Cambridge Edition July 2018

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YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

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LOCAL LIFE

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FANTASTIC PRIZES UP FOR GRABS INSIDE THIS ISSUE

THE BIG WEEKEND

ALL THE NEED-TO-KNOW INFO ON THIS MONTH’S PARTY

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Cambridge

EDI T

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W E LCO M E

EDITORIAL

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Senior sub editor Lisa Clatworthy Sub editors Siobhan Godwood, Felicity Evans

ADVERTISING

Senior sales executive Chris Jacobs 01223 499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Charlotte Griffiths, Cyrus Pundole, Elodie Cameron, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Siobhan Godwood, Will Redmayne

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Editorial designer Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Ad production Man-Wai Wong 01223 499468 manwaiwong@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK find us @cambsedition CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage.

• Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area.

This month’s cover illustration was created by Flo Thomas. See more of Flo’s illustrations on Etsy at HeydayDesignsUK or at heydaydesigns.co.uk

Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk

Welcome

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’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: July is absolutely the best month of the year in Cambridge. Not only does our city look everso-handsome in the sunshine, the events calendar goes into overdrive around this time, serving up a feast of fun to get stuck into. Balmy evenings got you in the mood for a dance under the stars? The Big Weekend returns 13 to 15 for a huge, free party in the heart of the city on Parker’s Piece. True to form, the organisers will be laying on a slightly random, brilliantly cheesy line-up which includes 90s icons Right Said Fred.

There’s fireworks, food and family fun too over the course of the weekend – find out more on page 39.

Secret Garden Party – which disappeared forever from the Cambridgeshire countryside in a puff of glitter last summer – will need replacing in the diaries of local festival fans, and I think Standon Calling could be just the ticket. Taking place at Standon Lordship in Hertfordshire, a grand old manor house surrounded by gorgeous gardens, this quirky boutique shindig has got big-name bands, top DJs, an open air pool, fancy dress and plenty more to offer – read our interview with the event founder on page 46.

If you’re seeking a more refined affair, look to Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, which returns for its annual celebration of the Bard from 9 July to 25 August. Pack up a picnic and a bottle of wine and bask in the beauty of some of Cambridge’s most beautiful gardens while enjoying dynamic, vivid performances of Shakespeare’s best loved plays – we’ve got all the info in our Arts section.

Cambridge Comedy Festival is back too, showcasing a raft of top talent at the Junction 18 to 21 July. With 34 shows in total, it’s a micro-Edinburgh Fringe which brings together big name headliners and up-and-comers on the cusp of stardom – get the lowdown on page 44.

Perhaps you just want to relax and relish a Cambridge summer in all its glory: a pint by the Mill Pond, a punt down the river, a cycle to Grantchester for scones and tea at The Orchard, or a dip in the Jesus Green Lido – a linchpin of summer in the city which we chose as our cover star this month. However you spend it, enjoy the issue and have a wonderful July – see you next month!

Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF

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CONTENTS 6 l STARTERS

Miscellaneous musings on Cambridge, plus our favourite social media pics of the month

11 l ARTS & CULTURE

Exhibitions, art shows, theatre highlights and Ruthie Collins’ Art Insider column

23 l OPEN STUDIOS

Explore the workspaces of Cambridge’s creative crowd throughout July

29 l BOOK CLUB

A nook of Edition for book-lovers, with author interviews, special offers and more

34 l AFTER HOURS

Comedy, festivals, gigs and more nightlife fun to seek out this July

37 l MUSIC BLOG

The inside track on the best live music this month, from Slate the Disco’s Jordan Worland

39 l BIG WEEKEND

Huge, free festival returns to Parker’s Piece with live music, food stalls and lots more

44 l COMEDY FESTIVAL

Catch big names and rising stars at this year’s Cambridge Comedy Festival

75 53 l FAMILY FUN

46 l STANDON CALLING

A new aqua park, the reopening of the Maize Maze and an outdoor film screening

50 l A DAY AT THE RACES

Win a summer of fun with the whole family, courtesy of the Great Days Out group

Manor house in Hertfordshire welcomes back its colourful annual shindig We get the low-down on what’s in store at Newmarket Racecourse this month

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54 l COMPETITION 56 l LISTINGS

89 l EDUCATION

Felsted School consider how best to safeguard pupils’ happiness

63 l FOOD NEWS

90 l INDIE OF THE MONTH

72 l REVIEW

94 l HEALTH & WELLNESS

The latest news from Cambridge’s buzzing food scene We pay a visit to the King William IV in Heydon, a gorgeous countryside gastro pub

75 l 5 OF THE BEST 81 l CHEF’S TABLE

Alex gets into eating insects – and suggests you should do the same...

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84 l DRINKS TROLLEY

Wine tips, cocktail recipes and a peek at some of our favourite hidden bars around the city

Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this July

The finest sandwiches that Cambridge has to offer, plus a recipe for vegan bánh mì

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83 l NATURE’S LARDER

The Gog gives us the low-down on seasonal ingredients and what to do with them

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We catch up with Let’s Go Punting about all things river related

Health, fitness and wellness chat: this month we take a look around the city’s newest spa

96 l FASHION

We round up the top trends of the month and show you how to recreate them

99 l HOME & INTERIORS

A special on styling your conservatory, plus our monthly Ask the Agent column

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Starters @CHARLOTTESTEGGZ

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JULY ESSENTIAL

PAUS . FOR T HOUGH T

Relax and indulge this month at PAUS., a brand new Scandinavian-inspired ‘bathing and breathing’ retreat nestled in the Cambridgeshire countryside. Brought to you by the co-founders of Bathing Under the Sky, who have been festival regulars since 2010, this permanent space is located on an idyllic hilltop in Bourn, and will offer wood-fired hot tubs, a barrel sauna, workshops and a whole range of refreshments. They’re kicking things off with a launch event on 14 and 15 July, which will include garden games, goody bags and activities including pottery and yoga. pauscambridge.com

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XSTA X X XRTX EX RX SX WITHIN T H ESE WA L L S

DA L E’ S BR E W ERY

THE MORE YOU KNOW

DID LORD BYRON KEEP A PET BEAR AT TRINITY COLLEGE? “The poor dog, in life the firmest friend, the first to welcome, foremost to defend,” said Lord Byron in his poem Epitaph to a Dog. A lifelong dog lover, the eccentric poet kept many canine companions through his life, the most famous of which, his beloved Newfoundland Boatswain, had a colossal memorial constructed in his honour at Newstead Abbey. Upon arrival in Cambridge in 1805, he discovered that the powers that be at Trinity were rather less enamoured with dogs, and banned students from keeping them as pets at the college.

Dismayed, and characteristically mischievous, he came up with a solution: if there was to be no pet pooch in his dorms, he’d keep a bear instead. Since bears weren’t specifically banned by the statutes of the college, there was no legal grounds for complaint – and so it was that Lord Byron was allowed to keep CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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the bear with him at his lodgings until he graduated.

“I have got a new friend, the finest in the world, a tame bear,” he wrote in a letter to his friend Elizabeth Pigot. “When I brought him here, they asked me what I meant to do with him, and my reply was, ‘he should sit for a fellowship’.”

Goading the authorities seemed to be a source of great amusement to the young Byron, and rumour has it that he’d take his bear out for walks as one would a dog, delighting in the consternation this caused his teachers and fellow students.

Life with the bear gave Byron a taste for unorthodox pets, and after university, he’d go on to keep a whole menagerie of exotic animals which included monkeys, crocodiles and an eagle – one of the many flamboyant traits which ensured his legend remains etched in the annals of literary history.

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An imposing red-brick Victorian building, name spelled out in wrought iron lettering around its roof, Dale’s Brewery cuts an impressive figure. Today, you might nip through its Gwydir Street doors for a flat white from Hot Numbers café, but, as the name suggests, the drinks made inside used to be a little stronger. The building began life as the Gwydir Brewery in the 1870s; part of the late 1800s expansion of Cambridge which heralded the arrival of the many quaint Victorian streets which splay out from Mill Road. By 1889, the building was sold and the brewery closed, becoming a stable, but its beer-making days weren’t over yet. The building would eventually return to its original purpose with the arrival to Cambridge of a Mr Frederick Dale – a tailor-turned-brewer who set up shop on Gwydir Street in 1902. He enjoyed great success with his ‘beer of champions’, picking up various notable awards and providing the beer for Cambridge University’s Boat Race crews.

Himself a keen rower, Dale was president of the ’99 Rowing Club, as well as getting involved in many other local activities.

Numerous “Dale’s Cups” for different sporting activates are homage to his patronage of many sports clubs in the region.

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Culture Club ART EXHIBITIONS • THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS • INTERVIEWS • GIGS & CONCERTS

Art Deco Chrome Egg Cup

by Christopher Green, who will be exhibiting at Byard Art this month

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Arts Culture

MIXED SUMMER EXHIBITION King’s Parade gallery Byard Art welcomes back its annual mixed summer exhibition this month, showcasing a dazzling range of art from 5 July right the way through until 2 September. Amongst the works on display at the ever-changing exhibition will be striking, vibrant pieces by Byard returnee Christopher Green (pictured above), collages comprised of myriad materials by Kate Aggett, and stunning sculptures inspired by nature and ancient cultures by Mark Upton.

There will also be a chance to explore cabinets of contemporary handmade jewellery which cannot be found anywhere else in the city, and all pieces in the show are available to buy. byardart.co.uk CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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SCU L P T U R E EX H I BI T ION

A contemporary exhibition of sculpture by Romanian artist Liviu Mocan comes to Cambridge this summer. Commissioned by the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge, an organisation offering a faith-based perspective on contemporary issues, the Archetypes exhibition examines themes including belief, destiny, transcendence, sacrifice and revelation. The sculptures will spend two weeks in Cluj, Romania, before being unveiled outside Great St Mary’s Church in late July.

All the sculptures are made of brass, and Mocan has created them using techniques including computer-assisted design, 3D printing, laser and water jet cutting. The works range in height from 1.3 metres to an enormous 5.4 metres, with the smallest weighing 200g and the largest more than one tonne. The installation will be free to view, and will remain in Cambridge until December. archetypes-sculpture.org J U L Y 2 018

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HERITAGE LIVE CONCERTS AT AUDLEY END

Audley End, the Jacobean stately home just outside Saffron Walden, will host a trio of outdoor concerts in its stunning grounds this month.

On Friday 13 July, this grand old country pile will be transported back to the 1980s for an evening of cheesy fun with Jason Donavon, Midge Ure, Five Star, Hot Chocolate, Altered Images, T’pau and Toyah. Then, the very next night, it’s the turn of Jess Glynne, the singer responsible for recent chart toppers Hold My Hand, Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself and My Love. She’s joined on the Saturday line-up by Ella Eyre, Louisa Johnson and Rudimental, who’ll perform a DJ set.

The music continues into Sunday with a visit from Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, aka Croation cellist duo 2CELLOS. In this dynamic show, the pair will play music from their latest album Score, which features melodies from classic and contemporary films and TV shows. They’ll be joined on the stage by pianist, music producer and Britain’s Got Talent winner Tokio Myers, and the show will conclude with a spectacular fireworks finale.

Tickets are available from ticketline.co.uk

JULY WITH ENCHANTED CINEMA Enchanted Cinema has become a Cambridge summer fixture, and this July’s line-up promises a real box of delights. All of the month’s showings are in the secret garden at the Gonville Hotel, where there will be an outdoor bar and popcorn kiosk as well as magical light installations and live music before the film begins.

First up on Sunday 1 July is the undeniable smash hit of the year, The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya, and packed with all those songs that have been haunting the download charts for months and months and months.

If you’re less about sequins and showtunes and more about pecs

and planes, don’t miss Top Gun on Saturday 14 July – a classic tale of boy meets girl, boy sings to girl in crowded bar, boy finds out girl is his teacher. You can almost smell the jet fuel and testosterone.

Finally for July, don’t miss Chef on Sunday 15th, a top choice for foodies and film lovers. Directed by Jon Favreau, it stars Sofia Vergara and John Leguizamo. In keeping with the delicious theme, Enchanted Cinema will be putting on a special tailored menu for this showing.

For all performances: doors open at 7.30pm, with live music from 8pm, before the velvet curtains roll back and the film begins at 9pm. enchantedcinema.co.uk

FAREWELL TO HOLMES? From 9 to 14 July at the Arts Theatre there’s the chance to see Sherlock Holmes face what could be his final mystery. He’s living in genteel retirement on the south coast, beekeeping, fishing and generally keeping himself out of mischief – and out of the hands of his enemies. But when Mary Watson, wife of Dr John Watson, visits to tell him that she has glimpsed her long-dead son James through the window of his old Baker Street home, Holmes is spurred into action once again. This gripping drama, packed with twists and chilling revelations, has been commissioned from dramatist Simon Reade – of Private Peaceful fame - by Theatre Royal Bath, and reunites Robert Powell and Liza Goddard after their acclaimed runs together in Single Spies and Relatively Speaking.

Showings are at 7.45pm Monday to Saturday, with 2.30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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HOTBED 2018 Theatre festival Hotbed returns from 6 to 7 July, promising a weekend of hot-off-the-press writing from both established and up-and-coming talent. Produced in partnership by Cambridge Junction and Menagerie Theatre Company, the event was founded in 2002 with the goal of showcasing fresh new writing for the stage.

This year’s line-up will include two works by internationally acclaimed Irish theatre company Fishamble: their Olivier Award-winning production of Silent, and the stunning new Underneath. The latter, a brave, bleak portrait of a homeless man who’s lost everything, examines the lives of those who survive on the fringes of society and asks: is beauty really only skin deep?

Maria Montague, one of Menagerie’s young writers, is welcomed back to the festival with Maklena, a dynamic adaptation of the original 1933 Ukranian play of the same name. Using puppetry and the original score, the production tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who fixates on a fairy-tale vision of the Soviet Union.

Also set to be a highlight is the Activate project’s performance, produced by Patrick Morris, the co-artistic director of Menagerie, in conjunction with Coleridge Community College. The Museum of Maps uncovers stories of Cambridge that have not yet been heard, blending biography with fantasy to create a unique performance installation. Audiences will have the chance to meet the map-makers and life-dreamers, whose original work is inspired by artists they have worked with in the past year of the Activate project.

From a reading of a new play by Bruntwood Award-winning writer Janice Okoh, to workshops with Fraser Grace and James McDermott, there’s plenty more to seek out – check out the Junction’s website for full event listings. junction.co.uk

B MOVIE FESTIVAL

Are you a fan of B movies? If so, you’re not alone – the team at the Junction are so keen that they’ve set up a festival to celebrate all things B. Running from Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 July, there’s an impressive line-up of cheesy movies, from hilarious 80s mullet action to overthe-top splatter mayhem from the 60s. The festival kicks off at 11am on Saturday with Suburban Commando starring Hulk Hogan, and winds up at 9pm on Sunday with Q: The Winged Serpent. The festival will also feature a craft ale bar, stalls and a retro gaming floor. You can buy tickets for films individually or choose from a range of day or weekend passes, up to and including the Diamond Pass for £85, which includes tickets to all films plus tons of geeky goodies, and food and drink vouchers. junction.co.uk

SOUNDS GREEN On Wednesday evenings all through July, Cambridge University Botanic Garden will be filled with a feast of sound, as the Sounds Green festival brings four nights of live music to this beautiful outdoor setting.

First up, on 4 July, is Prime Brass, a ten-piece brass ensemble with a strong local following, well-known for its popular family concerts. Next, on 11 July, is She’Koyokh – the name is a Yiddish word meaning ‘nice one!’ – a prize-winning group playing klezmer and traditional music from the Balkans and Turkey. TG Collective bring their eclectic mix of hotclub, flamenco and jazz to the garden on 18 July, while on 25 July, Afrosamba make a welcome return to Sounds Green with their repertoire of Afro-Brazilian jazz, samba and bossanova.

For each performance, the music starts at 6.15pm and lasts around an hour, but visitors are welcome to stay and enjoy the gardens until 8pm. The Garden Café will be serving food and drink; bar drinks will be served by Thirsty and Jack’s Gelato will also be selling ice creams. No tickets are required, but normal garden admission fees apply. botanic.cam.ac.uk

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CAMBRIDGE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

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hether you’re planning your first visit to see a play at the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival (CSF) or you’re an old hand who comes back year after year, you’re in for a real treat. There’s something about the combination of timeless theatre, wonderful actors and balmy summer weather (if you’re lucky) in the idyllic surroundings of a College garden that makes being in this wonderful city in the summer even more special. Add in a picnic, or some nibbles and a glass of something chilled and sparkly – you can bring your own to enjoy before the play starts – and you’ve got the recipe for the perfect summer’s evening.

The festival’s format is a run of four plays in July, followed by four more in August. The July season starts on the 9th and goes through to the 28th, with performances Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm. Also keep a lookout for special afternoon charity performances of some of the plays. The productions feature traditional Elizabethan dress, and aim to make Shakespeare accessible and enjoyable even for those who aren’t familiar with the plays, so a trip to the festival is a great way to introduce children and teenagers to the wonders of the Bard.

Each play takes place in a different college garden: King’s College will be hosting A Midsummer Night’s Dream – a Cambridge Shakespeare Festival favourite, and it’s easy to see why. With its themes of love and loss, fairies and forests, magic and mysticism, it’s pretty much the perfect play to enjoy in the idyllic surroundings of one of Cambridge’s most famous college grounds.

Over at St John’s College gardens you can enjoy The Taming of the Shrew, another of Shakespeare’s best-known plays. Two sisters, Bianca and Katherine, could not be more different. While suitors are queuing up to marry Bianca, the girls’ father, Baptista, is adamant that his older daughter must marry first. But Katherine is a bit of a handful, being the ‘shrew’ of the play’s title, neither is she very keen on the idea of marriage – and finding a willing suitor proves to be something of a challenge.

Head to Downing College gardens for The Merchant of Venice. Antonio, the merchant of the play’s title, has borrowed

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money from Shylock, a moneylender, to be repaid when his ships dock in the city. But Shylock has demanded a terrible price if he should be unable to repay the debt. This play addresses themes of tolerance, justice and mercy, and Shylock is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and controversial characters.

Finally, in Trinity College gardens there’s the chance to see Cymbeline, a play set in a Britain beset by division and conflict, teetering on the brink of isolation and alienation. Sound familiar? The story sees Imogen set out in search of her poor-butworthy husband Posthumus, banished by her father, the King of Britain, who deems him unworthy of his daughter’s hand. It’s one of Shakespeare’s less well-known plays but is well worth a visit for its themes of love, betrayal and ultimate redemption.

August sees four more wonderful plays from CSF: Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, Pericles and Twelfth Night, so stay tuned to Edition for lots more information about what to expect. cambridgeshakespeare.com

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CASTLE HILL OPEN DAY Explore one of the oldest and most vibrant corners of Cambridge this month, when venues in the Castle Hill area open their doors on 21 July for a host of fun and fascinating activities. Sample tasty bites from food stalls or pack up a picnic and make a day of the event, which will bring together historians, artists, musicians and dancers to provide a range of free, drop-in events for all ages. kettlesyard.co.uk

C A M BR IDGE T I M EL IN E CHOIR The Emmanuel United Reformed Church on Trumpington Street will come alive with sounds ancient and modern on 14 July, when Cambridge Timeline Choir perform their latest concert. From musical conundrums that must be sung to be solved, to tales of witty characters riddling their way out of trouble – or into a lover’s bed! – the choir will serve up a vocal pageant of puzzles through the ages. Songs such as Scarborough Fair and I Gave my Love a Cherry will be performed alongside lesser-known gems The Maid of Ocram and Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship, tracing the tradition back to the riddles of the Anglo-Saxon world through the Renaissance, all the way to the present day.

Tickets are £15 including a drink and a programme. timelinesongs.org

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The Art Insider RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH

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rt is now part of the language of freedom and democracy”, say Bob and Roberta Smith in their open letter to Michael Gove, which you can see as part of the Heong Gallery’s new summer show, DO I HAVE TO DRAW YOU A PICTURE? This is an exhibition with a fantastic range of artists – including Louise Bourgoise and Grayson Perry – exploring communication and isolation, with works on loan from the likes of the British Museum.

Bob and Roberta Smith’s uncompromising letter could be the thoughts of millions in the UK, as art is slowly removed from many school curriculums – a heartbreaking trend. Take art out of schools and “you shut the door on children’s development and emasculate British culture”, the Smiths point out. With a wide range of events as part of its programme, you can see DO I HAVE TO DRAW YOU A PICTURE until 7 October.

This is the perfect month to put art at the heart of your free time, with all those glorious summer weekends – as Evelyn Waugh writes in Bridsehead Revisited, “If it could only be like this always – always summer”. Make the most of it with a trip to Cambridge Shakespeare Festival – if you haven’t yet experienced the magic of this event, make this the summer you do so. Apart from anything else the setting alone, in college gardens all over the city, is enough to make the occasion a memorable experience. One of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will run at King’s College gardens from 9 July – why not add to the fairy tale magic by bringing your children dressed as fairies?

Not always open to the public, the college gardens are some of Cambridge’s most famous attractions. But what of those hidden beauty spots and quirky places that hold a special place in people’s hearts that often go missed or overlooked? New Geographies have announced its artist selection for site-specific commissions all over East Anglia – with one commission taking place in an abandoned Tesco supermarket in Chatteris.

The East of England, already home to the likes of Wysing Arts Centre, is fast becoming an emerging hotspot for

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contemporary art. Check Wysing’s Open Studios on the 14th and 15th for the chance to see artists at work in their studios – plus to catch Making Everyday, their show running until 15 July. Watch out for studio artists Laurence Epps, whose Cambridge-based work is wry, political and humorous.

Ely, a cultural jewel in the midst of the Fens, is a hive of activity, with Babylon Gallery showing Spanish sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miró this month. With its riverside walks, cathedral and market, the short train journey makes this bijou city worth the visit. Wicken Fen, one of the area’s most stunning nature reserves, was recently home to an Arts Council-supported secret gig with folk-electronica artist Kerry Devine, who fuses multimedia with her sometimes disruptive performances (utterly spellbinding). Her album Away From Mountains is full of references to the rich, magical history of the Fens.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Cambridge’s artists open their doors to the public as part of Cambridge Open Studios this month – making the trip to visit such a broad variety of artists can turn into a rich pilgrimage, revealing surprising corners of the city, too. Watch out for founder of the Cambridge Art Book, collage artist Emma Bennett, whose colourful eye morphs iconic Cambridge landmarks into psychedelic marvels; or Heloise Toop, whose sumptuous

“If it could only be like this always – always summer...” figurative paintings can be seen on Newmarket Road, with the artist herself doing a spot of live painting throughout each weekend.

Those wanting a tour of public art in the city this summer – with a twist – will love Gavin Turk’s cycle rides of major public art pieces, all on a fleet of colourful bikes, in association with Brookgate. “Ride a bike, become an artwork and take a tour of ‘hidden’ sculptures and points of special interest around Cambridge,” says Gavin. The map is drawn by Cambridge-born artist Adam Dant and the last of the three cycle rides – The Metaphysical Cyclist – is on 8 July. Bike lovers will also appreciate the Syd Barrett public art piece on show at the Cambridge Corn Exchange: CODA, designed by Clare Palmier and Spadge Hopkins, a shimmering spectacle of mirrored surfaces and bike parts. Have a fantastic summer, all. l

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Open Studios

O P E N ST U D I O S

CAMBRIDGE

THE ANNUAL CAMBRIDGE OPEN STUDIOS EVENT IS A CHANCE FOR LOCAL ART LOVERS TO MEET ARTISTS AND DISCOVER WHERE AND HOW THEY WORK. SIOBHAN GODWOOD TALKED TO SOME OF THE ARTISTS INVOLVED TO FIND OUT MORE…

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nyone who lives in Cambridge or visits regularly will know what a vibrant art scene there is here. And if there’s one event that really captures the vitality of the local creative landscape it’s the annual Cambridge Open Studios event, taking place this year throughout July.

Cambridge Open Studios (or COS) is one of the oldest open studio events in the country, dating back to the 1960s, when a small group of Cambridge artists joined forces, opening their studios to the public as part of a movement to demystify arts and make them available to all. Since then the event has gone from strength to strength, and currently has around 470 active members from Cambridge and the surrounding villages.

As well as a way for art lovers to discover local talent, COS allows artists and craftspeople to get advice and tips from other artists, and have their work included in the event’s promotional materials and social media activity. For some artists, it’s a unique way to get their work seen and noticed, too. “I had a long break from art while I had my family,” says Caroline Henricksen, who exhibited her botanical watercolour drawings at COS for the first time last year, “and I’m so glad I did COS. Through my work being on the Open Studios website, I ended up on Countryfile on the BBC and that led to my cards and prints going into galleries all over the UK. But for me, the best part of COS was the comments I got from people who came to see my work. It was such a boost to my confidence, and made me feel that coming back to art was something that I could make a success of.”

The experience of spending a July weekend travelling around our beautiful city and surrounding villages, meeting artists and seeing a huge range of different art and crafts, is one that shouldn’t be missed. Part of the event’s ethos is that there’s no pressure to buy, and there’s almost always a range of items at different price points, from huge multimedia artworks to packs of postcards. So whether you’re looking to add to your collection, discover a new local artist, or just immerse yourself in beauty and creativity for the weekend, there will be something at Cambridge Open Studios for you. u

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Image Tom Sims specialises in acrylic and gouache mixed media painting, and will be exhibiting at this year’s Cambridge Open Studios from his studio in Ely together with his wife, Valerie Sims

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JOCELYNE DUDDING JOCELYNE CREATES JEWELLERY INSPIRED BY THE HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE AND ITS ARCHAEOLOGY, FLORA, FAUNA AND FOLKLORE.

LOU ISE HILT ON LOUISE WORKS PRIMARILY IN WATERCOLOUR, PRODUCING CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS OF CREATURES, WILDLIFE AND NATURE.

This is my first time doing COS, and the team have given me lots of support and advice about how to make the most of the event. They offer a mentoring service for first timers, so I’ve been teamed up with Helen Clark and she’s passed on lots of hints and tips. I’ll be exhibiting from my home, and there’s been lots of preparation as I wanted to have lots of work ready that people haven’t seen before. I’m keen to get my art out there for people to see it, and I’m also really looking forward to meeting other artists; there’s a thriving artistic community here in Cambridge and it’s exciting to be a part of it.

Louisehiltonart.com COS 2018: weekends 2 & 3

This is my fourth year doing COS; I exhibit with a ceramic artist and a painter on Fen Road. It’s a huge amount of preparation, and I know it’s good for me to have a deadline, but it’s definitely a bit stressful! This year I haven’t had much time to make jewellery as I’m on the guide commitee, and have been spending lots of time helping put together the famous yellow guides that help visitors choose who to visit and where to go. As an artist, I’m part of the East Chesterton Trail; there are 18 artists all within walking distance of each other, and when each of us has visitors we recommend other artists for them to visit on the trail.

There’s a lovely sense of community, being part of Open Studios.

COS 2018: weekends 3 & 4

HEATHER STOWELL HEATHER IS A JEWELLERY DESIGNER AND SILVERSMITH; HER WORK FEATURES VINTAGE AND ANTIQUE BUTTONS SET IN HALLMARKED SILVER AND GOLD. I exhibit for Open Studios in the Artists Marquee at Burwash Manor with a group of other artists, and help to organise the gallery there as well as exhibiting myself, which is a bit of a juggling act! Many of us who exhibit in the marquee have been doing COS for years, so there’s a real community feeling, and we get to know each other and take pride in each other’s work and achievements. And of course there’s quite a bit of cross pollination – each of us has visitors who have to come to see our work specifically, but of course they see the other artists’ work while they’re here, so it’s a great way for visitors to discover new local artists, and for each of the artists to reach a new audience. heatherstowell.com COS 2018: weekends 1, 2, 3 & 4 J U L Y 2 018

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O P E N ST U D I O S

MOR E I N FOR M AT ION

Cambridge Open Studios runs annually for four weekends in July: this year running on 7/8, 14/15, 21/22 and 28/29.

Visit camopenstudios.co.uk to download the free guidebook, find full details of the artists involved and to check which weekends each artist is exhibiting.

The guidebook is available in galleries, museums, independent cafes and park-and-ride sites throughout Cambridgeshire.

Twitter @CamOpenStudios or the Facebook page features details of the artists and information about trails or collaborations.

Look out for the yellow flags that artists display to show that they’re taking part in the event and are open to visitors.

Top Paul Jannsens works in oil and acrylic paint combined with collage on wood This image Cathy Parker recreates trees and landscapes using oil, acrylic, watercolour and ink

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O P E N ST U D I O S

S T E WA R T HE A R N STEWART IS A GLASS-BLOWER WHO CREATES UNIQUE ART-GLASS TABLE LAMPS, BOWLS AND VASES.

I’ve done Cambridge Open Studios five times, and this year I’ll be exhibiting my work alongside my wife Kathryn, who is a ceramicist. We’ll be displaying our work in the house and the workshop – we’ve got a listed barn in our garden which we got permission to convert it into a glass-blowing studio, and Kathryn has her studio next door to it. Last year we exhibited in our house too. It was good to show my glass in situ as people often like the work but can’t quite imagine it in their homes, and seeing it in ours really helped. We don’t do demonstrations, because it’s nice to chat to people and it’s very hard to do that when I’m demonstrating. People are interested to hear about the work and the ideas behind it, and I enjoy the chance to talk about it. I’m looking forward to this year’s COS, but feeling slightly intimidated by the prospect of getting everything ready for it! stewarthearn.com COS 2018: weekends 2 & 3

LAYNE ROWE LAYNE WORKS WITH HOT GLASS, COMBINING TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES AND FORMS WITH CONTEMPORARY IDEAS.

This is my first time doing Cambridge Open Studios, as I’ve recently moved to March in Cambridgeshire and set up my studio. I’m going to have part of my house open, with some of my work displayed in the home setting, and also some set up in my workshop and in another small gallery that I have upstairs. I’m preparing my work all through the year anyway, but in the run-up to COS I’m making sure that I have a little bit of everything from my range, all ready at once. I want people to see the full breadth of what I do, and it’s good to have a deadline to work towards to get my studio all sorted and ready for people to see. Being new here, I’m looking forward to getting to know people in the area and for them to get to know me and my work. layneroweglass.co.uk COS 2018: weekends 2, 3 & 4

K AT E GR EEN

KATE IS A PAINTER, SPECIALISING IN COLOURFUL, EXPRESSIVE AND BOLD ABSTRACT PAINTINGS. I did Cambridge Open Studios for the first time last year. I was ready to start networking with other artists and it was really useful as a way to start getting myself known. I had lots of work that I was keen to get feedback on, and I wanted to share what I do and hopefully stir creativity in other people. It was lovely to invite people into my home – my studio is in my garden – and people were interested in seeing how I work. I feel that it’s important to show people my process, because what I do is actually really simple. It’s abstract, it’s bright, it’s colourful, and it’s the sort of thing that anyone could do, and people like seeing the layers and how I build things up using straightforward techniques. It empowers people and hopefully inspires them to have a go themselves. flourishandfly.co.uk COS 2018 weekends 1 & 2 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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BOOK CLUB CAMBRIDGE EDITION

Book Club BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS

INTERVIEW BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

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WHITE HOUSES BY AMY BLOOM

hite Houses is a short, beautifully tender novel about the love affair and relationship between Lorena ‘Hick’ Hickock, the most prominent American female journalist of the 1930s, and Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States. And though it’s a work of fiction, it’s based on fact. That alone should be enough to make your ears prick up with interest: it certainly grabbed Amy’s attention. “I actually came across the story about Eleanor and Lorena while I was researching my previous novel, Lucky Us,” she said. “The research was great fun: there’s just so much in American history about the Roosevelts, and I found myself so

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engaged with them – and then eventually became aware of this relationship.”

It turns out that this great love was no secret: The Roosevelt Library contains a staggering three thousand letters between Eleanor and Lorena which – as part of her research – Amy was permitted access to, further deepening her connection with the women’s story, and providing an insight into the intimate tone of their exchanges.

“The letters are often quite specific, passionate and quite emotional,” she said, “I wasn’t looking to make an argument: I was looking to illuminate a middle-aged love affair. There are American historians around who did interview (Eleanor and Franklin’s) descendants specifically about

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Eleanor, but they asked questions like: ‘Do you think it was possible that your grandmother had a romantic relationship with Lorena Hicock?’ – which just struck me as most un-historian, not really in the ‘search for truth’ category. I didn’t repeat that behaviour.”

Amy’s previous fictional works have received extensive critical acclaim, but this is her first where real people play the starring roles – so she’s both excited and slightly nervous to see how the book is received. “Because there are real people who lived, who appear in the novel – I’m certainly aware that there’s going to be more focus on that,” she says. “It’s given me the chance to talk about the difference u

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BOOK CLUB between history and fiction and why, if you have history, you might still want to write fiction.”

Fiction writers often don’t know how stories are going to end when they first begin the process of writing, and allow stories and characters to unfold – but does this approach differ when working with non-fictional subjects and historical facts? “You know the broad strokes,” Amy explained. “And in any kind of fiction you’re usually working with some set of facts: there’s almost always gravity, for example…

“This story is based on certain events that definitely happened: the Depression, the Second World War, Franklin’s death, and the fact that he was President of the United States – but these were the only things that felt like constraints to me. I know Franklin’s going to die: I know Lorena and Eleanor are not going to wind up on a porch together – but because it’s a novel, I could have them end up on a porch in a pair of rocking chairs, if that’s the novel I wanted to write.”

The resulting novel is captivatingly narrated by Hick, a straight-talking, tailored-suit-wearing, hard-boiled newspaperwoman, who reminisces over past meetings with Eleanor as if she’s sat next to you at a bar – while also gradually revealing more of her own punishingly bleak background. The story feels like a series of vignettes, deftly woven together, and richly textured with sensual prose: specific fragrances and flavours are beautifully depicted throughout. Food plays a large role in the novel, as Amy explained. “I had picked up that Lorena did like to cook, and was a good cook, and that Eleanor was famously indifferent to food. The Roosevelt White House was notorious for serving terrible dinners: the joke was that it was an honour to be invited to the White House for dinner, but you had to make sure that you ate first. I wanted to contrast Eleanor’s always very self-conscious abstemiousness and indifference, and Franklin was someone who loved a good dinner – I think one of the ways she punished him [for his multiple affairs] was that the food was so terrible.”

Before Amy was a writer, she was a listener, and spent 20 years practising as a psychotherapist – leaving her with an acute awareness of the gaps between what people say and what they actually do. “People always ask me about being a psychotherapist, but it makes me laugh because they never ask about being a bartender, which I also was,” she explained. “If you are willing to listen, if you are interested in listening to people, people will tell you everything.

That’s true regardless of your profession.”

Life as a psychotherapist was rewarding mainly because it permitted Amy regular access to her favourite subject – people.

“My kids always say I have four subjects as a writer,” she laughed: “death, sex, love and family – which I think basically comes under the heading of people.”

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“If you're willing to listen, people will tell you everything” But life as a writer isn’t half bad either: like many writers, Amy enjoys ‘having written’, and is still flattered and gratified whenever she crosses paths with her readers. “I’m still thrilled and gobsmacked that these people exist, that there are readers who are not related to me,” she said.

Amy battles tricky days by steadfastly refusing to give in. “I just crawl to my office,” she says. “Sometimes I write, sometimes I stare out the window, sometimes I read Pride and Prejudice – but I feel like I have to be near my desk.

That’s the obligation. I have to be able to put my hands on my desk. It’s a bit like being a subsistence farmer. You gotta get up, no matter what: you gotta show up, you gotta plant the seeds, to water, to weed, or your crops are going to fail – so nevertheless, you get up and show up. And every once in a while I get a good day as a writer where there’s a whole really good paragraph, and I know it’s going to stand.

And that feels terrific.” l

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GET 25% OFF

Cambridge Edition Book Club books at Heffers Book Shop on Trinity Street

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BOOK CLUB

C AT H Y MO OR E , DI R ECTOR OF C A MBR I D GE L I T ER A RY F EST I VA L , ON W H I T E HOUSES I have never read anything by Amy Bloom before, despite having heard many good things about her writing, and was thus thrilled to receive an early copy of her latest novel White Houses. I devoured it in two sittings. It is a relatively short read but manages to convey a great sense of the political backdrop of the era whilst charting the little known love affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Hick, a relationship which was mostly played out in the White House – a touching story of love in plain sight between two middle-aged women told with brio, tenderness and humour. I have always loved the intersection between historical fact and fiction and reading White Houses will have you heading off for the history books to work out where the facts end and the fiction begins.

Local writer Jill Dawson blends fact and fiction brilliantly well in her novels The Great Lover and The Crime Writer based around periods of the lives of Rupert Brooke and Patricia Highsmith respectively – both would make great companion pieces to this book.

BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS AMY BLOOM OFFERS SOME DISCUSSION IDEAS l l l

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Did any historical information in the book interest or surprise you?

Did you identify with any of the characters or situations in particular?

D o you think the love affair between Eleanor and Lorena would resolve differently if it was happening in today’s society?

W ere you familiar with Eleanor Roosevelt before reading this? Were you surprised by her politics and behaviour, considering the time she lives in?

UP NEXT MONTH

HOM E F IR E

BY K A M IL A SH A M SIE Next month’s book is Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, the author of seven novels including In the City by the Sea (shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize) and Broken Verses; Burnt Shadows (shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction). In Home Fire, we join Isma, Aneeka and Parvaiz, three siblings who’ve had nothing but each other for as long as they can remember. But darker, stronger forces will divide Parvaiz from his sisters and drive him to the other side of the world, as he sets out to fulfil the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. Announced as winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2018 and described as “brave and brilliant” by The Sunday Times, Home Fire explores the dynamics between faith, love and society in a richly spun novel full of dazzling moments.

Home Fire can be purchased for £8.99 in paperback. Read along and tweet us your thoughts @cambsedition, with the hashtag #EditionBookClub for a chance to feature in the next issue.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION! SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOME FIRE BY TWEETING US @CAMBSEDITION AND HASHTAG #EDITIONBOOKCLUB.

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After Hours THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

NEWMARKET NIGHTS You might have missed out on tickets to Craig David’s Newmarket Nights gig this month but there’s still plenty more after-hours fun to be had at the racecourse. Rapper, singer, actor and director Plan B graces the venue on the 27th to perform hits such as She Said and Stay Too Long. Following that, there’s a Motown extravaganza on 3 August, a performance by disco legends Nile Rodgers and CHIC on 10 August, and a visit from George Ezra on 17 August. Concerts start around 20 minutes after the final race of the day. newmarket.thejockeyclub.co.uk

T EEHEE IN T HE T IPI & SUMMER SUN DAY SOUN DS Bask in the sunshine soaking up great live music, cocktail in hand, at Bourn’s gorgeous gastropub The Willow Tree. This acclaimed eaterie continues its Summer Sunday Sounds series this month on 15 July with a visit from rock, country and soul singer-songwriter SJ Mortimer, followed by Just Tom & Pete on 12 August and Sure-Can Play Boys on 16 September. Expect a laid-back family-friendly festival vibe complete with hay bales, face painting, artisan pizza and great beer from 3 till 7pm. Also in the Willow Tree’s garden this month, Teehee in the Tipi runs on 5 July. Hosted by Custard Comedy, the event will see three acts perform in the tipi while the crowd gets cosy by the firepit under twinkling fairylights (7.30pm-10pm). feastandfrolic.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

NOW BOOKING

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AU G U S

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J U N K YA R D 4 AUG, JUNCTION, £10

A one-day festival at Cambridge Junction featuring High Focus headliner Jam Baxter with DJ sets, live bands and more.

C A M BR IDGE FOL K F ES T I VA L Presenting a raft of top artists in the picturesque setting of Cherry Hinton Hall each summer since 1965, Cambridge Folk Festival returns at the start of August to delight music lovers young and old. Renowned for its eclectic line-ups and convivial atmosphere, the event is one of the longest running and best-loved folk festivals in the world, offering a chance to enjoy the sounds of both traditional folk artists and contemporary acts, big names and up-and-coming stars of the scene. This year’s festival, which runs 2 to 5 August, will feature appearances by acclaimed indie-folk sisters First Aid Kit, punk icon Patti Smith, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter John Prine and the high-voltage Alabama outfit St. Paul and the Broken Bones. As ever, there’ll also be the chance to discover the next big thing in The Den, hear intimate sets in the Club Tent, join in crafting, t’ai chi and music workshops, and enjoy tasty food and drinks. Weekend tickets available at £175.50, with discounts on offer for Cambridge residents. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

S U BT E R R A N E A N 15 SEPTEMBER, CORN EX, £16

GI P S Y K I NGS

L E V EL L ER S

It’s 25 years since the Gipsy Kings’ debut album sold millions of copies, earning gold and platinum status in several countries thanks to a unique blend of traditional Flamenco styles with pop and Latin rhythms. Seemingly on tour non-stop ever since, they have retained the same line-up of virtuoso musicians throughout.

They play the Corn Exchange on 9 July. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

The Levellers turn their amps down and go more folk than folk-punk with an acoustic date at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 12 July. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, the Brighton band have had seven top 40 albums, including the No 1 Zeitgeist and 1991’s platinum-selling Levelling the Land.

Tickets from £27.75. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

ELY FOLK FESTIVAL Soak up some mellow, rootsy vibes at the Ely Folk Festival, taking place 13 to 15 July. A bijou shindig in the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens, the weekend will serve up great live music, kids’ activities, a real ale bar and workshops. The bill this year include local heroes Ezio, plus the dynamic Celtic stylings of 3 Daft Monkeys and the heavenly harmonies of The Willows, amongst many others. Part of the charm of this festival is its small size and intimate atmosphere, and the event offers opportunities to see artists in ‘unplugged’ sessions and workshops. There’s also yoga and Morris dancing, plus plenty to keep little ones out of trouble. Onsite camping is available and tickets start at £85 for weekend adult tickets and £29 for children aged 12-17 years; children under 12 years go free if accompanying a ticket-buying adult. elyfolkfestival.co.uk

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The Corn Exchange welcomes back its indie and rock one-day festival for 2018, bringing a line-up that includes Ginger Wildheart, Wayward Sons and Rews.

H U M A N L E AG U E 28 NOV, CORN EX, FROM £43

Synthpop megastars Human League are back in Cambridge in November to relive hits like Don’t You Love Me and Love Action, with special guests Midge Ure’s Band Electronica.

LOV E AC T UA L LY IN CONCERT 12 DEC, CORN EX, FROM £42.50

An extra special screening of this classic Christmas film, complete with live orchestra, this event looks set to thoroughly warm our cockles during the festive season.

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Music Blog

GIG GUIDE

JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO SELECTS HIS MUST-SEE GIGS IN CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH

f course July is usually all about the Folk Fest, but with that taking place a little later in August this year, there’s still plenty going on in our city’s music venues.

We start with The Portland Arms, and a couple of stellar recommendations.

Responsible for one of the best debut albums of recent years, Fading Lines, and signed to the fantastic independent label Heavenly Recordings, Amber Arcades is the moniker of Dutch-born musician Annelotte de Graaf. She’ll release her second album in September, but before that she’ll play The Portland on the 26th. Amber Arcades’ music is a shimmering mix of indie pop, krautrock and shoegaze, and her sound has been compared to such luminaries as Stereolab and The Cocteau Twins.

KOLARS have created a sonic world that straddles obscure genres like desert disco, glamabilly and space blues, and their show on the 17th is our other Portland tip. They were last seen at the same venue earlier this year, opening for Shonen Knife.

Experimental violin duo Laura Cannell and André Bosman will be releasing their joint album Reckonings on the 13th of this month, and are performing at The Unitarian Church as one of a handful of shows in support of this release. Recorded through the seasons with wind rattling, sun burning and snow melting, the new offering features six tracks that were captured in single takes in a medieval stone church at the edge of the marshes and reedbeds of East Anglia. Echoes of 12th century monophonic songs mingle with reanimated and imagined voices of long-sleeping Saxons. The duo’s improvisations bring the secular back into the sacred space, and their haunting pieces and earthy, avant-garde performance style, coupled with the intimacy of The Unitarian Church, promise to provide a truly spectacular experience.

Billed as an Indietracks warm-up gig, there is a global feel to the line-up at the Blue Moon on the 24th. Check out cult indie pop heroes The Smittens, who hail from Burlington, Vermont, and switch up instruments, song-writing and singing to create catchy, harmony-driven twee pop anthems and queer love songs – always brilliantly lyrical and often brazenly political.

Eureka California feature on the bill, too, bringing their noisy, indie pop’n’roll to Cambridge from Athens. Also set to perform is Let’s Whisper, a band which features members of The Smittens plus Emma Kupa, who fronts Cambridge outfit Mammoth Penguins. Let’s Whisper (tagline: “All our songs are love songs”) produce pure-hearted melodies that dare to explore the more introspective side of pop music. The CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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bill for the 24th is nicely completed by one of Cambridge’s finest DIY punk-pop trailblazers, Baby Seals.

The Cambridge Junction hosts some incredible shows this month. In a massive coup for the venue, the Flaming Lips appear on the 23rd, on one of only a few UK dates showcasing material from their universally acclaimed album Oczy Mlody. A legendary American rock band, The Flaming Lips – fronted by Wayne Coyne – have been recording and gigging for 35 years, and their music offers a lush, intricate and psychedelic sound that is still unmistakably their own.

The band are widely considered to be one of the most exciting to see play live, and their stage shows are hailed as some of the most enthralling in history.

Last year, John Dwyer’s Thee Oh Sees dropped ‘Thee’ from their name for their new album, Orc, a fresh slice of the band’s signature primal, biting garage rock. But that wasn’t all: 2017 also saw a different kind of release from the band, a pared back acoustic album titled Memory Of A Cut Off Head (this came with yet another name change back to OCS, the moniker that accompanied the first steps in Dwyer’s fascinating musical odyssey). It was the 20th album released by the band under various names, including Orange County Sound, OCS, Oh Sees and Thee Oh Sees names, and the 100th release on Dwyer’s Castle

Visit the Junction on the 13th for a hit of California psych-rock Face label. It proved to fans that, whatever name he goes under, whether he’s making scorching garage rock or the mellow, acoustic sounds of Memory Of A Cut Off Head, Dwyer’s creations travel beyond the outer limits of guitar music’s regular orbit.

The Oh Sees are back with a new record, Smote Reverser, this summer, and it arrives with us on 17 August – catch them at Cambridge Junction on the 13th for a hit of California psych-rock.

Finally, if you fancy a bit of pop nostalgia on a summer’s evening, then Right Said Fred play the Big Weekend on the 13th. Their set is part of a weekend of music happening on Parkers Piece. l

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Big Weekend 13-15 J U LY

MEDIA PA R T N E R

2018

The Big Weekend is one of the best-loved events in Cambridge’s summer calendar.

From 13 to 15 July, Parker’s Piece comes alive with music, fireworks, stalls and attractions, as thousands flock to join the fun of this three day extravaganza, organised by Cambridge City Council and local charity Cambridge Live CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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F R IDAY

8 PM: U LT I M AT E ELTON A N D T HE ROCK E T B A N D 9 PM: R IGH T S A ID F R ED 1 0 PM: F IR E WOR K S As soon as you clock off work on Friday, it’s time to party! Make a beeline for Parker’s Piece for an evening of fab live music which kicks off with local favourites Swagger: a funkedout five-piece who always get the crowd grooving with their repertoire, which features covers of classics from the 50s through to current chart hits. They’re followed at 8pm

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by Ultimate Elton and the Rocket Band, hailed by record producer, Stuart Epps as ‘simply the best Elton tribute you will see or hear anywhere’. Expect a whistlestop tour of The Rocket Man’s best bits, from Crocodile Rock to Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. Friday’s music finishes, in cheesetastic fashion, with a visit from 90s heroes Right Said Fred – the

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multi-platinum and Ivor Novello award-winning band responsible for monster hit I’m Too Sexy.

After that, all eyes will turn to the sky for the Big Weekend’s spectacular fireworks display at 10pm. If you’ve still got dance moves to pull, mosey over to the ever-popular BPM silent disco, which runs on both Friday and Saturday nights this year.

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BIG W X XE XE XKXEXNXDX

S AT U R DAY

6.45PM: T HE T U R B A NS 8 PM: M A D PROF ESSOR A N D L EE “SCR ATCH” PER RY 9PM: N E V IL L E S TA PL E B A N D The fun continues on Saturday, with plenty to enjoy for the whole family – whether you fancy tasting your way around tempting treats at the French market or getting active in the sports zone.

The ARM Gaming Hub returns for computerbased activities in conjunction with Cambridge Regional College, while you can make some shapes in the Dance Marquee and get hands-on with

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interactive science in the University of Cambridge’s TTP sponsored Fun Lab, too. Bookworms young and old will love storytelling at The Big Read, plus if you fancy getting creative, there’s artsy, crafty fun aplenty in the University Museums of Cambridge Make and Create tents. If you fancy just kicking back and soaking up some great live music, catch the next big thing at the local bands stage, which

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will be blasting out great live music throughout the day. Up on the main stage meanwhile, The Turbans bring their globally inspired doo-wop sounds at 6.45pm, followed by legendary reggae producer and performer Lee “Scratch” Perry with fellow heavyweight Mad Professor. Rounding things off at 9pm, there’ll be classic ska and reggae from The Neville Staple Band.

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BIG WEEKEND

SU N DAY

4PM: R S V P BH A NGR A 5PM: I M R A N K H A N 6. 1 5PM: SON N Y JI – E A S T BE AT Z W ES T Sunday is all about the Cambridge Mela: a joyful, colourful celebration of Asian culture.

Enjoy music, song and dance in the Mela Performance Marquee, with acts including Natyanjali Dance School, Sanskruti School of Dance, Indian Cultural Society and Cambridge Chinese Community Centre. The Bangladesh Welfare and Cultural Association Stage will offer local, national and international stars

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of the Asian music scene, plus on the main stage there’s UK bhangra superstars RSVP Bhangra, DJ Sonny Ji. East Beatz West, and the headliner, Dutch-Pakistani Imran Khan. There’s also a Mela traders’ marquee full of Asian arts and craft stalls, charity stalls and activities. There’s a melting pot of cultures to be found in the dance marquee on the Sunday, with demos and workshops

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throughout that range from Scottish, Polish and Greek dance to belly dance, classical Indian, Cuban salsa and more. Plus, the sports zone continues on Sunday with World Cup football activities, and the CAMVote100 Marquee will celebrate 100 years of women gaining the right to vote with a line-up of performances from inspiring women. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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Divine Comedy

ENJOY A STAR-STUDDED LINE-UP AT THE LATEST EDITION OF THE CAMBRIDGE COMEDY FESTIVAL

N eed a good laugh? You’re in luck, because we’ve got the cream of the comedy crop coming right to our doorstep this month when Cambridge Comedy Festival returns on 18 to 21 July. With 34 shows in total, there’s sure to be something to tickle your funny bone on the line-up, which brings together big name headliners and up-andcomers on the cusp of stardom.

It’s the twelfth year for the festival, which was founded in 2007 by the Jesterlarf Comedy Club with the goal of creating a micro-Edinburgh Fringe Festival experience here in Cambridge.

For audiences, it’s a unique chance to catch previews of a huge range of shows destined for the Fringe, seeing brand-new material in an intimate setting.

After a couple of years alfresco on Jesus Green, the festival will return to its original home at the Junction for 2018, transforming the venue into a buzzing comedy hub with four performance spaces, street food vans and a beer garden hosted by Moonshine Brewery.

“Cambridge is not a city that needs to worry about its place on the comedy

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map,” says festival director Andy White.

“Given the array of talent it’s fostered over the years – from Peter Cook, Eric Idle and John Cleese of Monty Python, through to Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and present day stars like David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Sue Perkins and Jimmy Carr – we at festival HQ have done our best to continue this grand tradition of hilarious comedic brilliance.”

“There are so many great acts and shows to choose from at this year’s festival that it’s hard to pick favourites,” he continues, “but Griff Rhys Jones is a coup for the festival and something of a comedy icon. I’m also looking forward to George Egg’s DIY Chef – a combo of food and comedy in a truly anarchic and silly style, and the return of Rob Kemp as The Elvis Dead – it’s comedic genius! In terms of emerging talent, Maisie Adams and Chris MacArthur Boyd are brilliant and well worth a watch.”

18 JULY

The festival roars into action on the 18th with two household names taking to the stage in the J2. First up Adam Buxton, of 6 Music and Adam and Joe fame, performs BUG X: a showcase of great music videos, hilarious YouTube comments and some video gems of his own making from

the last decade of the BUG show. The same night, catch Simon Brodkin, the irrepressible prankster and creator of Lee Nelson, whose Well Good Show was a smash BBC 3 hit. Also on the 18th, over in the J3, enjoy Elf Lyons getting fiscal with her musical show about the economy, and Tony Law, who brings his trademark absurdism to the festival in the shape of A Lost Show. The J4, meanwhile, will play host to Catherine Bohart, a bisexual, OCD daughter of a Catholic deacon, with a whole lot to say on the matter, plus the splendidly silly and surreal stylings of Olaf Falafel.

19 JULY

On Thursday it’s over to the Jesterlarf Comedy Club for a showcase which includes Josh Widdicombe and Laura Lexx in the J1, or over in the J2 catch TV star Griff Rhys Jones sharing observations, anecdotes, reminiscences and outright lies from 40 years of travelling down rivers and up mountains. Following him, Tom Stade ponders the unrelenting march of time, while chef-comedian George Egg serves a portion of stand-up combined with live cooking, preparing three plates of food using power tools, office equipment, hairdressing appliances and more. All of which the audience gets to eat at the end.

F U N N IES FOR FA M IL IES There’s fun for little ones in store at the festival on the Saturday, including SESKA: Spot The Difference, which is filled with magic tricks, prizes and a party atmosphere. There’s also a laugh-a-minute musical rollercoaster with tuneful farmyard friends in The Greatest Goat Of All Time, and Comedy Club 4 Kids, which features top performers strutting their stuff for family audiences.

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CO M E DY F E ST I VA L

In the J4, see Tom Ward talk love, freedom and aloneness in a set that riffs on everything from Uber and sex parties to the ‘cold slap’ of passport photos; while Ashley Blaker comes to us directly from Broadway with his take on life as an Orthodox Jew. Adam Vincent, meanwhile, described by Chortle as “recklessly honest and entirely relatable”, manages to make family demands, societal expectations and unfulfilled joys the stuff of belly laughs.

20 JULY

Friday is a big day for the festival, with a line-up packed to the rafters with the comedy crème de la crème. American comic Reginald D Hunter swings by as part of the Jesterlarf Comedy Club, joined

by Mike Gunn, Diane Spencer and Kevin McCarthy in the J1. Over in J2, there’s a brand new show from Edinburgh Fringe

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veteran Jo Caulfield, while Simon Evans, a man of sharp wit and even sharper suits, delivers a hit of his precise, oh-so-eloquent banter. Ever wondered what would happen if you combined the film Evil Dead 2 with the musical back-catalogue of Elvis Presley? Find out at The Elvis Dead, which offers a bonkers reimagining of a cult horror film set to a soundtrack by the King of Rock and Roll. Comedian Jarred Christmas, meanwhile, is feeling decidedly unfestive, having had disappointing results to his recent DNA test, which revealed him to be painfully average…

21 JULY

The final day of the festival yields another feast of comedy, from self-styled “German comedy ambassador” Henning Wehn to Maisie Adams, winner of the prestigious ‘So You Think You’re Funny?’ award. There’s

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NEED-TO-KNOW What: Mini Edinburgh Fringe-style comedy festival featuring 34 shows over four days When: 18-21 July Where: Cambridge Junction How much: £6-£18 per show

also quick-fire observational gags with Zoe Lyons’ Entry Level Human show, personal and political comedy from Andrew Maxwell, and a showcase of top emerging comedians at Comedy Collision. l

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Standon Calling HERTFORDSHIRE WELCOMES BACK ITS QUIRKY BOUTIQUE FESTIVAL THIS MONTH – WE CATCH UP WITH FESTIVAL FOUNDER ALEX TRENCHARD TO FIND OUT WHAT’S IN STORE

“I

t started out as just a small event for 500 people, who were friends or friends of friends…” says Alex Trenchard of the humble beginnings of Standon Calling, the Hertfordshire festival which celebrates its 13th birthday this summer. “That first year we had such a great time and I loved the addictive buzz of being able to organise something that gave people so much joy. I well and truly caught the festival bug and haven’t got over it since!”

Although much has changed for the festival since the early days in terms of scale and ambition, the location – a sprawling rural estate in Hertfordshire owned by the Trenchard family, remains

the same. And what a location it is: nestled in the valley of the River Rib, replete with woodland, rolling meadows and a heated outdoor pool (which festivalgoers are encouraged to hop into), it’s a stunningly pretty backdrop for the weekend’s revelry.

For the 2018 event, which runs 26 to 29 July, the organisers have pulled in a blinder of a bill including big names like Bryan Ferry, Paloma Faith and Goldfrapp, alongside a raft of other entertainment and fun to seek out over the course of the weekend. The theme, or ‘story’, is The Future, which will be made up of four worlds: Utopia, Dystopia, Cosmos and Earth 2.0. “Expect some brilliant set pieces at the festival exploring these

potential future worlds, along with amazing costumes at the annual costume parade which we want everyone to get involved with,” comments Alex. “Every year we are so impressed by the creative talent out there!”

The organisers are big on going the extra mile to create those little moments of mischief and magic which make a festival extra special – and with whispers of costume parades, aerobics with Mr Motivator, rockaoke and hot tub parties, it sounds like this year will be no exception.

The all-time best surprise they’ve orchestrated was back in 2006, according to Alex, when gleeful festivalgoers were ushered into a hidden woodland party.

NEEDTO-KNOW WHAT:

Boutique festival with headliners including Bryan Ferry, Paloma Faith and George Ezra WHERE:

Standon Lordship, Hertfordshire (just under an hour from central Cambridge) WHEN:

26 to 29 July HOW MUCH:

£159 for an adult weekend ticket

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STA N D O N CA L L I N G “We closed our main stage at midnight and pretended that the show was over and cut the lights,” he says. “We then infiltrated the crowd with fairies in black cloaks who removed their cloaks, revealed their fairyness and beckoned the audience down a secret path into a fairy glade in a circle of horse chestnut trees. There were fireworks, a band called The Early Years played... I still remember the joy in people’s faces. I haven’t wanted to do anything else since!”

The masterfully curated music is one of the festival’s biggest draws, and it will be delivering the goods once more this year with an eclectic line-up which ranges from current chart-toppers like Paloma Faith to cult favourites like Django Django and Goldfrapp, all the way through to bona fide legends like Bryan Ferry. In addition to big names they’ve got a knack for selecting artists on the cusp of stardom, so be sure to look beyond the main headliners and check out acts like Ibibo Sound Machine and Dream Wife. For late-night partying they’ve got some of the biggest names in the game stepping up to the wheels of steel, including 2manydjs, Hot Chip and a whole stable of drum and bass DJs from the Hospital Records label.

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When you need a bit of a chill, there’s comedy from the likes of Seann Walsh and Lucy Porter on offer, as well as plenty of kids’ fun including a live Horrible Histories show. Elsewhere, rejuvenate yourself at the Wild Wellbeing Camp, home to wood-burning hot tubs, saunas and a pamper zone, or pet the pretty pooches at Standon Calling’s much-loved annual dog show. You can even play at being a rock star on the Rockaoke stage: just choose your song and belt it out to the crowd, accompanied by a real-life live band.

The food’s a cut above your usual festival fare, with options including a pop-up by London burger heroes Patty & Bun to check out, plus steamed bao, maki, Filipino cuisine and more on offer.

“People should come because it’s fun!” says Alex, just in case you need any more encouragement. “There are huge headliners, the best in emerging music talent, delicious food, a great family programme, comedy stars and a proper weekend of countryside festival escapism where you can spend quality time with the important people in your life.”

Sounds good to us! l

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F E S T I VA L FAV E S Festival founder Alex selects his must-sees for this year’s event “I’m really excited to have a local act, George Ezra, headlining the festival on Saturday night.

Goldfrapp will be a stand-out moment supporting Bryan Ferry on Sunday night – any other year she would have been a headliner. I’m a big fan of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Jarvis Cocker, and we have both of them for a rare UK outing. The Horrors are always amazing, and new talent such as Pale Waves, Shame, Marmozets, Gengahr, Dream Wife, Confidence Man and Nelson Can will all be outstanding. Any of them could become someone’s favourite band from the festival this year. I love that sense of music discovery at a proper weekend festival and hopefully we offer that in spades.”

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Off to the Races INSIDER TIPS TO HELP YOU MAKE NEWMARKET RACECOURSE’S JULY FESTIVAL A DAY TO REMEMBER

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ith exhilarating racing, luxurious hospitality, live music, a cracking atmosphere and of course, plenty of fabulous outfits, Newmarket Racecourse’s July Festival returns with a bang this month. It runs across a three-day period from 12 to 14 July, and in that time, over 90,000 strawberries will be served and 8,500 bottles of champagne popped, which is why the event is one of the region’s social highlights of the summer. Fancy a flutter?

Here’s your ultimate guide to the Moët & Chandon July Festival 2018. l WHAT’S ON

12 July: Thursday is Ladies Day, when

fashionistas from far and wide gather in a flurry of style and sparkling wine. For the most sartorially dedicated, there’s the chance to enter the Style Awards Best Dressed Lady competition.

13 July: Time for Feel Good Friday!

Grab your friends and get down to the Racecourse for a packed day of world class racing in the (hopefully!) sunshine. It’s the perfect way to start the weekend and celebrate Suffolk in the summer.

14 July: Saturday is the finale of the racing action, with the Darley July Cup taking place. This Group 1 Race sees some of the top racehorses competing for the win and the winner is often acknowledged as the very best sprinter in Europe. It’s also Family

Day and children under 18 are welcome in all enclosures. Gather your brood and let them loose with inflatables, face painting and craft activities, plus soak up live music throughout the course. l WHICH TICKET?

If you’ve not been to the races before, the first thing you need to figure out is which kind of ticket you need, as this will denote which enclosures and stands you have access to.

In the Garden Enclosure, you can pack up a hamper with your favourite pork pies, dips and scones and soak up the atmosphere for a minimal cost. Picnics are allowed and you’re welcome to bring a bottle of bubbly in too (though bear in mind you’re limited to a bottle of wine or four cans per adult).

The Grandstand and Paddock Enclosures, meanwhile, are the place to be for the social racegoer, with music and live entertainment throughout the day.

For the best views of the July Course, the Premier Enclosure is your best option, and also gives you access to the other enclosures. You’ll ble able to enjoy facilities including the elegant, light-filled Summer House restaurant too, which boasts a great menu and offers an ideal retreat from the hustle and bustle of a busy race day.

Don’t stress though – if you change your mind about where you want to be on the

day, drop into the information kiosk and you can upgrade your ticket. l RACE DAY STYLE

The fashion at the races is an event in itself, and lots of people like to go all out: expect to see plenty of dapper suits and bright cocktail dresses, not to mention dazzling headwear. Racegoers in the Premier Enclosure tend to go high-octane glam, whereas in the Grandstand, Paddock and Garden Enclosures, the dress code is a more relaxed, jeans and t-shirt affair. l FOOD & DRINK

TOP T IP S Camera – you’ll want to capture the day but don’t forget to disable the flash, so you don’t upset the horses.

Binoculars – to see the action up close, we recommend bringing binoculars. You can hire them on site, or alternatively there are big screens.

Bags larger than 40cmx35cmx19cm will not be allowed in to the venue but you can leave luggage free of charge at the Course Office.

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Food and drink are central to a fun day, and the Adnams July Course offers an array of options; from grab-and-go to finer dining and picnics (allowed only in the Garden Enclosure). If you want to really indulge, there are many hospitality packages. The Trackside Pavilions are back for 2018, offering exceptional views of the course, a top atmosphere and amazing cuisine across the weekend. Or, for the ultimate luxury, check out the Moët & Chandon Dining Experience, which includes a fully-inclusive bar, three-course meal and sumptuous afternoon tea.

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N E W M A R K E T R AC E C O U R S E

l PLACE YOUR BETS!

Don’t know your each way from your evens? You’ll enjoy your day more if you know a little bit about betting and horses.

Pick up a racecard from the course (which are £3.50 or £3 in advance – to be collected on the day) and you’ll find all the runners plus features and tips. Most bookmakers only accept bets of £5 or more, though the Tote will take bets from £2 which you can pay by credit or debit card. There are cash machines at the course, but these often charge for withdrawals, so it’s wise to bring some cash along on the day. l AFTER THE RACES

The fun continues after the racing ends with a lively Après Racing after party.

Starting as the races come to an end, it’s the perfect way to finish your Festival. Blue’s Simon Webbe will be taking to the decks on Ladies Day and Heart FM hosts on Friday as racegoers enjoy cocktails and dancing for two hours after the last race. l TRANSPORT & WHERE TO STAY

A 19-minute train takes you from Cambridge to Newmarket Train Station, and there are complimentary shuttle buses

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running throughout the day between Newmarket Station, the town centre and the racecourse. These begin approximately two hours before the first race and pick up from Newmarket Train Station and outside Hughes Electrical Store on Newmarket High Street.

If you want to make a night of it, check out Bedford Lodge, a gorgeous hotel and spa with a fantastic on-site restaurant.

The Packhorse Inn in Moulton, located five miles from the Rowley Mile racetrack, is another good option, offering antique-

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furnished rooms with emperor-sized beds and a five-star dining experience – a glam take on country rustic. For the ultimate raceday experience, see if you can snaffle a bed at the Jockey Club Rooms. First and foremost a private members’ club and headquarters of the Jockey Club, the spiritual home of British horseracing, the 18th century building offers 18 individually decorated rooms, views across the walled garden, luxurious bathrooms and incredible food, all set in stunning grounds. l newmarkettickets.thejockeyclub.co.uk

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FA M I LY DAYS O U T

TOP FAMILY DAYS OUT

CAMBRIDGE AQ UA PA R K O P E N S Most of us love messing about in the water. For some a gentle swim is enough, but if you’re looking for a little more adventure and a fab summer day out, you’ll love the recently unveiled Cambridge Aqua Park. Having opened in May, the park is the newest addition to the Hannam’s Wake Hub watersports centre in Stretham, near Ely. Featuring a huge inflatable obstacle course with trampolines, slides, blast bag and more, it’s great fun for families and groups of friends, little kids and big kids! The addition to the site was made possible thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire ACRE and the Fens LEADER programme. Sessions are one hour long including safety briefing (50 mins on the water), they cost £20 per person and run at weekends and during school holidays from 10am. The minimum age for general sessions is 8, but the 10am session is a junior session aimed at families from 6-16 years with accompanying adults.

Children under 13 years must be accompanied by an adult, which is a great excuse for the grown ups to go and play too! Bookings must be made in advance. cambridgeaquapark.com

BRAVE

MILTON MAIZE MAZE

Sundown Cinema provides a treat for families at Wimpole Hall on 27 July with Brave, the animated tale of Merida, daughter of a Scottish king and queen, who wants to carve out her own path. She must discover the true meaning of courage before it’s too late. Take a picnic, or try the wood-fired pizza and hot drinks on site. It starts at 6pm, children aged two and under are £2, others up to 14 are £5.50. nationaltrust.org.uk

Get lost! No, we’re not being rude… summer is the time to take a trip to Milton Maize Maze, which will be open from 14 July till the end of the school holidays. If you haven’t been, it’s not all just about the maze made of maize; there are daily shows from late July that feature magic, circus skills and gameshows in the Crazy Cornitorium. You can try water wars if you like getting wet, or the dino dig if you’re into fossil hunting, plus there are go karts, trailer rides, a giant slide and a farm trail. As well as individual and family prices, season tickets are available. themiltonmaizemaze.co.uk

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Win the Ultimate 1 S T PR I Z E | WOR T H £ 373 Our first prize bundle features foodie treats, tours and annual passes for some of the area’s top attractions. Shepreth Wildlife Park is offering our first place winner a chance to meet and help feed their friendly family of meerkats, while the Wimpole Estate is providing a family ticket. You and your brood will have hours of fun exploring the beautiful Georgian house and acres of parkland, manicured gardens and farm.

English Heritage, which cares for 400 historic places including Audley End House and Gardens, has supplied a hamper filled with exquisite treats. Inside, you’ll find everything from ginger wine and apricot brandy, to fudge, luxury preserves and cheddar biscuits.

3RD PRIZE | WORTH £112.50

Discover Newmarket meanwhile have added a Short Head Tour for two, where you and a guest will get the chance to go behind the scenes at the gallops at the home of horse racing, see the trainer’s yard and visit The National Stud. The winner will also receive a Family Annual Pass for the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art, which comprises three attractions: the National Horseracing Museum in the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Galleries; The Fred Packard Museum and Galleries of British Sporting Art in Palace House; and the Rothschild Yard, the flagship home of Retraining of Racehorses, where you will meet former racehorses.

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There’s a trio of prizes for our third place winner, including a single annual Friend’s membership to the Fitzwilliam Museum.

This gives access to exclusive events like lectures and evening openings, plus social gatherings in the summer and special visits to other treasures within the colleges of the University of Cambridge. Kettle’s Yard, the city’s modern and contemporary art gallery, has chipped in a £30 gift voucher for their shop, in which you’ll have your pick of a huge range of gifts, including many designed and produced exclusively for Kettle’s Yard. The third place winner will also receive a Family Fen Explorer ticket for Wicken Fen. One of Europe’s most important wetlands, the Fen is home to over 9000 species including plants, birds and dragonflies and you can explore it by boat and bike.

4T H PR IZE | WOR T H £55 Our fourth place winner will receive an annual family pass to the recently opened Cambridge Science Centre on Clifton Road Industrial Estate. This hub of science fun offers hands-on exhibits, shows and workshops to ignite young people’s curiosity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). This prize also includes a fully-escorted personal tour (for up to ten people) of the Cambridge American Cemetery, a money-can’t-buy experience in which you’ll hear stories of some of those buried and explore this fascinating, sobering local landmark, which spans 30.5 acres.

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2 2ND PRIZE WORTH £258.25 The winner of our second place bundle will receive an annual single membership subscription to Cambridge University Botanic Garden, granting free admission, access to exclusive events and more. There’ll be a chance to explore the city’s fascinating nooks too, with Visit Cambridge & Beyond, who are offering a guided walking tour for up to six people, taking in beautiful colleges and other landmarks. Ely Cathedral meanwhile will give our winner two adult experience tickets, giving the chance to get better acquainted with this majestic 900-year old structure, tour its tower and take a look around the Stained Glass Museum, with a tea or coffee at the end. Finally, the second place winner will win a family pass to the spectacular Audley End House & Gardens, located just outside Saffron Walden. Experience a real-life period drama while exploring life above and below stairs at this decadent mansion, and bask in the manicured beauty of the Capability Brown-designed parkland.

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CO M P E T I T I O N

Summer!

WE’VE TEAMED UP WITH GREAT DAYS OUT, A CONSORTIUM OF TOP VISITOR ATTRACTIONS IN THE REGION, TO GIVE AWAY FOUR FANTASTIC PRIZE BUNDLES!

EN T ER NOW Simply visit cambsedition.co.uk and click on the Competition tab to enter.

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What’s On A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS MONTH

3 JULY

5 JULY

9 JULY

HEIDI TALBOT AND JOHN MCCUSKER

Y9 BANDSTRAVAGANZA

THE GIPSY KINGS

Two of folk music’s most highly-regarded musicians join forces. Heidi has been nominated for Radio 2 folk awards and McCusker has been in the business for 27 years.

8pm | Cambridge Junction | £18 junction.co.uk

Around 20 bands comprising more than 120 year nine students (13- and 14-yearolds) have undertaken a ten-week project in which they have full responsibility for their development. You can see the results.

7pm | Cambridge Junction | £5 junction.co.uk

Featuring the same lineup since bursting onto the music scene 25 years ago, the Kings have toured seemingly non-stop and sold almost 20 million albums.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £30.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

5 JULY

7 JULY

MOZART’S 40TH & FAURÉ’S REQUIEM

BLAZIN’ FIDDLES

11 JULY

The opening event for Cambridge Summer Music Festival will see Mozart’s celebrated 40th Symphony performed in the atmospheric setting of King’s College Chapel.

8pm | King’s College Chapel | from £20 cambridgesummermusic.co.uk

Legends of the folk scene, not to mention one of the most prolific fiddle groups on the planet, no band has captured the excitement, passion and sensitivity of traditional Scottish music quite like Blazin’ Fiddles.

7pm | Cambridge Junction | £26.50 junction.co.uk

THE GENERAL WITH LIVE ORGAN As part of Cambridge Summer Music Festival, see classic silent film The General (1926) with an improvised live organ accompaniment by Richard Hills.

9pm | St John’s College Chapel | £20 cambridgesummermusic.co.uk 9-14 JULY

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL CURTAIN Robert Powell and Liza Goddard star in what could be the final case for the worldfamous detective, who has retired. That’s before Mary Watson, wife of his former associate, knocks on his door...

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com 9-28 JULY

CAMBRIDGE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL The first four plays of the eight to be performed across the summer this year are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice and Cymbeline.

7.30pm | locations vary | £17 cambridgeshakespeare.com

28-29 JULY

10-14 JULY

B MOV IE F ES T I VA L Retro film and gaming festival, featuring gory mid-70s Sylvester Stallone film Death Race 2000 and Q: The Winged Serpent among many others. Films may not be suitable for all ages.

Times vary | Cambridge Junction | various price options junction.co.uk

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WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE PANIC BROADCAST In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds caused panic in the streets when listeners took it for real news.

Ten years later, the WBFR radio ensemble recreate the events...

7.45pm | Corpus Playroom | £7 adctheatre.com

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W H AT ’ S O N

3-7 JULY

IOL A N T HE A crazy love story between the most unlikely of couples, fairies and members of the House of Lords. Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic receives an inventive new production from Sasha Regan.

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £19 cambridgeartstheatre.com

12 JULY

17-21 JULY

27 JULY - 4 AUGUST

LEVELLERS

SIX

HIS DARK MATERIALS

The Brighton folk-punk band celebrate their 30th anniversary this year and tour in support of an acoustic album recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £27.75 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take the mic to tell their tale, remixing 500 years of heartbreak into a celebration of sass in this pop-concert musical.

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £18 cambridgeartstheatre.com

When children in Oxford go missing, it’s down to Lyra to save them, but then she crosses into another world and meets Will. Philip Pullman’s epic trilogy comes to life at the Fitzwilliam Museum as a double bill.

10.30am | Fitzwilliam Museum | £15-£20 adctheatre.com

25-29 JULY

28 JULY

HAMLET

NINTENDO LIFE GAMING NIGHT

18 JULY

WINE TASTING A relaxed, sociable Rhône masterclass with Cambridge Wine Merchants, featuring small plates of exquisite food from Cambridge Cookery’s kitchen.

7pm | Cambridge Cookery | £45 cambridgecookery.com

Arguably Shakespeare’s finest work, Hamlet is presented here in a solo performance by Richard Spaul at the oldest complete building in Cambridge.

8pm | The Leper Chapel | £15 insitutheatre.co.uk

An evening of Nintendo-related fun, with special guests, tournaments, and a chance to play on the NES, SNES, Wii, Virtual Boy and more.

6pm | Centre for Computing History | from £7 | computinghistory.org.uk

26 JULY

30 JULY

18-21 JULY

CAMBRIDGE COMEDY FESTIVAL

SIR RANULPH FIENNES

DOOM'S DAY

The comedy fest returns with Henning Wehn, Zoe Lyons, Milton Jones, Reginald D Hunter, Jo Caulfield, Josh Widdicombe, Griff Rhys Jones and many more.

Various times | Cambridge Junction various prices | junction.co.uk

Sir Ranulph Fiennes shares his awe-inspiring adventures, which range from being the first to cross the Antarctic and Arctic Ocean to circumnavigating the world along its polar axis.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £28 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

The irresistable lure of bad, bad news is explored in this compelling new play, in which a loved-up couple convince their community that the end of the world is nigh...

8pm | Cambridge Junction | from £10.50 junction.co.uk

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Food & Drink CAMBRIDGE’S TOP 5 SANDWICHES • FOOD & DRINK NEWS •

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RECIPES & REVIEWS

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

A FEAST OF FLAVOURS AT THE THREE HORSESHOES Enjoy a traditional country pub experience and vibrant menu at Cambridgeshire’s Dining Pub of the Year 2018 (Good Pub Guide)

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picturesque thatched inn nestled in the village of Madingley, The Three Horseshoes is the perfect spot for a relaxed family meal, a leisurely drink, or special occasion. The restaurant entered an exciting new chapter at the start of this year when it joined the acclaimed Cambscuisine group – a collection of independent eateries which includes both top-quality country pubs such as the Crown & Punchbowl and city centre favourites including The Cambridge Chop Houses and MillWorks. Cambscuisine have built on The Three Horseshoes’ excellent reputation while adding their own, distinctive spin, and there’s plenty planned to lure you the three miles from Cambridge over the coming months, including a beer festival and weekly Sunday BBQ. Voted Cambridgeshire Dining Pub of the Year for 2018, the restaurant serves hearty, comforting dishes and plenty of options for vegetarians. You can expect favourites like roast leg of lamb with Dauphinoise potato, potato gnocchi with summer squash, and a range of juicy steaks. The desserts, which include treats like sticky toffee pudding and dark chocolate nemesis, are well worth saving space for, too.

Seasonality and sustainability guide the culinary offering, and the restaurant grows its own produce including pears, apples and plums, as well as serving only sustainably sourced fish, which is delivered fresh daily.

When it comes to a tipple, there are East Anglian real ales to enjoy, as well as delicious cocktails, mocktails and a wine list which focuses on the LanguedocRoussillon region of France.

Cycling? Rest your weary legs and relax with a bite and a drink – the pub offers repair kits and pumps if you need to do any fixes before you head on your way. There’s also a £100 Cambscuisine voucher up for grabs with the Pub-to-Pub cycling competition – visit the website for details on the route, and feast for free if your Strava time is the fastest! l cambscuisine.com/three-horseshoes The Three Horseshoes, High Street, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AB 01954 210221 Email: 3hs@cambscuisine.com

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FO O D N E WS

Food News A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRO GOINGS-ON AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

This image Flaky sausage rolls are among the delicious treats on the menu at the newly opened Old Ticket Office

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SU N DOW N ER S AT T HE GOG The Gog kicks off its season of Sundowner Sessions this month, with seven dates for your diary between July and September. Running from 6pm on 6, 13 & 20 July, 24 & 31 August, and 7 & 14 September, the events offer a chance to eat, drink and admire the sunset from The Gog’s superb vantage point, nestled in the Gog Magog hills. Head down for a relaxed after work drink and a bite, or begin your night out in style: there’ll be fizz, local gins, craft beer and more at the bar, chilled-out tunes plus a roster of top-notch street food traders. The Shack – The Gog’s indoor/outdoor space – will be open all afternoon if you fancy heading down early and bagging the best seat in the house. Entry is free. thegog.com

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FO O D N E WS

PETERSFIELD LAUNCHES GIN GARDEN Sturton Street pub The Petersfield has recently unveiled a new ‘Gin Garden’, complete with an abundance of foliage, fairylights and botanical artworks. The Instagram-friendly new space features a bar from boutique distillery Sipsmith, and has a drinks list which will have gin fans salivating, with all sorts of G&Ts and cocktails on offer – there’s even a gin and tonic lolly for those hot summer days! With its gardenparty vibe, we reckon it’ll be the perfect spot for watching Wimbledon, which the pub which will be showing live this month, complete with obligatory Pimms, strawberries and cream to enjoy while you enjoy the tennis – ace! thepetersfield.co.uk

M E AT L ESS L AU NCHES The culinary wizards behind much-loved street food outfit Guerrilla Kitchen have recently launched MeatLess: a brand new food van focused entirely on meat-free cuisine. Billing the offering as “vegetarian just got dirty”, MeatLess launched last month with a party at The Cambridge Distillery in Grantchester, and will form part of the foodPark collective of traders, which joins together for regular lunchtime markets at locations including Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Rail Station. On the menu, you’ll find the kind of delicious inventiveness that the GK team are known for, but with a mostly vegan, often dairy- and gluten-free spin. Dishes include ‘Chykin’ Katsu, Buffalo Soy ‘No’ggets, and Black Bean Balls in Mole Sauce. Follow them on Twitter @MeatLessGK to keep up to date with their whereabouts.

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SUCCESS FOR EAT CAMBRIDGE

Eat Cambridge served up a fortnight filled with tasty festivities from 19 May to 2 June, showcasing just how vibrant the local foodie scene has become. From the huge fair at The Guildhall, packed with great traders and thousands of happy punters, to the many inventive fringe events which took place around the city in the weeks that followed, the event offered a delicious celebration of the variety and depth of great food and drink on offer in our area.

“It was fantastic to be back after skipping a year in 2017 and it was clear that many, many people had missed Eat Cambridge!” Heidi White, festival director, told Cambridge Edition. “We had a superb selection of stallholders at the Main Event, all of which were very well received by customers who spent a happy hour or so sampling food and speaking to the producers before taking home plenty of local goodies. The programme of talks was also very popular, with the likes of Rosie Sykes, Rachel Roddy, Dr Sue Bailey and Alex Rushmer speaking about very current and insightful topics. I loved putting together the fringe events schedule this year, with so many exciting events and one-off pop-ups which celebrated our local food scene perfectly. I couldn’t have been happier with how it all went and the two weeks passed in a blur of food and drink festivities! Huge thanks to Cambridge Edition for helping us to promote the festival, and thank you to everyone who attended the events and got stuck in enjoying the food and drink we provided.

See you all again next May.” Keep an eye on the Eat Cambridge website, where the details for the 2019 event will be announced soon. eat-cambridge.co.uk

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OL D T ICK E T OF F ICE OPENS The rapidly developing station area has welcomed a new pub in the shape of the Old Ticket Office, located – you’ve guessed it – in the spot where we used to buy our tickets back in the old days. We know we’re in good hands with the management of this smart new gastro pub, which comes our way from City Pub Co, the team behind popular local spots including Cambridge Brew House, The Mill and The Petersfield. Conveniently located for a swift drink and a bite while you wait for your train, OTO offers a huge choice of keg and cask beers, alongside great wines and a classy cocktail list which includes a spiced blackberry daiquiri and a blood orange bellini. There’s also – refreshingly in all senses of the word – a genuinely good choice of nonalcoholic tipples for those abstaining. Food is central to the offering, and there’s a lot to tempt on a menu that’s teeming with crowd pleasers. Swinging by in the morning? Tuck into breakfast baps, kedgeree or a full English, then come lunch and dinner, feast on pub classics like ciderbattered haddock and chips or hearty pie and mash. There’s also colourful salads, vegan curries and bar snacks including Scotch eggs, cauliflower hot wings and chunky chips in rich cheddar sauce. Commuters will be pleased to note that many of the pub’s dishes can be provided to go, and there’s a discount on offer for key workers including NHS staff and teachers. oldticketoffice.com J U L Y 2 018

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AMÉLIE SET TO OPEN IN CAMBRIDGE Cambridge will be the location of the UK’s first flammekueche restaurant, set to open next month by the Vue Cinema inside the Grafton Centre. Featuring a bright, modern design and a gallery kitchen, Amélie will serve a variety of flammekueche, or tarte flambée, a dish which hails from the Alsace region on the French-German border. Similar to a pizza, it features a very light, thin bread dough, slathered with crème fraiche, and finished with topping combinations like smoked pork belly, chili and gherkins, or parma ham, parmesan and rocket.

Amélie is the brainchild of a family team made up of chef and restaurateur Regis Crepy – whose previous endeavours include the Great House in Lavenham – and his son Alex. “I am tremendously excited to be embarking on this new venture with Alexander and bringing flammekueche, a relatively

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unknown and totally different eating experience, to not only Cambridge but to the UK too,” said Regis. “Alex has invaluable experience with the Gaucho Group as one of its youngest managing partners, and is keen to find his own niche and introduce flammekueche to the cosmopolitan vibrant dining scene of Cambridge. I, not quite ready to hang up my pots and pans, am delighted to support him in this new venture, Amélie, named after his sister, my daughter.”

Flammekueche’s prices will start at £5.95, and the restaurant will also offer a small range of tapas-style dishes such as paprika roast cauliflower, and sardines with preserved lemon on sourdough bread. Plus look out for the bar, housed within an old yellow Citroen van and serving up wines, craft beer and soft drinks. amelierestaurants.co.uk

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FOOD NEWS

SPECIALS AT THE CARPENTERS ARMS Having enjoyed huge success at sister pub the Salisbury Arms on Tenison Road, Charles Wells brewery recently expanded its Pizza, Pots & Pints concept to Victoria Road, bringing a new look and menu to the Carpenters Arms. On offer now are wood-fired pizzas, craft beer and bubbling pots of comfort food like mac and cheese, all served up in a cosy, community-minded pub. If you need another reason to visit, the pub hosts enticing weekly specials, including buy one, get one free on pizzas each Monday (6pm to 9pm), a free dessert with each pizza or pot on ‘Fat Tuesdays’, and a weekly Wednesday supper club where head chef Craig creates a different dish each week for £10 a head. Come Sundays, pop by from 8pm and get nostalgic at the pub’s retro games night. carpentersarmscambridge.com

NEW LOOK FOR PIZZA EXPRESS

Pizza Express on Jesus Lane has recently reopened its doors following a refurbishment to reveal a swish new look. Drawing upon Cambridge’s heritage and history, the design refresh is on the ground floor of the prestigious Pitt Club, a Grade II listed neo-classical building named in honour of William Pitt the Younger, who was a student at Pembroke College. The makeover also includes the Venetian Room and the Oak Room: both grand spaces which are ideal for large bookings, boasting eyecatching features including original large-scale Art Deco mirrors.

“We are incredibly excited to be relaunching our newly renovated restaurant in Jesus Lane,” commented restaurant manager James Murphy.

“We can’t wait to invite new guests and regulars inside to see the changes.”

You can expect to see all the Pizza Express favourites on the menu, from garlic doughballs to classic pizzas and Romana pizzas, plus colourful salads and indulgent desserts. There’s also a range of lighter dishes for less than 600 calories, plus gluten-free, veggie and vegan options. If you’ve got a little pizza lover or budding chef on your hands, check out the kids’ pizzamaking parties on offer – where groups can have fun playing at being a pizzaiolo, stretching, tossing and topping their own pizzas. pizzaexpress.com

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R E S TAU R A N T R E V I E W

King William IV

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WE HEAD OUT TO HEYDON FOR A LUNCHTIME FEAST FIT FOR A KING

appled in late afternoon sun, our lunch venue looks a picture of rural charm as we make our approach. Rolling fields to the back, the chocolate box village of Heydon to the front; this handsome, old English inn is the stuff country pub dreams are made of. We were evidently not the only ones won over – the King William IV’s dining room was heaving with happy diners on our Saturday afternoon visit. The pub’s sprawling layout meant it didn’t feel cramped, though, and we were shown to a peaceful window seat looking out onto a pretty garden that offers ample seating.

The pub, which dates back to the 16th century, wears its rich history with pride. Surrounded by ancient fireplaces, flagstone floors, low timber beams and rustic bric-à-brac – you’d be hard pushed to remember you’re in the 21st century at all were it not for the iPhones on tables and cars pulling in. The whole place creaks with character and charm in a way

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that wants you to retire with a good ale and settle in for as long as possible.

The cosiness of the King Bill invites something hearty, so despite the warm weather outside we found ourselves leaning towards traditional, calorie-laden pub grub. My eye was caught by the Billy Burger, promising a homemade 8oz steak patty with cheese, dill pickle and relish with chunky chips. It was every bit as delicious as it sounds, the burger meltingly tender, slathered in sticky caramelised onion between a soft, floury, white bun; the tomato-based relish adding a zing. A burger fit for a king indeed.

Over on the other side of the table, my friend tucked into the ‘Good Cod Almighty’, aka battered cod served with chips and mushy peas. She praised the perfectly crisp batter and piping hot, succulent fish inside; delighting at the generously sized portion.

In addition to the classic British pub fare, there’s also some internationally inspired flavours to enjoy on the menu, with dishes like Malaysian beef rendang and Thai chicken pancakes with a rich plum sauce. While we went down the carnivorous route, rest assured that veggies are superbly catered for at this establishment. The pub is known for its ‘Vegetarian Verve’ menu, which offers

well thought-out plant-based dishes like chickpea, aubergine and spinach dhansak, and wild mushroom and cashew stroganoff with infused rice.

Our server assured us that the desserts were not to be missed, and he was right.

The brownies were a densely delicious triumph but it was the Cambridge Burnt Cream which stole the show. The debate may rage on as to whether this dessert really originated in our city (or whether the identical French crème brûlée came first, courtesy of our Gallic cousins), but frankly nobody cares when it’s as rich and velvety as this. Many extra points for the buttery shortbread (excellent for dipping), and the lip-smackingly tart berry compote it was arrived with. Sheer dessert bliss.

We are blessed with an abundance of fantastic country pubs around Cambridgeshire, but few can hold a candle to the King Bill. With its quality food, lovely service and splendidly historic feel, it more than deserves its reputation as one of the finest gastro-pubs around. A gem for lucky locals, it’s well worth the trip out of town for any Cambridge dwellers in search of a hearty feast in an atmospheric setting. The pub has recently added four luxurious bedrooms to its offering, too: excellent news if you can’t bear to leave after your meal.l

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FO O D & D R I N K

W H AT:

Historic pub with great grub and a cracking atmosphere, in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside

W H ER E:

43 Chishill Rd, Heydon, Royston SG8 8PN

HOW MUCH:

Starters from £4.95, mains from £12.95

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FO O D & D R I N K FIVE OF THE BEST

Sandwiches

© CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

DON’T SUCCUMB TO THE CONVENIENCE OF A MEAL DEAL – YOU’RE BETTER THAN THAT. STRIKE OUT ON YOUR LUNCHBREAK AND HEAD FOR THESE SANDWICH SPOTS TO SCORE SOME OF THE FINEST FEASTS TO BE FOUND BETWEEN TWO SLICES OF BREAD, SAYS CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

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BEST FOR: LANGUID LUNCHBREAKS

CAFE FOY

This little gem of an independent eatery has swiftly snuck onto local foodies’ radars.

The Quayside-based Cafe Foy, named for the motto of landlords Magdalene College, only opened its doors at the start of April this year, but has already garnered praise from all corners thanks to its short but smart menu packed with unwaveringly delicious options – including several toasted sandwiches. In the interest of research, we went for the sandwich which takes the cafe’s name – the Foy – and it surpassed expectations. Magnificently toasted on the exterior, and filled with a melting ‘signature blend’ of four cheeses and bechamel sauce – plus an irresistible addition of a few slices of Radmore cured ham – the toastie came accompanied by a small heap of pickles and perfectly-pink celeriac coleslaw.

Cafe Foy also has an alcohol licence, so you can wash your sandwich down with a cold pint of Vedett or choose from the wellappointed wine list, drawn up by Cambridge Wine Merchants – ideal for the summer evenings. Dodge the tourists, politely decline a punt tour and get yourself there fast, before the masses cotton on.

STREET FOOD S A N DW I C H E S IG @THETIN .KITCHEN TW @TIN_KITCHEN

If you’re in the mood for food of a street style, the Tin Kitchen truck has to be your target. Serving up hot, filled ciabatta rolls packed with slabs of grilled halloumi, pulled pork, harissa chicken and sometimes even meatballs (glory be), this mobile van pops up across the city throughout the week and is normally to be found at foodPark – but check Instagram and Twitter for the latest locations. It’s worth the hunt – trust us...

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BEST FOR: LA MOR ZY N & WE INGS EKEN D TREA TS

URBAN LARDER Come for the doughnuts; stay for the toasties. This much-loved, uncomplicated Mill Road eatery doesn’t just do sweet treats and some of the best coffee in the area – the savoury toasted sandwiches are the stuff of legend and (crucially) available all day long, fuelling every sort of sandwich need from early morning recoveries through to regular lunchbreaks or even early suppers. Made from Jigsaw Bakery sourdough, these lovingly-prepared toasties are perfectly crunchy on the outside, then gooey, soul-warming and completely delicious – especially when washed down with a large one of those aforementioned mugs of coffee. The cheese and mushroom option’s a big hit if you’re feeling in need of something restorative – and the tubs of Lego on each table will keep your brain well occupied while you wait for your toastie to arrive.

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ESPRESSO LIBRARY Don your smartest Rapha top, grab your MacBook and seek out a seat at this extremely popular industrialstyled cafe on East Road in the heart of the city.

This light and airy gallery-like space is filled with some of Cambridge’s coolest customers, all enjoying the completely splendid coffee and array of eats designed to cater for all kinds of tastes and lifestyles.

Owners John and Malgo champion plant-powered options where possible, and their daily changing toasted ciabatta is perfect for those who find menus challenging elsewhere – on the day we dropped by the filling on offer was marinaded tofu, sweet roasted peppers and fresh rocket galore. There’s also a bacon sandwich which appears on the brunch menu, which those of a vegan persuasion can switch to tempeh for a meatless feast. Settle down under the suspended bicycles to enjoy the ambiance and who knows – you might find yourself sharing a table with the next JK...

BEST FOR: TAKEAWAYS OR CREATIVE FOODIES

CULINARIS

BEST FO MOB R: WOR ILE K & VE ERS GA E AT E N RS

You might not have realised it, but lurking in the back of this distinguished deli lies one of the finest sandwich options in the city. The provided menu ticksheet on Culinaris’s counter is a starting point for your quest, with well-matched suggestions marked out to help guide you through hunger-based indecision but – if you’re feeling creative – you can technically choose any of the deli meats and cheeses from the full-to-bursting fridges to stuff your ciabatta-style roll, created in Culinaris’s own bakery in Hungary (where the shop originated). The only limit is your imagination. And your budget, of course…

Make your own way through the myriad of options, or ask for advice from resident sandwich artists Dom and Kate – whatever combination you end up with will be delicious. With such stunning produce on offer, how could it not be?

Additionally, there should really be some sort of award for those who manage to escape this Aladdin’s Cave of culinary wonders with just a sandwich in hand – successfully resisting the high-end single origin chocolates and other delights takes willpower of steel.

Once your sandwich is ready to go, you could stroll over to the Mill Road cemetery for a reflective hour out – or wander up to Parker’s Piece for the ultimate in Cambridge lunchbreaks.

BEST FOR: MEAT FANS

BREAD & MEAT

WANT TO MAKE

YOUR OWN

Nestled on the heart of Bene’t Street, this well-established independent is constantly bustling. Simply put, they sell five different sandwiches, which also come in breadless ‘bowls’. They also serve sides and a neat set of milkshakes. But really, you’re here for the porchetta. This sandwich is served warm in a crusty white ciabatta roll, bursting with palate-shatteringlycrispy crackling, a generous serving of melt-in-the-mouth overnight roast pork and piquant salsa verde to cut through the richness (pick up a glass of their homemade lemonade as well, which works wonders to balance the meatiness of the main event).

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PERFECT SANDWICH? TURN OVER FOR OUR SUPER-TASTY VEGAN BANH MI RECIPE

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H OW TO M A K E T H E B E S T

RECIPE BY ALEX RUSHMER

COMBINING VIETNAMESE AND GALLIC INFLUENCES, BÁNH MÌ IS THE SORT OF DISH THAT COULD ONLY COME ABOUT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF COLONIALISM. A FUSION FOOD CLASSIC, IT’S A SPECTACULAR SANDWICH THAT’S HARD TO BEAT

A traditional bánh mì combination might be barbecued pork or breaded chicken stuffed alongside pate, mayonnaise and aromatic South East Asian flavours such as lime, coriander and mint.

Here I’ve replaced the meat with tofu, fried until crispy in a coating of seasoned cornflour and turned up the flavour dial with a selection of herbs, spices and sauces.

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INGREDIENTS

One part-baked baguette 3 x 3cm square slices of firm tofu C ornflour (seasoned with fine salt and black pepper) C ooking oil (enough to come halfway up the tofu slices when cooking) One small grated carrot 4 -5 slices cucumber (lightly pickled in white wine vinegar and sweetened with a little sugar) One spring onion, finely sliced Fresh coriander leaves Fresh mint leaves Sweet chilli sauce Mayonnaise (or vegan mayo) Crunchy peanut butter Fresh lime juice

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STEP-BY-STEP

Cook the baguette until it starts to change colour, split and remove some of doughy bread inside to make space for the filling. Heat the oil in a saucepan on a high heat – it should reach 180 degrees. Dredge the tofu slices in the seasoned cornflour and cook in the oil, until the outsides are crispy and the tofu is hot. Spread the mayo, or vegan alternative, on one side of the baguette and the peanut butter on the other, then begin to add the fillings – the order doesn’t really matter but I like to finish with the coriander and mint.

Finally, drizzle with sweet chilli sauce and then finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

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© CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

FO O D X&X XDXRXIXNX KX

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FO O D & D R I N K C H E F ’S TA B L E

Catch the Bug

INSECTS HAVE BEEN CREEPING AND CRAWLING ONTO CHEF ALEX RUSHMER’S PLATE – AND HE THINKS YOU SHOULD GIVE THEM A TRY TOO

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

S

ome years ago my wife bought me a little booked called Why not eat Insects?. Originally published in 1885, it was sold as just another quirky piece of Victorian eccentricity, an odd and novel essay penned by one Vincent M Holt, a man who (one can only presume) sent out a great many invitations to dine at his table, and received precisely the same number of polite rejections. I imagine him at the head of a grandly laid out table, forlornly looking at the empty seats, before wiping the remnants of the slug soup (he was very loose in defining ‘insect’) entrée from his extravagant moustache.

More recently, another book on entomophagy was gifted to me. On Eating Insects, however, is no Victorian oddity but rather is a far more ambitious publication, this time from the pioneers of the coffee table cookbook, Phaidon. It is a selection of essays, notes, thoughts and recipes from those quirky Scandinavians at the Nordic Food Lab. What is has in common with Holt’s modest manifesto from almost 150 years prior, though, is the nature of its central argument: that there is no reason, other than conditioning, that we reject such a vast number of creatures from our diet. There is nothing stronger than prejudice that prevents us from dining on creatures with four legs, and finding those with six repulsive and unworthy of the table.

This has been at the forefront of my mind recently as I have been designing and cooking a botanical-inspired menu at The Cambridge Distillery in Grantchester. Each dish on the menu is based on the flavours that are present in one of the gins that the distillery produces, and that includes ants.

I first tried eating ants in Copenhagen a couple of years ago when I was fortunate enough to snag a reservation at Noma.

Head chef René Redzepi has used them as an element in several dishes over the years (most notably as a seasoning on raw shrimp) but when I ate them they were used to flavour a delightful savoury biscuit shaped like a twig. They are completely delicious with a complex citrus flavour similar to sour lemongrass, thanks to the formic acid they produce in their abdomens as a defence mechanism.

The dish we created in order to highlight their unique flavour is a Japanese set custard flavoured with dashi and then topped with fresh raw peas, juice from the pea pods, a puree of nettles and a single mange tout which is garnished with half a dozen or so red wood ants – several of which I snack on every time I plate up.

Over the years I’ve also eaten crickets and mealworms (the former tasty, the latter not so much) which may

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sound odd to us, but certainly not to the two billion people who gain a significant amount of their dietary protein from the consumption of insects and other similar critters.

What’s more, the arguments for doing so are beginning to stack up. As we move closer towards the possibility of a global food crisis – thanks to population increase and a warming planet – we will have to rely on more sustainable food sources. Cricket production is 20 times more efficient as a protein source than cattle, they are twice as efficient as chickens at turning food into protein, can fit into a far smaller space and can survive on little more than cardboard.

Those of us who find the idea less than palatable might do well to remind ourselves of the fact that we are already familiar with the flavour of a great many multi-legged crunchy creatures, but only those that live in the sea rather than dwell on the land. At some point in the distant past ancestral crabs, lobsters – and several others of their ilk – made the leap from sea to land.

It’s looking increasingly likely that at some point in the near future, we may well have to do the same when it comes to our dietary habits. ‘Why not eat insects?’ Why not, indeed. l

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FO O D & D R I N K

Nature’s Larder THE TEAM FROM THE GOG, OUR AWARD-WINNING LOCAL FARM SHOP, BUTCHERY, DELI AND CAFÉ, GIVE THE LOW-DOWN ON THE SEASONAL PRODUCE TO SEEK OUT THIS MONTH

W hilst the nights are long and (hopefully!) warm, and delicious local produce is in abundance, why not bring a little piece of Italy to Cambridge with some alfresco dining? We were delighted to welcome new head chef Jon to The Gog family earlier this year; he brings with him a wealth of experience from his years of training in the Jamie Oliver group, so it’s no surprise to learn that he has a passion for all things Italian, with wood-fired pizzas being one of his specialities.

There’s nothing better than firing up the Big Green Egg BBQ and cooking up some tasty pizzas to share with family and friends. This versatile piece of kit can cook anything from long, slow roasts to tasty veg and even bread! Fear not if you don’t have one – you can use your oven at its hottest temperature.

Jon cooked up a pizza feast using seasonal veg, including summer squash fresh from the fields in Fenstanton, tasty courgettes from Cottenham and rocket salad from Kent. Combine these seasonal beauties with the divine parma ham found in the deli and highest quality chorizo from our butchery, and you’ve got a raft of winning combinations.

When Jon’s not rustling up new culinary delights to add to the menu at The Gog, he can be found with his wife Lucy and baby daughter Evie or, as a Cambridge resident, out on his bicycle – of course!

Sadly, we can’t share his secret recipe, but I assure you this one tastes just as good! l The Gog, Heath Farm, Shelford Bottom, Cambridge CB22 3AD | 01223 248352 www.thegog.com

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HOW T O E AT I T DOUGH INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 PIZZA BASES)

• 500g pizza flour/strong white bread flour • 1 tsp sea salt • 7g dried yeast or fresh soaked in 50ml water • 5ml extra virgin olive oil for drizzling • 325ml water (room temp) HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

• H and-crushed plum tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, pinch of sea salt, fresh oregano and grated garlic, dash of red wine vinegar.

• Or passata with herbs is a quick trick!

TOPPINGS

• Tomato • Cheese • Summer squash, chilli, chorizo • Rocket, parma ham, egg, asparagus METHOD

1. Add flour to water and mix well, add salt, mix a small amount, then add yeast mix.

2. Mix well until dough is nicely formed, elastic but not too tight.

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3. Drizzle with olive oil and smooth over dough.

4. Cover and allow to prove for 1 hour 30mins in a warm place or until the dough doubles in size.

5. After this, knead the dough to knock the air out, then weigh out 190g of dough and roll into smooth dough balls.

6. Allow to prove/double for an hour to two hours. Then your pizza dough will be ready!

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Generously flour a pizza paddle, or if you don’t have one, a piece of cardboard will do!

2. Roll out the pizza dough into a circle about ten inches in diameter.

3. Dollop on a generous amount of tomato sauce.

4. Add the cheese and toppings of your choice.

5. Ideally cook at 300-350°C for six mins to get the crispiest base, or cook at the highest temperature you can for nine to ten minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the base crispy. Enjoy!

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Drinks TROLLEY

I K N OW T H I S G R E AT L I T T L E P L AC E ...

Varsity Rooftop Bar A LOOK AROUND SOME OF CAMBRIDGE’S HIDDEN DRINKING DENS. UP THIS MONTH, THE ROOFTOP BAR AT VARSITY HOTEL Not so much a hidden gem but a local summertime institution, the Varsity Hotel’s rooftop bar brings a little Madrid chic to Cambridge in the warmer months. With panoramic views of the city’s skyline, it’s a dream spot for lounging with a glass of something cold and watching the sun set on the bustle below.

There’s a fabulous choice of cocktails, gins

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and fizz, and you can have a bite to eat as well, choosing from the barbecue menu. It probably comes as no surprise that it’s not the cheapest of bars – but with those views it’s hard to care…

Weather permitting, the rooftop is open from 5pm-10pm on Mondays, and 12pm-10pm Tuesday to Sunday. thevarsityhotel.co.uk

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D R I N KS

STRAWBERRY MOJITO RECIPE Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa shares a recipe for an enchanting take on the popular mojito cocktail, this time muddled with strawberries.

YOU WILL NEED:

1 oz sugar syrup 3 fresh strawberries 2-3 fresh mint leaves 1 lime (cut into 4) 50 ml Havana rum Dash of soda water METHOD:

Fill a tall glass with crushed ice and set aside to chill for 2-3 minutes, empty the glass of ice and set aside (to be re-added later) Into the chilled glass add the mint leaves, sugar syrup, two thirds of the strawberries and the lime segments. Muddle them all together with a muddler or back of a spoon, make sure everything is well crushed and mixed to get the most of the fruits!

Add in 50 ml of Havana rum and stir ingredients with a long spoon

Fill the glass to the top with the crushed ice and gently stir again

Finish by topping off with soda water and add a sprig of mint and a fresh strawberry to garnish

“A seasonal, refreshing spin on a classic”

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F E E L I N G T H I RS T Y?

Dedicated swallower of fashion ELODIE CAMERON FROM LOCAL DRINKS SHOP THIRSTY CONSIDERS THE UPS AND DOWNS OF WINE TRENDS Apparently, we have fallen out of love with Sauvignon Blanc. Could this be possible? Is there such a thing as fashionable grapes?

The truth is that even wine is not immune from the ebbs and flows of our changing tastes and the desire for new experiences.

Many years ago oaked Chardonnays from the New World were the zeitgeist – we loved the way the oak gave us those buttery textures coupled with fruit freshness and acidity. But then, it happened: with overload and poor imitations came a new phenomenon – ABC (anything but Chardonnay).

The result was that things came full circle – many of the wines that simply cashed in on the trend left the shelves and those winemakers with a good touch carried on creating wines with finesse. A new style came into play to allow these wines to be differentiated – this was the era of cool-climate Chardonnay: balanced, sophisticated wines with just the right lick of oak or sometimes none at all. You can’t just write off centuries of good quality in a trend: classic never goes out of fashion. Having digressed a little, I hope you can see my point – Chardonnay’s fall from grace made space for Sauvignon Blanc to come into favour...

With the dying of the trend for big, oaky Chardonnay came the emergence of New Zealand

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Sauvignon Blanc, and again we were blown away – a new trend was born.

We forgot that we’d been drinking wines from the Loire and Bordeaux for a millennia. No, it was all about Savvy Blanc from the other side of the world, and with good reason: the flavours abounded and we were inspired by the crisp freshness and the gooseberry, exotic fruit and asparagus flavours. Much like Chardonnay, we milked this one, but again our tastes got weary, proving fashion does exist in wine.

So, what now for this classic grape variety? I’m pleased to report that a crisp, fresh Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire is still perfect at this time of year – sip it by itself or pair with salads, fish and lighter summer meals. Alternatively, grab a Bordeaux Blanc; in Bordeaux, Sauvignon is blended to create a wine that is light and fruity, with citrus notes and hints of grass.

Perfect for shellfish – and spritzers.

Sauvignon Blanc, Famille Bougrier, £10.90, from the Loire Valley, offers lots of citrus and elderflower notes with hints of tropical fruit. Delicious.

Biface Blanc, Despagne £12.40, is a modern style of Bordeaux Blanc, textured yet citrussy and fresh; a touch of Sémillon adds richness.

Or try Pouilly-Fumé, Domaine des Fines Caillottes Jean Pabiot £17.40, with its a rich palate of pineapple, passion fruit, pear – beautifully aromatic.

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ROUNDWOOD GIN LAUNCHES If you’re a G&T devotee, check out Roundwood Gin – a new local distillery which has just launched their delightful range. Made near Abbots Ripton, the gin is created using botanicals inspired by the surrounding woodland, giving a subtle twist to the classic London Dry recipe. Botanicals including elderberries and elderflower are blended to create a perfectly balanced gin that is exquisitely smooth, dry and citrusy, with bursts of berries and delicate floral notes. A true labour of love, Roundwood Gin is distilled by hand in extra-small batches of less than 80 bottles at a time, and it’s already proving popular with punters. After attending three events in as many weeks, and with plenty more in the pipeline, Roundwood’s Emily and Rupert admit that it’s been whirlwind of a start: “We’ve had a great response to the gin and have received loads of positive feedback from people.”

In addition to attending events, Roundwood Gin has been selling fast through the company’s website to people all over the UK and has already been shortlisted for the Gin Guide’s global awards in both the Contemporary Gin and UK Gin categories. Roundwood will be hosting events at their distillery near Huntingdon to encourage people to come and learn more about the brand. Get more details, and shop, at their website. roundwooddistillery.co.uk

THIRST Y RU N N I N G C LU B Love running? Love beer? Listen up!

Drinks shop Thirsty are combining the two with their Mikkeller Running Club, which launches on Saturday 7 July.

The plan is to congregate at Thirsty’s Chesterton Road branch and limber up, before heading out, en masse, for a 5km run. Designed to be social and allow you to have fun while you jog/ trot/sprint, rather than being super competitive, the run will culminate with some nice refreshing beers – one of which you’ll get for free if you’re taking part in the exercise bit! Join the fun at 2pm and search Thirsty Cambridge on Facebook for more info.

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D R I N KS T RO L L E Y

G C OMIN SOON

CAMBRIDGE COCKTAIL WEEKEND We’re already getting excited about Cambridge Cocktail Weekend, which descends for three days of brilliantly boozy fun, 24-26 August. Taking place at the Corn Exchange, this drinks extravaganza offers live music, demos, workshops and cocktails aplenty over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend. Last year the event welcomed more than 2,000 happy punters and this year the organisers are gearing up for an even bigger and better event, celebrating the city’s best bars alongside global spirits superstars. From boutique local producers such as Pinkster Gin to world-class drinks brands like Tanqueray, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to tasting your way around this three-day festival, where you can also take part in masterclasses and try plenty of tasters. Music will be provided by top local acts Swagger, The Indietones and Booga’s Electric Sauce.

Stay tuned to the next issue of Cambridge Edition for all the info. cambridgecocktailweekend.co.uk

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E D U CAT I O N E D U C AT I O N S P OT L I G H T

Why does pupil wellbeing matter?

CHRIS TOWNSEND, HEADMASTER OF FELSTED SCHOOL, CONSIDERS HOW BEST TO SAFEGUARD PUPIL HAPPINESS

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en years ago the term ‘wellbeing’ was never used in schools; indeed it was not talked about at all. It was probably Anthony Seldon (former Master of Wellington College) who started the discussion when he launched ‘happiness lessons’.

Personally, I am not a great advocate for happiness lessons because I don’t think wellbeing should be taught as a discrete part of what a school offers. I believe wellbeing should be a part of what a school is, at the heart of what the school is trying to deliver. Although I am proud to have just opened an in-school Wellbeing Centre (one of the first in a school in the UK) here at Felsted, it really is not the building but the statement that is important, and what it means to members of our community – whether pupils, staff or parents.

Why does wellbeing matter? It is a recognition of the challenges that young people face in society today. It is one of the hardest areas to come to terms with, the fact that there are increasing incidences of mental health challenges for young people. One question often asked is whether there are increasing incidents, or whether we just have greater awareness and are more prepared to talk about these issues. It is probably a combination of the two, but there’s no doubt that the pace of life at which we live, the pressures that we apply and everything else that comes in around the life of young people, the ubiquitous social media, all coalesce to increase pressure and anxiety.

The purpose of our Wellbeing Centre is not just to provide a focus at the heart of the school for this particular area, but to show how important it is to us as a school that young people at Felsted are happy.

It is an underrated value, an underrated quality, something that people either take for granted or see as being a little bit ‘airyfairy’. Actually, it’s absolutely the core of what we as a school want to deliver. We aim to create a culture of awareness of mental health needs, with no stigma or

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“Wellbeing should be a part of what a school is” discrimination, providing high quality mental health training for staff, pupils and parents. And if a child is happy, they will be learning to their full potential and achieving the best that they can in all areas of school life.

We teach all our pupils, from the youngest years, the importance of mental health, through PSHE lessons, peer counselling, yoga sessions or mindfulness lessons. It forms an integral part of our pastoral care offering, with all our staff equipped to understand and look out for the mental wellbeing of their pupils, whether in the boarding houses, classrooms, at lunch or in cocurricular activities.

A massive support network underpins our care for each child, which includes

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a house parent, tutor, teachers, matron, chaplain, peer counsellors, house and school prefects, and now our in-house Wellbeing Centre and counselling service.

The Centre provides a tranquil hub for pupils to drop in for some ‘time-out’, as well as providing a number of specialised services such as paint, play and sand therapy, the latter being particularly popular with older students who may find it difficult to express themselves verbally.

My aim is to help to develop welladjusted young people who are happy; happy in themselves, happy in their relationships with one another, and happy with who they are, ready to go out and make a difference in the world. That, for me, is why wellbeing matters at Felsted. l felsted.org

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INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

Let’s Go Punting SIOBHAN GODWOOD MEETS THE FORWARD-THINKING LOCAL PUNTING COMPANY BRINGING A MODERN APPROACH TO CAMBRIDGE'S FAVOURITE PASTIME

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he history of punting lies in commerce, as the familiar square-ended boats were used throughout the Fens for reed cutting, hunting wildfowl and transporting cargo. The shape of a punt is perfect for the shallow waters of the Fens, with its width offering stability

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and space for cargo, and the flat bottom meaning it stays high in the water. The square ends mean that the punt can go in either direction without having to turn, and the pole means you can steer and navigate in places where it’s too shallow or narrow to use oars.

It wasn’t long before some bright spark cottoned on to the fact that all of these characteristics also made the punt a fantastic pleasure craft: the width means you can pile in lots of people and it’s almost impossible to tip the punt over, no matter how inebriated its passengers, plus it offers the chance to snuggle under a blanket, or sit back with a glass of Prosecco, depending on the weather. The pole lends itself to leisurely, relaxed movement along the river, or a bit of macho posturing from young men trying to impress on a first date. All in all, it’s no surprise that punting crossed over from commercial enterprise to leisure activity, beginning in the mid

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1800s on the Thames and then taking off in Cambridge by the early 1900s.

Despite some stiff competition from Oxford and Stratford, Cambridge is still the undisputed Capital of Punting. Let’s Go Punting is a fairly new kid on the river, although founder Simon has been working in punting for more than 17 years, and was one of those involved in persuading the city council to allow individuals – not just the big companies – licences to punt on the Cam. He and partner Caroline set up Let’s Go Punting in 2012, as they felt that there was a gap in the market for a company with a strong online presence. “We noticed that other punting companies weren’t really using the internet to get business,” says Caroline, “so we felt that we could offer something different. Plus, we’re really competitively priced online, which helps.

As of this summer, the company has further enhanced their digital presence

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I N D E P E N D E N T O F T H EX M X XO X XNXTXHX

with the launch of the Let’s Go Punting app. Available on Apple and Android devices, it offers customers the chance to have a go at quizzes, with great prizes given to the winners announced on a monthly basis. You can add your favourite selfies too, for a chance to feature on the company’s social media pages.

Through this kind of forward-thinking, the company’s vision is to bring the somewhat antiquated punting industry bang up-to-date – you can even follow their adventures on YouTube, where they share snippets of life on the river via the Let’s Go Punting channel.

“A lot of our customers are tourists, which includes people from other parts of the UK as well as abroad,” says Caroline, “but we also do lots of events, hen parties and groups of families and friends, and small corporate events.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, hen parties are huge on the Cam. “If you’re having your hen party in Cambridge – whether you’re a local or you’ve chosen the city because it’s such a beautiful place to visit – then you’re going to want to include punting as part of your celebration,” she continues. “Weirdly, stags are less keen; we only do perhaps one a year!” Let’s Go Punting even has a dedicated hen party website, Cambridge Hen Party, where they offer other activities to complement the punting experience, including cocktail making, life drawing and restaurant meals. One big plus for the hen party punt picnics is that you can bring your own drink. “We did think about getting an alcohol licence,” says Caroline, “but

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we realised that people really like being able to bring along their own drinks as it makes the party much more budgetfriendly, and you aren’t limited as to what drinks you can have.”

As well as taking online bookings, Let’s Go Punting have a check-in desk on the quayside, so you can usually find a salesperson from the team either by Cambridge Wine Merchants or near Las Iguanas. And you don’t have to be a hen to upgrade your punting experience

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to something a bit more special; the company offers punting picnics, teaming up with local companies Que Rico, Cheese Co and Food 4 Food to offer customers plenty of choice. “It’s also really nice for us to work with other local companies,” says Caroline. “Cambridge is a very special city, and we’re really proud to be a part of the thriving community of independent companies that make it so unique.” l Let’s Go Punting | 01223 651 659 letsgopunting.co.uk

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Gresham House Wellness Opens RELAX AND UNWIND AT CAMBRIDGE’S NEW LUXURY SPA WITH ROOMS – A BLISSFUL, BOTANICAL INSPIRED BOLTHOLE IN THE GARDENS OF THE GONVILLE HOTEL

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estled within the manicured walled garden at the Gonville Hotel, Gresham House Wellness was unveiled to the public last month following a huge restoration and refurbishment project.

The months of work have paid off, transforming this grand Victorian villa into a sleek, contemporary spa with rooms right in the heart of the city, just opposite Parker’s Piece.

Taking inspiration from the gardens and parklands which surround the spa, a botanical theme abounds inside, with stunning floral wallpapers and soft furnishings providing pops of rich colour. There are three serene treatment rooms where guests can unwind and take advantage of an extensive spa menu created in partnership with prestigious skincare brand ESPA. Pampering enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice with the sumptuous selection of

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offerings, which include Optimal Skin Pro Facials, Holistic Total Body Ritual Massages with hot stones, Advanced Body Cocoons and Jessica Nail Treatments. Gresham House Wellness also offers a mindfulness massage range, featuring breathing and visualisation techniques to reduce stress, and enhance emotional and physical wellbeing – just the thing if you’re in need of some zen-time. If you’re looking to really relax and indulge, there are also eight feature bedrooms for an overnight stay, each uniquely designed and boasting gorgeous features such as freestanding bathtubs and jewelcoloured velvet armchairs.

If you do choose to make a night of your retreat, the four-star Gonville Hotel offers two culinary options: Cotto, which serves up exquisite fine dining fare, and the more relaxed Atrium Brasserie.

Round off your minibreak in style with

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a tour of the city in the Gonville Hotel’s privately owned Classic 1958 S1 Bentley.

“After months of work and considerable restoration, we are thrilled to unveil Gresham House Wellness to the world,” commented Edward Adshead, general manager of the Gonville Hotel. “Cambridge is a place of outstanding beauty, and we have designed the retreat to reflect the area’s peacefulness. A five-minute walk from the centre of town, and surrounded by sprawling gardens, Gresham House Wellness is a refreshing haven for relaxation.

“Whether it’s a quick beauty treatment before a big event or a detoxifying weekend break, we can cater to all requirements and we look forward to welcoming visitors to our historic town, and those from the local community in the coming weeks.” l gonvillehotel.co.uk

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E SS

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FAS H I O N

Frock it LIKE IT’S HOT Summer dress season is upon us: from girly ginghams to flamboyant florals, from maxis to minis – the high street is bursting with frocks in every cut, pattern and length under the sun

BLUE SHIRT DRESS

£13, Primark, Burleigh Street

STRIPED DRESS

£69.99, TK Maxx, Market Street

YOU ARE AMAZING DRESS

£69.50, Oliver Bonas, Sidney Street PINK STRIPED RUFFLE DRESS

£32, Miss Selfridge

RED HERRING LEMON PRINT DRESS

£19.50 Debenhams, Grafton Centre GINGHAM MIDI DRESS

£22.99, New Look, Lion Yard

Jacket, £349, Polo Ralph Lauren; dress, £115, Lollys Laundry; bag, £130, Biba at House of Fraser

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RIVIERA CHIC A summer style that never goes out of fashion, Riviera chic is a nod to the luxurious glamour associated with southern France’s playground for the rich, famous and beautiful. Don’t worry if you haven’t got the budget for headto-toe Chanel, this timeless look is easy to emulate: opt for Breton striped sundresses, bardot necklines, and clean, bright whites – accessorised with espadrilles, gold jewellery and a headscarf. Hey presto: Cannes ready!

PURE COTTON STRIPED MIDI DRESS

£39, Marks and Spencer This versatile sundress can go from a day on the beach to a glamorous night out – just swap sandals for heels

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Home Edition © JOHN LEWIS

E D I T I O N LO V E S • AS K T H E AG E N T • CO N S E RVATO RY ST Y L E

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All things BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL

INTERIORS

&

A GARDEN ROOM IS A GREAT WAY TO ADD SPACE TO YOUR HOME. THE BEST CONSERVATORIES ARE BATHED IN NATURAL LIGHT AND, BEING A BRIDGE TO THE OUTSIDE SPACE, CAN BE A QUIET SANCTUARY ALL YEAR ROUND. HERE’S HOW TO GIVE YOUR GLASS ROOM A NEW LEASE OF LIFE, SAYS ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE

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hether you use a conservatory as a dining space, extra living room, study or playroom, the first port of call for interior inspiration should be the great outdoors. Typically sunny rooms, they often look out on to the garden, and by incorporating natural colours, textures and a touch of botanicals, you can achieve a seamless outdoor look.

Kasia Wiktorowicz, marketing and communications manager at Valspar Paints, suggests using a palette of green to bring the outside in. “The natural world offers the perfect setting to relax, escape and restore the senses,” she says. “With lifestyles becoming increasingly busy, this trend transforms interiors into fresh and vibrant spaces to revitalise the mind, body and soul.”

You can also reference the natural world by using fabrics and prints that are bursting with flowers, ferns and wildlife. Sofa Workshop’s Petite Marguerite chair upholstered in Osborne & Little’s vibrant Tulipan fabric will make a pretty statement piece, while Anna Jacobs’ new Falling Leaves range of lamps, pillows and artwork are inspired by the changing seasons, and will add pops of colour in an otherwise pared-back scheme.

From Ross & Brown’s fern and leaf prints to Yonder Living’s ceramic succulents, incorporating the world of nature need not be overblown or fussy. Keep the look clean and streamlined so the space does not feel cluttered or dated. Talking of which, incorporate modern storage – such as sideboards, chests and quirky cabinets – to keep your conservatory stylish and tidy.

Light-filled garden rooms are, of course, wonderful for doubling up as dining areas and entertaining spaces. Source natural wood tables and chairs from Willis and Gambier, and offset a dressed table with Oggetto’s low-hanging fish-trap pendant lights, handmade from bamboo in Indonesia.

Adding in a statement piece of furniture, such as Artisanna’s velvet chairs, will also update the feel of the room and make it even more appealing for cosy nights in.

Jessica Pownall, director at Artisanna London, gives her advice on conservatory style: “Consider your conservatory as an extension of your garden as well as your home.

Whether it’s a place to relax or entertain, when dressing a conservatory, keep things simple and uncluttered to maximise the light u

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INTERIORS

Previous page wicker chair, £1950 for full set and table; pots, £275 for three, from Violet Grey. Opposite walls and shelves painted in Valspar’s Keen on Green, from £15 per litre. Above Sofa Workshop’s Petite Marguerite chair in Osborne & Little’s Tulipan fabric, from £979. Below Howea botanical print, from £42, from Ross & Brown.

Anna Jacobs’ Falling Leaves in Summer cushion, £65.

Ceramic coral, £14, from Yonder Living

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INTERIORS

and airy atmosphere but use soft furnishings or interesting floor coverings with bursts of colour and texture to bring warmth to the space. Bringing a bit of the outside in by including greenery and colourful potted plants will bring any room to life.”

Conservatories, of course, first became all the rage in the Victorian era, when glasshouses were constructed in many wealthy homes to reflect a new-found love of all things botanical. Giving a nod to this heritage is Violet Grey’s distressed metal 19thcentury range of elaborate dining tables, bistro sets and jardinieres as well as Castrad’s vintage metal radiators.

Jayson Branch, creative director of Castrads, comments: “Incorporating natural materials like wood, stone, bamboo, rattan and metal can lift a room, and add interesting texture, while allowing you to create your own personal style. Not only are these materials aesthetically pleasing and can add drama to a room, they’re durable and age gracefully over time.”

You can also add a touch of Victoriana by decorating small areas with modern floral wallpapers, such as Farrow & Ball’s Atacama and Hegemone prints, and historicstyle accessories, such as those from Andrew Martin’s collaboration with the National Gallery.

David Harris, Andrew Martin’s design director, says: “Andrew Martin is known u

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Top Willis & Gambier’s Maze extendable dining table, £1059. Above Directoire centrepiece urn, £1400, and Aras bistro set, £1200 from Violet Grey

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“Carpet adds another dimension to a room, as well as offering luxurious comfort underfoot” for its multicultural, easy living style. Our latest collaboration with the National Gallery has resulted in a collection of fabrics, accessories and wallcoverings. My favourite is the Whistlejacket cushion, featuring George Stubb’s famous Whistlejacket portrait set against colourful backgrounds with smart velvet piping. Stubb’s huge picture was originally painted in 1762 for the Second Marquess of Rockingham, Whistlejacket’s owner and a great patron of Stubbs. It brings a sense of grandeur and past referencing to the home.”

Meanwhile – keeping things practical – is the flooring you choose. Gemini Tiles’ range of feature tiling, such as the Cuban Silver finish, is perhaps best suited to garden rooms due to traffic in and out of the garden, while Brintons suggests that carpet should also be considered.

Natalie Littlehales, marketing manager at the company, says: “The texture of carpet adds another dimension to a room, as well

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INTERIORS

as offering luxurious comfort underfoot and acting as a great insulator to keep your conservatory temperature regulated. The popularity of grey carpets is growing as not only are they ideal for high traffic areas, as they conceal dirt and marks, but they also add character to a room.”

With floor-to-ceiling windows giving an abundance of glass, soft furnishings are also an important consideration. Blinds in a range of natural prints from iLiv continue the outdoors theme, while the pleated versions from Apollo Blinds give a slick finish. Finally, offering a motorised system that allows multiple blinds to be operated via a smart phone, tablet or remote control, Duette window coverings are ideal for those conservatories where roof blinds and windows can be hard to reach.

“A conservatory is one of the most aesthetically pleasing rooms in summertime, with natural light in abundance and beautiful uninterrupted views of the outdoors,” says u

Top left Farrow & Ball’s Hegemone wallpaper, from £97 per roll.

Left Brintons’ Bedford carpet, from £59.99 per square metre. Above Pleated blinds in Turquoise Crush, from £84, from Apollo Blinds. Right Cuban Silver Sky tiles, £49.99 per square metre, from Gemini Tiles

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STOCKISTS A New Tribe 07815 534545 anewtribe.co.uk

Indigo Furniture 01629 581800 indigofurniture.co.uk

Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100 andrewmartin.co.uk

Oggetto 01305 881010 oggetto.com

Anna Jacobs 020 8693 6518 annajacobsart.com

Made + Good madeandgood.com

Apollo Blinds apollo-blinds.co.uk Artisanna London artisannalondon.com Brintons 0800 505 055 brintons.co.uk Castrads 0161 439 9350 castrads.com Duette 0800 0663 662 duette.co.uk

Nisi Living 01275 390521 nisiliving.co.uk Ross & Brown 0345 600 3315 rossandbrownhome.co.uk Shimu 0800 088 6800 shimu.co.uk Sofa Workshop 0808 149 2911 sofaworkshop.com Valspar Paints valsparpaint.co.uk

Farrow & Ball 01223 367771 farrow-ball.com

Violet Grey 01392 348318 violetgrey.co.uk

Gemini Tiles 0800 195 6620 geminitile.co.uk

Willis & Gambier 01733 318400 willisgambier.co.uk

iLiv i-liv.co.uk

Yonder Living yonderliving.com

Right Aldsworth shelf ladder, £165, from Grace & Grey. Below conservatory blinds, from £150, from Duette

“Natural materials can lift a room” Kirsty Hunt, spokesperson for Duette.

“However, the combination of expanses of glass with sunshine pouring in and high temperatures can make this room uncomfortably warm. Duette blinds can cut heating bills in the winter by up to 25%, and also shrink electricity bills in summer by reducing the need for costly electric fans or air conditioning units. By keeping the temperature constant, despite the season, they can make the conservatory what it should be – a cosy extra room in the house that you can use all year round.”

Whether you choose a minimal, blissedout haven in subtle shades of green or a lush botanical hide-out, there is plenty to inspire. l

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CERAMIC DAHLIA SUCCULENT

FISH TRAP PENDANT LIGHT

from £60, oggetto.com

£26, yonderliving.com

FALLING LEAVES IN WINTER LAMP

NATIONAL GALLERY WHISTLEJACKET ORANGE CUSHION

£199, annajacobsart.com

£75, andrewmartin.co.uk

EDI T ION

LOVES ALDSWORTH SHELF LADDER

TOTEM CANDLES

from £14, anewtribe.co.uk

MUSA BOTANICAL ART PRINT

£165, graceandgrey.co.uk

from £42, rossandbrownhome.co.uk

DAKARA SEAGRASS BASKET

£36, ellajames.co.uk

MARBLED CERAMIC PLANTER

£15, room356.co.uk

TARIFA RATTAN CHAIR

£175, nisiliving.co.uk

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P RO P E RT Y A S K T H E AG E N T

Good news for tenants?

WILL REDMAYNE, DIRECTOR OF REDMAYNE MILLER, CONSIDERS THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TENANT FEE BAN

T

he big topic of conversation in the Lettings World at the moment is the upcoming ban on tenant fees: ie. any associated fees charged to a tenant renting a property. The topic is being so widely spoken about due to the nature of the impact it will have on the rental market. We are still not sure on the exact terms that will be applied, but it is very likely to affect tenants, landlords and agents – some for the better, some for the worse.

As an agent, I am aware of the amount of work that goes into preparing a tenancy, from negotiating the let, through to referencing the applicants and creating the tenancy agreement. There is also a vast amount of legislation that we have to comply with that all takes time and costs money.

I thought it would be interesting to explore what possibilities we might be facing when the tenant fee ban does come into place:

ease the impact, therefore spreading the portfolio of managed properties between fewer people. Will this have an effect on the level of service landlords and tenants are being provided with?

• S ome landlords may choose to sell up, as this ban, along with all the other legislation changes, might make them feel that letting their property is no longer a viable option. This will inevitably create a greater demand for rental properties from tenants, possibly even pushing up the rents as the market will be more competitive. ewer fees sounds great from a tenant’s • F point of view, but what does this do to the sharers market? There is a lot more work involved in putting three sharers into a property, for example, than a single person (more negotiations, referencing, etc), so are landlords and agents going to opt for the ‘easier’ opportunity than the more time-consuming option?

There is no doubt that agents will need to do something to recover the costs that will

be lost, some smaller agents may even have to close their doors completely, and I am sure that this is something that everyone is preparing for at the moment. We are lucky in that we are a relatively new business and were aware of the future plans relating to this, so could set ourselves up in a way that losing tenant fees won’t heavily impact us. We decided to take an office on the outskirts of the city so that we don’t have the large overheads to consider, but for a lot of agents who have been running for a number of years with large rent bills to pay, it is likely to be a troubling time.

Unfortunately I think the main reason that there has been such a huge call to abolish tenant fees is that a small handful of agents have unjustifiably charged large sums of money to tenants in order to move into a property, meaning that in the long run, the more honest and trusting agents out there will now have to suffer. Only time will tell what the true implications of this ban will be on the rental market, but I do not think that it is going to be as straightforward as some may think. l

• Landlords are likely to have to take on some extra costs, whether it be an increase in management fee or a oneoff set-up cost for new tenancies.

• Agents are expected to have to make cutbacks, possibly redundancies, to

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