The Plymouth Magazine issue 103

plymouth magazine the

Issue 103 January 2013

win a kenwood mixer

award for christine success for mark what’s on in plymouth

Published since May 2004 and now DELIVERED FREE

to over 40,000 homes in Plymouth www.plymouthliving.co.uk

CHLOE’S RESTAURANT

Bistro Evenings 5.30 - 8.30pm Tuesdays - Thursday Inclusive

tro Bis ht Nig urs Tues

- Th

Bistro Menu

Daily 12-2pm and 5.30-8.30pm

Home-Made Vegetable Soup, Fresh Crusty Baked Bread

£4.00

Hearty Traditional French Onion Soup with Cheese Croutons

£5.00

Hachis Parmentier with Fresh Green Leaf Salad

£8.00

Croque of Salmon with French Fries or Fresh Green Salad

£8.50

Chef's Fresh Beef Salad

£7.50

Stir Fry Confit Duck Noodles (with Plum and Sweet Chilli Sauce)

£9.50 £8.50

(French Cottage Pie topped with Emmenthal Cheese and Grilled until Golden)

(Fresh Smoked Salmon used in a twist to the traditional croque monsieur)

Chloe’s Creamy Fish Soup with Croutons, Emmenthal Cheese

£6.00

Traditional Farmhouse Terrine en Croute with Green Salad

£5.00

Poached Eggs Florentine

£5.50

Your Choice Omelette (Ham, Cheese or Mushroom)

£6.00

Moules Frites (Fresh Local Mussels Steamed with Herbs, Onions and White Wine),

£6.00

Steak Frites topped with Confit Shallots

(Hearty Slice of Tasty Farmhouse Terrine with Pastry Edging)

(Poached Eggs on Flash Cooked Spinach with Bechamel, Finished under the Grill)

French Classic Croque Monsieur with French Fries or Salad

(Classic Toasted Sandwich of Ham, Emmenthal Cheese and Bechamel Sauce)

Chloe’s Fish & Chips with Home-Made Tartar Sauce

(Traditional Dish using Locally Caught Fish in Chef’s Own Recipe Beer Batter)

£7.00

(Delicious Slow Cooked Beef in Chef's Own Dressing with Mixed Salad)

served in Unique Mussel Shaped Dish with French Fries and Traditional French Mayonnaise

(6oz Rib Eye Cooked Rare, Medium or Well, with wholegrain mustard)

£12.00

Please Note: Full A La Carte Menu is Always Available to Diners Desserts also available from A La Carte Menu @ £8.50

Choose Bistro or A La Carte Tue - Thurs Evening 5.30 - 8.30pm 2

the plymouth magazine

let’s get behind our local independent businesses...

Well, here we are again...the start of another year with lots of challenges and lots to look forward to as a city.

With the economic difficulties likely to be with us for a good deal longer than first anticipated, businesses in Plymouth face further pressures in the months and years ahead.

It has been estimated that 60 per cent of the national economy is in the hands of businesses employing less than 10 people, so it is vital that small and medium sized enterprises get the support they need to survive in these troubled times.

In this issue Lesley Shorrocks, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses in Plymouth, talks about the moves made by Plymouth City Council to introduce a Local Procurement Charter, which demonstrates the public sector’s commitment to supporting local businesses.

The charter was signed at the end of the year by the FSB, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Community Homes, Plymouth University, City College Plymouth, and UCP Marjon.

Each organisation pledged to widen opportunities for city businesses to quote and tender for public sector contracts to maximise growth in the economy, which is a positive step in the current climate.

While on the subject of local independent businesses, we would like to offer our congratulations to the Duke of Cornwall Hotel and Plymouth Garden Centre who celebrate their 150th and 50th anniversary respectively this year.

We will be bringing you news of their celebrations in the months ahead.

New year, new challenge?

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Also in this issue we report on a Plymouth business which may only have been around for five years, but is already one of the country’s leading online companies specialising in importing and selling quality tiles.

Entrepreneur Mark Pitman launched his Tons of Tiles company in 2007, selling on eBay at one stage, and now runs a multi-million pound operation in Estover. It shows that even in these tough times a good business idea backed by determination and excellent customer service can be successful.

We look forward to bringing you more positive stories of success and achievement in the year ahead.

Wishing all our readers a blessed and peaceful 2013.

Publishers: Chris Girdler and Ian Pilkington Editor: Debbie Girdler Designers: Lawrence Bird and Sven Lauch Photography: Roy Perring Contributors: Lesley Shorrocks; Anthony Goord; Kerry Cole; Tracey Barton; Fiona Newton Advertising sales: Naomi Shearer, Sarah Simpson, Lisette Hicklin, Stefanie Clifton-Sprigg and Shakira Floyd Distribution: John Kowalski Finance: Kim Craig Front cover: A new community is developed at Central Gardens in Devonport, part of the Vision development by Redrow Contacts: Editorial Tel: 01752 268635 e-mail: chris@cornerstonevision.com Advertising Tel: 01752 225623 e-mail: ian@cornerstonevision.com The views expressed in the plymouth magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of all information contained in this magazine. However, the publishers do not accept any liability for any advice or information included in the magazine. the plymouth magazine is distributed free to 40,000 homes across Plymouth each month, with a further 5,000 copies strategically placed in leisure and retail outlets in Plymouth, Saltash and Tavistock.

Published by Cornerstone Vision, 28 Old Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth PL3 4PY Tel 01752 225623 Fax 01752 673441 e-mail info@cornerstonevision.com web: www.plymouthliving.co.uk the plymouth magazine

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the plymouth magazine

Private viewings available by appointment.

Open Mon-Fri 08.00 to 18.00 and Saturdays 10.00 to 16.00

january 2013 edition

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christine is tops

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150th anniversary celebrations

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Christine Heales, who works at Derriford Hospital, has been named as the South West Radiographer of the Year at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament

pioneering care home

Broadcaster and journalist Angela Rippon was in Plymouth recently to open a pioneering new care home for people suffering with dementia

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Directors and staff at Plymouth’s iconic Duke of Cornwall Hotel are gearing up for a year of special activities and events to mark the hotel’s 150th anniversary

what’s on in plymouth

Property price latest

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tons of success

Darren Lawson of leading independent estate agents Mansbridge & Balment predicts a stable property market in the city in 2013 - but rises in 2014 and 2015

Cole Porter’s classic High Society is at the Theatre Royal in February. Our big What’s On section has details of this and other exciting events in the coming weeks

Plymouth entrepreneur Mark Pitman ran his tiling company Tons of Tiles from his garage in the early days. Now he has a multi-million pound business based in Estover

New Dementia Care Home with Nursing St.Budeaux, Ernesettle Lane, Plymouth Waypoints Care Group is dedicated to creating residential care homes that are reassuring and familiar, supporting residents with dementia through individual, person-centred care. Our pioneering approach to caring for people who have dementia ensures that those in our care continue to lead, rich and fulfilling lives.

Our new home in St.Budeaux, Plymouth has been designed to the very highest standards. Set over two floors, each of the 64 bedrooms has its own wet-room ensuite facilities. The home is divided into four separate units, each containing 16 bedrooms.

Each unit is individually themed to cater for different forms and stages of dementia, from early onset to the more acute cases with their greater care requirements.

For further information call 0800 092 1186 or visit www.waypoints-care.co.uk the plymouth magazine

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women at work

derriford hospital radiographer christine is the best in the west A health professional at Derriford Hospital has been presented with a prestigious award in recognition of her commitment to improving patient care.

Christine Heales, who works in the hospital’s MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) unit is this year’s South West Radiographer of the Year and she received her prize at a glittering ceremony at the House of Commons recently.

“Christine has an amazing academic record and immense technical expertise in the field of MRI,” said senior radiographer Marianne Wood, who nominated her for the award.

“She has a very gentle and calm approach which the patients respond to well.

Whilst maintaining work throughput in a very busy unit she always ensures that each of her patients leaves feeling that they have had a good experience.”

Christine’s career, which spans 20 years, includes the role of senior teaching fellow at the University of Exeter School of Physics.

“Christine is very modest about her achievements,” said Marianne. “But she inspires those she works with to remain curious and strive to better themselves, and to always provide the best service to patients.”

Marianne added: “She is uncomplaining, dedicated and committed. In short, she is truly inspirational, and the perfect ambassador for our profession.”

Christine trained as a radiographer at the old Plymouth School of Radiography, but after qualifying she had to move to London to find a radiographer’s job.

She then worked at hospitals is different parts of the country before returning to Devon to run the radiography degree course at Exeter University.

“I enjoyed my teaching role,” said Christine, “but I realised after a time that I was missing the frontline role in radiography and decided to take my current role at Derriford.”

Christine, who has been at Derriford for two and a half years, added: “I was very surprised and flattered to receive the Society of Radiographers award but feel that this success reflects the work of the entire team, rather than just one person. It meant such a lot to me that my colleagues wanted to nominate me.

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“Winning the award was fantastic but the fact that my colleagues put my name forward was very special indeed.

Nicola makes jewellery on the premises.

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The Society of Radiographers is the trade’s union and professional body for radiographers and all non-medical members of the workforce in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy in the UK.

“The patient is central to everything we do and by increasing our knowledge as a whole, we are constantly working towards better standards of practice and improved levels of care.”

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It is responsible for their professional, educational, public and workplace interests.

Founded in 1920, it is one of the oldest and most experienced radiography organisations in the world.

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Christine Heales is presented with the South West Radiographer of the Year Award by Mark van Rossum from Fujifilm and Anna van der Gaag of the Health and Care Professions Council. the plymouth magazine

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the plymouth magazine

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special celebrations to mark 150th anniversary of ‘the duke’ Directors, managers and staff at Plymouth’s iconic Duke of Cornwall Hotel have a busy year ahead of them.

the accommodation not only of families and persons occupying several rooms, but also for gentlemen requiring but one apartment to themselves.

Celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the hotel will feature a series of special events and promotions which reflect the history and heritage of the Victorian landmark.

“At present it is intended to erect only a portion of the general plan, but this includes all the principal apartments. When, however, the whole is completed, it will contain upwards of 200 rooms.

The Duke of Cornwall Hotel was built as Plymouth’s first luxury hotel to cater for the increasing number of travellers who came to the region by rail and sea, being close to both Millbay railway station (now the site of the Plymouth Pavilions) and Millbay Docks.

“The chief peculiarity in the plan seems to be the staircase, which is circular, and is placed in the inner angle of the corner, the most central part of the building, and at the same time close to the entrance, the lift or ascending-room, the coffee room, and the wing of private apartments to be erected hereafter.

When the need for the hotel was first recognised, a group of railway officials were appointed as the original Board of Directors, and selected “honest John” of Messers Hall and Pethick to construct this large and luxurious hotel. The cost totalled £40,000 including the excavation work required to clear the site where the Saracens Head Public House and Millbay Grove Terrace once stood.

“The stairs are to be constructed of Portland stone, carried on wrought-iron strings, which are to be visible so as to form part of the constructive decoration of the building. The great object at present being to supply, as soon as possible the want of first-class accommodation.

The hotel’s function rooms are still named after some of the men originally involved with the design and running of the elegant building. Five different types of stone were used to create the building in Victorian Gothic style.

An extract from The Builder magazine of 1863 reads: “The hotel comprises a large and lofty coffee-room, dining-room, smoking and club-rooms, on the ground-floor, and the usual necessary arrangements for the manager, bar, porter, telegraph, luggage lift, and so on.

“The necessary height for the more important rooms is obtained by introducing a mezzanine floor. Besides this there are four floors of sitting and bed rooms, with bathrooms and other conveniences on each floor. These have been arranged for

“Of the exterior elevation, the windows, placed as they are in groups, with the circular turret, and the tower-like erection at the angle of the building, give a play of light and shade, in place of the warehouse or cotton-mill character sometimes seen in these buildings of many windows, while the unbroken line of balcony on the firstfloor serves to unite the whole. The dressings of the windows are of Plymouth limestone, without any mouldings whatever: the window heads are of Tamar granite.”

The hotel’s imposing tower remains a point of interest for many present day visitors to the hotel. It seems to have been built purely for decoration, although it is suggested that porters would often run up the tower to watch the liners arriving in dock. They would then greet the passengers, escorting them and their luggage to the hotel.

As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, the tower is being refurbished and opened to the public as an exclusive venue for afternoon tea and champagne.

With its views across the city and Plymouth Sound it is likely to be a popular attraction.

Amazingly, the Duke of Cornwall Hotel survived the 1940 devastation of the city during the Blitz. While much of the city centre was flattened by bombing, the hotel never suffered a direct hit.

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Despite the intensive bombing, dances carried on in the hotel’s ballroom every Wednesday and Saturday, offering a welcome break from the pressure and fear of war for local people and service personnel.

In 1976 however, the hotel was to face threats of a different nature. A local newspaper article read, “Plymouth’s Duke of Cornwall Hotel which kept the tourism flag flying in Queen Victoria’s reign and defied the wrath of Hitler’s bombs, is in danger of being pulled down.”

This was due to a lack of car parking space in the area surrounding the hotel. Sadly this meant the Victorian Terraced gardens had to go, in order to make room for a car park for hotel use, in 1987. In 1988 the local media reported that “Plymouth’s last grand Victorian hotel is up for sale”, this news caused anger and dismay among the local population, fearing what the future would hold for their much loved hotel.

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the plymouth magazine

A 19th century illustration of the Duke of Cornwall with Millbay Station to the left (now site of the Plymouth Pavilions) Hotel

Directors and staff pictured in the Duke of Cornwall Hotel’s Tower - which will be open to the public during 2013 on special occasions.

Pictured from left to right: reception staff member Lorna Ferguson, senior chef de partie Davin Browning, operations manager Pete Adams, directors Walter Combstock and Jon Morcom and head housekeeper Nikki Minchella

plymouth matters

At last, in 1988 the future of this magnificent example of English heritage, as described by Sir John Betjeman “as one of the finest examples of Victorian gothic architecture he had ever seen” was secured and given a new lease of life.

century featured in the restaurant. Other themes include The Explorers (Sir Ernest Shackleton stayed at the hotel), Art Deco, World War 2, The Sixties to Nineties and the Present Day and Future.

A refurbishment programme encompassing every area of the hotel was initiated in the late 1980s and continues to this day.

Jon Morcom said: “The Duke of Cornwall is one of the city’s enduring landmarks and in the year ahead we hope that many hundreds, if not thousands, of local people will join us at the hotel in celebrating its anniversary.

Present owners Walter Combstock and Jon Morcom, who have over 60 years’ service at the hotel, have drawn up plans for a series of themed events – such as tea dances – reflecting different eras of the hotel’s history.

Signature dishes from the period will be featured in the hotel’s AA Rosette restaurant, along with special events which will also help raise funds for three local charities - St Luke’s Hospice, Jeremiah’s Journey and Friends and Families of Special Children.

The first of the themes is ‘Victoriana’ with memorabilia and images from the 19th

“We know that the hotel has a special place in the hearts of local people, many of whom have been involved in attending special events here, such as weddings and anniversaries. We especially want to hear from people with their memories of the hotel,” he added.

A commemorative brochure recording the history of the hotel and including exciting plans for the future of the Duke of Cornwall’s restaurant is being prepared as part of the 150th celebrations.

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health matters

starts

27/12/12 Angela Rippon with Martin Young, managing director of Waypoints Care Group pictured at the opening of the new care home in Ernesettle

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pioneering care home A pioneering £6.2 million specialist care home for people living with dementia has opened in Plymouth.

It is only the second of its kind in the country and Waypoints Care Group says it chose the city because of its forward thinking approach to developing health and social care for people with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Research Trust says the South West has among the highest rates of dementia in England. It is currently estimated that 3,100 people living in Plymouth have dementia and the South West Dementia Partnership says this could rise to over to 4,200 people by 2021.

Waypoints Care Group managing director Martin Young said: “We believe our home in Ernesettle is unrivalled because the design of the building layout, facilities and care philosophy has been created from the outset with a focus on providing a safe, welcoming and comfortable home specifically for residents with dementia.

“Waypoints Plymouth will raise the bar when it comes to providing high quality bespoke care for people with dementia and we are committed to developing more of these homes in the South West region.

“Our philosophy is to give people living with dementia freedom. We have worked with clinical and healthcare professionals to ensure that residents will receive in their home, quality care with an emphasis on meeting their individual needs.

“We were impressed by how forward thinking Plymouth is with health and social care provision for people with dementia; and of course when we saw the views across the Tamar estuary from the top of Ernesettle Lane we knew it was the perfect location. Now the views will be enjoyed in the bistro by the residents and their visitors.”

Home manager Tess Marriott said: “There are very specific health and social needs when someone has their memory, understanding, language and judgement affected by dementia.

“It’s a privilege to work in such a high quality environment where so much attention to detail has been paid to what the residents need.

“For example, bedrooms have room numbers but also see-through holders beside the doors for a resident to leave a personal item to help them to remember where their room is.

“There are no mirrors in the communal areas because for some people with dementia, this can cause confusion or distress if they don’t recognise the face looking back at them.

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the plymouth magazine

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“We won’t have regimented meal times at set times of day or evening. Instead our residents can decide when and what they would like to eat. This is about us responding and meeting their needs, not the institutional approach to care where the home dictates to the residents what happens.”

The home was officially opened by television presenter and journalist Angela Rippon, in her role as an Alzheimers’ Society ambassador. She said: “Dementia is a time bomb ticking away. One in three people are affected by dementia either directly, with a relative or someone they know.

Dementia is touching so many lives and it is so important to have better understanding of what people with dementia and their carers need so they can live with the dignity they deserve.

“I have seen a lot of care homes and it’s a great pleasure to be back in my home city to see how it is leading the way to raise the standards of dementia care for the rest of the country to aspire to.”

Angela, whose late mother Edna had dementia, said the decision to put a loved one in residential nursing care can be difficult and bring with it feelings of guilt, but this could be made easier if the families knew they could transfer the responsibility of care to a safe place where their safety and dignity would be taken seriously.

About 50 guests attended the opening event including Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth Councillor Chaz Singh, Deputy Lady Mayoress Mrs Sarah Kaur; Plymouth MP Alison Seabeck and Alzheimers’ Society Trustee Ian Sherriff.

Key features of the home include 64 bedrooms each with en-suite wet room facilities; a courtyard garden in the centre with a modern water feature; and a ‘social hub’ where residents and their visitors can meet and enjoy activities and entertainment in the café bar and bistro, Estuary View restaurant which also has a roof terrace; an activities room, hairdressers, garden room and a reminder of the past at ‘Ye Old Sweet Shop.’

Twenty new jobs at the home have been filled but recruitment for high calibre registered nurses and registered mental health nurses continues. More information is www.waypoints-care.co.uk

the plymouth magazine

11

plymouth matters

hms ocean refit is good news for city Here’s wishing a ‘Happy New Year’ to all Plymouth’s businesses, as we all battle on through the trials and tribulations of the economic climate.

We’ve got this far we must say, we can carry on and deal with whatever gets thrown at us in 2013. After a festive rest (for some of us) and plenty of calorific sustenance, it’s time to knuckle down once again.

We ended 2012 on a rather mixed note, with the confirmation of the loss of over 600 naval personnel from Devonport to Scotland which will affect the local economy – but we also saw 300 jobs secured at the dockyard with the £65 million refit of the Royal Navy’s largest warship, HMS Ocean.

2012 saw change on many fronts in Plymouth. The successful Waterfront BID came into being and together with Plymouth City Centre Company, Destination Plymouth took shape in April.

As a starting point, the city then benefited from planned marketing and advertising campaigns for the summer holidays and winter festival period. With the appointment awaited at the end of the year of a Chief Executive of Destination Plymouth, 2013 should see even more acheived in putting Plymouth on the map.

We celebrated a tremendous gathering of 55,000 people on the Hoe for the Olympic Torch relay, the start of a feel good factor which seemed to last all summer.

We enjoyed our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend and whenever the weather

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the plymouth magazine

By LESLEY SHORROCKS Vice Chair of the Plymouth Branch of the Federation of Small Businesses and Director of Sigma Marketing & Advertising

permitted, we all gravitated to The Hoe and foreshore to enjoy its breathtaking beauty, just like we always do when we have something to celebrate.

The city then enjoyed the fantastic Olympic and Paralympics events courtesy of our very own Big Screen on the Piazza, making the action seem even more exciting.

Rounding off the summer, Plymouth’s homecoming parade did all our athletes proud and allowed us all to bask in their hard-won glory; the city seemed a happier, friendlier place.

With micro businesses in mind, we have seen a renewed interest in getting extra oomph behind the Plymouth Procurement Forum during 2012, which the Plymouth FSB has been heavily involved with.

This resulted in Cllr Mark Lowry, Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet member for finance, joining the Forum and suggesting a Local Procurement Charter, which outlines 10 pledges which demonstrate the public sector’s commitment to supporting local businesses.

The charter was signed at the end of the year by the FSB, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Community Homes, Plymouth University, City College Plymouth, and UCP Marjon.

Each organisation pledged to widen opportunities for city businesses to quote and tender for public sector contracts to maximise growth in the economy.

Promoting the Sell2Plymouth web portal, ensuring prompt payment for small business suppliers and providing detailed and specific feedback to businesses unsuccessful in bidding processes, are among the ways the public sector will support the supply chain.

As we look to 2013, the Plymouth FSB Branch committee has increased in number by three, so there are now nine of us helping to represent the concerns of the micro business community.

Something which concerns many of us are health and safety regulations and in January there will be help for Plympton-based businesses, who will be offered tailor-made health and safety check-ups as part of a new initiative which aims to cut the likelihood of accidents.

Over 250 companies at Plympton Industrial Estate will be invited to get involved in ‘Excellence Estates’ – a scheme which aims to plug gaps in companies’ health and safety knowledge and obligations and to make staff safer at work.

Plymouth City Council has teamed up with the Health and Safety Executive and other local authorities and organisations in the South West to pilot the scheme, which if successful, could be rolled out across the city and the wider region.

A team will visit the estate during the week beginning 13 January to explain what’s on offer and give companies a chance to book a free, longer visit, at a time that suits them as well as discuss fire prevention and health and safety.

We’ve a breakfast ‘Meet & Greet’ FSB networking event on Thursday January 31 between 8am and 10am at Devonport Guildhall too - get 2013 off to a good start and join us.

You can follow Plymouth FSB Branch news on Twitter and also keep up to date with all relevant news for the Devon area on www.fsb.org.uk/121 If you would like information on joining the FSB, call the Regional Office on 01803 322 499 for full details.

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13

Heather Porter of Tillys and Penny Richings of Hyde Park Antiques pictured at one of their new ‘Create’ workshops

I recently had the pleasure of visiting a small group of people in the heart of Plymouth who were attending a creative workshop.

The atmosphere was homely and friendly, the facilities good and the productivity amazing. Surrounded by pots of chalk paint in a beautiful array of colours, the participants were being tutored in revamping old, tired furniture.

The relaxed event was being hosted by two wonderful and enthusiastic ladies, Penny Richings of Hyde Park Antiques and Heather Porter from Tillys in Milbridge.

‘Create’ is a joint venture between Heather and Penny. They have not abandoned their individual businesses, but have joined their expertise, vision and energy in

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the plymouth magazine

order to see people released to enjoy a multitude of artistic events in which they can take part.

This great double act means that as of January 2013, people can express themselves artistically in a great variety of studio experiences.

Heather and Penny’s mutual love of art, craft, colour, texture and design has definitely got the better of them and they want to share it.

Building on their success running Annie Sloan furniture painting workshops, they are now extending this ethos and opportunity to a series of art groups, ranging from furniture painting to sewing classes, floristry and much more.

Many successful artisans will be bringing their skills, enthusiasm and knowledge

art matters

here’s a great new way to release your hidden creative talents to the project. Both Penny and Heather stress that the workshops are informal and fun, both of them believing you can’t be creative unless you are relaxed.

Penny says people often say to her, ‘I won’t be any good at that, I’m not creative,’ but surprisingly these people are often the ones that produce the best work because they don’t come with any preconceived ideas. Heather says, “When you put people in a creative environment they let their imagination run riot and often surprise themselves!”

One of the first workshops in the New Year will be ‘Textile Art’ run by Meg Beable who is part of the ‘Drawn to the Valley’ artists.

by

Kerry Cole

In this class participants will learn to watercolour onto canvas and then, with a combination of embroidery and basic skills, will produce a lovely picture. No prior experience of painting or embroidery will be needed because Meg will take you through it step by step.

There will also be an extension to the Annie Sloan workshops with an advanced evening class running from 6pm-9pm covering decoupage, gilding, image transfer and most importantly will include wine and nibbles.

Heather and Penny have lots of ideas for further workshops but welcome any suggestions of anything you would like to see at ‘Create’.

Gift vouchers are available for ‘Create’, redeemable against any of their workshops.

Although I have not yet attended a workshop, I have purchased three pots of Annie Sloan paint from Penny and have thoroughly enjoyed painting a wide range of items, including two chairs, metal objects, garden furniture and pots.

It is wonderfully easy to use and extremely rewarding. Although hard to believe until you try it out, you do not need to sand down the wood first! It is not a gimmick – it is a special paint.

Get creative and join a ‘Create’ workshop this year on the Facebook page www.facebook. com/createdevon or call 01752 559522.

One of the participants at a ‘Create’ workshop

Kerry Cole is author of an arts style book called The Purple Veil. For more information visit www.thepurpleveil.com the plymouth magazine

15

food matters

ribollita – a tuscan soup full of winter goodness Ribollita is a famous Tuscan soup, a hearty potage made with bread and vegetables.

There are many variations, but the main ingredients always include bread, cannellini beans and inexpensive vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, beans, silverbeet, cavolo nero and onion. Its name literally means “reboiled”.

Like most Tuscan cuisine, the soup has peasant origins. It was originally made by reboiling the leftover minestrone or vegetable soup from the previous day.

Some sources date it back to the Middle Ages, when the servants gathered up food-soaked bread trenchers from feudal lords’ banquets and boiled them for their own dinners.

When making this soup aim for a thick, almost stewy consistency. Savoy cabbage or chard will work if you can’t get cavalo nero or kale, but will not need so much cooking.

Ribollita serves 4 Ingredients 400g tin cannellini or other white beans, rinsed & drained 3 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, finely sliced 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 carrots, peeled & diced 4 stalks celery, diced

2 large potatoes, peeled & diced 1 ltr hot veg stock 400g tin chopped tomatoes 4 sage leaves, shredded sea salt & ground black pepper 1 large bunch cavolo nero, leaves stripped from their stalks & shredded 4 slices day-old sourdough bread, toasted extra virgin olive oil for drizzling Method Lightly mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until slightly puréed but with some still whole.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions gently for 10 mins without browning, until soft.

Add the garlic and cook for another min or two. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, stock, tomatoes and sage. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook for 20 mins, until the potatoes are cooked. Add the beans and kale.

Simmer for another 5 mins to thicken the soup and wilt the kale. Lay the toasted bread in 4 bowls.

Check the seasoning then pour over the bread. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

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training matters

new training course offers chance to be part of the main event in plymouth Plymouth plays host to many large events every year including the Firework Championships, Marine City Festival and in 2013 we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Flavour Fest!

Events are something that we are very good at organising as a city and when you think of the success of the arrival of the Olympic Flame and Music of the Night this year and the America’s Cup in 2011 as just three examples, all major events in Plymouth are always very well supported.

Plymouth also has an abundance of venues including hotels, restaurants and function rooms that week after week are organising all manner of activities, fund raisers, concerts, weddings and exhibitions to name but a few.

Rhodes at the Dome situated right on the waterfront is to be an exciting new venue where for example, many have already booked their weddings for next year and will draw new visitors to Plymouth from all over the country.

This will also have a positive knock on effect for hotels and other businesses in Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

All events require a whole team of people to plan and organise and pay great attention to detail to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible and with many events it is important that they are such a success that they will be repeated.

So if you are inspired to get into the wonderful world of events or feel that there is

room for improvement at your venue to make sure your future functions go really smoothly, you may be pleased to know that at Pitman Training we are now offering new courses and diplomas in Events Management.

It is a very rewarding occupation as you are part of growing and developing something to produce a fantastic end result, which makes all the hard work worthwhile!

These new courses will teach students the essential skills required in Events Management including planning and organising, costing and pricing, risk management, sourcing funding and sponsorship, marketing, promotion and team leadership plus the essential admin skills required.

Students can choose from simply updating their skills by doing one or two courses or studying the full Events Management diploma which will give them the full skill set required to make them very employable.

Our courses provide students with skills that are very easily transferred into the work place and can be put straight into practice.

Employers with staff who they feel could improve By their skills will also be Charlie Waters pleased to know that due of to the flexibility of our Pitman Training training method, students can fit their studies in and around their work and choose whether they study here at Pitman Training or from home or work if permitted.

In the current climate it is very important to have fresh skills and qualifications so that you have plenty of options when it comes to seeking employment and to tailor your skills to suit the work that is currently available and in demand and also to hopefully do something that you will enjoy.

The next step is to perfect your CV so that it makes as much impact as possible and really sells you on the first page, also to get the balance right between including too much or too little information.

Part of our service for our students is also to help with CV’s and cover letters to give them the best possible chance of getting an interview and into work. The most important thing is to be as well prepared as possible.

Plymouth is a very exciting place that we should all be proud of and is constantly moving forward to provide an enormous variety of events and entertainment throughout the year for us all to enjoy and so if you have a burning desire to do something different in 2013 now is the time to put your plan into action!

For further details or to book a free consultation, please call Charlie Waters at Pitman Training on (01752) 227330 or 269122 www.pitman-training.com

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the plymouth magazine

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theatres & shows Theatre Royal

Royal Parade Plymouth Box Office 01752 267222 www.theatreroyal.com

Until Jan 19 Dick Whittington

It’s a pantomime adventure paved in gold and packed with glittering spectacle. The country’s favourite pantomime Dame, Christopher Biggins, returns to the Theatre Royal by popular demand as Sarah the Cook, who will be dishing out huge helpings of comedy aided and abetted by the loveable icon of children’s television, Basil Brush as Alderman Foxwarren.

Will the Spirit of the Bells, played

by Hilary O’Neil, be able to help our handsome hero? There’s only one way to find out!

Jan 22 to Feb 9 Dirty Dancing

An unprecedented live experience,

exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance and sensationally sexy dancing. Seen by millions, this world-wide smash tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Featuring hit songs including Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and the heart-stopping I’ve Had The Time Of My Life!

Jan 22 to Feb 9 Theatre Royal Tour and Lunch

Take a look behind-the-scenes and view the Theatre Royal auditorium from the stage, see the flexible format of the Drum Theatre, the orchestra pit, the trap-rooms and front of house.

Glimpse inside the dressing rooms, wings and backstage areas and experience some of the theatricality, heritage and tradition of the theatre in the company of our well-informed guides. Finish off your tour with lunch in the Theatre Royal’s restaurant, the mezz. Places must be booked in advance, call the Box Office on 01752 267222 for more information.

Feb 12 to Feb 16 The Taming of The Shrew and Twelfth Night

The internationally acclaimed Propeller makes a triumphant return to the Theatre Royal Plymouth with two of Shakespeare’s most popular works. In The Taming Of The Shrew, two disguised, competing suitors clamour for the hand of beautiful Bianca whilst gold digging Petruchio agrees to wed her viciously ill-tempered sister Kate.

The difference between marrying for love and marrying for money, however, becomes increasingly difficult to judge.

Twelfth Night tells a twisted tale of mistaken identity, transformation and deception. Dark and delightful, the play asks ‘What happens when you fall in love with the wrong person?’ and the answer is both beautiful and bittersweet. One thing is certain - nobody does Shakespeare like Propeller.

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Feb 19 to Feb 23 High Society

Cole Porter’s timeless classic skips into town in a dazzling new production.

Wealthy socialite Tracy Lord is in the midst of planning a lavish summer wedding when her ex-husband turns up to disrupt proceedings in an attempt to win her back. Adapted from the 1956 film starring screen legends Bing

Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, High Society bubbles with a host of beautiful ballads including True Love, You’re Sensational and Well, Did You Evah!

Feb 25 to Mar 2 Driving Miss Daisy

The charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, longlasting friendship that blossoms between prickly, elderly, Southern matriarch Daisy Werthan played by Gwen Taylor (Barbara, Coronation Street) and her kind hearted chauffeur played by Don Warrington (Rising Damp). As the wheels turn and decades roll by against a background of prejudice, inequality and social unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences.

what’s on?

word, in his mind. This Drum Theatre co-production brings together Edward Petherbridge and Told By An Idiot in a moving comic exploration of the resilience of the human spirit through the prism of Shakespeare.

the night, marine expert Mark has an unexpected visitor…This Drum Theatre Plymouth production is a story of buried secrets and new beginnings, a black comedy-drama that asks the question: can you ever really start again?

Mar 6 to Mar 16 Sailors & Sweethearts

Barbican Theatre

Inspired by the paintings of Beryl Cook, Sailors & Sweethearts is a celebration of the Plymouth she captured – a vibrant and unique city with a clear identity and future ahead of it. This Theatre Royal Plymouth People’s Company production features performers from the local community and draws on real stories of nights out in Plymouth and the impact they have had on the lives of people in the city and beyond.

Mar 21 to Apr 6 Forever House

Cole Porter’s timeless classic High Society is at the Theatre Royal in February

Mar 6 to Mar 9 Birmingham Royal Ballet

Birmingham Royal Ballet returns to the Theatre Royal Plymouth with Aladdin, choreographed by Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, David Bintley. A run-in with Palace guards leads young tearaway Aladdin into a whirlwind of adventure and romance, involving unbelievable riches, love at first sight, treachery, and of course a magic lamp and all that it contains…

Mar 11 to Mar 16 Jersey Nights

This international hit show comes to Plymouth for one week only, taking you on a musical journey celebrating the greatest hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. With four great singers, perfect harmonies, a live band and amazing dancers, Jersey Nights features hits including Sherry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Oh What A Night.

Mar 18 to Mar 23 Birdsong

A story of love, courage and sacrifice during the Great War is brought to the stage in this critically acclaimed production of Sebastian Faulks’ bestselling novel. As war breaks out, young Englishman Stephen Wraysford must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme, clinging to the memory of the beautiful Isabelle

In a terrace house in Plymouth, three different couples are cautiously looking to the future. Teenager Richard is plotting his escape to art college, mum-to-be Laura has big plans for her forever home, and in the middle of

Castle Street, Plymouth Box Office: 01752 267131

Mondays from Jan 7 Voices 4 Change

Voices 4 Change is a free weekly session for 12-18 year olds that explores many of the challenges that young people face today.

Tuesdays from Jan 8 Dance Young Apprentices

Weekly sessions to develop dance skills.

Wednesdays from Jan 9 Dance Young Apprentices

Weekly sessions to develop theatre skills.

Feb 8 Ordinary Courage

Six dancers and a live piano - a new

as his world explodes around him.

Starring Sarah Jayne Dunn (Hollyoaks), Charlie G Hawkins (EastEnders) and Arthur Bostrom (‘Allo ‘Allo!).

Drum Theatre Royal Parade Plymouth Box Office 01752 267222

Until Jan 19 The Hare and the Tortoise

Following the sell-out success of last year’s The Elves and the Shoemaker, Stuff & Nonsense return this Christmas with their unswerving energy and inventive charm to retell the classic Aesop fable, The Hare and the Tortoise.

Jan 30 to Feb 1 School Ties

School Ties encourages young people to explore what really goes into making a production from page to stage. Students from Eggbuckland Community College and Austin Farm Primary School have worked together to produce two shows, A Girl Called Eva and The Lemons’ Labyrinth Lives, with each school performing the show written by the other.

Feb 14 to Mar 2 My Perfect Mind

Acclaimed classical actor Edward Petherbridge rehearsed for the role of King Lear before a major stroke left him unable to move. As he struggled to recover, he discovered the entire role of Lear still existed, word for the plymouth magazine

21

what’s on?

Hamer & Isaacs are at the B-Bar on January 25

theatres & shows

studios and venues across the world through collaborations with Faithless, Sia, Galliano and many others. Highly watchable, dynamic and fluid.

Jan 18 Stockwood

dance piece about a damaged community that harnesses the capacity for movement when words are not enough. Part of the Boys Are Back In Town Season.

B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Castle Street, Plymouth 01752 242021 www.b-bar.co.uk

Jan 9 and Feb 6 Comedy Night

Some light relief with the best standups on the UK circuit.

Jan 10 Jack Tucker

Talented soulful solo singer-songwriter from Plymouth. A smooth blend of groove-based easy-listening, one of the very best around.

Ever since the highly successful re-issue last year of his 1969 solo album ‘Magician’ Plymouth-based musician Andy Leigh (ex-Spooky Tooth and Matthews Southern Comfort) has been developing this, his new band, with a surprising and individual collection of folk, blues, jazz and latin material together with some of his own songs and the ever-popular Matthews Southern Comfort arrangement of the Joni Mitchell classic Woodstock.

Jan 19 The Lipsinkers

Watch one of London’s finest cabaret acts shimmy their way through a freaky pop line-up in hilarious, twisted style.

Think Pan’s People having a boozy party with Madonna in Primark and come shake off those January blues.

Performance in the Barbican Theatre.

Jan 23, Feb 13 and Feb 27 Café Acoustica

Fortnightly showcase of unplugged talent, hosted by singer-songwriter Jessie Mullen.

Jan 24 Jeff Horsey Jack Tucker

Jan 11 Nemo Jones

22

A thought provoking lyricist, Nemo Jones has a passionately funky and assured performance style and a unique guitar approach honed in the plymouth magazine

Superb South West bluesman who’s toured The Delta (we ain’t talking the Tamar). Enjoy his solo blues musings.

Jan 25 Hamer & Isaacs

Hamer & Isaacs play swinging gypsy jazz under the influence of Django Reinhardt and The Hot Club Of France.

Proud to serve

Plymouth

for 150 years We look forward to welcoming friends old and new during 2013 as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Duke of Cornwall Hotel

Watch out for details on special events and promotions on our website: www.thedukeofcornwall.co.uk

the plymouth magazine

23

what’s on?

theatres & shows

Claude Bourbon

Feb 8 Claude Bourbon

This finger picking guitarist has performed and studied all over the world; he has crafted an unbelievable fusion of classical and jazz, with ethereal Eastern influences, Spanish and Latin elements with strains of Western folk.

Jan 31 and Feb 28 Thomas Ford

Electrifying blues talent in the form of this harp-playing, hard blues singing solo performer.

Feb 1 Becky Brine & Julian Isaacs

Feb 15 Curacao Trio

A unique musical evening in the company of famed local Devon swingsinging diva Ms Becky Brine and hot rhythm rocker Julian Isaacs. With special guests.

Tight arrangements around exciting rhythms such as Mambo, Songo, ChaChaCha and Samba drive the music forward with creative improvised melodies adding a sense of drama and excitement to the already infectious sounds of Latin Jazz.

Feb 7 Lady Killaz with Lena Smith

A strand of programming with a womenonly, monthly session called Ladykillaz.

Features Lena Smith - a local pianobased singer-songwriter, with a distinct and original style. She performs her own songs as a solo artist and with her band.

Feb 22 Jason Baxter Local singer-songwriter Lena Smith debuts the new Ladykillaz event at the B-Bar on February 7

As a solo artist Jason Baxter mixes virtuoso driving barrelhouse boogie woogie with an authentic down-home blues piano style, reflecting influences from Albert Ammons, Memphis Slim and Otis Spann through to Jools Holland.

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the plymouth magazine

Bathrooms & Kitchens

Little Mix appearing at the Plymouth Pavilions in February

Plymouth Pavilions

Feb 6 Rumours of Fleetwood Mac

Millbay Road, Plymouth Box Office: 0845 146 1460.

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac replicate perfectly the power, subtlety and lush, hypnotic emotion of Fleetwood Mac at their breathtaking best.

Until Jan 5 Cinderella on Ice

An evening of awe and wonder awaits as Theatre on Ice producers, Wild Rose, present the internationally acclaimed Russian Ice Stars in a truly magical production of the well loved fairytale, Cinderella.

Feb 11 Little Mix

With the UK’s music scene in need of a fresh-faced girl band, Little Mix are blessed with the tunes and personalities to stake their claim as the most thrilling prospect in chart music today!

Jan 18 Paul Carrack

Legendary Sheffield born singer, songwriter and former frontman of Ace, Squeeze and Mike & The Mechanics; Paul Carrack returns to the road. With a back catalogue of hits including How Long, Tempted and The Living Years, Paul’s marvelously soulful voice is known to millions around the world; he is without doubt a key figure in British pop history.

Licence To Thrill. Brendan and his cast of 20 musicians and dancers present a spectacular night of theatre entertainment. Brendan, one of Strictly Come Dancing’s most charismatic choreographers and performers, hosts an evening of ballroom magic and Latin excitement in a live dance extravaganza not to be missed.

Jan 27 Brendan Cole: Licence to Thrill

Feb 2 The Classic Rock Show

Following his Plymouth debut last year with Live and Unjudged, Brendan Cole returns with his brand new show,

After the success of their critically acclaimed 2012 UK tour and as a testimony to the immense popularity of

classic rock music, The Classic Rock Show is back – bigger and even better!

Feb 5 Guinness World Records Officially Amazing Science Live

Ever wanted to be a Guinness World Records record holder? Well, for the first time ever live on stage, Guinness World Records Totally Bonkers Science is coming to Plymouth Pavilions! This explosive spectacular will show you the best, the wackiest and the officially amazing attempts and records from around the world.

Feb 13 Boogie Nights - The 70s Musical Concert

Boogie Nights features all the hits songs of the 70s, an all star cast of 14 singers, dancers and live musicians including The Osmond Brothers, West End and recording star Gareth Gates, big band and soul singer Andy Abraham and Dancing On Ice finalist and pop phenomena Chico, plus Shane Richie Junior.

Feb 21 The Australian Pink Floyd

The Australian Pink Floyd Show are

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theatres & shows much more than a tribute to the great music of Pink Floyd, and were described by The Times as “the gold standard”. The band attempt to capture and convey the spirit as well as the sound, and slavish attention is lavished upon their jaw-dropping visuals and effects.

Feb 27 Anton & Erin Go To Hollywood

In a salute to the Golden Years of the MGM musicals, the UK’s favourite dancing duo Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag are back with a dazzling new show, featuring sassy tunes, sensational choreography and sparkling costumes that conjur up all the fizz and razzmatazz of glamorous Hollywood at its best.

Mar 6 to Mar 8 Micky Flanagan

Micky Flanagan – one of British

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the plymouth magazine

comedy’s biggest stars – will travel the length and breadth of the UK & Ireland for what will be the most anticipated comedy tour of 2013, taking in 57 shows.

Mar 9 Milton Jones – On the Road

If you like your comedy clever and surreal, then this is the show for you!

Milton has been a panelist many times on Mock the Week (BBC2), and was recently to be seen on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (BBC1).

miranda sets plymouth date Making her Plymouth debut, Miranda Hart will head to Plymouth Pavilions next year as part of a 13 date tour in the UK and Ireland.

The award winning Queen of Comedy will head to Plymouth on Tuesday March 4 2014. She will be on stage doing stand-up for the first time since her hit series ‘Miranda’ aired on the BBC. Grab a chance to see Miranda’s laugh out loud genius live. She wants you to join her party. Expect galloping, attempts at song and dance, and simply - such fun!

For tickets and information call the Box Office on 0845 146 1460 or visit www. plymouthpavilions.com

what’s on?

Plymouth; The Framing Centre, 83 Hyde Park Road, Plymouth or telephone 01364 72429.

music

Mar 20 Plymouth Symphony Orchestra

Jan 19 Emperor String Quartet

Sherwell Centre, Plymouth University Part of the Peninsula Arts Chamber Music Series. Details 01752 585050. www.peninsula-arts.co.uk Jan 20 Plymouth Jazz Club

Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Crownhill Mike Cox’s New Orleans All Stars.

Details 01752 721179 www.plymouthjazz-club.org.uk Feb 8 Plymouth Area Police Choir

Saltash Music Festival. Tickets at the door.

Feb 22 to 24 Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music Festival 2013

Roland Levinsky Building, Plymouth University

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with conductor David Hill are appearing at the Plymouth Pavilions on March 21

‘Sensing Memory’. Events include: Ten Tors Orchestra premieres of Symphony of the Mind by Eduardo Miranda. The festival also premieres of music by Nick Ryan, Nick Grew, David Bessell, David Strang, Joel Eaton, Will McNicol and Many Worlds by Alexis Kirke.

Introducing the new jazz ensemble The Nameless. Information from Peninsula Arts, Plymouth University Tel: 01752 585050. www.peninsula-arts.co.uk Mar 7 20th International Concert Series

Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery 20th Anniversary Composers’ Concert featuring local composers Philip R

Buttall, Marsha de Thornley Head, Terence Higgins, Clive Jenkins, with Peter Fisher - violin. To mark the 20th International Concert Series, promoted

by Jeanie Moore, which has brought to Plymouth artists from across the globe.

Tickets £8.50 from Museum Shop (Tues - Sat 10am-4pm) or from www. wegottickets.com/event/155226 Mar 1 7 Plymouth Philharmonic Choir

The Guildhall, Royal Parade, Plymouth Featuring Fauré: Requiem. Commissioned work by young British composer Alexander Campkin. Soloist TBA. Tickets from Christian Literature Centre,

The Guildhall, Royal Parade, Conductor Anne Kimber, with Peter Fisher - violin. Works to include Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.

Mar 21 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Plymouth Pavilions Hollywood Blockbusters featuring classic film scores old and new including: Rota: Romeo & Juliet; Jarre: Lawrence of Arabia; Zimmer: Gladiator; Horner: Troy; Goldsmith: Star Trek; Barry: Out of Africa; Williams: Schindler’s List; Zimmer: The Last Samurai; Dun: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Badelt: Pirates of the Caribbean; Horner: Avatar. Contact Pavilions Box Office 0845 146 1460 CHECK FIRST We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our listings but please check with organisers first to avoid disappoiintment

the plymouth magazine

27

what’s on?

Special Offer: Portrait sitting & 10”x 8” Mounted Photo only £30. Vouchers Available

supporters given the chance of a ‘starring’ role at the theatre royal Plymouth’s Theatre Royal has started its fundraising campaign to raise £2 million for the Regeneration Project with the launch of ‘Name A Star’ which will see a galaxy of stars inlaid in the new paving around the theatre.

It’s believed this is the first time such a scheme has been launched by a British theatre.

As part of the Regeneration Project, the public areas around the theatre are being completely remodelled, providing a unique opportunity for a limited number of bronze stars, each engraved with the name of an individual supporter, to be laid into the new paving.

Two standard versions of star are available for a donation of £500 or £1000 and donations can be made over a period of up to four years which means a star can be reserved for just over £10 a month.

The Theatre Royal Regeneration Project, which has recently received the backing of Arts Council England with a commitment of £5 million subject to the theatre raising an additional £2 million, will see the re-cladding of the building which will cut energy costs; an extension to the front of the building allowing level access; a new box office, shop and cafe area; an outdoor terrace; an extended restaurant and a new studio space in the basement which will provide a city centre location for work with young people and community groups.

Sports Centre Pay as you go: Swim: Adult £3.80, Child £2.70, Senior £2.80 Gym: £4.50 per session Classes: from £3.70

Membership also available For further details or to book, contact: UCP Marjon Sports Centre 01752 636876 or visit: www.ucpmarjon.ac.uk

The planned works which, if the theatre is successful in raising the additional funds, will begin in April 2013 and take six months to complete. The theatre would then reopen in September 2013 with the launch of the first UK tour of the National Theatre’s production of War Horse.

The theatre has already made significant progress with its fundraising efforts with over £500,000 raised from the fundraising campaign to date. The majority of this total is made up from generous donations from individual supporters, including Friends and Corporate Members, as well as £100,000 donation from the Theatre

tickets for war horse Tickets are already on sale for two big productions which are coming to the Theatre Royal later in the year.

War Horse opens its UK tour in Plymouth on Friday September 27 and continues until Saturday October 12.

War Horse is the powerful and uplifting story of young Albert, his beloved horse Joey and the unimaginable obstacles they overcome, both individually and together. At the heart of the show are life-sized puppets which bring the horses to life on the stage in this remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship.

Tickets for War Horse are now limited to individual seats and restricted view. Call the Box Office on 01752 267222.

28

the plymouth magazine

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Chris Goldie, campaign director, said: “We are delighted with the strength and level of support already received for the Regeneration Project. There is still work to be done but we hope the launch of our ‘Name A Star’ campaign will present itself as a unique opportunity for people from across the city and the region to buy their piece of theatre history and make a contribution to the campaign.”

Other fundraising opportunities are also available and can be discussed by contacting the campaign office on 01752 230445 or visiting www.theatreroyal.com/regeneration There is also a display outlining the Regeneration Project and how people can support the fundraising campaign in the theatre foyer.

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Meanwhile Glyndebourne brings three very different operas to the Theatre Royal between December 3 and December 7.

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Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel has long cast its spell over audiences of all ages, and this witty production injects a modern twist.

A new production of The Rape of Lucretia celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of composer Benjamin Britten and L’elisir d’amore distils the essence of Donizetti’s comedy into a blend of high spirits and heart-warming sentiment.

For more information or to book tickets please contact the Theatre Royal Box Office on (01752) 267222 or online at www.theatreroyal.com the plymouth magazine

29

family stuff major events

Until Feb 24 Winter Ice Rink

League 2 Football

Jan 12 Argyle v Morecambe Jan 26 Argyle v Accrington Stanley Feb 2 Argyle v Dagenham & Red Feb 16 Argyle v Oxford Mar 2 Argyle v Barnet Mar 12 Argyle v Bradford City Championship Rugby

Jan 12 Jan 26 Feb 16 Mar 9

Albion v Rotherham (Cup) Albion v Moseley Albion v Bedford Albion v Jersey

British Basketball League

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Jan 25 Raiders v Durham Wildcats Feb 16 Raiders v Surrey Heat Feb 17 Raiders v Newcastle Eagles Feb 22 Raiders v Durham Wildcats Mar 22 Raiders v Mersey Tigers

Piazza, City Centre Nothing says winter more than pulling on your woolly hat, scarf and mittens and braving the cold for an open air skating session.

Feb 28 to Mar 3 Continental Market

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the plymouth magazine

Gif vouc t h avai ers lable

Events at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus The Imaginators

Admission free. Booking essential.

Free, fun creative learning sessions for pre-school children and their parents/ carers. 10.30am to 11.30am or 1pm to 2pm on Wednesdays (term time only).

Advance booking is essential. Call 01752 304665 to reserve your place.

Wild About Plymouth

Jan 25 The Night Sky 6.30pm to 9pm at Roborough Downs, Dartmoor, Devon £3 per adult. £2 per child. Under 5s go free - advance booking essential. To infinity and beyond! Come and see the splendour of the night sky, hunt out the planets, spot the constellations and learn about the universe. You can also examine some real meteorites from the collections of Plymouth City

Museum and Art Gallery. Wear warm clothes and bring camping chairs, rugs or sleeping bags to sit or lie on. If you have a telescope or binoculars bring them along too. Telescopes, torches, hot drinks and snacks will be provided.

The car park is the first turning on the left past the Dartmoor Diner. Meet at Yelverton Rock. Advance booking by Jan 18 is essential. Booking form at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ museumwildaboutplymouth.

Feb 23 Under the Microscope 11am to 1pm Davy Building, Plymouth University, Drake Circus. £3 per adult. £2 per child. Under 5s go free advance booking essential. Discover the strange and wonderful creatures of the miniature world using the microscopes in one of the University’s labs. Bugs, pollen and ancient microfossils will be out on display for you to view closer than ever before! We’ll be running a quiz with prizes for the winners. Why not bring along some of your own curiosities from your home or garden for our experts to identify?

Advance booking by Feb 18 essential.

Booking form at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ museumwildaboutplymouth.

what’s on?

Make and Take

Make something then take it home with our seasonal creative sessions aimed at children aged five to 11 (all of whom must be accompanied by a responsible adult). Sessions run from 11am to 12 noon and 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Admission is free. Advance booking is essential on 01752 304774. Call on the day to see if any last-minute places are available - although there is no guarantee any will remain.

Slippery Snakes Feb 9 11am to 12pm, 1.30pm to 2.30pm and 3pm to 4pm. Help mark the start of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Snake) with some fun arty activities including paper chain snakes, spiral snakes and masks.

Family Activities

Family fun sessions. Aimed at children aged 4 to 11, but wrigglers and siblings are welcome. Admission is free and there is no need to book. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Drop in for as little or as long as you like. These sessions can get busy.

All sessions are from 10.30am to 1pm unless stated.

Pyramids and Papyrus Jan 26 1.30pm to 2.15pm and 2.30pm to 3.15pm. As part of National Storytelling Week join a professional storyteller at for some amazing tales inspired by ancient Egypt.

Global Adventures Feb 2 1.30pm to 2.15pm and 2.30pm to 3.15pm. Join a professional storyteller for a fantastic voyage around the world

on the Good Ship of Tales for stories from far and wide. All stories are suitable for children aged 4 and up (wrigglers and siblings are welcome too), all of whom must be accompanied by a responsible adult. World culturethemed colouring and word activities will also be available to try after the sessions. Free admission, no need to book.

On Safari Feb 23 11am to 12pm, 1.30pm to 2.30pm and 3pm to 4pm. Be inspired by some of the amazing objects on display in our natural history and world cultures galleries to make a jungle-themed gift bag, visor and more!

Half Term Activities

Photographic Portraits Feb 19 to Feb 23 10am to 5pm. Bring in a camera • continued on next page

the plymouth magazine

31

what’s on?

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• continued from previous page

and set up a portrait of your family members or friends using some of our props and inspiration from our ‘Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer’ exhibition.

This is a self-directed activity that you can do at any time during out opening hours throughout the half term week Pinhole Camera Feb 20 10.30am to 1pm. Experience the magic of a Pinhole Camera! Patiently set up your camera in our Learning Centre and watch the image develop before your eyes. Admission is free but places are limited. Please book in advance by calling 01752 304774.

Clay Creations Feb 21 10.30am to 1pm. Have fun making objects from air drying clay inspired by the ‘Gordon Baldwin: Objects for a Landscape’ exhibition, natural history and ceramic collections. Admission is free but places are limited. Please book in advance by calling 01752 304774.

Interesting Insects Feb 20 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm). See specimens from the Museum’s insect collection up close through a microscope and then create

your own. Admission is free and there is no need to book. Drop in for as little or as long as you like but please be patient if the session is busy as activities will be organised on a first come, first served basis.

All in Black and White Feb 21 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm). Create a striking black and white paper portrait using collage inspired by the photographs in the ‘Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer’ exhibition. Admission is free but there is no need to book. Drop in for as little or as long as you like but please be patient if the session is busy as activities will be organised on a first come, first served basis.

Various dates Contemporary Craft Workshops

Develop your creative skills with these sessions, which are suitable for all abilities and run from 10.30am to 3.30pm. All materials are supplied unless otherwise stated, but please bring your own lunch and an apron if you have one. Booking and payment in advance essential. Call 01752 304774 Beautiful Beads Feb 2 Mix your mediums, using recycled papers, threads, paint and inks, wire, embossing powders and magical Tyvek – yes that’s the stuff they use in the building industry, create amazing beads to use in necklaces, bracelets and jewellery design. Suitable for 16+. No experience necessary.

exhibition of work by leading ceramic artist comes to plymouth Gordon Baldwin is one of Britain’s most distinguished ceramic artists, a sculptural potter who has helped to redefine the expressive language of clay over the last fifty years.

A major touring exhibition from York Museums Trust celebrates the achievements of Gordon Baldwin at the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery between February 2 and May 11.

Baldwin initially trained at Lincoln School of Art and then at the Central School of Art and Design in London. His career as a ceramist spans a period of more than 50 years.

Baldwin’s work is inspired by a variety of themes, from music and modern art to natural and man made landscapes. He produces distinctive handbuilt works that combine sculptural form with abstract painterly marks. Working in earthenware and stoneware, he often reworks and refires pieces several times.

In recognition of his influential career and achievements he was awarded the OBE in 1992 and received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in 2000.

His work is represented in many public and private collections worldwide.

The exhibition in Plymouth will include around 100 works shown alongside related drawings, collages and photographs.

exhbitions & other events Events at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus Various dates Art Bite Tours

Fancy spending your lunchtime taking a bite-sized look at the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery’s collections and changing exhibitions? Then why not join members of staff at 1pm on the dates below for a 30-minute tour?

Admission is free but places are limited. Collect a ticket from the Museum’s Welcome Desk or contact the museum.

Jan 30 and Feb 27 Ida Kar: Artist with a Camera Feb 13 Cottonian Collection Until Jan 12 New Light on Newlyn

A new exhibition at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery is shedding New Light on Newlyn and exploring historic and contemporary art inspired by the Cornish fishing port. Newlyn was the centre of a famous art colony from the 1880s and continues to inspire artists today with its scenery, coast and quality of light. ‘New Light on Newlyn’ includes works from the Museum’s permanent collections by famous artists such as Stanhope Forbes, Norman Garstin and John Noble Barlow. It also features a series of new contemporary work produced by selected members of the Newlyn Society of Artists (NSA). Exhibition opening hours are 10am to 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 5pm Saturday. The exhibition is closed

Sunday and Monday. Admission is free and there is no need to book. Full details of the programme are available from www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk or 01752 304774.

Jan 12 to April 13 Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer

In 1960 Ida Kar became the first photographer to have a retrospective exhibition at a major London art gallery.

Despite receiving public and critical acclaim from her contemporaries, she is surprisingly unknown today, yet she was instrumental in encouraging the acceptance of photography as a fine art and her subjects included some of the most celebrated figures from the literary and art worlds of 1950s and 1960s Europe and Russia. This exhibition will be drawn from the Ida Kar Archive, acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1999 and will include around 40 of her portraits. A number of the artists Kar photographed are represented in the Museum’s permanent collections and selected works by them will also be on display.

Feb 2 to May 11 Gordon Baldwin: Objects for a Landscape

This major touring exhibition from York Museums Trust celebrates the achievements of Gordon Baldwin OBE, one of the most important ceramic artists of our time. It will include around 100 works shown alongside related drawings, collages and photographs.

CHECK FIRST We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our listings, but please check all the details first with the organisers of the event to avoid disappointment. the plymouth magazine

33

albion matters

progress on pitch as 2013 with Plymouth Albion enter 2013 with cautious optimism after almost going out of business at the start of 2012.

An emergency appeal to members, supporters and businesses in January last year raised sufficient funds to keep the club afloat and new head coach Nat Saumi led the team to safety in the RFU Championship at the end of the season.

Albion chairman Graham Stirling said: “I’m pleased to say that we are in a much better position both on and off the pitch than we were at the same time last year.

The financial position is, however, still pretty tight and we would encourage supporters once again to get behind the team in 2013.

“Attendances at Brickfields have been disappointing, not helped by the appalling weather conditions in at least two of our home games – but we are hopeful that the second half of the season will see better support.

“The style of rugby being played has been hugely entertaining and we have a number of good wins under our belts, including the big cup win against Aberavon in December.

“I thought one of our best performances was against Newcastle at Kingston Park where, although losing, we achieved more than any other team has done there this season. It is all about a steady journey and all the signs on the pitch are encouraging. There is no doubt that we are moving in the right direction.”

Graham also called on supporters to ‘be on their best behaviour’ at Brickfields, following a suspended five point deduction after a clash between Albion and Bristol players during the home match in November.

“We were relieved not to get a large financial penalty, but the suspended five point deduction relates not only to the players, but also to the club as a whole, including officials and supporters. We must be ‘squeaky clean’ for the next 12 months and I would appeal to all our true supporters to help the club to keep a clean sheet and tell stewards immediately of any behaviour which is not appropriate.”

Meanwhile head coach Nat Saumi has set his sights on a strong performance in the second half of the season. “We have some big games coming up in January and I’m looking to play full strength teams from here on in. I have given some of the younger players game time in the first half of the season and now I have strong competition for every single position in the team.”

He said he was targeting a top eight finish for the season as a whole, which would provide a solid foundation for the club to move forward in the 2013/14 season.

“After all the difficulties and tension of last season we are working hard to consolidate Albion’s position in the Championship and build from there. We avoided relegation last season and have put in some really strong performances so far this season. Now we want to complete the remaining fixtures on a very positive note.”

Albion’s remaining home Championship fixtures are against Moseley (Jan 26); Bedford (Feb 16); Jersey (Mar 9) and ending with current leaders Newcastle Falcons on April 13.

Albion are still in with a chance of reaching the last eight of the British & Irish Cup - which would provide a much needed financial boost of £10,000 prize money for reaching the quarter finals.

After four matches in their pool Albion are currently joint second with Rotherham who they meet at Brickfields on January 12.

“We lost heavily away to Rotherham in the cup so we will be looking for revenge on January 12. It will be a big game for us and Rotherham will undoubtedly present a tough challenge. But with the Brickfields crowd behind us I’m sure we can put in a strong performance.”

Rugby fans will have the chance to see some of the top young international players at Brickfields on February 1 when a bumper crowd is expected for the

34

the plymouth magazine

and off the albion enter optimism match between England Under 20s and Scotland Under 20s in the Six Nations Championship. Kick off is 5.45pm in a match to be screened by Sky. Tickets for the grandstand have already virtually sold out so supporters are encouraged to buy their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

While Albion’s performances on the pitch have been encouraging, there is also a lot of activity off the pitch to report.

In a move to provide additional income for Albion, from January 7 onwards lunches will be served in the Club House from Monday to Friday between 12 noon and 2pm.

The facility is open to everyone, supporters and general public alike.

Meanwhile January 13 sees the launch of a new Sunday Carvery in the Club House from 12 noon, with last orders at 3.30pm. Traditional roasts with all the trimmings will be available at £6.95 for adults and £4 for children.

Albion head coach Nat Saumi... looking to finish the season strongly

On March 1 the club will be hosting a Barn Dance in the Kier Marquee from 7pm to 1am with tickets costing £15 for a barbecue and scrumpy drink and on March 3 Albion will be hosting its first Events and Weddings Fair.

Debbie Fisher, Albion’s acting chief executive, said: “We will be inviting local businesses within the hospitality and entertainment sector to come along and set up a display of their wares and forge valuable relationships with us.

This will be a free event for the public to visit Brickfields and take a look at what the club can offer in the way of hospitality.

“We hope to host a fashion show of wedding couture, along with children’s entertainment and food and drinks - including carvery lunches in the Club House.”

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35

education matters

big praise for the way of improving and english Parents have been heaping praise on an after school tuition programme launched in Plymouth 18 months ago.

Scores of youngsters – and several adults – have been improving their Maths and English thanks to the First Class Learning Centre, which was launched in Mannamead in June 2011.

The Centre is run by Lesley Price and her daughter Bianca Parker and more and more parents are signing up their children for the programme, which are designed by a team of Maths and English specialists with a wealth of experience in primary, secondary and special needs education.

The Plymouth centre runs its after school sessions on Tuesdays from 3.15pm to 5.30pm at Trinity Church Hall in Mannamead.

“Children attend the centre every week for about 30 minutes for tuition, and then support this by completing a short piece of work at home every day, which should take around 10 to 12 minutes,” said Bianca.

“In this way numeracy and literacy skills are developed very gradually and consistently, giving the children more and more confidence in their abilities.”

Bianca added that young people with a wide range of abilities attend First Class Learning. “We have children aged from 4 to 16 who attend as well as several adults who take part through correspondence courses,” she added.

“We have Year 11 students who are doing Maths with us to help them achieve A Star grades in their GCSEs later this year, right through to youngsters who are really struggling at school with their reading and writing.”

The First Class Learning team includes a retired maths teacher from Devonport High School and a special needs teaching assistant from Long Cause.

Bianca added: “Each child has his or her own individually tailored programme, which is linked to ability and pace of learning, so that it is suitable for all ages and abilities. Within a couple of weeks children start to develop their own routine with the programme which enables them to take small, but significant, steps in their ongoing skill development.

“We generally find that this also builds the child’s confidence. We can start to see an improvement within a matter of weeks, but after two or three months the impact is often very significant.”

The programme is based on using a combination of carefully structured worksheets and textbooks, devised specifically for the child, to take him or her from the basics of Maths or English through to the more demanding aspects of school work.

Each child undergoes a free, no obligation assessment. This helps determine the child’s specific needs and ensures a suitable starting point in the course.

Comments from parents and carers underline the success of the programme: “Since A has been attending First Class Learning his reading and handwriting has improved no end. He has just received the ‘Most Improved Handwriting Certificate’ for his year at school.”

“J’s work has steadily improved and his confidence in himself as well. His writing now flows really well and he is confident in writing longer pieces of work.”

“This is an excellent way of helping children’s handwriting and English skills. B happily does his worksheets each day and it has become part of his routine. School have noticed the improvement, which supports every subject covered in the curriculum. B is more confident about writing things down now and can get most spellings correct. Thank you.”

“We are very pleased with the improvement our children are making. First Class Learning has definitely helped with building confidence in both numbers of handwriting.”

36

the plymouth magazine

Bianca Parker of First Class Learning pictured with four-year-old Ashtyn

first class maths skills “J has been going to First Class Learning for five months and I have seen such a big change in his handwriting in such a short time. Even his school have told me that he has improved so much in the last couple of months.“ “E has enjoyed coming to First Class Learning and has gained a lot of confidence with her numeracy. This confidence has encouraged her to engage more in her numeracy at school.”

“I actually think that this is money very well spent.

Despite being an English specialist teacher myself this has provided my son, who has dyslexic and dyspraxic difficulties, to have confidence in his writing and overall literary skills. He looks forward to his ‘club’ which makes him feel special and ‘good inside.’ His writing has improved significantly as well as firing his enthusiasm to read.”

“Thank you for helping S. In his Year 6 class he was the best achiever and

received the end of term medal. His SAT level has gone from 2.7 to 3.7 in 10 weeks.

He is now moving up from the bottom maths set to middle.”

For further information about First Class Learning call Bianca on 07884 273689 or 01752 930553 or visit www.firstclasslearning.co.uk/centres/plymouth.

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37

beware of the pitfalls of special prom dress on Ten years ago proms were unheard of in Britain. Today, a prom is the highlight of the year for school-leavers and months of planning and preparation are often involved.

By Bev Saunders of Bee Bee Gowns

We’re already busy helping excited teenagers choose the dress of their dreams and expect it to stay that way for the next few months as the prom season draws closer.

With the market for prom dresses running into tens of millions of pounds in the UK, there has been a growing trend in recent years of girls buying dresses off the internet, mainly because of the cheap prices being advertised.

However, there are many potential problems associated in buying a dress online.

While there are reputable online sites which offer a good service, there are also those which are definitely to be avoided.

You can’t always go by the pictures which some sites use to encourage youngsters – or their parents – to make a purchase.

Often the dress that is delivered is of poor quality, doesn’t fit and there is little or no chance of getting your money back if you are not happy. Or you will have to pay a lot of money to return it and there is no guarantee that you will get it back on time.

But you can imagine the disappointment when the dress arrives and it’s two sizes too big and there is little or no time to get it altered.

Also the colour of the dress may differ from how it appears on the internet and colour choice is so important.

Some deliveries of purchases made on the internet can take well over a month to arrive – unless you are prepared to pay up to £30 extra to guarantee delivery within a couple of weeks.

There is also a potential problem with import duties and VAT. The customs authorities are cracking down on this and it often means handing over a large sum of money to cover the duty owed on an imported dress.

I have seen dresses which have been purchased from suppliers in China made literally out of bed sheets.

A prom is a big event for a young girl and here at Bee Bee Gowns we like to make it as stress free as possible. Our years of experience of supplying ball gowns and dresses for all occasions mean that we can provide expert advice on the choice of style and colour.

The prom is such a big event that girls naturally don’t want anything to go wrong.

The girl’s skin tone, hair colour and other features can have a big impact on the

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the plymouth magazine

buying that the internet

fashion matters

colour and style of the right dress that will suit.

By choosing wisely, a dress brought when a girl is 16 or 17 can still look great when she is 20, so it can be an excellent investment.

All of our ball gowns and dresses are designer limited editions and we stock from size 2 to 28, and offer an alteration service if necessary.

Our customers are genuinely surprised at just how competitive our prices are when compared with the High Street. We have hundreds of designer dresses to choose from starting from as little as ÂŁ149.

My assistant Jaz Boltwood has kindly modelled just three of the gowns we stock to give you an idea of the quality, style and colours available.

We also offer the ability to spread payments over a number of months and give substantial discounts on our wide range of matching accessories purchased with a prom dress or ball gown.

But our stocks are selling fast - so don’t delay. We look forward to helping make your prom an occasion to remember for years to come.

Bee Bee Gowns, 434 Crownhill Road, West Park, Plymouth 01752 350305 web www.bee-beegowns.co.uk

the plymouth magazine

39

property matters

plymouth property prices likely to rise in the long term - but little change in 2013 Property prices in Plymouth are likely to remain stable in 2013 - but could be set to rise in 2014 and 2015, according to one of the city’s leading estate agents.

after 2013,” said Darren. “I have heard this view expressed from a number of different sources recently.”

Darren Lawson of Mansbridge & Balment said that property prices had remained relatively static in 2011 and 2012 and he saw no evidence of that picture changing dramatically in the year ahead.

Earlier this year the Government’s Office for Budget Responsibility published a forecast that property prices would increase by up to four per cent by the end of 2014, compared with current figures, and would continue to rise during 2015.

“Although the latest forecast from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suggests a 2% rise in property prices nationally this year, that figure is largely distorted by figures for London and the south east.

Darren said: “These medium-term predictions are based on the expectation that house price inflation will rise broadly in line with the average rate of earnings growth.

“RICS predict that in most other parts of the country – including the the south west – prices will stay flat or dip slightly.

“It remains to be seen whether or not these projections prove to be correct. In the current period of austerity and the ongoing financial problems across Europe, predicting what will happen in the future with any degree of certainty becomes more and more difficult.”

“There is, however, increasing evidence that property prices may start to rise again

To highlight this, Darren said that the figure for the average property price in Plymouth for the period from July to September was 1.6% up on the same quarter the previous year – compared to a projected fall of 1.7% from the Office of Budget Responsibility.

“However, when you look at these figures more closely it shows that the figure was distorted by a substantial increase in the average price of detached properties (up by 9.3%), whereas the average price of semi-detached and terraced properties fell by as much as 3.4%.

“With semi-detached and terraced properties accounting for around 70% of property transactions in the last quarter in Plymouth, it is easy to see how the figures can sometimes be misleading.”

Darren said that Mansbridge & Balment had enjoyed another successful year in 2012, outperforming all other estate agents in the city (PL1 to PL6) in the number of properties sold during the year.

“This is the third year in succession that we have achieved this distinction and underlines the success of our policy of offering a professional service by fully-

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Research by the National Housing Federation published earlier this year showed that the average house price in Plymouth rose by 108% in the decade from 2001 to 2011.

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Meanwhile, over the same period wages only rose by 36% meaning the gap between house prices and wages has risen by 53%.

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call Ian & Emma 01752 790703 or visit www.riverford.co.uk 40

Big jump in the level of deposits needed by buyers in Plymouth

the plymouth magazine

The average house price rose from £74,700 in 2001 to £155,569 in 2011 – one of the biggest increases in the South West.

During the same period getting a mortgage also proved a lot harder with the amount of deposit needed in Plymouth going up by a staggering 420% at just under £38,900.

Darren Lawson of Mansbridge & Balment

qualified staff, realistic valuations and effective marketing,” said Darren.

“We have achieved an excellent number of completions in the higher end of the market, particularly properties selling for £350,000 and above. In fact, we have sold a number of properties in the year with a price tag of over and around £500,000.

“This end of the market along with the buy-to-let activity remains relatively buoyant, although this is countered by the difficulties which first-time buyers are facing at the moment.

“The culture of home ownership in the UK remains strong and we are seeing increasing evidence of parents and grandparents helping first-time buyers with their deposits, as well as a growing number of people who are being astute by saving hard and securing sufficient funds for a deposit.

“With the economic difficulties having been with us for a number of years now, many committed purchasers have found the time to save and are now entering the market.

“The banks and building societies are beginning to come up with more attractive mortgage products, but they are in relatively short supply. Encouragingly, there are indications that more new products and offers will be available in the year ahead.”

Darren said that there appeared to be a return to a more seasonal pattern of activity in the market which was reflected in August and September last year which saw little interest from buyers or sellers.

“The market is still relatively fragile with factors such as the Jubilee celebrations and the Olympics compounding the traditionally quieter holiday periods and having an even bigger impact on activity.”

Mansbridge & Balment, 6 Mannamead Road, Plymouth Tel 01752 229292 www.mansbridgebalment.co.uk the plymouth magazine

41

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tons of success for plymouth entrepreneur mark pitman Plymouth entrepreneur Mark Pitman has seen his business specialising in wall and floor tiles grow into a multi-million pound operation in little more than five years.

Mark launched his company – Tons of Tiles – in November 2007, having spotted a niche in the market for customers who wanted to shop online for quality tiles at affordable prices.

Mark had previously worked for a Cornwall-based shipping company which imported tiles and he used his knowledge to launch his own business - with great success.

Mark had spent most of his childhood in Tenerife and speaks fluent Spanish. He first came to Plymouth 12 years ago, initially working at a call centre in the city.

“I worked at the call centre while I looked for a job where I could use my Spanish,” said Mark. “The opportunity came up to work on the Spanish desk at the shipping company and that’s where I learned a huge amount about the importing of tiles and the leading tile manufacturers in Spain.”

He took the plunge and launched Tons of Tiles because he felt there was a demand for quality tiles which could be purchased online at prices significantly lower than the big retail chains.

“I started with a showroom at Beacon Park, but soon realised that the online business was where the future lay,” said Mark. “After a year or so I decided to concentrate on internet sales and for a time sold tiles on eBay, using my garage as a store for tiles.”

With his extremely competitive prices for quality porcelain and ceramic tiles and a rapid delivery service, Tons of Tiles grew rapidly, with products being distributed from a large depot in Bristol.

“I decided I wanted to have more control over the distribution and in 2009 took on a 2,000 sq ft unit in Estover where we could pick and pack the tiles here in Plymouth.”

Within six months demand had grown further and Mark had to double the amount of space for his business, taking on a second unit.

Just over 12 months ago Mark decided to take another big step, taking on two units at Drake Mill Business Park with 13,000 sq feet of warehouse space, a large showroom and free parking for customers.

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the plymouth magazine

Jamie Sharp, who recently joined Tons of Tiles as general manager

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Tons of success...Mark Pitman has built a multi-million pound tile supply business

The company imports and supplies wall and floor tiles direct from factories in Spain, Portugal and Italy and specialises in designer tiles, particularly crackle glazed products. The company also imports and supplies Victorian metro tiles, bevelled edge brick tiles, matt porcelain tiles, stardust quartz tiles and also products from the Laura Ashley Artisan range.

Tons of Tiles now processes well over 10,000 orders a year, distributing an average of 30 pallets of tiles a day making it one of the leading internet suppliers in the UK. It has been chosen as specified tile supplier by some of the top businesses in the UK, including River Island, Cath Kidston, Pret A Manger and TGI Fridays.

The company offers a unique next-day sample service enabling both retail and trade customers to see the tile of their choice before placing an order. They also operate a pricing promise guaranteeing that they will match any price offered by other retailers.

Take a look at our website for further details or call Liz to make an appointment to come and visit us.

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“Most of our products are around half the price of the major retailers and DIY sheds, so we have never had our price bettered,” said Mark.

His company now employs eight staff, including Jamie Sharp, who was recruited recently as general manager.

Jamie previously ran his own business specialising in bespoke renovations and interior design and was a regular customer at Tons of Tiles.

Jamie said: “I told Mark that he could do a lot more with his showroom so he asked me to design it for him and then offered me the job of general manager! While online sales are our core business we still want to Josh Symons packing tile samples encourage trade customers and the general public to visit our showroom and see the huge range of quality tiles we can offer.”

Customer reviews of Tons of Tiles on the Trust Pilot website give the company a five star rating.

A typical customer comment posted in December read: “Really impressed, great service, great product, great price. The tiles I ordered are as nice as Fired Earth at 20% of the price - they cannot be beaten and the service is exceptional - messages to let you know when your order will arrive, great communication and helpful Customer Services people. So glad I heard about this or I would’t have been able to afford the tiles I wanted. Would recommend to anyone.”

Tons of Tiles, Units 3-4, Drake Mill Business Park, Estover Road, Plymouth 01752 785623 www.tonsoftiles.co.uk Open Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm the plymouth magazine

43

travel matters

fabulous scenery, and varied wildlife a dream holiday The start of another year and hopefully a very busy one for the travel industry.

Traditionally this is the busiest period of the year for bookings, so fingers crossed everyone will remember just how bad last summer was and decide to guarantee summer sunshine.

I’ve always found the American state of Alaska a fascinating destination to sell and it’s one I’m sure I will visit – once my teenage children have flown the nest.

I was really pleased, therefore, when Claire, a good friend of mine, returned from Alaska and wanted to share her experiences. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a very interesting read hopefully making you want to visit this wonderful part of the world too.

Claire writes: When we told friends that we were going to Alaska for our holiday, we received an ‘oh, that’s nice’ reaction in a tone that meant ‘why on earth would you want to go there for your summer holiday?’

This particular holiday was one of the best we’ve had and we would like to go back and explore further, so when Anthony asked me to share our experiences, I was very pleased to. Before we looked into going to Alaska, we thought it was going to be cold there for much of the time. The state does experience extremes of cold, but it also gets quite warm in the summer, typically varying between 80 degrees in summer and -40 degrees in winter.

We took our holiday in early June and had temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees at the start of the holiday.

It is a sub Arctic desert with only 12 to 15 inches of rain a year in the interior, so rather less than we are used to here!

plymouth travel expert anthony goord with the latest holiday news

This also means that when the snow and ice have cleared it is very green, with lots of plant life, so a very beautiful place. Throughout the tour, it was fascinating to hear how the Alaskans cope with the extreme cold, in particular how they manage to keep their cars running and avoid freezing themselves.

One of the things that is very evident is how community spirited, welcoming and openly friendly to tourists the Alaskans are. It is a culture where people will stop and help strangers and I guess a lot of this is borne out of needing to pull together to function in a cold climate for part of the year.

We chose Princess Cruises as they offered a holiday which combined a land tour with a cruise, which meant we could experience interior Alaska as well as the key coastal towns and glaciers in comfort.

This proved an excellent choice as Princess think of everything in terms of how they look after you and are incredibly efficient at moving people and luggage from one place to another, without you having to haul suitcases.

They have built Wilderness Lodges at key destinations in interior Alaska, which have a lot of character and ambience, great restaurants and very comfortable rooms.

We had some fantastic meals, including some of the best fish we’ve tasted.

Princess also include excursions as part of the land tour, which is helpful as it means you see the key things as well as having time to explore, chill out on your own or book any optional excursions.

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the plymouth magazine

Mount McKinley...one of the highlight of Alaska’s breathtaking scenery

friendly people makes alaska destination We started our tour at Fairbanks for two nights, which gave us a late afternoon/evening and a full day there. It took three flights to get there, of which the latter two were quite interesting as they were shorter and gave the opportunity to see the scenery, including some glaciers, from the air.

On the full day, there were two excursions including a trip to a gold mine which involved actually panning for gold (we found $24 of gold, not enough to retire on alas!) and refreshments including warm, freshly baked cookies in the morning and a trip on the river on a Sternwheeler in the afternoon, again with refreshments.

These were our first experience of Princess excursions and they were a big ‘wow’. The morning tour was guided and included demonstrations and talks and the afternoon tour included a demonstrations of a float plane take off and landing and dog sledding and a visit to an Athabascan village, all with commentary so we could understand how things fitted into the Alaskan way of life.

The next day we transferred from the Fairbanks Lodge to the Denali Lodge by domed rail car. The scenery on the journey was great, including the Nenana River with its rapids and we even saw a moose.

Denali is on higher ground so it’s a bit cooler, but still mild, so we were pleased that our luggage didn’t take long to reach us and we could change from shorts to trousers.

We opted to go to a Music of Denali Dinner show that evening and the next day we went on the included tour of the park. Again, very good commentary including a talk by a native Athabascan lady and amazing scenery which changes the higher up you go in the park.

We were lucky enough to see the summit of Mount McKinley, which is normally only visible for seven days, on average, a year. We spent a pleasant evening white water rafting on the Nenana River and even got sun burned noses!

On the following day we took a shuttle bus to the park visitor centre and then a bus to the park’s dog kennels.The park uses dog sleds to get around during the winter.

We were fortunate to see a sledding demonstration and the dogs got really excited when they are being harnessed and obviously enjoy it. The ranger told us that when the dogs retire they live with families in the state, which is reassuring.

• continued on next page

the plymouth magazine

45

travel matters

memories of alaska • continued from previous page We had a coach transfer to the Mount McKinley Lodge during the afternoon and saw another moose on the way. Another beautiful location and we took a shuttle bus into Talkeetna town which is pretty and tourist focussed.

We spent the morning of the next day exploring around the Lodge, which has a number of walking trails. Some of the trails had been closed as a mother grizzly bear and her cubs were in the vicinity, together with a moose.

During the afternoon, we had a coach transfer to Anchorage, passing through Wasilla, home of Sarah Palin, and stopping off at the Native American Heritage Centre, an included trip, on route.

This was a museum of the values and lifestyle of four Native American tribes, together with talks and demonstrations of singing and dancing to traditional music. Their key value is to respect all life, a worthy tenet to live by.

Having spent the night in Anchorage and had time for a walk around the city independently, we were then taken to the train for the scenic journey to Whittier to embark the Diamond Princess for a cruise down the inside passage to Vancouver.

The cruise started with two days of scenic cruising around glaciers where we saw some huge glaciers and lots of wildlife including hump back whales, seals and puffins.

If you live in Devon or Cornwall and visit between 7 Jan ’til 14 Feb, you can pick up a Locals’ Annual Pass at a special price and get a whole year’s entry to Eden. Just bring proof of primary residence in Devon or Cornwall together with some photo ID.

Get your skates on!

Come and skate off the excesses of the festive season on our beautiful rink!

Winter? What winter?

With temperatures reaching 30 degrees, it’s always toasty in our Rainforest Biome!

Forget the chilly temerpatures and gloomy weather outside and take a stroll around the steamy tropics!

The ship visited the ports of Skagway, Juneau (the state capital of Alaska, where Sarah Palin had her Governor’s mansion) and Ketchikan. At Skagway, we took a trip on the White Pass and Yukon railroad to Fraser in British Columbia, then a coach back to town via Liarsville, a mock village from the gold rush days, finishing with a tour of the town including the Red Onion Saloon, a former brothel.

At Juneau we went on a whale watching trip in Auke Bay and visited the Mendenhall Glacier. We Dog sledding is a popular way of getting saw a mother and baby around in Alaska whale playing around our boat (lots of tail fluke waving), lots of eagles, a sea lion colony and a salmon jumping. The glacier was very impressive, with lumps of ice caving into the water beneath it regularly.

One of the things that surprised us about the glaciers we saw was the colours, which range from white, blue to black, where there is silt in the ice.

We had a walk around Juneau before the ship left. It has more of a city feel to it, but again with a lot of tourist shops.

The final stop was Ketchikan, renowned for the amount of rain it gets each year, so much so they have a big rain gauge at the port! We took a trip to the Misty Fjords, which was very pretty, and then saw an entertaining lumberjack show. Ketchikan is on an island and many of the houses and shops are built on wooden pilings. It’s a quaint town and very pleasant to walk around.

The last day on the cruise included sailing between mainland Canada and Vancouver Island, again very pretty.

We thoroughly enjoyed the variety of experiences that this holiday gave us and the opportunity to learn about life in a very different climate. There are other Lodges that can be visited on a land tour and we would love to go back and visit them.

*Terms and conditions apply, see website for details.

www.edenproject.com

The Eden Project, Bodelva, St Austell, Cornwall PL24 2SG Tel. 01726 811911

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the plymouth magazine

If the experiences described in this article are of interest, we very much recommend a holiday to Alaska as a truly memorable experience.

Happy Holidays Call Peter Goord on 01752 364186 for more details

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47

business matters

company’s major investment underlines commitment to city An award-winning manufacturer has taken delivery of an £850,000 machine that gives it the edge over all of its competitors in Britain – an investment the factory’s owner sees as a demonstration of his faith in Plymouth’s economic future.

Dominic Wishlade, managing director of Plympton-based Dura, still celebrating after winning the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year, believes that now is the right time to invest in his workforce and the city.

“Living in Oxford, I have to make a 400-mile round trip to the factory on the Newnham Industrial Estate every week or two, but it never occurred to me for a second to move the factory or install the machine elsewhere,” he said.

“That’s because we have a very experienced and committed workforce here in Plymouth – a workforce that’s more than doubled since Dura took over the premises four years ago.”

His own commitment comes in the shape of a Salvagnini metal-bending machine, a formidable device that takes flat sheets of metal in at one end and turns out finished products including panels and drawers at the other.

“It’s the first one of this particular type in this country,” says Dominic. “And it’s giving

48

the plymouth magazine

us a dramatic increase in efficiency, because drawers that used to take 66 seconds to fold now take 44.

“It also gives us a lot more design flexibility, increased capacity, and even more security for our workforce, who earned the Queen’s Award by helping this company grow in what many businesses see as particularly challenging times.”

The award, the highest honour the monarch can bestow on a business in the UK, was the ultimate recognition for Dura Ltd, the company that brought interior design to domestic garages, workshops and the automotive industry, and has household-name clients including Aston Martin, Audi and Rolls-Royce.

It exports its modular steel cabinets and storage systems all over the world, with hardly a country that doesn’t have Dura products in at least some of its most exclusive homes and upmarket automotive dealerships.

Dura managing director Dominic Wishlade

“There’s so much doom and gloom around, and many good businesses are struggling in the downturn, but I feel very strongly that Plymouth is a good place to do business in… and £850,000 says I’m right,” he says.

Dura was his brainchild. He realised that while exclusive car dealerships presented a spotless, shining face to the world through their showrooms, the workshops behind the scenes were often chaotic and unsightly.

So the industrial designer created steel cabinets and cupboards that took a fitted-kitchen approach to tidying up workshops and garages - and the concept of an ultra-smart garage or workshop with everything in its place has spread around the planet.

“Some people have ambitions to take over the world,” he says. “But I’m happy just to tidy it up, one garage or workshop at a time.”

big increase in visitors to visit plymouth website The main tourism website for Plymouth – visitplymouth.co.uk – has released figures which show an impressive 155 per cent increase in web traffic compared to 2011.

Destination Plymouth manages VisitPlymouth.co.uk and following the direction set out in Plymouth’s Visitor Plan recommending a focus on digital platforms, the team has worked on creating new content for the website, using more striking imagery and highlighting events to give visitors the most up to date information and the very best impression of Plymouth.

Increased content for the Visit Plymouth Facebook and Twitter accounts has helped to drive visitor numbers to the website, as has the city’s summer 2012 marketing campaign to attract day visitors to Plymouth, which used the VisitPlymouth.co.uk web address on all marketing material from June to September, creating a professional and seamless experience for the visitor.

Further improvements to VisitPlymouth.co.uk will be made over the next few months. Working with website partner New Mind, the site will soon benefit from a facility to book tickets online for a range of city attractions and events as well as some new page layouts and advanced special offers. A brand new mobile website is also in development, to make VisitPlymouth.co.uk even easier to access on smart phones.

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49

don’t delay – claim today if suffered a personal The Government is introducing changes to the way in which personal injury claims are funded. If you have been injured and are considering making a claim Wolferstans recommends that you seek legal advice before April 2013.

In personal injury claims if a claimant does not have any insurance to cover legal expenses (for instance through their home or motor insurance provider) solicitors will usually offer a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement and put in place insurance to cover the legal expenses associated with the claim.

The insurance is necessary because if the claim is not successful the insurance will cover any costs for which the claimant will be responsible. This can include the costs payable to third parties such as medical examiners as well as the defendant’s legal costs. The insurance does not cover the claimant’s own legal costs as under the terms of a ‘no win no fee’ agreement the solicitor would waive their fee in the event of an unsuccessful claim.

In successful claims the claimant is currently able to recover the cost of the insurance policy from the defendant (if the claim is unsuccessful there is no premium for the claimant to pay – strange but true!).

As of April 2013 this will no longer be the case and will mean that claimants who have a successful claim will have to pay their own insurance premium after they have received their compensation. Insurance premiums can range between £350 and £1,600 for a claim with a value up to £25,000.

If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident and you wish to make a claim for compensation, after April 2013 it may impact on you financially. Currently the

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We expect you think that this sounds unfair and we agree with you. In a successful claim, after all, the defendant has been found liable for the accident so why should the claimant lose out.

Unfortunately we cannot change the law so all we can do is make people aware of it. If you have been injured in an accident in the last three years that was not your fault, and are considering making a claim, we would recommend that you seek legal advice sooner rather than later.

Instruct a local solicitor You should know that you have the right to instruct a local solicitor – you may be offered the services of a panel solicitor via your insurance company, however, they will almost certainly be out of your area...probably up north!

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legal matters

you have injury At Wolferstans we can put you in touch with other agencies or rehabilitative care providers to provide aids or equipment to help make life easier after an accident or diagnosis.

Our experienced team can ensure that the most appropriate person deals with your claim, for instance, we have a serious injuries team that handle claims for brain injured clients, those with spinal injuries or who have lost a limb.

We also have specialists in road traffic accident claims, workplace claims and claims for industrial disease such as mesothelioma.

There is no charge for an initial discussion and we are happy to work on a ‘no win no fee’ basis.

If you have had an accident in the last three years and would like advice from Wolferstans, a local firm with a dedicated team of knowledgeable and approachable lawyers then please contact me on 01752 292311 or email me at tbarton@wolferstans.com and quote ‘The Plymouth Magazine.’

Wolferstans Solicitors 60/66 North Hill, Plymouth Tel: (01752) 663295 www.wolferstans.com

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the plymouth magazine

51

tales of christmas (trees) Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and fingers crossed for a great ‘dry’ gardening year! It couldn’t be any worse than last year could it?

So Christmas was fun; it was lovely to see lots of familiar faces buying trees and also helping new customers who have never had a real tree before buying their first one!

Also, well done to Leanne our Radio Plymouth competition winner who won a real Christmas tree as her prize. It was also her first time having a real tree which is great!

I thought I would give you a recap this month on December and how the trees went: there is always something to chuckle about!

by

Fiona Newton of Plymouth Garden Centre

As you probably know by now I love December. Christmas trees are my favourite product in the garden centre and I love to see happy customers walking out with their tree.

give it a go! Check out the picture on the opposite page!

I know all the hard work and stress of sourcing the right trees has been worth it.

We are really fussy about our trees and like to sell premium quality trees which can make sourcing trees quite stressful for me and also for my suppliers who have me, my tape measure and magnifying glass out inspecting every single one.

So I was chatting to my dad – I have learned the Christmas tree trade from him.

We also negotiate and buy all our trees on behalf of a buying group to get premium trees at a good rate so we can keep our prices as keen as possible. It’s a big responsibility sourcing for eight other garden centres!

To give you an insight of what happens here and what has happened over the years I thought I would give you a few tales of Christmas trees over the last few decades as this year is our 50th year in business so we certainly have a few stories to tell!

Dad tells me that years ago the only tree to sell was the traditional Norway Spruce, good scent, but really prickly and they give you a rash.

As you can see from the pictures it’s a big task. The trees mostly arrive on pallets, they are taken off checked un-netted and stacked. Then there are the ones which are loose – to big to go in the netting machines or on pallets, but then we always

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Trees galore at the garden centre

When needlefast trees came onto the market it was nearly impossible to trade customers up to a Nordman or Fraser. However, in the last 10 years it has become all about the needlefast trees and 70 per cent of our business is in needlefast trees.

But that means they are bigger and heavier (if they are good trees).

In the early days we would sell 6,500 Norway Spruce, but due to increased competition and the popularity of artificial trees we probably sell around 2,500 trees now. So it may look easy, but what can go wrong does go wrong…

‘Where have they gone?’

This year we were let down at the last minute with big trees. So I visited a farmer in North Devon who had some big trees. He is a lovely guy and like all farmers quite relaxed: ‘Alright Fiona I’ll leave you to it just put your tickets on and ring me nearer the time’ and he was gone!

Well all suppliers are different, some fields are tidy and some aren’t. Well Lee and I spent about four hours falling down rabbit holes, getting tangled and ripped apart by thorny bushes, but eventually labelled up 24 trees for us. Most would be customer orders – 9, 10, 11 and 12ft trees.

Lee and Steve went to pick up the trees on December 3 – cut there and then, nice and fresh but phoned to say they only had 13! The farmer smiled and said ‘oh well a bit of skulduggery in the world.’ What? Where are my trees? Someone else must have gone in ripped off my tickets and put their own on! Gone.. what about my customer orders? Let down twice!

‘These can’t be mine’ Three years ago four pallets arrived, we unloaded and the trees were absolutely awful, third grade if that! Wrong labels – something had seriously gone wrong. Oh, by the way this was four days before the biggest weekend for sales and all the customer orders needed to be done.

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Frantic phonecalls and some choice words – yes, we had someone else’s trees they were destined for another outlet. Good news we know they aren’t my trees, bad news, due to the snow we can get any more trees out of the field in Scotland.

OK, so where am I going to get 600 Christmas trees from? We didn’t have enough for the weekend, but they sourced some ready for the next weekend – and they were lovely, but I had to unload them with my boyfriend at 11pm at night. Seven to eight foot tall trees, heavy, packed in snow! It was a long cold night!

‘The Travelling Mouse’ So post Christmas one year we were chatting to a customer and asked how their tree was. They said ‘great but when we un-netted it’ .. yes you guessed it… a little field mouse popped out. We still joke about it now with our customer who fortunately wasn’t worried, thought it was cute – but we don’t know whether it was a Scottish one who crept in at packing time and relocated to Devon or one that popped in to keep warm when here!

gardening matters

... past and present Washing Norways It’s not easy for the suppliers. It’s often a wet,muddy field but they should be experienced at getting their trees out and delivered in a clean saleable condition. So when 700 Norways turned up striped with mud I was less than happy. We unpacked a load and took them to the hose pipe – yes we physically washed them but it was going to take forever! So again a few phonecalls and choice words and the trees were picked up and delivered back clean. I know other places wouldn’t care but I do, you can’t decorate a tree with mud on it and you wouldn’t want mud to come off in the house. You wouldn’t think it would happen two years running would you … yes, booked them in at the cleaners again!

GPS - the early stages!

Delivery of trees was booked in as normal, satnav went wrong, transport company rang to say they would be there at 1.30am! Oh, and they had a perishable load to pick up straight away so could we please take the delivery in.

They agreed to pay all staff double time if we would unload which we did. Of course in the dark and the rush we unloaded all the trees which came loose, handballed them off one by one and put them inside the gates.

At 8.15am when we arrived for work the next day, no-one could get in. The entrance was blocked by trees and neither us nor the customers could get in! Our customers were so lovely they helped us move them all so they could go shopping!

So when you come shopping for your tree next time and it looks like it’s a smooth operation you can wonder what disasters we may have had this time.

I’m pleased to say we have good relationships with our suppliers so it always works out well in the end. I just have sleepless nights from November 26 until Christmas Eve and I have noticed I have some grey hairs!

So as I mentioned earlier, this year is our 50th year in business. We actually started the business in November 1963 (my grandparents and some other shareholders).

Netting the big ones...

One of our celebrations is to offer 50 different organisations or projects in Plymouth £50 worth of gardening goods for a gardening project.

It could be schools, charities, local community projects etc so if you know of a project, person or place which you would like considered then please email me with all the details and how the goods would be used to info@plymouthgardencentre. co.uk with ‘PGC 50th Year award’ in the subject line.

So once again we look forward to seeing you all in the garden centre and let’s hope for a great season this year! I have also included a Buy One Get One Free Tea or Filter Coffee Voucher for all the readers for this month.

Happy New Year....Fiona

We are really proud of what we have developed and achieved and extremely grateful to all our customers for their support over the years. Some were with us when we opened and often tell me about what it used to be like!

Over the next few months I will include some information and pictures of the garden centre over the last five decades!

As a token of our appreciation we will be having a number of celebrations and promotional events for our customers which we would love everyone to be a part of.

The first event will be coming up in March so keep an eye out for that.

Lee Stockton

Heating & Plumbing Services EST. 15 years

Lovely trees!

Plymouth Garden Centre in Fort Austin Avenue, Crownhill is open from 9am to 5.30pm weekdays and 10.30am to 4.30pm Sundays Tel: 01752 771820. www.plymouthgardencentre. co.uk

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Entry Coupon Please send your completed entry coupon to Barbican Kitchen competition, the plymouth magazine, 28 Old Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth PL3 4PY by the closing date of 1st February 2013. Winners and guests must be 18 or over. The winners will be notified by post within 8 weeks. Meal must be booked before 30 June 2013. No purchase necessary. No cash alternative available. Please put your answer below.

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