Guildford Living Feb - Mar 2020

“Guildford's Dedicated Subaru main dealer for 25 years” 

01483 281000 | enquiries@bellandcolvill.com 

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Contents 

A Note 

from the editor 

The bleak midwinter. I often bemoan the loss 

of the twinkle of festive lights and Christmas 

wreaths - it seems a cruel, long stretch from 

early January into spring without something 

nice to look at - we can all fall victim to this 

pessimism, generally because after the chaos 

of the festive season, our diaries are looking a 

little empty and our doors a little sad… 

A Culinary recipes Journey to celebrate 

through 

17Three Fairtrade Northern Ireland Fortnight 

How about instead of succumbing to the 

midwinter gloom, we instead rejoice in 

something altogether more special than strings 

of lights or wrapped up presents - the gentle 

awakening of spring, the shift in the seasons. 

I won’t look for glitter, but instead for the 

solemn little heads of the snowdrops in shady 

patches or the gentle bob of yellow swathes of 

daffodils lining the roads on my drive to work. 

I’ll view my lack of social engagements not as 

a problem, but as a chance to take a breath 

- and maybe treat myself to a dinner without 

having to worry about anyone else. Finally, 

instead of filling my body with festive treats (I 

assure you, there were plenty), I’ll fill my lungs 

with fresh air during the little 20 minutes I’ve 

carved out of my day for a lunchtime walk. 

Foodie Santa 

Barbara 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

04 What’s On 

Spring is awakening! And we share 

with you the pick of the best local 

events 

14 Perfect Pancakes 

Three incredible pancake recipes 

to celebrate Shrove Tuesday with - 

including a curry version! 

15 Mitch Tonks 

20 

We catch up with the West Country 

chef on big business decisions and 

creating a community 

17 Fairtrade Fortnight 

Three delicious recipes celebrating the 

best Fairtrade ingredients - promising 

a fair price to farmers 

20 Santa Barbara 

We serve up a slice of the amazing 

foodie scene in Santa Barbara - 

including local delicacies 

28 Bathroom Guide 

A guide to creating your own 

bathroom sanctuary and top tips for 

choosing tiles 

Wedding 

Guide 

36 

24 

Amazing 

Glazing 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Contributors Rebecca Williams, Peter Thomson, Dan Weston, Kate O’Connell, 

Lucy Saunders, Angela Cave, Pete Lawrence. 

Key Account Manager Sam Sanders 

e samuel@minervapublications.co.uk 

dd 01225 308112 

w www.guildfordliving.co.uk 

All things considered, then, February doesn’t 

feel too bad. It’s famously the month of love 

with Saint Valentine’s day in the middle - that 

love can manifest itself with showings of 

gratitude of kindness to your partner or pet, 

your best friend or brother - a little bit of love 

can lift even the gloomiest of spirits. 

This issue we have a bumper selection of 

goodies to keep you occupied too - with 

a fabulous bathroom and tile guide, some 

enviable inspiration on architectural glazing 

and some tips on modern Victorian styling. 

Add into that a catch up with the charming 

chef Mitch Tonks, some tasty recipes and a 

interview with the fascinating TV presenter 

and a bumper wedding guide - well, we are 

confident there is something for everyone. 

We will see you again in April - when we will be 

in full Easter mode! 

Katie 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

County Gate, County Way 

Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7FJ 

t 01225 308128 

w www.minervapublications.co.uk 

Advertise now on our website www.guildfordliving.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 

misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the 

publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers. 

www.guildfordliving.co.uk | 3

EVENTS GUIDE 

Finally, the days are getting longer and spring 

is just around the corner. 

Looking for the best local places to visit and 

things to do at this time of year? 

Then make the most of the season with our 

extensive guide... 

Bocketts Farm Park 

Fetcham, Leatherhead KT22 9BS 

01372 363764 

www.bockettsfarm.co.uk 

15 - 23 February 

February Farming Week! 

Over 60 gorgeous new born lambs are due 

in our Animal Discovery Barn. You may get 

the chance to watch one being born! 

‘Meet the Shepherd’ in sessions throughout 

the day. An opportunity to learn all about 

our sheep and lambs from the Shepherd 

himself! 

Get creative in the Craft Corner with 

badges, colouring sheets and much more! 

Enjoy a full programme of fun farm activities 

including small animal encounters, goat 

milking, tractor rides,pony rides and the 

famous pig race. 

3 - 19 April 

Easter Eggstravaganza 

Hundreds of gorgeous baby lambs and 

meet the Shepherd sessions and the 

Easter Bunny. Join in Easter Quiz Trail with 

chocolate treats. 

Fun Easter shows are held in the Easter 

Garden and you can see the baby chicks 

and bunnies. 

G Live 

London Road, Guildford 

01483 369350 

www.glive.co.uk 

Monday 17 February 

FEBRUARY HALF TERM 

Create Your Own Comic Workshop 

Are you a budding illustrator or comic 

maker? Join acclaimed illustrator Aaron 

Blecha (George Brown, Dino Wars, Shark 

School) in this fun, interactive workshop 

and get top tips on developing characters, 

story and style. 

Aaron will share tricks of the trade and 

guide you through the process of creating 

your very own comic and you’ll leave with 

your own portrait drawn by Aaron himself. 

Suitable for ages 7 - 12 

Tueday 18 February 

Dance in a day: Cats 

Learn an incredible dance routine inspired 

by the iconic choreography of Cats: The 

Musical in a one-day workshop that’s 

perfect for young performers who love 

to dance! Led by a professional dance 

practitioner, you’ll put together a specially 

choreographed piece, in make-up from 

the Theatrical Make Up workshop, that 

4 | www.guildfordliving.co.uk 

will be performed for friends and family at 

the end of the session. Suitable for ages 

7 - 12 

Wednesday 19 February 

Lego Robotics 

Learn how to build and prgoramme Lego 

and Edison robots with ComputerXplorers 

West Surrey. Using the latest software, 

these intelligent, powerful bots can be 

trained to follow sound and light, send 

messages and even battle each other! 

Suitable for ages 7 - 12 

Friday 21 February 

Ketsy’s Marvellous Magicians 

Workshop 

Dazzle and amaze your friends and family 

with an array of tricks and illusions from 

our workshop with young magicians. 

Learn a variety of up-close, sleight of 

hand magic and even receive an official 

magician’s certificate! 

A fantastic introduction for any aspiring 

performer. Suitable for ages 7 - 12 

Tuesday 25 - Thursday 27 February 

John Bishop - Warm Up 

Comedy superstar John Bishop is coming 

to G Live to warm up his brand-new 

show! 

John is very much looking forward to this 

new adventure, this will be his eight stand 

up show and its shaping up to be his best 

yet! John can’t wait to be back on the 

road again. 

Friday 28 February 

Paul Carrack the 20/20 Tour 

Paul Carrack and his awesome 6-piece 

band take to the road again for their 30 

date 20/20 Tour. 

Nicknamed ‘The Man with the Golden 

Voice’ in a BBC documentary about his 

phenomenal 50-year career, Paul, whose 

vocals have graced million selling songs 

such as How Long by ACE, Tempted 

by Squeeze and the Grammy Award 

nominated Living Years by Mike and the 

Mechanics is now firmly established as 

one of the hardest working, independent 

musicians on the scene. 

Guildford Cathedral 

Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7UP 

www.guildford-cathedral.org 

Thursday 19 March, 10.30am 

Rock Choir Coffee Concert 

The Rock Choir is back to perform. Tea 

and coffee is free. This is sure to be a great 

morning for all ages. Come and enjoy! 

Tuesday 24 March, 1pm 

University of Surrey Lunchtime 

Concert 

The talented music students from the 

University of Surrey are welcomed to 

provide a varied programme for you to 

enjoy. 

New Victoria Theatre 

Woking GU21 1GQ 

01483 545900 

www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoriatheatre/ 

Tuesday 18 - Saturday 22 February 

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical 

Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of 

King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from 

being part of a hit songwriting team 

with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her 

relationship with fellow writers and best 

friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to 

becoming one of the most successful solo 

acts in popular music history. 

Along the way, she wrote the soundtrack 

to a generation, with countless classics 

such as You Make Me Feel Like a Natural 

Woman, Take Good Care of my Baby, 

You’ve Got a Friend, So Far Away, It Might 

As Well Rain Until September, Up on the 

Roof, and Locomotion. 

Sunday 23 February 

David Baddiel - Trolls Not The Dolls 

Following his five-star Olivier-nominated hit 

My Family: Not The Sitcom and the return 

to number 1 of his seminal football anthem 

Three Lions, David Baddiel comes back to 

the stage with a brand new one-man show, 

Trolls: Not The Dolls. 

Trolls – the terrible people who spend all 

day insulting and abusing strangers for no 

other reason than to fill the huge gaps in 

their souls. There is a common wisdom 

about how to deal with trolls: don’t, for 

goodness sake, encourage these people by 

replying to them. 

Monday 16 March - Saturday 21 March 

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert 

The Musical 

The iconic musical Priscilla Queen of the 

Desert is going on tour! Starring Strictly 

Come Dancing winner Joe McFadden and 

with more glitter than ever before! This 

smash-hit show features a dazzling array of 

stunning costumes, fabulous feathers and 

a non-stop parade of dance-floor classics 

including It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive, I 

Love The Nightlife and Finally! 

continued

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Thursday 26 - Saturday 28 March 

The Tiger Who Came To Tea 

Following a smash-hit West End season, 

the tea-guzzling tiger is back on the road 

in this delightful family show; packed with 

oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and 

clumsy chaos! A stunning stage adaptation 

of the classic tale of teatime mayhem . . . 

expect to be surprised! 

Sunday 29 March 

Josh Widdicombe - Bit Much... 

The guy everyone can do an impression of 

is back with a brand new stand up tour. A 

show that will change your life and how you 

perceive your place in the world. Bit much? 

Fine, it’ll be a very funny night of grumbles 

and jokes in which Josh will finally tackle 

the hot comedy topics of advent calendars, 

pesto and the closing time of his local park. 

The Mill Studio @ 

Yvonne Arnaud 

Theatre 

Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX 

01483 44 00 77 

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on 

Thursday March 12 - Saturday March 14 

Arabian Nights 

Long, long ago in a far off land, a king is to 

be married to the beautiful Sheherazade. 

No one is celebrating. By morning the new 

queen is to be put to death like a thousand 

young brides before her. She has one gift 

that can save her. The gift of storytelling. 

Can she melt the tyrant King’s cold 

heart with her enchanting tales of hidden 

treasures, giant beasts, crafty thieves, 

mysterious genies and magic to create a 

true love story of her own? Can the power 

of storytelling save her life? 

Yvonne Arnaud 

Theatre 

Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX 

01483 440077 

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 

Friday 14 February - Saturday 22 

February 

Oklahoma 

The first collaboration of Richard Rodgers 

and Oscar Hammerstein II, Oklahoma! set 

the musical theatre standard. 

Among the unforgettable songs are Oh, 

What A Beautiful Mornin’, The Surrey With 

The Fringe On Top and the show-stopper 

Oklahoma. 

Monday 2 March - Saturday 7 March 

Bang Bang 

John Cleese* makes his stage writing 

debut with a hilarious new adaptation of 

this classic comedy – a delicious blend of 

French Farce and Fawlty Towers. 

When Leontine, a respectable society lady, 

discovers that she’s been hoodwinked 

by her husband, Duchotel, who’s always 

pretending to go hunting but really chasing 

after other ‘prey’, she vows to take revenge 

on the philanderer! But while Duchotel’s 

away, his lifelong friend comes calling – 

and he’s on the hunt too. 

Will Leontine get caught in his sights, or 

instead set a trap of her own? 

Secrets unravel as the devilish Duchotel 


finds himself snared in a door-slamming, 

trouser-dropping, balcony-climbing night 

of chaos set amidst the stylish apartments 

of Paris. 

Monday 9 March - Saturday14 March 

Educating Rita 

When married hairdresser Rita enrols on a 

university course to expand her horizons, 

little does she realise where the journey will 

take her. 

Her tutor Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant 

academic and dedicated drunk who’s less 

than enthusiastic about taking Rita on but 

when these two people come together they 

soon realise how much they have to teach 

each other. 

This hilarious and heart-warming comedy won 

the Olivier Award when it was first produced 

by the RSC and was adapted into the multi 

award-winning film which starred Julie Walters 

and Michael Caine. 

Written by one of our greatest ever 

playwrights Willy Russell, Educating Rita 

stars one of our best loved actors Stephen 

Tompkinson as Frank and introduces Jessica 

Johnson as Rita. This production directed by 

Max Roberts of Live Theatre has garnered 

rave reviews. 

The Electric Theatre 

Onslow Street, Guildford GU1 4SZ 

01483 501 200 

www.electric.theatre 

Weds 26 February - Sat 29 February 

The Full Monty – 

The Broadway Musical 

Sunflower Productions, brings you a fully 

staged production of The Full Monty - 

The Broadway Musical in order to raise 

funds that will be donated to the Urology 

Department at the Royal Surrey County 

Hospital. 

Tuesday 10 March 

Cosi Fan Tutte 

A rehearsed reading of a new play by David 

Butler. 

Two sisters and their male partners attend a 

performance of Mozart’s famous opera. But 

how, they ask, can such divine music coexist 

with this partner-swapping narrative, 

more Updike than Mozart? With the help of 

an American scholar, Lady, they examine 

the opera. 

Composer Mozart and Librettist Da Ponte 

appear on stage to help the show along. 

But then the opera grabs both couples by 

the throat, turning their careers and their 

love lives upside down and inside out. The 

play closes with the same questions as the 

opera. Who ends up with who? And why? 

Friday 20 - 22 March 

Guildford Jazzfest 

Guildford Jazzfest 20 is a whole weekend 

of music from leading UK jazz, latin and 

funk artists plus a Gala concert featuring 

internationally renowned artist Iain Ballamy, 

a Surrey Young Jazz Musicians of the Year 

concert, a history of jazz talk and a film with 

live music accompaniment, plus brunches, 

lunches, cream teas and cake! 

Saturday 28 March 

Spontaneous Potter 

Grab your wands, don your house robes, 

and apparate yourselves to the box office! 

A very magical improv show awaits... 

The smash hit Spontaneous Potter is an 

entirely improvised Harry Potter comedy 

play, based on an audience suggestion 

of a fanfiction title. Hilarity ensues as an 

entirely new Potter adventure is magically 

improvised on the spot - with live musical 

accompaniment! 

RHS Garden Wisley 

Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB 

01483 224234 

www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 

Saturday 25 January - Sunday 1 March 

Giant Houseplant Takeover 

Step into a house reclaimed by its plants 

long after its human inhabitants have 

left. Visitors to RHS Garden Wisley’s 

Glasshouse will find a banana plant has 

pushed through the roof, carnivorous 

plants feasting in the dining room and cacti 

playing chess. You may also spot a few 

plants have grown rather too large and now 

tower over their relatives. 

Friday 7 February - Sunday 15 March 

Science Week at Wisley 

Join them at RHS Garden Wisley for 

a week-long science extravaganza 

showcasing the research of the RHS, 

along with hands-on activities, workshops 

and talks. 

Saturday 8 February 

British Iris Society 

Early Spring Show 

Join the British Iris Society for their Early 

Spring Show. Visitors will find collections 

and competition classes of early springflowering 

iris on display as well as a 

photographic exhibition, plants for sale 

and friendly experts available to answer 

your questions. 

Saturday 15 - Sunday 23 February 

February Half Term Family Fun - 

Whatever the Weather 

Enjoy a range of fun all-weather activities 

at RHS Garden Wisley and discover more 

about the wild weather of the UK. 

Friday 20 - Sunday 22 March 

Spring Plant Fair 

Meet the growers and choose quality plants 

from more than 30 specialist nurseries at 

the RHS Garden Wisley Spring Plant Fair. 

Plants on sale include many with an RHS 

Award of Garden Merit (AGM). 

We take great care in compiling the 

listings, however we recommend that you 

contact the venue in advance as events 

and activities can be subject to change. 

continued

SPRING 2020 

WEDDING FAIRS 

9th February 

Farnham Maltings 

Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey. 

GU9 7QR 


Frensham Heights 

Frensham Heights Road, Rowledge, 

Farnham, Surrey GU10 4EA 

23rd February 

Charterhouse 

Prince’s Avenue, Off Hurtmore 

Road, Godalming. GU7 2DX 

Open from 11am to 3.30pm 

Free entry & parking 

01276 451498 

info@prestigeweddingfairs.co.uk 

www.prestigeweddingfairs.co.uk 


Say I Love You 

This Valentine’s Day, why 

not ‘wow’ your loved one 

with a special breakfast 

treat, courtesy of VonShef. 

Here are a few products to make sure 

they start their way feeling truly spoiled! 

First things first, pop the coffee on. If they 

love the aromatic, rich flavour of freshly 

ground and freshly brewed coffee, you 

won’t go wrong with the VonShef 1.5L 

Bean to Cup Coffee Machine. Watch as 

the machine grinds, doses and extracts 

all the delicious flavours in just 3 minutes, 

quite literally from bean to cup! 

Next, have a think about how they like 

their eggs in the morning! VonShef have 

an amazing Electric Omelette Maker, so 

no excuses for not serving up the perfect 

omelette! This cool piece of equipment 

allows you to make two plain or filled 

omelettes together, so there will be no 

arguments who gets brekkie first! At just 

£14.99, it also doubles up to either fry or 

scramble eggs, so is a great addition to 

your kitchen. 

If boiled eggs are more up their street, 

have a look at the VonShef 2-in-1 

Egg Boiler & Toaster. Including 3 

interchangeable plates (1 x boiled egg 

tray, 2 x steaming trays & 2 x poaching 

dishes), this super cool machine can 

poach eggs in the poaching dishes or 

boil in the steamer tray whilst you toast 

your accompaniment of choice. Priced at 

£34.99, this makes boiled eggs and toast 

easier than ever before! 

Really spoil them with fresh waffles 

thanks to the VonShef Dual Round Waffle 

Maker (£27.99). This small but powerful 

machine makes two 6” round waffles at 

the same time - perfect for breakfast, 

lunch, dessert or a cheeky snack 

throughout the day. The non-stick coated 

plates make it super easy to clean too! 

Last but not least, you better take it up 

to them, and VonShef come up trumps 

again with their gorgeous Bamboo 

Serving Tray. Made from lightweight 

and durable bamboo, this tray is perfect 

for serving breakfast in bed, carrying 

drinks or wowing guests with canapés. 

Two large side handles make for easy 

carrying, and it even has non-slip feet 

for added stability. With a wipe clean 

surface, this is a steal at just £12.99! 

time to WIN 

VonShef have kindly given us a main 

prize bundle consisting of a waffle iron, 

coffee machine and tray and there are 

three waffle irons up for grabs for lucky 

runners up! 

To have a chance of winning, enter on 

the website minervacomp.co.uk using 

keyword Breakfast Bundle and giving 

your contact details. Competition closes 

25th March 2020. T&Cs apply. 

Classic waffles 

INGREDIENTS 

Serves: 5 

250g plain flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

4 teaspoons baking powder 

2 tablespoons caster sugar 

2 eggs 

355ml warm milk 

75g butter, melted 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

METHOD 

In a large bowl, mix together flour, 

salt, baking powder and sugar; set 

aside. Preheat waffle maker to desired 

temperature. 

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in 

the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk 

mixture into the flour mixture; beat until 

blended. 

Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle 

maker. Cook the waffles until golden and 

crisp. Serve immediately. 

8 | www.guildfordliving.co.uk

spring collection 

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Time to trust in the future of prep schools 

It can’t be easy being a prospective parent of a prep school child. 

If you fall into this category you might have been forgiven, prior 

to the December election, for thinking that there’s not much point 

as the whole fee paying independent school sector could have 

been abolished... 

If the outcome of the election had 

been different don’t underestimate 

the independent school sector’s 

determination to fight for its existence 

with every legal pathway being followed 

to test the legitimacy of such a policy. As 

it is, the immediate prospect of a political 

threat has greatly subsided and the 

sector has the breathing space to make 

its case more forcefully that we have 

a right to exist and parents should be 

presented with options for the education 

of their children. It is for parents to 

choose the school which is best suited 

to their child’s needs, aspirations and 

talents. 

In the meantime, there is every reason to 

have confidence in prep schools and their 

future. IAPS (the Independent Association 

of Prep Schools) has over 600 of the top 

prep and fee-charging junior schools in 

the UK. The first step in your search for 

quality is to check if your possible short 

list of schools for your son or daughter 

carries the mark of quality by being 

a member of the heads’ association 

known as IAPS. This association has a 

history extending back over 126 years 

and the criteria for membership is strictly 

monitored to ensure both the head, and 

the school they work at, maintain the 

highest standards. School inspection 

reports are received by IAPS, for 

example, and any failings identified have 

to be rectified in good time to maintain 

membership. In one sense, therefore, 

the first level of due diligence a parent 

might feel it necessary to undertake is 

already done for them if the school can 

demonstrate they are members of IAPS 

and, better still, have been a member for 

many years. 

What should you do next as you are 

feeling your way through the maze 

of glossy publications and enticing 

web sites placed in front of you. The 

temptation is to look for a ‘brand’ name 

and, to some extent, this has merit as 

it will more often than not lead you to a 

school with a fine reputation polished 

over many years of conspicuous 

achievement. The question to ask, of 

course, is has the school a reputation for 

success in the areas which co-incide with 

the talents and interests of your child. A 

fine school’s sporting tradition is of little 

relevance if your child is a talented and 

developing musician – not that those two 

areas have to be mutually exclusive. 

The resort to social media and discussion 

forums is a likely step many will take but 

if your chosen pathway takes you in this 

direction then, at the risk of patronising 

you, the reader, beware. Do you use 

Tripadvisor when planning a stay away? 

Do you believe all the messages posted 

there and would you base your whole 

view of a school on the postings of a 

few with most likely a pro- or anti-line to 

promote for their own reasons. 

There might be themes to pick up on but 

it really needs each parent to seek out the 

things that are most important to you and 

your child. 

That brings me then to what you should 

do. The most important thing is to visit 

the school and not just on an official 

Open Day. If a school can’t buff itself 

up to look good on an official Open Day 

it really is a poor do. However, chose 

a day and time to suit you, though 

be reasonable when negotiating this. 

Nothing much is likely to be gained from 

a visit if a good proportion of the school 

is off their normal timetable or routine 

because it’s the day of the annual whole 

school cross country event. Ask to see 

the class your child would likely join at 

work and then visit older age groups, 

looking for obvious positive progression 

as revealed by the work displayed on the 

wall displays. Find out the answers to 

the questions you have about the areas 

important to you and judge how open 

and direct you find the responses from 

the school. In short trust your instincts 

and not wholly what others tell you. 

If you follow this advice you won’t go far 

wrong and then don’t lose any sleep at 

all over the long term future of your prep 

school. Let IAPS do that bit for you whilst 

you concentrate on finding the right 

school for your child. 

Christopher King 

CEO, IAPS 


Registration now open 

for Sept 2021 

INDEPENDENT PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR 

BOYS AND GIRLS AGE 2½-11 YEARS 

Longacre has 

e perfect mix 

OPEN MORNING 


9.30-12.00 

longacreschool 

@longacreschool 

To attend please telephone 01483 893225 

or email admissions@longacreschool.co.uk 

Hullbrook Lane, Shamley Green, Surrey GU5 0NQ 

www.longacreschool.co.uk 

EXPLORE FREEMEN’S 

Open Events in 2020 

“A school that produces confident, motivated, 

happy young achievers. A blessing to parents 

looking for a high-quality stress-free educational 

route that will take their academically able 

sons and daughters from age 7 right through 

to 18. Almost unique in this neck of the woods.” 

Good Schools Guide 

The best way to get to know Freemen’s is to see it for yourself. 

Join us at one of our Open Events this year to discover more about 

day or boarding places. 

To book visit www.freemens.org/openevents or call 01372 822423 

LEARN, LEAD, MAKE A DIFFERENCE @HelloFreemens www.freemens.org 


St Hilary’s 

Preparatory School 

Godalming 

2 - 11 years 


Welcoming boys from 

nursery to Year 4 in a 

plan to be fully 

co-ed by Sept 2022 

“Happy, charming and 

academically successful” 

The Good Schools Guide 

Open Days: Friday 28th February and 

Friday 6th March 

Scholarships and Bursaries available 

for Year 3 Entry 

Tel: 01483 416551 • @StHilarysSchool • Email: registrar@sthilarysschool.com 

www.sthilarysschool.com 

St Hilary's Prep 

School has much 

to celebrate 

St Hilary’s Prep School in Godalming has 

had many good reasons to celebrate in the 

past year, from successfully starting their 

transition to becoming fully co-educational, 

to their many awards and achievements. The 

school is going from strength to strength. 

Plans to become fully co-educational by 2022 have been 

successfully implemented as they accept boys into Year 3 for 

the first time. Headmistress Jane Whittingham said, “The boys 

have moved seamlessly from Pre-Prep to Prep and the boys and 

girls are enjoying the ability to continue learning together. As a 

family orientated school, it has been fantastic to see the boys 

integrating so well.” 

The School was recently awarded the full accreditation of the 

International School Award from the British Council, which 

recognises their commitment to embedding international 

awareness and understanding across the school and in 

curriculum teaching. This accreditation was achieved by St 

“The boys have moved seamlessly 

from Pre-Prep to Prep and the boys 

and girls are enjoying the ability to 

continue learning together.” 

Hilary’s demonstrating their commitment to international 

education throughout the entire school, involving clear plans 

of activity and impact assessments to develop the quality of 

international education. 

St Hilary’s also recently opened ‘The Hive,’ one of 60 Lego 

Innovation Studios in the UK, with most of the others mainly 

found in Senior schools, colleges and Universities. The Hive 

Studio provides pupils with an opportunity to engage in 21st 

century skills including critical thinking, creativity, collaboration 

and communication, through a hands-on learning approach 

in their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, 

Mathematics) subjects. St Hilary’s will be working with Lego 

Education over the next three years to further develop ‘The Hive’ 

as a hub for training educators and engaging children in the 

local community. 

With new Bursaries and Scholarships available for Year 3 entry, 

why not visit the school at one of the upcoming open mornings 

on Friday 28th February or Friday 6th March. Please contact 

the Registrar for more details on 01483 416551. 


The importance of extra 

curricular activities 

Your child has spent a long day at school, however their 

first port of call when they home will probably be their 

X Box or something on the TV. However, we suggest that 

they will benefit greatly from a non-academic activity 

that they have an interest in. 

Here are some examples of extracurricular activities 

that your child might enjoy. 

1. Music LESSONS - Some children learn to play instruments, 

while others prefer to sing. There are some who are good at doing 

both. There are so many instruments to choose from that you are 

bound to find something that they will enjoy playing. 

2. Sports CLUBS - Sports such as football, basketball, cricket 

and softball require teamwork and a lot of energy, but if this type of 

sport doesn’t sound like it suits your child, there are other options 

such as tennis, badminton and golf that your child can try. 

3. Dance LESSONS - Even among dance, there are so many 

types to choose from that your child is sure to find the perfect fit. 

Be it ballet, tap or modern dance is something that will help your 

child develop physically and mentally as most forms of dance 

require discipline and a strong body and it keeps them active as 

nowadays there is very little physical activity at school. 

4. Painting and Sketching GROUPS - Perhaps your child is 

a blossoming artist and they will improve creative skills as the brain 

will begin to develop the areas associated with creativity. Painting 

and drawing can also help develop problem-solving skills. 

5. Crafts, Pottery and Sculpting CLASSES - Working with 

clay and creating something with their hands can give a child a 

sense of satisfaction which builds confidence. 

6. Martial Arts - Though the varied styles of mixed martial 

arts such as judo, Taekwondo, karate and what these really teach 

is discipline and how to control strength. Martial Arts teach selfcontrol 

and self-discipline. They also help in socialisation skills and 

physical development in your child. 

7. Book Club - Book clubs are a great way for little bookworms 

to have their fun and socialise with other book lovers. Many things 

can be gained from a book club. Not only will the literature itself 

teach your child a lot about the world, the way it works and so 

much more, but it will also help them to develop their reading skills, 

which will have a tremendous impact on their writing skills. 

8. Drama ClubS - Your little drama kings and queens will love 

this one as it is a fun and productive way to use up their dramatic 

energies. Drama club helps your child to develop physical, artistic, 

social and public speaking skills. It also helps to improve a their 

memory and improvisation skills. Often, shy children who have a 

talent for acting become more confident through drama club. 

When you have a general idea of what your child wants, you can 

do some research to see who provides these classes in your area 

and then take the time to take your child to visit the place while 

a class is in session and see if is a stimulating and comfortable 

environment. 


Perfect Pancakes 

Get adventurous this Shrove 

Tuesday and try out these 

delicious recipes courtesy of 

Waitrose 

Buttermilk Pancakes 

with chilli chocolate sauce 

INGREDIENTS 

For the chocolate sauce: 

100ml double cream 

1 Chipotle Chilli, roughly chopped 

200g Divine Fairtrade 70% Dark Chocolate 

For the pancakes: 


Pinch of table salt 

25g golden caster sugar 

4 eggs 

100ml whole milk 

100ml buttermilk 

40g butter 

4 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil 

Vanilla Ice Cream, to serve 

METHOD 

To make the sauce, gently warm the 

cream and chilli in a pan then leave to 

infuse for 10 minutes. Break the chocolate 

into a bowl and place on top of a pan of 

simmering water, making sure the base 

doesn’t touch the water, and allow to melt 

slowly while stirring. 

Strain the warmed cream into the melted 

chocolate and stir. Discard the chilli. 

Keep the sauce warm while you make the 

pancakes. 

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the 

salt and half the sugar. In a separate dish, 

crack 2 eggs into the milk. Separate the 

remaining 2 eggs and add the yolks to 

the milk. 

Add the buttermilk to the milk and eggs 

and whisk together. Slowly pour into the 

flour, whisking gently but being careful not 

to overmix. 

In a separate bowl, add the remaining 

s.ugar to the egg whites, whisk until light 


and fluffy then fold into the batter mixture 

in 2 stages. 

Heat a little butter and oil in a non-stick pan. 

Depending on the size of your pan, drop up 

to 5 large tablespoons of the pancake mix 

into it and fry each pancake for 40 seconds 

until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip 

over and fry for a further 40 seconds, then 

remove. Repeat in batches with the rest of 

the batter to make 18-24 pancakes. 

Divide the pancakes between 6 plates and 

top each with a scoop of ice cream and a 

drizzle of chocolate sauce. Serve swiftly. 

Chicken tikka pancakes 

with mango chutney 

INGREDIENTS 


1 egg 

300ml semi-skimmed milk 

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 

1 tsp ground cumin 

2 tbsp sunflower oil 

2 x 300g packs Waitrose British Chicken 

Breast Chunks In A Spiced Tikka Marinade 

4 salad onions, sliced 

4 tbsp Geeta’s Premium Mango Chutney 

4 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt 

METHOD 

Sift the flour and a pinch of salt together 

into a bowl. Make a well in the centre 

and add the egg and half the milk. Whisk 

together well then stir in the rest of the milk 

to make a smooth batter. Stir in the chilli 

and cumin, and set aside for 30 minutes. 

Reserve 1 tbsp of the oil, then heat a little 

of the remaining oil in an 18cm pancake 

pan or shallow frying pan and add a ladleful 

of the batter. Swirl it around the pan and 

cook for 1–2 minutes each side until golden. 

Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat 

with the remaining mixture to make 8 

pancakes, keeping them warm, separated 

with sheets of kitchen paper. 

Heat the rest of the oil in a large, non-stick 

frying pan and cook the chicken for 10–12 

minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked 

through with no pink meat. Divide the 

chicken between the pancakes, putting 

it on one quarter of the pancake, and top 

with the salad onions, mango chutney and 

yogurt. Fold up the pancakes to make 

parcels, and serve. 

Toffee Apple Pancakes 

with vanilla ice cream 

INGREDIENTS 

40g butter 

4 apples, cored and cut into thin wedges 

3 tbsp clear honey 

3 tbsp light brown soft sugar 

8 Pancakes - from scratch or store bought 

4 generous scoops vanilla ice cream 

25g hazelnuts, chopped and toasted 

METHOD 

1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add 

the apple wedges and fry for 3 minutes until 

beginning to soften and turn golden. Stir 

through the honey and sprinkle over the 

brown sugar. Continue to cook for a further 

4 minutes until sticky and glazed. 

2. Warm the pancakes in the microwave or 

oven, according to the packet instructions. 

3. Divide the toffee apples between the 

warmed pancakes then fold each one in 

half and in half again. Place 2 filled pancake 

cones on each plate and top with a scoop 

of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle over any sauce 

left in the pan and scatter with hazelnuts 

before serving.

THE CHEF 

that rocks 

Famed for his growing group of fabulous fish restaurants, 

Rockfish, Mitch Tonks is a chef, author, restaurateur and a 

passionate, lifelong advocate for all the morsels that emerge 

from the deep blue sea. Sally Thomson caught up with him 

to discuss expansion plans, career motivations and why his 

heart will always belong to the kitchen... 

Sally: I hear you have another book 

on the horizon? 

Mitch: I do! We’re doing another 

Rockfish book. It will be published 

October. All very exciting! 

Fantastic! How many Rockfish 

Restaurants have you got 

now? 

At the moment there are 

seven but there will be 

nine by the end of the year. 

They will be in Poole, Lyme 

Regis, and Sidmouth. Poole 

opened in January, Lyme 

Regis will open in June 

and Sidmouth will open 

in October. We then have 

two or three sites ready 

for 2021 that we are just 

negotiating on. 

That is incredible, 

when you think about 

where you’ve come 

from. 

It’s kind of been an 

up and down journey, 

because we had 

Fishworks, which 

grew to thirteen, 

but it was a public 

company and the 

wrong environment 

to grow restaurants 

in and ultimately 

the project failed. 

But since 2009 

Seahorses has existed down in 

Dartmouth, and Rockfish is ten years 

old, so we’ve done well to rebuild over 

that period. 

When we last had a chat you’d 

opened Joe’s Bar, how’s that going? 

It’s going really well, and since May last 

year we actually moved the entrance to 

the restaurant through Joe’s Bar, and 

that’s been a real success as people 

enter the restaurant through Joe’s 

Bar, have a drink and start their dining 

experience off with something more 

special and fun. 

So how do you stretch yourself with 

everything going on? 

Well the business is over three hundred 

people, with a really good senior team, 

finance, marketing, and then over four 

hundred in the summer. So, I obviously 

work very closely with my senior team 

and I am clear about what I want to 

achieve in a period of time and helping 

other people to achieve those goals. 

Sometimes its challenging but when you 

work as a team and you are supporting 

each other you can make stuff happen. 

That’s it really! 

Managing those people, helping them 

manage others, then I spend my time in 

the restaurants, as well as consistently 

looking at the business as a whole and 

thinking ‘How can our business provide 

better solutions for jobs, how can we 

be better than anywhere else to work 

"I tend to think of the restaurants like a 

community now. Everybody who works for 

us belongs to the community. We talk a lot 

about family but of course family are hard to 

get rid of and communities are made up of 

people all contributing" 


"I think when Fishworks 

failed…well it gives you 

plenty of time to reflect on 

what’s really important to 

you and what’s not" 

So I made a phone call to my agent who 

was on the train on the way up. He was 

mortified! All I could say to everyone was 

that 'I’m sorry, I just don’t want to do 

it'. Financially it was suicide as it was a 

very well paid job but it was prime time 

television and all the things that go with 

it and I didn’t want to be known as a guy 

on telly. I wanted to build my reputation 

as a restaurateur and a chef which is 

what I actually really enjoy. 

I think when Fishworks failed…well it 

gives you plenty of time to reflect on 

what’s really important to you and what’s 

not and allowed me to make my own 

choices, not get swept along with ‘this is 

a great idea’. It was a great idea, it was 

magnificent. The TV show would have 

been great but it just wasn’t for me. So 

the answer is I am regularly asked to do 

television bits and I will 99% of the time 

turn them down and occasionally I might 

do the odd thing but I don’t wake up 

thinking ‘I’d like to do more television’. 

for, how can we have a really amazing 

strategy over five years that gives people 

top pay, freedom, how can we create a 

development programme so that people 

can develop in the organisation.’ 

I tend to think of the restaurants like a 

community now. Everybody who works for 

us belongs to the community. We talk a lot 

about family but of course family are hard 

to get rid of and communities are made up 

of people all contributing, so when people 

don’t contribute they move out of the 

community and new people move in. 

One thing I didn’t realise is that you 

made significant changes to your menu 

with regards to being gluten-free. That 

must have been a big change? 

Yes! About ten years ago we set about 

rebuilding all of cooking ranges and 

changing all of our practices so that offer 

everything gluten-free. We committed to 

the business being gluten-free, not just 

by saying ‘here’s a gluten-free menu’. 

Everything we do is gluten-free. If we 

have to swap a bun for a gluten-free bun 

we do, and it basically means that the 

whole menu is available to somebody 

with a gluten intolerance rather than 

them feeling in a minority and only being 

able to choose from say five things on 

the menu. 

Going back, I first met you at the 

beginning of the century! 2000, a 

long, long time ago! Since then you’ve 

appeared on TV, most notably with 

Matt Dawson, the rugby player, but 

do you find yourself too busy to make 

room to do any shows as of late? 

The television career took off back 

around 2008/09. The series Mitch and 

Matt’s Big Fish became very successful 

and Denham Productions and the BBC 

wanted to do series two. So there was a 

lot of euphoria and excitement from Matt 

and the team, and they were on their way 

to London to sign the deal. 

We had agreed it, gone through it all and 

I started to get cold feet. I was sat in the 

restaurant having a brandy and a coffee 

and I was just thinking to myself ‘I don’t 

actually want to be a television chef, I 

want to be in this restaurant cooking’. 

Surely your heart has to be in it if it’s 

what you are going to do? 

I think you are either on telly to drive 

people to your restaurants, well I’ve been 

there when you are in a restaurant and so 

many people want to talk to you because 

they’ve seen you on telly but never for 

the right reasons, and the thought that 

somebody comes to the restaurant just 

to catch a glimpse of the person they’ve 

seen on telly is just the wrong motivation. 

I want people to restaurants because 

they are really great places socially to 

go and they have importance in the 

community and they like your food and 

that it’s somewhere they want to come to 

celebrate birthdays and all of that stuff! 

Absolutely, and you’ve done so, I mean 

The Seahorse is just brilliant I’ve got 

to be honest. It’s just delightful the 

minute you walk in there, it’s such 

a lovely place to be and I absolutely 

love coming down there and hopefully 

when the weather brightens up I’ll be 

back. One last question; are you doing 

Salcombe Crab Festival this May? 

I’m still not sure if I’m going to do it this 

year. I didn’t do it last year, but I did 

the year before, but I am hoping to do 

a fish festival in Brixton, a crab festival 

in Dartmouth which we always do, and 

also Dartmouth Food Festival in October 

which is always great. 

www.mitchtonks.co.uk 


ALL'S 

FAIR 

Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 forges ahead from 24 February - 8 

March in the fight to secure sustainable livelihoods for farmers 

in the global south. Sadly, the shocking exploitation of the people 

who grow our food is still rife around the world and Fairtrade 

Fortnight 2020 will highlight this reality, focusing on women 

cocoa farmers, who are some of the most marginalised and 

face the greatest challenges. To raise awareness, we've brought 

together fabulous recipes showcasing Fairtrade ingredients 

Okra Stew 

Images Chris Terry and chef for 

photography Danny Jack 


CEVICHE DE 

ALCACHOFAS 

By Martin Morales, chef, writer and 

founder of Ceviche Family. Serves 4. 

‘On a recent trip to the region of Junín, 

near a town called Concepción, in 

Peru, I drove by field after field of 

beautiful, ripe artichokes. There were 

women in the fields harvesting and 

collecting them. Knowing then that the 

freshest artichokes would be on offer, I 

stopped by a roadside restaurant and 

had a perfect artichoke ceviche – the 

inspiration for this recipe.’ 

Fairtrade ingredients: olive oil, black 

pepper. 

Taste the good: Fairtrade spice farmers 

in India invested Fairtrade Premium in 

community kitchens to cook lunch for 

schoolchildren to encourage those from 

poor families to attend school. 

INGREDIENTS 

8 artichoke hearts, quartered 

2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into thin 

batons 

2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin batons 

2 red onions, finely sliced 

A small bunch of basil leaves, finely 

chopped 

A few iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded, 

to serve 

For the dressing 

2 tbsp Fairtrade olive oil 

Juice of 12 limes 

2 medium-heat red chillies, deseeded 


and finely chopped 

Salt and freshly ground Fairtrade black 

pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the 

boil. Blanch the artichoke hearts and 

parsnip and carrot batons for 3–4 minutes 

until just tender, then drain thoroughly 

and either chill in iced water or cool under 

running water. 

Put the red onion in a large bowl and add 

the cooled blanched vegetables. 

Make the dressing by whisking together 

the olive oil, lime juice and chilli and 

season with plenty of salt and pepper. 

Pour the dressing over the vegetables, 

sprinkle over the basil leaves and stir very 

gently to combine. 

Serve on a bed of shredded iceberg 

lettuce. 

OKRA STEW 

Ceviche de 

Alcachofas 

By Zoe Adjonyoh, chef, writer and founder 

of Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen. Serves 4. 

‘Okra is a common west African 

ingredient and one I use in my restaurant 

kitchen as well as my home. When I 

started Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen, I looked 

for new ways to incorporate this unique 

vegetable into dishes. Okra stew is one 

of my absolute favourites and one of the 

most traditional Ghanaian dishes I cook.’ 

Fairtrade ingredients: peanuts, curry 

powder, chilli, ginger. 

Taste the good: Fairtrade peanut 

farmers in Nicaragua used their Fairtrade 

Premium to equip themselves with new 

skills and tools to make handicrafts, 

bringing in vital additional income. 

INGREDIENTS 

200ml (7fl oz) sustainable red palm 

oil or carotene oil (can be substituted 

for Fairtrade coconut oil, rapeseed or 

sunflower also) 

1tsp Fairtrade chilli powder 

1tsp extra hot Fairtrade curry powder 

tsp salt 

2 medium red onions, finely diced 

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 

7.5cm (3-inch) piece fresh root ginger, 

finely grated (un- peeled if organic) 

1 Scotch bonnet or habernero chilli, 

deseeded and diced 

750g ripe plum tomatoes, cubed or 

blended 

1tbsp tomato purée 

250ml good-quality vegetable stock 

500g okra, trimmed and sliced 

150ml water 

Chopped Coriander and sliced Anaheim 

chillies to garnish 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Heat the oil on low–medium heat until it 

melts (palm oil has a low smoke point, 

so be careful not to let it burn), add the 

onion and sauté gently for a few minutes 

until translucent. Add the spices, garlic, 

ginger and Scotch bonnet and stir well, 

then sauté for a further 5 minutes. 

Cook in the tomato purée stirring well, 

then pour in the vegetable stock to de 

glaze the pan, reduce the heat to low, 

then add the tomatoes and salt, cover 

and simmer for 25 minutes until they start 

to lose their tartness. 

Add the sliced okra to the pot with the 

measurement water, stir though once or 

twice and replace the lid and simmer for 

a further 15-20 minutes until the okra is 

just tender. Season to taste. 

This dish is traditionally served in a bowl 

with banku on a side plate and fried 

plantain along with a finger bowl. 

SOOJI HALWA 

LADOO 

Semolina halwa balls By Asma Khan, 

chef, writer and founder of Darjeeling 

Express. Serves 6-8. 

‘Indian desserts can often be too rich 

and sweet for many people. But this is 

an ideal end to a festive meal as it is 

light and – unlike many other desserts – 

soaked in neither cream nor milk. Nutmeg 

is best grated yourself from the whole

Sooji Halwa 

Ladoo 

spice, as shop-bought ground nutmeg is a 

shadow of the whole spice.’ 

Fairtrade ingredients: saffron, cassia bark, 

cloves, sugar, raisins, nutmeg, cardamom 

seeds, cashew nuts. 

Taste the good: Fairtrade cashew nut 

farmers in Burkina Faso have spent their 

Fairtrade Premium on increasing adult 

literacy, bicycles and cereal banks for food 

security. 

INGREDIENTS 

¼ tsp good-quality Fairtrade saffron strands 

1 piece Fairtrade cassia bark, 2.5 cm long 

2 whole Fairtrade cloves 

150g/ ¾cup Fairtrade granulated sugar 

125 ml/ ½ cup melted ghee or unsalted 

butter 

25g Fairtrade raisins (golden or green) 

200g/ 1 ¼ cup fine semolina flour 

½ tsp freshly grated Fairtrade nutmeg 

½ tsp freshly crushed Fairtrade cardamom 

seeds 

40g Fairtrade cashew nuts, chopped 

A few edible rose petals, to garnish (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS 

In a bowl, infuse the saffron strands in ½ tsp 

of tepid water. Set aside. 

Place the cassia bark and cloves in a pan 

and cover with 500ml/ 2 cups cold water. 

Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. 

Lower the heat, add the sugar to the pan 

and cook, stirring until all the sugar crystals 

have dissolved. 

In a large non-stick karai, wok or frying 

pan, heat the melted ghee or butter over a 

low-medium heat. Add the raisins and stir, 

then remove them with a slotted spoon 

just before they expand and burst. Add the 

raisins to the pan with the sugar syrup. 

Now add the semolina flour to the pan with 

the ghee or butter, together with the grated 

nutmeg and crushed cardamom seeds. 

Gently stir until the grains of the semolina 

darken and smell toasted (approximately 10 

minutes). Keep the heat low as you do not 

want to burn the semolina grains. Remove 

the pan from the heat and slowly add the 

sugar syrup, stirring constantly. The contents 

will sputter initially but then calm down. 

Put the pan back on the heat and stir to 

break up any lumps. Keep the pan on the 

heat until all the sugar syrup has been 

absorbed. Towards the end of the cooking, 

add the chopped cashew nuts and saffroninfused 

liquid. 

Once the halwa is cool enough to handle, roll 

it into ladoos, or balls. Alternatively, you can 

serve the halwa as it is, warmed and placed 

in a serving bowl, and let your guests serve 

themselves. To serve, scatter over a few 

edible rose petals and chopped pistachios, 

plus a scattering of raisins to add a festive 

flourish to this dish. 

From Monday 24 February to Sunday 8 

March, all are invited to join together to 

celebrate farmers and workers and stop 

exploitation of the people at the bottom of 

the supply chain. One easy thing people can 

do to make a difference is choose Fairtrade. 


a 

Slice 

of 

SANTA 

BARBARA 

Kate O’Connell tackles 

the culinary scene of 

Santa Barbara. One 

mouthful at a time... 

Harbor View Inn Hotel 


When it comes to traveling, shockingly enough I had yet to actually 

get round to visiting the USA. This also came as a surprise to my 

travelling companions on this trip. Our two nations are bound together 

by much history, an overlap in religion, a common legal system and 

language, so how had I not visited at least one state at one time or 

another? 

Who knows. Our family holidays didn’t stretch that far I guess. Which 

may explain my eagerness when I was offered the chance to explore 

Santa Barbara. Quite the destination for a first time visitor to the USA! 

Aptly nicknamed ‘The American Riviera’, Santa Barbara is situated 

90 miles (a 2 hour car journey) north of Los Angeles, tucked within 

a south-facing pacific coastline on one side, and the rolling hills that 

stretch into the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other. But it is its charm 

and sense of style that makes this small city so tempting - indeed it is 

a hotspot favourite for the rich and famous, with a whole host of A-list 

celebrities calling Santa Barbara home. 

If there’s one things that strikes you, it’s that Santa Barbara doesn’t 

really feel like a city at all. There’s no hustle and bustle here, instead 

just a wonderfully laid-back, chilled vibe. Infused with the spirit 

of Spain, we were informed that 6.8 magnitude earthquake near 

enough flattened the city back in 1925. Devastating yes, but like a 

phoenix from the ashes, this proved the making of the city in terms of 

architecture, as the city planners were convinced to rebuild the city in 

a unified, Spanish Colonial Revival style inspired by the historic Old 

Mission (founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786). Red-tiled clay 

roofs and white washed walls are a feature of every building, and in 

addition to the climate, give the city its Mediterranean charm. 

Our first stop; checking in to the newly developed North Wing of 

Harbor View Inn hotel. A premier beachfront hotel, Harbour View Inn is 

centrally located within the city, and made for a fabulous base to start 

our trip. My room featured a very inviting king size bed, complimented 

by gorgeous modern Spanish Colonial furnishings, and to top it off - a 

balcony view, a chance to sip on a morning coffee and watch the 

world go by. But not yet. First; dinner! 

We made a short walk around the block to Loquita Restaurant for 

some authentic Spanish tapas. Created as a love letter to the Spanish 

origins and history of Santa Barbara, Loquita showcases a medley of 

paellas, charcuterie, cheeses and seafood. We were offered a sample 

of a variety of dishes on the menu, with the squid ink seafood paella 

being a personal favourite of mine. 

After a restful night's sleep in my luxuriously comfy bed, I was ready 

for a day of exciting activities. To get us started, we required a hearty 

breakfast, and Goat Tree was just the place to go. A gourmet cafe 

with a relaxed vibe, Goat Tree offers everything from fresh pastries 

and baked goods cooked in-house by their resident pastry chef, 

through to cooked breakfasts with a Mediterranean twist. I opted 

for the classic Shakshuka, accompanied by homemade flat bread. 

Possibly the best, tastiest start to a morning ever. 

Feeling suitably energised, it was time for a spot of kayaking down 

at the harbour front, courtesy of Santa Barbara Adventure Company. 

Kayaking is a great way to view a side of Santa Barbara that perhaps 

few visitors get to see, so it felt like such a treat. Not only this, it was a 

perfect opportunity to spot some of the resident wildlife. 

Loquita Restaurant 


It was perhaps my enthusiasm at this 

opportunity that had me labelled a 

‘Twitcher’ on this trip. On every dock 

we manoeuvred around brought hoards 

of enormous pelicans, gangly herons 

and rather amusing loons to name but a 

few. We even managed to paddle right 

up to a raft of sealions. So much of the 

wildlife on show were species that I had 

never seen out of captivity, it was a very 

special morning indeed. I can’t say I am a 

particularly experienced kayaker, having 

only dabbled on holidays in the past, but 

I needn’t have worried. The Adventure 

Company specialise in providing tours for 

all abilities, so I was in safe hands! 

A great way to experience the harbour 

front is to sample some of the 

specialities, and so with this we took a 

stroll over to Stearns Wharf; California’s 

oldest wharf named after builder John 

P. Stearns. There we took some seats at 

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, and 

were served an array of locally caught 

seafoods, all washed down with some 

local beer. 

To get more of an overview of the city, we 

then took a ‘trolley tour’ via Santa 

Barbara Trolley Co. This 90 minute tour is 

lead by a highly insightful guide, who 

beguiled us with all sorts of interesting 

facts about the city, as well as a little 

local celeb gossip on the side! 

After a quick freshen up it was time for a 

bite to eat. Cue...Cubaneo restaurant! 

Californian Cuban cuisine served 

alongside cocktails from Shaker Mill who 

neighbour within the same premises. It is 

easy to see how you could happily waste 

away an evening here, and we did just 

that! With a cubano sandwich in one 

hand and a ‘Bay of Santiago’ cocktail in 

the other, you could have easily fooled us 

into thinking we were in Havana! 

After another restful night's sleep, I 

skipped breakfast in order to make room 

for the immense amount of food we 

would be sampling on the Eat This, Shoot 

That! Funk Zone Food & Photo tour. A 

three-hour expedition, this is a chance to 

sample some of Santa Barbara’s finest 

fodder, as well as learn a little more about 

the city’s history, all while discovering 

how best to maximize your photo-taking 

ability, achieving the most Instagramworthy 

images that will make you the 

envy of all your friends. 

The tour is also a great chance to get to 

grips with the layout of the city. Santa 

Barbara is made up of several districts, 

one of which, The Funk Zone, has seen 

its popularity boom in recent decades. 

Comprising of a series of converted 

warehouses, this contemporary district 

is very much the place to be to sample 

artisan foods from up-and-coming chefs, 


and out-of-this-world Santa Barbara 

Country wines. Shop fronts and walls 

are adorned with graffiti murals and art 

pieces; this district really is an everevolving 

artistic neighbourhood that is 

well worth a visit. 

It was then time to travel up into the 

foothills to our next hotel. And what an 

iconic hotel indeed. The Belmond El 

Encanto. Recently renovated in 2013, 

Belmond El Encanto offers stunning 

views of the American Riviera and a 

whole heap of Hollywood glamour on 

the side. This resort manages to feel 

relaxed and low-key, while at the same 

time feeling like the most exclusive place 

on earth. Sitting poolside whilst sipping 

a glass of ‘Belmond El Encanto Cuvee’, 

life truly feels timeless up here. It’s little 

wonder that it was a favoured getaway of 

the Hollywood elite. 

We made our way back down from the 

hills to State Street for an Italian feast 

at Due Lune Cucina. Serving fresh 

ingredients and hand-made pasta, I 

would have been mad not to order the 

Linguine alle Vongole. This was paired 

with some fabulous local wines, and the 

staff couldn’t have been more friendly 

and attentive. We topped off the night 

with a nightcap at Pearl Social; an 

intimate and beautifully furnished cocktail 

bar. The night felt like a very classy affair 

indeed. 

Somehow, our final day had sadly rolled 

around already! It was time to do a spot 

of botanical sight seeing. Lotusland was 

our destination. This 37-acre estate and 

botanic garden is situated in the foothills 

of Montecito, which is located to the east 

of Santa Barbara. Purchased by the 

rather marvellous socialite Madame 

Walska (Google her, honestly!), she spent 

43 years designing the gardens to her 

liking. To say they were breathtaking is 

an understatement. Home to all sorts of 

exotic, rare collections of plants, this is 

truly a garden like no other. 

After another spot of wine tasting at 

some of the local establishments (it 

would be rude not to!), we made our 

way to Bibi Ji for dinner. A modern take 

on traditional Indian cuisine, Bibi Ji are 

experts at pairing quality, local wines 

with the most brilliant of dishes. The 

moment came when the aptly nicknamed 

‘Californian Gold’ was bought out; Santa 

Barbara’s locally caught sea urchins. 

Beautifully presented, and filled with 

biryani rice, I couldn’t lie...I was a little 

hesitant to try them. After all, my only 

knowledge of them was to avoid standing 

on them when on sandy beaches abroad. 

I needn’t have worried. Creamy and 

indulgent, they were fantastic. 

What a dish. And what a trip. 

At a glance 

2 nights at harbor view inn 

hotel, 2 nights at belmond 

el encanto hotel, private 

transfers and return 

flights with Norwegian air. 

Parking and lounge access 

with holiday extras. 

No1 Lounge at Gatwick 

Airport (South Terminal) 

from £26 PP 

Harbor view inn - Nightly 

Rates vary from $268.00- 

$400.00 

belmond el encanto - 

nightly room rates start 

from $560 (inc tax), 

suites from $811 (inc tax) 

www.santabarbaraca.com

Belmond El Encanto Hotel 

Kayaking around Santa 

Barbara harbour 

Bibi Ji Restaurant 


AMAZING 

GLAZING 

When we think about our homes, it’s really the windows 

and doors that create the wow factor. We are all so 

keen to flood our properties with natural light and the 

constantly evolving technology in the world of glazing is 

making some truly astonishing designs achievable, not to 

mention more affordable than ever. 

Whether you are self-building, extending or even 

renovating your home, apportioning budget to windows 

and doors is a savvy move. As well as making your home 

more valuable - 69% of people say that light rooms make 

them more inclined to buy - investing in clever glazing can 

make you fall in love with your space once more. 

BI-FOLD vs SLIDING 

DOORS 

Bi-fold: 

PROS - for those looking for that wonderful sense of a 

garden room that brings the outside in, bi-folds can help 

create the sense of one open-plan space as the panels 

fold away fully to the walls. 

CONS - an expensive option - poorly constructed bi-folds 

can also suffer from air-tightness issues around the joins 

so do your research and get guarantees. 

Sliding: 

PROS - generally cheaper than bi-fold doors, sliding 

doors also have fewer frame elements, meaning when 

they are closed your view is less obstructed. 

CONS - you won’t get the full, uninterrupted view of the 

garden - instead only a portion of the doors are openable. 

Bi-fold 

Sliding 

69% of people say that light rooms make 

them more inclined to buy - investing in 

clever glazing can make you fall in love with 

your space once more...

ULTIMATE HERITAGE 

FLUSH WINDOW 

The perfect option to recreate 

stunning period Timber windows! 

www.jewelwindows.co.uk 

info@jewelwindows.co.uk 

Interest 

free available 

• Engineered to provide the aesthetics of 

timber but with the thermal performance, 

security and durability offered by the latest 

PVC-u windows 

• Elegant, traditional and simple 

• Mechanical joints to transoms and mullions 

SMARTS 6000 VISOFOLD BIFOLD 

Offering the perfect combination of strength 

and performance, our ultra-slim profile doors 

can transform your home. 

• The slimmest Bifold Door on the market 

with ultra-slim 90mm sightlines 

• Opening up your home and maximising the 

light and space 

• Super-efficient, high-security 

glazing and robust locking 

mechanisms 

From 

£72 

per month 

TILED AND REPLACEMENT ROOFS 

When it comes 

to transforming 

your 

conservatory 

and making 

it into a truly 

useful space, 

Tiled Roof 

replacements 

are a superb 

choice! 

• Tiled conservatory roof making your 

conservatory much more like an extension 

• Exceptional for thermal performance, 

protecting your conservatory from the 

excessive heat and bitter cold 

associated with traditional 

conservatory roofs 

From 

£94 

per month 

Interest 

free available 

ULTIMATE ROSE SLIDING 

SASH WINDOW 

Our beautiful Ultimate Sliding Sash 

Windows offer exceptional detailing that 

replicates that of traditional timber sash 

windows. 

• Conservation approved 

• Ultra-slim 35mm meeting rail 

• Maintaining contemporary security benefits 

and low-maintenance values. 

• Brings out the 

authentic beauty 

of traditional 

homes as well 

as enhancing 

character 

of more 

contemporary 

properties 

Buy now, pay nothing until 2021 with a Jewel Home Account 

See www.jewelwindows.co.uk for our full range of products 

Interest free finance options and terms and conditions

Roof Lanterns and Skylights 

Compared to windows of the same surface area, skylights and 

roof lanterns can increase light in a room by up to five times. 

They are particularly good in extensions and for channelling 

light to darker corners of the home and adding opportunities 

for ventilation. These additions are no longer considered just a 

luxury and can be used in a wide variety of scenarios: 

• In a loft extension, tucked beneath sloped rooflines, the 

presence of skylights may spell the difference between a 

bright, friendly space and a murky cave. 

• In a home built between closely adjoining neighbouring 

houses where overlooking might be an issue, skylights may be 

the best solution for introducing good natural light into rooms. 

• In a single storey house build or extension, built with an open 

floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed natural light 

into the centre of large spaces. 

Many of the issues experienced in the past of rooms 

overheating or being hard to clean have been mediated with 

a tranche of new technology, including glass panels with heat 

regulatory and storage abilities and self-cleaning glass. 

SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION? 

In a single storey house build or extension, built with an 

open floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed 

natural light into the centre of large spaces. 

Energy Efficiency 

Our homes are one of the biggest energy wasters out there and 

traditionally windows are the biggest energy leakage point, so 

with any renovation, it can really pay to invest in glass tech to 

ensure the best temperature regulation - creating huge savings 

down the line. We all know that double glazing is much more 

efficient than single, but newer technologies like triple glazing 

are making windows nearly as efficient at energy retention as 

the walls they are installed within. 

As well as the glass, it is important to do you research into 

frames and opt for the most airtight models. 

With great green credentials, triple glazed units have the 

added benefits of better thermal comfort, noise reduction and 

a reduced risk of condensation between panes – so for the 

self-builder or home improver looking for a premium finish with 

added benefits, it’s a natural choice. 


CRANLEIGH MAGAZINE 

Cooper Homes is a traditional family run local builder, 

with a difference. We specialise in Home extensions, 

from conception to creation. 

We are local. We are professional. 

Because this means working in our clients homes, 

not on building sites, we employ a different breed 

of builders. Our team are local tradesmen who care 

about the quality of their work and your home. 

01483 548101 

Cooper Homes are members of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. 

40 

www.cooperhomes.co.uk 

enquires@CooperHomes.co.uk 

advertise your business both online @ www.cranleighmagazine.co.uk and on this page

2 

1 

dark ARTS 

3 

The trend for sleek black finishes 

continues, with lots of companies 

now supplying dark taps, shower 

enclosures, towel rails and tiles 

Dark tiles and fixtures look amazing - the only thing 

to be aware of is living in a hard water area and the 

effects that will have on the finish of taps over time. 

For a sleek look, pair large-scale dark floor tiles with 

white tiles on the walls, framed by black hardware. 

5 

Images: 1. Aquaglass Velar 8mm Black Crittall Corner 

Entry Enclosure, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 2. Original Style 

Tileworks Steel Midnight Blue, originalstyle.com; 3. Merlyn 

Black Showerwall With End Panel, merlynshowering.com; 

4. Duravit - Stonetto (Sand) Shower Tray, duravit.co.uk; 

5. Contour Radiator, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 6. Pitch 

Bluetooth Mirror, purebathroomcollection.co.uk; 7. Finissimo 

Black Bath Filler, bathroomdealsuk.co.uk; 8. Valverdi Iguazu 

Tile, londontile.co.uk; 

8 

4 

7 

BATHROOM 

TECH 

With homes becoming 

smarter in the main, it 

makes sense that similar 

technology would be 

extended to the bathroom. 

We love this bluetooth 

mirror which can play 

your favourite songs and 

has automatic demisting 

technology 

6 


THE BATHROOM 

& TILE GUIDE 

A roundup of the trends that can beat the bathroom blues 

and turn your bathroom into your own slice of heaven 

1 2 

3 

ensuite DREAMS 

According to a survey carried out by Nationwide 

Building Society, an ensuite can add as much as 5% 

to your home's market value - if you have the space, 

it's a great investment which is luxurious too 

If space permits, a roll top or freestanding 

bath looks wonderful in an ensuite and 

gives a true sense of luxury. If your space 

is more modest, the smaller scale is a great 

place to experiment with some interesting 

tile combinations and colours. There are 

some fabulous examples of encaustic tiles 

out there at the moment, but if you do opt 

for those, be aware and prepared for more 

maintenance than printed tiles. 

Images: 1. products from Original Style; 2. String 

lights from Lights4fun.co.uk; 3. image from 

carleyrowena.com; 4. Floris tile from Boniti 

4 


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1 

TILE STYLE 

THE way to add style and personality to 

your bathroom - choices are limitless. 

Avoid following trends too closely and pick 

something you really love 

3 

4 

2 

When choosing 

tiles, functionality 

is key - tiny mosaics look amazing, but you 

don't want them in high traffic areas of a family 

bathroom. Try to keep floor tiles low maintenance 

and add decorative flourishes in smaller spaces. 

Ceramics aren't the only option either - vinyl tiles 

and laminates can work effectively. 

5 

6 

Images: 1. Selection from Ripples; 2. Havana Dawn Self 

Adhesive Vinyl Floor Tiles, zazous.co.uk; 3. Odyssey 

- 8051V Seville Tile, originalstyle.com; 4. 3D Offset 

Hexagon Tiles, bakedtiles.co.uk; 5. Original Style Living 

Spirit Tile, originalstyle.com; 6. Windmill Geometric 

Tile, tonsoftiles.co.uk; 7. Odyssey - Persian Floor Tile, 

originalstyle.com 

7 

green SPACES 

Houseplants are taking over - and 

we love it! If you have natural light 

in the bathroom, lots of plants can 

thrive in the space! 

The best plants for bathrooms are 

moisture lovers - these are our 

favourites: - 

Zamioculcas zamifolia (the eternity 

plant - so named because it is hard 

to kill!), the spider plant, most ferns, 

snake plant, aloe vera, cast iron plant 

and orchids. 

Image, left, from Dobbies - plants and 

plant pots available. 

NO WINDOW? 

No problem! LED growing lights can be 

easily installed to help your plants grow, 

even without natural light. 


a plant for every 

space in your house 

The sale of houseplants has grown considerably in the last few 

years - a 10-15% year on year increase since 2013 according to 

the RHS. It is particularly prevalent among young people - not 

so much as part of a décor choice but more to fulfil a desire to 

have something to care for and look after. For urban dwellers and 

workers there are also the perceived health and well-being benefits. 

The RHS website has the following: ‘As well as looking good, 

houseplants support human health in homes, offices, school and 

hospitals. Research suggests that the greatest benefits of indoor 

plants are through well-being and productivity improvement. There 

is discussion around their influence on indoor air quality’. 

If you have never had a plant in your life, having a plant at home 

is the perfect place to start – and there is such a lot of choice! 

Gone are the days of a dusty ‘mother-in-law’s tongue’ Sanseviera 

trifasciata or a Kentia palm Howea forsteriana waving brown 

fronds in distress - we have a plethora of options to suit every mood 

and every place in your home. My first books were on the subject of 

house plants and I love to have plants of all types sharing our family 

home. 

There is an enormous body of research going on at the moment 

into the beneficial effects of various species, how many you need 

to benefit either physically or mentally, what specific problems 

they can alleviate and which species can best tolerate the various 

conditions they are exposed to indoors. Lack of light, temperature 

fluctuations, infrequent watering - or too much watering - pity 

the poor indoor plant and yet for all of the privations we put them 

through they still flourish! 

As I travel around the country I see so many lovely orchids on 

windowsills and the moth orchid or Phalaenopsis must be present 

in a high percentage of 

British homes. These 

orchids are incredibly 

long lasting and even with 

the most basic care will 

flower again and again. 

You could also chose a 

Spathiphyllum or peace 

lily, a Madagascar Dragon 

Tree, Dracaena marginata 

or an English ivy Hedera 

helix - drape them from 

cupboards and bookcases, 

group them for more 

impact, have one large statement plant for a 

Wow factor, whatever you choose make room in your 

life for a plant! 

A Practical Guide to Growing Healthy Houseplants 

by Matthew Biggs 

www.matthewbiggs.com 

For all your 

FENCING & 

GARDEN GATES 

Contact Shane Owen for more information: 

T: 07392 662247 | E: shaneowen2011@gmail.com 


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*Stamp duty paid available on selected plots for a limited time only. Information correct at time of print. Photography is indicative only. 

WB_Guildford_LivingMagazine_246x171_Feb/Mar20.indd 1 07/01/2020 17:03

WEDDED BLISS 

Planning your nuptials this year? Read on 

for top trends and lots of inspiration... 

Planning your wedding is a personal 

experience and to a large extent the 

format, style and little touches are more 

likely to be representations of your 

personalities and tastes over any trends. 

There is, however, an overwhelming body 

of inspiration online which can put even 

the most dedicated planner into a spin - 

sometimes some fresh, trend-led ideas 

might be just the spark to help you plan. 

Princess Dresses 

Channel your inner Disney princess - the 

more streamlined dresses we’ve been 

used to are making way for fuller skirts 

and ball-gown styles. For evening, lots 

of brides are opting for a second dress 

which is less constrictive - meaning they 

can dance the night away, carefree. 

Personal Details 

The wedding will be full of details that 

nod to you as a couple, but more and 

more brides are opting for personalisation 

in their outfits too. Some with meaningful 

words or dates embroidered into their 

veils or others more edgy with painted or 

stitched leather and denim jackets for the 

evening (these have the added bonus of 

being an item you can wear after the day!) 

Sustainability 

With a big shift toward eco-friendly 

choices in everyday life, it’s natural 

that wedding venues and suppliers are 

upping their green credentials to meet 

the demands of green-thinking couples. 

Some considerations to make: ethical 

wedding rings and outfits, even consider 

hiring a dress (dresses take a lot of 

energy to create but are seldom worn 

after the event), give guests wildflower 

seeds as favours, employ caterers who 

only use bio-degradable packaging, print 

eco-friendly invitations on recycled paper 

and for flowers pick seasonal blooms 

grown locally where possible. 

Wall Decorations 

In more non-traditional venues with 

plainer walls or in marquees, decor is 

continued... 


key for setting the mood. ‘Green’ walls made from 

foliage and picked out with white lights look elegant 

and timeless, whereas paper pom poms in bright 

colours are cheerful and inviting. A new trend is a 

balloon wall - making arches to frame the ceremony. 

Lots of couples can add a DIY element here, making 

some of the decorations themselves (with a small 

army of bridesmaids or ushers to help!) 

Table Settings 

One of the biggest transformations in recent years 

is the style of tables and the seating arrangements. 

The more ornate chair covers with bows have 

made way for elegant chiavari chairs and tables 

are bursting with informal arrangements, made 

predominantly of foliage, picked out by the twinkle 

of fairy lights and mirrored platters. 

Incredible Venues 

Stately homes and castles are having a moment, 

making perfect backdrops for the big day. As well 

as being historic places to tie the knot, they are full 

of character and have many architectural gems - 

perfect for capturing those unforgettable photos. 

As ever, Pinterest is a great source of inspiration - 

but try not to get too bogged down and stressed 

with including every detail - the most successful 

weddings focus on bringing together a happy couple 

in an atmosphere of love and support - guests will 

remember how they feel on the day above all else. 

The wedding 

venue for 

Godalming, Surrey 

Clock Barn Hall is a modern venue set 

in the heart of a working farm and 

estate just outside Godalming, Surrey. 

A truly romantic setting, surrounded 

by stable yards, barns, field and 

horses... 

The venue consists of two halls, one of which is 

primarily used for Civil ceremonies and is licensed 

for up to 100 guests. The other hall is an elegant 

reception hall for wedding breakfasts and parties. 

The reception hall can seat up to 100 guests, with 

the option of extending to 170 guests for larger 

weddings. Both halls boast modern lighting and air 

conditioning (perfect for those hot summer days). 

The venue has ample free parking. There is also a 

bride’s room and a family room. 

www.clockbarnhall.co.uk 

info@clockbarnhall.co.uk 

Photo credit Gingersnaps Photography 

Wedding Show on 

Sunday 29th March 2020 

11am-3pm 

Come along to our wedding 

show and meet some of Surrey’s 

best wedding suppliers. From 

caterers, florists, photographers, 

wedding dress shops, 

photobooths and honeymoons. 

Get inspired! 

FREE ENTRY 


Wedding Fair Sunday 

8th March 2020 11am - 3pm 

Free entry, a glass of bubbly and goody bag. Meet with local and 

recommended suppliers to inspire you for your special day. 

The Holiday Inn Guildford is the perfect setting for a superb wedding celebration. 

• Stunning oak panelled function room with outdoor courtyard 

• Licensed for civil ceremonies 

• Prices from £49pp and all-inclusive packages available 

• Late license until 1am 

• Complimentary BB for Bride & Groom 

• 168 bedrooms with use of Spirit Health Club 

• On site Beauty Spa 

• Discounted accommodation for guests 

Winter 

Wedding Offer 

for dates booked 

in November - March 

£2999 for 40 day guests and 80 

evening guests includes arrival 

drink, 2 course meal, 

half a bottle of wine, toast 

drink, evening buffet 

and DJ! 

E: meetings@higuildford.co.uk T: 01483 784444 

www.higuildfordhotel.co.uk 

The perfect venue for your wedding ceremony and reception 

Burrows Lea is a Stunning Country House 

situated just outside the beautiful village of 

Shere in the heart of the Surrey Hills, not far 

from Guildford, Dorking and the M25. 

For more information call 

01483 205620 

or email enquiries@burrowslea.org.uk 

www.burrowsleacountryhouse.co.uk 

Hook Lane, Shere, Surrey GU5 9QG 



The Conservatory at Painshill 

Set within the enchanting walled garden of Painshill Park, 

The Conservatory is the perfect wedding venue in Cobham’s 18th 

Century landscape park... 

The Conservatory at Painshill is a 

romantic venue offering all you need 

to create the perfect wedding or civil 

ceremony. The interior of the venue 

has been specifically designed with 

flexibility in mind; the blank canvas 

space gives you the opportunity to 

decorate the venue to suit your style 

and theme. From lavish and regal décor, 

to more rustic festival theming, The 

Conservatory will compliment all styling. 

The permanent marquee structure offers 

a main dining room which can seat up 

to 320 guests, featuring a twinkling light 

ceiling and a dance floor. Adjacent to 

the dining room is the large reception 

room equipped with a bar, leading out 

onto the terrace in the private walled 

garden. The venue also offers couples a 

small bridal suite for the wedding party 

to make use of. 

Whilst this versatile space can seat up 

to 320 guests, it can also be reduced to 

accommodate smaller guest capacities. 

Ideal for weddings all year round, 

guests can make use of the private 

walled garden for outdoor reception 

drinks or dress with festive fairy lights 

during the colder winter months. 

One attribute of The Conservatory 

at Painshill which makes the venue 

truly unique is the access to the park. 

With the use of The Conservatory’s 

resident golf buggy, couples can 

be taken around the park with their 

photographer to have their wedding 

photos taken at their chosen spots. 

The park itself boasts some incredible 

landmarks, including the Ruined Abbey 

and the Gothic Temple; both of which 

make stunning backdrops for wedding 

albums. 

The Conservatory at Painshill, 

Portsmouth Road, 

Cobham, 

Surrey, 

KT11 1JE 

01932 584 283 

events@painshillevents.co.uk 

Photo credit: Kirsty Mackenzie 

Photography 

“The interior of the venue has been specifically 

designed with flexibility in mind; the blank 

canvas space gives you the opportunity to 

decorate the venue to suit your style and theme.” 


An extraordinary events venue, set within the enchanted walled garden of 

Painshill Park. 

The Conservatory at Painshill is a purpose-built events space, fit with a large 

dining room which can seat up to 320 guests and a bright reception space 

leading out into the private walled garden. Located within the grounds 

of Painshill Park, couples are able to make use of the beautiful park as a 

backdrop for their wedding photography. 

For more information contact: 

events@painshillevents.co.uk / 01932 584 283


At Warbrook House, Your 

Perfect Wedding is Possible 

Whether it’s a traditional ceremony, Asian wedding or any other, 

Warbrook House will bring its unique sense of elegance and refinement 

to help make your ceremony everything you could dream of. 

Set within 121 acres of beautifully 

landscaped Grade II listed grounds, 

the Georgian mansion house stands 

elegantly apart, with its airy and spacious 

rooms providing views of the picturesque 

surroundings, from the enchanting 

woodlands to the wonderful Waterloo 

bridge over the Versailles-style canal. 

The team at Warbrook House prides 

itself on its experience delivering some of 

Hampshire’s most memorable weddings. 

We’ll dedicate a seasoned coordinator to 

you whose drive and attention to detail 

will ensure your special day goes off 

without a hitch. 

Warbrook House caters for weddings of 

all styles, from intimate to extravagant. 

The venue seats up to 120 guests for a 

wedding breakfast or civil ceremony and 

can accommodate up to 200 guests for 

evening receptions. 

The food and entertainment live 

up to the exquisite surroundings. 

Warbrook House serves fresh, locally 

sourced dishes and drinks to satisfy all 

attendees. For wedding guests that wish 

to stay in the grounds overnight, the 

hotel offers 71 bedrooms located across 

the estate. 

From April 2020, the venue will also 

offer a brand-new summer pavilion, 

available for outside civil ceremonies. 

Late availability dates are on offer until 

March 2020. 

Contact Warbrook House to enquire 

about packages and guarantee 

perfection on your special day. 

Please email weddings@warbrookhouse. 

com or contact the sales team directly 

on 0118 973 9750 and one of the team 

will be more than happy to assist with 

any questions you have. 

SUMMER WEDDING PAVILLION 

COMING MARCH 2020 

TO WARBROOK HOUSE

A stunningly romantic wedding venue 

in the rolling Surrey Hills 

An exclusive wedding & events 

venue set just 4 miles from the 

centre of Guildford. 

With fantastic food and a 

beautiful setting Bramley Golf 

Club is the perfect venue to host 

weddings from 20 people all the 

way up to 150 people. 

Dates available for 2020 & 2021 

ilf 

01483 892696 

secretary@bramleygolfclub.co.uk 

www.bramleygolfclub.co.uk 

Bramley Golf Club, Links Road, 

Bramley, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0AL

BOTANICALS 

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social care needs 

Social care seems to be in the 

news a lot at the moment, often, 

unfortunately, in conjunction with 

the word ‘crisis’. Given that if you 

need care it’s a necessity, it makes 

sense to understand the basics – well 

before that time might come. 

Social care is there to support you because 

you need some extra help with daily living 

or are caring for someone who requires 

additional help themselves. There are a 

wide range of social care services, including 

care in your home or in a care home, live-in 

care services, day centres, home adaptions 

like handrails, and technology of various 

kinds. 

The first step if you or your loved one 

needs some extra help and support is 

to ask your local authority to carry out a 

needs assessment. You might have to wait 

several weeks at least for this, because 

councils are strapped for cash and staff, 

but it’s important to have it because it’s the 

gateway to the wider system. Someone 

from the council usually visits to establish 

the type of support you might need. There’s 

no charge and the assessor will create a 

care plan specific to your needs. 

When the type of care you need is decided 

and agreed the next stage is to establish 

how it will be paid for through a financial 

means test - which can be complex and 

quite confusing. Social care isn’t a free 

service provided by the NHS as many 

people think. Most of us have to pay for 

all or some of our care and the amount 

depends on the level of need and the value 

of any assets we have. 

Your home will not be included in the means 

test if you’re arranging care and support 

at home but other capital assets, including 

savings will be. Currently, if you have more 

capital that £23,250 you will have to pay all 

your care fees. If you have under £23,250, 

you’ll get financial assistance but may have 

to contribute from your income. 

The cost of care varies by area but it is not 

unusual to have to pay about £20 an hour 

for a care worker to come to your home 

(domiciliary care) to help you with, say, 

getting up, washing and dressing, if that’s 

what you need. You can see how the bills 

add up if you need more than one visit 

every day. 

It is also possible that rather than 

‘personal care’ you need a different kind of 

support, such as companionship, because 

you are very alone and lonely. If so, in 

some places the council may refer you to 

a scheme run by a charity like Age UK, 

where you might have to pay a modest 

amount to take part. 

If your needs are such that it is best for 

you to move permanently into a care home 

your property, if you own one, will be 

included in the means test at its present 

market value, but less any mortgage 

or loan you may have on it. However, it 

will not be included if your partner still 

lives there or, in certain circumstances, a 

relative. Your home is also not included if 

you need a temporary or short-term stay 

in a care home. Two in five of all the older 

people living in care homes now pay for 

their own care. 

To avoid property or other assets being 

counted in the financial means test, some 

people consider giving them away to a 

child or grandchild. However, this could 

be interpreted as ‘deliberate deprivation 

of assets’, and your local authority may 

still ask you to pay the same level of care 

fees as if you still owned your home or 

the other assets you have given away. It 

is really important to take advice if you are 

thinking of doing something of this kind. 

If you do have to pay towards a care 

home place it is possible to avoid selling 

your property during your lifetime in order 

to release the money required, namely a 

deferred payment which endures while 

you are alive. The council provides a loan 

for your care costs secured against your 

property and this is repaid either when 

the property is sold or from your estate 

after you have passed away. There is an 

interest charge if you choose to do this 

but every council is supposed to offer a 

scheme of this kind, even though relatively 

few people take advantage of it, possibly 

because they do not know it exists. 

If you have care needs and you are 

not already claiming a benefit called 

Attendance Allowance it is always 

worth doing so. This benefit is there for 

older people, to help offset the costs of 

disability. In practice, many older people 

use their AA to help fund their social care. 

Your local Age UK can help you fill in the 

forms and will be pleased to help. AA 

is paid at two rates, £58 or £87 a week, 

depending on your needs. 

As you can see, finding social care and 

paying for it is not straight forward and 

there are lots of questions to ask, but Age 

UK can guide you through the process 

and provides independent information and 

advice. If you are online there’s a lot about 

care on our website, or there’s a free 

advice line if you prefer to talk to someone 

instead. Visiting your local Age UK is a 

third option. 

Social care has a bad reputation at the 

moment, largely because it is underfunded 

and there isn’t enough to go round. You 

may also have read horror stories in the 

press of care workers being neglectful. 

Please don’t be put off seeking care 

though - there are many wonderful care 

workers. It pays to get advice and go 

into it with your eyes open, but there are 

hundreds of thousands of older people 

whose lives are immeasurably better 

because of the good care they receive. 

Caroline Abrahams 

Charity Director, Age UK 

www.ageuk.org.uk/ 

information-advice/care 



The Fountain Centre comes of age 

Do you know what The Fountain Centre is? Some people find 

out the hard way, but many Surrey residents have no idea 

that they have this wonderful facility on hand when they need 

it most... 

The Fountain Centre is an independent 

charity within St Luke’s Cancer Centre 

at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in 

Guildford. It offers support, counselling 

and a range of complementary therapies 

– to cancer patients and their families 

from all corners of Surrey and beyond. 

In 1988, it started life in a mobile cabin 

in the hospital grounds. As it celebrates 

its 21st birthday, it is now based within 

St Luke’s, with welcoming lounge areas 

and well-equipped treatment rooms. 

It has a wig bank, library and garden, 

and provides information about support 

groups and specialist cancer charities. 

in-patients, where a dedicated therapist 

visits those who are too ill to leave their 

hospital beds. 

The Fountain Centre can help by 

dealing with the initial shock of a cancer 

diagnosis, minimising the side effects of 

chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and reestablishing 

confidence and well-being. 

Some therapies help with pain, stress 

and stimulating the body’s circulatory and 

immune systems. Acupuncture courses 

to control hot flushes in both female and 

male patients are getting particularly 

good results. Counselling has always 

been a core service for patients and their 

“ The Fountain Centre can help by dealing 

with the initial shock of a cancer diagnosis, 

minimising the side effects chemotherapy 

and radiotherapy, and re-establishing 

confidence...” 

very special. A chemotherapy bus will 

provide treatments at sites across Surrey 

in early 2020, and there will be a Fountain 

Centre therapist in place alongside the 

clinical staff. And both Frimley Park 

and Ashford St Peters hospitals will be 

opening Fountain Centre facilities – small 

to start off with, but with great hope for 

the future. 

Ambition and expansion all cost money, 

so the fund-raising team is working extra 

hard. The Family Service is lotteryfunded, 

but other work depends entirely 

on community support. 2020 will be full 

of challenges and activities designed to 

make it a year to remember. 

For more information, visit 

www.fountaincentre.org or call 

01483 406619. 

The Family Support Service is unique in 

the UK, working with families from the 

time a parent is diagnosed –about 25% 

of new patients have school age children 

(or younger). And recently the Fountain 

Centre has introduced a new service for 

families, and coaching has now been 

added for those who want to focus on 

moving forward after a cancer diagnosis 

and successful treatment. 

Some exciting developments will make 

the Fountain Centre’s 21st birthday year 


Silvermere 

Care Home 


The Peace of Mind You’ve Been 

Looking For... 

Are you worried about how your loved one is coping at home on 

their own? With so many families dispersed across the country 

in modern times and unable to visit family members on a daily 

basis, there is growing concern about our older generation being 

vulnerable to falls, forgetting to take medication and receiving a 

balanced and nutritious diet. Now may be the time to consider 

their options as you help them to look for a better lifestyle. 

Silvermere Care Home can offer support and the benefit of 

the full-time company of others in a comfortable and enriching 

lifestyle. Located in an idyllic wooded setting next to Silvermere 

Golf Club and Lake in Cobham, this beautiful home delivers the 

highest standards in residential and dementia care and all the 

support an individual needs in a safe and secure environment. 

Resident well-being is at the centre of Silvermere’s quality care. 

A wide range of healthy exercises, well balanced and freshly 

prepared dining, along with trips out in the private minibus and 

daily activities and events are all a part of a supportive lifestyle. 

Everyone is encouraged to become active participants in the 

home’s life and friends and family can stay in contact using 

Skype and social media, and for those special celebrations there 

is a private dining room available. 

refreshments in the garden, relax in one of the quiet lounges or 

library or have a hair or beauty treatment in the salon. 

Silvermere offers the best in care from highly trained staff at an 

all-inclusive price, no matter how much care is needed. We’ll look 

after your loved one just as you would. 

For more call 01932 680010 or Search ‘Silvermere Care’ online 

or on Facebook. 

Residents can enjoy home baked cakes in the cafe, take 

Spring is coming… Is your Garden ready..? 

Roots to Shoots Horticultural Services specialise in all areas from Garden Design to Maintenance. 

Garden Design, Creation & Maintenance 

01403 710404 direct line 

07940 813610 mobile 

info@rootstoshoots.co.uk www.rootstoshoots.co.uk 

…Breathing life into your Garden 


LAST FEW 

HOMES REMAINING 

The best years of your life? 

Living later life your way. 

If you think you’re ‘not ready’ for 

retirement community living, think again. 

Inspired Villages offers an active and busy 

lifestyle with everything you could wish for. 

Moving to a unique Inspired Village could 

be the best decision you ever make. 

Get in touch for more details: 

Call 01428 853 310 

or visit: www.bramshottplace.co.uk 

8 Connaught Drive, Bramshott Place, Liphook, GU30 7GE. 

F_IVG_0559 Bramshott Place - Guildford Living Back Cover - FP - 14.01.20.indd 1 13/01/2020 16:07

Guildford Living Feb - Mar 2020

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