Stamford Living April 2011

H E L P I N G Y O U T O G E T T H E M O S T O U T O F L I V I N G L O C A L LY

STAMFORD Living

Village Shops

Lifeblood of local communities

Stamford’s newest restaurant

L’Assiette reviewed

£1.50 April 2011

www.bestlocalliving.co.uk 04

Get active

Lots of outdoor pursuits

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Wilsthorpe

£565,000

Individually designed and built 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom stone house in an extremely good sized plot in a fantastic position on the edge of the sought after village of Wilsthorpe. Carefully maintained by the present owners the property boasts spacious and versatile accommodation and briefly comprises: Kitchen/Diner and Separate dining room, Large Lounge, Study, Utility, Downstairs Cloakroom and Studio. Upstairs 5 Bedrooms one with Ensuite and Family Bathroom.

Ample Parking.

Stamford

Superb fully furnished first floor apartment with open plan Living, Kitchen and Dining Area. Two Bedrooms with En-suite to each. Situated right in the town centre, this extremely spacious apartment has been renovated to an extremely high standard. Rent inclusive of utility bills and exclusive of Council Tax.

Stamford

£385,000

Completed to a very high standard this extended and completely renovated 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom town house offers surprisingly spacious accommodation in a highly sought after location exceptionally close to the town centre and all its amenities. Dating back to the early 17th century the property mixes the old with the best of the new whilst being sympathetic to the original character. Modern kitchen and bathrooms mix seamlessly with the character features. The private courtyard garden completes this property.

£1,200 pcm

Careby

£850 pcm

Newly renovated character country cottage in delightful village location which briefly comprises: Stunning Family Room, well fitted Kitchen/Breakfast Room with Utility Area, Dining Room/Second Sitting Room with wood burner.

Three Double Bedrooms, one En-suite and one Single Bedroom. Family Bathroom. Parking for a number of vehicles. Garden with decking.

2/3 St Johns Street Stamford PE9 2DA

Sales: 01780 750000 Lettings: 01780 750001 2

Email: info@goodwinpropertyservices.co.uk www.goodwinpropertyservices.co.uk

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STAMFORD LIVING Hello

W W W . BE S T L O C A L L I V I N G . C O . U K

This issue

@LocalLivingUK Cover shot:

Stamford’s Mid-Lent Fair.

This year’s fair runs from Mon Apr 4 – Sat April 9 Jonathan Clarke @ JPC Images Mobile: 07812 608359 www.jpcimages.co.uk

April

UPFRONT, SHOPPING

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Royal Wedding Concert; Stamford AFC Under 12 Danish cup trip; T&C Robinson charity raising; Stamford Feast Aromatica Body Treatment; The Cheese Cellar; Smiths Gore launch; Green Man Antiques QKS’s 30th anniversary; Legal advice on co-habitation; Crighton’s Hydropools Village Shops: The lifeblood of our local communities

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Business Listings

12 Fashion: Mother of the Bride 15 Health & Beauty: Spring cleaning your make-up bag 46 Health: Fitzwilliam Hospital NHS admissions

O

ur website is becoming a key part of our overall offering, and one of its most popular features is the Business Listings, which lists and describes the region’s best businesses. So if you are looking for a place to eat out or someone to fix your computer or anything else, this is the place to start your search and then click through directly to their website or Facebook page.

It couldn’t be easier to support the region’s best businesses.

12 FASHION

Editor Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Write to Stamford Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.bestlocallivingliving.co.uk Advertisement Manager Claudia Bayley 01780 480409 claudia@stamfordliving.fsnet.co.uk Advertisement Director Helen Walton 01780 754801 helen.stamford@btopenworld.com Advertising Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Assistant Designer Nik Ellis nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Printed by Warner’s of Bourne

Subscribe to Stamford Living

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Gardening: Nick Hamilton looks at jobs for April Stuff: Competitions; Tablets reviewed Motoring: Outside Lane – helping you buy the best car Design Interiors: Kitchen Surfaces

FOOD & DRINK

32 KITCHEN SURFACES

8 Grimsby Traditional Smoked Fish 21 Stamford COOK challenge 47 Sean’s Kitchen Confidential: Mango 51 Eating Out: Dameon Clarke’s L’Assiette 52 Absolute Taste at Burghley; Opus Dai; The Hole in the Wall;

The Harbourside Café and Bar ACTIVITIES, LEARNING & BUSINESS

Have a happy Easter.

Nicholas Rudd-Jones Editor

HOME, GARDEN & MOTORING

39 GET ACTIVE

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Local walk: Morehay Wood, Southwick Get Active: Sporting and outdoor adventures Get Active: Tennis Local Business: Richardsons; Moss Beck: Oundle Travel What’s On

PERSPECTIVES

21 25 59 62

Perspectives: Stamford Twinning Association Perspectives: The History of Stamford Castle Countryfile: Sycamore Farm, Bassingthorpe Living the good life: Shepherds and lambs

42 VILLAGE SHOPS 51 EATING OUT: L’ASSIETTE

62 LIVING THE GOOD LIFE

For only £20 (£30 for overseas surface mail) you can subscribe to Stamford Living for a year (12 issues).

Please send your name, address and a cheque made out to Local Living Ltd to: SL Subscriptions, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY Or you can subscribe via the website at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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LOCAL NEWS

Upfront What’s new this month

Come-andSing of Royal Wedding Music Saturday 30th April 2011 Barn Hill Methodist Church, Stamford Tickets are £10 from Stamford Arts Centre 01780 763203.

To celebrate the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. The afternoon includes a rehearsal (2.00 - 4.30 pm) and Afternoon Tea (4.30-5.30) followed by a performance at 5.30 pm.

The event is promoted by Music at St Martin’s www.musicatstmartins.org The Repertoire includes:– • Wagner Bridal Chorus (from Lohengrin) • Handel Wedding Anthem (Sing unto God, Ye Kingdoms (HWV 263) premiered at the wedding of Frederick, Prince of Wales, to Augusta, Princess of Saxe-Gotha.

• Albert, Prince Consort, Jubilate • Parry I was Glad and other solo items (all scores supplied)

Stamford AFC U12s Overseas Trip Stamford AFC U12s have been invited to enter the Norhalne Cup in Denmark - it is a four day event that has international acclaim. Nørhalne Cup 2010 had almost 550 teams participating from 14 countries – Brazil, England, USA, Russia, Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Italy, and Denmark. Stamford AFC is very proud to be sending a representative side. Full information can be obtained via www. norhalne-cup.dk The total cost for the tournament has been estimated at £5,000 to take the full squad.

The teams, direct families and carers have to date committed to raising £3,600 directly by way of sponsored swims etc. In order to raise the rest they have arranged “Bag Packing” at Morrisons Stamford and make this appeal to local business to offer support/sponsorship to hopefully raise the rest.

• If there is anyone interested in supporting the progress of this highly regarded local side please make all enquiries via Richard Bayley on Stamford 01780 480 409 / 07906 850621 or via rbayley@live.co.uk .

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Race to win £100 at T & C Robinson!!

Hallelujah Easter!

Local authors Honor Harris, Judith Merrill & Wendy Dyer (The Easter Squad) have come up with an Easter treat. This delightful book is sold in aid of the Leprosy Mission and contains more than 30 creative recipes and craft projects together with Easter quips and quotes. Available for £5.99 from TLM Trading Limited, 9 Holkham Road, Peterborough 0845 166 2253 or select Books on The Leprosy Mission website www.tlmrading.com

Becca Brown from T & C Robinson, 4 St Mary’s Street, will be running 5 half marathons this year in aid of the Evergreen Care Trust and the Alzheimer’s Society. Help her to raise money and be in with the chance of winning £100 of goodies from T & C Robinson by buying a raffle ticket in the shop.

The first 13.1 mile race was on March 20th at Grantham, next is St Albans in June, followed by the Great North Run in September, the Great Eastern Run in October, finishing with the Great South Run on 30th October.

Training is going well; with the aid of Stamford Striders’ running club and Mark Gordon from Fitness 2 Health who as well as personal training will be running Summer Boot Camps throughout May which Becca will be attending (see www.fitness2health.co.uk for more details.

• Please help Becca raise money by calling in to T & C Robinson or by visiting www. sponsor-me.org/5halfmarathonchallenge

First Stamford Feast will be on the Meadows in May The first Stamford Feast will be held on the Meadows on Sun 29 May from 10 am to 9pm.

Ali Hawley-Smith, well known for organising the very popular Stamford Christmas Festival is the Project Manager of this new community funded event, said: “We have never had a food festival in Stamford before. As we all know Stamford has some great restaurants and bistros run by local talented people, we have some fine food suppliers and we also have a thriving Hotel and Bar trade “All of these will combine to bring you a fun-filled and educational event, bringing all nationalities and cultural groups together, demonstrating food through the ages, up to the modern day.”

• Cultural awareness World Food trail • Healthy living demonstrations and advice from local government LOVE FOOD HATE WASTE • Cooking Demonstrations from international chefs • Health checks and nutritional advice from local health services • School Cooking Competitions • World music including Jazz, Salsa, Cuban, Steel bands • Fun and exciting exercise demonstrations using Zumba and Belly Dancing • Encouraging Community Cohesion • Food, wine & beer tastings • Champagne and Pimms • Children’s Entertainment Area

This is what the Stamford Feast will offer • Locally grown food from farmers and allotment groups

• Contact: Ali Hawley-Smith 07791 334221 or alihs@stamfordtownpartnership.co.uk or visit www.visitstamford.com/feast/

NENE VALLEY STAMFORD LIVING LIVING April July 2011 2008

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Aromatica is delighted to announce the move to its fabulous new premises and the launch of their Natural Treatment Beauty Salon upstairs

Aromatica continues to offer organic skincare, perfumes, aftershaves, luxury beauty goods and gifts and now in its fabulous new beauty salon right opposite the George Hotel, you can also enjoy all the best natural beauty treatments from Ren & Neom, with Dr Hauscha to follow in the summer

Facials | Massages | Manicures & Pedicures | Waxing Treatments will begin from 4th April - Shop and bookings open now

Aromatica, 8 High St, St Martin’s, Stamford, PE9 2LF

Tel: 01780 753443 Open 9-5 Mon-Sat, late to 8pm on Thu Still stockists of

Acqua di Parma • Carthusia • Cowshed • Neom • Burt’s Bee’s • Dr Hauschka • Ren • Mama Mio Creed • Miller Harris • E Coudray • T – le Clerc • Inika • This Works • SL April ADS.indd 5

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Be Inspired!

recently refurbished...

Visit us Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, 8 St Mary’s Hill Stamford Lincs PE9 2DP Tel: 01780 767878 www.siriusjewellery.co.uk

Hurray!

Children’s Shoes…

Including: Ricosta, Hush Puppies, Garvalin & Lellikelly

Step into Summer….

….with style

• Summer Special Book By 20 April • Exclusive 1 to 1 consultation £25 /1hour session • Wardrobe Assessment £45 • Shopping Appointment £50/hour

expertly fitted by fully trained staff

Marcia May shoes ltd 41 St Mary’s st Stamford, PE9 2DS

01780 766608

sandi lindley Look good,

style

feel fabulous!

07858 255622 sandilindleystyle@mail.com

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LOCAL NEWS

Upfront (L) to (R): Sarah Gardner, Melissa Fysh, Bertie Fenner, Loryn Chambers

Aromatica: A Natural sensation Recycle beautifully - with an antique If you thought of recycled goods as clunky and inelegant, think again. Buying an antique is the ultimate green gesture, and if you choose carefully, you can find classic pieces which will survive for generations. Jo Elwood of Green Man Antiques and Restoration in Oundle has a great selection of beautiful 17th, 18th and 19th century furniture, chosen for its perfect proportions and fine craftsmanship.

“People think that if they live in a modern house, they can’t have antiques, but that’s just not true. They look good in any setting,” says Jo. “Our prices are comparable to modern furniture, yet you are getting something that has stood the test of time, something with character and longevity that you will be able to pass on.” The shop’s stock usually includes chests of drawers, mirrors, chairs, pictures and clocks and tables. There is also a range of quirky and decorative gift items, which start at around £10.

• Green Man Antiques, 74 West St, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4EJ Tel: 01832 272099

The Vac Centre It’s Spring Clean time and the Vac Centre has some wonderful offers running through April.

Not only do they provide the best service anywhere in the region, but they also offer great value machines, be they uprights, pull alongs or hand helds. Nick, the owner, has a fabulous selection to choose from but more importantly he can make sure you make the right choice: “Everyone’s house is different. You need the right vacuum cleaner for the type of floor coverings you have – the wrong vacuum can wreck your floor.”

• The Vac Centre, 18 St Mary’s St, Stamford Tel: 01780 482935

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NENE VALLEY LIVING July 2008

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Aromatica is delighted to announce its move to a fabulous new premises and the launch of a Natural Treatments salon upstairs.

“Our first year went really well,” according to Melissa Fysh the owner, “but often people would ask us if we did treatments as well as selling the products. So it seemed like a natural move.”

Now, in its fabulous new premises right opposite the George, you can enjoy all natural body treatments in the salon upstairs. Loryn Chambers has joined as the beauty therapist. She was trained at the Burley Academy in Peterborough and practiced at Bannatyne’s in Peterborough before joining the Aromatica team. “I’ve been going for treaments for six years and this girl has really got it,” Melissa enthused.

I had a peek at the treatment room and it is top class, with beautiful Farrow and Ball colours, elegant, calm, spotlessly fresh and clean. Treatments include Top to Toe Organic Indulgence, Complete Body Restore, Back to Bliss and also waxing, manicures and pedicures. Treatments will begin from April 4th, the shop and bookings are open now.

Aromatica continues to offer the best natural beauty products for sale in the region, with brands including Ren, Neom and Dr Hauscha.

• Aromatica, 8 High St, St Martin’s, Stamford, PE9 2LF Tel: 01780 753443 Open 9-5 Mon-Sat, late to 8pm on Thu

The Cheese Cellar “We love things made with a passion,” say George and Karen Brammer, who recently opened the Cheese Cellar in Stamford. “When we arrived back in the area after years of living in the Cotswolds we found that we missed the artisan cheeses we had become used to buying there.”

The Cheese Cellar stocks cheeses made by hand by the farmer. George is a bespoke furniture maker and Karen is taking time out from a career in nursing. “My passion is the individual,” says George, “those who can make something with their hands. We will lose the small producer if we don’t support them and with this in mind our aim is to promote and educate.”

Taste before buying if you are unsure of your choice. Karen explains, “Customers come in for the cheese but quickly realise that there is a wonderful selection of all sorts on our shelves. Derek sources our fresh veg, local eggs and honey from Boston.”

• The Cheese Cellar, 17 St George’s Street, Stamford Tel: 01780 489269

New estate agency opens in Stamford Exciting times lie ahead for Smiths Gore, the UK’s leading rural property services advisors, with the opening of a residential agency office in Stamford.

The office is managed by Ed Russell who joins from Knight Frank where he was responsible for Country House sales in the Midlands area.

Joining Ed is Annabel Morbey and Edward de Lisle.

Ed Russell commented: “I am delighted with the opportunity to build and develop our estate agency practice in the Stamford area. Stamford is the ideal location to establish a dedicated residential sales office, where we already have an existing high profile management presence in and around the town.”

“We are committed to providing a first class service to vendors and buyers alike, with the very best advice to our clients backed by our strength and expertise as the UK’s leading rural property services provider.”

• Smiths Gore, 9 High Street, St Martins, Stamford Tel: 01780 484 696 STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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FOOD & DRINK

Sole Food George Enderby’s Grimsby Traditionally Smoked Fish is naturally smoked in 100 year old traditional brick smoke houses above smouldering embers of wood shavings.

Sarah Lyon reports

of fresh fish arrive in port and are sold at auction market. We are fortunate to have fish from fisheries in Norway and Iceland where the waters are well managed.”

Unique to Grimsby are the traditional smoke raditional fish smoking is a natural and slow houses of the early 1900s that have survived process where brined fillets of haddock are the test of time. Richard Enderby explains, placed on speats (long stainless steel rods) to “A cluster of traditional smoke houses, each drain throughout the day before being placed with their own unique and individual features, in smoke house chimneys to be cold smoked stand cheek by jowl to each other. Most are overnight. The chimneys have openings at the listed but leasehold, leaving them vulnerable to top and bottom to allow a draught of cool fresh the restructuring efforts of their landlord, the air to mingle with the smoke as it rises, creating Association of British Ports. It is important that the special ‘cold smoking’ which the process this cluster of traditional smoke houses remain requires. The walls of the chimneys have been an integral part of our cultural and culinary allowed to gather a coating of tar over many heritage.” years – essential in imparting the For more information go to unique flavouring that cannot Terry www.alfredenderby.co.uk, be produced by any other is out on the Tel contact 01472 method. rivers and washes of sa day r fou to 342984 “Because of the ee thr s The Fen eeling since n • Source the Enderby’s nature of the process, bee has ry Ter ek. we ays caught Smoked Haddock capacity is limited,” he was a lad, “I have alw t stuck.” jus “It from Smith’s says Richard. “The ry.

Ter s say them,” oak chippings Smokery on Stamford obvious route for us Eels are smoked over home in Boston, Farmer’s Market is the quality route. and logs from Terry’s with many ng alo d We have EU protected sol and ire nsh Lincol at markets status (meaning that other smoked products mford, Sta . ion only haddock smoked reg the around m gha pin the traditional way in Oakham and Up ct nta Co ts. rke Grimsby can be called Ma Farmer’s Grimsby Smoked Haddock.

Tel: 01754 82026 One of only four awards given to Seafood in the UK) for codifying everything. There’s no cutting corners. This is what separates us from the mass market.”

“In contrast, modern mechanical kiln smoking has become a popular method of smoking but is less green,” says Richard. “The smoking process is speeded up using electrically-run heaters and fans where fillets are sealed in an electric oven regulated by turning dials. A much quicker method of smoking with the result that the product loses out on the distinctive taste and aroma that traditional smoking methods creates.”

“My granddad was a compass adjuster when the fishing boats used to leave from the port here, but that’s all in the past now, as there are few boats left in Grimsby. These days containers

T

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George’s Fish Pie

The tradition of eating fish on Good Friday has been about since medieval times.

2 good sized smoked haddock fillets (boned) • 1 lb of potatoes • 1 oz butter • 1 clove of garlic • 1/2 pint of milk • 3 oz grated cheddar • 1 teaspoon of mustard • 2 tomatoes • 1 tablespoon of corn flour 1. Mash potatoes until soft and creamy 2. Place smoked haddock into a pan of cold water and bring to boil. Then drain off the water.

3. Sauté the garlic in butter and make a roux with the corn flour.

4. Add milk.

5. Stir until it thickens, and then stir in the cheese and mustard.

6. Flake the smoked haddock and add to the sauce 7. Spread mashed potato around the side of dish then pour cheese sauce mixture into the centre.

8. Sprinkle with grated cheese and arrange slice of tomato on top.

9. Grill until cheese is bubbling, then serve.

Sarah’s tips: You may use flour in place of corn flour to make the roux • It is helpful to heat the milk before adding to the roux • Use a balloon whisk to make cheesy sauce • Use locally produced Lincolnshire Poacher cheese (Stamford Farmer’s Market)

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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Springtime Fabulous fashion!

Affordable accessories!

Pampering potions!

3 & 4 Stamford Walk, Stamford, 01780 764626 www.youstamford.co.uk

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M A K E

I T

A

L O N G

WEEKEND

Shop for longer this Easter.

Good Friday: 9am – 5.30pm*

Easter Sunday: Closed

Easter Saturday: 9am – 6pm*

Easter Monday: 10am – 5.30pm*

Plan your visit at

queensgate-shopping.co.uk *Some stores may vary their opening hours.

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• SL April ADS.indd 10

17/3/11 11:43:32

GARDENING

NEW SERI ES

...with Nick Hamilton Nick Hamilton Nick Hamilton caught the gardening bug aged 9, and went on to train at Writtle College in Essex. In 1989 he returned to Barnsdale where he worked with his father, Geoff, in the famous gardens which he had created for the BBC’s Gardeners’ World TV programme.

In 1996 Nick took over the running of Barnsdale Gardens and has developed the site into the inspirational garden that it is today - not only testament to a great man but also to Nick’s passion, foresight and hard work.

Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Rutland LE15 8AH Tel: 01572 813200 www. barnsdalegardens. co.uk

Your Garden in April

In the second in our gardening series written by local gardening experts, we invited Nick Hamilton of Barnsdale Gardens to advise us on what to do in our gardens this Easter

W

ith so much in the garden bursting into life, April must be the most inspiring and exciting month of the year. Mind you, it is also a month when tasks in the garden also start to pile up, so admire for a bit and then get on!

GIVE THE GARDEN A HEALTH CHECK After such a devastating December now is a good time to be checking our borders to see what is alive and what succumbed to the very cold pre-Christmas blast. The strange thing is that it was not really any colder than the previous winter, which was the coldest for over 30 years. The problem with this winter, as opposed to the previous one, is that the viciously cold weather struck so early and before most of the plants in the garden had gone into full dormancy.

We have lost shrubs in the Gardens that came through last winter almost unharmed but were stone dead by the end of December! If the sap had not retreated sufficiently and the plant was therefore not in full dormancy then many nonindigenous plants are likely to have fallen foul of such low early temperatures. With shrubs and trees, however, the task of determining their state is very much easier as often it is easy to spot the withered shoots that are obviously dead and follow them back to a point as to which the plant looks healthier. Whether this is the case or not, I will always go through the same process when checking.

Starting as high up the branches of the tree or shrub as we feel necessary and, using a thumbnail, we just scrape away a very small section of bark to see if it is green or brown below. If it is green then joy of joys it is still alive and well, probably just a bit late coming into leaf. However, if it is brown beneath we work down the tree or shrub until we hit green and then cut back the dead growth into the live parts. The most devastating scenario is to reach soil level and it is still brown beneath the bark as this means only one thing – it is no more and should be dug out. This can devastating, particularly with lovingly nurtured or mature shrubs, but we always like to look on the positive, as it gives us the SOW OUTDOOR TOMATOES opportunity to try something different and Remember that outdoor tomatoes are not frost tolerant, so sowing too early is not a good idea as more exciting in its place. they will not be able to go outside when they are ready to. Now is the time to sow, although if you are using a cold greenhouse or coldframe with no heating they may need to be moved inside on colder nights.

PLANT POTATOES I like to get my 1st and 2nd earlies in around the end of March/early April and by selecting the right varieties I will be harvesting new potatoes out of the ground from the end of May. They need to go about 15cm (6”) deep at a spacing of 30cm (12”) apart. There are lots of varieties at the local garden centres, so I grow a few new varieties each year, dropping the ones without a decent flavour.

At the end of the day there is no point growing them unless they give you that stunning new potato flavour!

CUT BACK PENSTEMON Now is the time to cut back all of the upright varieties that are up to 90cm tall right back to this cluster of new shoots. Done annually, at the right time, this will reinvigorate the plants and therefore extend their life, as well as keeping the plants sturdy and upright. If the plants are not cut back they will still flower well but do tend to become top heavy and flop over, opening up the centre of the bush, which makes them look very untidy indeed.

PROTECT PEACHES Protect peach, nectarine and apricot blossom with fleece. They flower early which makes these flowers susceptible to late frosts. The easiest method is to drape some fleece over the trees until the risk of frost has passed.

LAWN CARE If you managed not to do any work on your lawn in the autumn, the second half of this month is the time to give it some attention. A lawn will require three treatments, scarifying, aerating and feeding.

The final job of feeding is very important, to get the grass growing again.

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NENE VALLEY LIVING July 2008

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STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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FASHION INSIDER

What can Stamford’s shops offer the Mother of the Bride?

Sally Stillingfleet turns her attention to Lesley’s wedding outfit dilemmas in the hope of finding her dream dress!

A

Almost Famous grey dress - Attic

Almost Famous turquoise dress - Attic

Condici outfit - Nancy French

Condici outfit - Nancy French

Patrica and Ilene from Nancy French

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Condici outfit - Nancy French

Condici outfit - Nancy French

n anxious mother of the bride (MOB) to be, Lesley’s mind is already beginning to think of what to wear for that all important day when etiquette and fashion collide? What has changed? Lesley Foulkes kindly agreed to be my perfect model with her second daughter Abigail’s wedding fast approaching. We set off on a glorious sunny day to be inspired.

Katie at Attic pulled out three Almost Famous dresses and although the turquoise dress definitely had the wow factor Lesley agreed it was a bit short for her. Although happy to outfit and advise the Attic dresses are “more bridal party than classic Mother of the bride,” Lesley decided. “There are not loads of dresses on the rail, there’s no worry that someone will be wearing the same dress.”

Next door at Nancy French Patricia Montgomery and Eileen are truly experts in this field. A bespoke, considered approach to their clients ensures the right fashion fit for all shapes and ages in the cream of Italian and French fashion. Now in their twenty second year, Patricia explained that occasion dressing has evolved and outfits worn once are a thing of the past. “The dress and jacket combination can now offer all sorts of variations – jacket, camisole and trouser options for the evening or dinner.” The dresses worn alone do not scream MOB, cleverly cut they just flatter. Bra friendly straps, accompanying hats, fascinators and of course shoes ensure that the investment can have other wears.

It’s clear to see the colours that light up Lesley’s face – maybe consider having a personal colour consultation and make-up at Renaissance for this all important outfit choice?

We both agree that the pink and black dupion silk outfit and the coral silk jacket with red print dress are our favourites here. There’s no doubt that the all important service at Nancy French made Lesley feel a million dollars!

Down the hill to the newly opened I Should Coco, Katharine has already got a couple of outfits ready to try. “I think it is important to offer clients an ‘out of hours’ service,” she explained, “for these types of ‘big’ purchases.

With a glass of wine it’s nice to explore options and try on in privacy at a time that suits you.” The soft muted Hoss Lace coat dress and gathered dress Katharine chose gave a different softer look for Lesley but one which we were both very keen on.

There’s an important shift in the way we dress and a delicious economy in fashion which Stamford has embraced with vigour – the second hand or pre-owned / designer shop is a burgeoning trend. Stamford now has three great shops which crystallise the need to reuse, recycle and reduce. Clever consumption can address the 3 Rs and has the potential to make fashion go that much further. Not sure

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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This year’s Essential Weddings Show at Burghley is on Sunday November 6 Hoss lace coat dress and blush ruched dress from I Should Coco

Condici Lable Loop outfit

what would be on offer, Lesley’s ability to be open-minded made shopping for the elusive outfit in my next two shops very enjoyable and surprisingly easy.

In Lable Loop Debbie, a relative newcomer to this kind of business, had three brand new Capelli Condicci outfits donated to her by a shop which sadly closed down. A couple of bargain outfits are now less than half their original price and brand new to boot. Lesley looked amazing in the turquoise dress with matching Lable Loop accessories and the chocolate brown outfit really emphasised that you can get so much for your money if the size and style are right for you! Debbie’s shop is cleverly arranged in the latest trend fits, which makes shopping easy and completely fashion focused.

Susie at Arch Label Agency will put together an outfit in a trice; her thorough designer knowledge will lead you to new shapes and styles to try. “I am horrified to see everything too matchy matchy!” Susie laughed.

“Purchase a piece to start you off and build on that,” she advocates. Lesley looked elegant and slinky in the Alberta and Ferretti blue dress (new) and more boho Mum in the romantic Alice Temperley pink and cream dress. Both Olivia (also a soon to be MOB) and Susie have the delights of premium designer pieces to suit all ages and styles – no one will ever know where your outfit came from and in these straightened times they are a savvy girl’s best friend!

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Chocolate and gold three piece outfit from Lable Loop

D&G mat gold strappy sandals £120

Donna Karan bronze bag £250 Louis Vuitton blue suede satchel £900

Manolo Blahnik brown heels £100

Escada mat gold bag

ALL ACCESSORIES FROM ARCH DKNY suede blue clutch £25

Contacts Arch Label Agency 10a Maiden Lane, Stamford. Tel: 01780 764746 www.archlabelagency.com Sandi Linley Style Personal shopping, image and style advice – a worthwhile investment.

Tel: 07858 255622 I Should Coco (NEW!) 2-4 The George Mews, Stamford. Tel: 01780754413 Attic 33 St. Mary’s Street, Stamford.

Tel: 01780 766667 Label Loop 25 Broad Street, Stamford.

Tel: 01780 762183 Sly2 4 St. Mary’s Passage, Stamford. Tel: 01780 482870 Nancy French 32 St. Mary’s Street, Stamford.

Tel: 01780 751773 Private Kollection 8 Market Place, Market Deeping. Tel: 01778 346226

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti metallic/stone dress and jacket from Arch Label Agency

Alberta Ferretti blue floral dress from Arch Label Agency

Alice Temperley pink and cream dress from Arch Label Agency STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

11 FASHION.indd 3

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â&#x20AC;˘ SL April ADS.indd 14

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Health and Beauty

High Tech Beauty Mineral make-up has been creating a quiet revolution in the cosmetics industry, but what are the benefits? Genevieve Potter takes a look

B

ecause mineral make-up is made from naturally occurring minerals that are mined from the earth, claims that it’s “all natural” are basically true, but for “purity” be sure to check the label. Mineral make-up is also marketed to give the impression that it is hypoallergenic, but claims of “natural” and “pure” don’t necessarily equate with allergy-free. Women with sensitive skin should steer clear of products containing dyes, fragrances and mineral oils, all common allergy triggers.

The presence of zinc oxide and titanium oxide in most mineral make-up formulations are felt to be highly beneficial by most dermatologists, because combined they act as a sun-screen and also help to reduce inflammation and are anti-bacterial, which is particularly helpful in acne-prone skin.

Spring is the perfect time to reorganise and replenish your make-up bag and most good retailers and salons now carry mineral make-up ranges. Here’s my pick of what’s new:Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation at Maples Maples are now stocking this new, mineralbased foundation, although it is selling out fast! With its anti-pollution formula and SPF 10 (protecting against both UVA and UVB rays), it gives the skin exceptional radiance and is both hydrating and long lasting. Call in to test, from £24.00.

Maples, 24 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2DJ Tel: 01780 752725

imperfections and brightening the skin, plus the lip contour duo pencil, which lines and fills the lips in one product that stays all day long. The cult “terre caramel” bronzer delivers a really smooth, sunkissed look and it’s an absolute must for every make-up bag.

7 St Paul’s Street, Stamford PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 757579 www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk

Other local stockists of mineral make up:Harriet’s Beauty Room Stockists of Jane Iredale range of mineral make-up. On Wednesday 27th April between 11 am and 6 pm, Jane Iredale’s make-up artist Laura will be available to help transform your make-up routine. Call for more details 11A St Martin’s Stamford PE9 2LF Tel: 01780 481155

Becca at Chameleon The “model’s secret” brand of make-up, Becca, is renowned for its skin perfecting base formula, available in over 30 colours. The formula will not clog pores and delivers full spectrum UVA/B protection (and an SPF factor of at least 20), plus minerals which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities.

Chameleon are also now stocking Becca’s new range of primers, including the “radiance” primer which gives a totally flawless look and includes “mica” which is a light reflecting mineral (£32).

5 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP Tel: 01780 755405 www.chameleonboutique.co.uk

Stamford Beauty Stockists of Fresh Minerals make-up 1 Silver Lane, Stamford PE9 2BT Tel: 01780 757108 www.stamfordbeauty.com Body Care Stockists of Bare Escentuals 7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL Tel: 01780 480777 www.bodycare-online.com Body Matters Stockists of Susan Posnick and Arbonne Westside Gym, West Street, Stamford PE9 2PN Tel: 01780 238487 www.bodymattersonline.co.uk

Case study

Couleur Caramel at Equilibrium Couleur Caramel is an organic, paraben-free make-up range, for women who want to achieve a very natural look. This season Equilibrium are stocking some great new products including an ultra-practical concealer pencil; enriched with beeswax it’s the perfect tool for hiding

To prove that mineral formulations can work perfectly for women who generally don’t wear any make-up, Laura Dodwell went along to Emma Cannings, who are experts in the Bare Escentuals range. Therapist Sophie worked to create a natural look for Laura, who has naturally good skin, with an emphasis on her eyes which she made-up first (this is a great tip for anyone who wears loose mineral make-up because it ensures that the base doesn’t get spoilt by particles of colour). Sophie added water to the deep brown colour which was used as an eyeliner, for a more dramatic look which really made Laura’s eyes stand out, completed with a pink blush for a pretty, flushed glow and neutral glossy lips.

Emma Cannings offer free, 15-minute consultations to demonstrate the Bare Escentuals mineral base and select your ideal shade. The salon also offers make-up lessons and make-up application, including wedding packages.

Emma Cannings, Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton PE9 4BB Tel: 01780 766583 www.emmacannings.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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LOCAL BUSINESSES

QKS celebrates its 30th anniversary

Q

KS, Stamford’s leading kitchen and conservatory installers, was set up by Malcolm Brandwood 30 years ago this year. Over all that time it has retained market leadership in both sectors by offering the best products on the market, installing them to the highest standards and providing a friendly and reliable after sales service. Simple in principle, but the proof is in the 10,000 or more customers that they have served in that time, many on a repeat basis.

QKS Home (Windows, Doors, Conservatories) and QKS Kitchens became separate businesses in 1985 so that they could each focus on their respective markets, but close ties have remained between them and they regularly do joint work on projects, especially nowadays as so many conservatories/extensions/orangeries come off the kitchen rather than the sitting room.

QKS Home – extending people’s living space Nick Clipston has been in the conservatories side of the business since the late 80s. Last year was a record for the business, as more people decided to stay put rather than move, and wanted to extend/improve their homes.

And, according to Nick, “more and more people are entrusting us to the whole project from design to completion. Our job is to help people to realise the full potential of their home without having to move.”

They have a very loyal team, and unusually for the industry the fitting teams are fully employed rather than freelance, which means that their incentive is not to get the job done at breakneck speed but to get it done well. “Re-fitting a set of windows in a house might take 1 1/2 days if the job was rushed, but we would typically take three days over it,” according to Nick. “The fitters are also very experienced, with well over 50 years of

service between them.”

• QKS Home, The Conservatory Showroom, Cherryholt Lane, Stamford, PE9 2EQ Tel: 01780 756666 www.qks-ltd.co.uk

QKS Kitchens Malcolm Brandwood, who founded the business and is still involved in every detail of it, never sits still. He is always coming up with new ideas to improve the business.

His goal over the last year or so has been to help customers still more to envisage how their kitchen will look and work in their own home. There have been regular cookery demonstrations in association with Neff Ovens and Nicks at Home/Belwether Wines to show how the equipment and workstations operate when ‘in action.’

Also, a ‘Presentation Suite’ has been added in the first floor showroom where you can dream in comfort – a 42” plasma screen, a control panel and the ability to change dimensions, features, product selections at the push of a button and see exactly how it will look.

Finally, a new Range Cooker showroom has been built that will focus exclusively on cookers – Rangemaster from Aga, Falcon and Lacanche – bits of kit that will take your breath away and make cooking altogether more pleasurable.

QKS has always stayed ahead by innovation, and as it celebrates 30 years in business this year, innovation and customer service will be emphasised as strongly as ever.

• QKS, The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford, PE9 2NA Tel: 01780 755855 www.qksstamford.co.uk

Power to the Unmarried Couple! Crightons Hydropools for fitness A sixth of couples in Britain live together unmarried, predicted to rise to one in four in 20 years’ time. Half of those couples still subscribe to the myth of the common law wife, mistakenly believing that they have the protection of the married spouse if the relationship breaks down.

This is far from the truth, as the stark fact is that, since the Civil Partnership Act 2004, cohabiting couples have fewer rights than gay couples who now have inheritance rights, tax benefits and next-of-kin recognition, similar to married couples.

Unless an unmarried couple ensures that the house they own is in joint names, or held as tenants in common in shares they agree each will have on sale, the person who is not on the property title can have a real struggle establishing any claim to its value.

There will definitely be no claim for maintenance support on a break-up and no sharing of any other assets that do not personally belong to the unmarried claimant.

The best way for couples living together to avoid the financial pitfalls of a breakup, is to draw up a Cohabitation Agreement. It is a sensible piece of housekeeping recommended to all unmarried couples, especially those with children.

• Belinda Smith & Co Solicitors, Asset House, 27/28 Thorpe Wood, Peterborough PE3 6SR Tel: 01733 267414 www.bscosolicitors.co.uk

16

Crightons Hydropools recently opened in Peterborough selling Canadian manufactured pools that are not only for relaxation but also for health and fitness.

The 19ft rectangular pool is ideal for people who want a multi-purpose pool, heated to a consistent 31°C, with massage jets at one end offering a gentle touch or an invigorating muscle-penetrating massage.

It feels natural swimming against a medium current, and unlike being in a swimming pool there are no turns or obstacles. Gavin Elsey, MD explained “the pools are ideal for those looking for all sorts of fitness training - a fitness package with the pool includes resistance bands, water treadmill, floating dumbbells and aqua-rowing machine and offers a virtually injury free and easy way to keep fit.”

• Crightons Hydropools, 5 Titan Drive, Fengate East, Peterborough PE1 5XN Tel: 01733 305140 www.crightons-hydropool.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING March 2011

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Curtains | Blinds | Shutters | Awnings

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COMPETITIONS & GADGETS

WIN!WIN!WIN!

Stamford Shakespeare Season A summer evening at the Rutland Open Air Theatre to see a production by the members of the Stamford Shakespeare Company is a magical experience. Join the thousands of people who attend the annual Stamford Shakespeare Season in the delightful grounds of Tolethorpe Hall.

“Hamlet” is the first play of the season. The ghost of Hamlet’s father charges him to avenge his death and in attempting to do so, he is confronted by some of mankind’s most challenging questions. This great revenge tragedy gives us the violence, sex, incest and insanity of a modern thriller but the poetry and philosophy of Shakespeare’s verse elevates this play into the most quoted and most loved drama of all time.

“The Winter’s Tale” is the second Shakespeare play of the season; it is a tale of love, jealousy, forgiveness and redemption. The first part is set in Sicily, where the jealous King Leontes condemns his wife for betraying him with his closest friend and then sends his baby daughter to a certain death. However, sixteen years later in Bohemia, at a sheep-shearing festival, full of song and dance, we find that everything is not quite as it seems.

The third play is “Pride & Prejudice”. Jane Austen’s witty book, skilfully adapted for the stage by Simon Reade which pokes fun at the affectations and etiquette of Regency provincial life.

To win a voucher for two seats to see any one of the three plays (Mon/Thurs) just answer the following question: 1. Who charges Hamlet to avenge his death?

2. What is the festival in The Winter’s Tale?

3. Who wrote Pride & Prejudice?

We have two vouchers to give away. Answers via our website at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk please. Competition closes at the end of April 2011.

Win a copy of Margaret Dickinson’s latest novel, Forgive and Forget Local author Margaret Dickinson, one of the UK’s most successful saga writers, has just published her 26th novel, a compelling tale of shattered dreams and the resilience of true love.

Following the fiery but loveable Polly Longdon, a young girl on the cusp of adulthood and with everything to live for, ‘Forgive and Forget’ sweeps through the early 1900s to the end of the Great War, bringing to life the history of the city of Lincoln.

Margaret Dickinson will We have ten copies be signing of the book to be just copies of won. Just go to our website her new at wwww.bestlocaliving. book in co.uk and answer the question: Stamford “Where is Margaret Dickinson’s on Friday latest novel principally set?”

1st April Competition closes at the at Walkers end of April 2011.

Books in the High St from 10.30-12.00.

GO TO www.bestlocalliving.co.uk TO WIN!

The best tablets of 2011 David Rudd-Jones reviews the latest tablet offerings on the market iPad 2 Starting from £429 The new iPad has been completely redesigned on the outside. It has been slimmed down by a massive 33%; this also helps its weight which is now 15% lighter. Apple has completed their Face Time collection by adding two cameras to it. The rear camera can record in full 720p while the front camera is of VGA quality. They have created a new processor that is dual core and twice as fast as the previous one; the graphics card is also 9x more powerful. This isn’t the biggest refresh that could have happened but a lot of big things have changed. Overall this is an incredible tablet and could be the best that we see this year.

Motorola Xoom Expected to be in the £500-£600 range

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Price yet to be determined

The Motorola Xoom was unveiled at CES 2011 and was one of the first tablets to really challenge the iPad. It has a 10.1 inch HD display, a bit bigger than the iPads and when released will run on android 3.0. This also has a new dual core processor and a front and rear facing camera. The rear facing camera films in full HD while the front is VGA, the same as the iPad. You can multitask with ease on this device and with flash 10.1 built in you can view almost everything on the web unlike the iPad. This is almost the same, in specs, as the iPad apart from the inclusion of adobe flash which could make you go for the Motorola Xoom.

This is the big brother of the original Galaxy Tab. The screen has been increased to 10.1 inches and the processor also upgraded to dual core like both of the other tablets. This will also run on android 3.0 and has adobe flash player built in. There is a nice add on to the galaxy that you do not get on the other two tablets, surround sound speakers. This tablet, much like the other two, comes with a front and rear facing camera. The rear camera is 8 megapixels and the front facing one is 2 megapixels. Overall this is a good tablet and has been quite a big improvement from the original.

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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Is this the most valuable hearing aid in the world?

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his may be the most expensive mumble? Life was so much easier. hearing aid in the world, but is To re-learn how to hear again it the most valuable? ... takes time. But with the right help, If you can’t hear it doesn’t matter guidance and hearing aids the at all whether your hearing aid is process is easy and will improve gold, silver or plastic. What does your quality of life tremendously. matter is that you can hear well What price for good hearing? with it.

Well maybe not the £25,000 for It’s not until it’s gone that the device opposite, but for as little you realise ... as a few hundred pounds you can If you find you can’t hear as start enjoying better hearing again... clearly as before, or you can’t hear in not too much to pay for such an noise as well as you should then you improvement in your quality of life. could be suffering from some Call Caroline or Joan Now on hearing loss. It’s only when you start to lose your hearing that you 01780 759133 for an immediate appointment: realise how valuable it is.

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HOSPITALITY

Czech mates and French friends Michael Cunliffe-Lister describes the activities of the Stamford Twinning Associations “I’ve never heard of Kutna Hora. Alright, but isn’t the Czech Republic one of those grey former Soviet bloc countries, without much culture or charm?” Five days of wonderful hospitality last summer in beautiful surroundings with our friendly hostess Ivana, corrected that mis-conception. Our visit was made possible by the Stamford Twinning Association, established in 1975, whose members alternately play host to, or visit, families there and in France.

Kutna Hora is an UNESCO World Heritage site, and its 14th century silver mines made King Vaclav II the richest ruler in Central Europe.

Consequently, it vied with Prague in importance and the magnificence of its buildings. The lovely Italian Court, once the Royal Mint, was the setting for the group’s official – and very generous - reception, and our lodgings enjoyed a view of the three towering spires atop St

Barbara’s Church. We had plenty of time to explore the town, the centre of which is compact and charming, with numerous shops, restaurants, and a nationally important gallery of Bohemian art. Various excursions were made, the highlight being Prague, with its stunning castle, numerous bridges, and riot of architectural masterpieces.

This July, we visit Vence, a beautiful walled hilltop town with a long and intriguing history, and a charming centre with the busy bustle of its ever open stalls and shops. Located close to Nice, Cannes, Cap D’Antibes, Menton and Monaco, it offers all the sun, sea and sand that one could ask for. Our Czech “mates” come again in August, and we are arranging various activities, including visits to Nottingham and Lincoln.

Once links have been set up, members often make their own separate arrangements and

Take the dinner party test Nicholas Rudd-Jones was asked to try our the Cook ‘dinner party test’ plonked onto the table in their plastic container.

Cook is a frozen food business with an outlet Cover blown!! in Stamford. Its philosophy is to use exactly Oh well, it’s still delicious, and no-one seems the same techniques and ingredients that a to mind that I didn’t make it (in fact is that relief good domestic cook would use at home, so that I can detect on people’s faces?) everything looks and tastes homemade.

And so on to the dessert, and my cover would Marcus Farthing, who runs the Stamford have been blown anyway, because there is no outlet of Cook, set me a simple challenge. Could way that I could have made such a stunning I pass off Cook products at a dinner party as having been cooked by me? I invited round my extended family, and settled them down in the sitting room with a glass of wine and nibbles to build up expectation.

Then I invited them through to the dining room, laid out with my best cutlery and sat them down for the first course, Cheese Soufflés with Red Onion marmalade (£5 for 2). I had also added some rocket to the plate.

The Pavlova Instant hit. The soufflés were crispy on the outside and close to runny on the inside, pleasure all round including the youngsters. And the rocket touch worked because obviously I must have done that bit.

Main course: Beef Bourguignon (4 portion, £16.70, but happily serves 6), good quality meat, full flavour, decanted into a charming spotted casserole dish by me. Mange Tout, Petits Pois and Carrots (£1.50) and Carrots & Petits Pois with a White Wine and Tarragon Dressing (£1.99) and a couple of portions of Dauphinoise Potatoes (two portions, £2.99 each), brought to the table by my son. Oh no, he forgot to The Cheese Soufflé decant them into a tasteful serving dish,

8

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travel over whenever and for as long as is mutually agreeable. Exchanges over the years have also included groups of schoolchildren, artists, musicians, footballers and even policemen. The Association also has a busy calendar of social and fund raising events.

• Should you want to meet our continental neighbours and dash off to southern France or the silver city of Kutna Hora for as little as the price of the air fare (less than £200) then join this enthusiastic, energetic and much travelled group by ringing 01778 561540 and asking for John.

lemon and lime Pavlova (£11.50, serves 8-10), with accompanying raspberry coulis (£4.25).

No-one could believe that this had ever been frozen.

So did it pass the dinner party test? Well apart from the serving dish mishap, easily. And what of the price? Well for 6 people, £15 for starters, £30 for main and £15 for dessert, so £60 or £10 a head for a three course meal, plus surreptitious seconds of the Pavlova the next day.

• Cook, 50 High St, Stamford, PE9 2BD Tel: 01780 766051 www.cookfood.net I heartily recommend Cook, it sets completely new standards in frozen food and it’s a friendly local team to deal with. Lots of great ideas for Easter and

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STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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Stamford Living 03.11_Layout 1 14/03/2011 15:09 Page 1

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PERSPECTIVES

Stamford Castle

The name Warenne Keep, given to a modern housing development, is now the only reminder that Stamford had a castle. The last vestiges of the castle were demolished seventy years ago. Jean Orpin and Sue Lee unearth its history

The Conquest After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 William needed to stamp his authority on his conquered country and in 1068 he marched north to quell rebellions, building castles in strategic positions.

Stamford was an important trading centre, commanding the river and trading routes so, as the townspeople feared, the soldiers came.

The Lord’s Rights All the affairs of the town were conducted from here. The new Norman overlords imposed a very different form of government. The Lordship of the Castle and Town was granted in 1156 to William de Hommet. The lords received revenues from the markets and fairs, tolls, rents from tenants and they also controlled baking and brewing: in return they were expected to serve the king in battle and provide soldiers.

The De Hommets kept control until King John forced his barons to choose between English and French lands and De Hommet returned to France.

Travellers When the Trent was bridged at Newark in the latter part of the 12th century the North Road gained in importance. The townspeople would have seen many Royal personages as Royal councils and parliament met here and stayed in the castle. King Richard granted the town permission to hold tournaments.

De Warenne Family The town and castle were given to William de Warenne in 1204 for his lifetime. The de Warenne family were kinsmen of the king who were extremely wealthy and powerful owning many castles from Lewes (their main residence)

“The castle gradually became a ruin as the stone was taken to build nearby buildings but the site itself remained open land until 1930” to Conisborough in Yorkshire and Castle Acre in Norfolk. They also had land in 12 counties.

At the time of his death in 1088, it has been estimated that the William de Warenne’s wealth was equivalent to £73.9 billion in today’s money!

For a short time after his death in 1240, the castle and town reverted to the crown to be returned to John de Warenne in 1263. The family continued to live in Lewes and their affairs were conducted by officials called seneschals and bailiffs.

Our town coat of arms incorporates the de Warenne arms.

Government of the Town The Hundred Rolls give an insight into the conduct of the town under the de Warennes as King Edward 1 ordered an investigation into abuses of power and authority. John de Warenne was loyal to the king. In 1274 Stamford was one of the most important towns in England with a fair lasting three weeks and de Warenne’s Seneschal had full responsibility for his interests – the castle, the lord’s demesne, the manor and the fair.

These men were powerful and there were a

number of complaints. They illegally confiscated goods from the townspeople and fined them for crimes they did not commit: there were many illegal summonses and false imprisonments.

Castle loses its importance John de Warenne granted the burgesses a charter in 1276 but he retained control of the fair and it was his grandson who transferred full governance to the townspeople in 1313.

The town was in decline in the 1300s, trade was poor and the Black Death accelerated the decline. By 1340 the king’s commissioners reported, ‘The castle is old and the walls decayed; within are an old tower, a great hall, a chamber with solar a chapel a turret and a house for a prison all of no value’ John died without an heir in 1347 and probably the castle reverted to the king. The castle was then only used as a court. In the Wars of the Roses we are told that, ’a great armie…destroyed the town’ but this statement 2 has been challenged.

Continued on page 26

The Castle The site for the castle (now the bus station) was close to St Peter’s church. This part of the town was part of the ancient Mercian estate of Rutland controlled by Edith, the wife of Edward the Confessor. It was the first area to be settled and it was here that St Peter’s Church was built.

Five houses were demolished here and the mound for the keep built with forced labour, in a very short time. The keep was a wooden one, as initially the mound would be too unstable for a stone keep. It was a look out post, and the main living quarters for the Normans was in the surrounding area (bailey) all encircled with a palisade. This was a completely self-contained community with a court and a prison. It was besieged in 1153 and although Henry of Anjou took the town he failed to take the castle, which by then must have been built in stone, easily available here. The town and castle remained with the crown until 1156.

STAMFORD STAMFORDLIVING LIVINGMarch April 2011

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PERSPECTIVES

Stamford Castle

Demolition of Castle 1933

Stone Corbel

Continued from page 25

2 Time marches on The castle gradually became a ruin as the stone was taken to build nearby buildings but the site itself remained open land until 1930.

There were some gardens stretching down the southern slopes to Bath Row and workshops on the Sheepmarket. By then 1,000 people were unemployed and job creation schemes were being considered so it was decided to flatten the remains of the castle keep and make a car park. There was a small area set aside for buses and a 17th century building, part of Newcomb’s Stamford Mercury Building, was removed from behind the High Street to become a waiting room. The picture (above) shows the stone being removed to the Meadows by a small railway.

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The Proposed Relief Road Shortly afterwards there was a scheme to build a road from Wothorpe across the meadows to rejoin the old A1 at the Green Man. This would have removed the Bath House and as well as crossing the Castle area would have crossed St Peter’s Green and demolished the Rectory.

Fortunately shortage of money and threat of war meant that the scheme was abandoned.

Excavation The excavation of the Castle Site began in 1971 under the supervision of Christine Mahany, when plans were afoot for a housing estate.

The team discovered drying kilns for grain and also remnants of a pottery kiln with Stamford Ware pottery. A fine stone corbel was found in the solar area and the foundations of the major buildings were uncovered, despite evidence of quarrying.

Warrenne Keep In 1980 a retirement housing complex was built on the old bailey site and named Warrenne Keep as a reminder of the lords of the castle for many years. (By mistake an extra ‘r’ was added to their name.)

13thC doorway to Warrenne Keep Bus Station The Bus Station has now been extended, covering the former castle mound, so unfortunately there is virtually nothing remaining of our castle, an important part of our history. The castle well does remain in the centre of the Bus Station.

What next?

Recently SKDC have proposed moving the Bus Station and building on this site. Perhaps another opportunity for a job creation project?

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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We would like to invite both existing and new clients to visit us in the newly re-furbished salon at:

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Room to Live

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MOTORING

How to buy a ‘pre-owned’ car Buying a car is generally reckoned to be the second most expensive item a person will acquire after their home. Ashley Martin looks at a way of making it easier

H

elp is now at hand - at least for used car buyers – as Peterborough-based Outside Lane has appointed ‘personal shoppers’ to locate and buy vehicles that meet clients’ exact requirements.

The added bonus of the used car concierge service is that, according to the company, significant savings are promised when compared with prices at dealers and car supermarkets.

Industry research suggests that when acquiring a used car, choice and price are among the key requirements for consumers.

That’s not a problem to Outside Lane as its car buying team will scour the country to find the ‘right’ vehicle to meet the description and budget provided by private buyers and businesses.

Outside Lane is an internet-based vehicle sourcing business launched in 2009 with a car buying team that has more than 20 years experience and has purchased more than £900 million worth of vehicles to order.

An increasing number of car buyers are expected to source vehicles online in the future with a recent report by global consulting, technology and outsourcing specialists CapGemini suggesting that 20% of consumers were “likely” or “very likely” to purchase a car online, which was up from just 2% in 2001.

But, Outside Lane says that many car buyers are already reaping the benefits of online buying having read online reviews of models, located a trusted outlet to source a car at the best price and then been happy to conduct a secure financial transaction over the internet, just as many people currently do with other financial products and holidays.

Steve Myers, Managing Director of the independent car buying service, said: “We will appoint a ‘personal shopper’ to search the country and locate each prospective client’s required used vehicle to their exact specification and budget.

“We will then inspect, appraise, acquire, prepare the vehicle to showroom condition, deliver and then personally hand over the vehicle to the customer at their location of choice. Choice and price are typically among the key issues for car buyers and Outside Lane delivers on both counts.”

To ensure customer satisfaction, Outside Lane has developed its own ‘used car qualification’ - a 146-point check on the vehicle’s bodywork, mechanics and previous history.

Mr Myers added: “The majority of the cars purchased on behalf of clients are at trade prices. We then pass the savings on to our customers.”

Outside Lane’s service is charged on a tiered structure linked to the price of a car. For a vehicle costing up to £8,000 the fee is £600

Steve Myers with Lorraine Bishop

P

eterborough nurse Lorraine Bishop bought a Renault Clio 1.4 Dynamique through Outside Lane late last year.

Mrs Bishop said: “Like a lot of people I find that going into a car dealership or car supermarket can be quite intimidating. I knew the type of car I wanted and I knew what my budget was. I was therefore delighted when a family member told me about Outside Lane.

“I have better things to do with my time that trail around garages to find the right car and I’m always wary of buying privately. Therefore, Outside Lane seemed the perfect option. The service offered, plus the fact that I could refuse the vehicle and had the right to have my money back if it did not meet my exact requirements gave me the confidence to buy through the company.”

• Further information at www.outsidelane.co.uk and/or 0845 519 2584

Current typical car costs and savings that clients can expect are:

Renault Clio 1.2 Expression Hatchback BMW 530d SE step-auto

Outside Lane

£5,050 £20,950

Average saving (including Outside Lane fee)

+ VAT; for a £8,000-£20,000 car the fee rises to £850 + VAT; on a vehicle costing £20,000£40,000 the fee rises to £1,200 + VAT; and on a car costing more than £40,000 a £2,000 + VAT fee is charged.

Outside Lane says its clients include senior business executives, professional sportsmen and women, city bankers, business owners as well as private individuals. Counted among customers is ex-England rugby union international and 2003 World Cup winner turned ice skater Kyran Bracken, who won

Car supermarket

£5,250 £21,200

Saving to Supermarket £200 £250

Main dealer £5,400 £21,294

Saving to main dealer £350 £344

£225

£347

ITV’s Dancing on Ice show in 2007. Outside Lane also purchases fleets of cars on behalf of businesses.

Mr Myers concluded: “The business and personal pressures on many of our typical customers means they are increasingly time poor. With no up-front finder’s fee and built-in customer satisfaction guarantees we believe that the method of internet buying that we are providing is cost-effective and takes the hassle out of what can be a huge chore with none of the risk associated with a private sale.”

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Design SOLUTIONS

Surface Gloss

Interior Design editor Harjit Gammon uncovers whether surface beauty is more than skin deep, as she explores the creative possibilities of kitchen work surfaces as a means of aesthetic display and functionality

L

ike many other aspects of kitchen design, deciding which surface/surfaces (the trend seems to be to incorporate at least two for different zones; food preparation, washing, eating) to include in your new or existing kitchen is not a job for the faint hearted. Harjit Gammon sought the opinions of some local industry experts to navigate the deep waters of surface matters.

Granite The fashionable surface of choice. Aside from selecting a colour and there are many besides the ubiquitously fashionable black, there is the matter of finish. For Candy Smith, of Hunters Interiors, honed granite (matt finish) hits the mark, although high gloss granite is also reputedly a best seller according to many sources.

Nigel Corner of Vela Cicci spoke of the many “very unusual stones available for statement island pieces” and the increasing tendency amongst manufacturers to impregnate granite with sealants, so as to prevent staining.

Pros: Natural material; fossilised stone, hard wearing, and virtually “bullet proof” according to Richard Allen of Granite Earth, Stamford.

Drawbacks: Porous – therefore prone to marking, by red wine and oil. Black honed finish shows finger marks and darker colours may be difficult to keep smear free. However recent innovations include the application of protective coatings to repel stains, and thus preserve the beauty of the worktop.

finishes. Jason Nicholls, of The Fitted Furniture Company reported how well Silestone and Corian seemed to work in more modern kitchen settings in his experience.

Top of the range is Corian, a virtually indestructible surface, used in hospitals and dentistry, which can be formed seamlessly around sinks and upstands, and is available in around 50 different colours. Dan at LTS Interiors is a fan of it: “Everything lasts a lifetime, is seamless, no joints, fully repairable.”

Pros: Both Silestone and Corian can be moulded without joints, to give clean, streamlined lines to worktops and upstands, and are available in a multitude of colours for every taste and style.

Drawbacks: Synthetic, therefore don’t appeal to those seeking natural materials for their kitchens.

High end price wise.

Acrylics Mark Fordham of Fordham’s Kitchens expounded the virtues of acrylic surfaces such as Maia.

Popular in shades of beige, brown and blacks, it offers seamless joints, on continuous work tops, that have the feel of Corian, but at a slightly more affordable price. According to Mark, Maia is also non porous, therefore stain resistant, and scratches can be sandpapered out. A similar product is Encore.

Pros: Practical and good aesthetic lines on finished surfaces.

Drawbacks: Synthetic material.

Wood

Laminates

Natural solid timber has an enduring “timeless appeal” for the heart of the home, Jason Nicholls of The Fitted Furniture Company offered, which will enhance a kitchen, particularly in a period setting. Its patina can add positively to the character of a working kitchen, imbuing it with character and age.

Pros: Timeless, quality surface that is durable and practical. Avoid letting water stand for prolonged periods and use a trivet for hot pans. Iroko, maple oak and teak are all good choices according to Jason. Timber also complements other natural surfaces such as granite for a multiple surface finish.

Drawbacks: Requires some, albeit fairly minimal, maintenance to preserve its looks.

The inexpensive workhorses of work tops, they combine numerous decorative finishes with durability at a very affordable price. Available in a wide range of thicknesses and edge profiles, they can also be supplied with contrasting edges. High gloss laminates have recently enjoyed significant popularity.

Pros: Extremely good value yet functional.

Drawbacks: Can be perceived as dated.

Silestone and Corian Silestone is a manmade composite of granite and resin, available in an array of contemporary colours, with the additional benefit of not being porous like granite, and having a microban coating. Many of the local kitchen companies stock this alongside timber and granite options.

According to Malcolm Brandwood of QKS, Silestone offers manifold benefits including supreme functionality (heat and water resistant), durability and hygiene properties, as well as a fantastic choice of colours in matt and shiny

32

“The top that fits on top” Relative newcomers to the market are companies like Granite Transformations in Stamford, which are a boon for anyone looking to renovate and rejuvenate existing work surfaces with a minimal amount of disruption. They offer granite, stone and glass work tops that fit directly on top of your existing work surface. Combining striking aesthetics with state-of-the-art polymer technology, the result is a 6.5mm thick, non porous material that can be fitted directly on top of your existing work top.

As Rosemary Krezwell, manager of the Stamford store succinctly put it, their motto is “Don’t replace, reface” Pros: Fitting a new work top is fast and mess free.

Fit in 1 day.

Drawbacks: Darker colours prone to showing marks and smears

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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Five Point Checklist for assessing potential work tops 1. Looks/Appearance 2. Durability 3. Functionality: porosity, resilience-heat, moisture, scratch resistance 4. Maintenance 5. Price

Where to Shop Cornerfarm Interiors Kates Bridge, Nr. Thurlby, Bourne, PE10 0EN Tel: 01778 561333 Fordham Kitchens The Showroom, New Rd, Ryhall, PE9 4HL Tel: 01780 482892 Granite Earth of Stamford Tel: 07596 322640 / 01780 721580 Granite Transformations 39 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2DS Tel: 0845 373 1620 LTS Interiors Unit 1, Cherryholt Square, Cherryholt Road, Bourne PE10 9LA Tel: 01778 425253 Hunters Interiors The Dairy, Copthill Farm Enterprises, Deeping Rd, Uffington, PE9 4TD Tel: 01780 757946 www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk Mark Goodacre Handcrafted Kitchens Osgodby Farm, Osgodby, Grantham, LNG33 4JH Tel: 01476 586159 www.markgoodacre.com Orchard Conservatories and Kitchens 1 Meadow View Business Units, Uffington Road,

Stamford, PE9 2EX Tel: 01780 753343 www.orchardhomeimprovements.com QKS Kitchens The Maltings, Barnack Rd, Stamford PE9 2NA Tel: 01780 756514 www.qksstamford.co.uk The Fitted Furniture Company Racecourse Farm, Racecourse Road, Easton-on-thehill, Stamford, PE9 3NT Tel: 01780 480080 Vela Cicci at Vale Garden Houses Belton Park, Londonthorpe Road, Grantham, NG31 9SJ Tel: 01476 564433 STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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Let us take the hassle out of buying your new kitchen.

We offer a free design and quotation service, have expert installers, together with all the choices of appliances, sinks and accessories you could ever need, and at fantastic prices… so why not call in and see the specialists?

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INTERIORS

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ACTIVITIES

W O O D L A N D WA L KS N o . 2

Morehay Woods, Southwick Morehay Woods, near Southwick, is a large, actively managed wood owned by the Forestry Commission and is a delight to walk through with a mix of trees, terrain, contours and a myriad of paths to wander down Distance: 5.5 miles Typical time: 1 3/4 hours OS map: Explorer (1:25 000) 224 or Landranger (1: 50 000) 141 (always walk with an OS map) Start & finish: Southwick Church

TOMLIN WOOD

5 MOREHAY LAWN

Terrain: Straightforward, good tracks all the way Stiles: None!

Dog friendly: Yes Getting there: 3 miles NE of Oundle Refreshments: The Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick, PE8 5BL. Tel: 01832 272044 serves great beer, great pub food, a log fire and has a delightful team. What more could you wish for? Open from 10am for breakfast/coffee

DIRECTIONS Park outside the church and take the footpath north out of the village, crossing a little stream and heading up between two fields until you reach the woods Take the path right at this point east, which then swings north and shortly crosses a bigger track. Stay on this path, past an old railway carriage (apparently a 1934 LMS brake van) and follow the track all the way to the northern edge of the wood.

Cross a footbridge and turn immediately left, following a wide field edge on the north side of the stream, until you reach a second footbridge at the second strip of trees.

At this point turn right (north) and walk up hill alongside a thin strip of wood which has a small pond at the top of it.

On reaching Tomlin Wood, turn sharply back along a metalled track that takes you back past Morehay Lawn and affords fine views of the surrounding countryside.

Shortly after you come back into the main woods three paths converge; turn left along a gravelled track signposted with a horseshoe on a wooden post; follow this track (ignoring all paths to the right), first on a

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gravelled surface and then after about a mile it leaves the main track and goes along a narrow path, re-joining a larger track again. It is marked with the horseshoe throughout. (do not stray down to Shire Hill Lodge).

Shortly after having re-joined the larger track, go past a fir tree wood on the left, at the end of which there is a footpath cutting across the track; take this to the right, up a wide grassy avenue (it says no horses, but the footpath sign is clearly indicated).

Follow this path, which takes a left at the end of a pine wood; it re-joins a gravelled track for a while (head straight, not right here), and then as the track bears left a footpath takes off to the right (south). This path takes you straight back to Southwick.

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The end of the line

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Points of interest • Morehay Lawn Woods is notable for its 20 ancient oaks recorded by the Woodland Trust.

In Old English a ‘lawn’ refers to a clearing in woods that would have been used for pasture, so it is really describing the area just to the south of the existing wood.

• Southwick Hall was built around 1300 for Richard Knyvet, a prominent local wool

Morehay Lawn merchant. It is a blend of Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian architecture. Only open on Bank Holidays and the preceding Sundays, so best to call 01832 274064 or check www.southwickhall. co.uk before you visit.

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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CLAIRE LANGLEY ANTIQUES

View all of our stock online www.clairelangleyantiques.co.uk

PERIOD • DECORATIVE • DESIGN • GARDEN • 20TH CENTURY 7 High Street, St. Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LF Tel: 01780 752555

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ACTIVITIES

Get Active and Outdoors With the weather improving and the Easter holidays approaching, what better time to get active outdoors.

Nicholas Rudd-Jones looks at some options

Football Courses

Canoeing in Style

One Touch Football Soccer School are running children’s football courses in the Easter School Holidays. The head coach, Glenn Vaughan is a Nottingham Forest Football Club Coach & Scout that will be attending each course to coach and develop participants.

There will be courses on Apr 1113 and April 18-20 in Stamford at the Uffington Road Playing Fields from 10.00-15.00 each day. The course is open to boys and girls, 4-12 years old, regardless of ability.

If you really want to chill out, then try out canoeing with Canoe 2, an enterprise based at Ditchford Lock on the banks of the River Nene near Wellingborough. The river has a wealth of natural and historic beauty for you to enjoy in your canoe.

For the complete experience, with a choice of 1/2 day to 5 days canoe hire, there is something for everyone, and if it’s your first time canoeing, the “Old Town” Canadian canoes coupled with the gentle River Nene, make Canoe2 a perfect choice for novices.

Before you get paddling, you will get a thorough Safety Briefing, some information about the river, and good advice on the basics of canoeing. Prices start from £35 per canoe.

Your canoe hire package includes everything you need for your time on the river: canoes, paddles, buoyancy aids, watertight barrels and canoe trolleys. Happily, to ensure that you can make the most of your time canoeing the river, Canoe2 can provide transport so you only need to paddle one way - Downstream! They can also assist you with camping facilities or overnight accommodation arrangements; and new in 2011 is a yurt sleeping up to 8, and bell tents sleeping 6.

• Contact them on 01604 832115 or visit www.canoe2.co.uk

The course includes: • All coaches are FA or UEFA qualified and caring, first aid trained and CRB checked • Fun games with a ball to improve dribbling, passing and shooting • Chance to be invited into a players’ development centre • With fun competitions to be held such as penalty shoot out, cross bar challenge, speed gun and a mini world cup where medals will be at stake • Prizes, medals and trophies to be won!

• Contact Glenn Vaughan Mob: 07880 703784 www.onetouchfootball.co.uk

Fly Fishing Adventures on Rutland Water

Youth Coaching at Barnack Cricket Club

Forget JR Hartley, local expert Rob Waddington is the undisputed King of the Fly Fisherman and with an award for excellence at this year’s English Tourism awards, that’s official. Rob offers full and half day tuition from his Lodge base on the shores of Rutland Water and will happily teach individuals or groups from the complete novice to the competent fisherman wishing to improve. Chris Gadsen, a recent student gave this endorsement – “I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed Rob’s coaching, a truly inspirational day out. He has a great gift for coaching.” Packages for special occasions can be arranged with overnight accommodation if required.

• Fly Fishing Adventures Tel: 01572 722422 www.rutlandwaterflyfishing.co.uk

With the weather improving, and following a successful England tour ‘down under’, attention is once again focussing on the forthcoming cricket season. Under, Guy Spragg (Youth Development Officer) Barnack Cricket Club will be offering youth coaching for four to nine year olds.

A team of ECB qualified coaches will be on hand to teach youngsters the vital basics. Coaching will start on Friday 6th May (5:30 to 6:45) and will run for 8 weeks.

A joining fee of £25 will be required (£15 for second child), which will also include social membership of the Club. The Club can trace its heritage back to 1847 and prides itself on its family-orientated focus to quality league cricket. The club has enjoyed recent success in the local leagues and is keenly anticipating the completion of a new stone built pavilion. William Armitage (Chairman) comments: “this is an exciting new period for the club, the new pavilion will allow us to develop the club further and build on its successful history. Part of this approach is to support youth cricket and we hope that the excellent facilities in the new club house will be fully used by the membership and village alike”.

• If you are interested please contact Guy Spragg by email guy.spragg@filingplus.com. Spaces are limited so please book now to avoid disappointment.

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Green Man

Antiques & Restoration Ltd

Merry Maids of Rutland Domestic cleaning experts • Regular & one off cleaning services • Weekly, fortnightly or every four weeks • Thorough clean every time • Customised to meet your needs • Satisfaction guaranteed

Period antiques that complement 21st Century technology & style, Specialising in 17th – 20th Century mahogany, walnut & oak furniture Georgian and collectable silver. Free estimates given.

Friendly helpful advice. Restorations and repairs

74 West Street, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4EJ (opposite Oundle Clock Shop) - Tel: 01832 270970 Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10am – 4pm (Or by appointment)

1 hour parking outside and easy access for loading/offloading

The Oundle Clock Shop specialises in local clocks and we offer advice on full restorations and repairs.

Tel: 01832 272099

• Exclusive cleaning products • Screened & trained teams • Same team cleans each visit • Fully insured

Contact us for a no obligation quotation

0800 0855 632 rutland@merrymaids.org.uk www.merry-maids.net

Merry Maids ~ your trusted help !

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GET ACTIVE

Anyone f r tennis?

Stamford Tennis Club offers coaching and competitions for all ages and abilities. Alysia Anderson dusts off her racket

S

et in the grounds of Stamford School, Stamford Tennis Club has been encouraging the town’s tennis talent since 1993. Now Lincolnshire’s third-largest club, it has seven all-weather courts, four of them floodlit, with use of a further six Astroturf courts in summer. Head coach Carole Wilson says “It’s a friendly club and we’re always looking for new players to join us. We offer a range of social and competitive tennis, coaching and events for all standards of players.” The club is owned by the members and is affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association.

Rusty Rackets and Cardio Tennis I first discovered the club when my neighbour persuaded me to join her at the Rusty Rackets sessions held at 9.15 on Monday mornings.

These are aimed at players either rediscovering skills learnt a long time ago or acquiring them for the first time. Since in my schooldays the PE teachers had spent more time chatting to each other than coaching, I was concerned I’d be bottom of the class. However, I soon discovered the group’s title was an apt one, as everyone had room for improvement in some area of their game. Rusty Rackets has proved so popular, particularly with mums coming straight to the courts after school drop-off, that an additional coach often joins Carole to help with the instruction. The class starts with a warm-up then practice on a particular stroke, ranging from volleys and lobs to serves and slices. This is followed by some light-hearted group exercises and a mini-tournament of doubles and singles matches to get the competitive spirit going. There’s plenty of laughter and it’s great exercise, too. That said, if you fancy a more strenuous workout, the latest classes to be introduced are Cardio Tennis sessions, held on Thursdays at 9.30am. As the name suggests, this cardiovascular workout uses tennis-based exercises to get the blood pumping, with a warm-up and cool-down at the start and finish. “The focus is more on exercise and fitness than tennis ability so all levels can take part, even beginners,” says Carole.

Coaching for kids The club also runs a regular coaching programme for children aged four upwards. In line with the LTA’s national coaching structure, there are four age groups. Classes are held at various times on Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays depending on age. In winter, coaching moves indoors to Queen Eleanor School’s sports hall. My seven-year old enjoys her Mini Red classes after school and often joins the extra tennis camps held in the holidays. This Easter, the fun and games take place from 18-21 April.

Sessions for wannabe Murrays aged four to nine run in the morning, with coaching for older players later. Children can join for as many days as they wish, but places must be booked by 10 April. Each session costs £7.50 or £28 for all four days.

Join the club Club members enjoy a range of benefits, including reduced coaching fees, use of the courts at any time and participation in various events.

The latter include American Tournaments, held four times a year, where members have to play against each other once. It’s all very sociable and a buffet lunch follows the matches. There are also several competitions held throughout the year. Members receive a newsletter and regular e-bulletins to keep them up to date with all the latest developments.

Welcome news is that membership prices have not gone up this year, remaining at a bargain £95 per adult, £155 per couple or £165 per family for unlimited tennis throughout the year. The club also offers a winter membership for half price, running from October to February. Private lessons range from £21 to £27 per hour depending on the coach and their level of qualification. Coaching is run in conjunction with R2R Tennis, an organisation that supports tennis instruction across the East Midlands.

All the club coaches are qualified and are encouraged to attend further training.

• Stamford Tennis Club, Northfields Court, Stamford PE9 1RD Tel: 01780 765603 (Membership Secretary) or 07939 095713 (Head Coach).

Websites: www.stamfordtennis.co.uk and www.r2rtennis.co.uk

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PERSPECTIVES

Village shops Despite threats of post office closures and competition from supermarkets, the shops in Stamford’s surrounding villages play an important role in the lives of their communities. Alysia Anderson pops in for a pint of milk and a chat. Photos: Elli Dean Collyweston Community Shop 21 High St, Collyweston, PE9 3EW Tel: 01780 440830; www.collywestonshop.co.uk In July last year, the residents of Collyweston celebrated the opening of their village shop, the result of months of tireless fundraising and community effort. This welcoming little store is a marvellous example of a place set up by locals for locals.

The shop is managed by Chris Machin, who had previous retail management experience at Morrisons, assisted by a team of at least a dozen volunteers from the village. “The villagers formed a committee and we organised lots of fundraising activities like fêtes and pub quizzes,” explained Chris. “We also secured an EU Leader grant, payable over three years, which invests in community projects.”

Community is certainly the key word here.

The shop’s profits go to support other village activities and it provides a friendly meeting place for residents. There’s also an emphasis on selling quality local produce. Despite the modest size of the premises, a former butcher’s shop, the store is an Aladdin’s cave of culinary delights. Customers can purchase Fowlers free range eggs and fresh bread delivered daily from King’s Cliffe, locally-made cakes and tarts, Grasmere Farm sausages, pâtés and pies, Lincolnshire Poacher cheeses, Belvoir cordials, The Pickled Village pickles from Bulwick and Tuk Tuk Thai foods and spices from Stamford.

Milk and cream come from Lubcloud in Loughborough, where cows are grazed on organic pastures, while honey is sourced from Colsterworth and Easton-on-the-Hill. Fresh seasonal vegetables are delivered daily from Uppingham and a variety of soft fruits are available at the weekend. “We offer home delivery if necessary and we can provide a weekend veg box, to order, as well as any additional bread requirements, such as for a party or barbecue,” adds Chris.

Apple juice and cider hail from Stamford, ales from The Grainstore Brewery in Oakham and the store is lucky enough to have one of the country’s top vintners living in the village.

A Master of Wine, he supplies the shop with

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quality yet reasonably priced wines not available anywhere else.

Beef, and wild venison when in season, come from Willowbrook Farm at Helpston; organic free-range chicken, cockerels and turkeys from Ketton’s Cuckoo Farm. Chris recently added Cook ready meals, saving villagers the trip to Stamford when they don’t feel like cooking. There are also all the usual household staples, plus newspapers and greeting cards. Prices are competitive, beating Morrisons for numerous essentials.

Yet this is more than simply a grocery store.

Upstairs is a book swap area, photocopying service and information centre with details of local concerts, activities and tourist attractions.

At Christmas, the room was transformed into a Santa’s grotto for local children. Plans are now afoot to offer internet access. Chris also hopes to produce a village cookbook full of favourite recipes. She puts the store’s success down to the dedication of its staff as well as the quality of its produce. “Our volunteers are invaluable. We simply couldn’t do without them.” Volunteer Anita McKinney says she enjoys meeting customers through her work. “We get all sorts of people coming in, from local pensioners and passing motorists to schoolchildren getting off the bus.”

The shop is also planning a Royal Wedding Garden Party on April 29th.

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Ketton Post Office & Village Store

Ryhall Village Shop & Post Office

60 High Street, Ketton, PE9 3TE Tel: 01780 720245

1 Post Office Lane, Ryhall, PE9 4JP Tel: 01780 763572

George and Angela Angus were en route to look at post offices in Norfolk when they saw the Ketton branch was up for sale, popped in for a look, and were hooked. Since that summer of 2006 they have established a friendly village store employing three staff. Alongside the useful post office services they provide are a range of goods for sale, from grocery staples and newspapers to plants, wine and animal food. (The mealworms for robins are a bestseller, apparently.)

Much of the produce is locally sourced, including honey and eggs from North Luffenham, Grasmere Farm sausages and Glebe Farm flour from Huntingdon. The store is very much the heart of the village and with more than 1,600 inhabitants in Ketton, business is brisk. “They’re lovely people.

They make the shop what it is,” says George. The feeling seems to be mutual.

Local resident Beth Osbourne says “I like the shop a lot and use it at least once a week. The staff are friendly and helpful and will always stop for a chat. There’s a good range of food and non-food items, great local meats, cheeses, bread and cakes as well as fresh fruit and vegetables; and great wine I’ve heard! It’s very handy having a post office there too. The key for me is that it’s more than just a shop. It’s the community, the buzz of the village, something holding people together here. It’s a lifeline for mums with young families as well as the elderly”.

Ryhall’s answer to Candleford’s Dorcas Lane, Elinor Hawkesley has run the village post office for almost six years. “Village shops are very important, not simply for the community spirit but also in looking out for each other. We recognise our regulars and notice if they don’t come in for a while, especially older people and those with children, so we’ll check to see that they’re ok,” says Elinor.

As well as selling Askers bread, Gwash Valley Farm eggs, wine, newspapers and groceries, the store provides invaluable post office services. “We are the only village post office to handle DVLA applications and as there is free parking, people sometimes come here instead of going into Stamford. We also handle Post Office accounts and have an affiliated ATM inside the shop. There’s no charge to use it and it’s secure. People can take their time and feel safe; particularly important for pensioners.”

The shop is active in village life, sponsoring the Santa’s grotto in the village hall every year, and advertises local services on its notice board. I spotted ads for nannying and chimney sweep services alongside meeting times for the Ryhall Strollers, the village’s walking group. “People say items and services always sell quickly after advertising on there,” adds Elinor.

Ketton Post Office & Village Store: “The key for me is that it’s more than just a shop. It’s the community, the buzz of the village, something holding people together here. It’s a lifeline for mums with young families as well as the elderly” Beth Osbourne, Ketton resident Easton-on-the-Hill Post Office 3 Westfields, Easton-on-the-Hill, PE9 3LY Tel: 01780 763202 Run by husband and wife team Dhillon and Jag Rajbant since 2004, this sub-post office has its own sorting office with two staff who deliver to Eastonon-the-Hill and Collyweston. “We also deliver papers to the surrounding villages including Collyweston, Duddington and Tixover,” says Dhillon. The shop stocks household staples as well as fruit and vegetables, including local potatoes, Plant eggs from Stamford and bread and cakes from Kings Cliffe bakery. There’s a good selection of magazines and the store also sells alcohol, cigarettes and hardware. “If there’s something a customer wants we can order it in,” says Dhillon. She sees a fairly regular stream of customers. “The bus stop is just outside and the local primary school up the road, so schoolchildren come in as well as pensioners and other locals.” Villager Angie Caplin says “The shop is efficiently-run, open all hours and very friendly”. A noticeboard outside the shop displays information on local services, from yoga classes to bus timetables, while inside are leaflets and maps on the local area.

Barnack Post Office & General Stores Main Street, Barnack, PE9 3DN Tel: 01780 740230 Barnack’s post office and store is located just yards up the street from the original old post office building, now a private home.

Proprietors Janet and Peter Farrer have run the store for 15 years since moving from London, where they worked in the pub business.

Janet said “Older people really rely on us. We still do pension payments but the Post Office has taken away so many services that we have more or less become just a hole in the wall.” The shop also supplies newspapers, local eggs and bread, groceries, wine and beer, hardware and stationery, with home delivery available if needed. Also handy for villagers is Lizzie B’s Laundry Room, an alteration, dry cleaning and ironing service which uses the store as a collection point.

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HEALTH MATTERS

Patient choice Nicholas Rudd-Jones met with Helen Wilson, Marketing Manager at the Fitzwilliam Hospital to find out what services the hospital is able to provide under the NHS Remember you have a choice The first thing to remember in today’s NHS is that you have a choice of where you are treated, be that in a local NHS hospital, private hospital or indeed a hospital in another part of the country if you want to be close to relatives.

The choice exists at the point that the GP decides to refer you to a consultant. The GP may or may not suggest alternatives, but it is totally within your rights to specify which hospital you would like to be treated in, subject of course to them having the right specialists for your case.

There is a website worth taking a look at that can help you with your choice and also book a place (although that can and usually is done by the GP practice according to what you request): www.nhs.uk/choices . It may also be helpful to ask other people who have experienced the care.

Factors that might affect your choice might include: • Level of coverage of the speciality required • Convenience of aftercare

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• Size of hospital • Infection rates • Quality of food • Ease of access and parking And of course if you choose the Fitzwilliam Hospital, the cost is fully covered by the NHS (i.e. you don’t have to have private medical insurance).

And what does the Fitzwilliam Hospital have to offer an NHS patient?

Firstly: and obviously most importantly, over 130 consultants, specialising in a range of areas, notably orthopaedics, gynaecology, general surgery, ear, nose & throat and urology.

And once a consultant has been assigned to your case, you will stick with that consultant throughout the treatment process, not switch around.

Secondly, an excellent clinical environment with modern facilities and a first-rate hygiene record.

Thirdly, a well staffed and loyal nursing and support services team, who make you feel like an individual at all times. As one patient commented: “All the different disciplines seemed to be pulling in the same direction, with

my concerns as their priority. I always felt in control of things.”

Fourthly, a pleasant room environment and good food, which makes your stay all the more welcoming, giving you a ‘home from home, experience. A small enough scale (49 bedrooms) that you will quickly get to know the staff, and they you. And there is no problem with parking when your friends and relatives come to visit.

A recent patient described his experience at the Fitzwilliam as follows: “I have nothing but good to say about the Fitzwilliam. The consultants were excellent and the key to my recovery, but it was the whole team that really made the difference to my rehabilitation. They treated me as ‘me’, a person not just a patient and helped me to have a laugh and get back to being myself. The nurses were friendly, the cleaners were chatty, and everyone had a hand in my recovery. They also cared for my wife and daughter when they visited, as they were getting tired with visiting.”

Next steps To find out more about the Fitzwilliam Hospital visit their website at www.fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk or call 01733 261717

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Healthcare choices Healthcare services for the whole community at Fitzwilliam Hospital Did you know you can have your healthcare at Fitzwilliam Hospital?

The hospital provide services for the whole community through Premium Care for private and insured patients and through Patient Choice for NHS patients.

Fitzwilliam Hospital offers all patients:

• • •

Consultant-delivered care

• • • •

Very low infection rates

State-of-the-art equipment Small, friendly hospital in peaceful surroundings High quality care Good nurse-patient ratios Free parking and easy to find

Insured patients

OPTION

1

NHS patients

OPTION

2

If you have medical insurance, please use it to enjoy the benefits of private treatment at the Fitzwilliam Hospital which include:

If you are being referred by your GP for NHS treatment you have a right to choose the hospital you are referred to under the Patient Choice charter.

• Your choice of consultant

Fitzwilliam offer a wide range of services to NHS patients at no charge to patient or GP.

• Early and flexible appointments with the Premium Care fast track card • Hotel comforts on admission Ask your GP to refer you for private treatment at the Fitzwilliam.

Ask your GP if you can be referred to the Fitzwilliam for your treatment under Patient Choice.

Self-pay patients

OPTION

3

Premium Care benefits are available to paying patients on our full range of services.

Many patients are now choosing to pay for early treatment of NHS low priority health problems such as varicose veins, sterilisation reversals, lumps and bumps and carpal tunnel treatments.

A full range of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical treatments is also available under the Vive brand.

Call today for a quote for your healthcare.

If you would like to chat through the options or for general enquiries about Fitzwilliam Hospital and the services offered please contact us today.

Email: enquiries@fitzwilliam-hospital.co.uk or visit: www.fitzwilliam-hospital.co.uk

Call us today and find out more 01733 261717 45

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Spring Dining

We are delighted to welcome our new Head Chef, Ray Smikle to The Crown Hotel having worked in the area for many years with spells at The George at Buckden and The Falcon at Fotheringhay, when it was acclaimed with 2AA rosettes.

Ray has launched a new light bites menu to be enjoyed at lunchtime and a new à la carte menu will run alongside some of The Crown’s more traditional dishes.

All Saint's Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG t. 01780 763136 reservations@thecrownhotelstamford.co.uk www.thecrownhotelstamford.co.uk

Head Chef Simon Pollendine creates many dishes using local, seasonal produce. Since opening in September, The Exeter Arms continues to offer Simon’s signature dishes, Home comforts including traditional British favourites and a pizza menu for more casual dining.

There is also Sidney’s menu for our younger guests. Just two miles out of Stamford, take a spring walk to The Exeter Arms and enjoy lunch or early dinner.

21 Stamford Road, Easton on the Hill, PE9 3NS t. 01780 756321 reservations@theexeterarms.net www.theexeterarms.net

A beautiful country pub set in the village of Ufford enables Head Chef Dorran Leigh to use the best of local, seasonal produce in this rural area.

Game dishes are often found on the menu, along with produce from the nearby Tallington farm such as lamb, blackberries and apples. Al fresco dining can be enjoyed in the summer months. On cooler days choose to dine in the bar, restaurant, Orangery or Pantry.

Main Street Ufford, Stamford, PE9 3BH t. 01780 740 250 reservations@whitehartufford.co.uk www.whitehartufford.co.uk 46 All Saint’s Hotels Ltd. All Saint's Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG t. 01780 763136 • SL April ADS.indd 46

17/3/11 11:47:38

SEAN’S KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

King of the mangoes Alphonso mango season is here, which gives plenty of opportunity for experimenting with flavour combinations. By Sean Hope

Y

ou can’t argue with a mango. Their sweetness, unique texture and slightly perfumed essence mean they can be combined with several ingredients to create some truly memorable flavours, particularly in salads and puddings.

If the mango is the king of fruits then the Alphonso mango is the king’s boss because it’s regarded as the best-tasting of them all: the juiciest, sweetest and most fragrant. Seeing as there are hundreds of varieties of mango – from the thick-skinned Kent to the rather amusingly named Tommy Atkins – finishing top of the class is no mean feat. A native of India – the country that exports the most mangoes by far – with a short season running from April to May, the Alphonso can be identified by its outer skin, which is more yellow than green.

It’s named after Afonso de Albuquerque, a 16th century Portuguese nobleman who found them on his travels.

Around now, throughout May and into early June, you should be able to find Alphonsos in good supermarkets. When you do, dust off your cast-iron skillet, because that’s the best cooking vessel to use to make a tarte tatin, which is the perfect destination for your mango (see my quick-fire recipe).

If you want to experiment with mango – and, of course, you can use other mangoes instead of Alphonsos – try combining with coconut in desserts or add to salsa and serve with fresh fish for a delicious, summery flash of flavour.

Sean’s quickfire recipe

M ango ta rte tatin

Serves 4 • 2 mangos (Alphonso or otherwise) • Knob of butter • Generous sprinkling of soft brown sugar • Puff pastry • Crème fraiche • Lime zest • Skin mangoes and cut each into two large pieces.

• In thick-bottom cast-ir on frying pan (12cm to 14cm in diameter), me lt a knob of butter over a medium heat and sprinkle generously with soft brown sugar.

• Place mango pieces rou nd-side down in pan.

• Roll out puff pastry to 2mm to 3 mm thick, 14cm in diameter.

• Lay pastry over top of fruit and tuck pastry in around edges of pan .

• Put the pan into an ove n and bake at Gas Mark 7 (220C) for 8 to 10 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

• Remove and turn out onto plate.

• Divide into 4 and serve with creme fraiche and finely grated lime zes t.

Did you know?

80% of mangoes sold in UK supermarkets are a variety known as Tommy Atkins, a type first grown in Florida.

Sean’s knife tips I recommend that you forget those really expensive knives you can buy and get a goodvalue set from Victorinox’s Fibrox range (try www.nisbets.co.uk). Here are my musthaves: • General cook’s knife with 6in blade (£12.99 at www.nisbets.co.uk) • Boning knife with 5in rigid blade – handy for removing cuts from around the bone (£10.99) • Filleting knife with 6in flexible blade – bendy blade gives great flexibility when filleting fish (£12.99) • Paring knife with 3in blade – great for prepping small veg (£2.49) • Vogue speed peeler – the fastest, cheapest and easiest peeler you can buy (£1.49) It’s also a good idea to get a diamond steel sharpener and you should hone the blades frequently, one swipe after each time you use them.

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NENE VALLEY LIVING July 2008

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Other mango combinations to try: • With chilli for a lovely dash of sweetness and heat • With pine essences to boost that perfume (get pine essence from wholefood shops or use pine honey) • With Mint • With lime or Kaffir lime leaves

Sean’s seasonal must-buys for April What Sean will be cooking with at the Olive Branch and Red Lion VEG Purple sprouting broccoli, Leeks FRUIT Mango and pineapples MEAT & FISH Skate, Wild salmon, Poultry , Pork STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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18/3/11 10:37:56

Good building companies do exist, and we are one of them.

We are a well established building company, with a reputation for craftmanship, reliability, friendliness and professionalism, and a particular expertise in historic and listed buildings.

If you are considering home improvements, conservation work, alterations, extension or other building-related work, including design, planning and building control services, we can help you.

We offer free advice on all aspects of Town and Country Planning, Listed Building applications, and Conservation Area Consents. If you are considering altering or extending your home, converting buildings into living accommodation, or building a new property in your garden, we have a wealth of experience to call on.

Call us now on 01572 821 657 View all of our services and a range of previous projects online at:

www.mossbeck.com

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LOCAL BUSINESSES

Considering the needs of a building project in a sensitive area

Richardson Estate Agent and Surveyor offer experience and reliability Nicholas Rudd-Jones meets with Richardson’s, based in Sheepmarket, Stamford

M

oss Beck Limited, based in Uppingham, is a building company that was founded 20 years ago, and over that time has been providing both a building and a design service with a particular emphasis on working with sensitive projects, such as buildings in conservation areas – especially so within Rutland and the surrounding areas.

With professionally qualified staff and a well trained workforce, Moss Beck pride themselves on their capability to work with these more demanding projects, and in particular with historic and listed buildings.

Renovation and restoration work forms a very significant part of Moss Beck’s activity, using traditional materials and techniques such as stone, limecretes, lime plasters, mortars, and natural insulating and decorating materials.

Moss Beck are firm believers in energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, methods, even in older buildings, “The thought of trying to make an old building more energy efficient can seem challenging, but clients are surprised at how much improvement can be achieved using simple, straightforward techniques,” says Anna Bussey - who is responsible for Moss Beck’s design work.

“Finding solutions that satisfy both the Conservation Officer and the Building Inspector can be challenging at times,” adds Anna, “but with a wealth of experience in this area, we can usually find a solution that satisfies both interests.”

Having a building partner who is sympathetic to the needs of the building and the client is very important, and is something that is not lost on Moss Beck.

You can contact Moss Beck on 01572 821657, www.mossbeck.com

Bespoke Voyages In an era where ships seem to get bigger and bigger, there is something uniquely satisfying about ‘small’.

The intimacy, the close knit camaraderie and the excitement of sailing into secluded and rarely seen harbours. That is why Oundle Travel chooses Silversea Cruises as its preferred supplier for cruising for 2011.

The Silversea ships offer highly a highly personalised experience once aboard, and are a true 5* Deluxe experience, “Many clients liken the ships to private yachts rather than cruise ships,” comments Director Paula Cockcroft from Oundle Travel.

All ships call at smaller harbours where the larger ships cannot sail; they can also dock right in the heart of a city whilst the larger ships must anchor off shore. Every cabin has a designated Butler who can unpack your luggage, send your suit to be pressed and make your dinner reservations. With Silverseas there is no assigned dining time, no assigned table; when, where and whom you dine with is entirely up to you.

Sailings depart throughout the summer months to the heart of the Mediterranean, with complimentary flights, and start from £2,900 per person for a stunning Venice to Rome itinerary - the ports of call on this particular itinerary include Venice, Croatia, Montenegro, Taormina, Malta, Trapani and Rome.

• For more information and details of the latest availability and the special on board credit offers available throughout the Summer call Oundle Travel on 01832 273600 www.oundletravel.co.uk

Richardson has the enviable quality of managing to combine a sense of experience, stability and authority (it celebrates 200 years in business next year) with an energy and freshness that is equally valuable to a prospective client.

I was met at the door by Alister Leach who had recently come a cropper on the ski slopes and was hobbling around the office at breakneck speed. Alister Leach He is the head of residential, and works with Andrew Leech (Commercial), Charles Richardson (Agricultural) Mark Thomas (lettings/Agricultural) and Michael Thompson (Planning & Development).

Residential is an important part of the Richardson’s business, and there are a number of factors that make their offering distinctive: • Well established and experienced • Straightforward and gimmick-free • Able to deploy a wide range of marketing tools • Very approachable Alister explained the type of houses they focus on: “We tend to specialise in the upper part of the market, many of the properties being in the £400,000-£800,000 price range; and we are very experienced and well known for the marketing and sale of building plots, barns for conversion, new homes and smaller village cottages.

“But we also sell at the top end of the market, as evidenced by Park House, St Martin’s Without, that is on the market at the moment, with an asking price of £1.8Mn. This is an incredibly well appointed property, and is well worth a viewing.”

And what of the outlook for 2011?

“Reasonably optimistic, as the fundamentals for this area remain strong – communications, location, schools, beauty of countryside – and there is not a lot of stock on the market.”

Alister is supported by Louise and Wendy, and there is a strong lettings team that complement the residential sales side.

• Richardson’s, Sheep Market House, Stamford, PE9 2RB Tel: 01780 762433 www.richardsonestateagents.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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individuals, couples, groups, corporate team building events, gift vouchers Rob Waddington 01572 722422 07711 182853 email: rob@learntoflyfish.co.uk web: www.rutlandwaterflyfishing.co.uk and for all visitors to Rutland, stay on the water’s edge, beautiful Rutland Water

Lakeside Guest Accommodation The Lodge, Barnsdale North Shore Rutland Water RUTLAND LE15 8AB www.thelodgebarnsdale.co.uk

or email Kayleigh.reid@barnsdalehotel.co.uk

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EATING OUT

L’Assiette Restaurant Ross Thain and friends went to try out what the new L’Assiette restaurant in Stamford had to offer

I

am always fascinated by a Chef’s CV. The number of people claiming to have worked under Celebrity TV Chefs must have caused a constant merry-go round of thousands of assistant Chefs through the revolving doors of the nation’s kitchens. That said, there is no doubt that the standard of English cuisine has risen dramatically over the last ten years or so and the endless television coverage has made a significant contribution. Dameon Clarke, who could mention both Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes in his own CV, has opened a new restaurant in Stamford following an earlier venture at The Collyweston Slater, in St Paul’s Street, Stamford.

The stylish etched front door bearing Dameon’s moniker demonstrates how keen he is to promote his own style of cooking. There is also something definitely comforting about dining below street level – maybe it is the feeling of inherent warmth and instant atmosphere and, although we did not see the other rooms, my choice would be a table on the lowest floor any time.

The new restaurant seats approximately 65 people on two floors with a separate private dining room to the rear. If (as we hope) he makes a great success of the project he will be filling all of these on a regular basis.

However, how does he compare to the other big hitters in the area?

Stamford has a decent helping of good English food on offer but noone would pretend that there is any real top-end dining in town to match that in Hambleton or Clipsham. At Assiette the pricing is competitive with a full a la carte available, together with various offers of two courses for £15.50 and three for £20.50.

Of our four diners, there was always a clear winner per course and the starter prize definitely went to Mr H’s crispy chicken wings with roast scallop and micro herb salad. Even Mrs T had to steal a bit when he wasn’t looking and it was most beautifully presented. It beat a delicate (if a bit plain) goat’s cheese parfait and a fine chicken liver and foie gras combination.

The food deserves better than the plethora of spelling mistakes and

grammatical errors within the menu (which only a pedant such as I would find so annoying) and the Bernie Inn type plastic menu wallets, but these are mere teething issues which Mr Clarke will address in the short term.

The wine list is also worthy of mention. This is not extensive but it does not need to be as there is an intelligent variety and spread of price, with some decent champagnes and other options to cater for any eventuality. Clearly some considerable thought has gone into the list and it is reassuring to see some old world wines – such lists are usually preoccupied by the assumption that New World means better world. Not the case. However he may include the English Camel Vineyard in Cornwall in the future after its classification as producer of the best Sparkling Wine on the planet. Strange times.

The winner of the main course was Pan Fried monkfish which was, once again, exceptionally well presented and this beat stiff competition from slow cooked pork belly with black pudding.

The best pudding was clearly the Crème Brûlée and the appearance was most artistic. Alternatives were treacle and ginger cake or lemon tart. All looked delicious as they whisked past to other tables. Opting for cheese to conclude matters, a fairly spartan cheese board was presented and knowledge was limited, but no doubt things will improve once the staff gathers more experience. That said, the unusual Soumantrain was exceptionally good, tasting like a very ripe Munster.

I have only noted the highlights of each course and these were truly exceptional. More consistency across the menu will be required to break into the very top end of local dining but the service was reassuringly slow and unrushed and the staff were clearly intent on delivering a good product. One does wonder whether a maître d’ or equivalent host at the front of house would help and give the restaurant slightly more gravitas yet after only a few weeks so far so good for Mr Clarke in his new venture and, in a competitive market, he should do well.

• L’Assiette, 8-9 St Paul’s St, Stamford, PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 489071 www.assietterestaurant.co.uk Twitter: @AssietteRstrant STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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EATING OUT

The Orangery at Burghley

Amada Wheeler went with her family to try out the new catering at the Orangery at Burghley House

B

urghley House is a matter of pride for Stamfordians. And a weekend walk or ride in Burghley Park a must for many.

And if, like me, your walk has to finish with refreshments, then there’s the lure of the Orangery.

Absolute Taste has recently taken over the catering. They are an eclectic company with an interesting CV: posh weddings (and a deal with Gordon Ramsay), posh airline food (for those of us with private jets), posh sports (Formula 1 and polo) and posh shops (Harvey Nicks).

Proper posh. Judging by some of the comments in the Visitors Book, Absolute Taste has not been to everyone’s taste.

However, the management are paying close attention and have already reduced the price of a cuppa and moved the tables back to the windows. Their willingness to listen is promising, together with a commitment to keeping what works, which includes the polite and friendly staff.

The Orangery is in a beautiful spot, with stunning views across Burghley Park.

And if the service might be a little slow for the youngest in your party, they can always run outside to inspect the fish while the adults enjoy a more leisurely meal. Our party of five enjoyed the food: roasted salmon excellent, fishcake very good but a little insubstantial.

The pollack and chips were good with particularly nice mushy peas. The

The Hole in the Wall, Cheyne Lane

Recently re-opened and refurbished, new owners Fiona and Shaun are proud to present The Hole in the Wall in all its glory. Modern yet traditional décor brings a new fresh ambience for diners and drinkers in Stamford. Upstairs is Stamford’s newest nightspot, The Seven Sins bar and club open until 3am for 21s and over, playing club classics for you to dance the night away!

The nightclub is also available for hire for private parties, please contact 01780 764451 Serving food: Tuesday–Saturday 12–3pm and 6–9pm, Sundays 12–4pm. For bookings please call 01780 764451. Nightclub open: Fridays and Saturdays 10pm–3am

Harbour Café Bar and Restaurant The Harbour Café Bar & Restaurant by the side of Rutland Water at Whitwell is re-opening in the spring after a major refurbishment.

Under new ownership (Red Hen Restaurants) the venture will be an exciting venue not only for great coffee, award winning food and friendly professional service but phase two of the project situated on the first floor will be a Seafood and Grill Restaurant and Bar offering the finest fish, shellfish and steak dishes prepared by award winning chefs, a fine selection of wines with emphasis on value for money.

With a view overlooking Rutland Water, the restaurant can also accommodate private functions, weddings and corporate lunches with its own separate entrance.

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mini shepherds pie delicious with rich flaky lamb far superior to the minced version usually served to children. The Burghley House white wine was excellent, reasonably priced and perfectly chilled. In fact, all was going well until we ordered puddings.

Then came a long wait. Our remonstrances brought the delightful assistant manager over, apologising and explaining (freshly cooked, busy chef, etc). If you wait for a dish it had better be good. And I am happy to report that the chocolate and chestnut tart was wonderful. However, if you’re in a hurry, just go for the cheese slate – a fine selection of local cheeses – or the various cakes that are on display at the counter.

There’s also a ‘Grab and Go’ menu with wraps and sandwiches, if you like your food sharpish.

If you’ve got visitors to Stamford, it’s a great choice, especially when combined with a walk around the Sculpture Gardens.

The ORANGERY AT BURGHLEY: In A Nutshell: Posh nosh with a view.

Food Served: Saturday to Thursday 10am until 5pm (Winter period, opening hours change to Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm). Prices: starters from £5.50, mains from £8, puddings from £5.50, sandwiches from £3.20 and children’s portions all £4.50; Burghley House wine £15.50 Telephone: 01780 761989.

Champagne culture is coming to Stamford!

Saturday the 16th of April will see the opening of Opus Dai in Stamford. In the words of Phil, the founder of the business: “Opus Dai will bring the lush style and opulent surroundings that Stamford has been crying out for.

Our menu is diverse, your favourite dishes…with an Opus Dai twist, served all day and into the evening.”

He continued: “Start the day with a coffee and a Danish, join us for Lunch, then at the weekend, slip into the night with our eclectic, Balearic music served up by our resident DJs. Fancy relaxing with your friends with a bottle of your favourite?

Then why not book a table in our champagne room upstairs, with dedicated bar and waitress service, where you can order Champagne or spirits by the bottle. On those lazy sunny afternoons, enjoy the open air in our patio area and the long summer nights will have chilled out live music for the star gazers out there.”

Opus Dai, 16 Broad St, Stamford, PE9 1PG

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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HAT PROVIDES HUMOUR, GREAT MUSIC AND A SLICE OF ELEGANT AMERICANA” GRAZIA MAGAZINE

Try Something Different

OPENING IN SPRING 2011 Fully refurbished and under new management, a stylish cafe bar offering quality food, good coffee and friendly service on the shores of Rutland Water. With indoor and outdoor seating, you can relax and enjoy a drink or meal whatever the weather, 7 days a week.

The Taste of the Orient

Sunday Lunchtime Buffet ONLY £8.95 All you can eat

Coming later in the year, watch out for our first floor Seafood Grill Restaurant and Bar offering the finest fish, shellfish and quality steak dishes, complemented by a selecton of fine wines.

Private functions, weddings and corporate lunches catered for.

o t d r a w r o f k W e lo o g y o u s o o n seei n

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Daily Lunchtime Special £6.95

Call us NOW to book

01733 315 702 www.east-restaurant.co.uk Lunch 12-2:30pm Mon-Sat, 12-3:30pm Sun (Buffet) Dinner 5:30-11pm Fri & Sat, 5:30-10:30pm Sun-Thurs Upper Deck, Charters, Town Bridge, Peterborough, PE1 1FP

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Come join us at Dingley Races

A day out for all; watch the races from your car, the track or bar A natural amphitheatre and a leading point to point course on your doorstep Tote, Trade Stands and Refreshments on site

Saturday 23rd April Saturday 15th May Saturday 29th May Admission on day: £15.00 per car & driver - £5.00 per passenger 1st Race 2.00pm Dingley Racecourse, Dingley, Market Harborough

For more info visit www.dingleyraces.com

Great Offers only available this month* 25% discount for Wills, Care Home Fees Planning and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Free initial advice on any Personal Injury accident.

Contact Martin Herson on 01733 888906

Contact Sarah Westwood on 01780 484530 A one-hour Family and Matrimonial consultation for £100+ VAT. Contact Donna Sandall on 01780 484534

Buckles Solicitors LLP 3 St. Mary’s Hill Stamford PE9 2DW Office also at Peterborough

*Offer expires Friday 27th May 2011, please quote ref: BUCSTAM111 at the time of making an appointment, failure to do so invalidates this offer.

01780 484570 www.buckles-law.co.uk stamford@buckles-law.co.uk Buckles Solicitors LLP is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

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WHAT’S ON

Diary dates

Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment in the region this month.

April

Beginning on Tuesday 12 April, 2pm – 3.30pm EVENT: Children’s Activities at Clare Cottage Starting with a Hat Attack, children aged between 7 and 12 years are invited to make some traditional Easter bonnets and fantastical headwear. Throughout the week Spring Planting, Toy Theatre activities and an Egg Hunt all take place.

• The John Clare Cottage, Helpston To book a place or find out more Tel: 01733 253330

Tuesday 19 April, 2pm FAMILY THEATRE: Stig of the Dump Is ‘Stig’ real or is he the product of Barney’s boyhood imagination? This wonderful musical production of Clive King’s famous story with lots of opportunity for the audience to take part, will be a truly magical experience. Suitable for ages 5 to 12.

• Stamford Theatre Tickets £6.50 Family Ticket £24 Tel: 01780 763203 or www.stamfordartscentre.co.uk

Saturday 23 April, 3pm FAMILY THEATRE: The Way Back Home One day a boy finds a plane in his cupboard.

He flies it higher and higher until he runs out of petrol and lands on the moon where he meets a passing Martian. Can they be friends? And how will they find their way back home?

Especially for little astronauts and pilots aged 3 to 7 and their families.

• The South Holland Centre, Spalding Tickets £6.50 Family Ticket £25 Tel: 01775 764777 www.southhollandcentre.co.uk

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Tuesday 12th - Saturday 16th April, 7.30pm (Saturday Matinee 3.30pm)

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THEATRE: The Full Monty Stamford Amateur Musical Society is proud to present the stage adaptation of the hit movie, The Full Monty.

Set in Buffalo, New York, where the unemployment line keeps growing ever longer and times are hard, this hilarious story sees six guys hatch a crazy plan to form their own striptease act - Hot Metal. (Over 16 years only) • The Corn Exchange Theatre, Broad Street, Stamford. Tickets from £12 Tel: 01780 766455

TUESDAY

Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 April, 10am to 1pm CRAFT WORKSHOP: Bunting, Hearts and Tiaras Get into the party spirit and decorate your home for the royal wedding. Learn new sewing, appliqué and embroidery skills at the Heartstitch workshops during the Easter Holidays. Special rates for mothers and daughters and a tiara workshop for children aged between 8 and 15 years. All are welcome.

• Easton Walled Gardens To book or for further information Tel: 01780 720714

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CONCERT: Woven Chords Woven Chords is a mixed Capella choir whose audiences are taken on a “world tour” through song in glorious three and four part harmonies in the languages of origin. This will be the first time the choir has performed at the beautiful setting of Abbey Church in Bourne.

• Tickets £7.50 including wine and nibbles Tel: 01780 763203



Saturday 2 April, 7.30pm

Saturday 30 April to Friday 13 May, 10am to 4pm EXHIBITION: Welland Valley Art Society The members of the society display their latest range of colourful art work. Most items are for sale.

• Admission is free.

The Gallery, Stamford Arts Centre STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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On the trail of the Easter Bunny…

At Barnsdale Gardens – trails for children to follow and an egg hunt every day from Good Friday to Easter Monday. Special tokens are hidden all around the gardens, just find one and collect your Easter egg.

• Garden Admission applies, Tel: 01572 813200 or visit www.barnsdalegardens. co.uk for further details.

At Belton House – On Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April, 10.30am to 4pm there will be a Family Easter Trail in the garden plus Mini Chick Trail for the tinies (pushchair friendly). Prizes for all junior participants and craft activities in the Discovery Centre.

At Burghley House – Join the team on Easter Sunday for a hunt which will take children on a trail around the Sculpture Garden and the Garden of Surprises concluding in the collection of a proper size Easter egg.

• Admission included on purchase of a House and Gardens or Gardens only ticket. www.burghley.co.uk At Boughton House – Family fun on Wednesday 20 April between 11am and 2pm. Games and a trail around the beautiful gardens of Boughton House.

• Children £5 with accompanying adults free. Eggs for all children taking part. www.boughtonhouse.org. uk At Rockingham Castle - Wonderful family fun for the Easter Weekend from 12noon to 5pm. Children’s Easter Egg Hunt and family quiz.

• Event and Castle admission £23 for a family ticket. Information www.rockinghamcastle.com

Looking Ahead...

Sunday 1 May, from 9am Join the WaterAid Waters Walk Join the walk from Eyebrook Reservoir to Rutland Water in aid of WaterAid. Choose between a 12 mile or a 5 mile option along footpaths and quiet roads ending at the shores of Rutland Water. Free refreshments, parking and a shuttle bus to take you to the start. The group hope to raise over £6,000 to help provide clean water to some of the poorest communities in Africa.

• For information, maps and sponsor forms contact Charlotte Baker Tel: 01572 787282

Stamford Feast 2011 – Sunday 29 May from 10am Stamford Meadows is the venue for a brand new Food Festival this summer. Local food producers and restaurateurs will provide the tasty delights with music and dance offered by local musicians.

Events will include a World Food trail, healthy living demonstrations, cooking demonstrations from international chefs, school cooking competitions, wine tasting, zumba and belly dancing plus world music including jazz, salsa, Cuban and steel bands. Described by one of the organisers as “Without doubt a most exciting event and an opportunity for the community of Stamford to come together in work and play, and for our local economy to benefit from visitors to the Feast.”

• Further information or to become involved, Contact Ali Hawley Smith Tel: 07791 334221 or visit www.visitstamford.com/feast

56

Stamford Cookery School Brilliant new cookery school recently launched by Thierry Daugeron.

Three types of courses are offered: An evening course each Wednesday at £25 per head • Half day courses to include refreshments and goodie bags at £65 • Full day courses also including refreshments, goodie bag and a dish to take home £125 Courses are aimed at anyone who wants to learn to cook or cook better! There will also be men only courses and courses for those off to university/leaving home for the first time as well as those who need to learn to be chalet housekeepers on the slopes.

Private parties for adults, children and corporate team building will run from the outset, accommodating events for 6 to 24 invitees. And monthly food demonstrations are planned where local producers and guest chefs will speak on various subjects as cheese and wine, lardering a pig, French pastries etc.

• Contact details: Tel no 01780 752172 or visit www.stamfordcookeryschool.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING April October 2011 2010

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Theme parks are fantastic for fast rides, hot dogs and quick score fun – but have you ever considered giving your children an opportunity to really see the world they live in?

On top of the world? That will be your teens when they traverse the Great Wall! Take some time out to see the Pandas in their natural environment and get up close and personal with the Terracotta Warriors of Xian May we recommend a 9 day private tour “In Pursuit of Pandas”

We have a wonderful range of alternative holidays for families that want to offer their children genuine experiences that will help to form the adult they will become – and create a memory that will stay with them for the rest of their lives – not just till the last ride ends.

We have lots of ideas for the adventurous family, here are a few:

£7,909 for a family of four, includes flights, accommodation, private tour and guide and most meals (based on an October half term departure) Sporty families will love windsurfing, sailing, snorkelling, tennis, water skiing and diving available in the Caribbean.

May we recommend The Carlisle Bay, Antigua.

They don’t just allow children here – they LOVE them! £7995 for a family of four, includes breakfasts (based on October half term departures) A zoo or the real thing? This fantastic safari includes visits to Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Feeding from the tree tops, private game drives and a lodge stay in the Great Rift Valley and a visit to Maasai Mara where you can see the Big 5 up-close!

The Family Safari by Kuoni : £5995 for a family of 4, includes most meals (based on October half term departure)

We specialise in cruise • long haul • escorted journeys • villas • flights • active family holidays • golf • spa • ski • overseas weddings • honeymoons and so much more!

We can offer door to door service on all our products at your request, including a complete luggage to check in facility.

23 St Georges Street, Stamford T: 01780 433333 E: sales@morethantravel.co.uk www.morethantravel.co.uk We act as fully licensed ABTA agents for ATOL holders, please contact us for more information on and details on each of the recommendations above.

or call our Call4Five helpline 01780 483874

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GARDEN DESIGNS BACK TO BASICS Today’s garden design can be too much of everything

Sometimes the simplest is best Ring 01780 481624 to see why www.kenrawsongardendesigns.co.uk

Easton-on-the-Hill, Stamford. Established 1986

Creative, practical solutions to suit individual homes and gardens.

All aspects of interior and garden design including planting schemes, courtyards and garden lighting, soft furnishings, curtain design & make-up and re-upholstery.

From one off rooms, to schemes for the whole house and garden.

12 Willoughby Road, Morcott, Rutland, LE15 9DY Tel: 01572 747318 Mobile: 07973843020 alison@alisonhutchinsondesign.co.uk www.alisonhutchinsondesign.co.uk

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COUNTRYFILE

Sycamore Farm, Bassingthorpe If you shop on the Farmers’ Markets you will be familiar with the produce of Sycamore Farm. Sue Lee & Jean Orpin asked Mark Robinson to tell them about the farm and his life as a young farmer The Family Mark is the 4th generation at Bassingthorpe.

He told us, “Originally the family were millers and farmers at Saxby All Saints then, in 1901, Charles Edwin Robinson hired a train - like you do - and moved to Home Farm, Burton Coggles.

Unfortunately, during the Depression he lost this farm but managed to rent a smaller farm at Bassingthorpe where we reside today”. Mark and his parents work the farm employing a full time workman and a butcher. They have 450 acres at Bassingthorpe, 50 acres at West Willoughby and take 200 acres of grass for summer grazing.

Livestock Despite the attractive setting of the farm, it is heavy clay so not good for arable farming.

Mark recalls making pots in his younger days when he was bored! The family decided that instead of being a small arable farm, they would be a bigger livestock farm. As they diversified into Farmers’ Markets, they have modernised the farm and developed a thriving butchery.

They have 105 breeding Aberdeen Angus cows and 2 bulls but such is the demand that they now buy in some calves from friends giving an average of about 330 animals. The cattle are out at grass during the summer then housed and fed on a silage based ration during the winter. Some crops are grown on the farm which can be utilised to reduce the feeding costs. Catttle are reared to 24-30 months old

then retailed through Bassingthorpe Beef.

Mark was very clear about the choice of breed, “The reasons we keep Aberdeen Angus cattle are they are a native breed, hardy for our winters, good mothers, easy calvers and the marbling in the meat is such that when it is hung for 3 weeks, it really is second to none”.

He is equally enthusistic about the pigs. “For my 21st birthday I was given a Gloucester Old Spot in pig gilt called Countess. She was the start of the pigs. Today we have 8 breeding sows, which give us around 160 piglets a year.

There are better breeds for commercial use, but for us they are the best. They are my girls!

Friendly, a hardy breed, good mothers and taste fantastic!”

Wildlife The whole farm is in the HLS (higher level scheme) which means caring for wildlife. Mark explains, “We dig scrapes that fill with water for migrating birds, have wider hedge rows, pollen and nectar mix areas for bees and natural regeneration areas. We currently have red kites raising their young in our wood. Lapwings, curlew, snipes and barn owls are just some of the birds we see daily at Bassingthorpe.

Farmers’ Markets The Lincolnshire Farmers’ Markets were just starting in 1998 when the Robinsons decided to try them and they’ve never looked back.

Now, they do Stamford twice a month, other

Bassingthorpe pigs

Stamford Farmer’s Market local markets within Lincolnshire, Rutland and Nottinghamshire, local shows and various popular ‘Taste of Lincolnshire events’.

The farmers’ markets have become a way of life, with their pro and cons. They give a regular income but as Mark says, “It’s hard work and can be quite demoralising when you try unsuccessfully to convince somebody that they really do want a piece of beef! I guess the best thing of all is good feedback from our customers, which makes us proud to know that we’re doing something right.”

We asked Mark about a typical day on the market: “Leave the farm at 6.30 -7am, arrive, unload and set up. Then it’s coffee time, an integral part of any marketeers day!! Then it is ‘sell sell sell’. Most markets finish early afternoon, so I’m normally home around 4pm, then I will empty the van and reload for the next day. I either head home or, if we are busy - for example in the summer - I may jump on the baler and work until 9 -10pm. You can work as much as you want on a livestock farm. It is hard work and there is always a lot of it. But it is also very satisfying. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

• Buy from Bassingthorpe Beef • Stamford Farmers’ Market every alternate Friday. Also at Oakham, Oundle, Market Harborough and Uppingham Farmers’ Markets • Contact Mark on 0772 546 8407 or 0772 504 1711

Bassingthorpe cattle

STAMFORD LIVING April 2011

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DIRECTORY

CARPENTRY

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

ACCOUNTANTS

'Shaping your tomorrow today' www.duntop.co.uk STAMFORD OFFICE 14 All Saints' Street Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2PA Telephone (01780) 750888 Facsimile (01780) 765223 Email info@stamford.duntop.co.uk

ACUPUNCTURE

CARPENTERS & JOINERS

• All Carpentry & Joinery

• Kitchens Supplied & Installed • Fitted Furniture Manufacture

01778 590473 / 07775 931397 www.timberwerx.com sales@timberwerx.com

CLEANERS

Electrical Contractors

Domestic and Commercial Electricians

Tel/Fax: 01780 764602 Mob: 07752231053 3 Princes Road, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1QT

Or would you rather do it yourself?

• Industrial 12 Forest Gardens Stamford Lincs

• P.A.T Testing

PE9 2FL

Steve Rudkin

2 Scotgate Mews, Stamford

T/F: 01780 763415 www.sr-electrical.com

M: 07802 717701

Tel: 07903 725316 / 01780 763465 www.aquilinaacupuncture.co.uk

Ovens, Ranges, Agas, Hobs, Extractors, Microwaves, Fridges, Freezers & BBQs

Prices Start from £39 T: 01572 767678 M: 07785 987112 W: www.ovenfairy.co.uk (book online)

Treating ovens today, tonight and tomorrow

E: steve@sr-electrical.com

ALTERATIONS

FUEL SUPPLIES

PLUMBING

MADE TO FIT

Stamford Multifuel Stoves

Mark Towle Plumbing Services

Ladies & Gents

COMPUTER SERVICES Clothing Alterations & Repairs Brazenose Lane, Stamford (01780) 480762 MON, TUE, WED, FRI 10 - 4.00 THUR CLOSED SAT 9.00-12noon

Alterations by Carole Bulbick 10 Ermine Rise, Great Casterton, PE9 4AJ

01780 751728 alterations@carolebulbick.co.uk

www.carolebulbick.co.uk

BUILDERS

All tyPeS oF Building work

Peter Price, Cedar Building Services, Stamford

Your local Stamford Plumber

Why does the computer always play up in the evenings when the repair shops are shut?

Help available until 9pm including weekends.

Computer repair and support for home and business A complete service for all your computing needs Bill & Sue Crowe Tel: 01780 754043 Mob: 07766833076 www.bcit.co.uk Email: bill@bcit.co.uk

SPECIALISTS IN THE SUPPLY AND FITTING OF PREFABRICATED CHIMNEY SYSTEMS AND LOG BURNING STOVES 01780 740 997

www.stamfordmultifuelstoves.co.uk

FUNERAL DIRECTOR

Andrew Woodhouse Stamford & Districts Only Privately Owned Family Run Independent Funeral Service

• 24 hour Personal Service • Private Chapel of Rest • Member of the Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors

T: 01780 767045 M: 07506 826146 E: office@cedarbuildingservices.net

Golden Charter Pre-Paid Funeral Plans Available

Tel: 01780 751719

DaviD Groves Renovation & Restoration Project Management Painting and Decorating • Plastering Rotton Timber Repairs

GAS SERVICES

InsurEd, rELIaBLE, EstaBLIshEd tradEsMEn

OFFICE 01780 756114 MOBILE 07767 444745 Email: davgrov215@aol.com

DECORATING

Matthew Wade

PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEERS

Established Painter and Decorator

• HOME & WORK PLACE • • Insurance work undertaken Plastering & dry lining-Velux Windows • Decorating, Plastering, Loft Conversions-Solid wood flooring Kitchen & bathroom refurbishments • Timber Window Restoration • GARDEN BUILDINGS • Matthewwade8128@yahoo.co.uk Garden offices (design & build) Traditional Summerhouses • EQUESTRIAN • Stables-Tack Rooms-Field Shelters (new builds & refurbishments) • RENOVATION & RESTORATION • Lime render & Lime plastering Decorative plastering (polished & Venetian) Barn conversions Interior & Exterior Decorating Full House Renovation I n t e rIi no tre & r i oEr x & t e rEi xo tre D r i eo cr oDr ae tci on rga t i n g Interior & Exterior Decorating

Tel: 07849 508188

Fully insured experienced tradesmen ●

TEL: 01780 754189 MOB: 07711 311724 E: a.rodway@btinternet.com

• SL April Directory.indd 52

• Bathroom & Ensuite Refurbishment • Kitchen Sink Installation • Radiator Replacement or Additions • Plumbing Repairs or Alterations • No Job too Small • City & Guilds Qualified

T: 01780 749242 M:077 3838 1798 E: marktowle.plumbing@hotmail.co.uk

All types of PC and Laptop repairs and upgrades undertaken Broadband & wireless installation Data recovery On site set up included on all new PC’s purchased from ACR. Also on site training for all first time users.

TeL: 01780 753477 SCOTgATe – STAmfORD

Traditional Builders • Stonework & Brickwork Extensions & Alterations • Maintenance & Repairs Insurance Work For a competitive, no obligation quote, please contact

●

• Fast, Professional Service • Locks, Safes, cctv • Free Surveys, Free Advice • Free Home/Business Security Report • Securing South Lincs - Since 1989 STAMFORD • DEEPINGS/BOURNE 01780 429150 • 01778 380011 Emergency no: 07904 307058 Email: sales@ttrlock.co.uk

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• Testing & Certification

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OVEN CLEANING

• Commercial

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MJ WARBY

LOCKSMITH

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• Boiler Servicing & Breakdowns • • Plumbing, Heating, Installations & Maintenance • • Power Flushing •

61 CASEWICK LANE, UFFINGTON, STAMFORD, LINCS. PE9 4SX - 01780 762682

HAND PAINTED FURNITURE

PAinted Out

PREGNANCY ADVICE Pregnant? Need to talk?

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‘a safe place to talk’

Stamford Pregnancy Advice Centre

Telephone: 01780 765853 or 07913 052159 Email: alternativesstamford@btconnect.com Address: Stamford Hospital site, Ryhall Road, Stamford, PE9 1YA

REFLEXOLOGIST

Reflexologist Vicki Ball

(Member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists)

Helping you to maintain health and harmony Peaceful Setting - Easy Parking Gift Vouchers Available River Gwash Trout Farm, Ryhall PE9 4JZ Tel: 01780 482244 - Mob: 07803 020571 vickiball10@hotmail.com

ROOFING

Jason Musgrove Traditional Slater & Builder 07952 687988 Tel/Fax 01780 444019 jasonmusgrove@btinternet.com Slate Cottage, 65 Main Road, Collyweston, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 3PQ

■ UPVC Soffits, Fascias,

Bring new life to old furniture Contact Lesley Anne Jones 01778 394744 07762 325494 www.paintedout.co.uk

Cladding ■ Slating ■ Tiling ■ Felt Roofing ■ Lead Work

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Plumbing, Heating and Gas Engineer Includes Domestic and Commercial work All types of Leadwork

. Corgi Registered . Over 20 years experience . Tel: 01572 771309 . Mob: 07979 425262

Burghley Veterinary Centre 01780 762109

St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HU

•Branches at Stamford & Market Deeping •24hr Emergency Service •24hr Intensive Care •In-house Blood Machine •Digital X-ray •Ultrasound •Endoscope •Veterinary Acupuncture •Free Puppy Parties •Ample Free Parking www.burghleyvets.co.uk •Monthly Pet Health Plans

DIRECTORY

TUITION

REFURBISHMENTS

ENGLISH TUITION

Tuition at KS2, KS3, GCSE and A Level Experienced tutor (BA Hons MA) CRB enhanced disclosure GTC registered

Contact Orla 01780 752309 ocengtuition@aol.co.uk

UNIVERSITIES Confused by the UCAS process?

Higher education adviser with considerable experience of the UCAS process offers advice and guidance in the following:

SECURITY

• • • •

Which universities to choose?

Personal statement review & advice Application form checking Any other aspect of HE and applying to university

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Clear Ridge Veterinary Surgery Robert Pontefract B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S., Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology

• Comprehensive Diagnostic and Surgical Facilities (Doppler Ultrasound, Operating Microscope, ECG etc) • Caring & Dedicated Health Care for Your Companion Animal • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Free Parking

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01780 764333

VIDEO

Pregnant? Need to talk?

SELF STORE

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• Free pregnancy testing • Free unbiased advice for unplanned pregnancy

Secure container storage between Stamford & Oakham Short or long term contract • 24 hour access • • Locked compound • • Size 20ft x 8ft • 01780 460465 www.rutlandselfstore.co.uk

WEB DESIGN

• Free post-abortion counselling • Free leaflets on sexual health, contraception

STAMFORD PREGNANCY ADVICE CENTRE Partners Welcome

Telephone: 01780 765853 or 07913 052159

SECURE STORAGE

Email: alternativesstamford@btconnect.com Address: Stamford Hospital site, Ryhall Road, Stamford, PE9 1YA

STEELE’S OF STAMFORD SECURE STORE STORAGE FROM 99P A DAY (excluding V.A.T) S006

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SOLAR ENERGY

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Registered Plumbers & Heating Engineers

Installers of Solar Energy

61 Casewick Lane, Uffington, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 4SX

Tel: 01780 762682

• SL April Directory.indd 53

Mon @ Empingham Audit Hall, 6.45-8.15pm Tue @ Bainton Reading Room, 9.30-11am Thu @ Carlby Village Hall, 6.45-8.15pm

Please bring a mat

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17/3/11 17:07:00

ALISON HUTCHINSON

Shepherding Local designer Alison Hutchinson meets the team that is shepherding the flock at Red Hill Farm, Barrowden, Rutland, during lambing

F

arming at Red Hill Farm is a serious business; it’s a mixed farm of livestock and arable and has been a family farm for at least the last three generations. They have 2,000 ewes in lamb and 2,500 acres of arable land.

The mixed nature of the farm works best for Red Hill Farm and has come about because of the type of land they have: the grassland needs to have a use and sheep suit it well. Richard Tyler, one of the farm owners has known sheep on the farm since he was a boy and shepherd Jamie Wild, has been looking after them here in Rutland for 16 years.

With this many sheep you could be forgiven for thinking that Spring lambing is hard work and not really like living the good life at all - but I come back to the big question I’ve been asking all my interviewees: if you didn’t do this what would you do? Confronted with this question Jamie is lost for words. “I don’t know what I’d do if not this, I’m happy with the lifestyle and I certainly don’t do it for the £1m bonus,” he

laughed. “I do a lot of everything and we hire in to help at lambing but working with the dogs is my favourite part of the job,” he explained.

Jamie went to Brooksby College and found he preferred stock to other aspects of farming so worked on sheep farms in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the UK and settling in Morcott.

With 2,000 ewes to lamb over the next three weeks he certainly has his work cut out but seems to have a very well organised system.

The ewes are served by the Tup in autumn and marked so Jamie knows exactly when they will lamb. “Gestation for a sheep is 21 weeks or 147 days and they pretty much stick to this schedule. We bring them into the barns in the groups in which they were served by the Tup so we know each group will lamb at almost the same time. Once they’ve lambed they are put in pens on their own so they can bond with their lambs for a day or two before going into a small group so they can all socialise,” Jamie

explained. “At this stage they are learning to understand who their mother is amongst the small group before moving to a larger group and going out into the field.”

So could anyone keep a few sheep I asked?

Not if you want to make any money was the unanimous reply. “It’s hard work making a living with 2,000 sheep and a few years ago it would have been costing us money to keep sheep but the market has improved,” Jamie explained. For a small holder with a bit of grass to keep short having a few sheep is good fun and I can vouch for how rewarding lambing is. While I was at the farm I helped a lamb to be born and it was a magical experience. Farms hire in for lambing so if you have three weeks to spare and fancy getting your hands dirty this is one of the best ways of learning how to keep sheep. “Coming to work with us over lambing is a fast learning curve but if someone wanted to keep a few sheep of their own it would certainly be a fast way of learning how to do it,” Jamie said.

8 NENE 62 STAMFORD VALLEYLIVING LIVINGApril July2011 2008

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Offices across the UK and

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Hazelbury Bryan Price Guide

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King’s Cliffe, PE8 CastlePrice Bytham , NG33 Guide £845,000

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Hazelbury Bryan Price Guide

£1,200,000 A handsome former farmhouse with self contained cottage and annexe, idyllic garden and grounds and small lakte in semi rural location in the heart of Dorest.

In all just under 9 acres.

Uffington, PE9 King’s cliffe, PE8 Hazelbury Bryan Guide Price £750,000

Guide Price£600,000

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NE

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Hazelbury Bryan

NE

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Hazelbury Bryan

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£1,200,000 A handsome former farmhouse with self contained cottage and annexe, idyllic garden and grounds and small lakte in Thurlby, PE10 semi rural location in Guide Price £500,000 the heart of Dorest.

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In allopen justcountryside under 9 A beautifully presented stone built detached property with unrivalled King’s PE8 views. Entrance hall, sitting room, dining Cliffe, room, family room, orangery, acres. kitchen, utility.

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