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Free Please take one
Issue 6 April 2011
Greg Blackman Bares His Soul LISTINGS COMMUNITY FA S H I O N H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G HOME & GARDEN
April’s Essential Events Guide Jason Cobb Looks at the Essex Riviera Spring Fashion Tips Eating Out in Colchester Guide
Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine
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l l u u B B e e Th The Music Venue - now with even more music Come along and check it out!
THE NEW FRIDAY New Fridays at the Bull now start at 5.30pm with Live Music Friday 1st April 5.30 – 6.30 Greg Blackman 6.45 – 8.00 Holsten, Cadavar 9.45 – Freebird
APRIL HIGHLIGHTS – Fri 1st April –
HOKIE JOINT
Plus HOKIE JOINT – The Soundhouse From 9.30pm Food Served from 12.00 – 7.00
THE BIG SATURDAY
One of the best local bands around
– Thur 8th April – MAXWELL HAMMER & SMITH Fantastic harmony band
Saturday 9th April - Open until 2.30am Rekovered - Main Bar 9.45 3AMS – Soundhouse 9.30 Followed by DJ GILLY From 12.00am – 2.30am Let the music play on
MONDAY NIGHT JAM NIGHT New house band and format from Monday 28th March
TUESDAY NIGHTS FROM 9.00 WE PRESENT
– Friday 15th April –
COUNTERFEIT QUO One of the best tribute bands around
– Friday 22nd April –
THE JOHN YOUNG BAND Fantastic electro rock - Genesque
– Sat 23rd April –
MARNER BROWN Original band from London making big noises
Bandstand – Top Deck Allstars – Ghost Train Porters - Drum
OPEN MIC NIGHT
– Sunday 24th April –
Hosted by Theo Pearce every Weds Now with new showcase spots and later hours, all starts at 8.30pm
The Surf guitar guys are back
SURFQUAKE
The Bull 2 – 4 Crouch St, Colchester, CO3 3ES. Tel: 01206 366647
www.thebullcolchester.co.uk
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Welcome to the April issue of Colchester 101 he clocks have gone forward, the days are getting longer, the evenings are getting lighter, and Colchester 101 has hit the streets again with our feature packed April issue. The magazine just keeps getting better and better, and this month we introduce our new regular Interiors feature brought to you by local home interiors expert Rosie Hunter who will be giving you her tips and advice to help you add those special touches to your home. As well as welcoming Rosie to the 101 team, Sally Hodgetts joins us bringing with her a wealth of experience in magazine publishing. Sally will be looking after our sales and marketing as well as the day to day running of the magazine and we wish her luck in her new role.
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A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure to be invited along to 15 Queen Street to meet our cover star, the local musical phenomenon that is Greg Blackman, and you can read what Greg has to say about his love of soul music in my exclusive interview on page 16. Few could fail to have been moved by the shocking footage of the destruction caused by the Japanese tsunami, and the scale of the human tragedy it has created. Hazel Humphreys, 101’s resident comic and independent comedy promoter, sombrely reflects on her experience compering the evening leg of the Slack Space twelve hour Fundraising Gig for Japan. You can read more about the day, and see pictures from the event, in Slack Space’s column. This month TV gardener Sven Wombwell takes a look at beetles… the insects not the band… whilst nicenstripy’s Andrew Ross tells you how to smarten your garden up ready for the summer, and Bid TV and Price-Drop TV’s resident fragrance expert Peter Sherlock pays tribute to actress and fragrance creator, the late Elizabeth Taylor. I hope you enjoy this month’s magazine as much as the team here at Colchester 101 have enjoyed putting it together.
See you next month Photo: Harland Payne
Colchester 101 is published by Tonic Creative Solutions The Studio Tye Road Colchester Essex CO7 7BN Tel: 01206 544700 Email: mailus@colchester101.co.uk Editors: Simon Crow and Paul Clark Sales and Marketing: Sally Hodgetts Food Editor: Melissa Porter Fashion Editor: Angela Mitchell Designer: Paul Clark, Tonic Creative Solutions Very special thanks to Roddy Ashworth Thanks to our contributors: Adrian Multon Andrew Dell Peter Sherlock Kem Izzet and Colchester United Sven Wombwell Jason Cobb Hazel Humphreys Angela Mitchell Craig Fookes Ocean WhiteHawk Rosie Hunter DJ Gilly
Greg Blackman
Simon Crow Editor
Front cover photo by Harland Payne www.harlandpaynephoto.com
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All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without publisher’s written consent is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of all details and information the publishers are not liable for errors and omissions to any features, listings or advertisements. Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers Tonic Creative Solutions.
www.Colchester101.co.uk
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COMMUNITY
The Jason Cobb 101 Blog The Essex Riviera With all this talk of potential city status for Colchester, sometimes you just need to step outside of the town centre and reflect upon the natural beauty that we are blessed to find on our doorstep! You may laugh at the idea of the Essex Riviera; the coastal landscape of the Colchester surrounds remains an undiscovered secret for many. Sure we have Clacton, Frinton and Walton to remind us of childhood holidays. The whole of the Tendring Peninsula though is something of a playboy’s (or girl’s) paradise when it comes to the great outdoors. Now is the right time to go rambling, if indeed there ever is a right time to put on the walking boots, a bobble hat and pretend that you can read an Ordinance Survey map. Spring has finally arrived around these parts, and the landscape from the town centre out towards the coast is changing every day. Brightlingsea would be a good starting point for any away day of discovery. The beauty is not so much in the destination itself, but the journey that takes you out to the nerarest stretch of coast outside of Colchester. With the old Crab ‘n Winkle railway line long since lost to the Beeching Axe of 1963, the No. 78 bus is your friend. But not for the outward journey - the idea is for a walk along the Colne as it transcends from being a pleasant town centre river, to becoming a full on estuary on the edges of the North Sea. Nine miles in total is the distance to walk. Follow the Colne, and en route and you will pass the historic (and now revitalised) old port at the Hythe, the village charm of lower Wivenhoe, the rural and austere landscape around Alresford Creek, the charm of Thorrington Tidal Mill, and then finally, destination Brightlingsea. A boat is then required to travel any further up the North Essex coast. For a day trip I would recommend that you get familiar with many of the fine pubs in Brightlingsea itself. With precision town centre planning, the No. 78 bus even stops right outside the traditional Railway Tavern. It is so easy to get caught up in an urban lifestyle as Colchester continues to expand. The edges of the town are now unrecognisable compared to only two decades ago. Somehow, though, a sense of scenic beauty manages to resist the clamour for city status, putting up natural barriers to allow for rural pleasures such as the walk out to Brightlingsea. Essex University has managed to stop Wivenhoe becoming a suburb of Colchester; Alresford Creek conveniently cuts up any attempt to put in place a direct road route all the way out towards Brightlingsea. The old port town itself is cut off from nearby Mersea, with a round trip all the way back towards the Hythe required to encounter the other side of the estuary. And so, while we rightfully continue the growth of Colchester, both commercially and culturally, sometimes it is a simple back to basics approach that reminds you of why so many of us choose to live and work in the area. Jason Cobb onionbagblog.com
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Photo: Lauren Baker
Colchester Free Festival is Back... After the amazing success of last year’s Colchester Free Festival, the organisers have announced it will be coming back to Castle Park this summer. Taking place on Saturday August 27, the not-for-profit volunteer led public event will again provide a celebration of Colchester’s music, art and culture. Last year over 15,000 people attended the festival which took place in both upper and lower Castle Park. The focus this year will be on more of the same but with even more variety. Festival organiser, Ben Howard, who successfully campaigned via Keep Colchester Cool to bring the festival back, said the festival team are looking forward to making it happen again. “Even during the festival last year we were all talking about how we can improve it further and make the experience better for people. We know we can achieve that, we just need recognition from local businesses that can help support the festival financially.”
The first business to invest in the Free Festival this year is Lion Walk Shopping Centre, which was also the first business to invest in the 2010 Festival. Centre Manager, Paul Bentham said: “Lion Walk Shopping Centre is proud to be at the heart of community life in Colchester. The Free Festival showcases the best of our town and we are delighted to support it. We will be much more involved this year and have exciting plans to extend the event which we will reveal in the next few weeks.” Ben Howard concluded “Last year it was members of the Colchester community who gave up their time for free to make the festival happen. Our call out this year is for even more people to come forward to help us put on another brilliant day. There really is a job available for everyone.” Information on Colchester Free Festival 2011 can be found at www.colchesterfreefestival.co.uk
To Advertise in Colchester 101 Call 01206 544700 or email us at: mailus@colchester101.co.uk
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COMMUNITY
By Captain Neal Lancashire 2 PARA UWO
PARA Battle group has now reached and breached the halfway point of the tour and most of the soldiers and officers have enjoyed their R&R back in the UK.
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It seems incredible that they have been there for nearly 4 months, though the achievements have been rapid and impressive. Lt Colonel Andrew Harrison MBE recently congratulated everyone for their efforts, stating that 2 PARA had achieved in 4 months more than was expected for the entire deployment. There will be no easing off the accelerator, though, and the main aim continues to be the stabilisation and development of this war-torn country to eventually hand a peaceful and secure Afghanistan to their partners in the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government.
The pride in our successes is, sadly, tinged with sorrow for those who have been injured or lost their lives in achieving them. The past few weeks have been a difficult time, across the Battlegroup. For the moment there is still a job to do and a real sense that by the time they leave Afghanistan the country and its people will be in a better state than when 2 PARA arrived. The schools, for instance, continue to be a great success and the Village Councils have evolved into a real, functioning form of local governance. Developments in the mentoring of the Afghan Security Forces have reached a stage
where, last month, an entire operation was planned and conducted by the Afghan National Army. This was a truly seminal moment, and represents a key step towards a time when security can be handed over completely to the Afghan National Security Forces, thus fulfilling a major criterion for our successful withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the weather continues to warm, bringing them out of the grip of winter, they look forward to the final two months of the tour and consolidating their rapid, though at times costly, successes. Our best wishes go, as always, to their loved ones at home.
The Afghanistan Trust is dedicated to assisting wounded members of the Regiment, their families and the families of those who have been killed.
Registered Charity Number 1121647
For further information regarding assistance or fundraising contact Craig Treeby: ceo@afghanistantrust.org
www.AfghanistanTrust.org 05
Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
2 PARA Afghanistan
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H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G
THE INVITATION
The Juicy Column
It doesn’t interest me wha t you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s long ing.
By Ocean WhiteHawk
Thirty years ago, Amazon was non-existent. If we scoured the shelves of bookshops for self-help books, we might be lucky if we came across a book on Zen Buddhism or Christian mysticism. Now we can get our hands on books on living and lifestyle expertise of any kind. Back in the ancient times, we needed to be in the presence of masters to receive the direct transmission of enlightenment. Today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom teachings are flooding our consciousness from all directions in different guises. The tongues of these teachings may vary but the essence is the same that we are more than what meets the eye and our power to change things for the better is inherent in each of us. We are living in exciting times indeed. To harvest such a feast of enlightened offerings from life, which, when given the chance will change our perception ofwho we think we are and how life works, we must: Keep an open mind. An open mind is like an open door; good stuff like kind thoughts can come through and make your life sweeter while the unhelpful stuff like negative beliefs can leave your mental system, limiting the damage caused to your self-esteem. Keep an open heart. An open heart allows your spirit to be nourished and believe me, this is vital for your well-being. It is said that the lack of spiritual nourishment is the cause for most depression scenarios. Spirit is power and without the conscious connection to power, one feels powerless. Believing that you don’t have
the ability to alter your reality to make yourself happy is enough to depress anyone! It takes courage to stay open minded when we encounter situations that our mind has no reference points about. It takes courage to be curious enough to want to venture into the unknown to seek greater answers that your soul longs for. Why are we born? Is there a higher purpose to life than procreation and achieving monetary success? Do we have a hand in creating the challenges and unfortunate predicaments we find ourselves in from time to time? It takes a bold heart to question what life is really about beyond our busy routine and commitment of getting things done . Bold enough to penetrate through the boredom of monotony to grasp the true meaning of being ALIVE. I would like to share a piece of writing here, The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, a visionary who wanted more than the mundane, whose soul wants to get to the heart of every soul she meets. Ocean WhiteHawk is author of JuicyWoman, A Spiritual Guide to Your Feminine Radiance. She mentors on health, personal and spiritual development and affairs of the heart. www.oceanwhitehawk.com
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool, for Love for your dreams, for the adv enture of being alive. It doesn’t interest me wha t planets are squaring you r moon. I want to know if you hav e touched the centre of you r own sorrow, if you have been ope ned by life’ s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of furth er pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or you r own without moving to hide it, or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own if you can dance with wild ness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fing ers and toes without cautioni ng us, to be careful, to be realistic or remember the limitations of being human. It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal, and NOT betray your own soul . I want to know if you can see Beauty, even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine and still stand at the edge of the lake, and shou t to the silver of the full moon YES! It doesn’t interest me to kno w where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up afte r the night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bon e and do what needs to be don e to feed the children. It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you cam e to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the cent re of the fire with me and not shrink back. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alon e with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments .
Dog About Town
Life With Miss Berta By Andrew Dell
They may not clean obsessively, frequent the local coffee shop, strum acoustic guitars or share Manhattan apartments that would actually be impossible to afford, but dogs need friends too. Yes, they’re man’s best friends, but most dogs really revel in the company of their own species – and it’s very important for their mental health. One of the key parts of your puppy’s earliest training is socialisation. Most dog owners just have a lone pet yet dogs are pack animals. Of course, you fill that role at home but dogs need to learn how to interact with other dogs – to understand the complexities of canine body language and play together as only dogs can. Berta has quite a few friends and we don’t consider it a successful walk if we don’t meet at least one or two of them in the park. There’s Buster the black Poodle, Jess the Airedale Terrier, Otis the Pug-Schnauzer cross and Jack, the amorous Terrier. I’m
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always pleased when we meet Yollo the Whippet. They dash around together like mad things, ensuring that the walk has provided lots of exercise. In fact, Yollo knows where we live and cries for Berta at the front gate whenever he passes by! But Berta’s best friend is Pepper the Border Terrier. My friend got her just a few weeks after I got Berta and they’ve grown up together. Earlier this year they even went on holiday together and spent a long weekend dashing around the Devon countryside. You only have to say the name “Pepper” and Berta dashes around in frenzied excitement and it’s genuinely funny and heart-warming to watch them playing together. But not all dogs get on with each
other. Another friend also has a Border Terrier and he and Berta have never clicked. Wilf is quite a solitary beast and strangely, he doesn’t seem to enjoy the company of other dogs. This confuses and upsets Berta. She tries to coax him into some canine frolics but he’ll just stand with his back to her. They’ve had to reach an uneasy understanding and ‘do their own things’ whenever they’re together. The last time we paid him a visit, Wilf, true to his terrier nature, managed to catch a rat in his back garden. As my friend and I shrieked in horror, Berta seemed to think this was a game that she could finally play with Wilf and skipped around him excitedly, But it wasn’t to be.
We persuaded him to drop the poor, dead rodent and the canine Cold War continued as before. A lack of interest is one thing, but successful socialisation is especially important to ensure that your dog does not become aggressive. If you’re too worried to let your dog meet or play with others then I’d suggest you seek the help of a professional trainer. Such worries will seriously undermine your relationship with your pet and pose a threat to others. There are many different causes for aggressive behaviour in dogs – fear, anxiety, territorial worries, misdirected dominance... You’ll need the help of an experienced professional to help your dog unlearn the behaviour.
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FA S H I O N
Scent Train Bid TV and Price-Drop TV’s resident expert gives his regular lowdown on fragrances for both men and women, old and new, good and bad. This month, Peter pays tribute to actor, activist and fragrance creator, Elizabeth Taylor. The recent news that Elizabeth Taylor died at the age of 79 prompted a dignified outpouring of genuine sadness. Truly the last great star from the Hollywood Studio system, her beauty was unparalleled and her fame remained undiminished. It’s hard to find a bad word said about her, and rightly so, as this is a woman who used every inch of her global fame as a humanitarian, particularly in her fight against AIDS. Her legacy is enormous, and for once the words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ are wholly appropriate. But it’s her fragrance legacy that I want to talk to you about today. Her first fragrance, and still a big-seller, was Passion. In a fabulously kitsch, Art Deco inspired bottle, this heavy fragrance is not for you wallflowers out there. It announces your arrival several seconds before you walk into a room. Musky, intensely floral and rather overbearing, it makes you feel like a largerthan-life superstar. I wonder where the inspiration came from?? It is an acquired taste, and is shamelessly eighties in design, and in smell. Personally, I adore its brash vulgarity. Her second remains the benchmark. White
Diamonds is still in the Top 50 fragrances in the USA, and made over US$61 million in that country alone last year. As previously stated in this column, it’s the world’s most successful celebrity fragrance after nearly two decades. A combination of Elizabeth’s favourite blooms, with heady notes of tuberose adding glamour and mystery, it’s no wonder it still sells. It’s gorgeously swooning, and romantic, and makes you feel a million dollars for about 40 quid for the 100ml size. Even tiny Boots stores stock this behemoth, a monstrously successful and undeniably seductive classic of its type. Apparently, many younger women wear it without knowing who Elizabeth Taylor really is, which is pretty unbelievable to my mind given the level of her fame. It does go to show that celebrity fragrances - if good enough - will last for years in the ruthless world of perfumery. Passion for men is her only offering for the fellas out there. Many men will be put off by the bottle, which is more like a prop from Cleopatra than a typical male flacon. Guys, go for it. Woody, smoky, with warm notes of vanilla, this has been a mainstay of my collection
Passion For Men
You can also find plenty of fragrance bargains and loads more besides at Bid TV and Price-Drop TV.
Passion
THE
SCENT TRAIN
Black Pearls
for years, and a great gift for birthdays due to its affordability. You should pay no more than twenty quid for the large bottle – I bought one in TK MAXX recently for buttons. Sexy, classical and an absolute must. The story of her vast range of female fragrances continues with the Precious Jewels collection. No longer stocked in stores, but perennially popular online, they are full-bodied fruity florals that seem to last forever. Diamonds and Emeralds is my favourite as it seems to sparkle like a glass of vintage champagne, with a hint of cognac. Black Pearls, from 1996, was the last global launch from the Elizabeth Taylor brand, and it is wonderful. Soft like cashmere with a low-level intensity, this is Maggie from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as its beauty conceals a dangerous, smouldering sensuality. Forever Elizabeth and Gardenia have added to the Taylor legend, as did the US only launch of Violet Eyes a couple of years ago. Did she make good fragrances? Yes. They are unified by a sense of beauty, a sense of style, and a sense of good, old-fashioned glamour. Dame Elizabeth Taylor, we will miss you.
Violet Eyes
White Diamonds
Peter is Managing Director of The Scent Train, a unique organisation that provides fragrance sales videos for online retailers and creates bespoke staff training courses.
www.TheScentTrain.com
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Peter Sherlock’s
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FA S H I O N
Fashion Tips & Trends By Fashion Editor, Angela Mitchell, Alter Ego Hair Design
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FA S H I O N
Hair
Clothes
Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Stride into Spring with Confidence... Accessories
With this months issue I really want to look more at men’s hair. I feel men’s hair doesn’t get the attention that it deserves. There are so many excellent shapes that can suit the men in our life, whether it is short or mid length.
Let’s make everything we do this season involve bold and bright colors. Let’s have strong colors and mix in some strong stripes or maybe some obvious checks. What about the color white?
Having a bad hair day? I am so in love with floppy wide-brim hats, they look great and they can solve a struggle with your hair on any day. They look amazing with those great flares we talked about in last months issue.
When we look at short hair for men, let’s make sure we keep the hair on the sides and the back close to the scull, while the top is left just a bit longer. This is a great shape because of the diversity of it. It can be worn messy and pushed up for a look that has more height. It can also be worn with just a bit of movement but laying flatter to the head in more of a forward position or if you want to really push this year’s trend than let’s get that parting back in on the side and brush it to the other side creating a flatter more sophisticated look, this also has a strong business feel. If you’re not a businessman but you still want a clean sharp look then this look is great for you. Now let’s take a look at the more casual longer, medium length cuts… they are kept quite shaggy, but still manageable. Keeping the fringe much longer can be worked into a few really great styles. Maybe keeping it low and more swept off to the side sounds good, also putting a parting into this shape is great as well (again bringing it back to more of a cleaner shapely look). The back of this cut can have a few different shapes cut into it. If you like to keep your hair off of your neck then have the hair that is below the occipital bone (area below the top of the ears in the back of the head) tapered into a nice, short look moving into the long length on the top of the haircut. If you like to feel the length in the back of the neck then keep it soft and textured and try not to have solid heavy lines. This longer look for a guy can be worn flat and smooth, messy and bit out of control, or for a more extreme look try a big quiff in the top and fringe. All in all, have fun with it!
This can be very striking and bold, especially if you follow the trend and wear it from head to toe. Avoid wearing skintight white clothes, maybe try more drapey pieces and loose tailoring, it can make more of a ‘now’ look. This keeps it soft and comfy but yet gives you a more sophisticated look without trying too hard. It can be quite tricky to wear all white in real life but try a layered look with slightly different shades of white to break it up, much more wearable for day to day life. A white top is a wardrobe staple that goes with everything. This is a very fresh look especially with simple, neutral pieces that pull the whole look together. This year let’s change the little black dress to a rockin’ little white dress; it is fresh and elegant. Maybe try a little white dress with a lace detail and combine two key trends in one. Also, loving the mini lengths especially if you’ve got the pins to show off. I just get so excited about the whole mixture of white this spring/summer and all of the fun layers you can pull off. Using the draping trouser/shorts, shear blouses or crocheted tops, and even a great drapey blazer. Now let take all of this back to all of the other bright colors out there. Thinking about all of the types of clothes we have looked at, it all works great with any colour. The only difference is, if you prefer to wear blues, greens, reds, etc. then mix and match the colors a bit more. Be brave and use blocks of contrasting colours. This season we are looking at everyone out there having some fun with their wardrobe. Keep it comfy, flowing and have a 60’s to 70’s feeling to it.
There is a bit of the 70’s in all of us, so set it free. If you’re still not sure how to make it work then mess up that hair, give it a scrunch and find that perfect little white dress, add some great big shades and the best leg-lengthening shoes ever, the wedge! But don’t forget about those great pin-up style cork platforms that can have a cheeky vintage feeling when worn with skirts or pedal-pushers. If you’re not really a girl that likes the high heel and prefer to wear flats, than get those fab worker boots out and wear them comfortably with shorts or even a great floral dress for some vintage chic. If you don’t want to go the whole hog with the white theme then you can still rock the trend by showing your whites with one key accessory. Try a soft, snow-white satchel and wear it as a key look. Also try out carrying a pretty, girly clutch with lots of texture or colour. Just have a bit of fun with fashion. Remember in any trend it’s the accessories you choose to make the look yours that make you stand out from the crowd!
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View from the
Funny Farm
The diary of an independent comedy promoter by Hazel Humphreys
‘May
you live in interesting times’ was an old Chinese curse, apparently, and one that on the back of this month, I respect. After griping about carshares last month, it was fated that three acts for the last Wivenhoe Funny Farm would get lost in Suffolk, forcing me to put the unblooded and unusual sketch act on first (congratulations to Tim and Dave for holding it together). And then there was the audition. An ITV comedy show, which will probably air in the Summer, was looking for a mixture of new and more experienced comics to do what sounds like a comedy Big Brother; a total sell-out and embarrassment to any comedian worth their salt.
So of course I applied, along with Chris, a graduate of a comedy workshop I’d run, a guy with a natural talent to get laughs. Somehow from our application forms and video clips we made it to the top 20% (according to the organisers) of those who applied, so with some trepidation, given the brief of performing 5 minutes of brand new topical material, we trained it to London to strut our stuff. Given the Christchurch Earthquake, Coalition Cuts and rumblings in Libya at the time, I’d complained about how depressing
topical material was. After a decent showing at the audiencefree audition (more therapy than comedy) and a few expensive adrenalin-abating pints, I awoke the next day to realise how lucky I’d been. For Armageddon had surely hit Japan, and there was no joke. A week later Slackspace contacted me, asking at the last minute if I would MC half of their 12 hour fundraising gig for the Japan Disaster Fund. I panicked. Of course I couldn’t say “No”, but hours of checking through all the material I’ve ever written failed to
provide an appropriate gag. Especially when it was a music gig with two stages. I left for Slackspace the following day with a backpack crammed with my material, and some spare toilet roll, and realised whilst watching the excellent Ade Frost MC that it wasn’t about comedy routines, more about keeping people focused on the music and the meaning of the day. And so I ended up introducing Sayaka, a Japanese lady who has lost members of her extended family in the Tsunami. Amidst a rapidly
quieting and respectful crowd Sayaka explained why aid to Japan was essential in a fragile voice that flooded my eyes. Slackspace raised over four grand on the day, so hopefully in some small way I helped. Chris and I didn’t get through the ITV audition though. A tall blonde woman with big breasts did. They always do. I’m not bitter.
The next Wivenhoe Funny Farm is April 28th at Wivenhoe Cricket Club
COLCHESTER UNITED FC
“What a topsy turvy few weeks it has been for us at Colchester United.” A few weeks ago, we were due to face Southampton at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, where a win would take us to within one point of the Play-Offs. Unfortunately, things went against us on that day and we were defeated, with our former teammate Dean Hammond scoring the second goal in the Saints’ 2-0 win. Two weeks later, we were down in fourteenth place in League One and almost unbelievably, thirteen points away from sixth place. A home defeat against MK Dons a week after the Southampton game sandwiched two away fixtures, both of which saw us fail to pick up any points. In that MK Dons game, we were ahead at half time but then conceded three goals in the second half.
At Dagenham, we just had one of those nights that happen occasionally and nothing went right for us. Credit to Dagenham for beating us but it wasn’t a great spectacle and neither side could say they played to their full potential. While we were all disappointed with the performance as well as the result against the Daggers, we felt that we could have come away from Tranmere with at least a point. We had two efforts cleared off the line and really should have got on the score sheet as reward for the hard work we put in. Losing there made it relatively easy for people to write off our play-off chances but until it is mathematically impossible, we’ll be giving it a go
in all our games. That attitude has certainly come to the fore in our two recent home matches, with wins over Oldham Athletic and Exeter closing the gap to eight points. I am not saying that we will now get into the play-offs but we won’t be giving up hope that the teams above us drop points and we pick up some more wins. We can only influence the latter but fingers crossed, the former happens as well.
Kem Izzet
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ART
TONE UP YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY Getting Exposure Part 2: Relationships The key elements that contribute to exposing an image correctly were introduced last month: ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Understand the relationships between these elements and you control the creative process that is photography. Some books on the market promise perfect exposure every time if you follow their method. Great, except that they treat photography like a maths lesson, sucking out the fun and spontaneity. You don’t have to be a walking calculator to correctly expose an image – this is the digital age. The Relationships ISO, aperture and shutter speed combine to create an exposure value. Once you have adjusted each to establish a desired exposure, any further adjustments should be performed in a balanced manner: changing one will usually mean you need to change one or both of the others. Choosing the setting to change can be
a compromise, but is also a creative decision – which setting is most critical to your creative vision? Is depth of field (covered next month) important to you? Set the aperture you want and vary shutter speed or ISO to achieve correct exposure. Want to freeze or blur a moving subject? Set the shutter speed first and vary aperture or ISO. Require a noise-free image? A low ISO is required, so vary aperture or shutter speed. Whether your eventual choice is governed by circumstance or artistic preference, your camera can help you get it right.
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Metering Digital cameras offer a range of metering options, and generally you will not need the type of external light meter that was de rigueur in the film world. Matrix metering is your all-rounder. The camera uses information from most of the frame to work out correct exposure. Good for many scenarios, it will often produce a balanced image with subject and background exposed reasonably well. With centre-partial (centre-weighted) metering, the camera again uses information from most of the frame, but gives priority to a circle in the middle. This method is frequently used for portrait photography. Spot metering is where a very small area of the frame (chosen by you) is metered. Use this to correctly expose the subject (and only the subject) when the background is considerably lighter or darker. Camera Modes Manual exposure mode allows you to set ISO, aperture and shutter speed to achieve the desired exposure. The camera’s meter can still guide you – check your manual to see how exposure information is displayed on your camera. Fully automatic exposure (program mode) may be augmented by a range of niche sub-options (portrait, landscape, macro etc). These modes may do a good job of exposing a subject, but where is the creativity in that? The camera is making all the decisions! Thankfully, many cameras offer modes that allow you to decide which exposure control to alter creatively and which to compromise for correct exposure: aperture priority and shutter priority. In these modes you set the named element, and the camera works out the other for you. You still set the ISO. Aperture priority is the mode of choice for many photographers. I use it for most location photography (except studio flash photography, which requires manual metering)
since depth of field is usually of primary importance to me. Shutter priority can also be useful, especially when photographing s porting events or subjects such as flowing water. Viewing Modes After a photograph has been taken, there are two further features provided by digital cameras that make metering easy for creative photographers: the highlights and histogram views (NB. the names may differ on your camera; rotate through the viewing options until you find the functions described below). The highlights view presents overexposed sections of an image as flashing areas in the LCD display. The histogram is a more sophisticated tool. It takes the form of a graph depicting the range of tones (shadows mid-tones - highlights) within the image. The histogram in Photoshop’s levels tool is essentially the same as the histogram your camera displays. Both show the dispersal of light, dark and mid-tone pixels. If the graph bunches vertically at the far left of the horizontal axis, or does not reach the right edge, you may have under-exposed. If it bunches vertically at the far right, or does not stretch to the left edge, you have probably over-exposed. Adjust ISO, aperture or shutter speed to compensate, and shoot again. There are other tools that help with exposure - exposure compensation and bracketing - they are well worth investigating. Next month: the other side of aperture - depth of field. Adrian Multon is a freelance photographer based in Wivenhoe. He provides high quality imagery for local businesses. Adrian also offers group and 1-2-1 photographic tutoring and image editing workshops. See www.adrianmulton.co.uk to view Adrian’s portfolio.
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ART
by Abigail Cheverest, Slack Space
Wow! What an amazing day Saturday March 19th was at Slack Space. What a rare and precious atmosphere. What an inspirational event and what a privilege and honor to be part of it. If community spirit was tangible then this would be it. It would be the 1,200 people that came to the space throughout the day, people of all ages and from all groups of society. It would be the volunteers that turned up to do a two hour shift and ended up staying for five. It would be the Japanese students and residents of Colchester who came to support the event and share in the solidarity of the moment. It would be the children skipping round with fund raising buckets, the people crowding round the table to make senba zuru - origami cranes to symbolise hope - or having their names written in calligraphy. It would be those who turned up literally weighed down with cakes they had spent the night before baking. It would be the incredibly touching moment the Japanese students and residents all took to the stage and led a choral rendition of the traditional
Japanese folk song Sukiyaki, the hundreds of pounds worth of raffle prizes donated by local businesses, the girl who made a beautiful tree so people could hang their prayers and thoughts for Japan and the hundreds of messages that filled the tree. The great diversity of music, people and cultures all brought together because they care and under the banner of hope. There were so many people to thank for Saturday’s event but the response was always the same: no, thank you for letting me be part of it. It was amazing. It was wonderful. It was inspirational. It showed what could be done. NHK, the Japanese National Broadcast channel (our equivalent of the BBC) were at the event from 11am to 8pm, even though they were supposed to leave four hours earlier. They spent the day filming
Photo by Simon Crow
the event, at Slack Space and around Colchester, and interviewing many of those involved. This footage will be broadcast on Japanese National TV with the message to the Japanese people that, in Colchester and across the world, people are thinking about them and sending them their hope. On Saturday 19 March 32 bands played back-toback in Slack Space for 12 hours. 30 buskers, poets, breakdancers and body poppers took to the streets of Colchester to raise money for the cause. Lush hosted a live music stage and lucky dip all day and collections were held in Tin Pan Alley, The Soundhouse, Twisters and V Bar in the evening. Over £4,000 was raised for the Japanese Red Cross. Thinking of Japan. Praying for Japan.
Photo by Leasepics
Photo by Leasepics
Photo by Leasepics
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Festival of Hope
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A Problem Shared Each month Colchester 101 features readers’ own stories about issues that affect, or are still affecting, their lives. This month, however, we are taking a look at how action from Colchester’s business community ensured the survival of our local NSPCC branch. olchester based NSPCC volunteer, Pat Laurie, is calling on local businesses to support the NSPCC’s efforts to end child cruelty. The NSPCC Colchester business group is your opportunity to play a role in putting an end to child abuse and the group is stressing that individual actions can, and do contribute to ending abuse. Pat, who is the NSPCC’s East Essex branch Chair, has gained a lot from her fundraising for the NSPCC, “You only have to watch the NSPCC adverts or read about child abuse in the newspapers, the statistics speak for themselves. We can all do our bit to help by giving as much or as little time as we can. I urge people throughout Colchester and the surrounding area to find out more about the NSPCC and how they can get involved.” Local businesswoman, Katie Skingle, has been instrumental in setting up this vital fundraising group and originally got in touch with Pat to find out how she could help the NSPCC. Katie had set up her own PR company a couple of years earlier, and had just merged her company with her co-director Claire Hunt’s event management firm. They’d got themselves established, and had started thinking about giving something back to the local community. “Almost before I knew it,” Pat says today, “Katie had started a committee”. Katie and Claire are now, respectively, Chair and Treasurer of the Colchester NSPCC Business Group. “There are ten members now, all from different local businesses which care about local children and their welfare.” “One of the reasons I started Kat Creativ,” says Katie, “was so I could provide for my daughter, Jasmine, who’s now 6. But being able to do that also made me think about other children, whose parents couldn’t do what I was doing, or who needed help in other ways, and although charitable giving is important, I thought as a local businesswoman, I could do more. Bringing lots of different businesspeople together gave us the potential to raise a lot more.”
C
The first thing Claire, Katie and their colleagues on the committee did was to start organising the first Emerald Ball, which was held on 29th November 2008. With the Weston Business Centre on the committee, it made sense to choose the recently completed Weston Homes Community Stadium – the home of Colchester United – as the venue for their first big event. The inaugural Emerald Ball attracted more than 200 guests and – in the middle of a recession – raised £5,730. Since then, two more balls have raised over £4,000 and £6,500, respectively. With stilt-walkers, fire-breathers, casino tables, dinner and dancing, they’ve become one of the biggest and best charity events in the area. Each year has also featured a charity auction run by Col U’s stadium announcer, Peter Sleigh. The business group has also held awareness raising events including talks to business groups given by Katie, and an information stall at the Early Learning Centre toy shop in Colchester’s Culver Square. The money they’ve raised helps the NSPCC fund services for Colchester, such as ChildLine. Between 1st April 2009 and 31st March 2010, ChildLine received approximately 530 landline and payphone calls from the Colchester area. (*Landline and payphone calls represent only 23% of the calls ChildLine receives.) Pat says, “Each week at least one child dies from cruelty. Every year 19,000 adolescents attempt suicide. The NSPCC needs the continued support of businesses to increase the provision of its vital services for children.” Funds raised by the group also help local services like the NSPCC Essex Young Witness Project, which provides support and preparation to young people in Essex who are required to give evidence in criminal trials. “Giving evidence in court can often be a
distressing and traumatic experience for young people,” says Pat, “so the project aims to take as much stress and unpleasantness out of the process as it can. Trained volunteers prepare and support the young witnesses through the whole process.” Katie says, “The Colchester NSPCC Business Group’s first two years have been superb. I want to thank every one of my friends in the business community for caring enough to give their time and money. We’re always looking for more people to join us, so if you would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you.” The most recent new joiner was Wayne Warner, Commercial Director of Colchester’s new cultural and social space, firstsite – which will host the next Emerald Ball on 12th November. The group’s work is much appreciated by the NSPCC. Gwen Pearson, Head of Local Fundraising for London North and East of England says, “We’re so pleased to have such a fantastic group of supporters in the form of the Colchester NSPCC Business Group, who have raised such wonderful sums to support the vital work we do.”
About the NSPCC The NSPCC is here to end cruelty to children in the UK by fighting for their rights, listening to them, helping them when they need us and making them safe. We provide national services such as ChildLine and our Helpline for concerned adults to provide support for all children. Our local services focus on the most acute forms of abuse and the most vulnerable, highest risk children working in areas such as sexual abuse or children under one so that we can bring help, advice and treatment to children at risk or those who have been abused.
If you would like to get involved locally and make an impact at the heart of your community please visit the website for more information: www.colchesternspccbusinessgroup.org.uk
* These figures must not be extrapolated to attempt to estimate the total number of calls received from a particular area. We are unable to provide a regional breakdown of calls made from a mobile.
If you have a story to tell then send it to us at mailus@colchester101.co.uk
HELPLINES
If you need help and support to deal with an addiction or crisis, below are contact details for organisations dedicated to providing support and advice for a variety of problems.
Alcoholics Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from alcoholism. Helpline 0845 769 7555 Email: help@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk Al-Anon Family Groups Support for anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. Helpline 020 7403 0888 Email: enquiries@al-anonuk.org.uk www.al-anonuk.org.uk Narcotics Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from drug addiction. Helpline 0300 999 1212 www.ukna.org
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Cocaine Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from cocaine addiction. Helpline 0800 612 0225 From UK Mobile Phones 800 612 0225 Email: helpline@cauk.org.uk www.cauk.org.uk Colchester Gay Switchboard Help and advice for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender individuals and those affected by HIV and AIDS. Helpline 01206 869191 or 0845 1 23 23 88 www.gayessex.org.uk Brook Free and confidential sexual health advice and services for under 25s providing professional advice on Contraception, STIs and Pregnancy. Helpline 0808 802 1234 www.brook.org.uk
Overeaters Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. Helpline 07000 784985 www.oagb.org.uk beat The leading UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families. Helpline: 0845 634 1414 Email: help@b-eat.co.uk Youthline 0845 634 7650 Email fyp@b-eat.co.uk www.b-eat.co.uk Relate Support and advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support. Telephone: 0300 100 1234
Families Need Fathers Support and information if you are separating or divorced and are worried about not seeing your children, or the effects on them. Open to mothers, fathers, grandparents, new partners and extended families. Helpline: 0300 0300 363 www.fnf.org.uk Samaritans If you are in crisis, feel distressed or are perhaps thinking of suicide, Samaritans trained volunteers can give you the time and space to talk about your feelings, help you explore your options and perhaps seek a way to face the future. 24/7 Helpline 01206 561234 www.Samaritans.org Open Road Reducing the harmful impact of drugs and alcohol on users, their families, partners and society. Telephone: 0844 499 1323
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MUSIC
After a short break from the local scene I’m back with a whole new event, The Gilly Sessions at The Bull on Crouch Street. The Bull already has an enviable reputation for putting on the best live music in town, with local artists Greg Blackman, Ady Johnson, Housework and The 633 to name but a few who have performed there. The beauty of The Bull is that not only can you go along and enjoy whoever is playing in the main bar, there is also The Soundhouse out the back with its own stage and bar where you will find more local talent playing. What I’ll be doing is adding a third dimension to the evening, so when the bands finish the party will carry on with me DJing from midnight to 2.30am. The Gilly Sessions kick off on Saturday 9th April with ReKovered in the Main Bar, The SoundHouse playing host to 3AMS, then while
they are packing up their gear yours truly will be keeping party going til the wee small hours. And I do it all again on Saturday 14th May, taking over after the excellent Beggar have finished their set. In addition to playing host to followers of the latest bands and artists on the scene, The Bull is also very popular with an older crowd too who want to enjoy a drink and see live music. So to ensure that everyone’s tastes are catered for I’ll be treating you to classic Gilly sets featuring everything from Brit Pop to Rock, something a bit funky, and tunes from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s… all that and much, much more! So now there is all the more reason for The Bull to be at the centre of your weekend plans. Crouch Street has never had it so good! Gilly.
Bands for Brothers: Raging Bull supporting Help for Heroes For one night only, on 16 July 2011, leading event promoter Raging Bull is hosting the best in new music from Colchester at the Arts Centre to raise money for Help for Heroes. Help for Heroes provides support to service personal that are injured in the line of duty. Founded in 2007 by Bryn and Emma Parry, Help For Heroes describes itself as ‘being non political and non critical; we simply want to help. We believe that anyone who volunteers to serve in a time of war, knowing that may risk all, is a hero.’ Raging Bull has been bringing the best new
music talent to the stage at the Soundhouse, The Bull, Crouch Street, for over two years, with the best from Colchester’s ever growing pool of talented musicians and also from as far afield as Russia and Belguim. For one night only, Raging Bull moves round the corner to the Arts Centre to present ‘Bands for Brothers.’ Mike Deans, of Raging Bull, who has himself served a tour of duty in Afghanistan, said: “We want to put on great night of new music, so that the people of Colchester come out and show their support for our troops.”
He goes on to say “we are looking for the cream of the crop of the Colchester bands to play and there will be more information released via www.facebook.com/ragingbullcolchester on how local bands can get involved. We are also talking to some very big names to come and headline the night.” So watch this space. Colchester Arts Centre has seen many acts before they have gone on to huge things, for example, The Strokes and Coldplay. Bands for Brothers could be your chance to see the next big thing, right on your doorstep in Colchester.
Tickets are available from www.colchesterartcentre.com priced at £10.00 with a 50p per ticket booking fee.
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
And the music plays on...
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Songs in the
of
Key
Greg
Blackman By Simon Crow
Greg Blackman, Colchester’s selfdubbed ‘hardest working, funkiest white boy you ever shall see’ has been writing songs on the piano since he was 15. He was fortunate to be born into a musical family where his father and his French born mother were both in the same band. However, unlike many children with a talent for music, there was no reason for Photo: Harland Payne www.harlandpaynephoto.com
Greg to believe that he could not earn a living from it. “If you grow up playing a musical instrument and one of your folks isn’t in the arts, and doesn’t understand that way of things, making a living from it seems very far off and esoteric. Having parents who were active in music all the time made me think more seriously about it as an option.”
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COVER STAR
G
Career Unlike a lot of musicians, Greg earns his living with his music. It’s how he puts food on the table and provides for his family. Along with gigs and playing in bars, he also does sessions singing for radio. “A lot of people are quite embarrassed by that. I’m not. I think it’s far more of a cop out to go and work in a supermarket for a week than to go and sing a jingle. This way I’m using my gifts, and I’m paid more money for one hour’s work than I would for a whole day in a shop.” The result is he can spend the rest of the day with his family, and it clearly makes him extremely happy that he has spent every day of his two and a half year old daughter’s life with her.
Photo: Jon Cook
In many ways music is all he has, he says if there had been an easier route he would have taken it. If he could be living a comfortable life he would be. But that wasn’t an option, so he is driven to be the best he possibly can at what he does and has projects on the go that have already begun to change his life. It’s all in his plan, and he even knows what his next five albums will be over the next ten years. YouTube He tells the story of the night he was at the house of his friend Gary Leach after finding a gig they had turned up for had been cancelled. The evening ended up with Gary recording him playing a couple of stripped down versions of his songs, which he subsequently uploaded to YouTube. The next day DJ Vadim, the prolific Russian born break beat and hip hop DJ and producer, got in touch after seeing the video posted on a friend’s Facebook. “He asked me if I wanted to do something. Well with Facebook that is very common, but I do something other people don’t do, so I said ‘Okay, when?’ He said ‘Tomorrow?’ ‘What time?’ ‘11?’ So I told him I’d be there at 10.59, and I was. He played me fifteen beats and I came up with thirteen ideas on the spot that he said he would use. He asked me if they were songs I’d already written, but I said they were just songs I was making up over what he’d done. That day he gave me a disc with twenty beats on it and I wrote eight songs in three days. Because of the work that I’m doing now I’m working with a lot of different producers and DJs, and all I have to do is come in at the end when the music is all done and write the hook over the top and do a bit of soulful singing. To me that feels
like cheating.” As a result, he and Vadim are collaborating on an album to be released in 2012. People approach him all the time to do collaborations so it should be no surprise that it’s also been confirmed he’s going to be on Rae and Christian’s next album, the forthcoming YesKing album, an EP with Steve Bird, AKA Mr Bird, the successful English musician, producer and DJ based in Portugal, and as if all that is not enough, he’s also working with Geordie duo Smoove and Turrell. Greg likens his attitude to soul music to punk in the 70s. It was anger that fuelled the punk rock generation. In the words of the Sex Pistols ‘anger is an energy’ and it is anger, and frustration, that energises Greg. He puts this down to having a French influenced outlook on life. Whereas, he believes, the English will just accept, the French will question and demand change, and this is what drives his creativity. “The world isn’t made for guys like me. I have to carve my own niche in it. The alternative is to be quiet, meek, obedient, grateful. And I will be none of those things, it’s not good enough.” Critical Acclaim He believes that, like punk, music does not have to be technically slick, after all there is enough of that in the charts. Musicians should make the best use they can with the resources available to them, capturing the realness and rawness in the moment. He’s just released his debut album, the self-financed, self-recorded ‘The Price of Love’ recorded at Long Track Studios in Marks Tey, and it has already met with much critical acclaim. Greg had a very clear vision of the job ahead when he went into the studio. He knew exactly what he wanted. “I don’t have a choice. I can only do this
one thing. I can do it quicker and better than most people. If you put me in a day job situation where all I have to do is stack shelves and act like normal people act I’ll implode in a month. I’m actually staggeringly inept at doing anything else!” And his own thoughts on his music? “You don’t hear angry soul anymore. Soul used to be the music of protest. Soul used to be where people went to talk about what was wrong. What about Marvin Gaye? Do you think he wrote ‘What’s Going On?’ to get laid? No he did not. Soul used be where grown men, real, contradictory, dangerous, actual masculine men went to get angry. Soul music has become a slick, hollow empty suit trying to sleep with your wife. It used to be our conscience, our balls, our integrity. Now mainstream soul is all about trying to get laid. That is not what I’m about. I’m here to bring soul that’s fun to listen to but still has some hair on its peaches, soul that has something to say, that doesn’t shy away from being controversial.” Greg Blackman’s debut album ‘The Price Of Love’ is available on CD, iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Spotify via Long Track Recordings. www.facebook.com/gregblackmanmusic www.myspace.com/gregblackmanmusic
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
rowing up, there wasn’t a lot of inspiration for the kind of music he liked his father’s record collection was more like Sunday night on BBC 2 in the ‘80s. “Blue skies, green fields and white people,” said Greg. “It was like black music never happened. When I found soul music I thought I’d come home. This was what I’d been looking for. I’d found my music and it kind of distilled my ethos about what good music should be.” Greg is passionate about soul music and despairs at what has become of the genre. “The best soul music is unashamedly pop music. It’s not got the pretensions that soul music has now to exist outside the mainstream, thriving on the memory of a better day. It was pop. It was made to be successful. It had integrity, it had spirit, it had character. Everything was delivered with real passion. That’s real soul.” He judges himself by the standards of the top artists in the field and is in no doubt whatsoever that if you are going to make soul music, and you’re not going to compare yourself to Stevie Wonder, then there’s no point in doing it. “If you’re not going to seriously compete, if you’re not going to put yourself up against those cats, if you are going to look at what you do and think it’s fine but it’s not as good as the professionals, then just play for your own amusement. I hold myself up to very high standards because there is no point doing anything else.”
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LISTINGS
This Month’s
Essential Events Guide Sponsored by Cool Publicity www.coolpublicity.co.uk Friday 1st April Circle Bar, 33 Crouch Street Colchester 101 ‘April Issue’ Launch at First Friday hosted by Tonic. Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street The Laughter Zone. Fun and laughter with Holly Walsh, Gary Delaney and Richard Morton. Holly Walsh is fast becoming a household name having starred on Mock The Week, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats, whilst both Gary Delaney and award-winning Richard Morton have built-up enviable reputations regularly now starring on both television and radio. Headgate Theatre, 14 Chapel Street North Kindertransport follows the journey of ten year old Eva, escaping Nazi Germany for a new life in Manchester. Her hopes of being reunited with her parents are dashed by the outbreak of war. Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate Science Museum: Live On Tour. A live show to blow your mind and challenge your brain. Plus, Birth Of The Infanta. Adapted from the story by Oscar Wilde, this vibrant one woman play captures a transitional moment of choice when the heart could melt or freeze. Roberts Live Lounge, 18 Vineyard Street SYXX. Slack Space, 19-29 Queen Street. Pianofriday. From 11am - 6pm a piano will be available for anyone who would like to practice or play. Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa, Keeper’s Lane, Leavenheath Fleece Jazz with Phronesis. The Bull, 2-4 Crouch Street Greg Blackman, Holsten Cadaver and Freebird are in the Main Bar, Hokie Joint are in The Soundhouse. The Twist, 25 Military Road Metal 2 The Masses featuring To Kill A Rose, Crash Mansion, Bleeding Oath and Guests. Tin Pan Alley, 7 Queen Street Live Music. _____________________________________ Saturday 2nd April Colchester Arts Centre Bowling For Soup (Acoustic). The Pop Punk Rockers return to Colchester with an acoustic set. Fat Cat, 65 Butt Road Acoustic Night with Ryan Galvin. Headgate Theatre Kindertransport. Mercury Theatre Science Museum: Live On Tour. Plus, Birth Of The Infanta. Roberts Live Lounge Saturday Soul with DJs Barry Stockwell and Nick Gunn. Tin Pan Alley Live Music. The Bull Undercover are in the Main Bar. Out Of Nowhere are in The Soundhouse. Victoria Inn, 10 North Station Road Dave Norwood. _____________________________________ Sunday 3rd April Colchester Arts Centre The Mick Hutton Group. Mick Hutton has been active on the British jazz scene for over thirty years and has appeared alongside musicians such as Acker Bilk Kenny Wheeler and Nigel Kennedy.
Victoria Inn Jazmine Ava. _____________________________________ Monday 4th April Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club: Spiers and Boden. Described by The Guardian as “the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene” and twice winners of the BBC Radio 2 folk award for Best Duo. Mercury Theatre The Chosen Ones. Ben Freeman (Scott Windsor in Emmerdale), Jennifer Biddall (Hollyoaks) and Stephen Beckett (Coronation Street) star in a gripping thriller by Philip Gladwin. The Black Buoy, Wivenhoe Open Mic Night. The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter. Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 5th April Mercury Theatre Shaun The Sheep in Shaun’s Big Show. Join Shaun and his friends from the BBC show. Plus, The Chosen Ones. The Bull Tuesday Night Bandstand. 4 pre-booked bands battle it out for the end of night prize. Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 6th April Mercury Theatre The Chosen Ones. The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce. Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy. _____________________________________ Thursday 7th April Colchester United Football Club, Weston Homes Community Stadium. 3 of the best stand-up comedians perform at The Comedy Club. Headgate Theatre Personals – A Musical Revue. This comically mixes song and ironic sketches about people searching for love, life and adventures through personal ads. Mercury Theatre The Chosen Ones. The Bull Maxwell Hammer and Smith are in the Main Bar. The Jazz Jam is in The Soundhouse. Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night. TP’s Sports Bar Icebreaker Promotions: This Blank Page, Not Going Out and support. _____________________________________ Friday 8th April Headgate Theatre Personals – A Musical Revue. Mercury Theatre Attempts On Her Life. Martin Crimp creates a shifting pattern of images and scenes, told by a cast of many voices, that take a disturbing and poignant look at a woman’s life and death. Plus, The Chosen Ones. Roberts Live Lounge The Outlaws. Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm).
Layer Marney Tower, Layer Maney Guided Spring Walks throughout the afternoon.
Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with the Tim Richards Trio.
Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with The Gambit Jazzmen.
The Bull Cover Station are in the Main Bar. The 633 presents The Raging Bull is in The Soundhouse.
Ramada Colchester Mothering Sunday Lunch.
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Tin Pan Alley The Beau Gibson Band.
Victoria Inn Pure Acoustic Jam. _____________________________________ Saturday 9th April Colchester Arts Centre Journey Of Turtle. A story for kids based on a trilogy of “just so” style Turtle tales about following your dream, told with shadows, table top puppets and traditional storytelling. Colchester United Football Club The U’s host Rochdale AFC. Fat Cat Acoustic Night. Headgate Theatre Personals – A Musical Revue. Mercury Theatre The Chosen Ones. Plus, Attempts On Her Life. Roberts Live Lounge Retro Classics Night. DJ Adi Clark 60s playing a mix of Ska/Reggae, Northern Soul, Groovy Hammond, Mod, 90’s Indie and 77’ Punk.
The Twist For Everything A Reason, Shallow Waters and Goddam Kids. _____________________________________ Thursday 14th April Colchester Arts Centre Grindcore from Rotten Sound with support from Trap Them, Gaza and Haust. Headgate Theatre The Wizard of Oz Theatre Workshop. Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge. The Mercury Theatre Company tackles another brilliant American classic in Arthur Miller’s powerful tale of desire, betrayal and justice. The Bull Robbie & Lincoln are in the Main Bar. Vixation are in The Soundhouse. The Twist Aver, Silverstate and The Debut.
Slack Space Slack Folk. Afternoon Folk Club.
Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night.
Slack Space Britain vs America Night: The Overwrought, The Family Dickens, The Wasted Youth, Stone Genie.
Trotters Bar Keep Colchester Cool presents… Showcase of acts you should be hearing more of. _____________________________________ Friday 15th April Colchester Arts Centre Dele Sosimi & Orchestra. One of the most active musicians currently on the Afrobeat scene worldwide.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music. The Bull Rekovered are in the Main Bar, followed by ‘The Gilly Sessions’ with DJ Gilly. 3AMS are in The Soundhouse. _____________________________________ Sunday 10th April Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Plus, Guided Tour of the Tower and Church. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with The Freetime Original Jazz Band. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney. Victoria Inn The Dice People. _____________________________________ Monday 11th April Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club: Dana and Sue Robinson. Bringing roots and tradition to contemporary song-writing.
Headgate Theatre Lady Bird and The Larks. Sing & Bling Ding Dong with one of Colchester’s favourite groups. Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge. Roberts Live Lounge Spooky. Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm). Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with The Minimum Trio. The Bull Adrian Nation is ‘Live at 6.45’. Counterfeit Quo are in the Main Bar. Hot Fat are in The Soundhouse.
Headgate Theatre The Wizard of Oz Theatre Workshop for 8 to 16 year olds. Enjoy singing and dancing in the popular high-energy show.
The Twist The Dead Lay Waiting, Confined Within, Foreign Bodies and Lychway.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music.
The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter.
Victoria Inn Buskers Jam Night. _____________________________________ Saturday 16th April Colchester Arts Centre Pappy’s. Award winning comedy from the team made up of Ben Clark, Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry.
Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 12th April Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. The Bull Ghost Train Porters. Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 13th April Headgate Theatre The Wizard of Oz Theatre Workshop.
Fat Cat Acoustic Night. Headgate Theatre AcoustiCity with Squeeze singer/songwriter Chris Difford and Attractions keyboard player, Steve Nieve. Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge.
The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce.
Roberts Live Lounge 60s/70s Night with DJ Phil Terry.
Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy.
The Bull Skandal are in the Main Bar. Essex Rocks presents Animal Noise, Jon Cook Blues Band,
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LISTINGS
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with John Maddock’s Jazzmen. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney. Victoria Inn Navacross Lite - Acoustic Set. _____________________________________ Monday 18th April Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club: Mike and Ali Vass. Mike (fiddle, guitar, vocals) and Ali (piano, vocals) are among the best young exponents of traditional music in Scotland. Their performances are bursting with energy, drive and vitality. Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
comprising the greatest hits of the biggest shows of the last two decades. If you like heart-breaking ballads, toe-tapping comedy numbers or just a good old sing-song, this is a show not to miss.
Headgate Theatre Thoroughly Modern Musicals.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Mercury Theatre The Twelve Wild Ducks. Be very careful what you wish for. That’s what the Queen discovers when after having 12 boisterous sons she wishes for a daughter. But at the moment her daughter is born her sons are transformed into wild ducks. Will the princess be able to save her brothers? A blend of live music, magical word-weaving and the engaging physicality that has become multi story’s hallmark. Plus, Josh’s Monsters. A couple face the impending departure of their son to Afghanistan. Plus, A View From The Bridge.
Mercury Theatre The Chalk Giants. Plus, A View From The Bridge. The Bull Junkyard Aliens are in the Main Bar. Roxys Wardrobe are in The Soundhouse. Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night. _____________________________________ Friday 22nd April Colchester Arts Centre Comedian and writer, Simon Evans star of BBC One’s Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and BBC3’s Edinburgh Fest Comedy Gala, brings his critically acclaimed show ‘Fringe Magnet’ to Colchester on his debut solo tour. Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Headgate Theatre Thoroughly Modern Musicals.
Mercury Theatre Circles In The Sand. A delightful and enthralling play without words for children under 3 years. At the end of the show children are invited to explore, discover and play in the sand utilised during the performance. Plus, A View From The Bridge
The Bull Vardo & The Boss and Under Ether are in the Main Bar. Surfquake are in The Soundhouse. Victoria Inn Live Music. The Minories Gallery Gardens The Rising Sun Festival: Music, BBQ & more. _____________________________________ Monday 25th April Colchester United Football Club The U’s host Brighton and Hove Albion.
Mercury Theatre Circles In The Sand Plus, A View From The Bridge.
Mercury Theatre The Chalk Giants Plus, A View From The Bridge. The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce. The Twist Aliases, Chimp Spanner, Cyclamen and Fall To Oblivion. Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy. _____________________________________ Thursday 21st April Colchester Arts Centre Christ On A Bike. Richard Herring resurrects and revamps his first and favourite solo show, exploring his strange obsession and affinity with the Messiah. Headgate Theatre Thoroughly Modern Musicals. A concert
The Bull Scooby are in the Main Bar. The Bull in association with Keep Colchester Cool presents Marner Brown, Station and Fick As Fieves in The Soundhouse. _____________________________________ Sunday 24th April Layer Marney It’s Easter! Toddler Easter Egg Hunt, Egg and Spoon Races and Easter Quiz throughout the afternoon. Plus, Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Ramada Colchester Easter Sunday Lunch.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music.
Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with Richard Leach’s 7 Stars of Jazz.
Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 19th April Colchester Arts Centre Ben Howard, the singer/song writer, performs as part of his UK tour.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 20th April Colchester Arts Centre Didgeridoo and African Drumming Workshops for Kids. Each workshop gives a short history of the instrument and a chance to learn the basic playing techniques.
Roberts Live Lounge 80s/90s Night.
Roberts Live Lounge Soul Bank Holiday Special.
The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter.
The Bull Top Deck Allstars.
Layer Marney Tower Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon.
Roberts Live Lounge Ready Steady Go. Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm). Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with Outhouse, Hilmer Jensson. The Bull Elliot Chapman is ‘Live at 6.45’. The Current are in the Main Bar. The John Young Band are in The Soundhouse.
Layer Marney Tower It’s Easter! Toddler Easter Egg Hunt, Egg and Spoon Races and Easter Quiz throughout the afternoon. Plus, Bottle Feed The Lambs throughout the afternoon. Pat Molloy’s Ice Breaker Promotions present Newton’s Apples, Never Ending Lights and Sinead Orme.
Headgate Theatre A Play On Words. Outrageous comedy about Clifford Pratt-Shore who is directing his masterwork, a play about Wordsworth’s life and love. The Bull Shagamaloo Shufflers are in the Main Bar. The Blues Jam is in The Soundhouse. The Twist Sacred Mother Tongue supported by AR. _____________________________________ Friday 29th April Colchester Arts Centre Bad (Royal) Wedding Disco. All the classic wedding tracks that you’ve always pretended not to like. Colchester United Football Club ABBA Babes: ABBA Tribute Act. Headgate Theatre A Play On Words. Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge. Qube SHAFT a night of Soul Classics, Jazz, Funk, Weekender Anthems and RnB. Roberts Live Lounge Circa Fall. Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm). Fat Cat New Town Kings (unplugged). Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with Tina May. The Bull The Beau Gibson Band are ‘Live at 6.45’. Voodoo Child are in the Main Bar. So Called Humans + Support are in The Soundhouse. The Twist James Hunter supported by Porter and James Goulding. _____________________________________ Saturday 30th April Colchester Arts Centre Kids - Rapunzel and Mask Making Workshop. The Storyteller - a raven called Raven Bonkers, shows us the tale of the village competition. There’s the witch, who wins the baby and the girl with the long hair in the tower. The prince who rescues her.... then Rapunzel, who rescues him... Rapunzel the Vegetable Slayer! Colchester Arts Centre The Freak Show: DJ Jeff Scott. The legendary alternative 80s night is back! Fat Cat Jazmine Ava Band. Headgate Theatre E.S.Pionage. Is your mind safe? Learn the true story of Peter Antoniou’s journey into the murky world of ‘psychic’ espionage. Through laughter and amazement he reveals how your mind has been compromised.
The Twist The Small Fakers supported by Rocksmith.
Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 26th April Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music.
The Bull Drum.
Roberts Live Lounge 70s/80s Night with DJ Buzby.
Victoria Inn Pure Acoustic Jam. _____________________________________ Saturday 23rd April Colchester Arts Centre St George’s Day Medieval & Mystery Fayre. Themed entertainments - music, jesting, a mystery-adventure game for children and adults, stalls and a farmer’s market with traditional ingredients for a special Easter meal. Plus in the evening, Robin Ince’s Bad Book Club. Multi-award-winning comedian and TV and radio regular, with his latest one-man show.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 27th April Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge.
Tin Pan Alley Live Music.
Fat Cat Acoustic Night.
The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce. Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy. _____________________________________ Thursday 28th April Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge.
Mercury Theatre A View From The Bridge.
The Bull The Beagles are the Main Bar. The Twist City Stereo.
For your event to be considered for inclusion in Colchester 101 please call us on 01206 544700 or email mailus@Colchester101.co.uk
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
33 Revolutions, and Jorneta Stream is in The Soundhouse. _____________________________________ Sunday 17th April Colchester Arts Centre Andy Zaltzman, co-host of satirical podcast The Bugle, brings his politically-based wit alongside Dan Antopolski whose show is set to contain many high-quality one-liners, sage remarks about life and bad-parenthood, and a rap about the benefits of laser ownership.
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FOOD
Food for Thought By Melissa Porter, Food Editor
Would you buy a bendy banana or a curved cucumber? I would, I’d love to see natural looking fruit and vegetables of all shapes and sizes in our supermarkets, rather than the endless supply of ‘beauty queen’ specimens. Farmers obviously struggle to grow identikit fruit & vegetables… well, nature just isn’t set up to produce identical, perfectly formed produce. They are clones in terms of their DNA, so they all taste the same, but during their growth many factors like water availability, sunlight hours, temperature, nutrients, pest problems etc can influence their growth in terms of shape, size or colour. Does this misshapen exterior make the product any less tasty, or less useable? No, of course not, it’s merely a lesson in aesthetics. The problem with our obsession for beautifully formed fruit and veg is the huge amount of waste involved. Its been estimated that as much as 30% of all food grown worldwide may be lost or wasted. The food industry calls this a ‘surplus’ - but when you consider that around four million people in the UK can’t afford to buy healthy food, it’s a shocking waste of perfectly edible food. The law was actually changed in 2008 to help ease the problem. The EU withdrew the ridiculous rules on the specific shape and size of our fruit and veg. They hoped the move would encourage shops to stock less than perfect looking produce and cut down
on the amount of food going to landfill. Under current rules, fruit and vegetables are classified into two grades, with ‘class one’ goods meeting strict criteria on size, shape and appearance. It means apples are often rejected for being ‘too red’ or carrots for being ‘too wide’. Although supermarkets can stock cheaper ‘class two’ produce, many choose not to. They only utilise a very small percentage to sell as ‘value’ or ‘basic’ packs. I regularly buy a 1kg bag of ‘value’ carrots for 50p in Sainsbury’s, value apples and peppers are also available, but I think the supermarkets are missing the point. They are branding these veggies as sub-standard by labelling them as ‘basic’. People are put off buying them, and view them as inferior products when they most definitely are not. It’s quite ironic that people are actually willing to pay more, rather than less, for these same misshapen vegetables when displayed in a different context. People who shop at farmers markets actually want to see all shapes and sizes, even the odd imperfection or bruise (which can easily be removed) because it symbolises natural, often pesticide free, sometimes organic
produce to them. Why have the supermarkets not picked up on this? I would love to see a display of ‘natural produce’ warts and all, as it were. It would mean less waste for farmers and a fair price for all their produce. Less waste for the supermarkets, meaning less landfill and more profits, which they would hopefully pass on to their customers with price reductions. I for one would
buy ’natural’ rather than ’perfect’ every week. Would you?
The Fairshare Charity are working to redistribute excess supplies from the food industry to the homeless and vulnerable. Find out more at www.fairshare.org.uk. MP
Mum, Haddock Fishcakes - Serves 4 I’m Hungry FOR THE TARTARE SAUCE
6 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped 1 tbsp gherkins, roughly chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp pickling juice from the gherkins Handful of parsley, chopped Salt
FOR THE FISH CAKES 450g skinned haddock fillet 2 bay leaves 150ml milk 350g Potatoes 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest 1 tbsp parsley, chopped 1 tbsp chives 1 egg Flour, for shaping 85g white breadcrumbs, preferably a day or two old 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil, for shallow frying Lemon wedges and green salad, to serve
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Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over the milk and 150ml/1/4 pint of water, simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with salted boiling water. Simmer for 10 mins or until tender. Lift the fish out of the milk and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes. Tip them back into the hot pan and let them dry out for 1 min before mashing them. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Stir in 1tbsp of the tartare sauce, then the lemon zest, parsley and chives. Season well. Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Combine gently, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side to cool. Beat the egg on a large plate and
lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four. On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick. One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides. Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead). Heat the oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of bread, if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use. Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce, lemon wedges for squeezing over and a green salad. MP
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FOOD
With spring now in full flow, new vegetables are breaking through as we move from winter root vegetables to the crisp and fresh salad season. Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, Jersey Royal new potatoes, kale, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spinach, spring onions, spring green cabbage and watercress.
Fruit: Bananas, kiwi fruit, rhubarb, strawberries.
Meat: Spring lamb.
Others: Rosemary.
Fish/Seafood: Cockles, cod, crab, John Dory, wild salmon, wild sea bass and sea trout.
Food Events in April
Well it is nearly Easter again... In my house that means huge piles of chocolate Easter eggs that curiously diminish in size each night while the children are asleep, and hot cross buns. Have you ever tried making your own? They are pretty simple, just knowing you’ve made them yourself makes them taste at least 100% better than shop bought. You have the ultimate pleasure of eating one warm straight from the oven too...
Hot Cross Bun’s - Makes 12 Sift flour, salt and spices into a large bowl and mix in the yeast, fruit, rind and sugar. Melt butter, stir in milk and vanilla extract and heat until tepid. Whisk into egg, add to flour mixture, form a dough and knead on a floured surface for 10min until smooth and elastic. Divide into 12 buns, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 90min, till doubled in size. Mix the paste, bung it in a piping bag (or a plastic freezer bag with one corner snipped off) and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake at 180C for 10min, reduce the heat to 150C and bake for a further 15min. Lightly brush with the glaze and cool on a rack. MP
450g strong bread flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground allspice 7g dried yeast 75g raisins 75g glacé cherries Grated rind of 1 orange 1 lemon 1 lime 110g caster sugar 50g unsalted butter 2 tsp vanilla extract 250ml milk 1 egg, beaten Paste of 80g plain flour 2tbsp sugar, 100ml water Glaze of 2 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp milk 1 tbsp marmalade
The East Anglian Game & Country Fair An annual two day, family event held at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich. This year’s show will be held on Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th of April. With everything from horse whispering to duck displays, powerkiting to fashion workshops hosted by John Lewis, there’s sure to be something to keep the whole family entertained. The BeWILDerwood team are even on hand to keep the kids happy with an array of activities that the Boggles and Twiggles would be proud of.
You can sample some fantastic local produce while you‘re there. The ‘GameFair Country Kitchen’ cookery theatre has a fantastic variety of cookery workshops and demonstrations taking place over the weekend from a great selection of local chefs, including game & rabbit cooking, a ‘grow your own’ vegetables master class, plus performances from celebrity chefs. Advance ticket prices £9.50, child £4, family £27. For more information and to buy your tickets visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk. MP
The Easter Chocolate Festival The Chocolate Festival at the Southbank Centre Square, Belvedere Road, London from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th April is a celebration of everything chocolate, and presents a great opportunity to learn more about
this wonderful ingredient and how it can be used in a variety of products. Chocolate is full of anti-oxidants and nutrients, and when is not processed with lots of sugar and fat, it is actually very good for you! As well as a wide range of stalls showcasing the best Chocolatiers in the UK, there will also be some exciting activities for you to take part in including demonstrations, tutored tasting talks and book signings. Best of all, it’s all free! Find out more at www.festivalchocolate.co.uk MP
Breakfast Available Monday - Saturday
8.00 am - 11.30 am Sunday
10.00 am - 12 noon
All Inclusive Fried Breakfast 2 slices of bacon, sausage, egg, chips or hash browns, beans or tomatoes and toast.
PLUS a Free Drink Pancakes and waffles also available
For a timelimited only
£ 3.95
Phone: 01206 577229 • Email: info@sloppyjoesdiner.co.uk
www.sloppyjoesdiner.co.uk
Friday 8 April, 11am - 8pm Saturday 9 April, 11am - 8pm Sunday 10 April, 11am - 6pm
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Seasonal Food Guide
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FOOD
Eating Out By Melissa Porter What factors do you consider when choosing a restaurant for dinner? Noisy family bun fight, or quiet romantic meal for two? Do you fancy Indian, Chinese, American, Italian, modern British or pizza? Are you looking for a cheap eat and run meal to save you from cooking, or a more considered expensive treat to savour? I think that recommendation must be one of the greatest influences on your decision. They say that if a person has a good meal in a restaurant they will tell one person, if they have a bad experience they will tell ten of their friends. Why do you think that is? Maybe we all think it more of an interesting anecdote to explain how you once dined at The Ivy, only to be given a glass of water with shards of glass at the bottom (I have actually told more than 10 people this true story)… a tale about a ‘nice’ meal just isn’t that interesting. I want to get people talking about our town’s vast array of restaurants, good or bad. If it’s good then tell your friends and let the restaurant know what you appreciated at the end of your meal. If it’s not so good, let them know too, so they have an opportunity to improve.
Fat Cat Colchester
If you have had a particularly good experience in one of our town’s restaurants recently, please let me know by emailing to melissa@colchester101.co.uk, so the rest of us can enjoy it too.
To get the ball rolling as it were, I would like to share with you my personal thoughts on a recent visit to the Lemon Tree… I have only ever heard good things about the Lemon Tree and my expectations were high. From the strap line on their menu ‘Contemporary dining in the heart of Roman Colchester’, I might have been lead to expect extraordinary, modern food combinations that were more art than substance. However, they state their philosophy as ‘loving to cook simple, seasonal dishes using
Colchester’s Finest Real Ale and Fine Wine Pub
Free Mouse
West Country Uptoand26twobeers Beer Festival scrumpy ciders
local ingredients.’ They actually fulfil this latter vision perfectly. The food is simple but in a good way. Let me explain…If a classic dish like steak and chips is prepared by a skilled chef so that the steak is highly coloured, almost caramelised on the outside whilst pink and succulent on the inside, and the chips are crisp and slightly browned all over yet soft and yielding when you take a bite, then all that is needed is a little salt and vinegar, to make a perfectly delicious meal. I like my food to look good too but I’m not overly impressed when restaurants try too hard and serve a simple meal like steak and chips on a solid oak board, with a little ‘jus‘, accompanied by a stack of perfectly aligned chips, in an arrangement an architect would be proud of. I just don’t think it’s necessary!
The Lemon Tree obviously source their ingredients with care and attention. The steak my guest ate was particularly good quality, and cooked to his tastes, medium rare, faultlessly. All the dishes we ate were presented very well. I would like to see which ingredients were sourced locally, with more information on their provenance highlighted on the menu, otherwise all their hard work is going unnoticed. Having understood (and tasted) their actual food philosophy, I will return to the Lemon Tree with a much greater appreciation of what they do well. Once you have sampled their food I’m sure you will agree that they prepare simple, local food to a high standard, in enviable surroundings. MP
Tapas Bar/Restaurant Open Wednesday to Saturday 7.00pm to 10.00pm
Thursday 28th April - Monday 2nd May
Live Music Friday 29th: New Town Kings (unplugged), 10pm Saturday 30th: Jazmine Ava Band, 9pm Sunday 1st: Blue Town, 9pm
Come in for a warm welcome 65 Butt Road, Colchester CO3 3BZ. 01206 577990
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Serving Tapas (small plates from around the world) and a selection of fine beers and wines The Corner House 7-9 High Street, Wivenhoe. Tel: 07506 992 971 www.chouse.co.uk
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E AT I N G O U T
PIZZA AND PASTA Strada 19-20 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 542854 Valentino’s 11 High St, Wivenhoe CO7 9BE Tel: 01206 825738 Ristorante Favoloso 2-4 Balkerne Passage CO1 1PA Tel: 01206 549080 Ask Colchester 16 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 366379 Pizza Express 1 St. Runwald’s Street CO1 1HF Tel: 01206 760680 Zizzi 12 Headgate CO3 3BT Tel: 01206 576816 Prezzo 1 Culver Street East CO1 1LD Tel: 01206 573388 Granata’s Restaurant 42 North Hill, Colchester CO1 1PY Tel: 01206 762277 Portofino Haven Rd, Colchester CO2 8HT Tel: 01206 795043 Pizza Hut Turner Rd, Colchester CO4 5JR Tel: 01206 546545 GASTROPUBS The Anchor 26 Court Street, Nayland CO6 4JL Delicious Food Served Daily, Lovely Riverside Setting, Warm Welcome Tel: 01206 262313 FAMILY Balkerne Gate Brewers Fayre Ipswich Road CO4 4WP Tel: 01206 852932 Harvester 186 London Road, Stanway CO3 8NZ Tel: 01206 575456 Nando’s Chicken Restaurant 11-13, Head St, Colchester CO1 1NX Tel: 01206 760344 AMERICAN Sloppy Joe’s American Dinner 37 High Street CO1 1DH Tel: 01206 577229 Clowns Restaurant 61a, High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 578631 Frankie & Benny’s Tollgate West CO3 8RH Tel: 01206 216220 TRADITIONAL The Coast Inn 108 Coast Rd, West Mersea CO5 8NA Tel: 01206 383568
Beefeater Restaurant & Pub The Albert, Cowdray Ave CO1 1UT Tel: 01206 561914
Naree Thai Restaurant 10 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 560633
La Tasca 14-15 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 768060
Dedham Restaurant & Boat Hire Boat House, Mill Lane, Dedham CO7 6DH Tel: 01206 323153
The Thai Dragon 35 East Hill CO1 2QX Tel: 01206 863414
La Cascada Fox St, Ardleigh CO7 7PP Tel: 01206 864030
Fountain House Dedham Hall, Brook Street, Dedham CO7 6AD Tel: 01206 323027
Thai 1 82a East Hill CO1 2QW Tel: 01206 870011
The Greyhound Pub and Restaurant 62 High Street, Wivenhoe CO7 9AZ Tel: 01206 825573
INDIAN Alishan Tandoori Restaurant 19 Osborne St CO2 7DP Tel: 01206 564009
Green Room Restaurant North Hill Hotel, 51 North Hill CO1 1PY Tel: 01206 574001
Ashiana Tandoori 181 Magdalen Street CO1 2JX Tel: 01206 570533
ORIENTAL Fai’s Noodle Bar 26-27 St. Botolphs Street CO2 7EA Tel: 01206 762288 Banquet 1408 Chinese Restaurant 342 London Rd, Stanway CO3 8LT Tel: 01206 211588 North Hill Noodle Bar 2 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 618790 House of China 19-21 Crouch Street CO3 3EN Tel: 01206 575111 Embassy Oriental Buffet 2 Balkerne Hill CO3 3AA Tel: 01206 572266 Fulin Chinese Restaurant 24 Osborne Street CO2 7DA Tel: 01206 577888 Orientation Oriental Restaurant Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gt CO1 1PT Tel: 01206 368100 Chef Canton Chinese Restaurant 2a Crouch Street CO3 3ES Tel: 01206 572703 China Blue 25 Head Street CO1 1NH Tel: 01206 761876 China Chef 73 Crouch Street CO3 3EZ Tel: 01206 546953 SPECIALITY Le Talbooth Gun Hill, Dedham CO7 6HP Tel: 01206 323150 Milsoms Stratford Road, Dedham CO7 6HW Tel: 01206 322795 Chystal Restaurant 49, St. Botolphs Street CO2 7EB Tel: 01206 545566 The Barn Brasserie Brook Road, Great Tey CO6 1JE Tel: 01206 212345
The Lion Public House The Street, Ardleigh CO7 7LD Tel: 01206 230083
Bellapais 7 Centurian House, St. Johns Street CO2 7AH Tel: 01206 571830
The Cricketers Spring Lane, Fordham Heath CO3 9TG Tel: 01206 583357
Baumanns Brasserie Ltd 4-6 Stoneham St, Coggeshall CO6 1TT Tel: 01376 561453
Tandoori Villa 6 Villa Road, Stanway CO3 0RH Tel: 01206 369600 Curry India Tandoori Restaurant 119-121 Crouch Street CO3 3HA Tel: 01206 571555 Raj Palace 28 North Station Road CO1 1RB Tel: 01206 760920 Way to the Raj 90 Coggeshall Rd, Marks Tey CO6 1LS Tel: 01206 211495 Titash Restaurant Ltd 40b High St, West Mersea CO5 8QA Tel: 01206 381778 ENGLISH Indulgence Restaurant & Bar 62 High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 765090 Fountain House Dedham Hall, Brook Street, Dedham CO7 6AD Tel: 01206 323027 BISTROS AND BARS Love Bistro The Minories, 74 High St. CO1 1UE Tel: 01206 765131 The Anchor 26 Court Street, Nayland CO6 4JL Tel: 01206 262313 The Peldon Rose Inn Colchester Rd, Peldon CO5 7QJ Tel: 01206 735248 The Angel St. Marys Square, Kelvedon, CO5 9AN Tel: 01376 573746
BAR AND GRILL Qube Bar & Grill 8 Crouch Street CO3 3ES Tel: 01206 578800 FISH ‘N’ CHIPS Fish N Grill 120 High Street CO1 1SZ Tel: 01206 540333 Myland Fisheries 32 Nayland Rd, Mile End CO4 5EQ Tel: 01206 841495 Rons Plaice 56 London Rd CO3 4DF Tel: 01206 540436 Nindys 28 Dugard Ave, Colchester CO3 9EJ Tel: 01206 769184 The Islander 37 High St, West Mersea CO5 8QA Tel: 01206 382305 MODERN CUISINE The Bakehouse 5 High St, Wivenhoe CO7 9BJ Tel: 01206 824569 Parliament Restaurant at The Red Lion High Street CO1 1DJ Tel: 01206 577986 The Lemon Tree 48 St Johns St, Colchester, CO2 7AD Tel: 01206 767337 The Lexden Crown 235 Lexden Rd, Colchester, CO3 4DA Tel: 01206 548490 Warehouse Brasserie 12 Chapel Street North CO2 7AT Tel: 01206 765656 FISH AND SEAFOOD West Mersea Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant Oyster House, Coast Rd, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex CO5 8LT Tel: 01206 381600 The Company Shed 129 Coast Road, West Mersea CO5 8PA Tel: 01206 382700
Jardine 140 High Street, Wivenhoe CO7 9AF Tel: 01206 820390 Copacabana Bar and Grill 62 High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 765090 Restaurant at The George Hotel 116 High Street, CO1 1TD Tel: 01206 578494 EUROPEAN The East Street Grill East Street CO1 2TZ Tel: 01206 866677 Cafe Rouge - Colchester 59 High Street CO1 1DH Tel: 01206 541839
For your restaurant to be considered for inclusion in Colchester 101 please call us on 01206 544700 or email mailus@Colchester101.co.uk
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Your Guide to eating out in and around Colchester
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HOME & GARDEN
Property Owners Becoming More ‘Management Savvy’ Writes Liam Furr of PMS Leasehold Management Ltd.
Did you know that there are two tools you can use to have a direct influence on how your service charge is calculated and spent? Read on to find out more. If you own a flat or house that forms part of a privately owned development or estate you will almost certainly pay a service charge. Has anyone ever taken the time to explain why you pay this fee, or how it is calculated? Since the end of 2009 and the onset of the financial downturn, PMS have seen a marked increase in enquiries about our management services from unhappy Leaseholders. Many of these enquiries focus around the ‘value for money’ offered with service charges and transitional managing agents not being ‘up front’ in how this charge is calculated and administered. Times are hard at the moment; you will want to watch your bank balance. Couple this with the fact that you can raise your awareness of legislation through information freely available on the internet and your interests in the block management of your property will be propelled to greater depths. Quite right too! It is, after all, the home owner’s responsibility to protect their investment and take an interest in the development of which their property forms part.
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Every development will have its own unique funding issues, which will have a knock-on effect to service charge levels, and much of the work needed to keep your development looking good will be provided for in your Lease or Freehold Transfer. For this reason, your involvement may not automatically translate to lower service charges, but why not take steps to find out? But what happens if you own a flat and do not have the right to partake in the calculation of your service charge? Some Leases are worded in such a way that they effectively remove the mechanism by which you could have your say. Where this is the case, your Managing Agent is usually employed directly by your Landlord. This is not an uncommon setup, and will work well providing your Managing Agent is diligent, proactive and professional. However, in this instance, there is some very useful legislation you can use to take control of your development should you want to; it is known as ‘Right to Manage’. Right to Manage, or RTM, was legislation formally introduced in Parliament in 2002 giving
Leaseholders the right to force the transfer of the Landlord’s management functions to a special company set up by them without needing to prove any failing on the part of the Landlord. PMS have recently developed a ‘user friendly’ way of undertaking an assessment of a development for disgruntled Leaseholders which starts with you forwarding to us of a copy of your service charge demand. This assessment can allow us to make recommendations for your development; whether this be guidance on Right to Manage or advice as to where you can reduce service charge costs. There is also a good chance we can save you money along the way! According to our research, 86% of clients who have used this service would recommend us to family, friends and acquaintances. Should you want to take advantage of this assessment, feel free to email us a copy of your service charge demand on newbusiness@flatmanagers.co.uk. PMS Leasehold Management Ltd. Managing Leasehold properties since 1987.
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HOME & GARDEN
2 bedroom luxury apartment for sale
3 bedroom detached house for sale
Lexden Grange, Lexden Road. £299,950
Grove Hill, Langham. £279,995
Built in 1905 and affectionately restored and converted in 2007 to luxury apartments, ‘Lexden Grange’ is a handsome Grade II listed building. Set within well stocked, landscaped and manicured gardens, this uniquely designed ground floor residence boasts a stunning living room filled with light from a large bay window and featuring panelled walls and high ornate ceilings, fitted kitchen with granite work surfaces and full range of appliances. The two double bedrooms have en-suites.
New build cottage style property situated on a country lane in Langham. Internally the property benefits from a kitchen/breakfast room 19’11 x 11’2 to 9’1 minimum, lounge 19’1 x 9’9, three double bedrooms en-suite to master and family bathroom on the first floor and also has a ground floor cloakroom.
P&
Call Beresfords: 01206 764444
Palmer & Partners
Call Palmer & Partners: 01206 572233
3/4 bedroom detached house for sale
5 bedroom house to let West Colchester. £1,300pcm
Rectory Road, Rowhedge. £229,950 An individually designed three/four bedroom detached family house, which ispresented in excellent order throughout. The property benefits from uPVC double glazed windows and doors, gas central heating by radiators, off road parking and a fully enclosed garden to the rear. 15’ Lounge with Open Fireplace. 19’5 Kitchen/Dining Room. Cloakroom, En-Suite Shower Room & Family Bathroom. 15’3 Study/Bedroom Four.
Call Elms Price Maston: 01206 369269
Property sales with service
Extremely well presented spacious 5 bedroom house situated in West Colchester and easy access to A12. The property consists of excellent room sizes, spacious living room, kitchen with fully integrated appliances, two en-suites, utility room, attic room and large rear garden. Modern features, laminate flooring throughout, driveway with parking space for 4 cars.
eze
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01206 546432 25
Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Editor’s Choice Our top four homes of the month
e
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HOME & GARDEN
Energy Performance Certificates Since HIPs were suspended on 21 May 2010 there is still some confusion as to whether or not an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required for all properties marketed for sale or for rent. The answer is yes! EPCs are part of European Law and their aim is to make consumers more aware of how green a building is. They became mandatory on 1 October 2008. An EPC shows the current energy and carbon emission efficiency rating of a building and it was introduced to help cut buildings’ carbon emissions in an effort to tackle climate change. The Law on EPCs is set out under the Energy Performance of Buildings Certificate of Inspection Regulations 2007. An EPC is required by law when a building is constructed, sold or advertised for rent. The report measures how energy efficient your home is and can highlight areas which can be improved, so whilst they appear to be a waste of money, if the recommendations revealed by the Certificate are implemented, they
can in fact save you money on your energy bills. In certain circumstances you may even be eligible for government grants to improve the efficiency of your property. There are a number of Domestic Energy Assessors who will prepare an EPC for less than £100, and if you fail to obtain an EPC before selling or letting your property, you may be liable for a civil penalty. Some will argue, however, that the obligation to provide an EPC is more negative than positive, and this is an argument that is bound to continue during the life of the EPC. For further details on buying or selling a house please contact Marion Knocker on 01206 835214 or email mknocker@fjg.co.uk. If you require a quote buying or selling your home or both please follow the link, www.fjglinks.com/conveyancing and complete the simple online form. We have experienced conveyancers at our Colchester, Chelmsford and Clacton offices.
R!
Let BELVOIR! find the right tenants for your property Winner of the “Best Lettings Agency Franchise - Gold Award” at the Lettings Agency of the Year 2010 in association with The Sunday Times and The Times.
26
To arrange a free professional appraisal of your property, call us on 01206 364444 www.belvoirlettings.com/colchester Belvoir Colchester 1 Montrose House, Eld Lane, Colchester, Essex CO1 1LS
BELVOIR! the lettings specialist
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101issue6SLpaulSL_Layout 1 31/03/2011 15:27 Page 27
let Let your property the
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At eze let we know that each landlord’s requirements are unique. Our highly experienced team will work with you to ensure a stress free, tailor made solution to letting your property and ensuring the best return on your investment.
Call today on 01206 564700 Email: info@ezelet.co.uk 7a Magdalen Street, Colchester.
www.ezelet.co.uk
101issue6SLpaulSL_Layout 1 31/03/2011 15:27 Page 28
HOME & GARDEN ‘Statement pieces such as chairs, beautiful walls, mood lighting and correct window treatments will bring successful results’
Great Interiors By Rosie Hunter
When I started in soft furnishings 16 years ago, I chose to approach interior design from a different viewpoint. I found that my peers often had a reputation to impress their own personal tastes and current trends into their clients homes. Offering help and advice in a huge variety of houses, I have always upheld that if you love something it will always suit your interior scheme. These items can be furniture, lighting or beautiful curtains, but will always reflect something about you and your home. My experience has shown that the most welcoming interiors always tell a story: first the owners’ tastes, but secondly of their lives, passions and personal history. Today’s homeowners tend to purchase their first homes later in life, and may have missed an opportunity to inherit family heirlooms due to either lack of space or following
‘Rooms with everything matching can look staid. Try mixing old and new’ 28
trends forged by large high street chains for ‘chuck away’ pieces. Thankfully, due to the current economic climate, we are re-visiting these classic ‘vintage’. Statement pieces such as chairs, beautiful walls, mood lighting & correct window treatments will bring successful results. Rooms with everything matching can look staid, so try mixing old and new. Rosie Hunter is delighted to launch her latest design service. Rosie can help with ideas for any interior design project, from small room schemes or simply arranging to visit your home to offer suggestions to work with existing furnishings, which can be revamped by rearranging furniture or putting items in storage to create space and the illusion of a new makeover. A full directory of suppliers used by Rosie can be discussed, all are well established and local.
Fabrics Curtains Interiors Soft Furnishings Allens Farm Barn, Tye Road, Elmstead, CO7 7BN. Showroom Open by Appointment Tel: 07990 558686
www.curtainhunters.co.uk
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HOME & GARDEN
Photo: www.nickstrugnell.com
By Sven Wombwell
Since the 1940s stag beetle populations have been in decline and their UK distribution has shrunk from large areas of southern England and Wales, with only small pockets or hotspots now existing in the South East and more locally along the Thames valley, north east Essex, Suffolk and the New Forest. Surprisingly London and Colchester are real hotspots.
Colchester is one of the few places in the country where stag beetles still can be found in any significant numbers. I am sure most of you have come face to face with a flying stag beetle in the summer with the droning sound of their wings like a spitfire in the distance. It has to be one of the most amazing sights and sounds you will come across in your own back garden. With populations in serious decline in the UK and throughout mainland Europe it is vital that we as gardeners and local residents help the plight of the humble stag. female. Injuries are pretty rare, they use their jaws more for aggressive display than wounding their enemy. Once mating has finished the female will take flight and seek out decaying wood where she will lay her eggs and then her job is done so she dies. After mating, their life cycle is complete and the
Adult male and female stag beetle
Stag beetle larvae at different stages of development Stag beetles are the UK’s largest insect and amazingly they can spend up to five years living underground and in tree stumps as grubs, emerging in spring as adults from the ground. The male stag beetle has the very distinctive antlers at the front, from which it gets its name. Males can grow up to 70mm in length with the females being smaller and without the antlers. With constant pressure on their native habitats from farming, new housing, and industrial development the stag beetle has become more and more reliant on our gardens. 75% (2002) of all stag beetle sightings are in our back gardens which means we all should be aware of what to look for and how to encourage them to thrive. The simple fact is that stag beetles need decaying wood to breed, to hide in and feed on, so with gardeners being overly tidy and woodland management being too efficient in clearing up dead wood, populations have struggled. Between May and June the male stag beetle emerges and takes flight seeking out a female. When in flight they are rather clumsy and have erratic flight patterns, often bumping into windows and even people. Once they eventually find a female they will get on with their business, if there are a couple of male suitors, their large antler type jaws come into play, they are pretty useless for biting but are used as weapons in battle to win a
males also will perish. The eggs will hatch with the larvae emerging as pale grey/cream colored grubs with orange heads and six tiny legs, they will feast on the moist decaying wood and roots of plants for the next four to six years until they develop into adults and the whole process starts again. The larvae nests can often be found residing in and around old log piles and rotting trees so extra care should be taken when removing or moving these in the garden. Often you will dig up the larvae in the ground near rotten trees and piles of wood so care should be taken. If any are uncovered, simply cover them up gently and they will go on to grow into adults.
Stag beetle larvae found in 2009 in the rotten remains of a lilac tree. If you want to encourage stag beetles in your garden there are a number of things you can do to help: • Create a log pile in your garden and leave it be! This will become a haven for stag beetles and all sorts of other critters. • The best wood to use is from broadleaved trees such as oak, beech and fruit trees like apple
and pear. • Put the logs in a sheltered corner of the garden in partial shade to ensure they don’t dry out. • Initially use fresh logs with the bark in place, this will provide a longer lasting habitat. • Bury some of the logs vertically, ideally about 80cms into the ground with a minimum of 20cms above. This will help moisture get into the logs; stag beetles need buried wood in which to develop and feed. • Don’t make the pile too high or it will dry out, also allow plants to grow over the pile, this will add protection and shade for any visitors. • Covering the garden with decking, landscape fabric and other hard materials can cover up larvae so try and keep this to a minimum if possible. People do seem a little fearful of stag beetles so let me reassure you, injuries to humans after a stag beetle attack currently stand at the grand total of zero. The antlers on the male stag beetle, which may appear rather formidable, are totally useless for biting; in fact many scientists think that stag beetles don’t even feed during their adult life, they just have the odd drink. The females on the other hand, which appear far less aggressive, can give you a little nip, but trust me they are not to be feared! So now you know how special Colchester’s stag beetle population is: why not do your bit to help make sure they are around for years to come? I received an email the other day from a local lady, Maria Fremlin, who is passionate about protecting our Colchester residents, the stag beetles. She runs a survey of gardens in Colchester tracking any ‘larval incidents.’ So if anyone discovers a nest of stag beetle larvae then please email her the details through the link below, it will only take a few minutes and will really help Maria get a better understanding of populations and how we interact with these beetles. www.maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/survey.html
My company specialises in design, consultation, garden construction and makeovers which start from £99 and we also offer a full planting service. If you want to chat through any ideas please feel free to get in touch at sven@internationallandscapes.co.uk or call on 0845 4085 382/0790 4087 188
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Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
Stag Beetles: Some of Colchester’s Most Important Residents!
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HOME & GARDEN
Summer is Coming! With warm sunshine beaming through the window, a real sense of Spring is about the place. The chive plants are growing well, Daffs are in full bloom and my lawn is being regularly cut so it stays tidy and green. Perennials will be rising from the soil now so get in place plant supports and protect tender shoots from slug attack; Lupin and Hosta are particularly susceptible to the little blighters tucking in. There is still time to move evergreens around if you want to change the structure of your plot and highlight all year round interest. For a home grown riot of Summer colour sow bedding plant seeds now, you’ll be well placed and in pocket for wonderful baskets and pots if you raise the plants yourself. Lobelia and Petunia are typical favourites. Before plants in your borders grow too much, review your fences and trellis work as it will be difficult to repair, replace or repaint soon, so it’s your last chance until the Autumn to get them looking their best. There are a host of preservatives on the market in a range of colours from the usual brown to striking lavender! Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying the product so you stay safe. Leaves and debris left from the winter can still be trapped in gutters, nooks and crannies in the garden, remove with care and add to your compost heap as they are full of goodness you can put back into your soil next year. Tidy hedges Some types of hedging and topiary benefit health and lookswise if it is cut at this
30
time of year, check for nesting birds before you start though. Yew should be cut tightly for shape and form, it is very forgiving and will tolerate hard cutting from now until October. Box benefits from being cut twice a year, the top tip here is to make sure clippers are sharp otherwise leaves will tear and go brown. Laurel can be cut at any time if the weather conditions aren’t too wet or cold. Laurel hedges can become unruly but a good cut now will promote new growth for the season leaving the plant looking great.
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let us m make make your garden a place pllace that you can relax in....
Tidy edges Don’t forget the lawn, you should be mowing now on a regular basis. Before the plants and shrubs take hold again, have a look at the lawn edges. Now is a great time to tidy them, repair them or indeed to replace them. I have used plastic, timber, tile and metal to edge a lawn, all have different benefits and length of service. Most people forget about the lawn when it comes to caring for the garden, so the final tip for this month is a Spring lawn feed. For more details of nicenstripy’s professional lawn care and garden maintenance service in the Colchester area, or for a free no obligation quotation for one off work or a discounted year round package, contact Andrew on 0845 260 7651 or visit www.nicenstripy.com.
FOR A FREE EE QUOTE QUOTE CALL ANDREW ON:
0845 45 260 7651 a.ross@nicenstripy.com a.ross@nicenstripy.com www.nicenstripy.com www.nicenstripy.com
101issue6SLpaulSL_Layout 1 31/03/2011 15:27 Page 31
Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine April 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk
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