AAH (All About Horsham) May 2017

MAY 2017

THE DATEJUST The archetype of the modern watch has spanned generations since 1945 with its enduring functions and aesthetics.

It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.

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5

Who would press the Big Red button?

The Problem of the Big Green Button 01/05/2017 10:26 Page 1

May 2017 MAY 2017

Ben Morris Words & Layout Toby Phillips Photography Thanks

Jeremy Knight of HDC/Horsham Museum for providing images & text for the Horsham Hospital History feature and also the Watercolour pictures in the News Round-Up Geoff Farndell & Vic Sendall for The Beat Merchants photographs.

Emily Summers for the RSPB Pulborough Brooks column James and Becca and the Look Fantastic team for letting us do this in their salon.

J

ust before Easter, I spent a morning walking along the South Downs with my wife. It gave me an opportunity to consider some big issues.

Why have I not bought Crackerbread for years even though I really like it? Are modern parents sub-consciously more gentle when tidying children’s bedrooms because of Toy Story? How could I explain to my wife that I’ve blown £29 on eBay for a quad poster promoting Hooper, a largely-forgotten Burt Reynolds film?

On some other hills at about the same time, Theresa May was out walking with her husband.

The Prime Minister probably – almost certainly - had very similar thoughts, although a bloke down the pub told me that she prefers Ritz crackers and collects quad posters primarily from Chuck Norris movies.

However, Welsh hills are also conducive to inspiring big ideas. So, after killing a rabbit with her bare hands and boiling it in a stew, Theresa May kicked off her muddy boots, downed a pint of ale and declared that she would hold a general election.

Initially, the public response was apathetic, as people knew that our election would not be as perversely entertaining as the US or even the French election.

Debate may once again focus on traditional battlegrounds such as health, education, immigration and the EU. Except for those UKIP chaps, if any are left. They’ll get riled up by Muslim women wearing burkas whilst

buying groceries.

To try and inject enthusiasm, the media is focusing on character traits of the main party leaders. One area of scrutiny is their willingness, or otherwise, to press ‘the big red button, which is located just under the Prime Minister’s desk, by the cat litter tray.

Jeremy Corbyn was criticised by one national newspaper after saying he would never press the big red button. The article suggests that the provocative, devil-maycare, “I double dare you” posturing of high-profile world leaders with ridiculous haircuts is an example that a British PM should follow...

But by focusing on these major world issues, in which we are little more than a supporting player, we are ignoring the trivial matters that blight our day-to-day lives and define us as British.

I would like a PM that spoke out about the little things that ruin our day, or at the very least, cause enough of a nuisance that we need to sit down for a few minutes and have a cup of tea.

I’m talking about a PM who comes down hard on people who block driveways with their cars and proclaim that they thought it would be okay for five minutes; a PM who sets clearly defined rules regarding garden fence ownership and maintenance; a PM who understands that occasionally the traffic lights at Buck Barn turn to red at a point that makes it very difficult to stop in a

loaded van; a PM who can track down and reprimand the moron in the Vauxhall Vectra who sent an offensive gesture my way when I flashed him to warn him about the two horse riders just around the corner, not because he was doing 50mph through Tower Hill; a PM who doesn’t roll out new one pound coins that are spat out by Horsham parking machines.

In April, I was in Denne Road car park buying a parking ticket for one hour, at a cost of £1.20. I don’t like these machines, as our local council has programmed them not to give out change. Stingy.

However, I had a couple of ‘old’ £1 coins in my pocket. The woman at the other machine found her new pound coin was rejected, so I was happy to trade it for one of my old coins.

This wasn’t a problem until I needed to add another hour. Alas, my new one pound coin wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t press that big green button. I rushed over to Crates to buy a cob loaf, breaking a fiver. I didn’t get a penalty fine, but the odds are that somebody has in similar circumstances.

It’s an absolute outrage!

Whoever wins the general election, I’ll be very, very happy if - in five years’ time - I’m still more concerned by the big green button on local parking machines than I am the big red button of our nuclear arsenal.

Ben

6

To submit Letters to the Editor please email Ben: editor@aahorsham.co.uk

CONTENTS 10

News Round-Up Horsham hosts Chris Nash testimonial and first vines planted at wine estate

25

My Story So Far The Beat Merchants recall the night they supported The Rolling Stones

31

Food & Drink The Southwater osteopath who has created a solid chocolate Easter egg

37

Style Things are looking good for Look Fantastic as it moves to larger premises

42

Sport

Motorcycle racer Alex Taylor has his sights set on British Superbikes

46

History

How donations helped build Horsham Hospital as a memorial to the fallen

50

Events We pick out ten highlights from Horsham Piazza Italia, held over Easter

57

Community The first residents have moved into Highwood Mill, run by Saxon Weald

63

Business Take One Productions are using 3D Virtual tours in imaginative ways

COVER STORY: MAY 2017 Our May 2017 cover features Becca Mason and Jamie Thorne, co-owners of Look Fantastic, in the snug room at the new salon in Market Square, Horsham.

Of course, that’s not a real library behind them. It’s a salon, so the only reading material available is Heat or Cosmopolitan magazine! However, the wallpaper and Union Jack sofa provided great colour to the photo. Whilst Becca had come in with her young son on her day off, Jamie had to

take a break from styling a client’s hair for this image, for which Toby set up two of his studio lights.

We came close to using the picture of motorcycle racer Alex Taylor on the cover.

This image was taken close to his work place at Express Car Parts. We were limited with location as Alex’s race bike isn’t road legal. So Alex posed with his bike in front of a storage unit after work hours at the Parsonage Business Park.

AAH: THE TEAM EDITOR: BEN MORRIS editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899 LETTERS: The Editor, AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT

(Nuthurst),Connor Wykes (Partridge Green), Oak Tree Farm Care (Maplehurst & Copsale); Mark Simpkin (Washington), Liam Palmer & Sam Coles (BBH) James Hobbs (Thakeham), Callum Matthews (Storrington)

ADVERTISING: KELLY MORRIS advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

PICK UP POINTS 4,000 more copies are available at businesses, clubs, organisations, and community centres across the district.

Our stands can be found at...

Horsham: Sakakini (Carfax), Artisan Patisserie (Market Square), Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Museum, Horsham Rail Station, Roffey Post Office, Crates (Carfax) New House Farm, Swan Walk, The Capitol Village Stands: CoCo’s (Southwater); Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Jengers Bakery in Billingshurst; Coco’s (Billingshurst) Barns Green Village Store and Sumners Ponds, Hutching’s Butchers in Partridge Green, Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital), Village Larder (Washington) and many more.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625 WEBSITE: www.aahorsham.co.uk We publish AAH online every month. You can read archive editions too.

ADVERTISING Eighth Page Advert: £55 + VAT Quarter Page Advert: £110 + VAT Half Page Advert: £185 + VAT Full Page Advert: £310 + VAT Every Sixth Advert is Free For details or an AAH information book email advertising@aahorsham.co.uk or call 01403 878026 ARCHIVE EDITIONS/PHOTO SALES Past editions can be purchased for a cost of £3.

Contact the Editor.

Images can be purchased, either as digital downloads or prints. Contact Toby for details.

DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION Horsham: Max Paterson, Jacquie Paterson, Andrew Price, John Gatehouse, Matt Bland, Lewis Spiller, Owen Wirth, Pat Gibbs, The Cocoracchio family, George Voisey, Connor Heald, Paula Hunter, Katie Drysdale, George Williams, Sam Tasquier, Edward Hitchings, Amy Dallas, Joe Tait Southwater: Max Laker, Jack Taylor, Lewis Geal Villages: Emily Hoskins (Mannings Heath) Adam Browse (Warnham) Will Sessions (Ashington), Ben Morris (Stands), Mike Hoare

SUPERMARKETS AAH is available to pick up for FREE at Tesco Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s Horsham.

THANK YOU: Two of our delivery team - Luke Moran (Sandeman Way/St Leonard’s Rd) and James Bunch (Queensway) - have decided to give up their rounds to concentrate on the studies. Best of luck to you both!

WELCOME: Sam Tasquier is taking on Luke’s round from May. TWITTER: If you have nothing better to do, you can follow Ben and Toby on Twitter @AAHMagazine and @tobyphillips1

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Read about the Watercolour Festival at Horsham Museum in the Art section

Renowned wine maker Johann Fourie and Penny Streeter OBE

NEWS ROUND-UP

10: NEWS

Mannings Heath Golf Club & Wine Estate has planted 38,000 vines. The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes will be ready to make sparkling wine in 2020, with the first bottles available in 2023.

Zimbabwe-born Penny Streeter OBE, who bought the 500-acre Mannings

Heath site in 2016, said: “We are recreating a South African-style wine tourism experience, where people can enjoy a day out with fine wines, good food and an entertaining events programme.”

The 100 year-old clubhouse features the new Benguela Brasserie and

wine tasting bar, hosting wine events including food pairings with chocolate and cheese, open to the public all year round.

The Kingfisher course (one of the club’s two 18-hole courses) was converted to nine holes to allow space to cultivate the vineyard.

After 15 years in Horsham’s Railway Yard, Hepworth’s brewery has moved to a purpose-built new facility on Stane Street, Billingshurst. As well as improving brewing capacity, the new site will have a visitor centre with merchandise and brewery tours. www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk

The Horsham Painting Group is holding its Spring exhibition and sale on Saturday 20 May at the Quaker Meeting House, Worthing Road, Horsham, from 10am 4pm. Original works of art by members of the group will be for sale. Admission is free. www.horshampaintinggroup.co.uk

Harry Mailer has joined Team Trooper Iron Maiden in the Fun Cup Endurance series for 2017.

The Fun Cup sees teams racing in Beetles that are identical in specification, with no-performance modifications. The races are all endurance, between four and eight hours long, and are held on some of the country’s top circuits. Harry, featured in AAH when he was in junior karting,

joined the national series last year, and this year joins forces with veteran racer Anthony Reid and Lamborghini Super Trofero champion Jake Rattenbury. Team Trooper won the opening Silverstone round by just over two seconds and will be among the favourites for the second round at Oulton Park on 6 May. A 25-hour race will be held at Spa in Belgium in July. www.funcup.co.uk

11 Plum Jam, which ran for the first time as part of FrenchFest in 2016, will be held on Sunday 28 May. This year’s event is an air-cooled Volkswagen Rally, featuring over 100 classic split screen and bay window Campervans, as well as classic Beetles lining the streets.

Other highlights include a themed market, street food, music and entertainment. Organised by Plum Campers and Food Rocks.

A French Market will be held in the Carfax on Sunday 4 June with France at Home making the first of two town visits. A market is also planned, organised by Food Rocks.

Three weeks later, the Royal British Legion and partners stage Armed Forces Sunday on Sunday 25 June in the town centre.

Sweet Oblivion, the debut novel

by Horsham-based author and serving police detective Rhiana Ramsey, has been published.

Before becoming a police officer, Rhiana worked as a writer and contributing editor for a business magazine in Thailand. Sweet Oblivion, available on Amazon, was written over three years as Rhiana worked in a busy CID department while simultaneously studying for a degree in psychology. She is currently working on her second novel.

Farlington School pupil Issy Hayes competed at the British Schools’ Modern Biathlon Championships at Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium on Saturday 25 March and came away as national champion. The modern biathlon is a two-discipline event made up of a swim and a run. Issy, 12, produced a personal best time in both disciplines to win gold. Last September, Issy also won gold at the world’s largest junior triathlon at Hever Castle in Kent. www.farlingtonschool.com

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NEWS ROUND-UP

12: NEWS

Many local events are posted online at www.aahorsham.co.uk

The Simon Viney Rugby 7’s Tag Tournament will be held on Barns Green village green on Sunday 21 May, from 10am. Simon passed away at the young age of 22 from a degenerative heart condition. He was a young man with learning difficulties but at the age of 20 discovered a

passion for rugby and became a regular for the village team, where he often played in the same side as his father. The previous seven tournaments have raised approximately £45,000 for charity. The 8th tournament will benefit The Wooden Spoon, Canine Partners and Barns Green Rugby Club.

The Mary How Trust for Cancer Prevention is auctioning a waistcoat that belonged to Sir Cliff Richard. The black sequined stage waistcoat has been donated by Anthony and Stella Capo-Bianco from West Chiltington, and has Sir Cliff’s authentication. The eBay auction will raise funds for the Mary How Trust’s health screening service. The eBay auction starts at 9pm on Thursday 11 May. Follow the link at www.maryhowtrust.org/news.

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CAMRA North Sussex branch have chosen the Anchor Tap in East Street, Horsham as its Pub of the Year. Dark Star opened the pub in February 2016 and it immediately gained a great reputation for beer quality and its lively atmosphere.

Runners were the Brewery Shades on Crawley High Street, last year’s winner the Malt Shovel in Horsham and perennial finalist the White Horse at Maplehurst.

Shipley is holding its Village Day and bi-annual Church Fete on Bank Holiday Monday 29 May from 11am – 4pm. There will be bacon butties, home-made cakes and refreshments in the Andrew Hall, and around the village there will be more than 20 individual stalls selling local produce, preserves, crafts, second-hand books, up-cycled and re-cycled furniture, handmade ceramics, artwork, glassware and more. There will also be music, a tombola and bottle stall, a Yoga Garden demo, children’s games and lambs and calves in the petting area. Profits raised are for St Mary the Virgin Church.

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Ashington Toy and Collectors Fairs will be held at Ashington Community Centre, Foster Lane, on Sunday 28 May from 10am – 2pm. For details call Pete on 01424 846676. For more details visit http://www.modelcarmart.com/ashington

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You can follow Ben and Toby on Twitter @AAHMagazine and @tobyphillips1

Horsham & Mid Sussex Voluntary Action seeks help for various organisations in the Horsham District.

St Andrew's Methodist Church in Crawley Road, Roffey is seeking helpers for its café and kitchen on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

Cruse Bereavement Care supports people after the death of someone close, by delivering support from trained volunteers. The charity is currently looking for a chairperson.

Could you be a Witness Service

volunteer at Horsham Magistrates Court? Your role would be to support witnesses and their friends and family when they visit court by giving them practical information. Wey and Arun Canal Trust is looking for boat crew and skippers to drive boats, prepare them for trips, operate locks and serve refreshments.

Find out more information on 01444 258102, email volunteercentre@hamsva.org.uk or visit www.hamsva.org.uk Victoria Eisermann, the co-founder of dog rescue charity K-9 Angels, will be wing-walking on 3 June to raise money for a spay and neuter campaign.

Victoria, who lives in Billingshurst, enjoyed a career in modelling and TV commercials before she took on the challenge of rescuing and re-homing abused or unwanted dogs. She has previously cycled 500 miles and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro. To donate, type ‘Victoria Eisermann’ at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/

Chanctonbury Chorus and Orchestra will be performing their summer concert at St Andrew and St Cuthman's Church, Steyning, on Saturday 13 May, at 7.30pm.

Soprano Lucy Mair sings Korngold's Four Shakespeare Songs. The Chorus and Orchestra will perform Franz Schubert's Mass in C, Vaughan Williams' In Windsor Forest, Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium and Sullivan's The Long Day Closes.

Tickets £14 from chanctonburychorus.org

Football coaching sessions for children aged from two and a half will be held at The Holbrook Club, Horsham every Sunday morning from 11 June. FA qualified coaches at D&D Footie Focus host fun and energetic sessions including drills, matches, games and team work. The coaches are DBS checked and run monthly awards for players. A child’s first session is free of charge, followed by six sessions for £40. For more details call Dave on 07969 669153 or Stuart on 07854 671355. www.danddfootiefocus.co.uk

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Horsham Decorative and Fine Arts Society host a series of summer lectures at the Capitol Theatre, Horsham. Brian Stater, BA(Hons), MSc gives a talk on ‘Small Beginnings by Great Architects – Here’s One They Prepared Earlier’ on 10 May. Rev. Jonathan Meyer, MA, FRICS will be Looking at Furniture on 14 June and Barry Venning BA, MA talks on ‘A Child of Six Could Do It! – Satire on Modern Art’ on 12 July. Lectures start at 10.45am. Coffee is available from 9.45am. Visitors are welcome. Admission £5.

15 The final touches are being made to Clayshaw Place, an exclusive collection of two, three and four bedroom homes in an idyllic location in Rudgwick. Built by Thakeham Homes, the houses are designed for spacious modern living with aspects of traditional architecture. All but one of the 25 plots have been sold. Visit http://www.thakeham.com/new-homes/ clayshaw-place

The Shipley Arts Festival continues at The Blue Idol, Oldhouse Lane, Coolham, on Friday 2 June, at 7.30pm. Enjoy an evening with festival musicians followed by a performance of Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. Tickets £24.

Then enjoy music by festival friend and composer Stephanie Cant at Warnham Park on Sunday 4 June, at 6.30pm. The evening also features the Robert Schumann Piano Quintet, the Rebecca Clarke Piano Trio and a world premiere of Viola Sonata by acclaimed composer Derek Smith, performed by Virginia Slater.

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Horsham MP Jeremy Quin will start both the Barns Green Half Marathon and the 10km races on 24 September.

Jeremy will act as the official starter for the Half Marathon before changing into his running gear to take part in the 10km event. Last year, almost 1,800 runners registered for the Half Marathon and 10km races which follow routes on closed roads through the lanes of Barns Green, Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital and close to Southwater. To enter visit www.barnsgreen-half.org.uk Editor’s Note: This press release was received by AAH before June’s election was announced.

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NEWS ROUND-UP

16: NEWS

St Catherine's Hospice is calling on local businesses to sign up to its popular Dragon Boat Festival at Tilgate Park, Crawley on Sunday 10 September, from 10am to 4pm. The festival is a great team building and networking day and many

Read our regular column from RSPB Pulborough Brooks on Page 66

businesses return year-on-year to compete against other businesses in 40ft Chinese Dragon Boats. For entry details, call Laura Kelly or Suzanne Davis on 01293 447333 or visit www.stch.org.uk and search ‘Dragon Boat Festival.’

The Faithful, the second novel by Billingshurst author Juliet West, is to be published by Macmillan on 15 June. Set in the 1930s, it’s a love story with a dark political backdrop - exploring the rise of British fascism in the years before the Second World War. Juliet is scheduled to give a talk at Horsham Library on Tuesday 11 July. Juliet’s first book, Before the Fall, was published in 2014. www.amazon.co.uk/Faithful-JulietWest/ dp/1447259092

The Rude Mechanical Theatre will be touring with a new play, The Commercial Traveller, this summer, visiting Dial Post Village Green on Thursday 8 June. For tickets visit therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk The Manor Theatre Group presents It Runs in the Family, at North Heath Hall, St Mark’s Lane, Horsham, on 26 – 28 May. Tickets to this amateur production of the hilarious farce by Ray Cooney, directed by Andrew Page, cost £12 and are available from 07771 524491 or manorhorsham.com

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NEWS ROUND-UP

18: NEWS

Pat James and Abie Sweatman were among the local runners competing in the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon. The mother and daughter team from Lines and James Lettings and Sales in Horsham, completed the marathon together in a time of five hours and 37 minutes. Abie said: “The support has been overwhelming and we are very grateful for the donations and messages of support. It helped keep us motivated and determined to complete this epic challenge. We have exceeded our fundraising target, currently over £7,000 for breast cancer charity Walk the Walk. To donate, see https://virginlondon2017. everydayhero.com/uk/Bosombuddies

To submit News/Events for consideration, email Ben: editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Some of the country’s leading artists exhibit at a major exhibition in NOW 17, New Original Watercolours, at Horsham Museum and Art Gallery from 13 May -15 July. The stunning collection of about 80 contemporary pieces by members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours including Rosa Sepple (current RI President). NOW 17 forms the central part of Horsham’s Festival of the Watercolour with talks, workshops and demonstrations designed to engage people at all levels. Young artists can enjoy informative and fun watercolour workshops on Saturdays, whilst award-winning artist Gordon Rushmer hosts workshops for adults. The

exhibition and festival are supported

by Toovey’s Fine Art and Valuers.

Thanks to Tooveys, the Friends of Horsham Museum and Art Gallery are hosting a wine reception and talk, As if

by Magic, by Nicola Moorby, one of the leading authorities on Turner and the history of watercolours, on 8 June, from 7 – 9pm.

The museum also hosts a watercolour and picture valuation morning run by Nick Toovey of Tooveys, on the morning of 10 June. This will be an ideal opportunity to find out more about your art.

For more details visit www.horshammuseum.org

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20: NEWS

To submit News/Events for consideration, email Ben: editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Horsham Artists Open Studios (HAOS) host Open Studios on 8 - 9 & 25 - 26 July. About 30 local artists and makers will be showcasing their paintings and beautiful objects either at their studios or small venues in and around Horsham. This trail of artistic talent has become a firm fixture on the calendar and all venues offer free entry. Venue addresses and name of artists will be placed online at horshamartistsopenstudios.co.uk

Parham Garden Weekend will be held at Parham House and Gardens on 8 - 9 July, 10:30am – 5pm. The event includes specialist plant and garden stalls, talks and demonstrations from experts including Sarah Raven, Nick Bailey and Tom Brown. parhaminsussex.co.uk The newly formed Horsham District Stoolball Association is aiming to increase local participation in the sport.

The HDSA seeks to re-establish stoolball in the villages of Ashington, Billingshurst, Cowfold, Henfield, Southwater, Thakeham, Upper Beeding and West Chiltington and Horsham.

Initiatives will include supporting the popular Set4Success charity inter-business stoolball tournament in June, helping with the annual Horsham Primary Schools Stoolball Festival at Horsham Cricket Club and promoting Broadbridge Heath Stoolball Club's successful junior academy, held in the summer. Any areas, individuals or organisations that wish to try out stoolball or start up a team in the Horsham District should contact the Acting Secretary, Richard Emsley, on 07708 197740 or email richard@stoolball.org.uk All are welcome at the opening event of Men’s Sheds Horsham at the old cadet building behind the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, on Saturday 13 May, 11am – 1pm. It is an opportunity for men to pursue interests, belong to a group and feel more fulfilled. For more details visit mens-shed-horsham.org.uk or the Horsham Men in Sheds Facebook page.

21 Sussex Cricket returns to Horsham Cricket Club, Cricketfield Road, Horsham, on Wednesday 21 June. Sussex County Cricket Club will be using the testimonial match for Chris Nash as an official warm-up game for their T20 campaign.

All of the Sussex T20 squad will be at the ground and will take part in two T20 games, either side of a corporate lunch.

Entry is free, so all are welcome to visit on the day and see Chris Nash and the Sussex Sharks in action. For details and corporate booking information call 01403 254628 or visit horshamsportsclub.com

The choir of St Mary's Church in the Causeway will be joined by the celebrated Slinfold Concert Band for a concert of choral and instrumental music on Saturday 20 May, at 7.30pm. There will be traditional and contemporary music from the band and the choir, joining forces to send a glorious wall of sound echoing around the church.

Tickets cost £10 (£1 for Under-16s) from 01403 253762 or on the door (subject to availability). Proceeds go towards the Church's 'Thanks a Million' project Kidenza, which hosts classical music events for kids, present a concert at Brighton Road Baptist Church, Horsham, on Saturday 24 June, at 2pm and 4pm.

The ‘Around the World’ concert includes mambo from West Side Story, raga music from India, and African drumming.

Tickets £12 (Under 25s free) from kidenza.co.uk

Older people in the Horsham area who are lonely on Sundays are being offered company. A scheme run by the charity Contact The Elderly organises monthly tea parties for groups of older people aged 75 and above who live alone and would like some company on a Sunday afternoon. Each guest is collected from their home by a volunteer driver and taken to a volunteer host’s home where they meet with a small group for tea, chat and friendship. All drivers and hosts are police checked and it is all free of charge. To find out more, contact Julia Rivas, on 01273 805451 or email julia.rivas@contact-the-elderly.org.uk

,-6-2+ 23; ,%-6(6)77-2+ %446)28-')7,-47 2:5 0):)0

HORSHAM SPORTS CLUB - SATURDAY 24TH JUNE

Fun Family Festival H

orsham Sports Club is proud to announce its very own one-day live music festival The Big Gig: Horsham Tribute Music Festival this summer on Saturday 24th June 2017.

It’s time to get excited, Horsham!

Some of the best musicians in the area are coming together to provide a fun packed day of top class live music, festival activities, street food, drinks and dancing.

Five fantastically talented bands playing music that you know and love are the line-up for the day,

covering the likes of ABBA, Take That, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Oasis, Blur and much more!

The festival features local favourites The Blunter Brothers, No Jacket Required and JOE90 amongst the host of brilliant live performances.

The Big Gig is suitable for the whole family; children under 10 are FREE as it’s important for everyone to be able to appreciate the joy of live music.

Musician and event co-ordinator, Dave Baxter says: “We want The Big Gig to be the best live music event of the year for Horsham.

It’s a chance to celebrate and support live music.”

Festival go-ers are encouraged to bring a gazebo and set up their own space for friends and family to help get the festival atmosphere going. Picnics are welcome, but foodies are likely to be led astray by the delectable array of

‘We want this to be Horsham’s best live music event of the year’ street food stalls available throughout the day. Plus all the refreshments you could desire with a fully licensed bar and large outdoor beer tent!

To enhance the festival vibe there’ll be fun activities, inflatables and a kiddies style sweet shop for the youngsters, a huge hog roast, fish and chips and plenty more for everyone!

Chris Wassell, Chairman of Horsham Sports Club, said:

“We’re really excited about using our generous outdoor space for such a community driven event. We can’t wait to create a fantastic festival atmosphere and to make this a landmark annual occasion.”

Tickets: £20.00.

Children under 10 are FREE Doors Open: 3pm Last band finishes at 10pm

HORSHAMSPORTSCLUB.COM/THEBIGGIG

MY STORY: 25

THE STORY SO FAR

THE BEAT MERCHANTS Geoff: It was Ralph Worman, our guitarist, who started the band.

We met at Forest School, although Chris - who joined the band later - went to Horsham Grammar School. As I was Ralph’s cousin, I was roped in to play bass and Gavin Daneski was on rhythm guitar. We were all Roffey boys, as was Vic, who joined the band later.

Geoff: In those early days, it was all about Cliff and the Shadows.

A couple of us had been to see Cliff and the Shadows in Aladdin at The Palladium and we were blown away. We started playing Shadows songs together in ‘61.

Our first gig was in the building alongside All Saints Church in Roffey. The second was at Roffey Scout Hut and it was mostly mates from school who came.

Peter Toal joined and we became Peter and The Hustlers.

Vic Sendall and Geoff Farndell were both members of the band that supported The Rolling Stones in Horsham in 1963. But despite early chart success, TV appearances and major tours, pop fame and fortune was to elude them.

Vic: I joined from another local group called The Texans. By then, we were represented by a local agency, Camida Promotions.

They used to host local gigs.

They would book a main artist to draw a crowd and use a local band as support. They would regularly cram 600 people into a hall. Freddie Starr was in a band (The Midniters) at the time and they performed in Horsham.

Geoff: It was as Peter and The Hustlers that we supported The

Rolling Stones when they played St Leonard's Hall, Horsham in August 1963. I was only 16 at the time and Victor was the old man, as he’d just turned 18.

Vic: The Rolling Stones had just released their first record, Come On. It entered the New Musical Express chart on Friday, the day before the gig. We heard that because they were now a chartbusting group, they didn't really want to play in Horsham, but they couldn’t get out of it!

Geoff: It was a sell-out, as word spread fast. Lots of people already knew Come On. However, on the night, just about the only people gob-smacked by The Stones was us. Most of the crowd preferred our performance. We got a hell of a reception and it was probably the best gig we ever played.

Then, we stood around watching The Stones, thinking ‘Wow!’ Vic: We were to later find out they were intelligent, well-spoken men; but at the time they looked scruffy and we didn’t know what to make of them. But The Rolling Stones changed our approach.

Geoff: It wasn't The Stones themselves that impressed us, but the music they played. It was rhythm and blues, with influences from the deep south and even Africa. It sounded different to everything else we had heard.

26: MY STORY

Read our feature on 1960’s pop singer Peter Wynne http://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/peterwynne

The Beat Merchants (clockwise from top): Chris Boyle, Geoff Farndell, Ralph Worman, Vic Sendall and Gavin Daneski Robert Pratt for Chimes International proudly presents

BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES

They were playing covers by the likes of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and particularly Chuck Berry. There's a big difference to singing Summer Holiday and Johnny B Goode. In a way, the music of Chuck Berry spread because of bands like The Rolling Stones playing his music.

Vic: I was also working for Redland Bricks as a lab technician. I would go out gigging and often not get back home until 3am. A few hours later, I’d have to get up for work.

There were several occasions when the boss came in and found me fast asleep!

Geoff: We put together some demo songs at Regent Sounds in London. We recorded four tracks, including one of Gavin’s songs, and sent them to Norrie Parramour, the A&R chief at EMI Records. One was an up-tempo version of Hippy Hippy Shake. He didn't like our version, yet six weeks later he released the Swinging Blue Jeans’ recording of the song, with absolutely the same arrangement as our recording!

Geoff: We went for a recording test for EMI at Abbey Road. We also had a test at Decca with Mike Leander, who had recorded with The Rolling Stones. Both Decca and Columbia offered us a record deal within 24 hours of each other.

We wanted to go with Mike as he understood what we were trying to do. But our manager insisted that we sign a six-month deal with Columbia. So we did and we recorded Pretty Face.

Vic: Peter left for Australia after getting married. He was a few years older than us and although we tried to persuade him to stay, he was adamant. We looked around for a singer and Chris Boyle, who was also in The Texans, joined us. It was then that we changed our name to The Beat Merchants.

Geoff: We thought that we were going to be famous, to a man. We were a good band.

Geoff: We signed with another agency in Worthing and played bigger venues across the south, performing regularly for little or no money. We entered a National Boys’ Club battle of the bands competition at Brighton Dome. We played a Bo Diddly song called Hey Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut. We won and that gave us coverage in The Telegraph. That put us on the road to something bigger and better.

Vic: We were on an ITV television show called Thank Your Lucky Stars, which aired on a Saturday evening at prime time. It was the Top of the Pops of its day. On the same show, Shirley Bassey sang Goldfinger and Sandie Shaw

‘We thought that we were going to be famous, to a man. We were a good band’

with

Wednesday 14 June 7.30pm

V A N I T Y FA I R

A great evening of nostalgia taking you back to the Swinging Sixties with their hits including:

Twist and Shout * Someone Someone * Do You Love Me * Suddenly You Love Me * Even The Band Times Are Good * Candy Man * My Little Lady * Hello World * Me and My Life * Silence is Golden * Here Comes My Baby * (Call Me) Number One

ZZZ WKHFDSLWROKRUVKDP FRP %R[ 2I²FH

Inspired by the sound of The Shadows, the band played early gigs whilst they were still pupils at Forest School

performed Always Something There to Remind Me. Sadly, the videos have all been lost. We also went on Scene at 6:30 in Manchester, where we were interviewed by Michael Parkinson.

Geoff: On another television show, we were performing Pretty Face as it had broken into the Top 50. We were sat in a room with The Beach Boys. They were performing Sloop John B, which was a big hit at the time in the UK. But they couldn't remember how to sing it because by then they had moved on to other hit songs in America.

Geoff: Everything was going well and our reputation was good. We went on a national tour with The Honeycombs, who had a huge number one record, and Lulu, who was even younger than us. Gene Vincent performed on the same bill occasionally. There were several acts in a show that would tour theatres around the country, each performing two or three songs.

Vic: We were a combination of many different bands, but we did our own thing. We had a heavy beat defined by bass and drums. It was all new; we didn't have textbooks to work from.

Geoff: There really would be girls screaming at the gigs. We had a white van that was absolutely covered in lipstick with messages like ‘I love you’ and things you can’t print! Sometimes, girls would chase us with scissors to try and get bits of our hair!

Vic: One night, we played with Duffy Power, and Chris was wooing the girls.

It was a rockers’ town and the blokes were standing at the back whilst the girls were screaming at the front. One of these guys was upset that his girl was showing too much attention to Chris, and hit him. Chris took a second to react and then whacked him back!

The guy went down like a sack of potatoes. A lone policeman came up and said we had better leave quickly because he can't protect us all! I remember Duffy Power holding up a heavy microphone stand to protect us whilst we were loading up the van.

Geoff: After six weeks on the road with just two nights off, things were going well. We were being paid next to nothing, but we didn’t care about money. We were just playing and doing what we loved to do.

Vic: Pretty Face should have been the start of something good, but things

The Beat Merchants performed on TV shows including Thank Your Lucky Stars on ITV

27

28: MY STORY

Geoff and Vic played Pretty Face at Roffey Sports and Social Club in April

‘So Fine was put on the back of the Freddie and the Dreamers record You Were Made for Me’

went wrong. Our contract with EMI was for two records over six months. Our manager was waiting for EMI to contact him about the second record and EMI was waiting for him to provide them with it! Sadly, by the time we came around to releasing it, all the momentum had gone.

Vic: After the European tour, The Beat Merchants petered out. We didn’t get on very well with the singer, Chris Boyle. He felt he was a great singer with a rubbish band and we felt exactly the opposite!

We carried on without him and kept the name, with Geoff and Gavin on vocals.

Geoff: We released So Fine, a song we didn’t particularly like, in February 1965. The record reached about number 80. By then, Ralph had left the band and although we continued touring with acts including Herman’s Hermits, things fell flat. We tried to get another deal and recorded a few demos, but it didn't happen.

Geoff: We recorded more new tracks, which we were very pleased with, and sent them to various labels, but nobody was willing to take a chance on us. The following year, Vic decided to leave and get married and that was about it. I went to London with Gavin and we become songwriters. Our best effort was Rich Girl, recorded by The Merseys.

They had a hit with Sorrow and were going to release Rich Girl as a single, but changed their mind.

We also wrote a song for The Monkees TV show. We stayed in music publishing for a couple of years before returning to Horsham to live normal lives.

Geoff: We were touring Europe and felt isolated away from England. However, whilst we were away, So Fine was put on the back of the Freddie and the Dreamers record, You Were Made for Me, which was hugely successful in the US. So, we had a million-seller in America! I found the record on eBay so I now have my own copy.

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Vic: A couple of artists have also covered our songs. Jean-Jacques

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29 Burnel, bassist with The Stranglers, recorded a version of Pretty Face on his debut album, and Dr Feelgood also recorded it.

Geoff: In 2001, Circle Records released a compilation of our songs, called The Beat Goes On. There was a limited edition run of 2,000 copies which sold out, which was great. It would have been nice to have some of the songs digitally enhanced, but nonetheless it was fun getting all our old demos together. Then, about six months ago, one of our records was played by Brian Matthews on BBC Radio 2. We received ÂŁ15 in royalties, which is probably the most money we've ever made from a record!

Geoff: For my 70th birthday, I thought it would be nice to play live again. Vic’s son, Neil, is a drummer and Dave Strange, who plays guitar with several good bands including Mainly Madness, joined us for a reunion. Sadly, both Ralph and Gavin have passed away, and we didn’t part company with Chris on good terms.

Vic Sendall bought a new Fender Squire, whilst Geoff Farndell picked up a new Fender Jazz Bass for The Beat Merchants reunion gig in Roffey last month

TOOVEY’S

Vic: I bought a new Fender Squire and Geoff bought a Fender Jazz Bass. After a few rehearsals, we played at Roffey Social Club. We played about a dozen numbers, including Pretty Face.

Geoff: It was brilliant. It is 50 years since The Beat Merchants disbanded and 45 years since Vic and I had stood on the stage together. Suddenly, we were there performing again. Perhaps, a few months down the line, we might even record a new album.

Geoff: Looking back on the band days, there is some happiness and some regret. They were fabulous times, so you can’t be anything other than happy about the experience. But we can’t be anything other than regretful that things didn't go our way.

Vic: We have lovely memories and when we get together, nobody can stop us talking about the old days!

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS/ GEOFF FARNDELL/VIC SENDALL

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31

Solid as a Choc!

Southwater Osteopath Behind Easter Egg Craze

Simon Allison has created the first multipiece solid Easter egg.

Now, Solid Chocolate Company is attracting interest from around the world...

When did you first have the idea for a solid chocolate egg?

I’ve had the idea for about 20 years, since when I was a teenager. I realised that at any time of the year you could buy a chocolate bar for about 60p and yet at Easter the same weight of chocolate shaped like an egg cost ten times as much, which is unfair.

Unfair on the consumer?

Yes; we’re getting less for our money. We have a situation where the eggs are thinner than they used to be and chocolate companies are mixing in other ingredients to reduce costs. So, I thought it would be a good idea to create a solid chocolate egg that offered better value. Every summer, I would think about the concept and make a little more progress with the idea, without ever having the time to devote all my efforts on it.

What was holding you back?

I've been an osteopath for 19 years and run by own practice in Southwater, called Back to Health. It’s a very common name for an osteopath business, although I maintain that I thought of it myself! After I married and had children, I wanted to adjust my work/life balance and that allowed me time to develop my egg. Three years ago, having finally

lawn

Simon Allison with his Solid Easter eggs created moulds, I was able to make the first batch of 100 solid milk chocolate eggs in my kitchen. It went well, so we wrapped them up in simple packaging and sold every one of them very quickly.

radio stations including Capital, Heart and Smooth.

We had calls from Ireland, America and Australia, and the egg was featured in The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail, The Sun, Cosmopolitan and Hello! It just snowballed.

What has happened since?

For the last few years, we haven’t really pushed the product as we have focused on branding, packaging and market research. This year, everything was in place, so we decided to do a bit of PR. To my surprise, we went viral! From an initial press release, the story was picked up by a video website called LADBible, which has a huge following on Facebook. Before long, I was being interviewed on

Did this translate into sales?

We sold out of stock in one day. Our previous best day on Amazon had been 30 eggs sold, which we were very happy with. Then, on one day about a week before Easter Sunday, we sold 372 milk chocolate eggs alone.

When Amazon sold out, people started to look on our own website, which crashed! Still, we have 76 eggs already ordered for next year. They retail for

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32: FOOD & DRINK

18/10/2016 09:46 Page 1

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ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

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But £25, so are not cheap.

‘Mannings Heath was perfect there's a lot of chocolate in them Are the eggs good for sharing? them to and if you compare They are, so we also offer them as the land has good premium Easter eggs on the with corporate branding. the pricing is very potential market, can brand the Businesses wine-making and reasonable. packaging with their own colours it’s an ideal location’ or logo and give them to staff,

‘There are 42 pieces, so you can eat one chunk a day and it’ll last six weeks’ p

29/08/2014 10:05 Page 1

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A solid chocolate egg seems such a simple idea...

A lot of people say, ‘I always wanted one of these!’ but have never done anything about it. I just took it a step further. Of course, it’s not rocket science to make two solid halves of an Easter egg and stick them together, but you couldn’t fit a solid half into your mouth. So, my idea was to make the egg from small pieces of chocolate, which isn’t as easy. Our egg can stand up and you can take a chunk from anywhere. You can knock it all down and rebuild it, if you like. There 42 pieces, so you could eat one chunk a day and it’ll last six weeks, although I don't know anyone who's managed to do that. There also a puzzle aspect, although it’s chocolate, so you don't want to handle it too much.

suppliers and customers.

Is this the world’s first segmented solid chocolate egg?

There have certainly been things made with chocolate that fit together before, but not in an egg shape, as far as I'm aware.

Following our early publicity, we heard from a company in Norway that has made solid chocolate eggs for many years.

However, my understanding is that they remove the inside of an egg and use a blow-fill technique to create solid chocolate within a shell. Clearly that is different to what we are doing. We do now have intellectual property protection on our design.

Why haven’t the big chocolate companies made something similar?

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33

We have four flavours: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and caramel’ There are a couple of reasons why that hasn’t happened. If you look at the profit margins that a major company expects on a single Easter egg and apply those same margins to a solid egg, then they couldn't do it because of the price they would need to charge. To make the same level of profit on a 750g chocolate egg that they make on a 100g egg, the retail price would be too high. Solid eggs are heavy and labour-intensive to make and you’re going to run out of chocolate very quickly if you’re producing 100,000 solid eggs.

Do you make the chocolate yourself?

We use a chocolatier in Stoke-onTrent. There are many people doing brilliant things with chocolate all over the world. I am not a chocolatier; I'm somebody who makes a product using chocolate. So, I rely on the expertise of others. During our market research, we had a good response to the flavours, as it is a good quality Belgian chocolate. We now offer the egg in four flavours: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and caramel. Some people like very strong dark chocolate, but for most people an 80% dark chocolate is too rich, so ours is 55%. I am not a fan of white

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34: FOOD & DRINK

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What are your plans for Easter 2018?

Next year, we may do some markets and fairs. We haven't done much in terms of retail yet as the margins are so small.

However, if we can increase production a little we may approach local farms shops to see if they are interested in selling our product. Also, we are hoping to add a Fairtrade egg to the range and perhaps a more sophisticated egg made with Colombian single origin chocolate. There are many different chocolate flavours available and it is great fun discovering them. if you ever have the chance to do chocolate tasting, then don’t pass on it as it’s great fun. It’s like wine tasting without all the pretension.

Will you give up osteopathy if your eggs become more successful?

I’m not thinking along those

lines, but I will take some more time off work in the run-up to Easter next year. This year, I allowed one day off a week for chocolate; I’ll give myself two days next year!

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

You can find out more and even place an order f or your 2018 Easter Egg at www.solidchocolateco.com

Get the best from your vision at

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s your local Horsham optician, Louise Sloan says the most rewarding part of her job is helping people to get the best from their vision. She certainly has all the right experience.

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‘I am writing to say thank you so much for your excellent service and help introducing me to contact lenses in time for my wedding. I am so pleased with my lenses and wish I had tried them years ago. Thank you so much.’

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Piries Place Louise is able to remain in Piries Place during and after the redevelopment which is scheduled to start this summer. She says “We are very excited about the plans for Piries Place and people have been asking whether we are staying or not. We are pleased to confirm we’re here to stay and it will be business as usual. We hope both loyal and new clients will continue to visit us throughout this period and beyond.”

Rebecca Mason joined Look Fantastic at the age of 16

STYLE: 37

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Look Fantastic Turns on the Style at Historic Site Jamie: I worked for a salon in Pulborough for a year before coming here, when I was 17. At the time, the salon was called Crown’s and was well-established in Piries Place. I joined as an apprentice and along with several others I would attend a college course in Worthing once a week.

Look Fantastic is celebrating a move into larger premises in one of Horsham’s historic buildings.

But for co-owners Jamie Thorne and Rebecca Mason, it’s been a rollercoaster ride to the top...

academic and as my mum was also a hairdresser, I had always shown an interest. I would style my friends’ hair when I was young and help mum when I could. So, when I turned 16, I just wanted to Rebecca: I joined as a Saturday get on the shop floor and work girl in 1999. By then, the business full-time. I like making people had been bought by Look Fantastic.

I wasn't particularly 9 99 99 feel confident.

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Jamie: I became salon manager, although I wasn’t doing anything different to the other stylists. I was the one with the most experience, so was offered the role. A new owner came in and he wasn’t a hairdresser. He didn’t always

understand what we required to run a successful salon. Takings were not being re-invested on products and it was becoming increasingly difficult for us to operate. However, none of the clients left, because we always did our very best. Consequently, people were loyal to us.

Rebecca: Eventually, it reached a point where we could see the business was struggling. We were both considering other options, as we each had a

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Read our feature on Parkminster Products’ range of scented candles on the Business section at www.aahorsham.co.uk mortgage and bills to pay. In 2010, the owner asked Jamie if he would consider buying the salon. Jamie discussed the idea with me and, although we didn't have the money, we knew it was a great opportunity. We were able to borrow money from our families, which we’re eternally grateful for, and we bought the business. The first year was tough. Apart from the occasional Sunday, we didn't have a day off as we ran the salon with just the two of us and a part-time assistant. Still, it was great fun as it was our own business.

Jamie Thorne has worked at the salon for 20 years

38: STYLE

Jamie: We had discussed the idea of opening an entirely new salon, rather than taking on Look Fantastic. But we knew we had a good client base and we had the equipment we needed. What helped us was the fact that our clients were happy for us, as they knew what we’d been through.

We built the business back up and since we took over we’ve probably grown the business by 100%.

Rebecca: We now have 10 staff and we were reaching the point where we felt we were outgrowing our premises in Piries Place. On a busy Saturday, there would often be 30 people in that tiny salon.

Still, it was a bombshell when we were asked to move! Two weeks after my son was born, I openedup the salon and found an eviction notice on the doormat.

We had heard nothing from the landlord about development plans. Yet suddenly, we were being given a few months’ notice to vacate the premises.

Jamie: We had discussed renewing the lease for another 10 years and then those negotiations had been shelved. We were asked to wait until the new landlord could discuss the terms. We had a meeting with a representative of the new owners and he understood our concerns, giving us more time to find a new home.

Rebecca: We had heard about a few retail units available in the town centre. There was a former estate agent’s unit in the Carfax

‘We were both very excited as we knew immediately the building had great potential’

and The Christian Bookshop, which has since been taken on by The Comodor. Then we were told that the former River Kwai Restaurant in Market Square was available. Jamie reached me on Facetime as he viewed the site and we were both very excited as we knew immediately the building had great potential.

Jamie: It's sad for us to be moving here in a way, because it means that we have lost a business that was wellknown in Horsham. Just about everyone in the town has eaten at River Kwai at some point, so the building is a local landmark. However, it wasn’t in great condition and needed some tender loving care. In terms of structure, it’s in excellent condition, so the work we’ve done is entirely cosmetic. We took away the carpets, scrubbed the floors, scraped away the wallpaper and gave the place a proper clean. We even found a trapdoor which goes under the building and towards the Old Town Hall!

Rebecca: When it came to furnishing and decorating, we had a blank canvas to work with. We could choose where we wanted things and exactly how the salon should look. It took seven weeks, but we had a great team helping us. Our staff were fantastic, coming in during days off to help us scrub, clean, paint and help any way they could. We found a stunning ceiling light, whilst the clock and shelving was provided by Martha's Barn, who also found us the Union Jack sofa in the snug room.

Jamie: My partner, Sharn Pilar, has created a lot of the artwork hanging on the wall. We bought old pictures from charity shops and Sharn painted over them in various ways. I particularly like the War of the Worlds scene on the painting of the English landscape!

We didn't want this to look like a traditional salon, and it doesn’t.

Becky Rogers washes a client’s hair at the new salon in Market Square

39

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40: STYLE

Look Fantastic’s new Spitfire chairs and custom-made mirrors

Rebecca: We have oak beams, whilst the walls and floors are all a little wonky. The only straight thing about us are the haircuts!

Jamie: Since the move, we’ve invested in new equipment because the ceiling is so low. Some items – including our Spitfire chairs and recliners by the basins - have been custom-made. Some items need built-in sockets because this is a listed building. This site is far bigger than our old premises and gives us an opportunity to grow the business and bring in more staff.

Jamie: We've achieved an awful lot in the last six years. I hope I don’t come across as big-headed, but it’s been hard working full-time and changing the fortunes of a business whilst also bringing up families. As well as getting the new site ready, we’ve had to carry on at Piries Place, and we’ve been able to do that because we have a good team.

Rebecca: It’s been lovely hearing from the clients. So many of them are genuinely happy for us, because they know we’ve had some difficult times over the years.

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Jamie: I have customers who I have been seeing for 20 years and they’ve become friends. We see some people every month, which is often more than you will see close friends, so it’s normal that a form of relationship develops. I have clients who I've seen meet their partner, get married and have children, and now I’m cutting their children's hair!

Look Fantastic is offering new customers 50% of a Cut & Blow Dry on their first visit to the salon at 6 Market Square, Horsham.

Look Fantastic also offers reward and loyalty cards to regular customers.

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

For more information or to book an appointment, call 01403 250110 or email horsham@lookfantastic.com

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42: SPORT

Full Throttle to Title?

Alex’s bike is engraved with the name Chloe, after his girlfriend

Alex Taylor targets Aprilia Championship after victories

Starting on Mopeds

I

was 16 when I first jumped on a bike; a 50cc Peugeot Speedfight.

I hadn’t grown up with motorbikes at all, but I enjoyed riding the moped.

When I turned 17, I bought an Aprilia RS 125 and we made a few modifications that helped make it go a little faster. It was my dad that first mentioned the idea of racing. He felt that, whilst he was working and could support me, we might as well have a go.

We went to Motorcycle Live at

the NEC and liked the look of the Aprilia RRV450R, eventually buying one second-hand.

I entered the Aprilia Challenge Championship in 2015, which is one of about a dozen individual series run by Thundersport GB. In Thundersport GB, you also have racing for 500cc, 600cc, a classic Superbike series, a Superteens series and others.

Affordable Racing Thundersport GB is a good way of enjoying a competitive series

that is relatively affordable. You can race with a small budget as the bike specification is the same for everyone. What makes the difference is the expertise of the rider and the ability to set up the bike for racing. The Aprilia Challenge is not just decided by money. Everyone has the same bike with the same horsepower.

Of course, there are teams that run like a business and offer expertise to anyone who’ll pay for it. But, you can still win if you have a talented rider and an experienced mechanic.

Fighting at the back My first year didn't start brilliantly.

I'd never seen a race track, whereas some riders had been racing for several seasons in various categories and knew the circuits. I was jumping in at the deep end and had to try and swim. For my first year, we thought we would see how it goes and if it turns that I couldn’t ride a bike, then we’d call it a day! The first two rounds didn’t go well. For the first part of the

(© www.colinportimages.co.uk)

season, I was fighting not to finish last. But I started to understand the bike and improved. My best result was an eighth place in the final race of the year. Towards the end of our first season, we recognised we needed help from somebody with experience of setting up a race bike.

We met Trevor Scott at Scott Racing Motorcycles, a team based in Northern Ireland. Trevor has experience of running race teams and he took me under his wing for the last couple of races in 2015.

This made a big difference, as it gave me my best result and the team offered me a ride for 2016.

Alex Taylor in action

43

My First Podium For my second season, I had custom made leathers and my own helmet, as well as a team-mate to compete against. Straight away, there was a massive improvement as I knew the tracks and was finishing in the top six.

Towards the season’s end, I was beating my team-mate, which did a huge amount for my confidence as he’s a well-established rider.

I came close to finishing on the podium once, but tried to overtake a rival on the last lap and was chucked off the bike!

My luck changed in the next race at Snetterton, when two riders in front of me went wide and I squeezed through to take third. It felt great to be up on the podium. I couldn't quite believe that I was receiving a trophy with people congratulating me!

Crashes and Slings I let myself down in that I was crashing too often. Last season, I crashed 15 times, which meant I had to cough up for quite a few repairs.

Most of the damage was cosmetic, as the crashes were silly mistakes made when I was trying too hard. At Oulton Park, it was raining heavily and I came around a right-hander that leads into a dip, when the bike snapped back at me. I was dragged into the crash barrier and injured my shoulder. The medical staff put me in a sling but I had to drive back my car home wearing it!

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46: HISTORY

Horsham Hospital

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ith a General Election looming, health care and hospitals are likely to once again be a hot political topic.

So, we thought it was an ideal opportunity to look at the building of Horsham Hospital at the end of the Great War. The hospital now serves the community with a Minor Injuries Unit and Outpatient services.

War Memorial

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In 1919, when the discussion took place over the construction of a war memorial, the suggestion also rose of building a new hospital for Horsham as a memorial to those who died during the Great War. An active campaign of fundraising began, including the 1919 August Bank Holiday Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition in the Park.

In July 1922, the foundation stone for the hospital was laid. Its inscription read: ‘This hospital was built by voluntary contributions in memory of those who fell in the Great War. 1914-18. This foundation stone was laid by Edward Sixth Earl Winterton on July 20 1922.

E.D.L. Harvey, O.B.E. M.A. D.L.

(© Image courtesy of HDC/Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

The front of Horsham Hospital

How the town raised funds for a Memorial hospital

President. Architect F.C. Troup, F.R.I.B.A. Builders Rowland Bros.’

Whilst it was built with contributions given in memory of the fallen, it was not a War Memorial Hospital in name, as many others built at a similar time were. However, it very much was one.

Foundation Stone The laying of the foundation stone attracted a large gathering for what was a small service involving the local churches, medical staff, soldiers, committee members and a large group of onlookers.

The West Sussex County Times and Standard, to give its full title at the time, gave a commentary on the opening of the hospital.

Then in January 1923, the paper carried an appeal by Mr Harvey, stating that “the hospital is nearing completion, but it now needs equipment to fill it.”

Reverend Harvey noted that £100 had already been donated for an operating table. A week later, The County Times carried a list of requirements along with their costs.

Wards 26 bedsteads (each ÂŁ2 17s 6d) 26 mattresses (each ÂŁ3 10s) 26 bolsters (each 10s) 52 pillows each (7s 6d) 4 cots (each ÂŁ3 8s) 4 mattresses (each ÂŁ2) 8 pillows (each 7s 6d) 12 lockers (each ÂŁ4 4s) 2 ward tables (each ÂŁ3) 28 bed tables (each 12s 6d) 8 screens (each ÂŁ1 7s) 10 chairs (each 7s 6d) 5 arm chairs (each ÂŁ5) 24 stools (each 5s) 3 dressing trolleys (each ÂŁ5 17s 6d) 1 workbox 2 pianos 2 clocks The last two items were obviously listed in hope of a gift rather than a purchase, as they were not essential for the hospital. As for the Operating Theatre, items included: 1 operating table (from ÂŁ82 10s) 2 trolleys (each ÂŁ5 10s) 1 instrument table (ÂŁ5 17s 6d) 1 cupboard (ÂŁ10) 1 anaesthetic table (ÂŁ5) 1 anaesthetic stool (ÂŁ2 5s) A public meeting was also held to consider setting up a contributory scheme for the hospital.

Poorly Princess The 2 June edition of The County Times reported that “Princess Helena Victoria is unable to attend and perform the opening ceremony,� because her daughter Princess Christian was ill.

The opening would instead be carried out by Lord Leconfield, who would then

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(Š Image courtesy of HDC/Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

The community held events to raise funds

(Š Image courtesy of HDC/Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

The hospital’s first X-Ray department in 1923

47

48: HISTORY

18/10/2016 09:46 Page 1

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ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

(Š Image HDC/Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

open the British Legion Hut in North Street.

The newspaper reported that the hospital was to have cost ÂŁ11,986 but owing to the inclusion of a new laundry and mortuary (ÂŁ900), additional porch (ÂŁ100) and other works, the cost had risen to ÂŁ15,000. However, if they sold the old hospital building, the hospital would be debt free.

In fact, the costs were eventually to rise above ÂŁ18,500, but it was all funded.

A public meeting was held in the Town Hall to appoint a committee to run a contributory scheme for the hospital. The idea was that people who were to become annual subscribers to the hospital should be invited to become weekly contributors to the fund.

Local employers were also encouraged to show support by arranging for employees to contribute.

The old hospital was used as a hostel for Horsham Grammar School pupils

The rear view of Horsham Hospital

1

Opening Day The Hospital opened on Friday 8 June with a large crowd attending.

The County Times gives a full

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account of both the hospital and the event, from which the following description is drawn. ‘The architect, in drawing up the plans, had in mind a country gentleman’s house.

From the road to the main entrance, about 110ft, the drive is of granolithic paving. The proper front faces the other direction, where terraces of Horsham stone flagged paths will command a delightful view over the park. ‘Built with narrow facing hand-made bricks from Holmbush and roofed with hand-made red tiles, the colour, tone and warmth of the whole building are most pronounced. The windows are of steel casement variety, faced with Purbeck stone.’ The account goes on to describe the interior of the hospital, with its ‘two main wards 40ft long by 20ft wide, each containing ten bedsteads and two cots. One is for men the other for women.

There are three private patients’ rooms and a casualty or emergency ward, an X-ray room and an operating theatre. At the end of

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The newspaper reports make little mention of the connection to the Great War and yet the building clearly shows that it was and is a memorial, using local stone, locally-made bricks and tiles, indicating a strong sense of community.

The naming of the men’s ward after the Chairman, who lost two sons in the war, clearly reinforces the message.

It may not have a carved stone lintel saying ‘War Memorial Hospital. However, it was and should be remembered as such.

(© Image HDC/Horsham Museum & Art Gallery)

The hospital appeals for gifts of all kinds

each of these wards is an admirable ‘sun room,’ 9ft by 20ft. Upstairs are the bedrooms for 14 of the staff.’

The men’s ward was called Harvey, as a memorial to the two sons of the Chairman. The lady’s ward was named after the Allcard family.

Even the county cricket side chipped in

49

The Old Hospital As for the old hospital, what was to become of that?

The County Times gave the answer.

The Board of Education approved the “purchase by the Governors of the house, lately used as a Cottage hospital at Horsham, for the sum of £2,500 and have approved the expenditure of an additional £500 on equipment.”

The old hospital would be used as a hostel for pupils of Horsham Grammar School.

Within 30 years, what was a purposebuilt hospital had become what it looked like; a house. In 1892, it was designed to look like a middle-class house but functioned as a hospital.

Thanks, in part, to the war, perceptions of what hospitals should look like had developed away from a home to an institution, with clear medical guidelines. So, the new hospital looked like a hospital whilst the old one became a home away from home for the aspiring middle-class children who went to the grammar school, an institution established back in 1893 with specific middle-class aims.

This article was written by Jeremy Knight of Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum & Art Gallery, edited by Ben Morris, AAH. For much more on Horsham’s History visit www.horshammuseum.org

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Piazza Italia 2017

50: EVENTS

New Catwalk Show and Race Paddock among the Event Highlights Soaring Soprano

Lancashire soprano Jo Appleby stole the show on Friday with an incredible performance on the Bandstand. Currently a member of the English National Opera Chorus, Jo attracted large crowds with faultless renditions of operatic standards.

Jo was an original member of the multi-platinum opera band Amici, and now performs regularly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Sussex Symphony Orchestra.

Other musical highlights included Hetty and the Jazzato Band, entertaining audiences with their modern twist on classic Italian songs, swing and jazz standards.

Sicilian Delights

The Italia in Piazza market was very popular and some of the produce stalls were empty by Monday. The market offered shoppers a special Easter treat with Colomba Pasquale, a traditional Italian Easter cake, usually enjoyed with a liqueur.

However, the longest queue was for the hot food. Many enjoyed Arancini di Riso (risotto balls of rice with fillings) and Sicilian-style pork sausages in ciabatta.

Ferrari Fever

The arrival of the Ferraris is arguably the defining moment of Piazza Italia. This year, about 100 cars displaying the prancing horse badge arrived on Good Friday, parking in The Forum, Carfax, Market Square and East Street.

Among the most admired cars were the Daytona, Berlinetta

Boxer, F40 and a rare 599 GTO. John Wellard of Ferrari Owners Club, who was driving a Ferrari 458 Italia, provided commentary for the Ferrari Catwalk, which involved ‘special’ cars including the new 488 Spider and a 360 Challenge Stradale, being paraded through town.

Catwalk Queens

51

A new-look fashion show was held in the Arundel Suite at Parkside on Easter Monday.

Several of the town’s finest retail fashion outlets including La Vida Boutique, Gerry Weber, Marks & Spencer, Jigsaw and JoJo Maman Bebe paraded new Summer lines.

Two shows were enthusiastically compered by children’s TV favourite Dave Benson Phillips, who was dressed head-to-toe in clothes from Marks & Spencer's new men’s range.

Left: Ella Hamlin looked born for the Runway

ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY LOCAL PEOPLE AAH is an independent magazine, owned and produced by Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the Horsham District.

Since the magazine was first published in May 2011, AAH has been renowned for its colourful features and superb images by Toby Phillips Photography.

We believe that our editorial content is unrivalled in the Horsham District, with innovative ideas such as our ‘My Story So Far’ and ‘News Round-Up’ features.

ADVERTISING IN AAH Each month, the magazine is delivered to 15,000 homes in Horsham, Southwater and villages including Broadbridge Heath, Mannings Heath, Ashington, Partridge Green, Copsale, Storrington and Washington.

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Thousands more copies are picked up from our stylish spring-loaded stands as well as Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

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52: EVENTS

Interested in future Horsham town events?

Plum Jam (VW Campervans) will be held on 28 May

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Sporting Bears were offering Dream Rides to visitors. This motoring club sees owners of classic and sports cars volunteering their time to raise funds for children’s charities.

The Koalas section of Sporting Bears, encompassing members in the South East, were offering 20-minute Dream Rides from Market Square in return for a charitable donation.

Huw Page, a member of The Koalas, said: “This year, members brought along cars including an Aston Martin, Ford Mustang, Maserati and a Ferrari. Such events enable owners who might otherwise keep a beautiful car locked up in a garage, the chance to bring it out and enjoy it, whilst making a difference.”

The Dream Rides, based at event partners Brock Taylor, raised over £4000 for Chestnut Tree House, The Children’s Trust and Winston’s Wish.

& Brighton. An opportunity

to meet new friends, walking, eating out,

theatre, golf,

arts & music,

and holidays.

Not a dating agency.

Shakespearean Spin

The Tony Strange Company performed a ‘long lost Shakespearean play’ called The Two Gentlemen of Horsham. The comedy play revolves around an Italian merchant living in Crawley and wanting to move to Horsham.

On Saturday, the Carfax bandstand was transformed by a Bradley Stoves supplied outdoor demonstration kitchen and a succession of cookery demos and comedy chef-inspired antics. Chefs from the Horsham Local Produce Market and the Italia in Piazza market cooked while being ‘interviewed’ by super helpful comperes Tony and Tim.

53

Dale Jannels Director, AToM Ltd TEL: 01403 272625

www.atomltd.co.uk

Rates Keep Dropping Delays, delays, delays! With so many lenders dropping rates to all time lows, it was inevitable that their back end would not be able to cope with front ends sales!

One of the most successful developments of Piazza Italia has been the district-wide Tour. The Piazza Italia XI Tour saw over 30 vehicles take to the road on Sunday 2 April, to promote Easter’s main event.

Helped by glorious weather, the Tour was greeted by huge numbers of people as it visited the market towns of Billingshurst, Pulborough, Storrington, Steyning

In the Fast Lane

Premier GT, the Washington– based performance and luxury car specialist, organised a great new addition to the event with the ‘Parkside Race Paddock.’

Visitors flocked there to see a Michael Schumacher Benetton F1 car, a Suzuki 500 motorcycle

and Henfield. Cars including a Ferrari F40, Ford GT40, the beautiful Alfa Romeo 8C and a rare Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera took part. The Tour highlighted the atmosphere of the district’s market towns, with many businesses taking advantage of increased footfall.

Garry Mortimer-Cook, Town Centre Manager at Horsham District Council, praised participants and partners for the organisation and expressed delight at the size of the crowds at each location.

David Trigg and Nick Hall of Premier GT

Piazza Italia Tour

ridden by Barry Sheene and a great display of other race and super cars.

Also at Parkside, a fastest lap competition ran in the reception area on two F1 Simulators saw drivers vying to win two tickets to the F1 British GP at Silverstone.

We are finding a number of lenders are often taking one to two weeks to turn things around. A few are much longer and we know of one that is currently taking over nine weeks to review applications. Yes, nine weeks! When applying for the house of your dreams and with the Estate Agent demanding a quick survey, always check with the lender to find out their service levels before putting your mortgage with them. You might find the agent won't be happy with a substantial wait.

The other impact, just around the corner, is the impending election. Based on previous experiences, many people put their home plans on hold whilst elections occur and this can also have an effect on lenders, who then reduce rates to attract more business, and so we have a spiral effect as per my earlier comment above.

‘We've recently seen the market's lowest ever five year fixed rate and lowest ever two year fixed rate’

On the up side, we've seen some incredible offerings from the lenders. Over the last couple of weeks, we've seen the market's lowest ever five year fixed rate and lowest ever two year fixed rate. The question is how low can they go? The choices are currently attractive and seemingly very good for the end consumer. But will they be around for long?

No one knows, but based on some market leading rates only being available for nine days recently, if you see something of interest, don't delay. As always, terms and conditions apply and are subject to individual circumstances, so seek advice!

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COMMUNITY: 57

SAXON DISCOVERY

First Residents Move into Highwood Mill Apartments

A

rthur and Beryl Wilson enjoy a stroll around the landscaped gardens at Highwood Mill.

The high bank surrounding the garden neutralises most of the noise from the new link road at Broadbridge Heath, making the footpath a popular feature of the new one and two bedroom apartments for over 55’s.

With a modern on-site restaurant and even a hair and beauty salon, Highwood Mill is already proving a popular destination The 105-room development has

been built by Berkeley Homes on the new Highwood development, and is managed

by Saxon Weald, with a professional care team on site 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Residents have been moving in on an almost daily basis since February. As AAH visits, we discover that the facility is already making a significant difference to the lives of its first occupants...

New Lease of Life Rita McNeill was among the first to move into Highwood Mill.

This has meant she’s been able to meet new people as they’ve arrived over the course of the last two months.

Rita said: “My husband was killed when he was hit by a car two and a half years ago. After that happened, I thought ‘What am I going to do now?’

“I didn’t think I’d be able to cope on my own without him.

But I read something in one of

his British Legion magazines about seeking help and that put me on the right path.

“When it came to moving to Highwood Mill, the Saxon Weald team have helped me through every step. They gave me a tour of my apartment and facilities, and tell you everything that you need to know. They’ve been fantastic.

“I even went to a meeting where I was asked what type of food I liked, as they were preparing the menu for the new restaurant.

“When I first arrived, I wasn't

Send Letters to the Editor via email editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Ingram’s Restaurant (top) and the Dining Room

Saxon Weald staff at Highwood Mill

58: COMMUNITY

quite sure of myself and wondered what I was going to do. I’ve been used to living on a farm surrounded by horses, sheep and dogs. So, I thought I might come here and shut myself away.

“But after a couple of days, the staff invited me to join them in the restaurant to meet other people.

Since then, it’s been like a new lease of life for me.

“Everybody is so friendly. The staff always say ‘hello’ when you walk in and have time for a chat. You only need ask and they will help.”

Built by Berkeley Highwood Mill is managed by Aimee Phipps, who initially helped market the development.

Aimee said: “The first time I was at the site was for the laying of the foundation stone, so when the position for General Manager came up, I decided to apply.

“We'd been making promises to people about how Highwood Mill was going to be a great community environment and a wonderful place to live, so I wanted to make sure those promises were delivered. I suppose I felt a personal obligation to see the job through.

“This has been a very exciting project for Saxon Weald, as at 105 apartments it’s our biggest development to date.

“Working with Berkeley Homes has been a great experience and they've built an amazing place for us. What I find interesting is the variety of apartments are, with different shaped rooms and various features including balconies.

“At some developments, rooms are

59 “When I first came here, it felt like walking into a hotel” that they know us by name and give them a proper introduction.

“There are a few residents that have lost partners and feel isolated or lonely. Here, they are coming together and already we’re seeing new friendships forming. It's lovely to see you are genuinely making a difference to people's lives.”

Rita McNeill says moving to Highwood Mill has given her ‘a new lease of life’

all built to a similar specification, but that’s not the case here.

“The communal facilities are also of a very high level. We have Ingram’s restaurant and a salon open every Wednesday.

Already, demand for the salon is high and it may be that we need to open it twice a week once all of the rooms are occupied.

“We are moving in about two new residents each day. This gradual process helps as we get the opportunity to spend time with everyone.

“It is a huge undertaking to move at any age, but when you are in later life, it can be even more difficult and daunting.

People may have been in the same home for over 20 years, or they may be leaving family behind, so moving is a big, emotional step and we want to make it as comfortable as possible. That is why we ensure

Like a Hotel Efforts to create a community at Highwood Mill have meant that different activities have been held to increase social interaction.

Already, residents have been working with groups from Age UK and the The Butterfly Project of Horsham.

The efforts of the staff have certainly not gone un-noticed by those who have already settled into the new surroundings of

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BUSINESS: 63

A Different Perspective

How Take One Productions Utilise Virtual Technology

V

isitors to the Horsham Museum website can take a fascinating 3D tour of the building and exhibitions.

Using the arrow keys or a mouse, you can take a virtual walk through the entire museum.

Unlike Google’s Street View, the tour takes a step-by-step approach, so you can see most exhibits, often in detail. You can read the Jacobs & Co biscuit box in the shopping gallery, get close to the acid bath murderer’s cell door and take a glance at other items including William Albery’s saddlery, fossils from the Horsham iguanodon, a narwhal horn in the cabinet of curiosities and the fascinating Dog of Fo statue from China.

to local businesses.

We spoke to Nick to find out more about Take One and the opportunities presented by new technology...

This intriguing 3D tour was created by Take One Productions, a digital creative agency based in Horsham.

Nick Webber, Director of Take One Productions, spent a day capturing every nook and cranny of the medieval building, before creating interactive views of every room.

As well as encouraging visitors to the museum, Nick hopes that this will showcase the new technology

What happened to the Governmental assignments?

A change in government spending meant that we needed to find more work from the private sector. It was a difficult period, but we successfully made the conversion.

We kept our overheads down and maintained as many skills as possible in-house. Now, whilst we require some specialist support from freelancers, perhaps for script

When was Take One Productions formed?

We started in 1996, so last year we celebrated our 20th anniversary.

Previously, I worked in video production, producing internal films primarily for the Civil Service. When I established Take One, I used my contacts at various Government departments to gain a foothold in business. Initially, 80% of my client base came from the public sector, whereas now, most comes from private business clients.

64: BUSINESS

Steyning Camera Club members will exhibit photos at Horsham Museum from 6 May - 1 July

Nick Webber, a Director at Take One Productions in Horsham

writing or special effects, we have an experienced team of allrounders skilled in filming, editing and production. We’re fortunate to have the knowledge of fellow Director Steve Platt and together we run a well-oiled machine.

Do you work with any household names?

Cisco Systems was among the first businesses we worked with. At that time, CISCO was the acronym for the Civil Service Catering Organisation, so when I was asked for a quote by Cisco Systems, I hadn’t realised who the client was! It was only when I turned up at the company’s London headquarters that the penny dropped.

For eight years, we recorded conferences and presentations for Cisco Systems. On occasion, we would film for 12 hours a day without really understanding what was being discussed, because the IT and network talks could be so technical.

You must have seen major changes within your industry?

In the early days of corporate video, we recorded on to a

U-matic format. This required us to use a huge shoulder-mounted camera attached to a large portable video recorder by a thick cable.

The old linear-editing method meant transferring snippets from one video tape on to a master tape and you gradually built a programme up by adding snippets.

Some of the industrial video players were the size of a washing machine! When non-linear editing was introduced with computer software, it was a huge breakthrough. The progress has been astronomical. Our first non-linear editing suite had nine Gigabytes of storage, which was impressive at the time. We now have over 45 Terabytes!

Has such advancement made it difficult for video production companies to survive?

Take One has survived because we've been agile and steered ourselves through different sectors when we’ve needed to. As software and equipment became more affordable, some companies started to produce video content in-house. We recognised this and offered additional services and

65 specialised in areas where we had particular experience. We made many films for the Department of International Development, travelling to 40 countries for a wide variety of assignments. We have filmed things such as African farmers adopting new technology and films showing how UK aid money is spent overseas.

Have video sharing channels such as YouTube had an effect?

YouTube has not done the industry any favours. It has effectively dropped the standard in terms of quality of video production. There used to be an industry standard and companies required the services of professional production companies.

Now, some businesses seemingly find footage by someone waving a mobile phone around acceptable. If I had shown a client something I filmed on my Handycam or mobile phone a decade ago, they would have said ‘that's completely unacceptable and I'm not paying you.’ Now, people will sit and watch it. So, from that point or view, YouTube hasn't done the industry any favours.

Is the focus on 3D technology another change of direction for Take One Productions?

Investing in Virtual Reality and 360° video equipment and software offers exciting opportunities and adds a string to our bow. We’ve been producing videos for 20 years and whilst we’ve introduced special effects - such as animation and CGI - over the years, this is perhaps the most exciting development in our history.

How specialist is the new technology?

The 360° Virtual tours we offer were developed by a leading tech company in the US. We were one of the first UK companies to offer this to clients. We researched many different systems and in terms of quality and interactivity, this is exactly what we were looking for.

The tours are created using a specialist camera that has in-built scanners which revolve and capture the whole environment. During filming, the camera operator moves slowly, so the camera can pick up every angle. You need to hide around the corner an awful lot so you’re not in the shot!

Creating a Virtual Tour of the Museum (© Take One Productions)

‘YouTube has dropped the standard in terms of quality of video production’

66: BUSINESS

Interested in advertising in AAH? Email advertising@aahorsham.co.uk for an Information Pack

A Doll’s House view of a business environment (© Take One Productions)

COLUMN

How is this different to software like Google’s Street View?

Google offer a ‘Business View’ that has similarities to ‘Street View’ and from that you can create a virtual tour. However, it’s not a software I particularly like, as it gives you a Star Wars style time-warp effect. As a viewer it's easy to lose your bearings when you're exploring an internal space. Also, our tours have fantastic picture quality and better user interactivity.

How did you come to produce a Virtual tour of the museum?

We wanted to promote this amazing new service, so we approached the museum as it’s an interesting place to film.

We had positive feedback and from the moment the museum staff saw the ‘Doll’s House’ overview of the tour, they were impressed. It’s on the museum website and I hope it’s helping to attract visitors.

Have other businesses asked for 3D Virtual Tours?

We produced a tour for Targa Florio cars in Chichester, which is on the home page of its website and has racked up over 30,000 views already. We find that the Virtual Tours encourage people to use a website for longer, which can help improve its Google ranking. We’ve also produced tours for hotels, care homes, a brewery, an ambulance and we even filmed the inside of a corporate jet. Another project we’ve done was to make a Virtual Tour for the Royal College of Anaesthetists which

RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nuthatch Image: Gareth Hughes/RSPB

How Nuthatch Adapts Woodpecker Holes

A Doll’s House view of Horsham Museum (© Take One Productions)

showed 18 different test booths used for training. The idea is that trainees can take the tour before they take an examination, so they can familiarise themselves with the environment.

So 360° Virtual Tours are quite flexible?

Yes, although it requires a bit of vision from a business to see its potential. We’re receiving enquiries for all sorts of purposes. One company, which finds locations for film makers, is looking at using 3D tours so that producers and directors can see different sets, giving them a full idea of colour and lighting. The possibilities are limitless; we canproduce a 3D Virtual Tour of almost any space or environment.

Is the 360° video a similar idea?

It is another idea that presents new opportunities. For example, you could put the camera on stage at a gig and you would be filming the entire venue – the band and the audience – simultaneously.

When watching it back, you can scan around whilst the music is playing in real time and enjoy every angle. That is something that can be great fun when you have sound and movement and another reason why it’s a very exciting time to be involved in video production.

INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS IMAGES: TOBY PHILLIPS

To experience the Horsham Museum 3D Virtual Tour visit www.horshammuseum.org/virtual-tour For further information and to discover how a Virtual Tour could benefit your business, visit www.3dtours.media

If their singing was good enough, most birds will have found a mate by now and they’ll be turning their attentions to the pressing task of building a nest. They’ll need a warm, dry place for their eggs, somewhere safe from predators and strong enough to withstand adverse weather—quite a tall order! Different species have particular nest-building techniques, some requiring more skill than others.

The slate-blue nuthatch takes some of the tough work out of this process, traditionally making use of old woodpecker holes. While it doesn’t excavate its own hole, it makes alterations using its expert plastering skills by gathering mud and sealing around the hole to make it just small enough to squeeze through. This will keep out the elements and protect against predation a win-win.

Then we have the highly-skilled long tailed tits. They’ll spend three weeks gathering moss, hair and lichen which they weave to form a flexible dome, stuck together with spider’s silk. This will flex as the chicks grow and the interior, lined with 1500 feathers, will keep them toasty warm.

House sparrows have less finesse, squeezing under eaves or into crevices and grabbing any vegetation they can find. There are fewer holes in buildings now with more new builds appearing and less hedgerows too, so putting up a nest box for species like house sparrows, swallows and blue tits is really helpful.

And the feeling of satisfaction you’ll get when a feathery family moves in is not to be beaten!

Emily Summers RSPB Pulborough