Mendip Living Oct - Nov 2020

Contents 

A Note 

from the publisher 

33 

How 

A Culinary to create Journey a relaxing, 

through 

Northern homely guest Ireland bedroom 

Planning for 

spring colour 

43 

I was hoping to introduce this issue 

into a settled environment - but it 

seems both the world and the weather 

don’t know what they’re doing. I got 

caught out this week - my summer 

wardrobe had gone into storage and 

on came the boots and chunky knits 

- only to be sweltering in the office 

moments later. 

Now, you won’t find me complaining 

about an Indian Summer...but a 

bit of economic certainty would be 

preferable. The good news is, in our 

field, we talk to lots of independent 

businesses from the vast spectrum 

of the lifestyle world, and overall, 

the outlook is a sunny one. We may 

have missed out on a summer of 

attractions and events, but as a 

nation we’ve shifted focus to home, 

considering more closely where and 

how we spend our money and honing 

-in on projects that matter to us - in 

our homes, our personal lives and 

our workplace. Maybe we’ve got an 

economic Indian Summer to come - 

we can all be hopeful of that. 

18 45 

Wonderful recipes from 

Retirement 

James Martin’s new book options 

EDITOR Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

PUBLISHER Sally Thomson 

PRE-PRESS MANAGER Kate O’Connell 

CONTRIBUTORS Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs, Angela Cave, 

Front Cover courtesy of Choc Et Al 

Key Account Manager Ade Hill 

e adrian.hill@minervapublications.co.uk 

twitter: @MendipLiving 

w www.MendipLiving.co.uk 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton, 

Trowbridge BA14 6JB 

t 01225 984 550 

w www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

visit our website www.mendipliving.co.uk 

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

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

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

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

This issue definitely has a certain 

focus, and, as it’s past the ‘100 days 

to go’ mark, I think I’m allowed to 

say the word...CHRISTMAS. Sorry. 

Look, we know it feels early, but 

I promise that early prep actually 

makes the festive season eminently 

more enjoyable. We are looking at 

ways to make a guest bedroom a 

special place to stay - even if it has 

been your office for the last few 

months. This is all on the assumption 

that we are allowed to stay at each 

other’s homes by then... 

We’ve also got a look at some tasty 

Christmas treats that you can start 

hoarding like a little festive squirrel 

- though the stash does become 

rather tempting on a cold November 

evening too. 

That plus the usual retirement advice 

and loads of lovely advice pieces. 

We will see you back in December, 

when as well as Christmas, we will be 

looking ahead to planning in the new 

year... take care and see you then. 

Katie 

www.mendipliving.co.uk | 3

Chocolatiers and suppliers of locally sourced 

luxury chocolate slabs, truffles and other 

delicious products 

Let the chocolate adventure begin..... 

01373 451777 

WWW.CHOCETAL.COM • INFO@CHOCETAL.COM • 

CHOC ET AL 20 CHEAP STREET FROME SOMERSET BA11 1BN

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Meet the 

FROMIES 

We talk to business owners in and around 

Frome who are passionate about what 

they do... 

Sarah Day 

Choc et al 

What’s it like working in a 

chocolate shop? 

Managing Choc et al is a truly 

pleasurable, yet completely hazardous 

occupation! Working with chocolate is 

so much fun, we dream up & experiment 

with many different flavours and 

combinations on a daily basis. 

This does however involve A LOT of 

tasting and re tasting, which isn’t great 

for the waistline, it’s a hard job but 

someone has to do it! 

Tell us more about the chocolate you 

work with? 

I have had the sheer joy of tasting and 

choosing different chocolate from around 

the world, some of which we use in our 

own chocolate here in Frome. I also work 

closely with some fabulous local Artisan 

Chocolatiers. I have been amazed at 

the range of flavours that come from 

different regions and plantations. All of 

our chocolate is responsibly sourced 

and packaged in recyclable and 

biodegradable packaging. 

With Halloween approaching.... 

Halloween is such a fun time of year with 

spooky goings on. As well as decorating 

the shop and The Team with fun 

Halloween decorations, our Chocolatier 

Hazel, will be producing some fun 

chocolate treats to enjoy. 

Yummy Gift sets .... 

We are delighted to offer our customers 

a unique gift wrapping service on any 

item purchased, alternatively you can 

create your own Chocolate Hamper 

which we will package for you. We have 

a great range of Belgian Chocolate from 

Choc on Choc that is crafted locally into 

some amazing gift ideas, such as books, 

knitting sets and even eggs and bacon on 

toast! Lastly, Choc et al are delighted to 

stock Churchill’s range of Confectionery. 

They specialise in producing beautifully 

packaged confectionery & biscuits in 

unique highly embossed tins. Artwork for 

each tin takes in excess of 9 months to 

create, making them a truly special gift! 

How much do your chocolate bars 

start from? 

Our prices range from £3.00 to £18.00, 

making sure that we have something for 

every budget. 

How do I get in touch? 

Please feel free to email 

info@chocetal.com, look us up on 

Facebook or Instagram, visit our 

website Chocetal.com, call us on 01373 

451777....or best of all POP IN TO SEE 

US. We are on Cheap Street, Frome (the 

one with the stream running down the 

middle!!) 

Jo McPhee – Clarke 

The Flower Shop 

Tell us about your flower shop? 

I have owned The Flower Shop in Bruton 

for 10 years now. When I was little, all I 

wanted was to have a flower shop, so it’s 

my dream come true! I took over a well 

established florist that had been in Bruton 

for years and I moved it from the back 

of a shop, out into the High Street, to its 

current location. It can be hard work but 

I’m so lucky to be doing a job I absolutely 

love. We specialise in both fresh and 

dried flower bouquets and also flower 

wreaths and garlands. We sell house 

plants, candles, pots, vases, cards, 

ribbons and baskets. I love my shop! It’s 

my haven and I’m incredibly lucky. 

How long have you been a florist? 

I have worked with flowers for years. I did 

my training by attending evening classes 

whilst working full time. I also trained on 

the job with other florists in a shop and at 

a wedding venue. 

How can I get in touch? 

You can either call the shop 

01749 812465, send us an email 

via our website: 

www.theflowershopbruton.co.uk or 

contact us via our Instagram page 

@theflowershopbruton 


5-22 

DECEMBER 

THE BISHOP'S PALACE 

PRESENTS 

CHRISTMAS 

at the 

PALACE 

2020 

Festive Decorations * Father Christmas 

* Food & Drink * Live Performance * 

THE FLOWER SHOP 

Beautiful Fresh Flowers 

Bespoke Country Style Bouquets 

Wide Range of Plants and Gifts 

Weddings, Funerals and Events 

8 High Street, Bruton, Somerset, BA100AA 

01749 812465 OR 07761252265 

www.theflowershopbruton.co.uk 

FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK 

@theflowershopbruton

SHOP ONLINE VISIT SOPHA.CO.UK 

INTRODUCING 

GATEAUX 

• AVAILABLE IN A LARGE CHOICE OF SUMPTUOUS VELVETS 

• HANDMADE IN GREAT BRITAIN 

• MADE WITH ETHICALLY SOURCED TIMBER FROM 

FSC REGULATED WOOD MILLS 

Large Chaise 

Corner Sofa £1875 

NOW ONLY 

5% VAT 

COVID 

SECURE 

WE’VE REDUCED OUR 

COFFEE SHOP PRICES 

WE’RE WORKING HARD 

TO KEEP YOU SAFE 

PROUD TO SUPPORT 

BRITISH MANUFACTURERS 

| hello@sopha.uk | 01278 55 77 55 | 2-4 Church Street, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 3AE

Exciting housing developments for frome 


The Old Printworks is a collection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes located in Frome at the former 

Butler, Tanner & Dennis site, one of Britain’s foremost colour printers. Mendip Living’s 

Ade Hill, who once took a YTS course on site, talks to Acorn Property Group’s Sales team, 

Katie and Fran, to find out more... 

Butler & Tanner has a rich history in the town for many over 

the years. Tell us more about the new homes on phase 1? 

Following the start of construction we’re really excited to be able 

to release some of the new homes on this first phase. Due to a 

high level of interest, we are sharing the first release to give the 

opportunity to explore the homes and speak to us about the new 

homes, prior to Show Home launch. 

The design-led regeneration development incorporates materials 

inspired by and sympathetic to its natural surroundings. The 

homes will have access to open green space; children’s play 

area and riverside walks for the new community to gain a closer 

interaction with the surrounding wildlife. 

What can you tell us about the specification of the homes? 

Designed to a superior specification, the homes feature modern 

fitted kitchens with integrated appliances and Caesarstone 

worktops along with contemporary tiled bathrooms, high ceilings 

and oversize windows which encourage natural light to stream in. 

Can you tell us more about the bespoke design? 

Working with architects Pad Design, the vision was to create 

homes which provide a unique addition to Frome’s existing 

community and follow Acorn’s ‘Different by Design’ ethos which 

means every development is bespoke. Each home features 

carefully designed interiors to deliver space for flexible living with 

open plan layouts, oversized floor to ceiling heights and large 

windows to create light and airy rooms. 

Can you tell us more about any sustainable features? 

Our fabric-first approach ensures we maximise the performance 

of the building envelope prior to further enhancing sustainability. 

Features include: Timber frame construction, use of Eco stock 

bricks, triple glazing to windows and doors, energy saving 

appliances, energy efficient lighting and communal electric car 

charging. 

There is also a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDs) where 

rainwater from the houses and roads is collected and stored in 

tanks below the public open space which will then be slowly 

released back into the River Frome. 

Residents will be able to access 1.5 acres of public open space 

across the development, with bio-diversity enhanced by new 

landscaping – There have been 81 new trees planted across 

the development! There will also be bat and bird boxes provide 

additional habitat and built in bee bricks to selected homes to 

provide more habitats for the bee population. 

Can I come and visit the show home? 

The Marketing Suite & Show Homes are due to open in October; 

please contact our sales team to arrange an appointment. 

Contact: 

theoldprintworks@acornpg.org 

acornpropertygroup.org 

T H E M A R K E T I S H O T 

W H A T I S Y O U R 

P R O P E R T Y W O R T H ? 

Y O U C A N F I N D O U T I N 

U N D E R A M I N U T E ! 

1 - Go to our website www.forestmarble.co.uk 

2 - Click on our Free Instant Online Valuation Banner 

3 - Fill in your property details 

YOUR VALUATION WILL BE PROVIDED INSTANTLY 

8 | www.mendipliving.co.uk

CONTEMPORARY NEW HOMES NOW 

FOR SALE IN CAXTON ROAD, FROME 

FIRST HOMES RELEASED FOR SALE 

MARKETING SUITE & SHOW HOME 

LAUNCH IN OCTOBER 2020 

First Releases: 

2 bed coach houses from £275,000 

3 bed houses from £305,000 

4 bed houses from £400,000 

Introducing The Old Printworks, 

a collection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom 

homes located at the former Butler, 

Tanner & Dennis site. 

The first phase of fifty-one homes 

offer superb contemporary living 

with a high-quality specification 

and bespoke design. With well-being 

in mind, the homes will benefit from 

access to green open space, links to 

riverside walks along the River Frome 

as well as a children’s play area. 

CONTACT US AND SPEAK TO OUR SALES TEAM TO FIND OUT MORE 

THE OLD PRINTWORKS, CAXTON ROAD, FROME BA11 1NE 

To register your interest contact: 

0117 244 0400 

theoldprintworks@acornpg.org 

acornpropertygroup.org 

Computer generated images for illustrative purposes only. 

Prices correct at time of print. 

An Acorn Property Group led development 

in conjunction with London & County.

somerset's youngest 

foster carer 

Faced with the uncertainties of lockdown during a pandemic, 

there are not too many 21-year-olds who would think about taking 

on two young foster children. Ade Hill meets Rachel, who has done 

just that! 


Congratulations on becoming Somerset’s youngest foster 

carer. How are you finding it? 

Thank you. Its all been a little strange to receive attention for 

being the youngest foster carer, I didn’t give it too much thought 

before! When lockdown happened and I needed to return 

home from University earlier than planned, it seemed the ideal 

opportunity to be able to do something positive. I heard that 

Somerset council were needing more foster carers during the 

pandemic and thought that maybe I could help. The assessment 

process and the need to answer lots of questions and provided 

references etc, was carefully done so that I could be sure that 

this was right for me and that it would be right for any children 

who might live with us. I have been looking after a one year old 

and two year old since May and really love it, they are wonderful 

children and although tricky at times, its been lots of fun for all 

of us. 

Growing up in a family that fostered, did this have an 

influence on you? 

Definitely, I love that we have been a fostering family all my life 

and I have really enjoyed living with so many different children. 

Sometimes they were babies and sometimes teenagers, so life 

was never dull! I have seen and been part of the difference that 

a caring fostering family can make and do think this had an 

influence. I know the difficulties that some children can face and 

have seen the impact of this, so feel that this led me to choose 

to study social work and also 

now to be a foster carer. It has 

not always been easy but it is 

really rewarding. 

What challenges did Covid 

present when you came forward, and now, in terms of 

fostering? 

At the beginning in the lockdown period there were no play 

parks or activities open and walks were limited to one a day 

which was tricky. It was necessary to come up with lots of 

creative ideas in the garden, we had jumping games, running, 

fun assault courses that kind of thing! Fortunately the little two 

year old loves inside play too and we do lots of painting, play 

dough and building brick towers ready to be knocked down 

again two minutes later! 

What do you find most rewarding? 

I love to see the children really enjoying themselves, so 

sometimes that’s jumping in a Peppa pig Muddy Puddle or 

watching the animals. Bedtimes are one of my favourite times 

as we get to be cosy on the sofa and read stories while the 

children have their milk and start to wind down. The little one 

year old loves any kind of singing so there are often lots of 

nursery rhymes and the real favourite ‘if you are happy and you 

know it…’

The Bath & West 2021 

Mendip Living catches up with Rupert Cox Chief Executive of 

the Bath & West on events and the current conditions... 


How has Covid changed the landscape currently? 

We haven’t been able to hold any events since early March, and 

obviously we had to cancel the Bath & West Show this year and 

have just had to cancel the Dairy Show too. The recent 

change in Government guidelines means that we will only be 

allowed limited activity for the rest of 2020, which makes our 

entire business model, as with many in the events industry, 

fragile. 

With the cancellation of this years Bath & West, How are 

plans for 2021? 

We were incredibly disappointed to have to cancel this years’ 

show, as we know many thousands of people look forward 

to attending it every year. It was also going to be our first 

opportunity to make use of our latest feature, The Great British 

Kitchen. However we’re making plans for 2021 and, whilst it is 

too early to discuss details, we are working towards an event 

which will keep our visitors safe and well whilst allowing them to 

enjoy the Show. We suspect that we will continue to be within the 

control of COVID19, but we know that our visitors want to come 

to the Show so we will do all we can to make it happen. Visit our 

website or social media for the latest news. 

What events are you still planning for this year? 

In September we welcomed back Truckfest, Motorhome Sale and 

the Antiques Fair; and Shepton Flea Market will return in October 

and November. Visitor safety is our priority, so we are constantly 

monitoring the COVID regulations and will act accordingly if the 

guidance changes significantly. 

Shepton Flea is always a fantastic 

event... 

Shepton Flea Market is another 

regular, hugely popular event at 

the Showground with over 250 

stalls. It will return in October and 

November this year following a 

successful market in August, and 

will be an ideal opportunity for visitors to attend an event which is 

fun for all ages. 

It’s all free parking on site isn’t it? 

Yes, it is! Many of the car parks which had been free during 

Lockdown have started charging to park, but we have no plans to 

do this. So our visitors will have more money to spend on-site! 

Last year you had Bill Bailey, any plans for more comedy? 

Sadly the present COVID regulations prevent this. Bill Bailey was 

a huge success, so hopefully in the future we’ll be able to hold 

more comedy events here. 

What about Music events? 

It’s the same story unfortunately! Last December we had an 

amazing evening when Boney M played here, and we’d love to 

hold more events like that when the regulations allow us. 

As with the comedy events and the Show itself, I’d advise visitors 

to keep looking at our website www.bathandwest.com or follow 

our social media, for the latest news. 

Get Winter Ready 

COMICS AND GAMES 

COMICS • GRAPHIC NOVELS • TOYS • D&D 

BOARDGAMES • WARHAMMER • YU-GI-OH 

MTG • POKEMON • FNAF • FUNKO POP! 

ACTION FIGURES • AND MORE 

Long established 

local certified 

chimney sweep servicing 

wood, biomass, oil, solid fuel and 

coal burners. 

• Insurance recognised certificates issued 

• Full public liability insurance 

• Private and commercial work carried out 

5 BATH PLACE, TAUNTON, TA1 4ER 

krackerstaunton@live.co.uk 

Tel: 01823 335057 

www.krackers.com 

f 

01373 836986 | 07508 907892 

waldronlee@yahoo.co.uk 

www.thesweepingcompany.co.uk 

Based in Nunney, Frome, Somerset 


WELLS 

20 

Festival of Literature 


Book 

NOW... 

Get your skates on... 

Everything is happening for fans of Wells 

Festival of Literature but you need to be quick to 

guarantee your tickets... 

30 exceptional speakers from the worlds of history and 

psychotherapy, travel, science, politics, philosophy, novels, arts 

and - not forgetting – food are raring to come to Wells for one of 

2020’s few surviving live Festivals. 

....On-line at home or live on stage 

wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk 

20 

16 – 24 October 

So what is new? Firstly, Covid safety of Festival goers has been 

a priority and this year’s Festival offers for the first time a hybrid 

experience alongside the usual audience gathering in Cedars 

Hall with refreshments and the Waterstones pop-up shop. Strict 

measures will be in place – including cleaning, social distancing 

and masks – with an algorithm allowing groups to sit together. 

This familiar Wells experience will be combined with live, highly 

professional streaming of the whole Festival for those who prefer 

to watch from home. 

So what is the second new development? Current concerns 

Tel: 01749 834483 

around ecology, sustainability and the planet chime with the 

Festival’s new reduced emission hybrid format to inspire a 

collaborative event when Somerset Wildlife Trust President 

Stephen Moss, will join ‘Birdgirl’ Dr. Mya-Rose Craig, youngest 

recipient of an honorary doctorate ,and Alice Vincent, expert 

Mendip Living OCT 74x110mm.indd 1 10/09/2020 09:13 garden blogger sharing how their passion for Nature drives their 

lives. 

Be quick, print brochures are out there; the full programme is on 

the website www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk Tickets for 

Cedars Hall are on sale at £10 for adults, £6 for students and are 

being snapped up for all the events: Simon Armitage, Rachel 

Johnson, AC Grayling, Michael Eavis, Tom Bradby, Dr. Rachel 

Clarke, Charles Spencer, Iain Dale, Charles Moore, Carolyn 

Steel, Paul Lay, David Nutt, Michael Wood, Julia Samuel, 

Pragya Agarwal, Janice Hadlow, Robert Winder, Chris Atkins 

and, for the book club event, Max Porter’s Lanny. 

Journeys through time and across the globe offer something for 

everyone. Campaigner Gina Miller shows how one courageous 

person can make a difference; Jeremy Vine’s novel, tells of 

love, sacrifice and Salvador Dali; creepy crime novels from Lucy 

Atkins and Elly Griffith should make us shudder; Olivia Williams 

uncovers secrets in the Savoy Hotel; Adam Kurcharski defines 

The Rules of Contagion: David Omand reveals How Spies 

Think; Alex Watson captures us at World War One’s Great Siege 

of Przemysi; Hashi Mohamed should inspire all who want to 

change their circumstances and see a better modern Britain; 

Sophy Roberts hunts pianos in Siberia; Olia Hercules tickles 

our taste buds….. 

Should Cedars Hall events be cancelled, tickets will be refunded. 

Don’t despair if tickets for your favourites have gone. You 

can watch at home via free live stream but please consider a 

donation to keep the education funds for our local state schools 

flowing. 

All details and booking are on: 

www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk or 01749 834483 

Don’t leave it too long. 


in Bath 

SPECIALISING IN CHINESE AND ASIAN WORKS OF ART 

A 19th 

Century coralground 

‘bamboo’ bowl. 

SOLD £3600 

Pair of Chinese 

Qing Dynasty 

horseshoe-back 

armchairs, Quanyi. 

SOLD £25,000 

Collection of 

Chinese Straits 

silver. 

SOLD 

£4000 A fine Qing Dynasty 

aloeswood carving of 

Guanyin. 

SOLD £8700 

Accepting 

consignments 

for future 

sales 

An antique old 

cut diamond 

bow brooch. 

SOLD £450 

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2ED Tel: 01225 318587 

www.masanauction.com 

Collection of 

Japanese 

Andon-Zara 

dishes. 

SOLD £4600

Colin the Caterpillar has 

turned 30! And he’s looking 

great for it with a range 

of new goodies like these 

white chocolate mini faces, 

£2, M&S 

Christmas Hare Platter, 

£24.95, 

annabeljames.co.uk 

A beautiful medium-blend 

all-day coffee, Café York 

Blend Coffee in Caddy, £10, 

cartwrightandbutler.co.uk 

Great for 

gifting 

A TASTE 

of Christmas 

Grand Cru Swiss 

chocolate at its 

finest, Langues 

de Chat, £7.30, 

bettys.co.uk 

As the festive season approaches, we begin 

to fill the larder with delicious goodies 

A delicious assortment 

of cocoa dusted 

truffles, Monty 

Bojangles Taste 

Adventures Cocoa 

Dusted Truffles, £8 

Amazon.co.uk 

Luxury Lobster Christmas 

Crackers, £36, nancyandbetty.com 

The perfect accompaniments for all your 

Christmas meats and cheeses, Rubies in the 

Rubble Classic Chutneys Relish Trio, £13, 

Amazon.co.uk 

Traidcraft Organic Fairtrade 

Chocolate, from £2.65 per bar, 

traidcraftshop.co.uk 

Make your matcha latte at 

home, PureChimp Matcha 

Green Tea Powder, £9.95, 

Amazon.co.uk 

Fairtrade 

and 

organic 

Vegan and palm oil 

free sweets, from £2, 

candykittens.co.uk 

Partridge In A Pear 

Tree Tray, from £30, 

sophieallport.com 


Why buy a Christmas hamper from 

Kimbers Farm shop? 


Naomi Kimber explains what makes the perfect Hamper this Christmas... 

What would you say makes good hamper? 

Goodies and Treats, things that you wouldn’t buy for yourself. 

Yummy things that complement each other so you can sit down 

and tuck in. For example, a cheese board with biscuits, chutney 

and an after dinner tipple of Somerset Pomona. This is one of our 

hampers and it is very popular throughout the year but especially 

at Christmas. 

What makes a Kimbers Hamper so unique? 

Here at Kimbers we are a family run business that gives the 

personal touch. We hand write all our customers gift cards to 

go in the hampers, we strive and usually succeed in getting the 

hamper to the lucky recipient on the customer’s chosen day. Our 

customers enjoy a bespoke service from us, whereby products 

can be tailored to the person receiving the gift. It’s not all about 

chocolates, booze and biscuits either- we do Curry Night in 

hampers, bbq packs and for Christmas Complete Meat hampers 

which include all the essential ingredients for a great meal. A 

lovely gift for a loved one you can’t meet for the special occasion 

How do you choose the products? 

We are very fortunate here between Wincanton and Bruton 

sitting on the borders of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire to have 

amazing producers of all sorts of goodies and produce. We 

attend Bath Farmers Market every week and collect from their 

beautiful hand made chocolate from SevenHills made in Bath and 

the most delicious crumbly fudge from Megs Cottage. Local and 

super delicious are what we look for to put in our hampers. 

Anything new for 2020? 

We are excited this year to launch a bespoke corporate hamper 

wing to the business. It has been evident during the turmoil of 

2020 that businesses want to thank their staff with a gift hamper 

or in fact a Christmas Meat Hamper. Most businesses won’t be 

doing the Christmas works party this year with 

Coronavirus restrictions and so a tailor made hamper is a fitting 

present. 

Can I choose a customised Hamper if say I have 

dietary conditions? 

We are very happy to customise hampers for customers and help 

with suggestions for content. We have gluten free and dairy free 

goodies for those who have special dietary requirements. Many 

people come to the shop and hand pick the items to go in the 

hamper and then we pack in a lovely hamper box. 

Can I see them online? 

We have a selection of gift and meat hampers online which can 

be purchased and couriered on an overnight courier service via 

the website or in fact collected from the shop - 

www.kimbersfarmshop.co.uk and follow the tabs to 

hampers. 

For bespoke or corporate hampers its best to speak to us, email 

info@kimbersfarmshop.co.uk or use the inquiry form on the 

website. 


QUALITY, 

SUSTAINABLE 

PRODUCE 

with honesty at the heart 

Where it all started: 

Penleigh is a small family run farm 

situated on the Wiltshire/Somerset 

border and has been farming for 

four generations; it truly is a family 

affair. A traditional working farm, 

you’ll find a whole host of crops 

alongside handraised pigs and 

sheep. Penleigh Farm & Butchers 

began with selling their own pork 

and lamb to family and friends, 

growing over the years until today 

where they have taken the plunge 

to open their first independent 

butchers shop in Frome. 

The best produce: 

As well as selling the home-grown 

produce, Penleigh supports local 

farmers who use traditional and 

free-range farming methods and 

producers that are passionate 

about quality, fresh produce. At 

the farm, home-grown rare breed 

pork and lamb is produced and 

sold alongside the very best grass 

fed local beef, poultry and game, 

sourced locally. 

Their ethos: 

Simple, but rings true - local, 

sustainable, slow-growing, wellbred, 

quality and overall yummy! 

THE Shop: 

5 Stony Street, Frome, Somerset, 

BA11 1BU 

TALK TO THE EXPERTS: 

Owen Singer (Director) 

01373 472331 

facebook /penleighfarmbutchers 

twitter @penleighfarm1 

www.penleighfarm.co.uk 

Penleigh’s expert butchers can 

advise you on the best cuts for 

every occasion. Give them a call 

and have a chat or request an 

order to be made up. 

Local, Sustainable, Slow Growing, 

Well Bred, Quality and Overall Yummy 

5 STONY STREET, FROME, SOMERSET, BA11 1BU 

01373 472331 | www.penleighfarm.co.uk 



chewing the fat 

We talk to Owen Singer, of Penleigh Farm 

& Butchers, to find out how they coped 

throughout lockdown... 

It’s been an odd year. How did you keep going during 

the lockdown? 

As a food business, we came under the essential shop category 

so we remained open throughout. We reduced our opening 

hours to 9-2 and started a delivery service to local people on 

Wednesday and Friday afternoons. We have Perspex screens 

up, operate a 1 person in at a time policy and ask that customers 

wear face coverings where possible. Everyone has been brilliant, 

fortunately we’ve been very lucky with the weather so far, so 

queuing outside hasn’t been too bad! Lockdown has been a very 

busy period for me and certainly made us look at the business 

with a fresh perspective that has allowed us to plan for the future 

new normal. 

How was the delivery service for you? 

The delivery service was very popular, people were so 

appreciative. We weren’t offering a delivery service before 

lockdown, so it was quite a learning curve for myself and the 

customers. Although it easy to deliver to customers in lock down 

as you can guarantee that the customer will be in!! We weren’t 

geared up for internet ordering, which most people expect, and 

with being busy in the shop, answering the phone whilst serving 

customers was also difficult. So we set up a designated ordering 

email (penleighbutchers@gmail.com) with customers ordering 

via email the day before delivery. We would then cut the order 

and phone the customer to take payment over the phone. It’s 

quite an archaic system but worked well as its simple and our 

more “seasoned” customers prefer it as its personal. It’s flexible, 

as the customer can ask for exactly what they want. We now 

know that this an area of the business that we want to develop 

further. 

How are your turkeys looking? 

Our free range bronze and white turkeys are looking plump. 

Stewart the turkey farmer produces the best Turkeys and 

Chickens, all free range which makes such a difference. The 

turkeys are all game hung and dry plucked, this is quite specialist 

and the traditional, but really is an important attention to detail 

for finish and flavour. This is definitely something you won’t get 

with Turkeys from supermarkets. I always say it but this year 

more than any ORDER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT! 

What new plans do you have for the new year? 

Exciting times ahead! We are in the process of building a 

butchery back at the farm. This expansion will give us so much 

more space, allowing us to hang more beef, but importantly be 

able to do so much more. We are planning to start curing our 

own bacon, offering a range of cooked sliced meats such as 

ham, beef, salt beef and turkey. We will start making our own 

sausage rolls and pasties and hope to be able to offer butchery 

experiences/classes in the future. 


ISLANDS TO 

CHEF JAMES MARTIN WAS KIND 

ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME FABULOUS 

RECIPES FROM HIS BOOK ISLANDS 

TO HIGHLANDS, CELEBRATING THE 

BEST OF THE BRITISH ISLES 

highlands 

CLAM VONGOLE 

Good clams can be found year-round on 

the coast all around Britain, but are at their 

best in the colder months. Clam vongole is 

simply the best pasta dish, in my opinion, 

but when made properly like Francesco 

Mazzei showed me, it’s on a different level 

entirely. Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 garlic cloves, chopped 

1 shallot, diced 

100ml dry white wine 

1kg clams, cleaned (see tip) 

sea salt and freshly ground 

black pepper 

1 red chilli, diced 

zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1 lemon 

small bunch of parsley, chopped 

50g parmesan, grated 

METHOD 

Bring a large pan of salted water to the 

boil and cook the pasta, following the 

packet instructions, until al dente. 

While the pasta’s bubbling away, start the 

sauce. In a large saucepan with a lid, heat 

the oil over a medium heat, add the garlic 

and shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring 

often. Pour in the wine and clams, season 

well, then put the lid on the pan and bring 

to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and 

cook for a further 4 minutes. 

Resting a colander over a bowl, use a 

large slotted spoon to lift the clams out of 

the sauce into the colander, then bring the 

sauce to the boil and simmer, uncovered, 

until reduced by half. 

Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan 

with the sauce and cook for a further 2 

minutes. Add the chilli, lemon zest and 

juice and parsley and season well. 

Stir everything together, then pop the 

clams back into the pan along with any 

of the juices caught in the bowl. Give 

everything a really big stir again to mix it 

all in, then scatter over the parmesan and 

drizzle in a little more olive oil, if you like. 

Serve immediately. 

JAMES’S TIP 

Fresh clams need to be alive before you 

cook them. To clean the clams of sand or 

grit, soak them for 20 minutes in a bowl 

of cold salty water. Drain, then transfer 

to a bowl of clean cold water to soak for 

a further 10 minutes, so they don’t taste 

too salty. 

STEAK WITH 

WHISKY BRAISED 

ONIONS 

and mustard sauce 

Every chef becomes obsessed with certain 

ingredients at some point in the year and 

right now, my obsession is onions. These, 

combined with steak and a simple mustard 

sauce, were a favourite dish of Johnny on 

Camera Two when we were filming the 

show. Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

4 onions, peeled 

50ml whisky 

600ml beef stock 

100g salted butter 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

a few pine sprigs, washed and patted dry 

1–2 tablespoons olive oil 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

400g rump steak, 5cm thick 

150g long-stem broccoli 

FOR THE SAUCE 

2 tablespoons Scottish grainy mustard 

½ teaspoon English mustard 

2 tablespoons salted butter 

25ml whisky 

75ml double cream 

METHOD 

If using, light your BBQ. When the coals 

are silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on. 

Place the whole onions in a pan with the 

whisky and beef stock. 

Cover and bring to the boil then reduce 

the heat slightly and simmer for 40 

minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift the 

onions out of their cooking liquor and set 

aside to cool a little. Reserve the liquor. 

Meanwhile, place the butter, garlic and 

pine sprigs into a separate pan and place 

over a low heat to melt the butter. If not 

cooking on the BBQ, preheat a griddle pan 

over a high heat. 

Cut the onions in half horizontally, then 

drizzle over the oil and season well. Cook 

on the griddle pan or on the BBQ, flatside 

down, for a couple of minutes until 

charred. Lift onto a plate and set aside. 

Season the steak all over, then brush with 

some of the melted pine butter. Cook on 

the hot griddle pan or on the BBQ for 2 

minutes, then brush with more butter, flip 

over and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Add the long-stem broccoli to the pan or 

BBQ for the last 2 minutes of cooking, 

again brushing with pine butter. Lift the 

steak onto a board and rest for 4 minutes. 

To make the sauce, put both types of 

mustard in a pan with 1 tablespoon of the 

butter and 200ml of the reserved onion 

cooking liquor. Pour in the whisky, then 

flambé to burn off the alcohol, tipping the 

pan gently and carefully to ignite. Place 

over a medium heat and simmer until the 

liquid has reduced by half, then stir in 

the cream and season well. Whisk in the 

remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to finish. 

Slice the steak into 3-cm thick slices and 

place on a platter with the broccoli, then 

spoon over the sauce. Pull the onions into 

petals and dot around before serving. 

TARRAGON AND 

WILD GARLIC 

RISOTTO 

with mushrooms and baked 

kombu potatoes 

In essence, this is of course two separate 

dishes. I wanted to serve the potatoes 

separately on the show, but little Sammy 


Recipes and words from 

James Martin’s Islands to Highlands: 

80 fantastic recipes from around the 

British Isles. Published by Quadrille 

Publishing Ltd. RRP £25 and 

available from all good book shops 

and online 


Head – the legend of the food team – couldn’t be bothered 

to walk back down the mountain to get another bowl, so it 

became one dish! A great, simple risotto should be packed 

full of flavour; watch the seasoning as it usually needs more 

salt than you think and, whatever you do, don’t make it too 

thick. Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

50g salted butter 

1 garlic clove, chopped 

1 shallot, diced 

200g risotto rice 

50ml dry white wine 

500ml vegetable stock 

200g wild mushrooms, roughly torn 

50g mascarpone 

25g parmesan, grated 

small bunch of tarragon, chopped 

a few wild garlic leaves 

sea salt and freshly ground 

black pepper 

FOR THE POTATOES 

150g new potatoes 

1 parmesan rind 

1 tablespoon kombu dried seaweed 

pinch of sea salt 

TO SERVE 

2 tablespoons crème fraîche 

a few micro herb sprigs or 

a few chives, chopped 

METHOD 

If using, light your BBQ. When the coals are silvery in 

colour, it’s ready to cook on. 

Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan over a medium 

heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the garlic, 

shallot and rice, stirring until the rice is well coated in the 

butter. Stir in the wine and around three-quarters of the 

stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring 

occasionally. Stir through the mushrooms and cook for a 

further 5 minutes until the rice is cooked and just tender. 

Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water, then 

add the parmesan rind, kombu seaweed and pinch of salt. 

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the 

potatoes, then put them directly onto the grill bars of the 

BBQ and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until 

charred. Carefully lift out of the barbecue and set aside. 

To finish the risotto, stir in the mascarpone, parmesan, 

tarragon (reserving a few sprigs for garnish), wild garlic 

and remaining stock, then season to taste. The texture 

should be slightly runny. 

To serve, spoon the risotto onto 4 plates and garnish with 

a few extra sprigs of tarragon and micro herbs. Split the 

potatoes, top them with crème fraîche, micro herbs or 

chives and either serve on a separate plate alongside or 

place directly on top of the risotto. 

BLACK BUTTER AND APPLE 

BAKEWELL TART 

In the Channel Islands, I went to see how Jersey black 

butter was made. It’s not actually made with butter – to be 

honest there’s none in it at all. In fact, it’s a preserve made 

with top quality apples, liquorice, spices and sugar, which 

is cooked in the traditional way over a firepit and stirred 


all the time to prevent it from burning. As 

it slowly cooks it develops an amazing, 

caramelised, sweet flavour. It is not only 

great in this tart, but also fabulous served 

on its own, spread on toast or scones. 

Serves: 6-8 

INGREDIENTS 

FOR THE PASTRY 

225g plain flour, 

plus extra for dusting 

pinch of salt 

2 tablespoons icing sugar 

100g cold salted butter, cubed, 

plus extra for greasing 

1 egg, beaten 

1 tablespoon iced water 

FOR THE FILLING 

4 tablespoons black butter preserve 

225g softened salted butter 

225g caster sugar 

4 eggs, beaten 

175g ground almonds 

50g plain flour 

2 English apples, cored and 

thinly sliced 

FOR THE GLAZE 

1½ tablespoons caster sugar 

1½ tablespoons boiling water 

TO SERVE 

Jersey cream, whipped 

METHOD 

To make the pastry, sift the flour and 

salt into a bowl. Stir in the icing sugar, 

then add the butter. Use your fingertips 

to rub the butter into the flour mixture 

until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in 

the egg and water using a round-bladed 

table knife, then gently bring the mixture 

together into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and 

pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat 

the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 

4. Grease a 23-cm fluted tart tin lightly 

with butter. 

Dust a little flour over a clean work surface 

and roll out the pastry into a large round 

big enough to line the tart tin. Lift into the 

tin and press into the edges gently. Trim 

away the excess pastry, then spoon the 

black butter preserve for the filling into the 

base. Use the back of the spoon to spread 

it out to cover the pastry dough. 

Make the filling by beating the butter and 

sugar together in a large bowl. Mix in the 

eggs, then fold in the ground almonds and 

flour. Spoon the mixture evenly over the 

black butter and layer the apple slices over 

the top. 

Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden, then 

remove from the oven and leave to cool to 

room temperature in the tin. 

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Pop the sugar 

and boiling water into a small pan and 

heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 

Brush the tart with the glaze, then carefully 

remove from the tin to a serving plate. Slice 

and serve with the cream. 


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KEEP ON TRACK 

The key to these changes is making 

them sustainable - you’re far more likely 

to keep on track if you make it a lifestyle 

change, not a quick fix. You can still have 

the foods you love, just try to make sure 

you’re choosing lower sugar alternatives 

if they are something that factor into daily 

life, instead of an occasional treat. 

Obviously cutting 

down on your alcohol 

intake is a healthy 

bet, so how about still 

having something that 

feels like a treat with a 

Caleño and soda? It’s 

like gin with a slightly 

tropical vibe, and only 

10 calories per unit 

with no sugar. £18 50cl, 

calenodrinks.com 

Breakfast Favourites 

Breakfast spreads are often packed 

with sugar - guaranteed to spike that 

blood sugar then make you slump. 

Skinny Food Co to the rescue with 

their guilt-free versions - we love the 

Chocaholic spread which has 92% 

less sugar than conventional hazelnut 

spreads and no palm oil. Their low 

sugar jams also pack in loads of 

flavour, with 4g sugar per 100g 

compared to Hartley’s eye-watering 

61g! From £3.99, theskinnyfoodco.com 

HEALTHIER 

Swaps 

If you’ve developed some lockdown love handles 

(no judgement here) or just want to reassess 

your diet, these are some delicious, healthier 

alternatives to some of your favourites 

The versatile low carb wrap 

After a lockdown of sourdough and banana bread, many 

of us are looking for lower carb staples. Lo-Dough are a 

great alternative to carb and calorie-laden wraps - each 

Lo-Dough wrap has only 32 calories, 2.2g net carbs and an 

amazing 9.3g fibre. They’re really versatile too - use them as 

tart bases, low carb breadcrumbs, pizza bases and even as 

flour replacement. We also love the new offering of low carb 

Southern Fried Chicken coating - check it out! 

From £3.25 per pack, lodough.co 

The Protein Bakery’s range of goodies include 

favourites like Brownie and Millionaire’s 

shortbread and have 11g of protein and 

4g fibre per bar, and only about half 

the sugar of a regular cake slice. 

£19.50 for a pack of 10 on amazon. 

co.uk or £2.29 each at Holland & Barrett 

It’s very tempting to reach for a cake 

or baked good with a cuppa, but if these 

are more than an occasional treat, it might 

be worth opting for something a bit more 

nutrient-dense. 

We have two favourites: 

No Guilt Bakes are low carb and sugar 

free, meaning they are keto-friendly and 

stop that awful blood sugar spike that you get after 

eating conventional cakes. We love the range 

of classic flavours and convenient packaging 

- they’re a great source of fibre too! From 

£1.99 noguiltbakes.co.uk 

Whether you 

follow a low 

carb diet or 

not, ketogenic 

or low carb/no sugar products are a 

sensible snacking choice. As they 

don’t cause a blood sugar spike, you 

are much less likely to overeat - usually 

a square or two should help take the edge 

off that need to snack. Be Keto’s range are 

also infused with MCT oils, which the body 

finds easy to convert straight into energy 

- meaning your 3pm sweet snack will help 

give you an energy boost, not a slump. 

From £2.90, beketo.uk 

You might think that reaching for a savoury snack 

will stop that blood sugar spike, but products with 

starchy carbs a preservatives, like crisps, will still 

cause these issues and it’s very easy to overeat. We 

love the crunch of the ultra-satiating Cheesies - they 

give you that delicious crisp hit but without the carbs. 

Variety of flavours available, 99p per pack cheesies.co.uk 

WHY LOW SUGAR? 

Until more recently, we’ve been told fat is the 

enemy - making us reach for low fat products 

that are often loaded with sugar. As well as 

being highly addictive and the reason for those 

energy crashes or binge eating, sugar can play 

havoc with insulin and over-doing it can lead to 

serious metabolic conditions. Sugar is loaded 

into almost ever processed food we eat, so 

making an effort to focus on eating wholefoods 

and reaching for lower sugar alternatives for 

treats can make a huge difference for our health. 


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HOW TO 

FIGHT FLY 

TIPPING 


Fly-tipping is a crime 

punishable by fine or 

imprisonment, a blot on 

Somerset’s lovely landscape 

and a potential threat to 

human health and that of 

wildlife and domesticated 

animals through injury or by 

polluting the environment... 

There is no excuse for fly-tipping and we 

all need to fight it together. The advice is 

simple: 

• Never fly-tip yourself 

• Check that anyone taking waste 

away for you has the right licence 

and ask them where the waste 

will go 

• Never pay cash 

• Always get a proper receipt and a 

copy of the “waste transfer note” 

• Record names, contact details and 

information about vehicles 

• Take particular care in using social 

media to get waste removed 

If you know about those who fly-tip, 

inform your district council immediately. 

To report a fly-tipping incident, or 

information about fly-tippers, see the 

advice below and contact your district 

council customer services. 

Your legal duty of care 

Everyone in Somerset can fight flytipping, 

from taking responsibility for your 

waste to helping catch offenders. Every 

individual and business has a duty of 

care over their waste, even after it has 

left their home or premises, and failure 

to take reasonable steps to do this risks 

prosecution and a £5,000 fine. 

If you or your business pay someone 

to take your waste away – whether by 

a Skip Hire company, builder, gardener 

or other tradesperson – it is important 

to check if they have a waste carrier’s 

licence, and to ask where your waste will 

go. You can check they are registered as 

a ‘waste carrier, broker or dealer’ with the 

Environment Agency online or by phone 

03708 506 506*. 

Fly-tipping can range from individuals 

or businesses discarding rubbish and 

avoiding their legal responsibilities 

and costs, to unscrupulous fly-tippers 

pretending to offer a waste disposal 

service. Among those who fly-tip are 

rogue tradespeople who dump the waste 

from their work, defrauding customers 

who think it has been correctly removed, 

undercutting legitimate businesses, and 

making council tax payers pay the clearup 

costs. 

Armed with enforcement officers, mobile 

CCTV and the assistance of the police, 

district councils have a choice of actions 

to take against fly-tippers, from warning 

letters and fixed penalty notices to 

prosecutions. One of the most important 

weapons to help fight fly-tipping and 

fly-tippers is information and evidence 

from the public, so please assist when 

you can. 

Convicted offenders can face fines of 

up to £50,000 in magistrates’ courts, 

unlimited fines in higher courts, as well as 

community punishment orders or prison 

sentences of up to five years. Across 

Somerset, recent court cases have led to 

fines and costs of hundreds of pounds, 

community service orders and, for the 

offenders, unwelcome publicity so 

everyone in their community knows all 

about their crimes. 

There is more information about how 

to fight fly-tipping provided by Mendip, 

Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, 

and South Somerset on their respective 

websites. 

Advice on fighting fly-tipping 

To help fight fly-tipping, the advice is 

simple: 

• Never fly-tip yourself 

• Check that anyone taking waste 

away for you has the right licence 

and ask them where the waste 

will go 

• Never pay cash 

• Always get a proper receipt and a 

copy of the “waste transfer note” 

• Record names, contact details and 

information about vehicles 

• Take particular care in using social 

media to get waste removed 

If you know about those who fly-tip, 

inform your district council immediately. 

If you see fly-tipping take no risks. 

Do not touch anything fly-tipped or 

approach fly-tippers, but when it is 

safe, please contact your local council 

customer services at the district council 

with any details. 

This can include: 

• the amount fly-tipped 

• possible contents from a visual 

check only 

• the location 

• time and date 

• whether it is in or near water 

• information about those who may 

be responsible, such as vehicle 

type, colour and registration 

number 

You can report fly-tipping anonymously, 

but your evidence could be vital 

to ensure a fly-tipper is caught and 

convicted, so that levels of fly-tipping are 

reduced. Just knowing that someone is 

prepared to give evidence may convince 

an offender to admit their guilt. 

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR 

FLY-TIPPING! 


Environmentally 

responsible waste 

recycling 


Hiring a Skip is the 

perfect way to get rid 

of unwanted household 

items, but have you 

ever wondered how it’s 

recycled after its been 

picked up? Ade Hill finds 

out more with Jamie 

Witt at J Witt Waste 

Recycling... 

Can you tell us more about who J Witt 

Waste Recycling are? 

We are a local family run waste recycling 

company. I set the company up in 2006 

after working in the waste industry for a 

few years. It began from my realisation 

that there were some gaps in various 

recycling processes that I felt I could 

recycle better, and thus made the move 

to start a small recycling company with 

the goal of effectively recycling more 

- that little company has grown to the 

business it is today. 

What are the benefits of a skip from 

J Witt? 

We are a local independent waste 

recycling company committed to 

recycling as much as we can across the 

West Country and are fully licenced to 

collect and dispose of your unwanted 

items. 

Fly tipping has become a major issue 

in Mendip, especially more so during 

the lockdown period. What actually 

happens to my rubbish, after you’ve 

picked up the skip? 

Everything we collect, or anything that 

is brought into site via our weighbridge 

is sorted into material categories, which 

are then broken down and/or prepped for 

further recycling processes on site. For 

example a lot of our wood is processed 

and prepared on site to be ready for 

recycling into animal bedding pellets or 

processed further into recycled paper 

products or used to create more energy 

for the grid. 

Are you surprised at what gets 

skipped? 

Yes – always, we can find pretty much 

anything in our skips, the good the bad 

and the ugly! 

What can you and cannot recycle? 

There isn’t much we can’t recycle as we 

have an licence to process most things, 

however there are materials that require 

special attention – like certain types of 

plastic film or hazardous materials like 

asbestos – if you have any questions 

about what to recycle and how its best to 

phone our office for advice. 

What can’t you take away as waste? 

Technically anything that has been 

discarded is considered as waste, but 

practically we are unable to take lots of 

liquid waste on-site or waste oils. We are 

able to take some hazardous wastes, but 

this is best discussed and arranged prior 

to moving the material. 

Do you have special equipment that 

can recycle certain items? 

Yes, we have lots of different pieces of 

plant and machinery on site to help us 

effectively sort and recycle as much as 

possible, from magnets for metals, fans 

for paper waste and wash plants for 

sorting and recycling aggregates. 

How much of the waste you receive 

actually goes to landfill? 

As little as possible! As a company we 

aim to find a recycling process for as 

much as we can, currently up to 80% of 

all materials are processed for recycling 

and we are aiming to push this figure 

higher in 2021. 

What is a waste carriers licence and 

waste transfer licence? 

Both the waste carriers and waste 

transfer licences are issued by the 

Environment Agency and means you can 

legally carry, transfer and process waste. 

It is a legal requirement to have and 

enables the EA to keep track of waste 

across the country and make sure that its 

being recycled properly. 

So avoid the social media man with a 

van types? 

Yes, definitely, make sure that anyone you 

use to collect and dispose of your waste 

has a waste carriers licence and they 

are taking the waste to a site that has a 

waste transfer licence. Unfortunately not 

only is fly tipping illegal and damages our 

countryside, any waste that is fly tipped 

can be traced back to the source and 

the owner of the waste can be fined as 

it is the customers job to check a waste 

disposals credentials before they use 

their services. 

How do I get in touch to discuss more 

about a skip hire? 

You can either go to our website 

www.jwitt.co.uk or call one of our 

friendly office staff on 01761 479 444. 


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www.hshmotorgroup.co.uk 

Fuel consumption figures for Honda range in mpg (1/100km): Urban Cycle 23.2 - 70.6 (12.2 - 4.0), Extra Urban 40.4 - 85.6 (7.0 - 3.3), Combined 32.5 - 78.5 (8.7 

Fuel - 3.6). consumption CO2 emissions: figures 201 - for 94 g/km. Honda Standard range in EU mpg test (1/100km): figures for Urban comparative Cycle 23.2 purposes - 70.6 (12.2 and - may 4.0), not Extra reflect Urban real 40.4 driving - 85.6 results. (7.0 - 3.3), Combined 32.5 - 78.5 (8.7 

- 3.6). CO2 emissions: 201 - 94 g/km. Standard EU test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.

Keeping you 

on track 

All you need to know about car 

tyres for safe driving this Winter... 

There’s just four small patches of rubber each about the size of 

your hand that are keeping your car in touch with the road so 

having the right tyres, in good condition and correctly inflated is 

vital for your safety. 

Checking your tyres: 

• Helps keep you and your family safe. 

• Saves you money by making your tyres last longer. 

• Keeps you on the right side of the law. 

There’s no legal requirement to stick with the same tyres, but 

car and tyre manufacturers do work closely together during the 

development of a new car model to select the size and tread 

pattern best suited to the car. They’ll consider things like noise 

and handling as well as the look of the vehicle so changing brand 

or pattern could affect handling or mean more noise. 

New tyres to the front or back? 

Check your handbook first but if it doesn’t give any specific 

advice then, whether your car’s front-wheel drive or rear-wheel 

drive the best/newest tyres should be on the back. 

Making sure you have your best tyres on the back will favour 

‘understeer’ rather than ‘oversteer’ when grip is limited such as 

in very wet or cold conditions. 

• Understeer – the car tends to go straight on even though 

you’re turning the wheel. 

• Oversteer – the back end breaks free and the car is likely 

to spin. 

Tyres with deeper tread grooves are less likely to puncture too 

and it’s more difficult to control a car with a damaged rear tyre 

than one with a damaged front tyre. 

Basic legal requirements 

Your tyres must: 

• Be compatible with the others on the car. 

• Be in a generally good physical condition. 

• Be correctly inflated to the recommended pressure. 

• Have sufficient tread and depth of tread – at least 1.6mm 

in the centre ¾ of the tread in a continuous band around 

the tyre. 

You don’t have to carry a spare and it doesn’t have to meet the 

legal requirements while it’s stowed away but must do if you 

use it. 


DISCOVER THE 

MITSUBISHI RANGE 

AT BATH MITSUBISHI. 

With a selection of class-leading vehicles to choose from including 

super-minis and city crossovers to the revolutionary plug-in hybrid SUV, 

you are sure to find the perfect Mitsubishi to suit your needs. 

Discover the latest offers today at Bath Mitsubishi by visiting our website 

or speak to one of our sales advisors on 01225 473 013 who will be happy 

to assist you further. 

BATH MITSUBISHI 

Part of the HSH Motor Group 

Prior Park Road, Bath BA2 4NF 

01225 473 013 

www.bathmitsubishi.co.uk 

Fuel consumption figures for the Mitsubishi range (excluding Outlander PHEV) in mpg (l/100km): Urban 26.9 - 57.6 (10.5 - 4.9), Extra Urban 32.8 - 72.4 (8.6 - 3.9), 

Combined 30.4 -65.7 (9.3 - 4.3). CO 2 emission figures range from 245-99 g/km. Fuel figures shown are official EU test figures, to be used as a guide for comparative 

purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Images shown for illustration purposes only.

MAKING A GUEST ROOM 

W 

feel like home 

hilst it can feel like another job to 

add to the list, preparing the guest 

bedroom to receive guests for 

Christmas can actually be quite relaxing - 

making a space comfortable and inviting 

really does something good for the soul. 

When you start to plan your guest room, 

think about what you’d expect to find in 

a lovely hotel and try to make your room 

measure up to that standard. Your budget 

may not be enough to create a getaway 

oasis, but you can clear the decks, lay out 

all the necessities, and provide a quiet place 

to relax. 

PROVIDE A 

COMFORTABLE BED 

Don’t give your guests the oldest, saggiest 

mattress you have. Try sleeping in the room 

yourself and assess the quality of your sleep 

on that mattress - it may be time to invest 

in a new one. If you can’t afford a new bed, 

think about getting a quality air mattress. 

adding luxurious bed linens and comfort 

items supplied by fine B&Bs: a featherbed or 

wool mattress topper, a choice of pillows, a 

cosy down quilt or thick throw, extra blankets 

and freshly ironed pillowcases. We like to 

provide a decorative basket in the room filled 

with extra blankets. 

MAKE ROOM FOR 

A SUITCASE 

Clear a space to put a luggage rack or 

provide a small table or bench to set down 

a suitcase. No one likes to have to stoop 

over to the floor to pull out a clean pair of 

socks. Even a chair is better than nothing. 

SUPPLY EXTRA LINENS 

Always have an extra set of bed and bath 

linens available for your guests. Accidents 

do happen! Or you may have one of those 

wonderful guests who insists on changing 

the sheets when they leave. Let them do it, 

and thank them profusely. 

UPGRADE YOUR 

BEDDING 

Beyond clean, crisp bedding, think about 

CLEAR THE DECKS 

Resist the temptation to cover the top of the 

dresser with your prized collectables or fill 

Earthy materials and handmade items make spaces feel cosy. Left to right: Clio 

Basket, £25, habitat.co.uk; White Arrow Mudcloth, £56, hauslife.co.uk; Arizona 

Natural Woven Chair, £385, Cielshopinteriors.com 


Niamh Plaited Cushion 

Cover, £42 and Elowen 

Woven Throw, £65, 

hauslife.co.uk 

the wardrobe with 

out-of-season 

clothes. If you do 

use the room for 

storage, do try to 

clear a descent 

amount of space. 

In a guest room, less is more – 

more space, more comfortable, and more welcoming. Get 

rid of anything you would not find in a hotel room. Keep 

only the most useful items in the room, like a clock, a 

make up mirror and a waste-paper bin. 

MAKE SURE THERE’S A 

COMFY PLACE TO SIT 

French-style bedrooms 

with classical 

elements never go out 

of style and always 

make spaces feel 

elegant and inviting 

frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 

Remember that your guests might like a little relaxation 

time away from the rest of the house, so make sure they 

have somewhere nice to sit in the room. Some people 

do not feel comfortable sitting on a bed and your guests 

shouldn’t have to. Place an upholstered armchair or side 

chair in the room with a table and lamp close by. 

BRIGHTEN THINGS UP 

One of the biggest hotel decor missteps is when an 

otherwise nice room has no light to read by - make sure 

your room doesn’t fall prey to the same issue. It’s always 

helpful to have a light control near the bed so your guest 

won’t have to stumble around in the dark just to turn a 

light on. If nothing else, provide a good reading light 

near a chair or over the bed. Another fixture or 

lamp near a desk would be great. A small night 

light is helpful, and a lit magnifying makeup 

mirror is a real luxury. 

CLEAN THE 

WARDROBE 

If your guest room shares space with 

a home office, clear at least a foot of 

pole space in the cupboard. Or purchase 

an inexpensive over-the-door hook that can 

Here blogger Monica from theelginavenue.com 

has created a functional office space which can be 

transformed into a bedroom using a sofa bed 


The amazing sofa in a box company Snug Sofa have come up trumps 

with a revelatory sofa bed - one that’s as comfy to sit on as to sleep on! 

Genius! £1495, snugsofa.com 

accommodate some hanging 

clothes. It’s likely that guests will 

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

forget a supply of six to eight hangers. 

A simple hook on the wall or behind a 

wardrobe door can hold a robe, coat, or a 

handbag. 

ADD SOME PERSONALITY 

Guest rooms can suffer from being 

personality vacuums - try to let some of 

your personal style infuse the space, or 

try out some decorative ideas that inspire 

you. We love spaces that mix mid-century 

modern furniture with boho soft furnishings, 

or fabulous colour on a single wall with 

dramatic wallpaper. Maybe dare to go 

dark with dark navy on the walls and gold 

detailing. Have you got artwork that evokes 

some feeling on the walls? Or a grand full 

length mirror? Even table lamps can inject 

some personality. You can afford to have 

a bit of fun and creative license with the 

styling of these kinds of spaces. 

MAKE SOME 

DRAWER SPACE 

If you have an extra chest of drawers, that’s 

ideal, but if not, clearing out at least one or 

two drawers for small items is sufficient. 

Both you and your guest will feel better 

with odds and ends out of sight. 

DON’T FORGET 

SIMPLE BASICS 

A lit clock next to the bed is a great 

amenity, and an alarm clock or clock/radio 

is even better. Provide paper and pens, 

scissors, tape, tissue, and a hairdryer to 

have all the bases covered. If you can, 

provide somewhere to sit in front of a mirror 

so guests can do make up or style their 

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

ironing board to offer, be sure to tell your 

guest where they can find yours. 

PROVIDE PRIVACY 

You might know that the big willow tree 

just outside the window camouflages 

everything going on, but your guests won’t. 

Choose window coverings that add to the 

character of the room and also provide 

privacy and light control. If you need to keep 

it simple, blinds work great. You can always 

add a beautiful valance or side panels later. 

NO BED, NO 

PROBLEM 

Over the last few months, many 

of us have had to use guest 

bedrooms as home offices. 

Rather than spending 360 days 

of the year edging around the periphery 

of a large and mostly unused bed, 

consider swapping it for a smart 

sofa bed. This gives you more 

usable space in the room, and 

somewhere to take a quick coffee 

break away from your desk. Just 

make sure the bed element is 

comfortable and supportive. 

FINISHING TOUCHES 

Add some lovely finishing touches to the 

room - a reed diffuser to fill it with delicious 

fragrance and pop some throw pillows on 

the bed or chair. If you like them, add some 

cut flowers to a dresser or move some of 

your existing houseplants into the space for 

some greenery. If you don’t use your room 

much during the year, be sure to open the 

windows for a few hours before guests 

arrive to help air it out. 

Top to Bottom: Rattan Table, £179, 

ellajames.co.uk; Detroit Side Table, £169.99, 

oakfurnitureland.co.uk; Stucco Table Lamp, £120 

and shade £58, pooky.com; Cressida Tassel 

Pillow, £39, hauslife.co.uk; Simone Table Lamp, 

£105, sweetpeaandwillow.com; Masako LED 

Wall Lamp, £45, made.com; Texas Butterfly 

Chair, £200, homebodydecor.co.uk 


A RECLAMATION 

OF DISCOVERY! 

Ade Hill meets Emma Smith from 

Wells Reclamation and discovers 

something for everyone... 


How have Wells Reclamation been during lockdown? 

We’ve been so busy. Our website allowed us to continue with 

online deliveries and click and collect. And since retail has 

reopened we’ve been flat out. 

You and the team have been rather busy this summer? 

We’ve been extremely busy. Especially since people have 

been able to travel. Lots of tourists and a steady flow of local 

customers – both new and existing. With people on furlough, 

they’ve had time to spend improving their homes and gardens. 

What’s been popular? 

Natural stone flooring, garden statues, freestanding kitchens, 

vintage furniture and reclaimed building materials. 

Retro is still very popular don’t you find? 

Yes, the mid-century retro look is still popular but we find genuine 

antique furniture is increasingly sought-after. Especially with 

younger people wanting a quality unique piece of furniture. 

What makes Wells Reclamation so unique? 

Our enormous range of products is a big draw for people. 

They can find genuine architectural salvage next to authentic 

reproduction pieces. We have a quick turn over of vintage and 

antique furniture which means there is always something new to 

look at. And our natural stone and timber flooring is available in 

large quantities for immediate delivery. Our freestanding kitchens 

are the same – available for quick delivery, and at great prices. 

So you have something for everyone? 

We do. There is a home for everything and we have something to 

suit all tastes and all budgets. We can also deliver all over the UK 

and abroad. 

How can I find you? 

Our website is the best way - 

www.wellsreclamation.com or google us for directions. 

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Stockist and beautiful home accessories 

36 | www.mendipliving.co.uk 

1 Bath Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DG | 01373 764 472 | hello@matthewpaulinteriors.co.uk 

fi Matthew Paul Interiors

TIP 

Discuss your 

requirements with a local 

cabinet maker - they 

can help you create your 

dream kitchen but also 

can suggest amazing 

cost saving 

ideas... 

kitchenmakers.co.uk 

KITCHEN 

TRENDS 2020/21 

Has the increase in use over lockdown got you thinking you 

might need a snazzy new kitchen commiserate with your newly 

acquired knife skills? Here are the trends coming in hot... 

kitchenmakers.co.uk 

DARK AND DELICIOUS 

Often overlooked as purely an ‘accent’ colour for islands, black 

walls, cabinetry and work surfaces are becoming more popular for 

the whole design. Black becomes liveable and inviting, with textured 

woods adding rustic, homely charm. Dark hues, combined with pops 

of brass, are the go-to if you’re looking for an ultra-luxurious look. 

COLOUR POP ISLANDS 

Throw the rulebook out of the window in favour of unexpected 

paint-colour pairings. Kitchens are rife with colour opportunities, from 

appliances and flooring, to window treatments and cabinets. 

Start by deciding how much of permanent commitment you are 

willing to make - only opt for coloured cabinetry if you really fall in 

love with the shade - it’s important not to be swayed by colour trends 

here, but by what you really love. 

One of easiest and least expensive options is to paint a wall - this is 

a quick job and can be easily updated should you tire of it. Choosing 

colour is such a personal experience – in fact no one knows for sure 

whether we all even see the myriad shades in the same way. Get 

lots of samples and look at the colours in the kitchen - the impact of 

lighting makes a huge difference to the finished effect. 

wrenkitchens.com 


SET IN STONE 

Welcome the return of strongly veined 

marble, the busier the better for 

unmissable luxury and next-level style. 

Paonazzo marble, blakeslondon.com 

TIP 

Consider the wear 

and tear/traffic in your 

kitchen before choosing 

your worktop - then pick 

one you are happy to 

maintain 

brayerdesign.co.uk 

brayerdesign.co.uk 

ASH IS BACK 

Out of fashion for a while, wood is now enjoying a huge revival - 

not least because it looks so wonderful against newer finishes like 

polished concrete. Use subtle-grained ash, paler than oak or walnut, 

to pick out the warm tones in manmade stone. 

home-design.schmidt 

LOVE THY LARDER 

Larder cupboards, sometimes known as pantry cupboards, 

have been kitchen staples for centuries and, in the last few 

years, have established themselves as one of the must-have 

items in modern homes. 

The great advantage of a larder and its storage capacity is that a 

kitchen no longer needs to be full of wall cupboards. Many also 

have the capacity to house appliances like toasters and coffee 

machines, meaning the worktops can remain free of clutter. 


Farmhouse Bathroom 

A bathroom renovation in a traditional Somerset 

Farmhouse featuring bespoke painted furniture 

This typical country home had a badly laid out bathroom that didn’t make use of the space or period features. 

The new layout was designed to provide plenty of storage and a light and spacious feel. The main feature is 

the wall of built-in cabinets in a traditional shaker style that add warmth and character to the room. 

The bespoke double 

vanity unit has 9 

drawers for storing 

all those bathroom 

bits and bobs. 

Frome Interiors specialise in bespoke fitted furniture 

and have a wealth of experience in kitchens, 

bathrooms and bedrooms. Husband and Wife, David 

and Charlotte, work together from their Frome 

workshop to create beautiful, traditional interiors 

that are sustainable and built to last. Initial 

consultations are free. 

"Charlotte and David provided an excellent service. The 

bookcase is really beautiful - something that we will 

cherish in our home for a long time." 

The wall of fitted cabinets hide the toilet cistern, 

toilet rolls, a bin and plenty of storage space. The 

open shelving creates space to add style &interest. 

fromeinteriors.co.uk 

info@fromeinteriors.co.uk 

01373 834914


Time to get moving 

what the current drop in 

Stamp Duty Land Tax means for you 

If you purchase a residential property between now and 

31 March 2021, you only start to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax “SDLT” 

on the amount that you pay for the property above £500,000... 

These rates apply whether you are buying 

your first home or have owned property 

before, but it does have to be your only 

property at that time. 

Companies and individuals can benefit 

from the reduction, so long as they are 

buying residential property. SDLT applies 

to both freehold and leasehold properties 

– whether you’re buying outright or with 

a mortgage. 

NEW RATES UNTIL 31 MARCH 2021 

Property value 

Up to £500,000 

SDLT rate 

Zero 

The next £425,000 

(the part from £500,001 

to £925,000) 5% 

The next £575,000 

(the part from £925,001 

to £1.5 million) 10% 

The remaining amount 

(the part above 

£1.5 million) 12% 

Example 

If you buy a house for £575,000, the 

SDLT you owe is calculated as follows: 

• 0% on the first £500,000 = £0 

• 5% on the final £75,000 = £3,750 

Total SDLT = £3,750 

This is a saving of £15,000 based on the 

SDLT rates that were in place before 8 

July 2020. 

You can use the Government’s SDLT 

calculator to work out how much tax 

you’ll need to pay. 

Higher rates for additional properties 

If you’re buying a second home, you’ll 

still pay SDLT on any property costing 

more than £40,000 – paying an extra 

3%. Simply add 3% to each of the rates 

shown in the above chart to calculate 

how much you will pay. 

How to pay SDLT 

Usually your solicitor will deal with the 

SDLT return and any payment due, 

although you can do it yourself. As the 

buyer, you are ultimately responsible for 

making sure it’s all submitted on time. 

If the price of your new home is under 

£500,000 you must still submit a return 

(unless exempt) even though you won’t 

need to pay any SDLT. 

When else is SDLT not payable? 

There are other circumstances in which 

SDLT is not payable: 

• Transfer of property in separation 

or divorce: If you’re divorcing or 

separating from your spouse or 

partner, there’s no SDLT to pay if 

you transfer a proportion of your 

home’s value to them. 

• Transfer of deeds. If you transfer the 

deeds of your home to someone 

else – either as a gift or in your Will 

– they won’t have to pay SDLT on 

the market value of the property. 

For any questions about SDLT, a 

conveyancing quote or any questions 

relating to residential property, 

please get in touch with Forrester 

Sylvester Mackett’s Central Frome 

office. Residential property expert, 

Joanne Ayrton can be contacted on 

joanneayrton@fsmsolicitors.co.uk 

or 01373 485485, or visit 

www.fsmsolicitors.co.uk. 


Residential property at our 

central Frome office 

We can offer expert advice on all of your residential 

property legal needs, including: 

• Selling or buying your home 

• Shared ownership agreements 

• Re-mortgaging 

• Transfer of equity 

Contact your local 

residential property 

expert: Joanne Ayrton 

on 01373 485485 

CHIPPENHAM 

FROME 

MALMESBURY 

SWINDON 

TROWBRIDGE 

WARMINSTER 

01249 444300 

01373 485485 

01666 822671 

01793 522688 

01225 755621 

01985 217464 

www.fsmsolicitors.co.uk 

enquiries@fsmsolicitors.co.uk

Renovating to add value 

With UK officially in recession, some homeowners look towards increasing 

the value of their home as property becomes an important source of equity 

following the economic slump. As such, research has revealed which parts of 

the home to invest in for the best return 

The 2020 Renovation Nation Report – by 

mortgage comparison site money.co.uk 

– has found that the UK’s homeowners 

have invested an average of £4,035.70 

each on home renovations since 

lockdown began. And it seems that Brits 

are sacrificing more than ever for their 

perfect pad as the prospect of more time 

at home becomes the new normal. 

Garden upgrades (34%) top a list for 

the most popular lockdown renovation 

projects, closely followed by the living 

room (23%), bedroom (22%) and 

kitchen (22%) as together the nation’s 

homeowners invested £55bn* in their 

properties. The findings also suggest that 

homeowners have abandoned all hopes 

of a holiday. 

Almost a quarter (24%) stated they 

have used money originally intended 

for a holiday to finance their new home 

improvements, which is second only to 

general savings (26%). When asked why 

they chose to invest in their home, over 

a quarter (27%) of homeowners cited 

adding value to their home as a reason. 

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert 

at money.co.uk, said: “While many have 

struggled with the impact of lockdown 

restriction on their finances, our research 

found that having to spend more time 

“Balance short term wishes 

with long term gain. The 

financial impact of investing 

in your home should always 

be a concern and ensuring 

you add value to your home 

through the work you do to 

the property is essential.” 

at home has inspired almost two-thirds 

(65%) of homeowners to invest in 

renovations to their properties. 

“Almost three quarters (73%) of the 

property owners we spoke to said they 

will continue to stay home as much as 

possible even with lockdown easing, it 

looks like the trend for investing in homes 

looks set to continue. 

“For those looking to renovate or improve 

their homes, they will need to balance 

short term wishes with long term gain. 

The financial impact of investing in your 

home should always be a concern and 

ensuring you add value to your home 

through the work you do to the property 

is essential.” 

Pandemic changing renovation dreams 

- but will they add value? When asked 

which home project homeowners would 

consider investing in as a direct result 

of the pandemic, garden projects again 

reigned supreme: 

• Over a third (34%) said they wanted 

a garden summerhouse/studio 

• Over fifth (21%) are craving a 

greenhouse/vegetable patch 

• 14% dream of raising their glass to 

their own pub. 

Inside the home, work and leisure are on 

the wish list: 

• Indoor gyms (17%) and bike 

storage (9%) 

• Home offices (16%) 

• Leisure rooms/home cinemas and 

snugs (17%) 

• ...and even classrooms (2%) 

making the list. 

Property expert, Adam Parson, Area 

Supervisor (SE) Andrews Property 

Group commented: “During these 

unprecedented times what has become 

immediately noticeable is the lack of 

attention people had previously given to 

the most social areas of the home i.e. 

garden and living room. 

“As we emerge from lockdown the 

perception of importance has changed, 

and the specialist areas will be seen as 

an asset rather than a novelty. Areas such 

as a garden studio, leisure area or pub/ 

bar area that add a point of difference, 

escapism or an improvement to wellbeing 

will be seen as a necessity. Going 

forwards, we believe that the home buyers 

in today’s market will take more notice of 

these areas which increases their potential 

to add value to the overall property.” 

For more information on what post 

pandemic renovations will add value 

to your home can be found in the 2020 

Renovation Nation Report at money.co.uk. 

The research of 1,022 UK homeowners was 

conducted by Perspectus Global on behalf of 

Money.co.uk during July 2020. *76% 

of UK homeowners spent money 

on renovations in their home during 

lockdown 0.76 x 18,090 million 

equals 13.75 million homeowners. 

UK homeowners spent an average 

of £4,035.70 on home renovation 

during lockdown. 13.57 million x 

£4,134 equals £55.48bn 


NOTES FROM THE GARDEN 

PLANNING next year's springtime 

Matt Biggs is our resident garden 

advisor. Here he gives us advice 

on how to prepare our garden for 

next year. Matt trained at The 

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and 

has presented numerous television 

programmes including Channel 4’s 

Garden Club. 

There is no doubt that this year has been a 

year like no other. It has changed so many 

things in so many ways, and one of those is 

the time that some of us have had to spend 

in our gardens. Whether you are a true 

‘son of the soil’ or someone who wouldn’t 

necessarily know a daffodil from a daisy, we 

have had time to contemplate that space 

outside of our window, be it a window box, 

courtyard or garden. 

Gardening offers us so many benefits - the 

opportunity to exercise, space to think, 

space to grow new plants, delicious edibles 

and fabulous fruit, play with the kids, count 

butterflies, feed birds, and there is another, 

really important thing that it offers us - the 

opportunity to plan for the future. 

With so much uncertainty in life there is 

something very life affirming about planning 

our gardens for next year - and now is the 

time to do that. Ornamental bulbs are in our 

garden centres now - bulbs are amazing! 

They require very little care, takes almost 

no skill at all to plant - even if you plant it 

upside down it will still appear - kids love to 

help choose and plant them and then there 

is that wonderful day when a green shoot 

spikes its way out of the ground heralding 

the beauty to 

follow. So this 

month get out 

to your garden 

centre or 

nursery, take a 

pen and paper 

and make a list 

or check put 

a bulb catalogue 

and start planning for a new year filled with 

colour and optimism - and bring some 

excitement and colour into your life next 

spring - all from a little brown bulb! 

To find out more about Matt’s love of 

gardening please visit www.matthewbiggs. 

com where you will discover some 

inspirational material. 

Mendip Christmas 

Tree Farm 

The Authentic Christmas Tree Experience 

Choose and cut, or freshly cut 

T: 07508 399 366 W: mendipchristmastrees.co.uk 

Located between Frome and Shepton Mallet at Dean on the A361 

Sat Nav: BA4 4RZ 

Open: 27 November to 20 December 

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10.00am-6.00pm | Weekends 9.00am until 6.00pm 

Last Entry for Choose and Cut: 3.30pm 

£2.00 OFF with this voucher 

Members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association 


COURT HOUSE 

Retirement Home 

A beautiful Georgian Retirement Home set 

in the lovely village of Cheddar, Somerset. 

You can live your life to the full and choice is our favourite word 

The Manager - Chris Dando 

01934 742131 

chriscourthouse@gmail.com 

Court House Retirement Home, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3RA

RETIREMENT 

Time for a change post-COVID? 

Has a period of furlough or working from 

home made you reconsider your retirement 

options? Or, if you’re already retired, has 

the upkeep of a larger family home become 

a relentless task? Prior to COVID-19, you 

might have pushed the idea of retiring 

or moving to the back of your mind. But 

sometimes a re-framing, brought about by 

factors outside your control, could be just 

what you need to take stock and consider 

what life could be like going forward. 

In recent years, there has been a growing 

desire for luxury retirement living, with 

people choosing to right-size from 

their family home into purpose-built 

accommodation that seamlessly meets their 

needs. There are a myriad of reasons for this 

big move; perhaps your children have long 

flown the nest, and the thought of having 

a smaller home to maintain is enticing, you 

might be on the edge of retirement and 

looking for a fresh start. We caught up with 

some people who had recently made the 

move to find out about their big decision... 

For Mary and Tony Martin (in their mid 

seventies), the choice was brought about 

by the isolation they felt during lockdown. 

Mary commented, “We lived in quite a 

remote place, without many neighbours. 

During lockdown, we felt utterly isolated 

and everything, from food shopping to the 

maintenance of the house, was a challenge. 

Our children were very supportive, but 

they live far away and we just realised how 

much certain circles of our life had closed. 

When we looked around a local retirement 

village, we were struck by how much was 

readily available on the doorstep! A small 

supermarket, a hairdressers, a wellness 

centre and, most importantly, a community - 

all steps from the front door. The rooms were 

beautifully appointed and ready to move in 

to without stress.” 

Retirement accommodation is purpose-built 

with the older person in mind, so the homes 

are easily accessible by all. They are built 

for comfort and ease, such a plug sockets 

at waist height and even accessible places 

to charge mobility scooters! Not only that, 

there is often a support network available, 

so if you do need extra care or help with 

something, care packages can be arranged. 

For Dennis Slater (late seventies), the 

move was motivated in part by the passing 

of his wife, “It wasn’t until a few years after 

my wife Helen passed away that I realised 

quite how isolated I’d become - rarely 

venturing out and actually losing touch 

with friends. It was my son who showed 

me round a development nearby his 

house and the sense of community really 

captured me. I was sad to leave the family 

home and all the memories there, but I 

carry them with me in my heart and have 

instead found a new lease of life thanks to 

the new friends I’ve made.” 

Dennis’s desire for company is an oft-sought 

part of this move - retirement villages 

allow the resident to become a part of a 

community of like-minded people, with a 

much wider social network available. 

Another huge incentive for moving to a 

retirement village is that the homes come 

with top safety and security measures, often 

including sensor lighting, alarms and camera 

entry system. Given that home invasions 

are on the rise, it is reassuring to know that 

a community is gated and safe. David and 

“During lockdown, we felt utterly isolated 

and everything, from food shopping to the 

maintenance of the house, was a challenge.” 

Sandy Williams (late sixties) found that their 

move was motivated by this desire for a 

‘lock up and leave’ home. David said “Sandy 

and I had always anticipated using our 

early retirement to travel. Obviously we are 

curtailed at the moment but we have lots of 

plans in the pipeline! We wanted to be able 

to consider longer trips away, but without the 

worry of security back home. It was anxiety 

brought on by a trip a few years earlier, 

where we’d returned home to a frozen pipeinduced 

flood. We can leave home safe in 

the knowledge that the property is ticking 

over under careful watch.” 

Roger and his wife Susan took the big leap 

for another reason; “after Susan suffered a 

quite debilitating fall, our two-up two-down 

house just presented a nightmare for her 

mobility - she was even living in the sitting 

room for a time” said Roger. “I wanted to live 

somewhere that gave me the peace of mind 

that Susan could exist happily in the space, 

her mobility issues considered. I wasn’t 

ready to annex my social life completely 

either and having everything close-by means 

I can indulge in my hobbies on a daily basis, 

a lot of the time with Susan too - it’s been 

the best decision we’ve made in years.” 

Different companies have different 

structures within the retirement complexes, 

so it is worth looking around a few to see 

which one best fits your needs. Some are 

energy efficient, some have guest suites, 

landscaped gardens, a house manager 

and even a homeowner’s lounge, where all 

residents on site can get together. Others 

offer several upscale care home options, 

including assisted living, nursing, residential 

and even dementia care. 

We recommend making a list of what you are 

looking for both in terms of accommodation 

and facilities in your next dwelling before 

you begin your search for the next chapter! 

Be informed and make sure you are aware 

of all the costs - ground rents, maintenance 

charges - and be sure that the care options 

available can change as your needs do. 


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46 | www.mendipliving.co.ukProfessional 

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Mendip Living Oct - Nov 2020

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