Essential Suffolk July and August 2019

JULY & AUGUST 2019 | PRICELESS

Essential SUFFOLK

SUMMER IN SUFFOLK The Coast, Wool Towns & Constable Country

www.essentialsuffolk.com

Celebrating all that makes our county great

Whatever your summer day out weÊre here for you

FOOD SERVED ALL DAY, EVERY DAY

Deben Inns – a group of individual Suffolk inns – have six fantastic pubs that are perfect stopping points for you whatever your summer day out may hold. Whether you’re looking for a quick stop for coffee and cake or a full blown celebration we’re here for you.

photograph © Anthony Cullen

photograph © Anthony Cullen

Child friendly, dog friendly, well basically just friendly whoever you are and whatever you need.

All our pubs are open for all day dining so we are perfect for breakfast to fuel your day ahead or any point in between until you are ready to wind down at night.

Dine by the River Deben at The Maybush

Dine by the River Orwell at The Butt & Oyster

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Sailing Club

New Oak Tree Farm

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Church Farm

White 6 Hall

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14 PH 1 Street Farm 2 NEWBOURNE

Hemley Hall

Village H

Food served all day – every day Vegetarian and gluten free options

The Butt & Oyster Pin Mill, Ipswich IP9 1JW 01473 780764

The Coach & Horses Melton, Woodbridge IP12 1PD 01394 384851

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Scenic circular walks around all pubs

The Maybush Cliff Rd, Waldringfield IP12 4QL 01473 736215

The Wilford Bridge Wilford Bridge Rd Melton, IP12 2PA 01394 386141

All inns open Monday to Saturday 9.00am – 11.00pm & Sunday 9.00am – 10.30pm

Get the Deben Inns app for our latest news and offers.

Simply search Deben Inns in the app store and follow the simple instructions.

www.debeninns.co.uk

Dog friendly

Daily specials

The Fox Inn The Street Newbourne, IP12 4NY 01473 736307

The Swan Westerfield Road Westerfield, IP6 9AJ 01473 251447

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Halifax House | 497-499 Wherstead Road Ipswich | Suffolk IP2 8LL | 01473 680091

JULY & AUGUST 2 01 9

10 Suffolk’s Summer Festivals

Welcome

A cultural celebration

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What does summer mean to you? School holidays, long hot days by the beach, time spent outdoors listening to music, soaking up the Suffolk landscape, enjoyment, relaxation?

However the season inspires you there’s certainly plenty going on across the county and if you are looking for ideas this edition of Essential Suffolk has everything necessary to guide you. Check out the summer festivals, consult our comprehensive What’s On listings and browse our suggestions for days out.

If you have a dog – or even if you haven’t but love man’s best friend – put July 28 in your diary now for an event at Helmingham Hall, which we think is the highlight of the summer; Suffolk Dog Day. And in between times, while you are taking a break at home from all this outdoor activity, we’ve got some great reading in this issue of Essential Suffolk.

Suffolk in Brief News from around the county

18 What’s On Where to go and what to see in Suffolk during July & August

There’s an interview with the Chancellor of the University of Suffolk – Dr Helen Pankhurst, there’s a campaign to reduce your lunchtime packaging and we look at a charity helping the homeless and long term unemployed in Suffolk.

Have you ever thought you’d like to write a book but never had the time? Anna Fargher, who is the subject of My Suffolk on page 82, wrote her book on her phone while commuting on the tube and it’s now a Waterstone’s Book of the Month.

Plus of course, there are all the regulars including Fashion, Food & Drink, Gardening, Homes & Interiors and some of the most impressive properties for sale in the county.

Suffolk’s Summer Festivals page 10

Enjoy the summer!

Essential SUFFOLK

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Get in touch Lesley Rawlinson

Anne Gould

Paul Newman

Essential SUFFOLK

DIRECTOR

EDITOR

DESIGNER

lesley@achievemoremedia.co.uk T: 01473 809786 M: 07519 477583

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Suffolk’s most exclusive magazine delivered only to individually selected homes, businesses and venues. It is brought to you each month with the valued support of our commercial partners.

Please let them know you saw them here.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Copyright on all content is with Achieve More Media Limited. Reproduction in part or whole if forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. All prices, events and times were to the best of our knowledge correct at the time of going to press and you are encouraged to contact the venue prior to booking.

All expressions and opinions within the publication are those of the editor including contributors. Essential Suffolk is a trading name of Achieve More Media Limited.

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C O NTE NT S

Food Savvy Lunch Club page 34

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Pub Walks with Darcy

Gardening

Exploring the Fynn Valley

Catherine Howard takes a look at future trends

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Food & Drink

Property

Dining at The Newbourne Fox and The Northgate, Chef’s Recipe from the Sibton White Horse and the return of the Wine page with Alchemy Wines

A selection of our county’s finest homes for sale

24 Mini Previews Suffolk Dog Day, Theatre in the Forest, Art at Wingfield Barns, Suffolk Craft Society

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Wine page 51

74 Essential Faces Highlight’s from Suffolk’s social calendar

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Homes & Interiors

My Suffolk

Take a seat with new sofas and chairs

Anna Fargher; writer and gallery owner

Emmaus Working with the homeless in Ipswich and Felixstowe

29 Summer Days Out Inspiration for exploring the county

32 Dr Helen Pankhurst Writer, academic and Chancellor of University of Suffolk

34 Food Savvy Lunch Club Cutting down on plastic waste

36 Fashion Your summer wardrobe awaits Homes & Interiors page 54

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

FESTIVALS of SUMMER At last, the summer is here, time for nights out under the stars, entertainment, merriment and hopefully warm weather.

Here’s the Essential Suffolk summer festival guide

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he months of July and August have a sort of cultural rhythm; days of music and theatre and comedy punctuated with days by the beach, picnics and barbecues in the outdoors and nights under canvas. This year, as ever, we have big music festivals like Latitude, Maverick, Folk East and Snape Proms bringing nationally acclaimed and world-renowned artists to our doorsteps.

But there’s a new festival to look forward to as well – Primadonna – which has already gathered national publicity in the Broadsheets and on BBC Radio 4. It’s been created by 17 women from the worlds of publishing and entertainment, including Sandi Toksvig, to highlight brilliant writing, giving prominence to work by women and spotlight authors from the margins and you can read more about it on page 15.

July 5 – 7

Maverick Festival Easton Farm Park Celebrating its 12th anniversary as the UK’s first and finest Americana festival, Maverick returns from July 5 to 7 to the picturesque Victorian farm buildings of Easton Farm Park. The three-day festival presents music performances, film and workshops and features over forty different artists, across six stages – indoors and out.

Maverick is renowned for spotting rising stars and getting there first; showcasing the most authentic and talented musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. Over the past decade, organisers have stuck to what they believe in, presenting exciting and inspiring line-ups year after year.

“This year we are pushing the musical boundaries of Americana even further with the addition of some classic Cajun and a Friday night that focuses on Bluegrass.” This will include performances from Old Crow Medicine show’s Chance McCoy, Lowly Strung and Philadelphia’s Man About A Horse. Saturday’s programme will include a celebration of the protest song, introduced by the comedian/musician Rich Hall who will also present his celebrated Hoe-down.

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Other additions to the festival line-up include London based five-piece Dana Immanuel & The Stolen Band; a banjo-whacking, guitarshredding, fiddle-sawing, foot-stomping, whiskey-soaked, all-female outfit! Since 2014 they have been delighting crowds spanning the blues, rock, Americana, indie, folk and country scenes with their highenergy live show. Organisers also welcome the return of Muscle Shoals native Hannah Aldridge, the queen of southern gothic rock.

As well as the musical talent, the festival also features a spacious campsite, bell tent meadow and tipi village, as well as a carefully selected range of delicious food-stands catering to meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike. Also, new this year, festival organisers have teamed with the Boxed Water company to ensure the festival is plastic bottle-free.

INFORMATION www.maverickfestival.co.uk

FE ST I VAL S

July 7

Stowmarket Food & Drink Festival Market Place, Stowmarket Stowmarket Town Council is thrilled to be hosting the Stowmarket Food & Drink Festival alongside the Museum of East Anglian Life’s Annual CAMRA Beer Festival on July 7. The Theatre Kitchen will be returning to the beautiful John Peel Centre, showcasing the best local chefs, and they’re also pleased to announce the addition of the craft gin bar at the centre. This year also sees the Festival teaming up with other local businesses for Fringe events across the town.

INFORMATION www.stowmarket.org

and dark explorations of complex female relationships, and one of the most exciting new voices to emerge in print in the last decade, Max Porter, author of Grief is the Thing with Feathers. The newly crowned UK Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage tops the poetry bill alongside Joe Dunthorne, best known as the novelist behind Submarine, and The Adulterants.

Even more eclectic music names include Laura Pergolizzi, the singersongwriter whose break-out global hit ‘Lost On You’ topped the charts and catapulted her to stardom in 13 countries, plus Suffolk based community choir Pop Chorus, both of which are added to BBC Sounds Stage. Elsewhere Scandi-duo Anna of The North headline The Lake Stage, and Stockholm’s unruly post-punks Viagra Boys headline The Alcove Stage.

July 18 – 21

Latitude Henham Park Known as the number one destination for music and arts lovers, the 14th Latitude Festival is once again hosting a dizzying array of music, art and culture. Headliners include George Ezra, Lana Del Rey, Snow Patrol and Michelle Wolf.

Latitude favourite Katherine Ryan joins the Comedy Arena as its fourth and final comedy headliner, alongside Frank Skinner, Michelle Wolf, and Jason Manford. Originally from Canada, now UK based and star of Netflix’s The Fix, Katherine is dominating the television and live comedy scenes – both in the UK and abroad.

BBC Music Introducing makes a welcome return to Latitude, showcasing the biggest unsigned, undiscovered, and under the radar music across the UK. In 2018, almost 60% of the entire line up had come from the ground-breaking scheme that has seen Two Door Cinema Club, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Years & Years, Wolf Alice, The 1975, work their way up to headliner status, and this year is no different with more than 50% of the line-up coming from BBC Music Introducing, including Friday Night headliner George Ezra.

The BBC Music Introducing Stage gets even bigger as BBC Radio 2’s Dermot O’Leary will be broadcasting live on Saturday morning with live music, and special guests. Dermot says, “I’ve been DJ’ing in the woods at Latitude, as well as broadcasting from the festival, for many years and it’s always been a favourite of mine. I love the fact that there’s something for everyone – from literature to comedy to sheep”.

INFORMATION www.latitudefestival.com

Katherine says, “My daughter and her best friend look forward to Latitude Festival every year, and it’s the one we always make a point of spending the whole weekend enjoying. I’m thrilled to be performing in the comedy arena for Latitude 2019. The children will be mortified.”

Brand new for 2019, Latitude is pleased to announce The Listening Post which will see podcasts elevated to prime position with the whole stage dedicated to this diverse and creative art-form. Cariad Lloyd headlines the bill with British Podcast Awards’ Podcast of the Year 2018, Griefcast. She will be joined by three comedians to talk awkward funeral songs to whether there is an afterlife; cheerier than it sounds!

An eclectic range of award-winning writers, poets and thinkers will perform across the arts stages, including Man Booker-shortlisted novelist, poet and playwright Deborah Levy, renowned for her witty

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FE ST I VAL S

August 1 – 31

August 16 – 18

Snape Proms

Folk East

Snape Maltings

Glemham Hall Once again Snape Proms is offering 30 great nights out in the company of top international performers, ranging from outstanding singer-songwriters to bands playing trad and contemporary jazz, stomping folk, classical soloists and orchestras, popcountry crossover and events for children and families.

Alongside the Snape Proms, Snape Maltings will be marking 20 years’ continuous work with HMP Warren Hill – one of the longest collaborations between an arts organisation and its local prison in the UK. Running throughout August, Koestler Arts’ East of England exhibition features artworks inspired by songs written by men who have taken part in Snape Maltings’ music group at the prison as part of their rehabilitation. Then on August 24 Snape Maltings presents a day-long showcase of performances and discussions, focusing on arts and criminal justice.

The Proms, as ever, has a diverse programme – for lovers of Jazz and Blues, Clare Teal and her all-star nine-piece big band celebrate the Great American and British Songbooks, with arrangements by trumpeter Guy Barker and pianist Jason Rebello (August 1). One of the best saxophonists of the last half-century, Pee Wee Ellis is the founding father of jazz-funk and is joined by three outstanding European jazz musicians (August 5).

Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra with The Lindy Hop Dance Company recreates the music of New York’s legendary nightclub of the 1920s and 1930s, the Cotton Club ( August 9), while Snarky Puppy keyboard player Bill Laurance and his trio perform feel-good funk (August 22). Folk and country music will be represented by Blazin’ Fiddles showcasing music from their part of the Highlands and Islands, The Shires, Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys combine Celtic tunes and traditional folk ballads whilst winner of five BBC Folk Awards, Oysterband, is making an appearance on August 26.

Also appearing at Snape Proms is Irish-born singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan, keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman, Foden Brass Band and Don McLean.

Leading orchestras and artists taking part include violinist Nicola Benedetti joining forces with Aurora Orchestra for a performance of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1 which is set alongside Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, played from memory (August 29). Siblings Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason showcase the cello’s lyric qualities with a programme of Beethoven, Debussy, Lutosławski, Fauré and Mendelssohn (August 8). Plus there will also be performances by pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, Christian Blackshaw, trumpeter Alison Balsom and award-winning saxophonist Jess Gillam.

INFORMATION Box Office: 01728 687110 www.snapemaltings.co.uk

One of the most distinctive festivals to be found on the summer calendar is now in its seventh year and getting bigger and better every time. This year it features names ranging from some of UK folk’s national treasures to some of the most exciting new kids on the block; numerous BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards winners and notable overseas acts from Canada and Poland.

They join an already outstanding line-up from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, spearheaded by the legendary singersongwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson and including Cara Dillon & Friends, the Karine Polwart Trio, John Smith, Calan, Sharon Shannon Band and Ross Ainslie, Jarlath Henderson and Ali Hutton.

Blair Dunlop, one of the most exciting and gifted young singersongwriters on the scene will make his first appearance at FolkEast.

Blair won the Horizon award for Best Emerging Act at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and now has four acclaimed albums to his name, the latest being last year’s release Notes from an Island.

The already strong female presence at the festival will also include Daphne’s Flight, featuring five of the most highly regarded vocalists, instrumentalists and songwriters in the Brit folkroots scene; Christine Collister, Melanie Harrold, Julie Matthews, Helen Watson and Chris While.

Another all-female line-up will come from Canada.

The Good Lovelies are a feted folk/country harmony trio of Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore who won a Juno Award for their 2010 self-titled album and whose latest 2018 album, Shapeshifters, has seen them merge more into the mainstream.

Last year was quite a year for Siobhan Miller, ‘one of the finest young voices on the Scottish folk scene’. Renowned for her unique vocal style paired with her evocative song writing, Miller released her latest album, Mercury, and won the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Traditional Track and festival goers will be delighted to hear Siobhan will be bringing her band line-up to Suffolk this year.

The diverse performers on no less than seven stages will also include Sheffield-based husband and wife duos Nancy Kerr & James Fagan and Richard & Jess Arrowsmith.

A special event on Sunday will see four of the North-East’s giants of folk music championing the musical and industrial heritage of their stamping ground. The Pitmen Poets features County Durham’s prolific and celebrated singer-songwriter Jez Lowe, ex Lindisfarne member Billy Mitchell, renowned singer/instrumentalist Bob Fox and Benny Graham – a leading exponent of Tyneside song.

A show that digs deep into the heart of Britain’s coalmining tradition, it has been described as “an epic journey through the life and times of people who made a living in Northumberland and Durham’s coalfields.”

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FE ST I VAL S

Also confirmed for the main stages are State of the Union, an act combining the mercurial talents of Boo Hewerdine with acclaimed American blues guitarist Brooks Williams, showing influences from Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash. From Poland come the fine lungs of acapella group Brasy while eclectic five-piece indie folk band Patch and the Giant have also been announced. Grant Baynham, former presenter of TV’s ’That’s Life’ will bring his witty and topical songs to the festival while “superior fingerstyle guitar master” Adrian Nation hops across to Suffolk from his Essex base.

The main stages have been programmed for the first time by Michael Hughes from The Young’uns who are festival patrons. With the newly announced names joining headliners Karine Polwart, Cara Dillon and Richard Thompson the 2019 FolkEast festival, organised by John and Becky Marshall-Potter, has all the promise of being the best yet.

INFORMATION www.folkeast.co.uk

work go into the event, both before the event and on-site, ensuring that it’s six venues and many attractions really look the part. The festival is proud to have a green policy, recycling 80 per cent of all rubbish on site, it uses Solar energy to power the lighting around the site and has ethical trading and food standards plus charge its food and drink vendors reasonable rates to keep refreshments affordably affordable.

INFORMATION www.mauiwauievents.co.uk

August 30 – September 1

Primadonna Pettaugh The Primadonna Festival is a new and inclusive festival celebrating the creative community, giving prominence to work by women and introducing fresh voices alongside famous names. It is the brainchild of a group of women from publishing and entertainment, who include Sabeena Akhtar, Joanna Baker, Jane Dyball, Catherine Mayer, Kit de Waal, Shona Abhyankar, Jude Kelly, Alexis Kirschbaum, Lisa Milton, Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, Sonia Purnell, Monisha Rajesh, Catherine Riley, Athena Stevens, Cathryn Summerhayes, Sandi Toksvig and Sioned Wiliam.

Together, these 17 women, the Primadonnas, have worked to create a festival of brilliant writing, borne out of a desire to give prominence to work by women, spotlight authors from the margins and to create a thoroughly joyous and accessible experience. There will be live music, films and comedy and all sorts of writing represented.

August 23 – 25

Maui Waui Peakhill Farm, Theberton The Maui Waui Festival, three full days and nights of international music, performance and arts, is now in its 7th year and is fast becoming one of the most exciting and uniquely creative festivals in East Anglia.

This year it has attracted more than 100 bands, talented performers and incredible international acts, with Jamaican reggae and dub legend, Lee Scratch Perry headlining this year’s festival.

Maui Waui focuses on an all-welcoming family feel with lots to do for children with free entry for 13yrs and younger. Watch world-class bands, full circus shows in a dedicated circus tent, smaller bands, acoustic acts, plus cabaret and comedy. This year sees the return of the local talent contest Maui’s Got Talent; a chance for local young performers to showcase their skills and win prizes.

There are now six arenas at Maui Waui. The main stage is in the Big Top (electro swing, folk, funk, soul and reggae). The World Music Café Stage is an exciting new stage to showcase world music from around the globe, with late night Flamenco shows, traditional Reggae and live African music. There’s a ‘Crime Scene’ DJ dance tent (electro, techno, trance) with amazing interior sets, Flavour Parlour Stage (from Glastonbury) showcasing some of the best live music in the UK. Plus there are two extra DJ stages within the main arena. Creativity, art and extravagant décor are at the heart of Maui Waui. Months of creative

There will be a series of one-on-one Q&As with some of the most exciting writing talents around. There will be round table discussions for deep dives into big themes and issues scheduled with plenty of time for audience participation. Surgeries will be running throughout the festival with the Primadonnas who will be available to give advice based on their expertise and experience.

Primadonna will also bring you the best of local talent and names from further afield plus some music industry-insider ‘tips for the top’.

For those who want to get involved, there will be daily writing challenges and open mic opportunities for everyone. Jane Dyball, one of the founders and owner of the venue, Lafitt’s Farm added, “We’ll be running a film shed throughout Primadonna with something for everyone. We’ll also be bringing back (for those of you who’ve been to our other festivals) the late night campfire film – a silent film with live music accompaniment screened outside by the campfire.”

Plus the team behind this original, quirky and powerful new festival are committed to spotlighting writers from the margins and offering unparalleled access for aspiring authors to key figures in the publishing industry. So The Primadonna Prize has been created celebrating and giving a platform to undiscovered and unpublished writers. The winner will be offered representation by one of the UK’s top literary agents.

INFORMATION primadonnafestival.com

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SUFFOLK in brief Good news stories from around the county

Cub Scouts in Suffolk are being encouraged to go eco as part of a newly revised badge to teach children the importance of getting involved in environmental conservation in their daily lives. The Environmental Conservation Activity badge is now sponsored by The Salvation Army’s Recycle with Michael initiative – which works with children to divert thousands of tonnes of unwanted clothing and shoes away from landfill. The revised badge was launched with over 50 Cub Scouts selected to work alongside professional artists, Lloyd Warbey (Disney’s Art Attack) and Suzanne Lynas, to create a gigantic replica of the newly designed badge utilising only recycled materials. The giant piece of art spanned nearly 2,500 sq ft, took over five hours to complete, and was made using clothes, shoes, and bedding which was generously donated by the attending Cubs and representatives from Scout Head Quarters. Suffolk Cub Scout groups wishing to get involved with the Recycle with Michael initiative can visit www.recyclewithmichael.co.uk to find out more.

A group of 26 children from Ipswich Deaf Children’s Society took part in a sponsored swimathon at First Strokes swimming pool.

Their goal was to collectively swim 100 lengths and the children were full of enthusiasm and determination on the day.

The children, aged from 4 years to 13 years, raised an impressive £1,800 by swimming an outstanding 212 lengths in total, more than doubling their target! The charity spokesperson commented, “It just goes to show that being deaf doesn’t stop our children from raising the bar.” For more information on infant and childhood deafness find IDCS on Facebook.

Management and staff at Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital welcomed visitors for a hospital open day. Tours of the various hospital departments ran throughout the event, including the Theatre department. Visitors had the rare opportunity to see that part of the hospital and meet with the clinical staff face-to-face as the team set up one of the Theatres to demonstrate the kit and medical devices used during a hip replacement operation. Other activities around the various departments included hand hygiene education, demonstrations of the ward’s dementia-friendly patient bedroom and presentations in the imaging and physiotherapy departments. Members of the hospital’s patient focus group also gave up their time to talk about their experience of being a patient.

Local charity Home-Start in Suffolk staged its fourth Annual Snowflake Ball Fundraiser at the Hanger at Milsoms, Kesgrave Hall and sponsored by Ufford Park Hotel. With record numbers of attendees, the event treated more than 200 guests to a fun filled evening.

An impressive £26,880 was raised to help support vulnerable families in the Suffolk community. Coinciding with the charity’s 20th Anniversary, guests had the opportunity to win one of 20 amazing prizes including an Afternoon Tea for Two at the Shard.

The successful auction saw some astounding bids for items including a collection of special edition books signed by best-selling author and Home-Start’s new patron, Anthony Horowitz OBE. Home-Start continues to look for volunteers so if you would like to get involved email ali@homestartinsuffolk.org or call 01473 621104.

Suffolk businesses, schools and community associations have come together to challenge residents to get active on and around the River Deben in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support between August 24 and September 8, 2019.

The Deben Macmillan Challenge has a fundraising target of £25,000 and is set to attract families, friends and sports club members to walk, run, cycle, swim, sail or paddle on or around the River Deben during the fortnight. Suffolk residents are being encouraged to set a challenge of their choice and will be able to collect stamps from cafes and inns in the local area using a Deben Macmillan Challenge passport booklet.

Businesses involved in the stamp scheme include Ufford Park Hotel and 15 other local cafes and inns. Find out more information about the Deben Macmillan Challenge on the Just Giving page: justgiving.com/campaign/debenmacmillanchallenge A new play, Bobby Robson Saved My Life, is coming to the Ipswich Regent Theatre on Wednesday 31 July; inspired by Sir Bobby’s life and legacy, and on the 10th year anniversary of his passing. Written by playwright Tom Kelly, the play explores how one person can have a dramatic effect on another without even knowing it. Focusing on three different individuals, it promises to be a heart-warming, inspirational and uplifting piece that celebrates not only Sir Bobby’s life but also the impact he had on so many. A proportion of ticket sales will go to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. As part of the play’s development, people are being asked to upload a video of themselves describing Sir Bobby in three words to social media, using the hashtag #3wordsforBobby. Submissions can also be sent to either charlie@quaysideproductions.co.uk or gareth@ionentertainment.co.uk. Contributors so far include ex-Newcastle footballer Steve Watson, Collabro’s Matt Pagan and Emmerdale, Still Open All Hours and Red Dwarf star, James Baxter.

More news can always be found at www.essentialsuffolk.com/content

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

What’s On JULY 1 Halesworth Brocante The Old Print Works, Halesworth A Monthly Antique and Vintage Market.

Entry: free Contact: 01986 948546 www.ablackdogevent.com

JULY 1 – 4 All Hail Macbeth New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich, 7.45pm All Hail Macbeth mixes comedy and high drama, with more than a little bit of magic, to tell the backstory of the Three Witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Tickets: £10 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

JULY 2 – 3 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Chapel Lawn, Woodbridge School, 8pm Four runaway lovers, a dispute between the King and Queen of the fairies, and a troupe of amateur actors are trying to rehearse a play. Between these unlikely groups flies Puck, armed with a wicked sense of humour and a love potion. What could possibly go wrong?

Entry: Free www.seckfordtheatre.org Much Ado Ron Ron The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm (& 2.30pm Sat) A story of love, intrigue and deception, with fantastic music and dance from the 60s and 70s... and some very silly soldiering!

Tickets: £19 Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

JULY 6 House to Home Jerwood DanceHouse, Ipswich, 4pm & 7pm Featuring over 100 community dancers, inspired by the story of how the Jerwood DanceHouse has and will be a home.

Tickets: £10 Box Office: 01473 295230 www.danceeast.co.uk 18

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Farmers Markets Beccles Heliport 9am to 1pm Snape Maltings 9.30am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm Mozart – The Final Year Headmaster Porter Theatre, Framlingham College, 7pm Phoenix Singers and the Kingfisher Sinfonietta, conducted by Geoff Lavery, perform fabulous music from Mozart’s last few months - the Overture to the Magic Flute, the Clarinet Concerto and his final work, the Requiem. Ticket includes post concert reception.

Tickets: £15 (£7.50 under 18s) available from William Glasse (07802 597071 or william@glasse.org.uk) or Hall Farm Butchers, Framlingham or on the door House to Home Jerwood DanceHouse, Ipswich. 4pm & 7pm House to Home is a performance featuring over 100 community dancers, inspired by the story of how the Jerwood DanceHouse has and will be a home to so many.

Tickets: £10 Box Office: 01473 295230 www.danceeast.co.uk The Tree of Dreams New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich, 3.30pm A story about expectations, reality, fantasy and family, devised by Ipswich’s resident company of visually impaired people, with dynamic Audio Description by the internationally renowned Rationale Method, using beatboxing sound effects to heighten the experience for both blind and sighted audiences.

Tickets: £8 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk Rendham Village Fete Grove Farm Meadow, Rendham IP17 2AE, 12.30 to 4pm An afternoon of fun and entertainment with traditional fete stalls, games and arena activities, food and drink and bargains.

Funds raised support Rendham Church, Rendham Village Hall and Rendham Village Amenity Fund.

Entry: Free Contact: 07771 937675 matthew.greenburgh@gmail.com

JULY 6 – 14 Peter Pan – a Musical Adventure Trinity Park, Ipswich The Co-op Juniors Theatre company returns from the award-winning Barnum last year to present Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure.

Tickets: £28 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

JULY 7 The Importance of Being Earnest Chapel Lawn, Woodbridge School, 3pm Stuff of Dreams Theatre Company. A delightful tale of love, mistaken identity and muffins! Watch Cecily and Gwendolyn as they go to war using the mighty weapons of cake and bread and butter and rival each other for the affections of the mysterious Earnest.

Tickets: £12 www.seckfordtheatre.org

JULY 10 – 13 Duets New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich, 7.45pm A gloriously funny examination of the chaotic world of love, relationships and why the grass is never greener, Duets is a hilarious tribute to the strength and madness of the human heart.

Tickets: £10 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

JULY 10 – AUGUST 31 Summer Theatre Southwold & Aldeburgh Shows include Patrick Marlowe’s The End of the Line, A Bunch of Amateurs by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, Debbie Isitt’s The Woman who Cooked her Husband, finishing with Hobson’s Choice by Harold Brighouse.

Tickets: Matinees £11 to £14, Evenings £15 to £18 Box Office: 01473 276126

WH AT’ S ON

JULY 11

JULY 14

JULY 20

Classics On The Green Friston, IP171NP 3pm until 9pm

Reformation, Fascination in Suburbia The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm

Farmers Markets Aldeburgh Church Hall 9am to 12 noon Beccles Heliport 9am to 1pm Long Melford Village Hall 10am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am t0 1pm

The 10th Classics on the Green for all classic vehicles made before 1970. Vehicles include cars, motor cycles, tractors and steam engines. Refreshments, BBQ, bar and the Old Chequers pub will be open all day.

Indoor Market & Outdoor Table-Top Sale Chamberlin Hall, Bildeston, 10.30am to 2.30pm

JULY 13 Farmers Markets Halesworth Produce Market, The Old Print Works 9am to 1pm Woodbridge Community Centre 9am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm Composition & Performance: Course Concert Britten Studio, Snape Maltings, 4pm Established nearly 30 years ago by Oliver Knussen and Colin Matthews, this course brings together composers, singers and instrumentalists to create new works.

Tickets: £6 Box Office: 01728 687110 www.snapemaltings.co.uk

Three bands bring non-stop hits: Love Distractions tribute to The Human League, The Spandau Ballet Story and Pet Shop Boys’ tribute, Alternative.

Tickets: £24.50 seated / £23.50 standing Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk Vive La France St Michael’s Church Framlingham, 4.30pm The musical soundtrack to the French Revolution; reconstructing a revolutionary ‘Fete de la Raison’, similar to that celebrated in 1793 – complete with processions, drums and rousing choruses!

Entry: £12 (school-age children free) www.eastanglianacademy.co.uk

Stalls selling cakes, crafts, gifts, food, beauty products, jewellery, homewares and secondhand goods to name just a few.

Entry: Free Chamberlin.indoormarket@gmail.com Viva Santana The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm Voted into the Top 5 must-see tribute bands

by Classic Rock Magazine, the 7-piece Viva Santana features Spanish guitar wizard Marcos Rodriguez on electric and acoustic guitar and a full line up to match Carlos Santana’s Abraxas days.

Tickets: £22 Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

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Samia Malik New Cut, Halesworth Fresh from a sell out tour of the States, Samia returns to tour the UK with an electrifying new collaboration with her new show in Samia Malik Company. www.newcut.org

JULY 21 Royal Academy of Music & Juilliard School Snape Maltings Concert Hall, 4pm Conducted by Edward Gardner, one of the leading figures in the British musical scene.

Tickets: £27 Box Office: 01728 687110 www.snapemaltings.co.uk Bungay Antiques Street Fair Earsham Street, Bungay, 9am to 4pm Antique and Vintage open air antiques market in Earsham Street Bungay with over 80 antiques traders, food and drink will be available on the Street including the infamous Hair of the Dog Prosecco bar Entry: free Contact: 01986 948546 www.ablackdogevent.com

Brass On The Grass Upper Arboretum, Christchurch Park, Ipswich (Henley Road entrance) 2.30pm to 4.30pm Organised by Friends of Christchurch Park, the Season is sponsored by The Greyhound public house.

July 21: The Essex Police Band July 28: Martlesham Brass August 4: The Ipswich Hospital Band August 11: Woodbridge Excelsior Band Entry: Free Information: contact Paul Buckley mambocombo@btinternet.com Noteriety Choir and the Co-op Singers St Peter’s by the Waterfront An evening of eclectic and uplifting music, ranging from Mika and Stevie Wonder to Andrew Lloyd Webber and many more. www.stpetersbythewaterfront.com Suffolk Soul Singers 10th Anniversary Gig James Hehir Theatre, DanceEast, 6pm Suffolk Soul Singers are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a special concert of

timeless soul and gospel classics, as well as contemporary hits with a soulful twist.

Tickets: £12.50 (Under 14s £8) Box Office: 01473 295230 www.danceeast.co.uk/watch-a-performance

JULY 24 The Gory Story of Ipswich for Families St Stephen’s Church, Ipswich A ghastly story of murder and execution, ghosts and witchcraft, of dreadful diseases, foul stinks, overflowing graveyards and poo!

Join the Ipswich Tour Guides on a truly gruesome walking tour.

Tickets: £3 Box Office: 01473 433100

JULY 24 – 26 Courage Calls to Courage New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich, 7.45pm A drama interspersed with original music and songs of the time about the struggle for the vote between Emmeline Pankhurst’s Suffragettes and Millicent Fawcett’s Suffragists.

Tickets: £10 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

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Call us to arrange a visit at any other time.

WH AT’ S ON

JULY 24 – 27

JULY 26 – 28

AUGUST 1

The Lady in The Van New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, 7.45pm

Felixstowe Carnival Music, funfair, family entertainment and fireworks by the seaside. www.felixstowecarnival.org

Rule the World The Spa Pavillion, Felixstowe, 8pm

First a book, a play and then a film, The Lady in the Van tells the true story of Alan Bennett’s strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in 1974 before allowing her ‘temporarily’ to park her Bedford van in the driveway of his Camden home.

Tickets: £24 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

JULY 27 Farmers Markets Snape 9.30 am Woodbridge Community Centre 9am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm

JULY 28 JULY 26 Gary Delaney: Gangster’s Paradise The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm A Mock The Week regular and recent star of the new Live At The Apollo series, Gary’s shows are renowned in the business for a near unrivalled volume of high-class gags.

Tickets: £18 Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

‘Rule The World’ is recognised as the Number One ‘Take That’ tribute show in the world.

Tickets: £30 Box Office: 01394 284926 www.spapavilion.uk Halesworth Brocante The Old Printworks, Halesworth Antique and Vintage Market selling a wide range of items for the home and garden.

Entry: free Contact: 01986 948546 www.ablackdogevent.com

Farmers Markets Lavenham Village Hall 10am to 1.30pm

AUGUST 2 JULY 29

The Dickens Girls New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, 7.45pm

ELO Experience The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm

An enchanting new musical by Rachel Bellman and Elizabeth Sybil Charlesworth featuring irresistible harmonies, exquisite singing and vibrant dance.

Tickets: £24 Box Office: 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

Tribute to ELO, with a sensational string section, a stunning light show.

Tickets: £26 Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

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AUGUST 3

AUGUST 8 – 14

AUGUST 11

Farmers Markets Beccles Heliport 9am to 1pm Snape Maltings 9.30am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm

Exhibition: Memory and Metamorphosis The Pond Gallery, Snape Maltings, Suffolk

Music in the Gardens – Dixiemix Jazz Band Helmingham Hall, 11am & 7pm

Metfield Village Market Village Hall, Metfield, 9.30am to 12 noon Stalls include Cratfield beef, Shears pork, vegetables, cakes, fish, plants, jams, cards, jewellery, homewares and handbags.

Entry: Free Information: Yvonne 07884 062738

AUGUST 7 Summer Gathering Glemham Hall, 6pm Hannah Fraser (recorder/flute), Andrew Cantrill-Fenwick (piano). Masterworks from the recorder and transverse flute repertoire will provide the perfect musical backdrop to a summer`s evening at Glemham Hall. Wine and canapes included.

Entry: £20 (school-age children free) www.eastanglianacademy.org.uk

In emotionally charged paintings, familiar schoolrooms are depicted with children metamorphosing into rabbits and foxes exploring the notions of change and identity.

Entry: Free www.snapemaltings.co.uk

One of the UK’s most engaging and hard working jazz ensembles bringing together the best jazz musicians in East Anglia.

Tickets: £7 Box Office: 01473 890799

Exhibition: Ink, Zinc, Wood & Paper The Garage Gallery, Aldeburgh

Beccles Antiques Street Market Town Centre, Beccles, 8am to 4pm

Work of Peter Beeson, Michael Flint and Jennifer Golding. All three live and work in Suffolk and take their inspiration from the landscapes and natural world.

Entry: Free www.snapemaltings.co.uk

Specialist dealers selling quality antiques and collectables including furniture, silver, china, linen, jewellery, books and decorative items.

Entry: Free Information: 01502 711174 www.facebook.com/antiquesmarketbeccles

AUGUST 10

AUGUST 17

Farmers Markets Halesworth Produce Market, The Old Print Works 9am to 1pm Woodbridge Community Centre 9am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm

Farmers Markets Aldeburgh Church Hall 9am to 12 noon Beccles Heliport 9am to 1pm Long Melford Village Hall 10am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm

NEW WOLSEY THEATRE IPSWICHIN ASSOCIATION WITH NUFFIELD SOUTHAMPTON THEATRES

Set in the colourful underworld of Brighton in the swinging sixties

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WH AT’ S ON

AUGUST 17 AND 18

AUGUST 23 – 26

Maritime Craft and Gift Fair St Peter’s By the Waterfront, Ipswich 10am to 4pm

Eddy Fest The White Horse Inn, Sudbury

A great selection of crafted goodness and the chance to check out the magnificent architecture of an 800 year old church. www.stpetersbythewaterfront.com

Farmers Markets Lavenham Village Hall 10am to 1.30pm

Drinks, food, music and camping.

Entry: Free Information: 01787 211211 www.edwardstonewhitehorse.co.uk

AUGUST 24 AUGUST 17 – 19 Aldeburgh Carnival Including a music day, mini marathon and carnival procession. Finishing with Chinese lantern procession and a firework display over the sea on August 19. www.aldeburghcarnival.com

Farmers Markets Snape 9.30am Woodbridge Community Centre 9am to 1pm Wyken Vineyard 9am to 1pm

Thorpeness Regatta & Fireworks Two days of boat races and family fun plus a finale of decorated boats and fireworks. www.thorpenessmeare.com

Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival Town Centre, Bury St Edmunds Cooking demonstrations from top celebrity chefs, food & drink tasting plus over 100 stalls and farmer’s market.

Information: 01284 766258 www.ourburystedmunds.com

AUGUST 31 Just Push Play: Let The Music Do The Talking The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 4pm

AUGUST 25 Halesworth Antique Street Fair The old Market Place and Angel Link, Halesworth, 9am to 4pm

AUGUST 20 – 23

AUGUST 25 AND 26

Vintage Market with over 90 Antique traders.

Entry: free Information: 01986 948546 www.ablackdogevent.com

Massive Wagons headlining with special guests The Amorettes, Hollowstar, Dead Man’s Whiskey and False Hearts. All proceeds going to St Nicholas Hospice Care.

Tickets: £16 Box Office: 01284 758000 www.theapex.co.uk

To see more event listings and tell us about your event visit essentialsuffolk.com/whats-on-in-suffolk We cannot guarantee inclusion in print but all suitable listings will be included online.

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SUFFOLK DOG DAY 2019 Helmingham Hall July 28

to get Suffolk’s thoughts on their favourite breeds, resulting in a final ‘Superb List’, each will have their own breed parade on the day”.

“The team work really hard all year round to a tried and tested formula” says Top Dog Chairman and Volunteer Richard Cooper.

“There will be new canine attractions, brand new demonstrations including Lowestoft Dog Display Team, fun dog agility activities and of course there will be the chance to join in with numerous classes including Best Puppy, Best Rescue, Dog with the Waggiest Tail, Best Veteran, and the coveted top Jewel In The Crown – Best in Show, then there is all the fabulous food & drink and shopping to enjoy.”

Tim Holder, Head of Public Affairs for Suffolk Community Foundation, says “It’s not Crufts, it’s not about doggy excellence – it’s an event by the people of Suffolk for the people of Suffolk, its brilliant fun and every penny that’s raised helps someone else in Suffolk who is perhaps not able to enjoy life as much. Also, just in case temperatures soar again this year, we have put some cool plans in place.”

Although it’s one day of summer, Suffolk Dog Day is a year round commitment for the volunteer team who plan and manage this event. And this year the organisers are hoping that the weather will work out just fine on July 28.

Last year temperatures of over 30 degrees meant Suffolk Dog Day had to be cancelled, but this year it’s back and promises to be bigger and better than ever, and the planning team says you and your dogs are welcome.

Held, as ever, in the magnificent grounds of Helmingham Hall, Suffolk Dog Day attracts crowds of over 6,000 people and their pooches every year. Sponsored by Skinners Pet Foods, the event raises money for Suffolk Community Foundation and has contributed over £500,000 to help the thousands of small charities and community groups that are working hard supporting the local community right across Suffolk.

It takes an incredible year-round team commitment to make it happen, and the committee are all volunteers. Event Producer Laura Ripman says, “This year we have a new face of Suffolk Dog Day, the St Bernard, Wilson, chosen from 1,000 entries and he will attend, along with his runner-up friends. We have also held an online poll 24

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INFORMATION Entry: £10 adults, £5 children, £25 family ticket www.suffolkdogday.com

M IN I P R E V IE WS

INTERNATIONAL MINI PRINT EXHIBITION Wingfield Barns, Wingfield July 13 – September 1 During July visitors to Wingfield Barns will have the chance to see two exhibitions at the same premises. The International Mini Print exhibition draws a large number of visitors and collectors every year who are keen to buy original prints at affordable prices and to see over 650 prints from fifty countries worldwide.

The limited edition prints cover all the traditional printmaking disciplines from etching, lithography, screen printing, monotypes and mixed media prints to the more experimental digital techniques, all working to a maximum scale of 10cm square. It has been running annually since 1995 and will be curated by Ian Chance, course director for the MA Creative Entrepreneurship course at the University of East Anglia.

It will also tour in L’Etangd’Art Gallery in Bages, France, Pineda de Mar and Cadaqués, Spain and is the largest and most popular running exhibition of mini prints in the world. Although the Mini Print exhibition runs through until September visitors during July will also be able to see a second show by The Waveney Nine.

These are nine professional women artists who live and work on the Suffolk/Norfolk border and who will be exhibiting a selection of figurative and abstract paintings reflecting their highly individual perceptions of life. The group was formed in 2018 following several exhibitions where they had previously shown work together in Suffolk and Norfolk galleries and as part of the Harleston and Waveney Art Trail Collective.

INFORMATION www.wingfieldbarns.com

SUFFOLK CRAFT SOCIETY ANNUAL SUMMER EXHIBITION Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh July 13 – August 26 Suffolk boasts a wealth of artists, writers and musicians but it also has a rich heritage of craftspeople. Those at the very pinnacle of their chosen craft, whether it’s textiles or ceramics, woodcarving or jewellery are eligible to become members of the The Suffolk Craft Society.

has 110 members, has elected six new exhibitors. The exhibition will be open daily from 10am-5pm and entrance is free.

Every year the society has an annual Summer Exhibition in Aldeburgh which attracts thousands of visitors and has become a fixture of the Suffolk summer on the coast. This year Suffolk Craft Society, which

INFORMATION www.suffolkcraftsociety.org

ROMEO & JULIET Theatre in the Forest at Jimmy’s Farm July 31 – August 25 Rehearsals are underway for Red Rose Chain’s most ambitious summer season yet, as the company celebrates the 20th anniversary of its open-air spectacular – Theatre in the Forest – with a fresh take on Romeo & Juliet.

Starting out in 1999 as a one-night event held in the depths of Rendlesham forest, Theatre in the Forest has exploded into the region’s largest outdoor theatre experience, beloved by tens of thousands of audience members and regarded by The Stage as “Regents Park for the East”.

Every summer, families, fans and first-timers all venture together into the event’s woodland home at Jimmy’s Farm to experience Shakespeare as they’ve never seen it before – thanks to the vision of Artistic Director Joanna Carrick who specialises in making the magic of Shakespeare accessible and fun for all-ages while staying true to the original text.

Joanna plans to make this summer the biggest and best yet, adding: “At a time when our young people are starting to make their voices heard about climate change and injustice, this play – which challenges the wisdom of our elders and promotes peace and tolerance between warring factions – is extremely apt and appropriate. Whether you are new to the story or have seen it many times, there are always great truths in this play as well as passion, hilarity, tragedy and love. Our extraordinary cast are going to take the show by storm with a back drop of 1960’s mods and rockers rebels. I can’t wait!”

On August 24, the final Saturday of the run, the company is also throwing a big birthday bash before the show begins to celebrate with all the audience members. Free to ticket holders, the party includes birthday cake and lemonade for everybody, plus all the musical hits of the 1960s and the chance to come dressed up as a Mighty Mod (from House Montague) or a Raucous Rocker (from House Capulet).

INFORMATION www.redrosechain.com

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E MM AU S S UF FO LK

Building a Future

Emmaus Suffolk, a small charity based in Ipswich helping the homeless and long term unemployed, is about to launch a Buy a Brick campaign to take its work to the next level. Anne Gould finds out more

T

he Emmaus movement, a charity that aims to overcome homelessness, has long been active in the UK – for 26 years in fact. It started in Cambridge and now has 29 communities across the UK, one of which is based in Ipswich and is run by Chief Executive Claire Staddon.

“Each enterprise offers for sale pre-owned furniture, clothes, books and household items together with upcycled items that volunteers have produced at our workshop. Emmaus Suffolk also works in partnership with two CIC organisations, offering ethical, vegan and recycled new products.”

“We’ve been running since 2015 and in that time have opened three shops and provided vital training opportunities but of all the Emmaus communities across the country we are the only one that does not offer accommodation as part of the support we offer,” she says.

In September though all that looks set to change as Claire and the Emmaus team will be launching a ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign to enable them to purchase a property to further their work. “We are the only community in the UK that hasn’t been gifted either a property or a large capital sum and so we have been doing things differently so far.”

The charity launched in 2015 with £10,000 and has made huge strides, but now it wants to offer accommodation too, like their fellow communities elsewhere. “Across the country much of the support available to those who are homeless is a bed for the night and a hot meal, but the next morning they are back on the streets again.

“This doesn’t necessarily give the individual the opportunity to address the root cause of their homelessness and find a long term way to overcome it. This is where Emmaus is different. We don’t just offer a bed for the night, we offer a home for as long as someone needs it, as well as meaningful work in our social enterprises.”

Claire says the objectives of the charity are the alleviation and relief of poverty, hardship and distress by offering meaningful activity for homeless, socially isolated and long term unemployed people. We have no statutory funding and rely on our own income generation, local grant funders and local fundraising, she added.

“Our purpose is to help these people develop their skills to enable them to gain employment in the future and a sense of self-worth and dignity through having a self-supporting life. Currently we have two shops in Ipswich; the former Dales public house and premises in Sailmakers Shopping Centre plus Great Eastern Square Felixstowe.

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These domestic cleaning products – like their ginger washing up liquid – are affordable at £1- £1.50 for 500ml but allow customers to live a more sustainable way and refill bottles and containers rather than throwing them away. Claire says they have gone to a great effort to work on the ambience of their shops so they don’t feel like ‘charity shops’ and as a result they have a ‘boutique feel’.

The day-to-day operation of these shops is overseen by a full-time Retail Manager and a Support Worker to offer 1:1 support to the volunteers. “Through the running of this social enterprise we provide volunteers with valuable work experience to fit their skill set. Volunteers participate at all levels of the business and within their capabilities, including donation collection, sorting, repair, upcycling to customer service and retail experience.”

INFORMATION www.emmaus.org.uk/suffolk

S U MM E R D AYS OUT

Whether you are on holiday in Suffolk or enjoying time off with the children there’s much to do in the county if you are looking for a great day out

HIGH DAYS OF SUMMER W

hen you live somewhere as beautiful as Suffolk sometimes it seems like there’s no need to take your summer holiday elsewhere, as the county has so much to offer; whether you are old or young and whether you love the beach or can’t abide it. So this year Essential Suffolk has a guide to Days Out just in case you are looking for inspiration.

Close to the Coast Suffolk’s Heritage Coast, with its shingle beaches, marshes and wilderness is beautiful and unusual and is much loved by artists and creatives. It’s also becoming very much on the tourist trail for staycationers and those who want to take a break from city life without having to go too far. So where to visit by the sea? The towns and villages that trip instantly off the tongue are Southwold, Walberswick, Dunwich, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh, Snape, Orford, Pin Mill and Felixstowe Ferry.

Orford, of course, has its Castle – complete with dungeon – a wonder for children and if you climb to the top you can look over the extraordinary Orfordness with it’s Cold War military buildings and a red and white striped lighthouse that one day soon will disappear thanks to coastal erosion.

But then there are the places in Suffolk that you have to seek out and where on a hot summer’s day you can find yourself gazing over the water as the heat shimmers on the horizon and there’s not a soul in sight. Places like Bawdsey, Shingle Street, Covehithe, Butley Creek and Iken. Look out for the Martello towers that are dotted along the coast – the most northerly is in Aldeburgh and is actually owned by the Landmark Trust, so if you were so inclined you could even rent it out as a holiday home.

Then there any number of coves and inlets along the River’s Stour and Orwell – that are magnificent and largely ignored by visiting tourists from out of the county because they simply don’t know they are there.

Southwold and Aldeburgh are unique and great for shops, art, culture and of course, some say the best fish and chips you can get in the land. Dunwich and Orford might be no more than villages but are magical locations none the less – both imbued with myth and legend thanks to proximity to the sea.

Once a major Saxon port and the capital of the Kingdom of East Angles, Dunwich is now just a tiny hamlet as the city was destroyed by a storm surge in 1286 and 1287. It’s since disappeared under the waves and legend has it that ghostly church bells ring out from beneath the sea from time to time.

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By the Water and Beyond archaeological treasure trove – a buried longship, the last resting place of King Raedwald the ruler of the East Angles.

Other places to explore for history and tradition are Framlingham with its magnificent castle – step back in time by walking along the ramparts – or check out the monastic ruins of Leiston Abbey. Venturing further south beyond Ipswich is Dedham Vale, Constable Country, Flatford and East Bergholt home to Britain’s acclaimed John Constable.

Heading West Our magnificent river estuaries, The Waveney, The Blythe, Alde/Ore, Deben, Orwell and Stour, have created a rich hinterland behind the coast that is both diverse and fascinating.

Ipswich is, of course, the county town and its Waterfront and marina bustle with activity throughout the year. In summer it’s a great starting place for a river cruise or check out any of its cultural hubs – the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich Regent or Dance East.

Along the River Deben, the village of Waldringfield is pretty and unspoiled and further upstream Woodbridge with its historic centre and a myriad of independent shops positively bustles. A stone’s throw away, of course, is the Saxon site of Sutton Hoo, home to an

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Such are Suffolk’s coastal treasures that many visitors never get to explore the rich and historic heritage that lays to the west of the county. If so they are missing out. Between Hadleigh and Sudbury is a series of colour washed, timbered villages and towns known as ‘The Wool Towns’ with characters quite distinct from the coastal region.

Places like Kersey, where the river and a raft of ducks cross the main street overlooked by a church that’s seemingly far too large for a village. There’s Bildeston, Kettlebaston, Monks Eleigh and Brent Eleigh along the way until you arrive at Lavenham.

S U MM E R D AYS OUT

In the 15th century it was one of the wealthiest settlements in the UK – and today with its winding streets and numerous timbered properties it’s like discovering a gem from the past. Harry Potter fans should note it stood in as Godric’s Hollow in the Deathly Hallows movie.

Beyond are Long Melford and Sudbury and for those who wish to explore further Cavendish and Clare.

Suffolk Coast Path will be high on most walkers’ lists. You can make it the sole focus of your holiday with 50 miles of glorious Suffolk seaside to explore.

Don’t forget the Angles Way. It’s another long distance route of 77 miles from The Broads to The Brecks; Great Yarmouth to Knettishall Heath through the Waveney Valley.

But if you want a day of shopping in the west of the county Bury St Edmunds, a pretty medieval town is home to a bustling street market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Finally, Newmarket, the home of horse racing is in the far west of the county and home to the National Horse Racing Museum.

Take a Walk Take a stroll from Dedham to Flatford, a gentle walk through the water meadows of Constable country or head to Rendlesham Forest where there are countless walks of various distances. Check out the UFO Trail at Orwell Country Park where a short walk under the Orwell Bridge and along the wooded river bank and tidal beach will give you views overlooking Pin Mill and Woolverstone.

Then there’s Dunwich to Walberswick – through the marshes and reedbeds returning along the beach. You’ll need to allow about three hours in all. Snape to Iken Cliff is a steady walk that takes you beside the River Alde with magnificent views.

If it’s a meadow walk you fancy then head to Sudbury. Again there are a variety of paths offering various distances but for serious walkers there’s a 13-mile circular route.

And don’t forget all the Pub Walks with Darcy routes available from our website: www.essentialsuffolk.com/pub-walks-with-darcy with more than 70 to choose from you’ll have plenty of inspiration.

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Prettys

We are a family run business in the picturesque village of Dunwich and we value good quality, honest food sourced from local suppliers. Our scones, cakes, pudding and quiches are all made on site by the very talented Amanda and our beautiful gardens are maintained by her husband Nigel.

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Open 9am to 5pm daily Breakfast served from 9am to 11am every day www.dinglehilltearooms.co.uk

www.prettys.co.uk

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

DEEDS NOT WORDS Her great grandmother famously fought for women to have the vote but says Dr Helen Pankhurst, the newly appointed Chancellor for University of Suffolk, the fight for women’s rights and equality continues. Anne Gould reports

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D R H EL EN PANK H URST

U

niversity of Suffolk might be comparatively young in terms of academic institutions but it has achieved much in the 12 years since it was first founded. One of which surely must be the appointment of its first Chancellor, Dr Helen Pankhurst, a woman whose name needs no introduction and of course has resonance around the world.

A writer, academic, women’s rights activist and senior adviser to CARE International, Dr Pankhurst is a trustee of ActionAid and a Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is also the greatgranddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, leaders of the British suffragette movement. So it’s not surprising that she’s as passionate about women’s achievements as her ancestors.

She’s also an advocate for education; as a driver of aspiration and achievement for all, but especially for those who might normally think of studying to degree level. In some ways this is why becoming Chancellor at the University of Suffolk has been so important to her.

Suffolk, she says, feels slightly more ‘hidden’ than other parts of the UK and believes higher education offered by the university can transform not just life for individuals in the county but whole communities too.

Evidence from over the last decade shows that the university has very strong local links playing a different role in the community, by being perhaps more connected to local business and innovation than more traditional seats of learning.

The profile of students is somewhat different from other academic institutions too. She says, “We have a very high proportion of mature students – 60 per cent – and many of them are local.” She is passionate about education opening doors and opportunities for people who are mid-career and want to do something different but also for women who have had children and want to go back to work.

“Statistically young women are doing very well at university but for an older generation of women who took career breaks for children, University of Suffolk offers chances too. Obviously if you have a family there is a lot of juggling of responsibilities and as a result, we also seem to have a lot of people doing part-time degrees too”.

All this makes it clear, she says, that it is important to be as practical as possible with the degrees but at the same time, it’s about academic learning and excellence. “My role as the first Chancellor is symbolic; it is about the idea, the vision of the University. I think the vision, for me, is about persistence, hard work, having an idea and sticking with it. It is about the power of individuals but also about how important it is to come together to effect change and that we can.

“We are working on six areas of expertise; health and wellbeing, creative and digital technology linked to BT and local innovation, crime and social justice linked to Suffolk Institute, history and heritage, sustainability and learning and teaching.”

Another aspect that’s different is that the university is spread across the county – people often think of the university being the iconic Waterfront Building overlooking Ipswich Marina – but students can also study at East Coast College in Lowestoft or at West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds making a degree possible no matter where you live. “I am really interested in helping women and people who might not normally think of higher education and encouraging them to aspire.”

“Statistically young women are doing very well at university but for an older generation of women who took career breaks for children, University of Suffolk offers chances too.

Obviously if you have a family there is a lot of juggling of responsibilities and as a result, we also seem to have a lot of people doing part-time degrees too”

Part of that passion though is wider than just Suffolk. A year ago she wrote a book, Deeds Not Words, to commemorate the centenary since her great grandmother’s Suffragette movement helped women achieve the vote.

She charted the changes in the lives of women over the last 100 years celebrating landmark successes and little-known victories, looking at politics, money, identity, violence, culture and social norms and turning to the voices of both pioneers and ordinary women for their perspective.

In it she asks questions like, why will we have to wait until 2069 for the gender pay gap to disappear in the UK? Why, in 2015, did 11% of women lose their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination? Why have one in three women in the world experienced physical or sexual violence? Revising this book for the paperback edition has led her to travel the country talking to women and girls over the last year over the issues it raises and, she says, there is still a long way to go.

INFORMATION www.uos.ac.uk

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TH E FO O D S AVVY L UN C H C L UB

What’s for lunch?

Climate change, recycling and plastic waste have really come into focus in 2019 as more people take on the issues facing our planet. Anne Gould looks at a campaign in Suffolk which is trying to change the way we lunch

O

nce upon a time a working lunch would either be in a staff canteen with subsidised prices or maybe, if you were meeting clients, it would be something rather more upmarket; a fancy restaurant meal that would last over the hour and some. Times have changed and lunch is often a brief foray to town for sandwiches that are hastily consumed in front of a computer.

Doubtless health experts would say eating at your desk is the least ‘healthy’ scenario of all of the above but the way we lunch today also has another downside. With the average East Anglian worker spending £388 eating ‘lunch on the go’ the environmental cost is 276 items of lunch packaging every year which adds considerably to the plastic and waste mountain of modern living.

That’s why a campaign launched recently by environmental charity Hubbub and supported by councils in Suffolk and Norfolk is encouraging East Anglian workers to rethink their ‘lunch on the go’ habits to reduce food and packaging waste. During a one month #FoodSavvy trial with local businesses the campaign helped workers reduce single use plastics by 54%.

participants were given a #FoodSavvy Savings Guide which provided them with the golden rules for reducing packaging and food waste.

They also followed a three-week meal plan packed with simple, healthy, sustainable meals and were challenged to make their own meals for the trial’s final week.

Challenge participants, the AXA canteen and local eateries also took part in a pilot Bring Your Own (BYO) Tupperware scheme, ‘Take Away, Give Back’ where customers received a small incentive for bringing their own packaging.

Following the trial’s success, the campaign is now encouraging the rest of East Anglia to get involved and rethink their own lunch habits and Hubbub is also now inviting other businesses and employees to take part by registering their interest via campaigns@hubbub.org.uk.

Trewin Restorick, CEO of Hubbub said: “Lunch-on-the-go items create huge levels of waste and unfortunately much of it isn’t recyclable as it’s made from mixed materials or is contaminated with food residue.

The #FoodSavvy Lunch Club was trialled in March in East Anglia with Aviva, AXA, Environment Agency and BT, challenging a total of 50 employees to go for a month without using single use packaging at lunch time. As a results 83% of participants said the Lunch Club helped them reduce their single use plastics; food waste was reduced by approximately 52% per participant and 67% said the trial had helped them to save money.

“By planning lunches in advance and using up items in your fridge you can massively reduce the amount of packaging you use while saving money by cutting down on food waste. If you do buy lunch on the go, don’t be shy – take along your own container to your favourite lunch spot.

We’d encourage anyone wanting to get involved in the campaign to visit the #FoodSavvy website and we’d love more businesses to take on the challenge too – just register your interest.”

Hubbub is now encouraging businesses, cafes and employees in East Anglia to get involved and rethink their own lunch habits by visiting www.foodsavvy.org.uk to take a quiz and find tips on how to plan their lunch meals to save time, packaging and money. Supported by the charity,

Councillor Paul West, Suffolk Waste Partnership Vice Chair and Cabinet Member for Waste said: “We are delighted that #FoodSavvy Lunch Club has launched in Suffolk and Norfolk and employees are joining in to reduce their food waste and packaging.

“It shows how much can be saved in a month by taking simple steps, which adds up to a lot over the course of a year. We welcome businesses engaging with us and the campaign wants to work across all areas of our communities as food waste and packaging are a concern for us all. We look forward to more organisations and individuals joining in the collaboration.”

Dr Charles Beardall OBE, Environment Agency Area Director (East Anglia) and Lunch Club participant said: “What a brilliant, thought provoking initiative. The #FoodSavvy Club really made me think hard about the food I waste and, in particular, the huge amount of plastic used in the food I buy and eat. I’ve made a number of small but really effective changes to the way I shop and carry food around that has significantly reduced my use of wasteful plastic.” #FoodSavvy is a two-year partnership between Hubbub and Norfolk and Suffolk councils to tackle food waste in East Anglia.

Their collective ambition puts the region at the forefront of the UK’s efforts to combat food waste. It is bringing together an entire cross section of the community to tackle the food waste issue, involving businesses, schools, community groups, as well as influencers like chefs, food celebrities, lifestyle bloggers and vloggers.

INFORMATION www.foodsavvy.org.uk

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JU LY & AU G U ST 2 0 1 9

FASH IO N

Sun seeking or ‘stay-cationing’? Either way you’ll be looking for some cool options for poolside or countryside. Visit these local independent boutiques for expert help & advice, plus plenty of choice too

HERE COMES THE SUN

Panache cover up £35 Sweet Dreams

Lily & Me dress £47 Caramel

Pia Rossini Amal top £40 Romero hat £30 Sweet Dreams

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Essential SUFFOLK

always proud ~ to feature ~

LOCAL RETAILERS

Aegean print bubble dress pewter lime £175 Caramel

Pia Rossini Simome trousers (white or black) £52.95 Sweet Dreams

Lily & Me teal & lemon tunic £44 Caramel

JU LY & A UG UST 201 9

Sahara dress £165 Caramel Lily & Me dove dress £58 Caramel

Aegean print flared shirt black and white £155 Caramel

Lily & Me linen shift in lime, teal or watermelon (pictured) £58 Caramel

FASH I ON

Pia Rossini Virginia maxi dress £79.95 Sweet Dreams

Pia Rossini Goya maxi dress £79.95 Sweet Dreams

Pia Rossini Breeze trousers £43 Sweet Dreams

Relaxed boutique shopping for sizes 8 to 20

Marie mero flower dress £179 Holly Blue Boutique Marie mero lilac dress £175 Holly Blue Boutique

STOCKISTS Caramel Snape Maltings. T: 01728 687467 www.caramel-aldeburgh.co.uk Holly Blue Boutique 55 Thoroughfare, Woodbridge. T: 01394 382300 Sweet Dreams 45a Thoroughfare, Woodbridge. T: 01394 380306 www.sweetdreams-lingerie.co.uk

Snape Maltings, Snape, Suffolk, IP17 1SP 01728 687467 | www.caramel-aldeburgh.co.uk

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

H EA LT H

IPSWICH FIRST IN NEW PROSTATE TREATMENT In an Ipswich first, Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital has announced a new treatment for prostate enlargement as an alternative option to surgery. Working with Consultant Urologists Mr George Yardy, Mr Robert Brierly and Mr Gautam Banerjee, Rezum treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is now available for private patients in the area.

Urinary problems in men, such as poor stream, sudden urgency to go to the toilet and frequent urination overnight are often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH – blockage due to non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate). The impact of this varies from inconvenience to embarrassment to daytime tiredness due to sleep disturbance.

There are treatments available for this problem including medications and surgery.

Tablets can relax or shrink the prostate to relieve blockage, but side effects include dizziness and sexual problems.

The conventional operation for male urinary difficulties is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgery. This involves “boring out” the prostate under general anaesthetic using an instrument introduced through the urethra (water pipe) to remove up to half of the prostate from the inside. This is a very effective and established operation which significantly improves BPH and provides long term relief of symptoms but requires a hospital stay of two or three days. Men must also take things easy during the recovery time of around four weeks and there can be problems with blood in the urine and sexual problems including altered ejaculation.

Mr George Yardy, Consultant Urologist explains, “Rezum (“water vapor therapy” or “prostate steam treatment”) is an exciting new option for BPH that is less invasive than alternatives, with less disruption to your life, short recovery time and minimal side effects.

It is administered under sedation or a short general anaesthetic and the procedure only takes a few minutes which enables you to go home the same day. The Rezum system precisely delivers water vapour through the urethra to specific areas of tissue within the prostate which subsequently shrink away. A catheter may be required for a short time afterwards, but you will recover quickly from the treatment as urinary difficulties gradually improve as the steam takes effect. You can return to normal activities in only a few days.

It is very unlikely to cause any problems with sexual function – such as difficulties with erection or ejaculation. Rezum offers treatment for what are the embarrassing 40

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side-effects of BPH with no need for traditional surgery for many men”.

Who is Rezum treatment suitable for?

Men choose prostate steam treatment because it requires only a short hospital stay, with quicker recovery than other alternatives and no effect on sexual function. They may feel that their urinary difficulties are satisfactorily controlled with medication but decide to undergo Rezum, so they do not need to take tablets indefinitely. Some men may not be suitable for Rezum due to the size or shape of their prostate, but the eligibility criteria are less restrictive than those for some of the other minimally invasive prostate procedures available and no permanent prostate implants are required.

Approved by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – the British regulatory body for medical treatments) in recognition of its safety and efficacy, Ipswich is one of the first few Nuffield Health Hospitals providing Rezum treatment.

Mr Robert Brierly Consultant Urologist Mr Brierly completed his training in South London Training scheme (Guys and St Thomas’s / Brighton) and New South Wales, Australia. His private practice covers male and female urinary disorders, prostate problems including enlarged prostate and prostate cancer and urinary tract infections as well as bladder cancer, bladder / pelvic pain, and kidney stones and general adult urology.

Mr Brierly holds weekly private clinics on Monday afternoons and Friday mornings.

Consultant Urologists at Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital

Mr Gautam Banerjee Consultant Urologist

Mr George Yardy Consultant Urologist Mr Yardy undertook research into prostate cancer at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, and trained in urology in Cambridge and Norwich. He has an established practice performing a wide range of urological procedures. His specialist interests are in testing for prostate cancer (including multiparametric MRI scanning and transperineal prostate biopsy), prostate surgery (including Rezum), microsurgical vasectomy reversal, and female bladder problems (including urinary infection and bladder Botox injections).

Mr Yardy has private clinics throughout the week.

Mr Banerjee is the lead clinician in Urology and education supervisor for Urology at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to taking up this position, he received extensive training both in the UK and India, in all aspects of urological surgery.

He has a wide experience in treating both common and complex urological problems.

Mr Banerjee holds weekly private clinics on Tuesday mornings.

To find out more information on how to book an appointment with Mr Brierly, Mr Banerjee or Mr Yardy, call us on 01473 851 960.

Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital offers a comprehensive range of urology and men’s health services, with rapid access to experts in diagnostic and imaging services and physiotherapy for advice and treatment. www.nuffieldhealth.com/ipswichhospital

FI NA NCE

Rob Wood

A RISKY BUSINESS

Independent Financial Planner

Rob Wood, an Independent Financial Planner at Scrutton Bland looks at the risks we take in business and at home trees and play in natural spaces like woods may suffer later in life because they haven’t been able to develop confidence in their physical capabilities. In business, many entrepreneurs succeeded (amongst other factors) because they risked failure: Henry Ford’s first automobile business went bankrupt in 1901 before he went on to revolutionise car production with the Model T Ford, and James Dyson spent fifteen years and all of his savings building over 5,000 prototypes of his bagless vacuum cleaner before he found the one that worked to his satisfaction.

A tourist in Canada recently unlocked a hotel safe which had sat unopened in a small museum for over forty years. Over that time the museum staff had tried to open it many times: bringing in expert locksmiths; asking local people who had worked there for their advice, and challenging visitors to have a go.

The tourist cracked open the safe on his first try. After seeing the numbers on the dial ran from 0 to 60 he used the combination of 2040-60 going in the typical combination lock rotation of three times (to the number 20) clockwise, twice anti-clockwise to 40 and once clockwise to number 60. The odds of that happening, according to the University of Toronto, are 1 in 216,000. Had the combination lock worked with a leeway of three digits, which is the case with some locks, then the chances of unlocking it first time would be reduced to 1 in 8,000.

Calculating the odds of risks and opportunities is something that we all do, consciously or subconsciously, every day.

The chances of winning the National Lottery with one ticket are currently 45,057,474, to 1, and winning the EuroMillions with one ticket gives you odds of 139,838,160 to 1.

Conversely, and something that you probably think about a bit less often, the odds of being struck by lightning are, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 300,000 to 1, and the British Medical Journal suggests that the annual risk of needing emergency treatment after being injured by a can, bottle or jar is 100 to 1.

It’s impossible to ban risk from our everyday lives, and many would say that it’s foolish to try to do so. For example, it could be argued that children who aren’t encouraged to climb

Much of the work of Scrutton Bland’s financial advisers involves working with the odds, or risks, of certain things occurring.

In the case of our Independent Financial Adviser teams, they will work with our clients to evaluate their attitude to risk, and having assessed that will help them to place their savings into carefully selected locations such as funds, pensions and trusts, where the assets have a calculated chance of increasing the value of the client’s portfolio. Of course there are risks involved in these transactions, and the value of an investment can go down as well as up, but by using an Independent Professional Adviser from a firm which has been awarded Chartered status from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), a client can be reassured that they are working with impartial and highly trained advisers, who aim to achieve growth in the long term for their clients, as their lives progress.

But going back to the Canadian tourist and his clever safecracking – what was in the safe?

An old pay sheet and part of a restaurant order dating from 1978. I wonder if he had better luck when he next bought a lottery ticket.

For more information on Independent Financial Planning, or to speak with one of the team of Chartered Advisers at Scrutton Bland call us on 0330 058 6559 or contact robert.wood@scruttonbland.co.uk.

Scrutton Bland Financial Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9 Sponsored by

Pub Walks with Darcy

www.christchurchvets.co.uk

There’s no shortage of stunning countryside to enjoy throughout Suffolk and surely the Fynn Valley – stretching from Witnesham to Woodbridge – affords some of the most fulfilling inland views we can enjoy. This landscape is bursting with wildlife as well as agriculture and of course plenty of leisure opportunities too Our latest walk is a loop from the new Café Terrace at Fynn Valley Golf Club. It’s just a few miles from Ipswich but the feeling of calm and relaxation sitting on the dog-friendly terrace outside the new café – which is open to the general public seven days a week from 8am to 8pm – is remarkable.

Kewland Hall Farm

The walk starts by meandering through the golf course to Strugglers Lane at the head of the Fynn Valley path, however we then turn north towards the source of the River Fynn, through meadows and woods, before circling back through farmland to the golf course.

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7

8

Manor Farm

6 Cockfield Hall

PH

5

4

13

Akenham Hall Farm

14 15

Low Farm

2

WITNESHAM

3/16

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Road

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Back at the Terrace after completing the 4.5miles circuit, having made an early start we decided coffee and cakes were order of the day however we could quite easily have been tempted by the brunch menu!

Witnesham Hall

Green Lane

Darcy and Holly were joined by their cockerpoo playmates Poppy and Cocoa for this excursion who were sure to lead by example when it came to golf course etiquette. We advise keeping your dog(s) under close control on the lead through the golf course sections of the walk and keeping an eye on the players around you as the path crosses some of the holes and alongside others.

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1

Fynn Valley Golf Club & Café Terrace

the walk DISTANCE: Approx 4.5 miles TIME: 2 hours – depending on pace TERRAIN: Gravel paths, field edges, woodland paths, some pavement. One stile.

STOPS: Fynn Valley Café Terrace OS MAP: Explorer 197 and 211 START POINT OS REFERENCE: (Explorer 197) 182 491 Always keep your dog under close control and follow any advisory signs. As the first and last parts of this walk pass through Fynn Valley Golf Course please ensure that you are courteous of other users; for your own safety please wait if necessary while play progresses where the path crosses the fairways and please clear up after your dog.

Please download a map for reference before setting off by visiting www.essentialsuffolk.com/pub-walks-with-darcy 1. If possible park in the overflow carpark to the left of the entrance driveway. Our instructions start from this carpark. Follow the signs for ‘New access to Tenth Hole’ and as you leave the carpark turn right.

Follow the path – you will see buildings on your right, the path bends to the left beyond a hedge. Follow this path down through the golf course – please be alert to play going on around you. As you pass the red barn on your left the path continues bearing to the right around the perimeter of the course. As the path appears to run out at the sixteenth tee you pass across the tee and you will meet Strugglers Lane at the very edge of the course. There’s a small drop down to road level – we found it easiest to walk along the edge for 20 to 30 meters to a point where the ground levels are closer to each other to descend to the lane.

2. At Strugglers lane turn left, you’ll see the speed limit signs ahead.

3. At the road, cross to the pavement on the opposite side and turn right. Follow the path around to the War Memorial.

4. Turn left into Hall Lane and continue around to your left along the residential road (ignoring the footpath to Mill Lane).

5. At the end of the tarmac road there is a Ristricted Bridal Way marked ahead and a large metal gate (and Dog Waste Bin). Pass through the kissing gate beside the large gate and head across the meadow.

6. At the first line of trees, keep ahead into the next meadow.

7. Follow the path as it bends to the left through the trees. Cross the bridge over the stream (stile) and continue ahead until you meet a lane.

8. At the junction turn left passing Witnesham Hall on your left and over the ford in the road. The path bends to the right, passing Hall Farm Cottage on your right. Continue along the track.

9. As the path meets a field turn left. Eventually you will reach The Lodge on your right. Continue ahead, passing the white gates on your left.

A short distance ahead is a path to your left into ‘The Thicks’.

10. Follow the path through the woods (ignore other paths) it continues along a field edge before going back among trees. Keep your eyes peeled for the public footpath sign on your left where the footpath leaves the bridal way. (If you go too far you’ll find the path bends to the right and into a field).

11. The footpath continues through the famers field, at the end of the crop it continues along the grassy path towards Low Farm.

12. At the road turn left towards Cockfield Hall. After approx. 25 meters turn right taking the grassy footpath alongside another field.

Continue straight through the crop and at the hedge-line continue into the next field.

13. Turn right and follow the field edge round towards the houses in the distance.

14. At the corner of the field turn right and take the path around the farm buildings. The path brings you to some steps leading down to the road.

15. PLEASE TAKE CARE AT THIS POINT. Ensure your dog is under close control as you descend the steps and turn left along the road to meet the pavement where you crossed from Struggler’s lane at the beginning of the walk.

16. Cross the road and retrace your steps along Strugglers Lane and up through the golf course back to the Terrace.

Fynn Valley Café Terrace Our brand-new café is the place to be for a delicious breakfast, brunch or lunch, or just a catch up with friends and family over some coffee and homemade cakes.

With our stunning outdoor terrace and glass windows surrounding the café, you’ll experience picturesque views across our golf course whether sitting outdoors on our terrace or indoors.

Café open 8am to 8pm Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome outside on the terrace

Fridays@Fynn!

Fridays just became deliciously fun. This summer join us for Pizza from our new outdoor wood-fired oven, in partnership with Baytree Pizza. Pizza served from 5pm to 9pm, bar until 10:30pm. Every Friday, all summer.

Witnesham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 9JA 01473 785267 | www.fynnvalleyterrace.co.uk

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JU LY & A UG UST 201 9

Country Pub Perfection Part of the successful and popular Deben Inns portfolio The Fox Inn oozes its own unique charm and personality. Lesley Rawlinson visits the pretty village pub to find out more

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D I N IN G R E VI EW | T H E FO X I N N , N EW BOU RNE

As well as the comprehensive printed menu a rather helpful touch is an additional printed list of the blackboard specials; no having to memorise for the rest of the table or take a quick snapshot on the phone to peruse once back in one’s seat! Sipping on a cold glass of Pinot Grigio the selection process began in earnest.

I

t’s very satisfying when one of your favourite local pubs wins a much deserved award. I’ve always had a soft spot for The Fox – nestled alongside Newbourne Springs Nature Reserve it’s perfect for a pub dog walk, the welcome is always warm, the beer is kept well and with good food too we’re never disappointed. It was hardly surprising then to read that it had been declared the County Winner at the recent 2019 National Pub & Bar Awards.

But what is hard to believe, is that a little less than a year ago The Fox was in the headlines but for a very different reason. A serious fire had engulfed the kitchen at the much loved country pub during a fully packed Sunday lunch service. Everyone was swiftly and successfully evacuated and fast-working fire fighters hailed as heroes after preventing spread of the fire to the bar; preserving the ‘chocolate box’ façade.

While the Deben Inns team would, I’m sure, far rather put this distressing incident behind them, it is testament to their hard work and professionalism that so much has been achieved in such a short time. Within weeks food service had resumed with a temporary kitchen in place and over the winter the rebuilding project has also offered the opportunity to make some sympathetic improvements to the gardens and car park.

But back to the present. As with all of the pubs in the Deben Inns group, food is served from 9am to 9.30pm daily, and the full menu is available whether you prefer to sit in the bar, enjoy the garden or the restaurant.

However if you have a preference I recommend booking at busy times. We had booked a table in the restaurant – it’s a bright and airy space in contrast with the more cosy, traditional surroundings of the bar – and were shown to our table by the window.

There’s nothing mean about the portion sizes at The Fox, and the desserts are always delicious, but even so I couldn’t resist a starter. There’s a choice of really good pub staples on the list including prawn cocktail, baked camembert, smoked haddock fishcake with a poached egg and of course a soup, among other worthy contenders, but my eye went straight to the ‘specials’ list and what looked like a slightly lighter option of pan roasted scallops with a pulled pork croquette and butternut squash purée. Meanwhile Mr R diverted a fair way from his usual preferences and ordered tempura prawns with sweet chilli sauce.

peek at the menu and as some of the favourites are offered as ‘mini portions’ (as well as the regular sized helpings) how could we possibly refuse? My choice of caramelised lemon tart was served with fresh raspberries and raspberry sorbet and was joyous from the first mouthful to the last. Across the table a ‘mini’ portion of chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream rounded off our meal with a full house of winners.

Until now our favourite Fox outing had been to enjoy the legendry Sunday roast but this early summer outing has transcended even that heady height. If you haven’t enjoyed The Fox yet make sure you visit this summer.

Check the Deben Inns website for offers and also make sure you download the app to collect your reward points too.

This delicious combination of scallops, pulled pork and butternut squash has gone straight to the top of my list of recent favourites.

The scallops – so easy to overcook – were perfectly tender and well matched with the smoky pork. The butternut squash helped cut through the richness; a very well thought out combination indeed that I’ll be returning for.

Not to be overshadowed by their fishy cousins the more simply presented tempura prawns were equally well received – all very good indeed.

More very tempting pub favourites on the mains menu including Adnams beer battered cod with chips, steak burger, 10 ounce ribeye as well as steak, ale and mushroom pie. Mac ‘n’ cheese crumble – served with mixed salad and garlic bread sounded like comfort-food heaven but on this sunny summer evening I decided to continue the fishy theme and go for the seafood mixed grill. There was salmon, cod, seabass and king prawns, served with beautifully buttery crushed new potatoes and green vegetables. This was the first time I’d had mixed fish presented in this way and for me it was another winner. No batter, just delicate flavour combinations that made for a superb summer supper.

Across the table it was a blackboard choice; breast of duck with dauphinoise potatoes, raspberry and green peppercorn sauce and seasonal vegetables. Moist, succulent chunks of duck were paired very well with the raspberry and green peppercorn combination. More very well chosen and prepared accompaniments made for another all-round hit.

Did we have room for dessert? Vowing not to eat for the rest of the week we took another

INFORMATION The Fox Inn, The Street Newbourne, IP12 4NY 01473 736307 Open: Monday – Saturday 9am – 11.30pm, Sunday 9am – 10.30pm.

Food served all day, everyday. www.debeninns.co.uk/fox

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SAVOURY SENSATION Looking to impress your family or wow dinner guests? This savoury custard from the Sibton White Horse could be your show-stopper

Photograph: Vidoo Film

David Murty moved to Suffolk ten years ago and after cooking in Beccles for two years, David moved to a very enjoyable role at The Anchor at Walberswick. It was there that he really became enthused by fresh, local and seasonal produce. During his time at The Anchor, the kitchen team was awarded two AA Rosettes.

David’s career took another step forward when he teamed up with David Little at Satis House Hotel. With two AA Rosettes already in place, both David’s were involved with serving up some of the finest food in the region at the time. David stayed for three years furthering his skills.

Having spent a couple of years working in Southwold, David is back in a two Rosette team, happily heading the kitchen at the Sibton White Horse. He said “I’m really happy here, we’re a small operation with a massive passion for everything we do, I just love the ethos about the place”.

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C H E F’ S R EC I PE | S I BT O N WH IT E H ORSE

Baked Parmesan custard, roasted parsnip, charred peach, red vein sorrel, sultana and ginger jam, pecan crumble, maple dressing.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

90g grated Parmesan 125g cream cheese 2 medium eggs 100ml double cream Salt and pepper 250g stem ginger and syrup 275g sugar 50ml white vinegar 50g sultanas Small bottle maple syrup 25g pecans 2 peaches 1 parsnip Red sorrel leaves to garnish

Baked Parmesan Custard 1. Place 50g Parmesan, 125g cream cheese and 2 whole eggs into a blender and mix until smooth. Remove to a bowl and add 100ml of double cream and a pinch of salt and pepper, mix thoroughly.

2. Take four 200ml Dariole moulds and line with cling film. Pour the Parmesan mixture into the moulds until each is three quarters full.

3. Place moulds into a tray and filled with water, until moulds are about one third submerged.

Place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 180°C and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until set.

Sultana & Ginger Jam 1. Place 250g of stem ginger and syrup, 125g sugar, 50ml white vinegar, 75ml water and 50g sultanas into a pan and stir and slowly cook until thick.

2. Place into blender and blend until smooth.

Maple Dressing 1. Place 100ml water, 50g sugar and a splash of red wine vinegar into a pan and boil until the mixture starts to thicken.

2. Stir in the maple syrup to taste.

Allow to cool before serving.

Charred Peach 1. Halve and stone the peaches 2. Sprinkle with pinch of caster sugar and roast under a grill until soft.

Roasted Parsnip 1. Peel and cut the parsnip length ways into four.

2. Blanch the parsnip pieces until partially cooked.

3. Roast in the oven along with a little oil, salt and pepper until golden and fully cooked.

Pecan Crumble 1. Dissolve the 100g sugar into 50ml water, then boil until golden, do not stir.

2. Take off the heat and add the pecans and a pinch of salt.

3. Pour onto parchment paper and allow to cool.

4. Place in a food processer and blitz until small crumbs.

Parmesan Crisp 1. Take the remaining 40g of grated Parmesan and split into four small piles onto a baking sheet.

2. Melt under the grill until the cheese slightly changes colour. Allow to cool.

PRESENTATION Remove Parmesan custard from the mould and position in centre of plate, position peach, parsnip, crisp, sultana and ginger syrup using our photograph as your guide. Drizzle maple syrup and garnish with red sorrel leaves.

From kitchen to table everything created with our own fair hands Convivial and welcoming atmosphere, good choice of beer and wine, thoughtfully created menu – the perfect place for a light lunch or a three course meal.

Sibton White Horse Inn, Halesworth Road, Sibton, Suffolk IP17 2JJ. T: 01728 660337 Lunch served 12 – 2pm, Dinner served 6.30 – 9pm Closed Monday and Tuesday Lunch

Awarded 2 AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence 2019 The Good Pub Guide – Suffolk Dining Pub of 2019

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Dining at THE CHEF’S TABLE

Bury St Edmunds has something of a reputation for restaurants but if you are looking for fine dining and something really special The Chef’s Table at The Northgate is without a doubt the place to eat. Anne Gould investigates

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D I NI N G R E VIE W | TH E N O RT HG ATE

C

hefs have become something like superstars in recent years and the magic they work, as a result of years of toil and long unsocial hours learning and refining their craft, has finally been recognised. And so in a number of restaurants diners are invited into the kitchen to see these Gods at work and to soak in the creativity of their genius.

flavourings. We started with spiced onion and potato with black garlic mayonnaise – a perfect and not too spicy mouthful to get the taste buds going. Served alongside it was wholemeal bread made from Pakenham Mill flour and butter, meanwhile, my glutenfree toast was accompanied by a truly inspired green dip made from rapeseed oil and dill.

The Northgate in Bury St Edmunds is an exceptional, beautiful small hotel, a stone’s throw from the Abbey Gardens, Angel Hill and St Edmundsbury Cathedral and offers just such a service. Seated at high tables and stools it affords a view over a canopied terrace but also allows you to watch all the action in the kitchen, which is run by head chef Greig Young.

Next was a most exquisitely beautiful starter; a combination of pastel perfection with delicately sliced kohlrabi, mooli and lemon garnished with parsley and dill. Tucked underneath in contrasting pink was delicately cured, chopped trout.

Forget the loud crashing kitchen performances and shouting you might have witnessed on TV, The Northgate kitchen appears more like a synchronised dance that flows to a beautiful, quiet culinary harmony.

But then Greig has an air of Zen about him which is maybe why he creates an eating experience that is like no other.

Diners can choose from the a la carte menu or experience the Chefs Table, described as the ultimate dining experience for food lovers. This special Chef’s Choice menu can be anywhere between five and nine courses starting at £45 a head, but if you want to partake of course booking ahead is advised.

We came with the added complication that on doctor’s orders I am currently both dairy and wheat free; a combination that can stifle creativity for everyday eating. But such is Greig’s talent that at no point did I feel I was missing out because his food combinations are simply incredible.

We sampled the five-course menu and throughout the food was balanced perfectly with concentrations of herbs and unusual

Then we moved on to a tomato salad – a mixture of many coloured skinless tomatoes; red, yellow and green with olives and served with burnt leek and honey dressing. Seriously this was a taste sensation. Greig has taken the much loved but humble tomato to a whole new level. I’d happily eat this again and again.

We’d had three courses already but they were so light and refreshing that it was a delight looking forward to what came next.

And so the lamp rump arrived looking pink, juicy and tender accompanied by roast cauliflower and baby gem lettuce. It was magnificent. It was also the first time I have tried grilled lettuce and it won’t be the last.

As with all the ingredients Greig has chosen widely from fresh and locally available produce and the Colne Valley lamb (from just over the border in Essex) was of exceptional quality. I haven’t tasted anything that good for many years.

Pudding was perfect for this time of year; a combination of strawberries and ice-cream but of course not the sort of combo you’d put together at home. There was strawberry sorbet, sorrel ice cream, strawberry ketchup and poached strawberries too. Was I missing the cream and dairy – absolutely not!

To finish with our coffee and mint tea was a wonderful touch that has become something of a signature for Greig, a red fruit and basil macaroon served on a bed of dried hibiscus flowers (check out the hotel website for a picture). It tastes as good as it looks.

For those who are staying overnight and those who don’t have to drive The Northgate boasts a rather magnificent cocktail bar if you want to precede your meal with a relaxing aperitif on the large garden terrace – which is also perfect for al fresco dining, rare in the heart of Bury. There are carefully curated whisky and gin selections from near and far featuring gin made in Cambridge to elderflower additions that are grown in the hotel’s back garden.

I sampled a non-alcoholic G&T which was surprisingly very much like the real thing albeit that it was a little sweet for my taste while my sister-in-law chose a Cucumber Highball which came in a ceramic Stein-like container and was delicious.

As with all things at The Northgate, there’s a similarly carefully chosen wine list available by the glass or the bottle.

INFORMATION The Northgate, Northgate Street Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1HP 01284 339604 Info@thenorthgate.com www.thenorthgate.com

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CELEBRATING

1

7

YEARS 1992-2

0

Let’s Celebrate...

There really shouldn't have to be a reason to get together with friends and family.

From a baby shower to the biggest of birthdays; whatever the occasion, our dedicated team look forward to helping you make it everything you want it to be.

Ideally located just 2 minutes from the A12, with free parking and complimentary Wi-Fi. t. 01394 383555 ext.325

e. events@uffordpark.co.uk

w. www.uffordpark.co.uk

Yarmouth Road | Melton | Woodbridge | Suffolk | IP12 1QW

WI NE

Local man makes good... as well as excellent wines!

David Rowledge

I

t must be nigh on thirty years since I first encountered David Rowledge, Managing Director of Alchemy Wines. He joined Adnams Wine Merchants back in the early 1990s, a year or two after my arrival in Southwold, and quickly took responsibility for the ‘Agency’ side of the business, selling a portfolio of wines from New World greats, such as Ridge and Saintsbury from California and Cullen, Mountadam and Yarra Yering in Australia, plus a fistful of wineries in Europe, South America and New Zealand. Having travelled the world visiting them all, he then set about positioning their wines in top restaurants, supermarket chains and merchants across the globe. In due course, David had absorbed, in every sense of the word, enough wine knowledge to set forth eventually under his own steam in 2002, launching his own endeavour, Alchemy Wines.

My own career path was not totally dissimilar.

It would not necessarily appeal to everyone but David and I share an ethos and I find it hard to imagine why anybody with a sense of taste and adventure wouldn’t want to work in – or visit – wineries and vineyards around the world. Even picking grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the bitter cold of

an October morning, where frosted fingers refused to work, I still felt I was living the life.

A little discomfort just seemed part of the deal. And it was easily balanced by the many upsides, such as the occasion when working in Germany in the mid-1970s, my winegrowing village reached its 1000th birthday and I was included in the extravagant and exclusive celebrations, partaking of the very last bottles from the state-owned winery.

For the record, they contained the 1921 Ockfener Bockstein Trockenbeerenauslese.

An extremely rare mouthful of Riesling, and a piece of vinous history.

A year later, I packed up my secateurs and pipette, moved back to the UK and joined what was then the fledgling English wine ‘industry’ in Suffolk. Here I made several important discoveries, like the Low House in Laxfield and my first introduction to Adnams Bitter, which led to possibly the most significant revelation – which was that Adnams was also a leading purveyor of iconic wines. By coincidence, their award-winning list happened to include a handful of top Rieslings, at a time when the world and his father were busy assuming that German wines consisted solely of Blue Nun and Piesporter, so it was only a matter of time and inevitability before I was drawn to Southwold to work.

I continued to travel the vineyards of Northern Europe but this time under the auspices of Adnams and in the company of like-minded wine aficionados, including, in due course – the young David Rowledge. Gradually, however, it became clear that the life of a conventional merchant was not for him and he duly left the Adnams’ mother ship. At the time, we thought he was mad but through a series of recent coincidences and tastings, our paths have crossed again, and I now realise

by wine expert, Rob Chase

that his vocation was more to do with vinification. For many years, wineries have focused on making the wine that they wanted to sell. David, however, is primarily interested in the creation of wines that people want to buy – and drink; a subtle but significant difference and one that he set out to address when he launched Alchemy Wines. He has been looking through the telescope from the other end, and is now collaborating with his winemakers to tailor their wines specifically for his clients and their palates – and what they actually want to drink.

No one is suggesting that Ipswich-based David and his cosmopolitan band of highly talented winemakers are alchemists. The dictionary, however, defines alchemy not only as the study of how to turn base metals into gold, but also as the pursuit of a universal elixir, a target that two of Alchemy’s European winemakers are certainly embracing under David’s direction. Serbianborn Boris Kovac settled in the Languedoc– Roussillon twenty years ago. He now owns a vineyard in the Agly Valley and has become a highly sought-after contract wine-maker. Then there’s Fernando Castro, who manages the family’s 380 hectares of vines in the central Spanish region of La Mancha. The winery, Bodegas Fernando Castro, was established over 120 years ago, and is home to all the technical gizmos and wizardry that Fernando needs to work his magic. Between them, Fernando, Boris and David are very well placed to continue crafting their outstanding, value-for-money wines. Having tasted some seriously delicious creations recently, I was enthused to hear plans to heighten their presence for winelovers in Suffolk. Watch this space for a series of wine adventures – or visit www.alchemywines.co.uk

ESSENTIAL SUFFOLK SUMMER OFFER 10% off all Alchemy wines for Essential Suffolk readers when you either call or order online.

D&B Rosé 2018 (75cl) Syrah / Grenache, Southern France £12.99 – arrived in the UK in late May – perfect for Summer drinking!

After delicate crushing and destemming, this charming Syrah/Grenache Rosé blend is made from free run gentle press juice. The juice is fermented at low temperatures to maintain flavour and layers of complexity. Pale in colour and full of red summer fruit aromas of strawberries and raspberries. The hints of cherry and spice on the palate lead to a crisp, long, refreshing finish.

Please use code ‘Essential 10’ when placing the order on online or please call 01473 290244 to speak to either David or Rebecca – (even better – pop in and visit us and discuss your wine needs both personal and trade!)

INFORMATION Alchemy Wines Ltd, Unit 3, Beta Terrace Masterlord Business Park, Ipswich, IP3 9SX 01473 290244 | info@alchemywines.co.uk www.alchemywines.co.uk

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The Maybush

Kingfishers

The Maybush Inn sits on the banks of the Deben in Waldringfield. The busy riverside pub and restaurant affords panoramic views across the river and beyond. The Maybush has become famous for its excellent food offering with a wide range and varied menu including local game, meats and fresh seafood. Vegetarian options and children’s menu available. Food offers are available throughout the week. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week from 9am. See our website for details.

Our bar, restaurant and terrace have been thoughtfully designed as a welcoming and stylish haven for relaxed indoor and outdoor dining. Fresh, local plates of food to cater for all, so if it’s a breakfast, Sunday lunch, a romantic evening or afternoon tea, you will find what you are looking for. We make all of our bread in house and keep our food miles to a minimum. Family friendly and dogs welcome in our bar area.

Open: 7 days a week 9am – 11pm Food served 9am – 9.30pm daily

Open: Bar open: Mon to Thurs from 7.30am, Fri to Sun from 7am. Food service: Mon to Weds 9am – 3pm, Thurs & Fri 9am – 9pm, Sat 7.30am – 9pm, Sun 7.30am – 5.30pm

Boardwalk Restaurant At Southwold Pier

Excellent cooking and unbeatable views meet at the Boardwalk Restaurant. Whether you’re catching up with friends for tea, treating your family to lunch, enjoying a special evening à deux, or simply here on the spur of the moment – you’re assured of a wonderful meal.

Everything we serve is freshly made by talented, passionate chefs using seasonal local produce. Our menus change throughout the year to ensure variety and the best flavours.

Open: Brunch Menu 9.30am to 11.30am, Lunch Menu from 12pm (daily), Dinner Menu available until 8.30pm (Saturday). Afternoon Tea 2.30pm to 4.30pm daily – advanced booking essential. Times vary seasonally.

The Maybush, Cliff Road, Waldringfield, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4QL

Swan Lane, Cretingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 7BA

Southwold Pier North Parade, Southwold

01473 736215 maybush@debeninns.co.uk www.debeninns.co.uk

01728 685275 info@kingfisherscretingham.co.uk www.kingfisherscretingham.co.uk

01502 722105 restaurantmanager@southwoldpier.co.uk www.southwoldpier.co.uk

The Fox

The Coach & Horses

Ufford Park

Imagine a chocolate box style village pub, beaming with pinkness, beautiful tranquil gardens and flowers around the door.

Add a loyal and friendly clientele and great food and you’ll wish you had discovered us sooner. Fine locally sourced food is offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week from 9am and this is complemented by an ever changing range of guest ales and wines. See our website for details of our menus.

The Coach & Horses located just outside of Woodbridge, has extremely good access to the A12 with ample parking. Originally a staging inn or coach house, it’s historical role is equally well served today providing great family food. We offer a great combination of quality, value and atmosphere that the Deben Inns are renowned for. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week from 9am. See our website for details of our menus.

Open every day, The Park Restaurant offers a relaxed atmosphere, local produce and a seasonally-changing menu. You can enjoy Sunday Lunch in both the restaurant and bar and this is priced accordingly. Afternoon Tea is served throughout the year and this is priced at just £19 per person. Looking for somewhere to hold your family party or a special occasion? We are able to help you plan a menu and can accommodate all party sizes. Open to all; families welcome.

Open: 7 days a week 9am – 11pm Food served 9am – 9.30pm daily

Open: 7 days a week 9am – 11pm Food served 9am – 9.30pm daily

Open: Monday to Sunday 6.30pm – 9.30pm.

Sunday Lunch in The Park Restaurant served 12 noon – 4pm

The Fox, The Street, Newbourne, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4NY

The Coach & Horses, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1PD

Ufford Park, Yarmouth Road, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1QW

01473 736307 fox@debeninns.co.uk www.debeninns.co.uk

01394 384851 coachandhorses@debeninns.co.uk www.debeninns.co.uk

0844 847 9467 reception@uffordpark.co.uk www.uffordpark.co.uk

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FO O D G A LL E RY

Butt & Oyster

The Artisan Smokehouse

The Butt & Oyster is one of the best known public houses in Suffolk renowned for its good beer, good food and great views.

As you eat watch the changing tides on traditional timeless shores. Understand an artist’s inspiration with Thames barges, swans and the river, enjoying the finest Suffolk ales whilst being tempted by the wonderful aromas which welcome you.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week from 9am. See our website for details of our menus.

Set in the lovely village of Falkenham, near Felixstowe, with wonderful countryside views.

Join us in our licensed café, where all the smoked foods are hand-made on site. Enjoy breakfast, coffee & cake, and light meals including smoked meat and fish platters, cheese boards, sandwiches and salads.

While you’re here why not grab something to take home from our deli, which stocks a wide range of products, including our own award-winning smoked foods.

Café & Deli

The Fountain Just three miles north of Ipswich in Tuddenham St Martin a warm welcome awaits at our informal bistro style restaurant.

Enjoy the atmosphere of a 16th century country pub with great food, great service and great value. Full A La Carte menu plus set price menus available daily. Our ever changing ‘Specials’ can be found on our website. Covered heated patio and spacious beer garden. Now serving coffee, cakes and brunch from 9.30am to 2pm daily.

Open: 7 days a week 9am – 11pm Food served 9am – 9.30pm daily

Open: Thursday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm.

Please see website for variations in opening.

Food served all day – breakfast until 11.30am

Open: Monday to Friday: Brunch 9:30am – 2pm, Dinner 6pm – 9pm.

Saturdays: Brunch 9:30am – 2pm, Dinner 6pm – 9.30pm.

Sunday: Food service from 12 – 7pm

Butt & Oyster, Pin Mill, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 1JW

The Artisan Smokehouse, Goose Barn, Back Road, Falkenham, Suffolk, IP10 0QR

The Fountain, The Street, Tuddenham St. Martin, Suffolk, IP6 9BT

01473 780764 buttandoyster@debeninns.co.uk www.debeninns.co.uk

01394 448414 info@artisansmokehouse.co.uk www.artisansmokehouse.co.uk

01473 785377 fountainpub@btconnect.com www.tuddenhamfountain.co.uk

The Randolph

Sibton White Horse

Fynn Valley

Located in the heart of the peaceful village of Reydon, just a 15 minute stroll from Britain’s quintessential seaside town of Southwold; The Randolph provides the perfect base for exploring the heritage coast and offers a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Situated in the pretty Suffolk Village of Sibton, this beautiful 16th-century pub has a wealth of charm and an abundance of character. Enjoy delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere in the bar or restaurant areas.

Recently awarded 2 AA Rosettes, the food at the Sibton White Horse is freshly prepared using the local fresh and seasonal ingredients from Suffolk producers. Take one of the many local walks and build an appetite for lunch – best to book a table just in case it’s busy.

In the countryside just outside Ipswich, the new Fynn Valley Café Terrace and The Venue catering for weddings, celebrations, private & Christmas parties, charity events, conferences & more is where your event is uniquely designed by you and created by us. It is the ‘place for taste’ with delicious, locally sourced, breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or just coffee and homemade cake.

Picturesque views across our golf course.

Open to ALL – Non-members very welcome.

Open: 11am – 11pm, 7 days a week. Food served 12pm – 2pm and 6.30pm – 9pm

Open: Food served lunchtimes 12 – 2pm Wednesday to Saturday (2.30 on Sunday).

Evenings 6.30 – 9pm Monday to Saturday, 7.00 – 8.30pm Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday lunchtimes.

Open: 8am – 6pm every day Food served 8am – 4pm Please check our website for what’s on and events as opening and food service hours will vary.

The Randolph, 41 Wangford Road, Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk, IP18 6PZ

Sibton White Horse, Halesworth Road, Sibton, Nr. Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 2JJ

Fynn Valley, Witnesham, Ipswich Suffolk, IP6 9JA

01502 723603 reception@therandolph.co.uk www.therandolph.co.uk

01728 660337 info@sibtonwhitehorseinn.co.uk www.sibtonwhitehorseinn.co.uk

01473 785267 enquiries@fynnvalleyterrace.co.uk www.fynnvalleyterrace.co.uk

NEW! Week Day Warmer: Every Monday to Friday Lunch 12 noon – 2pm 2 courses and a drink* – £15 per person 3 courses and a drink* – £17.50 per person (*Soft drink, 125ml house wine or ½ pint draught beer. Menu options change weekly)

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

Shopping for new sofas and chairs?

Take a look at these ideas from leading local independent retailers

SUITE TREATS

New Delta range includes storage stool £254.99, chair £509.99, two seater sofa £749.99 and three seater sofa £799.99 Glasswells

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H O ME S & I N T ER IO RS

Generous proportions with perfectly curved lines and a high back will offer supreme levels of comfort. Coastal charm is still in vogue so mix soft stripes, checks and pastels to create your look.

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This stunning high back arm chair is handmade

by British craftsmen and with a choice of more than 160 fabrics will suit any home offering a large, comfortable additional seat.

Heather striped arm chair, sale price from £499 Harpers Heather arm chair, sale price from £499 Harpers

Accent Chairs can be fun as well as functional. deal for the bedroom or living room these stylish chairs are the perfect accompaniment to any interior.

Camden accent chair, sale price from £299 Harpers

Timeout leather swivel chair, was £1649 now from £1399 Barretts

Margate accent chair, sale price from £199 Harpers

Looking for something different? Handmade to your requirements in Sweden, this almost impossibly comfortable range of swivel recliners and footstools are available in a dazzling selection of fabrics, leathers and sheepskin. You can choose the colour of your base and your wood frame as well as your seat and back height, to fully customize your comfort.

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H O ME S & I N T ER IO RS

Pastels have been popular in recent years, but 2019 looks set to be the year that greys and neutrals are broken up with blush, dusty pink tones and delicate floral prints across the home, creating a more muted, refined look. Pink is a soothing, happy colour and has been traditionally associated with nurturing and femininity, but when used with greys or a cooler base tone, today’s pinks are all grown up!

Essential SUFFOLK

always proud ~ to feature ~

LOCAL RETAILERS

Extra large Townsend sofa (fabric grade C) £999.99 Glasswells

STOCKISTS Barretts of Woodbridge 40-42 Thoroughfare, Woodbridge. T: 01394 384300 www.barretts.co.uk Glasswells Ranelagh Road, Ipswich or Newmarket Road Bury St Edmunds. T: 01473 253164 www.glasswells.co.uk Harpers Furniture Star Lane, Ipswich. T: 01473 213858 www.harpersfurniyure.co.uk

Essential

SUFFOLK READERS OFFER

10% OFF CODE ESS10

The Slouch Sofa

Scandanavian Style – Handmade in England

• • • •

10 Year Frame Warranty Frames hand-picked…

Sprung base A choice of over 180 fabrics to select from

Sofa Prices from

£849

Star Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1JN 01473 213858 Monday to Saturday 10am – 5.30pm Sunday 11am – 4.30pm www.harpersfurniture.co.uk

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CELEBRATING FIFTY YEARS

OF BEAUTIFUL HOME FURNISHINGS, AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE, WITH SPECIAL OFFERS ACROSS THE STORE, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

G ARD E NING

INSPIRED

BY NATURE

Garden Lovers flock to the big flower shows of summer for inspiration, to spot upcoming trends and to admire the work of professional designers.

Catharine Howard, garden designer and plantswoman reviews Chelsea

Dianthus cruentus

Lycnis flies cuculi

Seed heads

“The shrub is now widely regarded a little more than a jumped-up weed, a ragamuffin haunter of dung-heaps and drains.” This is how Richard Mabey describes the common elder (Sambucus nigra) in his ‘Flora Britannica’. Despite the fact that people chase it for its flowers for cordial and are happy to grow the filigree black cultivars in their gardens, the poor old elder has been pretty much universally shunned. I did a double take to see it in one of the show gardens at Chelsea Flower show this year.

At Chelsea it had become the plant of the moment, appearing on the roof of a magenta structure in the Montessori garden and was to be seen on many stands, as was Red Campion which is the same shade of pink and is flowering in our hedgerows as I write.

have bought the co-respondent yellow and mauve shouty lupin Manhattan but I am going to sow seeds of less highly bred forms in future.

I got to the Royal Hospital grounds by joining the dog walkers and joggers on the south bank of the Thames. Where the wide path curves round to meet the main road, the shaded banks have been covered in ferns, love lies bleeding, bistorts and brown carex in broad swathes to cover the ground. Amongst all this, large patches of Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos cuculi) pink frilly petals shiver in the breeze and look stunning against the gun metal grey of the bridge. This shy native plant likes the fringes of woodland, dappled shade and wet ground. It grows here in Suffolk in discrete patches round Framlingham’s Mere.

Design borrowed from a native palette of plants was dominant right round the show.

Thomas Hoblyn, a well established designer from Suffolk had been commissioned by Dubai to make a garden inspired by the beauty of arid places. Amongst the plants were parsnips and wild carrots. These are umbellifers – think cow parsley and dance outwards into a whole range of flowers for cutting, sometimes edible roots and magnets for bees and other pollinators.

This theme of natural plants made for a quiet palette of flowers. They were none the less lovely for this. The Roots in Finland garden had sheets of faded blue lupins – they grow abundantly in southern Finland carpeting the edge of fields. To grow there represents a challenge with the dramatic change in daylight hours and temperatures. In my time I

From the Balkans comes Dianthus cruentus.

It is a pink but nothing like the old fashioned blowsy scented Mrs Sinkins, blood pink single flowers are held on drumsticks above bluey green grass leaves. Hoblyn had used this artfully as little pinpricks of red to stand out against the whites and yellows.

Distillers have become keen sponsors of Chelsea show gardens. On the Warners Distillery stand a man was preparing to mix gin as I passed by at 10am. The interesting thing was not the time but the tactile and alluring clover sward that took up the front of the stand, underneath a fine apple tree. It is really excellent that the tyranny of tidiness is on the way out.

There are always lustrous exhibits by nurseries in the Grand Pavilion that dominates the show ground. In years past I helped a Suffolk nursery set up its stand so know that it is an

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Iris sibirica Caeser’s Brother

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G ARD E NING

Thomas Hoblyn Dubai garden showing wild carrot flowers

Blue lupins

Montessori garden with Ragged Robin on roof

enormous labour of love to bring an exhibition to Chelsea. You can read up in Beth Chatto’s Garden Notebook of the months of planning and growing that go into making a small stand. For that reason the great nurseries come and go and give way to newcomers.

However, the same nursery stands have siberican irises also in full spate and these are breathtaking in their quiet beauty, are truly blue and are easy to grow in a variety of soils.

I am definitely adding Iris sibirica Caeser’s Brother to my collection.

better? Summer lavender spires or rusty winter fingers reaching skywards?

Each year there are some really good woodland stands. It is Meconopsis betonicifolia flowering time. These are the blue poppies. I always go and worship them and hurry away before ordering a plant that simply is not suited to a dry Suffolk garden.

A striking stand of nothing but dead stems caught my eye on the way out. I have been gardening for so long that the autumn chop back has been thrown out with that tidy tyranny mind set. Stems overwintering can be beautiful. One of my favourite plants is Veronicastrum lavendelturm but which is

Chelsea 2019 was quietly thought provoking until I met a man who gave me a leaflet: ‘Ornamental Plants: Our Future Invaders?’

Uneasy: will report back.

INFORMATION Catharine Howard is a designer, gardener and plantswoman with many years of creating and renovating gardens.

For a consultation or garden design contact her at: www.catharinehoward.co.uk

Garden watering made easy Karcher Premium irrigation kit £39.99

Ask Elmers “

It’s important to choose the right products to carefully look after your garden in the dry summer months. The team at Elmers are here, ready to help and advise you

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Says Paul Elmer, Owner

Harcostar 227ltr Waterbutt kit (includes stand, down pipe diverter, tap & lid) £39.99

Claber Kiros 30mtr hose reel & hose £24.99

Claber compact Metal16 lawn sprinkler £15.99

Elmers Hardware | 59-61 Edmonton Road | Kesgrave | Suffolk | 01473 623381 | www.elmershardware.co.uk

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AN T IQ U E S & AU C TI O NS

DO YOU KNOW YOUR PARQUETRY FROM YOUR MARQUETRY? The brain is a very odd thing – or at least it is in my case! When copies of a previous issue of Essential Suffolk were delivered to our office I was struck by the beauty of the iris on the front cover.

For some reason my thought processes moved swiftly on to think about the equally delicate nature of inlay seen in the designs of special pieces of furniture and ornaments. In certain cases, this craftsmanship can produce spellbindingly beautiful results.

In cabinet making once a design has been established, individual pieces of thin veneer are cut from a variety of woods, some of which are rare and exotic, to create the distinctive pattern required. The veneers can include ivory or bone as well as mother of pearl to achieve the desired effect.

So, this is where we need to differentiate between marquetry and parquetry. The similar sounding endings to the words are indeed matched by the level of skills involved in each case but not in terms of the actual designs.

James Neal

The concept is the creation of decorative images with subjects including, but in no way limited to, landscapes, figures, animals, still life, etc in respect of marquetry while decorative patterns and designs are involved where parquetry is concerned.

In marquetry work the individual shaped veneers may be stained or coloured in some way to enhance a design while the area of the object being inlaid can vary dramatically from a small section to whole panels. In the finest pieces the inlay might be in boulle work where tortoiseshell is the medium and gilded brass or ormolu mounts raise the importance of the object to an even higher level.

Parquetry often achieves the desired effect by using repeated shapes to create a more intricate pattern. For example, triangles, lozenges, herringbone or squares are inlaid sometimes in different coloured woods to achieve a 3-D effect. Parquet flooring, by contrast, uses much thicker panels of wood yet also laid in a geometric pattern.

Those of you who know me well will realise that this type of craftsmanship is way above the operating basis of my brain!

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Move in with us REVELLS REMOVALS & STORAGE UK – EUROPE – WORLDWIDE Eastlands Industrial Estate, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4LL 01728 830849 | info@revells-removals.co.uk

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P R OPE RT Y

Essential

PROPERTY 64 65 67 69 70

Savills Clarke & Simpson Fenn Wright Jackson Stops Hopkins Homes 66 Sibton

68 Coddenham

72 Eye

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Hasketon, Nr Woodbridge Price on application

Fressingfield, Nr Harleston £775,000

An impressive Victorian farmhouse with grounds of over 8 acres, occupying a stunning position on the outskirts of the village of Hasketon. 2 receps, playroom/study, kitchen/breakfast room, pantry, boot room, utility room, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room & 2 cloaks. Master bedroom with en-suite shower room, 6 further bedrooms, 2 dressing rooms & 2 bathrooms. Traditional Suffolk barn & separate range of former stables. Ref: 6112

A beautifully presented Grade II Listed principal house, located in the centre of this desirable village.

Open plan drawing room & dining room, sitting room, open plan kitchen & breakfast room, study, garden room, boot/utility room & cloakroom. Feature landing, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms & shower room. Attic bedroom. Driveway & outbuildings.

Landscaped front garden & large rear garden extending to approx one third of an acre. Ref: 6186

Great Glemham, Nr Framlingham £700,000

Cranley Green, Eye £625,000

An attractive Victorian house requiring modernization, along with 2 modern agricultural buildings & land extending to just under 9.5 acres. Hallway, kitchen, larder, garden room, downstairs bathroom, dining room & sitting room. Currently 5 first floor bedrooms. Gardens of half an acre. Farmland of 8.8 acres with yard that includes 2 modern agricultural buildings, 1 measuring 39' x 44' and the other 58' x 24'. EPC = F Ref: 6191

A Grade II listed substantial manor house, requiring renovation, in grounds of over half an acre, in a rural position a mile & half from Eye. Kitchen, pantry, utility room, dining room, sitting room, conservatory, study & boot room/ground floor bedroom 7 with en-suite shower room. Cellar.

6 first floor bedrooms, bathroom & storeroom. Store buildings & workshop. EPC = G Ref: 6155

Horham, Nr Eye £475,000

Worlingworth, Nr Framlingham £435,000

A beautifully presented 3 bedroom single-storey dwelling standing in grounds of an acre & enjoying field views. Hallway, sitting room, kitchen/dining room & utility. Bedroom 1 with en-suite bathroom, 2 further bedrooms & shower room. South facing landscaped garden, courtyard & meadow.

EPC = D Ref: 6174

A Grade II listed, timber-framed, detached cottage located in the heart of the popular village of Worlingworth. Sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility & cloakroom. 2 first floor bedrooms & family bathroom. Master bedroom with en-suite shower on the second floor. Enclosed gardens to front & rear. Separate log cabin. Off-road parking for several vehicles & carport. Ref: 6192

Woodbridge Town Centre £375,000

Cransford, Nr Framlingham £290,000

A charming Grade II Listed Victorian house that now requires updating, with courtyard garden & car parking, located in the centre of Woodbridge. 18' sitting room & 19' kitchen/dining room. 3 bedrooms & bathroom. Enclosed courtyard garden. Brick outbuilding. Driveway & car parking. Ref: 6187

A picturesque semi-detached cottage located within the village of Cransford. Porch, sitting room, study, dining room, kitchen, utility room & downstairs shower room. 3 first floor bedrooms & cloakroom.

Mature front & rear gardens. Off-road parking. Garage with workshop. EPC = E Ref: 6167

Clarke and Simpson, Well Close Square, Framlingham, Suffolk, IP13 9DU

T: 01728 724200

www.clarkeandsimpson.co.uk

JULY & AUGUST 201 9

Brick Kiln Farm Facts Location: Sibton Price: £1,150,000 Agent: Jackson-Stops

Suffolk Farmhouse Enjoying a tranquil setting in the heart of rural Suffolk, set at the end of a long drive amidst 15 acres, Brick Kiln Farm comprises a restored Suffolk farmhouse, with an impressive flexible use function barn complex.

The picturesque 17th Century farmhouse itself features three reception rooms, four bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms and a kitchen, plus utility and cloak room.

Listed Grade II, it has been sympathetically restored and extended by the present owners and displays a wealth of exposed timbers and has open brick fireplaces and both brick and wood boarded flooring.

From the house there are delightful views across the natural and wildflower gardens.

Next to the farmhouse, its original timber frame and brick barn range has been converted by the present owners to a high

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standard multi-purpose function barn, arranged around a central courtyard. The main timber frame barn with its full height front timber doors is open to the roof apex. There is underfloor heating, a mezzanine gallery and a modern lighting management system.

Attached either side of the barn are brick and pan tile wings providing further multipurpose function space as well as a range of cloakrooms and a fully equipped commercial kitchen complete with built in extractor and sink units. The barn has been used by the present vendors for a variety of functions including music recitals, a licensed wedding venue, exhibitions, dining and courses.

Also outside is a large ‘tractor’ barn to the side of which is a pleached lime tree and boxed hedged avenue. There is a productive and well managed kitchen garden with a

variety of raised beds, greenhouses and polytunnels together with a fruit cage and chicken run. At the end is a potting shed and a multipurpose workshop barn (30ft x 25ft) with the benefit of light, power and water being connected. There is also a range of former pigsties.

Lying beyond the farmhouse on three sides are a series of well-kept grassland meadows sheltered and enclosed by mature hedgerows which are interspersed with mature oak and ash trees. A unique custom built elevated hedge house sits within one of the hedges and affords through views over the meadows and countryside beyond. In all the property extends to 15.5 acres.

INFORMATION Jackson Stops 01473 218218

fennwright.co.uk signaturesuffolk@fennwright.co.uk

Woodbridge

Burgh

An individual, detached family house enlarged and modernised with a contemporary twist and set in about two thirds of an acre (sts), occupying a semi-rural position on a quiet lane.

An exceptional Grade II* Listed townhouse restored and refined to a very high standard enjoying southerly views over its walled garden and Elmhurst Park to the Sutton bank of the river in the distance.

Guide Price £675,000

• Close to Woodbridge & Grundisburgh • three bedrooms, study/ bedroom four • Open plan living area with bi-fold doors • Two further reception rooms • Mature gardens & summer house • Garage & Carport • EPC rating E

Woodbridge

• Prime position in the heart of the town • Bespoke Neptune kitchen • South facing walled garden • Five bedrooms, three en-suites • Two storey coach house • Joint agent, Jackson-Stops • EPC rating Exempt

Guide Price £1,750,000

Woodbridge A prime development opportunity to change the current Grade II single storey building to a dwelling and the redevelopment of the car park to provide a pair of two storey, three-bedroom houses.

This stunning detached family house is situated in a fantastic position within easy reach of the town centre and both Woodbridge and Farlingaye High Schools.

• Kitchen/dining room • Three reception rooms • Family bathroom, en-suite, cloakroom • Plot approaching a third of an acre • Double garage & parking • Separate workshop • EPC rating C

Guide Price £795,000

Buttermarket, Ipswich

01473 232 700

• Planning & listed building consent • Saleroom converts to a four bedroom home • Sheltered walled garden • New build houses are of a traditional design • Private garden to each property • Parking for each property • EPC rating exempt

Guide Price £1,000,000

Main Road, Kesgrave

01473 358 400

Quayside, Woodbridge

01394 333 346

JULY & AUGUST 201 9

Choppins Hill Cottage Facts Location: Coddenham Price: £510,000 Agent: Clarke & Simpson

Idyllic Country Cottage Choppins Hill Cottage is a charming four bedroom timbered framed country cottage, rich with period features including beams, inglenooks and of course a garden to match.

The current owners have carried out superb works to the property in recent years including a two-storey rear extension that has reclaimed timbers.

Internally, there is a cosy sitting room, a dining room with study area, a kitchen/ breakfast room with Rayburn stove, as well as a downstairs bathroom and cloakroom.

On the first floor are four bedrooms, two of which are currently used as studies.

In addition is a shower room.

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Outside, there is tandem parking for two vehicles and a delightful garden with southwest facing views over an adjacent field.

The property is approached off a small lane via a shared driveway serving Choppins Hill Cottage and the adjacent farmhouse.

To the front of the cottage is a delightful south-east facing garden with beds, shrubs and an area of lawn. Steps and a path lead to the front door and the shingle path continues around the south-western side of the cottage, which enjoys views over open fields. Immediately to the rear of the cottage is a gravelled courtyard area with a pergola, flowerbeds and patio tubs. From here, a shingle path leads past three garden sheds

to the main gardens, which are arranged as a series of different ‘rooms’.

The first is a formal lawn with flower beds, mature trees and two seating areas. Beyond is a woodland garden with bark path bordered on both sides by wild flowers, shrubs and trees. This leads to a small orchard with wild flowers and a summerhouse enjoying lovely views over the adjacent farmland. At the end of the plot is a small, enclosed vegetable garden.

In all, the grounds extend to approximately a third of an acre.

INFORMATION Clarke & Simpson 01728 724200

nEwBouRnE

CoddEnHam

● 5 bedrooms ● 3 bathrooms ● Garaging range with potential annexe

● 2 reception rooms & study ● Kitchen open to dining/garden room

● Set in a tranquil & woodland oasis ● 2 reception rooms ● Gardens & woodland grounds ● About 4 acres

● Charming & beautifully appointed Grade II Listed house

● 4 double bedrooms ● 2 bathrooms ● Cart Lodge range ● About 3 acres

GuidE £850,000

REndHam

BildESton

● 4 reception rooms ● 7 bedrooms ● 3 bathrooms

● 2 bathrooms ● Conservatory ● Pool ● Double garage

Ew E n uid G

GuidE £1,000,000

● Substantial country house ● Requiring general updating

● 2 storey former coach house ● Mature gardens ● About 7.5 acres

● Grade II Listed village house ● 3 reception rooms ● 4 bedrooms ● Large part-walled garden ● 2 bed cottage available separately

GuidE £625,000

GuidE £1,350,000

ipSwiCH 01473 218218

Tim Dansie

Jonathan Penn

James Squirrell

15 Tower St, Ipswich IP1 3BE ipswich@jackson-stops.co.uk jackson-stops.co.uk

Growing communities

F

rom first homes to forever homes, a passion for creating desirable homes and sustainable communities lies at the heart of every Hopkins Group development.

Carefully designed new homes from the group are available in some of Suffolk’s most popular towns and villages; the award-winning developer also continues to be immersed in local communities through volunteer activities and grants from the £500,000 Hopkins Charitable Fund.

From bustling market towns to coastal retreats The Hopkins Group, which includes both Hopkins Homes and Hopkins & Moore, has homes available in some of the county’s most desirable locations – whether that’s in the thriving market towns of Needham Market and Framlingham or rural villages such as Leiston

and Saxmundham which lie within easy reach of the glorious coastline.

Showhomes are now open at a number of village developments including Weaver’s Tye in Long Melford; Willowbrook in Bramford and

Saxon Meadow in Capel St Mary; giving visitors the opportunity to see first-hand the design and build quality of these exceptional properties.

There are only a few homes remaining for sale at the Hopkins & Moore developments of Earl’s Meadow in Easton and The Pines in Tunstall, but this summer the doors will open on a number of new developments including: Woodland Rise in Barrow; Blyth Vale in Halesworth from Hopkins Homes and a new Hopkins & Moore development, The Willows, in Kentford.

Giving buyers a helping hand Hopkins Group developments are designed with long-term communities in mind, with a mix of house sizes and styles that ensures local housing needs are met and that developments enhance the local area and quickly become self-sustaining.

Several tailored schemes are available to help buyers. The government backed HelptoBuy scheme* is ideal for first time buyers and Hopkins Homes’ own Part Exchange and MoveEasy schemes* make it easier for many to take the next step up the property ladder.

The fair brought together organisations and groups working to help older residents remain healthy and independent in later life.

Staff from head office also frequently lend a practical hand to local charities and recently undertook some ground clearance work at Access Community Trust’s new premises in Saxmundham.

Supporting Suffolk’s communities Hopkins Homes remains committed to supporting the communities surrounding its developments. In the last year the company has given almost £35,000 worth of grants to Suffolk based groups and charities via the Hopkins Charitable Fund. One of these grants recently funded Rural Coffee Caravan’s 30th Golden Age Fair in Needham Market.

For more information about all Hopkins Group developments please call 01394 446860 or visit hopkinshomes.co.uk. For information about the Hopkins Charitable Fund visit hopkinshomescharity.co.uk *For full details and terms and conditions visit hopkinshomes.co.uk

hopkinshomes.co.uk Images of previous Hopkins Homes Show Home.

JULY & AUGUST 201 9

The Old Vicarage Facts Location: Eye Price: £1,250,000 Agent: Savills

Restored Period Home The Old Vicarage is a handsome Grade II Listed house in an exceptional setting adjoining the church, within walking distance to the centre of Eye. It dates from the 1450s, is built around a timber frame, with a Georgian southern facade and was re-modelled in the Victorian era.

The property, which has seven bedrooms and four reception rooms, has a great deal of character and has in recent years been fully restored with high quality finishing throughout. Period detailing includes panelled doors, sash windows with window shutters, fireplaces in the main reception rooms and period grates in two of the bedrooms. Of particular note are the impressive galleried entrance hall, the triple aspect drawing room with an ornate marble mantelpiece and the dining room overlooking the front garden.

Many of the rooms have been pared back to enhance the original features with lime washed walls, original stone and wooden floors, cleverly juxtaposing period and 21st century fixtures and fittings. The kitchen/ breakfast room is an open plan layout and has an Inglenook fireplace housing an Aga.

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The addition of the garden room has opened up the kitchen/breakfast room beautifully, connecting it more fully with the garden, resulting in a very light and airy living space.

The scullery and boot room are off the kitchen as well as access to the cellar.

All the bedrooms are well-proportioned and all have attractive views of the mature gardens and the church.There are further gardens to the north-west laid to lawn with a butterfly and bee border. A kitchen garden is laid out with espalier fruit trees including fig, pear, quince, apple and greengage and a wild flower meadow.

The vendor added “When I first walked into the Great Hall at the Old Vicarage in Suffolk, I knew it was the house I wanted my family to grow up in – the 1720s wing was built for parish entertaining, and the rest of the house, which goes back and back in time to somewhere around 1460, provided not only living history of an evolving Suffolk community, but also the prospect of a series of beautiful living spaces, and easy country weekends and hideaways for children’s sleepovers.

“We had long sought a house that combined rural living – one side of the property opens onto open countryside – with the walkable charms of a lively market town and, that, combined with ease of back and forth to London and elsewhere, and stunning grounds, won us over. The house, however, had been divided up in WW2 and maintained by the church and one other ‘secular’ owner since as two parts, so our ambitious project, now complete, was to reunite the whole house and reinvent therefore the ‘servants’ kitchens as a modern family kitchen-dining room by also recreating the glasshouses that once lined the house and letting light into the medieval part of the building.

“I work as writer in the former library where a previous vicar translated the Iliad for Alexander Pope, my young daughter is in a magical beamed bedroom, once the Tudor priest’s, the bed from Shakespeare in Love ended up in a guest room (long story) and kitchens and kitchen garden have come alive again with family, friends and laughter.”

INFORMATION Savills 01473 234800

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Memb No: A001

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FS 23942

198656

Essential FACES

Archway Carpets Woodbridge flooring specialists Archway Carpets celebrated 35 years in business with a gathering of friends, family, colleagues and customers at their Church Street premises. Guests enjoyed a glass of fizz and delicious freshly cooked treats. To mark the anniversary the Archway team will be carrying out 35 acts of goodwill for local charities including Emmaus Suffolk, Rubbish Walks, Age UK Suffolk, Papworth Trust and CALM.

Jason Smith, Darrell Smith, Derek Rush

Vicki & Darrell Smith

Jules Button, Mary Huntley

Jules Croucher, Jo Revitt

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Gareth Ambrose, Evie Wells

Carol & Ben Burnham

Natalie & Kevin Barber

Tom & Claire Staddon

Essential FACES

RABI Cocktail Party President of the Suffolk Agricultural Association, Stephen Miles, held a fund raising Cocktail Party at Trinity Park in aid of RABI – the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution – a welfare charity offering financial support to farming people in hardship of all ages.

Joshua Hosier, Lucy Bellefontaine, Stephen & Petrina Miles

Mike & Claire Harris

Pip, John & Julia Taylor

Samantha & Alec Smith, Adam & Claire Huggins

Fay & Chris Clarke

Richard & Jane Scott

Kate Ambrose, Steve Carroll, Alice Bellefontaine

Janet Payne, Richard & Rosie Western

Linda & Alan Gray

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Essential FACES

Snowflake Ball Home-Start in Suffolk kick started its 20th Anniversary celebrations hosting its fourth Snowflake Ball at the Hanger, Kesgrave Hall, raising a staggering £26,880. Guests enjoyed a drinks and canapes reception, a three-course dinner and amazing music from Tallulah Goodtimes & Friends with a raffle and auction offering spectacular prizes. The launch of the charity’s anniversary ‘Platinum Challenge’ proved a great success and the announcement of its new patron, Anthony Horowitz, was one of the many highlights of the evening.

Stuart & Tarnia Robertson, Alison Watson, Debbie Ratcliffe, Samuel Munday

Karen & Peter Lenz

Eliza Henshall, Pete Hazeldene, Amanda Janes

James & Lynn Mehmed, Trevor & Dana Roberts

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Catherine Smith, Colin Alderson

Robin Day, Heidi Sanders, Charlotte Nowasad, Naomi Sanders, Carl Dunnett

Pauline Bloomfield, Christina Sjoberg, Louise Burgen

Jemima Withey, Amanda Little

Essential FACES

David & Jacqui Boynton, Elaine & Roger Mayhew

Caroline & Darren Wootton

Robert & Alison Grant, Catherine & Mike Halls

Max & Marina Rossman, Larna & Laurence Mills, Elena Jamieson, Elena Van De Saar, Gareth Bates

Mark & Sarah Armitage, Kate & Rob Thacker

Geoff & Yvonne Holdcroft, T J Haworth-Culf, Ian Culf

Robert Thacker, Louise Potter, Natalie Highland, Sharon Ashton, Becky Hughes, Alison Grant, Tara Somers, Sarah Holmes, Alison Watson and Eve Goody

Gemma & Ben Clowes

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Essential FACES

Prostate Cancer UK Golf Day, Aldeburgh Golf Club Organised by Piers Pollard, this annual golf day saw 40 players participate on an overcast but dry day and enjoy a lunch, auction and raffle. Charlie Packshaw, Chairman of PCUK and lives locally, gave an excellent insight into prostate cancer and the charity. The day raised ÂŁ7,500 with Team Alchemy (who generously sponsored the wine) the winners. Bedfords, Dencora and Piers Pollard Chartered Surveyors also very kindly provided sponsorship.

James Blyth, Simon Hughes, Richard Burgess, David Rowledge

Glenda & Mike Savage

Rupert Precious, Guy Harvey, Richard Collins

Jon Easey, Rupert Durrant, Richard Heldreich

Peter Minta, Ellie Barker 78

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Richard Pyatt, James Hay

Brian Pring, Henry Lewis, Paul Taylor, David Jefford

Charles Packshaw, Piers Pollard

Jack Hobbs, Paddy Hobbs

Essential FACES

Suffolk Show 2019 It’s always one of the very best days out on the county calendar and this year’s Suffolk Show excelled. Good weather meant the crowds were out in force and with so much to see in the event rings, plenty of shopping opportunities and chance to find out more about the very fabric of our county, there really was something for everyone.

Amy Fitch, Shyam Patel, Andrew Fitch, Edward Burgess, Jane Barker-Batchelor, Louise Rogers

Karen Finch, Melvyn Howe, Mel Ashton, Matthew Coward, Denise Atkinson

Jonathan & Melanie Penn

Josh Hopkins, Riana Catling, Ed Robson, Ebony Baker, Neil Griffiths, Jill Bryce

Jane, Laura & Richard Milldown

Carol Derbyshire, Elly Barry, Lynne Barry, Ashley Beba, John Barry

Rachel Summers, Nick Crocker

Celia Joseph, Pauline Donkin, Lynn Maskell, Beth Condie

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Essential Directory CARE SERVICES

Personalised affordable care at home Ipswich and east Suffolk 01473 707900 Homecare@stelizcare.co.uk

DESIGN SERVICES

GIFTS

LEISURE

E L E C T R I C B I C YC L E S

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Wide range of e-bikes to suit any age or ability, from hybrids to folders to xtreme downhill, we have it all on display.

Friendly, hardworking, no-nonsense designers creating distinctive brands and concise communications across a range of sectors.

01473 811728 | info@newman-design.com newman-design.com

e-Vélo, 7a Blyth Road Ind. Est. Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8EN 0800 246 5306

Purchase instant ‘e’ gift vouchers via www.pressi.co.uk

www.e-velo.uk

GARDEN SERVICES

Celebrating Suffolk life & landscape

Tree Surgery

Suffolk Prints, Calendars & Gifts

Need some help or advice?

Call us on 07507 660 533 suffolktreescape@gmail.com

Shop online at www.anythingsuffolk.co.uk

Tel: 01449 721599 | Email: anythingsuffolk@gippingpress.co.uk

HEALTH & BEAUTY

The Beauty Room Melton Park At the Beauty Room we pride ourselves on offering professional treatments with top brands in a warm and friendly environment.

No7 Clements Road, Melton Park, IP12 1SZ 01394 548734 www.thebeautyroommelton.com

HOMES & INTERIORS

HOT TUB OFFER The Stour Lounger & Five Seats All-American Spa only two available at introductory price of £7495 with this advert

L

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T

H

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D

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Est. 1997

Spa sales, repairs, advice & servicing Felixstowe Road, Ipswich IP10 ODE (Opposite Miller & Carter)

01473 655777 www.deckworld.co.uk Visit us at jumpinyourhottub.com

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To advertise from just £25 per month call 01473 809932 we’ll be happy to help and advise you

MOTORING

Traditional Box Sash Restoration, Window Renovation & Repair RATTLES AND DRAUGHTS? BROKEN CORDS?

Enduringly beautiful windows and doors Notcutts Garden Centre, Ipswich Road Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4AF. 01394 386666

www.burgess-group.com

www.angliafactors.co.uk

JAMMED SASHES? Innovative and unique solution Reduce heat loss by up to 80%

www.orwellsfurniture.co.uk

Sales, Service & Repair

Complimentary Courtesy Cars The Woodlands, Badley Needham Market, IP6 8RS

01473 823289 | 07775 564598 ross.stone@btinternet.com www.heritage-sash-uk.com

01449 774222 service@derrickwells.com www.derrickwells.com

The perfect tiles for all the family

Service and repair for Jaguar Cars up to 2010 plus Classic cars of all varieties

Supplying Suffolk with beautiful exclusive tiles since 1998

Just Tiles Beautifully hand crafted, bespoke kitchens, cabinets and furniture

Mercedes-Benz Independent Specialist

JAGUAR SERVICE & REPAIR

Skilled craftsman and technicians providing professional quality and service in repair and maintenance for your cherished car.

Our skilled team can manufacture unavailable parts and make bespoke upgrades to suit your needs.

In house fabrication and trimming.

Collection and delivery can be arranged nationwide by our own fleet.

Competitive hourly rate of £58 + VAT.

TILE SHOWROOM

Smithfield, Melton, Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 1NH 01394 382067 justtileswoodbridge.co.uk

Pettistree, Woodbridge, IP13 OHP T: 01728 745055 E: info@suffolksportscars.com www.suffolksportscars.com

EssentialSUFFOLK

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JULY & AUGUST 201 9

M Y S U FF OL K

My Suffolk Anna Fargher is a Suffolk writer who to date has probably been best known for her Walberswick summer galleries but in June her children’s book, The Umbrella Mouse was Waterstone’s Book of the Month Were you born in Suffolk?

I was born in London but I was swiftly taken home to Orford where my mother has lived since she was a child. My grandmother had roots in Aldeburgh and my grandfather was the general manager of The Aldeburgh Festival during the heydays of Benjamin Britten so my Suffolk connections go pretty far back.

What do you love about the county?

There’re lots of things I love, particularly our huge skies and low horizons that let you see for miles and give us such lovely light and sunsets too. I’m one of the few people that think it’s most atmospheric in winter when the trees are bare. I grew up in Orford and I live in Walberswick now, so I’m definitely a person who feels most at home by the coast.

What are your hobbies?

Getting lost in a good book or film, travelling to new places and long walks.

You are known for your appreciation of art and your summer galleries in Walberswick – so does your writing or art come first?

That’s a tricky question to answer. Becoming an author has always been the dream so in many ways it comes first. But I’ve also been surrounded by art and artists throughout my life and I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without them so they are tied. When the gallery is open it’s quite the juggling act between the two though. I have a system in place that keeps things going, but it can get pretty intense.

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How did you write your book and what’s it about?

I wrote The Umbrella Mouse on my iPhone notepad during my daily commute on the London Underground and it was triggered by a series of statistics revealing how little adults and young people understood about WWI and WWII. Alarmingly, some of them didn’t even know who Hitler was and I realised there was an opportunity to write a new work of historical fiction in the hope it would pique children’s interest and encourage them to learn more. The French Resistance saved my paternal grandfather when his spitfire was shot down over Brittany in 1944 and I wanted to write my own resistance story to remember them. During my research, I found out about the little known French Resistance leader, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who was the only woman to head a network in France during WWII. She was my eureka moment.

Her group, The Alliance, was one of the biggest and most effective spy organisations during the war. She was only 31 and a mother of two young children when she accepted the call. She escaped capture twice, once by squeezing naked through the bars of her cell and she gave birth to her third child while on the run from the Gestapo. Fourcade assigned her members animal code-names, earning the group the Nazi given nickname ‘Noah’s Ark’. Hers was ‘hedgehog’ and she

appears in The Umbrella Mouse in this form along with other real-life animal heroes who were caught in the conflict of WWII. Together, they help my little mouse heroine, Pip, on her perilous quest to find a new home after the umbrella shop where she has lived all her life is destroyed by a bomb. But the only way to get there is by joining Noah’s Ark, a secret gang of animals fighting with the Resistance in France, operating beneath the feet of the human soldiers. Danger is everywhere and as the enemy closes in, Pip must risk everything to save her new friends.

It’s a tale full of courage, friendship and adventure and is perfect for readers aged 8-12 who have enjoyed Michael Morpurgo, Watership Down and The Animals of Farthing Wood.

What would be your perfect summer day out in Suffolk?

Having a picnic with friends in a secluded spot where we could have a lazy day in the sunshine and go wild swimming before heading home for a BBQ. Wher are your favourite places to eat?

The Table in Woodbridge, The Black Dog Deli in Walberswick, Sole Bay Fish Company in Southwold, Darsham Nurseries Café and The Butley Oysterage in Orford.

If you were to choose one picture of the county what would it be?

I’d pick one of my father’s (Tim Fargher) paintings. He’s a remarkable artist and his vivid landscapes bring Suffolk to life in such a stunning way.

Where do you take visitors when they come to see you in Suffolk?

First, I take them for a long walk around Walberswick before we grab lunch from The Black Dog Deli and take the little rowboat ferry to Southwold and have a go on Tim Hunkin’s machines on the pier. We often wrap up the day with a well-deserved drink and/or supper in The Anchor or The Bell.

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