Royal Tunbridge Wells Lifestyle Dec 2019 / Jan 2020

Contents 

A Note 

from the editor 

A Culinary puddings Journey through without a 

24Christmas sultana Northern in Ireland sight 

Chef Michael 

Caines 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

06 What’s On 

We are in full festive mode with a diary 

full of events over Christmas and into 

the New Year 

10 Education 

The Boarding Schools Association 

give their advice and clear up 

misconceptions about boarding 

17 Michael Caines 

We catch up with the West Country 

chef, on his quest for a second 

Michelin star at Lympstone Manor 

19 Christmas Crackers 

Five pages of beautiful puddings to 

help you savour every second of the 

festive season 

26 Amazing Oman 

17 

We take in the mountain passes and 

the breathtaking sand dunes in this 

diverse country 

30 Homebuying Guide 

If the festive period shines a light on 

your desire to move, we have tips on 

the process 

Magical 

Oman 

26 

32 

Creating the 

perfect guestroom 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Key Account Manager Sam Sanders 

e samuel@minervapublications.co.uk 

dd 01225 308112 

twitter: @TWellsLifestyle 

w www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk 

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening - 

Christmas’s here, your heart quickening? 

With gifts still to buy, and cards left to write 

- holy heck there’s still so much to do! 

That’s how the song goes right? Like it 

or loathe it, we are well into the festive 

preamble (what number tin of Quality Street 

are you on? I count three...). It’s time to get 

serious about your festive salutations and 

batten down the hatches - the guests will 

be here before you can say ‘figgy pudding’! 

This issue aims to highlight the best of the 

festive season, with a packed events guide 

and lots of festive fun. I’ve been extra 

selfish this issue and curated a section 

especially for the Christmas pariahs among 

us - those that hate festive puddings! Try 

as I might, I can’t stand Christmas Pudding, 

Cake, mince pies - anything with the spiced 

fruits combo - I’m out. 

I reckon I’m not alone (though perhaps 

you’ve not outed yourself yet, just 

pretending you’re full up when a bowl is 

proffered in your direction), so for my fellow 

outcasts, please enjoy a bumper batch 

of celebratory puds which are perfect for 

the big day, without a sultana in sight. 

We also caught up with one of the UK’s 

most famous and decorated chefs, Michael 

Caines on his passions outside of cooking 

(he’s one charitable guy!) 

That’s all for now - we will see you again in 

February, when we will be recovering from 

post Christmas food comas and thinking 

about moving a bit more and maybe eating 

a little less. 

In the meantime, we wish you the happiest, 

healthiest New Year. Now, pass the Quality 

Street please. 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Katie 

Katie 

Contributors Rebecca Williams, Kate O’Connell, Lucy Saunders, Angela Cave, Pete 

Lawrence. Front cover courtesy of Nick Parker at Parkershots, parkershots.com 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

County Gate, County Way 

Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7FJ 

t 01225 308128 

w www.minervapublications.co.uk 

visit our website www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk 

Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by failure of an 

advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and 

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www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk | 3

EVENTS 

GUIDE 

Winter is here and yes it’s chilly, however there 

is plenty going on to keep everyone entertained 

throughout the winter months... 

Assembly Hall Theatre 

Crescent Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells 

TN1 2LU 

01892 530613 

www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk 

Saturday 7 December - Sunday 5 January 

Peter Pan 

Meet Peter and the lost boys, Tiger Lily and 

Tinker Bell and get ready for a family show 

full of fun, fairy dust and pirates galore. 

Set sail for Neverland and take on Captain 

Hook and prepare for out-of-this-world 

flying effects, galleons of laughter and the 

hungriest of crocodiles. 

Thursday 9 January, 7.30pm 

Honky Tonk Angels 

All the hits, favourites, and so much more 

from The Queens of Country - Dolly Parton, 

Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and Loretta 

Lynn. These award-winning ladies are 

backed by a five piece world class band 

playing traditional instruments such as 

pedal steel and double bass. 

Monday 27 January, 7.30pm 

Circus of Horrors 

It is a circus like no other and a show you 

simply can’t afford to miss! 

The new Circus of Horrors show will be an 

immersive celebration of it’s astounding 

25 years. It will include an amazing 

amalgamation of acts, driven by a rock 

n roll sound scape, a show that will have 

you sat on the edge of your seat when not 

falling off it with laughter. 


Lost in Music 

Get ready to recreate the Magical 70s and 

get taken on a musical journey straight 

to the heart of Disco! Relive some of the 

greatest songs of all time from artists such 

as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, 

Wind & Fire, Sister Sledge and Chic. 

Bedgebury Pinetum 

Near Tunbridge Wells 

www.forestryengland.uk/bedgebury 

Selected evenings until Monday 30 

December 

Christmas at Bedgebury 

It’s definitely the most wonderful time of 

the year when the sparkling Christmas at 

Bedgebury trail lights up once more. The 

tree-tops will glisten and shimmer drenched 

in seasonal colour, on this festive adventure 

in a world of trees. 

4 | www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk 

Bluebell Railway 

Station Approach, Uckfield TN22 3QL 

www.bluebell-railway.co.uk 

1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23 & 24 December 

Santa Specials 

A Christmas visit to the Bluebell Railway is 

a magical experience! 

Enjoy a journey through the Sussex 

countryside in all its winter splendour. 

Santa and his elves will be on board with 

a present and chocolate treat for all the 

children (he won’t forget the grown-ups, 

there’s a mince pie for them!). 

Bodiam Castle 

Bodiam, Near Robertsbridge TN32 5UA 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle 

Monday 2 December - Sunday 5 January 

British Wildlife Photography 

Awards Exhibition 

This Awards Exhibition will showcase 

stunning photographs of British wildlife, 

celebrating both the work of amateur and 

professional photographers and their ability 

to capture the beauty and diversity of the 

nature on our doorsteps. 

Thursday 26 December, 9.30am - 11.30am 

Boxing Day Walk 

After the excesses of Christmas Day you 

are invited for a brisk, early morning guided 

tour of the grounds and an exclusive 

preview of the castle before it opens to 

visitors. A breakfast bap and hot drink at 

the end of your walk as a reward. 

Chartwell 

Mapleton Road, Westerham TN16 1PS 

01732 868381 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell 

Saturdays & Sundays, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 & 22 

December 

Christmas in the House 

For three weekends in December see 

select rooms dressed for Christmas. 

Inspired by Lady Churchill’s classic taste, 

greenery from the estate decorates the 

mantle pieces, with glass and gold dressed 

trees reflecting Christmas as the family 

would have celebrated it in their first years 

at Chartwell. 

26, 27 December and 1 January, 11am - 

2.30pm 

Seasonal All Day Breakfast 

Stop by for a hearty breakfast to set you up 

for a walk around the estate. 

Hever Castle 

Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG 

01732 865224 

www.hevercastle.co.uk 

Wednesday 4 - Tuesday 24 December 

Christmas at Hever Castle 

This Christmas you’ll be taken on a 

magical journey down the rabbit hole 

and into the enchanting world of Alice 

in Wonderland. During the day you will 

be met with beautifully decorated Castle 

rooms, welcoming log fires and twinkling 

Christmas trees. 

Take the children to see Father Christmas 

at Hever Castle, enjoy relaxed Christmas 

shopping in the Gift Shops, and sample 

delicious festive food in the restaurants. 

6, 12, 13, 19, 20 & 23 December 

Twilight Christmas 

For a magical after dark experience, wrap 

up warm and enjoy a walk under the 

stars at Twilight Christmas. Witness the 

enchantment of the Castle and gardens 

festooned with fabulous colours and 

twinkling lights, capturing the spirit of 

Christmas. 

Take torches and pop on your wellies! 

Friday 27 December - Wednesday 1 

January 

Winter Walks 

Take a stroll in the gardens where the 

warm red bark of the Redwood trees glows 

against the winter sky and winter berries 

glisten in the frost. Hever’s yew topiary 

looks fantastic with a covering of snow 

or frost and the majestic hellebores nod 

gracefully in the winter sun. 

Michelham Priory 

Upper Dicker, Hailsham BN27 3QS 

01323 844224 

www.sussexpast.co.uk/michelham-priory 

Thursday 5 December, 6.30pm 

Christmas in the Courtyard 

The evening starts with carol singing in the 

Elizabethan Barn by the Bourne Chorus. 

There will be mulled wine and warm mince 

pies for the grown ups and hot chocolate 

and warm mince pies for children. 

Saturday 7 December, 7.30pm 

Christmas Murder Mystery Night 

It is 1843 and Mr Fezziwig is holding his 

annual Christmas Party in the splendour 

of a candlelit Michelham Priory. Jacob 

Marley is guest of honour for the evening 

continued

ut as other Dickensian characters arrive 

Mr Marley goes missing.... who might be 

responsible for his disappearance? 

National Trust - 

Bateman’s 

Bateman’s Lane, Burwash TN19 7DS 

01435 882302 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans 

Throughout December until Sunday 5 


Just So Animals Winter Garden Trail 

Get out and about in the garden at 

Bateman’s and discover the hiding places 

of the Just So Animals. 

Jungle animals will be making an 

appearance in the garden this winter. 

Follow the trail to find them and receive a 

prize at the end. 



Just So Christmas 

Go and see the house decorated for 

Christmas with a Just So theme. 

Highlighting Kipling’s love of travel, 

particularly to India, they’ll be using exotic 

colours and floral decorations to link to his 

classic animal stories. 

Saturdays 7 & 14 December, until 6pm 

Twilight Opening 

See the Christmas decorations twinkling 

inside as darkness falls outside. The Oast 

gift shop will be offering seasonal tastings 

and a chance to get ahead with some 

Christmas shopping. 

Penshurst Place & 

Gardens 

Penshurst, Tonbridge TN11 8DG 

01892 870307 

www.penshurstplace.com 

Saturdays & Sundays, 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 

22 December 

Father Christmas Saves the Day! 

A rather naughty elf has been playing havoc 

with the festive organisation at Christmas 

HQ in the North Pole, and Mother 

Christmas needs to work quickly to fix his 

playful antics. Guided by her trusty magical 

cookbook, join Mother Christmas, her 

naughty elf and an appearance from Father 

Christmas in this delightful interactive storytelling 

performance which encourages lots 

of playful shouts and giggles from children 

of all ages. 

Please note, they will not be operating a 

grotto this year. 

National Trust - 

Quebec House 

Quebec Square, Westerham TN16 1TD 

01959 567430 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quebec-house 

1, 7, 8, 14 & 15 December 

Christmas Trail - Hunt the Slipper 

Delve into Georgian family traditions at 

Christmas time with Quebec House’s 

family trail. The Georgians loved playing all 

sorts of different games such as hunting 

for slippers hidden around the house as a 

Christmas game for the children. Go and 

complete the trail this winter and discover 

all about the Georgian tradition. 

6 | www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk 

Saturday 7 December, 1pm - 4pm 

With Map and Musket 

Bring history to life with an historic 

re-enactment and join the eighteenth 

century surveyor as he explains how map 

makers played a key role in the Quebec 

campaign. 

Scotney Castle 

Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells TN3 8JN 

01892 893820 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scotney-castle 



Christmas Eve with the Hussey 

Family 

Experience a Victorian Christmas in the 

decorated festive home of the Hussey 

family. Play with children’s toys under the 

Christmas tree and see the dining room 

being dressed for Christmas celebrations. 



Noah’s Ark Children’s Trail 

Take part in the festive family trail around 

the garden inspired by the Victorian Noah’s 

ark that will be on display in the house. 

7, 8, 14, 15, 21 - 23 December 

Storytelling with Father Christmas 

Father Christmas will be visiting Scotney 

and helping families feel even more festive 

this season. There’s storytelling and gifts to 

add a sprinkle of magic to all who visit. 

Sissinghurst Castle 

near Cranbrook TN17 2AB 

01580 710700 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle 

Sunday 8 and Saturday 14 December 

Wreath Making Workshop 

Join this workshop to make your festive, 

environmentally friendly wreath using 

foliage from the Sissinghurst garden. 

Spa Valley Railway 

West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN2 5QY 

01892 537715 

www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk 

Saturday 28 - Sunday 29 December 

Winter Steam Up & Kids for a Quid! 

Taking to the rails after Christmas this year 

will be visiting Great Eastern Railway Y14 

No. 564 courtesy of the M&GNJRS and 

North Norfolk Railway. 

Mon 30 December - Wednesday 1 January 

Kids for a Quid! 

Looking for something to do with the kids 

and they only cost a quid! They have the 

solution at the Spa Valley Railway where all 

kids on will travel for just a quid! 

Standen House and 

Garden 

East Grinstead RH19 4NE 

01342 323029 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/standen-houseand-garden 

Thursday 12 - Friday 13 December 

Christmas Carols and Cocktails 

You are invited to step back in time to the 

1920s and experience all the glamour of 

high society for this brand new, once in a 

lifetime event at Standen this Christmas. 

Thursday 26 December 

Barking Boxing Day - 

Take your dog in Festive Finery 

Enjoy Boxing Day at Standen with your 

dogs and take your canine companion 

along in festive fancy dress. Best dressed 

pooch wins a prize. 

The Observatory 

Science Centre 

Herstmonceux, Hailsham BN27 1RN 

www.the-observatory.org 

Saturday 7 December, 6.30pm - 11pm 

Open Evening 

Go and enjoy the fabulous atmosphere 

that surrounds the Observatory at night 

and, weather permitting look through some 

of the largest telescopes in the country at 

some extraordinary night sky objects. Don’t 

worry if it is cloudy as they have a cloudy 

night contingency a fascinating planetarium 

style talk! No booking required. 

Trinity Theatre 

Church Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1JP 

01892 678678 

www.trinitytheatre.net 

13 & 14, 20 -23, 26 - 31 December 

The Snow Queen - Christmas Show 

This Christmas, Trinity Theatre presents 

a tale of adventure, friendship and 

bravery - Hans Christian Andersen’s 

classic children’s favourite. Join them on 

this magical adventure full of enchanting 

characters, original music and snowball fights! 

Sunday 15 December, 6.30pm 

ROH Live - Coppelia 

Coppelia - a story of love, mischief 

and mechanical dolls. The intricate 

choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful 

score and shows off the technical precision 

and comedic timing of the whole Company. 

Tuesday 17 December, 7.15pm 

ROH Live - The Nutcracker 

The Royal Ballet’s glorious production 

of The Nutcracker is an all time ballet 

favourite. Tchaikovsky’s glittering score, the 

gorgeous festive stage designs, and The 

Royal Ballet’s captivating dancing including 

an exquisite pas de deux between the 

Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, make this 

Nutcracker the quintessential Christmas 

experience. 


ROH Live - The Sleeping Beauty 

A classic of Russian ballet, it established 

The Royal Ballet both in its new home 

after World War II and as a world-class 

company. 

Wednesday 29 January, 7.15pm 

ROH Live - La Boheme 

Puccini’s opera of young love in 

19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful 

music, including lyrical arias, celebratory 

choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas 

Eve in the Latin Quarter and a poignant 

final scene over which the composer 

himself wept. 

We take great care in compiling the 

listings however, we recommend that you 

contact the venue in advance as events 

and activities may change

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Volvo XC90 

Plug in Hybrid 

Motoring journalist Sue Cooke test drives 

the all new Volvo XC90 plug in hybrid 

A car powered by an all-electric motor is 

an alien to me, even though I have driven 

several around the streets of Birmingham. 

The City environment is where electric 

cars are at their best, but it is not a future 

I easily embrace. 

Electrification is being introduced across 

the whole range of Volvo Cars and in the 

next few years, Volvo says it will have five 

fully electric cars with a decent expected 

range of 250 miles. “These times are 

exciting for manufacturers” said Iain 

Howat, Head of Product and Pricing for 

Volvo UK and the XC40 SUV will be the 

first electric car to arrive in 2020. 

Personally, I prefer a safer step at a time, 

so would buy a hybrid and if the battery 

runs out, you have fuel back up. Volvo 

expects to sell one million plug-in hybrid 

cars by 2025, where you drive up to 30 

miles in battery mode, before the engine 

automatically kicks in. With less CO2 

emissions you pay less road tax, or none 

at all. 

the high-voltage battery’s capacity 

from 10.4 to 11.8 kilowatt hours. This 

increases the car’s electric-only driving 

range to a maximum of 28.6 miles – 

more than enough for an all-electric 

urban commuting journey. A new 

automatic gearbox brings improved fuel 

efficiency and slick gearshifts and I found 

acceleration from standstill is sharp. 

The 2020 seven-seater model, on sale 

now, has exterior design changes which 

include a new grille and lower front 

bumper. The air intakes have a fresh look 

and new alloy wheel designs have been 

introduced. Integrated roof rails have 

been added and dual integrated exhaust 

tailpipes are standard. 

As with all Volvos, there is a range 

of fantastic gadgets which I enjoy 

discovering. There is a new feature which 

is particularly useful for me when I forget 

which car I’m driving, let alone where 

I’ve parked. You can flash the lights and 

sound the horn to help you find your car! 

Brilliant. 

FACTS AT A GLANCE 

Model: Volvo XC90 AWD R-Design 

Automatic 

Basic Price: £66,645 otr 

Engine: T8 Twin engine petrol plug in 

hybrid 

Performance: 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds 

and on to a top speed of 140 mph 

CO2 emissions: 52 g/km 

Combined fuel consumption: 

90.7-113mpg (WLTP) 

happen. Other equipment includes a 

Sensus nine-inch multimedia touchscreen 

with voice-activated control, navigation 

system and access to the Volvo On 

Call connected services platform. As 

standard, there are LED headlights, a 

rear parking camera, keyless entry and 

start and when your arms are loaded 

with bags, there is a very useful poweroperated 

tailgate. 

Safety has always been a top priority for 

the Swedish manufacturer and in another 

innovative move, Volvo has announced 

that from 2020, all new cars will have the 

top speed limited to 112mph. This is a 

major step when currently on this model 

the top speed is 140mph. 

The new luxury Volvo XC90 has a revised 

T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric plug-in 

hybrid powertrain with an increase in 

City Safety warns of and helps avoid 

many common accident risks and 

provides protection if a collision does 

The XC90 will be the first to offer Volvo’s 

new mild hybrid engine, powered by a 

2 litre 235hp diesel B5 engine with a 48 

volt battery. Volvo says that this engine is 

more efficient than a petrol. The system 

improves fuel economy – by up to 15 per 

cent in real-world driving – and produces 

lower NOx emissions than the outgoing 

D5 it replaces. 

The world of motoring is an exciting one 

which is changing rapidly. From hybrid 

to electric and in early 2020, Volvo says 

it will launch its first autonomous driving 

car. I guess it’s something that I will just 

have to get used to and may even learn 

to embrace. 

8 | www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk

Image courtesy Cottesmore Prep School 

TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING A 

BOARDING SCHOOL 

The unique educational experience 

provided by a British boarding school offers 

busy families a top-quality education with 

built-in flexibility. And although academic 

achievement is important, it is the ‘extras’ 

that really make a boarding school 

experience count. 

Boarding fosters meaningful relationships 

with peers and house staff, enabling pupils 

to gain independence and experience 

a breadth of opportunities. But with so 

many institutions offering so many different 

experiences, choosing the right school for 

your child can seem daunting. Below are 

our top tips to consider when choosing a 

boarding school. 

1. Narrow your search 

Single sex or co-ed? Country or city? Faith 

school or not? Some schools will say they 

take children of all faiths and none, and they 

do, but sometimes a family finds the overall 

ethos and ‘climate’ of a faith school to 

their taste, regardless of their own religious 

views. 

2. Study the detail 

Every child is different - a rower will want a 

school near a river, a rugby player a good 

record of the sport in the school and a 

violinist great music rooms. Many families 

nowadays consider location first - can you 

get there to watch a game or a play, or even 

in an emergency? 

3. Do your research 

Boarding schools are like universities - you 

don’t have to be local, nor to take a month 

touring the country. The modern wouldbe 

applicant goes online and drills into 

individual websites which can tell you a lot 

in what schools don’t say or in how they say 

what they do. 

4. Visit 

Visit several schools. Get the feel. Is 

lunchtime a noisy scrum? Are corridors 

orderly between lessons? Do pupils look 

you in the eye? All these give you a flavour 

of the school over and above the publicity, 

the motto, the official words. Eyes open, 

compare notes. 

5. Ask for a pupil tour 

This is partly for you to see all parts of the 

school, but more to ask questions. Is the 

food really as good as they say? How much 

is there to do at weekends? 

6. Check out the weekend 

programme 

You may want a school which offers weekly 

boarding, but if a school has a large number 

of weekly boarders, the numbers staying 

at weekends can reduce dramatically, and 

that makes providing a wide enough range 

of activities difficult. If you want your child to 

be at school at weekends, ask for details of 

what was done in the last couple of weeks, 

and exactly how many boarders were on 

the premises. 

7. Talk to staff 

And not just the Head. House staff, 

matrons, tutors, cleaners and caretakers – 

these are the people at the sharp end of 

your child’s care. Do you like them? Would 

you trust them with your child? If you’re 

worried and email them, will they reply and 

when? 

8. Involve your child 

Whatever the final decision, your child will 

have to live it. This school will be his or her 

home for several years. Here, he or she 

will make friends for life and forge bonds 

that will sustain them through their whole 

lives. They have to feel it is right for them. 

Trust your child’s gut reaction. Becoming a 

boarder is a growing-up kind of decision - 

let them have a major say in the final choice. 

For further information and boarding school 

searches, please visit www.boarding.org.uk. 

Robin Fletcher 

Chief Executive 

Boarding Schools’ Association 



Promenade performance of 

Fantastic Mr Fox 

Mayfield School production of The Tempest 

Mayfield School 

celebrates re-launch 

of prestigious Caedmon 

Dramatic Society 

Whole School production of 

The Wizard of Oz 

Last Thursday night saw the re-launch of Mayfield School’s prestigious 


Caedmon Dramatic Society that has nurtured and encouraged the talent of 

many famous names over the years, including Caroline Goodall (‘Schindler’s 

List’; ‘Hook’; ‘Cliffhanger’; ‘The Princess Diaries’), Rosie Cavaliero (‘Jane 

Eyre’, ‘Little Dorrit’ and ‘Jam and Jerusalem’), and Fenella Woolgar (‘Bright 

Young Things’ and ‘Call the Midwife’), on their journey to success on stage 

and screen. 

Caedmon was originally founded at 

Mayfield in 1933 when the girls chose 

and produced the plays themselves, and 

the greatly-anticipated first play that the 

newly-formed Caedmon will perform is 

Jean Anouilh’s adaptation of Sophocles’ 

tragedy, ‘Antigone’, on the 14th and 15th 

November at the School. 

The re-launch party was attended by 

Caedmon members past and present 

including Mayfield’s talented Drama 

Scholars. Year 13s Olivia, Genevieve, and 

Megan (the new Head of Caedmon), and 

Year 12s Samantha and India who have a 

wealth of experience developed in School 

performances and external productions. 

Each girl achieved Distinction in 

their LAMDA Gold examination, with 

Samantha and India awarded perfect 

scores, an impressive accomplishment. 

These girls also achieved outstanding 

marks in their Drama GCSE and are 

currently studying A Level Drama and 

Theatre in combination with a broad range 

of other subjects, including Spanish, 

Economics, Politics, Maths, English and 

Psychology. 

During the event, the current Mayfield 

Scholars had the opportunity engage with 

alumnae and were inspired by their varied 

experiences. 

Mayfield’s long tradition of dramatic 

excellence extends throughout the School, 

involving all age groups in staging plays, 

set design, costumes and make-up. The 

next whole-school production is Alan 

Parker’s classic musical ‘Bugsy Malone’, 

“I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing 

Caedmon back after all these years and 

it has a special place in the hearts of 

Mayfield girls past and present.” 

which is being held on the 12th and 13th 

February, for which rehearsals are already 

underway. 

Girls in Years 7 to 10 are currently 

auditioning for a promenade production 

of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, which will see 

the white rabbit guiding the audience 

around Mayfield’s historic grounds for 

different scenes of the play, in what will 

undoubtedly be a colourful and engaging 

performance next May. 

Head of Drama, Mrs Sally Gerstmeyer, 

commented: “I am absolutely thrilled to 

be bringing Caedmon back after all these 

years and it has a special place in the 

hearts of Mayfield girls past and present. 

We are all looking forward to watching 

the next generation take this prestigious 

Society forward and making it their own.” 

If you would like to visit our Drama 

Department, you are warmly invited 

to attend our next Open Morning on 

Tuesday 5th November. Please contact 

our Registrar, Mrs Shirley Coppard, on 

registrar@mayfieldgirls.com to reserve 

a place. 



21st century 

boarding approach 

Hurst College’s boarding approach is 

about achieving academic excellence, 

developing confidence, independence, 

leadership and teamwork skills, as well 

as gaining a sense of community and 

cultural understanding... 

The system at Hurst means they are 

able to give parents what they want. 

“Our rhythm is focussed on families 

buying into the weekly and flexi boarding 

lifestyle. Parents and children who want a 

full-on five-day week, match on Saturday 

and the right balance between home and 

school,” says Headmaster Tim Manly. 

Their boarding community is now made 

up of flexi and weekly boarders, as 

they decided to move away from full 

boarding last year. The college believes 

these options provide a healthy workhome 

balance. Students make the most 

of the educational and co-curricular 

opportunities during the week, leaving 

weekends free for quality family time. 

Flexi boarding for three nights each week 

is a huge attraction, as it really is flexible, 

with students able to choose their nights 

even at short notice, while retaining 

their own bed throughout the term. 

Weekly boarding is also very popular 

with students and parents as there is no 

school run to worry about. 

“Parents are very busy and this fits in with 

logistics of modern-day family life. They 

want to be in partnership with the school 

and not just kiss their children goodbye at 

the start of a half term and not see them 

again for weeks on end,” says Deputy 

Head Pastoral Caty Jacques. 

Key to the home-from-home environment 

is their innovative Guardian Scheme 

through which pupils look out for 

one another and house prefects take 

on the role of mentors and coaches. 

Hurst’s small, well-managed houses 

are organised ‘vertically’ (except Upper 

Sixth) allowing older pupils to mentor and 

support younger pupils. Boarding houses 

are separate until the Upper Sixth when 

male and female students co-exist in 

the same house, which works well as a 

bridge before university. 

A Hurst education is much more than 

purely academic, the extra-curricular 

teams are constantly seeking innovative 

ways to engage each student, to help 

them develop these qualities. Total 

engagement is encouraged: “No-one on 

the bench, and no-one under the radar.” 

Their range of activities is second to none 

with more than 240 in total, and provide 

many opportunities for pupils to try new 

ventures, confront risks and learn from 

experience. 

They were awarded excellent grades 

in all categories at their recent ISI full 

inspection and achieved their strongest 

ever set of results at GCSE and A-level 

in the Summer. In fact, they were in the 

top 1% of UK independent schools for 

GCSE value-added scores and the top 

3% for A-levels. This metric is key for 

parents who want their child “to do their 

best” - not something you can measure 

by a league table. Hurst’s philosophy is 

to celebrate individual performance in all 

aspects of life, judging each student’s 

success against their own potential. 

Hurst’s over-arching aim is to provide a 

genuinely excellent all-round education 

with a strong academic core and develop 

confident, successful, independent 

individuals with a good sense of 

themselves and the world around them, 

who will succeed in their lives whatever 

route they choose. A bold claim but this 

is what drives them and their mantra 

‘Work hard, do good, engage’ supports 

this. 

The college operates a bus route to and 

from Tunbridge Wells, on Monday and 

Thursday mornings and Wednesday and 

Friday evenings, to accommodate flexi 

and weekly boarders from the area. 

For further information or to arrange a 

visit please call 01273 836937 

www.hppc.co.uk 


PUT YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD 

We are used to trends in the beauty world - from snail slime to acid peels, 

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I’ve had a lot of facials and beauty 

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The next stage involves simultaneous 

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Then it was onto the acid peel - the 

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and brighten the complexion. Then 

followed the supremely satisfying bit - the 

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After this, a cocktail of customised 

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The last (optional) part of the facial 

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Your specialist will determine what’s 

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The results were amazing and I’m a 

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city pollution, acne flair 

ups or sun damage”. 


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NOTES 

from the pass 

Michael Caines MBE, chef/patron of Lympstone 

Manor, is one of Britain’s most decorated and 

well-known chefs. Sally Thomson caught up with 

him to discuss his ventures in wine, his passion 

for teaching and his need for speed... 

When we last met you were at 

Kentisbury Grange, and I note that you 

received some awards for that? 

Yes, the Small Hotel of the Year and 

Restaurant of the Year. It’s great! 

Kentisbury Grange is owned by my old 

school friend Mark Cushway. Mark asked 

me to get involved and help him with 

his project, which I did, and it’s great to 

see that over the years we’ve managed 

to acquire many awards which is a 

tribute to the team. The chef there at the 

moment is James Checkley and he is 

doing a great job, and we just continue 

to advance and improve. There are 

challenges being in North Devon that are 

different to being located in South Devon, 

unfortunately places in North Devon can 

get overlooked on the culinary map, so 

it’s nice to be able to contribute to the 

North Devon economy by creating a 

lovely venue, and to see it do well. 

When we last spoke you mentioned that 

your pride and joy was Lympstone Manor. 

You are now nearly into its third year… 

It’s incredible to think that when we last 

met, it was just in its infancy. We won a 

Michelin Star within six months, and we 

are very pleased to announce that we 

have been given five rosettes this year, 

so it is great progress and we just look to 

the Michelin gods that we might advance 

to two! But the main thing is that since 

we spoke we planted a vineyard and the 

whole property has settled and matured. 

It really is the best of me and everything 

that I have achieved in my career 

combined into this wonderful place. 

Do you draw back the curtains and pinch 

yourself to remember that it’s yours? 

Every day! When I walk into that 

"Lympstone Manor 

really is the best of 

me, and everything 

that I have achieved in 

my career combined 

into this wonderful 

place." 

property and I look 

at that view…I do pinch myself! But 

I also recognise that it has been a 

huge amount of hard work and it still 

continues to take a lot of commitment. 

So about your vineyard! The harvest 

in 2018 was good wasn’t it? 

The harvest in the UK in 2018 was 

brilliant, it was the best harvests in the 

history of English wine making, it’s been 

incredible. We planted our vineyard in 

2018, and in its second year it will 

produce grapes that we can harvest 

(next year), those grapes will then be 

vinified and we will be releasing our first 

wine in 2024. So it takes three years for 

the vineyard to establish. We are now in 

our second year. We planted, in eleven 

acres, 17,500 vines, of which 50% 

are Pinot Noir, 20% Meunier and 30% 

are Chardonnay. They are the classic 

champagne varietals, so we are looking 

forward to producing some wonderful 

English sparkling wine. Hopefully they will 

have their own story to tell, alongside the 

story of Lympstone Manor. 

I’ve been watching Jason Atherton 

in The Chef’s Brigade, and what I 

hadn’t really realised is the interaction 

between each person in the kitchen 

and how it can affect the cuisine. I 

work in an office, and each person 

does their own thing, whereas in a 

kitchen, the relationship between each 

person is quite a complex one! 

In all honesty it’s not that different! Similar 

to what you described with your office, 

everyone has different disciplines. The 

editor brings into the magazine all those 

different skills that contribute into a great 

publication. In a kitchen it is similar, it’s 

like an orchestra, and we conduct that 

orchestra, but we edit it and so we are 

the curators but it requires an individual 

team working alongside each other and 

communicating. Our deadlines however 

are very immediate! It requires massive 

amounts of effort and discipline, and 

that discipline is not self-indulgent, 

it’s selfless, as it is a requirement. It is 

a very tough environment. We are all 

interconnected and intertwined, but it’s 

also like the analogy of a swan, where on 

the surface to the customer we appear 

very calm, but underneath there’s two 

legs paddling! But we’ve got more than 

two legs on the team, and those legs are 

components, all working together. It’s 

fascinating and it’s a good insight into 

what goes on behind the scenes. 

17

On a completely different note, did 

you go to Silverstone this year? If so, 

how many Grand Prix’s did you get to 

attend? 

I did go this year, it was great! I’ve seen 

four this year, sometimes it’s five. But I 

did three Europeans and one fly-away, 

and so we send a chef out to all the 

Europeans to support ROKiT Williams 

Racing, and I go to Monaco, British, 

Monza and America. Sometimes I do Abu 

Dhabi and I might try and do Singapore 

next year. I do as many or as few as I 

want, but no less than three. 

What’s your favourite? 

Monaco is amazing but the racing is 

dull. Monza is the fastest track. Italy, I 

love Italy. But I love Silverstone for pure 

racing, it’s a great track. It’s a fascinating 

sport, and I think as much as we criticise 

it, one minute you can have a dull race 

and the next minute you can have the 

most exciting race. 

I know you are very involved with 

charities, and you have the Michael 

Caines Academy at Exeter College? 

It’s probably more of an educational 

programme at Exeter College where we 

take sixteen students through two years 

of training and they then graduate as 

a Michael Caines Academy student. In 

that time they have a slightly shortened 

curriculum where they spend six weeks 

in work experience and they have do 

one ‘experience day’ a week, which are 

cooking demonstrations, visits to the 

industry etc. After these two years when 

they graduate they are very sought after, 

because of the experience they have 

gained. So the academy is very important 

and it’s doing a great job supplying the 

industry with some much needed talent. 

They are all like-minded and are fabulous 

kids, and now in its eighth year we’ve had 

sixty cohorts going through, and we will 

continue to develop. We might increase 

the cohort, and we might expand the 

academy within other colleges. But in 

terms of the charity work I do, I work with 

seven different charities. I’m patron of 

Families for Children which is an adoption 

charity, I’m the president of the wonderful 

charity Farms for City Children, I’m on the 

board for the Exeter Chiefs Foundation, 

which is the charity for the Exeter Rugby 

team which do a fantastic job. I’m also 

an ambassador and advisor to the board 

of the Calvert Trust, and I also work 

alongside Damon Hill’s Charity who 

support people with Down’s Syndrome. 

So it’s lots of different charities! But it 

increases public awareness, and I’m 

particularly proud to have been made 

a deputy lieutenant to the lieutenant of 

Devon, because through this position 

I am able to work on improving the 

network of charities in Devon, and get 

them working together. 

In terms of the success of the Exeter 

Chiefs, and the work that they do – we 

support seventeen charities every 

year, but alongside that we donate 

undesignated funds to a huge amount of 

different charities. What we are seeing 

is a way in which we can help charities 

with capital projects, and last year we 

got together with the Property Ball. 

They raised £55,000 last year towards 

charities, and we chose to match fund 

"If you are a public 

figure...then I 

think you have a 

duty of care to do 

something and 

put back in the 

community" 

that, and so between the two charities 

we raised £110,000 to refit Devon 

Hospice in Exeter, which was a wellworthy 

cause and an incredible thing 

to do. But it’s things like that, that are 

about the community, that inspire you 

to get involved. If you are a public figure 

or you are someone who is perceived 

to be a celebrity or you are successful 

then I think you have a duty of care 

to do something and put back in the 

community. Not everybody does it but I 

think it is important. 

You can find out more about Michael 

Caines at michaelcaines.com 

and Lympstone Manor at 

lympstonemanor.co.uk 

18

C hristmas 

MINI CHOCOLATE & 

RASPBERRY TARTS 

So, you're not a fan of mince meat and 

dried fruit? Christmas is a challenging 

time then. Just as well to have 

these delicious Christmas pudding 

alternatives for the big day. Recipes 

from egg experts Clarence Court 

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour 

Serves 6 

INGREDIENTS 

For the pastry: 

150g (5oz) plain flour 

4 level tbsp icing sugar 

Pinch of salt 

100g (3½ oz) unsalted butter 

1 Burford Brown egg yolk 

For the filling: 

4 tbsp raspberry conserve 

284ml carton whipping cream 

2 tbsp liquid glucose 

200g bar dark chocolate 

50g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter 

Few drops of vanilla extract 

Fresh raspberries and chocolate curls or 

fans, to serve 

Icing sugar, to dust 

METHOD 

Pre heat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). 

Pour flour, icing sugar and salt into a bowl and stir. 

Cut the butter into smaller pieces before adding it to 

the flour and rubbing together. 

Add the Burford Brown egg yolk and bind together 

(if required, add 1-2tbsp of water to get the desired 

consistency). Wrap the pastry in cling film and leave 

to chill it for around 15 mins. 

Roll the pastry and use it to line the tins. Prick 

the bottom of the pastry and line with backing 

parchment and baking beans before putting it in the 

oven to bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Remove the baking parchment and baking beans 

then return to the oven to bake for a further 3-5 

minutes or until the pastry is cooked through. 

Take out of the oven and leave to cool. Remove the 

pastry from the tin and cover the bases with jam. 

For the chocolate filling, carefully bring cream to the 

boil and remove from the heat. Stir in liquid glucose 

and pour over the chocolate, stirring until it's 

melted. Add butter and vanilla extract and stir until 

melted. Pour the chocolate into the cases. Chill until 

filling has set. Decorate with raspberries to finish. 

THESE HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE 

TARTS ARE NOT ONLY A 

MOUTHFUL OF CHOCOLATE 

RASPBERRY HEAVEN, BUT THEY 

ARE ALSO SO EASY TO MAKE. 

19

WINTER FRUIT 

& NUT PAVLOVA 

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 1 hour 20 mins 

Serves: 6-8 

INGREDIENTS 

6 large Clarence Court Burford Brown egg 

whites (keep the yolks in the fridge for 

another day or make eggnog) 

300g caster sugar 

Pinch sea salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 tablespoon icing sugar 

50g pecans 

300ml double cream 

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 

4 figs 

200g mixed berries (red currants, 

raspberries) 

1 clementine or tangerine, peeled into 

segments 

4 tablespoons sweetened chestnut puree 

Ground cinnamon 

METHOD 

Pre-heat the oven to 120°C. Line a baking 

sheet with greaseproof paper and draw a 

30cm circle on it as a template. 

IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE 

ONE ONCE YOU'RE NEARLY 

DONE WITH THE OVEN AFTER 

A DAY OF BAKING AND 

ROASTING. ONCE COOKED, 

TURN OFF THE OVEN AND 

ALLOW THE MERINGUE TO 

COOL IN THERE UNTIL THE 

NEXT DAY. 

Place the egg whites in a large, spotlessly 

clean mixing bowl and whisk with a hand held 

or freestanding electric mixer until stiff peaks 

have formed. Add the caster sugar a spoonful 

at a time, whisking the whole time then add 

the sea salt and vanilla extract. Continue 

to whisk for around 8 minutes or until all 

the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is 

smooth. To test this take a pinch of mixture 

between your finger and thumb and rub 

together. If it’s a little gritty, continue mixing. 

Spoon the mixture on to the lined baking 

sheet using the back of the spoon to create 

peaks. Place the pavlova in the oven for 

around 1 hour and 20 minutes or until set 

and crisp. Once baked switch off the oven 

and allow the oven to cool down completely. 

Once cooled you can keep the pavlova in 

an air tight box for around 3 days in a cool 

dark place. 

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to 

serve remove the pavlova from the oven and 

pre-heat to 200°C. Line a small roasting tin 

or baking sheet with grease proof paper. 

Rinse the pecans under cold water in a sieve 

and tip into a roasting tin whilst wet, sprinkle 

over 1 tablespoon icing sugar, toss together 

and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes 

until toasted and crunchy. 

Meanwhile pour the cream into a large mixing 

bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoons icing 

sugar and vanilla bean paste. Whisk to soft 

peaks and place to one side. 

Wash fruits, quarter the figs. Place the 

pavlova on a serving plate or board and 

spoon over the cream, spoon the chestnut 

puree on top and arrange over the fruit. 

Scatter over the caramelised pecans and 

dust over a little ground cinnamon. 

20

FLOURLESS 

CHOCOLATE 

CAKE 

Prep: 30 minutes 

Cook: 1 hour | Serves: 8-10 

INGREDIENTS 

6 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs, 

separated 

200g unsalted butter 

200g dark chocolate 

Finely grated zest of one orange (cut the 

orange itself into thin slices for serving 

with the cake) 

1 tablespoon cold espresso 


70g cocoa powder 

Créme frâiche (or salted caramel sauce) 

for serving 

Pecan nuts (optional) 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. 

Grease a 23cm springform cake tin, and 

line with baking parchment. 

Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan 

of simmering water. Add the butter, 

chocolate and orange zest to the bowl, 

and, stirring occasionally, allow to melt 

until smooth. Stir in the espresso. Take 

the bowl off the heat and place to one 

side to cool a little. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and egg 

yolks until they’re pale and fluffy. Sift in 

the cocoa powder and fold through, then 

sprinkle in a pinch of salt. In a separate 

mixing bowl, whip the egg whites into soft 

peaks using an electric hand whisk. Stir 

the melted chocolate mixture into the egg 

yolk mixture, then gently fold through the 

egg whites until just combined. 

Carefully pour the cake mix into the lined 

cake tin and place in the oven for around 

one hour. Test the dense cake after an 

hour by inserting a skewer into the centre: 

if it comes out nearly clean, it’s ready. 

Remove the cake from the oven and allow 

it to cool on a rack before removing it 

from the tin. 

Serve with the blood orange slices and 

créme frâiche, and/or the salted caramel 

sauce, with a handful of pecans (optional). 

FUDGY, MOUSSEY AND RICH. 

WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE? A 

PERFECT CAKE TO SERVE AS A 

GLUTEN-FREE TREAT, THAT’S 

SO DELICIOUS EVERYONE WILL 

WANT SOME. EGGS ARE THE 

KEY TO THIS CAKE, GIVING IT 

BODY AND RISE. 

21

PEAR & 

BLACKBERRY 

FRANGIPANE 

TART 

Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 1 hour 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS 

Plain flour 

1 500g pack shortcrust pastry 

160g unsalted butter, softened 


2 Clarence Court Burford Brown 

eggs 

160g ground almonds 

2 tablespoons plain flour 

1 teaspoon almond extract 

50g blackberry jam 

100g blackberries 

3 pears 

Icing sugar 

METHOD 

Roll the pastry to 3mm thick on 

a lightly floured work surface. 

Carefully line a 22cm, round, fluted 

tart tin allowing for a little overhang. 

Prick the base all over and place the 

lined tin in the freezer for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile place the butter, sugar, 

egg, almonds and extract in a large 

mixing bowl. Whisk together until 

smooth and place to one side. Peel 

one of the pears, core and chop 

then place to one side. 

Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/ 

gas mark 4. Fill the chilled case with 

baking beans and blind bake for 15 

minutes. Remove the baking beans 

and return the case to the oven and 

bake for a further 5 minutes or until 

golden. 

Once baked, remove the tart case 

from the oven and spoon the jam 

into the bottom of the case. Scatter 

over the chopped pear. Fold half of 

the berries into the frangipane and 

spoon over the jam and chopped 

pear. Smooth over with a spatula. 

Halve, core and slice the remaining 

2 pears. Arrange the slices over the 

frangipane and dot the remaining 

blackberries around. Place the tart 

on an oven tray and bake for 30 

minutes or until just risen and set. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes 

before removing from the tin and 

allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve 

warm with creme fraiche and 

berries or allow to cool completely. 

Dust with icing sugar and serve. 

QUICK HOMEMADE 

FRANGIPANE IS THE PERFECT 

CARRIER FOR ALL TYPES 

OF FRUIT. CRANBERRIES 

AND CITRUS FRUITS ARE 

ALSO GREAT CHOICES FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

22

EGGCELLENT EGGNOG 

Prep: 10 mins (plus chilling) | Cook: 10 mins 

Serves 6 

INGREDIENTS 

565ml (1 pint) milk 

200ml double cream 

1 vanilla pod, halved, seeds scraped out (or 1 tablespoon 

vanilla bean paste) 

Half a whole nutmeg, grated (plus a little extra for serving) 

2 sticks cinnamon 

2 whole cloves 

4 Burford brown eggs separated 

100g golden caster sugar 

130ml Cockspur fine rum 

3 tablespoons demerara sugar 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

METHOD 

Pour the milk and cream in to a saucepan. Add the spices 

(including the empty vanilla pod) and place on a medium 

heat. Bring to a simmer (but not boiling) and allow to cool for 

5 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. 

Meanwhile place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing 

bowl. Whisk well until light and thickened. Strain the warm milk 

into a jug through a sieve. Pour the spiced milk into the bowl of 

egg yolks in a steady stream whisking well. Stir in the rum. 

You can either place the mixture in a cooled sterilised bottle 

with a tight fitting lid and allow the flavours to develop in the 

fridge. If you decide to do this you can freeze the egg whites 

in a sandwich bag until you’re ready to use. Then defrost 

them in the fridge before whisking. 

If you would like to serve straight away. Place the egg whites 

in a large mixing bowl and whisk the whites to soft peaks. 

Mix the demerara sugar and ground cinnamon on a plate. 

Have a small bowl of rum or water ready. 

Fold the egg whites in to the eggnog mix then pour into a 

serving jug. Dip the rims of serving glasses into the rum or 

water and then dip straight into the sugar and cinnamon mix. 

Divide the eggnog between glasses and finish with a grating 

of nutmeg. 

Images Courtesy David Loftus 

23

OWLEEZ 

Interactive Owleez 

responds to your 

touch, movement 

and care – it has 

over 100 sounds 

and movements 

and can even fly! 

£44.99, amazon. 

co.uk 

MY PARTNER PIKACHU 

3 touch sensors let you and 

Pikachu communicate in a 

new and fun way. £17.99, 

smythstoys.com 

24 

PET POOKI 

The interactive pet! With 

over an hour of content, 

movement and sounds 

Pooki will respond 

differently to your child's 

interaction. Pooki will 

look for you when you 

call her name, don't shout 

though she gets scared. 

£49, argos.co.uk 

NEON MARL 

Fun and bright 

sweatshirts and 

hoodies for her, 

the kids plus 

festive designs. 

From £30, 

neonmarl.co.uk 

SUEDE SLIPPERS 

Beautiful, soft handmade 

Moroccan slippers with 

padding inside that moulds 

to the feet. Grey and Tan 

Brown available. £16 with 

free P&P, hauslife.co.uk 

FLORIS REED 

DIFFUSER 

Fill your home with the warming fragrance of 

Ginger & Sandalwood from luxury scent makers 

Floris. £70, florislondon.com 

PERFORMANCE 

GYM BALL 

Help support fitness 

goals at home with 

this sturdy 65cm ball 

and pump. £21.99, 

1000mile.co.uk 

SNEAK V TRAINERS 

Sustainable, vegan lace up sneaker in breathable and 

soft (yet hard-wearing) alternative to leather, featuring 

perforated Po-Zu butterfly 

logo detail. £99, 

po-zu.com 

PICTIONARY AIR 

A fun take on a classic. 

Just download the free 

Pictionary Air app and 

take turns drawing 

clues in the air while 

your teammates 

guess the images 

that appear on the 

screen! £19.99, 

amazon.co.uk 

HER 

KIDS 

THE VERY MERRY 

CHRISTMAS BOARDGAME 

Move around the board 

collecting presents (present 

cards) to put in your stocking. 

Presents have a value 

depending on whether they’re 

nice… or naff! £20, Debenhams 

and Amazon 

LONG DACHSHUND MATCHES 

At 29cm these long matches are a 

joy to behold as well as being ideal 

for lighting hard-to-reach candles or 

lanterns. They come in a beautifully 

letter press-printed box. 

£10, noblemacmillan.com 

HARRY POTTER GAMES 

Know your OWLS from your 

NEWTS? Test your HP knowledge 

with word game Lex-GO or 

get quizing with Top Trumps 

with a twist. Lex-GO, £14.99, 

Waterstones and Top Trumps, 

£9.99, amazon.co.uk 

CACAO & VANILLA CANDLE 

Get a chocolate hit without 

the calories with this sublimely 

scented candle from Hotel 

Chocolat, made with natural 

soy, coconut and beeswax 

for a cleaner burn. £28, 

hotelchocolat.com 

LEATHER POUCH 

Beautiful, buttery soft leather 

pouches with sublime 

tassels - make yours pop 

with your initial too! Leather 

Pouch, £99 and Alphabet 

Keyring, £40, 

noblemacmillan. 

com

FLEX DELUXE MICRO SCOOTER 

A premium scooter with a wood and 

fibreglass deck that flexes to absorb 

bumps and large 200mm wheels that 

glide serenely over any terrain. Matt 

Black Flex Deluxe, £179.95, 

micro-scooters.co.uk 

HIM 

MOSHI PORTO Q 5K 

A Qi Wireless battery 

which will have you 

charging on the go without 

worrying about cables. 

£79.95, moshi.com 

MOSHI WORLD 

TRAVEL ADAPTER 

This international 

power adapter 

features US/EU/ 

UK/AU power plugs 

to cover over 150 

countries. Charge up 

to six devices at the 

same time with the 

AC socket, USB-C 

port, and four USB 

ports. £54.95, 

moshi.com 

MYZONE MZ3 

The Myzone MZ3 tracks heart rate with 

99.6% accuracy and provides live workout 

feedback on your phone. £129, amazon. 

co.uk or myzone.org 

STM DAPPER 

WRAPPER 

Great for those that travel 

with tech, this handy rollup 

wrapper keeps cables 

tidy and all in one place. 

£24.95, stmgoods.com 

TINCUP AMERICAN WHISKEY 

A bourbon style profile with a bold 

and spicy finish. £30, asda.com 

SALTED CARAMEL HAMPER 

Complete with truffles, vodka, 

nut spread, shortbread and 

decadent hot chocolate. £27.50, 

hotelchocolat.com 

CHOCOLATE 

SLABS 

Hotel Chocolat has 

perfect bits for the 

whole family - we 

love the no alcohol 

Winter Puddings 

Sleekster Luxe 

and the Chocolate 

Slabs with cheery 

faces. Sleekster 

£35.95 and Slab 

£8,hotelchocolat.com 

ITALICUS 

A perfect festive botanical aperitivo to 

add to sparkling wine - not to mention a 

beautiful bottle for the drinks cabinet. 

£29.99, masterofmalt.com 

PRESTAT 

The ideal chocolate for gifting, 

we love their beautiful packaging, 

especially on the Mini Truffles 

Bauble. £12, prestat.co.uk 

BLACK COW VODKA 

FOOD 

& DRINK 

The only vodka made 

entirely from whey from 

grass-grazed cow’s milk 

left over from the 

cheese-making 

process. £28, 

blackcowvodka. 

co.uk 

CAPUCANA CACHACA 

Brazilian fire water! Capucana 

combines nine varieties of 

sugar cane distillate which 

gives its bright golden 

colour and its stewed fruit 

and grassy character. £36, 

masterofmalt.com 

BETTY'S 

CHOCOLATE 

DESIRES 

12 hand-piped 

chocolate discs 

topped with fruit and 

nuts. £12.75, 

bettys.co.uk 

PORTER’S 

TROPICAL 

OLD TOM GIN 

A classic juniper 

based gin lifted 

by exotic notes 

of passion fruit, 

guava and white 

tea. £34.67, 

masterofmalt. 

com 

25

magical 

OMAN 

Katie Thomson journeys to the mountains and dunes of Oman to 

discover unrivalled landscapes and classic Arabian hospitality 

26

The name Oman is a particularly evocative one. It 

speaks of the shifting sands of dunes and deserts, the 

intricate mastery of wood carving, interiors bedecked in 

jewel-toned fabrics reflected in shining brasswork and 

of millennia-old traditions and classic Arabic hospitality. 

It is also a country of contrasts - high mountain passes 

with spectacular valleys and picture postcard famous backdrops of 

sand dunes. 

You might not think mountains when you think of Oman, but the 

country has some of the most spectacular landscapes and vistas 

anywhere in the Middle East. Indeed, many nationals from the UAE 

or Saudi head to the Omani mountains for their holidays, preferring 

the milder climate in the summer months. 

Sitting atop a peak in Jabel Al Akhdar is the Sahab Resort and Spa, 

the latest hotel offering from the Omani Al Nahda group. Known for 

their strong commitment to service and luxurious settings, this hotel 

seeks to offer a mountain getaway where guests can truly relax. The 

hotel is of course centred around the views - spectacular vistas of 

gorges, waterfalls and stone cut ridges. The designers have been 

keen to ground the hotel in its location through a series of careful 

touches - the million year-old fossils found in the valley are visible 

throughout all of the grounds and the local rosewater scents the 

halls. 

Sahab offers 27 rooms in three different categories - Studio rooms, 

Suite rooms & Family Suites. The decor is influenced by rich Omani 

culture, equipped with all the modern amenities and offering a 

magnificent view of the Jabal Al Akhdar mountain range. It was 

special indeed to sip my morning coffee whilst gazing out across 

the vastness of the surroundings, watching as the sun stretched and 

touched each mountainous ridge in turn. 

There are lots of excursion options from the hotel - some abseiling 

and mountain climbing for adrenaline-seekers, alongside more 

sedate tours of local villages, the rose garden or even star gazing. I 

opted for the village tour, taking in the local waterfall and getting a 

sense of the unique challenges of living in somewhere so remote. 

After days of soaking up the endless views by the pool, it was time 

to move on to a more archetypal Middle Eastern experience in the 

sand dunes. 

Mirage-like and utterly majestic, the Dunes by Al Nahda resort sits 

amongst the undulating sand dunes of Wadi Al Abyad. Only 40 

minutes from Muscat, it’s a world away from city life, creating an 

authentic taste of the Omani experience. The hotel is made up of 

a series of static ivory one or two bedroom Bedouin tents, each 

luxuriously furnished with dark woods, richly patterned fabrics and 

ultra-comfortable beds. For a truly majestic stay, and this resort 

does host royalty, there are the Royal Suites. The size of almost 

four tents together, each is capacious at 139 square meters and 

equipped with separate bedrooms, a living room and a private patio. 

Dunes Resort and Spa 

“IT IS ALSO A COUNTRY 

OF CONTRASTS - HIGH 

MOUNTAIN PASSES WITH 

SPECTACULAR VALLEYS AND 

PICTURE POSTCARD FAMOUS 

BACKDROPS OF SAND DUNES.” 

27

“IT WAS SPECIAL 

INDEED TO SIP MY 

MORNING COFFEE 

WHILST GAZING 

OUT ACROSS THE 

VASTNESS OF THE 

SURROUNDINGS” 

Other than the opulent accommodation, what makes 

Dunes unique is the swimming pool - unlike many desert 

camps, Dunes is unique in having a spectacular infinity 

pool, with views stretching out for miles over undulating 

terrain. This immersion in the landscape is important, and 

it is emphasised at every opportunity - each tent enjoys 

similarly spectacular view of the dunes or the distant Al 

Hajar mountains, so, if like me you have a little jet lag, you 

can watch the sunrise over the sands from your bed! 

The resort offers a whole host of amazing experiences 

- from riding on Abdul the resident camel, guided quad 

biking on the dunes and even a most spectacular Arabian 

feast served under the stars. Just as in Sahab, Dunes 

prides itself on an excellent menu of Indian and Omani 

dishes. These are served in the Fleur Restaurant, open 

on all sides to the panoramic mountain views. Fleur’s 

head chef is somewhat of a local celebrity, having won 

the Omani equivalent of MasterChef. He was also a part 

of Rick Stein’s series on India - showing the calibre of the 

cookery on offer. 

It is clear with both resorts that the work is collaborative 

and dependent upon excellent staff. The chefs, both 

Indian, are adept and dexterous in the kitchen, creating 

different takes on classic Omani dishes and elevating 

them to fine dining - of course with some spice and curry 

flavours thrown in. The spas too are what the group are 

known for; Dr Mary Ann is one of those brought in at the 

conception of the hotel group, with the owners seeking 

out her health and wellbeing expertise to set up the 

medi-spa in the original Al Nadha Hotel. Her ethos and 

whole-body approach to wellbeing is echoed in each 

resort and she has designed a treatment menu for each 

that reflects its setting. 

In Sahab, perched as it is high in the mountains, the 

signature scent is called ‘Clouds’ - an uplifting fragrance 

which pairs with the Signature massage. In Dunes, the 

scent is a more musky ‘Arabian Nights’ and the signature 

treatment is quite extraordinary. Called the ‘Sand Spa’, 

clients take to an open air treatment room are immersed 

in sand which has been heated by the sun. It is said that 

a sand bath provides relief for people suffering from a 

range of muscular disorders as well as helping to ease 

the symptoms and heal various skin conditions too - 

the gentle heat is also supremely relaxing, bringing a 

soothing warmth to the body without becoming overly 

hot. After the sand, which exfoliates the skin too, a 

moisturising coating of natural yoghurt is applied to the 

skin. Quite unique and almost elemental in its approach, 

this is a treatment unlike any you might find elsewhere. 

28 

Dr Mary, originally from Scotland, was certain she would 

return home after setting up the spas - but she fell in

Images, clockwise from top left: Bedrooms at 

Sahab; amazing views from the Sahab pool 

area; the infinity pool at Dunes; Dunes tent 

interior; Abdul, Dunes' resident camel 

with Oman and moved permanently. I asked 

her about her thoughts on the way the modern 

world is changing what is ostensibly a traditionled 

country “the country is not virgin anymore, 

in the respect of technology and infrastructure, 

she is newly married though - growing a little, 

finding her way, experiencing new things and 

of course changing - but ultimately Oman is 

not so changed from its core and that is what 

makes it so magical.” 

It is amazing that a country can have as peaceful 

an existence as this, often called upon to be 

the mediator of other political conflicts. The 

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said plays a part 

in this prosperity, and his particular penchant 

for aesthetically pleasing architecture has 

seen Oman, and Muscat in particular, grow 

gracefully and with tradition at its heart - you 

won’t see the skyscrapers of Dubai here as all 

buildings are limited to four storeys. There are 

lots of excursions available from Dunes which 

take in some of the city’s best sights - you can 

meander through the nearby Matrah Souk or 

visit the city’s architectural gem - Sultan Qaboo’s 

Mosque. This mosque can accommodate 

over 7,000 worshippers inside it’s cool marble 

prayer rooms and at its heart it houses the 

most dazzling chandelier I have ever seen - all 8 

tonnes of it. 

I have travelled fairly extensively in the Middle 

East, but something about Oman really did 

capture my imagination. It offers so much 

to the traveller - world-class scenery, lots of 

cultural sights, and of course that wonderful 

Omani hospitality. 

The Al Nahda Group too make the most of these 

elements, amplifying them in their hotels to give 

guests an authentic, but relaxing experience 

and surely fond memories of a holiday filled with 

adventure and discovery. 

TRAVEL TIPS: 

• 4 nights at Sahab and then three nights at Dunes, private transfers and 

return flights with Oman Air 

• Cox & Kings (0203 642 0861, coxandkings.co.uk) offers 4 nights at Sahab 

Resort & Spa on a full board basis and 3 nights at Dunes by Al Nahda on a 

half board basis from £2,395 per person (two sharing) including all private 

transfers and return economy international flights with Oman Air. 

• The currency is the Omani Rial - 2 rials is approximately £1 

• The national language is Arabic - handy phrases include 'Shukraan' - thank 

you, 'Salam Alaikum' - hello or peace be with you to which the response is 

'Wa-Alaikum-Salaam' - and peace with you also 

29

THE HOMEBUYER'S 

Thinking about moving or buying your first home? Read on... 

If you are beginning the process of buying 

your first home, selling to buy a bigger 

property or even downsizing once the 

kids have flown the nest, you may find 

that the property market is an unknown 

entity, full of potential pitfalls, doubts 

and unexpected costs. Couple that with 

the looming uncertainty of BREXIT, and 

you have a complicated set of hoops to 

jump through. In this guide, we aim to 

demystify homebuying and give useful 

advice for each stage of the process. 

BREXIT BLUES? 

UK house price growth remains subdued 

as uncertainty about the direction and 

shape of Brexit continues to weigh on the 

market. 

The latest figures from Nationwide show 

UK house prices rose by 0.4% on the year, 

the 11th month in a row that annual price 

growth remained below 1%. 

City A.M. says the latest modest rises 

“underline concerns over a slowdown 

in activity in the UK’s housing market, 

particularly in London and the South, 

despite a recent improvement in earnings 

and employment”. 

“It’s hard to see the market emerging from 

this sub-one per cent annual growth rut 

until there is clarity on Brexit,” said David 

Westgate, chief executive of Andrews 

Property group, adding “the sheer level of 

political uncertainty has left the property 

market in a protracted limbo”. 

Which? magazine says: “Whether you’re 

a staunch remainer or avid Brexiteer, 

there’s no denying that the uncertainty 

around when the UK will leave the EU, and 

the terms under which it may happen, is 

causing property market jitters.” 

What has the impact of Brexit been so far? 

“The economic uncertainty caused by 

Brexit has undoubtedly affected the 

market, with house price growth slowing 

year-on-year and the number of sales 

taking a dramatic dip in recent months,” 

says Which?. 

Nationwide’s chief economist Robert 

Gardner said this week that average 

prices rose by £800 over the last 12 

months, a sharp slowing compared with 

the year to October 2016, just after the 

Brexit referendum, when prices jumped 

by £9,100. 

Data released by Rightmove earlier this 

month found that the price of property 

coming to market has endured its weakest 

month-on-month rise at this time of year in 

over a decade. 

Prospective home buyers have been 

undeterred by the approaching Brexit 

deadline, while sellers have been put off 

by ongoing uncertainty over UK house 

prices, according to the real estate 

platform. 

While the latest Brexit extension has 

pushed back the imminent threat of a nodeal 

Brexit, investors and market experts 

have expressed concern about the 

potential consequences given it remains 

the default position if an agreement 

cannot be ratified by Parliament by 31 

January 2020. 

Information from theweek.co.uk 

FIRST-TIME BUYERS 

So, you’re about to make the biggest 

investment of your life so far. Scary, right? 

There’s a lot to think about, and a lot of 

costs you will not have even considered 

until the process has started. Your 

mortgage is the first thing you should 

think about, because until you have your 

Decision in Principle, you will not know 

what you can afford to buy. By going to 

an independent mortgage advisor, you 

will have the choice of many different 

banks and building societies, so you 

can assess options like the term of your 

mortgage, fixing interest rates and any 

cash back offered. 

Viewing Houses 

This is probably the most fun bit of 

the process, because you get to know 

your tastes and can have a look around 

some lovely properties in the process. 

Rightmove is a great resource, as is 

Zoopla for comparing prices in an area. 

As well as relying on these sites, it is 

vital that you make yourself known to 

lots of different local agents. Let them 

know in as much detail as possible what 

requirements you have (location, number 

of bedrooms, garden, garage etc) and 

your upper price limit. A good agent will 

let you know about properties about to 

come to the market, helping you get a 

head start on other buyers. 

Viewing Tip - When viewing houses, 

try to take some pictures (with the estate 

agent’s permission) on your phone as 

an aide memoir and if you have furniture 

from renting to fit in, take a tape measure 

and see if it would fit in the space. 

CONVEYANCING 

So, once you’ve found the property you 

want, you will need to instruct a solicitor 

to do the conveyancing for you. Before 

deciding on one, we recommend emailing 

or calling around for some quotes to 

make sure you get a competitive rate. 

30

GUIDE 

CHARTERED SURVEY 

Unless the property you are buying is less 

than 10 years old, it really does make good 

sense to have a survey. Most surveyors 

offer a choice between a RICS Homebuyer 

Report or a Building Survey. Send over 

the property details you have and they 

will help you decide on the best survey for 

peace of mind. Once again, it does pay to 

enquire with a few different firms to keep 

prices competitive and to find the right 

surveyor for the type of property you buy. 

Surveying Tip - If you are buying a 

flat, it can be difficult to know whether 

you need to have a full building survey 

(formerly called a structural survey). If 

you are buying a flat in a listed or older 

building, talk to your surveyor about 

whether they can offer a special package 

for you. 

SELLING 

Over the past few years, the property 

landscape really has become a seller’s 

market. With a high demand for property, 

estate agents are having to be creative 

in the way they compete for instructions. 

This is great news if you are selling, as 

you can ask them to be competitive in the 

rates they offer. 

Surveying Tips - It is likely that you 

will need to provide certificates or 

documentation of any major work you 

have had done on your home in the last 

10 years, primarily electrics. De-clutter 

before the estate agent comes to take 

photos. Your home needs to be a blank 

canvas, so the potential buyer can imagine 

their possessions there, without yours 

dominating their vision. 

MOVING 

So, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff eh? 

Here are our top tips to make moving easier: 

• Start packing the areas of your 

home that you use the least. Pack 

essentials last. 

• At least 8 weeks before the date, 

notify change of address for any 

subscriptions. 

• Pack early if you are using the 

services of a moving company. Also 

be sure to label clearly and keep 

heavy boxes double taped. 

• Recycle anything you don’t love 

anymore. Start this process early, 

using a skip for unsellable items and 

send other bits to the charity shop. 

Removals companies sometimes 

charge by volume, so reducing the 

amount you take with you cuts costs. 

Help to Buy? 

The Help to Buy scheme offers an equity 

loan where the government lends firsttime 

buyers and existing homeowners 

money to buy a newly-built home. 

The purchase price must be no more 

than £600,000. Under this scheme, you 

can borrow 20% of the purchase price 

interest-free for the first five years as 

long as you have at least a 5% deposit. 

If you live in London, you can borrow up 

to 40% of the purchase price. 

The Government has confirmed it will 

extend its Help to Buy equity loan 

scheme from 2021 to 2023. However, this 

extension will be restricted to first-time 

buyers purchasing newly built homes. 

From 2021, there will also be new 

regional price caps which could reduce 

the maximum value of homes that can be 

bought through the Equity Loan Scheme. 

Help to Buy: Equity loans 

How they work 

• You need at least 5% of the sale 

price of your new-build flat or 

house as a deposit. 

• The government lends you up to 

20%, or 40% if you live in London, 

of the sale price. 

• You borrow the rest (up to 75%, or 

55% if you live in London) from a 

mortgage lender, on a repayment 

basis. 

• The equity loan must be repaid 

after 25 years, or earlier if you sell 

your home. 

• You must repay the same 

percentage of the proceeds of the 

sale as the initial equity loan (i.e. 

if you received an equity loan for 

20% of the purchase price of your 

home, you must repay 20% of the 

proceeds of the future sale). 

• You don’t pay any interest or fees 

on the government’s equity loan for 

the first five years. In the sixth year, 

you’ll be charged 1.75%. 

• After then, the fee rises by inflation 

based on the Retail Prices Index 

(RPI) plus 1% each year. 

• RPI figures are put together by the 

Office for National Statistics. 

Help to Buy: Shared 

Ownership 

If you can’t quite afford the mortgage on 

100% of a home, Help to Buy: Shared 

Ownership offers you the chance to buy 

a share of your home (between 25% and 

75% of the home’s value) and pay rent 

on the remaining share. Later on, you 

could buy bigger shares when you can 

afford to. 

You could buy a home through Help to 

Buy: Shared Ownership in England if: 

• Your household earns £80,000 a 

year or less outside London, or 

your household earns £90,000 a 

year or less in London 

• You are a first-time buyer, you used 

to own a home but can’t afford 

to buy one now or are an existing 

shared owner looking to move. 

With Help to Buy: Shared Ownership you 

can buy a newly built home or an existing 

one through resale programmes from 

housing associations. You’ll need to take 

out a mortgage to pay for your share of 

the home’s purchase price, or fund this 

through your savings. Shared Ownership 

properties are always leasehold. 

You can get help from another home 

ownership scheme called Older People’s 

Shared Ownership if you’re aged 55 or 

over. It works in the same way as the 

general Shared Ownership scheme, but 

you can only buy up to 75% of your 

home. Once you own 75% you won’t 

have to pay rent on the remaining share. 

31

Left, Blinds from 

englishblinds.co.uk 

Below, Lamp, £79, 

atkinandthyme.co.uk 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR GUEST BEDROOM 

Easy updates to make your 

guest room more inviting 

feel like home 

Whilst it can feel like another job to add 

to the list, preparing the guest bedroom 

to receive guests can actually be quite 

relaxing - making a space comfortable 

and inviting really does something good 

for the soul. 

When you start to plan your guest room, 

think about what you’d expect to find 

in a lovely hotel and try to make your 

room measure up to that standard. Your 

budget may not be enough to create a 

getaway oasis, but you can clear the 

decks, lay out all the necessities, and 

provide a quiet place to relax. 

PROVIDE A COMFORTABLE BED 

Don’t give your guests the oldest, 

saggiest mattress you have. Try sleeping 

in the room yourself and assess the 

quality of your sleep on that mattress - it 

may be time to invest in a new one. If 

you can’t afford a new bed, think about 

getting a quality air mattress. 

UPGRADE YOUR BEDDING 

Beyond clean, crisp bedding, think 

about adding luxurious bed linens and 

comfort items supplied by fine B&Bs: a 

featherbed or wool mattress topper, a 

choice of pillows, a cosy down quilt or 

thick throw, extra blankets and freshly 

ironed pillowcases. 

SUPPLY EXTRA LINENS 

Always have an extra set of bed and bath 

linens available for your guests. Accidents 

do happen! Or you may have one of those 

wonderful guests who insists on changing 

the sheets when they leave. Let them do 

it, and thank them profusely. 

MAKE ROOM FOR A SUITCASE 

Clear a space to put a luggage rack or 

provide a small table or bench to set down 

a suitcase. No one likes to have to stoop 

over to the floor to pull out a clean pair of 

socks. Even a chair is better than nothing. 

– more space, more comfortable, and 

more welcoming. Get rid of anything you 

would not find in a hotel room. Keep only 

the most useful items in the room, like a 

clock and calendar. 

BRIGHTEN THINGS UP 

One of the biggest hotel decor missteps 

is when an otherwise nice room has no 

light to read by. It’s always helpful to 

have a light control near the bed so your 

guest won’t have to stumble around in 

the dark just to turn a light on. If nothing 

else, provide a good reading light near a 

chair or over the bed. Another fixture or 

lamp near a desk would be great. A small 

night light is helpful, and a lit magnifying 

makeup mirror is a real luxury. 

CLEAN THE WARDROBE 

If your guest room shares space with 

a home office, clear at least a foot or 

two of pole space in the cupboard. Or 

purchase an inexpensive over-the-door 

hook that can accommodate some 

hanging clothes. It’s likely that guests 

will have items they’d like to hang. Don’t 

forget a supply of six to eight hangers. 

A simple hook on the wall or behind a 

wardrobe door can hold a coat or bag. 

DON'T FORGET SIMPLE BASICS 

A lighted clock next to the bed is a great 

amenity, and an alarm clock or clock/radio 

is even better. Provide paper and pens, 

scissors, tape, tissue, and a hairdryer to 

have all the bases covered. If you can, 

provide somewhere to sit in front of a 

mirror so guests can do make up or style 

their hair. If you don’t have an extra iron 

and ironing board to offer, be sure to tell 

your guest where they can find yours. 

PROVIDE PRIVACY 

You might know that the big willow tree 

just outside 

the 

window camouflages everything going 

on, but your guests won’t. Choose 

window coverings that add to the 

character of the room and also provide 

privacy and light control. If you need to 

keep it simple, blinds work great. You 

can always add a beautiful valance or 

side panels later. 

ADD SOME PERSONALITY 

Guest rooms can suffer from being 

personality vacuums - try to let some 

of your personal style infuse the space, 

or try out some decorative ideas that 

inspire you. We love spaces that mix 

mid-century modern furniture with boho 

soft furnishings, or fabulous colour on 

a single wall with dramatic wallpaper or 

artwork. Maybe dare to go 

dark with dark navy on the 

walls and gold detailing. 

FINISHING TOUCHES 

Add some lovely 

finishing touches to 

the room - a reed 

diffuser to fill it with 

delicious fragrance 

and pop some throw 

pillows on the bed 

or chair. If you like 

them, add some cut 

flowers to a dresser 

or move some 

of your existing 

houseplants into 

the space for 

some greenery. If 

you don’t use your 

room much during the 

year, be sure to open 

the windows for a few 

hours before guests 

arrive to 

help air it 

out. 

T 

32 

CLEAR THE DECKS 

Resist the temptation to put your 

beautiful collection of dolls on the dresser 

or fill the closet with out-of-season 

clothes. In a guest room, less is more 

Extra large Cotton Throw £59, 

and Mudcloth Pillow, £56, 

hauslife.co.uk; Navy Pillow, £50, 

Soho House; Fish Lamp, £90, 

Dar Lighting; Moorish Mirror, 

£75, thefarthing.co.uk 

4

Trusted Builder Serving Tunbridge Wells & Kent 

New Builds 

Extensions 

Design and build 

Refurbishments 

Groundworks 

GM Construction Specialists LTD 

134 Sherwood, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8PX 

Tel: 01892 325893 / Mob: 07754959036 

The Sofas & Stuff 

story -10th 

Anniversary 


The Sofas & Stuff story began back in 2009. 

Founder Andrew Cussins tells us more... 

“I noticed a gap in the market with regards to selling bespoke, 

handmade, British sofas and beds online and from quirky non 

high street locations” explains founder, Andrew Cussins. Ten 

years on and now with 13 showrooms across the country, Sofas 

& Stuff celebrate their anniversary with the company’s best 

ever year. 

After spending a lifetime commuting and traveling all over the 

world, Andrew and his wife Julia wanted to start a business close 

to their home in the Sussex Downs. “Lunch at home seemed like 

a nice idea” Andrew adds. As luck had it, a beautiful timbered 

barn became available in the village of Fittleworth, and the rest 

is history. 

“In those early days we found we had customers who were 

driving for hours to come and see us. One day, one particular 

customer commented that they loved the experience at Sofas 

& Stuff so much, because the barn ‘didn’t feel like a shop’. In 

that moment, what was intended to be an online only company 

morphed in an instant into a mixture of online and beautiful 

quirky, off-pitch, bricks and mortar.” Andrew explains. 

Andrew adds “Those early days seem a long time ago now, but 

what we learnt then, we still abide by today.” 

Sofas & Stuff are ever growing and with over 40,000 happy 

customers over the years, the brand is always looking at ways 

to expand. 

The latest release to launch with Sofas & Stuff is the introduction 

of their brand new fabric collection. Sumptuously soft and 

durable, the new Essential Collection from Sofas & Stuff is 

an affordable and wide range of rich and neutral fabrics. With 

154 colours to choose from; including clever glossy velvets, 

stain resistant cotton blends, herringbone and basket weaves, 

to classic linen mixes and soft wools. As well as three new 

sofa designs, engineered to retail at a lower price point, whilst 

maintaining their obsessive level of product quality. 

Visit us at one of our showrooms in London & nationwide. 

Call us on 0808 1783211 or visit sofasandstuff.com 


GRAND P L ANS 

Call it the Grand Designs effect, but many people are looking at the myriad of ways they can improve 

their homes to elevate their standard of living. 

There is a wealth of inspiration out there - from Pinterest 

to dare we say it, glossy lifestyle magazines. But if you 

have a particular project in mind, it’s expert help that 

you need. 

To help you on your way to your dream home, we’ve 

assembled some industry pros to give their advice on 

everything from building to interior design... 

Richard Tettmar, Showroom Consultant at 

Drakes Plumbing Supplies 

There’s lots of high street bathroom 

suppliers available to customers at 

the moment. What makes Drakes 

unique from the rest? 

Drakes is an independent company, 

putting the customer’s needs and 

desires at the forefront of our business. 

We specialise in providing a high 

quality service and playing a key role 

in the transformation of a bathroom 

renovation. We aim to put a customer’s 

mind at rest knowing we are along for 

the entire journey, from start to finish. 

If a customer is in need of a little 

inspiration, do you have 

any advisors on hand 

to help? 

Yes, our Showroom 

Consultants are always 

on hand and up to date 

with the latest trends. 

What’s more, they have a genuine 

passion for bathroom design, which 

is so important. Our aim is to inspire 

our customers and turn their bathroom 

dreams into a reality and we are always 

developing our knowledge so no 

questions are left unanswered. 

We hear you also have a shiny new 

showroom. Can customers drop by 

to have a look around? 

Absolutely! We recently renovated our 

Uckfield showroom with a brand new 

look and a huge range of products 

and brands. Our aim was to provide 

as much inspiration as possible, from 

traditional to modern and everything in 

between. The new showroom boasts 

real life displays that have been 

individually designed with different 

product and accessory options to 

bring ideas to life. We have exciting 

plans to 

develop more of our showrooms in the 

near future too. 

Sometimes getting the 

measurements of a customer’s 

existing bathroom can in itself put a 

shopper off the buying process. Do 

you have any nifty tools that make 

the job any easier? 

We are very proud of our design 

software, which has become a vital 

tool in providing our customers with 

peace of mind when upgrading their 

bathrooms. With accurate dimensions, 

we can provide realistic 3D images 

of the customer’s bathroom, and 

include all of their product and colour 

preferences. Our designers can advise 

what will work within the space and can 

produce a final image that will represent 

their finished project. 


Sarah Blythe, Area Design Manager for the South East, 

Laura Ashley Interior Design Service 

When it comes to decorating your 

home, sometimes you find yourself 

not knowing where to start. We 

understand you offer customers an in 

house design service tell us more... 

Whether you are looking to update your 

entire house or just one room, our team 

of highly trained designers arrive with 

a full range of fabrics, wallpaper and 

paint samples plus a catalogue and 

decorative accessories such as poles 

and trimmings. Together, the designer 

works with the client to finalise a 

bespoke scheme tailored to the clients 

brief. Within 7 days of the design 

consultation you should expect to 

receive a detailed estimate of the Laura 

Ashley products and a mood board to 

reconfirm the choices made on your 

consultation. 

Do your designers support the 

process throughout, or is it just 

through the initial consultation? 

You will be fully supported throughout 

your project. From the initial 

consultation, through to any queries 

and revisions the designer would 

finalise and process the order, help 

arrange finance options and source 

decorators and curtain fitters to 

complete your project. 

Price is obviously an important 

factor when it comes to most 

customers. How do you compare to 

other Interior Design Services? 

Laura Ashley is a competitively 

priced retailer offering a bespoke 

service accessible on the high 

street. Our Interior Design Service 

also offers an exclusive range of 

discounts to our clients. 

The home consultation fee will be 

reimbursed in the form of a voucher 

when you spend £1000 or more in one 

transaction through the 

Interior Design Service. 

This voucher can be used 

on future purchases in 

store only. 

Sounds great, where do we sign up?! 

You can refer from a store, or call our 

Design Centre to book in with your local 

Laura Ashley Interior Designer. The 

Service costs just £50 for one room and 

£25 for each accumulative room. 

What do you feel makes your service 

unique when compared to others? 

All the products that our designers 

recommend are available to purchase 

under one roof. We truly are a one stop 

shop when it comes to your design 

needs taking away the inevitable stress 

of coordinating a project. 

Our designers also have access to an 

exclusive range of fabrics available 

when using our made to measure 

service. 

George Garbarczyk and Gary Mccafferty, Co-Owners of 

GM Construction Ltd 

With economic uncertainty and the 

high cost of moving, lots of people 

are considering extensions. Where 

do you recommend people start 

when considering adding to the 

floorplan of their home and what 

aspects of the work can you handle? 

Look to add a rear/side extension 

or go up into the roof space. Some 

clients can create amazing open plan 

spaces by installing steels to remove 

walls and create more floor area - 

suited to a modern way of living. 

We can help in the early stages of 

design through to completion - often 

we can suggest things that customers 

either hadn’t considered or didn’t 

know would be possible in their 

property. These things can add lasting 

value and maximise that all important 

living space. 

We’ve all seen Grand 

Designs and know 

budgets can spiral – 

how do you keep the 

costs as projected? 

Make sure all the details are finalised in 

the drawings and allow contingencies 

for unforeseen problems. Also make 

sure you get a full quote prior to work 

starting. 

An extension is both a joy to have 

now and adds lasting value – what 

makes a project a successful 

addition in your opinion? Maximising 

your living space whilst adding value 

to your property. It is often better and 

far more cost effective to improve than 

to move - when you think of the cost 

of legal fees and stamp duty alone, 

that could finance some amazing, life 

enhancing changes in the home. If 

you think you could make the 

space work for you with just a bit of 

recalibration, it’s an excellent option. 

Finally, can you tell us about some 

of the other building work you 

undertake? 

With 30 years of experience, we 

cover all aspects of building and 

landscaping. We can work with our 

clients from the initial planning stage, 

right through to the finished project. 

This gives clients lots of confidence 

because we are capable of handling 

anything a project can throw at us, 

rather than the customer having to 

manage lots of different trades at once. 


BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE 

The garden is bare, the leaves have fallen and now is the opportunity to take stock of what you 

would like to see during the wintertime. It’s also the time to plan for the spring and summer. 

Perhaps you have a sunny patch where you could lay some decking or an attractive terrace, 

create an arch or a rose garden are just a few examples. Here are some ideas of making your 

winter garden attractive and planning for next year...including getting rid of that shed that’s 

on its last legs! 

Gardeners in the UK have plenty of reasons 

to get cold feet about winter. Plants are at 

rest and their bright colours have gone. And 

with very little to plant, those of you who 

love their gardens might think there are few 

winter landscaping tips - or to dos. 

In fact, careful planning in spring, summer, 

and autumn - plus a few easy accents 

during winter - can lead to a beautiful and 

pleasing landscape. 

Here are six winter landscaping tips to help 

make you love your garden during this 

season and in the future. 

1. Focus on bark 

Deciduous trees do lose their leaves in 

wintertime, leaving their branches and 

trunks in focus. It is a good idea to look out 

for interesting ornamental trees that have 

really visually distinctive bark, which will 

add winter interest. Many of those trees 

and some shrubs are smaller, meaning 

they’re easier to find spots for in the winter 

landscape. Dogwoods and birch trees are 

particularly good examples. 

2. Include berries 

Many trees and shrubs have berries they 

hold onto during autumn and winter, and 

not only look attractive but also provide 

food for birds. Crab apples, holly and 

firethorn are very attractive. 

3. Remember evergreens 

Evergreens are great at this time of year. 

Firstly, there’s colour: Evergreens are not 

just green; they’re available in yellow, such 

as Gold Thread False Cypress, and blues, 

the Dwarf Blue Spruce, and all colours in 

between. When you are planting a new 

border, try to have at least one evergreen. 

4. Check out your hard landscaping 

Winter is a good time to critically assess the 

layout of your garden, figuring out where 

it’s missing focal points. The solution to 

enhancing your winter landscaping might 

not be a plant at all. Winter is the best time 

to consider the bare bones of the garden. 

You may wish to place a trellis, a bench, 

an arbour, and if you can run to it, a garden 

sculpture which will add another dimension. 

Perhaps plan to put in a small or indeed 

large fountain for sound…the possibilities 

are endless. 

5. Make use of your summertime 

containers 

Window boxes, hanging baskets, winterhardy 

containers are perfect for winter 

landscaping. You can plant up winter 

primroses and pansies, trailing hedera, 

colourful cyclamen with their delicate 

flowers and leaves. Also consider adding 

some spring flowering bulbs to bring colour 

into the early part of the year. 

6. Try these four-season perennials 

Some perennials have evergreen foliage - 

ornamental grasses, hellebores, dianthus 

with its beautiful low-creeping foliage - 

making them great for winter landscaping. 

Visit your local garden centre for advice and 

inspiration. 

Happy gardening! 


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ADVICE ON buyING a new 

home In 2020 

If you are planning to buy a new home in 2020 here are some 

useful tips to help you secure the perfect property... 

With the nights drawing in, and as the 

summer holidays are a distant memory, 

your thoughts may be turning to the New 

Year. If getting on the housing ladder or 

moving home are on your list of goals for 

2020, it is a good idea to start planning now. 

While many people are waiting to see what 

happens with Brexit, there are advantages 

to moving house now if you’re a buyer. 

Many sellers are open to lower offers as the 

market slows. The same applies for new 

build homes too. Volume house builders 

have been busy building but have seen a 

drop off in demand. So there are deals to 

be done on shiny new build homes across 

the country. 

We’ve asked Paula Higgins, Chief Executive 

of the Home Owners Alliance, to explain 

what you need to know before you buy a 

new build home in the current economic 

climate. 

Research, research, research! 

This is one of your biggest financial 

investments, so don’t just rely on glossy 

promotional materials. Read around about 

the developer of your new build home, 

search for online reviews and forums, and 

visit homes they’ve built on other sites 

Get your finances in order 

Developers work to tight timescales and 

once you’ve put down a deposit you may 

have only 28 days to exchange. Speak to 

a fee-free broker to find the right mortgage 

for you. For more information see new build 

homes and getting a mortgage (www.hoa. 

org.uk/advice/guides-for-homeowners/iam-buying/new-build-homes-and-gettinga-mortgage-top-tips/) 

Get your conveyancing solicitor lined up 

Try to find a conveyancer with experience 

of new build developments. They will need 

to check planning permissions, restrictive 

covenants and - importantly - the terms of 

any lease if you are buying a leasehold flat. 

Negotiate! 

With the slowing down of new build sales 

developers need to boost sales figures. 

That doubled with Brexit uncertainty and 

a slowing market means there is no better 

time to negotiate. Be bold and see what 

else can be added into the mix, such as 

upgraded finishes and appliances could be 

part of the negotiation process. 

Getting a survey 

Many builders won’t allow you to view 

the property until the day of completion. 

If this is the case you want to very quickly 

get an independent snagging inspector to 

identify and report on any defects or errors 

(from cosmetic to structural). You can read 

more about whether you need a snagging 

survey (www.hoa.org.uk/services/snaggingsurvey/) 

The HomeOwners Alliance www.hoa.org. 

uk offers expert advice and services for 

every step of your home buying and selling 

journey. 


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regency grange 

Say hello to your luxury new home at 

Regency Grange 

Perfectly set between beautiful 

countryside and the historic spa town 

of Royal Tunbridge Wells, is Regency 

Grange, developed by award-winning 

housebuilder Countryside. An exclusively 

private development of luxury homes, 

Regency Grange offers a range of twobedroom 

apartments and maisonettes 

plus two, three, four and five-bedroom 

homes. 

Regency Grange offers a sense of 

country living with a neighbourhood 

feel. With imaginative landscaping and 

mature trees, the development integrates 

seamlessly with the nearby parkland and 

open countryside. 

The high specification of each home 

provides residents with a sense of luxury 

and sophistication. These exclusive 

homes offer supreme comfort and an 

affinity with the heritage of the town and 

its classic Georgina architecture. 

Including such features as generous, light 

filled living spaces, designer kitchens and 

Amtico Spacia flooring, Regency Grange 

is designed to offer supreme comfort at 

every level. 

These homes have been designed to suit 

a range of buyers from growing families 

to downsizers. In each property, the 

living spaces are made to be flexible and 

functional while remaining contemporary 

and modern. 

The highly desirable location of Royal 

Tunbridge Wells is well known for its 

architecture, historical streets and 

picturesque surroundings. For nature 

lovers, the area is home to many beautiful 

parks as well as the surrounding North 

Downs and the lush Kent countryside. 

After all, Kent is more commonly known 

as The Garden of England. 

With Regency Grange sitting within a 

short distance from the town centre 

and high street, residents can enjoy the 

local shops and restaurant, nearby. The 

Royal Victoria Place centre has more 

than 90 well-known brands and excellent 

family facilities, as well as places to eat 

and relax. Or for a more traditionallyinspired 

retail experience, there’s the 

historic Pantiles. The colonnaded 

Georgian walkway is lined with specialist 

boutiques, pavement cafes and speciality 

food stores. 

“The high specification of each home provides 

residents with a sense of luxury and sophistication. 

These exclusive homes offer supreme comfort and an 

affinity with the heritage of the town and its classic 

Georgina architecture.” 

For the weekends, sporting activities 

are aplenty. Royal Tunbridge Wells has 

a well-known sporting heritage with 

many well-established clubs in town 

for football, rugby, cricket, tennis and 

more. You can swim, play racquet sports 

or work out at the Sports Centre and 

there’s also a health club in Frant. The 

area also benefits from picturesque local 

golf courses including Nevill Golf Club, 

located across the road. 

With London Bridge Station only a 45 

minute journey from Royal Tunbridge 

Wells Station, Regency Grange presents 

the perfect location for commuters 

needing the city connection. Or for 

weekend escapes, the famous sea-side 

town of Brighton is a mere 20 minute 

drive away and Gatwick airport is only 25 

miles by road. 

Homes at Regency Grange start from 

£400,000. 

To organise your visit today, please call 

the sales suite on 01892 884514 or visit 

www.countrysideproperties.com/alldevelopments/kent/regency-grange 


Caring for the elderly members of your family 

Over Christmas you may have spent some time with the family and perhaps more time with 

the elderly members and you become concerned about their health? 

Here we list 8 warning signs to assess if they need help and what to 

do if they do. You may wish to consider the following questions: 

1. Is the person (persons) able to take care of themselves? 

Pay attention to their appearance. Failure to keep up with daily 

routines - such as bathing and tooth brushing - could indicate 

dementia, depression or other physical impairments.Also pay 

attention to their home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Is the 

garden overgrown? Any changes in the way things are being done 

around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, 

scorched pots could mean they are forgetting about food cooking 

on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, 

dementia or other concerns. 

2. Are they experiencing memory loss? 

Everyone forgets things from time to time. Modest memory 

problems are a fairly common part of ageing, and sometimes 

medication side effects or underlying conditions contribute to 

memory loss. There’s a difference, though, between normal 

Changes in memory and the type of memory loss associated with 

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Are the memory 

changes limited to misplaced glasses or an occasionally forgotten 

appointment - or are the changes more concerning, such as 

forgetting common words when speaking, getting lost in familiar 

neighbourhoods or being unable to follow directions? 

3. Are they safe in their home? 

Take a look around their home, keeping an eye out for any 

problems. Could their be a difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? 

Are they able to read directions on medication containers? When 

asked, do they say they feel safe at home? 

4. Are they safe on the road? 

Driving can be challenging for older adults. Do they become 

confused while driving or are you concerned about their ability to 

drive safely, it might be time to stop driving. They could be a danger 

to others. 

5. Have they lost weight? 

Losing weight without trying could be a sign that something’s 

wrong. Weight loss could be related to many factors, including: 

• Difficulty cooking. 

• Loss of taste or smell. 

• Underlying conditions - indicating ill health. 

6. Is the person (persons) in good spirits? 

Note their moods and ask how they’re feeling. A drastically different 

mood could be a sign of depression or other health concerns. 

7. Are they still social? 

Talk to them about their activities. Are they connecting with friends? 

Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? 

Are they involved in organisations or clubs? Have they given up on 

being with others, it could be a sign of a problem. 

8. Is the person (persons) able to get around? 

Pay attention to how they are walking. Are they reluctant or unable 

to walk usual distances? Have they fallen recently? Is knee or hip 

arthritis making it difficult to get around the house? Would they 

benefit from a cane or walker? Issues such as muscle weakness 

and joint pain can make it difficult to move around as well. If 

someone is unsteady on their feet, they might be at risk of falling - a 

major cause of disability among older adults. 

Taking action 

There are many steps you can take to ensure the person/persons’ 

health and well-being, even if you don’t live nearby. Share your 

concerns with them. Your concerns might motivate them to see a 

doctor or make other changes. 

Encourage regular medical check-ups 

If you’re worried about weight loss, depressed mood, memory 

loss or other signs and symptoms,encourage them to schedule a 

doctor’s visit. 

You might offer to schedule the visit or to accompany them to the 

doctor - or find someone else to attend the visit. Ask about 

follow-up visits as well. 

Address safety issues 

Point out any potential safety issues you have observed - then make 

a plan to address the problems. For example, the person (persons) 

concerned might benefit from using assistive devices to help them 

reach items on high shelves. A higher toilet seat or handrails in the 

bathroom might help prevent falls. If they are no longer able to drive 

safely, suggest other transportation options -such as taking the bus 

or using a taxi. 

Consider home care services 

Particularly if they are having trouble taking care of themselves, you 

could hire someone to clean the house and run errands and help 

with daily activities, such as bathing. To ensure good nutrition Meals 

on Wheels is also an option. 

And finally 

It would be a good idea to secure an Enduring Power of 

Attorney to ensure that if things get worse you can step in 

without having to involve the Court of Protection. Your 

solicitor will be able to give you good advice on this. 


talk Money, Talk Pensions 

Why talking about finances could help 

with your money worries 

Talking about money remains one of the 

biggest taboos for us as a nation. In fact, 

research shows that people would rather 

speak to their loved ones about politics or 

religion than money problems, according to 

the Money and Pensions Service. 

Although it can feel uncomfortable at first, 

these are conversations worth having as 

people who talk about their finances report 

feeling less stressed and more in control. 

Opening up can be the first step towards 

getting help. 

Retirement can seem a long time away, but 

it’s important to think about your future and 

what kind of lifestyle you would like. Money 

and Pensions Service figures show that 

56% of working-age adults have not done 

very much or anything at all to plan their 

finances for retirement, so many of us need 

to think more about saving for later life. 

If you have a partner, talk to them about 

how you want to live in retirement. Couples 

can have widely contrasting views about 

their finances so it’s important to discuss 

your goals to avoid arguments! 

The first step is to work out your options in 

retirement, and then come up with a plan. 

You should look at your current pension 

savings to work out how much more you 

will need to save. Tools are available to help 

you estimate your income in retirement, 

such as the pensions calculator on the 

Money Advice Service website. 

Whatever the situation, sharing decisions 

about spending and saving, and discussing 

money openly, will help avoid arguments 

and tension. 

Do get in touch to get chatting about your 

finances and make sure you are on track 

for the future you want. For any questions 

about pensions you can contact the Money 

and Pensions Service by phone on 0800 

011 3797. 

Time to Veg Out! 


The growing popularity of 

vegetarian and veganism is 

not something confined to 

the young... 

For both ethical and health reasons, more people in Britain are 

now reducing their meat consumption, choosing more vegetarian 

and vegan diet options, making them more popular than they 

have ever been. To support that societal shift, a charity was 

founded in 2008 to support vegetarians and vegans who came to 

this choice later in life. Vegetarians for Life (VfL) was established 

to promote the fact that no-one should be forced to give up on 

their dietary preferences or needs just because they are older or 

go in to care. 

Rivermere Care Home in Sevenoaks, operated by Avery 

Healthcare, is proud to be a member of VfL’s directory, a 1,300 

strong list of veggie-friendly organisations. Three of Avery’s 

chefs were recently crowned as winners in VfL’s 2019 Awards for 

Excellence in Vegetarian Care Catering; they scooped Vegetarian 

Chef of the Year, Vegetarian/Vegan Dish of the Year and were 

Runners Up for the Special Recognition Award. The Rivermere 

chefs also work to this standard, providing first-class vegetarian 

and vegan options, taking into account religious and cultural 

dietary needs as well as resident dining preferences. 

Amanda Woodvine, VfL chief executive, said: “Approaching 

500,000 people over 65 live in care homes and the number of 

vegetarians and vegans among them has trebled in five years. 

They and their families have understandable concerns about their 

dietary needs and preferences being met, with food prepared 

separately to meat products by a chef who takes the time to 

understand their needs and ensure a good variety of nutritious 

and tasty foods are available to them. I am pleased to see Avery 

fully supporting this.” 

For more call 01732 748400 or Search ‘Rivermere Care’ online 

or on Facebook.

Royal Tunbridge Wells Lifestyle Dec 2019 / Jan 2020

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