Issuu

Issue 79 - February 2020

Your favourite PRICELESS community magazine

What’s Inside Feat ured Ar t i cles Special needs

Darlington to teacherMarket awarded 16 be graced OBE with new exhibition space

Film review: The Gentlemen 22

26 What’s on this month

We review Darlington’s classy new Indian restaurant Bombay Gate

LOCAL BUSINESSES

LOCAL EVENTS COMPETITIONS Darlington Monthly is proudly sponsored by

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These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in. The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding and a light all fully fitted in less than a day from just £277 + VAT. But it’s not just the affordability of the package the company offers that makes Yorkshire Loft Ladders stand out as manager Warren Ingleson explains: ‘Our watchwords are Quality,

Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and Value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we got a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers - that simply wouldn’t happen if we didn’t adhere to our overriding principles.

lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’ So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however big or

small, call Warren on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers

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Welcome to the February edition of Darlington Monthly! We’re into the month of Valentine’s Day now, which means that you are probably thinking of what to arrange for date night. A visit to the recentlyopened Indian restaurant Bombay Gate, on Darlington’s Skinnergate, could be in order. Our own Simon Trelfa thought the same, and you can read his thoughts on page 12. However, the month’s offering much more than just fine dining. Whether single or coupled, you could rejoice at the latest Guy Ritchiehelmed crime caper, The Gentlemen. Our Social Media Marketing Executive Shanon O’Donovan went to see it herself - flick to page 22 to see why she thinks even those new to Ritchie should consider checking it out. If you fancy something different at the cinema, though, why not enter our competition offering a family ticket for your choice of film at Vue Darlington? We’ve also got an assortment of cultural listings on page 26, along with advertising spots highlighting many local businesses. Perhaps our pages feature a company that could make your February even better. Everyone here at Darlington Monthly wishes you an exciting month. Findley Roofing & Building proudly sponsors Darlington Monthly’s February edition. Findley’s has established itself among the UK’s leading roofing and building specialists, and offers not only a Free Roof Health Check but also a broad range of home improvement services to all customers. It’s easy to book any of these services for your Darlington home. To receive advice or a free quote, please phone Findley’s Darlington office on 01325 638 905 or visit www.findleyroofing.co.uk.

Available to read online Visit darlingtonmonthly.co.uk /DarlingtonMonthly

Competitions

@DarlingtonMonthly

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Disclaimer... Whilst we take every care to ensure accuracy in this magazine, we regret that we cannot accept responsibility for any incorrect information. All advertisements are accepted in good faith as to their veracity and we are not responsible for views expressed by contributors or other sources. The copying of any material within this publication is strictly forbidden without the publishers or Studio Managers consent. By providing your email address and entering our competitions you agree to receive email communications from the competition sponsor/prize provider.

Congratulations to last month’s competition winners, all winners have been notified. Winners are selected at random. The provider will only receive the winning entries inContact order to fulfil completion of the prize. Email: sales@darlingtonmonthly.co.uk Tel: 01325 776225 Advertise Darlington Monthly 4 details ofTo

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allabouttheSUIT is an exciting new men’s tailoring store specialising in weddings and proms, we have a large selection of ready to wear off the peg suits.

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An exceptional range of high quality stoves available in the heart of the town centre. Owner Stephen Airey and his engineers have many years experience in the heating and fireplace industry. The showroom boasts an array of traditional and contemporary woodburning and multi fuel stoves from leading manufacturers. From bespoke inglenook designs to modern freestanding versions, JTA Fires and Stoves will endeavour to make your dream a reality. We have a fully qualified installation team that cover HETAS approval for solid fuel applications, Gas Safe for gas fires and central heating systems, and also OFTEC for oil boiler installations. JTA Fires and Stoves also supply and install inset hole in the wall gas and solid fuel appliances for a minimalist look. Alternatively, we can cater for those wanting a traditional focal point fireplace in either solid wood, marble or stone. Many of these fireplace designs can be tailor made to your own specifications. We offer a free site survey with absolutely no obligation to purchase. We pride ourselves on our vast knowledge and experience, and welcome you to call in to see what we have on offer - you wonâ€™t be disappointed. Our showroom at 9 Duke Street, Darlington is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am-5.00pm. Sunday opening is by appointment only. If you would like to arrange a free site survey either call into the showroom, or get in touch on 01325 389238 or email jtafiresandstoves@ icloud.com. A warm welcome awaits at JTA Fires and Stoves.

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Serving up an experience at Bombay Gate W

hen Syed Ahmed first opened the doors of his new restaurant in November, he said that he wanted to “do something different in Darlington.” Long story short – it’s mission accomplished for the owner of Bombay Gate. Firstly, you may already know plenty about the 39-year-old owner of Skinnergate’s fine-dining Indian restaurant. Syed not only was head chef at Bombay Duke cafe, on Duke Street, but also finished second in TV’s The Chef in 2017. However, back to the present; Syed has overseen the design of a classy but welcoming contemporary restaurant which can hold up to 80 people at a time. While this might seem like a large number of eager diners, there is still plenty of space between tables, a dedicated bar area and even a couple of comfortable chairs to park yourself on while waiting for a cheeky takeaway or taxi home. The menu offers an abundance of variety, from starters through mains, with a host of enticing flavour and texture combinations to choose from with every course. For starters, my wife ordered a wonderfully fluffy potato cake, filled with spinach and served with tamarind chutney, while I found two of my favourite Indian foods – paneer cheese and mango – served together with a light salad.

in ‘Veganuary’ – but I’m so glad I ordered the chana rajma nonetheless). The combination of perfectly cooked chickpeas, red kidney beans and finely chopped chillies at the core of the dish was brilliantly simple - yet I couldn’t recall seeing it anywhere else, ever. I can even attest to the supreme quality of the pasanda (as I said – not vegan), from the traditional dishes menu. It had something fabulously different about it that I couldn’t quite place (and didn’t want to, to be honest – it was simply too good to deconstruct!). We rounded off our evening by sharing smooth mango and pistachio kulfi – but it certainly won’t be the last dish we savour at Bombay Gate. The restaurant definitely delivers on bringing “something different” to the town, so Syed has certainly succeeded in his endeavours so far.

Then, while sharing a freshly baked garlic naan and mushroom pilau, she enjoyed a lamb pasanda, while I decided to sample a dish from the dedicated and extensive vegan menu. (A note here – I’m not vegan, nor was I partaking

If you haven’t experienced Bombay Gate for yourself yet ... 12

a: 10 Skinnergate, Darlington, DL3 7NJ t: 01325 468709 w: bombaygatedarlington.co.uk f: @bombay gate

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RESTAURANT WEEK

Mon 24 February – Sun 1 March

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or less at pubs, restaurants and cafés across Darlington 2 hours’ FREE parking in all council-run car parks, Sunday parking – FREE all day F R E E

Car parks in the offer include: Upper Archer Street (off Four Riggs) Kendrew Street East, Kendrew Street West, Garden Street, Chestnut Street, St Hilda’s (Tannery Yard Parkgate), Hird Street, Park Place East and Park Place West.

For a list of participating venues visit www.facebook.com/LoveDarloUK www.darlington.gov.uk/restaurantweek

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Darlington Pension Specialist in Top 35 Next Generation Advisers

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t's been another successful year for Darlington business owner Rohan Sivajoti. His financial planning firm has allowed him to continue to work with the lovely people of Darlington, while the other awardwinning business that he co-founded has started training over 50 new financial planners. To top this off, he has been nominated as a Top 35 Next Generation Adviser by popular finance magazine New Model Adviser for the second year in a row.

"We like to make new friends and that's why we love what we do. Financial Planning isn't about how much money you think you should have, it's how much will allow you to do the things you enjoy." Postcard Financial Planning is based in Business Central, Darlington. You can get a FREE consultation meeting by calling the team on 01325 965 300 or at www.postcardplanning.co.uk.

Described by New Model Adviser as an 'allround good egg', this prestigious award is testament to the work that Rohan, aged 33, has done for the financial planning profession in the past year. "Obviously, I'm delighted to be named on the list again this year, especially considering the vast amount of talent that appears alongside me." His financial planning firm was founded in 2015 and is primarily aimed at business owners and people approaching retirement who are looking to chat about their retirement with someone who will put them first.

FindFinancial us onPlanning Facebook: DarlingtonMonthly Visit us online: Postcard Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct www.darlingtonmonthly.co.uk Authority. (774450)

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“One in a million” Darlington special needs teacher honoured with OBE

teacher in Darlington has been awarded the OBE for his long career assisting children with special educational needs to achieve their best. John O’Neill has enjoyed a more than three-decade career in special education, including at schools in County Durham. He now works for leading specialist education provider the Witherslack Group. He serves as regional director for overseeing integrated learning centres in the North East and Yorkshire, which aim to empower pupils to realise their potential through a 24-hour curriculum. “Completely shocked and humbled” Mr O’Neill commented: “I am completely shocked and humbled to have received this honour. “It’s been a privilege to work with so many great colleagues and pupils during my career, and this award would not have been possible without them. “I would also like to thank my wife Linda, and children Thomas and David, for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout my career.” Mr O’Neill is originally from Consett, and attended Lanchester’s St Bede’s School before studying 3D Design at West Surrey College of Art & Design. He then gained a teaching qualification at Brighton Polytechnic, and a Masters in Education at Newcastle University.

He began his teaching career at an East Sussex community college in 1983, and later moved back to County Durham, where he spent 14 years working at a residential school prior to joining a special needs school in Darlington. Mr O’Neill was also formerly executive head teacher at the Oakwood Learning Centre in Heighington, near Darlington, and The Grange, in Low Willington. Both institutions teach small groups of children with special educational needs, and are run by the Witherslack Group, where Mr O’Neill has now worked for the last five years. His OBE is in recognition of services to children with special educational needs and disabilities. Former colleague hails Mr O’Neill’s stellar work Dame Dela Smith, a retired Darlington teacher who spent many years working with Mr O’Neill, said: “John is one in a million in his field, a unique individual who can engage, lead and inspire children whom others have failed to help. “He seeks the strategies and levers to help every child succeed, firmly believing that no child is unteachable. This raises him above the rest and I have never met an individual in this field who can match him.”

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Who we are...

Our mission...

We are a family run business with over 20 years of experience in property maintenance and landscaping.

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We provide householders, landlords and businesses with a complete interior/exterior property service. We cover Darlington, County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire.

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R E D R U M T H G I YN

R E T S MY 1

2 Y A D R SATU

erson p r e p 5 £31.9 Tickets e meal s r u o c s3 Include

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7.30pm Arrival 10.30pm t a s e g a Carri

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Chicken & vegetable balti Try this chicken and vegetable balti for a healthy curry that is quick and easy to prepare. recipe by

Method 1/Spray

a large, deep, nonstick frying pan or wok with oil and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes, stirring regularly until well softened and lightly browned.

H O T E L

in the yoghurt until thoroughly mixed.

5/Sprinkle

the curry powder over the chicken and vegetables, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

2/Meanwhile, trim all the 6/Tip the tomatoes into the visible fat off the chicken thighs, pan, add the yoghurt mixture, cut each one into four pieces and 150ml/3½fl oz of water and season with black pepper. coriander. 3/Add the chicken and peppers 7/Bring to a gentle simmer and

into the pan with the onion and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring cook for three minutes, turning occasionally until the chicken occasionally. is tender and the sauce is thick. Season with freshly ground black 4/Meanwhile, in a small pepper to taste and garnish with bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 coriander. tablespoons cold water and stir

Ingredients 250g/9oz dark chocolate, chopped 150g/5oz milk chocolate, chopped 175g/6oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 4 tbsp golden syrup

200g/7oz amaretti biscuits 150g/5oz shelled Brazil nuts 150g/5oz red glacé cherries 125g/4oz mini marshmallows 1 tbsp icing sugar edible glitter, to decorate (optional)

Future proof your home with Findley Storm season is unfortunately upon us again. Following a cold and frosty winter, from February onwards our homes become exposed to a relentless system of heavy showers, frequent moisture and blustery wind. Fortunately, at Findley’s we are available to help come rain or shine, with free roof inspections and quotes only a phone call or email away. We’re active all over Darlington and surrounding areas, you’ll never have to wait for long to make sure your roof is right for spring and beyond. Whether your roof is flat, tiled or slate, choose the North East’s No.1 roofing company to take care of it.

Call the Findley team on 01325 638 905, or email us at sales@findleyroofing.co.uk for roofing repairs, replacements, and advice.

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PUZZLE PAGE Simply complete one of the competitions below, fill in the entry form and send to the postal address provided.

You have the chance to win...

aExcluding Sunday Lunch for Two!* drinks *

Courtesy of... H O T E L

Name The Ad HOW TO PLAY: Match the five segments of images below with an Advert in this magazine, place either the company name or the page number in the space below each box.

Sudoku easy 6 4 5 7 9 5 3 7 8 1 4 4 8 5 2 9 6 1 4 8 7 1 4 7 9 3 8 3 4 1 2

Wordsearch S R E W O L F G D Z E H

B V F A B A B L S I Z R E O F S B W E E M G M I I P U A H M T A L E A R

Y U L T H Z H V C A O T

F R I E N D S H I P C S

S M E J A W B V N T E A G G T E N S N R E T D G P S I J R B E N A Y F R H N F H O H C X F W B U

Y H D V O C A L T B T S L K E M E E P S E Q R X

The Winner will be notified by Darlington Monthly within 14 days of the competition closing date. Name:

1 3

Address:

Postcode:

7 5 6

Email:

Please send all entries to: Competition Department, Unit 4, Station Road, Chester-le-Street, DH3 3DY. Competition End Date: 22nd February 2020

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FILM REVIEW:

THE

GENTLEMEN Shanon O’Donovan

He’s nailed it.

Social Media Marketing Executive

The Gentlemen is everything you’d expect and more from a British gangster film – and the A-List cast it boasts. Written and directed by the one and only Guy Ritchie, this 2020 flick flaunts the necessary components required to boss this saturated subgenre: ample action, a sprinkle of suspense and some cracking comedic one-liners. Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) cemented Ritchie’s style in British cinema, and were responsible for featuring emerging stars like Stephen Graham and Jason Statham, helping to nurture them into the renowned stars they are today. This year, however, and as a nod to how far Ritchie has come since his debut, we’ve had the pleasure of seeing him go straight for Hollywood gold. Oscar winner, Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyer’s Club, Magic Mike), embraces the role of lead gangster and glamorous drug lord Mickey Pearson, acting alongside Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant – all big names and, in their own right, icons in the field. Pearson is an American marijuana supplier who has decided to sell his empire in a bid to retire peacefully with wife, Rosalind (Dockery). The news that Pearson wants out of the game quickly circulates throughout the London underworld, and garners interest from Jewish-American billionaire Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong) and Chinese mobster “Dry

Eye” (Crazy Rich Asians’ Henry Golding), who each offer to buy his elaborate farms. We follow Mickey’s journey and all the inevitable mishaps through a screenplay written by sleazy private investigator Fletcher (Grant). This is relayed, as a form of blackmail, to Mickey’s right-hand man, Ray (Hunnam), in his attempt to earn £20 million large from his exploitation. This filmwithin-a-film device serves as a classic Ritchie framing device, and allows him a little more room to push boundaries and political correctness – while causing some inevitable controversy along the way. The plot, although a little slow at the beginning, amounts to 113 minutes’ representative of a terrific return to form for the legendary writer/director, Ritchie. Though the entire cast each pulled their weight and provided an electric show, it was Hugh Grant’s quirky performance that stole the spotlight, proving that he is so much more than his usual stereotype. Also most surprising was a well-executed acting debut from Manchester grime artist, Bugzy Malone, as one of Coach’s (Farrell) erratic students. Peppered with a healthy dose of ‘tasty’ language, the film serves its primary function as an effortlessly entertaining motion picture true to Ritchie’s form. If you’re not already familiar with his style, watching The Gentlemen is most definitely a good place to start… But do brace yourself.

Welcome home, Ritchie.

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COMPETITION TIME We are offering a family ticket for any film at Vue Darlington at Feethams (valid for 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children) All you have to do to enter is answer the following question...

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What’s on

February

Simon Brodkin: 100% Simon Brodkin

06 February – 20:00 – Darlington Hippodrome With three hugely successful BBC series behind him with his Lee Nelson persona, Simon Brodkin now plays himself in this acclaimed debut stand-up tour – said by Metro to offer a “sky-high gag rate”.

Ivan Brackenbury supports Tom Binns: The Psychic Comedium

13 February – 20:00 – The Forum Music Centre Inept hospital radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury supports – and is played by – multi award-winning comedian Tom Binns, who has performed his psychic character Ian D Montfort to fivestar reviews around the world.

A Great British Afternoon Tea with M-Town Briony Williams 07 February – 12:00 – Rockliffe Hall One of the stars of the 2018 series of The Great British Bake Off heads back to the North East for a special afternoon tea. Enjoy delicious cakes designed by Briony herself, followed by a Q&A.

U2-2

07 February – 19:30 – Majestic Theatre Formerly known as Achtung Baby, U2-2 are the world’s longest-running lookalikes and soundalikes to U2, and have even been directly praised by Bono himself.

Springsteen Sessions

08 February – 20:00 – The Forum Music Centre “The Boss” may have been busy lately on Broadway – leaving his fans in the UK starved of recent live shows – but you’ve always got the option of experiencing the next best thing, in the form of leading tribute band The Springsteen Sessions. Expect music spanning four decades of Springsteen, including such classics as “Born to Run”, “10th Avenue Freeze Out” and “Jungleland”.

Hilarity Bitesize New Act & New Material Night

10 February – 19:30 – Hole in the Wall This instalment of Hilarity Bitesize is hosted by 2010 Hilarity Bites New Act of the Year winner Andy Fury, and features young talent Lauren Pattison, who has been praised by The Guardian for her “sharp writing” and hailed as “definitely one to watch” by female comedy community Funny Women. Support will be provided by several new acts, as well as established acts performing new material.

14 February – 21:00 – Harrowgate Club & Institute Ltd Experience superbly presented and choreographed versions of some of the very best songs from the Motown era. This amazing vocal harmony band performs tracks by Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Manhattans, Boyz 2 Men, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Four Tops, Billie Ocean and many more legends.

Flo & Joan

17 February – 20:00 – Theatre Hullabaloo The multi award-winning British musical comedy duo and sisters, Nicola and Rosie Dempsey, have won rave reviews for their latest show, The Guardian’s Brian Logan having described them as “serving up numbers that range from klezmer to folderol folk.”

The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean

22 February – 11:00 – Theatre Hullabaloo Who was Josephine Bean? Find out by joining worldrenowned scrapologist Patricia Barker on a journey to discover the secrets held within the pages of a scrapbook. The Sunday Herald has described this production as “a highly original, beautifully delicate and thoroughly engaging piece of children’s theatre.” classical-era sonatas.

Joe Brown

27 February – 19:30 – Darlington Hippodrome The rock ‘n’ roll legend continues to rack up contemporary achievements, including breaking box office records and becoming a major hit on Spotify. For his latest tour, he is back with a new band, featuring such talents as Tom Leary, Steve Simpson, Andy Crowdy and Phil Capaldi.

Got an event coming up? Let us know and we’ll help spread the news. Email details of your event to:

sales@darlingtonmonthly.co.uk 26

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Tracey’s Buffets Tracey’s Buffets for all occasions. Established family-run business. Grade 5 food hygiene certificate held.

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Darlington Monthly Feb 20