Cheltenham Living Mar - Apr 2020
Spring has awakened and our magazine is alive with a bountiful bouquet of features - from interviews with famous faces, delicious Easter recipes, travel to Santa Barbara, UK staycations, a bathroom and tile guide plus advice on choosing the right school.
Spring has awakened and our magazine is alive with a bountiful bouquet of features - from interviews with famous faces, delicious Easter recipes, travel to Santa Barbara, UK staycations, a bathroom and tile guide plus advice on choosing the right school.
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Nature created electricity.<br />
Porsche gave it soul.<br />
The new Taycan. Soul, electrified.<br />
Porsche Centre Tewkesbury<br />
Shannon Way<br />
Ashchurch, Tewkesbury<br />
Gloucestershire GL20 8ND<br />
01684 212 911<br />
info@porschetewkesbury.co.uk<br />
www.porschetewkesbury.co.uk<br />
Taycan Turbo S: Electrical consumption (WLTP): Combined 25.7 – 24.5 kWh/100km. CO 2<br />
emissions (NEDC equivalent): 0 g/km.<br />
62126 PAdv Taycan Ad_165x240mm_Tewkesbury.indd 1 07/02/<strong>2020</strong> 09:57
Contents<br />
A Note<br />
from the editor<br />
Hello Spring – I’ve been waiting for your arrival<br />
like a lovelorn maiden, excitedly hopping out<br />
of bed to look out the window for signs of new<br />
life and sunny skies. I know that in recent years<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>ch weather has been…unpredictable, but<br />
nevertheless I’m hopeful and cheery.<br />
A Culinary is nearly Journey here, through so we celebrate<br />
Northern 19Easter with a weekend Irelandof<br />
recipes!<br />
Avid readers might remember reading about<br />
my new year’s pledge last issue – to walk, run<br />
or cycle 5km every day of <strong>2020</strong>. Not having a<br />
bike, or access to a stationary one continues<br />
to be slightly problematic, but apart from a<br />
particularly grim night during a storm (I can’t<br />
remember which given name, we’ve had so<br />
many of late), I’ve done it! I’m not sure yet if<br />
I’m fitter or slimmer, but I’ve really enjoyed<br />
carving little moments out of my usually hectic<br />
day to go for a head-clearing walk. It’s never<br />
too late to start!<br />
In this issue...<br />
Fabulous UK<br />
staycations<br />
04 What’s On<br />
As spring comes into its swing we<br />
touch on the best local events for<br />
the whole family<br />
15 Easter Gifts<br />
25<br />
Not just chocolate (though there is<br />
just a little bit...), we check out some<br />
lovely Easter present ideas<br />
17 Mitch Tonks<br />
We catch up with the renowned fish<br />
chef on where his passions lie and his<br />
love of his community<br />
22 Foodie Santa Barbara<br />
We journey to the Golden State of<br />
California to sample the famous Santa<br />
Barbara food scene<br />
28 Amazing Glazing<br />
Architectural glazing elevates<br />
any home - we explore the best<br />
investments and new technologies<br />
44 Care Needs<br />
How to stay happy and healthy in your<br />
autumn years and identifying care<br />
needs when they arise<br />
40<br />
Alan<br />
Titchmarsh<br />
Bathroom<br />
30<br />
& Tile Guide<br />
Editor Kate Thomson<br />
e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
Publisher Sally Thomson<br />
Contributors Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs, Angela Cave, Kate<br />
O’Connell, Lucy Saunders and Pete Lawrence.<br />
Key Account Manager Steve Davies<br />
e steve.davies@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
d/l 01225 308 099<br />
twitter @<strong>Cheltenham</strong>Glouc<br />
w www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
This issue we have really turned the focus<br />
on Easter, with cracking pressies and some<br />
egg-cellent recipes – hey, if you’re running five<br />
kilometres a day, you go ahead and enjoy that<br />
hot cross bun pudding! There’s also lots to<br />
look forward to in the calendar, with some of<br />
our favourite attractions opening again.<br />
Continuing the foodie note, we have an<br />
interview with top Devon chef Mitch Tonks –<br />
you’ll probably recognise him from a supremely<br />
popular show he presented with rugby star<br />
Matt Dawson a few years back – he’s a<br />
titan in the fish industry and is passionate<br />
about sustainability. We caught up with him to<br />
discuss his role in creating a community feel<br />
and growing his business.<br />
That, plus some fantastic interviews and a<br />
bumper crop of home inspiration, makes this<br />
issue a great read.<br />
We will see you back in May!<br />
MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ<br />
County Gate, County Way<br />
Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7FJ<br />
t 01225 308 128<br />
w www.minervapublications.co.uk<br />
visit our website www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
Katie<br />
Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by failure of an<br />
advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and<br />
misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the<br />
publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers.<br />
www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 3
EVENTS GUIDE<br />
Finally, the days are getting longer and<br />
spring is just around the corner.<br />
Looking for the best local places to visit and<br />
things to do at this time of year?<br />
Then make the most of the season with our<br />
extensive guide...<br />
Bacon Theatre<br />
Dean Close School, Shelburne Road,<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL51 6HE<br />
01242 258002<br />
www.bacontheatre.co.uk<br />
Saturday 7 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
The Adventures of Rapunzel<br />
Let your hair down and get tangled in<br />
a brand-new musical adaptation of the<br />
classic fairy tale, Rapunzel!<br />
With magic and mayhem throughout and<br />
a chance to meet the characters after the<br />
show, this is one hair-raising adventure the<br />
family won’t want to miss!<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Vienna Festival Ballet -<br />
Sleeping Beauty<br />
Join Vienna Festival Ballet as they celebrate<br />
their 40th Anniversary with the classic<br />
fairytale set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent<br />
score, stunning choreography, beautiful<br />
costumes all combine to portray the<br />
struggle between good and evil.<br />
Wednesday 1 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Horrible Histories - The Worst of<br />
Barmy Britain<br />
We all want to meet people from history.<br />
The trouble is everyone is dead!<br />
So it’s time to prepare yourselves for<br />
Horrible Histories live on stage with the<br />
West End show that’s never toured before!<br />
It’s history with the nasty bits left in!<br />
Friday 3 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Purple Zeppelin<br />
Purple Zeppelin are proud to pay tribute to<br />
the two greatest Rock Bands of all time,<br />
Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin Together<br />
on the same bill for the very first time!!!<br />
Bath Racecourse<br />
Lansdown, Bath BA1 9BU<br />
www.bath-racecourse.co.uk<br />
Monday 30 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Season Open<br />
Exciting live horse racing goes back to Bath<br />
races as they start the <strong>2020</strong> season.<br />
The first of 22 horse racing fixtures at<br />
Bath this year, join them for an afternoon<br />
featuring seven exciting live horse races.<br />
Thursday 9 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Easter Holiday Raceday<br />
Are you searching for what to do in Bath<br />
over the Easter holidays? Why not try an<br />
exciting day at the races.<br />
Friday 17 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Friday Night Racing<br />
Head up to Bath for a Friday night of great<br />
racing. There’ll be seven exciting races for<br />
you to enjoy, all offering you the chance to<br />
experience the thrill of this classic sport.<br />
4 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
Batsford Arboretum<br />
Batsford Park, Moreton-in-<strong>Mar</strong>sh GL56 9AB<br />
01386 701441<br />
www.batsarb.co.uk<br />
2nd Thursday & 4th Friday of every<br />
month<br />
Forest School for Tots!<br />
A chance for pre-schoolers to engage with<br />
nature and explore the Forest School site<br />
(complete with large covered area for wet<br />
days)! Children can enjoy bug hunting,<br />
creating mud pies in our mud kitchen, craft<br />
activities, storytime and more!<br />
A free cup of tea or coffee is available for<br />
adults while they are on the site.<br />
Saturday 25 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 4am<br />
Dawn Chorus Wild Walk<br />
Join Batsford birding expert Arthur Ball for<br />
a stroll through the Arboretum to hear the<br />
beautiful dawn chorus.<br />
With more than forty years’ experience,<br />
Arthur will keep you informed and<br />
entertained about the native and visiting<br />
birds and help you identify them through<br />
their song.<br />
Berkeley Castle<br />
Berkeley GL13 9BQ<br />
01453 810332<br />
www.berkeley-castle.com<br />
Sunday 5 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Boleyns - Tudor re-enactors<br />
King Henry VIII and his Queen grace us<br />
with a visit as part of their Royal Progress.<br />
Meet the royal couple along with their<br />
entourage of loyal ladies-in-waiting and<br />
noble gentlemen. Enjoy the spectacle of<br />
Tudor dancing in the Great Hall.<br />
Friday 10 - Monday 13 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Easter Dragons and Face-painting<br />
Family and friends of all ages will be<br />
entertained and enthralled with fantastic<br />
dragon puppetry, getting face-to-face with<br />
a baby dragon, and taking part in their<br />
colourful Chinese Dragon Parade. Enter<br />
the magnificent Great Hall to sit captivated<br />
by Dragon Tales from the mystical dragon<br />
handlers. Have your face painted in dragon<br />
style.*<br />
*Additional charge of 4 applies<br />
Sunday 19 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Warwick Warriors - Sword Fighting<br />
Shows<br />
Learn how knights were trained in the 15th<br />
century and watch breath-taking sword<br />
fighting shows. See up-close the display of<br />
incredible, authentic steel armour.<br />
Your young knights can practice what<br />
they’ve learnt, at home, with the fantastic<br />
helmets, swords and shields on sale.<br />
Blenheim Palace<br />
Woodstock OX20 1PP<br />
01993 810530<br />
www.blenheimpalace.com<br />
Friday 10 - Monday 13 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Easter Entertainment<br />
The Pleasure Gardens will transform into an<br />
Easter wonderland with lots of interactive<br />
experiences, family-friendly activities,<br />
Easter trails and shows to enjoy.<br />
Find a traditional fairground, Dressing Up<br />
Tent, Princess Meet & Greet plus Punch<br />
and Judy and Fairy Stilt walkers.<br />
Thursday 23 <strong>Apr</strong>il - Sunday 5 July<br />
Cecily Brown Art Exhibition<br />
Made up entirely of new works inspired by<br />
the Palace’s collection, the Blenheim Art<br />
Foundation will unveil a major solo exhiition<br />
by acclaimed British Artist Cecily Brown.<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> Playhouse<br />
47-53 Bath Road, <strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL53 7HG<br />
01242 522852<br />
www.cheltplayhouse.org.uk<br />
Friday 28 February<br />
Jekyll & Hyde -<br />
A Very Sensible Farce<br />
A show that stays true to the original tale<br />
whilst embracing the comedic magic of<br />
theatre in a hilarious fast paced spin! Full of<br />
unexpected highs and lows, quick costume<br />
changes and sharp wit, enjoy this classic<br />
novella as one wild ride that will leave you<br />
breathless and helpless with laughter.<br />
Saturday 14 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Total Commitments<br />
According to the movie, The Commitments<br />
are the ‘hardest working band in the world’<br />
- and If you’ve seen the film, written by<br />
Roddy Doyle and directed by Alan Parker,<br />
you’ll know they’re also the most hilarious<br />
and energetic band in the world too!<br />
Sunday 22 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Happy Birthday, Mr Sondheim<br />
Stephen Sondheim is one of the most<br />
important figures in 20th century musical<br />
theatre he wrote the lyrics for West Side<br />
Story and Gypsy, and wrote music and<br />
lyrics for 15 shows including Company,<br />
Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd<br />
and Into The Woods.<br />
Sunday 19 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
No Strings Attached<br />
A night of brass magic like no other!<br />
The JP AllStars (musical director Paul<br />
McLaughlin) are a fluid group of great<br />
musicians coming together to play great<br />
music.<br />
If you’ve never heard a brass band before,<br />
you’ll love them.<br />
continued
for Ryder<br />
The Sportive<br />
Sunday 28th June <strong>2020</strong><br />
Cycle 40km, 60km, 90km or 130km<br />
Starting Dean Close School,<br />
Shelburne Road, <strong>Cheltenham</strong><br />
Come join us on one of the longest running, best loved charity<br />
cycling events in the Cotswolds and raise vital funds for our care.<br />
Sign up:<br />
visit: www.sueryder.org/rideforryder<br />
call: 01242 395 450<br />
email: leckhampton.events@sueryder.org<br />
Supported by<br />
Printed by<br />
Sponsored by<br />
Sue Ryder is a charity registered in England and Wales (1052076)<br />
and Scotland (SC039578). Ref No. 07125 ©Sue Ryder. February <strong>2020</strong>.
<strong>Cheltenham</strong><br />
Racecourse<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL50 4SH<br />
0844 579 3003<br />
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/<br />
Tuesday 10 - Friday 13 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
The Festival presented by Magners<br />
Be a part of the extraordinary atmosphere<br />
created at the Home of Jump racing<br />
as they host the most prestigious and<br />
unmissable Jump racing event of the year.<br />
The <strong>Cheltenham</strong> Festival is a bucket list<br />
event that captures the world producing<br />
unmissable moments that last a lifetime.<br />
Wednesday 15 - Thursday 16 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
The <strong>Apr</strong>il Meeting<br />
<strong>Apr</strong>il’s two-day meeting is the perfect<br />
time to reflect on achievements past and<br />
remember that racing, no matter the event,<br />
is competitive and above all else, a joyous<br />
occasion.<br />
For the final chance to watch the<br />
professionals test themselves on the track<br />
before the summer break.<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> Town Hall<br />
Imperial Square, <strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL50 1QA<br />
0844 576 2210<br />
www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk<br />
Saturday 29 February, 7.30pm<br />
The ELO Experience <strong>2020</strong><br />
The ELO Experience are the world’s<br />
foremost tribute to The Electric Light<br />
Orchestra and have been bringing the<br />
music of Jeff Lynne and The Electric Light<br />
orchestra to the live stage for over 12<br />
years. Go along and enjoy this incredible<br />
show that takes you on a magical musical<br />
journey through time.<br />
Monday 9 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac<br />
Channelling the spirit of Fleetwood Mac at<br />
their very best, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac<br />
offers a unique opportunity for fans, both<br />
old and new, to rediscover the songs and<br />
performances that have ensured Fleetwood<br />
Mac’s place as one of the most loved<br />
groups of all time.<br />
Tuesday 10 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Dick & Angel Dare To Do It!<br />
Dick & Angel Strawbridge, the stars of<br />
Channel 4 hit ‘Escape to the Chateau’<br />
embark on their first ever tour. During<br />
this highly entertaining evening, the duo<br />
explains who they are, where they have<br />
come from, how they met and why they<br />
dared to do it!<br />
Tuesday 17 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Havana Nights<br />
Graziano Di Prima has established himself<br />
on BBC show Strictly Come Dancing and<br />
will now be touring the country with his new<br />
show which he has been heavily involved in<br />
creating with partner Giada.<br />
‘Havana Nights’ brings an exciting mix of<br />
Latin dances with individual performances<br />
from Graziano and Giada as well as<br />
entertaining group numbers with their<br />
supporting dancers.<br />
Friday 27 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
The Boomtown Rats (plus special<br />
guests)<br />
Formed in 1975 in Dublin The Boomtown<br />
Rats exploded out of Ireland in ‘76 and<br />
6 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
their fast, loud, furious music meant they<br />
became part of the burgeoning punk scene.<br />
The Boomtown Rats release their brand<br />
new album ‘Citizens of Boomtown’ in <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
Friday 17 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Bowie Experience <strong>2020</strong><br />
Bowie Experience is a spectacular concert<br />
celebrating the sound and vision of David<br />
Bowie. A must see for all Bowie fans the<br />
latest production features all the hits from<br />
A to Ziggy.<br />
Sunday 19 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Russell Watson -<br />
20th Anniversary of The Voice<br />
Singing sensation Russell Watson performs<br />
an intimate concert of career highlights.<br />
Russell will be joined on stage by his live<br />
band and choir to celebrate 20 years since<br />
his debut album The Voice was released.<br />
Tuesday 21 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Rob Brydon<br />
Join celebrated comedian, singer, actor,<br />
presenter and impressionist the brilliantly<br />
talented Rob Brydon, for a very special<br />
evening of toe-tapping tunes and sidesplitting<br />
laughter!<br />
Eastnor Castle<br />
Ledbury HR8 1RL<br />
01531 633160<br />
www.eastnorcastle.com<br />
Friday 10 - Monday 13 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
OlympEGG Easter Treasure Hunt<br />
The legendary Easter Treasure Hunt around<br />
the castle and grounds. Chocolate for<br />
everyone who takes part and a chance to<br />
win an enormous Easter Egg!<br />
Everyman Theatre<br />
Regent Street, <strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL50 1HQ<br />
01242 572573<br />
www.everymantheatre.org.uk<br />
Monday 2 - Saturday 7 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Band of Gold<br />
Band of Gold was the ground-breaking<br />
crime drama that captivated over 15 million<br />
viewers each week when it aired on ITV.<br />
This nail-biting murderous thriller revolves<br />
around a group of women - Carol, Rose,<br />
Anita and Gina - as they battle to survive<br />
whilst working in a notorious red-light<br />
district.<br />
Monday 9 - Saturday 14 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Thriller Live - Featuring the Songs<br />
From Michael and The Jackson 5<br />
You will experience over two hours of nonstop<br />
hits from pop to rock, soul to disco as<br />
the cast pay homage to a musical legacy<br />
and iconic choreography executed with<br />
flair, precision and passion, this is a show<br />
that you will never forget.<br />
Tuesday 17 - Saturday 21 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em<br />
Hilarious mishaps and DIY disasters are<br />
bringing the house down, quite literally<br />
as Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em hits the<br />
road with Joe Pasquale as the loveable<br />
accident-prone Frank Spencer.<br />
Thursday 2 - Saturday 11 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
The Birthday Party<br />
Set in a dilapidated seaside boarding house<br />
the mysterious Stanley Webber receives a<br />
visit from two sinister strangers, Goldberg<br />
and McCann. They arrive on Stanley’s<br />
birthday - or is it? What do they want and<br />
why do they want to turn Stanley’s quite<br />
world upside down?<br />
Saturday 18 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
The Carpenters Story<br />
A spectacular celebration of the classic<br />
songbook that made The Carpenters<br />
legends in the world of popular music.<br />
Featuring all of The Carpenters hit songs<br />
including (They Long To Be) Close To You,<br />
Yesterday Once More, We’ve Only Just<br />
Begun, Superstar, A Song For You, Rainy<br />
Days & Mondays, Goodbye To Love and<br />
many more!<br />
Thursday 23 <strong>Apr</strong>il - Saturday 2 May<br />
A Bunch of Amateurs<br />
Keen to boost his flagging career, fading<br />
Hollywood action hero Jefferson Steele<br />
arrives in England to play King Lear in<br />
Stratford - only to find that this is not the<br />
birthplace of Shakespeare, but a sleepy<br />
Suffolk village. And instead of starring<br />
alongside Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi<br />
Dench, the cast are a bunch of amateurs<br />
trying to save their theatre from ruthless<br />
developers.<br />
Gloucestershire<br />
Warwickshire Steam<br />
Railway<br />
The Railway Station, Toddington,<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> GL54 5DT<br />
01242 621405<br />
www.gwsr.com<br />
Monday 13 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Easter Eggspress<br />
On Easter Monday why not enjoy a day<br />
out on one of the GWSR Easter Eggspress<br />
specials? Climb aboard a train at<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> Race Course, Toddington or<br />
Broadway Station for this ‘eggsellent’ event<br />
which will be taking place at Winchcombe<br />
Station.<br />
Make sure you get off the train at<br />
Winchcombe as all of the free Easter<br />
activities are based there. Look out for<br />
the Easter Bunny when you arrive on the<br />
platform!<br />
Saturday 18 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Fish and Chip Specials<br />
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire<br />
Railway’s famous Fish and Chip Special<br />
Train, “The <strong>Cheltenham</strong> Fryer”, will be<br />
offering a leisurely evening ride through the<br />
Cotswold countryside with the addition of<br />
a scrumptious fish and chips meal brought<br />
to your table.<br />
Saturday 25 andSunday 26 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Wartime in the Cotswolds<br />
You are invited to visit the nostalgic 1940s<br />
weekend for all the family. This year, will<br />
have an emphasis on the Home Front.<br />
Transport yourself back to September 1940<br />
and imagine you are waiting for a train at a<br />
small station on the Great Western Railway.<br />
We take great care in compiling the listings,<br />
however, we recommend that you contact the<br />
venue in advance as events and activities<br />
may be subject to change<br />
continued
11514 - GWR <strong>Living</strong> <strong>Mar</strong>ch-<strong>Apr</strong>il 20_Layout 1 13/01/<strong>2020</strong> 12:19<br />
SHERBORNE CINEMA<br />
The Sherborne Cinema is Gloucester’s<br />
friendly traditional cinema for quality<br />
evening films and family films every<br />
weekend and holiday.<br />
Spring Highlights<br />
include:<br />
Sonic the Hedgehog<br />
Peter Rabbit 2<br />
SUPER<br />
VALUE!<br />
TICKETS JUST<br />
£4 to £6<br />
EVERYDAY<br />
Full details at<br />
www.sherbornecinema.co.uk<br />
or phone 01452 520560<br />
Book tickets online at www.gwsr.com<br />
It’s a great day out for the whole family!<br />
• Enjoy a 28 mile round trip through glorious Cotswold scenery<br />
• 693 yard Greet Tunnel • 15 arch Stanway Viaduct<br />
• Tea rooms and coffee shops at Toddington,<br />
Broadway and Winchcombe stations<br />
• Special family events throughout the year<br />
• Heritage trail, shop and museum at Toddington<br />
• Travel from Toddington, Broadway, Winchcombe or<br />
<strong>Cheltenham</strong> Racecourse • Free parking at Toddington and <strong>Cheltenham</strong> Racecourse<br />
• Pay and display car park near Broadway station<br />
Services resume Sat 7th <strong>Mar</strong>ch - see website for timetable<br />
Easter Eggspress - Monday 13th <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Fun for all the family with the Easter Bunny and more!<br />
Wartime in the Cotswolds - 25th & 26th <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway<br />
The Railway Station, Toddington GL54 5DT 01242 621405<br />
Registered charity no. 232402<br />
taurus crafts<br />
A showcase of creativity where<br />
you can eat, shop, and unwind<br />
open daily - free entry and parking<br />
café - gifts - artisan businesses<br />
activities - art - events - playground<br />
Taurus Crafts, Lydney, GL15 6BU - 01594 844841<br />
www.tauruscrafts.co.uk - enquire@tauruscrafts.co.uk<br />
@tauruscrafts #tauruscrafts<br />
events<br />
<strong>2020</strong><br />
Antiques & Vintage Fair<br />
12th <strong>Apr</strong>il, 10am-4pm<br />
Enjoy a nostalgic day out and<br />
rediscover a hidden treasure,<br />
whilst enjoying with live music.<br />
May <strong>Mar</strong>ket<br />
17 th May, 11am - 5pm<br />
Taste some of the finest food<br />
& drink that the area has<br />
to offer, with live music and<br />
activities.<br />
Art <strong>Mar</strong>ket<br />
19 th July, 11am - 4pm<br />
Discover a plethora of<br />
creative talent from the<br />
Forest & Wye Valley.<br />
Free Entry & Free Parking<br />
www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 7
Celebrate Easter<br />
at Gloucester Cathedral<br />
Holy Week and Easter<br />
Palm Sunday 5 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
10.15am The Eucharist with the Blessing of the Palms<br />
and the Singing of The Passion starting at St <strong>Mar</strong>y<br />
de Lode Church. We begin Holy Week and enter the<br />
Cathedral just as Jesus entered Jerusalem<br />
3.00pm Choral Evensong<br />
5.00pm Compline in the Lady Chapel sung by<br />
Cathedral Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars<br />
Quiet, reflective, beautiful worship to end the day<br />
Monday 6, Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 <strong>Apr</strong>il 7.30pm<br />
Holy Week Compline and Address<br />
St <strong>Mar</strong>y de Lode Church<br />
Preachers will be – Monday: Dean Stephen, Tuesday:<br />
Canon Richard and Wednesday: Archdeacon Hilary<br />
Maundy Thursday 9 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
11.00am Diocesan Eucharist with Blessing of the Oils<br />
Clergy and Readers from across the diocese come to<br />
be with our Bishop and to reaffirm our commitment<br />
to serve<br />
5.30pm Evensong sung by Cathedral Lay Clerks and<br />
Choral Scholars<br />
7.30pm The Eucharist of the Last Supper sung by the<br />
Youth Choir with Vigil until 10.00pm<br />
‘Do this in remembrance of me’. We wait with Jesus<br />
and follow his command of love<br />
Good Friday 10 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
12-3.00pm A service mirroring Jesus’ three hours on<br />
the Cross including:<br />
12.00noon The Preaching of The Passion<br />
1.30pm The Liturgy of Good Friday sung by the<br />
Cathedral Choir<br />
Easter Eve Saturday 11 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
8.30pm Easter Vigil, Service of Light, Diocesan<br />
Confirmation and Eucharist<br />
On this night, life stirs in the tomb, and light is reborn<br />
Easter Sunday 12 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
10.15am Festal Eucharist sung by the Cathedral Choir<br />
and Junior Choir<br />
Jesus is Risen, and we are set free. All are welcome.<br />
There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the children in<br />
the Cloisters<br />
3.00pm Festal Evensong and Procession<br />
ALL WELCOME<br />
t @GlosCathedral<br />
f /GloucesterCathedral<br />
Visit www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk<br />
for more information<br />
about services and events
NT 3 property 165 x 240mm ad Spring <strong>2020</strong>.qxp_Layout 1 20/01/<strong>2020</strong> 14:24 Page 1<br />
Local days out with<br />
the National Trust<br />
Newark Park<br />
Standing proud on top of the Cotswold<br />
escarpment sits this original Tudor<br />
hunting lodge. With tours, children’s trails<br />
and activities, pretty spring blooms and<br />
estate walks. Open 7 days a week, 10am-<br />
5pm, house open from 11am. Just off the<br />
A4153 Dursley-Tetbury.<br />
Call 01453 842644 or visit<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/newark-park<br />
Chedworth Roman Villa<br />
In a beautiful Cotswolds valley rests the<br />
remains of one of the grandest Roman<br />
villas in Britain. With magnificent<br />
mosaics, guided tours, talks,<br />
re-enactments and family activities.<br />
Open 7 days a week, 10am-4pm.<br />
Call 01242 890256 or visit<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/chedworth<br />
Lodge Park<br />
Within the tranquil Sherborne Park Estate<br />
sits England’s only surviving 17th-century<br />
grandstand, built for gambling and<br />
entertaining with views across the<br />
countryside, walks, spring scavenger hunts<br />
and nature talks. Open Friday to Monday,<br />
11am-4pm from 6 <strong>Mar</strong>ch.<br />
Call 01451 844130 or visit<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/lodgepark<br />
See websites for up-to-date information for planning a visit<br />
#nationaltrust © National Trust <strong>2020</strong>. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846.<br />
Photography © National Trust Images/James Dobson, Andrew Butler, Trevor Ray Hart.
Why it's<br />
never too<br />
early to<br />
put STEAM<br />
on the<br />
curriculum<br />
Dr Katie King, science subject leader at Headington Prep<br />
School, outlines the importance of studying STEAM at a<br />
young age - particularly for girls...<br />
What’s the point in focusing on STEAM<br />
when children are still mastering the<br />
basics of learning to read and write? Is<br />
there really any advantage to spending<br />
time, energy and resources on concepts<br />
likely to be alien to Prep or primary-aged<br />
children? In short, the answer is yes,<br />
particularly when we’re talking about<br />
girls’ education.<br />
Stereotyping is perhaps at its strongest<br />
at this age group. Girls are surrounded by<br />
pink princesses and expected to enjoy<br />
caring and nurturing play while boys are<br />
encouraged to get stuck into construction<br />
toys and physical play. Many will already<br />
confidently say what they want to be<br />
when they grow up.<br />
Fast forward a few years and while the<br />
girls may be out of their pink princess<br />
dresses, the proportion of girls studying<br />
Physics to A Level is a fraction of that<br />
of boys. Minuscule proportions of<br />
engineers are female and women are<br />
under-represented at the highest levels in<br />
challenging STEAM-related careers.<br />
Does this mean that fewer women have<br />
the skills and inclination? Highly unlikely<br />
– far more likely that they perhaps never<br />
even considered this as a possible career<br />
path. Thus opening their eyes to the<br />
world of STEAM at the earliest possible<br />
opportunity becomes that much more<br />
appealing.<br />
At Headington Prep School we have just<br />
finished our Year of Science, Technology,<br />
Engineering, Art and Maths. It has<br />
been thrilling, exciting, challenging and<br />
genuinely inspiring. It was a celebration of<br />
all that the subjects offer, from problemsolving<br />
and teamwork, to the traits of<br />
perseverance and resilience. Whether<br />
these girls eventually follow careers in<br />
these fields or pursue other options,<br />
these will be invaluable skills both now<br />
and in the future.<br />
If you work with role models who are<br />
passionate about their field of learning<br />
then you can share their enthusiasm and<br />
excitement – and an intangible career<br />
concept becomes a real opportunity<br />
worth considering. In Oxford we are<br />
lucky enough to benefit from countless<br />
professionals working either in the city’s<br />
two universities, the world-leading<br />
research hospital the John Radcliffe or<br />
the nearby Science Park. When we bring<br />
in people like Oxford University professor<br />
of molecular genetics and metabolism<br />
Prof Anna Gloyn to show children as<br />
young as 7 or 8 how to extract DNA<br />
from strawberries, or challenge 11 year<br />
olds to break codes with teams from<br />
Bletchley Park, or invite researchers from<br />
the Oxford Vaccine Group to unpack<br />
the spread of disease and the purpose<br />
of vaccines with Key Stage 2 children,<br />
it feels real. It’s no longer a distant and<br />
incomprehensible thing that ‘somebody<br />
else does’ but something they have<br />
actually experienced in action. It also<br />
shows them that women work in these<br />
critical industries – so too could they. It’s<br />
a cliché but if you don’t plant the seeds<br />
of ideas then they will never germinate<br />
into fully-fledged realities.<br />
Children of this age are less likely to<br />
have already decided they ‘can’t’ do<br />
something. They have less experience<br />
of failure and disappointment, of being<br />
told it’s not for them. It is as they grow<br />
older and they suffer setbacks or get<br />
things wrong that it becomes harder to<br />
take risks in their learning. They become<br />
less likely to take on something new and<br />
exciting if it comes, psychologically, with<br />
a risk of failure.<br />
If we start at this age and take advantage<br />
of these enquiring minds, the thirst for<br />
knowledge and new things which is<br />
such a wonderful trait in so many young<br />
children, then they will grow up armed<br />
with everything they need to make an<br />
educated decision on what they truly<br />
want to be – and what they CAN be.<br />
10 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk
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www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 11
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12 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk
have you ever<br />
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From a cultural or language perspective, offering a caring<br />
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A milk chocolate egg<br />
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You can also buy materials to<br />
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www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 15
NATIONAL BUTCHERS'<br />
WEEK <strong>2020</strong><br />
National Butchers’ Week gives us the<br />
opportunity to celebrate and support a<br />
mainstay of the British High Street<br />
One of the most popular events in the butchery calendar,<br />
National Butchers’ Week takes place 9-15 <strong>Mar</strong>ch <strong>2020</strong>. National<br />
Butchers’ Week highlights the great work being done by butchers<br />
from around the UK that sets them apart from the competition. It<br />
also focuses on the fantastic innovation that takes place within<br />
butchers’ shops across the land.<br />
Never has it been more important to understand our food<br />
provenance - especially as more of us are reshaping our diets to<br />
eat meat less often, but crucially eating better quality when we<br />
do. That means engaging more with the process of buying meat<br />
- selecting carefully reared livestock, butchered properly. It’s not<br />
always possible to get that information from the supermarket.<br />
This engagement with our food chain is essential, and should<br />
start in the butchery shop - a butcher can not only tell you where<br />
your meat has come from (usually a farm whose name you will<br />
likely recognise!) but also can advise on the best cuts for certain<br />
dishes, give you great value for money on cheaper cuts and<br />
impart their wealth of knowledge with ready cooking tips.<br />
Throughout the awareness week, butchers across the area will<br />
be participating in events and putting on offers to help educate<br />
and inform potential customers of the benefits of shopping<br />
with them. The key takeaway is that consumers don’t need to<br />
feel intimidated about shopping there - far from needing an<br />
extensive knowledge of each and every cut available, shoppers<br />
can ask advice and can learn about cuts not commonly<br />
available in the shops. As well as in the shops, lots of online<br />
butchers will be running specials in this time, so it’s well worth<br />
looking out for those - premium meat with all the convenience<br />
of your regular weekly shop.<br />
So, when you’re planning your meals this week, why not carve<br />
out 10 minutes to go and visit your local butcher - you’ll come<br />
away with a lot more than the ingredients for tonight’s dinner.<br />
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1 10/02/<strong>2020</strong> 17:09
THE CHEF<br />
that rocks<br />
Famed for his growing group of fabulous fish restaurants,<br />
Rockfish, Mitch Tonks is a chef, author, restaurateur and a<br />
passionate, lifelong advocate for all the morsels that emerge<br />
from the deep blue sea. Sally Thomson caught up with him<br />
to discuss expansion plans, career motivations and why his<br />
heart will always belong to the kitchen...<br />
Sally: I hear you have another book<br />
on the horizon?<br />
Mitch: I do! We’re doing another<br />
Rockfish book. It will be published<br />
October. All very exciting!<br />
Fantastic! How many Rockfish<br />
Restaurants have you got<br />
now?<br />
At the moment there are<br />
seven but there will be<br />
nine by the end of the year.<br />
They will be in Poole, Lyme<br />
Regis, and Sidmouth. Poole<br />
opened in January, Lyme<br />
Regis will open in June<br />
and Sidmouth will open<br />
in October. We then have<br />
two or three sites ready<br />
for 2021 that we are just<br />
negotiating on.<br />
That is incredible,<br />
when you think about<br />
where you’ve come<br />
from.<br />
It’s kind of been an<br />
up and down journey,<br />
because we had<br />
Fishworks, which<br />
grew to thirteen,<br />
but it was a public<br />
company and the<br />
wrong environment<br />
to grow restaurants<br />
in and ultimately<br />
the project failed.<br />
But since 2009<br />
Seahorses has existed down in<br />
Dartmouth, and Rockfish is ten years<br />
old, so we’ve done well to rebuild over<br />
that period.<br />
When we last had a chat you’d<br />
opened Joe’s Bar, how’s that going?<br />
It’s going really well, and since May last<br />
year we actually moved the entrance to<br />
the restaurant through Joe’s Bar, and<br />
that’s been a real success as people<br />
enter the restaurant through Joe’s<br />
Bar, have a drink and start their dining<br />
experience off with something more<br />
special and fun.<br />
So how do you stretch yourself with<br />
everything going on?<br />
Well the business is over three hundred<br />
people, with a really good senior team,<br />
finance, marketing, and then over four<br />
hundred in the summer. So, I obviously<br />
work very closely with my senior team<br />
and I am clear about what I want to<br />
achieve in a period of time and helping<br />
other people to achieve those goals.<br />
Sometimes its challenging but when you<br />
work as a team and you are supporting<br />
each other you can make stuff happen.<br />
That’s it really!<br />
Managing those people, helping them<br />
manage others, then I spend my time in<br />
the restaurants, as well as consistently<br />
looking at the business as a whole and<br />
thinking ‘How can our business provide<br />
better solutions for jobs, how can we<br />
be better than anywhere else to work<br />
"I tend to think of the restaurants like a<br />
community now. Everybody who works for<br />
us belongs to the community. We talk a lot<br />
about family but of course family are hard to<br />
get rid of and communities are made up of<br />
people all contributing"<br />
17
"I think when Fishworks<br />
failed…well it gives you<br />
plenty of time to reflect on<br />
what’s really important to<br />
you and what’s not"<br />
So I made a phone call to my agent who<br />
was on the train on the way up. He was<br />
mortified! All I could say to everyone was<br />
that 'I’m sorry, I just don’t want to do<br />
it'. Financially it was suicide as it was a<br />
very well paid job but it was prime time<br />
television and all the things that go with<br />
it and I didn’t want to be known as a guy<br />
on telly. I wanted to build my reputation<br />
as a restaurateur and a chef which is<br />
what I actually really enjoy.<br />
I think when Fishworks failed…well it<br />
gives you plenty of time to reflect on<br />
what’s really important to you and what’s<br />
not and allowed me to make my own<br />
choices, not get swept along with ‘this is<br />
a great idea’. It was a great idea, it was<br />
magnificent. The TV show would have<br />
been great but it just wasn’t for me. So<br />
the answer is I am regularly asked to do<br />
television bits and I will 99% of the time<br />
turn them down and occasionally I might<br />
do the odd thing but I don’t wake up<br />
thinking ‘I’d like to do more television’.<br />
18<br />
for, how can we have a really amazing<br />
strategy over five years that gives people<br />
top pay, freedom, how can we create a<br />
development programme so that people<br />
can develop in the organisation.’<br />
I tend to think of the restaurants like a<br />
community now. Everybody who works for<br />
us belongs to the community. We talk a lot<br />
about family but of course family are hard<br />
to get rid of and communities are made up<br />
of people all contributing, so when people<br />
don’t contribute they move out of the<br />
community and new people move in.<br />
One thing I didn’t realise is that you<br />
made significant changes to your menu<br />
with regards to being gluten-free. That<br />
must have been a big change?<br />
Yes! About ten years ago we set about<br />
rebuilding all of cooking ranges and<br />
changing all of our practices so that offer<br />
everything gluten-free. We committed to<br />
the business being gluten-free, not just<br />
by saying ‘here’s a gluten-free menu’.<br />
Everything we do is gluten-free. If we<br />
have to swap a bun for a gluten-free bun<br />
we do, and it basically means that the<br />
whole menu is available to somebody<br />
with a gluten intolerance rather than<br />
them feeling in a minority and only being<br />
able to choose from say five things on<br />
the menu.<br />
Going back, I first met you at the<br />
beginning of the century! 2000, a<br />
long, long time ago! Since then you’ve<br />
appeared on TV, most notably with<br />
Matt Dawson, the rugby player, but<br />
do you find yourself too busy to make<br />
room to do any shows as of late?<br />
The television career took off back<br />
around 2008/09. The series Mitch and<br />
Matt’s Big Fish became very successful<br />
and Denham Productions and the BBC<br />
wanted to do series two. So there was a<br />
lot of euphoria and excitement from Matt<br />
and the team, and they were on their way<br />
to London to sign the deal.<br />
We had agreed it, gone through it all and<br />
I started to get cold feet. I was sat in the<br />
restaurant having a brandy and a coffee<br />
and I was just thinking to myself ‘I don’t<br />
actually want to be a television chef, I<br />
want to be in this restaurant cooking’.<br />
Surely your heart has to be in it if it’s<br />
what you are going to do?<br />
I think you are either on telly to drive<br />
people to your restaurants, well I’ve been<br />
there when you are in a restaurant and so<br />
many people want to talk to you because<br />
they’ve seen you on telly but never for<br />
the right reasons, and the thought that<br />
somebody comes to the restaurant just<br />
to catch a glimpse of the person they’ve<br />
seen on telly is just the wrong motivation.<br />
I want people to restaurants because<br />
they are really great places socially to<br />
go and they have importance in the<br />
community and they like your food and<br />
that it’s somewhere they want to come to<br />
celebrate birthdays and all of that stuff!<br />
Absolutely, and you’ve done so, I mean<br />
The Seahorse is just brilliant I’ve got<br />
to be honest. It’s just delightful the<br />
minute you walk in there, it’s such<br />
a lovely place to be and I absolutely<br />
love coming down there and hopefully<br />
when the weather brightens up I’ll be<br />
back. One last question; are you doing<br />
Salcombe Crab Festival this May?<br />
I’m still not sure if I’m going to do it this<br />
year. I didn’t do it last year, but I did<br />
the year before, but I am hoping to do<br />
a fish festival in Brixton, a crab festival<br />
in Dartmouth which we always do, and<br />
also Dartmouth Food Festival in October<br />
which is always great.<br />
www.mitchtonks.co.uk
EASTEr<br />
eats<br />
The next big cooking fest after the festive feast, we think cooking for<br />
Easter should be easy. So we've gathered some seasonal favourites with<br />
minimal fuss, all from the fantastic cooking app cookwithmands.com<br />
GRIDDLED<br />
ASPARAGUS<br />
with citrus hollandaise<br />
The perfect starter, light and delicious - it<br />
also lets seasonal hero asparagus shine!<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins<br />
Serves: 4<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
450g asparagus<br />
1 lemon<br />
1 dash olive oil<br />
For the hollandaise:<br />
2 large egg yolks<br />
1 tbsp fresh orange juice<br />
half a lemon<br />
2 tsp lemon zest<br />
125g cold butter<br />
METHOD<br />
Juice the half lemon, grate the lemon<br />
zest from the whole lemon, then cut that<br />
lemon into slices. Dice the cold butter.<br />
To make the hollandaise, in a medium<br />
heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg<br />
yolks, orange and lemon juice, lemon<br />
zest, and some salt and freshly ground<br />
black pepper. Sit the bowl over (but not<br />
touching) a pan of gently simmering<br />
water and add 2 or 3 pieces of butter,<br />
whisking continuously until melted.<br />
Continue adding the remaining butter in<br />
this way, whisking until the sauce is thick<br />
and smooth. Remove from the heat.<br />
Heat a griddle pan until hot. Drizzle the<br />
asparagus and lemon wedges with a<br />
little olive oil and griddle for 2-3 minutes<br />
each side, until just tender. Season with<br />
salt and pepper, and arrange on a platter.<br />
Drizzle with the hollandaise to serve.<br />
CHEDDAR &<br />
ONION seeded rolls<br />
Something about Easter makes baking<br />
feel right. This is great for the main meal or<br />
as a sandwich with any leftover lamb.<br />
Prep: 65 mins | Cook: 15 mins<br />
Makes: 10<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
3 tsp black onion seeds<br />
375g seeded bread mix (from M&S)<br />
200g mature Cheddar<br />
180ml lukewarm water<br />
flour, for dusting<br />
olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat a frying pan over a medium-high<br />
heat and add the onion seeds. Move<br />
them around the pan for 1 minute, until<br />
they produce an oniony aroma. Set aside.<br />
Tip the bread mix into a large bowl. Stir in<br />
three-quarters of the cheese, two-thirds<br />
of the onion seeds and the lukewarm<br />
water. Mix to form a ball of dough.<br />
Turn out onto a floured surface and<br />
knead for about 10 minutes until soft and<br />
elastic. Shape into rolls, then put on oiled<br />
baking sheets, well apart.<br />
With a knife, slash the tops of the rolls.<br />
Loosely cover each sheet with lightly<br />
oiled cling-film and leave in a warm<br />
place for 40 minutes, until the dough has<br />
almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to<br />
220°C/425°F/gas 7 (200°C for fan ovens).<br />
Once the rolls have risen, scatter them<br />
with the reserved cheese and onion<br />
seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes until<br />
golden and hollow-sounding when<br />
tapped underneath. Delicious served<br />
warm with butter.<br />
19
4 (160°C for fan ovens). Transfer the<br />
potatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle with the<br />
oil and sprinkle with the seasoning. Roast<br />
the potatoes for 40 minutes, turning<br />
occasionally, until tender and crisp.<br />
SLOW-ROAST<br />
LAMB<br />
The Easter centrepiece - this one is meltin-the-mouth<br />
delicious and just needs<br />
low, slow cooking.<br />
Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 4 hours 10 mins<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2kg leg of lamb (bone in)<br />
400g shallots<br />
2 whole garlic bulbs<br />
150ml Madeira/<strong>Mar</strong>sala or other sweet<br />
fortified wine<br />
2 tsp plain flour<br />
2 tsp butter<br />
Seasoning paste<br />
2 lemons<br />
4 sprigs rosemary<br />
4 garlic cloves<br />
8 anchovies<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
To prep: If large, peel and half the<br />
shallots. Half crossways the whole garlic<br />
bulbs. Soften the butter. Zest and half<br />
the lemons. Finely chop the leaves of the<br />
rosemary. Finely chop the garlic cloves.<br />
Chop the anchovies.<br />
Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3.<br />
To make the seasoning paste, put the<br />
lemon zest, rosemary, garlic cloves,<br />
anchovies and freshly ground black<br />
pepper in a bowl. Use a fork to mash<br />
together into a chunky paste. Stir in the oil<br />
and set aside.<br />
Heat a roasting tin on the hob and brown<br />
the lamb for a couple of minutes on each<br />
side. Remove the lamb from the tin and<br />
place on a board.<br />
Cook the shallots in the roasting tin (add<br />
a little olive oil if necessary) for 5 minutes<br />
or until golden, stirring occasionally.<br />
Remove and set aside.<br />
Meanwhile, use a thin, sharp knife to<br />
make deep, angled incisions all over the<br />
lamb.<br />
Push the seasoning paste into the cuts.<br />
Return the lamb to the tin. Add the<br />
shallots, garlic and lemon halves. Pour<br />
the Madeira and 100ml water around the<br />
lamb. Cover the roasting tin tightly with<br />
foil and roast for 3 hours.<br />
Remove the foil and return to the oven<br />
for a further hour. Meanwhile, mix the<br />
flour and butter to form a paste. When<br />
the lamb is ready, transfer it to a carving<br />
board or platter, with the garlic, lemons<br />
and shallots, and loosely cover with foil.<br />
Strain the juices from the roasting tin into<br />
a small saucepan and bring to the boil.<br />
Whisk in the flour and butter paste, then<br />
simmer until the sauce is thickened and<br />
glossy. Serve with the lamb.<br />
ULTIMATE<br />
ROAST<br />
POTATOES<br />
Perfect roast potatoes with a flawless,<br />
crisp crunch.<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 45 mins<br />
Serves: 6<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1kg potatoes<br />
1 tbsp Seasoning for Roast Potatoes<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
Peel and cut the potatoes in half, or into<br />
quarters if large. Boil the potatoes in<br />
salted water for 5 minutes and drain well.<br />
Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas<br />
WHOLE SALMON<br />
with roasted squash and<br />
tarragon olive mayonnaise<br />
The perfect celebratory fish dish for<br />
Good Friday.<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 1 hour 5 mins<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lemon<br />
2kg whole Lochmuir salmon, cleaned<br />
3 tbsp olive oil<br />
8 sprigs tarragon<br />
20g unsalted butter<br />
1 large butternut squash<br />
8 whole garlic clove<br />
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds<br />
200ml mayonnaise<br />
2 tbsp pitted green olives, chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat the oven to 190°/170°C fan/gas 5.<br />
Halve the lemon, set one half aside and<br />
slice the other into rounds. To cook the<br />
salmon, start with two large sheets of<br />
foil, one on top of the other, in a roasting<br />
tin large enough to hold the whole fish.<br />
Brush the foil with 1 tablespoon oil and<br />
lay the salmon on top.<br />
Stuff 4 tarragon sprigs, the lemon slices<br />
and a little salt and pepper in the cavity.<br />
Dot the butter over the surface of the<br />
salmon and bring the foil around it in a<br />
loose parcel, sealing the edges tightly.<br />
Roast for 1 hour, then set aside to rest for<br />
15 minutes before opening the foil.<br />
Meanwhile, slice the squash into wedges,<br />
skin on, and toss with the remaining olive<br />
oil and the whole garlic cloves on a large<br />
baking tray.<br />
Roast for 45 minutes, until the squash<br />
is golden then scatter with the pumpkin<br />
20
seeds and return to the oven for a final 5<br />
minutes.<br />
To make the mayonnaise, strip the leaves<br />
from the remaining tarragon sprigs and<br />
finely chop.<br />
Stir into the mayonnaise with a squeeze<br />
of lemon juice from the remaining lemon<br />
half and the chopped olives.<br />
Season with black pepper only. Serve the<br />
baked salmon with the roast squash, soft<br />
garlic and tarragon-olive mayonnaise.<br />
HOT CROSS BUN<br />
PUDDING<br />
A great alternative to bread and butter<br />
pudding - and a way to use up any<br />
leftover hot cross buns and Easter eggs!<br />
Prep: 40 mins | Cook: 40 mins<br />
Serves: 6<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 eggs<br />
8 mini hot cross buns, or four large<br />
1 pear, peeled, cored and cubed<br />
4 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread<br />
25g dark chocolate, chopped<br />
150ml double cream<br />
25ml whole milk<br />
25g caster sugar<br />
METHOD<br />
Cut each bun in half, then sandwich<br />
together with the chocolate spread.<br />
Arrange in an ovenproof dish and scatter<br />
over the pear cubes and chocolate.<br />
Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and<br />
sugar. Pour the mixture over the buns<br />
and leave for at least 30 minutes to allow<br />
it to soak in.<br />
Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4<br />
(160°C for fan ovens) and bake for 35-40<br />
minutes until golden and just set. Stand<br />
for 5 minutes before serving.<br />
RHUBARB AND<br />
MASCARPONE<br />
meringue cake<br />
Another seasonal favourite - rhubarb.<br />
Meringues can be made ahead, but eat<br />
on the day you assemble with cream.<br />
Prep: 1 hour 25 mins | Cook: 2 hours<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
For the purée:<br />
400g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces<br />
2 tbsp caster sugar<br />
1 vanilla pod, deseeded<br />
4 tbsp orange juice<br />
For the meringue:<br />
225g caster sugar<br />
4 egg whites<br />
For the filling and topping:<br />
50g icing sugar<br />
350g mascarpone<br />
30g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.<br />
Toss together the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla<br />
pod pieces and orange juice. Spread<br />
out the mixture in a small baking dish<br />
and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender.<br />
Remove from the oven and set aside<br />
to cool.<br />
Turn the oven down to 110°C/90°C fan/<br />
gas ¼. Reserve 10 pieces of rhubarb<br />
for decoration, and purée the rest in a<br />
blender. Only add the juices from the<br />
baking dish if the purée seems too thick.<br />
Set aside.<br />
Trace 4 x 18cm circles on baking paper<br />
as a guide for the meringue discs. Put<br />
the sugar and 90ml water into a heavybased<br />
saucepan. Carefully swirl the water<br />
around to ensure the sugar is covered.<br />
(Do not stir after swirling as this will<br />
encourage sugar crystals to form on the<br />
sides of the pan.) Put the pan over a high<br />
heat until the mixture bubbles.<br />
Reduce the heat to medium and allow<br />
the mixture to bubble away for about<br />
10 minutes. If using a thermometer the<br />
syrup is ready when it reaches 116°C.<br />
Otherwise, test the mixture by dropping<br />
a small amount into a cup of cold water,<br />
lift it out and if it can be rolled into a soft<br />
ball, it’s ready. If it’s still slippery and loose,<br />
bubble a little longer.<br />
Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, whisk the<br />
egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric<br />
whisk. When the syrup is ready, add it<br />
to the whisked egg whites, whisking<br />
continuously until the mixture is glossy<br />
and the syrup is fully incorporated.<br />
Pipe or spread the mixture onto the<br />
prepared baking sheets, filling in the<br />
circles. Bake for 2 hours, then keep the<br />
oven door ajar with a wooden spoon and<br />
bake for another hour to crisp up the<br />
surface. Turn the oven off and leave the<br />
meringues to cool in the oven for a further<br />
hour.<br />
To make the filling, beat the icing sugar<br />
into the mascarpone, adding more if you<br />
prefer a sweeter flavour. Then gently fold<br />
about two-thirds of the rhubarb purée<br />
into the mascarpone.<br />
To assemble the cake, spread a meringue<br />
disc with a third of the mascarpone and<br />
top with some of the reserved purée,<br />
gently rippling it with a table knife. Repeat<br />
these steps with the other discs and<br />
decorate the top with the reserved pieces<br />
of rhubarb and the chopped pistachios.<br />
21
a<br />
Slice<br />
of<br />
SANTA<br />
BARBARA<br />
Kate O’Connell tackles<br />
the culinary scene of<br />
Santa Barbara. One<br />
mouthful at a time...<br />
Harbor View Inn Hotel<br />
22
When it comes to traveling, shockingly enough I had yet to actually<br />
get round to visiting the USA. This also came as a surprise to my<br />
fellow journalists on this trip. Our two nations are bound together<br />
by much history, an overlap in religion, a common legal system and<br />
language, so how had I not visited at least one state at one time or<br />
another?<br />
Who knows. Our family holidays didn’t stretch that far I guess. Which<br />
may explain my eagerness when I was offered the chance to explore<br />
Santa Barbara. Quite the destination for a first time visitor to the USA!<br />
Aptly nicknamed ‘The American Riviera’, Santa Barbara is situated<br />
90 miles (a 2 hour car journey) north of Los Angeles, tucked within<br />
a south-facing pacific coastline on one side, and the rolling hills that<br />
stretch into the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other. But it is its charm<br />
and sense of style that makes this small city so tempting - indeed it is<br />
a hotspot favourite for the rich and famous, with a whole host of A-list<br />
celebrities calling Santa Barbara home.<br />
If there’s one things that strikes you, it’s that Santa Barbara doesn’t<br />
really feel like a city at all. There’s no hustle and bustle here, instead<br />
just a wonderfully laid-back, chilled vibe. Infused with the spirit<br />
of Spain, we were informed that 6.8 magnitude earthquake near<br />
enough flattened the city back in 1925. Devastating yes, but like a<br />
phoenix from the ashes, this proved the making of the city in terms of<br />
architecture, as the city planners were convinced to rebuild the city in<br />
a unified, Spanish Colonial Revival style inspired by the historic Old<br />
Mission (founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786). Red-tiled clay top<br />
roofs and white washed walls litter every building, and in addition to<br />
the climate, give the city its Mediterranean charm.<br />
Our first stop; checking in to the newly developed North Wing of<br />
Harbor View Inn hotel. A premier beachfront hotel, Harbour View Inn is<br />
centrally located within the city, and made for a fabulous base to start<br />
our trip. My room featured a very inviting king size bed, complimented<br />
by gorgeous modern Spanish Colonial furnishings, and to top it off - a<br />
balcony view, a chance to sip on a morning coffee and watch the<br />
world go by. But not yet. First; dinner!<br />
We made a short walk around the block to Loquita Restaurant for<br />
some authentic Spanish tapas. Created as a love letter to the Spanish<br />
origins and history of Santa Barbara, Loquita’s showcases a medley<br />
of paellas, charcuterie, cheeses and seafood. We were offered a<br />
sample of a variety of dishes on the menu, with the squid ink seafood<br />
paella being a personal favourite of mine.<br />
After a restful nights sleep in my luxuriously comfy bed, I was ready<br />
for a day of exciting activities. To get us started, we required a hearty<br />
breakfast, and Goat Tree was just the place to go. A gourmet cafe<br />
with a relaxed vibe, Goat Tree offers everything from fresh pastries<br />
and baked goods cooked in-house by their resident pastry chef,<br />
through to cooked breakfasts with a Mediterranean twist. I opted<br />
for the classic Shakshuka, accompanied by homemade flat bread.<br />
Possibly the best, tastiest start to a morning ever.<br />
Feeling suitably energised, it was time for a spot of kayaking down<br />
at the harbour front, courtesy of Santa Barbara Adventure Company.<br />
Kayaking is a great way to view a side of Santa Barbara that perhaps<br />
few visitors get to see, so it felt like such a treat. Not only this, it was a<br />
perfect opportunity to spot some of the resident wildlife.<br />
Loquita Restaurant<br />
23
Kayaking around Santa<br />
Barbara harbour<br />
24<br />
It was perhaps my enthusiasm at this<br />
opportunity that had me labelled a<br />
‘Twitcher’ on this trip. On every dock<br />
we manoeuvred around brought hoards<br />
of enormous pelicans, gangly herons<br />
and rather amusing loons to name but a<br />
few. We even managed to paddle right<br />
up to a raft of sealions. So much of the<br />
wildlife on show were species that I had<br />
never seen out of captivity, it was a very<br />
special morning indeed. I can’t say I am a<br />
particularly experienced kayaker, having<br />
only dabbled on holidays in the past, but<br />
I needn’t have worried. The Adventure<br />
Company specialise in providing tours for<br />
all abilities, so I was in safe hands!<br />
A great way to experience the harbour<br />
front is to sample some of the<br />
specialities, and so with this we took a<br />
stroll over to Stearns Wharf; California’s<br />
oldest wharf named after builder John<br />
P. Stearns. There we took some seats at<br />
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, and<br />
were served an array of locally caught<br />
seafoods, all washed down with some<br />
local beer.<br />
To garner more of an overview of the city,<br />
we then took a ‘trolley tour’ via Santa<br />
Barbara Trolley Co. This 90 minute tour<br />
is lead by a highly insightful guide, who<br />
relays all sorts of interesting facts about<br />
the city, as well as a little local celeb<br />
gossip on the side!<br />
After a quick freshen up it was time for<br />
a bite to eat. Cue...Cubaneo! Californian<br />
Cuban cuisine served alongside cocktails<br />
from Shaker Mill who neighbour within<br />
the same premises. It is easy to see how<br />
you could happily waste away an evening<br />
here, and we did just that! With a cubano<br />
sandwich in one hand and a ‘Bay of<br />
Santiago’ cocktail in the other, you could<br />
have easily fooled us into thinking we<br />
were in Havana!<br />
After another restful night's sleep, I<br />
skipped breakfast in order to make room<br />
for the immense amount of food we<br />
would be sampling on the Eat This, Shoot<br />
That! Funk Zone Food & Photo tour. A<br />
three-hour expedition, this is a chance to<br />
sample some of Santa Barbara’s finest<br />
fodder, as well as learn a little more about<br />
the city’s history, all while discovering<br />
how best to maximize your photo-taking<br />
ability, achieving the most Instagramworthy<br />
images that will make you the<br />
envy of all your friends.<br />
The tour is also a great chance to get to<br />
grips with the layout of the city. Santa<br />
Barbara is made up of several districts,<br />
one of which, The Funk Zone, has seen<br />
its popularity boom in recent decades.<br />
Comprising of a series of converted<br />
warehouses, this contemporary district<br />
is very much the place to be to sample<br />
artisan foods from up-and-coming chefs,<br />
and out-of-this-world Santa Barbara<br />
Country wines. Shop fronts and walls<br />
are adorned with graffiti murals and art<br />
pieces; this district really is an everevolving<br />
artistic neighbourhood that is<br />
well worth a visit.<br />
It was then time to travel up into the<br />
foothills to our next hotel. And what an<br />
iconic hotel indeed. The Belmond El<br />
Encanto. Recently renovated in 2013,<br />
Belmond El Encanto offers stunning<br />
views of the American Riviera and a<br />
whole heap of Hollywood glamour on<br />
the side. This resort manages to feel<br />
relaxed and low-key, while at the same<br />
time feeling like the most exclusive place<br />
on earth. Sitting poolside whilst sipping<br />
a glass of ‘Belmond El Encanto Cuvee’,<br />
life truly feels timeless up here. It’s little<br />
wonder that it was a favoured getaway of<br />
the Hollywood elite.<br />
We made our way back down from the<br />
hills to State Street for an Italian feast<br />
at Due Lune Cucina. Serving fresh<br />
ingredients and hand-made pasta, I<br />
would have been mad not to order the<br />
Linguine alle Vongole. This was paired<br />
with some fabulous local wines, and the<br />
staff couldn’t have been more friendly<br />
and attentive. We topped off the night<br />
with a nightcap at Pearl Social; an<br />
intimate and beautifully furnished cocktail<br />
bar. The night felt like a very classy affair<br />
indeed.<br />
Somehow, our final day had sadly rolled<br />
around already! It was time to do a spot<br />
of botanical sight seeing. Lotusland was<br />
our destination. This 37-acre estate and<br />
botanic garden is situated in the foothills<br />
of Montecito, which is located to the<br />
East of Santa Barbara. Purchased by<br />
the rather marvellous socialite Madame<br />
Walska (Google her, honestly!), she spent<br />
43 years designing the gardens to her<br />
liking. To say they were breathtaking is<br />
an understatement. Home to all sorts of<br />
exotic, rare collections of plants, this is<br />
truly a garden like no other.<br />
After another spot of wine tasting at<br />
some of the local establishments (it<br />
would be rude not to!), we made our<br />
way to Bibi Ji for dinner. A modern take<br />
on traditional Indian cuisine, Bibi Ji are<br />
experts at pairing quality, local wines<br />
with the most brilliant of dishes. The<br />
moment came when the aptly nicknamed<br />
‘Californian Gold’ was bought out; Santa<br />
Barbara’s locally caught sea urchins.<br />
Beautifully presented, and filled with<br />
biryani rice, I couldn’t lie...I was a little<br />
hesitant to try them. After all, my only<br />
knowledge of them was to avoid standing<br />
on them when on sandy beaches abroad.<br />
I needn’t have worried. Creamy and<br />
indulgent, they were fantastic.<br />
What a dish. And what a trip.<br />
Sea Urchins at<br />
Bibi Ji Restaurant<br />
At a glance<br />
2 nights at harbor view inn<br />
hotel, 2 nights at belmond<br />
el encanto hotel, private<br />
transfers and return<br />
flights with Norwegian air.<br />
Parking and lounge access<br />
with holiday extras.<br />
No1 Lounge at Gatwick<br />
Airport (South Terminal)<br />
from £26 PP<br />
Harbor view inn - Nightly<br />
Rates vary from $268.00-<br />
$400.00<br />
belmond el encanto -<br />
nightly room rates start<br />
from $560 (inc tax),<br />
suites from $811 (inc tax)<br />
www.santabarbaraca.com
Glorious walks from the Highbullen Hotel, Devon<br />
STYLISH Staycations<br />
Whether you want the buzz of the city or a<br />
complete country retreat, here are our pick of<br />
UK staycations...<br />
the best of the city and west end at<br />
THE STRAND PALACE, LONDON<br />
Having welcomed guests since 1909, the Strand Palace is surrounded by<br />
the best London has to offer - located just minutes from Covent Garden.<br />
Having recently undergone a large-scale multi million pound renovation,<br />
myself and my partner decided to tie in a spot of winter shopping/<br />
sightseeing in with a stay in what is most definitely the heart of London.<br />
The Strand Palace creates a fabulous impression the minute you meet the<br />
doorman! The front entrance, lobby and reception are one large, bright,<br />
open spaced hub, featuring art deco influences that create a very relaxed<br />
and sophisticated atmosphere. We checked in and made our way up to<br />
our room, which was a tranquil, comforting retreat from the hussle and<br />
bustle of the street below.<br />
It is at this stage that I feel I must confess: I am a bit of a tourist when it<br />
comes to London. In the past I have found myself booking into hotels that<br />
seem to be on the other side of the city in location to all the spots I wished<br />
to visit, and although there’s the tube, it’s still nice to be situated near<br />
the action. This is what makes The Strand Palace so perfect. Its location<br />
is brilliant - right in the heart of the West End, and with Covent Garden<br />
a mere two minutes away you really have got it all on your doorstep.<br />
I couldn’t believe our luck when a trip to The National Portrait Gallery<br />
took....seven minutes on foot!<br />
We made our way back to the hotel after a spot of lunch, opting for the<br />
pre-theatre menu which is brilliant value for money if you are trying to<br />
keep costs down. Pre 7pm, you can indulge with 2 courses for £20, so<br />
we tucked into some crispy lime squid, followed by fish and chips, with a<br />
lovely light batter. All washed down with a bottle of red. Delightful!<br />
The city felt like ours for the taking! We took ourselves off for a stroll around<br />
Covent Garden, closely followed by a visit to a couple of ‘proper’ London<br />
pubs. If you are after a weekend away in the city and want to make London<br />
your own, The Strand Palace offers a truly unbeatable location.<br />
Sam Norris | strandpalacehotel.co.uk, rooms from £175 per night<br />
escape to the country at<br />
UPPER TETCHWICK<br />
HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY<br />
There is surely no better ointment for the weary<br />
soul than a weekend in pristine countryside<br />
with your closest friends. I found that sense of<br />
reatreat at the beautiful Upper Tetchwick House,<br />
booked through holidaycottages.co.uk.<br />
With a whole host of different holiday<br />
accommodation options to suit couples, families<br />
and large or small parties, holidaycottages.co.uk<br />
was the perfect site through which to book our<br />
little staycation. We settled on Upper Tetchwick<br />
House, which sleeps 12.<br />
In a rural location on the outskirts of Aylesbury,<br />
the property is a home away from home - if your<br />
home is a resplendent country pad complete<br />
with six bedrooms, a swimming pool, a billiards<br />
room and a duck pond, with far reaching views<br />
across the countryside! It’s a house that would<br />
cater in any season - with a huge garden and<br />
pool for the warmer months and a wonderful<br />
wood burning stove when the chill sets in.<br />
The whole process was easy as anything -<br />
meaning we all felt immediately on holiday - that<br />
was in part thanks to the lovely locally-sourced<br />
welcome hamper waiting on the counter.<br />
The house had the added benefit of being dog<br />
friendly too, meaning my pooches didn’t miss<br />
out on any of the holiday action.<br />
Katie Thomson | holidaycottages.co.uk,<br />
a three night stay costs £1,568 total<br />
25
take time out at<br />
DONNINGTON VALLEY<br />
HOTEL & SPA, BERKSHIRE<br />
It really does go without saying that a visit to the<br />
spa is a great way to relax, de-stress and unwind<br />
from the day-to-day. However we should never<br />
need an excuse for a little pampering. After all,<br />
many of our modern-day spas have deep roots,<br />
dating back thousands of years. Hence my<br />
lack of guilt in booking myself and Mum in for a<br />
weekend stay at Donnington Valley Hotel.<br />
A privately owned hotel, spa and golf club,<br />
Donnington Valley is located just off the M4.<br />
Arriving in the surrounding beautiful Berkshire<br />
countryside, this truly felt like a retreat.<br />
Sharing an Executive suite, we were graced with<br />
gorgeously comfy beds and a rather spacious<br />
bathroom! We quickly put on the robes provided<br />
and made our way to the spa. There we had<br />
a luxury 55 minute Sonoma Aromatherapy<br />
Massage. Melting our tensions away, my<br />
thoughts drifted to the hustle and bustle of<br />
life, and what a rarity it is to have 55 minutes<br />
to yourself to just…be. It occurred to me how<br />
important it is to take time for yourself. It’s a<br />
win-win for everyone too surely, as by feeling<br />
and looking your best, you are better able to take<br />
care of your loved ones without feeling burnt out.<br />
We took ourselves off to the capacious pool,<br />
and made use of the indulgent sauna and<br />
steam rooms, not to mention a quick lounge<br />
in the jacuzzi, before quickly freshening up for<br />
our dinner reservations. On the menu: scallops<br />
on a bed of pea purée, black pudding and<br />
smoked pancetta, followed by a juicy sirloin<br />
steak, all complimented beautifully by some<br />
well-recommended wine, and last but not least<br />
followed by a delectable espresso martini.<br />
Naughty? Yes. But perhaps we all need to take<br />
a weekend every once in a while to look after<br />
number one.<br />
Kate O’Connell | donningtonvalley.co.uk,<br />
rooms from £135 per night<br />
find sanctuary in the city at<br />
PARK PLAZA LONDON RIVERBANK<br />
As a former Londoner who now resides in the countryside, there is always a<br />
thrill when returning to the capital. The beauty of being a visitor, instead of a<br />
resident, is getting to appreciate the wealth of culture, architectural marvels<br />
and general buzz of this sprawling metropolis. And there is nowhere better<br />
located to explore it all from than the Park Plaza London Riverbank.<br />
Located on the south side of the River Thames, it sits near many of<br />
London’s most legendary tourist attractions. The Houses of Parliament, the<br />
seat of England’s political authority, are just across Westminster Bridge, and<br />
the London Eye, the city’s enormous Ferris wheel, is only a 15-minute walk<br />
away. My room had an uninterrupted view out to Big Ben and the Palace of<br />
Westminster. Being so central might feel chaotic, but the hotel really does<br />
feel like a sanctuary away from it all.<br />
I visited with my small niece and nephew in tow - travelling with children<br />
is never easy, but the London Riverbank hotel has taken a huge step<br />
toward making it a breeze - it has just launched the capital’s first hotel<br />
room designed by families, for families - featuring elements such as chalk<br />
board walls, neon lights, a bunk bed for the kids, and chic décor and iconic<br />
London view for the adults, along with bespoke services. The suite is<br />
available from just £179 per night and can be booked by visiting<br />
parkplaza.com/ultimatefamily<br />
Daniel Weston | radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/park-plaza-Londonriverbank<br />
Rooms from £119 per night<br />
sleep like a royal at<br />
HARTWELL HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY<br />
I would call myself an explorer, but it isn’t often that I can feel as I’m back<br />
in the 17th century and living as the royals once had. That is exactly how<br />
this weekend felt, exploring the warmth, romance and delicious cuisine that<br />
Hartwell House had to offer.<br />
The hotel makes an impression straight away - the exquisite drive to the<br />
front entrance, greetings from smiling staff and the aroma of a burning stove<br />
made us feel we were somewhere very special.<br />
As we settled in our large room, with far-reaching views across the fields we<br />
were very pleased by the little touches - the room’s decor transporting you<br />
to an era of vintage style. History oozes from every pore of this house and<br />
there is so much to be explored - even the walk to dinner took us past the<br />
characterful staircase - each spindle of the bannister is hand carved into a<br />
caricature - we delighted in spotting famous historical figures, including a<br />
grave-faced Winston Churchill.<br />
The house has both Jacobean and Georgian features with outstanding<br />
decorative ceilings and panelling, fine paintings and antique furniture. It has a<br />
remarkable history too: its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King<br />
26
soak in the views at<br />
THE HIGHBULLEN HOTEL<br />
& COUNTRY CLUB, NORTH DEVON<br />
Arriving after nightfall to a hotel destination is always a bit of a treat -<br />
there is something exciting about waking up to an undiscovered view<br />
- pulling back the curtains to reveal the surprise.<br />
This delight surely hits its peak at the Highbullen Hotel, nestled in the<br />
rolling hills of North Devon. As I ambled, sleepily, from the sumptuous<br />
seven-foot bed in our suite, I opened the curtains with a cup of tea in<br />
hand, I was greeted by the most glorious, expansive views - rolling hills,<br />
a view down the Mole Valley and out towards national parks. From the<br />
hotel’s high vantage point on a ridge between Dartmoor and Exmoor, on<br />
a clear day you can see for 18 miles across pristine British countryside -<br />
it really is something to behold.<br />
An opportunity to enjoy these views is never missed - as well as a<br />
lovely reading nook in our own room, the elegant drawing rooms and<br />
sun terraces offered chances to sit and soak it all in. The hotel’s Devon<br />
View Restaurant also offers these panoramas, alongside its 2 AA<br />
rosettes - making for a very special dining experience. With a changing<br />
daily menu featuring the best local, seasonal produce, the restaurant<br />
is a foodie destination in its own right. We dined on the house-smoked<br />
salmon with avocado, a deliciously light leek and cheddar tart and<br />
perfectly succulent lamb cutlets with a perfect umami punch. The<br />
portions are perfect, leaving just enough room for a shared dessert of<br />
treacle tart with clotted cream - simple dessert pastry at its best. This is<br />
also the restaurant where residents can enjoy breakfast -<br />
it’s a great spread with lots to choose from.<br />
If the dishes in the restaurant gets you in the indulgent<br />
foodie mood (and they will) you can also head down to<br />
the lovely Laura Ashley Tearoom on site for a classic<br />
Devon cream tea or a more indulgent offering with fizz.<br />
As well as the main hotel, guests have accommodation<br />
options in self catered cottages - meaning the facilities<br />
of the whole resort are still on their doorstep. An 18-hole<br />
USGA golf course set within richly wooded parkland,<br />
tennis courts, a multi-sport simulator, a leisure centre,<br />
fishing, shooting, snooker - the list is expansive and<br />
caters for every member of the family, making it a<br />
wonderful holiday destination. Keen walkers can also<br />
make the most of miles of local country walks, Exmoor or<br />
the nearby South West Coast path.<br />
Katie Thomson | highbullen.co.uk,<br />
B&B from £110 per night<br />
of France, for five years from 1809 - no wonder we felt like royalty.<br />
That evening we shared a decadent three course dinner. The food was<br />
wonderful and the ambiance pure romance - with a piano playing in the<br />
background. I would highly recommend a starter of scallops or smoked<br />
salmon, the cod for a main and a trio of the delicious sorbets to finish it off.<br />
The majestic tone set the night before continued at breakfast - the<br />
spread pure elegance - hand polished silverware, white table cloths and<br />
loose leaf earl grey tea. Then it was out to explore the grounds. Hartwell<br />
House is a National Trust owned property with Capability Browninspired<br />
landscapes - we pretended it was all our domain as we strolled<br />
from one spectacular vista to another.<br />
Then it was time to relax even further in the beautiful spa - with its<br />
stylistic echoes of a Roman bathing house. Our treatments were<br />
sublime - taking away all the strain of a working week.<br />
From the first sights of history, to the genuine comforts of a homely room<br />
and stunning food, I arrive back in the big city, relaxed, romanced and so<br />
full of fond memories. Hartwell House comes highly recommended and I<br />
can see why - it is the perfect weekend away, only if you wish to get lost<br />
in time and take a moment to enjoy your surroundings.<br />
Lucy Elamad | hartwell-house.com, B&B from £250 per night<br />
27
AMAZING<br />
GLAZING<br />
When we think about our homes, it’s really the windows<br />
and doors that create the wow factor. We are all so<br />
keen to flood our properties with natural light and the<br />
constantly evolving technology in the world of glazing is<br />
making some truly astonishing designs achievable, not to<br />
mention more affordable than ever.<br />
Whether you are self-building, extending or even<br />
renovating your home, apportioning budget to windows<br />
and doors is a savvy move. As well as making your home<br />
more valuable - 69% of people say that light rooms make<br />
them more inclined to buy - investing in clever glazing can<br />
make you fall in love with your space once more.<br />
BI-FOLD vs SLIDING<br />
DOORS<br />
Bi-fold:<br />
PROS - for those looking for that wonderful sense of a<br />
garden room that brings the outside in, bi-folds can help<br />
create the sense of one open-plan space as the panels<br />
fold away fully to the walls.<br />
CONS - an expensive option - poorly constructed bi-folds<br />
can also suffer from air-tightness issues around the joins<br />
so do your research and get guarantees.<br />
Sliding:<br />
PROS - generally cheaper than bi-fold doors, sliding<br />
doors also have fewer frame elements, meaning when<br />
they are closed your view is less obstructed.<br />
CONS - you won’t get the full, uninterrupted view of the<br />
garden - instead only a portion of the doors are openable.<br />
Bi-fold<br />
Sliding<br />
69% of people say that light rooms make<br />
them more inclined to buy - investing in<br />
clever glazing can make you fall in love with<br />
your space once more...<br />
28
Roof Lanterns and Skylights<br />
Compared to windows of the same surface area, skylights and<br />
roof lanterns can increase light in a room by up to five times.<br />
They are particularly good in extensions and for channelling<br />
light to darker corners of the home and adding opportunities<br />
for ventilation. These additions are no longer considered just a<br />
luxury and can be used in a wide variety of scenarios:<br />
• In a loft extension, tucked beneath sloped rooflines, the<br />
presence of skylights may spell the difference between a<br />
bright, friendly space and a murky cave.<br />
• In a home built between closely adjoining neighbouring<br />
houses where overlooking might be an issue, skylights may be<br />
the best solution for introducing good natural light into rooms.<br />
• In a single storey house build or extension, built with an open<br />
floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed natural light<br />
into the centre of large spaces.<br />
Many of the issues experienced in the past of rooms<br />
overheating or being hard to clean have been mediated with<br />
a tranche of new technology, including glass panels with heat<br />
regulatory and storage abilities and self-cleaning glass.<br />
SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION?<br />
In a single storey house build or extension, built with an<br />
open floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed<br />
natural light into the centre of large spaces.<br />
Energy Efficiency<br />
Our homes are one of the biggest energy wasters out there and<br />
traditionally windows are the biggest energy leakage point, so<br />
with any renovation, it can really pay to invest in glass tech to<br />
ensure the best temperature regulation - creating huge savings<br />
down the line. We all know that double glazing is much more<br />
efficient than single, but newer technologies like triple glazing<br />
are making windows nearly as efficient at energy retention as<br />
the walls they are installed within.<br />
As well as the glass, it is important to do you research into<br />
frames and opt for the most airtight models.<br />
With great green credentials, triple glazed units have the<br />
added benefits of better thermal comfort, noise reduction and<br />
a reduced risk of condensation between panes – so for the<br />
self-builder or home improver looking for a premium finish with<br />
added benefits, it’s a natural choice.<br />
29
2<br />
1<br />
dark ARTS<br />
3<br />
The trend for sleek black finishes<br />
continues, with lots of companies<br />
now supplying dark taps, shower<br />
enclosures, towel rails and tiles<br />
Dark tiles and fixtures look amazing - the only thing<br />
to be aware of is living in a hard water area and the<br />
effects that will have on the finish of taps over time.<br />
For a sleek look, pair large-scale dark floor tiles with<br />
white tiles on the walls, framed by black hardware.<br />
5<br />
Images: 1. Aquaglass Velar 8mm Black Crittall Corner<br />
Entry Enclosure, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 2. Original Style<br />
Tileworks Steel Midnight Blue, originalstyle.com; 3. Merlyn<br />
Black Showerwall With End Panel, merlynshowering.com;<br />
4. Duravit - Stonetto (Sand) Shower Tray, duravit.co.uk;<br />
5. Contour Radiator, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 6. Pitch<br />
Bluetooth Mirror, purebathroomcollection.co.uk; 7. Finissimo<br />
Black Bath Filler, bathroomdealsuk.co.uk; 8. Valverdi Iguazu<br />
Tile, londontile.co.uk;<br />
8<br />
4<br />
7<br />
BATHROOM<br />
TECH<br />
With homes becoming<br />
smarter in the main, it<br />
makes sense that similar<br />
technology would be<br />
extended to the bathroom.<br />
We love this bluetooth<br />
mirror which can play<br />
your favourite songs and<br />
has automatic demisting<br />
technology<br />
6<br />
30
THE BATHROOM<br />
& TILE GUIDE<br />
A roundup of the trends that can beat the bathroom blues<br />
and turn your bathroom into your own slice of heaven<br />
1 2<br />
3<br />
ensuite DREAMS<br />
According to a survey carried out by Nationwide<br />
Building Society, an ensuite can add as much as 5%<br />
to your home's market value - if you have the space,<br />
it's a great investment which is luxurious too<br />
If space permits, a roll top or freestanding<br />
bath looks wonderful in an ensuite and<br />
gives a true sense of luxury. If your space<br />
is more modest, the smaller scale is a great<br />
place to experiment with some interesting<br />
tile combinations and colours. There are<br />
some fabulous examples of encaustic tiles<br />
out there at the moment, but if you do opt<br />
for those, be aware and prepared for more<br />
maintenance than printed tiles.<br />
Images: 1. products from Original Style; 2. String<br />
lights from Lights4fun.co.uk; 3. image from<br />
carleyrowena.com; 4. Floris tile from Boniti<br />
4<br />
31
1<br />
TILE STYLE<br />
THE way to add style and personality to<br />
your bathroom - choices are limitless.<br />
Avoid following trends too closely and pick<br />
something you really love<br />
3<br />
4<br />
2<br />
When choosing<br />
tiles, functionality<br />
is key - tiny mosaics look amazing, but you<br />
don't want them in high traffic areas of a family<br />
bathroom. Try to keep floor tiles low maintenance<br />
and add decorative flourishes in smaller spaces.<br />
Ceramics aren't the only option either - vinyl tiles<br />
and laminates can work effectively.<br />
5<br />
6<br />
Images: 1. Selection from Ripples; 2. Havana Dawn Self<br />
Adhesive Vinyl Floor Tiles, zazous.co.uk; 3. Odyssey<br />
- 8051V Seville Tile, originalstyle.com; 4. 3D Offset<br />
Hexagon Tiles, bakedtiles.co.uk; 5. Original Style <strong>Living</strong><br />
Spirit Tile, originalstyle.com; 6. Windmill Geometric<br />
Tile, tonsoftiles.co.uk; 7. Odyssey - Persian Floor Tile,<br />
originalstyle.com<br />
7<br />
green SPACES<br />
Houseplants are taking over - and<br />
we love it! If you have natural light<br />
in the bathroom, lots of plants can<br />
thrive in the space!<br />
The best plants for bathrooms are<br />
moisture lovers - these are our<br />
favourites: -<br />
Zamioculcas zamifolia (the eternity<br />
plant - so named because it is hard<br />
to kill!), the spider plant, most ferns,<br />
snake plant, aloe vera, cast iron plant<br />
and orchids.<br />
Image, left, from Dobbies - plants and<br />
plant pots available.<br />
NO WINDOW?<br />
No problem! LED growing lights can be<br />
easily installed to help your plants grow,<br />
even without natural light.<br />
32
Reducing the<br />
environmental impact<br />
of burning wood<br />
In the context of the climate emergency<br />
we’re facing, choosing renewable fuel that’s<br />
as clean as it can be and making small<br />
steps to improve our personal impact on<br />
the environment is becoming ever more<br />
important...<br />
If you have a woodburning stove or biomass boiler, you may be<br />
worried about the impact of burning on the environment.<br />
Trusted not-for-profit fuel certification organisation, Woodsure,<br />
explains why choosing the right fuel is so important. It runs fuel<br />
certification schemes, including the Woodsure Ready to Burn<br />
initiative, to help people find the fuel they need for their wood or<br />
biomass burning appliance.<br />
Burning waste wood, or wood that isn’t properly dried, can<br />
release more harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Using<br />
Woodsure Ready to Burn labelled fuels helps prevent damage to<br />
wood burners from excess soot, while giving a safe and efficient<br />
burn with minimum smoke.<br />
Bruce Allen, Chief Executive at Woodsure, said: “Using the<br />
right fuel can significantly reduce the environmental impact of<br />
domestic burning.”<br />
“Woodsure certification shows that suppliers are responsible<br />
and legally compliant, while the Ready to Burn label identifies<br />
fuel that’s ready for people<br />
to burn straight away. These<br />
certifications make it easier for<br />
people to find the types of fuel<br />
they need for safety, efficiency<br />
and to reduce environmental<br />
impact.”<br />
Woodsure certified wood and<br />
woodfuels are assessed to<br />
make sure they’re produced<br />
sustainably and to appliance<br />
manufacturer guidelines.<br />
As well as Woodsure certification for<br />
quality and sustainability, the Defra-backed<br />
Woodsure Ready to Burn label indicates fuel<br />
that is clean and has been properly seasoned or<br />
kiln dried to a moisture content of up to 20%, making it ideal for<br />
immediate use.<br />
To maintain Woodsure Ready to Burn certification, suppliers are<br />
regularly visited and fuels tested to make sure they comply with<br />
the standards.<br />
Woodsure’s experts work alongside other national bodies<br />
including industry and government representatives as well as<br />
retailers, installers and sweeps to promote the benefits of quality<br />
woodfuel.<br />
Find suppliers of Woodsure certified and Woodsure Ready to<br />
Burn fuels at www.woodsure.co.uk<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 35
Look Before You Leap<br />
While the SPAB warmly encourages people to take the<br />
plunge and make an old building their home, it’s easy<br />
to be swept away by romance. SPAB Director Matthew<br />
Slocombe offers a checklist of key considerations to<br />
help potential buyers make the right choice – both for<br />
themselves and for the building of their dreams.<br />
Think with head and heart<br />
Old buildings are more than a space in<br />
which to live. If all that really interests you<br />
is location or floor area, an old building is<br />
unlikely to be right for you. If you appreciate<br />
style and character, and are keen to<br />
embrace the quirks and idiosyncrasies of an<br />
old building, the potential rewards are great.<br />
Compromise to get what you want<br />
For the majority of buyers, historic interest<br />
is a desirable factor but not the key. If your<br />
number one aim is to live in an interesting<br />
old building, but your means are limited,<br />
compromising on other requirements can<br />
sometimes help.<br />
Authenticity can’t be re-created<br />
If you want something genuine and<br />
authentic, recreation of lost parts is unlikely<br />
to act as a fitting or worthwhile substitute.<br />
Look for genuine survivals. It may be that<br />
fireplaces have been boarded up and plaster<br />
overlaid with modern materials, but if the<br />
originals survive behind this offers a much<br />
better starting point than a gutted interior.<br />
Choose something that will fit your<br />
longer term needs<br />
Look a few years ahead and try to consider<br />
whether the building is likely to fit your plans.<br />
If you think you might need more bedrooms<br />
or a bigger kitchen, consider whether the<br />
building is likely to be able to accommodate<br />
this without major change. In a modern<br />
house, adding extensions or knocking down<br />
walls may be relatively straightforward. In an<br />
historic building it may not.<br />
Consider auctions<br />
Many old buildings needing work are sold<br />
at auction. This can be a way to find an<br />
interesting project, and perhaps also a<br />
bargain. But the buyer must beware and it<br />
is especially important to do your homework<br />
seeking specialist help in advance.<br />
Purchase is not the only possibility<br />
If living in an old building is your goal, but<br />
prices are unaffordable, other options<br />
may exist. The commercial rental sector<br />
general lets buildings that have been heavily<br />
updated, but estates, farms and some<br />
private owners may offer old buildings to<br />
rent in a more rustic state.<br />
Distinguish between decorative and<br />
structural needs<br />
This is vital. Small cracks are normal in old<br />
buildings and can be easily remedied as part<br />
of the redecoration process; larger cracks<br />
may hint at structural movement.<br />
Get good advice<br />
The cost of professional advisers can<br />
seem off-putting, but sound advice is<br />
an investment. There are accreditations<br />
schemes run by the RICS, RIBA and AABC<br />
and the Society can offer suggestions<br />
via its Technical Advice Line (0207 456<br />
0916 weekday mornings). The advice of a<br />
structural engineer, conservator (see ICON’s<br />
accreditation list), quantity surveyor or<br />
historian may also be invaluable.<br />
Put together the right team<br />
If work is needed, the right team will be<br />
crucial. Consider not just price, but the<br />
expertise of team members. Listen to<br />
craftspeople - good ones know exactly<br />
what they’re doing and the expertise is often<br />
under-appreciated.<br />
Adjust your lifestyle<br />
Occupying an old building brings huge<br />
benefits to your quality of life, but don’t<br />
expect it to be the same as a perfectly level,<br />
hermetically sealed modern box. Floors<br />
may slope, windows may be draughty, and<br />
elaborate modern services may be difficult<br />
to accommodate.<br />
Research and understanding<br />
Understanding an old building includes<br />
knowing how it’s put together and what<br />
it’s made from, as well as the uses it’s had<br />
over time and the changes previous owners<br />
have made. Combine this with background<br />
research, advice from organisations like the<br />
SPAB, and knowledge from neighbouring<br />
owners and a rounded picture of the<br />
building should emerge.<br />
Don’t ignore consents and other statutory<br />
requirements<br />
Planning consents and building regulation<br />
requirements should always be adhered<br />
to. This is particularly so in the case of<br />
listed buildings. If you buy a listed building<br />
that has been altered without permission<br />
you inherit the liability and enforcement<br />
action could be taken against you. If you<br />
alter or demolish a listed building without<br />
permission you could be prosecuted.<br />
Don’t count on grants<br />
Grants for private owners were once<br />
relatively common. They are now rare and<br />
should not be counted on.<br />
Settle in before making big changes<br />
A vacant house offers an opportunity<br />
to tackle problems without upheaval to<br />
occupants, but avoid the temptation to do<br />
too much, too fast. A period of occupation<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
often brings realisation about what’s<br />
necessary and what’s not important.<br />
Deal with the boring things first<br />
Kitchens, bathroom and decorative works<br />
may be most fun, but they should be bottom<br />
of your list. Fixing the roof and making sure<br />
the gutters, drains and electrics work will<br />
provide you with a sound basis from which<br />
to make other changes.<br />
Scratches and Witches<br />
Loving the lumps and bumps is all part of<br />
old building ownership. Appreciate them<br />
as part of the building’s character and<br />
history and avoid erasing them for the sake<br />
of tidiness. Think too about witches! Old<br />
surfaces often carry superstitious markings<br />
designed to ward off bad spirits.<br />
Repair is good<br />
Building conservation is a branch of<br />
environmental protection and sustainability:<br />
repair is better than replacement. Decay<br />
is rarely uniform and repair can allow<br />
the undamaged parts to remain. An old<br />
window with 20% new timber is better for<br />
the environment and our history than a new<br />
window with 100% fresh timber.<br />
Make sure materials are compatible<br />
New, innovative building products can<br />
be valuable, but historic buildings are not<br />
generally the place where they should be<br />
tested. The potential for side effects is great<br />
if incompatible materials are used.<br />
Get involved but know your limitations<br />
The SPAB has always encouraged a handson<br />
approach. There is no better way to get<br />
to know your building than through practical<br />
work. However, it is important to know the<br />
limitations of your own skills, to consider<br />
safety issues, and to get training if you are<br />
unsure. The SPAB and others run practical<br />
conservation courses. If in doubt, call on an<br />
experienced craftsperson.<br />
Good new design<br />
Where a strong and justifiable case exists<br />
for a change or addition, sympathetic<br />
new design offers the best approach.<br />
This requires good design advice and a<br />
thoughtful choice of materials.<br />
Enjoy it!<br />
An old building deserves to respected and<br />
cared for, but it should be enjoyed rather<br />
than revered.<br />
Call the SPAB Technical Advice Line on:<br />
020 7456 0916<br />
36 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk
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Details correct at time of going to print. Image is indicative only.
Children: getting them<br />
interested in gardening<br />
Here our resident gardener and radio personality, Matt Biggs<br />
aka The People’s Gardener, explains the benefits of getting<br />
children involved in the garden and how it provides them with<br />
skills to help their development.<br />
You and your children will enjoy every stage of the process. We<br />
hear a lot about children not knowing where their food comes from<br />
and, of course, if we don’t give them the info then, with all of the<br />
distractions of modern living, it is not surprising if they think a chip<br />
comes from the freezer aisle and kohlrabi is a character in the latest<br />
Star Wars film!<br />
Gardening for kids is just such a great thing - exercise, knowledge,<br />
fun and hopefully an interest that will last them a lifetime, what more<br />
do we need? Many garden centres offer kids activity days, whether<br />
that is pumpkin carving, seed sowing or making animals out of fruit<br />
and veg. there is a lot you can get them involved with and much of it<br />
is free too. Many garden centres have clubs for children, and this is<br />
a good option if you have one near to you. It is good for socialising<br />
and excellent for learning the basics and having fun.<br />
If you have a garden marking them out their own space is an easy<br />
thing to do. It gives them a sense of responsibility and you can<br />
make a bug hotel out of recycled bits and bobs, plan to grow some<br />
herbs or mini veg, write down their favourite colours and hunt<br />
through plant catalogues or online for suitable plants to match.<br />
There are lots of skills involved in all of these activities, from maths<br />
- how many plants do we need for the space, to practical skills<br />
in making things, to research and planning skills - so one small<br />
space can lead to a lot of learning! If you have a local country<br />
show or fayre there will probably be a few children’s classes in that<br />
too - making a miniature garden or a dinosaur from fruit and veg.<br />
whatever it is take advantage of it - country<br />
shows are a great day out!<br />
So, having got the kids organised it is time<br />
to do our own planning for summer, whether<br />
you have a window box, a court-yard or<br />
acres of space there is summer colour for<br />
every option. If you are fortunate enough to<br />
have a greenhouse then you can start early and bring on your own<br />
plants, you can share with neighbours or garden clubs which is a<br />
very economical way of gardening or you can visit your local nursery<br />
or garden centre to see what choices are available - and there is a<br />
lot of choice.<br />
Every year Chelsea highlights a new favourite plant or colour<br />
scheme, gardening magazines and books have so many ideas<br />
- one of the most pleasurable jobs in the year is planning your<br />
garden - and then - best bit of all, enjoying the fruits of your labour!<br />
To discover more about Matt and his books please<br />
visit www.mattbiggs.com<br />
A therapy suite closer<br />
than you think<br />
Our therapy suite in<br />
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has got something for<br />
everyone – it’s kitted out<br />
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Call: 01242 512569<br />
Email: therapy@<br />
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www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 39
Alan Titchmarsh...<br />
on some of his favourite things<br />
Sally Thomson recently had<br />
a chat with Alan Titchmarsh<br />
MBE, DL, HonFSE and<br />
discussed some of the many<br />
passions he enjoys - extending<br />
far beyond gardening.<br />
He has written more than forty<br />
gardening books, memoirs and<br />
his latest creation is a book on<br />
poetry which illustrates the love<br />
he has for not just plants, but<br />
all of life...<br />
You still do Saturday mornings on<br />
Classic FM. Of all the music that<br />
you enjoy, what is your favourite?<br />
It’s fairly classic, although I like a lot<br />
of stuff! Whether it’s Handel or Mozart<br />
or Tchaikovsky. It’s part of my life. I’ve<br />
always loved light opera. I love The Merry<br />
Widow and Fledermaus and things like<br />
that, as well as the heavier stuff. But I<br />
think sometimes Operetta is overlooked.<br />
It has the most glorious melodies and it<br />
tends to fall between two categories; it’s<br />
not a musical and it’s not an opera and so<br />
I feel that at the moment Operetta seems<br />
to fall in the dark.<br />
40 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
Do you endeavour to put them forward<br />
a little bit on the show?<br />
Oh, I do! I do suggest it to the producers.<br />
I’ve been listening to some snippets on<br />
your show on gardening and there are<br />
such useful tips. I mean, I don’t fancy<br />
going out there at the moment because<br />
it’s so wet. But when Easter arrives how<br />
should we start in the garden?<br />
The great thing about the winter months<br />
is that everything moves so slowly, so<br />
when Easter arrives it gives us time to<br />
catch up in the garden. We can get stuff<br />
cut back, fed, mulched.<br />
Mulching is probably one of the best<br />
things to do this time of year isn’t it?<br />
Well it is because the ground is moist and<br />
the weeds haven’t started growing yet so<br />
you can spread it now and it will keep the<br />
weeds down.<br />
Yes, obviously the bulbs are coming up<br />
now and I’m dreading a frost that will<br />
knock down my narcissus…<br />
Oh, frost won’t knock them down! They’re<br />
tough as old boots. They might bow<br />
down for a night if it gets really frosty, but<br />
they’ll pick up as the day progresses. The<br />
thing about narcissus and snowdrops<br />
is that they are not susceptible to frost.<br />
They really are hardy.<br />
That’s good to know! I’m really<br />
interested in your 50 shades of Green -<br />
the programme. Tell me all about that,<br />
how did it happen?<br />
ITV very sweetly said they wanted to<br />
mark my seventieth birthday, which was<br />
very kind, and they wanted to do it in a<br />
very engaging way, so they had me name<br />
my top 50, and they went from there.<br />
Were they difficult choices to make?<br />
Oh yes! It was like Desert Island Discs!<br />
But we covered all the main things you<br />
know, like trees, water, roses, and the last<br />
one was my garden which has not been<br />
seen on telly before.<br />
I know. A bit special! One of the<br />
elements of the show is about you<br />
visiting the National Gallery, and how<br />
the masterpieces have inspired you.<br />
Which were the paintings in particular<br />
that inspired you?<br />
Oh gosh, well for me it’s so difficult<br />
to choose, I mean there’s Mr and Mrs<br />
Andrews by Gainsborough, then you see<br />
Whistlejacket by Stubbs. Just walking<br />
past them all and the feeling of joy that<br />
it was open for us to see them all, it was<br />
like being a boy in a sweet shop! When<br />
you manage to see them without bodies<br />
all around you, and it’s one-to-one with<br />
you and the painting. It’s such a treat.<br />
continued
What about going into where the<br />
Queen’s perfumer was working?<br />
That was wonderful! I use the aftershave<br />
now! I was terrified of course, when I<br />
arrived there.<br />
Alan will be at BBC Gardeners’<br />
World Live on Saturday 20th<br />
June <strong>2020</strong><br />
You cannot hide your emotions can<br />
you?<br />
No, I’m not very good at that! It was a joy<br />
though.<br />
Of the gardens that you’ve visited, do<br />
you have a special one? Or do you find<br />
that different gardens affect different<br />
moods, a bit like music?<br />
They do. There are aspects of every<br />
garden where you think ‘Oh I like that’, or<br />
‘I wish I had that’. I love Chatsworth, I’ve<br />
always loved Chatsworth, it’s a special<br />
place. The Prince of Wales’ garden at<br />
Highgrove. Sissinghurst is another one.<br />
Gardens that reflect the soul of their<br />
makers are really special.<br />
You are attending Highgrove again<br />
aren’t you? For Talking Gardens. Are<br />
you excited about that, as you go there<br />
quite regularly don’t you?<br />
I seem to go there every year. I’m a<br />
regular! I will be discussing the way we<br />
look at our gardens and the way they can<br />
help us and we can help them. It’s not<br />
just analytical, it’s getting to grips with<br />
a garden and what a garden can offer. I<br />
get so dispirited when I see gardens laid<br />
to paving blocks. I know that cars are<br />
precious, but you don’t have to pave the<br />
whole thing. There are all kinds of things<br />
you can do to make room for nature.<br />
When we spoke last time, you talked<br />
about your poetry with Debbie<br />
Wiseman from Classic FM.<br />
Yes, the book is coming out! Well I’ve<br />
written poetry for years before that<br />
but mainly for Christmas. But Debbie<br />
suggested I write something about<br />
plants, so we did The Glorious Garden<br />
which happened to go to No.1 in the<br />
classical charts - not that I like to boast!<br />
So that’s what got me going on writing<br />
poetry other than just for Christmas.<br />
So yes, I have put all these poems plus<br />
a load of new ones into a book called<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>igolds, Myrtle and Moles.<br />
Do you think you have any more<br />
poems up your sleeve?<br />
Well I really enjoy writing them, so we’ll<br />
see how this one goes down. I might do<br />
another one!<br />
Will we be seeing any more of ‘Love<br />
Your Garden’?<br />
We’ve got four episodes that will be<br />
coming out in the Spring, and we will<br />
start filming more in <strong>Apr</strong>il. We filmed half<br />
the series last year in September and<br />
the other half will be done in Spring as<br />
they split the recordings, and they have<br />
commissioned another two series which<br />
is very nice!<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>igolds, Myrtle and Moles by Alan<br />
Titchmarsh is published by Hodder<br />
& Stoughton<br />
Below, from left: Highgrove, Chatsworth<br />
and Sissinghurst<br />
www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 41
A NATURAL<br />
curiosity<br />
The 'Planet Earth II Live in Concert'<br />
arena tour will be hosted by science<br />
and natural history TV presenter Liz<br />
Bonnin. With a masters in wild animal<br />
biology, Liz has presented over 40<br />
primetime programmes including 'Blue<br />
Planet Live', 'Super Smart Animals',<br />
'Galapagos' and 'Horizon'.<br />
With her recent landmark BBC One<br />
documentary 'Drowning in Plastic', Liz<br />
investigated the ocean plastic crisis,<br />
with her hard-hitting environmental<br />
reporting raising the level of public<br />
debate on this important topic.<br />
Here Sally Thomson was able to<br />
discuss with Liz her passion for our<br />
planet prior to the start of the tour.<br />
Sally: When did your love of the world<br />
and all it’s creatures begin?<br />
Liz: Well it definitely started when I was<br />
a kid. I grew up in the south of France in<br />
the hills above Nice and we had a little<br />
wood beside the house. Myself and my<br />
sister used to play outdoors all of the<br />
time. There were snakes and hedgehogs<br />
and spiders and birds…and we had a<br />
ball! I knew that, without thinking about<br />
it then, that that’s what set me off with<br />
this passion for wildlife. I used to stare<br />
at the birds for hours, wondering how<br />
their eyes moved in their sockets and I<br />
really wanted to just understand how it all<br />
worked, down to the chemical equations<br />
that make up all of these reactions.<br />
So that was a natural progress for you<br />
then, to go into biochemistry?<br />
Exactly! It all started in the woods in<br />
the south of France! That’s why when I<br />
give talks in schools, I make sure to tell<br />
that story because it doesn’t take a lot<br />
to remember our connection to nature<br />
and what’s important, you just have to<br />
be in amongst nature to be inspired and<br />
to reignite your natural curiosity that<br />
we’re all born with, and with that comes<br />
an inherent want to protect our natural<br />
world. It reminds you that we’re all<br />
connected to it.<br />
What you are doing is highlighting the<br />
dangers that the world's creatures are<br />
facing, particularly when you went on to<br />
do ‘Drowning in Plastic’. I know when I<br />
watched it my heart bled, but being so<br />
close to it when you made to programme,<br />
you must have found it difficult?<br />
I wish that as a communicator of the<br />
natural world, I could just be celebrating<br />
it and continuing to inspire people about<br />
all of these incredible creatures that we<br />
share the planet with, but unfortunately<br />
42 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
I am living through a time where we are<br />
experiencing the greatest existential<br />
threat to our future, and it is very clear<br />
that the way we live on this planet is not<br />
sustainable and is damaging not only the<br />
health of the wildlife we share the planet<br />
with, but is ultimately damaging our<br />
health and threatening our future.<br />
I feel a responsibility to communicate<br />
those things. As we set off making the<br />
plastics film, I knew what we were going<br />
to be filming, but it really did hit me like<br />
a ton of bricks to see it with my own<br />
eyes. It’s hard to describe. It’s been<br />
really moving and difficult, but also I<br />
feel like I have a very well-stoked fire in<br />
my belly now that feels like it won’t be<br />
extinguished. It is my responsibility to<br />
engage with the public in order for us all<br />
to become part of the solution.<br />
I recently watched the trailer for Planet<br />
Earth II Live in concert. Isn’t that going<br />
to be fantastic on the big screen?!<br />
It’s going to be magnificent; I can’t<br />
wait! Obviously it’s an extension and<br />
adaptation of the iconic series, but I<br />
think bringing it to a ginormous screen<br />
like that and then having a 74 piece<br />
orchestra playing the music of Hans<br />
Zimmer, it’s going to be a very emotive<br />
and very powerful experience. I think we<br />
are desperately in need of those types<br />
of experiences to help remind us of the<br />
beauty of the natural world, and the<br />
beauty of humanity as well. Our ability to<br />
write music and to be capable of making<br />
those types of programmes, and for us<br />
to be all together in these huge arenas<br />
having that connection is a much-needed<br />
experience, and I for one am very much<br />
looking forward to it.<br />
Some of the things we see in these<br />
programmes can be shocking, such as<br />
the killer whales going after the seals.<br />
But we of course have to remember<br />
that they have to survive too!<br />
You see for me I don’t find any of it<br />
shocking, isn’t that strange? And it’s<br />
really weird but I’m always rooting for the<br />
predator! Obviously there’s tension and<br />
it’s quite a powerful experience to watch,<br />
but I’m always rooting for the predator<br />
because from my studies I’ve seen just<br />
how difficult it is for a tiger to get its prey.<br />
It’s something like 1 in 100 attempts are<br />
successful. So I celebrate that, that’s part<br />
of nature and I think it’s a beautiful thing.<br />
There is an iconic moment in Planet<br />
Earth II with the iguana and the<br />
snakes…<br />
Ah that one! Okay, I have watched that<br />
sequence four times, and every time I find
my screaming ‘COME ON’ at the camera.<br />
Funnily enough with that one I really want<br />
the iguana to escape! That’s so funny,<br />
with me saying I root for the predators.<br />
That is one of the most magnificent<br />
scenes I have ever seen, not least<br />
because of this almost inconceivable<br />
situation, with all these snakes coming<br />
out of the crevasses of the volcanic<br />
rocks, but how it was shot! You can not<br />
underestimate how difficult it is to make<br />
that sequence work. The smoothness<br />
of how the camera works was absolute<br />
perfection. So not only is it a celebration<br />
of the magnificent wildlife we share the<br />
planet with, it’s a celebration of these<br />
incredibly talented film makers, who<br />
sit there for days and days to get the<br />
magical shots that will affect us to our<br />
very core. It’s just wonderful.<br />
Am I right in hearing that you went a<br />
kilometre underwater in the Galapagos?<br />
Yes! We were on this research vessel for<br />
two weeks, joining all these scientists<br />
at the tops of their fields who were<br />
investigating different aspects of these<br />
islands and how to better protect them.<br />
At one point we got into this submersible<br />
and went down to a thousand meters, to<br />
a part of the Galapagos that nobody had<br />
ever been to before, so I truly felt like an<br />
astronaut of Earth’s inner space, rather<br />
than its outer. Everything I pointed to the<br />
scientists would say ‘Yep. New species...<br />
Yep, don’t what that is, never seen one<br />
of those before’. So we were discovering<br />
new life at those depths. It was the most<br />
incredible experience.<br />
It must be dark down there?<br />
It’s pitch black, so you have these types<br />
of sharks down there called Chimaera,<br />
who do have these big, bulbous eyes.<br />
There’s no iris, it’s just this big, white<br />
circle of an eye, which is supposed<br />
to help it absorb any smidgen of light<br />
that there might be down there, and it’s<br />
just a surprisingly colourful place in the<br />
crevasses of all the rocks. Galapagos<br />
are all volcanic islands, so what we<br />
were doing is following the flanks of the<br />
volcano all the way down to the depths.<br />
We were down there for seven hours and<br />
it passed by like we were down there for<br />
an hour, time sort of stands still down<br />
there. It was a thrilling experience.<br />
I was watching you recently talking<br />
about the African jungle, and you spoke<br />
about chimpanzees, and how much<br />
they fight. You showed how much the<br />
alpha male will fight to protect what is<br />
his, and it is a bit sinister!<br />
They’re not the only species that have<br />
to fiercely protect their place in the<br />
hierarchy. The males often are exhausted<br />
having to protect their females from<br />
usurpers to the throne as such, but<br />
chimpanzees in particular can be very<br />
violent and because we are so closely<br />
related to them I suppose it shouldn’t<br />
be a surprise that they all have different<br />
personalities, and sometimes you just<br />
get a really nasty character. At the end<br />
"it’s a celebration of these incredibly<br />
talented film makers, who sit there for<br />
days and days to get the magical shots<br />
that will affect us to our very core"<br />
of the day you can argue that the nastier<br />
the male, the more successful he will be<br />
because it all boils down to him and his<br />
offspring and protecting his gene pool.<br />
I suppose it’s like when male lions get<br />
rid of any cubs that aren’t their own<br />
There is infanticide in many species. It’s<br />
all about making sure you have as many<br />
offspring as possible, so if you kill a<br />
female's offspring then you can mate with<br />
her straight away.<br />
Are there parts of the world or<br />
creatures that you would like to visit/<br />
see for the first time?<br />
Yes. Snow leopards. I need to see a<br />
snow leopard. And part of it is because<br />
it is so difficult to see them now. They<br />
are extremely elusive and live in an<br />
extremely inhospitable part of the planet.<br />
They’re probably the most elusive cat,<br />
so that’s the dream. I will fall crying if I<br />
ever see one in the wild. They are the<br />
most glorious animals. Actually, it was<br />
on Planet Earth II, and again it is a scene<br />
that I’ve watched about three times and<br />
it always brings me to tears; the first<br />
time I heard the vocalisation of a snow<br />
leopard. I had never heard that before.<br />
And the fact that because our technology<br />
is improving, Planet Earth II was able to<br />
capture this glorious snow leopard at the<br />
top of this mountain that was vocalising.<br />
It brings me to tears every time I hear it,<br />
it’s the most glorious sound in the world.<br />
Are they as endangered as other<br />
leopards and big cats?<br />
Yes. I mean, the Amur leopard is the<br />
most endangered cat, but all big cats are<br />
facing extinction. They are all incredibly<br />
threatened and their populations are<br />
dwindling.<br />
We’ve spoken about the man-made<br />
situation with plastic. But is there<br />
anything else in the natural world that<br />
you have seen that has shocked you?<br />
In terms of the natural world, I think it<br />
is all magnificent. I really do. Even with<br />
something that might look to us to be<br />
violent, or a little bit uncomfortable<br />
to watch, I think that the more we<br />
understand how animals live and all of<br />
their adaptations that have allowed them<br />
to find solutions to all of their problems in<br />
order to survive - the more I understand<br />
it, the more I am in awe of it and the more<br />
it makes me humble and very small in<br />
comparison. So I find it all too wondrous<br />
to ever think that something is too much<br />
or too shocking.<br />
The dates for Planet Earth II Live in<br />
Concert are as follows:<br />
Thursday 6 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff<br />
Friday 27 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Manchester Arena, Manchester<br />
Saturday 28 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
First Direct Arena , Leeds<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
O2 Arena (matinee), London<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
O2 Arena (evening), London<br />
Wednesday 1 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
3Arena, Dublin<br />
Friday 3 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Resort World Arena Birmingham<br />
Saturday 4 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow<br />
Tickets are available from<br />
www.planetearth2live.uk.<br />
www.cheltenhammag.co.uk | 43
Happy & healthy in your autumn years<br />
Social care seems to be in the<br />
news a lot at the moment, often,<br />
unfortunately, in conjunction with<br />
the word ‘crisis’. Given that if you<br />
need care it’s a necessity, it makes<br />
sense to understand the basics – well<br />
before that time might come.<br />
Social care is there to support you because<br />
you need some extra help with daily living<br />
or are caring for someone who requires<br />
additional help themselves. There are a<br />
wide range of social care services, including<br />
care in your home or in a care home, live-in<br />
care services, day centres, home adaptions<br />
like handrails, and technology of various<br />
kinds.<br />
The first step if you or your loved one<br />
needs some extra help and support is<br />
to ask your local authority to carry out a<br />
needs assessment. You might have to wait<br />
several weeks at least for this, because<br />
councils are strapped for cash and staff,<br />
but it’s important to have it because it’s the<br />
gateway to the wider system. Someone<br />
from the council usually visits to establish<br />
the type of support you might need. There’s<br />
no charge and the assessor will create a<br />
care plan specific to your needs.<br />
When the type of care you need is decided<br />
and agreed the next stage is to establish<br />
how it will be paid for through a financial<br />
means test - which can be complex and<br />
quite confusing. Social care isn’t a free<br />
service provided by the NHS as many<br />
people think. Most of us have to pay for<br />
all or some of our care and the amount<br />
depends on the level of need and the value<br />
of any assets we have.<br />
Your home will not be included in the means<br />
test if you’re arranging care and support<br />
at home but other capital assets, including<br />
savings will be. Currently, if you have more<br />
capital that £23,250 you will have to pay all<br />
your care fees. If you have under £23,250,<br />
you’ll get financial assistance but may have<br />
to contribute from your income.<br />
44 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk<br />
The cost of care varies by area but it is not<br />
unusual to have to pay about £20 an hour<br />
for a care worker to come to your home<br />
(domiciliary care) to help you with, say,<br />
getting up, washing and dressing, if that’s<br />
what you need. You can see how the bills<br />
add up if you need more than one visit<br />
every day.<br />
It is also possible that rather than<br />
‘personal care’ you need a different kind of<br />
support, such as companionship, because<br />
you are very alone and lonely. If so, in<br />
some places the council may refer you to<br />
a scheme run by a charity like Age UK,<br />
where you might have to pay a modest<br />
amount to take part.<br />
If your needs are such that it is best for<br />
you to move permanently into a care home<br />
your property, if you own one, will be<br />
included in the means test at its present<br />
market value, but less any mortgage<br />
or loan you may have on it. However, it<br />
will not be included if your partner still<br />
lives there or, in certain circumstances, a<br />
relative. Your home is also not included if<br />
you need a temporary or short-term stay<br />
in a care home. Two in five of all the older<br />
people living in care homes now pay for<br />
their own care.<br />
To avoid property or other assets being<br />
counted in the financial means test, some<br />
people consider giving them away to a<br />
child or grandchild. However, this could<br />
be interpreted as ‘deliberate deprivation<br />
of assets’, and your local authority may<br />
still ask you to pay the same level of care<br />
fees as if you still owned your home or<br />
the other assets you have given away. It<br />
is really important to take advice if you are<br />
thinking of doing something of this kind.<br />
If you do have to pay towards a care<br />
home place it is possible to avoid selling<br />
your property during your lifetime in order<br />
to release the money required, namely a<br />
deferred payment which endures while<br />
you are alive. The council provides a loan<br />
for your care costs secured against your<br />
property and this is repaid either when<br />
the property is sold or from your estate<br />
after you have passed away. There is an<br />
interest charge if you choose to do this<br />
but every council is supposed to offer a<br />
scheme of this kind, even though relatively<br />
few people take advantage of it, possibly<br />
because they do not know it exists.<br />
If you have care needs and you are<br />
not already claiming a benefit called<br />
Attendance Allowance it is always<br />
worth doing so. This benefit is there for<br />
older people, to help offset the costs of<br />
disability. In practice, many older people<br />
use their AA to help fund their social care.<br />
Your local Age UK can help you fill in the<br />
forms and will be pleased to help. AA<br />
is paid at two rates, £58 or £87 a week,<br />
depending on your needs.<br />
As you can see, finding social care and<br />
paying for it is not straight forward and<br />
there are lots of questions to ask, but Age<br />
UK can guide you through the process<br />
and provides independent information and<br />
advice. If you are online there’s a lot about<br />
care on our website, or there’s a free<br />
advice line if you prefer to talk to someone<br />
instead. Visiting your local Age UK is a<br />
third option.<br />
Social care has a bad reputation at the<br />
moment, largely because it is underfunded<br />
and there isn’t enough to go round. You<br />
may also have read horror stories in the<br />
press of care workers being neglectful.<br />
Please don’t be put off seeking care<br />
though - there are many wonderful care<br />
workers. It pays to get advice and go<br />
into it with your eyes open, but there are<br />
hundreds of thousands of older people<br />
whose lives are immeasurably better<br />
because of the good care they receive.<br />
Caroline Abrahams<br />
Charity Director, Age UK<br />
www.ageuk.org.uk/<br />
information-advice/care
RUSSELL PIKE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT<br />
Specialist in Retirement Planning<br />
& Later-Life Financial Planning<br />
For <strong>Cheltenham</strong>, the Cotswolds and Surrounding Areas<br />
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry<br />
Planning for the 100-Year Life<br />
The world’s first state pension was introduced in the 1880s by the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck.<br />
You had to be 70 years old to qualify and the expectation was that you would live for just a few years more<br />
to collect it. Nowadays, many of us can realistically expect to live well beyond 70 and look forward to a<br />
lengthy retirement. For today’s retirees, it’s not so much about dying too soon, but more about not living so<br />
long that we outlive our financial security.<br />
Our retirement is one of the few times when we can freely re-arrange our lifestyle and priorities - spending<br />
more time with family, learning a new skill or travelling extensively - potentially creating an entirely new<br />
way of life. However, it requires careful planning in order to balance the financial and the non-financial,<br />
the economic and the emotional. While money isn’t everything, knowing you’ll be able to meet your basic<br />
needs - with something left over to realise your retirement ambitions - is something well worth<br />
planning for.<br />
At Russell Pike Financial Management, we provide a wide range of services to suit every stage in life -<br />
helping clients to establish solid financial foundations from which to grow, protect and preserve their<br />
wealth. Increased longevity is a big challenge facing our society, but one that can be managed with foresight<br />
and planning. Working past traditional retirement ages is no longer unusual and, with the State Pension age<br />
rising, the number of older workers is expected to keep growing. Life expectancy may be something of an<br />
educated guess but planning for a lengthy retirement need not be.<br />
RUSSELL PIKE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT<br />
Associate Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management<br />
The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth<br />
Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of<br />
advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services; more details of which are set out<br />
on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to<br />
describe St. James’s Place representatives.<br />
5 Bath Mews, Bath Parade, <strong>Cheltenham</strong>, GL53 7HL<br />
Mobile: 07732 102183 | Email: russell.pike@sjpp.co.uk<br />
www.russellpikefinancial.co.uk
<strong>Cheltenham</strong><br />
Business Directory<br />
Attractions<br />
Batsford Arboretum and<br />
Garden Centre<br />
With 56 acres to explore, it’s easy to lose<br />
yourself among the leafy glades, find a<br />
quiet spot to soak up the sunshine or<br />
marvel at the stunning views across the<br />
Evenlode Valley.<br />
01386701441<br />
arboretum@batsfordfoundation.co.uk<br />
www.batsarb.co.uk<br />
Berkeley Castle<br />
Considered by many to be a hidden gem,<br />
over the centuries it has changed from a<br />
foreboding fortress to a welcoming<br />
family home.<br />
01453810303<br />
info@berkeley-castle.com<br />
www.berkeley-castle.com<br />
Chedworth Roman Villa,<br />
National Trust<br />
One of the largest Roman villas in<br />
Britain. There are plenty of activities<br />
throughout the year for all the family to<br />
enjoy.<br />
01242890256<br />
Chedworth@nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chedworthroman-villa<br />
Gloucester Cathedral<br />
Proudly sitting at the very heart of the<br />
City of Gloucester is one of the finest<br />
medieval buildings in the country.<br />
01452528095<br />
reception@gloucestercathedral.org.uk<br />
www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk<br />
Lodge Park and Sherborne<br />
Park estate<br />
The Sherborne Park Estate has a<br />
variety of walks, with plenty of wildlife to<br />
spot including farmland birds and<br />
raptors.<br />
01451844130<br />
lodgepark@nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lodgepark<br />
Newark Park<br />
A beautiful setting with splendid views of<br />
the Cotswold countryside, waiting to be<br />
discovered and explored.<br />
01453842644<br />
newarkpark@nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newark-park<br />
Sherborne Cinema<br />
A friendly, traditional cinema where<br />
you can re-live the Golden Age of cinema<br />
in a beautifully restored Victorian<br />
building.<br />
01452520560<br />
mark@sherbornecinema.co.uk<br />
www.sherbornecinema.co.uk<br />
Taurus Crafts<br />
A vibrant visitor centre with 12 craft and<br />
artisan businesses, a gift shop full of<br />
original products, a café serving delicious<br />
food and drink and a busy events<br />
programme. Open daily. 01594844841<br />
enquire@tauruscrafts.co.uk<br />
www.cvt.org.uk/communities/tauruscrafts<br />
Worcestershire's Vale & Spa<br />
Worcestershire’s Vale & Spa is a centrally<br />
located district containing the towns of<br />
Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore;<br />
the famous village of Broadway, with<br />
nearly 100 further villages and hamlets<br />
too. 01386565373<br />
info@valeandspa.co.uk<br />
www.valeandspa.co.uk<br />
Charities<br />
Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court<br />
Hospice<br />
Gloucestershire’s only inpatient unit for<br />
specialist palliative care. They also offer<br />
care in your own home, or visits for day<br />
services. Hold a number of fundraising<br />
events throughout the year.<br />
01242 230199<br />
leckhampton@sueryder.org<br />
www.sueryder.org/how-we-can-help/<br />
leckhampton-court-hospice<br />
Education<br />
Airthrie School<br />
Independent day school for boys and<br />
girls aged 3 to 11, perfectly located in the<br />
heart of <strong>Cheltenham</strong>. 01242 512837<br />
admin.office@airthrie-school.co.uk<br />
www.airthrie-school.co.uk<br />
Alcester Grammar School<br />
Co-educational 11-18 maintained<br />
selective grammar school, situated<br />
in Alcester, Warwickshire who pride<br />
themselves on academic success and<br />
pastoral care. 01789762494<br />
office@alcestergs.com<br />
www.alcestergs.co.uk<br />
St Edward's <strong>Cheltenham</strong><br />
An independent Catholic day school<br />
welcoming students of all backgrounds,<br />
aged 1- 18. 01242388550<br />
reception@stedwards.co.uk<br />
www.stedwards.co.uk<br />
The Downs, Malvern<br />
Independent prep school located on a<br />
55-acre site in Colwall in the County of<br />
Herefordshire for day pupils and weekly<br />
and termly boarders.<br />
01684544100<br />
registrar@thedownsmalvern.org.uk<br />
www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk<br />
Health, Fitness<br />
& Leisure<br />
Busy Lizzy <strong>Cheltenham</strong><br />
Boutique fitness club for mums & little<br />
ones and has just come to <strong>Cheltenham</strong>,<br />
offering a great selection of fun classes,<br />
events and talks with your little one, so<br />
you don’t need to worry about childcare!<br />
01242806222<br />
cheltenham@busylizzy.co.uk<br />
www.busylizzycheltenham.co.uk<br />
Hotels &<br />
Accommodation<br />
Forest Holidays<br />
Escape to one of ten idyllic locationsdeep<br />
in the woods, on the edge of the<br />
loch, or in a bright forest meadow.<br />
0333 0110495<br />
info@forestholidays.co.uk<br />
www.forestholidays.co.uk<br />
Eynsham Hall<br />
Set in the heart of Oxfordshire<br />
countryside, Eynsham Hall is a Grade II<br />
listed Manor house nestled in 3,000 acres<br />
of beautiful gardens & parkland.<br />
01993 885200<br />
enquiries@eynshamhall.com<br />
www.eynshamhall.com<br />
Later Life<br />
Nazareth House Care Home<br />
Elderly residential care for individuals with<br />
a range of needs on both a full time and<br />
respite basis all overseen by the Sisters<br />
of Nazareth, who pride themselves on<br />
caring for both the physical and spiritual<br />
needs of residents.<br />
01242 516361<br />
reception.cheltenhamuk@nazarethcare.<br />
com<br />
www.nazarethhousecheltenham.com<br />
Food & Drink<br />
The Old Courthouse<br />
Traditional pub restaurant serving fresh<br />
food, cask ales and wine.<br />
01242 500 930<br />
oldcourthouse@brunningandprice.co.uk<br />
www.oldcourthouse.pub<br />
Legal & Finance<br />
Russell Pike Financial<br />
Management<br />
Specialist in Retirement Planning &<br />
Later-Life Financial Planning.<br />
01242 373489<br />
russell.pike@sjpp.co.uk<br />
www.russellpikefinancial.co.uk<br />
46 | www.cheltenhammag.co.uk