BN1 Magazine Nov 22

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CONTENTS 20

WILL YOUNG PLACEBO HARRY BAKER

Photo Credit Joseph Sinclair

Photo Credit Mads Perch

Photo Credit Edward Cooke

HOULT

Albourne

Petit

There’s no denying democracy is broken right now.

broken promises, soaring prices and governmental tragicomedy are plaguing the country with a neverending barrage of nonsense, bad news and misery. Centuries of civilisation have made it unacceptable to borrow a far-out hat, buy a handsome amount of gunpowder and rent a convenient cellar beneath the Palace Of Westminster, no matter how festive that might be.

But, we do possess the ability to take matters into our own hands. And perhaps it’s time to get proactive. First off, ensure that you’re registered to vote. Admittedly casting a vote for the politician of your choice can take as much as 20 minutes out of one Thursday every five years, but you don’t get the right to moan about a system you take no part in.

Screendance

Xmas

to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and get your name down. Do

Even adding your intention to participate can shift government policy to a particular demographic, especially if you’re a younger person. But, let’s not stop there. Get over to www.members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP and get the email address for your MP and store it in your phone. Now, whenever there’s something going on that you object to, you can write to them and ask what the hell is going on. Get your voice heard. And it’ll take about the same time as posting those pictures on social media that people never ‘like’. We’ve been quiet for too long, and politicians need to tell us how they’re working for us. That’s democracy.

Photo Credit Linda Blacker

CONTRIBUTORS

COVER: Colin Hoult

Image By © Linda Blacker

EDITOR IN CHIEF: CHRIS SADLER CHRIS@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

EDITOR: STUART ROLT STUART@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

SUB EDITING TEAM: THOM PUNTON

MAGAZINE DESIGN: AMELIA HARRIS NEWSDESK/ GENERAL ENQUIRES: INFO@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

BN1 MAGAZINE UNIT 28. FLOOR 6 NEW ENGLAND HOUSE NEW ENGLAND STREET BRIGHTON. BN1 4GH 01273 022991

CONTRIBUTORS: TALLULAH TAYLOR AMY STANBOROUGH STU DAVIES MILLIE (AKA @MMINDFULMILLS) KYLE GARLAND

BRIGHTON

WAKEHURST BEGINS RESTORATION PROJECT

Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, is set to embark on the most ambitious renovation project in its recent history. The Elizabethan Mansion, built in 1571-1590 and set in the heart of the gardens, requires an extensive roof restoration to preserve the Grade I listed building, originally bequeathed to the National Trust in 1963 and entrusted to Kew in 1965, for future generations.

With building work expected to last over two years, the Mansion will receive a radical facelift in the form of a newly commissioned installation from Australian-born artist, Catherine Nelson. Using photography of Wakehurst’s spectacular collections captured over the summer, Nelson will create Planet Wakehurst, a dazzling photo montage of the plants that span the 535-acre site –from the colourful blooms of the abundant Water Gardens to the towering redwoods of California in Horsebridge Wood. Measuring over 1550m2, Nelson’s UK premiere will form the equivalent of 25 double-decker buses, wrapping around three sides of the Mansion.

Visitors will have the chance to see beautiful species magnified in exceptional detail, offering new perspectives on the flora that make Wakehurst so special, and sparking curiosity into science research conducted across the living laboratory.

Lorraine Lecourtois, Wakehurst’s Head of Public Programmes says: “We have never embarked on a commission of such magnitude at Wakehurst before. Where some may have seen hoarding as an eyesore, we viewed this site as a unique canvas, giving us the amazing opportunity to platform Nelson’s beautifully striking work in the UK for the first time, and visitors a new perspective on the incredible range of plants we nurture at Wakehurst.

“We hope this will form a new life-affirming experience that will leave our visitors feeling hopeful about the important conservation research we undertake here and demonstrate our intention to preserve Wakehurst’s historic heart for generations to come.”

The installation will also house a new viewing platform. Raised approximately 33ft above ground level, the lookout point will carve out a new experience for visitors to the Sussex site, affording views across the Mansion lawns and out to the Sussex Downs beyond.

Wakehurst has also ensured that the Mansion’s resident bats and swifts are protected for the duration of the project. With approval from Natural England, the restoration work will be phased to account for breeding and hibernating seasons. Temporary roosts will also be created to ensure minimal disturbance and limit the impact on wildlife. Scaffolding will start being built in late autumn 2022, expected to take several months. Once complete, Planet Wakehurst will be installed, due to be on display to the public in Spring 2023.

For more information about this project, and all the other exciting projects at Wakehurst, head to: www.kew.org/wakehurst

EVOCATIVE STORY OF FORBIDDEN LOVE IN 1960S ENGLAND COMES TO BRIGHTON

Peter Gill’s contemporary masterpiece The York Realist (recently ranked as one of the best plays of the century) is set for a revival at Brighton’s New Venture Theatre on Fri 4 – Sat 12 Nov.

The play, which charts the love affair between farm worker George and theatre director John, is a searingly truthful look at class, roots, social change and desire, set against a backdrop of 1960s rural Yorkshire.

Inspired by playwright Gill’s own experience working on the York Mystery Plays in the early ‘60s, The York Realist invites the audience into a world where the new is about to collide

The play’s 2018 revival at The Donmar received a raft of five-star reviews and saw it heralded as a modern classic. This production is headed up by award-winning local director Claire Lewis, fresh from directing a critically acclaimed production of Calendar Girls: The Musical at Brighton’s Theatre Royal.

Lewis says: “When I first read the play, I was struck by how real and vivid the world that Gill has so skilfully created is. I felt like I was actually there listening in on these conversations and

witnessing the tensions and complexities of the relationships. The writing is exceptional – full of layers and wonderful one-liners. I’m delighted to be back in the intimate space of the New Venture studio theatre to bring this exquisitely authentic play to life”

The seven-strong cast is headed up by Brighton-based actor Will Mytum (The Railway Children, York Theatre; Bottleneck, Old Red Lion Theatre) in the central role of George, and also includes Brit School student Bertie Hawes making his NVT debut as Jack.

For more information and ticket details, head to: www.newventure.org.uk

thrillingly with the old – with farm worker and would-be actor George at its emotional centre.

Photo Credit Catherine Nelson

PROGRAMME REVEALED FOR DEATH FESTIVAL DEBUT

Intergenerational, inclusive and Innovative, the inaugural Death Festival comes to Brighton’s Attenborough Centre For The Creative Arts on Fri 11 – Sat 12 Nov. Bookending the lives of every single one of us, birth and death are the core elements of the human condition and something that unites us all. Yet, whilst births are commonly celebrated, we remain reluctant to face up to death and dying. Death Festival encourages us to consider death and dying through two days of talks, concerts, performances, workshops and installations.

The brainchild of Jude Kelly, founder and CEO of The WOW Foundation, the inaugural event has been programmed by Jenna Mason in collaboration with the writer and activist Catherine Mayer, theatre director and ACCA patron Michael Attenborough and artist, social innovator and University of Sussex researcher Louise Harman (Louise on Death).

“If we had a bolder, clearer, more courageous, and more tender relationship with death, might we find life more joyful?” said Kelly. “Might we approach our fears with more courage and exhilaration? We’ve talked so much about the numbers of dead across the world recently, so why don’t we – the living – have a crack at really thinking about death in depth, whilst we’re still around to do so.”

In the way that a fitting memorial can be revelatory, or the presence of humour in a well-observed wake can lighten the load, Death Festival aims to shed some light on a subject too often consigned to the shadows.

www.attenboroughcentre.com

Respectful and at times irreverent, the packed programme invites audiences to share their own stories and hear from academics, artists, undertakers and broadcasters, airing their different perspectives on death.

ACCA’s Creative Director Laura McDermott said: “Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, on the University of Sussex campus, is the perfect host venue for this multifaceted festival, bringing together artists, researchers, activists, journalists, broadcasters, charities and social enterprises. Over the weekend we will reflect on a range of different perspectives on death and dying – many drawn from personal experience.”

Programme highlights include: an installation of portrait photography by world-renowned photographer Rankin; an evening of performance of letters to the lovely and beloved dead by those mourning them, including author Catherine Mayer writing to her close friend, Paula Yates, whose death was treated as a tabloid sensation. There’s also Jude Kelly in conversation with Mina Smallman, who will share her journey of grief, rage, faith and activism following the murder of her daughters Bibaa Henry and Nicole in June 2020; a workshop on honouring and remembering loved ones with @thegriefcase founder Poppy Chancellor; Amber Jeffrey, founder of The Grief Gang podcast, in conversation with Anna Burtt, co-host of The Mother Of All Losses, how podcasting has enabled them to find a community as they share their experiences of grieving their mothers and maternal figures.

BRIGHTON

SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOWGROUND WINTER FAIR RETURNS

The South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex will once again play host to its renowned annual Winter Fair on Sat 19 - Sun 20 Nov. It provides visitors with the perfect opportunity to get the Christmas preparations started whilst enjoying some festive family fun.

With hundreds of shopping stalls from local, independent traders, the two-day event is truly a shopper’s paradise. For food and drink lovers, there’s mouth-watering gin liqueurs, homemade jams and chutneys, gourmet pies, cheeses, wines and handmade Christmas puddings and chocolates. Or, for those looking for unique gifts and stocking fillers, there’s everything from wooden toys, artwork, jewellery, lovingly produced leather and cashmere fashion, to natural soap, grooming gift sets, stunning home accessories, Christmas decorations and more.

The Winter Fair is not just about shopping opportunities though, it can be a handson experience for every generation with wreath making workshops from My Little Flower Boutique and chocolate decoration workshops from Chocolate Genie.

Younger visitors can enjoy the funfair with its vintage carousel, a giant snow globe they can climb in and have a photo taken,

various Christmas craft activities thanks to The Creation Station, the opportunity to meet Mistletoe the Elf, and of course Santa’s Grotto.

Corrie Ince, Show Director at the South of England Agricultural Society, who organises the Winter Fair said: “Our Winter Fair is a wonderful way for us to promote local and artisan producers. It provides our visitors with an exclusive shopping experience, offering them gifts, home decorations, seasonal foods and drinks, and treats they wouldn’t find on the high street. The saying may be ‘all under one roof’, but we like to say we have everything ‘all on one showground’.

“With the addition of our Christmas entertainment and activities running throughout the weekend, we hope that families come along and enjoy a festive day out together, all in the knowledge that they are helping the Society as a charity. Without them, we couldn’t offer the support we do to so many involved in agriculture and other related land-based industries.”

For more information on the Winter Fair, or any of the South of England Agricultural Society events, visit: www.seas.org.uk

MATTHEW BOURNE’S NUTCRACKER MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

To mark the 30th anniversary of Nutcracker!, the much-loved Matthew Bourne ballet is being broadcast in cinemas for the first time by Trafalgar Releasing on Tues 15 and Sun 20 Nov. The sweetest of all Bourne’s treats, this delectable and delightful ballet will be in more than 225 cinemas across the country this Christmas period – including Brighton’s ODEON and Picturehouse, Worthing’s Connaught Theatre and The Depot, Lewes.

This festive treat follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from Christmas Eve at Dr Dross’s Orphanage, through a shimmering winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland.

Artistic Director Sir Matthew Bourne OBE says: “I’m always delighted when our work is able to reach new audiences around the UK and internationally, and there is no better or more exciting way than through the Big Screen experience. I’m well aware that there is an enormous audience who find it impossible, for one reason or another, to get to one of our touring venues to see a live performance. So we aim, as much as possible, to capture that ‘live’ experience in our films, brilliantly directed by Ross MacGibbon. There is no better production than our Nutcracker to create that feeling of elation and wonder, and it’s captured equally well on screen where, like the show itself, every night is a party.”

Influenced by lavish 1930s Hollywood musicals, Nutcracker! features dollops of Bourne’s trademark wit, pathos and magical fantasy. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and Anthony Ward’s newly-refreshed delectable sets and costumes combine with Bourne’s dazzling choreography in this delightful production.

www.trafalgar-releasing.com

Photo Credit Johan Perrson

Photo Credit Johan Perrson

Photo Credit Johan Perrson

Brighton’s legendary party starters English Disco Lovers are thrilled to announce they will be taking over Brighton i360’s West Beach Bar on New Year’s Eve 2022 for a disco party like no other. At midnight they’ll be taking revellers into the sky to see in 2023 in the i360 Flight Pod, with a bird’s eye view of Brighton and the fireworks.

Disco Lovers’ resident DJ Sam Moffett and Tim Walker from the Love Is The Message crew will be playing serious celebration tunes from 9-11.30pm, then everyone will board the pod and continue the party up into the heavens for the midnight shout, continuing afterwards into the small hours.

This is going to be a night to remember, with full production and a bespoke Funktion One Sound System, plus of course the best music in town for your NYE hootenanny. You’ll also be welcomed into the party with a glass of bubbly to see in the New Year!

There will be a limited number of combined Ground Party/Pod Flight tickets, plus cheaper Ground Party only tickets if you’d prefer to keep your feet on the ground as the chimes ring out.

Early Bird tickets are just £25 plus booking fee for the combined Pod Flight and Ground Party, or £15 plus booking fee for Ground Party only.

For more information and tickets, get yourself to: www.skiddle.com/e/36195359

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS AT FISHBOURNE ROMAN PALACE

This month, the largest Roman home in Britain is opening its doors to the public for free for one day only as Fishbourne Roman Palace hosts its first Festive Craft Fayre.

On Sat 19 Nov, visitors to the heritage site near Chichester will be able to soak up 2,000 years of history free of charge, while getting into the festive spirit and browsing dozens of stalls selling unique handmade gifts at the Palace’s first ever Christmas market.

A variety of local Sussex artists and craftspeople will be showing off their wares across the site, including in the Palace garden – the oldest planted garden in Britain. There will be a range of food and drink stands

providing delicious winter warmers, as well as fun Roman-themed activities for children. Inside the Palace, visitors can marvel at the incredible display of stunning mosaics – the largest collection in situ in the UK –and explore the museum’s diverse range of artefacts, which tell the story of the Roman Empire’s conquest of Britain.

Property manager Sarah Parker said: “We’re excited to be hosting our first Festive Craft Fayre this winter and welcoming local makers to sell their hand-crafted gifts across our wonderful site.

“In the spirit of Christmas, entry to the Fayre and the Palace will be completely free – so

it’s a great opportunity for visitors to explore our museum collection, our intricate mosaics and learn about the arrival of the Romans here in Fishbourne and the site’s historic significance – both as an opulent home and as an important trading post for the Empire.

“The Palace should be bustling with activity, just as it would have been 2,000 years ago. Why not get some Christmas shopping done early and enjoy a great day out?”

For more information, please visit: www.sussexpast.co.uk

BRIGHTON

BRIGHTON FRINGE REGISTRATION OPENS FOR 2023

Brighton Fringe has opened registration for the 2023 festival, with a keen focus on being as affordable as possible for artists during the cost-of-living crisis. In 2022, it showcased over 4,000 performances of 765 events at 124 venues in Brighton, Hove and beyond, with an estimated attendance of 400,000 people, and an economic impact of £14 million for the local economy.

With the current economic situation in the United Kingdom in mind, Brighton Fringe has frozen registration fees for 2023 and is offering those wishing to register an event a 30% discount if registered before 17.00 on Friday 25 November.

Brighton Fringe will be offering its largest ever bursary programme, partnering with local and national organisations, including Brighton Pride, South East Dance, Bird & Blend Tea Co. and the Pebble Trust, to offer participants free registration fees as well as mentoring support and cash grants. The bursary programme allows those who may not otherwise be able to

participate in Brighton Fringe the opportunity to stage an event with reduced financial risk.

The festival will once again offer the opportunity to stage on-demand digital events at a reduced cost compared to inperson events, so audiences can enjoy the festival from the comfort of their own homes. It will also be running its entirely free Fringe Academy education programme – offering events for those wanting to engage in the arts and put on their own Brighton Fringe event, with workshops such as My First Fringe, How to Crowdfund and an Arts Council England Projects Grant Surgery.

As the organisation feels the pinch from current inflation and price rises, Brighton Fringe will not be producing a printed brochure in 2023 but will instead invest in its digital platforms, its website and box office system.

In 2023, Brighton Fringe will ask its audience to #JourneyIntoFringe and discover a month-

long adventure of theatre, comedy, cabaret, circus, music, dance, tours, exhibitions, workshops, and workshops events. With opportunities to enjoy free events and purchase ‘Name Your Price’ tickets alongside a large concessions programme, everyone will be able to #JourneyIntoFringe.

“As we have emerged from the pandemic, with the current economic uncertainty, in many ways we are all still in survival mode,” says Brighton Fringe CEO Julian Caddy. “The arts sector remains extremely vulnerable, so as a festival that provides an open-access platform for people of all backgrounds and perspectives to take part, we aim to keep costs as low as possible, whilst still improving services wherever we can.”

Brighton Fringe will run from Fri 5 May – Sun 4 June 2023. The first release of tickets is on Thurs 1 Dec for Friends of Brighton Fringe, and Fri 2 Dec for the public.

www.brightonfringe.org

Photo Credit Brighton Rock Photography

This November brings another chance to see this iconic and awardwinning play about the hidden underworld of Victorian-era Brighton. Betsy: Wisdom of a Brighton Whore combines a gripping plot from award-winning writer and director Jonathan Brown, with the passionate acting of Brighton-based award-winning actor Isabella McCarthy Sommerville. The run will be performed at the atmospheric venue of Brighton’s Fishing Museum from Fri 18 – Sun 20 Nov, the perfect setting for this intense historic drama.

The sordid tale centres around Kemptown, where Betsy has just been expelled from St Mary’s Home for Penitent Women. By a stroke of luck – and the right ‘nob’ – she becomes installed by her ‘protectors’ in the former home of local developer Thomas Kemp, who has absconded owing a large amount of cash.

Thanks to the ‘needs’ of her protectors, she finds she can still make a very good living from her body. Betsy soon becomes confidant, and more, to local dignitary George Bintshaft, who’s eyeing up nearby land at the top of Elm Grove as the perfect site for his new workhouse. Betsy, having listened too much to the corrupt George’s indiscreet late-night ramblings, finds herself and her new-born child in grave danger.

Something Underground, who this year won The International Fringe

A

WHORE RETURNS

Encore Series Award for Betsy: Wisdom of a Brighton Whore at The Brighton Fringe, have created another visceral, shocking and tender play, which blends the brutality of street life with the deep, instinctual tenderness of a woman and mother on the edge. The Award also means they’ve been invited to stage Betsy in New York City’s Soho Playhouse for a run of shows in December.

www.somethingunderground.co.uk

AUDIOACTIVE PARTNERS WITH CRAWLEY FILM INITIATIVE

Non-profit music organisation AudioActive has a new studio space in Crawley, thanks to an exciting partnership with Crawley Film Initiative (CFI). The new music production Mac suite is welcoming young people from Crawley and the surrounding areas, located at CFI’s hub in Crawley Museum.

Not only is the suite equipped with the latest music technology, but those who attend free workshops will be able to use film editing software for CFI’s own work with young people. The space will provisionally host music sessions led by AudioActive’s professional artists for six months, following on from their previous pop-up space in Crawley – a repurposed shipping container turned into a music studio.

Announcing their exciting longer term ambitions for their work in Crawley, AudioActive CEO, Adam Joolia, said: “We’re so excited to be able to expand our offering of free music projects for young people in Crawley, having simply outgrown our previous pop-up community studio.

“This exciting partnership with CFI not only allows young people and emerging artists in Crawley to benefit from the obvious synergy between music and content creation, but the move brings us another step closer to setting up our own space in the town, where young people can create their futures.”

Having recently launched an innovative hub for their work in the exDorothy Perkins store on Worthing’s high street, AudioActive plans to establish a similar facility in Crawley town centre and is on the lookout for suitable premises. In keeping with their Worthing hub, the space would include a music venue, community studio, project spaces and affordable studio space for professional artists.

AudioActive projects running in Crawley include: SESSIONS (Lyrics, rapping, singing and production), Equaliser (music production workshop exclusively for young women), Room To Rant (lyric-writing and wellbeing workshop for young men) and Vocalise (lyric-writing and wellbeing workshop for young women). These projects follow on from a summer of activity in the town which led to young artists performing at HMV Crawley, and on an AudioActive stage at Tilgate Park in collaboration with Creative Crawley.

More details can be found at: www.audioactive.org.uk

Photo Credit: Photos By David

BRIGHTON

ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES WINTER FESTIVAL 2022

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, The Winter Artists Open Houses Festival returns for 2022 with some very special collections. Sixty houses will be opening their doors to the public, including many new venues, across the Brighton and Hove area.

Running every weekend between Sat 26 Nov –Sun 11 Dec, everything is focused on sharing loads of Christmas joy. Participating artists will be offering a huge range of artworks and handmade craft. And when buying from AOH for Christmas, you can be in the knowledge your money is going straight to the maker and that you are supporting artists’ careers in the process.

Established in 1982, Brighton & Hove’s iconic Artists Open Houses helps artists connect with audiences in self-curated, non-traditional art spaces - which often means the artists’ own homes.

They co-ordinate and promote two open house seasons, one during May alongside the Brighton and Fringe Festivals, and this bumper festive event. Artist involvement in these is open to anyone living within the 01273 code area. The ethos is inclusive rather than selective, encouraging participation from artists and makers of all ages, at all

stages of their careers and from all parts of the community. This can include school and college students and artists who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised from the mainstream art world.

AOH also has a long history of education partnerships, and students and emerging artists are especially welcome this year. Many of its founders were working in the region’s art colleges when the movement began. They recognised the enormous benefits that working on projects alongside professional artists brings to art students.

So AOH continues to provide this platform to support students and graduates following the disruption of the pandemic.

Once again, the Artists Open Houses Winter Festival offers a unique Christmas shopping experience. It’s invariably the best way to find stylish and original festive gifts, meet the artists in their homes and learn about their practice. This year include work by young artists with learning disabilities at the Jubilee Library, a seniors’ residential centre, a group of artists producing a ‘punk’ Christmas tree with handmade baubles, and venues offering Indian and Nordic Christmas treats alongside the art.

On offer is a sumptuous range array of painting, ceramics, homewares, crafts, jewellery, children’s toys, cards, tree decorations and preserves. Now, from West Hove to Rottingdean and beyond, you can ease into the Christmas shopping away from the high street crowds, in an intimate creative environment is one of the real pleasure of the much-loved fixture on the city’s calendar. Many of the houses also offer festive fayre too, creating a warm atmosphere to make the whole Christmas shopping experience interesting, pleasurable and unhurried.

For those unable to visit, there’s also an online Virtual Open Houses strand. This includes video tours round artists’ houses, as well individual online galleries. You can hear about the artists’ work, the processes of making and ideas behind their work and buy directly from the artists and makers without leaving your home.

Artists Open Houses Winter 2022 Festival every weekend on Sat 26 Nov – Sun 11 Dec weekends. For more information, and to explore the virtual AOH strand, head to:

www.aoh.org.uk

THE GREAT BRIGHTON TAP TAKEOVER ACROSS BRIGHTON & HOVE ON 11-13 NOV

The Brighton Tap Takeover, the UK’s biggest city-wide beer festival, returns this Nov for a fifth exciting year.

The three-day celebration of beer and pubs takes place across the city on 11 - 13 Nov and will feature over 130 craft beers produced by popular brewers from Brighton, Sussex and around the UK.

The pub-based festival takes place in 22 pubs located across the city of Brighton, each craft brewery taking over its own pub with entertainment programmes including DJs, live music performances and beer tasting sessions.

As ever, the festival hub is located at the North Laine Brewhouse, home of event host Laine Brew Co’s experimental microbrewery, where tickets can be purchased and festival guidance given. Laine’s beers will be available throughout the festival venues alongside the tap takeover beers from 22 of the UK’s finest craft breweries. Participating breweries are Northern Monk, Two Tribes, Abyss, Beak, Burning Sky, Brixton, Laine, Pressure Drop, Gosnells, 360°, Beavertown, Orbit, Cloudwater, Cloak and Dagger, Magic Rock, Vault City, Queer, Whiplash and Amundsen.

Participating pubs are North Laine Brewhouse, Black Lion, Earth & Stars, Fiddler’s Elbow, Actors, Mesmerist, Oculist, White Rabbit, East Street Tap, Inn On The Square, Victory, World’s End, Fountain Head, Tempest, Mash Tun, Dead Wax Social, Bath Arms, Hope & Ruin, New Unity and Fortune of War.

Gavin George, CEO of Laine, said:

“The return of the Brighton Tap Takeover festival in 2021, following a two year gap during the pandemic, was a massive success. People really did want to start discovering great craft beers again in an environment

where great craft beers taste the best - the pub. This year we’re excited to bring new breweries to our beloved city as well as welcoming back favourites from previous years. We’re looking forward to a fun weekend for our customers and brewing friends from around the country.”

Weekend tickets for the festival cost £20 which includes four free half pints of craft beer plus £1 off any festival beer and 50p off half pints.

For tickets, please visit www.taptakeover.co.uk.

Set on a gigantic, leafy 320-acre estate only 40 minutes from Brighton lies the brand-new luxury glamping site Chiddinglye. On arrival we realise this isn’t like any type of glamping we’ve experienced before. Nine striking wooden pods nestled around the edge of a giant grassy field surrounded by huge, magical looking trees that wouldn’t look out of place in an Enid Blyton novel.

The pods consist of hand-made wooden beds, full kitchens (with fridge, freezer compartment and oven), a bathroom with the most delicious power shower, plus three of the pods have an additional bunk bed room perfect for two excitable children. For those chilly nights the luxury pods also have under floor heating which makes this kind of trip possible all year round. The pods are nothing short of perfect, finished to an extremely high standard combining practicality with Nordic-inspired design elements.

The pods are placed around the side of a huge open field scattered with fire pits perfect to keep warm as the sun goes down, and of course to enjoy a plentiful supply of s’mores.

Chiddingyle is set on a truly magical estate with woodlands and forests steeped in history that will keep even the most energetic child

entertained for hours. Different types of trees line the forest, but in the heart of one of the woodlands lies rock formations that wouldn’t be out of place in Jurassic Park and really are incredible.

For full enjoyment we went on a guided walk with Ranger Ross. The nature specialist took us on a thrilling two-hour trek of the estate explaining the flora and fauna, and even helping us forage the most delicious wild mushrooms for dinner.

The cherry on top of this incredible site is the fact it also houses a rather delightful micro-brewery, Missing Link, with a huge field acting as a beer garden and hosting different street food pop-ups from posh kebabs to tasty bao buns every weekend. Missing Link brews some bloody special beers including Primate, a rather moreish IPA and an extremely drinkable cider.

Chiddingyle is a superb site, and we couldn’t recommend this more whether you’re a family or a couple who want to enjoy luxury in the heart of the South Downs.

Lauren

family

nestled

WIN!

WIN FAMILY TICKETS TO LIGHTOPIA LONDON

Opening 17 Nov and running through to 2 Jan, Lightopia is the familyfriendly Christmas experience that can’t be missed!

Inspired by Chinese lantern festivals, Lightopia brings a creative twist to the traditional idea of Christmas lights. See the historic Crystal Palace Park brought back to life through dazzling displays, interactive illuminations and a mesmerising water show experience.

To be in to win 2x adult and 2x children’s tickets to Lightopia simply visit our website www.bn1magazine.co.uk to enter (Ts&Cs apply).

FEEL THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS - AT LIGHTOPIA 2022

CRYSTAL PALACE PARK, LONDON

17 Nov - 2 Jan 2023

The ultimate winter light festival is bigger and brighter this Christmas! Bursting with exciting new installations, a mesmerising festive water show and some very special star guests!

For the first time ever, Lightopia London will host the iconic TV family, The Clangers, stars of the era-defining, cross-generation epic, giving families a special chance to meet the BBC CBeebies creatures!

Crystal Palace Park will be adorned in light again from mid-November, as it plays host to the magical illuminated winter wonderland that is Lightopia. Bursting with intense colour, discovery and festive spirit, this immersive lantern and light show will once again create magical family memories and will be a must-see for all the family this festive season.

Lightopia’s ‘Magic of Christmas’ will be a place of festive awe and joyous escape into an incredible world of light. Lightopia’s enrapturing displays will each tell a magical story, with some highlights to enjoy including; The Wonders of the Dragon, The Magical Forest, Land of Fairy Literature, Earth Flower, and Forest Mushroom; the spooky and wonky world of the ‘Haunted Road’ and of course the Christmas installation of giant snowmen, baubles and sugar canes.

Visit www.lightopiafestival.com for tickets and info.

Port Hotel is a contemporary boutique hotel situated on the Royal Parade in Eastbourne with far-reaching sea views, just a stone’s throw from the beach.

Port are offering you the chance to win a meal for two to sample their newly launched Port20 menu – a deliciously affordable 3 course menu (£20 or 2-course for £17.50) that serves sustainable, local delicacies.

The prize also includes a stay in a Town Room at Port, which makes an ideal anchor for exploring Eastbourne and nearby coastal walks along the famed South Downs. To enter simply visit www. bn1magazine.co.uk with your email entry.

The competition will close on 14 Dec and the winner will be notified on 16 Dec. Good luck!

WILL YOUNG

By Angela Elliot

Photo Credit Joseph Sinclair

With extra dates added and many shows already sold out, Will Young is out on the road to celebrate 20 years since he wowed the nation on Pop Idol.

Since winning the show’s first series in 2002, he’s gone on to become the most successful contestant to ever appear on the show, with over 10 million records sold, 8 UK Top 3 albums including his recent 2021 album Crying On The Bathroom Floor, and the No. 1 best-selling single of the noughties, Evergreen/Anything Is Possible

Pop Idol was broadcast to as many as 10 million viewers when it originally aired, shooting Will to fame and rewarding him with a record deal to release his beloved UK No.1 debut album From Now On after receiving a massive 4.6 million votes from the public. The singing competition was one of the first of its kind and, with just two series, it cemented its legacy in British pop culture as well as becoming an international TV franchise.

Ahead of his show at the Brighton Centre, we caught up with the British pop superstar for a quick chat about music, touring and his brand-new charity, Wellstock…

Not really any true rituals apart from vocal warm-ups, but I always try to remember my mantra which is that this is all about having fun.

Gnomes!

The main thing I have changed is that I don’t have any electronic programming in my show anymore, so everything you hear is being played live as you hear it.

We are going to be doing what it says on the tin. I released a Greatest Hits album this year and I’m going to be performing all of my singles –possibly even in order of their release. It will be a true musical voyage through time. I also will have a request section where people in the audience can message in to hear any song from my back catalogue –which is rather daunting as there’s about 140 to choose from.

How is the request section of the show going to work?

I tried this a couple of years ago, but as more of a Q&A. I had a website where people could message in and ask questions and I would read them out live on stage from my iPad. This year I thought why not change it to requests for any song from my catalogue. I think it gives fans the opportunity to hear that one song they’ve maybe never heard me sing live before.

Yes, it is very exciting. Wellstock is about bringing attention and information about mental health and it is just in its infancy at present. I have partnered with the charity called SHOUT and an initiative called One Night Only to provide one-off unique events where people can donate £10 for a pair of tickets and they are chosen at random. It is a wonderful new democratic way of raising money, allowing artists to do special one-off things and raising funds for much needed causes.

SHOUT is a text message service predominantly used by people under 25 who help people in crisis or who just need to talk to someone knowing they are being heard and validated. Most calls are to do with anxiety, depression and often suicidal ideations.

What’s next for you in terms of music, writing and podcasting?

Next is a new studio album I’ve been working on for about a year now, on and off. I’m still very much enjoying doing a lot of talks and writing on mental health, so definitely more of that. I tend to be drawn to telling people’s stories who perhaps don’t have a voice themselves, so I am hoping to do more documentaries on various topics that interest me.

Will Young plays the Brighton Centre on Sat 5 Nov

It’s very much about routine, especially the nearer to stage time I get. I always like to exercise and I make sure I do a lot of stretching. Then I have a routine of always showering before and after and I do my vocal warm-up – and then I get dressed and ready for the show!

www.willyoung.co.uk www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Your 20 Years tour starts in a few weeks – what can fans expect at the shows?

What is life on the road like for you, do you have a specific routine?

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

What’s on your rider, any extravagant demands?

Has touring changed for you since you won Pop Idol 20 years ago?

We hear you are also fronting a brand new charity initiative called Wellstock and had a certain Ed Sheeran doing something a bit special for you in London last month – can you tell us all about it?

Photo Credit Joseph Sinclair

PLACEBO

Photo Credit Mads Perch

ICONIC ROCKERS RETURN WITH BRILLIANT NEW ALBUM AND HUGE UK TOUR

BY JULES BOYLE

After nearly a decade since they last released an album, Placebo returned in April with the acclaimed Never Let Me Go, their eighth studio album and first as a duo after the departure of drummer Steve Forrest in 2015. Never Let Me Go became their highest charting album debuting at No.3 in the UK and No.1 across multiple countries worldwide.

The band – Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal – stood out a mile when they broke through a mid-90s music scene dominated by lad culture and class wars, offering an alternative that didn’t shy away from topics such as sexuality, gender and mental health.

After releasing seven albums that were never anything less than interesting, and collaborating with heroes like David Bowie and Michael Stipe, Placebo became more of a live act, still keeping busy with both regular tours and activism, but fans hoping for new music were kept waiting for even longer than anyone had anticipated.

For frontman Brian, it was a relief to finally get it out there; Brian’s partner Stefan is in much the same headspace, but more than anything, he’s massively proud of what they have achieved with the new album.

He said: “The record’s out and it’s time to go again, so I’m starting to get excited. I feel that we had the time to make the record that we really wanted to make this time around, considering it’s been eight years plus since the last record. So, coming out of this whole strange period was a bit of a shock to the system, but now it feels like we have some beautiful songs that we can take on the road. That’s what I’m starting to feel now. So I’m in a good place.”

Anyone listening to the album and its lyrics would agree it feels like a perfect record to be coming out after all that the world has been through in the last couple of years, but Brian insists the bulk of it was written before everything really went south.

He said: “How does this record kind of reflect what’s happening in the world today? Well, I think the insecurity, the paranoia, the tragedy, the inequality that we started to see everywhere – all that pain and desperation kind of influenced the record in terms of atmosphere. But I’d say that about 85% of the lyrics were written before Covid hit. Lyrically, it was important for me not to make a record about the plague. I think it would just have dated everything just phenomenally from the start. Sometimes it’s just about making records and it’s just whatever you do, so don’t try and be fashionable, because by the time you’ve finished your record, fashion will have changed and you’ll be unfashionable. You’ll have a longer career if you just stick to what you do and accept the fact that you’re going to be unfashionable for most of it. That’s how most of us have managed to achieve

longevity; from Depeche Mode to The Cure to us, it’s kind of sticking to a kind of a singular vision.”

While the album is very much not a lockdown album, that period of enforced time off still had a big impact on both the music and the band themselves.

Stefan said: “In terms of this record, I think it’s served us well, really, because albeit it was frustrating, the stop/start – now everything is okay you can do whatever you want, you can go here, you can do that, you can see each other face-to-face and you can work together in a studio, then all of a sudden you couldn’t again. So the stop/start was a bit frustrating in terms of planning, but at the same time, it gave me and Brian time to digest what we’d done and also to work on ideas individually, take stuff away and work on it, make it evolve lyrically and musically so when we came back together, we’d had a chance to really explore each composition and also explore which compositions and which songs felt right for this period in our lives.”

The return of Placebo was always going to be welcomed by their huge and fiercely loyal fanbase, but during lockdown Brian had his doubts. It also gave him time to really consider his position as an artist and what that actually means.

He said: “I think that we’re extremely fortunate because after 27 or 28 years, we still have fans and we still have an audience, and for me, that was one of the things that I got so insecure about during lockdown, because for the first time in my life, the possibility of there not being an audience there and even the possibility of us not playing concerts again seemed real. That was something that I always depended on, as no matter how messed up your life gets, or how many disasters happen in a row, there’ll always be an audience for you to go and do a show, but that was taken away during lockdown. All of a

sudden I started asking myself questions that I’ve never asked myself before in my career, like, ‘do I have a future?’ For me, it was evident to me before lockdown that, of course, we’d always have a future. Look, we’re still around. So many bands that started at the same time as us, they aren’t still around, as they quit or the audience went away. So we’re in an extremely privileged position, I think. But I’m not about to pretend that just because we’ve achieved some kind of longevity, that we are superior artistically. Michael Bublé’s achieved longevity. So has Barry Manilow. So I never know if what I do is of artistic value because I question it continuously.”

With the album out, the band have also got that other thing they were missing so much coming up, as they have a full touring schedule booked that will see them back on UK stages later in November. For Brian, it’s something he can’t wait for, but it comes with no small amount of trepidation too.

He said: “I desperately want to go out and do what I’m best at, but also because we’ve had such a break I’m nervous about it. I don’t think I would have been nervous if we hadn’t have had this enforced two-year break, but because we had this pause and we lost momentum, it’s become less automatic. I didn’t think about shows before. Now I think about every aspect of it. I agonised and agonised for months over my pedal board, for example. So I’m excited, but I think it’s going to be a major culture shock even though we’ve got 25 years of playing live behind us. It’s like slipping into an old shoe that doesn’t feel the same or that you didn’t expect it to feel like, but you will get used to it again.”

Placebo play the Brighton Centre on Sat 19 Nov. Their new album, Never Let Me Go, is available now via So Recordings.

www.placeboworld.co.uk

www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Photo Credit Mads Perch

HARRY BAKER

LEADING BRITISH PERFORMANCE POET IS UNASHAMED BY STUART ROLT

“It’s not the same when you’ve not got that feedback from people.” World Poetry Slam Champion and mathematician Harry Baker muses on the lonely nature of doing online gigs. “At the time we were trying to get through, but only looking back on it do I realise how much my world shrunk. And I kind of shrunk with it.” It’s only now, being back in those spaces with a room full of people joining in or laughing, that he’s realised how much of who he is is built on live performance.

After his previous solo tour was extended three times due to popular demand, and an unobliging global pandemic, Baker is bounding back onto stages with his brandnew show, Unashamed. Fresh from a sellout run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this second national jaunt mixes comedy, theatre and poetry in a blistering barrage of clever wordplay.

We shouldn’t assume that Baker lay dormant during the lockdown months. Seemingly, poetry is one of the forms that has adapted really well to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where pithy, impactful content is king. “When I started, YouTube was kicking off. If you couldn’t come to a gig, you could see some online. Now there’s teenagers, if they think poetry is interesting, who can go into some kind of wormhole of seeing other performers and being inspired.” He says there’s a growing trend of people creating poems which fit within a small square image file, which is so immediate and accessible. There remains a perception of poetry being limited to whatever you studied at school. He speaks to many people who’ve been put off by what they think poetry has to be. “But, if you can find something which is ‘where you’re at’, whether it’s a performance or something you see when you’re scrolling through, there is an opportunity to get what you want from it.”

His heartfelt brand of humour was seen by millions across the world, morphing from sincere couplets about missing the most basic forms of human connection, to reviewing toilet seats, writing falafel-based diss tracks for Chris Evans and filming an anthemic music video about his love of the German

language’s sturdy intricacies. “Trying to articulate my experience was something other people found really helpful. The most popular thing I did in the last two years was a poem about missing hugging. Because that wasn’t something we never expected needing to go without.” It was a period of huge reflection for him. Not only was he prevented from performing onstage, but like many of us he really suffered from the effects of prolonged isolation. “I had one or two friends who were relieved, because they don’t like hugging.

But for me, to be comfortable around people, whether or not you’re even in that physical space, to have that taken away – where you see someone, and your instinct is to think you must stay back – is such a psychological shift from what we’re used to.”

One of his more eccentric pandemic projects was an exuberant slice of Euro-pop. Recorded with James Kiely, So Viele Leute was inspired by a year studying amongst our Deutsche cousins. “The slam poetry scene is really big, so I was able to travel around doing various gigs as the novelty act. One of the things I love, as both a mathematician and a poet, is there’s a lot of compound words. It’s very logical, but there’s still an element of creativity and playfulness.” There’s a certain idea of Germany being quite serious and ordered, but many of the poets he met there were so funny and able to lean into the presumptions and play on them. “I thought it would be funny to make an effusive song about loving Germany. Up until that point, I’d just been trying to articulate this massive thing we were going through.”

Despite maths relying on conformity and logic, and poetry offering boundless space for creativity through wordplay, there’s still a certain crossover between his two great loves. For a start, both often rely on establishing patterns. “I was in denial for a long time. But it’s all about things slotting into place and trying to make sense of something. When I can get a really satisfying rhyme or turn of phrase that says exactly what I’m trying to say, that feels the same as figuring out a maths problem.” There’s a certain methodology in both practices, while providing space to be playful. Even when you’re unpicking a complicated piece of arithmetic, there’s an element of experimentation.

Alongside this current tour, there’s a new book about to be released. Also called Unashamed, it gives him a chance to explore more reflective material which people can digest at their own pace. Printed by Burning Eye, it features work from these shows and Baker’s previous outing, I Am 10,000, which (finally) culminated in a run at London’s Soho Theatre in March. He says the publisher (who are now celebrating their 10th anniversary) were specifically set up to promote performance poets, as opposed to the form’s more literary side. “They know performers will take books to gigs and sell them afterwards, so it’s not necessarily about having books in every shop in the country. My hope is that the broader industry will catch up, because there is lots of amazing work out there.”

“Beyond print, the live environment enables things like musical numbers and greater scope for storytelling, which might not work

so well on the page. The show itself feels like the ‘end goal’. But working on a book causes you to think about layout and how people might experience it in their own way.” When performing, he’s able to guide people in terms of pace and tone. But when someone is reading his prose, it sits beyond his control. Whether they’re meticulously examining it or having a glance in the toilet, all the power sits with the reader.

As we talk, Baker is quick to add emphasis with hand gestures when discussing things which excite him. I muse that the online content must have been difficult to produce for someone who is naturally an energetic stage presence. “It was only when I got one of those standing desk things, that I realised that physically standing up makes a defence as a performer.” At shows, you won’t see him referring to notes, instead learning poems so his hands are free and he can make eye contact.

“I think I got more comfortable with holding a silence. If it’s quiet for too long, I used to feel like it was awkward and have to fill it with a joke. But it’s been something we’ve all had to deal with.” Those months in isolation didn’t feel like a formative experience at the time, but eventually revealed how different energy could be in a room. The willingness to hold a stillness during more serious moments, as well as offering all the familiar fun and lightness, undeniably enables a richer overall performance.

Growing up, it was music which turned him on to the lyricist side of things. There was a lot of hip-hop and rap stuff. Artists like Scroobius Pip, who were doing spoken word to music, were particularly inspiring. “Through that, I started discovering all these performance poets – like John Cooper-Clarke and John Hegley. There’s a Birmingham poet called Polarbear who is just incredible, so seeing what was done live and could be possible just made me want to get more involved.” From here, he simply started playing around with language, realising what kind of message it could send and how it could reflect the world he saw.

When he was studying maths, a lot of people on his course were going into computing or accounting. “…very certain careers,” he pauses for a moment of consideration. “Part of me being a poet was leaning into the uncertainty. And acknowledging that I was doing it so I could share my work with people and try to connect.” He realised his favourite thing to do was sharing his words with people on a stage.

Becoming the youngest ever World Poetry Slam Champion in 2012, Baker has spent the last decade performing all over the world. He’s sold-out the Dubai Opera House alongside Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy, become a festival favourite at places like Glastonbury, Latitude and Bestival, and been seen by over 5 million people and translated into over 20 different languages. “I love the variety of it. I get to go into schools and do workshops, and I get asked to write all kinds of things.” This versatility has seen him hit the heights of Britain’s rap battle scene, become a regular contributor to Radio 2’s Pause For Thought

feature on The Russell Howard Hour as part of comedy-rap-jazz duo Harry and Chris, and star on BAFTA-winning Sky TV show Life And Rhymes alongside Benjamin Zephaniah.

As the show’s title, Unashamed partly refers to coming out of lockdown into a world where he’s free to be light, heartfelt, vulnerable and funny. But it’s also about finding space to embrace who you are. “Obviously, it’s going to be different for different people, but for a long time I felt like I had to be either a mathematician or a poet. You have to fit with these ideas that society has. But if you can blur those boundaries, that starts to get really interesting.” The show allows him to be more vulnerable. He says if we all embrace that openness, it could create better connections between us all.

“Along with trying to make people smile or make people laugh, I want to be able to say: ‘You know what? I really struggled in the last two years, and I’m grateful to be here.’ For someone else to hear you say that may be a helpful thing.” The show has developed into something which can enable both of these things, balancing heavier issues with the joy of words, because poetry is capable of accommodating a wide range of views. And can be more exciting for it.

Although ever-evolving and growing in scope, the heart of Baker’s work is all about connecting with people on some level, and perhaps making them reconsider their attitudes to poetry. And he’s learned to trust his instincts more. Initially Baker thought the best way to reach people was finding

commonalities. “But I realised a lot of my favourite performers had massively different life experiences to me. More and more I’ve learned to be as honest as I can about what I’m going through. If you’re being true to yourself, the intention behind it can be even more relatable.”

Harry Baker comes to Eggtooth Nest in Hastings on Thurs 17 Nov and Brighton’s Komedia on Thurs 19 Jan. His new book, Unashamed, is available now, via Burning Eye.

www.harrybaker.co.uk

B R A N D S T O R Y T E L L I N G A S A F O R C E F O R C H A N G E

By Amy Stanborough

Acolourful and flamboyant courtyard to eat luxurious brunches in, all while working towards ending food waste; serving only local produce from independent food suppliers; hosting events, making delicious cups of coffee in pleasant china; this is the Narnia disguised behind Little London’s larder. While talking to founder Emma Schwarz about her (not so little) project to open a restaurant, the more depth I discovered to this business which is evidently so much more than just another café in Chichester. Emma is on a mission to reduce food waste, and she wants us to do this by shopping more locally and less commercially. She believes we will ultimately feel good about the produce we are eating because it is better for the environment and businesses; and it tastes better too! In order to achieve this, Emma decided to serve the quality produce we should all be eating to prove just how luxurious it tastes and feels, also readily available to buy in the food hall at the front of the restaurant.

I stumbled across The Barn in search of a good coffee, and became curious about the courtyard seating that appeared to be at the back of a quaint farm shop. Stepping into the larder, there are cakes and bakes from the Flint Owl Bakery and curious swirls of chocolate in loafs of babka (from Painted Dog Bakehouse) to take out with you to enjoy in the garden. There is also a plethora of cupboard essentials, dairy products, wines and more available to buy from a variety of Sussexbased partners, though Goodwood Farm Shop is one of The Barn’s main suppliers.

I was shown to my bistro table outside and the lovely waitress bought me a bottle of water over, served in a delightful little wine glass. Emma told me that the whole experience must be an enjoyable one at The Barn, from the food you eat, to the glass you drink from and this was proving to be an enjoyable experience indeed. The china teacup and saucer my flat white was served in was extremely sweet. More curious still, I booked a return to The Barn for lunch rather than just a coffee, and requested to be sat in one of the shed chalets.

It turns out the outrageously fun and quirky shed seating in the courtyard was a complete accident. The Barn was due to open in February 2020, but the pandemic unfortunately put this adventure on pause. Instead, Emma decided to set up a drive-through food delivery service so that she could get a kickstart on this mission to provide a shop and eatery, and this is when customers began to be intrigued and impressed by The Barn. When the time was right, the chalets were introduced as a way for customers to enjoy outdoor seating in a safe and enjoyable manner. Sat in one of those sheds during my Saturday lunchtime visit, I would have thought the sheds were anything but an accident; instead a clever design feature to make The Barn stand out. At least, this is how they function now when ‘safe seating’ is not entirely a necessity anymore. The sheds are decorated with details to make

While The Barn’s beginning did not totally go to plan, the authenticity and organic start to the business seems to epitomise what The RARE Life represents. The RARE Life is composed of The Barn, The RARE Brand Market and Slow Food Sussex, all part of the quest to stop food waste. As well as supporting the charity Slow Food, The Barn also donates 10% of all purchases to UK Harvest. It is physically impossible to do wrong by choosing to eat or shop at The Barn, Little London. What’s more, the food is great too! I ordered the Mediterranean vegetable flatbread which was colourful and summery, healthy and full of flavour. The flatbread was served on a wooden chopping board, topped with large chunks of courgette, peppers and onions, with house-made salsa verde and capers for extra luxury. The sourdough toasties served with red onion chutney, and sweet options – pancakes or french toast – also look incredible. Soon the menu will be facing an autumnal shift, and I cannot wait to see what fresh and daring dishes arrive at The Barn from October 1st.

customers smile: coffee table books on bumble bees and gardening, plants, and vintage pots of antique cutlery.

On the 17th – 19th of November, The RARE Brand Christmas Market will be returning to Goodwood Racecourse, so you can get ahead on your christmas shopping and buy from the best retail and hospitality businesses local to Chichester and Sussex. Plus you can have the chance to spot some of The Barn’s own suppliers for products beyond the pantry. Or, more exclusive to The Barn, events such as Wellness Wednesday and Supper Club will continue to run throughout winter, and you can book tickets for these events on The Barn’s website (https://thebarnlittlelondon.com/feasting/). On 30th November, This Morning’s Kat Farmer is making a return to The Barn alongside wine expert Helen McGinn. These two lovely ladies will bring ‘The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club’ to Chichester, something definitely worth following The Barn and staying tuned for.

The Barn, and RARE Life really do feel like the start of something really monumental in retail, hospitality and business, and hopefully we will only see more and more restaurants and coffee shops supporting local produce and charities such as UK Harvest. Hopefully soon we can all start eating and shopping better by eating and shopping independently!

THE DEATH OF ANNA MANN

HOULT CONTEMPLATES

DEMISE OF MUCH-LOVED CHARACTER

BY STUART ROLT

Photo Credit Linda Blacker

“It’s so weird that I keep saying ‘she’ instead of ‘me’!” Colin Hoult monetarily looks away in bemusement, as he considers the comic creation which has begun to dominate his career. This has been a hard year for great British women. We’ve witnessed the downfall of a Prime Minister and lost both Her Majesty The Queen and Eastenders legend June Brown. Now Anna Mann, another strong and capable woman who has brought joy to billions, is taking her own final curtain call.

That’s the plan, at least. Hoult’s tour, The Death Of Anna Mann, is showing few signs of slowing down. The character comedian has just added more dates to take her into 2023, including a prestigious night at London’s Fortune Theatre this month. It’s familiar territory, as he’s performed there with Ricky Gervais on the global superstar’s work in progress nights. But the triumph of taking something ostensibly intended for a cabaret stage into the West End’s heart can’t be downplayed. “It’s quite rare for an hour-long Edinburgh show to make that jump. It’s hugely exciting.”

It’s ironic that Anna Mann should be killed off just as her popularity is soaring. An older lady, bristling with confidence, eager to regale an (obviously awestruck) audience with tales of her magnificence, she’s perhaps more popular than ever. It’s not truly a drag show, unless you’re an avid fan of how the form was once presented in dodgy, longclosed working men’s clubs. This is Hoult’s exercise in exploring a more fabulous side to his personality.

Originally, she rose from a deep pool of aliases Hoult was performing as. “I’ve never liked doing characters where you’re putting someone down. I remember a period when there was a lot of ‘Polish cleaners’ and I always thought that was quite negative. I’ve always tried to find the truth. A lot of my characters were sad, depressed or aggressive, but Anna was the happy and joyous one.” Offering a more whimsical and bizarre side to Hoult’s comedy, she’d end up in his BBC Radio 4 show, Carnival of Monsters. An occasionally unsettling collection of sketches and stories, it was intended to invoke the murky world of circus freak shows – except all the supposed affronts to nature were accountants and karate instructors. Among these was Anna, an audacious force of nature and star of forgotten silver screen classics like Rogue Baker, Who’s For Turkish Delight? and A Bowl For My Bottom

“There is something very addictive, for me, in being somebody people what to be around. Anna is someone who makes people light up,” the Brighton-based actor and stand-up tells me. “And there is an element where I’m slightly jealous…” A big turning point for Anna’s development, at an early pre-make-up period, came when Hoult was headlining a show. One of the other acts had pulled out, leaving him with not quite enough material to fill the extra stage-time. “I ended up sitting on a stool, as Anna, just chatting and talking about people’s problems. Audience members were telling me what had been going on their lives. That’s when I realised I can just ‘be’ her. I don’t have worry about writing jokes, I can just relax in that character.”

While his odd array of different characters, like ‘marginalised’ middleaged white men or idealistic political activists, have continued to be taken on tour, it’s Anna who steals the shows. And the world around her has had to grow to accommodate that raging ego. This flirtatious and sardonic actress is the survivor of at least 12 husbands. Everything is delivered with a frenzied energy. She’s enthusiastic on an industrial scale, and even the most mundane of audience suggestions are met with squeals of ‘Fuck off! I love it!’.

The self-proclaimed greatest performer of her generation, the scenarios she’s found herself at the centre of are exuberantly strange and ingeniously written. She’s had unlikely roles in improbable video nasties like Cannibal Bagpipes and could always return to welding if the theatre work dries up. Many of her triumphant anecdotes collapse into surreal meandering. She’s clearly ridiculous, but somehow makes the life of a theatrical icon seem quite normal.

She’s never been shy of serious subjects though. 2017’s How We Stop the Fascists was critically-lauded, Hoult evidentially delighting in expanding what the character could say and do. In true Anna style, the solution came down to removing hatred from the world with the generous application of theatre - dismantling a few preconceptions and tried tropes along the way. Even in lockdown, she was relentlessly buoying the nation’s spirits with her live-streaming Late Night Cheese, Sex & Isolation Party on NextUpComedy.

Hoult is already familiar with the hectic world of the committed thespian. Recognisable from shows like Murder in Sucessville, Being Human and After Life, he’s found Anna has started informing his other

performances. “When I’ve been up for castings, I hate it when people go: ‘Yeah, he’s a just a nice bloke,’ I don’t know what to do with that. I like to inhabit a big crazy character.” The older he’s become, the more he’s understanding his own personality. An attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis has made him appreciate how he often ‘holds back’. People might assume he’s effortlessly confident, especially if seeing his boisterous performances, but Hoult admits to being a little shy.

“Doing this is alright, because I’m talking about myself,” he says with a laugh. “But generally, I find it quite hard.” In a way, Anna has offered an avatar he can use to manoeuvre around the behaviours he’s subconsciously established. “The more you realise these things with neurodiversity, the more you notice it. There are so many people you meet, especially with older people, for who it just doesn’t exist, or they won’t accept it. Not that you want to go around diagnosing others, but you do sometimes see what they’re trying to repress.”

Anna has gifted him an opportunity to explore something more exuberant and create a larger-than-life persona which gleefully draws from a golden age of the dramatic arts. This is the ‘luvvies’ world, where invariably posh and classically-trained actors engage in a perpetual effusive battle to assert their brilliance. Hoult is undoubtedly approaching this from a position of quiet admiration and sentimentality. “They just have a love of language… and confidence! What I like about Anna, is that she believes something, then can suddenly believe totally the opposite with equal conviction.”

“I think a lot of it is hustling. The equivalent now is going on Instagram. When I was first in a green room, for this radio drama when I was young, it was almost like haggling. I guess every profession has that business element to it. I think a lot of it is a combination is a love of art and expression, and then a need to get people to notice and employ you. And I’ve always struggled with the mingling. It’s a real skill.”

With her exaggerations, contradictions and joyous nature, Anna has taught him that it’s OK to be himself and perhaps find courage in his convictions. Although when he’s doing acting work, he might still have to wind it in a bit. “I love doing plays. Going from Edinburgh shows to plays is quite hard, because you’re not allowed to wink and chat to the audience. But you’re learning all the time.” As we speak, he’s in the middle of The Death Of Anna Mann’s season at London’s Soho Theatre. He says it’s been hard work, and any exhaustion hasn’t been helped by compulsively witnessing Britain’s political turmoil through the lens of Twitter. “But even in this run, I’ve learnt better ways to tell jokes. It’s built on so much love, that I can be confident in that. When I started the Edinburgh shows, a few of the audience, were like ‘What is THIS?!’, then enough people get into It, and it starts snowballing. It’s been really fascinating.”

The Death Of Anna Mann has been met with a growing public reaction, just as Hoult intends to mothball the character. “It’s good to end on a high. Going forwards, I really want to create film and TV. To do that, I have to explore other things. I’ve come to accept Anna is a live thing. I’m moving into new territory, and I get bored very quickly… like Anna.” It feels like the right time to move on. The next logical step is to start performing live shows as himself. “It’s quite scary, but exciting, to think what that could be.”

Audiences now find her in receipt of a bleak prognosis from the doctor.

Photo Credit Linda Blacker

Legacy and mortality are very much on her mind, in this ingenious show about grief and death. “It does pop into my head that there might be someone watching who has lost someone. I hope they realise I’m not really taking the piss out of that stuff.” Receiving rave reviews as it tours the country, the work veers from the poignant to full-on sillyoffering enough layers to prove everything is coming from a true place.

“You do almost envy those cultures, where people are wailing at a grave. Here, you can’t show any emotion. Everyone has to ‘calm it down’, but it’s part of life. The real genesis of the show was when my brother died. After that, I did some reading. Because I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to deal with it. Nowadays you put a post on social media when some dies, and everyone puts a sad face or whatever, and that’s about it. I put something on Facebook, and everyone was sending so many messages, which is appreciated, but then you realise nobody had phoned, texted or come round to see me.”

There’s an inherent block in British culture which prevents us discussing death in a pragmatic way. Much of Hoult’s own thoughts and personal experiences have fed into the show, particularly his research into things like Buddhism. He also stumbled onto accounts of how England used to be more open to grieving. After the First World War, so many people died that there was a deliberate attempt to stop people crying in the street. “All the stuff you have nowadays, like if the unions are out or something, and people are saying: ‘Well in my day, you just kept calm and carried on.’ it all comes from that deliberate repression. There are so many knock-on effects. Don’t get me wrong, I’m into to stoicism. But that’s about accepting reality. I think telling people they can’t grieve is so unhelpful.”

Just maybe, in death, Anna has realised her full potential, bringing out the best in people and giving them some hope. “What’s quite funny is quite a lot of people become possessed by Anna and start responding like her. They can’t stop themselves. It’s quite fascinating.” Confident, captivating and extraordinary, Anna Mann seems like an individual who could turn almost any situation to her advantage. Perhaps we can learn from that. I suggest strong personalities offering a new way of looking at the world is how some religious factions start. “Maybe if I ever do another Anna show, that’s what will have happened. It’s ten years later, and she’s in the Amazonian jungle with one of those cults where everyone’s armed!”

www.iamcolinhoult.com

Colin Hoult brings The Death of Anna Mann to Brighton’s Komedia on Thurs 10 Nov, London’s Fortune Theatre on Sun 27 Nov and Brighton’s Komedia on Weds 1 March.

Photo Credit Linda Blacker

Photo Credit Linda Blacker

THIRD AVENUE HOVE

A romantic little retreat in the heart of Church Road in Hove, this restaurant offers customers not just a taste, but a whole experience of luxury. Third Avenue was relaunched with a brand new concept and new management on 1st July 2022: from the food concept to the ambience, it is bound to impress both you and whoever you chose to dine with.

Church Road is pretty renowned for having a plethora of restaurants and cafés for both your day time or evening plans, so even before arriving at my reservation, I was skeptical about how Third Avenue would deliver something unique amongst competitors. However, from the moment myself and my dinner date stepped inside the venue, we were transported into a space which both demanded attention and functioned to give guests full attention too.

Immediately upon entry, we were greeted by an island bar which we were invited to for a pre-dinner cocktail. The bar was stacked high with an array of ingredients and the staff were keen to deliver whatever drink of choice we wanted, even anything off-menu. Sat at the bar stools made ordering our cocktails an interactive experience as we watched the mixologist finesse his art of crushing fresh fruit and perfectly pouring a concoction of gin and vodka and juice and soda. We ordered the Blueberry Caipirissima and the Third Avenue Mojito, curious to try the menu’s own carefully crafted creations. They were deliciously sweet, and we observed the glass get brushed with mint to ensure we got the full impact and aromas of the flavours. Sipping our drinks, we had a chance to look around and appreciate the decor: haunting artwork on the walls and vintage touches of exposed light and leather booths, known as the ‘bumble booths’ (ideal for dating, according to the barman).

The front space flows beautifully into the dining area at the back of the venue, transporting us from the seductive bar to pristinely set dining tables. Further elegant interior and decor choices captivated me; there is so much attention to luxurious details including plump, velvet cushions on the sofas we ate from.

From the menu, we dived straight into the ‘plates’ and were recommended two per person, plus one or two dishes or a side order for the table to share. While we were curious to try all the intriguing food innovations (inspired by Eastern Mediterranean cuisine) we whittled our choices down to the gambas, squid, pork belly, charred cabbage and asparagus with recommendations from our waiter David motivating the decisions. There were plenty of vegan and gluten free options, and there was a balanced ratio of meat, vegetarian and fish dishes as well as sides and breads.

Barbecue flavours with a hint of sweetness, the pork belly was our favourite choice. It was fatty as expected from this particular cut of pork, but also had succulent chunks of meat on each skewer which really soaked up the flavours. Surprisingly, our next favourite dish was probably the cabbage which we ordered as a wild card plate. I am someone who doesn’t really like cabbage, so I put Third Avenue to the challenge to see if they could make me enjoy this vegetable. They succeeded. The charred edges were the perfect textural match for the creamy but light tahini underneath the leaves. A sprinkling of pine nuts on top too was a wise choice from the chef. Rolling up our sleeves and licking our lips, we pulled apart our gambas - a deliciously interactive plate served with a refreshing dip which we had to assume was chive. In between bites of pork, cabbage and gambas, we swiped squid through a black garlic aioli which was not too overwhelming with flavour. Meanwhile, we had another dish to dip into, the asparagus, which was not charred as the menu stated but was certainly interesting to try with cheese and almond nuts. The asparagus was not my favourite, but we loved the mojo rojo in which it was served. Mostly, we enjoyed the experience of delving into this plethora of colours which looked like an artist’s paint palette spread across our table, and balancing those colours in the forms of sauces and vegetables on our tongues.

Of course, we had to try a dessert so we ordered the chocolate soil to share. The menu could perhaps be more descriptive of all of their plates because what we were presented with was not what we

BY AMY STANBOROUGH

were expecting. Yet, dessert was one of the night’s highlights. A log of rich chocolate ganache decorated with shards of sugar melted in our mouths and had to be nibbled just to make the sweet haven last. Beside it was a light coconut sorbet, again not too overbearing, but an idyllic partner for our chocolate companion. For extra finesse, crumbs of biscuit and shredded chocolate were scattered on the plate representing the ‘soil’, and we found great satisfaction in scooping up all the qualities of this dessert and letting them belong together on the spoon with each bite.

We felt extremely accommodated to and cared for during our evening at Third Avenue in Hove, and especially found the ambience appealing with relaxing music playing in tune with the atmosphere. It is certainly a place to come to impress a date, or for an extra special catch up with an old friend. With private dining and set menus on offer too, consider Third Avenue for your next celebration meal. Remember to embrace that fully equipped cocktail bar, and be open minded to trying unique flavour combinations because you never know what may be pleasant to your taste buds, unless you try something new.

BRIGHTON SCREENDANCE

Photo Credit Gravity Levity

BRAND NEW FESTIVAL TAKES JOY OF MOVEMENT FROM STAGE TO CINEMA

A brand-new festival of dance on film is launching in Sussex on Wed 16 – Sat 19 Nov. As part of its first season in The Dance Space, South East Dance are presenting Brighton Screendance in association with CINECITY The Brighton Film Festival, University of Brighton and Worthing Theatres.

Set over four days, this innovative new event coincides with the charity’s 25th anniversary year. It explores the past, present and future of dance on screen, showcasing its inventive and experimental mix of movement, choreography and the moving image.

“South East Dance was originally created as a screendance agency, to support the development and raise the profile of choreography and dance made specially for the screen,” says artistic director Cath James. “So screendance is in our DNA. And knowing that The Dance Space was coming down the line, I have wanted to launch Brighton Screendance festival for many years.” She points out the serendipity of opening a state-of-the-art facility just as the country emerges from lockdown. So many dancers and choreographers embraced presenting dance for the screen, as they had little to no opportunities to make and present work live in rehearsal spaces or theatres.

“So, with so many more people interested in making dance – I mean you just have to take a second to look on TikTok at all the young people making dance for the very small screens – it feels absolutely the right moment to launch the new festival.”

From the ballet barre to the silver screen, The Dance Space has established a place where dance can be experienced in all its forms, so it feels right for them to return to their roots and launch Brighton Screendance Festival. James, alongside Claudia Kappenberg and Charles Linehan, have curated a very special celebratory event. The new festival features special screenings of acclaimed independent films made locally and around the world, roundtable discussions with industry experts, as well as a day in which children and young people can watch and create screendance.

One major strand of the festival is Scenes from South East Dance Past and Present on Weds 16 Nov, which explores the wealth of archival material held by South East Dance. This includes work made with organisations like Channel 4 and the British Council, as well as recent commissions by ground-breaking artists such as Alexandrina Hemsley, whose latest film, Maelstrom Under Glass, is currently touring cinemas nationally.

“Selecting the films from the archive was a brilliant experience,” says James. “We are always keen to involve our Community Steering Group in our programming decisions, and so asked them to co-curate this with me.” Together, the panel gathered films from 2002 to 2012, with

the intention of platforming the rich array of films from the archive, and the astonishing scope of artist interests and practices in making films during this period. “So, it is a diverse range of films, from the age of the dancers on screen, to the genre of dance, the range of techniques used on screen and the length of films. So that we had something truly diverse and representative of the South East Dance archive. There are some local legends in there too – the likes of Liz Aggiss and Mim King...”

On Thurs 17 Nov, Never Stop Moving presents audiences with a chance to watch the best of contemporary screendance from around the world. The evening is curated by renowned choreographer Charles Linehan and features highlights from the London International Screendance Festival, of which he is director and producer. It seems that dance intersects extremely well with cinema, both generating a compelling sense of wonder through movement. “Film is moving image – dance is also moving image, the body has this incredible ability to transmit emotion, feeling and sensation, it’s so visceral, and with dance on screen, the camera can move in and get so close to parts of the body, to the detail, the uncurling of a finger, a slowly closing eyelid, that you can’t do in a more traditional theatre setting. The audience can immerse themselves in the music and the images, without having to understand a narrative.”

South East Dance has always been a collaborative organisation, with strong partnerships across the city, regionally and nationally, which neatly folds into the growing trend of artists and curators forming stronger ties across disciplines. Screendance Brighton is working in association with film festival Cinecity, which also takes place this month, because that makes absolute sense. The University of Brighton is also a key partner.

Screendance researcher and Principal Lecturer at Brighton University’s School of Art and Media, Claudia Kappenberg curates Screendancing Histories on Fri 18 Nov. This presents a roundtable discussion on screendance’s relationship with history. Later that evening is, Acts of Memory, which features films curated by Kappenberg and includes the Brighton premiere of Siobhan Davies’ new film Transparent, which will be simultaneously screened at The Connaught Cinema by Worthing Theatres.

Brighton resident Charles Linehan, the curator and director of London International Screendance Festival, is also bringing together the international evening, including a loose ‘best of’ from his London festival. “And with Worthing Theatres now programming more dance, and building their dance audiences, we wanted to bring them into an experiment where we livescreen the same programme at the same time in The Dance Space and in the Connaught in Worthing.”

Photo Credit Roswitha Chesher

Sat 19 Nov is dedicated to exploring screendance’s future. Screentime: Dance Films & Play for Kids invites children aged 4-9 and their adults to watch, play, move and be inspired by dance films. The afternoon welcomes young people aged 14-19 to the Filmmaking for Young Dancers workshop, with professional screendance maker Jo Cork, to learn how to make their own films.

An arts charity working with dance professionals and people across the region, South East Dance’s simple mission is to make the South East a thriving home for dance. It supports dance artists who specialise in all forms, from breakdancing to ballroom, with funding, tailored advice and networking opportunities throughout their careers. As passionate believers in the health and wellbeing benefits of dance, they also work hard to bring movement to as many people as possible, particularly those who might not have had the opportunity or the confidence to become involved before.

In June 2022 they opened The Dance Space in Brighton’s new Circus Street development, which has become the South East’s new home for dance. Now they provide a packed programme of activities,

with the current timetable offering over 30 classes for different ages and abilities, and work with teachers from a whole range of dance disciplines including salsa, contemporary, Indian, tango, movement classes for boys, Pilates and more.

Now, with Brighton Screendance Festival, South East Dance are offering a chance for even more people to delve into the diverse and dynamic world of dance on screen. The hope is to encourage others to feel intrigued, elated, joyous, and potentially a passion to make their own screendances. And they’re looking to the next generation to take things into the future. “We want to have a youth strand of films next year, and so in order to kick that off, we are hosting a screendance workshop during the festival for 14 - 19-year-olds to come along and learn some techniques from a professional. Then hopefully next year we will have some fab work from our local young people.”

Brighton Screendance Festival comes to Brighton’s The Dance Space and Worthing Theatres on Weds 16 – Sat 19 Nov. For more information and tickets, head to: www.southeastdance.org.uk

Photo Credit Joowon Song

Photo Credit Diana Morales Sánchez

GET READY FOR BRILLIANT BRIGHTON’S CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON!

On Sat 19 Nov, Brilliant Brighton is hosting a city centre-wide event between 2-6pm, to kick off the festive period and get residents and visitors alike into a celebratory spirit.

Local choirs will be performing traditional and contemporary classics throughout The Lanes, North Laine and Western Road, while Santa’s elves will be visiting businesses throughout the afternoon spreading joy and giving out a few goodies. Brighton & Hove Buses’ famous Santa Bus will also be making appearances between 4pm and 6pm, driving along Western Road, North Street and Preston Street.

A not-for-profit organisation formed of 517 city centre businesses, who collaborate on various projects, Brilliant Brighton is also launching its window dressing competition on the same day. This will see storefronts unveiled under the theme ‘Festively Fabulous’. The competition welcomes people to vote for their favourite display between Sat 19 Nov and Sat 31 Dec., and The most voted for business, along with one voter chosen at random, will win a £150 prize!

To add to the Christmassy atmosphere, Brilliant Brighton’s Christmas lights (paid for collectively by the 517 Brilliant Brighton businesses, at a cost of £100,000 per year), will also be switched-on late afternoon,

adding a magical backdrop to the festive event across the city centre.

Shelley Welti, Marketing & Events Manager for Brilliant Brighton said: “We’re really excited to get shoppers, and those heading out for meals, coffees and drinks feeling festive with a wonderful afternoon celebrating the start of the season! From the beautiful voices of our local choirs filling the streets, to the launch of our eye-catching window dressing competition, elves popping up across the city centre, Brighton & Hove Buses adding further joy to Preston Street, North Street and Western Road with their wonderful Santa Bus, and of course, the Brilliant Brighton Christmas lights adding further sparkle to proceedings, we really hope it’ll be a lovely way to start the celebrations!”

The festive lights scheme (which change every five years, due to costs) featuring street art-inspired lights - designed by Brighton street artists, Bintley, Mowgli and Sinna One - will light up North Street and Western Road, while lights celebrating the uniqueness of North Laine add sparkle to Bond Street, Gardner Street and Kensington Gardens; and more traditional lighting will give a magical, festive feeling to The Lanes, East Street, Preston Street and Brighton’s iconic Clock Tower.

Ed Wills, managing director of Brighton & Hove Buses said: “We are absolutely delighted for our Santa Bus to be taking part in the Brilliant Brighton festive event this year, especially as our travel shop on North Street is one of the 517 businesses who are all helping to fund the lighting. What a great way to brighten up the centre of the city and spread some festive cheer.”

The big man himself, Santa Claus also added: “On the 19th of November I shall be hopping onboard my Brighton & Hove Buses Santa Bus and driving through the city centre to share a huge, jolly Ho Ho Ho with each and every one of you. Why not come along and give all my little helpers, and I, a festive, cheery wave?”

www.brilliantbrighton.com.

SUSSEX BUSINESS PROMOTES COMMUNITY SPIRIT – SUPPORTING LOCAL CHARITIES, FOOD BANKS, SCHOOLS, AND STEM STUDENTS

Paxton launched in East Sussex in 1985, and since then they have evolved into one of the UK’s leading security technology manufacturers. They distribute to over 60 countries and employ more than 400 people. Their flagship security system Net2 helped them establish a solid reputation and their newest security innovation, Paxton10, is a unique combined access control and video management platform. Their products are designed to be simple-to-use and supported by Paxton’s world-class customer service. This enables them to grow year on year. Alongside the company’s security industry legacy and financial success, Paxton reach out to their local community by developing meaningful initiatives that resonate with their employees.

Kate Hotson, Project and Events Manager at Paxton, organises many of the community projects Paxton work on. She explains: “At Paxton we want to create great company culture and an innovative working environment that is not just about work. “Paxton people are passionate about helping local charities and organisations. It is motivating and important work that gives our employees a chance to give something back to their community.”

Supporting Local Charities

Each year Paxton employees vote on a local charity to support. This year they are helping MIND Brighton and Hove, which support local people with mental health issues. So far this year they have secured over £2000 in fundraising for the charity with efforts still well underway.

Kate explains: “To raise money for MIND, we have been taking part in various fundraising activities throughout 2022. These include charity days where we sell special breakfast baps and create fun social games, as well as competitions our employees can take part in. Additionally, all entry fees from our social calendar activities such as wine tasting, pub quizzes and football tournaments go to the charity.”

Jodie Wallis, Director of Operations for MIND Brighton & Hove, said: “We are quite a small charity and do not have a dedicated fundraising department. Working with companies like Paxton enables us to continue achieving our mission of helping our community and raising awareness about mental health.”

MIND Brighton & Hove is not the only charity Paxton employees work to support. Last year they raised almost £6000 for the Clock Tower Sanctuary, which support young people affected by homelessness in Sussex. This was achieved by Paxton people taking part in Paxton’s Around the World Challenge where they virtually travelled 53,709 miles around the world, running, cycling & walking to meet their target. Lorna Beaumont, Fundraising & Communications Officer for the Clock Tower Sanctuary said: “We receive no statutory funding, so we rely on the fantastic support by local businesses and individuals, as well grants given by Trusts & Foundations to keep our doors open.”

Delivering to Food Banks

When the pandemic began in 2020, like many businesses all over the country, Paxton sent their employees home to work. This meant that their on-site café was being left unused. So, Paxton started donating hot meals to food banks daily. To date, they have delivered over 12,000 meals. This initiative continues today.

Kate Hotson explains: “We decided to continue providing meals after social restrictions ended because of the positive feedback we received from the volunteers at our local food banks. So, every month 150 freshly cooked meals are made, packed, and collected, then distributed.”

Mike Jourdaine, who runs the Brighton Food Bank, said: “Paxton’s contribution means a lot to our clients as they are receiving the benefit of a well-cooked hot meal. Having someone give them that thought can really make a difference.”

Volunteering in Schools

Alongside working with charities and food banks, a group of Paxton employees are volunteering to mentor 30 Year 9 students at Patcham High School in Brighton, and Willingdon Community School in Eastbourne. The aim is to give students an opportunity to speak to other adults who are not their teachers or parents about their future and the often-daunting world of work. The project is called ‘Dare to Dream’, and is organised by the LoveLocalJobs Foundation, and led by More FM presenter Jack Hayes.

Jack Hayes explains: “We cannot do the things that we do without the support of companies like Paxton. What we love about Paxton- is they are a Brighton based business, but global. They are the right kind of people, and they really do care about the next generation coming through.”

This is the second year that Paxton have taken part in the initiative. Their mentors meet with the students 3 times throughout the school

Paxton is a Sussex-based technology manufacturer that continually develops community support initiatives. In this article we explore Paxton’s motivations and current projects.

year and then will host all students from each school at their headquarters.

Mike Newman, Deputy Head at Patcham High School, said: “We have been incredibly grateful to be paired with such an innovative, community spirited and caring company. The Paxton mentors are really committed and inspired our students no end, simply by listening and being incredibly supportive.”

Alison Borrell, Director of Learning for Technology and Enterprise, Associate Assistant Head at Willingdon Community School, said: “We aim to prepare our students for the careers of tomorrow and raise aspirations for jobs in the STEM sector. Working with Paxton will enable our students to gain a valuable insight into the different employability skills and careers that a forward-thinking worldwide manufacturer can offer.”

Another group of Paxton employees volunteer at Moulsecoomb Primary School, which is local to the company’s Brighton campus. The volunteers attend the school gardens during their lunchbreak to help students take care of their outdoor space. This happens at the end of every month on a Thursday. One of the School Governors, Warren Carter, said: “Our awardwinning school grounds are a fantastic space for children to learn and play. We have orchards, chickens, vegetable gardens and our roundhouses where we teach pupils from across the city the pre-history curriculum. But with school budget cuts these would be impossible to maintain without the fantastic support from companies like Paxton.”

Offering STEM Students Scholarships

Schools are not the only type of education establishment that Paxton run projects with. For the last five years Paxton have been running a Scholarship Programme in partnership with the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. Each student receives a three-month paid internship to get hands-on work experience, and £10,000 towards the cost of living in their final year of university.

Adam Stroud, CEO at Paxton champions the programme. He said: “We have built a longstanding partnership with our neighbouring universities to help foster local talent. The Paxton scholarship means we can promote careers in technology and the breadth of roles available to the students while they are in their second year.

“I remember my time well at university. What strikes me now is the massive difference between academic study and working for a company that designs and makes products. The value of a paid internship at a real company is opening your eyes to the world of work while you are still learning.”

Marnie Middlemiss, Director of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement at University of Brighton, said: “Working in partnership with Paxton, who are committed to nurturing local STEM students, provides an exceptional opportunity and transformative experience for them. These scholarships enable our students to gain real life industry experience in a global company that helps build the skills they need for their future careers.”

Paxton are often recruiting locally for a variety of roles across different departments. If you are currently looking for a new job, you can check out the recruitment page on their website.

Artists Open Houses

PhotoCreditEdwardCooke

Photo Credit Edward Cooke

KAISER CHIEFS

MUCH-LOVED BRITISH ROCKERS HEAD OUT ON TOUR

BY ANGELA ELLIOT

The multi-award-winning Kaiser Chiefs are out on the road once more this month. “I’m pretty excited about it,” says singer Ricky Wilson. “We haven’t done it in a long time have we?” Drummer Vijay Mistry considers this for a moment. “Not for a long time, no,” “Do you think we’re still up for it? Cause, you know, sometimes you think “can we still do it?” asks Wilson. “You do…” agrees Mistry.

With their trademark dry wit, sardonic social commentary and catalogue of uncompromising stadium rock bangers, Kaiser Chiefs remain one of the country’s most exciting live prospects. Formed in Leeds in 2000, the boys have scored a Mercury nomination for their iconic debut album, Employment, and went on to win three BRIT awards, an Ivor Novello award for Album of the Year, and tidily sold over 8 million albums worldwide. And accompanying the tour is the release of new single How 2 Dance on Fri 4 Nov.

It’s been over three years since the release of Wilson and Mistry, along with Simon Rix on bass, Andrew ‘Whitey’ White on guitar and keyboardist Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines’ seventh album, the critically acclaimed Duck. Obviously, it’s been a little difficult to get a proper tour together recently. Despite the absence, the band are certain of putting on a good show. “I can remember once, we played at a little place in Manchester,” says Wilson. “It was before Education, Education, Education & War came out – and we hadn’t done a show in a while and I can remember being in the bathroom, looking in the mirror and thinking to myself ‘Is it gonna happen? Is it still in there? Is it still, like, in my ability to do this?’ And then you walk out on stage and it all comes back to you.” Mistry instantly contradicts this by claiming he still needs some preparation before a show. “I have to do some training. I have to do some prep.”

“What does the training involve?” asks Wilson. “Well, you start off small, so you gotta do finger exercises,” replies the drummer. “I like to pick up a remote controller, and then turn the channels on the telly… that gets the fingers moving! Then eight or nine months later, you can do one song… And then you just keep building!”

It’s this kind of training regime which has enabled Kaiser Chiefs to make their mark as heroes in the British music scene, with absolutely no sign of them slowing down. The band have released seven studio albums to date including chart toppers, ‘Yours Truly, Angry Mob’ and ‘Education, Education, Education & War’ plus their much-praised 2019 and top 3 album ‘Duck’.

Fellow Yorkshire-types, The Sherlocks, are opening each night, after becoming one of the most talked about live bands in the UK. Selling out tours across the nation, they have also achieved chart success with two UK Top 10 albums. Glaswegian trio The Fratellis are also joining them on the tour, following a rollercoaster 2021 which saw them unleash a new album alongside a barrage of singles and collaborations. This was rounded off by winning the prestigious King Tut’s Songwriting Award at the Scottish Music Awards. They’ll perform songs from their new album, Half Drunk Under a Full Moon as well as fan-favourites and indie anthems such as Chelsea Dagger

Mistry and Wilson say they’ve been aware of the bands since they both started, and are looking forwards to seeing them play up close. “Yeah, it’s nice,” adds Mistry. “You generally bond in catering…” Wilson claims the Kaiser Chiefs are actually a timid bunch of guys. “We’re like squirrels! We need to be brought out of ourselves.” “The only time you see us is when we come out to gather our nuts!” chips in Mistry.

When the subject of appropriate stage-wear comes up, the pair both try to claim the other is their fashion inspiration. “I think we’re getting baggier,” ponders Wilson. Mistry agrees: “Eventually we’ll end up like 1970’s Elton, with two pianos facing each other.” “It’ll be like Billy Joel and Elton John,” shouts Wilson. “…Duelling Pianos… Duelling Outfits?” He continues by saying he always liked school uniform, because you

didn’t have to worry about it. It made you know that you’re now going to work. Mistry concurs, saying: “I think it’s good, cos if you’re thinking about what you’re wearing every day, that’s crazy. I once made the mistake of wearing exceptionally baggy trousers. And after the first beat, the beater for the kick drum got stuck up the trouser leg! So I had to play the first song side-footed!”

Wilson has a go at suggesting his percussionist friend usually performs wearing bicycle shorts. “I have vowed never to wear shorts on stage,” argues Mistry. “I just don’t like the way they look!” Wilson still won’t have this. “When you get to that stage where there’s more material in your gloves than there are on your body, you know you’re a professional drummer,” he offers.

They’re a rock band, so by default are supposed to act like they don’t really care, ponders Wilson. “But then you go and see someone like Kylie, who has like 15 outfit changes, and to be honest, I’m a little bit jealous! Literally outfit-wise, you have one shot for us! However, the moment that Vijay wears shorts and short fingerless gloves, and I have an outfit change, is when it’s gone too far!”

Like any bunch of bright lads, the Kaiser Chiefs learned to invent different ways to entertain themselves while waiting around. The pair have just been playing a competition where one would name a TV character and others guess the TV show. “It’s a just a game Whitey invented today,” says Wilson. “It’s not a game we always play!” “It’s an incredible skill you realise that you end up having,” interjects Mistry. “Because you spend so much time on tour buses and in dressing rooms, that everyone’s been able to immediately just be like…” He clicks his fingers. “’Right… This game!’”

“Well, it depends…” nods Wilson. “It depends on what’s to hand. I mean, sometimes they involve props. Whitey – it’s usually Whitey…” He breaks into an impression of the band’s guitarist. “That teabag through that hole?” Mistry breaks in: “But you never play it again. I always remember once, you told me – this is nothing to do with games – but you told me once that Whitey did an impression of someone once, that was so perfect, that he vowed never to do it ever again and to this day he never has.”

While there’s no problem finding impromptu fun backstage, deciding what to play out front must be a bigger deal. The last decade has blessed Kaiser Chiefs with a deep back catalogue. This includes multiple Top 10 singles, like the infamous number one hit Ruby, and crowd-pleasing anthems like Oh My God, I Predict A Riot, Everyday I Love You Less and Less and Never Miss A Beat. So how do they determine the perfect selection of songs? “Simon always does the setlist,” says Wilson. “I usually do the set design. But I don’t have to do that every day – that’s the difference between me and Simon.” Mistry suggests the band’s bassist might obsess about it a bit much. “I think his thing in life is to find the perfect setlist. He needs some more songs though…”

“It’s funny cos we have a setlist, and then he’ll make the smallest change which will be greeted by the biggest upset from various band members,” says Wilson with a big laugh. “At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter – but we make it really matter on the day. And if I’m not happy with the change then I’ll deliberately make it an awful show… No, I won’t, I’ve never done that!” “He’s in charge of all of us to an extent really as well,” adds Mistry. “The only reason we’re here today is because he organised it for us.”

Kaiser Chiefs play London’s The O2 on Sat 5 Nov and Brighton Centre on Mon 14 Nov. Their single, How 2 Dance, is released on Fri 4 Nov 2022.

www.kaiserchiefs.com www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Tasting rooms and gift ideas from Albourne Estate.

Albourne Estate’s 40 English Vermouth (a fortified wine) is the perfect gift idea for friends and family. Available with a beautiful re-cyclable gift carton, the stylish alternative to Port is produced using their single estate matured base wines, blended with grain spirit and an infusion of 40 carefully selected herbs, spices and citrus peels each adding depth, complexity and interest to this delicious drink. The key to a great Vermouth is the delicate balance of the botanicals – so each can play its part without being lost or taking over.

Semi-dry in style, their 40 Vermouth is ideally suited to drinking on its own paired with strong cheeses, nuts or cured meats; or as a partner in many cocktails from the classic Negroni to the sophisticated Martini. Check out their website for recipe ideas: www.albourneestate.co.uk/ vermouth-cocktails-and-mulled-wine

To order online go to www.albourneestate.co.uk/product/vermouth or visit Albourne Estate on one of their Christmas Wine Tasting Weekends: 3 Dec (11am-7pm) & 4 Dec (11am-5pm) 10 Dec (11am-5pm) & 11 Dec (11am-5pm)

Tasting Rooms at Albourne Estate

Looking for the perfect venue for a party, a special celebration or a corporate ‘away day’ and not sure where to start? Here are our 5 top tips for making your event memorable for all the right reasons.

Whether you’re looking for the ideal place to host your forthcoming corporate away day that feels just that little bit different or whether you want to find that unique venue for your family celebration, there are a few things to consider first. And with an organised approach and a bit of pre-planning, being tasked with coordinating that special event needn’t feel like a burden.

Finding the ideal date

Before you do anything else have a sense of when you want your event to be. Ideally have a couple of possible dates in mind to avoid disappointment.

Set a budget

It might seem obvious, but knowing your budget is crucial. Whilst some venues might offer a package with both room hire and catering included, others offer more flexibility. Here at Albourne Estate Tasting Room, we keep our client’s wishes at the heart of what we do, with most budgets catered for.

Your carriage awaits

Important to consider is how your guests are going to get to and from the venue and if driving, where they might park. Close to Brighton (under 30 minutes) and with a train station within a short taxi ride as well as plenty of onsite parking, getting to Albourne Estate is easy. Obviously, being a vineyard you might want to consider which of your guests will be wanting to drive and which would rather arrive by taxi!

The all important food and drink!

Food and drink is bound to be at the top of your list. This can be complicated with a range of dietary requirements to consider. We work with a number of local recommended food suppliers and caterers and can talk through your requirements. Alternatively you can choose your own caterers. Here at Albourne Estate, we believe in offering flexibility with all our private event hire.

That unique location

Last, but by no means least, you will want to find the ideal location. Our Tasting Room is perfectly located to make the most of the glorious views across the vines towards the nearby South Downs. Picture perfect at any time of year, it can feel magical in winter on a clear, crisp day or even with mist hanging low and is really spectacular in summer, with the southfacing balcony bathed in sun. And why just look at the view when you can even include a vineyard tour or wine tasting experience for your guests. Exclusive use is something else to consider and here at Albourne Estate we offer exactly that, with the flexibility to arrange the room as you want, with either sit-down or buffet food options.

Do remember to do a recce of your chosen venue in advance and be prepared to discuss your requirements in detail. You’ll want to make sure that your guests’ needs are met in every way, including toilets and accessibility.

A good venue will also help you decorate the space to give it that special look. We can recommend local florists, tableware and furniture hire suppliers and even suggest venue stylists.

Visit www.albourneestate.co.uk for Christmas dates.

GLOW wild

When darkness falls, let the magic begin...

Forming a glittering haven in the heart of Sussex, Wakehurst’s enchanting winter lantern trail Glow Wild returns for 2022. As darkness falls, Kew’s wild botanic garden is transformed with beautifully handcrafted lanterns and captivating light installations from a host of leading artists. Returning for its ninth year, Glow Wild is an unmissable evening of winter wonder, packed full of surprises and home to UK’s tallest living Christmas tree decorated with 1,800 lights.

This year’s theme celebrates the incredible colour spectrum of the natural world, inviting winter wanderers to explore how we see colour and the role it plays in our daily lives. From infrared to bioluminescence, visitors will experience colour like never before.

As the trail draws to an end, gather with friends and family around crackling firepits to enjoy warming food and drink.

Further new offers for Glow Wild 2022 include adults-only sessions, perfect for a heart-warming date night, or a fun evening out with friends.

Glow Wild runs on selected evenings from 24 November to 1 January. Choose from 12 time slots at 20-minute intervals between 4.30pm and 8.15pm. On select evenings quiet sessions are available from 4.15pm for visitors with hidden disabilities, such as autism.

Plan ahead to secure the date and time of your choice. Tickets on sale now: kew.org/glowwild

For the chance to win the ultimate family ticket to Glow Wild (worth £53), simply answer this question:

How many lights does the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree have?

• 150 • 1,000

• Over 1,800

Visit www.bn1magazine.co.uk to enter your answer.

Ts&Cs: Prize is for one family ticket to Glow Wild 2022 at Wakehurst. The family ticket covers two adults and two children (0-16), and includes car parking costs. Tickets are only valid for the winter lantern trail only, and cannot be used against any ticketed or paid for activities in the gardens. No cash alternative or exchanges. Must be redeemed by 1 January 2023.

at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex

Photo Credit Jim Holden

WIN!

CINE CITY

RENOWNED SUSSEX FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS BRIGHTER THAN EVER

By Stuart Rolt

CINECITY is celebrating two whole decades of brilliant cinema with an even more ambitious programme of screenings and events. Bringing together the best in world cinema on Fri 11 - Sun 20 Nov, it’s firing up locations across Sussex with a diverse programme of premieres, previews, treasures from the archive, live soundtracks and talks.

Revolving around the tagline of ‘Adventures in World Cinema’, the festival is a treasure trove of overlooked masterpieces, explorations of other cultures and future hits. “It’s trying to give a bit of space for foreign language and independent films which might otherwise struggle to get screen space,” says CINECITY Co-Director Tim Brown. “We’re trying to connect different audiences with films which can slip below the radar sometimes.”

A need for films to be good is obvious, but organisers also aim to include at least 50% female directors. Then added to the fold are restored older titles and those which deserve an opportunity to shine.

“It might mean a little more ‘work’ for us and audiences, as inevitably some of the directors are less well-known,” adds Brown. “But you can trust us. We look at a lot of films…” He describes the process as being a little like panning for gold. And much of it is based on relationships with creatives, other festivals and distributors. A lot of the programme has also picked up awards at Cannes, Sundance, Venice and Berlin, but has yet to be shown in the UK. “We all need someone in all areas of life, who can alert us to the best bands to hear or films to watch. In such a noisy world we need people whose opinions you trust.”

Starting with a long list of suggestions from friends and colleagues, and all the work he’s been monitoring through its development, establishing a final selection involves watching hundreds of movies throughout the year.

The result is a festival which gives audiences a first sight of highly anticipated titles ahead of UK release and showcases many others from around the world. It’s staging a vibrant selection of one-off screenings across Brighton & Hove and in Lewes and Worthing – including some less-traditional venues. It’s something the organisers delight in, previously staging site-specific screenings in places like the Royal Pavilion Music Room and SEA LIFE Brighton.

Coming to Kingston’s Parish Hall, is a unique screening of Wolf Rilla’s Village of the Damned Adapted from John Wyndham’s The Midwich Cuckoos (which saw a small-screen version this year), it features an idyllic community where all the inhabitants suddenly fall unconscious. “It’s a beautiful bucolic village, with a lovely hall. It just seemed appropriate to show it there.” While production took place in Hertfordshire, Wyndham lived in Midhurst while writing the source book. So, there’s every chance this terrifying and morally ambiguous story of brood parasitism was inspired by the numerous small settlements across Sussex.

For the festival’s 20th year, it’s arriving with a post-covid brand and encouraging people back into cinemas. “As with all the arts and cultural activities, we really need people to go back to what they were doing before. It’s not a competition, but people are streaming things more than ever. So, we’d like to remind people about the cinema experience, and how special it is. We’re all in new territory. Nobody really knows how things will pan out in the future.” Going to the cinema is still special. There’s a collective experience, the screen is bigger, the sound is better, and it can turn into a real event. “You’re also more involved and you’re properly switching off and becoming immersed. It’s priceless really. Festivals sort of amplify that really. There are one-off screenings, and seeing it like that

does make everything a little bit special.”

This year’s venues include Duke of York’s Picturehouse and Depot in Lewes, with further screenings and events at Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Fabrica, Duke’s at Komedia, The Old Market and The Connaught Cinema in Worthing. There’s also a collaboration with South East Dance on Brighton Screendance, which presents a collection of dance on film at Sussex brandnew The Dance Space.

There’s a powerful horror strand coming to this year’s festival. Composers Elizabeth Bernholz (aka Gazelle Twin) and Ivor Novello Award-winning Sarah Angliss explore the art of scoring for horror with producer Jennifer Handorf (Prevenge, The Borderlands) in the Savage Noises live event. Their talk will be followed by a haunting 30-minute choral performance of some of the main themes from Amulet, performed by Sarah Angliss with vocalists Sarah Gabriel and Melanie Pappenheim, and percussionist Stephen Hiscock. There’s also the ghastly lure of a special screening for F.W. Murnau’s influential Nosferatu, featuring a live score performed by Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, the only silent movie harpist in the world.

Live cinema has been an important part of CINECITY since the festival’s first edition twenty years ago. This year sees Ennio Morricone’s magical score for The Battle of Algiers enhanced by Asian Dub Foundation. A blend of breakbeats and North African influences bring an alternative edge to Gillo Pontecorvo’s 1966 masterpiece.

The festival has forged a reputation for presenting successful work long before their general release. It opens with the massivelyanticipated She Said. Directed by Maria Schrader, Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan star in this powerful thriller about the New York Times journalists who exposed the horrifying extent of Harvey Weinstein’s serial abuse. “It is an exciting aspect of it. Obviously, it’s before the awards season, so you don’t know how things will play out. Often there’s not even trailers for the things we’re showing and you’re able to see things before a critical consensus has formed around them.” In turn, CINECITY closes with Empire of Light, Sam Mendes’ Oscar-tipped love letter to the collective experience of film, starring Olivia Colman as the manager of a 1980s South Coast cinema. “It feels like an appropriate film to close the festival. To be able to see that on the big screen at the Duke of York’s is perfect.”

There is a more serious side to the festival. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed offers an intimate account of ground-breaking photographer Nan Goldin. Directed by fearless journalist and film-maker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour), it won the Golden Lion at the recent Venice Film Festival for its profile of a fascinating career and activism. There’s also a special screening of the incredible thriller 1976, where a woman puts her privileged lifestyle in jeopardy as she fights

to help people during Pinochet’s regime in Chile. Closer to home, Georgia Oakley’s debut feature, Blue Jean, has just won an Audience Award at Venice Film Festival with its quiet and soulful drama about a closeted PE teacher in Thatcherite Britain.

To reflect world events, CINECITY is running a programme of works from Ukraine, in collaboration with the British council and Ukrainian institute. There’s two classics from the 60s which perfectly show the culture at that time, and two completely new dramas. These include Sergei Parajanov’s Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, a colourful and beguiling mix of folklore, dream-like mysticism and religious iconography. While the overlooked Brief Encounters, directed by Kira Muratova, is a beautifully unfolding love triangle with echoes of the French New Wave. “We wanted to put a package together to be shown, not just in Brighton, but Cornwall, Leeds and Cambridge as well. Cinema is that great way to understand other cultures, and some incredible films have come out of that country.” Dmytro SukholytkyySobchuk’s debut, Pamfir, is part thriller, part dark fairy-tale set in western Ukraine on the eve of a traditional carnival. Winner of the Directing Award in the World Dramatic competition at this year’s Sundance Festival, Maryna Er Gorbach’s Klondike is a fiercely uncompromising study of a couple trying to live a normal life amidst ongoing strife.

Presented in partnership with Screen Archive South East and the University of Brighton, CINECITY is supported by the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery. Through special screenings, talks and unique performances, it seeks to help audiences understand more about cinema and what inspires filmmakers. And cinema is all about prompting conversations about our place in the world. “You can come out of a film, have a chat with someone and realise it’s almost like you’ve seen something different. There’s so much to look at, take in and digest. That’s why so many good films demand repeated viewings.”

Cinema can introduce us to new experiences and transport us to different places. You might hear sounds and languages you’ve never heard, or see unimagined costumes, food, narratives and landscape. “Obviously we want to be entertained, but there is an innate human need to hear stories or find out more about other people and cultures. It’s the next best thing to travel.”

CINECITY comes to venues across Sussex on Fri 11 - Sun 20 Nov.

www.cine-city.co.uk

LE

by Thom Punton

CHEF: AN IMMERSIVE CULINARY JOURNEY

Ever been in a restaurant and wondered about the journey your painstakingly prepared food has taken before it landed on the plate in front of you? Ever heard the story of such a journey only to be disappointed by the prosaic genesis of your meal’s constituent parts? If so, Le Petit Chef at Hilton Brighton Metropole could be for you. For this immersive theatre and dining experience you are invited to suspend your disbelief and throw yourself into the idea that your meal is being prepared by the smallest chef in the world in front of your very eyes.

Using 3D mapping technology, the story of how this clumsy little Frenchman manages to cook delicious normal-sized meals despite being the size of a borrower is projected onto the table before each course. Le Petit Chef, designed by Belgium-based artistic collective Skullmapping has appeared in restaurants all over the world and Brighton is the first place in the UK to sample his cuisine.

As the meal begins, the table lights up with colour and becomes one big Provençal allotment plot for the setting of the first course’s backstory. There follows the construction of a burrata dish with its

radishes and beetroots being yanked out of the ground for garnishes. The drama steps up when a pesky mole gets involved, popping up on either side of the plate to try and wrestle the vegetables away from le chef, whose antics become increasingly slapstick – at one point standing on a rake that flips up to hit him in the face. There’s a light Pixar-like humour to the animation and plenty of small details to notice.

After the animation ends, the projected garden remains in place, acting as a tablecloth, with the long grass waving in the wind. With all the theatrical build-up, the question becomes: will the food actually be any good? And the answer for the first course of burrata with rocket, pickled baby beets, radish and balsamic glaze is a contented yes. The ball of burrata is creamy and oozy, with the other constituents lending sweetness, acidity and crunch.

For the second course, the tablecloth turns to the blue of the sea and le chef whizzes around the plate on a speedboat collecting seafood for his bouillabaisse. Things get dicey when a giant octopus emerges from the depths and tries to swipe him into the water. Luckily for us he manages to chop a couple of the tentacles off and they end up, still squirming, in the finished soup, which turns out to be deliciously rich and full of other fruits of the sea: seabass, mussels, tiger prawn, clams, all served with grilled ciabatta and a garlicky rouille. It has great depth of flavour and is almost sauce-like it’s so thick and flavoursome. The narrative element is particularly resonant for this course with the seafood in the soup looking like it hasn’t long been out of the sea.

We’re taken into the French countryside for the third course of chicken and wild mushroom terrine. Le petit chef is doing some foraging, whilst roasting a chicken on a spit. With a particularly resourceful spark of ingenuity, he chops down a tree with his giant Swiss army knife, uses it to dam the woodland stream that’s winding its way across the table, and harnesses the heat of the sun with a massive magnifying glass to boil the water for his potatoes. This plan works perfectly well, but

as he’s gathering the other ingredients, the magnifying glass he has carelessly left in the vicinity of some flammable leaves sparks a fire that soon engulfs his camp. Only breaking his makeshift dam can quench the flames. The terrine that results from his life-threatening exploits is luxurious and topped with tiny mushrooms that moments before had towered over le determined chef.

For the final two courses, le petit chef is back in his natural element –the kitchen. The main course of slow braised beef cheek with potato dauphinoise, roasted tender stem broccoli, herbed chantenay carrot, caramelised shallot and red wine jus, is grilled in front of us. All is going well until a bee turns up… We’re left feeling the meal has been ruined by the ensuing disaster but when it turns up irl it’s perfectly serviceable, if a little underwhelming flavour-wise.

As the dessert, a mandarin crème brûlée, is being cooked, the tablecloth morphs with patterns and colours as le chef adds spices and ingredients to the dish. It’s one of the most arresting and psychedelic parts of the meal, and – with a dragon that appears out a swirling cloud of steam – the most 3D. The crème brûlée itself is delicious – crispy on top, creamy and very citrussy.

For such a new concept, Le Petit Chef is ambitious in its attempt to bring together theatre and food, using cutting edge technology to entertaining effect. It’s perhaps a little difficult to pinpoint the market for this experience however. Kids would love the idea of seeing characters running across the table, but wouldn’t be so interested in the food; whereas the less frivolous amongst us adults might be unwilling to indulge the slapstick animation that breaks up the evening, when there are restaurants with more to offer menu-wise. Bringing theatrical elements into a dining experience can be tricky to balance, as the quality of the actual food can be left by the wayside after so much build-up. The cooking tonight was good but at £99pp for an adult and £49pp for children, it wouldn’t quite warrant the price tag alone. As a whole though, Le Petit Chef is a joyful, imaginative, novel way to experience food.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO STREET ART AND WHEN DID THIS START?

Street art found me 20 years ago, straight out of art school. It was a natural progression from doodling in sketchbooks to doodling on the back of toilet doors in nightclubs (sorry!), and then out onto the street…

I then swapped marker pens for spay paint and paste-ups, and away I went, leaving my mark across Brighton, London and Australasia as I travelled. I painted my first proper mural in Melbourne in 2003, which unbelievably, is still there today!!

I moved back to the UK to discover a thriving street art scene with loads of exhibitions, paint jams and festivals going on across Brighton, London, Bristol and Europe. And as street art began to be more accepted as a valid art form, the scene got bigger and bigger. It was a crazy exciting time with an amazing community of artists!

Being a female street artist at the time really was a rarity, and quite often I would be the only woman painting at the jam, or in the exhibition.

At the time, I didn’t really notice any point of difference, apart from the odd comment like “not bad...for a girl”! But as I got older, I realised how much I struggled with the egos and politics of it all, and how I wasn’t comfortable with that way of operating. In the end, I bowed out of the scene for a while, taking some time out to work on my confidence and mindset, to let myself play creatively, and to flex my technical life drawing and painting skills, in order to find a creative path on my own terms, without the restrictions of fitting into a certain genre or scene.

I am now back at it, which feels so great! And I am also combining my street art experience with a more fine art approach for my canvas-based work. This allows me to be much more experimental with my mark-making, using spray paint, brushes, rollers, scrapers, found objects, and even my hands. I’m hoping to bring this more experimental approach back to my street art at some point. I’m also learning to use oil paint, which has been an amazing adventure and has really elevated my painting.

My earlier work was heavily inspired by Japanese culture and aesthetics, with cute robots, geishas, and octopuses featuring heavily in my work.

When I had my “break”, my style definitely developed into something more refined, elegant and considered. My more recent work has embraced the forces of nature, with big luminous cloud formations becoming a signature trademark over the last few years. Bringing clouds into my work has really allowed me to experiment with colour and form. They have an otherworldly ethereal quality to them, apocalyptic yet hopeful, which is very enticing. To me they represent human emotion and it has become a really powerful visual language to play with. Colour and contrast is a really important part of my work.

I’m not interested in capturing natural or realistic tones. I LOVE neon and I’m not afraid to use it! I like things to have a fantastical feel, to be a little weird and dreamlike. I aim to create paintings that people can lose themselves in.

My inspirations come from all corners of culture, history and the natural world. I draw from the Old Master paintings, Japanese wood block prints, 70’s sci-fi book covers, 80’s futurism, dystopian movies, architecture, astro and quantum psychics, mountains, volcanoes, oceans, sunsets and everything in between. But I guess the common thread is drama and contrast, and anything that helps human beings understand each other and our place in the world. Current events have also played a massive part in my inspiration since the pandemic. My previous collection “The Lost Embrace” was all about reclaiming the moments of human contact we all missed out on during the pandemic, through paintings of hugs floating in clouds. It was an amazing way to process our collective experience and I was blown away by how well it was received.

DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE AND INSPIRATIONS.

Throughout my work there has always been a strong theme of fierce female energy, big hair and smouldering looks, with a hint of cute.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR NEW EXHIBITION BUBBLE GUM APOCALYPSE? AND WHERE CAN WE SEE THIS?

Bubble Gum Apocalypse is a brand new collection of paintings that explore the madness, frustrations and hope of the last few years, or

Ultimately the aim of my street art is to brighten people’s day, but also to reclaim the female figure in street art as more than just a pretty face.

BUBBLE GUM APOCALYPSE

We catch up with local artist Mishfit to discuss what it means to be a street artist and the inspiration behind her new exhibition after the recent “apocalypse”.

at least poke fun at it. Because let’s face it, if you don’t laugh, you cry, right!? For a while there, it was the end of life as we knew it, whilst our own experiences were commoditised and played back to us through TV and social media. People were losing their grip on reality. The whole thing felt so surreal, like we were all in a film about a long, slow boring apocalypse, which everyone coped with in different ways. There’s a big place for humour and irreverence in art and I wanted to explore that in this collection. Using an eyebleedy colour palette and painting titles such as “Hot Mess” and “Wake me up when it’s over”, this collection is striking, thought-provoking, and utterly relatable.

The exhibition is at Gallery40 in The North Laine from 11th – 20th November. Gallery40 40 Gloucester Road Brighton BN1 4AQ

MORE INFO HEREhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/bubble-gum-apocalypse-exhibition-bymishfit-tickets-445962735547 Free Admission. Come and say Hi!

WHAT WAS YOUR LARGEST MURAL?

My largest piece to date is the 8m x 10m mural on the side of CoApt down Lewes Road on the corner of Franklin road. It was so much fun to paint and it felt great to contribute to brightening up Lewes road. I would love to go bigger though, so if anyone has a MEGA wall, let me know! ;)

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST CHALLENGING COMMISSION OR ART PIECE?

Every piece has its challenges. But one of the most challenging was probably a commission in one of the stunning regency mansions on the seafront that had just been renovated. This involved painting on internal scaffolding over a massive staircase, and despite having dust sheets covering everything, constantly living in fear of dripping spray paint on the fancy carpet, or newly decorated Farrow & Ball walls below. Working in this kind of professional environment can be very stressful, but it all turned out great!

And on the flip side, years back, a crew of us quietly let ourselves into a super creepy abandoned Victorian mental asylum to explore and paint – only to be interrupted by the police, (called out for an unrelated incident,) who had become totally lost in the labyrinth-like building. They were terrified and asked if we could show them the way out! We politely obliged. They did the decent thing and didn’t book us! But for a few long minutes, I really thought we were screwed.

They have made it harder and harder to paint, with on-the-spot fines being issued by private security firms. The result is less decent street art and graffiti, and a marked increase in tagging. It’s mad really. Subsequently, I’ve started painting more up in London in places like Leake Street where you can paint any time, and Penge, where The London Calling team are liaising with local shop owners and property developers to secure walls for street artists. It’s an amazing project that has totally transformed the centre of the neighbourhood and made it a real destination for street art fans. I really think a project like that would be amazing for Brighton. There are some incredible graffiti and street artists down here, and, on the whole, the locals are really enthusiastic about it. It’s a real shame it isn’t supported more by the authorities. And now that Black Rock (Brighton’s legendary wall of fame) is set for redevelopment without any proper provision for open painting space, it’s just going to lead to even more tagging in town, because the kids won’t have anywhere to practice! Facepalm.

CAN PEOPLE BUY PRINTS OF YOUR WORK AND WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST POPULAR?

As yet, I’ve never done prints of my street art as it somehow seems out of context. But I do limited edition giclée prints of my paintings, and these can be purchased along with original artwork through my website www.mishfit.com. So far, The Lost Embrace prints are super popular. Along with the new collection which had its debut at The Other Art Fair in London In October.

Given that Brighton prides itself on its creative spirit, it’s ironic that the council has really turned its back on street art in more recent years.

STREET ART IS BECOMING MORE OF A RARITY. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE STREET ART SCENE IN BRIGHTON?

EARLY GIFT IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS

DON’T DELAY YOUR GIFT SHOPPING AND GET IN BEFORE THE RUSH!

Gift the gift of laughter this Christmas…

Celebrate the festive season by gifting a loved one the chance to see their favourite live show with Komedia’s Gift Vouchers.

With over 700 performances of comedy, music, cabaret and children’s theatre, Komedia’s programme features the very best international and national performers and includes Komedia’s all-conquering resident comedy shows: Komedia Comedy Club, Comic Boom, Bent Double, Down the Hatch and The Nest. Whilst winning the Chortle Comedy Award for Best Venue in the South a record 17 times, Komedia Brighton is also an important music venue in the city. A regular feature of The Great Escape, Komedia also remains at the forefront of new music.

Our Gift Vouchers are available to be posted or via email. Vouchers are available at £30, £40 and £50 if booked online via komedia.co.uk/brighton. If you require a different value please give us a call on 01273 647100 to arrange this.

For more info or to book online, please visit: komedia.co.uk/brighton

Want to buy gifts but also keep to your ethical morals? Then why not try these ‘clean ethical’ products from Glow Organic. The perfect stocking filler for Christmas.

Awake Organics Natural Hair Growth Kit - A duo of products to help grow stronger, healthier hair, using natural root stimulating and conditioning ingredients. £24

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Glow Organic is also offering this Black Friday discount from 18-29 Nov. Enjoy 20% off everything sitewide, plus free gift worth over £170 when you spend over £150.

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Cryptic Crossword

Across

3 Show hag's transmogrification to be nonsense (7)

belonging to us is sharp (4)

Move turbulently, like Charles apparently? (4)

Across

3 Show hag's transmogrification

(7)

8 Spearhead belonging to us is sharp (4)

9 Move turbulently, like Charles

(4)

11 Irritability of coppers admitting new

lacks opening (9)

12 Overbearing elves accepting debt after

(9)

17 Lively person initially gets over

relationship (4)

18/4 Starts to chant and yell, "take the money" (4,3)

19 Occur before hunt (7)

Down

1 Clothing seen in reckless hoedown (4)

2 Stylish, short, little bird (4)

4 See 18 Across

5 Urge to cook with rye and cheese (7)

6 Bean found with can opener in Saudi kingdom (7)

7 See 14

8 Shoot in November is out of season (5)

10 Tether the French tree (5)

13 Act gloomy as transport stops short (4)

14/7 Each child is a human being (6)

15 Beginning to object after losing, ref parts with meal (3)

16 Take advantage of right to be person in control (4)

14/7 Each child is a human

15 Beginning to object after parts with meal (3)

16 Take advantage of right control (4)

11

12

of coppers admitting new

opening (9)

elves accepting debt after hesitation (9)

person initially gets over

relationship (4)

18/4

Down

to chant and

(4,3)

before hunt (7)

in

with

found with can

(7)

in November

"take the

in Saudi

What led you to create Eric and when did it begin?

My best friend/business partner and I actually experienced the problem we’re now solving decades ago when we were at school. We both wanted to get into the creative industries when we were growing up, but had never been given any careers guidance about the creative world. So we never thought it was an option and we both ended up working in industries that didn’t excite us or suit us as a result. Fast forward to 2016 when we discovered that young people were still experiencing the same problem we had at school – so we decided it was about time someone did something about it. So we set out to put the creative industries on the careers education map and ERIC was born!

In its first iteration, ERIC was a series of alternative careers festivals about the creative industries – we built an audience of about 200,000 young people who registered for our events but then had to pivot due to the pandemic shutting our events down. So we ended up creating the second iteration of ERIC, The ERIC app, which we built over lockdown and launched this year.

How does the app work and is it free to use?

The app aggregates all the helpful careers-related stuff from across the internet that will help people learn about the creative industries and get their foot in the door, and we put everything into easy-to-navigate categories to browse through. It’s meant to be a tool that organises the chaos of the internet for you – our slogan is ‘we do the searching, so you don’t have to’. And it’s completely free to use!

Which creative industries does the app focus on?

There are 16 different industries that make up the creative industries, and we focus on all of them. The 16 industries are:

Advertising, Marketing & PR Architecture

Arts & Crafts

Culture & Heritage

Design

Digital Media Fashion Film & TV Gaming Music

Podcasts, Radio & Audio Photography & Videography Publishing

Theatre & Performing Arts Writing & Journalism VFX & Animation

Which age group is ERIC aimed at and can anyone use it? Do I need Qualifications?

ERIC is aimed at 16-25 year olds but is available for anyone to use, really. And you don’t need qualifications at all! It’s for people in any situation, whether they are in education, employment or training, or none of the above. I don’t have any qualifications past A-levels so it’s really important to me that the app is accessible to people who are pursuing alternative career paths or need extra support!

What kind of resources do you aggregate?

Podcasts, articles, interviews, resources, grants, competitions, outreach programmes, initiatives, paid freelance gigs, entry-level jobs and anything in between. All the things scattered across the web that are related to getting a career in any of the 16 creative industries.

How do you work with creative companies?

Businesses in any of the 16 creative industries who want to connect with potential employees can promote their career-related opportunities on the app, amongst the content & opportunities we aggregate. It’s a seamless and targeted way to get the next generation of employees to know about your brand. If you have an entry-level job, outreach initiative, careers event or anything careers-related you want to get in front of young people looking to get their foot in the door, this is the platform you should be promoting it on.

You also work with schools, don’t you?

Yes, we believe the promotion of careers in the creative industries needs to start as early as possible. So we created a microsite for staff who want to teach their students about the basics of the 16 creative industries and the opportunities within them. Anyone can access that on our website without having to download the app.

What’s the big aim for ERIC?

We want to completely redefine everyone’s perception of careers in the creative industries. Most people think the creative industries are limited to ‘the arts’, but it’s so much bigger than that. It actually employs 2.3 million people, and there are a further 1 million doing creative jobs in non-creative industries. It’s growing at 5x the rate of the wider economy and we should be encouraging young people to pursue careers in this sector as much as possible, because this is the future of the workforce! It’s futureproof and lucrative – our job at ERIC is to lead this movement and enable every young person in the world to access the creative industries.

BN1 chats with Samantha Hornsby to discover how this new platform works and how others can kickstart their career.

ERIC is a free app dedicated to helping young people explore, up-skill and get work in the creative industries.

THE DOWNS HOTEL

After a recent refurbishment, we went along to see the new changes at The Downs Hotel proudly situated on the corner of Woodingdean, Brighton.

On arrival, we pulled into the convenient parking bays which lead to a large seating area sweeping around the building. Gone with the black exterior, the bright transformation and decking area opens up to a beautiful view down to the sea. “It’s been nice to hear the buzz and chatter about what we are doing here and now the doors are open again, customers can see it in all its glory for themselves” Nick Whitacre, the general manager, tells us.

For the historians, you’ll be glad to know they kept the huge Downs Hotel lettering across the roof which was painted back in its original incarnation to help RAF pilots navigate their way home during WW2.

After being greeted by the friendly team we went and sat in a nicely lit seating area near the bar and mulled over the extensive menu. For the starters, we went for the glazed chicken skewers (£5.99) drizzled in a refreshing mango, chillie and pineapple dressing, plus the mini baked camembert (£7.29). Who doesn’t like gooey cheese!?

For the main, I chose the slow-cooked roast lamb shank (£14.49) coated in a deliciously rich red wine and minted rosemary sauce creating the perfect melt-in-the-mouth experience. This came accompanied with a crispy bubble and squeak, savoury cabbage, sweet and sour red onions and a side of beef gravy. A perfect meal for a blustery autumn day washed down with their gin of the month - Boe Raspberry and Sweet Basil Gin

My dining companion opted for the 8oz rump steak (£14.99), which gave me a bit of envy when I saw the plate loaded with triple-cooked chips, beer-battered onion rings, sauteed mushrooms and grilled vine tomatoes with a side of Stilton & Peppercorn Sauce (£1.99). It was a big thumbs up from them with a perfectly cooked medium rare steak.

There’s always room for pudding, right? But we couldn’t decide what to go for so our friendly server Louisa suggested we go for the Trio of Desserts (£6.49) which meant we could share a mini Espresso Chocolate Brownie (this was definitely my favourite), Eton Mess Sundae and mini Strawberry Daiquiri Cheesecake.

This was the moment I was glad we drove as we definitely ate too much. But for the none drivers, there’s a convenient bus service that goes past the pub regularly.

For the Sunday roast fans, you’ll be glad to know that they will happily top up your roast potatoes and Yorkshire puds for free (while stocks last) should you feel the urge to dive into a large food coma. You can also participate in their pub quiz every Sunday with a £50 bar tab up for grabs.

The venue also caters for large groups and Christmas party bookings, with options for sit-down meals (pricing starting at £27 for a 3 course) or £25 per head for a buffet.

For people travelling and looking for a place to stay they also have a Bed and Breakfast service with 8 different room options varying in size from single rooms to executive suites. All rooms include breakfast and it's only a 20 minute drive to the centre of Brighton.

www.classicinns.co.uk/downs-hotel-brighton

The Downs Hotel Warren Road Brighton BN2 6BB

LYNDSEY CLAY

CONNECTING BRIGHTON

We caught up with Lyndsey Clay, the founder of Connected Brighton, on her mission to give back to her home town and bring people together.

LET’S START FROM THE BEGINNING, WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START A BUSINESS?

The idea for Connected Brighton came to me while we were in the deep dark depths of lockdown. My social circle had shifted, I was single, I wanted to put money back in the independent businesses of Brighton who I was watching struggle to survive and I needed a new tribe to enjoy the city with when lockdown ended. I love my mates but due to various factors they aren’t as accessible or able to socialise the way we used to. Covid, relationships, kids, health and rising costs all playing a part. I thought if I need this, someone else must need it too. And Connected Brighton was born.

STARTING A BUSINESS IN A PANDEMIC, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT?

I always joke how the title of my memoir will be “How I started an in person social events company in a socially distance pandemic and became a millionaire”. But seriously, there really is never a perfect time to start a business, and actually what you have to offer could be the perfect antidote to the current climate. Connected Brighton worked because of the pandemic, people needed people.

SO WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL IDEA?

The original plan was for a monthly diners club, and then expanded into the breadth of weekly event we now host. I also thought being single that we would only attract single people, but our first event had couples which took me by surprise. I hadn’t realised that couples needed to make friends too, due to the same reasons I had as a single person. Social circles change. And of course so many people moved to Brighton in the pandemic and hadn’t had a chance to build their network. Suddenly Connected Brighton had a much bigger audience and purpose.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Download our app or check out our website www.connectedbrighton. com to see all our weekly events. Anyone can attend as a guest or sign up to become a member to save money on all our experiences and

get discounts from local brands. We support local in everything we do from where we host events, to our member offers to our sponsors. I’m always encouraging our community to shop small and local to keep Brighton boutique and unique! We also host a monthly podcast to share Brighton stories with some of the cities most loved figures in entertainment and hospitality.

WHAT TYPES OF EVENTS DO YOU HOST AND WHO COMES?

We like to showcase the city and promote local. We do everything from fancy dinners, to wine tasting nights, ping pong tournaments, petanque, brewery nights, karaoke and kayaking. Plus cocktail evenings, workshops and theatre nights. Everything we do is made bespoke for our group, personally hosted (including help from my lovely intern Lois), curated and locally led (currently sponsored by Lawton & Dawe, Bar Broadway and Bite Me Burger). There are at least two events every week for small groups to connect. We have lots of lovely members who come out regularly with us, typically most people are over 35 and looking to expand their social network.

WHAT IMPACT HAS CONNECTED BRIGHTON HAD ON YOU?

It’s changed my life. I’ve never felt more passionate, purposeful or empowered as I do running a business. It’s tough and brilliant all at once. I’ve watched people become friends, get into relationships and support each other through the tough times. I’ve made new friends, learnt so much about my city and found skills I didn’t know I had.

AND NOW IT’S NOT JUST CONNECTED BRIGHTON, YOU’VE GOT A SINGLES BRAND NOW TOO.

Yes! We just launched our sister brand, The Single Sessions, our collaboration with Laura Buckley from Secret Alchemy. Connected Brighton is friendship focused, The Single Sessions is aimed specifically at singles looking to date and expand their single network. We also host workshops to help singles feel happy and confident because it should always be win/win whether you are single or with someone special. There’s a very boring assumption that if you are single you must be lonely, but I love the freedom of being single! We wanted to do dating differently, moving away from speed dating and instead hosting singles parties.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER PEOPLE THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS IN THE CITY?

Follow your gut and get advice from the amazing pool of business support networks in Brighton.

The Jubilee Library with the BIPC is a great place to start. I offer gifted coaching here to support entrepreneurs with their wellbeing, there are loads of 121 experts all giving free advice to help you.

I just started hosting the Brighton Business Show on Radio Reverb with Ben Duffy, my co-host from our podcast to help people navigate the ups and downs of running a business. Being able to give back to the business community has been really important to me as I was made to feel very supported when I started and it made such a difference to my journey.

YOU ARE LITERALLY CONNECTING BRIGHTON! WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

Continue to build Connected Brighton and The Single Sessions, grow our radio show and give back to the community as much as I can all whilst having a brilliant time in this fabulous city of ours.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING?

I’m a social butterfly forever socialising with family, friends and people I’ve met through my businesses – that’s why my business never feels like work! I also love exercise, travel and trash TV.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU?

I am all over social media, give us a follow and subscribe to our newsletters.

www.connectedbrighton.com www.thesinglesessions.co.uk www.radioreverb.com @connectedbrighton

@thesinglesessions

JAVIER ENCINA GETS TECHNICAL AT SIMON WEBSTER HAIR

SPECIALIST IN TEXTURED AND AFRO HAIR

WHEN DID YOU BECOME A PROFESSIONAL HAIR STYLIST AND COLOUR EXPERT?

I trained as a hairstylist thirty years ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and have worked across Europe for the last twenty years.

YOU CURRENTLY WORK OUT OF SIMON WEBSTER HAIR SALON IN THE NORTH LAINE. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE AND HOW DO PEOPLE BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?

I’ve been at Simon Webster Hair since 2014 – with a break for a short time when I went back to Spain. I’m a freelance Brand Ambassador at SWH and do styling for magazines as well. Clients can book in with me directly or via the salon.

YOU SPECIALISE IN AFRO AND CURLY HAIR. IS THAT UNIQUE TO THE AREA?

When I first came to Brighton ten years ago, there were hardly any salons that specialised in textured hair types, especially afro, which was surprising for me because Brighton is such an inclusive city. That’s one of the reasons I joined SWH; because I liked that inclusive ethos. I firmly believe that every salon should cater to all hair types. Now I’m pleased to say that there are more salons that work with curls.

DID YOU OFFER THIS IN OTHER PLACES BEFORE?

I’ve always worked with textured and curly hair. I have curly hair myself and working in Buenos Aires and the south of Spain, it was commonplace for clients to have curls. But it’s not all I do – I am a colour specialist with a degree in creative colour and have worked with many different brands over the years. I most enjoy doing colour transformations where I can create a bespoke colour for my client and finish it off with a personalised cut to complete the whole look.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE HARDEST HURDLES TO OVERCOME OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?

The pandemic was a massive challenge for all of us. Especially in the hair industry because it’s a very personal and intimate service so faceto-face contact and communication is really important. As well as that, it impacted on general safety policies, like needing to re-skintest every client in case of an allergic reaction.

Our industry is always evolving, so it’s important to educate yourself in the new techniques and trends more generally. I like to challenge myself to always develop my skills and experiences. Probably my biggest challenges have been as an educator or presenter on-stage – having the courage to speak to an audience rather than one-on-one with a client.

DO YOU RUN ANY OFFERS THIS TIME OF YEAR AND HOW BUSY ARE YOU? WHEN IS BEST TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?

November can be quieter because people are thinking ahead for Christmas. But by the middle of the month, you can feel the December rush starting to build.

I’d always recommend booking in advance so you have plenty of time with your stylist and time to think ahead and plan what you’d like from the appointment.

And if you’re having a colour service, then first you need a consultation. It’s a complimentary, commitment-free appointment where we can spend some time talking about your lifestyle, likes and dislikes. Then we match the colour service and finished look to your hair type and exact needs.

EXPRESS YOURSELF!

Hair is one of the most visual ways we can express ourselves every day. It’s our crown. And so it’s really important to look after it and to have a style that makes you feel great about yourself. I’ve had clients ask for colours before that I know will damage the hair or won’t work with their style or face-shape, so I always try to offer my professional advice and give them the best service possible.

Using the best products is just as important, in-salon and at home. At SWH I use vegan, ammonia-free and PPD-free products that I know will protect the integrity of the hair as well as producing beautiful results. Services with me start at £50 and I offer students a 15% discount, as well as a 15% thank-you discount to all those NHS workers that really got us through the last couple of years.

Insta: @javier_encina_hair @simonwebsterhair Bookings: www.simonwebsterhair.com Bookings: 01273 605577

Across

Forcefully assert (6)

or Capricorn, for instance (6)

Put off to another day (7)

vain or conceited man (7)

in England / against ale (anag)

Greasy (4)

(5)

off (8)

(8)

Distributed (5)

(4)

Aspect of Christianity asserting that unbelievers need to be saved (10)

For the public good / in favour of U2

(3,4)

mentally (7)

Neophyte (6)

country bordering 1 down (6)

Down

1 Second most populous country in the world (5)

More resolute (7)

Vast plain in Tanzania (9)

Spanish wine (5)

Small flute (7)

Sharing guilt (9)

Person of the cloth (9)

Crime not owned up to (3 3 3)

Teacher (9)

Natural phenomenon caused by refraction of light (7)

TV series created by Donald Glover (7)

Listlessness (5)

Nigiri, for instance (5)

by

Things to Love About Brighton This Winter

By Amy Stanborough

Personally, I am a summer girl through and through. I love the early mornings and enjoying a morning cuppa in the garden as much as I love the long evenings of eating fish and chips as I watch the sunset, and not letting the seagulls have any. But winter is just around the corner now and Brighton still has so much to offer, allowing me (and you) to romanticise the dark evenings and rainy days. In order to embrace the cosy instead of dreading the cold, I’ve composed this list of things to do to inspire us to get out and have something to look forward to every day for the next couple of months.

The Pavilion Ice Rink

From 29th October right through to January, one of Brighton’s most picturesque attractions will transform into a winter wonderland for another year. The Royal Pavilion has a pop-up ice skating rink each year and looks especially dreamy in the evenings as a chilly hue of purple is projected onto the palace. Also, there is a festive bar hosting a menu of warming treats including mulled wine and dinner too. It is the perfect activity for families, couples or groups of friends; there are penguins available to hire for the little ones, and student discount tickets too. Nothing epitomises a Brighton winter more than The Pavilion ice rink.

Christmas Markets

My favourite thing about this time of year is when the food vans start smelling like roasted chestnuts and there seems to be cookie or candy cane decorations around every corner. The wooden huts that inhabit the central strip between St Peter’s Church and Valley Gardens not only provide delicious food (think German bratwurst) but also have retail market stalls and live entertainment to keep you occupied throughout the afternoon and into the night. The outdoor event is all free entry, and is guaranteed to add a very jolly spirit to your typical Sunday stroll. Open Friday 25th November to Sunday 18th December.

Jazz Nights

Nothing seems cosier to me than being tucked up in the corner of a pub with a pint, listening to jazz playing overhead. Running bi-weekly at The Joker pub in Preston circus is ‘Jazz Lounge’ where you can expect cocktails and candlelit tables. Or The Paris House, the Frenchthemed café and bar on the border between Brighton and Hove, whose quirky customers are always getting involved in the music. While their November live music timetable has not been confirmed yet, October saw “The Monday Boys Jazz Session”. I’ve walked past before on a random Monday afternoon and people were stopping on the street to smile at the dancing and jiving couples inside. Also in that area, The Bees Mouth hosts regular classy jazz nights.

Komedia and Karaoke

Escape the rain and sit inside a comfortable theatre to laugh away with your loved ones. In the heart of The North Laine, Komedia is a venue which everyone in Brighton has probably heard of, even if they’ve never personally visited. If comedy isn’t your thing, you can also catch cabaret or children’s theatre as well as live music. It’s a vibrant space, bursting with creativity, and is especially diverse in the culture it provides. For a full list of what’s on this winter, go to https:// www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/whats-on/ online. Don’t fancy watching a show and would rather be the centre of attention instead? That is exactly what karaoke at Lucky Voice is for. You can hire your own

private room for as little as £6 out of peak times. Note that pricing may be different over the Christmas period so get it cheap while you can!

Sunday Roast

There is nothing more comforting than a proper Sunday roast at this time of year. While I am a firm believer in saving the turkey for Christmas day, make your weekends extra festive with pigs in blankets and mince pies for an evening treat. Cooking a roast at the weekend is the best way to socialise inside with your friends or family, especially if you all chime in and cook together. If you don’t fancy cooking at this time of year (reasonably so) there are also plenty of traditional pubs across Brighton which serve great roast dinners. The Master Marina at Brighton Marina is a personal favourite of mine. Think low beamed ceilings and an open fire to accompany your feast of beef and crispy potatoes with vegetables bathing in herbed butter. BRAVO voted Haus on the Hill as the number one Sunday roast in Brighton & Hove, so get yourself to Southover Street and see what the fuss is all about. Half a roast chicken with lemon and thyme or butternut squash wellington sounds divine to me.

The Duke of York Picturehouse

What better way to spend a rainy day than getting down to the cinema and cosying up with a big box of popcorn? It beats an evening of Netflix as the comfort of a good movie is combined with the pride of actually making it out of the house, plus you get the added luxury of surround sound. The Duke of York’s Picturehouse in Preston Circus is one of the oldest cinemas in the world yet shows the newest movies in Hollywood to keep you up to date with all the greatest contemporary screenwriting. The Duke of York is a Grade II listed building – truly a masterpiece of cultural history and providing the perfect ambiance and class for cinema. Every Monday, ticket prices for film showings are discounted too!

Simply walk around our special little city!

Brighton is a unique and magical place, and winter truly is a time for that magic to shine. While summer in Brighton is full of colourful beach days and park picnics, the winters are spent dipping in and out of coffee shops and wandering around The Lanes to the romantic haze of light coming out of restaurant windows. Make the most of what Brighton has to offer and try a new activity this November or December.

in association with CINECITY The Brighton Film Festival, University of Brighton and Worthing Theatres

celebrating the past, present and future of dance on screen

16-19 November

Scenes from South East Dance Past and Present

Wednesday 16 November | 7-8.45pm

The Dance Space £12, £8 concessions

Screendancing Histories

Friday 18 November | 3-5pm

The Dance Space & Online £10, £5 concessions in person, £5 online

Screentime: Dance Films & Play for Kids

Saturday 19 November | 10am-12pm

The Dance Space £7 adult, £3 child

Never Stop Moving

Thursday 17 November | 7-8.45pm

The Dance Space £12, £8 concessions

ScrEeNDance FEstivalBRIGHTON

Acts of Memory

Friday 18 November | 7-9pm

The Dance Space £12, £8 concessions

Filmmaking for Young Dancers

Saturday 19 November | 1.30-4.30pm The Dance Space £8

FInd out more and buy tickets at southeastdance.org.uk

@southeastdance

The Dance Space, 2 Market Square Circus Street, Brighton, BN2 9AS

Image: A still from the film Resilience by Diana Morales Sánchez