WebMarApr2022

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2 | www.westendermagazine.com
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EXTRAORDINARY SPACE
Turn your ideas into a living reality with
free advice from our Interior Stylists.
SCAN TO
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236 INGRAM STREET, GLASGOW
19B ROSE STREET, EDINBURGH
STERLING FURNITURE, TILLICOULTRY
BOCONCEPTSCOTLAND.COM

Cover Image Shot at Yardworks Glasgow
By Gregor Reid Photography
24
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13
Contents
Regulars
4 Editor’s Letter
Fashion & Beauty
6 NEW! Wardrobe Edit
20 WIN! At Rainbow
Room International
Out & About
10 West End Live
13 Restaurant Review: 88
Arts & Community
14 Author Interview:
Sarah Smith
18 Cover To Cover
Westender Living
24 Nature’s Bounty
20 Directory:
Get The Look
6
14

4 | www.westendermagazine.com
Editor’s
Letter
Image © Gregor Reid Photography
Oh spring, we are sooo ready for you!
As the seasons turn the sense of
renewal brings hope – and don’t we
all need some of that?
So with renewal in mind Westender brings
you a brand new fashion series by West End
Closet Stylist, Elena McTaggart, starting on
Page 6. Taking time out from her popular
blog, Elena puts together a capsule spring
wardrobe to tempt us out of doors (minus
the yoga pants!). With so many combinations
possible, we kick start the inspiration in print
but please check out online for more curated
looks at westendermagazine.com.
And Greg Kane’s West End Live is back
after a brief hiatus thanks to Omicron and
her rellies. With a pick of over 300 possibles,
Greg whittled the talent down to his top
six picks. Check out who made the cut on
Page 10.
Amy Glasgow continues her local foodie
recommendations on Page 13, visiting 88 on
Dumbarton Road on a Monday evening for
their well priced tasting menu. A great excuse
to channel some Closet Stylist tips and
venture off the sofa.
With an author interview, book reviews,
and more, your spring Westender is packed
with inspiration. Grab a cuppa and enjoy.
Suzanne Martin
/westendermagazine
/westendermag
/westendermag
To advertise call Suzanne on 07905 897238, or email suzanne@westendermagazine.com
Publisher: Westender Magazine
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial
contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions
resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.
Westender Magazine does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
– electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior permission of the publisher.

www.westendermagazine.com | 5
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6 | www.westendermagazine.com
Spring is springing and going out,
with 'real' people, and wearing nice
clothes is back on the agenda.
That’s living the dream.
The
Wardrobe
Edit
I'm Elena the Closet
Stylist and at the start of
a new season it's time to
'seasonalise' that wardrobe.
A capsule wardrobe
approach will also save
money over time as you
confidently build your closet
with carefully chosen items
– buying less and wearing
more.
Black Blazer
£135, COS
Jasmina Sweater
£89, Amaryllis
Print Kimono
£150, Biscuit
Grey Wrap Cardigan
£69, COS
Heavyweight White Tee
£25, COS

www.westendermagazine.com | 7
Ichi Twiggy Raven Jeans
£65, Biscuit
Oversized Poplin Shirt
£59, Arket
Dalby Leather Jacket
£299, All Saints
Camel Sweater
£90, Good Story Store
Tapered Trousers
£89, COS
Cropped Waistcoat
£69, COS
White Libby Jeans
£60, Good Story Store
Rib Knit Midi Dress
£85, & Other Stories
Hadia Trench Coat
£224.95, Biscuit

8 | www.westendermagazine.com
Your day look …
What should be in your wardrobe, what you look at
everyday, should be only those things you love and
feel great in and can wear now.
The
Wardrobe
Edit
Kimono: Lollys Laundry
Lulu Kimono Jacket, £150,
Biscuit
Necklace: Soko Gold Code
Collar Necklace, £159,
Pampas
T-Shirt: Slim-Fit
Heavyweight T-Shirt,
£25, COS
Bag: Essentiel Bamera
Orange Glow Mini Camera
Bag, £115, Pampas
Necklace: Rachel Jackson
Art Deco Gold Initial
Necklace, £55, Pampas
Jeans: Ichi Twiggy Raven
Medium Denim Jeans, £65,
Biscuit
Shoes: Mos Mosh Doha
Animal Flat, £129, Amaryllis
Visit westendermagazine.com for the rest of The Closet Stylist's
curated looks from this capsule wardrobe.
Follow Elena @the_closet_stylist
Stockist List: All Saints 83-85 Buchanan Street. Amaryllis West End 687 Great Western Road.
Arket arket.com. Biscuit 135 Hyndland Road. COS Princes Square Shopping Centre.
Good Story Store 175 Hyndland Road. Pampas 78-80 Hyndland Road. & Other Stories stories.com.

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 9
Mary Sewell of Not Just Travel – the West End’s Personal Travel Consultant
Time To Travel
with Not Just Travel
Travel restrictions are easing and it’s never
been a better time to book your 2022 or
2023 holiday. The offers that are around
are amazing with holidays to far flung places
like Dubai coming in cheaper than a fortnight
in Spain. We have seen a boom in business
and I am starting to worry we will run out of
holidays to sell (only kidding!).
I’m also just back from Dubai and it was
amazing. There’s something for everyone
with a wide variety of activities to do.
From riding high to the 148th floor of the
highest building in the world, the Burj Kalifa,
to a desert safari with camel ride,
or sandboarding on the dunes – there really
is something for all the family.
Turkey is again very popular this summer
with its wonderful culture, food, guaranteed
sun and beaches. But Florida remains one
of the top destinations for bookings at the
moment and let’s face it we all need a bit
of escapism after the last two years and
where better to find that than at Mickey’s
home in Walt Disney World® Florida. Some
of my suppliers are even throwing in the
park tickets for free – which is a huge saving
for families.
Just remember, wherever you book your
holiday for 2022/2023, make sure you book
with an ABTA or ATOL protected company
(NJT is ABTA & ATOL protected!).
This means that your money is safe should
anything go wrong i.e. your travel company
collapses.
Also, please remember to get travel
insurance for everyone on the holiday at the
time of booking everything else, and that it
has Covid cover. A lot of insurances out there
still don’t have covid cover included (NJT’S
travel Insurance does have Covid cover).
To plan your next holiday give me a call.
Speak to Mary regarding your travel
plans by calling 07519 304320.
Or follow her latest Facebook offers
at facebook.com/marysewellnjt.
Not Just Travel
07519 304320
marysewell.notjusttravel.com

10 | www.westendermagazine.com
LIVE
March
Tirzah
Sunday 13th March 7pm
SWG3 swg3.tv
Tirzah Mastin is a singer/songwriter
from Essex, London.
On their press release her record
company, Domino Records, describes
her as: '…the sound of contemporary
contemplation: morning-after party
rhythms, hazy melodies, hands-on
instruments and the private space
between them. Amid these post-Grime
beats are hallucinatory songs from
the emotional interior…' Quite an
introduction.
I hear a lot of soul in her voice,
but she’s definitely, consciously
suppressing most of her natural
soulfulness in order to fit in with
the genuinely quirky and weird
arrangements her musical partner
Mica Levi offers her. But it’s this
struggle that keeps you listening
whilst having to deal with the overall
oddness of the music. Oddness for
oddness sake? Maybe. But I lasted
right through till the end of her new
album 'Colourgrade' without skipping
a single track.
Choice Tracks: Tirzah 'Make It Up'
Dessa
Thursday 24th March 7pm
Cottiers Theatre cottiers.com
Margret Wander (aka Dessa) is a multi
award winning composer, rapper,
arranger and writer from Minneapolis.
She is also a member of the indie hip
hop collective Doomtree and writes
for esteemed publications The New
York Times and National Geographic.
She often speaks of a deep love of
language and this is exemplified
in the lyrical prowess of her songs.
She does spin a compelling yarn.
It can get quite dramatic at
times though, hence 'Hamilton –
The Musical' writer Lin-Manuel
Miranda inviting her to contribute to
the hugely successful (and dramatic)
'The Hamilton Mixtape' album in 2016.
She’s a compelling and intimidating
proposition and her music gives you
the impression of a person who is
both assured and robust, but she can
be delicate, if not quite vulnerable.
Strong music from a well read artist.
Choice tracks: Dessa ‘Dixon's Girl'
Lewis McLaughlin
Friday 25th March 7pm
The Hug & Pint thehugandpint.com
Just turned 21, Edinburgh-born Lewis
McLaughlin was inspired by the likes
of John Martyn and Villagers to
begin writing and recording his own
songs. He uses electronica along with
traditional folk instruments to make
his music. It may be a very subtle use
of synths, samplers and sequencers,
but it really works.
Both his parents are musicians,
so he’s probably been surrounded
by music all through his childhood.
Poor kid didn’t stand a chance!
Oh well, welcome to a life of
constant frustration and insecurity,
but sometimes, just sometimes of
joy and adulation Lewis. Most kids
rebel against their parents (mine
does) but Lewis McLaughlin has
taken inspiration from their chosen
profession and I think he’s made the
right choice. His voice is engaging,
his arrangements playful and his
songs heartfelt.
Choice track: Lewis McLaughlin
‘Summer'

www.westendermagazine.com | 11
by Greg Kane
April
Eric Gales
Friday 1st April 7pm
Òran Mór oran-mor.co.uk
'This is for anyone who’s ever felt
discriminated against. We should all
learn to co-exist for the common good
of the human race' is how bluesman
Eric Gales introduces the video to
his latest single 'Stand Up'. Amen
my friend. What comes next is the
sweetest slice of old school Louisiana
swamp, gospel infused blues.
Eric Gales (born 1974), also known as
Raw Dawg, is an American blues rock
guitarist, originally hailed as a child
prodigy. He plays left handed with a
right handed Fender Strat, just like
Jimmy. In fact in 2008 he and some
other notable guitarists participated
in the touring tribute to Jimi Hendrix,
Experience Hendrix with the original
band’s iconic drummer Mitch Mitchell.
In 2019, he won the Blues Music
Award for 'Blues Rock Artist of the
Year’ and then won it again in 2020!
Choice track: Eric Gales 'Stand Up'
Trixie Mattel
Sunday 24th April 7pm
SEC Armadillo sec.co.uk
Wow, when you search for Trixie Mattel
the images that are displayed are
striking to say the least. Then you
click on the music and you’re stopped
in your tracks. What your ears are
hearing is a complete disconnect to
what your eyes are beholding.
33 year old Brian Michael Firkus is
best known by her stage name Trixie
Mattel and is an American drag
queen, reality television personality,
musician and entrepreneur from
Wausaukee, Wisconsin. It’s a small
place Wausaukee, with a population
of only 600 – Matt Lucas’ 'Only Gay
In The Village' sketch comes to mind
when thinking of Trixie Mattel’s
upbringing. She’s also half Ojibwe
(one of the largest First Nation
tribes), so that probably gave her the
strength and resilience not only to
survive but to prosper, which she most
certainly has. I encourage you to go
and listen to her music. Beautiful,
engaging acoustic country music.
Choice Track: Trixie Mattel
'Heavy Crown'
HONNE
Monday 25th April 7pm
SWG3 swg3.tv
HONNE are a lovingly soulful, English
electronic music duo formed in 2014
in Bow London, consisting of Andy
Clutterbuck (singer, producer) and
James Hatcher (keyboardist, guitarist
and producer). Love is definitely
in the air with HONNE. My father
often cast a critical ear over my
brother and I’s music and his most
common criticism was '… there’s not
enough Love, Dove, Moon, June sons'.
He’d have loved HONNE. It’s refreshing
to hear love sung about and it not
make you squirm. That takes skill.
And it has obviously paid off looking
at the billions of songs streamed
and the multiple global tours they’ve
embarked upon since 2016. Their
2022 tour takes them all over Europe,
US and the UK from March through to
July playing to huge adoring crowds.
Choice track: HONNE
'Dancing On A Cloud'

BROOMHILL DRIVE
12 | www.westendermagazine.com
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SIT INSIDE OR IN OUR HEATED DECKING AREAS.
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Get 20% off your food bill
until 31 March 2022.
RESERVATIONS: Tel: 0141 337 6988
QUOTE: ‘Westender 20’
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RESERVATIONS: Tel 0141 334 7799
QUOTE: ‘Westender 10’
Broomhill Square, Broomhill Drive, 2-26, Norby Road, Glasgow G11 7BN broomhillsquare.co.uk

www.westendermagazine.com | 13
@
88
Reviewed by Amy Glasgow
/theglasgowdiet
Although it has been a fixture of
Dumbarton Road for some time now,
88, previously home to Two Fat Ladies,
has recently brought something new and
exciting to the table: a sharing tasting menu
for just £25 per person.
It’s only available on a Monday, but when
the weather is drab and you really don’t want
to cook, heading along to this cosy little spot
can really improve your start to the week. It
certainly did mine.
The best part is, the dishes on the tasting
menu change regularly, reflecting 88’s ethos
of cooking seasonal, local and sustainable
food. So, even though I’ve technically already
tried the tasting menu, I could go back in
a few weeks time and be met with a set of
completely new dishes.
The tasting menu consists of 9 sharing
plates served over five courses, for £25 per
person. If you like, you can add matching
drinks for a further £25, so you can enjoy 5
courses and 5 drinks for £50. That’s pretty
decent value in my book.
Now, some of the dishes I’m about to
share with you are no longer on the menu,
as I mentioned above, but it gives you a real
sense of the kind of food to expect from this
stellar establishment. My absolute standout
plate of the menu was the fillet of hake, with
salsify, surf clams and cafe de paris butter.
It packed so much flavour alongside fish that
was perfectly cooked – and it’s nice to see
lesser-used, seasonal vegetables like salsify
getting a mention.
Also a big hit was their tagliatelle with
truffle pecorino. The pasta is handmade in
the kitchen each day and can often be seen
hanging to dry in the restaurant window
– so you know it’s fresh. Cooked slightly
al dente, as it should be, to retain the perfect
bite and scattered with plenty of aromatic
truffle pecorino, this is the kind of plate you
won’t want to share.
The chocolate cremeaux, which is often
featured on their menus, just paired with
different elements, is a must-try. It is velvety
smooth and perfect in its simplicity. If you’re
vegetarian or vegan, there is a full vegetarian
tasting menu as well, and dishes can be
easily adapted to suit a vegan diet if you give
the chefs a heads up.
I can’t wait to go back and improve
another dreary Monday.
88
88 Dumbarton Road G11 6NX
0141 212 6050
88glasgow.co.uk

14 | www.westendermagazine.com
Writer’s Reveal
meets Sarah Smith
WORDS MIKE FINDLAY

www.westendermagazine.com | 15
Westender readers would be
hard pushed not to notice Brian
Toal’s complimentary review of
Sarah Smith’s Hear No Evil in the January/
February edition of the magazine.
Glasgow-based Sarah Smith has worked
previously as a creative writing tutor, family
history researcher and project worker with
charities, including Deaf Connections,
who supported her in the creation of this
enticing book.
Sarah Smith was presented a New Writers
Award for Fiction from the Scottish Books
Trust in 2019 and graduated with an MLitt
with distinction for Creative Writing at the
University of Glasgow in 2018.
Having discovered newspaper articles
from the 19th Century of a landmark case of
a deaf woman who was accused of throwing
her own baby into the River Clyde, she was
intrigued to find out more.
Hear No Evil brings to life the story of Jean
Campbell in a compelling tale which takes
us from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back
again, and shows how class and education
– let alone attitudes towards people who are
deaf – informed much of Scotland’s justice
system at the time.
At the heart of this book is Jean’s
relationship with Robert Kinniburgh,
a teacher from the Deaf and Dumb Institute,
who works to crack the code of effective
communication with Jean.
Reading this book, it’s hard not to reflect
on how far our justice system has come
in its treatment of some of society’s most
vulnerable people, but also how far we have
still to go.
What originally inspired you to write the
book?
When I was working at Deaf Connections,
an organisation in Glasgow whose roots
stretch back to 1819, I met local historian
and author Robert J Smith, whose book
The City Silent mentioned the case and
quoted a couple of newspaper articles about
it. On a dark winter’s evening a woman had
been seen to throw a baby into the River
Clyde from the Old Bridge in Glasgow.
It was the first time a deaf person had been
tried at the High Court and the accused,
Jean Campbell, seemed such a key figure
that I was curious to know more about her.
What process did you go through to
research Jean’s story?
I read the court transcripts and contemporary
accounts in newspapers and journals but
that got frustrating after a while because
there was very little that told me who Jean
really was, or what had led her to commit
this crime. There were copious pages written
about her but much of it was confusing and
contradictory and limited to ‘experts’ views
on her deafness and social status. I wanted
to get to know Jean and learn about the life
of a deaf person living at that time, but the
establishment of 1817 treated her more like
a laboratory experiment than a real woman.
In contrast, Robert Kinniburgh,
who interpreted for Jean at her trial was
easy to research because he was involved in
promoting education for deaf children and his
life and work had been recorded.
Any other further research you did for the
book?
As well as telling a historical crime story,
the book depicts aspects of deaf people’s
experience. On that, I got a great deal of help
from Lilian Lawson and Ella Leith at Deaf
History Scotland, a charity that conserves
archives and provides information and events
about deaf heritage and culture. Without
access to their resources and knowledge
it would have been impossible to write the
character of Jean.
How did you manage to accurately depict
life in the 1800s?
I’d start each writing session by reading a
newspaper from 1817. Almost none of what
I read made it into the novel but it put me in
the mindset of someone living at the time.
I searched for books and websites that gave
everyday details; things like how long a coach
would have taken to travel between Glasgow
and Edinburgh, or how a maid would do the
household laundry. I walked around the areas
in the book with old maps to try to imagine
how my characters would inhabit them.

16 | www.westendermagazine.com
In terms of character development,
what did you do to visualise and realise
the characters?
Characters are all different. Some are integral
to the story but take a long time to come
into focus and, occasionally, the odd one
pops up unexpectedly. For example, I wrote
a lot about what Robert Kinniburgh ‘did’ in
the story, long before I was sure what he
looked like and what character traits he had.
Whereas Martha Sproull, the McDougall’s
maid, began as a very minor character but
felt fully realised and took on a life of her own
as the novel developed.
Reflecting on how Jean was treated at
the time, what do you think her treatment
would be today in Scotland’s justice
system?
Jean would have more rights today because
they’re now enshrined in law. British Sign
Language (BSL) is recognised as a language,
technology has revolutionised the way that
we communicate, and an interpreter would
be present in interviews and at court as a
matter of course. However, there are still lazy
assumptions made about deaf people and a
lack of resources and infrastructure to fund
the support they need. Her treatment would
be fairer but not necessarily perfect.
What is the over arching message you
want readers to take away from the book?
That listening to people is the key to
progress. Things only change when we take
the time to see the world from other people’s
perspectives.
What was the most enjoyable part of
writing the book?
Honestly, I enjoyed most of it! The research,
workshopping early drafts, working with my
agent and editor, seeing the finished product
emerge and appear in bookshops. I even
loved the redrafting and editing process.
What was the most challenging?
Without a doubt, describing the deaf
experience and sign language as a hearing
person. I worried about getting it wrong all
the time. I never felt that it was my place to
speak for deaf people, they’re much better
informed than me! Luckily, there were deaf
people who were willing to help me. I hope
the fact that Jean is at the centre of the story
rather than a tokenistic minor character is
seen as a positive thing.
Anything else you would like to share
regarding the book?
The answer to the mystery at the heart of the
novel – how Jean and her baby came to be on
the Old Bridge in Glasgow – begins to unravel
at the McDougall’s house. The locations I
used, in Partickhill and down to the river at
Partick, are near where I’ve lived for almost
thirty years.
What is next for you?
I’m working on a novel that’s set in 1920.
It’s about the impact of WW1 on a woman
working in a back-court picture house.
Glasgow was then on the brink of becoming
known as Cinema City, with more per person
than anywhere else in the UK. It’s another
fascinating story to research.
Anyone wanting to purchase a copy of
Hear No Evil by Sarah Smith can do so
online at:
tworoadsbooks.com/titles/sarah-smith-3/
hear-no-evil/9781529369120.
£3
OFF
*
RRP £16.99
*Exclusive offer for WESTENDER readers
at Waterstones 351-355 Byres Road
branch only, by 30th April 2022.

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 17
Ammu are proud to
partner with BWS
Ammu is thrilled to announce we are
partnering with Business Women
Scotland (BWS) – a membership
platform providing business advice to
women.
BWS is one of the largest membership
networks to provide expert advice to
women. The network was founded by Lynne
Kennedy MBE 14 years ago to help ambitious
businesswomen gain access to exclusive
expert support, training and mentoring from
the likes of Ammu’s Director Jane Grant to
turn their idea into reality.
Ammu and BWS are the perfect fit. Jane
Grant, Director and accountant, is a strong
advocate for Scottish business owners
and recognizes that grassroots support of
Scottish SMEs helps the economy. That’s
why Jane is proud to be working with the
BWS mentoring programme to advise small
business owners.
Jane is a firm believer that anything
you can do in a big business with multiple
departments you can do in a small
business. This is down to revolutionary
cloud accounting technology like Xero and
affordable apps like Futrili and Syft that you
can integrate within any business.
If you ask Jane what holds business
owners back and how they can move forward
she will tell you two things matter: data and
culture.
Jane explains why both matter:
‘Looking at the data flowing through the
processes and systems reveals where
the blockers are. You can examine the
information to gain clarity, and fix the
problems. When you understand your
business and have a clear vision you begin
to develop a positive workplace culture.
With everyone in the right seat with clear
roles and responsibilities your business will
stop stagnating and start moving forward.’
Enjoy the valuable advice, networking
opportunities, monthly magazines,
mentoring and development
programmes available exclusively
to Business Women Scotland
members. Join now at bwsltd.co.uk.
Ammu Chartered Accountants
Get in touch today: visit ammu.uk or call
our Glasgow office on 0141 290 0262,
or our Ayrshire office on 01292 388 031
Ammu Chartered Accountants
10 Newton Terrace G3 7PJ
0141 290 0262
8 Miller Road Ayr KA7 2AY
01292 388031
ammu.uk

18 | www.westendermagazine.com
1
Dead Man’s
Grave
by Neil Lancaster
BY BRIAN TOAL
WESTENDER’s
COVER TO COVER
Longlisted for the 2021 McIlvanney Prize for Best
Scottish Crime Book of the Year, Lancaster provides
a highly entertaining, fast-paced crime thriller set
in the heart of Scotland. Max Craigie is ex-military,
scarred by Helmand province and recently separated
from his wife. He returns to Scotland having served
in the Met for years, battle-hardened, weary and
looking for a change. A change is what he gets, but not
a change for the better.
The story starts in a small
village in Caithness at a grave
marked ‘This Grave Never To Be
Opened’, which was often used
for victims of the plague. However,
this is the beginning of a complex
vendetta going back more than
a hundred years involving one of
the largest criminal families in
Scotland. The head of the family
dies in mysterious circumstances
and his three sons inevitably
want revenge. This revenge must
be swift and brutal to send a
clear message to rival families
that the Hardies should not be
underestimated. One by one the
family members of the rival family
turn up dead until Craigie and his
partner arrive in the nick of time.
Craigie himself then becomes
the target of the Hardie family,
and it becomes clearer by the
minute that they are getting help
from inside Police Scotland at
the highest levels. There is covert
surveillance aplenty, with phones
hacked, vehicles tagged and
houses bugged. What do the Hardies have on these cops to
keep them in their pockets? What chance does one crusading
cop have against a powerful crime family aided and abetted by
the police themselves?
The two storylines of police corruption and the hunt for the
murderous members of a crime family co-exist and eventually
merge, as is the case with many procedural crime novels.
Being able to guess some of the plot is half the fun and the
reason why crime novels are so popular. If you liked ‘Line of Duty’,
you’ll like this, as it has all the twists and turns of a traditional
crime novel, coupled with the intrigues and secrecy at the heart
of a corrupt police force. Who are the good guys? Is the concept
of good guys and bad guys too facile in 21st century policing?
Max Craigie doesn’t think so. With unrelenting courage and
derring-do, he confronts the criminals wearing black hats and
white in his quest for justice.
Lancaster is the author of the digital bestselling Tom Novak
series, which I’ll now check out. He also appears on Sky Crime TV
as a key expert, so you may have come across him. I thoroughly
enjoyed this and was pleased to learn that the next Max Craigie
adventure is well under way.

www.westendermagazine.com | 19
The Girl
The Crow
The Writer and
The Fighter
by George Paterson
2
George Paterson’s debut
novel is quite a feat, spanning
continents and lifetimes,
told mostly through the
discovery of letters which
reveal the hidden histories of
Henry Miller, that controversial
American novelist, and Sonny
Liston, boxing champion,
gambler and associate of
gangsters.
How these two fascinating
characters become entwined
is entirely fictional, but entirely
believable in Paterson’s
rollicking journey searching for
a sacred artefact hidden for
centuries by a secret society.
At times the novel has a touch
of the Dan Brown about it,
insofar as the pages turn
quickly and the plot becomes
ever more complex.
The characters of Liston
and Miller are reimagined
perfectly and realistically,
and Paterson infuses the
fictional characters with well
documented events from the
lives of these interesting men.
I really enjoyed the
character of May, the young
woman bequeathed the
letters which reveal the story
of Miller and Liston. However,
this epistolary style of retelling
events does not render May
a merely passive character.
Instead, as the recipient of this
crucial information, she herself
is thrust into danger and this
modern-day action serves as
a counterpoint to the Miller /
Liston plot.
The writer has a shaky
grasp of apostrophes, commas
and colons, but the plot is
so compelling that this stops
bothering you after a while,
unless you’re an English
teacher! As debut Scottish
novels go, this is an impressive
act of ventriloquism. It could
be one of the best American
novels to come out of Scotland
for a long time.
Colson Whitehead is the
Pulitzer Prize-winning author
of ‘The Underground Railroad’,
as well as ‘The Nickel Boys’,
which I reviewed last year.
I love his style of writing
as you very quickly enter the
world he has created through
the authentic voices he
gives his myriad characters.
In his latest novel the setting
is Harlem in the 1960s,
a predominantly black area
of a deeply segregated and
unequal New York.
The main character, Ray
Carney, is a furniture salesman
who also dabbles in moving
other used goods for a price.
He is desperate to escape his
father’s legacy and provide the
life his wife and kids deserve,
but it seems as though fate
and family constantly conspire
against his best laid plans.
As the novel progresses,
Carney’s character arc is
interesting to observe as one
decision leads to another
which leads to another,
and before you know it,
he’s knee deep in intrigue and
crime, in a similar way to the
Walter White character in
‘Breaking Bad’.
The backdrop to this very
personal, family storyline is
the race riots, white police
violence against black
protesters and the general
black population, the millions
of dollars made by huge
construction firms building
skyscrapers in the gaps left
by newly demolished black
neighbourhoods, the corruption
of the local politicians,
and the complicity of the
police. The denouement
is tense and thrilling, and
Whitehead’s writing is
masterful. Time magazine
have labelled him ‘one of the
greatest American writers
alive.’ I’d ditch the word
‘American’.
Harlem Shuffle
by Colson Whitehead
3

20 | www.westendermagazine.com
RD HYPOPRESSIVE
TRAINING
Ruth Dunn, Physiotherapist with 30 years
NHS Experience
RRI
S
by John Parker
pring is here and at Rainbow Room
International we are excited to see
many of you coming into the salon for
your spring hair transformations. Whether
it be a colour change or a haircut revamp,
we can’t wait to help you achieve your hair
goals for the warmer months.
Pastel hues are on trend again including
hues of blush pink, periwinkle blues and
lavenders and are great for blonde haired
clients to experiment with via toners to give
their hair a fun and playful update for the
season. For those who don’t want an all over
colour, slices of colour and under colours are
becoming popular and have been seen at
red carpet events including the Brit Awards.
Wear a darker colour underneath and a
brighter colour on top for a fun and funky
seasonal look. Adding in lighter pieces of
colour and giving your hair that sun kissed
effect will also be hugely popular as the
weather heats up.
It’s also the perfect time of year to spring
clean your hair and bring it back to life after
the damage caused in the winter months.
Come to the salon for a fresh trim and a
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Taught one to one in my home
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Email ruthdunn40@gmail.com
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0141 337 3370
rainbowroominternational.com

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 21
Parkinson’s
Disease –
Agility
Impaired
Ihope you’re doing well and managing to
keep active the right way this winter?
It’s tough at the best of times, more so with
the dark and cold. It’s why we provide online
exercises classes that you can take part in
in your own home, helping you keep active
the right way for your Parkinson’s Disease.
Following on from my last article, I wanted
to speak to you about how we classify
someone with Parkinson’s Disease as Agility
Impaired, and what you can do to get started
with moving better despite your difficulties.
Difficulties such as moving your weight
from side to side and from one foot to the
other when starting to walk, or while you’re
turning around. Freezing is also a typical
problem for people who are Agility Impaired
as well as falls and difficulty multi-tasking.
Very often we see weakness and stiffness in
leg muscles and joints as well.
If I am Agility Impaired, what can I do?
First off, we have a free e-book to help you
get started, visit simpsonphysio.co.uk and
fill out our online form and we will email it out
to you. It has some terrific tips and exercises
in there to help get you going.
Secondly, get practicing a big, strong
and wide side step – making sure to lift
your knees up high and do your best to get
a strong stamp down of your feet as well,
if the rafters aren’t shaking you have more
J FraserSimpson MSc, Chartered Physiotherapist
CALL NOW on 0141 530 2092 to book
a free Discovery Phone Call with one
of our Expert Therapists and find out
if we can help.
work to do! You can do this at a kitchen
worktop, so you have your hands for support
if you need to. Try and manage two to three in
each direction. 20 times should be enough.
Next, remember the principles of focused
movement, thinking BIG and thinking
STRONG (for a refresher see our ebook).
And lastly, get in touch with us and book
an assessment. If you want the right support
and advice for you as an individual, we need
to get to know you and conduct an in depth
assessment so we can give you the best help
we know how.
E-mail: enquiries@simpsonphysio.co.uk
NOW to request your FREE e-Book
Parkinson’s Disease: a How-To guide
to help you start taking back control of
your life
Simpson Physiotherapy
0141 530 2092
simpsonphysio.co.uk

22 | www.westendermagazine.com
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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 23
Legal Matters
But can I ride it where I like?
Recent changes to the Highway Code
came into effect on 29 January affecting
ALL road users. But it does seem that
people get most exercised about cyclists.
Too slow, too fast, using pavements too
much, cycle lanes not enough, running red
lights etc. Equally, cyclists complain about
pedestrians stepping out without looking,
vehicles obstructing cycle paths, other road
users not giving enough space or time.
Cycling is a hugely enjoyable way to travel,
with environmental and health benefits.
However, the ‘cyclists don’t pay road tax’
myth and the actions of a minority, may have
contributed to a culture which has a fairly low
opinion of cyclists.
To be clear. No-one pays ‘road tax’. It was
abolished in 1937 and replaced by Vehicle
Excise Duty Tax which is now based on CO2
emissions. Cyclists are zero emitters. Roads
are maintained by local and general taxation
and cyclists contribute to the upkeep of the
roads through payment of those taxes.
‘Cyclists don’t follow the rules of the
road’. Unfortunately this is true for a minority.
The Highway Code states the law: ‘you MUST
NOT cycle on a pavement’. This carries a
maximum fine of £500 although a £50 fixed
penalty is more likely. You can cycle on a
designated shared use footway and naturally,
children or those learning to cycle are more
than tolerated on pavements but footways are
places where pedestrians should feel safe.
And red traffic lights apply to all road users,
a cyclist can be fined for jumping the lights.
And so, to some of the changes to the
Highway Code:
P The law now essentially states ‘with great
power comes great responsibility’ as new
rule H1 sets out a hierarchy with those who
can do the most harm to others (motorists)
having the most responsibility for safety and
pedestrians as the most vulnerable, at the top
of the hierarchy.
P Drivers no longer have priority at
junctions. Now, if you’re a driver at a junction
and someone is preparing to cross, the more
vulnerable road user has right of way.
P Previously, a road user only had to stop
at zebra crossings if someone was already
crossing. Now, road users must stop at zebra
crossings even if people are just waiting to
cross.
P Cyclists are to ride where they feel most
visible. This is approximately the centre of the
left lane or further out, where safe to do so.
P Motorists must give cyclists at least 1.5
metres space when overtaking but, if safe
to do so, cyclists should pull in on quieter
roads, in slower-moving traffic and at busy
junctions, to allow safe overtaking.
P Cyclists going straight ahead at junctions
have priority over traffic waiting to turn into or
out of a side road.
None of this should mean a change in
habits for the already careful and considerate
road user but with an increase in cycling as a
form of exercise and/or travel during Covid,
it is hoped that the changes encourage this
trend to continue.
Think once, think twice, think everyone.
The author is, depending on
weather and mood, a cyclist,
pedestrian, motorist and user
of public transport in equal
parts.
If Mitchells Roberton
Partner, Joyce Moss,
can assist you please call
direct on 0141 548 1703,
or email jmm@mitchells-roberton.co.uk
Mitchells Roberton Solicitors
George House, 36 North Hanover Street
0141 552 3422
mitchells-roberton.co.uk

24 | www.westendermagazine.com
Homes & Interiors
Images on these facing pages courtesy of Bluebellgray
by Suzanne
Martin
Nature’s
Bounty
As the weather brightens and the days lengthen,
it’s time to welcome in a glorious spring
– we hope! Using natural materials and prints the
outdoors comes in. Then there’s colour? To go bold,
or layer the neutral tones? It may all be in the mind.
We find out more…

www.westendermagazine.com | 25
When you walk into a clothes store,
what colour do you walk toward first? Toward
natural tones, or beautiful brights? The answer
can be enlightening says Fiona Douglas at
Hyndland’s own Bluebellgray. A self-confessed
‘colour’ person, Fiona has built her interiors
business around natures colourful palette and
believes the colours you’re drawn towards in
fashion, food and the natural world should be
incorporated into your interiors.
‘I had a very outdoorsy upbringing growing
up in the Highlands. We were always outside
swimming in rivers or on trips to freezing cold
beaches. It definitely fuelled my love for nature
which deeply influences all my designs and use
of natural materials.’
As the days lengthen Fiona’s mood lifts and
she loves her first glimpse of bluebells poking
their bonny bonnets toward the light – hence
her Bluebell fabric for curtains, blinds and
lampshades (see P. 29). After long, gray Scottish
winters, nature’s first shoots have a grounding
effect which translates well into our homes as
we switch over from heavy tweeds and wools to
natural linen, wood and wicker.
And Fiona isn’t against placing strong colours
and prints against each other, she believes
there’s much more scope now for individuality
thanks to the internet and websites such
as Pintrest. In fact, in answer to this need
Bluebellgray are soon to launch their new
interior advice service.
‘Our new mood board service is something
that has come from customers asking us for
advice to help decorate their homes using
our designs. It will be a paid for service that
involves an in-depth consultation via zoom or
in person with our in-house interiors stylist
who will then put together mood boards and
swatches and present the ideas back to the
client. This can be followed up with a curtain
and blind making service and shopping
advice.’

26 | www.westendermagazine.com
Homes & Interiors
But what if your tastes run more towards
the neutral tones of the natural world?
Karen Harvey at Hoos Glasgow advises,
‘Moving into spring we want to freshen up our
space with more colour and bright accessories
whilst maintaining the calm of our favourite
winter palettes. Wool textiles make way for
soft cottons and linens that lend a lightness
during warmer evenings. Vibrant yellow tones
add a spark to our interiors contrasting with
warm neutral greys, ecrus and browns that
keep us grounded, while graphic cushion
designs add a playful accent with painterly
motifs that mirror nature.’
Layering natural materials alongside a
calming colour palette creates a more relaxed
environment for some. It really does depend
on your own natural instincts towards colour,
so don’t ignore that inner voice. The layering
tones and mix of textures adds interest and
builds up to more than the sum of its parts
when each piece is chosen because you love
it. This is your space and there is no right –
spaces are as different as their occupants.
Images Courtesy of Hoos Glasgow
‘I love coming home – it’s a very calm, neutral
space with lots of green – the ritual of caring
for my plants and watching them grow is very
centring,’ explains Karen. ‘The furniture
and objects in my space are a combination of
new and old, creating a balance of history,
materiality, contemporary design and
innovation – looking around, each piece
brings joy, be it through its beauty and
function or the memories it carries.’
And that reminds me of something Fiona
said, your interior should energise you and
bring you joy. Spring is a fresh beginning and
a hopeful tender shoot of renewal – whether
that means a full bright colour spectrum,
or a more neutral scheme, let it be particular
to you and fill up your joy.
Invite nature in as a prelude to warmer
days and lighter evenings to come. Adopt a
houseplant, nurture some seeds, mirror your
hopes for a garden in full summer in your
spring interiors and watch your spirits lift
after another trying winter. And with the
homes and interiors stores of the West End on
hand to help you, there’s no stress either.
And chill, you’re home.
bluebellgray.com
hoosglasgow.co.uk

www.westendermagazine.com | 27
CITYWIDE
REMOVALS
& STORAGE
GLASGOW
PUT YOUR HOME IN
OUR HANDS and get
in touch for a FREE
QUOTE today!
07944 771 427

28 | www.westendermagazine.com
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www.outsideingardenrooms.co.uk
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0141 370 6102 / info@outsideingardenrooms.co.uk
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T. 0141 389 3287 | M. 07984 880 199
info@riversidedecor.co.uk | www.riversidedecor.co.uk

Homes & Interiors
www.westendermagazine.com | 29
Welcoming Nature In
We’ve been tucked away all winter, cooried in away from the elements.
How lovely then the advent of spring. Simple gifts from Mother Nature
mean so much after months of hiding indoors. So throw open your
windows and let the outside in, buy a houseplant to nurture, think about
natural textures in your furnishings, or prints from nature. It’s a time to
refresh interiors – of the home and mind.
Bluebells Lampshade and Base,
lampshade £49, glass lamp base £99, Bluebellgray
Houseplant Cushion – Emma Alviti,
£65, Hoos Glasgow
Natures Coffee Table,
£309, The Store Interiors
Velvet Leaf Sculpture in Black,
from £53, BoConcept Scotland
Set of 4 Egg Cups, £25,
I Am Nomad
Bluebellgray, 162 Hyndland Street, bluebellgray.com
BoConcept Scotland, 236 Ingram Street, 0141 341 4920, boconcept.com
Hoos, 715 Great Western Road, 07788 480421, hoosglasgow.co.uk
I Am Nomad, 490 Great Western Road, 0141 337 2791, iamnomad.co.uk
The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, 0141 950 1333, thestoreinteriors.co.uk

30 | www.westendermagazine.com

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 31
Image © Gregor Reid Photography
The Wee Kitchen Shop
Specialising In Beautiful Shaker Kitchens
‘T
he boot room was completely unused,’
explains Helen as she guides me around
her completed Wee Kitchen Shop
kitchen by Greg Bowers. ‘And we simply did
what we had to in the previous kitchen and left
as quickly as we could – we weren’t using the
space at all, it was impractical.’
Now with a complete redesign from The
Wee Kitchen Shop Helen, Paul, and Zico the
pooch, love their new dining space, boot room
and utility. Zico also has his own dog bed from
which to watch his humans cook and deep
belfast sink in the boot room for an ensuite
– Greg really does consider all the family!
‘I love my Quooker 3in1 tap,’ says Helen.
‘I wasn’t that bothered when Greg suggested
it but he persuaded me and it’s so practical.
Other family members now want one.’
Practicality and beauty is a theme of Greg’s
work. An example is the use of leather granite
worktops in the main kitchen, Danish oils
fullstaved oak at the tea station and utility
room, with Glacier White Corian in the boot
room. It’s this attention to detail that makes a
Wee Kitchen Shop kitchen stand apart.
‘Greg had so many suggestions for storing
and viewing spice jars, baking goods and pans
that we would never have thought of,’ admits
Helen. ‘We spend loads of time in here now
because we have somewhere to sit and we’ve
rediscovered our love of cooking together
because we have space and it flows!
‘We saw The Wee Kitchen Shop in a
previous edition of Westender and thought
we’d pop down to the store in Broomhill
because the kitchen featured looked so nice.
Seeing the displays and speaking to Greg
directly convinced us and we would definitely
be happy to recommend him and his team.
All the tradespeople were professional and it
was clear they all enjoyed working together
– and look at the results!’
Please call ahead for a FREE
consultation appointment at
The Wee Kitchen Shop.
The WEE Kitchen Shop
304 Crow Road, Broomhill G11 7HS
0141 334 4747
www.theweekitchenshop.co.uk

32 | www.westendermagazine.com
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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 33
Spoiler alert, emphatically not.
The thought process which landlords
often use to convince themselves that
they might attract better tenants at higher
rents are well established. After all, if a
prospective tenant fancies the property and
is prepared to pay a chunk more than the
prevailing market rent, they are signaling
price insensitivity. Which probably means
they have lots of spare cash and are unlikely
to default on the rent.
Such wishful thinking is incredibly
common. Having negotiated thousands of
rental contracts, our experience tells us
that the opposite is true. In other words,
pushing the asking rent up for a given
property increases the chances of securing a
problematic tenant.
One way to think about this is to imagine
starting at a ridiculously ambitious rent.
Consider, for example, a property with an
asking rent 50% higher than the prevailing
market. Such a property will attract almost no
interest. If someone did express an interest,
there would have to be a good explanation.
The most likely explanation being that they
don’t care what the asking rent is, because
they’re not planning to pay it.
As the asking rent is reduced, the number
of interested tenants will rise. Pretty soon,
the pool of applicants will contain some ideal
with Western Lettings
Can I expect to find a better
tenant at a higher rent?
tenants. The level at which this would happen
is where the asking rent should be set to
start with.
All of this is discounting the cost of void
periods. The average tenancy in the West
End of Glasgow lasts around twenty months.
If the asking rent is set too high it doesn’t
take a very long void period to result in a
loss when compared to a fair market rent,
especially when council tax and utilities are
factored into the equation.
My advice is to set the asking rent at a
level which will attract several applicants
almost immediately and then see if there are
any suitable tenants among them.
If you have a property to let, please
give us a call. We don’t do pushy sales,
so you can expect to speak to a friendly
and understanding adviser. Alternatively
have a trial of our free rental valuation
tool by scanning the QR code below.
Western Lettings
Craighall Business Park G4 9XA
0141 357 0436
westernlettings.co.uk
SCAN FOR INSTANT VALUATION

34 | Westender www.westendermagazine.com
Magazine Promotion
Image © Gregor Reid Photography
Property
Matters
with Walker Wylie
Estate Agents
Today’s housing market conditions are
unlike any I’ve witnessed during my 15
years of experience as an estate agent.
As with most high-value commodities, supply
and demand is the central driver of price.
Positioning ourselves as a ‘boutique
style’ agency allows us to promote a more
client-focused approach. We prefer to
play the long game and the proportion
of our new instructions deriving from
‘recommendations’, proves this point time
and time again.
When invited to value a prospective
client’s property, we take a different
approach to our competitors.
Firstly, we acknowledge we’ve been
invited to provide information, not just to
conduct a sales pitch. And secondly, we’ll
advise on the most appropriate strategy for
helping you to move home, yes that’s right,
help you move home, rather than just trying
to persuade you to sell your existing property.
And there’s the difference, and while
it may not be so apparent at first glance,
our take on moving home has greatly helped
many of our clients to secure a successful
offer on their dream new home, and then,
realise this dream with the thoughtfully
executed sale of their existing home.
/walkerwyliescotland
/walker_wylie
A Buyers Guide to the West End
Moreover, we strive to help first time
buyers with experienced guidance on what
to offer on a given property? what solicitor
to instruct? and have you really secured the
most appropriate mortgage product?
While many of our competitors view the
first-time buyer as someone with no property
to sell, we value first time buyers as the
cornerstone of the housing market, as today’s
buyer is tomorrow’s seller. Does our mutually
beneficial strategy start to make sense now?
For those weary buyers out there right
now, how many closing dates have you lost
out on? Would you value the helping hand of
an agency that will utilise all their experience
and knowledge to give you that little
advantage over other buyers?
The Glasgow property market is smaller
than most think, and the wealth of experience
in our office can make all the difference.
Contact me direct on 0141 404 1333,
or at barry@walkerwylie.co.uk to discuss
your tailored-made strategy to
successfully move home.
Walker Wylie Estate Agents
148 Woodlands Road G3 6LF
0141 404 1333 / 07855 952298
walkerwylie.co.uk

www.westendermagazine.com | 35
• Buying & Selling
• Mortgages &
Re-Mortgages
• Life Insurance &
Protection
At Walker Wylie Mortgages
we are professional,
passionate, and committed
to providing top quality
in-house independent
advice in a friendly and
easy to understand manner.
• Holistic Financial
Advice
• Savings & Investments
• Pensions & Retirement
planning
• Inheritance Tax (IHT)
Mitigation
Walker Wylie Mortgages
148 Woodlands Road
Glasgow
G3 6LF
info@walkerwylie.co.uk
0141 404 1333
www.walkerwylie.co.uk
Walker Wylie Mortgages is a trading name of Holyrood Asset Management Ltd which is
authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA no. 192637

36 | www.westendermagazine.com