Leamington and Warwick Living Mar

Contents 

A Note 

from the editor 

Hello Spring – I’ve been waiting for your arrival 

like a lovelorn maiden, excitedly hopping out 

of bed to look out the window for signs of new 

life and sunny skies. I know that in recent years 

March weather has been…unpredictable, but 

nevertheless I’m hopeful and cheery. 

A Culinary is nearly Journey here, through so we celebrate 

Northern 27Easter with a weekend Irelandof 

recipes! 

Avid readers might remember reading about 

my new year’s pledge last issue – to walk, run 

or cycle 5km every day of 2020. Not having a 

bike, or access to a stationary one continues 

to be slightly problematic, but apart from a 

particularly grim night during a storm (I can’t 

remember which given name, we’ve had so 

many of late), I’ve done it! I’m not sure yet if 

I’m fitter or slimmer, but I’ve really enjoyed 

carving little moments out of my usually hectic 

day to go for a head-clearing walk. It’s never 

too late to start! 

In this issue... 

Fabulous UK 

staycations 

04 What’s On 

As spring comes into its swing we 

touch on the best local events for 

the whole family 

23 Easter Gifts 

33 

Not just chocolate (though there is 

just a little bit...), we check out some 

lovely Easter present ideas 

25 Mitch Tonks 

We catch up with the renowned fish 

chef on where his passions lie and his 

love of his community 

30 Foodie Santa Barbara 

We journey to the Golden State of 

California to sample the famous Santa 

Barbara food scene 

36 Amazing Glazing 

Architectural glazing elevates 

any home - we explore the best 

investments and new technologies 

52 Alan Titchmarsh 

We interview the gardener on his new 

passion for poetry and his favourite 

gardens to visit 

25 

Chef Mitch 

Tonks 

Bathroom 

38 

& Tile Guide 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell 

Contributors Rebecca Rose, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs 

Angela Cave, Lucy Saunders and Pete Lawrence. 

Key Account Manager Marion Cassidy 

e marion@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 308 091 

twitter: @LeamingtonLive 

This issue we have really turned the focus 

on Easter, with cracking pressies and some 

egg-cellent recipes – hey, if you’re running five 

kilometres a day, you go ahead and enjoy that 

hot cross bun pudding! There’s also lots to 

look forward to in the calendar, with some of 

our favourite attractions opening again. 

Continuing the foodie note, we have an 

interview with top Devon chef Mitch Tonks – 

you’ll probably recognise him from a supremely 

popular show he presented with rugby star 

Matt Dawson a few years back – he’s a 

titan in the fish industry and is passionate 

about sustainability. We caught up with him to 

discuss his role in creating a community feel 

and growing his business. 

That, plus some fantastic interviews and a 

bumper crop of home inspiration, makes this 

issue a great read. 

We will see you back in May! 

Katie 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

County Gate, County Way 

Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7FJ 

t 01225 308 128 

w www.minervapublications.co.uk 

visit our website www.leamingtonspaliving.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.leamingtonspaliving.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... 

Baddesley Clinton 

National Trust 

Rising Lane, Knowle, Solihull B93 0DQ 

01564 783294 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/baddesley-clinton 

Sunday 22 March 

Mothering Sunday 

Treat mum this Mother’s Day to lunch out 

or a cream tea in the Barn Restaurant. 

Enjoy a stroll through the gardens 

afterwards, or collect a walks card 

to explore the wider Warwickshire 

countryside. 

Friday 10 - Monday 13 April 

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts 

Join in with the Easter hunt, with chocolate 

treat and take-home crafts. You will need 

to pre-book a car parking space to the 

property to visit over the Easter weekend. 

Belgrade Theatre 

Belgrade Square, Coventry CV1 1GS 

0247655 3055 

www.belgrade.co.uk 

Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 March 

Once 

Once may not be enough for you to see 

this multi award-winning Broadway and 

West End hit musical. 

Based on the critically acclaimed and 

much-loved film, you will meet (and never 

forget) two lost souls a Dublin street 

busker and a Czech musician who find 

each other unexpectedly and fall in love. 

Tuesday 17 - Thursday 19 March 

The Twisted Tale of Hansel and 

Gretel 

A flustered storyteller is joined by a 

mischievous mocking bird as he follows 

Hansel and Gretel deep into the forest. All 

is not what it seems, as the characters start 

to tell their own version of this adventure. 


Blood Brothers 

Willy Russell’s legendary musical tells 

the captivating and moving tale of twins 

separated at birth, who grow up on 

opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet 

again with tragic consequences. 

Saturday 11 April 

Seven Drunken Nights - 

The Story of the Dubliners 

This show brings to life the music of 

Ireland’s favorite sons - The Dubliners. 

Telling the story of a career spanning 50 

years and evoking the spirit of Ronnie 

Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, 

Jim McCann, Ciaran Bourke and John 

Sheahan. This talented cast of musicians 

and singers bring the music to life. 

4 | www.leamingtonspaliving.co.uk 

Wednesday 22 - Saturday 25 April 

Billionaire Boy 

Joe Spud is twelve years old and the 

richest boy in the country! He has his own 

sports car, two crocodiles as pets and 

100,000 a week pocket money! But what 

Joe doesn’t have is a friend. 

Tuesday 28 April - Saturday 2 May 

An Inspector Calls 

When Inspector Goole arrives 

unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling 

family home, their peaceful dinner party 

is shattered by his investigations into the 

death of a young woman. His startling 

revelations shake the very foundations of 

their lives and challenge us all to examine 

our consciences. 

Birmingham Botanical 

Gardens 

Westbourne Road, Edgbaston B15 3TR 

0121 454 1860 

www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk 

Sunday 22 March 

Mother’s Day 

Mothers go free all day on Mothering 

Sunday, with a paying child! Take 

mum along for a beautiful day at the 

Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Why not 

enjoy a refreshing cup of tea and slice of 

cake in the tea rooms - a perfect treat! 

Sunday 12 April 

Easter Sunday Fun 

Celebrate Easter Sunday at the 

Birmingham Botanical Gardens for a day 

packed full of fun! Start off with an Egg 

hunt around the grounds -find the Eggs 

hidden in the gardens and win a prize! 

Everyone who completes their form will 

win a yummy treat! 

Monday 13 - Friday 17 April 

Easter Activities 

The following children’s trails will be 

available from Reception throughout 

the Easter Holidays. There will be an 

additional small charge for the Face 

Painting and The Bouncing Castle. 

Wednesday 15 April, 11.30am - 2.30pm 

Peter Rabbit Story Time 

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens will 

have a very special visitor this April! 

Hop along to see Peter Rabbit this 

Easter, as the mischievous rabbit appears 

alongside a narrator, at various times. 

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April 

Daffodil Show 

The Daffodil Society Annual Show will 

returnfor its annual two-day event. It 

promises to be a must-visit for keen 

gardeners with a love of these spring bulbs. 

Bridge House Theatre 

& Warwick Hall 

Warwick School, Myton Road, Warwick 

CV34 6PP 

01926 776438 

www.bridgehousetheatre.co.uk 

Thursday 12 - Friday 13 March 

Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits 

The ancient city of Old Baghdad is in 

chaos. Whilst the bustling bazaar is 

overrun with ruthless robbers, up in the 

palace Sultan Pepper’s precious princess 

and Royal Ruby have vanished! To make 

matters worse, it seems the poor Sultan 

cannot trust his own Vizier, Mustapha 

Widdle, nor his michevous monkey 

Booboo. So when Ali Baba discovers the 

hidden Cave Of Wonders, secret hideout 

of Balthazar Bongo and his bumbling 

bandits, it’s down to him to save the day! 

Thursday 2 April, 7.30pm 

I, Elizabeth 

1568 - At a vital but volatile crossroads 

in history a young queen steps from 

the shadows to reveal her thoughts on 

marriage, succession, religion and war. 

But time is against her... 

Elizabeth I - Queen at 25, political phoenix 

and famously unmarried but who was the 

woman beneath the crown? 

Saturday 18 April, 8pm 

Very Santana 

A West Midlands, UK based band present 

a live experience spanning the entire 

musical Santana legacy, including the 

early era songs from the Abraxas album, 

live, latin-rock improvisational music 

experience. 

Hatton Adventure 

World 

Dark Lane, Hatton CV35 8XA 

01926 843411 

www.hattonworld.com 

Saturday 28 March - Sunday 29 March 

Easter Craft Fayre 

Easter is always full of surprises and the 

Craft Fayre will be no exception. Bursting 

with curios and awash with bespoke 

gifts you will be spoilt for choice. Browse 

the quality hand-made crafts from 

very special host of talented, creative 

individuals. Saturday 11 April - Monday 

13 April 

Easter Markets 

Enjoy shopping at the Easter Markets. 

Find exciting traders selling crafts, cards, 

jewellery, clothes and a whole host of 

amazing gifts and goodies. 

continued

National Exhibition 

Centre (NEC) 

Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT 

0121 7804141 

www.thenec.co.uk 

Thursday 5 - Sunday 8 March 

Crufts 

Crufts is the world’s greatest dog show! 

Organised by the Kennel Club, the show 

celebrates every aspect of the role that 

dogs play in our lives. 

Watch 22,000 dogs compete for the world 

class title of Crufts Best in Show, fantastic 

displays and competitions and shop at over 

550 trade stands with special show offers 

and exciting new products for you and your 

best friend! 

Redditch Palace 

Theatre 

Alcester Street, Redditch B98 8AE 

01527 65203 

www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk 

Friday 6 March 

One Night In Dublin 

The multi-award-winning Irish band, The 

Wild Murphys, features the very best 

traditional Irish musicians playing a thrilling 

mix of traditional and contemporary tunes 

guaranteed to have the audience hand 

clapping and toe tapping all night long! 

Thursday 19 March 

Giselle 

First performed in 1841, Giselle has never 

lost its popularity with audiences and is 

considered to be one of the jewels in the 

crown of the romantic repertoire. 


The Bon Jovi Experience 

The Bon Jovi Experience is the world’s 

first and finest tribute to the great Bon Jovi 

and is the world’s only tribute to have been 

requested by and to have performed live on 

stage with Jon Bon Jovi himself. 


Wizard Of Oz 

Join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the 

cowardly Lion as they journey on a pantofilled 

adventure through Oz to meet the 

legendary Wizard and defeat the Wicked 

Witch of the West. 

Tuesday 21 - Saturday 25 April 

Guys & Dolls 

Considered by many to be the perfect 

musical comedy, Guys & Dolls ran for 

1,200 performances when it opened on 

Broadway in 1950. It received nearly 

unanimous positive reviews from critics 

and won a bevy of awards, including Tony 

Awards, Drama Desks and Olivier Awards. 

The Core Theatre 

Theatre Square, Touchwood, Homer Road, 

Solihull, B91 3RG 

0121 704 6962 

www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk 


Don’t Panic! 

The nation’s only tribute to the long running 

hit comedy television series, Dad’s Army. 

Ideal for all audiences regardless of 

whether you are familiar with the iconic TV 

show or not, this light-hearted, laugh-along, 


sing-along comedy show is a sure fire hit 

with audiences young and old. 


Annie 

Annie is a Broadway musical based upon 

the popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie, 

and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. 

The musical’s songs ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘It’s 

the Hard Knock Life’ are among its most 

popular musical numbers. 

Monday 30 March - Saturday 4 April 

Barnum 

Phineus T Barnum is quite possibly the 

World’s Greatest Showman and Peterbrook 

Players’ 2020 production of this classic 

musical promises to be their most 

adventurous and spectacular to date. 

Come one, come all expect to be 

transformed, dazzled and amazed! 

Wednesday 15 April 

The Sooty Show 

Direct from their hit ITV series, Sooty, 

Sweep and Soo and TV’s Richard Cadell 

will amaze you with impossible tricks and 

sidesplitting jokes! Be astounded at Sooty’s 

flying car, Soo’s singing unicorn and 

Sweep’s levitating sausage! 

Warwick Arts Centre 

University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL 

024 7652 4524 

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk 

Saturday 7 March 

Black Voices Aretha - 

The Queen Next Door 

Celebrating the Queen of Soul, Black 

Voices team up with a stellar four piece 

band to cover a range of Aretha Franklin 

classics. This trip down memory lane 

includes love songs about looking for love, 

finding love and being in love. Black Voices 

capture the spirit of Aretha Franklin in this 

collection of her songs. 

Tuesday 10 March 

Arabella Weir - 

Does My Mum Loom Big In This? 

Does My Mum Loom Big In This? is for 

everyone who’s had a mother or been 

a mother, featuring hair-raising hilarious 

true stories from Arabella’s dysfunctional 

childhood, her perilous career and her life 

as a single working mother. 

Thursday 9 - Sunday 12 April 

The Tiger Who Came to Tea 

Join the tea-guzzling tiger 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! 

Warwick Racecourse 

Hampton Street, Warwick CV34 6HU 

01926 405560 

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/warwick 


Molly Olly’s Wishes Raceday 

Join them for Molly Olly’s Wishes Raceday, 

a special raceday for local charity that 

supports children with terminal or lifethreatening 

illnesses and their families. 

Tuesday 14 April 

Coventry City FC Raceday 

Hopefully by the time this raceday comes 

around our local English Football League 

one team, Coventry City will be sailing high 

at the top of the table. Join the current 

squad and stars of yesteryear for a sky blue 

day at Warwick Racecourse. Supporters 

of Wolves, Villa, Birmingham, Walsall, 

Leicester City and other local teams are 

more than welcome so wear your scarf 

with pride! 

Thursday 23 April 

Kissing It Better Raceday 

They are really excited about welcoming 

everyone to Warwick for a great day’s 

racing that is being run in aid of the charity 

Kissing It Better. 

KiB is a healthcare charity and training 

provider, working to end the isolation of old 

age by bringing the generations together. 

Friday 8 May 

Victory in Europe Raceday 

Join us for what will be one of the most 

incredible race meetings ever staged at 

Warwick, to celebrate the 75th Anniversary 

of the Victory in Europe. 

continued

BOOK 

ONLINE 

to save money 

THE OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING WEST END SHOW 

3 – 7 Mar 

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15 – 18 April 

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22 – 25 April 

From £15* 

28 April – 2 May 

From £15* 

BOOK NOW 024 7655 3055 www.belgrade.co.uk 

*Ticket prices include a £1.50 booking fee. No booking fee applies if booked online.

Castle Bromwich Hall 

Gardens 

Castle Bromwich, Birmingham B36 9BT 

0121 749 4100 

www.castlebromwichhallgardens.org.uk 

Saturday April 11 

Easter Bonnet Parade Day 

Details not available at time of going to press. 

Please visit the website later. 

Monday April 13, 12.30pm & Tuesday April 

14, 4.30pm 

Regiment of Foote Weekend 

Cromwell is coming! A great family event - 

wander around the Civil War encampment 

taking in the smells and sounds of the 

Parliamentary troops and their followers. 

Friday April 17, 10am - 11am 

Nature Makers – Arts & Crafts for the 

very young 

These are monthly sessions for tiddlers from 

6 months to 6 years. 

Here you and your child can journey through 

the seasons learning about nature, and the 

world around us, through nature inspired Art 

& Craft! Each class is a different theme that 

that incorporates nature play outside (where 

possible), related Art & Craft and finish with 

snack time and songs/story about the theme. 

All products used are Eco friendly and Vegan. 

The ticket price includes the one hour class, 

a snack and drink and entry to Gardens after 

the class on the day. 

Sunday 19 April, 3pm 

Alice in Wonderland 

What does the Dodo do? Just how mad 

are the Hare and the Hatter? What makes 

the Caterpillar Grumpy and the Hedgehog 

Prickly? Questions are answered and 

answers are questioned in this deceptively 

simple, yet highly original re-telling of the 

Lewis Carroll classic. Hold tight for rolling 

heads, rocketing sneezes, skimming 

plates and darting jam Tarts. Three actors, 

multiple characters and one classic story 

that’s high in energy, humour and audience 

participation…and all the while the Cheshire 

Cat grinned from ear-to-ear. Great for 4 years 

and upwards. 

Stratford Play House 

Rother St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6LU 

01789 333990 

www.stratfordplay.co.uk 

7 March, 3pm 

My Friend Mr Laurel 

Fulfilling a long held desire to pay tribute to 

his hero Stan Laurel, Jeffrey Holland tells this 

intriguing, funny and often poignant tale of 

friendship, love and dedication about one of 

Hollywood’s great film comedians. 

Jeffrey stars in this one-man show about 

friendship, memories and a couple of 

remarkable lives. Set in the bedroom of a sick 

Oliver Hardy the show takes place during 

Laurel’s visit to the dying man. Recounting 

their past success as the comedy double act 

Laurel and Hardy, this is a humorous and 

touching look at one of the great cinematic 

partnerships of the last century. 

Wednesday 18 March - Sunday 22 March 

Annie 

Leapin’ Lizards! Stratford Musical Theatre 

Company are back with one of the world’s 

best-loved musicals, Annie. 

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, 

little orphan Annie charms everyones hearts 

despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s 

New York City. She is determined to find her 

parents who abandoned her years ago on the 

doorstep of a New York City orphanage run 

by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With 

the help of the other girls in the orphanage, 

Annie escapes to the wondrous world of 

NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, 

Annie foils Miss Hannigans evil plans and 

even befriends President Franklin Delano 

Roosevelt. She finds a new home and family 

in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal 

secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt 

named Sandy. 

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold 

Gray, Annie has become a world-wide 

phenomenon and was the winner of seven 

Tony Awards including Best Musical. 

28 March - 2 October, various times 

The Winter’s Tale 

Set across a 16-year span from Mad Men to 

the moon landings, this new production of 

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale imagines 

a world where the ghosts of fascist Europe 

collide with horrors of The Handmaid’s Tale, 

before washing up on a joyful seashore. 

King Leontes rips his family apart with his 

jealousy but grief opens his heart. Will he find 

the child he abandoned before it is too late? 

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. 

8 | www.leamingtonspaliving.co.uk

luXurY 

CatterY 

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CounCil rateD 5 Star 

Call now to arrange 

your booking: 

01926 811833 

E: holidays@calcutt-cattery.co.uk 

W: www.calcutt-cattery.co.uk 

HourS of buSineSS 

Monday - friday 

10.30am - noon and 4pm - 6pm 

Saturday and Sunday 

10.30am - noon only 

CALCUTT 

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A secure, relaxed 

and stress-free 

countryside location 

offering a loving 

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creature comforts are 

catered for. Relax in 

the knowledge that our 

guests are our number 

one priority, allowing you 

to enjoy your 

well-earned break... 

CalCutt CattEry 

the Cats’ Choice 

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25TH - 26TH JULY 2020 

TUDOR GRANGE PARK 

KOOL & THE GANG 

SHALAMAR 

FEATURING HOWARD HEWITT | JEFFREY DANIEL | CAROLYN GRIFFEY 

THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES 

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SUPPORTED BY 

TRIBUTE ARTIST 

MORE ARTISTS 

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THE BLOW MONKEYS 

ROB LAMBERTI AS GEORGE MICHAEL 

TONY 

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LEO 

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SUPPORTED BY 

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2ND STAGE! 

FOR TICKETS AND INFO VISIT: WWW.SOLIHULLSUMMERFEST.CO.UK

The importance of preparing 

students for the workplace 

Dr Joseph Spence, head of Dulwich College, discusses the value 

careers-based workshops can bring to independent schools and 

their state school partners... 

Careers education is an important 

element of a school’s provision, and 

a service one cannot introduce to 

pupils too early. Prospective parents, 

even of 11‐year‐olds, are asking far 

more questions than they used to 

about how we are preparing children 

for the workplace of the future. This is 

inevitable given all of the rhetoric about 

the percentage of jobs not yet created 

into which our pupils will move, and the 

fact that they will likely have multiple 

careers, possibly across many countries 

or continents, over the course of long 

working lives. 

Networking events focused on particular 

professions or industries have proven 

immensely popular. These bring together 

former pupils and current and past 

parents, alongside pupils from both 

independent and state schools. 

However, it is also useful to look for 

ways older pupils can deliver light‐touch 

advice to their younger peers at partner 

schools. As co‐director of the Southwark 

Schools Learning Partnership, I have 

been delighted in recent years to be able 

to encourage a hub of careers advisers 

from a good number of our 16 schools 

(12 state schools and four independent 

schools) to share best practice between 

schools and across the sectors. Latterly, 

we have had our own students help focus 

the minds of younger pupils at a partner 

school on potential university applications 

and the world of careers. 

Last June, a group of Year 10 students 

from City Heights E‐ACT Academy 

in South East London had a careers 

workshop with our careers adviser 

at Dulwich College, and a group of 

the College’s Year 12 students. The 

workshop introduced the UCAS process 

with a short ‘true or false’ activity, with 

students from both schools working in 

teams to decide on the veracity of various 

statements. The statements included 

the number of applicants to university 

through UCAS, World University 

Rankings, average graduate salaries and 

deciding what degree courses some 

famous people had taken. This was an 

effective ice-breaking exercise, which 

ensured that no one could feel he or she 

was an expert when it came to university 

admissions. 

The Year 10 City Heights students were 

then given a brief overview of the UCAS 

applications process and the Year 12 

students explained what A‐levels they 

were doing and the different courses 

and universities they were planning to 

apply to. The City Heights pupils were 

introduced to course and career options 

they had not previously considered, while 

the Dulwich College pupils said it really 

helped them to clarify their own plans 

by having to articulate them for younger 

pupils. 

The next activity consisted of a wideranging 

discussion of the likely nature 

of jobs in the future that haven’t been 

created yet. Students were also advised 

about courses and careers on to which 

one could move later, e.g. becoming a 

solicitor or barrister via a post‐graduate 

law conversion course. 

The final part of the workshop consisted 

of a question and answer session, much 

of which focused on what subjects were 

needed for certain careers. This also gave 

the Dulwich students and their careers 

adviser the opportunity to talk about the 

importance of engaging in co‐curricular 

activities that might support a career 

aspiration, such as volunteering in a 

hospital or care home for healthcare 

related careers. The feedback from the 

session was universally positive and 

this workshop has provided a template 

Dulwich College will consider repeating 

at City Heights and taking to other 11‐16 

partner schools. 

There was a time when the only careers 

advice the head of an independent 

school needed to offer sixth formers was 

on how to write a personal statement. 

Those days are long gone. Whether 

explicitly or implicitly, the new order is 

that everything we do with our students 

has some bearing on preparing them for 

the fast-changing workplace. The jobs 

they will go into may be newly minted 

or newly branded, but the skills and 

aptitudes they will require to succeed 

in them are, in fact, those which have 

always been needed in the world of work: 

the ability to lead on a project, to work in 

a team, to communicate clearly and the 

ability to think outside the box. 

All this they learn in their representation 

of the school on its sport field, in 

the joining of musical and theatrical 

ensembles, in their community projects 

and charitable fundraising and in their 

adventurous activities. We are all careers 

educators now – but explicit, nuanced 

careers advice delivered by those 

who work hard to keep up to speed 

with changes in the major (and new) 

professions, is still absolutely essential. 


We invite your Year 5 daughter 

to join us for a morning full of 

exciting workshops, hosted by 

our teachers, and to see our 

wonderful new school. 

The morning will give an insight 

of what life at King’s is like and 

the chance to meet and chat to 

other girls from different schools 

who are considering King’s as 

their secondary school. 

BOOK YOUR PLACE! 

Please email 

marketing@kingshighwarwick.co.uk 

or call 01926 735461 

Open Morning 

Saturday 7 March, 9:30am – 12noon 

Open Afternoon 

Thursday 7 May, 1:30pm – 3:00pm 

To confirm your attendance: 

www.warwickprep.com/eventbooking 

admissions@warwickprep.com 

01926 491545 

@warwickprep 

An Independent Day School and Nursery 

for boys aged 3-7 and girls aged 3-11 


LAMBING & 

ANIMALS WEEKEND 

at Moreton Morrell College 

Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 March 2020 

10.30am – 4pm (last entry on each day is 3pm) 

• Meet our new lambs – and if you’re lucky, 

see one being born! 

• Visit our Animal Centre – and see meerkats, 

porcupines, coatis and other exotic animals 

• Sit on a tractor – the perfect photo opportunity 

• Visit our Farmer’s Market – including our 

Pershore Plant Centre stall, and a chance to 

sample our award-winning juice 

• Explore the Adventure Trail... and much more! 

Refreshments 

available & 

FREE parking 

onsite. 

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW AND SAVE: 

wcg.ac.uk/lambing 

Co-educational Preparatory School for 

children aged 3 - 13 set in 90 acres of 

wide open countryside just outside Rugby 

Day, flexi, weekly and full boarding 

Email admissions@biltongrange.co.uk or call our Registrar on 01788 818246 

www.biltongrange.co.uk 

Bilton Grange is part of the Rugby Group of Schools 


VICTORY 

IN EUROPE 

RACEDAY 

BANK HOLIDAY 

FRIDAY 8 MAY 

Tickets only £10 

STRATFORD 

LITERARY FESTIVAL 

9 th May - 17 th May 2020 

Book now 

on 0333 666 3366 

or online stratlitfest.co.uk 

Lots of 

events 

for kids 

Hilary Mantel Rory Bremner Cressida Cowell Lemn Sissay Maggie O’Farrell Michael Morpurgo 

PLUS... 

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 

Michael Frayn 

Hugh Pym 

Camilla Cavendish 

Miles Jupp 

Peter James 

James Shapiro 

Gordon Corera 

Salley Vickers 

George Alagiah 

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Living Magazine - 153 mm wide x 110 mm high.indd 1 27/01/2020 11:21

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Spring Exhibitions at Compton Verney 

14 March - 14 June 2020 

Spring into Easter with 

new Jump In activities 

If you hop on down to Jump In Trampoline 

Park in Warwick this Easter there will be no 

shortage of egg-citing activities to get your 

teeth into... 

Everything from chocolate, cakes and 

pizza will be served up for some eggstraordinary 

fun, including egg hunts and 

Easter cup cake decorating (running 

alongside the Toddler sessions). 

Visitors during the school holidays are 

being invited to roll up their sleeves for 

a Pizza Master Class. In the new Lunch 

and Jump sessions the pizza chef will 

instruct the children in the art of pizza 

making, including choosing their own 

toppings and, while the pizza is cooking, there’s time for a fun 

jumping session before devouring their creations. 

And, between Good Friday and Easter Monday, there’ll be the 

chance to bag some chocolate booty in free egg hunts around 

the site, led by Peter Rabbit and his friends. 

Older jumpers can add a spring to their step by joining in the cool 

new Under 16 Ibiza Rocks Club Nights. Enjoy trampolining, hot 

dog and slush to get the joint really jumping! 

More information about the Club Nights is available at: 

www.gojumpin.com. One of the most popular rainy day 

destinations of choice, there is always something for all ages and 

abilities at Jump In Trampoline Park in Warwick. 


by Valentina Amitrano 

Italian Chef To Hire 

Treat yourself with an exclusive 

experience in the comfort of your home. 

Registered charity no 1032478 

Top: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Venus and 

Cupid, c1525 (detail) © Compton Verney 

Bottom: Susie MacMurray, After Shell, 

2006. Commissioned by Pallant House 

Gallery (detail) © Susie MacMurray 

Gourmet chef at 

your dinner table. 

www.italiancheftohire.co.uk 

info@italiancheftohire.co.uk 


A rainbow of delicious 

sweets, all in biodegradable 

packing, from £2.95, 

askmummyanddaddy.com 

Turn your little person into a 

bunny with this cute cardigan, 

£34.99, kitandkin.com 

A milk chocolate egg 

burnished with gold and 

a very low added sugar, 

£18.50, chococo.co.uk 

We love the Easter carrots Low sugar chocolate - 

yes please 

4 Lemon Fondant 

Fancies, £9, and Hazelnut 

Chocolate Egg, £6.50, 

bettys.co.uk 

AN EGGCELLENT 

EASTER 

Perfect pressies for all your 

loved ones this Easter 

Small White 

Ceramic Hen 

‘Glug Jug’, £7.50, 

giselagraham.co.uk 

Give them their own 

bunny to cuddle with 

this cute cushion, £15, 

bizzigrowin.com 

Easter Lamb Bowl, £30, 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Bonnie The Bunny 

Umbrella, £8.95, 

rexlondon.com 

Great for plants or as 

an Easter centrepiece 

You can also buy materials to 

make floral wreaths 

Reduce your carbon footprint with 

these long-lasting, contemporary 

bouquets. Preserved at the height of 

their beauty, they guarantee a year of 

bloom. We love the soft feel and look 

of fresh foliage. From £29, shida.florist 

Charming Easter 

designs from 

illustrator Sophie 

Allport, from £8, 

sophieallport.com 

Bunny Pom Pom Bum 

Easter Name Place 

Cards, £3.99 for 6, 

gingerray.co.uk 


BEER 

FESTIVAL 

May 

7 th ,8 th ,9 th 

& 10 th 

i 

included 

for over 30 

years 


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" 

25

"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’. 

26 

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

EASTEr 

eats 

The next big cooking fest after the festive feast, we think cooking for 

Easter should be easy. So we've gathered some seasonal favourites with 

minimal fuss, all from the fantastic cooking app cookwithmands.com 

GRIDDLED 

ASPARAGUS 

with citrus hollandaise 

The perfect starter, light and delicious - it 

also lets seasonal hero asparagus shine! 

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

450g asparagus 

1 lemon 

1 dash olive oil 

For the hollandaise: 

2 large egg yolks 

1 tbsp fresh orange juice 

half a lemon 

2 tsp lemon zest 

125g cold butter 

METHOD 

Juice the half lemon, grate the lemon 

zest from the whole lemon, then cut that 

lemon into slices. Dice the cold butter. 

To make the hollandaise, in a medium 

heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg 

yolks, orange and lemon juice, lemon 

zest, and some salt and freshly ground 

black pepper. Sit the bowl over (but not 

touching) a pan of gently simmering 

water and add 2 or 3 pieces of butter, 

whisking continuously until melted. 

Continue adding the remaining butter in 

this way, whisking until the sauce is thick 

and smooth. Remove from the heat. 

Heat a griddle pan until hot. Drizzle the 

asparagus and lemon wedges with a 

little olive oil and griddle for 2-3 minutes 

each side, until just tender. Season with 

salt and pepper, and arrange on a platter. 

Drizzle with the hollandaise to serve. 

CHEDDAR & 

ONION seeded rolls 

Something about Easter makes baking 

feel right. This is great for the main meal or 

as a sandwich with any leftover lamb. 


Makes: 10 

INGREDIENTS 

3 tsp black onion seeds 

375g seeded bread mix (from M&S) 

200g mature Cheddar 

180ml lukewarm water 

flour, for dusting 

olive oil 

METHOD 

Heat a frying pan over a medium-high 

heat and add the onion seeds. Move 

them around the pan for 1 minute, until 

they produce an oniony aroma. Set aside. 

Tip the bread mix into a large bowl. Stir in 

three-quarters of the cheese, two-thirds 

of the onion seeds and the lukewarm 

water. Mix to form a ball of dough. 

Turn out onto a floured surface and 

knead for about 10 minutes until soft and 

elastic. Shape into rolls, then put on oiled 

baking sheets, well apart. 

With a knife, slash the tops of the rolls. 

Loosely cover each sheet with lightly 

oiled cling-film and leave in a warm 

place for 40 minutes, until the dough has 

almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to 

220°C/425°F/gas 7 (200°C for fan ovens). 

Once the rolls have risen, scatter them 

with the reserved cheese and onion 

seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes until 

golden and hollow-sounding when 

tapped underneath. Delicious served 

warm with butter. 

27

4 (160°C for fan ovens). Transfer the 

potatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle with the 

oil and sprinkle with the seasoning. Roast 

the potatoes for 40 minutes, turning 

occasionally, until tender and crisp. 

SLOW-ROAST 

LAMB 

The Easter centrepiece - this one is meltin-the-mouth 

delicious and just needs 

low, slow cooking. 

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 4 hours 10 mins 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS 

2kg leg of lamb (bone in) 

400g shallots 

2 whole garlic bulbs 

150ml Madeira/Marsala or other sweet 

fortified wine 

2 tsp plain flour 

2 tsp butter 

Seasoning paste 

2 lemons 

4 sprigs rosemary 

4 garlic cloves 

8 anchovies 

1 tbsp olive oil 

METHOD 

To prep: If large, peel and half the 

shallots. Half crossways the whole garlic 

bulbs. Soften the butter. Zest and half 

the lemons. Finely chop the leaves of the 

rosemary. Finely chop the garlic cloves. 

Chop the anchovies. 

Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. 

To make the seasoning paste, put the 

lemon zest, rosemary, garlic cloves, 

anchovies and freshly ground black 

pepper in a bowl. Use a fork to mash 

together into a chunky paste. Stir in the oil 

and set aside. 

Heat a roasting tin on the hob and brown 

the lamb for a couple of minutes on each 

side. Remove the lamb from the tin and 

place on a board. 

Cook the shallots in the roasting tin (add 

a little olive oil if necessary) for 5 minutes 

or until golden, stirring occasionally. 

Remove and set aside. 

Meanwhile, use a thin, sharp knife to 

make deep, angled incisions all over the 

lamb. 

Push the seasoning paste into the cuts. 

Return the lamb to the tin. Add the 

shallots, garlic and lemon halves. Pour 

the Madeira and 100ml water around the 

lamb. Cover the roasting tin tightly with 

foil and roast for 3 hours. 

Remove the foil and return to the oven 

for a further hour. Meanwhile, mix the 

flour and butter to form a paste. When 

the lamb is ready, transfer it to a carving 

board or platter, with the garlic, lemons 

and shallots, and loosely cover with foil. 

Strain the juices from the roasting tin into 

a small saucepan and bring to the boil. 

Whisk in the flour and butter paste, then 

simmer until the sauce is thickened and 

glossy. Serve with the lamb. 

ULTIMATE 

ROAST 

POTATOES 

Perfect roast potatoes with a flawless, 

crisp crunch. 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

1kg potatoes 

1 tbsp Seasoning for Roast Potatoes 


METHOD 

Peel and cut the potatoes in half, or into 

quarters if large. Boil the potatoes in 

salted water for 5 minutes and drain well. 

Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 

WHOLE SALMON 

with roasted squash and 

tarragon olive mayonnaise 

The perfect celebratory fish dish for 

Good Friday. 

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 1 hour 5 mins 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS 

1 lemon 

2kg whole Lochmuir salmon, cleaned 


8 sprigs tarragon 

20g unsalted butter 

1 large butternut squash 

8 whole garlic clove 

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds 

200ml mayonnaise 

2 tbsp pitted green olives, chopped 

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 190°/170°C fan/gas 5. 

Halve the lemon, set one half aside and 

slice the other into rounds. To cook the 

salmon, start with two large sheets of 

foil, one on top of the other, in a roasting 

tin large enough to hold the whole fish. 

Brush the foil with 1 tablespoon oil and 

lay the salmon on top. 

Stuff 4 tarragon sprigs, the lemon slices 

and a little salt and pepper in the cavity. 

Dot the butter over the surface of the 

salmon and bring the foil around it in a 

loose parcel, sealing the edges tightly. 

Roast for 1 hour, then set aside to rest for 

15 minutes before opening the foil. 

Meanwhile, slice the squash into wedges, 

skin on, and toss with the remaining olive 

oil and the whole garlic cloves on a large 

baking tray. 

Roast for 45 minutes, until the squash 

is golden then scatter with the pumpkin 

28

seeds and return to the oven for a final 5 

minutes. 

To make the mayonnaise, strip the leaves 

from the remaining tarragon sprigs and 

finely chop. 

Stir into the mayonnaise with a squeeze 

of lemon juice from the remaining lemon 

half and the chopped olives. 

Season with black pepper only. Serve the 

baked salmon with the roast squash, soft 

garlic and tarragon-olive mayonnaise. 

HOT CROSS BUN 

PUDDING 

A great alternative to bread and butter 

pudding - and a way to use up any 

leftover hot cross buns and Easter eggs! 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

2 eggs 

8 mini hot cross buns, or four large 

1 pear, peeled, cored and cubed 

4 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread 

25g dark chocolate, chopped 

150ml double cream 

25ml whole milk 

25g caster sugar 

METHOD 

Cut each bun in half, then sandwich 

together with the chocolate spread. 

Arrange in an ovenproof dish and scatter 

over the pear cubes and chocolate. 

Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and 

sugar. Pour the mixture over the buns 

and leave for at least 30 minutes to allow 

it to soak in. 

Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 

(160°C for fan ovens) and bake for 35-40 

minutes until golden and just set. Stand 

for 5 minutes before serving. 

RHUBARB AND 

MASCARPONE 

meringue cake 

Another seasonal favourite - rhubarb. 

Meringues can be made ahead, but eat 

on the day you assemble with cream. 

Prep: 1 hour 25 mins | Cook: 2 hours 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS 

For the purée: 

400g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces 

2 tbsp caster sugar 

1 vanilla pod, deseeded 

4 tbsp orange juice 

For the meringue: 

225g caster sugar 

4 egg whites 

For the filling and topping: 

50g icing sugar 

350g mascarpone 

30g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. 

Toss together the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla 

pod pieces and orange juice. Spread 

out the mixture in a small baking dish 

and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender. 

Remove from the oven and set aside 

to cool. 

Turn the oven down to 110°C/90°C fan/ 

gas ¼. Reserve 10 pieces of rhubarb 

for decoration, and purée the rest in a 

blender. Only add the juices from the 

baking dish if the purée seems too thick. 

Set aside. 

Trace 4 x 18cm circles on baking paper 

as a guide for the meringue discs. Put 

the sugar and 90ml water into a heavybased 

saucepan. Carefully swirl the water 

around to ensure the sugar is covered. 

(Do not stir after swirling as this will 

encourage sugar crystals to form on the 

sides of the pan.) Put the pan over a high 

heat until the mixture bubbles. 

Reduce the heat to medium and allow 

the mixture to bubble away for about 

10 minutes. If using a thermometer the 

syrup is ready when it reaches 116°C. 

Otherwise, test the mixture by dropping 

a small amount into a cup of cold water, 

lift it out and if it can be rolled into a soft 

ball, it’s ready. If it’s still slippery and loose, 

bubble a little longer. 

Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, whisk the 

egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric 

whisk. When the syrup is ready, add it 

to the whisked egg whites, whisking 

continuously until the mixture is glossy 

and the syrup is fully incorporated. 

Pipe or spread the mixture onto the 

prepared baking sheets, filling in the 

circles. Bake for 2 hours, then keep the 

oven door ajar with a wooden spoon and 

bake for another hour to crisp up the 

surface. Turn the oven off and leave the 

meringues to cool in the oven for a further 

hour. 

To make the filling, beat the icing sugar 

into the mascarpone, adding more if you 

prefer a sweeter flavour. Then gently fold 

about two-thirds of the rhubarb purée 

into the mascarpone. 

To assemble the cake, spread a meringue 

disc with a third of the mascarpone and 

top with some of the reserved purée, 

gently rippling it with a table knife. Repeat 

these steps with the other discs and 

decorate the top with the reserved pieces 

of rhubarb and the chopped pistachios. 

29

a 

Slice 

of 

SANTA 

BARBARA 

Kate O’Connell tackles 

the culinary scene of 

Santa Barbara. One 

mouthful at a time... 

Harbor View Inn Hotel 

30

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 

fellow journalists 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 top 

roofs and white washed walls litter 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’s 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 nights 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 

31

Kayaking around Santa 

Barbara harbour 

32 

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 garner 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 

relays 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! 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. 

Sea Urchins at 

Bibi Ji Restaurant 

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

Glorious walks from the Highbullen Hotel, Devon 

STYLISH Staycations 

Whether you want the buzz of the city or a 

complete country retreat, here are our pick of 

UK staycations... 

the best of the city and west end at 

THE STRAND PALACE, LONDON 

Having welcomed guests since 1909, the Strand Palace is surrounded by 

the best London has to offer - located just minutes from Covent Garden. 

Having recently undergone a large-scale multi million pound renovation, 

myself and my partner decided to tie in a spot of winter shopping/ 

sightseeing in with a stay in what is most definitely the heart of London. 

The Strand Palace creates a fabulous impression the minute you meet the 

doorman! The front entrance, lobby and reception are one large, bright, 

open spaced hub, featuring art deco influences that create a very relaxed 

and sophisticated atmosphere. We checked in and made our way up to 

our room, which was a tranquil, comforting retreat from the hussle and 

bustle of the street below. 

It is at this stage that I feel I must confess: I am a bit of a tourist when it 

comes to London. In the past I have found myself booking into hotels that 

seem to be on the other side of the city in location to all the spots I wished 

to visit, and although there’s the tube, it’s still nice to be situated near 

the action. This is what makes The Strand Palace so perfect. Its location 

is brilliant - right in the heart of the West End, and with Covent Garden 

a mere two minutes away you really have got it all on your doorstep. 

I couldn’t believe our luck when a trip to The National Portrait Gallery 

took....seven minutes on foot! 

We made our way back to the hotel after a spot of lunch, opting for the 

pre-theatre menu which is brilliant value for money if you are trying to 

keep costs down. Pre 7pm, you can indulge with 2 courses for £20, so 

we tucked into some crispy lime squid, followed by fish and chips, with a 

lovely light batter. All washed down with a bottle of red. Delightful! 

The city felt like ours for the taking! We took ourselves off for a stroll around 

Covent Garden, closely followed by a visit to a couple of ‘proper’ London 

pubs. If you are after a weekend away in the city and want to make London 

your own, The Strand Palace offers a truly unbeatable location. 

Sam Norris | strandpalacehotel.co.uk, rooms from £175 per night 

escape to the country at 

UPPER TETCHWICK 

HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY 

There is surely no better ointment for the weary 

soul than a weekend in pristine countryside 

with your closest friends. I found that sense of 

reatreat at the beautiful Upper Tetchwick House, 

booked through holidaycottages.co.uk. 

With a whole host of different holiday 

accommodation options to suit couples, families 

and large or small parties, holidaycottages.co.uk 

was the perfect site through which to book our 

little staycation. We settled on Upper Tetchwick 

House, which sleeps 12. 

In a rural location on the outskirts of Aylesbury, 

the property is a home away from home - if your 

home is a resplendent country pad complete 

with six bedrooms, a swimming pool, a billiards 

room and a duck pond, with far reaching views 

across the countryside! It’s a house that would 

cater in any season - with a huge garden and 

pool for the warmer months and a wonderful 

wood burning stove when the chill sets in. 

The whole process was easy as anything - 

meaning we all felt immediately on holiday - that 

was in part thanks to the lovely locally-sourced 

welcome hamper waiting on the counter. 

The house had the added benefit of being dog 

friendly too, meaning my pooches didn’t miss 

out on any of the holiday action. 

Katie Thomson | holidaycottages.co.uk, 

a three night stay costs £1,568 total 

33

take time out at 

DONNINGTON VALLEY 

HOTEL & SPA, BERKSHIRE 

It really does go without saying that a visit to the 

spa is a great way to relax, de-stress and unwind 

from the day-to-day. However we should never 

need an excuse for a little pampering. After all, 

many of our modern-day spas have deep roots, 

dating back thousands of years. Hence my 

lack of guilt in booking myself and Mum in for a 

weekend stay at Donnington Valley Hotel. 

A privately owned hotel, spa and golf club, 

Donnington Valley is located just off the M4. 

Arriving in the surrounding beautiful Berkshire 

countryside, this truly felt like a retreat. 

Sharing an Executive suite, we were graced with 

gorgeously comfy beds and a rather spacious 

bathroom! We quickly put on the robes provided 

and made our way to the spa. There we had 

a luxury 55 minute Sonoma Aromatherapy 

Massage. Melting our tensions away, my 

thoughts drifted to the hustle and bustle of 

life, and what a rarity it is to have 55 minutes 

to yourself to just…be. It occurred to me how 

important it is to take time for yourself. It’s a 

win-win for everyone too surely, as by feeling 

and looking your best, you are better able to take 

care of your loved ones without feeling burnt out. 

We took ourselves off to the capacious pool, 

and made use of the indulgent sauna and 

steam rooms, not to mention a quick lounge 

in the jacuzzi, before quickly freshening up for 

our dinner reservations. On the menu: scallops 

on a bed of pea purée, black pudding and 

smoked pancetta, followed by a juicy sirloin 

steak, all complimented beautifully by some 

well-recommended wine, and last but not least 

followed by a delectable espresso martini. 

Naughty? Yes. But perhaps we all need to take 

a weekend every once in a while to look after 

number one. 

Kate O’Connell | donningtonvalley.co.uk, 

rooms from £135 per night 

find sanctuary in the city at 

PARK PLAZA LONDON RIVERBANK 

As a former Londoner who now resides in the countryside, there is always a 

thrill when returning to the capital. The beauty of being a visitor, instead of a 

resident, is getting to appreciate the wealth of culture, architectural marvels 

and general buzz of this sprawling metropolis. And there is nowhere better 

located to explore it all from than the Park Plaza London Riverbank. 

Located on the south side of the River Thames, it sits near many of 

London’s most legendary tourist attractions. The Houses of Parliament, the 

seat of England’s political authority, are just across Westminster Bridge, and 

the London Eye, the city’s enormous Ferris wheel, is only a 15-minute walk 

away. My room had an uninterrupted view out to Big Ben and the Palace of 

Westminster. Being so central might feel chaotic, but the hotel really does 

feel like a sanctuary away from it all. 

I visited with my small niece and nephew in tow - travelling with children 

is never easy, but the London Riverbank hotel has taken a huge step 

toward making it a breeze - it has just launched the capital’s first hotel 

room designed by families, for families - featuring elements such as chalk 

board walls, neon lights, a bunk bed for the kids, and chic décor and iconic 

London view for the adults, along with bespoke services. The suite is 

available from just £179 per night and can be booked by visiting 

parkplaza.com/ultimatefamily 

Daniel Weston | radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/park-plaza-Londonriverbank 

Rooms from £119 per night 

sleep like a royal at 

HARTWELL HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY 

I would call myself an explorer, but it isn’t often that I can feel as I’m back 

in the 17th century and living as the royals once had. That is exactly how 

this weekend felt, exploring the warmth, romance and delicious cuisine that 

Hartwell House had to offer. 

The hotel makes an impression straight away - the exquisite drive to the 

front entrance, greetings from smiling staff and the aroma of a burning stove 

made us feel we were somewhere very special. 

As we settled in our large room, with far-reaching views across the fields we 

were very pleased by the little touches - the room’s decor transporting you 

to an era of vintage style. History oozes from every pore of this house and 

there is so much to be explored - even the walk to dinner took us past the 

characterful staircase - each spindle of the bannister is hand carved into a 

caricature - we delighted in spotting famous historical figures, including a 

grave-faced Winston Churchill. 

The house has both Jacobean and Georgian features with outstanding 

decorative ceilings and panelling, fine paintings and antique furniture. It has a 

remarkable history too: its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King 

34

soak in the views at 

THE HIGHBULLEN HOTEL 

& COUNTRY CLUB, NORTH DEVON 

Arriving after nightfall to a hotel destination is always a bit of a treat - 

there is something exciting about waking up to an undiscovered view 

- pulling back the curtains to reveal the surprise. 

This delight surely hits its peak at the Highbullen Hotel, nestled in the 

rolling hills of North Devon. As I ambled, sleepily, from the sumptuous 

seven-foot bed in our suite, I opened the curtains with a cup of tea in 

hand, I was greeted by the most glorious, expansive views - rolling hills, 

a view down the Mole Valley and out towards national parks. From the 

hotel’s high vantage point on a ridge between Dartmoor and Exmoor, on 

a clear day you can see for 18 miles across pristine British countryside - 

it really is something to behold. 

An opportunity to enjoy these views is never missed - as well as a 

lovely reading nook in our own room, the elegant drawing rooms and 

sun terraces offered chances to sit and soak it all in. The hotel’s Devon 

View Restaurant also offers these panoramas, alongside its 2 AA 

rosettes - making for a very special dining experience. With a changing 

daily menu featuring the best local, seasonal produce, the restaurant 

is a foodie destination in its own right. We dined on the house-smoked 

salmon with avocado, a deliciously light leek and cheddar tart and 

perfectly succulent lamb cutlets with a perfect umami punch. The 

portions are perfect, leaving just enough room for a shared dessert of 

treacle tart with clotted cream - simple dessert pastry at its best. This is 

also the restaurant where residents can enjoy breakfast - 

it’s a great spread with lots to choose from. 

If the dishes in the restaurant gets you in the indulgent 

foodie mood (and they will) you can also head down to 

the lovely Laura Ashley Tearoom on site for a classic 

Devon cream tea or a more indulgent offering with fizz. 

As well as the main hotel, guests have accommodation 

options in self catered cottages - meaning the facilities 

of the whole resort are still on their doorstep. An 18-hole 

USGA golf course set within richly wooded parkland, 

tennis courts, a multi-sport simulator, a leisure centre, 

fishing, shooting, snooker - the list is expansive and 

caters for every member of the family, making it a 

wonderful holiday destination. Keen walkers can also 

make the most of miles of local country walks, Exmoor or 

the nearby South West Coast path. 

Katie Thomson | highbullen.co.uk, 

B&B from £110 per night 

of France, for five years from 1809 - no wonder we felt like royalty. 

That evening we shared a decadent three course dinner. The food was 

wonderful and the ambiance pure romance - with a piano playing in the 

background. I would highly recommend a starter of scallops or smoked 

salmon, the cod for a main and a trio of the delicious sorbets to finish it off. 

The majestic tone set the night before continued at breakfast - the 

spread pure elegance - hand polished silverware, white table cloths and 

loose leaf earl grey tea. Then it was out to explore the grounds. Hartwell 

House is a National Trust owned property with Capability Browninspired 

landscapes - we pretended it was all our domain as we strolled 

from one spectacular vista to another. 

Then it was time to relax even further in the beautiful spa - with its 

stylistic echoes of a Roman bathing house. Our treatments were 

sublime - taking away all the strain of a working week. 

From the first sights of history, to the genuine comforts of a homely room 

and stunning food, I arrive back in the big city, relaxed, romanced and so 

full of fond memories. Hartwell House comes highly recommended and I 

can see why - it is the perfect weekend away, only if you wish to get lost 

in time and take a moment to enjoy your surroundings. 

Lucy Elamad | hartwell-house.com, B&B from £250 per night 

35

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... 

36

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. 

37

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 

38

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 

39

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. 

40

King’s Hill Lane, Coventry CV3 6PS 

Open every day including Bank Holidays 

SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY 

We support people with learning disabilities by 

giving them work experience 

SHOP LOCALLY 

We sell (bespoke) hanging baskets, fruit trees, 

bedding plants, shrubs, perennials, vegetable 

plants... 

PLANT FESTIVAL DAY 

Saturday 23rd May 

• BBQ in the garden 

• Craft fair with stands & demonstrations 

• Many special plant offers 

fi @KingsHillPlantNurseries 

Less than 15 minutes driving from Kenilworth, 

Stoneleigh, Warwick, Leamington and Coventry

Handle with care 

Your car does a lot for you. What do you do for your car? 

Show you care with 

reliable servicing, quality 

parts and trusted advice. 

MOT 

Brakes 

Diagnostics 

Batteries 

Servicing 

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Clutch 

Winter check 

WARRINGTONS OF WARWICK LTD 

SCAR BANK 

WARWICK - CV34 5DB 

Monday - Friday 08.00 - 18.00 

Ask us about your next 

service today. 

01926 496677 

admin@warringtonsofwarwick.co.uk 

www.warringtonsofwarwick.co.uk 

FAMILY RUN BUSINESS FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS

REYNOLDS BLINDS 

EST.1983 

Full measure and fitting service available 

Roller • Vertical • Aluminium Venetian • Wood Venetian 

Shutters • Curtains • Roman blinds • INTU • Pleated 

162 THE PARADE LEAMINGTON SPA 

01926 312397 or 0800 954 5651 www.reynoldsblinds.net 

We manufacture 

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sourced fabric & 

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Put the Cleaning of Your Home in Our Expert Hands 

Imagine if you no longer had to find the time to clean during your evenings or weekends. 

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION 

01926 359868 

brightandbeautifulhome.com/leamington-spa 


Look Before You Leap 

While the SPAB warmly encourages people to take the 

plunge and make an old building their home, it’s easy 

to be swept away by romance. SPAB Director Matthew 

Slocombe offers a checklist of key considerations to 

help potential buyers make the right choice – both for 

themselves and for the building of their dreams. 

Think with head and heart 

Old buildings are more than a space in 

which to live. If all that really interests you 

is location or floor area, an old building is 

unlikely to be right for you. If you appreciate 

style and character, and are keen to 

embrace the quirks and idiosyncrasies of an 

old building, the potential rewards are great. 

Compromise to get what you want 

For the majority of buyers, historic interest 

is a desirable factor but not the key. If your 

number one aim is to live in an interesting 

old building, but your means are limited, 

compromising on other requirements can 

sometimes help. 

Authenticity can’t be re-created 

If you want something genuine and 

authentic, recreation of lost parts is unlikely 

to act as a fitting or worthwhile substitute. 

Look for genuine survivals. It may be that 

fireplaces have been boarded up and plaster 

overlaid with modern materials, but if the 

originals survive behind this offers a much 

better starting point than a gutted interior. 

Choose something that will fit your 

longer term needs 

Look a few years ahead and try to consider 

whether the building is likely to fit your plans. 

If you think you might need more bedrooms 

or a bigger kitchen, consider whether the 

building is likely to be able to accommodate 

this without major change. In a modern 

house, adding extensions or knocking down 

walls may be relatively straightforward. In an 

historic building it may not. 

Consider auctions 

Many old buildings needing work are sold 

at auction. This can be a way to find an 

interesting project, and perhaps also a 

bargain. But the buyer must beware and it 

is especially important to do your homework 

seeking specialist help in advance. 

Purchase is not the only possibility 

If living in an old building is your goal, but 

prices are unaffordable, other options 

may exist. The commercial rental sector 

general lets buildings that have been heavily 

updated, but estates, farms and some 

private owners may offer old buildings to 

rent in a more rustic state. 

Distinguish between decorative and 

structural needs 

This is vital. Small cracks are normal in old 

buildings and can be easily remedied as part 

of the redecoration process; larger cracks 

may hint at structural movement. 

Get good advice 

The cost of professional advisers can 

seem off-putting, but sound advice is 

an investment. There are accreditations 

schemes run by the RICS, RIBA and AABC 

and the Society can offer suggestions 

via its Technical Advice Line (0207 456 

0916 weekday mornings). The advice of a 

structural engineer, conservator (see ICON’s 

accreditation list), quantity surveyor or 

historian may also be invaluable. 

Put together the right team 

If work is needed, the right team will be 

crucial. Consider not just price, but the 

expertise of team members. Listen to 

craftspeople - good ones know exactly 

what they’re doing and the expertise is often 

under-appreciated. 

Adjust your lifestyle 

Occupying an old building brings huge 

benefits to your quality of life, but don’t 

expect it to be the same as a perfectly level, 

hermetically sealed modern box. Floors 

may slope, windows may be draughty, and 

elaborate modern services may be difficult 

to accommodate. 

Research and understanding 

Understanding an old building includes 

knowing how it’s put together and what 

it’s made from, as well as the uses it’s had 

over time and the changes previous owners 

have made. Combine this with background 

research, advice from organisations like the 

SPAB, and knowledge from neighbouring 

owners and a rounded picture of the 

building should emerge. 

Don’t ignore consents and other statutory 

requirements 

Planning consents and building regulation 

requirements should always be adhered 

to. This is particularly so in the case of 

listed buildings. If you buy a listed building 

that has been altered without permission 

you inherit the liability and enforcement 

action could be taken against you. If you 

alter or demolish a listed building without 

permission you could be prosecuted. 

Don’t count on grants 

Grants for private owners were once 

relatively common. They are now rare and 

should not be counted on. 

Settle in before making big changes 

A vacant house offers an opportunity 

to tackle problems without upheaval to 

occupants, but avoid the temptation to do 

too much, too fast. A period of occupation 


often brings realisation about what’s 

necessary and what’s not important. 

Deal with the boring things first 

Kitchens, bathroom and decorative works 

may be most fun, but they should be bottom 

of your list. Fixing the roof and making sure 

the gutters, drains and electrics work will 

provide you with a sound basis from which 

to make other changes. 

Scratches and Witches 

Loving the lumps and bumps is all part of 

old building ownership. Appreciate them 

as part of the building’s character and 

history and avoid erasing them for the sake 

of tidiness. Think too about witches! Old 

surfaces often carry superstitious markings 

designed to ward off bad spirits. 

Repair is good 

Building conservation is a branch of 

environmental protection and sustainability: 

repair is better than replacement. Decay 

is rarely uniform and repair can allow 

the undamaged parts to remain. An old 

window with 20% new timber is better for 

the environment and our history than a new 

window with 100% fresh timber. 

Make sure materials are compatible 

New, innovative building products can 

be valuable, but historic buildings are not 

generally the place where they should be 

tested. The potential for side effects is great 

if incompatible materials are used. 

Get involved but know your limitations 

The SPAB has always encouraged a handson 

approach. There is no better way to get 

to know your building than through practical 

work. However, it is important to know the 

limitations of your own skills, to consider 

safety issues, and to get training if you are 

unsure. The SPAB and others run practical 

conservation courses. If in doubt, call on an 

experienced craftsperson. 

Good new design 

Where a strong and justifiable case exists 

for a change or addition, sympathetic 

new design offers the best approach. 

This requires good design advice and a 

thoughtful choice of materials. 

Enjoy it! 

An old building deserves to respected and 

cared for, but it should be enjoyed rather 

than revered. 

Call the SPAB Technical Advice Line on: 

020 7456 0916 


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Children: getting them 

interested in gardening 

Here our resident gardener and radio personality, Matt Biggs 

aka The People’s Gardener, explains the benefits of getting 

children involved in the garden and how it provides them with 

skills to help their development. 

You and your children will enjoy every stage of the process. We 

hear a lot about children not knowing where their food comes from 

and, of course, if we don’t give them the info then, with all of the 

distractions of modern living, it is not surprising if they think a chip 

comes from the freezer aisle and kohlrabi is a character in the latest 

Star Wars film! 

Gardening for kids is just such a great thing - exercise, knowledge, 

fun and hopefully an interest that will last them a lifetime, what more 

do we need? Many garden centres offer kids activity days, whether 

that is pumpkin carving, seed sowing or making animals out of fruit 

and veg. there is a lot you can get them involved with and much of it 

is free too. Many garden centres have clubs for children, and this is 

a good option if you have one near to you. It is good for socialising 

and excellent for learning the basics and having fun. 

If you have a garden marking them out their own space is an easy 

thing to do. It gives them a sense of responsibility and you can 

make a bug hotel out of recycled bits and bobs, plan to grow some 

herbs or mini veg, write down their favourite colours and hunt 

through plant catalogues or online for suitable plants to match. 

There are lots of skills involved in all of these activities, from maths 

- how many plants do we need for the space, to practical skills 

in making things, to research and planning skills - so one small 

space can lead to a lot of learning! If you have a local country 

show or fayre there will probably be a few children’s classes in that 

too - making a miniature garden or a dinosaur from fruit and veg. 

whatever it is take advantage of it - country 

shows are a great day out! 

So, having got the kids organised it is time 

to do our own planning for summer, whether 

you have a window box, a court-yard or 

acres of space there is summer colour for 

every option. If you are fortunate enough to 

have a greenhouse then you can start early and bring on your own 

plants, you can share with neighbours or garden clubs which is a 

very economical way of gardening or you can visit your local nursery 

or garden centre to see what choices are available - and there is a 

lot of choice. 

Every year Chelsea highlights a new favourite plant or colour 

scheme, gardening magazines and books have so many ideas 

- one of the most pleasurable jobs in the year is planning your 

garden - and then - best bit of all, enjoying the fruits of your labour! 

To discover more about Matt and his books please 

visit www.mattbiggs.com 

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Alan Titchmarsh... 

on some of his favourite things 

Sally Thomson recently had 

a chat with Alan Titchmarsh 

MBE, DL, HonFSE and 

discussed some of the many 

passions he enjoys - extending 

far beyond gardening. 

He has written more than forty 

gardening books, memoirs and 

his latest creation is a book on 

poetry which illustrates the love 

he has for not just plants, but 

all of life... 

You still do Saturday mornings on 

Classic FM. Of all the music that 

you enjoy, what is your favourite? 

It’s fairly classic, although I like a lot 

of stuff! Whether it’s Handel or Mozart 

or Tchaikovsky. It’s part of my life. I’ve 

always loved light opera. I love The Merry 

Widow and Fledermaus and things like 

that, as well as the heavier stuff. But I 

think sometimes Operetta is overlooked. 

It has the most glorious melodies and it 

tends to fall between two categories; it’s 

not a musical and it’s not an opera and so 

I feel that at the moment Operetta seems 

to fall in the dark. 

Do you endeavour to put them forward 

a little bit on the show? 

Oh, I do! I do suggest it to the producers. 

I’ve been listening to some snippets on 

your show on gardening and there are 

such useful tips. I mean, I don’t fancy 

going out there at the moment because 

it’s so wet. But when Easter arrives how 

should we start in the garden? 

The great thing about the winter months 

is that everything moves so slowly, so 

when Easter arrives it gives us time to 

catch up in the garden. We can get stuff 

cut back, fed, mulched. 

Mulching is probably one of the best 

things to do this time of year isn’t it? 

Well it is because the ground is moist and 

the weeds haven’t started growing yet so 

you can spread it now and it will keep the 

weeds down. 

Yes, obviously the bulbs are coming up 

now and I’m dreading a frost that will 

knock down my narcissus… 

Oh, frost won’t knock them down! They’re 

tough as old boots. They might bow 

down for a night if it gets really frosty, but 

they’ll pick up as the day progresses. The 

thing about narcissus and snowdrops 

is that they are not susceptible to frost. 

They really are hardy. 

That’s good to know! I’m really 

interested in your 50 shades of Green - 

the programme. Tell me all about that, 

how did it happen? 

ITV very sweetly said they wanted to 

mark my seventieth birthday, which was 

very kind, and they wanted to do it in a 

very engaging way, so they had me name 

my top 50, and they went from there. 

Were they difficult choices to make? 

Oh yes! It was like Desert Island Discs! 

But we covered all the main things you 

know, like trees, water, roses, and the last 

one was my garden which has not been 

seen on telly before. 

I know. A bit special! One of the things 

is about you visiting the National 

Gallery, and how the masterpieces have 

inspired you. Which were the paintings 

in particular that inspired you? 

Oh gosh, well for me it’s so difficult 

to choose, I mean there’s Mr and Mrs 

Andrews by Gainsborough, then you see 

Whistlejacket by Stubbs. Just walking 

past them all and the feeling of joy that 

it was open for us to see them all, it was 

like being a boy in a sweet shop! When 

you manage to see them without bodies 

all around you, and it’s one-to-one with 

you and the painting. It’s such a treat. 

What about going into where the 

Queen’s perfumer was working? 

That was wonderful! I use the aftershave 

now! I was terrified of course, when I 

arrived there. 

You cannot hide your emotions can 

you? 

No, I’m not very good at that! It was a joy 

though. 

Of the gardens that you’ve visited, do 

you have a special one? Or do you find 

that different gardens affect different 

moods, a bit like music? 

They do. There are aspects of every 

garden where you think ‘Oh I like that’, or 

‘I wish I had that’. I love Chatsworth, I’ve 

always loved Chatsworth, it’s a special 

place. The Prince of Wales’ garden at 

Highgrove. Sissinghurst is another one. 

Gardens that reflect the soul of their 

makers are really special. 

You are attending Highgrove again 

aren’t you? For Talking Gardens. Are 

you excited about that, as you go there 

quite regularly don’t you? 

I seem to go there every year. I’m a 

regular! I will be discussing the way we 

look at our gardens and the way they can 

help us and we can help them. It’s not 

just analytical, it’s getting to grips with 

a garden and what a garden can offer. I 

get so dispirited when I see gardens laid 

to paving blocks. I know that cars are 

precious, but you don’t have to pave the 

whole thing. There are all kinds of things 

you can do to make room for nature. 

When we spoke last time, you talked 

about your poetry with Debbie 

Wiseman from Classic FM. 

Yes, the book is coming out! Well I’ve 

written poetry for years before that 

but mainly for Christmas. But Debbie 

suggested I write something about 

plants, so we did The Glorious Garden 

which happened to go to No.1 in the 

classical charts - not that I like to boast! 

So that’s what got me going on writing 

poetry other than just for Christmas. 

So yes, I have put all these poems plus 

a load of new ones into a book called 

Marigolds, Myrtle and Moles. 

Do you think you have any more 

poems up your sleeve? 

Well I really enjoy writing them, so we’ll 

see how this one goes down. I might do 

another one! 

Will we be seeing any more of ‘Love 

Your Garden’? 

We’ve got four episodes that will be 

coming out in the Spring, and we will 

start filming more in April. We filmed half 

the series last year in September and 

the other half will be done in Spring as 

they split the recordings, and they have 

commissioned another two series which 

is very nice! 

Marigolds, 

Myrtle and 

Moles 

by Alan 

Titchmarsh 

is published 

by 

Hodder & 

Stoughton 


The big investment themes 

on the horizon for 2020 


James Holroyd, Assistant Head of Worcester 

Office, Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management 

We continue to experience one of the longest bull markets in history, 

despite the uncertainty and unpredictability in the investment world 

during 2019. So, will it last? Nothing lasts forever, but we do see it 

continuing in 2020 and maybe beyond. Here are our top four themes 

that we think will affect investment this year: 

1. Interest rates: Understanding the path of interest rates is an 

important exercise when managing multi-asset portfolios, 

although investors could be forgiven for thinking they may 

never go up again, as they’ve been low for so long. That said, 

if politics becomes more fragmented in the next year, it’s 

possible we could see more socialist policies, which could 

drive interest rates higher. 

2. Technology: Technology has a fundamental role in generating 

economic growth and capital appreciation, but our faith in 

technology as a force for good was shaken by the Cambridge 

Analytica scandal and others. However, as environmental, 

social and governance (ESG) investing grows in popularity, 

it will enable investors to enjoy better outcomes and ensure 

capital is directed to the right technology companies and 

perhaps even those helping to make the world a better place. 

3. Politics: The Trump vs Xi Jinping trade wrangling has made 

markets twitchy and the polarisation in politics will continue 

to have an impact on markets. In a post-Brexit UK, careful 

‘bottom-up’ stock picking will be the order of the day. 

Ultimately, investors need to pay attention to central bank 

policy, whose stimulus can offset much of the political risk. 

4. Factor investment: The factor approach has become 

popular, because indices constructed using factors such 

as ‘value’, ‘size’, ‘volatility’, ‘quality’ or ‘momentum’ have all 

outperformed traditional equity indices. It could be that 2020 

is a year where the ‘value’ factor leads the way, however, 

committing too much to one factor may be foolhardy 

In investment, there are opportunities on the upside and 

opportunities on the downside. The trick is to use all the information 

available to you to make an informed decision – and have the 

flexibility to change direction if you have made the wrong call. 

For more information on Canaccord Genuity Wealth 

Management’s 2020 investment themes visit: canaccordgenuity. 

com/wealth-management-uk/investment-themes-2020/ 

Investment involves risk. The value of investments and the income 

from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back the 

amount originally invested. 

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54 | 20-02-153x110-03.indd www.leamingtonspaliving.co.uk 1 10/02/2020 16:53

Say hello to friendship at Priors House 

Everyone feels lonely sometimes but for the older generation it can be 

more prevalent, and for some the source of major health issues, from 

depression and sleep issues, to hypertension and mental health problems. 

Loneliness – Facts 

and figures 

Did you know? 

• 3.6 million older people 

in the UK live alone, of 

whom over 2 million are 

aged 75+. 

At Care UK, we believe later 

life should be full of fun and 

friendship. That’s why our care 

homes are opening their doors 

to older people living on their 

own in the local community for 

a chance to make new friends 

and take part in activities. 

A regular get-together 

At Priors House our coffee 

shop is a lively hub for 

residents living at the care 

home, whether it is having a 

natter over a delicious piece of 

cake or listening to a favourite 

musician. 

If you’ve been feeling lonely 

or perhaps you know an older 

person who might benefit 

from having some regular 

company, we’d love you to join 

us in our café – our doors are 

always open for a coffee and 

a chat. 

A place to meet other carers 

We also recognise that those 

who care for their older loved 

ones can often feel isolated 

and need company too. Our 

new Carers Support Café, 

starting on 24th March, run by 

Carers Trust Heart of England, 

is ideal for carers who fancy a 

change of scene. 

Priors House offers a lifeline, 

providing free information 

sessions, events and an 

always-open door for anyone 

who needs it. 

For more details about Priors 

House, email 

maria.cridge@careuk.com 

or call 01926 671802 

Priors House care home 

Old Milverton Lane, 

Blackdown, Royal Leamington 

Spa CV32 6RW 

careuk.com/priors-house 

• 1.9 million older people 

often feel ignored or 

invisible. 

• Loneliness can be 

as harmful for our 

health as smoking 15 

cigarettes a day. 

What can trigger 

loneliness for older 

people? 

• The loss of a spouse or 

life partner. 

• Living some distance 

from friends and family, 

or having few friends 

and family. 

• Retirement and missing 

the social contact and 

sense of meaning that 

comes from working. 

• Having health problems 

that make it harder to 

go out, socialise and do 

hobbies.

“I feel so much happier living here” 

At Care UK’s Priors House care home in Leamington Spa, the secret’s out. 

There’s so much to get involved in each day that new people are moving in 

regularly to make new friends and enjoy their share of fun. 

New friends, fantastic 

lifestyle 

“It’s the friendship,” Danny, 

a Priors House resident, 

says. “The more you take 

part in the activities, the 

more you make friends.” 

The jam-packed weekly 

lifestyle programme includes 

shopping trips, lots of live 

music, outings to theatres 

and museums, exercise 

sessions, baking, gardening 

and quizzes. And dance 

classes – run by Danny. 

“I am keen ballroom dancer 

and so I asked if I could take 

dance classes. These are 

really popular. “I feel so much 

happier here living here and 

much better in myself”, he 

adds. 

Say goodbye to loneliness 

“When older people live in 

their own homes, loneliness 

can be a big problem,” says 

Fran Summers, the home’s 

manager. “Here at Priors 

House, we tailor activities 

to residents’ interests and 

hobbies, so they can continue 

doing the things they love 

with likeminded people. When 

that happens, friendships 

form easily.” 

Sharing meal times 

“I think it is so important to 

have people to share meal 

times with” says Doris.” Since 

I moved here I have company 

at every meal and have good 

company every day.”” 

To find out more about living 

at Priors House, call 

01926 671802 or email 

maria.cridge@careuk.com 

Priors House care home 

Old Milverton Lane, 

Blackdown, Royal Leamington 

Spa CV32 6RW 

careuk.com/priors-house

Happy & healthy in your autumn years 

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

LIVE-IN CARE SERVICES 

...because there’s no place like home 

Why Live-in Care? 

Live-in care allows you to live independently in the 

comfort of your own home while being professionally 

looked after by a full-time live-in carer. 

Given the choice, 97% of people say they would prefer 

to continue living in their own home than move into a 

care home. Live-in care allows you to do this. We will 

endeavour to find the right live-in carer for you, 

someone who can provide you with the 

round-the-clock support and companionship that you 

require. 

Whether you need live-in care full-time or as a means 

of allowing a family member to take a holiday, we can 

meet your individual needs. 

Our Service Promise 

Deliver one-to-one personalised care, enabling you to 

lead the life you choose. 

Empowering you to continue to live independently in 

your own home, achieving the outcomes you want, in 

ways that best suit you. 

Supporting you to continue to be engaged in your local 

community. 

We endeavour to find the right carer that compliments 

your interests, lifestyle, personality and routines. 

Offer a flexible service, appreciating that each day can 

be different. 

Live-in care can be cost-effective when compared to 

the cost of Care Homes. Call our friendly team to see how 

we can help. 

Maintain regular contact with you to monitor the 

quality of service and support we provide. 

enquiries@surecarecoventry.co.uk www.surecare.co.uk 02475 092 617

DISCOVER RETIREMENT LIVING 

tailored to your physical and fi nancial needs 

Whatever your current needs, Rosalind Court provides you with the benefit of owning your own home: 

• Free from the worries of outside maintenance 

• In a safe and secure like-minded community 

• With a dedicated on site Scheme Manager 

• Offering you care options should you require them 

now or in the future 

Perfectly situated just a short stroll from the town centre 

and Stratford-Upon-Avon Railway Station. 

1 bedroom apartments from 

£240,075 (99% share) 

2 bedroom apartments from 

£311,845 (99% share) 

Marketing Suite open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm 

BRUNEL WAY, OFF ALCESTER ROAD, 

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, CV37 0AH 

orbithomes.org.uk/rosalind-court 

01789 449189 

YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT. Subject to eligibility, status and fi nancial 

assessment. Information correct at time of going to print January 2020. 

OH16231_ROSALIND_COURT_StratfordLiving_240X165_30.01.20.indd 1 30/01/2020 15:27

Retiring from work doesn’t 

mean retiring from life 

A luxury retirement property and rewarding lifestyle is closer 

than you think with our range of purchasing options. Make your 

retirement dream a reality with Retirement Villages Group. 

Ask us about Rental 

Part ownership** 

Part exchange 

New homes available 

Try Before You Buy 

Moving Made Easy options 

Award-winning village 

Call us on 

01342 01788 211799 870871 

to arrange your 

personal village 

tour, or to to request 

a free brochure. 

▪ Independent retirement living 

▪ 27 acres of beautiful, 

manicured grounds 

▪ Edwardian mansion 

village clubhouse 

▪ Active social calendar 

▪ Domiciliary care options § 

Pre owned properties available from £215,000* 

New homes available from £349,950* 

The Polo Field, Lime Tree Village, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 7SA 

www.limetreevillage.co.uk 

* Other charges apply and leases are subject to an assignment fee. Please ask for details. 

** Subject to availability. Please ask for full terms and conditions, other charges do apply. 

Part ownership is available only in conjunction with a new build purchase. 

§ 

Care provided by a third party. Subject to availability, criteria, and additional costs. Please ask for more details. 

18977 7322 POLO_Full Pg AD_171x246mm.indd 1 17/01/2020 17:04

Leamington and Warwick Living Mar - Apr 2020

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