Colchester 101 May 2011 by Simon Colchester

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:09 Page 1

Issue 7 May 2011

Free Please take one

Adamski is in the House LISTINGS COMMUNITY FA S H I O N H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G HOME & GARDEN

May’s Essential Events Guide Angela Mitchell’s Fashion Tips & Trends May Fair Update Eating Out in Colchester Guide

Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:09 Page 2

l l u u B B e e Th The Music Venue - now with even more music Come along and check it out!

THE NEW FRIDAY New Fridays at the Bull now start at 5.30pm with Live Music

THE BIG SATURDAY Saturday 14th May - Open until 2.30am Beggar - Main Bar 9.45 Followed by DJ GILLY From 12.00am – 2.30am Let the music play on

MONDAY NIGHT JAM NIGHT

MAY HIGHLIGHTS – Fri 13th May –

Matt White & The Emulsions The 633 presents THE RAGING BULL:

THE 633, ADY JOHNSON and CHRIS HELME (former lead singer with the SEAHORSES)

– Sat 14th May –

BEGGAR and THE GILLY SESSIONS

New house band and format

TUESDAY NIGHTS FROM 9.00 WE PRESENT 10th May: B. Goodes 17th May: Murphy’s Lore 24th May: Charley Bird

– Friday 20th May –

ELLIOT CHAPMAN 5.30 - 6.30 Acoustic Soul – Sat 21st May –

OPEN MIC NIGHT Hosted by Theo Pearce every Weds Now with new showcase spots and later hours, all starts at 8.30pm

ESSEX ROCKS presents WE ARE EMBASSY, RED FACED ROBOT and MANIC MINOR – Fri 27th May –

Live @ 6.45 - LADY BIRD & THE LARKS

The Bull 2 – 4 Crouch St, Colchester, CO3 3ES. Tel: 01206 366647

www.thebullcolchester.co.uk

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:09 Page 3

Welcome to the May issue of Colchester 101 t’s May already, and with some of the wonderful weather we have been having recently it feels like summer is almost upon us. Here at Colchester 101 wehave been working hard, as usual, to bring you another feature packed issue of Colchester’s must-read magazine.

We also got together with the organisers of the May Fair, Wivenhoe’s free music and arts festival held on the last bank holiday of the month each year, to bring you the latest news about what to expect at this great event and the bands and artists who will be performing on the the day, including 101 favourite Ady Johnson. It promises to be a fantastic day.

This month I caught up with legendary dance music DJ Adamski ahead of his trip to Colchester in June to headline the last ever Mangled party. You can read my exclusive interview on page 16, and also see pictures from our photoshoot, as well as some of Adamski’s own previously unpublished photographs which he was kind enough to allow us to feature.

Meanwhile DJ Gilly takes us on a trip down memory lane and reminisces about Colchester’s very own robotic dancing twins from ‘back in the day’, Mark and Glenn ‘Fotostat’ Robertson. How is that for a blast from the past?

And of course all your favourites return again this month including Colchester United’s Kem Izzet, Bid TV and Price Drop TV’s Peter Sherlock who takes a look at the history of some of the best loved fragrances, Sven Wombwell and Andrew Ross with advice to help you enjoy your garden, and the Funny Farm’s Hazel Humphrey fights the corner for women in comedy. I hope you enjoy this month’s Colchester 101. We’ve certainly enjoyed putting it together for you.

Colchester 101 is published by Tonic Creative Solutions The Studio Tye Road Colchester Essex CO7 7BN Tel: 01206 544700 Email: mailus@colchester101.co.uk Editors: Simon Crow and Paul Clark Sales and Marketing: Sally Hodgetts Food Editor: Melissa Porter Fashion Editor: Angela Mitchell Designer: Paul Clark, Tonic Creative Solutions

See you in June

Very special thanks to Roddy Ashworth

Simon Crow Editor

Thanks to our contributors: Adrian Multon Andrew Dell Peter Sherlock Kem Izzet and Colchester United Sven Wombwell Jason Cobb Hazel Humphreys Angela Mitchell Ocean WhiteHawk Rosie Hunter DJ Gilly Andy Winmill

Photo: Harland Payne

Adamski

Front cover photo by Harland Payne www.harlandpaynephoto.com

Find us on

All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without publisher’s written consent is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of all details and information the publishers are not liable for errors and omissions to any features, listings or advertisements. Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers Tonic Creative Solutions.

www.Colchester101.co.uk

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 4

COMMUNITY

The Jason Cobb 101 Blog Colchester Carnival Returns The Colchester Carnival is coming to town and members of the local community shrug their shoulders and say meh... Actually, that’s incredibly unfair. Having stepped in to try and salvage the Carnival, Colchester Round Table deserves every success in its efforts to keep this local tradition of floats, um, afloat. The problem is one of image - isn’t that always the case with Carnivals? I’m not talking about pasty-faced coppers grinning a nervous cheesy pose for the photographers, but the problem of the complete disaster that was the attempt to stage the Colchester Carnival some twelve months ago. It’s not great to dwell upon past mistakes, but to look forward July 16th this summer we need to know exactly what went wrong between the previous organisers and Colchester Borough Council. Councillor Nick Barlow, the cabinet member for Economic Development, Culture and Tourism (work ‘n play) recognises that mistakes were made. Writing on his personal blog, he states: “There’s an extremely lengthy post or article to be written by someone on all the reasons why Colchester Carnival didn’t take place this year, but that’s for another time...” The main fallout was centred around safety, the procession route, road signage and stewarding. It’s not as simple as stating ‘let’s throw a massive street party’ and just waiting to see what happens. The economics of the High Street are central to the Colchester economy. Whilst you’re wiggling your bottom in the air and getting all hot and steamy down Head Street, the local shopkeepers are out of pocket. Thankfully the Round Table has the support of the Council this year, as well as some very generous contributions from local businesses. Systematic Logistics International has very kindly offered for the free use of its lorries for the floats. Likewise the Round Table is offering free participation for non-profit organistations, community groups and schools. Which brings us round to exactly what is the point of a carnival in Colchester? You can see where the tradition in Rio de Janeiro and Notting Hill comes from, but in Britain’s Oldest Recorded Town? Ah, ye ancient cynic - Colchester has a proud tradition of partying, with the Carnival being dormant for only a relatively short period of time. No one is claiming that Colchester can compete with the colour of Notting Hill, and I’m not sure that locally we even want to, either. Nope - it should all be about the local. Yeah, it’s cheesy, but the Roman heritage is something to celebrate. We need floats full of local kids proud of their history and past. A generic samba beat and booty shaking procession may be fun (or maybe not) but it doesn’t speak to Colchester. The mid-July timing is perfect for the schools. The kids will be sky high ahead of the six-week break, and this should be a day in which the town comes together before we all head off to Clacton for the summer break. It’s a delicate balancing act that the Round Table has in asking for support from local businesses, the Council, and most important of all, the people of Colchester. Hopefully the enthusiasm can carry us through the summer, all the way through to the August Bank Holiday and the Colchester Free Festival.

Colchester 101 Goes Global Colchester 101 is proving a hit with students at Kaduna State University in the city of Kaduna, Nigeria after visiting academic Audee Giwa (pictured above left) took copies home with him after spending four weeks at the University of Essex. Audee, who produces a similar magazine to 101 for students at the university, enjoyed his time in our town and is looking forward to returning someday.

Meh? Yeah! Jason Cobb onionbagblog.com

Colchester Carnival Sponsorship Update Townvoucher.com have taken the Carnival’s Bronze sponsorship package, which entitles them to receive an entry into the procession and park event. Townvoucher.com give you the best access to all available print-off & discount vouchers provided by your local shops, restaurants, pubs and bars in Colchester. Sascha Cutura, founder of the company, says “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Carnival because we like people coming together and have fun in Colchester and we are convinced that the Colchester Carnival will help to promote Colchester in the region and beyond.”

Their aim is to support the ‘buy local, shop local, keep trade local’ ethos by offering businesses a platform where they can easily create their exclusive discount vouchers online. A small company from Colchester, founded in early 2009, Townvoucher.com created the discount voucher scheme to support small local businesses, non-profit organisations and charities. From their clients’ point of view, offering exclusive discount vouchers is a great way to attract new customers. And the town benefits because Townvoucher.com attracts people to shop locally before looking somewhere else. Your discount

vouchers are available through their website Townvoucher.com to local people and to visitors, too. What are the add-on benefits of buying local? By buying local and getting services from local businesses you help the local community you will save jobs and money, helping to make Colchester a better place to live for all of us. If you have any questions or to start using vouchers to promote your business please give Townvoucher.com a call on 01206 266 992.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 5

COMMUNITY

By Captain Zac Leong UWO 3 PARA

complete are now back in Colchester after a very successful tour of 3 PARA Afghanistan. 3 PARA were a ground holding Battle Group (BG), in the Nad-Ali District and were located in check points and patrol bases across the district. The BG have achieved an enormous amount over the 6 months, gaining the trust of the local population and bringing about peace and normalization to their area of operations. The local population can now move more freely around the towns and conduct normal daily business. With the re-opening of a number of schools in their area through works projects brought about by the BG the local children are now also benefitting from full time education. 3 PARA were also visited by General Petraeus, the Commander of the American forces in Afghanistan who said they had shown themsleves to have “the most impressive way to do business”. During the 6 month tour, the battalion unfortunately suffered 4 men killed in action which was a massive blow to the battalion; they did however remain undeterred and focussed on bringing about peace in their area through well planned and executed operations. The Battalion held a memorial service, which gave them time to remember those that paid the ultimate price for peace in Afghanistan with 3 PARA BG. The Battalion will now head off for some well earned rest & recuperation at home with their families.

The Afghanistan Trust is dedicated to assisting wounded members of the Regiment, their families and the families of those who have been killed.

Registered Charity Number 1121647

For further information regarding assistance or fundraising email: Ben Huxley, ceo@afghanistantrust.org

www.AfghanistanTrust.org 05

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

3 PARA Battle Group returns from Afghanistan after completing a tough 6 month tour.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 6

H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G

The Juicy Column By Ocean WhiteHawk

The size of profit your business makes depends on it. So does your well being. So what is it? Did you know that it’s not your genes that determine what kind of life you have but what you have in your head moment-by-moment that has the potent effect of shaping your day to day? Quantum physics, the new holistic science that has bravely steered away from the out of date Newtonian take-it-apart-to-find-out-what-it-is science, is coming up with some of the most astounding facts about the nature of reality. And you may think, I’m a busy man/woman, I have a business to run, meetings to attend and a family with all its problems and issues to sort out, so what has quantum physics got to do with it? What does this have to do with me? Well, EVERYTHING. The size of the profit your business makes depends on it. How many clients you attract is determined by it. The abundance of love and happiness in your home life is ruled by it. How you feel about yourself is governed by it. Even the speed in which your body ages is totally controlled by it! Are you ready to give it your undivided attention? A wise soul would be. A stubborn fool would continue to persevere in the old way, hoping to achieve different results from it each time! From the old Newtonian Paradigm, the classical

point of view, we are machines. In machines, there is no room for conscious experience. If your body is not well, just manipulate the chemicals in it with drugs and hope for the best. How you feel doesn’t really come into it. Is it working? NO. Depression is on a steep rise. People aren’t getting healthier. In fact, ill health greedily gobbles up a large chunk of taxpayers’ money every year. The New Physics Paradigm, the ever evolving and expanding work of geniuses, the quantum physicists who care enough to ask the big questions: Who are we? How can an electron move from A to B, and never go in between? How come what we think affects the outcome of an experiment? tells us that we must take a break from our ultra-busy routine and listen to what they have to say. And when we take heed of their juicy findings and make those paradigm shifts, change the way we think and revolutionise our core belief system, then love, happiness, inner peace and fat wallets will be our experience of life. Here are some of their magnificent finds: That reality is an undivided whole in which everything is connected in a deep way, transcending the ordinary limits of space and time. It means who you are, what you think and do, affects everything and everyone around you – with a

positive or a negative effect. This intrinsic connectedness is why prayer works and sending someone healing thoughts does help the patient to recover quicker. That we have a quantum brain – the part of our intelligence that knows that something is about to happen or that someone is thinking of us. It allows anomalies such as ESP, miracle healing, remote viewing, out-of-body and near-death experiences, mediumistic and channelling abilities in some people who choose to develop these paranormal skills. That consciousness is king. Consciousness is the inner awareness, the supreme force that shapes everything in your life. That we are the result of what we have thought. Whether you end up a hero or victim of your own life is entirely your job. These wondrous discoveries of such bold scientists are endless. (Bold because there are ferocious oppositions from old-schooled scientists who defend what simply doesn’t work just for the sake of defending what they think they know). The truth is this: you have no idea of the genius you are. Instead you take for granted what you know, live your life from this very limited perspective and think this is your lot. Think again! It’s like having a super computer and you’ve only been using it for word processing and logging onto Facebook for chats. The immense power of your consciousness remains untapped. The blastoff of your life into the stratosphere of deep fulfilment and brilliant success remains awaiting at the launch pad! Ocean WhiteHawk is author of ‘JuicyWoman – A Spiritual Guide to Your Feminine Radiance’. She mentors on health, personal & spiritual development and affairs of the heart. www.oceanwhitehawk.com

Dog About Town

Life With Miss Berta By Andrew Dell

Berta spent a good hour racing around the park with a gang of her friends the other day. She was her usual, assertive self, laying claim to the toys, balls and sticks that they were all supposed to be sharing, barking wildly and seeing off any challenges from Layla, Gooner or big, burley Max. The scene may have been surprising to a casual observer as my fluffy, bearded little dog’s friends on that day were all Staffordshire Bull Terriers, each at least 30 pounds of muscluar frame with broad, super-strong jaws and large, powerful teeth. All of them happy, friendly, affectionate and playful dogs. Staffies receive a lot of bad press these days. Widely regarded as ‘devil dogs’ and often mistaken for the outlawed Pit Bull breed, they’re seen as dangerous, fearsome beasts that are used as status symbols and weapons by gangs and the

combatants in illegal dog fights. But if you see a dangerous dog, look at the other end of the lead for the cause of the problem. It’s horribly distressing to read news reports of the latest dog attack tragedy, when a pet has turned on a family member, wounding or disfiguring a child – or worse. As I’m sure every other dog owner feels, I’m incredulous, unable to comprehend how another owner could have been so careless and stupid and how a dog could have been so badly treated and trained that it ended up causing such harm. Because it really is down to the

owner. No dog is born inherently bad with an uncontrollable lust for savagery. The much-maligned Staffordshire Bull Terrier is actually one of the best choices for a family pet – active, inquisitive and playful and one of only two breeds from over 190 recognized by the UK Kennel Club to have a mention of the its suitability with children. No, it’s down to any owner to ensure that their dog is trained and socialised, content and even-tempered. However, in the UK, six children have lost their lives in dog attacks in the last five years. Every time there is a tragedy there are calls to amend

the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act and many want the list of banned breeds to be increased. But experts agree that’s not the way to go and even the RSPCA remains firmly opposed to breed specific legislation. They believe that “dog control legislation should focus on the intentions of the owner rather than solely on the breed of dog involved. Any dog can be made dangerous by an irresponsible owner.” It’s hard to imagine cute little Berta as a potentially dangerous dog but there you have it – any dog can pose a threat if an owner doesn’t treat it properly or train it well.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 7

FA S H I O N

Scent Train Bid TV and Price-Drop TV’s resident expert gives his regular lowdown on scents for both men and women, old and new, good and bad. This month, Peter explores some classic fragrances and their fascinating stories. You may not have a Henry Moore sculpture in your back garden or an original Picasso hanging in the lounge, but next pay day you could easily pop down to Lion Walk and pick up a bona fide great work of art. Later this year, New York’s Museum of Art & Design will open the world’s first exhibition dedicated to perfume as an artform. Yes, fragrance has featured in many museums before, but usually focusing on its cultural history or the changing design of scent bottles. This exhibition is the first to declare the perfumer a true artist. A specially designed machine will enable visitors to smell the scents alongside explanations of what makes them works of art. I’ve booked my ticket already. It’s wonderful that so many great perfumes are still available today and that you can easily own something so beautiful, so steeped in history. In fact, alongside the work of the master perfumers, the evocative, transporting scents that they crafted, it is the fascinating stories of their creation and launch or historical significance that add to their continued appeal. Perhaps the archetypal perfume great is Chanel No. 5. Marilyn Monroe declared it was all she wore in bed and it’s a scent that has beguiled generations of women – and men – for decades, remaining one of the world’s top sellers. In 1921, Coco Chanel asked a young Russian perfumer, Ernest Beaux to create the first scent to carry the name of her couture house. He visited her with five samples and Chanel, lounging on the sofa, told him to leave them on the mantlepiece for her to smell later. As soon as he had left, she sprang to her feet to examine his work and when he returned, she announced: “It is number five!” Truth or myth? Does it matter? Another story claims that Mr Beaux had made a mistake with the formula, adding ten times as many aldehydes as he intended but Coco adored the resulting mishap. In any case, Chanel No. 5 remains a great work of art, shimmeringly beautiful, almost three-dimensional – a stunning ‘scentscape’.

You can find plenty of fragrance bargains and loads more besides at Bid TV and Price-Drop TV.

Guerlain’s 1919 masterpiece Mitsouko is a plush, golden, exquisite concoction with a sexually-charged history. The Hollywood goddess Jean Harlowe wore it and her first husband, driven to distraction by his inability to consummate their marriage, doused himself in a bottle before committing suicide. They had only been married a week. In the movie ‘Belle du Jour’, Catherine Deneuve smashes a huge bottle of it as she heads out to spend the afternoon as a prostitute before returning to her respectable life with her rich husband. Charlie Chaplain wore it. And Diaghilev, the Russian Ballet impressario, would use it to scent hotel rooms wherever he travelled. In its beautifully simple spherical black bottle, designed by leading Art Deco proponent Armand Albert-Rateau, Lanvin’s Arpége from 1927 is an enduring testament to the golden age of perfumery. Jeanne Lanvin was a milliner who designined matching mother and daughter outfits which became enormously popular. She hired the young André Fraysse to take over from the wonderfully named old Russian perfumer Madame Zed and he created a range of bestselling scents for her. However, these old, traditional perfumes fell out of fashion over the years and Arpége is the only survivor. The brand was purchased by L’Oreal in 1996 and they have vowed to preserve this rich, floral, expertly-crafted classic.

THE

SCENT TRAIN

One of the most captivating characters in the history of perfumery has to be Germaine Cellier, the impossibly tall, achingly chic hook-nosed lesbian who was accompanied at all times by a pack of yapping chihuahuas. In 1944, as the Second World War came to a close, designer Robert Piguet launched his Bandit clothing collection and accompanying scent, created for him by Cellier. As the models paced the catwalk brandishing guns and knives, their faces hidden by hoods, this dark, rich, leathery scent filled the air and the precedent for controversial fashion shows was set. It seems that most, if not all of the world’s perfume classics are women’s scents. I’ve mentioned Christian Dior’s Eau Sauvage from 1966 before, one of the few trailblazing men’s creations. But it may surprise you to know that cheap and cheerful Old Spice is regarded as something of a perfume great. Currently enjoying a revival after an enormously successful online advertising campaign, Old Spice was first created in 1938. In blind tests, the cleverly-constructed composition of woods, spices and subtle florals is consistently believed to be an expensive, classic women’s scent! You see, owning a great work of art can be a lot cheaper and easier than you thought.

Peter is Managing Director of The Scent Train, a unique organisation that provides fragrance sales videos for online retailers and creates bespoke staff training courses.

www.TheScentTrain.com 07

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Peter Sherlock’s

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 8

FA S H I O N

Fashion Tips & Trends By Fashion Editor, Angela Mitchell, Alter Ego Hair Design

Clothing and accessories courtesy of Peacocks, currently available in store at 20-23 Priory Walk, Colchester. Necklace: £3.50 Sunglasses: £5.00 Pictured right: Dress: £25.00 Bag: £12.00 Bracelet: £5.00 Bracelet: £6.00 Bracelet wood bead multi-pack: £6.00 (x2) Sunglasses: £5.00

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 9

FA S H I O N Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Get the look this season in Bohemian style with the most perfect accessory…just read on! In this issue why don’t we take a look at the boho style trend. I love this trend because it has a very comfortable, free flowing, airy feeling. With the maxi dress blowing us away in all of the high street shops it looks like it’s easy to get the look, but, we need to stay a bit choosy when picking a dress, to stay true to this spring/summer 2011 trend. Try to keep your look clean, this trend is more about the flouncy details like tiers and ruffles. But do try to be careful with the long billowing fabrics in this style of dress, it can be a bit uncomfortable if you sit at a desk in an office, plus the wheels on the office chairs are a serious hazard. Another way to work this look, in a safer way, is to split the look up with a ruffled top and a pencil skirt. Going back to the boho style dress, we see it with lots of texture in patterns or even solid in colour, but I do love the floral prints, they just feel so summery and girlie. But the best thing about this boho trend is it immediately feels right to add that seventies feel for summer 2011.

Boho hair styling When we talk about coordinating hairstyles with this fabulous Boho feel, it is all about keeping it simple and natural. With mid-length to long hair, styling it from wet, I use a soft mouse such as Alterna’s Caviar Non-Aerosol Mouse scrunched in with Alterna’s Bamboo Kendi Dry Oil Mist lightly sprayed over the wet hair. Using just a blow dryer and your hands as your tools, scrunch the hair as you dry it. The hair should start to have a soft waved movement, if you find it hasn’t waved enough then pull that curling tong out and grab random pieces of hair and curl them holding the tong vertically, then scrunch with some wet hair spray (maybe try Sebastian Shine & Define Spray). Sometimes with our clients they find that their hair is too curly for this soft look, I would just embrace those curls. Go wild with it! Let it be free from taming it down all of the time. Defuse it with a defuser attachment for your blow dryer. The products I would recommend to use are; Alterna’s Bamboo Kendi Oil (one or two droplets) and if you want to achieve more volume then I would use Alterna’s Life Volume Spray Mousse on just the roots placed on the scalp and then comb through. Or, you could even use both if you want volume and smooth softness. Just have fun with it!

Sunglasses Wearing sunglasses is one of the best ways to make a summer fashion statement! Beautiful and attractive eyes are the most appealing part of a person’s body. They introduce a person to the world. So, how about turning the world beautiful by wearing a beautiful pair of sunglasses on those gorgeous eyes? Sunglasses are one of those indispensable accessories that mask or change the entire image of a person. These days, designers are creating daring sunglasses that turn old-fashioned pieces of clothing and add-ons into a more fashion forward look, extending their shelf life for years. Whether you are looking for sunglasses for a business look, sports wear, or a bold and ultra-trendy look, the market has numerous high-end brands offering you your choice. Like every year, 2011 too has brought some unique sunglasses trends different from the previous years. The most fashionable and preferred sunglasses are huge frames with very dark lenses. Admirers of these glasses range from the young to the old, and hence, the demand for them is constantly on the rise. Almost all fashion brands offer a whole range of both modern and retro sunshades to meet their customers’ needs. But designer sunglasses such as Louis Vuitton and Armani are brilliant at making those bolder larger frames. Louis Vuitton’s popular styles come with daring, bold details and bright, vivid colours. They proved ideal for consumers seeking oversized sunglasses that draw attention to the face, yet help to mask the window to the soul thus, helping you to hold that air of mystery.

There is a bit of the 70’s in all of us, so set it free. If you’re still not sure how to make it work then mess up that hair, give it a scrunch and find that perfect little white dress, add some great big shades and the best leg-lengthening shoes ever, the wedge! But don’t forget about those great pin-up style cork platforms that can have a cheeky vintage feeling when worn with skirts or pedal-pushers. If you’re not really a girl that likes the high heel and prefer to wear flats, than get those fab worker boots out and wear them comfortably with shorts or even a great floral dress for some vintage chic. If you don’t want to go the whole hog with the white theme then you can still rock the trend by showing your whites with one key accessory. Try a soft, snow-white satchel and wear it as a key look. Also try out carrying a pretty, girly clutch with lots of texture or colour. Just have a bit of fun with fashion. Remember in any trend it’s the accessories you choose to make the look yours that make you stand out from the crowd!

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 10

ART

TONE UP YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY Sharpest Tool in the Box? Controlling Depth of Field Eye-catching art usually has a focal point – an area of particular interest that people are drawn to. In portraiture, for example, the face is usually the focal point (using the term in it’s creative sense.) There are numerous ways to create a focal point, but a traditional method amongst photographers is to control the degree of sharpness within an image. Sharp versus Soft Sharpness in a well exposed image reveals detail that would be obscured by softness or blur. Our eyes are naturally drawn to the sharpest area of an image. The precise point within a frame that you focus your camera on is the point that should be ‘pin sharp’, if you focus accurately and avoid camera shake. Everything the same distance from your camera as that point will also be sharp (or in focus). Anything closer or further away will become increasingly softer (or out of focus). The extent of this zone of sharpness

is the depth of field of an image. A Creative Decision There is no ‘correct’ depth of field. Some images are sharp front to back. Others are effective because only a small area is sharp. Generally, depth of field extends 2/3 behind the point of focus and 1/3 in front. Depth of field is increased by narrowing the lens aperture, and decreased by widening the aperture. These changes affect exposure too of course, so compromises may be required. You can also vary depth of field a little without affecting exposure, by changing the distance between

Are you aged 16-18? Not sure what to do next?

LEARN EARN AND PROGRESS WITH TBG LEARNING… • GAIN NEW QUALIFICATIONS • EARN CASH WHILE YOU LEARN • WORK TOWARDS THE CAREER YOU WANT TBG Learning can help you improve your skills and qualifications so you can go onto college or further education, secure an Apprenticeship or find employment. Choose from…

EARN UP TO

£200

ACHIEVEMENT BONUSES

■ Beauty ■ Childcare ■ Hair

■ Business Administration ■ Construction

Plus Maths, English and ICT Enrol at anytime, call now for details. TBG Learning Colchester Portal House, 27 Southway, Colchester CO2 7BA Tel: 01206 366 341 customerservice.colchester@tbglearning.com

TBG Learning Tendring 103–105 Carnarvon Road, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 6QA Tel: 01255 430 053 customerservice.tendring@tbglearning.com

Every person matters, you have the right to be and feel safe

www.tbglearning.com

camera and subject. The closer you are to a subject, the small the zone of sharpness will be. Move further away and the zone increases. Stay Sharp To achieve sharpness throughout an image choose a very narrow aperture (low f-numbers such as f22) or employ techniques such as hyper-focal focussing. Use a tripod (or other support) as small apertures generally necessitate slow shutter speeds to maintain correct exposure. Be aware that some very small apertures (f32 and smaller) might produce lens distortion. Softly, Softly Selective focus is a technique whereby emphasis is given to a subject (or part of a subject) by throwing everything else out of focus. It is commonly seen in macro photography. To create these two quite different images of a socket set a macro lens was focused on the tip of the spinner handle. Only the aperture and shutter speed were changed. For the first image, the aperture was f36 (narrow), for the second f3.2 (wide open). The camera’s aperture priority mode delivered shutter speeds of 4 seconds and 1/30 second respectively. The first picture maintains reasonable sharpness throughout, getting a little softer at the edges. The second image has a very narrow band of sharpness that does not extend much beyond the tip of the spinner handle. The effect is more pronounced towards the top of the image because the front sockets are closer to the tip of the spinner handle than the rear sockets are. The second image is more engaging because the selective focus differentiates subject from background, your gaze being drawn to the former. The first image is more detailed, but there is no distinct area for your eyes to settle on. Eye To Eye Portrait photographers usually focus on their subject’s eyes, just as two

people in conversation make eye contact. Lenses offering very large apertures, such as macro or fixed focal length lenses, are great for throwing the background right out of focus, so that is doesn’t compete with your subject (really useful if you are shooting in a cluttered environment). Size Matters Images almost always look sharp on your camera’s screen because it is small. This can make it difficult to assess depth of field. Check to see if your camera has a depth of field preview button; when pressed, the bright area in the viewfinder is the area that will be sharp. Size also matters when you are printing images. The larger the print, the more pronounced any softness/blur becomes. The Choice Is Yours When you compose a photograph, decide what the critical elements are, and where they lie in the image. Then consider the purpose of the photograph – who will look at it, and why? The first of the socket images would show detail of interest to someone perusing an online auction. The second is a bit artier and might be used to create the more general idea of ‘tools’ or ‘fixing things’ on a DIY website. If you are really not sure which look to go for, shoot one of each and save the decision for when you are sitting comfortably at your computer. Next month: Summer Holiday Checklist Adrian Multon is a freelance photographer based in Wivenhoe. He provides high quality imagery for local businesses. Adrian also offers group and 1-2-1 photographic tutoring and image editing workshops. See www.adrianmulton.co.uk for details.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 11

ART

By Abigail Cheverest, Slack Space

As well as supporting the work of local artists and performers, Slack Space is always keen to interpret the term ‘creativity’ in its widest sense and support all activities that inspire and promote creative interactions and the broadening of horizons. This month we have been particularly pleased to be able to work with Rowena Macaulay and the Walk Colchester team on the first ever ‘Jane’s Walk’ event to take place in the UK. This international weekend of local walks led by local people, takes place in cities around the world in May each year, in memory of Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), a Canadian urbanist and activist. Jacobs wrote extensively on the design, evolution and intricate functioning of cities Though professionally unqualified, her ideas on neighbourhoods and streetlife, walking and living sustainable lives resonate with people living in diverse settings around the world and continue to influence generations of architects and urban designers. Jane’s Walks are about encouraging people to walk, obviously, but more than this they are about localism and community. You don’t have to travel to a local beauty spot or trail to ‘walk’ but simply step out into your local area and explore and find a sense of place where you are. Hence, Jane’s Walks are located in the community in which they are based, whether urban or rural, and encourage people to explore and build a relationship with their immediate environment. Given such an exciting concept, we were pleased to be able to link this with our current exhibition ‘Alchemy’ which features a collection of artworks formed only from recycled and found objects.

On Saturday 7 May Prof. Charles Young is leading a children’s walk for budding young detectives and their parents to help unlock the secrets of Colchester. The walk leaves at 11am from Slack Space. Young people on the walk will collect objects along the way which will then be crafted into a special Jane’s Walk instillation by local artist Paula MacGregor. The walkers return to Slack Space at 12.30 for lunch, talks and a presentation and to see the artist at work. Everyone is invited to this lunchtime session so please do come along if you would like to learn more about Jane Jacobs and her work. At 2pm Dorian Kelly leads another fantastic walk from Slack Space to explore the lost theatres and cinemas of Colchester. Most of us know 2 or 3 but in fact there are over 10 no longer used theatres and cinemas in the town so do feel free to join the walk and find out more. No booking is required. At 2.30pm Firstsite are leading an art trail from their Long Wyre St location. You will need to contact Firstsite to book a place on this family walk. At 6.30pm Jane’s Walk returns to Slack Space for a celebratory recap of the day’s events and an unveiling of the found object instillation by Paula MacGregor. This event is a special opening and also your last chance to see the work on display in the fabulous

‘Alchemy’ exhibition so do pop along. All are welcome. At 8.30pm we will move on mass to the Castle Pub which is the start of the final walk of the day, an after dark ghost tour of Colchester Castle and its grounds led by Colchester Park Rangers. No booking is required. Other walks to be held over the weekend include: Fri 6 May - A lunchtime campus walk at the University of Essex taking on some of Jacobs’s central ideas on how different kinds of spaces work and inviting participants to look at the familiar campus surroundings with new eyes. The walk starts at 1pm from Square 2 and no booking is required. Sat 7 May - A North Colchester walk from Castle Park to Colchester United’s new home ground, celebrating the opening of Tower Lane as new public right of way. The walk starts at 12pm from Colchester Castle and no booking is required.

Sun 8 May – Another walk around Fordham featuring flowers, fauna, woodland and topography, with a special emphasis on the folklore of the medicinal use of plants that will be seen along the route. The walk starts at 10.30am from Fordham Church. No booking is required. Sun 8 May - A nature trail across Hilly Fields led by local Natural Historian and butterfly and bumblebee expert, Ted Benton. The walk starts at 2pm from Jumbo tower. No booking is required. For further info on any of these events please email: colchesterslackers@googlemail.com For more about Jane Jacobs and Jane’s Walk internationally: www.janeswalk.net For more about Slack Space and Walk Colchester projects and future events, follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Sat 7 May - A walk around the village of Fordham taking in Hill House woods. Guided by local historian Jess Jephcott, the walk will look at the area’s Iron Age, Roman, Norman, natural and social history, as well as its development as a farming community. The walk starts at 2pm from Fordham Church. No booking Photo by Leasepics is required.

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

A sense of [Slack] Space: Jane’s Walk comes to Colchester

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 12

MUSIC

All the Fun of the May Fair... By Simon Crow

It started as a peace festival in the early 80s, and 29 years later Wivenhoe’s free music and arts festival, the May Fair, is still going strong. The format may have changed over the years but the free festival is more popular than ever. The park gates open at noon and over a dozen bands will be providing the musical entertainment until the festival ends at 6pm. This year the main and Sunrise music stages will be joined by the new open mic stage where musicians will have the opportunity to play in front of the festival crowd. This year’s May Fair will once again feature the popular Sunset cycle-powered cinema tent showcasing the work of local film makers, as well as a healing area offering a range of alternative therapies, market stalls, a mouth-watering choice of food, a real ale bar, circus

skills workshops and lots of activities for kids including face painting. Entrance is free but donations are requested. The May Fair is a community-based festival and has raised nearly £30,000 for local charities since 2000. Parking in Wivenhoe is very limited but trains and buses run frequently to and from Colchester, or in keeping with the festival’s ethos to provide entertainment while promoting green, organic and sustainable lifestyles there will be plenty of bike storage for those cycling to the event. The May Fair takes place between 12pm - 6pm on Monday 30th May 2011 (the last bank holiday in May) on the King George V Playing Field, Wivenhoe. For more information see www.wivenhoemayfair.com

Main Stage

Sunrise Stage

Roots Radagon Out of Nowhere Charley Bird Ady Johnson Barringtone Housework Kuru Smile Murphy’s Lore Cav OK

Ghost Train Porters Lou Terry Drift_ Lady Bird and The Larks Choir Hot Club Gitanes The Jazmine Ava Band Three Beards The B.Goodes Line-ups subject to change

Photos by Simon Crow

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 13

MUSIC Ady Johnson

Gilly Looks Back...

Ady and the Ant

Back in the day, if you had mentioned ‘the twins’ around the bars and clubs in Colchester, most people would instantly have thought of robotic dancers Mark and Glenn Robertson. It was Glenn who started it all, hitting the dance floors in the town’s nightclubs and robotic dancing to the likes of Bowie, Visage and Kraftwerk, to the delighted applause of other clubbers.

Seeking fame and fortune, the boys moved to London to form a band, and needing to work whilst they wrote songs, Mark joined Glenn and together they became the robotic dancing act Fotostat. Being twins is was visually stunning, and soon they were performing regularly at London clubs Zenon and Stringfellows. It was while they were dancing at Zenon they were discovered and asked to perform in a television advert for Technics, and an appearance on children’s television show Saturday Superstore. With television exposure it wasn’t long before they were being booked to appear in pop videos, including Queen’s Calling all Girls and Pete Townsend’s Uniforms as well as an appearance on Top of the Pops dancing to The Model, which had been re-released by Kraftwerk who could not perform at the show’s recording. They also released two singles, Fotostat and Brave New World. Fotostat came to an end in 1985 when the brothers formed the rock band Sons of Valentino and began gigging around London, including playing at the Marquee and opening for acts like Edwin Starr and working with Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott. They also recorded one single, the imaginatively titled Sons of Valentino. Where are they now? Well, they are both in America. Glenn is still performing and recording with Sons of Valentino while Mark now records music, and works as an artist, under the name Markstat. But around Colchester they will always be remembered as Fotostat, or even more often, just as ‘the twins.’

Gilly

By Andy Winmill I’ve been saying for a long time that the bands of Colchester should be getting themselves out there more, we’re lucky and spoilt here with the wealth of musical talent that we have on our doorstep. It’s time they were granted newer bigger stages to be seen on. I went along to a gig of one such artist who is ‘putting himself out-there,’ Ady Johnson playing the Water Rats, to witness how local talent is going down in London. First surprise of the evening was to find out that Ady was being supported(!) by that ‘post-punk romantic of the 80s’ Adam Ant. It was going to be interesting to see how Ady fared against this iconic musician. Now for me and people of my era Adam Ant was pretty much a musical hero, taking the influences of Punk and New Romantic and fusing them together with two drummers and a style all of his own to create a flamboyant dynamic sound that will still be remembered for many years to come. But the present reality is quite unfortunately different... Adam is about to embark on a tour with his new band Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad & The Lovely Posse (comprising of backing singers Georgina Baille of Sachs-Gate fame, and her friend). Adam took to the stage on his own and delivered his first two very pitchy songs, not to the audience, but into the wings where Ms Baille and companion were standing. He then brought on his backing singers, neither of whom seemed vaguely interested in singing in the same key, shortly followed by a harmonica player, whom on taking to the stage informed AA of the key his Harp was in. Adam then promptly de-tuned his guitar by a tone leaving his harp playing sideman in musical limbo. It was an embarrassing disaster and the audience were left wondering where their dandy highway man had gone. My honest emotions were that I was sad, disappointed and embarrassed, I know Adam has suffered at the hand of mental illness, but I can’t help thinking that his new friends have cajoled him into forming a band and going on the road. I left three-quarters of a way through his set for one and one reason only, to remember him as he was: somebody who gave me great pleasure with his music; and not for what he had become. The evening was well and truly rescued though by Colchester’s own Ady Johnson who was appearing with his band of Toby Bull (Trumpet, Sax, Glockenspiel), Nelson of New Model Army fame and Colchester band Surfquake (Double Bass) and Matt Kelly (Drums). Opening with 20,000 Miles from Home, the reaction was immediate, feet tapping, heads nodding in appreciation by a crowd never before having witnessed Ady’s music, and from there it got better. Playing his set in track order from his album Tell the Worry Dolls, next was Pink Flamingos, for me it’s one of my favourite tracks: a tale of memories of ex-relationships that we still carry around with us. The crowd’s appreciation grew with every song until Ady had suddenly found himself with a lot of new admirers, twitter came alive with tweets such as ‘you have to check this guy out’ and ‘came here

to see Adam Ant and have been blown away with this guy,’ just to mention just a couple. Ady is mostly seen performing his tracks as a solo artist and I have seen Ady perform some amazing sets, but this was the first time I had seen him with the backing of his full band. It takes on a whole new dimension and for me I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on more than one occasion during the evening. No more so than when violinist Emma Darlow joined him on stage. Emma had only been given the score a couple of days ago and with only the briefest of rehearsals in sound check she didn’t let the side down, even taking things up an octave to cut through the melody of No Scratch from a Rose and giving the song extra depth. Caroline, which Ady claimed was his sexy number, definitely seemed to hit home with the ladies in the audience, I’m still trying to work it out! And Magpie, with its trumpet riffs and Anthemic ending, had the audience whipped even into the odd dance move, it was a truly memorable performance. The set lasted all of 45 minutes, but everyone left on an upbeat note after witnessing one of the best that Colchester currently has to offer. And if you were still in any doubts or needed convincing that you must see Ady in action then it is all neatly summed up in this recent review from James Robinson for the Press Association: ‘This low-key, no-label release by Colchester singer-songwriter Ady Johnson might well be the first contender for album of the year. Johnson’s voice and face are both similar to Harry Nilsson’s, while the sound, an acoustic guitar-led barroom skiffle, is resonant of Badly Drawn Boy’s first record. Plus, he has fantastic tunes to match. It’s refreshing to hear music in the folk genre being so dynamic and upbeat. Tell The Worry Dolls deserves to be massive. An excellent start to 2011’. Need I say more... Check Ady out on iTunes. Facebook or at www.adyjohnson.co.uk Adam Ant

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Gig Review:

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 14

LISTINGS

This Month’s

Essential Events Guide Sponsored by Cool Publicity www.coolpublicity.co.uk Friday 6th May Circle Bar, 33 Crouch Street Colchester 101 ‘May Issue’ Launch at First Friday hosted by Tonic. Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street Colchester Farmers Market. Plus, The Laughter Zone. Stand-up comedy with Joe Bor, John Gordillo and Mark Oliver. Headgate Theatre, 14 Chapel Street North Hits From The Flicks. An evening of song as a group of local vocalists perform their favourite hits from films old and new. Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park The Staff Sessions. Homegrown Jazz, Blues, Folk, Classical and African Drumming from University of Essex staff musicians. Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate Shaun The Sheep in Shaun’s Big Show. Join Shaun and his friends in their very own live show that includes characters from the hit BBC such as Bitzer, Shirley, Timmy and the rest of the flock in this magical, fully choreographed music and dance extravaganza. Roberts Live Lounge, 18 Vineyard Street Contraband. Slack Space, 19-29 Queen Street Pianofriday. From 11am - 6pm a piano will be available for anyone who would like to practice or play. Plus, Alchemy Exhibition. An exciting array of work produced with found or recycled materials in their work to celebrate World Earth Day. Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa, Keeper’s Lane, Leavenheath Fleece Jazz with Tony Kofi. Dedicated, impressive, solid, passionate controlled player. The Bull, 2-4 Crouch Street Legion 7, Stu E Skinner and Graffiti are in The Main Bar. The Twist, 25 Military Road Panic Cell, For Everything A Reason, Raise These Sails, Circle The Sky, and Infuriate. Tin Pan Alley, 7 Queen Street Housework, and The Groovetails. _____________________________________ Saturday 7th May Colchester Arts Centre Luke Wright’s Cynical Ballads. Seven Caustic Tales from Broken Britain. Each poem is backed by macabre projected illustrations as Luke makes mincemeat of his anti-heroes with rollicking, darkly comic verse. Colchester United Football Club, Weston Homes Community Stadium The U’s play their final game of the season against Bristol Rovers. Fat Cat, 65 Butt Road Acoustic Night. Headgate Theatre Hits From The Flicks. Lakeside Theatre Nobody & Beyond by Karla Shacklock and Lucie Petrusova. High octane physical performances, cutting edge costume designs and live composition. Mercury Theatre Shaun The Sheep in Shaun’s Big Show. Roberts Live Lounge Retro Classics Night with DJ Adi Clark. Signals Media Arts, Victoria Chambers, St Runwald Street Film Making Workshop with Will Wright. Sky Rooms, 60 High Street THE BIG LICK. 3rd Birthday Bash for the Metal/Rock/Alt club night. Slack Space Alchemy. The Bull Squeal are in The Main Bar. Sons Of Boudicca are in The Soundhouse.

The Twist Devilish Presley, Hollywood Doll, and Trash Monroe. Tin Pan Alley Neutronics, and Dilute To Taste. University Of Essex Essex Jump Off with Scorcher, Wretch 32, and DJ Kat B. _____________________________________ Sunday 8th May Lakeside Theatre Constable’s Cryptic Code. Puzzle-cracking mystery adventure for kids and adults alike. Led by Neil D’Arcy Jones. Plus, Three Billy Goats Gruff by Theatre of Widdershins, a puppet show that explores some classic children’s tales. Lion Walk Shopping Centre SoUNDAY Shopping. 2 acts battle it out for a chance to perform at Colchester Free Festival. Layer Marney Tower, Layer Marney Tower Tour. A member of the Layer Marney Tower team will give a brief history and tour of the Tower and church to bring the history of Layer Marney Tower to life. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with the Ken Colyer Legacy New Orleans Jazz Band. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney. _____________________________________ Monday 9th May Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club with Sid Kipper. A brand new show from Norfolk’s own comic genius. Lakeside Theatre Directors’ Cut. Puppetry, comedy and clinical social comment; 3 short sharp shows from University of Essex alumni companies. The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter. Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 10th May Colchester United Football Club End Of Season Awards Dinner. Mercury Theatre A Spring Prom. Join the London Gala Orchestra and glamorous soprano Juliet Pochin for the fun, frivolity and flag waving of the Spring Prom. Plus, in the Mercury Studio: Exterminating Angel - An Improvisation. Five young British twenty-somethings enjoy a smart-casual dinner party together. Light conversation flows in all directions, until gradually the guests discover that something is very wrong; none of them are able to leave the room… The Bull B Goodes. Tin Pan Alley Battle Of The Bands. _____________________________________ Wednesday 11th May Colchester Arts Centre Three Trapped Tigers, Dingus Khan, and These Are End Times. Lakeside Theatre Man.Chair & The Hunt Wednesday 11 May. Intense and electrifying physical performances. Mercury Theatre Exterminating Angel - An Improvisation. Slack Space Hung Like A Salon. Colchester Institute fashion and textiles exhibition from the Foundation year students. Plus, Music Leader Event. An opportunity for Colchester and North Essex based musicians to find out more about MusicLeader and SoundExchange and how to develop a career in music workshop leading. The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce.

Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy. _____________________________________ Thursday 12th May Colchester Arts Centre Cepheus. Zagreb 1912 and students are rising against the Empire of the Two Headed Eagle. Spring 2011 Croatian theatrical innovators The House of Extreme Music Theatre explore the revolutionaries’ story to create a visual and sound world which could be both 1912 and 2011. European theatre at its best. Layer Marney Tower Antiques Roadshow. The BBC will be filming a programme of the Antiques Roadshow at Layer Marney Tower between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Leisure World Patch Comedy Productions with stand-up comedy from Maureen Younger, Sharon Court, and Susan Murray. Mercury Theatre The Counterfeit Stones: Exhale On Main Street. The consummate tribute band celebrate their 20th anniversary with new renditions, fresh videos, costumes and staging. Slack Space May Mini Fest. Sing From The Heart with Angela Dennis and friends. Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition. The Bull Camel Foot Raiders are in the Main Bar. Next Of Kin are in The Soundhouse. Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night. _____________________________________ Friday 13th May Headgate Theatre Remember When with Mr Rock ‘n’ Roll. Special Tribute to The Every Brothers and The Beatles. Mercury Theatre Beauty And The Beast (La Belle et la Bźte). A sparkling and refreshing ballet based on Jean Cocteau’s romantic fantasy film La Belle et la Bźte and set in a world of myth and magic. Roberts Live Lounge Wully Bully. Slack Space May Mini Fest. Later at Slack Space with Lady Bird and The Larks, Out Of Nowhere, and The New Nobodies. Plus, Pianofriday (11am-6pm). Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition. Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with Spike Heatley, whose legendary career spans seven decades and every great jazz musician from Barney Kessel to Martin Taylor. The Bull Hannah Kennedy and Matt White & The Emulsions are in the Main Bar. The 633 Presents The Raging Bull with Chris Helm, Ady Johnson, and The 633 is in The Soundhouse. Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Saturday 14th May Colchester Arts Centre The Princess and The Pea. This quirky and inventive adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s bedtime tale is played out among sheets and blankets with puppets, objects and dreamlike projections and is most suitable for kids aged 2 to 6. Plus, Jenny Éclair. Regarded as one of the country’s best loved stand-up comediennes. Fat Cat Acoustic Night. Headgate Theatre AcoustiCity with Gordon Giltrap, whose guitar-driven hit ‘Heartsong’ was the theme music for BBC’s Holiday programme. Lakeside Theatre Young Actors Company. Under the Surface and Sketch Comedy; two shows from the Lakeside Theatre based company.

Mercury Theatre Arthur Smith Exposed. An evening of laughter and off-the-wall humour with one of BBC TV’s Grumpy Old Men. Roberts Live Lounge Saturday Soul: DJs Barry Stockwell & Nick Gunn. Signals Media Arts Film Making Workshop with Will Wright. Slack Space May Mini Fest. Acoustic Night Plus, Hung Like A Salon. The Bull Beggar followed by The Gilly Sessions featuring DJ Gilly in the Main Bar. The Twist Fei Comodo, Don Broco, Burn The Fleet, and God Damn Kids. Tin Pan Alley The Overwrought, and Kartel. Wivenhoe The Greyhound Wivenhoe May Fair Fundraiser with The Family Dickens, Hurricane feat Martin Newell, The Random Words, Sally Struth, Nick Gustard, Gabriella Eva Stratton Prior, Cameron Mackie . _____________________________________ Sunday 15th May Layer Marney Garden Day. Garden tours with the Head Gardener. Summer walks, flower stalls, and horticultural exhibitions. Lion Walk Shopping Centre SoUNDAY Shopping. 2 acts battle it out for a chance to perform at Colchester Free Festival. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with Peter Baker’s Hot Crusty Jazzers. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney. _____________________________________ Monday 16th May Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club with Clive Gregson. A legend of the UK folk scene; an incredible voice and fantastic guitar playing. The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter. Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 17th May The Bull Murphy’s Lore. Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 18th May Colchester Arts Centre Instant Dissidence: She’s Lost Control. An immersive dance installation looking at epilepsy, and the control behaviours involved in the avoidance of an epileptic seizure. She’s Lost Control is the second in a trilogy of works exploring conceptual and physical interfaces between dance, epilepsy and drug research. Headgate Theatre Platform Musicals presents La Belle HélŹne by Jacques Offenbach. Queen Helen of Greece carries on with handsome Prince Paris of Troy under the nose of her much-deceived husband Menalaus. Layer Marney Tower Invitation to View. A guided tour of the house and garden with the owners. Includes parts of the house not normally open to visitors. Mercury Theatre Scout Gang Show. Join Colchester Scouts as they travel into space in search of life on Mars. Next it’s off to the Coco Bongo, the hottest new joint in town! Set in 1950s New York City the evening is sure to be one to remember. Slack Space Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 15

LISTINGS Tin Pan Alley Shameless Behaviour, and Full Metal Racket.

Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy.

University of Essex Dreadzone, New Town Kings and the Operation Ska After Party. _____________________________________ Sunday 22nd May Colchester Arts Centre Trevor Cordwell’s Piano Recital. The 28th annual recital by this local musician, featuring Beethoven’s The Appassionata and Waldstein, and Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor.

The Twist Showcase & Run What Ya Brung Night. _____________________________________ Thursday 26th May Colchester Arts Centre Theatre Nomad presents Triumphant Desire. A night of depravity, horror And ecstasy inspired by the poems and dances of Anita Berber and Sebastian Droste (Berlin / Vienna 1922).

The Twist Showcase & Run What Ya Brung Night. _____________________________________ Thursday 19th May Colchester Arts Centre Villagers. Irish band fresh from supporting Elbow on a string of international dates. They’ve also toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1 and Tindersticks, and were shortlisted for last year’s Mercury Music Prize. Headgate Theatre Platform Musicals presents La Belle Hélene by Jacques Offenbach. Mercury Theatre Scout Gang Show. Slack Space Young People’s Recorder Orchestra. Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

Layer Marney Tower Music And Beer Festival. Music in the courtyard and a fine selection of beers. Lion Walk Shopping Centre SoUNDAY Shopping. 2 acts battle it out for a chance to perform at Colchester Free Festival. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club with Mike Cox and the Albion Jazz Band. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney.

Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night. Trotters Bar, 20-22 Middleborough Keep Colchester Cool presents… _____________________________________ Friday 20th May Headgate Theatre Platform Musicals presents La Belle Hélene by Jacques Offenbach.

Mercury Theatre Assumption. Qube SHAFT. Soul Classics, Jazz, Funk, Weekender Anthems, RnB with DJs Gilly, Jimmi Dixon, and Chaz J.

Roberts Live Lounge The Wild Ones.

Roberts Live Lounge Fraud.

Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm) Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

The Marks Tey Hotel Superheroes 4 Heroes. Superhero and Supervillain themed Help 4 Heroes fundraiser with Tall Order and This Blank Page. Tin Pan Alley Surfquake. _____________________________________ Saturday 21st May Colchester Arts Centre Peel Sessions: Tracks From God’s Set List. Another club night of eclecticism inspired by Mr John Peel. Fat Cat Acoustic Night. Headgate Theatre Platform Musicals presents La Belle HélŹne by Jacques Offenbach. Mercury Theatre Scout Gang Show. Roberts Live Lounge 80’s and 90’s Night with DJ Buzby. Signals Media Arts Film Making Workshop with Will Wright. Slack Space Hung Like A Salon Exhibition. The Bull Bouncing Off Concrete are in the Main Bar. Essex Rocks with We Are Embassy, Red Faced Robot, and Manic Minor is in The Soundhouse.

The Bull Stormchasers are in the Main Bar. The Shrinks are in The Soundhouse.

Colchester United Football Club Cher Tribute evening.

Mercury Theatre Scout Gang Show.

The Bull Elliot Chapman and Voodoo Child are in the Main Bar. Walkway are in The Soundhouse.

Slack Space Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

Tin Pan Alley Student Band Night. _____________________________________ Friday 27th May Colchester Arts Centre The Laughter Zone. Stand-up comedy with Josh Howie.

The Bull Krushh are in the Main Bar. AOF are in The Soundhouse.

Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with Kelly Dickson. Kelly’s voice has been described by Jamie Cullum as “A highly individual, mature with a very subtle power that creeps up on you”.

Mercury Theatre Assumption by Simon Turley. Dee Evans directs the Mercury Theatre Company in this warm and funny play set in rural Ireland. Assumption follows the fortunes of Gabriella, a young single girl who falls pregnant without having committed the requisite sin!

Slack Space Pianofriday (11am-6pm) Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

Saturday 7th May Colchester Arts Centre _____________________________________ Monday 23rd May Colchester Arts Centre Colchester Folk Club with Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer. Effortlessly blending traditional material with contemporary interpretations whilst creating self-penned tunes and songs that are entirely at home in the tradition. Songs and tunes with Scottish smallpipes, the Swedish nykelharpa, flute, guitar and accordion. The Bull Jam Night hosted by Lee Carter. Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. _____________________________________ Tuesday 24th May Colchester Arts Centre Gentleman’s Dub Club. A nine-piece band with a style based in dub, ska and roots reggae, Gentleman’s Dub Club have burst onto the UK circuit, rocking gigs and festivals up and down the country with their super high energy show.

Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa Fleece Jazz with the Nicolas Meier Trio. Swiss born London based guitarist Nicolas Meier is a versatile musician whose primary influence is music of the Middle East. The Bull Lady Bird and The Larks, and Double Trouble are in the Main Bar. The Friday Night Blues Jam is in The Soundhouse. The Twist Roots Radigan. Tin Pan Alley The Green Collective. _____________________________________ Saturday 28th May Colchester Arts Centre Alice In Wonderland. Barking Dog present the Lewis Carroll classic tale for Key stage 1 children. With original music and audience participation as well as use of puppetry and mime this is most suitable for kids aged 4 to 9. Plus, Rob Rouse: The Great Escape. Stand-up comedy from the man seen on shows such as The Friday Night Project and 8 Out of 10 Cats. Fat Cat Acoustic Night.

The Bull Charley Bird.

Mercury Theatre Assumption.

Tin Pan Alley Live Music. _____________________________________ Wednesday 25th May Slack Space Colchester Institute Foundation Diploma in Art and Design Fashion Show followed by Meet The Artist. Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

Ramada, A12 / A120 Ardleigh Junction ABBA Tribute Night.

The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce.

Signals Media Arts Film Making Workshop with Will Wright.

The Bull The Business. _____________________________________ Sunday 29th May Layer Marney Tower Classic Car and Dance Festival. Lion Walk Shopping Centre SoUNDAY Shopping. 2 acts battle it out for a chance to perform at Colchester Free Festival. Roberts Live Lounge Bank Holiday Sunday Soul Night Special. Stanway Rovers FC Colchester Jazz Club: The Big Bear Stompers. The Bull Next Of Kin and Backtrackin in the Main Bar. The Minories Lovestock Festival with Jukebox Fury, Animal Noise, The Family Dickens, Broken Heads, DJs Roachie and Dread Ben-Jammin. Tin Pan Alley Jam Night hosted by Richard Dobney. _____________________________________ Monday 30th May Layer Marney Tower Village Fete. Old fashioned stalls, games and a fun dog show. Tin Pan Alley Piano Night hosted by Greg Blackman. Wivenhoe May Fair, KGV playing Fields The 29 year old free music and arts festival for all the family. _____________________________________ Tuesday 31st May Mercury Theatre Assumption. The Bull Holsten Cadaver. Tin Pan Alley Battle Of The Bands. _____________________________________ Wednesday 1st June Mercury Theatre Scarecrow. A Scarecrow is meant to scare crows. But these busy, bothering, cheeky, chattering birds just won’t go away! What is the poor old Scarecrow to do? This story of music, movement, puppetry and fun is perfect for over 5s and their families. Plus, Assumption. Slack Space Free Kids Craft Table. The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce. Tin Pan Alley Folk & Acoustic Night hosted by Tom Hardy. The Twist Showcase & Run What Ya Brung Night. _____________________________________ Thursday 2nd June Layer Marney Tower Invitation to View. A guided tour of the house and garden with the owners. Includes parts of the house not normally open to visitors. Mercury Theatre Assumption. Slack Space Free Kids Craft Table. The Bull Live Music. _____________________________________ Friday 3rd June Circle Bar Colchester 101 ‘June Issue’ Launch at First Friday hosted by Tonic.

Roberts Live Lounge 60’s & 70’s Night with DJ Phil Terry. Slack Space Free Kids Craft Table Plus, Hung Like A Salon Exhibition.

For your event to be considered for inclusion in Colchester 101 please call us on 01206 544700 or email mailus@Colchester101.co.uk

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

The Bull Open Mic Night hosted by Theo Pearce.

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 16

“For as Long as I Could Remember, I Had Always Wanted to Make Music” Adamski talks to 101’s Simon Crow Photo: Harland Payne www.harlandpaynephoto.com

COVER STAR

orn Adam Tinley, and then living near Southampton, the young Adamski’s musical tastes evolved whilst listening at night to Radio Luxembourg and John Peel on a radio under his pillow. Inspired by punk, post punk and numerous other styles he heard, he formed his own punk band, Stupid Babies, with his younger brother Mark, and recorded Babysitter, a single which hit number three in the independent charts. He was still only 11. “My older brother was at senior school. He was 15 or 16 and playing in bands. I was jealous and wanted some of that too. For as long as I could remember I had always wanted to make music.”

“He said I was un-teachable” He used the record company’s £100 advance to buy a piano and took a couple of lessons, “The teacher sacked me. He said I was un-teachable, so I taught myself, playing along to 2 Tone records and trying to make my own versions of the melodies and chords. 2 Tone was a big influence on me

making dance music, and also, living in a small town where you didn’t see any black people, 2 Tone opened up the idea of multiculturalism to people outside inner city areas across the country.” These were changing times where music was playing an important role, and Adamski was at the centre of it all. He recalls the next few years as being inspirational times for him. “Every few months there was something shiny, fresh and new appearing, such as Electro Pop, New Romantic, Psychobilly, Hip Hop. Everything really happened during the five years I was at senior school. It was the aftermath of punk and disco and the evolution of the synthesiser and drum machine.” By the time he was 20 he was living in Camden and creating his own style of music with a sequencer and 909 drum machine. “I used to make House and Techno tracks in my bedsit, then that same night I could go out and play them to thousands of people. I still do it now. I’ve had a studio in the past but I prefer working on a laptop in my bedroom. The important thing is the

ideas in your head, not the standard of the equipment.” He had come a long way from the 11 year old that made music with a ukulele and a kazoo, recording it on a cassette recorder. The rave scene had come a-calling and he soon became a favourite on the illegal rave circuit in the UK, and the emerging club scene in Ibiza. Feeding frenzy 1989 saw him release his debut album Live And Direct which contained a short, live version of his first single N-R-G, but it wasn’t until the release of Killer, on which he collaborated with the then unknown Seal, that Adamski set himself firmly on the record buying public’s radar. This was 1990, the media was indulging in a feeding frenzy about the danger to Britain’s youth of the rave culture, drugs, and illegal parties, then along came this techno-blues masterpiece with its haunting beat, which claimed the number one chart position for four weeks. Killer became a worldwide hit. Adamski and Seal were both propelled to global

stardom. Suddenly rave had become mainstream. I ask him if he had any idea when he recorded Killer that he had made something special, and how big it could be? “No, absolutely not. I remember doing an interview with The Face, and Sheryl Garrett saying she thought it would be number one, and I thought she was taking the mickey. When we recorded it I did have this feeling that it was a good record, I was really pleased with it but I thought it sounded a bit too unusual and underground, it was a kind of sparse, minimal kind of groove and I didn’t think it was particularly jolly like a lot of the house tunes that crossed over. They were all happy records.” Killer was unlike anything else around back then and has been covered many times. As well as George Michael and The Sugarbabes, there are also Norwegian and Finnish Heavy Metal versions, “To me it’s still a quirky, unusual track and people from different genres covering it is most flattering and never ceases to surprise me.” He had always wanted to appear on Top of the Pops, his favourite

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

A little piece of Colchester’s cultural history is set to come to an end as Mangled, once voted one of the top 10 nights in the UK by Rave Magazine, prepares to hold its final ever party in June. So, it is only fitting that the originators of the Essex rave scene will bow out with a PA from dance music legend Adamski, one of original pioneers of the music genre that was the backbone of rave culture which exploded across Britain in the late 80s. I caught up with Adamski ahead of his visit to Colchester to find out a little more about the man who took dance music into the mainstream.

Photo: Harland Payne www.harlandpaynephoto.com

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 17

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 18

COVER STAR

Photographs on this page by Nat Finkelstein (deceased)

programme as a child. “That was the Holy Grail, and just because I came up from the underground I wasn’t going to be some kind of purist like the Clash or the Prodigy.” His first TOTPs appearance was performing NRG. “It should have been the best day of my life but I was really upset because they insisted I had these cheesy dancers with tinsel tied to their trainers. There were untold people from the club scene I could have brought along if I’d known, but instead I had these BBC theatre school dancers. They were friendly enough girls but they had nothing to do with where I was coming from. It was like having Legs & Co brought out of cold storage and it put a downer on the whole thing.” He recalls performing Killer on TOTPs. “I’d done a lot of drugs and saw people in the studio wearing hats like I wore, these big oversized baseball caps, and it kind of freaked me out.” LA rave scene Watching his TOTPs appearances on YouTube, it is obvious how much fun he later had performing The Space Jungle, on which he sings Elvis’s All Shook Up to a dance backing. He

jokes, “I enjoyed that one the most, probably because I was singing too and I had something to do instead of just standing there like a plum pounding away at the keyboard. People saw that single as self-sabotage though because I’d had this massive hit with this great singer then next thing it’s me singing, and I’m not really a proper singer, doing an Elvis cover. This alienated a lot of the people who were into me, but I didn’t really think much of it at the time, I was off in my own little world. I went off to LA for a few months and got lost in developing the LA rave scene and hanging out with the Happy Mondays and doing gigs with them. You can imagine what that entailed and the effect it had on my state of mind. I probably could have auditioned great singers and milked what I was doing for all it was worth. But to me it has never been about being a huge pop star, it’s about expressing myself. That’s part of the artistic thing with me.” When he moved to Italy in the late 90s he had bought one of the early vari-speed CD decks and mastered beatmatching. This was at a time when it had become trendy to book

pop stars and musicians to do DJ sets and having come out of dance music the Italians though he was a DJ so DJ bookings followed. “Italians are quite a hard crowd. They have very technically proficient mixers and my style was so free-style and random I had to work really hard to keep people on the dance floor. So I really learned my trade there.” Neo-Waltz More recently Adamski has been re-recording and updating some of his old material, including Killer with vocalist Gerideau replacing Seal. Two years ago he re-recorded it with Nina Hagan ‘The Godmother of German Punk.’ “I thought, if I’m going to do it then no way do I want it to be a corny remix of the old version. So, having been completely bored with it for 15 or more years, to get myself interested in myself again I approached it as a new thing and I made the music more driving, with an attitude that would suit Nina.” But complications with Hagan’s management meant it was never released, so he decided to re-record it again, this time with his friend Gerideau singing. “He has a completely different style to Seal and I’ve had a

lot of positive DJ, reactions to it so far.” So what of the future? He’s still making music, he’s DJing and he’s producing. “I’m developing a new style of music called Neo-Waltz and that’s what I’m mainly interested it at the moment. It’s in ? time and I’m trying to single-handedly start a revolution of people waltzing on the dance floor. I’ve been collaborating with a lot of interesting people from the punk era through to now and made an EP with a really great Grime MC, I’ve made a track with Rat Scabies from The Damned on drums, and one with Siouxsie and the Banshees drummer Budgie. Right now I’m trying to spread the word and get people interested, and I’m hoping that the re-release of Killer will lift my profile and give me a platform to present it to people from.” Killer will be available to download from mid-May. It looks like we could be hearing a lot more from Adamski in future. You can catch Adamski at Mangled on June 4th at Essex University. Killer 2011 wil be available to download from mid May

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 19

View from the

Funny Farm

The diary of an independent comedy promoter by Hazel Humphreys

omedians, eh? Always griping on Twitter about something, whether it be Keith Chegwin stealing their hard worked on jokes or the fact that they’ve got skiploads of material about Thatcher dying and she hasn’t had the grace to do it yet.

Last month saw another Twit Storm arise over the Funny Women competition’s announcement that participants would have to pay £15 ‘admin fees’; like some pseudo feminist Ryanair charging system. Considering a comedian’s job, they really hate having the mickey taken out of them, and unlike the music scene, comics have always sought to expose Pay to Play as an exploitative measure which devalues comedy, leaves audiences and acts ripped off and only lines the pockets of the promoter. There was the usual chorus of online disapproval directed towards Funny Women who claim that only they provide a protective and supportive environment to new

female acts in a beer soaked, testosterone filled world full of big nasty bullyboys. Catch me whilst I swoon Mr Darcy, I do believe the vapours have come upon me. In the Twit Storm that followed even established acts like Jo Caulfield, Sarah Millican and Shapphi Khorsandi had a pop. Funny Women’s response was to post on their website calling everybody who disagreed with their policy an irrational bitchy “little girl”, and to urge“comediennes” (ugh!) to pay their £15 and enter the competition “with the strength and poise of a woman”. Oddly enough this didn’t calm the troubled Tweeters and within a day the website featured an apology

claiming things had been “taken out of context” (that must happen when you call women bitches). In 2003 I attended a Funny Women’s Women in Comedy workshop they put on at London’s swanky Groucho Club. (I’ve still got the ashtray!) We were given free fish & chips and they were keen to tell us all how discriminated against we were (just as well no boys were allowed) and introduced to the fabulous Jo Caulfield for a Q&A session. After a number of ‘Woe is me, everyone thinks women aren’t funny’ bewailings, I raised my hand. “Am I the only person in here who thinks it’s fantastic being a female comic? I love tokenism and think my gender gets me bookings,

plus people are pleasantly surprised if you’re funny and tend to remember you. If I could I’d machine gun everyone in this room just so I keep getting the work.” I think Jo laughed nervously, but the Funny Women didn’t seem impressed. Next Funny Farm on May 26th features the Colchester New Comedian of the year final - no acts were exploited in the making of this competition. There’s also comedy from Pam Ford and the godlike Scott Capurro (8 out of 10 cats). I’ll be running a course for new comedians at Wivenhoe Bookshop from 30th April. Check out www.wivenhoefunnyfarm.co.uk

COLCHESTER UNITED FC

Photo courtesy of www.robsambrookphotography.com

Working Hard Throughout the Summer Hello again from Colchester United and I hope that you have all been enjoying the sunshine we have had in recent weeks, especially during the Easter Holidays and the extra Bank Holiday we had for the Royal Wedding. In the football world, the Easter Weekend is a very busy one and for a lot of clubs, it is a vital period with promotion and/or relegation at stake with a few games of the season remaining. In terms of the promotion race in League One, recent results had meant us slipping away from the playoff scene but there was certainly still plenty for us to play for in the last few fixtures. A good few of the lads are out of contract in the summer so want to prove to the manager that they are worth a new one. There is also plenty of personal pride in the squad and no-one wanted

to finish the season on a downer. We all want to finish as high up the league as we possibly can and hopefully, we can finish in the top half of the table and take the positives out of that. Obviously, we all wanted to finish in the top six but it wasn’t to be and while we will take positives, especially the form we have shown at home, we’ll look at what went wrong as well. While our home form over the past two seasons has been good enough for us to be in the top ten in the country, our away form this season has been nowhere near good enough. We will all take a good look at why that has been the case and work hard at putting things right in pre-season training ahead of the 2011/12 campaign. It won’t be easy to pinpoint where and where it went wrong on our travels but the players

and the staff will be doing everything to put it right. With the season over, we will be hoping for some more summer weather, fingers crossed that the Easter weather isn’t the start and finish of the sun. For those of you who have been to the Weston Homes Community to support us over the course of the season, thank you very much for your support and we hope to see you all again in August. For those that haven’t been along, get yourselves down and hopefully, we’ll continue the good work at home and you see some very entertaining football.

Kem Izzet

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 20

FOOD

Food for Thought By Melissa Porter, Food Editor 8.3 million tonnes of food are thrown away by households in the UK every year. The only way we can reduce this hideous amount of waste is by pulling together and each doing our own part. It’s not just food that we are wasting, the average family throws out £680 a year of perfectly edible food. I want to share some ideas that will cut down on your families contribution to the rubbish dump and save you some money too. First culprit...labels, we don’t always understand the true meaning behind them and throw food away rather than risk a dodgy tummy. Some dates have become amarketing tool for product manufactures. A good example of this are dates that are appearing on soft drinks. There s really not much to expire in a beverage made from water, sugar, and artificial colouring. The manufacturers simply appear to be encouraging you to throw it out and buy more. This reminder may help to answer that eternal question...to chuck or not to chuck, but please let your common sense prevail. Use-By This is the key date in terms of safety - never eat

products after this date and observe storage instructions. Check if the food can be frozen if you need to eat it at a later date. Best Before ‘Best before’ dates are usually on longer shelf life foods and refer to quality rather than safety. So, using your judgement, it should be safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date, but it may no longer be at its best. One exception is eggs - never eat eggs after the best before date. Display Until/Sell By Used to help with stock control, they are instructions for shop staff, not shoppers, largely you can ignore them. MP

Mum, I’m Hungry

Want to Save Money on Your Food Bills?

Spaghetti & Meatballs Start by combining all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, mix thoroughly using your hands, leave the flavours to develop while you tackle the sauce. Use a large heavy based pan that can transfer to the oven. Fry the onions, peppers & parsley stalks in the olive oil and butter for 5 mins on a medium heat. Add the red wine, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, stock, the rest of the parsley and season. Simmer gently while you shape the meatballs. Take a golf ball size amount of meat and shape using your hands. Fry your meatballs (in batches) till they are browned on all sides, then drop gently into your bubbling sauce. Place your pan in the oven (with a lid or covered in foil) at 180C for 11/2 hours. Just before your cooking time is up, cook your pasta in plenty of salted water. Serve your Spaghetti & Meatballs with a grind of fresh black pepper, a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan, and a little fresh basil. MP

How then can we prevent £50 of perfectly good food ending up in the bin each month? Saving money does not mean cutting down on the quality or quantity. If anything, planning well will leave you with a warm glow of self-congratulation, and a few spare pennies to spend. So what’s the secret?

1) Get Familiar with your Fridge and Friendly with your Freezer Start saving money right now just by opening the fridge door and checking the ‘use by’ dates on what’s inside. Meat and fish are often the most expensive things we buy, so it helps to get into the habit of regularly checking the dates on perishable items in your fridge. You can then plan to use the food before the use-by date passes, or transfer it into the freezer if you can. Dairy products are often forgotten at the back of the fridge. Grate odd bits of cheddar and mix with breadcrumbs for a perfect lasagne topping or stir into mashed potatoes. Use up your yoghurts in fruit smoothies or as delicious toppings on breakfast cereals. 2) Store Cupboard Savvy Try and keep your store cupboard and freezer wellstocked with a variety of canned, dried and frozen essentials that you know your family love to eat. Tinned pulses, frozen vegetables, canned fish, cured meat, dried fruit, nuts, pasta, noodles, rice & grains, are all brilliant additions with a long shelf life meaning you will always have the ingredients standing by to put together a delicious meal or to jazz up your leftovers.

FOR THE SAUCE

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Butter 1 large Onion finely diced Handful of Parsley, chopped (with stalks) 2 Red Peppers finely diced 2 tins of Chopped Tomatoes 2 tbsp Tomato Puree 3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped Pinch of Sugar 1 glass of Red Wine 300ml Stock Salt/Black Pepper

8oz Minced Pork, or take the meat from a pack of sausages 8oz Minced Beef 1 handful of chopped Parsley 1 handful chopped Basil 1/2 Red Pepper finely diced 1 Onion finely diced 3 oz fresh white Breadcrumbs 1 Egg Salt/Black Pepper

3) Carb Control Day after day we serve up basic staples - bread, rice, potatoes and pasta - meal after meal, but large amounts of these carbohydrates end up going straight in the bin. Are you getting your portions right? Think twice before peeling just one more potato, or adding another handful of rice...will it just end up in the bin? If you enjoy hot buttered toast in the morning but regularly throw half a loaf out because it’s gone mouldy, keep a sliced loaf in the freezer. Individual slices can go straight into the toaster. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to save money just by being more careful with your carbs.

Oil for frying Spaghetti

4) Lovely Leftovers It’s amazing how many meals you can get from one

chicken! If you enjoy a roast on Sunday, the remains of the joint would make a great curry or a delicious risotto later in the week (it’s worth buying a bigger chicken just to have more leftovers). The carcass can be simmered gently for an hour or so with an onion, stick of celery, a carrot, bay leaf and a few peppercorns to make a delicious stock, which can then be frozen till you need it. If you have some food leftover from a meal, bag it and pop it in the freezer as a ‘ready meal’ for one. Even the smallest amount could be pureed for the baby or served as a kid’s portion for lunch the next day. Crusts and stale bread can be blitzed in the food processor to make breadcrumbs which can be stored i the freezer. The same can be done with cake or biscuits then used as a topping for crumbles and puddings. Any dregs of wine or beer can be frozen in ice cube trays and used in stews and casseroles. Cut the bruises off old apples and toss into the pan with your sausages. Don t throw out those black bananas mash them up and add cream for a super-quick pudding or turn into a smoothie. Being crafty with your food is the clever way to save money - and it really just means thinking before you throw. With a little bit of thought, you can create some delicious meals from your leftovers. 5) It Pays to Plan Planning your meals is one of the most effective ways you can cut waste and food bills. Start by checking your fridge, freezer and store cupboard before you go shopping, write a list, so you don’t shop for things you already have. Get the kids to help, to suggest what meals they’d like to have that week. Then you can work out a weekly meal plan. Follow these five tips for saving money on your food bill and there’ll be more variety on your table, less waste in your bin and more money in your pocket. Thank you to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for their inspiring ideas, go to their website to find out more... check out the leftover recipes while you’re there. MP

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 21

FOOD

Real Food Festival 2011 Thursday 5 May Sunday 8 May 2011 Earls Court, London Adult (16+) £13.50, Under 16’s Free. Pre-Book

Following on from the success of 2010, The Real Food Festival returns to Earls Court for 2011. Britain’s top food and drink producers will be back, as well as chef demonstrations, tastings, talks and debates. www.realfoodfestival.co.uk _______________________________ National Doughnut Week 7th-14th May Nationwide Over the last 19 years, National Doughnut Week has raised over £700,000 for national charity The Children s Trust. Every doughnut sold by participating bakers in National Doughnut Week helps to raise money for the charity, which provides specialist care and rehabilitation for children with multiple disabilities. So whether you prefer them sugar coated and oozing with raspberry jam, or glazed and covered with sprinkles, it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in a doughnut or two. www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/doughnuts _______________________________ Spirit of Summer Fair Wednesday 11th - Sunday 14th May 2011 Olympia Grand Hall, Olympia Exhibition Centre, London Adult £15, Child £7. Pre-Book This stylish boutique event brings together an array of carefully selected exhibitors offering this season s most beautiful things - from accessories, fashion and alfresco living to gifts, gourmet food and wine. www.spiritofsummerfair.co.uk _______________________________ The Essex Food Show Saturday & Sunday 14-15 May Cressing Temple Barns, Witham Road, Cressing, Braintree Saturday 10.30am to 5.00pm Sunday 10.00am to 5.00pm Adults: £4.00. Accompanied children under 16 FREE The Essex Food Show aims to showcase as many high quality local producers as possible, with the majority of stalls having a “taste before you buy” policy. You will find a selection of fine foods from all over the world including Polish, Indian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, Mediterranean, Turkish and Caribbean. www.theessexfoodshow.co.uk

Essex Young Farmers Country Show Sunday 15 May 2011 Boyton Hall, Boyton Cross, Roxwell, Chelmsford, Essex

Gates open at 10am Pre buy your tickets at www.essexyoungfarmers.com £9.10 adults, £7.60 concession, £3.10 under 16’s, £22.80 family of 4 (2 adults & 2 under 16’s), under 3’s go Free. In 2010 15,000 visitors attended the show, this year I m told the food hall will be the place to be. Organised by the Essex County Federation of Young Farmers’ Club. _______________________________ St Edmunds Real Beer & Food Festival Saturday 21st May from 10am Westgate Brewery Gardens £3 Entry Fee. Under 18’s Free. Box Office: 01284 758000 The hugely successful Real Beer and Food Festival is retuning for a second year. Local food and drink producers will be joining Greene King to showcase and promote the regions very best produce. Experts will be conducting food demonstrations, tutored tasting and beer master classes over the weekend. There will be opportunities to sample as well as to buy. www.buryfestival.co.uk _______________________________ Cromer & Sheringham Crab & Lobster Festival 2011 Friday 20 - Sunday 22 May Cromer, Norfolk May 2010 saw the first ever Crab and Lobster Festival on the fabulous North Norfolk Coast. Three wonderful days and nights united the two rival fishing towns for a fantastic fun-filled series of events. The Festival featured free concerts, exhibitions, an ale trail, crustacea crawl and auction, mobile kitchen demonstrations, street entertainers, dance, music, and film events, crabbing competitions... and very much more. www.crabandlobsterfestival.co.uk _______________________________ Spring Food, Drink, Music & Gift Festival Saturday 28 May 12:00 PM Monday 30 May 2011 1:00 PM Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, Norfolk Within the beautiful surroundings of historic Norwich Cathedral, the Cloisters will be filled with local and national food producers for this three day food event. www.classiceventorganisers.co.uk

Fruit & Nuts: Apricots, Rhubarb Vegetables & Herbs: Asparagus, Basil, Broccoli, Broad Beans, Green Cabbages, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chives, Lettuce, Mint, New Potatoes, Parsley, Radishes, Rocket, Spinach, Sorrel, Watercress, Wild Rocket

Asparagus season is here, but not for long, the season only covers May and June. Apart from tasting truly delicious did you know an 80g serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid, which can help expectant mothers to stave off infection and boost iron absorption. If that wasn’t enough, eaten regularly, asparagus is thought to help combat diseases such as cancer and heart disease as well as boosting your immune system. Asparagus is possibly more well known for making your wee smell pretty awful, although this strange phenomena is only experienced by some of us as your genetic makeup will determine if your urine has the

Fungi: Morels, St George’s Mushroom Meat & Game: Duck, Wood Pigeon Fish: Crab, Crayfish, Lemon Sole, Pollack, Wild Salmon, Sardines, Sea Bass, Sea Trout

odour, or whether you can actually smell it. Only some people appear to have the gene for the enzyme that breaks down mercaptan into its more pungent parts. A more interesting claim to fame was made by herbalist Nicholas Culpepper, in the 1600s. He stated that Asparagus could ‘stir up lust in man and woman’. The debate has raged ever since over whether any foods actually contain aphrodisiac qualities or not. Histamine production appears to be triggered by folic acid and lack of histamines has been linked to an inability to reach orgasm in both men and women. Asparagus is high in folates so there may be some truth in it! MP

British Asparagus & Melted Camembert 250g Camembert Rosemary Sprig A bundle of fresh British asparagus 1 tsp olive oil for your griddle 1 lemon for squeezing Extra virgin olive oil for dressing Salt/Black pepper Fresh crusty bread Remove all the packaging from your Camembert, push a sprig of rosemary into the cheese and place on a baking tray in the oven at 210C for around 10 minutes, till it reaches the oozing stage. Prepare your asparagus by snapping the woody end off, it will naturally

snap in the best place to remove the tougher, sometimes stringy end, leaving the most tender part in tact. Preheat a griddle or frying pan. Toss the asparagus in the oil and season well. Griddle the asparagus for a few minutes, turning occasionally. Remove when slightly charred round the edges. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of salt & a grind of black pepper. Take the Camembert from the oven and assemble on a chopping board with the asparagus and your crusty bread, dip your spears into the melted Camembert... Yummy! MP

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Food Events Seasonal Food in May Guide

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 22

Modern European Cuisine with a French influence

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 23

E AT I N G O U T

PIZZA AND PASTA Strada 19-20 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 542854 Valentino’s 11 High St, Wivenhoe CO7 9BE Tel: 01206 825738 Ristorante Favoloso 2-4 Balkerne Passage CO1 1PA Tel: 01206 549080 Ask Colchester 16 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 366379 Pizza Express 1 St. Runwald’s Street CO1 1HF Tel: 01206 760680 Zizzi 12 Headgate CO3 3BT Tel: 01206 576816 Prezzo 1 Culver Street East CO1 1LD Tel: 01206 573388 Granata’s Restaurant 42 North Hill, Colchester CO1 1PY Tel: 01206 762277 Portofino Haven Rd, Colchester CO2 8HT Tel: 01206 795043 Pizza Hut Turner Rd, Colchester CO4 5JR Tel: 01206 546545 GASTROPUBS The Anchor 26 Court Street, Nayland CO6 4JL Delicious Food Served Daily, Lovely Riverside Setting, Warm Welcome Tel: 01206 262313 FAMILY Balkerne Gate Brewers Fayre Ipswich Road CO4 4WP Tel: 01206 852932 Harvester 186 London Road, Stanway CO3 8NZ Tel: 01206 575456 Nando’s Chicken Restaurant 11-13, Head St, Colchester CO1 1NX Tel: 01206 760344 AMERICAN Sloppy Joe’s American Dinner 37 High Street CO1 1DH Tel: 01206 577229 Clowns Restaurant 61a, High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 578631 Frankie & Benny’s Tollgate West CO3 8RH Tel: 01206 216220 TRADITIONAL The Coast Inn 108 Coast Rd, West Mersea CO5 8NA Tel: 01206 383568

Beefeater Restaurant & Pub The Albert, Cowdray Ave CO1 1UT Tel: 01206 561914

Naree Thai Restaurant 10 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 560633

La Tasca 14-15 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 768060

Dedham Restaurant & Boat Hire Boat House, Mill Lane, Dedham CO7 6DH Tel: 01206 323153

The Thai Dragon 35 East Hill CO1 2QX Tel: 01206 863414

La Cascada Fox St, Ardleigh CO7 7PP Tel: 01206 864030

Thai 1 82a East Hill CO1 2QW Tel: 01206 870011

The Old Siege House 75 East Street CO1 2TS Tel: 01206 792333

The Greyhound Pub and Restaurant 62 High Street, Wivenhoe CO7 9AZ Tel: 01206 825573

INDIAN Alishan Tandoori Restaurant 19 Osborne St CO2 7DP Tel: 01206 564009

BAR AND GRILL Qube Bar & Grill 8 Crouch Street CO3 3ES Tel: 01206 578800

Green Room Restaurant North Hill Hotel, 51 North Hill CO1 1PY Tel: 01206 574001

Ashiana Tandoori 181 Magdalen Street CO1 2JX Tel: 01206 570533

Fountain House Dedham Hall, Brook Street, Dedham CO7 6AD Tel: 01206 323027

ORIENTAL Fai’s Noodle Bar 26-27 St. Botolphs Street CO2 7EA Tel: 01206 762288 Banquet 1408 Chinese Restaurant 342 London Rd, Stanway CO3 8LT Tel: 01206 211588 North Hill Noodle Bar 2 North Hill CO1 1DZ Tel: 01206 618790 House of China 19-21 Crouch Street CO3 3EN Tel: 01206 575111 Embassy Oriental Buffet 2 Balkerne Hill CO3 3AA Tel: 01206 572266 Fulin Chinese Restaurant 24 Osborne Street CO2 7DA Tel: 01206 577888 Orientation Oriental Restaurant Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gt CO1 1PT Tel: 01206 368100 Chef Canton Chinese Restaurant 2a Crouch Street CO3 3ES Tel: 01206 572703 China Blue 25 Head Street CO1 1NH Tel: 01206 761876 China Chef 73 Crouch Street CO3 3EZ Tel: 01206 546953 SPECIALITY Le Talbooth Gun Hill, Dedham CO7 6HP Tel: 01206 323150 Milsoms Stratford Road, Dedham CO7 6HW Tel: 01206 322795 Chystal Restaurant 49, St. Botolphs Street CO2 7EB Tel: 01206 545566 The Barn Brasserie Brook Road, Great Tey CO6 1JE Tel: 01206 212345

The Lion Public House The Street, Ardleigh CO7 7LD Tel: 01206 230083

Bellapais 7 Centurian House, St. Johns Street CO2 7AH Tel: 01206 571830

The Cricketers Spring Lane, Fordham Heath CO3 9TG Tel: 01206 583357

Baumanns Brasserie Ltd 4-6 Stoneham St, Coggeshall CO6 1TT Tel: 01376 561453

Tandoori Villa 6 Villa Road, Stanway CO3 0RH Tel: 01206 369600 Curry India Tandoori Restaurant 119-121 Crouch Street CO3 3HA Tel: 01206 571555 Raj Palace 28 North Station Road CO1 1RB Tel: 01206 760920 Way to the Raj 90 Coggeshall Rd, Marks Tey CO6 1LS Tel: 01206 211495 Titash Restaurant Ltd 40b High St, West Mersea CO5 8QA Tel: 01206 381778 ENGLISH Indulgence Restaurant & Bar 62 High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 765090 Fountain House Dedham Hall, Brook Street, Dedham CO7 6AD Tel: 01206 323027

FISH ‘N’ CHIPS Fish N Grill 120 High Street CO1 1SZ Tel: 01206 540333 Myland Fisheries 32 Nayland Rd, Mile End CO4 5EQ Tel: 01206 841495 Rons Plaice 56 London Rd CO3 4DF Tel: 01206 540436 Nindys 28 Dugard Ave, Colchester CO3 9EJ Tel: 01206 769184 The Islander 37 High St, West Mersea CO5 8QA Tel: 01206 382305 MODERN CUISINE The Bakehouse 5 High St, Wivenhoe CO7 9BJ Tel: 01206 824569 Parliament Restaurant at The Red Lion High Street CO1 1DJ Tel: 01206 577986 The Lemon Tree 48 St Johns St, Colchester, CO2 7AD Tel: 01206 767337

BISTROS AND BARS Love Bistro The Minories, 74 High St. CO1 1UE Tel: 01206 765131

The Lexden Crown 235 Lexden Rd, Colchester, CO3 4DA Tel: 01206 548490

The Anchor 26 Court Street, Nayland CO6 4JL Tel: 01206 262313

Warehouse Brasserie 12 Chapel Street North CO2 7AT Tel: 01206 765656

The Peldon Rose Inn Colchester Rd, Peldon CO5 7QJ Tel: 01206 735248 The Angel St. Marys Square, Kelvedon, CO5 9AN Tel: 01376 573746 Jardine 140 High Street, Wivenhoe CO7 9AF Tel: 01206 820390 Copacabana Bar and Grill 62 High Street CO1 1DN Tel: 01206 765090 Restaurant at The George Hotel 116 High Street, CO1 1TD Tel: 01206 578494 EUROPEAN The East Street Grill East Street CO1 2TZ Tel: 01206 866677 Cafe Rouge - Colchester 59 High Street CO1 1DH Tel: 01206 541839

FISH AND SEAFOOD West Mersea Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant Oyster House, Coast Rd, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex CO5 8LT Tel: 01206 381600 The Company Shed 129 Coast Road, West Mersea CO5 8PA Tel: 01206 382700

For your restaurant to be considered for inclusion in Colchester 101 please call us on 01206 544700 or email mailus@Colchester101.co.uk

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Your Guide to eating out in and around Colchester

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 24

HOME & GARDEN

Is your property warranty comprehensive, or just ‘third party’ cover? By Les Long

Are you intending to buy a “nearly new” house or flat, often advertised as “with the benefit of NHBC 10-year Guarantee”? That “benefit” may not be all you think it is. There are similar schemes to the NHBC, but all follow similar lines. First, it is NOT a Guarantee, but a Warranty. The difference may seem small, but in law that changes a lot. Second, it can be transferred to you from the original first owner, but with strictly limited protection. The ten-year term runs from the effective date of building completion and not from when the first buyer completed his purchase. If the dwelling had been standing empty and unsold for a year or even eighteen months, that empty spell is reducing the 10-year all that time. You will get a two-year period as first owner, from the completion of the initial purchase, during which “minor faults” will be put right by the builder. Drying-out or shrinkage cracks are not covered – they are considered to be normal, and not as faults.

The heating system may only have a one-year cover. BUT – if you are the second or later buyer, you have only a limited form of cover for what is left of the original ten years, and no “two-year cover” at all. It works this way. The legal rule “Caveat Emptor” (Let the Buyer Beware) applies. A bank or building society valuation is NOT a survey, and gives you no protection. So, you have no comeback on the lender or his Valuer if serious faults exist. When you buy, you are responsible to check that no serious faults exist in the property, usually by having a survey and legal enquiries carried out. Unless you have a detailed survey, you are on your own. Even if you do, that survey will be subject to restrictions, like any parts covered, unexposed or

inaccessible to the surveyor. He cannot lift fixed carpets or take the place apart. You may find something later that even the most diligent surveyor simply cannot be expected to find and tell you about from that inspection. In law, you are assumed to buy in full knowledge of any faults in the property – even if you didn’t! AND - the NHBC does not cover you for any defect that was there before, only major problems that actually develop after you buy, during the rest of the original 10 years. SO - you want to get “on the property ladder”? Take care, my friends. Les Long 01206 545139

The Property Detective • Building Surveys • • HomeBuyer Reports • • Rental and Property Management • • Specialist Commercial Property Services • • Rent Reviews & Lease Renewals • • Small Business Rates Advice • • Town Planning Matters • • Property Developments •

Leslie J Long FRICS

Telephone: 01206 545139

Chartered Surveyors, Valuers, Property Consultants & Managers

54 Prettygate Road Colchester Essex CO3 4EQ.

Email: LJL@eyesurvey.co.uk

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 25

HOME & GARDEN

3 bedroom detatched house for sale

4 bedroom detached house for sale

Grove Hill, Langham. £279,995

East Road, West Mersea. £425,000

Located within the popular village of Langham within this idyllic non estate position, with views over farmland, this newly built detached family home benefits from a pea shingle driveway providing off road parking for several vehicles, a luxury fitted en suite bathroom and contemporary style kitchen/breakfast room.

This property is built to a contemporary design with high quality fittings throughout, creating a superb modern living space. Some of the features on offer are a luxury kitchen with Corian worktops, hard wired surround sound to the lounge, under floor heating on the ground floor, solid wood oak doors throughout, two en-suite bathrooms and a luxury family bathroom.

Call Beresfords: 01206 764444 Call Palmer & Partners: 01206 572233

4 bedroom detached house for sale

2 bedroom maisonette to let

66b Braiswick. £395,000

Heath Road, Colchester. £650pcm

Formerly a coach house, this detached four bedroom chalet, has been renovated and extended to an extremely high standard. Upstairs there are three double bedrooms and a ‘Jack and Jill’ luxury bathroom and a further guest bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor. The open plan kitchen/living area has concertina doors which fully open onto the garden.

Property sales with service

A spacious two bedroom maisonette. The property is situated in a well sought after area. The property benefits from a Lounge, Kitchen, Bathroom, two bedrooms, gch, double glazing, mature rear garden and off street parking. • Central Heating • Lounge • Garden • Double Glazed

Call Ezelet: 01206 564700

Call Boydens: 01206 762244

Palmer & Partners

eze let

Let BELVOIR! find the right tenants for your property Winner of the “Best Lettings Agency Franchise - Gold Award” at the Lettings Agency of the Year 2010 in association with The Sunday Times and The Times.

To arrange a free professional appraisal of your property, call us on 01206 364444 www.belvoirlettings.com/colchester Belvoir Colchester 1 Montrose House, Eld Lane, Colchester, Essex CO1 1LS

BELVOIR! the lettings specialist

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Editor’s Choice Our top four homes of the month

eze 101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 26

let Let your property the

eze way

At eze let we know that each landlordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements are unique. Our highly experienced team will work with you to ensure a stress free, tailor made solution to letting your property and ensuring the best return on your investment.

Call today on 01206 564700 Email: info@ezelet.co.uk 7a Magdalen Street, Colchester.

www.ezelet.co.uk

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:38 Page 27

HOME & GARDEN

By Rosie Hunter

such as Lucienne Day, whose work is showcased alongside her husband’s in a just openedshow at the ever wonderful Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. In July Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway’s Vintage festival is coming to London’s Southbank Centre, site of the 1951 festival. Although eras from the 20s through to the 80s will be featured, you can expect a big emphasis on the Festival of Britain this year. The ever excellent design team Mini Moderns has produced some outstanding wallpapers and rugs with the Festival theme, featuring Keith and Mark’s favourite pavillions and sights from the event. I’ve been a fan of mid-century design, especially the textiles, for a very long time. It’s going to be a fun summer with all this eye candy. As for my own efforts on the Festival of Britain theme, I’ll be exhibiting at the Suffolk Show in Ipswich on 1st & 2nd June as well as the popular local Tendring Hundred Show on the 9th July, making pennants with 50’s fabrics and a 1951 - 2011 theme, and printing 50’s-inspired textile patterns. Check out the Curtain Hunters events page to join in the celebrations and get crafting, Festival of Britain style.

Photo courtesy of Sanderson

With the huge success of the US series ‘Mad Men’, centring around the advertising industry in New York, not only has the fashion industry forged ahead with a return to colourful and flamboyant designs from this decade. The interiors and soft furnishing manufacturers are hot on their heels with bold and iconic collections of prints, wallpapers, embroideries, weaves and velvets. Celebrating 150 years in English Decoration, the Sanderson brand have launched an entire 50’s collection, celebrating a decade of design which transformed the boundaries of interior decoration. The Festival of Britain in 1951 took place after a tough post war era, which saw designers starved of commissions and the ration-weary public bored with wartime dreariness and a lack of variety. The optimistic spirit driven by the Festival led the way for new inventiveness, creating a need for a fresh contemporary look. Suddenly homeowners, especially young people, wanted to be more creative in their interiors. Out went the old dreary and drab furnishings of the past, in came bold bright colours such as pillar box red, kingfisher blues and acid greens. This new modernist era also brought great advances in science such as atomic power, us of radioscopes in medicine and industry and the discovery of the structure of DNA. These breakthroughs were echoed in design with molecular patterns beinga huge influence on the textile designers at the time. Sixty years on this style is still modern and vibrant. As Britain’s oldest textile business, Sanderson have the advantage of combining their unique archive patterns from original 1950’s designs, allowing contemporary artists to take inspiration from this era. Designers

The recent opening of a new showroom at Allens Farm next to my studio adds to the 50’s inspired fabrics, with unique vintage furniture from this era, a large collection of coctail cabinets, sit alongside room screen dividers featuring Hollywood greats like Marilyn Monroe, the perfect compliment to the 50’s inspired interior. Vintage Jack is open most weekends and by appointment by calling 07714 703042.

Fabrics Curtains Interiors Soft Furnishings Allens Farm Barn, Tye Road, Elmstead, CO7 7BN. Showroom Open by Appointment Tel: 07990 558686

www.curtainhunters.co.uk 27

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

50’s Retro Returns

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 28

HOME & GARDEN

Could you Create an Outdoor Living Room? Photo: www.nickstrugnell.com

By Sven Wombwell

The idea of sitting outside under the stars is the main appeal of Mediterranean living; but if you could create your own outdoor living room, you could get the benefit of such an outdoor space even in ‘sunny’ old Colchester! This month we will give you some ideas to get you thinking about how it should feel and points to consider regarding where to locate it in your garden (you don’t have to restrict yourself to the first area you come to at the back of the house). Seclusion and enclosure are key: A sense of enclosure is important when it comes to relaxing in the garden. The starting point when creating an outdoor living room is to choose an area that will offer you seclusion and a space that has the feel of a sanctuary spa retreat. if you place a table and chairs right in the middle of a huge rolling lawn, you would feel exposed and uncomfortable, but in a secluded little glade, arbour or corner, you suddenly feel content and relaxed. Many outdoor rooms are sited under a pergola which instantly defines a dedicated zone with which to work, but there are all sorts of decorative panels available which can add that designer feel, from frosted glass panels to simple hazel screens. One of the most vital elements for such an area is shelter from the sun; this can be achieved with the use of cloth canopies, parasols or even with just the clever use of planting. Trees and shrubs can be used to cast shade on areas during certain times of the day and climbers can be used to great effect to clamber over trellis and walls to soften the whole effect. The entire ‘room’ could be created with a large pergola covered in a suitable exterior fabric which will offer seclusion, shelter from the weather and will also provide that feeling of being ‘inside’ a room, albeit a room with a view! Modular Zoning: Modular zoning simply means looking at the garden as a series of areas that can be compartmentalised; this could mean dividing the whole garden up into zones or just one zone near the property that will become the ‘lounge’ and another that will be the ‘kitchen’.

Let me paint you a picture, you are sitting comfortably on a sofa, resting your legs on a beautifully designed glass coffee table. In the background plays your favourite song, just as you are about to sip a tall long cocktail you are handed a freshly cooked lobster straight from the barbecue…you lay back look at the stars…outdoor life is good! It is important to make your chosen area feel like a room, this is most often achieved by the use of a simple pergola spanning the entire area with 4 to 6 simple uprights, thus creating the ‘skeleton’ to your outdoor living room. Once you have your dedicated zone, the positioning and type of seating needs to be carefully considered within that space. The norm is to have a central low table that has comfortable lounge style seating along 2 or 3 sides in a ‘U’ formation. This allows for the most sociable use of space and instantly creates the ‘zonal’ or modular effect that is so vital. Try and

ignore the fact that you are outdoors, treat it like a room and you can’t go wrong. If you can afford the space you could create multiple zones (much like a lounge/diner) for example you could have a dining room, lounge, kitchen with breakfast bar, and if you really want to spoil yourself and your guests why not try a hot tub and bar area. This will offer the ultimate multi-functional garden enabling you to live outside comfortably for most of the year. In cooler areas and to extend the summer season it is well worth looking at some kind of outside heating so you can make the most of the garden all year round. Chimeneas, fire pits, and heaters will

help. Please try and avoid using gas patio heaters, they are an environmental disaster, often called the 4x4 of the gardening world due to their inefficient use of fuel…there are many far better options out there! One tried and tested technique is to make an outdoor fireplace, make this striking feature the main focal point of the outdoor room and position furniture around it just like in the home, this is sure to be a talking point. If you don’t have the space to dedicate a large area to an outdoor room, don’t give up! You can achieve great things by simply creating a seating ‘pod’ or ‘module’ offering you a sanctuary in which to escape. The same rules apply to this kind of area just on a smaller scale, a square area, with some comfy seating, a focal point and the feeling of seclusion…perfect! Admittedly the outdoor room is by no means a new concept, for thousands of years mankind has dined under the stars, the Romans held feasts in courtyard gardens and the Greeks are said to have first fused their homes with the outside world, but the difference is we can now do it in total comfort and style. If you decide to ‘go for it,’ start by selecting the right area of the garden bearing in mind our pointers above. You may need to clear some plants and undergrowth, relocate plants to other areas in the garden or have the ground levelled – so there may be lots to do for starters, but it will soon be ready for the fun part – creating your own outdoor living room! Watch out next month for some tips on how to go about creating it and the different choices that will make it the really perfect, and personal, addition to your property.

My company specialises in design, consultation, garden construction and makeovers which start from £99 and we also offer a full planting service. If you want to chat through any ideas please feel free to get in touch at sven@internationallandscapes.co.uk or call on 0845 4085 382/0790 4087 188

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 29

HOME & GARDEN

let us m make make your garden a place pllace that you can relax in....

FOR A FREE EE QUOTE QUOTE CALL ANDREW ON:

0845 45 260 7651 a.ross@nicenstripy.com a.ross@nicenstripy.com www.nicenstripy.com www.nicenstripy.com

Al fresco? Inexpensive Solutions for Outdoor Style Now that summer is making an appearance there is nothing nicer than a bit of al fresco living. Setting up a haven for outside life can be as expensive, or inexpensive, as your budget allows. Candles, lamps and lights can be relatively inexpensive and create ambience for the warmer evenings outdoors. For bargain seating, try Freecycle, online auction sites, local bric a brac shops and yard sales for a shabby chic look. Beanbags, blankets and cushions arranged together on the grass can work just as well as furniture, or why not try a hammock, surely the perfect way to lay back and appreciate your lush lawn this summer! So whether you have really gone to town on the look or bagged your bargains and added lashings of style without blowing the credit cards, just don’t forget the essentials that will keep your garden stylish and looking more ‘expensive.’ Lawncare and some garden maintenance are the really basic essentials to gardens on all budgets. By now you should be staking and supporting plants that need the help, and removing weeds from beds where summer flowering perennials are shooting up. Don’t cut the leaves back just yet on the daffodils though – they still need time to store goodness in the bulb ready to support another great show next spring. A spring lawn treatment will help it keep strong right the way into the summer. Don’t forget the regular cutting. If it stays dry, remember you can raise the cutting height of the mower slightly to leave the grass leaf a little longer, this will help the lawn stay greener for longer during dry weather. Now relax! For more details of nicenstripy’s professional lawn care and garden maintenance service in the Colchester area, or for a free no obligation quotation for one off work or a discounted year round package, contact Andrew on 0845 260 7651 or visit www.nicenstripy.com.

Dunn and Dusted Cleaning Solutions COMMERCIAL CLEANING SPECIALISED OFFICE RETAIL CLEANS DOMESTIC CLEANS HOSPITALITY TRADE

One

cleaning company, all cleaning solutions

EMERGENCY COVER FOR EXISTING CONTRACTS INSURANCE WORK TENANT ENTRY AND EXIT CLEANS BUILDERS CLEANS

All staff CRB checked

Contact: Kevin Hill 07400 474707 29

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

NNYHZZ J\[[PUN SH^UJHYL OLKNL^VYRZ [PK` \W YHZZ J\[[PUN SH^UJHYL OLKNL^VYRZ [PK` \W THPU[LUHUJL WY\UPUN [\YMPUN ^LLK JVU[YVS T H P U [ L U H U J L W Y \ U P U N [ \ Y M P U N ^ L L K J V U [ YV S

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 30

A Problem Shared By Simon Taylor and Sally Hodgetts

So, have you seen that Holy Trinity Church (grade 1 star listed), one of the most important historic buildings in Colchester, has finally re-opened to us all, now not as a museum, but as the great new café and youth culture venue, CO1? It opened last month, April 16th to be precise! Where is it? Holy Trinity Church is of course the church in Trinity Square encircled by the library, boutique clothes outlets, Laura Ashley, the side entrance to M&S and Thornton’s (yummy!), to mention a few of the businesses there. It really is the very heart of Colchester, and from a tourist’s point of view especially, a beautiful place to enjoy a cake and a coffee or a light snack, either indoors or out. Aptly named CO1, it really can boast being at the very heart and centre of the town. The organisers also plan to offer the venue to host a variety of regular facilities and events. One of the first evening events in May is a variety of Music Performances presented by the Ipswich Gilbert and Sullivan Society; for more details on forthcoming events please call the box office on 01206 520074. The café, and events to be hosted at CO1, are just great news for the town’s locals and tourists alike. But this re-opening of the town centre’s most iconic church is actually about yet more than just a café and music venue, which is why we have reported the great news of its opening to you here in this month’s ‘a problem shared.’ The finances generated by the café and evening events and performances are actually there for a wider purpose. They are really functional to the work of the charity behind CO1, who are Youth Culture Ltd. They are the organisation that has done all the work required to re-open the venue in its new format. With initial pre-opening costs of around £40,000, the charity are very grateful that capital required for the project was raised from donations from the community and a donation from Henry Spyvee who selected Youth Culture Ltd as one of his charities last year. The charity had been searching for a venue since 2000. Now based in the heart of Colchester town centre, CO1 is actually a youth project that aims to provide a safe and secure environment where young people can socialise and come into contact with

adults who have a genuine concern for their social development. CO1 aims to not only provide activities for all teenagers to participate in, but to target young people who are disadvantaged in some way, have difficulties in their relationships with peers, family, school or authority generally. Many of the problems that damage communities, like drugs, vandalism, alcohol and graffiti, stem from insufficient provision for young people’s leisure time. And, if families are struggling or in crisis, young people need both general and personalised outside support to develop their self-worth. This is the needs gap that CO1’s organisers really want to bridge, and the mission behind the project. ‘We have a vision to assist young people in growing to full maturity as individuals, and as members of society, so that their conditions of life may be improved’ they say. The project aims to provide a programme of general and in-depth specialist sessions on a wide variety of subjects and issues. The exact programme will be governed by the Youth Board, a group of approximately 35 young people, who in conjunction with the trustees and staff will shape the project to meet the ever changing needs of young people. 15 to 18 year olds can apply to join the Youth Board. The key positive outcomes anticipated from the CO1 project will be that young people are: • Able to enhance their personal and social skills; • Able to reach their full potential; • Able to make informed lifestyle choices, making full use of all the resources available to them; • Able to feel a valued part of society able to give and not just receive. A wide range of facilities are intended to operate within the venue to achieve these goals, from free use of computers and wi-fi to free life counselling services. The organisation is also working in conjunction with the YMCA and other local community projects.

The next phase of the project is to employ a Youth Worker who will be responsible for developing the Youth Board, work with other interested youth agencies and continue to promote the project within the community. The cost of the Youth Worker is estimated to be £25,000 (pay point 7 - 12) for the first year. Many young people are struggling with multiple, inter-related, life diminishing issues and as part of a town wide network of support CO1 can meet with them on neutral territory. CO1 has the potential to help young people and to influence their quality of life by offering help and support through qualified Christian youth workers and as an access point for other agencies and professionals in a one stop shop. This is a forum where young people can experience Christianity as an integral and relevant part of today’s culture, as it is the ethos behind the supportive work that is done. The services, forums and support that are being offered will be available to all teenagers that would benefit. The cafe will provide financial security and a level of financial independence to the charity. So, after a long and patient search to find a building which met all its business and charitable criteria and with the help of the museum service, Holy Trinity Church will allow a long and financially secure future for Youth Culture Ltd. What great news that its situation within Holy Trinity Church) also re-establishes public access to a building of such significant historic importance, as well as bringing what was a sadly redundant church back into community usage. There is a whole new vibrancy in Trinity Square, which is great news for everyone! CO1 is the trading name Youth Culture Ltd registered charity number 1085944. For more information, please contact simon@co1.org.uk.

If you have a story to tell then send it to us at mailus@colchester101.co.uk

HELPLINES

If you need help and support to deal with an addiction or crisis, below are contact details for organisations dedicated to providing support and advice for a variety of problems.

Alcoholics Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from alcoholism. Helpline 0845 769 7555 Email: help@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk Al-Anon Family Groups Support for anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. Helpline 020 7403 0888 Email: enquiries@al-anonuk.org.uk www.al-anonuk.org.uk Narcotics Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from drug addiction. Helpline 0300 999 1212 www.ukna.org

Cocaine Anonymous Support group for persons needing help to overcome and recover from cocaine addiction. Helpline 0800 612 0225 From UK Mobile Phones 800 612 0225 Email: helpline@cauk.org.uk www.cauk.org.uk Colchester Gay Switchboard Help and advice for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender individuals and those affected by HIV and AIDS. Helpline 01206 869191 or 0845 1 23 23 88 www.gayessex.org.uk Brook Free and confidential sexual health advice and services for under 25s providing professional advice on Contraception, STIs and Pregnancy. Helpline 0808 802 1234 www.brook.org.uk

Overeaters Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. Helpline 07000 784985 www.oagb.org.uk beat The leading UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families. Helpline: 0845 634 1414 Email: help@b-eat.co.uk Youthline 0845 634 7650 Email fyp@b-eat.co.uk www.b-eat.co.uk Relate Support and advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support. Telephone: 0300 100 1234

Families Need Fathers Support and information if you are separating or divorced and are worried about not seeing your children, or the effects on them. Open to mothers, fathers, grandparents, new partners and extended families. Helpline: 0300 0300 363 www.fnf.org.uk Samaritans If you are in crisis, feel distressed or are perhaps thinking of suicide, Samaritans trained volunteers can give you the time and space to talk about your feelings, help you explore your options and perhaps seek a way to face the future. 24/7 Helpline 01206 561234 www.Samaritans.org Open Road Reducing the harmful impact of drugs and alcohol on users, their families, partners and society. Telephone: 0844 499 1323

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:10 Page 31

Colchester 101 Colchester’s Access All Areas Magazine May 2011. www.Colchester101.co.uk

Economic revival? Or just wishful thinking? Your future growth depends on effectively promoting your business.

Would a rebrand or corporate identity makeover give your company a competitive edge? Maybe it is time to refresh your website to make it truly work for your business? Do you want sales and marketing literature that will really get you noticed?

Then talk to Tonic, Colchester’s graphic design and creative communications specialists.

Cost: £10 (inc VAT) payable on the door

Call today to find out how we can help you take your business forward.

01206 544700 www.TonicOnline.co.uk The Studio, Tye Road, Colchester, Essex CO7 7BN. Email: enquiries@e-Tonic.co.uk

Advertise

with Colchester

Colchester 101 is a full colour FREE A4 Colchester magazine bursting at the seams with local news, interviews, things to see and do, reviews, music, theatre, sport and much more...

Advertising Opportunities INSIDE FRONT PAGE Type area 270 (high) x 190mm (wide) Full Bleed 303 x 216mm (297 x 210mm type area) SINGLE PAGE Type area 270 x 190mm Full Bleed 303 x 216mm (297 x 210mm type area)

2011 Issue 7 May

Free

OUTSIDE BACK PAGE Type area 270 x 190mm Full Bleed 303 x 216mm (297 x 210mm type area)

Please take one

Adamski is in the House

May’s Essential Events Guide ell’s Angela Mitch Trends & Fashion Tips e May Fair Updat

LISTINGS Y COMMUNIT FA S H I O N WELLBEING H E A LT H & RDEN HOME & GA

Eating Out in Colchester Guide

ss All Colchester’s Acce

Find us on

101

INSIDE-BACK PAGE Type area 270 x 190mm Full Bleed 303 x 216mm (297 x 210mm type area)

I.T. SOLUTIONS YOU CAN TRUST Computer, Server & Network Support Disaster Recovery Planning Web Design, SEO & Hosting Packages

e Areas Magazin

HALF PAGE (landscape) Type area 133 x 190mm QUARTER PAGE (portrait) Type area 133 x 93mm

Contact: 01206 544700 mailus@Colchester101.co.uk

www.Colchester101.co.uk

EIGHTH PAGE (landscape) Type area 64 x 93mm Advertorial Features Get your business noticed

Colchester 101 is the Colchester magazine written by LOCAL people, for LOCAL people, about LOCAL people, LOCAL issues and LOCAL events, and some other pretty cool stuff thrown in too!

GRANITE COMPUTER SOLUTIONS

GRANITE

Business I.T. Solutions & Services

Tel: 0845 871 0821

GCS

E-mail: info@granitecomputers.co.uk Web: www.GraniteComputers.co.uk

101issue7SLpaul6_Layout 1 04/05/2011 16:11 Page 32

ROAD TAX

£30 PER YEAR