Axis magazine March 2020

Your quality local news & lifestyle magazine March 2020

INSIDE YOUR MARCH ISSUE BRIEFING

Lowewood Museum saved plus all the latest news from across the area

HOME

Ideas and inspiration for your home this Spring

2-4-1 TICKET OFFER For the Country Living Spring Fair at Ally Pally

WHAT’S ON

The best events, arts and entertainments to go to

FOOD & DRINK

Erman’s Kitchen and Bridget’s Tea Room open

The independent, intelligent guide to everything that matters locally

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CONTENTS 11

MARCH 2020 | NO. 206

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ABOUT AXIS Axis Magazine was founded in 2003 by two award-winning former local newspaper editors who still own and run the business. We are the quality news and lifestyle magazine for East Herts and its borders and we aim to provide a concise, useful guide to local life. Our editorial content is intelligently targeted towards readers’ interests, to maximise readership and gain the best exposure for our advertisers. The magazine is delivered to homes and businesses in selected areas and copies can also be picked up free from venues across the area.

05-11 | Briefing

19-31 | Home

We round up the latest local news you need to know, from Old River Lane and Bircherley Green to the saving of Lowewood Museum

Spring is for much more than cleaning – it’s a time to get your home ready for the seasons ahead – we have 13 pages of help for you!

13-15 | Shopping news

32-37 | What’s on

New shops and businesses opening near you and inspirational Spring fashion ideas

The very best forthcoming events, arts, entertainments and films to go and see

17-18 | The experts

38-43 | Food & drink

Read the latest from Kevin Brooks of Cannon Travel and Stuart Everett of Meyer Williams

35

Erman’s Kitchen opens in Old Harlow and Bridget’s Tea Room comes to Ware

MAGAZINE COLLECTION POINTS & SUBSCRIBING

If you don’t receive Axis Magazine through your letterbox there are two ways of getting hold of a copy each month...

1 SUBSCRIBE For just £20 per year (we don’t make money from this, it’s just to cover the cost of postage) we’ll send you your own copy on the day of publication each month.

Call us on 01992 500198 with debit or credit card details to start a subscription or send a cheque made payable to Axis Publications Ltd to the address in the Contacting us section below.

39

2 PICK UP A COPY We make free copies available for pick-up at the beginning of each month at a number of venues including major retailers, arts & leisure facilities, restaurants & pubs. Call us for details of your nearest stockist.

CONTACTING US

This month’s front cover images: Clockwise from top left: Portrait by Jon Farningham showing at The Gallery at Parndon Mill’s latest exhibition, Facing Forward (p37); Work from Courtyard Arts’s current exhibition, The Tutor With A Thousand Students (p37); Detail from La Vie En Rose vinyl wallcovering available at Colemans Home Interiors (p19); Dead Good by Vamos coming to Hertford Theatre (p37); Self portrait by Deana Kim Page, showing at Courtyard Arts (p37).

TO ADVERTISE IN AXIS MAGAZINE CALL US ON 01992 500198

Axis Magazine, Tooke House, 20 Bull Plain, Hertford SG14 1DT 01992 500198 info@axispublications.co.uk www.axismagazine.co.uk PUBLISHERS: Aaron Gransby & Justine Woods Axis is published by Axis Publications Ltd & printed by The Magazine Printing Company

axis magazine 3

BRIEFING

NEWS WORTH KNOWING

Plans for Old River Lane site move nearer to becoming a reality

Two slightly different angles offer perspective of the scheme for the Old River Lane site, which includes a new arts centre as well as shops and homes

The developer set to deliver a new arts centre, public square, homes and business space at Old River Lane in Bishop’s Stortford, has been named by East Herts Council as Chester-based Cityheart Ltd. Cityheart has been appointed as the local authority’s preferred developer to work alongside the council on the project which also includes an “enabling development” at Northgate End. Here, a new 597-space multi-storey car park is to be built which will free up the surface level parking in The Causeway car park where the bulk of the main new

facilities are planned to be built.

As reported in Axis last month, the critical Northgate End plans are a year behind schedule after two legal challenges were mounted to them by a local resident.

But with these having now been concluded, the council is now moving ahead rapidly and the Northgate End car park is set to close in preparation for the redevelopment works from Monday 20th April.

The images shown on this page give early impressions of the planned main development in

Old River Lane which will include an arts centre with cinema, around 150 new homes, retail and commercial space and a new public square.

To get your bearings, imagine walking or driving down Bridge Street before turning into Old River Lane towards either the council’s Causeway car park or Waitrose car park.

On your left is the side of Coopers of Stortford with its distinctive black weatherboarding and roofline – just visible on the left of the artist’s impression shown above right.

Work has now started on more in-depth plans for the site and the developer is also working with Hertfordshire Highways to determine what will be the best access to it for both pedestrians and vehicles.

The Northgate End car park and Old River Lane development site are on opposite sides of the A1250 and consideration is currently being given to new pedestrian crossings and vehicle access points. A planning application is expected to be ready for the summer with public consultations planned as part of the process.

Work to begin shortly on the long-awaited new M11 junction 7a near Harlow Works to create a new junction of the M11 at Harlow will be starting in the coming months following the appointment of a main contractor, Graham.

The works will see a new junction and link road created, connecting the motorway with Gilden Way, east of Harlow, and creating a new east-west link through the town.

The scheme, which is funded by Highways England, the Department for Transport, Essex County Council and the South

East Local Enterprise Partnership, is located between junctions 7 and 8 of the M11 with the new junction, set to open in 2022, to be known as 7a.

What will happen Works will see the B183 widened, creating an additional lane heading westbound and providing two lanes to the existing London Road roundabout which links to the A414.

This will be supported by the conversion of the existing

Churchgate Roundabout on the B183 into a ‘hamburger’ style arrangement with traffic lights installed and the existing local road network connected via the creation of a new Campions Roundabout.

The project follows last year’s works in Gilden Way which saw utilities diverted, enabling the main works to be undertaken.

Construction is expected to commence on Gilden Way/ Sheering Road in late Spring of this year with works on the

motorway junction and link road likely to start in the summer/ autumn.

With new homes planned to the north of Harlow, a new science park under construction, new hospital planned, along with the relocation of Public Health England to the town, the road improvements should ensure that the road infrastructure is in place to enable the town to realise its full potential.

For more details on the scheme visit essex.gov.uk/junction7a. axis magazine 5

BRIEFING

At last, we’re moving forward: Bircherley Green plans ready to view Residents and traders can now see the details of Chase New Homes’ plans for Hertford’s Bircherley Green shopping centre site after East Herts Council validated their planning application last month.

Anyone keen to know the finer details of the plans can now view the planning documents on the council’s website (eastherts.gov. uk, then head for the planning section and search for application 3/19/2614/FUL).

If you want to make comments (positive, negative or neutral) you can do so using the online form or in writing up until Tuesday 24th March.

Chase plan a mixed use redevelopment comprising the partial demolition of the existing buildings and their replacement with 3,479.4sq m of commercial floorspace (use classes A1-4, B1, D1 and D2), an 86-bed hotel and up to 100 residential apartments.

The plans also include new bus station facilities along with alterations to the car park.

The documents now online are mainly technical, providing the council’s planning officers with the information they need to make a recommendation to councillors, who will decide whether or not to approve the application in the coming months – no date has yet been set.

But the plans do provide details of the proposed layout of the site and the access to it, along with some fresh information on the types of homes to be built and the amount of parking to be provided.

Of the 100 flats proposed, 32 are one-bedroom properties, 68 will be two bedroom with 40 of the available 188 parking spaces at Bircherley Green reserved for them along with five car club spaces, leaving 143 pay and display spaces.

The proposed new scheme viewed from Folly Island

Countdown begins as Chase hope decision will be within 13 weeks

It’s surprising the difference a flagpole or two can make!

A criticism of Bircherley Green’s previous owners was that they simply hoarded off the closed shopping centre, leaving a very visible sign that something had gone, but nothing to indicate that anything positive was on the way.

Within the past few weeks Chase New Homes have sited a number of corporate flagpoles at the corner of Railway Street and Bircherley Street which, along with the submission of their planning application for the site, give a real sense of new beginnings.

The company is known to be keen to begin work on site as soon as possible, subject to achieving planning consent.

And with the application having been validated on 17th February, Government guidelines suggest East Herts could provide a decision on it before the middle of May. On hearing that the application had been validated Chase’s Planning and Design Director Alan Ward said: “We are very pleased that the council has now made the application live, having

The flags are flying

conducted a thorough validation process. We are truly hopeful that their robust approach will allow them to hit the ground running and issue their decision by the May target date.”

He said the company was still finalising the construction programme and examining the best build techniques to enable them to bring the site forward as early as possible.

Once East Herts Council’s planning officers have assessed the plans, taking on board comments from the public and statutory consultees, they will be scheduled for determination at a future meeting of the council’s development management committee.

Duo leading the campaign to give Hertford businesses a voice in the town’s future One of the difficulties in making the voice of Hertford’s business community heard on issues that affect them, such as Bircherley Green, has been the lack of an umbrella group to represent them.

Now though, the town finally looks set to get a collective voice through the setting up of Hertford Hub, led by two on-the-ground local business people, Martin Berry who owns Mick’s Barbers in The Wash and web designer Harry LeCarpentier of Shy Studios in Fore Street.

The idea for Hertford Hub grew after a small number of traders started to meet up to discuss taking action on the issues affecting them including parking, 6 axis magazine

the night-time economy, Bircherley Green and a threat to the town’s Christmas Eve market.

From there, more and more new faces joined them, prompting a decision to set up formally as a constituted community organisation or community interest company, a process which should be completed by the end of March. This will give the group a more official standing on behalf of its membership in its dealings with organisations such as the police and councils.

Their stated mission is “to preserve, promote and protect the commercial viability of Hertford” and both traders and residents are invited to visit their

Martin Berry and Harry LeCarpentier are heading up Hertford Hub

website, sign up to be kept up to date and get involved.

It’s early days; the website will evolve once the group has an official footing, with plans for

a forum on which members can comment on issues affecting the town, plus meetings and events.

Sign up and find out more at hertfordhub.co.uk.

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BRIEFING

Government planning inspector overturns council’s decision and approves 375 homes on gasworks site Developer St William has won an appeal against East Herts Council’s refusal to grant planning permission for 375 homes on the former gasworks site to the east of Marshgate Drive in Hertford.

The council’s development management committee had turned down the plans from the company (a joint venture from National Grid and the Berkeley Group) in July last year.

The 3.5 hectare brownfield site comprises two separate parcels of land separated from each other by the Norbury Fencing timber yard.

The site had been home to a gasworks but the final gasholders were dismantled in 1999 and other ancillary buildings later demolished.

It sits between Marshgate Drive to the west with Mead Lane to the south, and is bounded to the north by the River Lea. St William’s application had sought full planning permission for the 375 homes (29 houses plus five apartment buildings providing a further 346 homes), a gymnasium, residents’ co-working space plus improvements to Marshgate Drive and the creation of a new road; along with outline permission for 2,220 sq m of employment floorspace.

East Herts gave a number of reasons for refusal, with the appeal concentrating on six main

An artist’s impression of the proposed gasworks site development

ones, the most significant being whether the scheme was excessive in size, whether it provided enough employment floorspace, the impact on the highway and whether it represented good design.

In the council’s current district plan, which details its preferred locations for development in coming years, the site is allocated for “around 200 homes” and 3,000 sq m of employment floorspace.

The planning inspector who heard the appeal said that there appeared to be no reason for an upper limit of 200 other than a perceived severe impact on the road network which traffic modelling did not show.

The inspector also said he believed that the amount of

employment floorspace being proposed was adequate.

The inspector also did not agree that the blocks of flats failed to represent good quality design.

Overall the inspector said the scheme represented good design with the blocks responding “positively to their riverside location and not representing an overbearing or dominant form” as suggested. He said he appreciated the approach taken by the architect in reflecting mill architecture which he considered appropriate in the riverside location.

He also said the scheme had the significant benefit of widening the public realm and the towpath.

East Herts Council said it was considering its options.

IN BRIEF

FIRE SERVICE DRONE JOINS FIGHT AGAINST CRIME Hertfordshire’s police and fire services have agreed to jointly use a fire service drone to assist at major incidents and during searches for high-risk vulnerable missing people.

The value of such collaboration was highlighted just days prior to the signing of the agreement at the end of January when the drone was used to find a vulnerable 20-year-old man who had gone missing at 2am wearing just shorts and boots.

He was located by the drone metres away from a train track in Hemel Hempstead suffering from hypothermia and in need of an ambulance.

Under the new agreement the existing drone will continue to be based at Potters Bar fire station, while there are plans for the two services to jointly fund a new state of the art model which will be able to fly in all weathers and stay airborne for longer.

Travellers can stay on Little Hadham site after appeal is won East Herts Council is also having to consider its options on another high profile planning matter after a Government planning inspector granted permission on appeal for a gypsy and traveller site on land off Chapel Lane in Little Hadham.

The travellers moved onto the field over the Easter weekend last year and began laying hardcore to create an access road and hard standings for caravans.

East Herts Council secured a High Court injunction to remove them, but a retrospective planning application was then 8 axis magazine

put in seeking permission for change of use of the land.

This was refused in July last year

by East Herts.

However, an appeal was made by a Mr T Mahoney and an inquiry held by the Government’s planning inspectorate in November and December.

Looking at the council’s reasons for refusing permission, Inspector Claire Sherratt considered whether the site provided a suitable location for a gypsy and traveller site in relation to accessibility to services and facilities (concluding

that it did); the effect on the character of the area and surrounding landscape (which she said would not be unduly harmed) and the effect of the development on highway safety (which she considered would not be unacceptable).

She said it appeared that the travellers had been fully aware of the need to secure planning permission and that this was a case of “intentional unauthorised development”.

But despite this, she concluded it did not “tip the balance” against allowing the appeal.

WORK BEGINS ON NEW HQ FOR AIR AMBULANCE Work began in February on Essex and Herts Air Ambulance’s new airbase at North Weald Airfield, a new purpose built facility that will replace its current leased base.

It will house one of EHAAT’s two helicopters, two rapid response vehicles, plus areas for training, mentoring, patient liaison and fundraising.

For information on the trust’s Buy A Brick fundraising scheme visit ehaat.org/buy-a-brick.

BRIEFING

Change at the top as Teens Unite becomes a teenager

New chatter tables set up at library in Sawbridgeworth Teens Unite founders Karen Millen OBE and Debbie Pezzani, and new CEO Roxanne Lawrance

Teens Unite, the Broxbournebased charity for young people fighting cancer has become an official teenager itself, after celebrating 13 years in operation on 30th January.

As it did so, Teens Unite announced a change of chief executive officer with Debbie Pezzani, who co-founded the charity in 2007 with long term friend Karen Millen OBE, stepping aside after 13 years at the helm to concentrate on supporting the charity’s beneficiaries as Co-founder and Teens Ambassador.

Debbie and Karen initially founded the charity from a spare

room at home with the ambition of helping 10 young people in their first year.

The charity unites young people aged between 13 and 24 who have received a cancer diagnosis, offering group workshops and activity stays and the chance to make friendships, support each other and learn new skills.

Although based in Broxbourne, the charity offers its services across the south east and has supported more than 1,000 teenagers and young adults since 2007.

While Debbie works closely with the team on strengthening support for the charity’s

beneficiaries and builds relationships with the charity’s supporters, Teens Unite’s former chief operating officer Roxanne Lawrance becomes its new CEO. Roxanne said: “It goes without saying that I have big shoes to fill, but I am ready to embrace the challenge and work towards achieving the charity’s longterm ambition of increasing our service to more young people in the south east and building the first, UK mainland retreat for young people fighting cancer.

Our priorities at Teens Unite will always remain the same and the young people we support are at the heart of everything we do.”

If you like your coffee in company, head to Sawbridgeworth Library in The Forebury on the last Monday of this month where you’ll find a new chatter table.

In an initiative from East Herts, Hertfordshire County and Sawbridgeworth Town councils, designated tables, clearly marked, have been set aside for people of all ages to grab a seat and join others for a free tea or coffee and a chat.

The chatter tables are from 10am to 12noon with the next on Monday 30th March and then Monday 27th April.

For more information contact Mekhola Ray on 01992 531613 or email mekhola.ray@eastherts. gov.uk.

Join the Friends of Hertford Castle

Children pitch in at play area planting party

The Friends of Hertford Castle host an open evening on Tuesday 10th March where you can find out more about joining this invaluable group of volunteers.

Members of the group, which was set up 10 years ago, are crucial in welcoming the visitors to the Castle who come to explore its grounds and historic interior.

The Castle hosts seven open days from May to October during which volunteers take on varied commitments from stewarding for a couple of hours to guiding tours. Some Friends also lead tours during the week for schools or other groups.

The open evening takes place from 6.30pm and will be a chance to meet other volunteers, enjoy refreshments in the Robing Room, be taken on a tour and

Volunteers of all ages turned out in February to plant the Hornbeam hedge that will surround a new play area planned at Hertford’s Hartham Common.

The popular play area is due a major facelift with new facilities planned by the summer.

Despite the cold, overcast weather, youngsters who are eagerly awaiting its arrival joined representatives from East Herts Council, Hertford Town Council, contractor Groundwork and members of the Hertford Playground Alliance at the event on Friday 21st February.

Planting the hornbeams before work commences will give them a chance to establish themselves before the playground is completed.

10 axis magazine

find out more about what’s involved.

If you’re interested in attending or want more information contact Sophie Archer-Mills on 01992 552885 or email sophie. archer-mills@hertford.gov.uk.

Local councillors including Eric Buckmaster and Peter Ruffles happily joined the volunteers

BRIEFING

Lowewood Museum saved as closure threat is lifted Lowewood Museum in Hoddesdon has been saved after Broxbourne Council reversed its decision to close it.

The council had announced in December last year that it could not commit to the funding needed to keep the museum open and that it would close at the end of June.

However, Broxbourne announced on Tuesday 25th February that it had “identified a new way forward” to keep the High Street museum open.

The council has now entered into negotiations to create and pay for a trust which will enable a team of volunteers to run the service.

The trust will be established with the support of the Friends of Lowewood Museum, a registered charity which has been operating since 1987.

David Dent, who is a member of the Friends’ committee, had set up a public petition on the website change.org, seeking to pressurise the council into changing its mind.

By the time of the council’s announcement, some 3,318

New MP thanks her family in heartfelt maiden speech

The future of Lowewood Museum has been secured, says Broxbourne

people had signed the petition.

Mr Dent said: “I am pleased to work with the borough council to establish a trust to keep the museum going. I hope we can attract a wide variety of volunteers to help us in this demanding task.”

The leader of Broxbourne Council, Councillor Lewis Cocking, said: “I am extremely pleased that a viable solution to keep the museum running has been identified. The council is

conscious that the possibility of the museum closing would have been a big loss for residents and the borough at large.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer to help the museum is being asked to contact Broxbourne Council in the first instance by sending an email to enquiry@broxbourne.gov.uk.

For news on the museum’s current exhibitions and activities, you can visit broxbourne.gov.uk/lowewood.

Intrepid Hertford sailor leads the way in Round the World race A 23-year-old from Hertford has helped lead a team of nonprofessional sailors to the top of the leaderboard halfway through the 2019-20 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The brainchild of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968/9, the event is now in its 12th edition.

His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean

racing. Taking almost a year to complete, the race consists of 11 teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean going yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew.

Hertford’s Rhiannon Massey is first mate, second in command to the skipper, of Qingdao, which represents the Chinese sailing city of the same name.

At the halfway point Rhiannon and the crew have already sailed

over 20,000 nautical miles since starting in London in September.

In doing so they have faced waves the size of houses, crossed the Equator twice, battled the freezing temperatures of the Roaring Forties and endured the heat of the tropics. They are due back in London on 8th August.

An experienced sailor before this race, Rhiannon has represented Great Britain at International Olympic class level and been a member of the RYA Podium Potential Squad.

Hertford and Stortford’s newly-elected MP Julie Marson has made her maiden speech in Parliament. Tradition dictates that an MP’s first speech in the Commons is heard without interruption. It is usually brief and non controversial, including a tribute to their predecessor and positive comments about their constituency.

In her speech on Monday 24th February, which coincided with the centenary of Nancy Astor becoming the first female MP to give her maiden speech, Mrs Marson thanked constituents for putting their trust in her and praised former MP Mark Prisk for representing the constituency and country “with dignity and diligence for 18 years”.

She also took the opportunity to put on record her thanks to her parents Ivan and Mary Ford who she said were her inspiration, and to “my wonderful husband Chris and son Matthew, because without their love and support I could not do any of this.”

She described her constituency as “a mix of beautiful countryside and market towns and villages – a special place which manages both to be ancient yet contemporary, vibrant yet tranquil, and traditional yet progressive and which has a deep, deep sense of community.”

She promised to be a strong voice both for farmers and the rural heartland and for residents of towns and villages facing unprecedented development.

She explained her passions for environmentally sustainable development and for social impact bonds, which she said “can change lives”, getting young people into work and education, getting people off the streets and improving children’s social care. axis magazine 11

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SHOPPING & BUSINESS NEWS MELANIE BAYFORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Replenish Refill Store opens in Hertford Terracotta Senses, a corking idea for a new shop in Bishop’s Stortford Nelson Henriques and Angela Martins opened Terracotta Senses in Bishop’s Stortford in December, after initially launching in March 2019 with a stall at street markets.

The business has sustainability at its heart, with a large proportion of the stock in this homewares, gift and wellbeing store made from cork.

Not as well known in this country as in areas of southern Europe such as Nelson’s native Portugal, cork is a highly sustainable, light, water resistant and hypoallergenic material.

It is harvested from cork oak trees, the bark being peeled away so that the cork can be extracted

by skilled harvesters leaving no damage to the tree itself. The naturally renewable cork grows back in around nine years.

At Terracotta Senses you’ll find handbags, purses and wallets and even jewellery and watches made from cork, alongside other items all inspired by nature, spirituality and wellbeing including figurines, buddhas, cushions, candles, diffusers and insense sticks.

The shop is open from 10am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Terracotta Senses is at 41 Elizabeth Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3RL.

Replenish Refill Store opened last month in the centre of Hertford, and is already making a welcome contribution to the zero waste campaign.

The store, on the top floor of Mudlarks Garden Café, offers store cupboard staples and customers can bring their own reusable containers to fill with quantities of goods they need, thus paying only for the amount they want and reducing both packaging and food waste.

You can refill your containers with a good selection of foods (with gluten-free options) including cereals, pasta, rice, lentils, beans, herbs, spices, muesli, seeds, nuts and dried fruit plus drinks such as tea and coffee. You can also fill up on household goods such as toiletries and cleaning products.

Gay’s Newsagents

It’s the brainchild of life-long Hertford resident Emma Riddle.

Emma set up her business as a Community Interest Company and launched it debt-free through crowdfunding with the help of Natwest’s Back Her Business scheme for women entrepreneurs; she intends to donate 50 per cent of her profits to local charities too.

The store is open during Mudlarks’ opening hours, so from 9.30am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

When the café moves to Fore Street in May, Replenish Refill Store will move with it.

For the time being you’ll find it on the second floor of Mudlarks Garden Café at 10 Railway Street, Hertford SG14 1BB. You can keep up with its news on Facebook and Instagram.

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Mini emporium with a selection of dealers selling antiques, vintage and retro collectables 4 Mill Bridge, Hertford SG14 1PY 01992 509547

WARE CROSS PHARMACY 40 Christian Close, Hoddesdon EN11 9FF

01920 440380

axis magazine 13

SHOPPING & BUSINESS NEWS

Businesses urged to enter 2020 Love Hertford Awards The annual Love Hertford Awards, designed to promote and support businesses in the county town, launch this month on Monday 16th March.

The awards, now in their third year, are run by Hertford Town Council with representatives from organisations including the town council, East Herts Council, and Axis magazine taking part in the judging process.

The competition is open to both independent businesses and branches of national chains.

There are 10 categories covering everything from hair and beauty and pubs, restaurants and bars to professional services such as solicitors and accountants.

Once the event launches, local businesses have until Saturday

2019 winners included Lance James the Jewellers and Hertford Theatre

18th April to nominate themselves in up to two relevant categories.

A shortlisting process is then undertaken by the judges before members of the public are invited to vote from Friday 24th April to Friday 22nd May. The judging panel then meets to choose the winners, based on the number of votes cast and the comments made about the businesses.

The winners are announced at the Love Hertford Awards ceremony at St Andrew’s Church on Thursday 25th June.

To nominate your business pick up an entry form from the Town and Tourist Information Centre in The Wash or enter online at surveymonkey/r/lovehertford.

And if you have a favourite shop or business in Hertford make sure you encourage them to enter!

Bishop’s Wellbeing combines art, crafts and mobility help Bishop’s Stortford’s Shopmobility service, which offers a free scooter loan service for shoppers with limited mobility, has been reinstated by the not-for-profit organisation Bishop’s Wellbeing.

Almost a year after the previous privately-run service closed, Bishop’s Wellbeing has re-opened the premises it had been based in, within Jackson Square shopping centre’s car park.

It aims to become a community hub, providing information and advice on independent living.

The organisation is run by trustees Trevor Bennett, Zara Skidmore and Simon Marlow and is funded through grants as well as support from East Herts Council which provides the premises at a peppercorn rent.

It works with disability living aids supplier Cane and Able Healthcare and holds sample ranges of its products which can be ordered for arrival within a week.

The shop is currently open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and on the first Monday of each month when Cane and Able have an advisor on hand to offer mobility advice as well as scooter servicing.

The team hope to open six days a week when funds allow.

14 axis magazine

Love Hoddesdon Business Awards winners announced Love Hoddesdon BID has announced the winners of its first ever Love Hoddesdon Business Awards (for 2019).

The BID team invited nominations for local businesses.

The Mayor of Broxbourne, Councillor Steve Wortley, presented the awards at Stanboroughs Function Room on Thursday 30th January.

The results were: Community/Charity Business of the Year Winner: Mayhem Theatre Arts Finalists: Broxbourne Council and Keech Hospice Care Food and Drink Retailer of the Year Winner: Smokeshed Bar and Grill Finalists: Chateau Café and Nonna’s Kitchen Health, Beauty and Wellbeing Business of the Year Winner: Carter and George Practice Finalists: Forever Me and Nu You Pilates Retailer of the Year Winner: Cannon Travel Finalists: Louise’s Florists and Morrisons Service Business of the Year Winner: Ashbourne Insurance Finalists: Room at the Top Recruitment and Shepherds Estate Agents

Clockwise from top left: Red Bike leathergoods, art by Nick Dittrich, a baby headband and trustees Trevor Bennett and Zara Skidmore

The shop also raises money by taking a small commission on items sold by local artists and craftspeople who show their work in the store.

Artist and graphic designer Nick Dittrich is currently exhibiting with a collection called Look Again. His artworks join leather goods from Red Bike Leatherworks, pompom hats from Knit the Rainbow, ceramics from Courthouse Workshop,

handmade eco-friendly products including soaps and household items from Puchi Treasures and cork products from Terracotta Senses (see page 13).

To find out more about Bishop’s Wellbeing, visit their Facebook page (@bishopswellbeing) or their website (bishopswellbeing. org), email bishopswellbeing@ gmail.com, call 01279 657394 or, best still, pop in in person for a cuppa and a chat!

Voluntary Member of the Year Winner: Slimming World Finalists: In the Pink hairdressers and MFB Osteopathy At the awards evening, it was also announced that in future years a special Sarah Harris Memorial Award will be given to an individual or group who has gone the extra mile to help Love Hoddesdon. This is being made in memory of Sarah Harris, the daughter of Stephen Harris, chairman ofthe BID’s events and promotion team, and a big supporter of Love Hoddesdon, who died recently.

FASHION

Spring into the new season with these inspiring collections at Frankie and Olive Ethical and sustainable women’s clothing shop Frankie and Olive has been a huge hit in Hertford since opening last year.

This month it will be introducing its Spring collections including a beautiful range of organic cotton clothes from Thought as well as items from Nomads which might even have you thinking about the summer holidays to come.

Here we have a sneak preview of some of the treasures you will be able to buy.

Find them, and much more, in the shop at 19 Old Cross in Hertford.

Don’t forget, Frankie and Olive sells ethical and sustainable gifts and homewares too.

Call 01992 677150 for more information.

Thought Mattie cardigan (grey) £79

Left: Nomads rice print maxi dress £68 Right: Thought Bennetta blouse (white) £59 and Justina culottes (yellow) £59

Nomads collared check tunic £45 and slim cropped trousers £49

Thought Maddalena dress (brown) £89

Frankie and Olive Women’s clothing, gifts & homewares Ethical • Sustainable • Organic

AppelmAn ChArmAn optiCiAns

New SpriNg/Summer ChaNel ColleCtioNS Now iN 90 HigH Street, HoddeSdon en11 8Hd 01992 447141 | info@acopticians.co.uk

New Spring Collections 19 Old Cross, Hertford SG14 IRE

01992 677150 axis magazine 15

VENUE HIRE

SPONSORED CONTENT

Hire Hertford Castle – a stunning venue for any occasion Historic Hertford Castle is a stunning venue which can be hired by individuals, families and businesses for all occasions.

Despite its grandeur, costs for hiring Hertford Castle start from just £20 per hour.

You can hire anything from a single room to the entire ground floor of the Castle (known as the Downshire Suite).

Businesses can hire space to hold interviews, meetings, training sessions or days, conferences and away days.

With its proximity to two train stations and with parking nearby, it is an excellent business venue.

Individuals or families can also hire Hertford Castle for private parties and to celebrate events including birthdays, baby showers, engagements and anniversaries. The splendour of the Castle building also makes it a lovely venue for life celebrations and wakes.

Of course, Hertford Castle is

also a spectacular wedding venue for ceremonies and/or receptions and makes for wonderful pictures.

Another big plus point is that the venue offers hirers genuine choice when it comes to catering.

The Castle team can arrange for catering using one of their regular suppliers, but they also give you freedom to arrange your own, bring in your own food or even have your favourite takeaway delivered!

There are no extra charges for this flexibility either.

For alcohol, the team can arrange to buy in what you need or you can bring your own, with just a small corkage fee applied.

Hertford Castle can accommodate up to 100 people whilst also catering for the smallest of meetings.

For more information about the venue and pricing, visit hertfordcastle.co.uk; email customerservices@hertford.gov.uk or call 01992 552885.

Hertford Castle is a great venue for weddings and gatherings of all kinds

Hire Hertford Castle Private hire for individuals and families: Baby showers, wedding ceremonies and receptions, birthday and anniversary parties, wakes Corporate hire for businesses: Room or whole venue hire for meetings, interviews, conferences, training and away days

A stunning venue for all occasions Venue hire from as little as £20 per hour Get in touch for more information: The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR • 01992 552885 • hertfordcastle.co.uk 16 axis magazine

Catering: We can arrange it for you or you can book your own caterers or even bring in your own food and drink

hertford castle

THE TRAVEL PAGE

SPONSORED CONTENT

Why ‘More water Grandad’ will haunt me for years to come

Building a simple sandcastle just is not enough...

Kevin Brooks of Cannon Travel gets the full package holiday experience Many, many years ago when I was but a callow youth, I was a settler in betting shops and these were the most informative years of my life.

A settler is the person who works out the winning bets.

Back then there were no computers or calculators, it was all done in your head or on a piece of paper, and a lot of it was done by fractions, which is how I still work things out nowadays.

During the three years or so that I was working in betting shops I experienced petrol bombs, fights and someone dropping dead and I was once conned out of £12, which was a lot of money then.

It is still the most valuable lesson I have ever learned.

I also came across, although never needed to master, the ‘art’ of Tic-Tac which, some of you may know, is the sign language used by racecourse bookmakers to communicate quickly.

I am writing this while taking a type of holiday that I haven’t taken for a long time... a good, old fashioned package holiday and on the flight from Stansted to the Canaries I witnessed a variation of such communication.

It was fascinating to watch the cabin crew use hand signals to tell their colleagues that they needed an extra two bottles of this or a pack of that, and whilst you could usually work out what the messages meant, there was one that left me baffled.

A steward pressed the call button and once he had the attention of a colleague he held up two fingers, touched his nose and then ran his fingers across his throat. I cannot for the life of me work out what it signified unless he just wanted to kill two smelly passengers!

The holiday is with the grandkids and we are travelling with Jet2 and I have to say I am impressed, which is just as well as we are one of their biggest sellers in the south-east. In fact, Jet2Holidays carry out mystery shopping on their main outlets and I am extremely proud to

say that Cannon Travel scored a maximum possible score of 100 marks… impressive or what!

Last year was a good one for us in many ways. I have previously written about winning two Gold Medal Trade Awards, including top UK agent, plus this accolade from Jet2 and in the inaugural Love Hoddesdon Business Awards we were voted top retailer with 74% of the vote.

Very satisfying.

The Sandcastle Conundrum Back to my hols... I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of all-inclusive holidays, mainly because they do little for the local economy, but I can really understand the appeal for families.

Looking after small children is never easy but this type of resort certainly makes it a lot easier to entertain them... plenty of pools, a lovely beach and of course, the Kids Club, all of which the children have enjoyed.

However, being the adult isn’t always as enjoyable. Having two of them bouncing into our room at 7am has its drawbacks and

even building sandcastles has a downside. It wasn’t enough to just build a few castles, we had to build an edifice complete with tower, keep and moat, and there is the rub.

A moat needs water and it appears that Grandads are ideal water carriers but the bit the children have yet to grasp is that water quickly disappears in sand. Though it seems that is a problem that can be easily be overcome when you have a slave: all you do is say “More water Grandad, more water”!

By this time the sea was about 30 or 40 yards away so traipsing up and down the beach God knows how many times has killed my calf muscles.

Plus, it apparently isn’t enough to collect the water from the edge, it appears the water is better if I wade out up to my knees because “there’s lots of water there”.

Nevertheless, it has been an enjoyable time with good weather and the hotel/resort is ideal for this type of holiday – besides the next one will be different. We have been invited to look at a couple of 5* hotels in Tuscany and boy, do they look good. So our next break will not be all-inclusive but will be top quality hotels, fine dining and excellent wines and that is my type of holiday. I shall sleep tonight dreaming of what is to come.

However, I suspect there may be a few occasions when I wake up in a cold sweat with the words “More water Grandad” ringing in my ears!

Book 5 star luxury with Cannon...

PISA

TUSCANY

email: info@cannontravel.co.uk call: 01992 441 521/ 01920 466 531 web: www.cannontravel.co.uk visit: 96 High Street, Hoddesdon, Herts EN11 8HD / 49 High Street, Ware, Herts SG12 9BA axis magazine 17

TAXING MATTERS

SPONSORED CONTENT

As Budget Day approaches, is UK Enterprise under attack?

Stuart Everett of Hertford accountants Meyer Williams boldly goes where no tax expert has gone before...

For the first time in years there is no mention of a forthcoming General Election.

Instead, all the talk is about the forthcoming Budget and what big infrastructure schemes the Great Pretender has thought up and is going to finance because suddenly, as a country, apparently “We’re in the money”!

(Please note until further notice any reference to the Great Pretender, Prime Minister or to the British Government or indeed the puppet master, is actually a reference to a bloke called Dominic.)

To begin with, the Great Pretender has given the go ahead to HS2 (wasn’t that started 11 years ago by the last Labour government?)

What the Great Pretender really

Spock was able to defeat the Klingons but not the puppet master

means is ‘Carry on Digging’ though of course this was not mentioned in his manifesto.

If it had been would he have been elected? I guess this is the Pretender trying to take credit for the work of others.

I hope he’s not disappointed!

The Search for Spock So, on to tax matters.

One moment the newspapers are saying that Chancellor Spock is to amend Entrepreneur’s Relief or possibly even abolish it, the next minute he has gone.

Unlike in the film Star Trek III there is no Search for Spock. In the futuristic soap Spock was replaced by Mr Saavik; in our reality version Chancellor Spock

has been replaced by Mr Sunak!

Relief in sight?

So just what is Entrepreneur’s Relief and what does it mean for the majority of those who claim it?

Well, as an example, if a small business provides employment for 20 people with an annual wage bill of £500,000, approximately 53% of this, £265,000 a year, goes to HMRC in PAYE and 19% of profits each year is paid as Corporation Tax. VAT is generated at 20% of turnover if sales are made to an end user. So, Mr Enterprise, the owner, provides HM Government with this handsome tax take on an annual basis.

RELIABLE, APPROACHABLE AND PROACTIVE ACCOUNTANTS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED IN BUSINESS & IN LIFE Audit & Accountancy | Business Development | Personal Finances Personal & Corporate Tax | Tax Planning | Corporate Finance | Business Start-ups

Call or email Stephanie to arrange an appointment for an informal chat with one of our directors about your business or financial affairs

Stag House, Old London Road, Hertford, Herts SG13 7LA 01992 550721 | www.meyerwilliams.com | stephanie@meyerwilliams.com 18 axis magazine

At some point, Mr Enterprise wants to retire and enjoy his remaining years, reaping the rewards of his efforts in business.

Previously there existed Retirement Relief.

That eventually became Entrepreneur’s Relief which has enabled businesses to be sold to the next generation of Mr Enterprises at an affordable price with only a 10% Capital Gains Tax liability. I suppose It could be seen as a tax discount to facilitate the continuation of the annual revenue and gainful employment.

To remove this could result in Mr Enterprise retiring from the business and the business ceasing. This would of course mean a dead stop to the annual revenue. This would be a short-sighted attack on enterprise with a long term reduction in government revenue.

Is the suggested attack on Entrepreneur’s Relief the reason for Chancellor Spock’s disappearance?

Was he really in favour of doing away with Entrepreneur’s Relief or was the Great Pretender’s puppet master behind the attack on it? Was Chancellor Spock just defending it? This and more will be answered in the next episode of Tax Soap!

And all because the Great Pretender doesn’t have to Klingon to power for five years... l Soon we’ll be boldly going into the next tax year; please ring if you need our assistance.

HOME

INSPIRATION AND IDEAS THIS SPRING

The vinyl revival

It’s not just about LPs and turntables.

As Sophie Coleman from Coleman’s Home Interiors explains, vinyl wallcoverings are quietly making a comeback too At Colemans, wallpaper has never gone out of fashion for us, but until people step through our doors, their perception of wallpaper can sometimes be a dated one.

If this is the case we’re here to change your minds!

Wallpaper should be fun, and is a great way to put your own personal stamp on your home.

In recent years the trend has been all about using wallpaper on a feature wall with bright bold colours and large prints.

But by using vinyl wallcoverings you can also take a much more subtle approach.

A vinyl wallcovering can help bring depth to a space, much more than your standard matt emulsion can, without clashing with existing furniture or any soft furnishings you may already have.

This makes it a great product to use, especially if you are a little wary of colour and pattern and also if you’re on a smaller budget.

Some other key trends to keep an eye out for in 2020 are:

Easy to hang In the past, vinyls have often been perceived as being harder to hang, but these heavyweight vinyl wallcoverings are largely manufactured nowadays in wider widths, with some being 70cm to 1m wide, making them easier and quicker to hang as well as showing the seams less.

You can also hide a multitude of sins behind them!

Our brand new collection No. 7 from our exclusive Roberto Cavalli range is a great example of this. All the wallpapers are 1.06m wide and all ‘paste the wall’ application.

With this designer’s iconic use of animal print and textures it’s a great designer collection, at an affordable price!

Colemans Home Interiors Station Approach, Windmill Lane, Cheshunt EN8 9AX 01992 785225 & Unit 6 Twyford Industrial Estate, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ 01279 654894 colemanshomeinteriors.co.uk

Greenery We’re seeing a lot of foliage in the new collections coming through this season, especially tropical palm prints.

Darker hues Pantone colour of the year is Classic Blue – don’t be afraid to use colour, sometimes darker colours can actually make a room look larger.

Geometric prints These have been popular for a while now, but we see no sight of them disappearing soon.

Geometric patterns show no sign of going out of fashion. This is from Colemans’ Wallstitch Collection (DE 120064) at £35.99 inc Vat per roll

For more advice and inspiration on vinyl wallcoverings and all forms of interior decoration, pop into Colemans’ showrooms in Cheshunt or Bishop’s Stortford.

Find out more about what they can offer on page 27.

Pantone colour of the year – Classic Blue

A great designer choice: Colemans’ Roberto Cavalli No. 7 (RC 18018) £111.99 inc Vat per roll. On the right is a close-up of a Cavalli design

Greenery is definitely in! These are from Colemans’ La Vie En Rose Collection (LAV 106 green ferns and LAV08 floral blue) each £47.99 inc Vat per roll axis magazine 19

HOME

Get 2-4-1 tickets for the Country Living Spring Fair at Ally Pally in April

Axis has teamed up with The Country Living Spring Fair to offer readers 2-4-1 on tickets to the show which takes place at Alexandra Palace next month.

For anyone who lives in the country, or simply aspires to it, the Country Living Fair is a fun and memorable day out that offers the chance to discover handmade British products, seek new ideas and inspiration for your home and garden, and learn new skills.

The show this year coincides with the 35th anniversary of Country Living Magazine and the publication’s core values will be celebrated across the fair through four new themes for this year – Grow, Taste, Design and Make.

What’s on this year On the Country Living Stage expert speakers will be giving

talks on a wide range of topics including decorating and style ideas from 35 years of Country Living, as well as summer trend ideas for the home.

At the Good Life Theatre expert speakers offer advice on everything from bee and hen keeping to keeping your garden looking beautiful this Spring.

Confirmed speakers include chef, best-selling cookbook author and Fairtrade and sustainability champion Melissa Hemsley as well as the actress and cook Lisa Faulkner.

In the Country Living Kitchen sponsored by Stoves, cooking professionals offer tips, tricks and seasonal recipes.

And at the Country Living Smallholding you can meet adorable newborn lambs, pet and bottle-feed them while learning about how to look after them. Sarah Ward from Hen

Corner will be bringing chickens from their urban farm to meet show visitors too.

There are also a range of inspiring craft workshops.

More than 350 exhibitors will be offering products and ideas for you, your home and your garden while the CL Pop Up Market will offer tastings and shopping opportunities from food artisans.

New and old attractions New features to the fair for 2020 include the Garden Café and the House Beautiful Modern Living Area presenting a contemporary living zone curated and brought to life by the House Beautiful team.

Visitor favourites will also be returning this year with a vintage village for fashion lovers and the chance to recover with a cold glass of fizz in the Champagne Lounge sponsored by Viking.

Event details The event runs from Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th April at Alexandra Palace N22 7AY. There are 1,500 free parking spaces available on a first come first served basis. Free shuttles will be running from Wood Green tube and Alexandra Palace railway station every 10 minutes for those arriving by train.

How to book your 2-4-1 tickets Our 2-4-1 ticket offer applies to standard adult tickets which are £20 each and to tickets for children aged 5-16 which are £8.50.

Carers and children under 5 are admitted free.

To take up the offer visit countrylivingfair.com select your tickets and enter the code CLSF241PRS3 at checkout.

Why the electric fireplace is proving hot stuff as consumer tastes change Electric fireplaces have been rising in popularity as a result of their combination of convenience and modern features, meaning you can now enjoy the ambience of a traditional log fire without the hassle of lugging in logs.

At the Hertfordshire Fireplace Gallery in Potters Bar, the Flamerite electric fire range is now outselling gas fires, and its Gotham 900 hole in the wall fire is one of the most advanced 20 axis magazine

electric log fires available. Its flame effect is unbelievably realistic and this, coupled with the authentic looking ceramic logs, is proving the key to its popularity. It can also be added into a complete fire surround.

You can see it for yourself at Hertfordshire Fireplace Gallery’s showroom at 9 Barnet Road, Potters Bar EN6 2QX. Call 01707 657070 or visit hertsfireplacegallery.co.uk.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

QUALITY KITCHENS ARE AT THE HEART OF DOBSONS’ EXPERTISE If you are considering a new kitchen in 2020 then Dobsons, the award-winning family business, should be your first choice.

Dobsons, who are celebrating 85 years of trading this year, have a large showroom in Cheshunt which features exclusively Stoneham hand-built kitchen furniture taking it to the next level in kitchen design.

Their larger kitchen room sets give each one the feeling of a real kitchen and allow Dobsons to showcase a variety of colours and textures in both contemporary and traditional styles.

The showroom also houses premium appliances brands such as Bora, Neff, Siemens, Miele, Quooker boiling water taps and the Kaelo integrated wine cooler as well as stunning worktops in Corian, Silestone, granite and wood.

Dobsons believe in putting

their customers at the heart of everything they do and that’s why as part of the premium service they offer they take control of your entire project and co-ordinate every aspect, taking the stress and hassle away from you.

Dobsons are more than just a kitchen company. From their wide product offering they are able to provide services above and beyond other kitchen studios such as kitchen extensions, structural alterations and glazing such as bi-folding doors, all under one roof.

If you are considering a new kitchen then it’s a great time to visit for inspiration and to talk to Dobsons’ experienced team of designers about your project.

Dobsons 128 Turners Hill, Cheshunt EN8 9BN 01992 623066 dobsonshome.com

Kitchens Bathrooms Windows & Doors Glazed Extensions

• Browse our new brochure www.dobsonshome.com

• Visit our inspirational showroom

128 Turners Hill, Cheshunt, EN8 9BN

• Talk to our designers 01992 623066

axis magazine 21

All your flooring needs under one roof

Byrver Flooring

• Serving the local community for 40 years • Carpets, wood, laminate and vinyl flooring

8a Baldock Street, Ware SG12 9DZ • 01920 461913 • byrverflooring.co.uk

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

BYRVER FLOORING ARE THE EXPERTS IN NEW FLOORS AND CARPETS

If it’s flooring you’re after, the team at Byrver Flooring have got it covered. For 40 years this Ware-based business has been supplying both homes and commercial premises across Hertfordshire and surrounding counties with high quality, competitively priced flooring.

Even before that – as far back as the 1900s – the shop, which is based in a listed Victorian building in Baldock Street, has been helping the people of Ware make their houses into homes, first as Huggins House Furniture and Upholstery, and later as a carpet shop owned by a Mr Byrnes and a Mr Oliver who combined their names to create the business we know today!

Its current owners, Freddie Doe and Billy Crow, bought Byrver Flooring three and a half years ago from Carmelo Galati who had owned and run it for the past 30 years until his retirement, and since then the

pair have been building on the firm foundations already laid down.

Smart, new-look showroom The showroom has a smart new look in which you can view an extended range of different types of flooring.

Carpets are still a mainstay of the business, with everything from hard-wearing commercial options to domestic carpets in every pattern, style and price range.

All the well-known brands are here such as Alternative Flooring, Crucial Trading, Associated Weavers, Cormar and Brinton.

The choice of wood floors is equally impressive with solid, engineered and parquet wood flooring all available along with a range of laminate flooring from brands including Berry Floor, Quick Step and Balterio.

Today’s vinyl floorings and luxury vinyl tiles which offer

popular, cost effective and easy to maintain alternatives to wood, stone and tiled flooring are available too. These, from names such as Karndean and Moduleo, provide a great looking floor with a finish that’s waterproof and durable and particularly suited for kitchens and bathrooms.

Whichever flooring you’re looking for there are plenty of samples, and an abundance of advice on offer at the showroom which has ample customer parking to the rear.

The team, which also includes Alan Wright who has worked for Byrver for some 30 years, can advise on the best options to suit your home and budget, measure up and fit your flooring for you, moving furniture and taking up and disposing of old flooring should you need it too.

If you have existing wood flooring, Byrver also offers a sand and sealing service to keep

it looking its best.

For more on all of the services and flooring available and to see testimonials from previous customers visit the website.

Byrver Flooring 8a Baldock Street, Ware SG12 9DZ 01920 461913 byrverflooring.co.uk

Reggie the Labrador is another (very important) member of the Byrver team. Pop in to the showroom to meet him! axis magazine 23

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

IN-EX DESIGN ADD BATHROOMS TO THEIR BROXBOURNE SHOWROOM The family-run In-Ex Design team have over 26 years of experience in the kitchen industry and are passionate about creating brilliant kitchen and bedroom designs, as well as offering high levels of customer service.

Several years ago they moved into the prominent former Barclays Bank building on the corner of Broxbourne High Road and Nazeing New Road, where they now have a light and airy showroom that showcases the quality products they offer.

Recently they have expanded the showroom area by renovating the bank’s former vault downstairs.

Behind the heavy iron safe door (which is still in situ) you can now discover a new luxury bathroom range offering inspiration and a wide selection of high quality products including sanitary ware, furniture and accessories.

Upstairs, you can find the quality kitchen and bedroom furniture and designs that In-Ex are already well known for.

They offer a wide range of work surface choices from quartz to solid wood, acrylic and laminate in a vast range of finishes.

They work closely with builders and architects to help ensure your new room is absolutely as you want it.

In-Ex only use their own fitters as well, to ensure a high quality installation.

Pop into their Broxbourne showroom to see some of their designs for yourself and find out more.

It’s open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

In-Ex Design 15 The Precinct, High Road, Broxbourne EN10 7HZ 01992 809000 in-exdesign.co.uk

New luxury bathroom showroom open downstairs in The Vault

01992 809000 or 0800 9800538 15 The Precinct, High Road Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7HZ (The old Barclays Bank building) 24 axis magazine

Phone: 01992 809000 Email: sales@in-design.co.uk www.in-exdesign.co.uk

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HARWOOD HOMES OFFER INDEPENDENT ROOM DESIGN CONSULTANCY Design Director Mark Harwood offers an independent, professional and personalised room design service, which is for clients who are project managing their own refurbishment and installation.

Mark’s expertise has been recognised by clients who have recently purchased an historic Grade II Listed Victorian mansion house in Saffron Walden. Constructed of red brick under a series of pitched tiled roofs, the house boasts a striking facade with Venetian Gothic-style windows and Tudor style brick chimney stacks.

The accommodation spans three floors, providing ample space for guest wings and magnificent master suites, with great space and privacy. The high ceilings are a feature throughout the property and every room is of an enviable scale as well as having superb views over the surrounding parkland.

The clients have chosen to

completely renovate the accommodation, adding additional space and reinstating an orangery.

Over the past year Mark has been re-designing the drawing room, kitchen, master bedroom, master dressing room, dining room, study, boot room, hallway and gallery landing.

By removing two garages, Mark has created a new, grand entrance to the property, incorporating a boot room with bespoke fitted furniture, configured precisely for sports equipment and horse tack with built-in benches with lift-up storage, a mix of open and closed shelving and cupboards.

Mark also suggested adding a cloakroom.

He proposed knocking three rooms into one, to create a traditional, opulent kitchen with a 5.5 metre long island, large circular table with a William Beck (architect) designed stone fireplace as the feature.

Mark also overhauled the master bedroom, turning it into a suite, with an additional dressing room and lounge area with tea and breakfast making facilities.

Building works are now well underway with Harwood Homes continuing to provide vital design direction until the project is completed.

If you’re thinking of starting home improvements and would

like information on the services Mark can offer, visit harwoodhomesinteriors.com or email the team at office@ harwoodhomesinteriors.com.

Harwood Homes Interiors Design Studio, Lyric House, 6b St Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA 01992 535693 harwoodhomesinteriors.com

Kitchen Planning and Design Advice

Our highly experienced and knowledgeable team offers independent and impartial advice on bespoke furniture for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, media rooms and studies.

We offer every client a truly individual design service with bespoke furniture that’s timeless, built to last, direct from our UK factory and at a price point that suits your budget.

Whether you’re at the early stages of planning or ready to proceed, our team will discuss your project, offer an estimate or visit your home. Contact us today.

01992 535693 | office@harwoodhomesinteriors.com | harwoodhomesinteriors.com Design Studio, Lyric House, 6b St Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA

axis magazine 25

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BESPOKE, HIGH QUALITY KITCHENS FROM JOHN LADBURY AND COMPANY John Ladbury and Company is an established family-run business of over 40 years specialising in bespoke kitchens and furniture.

This small but thriving company, based in Welham Green, offers a wealth of expertise and experience in designing, manufacturing and installing kitchens.

John Ladbury and Company work towards one goal: to make their craftsmanship and service the very best they can to ensure customer satisfaction.

Quality, style and attention to detail are the top priorities in this motivated, forward-thinking business where experience and excellence go hand in hand.

If you are interested in having a John Ladbury and Company kitchen, you will initially be invited to their large showroom which displays the best in inspirational and traditional designs and showcases the leading appliance brands including Wolf, Miele and Quooker.

One of their designers will talk you through every aspect of your kitchen

and advise, where appropriate, on the design, build, type of worktops and paint colour.

From conception to completion the team will take care of your design requirements and project manage the kitchen you have always wanted to suit your lifestyle and budget.

Call to arrange a time to visit the showroom and find out more.

John Ladbury and Company Unit 11 Alpha Business Park, Travellers Close, Welham Green AL9 7NT 01707 262966 johnladbury.co.uk

John Ladbury and Company’s shaker kitchen and cocktail cabinet recall the glamour of the past

John Ladbury and Company Unit 11 Alpha Business Park, Travellers Close Welham Green, Hertfordshire AL9 7NT

esTABLisHed 1978

26 axis magazine

Telephone: 01707 262966 www.johnladbury.co.uk

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COLEMANS HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO REDECORATE YOUR HOME If you are redecorating anything from a single room to your whole house then Colemans Home Interiors is THE place locally you simply must visit!

At Colemans’ showrooms in Cheshunt and Bishop’s Stortford you will discover an extensive range of wallcoverings, fabric and paint to provide a perfect solution for any room.

Established for over 60 years, Colemans supply everything you need to transform your creative ideas into reality.

They hold pattern books from top designers and manufacturers and have bold and colourful displays so you can see the designs and corresponding soft furnishings, making it easy to imagine how they will look in your own home.

The showrooms feature the highest quality and designer wallcoverings from brands such as Harlequin, Today Interiors, Farrow & Ball, Osborne & Little, Cole & Son, Anna French,

BISHOP’S STORTFORD Unit 6, Twyford Industrial Estate Twyford Road Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ 01279 654894 Mon-Fri 7.30am - 5.00pm Sat 8.00am - 12.00pm

Colefax & Fowler, Jane Churchill and Sanderson.

Colemans also stock leading brands in high quality paints and decorating sundries, including such names as Dulux, Crown, Farrow & Ball, The Little Greene Paint Company, Paint & Paper Library and Johnstone’s.

Their Farrow & Ball range is one of the largest in the area and their colour mixing and matching machines mean they can create the exact colour you need.

Pop down to visit them today to open up a whole new world of colour for your home.

Colemans Home Interiors Station Approach, Windmill Lane, Cheshunt EN8 9AX 01992 785225 & Unit 6 Twyford Industrial Estate, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ 01279 654894 colemanshomeinteriors.co.uk

COLEMANS HOME INTERIORS www.colemanshomeinteriors.co.uk showroom@colemanbros.co.uk

CHESHUNT Station Approach Windmill Lane, Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN8 9AX 01992 785225 Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.30pm Sat 9.00am - 5.00pm

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Paint from: Dulux • Crown • Johnstone’s • Little Greene Paint Co. Earthborn • Sanderson • Farrow & Ball • Paint & Paper Library

and many more including our own Italian vinyls

axis magazine 27

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DISCOVER THE INSPIRATION TO CREATE YOUR IDEAL BATHROOM For inspiration and everything you need to create your dream bathroom head to Hoddesdon Tile and Bathroom Centre this Spring.

Based on a business estate and so with ample free parking outside, this family-run company has been helping both retail and trade customers with their home improvement projects for more than 25 years.

A tile showroom on the ground floor offers ceramic, porcelain and mosaic tiles along with all the fixing goods, sealants and cleaners you might need.

Upstairs, in the refurbished bathroom showroom, a series of room sets showcase a wide range of baths, showers, basins, toilets, taps, towel rails and more – everything you will need to create your perfect bathroom.

You can either buy whatever you need if you plan to install it yourself or speak to the friendly team about the expert planning

and fitting service they offer.

They can visit your home, measure up, plan your room and carry out all the fitting for you if required.

A prompt delivery service is also available for larger items.

Not being based on the high street with its resulting large overheads helps to make the prices at Hoddesdon Tile and Bathroom Centre really competitive.

It also means the free parking right outside leaves you more time to browse without feeling time-pressured.

The showroom is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm.

Hoddesdon Tile and Bathroom Centre Unit 3C Geddings Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0NT 01992 470146 hoddesdontile-bathroomcentre. com

HODDESDON TILE & BATHROOM CENTRE

&

TILES IN CERAMICS, PORCELAIN & MOSAIC Full design & installation service available

Family-owned & run with over 25 years experience

TILES BATHROOMS TO DESIRE INSPIRE

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Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Sat 9am-4pm

Unit 3C Geddings Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0NT | 01992 470146 | sales@hoddesdontile.com 28 axis magazine

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GIVE YOUR KITCHEN THE ULTIMATE SPRING CLEAN Keeping your kitchen in good order is a worthwhile investment for your home and, with studies showing we spend on average over 70 per cent of time here when at home, any kitchen makeover you plan should be well thought through.

Ultimately, your kitchen should be functional and practical.

Here are Dream Doors’ five key steps to keeping your kitchen clean and tidy: Effective storage Pull-out storage systems which fit into existing units, or new units which Dream Doors can provide, are a great way to store plates, food etc. Having large cutlery drawers with separators allows you to neatly store your essentials so you can easily find them when cooking.

Cutlery drawers are best placed near to your hob, though not underneath as family members may often need access while you are cooking.

Have enough counter space Having a combi-oven/microwave saves counter space as there is no longer a need to have a standalone microwave. Not having enough worktop space will mean your kitchen looks cluttered. Make sure you have enough room to chop and prepare food as well as entertain and eat.

Maximise kitchen units You need more units than you realise and many people waste wall space which could provide you with more storage. Dream Doors can provide made-tomeasure units to fit any given space. Why not fit your bin in a cupboard too? Integrated bins for general waste, and recycling bins with dividers, are very handy and mean your main bin doesn’t get full as quickly whilst also helping you recycle efficiently. Finally, integrate your appliances – for example an integrated dishwasher will look

far neater than a standalone. And make sure you get a big enough dishwasher so those dirty dishes don’t start piling up in the sink!

Spring clean Go through your cupboards at least twice a year to space-save – in the Spring and just before winter to make sure you do not have spices and items from the 1990s lurking around! It is surprising how many items you accumulate without realising.

Regularly wipe down surfaces Make sure you regularly wipe down kitchen surfaces after use. If you like cleaning to be straightforward then perhaps an induction hob is best for you as these are flat and sleek with no grooves or gas rings to clean around.

Dream Doors 5 Star Street, Ware SG12 7AA 01920 463302 dreamdoors.co.uk/eastherts

axis magazine 29

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FURNISH YOUR HOME WITH EMMAUS

Emmaus sells donated furniture, electrical goods and other homewares from a large unit on the Foxholes Farm site in Hertford to help the fight against homelessness. It’s one of a number of stores run by the charity whose communities across the UK provide people who have been homeless with a safe home environment and the opportunity to work.

In the Hertford store you’ll find everything from sofas and sideboards to dining tables, chairs and crockery (as well as some clothes) plus furniture

items that have been beautifully “upcycled” by joint store manager Jan Jones.

The shop is always grateful for donations – if it’s an item of furniture call first and they can arrange to collect it from you if necessary. The shop is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

ADD THE PERSONAL TOUCH TO YOUR HOME WITH LANDSEER PICTURE FRAMING Framing your pictures and most treasured mementos is a great way to personalise your home.

Ware-based Landseer Picture Framing will frame everything from prints, paintings, medals, photos, sports shirts and programmes to ribbons and uniform badges. They can stretch your canvas onto frames and they can cut mounts to any specifications whether it is a one

hole mount or multi-hole mount.

They hold many mouldings styles and colours and mount board in stock. They also stock a good selection of Sam Toff limited edition prints.

Landseer Picture Framing 27b Baldock Street, Ware SG12 9DH 01920 486522 landseerpictureframes.com

Emmaus Foxholes Farm, London Road, Hertford Heath SG13 7NT 01992 504485 emmaus.org.uk

TALK TO H&R BOILERCARE – YOUR LOCAL BOILER AND CENTRAL HEATING SPECIALISTS The latest boilers are so much more efficient than older ones, meaning they can save you a lot of money on your heating bills.

H&R Boilercare are a family-run business based in Turnford that have been established for over 25 years. They offer their customers a full range of boiler, heating and plumbing services for the home, from regular boiler servicing and emergency

repairs to full central heating or new boiler installations. They can also repairs and install gas cookers.

In addition, they specialise in landlord certificate and safety inspections and HE assessments and exemptions.

H&R Boilercare 01992 463919 handrboilercare.co.uk

H&R Boilercare Ltd

for all your heating & plumbing needs Service & repair of gas boiler & heating systems Installation of boiler & heating systems Plumbing Un-vented/pressurised hot water systems Landlord certificate & heating inspections Quotations & assessments/exemptions CALL US NOW FOR A FREE QUOTATION: 01992 463919 30 axis magazine

Visit www.handrboilercare.co.uk for more information about us

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YOUR LEADING FIREPLACE SPECIALIST

Every lounge needs a focal point.

The Hertfordshire Fireplace Gallery have the most up-to-date modern designs incorporating the latest technology in fire realism.

From their extensive range of in-house displays at their Potters Bar showroom, and an even larger range at their disposal from leading UK manufacturers, they can help you find your perfect fireplace. So whether you prefer the cosiness of a real gas fire, a solid fuel stove or the versatility of an electric or LED fireplace, they really do have a fireplace to

suit every taste and budget.

With free home surveys, free local delivery, plus a full installation service by Gas Safe and HETAS engineers for peace of mind, why not visit their spacious showroom today and discuss your requirements further with one of their knowledgeable and friendly team?

Hertfordshire Fireplace Gallery 9 Barnet Road, Potters Bar EN6 2QX 01707 657070 hertsfireplacegallery.co.uk

HERTFORD GLASS CAN CATER FOR ALL YOUR GLAZING REQUIREMENTS Hertford Glass is a family-run business which was founded in 1971 to provide glazing services to the local area.

Today, Hertford Glass is an established installer of double glazing products and is able to fulfil anyone’s glazing and security requirements.

Quality and excellent workmanship are the hallmarks of its approach and all its products are manufactured to British Kite Mark standard.

Hertford Glass is also proud to be a member of both the Glass and Glazing Federation and of Fensa, which regulates the glazing industry.

This ensures that all its installations comply with the

government regulations that apply to the building industry.

The full range of products and services includes double glazing, windows, doors and conservatories.

Competitive prices are offered and all its installers have been with the business for many years.

Hertford Glass 26 Ware Road, Hertford SG13 7HH 01992 582351 hertfordglass.co.uk

HerTforDSHIre’S NUmBer oNe Home ImProVemeNTS CeNTre

Our services include: • Toughened/safety glass • Double glazed units • Glass cut to size • Table tops • Splashbacks for kitchens & bathrooms • UV bonded glass • Polished mirrors • Bevelled mirrors • Sandblasted glass • Shower screens & doors • Glass partitioning • Window doctor service • Conservatory cleaning • Soffits & fascias • Trade windows & doors • Traditional glazing • Bespoke glazing • Internal & external glass • Balconies • Staircase glass

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WWW.HERTFORDGLASS.Co.UK axis magazine 31

Follow us down the Yellow Brick Road this EASTER! KD Theatre Productions Ltd in association with Harlow Playhouse present

A spectacular family show

based on the magical story by Frank L Baum

FRIDAY 3RD - TUESDAY 7TH APRIL www.harlowplayhouse.co.uk | 01279 431 945

WHAT’S ON

EVENTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

2020 vision: Town council unveils a year’s worth of events for Hertford

Rock at the Castle, Heritage Day and Hertford Christmas Gala are all expected to attract and entertain thousands of local people during the year ahead

Hertford Town Council has released its programme of events for the year, designed to support the local community and businesses.

2020 sees some changes to the calendar, with the annual food and drink festival moving from October to the summer, and new events such as a VE Day 75th anniversary event in May, open air theatre performances in June, an Autumn Festival in October and Hertford Castle’s first ever Christmas Market at the end of November.

The majority of the events are free to attend but booking is now open for the ticketed events that include open air theatre and cinema. You can book now through the Town and Tourist Information Centre in The Wash (call 01992 584322).

You’ll find comprehensive details of all the events online at hertford.gov.uk/events but here are the dates that you might want to get in the diary…

photos and storyboards detailing the lives of local WW2 soldiers along with other artefacts from the war. Old fashioned games, live music, vintage cars and a toast at 3pm, along with the nation, to the WW2 heroes.

Saturday 11th April to Saturday 9th May: Hertford Arts Festival Month-long programme of events including Hertford Arts Trail, Courtyard Arts Open exhibition, Hertford Theatre Week and Hertford Art Society Open exhibition.

Sunday 19th July: Teddy Bears’ Picnic Bring a blanket, a picnic, and importantly, Teddy, to enjoy a bear hunt in the Castle, magic shows, bouncy castles and arena activities to the background of a live brass band. Hertford Canoe Club runs free water-based activities for children and adults.

Friday 8th May: 75th Anniversary of VE Day at Hertford Castle Free event with exhibitions,

Sunday 24th May: Cars at the Castle Hertford’s largest free car show held in the Castle grounds plus food and refreshment stalls, live music and the chance to explore the Castle too.

Sunday 7th June: Hertford Castle Fun Day (with Hertford Rotary) Family fun in the Castle grounds with live entertainment.

Sunday 21st June: Open Air Theatre Performances of Treasure Island (afternoon) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (evening) on the main lawn of Hertford Castle.

Ticketed event.

Sunday 2nd August: Rock at the Castle A free entry music festival with

local musicians performing across three stages including acoustic, folk, indie, rock and pop.

Wednesday 5th August: Hertford Play Day Hertford town centre is filled with child-friendly activities, games, promotions and events, most of which are free of charge.

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August: Hertford Food and Drink Festival and Hertford Castle Beer and World Food Festival Street food markets, café, bar and restaurant activities, events, promotions and cookery demonstrations in the town centre. The beer festival on the Sunday is held within the grounds of the Castle.

Friday 28th August: Open Air Cinema Performances of Moana (morning), The Lion King (afternoon) and Moulin Rouge (evening) within the grounds of Hertford Castle. Bring your own food and drink (alcohol is permitted at this event too) or buy from stalls on site.

Ticketed event.

Sunday 20th September: Heritage Day Run in conjunction with the national Heritage Open Days initiative this features a host of historical-themed activities. Try your hand at archery, watch

Viking battle re-enactments and falconry displays.

Sunday 11th October: Autumn Festival The end of summer doesn’t mean the fun’s over! Head to Hertford Castle to find craft stalls, a children’s Autumn trail, wreath making, pumpkin carving, flower arranging and more.

Wednesday 28th October: Hertford Play Day A second play day in the town centre with child-friendly activities, games and promotions from local businesses.

Friday 27th November: Hertford Christmas Gala Christmas stalls, entertainment on stage, activities, discounts and promotions at local retailers and the switching-on of the town’s Christmas tree lights.

A new Christmas Market will be open from 3.30pm to 8pm in the grounds of the Castle.

Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November: Hertford Castle Christmas Market Launching on the Friday afternoon to coincide with the gala, and then open from 11am to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday this new event is bound to be hugely popular. Christmas stalls will offer homewares, crafts, jewellery and much more including food and drink stands within the Castle grounds. axis magazine 33

WHAT’S ON: AT THE CINEMA

Pick of the movies: The best new films to go and see in the next month

Clockwise from top left: Peter Rabbit 2, Onward, No Time To Die, Mulan and A Quiet Place 2 should keep any film-lover happy in the coming weeks!

The Invisible Man (15) Now showing A terrifying modern tale of obsession that is only loosely based on Universal’s classic monster character which was itself loosely based on H G Wells’s original book which was in fact something of a love story.

I digress. In this one, Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Cecilia Kass, who is trapped in a violent and controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist before escaping one night and disappearing into hiding. When her ex commits suicide, leaving her a vast chunk of his wealth, she suspects a hoax, especially when a series of bizarre events start to threaten those closest to her. Then her sanity begins to unravel as she tries to prove she is being hunted by someone nobody can see...

Onward (U) Out on Friday 6th March This new and original animation from Disney and Pixar is set in a suburban fantasy world.

It features the voices of Chris Pratt and Tom Holland as two teenage elf brothers who set out to see if there is still some magic out there in life. This one may genuinely be original but if it 34 axis magazine

proves a success expect Onward 2 before long!

Military Wives (12A) Out on Friday 6th March A feelgood crowd pleaser to mark the start of Spring with Kristin Scott-Thomas, AmyJames Kelly and Sharon Horgan starring in a tale of friendship, love and support on the Home Front. With their partners serving in Afghanistan, a group of women come together to form the very first military wives choir, becoming a media sensation in the process. An uplifting evening out directed by The Full Monty’s Peter Cattaneo.

Misbehaviour (12A) Out on Friday 13th March It’s hard to believe now that back in 1970 the annual Miss World competition was the most-watched TV show on the planet with 100million viewers.

That year the event took place in London, hosted by the legendary Bob Hope. Claiming that beauty pageants demeaned women, the newly-formed Women’s Liberation Movement ensured global headlines by storming the stage during the live broadcast.

Then – shock horror! – Miss Grenada beat the Swedish favourite to the title, becoming the first black woman to win the

crown. It was truly a night that turned the established world order on its head. A top cast includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keira Knightly, Keeley Hawes and Rhys Ifans.

A Quiet Place Part II (15) Out on Friday 20th March In the first film, the Abbott family had to learn to live in silence to avoid mysterious creatures that hunted by sound.

In this sequel they venture into the outside world, still aware that the slightest whisper or footstep could mean death but now facing other unknown terrors too. Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Millicent Simmonds star in this taut thriller.

Radioactive (12A) Out on Friday 20th March From the 1870s to the modern era, Radioactive is a journey through Marie Curie’s enduring legacies, from her passionate relationships to her scientific breakthroughs, and their consequences for both her and the outside world. Marie (played here by Rosamund Pike) meets and marries fellow scientist Pierre Curie (Sam Riley) and the pair go on to change the world with their discovery of radioactivity.

Mulan (TBC) Out on Friday 27th March When the Emperor of China decrees that one man per family must serve in the imperial army, Mulan poses as a man to stand in for her ailing father. The fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known.

Peter Rabbit 2 (TBC) Out on Friday 27th March Ah, it had to come. The lovable rogue is back but Peter just can’t seem to shake his mischievous reputation. Adventuring into the garden, Peter finds a world where his mischief is appreciated but when his family risk danger to come looking for him, Peter has to decide just what type of bunny he really wants to be.

No Time To Die Out on Friday 3rd April Book your seats now for Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007. Bond has left active service and is enjoying a quiet life in Jamaica until his old friend CIA agent Felix Leiter turns up asking for his help to rescue a kidnapped scientist. The usual all-star cast, action, thrills, gadgets and that Billie Eilish theme tune.

WHAT’S ON: FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Herts Big Weekend: Register now for free ticket ballot You can register now for the chance to win free tickets for a whole host of attractions across Hertfordshire as part of the 5th annual Herts Big Weekend event.

Over Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th April, a variety of local venues will be opening their doors or offering special gifts to lucky ticket holders during the event, which is an annual celebration of the county’s tourism industry and is run by the Visit Herts organisation.

Some of the attractions taking part this year include Warner Bros Studio Tour at Watford,

Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green, Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne, Hatfield House, Knebworth Park, St Albans Cathedral and The Grove at Watford.

Others involved are Rye House Kart Raceway in Hoddesdon, Natural History Museum Tring and Ware and Hertford Waterbus.

Residents can apply for as many tickets as they like on the event’s website until Monday 16th March. Tickets will then be allocated at random by ballot. hertsbigweekend.co.uk

Hatfield House will be taking part

Book your place for Dogs and Daffs Day this month Dogs and Daffs Day returns to Hatfield House on Sunday 22nd March, promising to be bigger and better than ever. This will be the sixth outing for the annual event which raises money for Digswell Place Group Riding for the Disabled Association.

Dog walkers can enjoy Hatfield Park exclusively for a small donation to the charity and owners can enter their pets for a fun dog show too. As this year’s event falls on Mother’s Day, there will be some special events for mums and their dogs.

Activities will include agility, flyball and trick training displays as well as scurry racing for visitors to take part in, again for a small donation to the charity.

This year you can buy tickets in

advance online. The event runs from 9.30am to 4pm and early bird advance tickets were costing £5 as Axis went to press.

Digswell Place Group RDA currently helps more than 100 local people aged from two to 65 with a variety of disabilities.

Money raised from previous events has helped pay for specialist saddles, additional therapeutic rides, a new field shelter and riding hats. dogsanddaffs.weebly.com

Join off-road run

Get along to Hertford Museum...

Two local hospices have joined forces to organise a fundraising fun run at the Woodhall Estate near Watton at Stone. Isabel Hospice and Garden House Hospice Care will both benefit from money raised during the Woodhall Off-Road Run on Sunday 29th March, which will have 5k and 10k routes through natural woodland which can be walked, jogged or run according to your wishes! Registration fees range from £7 to £18 and participants are encouraged to try to raise £52 in sponsorship.

Sign up at: hertsoffroadrun.co.uk

Hertford Museum is now open on Sundays twice a month – on the first and third Sundays – from 12.30-4pm.

This month, the museum in Bull Plain will be hosting a new exhibition, from Saturday 7th March through to 13th June, called High Streets and Hedgerows, which will tell the story of the villages of Bayford and Little Berkhamsted. Other events this month include Toddler Tuesday on Tuesday 24th March (10.15-11.30am) during which toddlers can enjoy crafts, singing, stories and fun including a drink and snack for

the children. Tickets are £3.50 from the museum.

Then on Thursday 26th March, the museum hosts Be Kind Rewind, a 70s and 80s quiz, from 7.30-9.30pm.

Tickets include a glass of Babycham on arrival and other retro refreshments.

Period dress encouraged. Good taste discouraged.

Form a team of four to take part or make up one on the night and feel free to bring a bottle.

Tickets £10, booking essential at the museum. hertfordmuseum.org 01992 582686

SPORTING LEGENDS

MEET JIMMY WHITE One of the most talented and popular snooker players ever to grace the green baize, Jimmy “The Whirlwind” White will be visiting The Spotlight in Hoddesdon on Saturday 21st March for “An Evening With…” event hosted by the brilliant John Virgo. During the evening, Jimmy will take the audience through his career, while John will perform many of his famous trick shots. The audience will then be able to take part in a Q&A session with both men.

Tickets are £29.50 with a limited number of VIP tickets available at £65 which include a meet and greet, photo signing opportunity and special round the table masterclass with both players.

The event begins at 7.30pm. broxbourne.gov.uk 01992 441946 MEET BOB WILSON Enjoy an Evening with Bob Wilson, Arsenal goalkeeping legend and BBC sport presenter, in aid of Isabel Hospice this month. Tewin Bury Farm Hotel at Tewin will be the venue for the event which will include a drinks reception and two-course dinner before Bob discusses his career with Olympian and BBC sport commentator Stuart Storey.

Bob is also well known locally for launching, together with his wife Megs, the Willow Foundation, a charity which organises special days for seriously ill young adults aged between 16 and 40.

There will be the opportunity to ask Bob questions before an auction of footballing memorabilia to raise funds for Isabel Hospice.

Tickets are £60. isabelhospice.org.uk axis magazine 35

WHAT’S ON: THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Live music: Acts sought for open mic nights plus our pick of the local gigs MEET THE FIZZ Three of the original members of Bucks Fizz are touring a “warts and all” show looking at their years together. Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston are now known as The Fizz and during this show they play all their hits and talk about their careers. They are at The Spotlight in Hoddesdon on Friday 13th March at 7.30pm. Tickets £27. broxbourne.gov.uk 01992 441946

GIGS THE LIVE LOUNGE AT HARLOW PLAYHOUSE The first of Harlow Playhouse’s Live Lounge open mic nights this year will take place on Friday 27th March.

The Live Lounge launched last year with two successful evenings in which local artists came to perform on stage.

The event was the brainchild of Sam Ashford, founder of local theatre company Livewire, and Kirstie Brough, commercial and development manager of Harlow Playhouse. The pair discussed ways of encouraging more local artists into the Playhouse and to keep live music alive in the town.

This led to the first Live Lounge event in April last year, which was a huge success with more than 120 people coming together to either perform or enjoy the entertainment in the Playhouse’s café-bar.

A second event in July saw over 200 attend.

Kirstie said: “The feedback was incredible and it was such a great opportunity for local talent to come to a safe space in Harlow and either play in a band, sing, recite a poem, share some spoken word, play an instrument or even try out some comedy stand-up.”

This year, three events have been scheduled, on Fridays 27th March, 15th May and 24th July.

If you would like to perform, just go along on the night to register from 7pm. The performances start at 8pm.

What’s more, it’s all free!

ROCK FOR HEROES Touring show Rock for Heroes visits Wyllyotts Theatre in Potters Bar on Friday 20th March. A collection is taken for the Help for Heroes charity after the band has taken you through hits from the likes of Queen, David Bowie, Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Guns N Roses. It starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £22. wyllyottstheatre.co.uk 01707 645005

Roy Hudd A Comedy Legend Chat Show

Sunday 8 March, 3pm All tickets £16, Spotlight Friends 10% off

ABBA FOREVER

FRIDAY 13th MARCH, 7.30pm

Friday 13 March, 7.30pm All tickets £27, Spotlight Friends 10% off

Tickets: £25.50

You Win Again Celebrating the music of The Bee Gees

24K BRUNO

Sunday 15 March, 7.30pm All tickets £25.50, Spotlight Friends 10% off

Saturday 14th March, 7.30pm Live music & all the hits. This is the ultimate tribute to the incredible Bruno Mars!

Handbags and Glad Drags

Tickets: £23

Friday 20 March, 8pm Admission £5 Admission with reserved table and fish and chip supper for £10

ROCK FOR HEROES

Friday 20th March, 7.30pm Full live rock band paying tribute to Queen, Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits & more

A night with the Whirlwind Jimmy White, hosted by John Virgo

Tickets: £22

BOX OFFICE – 01707 645005

WYLLYOTTS THEATRE, WYLLYOTTS PLACE, DARKES LANE, POTTERS BAR EN6 2HN www.wyllyottstheatre.co.uk

Saturday 21 March, 7.30pm Tickets £29.50, VIP Tickets £65

For more information, please call 01992 441946 or visit www.broxbourne.gov.uk/thespotlight the Spotlight, High Thespotlighthoddesdon Street, Hoddesdon, Herts, EN11 8BE @ thespotlightuk the_spotlight_hoddesdon @ thespotlightuk

36 axis magazine WYLLYOTTS THEATRE.indd 1

Up Close and Personal with The Fizz

Dynamic non-stop choreography, visuals and fabulous music!

25/02/2020 15:10

Thespotlighthoddesdon

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BOROUGH OF BROXBOURNE

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WHAT’S ON IN MARCH

Winter warmers at

WHAT’S ON: THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hertfordshire Festival of Music 2020 launches CLASSICAL MUSIC Advance tickets will be available from late this month for the fifth annual Hertfordshire Festival of Music, which has grown rapidly from a small weekend event to a major summer celebration of classical music, based in and around Hertford.

Led by conductor Tom Hammond and composer James Francis Brown, the festival features international artists and ensembles alongside innovative outreach and educational work.

This year’s festival runs from Friday 12th to Saturday 20th June and showcases a wide range of artists and music.

The principal artist for 2020 is violinist Chloe Hanslip and the featured living composer is Judith Weir CBE, Master of the Queen’s Music.

Tickets will be available towards the end of March, so keep an eye on the HFoM website for details.

Sponsors and supporters this year include Longmores Solicitors, Queenswood School, Handelsbanken, Harpenden Music Foundation, East Herts Council, Hertford Town Council and Herts County Council. hertsmusicfest.org.uk

Chloe Hanslip at HFoM

CLASSICAL CONCERTS HSO SPRING CONCERT Hertford Symphony Orchestra are at Hertford Theatre on Saturday 14th March at 7.45pm for their Spring Concert which will feature music by Strauss, Gliere and Brahms. Tickets are £18 for adults, £15 concessions, £1 children and students. hertfordtheatre.com 01992 531500 CLARINET QUINTET The Ensemble Mirage clarinet quintet has been formed to play at Hertford Music Club on Sunday 15th March at The Quaker Meeting House in Railway Street, Hertford at 3pm.

Tickets are £15, free for students or accompanied under-16s. hertfordmusicclub.co.uk

PIANO TRIO AT HICS Hertford International Concert Series continues on Saturday 21st March with a concert by the Mendelssohn D Minor Piano Trio featuring Rhys Watkins (violin), Rebecca Gulliver (cello) and Sophia Rahman (piano).

Rahman has over 20 acclaimed CDs to her name and joins the principal cellist of the LSO (Gulliver) and Hertford-based LSO violinist (Watkins) at Holy Trinity Church in New Road, Bengeo SG14 3JL at 7.30pm.

Tickets £14, under-14s free.

Tickets can be bought online, at Hertford Town and Tourist Information Centre, at Bengeo Post Office or on the door. eventbrite.com 01992 584322 ST MATTHEW PASSION Hertford Choral Society will be performing Bach’s St Matthew Passion at All Saints’ Church in Hertford (SG13 8AY) on Saturday 4th April at 7.30pm.

The Passion is regarded by many as Bach’s crowning achievement.

Tickets are £16 reserved, £12 unreserved, £4 students under 25. hertfordchoral.org.uk 07936 719498

VISUAL ART FACING FORWARD Facing Forward is the new exhibition at The Gallery at Parndon Mill in Harlow, and it displays portraits by artists who each take a very different approach. Artists featured include Lorna Brown, Martyn Burden, Corrina Dunlea, Jon Farningham, Caroline Lumb and John Sellings, whilst the paintings are complemented by sculptures by Christy Symington.

The exhibition runs until Sunday 5th April. Parndon Mill is in Parndon Mill Lane, off Elizabeth Way, Harlow CM20 2HP. parndonmill.co.uk 01279 426042 AT COURTYARD ARTS Courtyard Arts gallery in Hertford this month features an exhibition presented by Deana

Lorna Brown at Parndon Mill

Deana Kim Page at Courtyard Arts

Kim Page, called The Tutor With A Thousand Students. Deana returns to the gallery to celebrate the creativity of her students, inspired by her tutoring across London and the south-east in recent years. Expect landscapes, portraiture, abstracts, local scenes and animals in a range of media. The exhibition runs until Saturday 28th March and the gallery is in Port Vale, Hertford SG14 3AA. Courtyard also curates the gallery inside Hertford Theatre

where, this month, you will be able to go in and see The Art of Printmaking, showcasing the talents of printmakers across the region. This runs until Saturday 4th April.

Finally, Courtyard has issued a call for artists for its Open exhibition which will run from 7th to 25th April. Work should be submitted for judging between Sunday 29th March and Thursday 2nd April. See the venue’s website for full details. courtyardarts.org.uk

THEATRE

DEAD GOOD BY VAMOS The ground-breaking full mask theatre company Vamos returns to Hertford Theatre with its new production, Dead Good, on Wednesday 11th March at 7.45pm. This funny and poignant story tells the tale of Bob and Bernard who have only two things in common – they’re both dying and they’re not going down without a fight. So, with a bottle of Bollinger and the keys to Bernard’s Bentley, they hit the road in one final, death-defying adventure. £16, concessions £14. hertfordtheatre.com 01992 531500 A CHRISTIE CLASSIC Bishop’s Stortford-based Water Lane Theatre Company, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, will perform Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None at Rhodes Arts Complex in Bishop’s Stortford from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st March. Curtain up is at 7.30pm nightly with a 3pm matinée on Saturday as well. Tickets are £16, concessions £14, matinée price is £12. rhodesartscomplex.co.uk 01279 710200 THE WIZARD OF OZ The fabulously famous story of The Wizard of Oz is this year’s Easter panto at Harlow Playhouse. Starring Harlow’s very own Fanny Galore as Glinda the Good and brought to you by the brilliant KD Productions, co-producers of the Playhouse’s Christmas panto, this promises to be a spectacular family treat this Easter. It runs from Friday 3rd to Tuesday 7th April, with multiple shows on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Tickets from £12-£18. harlowplayhouse.co.uk 01279 431945 axis magazine 37

Now open in the heart of Old Harlow!

Experience real Turkish food and hospitality in our smart new restaurant Book now for Mother’s Day Open 7 days 2 Fore Street, Old Harlow CM17 0AA

01279 454000 ermanskitchen.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK Erman’s Kitchen brings quality Turkish cuisine to Old Harlow

February saw the opening of Turkish restaurant Erman’s Kitchen in Old Harlow.

Erman Artug’s new restaurant is based in the building that used to be the Marquis of Granby pub in Fore Street, which has undergone a programme of smart renovations.

This is Erman’s first restaurant but he is a figure already well known both in the local area and the wider Turkish restaurant industry.

Together with a business partner, he runs the nearby Garden Grill takeaway in Old Harlow High Street and, until recently, offered a Garden Grill pop-up dining experience at The Chequers pub opposite.

Having come to the UK as a teenager he has worked in restaurants and takeaways the length and breadth of the country from north London down to Cornwall and up to

Cumbria before settling on the Essex-Hertfordshire border for this, his own restaurant venture.

His many industry contacts mean he has been lucky enough to recruit a strong team of chefs and front of house staff with a noticeably slick professionalism that was already evident even in the first week of opening.

The menu has been deliberately kept relatively small for the first few months and Erman plans to add to it as the restaurant becomes more established. That said, it already offers more than ample choices – from selections of cold and hot starters to grills, Erman’s signature dishes, salads and sides.

You’ll find popular starters including falafel, grilled halloumi and sucuk (spicy Turkish sausage in a tomato, mushroom and basil sauce) all priced between £5 and £8, along with a mixed cold meze platter for £12.50.

Grills include chicken or lamb shish, lamb beyti (grilled spicy minced lamb with garlic and herbs) and a mixed grill; while signature dishes include a whole seabass, chicken sautee (chicken stir-fried in tomato sauce with garlic and mixed vegetables) and charcoal-grilled king prawns.

Main courses range from £13 to £19.

The restaurant offers an impressive amount of desserts – everything from traditional baklava and Turkish rice pudding to sticky toffee and Belgian hot chocolate puddings.

There is also a good selection of wines, a well-stocked bar offering premium spirits and a separate cocktail menu.

The opening of Erman’s represents a new start for the former pub which closed suddenly last Spring and Erman hopes the local population will appreciate both the building’s

refurbishment and new purpose.

The restaurant can cater for up to 80 diners at any one time – in its front room dining area which retains the Grade II listed pub’s former bar; in a small dining room to the side and in a new dining area which has replaced the bar that used to be at the rear of the premises.

The side and back dining rooms can be booked for private dining with bookings already having been taken for a number of family celebrations.

In better weather there are plans to open up the garden to the side of the building.

But for now, go along and enjoy the warm welcome that is on offer inside!

Erman’s Kitchen 2 Fore Street, Old Harlow CM17 0AA 01279 454000 ermanskitchen.co.uk axis magazine 39

FOOD & DRINK

Ware welcomes Bridget’s – a tea room with a difference Bridget’s Tea Room, based at Ware Priory, is a tea room with a difference.

Run by the Harlow-based community interest charity Aspire Support Learn, it offers work-based training and a pathway to paid employment to young adults with additional needs.

The charity’s services include an inclusive drama group as well as the tea room which, prior to its relocation, ran three days a week at a church in Harlow.

The need for a permanent home led founder Michelle Tohill to Ware, where she has taken a lease on the Garden Room (to the side of the Priory building and opposite Fletcher’s Lea), a perfect setting for such a pretty facility.

The move has proved a huge success and the tea room has already moved from three-day-aweek opening to every weekday as well as every other Saturday!

It means even more young adults can be supported too. The team arrive for work at 9.30am when they bake fresh cakes and scones, and make soup and the fillings for the bagels, baguettes and jacket potatoes.

Once the cooking is over it’s time to serve before everyone can sit down together for food and their own welcome cuppa at 2.30pm.

Anyone living, working or visiting the town is warmly welcome at the tea room.

Booking is preferred and a phone line is due to be installed soon.

In the meantime if you’d like to book you can contact Michelle on 07791 277043.

The tea room is open from 10.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Friday and every other Saturday.

Bridget’s Tea Room The Garden Room, The Priory, High Street, Ware SG12 9AL 07791 277043 aspiresupportlearn.co.uk

Show your mum how much you love her at…

Call 01992 461171 to book your Mother’s Day table now for Sunday 22nd March Open all day from 12noon, book for lunch or dinner Special 4-course set menu for just £16.95 per person 25 High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8SX 01992 461171 saffrononline.co.uk 40 axis magazine

Ware are you going on Mother’s Day? The George IV at Great Amwell near Ware has a special Mother’s Day menu on Sunday 22nd March. Bookings are now being taken at £34.50 per person for three courses and all mums will receive a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival.

The menu offers a good range of options for starter, main and dessert which should suit all tastes and requirements.

Call 01920 870039 to book your table. l Ware Priory is offering a

Bottomless Mother’s Day Brunch this year, and the historic High Street venue will be open for two sittings, from 10am to 12noon and 12.30-2.30pm. There will be a selection of buffet stations serving a full English breakfast, bagels and pastries, continental breakfast, granola, yoghurt and fresh fruit alongside unlimited sparkling wine, tea, coffee and juice. It’s in the Fletcher’s Lea building and costs £35 for adults, or £15 for children under 11. Call 01920 460316 to book.

DINING OUT GUIDE

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LOMO Bar & Grill

DINNIO Mediterranean Kitchen

PIRCIO Italian & Turkish

Opened just before Christmas, Lomo is a stylish new steak and grill restaurant with an upstairs cocktail bar in the centre of Hertford.

The 70-cover restaurant offers a menu of steak, burgers, chicken and fish dishes as well as some vegetarian and vegan options. Lighter meals are also available at lunchtimes whilst on Sundays a traditional roast is served. The restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday from 12noon to 11.30pm and on Sunday from 12noon to 5pm and the cocktail bar is open Thursday to Saturday from 6pm to 1am.

Family-run Dinnio, which opened in Hertford last year, offers two separate menus of excellent Italian and Turkish food in a smartly refurbished building over two floors. The Italian menu includes pizza, pasta, meat and fish dishes with hot or cold mezes, steaks and charcoal grills among the options on the Turkish menu, together with wines, spirits and cocktails.

Dinnio is open seven days a week and caters for families (it has a children’s menu available) as well as large groups and business lunches.

Private hire is also possible.

Pircio is a family-run independent restaurant in Bishop’s Stortford that offers two different menus of Italian and Turkish cuisine.

Both menus are cooked by teams of specialist chefs and diners can choose from pizza, pasta and other Italian classics or dishes such as halloumi, falafel, moussaka and lamb tagine.

The historic Drill Hall building has been smartly refurbished and can seat 200 people downstairs whilst there is also a mezzanine for private dining. Pircio is open seven days a week, all day.

25a St Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1HZ 01992 587772 lomobarandgrill.com

12-16 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1BZ 01992 677790 dinnio.co.uk

Drill Hall, Market Square, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3UU 01279 898181 pirciorestaurant.com

THE GEORGE IV Pub & Dining

VILLA ITALIA Italian

THE GRANDISON Country Pub & Restaurant

Nestled in the picturesque village of Great Amwell, The George IV is one of Hertfordshire’s best kept secrets. Imaginative, freshly prepared dishes, including traditional pub classics, are served in a friendly pub atmosphere with a roaring log fire in these cold winter months.

The George IV can also be the perfect venue for your next event. From parties, birthdays and anniversaries to baby showers and corporate events, they’ve got it covered with their beautiful function room and wide variety of dining options.

Joelle and Marino Persico, along with their daughters Nicoletta and Sophia, opened their authentic family-run Italian restaurant in Sawbridgeworth in March 2019 and it has already becone a huge local favourite. Chef Tony Basso heads up the kitchen and produces a wide range of crowd pleasing Italian dishes to suit every occasion, including pizza, pasta, meat and fish dishes, as well as homemade desserts. There is a great list of Italian wines and a good choice of premium spirits and cocktails too.

Just outside Hertford in the pretty village of Bramfield, The Grandison is the perfect country retreat. Under new ownership since the summer of 2018, it offers a modern menu of gastropub style food, with contemporary takes on pub classics, lighter options at lunchtimes and a delicious roast on Sundays served between 12noon and 4pm (booking is strongly advised). A popular afternoon tea is also served throughout the week. All dishes are freshly prepared with only the finest ingredients sourced by the chefs.

Cautherly Lane, Great Amwell SG12 9SW / 01920 870039 info@georgeivpub.co.uk georgeivpub.co.uk

48 & 52 Bell Street, Sawbridgeworth CM21 9AN 01279 358358 villa-italia-restaurant.co.uk

18 Bury Lane, Bramfield SG14 2QL 01992 554077 thegrandison.com axis magazine 41

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DIL’S INDIAN Indian

THE HIGHLAND RESTAURANT Steakhouse & Carvery

THE QUEEN’S HEAD Pub & Dining

Now under new management, Dil’s Indian remains one of Hertford’s most popular Indian restaurants. Alongside its existing menu, new authentic dishes are being introduced, offering customers the chance to try unique food from a highly experienced chef. Banquet night is every Tuesday and Wednesday with a full meal for just £13.95 and there is a buffet all day Sunday.

Order through the new Dil’s website for 10% off delivery and 20% off (or a free bottle of wine on orders over £40) on takeaway collection.

The Highland Restaurant in Broxbourne is Hertfordshire’s premier traditional steak house.

Now under new ownership, though within the same family, the Highland has been established for over 40 years, becoming a local institution.

It continues to serve the finest steaks whilst also introducing new dishes such as burgers and ribs. Sunday lunch at £16.95 for three courses is great value. Tribute nights are held regularly – check website for details.

Breakfast now served 8.30-11.30am Mon-Sat.

The Queen’s Head is a traditional village pub found tucked away in the pretty conservation area of Churchgate Street, Old Harlow. Run by the Beer family, it offers traditional pub classics, all freshly cooked, with a monthly changing menu as well as a specials board. Roasts with all the trimmings are served every Sunday. You’ll always receive a warm welcome here, whether popping in for a drink or staying for food. Keep up to date with events, including regular quiz nights, on Facebook and Instagram.

19-21 Maidenhead Street, Hertford SG14 1DW 01992 554400 dilsindian.co.uk

8-11 The Precinct, High Road, Broxbourne EN10 7HY 01992 466933 highlandrestaurant.co.uk

26 Churchgate Street, Old Harlow CM17 0JT 01279 427266 tqhchurchgatest.co.uk

ERMAN’S KITCHEN Turkish

THE BULL Country Pub & Restaurant

THE HOOPS INN Country Pub & Dining

This newly opened family restaurant offers a menu of Turkish cuisine, high quality drinks and cocktails. It is housed in a Grade II listed former pub that has been refurbished into three contemporary and comfortable dining areas, with an outside garden for warmer months. The menu offers hot and cold starters, grills and Erman’s signature dishes that include Turkish fish and seafood specialities. The professional staff and welcoming atmosphere make it ideal for every occasion. Bookings are now being taken for Mother’s Day on Sunday 22nd March.

The Bull is a charming old English traditional pub and restaurant dating back to the 16th century, nestled in the picturesque village of Much Hadham. The family-run pub is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12noon and offers high quality pub classics using locally sourced ingredients with seasonal menus. The Bull also offers a series of special weekday deals including curry night, burger night, classic pub basket meals and the popular Fish Friday (buy one get one half price) which are well worth checking out.

Under new management since October 2018, The Hoops Inn is a traditional country pub on the edge of the Henry Moore Foundation estate in the hamlet of Perry Green. Now run by Kevin O’Neill who spent six years at The Catherine Wheel in Albury, The Hoops offers homemade traditional pub food plus authentic Bangladeshi curries. Booking advised for Sunday when roasts are very popular. Open for food from Wednesday to Sunday (drinks only Monday and Tuesday evenings). It also has a huge 76-space car park.

2 Fore Street, Old Harlow CM17 0AA 01279 454000 ermanskitchen.co.uk

High Street, Much Hadham SG10 6BU 01279 841100 Facebook: The Bull Inn Much Hadham

Perry Green, Much Hadham SG10 6EF 01279 843568 / 07985 593636 e: thehoopspg18@hotmail.com

42 axis magazine

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THE STRAW HAT Cantonese

THE GOLDEN FLEECE Pub & Dining

James and Bianca Rix have successfully run the Fox and Hounds for 15 years, establishing it as one of Hertfordshire’s leading eating out destinations. The Josper oven, seasonal menus, excellent value midweek set menu and superb Sunday lunch are all great reasons to visit. You can eat in the bar, dining room or on the pretty terrace. The venue is also available for events and private dining, including celebrations, weddings, business meetings and wakes. Book now for Mother’s Day.

The Straw Hat always offers a top quality and high class dining experience. Established for 16 years the restaurant is based in a beautiful listed building with a thatched roof which explains its name. The menu offers modern Cantonese cuisine that takes traditional dishes and reinvigorates them using high quality ingredients to produce healthy dishes that reflect today’s trends, including dishes for those on coeliac and gluten-free diets. The high quality wine list is also worthy of a mention.

The Golden Fleece is an old English pub with a contemporary twist, and one where the food is so good that it has earned an entry in the Michelin Guide for Hotels and Restaurants.

Set at the heart of the village of Braughing, Jess and Peter Tatlow’s pub offers a menu of fresh, seasonal and delicious locally sourced food and also caters for diners who need gluten-free meals. As a free house the Fleece is also able to offer a wide range of real ales, beers, wines and spirits.

2 High Street, Hunsdon SG12 8NH 01279 843999 foxandhounds-hunsdon.co.uk

Harlow Road, Sawbridgeworth CM21 0AJ 01279 722434 Facebook: @strawhatoriental

20 Green End, Braughing SG11 2PG 01920 823555 goldenfleecebraughing.co.uk

SAFFRON Indian

THE FOX INN Traditional English Pub

THE NAGS HEAD Ale House & Dining

Saffron in Hoddesdon was chosen as Best Indian Restaurant in Hertfordshire in the 2017 Curry Life Awards. This stylish restaurant is a contemporary venue in which both traditional and unique Indian dishes can be enjoyed alongside superb service. Saffron also hosts corporate events and offers outside catering, whilst takeaway and delivery is available too. Book now for Mother’s Day on Sunday 22nd March, for Easter and for a Michael Jackson tribute night on Friday 24th April – call for full details!

The Fox Inn is a beautiful, traditional English village pub with a beamed restaurant and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

It is open seven days a week and serves good wholesome food from an extensive menu, including roast dinners at Sunday lunchtimes and regularly changing specials.

A free house with a large beer garden for those sunny days, The Fox also has 12 beautifully appointed en-suite guest rooms and a 40-seater function room for private gatherings.

This popular country pub has been transformed by its landlords, Jack Blackwell and Joseph Clark. The locally sourced, seasonal food ranges from hearty bar snacks to a regularly changing a la carte menu with daily specials and Sunday lunch, alongside quality real ales and an excellent wine list. It is also offering a great value two course set lunch menu for just £12 Tuesday to Saturday from 12-2.30pm.

Its Secret Garden is perfect on warmer days; a children’s menu is available and families and dogs are welcome.

25 High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8SX 01992 461171 / 01992 461160 saffrononline.co.uk

The Green, Matching Tye, Essex CM17 0QS 01279 731335 thefoxinn.com

The Ford, Chapel Lane, Little Hadham SG11 2AX 01279 771555 nagsheadlittlehadham.co.uk

FOX AND HOUNDS Pub, Dining Room & Venue hire

axis magazine 43

9-13 Parliament Square n Hertford n SG14 1EX

EXPECT MORE n FROM YOUR n ESTATE AGENT

• For Sale: POA • North Road, Hertford, SG14 Grade II listed, four bedroom townhouse over three floors, with landscaped garden, two off street parking spaces and within walking distance to Hertford North train station

01992 721 321 n www.thomas-childs.com