Sussex Exclusive Magazine. Issue 4 2023

Issue 4 2023
Exploring
Eastbourne
Sunshine, seafront walks,
eclectic architecture &
festival fun
Feel the Love
And plan the perfect
Sussex wedding
It’s Cocktail
Hour!
Relax & unwind with
our unique Sussex
cocktails
Destination
Foodie
Enjoy true Sussex
flavours and
authentic foodie
experiences
Three
Stunning
Sussex Walks
With dog friendly
hostelries at
the finish
82 pages of
beautiful Sussex

ESCAPE to the Country
Enjoy an idyllic break at the foot of the South Downs
Just outside the historic village of Henfield, in a countryside setting with views
across to the South Downs and a stunning lake, enjoy a break that is perfect for
families or couples. With an abundance of wildlife, a stay at these luxury hand-built
shepherd’s huts or in Robins Nest is a quintessentially Sussex break.
The Kingfisher Hut
One double bed & bunk beds
Sink unit with hot & cold running water
Electric – lights & power points
Flame effect electric heater
Hot drink making facility
Available for 2 adults and two children
The Owl Hut
One double bed
Sink unit with hot & cold running water
Electric – lights & power points
Flame effect electric heater
Hot drink making facility
Available for 2 adults
Robins Nest
Off grid – no mains electric
Solar panels provide electric
Bedroom – handmade oak bed & bunk beds
Cosy lounge room – with large leather sofa
Log burner with logs provided
Breakfast bar with stools
Hot drink making facilities
Bedding & blankets provided for all accommodation.
To book, or for more information, contact
Phone: 07767 621 376 • Email: cebvintage@hotmail.co.uk
www.sussexruraleventscompany.co.uk
A word
from the editor
Editor
Lucy Pitts
lucyp@sussexexclusive.com
Deputy Editor
Janine Marsh
Editorial Assistant and DDIP
Aifric Peachey
Design
Philippa French
Sales
sales@sussexexclusive.com
Issue 4 2023
Exploring
Eastbourne
Sunshine, seafront walks,
eclectic architecture &
festival fun
Feel the Love
And plan the perfect
Sussex wedding
It’s Cocktail
Hour!
Relax & unwind with
our unique Sussex
cocktails
Destination
Foodie
Enjoy true Sussex
flavours and
authentic foodie
experiences
Three
Stunning
Sussex Walks
With dog friendly
hostelries at
the finish
82 pages of
beautiful Sussex
Front Cover
Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne
Welcome to the latest edition of the Sussex Exclusive
magazine. It feels like it’s been a long winter, but at
last, the blossom is out, the evenings are getting lighter,
and I’m delighted once more to be able to share lots of
Sussex delights.
Recently voted as the UK’s top destination, in this edition we’ve been
exploring Eastbourne. It’s a town I knew in my youth, and has a wonderful
combination of history, long open beaches, arts and eateries. I hope you
enjoy re-discovering it as much as I have.
Good food and drink are always close to my heart, so we’ve got our usual
foodie section in this edition with news of local producers, places to eat,
Sussex cocktails and Sussex recipes. So grab a fork and get stuck in. And
when you’ve finished, why not head out and try one of our fabulous
Sussex walks.
For the green fingered amongst you, we have news from Geoff Stonebanks
of Driftwood by Sea and the National Garden Scheme. And for the more
cultural amongst you, we have our usual selection of things to do, with some
great events coming up.
And of course, in this edition, we have our brand-new wedding section
which is packed with ideas for everything from venues to affordable (but
gorgeous) dresses, beauty tips and planning advice. And best wishes to all of
you planning a Sussex wedding this year. You are spoilt for choice here.
I rarely leave Sussex these days (after all, why would you when we have so
much on offer), but Janine Marsh from The Good Life France has been
exploring Corsica for us and wow, it looks gorgeous, so if you are planning
an overseas holiday, it’s definitely worth a read.
We’ve got lots more in the following pages, so grab a coffee or a glass of
Sussex wine, pull up a chair, and dig in. I hope you enjoy reading this edition
as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.
Oh, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for lots more
Sussex soundbites.
Take care.
Lucy
Lucy Pitts
Sussex Exclusive Magazine
www.sussexexclusive.com
3

Contents
8
8 Discover & Explore
Eastbourne
Grab your bucket and spade, and your camera
and make your way to the UK’s best destination
for 2023
41
46
41 The Sussex Foodie
From foraging on Ashdown Forest to foodie
festivals and fishing at Selsey, take time to enjoy
our Sussex foodie heritage
15 What’s On
Fill your diary with these fun and unusual things
to do from the Jack in the Green to bluebell
walks and egg hunts
46 In the Garden
Get your garden ready for summer and take
inspiration from Geoff Stonebanks’s creative ideas
50 Three Sussex Walks
15
20 Planning Your Wedding
Just engaged? Start your wedding planning with
our top tips, from budget planning to choosing
the venue
55
Head out and explore the countryside with
your four-legged friend with these three
stunning walks
26 Stunning Wedding Dresses
Choose from a stunning selection of preloved
dresses which are affordable and kinder
to the planet
28 Your Pre-Wedding
Beauty Guide
Prepare for the big day and make sure your skin is
radiant with these beauty tips from Nude Goose
50
54 Our Sussex Quiz
How Sussex are you? Test your knowledge of
all things local with our latest Sussex quiz
55 Dopamine Dressing
this Spring
Bold bright colours are this season’s things
so check out our top picks from
La Vida Boutique
26
30 Where to Wed
Looking for somewhere a little different? Have a
look at these three idyllic Sussex wedding venues
62 Writers’ Corner
Need a little inspiration or motivation with that
novel? Look no further than our Writer’s Corner
36 Calling All Cooks
Easy to prepare and cook Sussex recipes perfect
for spring days and family get togethers
74 Sussex Wellbeing
Our health coach talks about what wellbeing
means to you and how to achieve your
personal goals
30
39 Cocktails Hour
Welcome to our Sussex cocktail hour
with a brilliantly local Rhubarb Spritz
and a White Rabbit
76
76 Idyllic Corsica
Pack your bags and set sail for the stunning
and historic French island of Corsica with
Janine Marsh.
4 | sussexexclusive.com 5

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Contributors
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SUBSCRIBE
Private Client Tax Specialists
With a focus on the future, we will help you today by looking to tomorrow
Geoff Stonebanks
Geoff’s garden, Driftwood, has
appeared on BBC2’s Gardeners’
World, and has won multiple
awards. He writes monthly for
several websites and gardening
media and has a weekly gardening
column in the Brighton Argus and
is regularly heard on the radio.
www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk.
Janine Lowe
Janine Lowe is an author and
classically trained Feng Shui
consultant, trained in Chinese
astrology and in the arts of Bazi,
Flying Stars, Auspicious Dates, Qi
Men Dun Jia and I Ching. For the
last 19 years she has worked with
private and business clients to
enhance their wealth, relationships,
careers and everything in between.
www.janinelowe.co.uk
Stuart Ritchie
Expert Tax Advisor helping clients
manage their wealth, minimise
tax bills, and solve tax disputes
& financial problems. Stuart
specialises in private client taxation
and has considerable experience
and expertise with an emphasis
on agreeing complex taxation
issues, both onshore and offshore,
and helping clients achieve their
financial objectives.
www.ritchiephillips.co.uk
Our people are passionate about making a difference
When you are looking for an accountant, you will want people with a passion for and
understanding of what you need or what you do. Our unique combination of specialist skills
and experience means that we will always bring fresh ideas and added value to the table.
We are team players with a focus on helping you.
Vanessa Jamieson
Vanessa is an enthusiastic,
amateur cook who likes to make
sure no one ever leaves her table
hungry! Working full time, Vanessa
needs to squeeze in quick to
prepare food, without losing any
of the flavour. She also likes to
experiment with different cuisines,
which can take her to Morocco,
Thailand, Japan and back to
France, all in the space
of one week!
Peter Benner
Retired solicitor and local historian,
Peter Benner has lived in Sussex
for over 75 years. A member of
the Sussex Archaeological Society
since 1956, he has a lifelong interest
in Sussex Wealden Iron as well as
building a 400 strong collection of
books about Sussex. His specialisms
include transport, and Sussex
culture.
Alison Wilkins
Alison started out as a Sports
Massage Therapist 20 years ago.
She is certified Zero Balancer and
Reiki Master and regularly practices
MBSR mindfulness. She has
delivered wellbeing@work for
6 years and continues to support
staff and management alike.
www.brightonwellbeingcompany.com
The passion that we put into what we do, and the understanding that we have for our clients,
means that our team will go far beyond simply solving problems. As well as their expertise
and enthusiasm, all members of the team enjoy working in our specialisations, and are
encouraged to share this with our clients.
Ground Floor South Suite, Afon House, Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1TL
T: 020 3195 1300 E: mail@ritchiephillips.co.uk W : www.ritchiephillips.co.uk
6 | sussexexclusive.com 7

Discover Eastbourne
The Empress of Watering Places
...the backdrop
to many a TV or
film production
including Harry
Potter, Chitty
Chitty Bang
Bang, Poirot
and Top Gear!
Gold domes glinting above the sea
on the pier, the magnificent 19th
century Grand Hotel watching
over spacious lawns, and the
sound of the waves lapping close
to the esplanade. All against the backdrop of
the South Downs and the white cliffs of Beachy
Head and beyond. It must be Eastbourne!
Gone is the town’s reputation as a slightly dusty
place for the retired to gather. In late 2022,
Time Out magazine crowned Eastbourne as the
number 1 best place to visit in the UK and now
is the time to discover or rediscover this eclectic
coastal town.
Eastbourne has over three miles of beach
(with more within easy reach), is the gateway
to the South Downs National Park and is
regularly voted the sunniest town in the UK.
Add to that a long and rich history, and a
lively cultural scene and you have a great
Sussex destination.
Historic Eastbourne
Like so many Sussex towns, Eastbourne has a long
history. Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age man
all came this way, as did the Romans, and there are
the remains of a Roman villa and bath underneath
the road and pavement between Eastbourne Pier
and the Redoubt.
William the Conqueror landed for his invasion
at nearby Pevensey Bay, and Pevensey Castle
(founded in the 4th century) was used on that first
night of a new era as a temporary rest place. It’s
no surprise then that Eastbourne features in the
Domesday Book and the area was owned at that
time by William the Conqueror's half-brother.
The town was later visited by several Medieval
kings and in the old part of the town you’ll find
a 12th century pub (The Lamb), Pilgrims House
(Eastbourne's oldest house thought to be built
in 1134) and a 12th century church (St Mary's
Church). In the 18th century, four of King
George III’s children came to stay in the town as a
result of which it became known as “the Empress
of Watering Places”.
Eastbourne is also home to two Martello Towers
at opposite ends of the seafront (numbers 66
at Sovereign Harbour and 74, the Wish Tower)
built in the 18th century, and the Redoubt
fortress, built in the early 19th century. Today,
the town is distinctive for its grand Victorian
architecture along the seafront, its Victorian pier
(which appeared in several episodes of Poirot and
various other productions), and its 1930s, Neo
Grec-style bandstand. Whilst to the east of the
town, Sovereign Harbour opened in 1993 and is
northern Europe’s largest marina.
A few quirky facts
Eastbourne’s International Lawn Tennis and the
Eastbourne Tennis Tournament put the town
firmly on the tennis stage. The town has also been
the backdrop to many a TV or film production
including Harry Potter, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,
Poirot and Top Gear!
The town even has its own holy spring, at
Holywell Beach to the west of the town, where the
water is supposed to have curative properties. But
despite the town’s charms, in years gone by, the
people of Eastbourne were called “Willock-eaters”
(Willock being a type of barely palatable bird).
Getting to Eastbourne
Eastbourne is on a mainline rail network with
trains direct to London Victoria, as well as to
Chichester, Bognor Regis, and Brighton. It also
sits at the end of the A22 which takes drivers all
the way to the M25 and London. Eastbourne has
a good bus network both for within the town and
travelling out to the villages. You can also hire a
bike for exploring from Let’s Bike Eastbourne in
Southbourne Road.
8 | sussexexclusive.com 9

Eastbourne walks
The seafront walk
A fabulous way to discover the town is a 6 km
walk from Holywell in the west to the Martello
Tower at Sovereign Harbour in the east along
the seafront.
Starting at Holywell Tea Chalet, you’ll find
notice boards with an 11-point Seafront
Journey Planner. It takes about 1 1/3 hrs and
is a flat and easy walk to the Western Lawns
and the gleaming white duchess of the town,
The Grand Hotel. From there, you’ll pass the
Wish Tower, beach huts, the bandstand and
pier. Keep walking to the Azimuth sculptures
(made of reclaimed sea defences) and the 19th
century Redoubt Fortress before you head on to
the next Martello Tower and the harbour. Don’t
worry, if you don’t fancy walking back, you can
always get a bus.
Exploring Eastbourne
Eastbourne feels smaller, more intimate and more accessible than nearby
Brighton and Hastings and as you explore the town’s art galleries, museums,
parks and theatres, the South Downs look on benevolently.
Heritage trails
For a more cultural exploration, you could
try one of the town’s heritage trails. There
is a Blue Plaque trail that starts at the Royal
Hippodrome Theatre and takes you along the
seafront, through the town, into Meads and
then the Old Town. Plaques on the trail include
those to Tommy Cooper, Lewis Carroll, Charles
Dickens and Ernest Shackleton.
There’s also an East of the Pier trail with
emphasis on the secrets behind the Victorian
and Edwardian period and economic and social
history. For more details of these trails, visit:
Visit Eastbourne
Walk to Beachy Head Lighthouse
At low tide you can walk to Beachy Head
Lighthouse. The recommended starting point
is Cow Gap near Beachy Head. You can park
there or alternatively, you can walk the coastal
path from Eastbourne (it’s about 2.25 km from
the Holywell Tea Chalet).
It’s not particularly easy walking as you walk up
some steep paths and then down onto the beach
and across rocks and stoney shingle.
But it is stunning!
(Note: you can get cut off at high tide so it’s
really important to check the tide times and
allow enough time. You should beware of cliff
erosion and stay well away from the edge).
10 | sussexexclusive.com 11

Getting to know
Eastbourne
From festivals and folklore to hiking and history
Shop until you drop
Forget any memories you may have of the old
Arndale Centre. This shopping precinct was
revitalised in 2018 with a £85 million extension,
and renamed The Beacon. It has about 50 shops
which should keep you busy with a good mix of
high street brands and local independents, as well
as a Cineworld. Alternatively, head out to the
Sovereign Harbour shopping complex and enjoy a
drink at The Waterfront when you’ve finished.
Time for adventure
Eastbourne is perhaps most famous for being the
gateway to the South Downs National Park and
the South Downs Way which is a 100-mile trail
that takes you from Eastbourne to Winchester
via some of the best beauty spots in the country.
That means that from Eastbourne you can explore
iconic landmarks like Beachy Head and its
Instagramable lighthouse, Cuckmere Haven and
the Seven Sisters cliffs.
Beachy Head is the highest chalk cliff in Britain
and has a visitor centre, incredible views, and a
lighthouse built in 1902. There’s a smaller, slightly
older lighthouse a little further along the cliffs
where you can stay the night.
You’ve explored the town a little and now it’s time to
dig a little deeper and see what’s on offer. .
The arts
A short walk from the seafront, The Towner
Art Gallery holds one of the most important
collections of public art in southern England
and this year, will be hosting the Turner Prize.
Even the outside of the building is a work of
art! “Dance Diagonal” is the bold and brightly
coloured installation that transformed the
Towner building in 2019. The work of Lothar
Götz, it’s scheduled to remain in situ until
at least 2024 and is great for those unusual
Instagram shots.
Once past the exterior, The Towner has
an ongoing schedule of exhibitions and
events throughout the year, perfect for the
culture vulture. Of course, The Towner isn’t
Eastbourne’s only art gallery, and you might
want to visit the award-winning contemporary
art gallery Nigel Greaves in Compton Street as
one of a number of others.
Eastbourne also has four theatres (all listed
buildings) namely, Congress Theatre,
Devonshire Park Theatre, Winter Garden and
Royal Hippodrome Theatre (Eastbourne’s oldest
theatre dating back to 1883) as well as two
cinemas. The bandstand hosts a year-round
programme of musical events and fireworks if
you just want to chill on the seafront.
The festival scene
Who doesn’t love a good festival? And Eastbourne
has them a plenty throughout the year with
everything from walking festivals to its Mardi
Gras Pride event in July. Airbourne is one of the
biggest airshows in the UK and takes place in
August. Eastbourne also has a Vintage Festival,
a Steampunk Festival, a Beer Festival, a Rock
Festival and its very own Feastival (think feasting
and food).
Food, drink and nightlife
If it’s café and bar culture you’re after, favourites
include Déjà Vu, just opposite the entrance
to The Beacon and the recently refurbished
Pavilion Café to the east of the town. If you
fancy some fine dining, make your way to
The Mirabelle at the Grand Hotel, described
as one of the best restaurants in East Sussex.
Alternatively, you have a choice, drive out to
the Tasting Room at the Rathfinny Wine Estate
or book a table at Deans Place Country Hotel,
both near stunningly pretty Alfriston.
If that’s not for you, what about Bistrot Pierre
overhanging the seafront and with views of
Beachy Head, The Beach Deck on the seafront
where your four-legged friends can join you
or The Belgian Café described as Eastbourne’s
finest fresh fish, seafood, mussel and tapas bar?
And for nightlife, dig out your glad rags and
head to the Blue Bar, an alternative music bar
with a relaxed down to earth vibe which is
open every day of the week. Or head on over to
The Temple, self-described as the biggest party
in town.
Do something different
As you’re on the coast you might as well try a
scuba diving experience at the Sovereign Centre
or for more sobering pursuits, visit Pevensey’s
Tudor Court House, Gaol and Town Hall and
spend time in the prison cells or stocks. While
you’re there, don’t forget to visit Pevensey Castle.
High octane activities are also the name of the
game around these parts and there is windsurfing
kayaking, powerboating, sailing, hang-gliding, and
paragliding all nearby.
Spoil yourself
Sink your teeth into a Luxury Afternoon Tea
at the View Hotel on the seafront or book
yourself a deluxe spa break at the 5-star Grand
Hotel. Jasmines Beauty Salon and Spa is award
winning, luxurious and beautiful, perfect for a
Spa Pamper Day after all that walking.
If you still have time and energy to spare …
you can of course head east to Hastings, north
east to Rye or west to Lewes and Brighton,
stopping at the De La Warr Museum in
Bexhill, Firle House near Lewes or at Alfriston
for some smugglers!
12 | sussexexclusive.com 13

Eastbourne
Grandeur
Paul Hitchcock exposes an Eastbourne oddity
In the
Diary
Our round up of what’s on in Sussex during
the next few months
‘Beck and Calling’
Billingshurst, 13th, 14th and 15th Aprill
There is no better way to
understand Eastbourne grandeur
than to walk along the seafront
from the Wish Tower to the Pier
and look, not out to sea, but
inland to the hotels and fine residences.
From west to east
Starting at The Grand Hotel opposite the
Western Lawns you will have a fine display
of a purpose built affluent Victorian seaside
resort. There are some gaps with modern infill,
but the original building line is mostly
intact.
Then, just beyond the Pier, the Eastbourne
grandeur comes to an emphatic and
deliberate full stop.
The eastern marker
Note that The Queens Hotel is built at an angle to
the promenade and sticks out into the natural line
of the seafront.
A mistake on the part of the architect? Not so.
The seventh Duke of Devonshire, who created the
modern resort of Eastbourne and whose statue you
will have seen as you passed the bandstand on your
seaward side, was by modern standards a terrible
snob. He deliberately built The Queens at that
angle to block the view of the working peoples’
houses beyond it so as to not offend the sensibilities
of his friends and affluent visitors to Eastbourne.
Did the founding father of Eastbourne have a
darker side? Perhaps this is why Engels visited the
town so often in his search for socialism.
To find out more about Eastbourne grandeur visit
The Eastbourne Heritage Centre on Carlisle Road.
The Billi Tap
Billingshurst, 25th - 26th April
One of Billingshurst’s newer haunts, the
micro-pub Billi Tap, has a handful of exciting
events in store for those yearning for a bit of
seasonal socialising. The 25th of April offers
the opportunity to sample the mouth-watering
Mexican food prepared by local company ‘Day
of the Fed’ to go with your Billi Tap refreshment,
and the 26th is the day of their Easter bakeoff for
all aspiring bakers out there. Bring in your own
cake for a chance to beat the competition!
Billingshurst Dramatic Society presents a play
centred around a particularly poignant point in
the lives of the Beck sisters, Edith and Ellen, who’s
portraits hang side by side in the Billingshurst
Women’s Hall, a place they helped fund to fruition
a century ago. Wealthy Billingshurst residents
and avid supporters of the suffrage movement,
they made a particularly bold step in 1911 in the
name of women’s rights. The pair joined in the
nationwide boycott of the census, inviting local
women to join them by promising to pay their fines
if apprehended. This was a very impactful event and
drove their message with great force - that if they
didn’t count when it came to voting, they shouldn’t
be counted as part of the British community at all!
Written by Ted Gooda, author and local English
teacher, this commemoration of local history is set
to be a triumph!
For more details, visit:
billingshurstdramaticsociety.com
Brighton Fringe Festival
Billingshurst, 25th - 26th April
England’s largest arts festival is returning to
Sussex to present a whole host of exciting events
for locals, visitors and the like. With theatre
productions, comedy shows, dance performances,
workshops and music among many other sources
of entertainment, the festival continues to draw in
multitudes, eager for a summer experience they’re
unlikely to forget. Many of their events are free
to attend and Brighton Fringe is certainly one to
bookmark in for the warmer season.
For more information, visit:
www.brightonfringe.org
14 | sussexexclusive.com 15

Jack in the Green
Hastings Old Town, 30th April to 1st May
For the seaside town of Hastings, the long bank
holiday weekend falling from the end of April
to the 1st May will observe the start of summer
in higher spirits than most with their traditional
Jack in the Green festival. A four-day annual
event featuring live bands, Morris dancers and the
classic street processions bursting with colour and
character, the festival marks a seasonal change with
great affair and is well worth visiting should you
get the chance. Leaves will be distributed from the
slain ‘Jack’ as a finale for good luck in the summer
to come and custom ties this event to British
May-day festivals; milk-maids, maypoles, flowery
garlands and chimney sweeps have all influenced
this celebration- more information on origins will
be available at the event!
For more information, visit:
hastingstraditionaljackinthegreen.co.uk
Easter Makers Fair
Shoreham, Saturday 8th April
For those fancying a bit of merriment leading to
Easter day, why not visit the Easter Makers fair
on 8th April running at Shoreham Centre? An
annually run fair with free entry to all, the event
will showcase an array of specially selected Makers
of all sorts of trades - ceramics, jewellery, art, Easter
decor, plants and pet accessories among others
promise to make an appearance. There will also
be face painting, an Easter bunny meeting and
child-friendly workshops as well as an ornament
workshop, where, for example, you will have
a chance to make your own fused glass ‘cherry
blossom tree’ tea light holder - Easter ready!
For more details, visit:
www.paperdaisyevents.co.uk
Brighton Makers Market
Brighton, first Saturday of every month from
May - September 2023
For those particularly passionate about supporting
their local, small businesses, the Brighthelm
Centre and Gardens are playing host to the
Brighton Makers market, every first Saturday of
the month from May to September. Featuring
local makers, artists and small businesses, the
Centre will also be making use of their beautiful
gardens to extend the event outside for the
summer season. Regular and new traders will
be setting up and there will be a variety of
local produce, treats and artisans to sample
and purchase at your leisure. Upcoming events
will take place on the 6th May and 3rd June,
so for those looking for a friendly and relaxed
atmosphere as well as locally sourced goodies,
head on down!
For more information, visit:
www.paperdaisyevents.co.uk
Rewilding Us
Worthing, Saturday 6th May
For enthusiastic foragers, spring is a particularly
exciting season, offering copious wild bounty to
the devoted explorer. With different environments
offering particular specialties, why not explore the
wild side of the coast this season? Rewilding Us,
based near Worthing, are invested in invigorating
interest into the natural world by passing on
those fundamental skills of interaction and
identification which are key to the forager’s antics.
Their spring coastal foraging experience includes
the discovering of wild sea veg, coastal plants
and shellfish along with informative tips around
foraging sustainability practices. Run by expert
Chris Holden and with a botanical drink interval,
book soon for an opportunity to become deeply
familiar with your local wild spaces!
For more details, visit: www.rewildingus.co.uk
Weald and Downland Living
Museum
Chichester, Sunday 7th May
The South Downs National Park is popular
amongst locals for many reasons, the charming
countryside walks weaving through it included.
But one of its most fascinating attractions is
the Weald and Downland Living Museum. The
museum hosts workshops that aim to demonstrate
traditional skills and trades to those interested
in acquainting themselves with foundational
knowledge of craftsmanship. New and reinstated
courses have been added to the 2023 programme,
including many textile projects with the aim of
introducing people to those traditional methods
that connect us to our rich history of trade and
craft. Tea and coffee included!
For more information, visit:
www.wealddown.co.uk
Battle Abbey Adventure
Battle in Rother, 1st to 16th April
For those searching for a bit of family fun over
the Easter holidays, Battle Abbey have happily
sorted you out with an adventurous activity to get
stuck into for a day of your choosing. Involved
is an adventure quest running for over 2 weeks
that includes an exploration of the grounds for
clues and challenges, an egg rolling and egg and
spoon race, and Love Cocoa treats and prizes for
successful and enthusiastic participants. Running
from 10am - 5pm and with 10% off for those
booking online, race on down for an Easter
experience to remember!
For more details, visit:
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Easter Egg Hunt
Petworth House and Park, 1st to 10th April
Many National Trust areas around Sussex have
organised Easter and Springtime events for those
itching for a taste of the outdoors now that winter
is firmly behind us. One that is particularly
popular is the Easter egg trails running over at
Petworth Park. For £3 per child, the hunt involves
puzzles, games and crafts geared towards the whole
family, and although the trail has been estimated
to take under 2 hours to complete, you are
completely free to explore the Pleasure Gardens
at your own pace! You will be provided with
your own trail map, pencil and congratulatory
chocolate egg and the days 8th, 9th and 10th will
also have face painting available. The trail is open
during the day from 10am to 3:30pm, but no
need to book ahead - just rock on up when the
mood hits!
For more information, visit:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Arlington Bluebell Walk
This year is a particularly special one for the team
organising the Arlington Bluebell Walk, as this
event will commemorate 50 years of its opening.
The bluebell walking paths will be open every
day for 4 weeks, starting from the 11th April to
the 10th May and opening at 10am. This year,
19 charities have helped maintain walks and
refreshment stations and they receive a sizeable
donation from the proceeds for these invaluable
contributions. John’s late wife, Carolyn, was the
creator of the picturesque farmhouse garden,
which has since been renovated and newly
honoured as a Royal Horticultural Society Partner
Garden of 2023 - openings for the garden will be
on Wednesdays at 10am to 4pm.
The entrance fee is £6 per adult, £3 per child
(from ages 3-16) and a family ticket is £16 (2
adults and a maximum of 4 children).
For more information visit:
www.bluebellwalk.co.uk or
www.batesgreengarden.co.uk
16 | sussexexclusive.com 17

Saying
‘I Do’
in
Sussex
going to be a Sussex wedding. Never in a million
years had I imagined living in Sussex, let alone
planning a wedding in it.
Love changes everything in Sussex
After growing up in Wales, I’d heard the alltoo-true-rumours
of the ridiculous cost of the
south-east and I soon put the idea from my mind.
But as cliché as it sounds, love changes everything
and my heart has kept me in this wonderful
county. Falling for a Sussex boy and the Sussex
countryside inevitably meant I’d stay and I soon
had to get my thinking cap on and get my moneysaving
brain into gear.
A wedding doesn’t have to
cost the earth by
Daisy Thomas
Gretna Green or bust
Easier said than done. One year before my own
wedding, some close friends had made it down
the aisle and tied the knot. On discussing the
various wedding planning obstacles they had to
overcome, I soon learned their venue hire alone
had come to 6k; a wedding venue may I add that
had started to become the vision of what I hoped
for my own wedding. My stomach started to
churn with dread. How would I ever get married?
Wedding dresses averaging 2k. Flowers a grand.
Just thinking of sending out 70 invites started to
bring me out in a sweat. The numbers started to
add up and eloping to Gretna Green seemed like
the most plausible option.
After falling head over heels for this incredible
venue, it wasn’t long before we headed home
and began to put together our perfect day. And
the best part? The cost wouldn’t break the bank.
We soon found ways we could be creative to
save pennies elsewhere; a cousin to make the
wedding cake; a family friend to organise the
flowers. Who needs a car when you live so close
to the venue? It would just be wasted. And we
can send invites digitally now, right? Save the
planet and all that. Suddenly, all of the things
that once seemed so important to me when I
envisioned the Scottish church or Welsh chapel
had suddenly disappeared.
I’d
be
mainly down to age, experience, and wisdom and
lying if I said I hadn’t
spent years dreaming of my
wedding day. Of course,
the plans have changed
significantly over the years,
the inevitable realism they all bring. It started with
a Christmas wedding in the snowy mountains of
Scotland. Furs around the shoulders. Crisp reds
and dark Christmas greens.
Aligning the stars – or not
But you soon realise you have no family in Scotland,
making it highly impractical and it would take
Jupiter to align with Mars and the sun to set in the
east to guarantee snow, not rain, on your special
day. You then consider maybe an old, small chapel
on the shores of a Welsh lake, but the chances of a
downpour are even higher in this scenario.
14k? Thanks but no thanks
Maybe an ‘all in one’ hire; ceremony, venue; the
whole lot in a beautiful old manor house in the
Golden Valley. You then see the 14k price tag on
the venue hire alone and you politely say ‘thanks,
but no thanks’ to the poor wedding planner
who was convinced she’d got a sale. So, when
the day comes you ACTUALLY have to make
some decisions on where you say the final ‘I do’,
you start antagonising over your empty savings
account and the impending re-mortgage and
wonder whether your dream will ever come true.
Easter Weekend 2022 was the time I had to
start making some decisions. Did I know what I
wanted? Of course, I did. But your bank account
tells you differently. Then, of course, you’ve got
the groom to contend with because apparently,
‘he has ideas too’. But I suppose the biggest curve
ball in the wedding planning was that mine was
My Sussex
wedding, that
I had never
even ever
imagined
would happen,
had now
become a
reality; an
incredible
adventure I
couldn’t wait
to embark
upon.
A stone’s throw and a
Swallows Oast
It was a Sunday; a warm, sunny afternoon in
mid-May. My fiancé and I decided to go for a
short walk in the nearby village of Ticehurst. A
coffee shop, a cute little florist and a quirky little
giftware shop. As we walked and took in the sun
around us, we came across the quaint church of
St. Mary’s. As our footsteps echoed across the
stone floor of the church, we both gazed up at the
stunning architecture and our eyes met in a ‘this
could work’ kind of way. After envisioning huge
bouquets of peach and cream flowers scattered
around the church and bunches of fragrant
herbs tied around the ends of the pews, we soon
remembered a friend had recently attended a
wedding at a wedding venue a stone’s throw away
at Swallows Oast.
We could see our imaginations running wild;
the vision of our day starting to become clearer.
A beautiful rustic barn with the old Sussex oast
feel still emanating through the brick walls and
wooden floors. A blank canvas; it was perfect.
An idyllic Sussex wedding
after all
The beautiful Sussex venue of Swallows Oast we
had found has become so incredibly special to us.
The graceful, countryside church of St. Mary’s
now this amazing location that would give us
this warm tingly feeling every time we saw its
steeple poking out over the top of the delicate,
little village below. My Sussex wedding, that I
had never even ever imagined would happen, had
now become a reality; an incredible adventure I
couldn’t wait to embark upon.
You can do all the research in the world and
plan your day down to the letter for as long as
you like, but sometimes the unexpected can
swoop in and change everything. Sometimes
it’s just a feeling but maybe if it’s meant to be,
everything else just falls into place. Here’s to
our special day; our simplistic, yet beautiful,
special day to celebrate our relationship and
the incredible life we have built together in the
heart of beautiful Sussex.
18 | sussexexclusive.com 19

Planning your wedding journey
All images
© Sophie Ward
Congratulations to all you newly
engaged couples out there in
Sussex and if you are just starting
out on your wedding planning
journey, you will be pleased to
know that you won’t have to go far to get all
the answers you need!
In Sussex we have amazing wedding venues,
churches and registry offices along with some
of the country’s best sparkling wines and
plenty of award-winning food that is prepared
by first class chefs.
One of the first things to do when you start
planning your wedding is to work out what
kind of wedding you want? This is such a
personal day as you want it to reflect both of
your characters. Do you want to keep it small
and exclusive or do you want to throw a
massive party and invite the world.
I’ve been photographing weddings for a few
decades, and I can tell you that when you
are standing there in front of each other,
repeating your wedding vows there is no
difference from a couple who are having a
castle wedding to the couple who are having a
back garden wedding, you are just completely
in the moment of getting married and being
in love.
So plan a wedding which is just for you both
and nobody else. You can start by asking
yourself “what’s my favourite time of year
for a wedding?” Then selecting your venue,
registry office or church will help determine
your wedding style and vibe. From there you
can book your style of photographer, cake,
band or DJ.
There is so much wedding choice in Sussex
for all budgets, weekday weddings are
traditionally less expensive than a weekend
wedding, having an afternoon ceremony
will reduce costs as you can go straight into
the meal instead of having canapés and
drinks. You can save money on wedding
decor by having a Christmas wedding, as the
venue will probably have their Christmas
decorations and tree up.
2023 wedding trends are going to be floaty
and fun, I’m hoping to see more feathers
on the wedding outfits including shoes, and
the retro wedding cake is in - think 1970s
swags and tails on a cake! My favourite
trend for 2023 is embroidered details like
your wedding date or monogram, it could be
on your veil or socks. Having that personal
touch is priceless.
Pictured are recent 2022 weddings that took
place in Sussex, by Sophie Ward.
e Congratulations e
www.sophiephotos.com/Weddings
Visit my website www.sophiephotos.com
07973 725886
Find me on FaceBook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
20 | sussexexclusive.com 21

to your fiancé. What is non-negotiable and what
could you compromise on? You don’t necessarily
need all the detail mapped out at this stage just a
big picture view of what your special day should
be like.
Talk money
While you’re thinking about family and friends,
don’t forget to put together a team of helpers.
Whilst you may want to do the majority of
organising yourself, having a trusted few to
delegate to either during the planning stage or on
the big day can really help ease the strain. Just be
clear who is doing what.
Wedding Planning
There’s a shiny ring on your finger,
a skip in your step and a slightly
panicky feeling in your stomach! After
the first glow of excitement, the idea
of planning and pulling off a wedding
can feel a little overwhelming. Where to start?
How to start? What needs to be done and when?
How are you going to pay for it all?
Whether you’re a spreadsheet lover, a delegator
or a head in the sand until the last-minute style
planner, get started and get ahead with the
following big-ticket items and the detail will start
to fall into place.
The First Six Steps
Talk style
What’s the wedding dream? The pair of you with
a couple of friends on a beach in the Caribbean?
150 guests watching you walk down the aisle in
a beautiful church while you wear a full wedding
train? Hay bales and scenic shots, or cityscapes
and a cocktail style dress?
Choosing the style of your wedding is one of the
best parts of your planning so start early and enjoy
the process. Hang out on social media channels
to get ideas, buy wedding magazines, browse
wedding boutiques, create a mood board and talk
© Sophie Ward
It’s not romantic talking about money but it is
essential. Wedding costs can very quickly run
away with you, and you do not want to start
married life in debt. Check to see whether parents
or family members will be contributing (and
how much) and then set a realistic budget. You
need to budget for ceremony costs, reception
costs, the dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses and
men’s suits, rings, flowers, food and drink,
photography, music, invitations, cake, transport,
bridal accessories, hair and make-up, and the
honeymoon. But even if you’ve costed in all these,
there will still be a dozen little extras that you
think of along the way so leave a little space in the
budget for those.
Get a broad brush idea of the likely cost of the
most expensive items – that gorgeous, all-inclusive
manor house for example, and work out what’s
doable and what’s not. Get creative about ways
you can save on some items to splash a bit more
on others. Time spent on setting a budget will be
time well spent.
Create a checklist
Even the smallest wedding involves quite a lot of
detail and you really, really don’t want to forget
anything. From the little things like wedding
favours and confetti to booking the band or
deciding on the groom’s shoes, have a working list
which you can add items to as you think of them,
and which has a “to be done by” date column.
Team talk
Of course you and your partner should be at
the very centre of the big day, but that doesn’t
mean there’s no once else to think about. Family
politics can make for complicated decisions.
Who do you want to play the key roles on the
day … bridesmaids, best man, who will walk you
down the aisle, who will sit on the top table? For
some, this will be easy but for others, this can be
a really sensitive area. Honest conversations, had
early are best. Knowing your budget and the
style of wedding you want can help too. If you
haven’t got the budget for all seven step sisters to
be bridesmaids, it may make explaining why you
haven’t asked them easier.
Finding a venue
Just because your dream venue is out of budget
doesn’t you can’t have a dream venue. Sussex has
some amazing places and these days you can get
married in all sorts of unusual venues. With an
idea of your style, a little creativity may result in
a venue that is affordable and even more perfect
than your original choice. But don’t forget, when
we talk about venue, you will often need two!
One to get married in and one for the reception.
If you’re having two venues, think about transport
and journey times between the two.
Once you have decided, check the terms and
conditions carefully and book as early as possible
to get your ideal date. You need to book at least a
year in advance.
Choosing the photographers
What to book first - venue or photographer? Most
people book the venue first because that informs
other decisions like the date. That said, it doesn’t
have to be linear, and an experienced wedding
photographer may have some suggestions about
venues that you haven’t considered.
Your wedding theme may well have already
informed the type of photography style you want
but it’s still worth doing some research online.
There are so many different styles, from reportage,
vintage and black and white, to bright colours or
a mixture of all these. Then speak to at least three
photographers and ask for examples of different
styles. A good wedding photographer will always
want to spend time with you so that they can get
an understanding of what you’re about and this in
turn will help you get an idea of what’s right for
you.
You’ll need to book your wedding photographer
at least 9 or 10 months in advance and make sure
you discuss fees and what exactly will be included.
What time will your photographer arrive and leave
on the day, how many photos will you get, what
about video and what about an engagement shoot?
Great! You’ve ticked off some of the big decisions.
Now, you’ve got the best part of a year to make
those all-important detail decisions – dress,
flowers, cake, etc.! Enjoy the journey.
22 | sussexexclusive.com 23

If you are a bride seeking opulent finishing
touches to your wedding outfit, then
look no further than the Garter & Veil
Boutique who offer the latest in luxury
handcrafted accessories from award
winning designer Gemma Victoria Burdfield.
From dazzling celestial crowns, delicate
botanical hair combs or unique wedding veils,
these are pieces to personalise and treasure.
Nestled in the bustling market town of
Storrington the boutique offers an eclectic
mix of limited collections with exclusive
designs that evoke classical elegance whilst
remaining contemporary.
Sustainable style
Embracing slow and sustainable fashion, each
piece is made to order in the atelier studio
space. You can often glimpse veils being sewn
or delicate jewellery being constructed when
passing the full height windows of the historic
high street building. No two pieces are identical,
and this means every piece is entirely unique to
each bride.
© Soulfiephotography
© Soulfiephotography
Unique designs
The covetable designs are thoughtfully
considered for wearability, comfort and
longevity of style with each collection including
statement crowns, intricate head pieces and
detailed hair vines, beautifully coordinated with
earrings and pieces suitable for your bridal party.
The brand also offer a selection of luxuriously
embroidered and hand-embellished veils which
have been created to be worn independently or
matched with pieces from the collection.
Exclusive designs
in the heart of
West Sussex
Award winning, handcrafted accessories for your special day
A very personal service
Beyond the designs available in the boutique
and online, Gemma offers a one-to-one
consultation service to discuss your ideas
and requirements for a couture design.
Accessories can be made to express your
unique style and personality and this is
particularity true with veils.
Gemma can create your veil to include
personalised embroidery - names, wedding date
or hand drawn illustrations as an example or to
a specific length or colour, the limits are only
your imagination.
This service is not limited to brides and is
equally suited to those wanting accessories for
the races, proms or special events.
A rare treasure
Designer and founder Gemma graduated with a
Fashion & Textiles degree from the prestigious
Winchester School of Art and after a lengthy
career in the luxury design sector has honed her
skills to specialise in a fully bespoke service.
Having featured in the leading wedding blogs and
international press Garter & Veil have enjoyed
working with brides worldwide to create treasured
items for their wedding day.
It’s a rare treasure to find such a unique creative
business outside of London and one not to be
missed for lovers of couture fashion.
To book an appointment visit
garterandveil.com or call 01903495364
24 | sussexexclusive.com 25

Catherine’s Bridal
Wedding dress shopping with a conscience
At a time when the cost of
living is pinching our wallets,
and shopping sustainably is
increasingly popular, a new
wedding dress shop has opened
at the perfect time.
In the heart of Horsham’s town centre,
Catherine’s Bridal opened in February and sells
a huge array of pre-loved wedding dresses and
occasion wear at incredible prices, starting from
just £100 for stunning gowns.
Catherine’s Bridal is situated within
St Catherine’s Hospice’s new flagship store, in
Horsham’s Carfax, one of the charity’s 14 shops
across West Sussex and Surrey.
The new central location of Catherine’s Bridal
is perfect for attracting brides-to-be to find
‘the dress’. The new larger store, which was
previously located in Horsham’s Bishopric, has
given new life to the unit that was once the
town’s Post Office, making it much more visible
for passers-by.
The shop has made a showstopping feature of
its Catherine’s Bridal section. The wedding area
has its own look and feel with a large changing
room, helping brides to have the space they
need to find their perfect dress.
There are styles to suit every bride, including
vintage, ball gown, cocktail, classic and corsets,
and all of them are better for the environment and
better for your bank balance!
The new store sells a large selection of occasion
wear – ideal for mothers-of-the-bride, flower girls,
page boys, bridesmaids and wedding guests. For
the all-important accessories, the shop sells a large
range of hats, fascinators, shoes and bags, to put
the finishing touches to any outfit.
With prom season just around the corner
Catherine’s Bridal is also a great place for students
to purchase a beautiful, affordable and sustainable
black-tie dress with prices starting from £10!
All the money raised through Catherine’s Bridal
helps St Catherine’s to care for around 2,000
people every year who are living with a terminal
illness in West Sussex and East Surrey. The charity
provides expert care and support in its hospice in
Crawley, in people’s own homes or in care homes.
Eight in ten people cared for by St Catherine’s are
supported in the comfort of their own home.
You can follow Catherine’s Bridal on social media
– just follow @catherinesbridalstore on Facebook
and Instagram for all the latest news and pictures
of the stunning range of dresses available.
Catherine’s Bridal is situated at
15 Carfax, Horsham RH12 1ER
Tel: 01403 273208
26 | sussexexclusive.com 27

Getting the
Do’s and Don’ts
of Pre-Wedding Beauty
Treatments Right
Booking a facial a few days before
your wedding in an attempt to
revitalize your skin could be a
big mistake if you have not had
the treatment done before! And
did you know that there is a list of Do’s
and Don’ts for planning ‘the essentials’
of your pre-wedding beauty treatments?
Amy Walter, owner of Horsham based KA
Beauty and creator of the Nude Goose
skincare range, has shared her do’s and
don’ts, tips and expertise on how to make
sure that you ‘glow from within’ on your
wedding day.
So how far ahead should you
really plan to get body beautiful?
Skin takes at least 28 days to regenerate. To give
your skin the best chance of having that glowing,
healthy look, it needs a chance to respond to
treatments before that last minute push. So,
by having a treatment every four to six weeks
during the months leading up to your wedding,
your skin has a chance to regenerate, old cells
can be exfoliated and dullness or breakouts can
be prevented. And the earlier you start a good
at-home skin care regime, the more rewards you
will reap.
Don’t: Risk a quick fix
Everyone’s skin is different, and your treatment
should be customised to your needs, so try to avoid
a generic option. In addition, during the more
stressful pre-wedding days, your skin can be more
sensitive and react differently. So, don’t try new
products or treatments in the weeks before the
wedding, as it could take some time for a reaction
to subside and for your skin to recover fully.
Do: Book a series of facials
Facials are suitable for every skin type and
monthly facials will help with skin luminosity,
hydration, tone and breakouts. Amy’s facials only
use 100% natural and hand-made Nude Goose
skincare products and a custom blended face mask
that she creates for each client.
The relaxing, pampered experience is perfect for
creating a little me-time. Her facials open the pores
and include face exfoliation, extraction to remove
blackheads, a facial steam, a mask, a hand and arm
massage while the mask is on, and a face, neck and
shoulder massage before the cream. Pure bliss!
She advises that you have your last facial the week
before the wedding and to just have a hydrating
mask the day before instead.
Do: Choose your skincare
products carefully
The products you use and any treatments you
have, should be tailored to your skin’s specific
needs to reduce any sensitivity risks. Having
experienced bad skin reactions herself, Amy, who
suffered with acne began making her own natural
and oil-based skincare to help heal and balance
her skin, prompting her to create her own 100%
natural range.
Already recognised in and around Horsham as a
forerunner and specialist in beauty treatments,
Amy Walter joined forces with Mark Clover from
Sussex Marketing to create and launch ‘Nude
Goose.’ Every ingredient in the skincare range has
a purpose and a benefit. And, passionate about
doing right by Planet Earth, the Nude Goose
range is 100% natural, cruelty free and ‘nude’ with
no preservatives or chemicals, making it kinder to
the skin.
There are currently three ranges, with more
products now under development. The
Calming range is designed for people with dry
or sensitive skin, the Radiance range is ideal for
people with oily / combination skin, or those
prone to breakouts, and the Skin Boost range,
packed with antioxidants to help fight the signs of
ageing, is for all skin types.
Don’t: Forget your back and
shoulders
So the dress … unless it is Victorian in style with
a high neck and long sleeves, some skin will be on
show. But, making it look glowing and healthy
before the benefit of a sun-drenched honeymoon,
most likely means a little work. And what better
way to achieve this than with a massage.
A massage is the most obvious relaxation treat and
great for emotional well-being too. It banishes
stress, relaxes the body and is the perfect antidote
for managing pre-wedding tensions. And, with a
Nude Goose back scrub, mask and massage, you can
minimize back spot break outs, slough off dull dried
skin and revitalise your skin at the same time!
Do: Remember the finishing
touches…
The ‘must haves’ to complete the titivation is to take
care of your brows, lashes and nails.
There are many treatments to keep eyebrows and
eyelashes looking great for the big day. Amy suggests
henna, which offers a natural shape and stain to add
more brow definition, or lamination to give a fluffy
brow look. For some, she also recommends lash lifts
which give the illusion of longer lashes, as they will
open the eyes up for the photos too.
Last but not least your nails. Your hands will be
in the spotlight on the big day, so your hands and
feet, should look and feel amazing. Enjoy a natural
manicure and pedicure, or have your nails adorned
with creative Gel nails before your treatment ends
with Amy’s relaxing hand massage.
And finally…
Do: Try Nude Goose
When it says hand-made in West Sussex, that is
exactly what it is. Amy and Mark prepare each item
in the range in small batches, before filling each pot
themselves.
Not a name to easily forget, it was stumbled upon
whilst having some fun trying to think of a name
explained Mark. “We love that nude is a play on
naked and it fits well as our products are free from
nasties and preservatives.”
To contact Amy Call 07311 290623 or email
amy@ka-beauty.com. To learn more about
the Nude Goose skincare ranges go to:
www.nudegoose.co.uk
28 | sussexexclusive.com 29

Brighton Bandstand
Between April and September, you can get
hitched right on the seafront in the beautiful
Victorian Brighton Bandstand. This ornate
Brighton landmark was completely restored
in 2009.
The Bandstand has capacity for 50 people
seated, with an additional 30 people standing
and can be dressed for you by the official
Bandstand dressing contractor. Basic chairs
without covers and a table for the registrar are
provided and ceremonies can take place on
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
To book the Bandstand please
email eventsinfo@brighton-hove.gov.uk
To book a registrar please email
ceremonies@brighton-hove.gov.uk
A vineyard wedding
Mannings Heath Golf and Wine Estate near
Horsham in West Sussex has views across the
500-acre estate which includes a vineyard, golf
course and lake.
© Adam Farrell
from Pixabay
Where
to
Wed?
A truly rural wedding
Set in 8 acres of beautifully maintained
grounds, head to Sussex Rural Events for a
quintessentially country wedding. With ample
room for a marquee for larger parties and
a barn suitable for a small wedding, there’s
also a stunning lake and a gorgeous pergola
which lights up in the evening with a variety
of colours. Perfect for those all-important
romantic wedding photos.
Guests can gather round the stone fire pit and
with an outside bar area this is a really flexible
venue where you can also organise your own
suppliers (with prior approval).
Situated not far from Brighton and Henfield at
Woodmancote, West Sussex.
The 17th century mansion house features
original fireplaces, wooden beam ceilings and
ornate chandeliers. There are two function rooms
licensed for wedding ceremonies, Goldings and
the Latilla Campbell Suite, with a capacity of 30
to 110 guests and extensive outside terraces for a
drinks reception for up to 200 people.
The estate offers a choice of set three-course
wedding breakfast options and hascapacity
for 150 guests for an evening reception. It is
licensed for drinks service and music until
midnight, with the option of an extension
until 1:00 am.
For further information visit:
www.manningsheath.com/weddings
Photos:
© Unveiled
Photography -
Mannings
Four fabulous Sussex
weddings venues from the
unusual to the sublime
Sussex Rural Events Company
Contact details:
Email cebvintage@hotmail.co.uk
or call 07767 621 376.
A lakeside view
How about getting hitched or hosting your
wedding reception at a boat house on the
edge of stunning Bewl Water, a beautiful open
water lake in the heart of the High Weald
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Photos:
© Unveiled
Photography -
Mannings
The team here is licensed to host both the
ceremony and reception and can lay on a 3
course set menu wedding breakfast, evening
buffet for all daytime guests and canapés and
a glass of prosecco for the drinks reception.
For more information, contact
info@Bewlwater.co.uk.
Or visit: www.bewlwater.co.uk
30 | sussexexclusive.com 31

No swinging watches
or clucking chickens!
How Hypnotherapy can help your wedding day nerves.
For more information check out Steve’s website
www.stevehypnotherapy.co.uk
or email him on
info@stevehypnotherapy.co.uk
The build-up and planning for a wedding is huge and the excitement of
it all coming together can be thrilling. But, it is often a stressful time
too for the bride, groom and all involved.
Having some wedding nerves on the day is pretty predictable, but those
anxious feelings can sometimes become overwhelming. It is then that the
many expectations of others, and those that you put on yourself, along with
the fear of messing up vows, or being the centre of attention, can take over
what should be one of the happiest days of your life.
So, what is hypnosis and how can it help?
Steve Thoreau-Leigh is a Clinical Hypnotherapist based in Southwater.
Banishing the myths and misunderstandings often formed from seeing
live TV hypnotic shows, he spoke to Sussex Exclusive to explain how
hypnotherapy helps so many enjoy their wedding day to the full.
And his first words, “Hypnosis is not all about swinging watches. And no
clucking chickens are involved!”. So, where do you go from there?
Hypnosis is a process where you are in control at all times. In a clinical
hypnotherapy session you move into a state of altered awareness, a
deep state of relaxation, during which your subconscious mind is more
open and receptive to new ideas and suggestions. During this time, the
hypnotherapist works with you to re-frame those beliefs that cause you
concern. At a wedding, this may be giving a speech, or even just standing in
front of everyone.
Hypnosis helps to change your mindset and behaviours. It alters your
perception of your fear, and helps to create a new way for your subconscious
to respond. A sense of calm and clarity can be instilled to replace the worry
and angst.
Under hypnosis your therapist sets an ‘anchor’ that can trigger the memory
response of good, calm and happy, banishing the worry as it comes into
effect. Always simple and discreetly activated, like the action of squeezing
your thumb and forefinger together, no-one will know!
And the speeches …
Aside from the couple getting married, those targeted with delivering
speeches such as the best man and father of the bride may also have the
added pressure of public speaking. But the heartfelt speech they envision is
possible with a hypnotherapy confidence boost using visualisation techniques
and ego strengthening.
Hypnotherapy can be carried out in person or over zoom. It works quickly
and most clients need just two to three sessions to reap the benefits.
Bubbles & Botanicals is a Sussex
sparkling wine and craft gin event,
being held at stunning South Lodge on
the 25th November 2023.
Sussex is now on the world stage with
its award-winning wines and gins, and
this is a rare chance to meet a number
of local producers.
• Try and taste superb local sparkling
wine and gins.
• Learn more about the vineyards and
distilleries.
• Speak to the growers, winemakers
and distillers who each have their
own unique story to tell.
• Buy wines straight from the
producers for the festive period
and beyond.
at South Lodge
With more than 15 stalls representing
some of the best sparkling wine
producers and gin makers from Sussex
and the surrounding areas, there will
be samples and event-only deals for
ticketholders.
Bubbles & Botanicals is the perfect
opportunity to get together with
friends, stock up on Christmas
supplies, enjoy some great local wines
and learn more about the Sussex wine
and gin industries.
There are limited special VIP tickets
available for £20. Standard Early bird
tickets are on sale now for just £12.50.
A celebration of Sussex Sparkling Wine & Gin
Saturday Afternoon - 25th November 2023.
1 pm to 5.30 pm
South Lodge, Brighton Road, Horsham RH13 6PS
Book your ticket today
www.bubblesandbotanicals.net
32 | sussexexclusive.com
33

An auspicious
wedding
Janine Lowe talks about Chinese weddings and
auspicious dates, colours and flowers
As the focus this month in Sussex
Exclusive is on weddings, I thought I
would share my experience of a Chinese
wedding I went to in Bangkok.
Chinese weddings are planned around an
auspicious month. In this case, the groom was
born in the month of the Rat (December) and
auspicious months for Rats to marry are January,
August and December.
The bride chose traditional, auspicious Chinese
flowers in her wedding bouquet like peonies which
represent wealth and prosperity with a sprinkle of
orchids as these symbolise fertility and abundance.
At the reception there were hundreds of Chinese
lilies which symbolise the union of two people.
Before I went to the wedding, I asked for a
wedding list to give me some idea what to give
them. The Chinese do not generally give a gift but
instead a red envelope is placed beside your plate
in the celebrations, and you are asked to place
money in it and give it to bride and groom.
The wedding I went to was attended by at least
two hundred people so the queue to hand our
little red envelopes over was huge, but everyone
was smiling and loved the fact they could try their
English out on me.
The wedding will always stay with me as one
of those memories which was beautiful and
inspiring but as a Feng Shui consultant an
absolute gold adventure.
Auspicious colours
In China, the bride and groom get married twice.
For the first wedding the bride chooses a red dress,
which was stunning. Red represents prosperity and
good luck. She changed in the evening to a blue
dress which represents stability and harmony.
The bridesmaids, and there were eight of them, wore
gold dresses which represents wealth and prosperity,
and they carried sunflowers as their bouquets, which
symbolize happiness and prosperity.
As you can see in a Chinese wedding everything is
about using the most auspicious colours, flowers,
and the right date to get married.
They also had a tea ceremony which was so touching
to watch and was to bond their love for each other
and to enhance the longevity of their marriage.
Choosing your wedding dates
If you know your Chinese animal here are some
months that are auspicious for you to marry:
Rat – January, August and December, avoid June.
Ox – May, June and September, avoid July.
Tiger – June, October and November, avoid
August.
Rabbit – March, July and October, avoid
September.
Dragon – May, August and September, avoid
October.
Snake – January, April and September, avoid
November.
Horse – February, July and October, avoid
December.
Red is the colour
But it didn’t end there as on the tables in front of
us was a gift from the bride and groom in a red
envelope were Chinese chopsticks engraved with
their names and wedding date. This symbolizes a
long and happy marriage.
Goat – March, June and November, avoid
January.
Monkey – April, May and December, avoid
February.
Rooster – April, May and August, avoid March.
Dog – February, June and November, avoid April.
Pig – March, July and October, avoid May.
Janine is a
classically trained
Feng Shui
consultant in the
arts of Bazi, Flying
Stars, Auspicious
Dates, Qi Men Dun
Jia and I Ching.
www.janinelowe.co.uk
@nudegoose
34 | sussexexclusive.com 35

FOOD
FOOD
Sticky chilli chicken
with rice and crispy kale
Vanessa Jamieson shares a supper club favourite
Chillish ® & Sussex
Charmer Bites
This recipe is one of my
“go to” favourites when
feeding a crowd and is
always a winner! Juicy,
sweet and with a hint of
chilli, these chicken thighs
and crispy kale make a
warming combination and
it is perfect for a mid-week
friends supper club. This
feeds six hungry guests,
although it is so moreish,
don’t expect any left for
lunch the next day!
These are quite simply, delicious. Sussex Charmer is a wonderful match as it is
smooth enough not to overpower the rich flavours of Chillish®, yet it is creamy
and decadent.
These are quick to make and you can substitute the bread for mini French stick slices or
a gluten/wheat free alternative.
This recipe makes between 15 – 20 depending on how many discs each slice of
sourdough gives you.
Ingredients:
½ tsp Chillish® Gubbins per canape
50 g Sussex Charmer cheese (grated)
A good quality sourdough loaf (sliced)
Chives (to garnish)
Black pepper
You will need: A cookie cutter
(or a Champagne glass)
You’ll find more recipes and where to buy
Chillish® Gubbins at: pollyannaskitchen.co.uk
Method:
• Preheat the Grill to 200c.
• In batches, toast five slices of sourdough bread. When nicely
toasted and firm, place on a chopping board and cut as many
discs as you can. Place these on a baking tray.
• Place ½ a teaspoon of well-drained Gubbins on each bread disc,
then lightly sprinkle with Sussex Charmer cheese.
• Place under the grill for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted.
• Serve hot on a platter with a few generous crunches of black
pepper and any remaining grated cheese.
• Garnish with a few strands of chive.
Ingredients
50 g unsalted butter
2 finely sliced onions
400 g basmati rice
800 ml chicken stock
12 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
Olive oil
1 large bag of kale
8 tbsp or 120 ml sweet chilli sauce
8 tbsp or 120 ml runny honey
2 crushed garlic clove
Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Method
• Heat the oven to 180 degrees, fan assisted.
• Cut the thighs into large pieces and fry in a generous glug of olive oil
until golden and cooked through – this will take around 15-20 mins
because of the quantity or you may prefer to do this in two batches.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat, then slowly fry the
onions for around 10 mins until they start to caramelise. Stir in the
basmati rice, then pour in the chicken stock. Let that come to the boil
and then cover it with a lid (or tin foil if using a large baking tin like I
did), then turn the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the
stock is absorbed by the rice. Remove from the heat and cover it to keep
warm.
• Spread the kale onto a large baking tray, drizzle it with a tbsp or so of
olive oil and season with sea salt. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes or until
starting to crisp and blacken at the edges.
• Mix the sweet chilli sauce, runny honey, 6 tbsp or 90ml water, garlic and
ginger. Season, then stir into the chicken. Turn the heat to high and stirfry
the chicken for another 3-4 minutes or until the sauce is thick and
coating the chicken.
• Layer the kale on top of the rice and pour the chicken and sauce over the
top, sprinkling with the toasted sesame seeds to finish and serve the dish.
36 | sussexexclusive.com 37

FOOD
DRINK
Cocktail Hour
Welcome to our Sussex cocktail corner with our very own
creations by cocktail goddess and lover of all things Sussex,
Sophie Bradshaw.
Zesty Lemon Crunch
Dig into our easy to make pudding from the Horsham Gingerbread Bakehouse
This pudding is like a cheesecake without the cheese, but with a softer, creamier topping
than a traditional cheesecake. If you use Horsham Gingerbread biscuits for the base, it
will also be gluten free.
This pudding is not as firm as a cheesecake
– more of a slightly sloppy, tiramisu type of
texture, so servings will not be perfect looking
slices, but they will taste delicious!
You can find out more about the Horsham
Gingerbread Bakehouse here:
www.horshamgingerbread.co.uk
Ingredients:
For the base
1 x 175 g packet of Sweet Sussex Thins (or Sussex
Gingerbread Thins or Sussex Lemon Puddle
Thins)
50 -100 g butter (salted or unsalted)
For the lemon topping
300 ml double or whipping cream
1 x can condensed milk (397 g)
4 x lemons
Finishing touches (if you want to)
Strawberries or grated dark chocolate
Method:
• Crush the biscuits and mix with melted butter. For a crumbly
biscuit base use 50 g butter, for a more solid base (could be a bit
challenging when eating!) use more butter.
• Line your greased dish (about 8-inch diameter) with the biscuit
mixture. You could use a loose bottomed cake tin if preferred. Chill
this base in fridge.
• Either remove zest from the lemons and chop it finely or grate off
the zest if you like hard work.
• Cut the lemons in half and juice them. Strain the juice.
• In a large bowl whip the cream until firm peaks form.
• Fold into the cream the condensed milk, and lemon zest.
• Slowly add the lemon juice – mix carefully. The mixture will begin
to firm up a little.
• Pour the lemon mixture onto the chilled biscuit base and return this
to fridge.
• Once the pudding is thoroughly chilled (a couple of hours) either
serve it up or decorate with strawberries, or grated chocolate.
Another option is to layer sliced strawberries between the base and
the lemon topping.
Rhubarb Spritz!
Ingredients:
25 ml Wiston Gin
50 ml rhubarb cordial
Bolney bubbly
Pour gin into a chilled, ice filled glass, stir in the cordial and
top with the fizz, garnish with rhubarb ribbons, a perfect pink
Spring treat!
White Rabbit!
Ingredients:
80 ml Wiston Gin
50 ml Amaretto di Saronno
50 ml double cream
1 tsp lemon curd
1/4 tsp vanilla paste
Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until well
frosted, strain into glass and garnish with edible flowers! Salut!
38 | sussexexclusive.com 39

DRINK
FOOD
The Great
Sussex Foodie
The
Spirit of
Sussex
Our pick of three Sussex
spirit makers
It definitely feels like more and more of us
want to use and enjoy local produce. And
with such great local producers and highquality
produce, why on earth wouldn’t we?
So, stand aside wine (just for a moment) and
let’s celebrate the spirits of Sussex.
Rumbustian Rum
Who doesn’t want their rum to come from the Old
Town of Hastings, with its history of pirates and
smugglers! Rumbustian are award winning makers
of small batch, handcrafted rum. They don’t use
artificial colourings or flavours and have zero plastic
in the wrapping seals and stoppers. Their bottles
are waxed dipped by hand and their hash tag is
#notjustforpirates. And if you’re in Hastings, you
may spot their very own mural!
Chilgrove Vodka
This is distilled using natural mineral water, filtered
through the chalky South Downs which surround
Chilgrove, together with a neutral spirit distilled
from grapes. This small batch vodka is also distilled
using traditional methods by an eighth generation
Master Distiller. It’s silky-smooth and Sussex
conceived and produced.
Spirit of the Downs
The Spirit of the Downs have a range of grape
based spirits using grapes grown by small batch
English sparkling wine producers in and around
the South Downs in Sussex. English wine and
spirits specialist Michael Yeoman uses traditional
production methods with a combination of both
indigenous wild and Champagne yeasts. After
distillation, the pomace from Spirit of the Downs
is used to fertilise the apple orchard at Trenchmore
Farm in Sussex.
40 | sussexexclusive.com Trenchmore Farm
41

FOOD
FOOD
Foodie Experiences
Ashdown Forage
If, like me, you have recently found
yourself increasingly more enthralled by the
mysterious world of foraging, then perhaps
it might be time to put down that book
identifying 100 wild fungi and gear up for
an expedition that will formally introduce
you to the wonders of nature. Ashdown
Forage, a company committed to the
challenge of getting more people outdoors
and interacting with nature knowledgeably
and respectfully, have all sorts of delights
in store for those wishing to learn about,
locate and sample wild foods. Run with
the expertise and experience of Iona Fraser,
a long-time forager and participant in
preparation and preservation projects,
Ashdown Forage have courses running
around Forest Row, Haywards Heath, Lewes
and Brighton. Especially thrilling, for those
with an eye towards spring and all of the
possibilities for the keen forager that this
promises, Ashdown Forage have a number of
expeditions organised, with places booking
up fast! Among them is an Easter foraging,
egg dyeing and wild picnic experience with
availability on the 9th April. For more details
contact iona@ashdownforage.com
Foodies Festival
For a Sussex food connoisseur, there is
perhaps no better place to go than the
Brighton Foodies Festival, which will be
popping up in Preston Park for a few days
over the May Bank Holiday weekend. With
a number of exciting events and activities
to get stuck into, the festival will feature
stalls, stage events, live music, eating tents,
competitions and fair rides - so no one will
be lost for things to do! As for the food, a line
up of chefs from diverse backgrounds have
been brought together to impart a number
of tips, talks and samples including but not
limited to: vegan bakers, cookery competition
winners, restaurant owners, food producers
and cooks specialising in around the world
cuisine. You’ll also have the opportunity to
sit back with one of your delicious purchases
and enjoy live music from notable music
artists Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Scouting for Girls
and Martin Kemp. To top off your visit,
head to the drinks theatre to sample some
new wines or cocktails and try some artisan
food samples. For tickets, visit the Early Bird
website.
www.foodiesfestival.com
Sussex producers
Trenchmore Farm
Just off of Burnthouse Lane near Cowfold, you
will find Trenchmore Farm, much to your good
fortune. They are a dedicated and exemplary
Sussex food producer, their specialties including
wagyu beef and homemade cider. Their
determination to cut down waste with their
farming techniques is especially noteworthy
- byproducts from animals and vegetation
alike service each other in a pleasantly cyclical
way: the apple pomace is used as part of the
cattle and chicken feed, straw from the wheat
becomes cattle bedding and the resultant
animal muck is spread on crop fields with a
view towards enriching the soil. They run an
‘apple swap’ each autumn which provides a
lovely way to share any abundant produce you
may find yourself with, in exchange for some
hearty cider and conversation. Their poultry
and cattle are put onto a rotation system of
field grazing to optimise their chances to root
around fresh grass and their supplementary
diets are varied and nutritionally dense,
resulting in those wonderfully orange yolks
found in good quality eggs. As for the cows,
they enjoy the apple pomace so much they
become almost giddy with happiness - hence
the creation of the name ‘Silly Moo Cider’!
They have an online shop linked to their
website should you want to purchase some of
their delightful produce, and they have a few
foodie events in the works come Springtime.
Why not head down there on April the 1st to
sample their sumptuous wagyu burgers and
cider to see for yourself what they’re all about?
Potters
Potters is a family run enterprise based in Selsey
and the perfect spot to hunt down if you’re on
the prowl for delicious, local and sustainable
shellfish options. Their fresh caught, hand
dressed crab and lobster platter is a particularly
popular offer of theirs and is selected for
the best possible quality for their customers.
Partnered with the expertise and experience
of brother fishermen, Chris and Mike, they
honour a sustainable approach with their
produce: Chris and Mike were actually winners
of the Shellfish Fishermen of the Year Award in
2021! Their prices are also routinely updated to
reflect market costs so that their customers can
always expect the best price for their purchase
and their seafood samplers and ‘dressed-toorder’
selection provide flexible options for
both the newly curious and longtime patrons.
42 | sussexexclusive.com 43

FOOD
Places to eat
The Mucky Duck Inn
Based in Tismans Common of
Rudgwick, the Mucky Duck Inn
has a reputation for its friendly
atmosphere, beautiful countryside,
walking spots and delicious,
traditional food. With owner
Roger and his dedicated team of
staff having assisted in serving
a community for going on 26
years, the pub exhibits the distinct
qualities of homeliness and warmth.
They boast a wide selection of real
ales and home-cooked food as
well as accommodate themed food
nights on a regular basis. Mexican
and curry nights are their most
popular and their home-baked
pizzas go down a treat. Family and
dog friendly and able to cater for
takeaways, parties or other special
occasions, they are well worth a
visit. Contact at
mucky_duck_pub@msn.com
Judith Dandy
Independent Funeral Director
Dandelion Farewells warmly invites you to contact us if
you have any questions about the funeral you need
to arrange.
The Jolly Sportsman
When an establishment is
considered to be one of the best
places to eat in Sussex in the
all-knowing AA guide of 2022-3,
the temptation to see what the
fuss is all about seems to become
insurmountable! Just a hairs
breadth from South Downs Park
in East Chiltington, this bed &
breakfast offers traditional and
live fire food, made with local and
seasonal produce and their menu is
routinely adjusted to optimise the
chance for adventurous individuals
to appreciate new dishes with
every visit. Their daily deliveries
of fresh caught Sussex fish along
with the meat produce they acquire
from neighbouring farmers, gives
their food a sustainable as well as
delicious quality, and their daily
made bread and extensive dessert
selection is certainly another pull
factor in this regard. Their highly
extensive wine list, curated to align
perfectly with their menu, can
best be enjoyed this spring and
summertime in the tranquil and
spacious garden. To contact, email
hello@thejollysportsman.com
We are committed to enabling families to plan a funeral
that is personal, meaningful and affordable.
We will support you to create a farewell that is appropriate
and unique, thereby taking away much of the strain of
planning such a significant event.
We will be with you every step of the way.
Church View, Billingshurst Road
Wisborough Green, West Sussex RH14 0DY
www.dandelionfarewells.com
e: judith@dandelionfarewells.com
t: 01403 701001 m: 07769 336022
44 | sussexexclusive.com
45

GARDENING
In the Garden
GARDENING
Multi-award winning Sussex gardener, Geoff Stonebanks, shares his
thoughts on what he loves most about his own garden at this time of the
year, along with some creative colouring ideas to use in your own plot for the
upcoming summer.
Left: Coronilla Gluca
in February
Top Right: Camellia
William Bartlett
Things to love about your garden
in the spring
I’m very fortunate in having an office in a loft
conversion that overlooks my back garden. The
view from my desk at this time of the year is one
that always provides much joy. I have a couple of
pairs of robins flitting around the plot that seem
to have been here for several years now. The robin
is, without doubt, one of our favourite garden
birds. It seems to trust us, staying close when
we’re in the garden and occasionally taking food
from our hands. You can see one I snapped, here
in the garden at Driftwood having scavenged for
food. That said, there are plenty of other birds in
the garden too.
One of the things I treasure most about my
garden are the days when amazing light streams
across it. This can be both in the early morning
when the light really transforms an otherwise
drab view into a dazzling and exciting one from
the office. Meanwhile the view from the bench in
the front garden often captures a really beautiful
sunset, one of many we’ve had in recent weeks,
across to Newhaven Harbour and the wind farm
out at sea.
Early beauties
Throughout the spring months, one plant in
my beach garden that I adore and one that
brings the front garden alive, outshining
everything else, is the amazing coronilla citrina
glauca. It does love full sun but other than that
I’d recommend if for any garden to provide
stunning colour at this time of year. This past
winter we’ve had the very worst gales in all
the time we have lived here but this incredible
plant just seems to ignore what is thrown at it
and is determined to shine, whatever as you
can see.
Perfect beauties for the early part of the year
are camellias, stunning to look at on a cold
grey spring morning. They are like magical
works of art brightening even the coldest
garden. The largest of mine came with me
from my garden in London. I’ve probably had
it now for over 25 years. It’s a guilio nuccio and
has the most beautiful delicate pink flowers.
I think my favourite though is a stunning
one called William Bartlett which has really
beautiful double flowers that are bi-coloured
with pink streaks.
46 | sussexexclusive.com 47

GARDENING
I am an avid collector of anything that will
brighten the garden up. Indeed, some might say
it resembles a scrap yard with its range of rusty
metal sculpture and arches. For me however,
they all bring a real sense of interest and ensure
there are still things I can appreciate and love,
when there is a real lack of colourful planting
out there. Take the umbrella piece you can see,
it was a Christmas present from my mother
a few years ago and it is an original Victorian
topiary frame. What’s not to love? Memories as
well as being practical.
GARDENING
Creative colouring in the garden
I’ve always said I’m a bit of an instant gardener, as
I want the area I’m creating or changing to look
like the image I have in my head, instantly.
To that end, I’ve always loved the description of
my being an artist and using the plants I choose
as the paint, very appropriate. This is something
many of my 22,000 visitors have said over the
years too. Back in 2017, one posted this review
on Trip Advisor after seeing the garden. “The
garden was a picture created by an artist - a delight
of colours, secret glades of surprise, intricacies
of fronds and leaves, inspiring and challenging,
completely enjoyable”.
Over the years, I have created many varied vistas
across the plot using containers, brimming with
summer annuals, or interesting objets d'art. I
have to confess though, that the older I get (I’m
celebrating 70 years in April), a reduction in pots
does help make the garden a little easier to look
after.
Central staples
One area I try to create impact is on the central
steps, pictured. I find that some of the most
inspiring plants, which enable you to create
a canvas of colour are the real staples of the
gardening world in the summer months. Two
that work well for me are geraniums and gazanias,
interspersed with some interesting foliage, like
bamboo or helichrysum gold and silver.
I tend to use the ever-popular geranium as an
individual statement plant in small terracotta
containers, placed in wire troughs or totally
interspersed with the other summer annuals in
larger containers or even the beds. The moneysaving
bonus here is that, if carefully cut back in
the autumn and stored over winter, many will
flower again the following year! The geranium is
especially useful in the dryer summer months too,
not requiring as much water as some of its fellow
plants. The best exposure for them is full sun in
the morning with light afternoon shade. High
summer heat can sometimes take its toll on these
plants. I’ve read that many common geraniums
stop blooming in sizzling weather, a condition
known as “heat check.” Worth remembering,
when deciding on where to locate them.
The eucomis or pineapple lily is another wonderful
statement plant to use in large containers, and
I’ve got three on the central steps, which stand
out well. They look very exotic, with their blooms
being crowned by a tuft of leaves, but they are,
in fact, very easy to grow. Try them in containers
on the patio and in the conservatory, or a sunny
border in the garden.
Finally, why not take another look at your
garden and see what you most enjoy about it
and while you’re out there, give some thought to
what you want to do to make it look its very best
this summer.
Geoff’s garden in Seaford will be open for visits,
by arrangement, from 1st June, through until the
11th August, details can be found on his website at
www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk
Top left: central
steps at Driftwood in
summer
Top right: Eucomis
at Driftwood
Left: Gazenia Tiger
Stripes
Middle: Geraniums in
vintage trough
Right: Victorian
topiary frame
sculpture
48 | sussexexclusive.com 49

Halnaker Windmill Trail
Just east of Chichester is the small hamlet of
Halnaker (pronounced Ha’naker). Here you’ll
find the Halnaker Windmill Trail – a 5 km walk
that takes in various points of interest. As you
come into the hamlet travelling west along the
A285, there’s a layby to your right. There’s also an
information board there but if the layby is full,
park in the village hall car park in Boxgrove, just
a little further down the road (after 1 km, turn
left after the Anglesey Arms) and then walk back.
Back at the layby, you’re on a section of Stane
Street, the old Roman road that runs from
Chichester to London. Leaving the A285 behind,
walk into Mill Lane and follow the path for just
over 1 km. It takes you through a famous tunnel
of trees which makes for great photographs and as
you break from the trees, you start the climb up
Halnaker Hill.
Balcombe Viaduct
3 Sussex walks and
dog friendly eateries
Grab the lead and your furry friend and head out into the
stunning Sussex countryside for a hearty walk followed by
Sussex refreshments
There has
been a
windmill
here since at
least 1540 as
part of the
Goodwood
Estate.
Halnaker Hill and Windmill
The top of Halnaker Hill is a Scheduled Ancient
Monument and it is the site of a Neolithic
earthwork structure. You’ll also see a little
building to the side which is a WW II “radio
direction-finding” structure and of course, you’ll
see the windmill. There has been a windmill
here since at least 1540 as part of the Goodwood
Estate.
It’s thought that the current structure was built
in the 1740s and it was still operating until 1905
when it was badly damaged by lightning. It was
restored in 1934 and again in 2004. It’s owned
by West Sussex County Council and is Grade II
Listed building.
The views from the top of Halnaker Hill are
worth the climb, and on a clear day, you can
see the Selsey Peninsula, the Isle of Wight,
Goodwood, West Dean and Upwaltham from
your 360 degree vantage point. Visit at sunrise
and it’s magical.
Boxgrove Man and Priory
As you retrace your steps down the hill, you’ll see
mention of Boxgrove Man on the information
board. This relates to human remains found at
Boxgrove and dated to about 480,000 years ago.
The remains include a piece of tibia and two
teeth. They were found in the 1990s.
From the layby cross the road and follow the
path across the field and round the edge of
the Tinwood Estate (more of that later). In
the distance you’ll see the impressive figure of
Boxgrove Priory. Owned by English Heritage,
these are the ruins of a Benedictine priory
50 | sussexexclusive.com 51

founded in about 1107, originally for just three
monks. The ruins are charismatic and again, there
are helpful information boards.
Boxgrove Priory
Tinwood Estate
Head back to the Tinwood Estate and make your
way to the tasting tooms. With seating inside
and out and views over the vineyards, enjoy a
sharing platter of local produce and a glass of
bubbles with your four-legged friend before you
head home. Pre-booking is advisable. Back at
Boxgrove, the Anglesey Arms is also dog friendly
and has a great seasonal menu.
Ardingly Kingfisher Trail
Ardingly Reservoir is on the edge of the village of
Ardingly and north of Haywards Heath, just off
College Road. There is parking at the reservoir
and there you’ll find the Kingfisher Trail.
The reservoir
Set in 198 acres of ancient, historic woodland,
Ardingly Reservoir was built in 1979 and is a
haven for wildlife. The 4 km Kingfisher Trail
takes you along the edge of the reservoir and
through woodland and a designated local nature
reserve. Along the route, there are 12-way
markers with information boards and this is a
great walk for wildlife lovers. However, dogs do
need to be kept on leads because of the birdlife.
Alternatively, if you want a longer walk, grab
Ordnance Survey Explorer 135 and with the
reservoir in front of you, bear left at the Activity
Centre. Follow the Sussex Ouse Valley Way for
about 1.5 km until you come to Borde Hill Lane
and the Ouse Valley Viaduct. The Ouse Valley
Viaduct (or the Balcombe Viaduct) carries the
London-Brighton main train line and was opened
in 1841. It’s Grade II Listed and is one of the
most notable and photographed landmarks in
Sussex.
Pass under the viaduct on the Sussex Ouse Valley
Way and carry on until you reach Cherry Lane
where you turn right. Follow Cherry Lane until
you come to a footpath on your right which
will take you back to Borde Hill Lane. Turn
left and then almost immediately turn right
down a private drive at Stone Hall. This will
lead you back to the reservoir via Balcombe
Place. Balcombe Place is another Grade II Listed
building built in 1856. It’s had various uses over
the years including as a home, a school and a care
home but following recent renovations, it is now
available for hire for exclusive private events.
Top
Beachy Head
Middle
Ardingly reservoir
This walk is about 7.5 km. The Activity Centre
has a café that is open in the summer but
alternatively jump back in your car and head to
the dog friendly Gardeners Arms, just north of
Ardingly on the B2028 to Turners Hill. This 17th
century pub has a garden, roaring fires and an
extensive menu.
Beachy Head Circular Walk
Follow the B2103 just west of Eastbourne and
signed to Beachy Head and park in one of the car
parks. Beachy Head has a great visitor centre and
a famous red and white lighthouse.
Lighthouses
The lighthouse became operational in October
1902 to replace the Belle Tout lighthouse a little
further west. From here, take the South Downs
Way along the top of the cliffs and head west. The
views are fantastic but keep yourself and your dog
well away from the edge. You’ll see the smaller
Belle Tout lighthouse just ahead and although
your path bears right and away from the South
Downs Way and follows the road, you might
fancy a quick detour up to the lighthouse (it’s a
steep climb). The Belle Tout became operational
in 1834 but is now available for overnight stays.
It’s also starred in a number of films.
Long Down
When you’re back from your detour, follow the
road until you see a bridlepath on the opposite
side of the road. You follow that until it bears
right at Cornish Farm and takes you along Long
Down. Long Down has fabulous views and will
take you back to the road where you parked.
Beachy Head
On the same road you’ll also find the dog friendly
Beachy Head pub. It has great views, you can sit
outside and they’ve made a commitment to be
net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
52 | sussexexclusive.com 53

Our Sussex Quiz
How Sussex are you? Test your knowledge with our quiz
1 What delicacy do you associate with
Selsey?
2 In former times what local dish was
‘hopping John’?
3 The Bluebell Vineyard Estates are in
Uckfield but where is the Bolney Wine
Estate?
4 As the saying goes: “The Chichester
lobster’s the lordliest dish” but what “of
Rye is the tastiest dish”?
5 Where are both the Michelin-star
restaurants called Isaac At and Amarillo
at Drakes?
6 What single piece of pastry around
cheap meat filling and topped with
breadcrumbs and cheese has been
made in the county since the 17th
century?
7 What delicacy do you associate with
Pulborough?
8 In former times what local pudding was
‘black-eyed Susan’?
9 Based in Lewes, which is the oldest
independent brewery in Sussex?
10 After which of the town’s delicacy is the
nickname of Arundel’s football club?
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56 | sussexexclusive.com
57

Marriage:
Pre-Nuptial
Agreements
Stuart Ritchie explores the often
contentious but equally important
pre-marriage consideration
Pre-nuptial agreements are always
a matter of great interest, both to
those who enter into them and to
those looking from outside in at the
arrangements individuals enter into, as
particularly reported in the national press.
Albeit written many years ago, there are lawyers
who berate the current provisions for resolving
financial differences in divorce with The Times
reporting an experienced solicitor who declared
the current law was a “gold-digger’s charter”
and that “any attractive women will now say,
Why should I work, when I can go down to
Tramp, find a likely candidate, and seduce him?
Following an unsuccessful marriage, he will
then turn his attentions elsewhere, but she will
receive a financial settlement to live the rest of
her life in luxury.” This jaundiced view is not
particularly helpful in a modern society and my
experience of individuals does not always result
in this outcome.
It is also the case, generally speaking, that it is
not in the interests of the financially weaker
party to agree to a pre-nuptial agreement. That,
however, has to be contrasted with the rights
of an unmarried party which are normally
extremely limited (especially in England). The
choice then becomes to remain unmarried with
little rights at all or to become married with a
pre-nuptial agreement that might be regarded as
“mean” but may also not be binding in law.
The advantages of planning
There are advantages to entering into a prenuptial
agreement prior to marriage, even if it
is seen as unromantic and causes conflict before
the marriage has commenced. The pre-nuptial
agreement may open up discussions as to the
intentions of the parties within their marriage, for
example how their married life together will look,
and also set reasonable expectations at the outset.
If however a couple cannot agree in advance the
financial arrangement if their marriage does not
work out, that may well be a sign as to the likely
success of the marriage itself.
Dealing with formalities, the essential ingredients
of a pre-nuptial agreement are that the couple
each receive independent legal advice and that
they each make financial disclosure that meets
the test of being a full and frank disclosure of
all assets and liabilities. In some “big money”
cases you will see a reduced disclosure but that is
usually where the wealthier of the couple can take
The pre-nuptial
agreement
may open up
discussions
as to the
intentions of
the parties
within their
marriage, for
example how
their married
life together
will look...
the view they can afford any order made against
them, or the parties agree (with advice) that
reduced disclosure is appropriate, for example
forsaking independent valuations of certain assets.
The overriding objective of a pre-nuptial
agreement must be fairness. Indeed that objective
can change over time as circumstances change.
For example, one of the couple may become
fantastically successful in business or, at the other
end of the spectrum, may find they can no longer
work. If a pre-nuptial agreement is prepared
on the basis of achieving fairness between the
parties, then there is a greater probability that if
the marriage fails, the terms of the pre-nuptial
agreement will have a significant bearing on the
financial settlement in the divorce and indeed the
agreement itself may be upheld.
The final word
The final word must be in relation to postnuptial
agreements. They can be useful
following a marriage where there is no prenuptial
agreement or as a means of varying a
pre-nuptial agreement reflecting either changed
circumstances or where the marriage is “on the
rocks” and they would like to know what will
happen to their wealth if attempts to save the
marriage prove to be unsuccessful.
Pre-nuptial agreements (and indeed post
nuptial agreements) will not be for everyone.
But where they are entered into, with fairness
being the central objective, with a full
appreciation of the facts (not forgetting any
international dimension), and with no undue
influence against one of the parties to the
marriage, they can be an important ingredient
to a successful relationship.
Stuart Ritchie is a chartered accountant and
chartered tax adviser with over 30 years
experience. He has been involved in preparing
the full and frank financial disclosures for both
pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements together
with undertaking the valuation of businesses and
providing taxation advice in divorce proceedings.
He is the founder and tax partner with Ritchie
Philips LLP based in Horsham and can be
contacted on 020 3195 1300 or
stuart.ritchie@ritchiephillips.co.uk.
Stuart is the chair of the ICAEW Tax Faculty
Private Client Tax Committee. He has direct
experience of securing CGT exemption for garden
and grounds sold for development.
58 | sussexexclusive.com 59

Bluebell walks, days out with family,
catching up with friends and special
occasions. They’re all good reasons to visit
The Chequers at Rowhook.
The Chequers at
Rowhook, West Sussex
Fine dining at a unique Sussex gastropub
Featuring in the AA, Michelin and
MasterChefs of Great Britain guides,
you’ll find a menu that offers a
contemporary take on classic British
and French-inspired cuisine, with every
dish freshly-prepared in the country kitchen.
The historic 15th century building sits on the
edge of ancient woodland and Stane Street (the
original Roman road to London) and just south
of the Sussex Border Path, a well-known local
walking trail.
The Chequers is perfect for a hearty lunch after a
long walk and inside you’ll find flagstones, roaring
fires on a cold day, beamed ceilings and a warm
welcome at the bar. With two restaurant areas, this
is where friends and family can come together to
enjoy a superb dining experience.
Outside, you’ll find plenty of space with a sunny
vine clad terrace and a large garden where you can
see the kitchen gardens and home grown produce.
Ideal for those long, lingering summer evenings.
And of course, The Chequers is dog friendly with
dog treats on the bar and water on request!
With extensive bar and A La Carte menus and
a world class wine menu, they can also cater
for food allergies and food intolerances. Their
menu changes seasonally but from their bar
menu you can expect the delights of risotto of
wild mushrooms with parmesan & white truffle
oil, Carpaccio of beef fillet with Porcini aioli
and crisp onion tuille and crispy confit duck on
mashed potatoes, with Savoy cabbage, French
beans, sherry vinegar & lentil du puy jus. And
why not finish with vanilla panna-cotta with fresh
strawberries and shortbread crumb or pavlova
of seasonal red berries and red berry coulis with
Chantilly cream?
With an outstanding reputation for fine food,
excellent wines and handpicked local ales,
The Chequers is one of the top Sussex foodie
destinations for 2023.
Booking is recommended. Plenty of parking
available.
Call now to book or to find out more:
The Chequers Inn
Rowhook Road, Horsham RH12 3PY
thechequersrowhook.com
01403 790480
60 | sussexexclusive.com 61

BOOKWORM
Writer’s Corner
Just because it looks like everyone is landing
their sixth book deal, or selling out
Waterstones, doesn’t mean they are.
BOOKWORM
This month I want to talk about the dreaded
disease Comparisonitis and, whilst this can afflict
many people in society, it can take root in a
writer’s soul far more than most (mainly because
we’re sensitive, hermit types).
The reality for most writers
Author and journalist, Lisa Brace, explains
how to cope with Comparisonitis
What is Comparisonitis?
Comparisonitis is the term I’ve coined for
whenever you go on social media, or attend a
writer’s meet up or bump into an author friend
and they tell you their latest piece of news. ‘I’ve
got an agent,’ ‘won a competition’, ‘been offered a
three book deal’.
Whilst you sit and listen to their wins, or in
the case of social media, attempt to either be
pleased for or scroll past the proclamations made
across your newsfeed, a part of you has that little
niggling thought. Why is my writing not good
enough to win a competition? Why don’t I have
an agent yet? How come I don’t have a mega
book deal?
It’s not you, it’s me
And then the even worse thoughts swoop in
straight after, ‘it’s because my writing isn’t good
enough’, ‘I’m not a real author’, ‘I can’t have
success without 10,000 followers’.
But why do we let these thoughts intervene?
On our writing retreats we often talk about
comparisonitis and regularly it’s the subject which
sparks the most attention and debate.
The problem is, like it or not, we’re human, so
we will feel envious of others’ successes and/or
want it for ourselves. The issue is with how the
news is presented.
Many of us will no doubt have spent time
deciding which photo we prefer of ourselves
to post on social media. In that respect we’re
cultivating a narrative about how we want the
world to see us.
When we read news from people, they’re
cultivating too.
When they tell us of their wins, they’re still
narrating a story to us, editing and chopping to
make themselves the hero. Why not? It’s their
story, they get to be the centre of attention.
But all that narration can lead to a skewed
honesty to what’s perpetuated online. We don’t
know of the struggles behind the keyboard.
I know the day I announced I’d been signed to
my agent, we’d been in discussions for a good
couple of months, but the narration would have
sounded like ‘sent out MS (manuscript), got
signed’. No mention of the 20 other rejections.
Or the hours of pacing waiting to find out if I
was going to get signed.
Likewise, an author pal of mine (see, even I’m
doing it, but in this case it’s not story spinning,
I do have a few author friends) who is really
matey with a super duper successful author was
dispelling what I’d seen as a total career win –
they were at number three in the WH Smith’s
charts – ‘it’s paid for,’ she explained cheerfully
over coffee, ‘the publishers pay for the place.’ Cue
scales falling from my eyes.
And yes, they’re a very successful author who sells
a lot of copies, so it’s no surprise the publishers
put their money behind that kind of horse. But
my point is, it’s not the total truth of what we see.
Be you
A healthier way of viewing other people’s
proclamations is to think ‘good for them’, but
then scroll past or cheerfully shake their hand,
knowing that they’ll admit to the reality at some
point (I once had another author pal tell me they
loathed their agent, but on Twitter it was a total
love fest).
And an even better way of dealing with
comparisonitis? Do your thing. Get your win.
It doesn’t have to be a six figure sum (though if
anyone fancies sending one my way, totally fine),
it could be ‘write three sentences today’, ‘enter a
competition’, ‘submit to five agents’.
Don’t be afraid to throw your hat in the ring.
Sure there’ll be rejections – it’s a writer’s lot I’m
afraid – but you won’t suffer with comparisonitis
quite so much, if you know you’re doing the best
for you.
Lisa Brace is an author and journalist and co-hosts
Sussex Writing Retreats with bestselling author
D.E White. Together the two guide writers to love
their work, and to not believe everything they read
online. Retreats take place across Sussex, for more
information go to
www.sussexwritingretreats.co.uk.
Comparisonitis
is the term
I’ve coined for
whenever you
go on social
media, or attend
a writer’s meet
up or bump into
an author friend
and they tell
you their latest
piece of news.
62 | sussexexclusive.com 63

BOOKWORM
Sussex
Writing Retreats
Calling all aspiring authors and writers
30th June to 2nd July 2023
THE PETWORTH PARK
ANTIQUES & FINE ART FAIR
THE MARQUEE
PETWORTH PARK
PETWORTH
W. SUSSEX
GU28 0QY
Adele Parks Steve November Saskia Leach
Aspiring authors looking for support
in their creative endeavours should
look no further than a three-day
writing retreat at Amberley Castle
in West Sussex at the end of June.
Described as the Jewel in the Crown of the
retreats, it will be run by local business, Sussex
Writing Retreats, with authors Daisy and Lisa,
along with a host of guest speakers which include
Adele Parks speaking on Saturday, Saskia Leach
(literary agent) speaking on Sunday and Steve
November (film producer) who will be available
for pitch to the producer on the Friday.
With the support of this wealth of talent, this is a
rare chance to learn how to craft your submission
package, work on your manuscript or even work
on something brand new. With a comprehensive
and 1:2:1 approach, everything you need is
covered. Spaces are always limited so that you can
spend time with the experts as well as take part in
thought provoking and fun exercises and advice.
Daisy, who has sold over 250,000 books, said:
‘We chose Amberley Castle because it’s tranquil but
also inspirational and the peace and space allows our
writers to clear their minds of their busy weeks and
tap into their creativity.’
Lisa, a journalist and author of three books soon
to be published, added:
‘A lot of writers come to us looking for advice as well
as a confidence boost in what they’re creating and
there’s a lot you can do in a day.’
Previous retreats, which have been held around the
county, have garnered much praise, with five-star
reviews.
One retreat guest, Leona, said:
‘What an inspiring retreat! If anyone is looking to get
their writing back on track, or perhaps get inspired to
start writing then this is the retreat for you.’
She added:
‘Their hugely knowledgeable feedback and
understanding of the publishing industry provided
me with boosted confidence to get out there and keep
on writing.’
To book a space, email
sussexwritingretreats@gmail.com or
call Lisa on 07719 112 064.
Treat yourselves to the very finest
antique, mid-century modern
and contemporary objects of
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19-21 MAY 2023
Friday 11.00 - 18.00
Saturday 10.30 - 18.00
Sunday 10.30 - 17.00
THE
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To request your complimentary invitation
for three please email SE@adfl.co.uk
01797 252030
www.petworthparkfair.com
64 | sussexexclusive.com 65

We talk to the ‘Nettle Man’ aka Allan Brown about this
incredible film and the importance it has for society
Allan Brown made a dress out of
nettles. It took him seven years
and his good friend, Dylan
Howlitt, filmed the process to
create a stunning and evocative
documentary. Meanwhile, the dress making
process sparked a movement in the form of
Nettles for Textiles (a Facebook group with 22,500
members) and Hedgerow Couture (Instagram).
The dress is finished but the journey for Allan
appears to have just begun.
How it all began
If you read the blurb, you would be forgiven
for thinking Allan, who lives in Brighton, had a
background in textiles. He’s described variously
as a textile artist and designer, but he wasn’t at
the beginning of the process. He had had various
professions, but he had never sewn, spun or woven
anything.
“Back in the 1990s, I was involved in some
environmental protests and more recently, I’ve been
a keen allotmenter because I was interested to learn
about growing your own food. One day, I was
walking on the South Downs twiddling with a nettle
stem and I started wondering whether it was possible
to make clothing out of nettles. Years ago, I was
shown how to make cordage out of nettle, so I knew
it had cord capabilities. I suppose simultaneously I
was starting to think about the increasing fragility of
international supply chains and what would happen
if we had to make our own clothes out of hyper local
materials. I knew how to grow food, but I didn’t have
the skills to make clothing.
The idea took hold, and I started looking for
information about sewing with nettles. If I’d found
the answers I was looking for at the time, the story
might have ended there. But I didn’t. So I started
experimenting. Everything I’ve done and created since
has been a process of trial and error and learning
from scratch.
At the same time, I set up the Facebook group, Nettles
for Textiles. And I must have inadvertently tapped
into something. I had no idea others were working
with nettles, but suddenly, people from around the
word started contributing to the group. And when
Dylan filmed a couple of my demonstrations, things
went viral.”
The medicinal benefits of
creativity
It was against this backdrop, that Allan suffered
two devastating losses: the death of his father and
the death of his wife, leaving him to grapple with
grief and raise a young family.
“This is where the process of making a nettle dress
became my medicine. When my wife died, it was as
if the nettles were primed to step in and they gave me
a skill and a purpose that was immensely therapeutic.
In amongst the chaos that is involved in bringing up
a family on your own, if I could get just 10 minutes
a day picking or processing the nettles, it helped my
mental health. They were little windows of medicine.
The spinning has served me so well over the years, just
being able to do something with my hands. I’ve been
asked how I kept going, but in fact, I couldn’t have
stopped. Dylan was a great motivation, but I needed
the process.
And although this started as a solitary pursuit,
I have found that it has become social and has
brought people together and connected them. There
are spinning groups and it’s a bonding experience,
but on a personal level, it’s also connected me to
many people.”
The emergence of a dress
Over the course of seven years, Allan would
gather nettles from the South Downs during the
summer and process them during the winter. He
explained there was no masterplan at the outset
but eventually he came to realise he needed to
create something from the material he was making
and so the idea of a dress immerged.
“My wife, Alex, was an amazing seamstress and
this seemed a natural homage. There was a lot of
experimenting with the weaving process and some of it
was daunting. For example, putting it all on a loom
for the first time and cutting the cloth. But I knew I
had to create something out of what I’d being doing.”
A lasting impact
The dress is now finished, and if you go to one
Allan’s talks, you can see it and touch it. He
doesn’t know how long it will last but when its
time is up, it is completely biodegradable. But in
the meantime, it has left a very tangible mark
on society.
“I’ve been winging it up until now and I don’t
know why I’ve been given this platform. But I guess
this has just touched a nerve. Nettles have been a
major source of fibre and cord for thousands of years
(although they probably saw their heyday in the
Bronze Age) and using materials like nettle, flax and
hemp is a model that has served humanity well. And
working in this slow way, definitely changes your
perspective on modern day convenient culture.
This alternative approach can also now provide an
avenue of creativity and an opportunity. Nettles grow
in abundance and thrive on human habitation. This
isn’t necessarily about going back to the old ways.
It’s about going forward with what we’ve learnt.
The idea that you can make your own clothes from
materials that grow within a limited radius of where
you live is going to become more important and we
need to fill the gaps that exist in our ability to create
things locally from local materials. So, I am not sure
what is next but yes, this seems to be the beginning of
my journey and not the end.”
There is a special
screening of the
Nettle Dress with
Q&As on the
26 March, followed
by two screenings
of the film on the
29 and 30 March at
Chichester Cinema
at New Park.
chichestercinema.org
66 | sussexexclusive.com 67

How to create
sustainable living
at home
Shaun Pentecost from Holmewood Interiors
explains how they’re working hard to create
more sustainable homes
care to source eco-friendly, sustainable material
and technology options, wherever possible. By
doing this, we help our customers to be proud
of their stylish and newly created rooms, in the
knowledge that they are helping to preserve
the earth’s resources and reduce their energy
consumption too.
Using sustainable materials
For kitchens, bedrooms and home offices, the
predominant natural material is wood. This
comes in many forms starting with solid wooden
boards and laminate worktops through to the
composite boards that are used in many cabinet
shells. We work closely with our manufacturers
to supply products sourced from FSC® and
PEFC accredited forests. These have the highest
environmental and wildlife standards, and
guarantee that all cut trees are replaced. With
some suppliers, up to 40% of the wood used in
the chipboard cabinets is recycled material.
Extending this to appliances, we look at the
impact the product’s materials have on the
environment, as well as the energy saving
benefits. Steel has a substantial carbon footprint
and is a product of the environmentally damaging
iron ore mining. As a result, many manufacturers
are now trying to use more recyclable materials
and components that include aluminium, glass
and brass if at all possible. However, steel is 100%
recyclable and easy to recycle too.
Conserving Water
In tests conducted by Which? earlier this year,
it was found that “dishwashers are, on average,
four times more water efficient than washing by
hand per place setting.” Most dishwashers and
washing machines have eco modes, shorter cycles
or economy washes, with a quick wash using the
least water and a cold wash saving 80% in energy
costs. But to be even more environmentally
friendly, some machines are now made from
recycled materials too. So take a closer look at the
energy ratings, and the carbon footprint, if you
are really looking to be more sustainable.
And then Quooker taps instantly supply boiling
and chilled water to save both energy and water
resources. Just think about how much water you
waste by running a tap to get it hot to wash up,
or cold to drink!
Sustainable living and doing what we
can to reduce the unnecessary depletion
of the world’s natural resources, is
playing an increasingly important
part in the way we all live. I firmly
believe that looking after our customers, staff,
and our precious planet to the very best of our
abilities, are all equally important. Therefore,
for Holmewood Interiors, the responsible
sourcing of sustainable materials, eco-friendly
technology and our reuse, recycle and reduce
waste initiatives, play an integral part in how our
business operates.
What sustainable living actually means
Did you know that for a room or home to be
considered sustainable, the design must respect
earth’s natural resources and optimise energy
and water use too? In addition, the durability
of low-impact, high performance and highquality
materials that have to be manufactured,
shipped and installed in an efficient way, must
also be assured.
So our pride in our work means that we only
use the best materials, from the UK’s best
manufacturers, wherever possible. And we take
Smart technology to cut waste and
energy costs
Fridges and freezers account for up to 15% of
a household’s energy usage. We always look to
recommend energy-efficiency, combined with
good eco-friendly credentials, but how does this
actually translate to sustainability in your home?
Smart technology means that many appliances
have a power saving mode. Some fridges and
freezers include sensors that monitor when they
are not opened and reduce the cooling systems
running times accordingly. One smart fridge with
an internal camera allows you to check directly
from the supermarket to see what you have, thus
avoiding the purchase of unnecessary items and
reduced food waste too.
Smart ovens also come with a wide range of
energy saving controls. One of our favourites is a
built-in baking and roasting sensor to switch the
oven off at the exact point your food is cooked.
Taking it one step further, some ovens also have
Wi-Fi technology to connect to your phone and
send you a message when the cooking process
has finished.
We make sure we do our part too.
So going back to our reuse, recycle and reduce
waste ethos, we do our part too. When stripping
out old units at the start of a project, all waste
material is separated into wood and metal so
that each can be correctly recycled. In addition,
we use a specialist wood recycling company
that then processes our waste and recycles it for
chipboard production.
We have also upcycled some of the units we strip
out and have installed them into local sporting
and community projects, and we separate all
packaging and recycle wherever possible too.
So you can see, sustainability is important to
us. If you would like any further information,
or more tips on how you can create your
room to be proud of in a sustainable way,
please visit our website
www.holmewoodinteriors.co.uk ,
call us on 01403 254090 or
email info@holmewoodinteriors.co.uk and
we will always do what we can to help.
68 | sussexexclusive.com 69

HEALTH
HEALTH
Living with
Type 2 Diabetes
Our Sussex health expert shares valuable advice about how to
live and manage your Type 2
his month, our Sussex health expert takes a
T look at Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is frequently diagnosed in
asymptomatic patients during a routine medical
examination. It is progressively regarded as a
“lifestyle” disease and can frequently be controlled
or even reversed with changes in diet, weight and
level of activity.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
• Frequent urination
• Thirst
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Fungal and bacterial infection
• Itching due to vaginal yeast infection
Late complications of diabetes include: heart
disease, infections, skin ulcers, kidney disease,
numbness and tingling in the hands and
feet, impotence, constipation, pain and poor
circulation in the legs, vision loss.
Dietary modification
Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, whether
high in sugar or high in starch (such as bread,
potatoes, processed breakfast cereals, and rice)
will temporarily raise blood sugar and insulin
levels. The blood sugar–raising effect of a food -
its “glycaemic index” - depends on how rapidly
its carbohydrate is absorbed. Many starchy foods
have a glycaemic index similar to table sugar
(sucrose). Eating large amounts of foods with a
high glycaemic index has a tendency to increase
the risk of type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, eating a diet high in
carbohydrate-rich foods with a low glycaemic
index is associated with a low risk of type 2
diabetes. Beans, peas, fruit, and oats all have a low
glycaemic index, despite their high carbohydrate
content, due mostly to the health-promoting
effects of soluble fibre.
A diet naturally high in fibre - such as leafy green
vegetables, porridge and nuts and seeds - has
been shown to work well in controlling blood
sugar. Additionally, people eating a high-fibre
diet will generally benefit from significant
reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and
LDL cholesterol. High-fibre supplements, such
as psyllium, guar gum (found in cluster beans),
pectin (from fruit), oat bran, and glucomannan,
can all improve glucose tolerance. Positive
results have also been reported with the daily
consumption of powdered fenugreek seeds.
Vegetarians are believed to have a low risk of
type 2 diabetes. When people with diabetic
neurological damage switch to a vegan diet,
improvements have been reported after only
several days.
Diets high in saturated fat worsen glucose
tolerance and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
(Saturated fat is found primarily in meat, dairy
fat and the dark meat and skins of poultry). In
contrast, glucose intolerance has been improved
by diets high in mono-unsaturated oils; such
as extra virgin olive oil (which also has high
antioxidant properties); and avocados.
Several studies have looked at the effects of a very
low-calorie diet on T2D. Two had people follow
a mostly liquid diet of 625-850 calories a day
for 2-5 months, followed by a less restricted diet
designed to help them maintain their weight loss.
Both studies found that nearly half the people
who took part reversed their diabetes and kept
their blood glucose near the normal range.
Some studies have also shown that intermittent
fasting can help reverse type 2 diabetes. This
consisted of two or three 24-hour fasts each week
for several months, eating only a light dinner on
days they fasted, and lunch and dinner on no-fast
days, focusing on low-carbohydrate meals.
Sugavida is a pure sugar alternative that is naturally
rich in vitamins and minerals. Because it has a very
low glycaemic index it is suitable for people with
type 2 diabetes as a sugar alternative. It is a natural
source of vitamin B12 and is also rich in minerals
such as iron, magnesium and potassium.
Lifestyle modification
Research shows that the most consistently
effective way to control or reverse type 2 diabetes
is to lose weight. Excess abdominal fat makes the
body less sensitive to insulin. Exercise helps to
decrease body fat and improve insulin sensitivity;
and reduces the risk of developing type 2
diabetes. Which in itself is a great reason to get
out and enjoy some of our Sussex countryside.
Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk
of developing T2D. People with T2D who smoke
are at higher risk for kidney damage, cardiovascular
disease and other diabetes-linked problems.
Smokers are also more likely to develop diabetes.
70 | sussexexclusive.com 71

HEALTH
PURE BIO Ltd is a leading UK supplier of the highest
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Chromium contributes to the
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breakdown of fats, proteins and
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Pure Bio is based in Horsham West Sussex and was
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Leading UK supplier of the highest quality pure nutritional supplements
MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE – £22.99
People with T2D tend to have low
magnesium levels, which is associated
with insulin resistance. Adequate
magnesium is required to regulate blood
sugar levels. It contributes to the normal
functioning of the nervous system and
reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
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Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful
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The essential nutrient Coenzyme
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a unique combination of vitamin and
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Statins also reduce its levels.
01403 730342 info@purebio.co.uk
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Best
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Nutritional supplement
treatment options
Chromium* has been shown to improve glucose
levels in people with type 2, gestational, and
steroid-induced diabetes. Chromium supplements
improve glucose tolerance in people with type
2 diabetes by increasing sensitivity to insulin.
Chromium improves the processing of glucose in
people with pre-diabetic glucose intolerance and in
women with diabetes associated with pregnancy.
Chromium may also lower levels of total
cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides
(potential risk factors in cardiovascular disease).
*Supplementation with chromium could potentially
enhance the effects of drugs used for diabetes (e.g.,
insulin or other blood sugar-lowering agents) and
should therefore be used under the supervision of a
healthcare practitioner
Magnesium– People with type 2 diabetes tend to
have low magnesium levels, which is associated
with insulin resistance. Adequate magnesium is
required to regulate blood sugar levels.
Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful natural
antioxidant and has been shown in double-blind
trials to improve insulin sensitivity and the
symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
Evening primrose oil has been found in doubleblind
research to improve nerve function and to
relieve pain symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
Vitamin E has been shown in double-blind trials
to improve glucose tolerance in people with type
2 diabetes. Vitamin E appears to lower the risk of
cerebral infarction in people with diabetes who
smoke.
Vitamin C lowers sorbitol levels in people with
diabetes. Sorbitol accumulates inside the cells and
damages the eyes, nerves, and kidneys of people
with diabetes. Vitamin C supplementation has
also been found to significantly reduce urinary
protein loss in people with diabetes.
Biotin is a B vitamin required for glucose
metabolism. Biotin can help reduce fasting glucose
levels in people with T2D. Biotin may also reduce
pain from diabetic neurological damage.
Vitamin B12 has been shown to reduce
symptoms of neurological damage caused by
diabetes in repeated studies.
Coenzyme Q10 is needed for normal blood
sugar metabolism. In one trial, blood sugar levels
fell substantially in 31% of people with diabetes
after they supplemented with CoQ10.
L-carnitine is an amino acid needed to properly
utilize fat for energy. Carnitine prescribed
to people with diabetes has been shown to
significantly lower high blood levels of fats - both
cholesterol and triglycerides.
Vitamin D is needed to maintain adequate
blood levels of insulin. Vitamin D receptors
have been found in the pancreas where insulin
is made, and preliminary evidence suggests that
supplementation can improve some measures
of blood sugar control in people with type 2
diabetes.
Inulin is a dietary fibre and a prebiotic (feeds the
gut bacteria). It has been shown to reduce fatty
deposit in the liver, reduce insulin resistance and
reduce fasting blood sugar levels in people with
T2D.
Botanical treatment options
Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fibre,
which helps lower blood sugar by slowing
down carbohydrate digestion and absorption.
Fenugreek is also believed to contain a substance
that stimulates insulin production and improves
blood sugar control.
Psyllium supplementation has been shown to be
a safe and well-tolerated way to improve control
of blood glucose and cholesterol.
Panax Ginseng is commonly used to treat
diabetes. It has been shown to enhance the release
of insulin from the pancreas and to increase
the number of insulin receptors. It is also used
to increase energy levels in people with type 2
diabetes.
Cinnamon (Ceylon) reduces serum glucose,
triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total
cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
Research suggests that the inclusion of cinnamon
in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will
reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases.
Ginger has been shown to lower blood sugar
levels and regulate insulin production.
Bilberry may lower the risk of some diabetic
complications, such as diabetic cataracts and
retinopathy.
Article contributed by Dr Tracy S Gates, DO,
DIBAK, L.C.P.H., Consultant, Pure Bio Ltd.
Copyright © Pure Bio Ltd 2023. All rights
reserved. Pure Bio Ltd are a leading UK
supplier of the highest quality PURE nutritional
supplements, based in Horsham, West Sussex.
Proud Winners of Southern Enterprise Awards,
Best Nationwide Hypoallergenic Nutritional
Supplements Distributor 2022.
Visit www.purebio.co.uk for all your nutritional
supplement needs.
Panax Ginseng
Bilberry
72 | sussexexclusive.com 73

HEALTH
HEALTH
When I talk about what I do
for a living it’s difficult to
pinhole me into one topic.
In fact, try and stop me
talking on any wellbeing
subject. It’s a challenge.
As a Naturopathic Health Coach with the
College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM), the
scope of practice can be huge. So, getting clear
on what Health Coaching is and how this fits for
individual health, within the NHS’s personalised
care plans and in corporate wellbeing is vital.
What Health Coaching means for you is….
• You have a highly qualified individual guide
to support you towards wellness (check out
CNM qualified practitioners)
• Your wellbeing will be defined by you and you
will work together to create that definition
• You will learn the importance of nutrition for
your wellness
• Preventative healthcare will become your
priority
• You will ‘nourish your soil’ or ‘clean you tank’
(choose the analogy that best fits) and enjoy
an increase in energy, lighter mental health
and experience the joy of being alive. What’s
not to love?
Health
Coaching
Alison Wilkins talks about personalised
wellbeing that works
Health Coaching is the modality that supports
you in implementing the knowledge and goals
that you aspire to. It is the action piece in the
wellbeing puzzle. We listen to identify what’s
holding you back and support you to create
actions. We build a wellbeing picture of your
past habits and behaviours, experiences and
traumas and identify how that has impacted your
current health. With this knowledge you are
motivated to make a change.
We make change EASY.
In a world where healthcare support is limited
to a 10-minute doctor’s appointment, nutrition,
lifestyle and behavioural change are difficult to
implement.
Health Coaching or personalised wellbeing
focus on listening and taking time to understand
your past, present and future. Our work will
impact you in many areas of your life – your
health, your family and close friends, your
community and NHS services who will be
needed less, and the planets wellbeing as you
begin to choose less impactful products.
Health Coaching is the step into proactive
wellness. Simple steps easily implemented to
support resilience and thriving in a busy world.
What are your health and
life goals?
No one had asked me about my dreams until I
found myself in a Dare to Dream workshop in
the Summer of 2016. It had been a random set of
circumstances that led me to a quiet leafy street
near High Street Kensington. I arrived without
any expectations of the day but quickly realised
that there was more at work than just a few people
gathering to plan what our future might look like.
With various exercises and interactions, we were
gently led along a path where we actually sat down
and considered who we were, at that moment,
what our dreams and goals were and how we
might begin to implement them. As a mother of
two lively teenage boys, it had been a long time
since I had considered my wants. I had a million
reasons why dreaming and future goals were not
for me but as the day progressed, I realised that,
in fact, this time I had carved into my busy life
was exactly what I needed. Time to consider how
I would like my life to grow and that the benefits
of this time would have huge benefits on not just
me, but my children, my family unit and my
community of friends and family.
If I could find time to nurture myself even in the
smallest moments, or consider the time with my
children as “me time”, then I could begin to have
a new perspective on life.
Of course, as soon as I got home this good intent
all promptly disappeared. However in fleeting
moments of peace, I began to practice simple
behaviours that lightened my load and allowed me
to see light in a sometimes long dark tunnel.
Here’s one of the exercises that created traction
and got me on the path to change.
Mind Dump Exercise
Choose whether you want to be inspired by what
you already have or want to create more clarity and
focus on the tasks that are overwhelming you.
Take a large piece of A4/A3 or a notebook and
in the centre of the page write a title. This might
be: my overwhelm, everything I have to do list, or
everything that I am grateful for and then start
writing everything that comes to mind regardless
of how small. For your to do list you might
include, changing the car tyres, decluttering the
office, creating a daily routine, drink more water,
get healthier finances, check my bank statements
monthly. Literally put everything onto one page.
Once you have finished, take another sheet of paper
and organise all of the tasks into lists.
Finances, home, behaviour, wellbeing, fitness,
family, etc.
Working Plan
Now you have a working plan. You can run through
the list and tick off the jobs which are quick and
simple and will give you an immediate sense of
achievement. And you’ve just created space to focus
on the bigger task.
For those tasks that are going to take more time,
begin to write a plan of how you will start to tackle
them. You may need to sort out your finances in
which case what steps do you need to take? Research
consolidation loans, list all my outgoings, list all
of my income, where am I overspending, could I
change my bank account to use a wallet system, how
much water do I want to drink? As we restructure
the bigger tasks into more easily manageable goals
we can slowly work toward a positive outcome.
Give it a go and also try the positive list. It’s
incredible to have written down all the good things
that are going on for you right now.
Practice this on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to
get clear on what you are wanting to achieve.
www.brightonwellbeingcompany.com/resources
to access a downloadable template
If you would like to work more closely with Alison
as a health coach and agent for change contact her
at alison@brightonwellbeingcompany.com and
quote Sussex Exclusive to receive a 20% discount on
the How to do health coaching workshop. Usually
£60.
Alison leads coaches at Brighton Wellbeing
Company working with corporates to deliver health
coaching programs that support long term absences,
return to workers and exhausted teams who are
ready for change. Follow their blogs at
www.brightonwellbeingcompany.com/blogs
74 | sussexexclusive.com 75

The Island of
Beauty: Corsica
Joie de vivre meets the Dolce Vita
on this wildly beautiful island
Picture postcard perfect beaches, historic
cities, tiny islands that are like a little bit
of paradise, and sunshine that’s a dead
cert from spring stretching out all the
way to October or even November – the
island of Corsica is one of France’s best kept secrets
says Janine Marsh.
A whopping 80% of visitors to Corsica are from
France, and just 20% are from Europe and the rest
of the world, which makes it a rather off the beaten
track destination for most of us – and oh, this
magical island is so worth the journey.
Corsica sits in the Mediterranean Sea, almost
midway between Nice and Rome, and just 10 km
from the island of Sardinia. Its location gives it
both an Italian and French flavour – joie de vivre
meets the Dolce Vita, whilst retaining a unique
identity of its own.
The Greeks called Corsica the “island of beauty”
and it has been coveted and fought over for
centuries, ruled by the Romans and the Greeks,
the French, the Italians and briefly the British and
under its own independent rule, before finally
becoming a part of France a mere 230 years ago.
A wildly beautiful place
It is a wildly beautiful place with exquisite beaches,
historic cities and villages that are pickled in the
past. The countryside is diverse: from sun-baked
vineyards to snow-capped mountains, chestnut
forests, lakes and streams, and vast swathes of
fragrant shrubland known as maquis, peppered
with lemon and orange trees, cactus plants and
wildflowers.
The artist, Henri Matisse, spent his honeymoon
here and was inspired to capture its beauty over
and over on canvas enthusing, “Everything glistens,
everything is colour, everything is light.”. It’s the
perfect description of the sunny island with its
jewel like fauna, sparkling turquoise waters and
colourful historic buildings.
Corsican cuisine is flavoured with French, Italian,
Greek, Spanish, Phoenician and Moroccan
influences which manifest themselves in a mouthwatering
melange. Most famous are the many
varieties of farmhouse cheeses and charcuterie
while the signature dish is civet de sanglier au
châtaignes (cignale cù e castagne in Corsican)
an unctuous stew of wild boar and chestnuts.
Traditional dishes include slow-roasted spring lamb
with rosemary, veal medallions with citrus fruits
and honey and all manner of delights from the
fish counter, including the famed mussels from the
Diana lagoon, halfway up the east coast. Served
coated in flavoured breadcrumbs and served grilled
on the half-shell, you’ll never taste better.
76 | sussexexclusive.com 77

Gems of Corsica
To the south is the popular resort of Calvi where
legend has it Christopher Columbus was born.
The small, bustling city is dominated by a majestic
citadel and below it, a narrow warren of streets
is lined with shops, cafés and bars, restaurants
look out over the glimmering bay. Further down
the coast, the stunningly beautiful jagged red
rocks of Calanques de Piana, a UNESCO
World Heritage site, and one of the highest
calanques in Europe. Sheer cliffs and dramatic
rock formations, jutting out of the inky sea are
magnificent, majestic and mesmerising, home
to many birds including eagle-like ospreys.
You can take a boat tour from the breath-taking
Bay of Porto, guarded by an imposing mediaeval
watchtower – surely one of the most romantic
places in the world to watch the sun go down.
In the capital city Ajaccio, reminders of the
French general Napoleon Bonaparte who was
born here, are everywhere. You simply can’t visit
the city without a visit to the gleaming Place
Foch, and onwards to the Maison Bonaparte and
the must-see Musée Fesch, home to a fine art
museum containing a priceless collection of Italian
masterpieces.
Close to the city, head to the Sentier des Crêtes
trail for a hike through the maquis shrubland
fragrant with myrtle, rockrose, and everlasting,
known as the immortal plant. The hike looks
out over the Gulf of Ajaccio and the Iles
Sanguinaires in an area classified as one of the
‘grand sites of France’.
Drive the dramatic and fabled
coastal road
It doesn’t look much on the map but set at least
five or six hours aside for the dramatic drive round
Cap Corse. The spectacular promontory sticks
out of the top of the island, pointing finger-like
to the far-off mainland France – and hope, as you
negotiate the endless twists and turns, ups and
downs and often precariously narrow stretches of
one of the planet’s most fabled coast roads, that
nobody in the vehicle is a car sickness sufferer.
After all that nail-biting drama, you could stop for
a strong coffee at a pavement café in downtown
Bastia, the island’s second city, in Haute-Corse.
Among the narrow lanes of Terra-Vecchia, the
oldest part of Bastia, you’ll get a glimpse of Corsica’s
soul. Baroque oratories, majestic churches where
the voices of the choir resonate beautifully, the
picturesque old port, and the market square which
tempts you to linger and sample scrumptious
regional produce. Experience the local specialities,
flavoured by the maquis along the Strada di i Sensi,
an agritourism route which winds through Bastia
backcountry, from Cap Corse to Nebbiu, linking
producers and artisans.
Inland is the dramatic Parc Naturel Régionel de
Corse, with its tumbling streams and deep gorges
plus the steep cobbled backstreets of ancient
Corte, the headquarters town of the famed French
Foreign Legion.
Don’t miss super-photogenic Bonifacio, with
its houses built into the side of the near sheer
cliffs where you’ll see, and if you’re feeling
brave, experience the King of Aragon’s staircase.
According to legend, the precipitous stairway, now
a listed historic monument, was dug by hand in
the limestone cliff in one night by the troops of
the King in 1420. Its purpose was to access the
Saint-Barthelemy fresh water well. Composed of
187 uneven steps, from the top the views over
the sea, Sardinia and the surrounding cliffs, are
sensational. At the bottom you’re just a few metres
above sea level on a path carved into the cliff.
Be warned, Corsica will capture your heart, one
visit is never enough.
How to get
there:
Flights from Gatwick
to Corsica take 2
hours, 15 minutes.
Several ferry companies
offer sailings from Nice
to the island.
Join a CroisiEurope
cruise which departs
from Nice and stops
at the major ports all
around the island:
www.
croisieurope.co.uk
Janine Marsh is an
author and editor of
The Good Life France
magazine and website.
78 | sussexexclusive.com 79

The
The Answers to
Sussex Quiz
So how did you do? Are you Sussex through and through,
or have you got much to learn. Find out:
Last Word
As always, the last word goes to our Sussex historian, Peter Benner,
who looks back on some 70 years + of living and working in Sussex
ANSWERS
1 The cockle
2 Soup poured on bread
3 Haywards Heath
4 The herring
5 Brighton
6 The Sussex Churdle
7 The eel
8 A well pudding, with plums or raisins in it
9 Harvey’s Brewery
10 The mullet
Within living memory, the courts in Horsham were held
in the old Town Hall at the top of the Causeway – a
most inconvenient venue where only one room served
as a waiting room for babies waiting for adoption,
advocates robing for court and persons delivering coke
for the boiler. As a result, most people waited on the steps outside.
On one occasion, we watched as the visiting judge who came down from
Surrey in an elderly Daimler, drove past. On the second time he went past, he
slowed down and called out, “Tell the court usher if there isn’t a parking space
next time I come round, I’m going home.” And he did.
This, of course, is not as dramatic as another court on an occasion at which
I was definitely not present, in the 17th century when the Assizes sometimes
sat at East Grinstead. There was a rumbling sound in the courtroom and
suddenly, the whole floor gave way, depositing the prisoners, advocates and
the public in the cellar below but leaving the Judge on his throne with a
surprised look on his face halfway up the wall.
80 | sussexexclusive.com 81

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