentally, McGill 

himself, at school in Blackheath, South London, 

loved the oval ball game but suffered a serious 

injury to his left ankle in 1891. Sadly, it failed to 

heal, and after a couple of months, surgeons had 

to amputate his foot and fit an artificial limb. 

I only detail my poor sporting record here to 

explain how surprised I was to be appointed 

sports editor to BBC Radio Brighton in 1968. 

It seems the manager was impressed by my 

commentating skills for hospital radio and was 

also seeking someone to put more emphasis on 

minority sports in Sussex. 

With this brief, I created an eclectic mix of 

programmes covering bowls, Sunday football, 

pigeon racing (honest!) and various sea-sporting 

activities. We built our own studio at the 

Goldstone ground for Albion coverage and a 

new commentary position at the Hove ground 

for county cricket. 

Additionally, we advertised in The Argus for 

volunteers to report on and present these 

activities. My budget for a Friday evening 

programme then was £12, so most recruits did 

it for the experience. I had a local postman 

responsible for boxing, a dental technician keen 

on bowls and a prominent Brighton solicitor who 

proved to be as good a cricket commentator as 

the great Brian Johnston. 

Desmond Lynam 

developed his laid-back 

style of broadcasting 

with us and Peter 

Brackley, who died 

earlier this year, 

eventually replaced 

me when I moved 

into more general 

programming. It was 

demanding work, but 

we never took ourselves too seriously. 

Today I still enjoy sport as a spectator, and at the 

Dripping Pan I often observe reporters filing 

their copy via a laptop when, in my time, it was 

all done by yelling down a phone. In a recent 

game against Merstham, for example, a stunning 

Charlie Coppola goal, minutes into the second 

half, would have warranted high praise from me. 

Equally I would have commented on the music 

played over the PA at half-time. Did the operatic 

arias inspire Charlie, I would have suggested, in 

the Rooks’ 2-1 victory? 

There was a musical treat for everyone who 

attended the sparkling version of My Fair Lady 

by the Lewes Operatic Musical Theatre Society 

recently. I was fortunate enough to see the show 

when it first hit London over sixty years ago. I 

had a seat in the balcony of the Theatre Royal, 

Drury Lane, on 17 May, 1958. Julie Andrews, 

Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway led the 

original Broadway cast, and all for five shillings! 

I still have the ticket stub. 

Interesting coincidence at the valued Victoria 

Hospital. Previously I mentioned left-handed 

Lis on reception in Orchard House. Now I’ve 

encountered, equally friendly Lisa on duty in 

main reception. Guess what, she’s left-handed 

too! John Henty 

33

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ON THIS MONTH: TALK 

Sir Anthony Seldon 

300 years of British Prime Ministers 

“Walpole didn’t have it, 

Gladstone didn’t have it, 

Disraeli, Lloyd George, 

Churchill didn’t have it, 

Thatcher didn’t, Tony Blair 

didn’t.” 

On June 21st, the political 

biographer Sir Anthony Seldon 

is giving a talk on ‘300 years 

of British Prime Ministers’ at 

Lewes Town Hall. He reckons, 

he says, being PM is an 

impossible job to do perfectly. 

“There have been 52 Prime Ministers between 

Walpole and Theresa May,” he tells me, and in 

his opinion, none of them has had the ‘complete 

skill set’ that you need to run the country. 

This set includes the need “to be able to 

communicate very clearly, to be able to persuade 

people, to have a physical resilience, to take the 

extraordinary battering the PM has [to take], 

to be physically very healthy; you need to have 

a very calm and clear mind, to… be highly 

intelligent, to process a lot of paperwork, you 

need to be able to give a clear vision.” 

He’s written political biographies of the last 

five outgoing Prime Ministers. I wonder: 

which one he has liked the most? “I like all 

of them in different ways,” he says, “and they 

all had extraordinary qualities. I mean world 

class qualities.” He gives particular attention 

to Gordon Brown, “who had a very powerful 

intellect and a very deep compassion, but he 

had the fatal flaw of not being able to control 

his temper and being overly suspicious and 

resentful of other people.” 

Every Prime Minister, he suggests, has their 

own fatal flaw. One problem with our system, 

he feels, is that “the skills 

that you need to get to 

become Prime Minister are 

very different from the skills 

that you need to be Prime 

Minister. And the system is 

much better at identifying 

people who have the skills to 

get through the race rather 

than people who have the 

skills of leadership.” 

And, like in a Shakespearian 

tragedy, “it’s the flaws that 

bring them down. Since 1945 every Prime 

Minister has left prematurely, none of them 

have left at a time of their choosing, with the 

exception of Harold Wilson in 1976.” 

We get onto the subject of power, and how 

much rests in the hands of our PM. “The Prime 

Minister’s power waxes and wanes,” he says. 

Thatcher earned a massive amount of power, 

then lost it. “When [Theresa May] became PM 

on the 13th of July 2016 she was very powerful 

indeed, and now she is very lacking in power 

because she has lost so much authority.” 

He takes pains to praise May for reaching such 

an exalted position without having enjoyed the 

privilege of a private education, but doesn’t go 

much further. As a parting shot (he’s pushed for 

time) I throw in a last question which, I promise, 

requires a one-word answer. What percentage 

chance has May – surely soon the subject of 

his next political biography – of still being PM 

when he comes to Lewes? There follows a long 

silence as he computes the answer. “98%” he 

says. Alex Leith 

21st June, Town Hall, 7pm. Free, public talk 

organised by Lewes U3A 

35

Welcome to our 

spirit of independence 

Reaching the summit of Ditchling Beacon, 

the highest point of East Sussex, is no 

mean feat. Ali and Eli are just two of the 

many enthusiastic cyclists who take on 

the challenge regularly. 

Visit our brand new tourism website for the Lewes District — visitlewes.co.uk

ON THIS MONTH: CRICKET WORLD CUP 

Girl Power 

Arwyn James, fast bowler 

“I was… surprised,” says Arwyn James, Lewes 

Priory CC’s secret weapon, on her reaction to 

getting her first wicket for the club’s first team. 

This month is the Cricket World Cup, and we 

decided to mark it by interviewing a remarkable 

local star. So I’m sitting in the Stanley Turner 

clubhouse, with Arwyn and Jay James, Priory 

groundsman and proud dad. 

“It was the last day of the 2017 season, and 

Arwyn, despite being a 13-year-old girl – was 

picked to play.” he adds. All the other players, it 

must be said, in both teams, were adult men. 

“I was given the ball to bowl the first over,” says 

Arwyn. “You should have seen their opening 

batsman’s face when he realised he was up 

against a little girl,” continues Jay. “And you 

should have seen it when she clean-bowled him, 

first ball.” 

“All his team mates were laughing,” she 

remembers. But not for long… soon it would be 

their turn to face her. 

It became a familiar routine last season when 

Arwyn became a fixture in the second XI, for 

whom she won the ‘Outstanding Player of 

the Year’ award. And no wonder: her bowling 

stats were outstanding, with a collection of 

five wicket hauls, including an incredible 

season-best of five wickets for four runs against 

Tunbridge Wells side Crowhurst Park. 

Arwyn discovered cricket four years ago when 

she joined in a scratch game on the Convent 

Field, and loved the experience. She joined 

the Lewes Priory under 10s, and progressed 

through the age groups, until she was deemed 

good enough to play with the adult teams, and 

help out with the coaching. 

Now 14, she is about to make her debut for the 

Sussex CC Under 15 team. “It’s long been my 

ambition to play for my county, and hopefully 

my country, too,” she says. “It’ll mean a lot of 

training and work, but it’s where I want to be.” 

She’s no slouch with a bat – last season she 

posted scores of twenty-odd not out on the 

two occasions she was called upon – but it’s 

her consistent pace bowling which sets her 

apart. “I have reached a top speed of around 

60mph,” she says. I ask her, but she won’t reveal 

the secret of her ‘killer ball’, a surprise action 

which flummoxes the best of batsmen. “Let’s 

keep it a secret,” she says. Alex Leith 

Photo by Jay James 

JOIN THE FUN 

Lewes Priory CC are recruiting players of all ages, and are particularly keen for 

young girl players to play in their many age groups, from Under 9s upwards. Initial 

games are ‘soft’ ball, and there are drop-in sessions every Friday evening at 

5.45pm (weather permitting). On Sunday 9th June, as part of a celebration of the 

World Cup, teams are coming to the Stanley Turner from all round the county to 

perform in a ‘soft’ ball tournament: there will be stalls and bouncy castles, and 

everyone is welcome for a family day out. lewespriory.play-cricket.com 

37

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ON THIS MONTH: SYMPOSIUM 

Same Sky 

Community art activism 

John Varah, Artistic Director at community arts 

charity Same Sky, is happy to be unknown (in 

part at least). “One of our biggest successes is 

the fact that no one knows who we are. No one 

really knows we do Burning the Clocks [and 

Brighton’s annual Children’s Parade] because 

it’s supposed to feel like something that’s always 

happened... Everyone thinks they own it, and 

that’s great. But that’s become the problem 

when we try to raise money.” 

The funding challenges facing community arts 

charities will be one of the topics discussed at 

Pure Enchantment: A Same Sky 30th Anniversary 

Symposium, being held at ACCA. The event is 

open to everyone with an interest in community 

arts, with the morning focusing on talks and 

discussion, and the second half focusing on 

practical matters such as workshops for making 

lanterns or applying for funding. 

Confirmed speakers include Lucy Bear, a 

Maths teacher in Crawley who set up LPK 

Learning (who deliver innovative learning 

opportunities across Sussex), Tom Andrews 

from People United (who look at how 

participatory arts can promote kindness), 

and Daniel Bernstein, Executive Director of 

outside arts company Emergency Exit Arts. 

John tells me that one of the biggest changes 

over the last 30 years is the “consistent 

reductions in funding”. Jonathan Swain, 

Same Sky Associate Artist, sees some hope 

in changing attitudes however. “There’s 

an encouragement for participatory arts. 

They [councils] actively want it, because 

they can see its value. Partly from a health 

perspective, partly because there’s a dwindling 

in communities and they’re wondering why.” 

Alistair Hill, Director of Public Health at 

Brighton & Hove City Council, will discuss his 

2018 annual report, ‘The Art of Good Health’. 

There is a need for “doers”, as Jonathan 

describes them, to encourage creativity and 

participation in communities. “We call them 

community activists”, says John. “They can be 

of any political persuasion, but they’re doing 

stuff in their community, they’re running a 

football club, they’re engaged, they want things 

to happen. We did some work with Tide of 

Light in Lancing: it was a couple of mums with 

kids setting it up because they thought Brighton 

had all these things and they didn’t. Our role is 

always to support people like that.” 

The symposium also offers what Jonathan 

terms an “indulgence” once the daytime event 

ends, with food, drink, fire and music. John 

compares the symposium to training courses 

that Same Sky have run, with artists who 

wanted to work in communities meeting people 

in those communities who weren’t confident 

about the art side of things. “That combination 

of working together meant that they all enjoyed 

learning from each other”. 

Jonathan sees that as a neat summary of what 

they are aiming at in the symposium: “It’s 

creating a space for magic. It gives John an 

opportunity to say this is what we’ve done, 

you’re here together in this symposium, perhaps 

we can go forwards and make something from 

that. It’s as hippy as that.” Joe Fuller 

ACCA, 21st, 10am-4pm, £10 

Photo by David Bracey 

39

THE PATCH 

Breweries 

and venues: 

THE PATCH 

Burning Sky & 

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THE BLACK HORSE 

Gun Brewery 

FRIDAY 

28TH 

A weekend of events 

including a town wide 

tap takeover by some 

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breweries... 

Find out more at 

SUNDAY 

JUNE 

30TH 

MEET THE 

BREWERS 

HOME 

BREWING 

COMPETITIONS 

BREWER’S ARMS 

Thornbridge 

GARDENER’S ARMS 

Sarah Hughes 

ELEPHANT & CASTLE 

Buxton & 

Great Oakley 

THE ROYAL OAK 

Crafty Brewing 

from Surrey Hills 

Untitled-2 1 14/05/2019 16:05 

SATURDAY 

3rd AUGUST 

A COMMERCIAL SQUARE 

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TICKETS 

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CHILDREN 5 to 16: £3.00 

Under 5s: FREE 

GATES OPEN - 3:00pm 

MUSIC STARTS - 4:00pm 

FINISH - 10:00pm 

Jumping Jacks 

Crimson Six 

Lewes, Glynde & 

Beddingham Brass 

Firework finale 

Licenced bar with 

guest ciders 

Cake/ Side stalls 

Veggie/Vegan food 

BBQ food 

ALSO SUPPORTED BY 

BANDS 

TICKETS AND MORE: www.promsinthepaddock.co.uk 

TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THESE LEWES OUTLETS: 

Elephant & Castle • Tourist Information • Harvey’s Brewery Shop • Richards Butchers

ON THIS MONTH: FESTIVAL 

Billy Bragg 

Anglo-Americana 

It’s hard to think of a performer who is as quintessentially 

English as Billy Bragg, that singer of 

Jerusalem, and vociferous purveyor of ‘progressive 

patriotism’. So what, I ask him down the 

phone, is he doing performing at the Black Deer 

Americana and Country Music Festival? 

“Americana is country music for Smiths fans,” 

he quips. “It’s what we used to call singersongwriting. 

But singer-songwriters in cowboy 

boots, and shirts with pearl-snap buttons. I fit 

in because I made an album of Woody Guthrie 

songs, with [American band] Wilco, who had a 

role in founding the alt.country thing. I qualify 

as an in-law, if you like.” 

He even changed his accent, for the part. “With 

the Woody Guthrie songs I found it was impossible 

to sing his songs in my accent, so I kind of 

leaned over a little bit more to that mid-Atlantic 

twang and I’ve found since then that I go in and 

out of it depending on what song it is and what 

the nature of it is. 

“Americana isn’t something that is geo-specific,” 

he adds. “You can be an Americana artist anywhere 

if you were influenced by the Roots music 

of America. Think about the first Beatles album: 

what would that have sounded like if they’d only 

played English music and only worn English 

clothes? It would have been pretty boring, 

wouldn’t it? Everyone knew they were inspired 

by the music of black America.” 

Like Woody Guthrie, Bragg has been labelled a 

‘protest singer’, a term he’s not entirely comfortable 

with, as he finds it ‘pigeon-holing’. “I’d 

rather you put me down as a dissenter,” he says. 

“In fact I would argue that dissent is the tradition 

that defines the English.” 

Tom Paine comes up in the conversation. Bragg 

cites the 18th-century English activist in the 

pamphlet he’s recently written for Faber & 

Faber, The Three Dimensions of Freedom, describing 

him as ‘the greatest revolutionary England 

ever produced’. “I wish he’d been born 150 years 

before so he could have written his pamphlet 

and given it to the New Model Army at Naseby: 

then we may have had a republic that lasted,” he 

says. Instead, of course, he helped the United 

States of America to become one. 

Bragg’s sets have always been punctuated by 

political diatribes, and he’s going to make no 

exception to this practice, he says, at the Black 

Deer Festival. He’ll not decide on his set until 

the day of the performance. “When I arrive at a 

festival I have a long walk around the site. I try 

and suss out the audience… are they soaking 

wet, are they pissed off, are they chilled out? 

Then I decide how I pitch the set to them.” 

So will he ‘countrify’ himself up, I wonder, to 

fit in with the likes of Kris Kristofferson and 

Hayseed Dixie, also on the line-up? “I won’t be 

wearing cowboy boots,” he says, “but I will undoubtedly 

have a shirt with pearl-snap buttons 

on it.” Alex Leith 

Eridge Park, 21-23 June, blackdeerfestival.com 

Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff 

41

ON THIS MONTH: THEATRE 

The Girl on the Train 

Samantha Womack talks about life on tour 

This month, ex-EastEnders 

star Samantha Womack 

comes to Brighton in The 

Girl on the Train, a play 

based on the best-selling 

novel by Paula Hawkins. 

She’s been playing the role 

of Rachel Watson in this 

touring production since it 

opened in January. 

The main thing about 

Rachel is that she’s 

broken by circumstances. 

She’s very devil-maycare 

and rebellious but 

there’s something quite 

vulnerable about her. 

Some performances I’ll start with a slightly 

more accessible Rachel, or I can be very surly 

and aggressive – and the play will unfold with 

that starting point. That keeps my attention 

completely riveted to the dialogue as if it was 

fresh for the first time. Anthony Banks, the 

director, has been very clever: he’s cast actors 

who are actually quite malleable. We all bend 

and adapt to our spaces. We’re not militant 

in keeping everything too set in stone, which 

would be very boring for me. 

The concept is ‘thriller’ but it’s a 

psychological drama as well. Anthony wanted 

the set to feel like pieces of the jigsaw puzzle 

that Rachel is trying to manage in her head, 

because she has these large holes in her 

memory. So bits of it glide on and glide off. 

The sets themselves are quite barren: they have 

an almost a book-like quality. 

I love the freedom of a stage. It’s working 

with a story chronologically, 

as well. With a soap, you’ll be 

filming six to eight episodes 

in a day, so in the morning 

you’ll be doing stuff where 

you’ve lost a baby and in the 

afternoon you’ll be doing stuff 

where you’re still pregnant. It 

can be that crude. Whereas 

with a play, the minute you 

set foot on that stage, it’s a 

rollercoaster ride and you 

don’t get off until the end. 

There’s a lot of 

competition, so I try really 

hard not to get typecast. I 

understood very early on that 

I had to diversify if I wanted to survive, but it 

kept me interested creatively as well. I’m the 

breadwinner, I’m a mum and acting is really 

hard to get employed in now. 

I can drive through the night on Saturday 

night and wake up at home on Sunday. It’s 

tough; at weekends I just want to collapse into 

a little ball. But I’m very lucky, I have a very 

supportive husband who’s also an actor, the kids 

are great too, we all pull together. 

For me, Brighton is synonymous with my 

father. He was a very eccentric, sweet musician. 

Every time I turned up in Brighton, he’d come 

and meet me on the pier with his cowboy hat 

and his guitar and his Dalmatian dog. And 

he’s not with us now. So I have these poignant 

memories. As told to Mark Bridge 

The Girl on the Train is at the Theatre Royal 

Brighton from Monday 17th until Saturday 22nd 

June. atgtickets.com 

43

ON THIS MONTH: SKITTLES 

Skittles 

A sporting event 

Illustration by Chris Lewis 

The Lewes Skittles Tournament has been 

running in the Grange every June since the 

1960s. Peter Boyse, the teams-organiser at 

the Rotary, which has overseen the event 

since the 1980s, told me he himself first 

took part in 1968. “The lanes have got a bit 

bumpier since then,” he says. “There’s been a 

bit of subsidence!” 

Peter describes the five-day nine-skittles 

tournament – which takes place in the 

far corner of the gardens, beside the 

Winterbourne – as “a fun, competitive event 

in aid of charity”. This year he’s expecting 

about 120 teams (six people per team) to take 

part, and to raise £6,000-£7,000. 

Each team pays a £30 entry fee. There are 

also buckets on the gate, to which anyone can 

contribute – and participants and spectators 

do, “generously”, Peter says. There’s a bar, 

run by Commercial Square Bonfire Society, 

and a burger store, by Waterloo. “They keep 

the proceeds for their own fundraising, but 

also give a cut to us”, he says. 

“It’s a sporting event,” he laughs, “as in goodnatured. 

There’s an element of luck, because 

of the undulation of the ground. But 

there must be skill involved too, 

because we often see the same 

teams come through.” 

Anyone can enter – new teams 

appear every year – and local 

businesses also contribute by 

advertising on the (now sixteen) 

lane and back boards. 

If you’re interested in any 

aspect, Peter says, do email: 

peter.boyse@farmline.com. 


17-21 June, 7pm. lewes-rotary. 

org/skittles 

44

ON THIS MONTH: THEATRE 

Exit, pursued by an implied bear 

A new look at a Shakespeare classic 

In Elizabethan England, you might have 

expected a play called The Winter’s Tale to 

be some kind of upbeat urban myth; fantasy 

folklore with a moral core. Shakespeare, 

subversive as ever, delivered the unexpected. 

“Basically, it’s two stories. That’s one of the 

reasons it’s been criticised over the years”, 

Chris Weber Brown tells me. He’s directing 

the play at Lewes Little Theatre, where the 

curtain rises at the end of this month. “There’s 

all sorts of drama and tyranny and horrible 

stuff in the first half.” Leontes, the King of 

Sicilia, thinks his pregnant wife has been 

having an affair with his old friend, Polixenes. 

Despite a total lack of evidence, Leontes orders 

the friend to be poisoned, puts his wife on 

trial for treason and abandons his new-born 

daughter. “The audience have to sit through 

this doom and gloom... we need to lighten up in 

the second half”, says Chris. 

Shakespeare obliges by ensuring the baby 

daughter is adopted by an elderly shepherd and 

his clownish son, changing the mood instantly 

from dark tragedy to upbeat comedy. “We are 

going to have a sort-of rustic dance, I have a 

movement coach, and there’s going to be music 

and some singing.” Ultimately, the two stories 

are reconciled, as are the king and his daughter. 

“It all kind-of ends happily. But it isn’t really a 

happy ending in my view.” 

Why does Chris think this 400-year-old play 

and its magical world is still relevant today? 

“I could see echoes of Leontes’s tyranny and 

power with present-day dictators who will 

hold on to power at any cost – any cost to the 

people and the country.” In fact, he’s updated 

the setting to 2019 and is working without 

a conventional set. “I just love the idea of 

having a completely open stage where you 

can move and you’re not constricted in any 

way. It’s the first time I’ve done it. Very often 

with Shakespeare, they have a raised dais at 

the rear of the stage – but I don’t want that. 

It’ll all be done by lighting.” This includes 

the famous stage direction ‘Exit, pursued by 

a bear’. “A very dark shadow will move across 

the back”, says Chris. “We will not be having 

the bear because that would become rather 

like pantomime.” There’ll be quite a few other 

edits, reducing the play’s running time to 

around two hours, with the entire production 

being a very collaborative project. “If you get a 

really good group of people, good in the sense 

they’ll work together, that means so much. The 

director is not there to dictate. He’s there to try 

and draw out performances from the actors.” 

The result, he hopes, will be well-suited to 

contemporary audiences. “It’s about the text 

and the feelings and the characterisations. Not 

the dressing-up box!” Mark Bridge 

The Winter’s Tale runs from 29th June until 6th 

July at Lewes Little Theatre. lewestheatre.org 

45

S u s s e x O p e n G a r d e n s 

H o l f o r d M a n o r 

N o r t h C h a i l e y 

1 s t & 2 n d J u n e 

2 2 n d & 2 3 r d J u n e 

1 1 a m - 4 p m 

Shepherd’s hut for sale locally 

Quality shepherd’s hut built 

to a high standard 

Spare room, playroom, 

office, garden room 

Show hut and stock available 

www.bespokeshepherdshuts.co.uk 

matthew@bespokeshepherdshuts.co.uk 

07932521042 / 01273 649202 

£ 5 p p / K i d s f r e e 

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n : 

w w w . b e v e r n t r u s t . o r g 

R e g i s t e r e d C h a r i t y N u m b e r : 1 1 0 3 5 2 0 

Opening 6 September 

at the former Turkish baths 

As a social enterprise (not for profit), we 

welcome the community to our Centre 

through a specialist programme of classes, 

therapies, treatments and events: 

• 2 studios offering yoga, dance, art, theatre... 

• 2 treatment rooms–wide range of therapies 

• Infra-red sauna and floatation pool 

• Vegan/vegetarian cafe and gallery space 

All spaces are available for hire, we are also 

looking for qualified and experienced 

teachers, therapists and facilitators 

being-in-unity.com/the-unity-centre-lewes

ON THIS MONTH: FILM 

There’s No Business Like Show Business, Moon, Freaks 

Film ’19 

Dexter Lee’s cinema round-up 

It was the first horror film to win an Oscar (or 

two to be exact), it’s Mark Kermode’s favourite 

movie, and it’s one of the highest-grossing Hollywood 

franchises of all time, but I wouldn’t 

necessarily recommend you watch The Exorcist 

(June 1st). It’s the stuff of nightmares: that 

head-spinning scene, in particular, will never 

leave you. 

Of a rather gentler nature, earlier in the same 

day, are four films about the octogenarian 

water-sculptor William Pye, with a Q&A between 

the director and the artist, among others, 

afterwards. Will anyone, I wonder, attend both 

events? 

Sunday afternoon has become the time to 

stretch out your legs and enjoy old classics on 

the big screen. On the 2nd, Depot are showing 

Monty Python’s musical The Life of Brian, 

which struck one religious commentator at the 

time as being ‘foul, disgusting and blasphemous’, 

but most viewers as being light-hearted 

parody. Altogether now: ‘always look on the…’ 

Talking singalong, June’s dementia-friendly 

movie, open to everyone, particularly those not 

afraid to participate, is Irving Berlin’s 1954 musical 

There’s No Business like Show Business (4th), 

starring, among many others, Marilyn Monroe. 

The book-to-film offering, meanwhile, is The 

Last Picture Show, a gritty b&w coming-of-age 

movie, directed by Peter Bogdanovic in 1971, 

with Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn among an 

ensemble cast, and music by Hank Williams Jr. 

On the same day, to celebrate the anniversary 

of D-Day, there’s a showing of Spielberg’s Saving 

Private Ryan, whose first scene is regarded 

as one of the most uncomfortable in war movie 

history, with Allied troops pinned down under 

machine-gun fire. 

On Friday 7th there’s the last of a trilogy of 

U3A films, whose subject has been science. It’s 

Duncan Jones’ Moon, a tale of an engineer who 

starts losing his mind as he nears the end of a 

three-year stint mining helium-3 on the dark 

side of the moon. 

On the 10th is the disturbing, controversial 

1932 horror film Freaks, featuring among its 

cast carnival sideshow performers with very 

real deformities. The film is presented by 

Brighton’s Doctor of Quirk, David Bramwell. 

Father’s Day (16th, put it in your diaries) 

is celebrated by the one-off screening of a 

documentary, The Yukon Assignment, which 

sees a father and son canoeing 500 miles into 

the Canadian wilderness, bonding deeply on 

the way. And on the 29th, the Depot’s Young 

Programmers take over Screen 2 for the whole 

day, with three movies on the theme of ‘obsession’. 

Check the Depot website for those titles, 

plus for what’s going on during their Green 

Day, on the 22nd. 

Perhaps the coolest show in the month’s calendar 

is Ibiza – The Silent Movie (26th), Julian 

Temple’s collaboration with Norman ‘Fatboy 

Slim’ Cook, taking the audience on a journey 

into the heart of the soulful Balearic island. 

This will be shown at selected cinemas around 

the country, simultaneously with a screening at 

the Glastonbury Festival. No wellies required. 

47

JO O’SULLIVAN 

STORMY WEATHER 

How to navigate the end 

of a relationship 

What’s going on with the weather in Lewes? 

One day it is glorious sunshine, and another 

it’s cold and rainy. As soon as I get my 

sandals out it seems to always pour down 

with rain. 

As a Collaborative Family Lawyer and 

Mediator, I work with couples ending 

their relationship. Many will describe 

their relationship as having been like our 

changing weather... unpredictable and 

exhausting. 

Clients sometimes come to see me after a 

particularly big row or a bad period – should 

they stay or should they leave? How do they 

know if the scales are tipped just too far in 

wrong direction? 

Remain or leave (no Brexit pun intended)? 

Not an easy decision to make, with or without 

children. 

Many clients see me when they really are 

not sure about what to do. Often I suggest 

seeking couples or individual counselling 

before going down any legal route. 

Even if clients are not sure they may just 

need to explore what ending a relationship 

would involve, what are their rights and 

responsibilities? I can certainly help with that. 

More importantly, the process they choose 

will dictate how they move forward as a 

separated couple or as separated parents. 

My view is that engaging a solicitor in a 

campaign of letter writing will do little to 

help and may well cause harm. Consider 

‘round the table’ ways of working; including 

mediation or collaborative practice. 

Timing is important too – sometimes people 

meet me and want to get on with things 

straight away whilst others need more time 

and only start things off months or even years 

later. As I always say, ‘here if you need me’. 

Please call to discuss what might be the best process for you 

on 07780676212 or email jo@osullivanfamilylaw.com 

For more details about how I work visit 

www.osullivanfamilylaw.com

ON THIS MONTH: TALK 

Chris Horlock 

Lost Brighton author 

You’re a postcard 

collector, I hear. 

I collect images of 

Brighton, whether 

prints, maps, postcards 

or photos, from the 

eighteenth century to 

the present day. I have 

a ridiculous number of 

images – over 30,000 – 

which I am always busy 

digitising and captioning. 

A bit like the James Gray collection, held 

by the Regency Society? I limit myself to 

Brighton, while James’ collection includes 

Hove and Portslade and suchlike. I used to take 

pictures for James, who I knew for twenty years 

before he died. He’d want somewhere recorded 

for posterity, before it was demolished. 

Brighton used to be more industrial… 

There’s a whole section relating to industry 

in Brighton in my new book. In 1891 the 

railway works produced a locomotive engine, 

from scratch, every month, employing over 

2,500 people; there were still 650 people at 

work there in 1952. Allen West, along the 

Lewes Road, employed 3,000 workers, making 

electrical switches. Cox’s pill factory, also in 

Lewes Road, was a big employer until the 70s… 

And this, presumably, altered the city’s 

demographics? Its purpose keeps shifting. 

Brighton has been a resort since the early 

1700s. But once it was a royal town. It’s been 

a military base, then an industrial town; now 

it’s a university city, catering for young people 

who are here for a limited period of time and 

don’t particularly care about the long-term 

infrastructure of the place. 

Do you think much of the change is for 

the better? It’s difficult to think of any 

post-war buildings and 

developments that are 

of any significance. 

When you think of all 

the detail and nuance 

that went into pre-war 

buildings, and compare 

them to what’s gone 

up since… In the past, 

buildings were made 

to make you stop and 

look at them. Now they 

barely warrant a glance as you walk by. 

What disappeared buildings, in particular, 

do you lament? So many! Brighton used to 

be so different. Let’s take 1960, as an example. 

Just thinking about entertainment: there were 

still five full-sized purpose-built theatres; 

there were thirteen single-screen cinemas; The 

Hippodrome was up and running; there was 

the SS Brighton, a highly-popular ice rink at 

the bottom of West Street, home to the famous 

Brighton Tigers. And of course, Brighton still 

had the West Pier. 

Why were people so keen to pull things 

down in the 60s? When Harold Wilson came 

to power, he promised a technological revolution 

on a large scale. There were high-speed trains, 

oil rigs and by the end of the decade, men on the 

moon. So when they put up the first high-rise 

blocks in the 60s, no-one batted an eyelid. This 

was the future, a brave new world. 

Any post-war buildings you do like? The 

Jubilee Library isn’t bad. Duke’s Lane is a good 

redevelopment. And the 1970s Amex ‘wedding 

cake’ soon became a landmark building. But of 

course, that’s recently gone. 

Interview by Alex Leith 

Lost Brighton at The Keep, 26th June, 5.30pm, 

£5. thekeep.info 

Photo: Brighton Railway Works, 1912 

49

"Never doubt that a 

small group of 

thoughtful, committed 

citizens can change the 

world; indeed, it's the 

only thing that ever has." 

Margaret Mead 

Own it: 

www.lewesfc.com/owners

TRIBUTE 

John Hamilton 

Legendary book designer 

John Hamilton, Art Director at Penguin Random 

House, born in Glasgow and Lewes resident for 

15 years, died suddenly in February, aged 55. 

John was great company, always ready with a 

story, generous and spirited, but he was also so 

modest and self-effacing that few of his many 

friends and acquaintances truly knew the extent 

of his reputation. 

Penguin CEO, Tom Weldon, remembered John 

as ‘much loved and respected across the wider 

industry; helping to discover talented designers, 

illustrators, photographers and artists right at the 

beginning of their careers.’ When John joined 

Penguin in 1997, he took charge of the Penguin 

Essentials series with a mandate to follow his 

instinct and ignore precedent. He commissioned 

graffiti artists, tattooists, fashion and record cover 

designers and those on the edges of the artistic 

community; he took creative risks at a time 

when publishing was in peril, and his approach 

caused an excitement across the industry that still 

resonates today. One of those risks was to commission 

an unknown street artist: Banksy recently 

acknowledged this debt. 

When news of John’s death broke, many authors, 

including William Boyd and Will Self, wrote 

about his ability to communicate with each of 

them and translate their work into the visual, his 

professionalism and his sense of fun. The Penguin 

press release said: ‘John created timeless, 

iconic covers which have become synonymous 

with the texts themselves.’ 

He was also instrumental in bringing Jamie 

Oliver to Penguin. Then, a lively young chef, 

looking for a book deal, Oliver was courted by all 

publishers; it was John’s enthusiasm for cooking 

(he was himself a wonderful cook) and ability to 

translate that into design that helped convince 

Oliver to sign for Penguin. Over the next 20 

years John was the Art Director for all his cookbooks. 

They became close friends, travelling the 

world in search of new culinary horizons. 

John was talented but also hard-working. He 

oversaw 500 books a year and it was hugely challenging 

to come up with original concepts every 

day. He looked for visual inspiration everywhere 

and was always thinking and dreaming up new 

ideas. In Lewes he found a life where he could 

relax, recalibrate and pursue his interests quietly 

with his family. He was a familiar figure round 

town in his plain khaki jacket and baseball cap, 

and with his dog Tess, svelte alter ego, at his side. 

Much of his socialising was done about town, or 

in his favourite shops – Richards, Bow Windows 

– and pubs: the Lansdown, the Brewers and the 

Gardeners. Often described as a maverick, John 

was also a kind, courteous and thoughtful man. 

He loved Bonfire. Although a committed member 

of Southover, which he joined when his children 

were young, he admired Cliffe’s anarchic 

approach, which suited his own. He travelled 

back to his hometown Glasgow whenever possible 

to watch his beloved Rangers. He was proud 

of his roots, his city, its politics and his family 

history entwined with Clydebank. However, 

despite a healthy suspicion of the English ruling 

class, he was no nationalist and loved Lewes, the 

town he made his home. Douglas Taylor 

Photo by Mark Read 

51

ON THIS MONTH: ART 

Peter Blake 

Joseph Cornell’s imaginary Sussex day-trip 

© Peter Blake, 2019. All rights reserved 

At the age of 75, Sir Peter 

Blake, ‘the godfather of 

British Pop Art’ announced 

that he had entered his ‘late 

period’, a term usually used 

by critics after painters have 

died. “Artists go a bit crazy, 

so I gave myself the licence 

to do that,” he says. 

Now he’s 90, so you might 

say he’s in his ‘late, late’ 

period: his most recent body 

of work, some of which is 

being shown for the first time over the summer 

at Farleys House and Gallery, sounds like he’s 

getting good value from that licence. 

“It’s called Joseph Cornell’s Holiday,” he tells 

me, revealing that the idea came to him after 

attending an exhibition about the American 

‘shadow-box’ artist, Wanderlust, at the Royal 

Academy, in 2015. 

There were two elements of Cornell’s life that 

Blake wanted to change, for the better. The 

first was that “he loved the idea of travelling, 

and Europe, but never ventured far from his 

home on Long Island” (the artist was devoted to 

his mother and had to take care of his disabled 

brother). And then “he fell in love constantly 

with women… but never consummated a 

relationship. He died a virgin.” 

So Blake is posthumously treating Cornell, in 

this series of artworks, to everything he missed 

while alive: “he meets lots of women all the 

time, and has lots of affairs, all around Europe.” 

Back in the sixties, the British surrealist Roland 

Penrose, the co-founder of the Institute of 

Contemporary Arts, acted as something of 

a ‘mentor’ to Blake and the generation of 

young artists involved in the British pop 

art movement. “I went 

to their [Penrose and 

his photographer wife 

Lee Miller’s] flat in 

Kensington a number of 

times,” he says, “and saw 

their amazing collection 

of Picassos and Dalis, 

wonderful pictures. I’d say 

he was a friend.” 

Blake didn’t, however, 

visit the couple’s Sussex 

residence in Chiddingly 

until recently, and it was after that visit he 

decided, with the collaboration of Roland’s son 

Antony Penrose, to make part of the Joseph 

Cornell series site-specific to Farley Farm, 

which now has an exhibition space. “A lot of the 

surrealists visited Roland and Lee in Sussex, 

as did Picasso, and were photographed by Lee 

Miller, and what I’ve done is a kind of sub-story 

imagining Cornell visiting Farley Farm, and 

meeting them.” 

Cornell, it so happens, already knew Lee 

Miller, who also hailed from New York State, 

and, among the twenty or so paintings in the 

exhibition, “there’s an image of him, at Farley 

Farm, holding a collage with the image that Lee 

Miller took of him when he was a young man.” 

Had the artist ever made it to Europe, Blake 

reckons Cornell would have jumped at the 

chance to make a real visit to Farley Farm. 

“Lee was very beautiful,” he concludes. “I’m 

absolutely convinced she was one of the many 

women he fell in love with”. Alex Leith 

Day Trip to Farley Farm, Sundays 9th June to 

4th August. Farleys House and Gallery, Muddles 

Green, Chiddingly 

farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk 

53

NF 

19 

NEWHAVEN FESTIVAL 

Studio+ 

Gallery 

DAVID ARMITAGE 

ABSTRACT 

GENERATIONS 

ABIGAIL MYERS 

Over two weeks of arts & 

culture in Newhaven. 

Walks, talks, exhibitions 

& workshops. Plus artwave 

open houses. 

August 17 – September 1 

The eagerly awaited opening of 

THE FIRST EXHIBITION OF OUR FIRST SEASON 

Two brilliant contemporary abstract artists spanning a generation. 

Studio+Gallery 

21 Church Street 

SEAFORD BN25 1HD 

OPENING JUNE 6TH 

www.studioplusgallery.co.uk 

JUNE 6th to JULY 7th 2019 

Every Thursday to Sunday 

11.00 – 17.00 

SCULPTURE 

EXHIBITION 

20 th ANNIVERSARY 

10 May - 30 Sept 

An enticing 

collection of 

sculpture displayed 

within a stunning 

historic garden. 

Exhibition sponsored by: 

newhavenfestival.co.uk 

newhavenfestival 

newhaven festival 

illustration © Olivia Waller 

ROSE CELEBRATIONS 

17 - 28 Jun 

See website for details 

@bordehillgarden 

Registered Charity No: 246589 

www.bordehill.co.uk 01444 450326 RH16 1XP

ART 

ART & ABOUT 

In town this month 

Night Bloomer by Julian Brown 

Over three weekends this month, Fitzroy House hosts Moon Gazing 

– an exhibition celebrating the moon and some of its many manifestations 

in art, culture and science. Curated by Sarah O’Kane to coincide 

with the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, the exhibition 

features artworks by twelve contemporary artists – some specially 

commissioned for the event – including Julian Bell, Peter Messer and 

Charlotte Snook. A series of lunar-related events accompanies the 

exhibition, including the launch of poetry anthology Pale Fire (published 

by Lewes-based The Frogmore Press), moon-making workshops for 

children and a talk by Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society, 

and Royal Pavilion curator Alexandra Loske, who together wrote 

the recently-published book Moon: Art, Science, Culture. Visit sarahokane. 

co.uk for more details of the events. Fitzroy House, 10 High Street, 

from the 8th until the 23rd of June. (Open 10am-5pm Saturdays and Sundays.) 

The Chalk Cliffs by Sue Collins 

Katie 

Whitbread 

is the featured 

artist 

at Chalk 

Gallery until 

the 9th of 

June, swiftly 

followed by Sue Collins, whose exhibition 

opens on the 10th. Sue is based in Hassocks, 

and her stylised linocuts are inspired by the 

Downland views she can see from her studio 

window. Sue will be at the gallery for a ‘meet 

the artist’ event at 2pm on Tuesday 11th, 

when she will be giving a short demonstration 

of her reduction printmaking process. 

Starlings on Downs by Fiona Richardson 

Also in town 

this month, 

Sussex Printmakers 

is an 

exhibition 

of work by 

five local 

printmakers 

at Keizer 

Frames. Expect 

distinctive linocuts by Rachel Clark, photopolymer 

and solar etchings by Kate Osborne, etchings by 

Fiona Richardson and Elaine Foster-Gandey and 

linocuts, woodcuts and wood engravings by the late 

James T. A. Osborne (1907-1979). 1st-30th June. 

St Anne’s Galleries present Horizonalia; a celebration of 

the skyline in paint. This solo exhibition of oil paintings 

on wood by Christopher McHugh explores the artist’s 

long-running fascination with the dividing line between 

earth and sky. 1st-30th June, Saturdays & Sundays 10am- 

5pm, or at other times by appointment. 

Cameo Horizon: Crooning by Christopher McHugh 

55

Moongazing 

A group exhibition 

celebrating the moon 

8 – 23 June 

10am – 5pm Saturdays and Sundays 

Fitzroy House 

10 High Street 

Lewes BN7 2AD 

Sarah O’Kane Contemporary Fine Art 

07777 691 050 | sarahokane.co.uk

ART 

ART & ABOUT 

Susan Ashworth 

Susan Ashworth is holding an oil painting 

workshop at Paddock Studios on Saturday 

the 22nd of June from 10am-4pm. Whether 

you’re an experienced painter or an absolute 

beginner, Susan will guide you in the creation 

of distinctive still life images. All materials are 

provided. (£95, contact stories@jamiecrawford. 

co.uk for more information.) Also at Paddock Studios, Emma Carlow 

and Chris Arran – both seasoned Viva cover artists – hold a joint exhibition 

on the 29th and 30th of June (10am-5pm). Expect new works by 

Chris, whose art incorporates paint, collage and digital techniques, and 

lino cuts by Emma, who is exhibiting her work for the first time. 

Emma Carlow 

The Wallands and Priory Secret Art Auction goes 

live on June 3rd. Bid online at jumblebee.co.uk/wallandsprioryart 

for paintings, prints, jewellery, pottery and 

sculptures, including works by Julian Bell, Peter Messer, 

Nick Bodimeade, Alexis Dove and Leigh Hodgkinson. 

There’s a chance to see the artworks at a private view at 

Lewes House, on Friday 21st (5-9pm) and Saturday 22nd 

(9.30am-3pm) of June. The Auction closes 23rd June, so 

make sure to get your bids in early. 

Out of town 

David Armitage 

On the 6th of June, 

Studio+Gallery 

opens its doors at 

21 Church Street 

in Seaford. Their 

opening exhibition is 

Abstract Generations 

– works by David 

Armitage and Aby Myers, with shows 

by Karen Potter, Peter Messer, and 

a collection of drawings by Stanley 

Spencer to follow later in the season. 

David Armitage and Aby Myers will 

hold a Q&A at 3.30pm on Saturday the 

22nd June and a walk and talk session 

at 3.30pm on Saturday 6th July. (Gallery 

opening times Thursday to Sunday, 

11am-5pm. studioplusgallery.co.uk) 

Juliet Forrest 

Inspired by Burne-Jones 

– an exhibition of contemporary 

stained glass 

– is at the Grange Museum 

and Gallery in 

Rottingdean, from the 

6-14 June. Featuring 

work by 25 glass artists 

from all over the 

country (and one from 

Chicago), the exhibition 

is part of a two-year 

programme of events 

relating to Edward 

Burne-Jones, one of 

Rottingdean’s most 

famous residents. For 

a full list of exhibiting 

artists, visit rottingdeanpreservationsociety. 

org.uk

Christopher McHugh Horizonalia 

A celebration of the skyline in paint 

1 - 30 June 2019, Saturdays & Sundays 10am - 5pm or by appointment 

111 HIGH STREET, LEWES BN7 1XY 

07860 728220 stannesgalleries.com 

Summer 2019 Towner Art Gallery 

TEN 

Towner curates 

the collection 

Phoebe Unwin 

Iris 

Lothar Götz 

Dance Diagonal 

Image: courtesy Lothar Götz 

Dineo Seshee Bopape 

Sedibeng, it comes with the rain 

www.townereastbourne.org.uk @ townergallery 

Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ

ART 

Out of town 

Towner are celebrating their tenth anniversary in their 

‘new’, Rick Mather-designed building with a busy summer 

season. Exhibitions include a large-scale installation 

by South African artist Dineo Seshee Bopape; an 

exhibition of works from the Towner collection, curated 

by the gallery’s own team; a presentation of new paintings 

by London-based artist Phoebe Unwin and a major 

outdoor commission by Lothar Götz (see pg 60). Join 

them for a celebratory summer party marking the launch 

of the exhibitions on the 15th of June (6pm-late). 

Harold Mockford 

Plinth Home 

Charleston hold their second Designer & Maker Fair 

on Saturday the 22nd of June (11am- 

5pm). Thirty carefully curated 

designers and makers present 

a selection of ceramics, 

textiles, jewellery, clothing, 

prints and home wares. 

If the success of their 

Christmas makers’ fair 

is anything to go by, you 

might want to book early. 

(Tickets £5 in advance, £6 on 

the door.) 

Lucy Ogden 

Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft 

present Women’s Work, an exhibition 

of work by a pioneering group of 

women in craft, who turned their 

practice into successful businesses 

between the two world wars. Many 

of the featured artists are relatively 

unknown, and yet hugely significant 

to the development of the Arts and 

Crafts movement. Drawing on the 

museum’s own, and other specialist 

collections, the exhibition features 

more than 100 pieces of textiles, ceramics 

and jewellery, made by craftswomen 

including Ethel Mairet, 

Alice Hindson, Phyllis Baron and Dorothy Larcher, Enid Marx and Denise Wren. A series of 

events accompanies the exhibition, including a weaving residency using an historic loom. 

Continues until 6th October. 

Image kindly provided by the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts 

59

Lothar Götz, in front of his installation at the MAC Belfast . Photo by Jordan Hutchins 

Lothar Götz 

Transforming the Towner 

“I like the Bauhaus idea of Gesamtkunstwerk” 

says the artist Lothar Götz when I ask him 

how he describes his large, site-specific wall 

paintings. “An artwork where different areas 

– architecture, design, painting, colour – meet 

without a clear border. I was always interested 

in that crossover.” 

Citing influences as diverse as the aweinspiring 

painted interiors of Baroque 

churches, to the pared-back modernist 

aesthetic of the Bauhaus, Lothar creates 

bright, geometric abstract artworks on an epic 

scale. This month sees the unveiling of his 

largest painting to date: the transformation 

of the entire exterior of the Towner Gallery 

in Eastbourne. Commissioned to celebrate 

the gallery’s tenth anniversary in its current 

building, the painted façade will remain in situ 

until May 2020. 

As we chat on Skype, Lothar holds up a sketch 

for ‘Dance Diagonal’, which will, by the time 

you read this, wrap the gallery’s huge walls in 

converging, technicolour diagonals. His design 

responds to different architectural details 

on the building: the curved window alcoves, 

the jutting balcony and the unpredictable 

movement that will be created by the curved 

gallery walls. “The exciting thing with these 

wall paintings and site-specific works on this 

scale is that you can plan them – and you have 

to plan them quite precisely so that you know 

where to start – but there is still this element of 

surprise, where you don’t know exactly what it 

will look like.” 

60

ON THIS MONTH: ART 

Lothar is well used to creating large-scale 

works – previous commissions include the 

Southbank Centre in London, and Leeds Art 

Gallery – but the Towner will be a first for 

the artist. “What is very unusual about this 

project is that I’m painting the whole of the 

outside, which will turn the building itself into 

a giant public art sculpture. It crosses over 

from architecture or painting and becomes 

part of the topography of the town. It’s not like 

going into a gallery and saying, ‘there are the 

paintings’. People will walk along the street, 

not necessarily expecting to look at art, but 

then suddenly there it is. 

“It will create quite a landmark in the town 

centre and that’s very special. It doesn’t happen 

very often, to have an opportunity to do 

something which is so visible to the public.” 

The installation is set to take three weeks 

and, when we speak in early May, Lothar isn’t 

sure how much paint he will need for each of 

the 15 colours, each needing four coats. But, 

with Brewers Decorator Centres sponsoring 

the commission, he is guaranteed a sufficient 

supply. Nor does he know how much tape it 

will take to mask the crisp diagonal lines across 

such distances (one of the walls is more than 30 

metres wide and 15 metres high), but he’ll be 

working with an expert team from the London 

Mural Company to manage the process. What 

is certain is that the Towner – always a striking 

building – is about to become an artwork in its 

own right. And an eye-catching centrepiece for 

Eastbourne’s new Devonshire Quarter. 

Towner’s celebratory summer season 

launches on the 15th of June. Lizzie Lower 

townereastbourne.org.uk 

Crash: Acrylic and Emulsion on wall, Küstlerhaus / Kunstverein Hanover, 2012photo by Raimund Zakowski 

Double-Take:Acrylic and emulsion on wall, MAC Belfast, 2013, photo by Jordan Hutchins 

....61.... 

61

Sussex 

Printmakers 

1 st - 30 th June 2019 

Open daily 

An exhibition of work 

by five modern 

and contemporary 

Sussex printmakers 

EXHIBITING ARTISTS: 

Rachel Clark 

linocuts and etchings 

Kate Osborne 

photopolymer and solar etchings 

Fiona Richardson 

drypoint etchings 

Elaine Foster-Gandey 

etchings 

James T. A. Osborne (1907-1979) 

linocuts, woodcuts and 

wood engravings 

PRIVATE VIEW: 

Sat 1 st June, 4-7pm 

James T. A. Osborne 

15 Malling Street, Pastorale Antiques, Lewes, BN7 2RA | 01273 471647 

@keizerframeslimited 

www.keizerframes.com

June listings 

SATURDAY 1 

‘There’s no Planet B’: 

A day of speakers and 

stalls hosted by Plastic 

Free Lewes, exploring 

practical ideas for living 

more sustainably. Visitors 

can sign up to the 

Plastic Free Lewes Pledge, and at 3pm, listen 

to Lewes District Councillors debate what a 

‘climate emergency’ should look like at the 

local level. Lewes Town Hall, 11am-4pm, free 

(donations welcome). 

THURSDAY 6 

Comedy at the Con. With 

Stefano Paolini, Dave Chawner 

and Mark Maier. Con Club, 

7.30pm, £8-£12. 

THURSDAY 6 – SATURDAY 8 

South of England Show. The best of British 

countryside living, with a packed schedule of 

events and activities over three days. At the 

South of England Showground, Ardingly, see 

seas.org.uk. 

FRIDAY 7 

Headstrong Club. Suramayi on Auroville, a 

50-year-old experiment in alternative society. 

Elephant and Castle, 8pm, £3. 

SATURDAY 8 

Corbynomics. 

Paul Mason speaks 

at a Lewes Labour 

party event about 

his new book 

Clear Bright 

Future: A Radical 

Defence of the Human Being. Followed by 

book signing. Lewes Town Hall, 5pm, £5. 

SATURDAY 8 – SUNDAY 14 JULY 

Waterlily Festival. Enjoy 

the waterlilies on the lakes at 

Sheffield Park and Garden, 

through a variety of tours, 

events and workshops. See 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden. 

SUNDAY 9 

Railway Land Festival. Activities and walks for 

all ages, live music, refreshments and information 

stands. At 4pm there will be a Grand Postcard 

Auction featuring anonymous artwork by 

professionals and amateurs alike, inspired by the 

‘Looking Out’ theme. Linklater, 2pm-5pm, free. 

Illustrated talk by Robert Massey of the Royal 

Astronomical Society and The Royal Pavilion 

Brighton curator Alexandra Loske, who are coauthors 

of the recently published book Moon: Art, 

Science, Culture. Fitzroy House, 2.30pm, £3, contact 

sarah@sarahokane.co.uk to pre-book places. 

Pale Fire launch. Anthology 

of moon poems 

published by Lewes-based 

The Frogmore Press, with 

readings by contributors. 

Fitzroy House, 7.30pm, 

free, pre-book alexbythesea@hotmail.com 

Poetry & All That Jazz magazine launch, 

as part of the South Downs Poetry Festival. 

Readers include Robyn Bolam, Charlotte Gann 

and Stephanie Norgate, plus jazzy guitar from 

Geoff Robb. John Harvey Tavern, 4.30-6pm, 

free. sdpf.org.uk 

MONDAY 10 

‘Floreat Lewys’: Lewes History Group talk 

with local author David Arscott, recalling his 

research into the history of Lewes Old Grammar 

School. King’s Church, 7pm for 7.30pm, 

£1/£3. 

63

June listings (cont.) 

WEDNESDAY 12 

Uckfield Lewes and Newick Arts Society. 

‘Augustus John, King of Bohemia’, a lecture by 

Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes. The Civic Centre, 

Uckfield, 2.30pm, £7 (members free). 

The Paint Club. 

Relaxed painting class. 

All materials provided, 

no artistic experience 

required. Fuego Lounge, 

7pm-9pm, £20. 

Lewes 

Little 

Theatre 

THURSDAY 13 

Needlewriters. Featuring readings from Beth 

Miller, Kate Ashton and Jacq Molloy. John 

Harvey Tavern, 7pm for 7.45pm, £5/£3. 

SATURDAY 15 

Mind Body Spirit Sussex Festival. Therapies, 

readings, holistic goods & produce. Lewes 

Town Hall, 10am-4pm, free entry. 

Voodoo Vaudeville presents: Church House 

Gin House. A dark and twisted circus cabaret. 

All Saints, 7.30pm, £14. 

SUNDAY 16 

Lewes to Newhaven Raft Race. Annual free 

event for all the family, raising funds for local 

good causes. Contact lewesraftrace@gmail.com 

for more information. 

The Winter’s 

Tale 

By William 

Shakespeare 

Directed by 

Chris Weber Brown 

MONDAY 17 – FRIDAY 28 

Rose celebrations. Admire the beauty of the 

Rose Garden at its peak with 750 David Austin 

rose plants and 100 varieties. Borde Hill Garden, 

see bordehill.co.uk. 

Saturday 29 June - Saturday 6 July 

7:45pm excluding Sunday. Matinee 

Saturday 6 July 2:45pm. 

www.lewestheatre.org 

Box Office: 01273 474826 

£12 

Members £8

WEDNESDAY 19 

FRIDAY 21 

Dalloway Day. Celebrating 

the life and works 

of Virginia Woolf in the 

style of Clarissa Dalloway. 

Monk’s House, 12.30pm- 

5pm, nationaltrust.org.uk/ 

monks-house. 

300 Years of British Prime Ministers. Free 

public lecture with leading British historian 

Sir Anthony Seldon. Lewes Town Hall Lecture 

Room, 7pm, free. See page 35. 

FRIDAY 21 & SATURDAY 22 

South Downs Beer 

& Cider Festival. 

Selection of 80 different 

beers on sale. 

Lewes Town Hall, 

brightoncamra. 

org.uk. 

FRIDAY 21 – SUNDAY 23 

Black Deer Festival. Weekend of Americana 

and country music, food and activities for the 

whole family. Eridge Park, Kent, 

blackdeerfestival.com. See page 41. 

SATURDAY 22 & SUNDAY 23 

Charleston Designer & Maker Fair. 

Unique wares from designers and makers in 

the South. Charleston, 11am-5pm, £5/£6. 

SUNDAY 23 

St Peter & St James Hospice Midsummer 

Stroll. Enjoy a two, seven or ten mile 

sponsored walk through the parkland of 

Borde Hill and beyond. Borde Hill Garden, 

9am-5pm, £18 (£5 for kids). 

WEDNESDAY 26 

Lost Brighton. Chris Horlock looks at some 

of Brighton’s most significant losses. The 

Keep,5.30pm, £5. See page 49. 

Open Sundays from 7th April - 27th October 

Opening 9th June 

Farleys House & Gallery tickets available online 

or in the gallery on arrival. 

See our website for details and bookings for 

Farleys Supper Club - Sunday 23rd June 2019 

Join us for a special evening and enjoy Lee 

Miller’s Surrealist cuisine. 

Muddles Green, Chiddingly 

East Sussex, BN8 6HW 

Tel: 01825 872856 

www.farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk 

@ FarleysHG 

65

FESTIVAL OF THE GARDEN 

TALKS, TOURS & DEMOS FOR THE CURIOUS GARDENER 

CURATED BY TOM STUART-SMITH 

Speakers include: 

Jinny Blom 

Rachel de Thame 

Caroline Lucas 

Andy Sturgeon 

Derry Watkins 

Cleve West 

Christopher Woodward 

13 & 14 JULY 

TICKETS £12/£10 

CHARLESTON.ORG.UK 01323 815144 

Image © Penelope Fewster

June listings (cont.) 

Open Gardens 

FRIDAY 28 – SUNDAY 30 

Lewes Tap Takeover. Participating pubs: Black 

Horse, Brewers Arms, The Patch, Elephant & 

Castle, The Gardeners Arms, Royal Oak. 

SATURDAY 29 

Sussex Gin & Fizz Festival. 

Samples of local gin 

and sparkling wine, local 

producers, artisan food 

stalls and live music. Southover 

Grange Gardens, 

morning and evening session, 

sussexginandfizzfestival.com. 

See pages 11 and 82. 

Midsummer Madness. Fundraiser for local 

youth charity. Featuring Tongue & Groove, 

Starfish bands, food/BBQ, bar and a surprise. 

(Please note the pool closes 5pm and re-opens 

at noon the next day). Pells, 7.30pm, £12/£6. 

SAT 29 – SAT 6 JULY 

The Winter’s Tale. Shakespeare classic 

directed by Chris Weber Brown. Lewes Little 

Theatre, see lewestheatre.org for times and 

prices. See page 45. 

SUNDAY 30 

Pro Musica Summer Concert. Lewes-based 

chamber choir will sing favourites from The 

Sound of Music and Oliver! as well as John 

Rutter’s folksong cycle The Sprig of Thyme. St. 

Andrew’s Church, The Tye, Alfriston, 6pm, £12. 


Southease Open 

Gardens. Seven 

gardens to explore, tea 

and cakes, plant sales, 

stalls on the green and 

garden crafts. In aid 

of Southease Church 

fabric repair and general 

fund. 1pm-6pm, entry by donation £6, 

accompanied under 16s free. 

Holford Manor Open Garden. In aid of 

The Bevern Trust. Holford Manor, 11am- 

4pm, £5. (plus Saturday 22 & Sunday 23) 

SUNDAY 9 

Fletching Garden Trail. With plant stalls, 

games, homemade lunches, cakes, tea and 

coffee. 11am-5pm, £6 (kids free). 

Southover Open 

Gardens. Secret 

garden trail hosted 

by Southover Bonfire 

Society. 2pm- 

5pm (some until 

6pm), £5 (kids free). 

Rodmell Open Gardens. Gardens to visit, 

arts, crafts and plants for sale. 2pm-5pm, £5 

(under 14s free). 

SUNDAY 16 

Glynde, Beddingham 

& 

Firle Garden 

Trail. Over 20 

open gardens, 

tea & refreshments, 

raffle, 

plants & produce for sale. Raising funds for 

Glynde Community Swimming Pool and 

Firle Primary School. 11am-4pm, £5 suggested 

donation (under 16s free). 

67

St. Anne’s Church, Lewes 

Friday 5th at 7.30pm 

‘IN SWEET MUSIC IS SUCH ART’ 

Purcell, Dowland, Britten, 

Tippett and Gurney 

with counter-tenor Erik Kallo, tenor 

Michael Bell, pianist Ana Manastireanu 

and lutenist Augustin Cornwall-Irving 

Saturday 6th at 1pm 

ANY WOMAN’S HEART 

Women’s lives glimpsed in a 

kaleidoscope of song 

with mezzo Lucy Schaufer, soprano 

Lucy Hall and pianist Nancy Cooley 

Saturday 6th at 7.30pm 

‘PROUD SONGSTERS’ 

Schubert, Brahms, Ravel, Strauss 

and Finzi 

with baritone James Newby and 

pianist Ian Tindale 

5-7 TH JULY 

Sunday 7th at 1pm 

‘SONGS MY MOTHER 

TAUGHT ME’ 

Dvorák, Debussy, Barber and 

English songs 

with mezzo Rebecca Leggett and 

pianist Ella O’Neill 

Sunday 7th at 7.30pm 

‘BLOW BUGLE, BLOW, SET THE 

WILD ECHOES FLYING’ 

Britten: Les Illuminations and 

Serenade for tenor, horn and strings 

Holst: St Paul’s Suite 

Ed Hughes: Flint 

with The Corelli Ensemble, 

conductor Sian Edwards, 

tenor William Morgan, 

soprano Alison Rose, 

and horn player 

Zachary Hayward 

Festival Pass £65 

Fri / Sat evening £15 

Sun evening £20 

Lunchtimes £12 

Under 16s half-price 

BOOK ONLINE 

www.lewesfestivalofsong.co.uk 

or from Lewes Tourist Information 

Centre (01273 483448) 

www.lewesfestivalofsong.co.uk 

Patron: Mark Padmore | LEWES TOWN COUNCIL | 

THE CHALK CLIFF TRUST

MUSIC 

Classical round-up 

THURSDAY 6–SATURDAY 8 

Lewes Chamber Music Festival 

The annual festival returns, this year celebrating in particular 

Gabriel Fauré and the music of his time. Artistic Director 

Beatrice Philips says: “There’s a hugely rich chamber music 

repertoire from late 19th Century France – it was very difficult 

to decide what to programme and what to exclude!” 

Don’t miss Fauré’s mighty Piano Quintet no.1, Op. 89 on 

Friday 7th at 6pm, although the whole festival promises some 

memorable gigs, such as pianist Alasdair Beatson playing 

Birtwistle’s fiendish Harrison’s Clocks, and a festival finale at 

which the Eusebius Quartet perform Bartok’s final String Quartet, No. 6. Seventeen artists, 

seven concerts, three days. Catch it if you can. 

Trinity St John Sub Castro and All Saints Centre. £15-£17. leweschambermusicfestival.com 

PICK 

OF THE 

MONTH 

Photo of Alasdair Beatson by Kaupo Kikkas 

SATURDAY 1, 7PM 

& SUNDAY 16, 5PM 

La Traviata. The NSO Orchestra and Chorus, 

conducted by Ben Knowles, present Verdi’s 

great romantic tragedy. These two fully staged 

performances in Lewes are part of a tour taking 

in Brighton, Eastbourne and East Grinstead. 

Directed by Cate Couch. All Saints Centre. £22 

(£11 students; accompanied child under 16 free) 

newsussexopera.org 

SUNDAY 2, 3PM 

St Michael’s Recitals. Anne Hodgson (Flute) 

and Nick Houghton (Piano). St Michael’s, free. 

stmichaelinlewes.org.uk 


Glyndebourne Festival. Massenet’s Cendrillon 

(Cinderella) makes its Festival debut, and 

Dvorak’s Rusalka opens on Saturday 29th. 

Glyndebourne Opera House. £15-£230 

glyndebourne.com 

SUNDAY 9, 4PM 

The Corelli Ensemble. The Corellis’ final 

concert of the season featuring Sussex Composers. 

Seaford Baptist Church. £10 in advance, 

£12 on the door. Children free. 

corelliensemble.co.uk 

SUNDAY 9, 6PM 

& SUNDAY 16, 6PM 

Hamsey Festival. Musicians of All Saints. 

The first of the two concerts in Hamsey 

Church features music for wind quartet, 

including Peter Copley’s Die Nacht ist kommen. 

The following week a string quartet from MAS 

plays music by Haydn, Frank Bridge and Guy 

Richardson. Hamsey Church. £12 regular, £9 

concession, under 18s free on the door only. 

mas-lewes.co.uk 


Glynde Place Concert Series. BBC Radio 

3 New Generation Artist Elisabeth Brauss 

(piano) in concert. The programme includes 

works by Scarlatti, Schubert and Beethoven. 

Glynde Place. £30, under 16s £15. glynde.co.uk 

SATURDAY 22, 7.30PM 

Rachmaninov Vespers. Esterhazy Chamber 

Choir conducted by Richard Dawson. 

St Anne’s Church. £15 on door, £12 in advance. 

esterhazychoir.org 

69

Grieg • Ravel • Ysaye 

Wagner • Tchaikovsky 

ALEKSEY SEMENENKO (VIOLIN) 

& INNA FIRSOVA (PIANO) 

Saturday 7pm, 13 July 

LA TRAVIATA 

New Sussex Opera Chorus presents 

Verdi’s favourite opera 

Fully staged · live · sung in English 

professional soloists & orchestra 

www.NewSussexOpera.org 

All Saints Centre 

LEWES 

Saturday June 1 7pm 

Sunday June 16 5pm 

Birley Centre 

EASTBOURNE 

Sunday June 2 4pm 

Chequer Mead 

EAST GRINSTEAD 

Saturday June 8 7pm 

S George’s Kemp Town 

BRIGHTON 

Saturday June 15 7pm

MUSIC 

Classical round-up (cont.) 

Ruth Kerr and the Paddock Singers. Photo by Katie Vandyke 

SUNDAY 23, 5PM 

Paddock Singers. Women & Song – a celebration 

of women composers and songwriters. 

Music through the centuries from Hildegard 

of Bingen to Carole King, including local 

composer Helen Glavin. With Paul Austin 

Kelly, Carol Kelly and Ruth Kerr, who also 

directs. All Saints Centre. £12, to include cake 

and fizz. paddocksingers.co.uk 

THURSDAY 27, 1.10PM 

St Anne’s Lunchtime Concerts. The Kelleth 

Trio perform Schubert’s Piano Trio in E 

flat. St Anne’s Church, free. stannelewes.org.uk 


Orff Carmina Burana. The massed forces 

of East Sussex Community Choir, Brighton 

Orpheus Choir, Wallands School Choir and 

South Downs Youth Orchestra take on the 

Orff classic. Programme includes a new commission 

by Siobhan Connellan. Conducted 

by Nicholas Houghton and Malcolm Warnes. 

Lewes Town Hall. £15 / £10 (unwaged £5). 

eastsussexcommunitychoir.org 


As Shadows Fall. Music for dusk, evening 

and the night. In another collaborative 

venture, the Brighton Consort and New 

Sussex Singers sing together under their 

Music Directors James Dixon and Sebastian 

Charlesworth, in a programme of choral 

music spanning six centuries from Tallis 

to Whitacre. 

Trinity St John-sub-Castro. £12. 

brightonconsort.org.uk 


Seaford Music Society presents Melvyn 

Tan (piano) and Friends. International 

star Melvyn Tan is joined by Ruth Rogers 

on violin and cellist Sebastian Comberti. 

The gala concert includes Beethoven’s Piano 

Trio Number 4 in B Flat Major, Op. 11 and 

Debussy’s Reflets Dans L’Eau and Mouvement, 

No.s 1 and 3. 

St Leonard’s Church, Seaford. £32.50, 

Students in full-time education £15. 

seafordmusicsociety.com 

Robin Houghton

GIG GUIDE // JUNE 

GIG OF THE MONTH: 

SANDRA KERR 

This month we’re heading to the Elephant & 

Castle for another exciting Lewes Saturday 

Folk Club guest. Sandra Kerr has many strings 

to her bow: singer, concertina player, songwriter, 

teacher… the list goes on. Perhaps best 

known for her work co-writing the songs and 

music for the much-loved children’s TV show 

Bagpuss, Sandra was also a member of Ewan 

MacColl’s Critics Group in the 70s, who met 

to explore ‘how best to apply the techniques 

of folk-music and drama to the folk revival’. 

A fine, expressive voice and mastery of her 

craft will surely make for a memorable gig. On 

Sunday 23rd Sandra will also lead an all-day 

workshop on concertina-playing & singing. 

Saturday 22, Elephant & Castle, 8pm, £9 

SATURDAY 1 

Morrissey Indeed. The Smiths & Morrissey tribute. 

Con Club, 7.30pm, £15 advance/£20 

Jerry Jordan. English Folk – unaccompanied traditional. 

Elephant & Castle, 8pm, £6 

SUNDAY 2 

English dance tunes session – bring instruments. 

Folk (English Trad). The Volunteer, 12pm, free 

ROME. Latin, swing & blues jam. Royal Oak, 7pm, 

free 

Jam Night. Free drink for all participants. Lansdown, 

7.30pm, free 

Subhumans. Punk. Con Club, 7.30pm, £14 

MONDAY 3 

Simon Spillett, Alex Eberhard & Nigel Thomas. 

Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free 

TUESDAY 4 

English dance tunes session – bring instruments. 

Folk (English trad). John Harvey Tavern, 8pm, free 

FRIDAY 7 

Turning Green. Dirty grooving rock ‘n’ roll. 

Lansdown, 7.30pm, free 

Jacquemo. Ska & funk. Royal Oak, 8pm, free 

SATURDAY 8 

Kit Trigg. Blues/rock. Lansdown, 7.30pm, free 

Jez Lowe. Geordie Folk, guitar, mandolin, harmonica. 


SUNDAY 9 

ROME. Latin, swing & blues jam. Royal Oak, 

7pm, free 

Peter Bruntnell. Americana. Con Club, 7.30pm, £12 

72

GIG GUIDE // JUNE 

Arcelia 

MONDAY 10 

Raul D’Oliviera’s Quinto. Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, 

free 

TUESDAY 11 

Concertinas Anonymous practice session. Folk & 

misc. Elephant & Castle, 8pm, free 

WEDNESDAY 12 

Los Kamer. Energetic Balkan/Mexican gypsy swing. 

Lansdown, 7.30pm, free 

SATURDAY 15 

Don Letts DJ set. Con Club, 7.30pm, £15 

Charlie Quinnell. Folk – English & Scottish unaccompanied. 


SUNDAY 16 

Sepia Shadows. Sunday in the bar session with a mix 

of blues, jazz and R&B. Con Club, 3pm, free 

MONDAY 17 

Josephine Davies, Spike Wells & Nigel Thomas. 

Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free 

SATURDAY 22 

Sandra Kerr. See Gig of the Month 

Supernatural Things. Funk, soul & blues. Royal 

Oak, 8pm, free 

MONDAY 24 

Cameron Pierre & Terry Seabrook. Jazz. Snowdrop, 

8pm, free 

TUESDAY 25 

English tunes practice session for any instrument. 

Folk (English trad). Elephant & Castle, 8pm, 

free 

SATURDAY 29 

Capella. Folk old & new, vocal harmony. Elephant 

& Castle, 8pm, £7 

Loose Caboose. DJ night featuring 60s soul, northern, 

R&B, Latin & jazz. Con Club, 7.30pm, £6 

Love Action with Fruitful Sounds. Royal Oak, 

8pm, £5 

SUNDAY 30 

Arcelia. Sunday in the 

bar session with folk/ 

soul harmony trio. 

Con Club, 3.30pm, 

free 

The SoapGirls. Punk. 

Con Club, 7.30pm, 

£12 

Jez Lowe 

73

ADVERTORIAL 

Hotel Paradiso 

Eastbourne College presents their annual Summer production in 

the grounds of the college and their outdoor theatre The Dell. 

This mad French bedroom frolic finds an assortment of refined 

people stealing through the halls and rooms of a cheap hotel 

comically intent on assignations. 

In Paris in 1910, Marcelle Cot becomes 

so annoyed with her neglectful 

husband Henri, a pompous architect, 

that she consents to a rendezvous 

with her timorous neighbour, Benedict 

Boniface, who has learned that 

his domineering wife Angélique is 

spending the night with her ailing 

sister. Unfortunately the arrival of 

several people they know set about a 

farcical adventure around the hotel. 

Claudine Sinnett, Director of Drama 

at Eastbourne College and Gavin 

Robertson the resident practitioner 

have adapted and directed this farce 

and worked closely with the cast and 

technical team to create a colourful, 

loud and funny production. Hotel 

Paradiso blends spectacular physical 

comedy, theatrical storytelling and 

slapstick. Madame and the charming 

staff of the quirkily ineffective Hotel 

Paradiso combat their arch enemy 

The Banker who is trying to repossess 

their beloved home. With thrills, 

gasps, laughs and drama there’s 

plenty for both adults and children to 

enjoy. 

Wednesday 26 – Friday 28 June 2019, 8.15pm 

Refreshments from 7.45pm, bring a blanket 

College Theatre. Tickets £5 

boxoffice@eastbourne-college.co.uk 

www.wegottickets.com

FreeTIME êêêê under 16 

MONDAY 17 – SUNDAY 23 

Teddy Bears Picnic. Local children’s hospice 

charity Chestnut Tree House encourage you to 

support them by holding your own picnic. For 

some fun ideas see chestnut-tree-house.org. 

uk/teddybearspicnic. 

SATURDAY 22 


The Jungle Book. Join Mowgli and friends 

on the adventure of a lifetime. Devonshire 

Park Theatre, see eastbournetheatres.co.uk. 

WEDNESDAY 5 – SATURDAY 8 

Doctor Dolittle. Musical based on the 

classic tale, presented by Eastbourne 

Stagers. Devonshire Park Theatre, see 

eastbournetheatres.co.uk. 

SATURDAY 8 

Film: The Secret of Kells (PG). Animated 

fantasy. Towner Gallery, 10.30am, £4. 

Denton 

Community 

Challenge. Familyfun 

day themed 

‘Let’s Score!’, with 

various sporting 

activities to take 

part in, a variety of 

stalls, bouncy castle, 

BBQ and licenced bar. Avis Road Recreation 

Ground, Denton, Newhaven, 1pm-5pm, £1.50 

to enter the challenge (collect a scorecard from 

the main tent). 

Michael Hall Midsummer Festival. 

Exhibitions of work and crafts, Estate and 

garden walks, sideshows, lunches and cream 

teas. 11am-5pm, see michaelhall.co.uk. 

SUNDAY 23 

Isfield Village Fête. Fun for all the family 

with novelty dog show, tug of war, stocks, 

stalls, beer tent, local ice cream, BBQ, tea & 

cake and more. In the ICE field behind the 

The Laughing Fish, Isfield, 12pm, £2 (under 

16 50p, under 5 free). 


Raystede Summer Fair. Fun-packed 

weekend with a range of activities, stalls and 

entertainment. See raystede.org. 

Ben & 

Holly’s Little 

Kingdom. 

From the 

makers of 

Peppa Pig 

comes this 

BAFTA 

award-winning 

television 

animation live on stage. Devonshire Park 

Theatre, see eastbournetheatres.co.uk. 

75

Football School Star Players 

by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton 

book review 

The Football School books aim to teach young readers all about the 

world through football. Authors Alex Bellow and Ben Lyttleton 

manage to cleverly explain all sorts of different subjects and 

themes through fascinating football-related information. The 

books are divided into ‘lessons’ where, for example, Business Studies 

looks at footballers’ wages, why they’re paid so much, and where 

the money comes from; Zoology considers famous club mascots; 

Physics is all about gravity, and asking what it would be like to play 

football on Mars; Drama looks at goal celebrations (the Oscar 

goes to the Icelandic team of Stjarnan and it’s well worth googling 

them to see why!). There are lots of diagrams, brilliant cartoon illustrations 

and jokes throughout, making them perfectly ‘pitched’ 

for 8-12 year olds. This month sees the release of the latest book 

in the series, Football School: Star Players, a collection of 50 of the 

inspiring stories of some of the game’s greatest players. 

Anna, Bags of Books 

Find the Football School books with 20% off at Bags of Books throughout June. 

Midsummer Festival 

Saturday 22nd June 2019 

11:00 - 17:00 

Exhibitions of work and crafts from Kindergarten to A-Level 

Pageant ~ Sideshows ~ Estate & Garden Walks ~ Alumni Tours 

Lunches ~ Cream Teas ~ Strawberries & Ice-Cream 

There will be an evening performance from Class 9 & 11 

‘Les Miserables’ Theatre at 19:00 (suitable for age 14 upwards) Ticketed 

www.michaelhall.co.uk/school-open-days 

Kidbrooke Park, Priory Road, Forest Row. East Sussex, RH18 5JA 

Tel: 01342 822275 - Registered Charity Number 307006

day out 

Adventures at Knockhatch 

stacks of activities to choose from 

My six-year-old and I enjoyed a family day out 

at Knockhatch Adventure Park recently. We 

pre-paid online. And were blown away by the 

range of activities that were on offer. 

We started our day focusing on the animals. 

From supersized rabbits, to a strutting turkey; 

from ducks in a pond to hand-feeding a llama, 

there were a lot of animals with which we 

could get up close and personal. We loved 

the wallaby walk-through area, where several 

female wallabies, carrying their babies in their 

pouches, bounded towards us in their hunt for 

some of the food that we’d bought on entry. 

We also enjoyed looking at the statue-like 

owls, unblinking on their perches. 

After enjoying the animals, we were spoilt for 

choice as to what to do next. We spent time 

in one of the best adventure play castles I’ve 

seen – complete with its own ‘fire breathing’ 

dragon. My son ran around the structure, 

clambering up the stairs, negotiating walkways 

and generally having fun exploring. After this 

he had a quick turn on the flying fox where 

we noticed some high ropes activities were 

under construction – something for a future 

visit with my older two – then headed off 

towards the jumping pillows and the outdoor 

bungee trampoline for which we had to pay a 

bit extra. Another highlight was the avalanche 

slide which involved racing down a slope on a 

Ringo (a type of inflated tyre) – my son had at 

least five or six goes on this one. 

After that, we had a quick lunch – chips and 

beans – at one of the many food outlets, before 

hiring a rowing boat to explore the lake. We 

continued with this water theme with the 

Wave Runner waterslide. Children climb up 

the 32-feet tower then launch themselves at 

great speed down the slide; then skip across a 

pool of water before finally coming to a safe 

landing. 

And there were lots of things we didn’t go on 

due to a lack of time: Froggies, the indoors 

soft play area; the splash zones for younger 

children; and the Quadapillar Barrel Ride 

which looked exciting. And there was the owl 

display, the go-karts (age restrictions; good for 

older ones, age 13+) and the mini quads (ages 

4 to 12). 

We left with a determination to return and 

this time to bring all three children for a fun 

day out with lots to see and do. Not all rides 

are open on every day so it’s a good idea to 

check the website before you head off and 

from which you can purchase discounted 

tickets. Happy adventuring! Jacky Adams 

Free entry for dads on Father’s Day, 16th June 

knockhatch.com

Michelham 

Priory 

House & Gardens 

Indoor & Outdoor Events & 

Activities for all the Family! 

Sussex Day - Wildlife Wednesday 

Craft Activities - Father’s Day Picnic 

Homefront Weekend 

Archaeology Day 

Children’s Trails 

Family Games Fest 

Theatre Shows 

Face Painting 

Classic Cars - 

Pirate & Princess Day 

Upper Dicker, BN27 3QS 

01323 844 224 

www.sussexpast.co.uk 

Your all 

weather 

Summer 

Fun! 

Teddy Bears 

Picnic 

17–23 June 2019 

Support your local children’s hospice during Children’s 

Hospice Week by holding a Teddy Bears Picnic! 

Create special memories. Moments that Matter. 

For today. For tomorrow. For the Now. 

For more information and fun ideas for 

making your picnic one to remember, visit 

chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/teddybearspicnic 

Registered charity no 256789

êêêê 

Tennis 

a sport for life 

When I ask Luke Milligan what’s brilliant about 

tennis, he replies, “Currently, at the club here 

I coach kids who are 4 years old and adults of 

75 plus. It’s a sport you can play, and love, your 

whole life.” 

Luke Milligan is the force behind Milligan 

Tennis, which offers all the junior tennis training 

at the Southdown Club. He’s been doing so for 

the last four or more years, but this isn’t his first 

connection to the club. 

Luke first played here when he was fifteen, 

and moved from North London to lodge with 

a family in Barcombe while he trained for the 

national training squad in Brighton. Playing at 

the Southdown was part of his routine, and he 

always liked it. It’s felt right to return, he tells 

me, “and Dave the Groundsman is still here!” 

Luke played tennis seriously for about ten years 

– he represented GB in the Davis Cup, and in 

1996 made the third round of the Men’s Singles 

at Wimbledon. Then he turned to coaching. “I 

coached a lot of girls and women, especially, for 

the LTA National Tennis Centre.” 

Southdown is, today “very, very junior-friendly”, 

Luke says. He loves being part of what he tells 

me is a great community around the club. “It’s 

like an oasis: a friendly, safe environment”. And 

that’s certainly my impression, as we sit chatting 

in the clubhouse – today, Caffé Lazzati. People 

keep stopping to speak to Luke as they pass. One 

– Ellie – is now training to be a coach herself, 

and has returned to be part of Milligan Tennis, 

after completing a scholarship to Eastbourne 

College. 

So what coaching is available for young people 

interested in tennis, at the Southdown? “We 

train all ages” Luke tells me, “starting with Tots 

Tennis drop-in, for the 3s to 5s”. Mini Tennis on 

smaller courts caters for 5-8s (Red) and Orange, 

8s-9s. Greens plus are on full-sized courts, for 

the 10s to 18s. 

The facilities are great – and a picturesque 

bubble – geodesic dome – covers two courts 

for six months of the year (October-March), so 

the classes can run, between 4 and 7.30pm on 

school nights, and on Saturday mornings, all 

year round. There are also Easter and Summer 

camps which are “very popular”, Luke tells me; 

“sometimes, fifty to sixty kids a day.” 

Summing up Junior Tennis at the club today, 

he says: “There’s this recreational, fun side. 

Then there are some kids taking the sport very 

seriously – representing the county, and country. 

But underpinning it all is this family feel – which 

works really well. Ellie runs the tots groups, and 

she’s brilliant at that. They all love her!” 

Luke says he’d like to start a Junior Club night 

soon – maybe on Friday evenings. Something 

to bridge the holiday camps, and the squads. I 

suspect he will… Charlotte Gann 

southdownsportsclub.co.uk 

milligantennis.com

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FOOD REVIEW 

Pelham Arms 

A carnivore’s delight 

Photo by Joe Fuller 

A table at The Pelham 

Arms is a hot ticket 

at the moment. Attempting 

to fit in an 

early booking before a 

show proved difficult, 

so two of Viva’s own 

decided to go for a 

Friday afternoon lunch 

instead. You wouldn’t 

have known it from 

the ambiance however, 

the pub was bustling 

with citizens commencing their early May bank 

holiday festivities early. 

Sat at a nice table by a window, we are told about 

the ale options on tap. I go for an Abyss Brewing 

Tropical Thunder IPA (6.2%, £3.50 for a 2/3 

pint), a concoction by landlord, Andrew, which 

originated from the cellars of The Pelham Arms 

itself. It’s smoother and more floral than many 

pale ales, and goes down very easily indeed. Kelly 

opts for the fair-traded Karma Gingerella (£3), 

one of the “nicest ginger beers I’ve ever had”. 

We take different paths on the mains. I am curious 

about Pelham’s own smokehouse, so go all-in 

on a barbeque platter (£18), while Kelly settles 

on a spiced bean burger (£12). I missed the line 

on the menu suggesting that the platter is a ‘great 

one to share’ and am bowled over when the feast 

arrives. The smokehouse has worked wonders on 

this carnivore’s delight: the pork belly is heavily 

smoked, resulting in a distinctly scrumptious, 

memorable flavour. It is crisply coated, almost 

to the point of being burnt, which complements 

the succulent texture of the meat. The quantity 

is noteworthy, coming in at approximately 

quadruple the size of 

a typical pork belly 

portion. 

The chicken leg is a 

subtler counterpoint to 

the pork belly – tasty in 

a quieter way – whereas 

the chunky Holmansbridge 

Farm sausages 

have a hearty flavour 

and a satisfying crumbly 

texture to them. 

The slaw is fresh and 

lemony, and the dish is topped by house pickles, 

which do a good job of soaking up the flavour of 

the sausages. I suggest getting some house chips 

(£3.50), and sharing the platter. 

The spiced bean burger has a small kick to it 

– but “not too spicy” – and is certainly big and 

messy, as the menu warns. Kelly explains that 

this is a good thing, when compared to the dry 

patties that vegetarians are often saddled with; the 

chunky guacamole, cheese and chipotle mayo on 

the burger – and the house chips included in the 

£12 price – add to the indulgent effect. 

Our paths converge when it comes to dessert, 

with neither of us able to look past the sticky 

toffee pudding with toffee sauce and Downsview 

Farm vanilla ice cream (£6.50). The sponge is 

gooey and not too dense, and the pudding swam 

happily in a lovely, sweet and sugary toffee sauce. 

Finally, I’d like to pass on my thanks to the 

person or algorithm behind the music. She’s a 

Mystery to Me by Roy Orbison was one highlight, 

alongside one of the best pop songs ever: Up on 

the Roof by The Drifters. Joe Fuller 

thepelhamarms.co.uk, 01273 476149 

81

82 

Photo by Danny Arter

RECIPE 

Ruaridh Wightman 

The Copper Top Bar 

My partner, Tilly Webster and I worked in 

and managed bars across France, Switzerland 

and the UK and had wanted to do something 

together as a project for a while. We weren’t 

sure what, but we always wanted our 

own venture together. At a street party in 

Brighton, we saw a basic converted horse box 

bar and we immediately started discussing 

what we would do differently and what kind 

of bar we would have (fresh cocktails and 

gin it turns out). As soon as we got home, 

we were so excited, we started searching for 

vintage horse boxes and spent hours until 

we found the perfect one. That was two 

years ago, then we spent just under a year 

renovating it ourselves and have been up and 

running for a year now and we’re almost fully 

booked for this year, which is great. 

A renovated vintage Rice horse trailer, the 

bar has been fitted out using local, reclaimed 

wood and copper coins. It took almost a 

year of us working up there each weekend, 

designing, stripping it out, building the bar 

and worktops, painting, salvaging reclaimed 

pallet wood and creating the bar top and 

light feature. All of it was done by ourselves, 

or with friends and it’s an important reason 

the bar looks the way it does. This meant 

our idea of the finished product was able to 

evolve slowly and had a lot more additions 

and custom bits we wouldn’t have thought of 

had someone else done it for us. 

Sustainability is a huge thing for us. Tilly’s 

background is in Ecology, and this informs 

a strong and simple aim to minimise our 

impact on the environment. My background 

in events always infuriated me because of all 

the wastage. We use biodegradable straws 

made from paper or crushed sea shells, and all 

our cups are recyclable. 

There are so many cocktails we could choose, 

but this one jumps out because it’s perfect for 

the summer season. As a bar, we’re mainly 

outside so good weather and good cocktails 

is what everyone is after. At a summer event, 

this seems to catch the mood and we can’t 

make them fast enough. Raspberries, mint 

and gin work brilliantly together and the 

Prosecco just tops it off perfectly. If you like 

the look of it, come down and see us at the 

Gin & Fizz festival (29th June; see pg 11). 

Mention Viva Lewes and we’ll make you an 

extra special one! As told to Charlotte Gann 

thecoppertopbar.co.uk 

RASPBERRY GIN ‘MOJITO’ FIZZ 

The recipe is as follows: 

- Muddle fresh limes, mint and brown sugar 

- Add in fresh raspberries and muddle them in too 

- 2 shots of good quality local gin 

- Shake with ice, then pour into glass 

- Top up with fresh ice, some tonic water and a splash of Prosecco 

- Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint 

83

The Pelham arms 

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OPENING TIMES 

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TUESDAY TO THURSDAY 

BAR 12 NOON TO 11PM 

FOOD 12 NOON TO 2.30PM & 6 TO 9.30PM 

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FOOD 12 NOON TO 2.30PM & 6 TO 9.30PM 

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FOOD 12 NOON TO 8PM 

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Master_VivaLewes_June2019.indd 1 15/05/2019 13:06:48 

FOOD 

Edible updates 

Eating out 

As someone who prefers lounging comfortably to 

leaping about, I’m stretching the theme of ‘sport’ to 

mean outdoor activity. We have unpredictable summer 

weather, but that adds a thrill of danger to plans 

for a Glyndebourne picnic, a walk under the Downs 

near Firle to the magical Beanstalk Café, collecting a tray from the Grange Gardens tea hatch, or 

sitting outside in the garden of Anne of Cleves House (where their café now has a loyalty card). 

For picnic fare, the Friday Food Market stalls offer all kinds of bits and pieces, from bread, pitta, meats 

and cheeses, to mini-pies, tarts and dumplings. A Meze Box at Kabak includes mejadra Arabic rice, 

three excellent salads, humous and harissa. This Little Piggy is new, selling sausage rolls that are a lot 

more exciting than the limp effort you get in supermarkets. Five mini-rolls for £3.50. I chose: American 

Breakfast, Smokey Joe, Peking Pork, Spanish Senorita and Green Chilli. Delicious. They also make 

large, veggie ones. 

I’m a fan of Caccia & Tails on Station Street for items to pep up your picnic – focaccia, obviously, 

but also cocktails. The bobbly glass Campari and soda bottle is a personal favourite. 

In local food news, Aqua under the Premier Inn has shut, whilst Fuego Lounge seems to be thriving. 

The third restaurant space in that row has never even been occupied. Seems a shame that such a 

central, prime location is only patchily successful. @LewesNibbler 

Illustration by Clare Dales 

enjoy a 

complimentary 

bottle of wine 

- Choose from either - 

Maison l`Aiglon Chardonnay 

or 

Chemin de Marquiere Merlot 

To redeem, simply present this advert when dining 

Côte Brasserie Lewes 

82 HIGH STREET, LEWES, BN7 1XW 

01273 311 344 | www.cote.co.uk/lewes 

Valid from 01/06/19 until 30/06/19 at Côte Lewes only. One 

complimentary bottle of wine when 2 or more guests dine from our À La 

Carte menu. Offer can only be used once and cannot be used in 

conjunction with any other offer or Set Menu.

GARDENING 

Summer borders 

Zinging Zinnias and fragrant Pinks 

As the first shoots of bindweed surface and the 

ground-elder starts to erupt in the border, take 

comfort in those fresh young seedlings emerging 

in the seed trays demanding to be potted up. 

Such vigorous and optimistic growth bursting 

to get on with painting the summer red… and 

purple, orange! My Zinnias are of deep purple 

and a pure orange, and will blaze in the borders 

sending shock waves down the garden path. 

When potting-on try to grip the plain seed leaf 

– that is, the very first leaf – gently, and dangle 

the root into the pot as you pile in the compost. 

This avoids bending the delicate roots and helps 

the plant to establish quickly. 

Keep them under cover for a week or so, then 

stand them in the cold frame for a further 

couple of weeks. Plant them where you want a 

real splash of colour. They will become tall and 

vigorous so provide a little staking: pea sticks 

will do. As long as you keep up the deadheading 

their bold flowers will bloom profusely for the 

rest of the summer. 

It is a common misconception that Pinks are 

called Pinks because they are pink. They’re not. 

Well, not always. ‘Mrs Sinkins’ is pure white, 

whilst ‘Susan’ is a gaudy salmon red. The name 

actually refers to the act of ‘pinking’ using cotton 

pinking shears, which make a zigzag cut to 

prevent fraying: a pattern reflected in the jagged 

edges of the fragrant petals. 

Pinks have a special place at Charleston. One 

of the finest pictures of the garden, showing it 

at its very best, is in the Tate collection. Painted 

by Duncan Grant in the 1940s, this shows a 

blossom-filled garden with rich herbaceous 

borders and a silvery ruff of Pinks running down 

the length of the main path. Vanessa Bell wrote 

in 1940, ‘It’s a hot summer evening, I have pulled 

up the wallflowers regretfully and now the pinks 

are making the whole place smell’. 

The picture was painted in May 1944, before the 

pinks were flowering, so sourcing the historically 

correct variety has been a challenge. Allwoods, a 

family-run nursery, based in Hassocks, have been 

specialist growers of Pinks since 1910. Though 

many of the old varieties have disappeared, 

Allwoods Nursery still hold over 400 and their 

knowledge is second to none. 

I showed a painting of Pinks by Vanessa Bell to 

the proprietor and she was immediately able 

to identify the three varieties in the flower arrangement 

including ‘Alice’, bred by Allwoods 

in 1930. Today, two years later, I have finally 

finished propagating enough ‘Alice’ to reinstate 

this lovely border. This month, the scent can 

once again be found lingering in the warm, still 

air of the walled garden. 

Fiona Dennis is Head Gardener at Charleston 

Photo of Fiona Dennis by Maggie Tran 

86

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Parris Lawn, 39 Harvard Road, Ringmer, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5HH

THE WAY WE SKATE 

Photographer Ben Broad visited four fantastic skateboarders down on 

Malling skatepark. He asked each: what do you love about skateboarding? 

benjdbroad.wixsite.com/explorecapturecreate 

Felix Turko 

‘It makes you feel free’


Diggs English (Semi-finalist at this year’s Olympic qualifier) 

‘FUN! It’s just lots and lots of fun!’


Sam Roberts 

‘Being able to travel to almost any town or city in the world and instantly have something in 

common with someone there. It lets you meet people you’d never have encountered otherwise 

– creating lifelong friendships and amazing memories... not bad for a piece of plywood. ’


Pete Hellicar and his son Buddy 

‘It’s the global community. I have travelled the world and enjoyed 

the hospitality & friendship of complete strangers.’

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FEATURE 

Photos by Rob Read 

Twitten runners 

Medieval stairmasters? Fools on the hills? 

Have you spotted ‘We run 

the Twittens’ on Twitter? Or 

maybe you’ve even seen them 

in the flesh? Of a Sunday 

morning? A crooked line of 

figures silhouetted on the 

horizon – somewhat incredibly 

running up a twitten? 

I spoke to twitten runner 

extraordinaire, Rob Read, to 

find out all about it, and how 

a ‘twitten run’ actually works. 

“We’ve been doing them every 

Sunday morning since November 

2015”, he told me. “That’s 

168 runs”, at our time of 

speaking. “Anyone’s welcome. 

Just join us at 9am any Sunday 

– we gather at All Saints, then 

head to Broomans Lane. 

“Most Sundays there are half 

a dozen runners – the most 

we’ve had is ten (on six occasions). 

We basically run up one 

twitten, all gather at the top, 

walk along to the next, and jog 

down – until we’ve run up or 

down all 12 twittens, (12½ if 

you count Bull Lane, which we 

do). Then we turn around and 

do the whole ladder in reverse, 

before coffee in Ground Coffee 

at the end.” 

In total, 59 different people 

have taken part at one time 

or another, Rob tells me. He 

himself has completed more 

twitten runs than anyone else 

– at 111. “Since March 2018, 

we’ve had 58 consecutive runs 

without a break”, he says. 

So how did the idea first 

come about, and who had it? 

“It was Duncan Rawson who 

first thought of it. After he 

did a similar training run with 

the Lewes Athletics Club, he 

suggested it to me and Ashley 

Head. Since then, we’ve all 

completed more than fifty 

twitten runs, as have David 

Stacey, James McCauley and 

Tom Roper.” 

Many women take part, I ask? 

“Oh yes,” he laughs; “some…” 

He also tells me about the time 

he did the twitten run “Marathon 

in a Day” – ie nine runs 

in 24 hours (five on Saturday 

afternoon, four on Sunday 

morning). “Only one counted 

as an official run, because 

that has to take place at 9am 

on a Sunday morning”, says 

Rob, a self-confessed twitten 

run-numbers nerd. “There are 

strict rules which need adhering 

to,” he grins. 

“And we also have a twiathlon 

once a year – where after the 

12 twittens we swim 12 lengths 

of the Pells…” 

Still not tempted? Oh, go 

on – you know you want to… 


@TwittenRun 

Rachel Playforth has 

been writing a 12-poem 

sequence, Twitten. Here’s 

one, she says, where she 

“had the runners in mind”: 

KEERE STREET / SCARE HILL 

Clamour of cobble 

rough river 

bursting banks. 

Each stone claims space 

angle and push 

rising proud. 

Jumbled tumble 

slippered in moss 

polished with rain. 

Stopped short 

by crux of brick 

we do not fall. 

93

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WE TRY 

Iyengar yoga 

with Ali Hahlo 

Have you wondered about yoga, but never 

quite taken the plunge, or known where to begin? 

I’m a hard nut to crack. Indeed, probably 

about the least yoga-friendly soul you might 

find wandering these Lewes streets, never a mat 

roll under my arm. BUT I have heard nothing 

but good things about Ali Hahlo and her classes 

and, as my bones age, have an increasing awareness 

there may be a need for new habits. 

So it was that I rolled up at 9.15 one Thursday 

morning at Soulfit in Western Road – in the 

beautifully-renovated building where we all 

used to sign on, many moons ago – to try out 

a one and a half hour class. The environment 

could not be more open and welcoming. Fiona, 

who runs Soulfit with her husband, personal 

fitness trainer Gyles, assured me absolutely 

anyone is welcome to wander in and have a try 

– and I really recommend doing so. 

As for the class itself, it was an education. Ali is, 

as folk had told me, extraordinarily warm and 

welcoming. She seems to take any new arrival 

– including this, blustering one – at face value. 

You get the immediate sense she’s seen it all 

before, and she exudes calm equilibrium. 

Ali seems to know everyone’s name but, that 

said, she also instantly learnt mine. The group 

was made up of all sorts of ages and levels of 

experience. People were friendly, without being 

overfriendly; I didn’t feel self-conscious. 

We started sitting on mats (provided) and 

listening to Ali who told us this lesson was 

going to focus on the spine. She explained how 

the spine was constructed – compellingly and 

instructively – and I instantly felt in the presence 

of something, to me, new and useful. The 

whole series of exercises – mainly rotations – 

that followed made sense, in this broad context. 

The early part of the class was spent sitting, 

mainly cross-legged, striking positions to 

straighten the spine and stretch its muscles. 

I found I could (just about) manage. Then 

we stood on our mats, and, using belts to 

bring awareness to the zone around our hips, 

followed Ali’s demonstrations, then close 

instructions, to try positions that I found pretty 

challenging. 

None of it was too much, however, though my 

body let me know in detail how little attention 

I customarily pay it. That said, each time we 

tried a pose a second time I found it marginally 

easier than the first – which was in itself 

encouraging. I would like to master poses like 

‘Warrior’! On Ali’s website she writes ‘The 

benefits in terms of physical well being are 

rapid, palpable and irrefutable.’ I’m sure that’s 

true. I could tell, even from the experience of 

this one class, that my confidence might grow 

with familiarity. 

As we were leaving, someone friendly said to 

me “That was a hard class – I found it hard and 

I’ve been doing yoga for years. Don’t be put 

off!” 

I really will try not to be… Charlotte Gann 

wearesoulfit.com hahloyoga.co.uk 

95

WE TRY 

Croquet 

at the Cheyney Croquet Club 

It’s overcast but dry when 

I reach the headquarters of 

Cheyney Croquet Club at 

Cheyney Field in Ringmer. 

Croquet is, I have been 

told, a fair-weather game, so 

it’s a relief that rain hasn’t 

stopped play. 

A handful of people are 

milling around, each holding 

a rectangular-headed 

mallet. The smooth square 

of lawn sports six white 

hoops, as well as a central 

peg banded in blue, red, 

black and yellow. These 

stripes, I later learn, correspond 

to the colours of the four balls and 

the order of play. 

I am met by Cheyney Croquet Club’s Christine 

and Graham, who are keen to attract new 

members to the club. “There are two main 

kinds of croquet,” Christine explains, “association 

croquet and golf croquet. Both are played 

here, but mostly we play golf croquet, which is 

simpler. Association croquet has been likened 

to billiards on grass and is usually one on one. 

It’s very strategic and requires a lot of skill. 

“In golf croquet, you can play singles or doubles, 

and the aim is to get the ball through the 

hoop – what we call ‘running the hoop’. There 

are six hoops, and you go round clockwise, 

then back anticlockwise. If association croquet 

is more like chess, then golf croquet is more 

like draughts. It’s very accessible, as well as 

being sociable and a lot of fun.” 

Thought to have originated in Ireland in 

the1830s, croquet took off in England in the 

mid 19th century, when it 

became hugely fashionable. 

However, it may date back 

to the middle ages, sharing 

its roots with other stickand-ball 

sports such as golf 

and hockey, as well as the 

17th-century game of ‘pall 

mall’, which gave its name 

to the Mall in St James’s 

Park, London, where it was 

played and popularised by 

King Charles II. 

To me, croquet retains 

an air of gentility (as well 

as an association with 

flamingoes and hedgehogs, 

courtesy of Lewis Carroll), but I soon find out 

it isn’t quite as effortless as it looks. 

Equipped with an unexpectedly heavy mallet, 

I stand facing the first hoop, as Graham helps 

me set up my shot – preparation which is 

known as ‘stalking the ball’. “You don’t need to 

be strong or have any special skills,” he assures 

me, as I take a feeble swipe. “Anyone can pick 

it up. Just swing the mallet back, and keep 

your eye on the ball until you’ve hit it.” 

After a few attempts, I manage to make contact 

with a satisfying clunk that sends the ball at 

least vaguely in the direction of the hoop. 

“Most people will find they can knock the 

ball around after a couple of afternoons,” says 

Christine encouragingly. “And they will have 

had a good time and met some nice people.” 

Graham agrees. “It can be as competitive as 

you want, or a relaxing bit of fun. We’d say to 

anyone to come along and have a go.”Anita Hall 

cheyneycroquetclub.org.uk 

96

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WE TRY 

Photo by Tony Hilton 

Golf 

Failing, with style 

Whilst walking up Chapel Hill, I mull over my 

preconceptions. Not being well versed in golf, I 

imagine that it is expensive, elitist and exclusive. 

Thankfully, a 90-minute lesson with Tony Hilton 

at Lewes Golf Club dispels many of my concerns. 

First of all, it’s a really fun 90 minutes, aided by 

stunning views over Lewes and the Downs. On 

the driving range, Tony judges my swing to see 

what I’m about. I then aim to hit a ball, a strike 

which thunks away sadly, about 30 feet off to 

the left. He then asks me to intentionally skew 

further right rather than aiming straight, so as 

to get a feel for how ‘open’ or ‘closed’ striking 

of the ball affects its trajectory. His tuition 

is friendly and patient throughout: he offers 

enthusiastic encouragement when I miss the ball 

wildly. It’s immensely satisfying when I finally 

hit it straight. Tony explains that you can’t really 

hit a ball much better; golfers simply learn how 

to hit further and more consistently. 

We then head out onto the main course on a 

buggy. At one point, we quietly watch a few 

golfers, one of whom scuffs a shot into the side 

grass. Tony likes to show people this kind of 

thing, explaining that beginners often think 

they’re miles off being able to become a member, 

but that everyone makes mistakes: it’s all 

about practising and enjoying it. 

We rock up at a hole and I aim for a green, 

which I repeatedly miss by some distance. Surprisingly, 

Tony asks me to hit a divot, explaining 

that I need more lift and that taking a chunk out 

of the ground is no terrible thing. I still can’t 

seem to bring myself to duff up the grass too 

profoundly, due to either an obscure politeness, 

or some misjudged swinging. 

After trying out putting, Tony tells me about the 

options for a ‘pay as you go’ approach: you can 

hire clubs for £10 (booking in advance required), 

play a round of golf on a weekday for £25 (the 

‘green fee’ after midday), or go for a ‘twilight’ 

session after 4pm for only £15. 

He also explains that women and men can 

compete in the same tournaments, which is not 

the case at all golf courses. LGC has ‘community 

amateur sports club status’, meaning that it is 

run by its 400 or so members. There is no one at 

the top making money for themselves alone: all 

fees go towards the upkeep of the course. 

I truly enjoyed my time at LGC, and may well 

take up the ‘Try Golf’ package at some point 

over the summer, which includes three hours 

of tuition, access to the practice facilities, golf 

equipment loan, 36 holes on the course, and 

more. It’s £120 solo, but only £90 each if you 

learn with a friend. Who wants to join me? 

Joe Fuller 

lewesgolfclub.co.uk 

99


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FEATURE 

Photo by Charlotte Gann 

Swim Better 

at the Pells 

“It’s all about the fundamentals”, Pells Pool 

Deputy Manager and Coach Patrick Gilmartin 

tells me, as we sit on the paving stones at the top 

of the pool in a sudden surprise of early evening 

sunshine. “I mainly concentrate on teaching front 

crawl. And my approach is to break the stroke 

down into its basic pieces. Learn one bit well at 

a time. Get each piece of the technique, and the 

whole stroke will come right.” 

Patrick has worked in the leisure industry for 

a long time, he tells me, though this is only his 

third season at the Pells. He clearly loves it. And, 

every Wednesday evening, runs adult coaching 

sessions for anyone interested in strengthening 

their swimming – specifically front crawl. 

After 25 years of teaching swimming, Patrick, 

who also operates under the Life Green Events 

banner, has, understandably, developed a system 

of teaching. “This I call ‘Swim Better’. And the 

principle is, as I’ve said, to take each part of the 

stroke, and bring that up to scratch.” He happily 

welcomes up to 25 or more people to each coaching 

session, and you’re welcome to sign up for the 

season, or drop in as and when able. 

Patrick commutes each day from Brighton. He 

says he used to swim here, and was thrilled when 

the opportunity came to join the team. He loves 

the atmosphere and community that grows over 

the season. “There’s so much enjoyment”, he says, 

“around this body of water”, and we both gaze 

out across it – clean, twinkling, awaiting the first 

plunge of the 2019 season. 

“The Pells has become an institution”, he says. 

Well, it always was, in its way, I argue. But no, 

there has been a massive resurgence of interest in 

outdoor swimming, and investment in the pool in 

the last five years. Pells Pool is run as a charity – 

owned by Lewes Town Council – with any money 

generated poured back into its development. 

Patrick himself loves arriving here quietly, first 

thing in the morning, sitting with his feet dangling 

in the water, taking stock, and sipping a cup 

of tea, before the day starts. 

So, what are his three top tips for anyone wishing 

to improve their swimming, I ask him? “Get each 

piece of the technique right, one,” he says. “Two, 

remember, the whole stroke counts. And three, 

breathing out is more important than breathing 

in. Your brain tells your body not to breathe out 

fully: you need to learn to override this message.” 

Interesting. It all looks so inviting that late-April 

evening, glinting in the dappled sunlight, and 

Patrick’s enthusiasm is so obvious and infectious, 

even I am tempted… Charlotte Gann 

This season, the Pells is open every day until Sunday 

27th October. Patrick’s class is from 7.30pm to 

8.30pm every Wednesday. £8 to drop in, or pay less 

by committing to a block of sessions. 

pellspool.org.uk 

lifegreenevents.co.uk 

101

Chris Tipper 

Selkie Kayaks 

Chris Tipper works in the most amazing 

space – for the last 22 years, he’s rented 

this workshop from Newhaven Port and 

Properties. It’s right at the end of Fort Road, 

a stone’s throw from the sea, just before Newhaven 

West Beach, and beyond Newhaven 

Fort. A glorious spot (“yes,” Chris agrees; 

“certainly, on a fine day!”). 

And what does he do here? He builds kayaks. 

Selkie Kayaks is the brand Chris set up a 

couple of years ago. But he’s long been a 

wooden-boat builder. He grew up locally, 

and has always, he says, “messed around 

in boats”. He remembers Newhaven port 

from childhood, and the evocative sight of 

“loads of old boats rotting in the mud. That, 

I think,” he says, “marked the beginnings of 

this whole aesthetic for me, around boats.” 

Chris studied at the International Boatbuilding 

Training College in Lowestoft. He 

then went on to build an ocean pedal boat 

– Moksha – for a project called Expedition 

360. This was the first successful circumnavigation 

of the globe using only human power, 

explains the (expedition360.com) website, 

and I was thrilled to encounter the unique 

boat itself, for now at rest, under cover, 

outside Chris’s studio. 

He also, he says, owned a sailing boat for 

twenty years, which he himself restored, 

rebuilding the whole top half by hand. But 

today his main focus is on building kayaks. 

He shows us round his workshop where 

there’s a lovely range. 

102

MY SPACE 

These are sea kayaks – longer, at 17- 

19ft, and narrower than recreational 

ones – based on West Greenland Inuit 

hunting boats. The design, Chris tells 

me, first arrived on these shores in the 

1950s and 60s; from that, the sport of 

sea kayaking has evolved. He shows us 

one “Shrike” in “survival orange”, and a 

couple of skin-on-frame models – which 

he personally favours making, he says. 

“They’re very close to the Inuit originals, 

and also give the option of working 

in recycled materials. I want to promote 

the idea of skin-on-frame and wood 

composite boats. It’s a really well-known 

technology in the States, but still quite 

new here.” 

Each kayak takes Chris between two 

weeks and two months to build. Varnishing 

makes a really big difference 

in terms of labour time and cost – the 

kayak he’s holding in the photo has 

seven coats, he says. Mostly these kayaks 

will sell for between £1,800 and £3,800. 

Today, however, Chris is exploring a 

new initiative about which he’s visibly 

103

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MY SPACE 

Photo by Paul Cox 

excited. Flatpack kayaks (boat kits). We see one 

in progress in the other shed. For these, Chris 

has designed the kayak using computer software 

– CNC, or Computer Numerical Control – and 

is now assembling the various panels, which have 

been returned to him from Cutting Edge CNC 

in Lewes, as a flatpack. (He’s also busy writing a 

‘construction manual’, in parallel.) 

These he plans to sell for nearer £600 each – and 

he’s hopeful they might also attract a European 

as well as a domestic market. 

But, when we meet, Chris is just off to Sweden 

for a week – to work with a friend there, who 

makes gypsy jazz guitars – a strangely complementary 

art to boatbuilding. He’s also pondering 

the idea of starting a sea kayak club in Newhaven 

– which I think sounds brilliant. A man 

on the go. 


selkiekayaks.co.uk 

Photo by Paul Cox 

105

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WILDLIFE 

Stag Beetles 

Two falls, two submissions or a knockout 

Michael Blencowe 

I’ve only ever had one sporting hero. In the red 

corner, standing 6ft 6 and weighing in at 365lbs, 

Big Daddy kept my Gran and I glued to the TV 

set on wet Saturday afternoons, as he wrestled Giant 

Haystacks or Kendo Nagasaki in his sequined 

spandex. 

In June, Stag Beetles – the big daddies of the 

beetle world – are emerging from the ground and 

getting ready to rumble. There’s around 3,000 

different species of beetle in Sussex and an estimated 

29,000 species across Europe. Just as Big 

Daddy’s 64-inch chest earned him a place in the 

Guinness Book of Records, the 2.5 inch long Stag 

Beetle holds the coveted title of Europe’s Biggest 

Beetle. And, like a 26 stone man in a spangly 

leotard, the adult male Stag Beetle is equally 

impressive and ludicrous. Its 3-segmented black 

and maroon armoured body is crowned with a 

ridiculous pair of trademark stag-like ‘antlers’. 

They are actually modified mandible mouthparts 

and are used to impress the antler-less females 

and to grapple rival males. 

Before these tiny titans step into the ring they 

have to put in some long hours in training. The 

beetle’s larvae spend an incredible 5-6 years 

munching on a deadwood diet of buried logs and 

roots, building the bulky body that will sustain 

them to survive above ground. As adults they will 

live for just a few weeks without feeding, relying 

solely on the fuel tanks accumulated underground. 

In early summer, after pupation and 

transformation, they burst from the ground and 

go looking for a fight. I always find it incredible 

that these chunky, bulky beetles can fly, but on 

warm evenings they whir through the air with the 

grace and subtlety of a Chinook on aerial reconnaissance 

for females. But if another male beats 

them to it, that’s when things get nasty. 

In my fantasies I imagine these beetle brawls 

to play out on a dead tree stump. A crowd of 

over-excited elderly invertebrates gather round; 

the grasshoppers and crickets chirping in with 

a chorus of “We shall not be moved” while the 

earthworms and earwigs chant “Eas-eh! Eas-eh!” 

The fighters face off, before charging and locking 

antlers. With incredible strength a Stag Beetle can 

lift his opponent into the air, holding him there 

heroically before spectacularly body-slamming 

them down onto the stump. 

We’re fortunate that southeast England is a 

hotspot for these Herculean heavyweights, but 

sadly our Stag Beetles are on the ropes. The 

loss of old trees from the countryside has had a 

dramatic impact on the survival of the beetles’ 

underground larvae, and their numbers are 

declining. So, if you see a Stag Beetle we’d really 

like to hear about it. Send details and a photo to 

wildcall@sussexwt.org.uk 

Michael Blencowe, Senior Learning & Engagement 

Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust 

107

BUSINESS NEWS 

You win some, you lose some. Let’s start with the 

latest big closure in town, that of the Italian-style 

restaurant Aqua, who painted up their windows 

on May 1st, leaving a sign thanking everyone for 

their custom. The Worthing branch closed down, 

it seems, on the same day, leaving the company 

with their four businesses in Avon and Somerset. 

It all started promisingly enough in autumn 

2016, but the arrival of Côte and Fuego Lounge 

meant, presumably, that you can have one too 

many chain eateries in town. 

Lewes thrives on a good balance of chains and 

indies, and we’ll always champion a new venture 

by local entrepreneurs, so here’s wishing all 

the best to Irma’s Kitchen, a Caribbean café 

opening this month in the building that was, until 

recently, The Nutty Wizard, on the corner of 

Cliffe High Street and South Street. Ringmerites 

Nathalie and Simon previously ran a wonderful 

little café of the same name on St James’ Street, 

in Brighton, which I enjoyed reviewing in Viva 

Brighton #69. The place will be open all day every 

day, selling traditional English breakfasts and 

lunches, as well as Caribbean fare. They aim to 

open in the weekend evenings after the summer. 

I’ll be queuing for their jerk chicken. 

Meanwhile, Martin Thomas and Samira Harris, 

formerly behind that ultra-alternative, ultra-cool 

venue Zu Studios, in the Phoenix Industrial 

Estate, are to take over the space formerly run by 

Bus Club, and The Hearth, at the Bus Station. 

Upstairs, they will run a ‘good, healthy’ vegetarian 

restaurant/café (no pizzas, they’ll remove 

the oven) while downstairs, in the kiosk, they 

will continue selling coffee and pastries, as well 

as operating a creperie. “There’s a little stage, 

which will enable us to put on talks, open mic acts 

and maybe comedy,” says Martin. The kiosk is 

scheduled to open in June, the restaurant later in 

the summer. 

Finally, on the food front, happy birthday to 

Chaula’s: we’ve now been enjoying her Gujaratistyle 

curries – originally from St Pancras Store, 

but more recently from the restaurant on Eastgate 

Street – for a quarter of a century. 

Meanwhile a big welcome to Hamblin’s Tree 

Care, run by partners Nathan and Sarah. He’s the 

expert arborist, she runs the office. 

By the time this mag comes out, David Smith – 

as we announced a couple of months ago – will 

be leaving his premises in the High Street, so 

we’ll be looking with interest to see who fills that 

prominent space. David is moving his operation 

to the Star Gallery. Another change on the High 

Street is a new location for the Lewes-based 

chartered financial planning firm, Herbert Scott, 

established in 1996 and now moving to 173 High 

Street, until recently home to Prezzo. Good luck 

to them! 

And finally, congratulations to Lewes Depot, 

who have won a design award from Friends of 

Lewes. The other such award was given to Hill 

House, featured in Viva Lewes #152. And there 

were eight commendations. Alex Leith

DIRECTORY 

Please note that though we aim only to take advertising from reputable businesses, we cannot guarantee 

the quality of any work undertaken, and accept no responsibility or liability for any issues arising. 

To advertise in Viva Lewes please call 01273 488882 or email advertising@vivamagazines.com 

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Plumbing/Heating 

Boilers/Central heating 

Gas Safe Registered 

Tiling / Woodwork 

Free estimates & Advice 

T: 01273 487 565 M. 07801 784 192 

E. tonywplumbing@icloud.com 

We are a building company specialising in residential 

extensions, refurbishments, loft conversions 

and conservation work on listed buildings. 

We pride ourselves on paying attention to detail, 

using bespoke materials and bringing projects 

in on time and on budget. 

Contact us for a free quote and please 

visit the website for more info: 

www.stjamesbuilding.co.uk 

01273 499 641 / 07780 964 608

HOME 

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE 

FREE estimates on all types of 

plastering work and finishes. 

TELEPHONE: 01273 472 836 

MOBILE: 07974 752 491 

EMAIL: cdpoulter@btinternet.com 

Nimmo’s Windows is a family 

run company based in Seaford, 

covering the whole of the 

South Coast and London. 

Jon is a registered Equinox 

roof installer and a certified 

Certass installer and surveyor 

and carries with him many 

years of knowledge and skills. 

Jon Nimmo 

Qualified Equinox roof installer 

Aluminium windows, doors, 

lantern roofs and bi-folding doors. 

Trading in your area for over 30 years 

We guarantee all our products, installation and service 

for the best doors, windows & conservatories 

CLARKS GLASS LTD 

Unit 10, Ringmer Business Centre, 

Chamberlaines Lane, Ringmer, BN8 5NF 

For your FREE no obligation consultation call us now on: 

01273 814077 

www.clarksglass.org.uk

HOME 

07784053679 

tom@tbacc.co.uk 

thebuildingandcarpentryco.co.uk 

PROFESSIONAL RELIABLE 

FLAWLESS 

LADY DECORATOR LEWES 

For a no obligation quote call 

07917 067847 

hello@ladydecoratorlewes.co.uk

HOME 

Handyman Services for your House and Garden 

Lewes based. Free quotes. 

Honest, reliable, friendly service. 

Reasonable rates 

Tel: 07460 828240 

Email: ahbservices@outlook.com 

PAUL FURNELL 

Carpenter / General Building 

and Renovation works, 

Based in Lewes 

t. 07717 862940 e. paul.lee.furnell@gmail.com 

AHB ad.indd 1 27/07/2015 17 

Laurence 

Turrell & Co. 

BUILDING | RENOVATION | BESPOKE 

01444 213499 | 07850 477318 

www.laurenceturrell.com 

Jason Eyre Decorating 

Professional Painters & Decorators 

jasoneyre2@gmail.com | jasoneyredecorating.com 

07976 418299 | 07766 118289 

GARDENS 

age 1 

Jack Plane Carpenter 

Nice work, fair price, 

totally reliable. 

www.jackplanecarpentry.co.uk 

01273 483339 / 07887 993396

HOME 

Global 

Gardens 

Design, 

Restoration & 

Landscaping 

Gardener Available 

Beds, borders, pruning and tidying 

01273 814 926 

National Diploma Horticulture 

GARDENS 

Qualified & Experienced gardener 

07912 606 557 

Hamblin 

Tree Care 

expert arborists 

Tree surgery • Hedges • Lawns 

Nathan Hamblin FdSc 

Experienced, professional and insured 

www.hamblintreecare.com 

0777 364 2640 


based 

Mobile 07941 057337 

Phone 01273 488261 

12 Priory Street, Lewes, BN7 1HH 

info@ globalgardens.co.uk 

www.globalgardens.co.uk 

GARAGES 

RHS 

Gold medal 

GS1.001_QuarterPage_Ad_01.indd 1 12/11/10 Winners 18:24:51 

Real gardeners for all your gardening needs. 

From a one off blitz to regular maintenance. 

07812 028704 | 01273 401962 

brookhartservices@gmail.com 

www.brook-hart.co.uk

GARAGES 

EXPERT 

ADVICE 

I N C O R P O R A T I N G F L O T Y R E S 

SERVICING & REPAIRS 

MOT SERVICE. 

COMPETITIVE PRICES. 

QUALITY PARTS. 

EXPERT ADVICE. 

QUALIFIED TECHNICIANS. 

ALL MAKES & MODELS. 

www.mechanicinlewes.co.uk 

info@flomargarage.com 

Units 1-3 Malling Industrial Estate, Brooks Road, Lewes BN7 2BY 

Vehicle Servicing, Repairs and MOT Service: 01273 472691 

www.mechanicinlewes.co.uk | info@flomargarage.com 

HEALTH 

Psychotherapy - children & young people 

1:1 work, Parent-child therapy, Parent support, Supervision 

michael@reevespsychotherapy.uk 07733 434319 

Michael Reeves - UKCP registered 

Integrative Child Psychotherapist - Educational Psychotherapist 

Coranne Campbell 

Reiki Master Practitioner 

Tel 07584 572226 

corannecampbellreiki@gmail.com 

www.reikiconnect.co.uk 

Energy healing complementary therapy 

HELPING YOU MAKE 

SUSTAINABLE CHANGE 

Coaching Hypnotherapy Healthy Weight Programmes 

st 

info@claudinegrant.co.uk / 07771 457390 

www.claudinegrant.co.uk 

01273 488882 

Doctor P. Bermingham 

Retired Consultant Psychiatrist. Retired Jungian Psychoanalyst. 

Assoc. Med. Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy for the 

psychological core of depression, depressive illness and relapse. 

Supervision for therapists 

drpbermingham@gmail.com

The Cliffe 

Osteopathy & 

Complementary 

Health Clinic 

Anthea Barbary 

LicAc MBAcC Dip | Hyp GQHP 

HEALTH 

Taking a Natural Approach 

at Menopause 

1:1 Appointments at The Cliffe Clinic 

Self-Help Workshop 12th Oct in Lewes 

LYNNE RUSSELL BSc FSDSHom MARH MBIH(FR) 

www.chantryhealth.com 07970 245118 

Both acupuncture and hypnotherapy are a 

gentle, safe, effective and natural way of 

helping many conditions such as IBS, pain, 

fertility issues, menopausal symptoms, 

anxiety, stress, panic attacks, addictions, 

insomnia, headaches and many more. 

I have 22 years of experience as a 

therapist, 17 of those in Lewes. 

For more information, or for a 20 minute free 

consultation, please contact me on: 

07981 491942 / antheabarbary@gmail.com 

www.antheabarbary.com 

Angelica Rossi 

HolisticTherapist 

Swedish Body Massage 

& Reflexology 

Gift vouchers are available to purchase at 

Intrinsic Health, 32, Cliffe High Street, Lewes 

To book an appointment call 07401 131153 

Email: angelicarossi@hotmail.co.uk 

www.angelsaromahealing.com 

OSTEOPATHY 

Mandy Fischer BSc (Hons) Ost, DO, PG cert (canine) 

Caroline Jack BOst, PG cert (canine) 

Cameron Dowset MOst 

HERBAL MEDICINE & REFLEXOLOGY 

Julie Padgham-Undrell BSc (Hons) MCPP 

PSYCHOTHERAPY 

Julia Rivas BA (Hons), MA Psychotherapy 

Tom Lockyer BA (Hons), Dip Cound MBACP 

ACUPUNCTURE & HYPNOTHERAPY 

Anthea Barbary LicAc MBAcC Dip I Hyp GQHP 

HOMEOPATHY, COACHING, NLP 

& HYPNOTHERAPY 

Lynne Russell BSc FSDSHom MARH MBIH(FR) 

01273 480900 

23 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2AH 

www.lewesosteopath.com 

Open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings 

Acupuncture, Alexander Technique, Bowen 

Technique, Children’s Clinic, Counselling, 

Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, 

Herbal Medicine, Massage, 

Nutritional Therapy, Life Coaching, 

Physiotherapy, Pilates, Shiatsu, 

Podiatry/Chiropody

Ruth Wharton Viva Advert 8.18 AW.qxp_6 HEALTH 03/12/2018 

Natural Feminine Products: 

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SALLY 

GALLOWAY 

BA (Hons) Dip Nat Nut CNM 

MBANT CNHC reg 

NUTRITIONAL 

THERAPIST 

sallygallowaynutrition.co.uk 

OTHER THERAPIES INCLUDING: 

COUNSELLING • LIFE COACHING 

MASSAGE THERAPY • REFLEXOLOGY 

PSYCHOTHERAPY 

(individual, adolescent and family) 

ROOMS TO RENT AVAILABLE 

INTRINSIC HEALTH • 01273 958403 

32 Cliffe High Street, Lewes BN7 2AN 

www.intrinsichealthlewes.com 

neck or back pain? 

Lin Peters - OSTEOPATH 

VALENCE ROAD OSTEOPATHS 

for the treatment of: 

neck or low back pain • sports injuries • rheumatic 

arthritic symptoms • pulled muscles • joint pain 

stiffness • sciatica - trapped nerves • slipped discs 

tension • frozen shoulders • cranial osteopathy 

pre and post natal 

www.lewesosteopath.co.uk 

20 Valence Road Lewes 01273 476371 

Viva Lewes 

We print 11,500 magazines every month 

delivering 7,500 to houses in Lewes and Kingston 

with 4,000 in high visibility pick ups 

Readings 

Healings Workshops 

Reach our audience from just £25 a month. 

www.maddyelruna.co.uk

LESSONS AND COURSES 

HEALTH 

Ages 16 and up from an experienced, qualified teacher 

Contact: Lucinda Houghton BA(Hons), AGSM (GSMD), FRSM 

Kingston, Lewes (Ample parking) 

07976 936024 | canto-voice.org 

Keep Lewes Indie 

OTHER SERVICES

OTHER SERVICES 

www.andrewwells.co.uk 

We can work it out 

• BUSINESS ACCOUNTS AND TAX 

• MEDIA AND THE ARTS 

• CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS 

• FRIENDLY AND FLEXIBLE 

T: 01273 961334 

E: aw@andrewwells.co.uk 

FREE 

initial 

consultation 

Andrew M Wells Accountancy 

99 Western Road Lewes BN7 1RS 

01273 488882 

FLO TYRES 

& ACCESSORIES 

ndrew Wells_Viva Lewes_AW.indd 1 25/06/2012 09:05 

COMPETITIVE 

PRICES 

LOCAL INDEPENDENT RETAILER. 

TYRES. BATTERIES. BULBS. WIPERS 

FROM STOCK WHILE YOU WAIT. 

FREE TREAD & WEAR CHECKS. 

PUNCTURE REPAIRS. 

WHEEL BALANCING. 

WHEEL ALIGNMENT. 

Flo Tyres And Accessories 

Unit 1 Malling Industrial Estate, Brooks Road, Lewes, BN7 2BY 

Tel: 01273 481000 | Web: flotyres.com | info@flomargarage.com 

EXPERT 

ADVICE 

O N E S T O P S H O P F O R P R E M I U M , M I D R A N G E A N D B U D G E T T Y R E S 

We also stock vehicle batteries, wiper 

blades, bulbs and top up engine oils.

INSIDE LEFT 

Picture courtesy of Jonathan Burrell 

RUNNING UP THE HILL 

The likely lad in the centre of the picture, in 

the lead at the beginning of the annual 2.5-mile 

Kingston Downland Run, 1980, is Jonathan 

Burrell (wearing 267). He eventually came 

second in this race, behind David Krige (246), 

but went on to win it in 1985, in record time, 

and in 1989. 

Sadly, later that very year, Jonathan was 

stricken with Myalgic Encephalomyeletis (ME) 

a debilitating condition which rendered him 

housebound for much of the following 15 years, 

unable to muster enough energy to walk for 

more than a few yards, even on a good day. 

It wasn’t until 2005 that he had recovered 

enough to tentatively start playing sports 

again. At first he tried a little kickaround 

football, then spent three seasons playing for 

The Elephant and Castle Sunday League team. 

But athletics was his real love, and in 2013 he 

joined the Lewes Athletics Club, to take up his 

running career again. 

He realised that his long lay-off meant that his 

body hadn’t suffered the sort of wear and tear 

that had afflicted many other runners of his 

age, and he soon started placing well in a variety 

of races: he’s won 30 County Championship 

medals over various distances, and two local 

Trail Blazer races, over all-comers. 

And that’s not all: in 2018, at the age of 55, he 

was chosen to represent Great Britain in his age 

group, and has won silver and bronze medals at 

World Masters events in Malaga in Spain and 

Torun (appropriately enough) in Poland, in the 

8k cross-country event. 

The Kingston Downland run, however, is still 

close to Jonathan’s heart, and – work commitments 

permitting – he is hoping to take part in 

the 2019 edition of the race, on July 13th. He 

won it in 2013, 2015 and 2016 (over competitors 

of all ages) and would dearly love to clock a new 

record time, to beat that held by David Krige 

since 1990. Alex Leith 

122

TALES FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

chartered financial planners 

We are proud to announce that Herbert Scott will shortly be relocating 

to The Left Bank, 173 High Street, Lewes. We hope to move in at the 

beginning of July and are currently working on removing the pizza oven! 

Herbert Scott Ltd, St Anne's House, 111 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XY 

Tel: 01273 407 500 Email: enquiries@herbertscott.co.uk Web: www.herbertscott.co.uk 

Herbert Scott Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Viva Lewes Issue #153 June 2019

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