Arkadia May/June 2014 - Summer of Love!

Arkadia THE VERY BEST OF DORSET IN ONE FREE LUXURY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE May/June 2014

Harmony

Family fun for bank holidays!

Cast off Winter Lure in the summer

In association with

baggage handling A Brit abroad

water way to live Boats, kayaks and seaside adventures

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Editor’s Letter

As summer approaches – the memory of floods rapidly fading into the foggy past and the talk turning to blistering, record-beating sunshine and wistful days ahead – we look forward to Camp Bestival, at Lulworth Castle, and Harmony at the Larmer Tree, both wonderful events on our horizon.

We stay focused on the great outdoors as we dive headlong into the worlds of deep sea and lure fishing, before casting off to enjoy pleasure boating, Dorset style. We take a look at how our local experts do things, from building boats to producing the very best in artisan food, and consider some of the more adventurous pastimes available to us, from arts and crafts to seafaring along our sun-speckled Jurassic coastline.

We also take a look at the fascinating work of Sher Christopher, an amazing artist who’s making the world a prettier place through the medium of paper. Not since I made my first ever paper plane have I been this excited about what can be done with paper. And, after all, the Earth without art is just ‘Eh?’ We discuss style, stardom and local roots with Dorset born and bred, Baggage Battles superstar Laurence Martin.

If you haven’t yet seen him in action, be sure to tune in – he is bonkers!

We take a look at the world of VW and go behind the scenes at Beetle Magic, the place to take your dream machine. With an interesting back story, the guys here really have a passion for your wagon.

Lastly, where would we be without the necessities? Check out our ‘coffee and choccies’ feature, our two amazing foodies, oh, and as it’s summer, I ask you to charge your glasses and drink to the fabulous work being done by our small independent breweries (see p22-23). Be sure to catch them all at Harmony @ the Larmer Tree, on 25-26 May. Good health Dorset, here’s to our fabulous summer season beginning in style!

Danny

There has never been a better time to buy – or sell – your house. The market is hotting-up and, thankfully, so is the weather. So, with summer just around the corner, why not spend it in your dream home? Boosted by our thriving new office in Wareham and our exclusive tie-in with the Fine & Country network, made up of more than 275 UK offices and 100 international, we have a raft of fresh, exciting properties all ready to view. Take a look for new inspiration! Because finding your forever home shouldn’t be hard work. Just let Domvs do it for you

CONTENTS HEAD OUT FOR THE DAY 28/29

38/39

46/47

Harmony at The Larmer Tree 2 day festival of family fun, food, crafts, coffee, Indian tea, over 24 ales and ciders, live music all day , food, artisan demos and much, much more!

Harry May Fishing trips that will leave you feeling fab and full!

Camp Bestival The extravaganza of Camp Bestival hits Lulworth again!

FOODIE FANATICS 40/41

18/19

10/11

22/23

Farmhouse Feasts We visit the Langton Arms, a good old-fashioned pub, with food from the husband’s farm to the wife’s plate – the perfect combination.

Barista Beauties Chocs away! Time to fly around the best Dorset coffee houses – a whistle-stop tour of delights!

Tickling Trout We find out more about our fave restaurant – fish cookery courses at the Tickled Pig!

Beer?

Yes please...

ARTISAN ARKADIA 6

8/9

10/11

The ‘DAWn’ of a New Day Dorset Art Weeks kicks off again, keeping the local art scene alive and kicking!

Annie Get Your Gun We look at the artisan way of taxidermy, and boy is she gifted!

Going Pottery We speak with Cath Broadway, spongeware legend!

Be a part of this world. Call or drop us an email today...

Tel 01258 863 736 Mobile 07881 748 251 Sales sales@arkadiamags.co.uk Editorial info@arkadiamags.co.uk Design designed@arkadiamags.co.uk Twitter @arkadiamags @ArkadiaEvents

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Dorset’s touring arts organisation, has worked for over twenty years to enrich the lives of those living in rural parts of the county by providing access to high quality, professional performing arts.

Trevor loves Judy. Judy loves Trevor. They’re best mates. Trouble is, Trevor’s family don’t approve. They think that Trevor should leave his prize cow alone and get on with looking after his farm. And then Trevor gets some bad news…

Theatre Orchard first produced a show especially for pubs in 2013, in an attempt to find an innovative solution to a national crisis – pubs are closing at the rate of 26 per week (CAMRA), a disaster for rural areas where the pub is the bustling heart of the community. The show, a collaboration with North Somerset’s Living Spit, and seed funded by North Somerset Economic Development Unit, was a comic tale based on a Somerset folk story and titled In Cider Story. It was toured, and proved to be a huge success.

“I was delighted. The pub was packed, over 90, lots of people from the village who don’t normally come. Lots of people were commenting on what a great night it had been. That’s my role really as Landlord in a rural village – it’s more than running a pub, it’s about being part of the local community.” Phil Giorgetti, Landlord, The Golden Lion, Wrington.

This summer, plans are in place to team up with Theatre Orchard and Living Spit and bring their latest pub creation to the county, with the support of East, West and North Dorset District Councils, in an effort to reach new audiences and support rural pubs in the area.

“Our first project with Living Spit proved a huge hit with Artsreach audiences right across Dorset, with over 600 people enjoying performances of their hilarious The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

We were excited to hear about plans for a new pub show, as it provides another great way of making the arts accessible, whilst supporting rural venues at the heart of communities – exactly what we are all about. We can’t wait to bring the company back to Dorset!” Kerry Bartlett, Artsreach.

One Man and His Cow raises the bar even higher as it embarks on a national tour of drinking establishments. Sponsored by Yeo Valley, this is a hilarious and very loose version of King Lear – with bovine bells on.

All performances are free to attend, in order to make them as accessible as possible.

Overflowing with a multitude of catchy songs, agricultural clichés and farmyard frolics, One Man and His Cow is coming to rural Dorset, and to a pub near you soon...

Monday 2 June, 8:30pm. The Oak at Dewlish (nr Dorchester).

Tuesday 3 June, 8:30pm. The Stalbridge Arms (North Dorset).

Thursday 4 June, 8:30pm. The White Horse, Stourpaine (nr Blandford).

Friday 5 June, 8:30pm. Drusilla’s Inn, Horton (nr Wimborne). www.artsreach.co.uk For more information contact Kerry Bartlett on 01305 269512 or email kerry@artsreach.co.uk

All performances are free to attend in order to make it as accessible as possible.

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ARTIST: Jasmine Praddissitto

When science and art are forged together

Jasmine Pradissitto’s paintings are a 21st century twist on the ideas of traditional painting.

Jasmine Pradissitto’s innovative ‘Quantum Light’ paintings, which have been seen in numerous shows including The Threadneedle Prize, London, are an exploration into the very nature of what contemporary painting is.

how creativity leads to innovation in academia and business, has also shown in the Brighton and Hove Museum, The Alpan Gallery in New York and the Mascalls Gallery.

“Imagine a world without the limits of position and form. Where the very act of viewing changes what we view; where the impossible becomes the probable. Such is the world of light and very small things,” Jasmine explains.

“Such is the world of art and science, painter and physicist, innovator and traditionalist.”

“The duality of my work is deliberate, as is the nature of ‘light’. Watercolour subtracts from light, yet the opposite happens in the quantum paintings,” says Jasmine. “Recently, I have found that I have made a return to nature, not at the exclusion of physics, but precisely because of its inherent presence in everything, which can be no better illustrated than through the metamorphosis to butterfly.”

As a fine artist (Goldsmiths and Sir John Cass) and ex-physicist with a PhD from UCL, the experimental nature of Jasmine’s work has seen her return to her original love of figuration, but in light and plastic as well as paint.

Based in South London, Jasmine has had two solo shows in Venice and Padova. She has also shown in London with Emineo, Kinetica and Illumini and been shortlisted for various prizes including The Celeste Painting Prize, Creekside, Lautieri Moores and the Japanese EWACC. Jasmine, who regularly speaks on

Jasmine has long been fascinated by what she calls “the laws of pattern in evolution and our environment,” seeing it as a link between the seemingly chaotic and order. “Thought provoking, distinctive, and contemporary, yet embracing the wonders of modern physics to create images that resonate. And resonance stays with us.”

Jasmine Pradissitto, Quantum Artist www.pradissitto.com

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Too Cool for School Studland Sea School is well known for its amazing outdoor activities and, with one of the wettest winters on record behind us, we were more than happy to celebrate the arrival of spring by taking a trip to their Middle Beach HQ. We had arranged a guided kayaking trip to

and paddled through the arches, moving

explore Old Harry Rocks and on arrival we

along the coast to Ballard Point. From here

were greeted by Dan, the company director

we marvelled at the amazing view of Swanage

who still takes a hands-on approach to the

Bay and beyond, before reluctantly heading

business by running as many sessions as possible.

back to base.

We later learnt that he just can’t say no to a day on the water and it is this passion that

If you are looking for a day out with a difference,

keeps their customers coming back, time

or would like to see the coastline from a

and time again to get the Studland Sea

different perspective, then look no further.

School experience. Their reviews also reflect

Kayaking courses are available to suit all

this – you just couldn’t get a better team of

abilities, offering the perfect introduction for

instructors or a more desirable location for

those who have little or no experience of

sea kayaking in Dorset. The school is set right on

kayaking. Join one of their open tours, which

the beach and, after an initial safety briefing,

run every weekend and during the school

we didn’t waste any time hitting the water!

holidays, to Old Harry Rocks or you could choose to explore Poole Harbour’s islands,

We set off in the kayaks to explore what

channels and creeks.

must be the most stunning scenery along the Jurassic coastline. With the team’s enthusiasm

If you are part of a group, they can tailor a

and knowledge of the local area and wildlife

session to suit your specific needs and abilities,

never in short supply, we were guided along

offering a truly bespoke experience. Check

sections of the coast only accessible by kayak.

out their website to find information on special

We spotted rare seabirds, World War II

tours, such as seaweed scavenges or wildlife

defences and even foraged for seaweed

safaris, in association with the National Trust.

along the way!

You’ll also find details of the other activities on offer, including coasteering, snorkelling,

The majestic Old Harry Rocks loomed

kayak fishing and bushcraft.

before us, more imposing and impressive than ever when seen from the boats. We circumnavigated the stacks, explored caves

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www.studlandseaschool.co.uk

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The Tickled Pig in Wimborne isn’t just a great place to eat, but also to broaden your horizons – they’ve been holding a range of workshops and day courses since opening their wonderful restaurant in 2012. Their state-of-the-art kitchen was designed with teaching in mind and, between then and now, has built a firm reputation for new and innovative ways of cooking, and service that comes with a relaxed vibe and a happy smile from a knowledgeable team.

They are regularly welcoming groups keen to discover the secrets of a professional kitchen and their courses cover a range of subject matter from bread making to pasta. One of the most popular courses is fish cookery, which is run with the help of Wimborne fishmonger John ‘The Fish’ Bell.

The idea behind this day workshop is to give customers a crash course in how to cook perfect fish at home and to also give a better understanding of the processes involved in getting fish onto our plates.

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Fish course with Matt and John ‘The Fish’ • These workshop’s cover the rudiments of great fish cookery – selecting the right fish, pin boning, filleting and perfect preparation with John.

• Matt will teach you a number of classic sauces and other simple and effective recipes that you can easily recreate at home.

• The day will include a fishy lunch and wine.

• Visit their website to take a look at the video from their previous fish course.

To find out more visit www.thetickledpig.co.uk/ courses

During the first half of the day John shares his tricks of the trade, learned as a fourth generation fishmonger – careful selection of fish, pin boning, filleting and perfect preparation.

After lunch, Tickled Pig Head Chef, Matt Davey, picks up the baton with classic recipes that can easily be recreated at home. The course also aims to demonstrate some of the skills that both fishmonger and chef use in their preparation and cookery of fish, and there is a ‘hands on’ element to the day so that everyone can attempt the different techniques.

John has a wealth of knowledge and experience of his subject and is a much-loved personality in Wimborne. Matt Davey has been a Head Chef for many years and has gained Michelin recommendation in a number of the establishments he has worked in – the most recent being The Tickled Pig, which gained entry in to the Michelin Guide 2014.

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Where did the ‘paper trail’ start?

I trained as a 3-D furniture designer, with high hopes and big dreams of becoming the next John Makepeace – to be designing and creating home furnishings that would delight.

Having completed the course, I went off on a little voyage of discovery, winding my way to Cumbria where I worked on a woodland



CUT OUT AND KEEP

management scheme. I fell-in with a street art community, utilising my ‘skill-set’ and designing wonderful ‘large-scale’ and very flamboyant street puppets.

So the dreams of furnishings were over?

I worked so hard at the course and had such

We went along to meet one of our all-time fave artists, Bournemouth bred Sher Christopher, to discover the woman behind the enigmatic, fascinating and wonderfully bizarre paper designs. We had seen Sher on the artisan ‘circuit’ and were keen to discover what makes her tick, where her skills were learnt and what must go on in her mind!

a deep passion for design that this world I had found suddenly made more sense to me. I was around people I respected, I was having fun, and I was being as creative as I wished. I went on to study, research and develop my puppetry which led to the art. The process isn’t any different; I come up with the idea, sketch the pieces out, make the changes where needed and start to put the work together. A lot of my work is based upon the work of Shakespeare. You’ll notice reflections of The Tempest as well as Chaucer. His fine poetry helps the process, running through my work and the greats are referenced through all I do. I have started adding more of my steampunk passion to the work I do,

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I ‘fell in’ with a street art community, utilising my ‘skill set’ and designing wonderful ‘large scale’ and very flamboyant street puppets

after a wonderful paper festival in Bulgaria, and with Jules

damaged the piece. My work can be as off-beat as you like

Verne playing throughout my latest work – it’s the intricacies

and the corporate world is also one in which I work, so if

of his work and the magic it inspires. I was even asked

there is something you’d like to present, then feel free to get

to design little steampunk fairies, ‘wing-pinned’ like little

in touch. As you can see, this is striking work and it makes a

butterflies. I think that when you have a ‘curiosity’ and then

wonderful centrepiece for any occasion.

you shrink it in size, one can’t help but stare in fascination; quite macabre but very much in my style (at this point Sher’s

Where can we see and where can we buy?

grin says it all – displaying the passion she has for her work,

I have my work in galleries all over the UK. The best thing to

along with a touch of mischief).

do, if you want a piece, is to get in touch with me via, www.



sherchristopher.com, or give me a call. You can also email me

The work is so beautiful; is there a need for delicacy and finesse?

at Sherchristopher_com@yahoo.co.uk. I can start by looking

Surprisingly not, the work is built with solid card, the structure

have an awful lot of customers wanting bespoke pieces, like

made to support itself. I’m always getting asked questions

the couple in the little sports car, for 1st wedding anniversary

along this line, “Why doesn’t it crease?” and “What happens

gifts. Follow me on Twitter too (@SherChristopher), to see

if I drop it?” If the clients could actually see the design studio

what weird and wonderful piece I’ll be working on next, or

– I’m surrounded by sketches, card sheets and pieces of

come along and see my work at ‘Harmony at the Larmer Tree’,

fabulous machine parts to inspire me. The work often ends

25-26 May, in the Arts Marquee.

at your ideas and build a piece that is personal to you. We

up dropping to the floor and it’s never once, touch wood,

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arkadia magazine

Having featured a couple of our artists in the last few editions of Arkadia magazine, we at South West Artwork thought we’d take this opportunity to introduce ourselves and share with you who we are and what we do. But before we do so, let us introduce you to another of our artists.

Sue Wicker is a freelance artist and graphic illustrator. She is extremely passionate about her work, using found ephemera (any transitory written or printed matter, not meant to be retained or preserved) to produce new studies of contemporary powerful imagery. Sue has collaborated in exhibitions covering social and cultural issues and had work published in magazines as diverse as Muzzle and Andivero. Her quest for finding unusual, textural, colourful and stimulating imagery is driven by a strong yearning to take material out of context and reuse it to give new meaning. All enquiries are welcome and she is available for collaborations and commissions.

South West Artwork is based in the heart of Hope Square, near Weymouth Harbour.

We are a small but growing contemporary arts agency representing some of the finest emerging visual artists, illustrators and photographers that Dorset and the surrounding area has to offer.

Since 2008 we have been providing creative services for business and leisure venues across the region that wish to enhance their living and working environment, as well as offering mentoring and business advice for the emerging artists on our books. We also work closely with community groups and schools to provide artist-led workshops and talks to educate, explore and inspire through the various mediums of contemporary art.

Registered as a Community Interest Company, we work to ensure all products

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and services are created and delivered for public good; any excess profit made from our services is put back into the company to produce creative projects with, and for, the local community.

We have an exciting exhibition, funded by Arts Council England, opening at Poole Lighthouse from 9 May until 21 June,where you can see new work by some of our artists. We’ll also be at the Harmony Festival at the Larmer Tree on 25-26 May. If you are an emerging artist or business space that could benefit from our services, or you would just like to find out a bit more, do drop us a line via our website www.southwestartwork.co.uk. We look forward to sharing more of our artists’ work in the next edition.

Until then!

Laura Mulhern, Company Director

BIG

HAVE YOU SEEN THE

EYED BEANS? If not, all will be revealed, but first, a quick diversion

in its shadow. What will rest atop the mound? Well,

to Chelsea.

I’m guiding my clients towards the work of sculptor Simon Thomas. Though resident in Cornwall, he

As with Paris Fashion Week, there will be trends

has intimate knowledge of Dorset’s landscape,

ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous created

particularly the coastline around Durdle Door –

by the new, young bloods in the industry. Or will

enter, Simon’s ‘Big Eyed Beans from Venus’!

there? Now work has begun on the Chelsea Barracks re-development project, with Dovewalk Warehouse a mere memory, it will be interesting to see if the military Chelsea influences its flowery neighbour at this year’s show. The glass and steel proposals which so upset Prince Charles, and caused a quake in the Qatari camp, have been replaced. Instead, a gentler scheme, ‘green’ in every sense of the word, is to be built; the author of this enlightened thinking is landscape architect Kim Wilkie.

Following his philosophy of, “allowing the memory of what has gone before to inspire fresh design,” there

If you’re unfamiliar with his early oak forms –

will be 100 metre long vegetable gardens and trees

strangely reminiscent of sheep when seen from

in abundance. With nutteries, fruit orchards and

a distance – their significance is the ‘bridge’ they

even bee-hives, this refined and elegant version of

represent, between the ancient origins of our

The Good Life may well present a challenge to the

agriculture and where we are now. Suggestive of

metropolis’ property agents! Will we see an echo of it

wheat grains, once cropped in Saxon times and

at Chelsea this year, as well as a horticultural salute

now resting gently above Durdle Door, the beans

to the First World War? I hope so.

are juxtaposed with briskly combine-harvested cereals in an adjacent field. They offer a milestone

GOOD BOOKS

Leaving the buzz of the city, we return to the rolling

punctuation in the landscape, christened by the

landscape of Dorset, to a recent project of mine,

unexpected combination of Venus, Goddess of

strongly influenced by Wilkie’s style:

Fertility, with the rasping lyrics of Captain Beefheart.

Broadmayne Project. With the topsoil stripped

Who? Captain Beefheart, yes, he of the Magic Band

and set aside, work began in earnest. Applying

and Jackson-Pollack-style art. For the uninitiated

the delicate touch of a surgeon to a 6 ton digger,

or youthful, Google has the answer! Sadly, since

the soil was scooped and shaped into a new but

their arrival the beans have diminished from four

ancient, organic form, one that would flow and

to two. But, there may yet be fresh beans in

wrap itself around the house. A simple mound will

Broadmayne, or perhaps one of Simon’s swirling

grace the main lawn, a reflective pool sitting quietly

hypercones will take pride of place upon the mound.

One Tree by Olson, Toaig and Olsen.

The Man Who Planted Trees.

An ailing oak tree is felled, every last part distributed among seventy makers to be re-born in many forms, from furniture and sculpture to automata. Local children planted its acorns. A powerful and practical demonstration of values and resources.

Jean Gionio’s timeless allegory of Elzeard Bouffier’s successful effort to re-forest a barren alpine valley, by steadily planting the acorns he collected. Had they met, I think they would all have appreciated each other’s work!

www.sarahtalbotgardendesign.co.uk Follow the Project’s progress on my blog. Sarah: 07808 471937 www.simonthomas-sculpture.com Simon: 01726 870284 - sileethom@yahoo.co.uk www.kimwilkie.com arkadia magazine

9

ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL AUTHOR: Hanna Hammond

W

A visit to a kitchen workspace in Dorchester, where textile artist Annie Montgomerie is surrounded by many, many pairs of eyes, makes for fascinating story telling...

arkadia magazine

ANNIE MONTGOMERIE So Annie, I happen to know that this is a relatively new venture for you, after your success with hand-sewn vintage fabric dolls. Why the darker preoccupation?

I enjoyed the animal motifs on the dolls’ dresses so much that, eventually, they took over the design. As a child of the 1970s, my picture books were predominantly animal characters, for example, Molly Brett books, so that might be significant. I am also a huge music fan and song lyrics have a way of naming and influencing a piece.

Certainly superficially, my work is like children’s illustration but with an adult, macabre feel.

Would you call that narrative?

Well, to me, I suppose the characters are as if they have been plucked from a situation with thoughts and feelings still present. Names and characterisation with song lyrics helps that narrative and in turn develops emotion and, I hope, empathy from the viewer. A recent ram character was called All I Miss which is from a song by the band The The. What about current sources of inspiration?

I love the fantastical designs of Bjorn Wimblad, the mixed media folk artist Julie Arkel and the party scenes of taxidermy animals, by Walter Potter.

Tell me a little about the process you use in, say, making the heads?

My training is in both stone-masonry and silversmith jewellery so I am preoccupied with both 3-D and 2-D. A head is a process of sculpting in clay, then layering thin media on top in layers with glue. Once dry, I scoop

out the clay to leave a lightweight face. Strangely enough, I have since learned that a similar method is used by traditional taxidermists.

And the comparison does not stop there?

No, the mounted heads are a popular vegetarian option. The skin on characters like hares is made with shredded dishcloth, painted and just really worked to get the texture and feel I am looking for.

Where do you sell your work? Does the modern age of computers help you here?

I do sell at the Imaginarium in York and The Found Gallery in Dunbar, but mostly I tend to blog a photo of a piece on Facebook before listing it on the Etsy retail site and in minutes of listing it is sold!

What are you working on at the moment?

A piece called Care Home for Oddly Bunnies – rabbit character heads that I have made for plastic doll bodies. I have just been shortlisted for this year’s Royal Academy of Art Summer Show.

Of course I may not get through but considering that I only started sewing at the age of 30, I am really pleased

QA

with my achievement.

Bean around the World Arkadia discovers Dorset’s perfect pair Words Alix Gardener Number 35 Coffee House & Kitchen works hard to pursue the coffee dream.

Owner Toby Frere moved to Dorchester in 2011 and, after realising the need for good affordable coffee in Weymouth and Dorchester, he opened a mobile coffee van at Dorchester South train station. His popularity soon became clear and in June 2012 he opened his coffee house in the centre of Dorchester. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions about the black stuff. Toby is happy to tell you anything you need to know. If you would like to learn more, Number 35 offers tailor made courses so you can learn everything, from how to prepare the perfect espresso all the way through to how to make the best of your home equipment. He is so passionate about coffee that he loves to pass on his knowledge to others. As Toby puts it “Our coffee is prepared with love, care, attention and a bit of geekiness!” Great homemade food is also served from the kitchen at Number 35 including sandwiches, savoury tarts, cakes, flapjacks and brownies. Every other Friday the coffee house is open late, until 9pm, offering a grazing menu of small plates and a fully licensed bar for a glass or two of wine or beer. One night every quarter, ‘Supper at Number 35’ is held and the menu changes for every supper night. Toby frequently puts a sample menu on the coffee house and website with mouth-watering delicacies such as mini Glamorgan sausages, mackerel on rye, and blackberry fool. You’d be a fool not to book a table! You can also hire the shop for special events.

Find out more at www.coffeehouseandkitchen.com 01305 549269 or email: number35@coffeehouseandkitchen.com

Amid Giants & Idols is a relaxed and cosy speciality coffee house and micro roaster, nestled among pretty cottages and local shops in the seaside town of Lyme Regis, on the Jurassic Coast. Since opening in 2012, owner Xanne has dedicated every waking hour to learning about the art of coffee. Coffee is her passion, not just a job.

This shows in her achievements – as an active participant in the specialty coffee scene, Xanne reached the semi-finals of the UK Barista Championship in 2013, placed 11th!

The coffee house sources beans from some of the best suppliers and they are roasted by hand in the lovingly restored vintage Viennese roaster, Otto! As well as serving the finest coffee, Amid Giants & Idols actively promotes local quality artisan products. Some of these include Willies Cacao, Comins Tea and Ashclyst organic milk.

Using her barista skills and expertise, Xanne also trains individuals and businesses that are looking to improve their customers’ coffee experience. Her passion is so strong that she relishes ‘spreading the love’ of coffee. www.amidgiantsandidols.co.uk

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07928 790254

Chocolate Boutique Hotel

hen parties and even functions at celebrities’

If the thought of eating, sleeping, drinking and

homes! The Boutique Hotel has 15 chocolate

thinking everything chocolate is your idea

themed rooms (choose from chocolate

of paradise, then The Chocolate Boutique

orange, white chocolate and more), a

Hotel in Bournemouth is for you. It is the only

chocolate cocktail bar, and runs chocolate

chocolate themed hotel in the UK and has

workshops, chocolate weekends and even

been named as one of the top six novelty

chocolate sleepovers throughout the year.

hotels, by The Sunday Times Travel Magazine.

The hotel is available to hire exclusively and

Husband and wife team, Gerry and Roo first

runs special offers frequently. Book your

became involved in the chocolate industry

stay soon and immerse yourself in chocolate

in 2001. They began as one of the first

heaven!

companies in the UK to offer a chocolate

www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk

fountain service for use at birthday parties,

01202 556857

Chococo

handmade chocolate, made with

Husband and wife, Andy and Claire

Venezuelan dark chocolate, fresh

Burnet launched Chococo in 2002

Dorset cream and the flavour of

and have established themselves

Ringwood Brewery’s Old Thumper

as the finest producers of fresh

Beer! Chococo also run chocolate

handmade chocolate on the south

workshops for individuals and a master-

coast. They believe themselves to

class for groups. The children’s

be one of the first UK chocolate

workshops are for those aged

producers to lead the way in making

seven and over and include the

truly fresh chocolates, using locally

chance for children to make and

sourced cream, blended with fine

decorate chocolate lollipops, dip

origin chocolate and no additives

honeycomb chunks into chocolate,

or preservatives - just natural

make popcorn truffles and to create

flavours. They are passionate about

their own chocolate pictures. The

local products and have partnered

adult classes include key chocolate

with many producers over the

making techniques such as making

years, not only to make unique

a genache, truffles, how to temper

chocolate flavours, but also to help

chocolate at home and more. Browse

promote other local businesses.

through Chococo’s amazing range of

One of these partnerships is with

gifts online at

Ringwood Brewery – the resulting

www.chococo.co.uk or

design is a wonderful pint-shaped

call 01929 421777.

South Coast Roast Thanks to the success of Boscanova, café and coffee house in Boscombe, owners Joel and Jamie have also opened South Coast Roast on Richmond Hill, a stone’s throw from Bournemouth Square.

Boscanova, a bohemian ‘no frills’ café and coffee shop, is now in its seventh year and is constantly busy – early morning breakfasts, take away coffees, mums with prams and regular lunch visits – everyone is welcome here.

And they all appreciate the good, no, superb coffee! It only takes a minute speaking with owner Joel to see how much he is dedicated to his love of coffee. He is extremely passionate about the whole process of producing a good cup of coffee and stresses that they brew their ethically sourced coffee themselves – an important factor for a great taste. They suggest starting with a drip coffee. It is (as they put it) a sweeter, smoother alternative to an Americano. The baristas use the finest single estate beans and grind them fresh for each pot. All that’s left for you to do is pick your coffee bean from the day’s offering on the blackboard. email -south.coast.roast@gmail.com

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Cath Broadway’s workshop lies beneath the slopes of Hambledon Hill, an imposing Iron Age fort.

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The ceramist’s STONE

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Cath’s background in art came initially as a

printmaker when she gained a BA and MA at Chelsea School of Art. She had an interest in ceramics from a fairly early age but it was not until she came to Dorset, that she began to develop the full range of skills she uses

Cath feels it extends a feeling of quiet

today.

strength over the surrounding area, an influence that has affected so many

Her work shows many influences which are

generations of potters throughout the

subsequently translated into fired ware.

centuries, beginning with the early Neolithic

The fields and hedgerows of the Dorset

and Beaker folk, using a process which

countryside provide an ever-changing feast

has remained the same to this day —

of visual delights; grasses, flowers, seedheads

taking clay from the earth, moulding it by

and fungi are all an inspiration to her.

hand and making it permanent by fire.

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The fields and hedgerows of the Dorset countryside provide an ever-changing feast of visual delights.

Sometimes a technique from the past may act as inspiration, as was the case with spongeware, a decoration technique first practised by the Minoans and early colonists of the New World, which she revived. This mixture of visual and emotional ideas is distilled to form the basis of her decorated ranges.

At this stage Cath draws on her print-making expertise. If you study her work you will notice how carefully executed marks are trailed, sponged or brushed onto a surface to bring alive her ideas. The turquoise/porcelain pieces, with their subtle cool layers, were

inspired by the watery seascapes of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.

The Mediterranean range not only shows literal interpretation of the Mediterranean with olives and pomegranates, but they are also executed in a style and colour that reflects the vibrancy and energy of a warmer climate.

New experimental ideas are developing as established styles are maintained. New techniques continue to open more doors; Cath’s work is never in danger of standing still.

arkadia magazine

Talking 'bout the Craft Revolution Homer Simpson once called beer, “The cause of all the world’s problems, and also its solution.” Well, he should know.

But, when you’re next on a beach watching

I enjoyed a drink there recently with Kevin,

the sun sink through the BBQ smoke or

Sixpenny Brewery’s PR man and asked if he

batting away the insistent wasps, spare a

thought there was something in the Dorset

thought for Dorset’s craft brewers whose

air other than Saharan sand? Perhaps

excellent ales tease the taste buds and make

the secret’s in the water, but drinkers are

life a bit softer.

becoming more selective and, luckily for Dorset, Scott Wayland, who once built Daleks

The long-established Dorset Brewing

for the BBC, provided yet another source

Company and the Piddle Brewery (est. 2007)

when he moved his Surrey brewery to a farm

are well known whilst the Bankes Arms

on Cranborne Chase.

at Studland brews Fossil Fuel and hosts a fab August beer festival. It’s encouraging,

Sixpenny’s bar has a seagull doorman, an

however, to see just how much more quality

honesty tap and a readiness to experiment. A

craft beer is now being made between

klaxon went off when I mentioned ‘smooth-

Bournemouth and Lyme Regis.

flow’ – I donated to the brewers’ benevolent fund! They’ve also recently been taken on

Jennifer Tingay at Southbourne Ales, Dorset’s

(slightly to my surprise) by a national pub

most recent micro-brewery, has made an

chain and the news is positive. My crate of

impact in six months and there’s talk of one

their rich and satisfying Best (3.8%) keeps

in Wimborne. The Vine at Pamphill has been

getting better and the stronger Jack FM is

serving excellent ales to cyclists for many

very tasty too.

years and the popularity of Wimborne’s new Taphouse, with seven casks offering daily variety, surprised even its owners.

All these fantastically individual pints and many more are brewed right on our Dorset doorstep.

In sleepy Winterbourne Kingston, I met

for the flavour; and the efflorescent quality on

ebullient, Hawaiian-shirted Brent Smith of The

the tongue (perhaps owing something to his

Sunny Republic. Citizen Smith confounded

underground water supply) shows the quality

my notion of what a micro-brewery might

of live brewing. Everything I drank was,

look like, but admitted he wasn’t Willy Wonka –

frankly, superb.

I only saw Oompa Loompas after a thorough tasting! This computer-controlled cathedral

His IPA (5.3%) was an eye-opener and the

to craft beer has some very high-end kit and

GIPA (with added ginger) converted me to

offers an individual range. Shark Head (4.4%),

‘flavoured’ beer, a product I’d usually cross a

their best-selling lager, uses Spalt Select,

motorway to avoid. John has also taken time

Pacific Jade and Citra hops but, sadly, was yet

to craft a couple of 6.6% porters. One carries

to be brewed. I’ll be back, soon. People cycle

a hint of star anise; unusual but delicious and

from Bournemouth to drink Brent’s beer.

it went well with a spicy Moroccan vegetable

Along with some other Dorset operations,

dish. I would highly recommend a visit.

however, much of it goes down London throats. But, since many chain-pubs won’t

Nine months ago, the Mathers brothers set up

get involved with the more interesting end of

the Bournemouth Brewing Company, which

their world, this ‘export’ is necessary.

has already won awards. I could taste why.

A chemistry graduate with a French mother,

A week later I visited an old favourite.

Christophe waved his younger brother off to

The Town Mill Brewery at Lyme is centrally

China but is now busier than ever. An affable

positioned in a small building that once

and passionate advocate of craft beer, he’s

housed batteries for the town’s overnight

currently based on the Nuffield Estate. The

electricity. Their big sellers are the extremely

hard-working men there won’t let him leave

drinkable Cobb (3.9%) and the richer

but, now that local pubs are calling for his

flavoured Lyme Gold (4.2%). Hard to say

brews, he’ll need to expand. His Wessex

which I prefer, but my meeting with a former

Wobbler (4.3%) went down a storm!

Town Mill brewer had already made that day special. John Hosking, at Gyle 59 on the

All these fantastically individual pints and

Sadborrow estate above Lyme, has brought

many more are brewed right on our Dorset

his love of brewing to a genuinely exciting

doorstep. And, whatever you think about Mr

craft project, distinguished by attention to

Simpson, the choice is reasonably simple:

design detail and years of experience.

drink individual, flavoursome, living beer or accept pasteurised dead stuff filled with gas,

Returned from South East Asia, John

that’s Duff by name and duff by nature.

explained his approach calmly. Brewing

I know what I prefer, and my tongue is tingling.

without finings (ground fish bladders) may produce cloudiness but is a small price to pay

Words - Laurence Kennedy

Ah... Bugga It! A world of VWs in just one garden

As a northern boy on southern shores, I quickly found my love of VWs – especially Golfs, Baja Buggies and Karmann Ghia– being dangerously affected by sun, sea and surf (hence the big bright yellow VW T25, nicknamed ‘dub-marine’, resting on my drive).

No surprise then that I couldn’t help but be a little intrigued when I drove through Moreton one morning and spotted a ‘swarm’ of different beasts and bugs, all parked around a large garden and workshop at the side of an everyday looking semi-detached house. I had to find out more, but I wasn’t expecting the story that was about to unfold.

Words – Danny Nash Images – Kris Dutson

It was 17.05pm on a cold and wet 16 November, when Ian Oliver’s world came crashing down; the drive home from work that day changed his life forever. The twisted pile of metal that had once been the front of his VW ‘splitty bay’ gave an indication of the damage done to the man. He sustained two broken legs – one broken in 17 places, the other in five.

The life of this happy mechanic would never be the same again, but more amazing than the fact that Ian survived is the way he went on to handle the outcome. The leg wouldn’t heal and the pain wouldn’t subside, so with incredible gusto and even more amazing strength, Ian, or ‘Olly’ as he is known, actually requested that surgeons remove the bottom half of his left leg. As he puts it: “It was chopped off on the Thursday in the Winterbourne Hospital, I was out on Monday and at the car boot Sunday.” This is the nature of the guy.

In his previous life, Olly was a mechanic for ale makers, Eldridge & Pope (now Marston’s PLC) and in those days you worked on the engines as well as panel beating bodies and looking after the livery of the wagons that delivered the beer. This was an introduction to motoring and repairs unlike any other, giving Olly 18 years to master his trade.

In his ‘spare time’ he loved to rebuild vintage hot rods, tinkering with engines and lowering shocks and springs to get the best out of his machines.

This all resurfaced with a love for VWs and the passion for the badge has made the man. With his son Ben in tow, Olly took the compensation money and launched Beetle Magic in 2003. After ten years of plugging away, the future is looking fabulous. They have clients’ vans, fast-backs and buggies lined up for servicing, spraying, engine rebuilds and much, much more.

They’ve become a force to be reckoned with in the VW world and, as these guys have the skills to pay the bills, this is where I will be leaving my little treasure whenever she goes wrong. A joyous place with real character – so glad I stopped by!

Re-living the dream Vintage-loving Hanna has gone back to her roots, re-living the past in more ways than one. But can her home town deliver?

After years of living abroad and a spell in

Undercover there is a bazaar filled with

the north, I have taken the plunge and

trinkets, jewels and old books. Alongside

bought my first house in the town I grew

in the animal stalls are more collectables,

up in. I’m not alone as many of my friends

where I get a brilliant old steel spade.

are here, and we share a love of all things

Whilst I am there I cannot resist taking

crafty, vintage and folksy. So what’s so good

home more plants and I am now collecting

about Dorchester and where do we get our

fruit bushes.

fix of these things? Here’s a week in my life, seeking out life’s essential ingredients...

It’s the third Wednesday of the month so my friends and I go along to the popular

Well, to start at its core, I get to Dorchester

folk night at CAMRA winners – The Blue

Market weekly. Not only do you get

Raddle in Church Street. The front half of

cheaper deals, but I find much more

the pub is filled with pipe, fiddle and guitar

choice, like strange and unusual veg for

players. No children are allowed but my

stir-fries. There are fresh spices, bread,

well behaved dog, Jack, can go!

eggs and local game meats. I get an education in the properties and uses of herbs by the fantastic herb plantsmen and vow to set aside an area in my productive new vegetable garden to suit their needs.

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Some of my finest bargains have been found at the

notice they too run craft sessions (£4 for two hours

two antique centres in town, and on my lunch break

including refreshments). Custard Hall is great for vinyl

I get along to the Curiosity Centre. It has a big red

for the turntable and stuff for the kitchen, but I fall in

double decker bus on the front, which my friend Pete

love with a silk wedding dress from the 1960s – I could

just painted. On Fridays I see that they have a ‘knit

easily amend its simple pattern to fit but need to work

and natter’ session and it’s another venue that Jack

on finding a groom first.

can go to! I am tempted by their chic French café but I am saving my appetite for Nina’s retro Kitsch Kafé

The art room inspires me to start a new collection

caravan, in a sunny spot outside De Danann antiques

of quirky paintings for my walls and the guy behind

centres on London Road.

the desk tells me that I can keep up-to-date with replenished stock on Facebook.

A quick hunt around the centre afterwards and I haggle for an amazing old sofa for re-upholstering and a bedstead for re-painting.

It is worth rising early on a Sunday to enjoy the quieter side of Dorchester and walking Jack up the tree-lined Roman walks I return to the market place where the sprawling car boot has all sorts of gems for the vintage fan. For mere pence, I pick up a remnant of fabric to make new cushion covers and colourful old tiles to go with my plain white Belfast sink. I cannot

The town has two auctioneers Jeffs, and Duke’s

resist more plants – this time annuals that I can cut for

which is just up from the Curiosity’s red bus. Updated

the table, in colours of boiled sweets.

websites mean that you can see exactly what is coming up in the next auction as well as the viewing times.

Heading home with my latest finds I can’t help

There really is such a variety of items to suit even

thinking that, with the markets, auctioneers and

thrifty budgets like mine, but as I don’t trust myself not

retailers selling on their pre-loved finds, Dorchester

to overbid during the auction, I place a bid at the desk

today is surely a faint but real memory of Victorian

for a set of mismatched old kitchen chairs to paint.

days, recognisable even to Hardy.

Saturday shopping with my sister and in Dorchester’s

Thanks to all those for whom a passion for sourcing vintage

High Street there are two vintage venues that are a

spills over to selling, so that we may also enjoy it. I hope

must on the retro fan’s list. These are Re-loved on

it finds its way into your kitchen and garden too.

Cornhill and Custard Hall in Antelope Walk. Re-loved is great for mismatched china and I buy a teacup set to join others I have. They also stock specialist craft

Words - Hanna Hammond Pics – Hanna Hammond/Clients’ own

items by local producers and I find a perfect re-cycled leather wallet for my now-diminishing funds. There’s a cute little café amidst the retro collections and I

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Dorset is arguably one of the best coasts for sea fishing in the country. Chesil Beach is regarded as a Mecca for sea anglers, whether they are targeting spring plaice, summer bream, or winter cod.

of the day Words and Images - Sean McSeveney Thousands of fishermen, many living hundreds of miles away, flock to Chesil Beach every year. Some return home with delicious fish for their families, others go back with nothing.

One thing they have in common is that almost all of them will vow to return and try again. I moved to Dorset after reading an article in a fishing magazine; now 25 years later I make my living as a fishing guide. Last year I spent almost 300 days fishing and my only regret was that I couldn’t fit any more in.

In the summer months, many locals will head down to the beach after work in search of fresh mackerel. It normally only takes a few casts to land enough for the whole family. With a bucket or disposable BBQ on hand, the fish are cleaned and cooked there and then. The tastiest fast food you will ever try.

One of the most exciting aspects of fishing Chesil Beach is that you never know what you will catch next. You can be plaice fishing with light tackle in the spring, when a late cod can pick up your worm bait and you end up in a tussle with a 20lb fish, desperately trying to give it enough pressure to land it, without parting the 12lb line.

If that isn’t exciting enough, then how about targeting smoothhound? Sometimes exceeding 20lb, these members of the shark family move in close to shore during the spring and summer months, hunting crabs in fast moving attacks.

You have to be near your rod when the bite comes or you could lose everything! A common question I get asked by novices is: “What does a bite look like?” When you are fishing for smoothhound you will never mistake a bite for the gentle nod of the rod tip as the waves hit the line. Like turbocharged sharks, they smash your rod tip over and, if you are not quick, your rod and reel will be ripped out of your rod rest and dragged into the surf.

Don’t be fooled into thinking Chesil Beach is the only venue worth fishing. If you thought that, you would miss out on some of the finest and most scenic fishing you could imagine.

I spend most of my time guiding clients on lure fishing trips, hunting out hard fighting bass, pollock and stunningly colourful wrasse from the rugged rock and kelp-strewn coastline.

From St Alban’s Head, through Kimmeridge Bay, to the Isle of Portland, there cannot be many more stunning or productive marks for lure fishermen in the land, especially at dawn and dusk. Carrying little more than a small box of lures and a light rod and reel, you can cover large areas quickly, in search of your quarry.

I love to use surface lures to target bass. I never get bored of seeing the water erupt as a bass hammers into your lure from below. Then you hear the drag on your reel scream, as the fish heads off, in a furious head-shaking run. Your rod bends from tip to butt and your heart pounds, pushing adrenalin through your body, as you try to anticipate its next run, hoping you can steer it through the jagged rocks and finally beach it.

Most of my bass are returned, but every now and then I take one home to salt bake it, or steam it with ginger, chilli and soy sauce. You can never beat the taste of freshly caught fish.

Those that want to steer away from the sea and head inland will find some of the most incredible chalk stream fishing available. The rivers Frome, Piddle and Stour to name a few, flow clearly through the beautiful rolling Dorset countryside.

I have spent many an afternoon, with the sun on my back, next to the babbling water, with a bottle of wine and a picnic, resting from morning fly fishing for wild brown trout and majestic grayling.

Over the next few editions I will open up the secrets to some of the marks I have mentioned. I will let you know how and when to fish them, to give you the best chance of taking home a delicious fresh fish for dinner.

One of the most exciting aspects of fishing Chesil Beach is that you never know what you will catch next.

arkadia magazine

Shiver Me Timbers!

A Shipwright’s tale by Paul Kendall Images - Mike Worth Wood and boats are two wonderful things that, when combined, can become a work of art. I think that’s what most shipwrights aspire to produce, a work of art in the form of a beautiful boat with fair lines.

As a school leaver that’s what I wanted to

they’ll all be wanted back in the water ready

do. Luckily, there were a few boatyards in

for the start of the season. And yes, you

Poole still building in wood then, and I was

guessed it, that means all at the same time!

fortunate enough to join Latham’s boatyard as an apprentice. It wasn’t all about making

As well as honing traditional skills, we are

tea! We fashioned our own tool chests and

also moving with the times – the times

were involved, hands-on, in all aspects

being GRP. We have a skilled laminator,

of boatbuilding including new builds,

busy making mouldings for the RNLI and

restoration, painting and varnishing and I

we’ve also carried out work for North Sea

loved it.

Systems on their Data Fish, using vacuum infusion. We’ve learnt to mix old skills with

I met Tim Frearson at Latham’s, he was

new products and, when used correctly, old

an apprentice too and when Latham sold

and new work well together.

up, Tim and I took on the yard, starting our own business, Traditional Shipwright

We also undertake projects that require the

Services. We’re still in the same workshops

shipwrights’ skill to achieve but which are

with a large boatshed, possibly the largest

destined to remain on dry land. If you’ve

undercover lay-up shed in Poole.

seen the two kiosks, resembling upturned boat hulls, on Weymouth Esplanade you’ve

Has life changed since those early days?

already witnessed our handiwork.

Yes, completely! We don’t only do the work of shipwrights, we now have to run

So life is good. It’s still a hard life and we’re

the office too. We’re both married and we

always on the lookout for new work but

both have our own ‘mini me’, so times have

we’re happy doing what we do, extending

definitely changed but, most importantly,

the life of classic boats. Of course, we’d be

we are still building and restoring boats –

just as happy building you a sleek yacht or a

saving them for posterity.

good traditional workboat.

The yard is very busy and the shed is often

We love working the wood so it will always

bursting with different vessels. Some are

be a ‘win-win’ for all of us. One way or the

with us just to keep them out of the weather

other, we’re here to make your boat a joy to

but most are undergoing extensive repairs

own, after you’ve paid your bill of course!

or refits. We’re constantly working on a variety of boats, in the knowledge that

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,

He takes this risky business tactic, and his innate skill for auctioning, along with him.

Suitcase scraps &

baggage battles We meet local boy done good, Laurence Martin.

On a cold Monday morning I got a knock on the door; it was my old Twitter pal (@LaurenceBBattle) and ex-Dorset loverrrr, Laurence Martin. After 60 years following the ‘Cherries’, Laurence had received an invitation from Bournemouth Town and had answered the call to kiss ‘sacred turf’. Whilst he was in town, we thought it would be great to catch up with the legend of daytime American auction drama, Baggage Battles, and find out just what makes this man tick!

Feeling a little worse for wear, Laurence enters our world and, attired in his usual mad-mod-funkadelic style, one cool looking dude is now sitting on my couch.

Vitamin C drink proffered, homemade 60% sloe gin taken! As the gin is gently supped, we catch up on the latest in this chap’s nutty, frenzied world. Some of you will know what I’m talking about whilst others will have no clue, but if you are a fan of cheesy TV, then this is your guy! This is Laurence Martin!

,

Those of you who, like me, love the all-

the ‘bug’. He recalls walking past a doll’s

American cheese fests that are Storage Wars, Storage Hunters and Baggage Battles,

house repair shop (these were fairly popular

will know this man and maybe even worship

and being fixated on the delicate pieces

him a little, as I do. A legend in his own

being repaired. With an avid love of vintage,

airport hangar, Laurence, accompanied by

Laurence ended up travelling the world as an

his beautiful wife Sally, scours the States for

engineer.

in those days) on his way home from school

unclaimed baggage and miscellaneous cargo items. To claim the booty, he bids against

“I went to a yard sale at 33 Truro Avenue,”

a team of hungry characters, such as Billy

Laurence recalls. He’d lived in a house at

Leroy, ‘The Dealer’ of Baggage Battles. With a

’number 33’ his whole life and 33 has always

degree from the Art Institute of Boston, Billy’s

been his number. “Even before buying that

first professional foray was in advertising. He

house, having always had the number 33 pop

was drawn into the world of auctions at the

into my life before, at opportune moments,

age of 25, when he bought a $200 painting

and because the place was on Truro Avenue,

and sold it for an astonishing $18,000!

I offered to buy the house there and then, rather than the collective goods in the

There’s also Mark Meyer. Mark may be 25

garage!” This kind of sums up the guy!

years old and still living at home with his parents, but his age is no reflection of the

Then, in 1987, Laurence went on to buy what

auction professional he has become. Mark

is now Studio Antiques, his beloved Cali store,

is a hard worker with a cunning knack for

where most of his TV purchases are shipped.

business and has a proven track record for

He was in the store one day when the phone

selling anything. Mark wears a baseball cap,

rang and he was asked to appraise some

t-shirt and jeans, but can stand toe-to-toe

pieces for the show, as they were in town.

with any businessman in a $5,000 suit on

The rest is history. A new series beckons and

the auction room floor. In order to be taken

the couple have found a new lease of life;

seriously in an industry that is dominated by

TV stardom has led to a relaxed vibe. One

an older crowd, Mark lays everything on the

of his mantras is ‘Love what you do, and do

line to earn the respect of his peers. He takes

what you love’, and it seems he is thoroughly

this risky business tactic, and his innate skill

enjoying a lifestyle along those lines.

for auctioning, along with him!

Before our time was up, we had to ask if there Now, having seen most of the world through

is anything about Dorset that he misses. He

the show, and just back from filming in Cape

is quick to reply. “The family, of course, and

Town, the double act of Laurence and Sally

also the roads, the main one coming from

(attempting to keep her irrepressible husband

Kingston through to Swanage, that was always

in check), have won the hearts of an army of

some driving road,” he recalls fondly.

fans the world over. These days, Laurence, or The Gimbler (a take on The Gambler), as he is

As a man and a legend, in my eyes, we’re

known, and Sally enjoy a fabulous lifestyle in

happy to welcome Laurence back to our

California, with their own antiques shop. We

shores anytime. The sloe gin will be on tap,

asked him about how it all began and whether

the roads will be winding and the soccer

he misses the winding roads of Dorset.

always top-flight (kinda)!

“I was born in Bournemouth and raised on the

Good to see you mate and, ‘til we meet again,

good old-fashioned streets of Bournemouth

keep bidding!

in the 50s,” recalls Laurence. “I was broughtup in the school systems of Queen’s Park Infants and Juniors, where, if you were caught within a mile of the school without your cap you would be in trouble!”

With his passion starting out with stamp collecting, from an early age Laurence had

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New Park Manor

Where the Great Outdoors Steps Inside

Amongst the trees and wildlife of the beautiful New Forest stands the majestic New Park Manor. Here you’ll find a beautifully constructed spa and retreat, built to accommodate the everincreasing clientele that are discovering for themselves why this place is packed out with fun-loving families all year round.

This magnificent playground for hardworking ‘weekend warriors’, offers all those little luxuries one would hope to discover when escaping the rat race. There’s a wonderfully warm swimming pool with spa facilities, power jets, foot spa and experience showers, and an outdoor Canadian hot tub facing across the New Forest landscape. Being this in touch with the great outdoors left us wanting to camp in the grounds and forage for our food, or at least it would have done if we hadn’t already taken a sneaky look at the fabulous menu online!

A great deal of thought has gone into the smooth operation of what is probably the ultimate child-friendly environment, like nothing else I’ve ever experienced in this glamorous part of the world.

arkadia magazine

Being this in touch with the great outdoors left us wanting to camp in the grounds and forage for our food.

The reception desk is lower than average and a children’s

‘little kids’, ‘middle kids’ and ‘big kids’ dining areas all

seating area offers a clean, warm and cosy welcome.

kitted out in calm and serene fabrics, the hotel is the

Things are kept at low level so kids can see what’s

perfect destination for newbie parents. Here you can

going on and rounded edges ensure there are no

throw food on the floor and get away with it; you can

nasty bumps. The soft furnishings and the brightly lit,

even blame your child!

colourful surroundings make this a magical kingdom for both adults and children. There is a strict no tie policy

The staff are astonishingly patient and are really

here, which is great, and on arrival we’re greeted

interested in what you’ve done with your day. In fact,

by General Manager, David Knight (formerly of FJB

they usually chat to the youngest members of the

Collection) in his relaxed attire, smiling warmly from

family far more than the ‘fuddy-duddies’. I think this

ear to ear. You can see this man is enjoying his world,

allows them to have much more fun, leaving none

and so he should be.

of the pretence or awkwardness you would normally find when being served this level of fine food. With an

After settling in, I happily wandered barefoot with

Ofsted crèche and TVs built into the bathroom walls,

my seven month old baby on my hip, feeling just as I

you really do have the best of both worlds.

would in my own home. With its split level design and

The bedrooms are finished to the highest level and

behind and set out on foot to discover the forest walks

will make you feel like royalty! They are decorated

or, better still, hire a bike.

in a true English country style and are situated in the Manor Wing on the first floor. The bedrooms come

There are some great activities available locally,

with a beautiful King or Queen size bed and a sofa-

such as clay shooting, archery, horse riding and golf.

bed for the children. There was also ample space for

There's even a neighbouring polo ground with events

a cot for our little one.

taking place from May to September (Saturdays only).

There is much to see, in and around the New Forest

As you relax and unwind with a glass of wine, you can

and with Lymington’s sailing centre just five miles

enjoy the forest that comes right up to the edge of

away, the choice of activities is almost endless.

the grounds, bringing not only a sense of calm but also fallow deer, New Forest ponies and wild boar.

Come and see for yourselves just how easy having fun

You don't have to leave the hotel to enjoy the forest

with your family, in comfort and style, can actually be.

because you're already there, right in the heart of

Now we’ve realised it can be achieved – so long Nana,

it. If you want to explore further, leave your car keys

babysitting duties have been cancelled!

By Claire Nash

arkadia magazine

Pleasure on the high seas with the best in the business.

With over 50 years in Lyme Bay, Harry May’s story is quite remarkable, as is his home, perched magnificently on the cliff side above the harbour, where we caught up with this local legend.

As we take a seat in his fabulous home,

sea fishing tours, a real experience

Harry May, the man whose name has

for the keener fisherman. These make

become synonymous with Lyme Regis,

for a longer day out and cost £25

gives us an insight into his mackerel

per person.

fishing business.

Harry’s deep sea and mackerel Harry’s speciality fishing trips out into

fishing trips began back in 1970

Lyme Bay take place aboard Marie F

when he started working for Victor

and Sunbeam, his two custom-built

Homyer, one of the well known

fishing boats. The trips set out from

local fishermen of the time. Every

the end of the harbour every two hours,

morning at 7am they would leave

with up to ten passengers, each in

Lyme Regis harbour aboard Victor’s

search of mackerel or, perhaps, more

boat Sunbeam, and set a course for

exotic fish. These trips cost just £9

a rocky area, four and a half miles

for adults and only £6 for children

south, where Victor had 25 lobster

and are a fabulous family orientated

pots. The catch usually consisted

way of experiencing just some of the

of about 50Ib of crab and two or

passion this chap has for the local

three lobsters. By 10am they were

coastline.

back on shore, where the catch was cooked and dressed before being

The trips are operated in an easy,

put on display in The Old Watch

no nonsense way; just arrive at the

House, which is still a wet-fish shop

quay, book on a trip and away you go.

to this day. You’ll find it opposite the

They’re great fun for everyone and

harbour, at the end of Cobb Road,

Harry has had all ages on board, from

and mackerel caught on Harry’s trips

toddlers to 90 year old wheelchair-

can be left here for the day for the

bound fishermen, all keenly angling

cost of a pint of prawns! By 11am Harry

away! All the equipment required for

would be leaving for the first of many

your trip is provided, plus tuition too,

mackerel fishing trips.

if you need it. Harry also offers deep

A FISHY ON

YOUR LITTLE

DISHY! Words - Danny Nash Images - Michael Schmitz

He fell completely and utterly in love with his

to cook at the quay side when you get back

job and he still beams from ear to ear when

to shore. With a fresh bag of hot chips at the

he explains what he does for a living. The real

ready, you can griddle your fish on one of the

passion for him is not just in the fishing, but in

barbeques set up along the quay. Now that’s

meeting the pleasure seekers and the holiday

what you call fresh and locally sourced! And

makers who come to him in search of that

this is the stuff real memories are made of.

extra special experience. And making sure his customers have the best possible experience

We said goodbye to Harry and took one

is the reason the man gets up every day to

last look out over the harbour from his

launch his boats. Harry is an old sea-dog, who

beautiful home. As he looked out, we got

swells with pride when he regales you with

the impression that he wasn’t just keeping a

tales of the ocean creatures he has spotted

watchful eye on his boats, but on the ocean

(and caught) during his many years on the

itself. Harry has some fascinating tales to tell

water. The promise of a safe journey, hours of

and we’ll be revisiting this story in the next

fun, and the excitement of the catch makes

edition of Arkadia.

us want to stay out on the boat all day. You keep what you catch on Harry’s trips and he’ll even gut or fillet your fish for you, so it’s ready

To contact Harry, Email: harry@harrymay.com or give him a call on 07974 753287.

Going back to our roots From hoof to plate with The Langton Arms

The Langton Arms is nestled in the serene village of Tarrant Monkton, a small thatched Dorset hamlet in the Tarrant Valley. It is bordered by some of the most magnificent countryside in England, a place which has altered little since it was immortalised in the novels of Thomas Hardy at the turn of the century.

Located opposite the village church and surrounded by beautiful cottages, as far as the eye can see, The Langton Arms has long been known for its traditional pub fare, grand beer medley and huge family-friendly beer garden set amongst open fields – a tranquil setting for a happy outing whatever the weather.

As you enter the large quaint old building it splits into a combination of different styles. There’s a casual front bar for lunches and suppers as well as a local’s bar, with comfy sofas to unwind in, to a soundtrack of the soft murmurings of relaxed minds. This isn’t some ‘bistro’ wannabe, with a smarter formal dining room for larger family celebrations, this Inn has the feel of a proper pub, offering plenty of space and with a neat and bright dining area. The vast outdoor area has four or five ‘break out’ areas to choose from and an abundance of space for kids (and us grown-ups) to breathe in the country air and admire the views. The lack of pretense is refreshing and the week-day dining menu would give other lofty-end sites in the area a real run for their money.

arkadia magazine

With 25 years under her belt and having survived a fire that wiped out the entire pub ten years ago, owner Barbara Cossins is a woman not to be underestimated. Twelve months ago she set up her own local butchery on the family farm in Tarrant Rawston. With over five generations of farming experience and some spare land from a lost dairy herd, it seemed an opportunity too good to miss. Beef, venison, game, pork and lamb are now available daily both in the pub, on the farm butchery and in local independent farm shops and butchers.

The butchery supplies the pub’s daily menu with 21 day matured beef (a mouth-watering speciality), homemade scotch eggs (you have to try the eggs!), crispy chilli beef, and venison sausages. In season, many of the veggies come straight from the pub garden and onto your plate. These publicans believe in keeping it straightforward and local; this is authentic food for authentic people.

Slightly old-school, but very welcome and incredibly delicious is a complimentary taster of home-made veggie soup and bread (this is done before every meal) and petits fours with your coffee. Portions are generous and service is caring and genuine.

As well as the bustling pub, Barbara and her team host weddings, celebrations, anniversaries and business meetings weekly. They have their own skittle alley for local clubs at the back, as well as six cosy en-suite bedrooms and a beautiful thatched cottage in the village, that you can hire as a weekend let. Oh, and a sunny holiday home in Kalkan, Turkey that you can lease should you require!

arkadia magazine

ADVERTISEMENT Tax planning for school fees Private school education is very expensive - but there are ways to legitimately reduce the after tax cost From the age of 5 to 18 it can cost around £200,000 per child as a day pupil, according to latest figures. A three year university course will add another £50,000.

Fees have risen by an average of 24% in the last five years, despite stagnant wage levels and an increasing squeeze on household finances. A recent survey *indicates that parents are under such financial pressure that 38% have struggled to meet payment deadlines, 37% have considered taking their children out of private school because of the costs and 57% are concerned they may not be able to afford future fees. Officially, there are no tax breaks for education but there do exist a variety of tactics to reduce the after tax cost – all of which are perfectly legal.

Fees in advance scheme Most private schools offer an ‘advance fee payment’ scheme. It requires a substantial lump sum and involves parents and schools collaborating so they both benefit from the school’s charitable status. Parents pay their child’s school fees as a lump sum in advance; anything from a term’s fees to several years’.

The school then invests the lump sum in low-risk investments. The returns on the investment are tax free for most schools if they have charitable status. Were the parents to make the same investments, they would get much smaller returns because it is more than likely they are higher rate taxpayers and would therefore have to pay 40-45% tax on any investment returns, or capital gains tax. The fees in advance scheme means they pay no tax and the parents and the school can then split the benefit. In return for paying up-front, the parents are given what the school classes as a discount and the school keeps whatever is remaining.

Set up a family business If grandparents are willing to help finance their grandchildren’s education, they could set up a family business and name the children as beneficiaries of a shareholders’ trust. A family business can easily be set up if there is not already one in existence.

The grandparents then put income-generating assets into the family business; such as property or shares. The grandparents make the children shareholders of the family business.

When the fees are due, they arrange for the family business to pay out a special dividend for the amount of the fees, by creating special shares to give to the children. It is important to ensure share payouts are realistic’ A child has a tax-free allowance worth £10,000 a year and a basic rate income tax band of £31,865. Thus, each child can receive dividends up to £41,865 before incurring a tax liability. It is vital that the grandparents set up the trust and not the parents; it is not possible for a parent to gift the sum to the child without incurring tax. This rule is to ensure that parents don’t try to take advantage of a child’s tax status for their own gain. But grandparents are a different matter, so paying school fees might be preferable to leaving money as inheritance. It is possible for this to be used to buy shares in a company owned by the parents but that needs to be handled very carefully.

All parents can take a quarter of their pension pot as a lump sum when they reach the age of 55, even if still working

Use an offshore bond Parents can invest a lump sum in an offshore bond, naming themselves as trustees and the children as the beneficiaries. The parents then split the bond up into a number of different policies – enough to pay out for each term of school fees. By assigning the policies to the children, the tax on the gain will be payable by the child and not by the parent. Since the gain will probably be within their personal allowance, it will be tax free.

Get a payout from your pension All parents can take a quarter of their pension pot as a lump sum when they reach the age of 55, even if still working. Using this can be a tax efficient way of paying for school fees. Of course there is also tax relief on the pension contributions in the first place. There are many implications of commencing to take a benefit from a pension scheme which all need to be very carefully considered before taking the tax-free lump sum.

Childcare vouchers These can be used for ANY activities that are outside the National Curriculum which are provided by a recognised teaching establishment or registered child minder and are tax-free for the parents. Such activities include almost all sporting activities, ‘after school’ activities, independent tutors, etc. This ceases on 1 September, following the child’s 15th birthday. The maximum amount allowable as tax free is £2,860 per parent. Unless registered before 6 April 2011, income tax relief is available at the basic rate of 20% only. The vouchers are exempt from NIC. This particular scheme will be closed to new claimants in September 2015. A new scheme will become available which is likely to be less advantageous.

University If a child is a bona fide employee prior to going to university then that employer can pay a bursary to the child whilst at university. There is no restriction on the employer being controlled by the parents or other relatives. There are several HMRC regulations to comply with to maximise the tax efficiency of this.

These are just a few of the ways to reduce the after tax cost of private education. To discuss this vitally important subject and to organise a FREE initial consultation, please contact the team at Lashmars Tax Accountants on 01590 688838 or by e-mail at office@lashmars.co.uk. You can contact us online via www.lashmars.co.uk where you can also sign up to receive our FREE monthly e-Newsletter, full of relevant tax advice and timely reminders.

Disclaimer: These are general notes only provided to illustrate the taxation effects of different possible courses of action.

Full consideration must always be made of all relevant details in each particular circumstance.

Lashmars Tax Accountants cannot be responsible for any loss occurring from nor the effectiveness of action taken based on this article alone. * Lloyds Bank Private Banking survey.

arkadia magazine

arkadia magazine

Camping it up for 2014!

DE LA SOUL HEADLINE SATURDAY NIGHT!

Winner of the UK Festival Awards Best Family Festival 2013, Camp Bestival is, without a doubt, the greatest family show on earth! With a veritable feast of funambulists, including the likes of the legendary Mr Tumble, Horrible Histories, Ben & Holly (Live), Basement Jaxx, James, Johnny Marr, Laura Mvula, Boy George & Marc Vedo, David Rodigan and many more, lined up to bowl you over and bedazzle one and all this coming 31 July to 3 August at Lulworth Castle! A large section of the festival site is devoted to the little-uns with the Upper Kids’ Garden on the lawn behind the castle particularly suited to giving them a bit of freedom to cavort and explore. Activities here include the likes of BigTopMania, where you can learn a circus skill, a bouncy castle, bikes and go-carts, a separate toddlers’ area and our pioneering Breastival Mother and Baby Chill Out, plus brand new for 2014, and the centre for all our Circus Spectaculars: The Greatest Tent on Earth! The Lower Kids’ Garden, meanwhile, is packed full of entertainment for slightly older children.

This year you’ll find the Insect Circus, Art Town where paint and glitter are the order of the day, the Kids’ Catwalk, fairground rides, face painting and a soft play tent and sandpit (for under 5s). And inter-mingled amongst all this are plenty of food markets, cafés, bars, talks and music stages to ensure the slightly older clientele don’t stand a chance of getting bored. Food has always been one of the stars of the show at Camp Bestival and The Feast Collective will take it to the next level, showcasing a heavenly selection of the exquisite things happening in the food scene right now, with a carefully curated collection of appetising offerings complementing each other perfectly. Situated in front of the castle with views of the main stage and plenty of green spaces to picnic, The Feast Collective will be a space where all the family wants to hang out. With long tables for communal dining, a bar with mixologists, talks, demos, and the hustle and bustle of a trading market space, it will be THE destination to head for, food and drink. .

Bestival it’s local

Conyers

3 West St Town Centre Blandford Forum DT11 7AW 01258 452307 www.shootingsouthwest.com

• Est. 1886 •

Gunsmiths, country outfitters & angling supplies

Expert local knowledge and advice • Justin J Frampton R.F.D. 13D •

New/secondhand shot/air guns, rifles and repairs, game, course, sea angling equipment

Dorchester office: 01305 757300 Email: stuart.bramley@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Harveys Close Road Name Maiden Newton Town DT2 County EPC: D £475,000 Post Code Prices: £????????

An especially fine, detached house with superb space and light, peacefully located in the centre of this well-appointed village.

Lovely views across the green are matched by an immaculate marble fireplace within and French doors that lead onto a truly stunning garden room.

The five generous bedrooms, lawned garden and double garage add up to an incredibly handsome family house set in some of Dorset’s most stunning countryside despite being eminently accessible.

• • • • • •

Perfect family space Lovely outlook over the village green Sunny, west-facing garden Gorgeous garden room 5 beds & 2 baths.

More than ample parking

arkadia magazine

Perfect family space and lay-out Glorious, sun-lit garden Double garage and parking

Preston office: 01305 835300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

A truly stunning seaside property with glorious coastal views and superb scope.

Seconds from a secluded, sandy beach – one of Weymouth’s best-kept secrets - but just moments from the town centre and Portland Harbour, this property has the best of both worlds. With five bedrooms, off-street parking and a private garage, this would make the perfect lock-up-leave holiday home, buy-to-let or change-of-lifestyle house.

Views dominate every room, boosted still further by a terrace and a huge conservatory that leads onto the sea-top garden and its built-in jacuzzi. There is also vast work-fromhome potential, with a study area and generous workshop

• 360 sea views • South-facing, sea-top garden • Five bedrooms • Spacious living • Off-road parking • Garage

BREATHTAKING SEA VIEWS SECONDS FROM THE BEACH EXTENSIVE ACCOMMODATION

Old Castle Road Castle Cove Weymouth DT4 arkadia magazine £350,000 EPC: arkadia magazine

D

Dorchester Office: 01305 757300 Email:stuart.bramley@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Birch Way Charlton Down DT2 £ 565,000 EPC: C

NO-THROUGH ROAD COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS PERFECT FAMILY HOME

A substantial detached property designed very much with the professional family in mind located in a secluded and tranquil, no -through road, in this well-regarded location.

Amongst properties of a similar calibre, the property has the further advantage of enjoying pretty views of the Dorset countryside, and has well-designed light and airy accommodation providing four double bedrooms with two en-suite facilities on the first floor, together with three large reception rooms, immaculate kitchen/breakfast room , utility room and cloakroom on the ground floor. arkadia magazine

• • • • • • • •

Master bedroom with en-suite facility 3 further bedrooms (one with en-suite facility) Family bathroom Kitchen/breakfast room 3 reception rooms Utility and cloakroom Double garage and garden

Wareham Office: 01929 555300 Email: trisha.ashby-rudd@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

This is a spacious, immaculate 4 bedroom home which flows delightfully from room to room, elegantly presented throughout.

Lived in by the same family since first built by highly respected local builders AWB, the property has been well maintained and clearly loved by the owners.

• 4 large double bedrooms • Very spacious, light, airy living accommodation • Exceedingly high specification • Private and secure driveway and gardens • Summerhouse and jacuzzi for garden entertaining • Double garage and parking for 6/7 cars

A sweeping shingle driveway leads to the impressive frontage with a large double garage and parking for 6 or 7 cars.

The rear garden has an extensive patio for alfresco dining, bordered lawn, substantial summer house and pagoda decking with large heated Jacuzzi, for year round entertaining in the private, enclosed garden

LUXURIOUSLY APPOINTED NEAR WAREHAM TOWN CENTRE ARCHITECT DESIGNED

Birchwood Stoborough BH20 £625,000 EPC: C arkadia magazine 51

arkadia magazine

Wareham office: 01929 555 300 Email: trisha.ashby-rudd@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Coombe Keynes Wareham BH20 £895,000 EPC: exempt

This delightful Grade II listed detached farmhouse commands a peerless plot on the edge of the unspoiled Dorset village of Coombe Keynes in the heart of the Purbecks.

A stunning, sprawling garden lends superb light and views as well as a picturesque summerhouse while the interior combines the best of old-school farmhouse living with contemporary mod-cons and a dream kitchen.

The handsome inglenook houses a two-oven, gas-fired AGA while the conservatory offers glorious views onto open, rolling countryside.

Five well-proportioned bedrooms, study and handy utility make this a truly generous family house in a stunning rural location close to all amenities and excellent transport links.

• Idyllic rural location • Stunning family space • Extensive garden • Quintessential Dorset views • Inglenook and AGA • Garage and generous off-road parking arkadia magazine

Picture-perfect countryside location Glorious garden and views Magical conservatory

Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

An enchanting cottage with the most lovely garden right in the heart of the village, having been beautifully refurbished and renovated with considerable care taken to enhance the period nature of the property whilst providing a modern kitchen and bathroom.

The accommodation has an impressive kitchen/breakfast room with French doors opening onto the rear garden. The 2 spacious bedrooms have a wealth of character and both have views over open countryside.

The most delightful and well-manicured rear garden is unexpectedly large and has a beautiful sunny aspect.

• ENCHANTING GRADE II LISTED COTTAGE • DELIGHTFUL PRIVATE GARDEN • PRIVATE STREAM • 2 SPACIOUS BEDROOMS • PARKING AND GARAGE • EXPOSED BEAMS • FEATURE FIREPLACE • MODERN KITCHEN WITH BELFAST SINK MANY ORIGINAL FEATURES ENCHANTING GRADE II LISTED COTTAGE

MILL COTTAGE CHARMINSTER DT2 Rental £780.00 per calendar month EPC: E arkadia magazine arkadia magazine

Dorchester office: 01305 757300 Email: stuart.bramley@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Greenwood House Stinsford DT2 £ 950,000 EPC: D

TENNIS COURT & STABLES 2.75 ACRES PERFECT FAMILY HOME A perfect opportunity to combine ‘town and country’ with a wonderfully spacious elegant home of over 3,500 ft2, complete with 2.75 acres including paddocks and tennis court – and yet just 1 ½ miles away from the centre of Dorchester in this smallest of villages where Hardy’s heart is buried in the churchyard.

The accommodation does not disappoint with a generous kitchen/family room with Aga opening onto an extensive terrace – from which both the dining room, drawing room and Amdega conservatory also have access.

• Huge kitchen/family room with Aga • Amdega conservatory & extensive arkadia magazine

There is also a study and practical utility room on the ground floor as well as 6 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms on the first and second floors.

Outside there is tremendous space for a family with newly completed stables for the four-footed variety and a play area for the two-footed!

Gardens are attractively landscaped and the view from the terrace takes in the paddocks; there is also a smaller walled courtyard ideal for the hot tub.

Considerable parking for boats, horsebox etc. as well as a large double garage • 6 bedrooms/3 bathrooms • Over 3,500 ft2

Y

es, the pre-election bubble may burst but there Polly Greenway oversees residential sales while Neil is – right now – an unprecedented demand Greenway is an expert on land acquisition. for prime Dorset property.

Architect Barry Coupe looks after project management

DOMVS’ thriving, new Wareham office has captured this trend, selling a record £5.6million worth of property in its first 6 weeks of business.

We are proof, if proof were needed: the buyers are out there and seriously looking.

Dorset is fast becoming the discerning home-buyer’s destination of choice. We have the lifestyle, we have the weather, we have the coast and, of course, we have the property.

But keen demand demands expert supply. And that’s where DOMVS truly excels: seamlessly matching up the two.

At DOMVS, we know that buying or selling your house is an intensely personal process but one that requires absolute coverage. We pride ourselves on combining local expertise with global exposure.

Our dedicated team is small enough to be accessible yet provides a muscular wealth of experience and multidiscipline knowledge that drives powerful results.

After 30 years in the business we have worked hard to harness only the very best. As such our hugely experienced team has been hand-picked with precision and care.

and Debbie Turner is in charge of lettings. We even have our own auctioneer, Richard Worrall.But this is an everchanging market in challenging times.

While we will always fiercely believe in the personal approach, we also know that our inspirational property demands edge, nous, technology and platform.

We are proud to belong to the exclusive Fine & Country network made up of more than 275 offices together with 100 international outlets, giving DOMVS unique access to buyers around the world.

Dorset is increasingly popular with clients relocating from the UK and overseas. Fine & Country’s Park Lane office empowers our clients by enabling us to embrace this important market.

But, despite our global reach, our local expertise remains unparalleled. Bolstering our longstanding offices in Weymouth and Dorchester, our new Wareham office ensures blanket coverage.

Selling – and buying - a house is not unlike stand-up comedy: it’s all about the timing. Don’t miss out. Act now.

You won’t regret it.

Life is simply too short not to live it well.

arkadia magazine

Dorchester office: 01305 757300 Email: stuart.bramley@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Horseshoe Lodge Portesham DT3 £485,000 EPC: C

A stylish and utterly unique, contemporary home with panoramic views, light and ingenious lay-out. Set amid Portesham, one of Dorset’s most beautiful villages, this exquisitely-located and versatile three-bed property proved enormously successful as a holiday let but would also make a hugely desirable family home.

As well as wrap-round vistas of rolling hills, there is a truly handsome garden and glorious walking from the door. The spec is high-end throughout: nothing needs doing.

As well as a generous workshop, there is a terrace and private, secure parking.

Idyllic village location High spec luxury Lucrative rental potential • Prime Dorset village • Stunning rural views • Immaculate interior • Charming, sun-lit garden • Open-plan living • Proven rental income arkadia magazine

Preston Office: 01305 757300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

This charming historic building dates back to 1935 and – as the name implies – was once the Harbour Master’s. Offering a stunning triple aspect over the working harbour, the property enjoys a wonderful location overlooking Weymouth’s renowned fishing port and being within immediate distance of the fashionable marina, restaurants and bars located in the Brewer’s Quay area of town .

In need of some modernization this property currently offers living accommodation on the first floor to take full advantage of its excellent position. A rear courtyard offers an excellent low maintenance space for relaxing and entertaining.

• Historic property • Three bedrooms • In need of modernisation • Stunning harbour views • Courtyard area

CLOSE TO FASHIONABLE MARINA OUTSTANDING HARBOUR VIEWS OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE

The Old Harbour Masters, Custom House Quay, Weymouth – arkadia magazine £450,000 EPC: D arkadia magazine

Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email:charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Olympia Heights Greenhill Weymouth DT4 Penthouses from £ 450,000 EPC: B

COASTAL LOCATION CHOICE OF PENTHOUSES REMAINING LIFT & UNDERGROUND PARKING

Stylish penthouses enjoying an enviable and exclusive location in a majestic landmark building.

The effortless design incorporates striking glass architecture, polished steel features and polished hardwoods in this sophisticated development of 41 contemporary apartments including five impressive penthouse suites. Each property has been individually designed to create spacious accommodation with a luxury specification and finish, expansive balconies and terraces from which you can enjoy panoramic views of this captivating coastline arkadia magazine

• Just 5 penthouses remaining • Secure underground private & guest parking • Close to Weymouth’s sandy beaches & Esplanade • Stylishly appointed kitchens and bathrooms • Wrap-around terraces to penthouses

Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email:charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Pennsylvania Heights is a stylish new collection of 72 houses and apartments - with just 3 bedroom houses available in the last phases. Built to certified ‘Passivhaus’ standard, this contemporary development offers greatly reduced energy bills on top of fabulous sea or nature reserve views.

Designed to maximise the peerless Jurassic Coast location, the moneysaving technology includes triple glazing, excellent insulation and a mechanical heatrecovery ventilation system.

This highly efficient and environmentally friendly design provides comfortable temperatures and clean fresh air, all year round.

• Choice of 3 bedroom houses • Unbeatable Jurassic Coast location • Triple glazing • Money-saving technology • Contemporary design • Built to Passivhaus standard

SEA VIEWS ECO LIVING CUTTING-EDGE NEW BUILD

Pennsylvania Heights Portland Nr Weymouth DT5 From £238,000

arkadia magazine arkadia magazine

Wareham Office: 01929 555300 Email: trisha.ashby-rudd@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Radnor House Creech Bottom, BH20 £835,000 EPC: E This is a wonderfully versatile 4 bed property, idyllically located on the Isle of Purbeck in rural Dorset. Set in approximately 1 acre of land boasting a large garden with a wild pond area and a small bridge.

4 generously sized reception rooms, including a bright and airy conservatory plus an artfully designed contemporary kitchen/dining room with French doors opening to a spacious veranda overlooking the gardens. Surrounded by countryside, and less than 2 miles from the riverside, Saxon walled town of Wareham, this is an exceptional family home.

SOUGHT AFTER RURAL AREA VERSATILE SPACIOUS ACCOMMODATION FAR-REACHING COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS

• Set in approximately 1 acre • Tranquil rural setting • Extremely light, airy spacious accommodation • 4 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms • Self-contained Summer House • Double garage and ample private parking for at least 5

arkadia magazine

Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email:charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

South Point enjoys an elevated position boasting coastal views.

This brand new development is made up of eight apartments and two penthouses that come with spacious two or three bedroom accommodation.

With oak internal doors throughout and private balconies, this is truly affordable luxury living. There are views towards the sea and/or landscaped grounds.

There are lifts to all floors and private parking.

VIEWS TOWARDS THE SEA LUXURY SPEC PRIVATE BALCONIES

• Prized location near the coast • High-spec appliances • Landscaped grounds.

• Lifts to all floors • Private parking

South Point Buxton Road Weymouth DT4 From £199,950

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Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Stonecleave, Wakeham, Portland £ 435,000 EPC: E

ISLE OF PORTLAND GENTLEMAN’S RESIDENCE CLOSE TO CHURCH OPE COVE

An engaging sense of history with this well-presented historic house in this favoured area of Portland.

Lived in by generations of the Pearce family, owners of the nearby stone quarry, and noted in the ‘The Buildings of Old Portland’ by Eric Ricketts.

Clearly built to impress, this detached property has a charming mix of high specification and period detailing including fine marble fireplaces and beautiful coving.

The particularly appealing kitchen/conservatory overlooks the large private walled garden which, given its southfacing direction, is a wonderful suntrap. arkadia magazine

• 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms • 3 Reception Rooms • Kitchen/Conservatory overlooking the garden • Fine period detailing with contemporary additions • Perfectly located near Church Ope Cove

Dorchester office: 01305 757 300 Email: stuart.bramley@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

This detached, picturesque property was built in the 19th Century but has been sensitively and brilliantly extended to create a generous, character home.

Studded with original, period details, there is a striking inglenook, oak flooring and timber-beamed farmhouse kitchen.

With immaculate thatching and breathtaking views out onto some of Dorset’s finest countryside, this property combines all the charm of a cottage with the spacious layout of a modern five-bed house.

Set in the heart of Milton Abbas, one of the county’s prettiest villages, the Old Forge is truly a prestigious address.

Old Forge Milton Abbas Blandford DT11 £625,000 EPC: exempt

• Prime Dorset village • Substantial, detached cottage • Thatched, period charm – with mod cons • Extensive garden • Generous accommodation

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Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

Quarterdeck BowleazeCoveway DT3 EPC: B

Extraordinarily located contemporary homes with breathtaking sea views enjoying a stunning cliff top position in Bowleaze Coveway: an outstanding location on the Jurassic coast.

Beautifully appointed, each home showcases craftsmanship rarely seen in new build properties.

Three large terraces and a further two balconies to the rear framing stunning panoramic sea and countryside views.

Ingeniously, each property has a passenger lift to all floors.

A courtyard to the rear of each property leads to the private gardens and there is also a large double garage.

STUNNING COASTAL HOUSES SEA & COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS PASSENGER LIFT • Stunning views of dramatic coastline • Superb craftsmanship • Impressive open plan kitchen/living area • 4 Bedrooms – 2 en-suite • Family Bathroom • Mezzanine • 3 large sea facing terraces • 2 balconies to the rear with countryside views

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Preston Office: 01305 835300 Email: charlotte.jones@domvs.co.uk Website: www.domvs.co.uk

This stylish contemporary residence is brimming with stunning architectural design features under a wave-shaped roof line with an atrium-style skylight.

Nestled in an exclusive private development of only three properties enjoying far-reaching views towards Portland Harbour, just two miles from the town centre. Spectacular walks and cycle rides are to be found along the Rodwell trail.

• Exclusive development • Contemporary 5 bedroom detached property • First floor balcony with views across Portland Harbour • Impressive open plan living area • Ample parking • Stunning architectural design features

Contemporary high quality kitchen and bathroom fittings: oak flooring to the hallway and living areas.

The spacious sitting / dining room is characterised by a high waveshaped ceiling with atrium style skylight and bi-folding doors which open to a balcony with far-reaching views.

EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT STUNNING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN VIEWS TOWARDS PORTLAND HARBOUR

WHITESAILS BUXTON ROAD DT4 Rental £1600.00 per calendar month EPC: C

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