Late Summer 2015 Issue 5 | £3.95
Finisterre Exclusive with founder
Eco-homes Green living, South West
Tom Kay
Safia Minney Ethical fashion pioneer states how it is
Tom Raffield
Design inspired by nature
Mark Diacono A kitchen garden for all
9 772057 35300
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COOKERY SCHOOLS We test the region’s best FLOWER FARMER Amy Henshaw harvesting colour HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME MANOR School exclusive
Kevin Macdonald
Oscar-winning director goes small screen
The Wave Project Using surfing to help children
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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Newton Ferrers, Devon
A magical woodland setting on the banks of the River Yealm
Plymouth 9.4 miles, Salcombe 20 miles, Exeter 42 miles (All distances approximate) This prime waterfront property has recently been extended and enhanced to create an atmospheric, contemporary home that blends perfectly into its surroundings. Wonderful open plan reception space and 5 bedrooms. In about 1.7 acres including a slipway, quay and running mooring. EPC: F
Guide Price ÂŁ2,200,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE110087 4
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter christopher.bailey@knightfrank.com 01392 976832
Salcombe, Devon
One of the Salcombe Estuary’s best
Salcombe 0.5 mile, A38 Devon Expressway 15 miles (All distances approximate)
KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter christopher.bailey@knightfrank.com 01392 976832
Beautifully renovated with fabulous entertaining space capturing its creekside location. 3 reception rooms and 5 bedrooms. Landscaped garden, various terraces and running mooring. EPC: E
Guide Price ÂŁ3,000,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140061 MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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Accounts . Wealth . Legal
Late Summer 2015
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Regulars 17 TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Correspondence from across the divide
18
TRENDS
25
MANOR CONFIDENTIAL
30
AS I SEE IT...
Layer it on, high street winners
Torquay’s Super Weekend, Artigiano’s cocktails, Wild Wine event
Safia Minney, social entrepreneur and pioneer in ethical fashion
Features 32 FINISTERRE
Founder Tom Kay goes back to the brand’s raw beginnings
Style & Beauty 21 BEAUTY TUTORIAL
Repair and nurture skin post the summer onslaught
22
MY FEEL GOOD REGIME
72
THE STYLE SHOOT
Alexandra Sim-Wise reflects on the little things that make her day
Lights, camera, awesone
48
THE WAVE PROJECT
52
FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY
Surfing as therapy for troubled children
The South West’s hotbed of creative talent
Photostory 38 FESTIVAL ANTICS
Port Eliot 2015 captured on camera
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100
61 102
Culture 56 REEL TO REAL
Kevin Macdonald from big to small screen
58
OPEN DOORS Devon artists welcome us into their studios
88 Space 88 DESIGN FOR LIFE
Furniture maker Tom Raffields natural inspiration
92
GLASS ACT
Tricity Vogue meets original members of the UK’s first all-girl swing band
94
THE FUTURE’S GREEN
64
SOUTH WEST MUST SEES...
98
Q&A
68
WORTH MAKING THE TRIP FOR...
70
WORTH STAYING IN FOR...
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SISTERS OF SWING
What’s on around the region
Cultural highlights from the metropolis
Quality time from your sofa
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
Jo Downs’ artistry in glass
Discovering the region’s eco homes
Dartmoor-based interior designer Sara Colledge
100 SHOPPING FOR SPACE
Invest in good lighting for when the nights draw in
102 BLOSSOMING CAREER
Amy Henshaw, the flower farmer
Late Summer 2015
110 130 150
Food 110 OVER THE GARDEN WALL
MANOR school 137 NEWS IN BRIEF
114 A TASTE OF THE BEST
138 THE NUMBERS GAME
Mark Diacono on the allure of the allotment
A review of cookery courses - part one
118 CLAWS FOR CELEBRATION
Favis of Salcombe - purveyors of the finest crab and lobster
120 BITES
Food news from across the peninsular
125 THE TABLE PROWLER
...dines out at Circa 24, Exeter and visits Wildebeest in Falmouth
Escape 128 HOLIDAYS ON THE RUN
Champions, new curriculums and early starters
Professor Ruth Merttens offers the second in her series on how to Help Your Child at Home
Property 147 THE BULLETIN
The evolution of property management
150 PROPERTY OF NOTE
Penmorvah – Victorian splendour right on the beach
153 SNAPSHOT COMPARATIVE
A selection of properties from across the South West and in London
Running holidays in Cornwall
130 SHEER BLISS
The Maldives this winter?
132 THE SEA AS SOLACE The beauty of the coast
Back page 162 BLACK BOOK
Secrets from prams entrepreneur, Lindsey Bauer
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BAMBOO collection
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is brought to you by PUBLISHING EDITOR
Imogen Clements
imogen@manormagazine.co.uk
COMMISSIONING EDITOR
Jane Fitzgerald
jane@manormagazine.co.uk
LEAD FEATURE WRITER
Harriet Mellor
harriet@manormagazine.co.uk
ARTS EDITOR
Belinda Dillon
belinda@manormagazine.co.uk
FOOD EDITOR
Anna Turns
anna@manormagazine.co.uk
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Fiona McGowan, Kate Mount DESIGN
Guy Cracknell ADVERTISING SALES
Belinda Allen, Rachel Evans, Rachel Roberts advertising@manormagazine.co.uk
THE COVER Tank top, Zara, ÂŁ25.99; Stylist: Mimi Stott: Photographer: Tom Hargreaves; Model: Donatella Pegler; Make-up: Philippa Spring
Š MANOR Publishing Ltd, 2015. MANOR Magazine is published by Manor Publishing Ltd, 3 Station Road, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1DY. Registered in England No. 09264104 info@manormagazine.co.uk. Printed by Warners Midlands plc. The views of the writers in MANOR Magazine are not necessarily those shared by the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or transparencies are accepted on the understanding that the publishers incur no liability for their storage or return. The contents of MANOR Magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission. By submitting material to MANOR Magazine, MANOR Magazine Ltd is automatically granted the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, edit, distribute and display such material (in whole or part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. The contributor acknowledges that material submitted may be published in any
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MANOR | Late Summer 2015
publication or website produced or published by MANOR Publishing Ltd. The contributor agrees not to submit material where they do not own the copyright and where they have not obtained all necessary licenses and/or approvals from the rightful owner. With respect to any photographs submitted, the contributor confirms that all necessary model and property releases have been obtained from any clearly identifiable person appearing in any image, together with any other relevant consents required. Prices and details of services and products are genuinely believed to be correct at the time of going to press, but may change. Although every effort is made to maintain accuracy we regret we are unable to honour any incorrect prices or other details that may be printed.
Welcome to The Style Issue of MANOR. This is effectively our ‘September Issue’. While all eyes are on the capital this month and London Fashion Week, we thought we’d use this issue to showcase some of the style emerging from the South West with regard to clothing, interiors and architecture. In this issue of MANOR you will find an exclusive interview with Tom Kay, founder of Finisterre, the UK’s premier surfing brand; Fiona McGowan ventures into the woods to visit Tom Raffield in his workshop, the source of some of the most beautiful and striking lighting and furniture available today; photographer Tom Hargreaves (everyone’s called Tom in the South West, don’t you know…) has created an unforgettable Style Shoot that demonstrates his skill with light and shade, plus we assess the rise of eco-homes across the region and feature some of the most architecturally stunning and innovative buildings you’ll find in the UK. Indeed, there is an eco and ethical thread running throughout the magazine. Both Finisterre (winner of the Observer Ethical Award) and Tom Raffield are acutely environmentally aware in the manufacturing of their products, and Safia Minney, founder of The People Tree, is a pioneer in Fairtrade and sustainable fashion. As our subject in As I See It, Safia reveals the sights and experiences that have driven and inspired her in her pursuit of ethical fashion, a pursuit that has led her to be named Outstanding Social Entrepreneur by the World Economic Forum’s Schwarb Foundation. As ever, we bring you a bumper Arts Section featuring an exclusive interview with Kevin Macdonald, the film director responsible for bringing us such celluloid masterpieces as Touching the Void and The Last King of Scotland. Plus, in our delectable Food Section, Anna Turns meets Mark Diacono, formally of River Cottage, who reveals his aim to make a kitchen garden accessible to everyone, even the most unlikely vegetable grower. We are, as ever, proud to bring you a magazine packed with visually stunning and riveting content that showcases the work of some of the most inspiring individuals operating in the UK today. We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.
Imogen Clements PUBLISHING EDITOR
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58 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1NY
www.herring.co.uk 14
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Sweetness...
Darling...
I’ve been trying to determine whether I’m summer or winter when it comes to sartorial style. It’s a tricky one. I’ve decided I’m a winter mouse, as I’m rather partial to knitwear in any form. Plus, summer clothes are somewhat unforgiving aren’t they? Either thin fabrics exposing too much bulge or absent fabric exposing too much skin. With winter clothes you can effectively cocoon yourself entirely until almost every patch of skin, indeed contour, is heavily concealed. Altogether more reassuring, don’t you think? The trouble is, the change of seasons always brings challenges. Such is my enthusiasm for winterwear, one cloudy day and a dip in temperature has me donning cashmere at dawn only to find myself perspiring profusely come lunch. Not good for one’s dry-cleaning bills. If only I would remember to layer, then of course I can de-layer, and save myself a lot of brow-mopping and money. But back to fashion, I’m glad to see from catwalks for this Autumn/Winter that there is still much in the way of faux fur. Always good for mice don’t you think? Particularly those of us with a penchant for glamour. Beyond that, apparently it’s back to the 1970s and the 1980s, two decades which I’d always considered to be fashion nadirs, but what do I know? Ever the style stalwart I have been experimenting aplenty in front of the mirror with flares and ra-ra skirts, padded shoulders and new romantic frills. It’s not yet hanging together, but a few more evenings in, studying the fashion bibles, and evenings out, scrutinising the Portobello set (that’s Portobello by night à la E&O, not by day à la market traders), I’m sure I’ll have it nailed. What about you sweetness? Are you dusting off your Dubarrys? Or don’t you need to worry about fashion in the country…? Ha, ha! (Only joking.)
You’re a devil, but we country folk of course have practicalities to consider when it comes to fashion. We simply can’t negotiate stiles or, for that matter, sandy beaches in Vivienne Westwood platforms. We do however get to go out occasionally and, dare I say it, I am ahead of you on the seasons’ transitional challenges. Two words – tank and top. Tank tops were another big feature of Autumn Winter 2015/16 runways and, of course, tank tops have always been country fare. As for frilly shirts, did you see nothing of Poldark?! While we country lovers were gathered around the box ogling Aidan Turner’s billowing frilly shirts (as he removed them), you were doubtless gathered around The Electric’s zinc bar ogling your natty neighbours? Suffice to say, I have it all worked out: blouses, tank tops, mini kilts and ankle boots, of the mud proof variety – I gather Hunter now do a midi-height block heel wellington boot. I shall, of course, be acquiring a pair. But with the change in seasons, my thoughts turn to hibernation and matters homely. It’s all very well looking good when out and about but one must extend one’s style credentials to one’s abode, no? I have been busy consulting the interiors bibles. Now that summer is, alas, behind us and days start to shorten, it’s all about lighting and texture. As a result I have invested in some serious illumination – statement, scene-setting and mood-swinging varieties, cosy or seductive as the occasion requires – and faux fur. Yes indeed. Wear it, recline on it, fur is everywhere. Should you require, sweetness, I’m fully briefed on all new season trends, inside and out. That said, I’m holding out for an Indian summer – I am most definitely a summer mouse – but fur now…(ha ha!) I feel ready for anything.
WHAT’S HOT IN THE SMOKE?
WHAT’S COOL IN THE COUNTRY?
Gymkhana only opened late last year but is still near impossible to get a table for a hot Mayfair Indian. Use your sources.
The Rusty Bike in Exeter getting unanimous thumbs up for good atmosphere, great food, and tasty brews of micro beer.
Oisin Rogers of The Ship, Wandsworth has opened The Canonbury Tavern in Islington. Elegant pub food and delicious deserts.
Before we say goodbye to sunshine and longer days, sup those last cocktails at sundown at The Scarlet Hotel.
Come 19 - 20 September, snoop around private homes, government buildings and educational establishments during London’s Open House and marvel at the architecture.
Don’t miss Rambert at the Theatre Royal Plymouth – triple bill of jaw dropping dancing by a world class theatre group on 23 - 25 September.
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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Seasonal change
Pascal Millet AW15/16
Layer it on – that’s the general rule, as you transition from one season to the next. This year’s mixing of fabrics and textures – the trend for soft chiffon blouses, sleeveless knitted tank tops and tunics, tea dresses worn over polo-necks – makes it easy. The following pages showcase some stylish seasonal-switch solutions offered by three high street names. Firstly Zara, which has created a veritable frenzy of excitement with their new range…
Blouse, Zara, £39.99
Sleeveless polo shirts, Zara, £39.99
Denim Boots, Zara, £39.99
Denim skirt, Zara, £29.99 Boots, Next, £130
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trends Then Whistles: beautiful lines, stylish cuts, always well put together, everything is covetable…so stylish, you could be French. Howlite crescent necklace, Whistles, £35
Silver howlite ball ring, Whistles, £20
Drape top, Whistles, £110
Slim knit sweater, Whistles, £85
Longline tabard Whistles, £110
Twist top, Whistles, £120
Trousers, Hobbs, £130
Boots, Whistles, £155
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And finally Hobbs, a current office favourite, shows just how to bring well-designed pieces together to elegant effect… Bangle, Hobbs
Dress, Hobbs, £249
Jumper, Hobbs, £65
Boots, Hobbs Faux fur clutch, Hobbs, £39.99
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Gloves, Hobbs
trends
Blouse, Hobbs, £149
Satchel, Hobbs, £90
Culottes, Hobbs, £169
Boots, Hobbs Sleeveless polo shirt, Zara, £39.99 Leather skirt, Hobbs, £329
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100% bespoke, handmade kitchens & furniture for the home
24A West Street, Ashburton, Newton Abbott, Devon TQ13 7DU
Tel: 01364 653613 www.barnesofashburton.co.uk 20
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
beauty
Facial maintenance après sol We love the summer, but over-exposure to the sun can leave skin dehydrated and dull. So embrace the arrival of autumn – it presents the perfect opportunity for renewal and recovery, as make-up artist Elouise Abbott explains.
A
s we make the transition from summer to autumn, our skin requires a little extra attention. It’s time to slough away those dead cells and boost skin nutrition to reveal a more radiant, plumper and brighter skin. By removing the build up of damaged skin cells you not only stimulate the production of fresh new cells but also allow your skincare products to penetrate the skin much more effectively, thus creating a healthier complexion.
EXFOLIATE TO RADIATE, AND ACCUMULATE
A favourite product of mine is Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face – a jar of exfoliating grains made from a natural formula of ground adzuki beans. Adding the loose grains to your usual cleanser or with a little water allows you to customize your own scrub. Simply massage gently and rinse to cleanse. Skin peels offer a ‘quick whip’ level of exfoliation that breaks down the glue that binds dead skin cells together. The Micro Delivery Peel from Philosophy offers the convenience of a peel at home. This vitamin C peptide peel takes just three minutes, and leaves skin resurfaced and glowing. Then, of course, there are the wildly popular electronic facial cleansing brushes – Clinique’s Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush not only cleans but also exfoliates, cleanses and massages, and users swear by it. FEED AND WATER…
Now the dead skin’s out of the way it’s time to nourish the living. For an intense regular boost of skin nutrition, I recommend a weekly mask. The Dr Hauschka Revitalizing Mask is wonderfully soothing. Ingredients such as chamomile, jojoba and wheat germ work in harmony to renew, clarify and smooth skin. It’s particularly good and soothing for sensitive skin, and skin prone to blemishes. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is
the ultimate cult quick fix and has established itself as every haggard (or hungover) victim’s ‘little helper’. Instantly brightening and tightening, this skin booster claims to ‘eliminate fatigue in a flash’. Use as a mask once or twice a week for optimum results, or use daily under foundation as a primer. Guerlain’s Super Aqua Intensive Mask has a moisturizing formula under a silky sheet to create an anti-ageing cocoon. It takes ten minutes and does seem to plump and liven skin. This is particularly good for older skins or those needing some extra hydration. For ‘the big seasonal skin overhaul’, a good choice would be The 28 Day Divine Renewal Skin Programme from L’Occitane, which is a complete treatment plan. The product claims to exfoliate and hydrate, and boasts nutrition and renewal and a rare essential oil called Immortelle. Need we say more? Should you not have made it to the cosmetics counter and a quiet evening in presents itself, there’s always a home-brewed option: you can create a perfectly adequate facial mask using ingredients from the kitchen cupboard. For my own version of skin boost I blend together: • ½ papaya • 2 teaspoons of honey • 2 teaspoons of coconut oil • 1 tablespoon of oatmeal Apply it to the skin, leave for 15 minutes and rinse. The result is exfoliated, hydrated and soothed skin, at minimal cost.
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My feel-good regime Alexandra Sim-Wise is the lead therapist and founder of Organica Natural Beauty in Torquay, which specialises in organic skincare. The 33-year-old new mum moved to Devon from London last year. As well as working as a model, she has also been a columnist and TV presenter. When I was younger I had a terrible diet but always seemed to get away with it and still look good for shoots. As long as I ate a couple of avocados once or twice a week I was fine. Nowadays I have to be a bit more careful. I’ve never been a calorie counter and I made sure I ate well while I was pregnant – lots of good fats and green veg. Just recently I started a six-week sugar-free challenge (no refined or fruit sugars) and I’m already seeing the difference in my skin. It makes me wonder why I haven’t tried it before! Almost ten years of modelling left my skin really sensitised as it had been totally overloaded with heavy make-up and products. This is why I became interested in cleaner, more organic skincare. There are lots of harmful ingredients in so many everyday brand-name products – parabens, sulphates and petrochemicals pop up everywhere, even in baby products. When shopping for beauty products I use the Think Dirty, Shop Clean app. It checks if a product is ‘clean’ or ‘dirty’ – you just scan the barcode to access the info on the product’s ingredients, and get sent the ‘cleaner’ options. I only use Dr Bronner’s baby soap on my daughter and she has lovely skin. Having grown up in big cities I want my daughter to have a more outdoorsy childhood than mine. Living by the sea is still a novelty for me. I love all the touristy stuff like Paignton Pier and the amusements so I guess I’m a bit of a grockle. My partner is a firefighter in Exeter and has lived here all of his life. He REALLY loves Devon – he knows all the walks and places to go with nice views.
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It was Angels Tea Rooms in Babbacombe that really sealed the deal for me. It convinced me to move here. I take all my family there when they visit and they all say it’s the best cream tea they’ve ever had. So that’s something to look forward to after my six weeks of no sugar… I love the sea views around Brixham and Dartmouth with all the coloured houses. Everything is so calm and tranquil here as opposed to the hustle and bustle of London, and strangers chat to you, whereas people in the capital seem to prefer ignoring each other. The first time I went to Dartmoor I was surprised how friendly the ponies were – even though they were wild – and just how much wildlife there was. We take my daughter walking around Spitchwick and Badger’s Holt; we have a little rucksack that she fits in and she loves it. My dream is to be self-sufficient, to live on Dartmoor and raise chickens and alpacas… Maybe even make my own organic products, although I think that’s a long way off. We don’t go out much in the evenings so we watch a lot of films and box sets. We’re both big fans of The Walking Dead series, and the last film we watched was The Young and Prodigious T. S. Spivet, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who also directed Amelie. It was beautifully shot. Getting time to read is a luxury. I probably read more children’s books than grown-up ones. The last book I read was Owen Jones’s The Establishment, which was an eye-opener. My favourite book
Paignton Pier, Devon
of all time is The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer as I am a big Twin Peaks/David Lynch fan. I’ve read it every year since I was 12. My partner is a huge WWII geek, so when we go away on holiday it’s usually to see something WWIIrelated. We went to Krakow in Poland last year and saw Schindler’s factory, and this year we went out to Normandy for the D Day celebrations. It was like going back in time seeing all the people dressed up. French brocantes are my guilty pleasure. I love rummaging and I always end up with more than I bargained for, much to my partner’s dismay. He’s not really one for clutter.
LANGUISHING IN MY MAKE-UP BAG Dr Bronner’s Baby Balm – I always have this in my bag, ostensibly for Evey, but I use it more on myself! It’s a great lip and pretty-much-everything balm. Pacifica lipgloss – I love the packaging: it’s so pretty and colourful, plus all their make-up is vegan and cruelty-free. Tropic Active Botanical mineral foundation in porcelain – I have really pale skin and this is the only foundation I’ve found that is an exact match. I can’t live without it. Schmidt’s Bergamot and Lime deodorant – I’m allergic to most deodorants but this one works great and smells lovely. Neroli Oil – it smells like holidays!
beautiful fused glass interior pieces, handmade at our cornwall studio. bespoke design service available. galleries at st ives, padstow, fowey and launceston, cornwall and ripley, surrey. www.jodowns.com
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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F OA TTHH E ED ED F IENFI ITN I OINT IOO F N A NOI C NN
ICON
TheThe Aston Aston MartinMartin DB9 GTDB9 is the GT mostiselegant the most expression elegant of a sports expression grand tourer, of aits sports DNA echoing grandthe tourer, iconic DB its GT DNA models echoing the iconic DB GT models of its of lineage. its lineage. Delivering Delivering enhancedenhanced power and with power subtleand new touches with subtle to highlight newitstouches famously to seductive highlight styling, itsthe famously DB9 GT seductive styling, the DB9 GT is the is the ultimate ultimate incarnation, incarnation, the embodiment the embodiment of faultless form of andfaultless formidableform function, andthe formidable beating heartfunction, of Aston Martin. the beating heart of Aston Martin. To To experience experience the best the of DB9 best forof yourself, DB9 for contact yourself, us to find contact out more: us to find out more: Aston Aston Martin Martin ExeterExeter Yeoford Yeoford Way, Way, Exeter,Exeter, EX2 8LB EX2 8LB 01392 01392 300 621 300 621 www.grange.co.uk www.grange.co.uk
THE DEFIN ITION OF AN ICON
Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg per 100km) Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (ltrs per 100km) for (ltrs the Aston Martin DB9for GT:the Aston Martin DB9 GT: Urban 13.4 Extra-urban (21.1): Extra-urban 28.8 (9.8): 20.2 (14.0). CO2 emissions 325g/km Urban 13.4 (21.1): 28.8 (9.8): Combined 20.2 Combined (14.0). CO2 emissions 325g/km mpg/fuel economy figures quoted are sourced from regulated testlaboratory results testing. obtained through laboratory testing. TheThe mpg/fuel economy figures quoted are sourced from official regulated testofficial results obtained through They are for comparability purposes only andyour may reflect your real They are for comparability purposes only and may not reflect realnot driving experience, whichdriving may varyexperience, depending on which may vary depending on factors including road conditions, weather, load, and shown driving Vehicle shown factors including road conditions, weather, vehicle load, andvehicle driving style. Vehicle for style. illustrational purposes only for illustrational purposes only
The Aston Martin DB9 GT is the most elegant expression of a sports grand tourer, its DNA echoing the iconic DB GT models of its lineage. Delivering enhanced power and with subtle new touches to highlight its famously seductive styling, the DB9 GT is the ultimate incarnation, the embodiment of faultless form and formidable function, the beating heart of Aston Martin. To experience the best of DB9 for yourself, contact us to find out more: Aston Martin Exeter Yeoford Way, Exeter, EX2 8LB 01392 300 621 www.grange.co.uk
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Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (ltrs per 100km) for the Aston Martin DB9 GT: Urban 13.4 (21.1): Extra-urban 28.8 (9.8): Combined 20.2 (14.0). CO2 emissions 325g/km The mpg/fuel economy figures quoted areXE. sourced from official regulated test results obtained through laboratory testing. NEW JAGUAR They are for comparability purposes onlySALOON and may not reflect your REDEFINED. real driving experience, which may vary depending on THE SPORTS factors including road conditions, weather, vehicle load, and driving style. Vehicle shown for illustrational purposes only
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JAGUAR EXETER Yeoford Way, Exeter EX2 8LB WWW.GRANGE.EXETER.JAGUAR.CO.UK/ 01392 300644
THE ART OF PERFORMANCE Fuel consumption in 1/100km (mpg) Urban 24.4-64.2 (11.6-4.4); Extra Urban 46.3-83.1 (6.1-3.4); Combined 34.9-75.0 (8.1-3.8). CO2 Emissions 194-99 g/ km. Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. Model shown is XE S in Italian Racing Red (with optional 20” propeller alloy wheels with space saver wheel, advanced parking assist pack, panoramic sunroof and lighting pack priced at £48,835).
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confidential
The Super Weekend, Torquay The third annual event of its kind took place on the 8 - 9 August on a blissfully sunny weekend. The weekend presented an opportunity to see up close luxury brands like Lamborghini, Sunseeker yachts, Ferrari and Bentley. With the glinting harbour, pristine weather and plethora of luxury transport on show, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in St Tropez. Photos by Belinda Allen.
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Wild Wine Club Part 1 - By the sea “For my first wild offering I teamed up with an old friend and chef from my days at Fifteen Cornwall, Adam Banks. With the help of Cornish chef Natasha Osbourne, Adam created a five-course feast around ingredients from the sea that I’d chosen to pair with each wine. We enjoyed the wines against a stunning backdrop of the sea, surf and rugged cliffs at Whipsiderry beach and we were treated to one jaw-dropping Cornish sunset.” To find out about future events go to social-wine.co.uk. Photos by Lewis Harrison-Pinder.
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confidential
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Artigiano’s ‘create your own cocktail’ night On 6 August, Artigiano, Exeter’s High Street Espresso and Wine Bar, launched its ‘create-your-own cocktail’ initiative. Groups of friends are invited to come along and create their own cocktails using a range of ingredients and equipment supplied by Artigiano. Help is provided by Artigiano’s expert mixologists. Photos courtesy of Chalk and Ward.
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MANOR | Late Summer 2015
confidential
EvErything you nEEd, EvEry day
www.princesshay.co.uk
There’s no place like Princesshay. #noplacelikephay
PSH Devon Life Advert 190x133mm.indd 1
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PHOTO: HIROHIKO EGUCHI
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MANOR | Late Summer 2015
As I see it...
Human-rights activist turned ecologist Safia Minney is founder and CEO of Fairtrade and sustainable fashion label People Tree. Widely regarded as a leader in the Fairtrade movement, Safia has been named Outstanding Social Entrepreneur by the World Economic Forum’s Schwarb Foundation and was awarded an MBE for her work in Fairtrade and the fashion industry. My grandmother was a designer turned social entrepreneur, so I guess it was in the blood! When I started work aged 17, I bought secondhand clothes in Carnaby Street – I was earning peanuts, but it helped me to develop an eye for fabrics, prints and luxury fashion. Fashion is rarely made with respect for people and the environment. I was in my early 20s in the late 1980s when I realised that if we value human rights and our planet, we have to buy less and buy more responsibly. With so much exploitation of garment workers and environmental pollution, I felt there had to be a different way of producing clothing, so I started People Tree and began designing clothes that are 100% sustainable and Fairtrade; clothes that I wanted to wear to work, to business meetings, to relax in. It’s shocking that in what we think is a decent economic system, so much is dysfunctional. I’ve met people who’ve lost everything – their loved ones, their hands, their dignity, and their rights – whilst working to produce the clothes sold on the high street. I’ve seen children as young as five working, making jewellery for a British company. People Tree helps 5,000 farmers, artisans and tailors, and we want to help more. When I buy new clothes I buy Fairtrade, but I also love secondhand shops. We collaborate with some of the coolest designers in the world and I wear those, too.
I feel proud when I see women supported by Fairtrade walk more confidently, rebuild their homes and send their children to college. Whole families wearing People Tree in Japan – I want to hug them! A highlight was our 2007 collaboration with Vogue Japan and four international designers who proved Fairtrade fashion could be fashion-forward. There’s great respect for craftsmanship and natural fibres in Japan, more than in the UK and Europe. I lived in Japan, where I started People Tree, for 17 years and had kids there, and still spend one in every six weeks there. I direct both design teams in Tokyo and London and I love that everyone is passionate about hand skills. Consumers want to know the provenance of the products they buy. There is a boom for ethical fashion now in Japan and Europe, particularly Germany, Holland and Scandinavia. There’s also a growth of eco-concept boutiques, and a love of organic and hand-crafted textiles. The People Tree aesthetic is a feminine silhouette, quirky with fabulous prints on organic cotton and beautiful hand-knitted, woven and embroidered pieces.
I love low-maintenance clothes – our organic cotton pieces from the AW15 collaboration collection with Zandra Rhodes are breathable and drape well. I machine-wash my dresses and dry them on a hanger – no ironing! Choosing organic cotton and Fairtrade is the perfect way to ensure farmers and garment workers benefit from their labour.
If a little fashion company like People Tree can do it, so can large companies. I’m writing a book, Slow Fashion, which documents the international ethical fashion movement. Over the past 25 years, People Tree has developed a Fairtrade supply chain with our Indian cotton farmers, through growing, ginning, weaving or knitting the cloth, to printing and tailoring. It’s a big challenge. I’m busy looking for investment and new partners to bring People Tree to even more ethical consumers. Hopefully, one day we’ll have a shop in London, as we do in Tokyo.
Vivienne Westwood inspires me – sexy, feminine and empowered – as do the people around me who can mix secondhand, who know textiles and have their own individual sense of style, with the confidence to experiment and dress to reflect their feelings.
Get industry experience, get commercial, but trust your instincts is my advice to a young person with ethical ambitions entering the fashion industry. Being part of the change can be fun. And build strong relationships with your team and producers – love always wins.
Good style is like a good sense of humour. It’s a sense of grounding, timing and self-confidence. I bought my son, Jerome, a jacket that’s a standard tweed jacket from the front, but as he leaves a business meeting, when he turns his back it has ‘Power to People’ and Che Guevara printed on it.
Without sustainable fashion, we don’t have a future. Conventional fashion is made by ignoring the planet’s limited resources. Organic fibres and fabrics reduce the use of water and oil-based pesticides, and the spread of GMO seeds. We need to redesign the fashion industry. We need to redesign our economy.
Everyone should see The True Cost, a groundbreaking documentary on the social and environmental impacts of fashion. I’ve attended launch screenings and discussions in Milan, New York, Tokyo and London – every time I see the movie, it makes me cry.
Safia’s book Slow Fashion will be published by in January 2016. peopletree.co.uk
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Tom Kay
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To the end of the earth
Unable to find quality clothing to suit his surfing needs, Tom Kay decided to launch his own – and so began Finisterre, now the UK’s premier surfing brand. Imogen Clements heads to St Agnes to hear the full story. Photos by Mike Smallcombe.
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’ll admit I’d never understood the world of surfing. Like ants on a wave, surfers seemed alien beings who’d endure the wet and the cold to float on the ocean for hours waiting for that perfect wave to roll in. It struck me as a bizarre use of time. So it was, with this bemused nonchalance that I approached St Agnes, home to Finisterre, the UK’s premier surfing brand, to meet its founder, Tom Kay. The office is appropriately located on a craggy Cornish headland on the site of an old tin mine. On this day, the mine’s tall chimney cut through a cloudless sky. It is an inordinately beautiful place to work and one the Finisterre crew make the most of, I’m told later. “It’s important that the team embody the culture of the brand, so I’m all for them going for a surf during the day or taking the dog out for a run etc”. This is not your conventional workplace. You access the office through the Finisterre shop that displays clothes that convey style over fashion, practicality over adornment – a pared-down, functional ethos that is, right now, very on trend. Get close up, feel the goods and you note the quality. These garments are warm, well made and sturdy. Finisterre HQ is as you’d expect a surf brand to be – modern, laid back and cheery. There are clothes on racks, clothes hanging to dry, surfboards near the door, and the odd cocker spaniel padding around. The space is open-plan, oak-framed, with walls painted in tasteful dark hues. There’s a mezzanine that hosts a couple more desks, and a breakfast bar with coffee brewing and cups on a draining board. Various surfing types – by ‘types’ read young, good-looking and barefoot or in flip flops - are huddled around the bar discussing the day to come – fashion shoot, new designs in hangers (for wetsuits), laughing, shooting the breeze. They invite me to help myself to coffee. It takes a while before anyone asks who I am. Then Tom wanders in, equally casual in jeans and an old t-shirt, also shoeless.
We find a quiet room, sit and I start recording. Me: “How long have you got?” Tom: “However long you need.” Music to a journalist’s ears. It’s clear Tom Kay was never cut out to be a chartered surveyor, which is what he’d embarked on straight out of university. He’d been brought up by the sea, studied Marine Biology at Bristol then, on graduating, went to London to do the sensible thing. He found life in an urban office much like a fish would out of water – suffocating and soul-destroying. Drive’s often powered not so much by knowing what you want to do, but by knowing what you don’t. This was most definitely not what he wanted to do.
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It occurred to me then that surf clothes fit for purpose in this country did not exist, and it was what was needed, what I needed
He wanted to surf. And would find every opportunity, any time of year, all weathers, to get to the sea. “It’s different being a surfer here in the UK. The temperature isn’t thirty degrees. The water’s cold. It’s getting up in the dark, driving down to the beach only to find that the wind’s changed, the rain’s kicked in, sand bars have moved, but you get out there anyway. There’s a certain commitment by people who do it but there’s also immense reward. Every now and then it all lines up and you’re surfing your perfect wave, in an unbelievably scenic location. It’s not just turning up. There’s much more soul to it. “You become attuned to the weather, the isobars, the seasons - the variety, challenges and joys that each brings: summer’s great because it’s light until 10.30pm; winter’s great because the surf’s better and there aren’t so many people. You enjoy the unique solitude that surfing offers but also the camaraderie of enjoying a pint around a log fire afterwards. This is what I love and what I’ve always loved but in my twenties, no one was making kit that suited the lifestyle, that cold-water lifestyle. So, pacing the streets in London, it occurred to me that surf clothes fit for purpose in this country did not exist, and it was what was needed, what I needed.” He set about creating them. The first product he made was a simple fleece. “I ordered fabric swatches, got them wet, left them to dry, left them in the garden,
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on a radiator, basically experimented. The idea was a to make a fleece that you could change into comfortably having got out of the sea in February. The product that resulted was a micro fleece with a thin membrane, so warm, light and waterproof. It wasn’t the height of fashion but was functional and you still see people wearing it today, twelve years later. The business started life in a room above a surf shop in St Agnes with a three page website on what was then a nascent Internet. He and a couple of surfing mates linked up with Surfers Against Sewage and the Marine Conservation Society and became a story that people wanted to write about – The Sunday Times, for one - surfers in Cornwall who make beautiful clothes relevant to their lifestyle, and sustainable. They were a novelty. Environmentally-aware manufacturing was still relatively new, but in this case, to Kay, it was imperative. The natural world was what fuelled and sustained his passion and to not feed that back into the product would be a contradiction at best. Hence Finisterre make clothes that are recyclable, use plastic scooped from the ocean and reconfigured as insulation in jackets. The brand uses Merino wool for its softness and quality, but aware that the wool’s source would need to be shipped in from New Zealand - Merino sheep can’t withstand the UK climate - Finisterre invested time and money in supporting Bowmont, the only Merino wool farmer in the UK, who crossed a merino sheep with a Shetland sheep to create a hardy breed that produces soft wool. When Bowmont first met Finisterre in 2005, they had
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The beach is just a short stroll from Finisterre’s HQ
Todd, product design and development
The store in London’s Covent Garden
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PHOTO: AL MACKINNON
a flock of just 28 sheep. Now the flock is almost ten times that size and Finisterre buys Bowmont’s entire Merino wool output. “Half our line is Merino wool. Our biggest selling product is our woollen underpants.” That’s correct, woollen underpants. Wool’s not a fibre you’d expect in underpants. But these are far removed from rough and scratchy. They’re soft enough for baby skin, and use woollen yarn that’s as fine as cotton. The brand recognised early on that conscientious manufacturing doesn’t just consider the raw materials but also those that supply it. “We aim to have long productive partnerships with our suppliers – Bowmont is a good example. We share the same goals. Working with suppliers rather merely ordering from them helps us deliver the very best quality product.” Where good quality, fit-for-purpose clothing is concerned, nothing can be short-termist, and insistence on the best quality raw materials, zerocompromise and no money-saving short cuts in production brings problems. Financing in the early years was always a challenge. Tom went after every pot of cash he could conceivably apply for and started the whole initiative on a Prince’s Trust grant. But in never compromising his principles Finisterre has won numerous awards along the way, including the Observer Ethical Award in 2008. As things have grown, Tom Kay’s been careful to protect his brand, not broadening the range too fast or diversifying wildly. Finisterre now has four shops, the most recent opening in Covent Garden six months ago, and concessions and retail tie-ups are carefully selected. “We didn’t want to be just another
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coat on a rack – we needed to ensure the brand was displayed and represented correctly. Alongside our UK shops we’re now beginning to broaden our scope internationally, with ‘doors’ in Japan and Europe.” Although the bulk of their retail trade is online, the retail presence is important to not just to sell clothes but to provide a direct connection to the lifestyle. “The Covent Garden store isn’t on the main drag but on a side street off Seven Dials. This allowed us to create a little bit of ‘noise’. There’s a coffee shop, people can hang out. We put on talks, music, photography exhibitions, films, and invite expert guest speakers like Hanli Prinsloo, the record-breaking free-diver. It’s all part of the world that surfing inhabits, the creativity it inspires.” And for those who can’t surf? “It’s not a requirement. There is a certain romanticism attached to the lifestyle that people aspire to of course. We hope as a brand we bring people closer to it, inspire them, and then of course, enable them to be part of it by providing the right kit.” A lifestyle that sells clothes; clothes that sell a lifestyle. This is not a quick fix, flash-in-the-pan brand. It’s taken time to build, had its ‘bumps in the road’ as Tom would put it, but he’s persevered with his vision to create something that works on a practical and emotional level. With determination comes reward, which makes the challenge worth pursuing. A bit like that perfect wave. Every now and then, having braved the elements, it all aligns and you’re left feeling more alive than ever. It’s that that keeps you paddling back out for more. I’m beginning to get it.
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FINISTERRE – THE NAME “I remember as a child driving around in my parents’ car, listening to the shipping forecast. Along with Dogger, German Bight and Humber, Finisterre was a sea area off the north west coast of Spain and Portugal. The name was dropped in 2002 by European agreement because of confusion with one of Spain’s meteorological spots. Finisterre was renamed Fitzroy on shipping forecasts from then on, after the founder of the Met Office. So there was this beautiful name meaning ‘end of the earth’ that I’d grown so familiar with as a child but that had effectively been left redundant. I knew immediately that it was what I wanted to call the brand. Because of its heritage, it held an immediate reference with the sea, sounded rugged, and effectively means where land meets sea, which is what we’re all about.” TOM KAY
QUICKFIRE Builder’s tea or black coffee? Builder’s tea Bacon butties: ketchup or plain? Ketchup Surf: Dawn (Patrol) or Evening (Glass off)? Dawn Long board or short board? Short Regular or goofy? Regular Point Break or Beach Break? Point Log Fire or Beach Barbecue? Log fire Poldark or The Onedin Line? ??? (Clearly too young) Point Break or Blue Juice? Point Break Sundowner: Doom Bar or Tribute? Or a deep red? Skinners IPA
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Festival antics The Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall is renowned for its eclectic mix of music, literature and art, with some wild swimming too. It attracts a diverse crowd of eager festival goers who embrace all that’s special about the festival with gusto, imagination and joy. This year photographer Adj Brown has captured a unique collection of images that give a taste of this eccentric festival.
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ADJ BROWN Adj is a commercial photographer and film maker based in Cornwall. Never anywhere without his camera he loves taking pictures and usually does so in social situations with friends, but then people from magazines like MANOR see them, love them and want to publish them. Which is essentially what happened with this Port Eliot study. MANOR Magazine isn’t the only one. Adj has a broad roster of commercial clients, but also photographs weddings and has kicked off a new photography initiative called Family Postcard where he puts together studies of families on holiday in the region, by commission. He shoots primarily on digital, but has a real passion for Polaroids and film photography. adjbrown.com
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Making waves Harriet Mellor heads to Bigbury to visit The Wave Project, which is helping young people reduce anxiety and improve confidence through surfing. Photos courtesy of The Wave Project.
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urfing, stand-up paddleboarding and using the beach as a playground are pursuits usually associated with those of a confident and active nature. So bringing together a group of 20 kids aged 8-18 who are more familiar with feelings of isolation, and have little in common apart from zero-level self-esteem and extreme anxiety, then squeezing them into wetsuits and launching them into the waves as a form of therapy sounds like it could be a bit of a gamble. But stand on the shoreline at Bigbury beach to observe The Wave Project in action, and any shred of scepticism immediately disappears. There are shrieks and yelps of euphoria, most noticeably from teenager Tim* who, like most of the participants, until last week had never been on a surfboard in his life. He is now standing upright and repeatedly riding the waves. His mum can’t believe what she’s witnessing: this confidence is unrecognisable in the son with whom she shares a home. Not everyone in the group takes to this new experience like a duck to water, nor are they expected to: every child has at least one volunteer mentor, plus a nearby instructor who patiently shadows their pace whether on sand or sea. This is the second session of a six-week course for these young people – all of whom have arrived at a point of psychological vulnerability that has led to a referral by a relevant professional such as CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), a social worker, their local education authority, or teacher. The Wave Project is 90% about reducing anxiety and improving confidence for young people. This comes under the Mental Health and Well-Being umbrella but also includes autism and learning difficulties, physical disabilities, adoption and Young Carers. The mental health of children and young people is continually in the headlines, but not for positive reasons. It’s a bleak picture of rising statistics: according to the Association for Young People’s Health, currently one in ten aged 5-16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder (around three children in every class). With services either severely diminished or completely shut down through lack of funding, it makes witnessing this aquatic form of intervention all the more uplifting, and highlights the importance of presenting a lifeline as early as possible. “A lot of children get themselves into a rut, where poor confidence means they stop believing they can do things,” says Joe Taylor, the Wave Project’s Chief Executive and founder. “This reinforces a mindset
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They go from being anxious, frightened kids to confident, playful, happy children doing the things children should be doing – joking, smiling, having fun that becomes a vicious downward spiral – that they’re no good at anything and no one wants to be friends with them. If this goes unchecked it turns into anger through self-harm, or anger goes the other way and explosive reactions can create bullies. Quite often underlying this is poor self-esteem, a lack of self-belief and the sense that the world is against them.” Joe, 39 and a father of two under 5s, also points out that just because a family lives within reach of a beach doesn’t mean they necessarily get to hang out on one. Watersports and equipment come at a price beyond the reach of many. In all the Wave Project’s geographical locations – Cornwall, North and South Devon, Dorset, the Isle of Wight, Scotland and Brighton – there is a definite social gap between the ‘haves’, who are on holiday, in second homes, or have relocated for more space and opportunities, and the ‘have-nots’. “There’s lot of deprivation as well as beauty – low incomes, benefits, and no money to take kids to the beach,” says Joe. “The beach is great to play on if you’re on holiday, but your average local child of 14 doesn’t go. Teens especially need a reason, and reasons like surfing cost money. Children who have got it all will take part in all that. Those with nothing have none of those opportunities.” Not your average surf dude, Joe had been a news desk journalist and worked for an MP before realising
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that his heart and head truly belonged in the charity sector, especially if it was campaign-oriented. It was his part-time volunteer work running a surf project for people with disabilities, coupled with the fact that he wanted to remain in Cornwall, that led to the creation of the Wave Project in 2010. “I’m not massively surfy myself,” says Joe. “I’ve always loved the sea and liked the idea of the environment as a therapeutic tool. Surfing in itself doesn’t always induce confidence. We try to break down the barriers whilst using surfing as a tool to reach people in different ways. You need a mentor or close worker for encouragement. The one-to-one element of having someone with you is crucially important for reducing anxiety and feeling comfortable.” The first Wave Project was set up in Watergate Bay as a small-scale pilot scheme with the aim of seeing whether surfing could improve young people’s mental health. The NHS in Cornwall funded the trial with the proviso of a psychologist’s evaluation. Some of those originators remain on the heavyweight board of mental health and educational experts. “The Wave Project has been an organic thing that started off as a very small experiment – I wanted to see what happened when 20 kids went surfing,” says Joe. “I already had contacts in the NHS through the disability surfing inclusion project I worked on and managed to twist a few arms for £5,000 of initial pilot funding. I have continued to use that model to set up every project since. We work with a local surf school to provide boards and wetsuits, and we bring our own volunteers.” Expansion and longevity came courtesy of a donation from Children in Need. This was followed by support from the National Lottery. Both remain loyal backers. The latter have just nominated the Wave Project for their Sports Project of the Year out of 600 applicants. However, that doesn’t mean the project can rest
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on solvent laurels. Funding is allocated annually, and even beyond, as a lump sum designated for a certain period of time. As reputation spreads amongst mental health professionals, the waiting lists increase. “Our referrals have sky-rocketed by 300% because mental health professionals have recommended The Wave Project to other professionals,” says Joe. “That is such a good thing, but the challenge is funding. The contract doesn’t change, but the number of referrals does, so we need to find more ways of funding them. “We’ve been approached to start Wave Projects in many locations but we’ve had to slow down. We are keen to run new projects properly rather than saturation.” The Wave Project is clearly a formula that produces great results. Every element is evaluated and made part of an annual report. Statistics for 2014 showed both Wave Project parents and referrers noticed behaviour change in terms of positive attitude (79%) and better communication (62%). Around 55% noted improved behaviour and self-management, as well as improvement at school. On completing the course, around 70% of the kids keep up the interaction by taking up the opportunity to be part of the Wave Project Surf Clubs, with some of the older recruits eventually training as mentors themselves. “The perfect outcome is where a client starts with us, joins our surf club and then chooses to stay on and help mentor others,” says Joe. “That is happening more and more. It’s a sign that they’ve developed and progressed. And it’s inspiring for new clients to know their mentor has been in their shoes.” Summer 2015 has seen a new addition to the charity: an outdoor education programme using the beach as a classroom for those who find it hard to engage in schoolwork. Once again initiated on its Cornish home turf with Year 9 students, half a term combines covering the mandatory core subjects with the natural elements. “The sea is a brilliant classroom. A geography lesson includes looking at tides and how waves formed coastal erosion. The idea came from our statistics, which show such improved educational outcomes for clients on surf courses simply because they become more confident. The more I’ve done it, the more I’ve seen the engagement
potential in using the natural environment.” When this pioneering project first took shape, one national newspaper launched such criticism at the Wave Project and the NHS for using tax-payers’ money to pay for children to go surfing that they were almost shut down. Now Joe and his team’s perseverance is close to reaching its goal: that using the water and the outdoors for confidence-building will become a mainstream part of the education curriculum as well as young people’s mental health. “I think it’s an amazing and almost spiritual experience to see them going from anxious, frightened kids to confident, playful, happy children doing the things children should be doing – joking, smiling, having fun. A lot of the young people referred to us don’t spend enough time doing just that. Discovering that aspect of their lives opens up a world that should never have been denied them in the first place.”
• The Wave Project Cornwall runs courses in spring and autumn, and a year-round surf club in the west, mid and north of the county. • The Wave Project Devon is based in Croyde. As well as a weekly surf club it runs courses in spring and autumn. Courses are also run in Bigbury with the Discovery Surf School. • The Wave Project is looking for volunteer surf mentors to join teams in Devon and Cornwall. Volunteers support clients in the water, helping them to catch waves and giving them confidence. • If you work in a professional capacity with a young person who you think could benefit from attending one of The Wave Project’s courses, a referral can be made via the website waveproject.co.uk *not his real name
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Falmouth University – the South West’s rich seam of creativity
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here is London School of Fashion, London’s St Martins, and then there is Falmouth University, on Cornwall’s south coast. Falmouth University is fast becoming known as one of the best sources of design and creativity in the UK. In this issue alone, ex-alumni include both the furniture designer Tom Raffield featured in Space, and Tom Hargreaves, our Style Shoot photographer, plus Finisterre is heavily involved with the university acting as an ambassador giving talks and workshops, and taking on student placements. Tom Kay of Finisterre: “The textiles and fashion department is becoming really well known. The second year students arrive in the office and work with us while they are carrying out project work. On completion they present the work back to us. We’re always blown away by their ideas. It’s a two way street. They get something out of being here and we get something from them.” On these pages we feature a montage that illustrates student work from sketch through to show, and opposite the work of recent graduate Chloe Wright. Chloe worked with Kathryn Hamnett as a second year fashion student. She says: “Creating eco-fashion is challenging but it’s worth it because you know you’re working with fabrics that have been sourced correctly. I, for one, admire Stella McCartney. She doesn’t scream and shout about sustainability and animal welfare, just maintains it should be the norm and I admire that.”
falmouth.ac.uk chloe-wright.com
PHOTOS: CARTEL PHOTOS
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PHOTOS: BRIONY TEASEL. brionyteasel.com
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Culture
Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald | Devon Open Studios Ivy Benson’s All Girl Swing Band | South West must sees Worth making the trip for... | Worth staying in for...
PHOTO: SYLVAIN DELEU
Malene Hartmann Rasmussen, Nest, from the series Nightfall, 2014. Part of the Jerwood Makers Open at The Gallery, Plymouth College of Art, 9 September - 3 October.
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Reel to real Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald will be at Chagford Film Festival in September to introduce his epic mountaineering film, Touching the Void. The creative free spirit took a break from making a TV series in Los Angeles to talk JFK, Stephen King, and why nothing beats doing your own thing. By Phil Goodwin.
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evin Macdonald is back in Hollywood and feeling the pressure. Not only is the acclaimed director taking his first steps into the world of television with the first two episodes of a mini-series about time travel and the Kennedy assassination, he is doing so with one of the most successful living authors – the famously critical Stephen King – peering over his shoulder. Kevin says he has yet to meet King, whose novel 11/22/63 – about an English teacher who stumbles across a time portal – he is adapting for release next year via the online subscription service, Hulu (a US version of Netflix). But while the best-selling horror writer might be ‘keeping a low profile’ during filming, he is evidently watching intently from the wings. “It’s quite nerve-wracking having someone like that looking over your shoulder and watching your rushes from the day before,” Kevin explains. “He has been very critical of some of the adaptations of his work, and famously hated what Kubrick did with The Shining, but so far he has liked everything – fingers crossed if he is happy then that must be a good thing.” Kevin hails from a family steeped in movie-making – grandfather Emeric Pressburger collaborated with director Michael Powell on such classics as The Red Shoes, and brother Andrew is a producer whose credits include Trainspotting – and his own back catalogue boasts the multi-award-winning drama The Last King of Scotland, about Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, and the 2009 political thriller State of Play, starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, which grossed $90million at the box office. With these credentials, the move to the small screen might raise a few eyebrows, but as cinema crowds continue to dwindle, Kevin says it is impossible to ignore TV – it now occupies the middle ground
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between the big event movies and the low-budget arthouse productions, and it’s where some of the most interesting work is being made. “You have no choice but to embrace it,” he says, from his hotel in LA. “If you didn’t it would be like saying you want to make silent films during the 1930s. It’s very hard to get small, interesting films that make money any more. Hollywood has changed radically and people are much more careful about what they spend money on and not being quite as lazy about their choices. The snobbery barrier between film and television has pretty much disappeared. All the people I meet – friends who are film-makers and producers – are working in both mediums. They are seen as two sides of the same coin, although I am not sure I totally agree. Film is a director’s medium and TV a writer’s medium, and therein lies the difference.” The decision to take on the King book was an easy one for someone with a love of investigative reporting (Kevin initially wanted to become a journalist) as well as a nose for conspiracy. “I thought it was a good idea… an intriguing and very unusual story, almost a historical novel,” he says. “It’s very much fictional with fantastical elements. I have always been fascinated by the JFK assassination: it is the mother of all conspiracies. I did State of Play, and there are some elements of that: searching through files, documents and photos for clues as with the original Oliver Stone film, JFK. It is somewhat similar to being a documentary film-maker, trying to find out the truth, like investigating a crime.” Kevin’s early documentaries explored the worlds of art and film, but it was 1999’s One Day in September, about the murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, that made his name – and bagged
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Hollywood has changed radically and people are much more careful about what they spend money on and not being quite as lazy about their choices Touching the Void, 2003
him an Oscar. However, it was 2003’s multi-awardwinning Touching the Void, about two climbers’ disastrous attempt to climb the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, that garnered him his first big cinema audience. “The theme really resonated with people and had a big impact,” says Kevin. “It is one of those that stuck in people’s memory more than others. You don’t really think about that, you just keep going, do what’s interesting and hope that every now and again you get lucky.” The director’s appearance at the Chagford Film Festival in September – to introduce a screening of Touching the Void – might appear a coup for a moorland town with just 1,500 residents, but the tiny population belies a vibrant artistic community that also stages literature and music festivals each year. Kevin has family in the area, has recently bought a holiday home nearby and is a ‘semi-local’. “It’s kind of a cultural centre in the South West and for whatever reason has become something of a magnet for people interested in the arts,” he says. “It’s great when there are places which are off the mainstream. It is a small place with its own cultural identity. It is a rare thing.” Despite 20 years in the business and numerous blockbusters under his belt, Kevin shies away from describing himself has having a Hollywood ‘career’, insisting, “I have just done what’s felt interesting at the time and followed my curiosity, and some things for money, as all of us do. Generally, most of the time, I am lucky enough to be able to do the thing that really stimulates me.” The next projects stirring the creative juices are a biopic of Elvis from the early years to the star’s
signing with agent Tom Parker, plus a documentary about Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, whose fireworks lit up the Beijing Olympics. “His art is also very cinematic, spectacular and dramatic,” says Kevin. “It is a small film, but the wonderful thing about making documentaries is I get to learn and immerse myself. It is an educational experience. It is so unlike fiction film, which is more about organisation and making minute decisions… all that crap which is not about life and what is interesting – real people and the world. The series has been a fun experience but there is something about working for somebody else. It is not the same as doing your own thing.” Kevin Macdonald will be guest of honour at a screening of Touching the Void during Chagford Film Festival, 21 - 26 September. For full listings and further details, see chagfordfilmfestival.com. For information about where to stay, see visitchagford.com
Kevin on set of the submarine thriller Black Sea, 2014
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Sarah Bell, The little red boat (detail)
Open doors Watch artists at work in their studios and discover new territories this month as part of Devon Open Studios.
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rtists will be opening their doors to visitors for 16 days from 5 - 20 September as part of Devon Open Studios, when there’s the chance to view artists’ work, watch them while they create, learn new techniques, have a go and purchase artwork directly from the makers. This year, the annual event has just over 60% new artists to discover outside of the traditional gallery: cafés, garden sheds and parish halls will be transformed into exhibition spaces; abstract, figurative and conceptual art, prints, sculpture, ceramics, glass-blowing, photography, drawing and jewellery will all be on show. Each space will deliver surprises, whether a glass sculptor in a vineyard or an artists’ collective in an ancient long barn. Artists taking part are colour coded by area in the Open Studios brochure, which comes with a useful index
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at the back. Each entry includes detailed local directions to studios and a description of artists’ work. Or just follow the yellow arrows dotted around the countryside – they will lead you to the different exhibits. As one of the most anticipated events in the region’s cultural calendar, Devon Open Studios attracts artminded visitors and tourists from across the UK. The natural beauty of the area has nurtured the creativity of a vibrant artist community, which continues to thrive. Go and discover it this September. Devon Open Studios runs from Saturday 5 – Sunday 20 September 2015. Guides are available online or from tourist information centres and libraries. devonartistnetwork.co.uk/AboutDOS
culture
Heather Jansch SCULPTOR, NEWTON ABBOT Heather Jansch’s passion for horses is expressed in lifelike sculptures made from driftwood or driftwood cast in bronze. Her work will be on show in her 14acre woodland grounds, where children are welcome and visitors are positively encouraged to touch the work. Heather has recently returned to working with driftwood instead of seasoned oak. She says she is about to begin experimenting with sand-cast glass and drawn copper. The first in the glass series should be ready in time for Devon Open Studios. Sedgewell Coach House, Olchard, Newton Abbot TQ12 3GU
Emma Molony and Catherine Cartwright PRINTMAKERS, BEER Two printmakers exhibiting for one weekend only (11 - 13 September). Work on display will include a range of original prints, etchings, linocuts and screenprints. Emma Molony – began her printmaking career when living in Venice working as an intern at the Peggy Guggenheim museum, where she learned etching, mezzotint and woodcut. She is now a director of Double Elephant Print Workshop in Exeter. Emma has two screenprinted wallpaper ranges – Neverland features scenes from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, and Beastly Chronicles depicts the short stories of Saki (who spent much of his childhood in North Devon).
Emma Molony
Catherine Cartwright – who is also a director with Double Elephant Print Workshop, has recently been awarded an Arts Council England Grant for her project The Refuge Manifesto, which follows an artist’s residency at Exeter Women’s Refuge. She says she loves the nerdy technical side of printmaking, and its million-and-one ways of making marks. The Bomb Shelter, Fore Street, Beer EX12 3EQ. Tel: 07773 399025 emmamolony@hotmail.com catherine@catherinecartwright.co.uk emmamolony.com catherinecartwright.co.uk Catherine Cartwright
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Sarah Bell PAINTER, PRESTON Sarah Bell’s vibrant watercolours and canvasses will be familiar to many and her work can be found in private collections; her workshops have been featured on TV. Recently she has begun to work in a new medium – acrylics. Sarah will be giving demonstrations at 12noon and 3pm daily. Sampson Farm B&B, Preston, Newton Abbot TQ12 3PP sarahbellart.co.uk
Ann Bruford JEWELLER, SIDMOUTH Ann makes coastal-and woodland-inspired contemporary jewellery incorporating traditional goldsmithing techniques and precious materials. A member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Ann works out of two rural workshops: one tucked away at the bottom of her garden, where she can do a lot of noisy hammering, and a second workspace where she can meet commission clients and display her latest designs. Her gorgeous rural studio at Hunger Hill, Newton Poppleford, has a view of the colourful garden created by Chris Taylor of Hunger Hill Yurts. The Studio, Holly Tree, Hunger Hill, Newton Poppleford, Sidmouth EX10 0BZ annbrufordjewellery.com
James Tatum PAINTER, LUSTLEIGH James Tatum is a largely self-taught landscape painter who works from a 14th-century barn on the edge of Dartmoor. He says his paintings are the result of a continuing pursuit of pockets of silence and wildness in the landscape. His process involves long periods of walking slowly, thinking slowly, feeling slowly and then, after a substantial length of time, painting quickly. Middle Wreyland, Lustleigh, Newton Abbot, TQ13 9TS jamestatumartist.com
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Musician Tricity Vogue travels to Cornwall to meet two women from Ivy Benson’s All Girl Swing Band. Photos by James Millar. Tricity Vogue and Carol Gasser
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y own Ivy Benson story starts not in Cornwall but in Leeds, where a small terraced house bears a blue plaque in her name. Ivy Benson was the first woman to start an all-female big band in the UK, and her All Girl Orchestra was one of the most successful bands of the era, appointed BBC resident dance band in 1943, and performing all over the world for 40 years. More than 250 women musicians worked in her band over its long life, and a dozen made the pilgrimage to Leeds in 2011 for the plaque unveiling. I was there too, because, like Ivy, I’m a Leeds lass. My dad was on the Blue Plaque committee, so asked me to bring my ukulele and sing her theme tune, Lady Be Good. I cheekily invited one of Ivy’s horn section to accompany me on kazoo – saxophonist Carol Gasser took up the challenge. She and double bassist Claudia Colmer had made the eight-hour drive from Cornwall that day to pay their respects to their
former bandleader. Tea and biscuits accompanied reminiscences of life on the road with one of the biggest swing bands in the UK. The musicians’ stories made me wish I could be in a band like that. So I decided then and there to start one. Four years on, my own band, The Tricity Vogue All Girl Swing Band, has played all over the country: to a 1,000-strong audience in Huddersfield Town Hall, to vintage enthusiasts at Twinwood Festival, at bars and swing nights across London, and at Devon’s iconic Burgh Island Hotel. An all-female jazz band is unusual to this day; Ivy Benson made it work in a time even more dominated by men. Whilst down in the South West I looked up two of the musicians I’d met in Leeds to find out more about the inspirational bandleader. Their stories span two separate eras: Claudia Colmer played bass from 1954 to 1962, the halcyon days of the band at its height, whilst saxophonist Carol Gasser played from 1966 to 1971, when Ivy’s
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girls were still going strong after many other swing bands had folded. Claudia now lives near the waterfront in Penryn, Cornwall, and at 77 still plays and teaches double An all-female jazz band is unusual to this bass for a living. Her jazz career began when day; Ivy Benson made it work in a time Claudia’s mother saw a picture of the Ivy Benson even more dominated by men Women’s Orchestra in Titbits magazine, and mistook it for a respectable classical ensemble suitable for her sheltered 16-year-old daughter. They travelled down to London from Bradford with her cello for an audition, and Claudia played The Swan for Ivy, who hired her on the spot. But Ivy wanted a double bassist not a cellist for her band, so told Claudia’s mother to send her husband’s bass down on the train. “We had no case,” explains Claudia, “so my mum sewed the 300-year-old instrument inside my dad’s underwear, and it travelled from Bradford to Torquay in the guard van – wrapped in longjohns – in time for the summer season.” A decade later, Carol Gasser was at Worthing High School for Girls when Ivy Benson came into her life. “I was in the sixth form. I’d been playing sax since I was 16 and I went to get a mouthpiece from Dennis Lewington in Soho. He was on the phone to Ivy when I came into the shop and told her she should Ivy – centre, wearing the two-piece suit – and band en route to audition me. I didn’t know who she was, but she was Belfast at the end of the summer season (1950s) for a two-week very persistent; she even rang my school.” So Carol stint followed by a tour of southern Ireland. Vocalist Wendy Todd auditioned at Ivy’s Chiswick home. “I played Out Of is to the left of Ivy. Nowhere in G and Ivy offered me a job.” But Carol wouldn’t join until after her A levels. Ivy agreed to wait, and Carol gave up her place at Keele University to join the band. Both women were propelled into life as full-time musicians. “You’d have two days off a couple of times a year to switch your summer and winter wardrobes, and that was it,” says Claudia. “Summer seasons on the Isle of Man, then autumn in Ireland, and winter in Germany playing on the American air bases – performing morning, afternoon and evening, seven days a week. We had four vocalists: one for pop, one Ivy (on the far left by the horse) and band (Claudia is in the back for jazz, one for gospel, and one for ballads.” The row, 4th from the right) taking part in the Douglas Summer ample bosom of one of those singers, Wendy, was Carnival, Isle of Man, mid 1950s. used as a distraction at customs from the hundreds of cigarettes smuggled in Claudia’s bass box. “The older girls made me do it: I was scared of them.” Claudia never smoked herself. “The girls who had been through the war with the band were hard drinkers and Ivy leading the band in the ballroom at Villa Marina, Douglas, Isle of Man during the summer season of ‘57 or ‘58. Claudia Colmer is on bass smokers.”
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She changed our lives. She made me play bass and I’ve had a career all my life because of her
Claudia Colmer
Ivy’s all-girl band was a unique opportunity for women musicians of the time. “I was on £25 a week, and my dad was on £7 a week,” says Claudia. Travel was paid for, there was a roadie, a manager and a coach. “But no male band would give you a job.” Claudia knew she was lucky, even if the male bassist with the Joe Loss band was on £54 a week and got a day off. “She changed our lives. She made me play bass and I’ve had a career all my life because of her.” Ivy’s influence on Carol was similarly profound. “I thought it was going to be old ladies on cellos, but when I turned up it was sun, sea, sand, and jazz. All these pretty young women laughing at the first rehearsal. Then Ivy beat the band in and I couldn’t believe it.” Carol hero-worshipped Ivy. “She was 53 then, and very glamorous, but she was tough in rehearsals. She told us off: ‘None of you is indispensable.’ But if you had problems, you’d go to Ivy. I cried on her shoulder plenty of times. I loved her. I still do.” Reluctantly, 67-year-old Carol brings her instrument into the garden of her Cornwall home in Ebenezer for a photograph: “Saxophones look
indecent in daylight. Well, mine does, anyway.” Carol’s still gigging on the same sax she bought new in 1969, as is Claudia on her father’s bass, and neither show signs of stopping any time soon. “The boys get jealous, because all the young girls come up to me, not them, after gigs,” says Carol. “They tell me, ‘I wish you were my mum.’” The two played an Ivy Benson reunion gig at London’s Vortex jazz club this year to three encores and a standing ovation. It was the first time Carol had played a London venue in 40 years, but she’ll be back – to perform at the London Jazz Festival in November. Claudia can be heard playing bass at the Jazz Club in Falmouth every Monday night. One day I may get to share a stage with them, but in the meantime it was honour enough to jam with Carol in her garden and Claudia on the waterfront. Like these two indomitable women, I hope I’m still gigging half a century from now. You can catch Tricity Vogue and her All Girl Swing Band at Devon’s Burgh Island Hotel on Saturday 26 September for the Grand End Of Summer Ball. tricityvogue.com
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South West must sees...
The unnamed The second Mrs de Winter heads back to Manderley in this exuberant Kneehigh production of Daphne du Maurier’s classic Gothic romance, Rebecca. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice – soon leaving the Cornish company to take up the reins at The Globe in London – the show makes witty work of the narrative and boasts live music, a puppet pooch and a truly impressive set: all truncated staircases, dark recesses and the sense that nothing is quite what it seems. 9 - 19 September at Hall for Cornwall. hallforcornwall.co.uk
Imogen Sage as Mrs de Winter PHOTO CREDIT STEVE TANNER
Down to earth Healthy soils are a vital part of our global ecosystem, but are increasingly being threatened by poor management – in the South West alone, 38% have already been significantly degraded. Soil Culture: Deep Roots is the third instalment in the Soil Culture programme, a three-year project led by the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World that uses the arts to inspire a deeper understanding of the importance of the earth beneath our feet, and features work by British and international artists, including Mel Chin, who uses plants to extract heavy metal from contaminated land, and Claire Pentecost, who has refashioned soil into the shapes of gold ingots – a reflection of its true worth. The exhibition can later be seen at Peninsula Arts in Plymouth in early 2016.
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Dame Ellen MacArthur. © DPPI
Waterbabes
19 September - 21 November at Falmouth Art Gallery. falmouthartgallery.com
From Mary Lang, who joined the crew on the last of the merchant sailing ships to journey from South Australia to Cornwall in the 1930s, to Dame Ellen MacArthur, the fastest woman ever to circumnavigate the globe, there are many women who have challenged the establishment in taking to the waves and made their mark in a male-dominated world. Mermaids: Women at Sea, which is supported by the Hypatia Trust, brings these stories to life through objects, film and photography.
Claire Pentecost’s soil ingots. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
14 September 2015 - 21 February 2016 at National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth. nmmc.co.uk
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PHOTO: JOHAN PERSSON
To Benedict or not to Benedict If you’re like most of us and failed to secure tickets to Hamlet at the Barbican in the face of the hyper-organized Cumberbitches in full online booking mode, then get thee to the pictures for NTLive’s broadcast to marvel at the crush de nos jours as he takes on the Dane. 15 October at various cinemas across the region, plus further encore performances. ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk
Art in the making
PHOTO: SYLVAIN DELEU
Celebrating the significance of making practices and processes within contemporary visual arts, the Jerwood Makers Open awards five artists (selected this year from 267 UK-wide applicants) £7,500 each to create new pieces. The resulting commissions are presented in this nationally touring exhibition, alongside talks by two of the winning artists: Ian McIntyre on 23 September and Silo Studio on 30 September, both 5.30 - 6.30pm. Troll, 2013, Malene Hartmann Rasmussen
9 September – 3 October at The Gallery at Plymouth College of Art. plymouthart.ac.uk
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ECO-location An annual open-submission exhibition that presents work from some of the most exciting emerging and established artists from across the UK and beyond, the Exeter Contemporary Open once more rolls into town. In the running for the £1,000 first prize and £500 runner’s up award are Henny Acloque, Kelly Best, Jack Burton, Gordon Dalton, Dickon Drury, Jamie Holman, Daniel Sean Kelly, McGilvary White, Paul Merrick, Tom Pitt, Nina Royle, Ruaidhri Ryan, Mimei Thompson and Josephine Wood. The exhibition opens with a gala preview and prize-giving event on 10 September, at which there will also be the announcement of a new Moving Image award – this will offer an artist working in video further screening opportunities, outside the gallery space, in the Phoenix’s newly opened digital cinema. 11 September - 31 October at Exeter Phoenix. exeterphoenix.org.uk Mimei Thompson’s Vegetable Head
Homeward bound
Llyn Gwynant - Yr Aran by Peter Kettle
Three painters who studied together at West Buckland School are reunited after a decade for this combined show. ‘Ten’ presents work by Hester Berry, Edward Crumpton and Peter Kettle, and showcases the differences and similarities that have emerged as their art has matured over the period. Until 26 September at White Moose, Barnstaple. whitemoose.co.uk
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The butler did it… To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Queen of Crime (left), this year’s International Agatha Christie Festival is bigger than ever. Based at Torquay’s Torre Abbey, the nine-day programme features readings and performances, exhibitions and talks, plus there are various ticketed events at venues throughout the English Riviera. The festival will culminate on 19 September at The Greenway Ball, held at Christie’s summer home beside the River Dart. 11 - 20 September across Torquay. agathachristiefestival.com
Having a ball For 13 days during the Rugby World Cup tournament, Exeter’s Northernhay Gardens will become the Fanzone, with a big screen showing live coverage of several matches plus a programme of other free entertainment. When there’s no rugby scheduled, the Fanzone will become the venue for a series of ticketed events, including Basement Jaxx in The Garden on 19 September (tickets available from exeterphoenix.org.uk). 18 September – 31 October at Northernhay Gardens, Exeter. heartofdevon.com/exeter/exeter-fanzone
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Eco-homes Green living, South West
Tom Kay
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Design inspired by nature
Mark Diacono A kitchen garden for all COOKERY SCHOOLS We test the region’s best FLOWER FARMER Amy Henshaw harvesting colour HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME MANOR School exclusive
Kevin Macdonald
Oscar-winning director goes small screen
The Wave Project Using surfing to help children
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Worth making the trip for...
Seeing red In the final production of what has been an outstanding season of reimaginings, Kate Fleetwood makes her Almeida debut as the scorned woman to out-fury all hell – Medea. Adapted from the Euripides play by feminist writer Rachel Cusk, and directed by Almeida AD Rupert Goold, this new production is sure to add new dimensions to a piece that has to negotiate seriously uncomfortable territory. 24 September – 14 November at Almeida Theatre, Islington. almeida.co.uk Kate Fleetwood as Medea
Although popular culture – including advertising, movies, music and packaging – gave artists the impetus to create visually stimulating and engaging works that celebrated consumer culture, it also gave them the means to critique the political and social climate, giving rise to the Pop art movement. Generally considered to be an AngloAmerican phenomenon, Pop art was actually embraced by countries and communities across the globe. The EY Exhibition: The World Goes Pop reveals the alternative stories of the movement, highlighting key figures of the era who have been left out of mainstream art history. 17 September 2015 – 24 January 2016 at Tate Modern, London. tate.org.uk
IMAGE COURTESY OF MUMOK - MUSEUM MODERNER KUNST STIFTUNG LUDWIG WIEN, VIENNA
Pop goes the easel
American Interior No 1 1968 by Erró, an Icelandic artist who sought to demythologise life in consumer society and expose the manipulative nature of images
American conceptual artist Jenny Holzer’s work is concerned with the dissemination of text and ideas in public spaces, particularly through billboards, large-scale LED displays, and projections. Originally producing the written material herself, latterly Holzer has concentrated on text written by others, and since 2004 has explored the use of text from declassified and other government documents. Softer Targets features both new work and a selection of significant pieces drawn from over three decades of the artist’s career, including the ‘Truisms’ that first established her reputation in the 1980s through to her thoughtful ongoing examination of the ‘war on terror’. Until 1 November at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. hauserwirth.com
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© JENNY HOLZER COURTESY HAUSER & WIRTH PHOTO: KEN ADLARD
Language illuminated
Installation view, Jenny Holzer. Softer Targets, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, 2015
culture
Walk the line
Abstract oils
Fluid depths, oil on canvas, 2015
Cornwall-based painter Amy Albright’s evocative canvasses seem to hover between the known and the unknown, drawing the viewer in with gestures and strokes that at first seem familiar but which then morph into something fleeting and intangible. This solo show will include at least 16 new paintings. 2 October – 7 November at Artwavewest Gallery, Morcombelake, Dorset. artwavewest.com
Items of interest
November (open Friday-Sunday 11am-5pm, admission free) at Furtherfield Gallery, Finsbury Park, London. mocc.guide.net, furtherfield.org
Until 15 November at Arnolfini, Bristol. arnolfini.org.uk
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Since April 2015, Exeter-based artist and researcher Paula Crutchlow and cultural geographer Ian Cook from the University of Exeter have been producing a series of art-research events – walkshops, guided shopping trips, dataexchange experiments – in London’s Finsbury Park as part of a residency with Furtherfield, an art/technology/social change organisation. Part of the R&D process for the Museum of Contemporary Commodities (MoCC) – an art/social-science project that explores data, trade, place and values in relation to consumer culture – these events ask us to consider the value of the increasing amounts of stuff with which we surround ourselves. The final artwork – part of the Art Data Money exhibition – will be an online interface and questionnaire to which anyone can add their valued commodities, with the online public voting for their favourites and so curating the selection of objects that make it into the physical gallery space. 25 September – 22
Bristol-born artist Richard Long’s work is born out of his engagement with the landscape, especially his experience of making solitary walks in rural or remote areas of Britain, and as far afield as Alaska, Mongolia and Bolivia. Time and Space comprises sculpture, drawing, photography and text works that date from 1967 to the present, and features a number of important early works that are key to understanding the significance of the South West in his practice. Including two new works – a large sculpture made from Cornish slate and a wall work made with mud collected from the River Avon – the exhibition also has an off-site element: Boyhood Line, 2015, a limestone ‘path’ across The Downs in Clifton.
A Circle in Antarctica 2012.
Heeding the call Following the unforgettable triumph that was A View from the Bridge, Ivo Van Hove returns to the Young Vic to direct Song from Far Away, the latest play from Olivier Award-winner Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Carmen Disruption). With music by singer/songwriter Mark Eitzel, the piece follows a young man’s uncomfortable homecoming to his estranged family in Amsterdam. 2-19 September at Young Vic, Waterloo. youngvic.org
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Worth staying in for...
Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard
Something wicked this way comes Behold, bardolaters – Snowtown director Justin Kurzel’s new stripped-back version of Macbeth looks set to become the new cinematic benchmark for Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy. All swirling mist, barren landscapes and bone-shredding battle scenes, the atmosphere of dread presents the perfect backdrop to the ambition and ultimate corruption of literature’s premier power couple. With Michael Fassbender in the title role, Marion Cotillard as his beshrouded Lady, Paddy Considine as Banquo and David Thewlis as Duncan, the casting is a dream, although the highlight might just be the unnervingly intense Sean Harris as Macduff – there’s no actor better suited to convey the torment of a man whose entire family has been murdered in the pursuit of politics. Unmissable. Macbeth goes on general release on 2 October
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culture Ambition, desire, hubris… there are many reasons why Macbeth has inspired so many reworkings. To get you in the mood for the latest outing, here are our favourites:
Life’s but a walking shadow In the first series of the genius dark comedy Inside No. 9, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (Psychoville, The League of Gentlemen) revisit the Scottish play in The Understudy, the plot of which revolves around a West End production of Macbeth. Lead actor Tony (Pemberton) is a boorish alcoholic, with his put-upon understudy Jim (Shearsmith) in danger of fading completely into the scenery without the support and encouragement of his fiancée Laura, who thinks the only hope for affording their dream wedding is if Jim steps into the main role. Divided into discernible acts, the episode plays with theatrical tropes and devices, and there’s a satisfying ambiguity around aspects of the psychological and the supernatural. Series 1 of Inside No. 9 is available on DVD, £6.99. bbcshop.com
Supped full with horrors In a canny update, Shakespeare Retold – Macbeth (2005) is set in the cut-throat world of a Michelin-starred Glasgow restaurant, where chef Joe Macbeth (James McAvoy) slaves over a hot stove while celebrity patron Duncan Docherty (Vincent Regan) claims all the accolades. With Keeley Hawes as Joe’s wife and restaurant maitre d’, handing her husband knife after sharpened knife, and the witches recast as three eerily knowing bin men, this version – part of a BBC series that also rejigged The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing – is entertaining and witty, and gives the murderous usurper a Duncan who at least deserves to be taken down if not necessarily out.
James McAvoy and Joseph Millson
All four episodes of Shakespeare Retold are available on DVD from Acorn DVD, £9.99. acorndvd.com
Blood will have blood
Give sorrow words
Considered alongside Roman Polanski’s 1971 version as the pinnacle of film interpretations, Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (1957) locates the tale of murder and madness in feudal Japan, where Samurai commander General Washuzi (longtime Kurosawa collaborator Toshiro Mifune) succumbs to wife Asaji’s manipulations to murder his superior and become Lord of Spiderweb Castle. Shifting beautifully between scenes of preternatural stillness and episodes of shocking, visceral violence, the film’s visual eloquence evokes the original text in new and affecting ways, and Asaji’s deathly white face (a tenet of traditional Noh drama) haunts each scene even before she loses her mind.
The bad boy of Scandi crime, Jo Nesbo (right), has been commissioned by The Hogarth Shakespeare to put his own dark spin on the story – famous for his Harry Hole detective series, Nesbo is no stranger to characters battling with queasy moral frameworks and personal desires, so it should be a good fit. The book will be launched in 2016 as part of a series to mark the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, and will also feature new versions of The Tempest by Margaret Atwood, The Merchant of Venice by Howard Jacobsen, and Jeanette Winterson will tackle The Winter’s Tale.
Throne of Blood is available on DVD via the BFI, £7.99. bfi.org.uk
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Stage set. We decided to go with black and white with this shoot. Just as with those films of old, the absence of colour transports the viewer to another level of elegance, contrast accentuated, silhouettes sharpened and mood intensified. Lights, camera, and marvel at the effect.... STYLIST: MIMI STOTT PHOTOGRAPHER: TOM HARGREAVES
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Flares £59.99 and asymmetrical sweater, £19.99, Zara
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Leather jacket, photographer’s own
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Peplum bustier, Zara, £39.99; fur collar from coat, Zara £99.99 Opposite: coat, Zara, £99.99
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Rollneck sleeveless top, £29.99, Zara; woollen trousers, Zara, £29.99; sunglasses, Zara £17.99 Opposite: Zara tank top, £25.99; pants, M&S, £14
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Jacket, Somerset by Temperley, John Lewis, £160; pants, M&S, £14 Opposite: Suede jacket, Zara, £29.99, down from £159
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Funnel neck top, Zara, £39.99; tube skirt, Zara, £29.99
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Floral bouse, Zara, £39.99; pants, M&S, £14
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The contact sheet This particular shoot caused us problems, because there were so many stunning shots! So we thought we’d create a contact sheet out of this page to show you a just a few more. Shoot took place at The Phoenix, Exeter. Photographer: Tom Hargreaves; Model: Donatella Pegler; Make-up: Philippa Spring; Stylist: Mimi Stott.
Opposite: Long pleated dress, Zara, £39.99 Contact sheet additional items: Frilly blouse, Zara, £39.99; Chiffon Victoriana blouse, Minted Velvet, John Lewis £69
tomhargreaves.photography
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Bes�oke Classic �Contem�orary Kitchens HANDCRAFTED IN DEVON
ASHGROVE
KITCHENS, BEDROOMS, BATHROOMS & HOME STUDIES Telephone 0800 0683291 • www.ashgrovekitchens.co.uk Lords Meadow, Crediton, Devon EX17 1ES. Open 9am - 5.30pm weekdays & 10am - 4pm on Saturdays or by appointment.
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Space Tom Raffield’s natural inspiration | Jo Downs’ artistry in glass Discovering the region’s eco-homes | Designer Q&A with Sara Colledge Shopping for space | The flower farmer’s story
Floor lamp by Tom Raffield. tomraffield.com
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Number One pendant
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Inspired by the forms of nature and with sustainability at the heart of his process, Tom Raffield creates furniture and lighting that combine timeless beauty and an ethical core. By Fiona McGowan.
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rom the moment you drive up the steep ‘put-it-in-first-gear’ track to Tom Raffield’s Helston workshop, there is a sense that you are embedded in the woody vale around you. It would be impossible not to be inspired by the cyclic growth and regeneration of nature here. As Tom puts it, there are no straight lines in nature – neither are there in his business, which has grown organically from his first chaise longue to today’s array of wooden homewares. Tom Raffield’s sinuous bentwood forms are becoming familiar throughout the country and are turning up all around the world. His lampshades are slender strips of wood bent into myriad loops and curls to create lighting that is more 3D sculpture than shade. Unlit, the eyecatching adornments are both natural (mostly unstained and unvarnished) and highly complex. Lit, they create shadow plays and diffuse the light in unusual ways. His chairs have the ergonomic simplicity and softened
lines that bring to mind Eames furniture, or Michael Thonet’s bentwood chairs that litter the cafés and streets of Europe. The essence of a Tom Raffield chair, though, is something closer to nature. There is a sense of the outdoor-indoor in his work – as though garden furniture has been refined, given a sculptural tweak and brought into the home. His tables are functional objects, smooth and tactile and evidently hand crafted, with the addition of classic Raffield twists – a curvy loop of wood connecting the base to the legs that draws your eye to its quirkiness. Log loops – slim pieces of oak bent into a circle large enough to contain a stack of log – and coat racks with surprising bends sticking out of the ends are all in the ever-growing portfolio of his work.
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He takes inspiration from the forms that he sees around him: the shape of a leaf, the opening of a bloom or the curl of a fern.
Tom is all about nature, and being a part of the exceptional region of Cornwall in which he has made his home. The workshop is a giant wooden cabin, dappled by sunlight that easily penetrates the widely spaced mature oak, ash and beech trees. Below is a tiny Georgian gatehouse and two structures that will eventually form a state-of-the-art eco-home, interconnected by glass corridors, clad in steambentwood from the local forests and covered in grass roofing. The composting toilet, next to the workshop, is just a hint of the environmental passion behind Tom Raffield Designs. Tom and his wife Danielle, with their two young boys, have been living in this bucolic valley for three years and it was no easy journey. “It was a real struggle – there was no bathroom in the house for two years,” says Tom. “But although the gatekeeper’s lodge is tiny, it had eight acres of woodland and we just fell in love with the place.” The couple are tied to the environment not just through being embedded in the outdoor lifestyle, but through their joint belief in sustainability. Tom trained as a 3D designer in Sustainability at Falmouth University and speaks ardently about his responsibility. “The designer has the biggest environmental impact on society – they are the ones designing the plastic bits and pieces that litter our beaches – and I think we have a responsibility to design things so that they’re made to last, not just in terms of their durability, but in terms of the relationship they have with a person.” Joining forces with Danielle – whose Spatial Design qualification is also from Falmouth – was an inspired decision. Not only do they obviously work well together as a couple, but Danielle complements Tom’s slightly scatty take-on-everything creativity with excellent
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organizational skills. “She does all the bookkeeping, and she sorts out our systems,” Tom explains. “She can do all sorts – she even helps to make the lights, too.” The workshop belies an incredibly prolific cottage industry, which produces large numbers of handmade items for brands as diverse as Pizza Express, Nando’s, The Dorchester Hotel and countless interior designers buying up lights and furniture for homes and businesses around the world. “Sometimes, I’ll hear that one of my pieces has been spotted in a place in New York,” says Tom. “Eighty per cent of the time, I don’t know where our stuff goes.” John Lewis and Heal’s retail his items, with John Lewis choosing to dedicate a whole room-set at its flagship Oxford Street store to Tom Raffield Designs, in order to showcase a ‘Made in Britain’ concept. The current fashion for buying locally – whether it’s organic food boxes, clothing or any number of household products – fits in nicely with Tom’s principle of making sustainable creations. “All of the oak we use is English – it comes from Cornwall or West Sussex. The ash tends to come from our own woodland or elsewhere in Cornwall.” Tom ruefully admits that growth as a business has meant looking further afield: “We are starting to source some wood from Europe, and walnut can only easily be sourced in the US, but we make sure that all of it is sustainably sourced – we pay extra and get the FSC (Forestry Council Registered) mark.” Like many designers and makers in the West Country, Raffield benefits from the region in many ways – and he also gives back in spade-loads. He’s a keen proponent of the apprenticeship programme, bringing in local people and training them up for three years. They spend one day a week on a carpentry course
space bag. This gave me more time to create really complex 3D bends.” His inventiveness leads him into a variety of design alleyways: from bentwood chaise longues to delicate and complex lighting, to working on a project to create a huge bentwood-clad summerhouse for a property in Knightsbridge. Danielle pleads with him to take a break from new projects, but it is obvious that this will never happen. Tom has a hunger for design and unusual projects – it’s all part of the organic growth of the business. With the team’s genuine passion, combined with boundless creativity, there is little doubt that Tom Raffield Designs will become a household name in the very near future. 01326 722725, contact@tomraffield.com tomraffield.com
and the other four working for fairly low income at the workshop. They are genuinely learning on the job – most apprentices start off with no relevant skills – but by the end of the three-year period they are not only qualified, but are fully engaged in the business. Tom is committed to offering full-time work to the apprentices once they complete their training, which means he has a growing team of experts who know the business inside and out. More importantly, they care about Tom Raffield Designs and have as much passion for the environmental and creative ethos as its owners. It is inspiring to hear how democratically Tom and Danielle run the workshop. “It’s a case of empowering them to do what they think, and then we can have a look at it,” Tom explains. “You can see that people aren’t going to be rewarded by massive bonuses here, but if they feel like it’s partly their business, then it’s worth working hard for.” So the sustainability aspect doesn’t just apply to the wood that’s used, and the impact on the geographical environment, but in the people who are part of the process. “The ethos of the business is based around Cornwall,” says Tom. “It’s the seascape, the landscape and the people.” The impact of nature is woven into every aspect of Tom Raffield Designs. He takes inspiration from the forms that he sees around him: the shape of a leaf, the opening of a bloom or the curl of a fern. These forms and patterns are what drew him to steam-bending wood in the first place. As a product designer, he was initially obsessed with metal – loving both its malleability and fluidity, as well as the rigidity of it. Discovering that wood, too, had that kind of flexibility was an eye-opener for Tom as a student. The physics of it had him slightly stymied for a while, though. “You only have about 30 seconds to bend the wood once you pull it out of the steam chamber.” Like a true creative, he came up with a solution: “I made bags that allowed me to steam and bend the wood whilst it was in the
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PHOTO: MIKE EVANS
Shoaling Fish collection
Glass act
Fused glass is a rare decorative art form that, done well, brings a unique beauty to a plain wall. Jo Downs, regarded as the country’s leading fused-glass artist, happened upon the craft by accident and, 20 years on, has never tired of its stunning unpredictability. Words by Mercedes Smith.
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t’s a given that a great deal of the artwork made here in the South West responds to our beautiful landscape, but few creative mediums allow the artist to pour all the colour and texture of our coastline into each piece as naturally as that of fused glass. Enter designer-maker Jo Downs, whose work has become synonymous with the area and whose countywide glass galleries are a mecca for those with a passion for Cornwall. Jo’s talent in this unusual field of design has established her as the country’s most recognised fused-glass maker, a position she balances with the combined demands of life as an artist, businesswoman and mother of two. From her studio in the market town of Launceston, Jo works with the support of her small team of skilled glass workers, designing and making pieces for her interiors range
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and working on numerous and sometimes sizeable commissions for private clients. It is a richly creative existence and somewhat of a departure from the life of a ceramics teacher she had once planned. “When at school I originally aimed to study and teach ceramics, but then one of my foundation teachers said that what stood out in my work was colour and texture, and that I should think about working in glass,” says Jo. “I took a BA in Ceramics and Glass at Sunderland University, where they were well known for glass blowing, though at that time no one was teaching fusing. There was a kiln in the corner of the studio and at some point my lecturer said I could try putting glass in it. All that came out was this glorious, melted lump of colour, but I fell in love with fused glass right there and became absolutely addicted.”
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Jo at her Cornish HQ
PHOTO: MIKE EVANS
Working with cut and crushed glass
PHOTO: MIKE EVANS
jodowns.com
PHOTO: PETER SEARLE
Since establishing her first studio in London’s Muswell Hill 20 years ago, Jo’s artistry and eye for style has built her highly regarded reputation in the field. In 2001 she moved to Cornwall on a whim to set up Jo Downs Handmade Glass and opened her first gallery in Padstow in 2005. As well as Padstow, she now has galleries in Launceston, Fowey and St Ives, and most recently, given the popularity of her work to Londoners visiting Cornwall, in the village of Ripley in Surrey. “I am very proud of the life I’ve created, but I’ve got to where I am today not through ambition, but through dedication and an absolute passion for what I do. Wherever I go and whatever I see, I am drawn to details that I think would look beautiful in glass. If I could show you the view outside my window you would see exactly where I take my inspiration from. My house looks out over the Atlantic in North Cornwall and the area has a stunning, rugged coastline. The light is incredible and there are so many colours and textures in the sea and sand, the waves and rock formations.” Jo goes on to explain that the initial design process is all about experimentation in the kiln, although she sometimes makes sketches to frame an idea. Fusing is a highly technical process, but begins with a simple hand-held glass-cutter with a diamond wheel. When the initial shapes are cut, she creates detail using cut glass, crushed glass, enamels and semi-precious metals. It is both a creative and a scientific process – but there is a significant element of chance involved as well. “I work with a broad palette of enamels but each reacts differently according to what colour or material they are placed next to. Metal reactions change depending on how they are layered together and I get air bubbles and areas of texture within each piece that I could never have anticipated. An enamel powder may start out grey in colour but once exposed to the heat of the kiln may turn to a beautiful turquoise. Deep browns can turn to vibrant reds, or put two different chemical powders together and something completely unexpected will happen. The excitement of the fusing process is that I don’t have a lot of control over it. I have a certain amount of skill and knowledge but at the end of the day each element combines to cause unique results. That’s really the beauty of working with fused glass.” Jo’s unique and highly stylised approach to this art form has attracted commissions for both private homes and public buildings. The commission work she combines with the creation of new annual ranges for her galleries, which in turn inspire further commissions. With her career now approaching its 20th year, there are plans for a string of celebratory events and limited-edition pieces in 2016 and, through the new Ripley gallery, she hopes to continue to be an ambassador for Cornwall’s outstanding creative economy.
Classic Beach panels installation
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Arco2’s Edge O’ Cliff
As the South West becomes the favourite location for increasing numbers of luxury and high-end ‘eco-homes’, Fiona McGowan investigates whether green really is the new gold standard.
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ew-builds these days tend to feature the ‘eco-home’ tag as a matter of course. This is a great improvement, of course, but in many cases it simply means that a house incorporates insulation, windows and heating systems that match the government-set standards for energy efficiency. Perhaps most people think of a ‘real’ eco-home as one that generates most of its own energy through solar and wind energy; one that is capable of recycling its own waste and water; perhaps also incorporating a grass roof and built with sustainable local materials. The West Country is well known for pushing the boundaries of off-grid living, but what of the more high-end homes and the luxury developments that are springing up around Devon and Cornwall? Do they really have the eco-credentials they sing about?
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Arco2’s Edge O’ Cliff
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It is the basics such as insulation, creating ways to use less energy in the home and putting the right amount of glass in the right places that really affect a building’s energy use. Arco2 is one of the very few architect firms in the region that exclusively specializes in sustainable and environmentally aware designs. Its portfolio includes several exquisite private residences in Devon and Cornwall, as well as numerous conversions. Director Ian Armstrong explains the shift towards a desire for eco-homes. “There has been a gradual change over the last five to ten years: homeowners are more well informed when it comes to low-energy technologies.” These technologies, he adds, are the glamorous aspects of architect-designed buildings, but it is the basics such as insulation, creating ways to use less energy in the home and putting the right amount of glass in the right places that really affect a building’s energy use. Arco2’s skill (and the reason it won the Green Apple Award for Innovation this year) is combining those aspects into highly aesthetic structures that manage to both blend in and stand out from their surroundings. This being the West Country, some of the highestspec eco-developments have been built to cater for the tourist industry. Take The Emerald development, which has earned the highest level of sustainability. The site generates its own electricity, produces its own water,
has high levels of insulation, recycles water, and the owners have planted more than 100 native trees. This is an extraordinary example of people who have chosen to give back to the planet – owner Tim Kemp had a successful career in the oil industry until he turned 50, when he decided to create a sustainable development. Located near Truro, it’s proof that luxury does not mean scrimping on reducing environmental impact – it attracts a very high-end clientele, too, including the likes of Roger Moore. But environmentally aware building is not all about luxury accommodation. The South West’s eco-credentials don’t come much stronger than the Transition Town initiative, which was launched ten years ago in Totnes, Devon, by environmental activist Rob Hoskins. Transition Initiatives are grass-roots community projects that are dedicated to building resilience to climate destruction and economic instability. Totnes residents are encouraged to buy local and grow local, to focus on recycling and reducing waste, and to generate their own energy. So far, so Bob the Builder. But it’s highly successful and it’s catching on. There are now more than 1,000 transition projects
Dartmoor home created by Van Der Steen Hall
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A low-energy building makes sense financially – and the majority of our buildings adopt breathable fabrics, which provides a healthier living environment.
The team from Arco2
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in over 40 countries around the world. Currently, the residents of Totnes are aiming to build 25 (admittedly rather ordinary-looking) affordable eco-homes on a site near Dartington village. The project hopes to recycle all of its own greywater and treat its own sewerage. Community projects that focus on sustainability are springing up all over the region. Prince Charles House near St Austell in Cornwall provides environmentally friendly homes for the elderly – those who have a real tendency to get into fuel poverty. The greenfriendly element is combined with a social-friendly layout, enabling those who are alone and possibly disabled to interact easily with their neighbours. Everyone’s favourite shark-in-a-tank man is getting in on the act, too. Artist Damien Hirst is hoping to build an eco-community of 700 homes in Ilfracombe in Devon, although there has been a fair amount of local resistance – it will certainly increase the local population exponentially. It seems that the long-term benefits to the area have swung the local council in favour of the plans, however. Watch this space to see if Hirst and architect MRJ Rundell + Associates (who designed the White Cube Hoxton Square gallery in London) will succeed in gently transforming this patch of quiet Devon countryside. Individual homes are littered (and usually well hidden, once completed and sold) throughout the secluded countryside and cliffs of the South West. In Cornwall, Arco2’s Edge O’ Cliff house overlooks a giant stretch of beach near St Ives. The house was built using natural materials, predominantly timber, most of which was locally sourced. The building is airtight and has an A-rated EPC, which basically means it is extremely
Lyneham Coombe by Van Ellen Sheryn
comfortable and energy efficient. It is naturally day-lit, so artificial lighting is less necessary, and has been designed to use as little water as possible. Nick Donaldson, architect at Arco2, explains a particular issue when it comes to designing houses with sea views. “On the north coast of Cornwall, there are spectacular views to the north and west, so there’s always pressure to add lots of glass facing that direction. But for a highly insulated, low-energy building, that’s bad news – it causes an overheating problem in the summer and heat loss in the winter: not good for comfort or energy use.” Nick points to the Tate Gallery in St Ives to show how amazing views can be captured without the energy loss: “There’s a window in the Tate that faces Porthmeor beach to the north. It’s a fairly small window, but gives the most spectacular picture-framed view of the sand, sea and sky – so much more powerful than a wall of glass could ever be. You can clearly see how this has influenced the design of Edge O’ Cliff.” Another one of Arco2’s projects is the Zero Carbon House in Cornwall, which benefits from passive solar heating (daylight warms a glazed core of the house, and the heat is then channelled and stored) as well as regular solar panels. It is built using 85% sustainably sourced timber and is superinsulated using lamb’s wool (which is obviously fully sustainable and environmentally friendly). Tucked right into a green slope near Manaton on Dartmoor is a large four-bedroom house designed by Devon architects Van Der Steen Hall. It is an architectural gem with low environmental impact, which resulted in the architects winning the RIBA Arnold Sayers Housing Design Award. Not too far
away, in the tree-lined Teign Valley, Lyneham Coombe was marketed as a luxury eco-home and had a brief flirtation with fame when it was rented by rock band Muse. Architects Van Ellen Sheryn were given a brief to avoid copper and lead products, to incorporate the natural spring water in the grounds and to add a rainwater-harvesting system. The house is built from timber, and its open-plan crucifix frame maximizes the view out to the woody landscape surrounding it. While not completely green (there are no solar panels or any other obvious attempt to use renewables), this luxury home gives enough of a nod to the environment to make it a striking example of that gradual shift towards more eco-friendly new-builds. There’s a practical drive behind all of this, too. As Ian Dickinson of Arco2 comments, “A low-energy building makes sense financially – and the majority of our buildings adopt breathable fabrics, which provide a healthier living environment.” Many homeowners who are planning new-builds, he says, are also keen to support the local economy by using local materials and labour. As building regulations become more strict in focusing on energy efficiency, even developers are starting to get in on the act – particularly as environmentally friendly buzz-words are becoming powerful marketing tools. In spite of an apparently relentless growth in housing, it seems to be a hopeful time – and it is the luxury eco-homes that are blazing a trail into a greener future. arco2.co.uk vanellensheryn.com vandersteenhall.co.uk
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Q&A Sara Colledge has been running her own interior design practice for 15 years, most recently based wholly in Widecombe-inthe-Moor, Devon, although previously she had an office in London also. She and her team undertake residential and commercial projects throughout the UK but most of her work is in the South West. What are you currently working on? On an extremely varied range of projects, not just in terms of the type of space, but also in terms of the clients’ aspirations. Strangely, though, despite their diversity, all the current projects have one significant element in common – water: a clifftop new-build in Cornwall, refurbishment of a Somerset country house next to a huge pond, a riverside family home in Devon and the re-design of a university reception area in London with a huge fountain at the entrance. What has been your most satisfying project? Very difficult to choose, but a recent project for a new-build holiday home in South Devon turned out to be a ‘perfect storm’ of positive elements: really great clients with huge enthusiasm for the project and a fantastic sense of humour; the opportunity for lots of custom-design of furniture and lighting (top right), which I love doing; and the tremendous pleasure of the clients’ pride in the end result and seeing three generations of the family thoroughly enjoying their new house. What are your favourite materials? I’m always drawn to simple, natural materials such as stone and timber, and soft linens and wool mix fabrics. But I’m very keen on collecting vintage pieces and using these in some of my schemes. As a result of that, I’ve gradually become interested in more unusual and previously under-used metal finishes, which offer tremendous scope for contrasting and experimenting with different textures. The purchase of an old zinc-top table with beautiful patina and some very characterful beaten copper bowls led to the idea of creating a wall from riveted copper panels for a recent project. Who are your go-to suppliers? Favoured suppliers and sources of materials include
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Salcombe Estuary project drawing room
Ashburton for antiques and vintage; Shaw Stephens, the furniture-makers, and Sapphire for kitchens, bathrooms and classic mid-century furniture pieces. Interesting suppliers constantly present themselves. Although I haven’t yet had an opportunity to commission her, I met Stephanie Tudor at the annual craft fair in Bovey Tracey – she creates really exciting, unique wall panels (stephanietudor.co.uk). What are your sources of inspiration? I find inspiration all the time and often in the most unexpected places. I’m always collecting random images, beachcombing for pebbles and driftwood, and taking photos when I’m out and about. I
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London Richmond project kitchen
usually refer to these items at the start of a project, when I’m working on the overall concept. For me, nature is always a rich source of ideas, especially for texture. But magazine images – often the innovative styling in fashion shots – also provide some interesting colour combinations or evoke perfectly a certain mood that words just wouldn’t convey so effectively. I place a lot of value on inspiration and concept development. In fact, there is a section of my website entitled ‘Inspiration’. This has links between the original sources of inspiration and the finished project as the example above illustrates. Travel experiences frequently turn out to be truly inspirational, in particular a recent trip to Istanbul, which was a stunning location for ancient architecture, Iznik tile designs and richly coloured textiles. What are the current trends in your opinion? Many of the most iconic items of furniture and lighting have become rather over-familiar in the past few years as a result of widely available reproductions. Also, retailers are very quick to jump on trends, selling more or less the same ranges on every high street, so I tend to be quite selective about trends, and focus more on creating a personalised space for my clients. I think many people are on a quest for a ‘statement’ piece for their home. Something that is totally unique, which will
distinguish a room from any other room, whether that item is a one-off vintage item, some artwork, a commissioned piece from a craftsperson or just a chair upholstered in a quirky, surprising fabric. One current trend I am keen on – rather surprisingly, because I’ve always been drawn to the calmness of more muted, natural palettes – is the use of dark, vibrant wall colours such as deep turquoise or dark blue. What would be your dream commission? Right now my dream commission would be my own home. Last year we moved from Dartmouth to a beautiful village on Dartmoor, but the house doesn’t quite match up to the location and needs a great deal of work. However, since the move, rather than slowing down to a calmer pace, in step with our new, more rural location, our life has become even more hectic, as a result of acquiring two Dartmoor Hill Pony foals and launching a new vintage business. I can picture exactly how the house will look, and I’ve collected a lot of beautiful furniture and lighting to put in it – I just don’t have the time! saracolledgeinteriordesign.co.uk
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Lighten the mood... As nights draw in the need for tasteful illumination and comfort becomes more apparent. Combine warm lighting and soft textiles for maximum comfort. Saucer ceiling light, Heals, £545
Occa-Home
Dorothy love seat, Kelly Hoppen, £1,395
Chenille throw with velvet trim, Kelly Hoppen, £180
Guaxs Erbse table lamp, Amara, £988
Tom Dixon Beat floor lamp, Occa-Home, £855
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Amara cushion, Clarissa Hulse, £69
Studio lamp, Next, £140
David Trubridge pendant, Amara, £350
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John Lewis
Abel table lamp, John Lewis, £75
Heritage throw, John Lewis
Mantel table lamp, John Lewis, £95
Armchair, Tesco Direct, £299 Log basket, Amara, £115
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Blossoming career Amy Henshaw rents a flower field and a couple of glasshouses at School Farm, Dartington and she is now nurturing the Walled Garden on the estate back into productive growing. She talks to Kate Mount about farming, flowers, form and colour. Photos by Kate Mount.
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e depend on flowers for their medicinal chemistry, for the fuel they provide pollinating insects and for their power to delight and console. But, central as they are to every aspect of our lives, it’s difficult to make an honest living out of growing them, especially if you want to bank on their transient, life-enhancing beauty without damaging the environment. For one thing, if you’re determined to be ‘sustainable’ and local, it’s quite likely that your best potential customers, feeling the same as you do, will have flower gardens of their own, and, living under the same weather as you, will be growing what you grow. And whereas seed merchants and nurserymen can rely on stock for a consistent income, the cut-flower gardener has to go with the seasonal flow, and must somehow get by from day to uncertain day, rain or shine. So how does Amy Henshaw do it, and still manage to look so – well – blooming? “When I started selling my flowers it was a bit hit and miss. I would either come back to the nursery with a pocket full of cash or head to the compost
heap with my unsold bunches – or else just give them away. It was very disappointing. “I realised that if only I could get customers to commit themselves to flowers every week, and to buy into the spirit of an idea as well as a product, then I could work more efficiently and economically. So I set up a subscription service – like a veg box, but with flowers.” Behind Amy’s Flower Project business there’s crocus-like resilience as well as lateral thinking. She was born and raised in Wiltshire and followed in the footsteps of her art school parents by studying Textile Design at Manchester. She specialised in knitwear, and became particularly interested in botanical colour and natural form. “After graduating, I got a job with a rug designer in Bermondsey. But I found the work rather restricting because each piece had to be made to order and to a set specification. And after years in Manchester and London I was starting to need more fresh air.” Suddenly there was plenty of that. Amy swapped Brixton for Majorca and for the next three years worked as chef and first mate on ocean-going sailing
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boats – one of them a three-masted schooner. Then came a defining, unlucky bolt from the blue. “In September 2009, between sailing jobs, I was visiting friends in Clapham when I was knocked off my bike by an uninsured, unqualified 4x4 driver. My right leg was very badly damaged – a tibia plateau fracture – and I had to go back home to be looked after by my parents – at 30! “For three months I could barely move – it was such a difficult repair. I was forced to slow down and think about my life and what might make me happy and fulfilled. I watched an awful lot of Gardener’s World with Monty Don, and that winter I started growing seeds. I needed something to get up for and to nurture.” By the following spring, I was off crutches and able to plan a horticultural road trip with a Dutch friend. We toured Devon and Cornwall, interviewing growers of vegetables and flowers for a project we called Rootball. In the course of our travels we met many inspiring growers who opened my eyes to the practical possibility of working on the land and making a living out of it. “One of the stops on their itinerary was the Dartington Hall Estate, which was founded on the same hope of creating a viable rural economy, and was once the home of a huge horticultural and forestry enterprise that offered horticultural training. Amy found a contemporary equivalent in a qualification in Sustainable Horticulture run in partnership between Schumacher College and Cornwall’s Duchy College. “When I applied, the course was fully booked, but then got a call saying that someone had dropped out – and the rest is history... I moved to Devon and fell in love with the South Hams landscape, the nearby Moors, the sea and the River Dart.” Amy started growing flowers at Dartington in 2011 during the second year of her Schumacher College course, as part of the effort to put heart back into land at School Farm, one of the learning-bydoing experiments of the long-lost Dartington Hall School. There she was taken under the wing of the late Nick Gooderham, “a fantastic, inspirational and knowledgeable grower”. Nick gave her the confidence to go into business as the Flower Project and convinced her of the value of persevering with strictly organic horticultural
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practice, whatever nature might throw at her in the way of storms, pests and less environmentally principled competition. The niche she is now filling with increasing self-assurance combines organic growing and floral design and puts her in the unusual category of what her American counterparts call a ‘farmer florist’. Inspiration from that direction is represented in Floret, a family business in Seattle developed by Erin Benzakein, whose customers buy into an ethos that reconnects flowers to their ecology, and their purchasers to ideas about sustainability, society and the turning world. “I’ve been building relationships with customers and talking about flowers to whomever I meet,
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When I was on my way to Chelsea Flower Show last year, I came across a flower seller outside Sloane Square tube station and I asked him if he had any British flowers in. ‘Flowers don’t grow in England, darlin’,’ he told me… We growers have a lot of work to do!
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AMY’S PROFESSIONAL HEROES Piet Oudolf, the influential Dutch garden designer, and nurseryman, a leading figure of the ‘new perennial’ movement who uses bold drifts of herbaceous perennials and grasses and has recently designed the landscaping for the entire Hauser & Wirth art gallery site in Bruton, Somerset. hauserwirthsomerset.com/garden
helping people become aware of the importance of sustainability, and encouraging them to buy British and connect with their local growers,” she says. “I feel I’m not only supplying flowers. There’s a deeper communication between myself and my customers. Flowers are often the catalyst for memories and emotions. People will often choose varieties for specific events because of the memories they evoke. It makes me feel involved with people and their lives, and I find that very rewarding. For me the social element is just as important as the business element.” The best of Dartington would echo those sentiments. She recently worked alongside Sue Kellam, who arranged flowers for Dartington Hall for a number of years, and brought to a simple weekly ritual strong convictions about hospitality and the energy of the seasons. Now Amy has taken over Sue’s role and has a supply contract that at last gives her a basis on which to build a reliable income. She has also seized an opportunity to restore Dartington Hall’s walled garden, a hidden gem that survives from the days when there was a retail nursery on the edge of the Hall gardens. Protection from the worst of the Devon climate extends the growing year, but, early as anemones may flower and late as autumn foliage holds its colour, her Flower Project may never quite be a year-round proposition. So her interest in textiles and expert knowledge of rugs and rug making continue to complete the career plan. “I don’t see myself as a traditional florist,” she says, “but as a grower with a particular interest in form and colour. I’m as likely to use what some might consider weeds in my arrangements as your perfect hybrid variety dahlia! “If I can get a few people to say that they aren’t going to buy any more tulips that have had to be nursed to Devon all the way from Amsterdam, then I would be very happy.” flowerproject.co.uk
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The South Hams forest gardener Martin Crawford, founder of the Agroforestry Research Unit. Martin is another ‘offspring’ of Dartington Hall, his 30 years in organic agriculture and horticulture having included time teaching with the Dartington-developed Yarner Trust in North Devon and creating a demonstration forest garden project on land next to Schumacher College. agroforestry.co.uk
Matteo Lamaro (below), who grew up in the small coastal town of Ancona, in Italy, opened the Curator Cafe in Totnes in 2011, serving authentic Italian food and what many locals say is the best coffee in town. “Amy approached me and told me about her Flower Project. I liked the idea very much and she gave me some free samples of her flower bunches. I liked the style straightaway – it very much suited our visual ideas for the restaurant. I had always said I wouldn’t have flowers in the cafe, but when she showed us what she could offer I changed my mind completely. I love her flowers.” The Curator Café, 2 The Plains, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5DR. info@italianfoodheroes.com. 01803 865570
Photo credit: Van Ellen + Sheryn Architects
Photo credit: Neptune Kitchens by Distinctly Living - Dartmouth
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Food
The allure of the allotment with Mark Diacono | The South West’s best cookery courses Bites, the latest news and events from Devon and Cornwall’s vibrant food scene The Table Prowler
Sous vide duck egg, squash purée, garlic crouton, peas, chorizo and pea shoots is just one of the beautiful dishes taught at Ashburton Cookery School
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Mark Diacono is on a mission to transform the way we grow food. With watering can and pot of mint in hand, Anna Turns finds out about his plot-to-plate journey.
PHOTO: JASON INGRAM
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The mooli or Chinese white radish
PHOTOS: MARK DIACONO
orget any preconceptions you might have of how an allotment should be. Grower, cook and food writer Mark Diacono is turning the concept of the traditional veg patch on its head and inspiring gardeners (and nongardeners alike) to simply grow a little of what they’d most like to eat. Since moving to Otter Farm near Honiton 11 years ago, he has experimented and created a kitchen garden, orchards, a forest garden, vineyard and perennial garden on his 17-acre farm. Mark insists that our view of the traditional kitchen garden needs to move with the times – we all enjoy eating and cooking a multitude of cuisines and flavours, but most of us still envisage a kitchen garden as a place of hard graft where we grow potatoes, carrots and onions. His new way is a far more creative way of growing produce, and one you can adapt to your own garden, tastes and lifestyle. “Start small and try planting unusual varieties,” he advises. “Above all make the most of whatever garden space you have right now – there’s no time like the present!” He encourages growers not to become overwhelmed by the task in hand: “The usual view of the veg patch is that you have to dedicate all your spare time and energy to it for it to be a success, but it can be lower maintenance if you want it to be. I don’t think people realise there are so many different ways of doing it. And if you are growing something you are looking forward to eating, you’ll no doubt be more likely to carry on nurturing it.” Mark’s latest book, The New Kitchen Garden, presents a diversity of valid, creative alternatives from which readers can pick and choose. “People are doing things genuinely differently for perfectly brilliant and magical reasons,” he muses. “Check out the different things you can grow as well as all the different ways you can grow them – then build up an idea of what you’d like to do yourself.” More than ever before, people are growing food in urban spaces or tiny garden patios – anything goes, and it doesn’t have to involve growing the usual suspects in rows: “There are so many ways of growing food and I felt this hadn’t yet been reflected.” The seed catalogue is Mark’s menu. One of the first questions to ask yourself is whether you want to grow the cheap end of the shop or the more expensive one. Mark favours growing more quirky veg or heritage varieties of fruit and herbs that are harder to buy commercially or that taste so much better if you grow them at home. “Small ingredients with big flavours make the biggest impact – plants like chillies, garlic, herbs and Szechuan pepper,” explains Mark, to whom flavour is king and pleasure his biggest driver. “Eating the best food there is, especially when I have grown it, makes me happy.” For Mark, growing is good for the soul. “I doubt there is anything else in the world that would have the
Celeriac is a winter staple full of ‘savoury earthiness’
If you are growing something you are looking forward to eating, you’ll be more likely to nurture it
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Eating the best food there is, especially when I have grown it, makes me happy
PHOTO: MARK DIACONO
Mark’s daughter Nell has created her own step garden
same effect on me. I get so much out of it – from being creative to the physical exercise and enjoyment of the food I grow to being more tuned in to nature.” Gardening is a powerful way to connect with the environment, engage with the seasons and experience the world around us. “The point isn’t necessarily to be self-sufficient,” says Mark. “I believe the potential of growing some of what you eat to affect your life and community and the bigger issues is enormous, but the reward varies from person to person. It also turns your mind to the whole food world and the nature of carbon and our dysfunctional food system. The more we eat seasonally and locally, the more your pound is working within the local economy and supporting the landscape we live in. And if you grow a little bit of your own food, you’re likely to be more aware and want to take care of the food system a little more.” Mark’s work at Otter Farm is developing with the building of a new kitchen garden school, due to open in spring 2016. Having previously taught at River Cottage, Mark is all too familiar with the lack of awareness of where food comes from. “It’s perfectly normal for people to think potatoes grow on trees, but if they have come from the inner city, they’d have no reason to know. I wouldn’t understand how life works in the city centre! There are gulfs across different cultures – making those little connections, discovering where food that sustains you actually comes from is quite important. So even just growing a few pot plants can be such a mind-changer.” He advises to keep it simple and buy foods that virtually grow themselves, such as mint. “It’s easy to
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grow just a few pots of herbs and, however seemingly small its contribution to what you eat, these few mouthfuls grown rather than bought are likely to ignite a series of positive sparks.” This can also be a great hands-on way of engaging children. Mark’s nine-year-old daughter Nell has created her own step garden, growing containers of the herbs and spices she loves to taste. “She makes tea with the mint or lemon verbena as well as smoothies and fruit drinks. She recognises when to expect Japanese raspberries and she knows that mulberries come into season during the August school holidays. “By personality and taste preferences, autumn is my favourite time of year,” says Mark. “Autumn is when I get busy picking grapes for wine-making, most of the Schezuan peppers are ready, as well as quinces, medlars, walnuts and chestnuts. It’s a lovely harvest of amazing produce.” And Mark explains that, “It doesn’t matter how you come to grow some of what you eat, what that something might be, nor the scale at which you do it; all that matters is that you do.” otterfarm.co.uk Hear Mark Diacono discuss his ideas for kitchen gardening in more detail and share tasters at Eat Your Words, part of Dartmouth Food Festival, 1.30pm on Saturday 24 October at The Flavel Church. £5 each. To book go to dartmouthfoodfestival.com
MORE INSPIRATIONAL KITCHEN GARDENERS The Husbandry School, South Devon: Jonty and Carole Williams run cookery and growing courses from their smallholding on a hilltop at Bickington, Ashburton. husbandry.co.uk Padstow Kitchen Garden, North Cornwall: Ross Geach, Rick Stein’s former head chef, tends 2 acres of land and supplies top restaurants with seasonal produce. padstowkitchengarden.co.uk
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PHOTO: JASON INGRAM
PHOTO: MARK DIACONO
Nell harvests trombocino courgettes, one of the more unusual harvests at Otter Farm
MARK’S TOP THREE FAVOURITE PLANTS TO GROW Szechuan pepper It’s low maintenance, easy and hugely productive. Mulberry Simply the most extraordinary, gorgeous fruit in the world, it is easy to grow and tastes wonderful. When I first tasted mulberry, I realised that there is so much brilliant produce out there that can’t be found in the shops, so if I wanted to eat it I’d have to grow it myself. Peregrine peach If you can pick a heritage variety of peach from your own tree when it is just about to fall of its own accord, it tastes so very different to anything you’ve ever eaten. PHOTO: JASON INGRAM
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PHOTO: ASHBURTON COOKERY SCHOOL
A taste of the best PART ONE
MANOR’s team of foodie writers has taste tested some of Devon and Cornwall’s best food and drink masterclasses and cookery schools. Each with their own style of teaching, there’s a course to suit all levels of ability and every palate.
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Best for dinner parties beetroot glaze. The puddings were peanut butter and salted caramel ice cream and chocolate fondant. All the food was delicious and we were each sent home with the remaining starter, a watercress velouté with lemon and thyme salted cod and poached quails eggs, and a Teriyaki glazed salmon. In addition to the core element of the course, we learnt a few extras, including how to make fancy chocolate decorations to upgrade the look of your pudding. The knife skills we learnt during the day were also extremely useful. It was also really good to see so many local ingredients being used, including milk from Riverford Dairy and Bell & Loxton Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil. This course is a superb, fun and very professional day for people with intermediate cooking skills and a love of good food.
Students at work in one of Ashburton Cookery School’s teaching kitchens (opposite); tutor Dave Gardiner (left); spiced crab and smoked salmon tian with lemon and coriander vinaigrette (below)
PHOTOS: HAYLEY REYNOLDS
Hayley Reynolds cooks up a menu to impress her guests at Ashburton Cookery School . Arriving at the impressive-looking Ashburton Cookery School, I was a little apprehensive. However, I was quickly put at ease by the extremely friendly front-of-house staff member, who introduced me to five ladies and three men sitting around a large table; within minutes we were all chatting over a coffee, and the atmosphere was welcoming. Course tutor Dave Gardiner then joined us to introduce the cookery school’s background, his experience as a chef and tutor, and to give an overview of what we’d be doing. Ashburton Cookery School was established by Stella West-Harling, who started the business from her house, around the Aga in her kitchen. Previously, Stella had run an organic restaurant and her love and passion for locally produced food was a major influence from the start and continues to be a key ingredient of the course. In 2004, Stella met with Darrin Hosegrove, the chef director. It was at this point it changed from a small home-based business to a much bigger, more professional entity. In 2009, they took over the new premises where all the action takes place today. Having been put at ease and encouraged to ask as many questions as we liked, we were taken into the kitchen. The kitchen layout was as I had expected: first rate with plenty of work surfaces, ovens, Kenwoods and all the other equipment you could possibly need, as well as a TV screen over the demo area for easy viewing. After a talk on food hygiene and health and safety, we were ready to start. The Menu of the Day consisted of two starters, two main courses and two puddings, each with intricate elements. With a great mix of demo and practice we worked our way through the recipes, mostly in pairs. The day was quite fast-paced but it was so carefully explained that it was easy to keep up. All the less exciting elements, such as weighing ingredients and peeling potatoes, have been pre-prepped and there were a couple of young staff members busy washing dishes. After a very busy morning, we sat down at around 1.30pm to enjoy our spiced crab and smoked salmon tian, lemon and coriander vinaigrette starter with a glass of chilled white wine. Then we were back in the kitchen finishing off the main courses, before returning to the dining area to feast on walnutcrusted pork loin, cider potato, buttered cabbage and
DINNER PARTIES £165. Tutor: Dave Gardiner. 9.15am-3.15pm. Next courses: 20 September, 4 October. Ashburton Cookery School, Old Exeter Road, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7LG. 01364 652784. ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk
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Best for world food Anna Turns enjoys a vibrant foodie tour of Northern India, all from the comfort of Kingswear’s Manna from Devon Cookery School. Last year, Holly and David Jones, owners of Manna from Devon cookery school, spent four weeks travelling around India, immersing themselves in the local cuisine. This one-day course, Inside North Indian Cooking, very much took me and the other three course participants on a sensory journey. With Holly’s vivid descriptions, stories and anecdotes throughout the day, I felt I experienced a real flavour of this culture: from India’s street food to the authentic use of spices, and the whole day was filled with fantastic smells and vibrant rainbow colours as we prepared our feast. It’s a far cry from what most Brits know as curry. North Indian cuisine is much more delicate, using dried spices, plenty of garlic and ginger, tomatoes and chillies. The main cooking medium is usually dairy, be that cream, milk, yogurt or ghee (clarified butter), and most dishes are vegetarian with some chicken and lamb (but no beef because cows are sacred in the North). Manna from Devon courses are always small (with six people at the most), resulting in an intimate, casual and relaxed feel. Holly taught the four of us around a large wooden kitchen table with a view across to the River Dart – no stainless steel in sight. None of us had travelled to India before so we were all curious, having cooked basic curries from scratch but nothing more adventurous until now. Holly introduced the day by talking us through her selection of aromatic spices, from whole turmeric to king cumin, all of which she told us could be bought locally. Holly’s style of cooking was very much instinctive. Quantities were rarely weighed out exactly, but this meant we could each create dishes to suit our individual palates, guided by taste. First up we made a garam masala, a mix of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and black pepper, and a paste of ginger and garlic, both of which would be added to many dishes throughout the day. With a brief demo and then
plenty of hands-on kneading, we made pastry for samosas and dough for naan bread, which we then came back to later, plus we marinated the butter chicken. Next, we used a pestle and mortar to pummel herbs and spices together to make deliciously hot dipping sauces – sweet chilli sauce plus fresh coriander and mint sauce – before cooking up the veggie mix and making our samosas. Other dishes included red lentil dhal, smoky aubergines, spicy Rajasthani lamb kebabs, paneer with spinach and a sweet carrot halva for dessert. Active participation is always the best way to learn and we were all kept busy chopping, mixing, stirring and dibbling (the technique used to thin out the naan dough) throughout the day. Rather than getting bogged down with timings, cooking schedules and methodology, we all just went with the relaxed pace of the day – not having the eight or so recipes in front of us helped (these were emailed to us after the course). By 3.30pm, we all sat down together on the veranda to share the diverse mix of dishes we had created together – my favourite dish, and probably the most beautiful to look at, was the pineapple chutney, a refreshing fruit salad mixed with coriander and chilli. None of the technical skills required were complex (novices and advanced cooks would both enjoy the day), but to make all of these recipes on your own for the first time in one day would require a lot of shopping, preparation and organising. I’d probably be tempted to keep it simple at home and replicate just two or three dishes at a time. One thing’s for sure: curry night at my house just got a whole lot more exciting!
Enjoying the results of our day course
INSIDE NORTH INDIAN COOKING £149. Tutor:Holly Jones. 10am-4pm. Next course: 14 November. Manna from Devon, Fir Mount House, Higher Contour Road, Kingswear, Devon TQ6 0DE. 01803 752943. mannafromdevon.com
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Best for tea Richard Allsopp takes The Tea School masterclass at Tregothnan. In this nation of tea drinkers it would be difficult to find someone who doesn’t know how to make, mash or brew a cup of tea. With a per-person consumption of more than 2.5 kilos of tealeaves a year and the basic equipment to make a cuppa in every house and home, a day spent taking and tasting The Tea School Masterclass at Tregothnan in Cornwall might seem like a slightly odd choice, but one that comes highly recommended to give an instructive and revealing insight into the history, cultivation, production, brewing and tasting of tea. The Tregothnan estate, ‘the home of English tea’ and the only working tea plantation in the UK, lies on the quiet wooded banks of the River Fal, a few miles south-east of Truro. Home to the Boscawen family since 1335, collectors of rare plants and botanicals since the late 17th century, the estate was the first place in the British Isles to grow ornamental camellias outdoors. Some 200 years later, in the mid-1990s, the idea of establishing a working tea plantation began to be realized by the current Director of Gardens, Jonathon Jones, who saw the potential of the estate’s cool climate, acid soil and soft waters to grow tea bushes – Camellia sinensis – in the exceptional botanical gardens of the estate. The first crop of Tregothnan Tea was produced in 2005 after seven years of careful preparation and nurturing the plantation. Jonathon Jones – an infectiously enthusiastic and hugely knowledgeable authority on the growing, production and drinking of tea – hosts our small and international group of tea fanatics in the Tea Room, with its impressive chrome Unilever tea-making machine. The Masterclass has something for everyone – from the legendary origins of tea drinking and preparation in ancient China, to the cultivation of the Camellia sinensis bush, and Jonathon’s own inspiring two-year research journey through tea gardens and plantations in Indian, Japan, Africa and China, via the making of white, green and black teas and herbal tisanes, to the current expanding international tea markets and latest tea-making gadgets. Fortified with copious cups of tea and with heads full of fascinating details, we set off on foot to the plantation in Himalayan Valley, a beautiful area of the estate leading down past a series of small lakes to the River Fal, where we are given a comprehensive
Jonathon Jones
and engaging demonstration on the art and process of producing leaf tea. The first flush of leaves on the ‘plucking table’ of Camellia sinensis bushes is picked by hand at dawn by taking the top two leaves and a bud. These are laid on bamboo racks to allow gentle withering. The leaves are then rolled traditionally by hand between two surfaces; the more intense the rolling, the stronger the resulting flavour. The next step is oxidation, which involves spreading the rolled leaves on a flat surface and keeping them at a controlled temperature. As the natural liquids in the cells interact, the colour changes from green to brown. The final stage is to dry the leaves to 2% moisture. White, green and black teas are all produced from the same leaves and are only differentiated by the various processes the leaves undergo. All processes are entirely chemical-free and have been sustainable for more than 4,000 years. Winding back up the valley and through the gardens, we arrive back at the Tea Room for a Cornish lunch, then onto an intensive tea-tasting session that ranges from the lightest of green teas to classic English Breakfast and Earl Grey teas via myrtle, manuka, and lemon verbena tisanes, all produced on the estate. Our palates refreshed, our minds enlivened and our curiosity satisfied, we depart clutching packets of Tregothnan tea and in agreement with A.A. Milne that “a Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards.”
TEA SCHOOL MASTERCLASS £95. Tutor: Jonathon Jones. Next course: 6 November. The Tea Room, Tregothnan Estate, Tresillian, Truro, TR2 4AN. 01872 520000. tregothnan.co.uk
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Claws for celebration
F
amily firm Favis of Salcombe Ltd is celebrating winning GOLD at the Taste of the West Awards this year for its hand-picked white crab (left). The family have been fishing the South Devon waters in their crabber, the Emma Jane, since 1972 and have a reputation for excellence in the industry. After landing the catch at Salcombe’s Fish Quay, it is transported to their nearby factory where it is cooked, handpicked and packed in record time. They supply some of the top restaurants and chefs in the county and pride themselves on being able to provide the very freshest crab and lobster - getting it from pot to plate in less than eight hours.
For more information please contact the team on 01548 521182 or visit favis-os.com
Keith Favis with sons Kevin, Nigel and crabber the Emma Jane
The Favis team aboard the Emma Jane
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food Make the most of the region’s superb crab and lobster with these delicious recipes from the Favis family. Crab croquettes with mustard and parmesan and a smoky paprika mayo INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 100g white crab meat • 100g brown crab meat • 200g mashed potato • 50g parmesan cheese finely grated • 1 tablespoon english mustard • Salt and pepper • 2 eggs beaten • 1 bowl of flour • 1 bowl of Panko (or breadcrumbs)
1. Mix all the croquette ingredients and form the croquettes into thumb sized portions; then flour, egg and Panko and place in the fridge. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the mayo by mixing the lemon juice, paprika and cayenne pepper into your mayonnaise. 3. Deep fry the croquettes in hot oil for two minutes or until golden brown and serve with the smoky paprika mayo.
SMOKY PAPRIKA MAYO
• 1 cup mayonnaise • 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper • Juice of half a lemon
Panko-coated Salcombe lobster with a chilli, soy and shrimp paste jam, fresh coriander and lime INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 1 live medium local lobster (around 800g is enough for 2 as a main or 4 starters) • Plain flour • Sparkling water • Panko breadcrumbs
Put the live lobster into the freezer for 1 hour to send it to sleep, then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then straight into ice water to cool. When cold, cut the lobster in half and crack the claws, remove all the meat and cut into 3 or 4 cm pieces and store in the fridge.
FOR THE JAM
• 50g finely chopped shallots • 20g finely chopped garlic • 30g finely chopped red chilli • 20g finely chopped ginger • 1 cup sherry vinegar • 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce • ½ a cup sugar (palm sugar if poss) • 3 teaspoons shrimp paste
For the jam: Place all the ingredients into a heavy saucepan and half the sugar and cook slowly for 20 minutes, check the consistency and taste and add more sugar to thicken if needed. For the batter: 1. Whisk together the plain flour and sparkling water to form a thin batter. 2. Place the lobster pieces into the batter then into the Panko crumbs, shake off any excess and deep fry until golden in hot oil. 3. Serve with the chilli jam, fresh coriander, wedges of lime and tempura wild garlic flowers (dip the wild garlic flowers into plain flour then into your thin batter mix from the lobster and deep fry in very hot oil).
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Bites
PHOTO: TOBY LOWE
100% Cornish Truro is gearing up for the largest event anywhere dedicated 100% to Cornish food and drink: The Great Cornish Food Festival, 25 - 27 September. Try your hand at everything from filleting fish to cocktail creativity, with three days of tastings and culinary titbits. Organisers Cornwall Food & Drink anticipate over 60 producers and more than 40 chefs and food experts taking part, with an exhibitor line-up that includes everyone from household Cornish names like Rodda’s,
Nathan Outlaw at the Great Cornish Food Festival
Sharp’s Brewery and Furniss, to artisan producers such as South Western Distillery, which produces the aromatic Tarquin’s Gin. Celebrated seafood chef Nathan Outlaw is confirmed to headline a tantalising programme of masterclasses and demonstrations across two different stages, in company with a host of Cornwall’s top chefs and food experts. 9am-5.30pm. Free. Lemon Quay, Truro. greatcornishfood.co.uk
Lobster & Crab Feast On 6 September, celebrate Clovelly’s famous fare and enjoy seafood platters made with lobster and crab caught sustainably by local fishermen. This event is in aid of the National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow, which will be exhibiting some of its baby lobsters prior to their release into Clovelly Bay at the end of the day. Clovelly Harbour. 10am-5pm. Admission charges apply. 01237 431781. clovelly.co.uk
A taste of Andalucía Take a gastronomic tour of Spain with Manna from Devon’s David and Holly Jones, who have teamed up with a hotel called Las Chimeneas in the Eastern Alpujarra Mountains near Granada to host an exclusive one-week Spanish cookery course. The Alpujarras are home to the worldfamous jamon serrano and local culinary delights such as honey and olive oil are second-to-none. “Walking and cooking are two of my biggest
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passions in life, so combining the two makes for a special course full of adventure in the scenic hills and in the kitchen,” says David, chef and co-owner of Manna from Devon. “To teach Spanish cookery in the remote and authentic area of the Alpujarras in Andalucía – it doesn’t get more exciting than that!” 3 - 10 October. Maximum 16 people per trip. mannafromdevon.com
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Eat the seasons When a hamper or fish box delivery arrives on my doorstep, my heart sinks if the packaging doesn’t live up to the sustainable ethos of the food contents, writes Anna Turns. Not so with Trill Farm’s seasons box – everything arrived in biodegradable packaging, with not a dot of polystyrene in sight. The box was full of beautifully presented edible treats and handmade products all made with natural ingredients, herbs and harvests grown on Romy Fraser’s farm near Axminster. Trill summer tea brewed in a glass teapot was a pleasure to drink, the blue mallow, pink rose and lemon verbena giving an earthy, grassy flavour with citrus tones. It also tasted refreshing on ice with a slice of lemon. Elderflower and rhubarb cordial was another hit – an unusual take on elderflower, this wasn’t overly sweet, and the rhubarb gives a depth and richness that I hadn’t tasted before in a cordial. The rustic-looking barley crackers didn’t last long –
these thin, floury crispbreads added texture to a warming bowl of homemade tomato soup, and the caraway seeds livened them up. And the raw, unfiltered honey is a mile away from blended supermarket varieties – it couldn’t be more traceable, with bees producing this scented liquid gold from wildflowers growing naturally on the 300-acre farm. The pot of aromatic salt seasoning was recommended to accompany white fish but I actually used it on the skin of roast chicken, which added an unusual depth to the meat – ingredients unexpectedly included dried blood orange as well as fennel and new season garlic. Other foodie delights in the box included Trill’s own BBQ sauce, fresh garlic bulbs and a trio of living salad plants: summer purslane, amaranth and flashy butter oak lettuce, which luckily were supplied with growing instructions and harvesting tips. And the box also included body balm, soap and a citronella candle, which fit with the ethos of Trill Farm perfectly – all adapted to suit the season every quarter. Highly recommended! Try the Trill Seasons Autumn box: Book now for delivery on 7 October. £75. Exclusive products include apple juice, bramble jam, chilli and tomato sauce, hazelnut spice mix and pumpkin. trillfarm.co.uk
Food on the run
PHOTO: GUY HARROP
The Delicious Drake’s Trail takes place on Sunday 4 October in aid of CHICKS charity. To enter, go to: deliciousdrakestrail.co.uk
PHOTO: GUY HARROP
The Delicious Drake’s Trail returns this autumn, offering fun-loving foodies the chance to take a unique gastronomic tour of West Devon on foot. Starting at Buckland Abbey, participants will run/jog/walk their way around a dozen different food and drink stops hosted by local pubs, hotels, cafés and pop-up caterers. By the time they reach the finish at the Moorland Garden Hotel, participants will have tasted a mouth-watering variety of local produce including sweets, savouries, cider and beer. Spectators are well catered for, too, with plenty of opportunities to raise a glass to the runners from the comfort of a bar stool or beer garden en route. With a ‘Welcome to the Circus’ fancy dress theme, participants should be easy enough to spot! A food festival at the Moorland Garden Hotel, with market stalls and cookery demos, will also give spectators plenty to try, buy and do while waiting to cheer the runners across the finish line.
Jesters enjoy a slightly bonkers take on a fun run, eating their way from Buckland Abbey to Moorland Garden Hotel on the Delicious Drake’s Trail
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Boxing clever Devon-based veg box company Riverford has been named the Ethical Product of the Decade at The Observer Ethical Awards. Decided by public vote, this national award is designed to honour the retailer, designer, brand or shop that makes it easier for people to live more ethically. Riverford founder Guy Watson (left) was thrilled to be presented with the award by The Observer’s editor John Mulholland and BBC presenter Lucy Siegle at a ceremony at the V&A museum in London. “For almost 30 years, I have aimed to use the business to make the world a slightly better place, one veg box at a time,” said Guy. “Put simply, we want to give people good, fresh, flavoursome, ethically produced food that they can trust, produced and delivered in a way that gives a fair deal to farmers, animals, customers, staff and the environment. As far as we are concerned, the best things in life are shared, and food – good food – is the greatest example of this, and we want it to be available to everyone. It is very rewarding to have had this accolade from the Observer.”
WHAT’S IN A BOX? Harriet Fitzgerald takes delivery of a Riverford Recipe Box A recipe box sounded like a good way to experiment with vegetarian cooking, so I looked online, saw the week’s recipes – they sounded delicious: aubergine moussaka, roasted pimento peppers with cous cous, quinoa, spinach and egg curry – so i decided to give it a go. I didn’t need to be at home to collect the delivery. My box arrived while I was at work. When I opened it that evening the butter, milk and so forth were still chilled as they were packed in a returnable cool bag (lined with sheep’s wool). In fact, all the packaging can be recycled. Opening the box was like Christmas – it was beautifully packed, the vegetables were firm, shiny and squeaky fresh; there are cards for each recipe, and an ‘enjoy with’ sheet offering matching wine suggestions, plus a cheese plate and intense chocolate. All the ingredients were organic and the only ones I needed to reach into my store cupboard for were olive oil and salt.
follows instructions. The prep and cook times varied from 35 - 75 minutes. My favourite of the three recipes was the quinoa, spinach and egg curry with naan bread. Curries can be such a faff to cook, but this was a breeze. It introduced me to new ingredients (I’d never cooked quinoa before). Making it was like being on a cookery course, only at home. My only misgiving was the volume of water to add to the quinoa was too much. I’m a pretty messy cook. By the time I’ve prepared a meal, my kitchen looks like there’s been a minor explosion. With a Riverford recipe box, everything comes ready weighed and measured (far less washing up). I’m a convert! Amounts are generous – the recipes are for two healthy appetites, but they could easily be stretched to three. Pretty good value at £33.95.
The step-by-step instructions were straightforward. It’s best (and more fun) with two people – one reading the recipe, while the other
Three different Riverford recipe boxes are available: Vegetarian (£33.95), Quick (£39.95) and Original (£39.95) riverford.co.uk
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food
DON’T MISS... 5 SEPTEMBER Nourish Festival Now in its second year, this festival of food, craft and music celebrates with street food and producer stalls. Fore Street, Bovey Tracey. Free. nourishfestival.org 5 SEPTEMBER Fishstock The English Riviera’s renowned urban music and seafood festival is in aid of the Fishermen’s Mission. Fish Quay, Brixham. englishriviera.co.uk 11 - 13 SEPTEMBER Newquay Fish Festival With top chefs including Nathan Outlaw, Rick Stein and BBC MasterChef’s James Nathan, this year’s event focuses on the diversity of sustainable seafood that local fishermen catch. newquayfishfestival.co.uk 12 SEPTEMBER Ashburton Food Festival With a cookery theatre at St Lawrence Chapel and 50 artisan
stallholders lining St Lawrence Lane. 10am-5pm. Free ashburtonfoodfestival.co.uk 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER Bude for Food Festival A hive of foodie activity with artisan producers from Bude and Cornwall, plus chef demos. £1.50. The Castle in Bude. #BigUpBude 26 - 27 SEPTEMBER Plymouth Seafood Festival The world’s first city to be awarded the Fish2Fork Blue City status for its commitment to sourcing sustainable fish hosts this festival of fresh seafood and fish cookery. Barbican and Sutton Harbour, Plymouth. visitplymouth.co.uk 26 - 27 SEPTEMBER Apple & Cider Weekend Taste fresh apple juice straight from the apple press at the pop-up cider bar and enjoy the Westcountry’s much-loved tipple. 10am-4pm. Free. The Shops at Dartington. dartington.org
1 - 4 OCTOBER Boscastle Food Arts & Craft Festival Showcasing top talent from Cornwall’s finest restaurants – see the chefs in action and get the flavour of what life’s like behind the kitchen door. boscastlefestival.co.uk 3 - 4 OCTOBER Powderham Food Festival Family-friendly cookery workshops, demos and activities throughout the weekend, including Exeter’s own Fun Kitchen, plus woodland crafts group Running Deer will be cooking over campfires. £6/£2. 10.30am -5pm powderhamfoodfestival.com 8 - 11 OCTOBER Falmouth Oyster Festival In celebration of the start of the oyster-dredging season, visit the last remaining traditional oyster fishery in Europe still dredging by sail and hand punt. Events Square, Falmouth. From 10am until late each day. falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk
Christmas Parties with Eden
The Greenway Hotel and Spa Get into the festive spirit with Christmas parties at The Greenway Hotel & Spa. Christmas parties include a three course meal, Christmas crackers and prosecco.
Bovey Castle Christmas parties include a glass of prosecco on arrival, three course lunch or dinner, hire of private dining room and festive table decorations.
The Mount Somerset Hotel and Spa Celebrate Christmas at The Mount Somerset Hotel & Spa. Christmas parties include a three course meal, Christmas crackers and a disco.
Party Lunch Price from £30.00 per person Party Dinner Price from £35.00 per person
£39.00 per person
£39.00 per person
Terms & Conditions apply. Subject to availability. Please call to check availability on selected dates.
Visit www.edenhotelcollection.com to view our Christmas brochure or buy gift vouchers North Bovey, Devon, TQ13 8RE T: 01647 445000 E: christmas@boveycastle.com www.boveycastle.com
Shurdington, Cheltenham, GL51 4UG T: 01242 862352 E: info@thegreenway.co.uk www.thegreenwayhotelandspa.com /thegreenwayhotel
@greenwayhotel
/boveycastlehotel
210815 - Manor (Christmas) 190x133 - TGWHS TMSHS BVC (White Banner).indd 1
@boveycastle
Taunton, Somerset, TA3 5NB T: 01823 442500 E: info@mountsomersethotel.co.uk www.themountsomersethotelandspa.com /themountsomerset
@mountsomerset
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Signature dish Mutton is currently going through a renaissance and it’s back on the menu at The Millbrook Inn at South Pool near Kingsbridge. A huge advocate of nose-to-tail cookery, chef Jean-Philippe Bidart, or JP (right), enjoys cooking this underrated meat in various forms. “Mutton is cheaper than lamb and has a richer, gamier flavour. For hundreds of years, it was a staple meat of every household but it has virtually disappeared over the past 50 years,” explains JP. “There is a misconception that it is tough as old boots and very strong. But cooked in the right way it is delicious with an intense flavour and its texture is far superior to new season lamb.” Mutton is on the menu at the Millbrook Inn on a regular basis and in doing so this gastropub is supporting local farmers like Rebecca Hosking at Village Farm in nearby East Portlemouth who breeds organic lamb and mutton. “We’ll buy a whole carcass at a time from a local farm and make use of all the meat, usually selecting a two-year-old animal. Mutton is available year-round but is best, and most readily available, from late spring until October. thevillagefarm.co.uk millbrookinnsouthpool.co.uk
Recipe: Shoulder of mutton croquette, part of JP’s assiette of mutton.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 500g of shoulder • 1 carrot diced to 1cm cubes • 1 small leek, finely sliced • 1 white onion, finely sliced • 1 stick of celery, finely sliced • 3 cloves of garlic • Bay leaf • 1 gelatin leaf or 5g gelatin powder • 2 sprigs of thyme • 1 clove • 1 shallot, finely diced • 10g chopped parsley • 70cl of red wine • 50g flour • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 packet of Panko breadcrumbs • Dash of vegetable oil • Salt and pepper
1. Pan-fry the vegetables together with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the bay leaf. When they start to turn golden, deglaze with a bottle of red wine, and then remove from the heat. Remove the bay leaf. 2. Take another large pan, add a dash of vegetable oil and heat until it is really hot and then sear the mutton for about two minutes on both sides to seal in the flavour. 3. Add to the vegetables and wine, cover and cook in the oven at 170°c for 1hr 30mins. When it is cooked, remove from the jus, shred it and leave to cool. 4. Discard the vegetables but keep the juice. Boil, skim and then reduce this to one third, or 300ml. Take one gelatin leaf (dissolved as per packet instructions) or 5g of gelatin powder, put in cold water and then add to the jus. Leave it to cool, mix in the shredded mutton so that the texture is not too wet and not too hard. 5. Mould into a large sausage about 2cm in diameter, wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge to cool. Then divide into 8cm portions, dip each piece in the flour, dip in the eggs and then cover in Panko breadcrumbs. 6. Pre-heat a deep fat fryer to 180°c and cook for two minutes until golden brown. Place on kitchen roll to drain off the excess fat. 7. Suggest serving with garlic fondant potatoes, pea purée, braised red cabbage and red wine and mint sauce. TIP: When the mutton is cooked it will flake very easily when you pull it apart with two forks.
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The Table Prowler Circa 24, Exeter
Like many regional cities, Exeter has a plethora of chain eateries, so when a new independent bags itself a sweet spot right in the belly of the beast, the cheer goes up. Twirling its moustache and twanging its tweed braces, Circa 1924 slides stylishly into the space vacated by Harry’s on Northernhay Place and looks set to make its mark. Downstairs, a moonshiner-inspired ‘speakeasy’ bar, all wooden pallets and corrugated iron, presents a friendly vibe and a tantalising cocktail list. Upstairs is a chic combination of polished walnut and dark upholstery – Gatsby would feel right at home. And he would simply adore the new menu: in a revamp of the steakhouse vibe, Circa 1924 adds seafood to the mix, plus a bit of international (Asia, South America) fusion for good measure. Happily, none of this is just for show – the kitchen is clearly home to a talented team who are confident to tweak flavour combinations and add their own twist. We jump right into the sea with silky oysters, which slip down easily thanks to a zippy red wine vinegar and shallot dressing. A purist at heart, I’m less fussed about the fried version, although the other half prefers them (philistine). Scallop ceviche arrives perched atop a bright nubbin of sweet potato, looking like a Miró on a plate – it’s a fresh and zesty pop to the gob. On the other side of the table, thick coils of cured salmon are packed with a satisfyingly nasal-twitching wasabi cream; gems of beetroot purée add
Wildebeest, Falmouth
I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, but I am always curious to try new things, so I find myself in Wildebeest, sitting at a table deep inside the small rectangular restaurant, close by the open kitchen area. As on most nights (except Tuesdays when it’s closed), the six or so tables are fully booked. We order glasses of chilled organic rosé , scan the menu on the blackboard and choose between the three dishes per course on offer – a distinct plus – so it doesn’t take long to decide. To start we both plump for the mushroom har gao (a crystal skin dumpling), which arrives glistening and translucent like some exotic marine creature. It is served with a savoury broth and a smear of sticky garlic and chives. The bite of the dumpling combines faultlessly with the earthy three-mushroom and tarragon filling, offset by the deeply delicious broth. At Wildebeest, attention is squarely focused on food created and cooked with inventiveness and devotion, and prepared from the best organic produce. The surroundings tend towards the austere: scrubbed wood tables, hard benches, no music (hurrah!), faintly whimsical paintings on whitewashed walls, utility lighting and a smattering of small planted terrariums. Above a narrow bar with high stools is a large blackboard chalked with Wildebeest appreciations, aphorisms and even a vegan joke or two. Yes, ‘beetroot to yourself’, vegans do apparently have ‘a sense of hummus’. For the main course, my quinoa salad with avocado,
an earthy sweetness that ties it all together better than The Dude’s favourite rug. For mains we go meaty. My ribeye of Longhorn beef is thick and juicy, a nugget of fat glistening right where it should be. I plump for chimichurri sauce on the side, which packs a hot garlicky punch, but, to be honest, a steak this good needs no adornment. So it speaks volumes that I’m soon gripped by envy over the other half’s pork belly – it’s the best either of us has tasted. Crispy on top, umami-rich, the flesh succumbs wantonly to the mere suggestion of the fork; a delicate pile of pickled fennel is a stroke of genius. In fact, the only miss-step is the side of tempura veg – the batter is floury rather then flavoursome, adding nothing to perfectly good broccoli and carrot. The enterprise might have a hipster whiff about it, but there’s no messing about with silly pretentions here – bar one starter, food arrives on plates! Hurrah! – because the product is a winner. With food this good, and supported by a front-of house team brimming with good humour, knowledge and charm, Circa 1924 should keep the cheer going a long while. circa1924.co.uk Food 9 | Service 9 | Location 8 | Ambience 8
edamame beans, spiralised cucumber, pomegranate seeds, pickled carrot and a citrus miso dressing is so pretty I hesitate to dismantle it. This is serious crunch with bright combinations and the occasional zing. My companion tucks into fried polenta sticks with sautéed celeriac (small golden cubes of deliciousness), broad beans, a pea and wasabi foam, glazed beetroot, mustard seeds, rocket and a mustard mayo. Is this the vegan equivalent of the seriously good fish and chips readily available elsewhere in Falmouth? He says not a word but piles through every last mouthful. If you have been tempted to subscribe to the view that vegan cooking is rather worthy – even a little bland and insipid – then prepare to be amazed not only by the tastes and textures of the savoury courses, but also by the richness and intensity of the chocolate espresso torte with toasted hazelnuts, cacao nibs, raspberries and coconut whipped cream. It virtually floats away from the plate. We finish with two serious espressos whitened with something coconutty before picking up a surprisingly reasonable bill for a threecourse dinner with wine and coffee. wildebeestcafe.com Food 9 | Service 8 | Location 7 | Ambience 7
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0844 800 2813 www.cornishgems.com
Luxury holiday homes, cottages and apartments with ‘wow factor’. Properties wanted for 2016!
Do you have a Cornish Gem waiting to be discovered? Is your contract renewal date approaching?
Contact us - our website, marketing and experienced team will achieve your property’s maximum earning potential. 126
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Escape
Running to escape in Cornwall | Unadulterated luxury in the Maldives The beauty of the coast
A water villa deck at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa. shangri-la.com/maldives
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Holidays on the run…
Beach Retreats has teamed up with trail runner Helen Clare to create some great running routes along the South West Coast Path. Here are three gorgeous Cornish coastal letting properties, each with their very own coastal run.
H
elen Clare (above) is a yoga teacher in Cornwall, working closely with runners and other athletes as part of their crosstraining and recovery. Helen teaches regular classes in Porthtowan, offers private sessions to suit individual needs and leads yoga retreats, often combined with trail running. She has run most of the coastline around Watergate Bay. “You only have to look at the scenery here to see the appeal of running along the coast path,” she says. “It’s more about freedom, being relaxed, away from traffic and not running against the clock. Listen to yourself; walk if you need to. Make sure you turn back before you’re tired. “From a physical point of view, coastal running can be more challenging on your legs, core and cardiovascular system, but the softer surfaces are
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a lot easier on your feet, using more muscles, and it strengthens your ankles and knees. There is less impact trail running than running on hard surfaces, which gives more protection to your back (many long-distance runners have back problems). “For kit I recommend specialist trail-running shoes: they have more grip. You will be running on gravel, stony ground, grass, or loose earth. Take water and a phone with you, wear the right clothes, and remember that the weather can change very suddenly.” helenclareyoga.com For Helen’s tips and recommended stretches for those running the coastal path go to the blog pages of beachretreats.co.uk
escape
NO.1, THE BEACH, PORTHTOWAN
THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE, ST AGNES
Perched on the edge of Porthtowan Beach, No. 1 The Beach is a brand new property with uninterrupted sea views in a quiet spot, making it the perfect place to relax and stretch following an invigorating run along the coast. There is easy access to steps down to the sandy beach, backed by dunes, where there’s a handful of cafes, pubs and restaurants, plus surf hire and lessons.
Just a few minutes from the South West Coast Path, the Old School House, which sleeps up to eight, is an ideal base for a group running holiday. The Grade II listed house is in St Agnes, mid-way along the north Cornwall coast in between Chapel Porth to the west and Perranporth to the east. The picturesque sandy beach at St Agnes, called Trevaunance Cove, is a well-known surf spot.
THE RUN Start/Finish: Porthtowan Distance: 3.4 miles (5.5km) Difficulty: Moderate Summary: The old engine house at Wheal Coates perches dramatically on the cliff tops above Chapel Porth beach. Pause at the caves and the natural arch at Chapel Porth beach before continuing the run past the mining and wartime remains in Chapel Combe on your way back to Porthtowan. Catch low tide at Chapel Porth to see the beach at its best.
THE RUN Start/Finish: St Agnes Distance: 4 miles (6.5km) Difficulty: Moderate Summary: Run around the colourful St Agnes scenery – the backdrop for Poldark’s Nampara valley in the recent BBC adaptation – featuring blue seas and purple-andyellow heathland, with wide-ranging views over green pastureland from the top of St Agnes Beacon. There are short stretches of ascent and descent, but nothing steep or prolonged.
Week-long stays for up to six people, priced from £615 for the week
Week-long stays for up to eight people, priced from £615 for the week.
THE VILLAGE, WATERGATE BAY Self-catering eco-houses overlooking Watergate Bay (home to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant). With a large decking and sea view veranda, two or four bedrooms, a spacious living room, kitchen, laundry cupboard with washer/dryer, and private parking, The Village provides beach living at its best. If running isn’t enough, The Extreme Academy offers beach sport activities such as surfing, kite surfing, waveski, hand-planing and more.
PHOTO: KRISTIN PRISJ
THE RUN Start/Finish: Watergate Bay Distance: 4.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Summary: High on the hills to the north of Newquay, there are panoramic sea views beyond a coastline carved by the waves into caves and islets. This route visits one of the South West’s major centres of prehistoric civilisation, travelling along ancient green lanes. Access to this route is available straight from The Village car park. Week-long stays for up to five people, priced from £750 for the week For more information about the routes go to: southwestcoastpath.com/walks To find out more about the properties go to: beachretreats.co.uk
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Sheer bliss
Water villas at Serenity Bay
There is nothing that screams ‘book now!’ more than the slump that ensues following the end of summer. Fantasising about a week away in January or February, full of sunshine and sand between the toes, our minds often drift to far-off luxurious winter sun destinations such as The Maldives. Never been? Us neither. Sarah Pirie enlightens us.
W
e were familiar with The Maldives’ reputation for plush sand beaches and overwater bungalows streaming off scattered little islands, but we were in search of an island that could offer a bit more than the usual, and once we did a bit of digging we found ourselves lusting over Villingili Island – the southernmost tip of the 2,000-island archipelago that is the Maldives. Villingili lays within Addu Atoll, 541 kilometres south of Malé and is home to the second largest city in the Maldives, Addu City. Although this distance means it’s an additional 1.5 hour flight from the country’s capital, Malé, sometimes the best things are not easily accessible – and with Villingili, additional distance is worth it. Long before Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa came to occupy the island, the British Royal Air Force used the island as an artillery base during the
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Second World War, and the seabed is now home to the sunken British Loyalty Shipwreck which, we later came to learn, is the only shipwreck dive-site in the Maldives. On arrival at Gan International Airport, guests are swiftly transferred to the resort by an exhilarating speedboat and welcomed with fresh coconut water and lavender-infused towels. While the ubiquitous overwater villas are what many travellers come to the Maldives searching for, the seclusion of a treehouse villa or one of the resort’s spacious beach villas with your own private plunge pool facing out over the azure waters of the lagoon adds a couple more versions. Unlike many of the major resorts to enter the Maldives during the tourism boom, Shangri-La found an island rugged with indigenous species and untouched natural beauty. The southern location of Addu Atoll is protected from the storms and high waves of the Indian Ocean by barrier reefs and is the only atoll not to be affected by the 1998 global coral bleaching.
escape
Clockwise from top left: ayurvedic spa treatment; Fashala cocktail bar; one of the idyllic beaches; underwater trail; Endheri pool
The resort has created five unique experiences to suit your needs accordingly; whether it’s your taste buds crying out for local flavours, rejuvenation at the spa, or something a bit more adventurous, but our eyes were on the Pure Maldives Experience. Though space is at a premium in the smattering of islands that are designated sites for resort developments, Shangri-La manages to accommodate some unexpected amenities. Guests can play golf on a nine-hole golf course, visit the resort’s Eco Centre to learn about some of the species that occupy the local ecosystem or join a cycling tour along the longest road in the Maldives to Addu City. Surfing is another popular pursuit; Villingili is one of the few resorts that offers specialist surfing packages, featuring instruction from expert surfers at the resort’s house break. Then there is Dine by Design – a concept pioneered by the hotel where the chef prepares dinner for you in one of the resort’s secret locations. We were treated to a cookout under the stars on the golf course, surrounded by the dim glow of lanterns and encircled by scattered rose petals – this is most definitely the pinnacle of quintessential hospitality. The Pure Maldives experience also offers guests an opportunity to try their hand at Big Game Fishing, so at 4:55am we found ourselves barrelling down the stilted boardwalk on our bikes, racing to
the dock to meet our fishing crew, who welcomed us with a hot cup of coffee and baked pastries. Three hours, one tuna fish and one wahoo fish later, we were met by the chef on our arrival back at the dock to discuss preparation for our catch that night, eventually deciding on sashimi and wahoo curry, which did not disappoint. People come from far and wide to visit the Maldives and are spoiled for choice, with over 80 luxury five-star hotels – but when given the chance to go just a little bit further into the depths of the most biodiverse region in the world, I suggest you take it.
The Pure Maldives Package at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa starts from £600 per night including domestic round-trip flights from Malé to Gan for two persons on Maldivian Airlines, daily breakfast for two people, Dine by Design, one Big Game Fishing Excursion, complimentary green fees to the resort’s golf course and complimentary water sports. Book online shangri-la.com/maldives Fly Direct flights from Heathrow to Male with British Airways are from £800 per person www.ba.com
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According to recent a National Trust report, the number of people visiting the UK coastline has dropped by a third in ten years. Photos by Matt Austin. Now only 42% of people claim to visit the British coast for a day out each year, down from 62% in 2005. The biggest barrier stopping people from visiting coastal areas, the report says, is not having enough spare time – this despite the fact that the Coastal Connections Survey says the coast remains a “big contributor to quality of life and well-being”. For those of you who’ve not made it to the sea recently, we thought we’d bring it to you here to remind you of its beauty and therapeutic effect.
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SHEBBEAR COLLEGE DEVON
Thrive Learn Create Investigate Challenge Compete Succeed.
Celebrating 175 Years of Fine Education Independent Pre-Prep | Prep School | Senior School | Sixth Form Day School | Weekly Boarding | Full Boarding | Flexi Boarding www.shebbearcollege.co.uk 136
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For teachers and parents of children studying in the South West Schools news in brief
QUEEN’S COLLEGE CELEBRATES A CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR ALL ROUND STUDENTS FROM Queen’s College, Taunton, have been celebrating an incredibly successful year competing at international and national levels in a wide range of academic, sporting and extra-curricular activities. Hockey continues to go from strength to strength. Ben Stevenson captained the England U16 team at the Six Nations Tournament, Patrick Free was selected for the England U16 team, Dan Wilde for Wales U16 and Laura Fig for the Girls’ U18 team. A number of students swam at a national level, including Rebecca Wilde, who won four Golds and a Silver at the Welsh Championships. At the British Swimming Championships, Jacob Greenow became the British Junior Champion in the 400m Individual Medley, ranking him fourth in Europe for his age. At the Senior South West Athletics Championships, Dan Wilde won the 1500m steeplechase with a personal best and a national record of 4 minutes 27 seconds.
Stover School launches research-based curriculum and broadens activities programme STOVER SCHOOL has launched a research-based learning curriculum across the entire school and has relocated the Sixth Form into a fully refurbished Sixth Form Centre, where all pupils will benefit from the ‘bring your own’ ICT infrastructure, which models ICT usage in the workplace. In addition, the first animals and vegetable beds will arrive on site to kick-start the Stover School Farm. Head Teacher Mr Richard Notman says: “The coeducational, non-selective environment we provide models ‘real life’, allowing pupils to build the inter-personal skills, empathy, independence and fortitude required to be successful in the wider world. We firmly believe that our extensive additional curriculum and activities programme provides opportunities for all of our children to explore a range of interests and enjoy positive experiences, leading to a burgeoning self-confidence that then reaps rewards and enhances progress in all areas of the academic and additional curriculum. “The Inspection team who visited in January 2014 have firmly endorsed this, giving us a set of judgements that no other independent school in the area can rival.”
In addition, Queen’s continues to have a number of representatives in national youth choirs, orchestras and theatre groups and has celebrated champions in Irish dancing (Mady Baughn), table tennis (Nicholas Pun), fencing (Fergus Mckendry) and cookery, with Kate Michaels winning the Regional Rotary Club Young Chef award and the prize for showing promise nationally.
THE MAYNARD JUNIOR SCHOOL EXPANDS THE MAYNARD SCHOOL, the South West’s leading independent girls’ school, is to open its doors to a new generation, welcoming girls aged 4 - 7 from September 2016. “This exciting development will complete the Maynard family, giving younger girls the opportunity to enjoy the quality and breadth of an outstanding Maynard education for the first time since the school opened its doors in 1658,” explained Bee Hughes, Headmistress. From September 2016, specialist teachers will lead pupils from Reception to Year 2 through a dynamic, creative and forward-looking curriculum. The existing Junior School facilities will also be redeveloped. The school’s expansion begins in September 2015, when the first Year 2 girls are welcomed into the Junior School.
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Count me in In Help Your Child at Home, Professor Ruth Merttens provides parents with advice on how they can assist their children’s learning. In the second part of this exclusive series for MANOR, she focuses on helping older primary school children (7 years +) with mathematics.
A
s they get older, it becomes progressively more difficult to help one’s children with maths. There are many reasons for this. One is that children become more resistant to assistance – their self-esteem is more easily damaged, their egos are easily bruised. Another concerns the fact that the arithmetic is more complex. So we cannot always be sure that we are using the right ‘method’. Our way of doing something may not be the one the teacher has taught them, and we run the risk of confusing the child, doing more harm than good. In addition, it is always possible that some of us are no longer as confident about the actual mathematics involved. Algebra, geometry, ratio and decimal equivalences may have faded, along with the dates of certain historical events or the products of different countries, into a pleasant haze of memory. IN OUR HEADS As children start to acquire more arithmetic strategies, to add, subtract, multiply and divide, a more complex set of skills and meta-skills come into play. If we consider the following calculations: (i) 53 – 5, (ii) 53 – 46, (iii) 153 – 99
( i) 53 – 5 = Most people will use a ‘taking away’ or ‘counting back’ strategy, where first 3 and then 2 more are subtracted from 53 to leave 48.
(ii) 53 – 46 = It would be crazy to attempt to count back or take away 46 here and so counting up, from the smaller to the larger number, becomes the most efficient strategy – 46 and 4 more is 50, and 3 more makes 53. I have added 7. (iii) 153 – 99 = Neither counting back nor counting up are useful here. Clearly, the main thing is to recognise that 99 is nearly 100. Removing 100 from 153 leaves 53 and then we need to add 1, since we took off one too many.
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Children need to develop the skills outlined here – counting back, counting on, recognising near multiples of ten, adjusting for a mental calculation, and so on. They also need to have memorised the requisite number facts – 4 + 6 make 10, 5 is 3 + 2, and so on. But, most importantly, they need the meta-skill of knowing when to count back, and when to count on and when to use a different strategy. Choosing which way to do a calculation is not a skill, but a meta-skill. And it has more effect on whether you get the calculation correct than almost anything else. PROCEDURAL FLUENCY AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING Becoming fluent in mental arithmetic requires that children have three things. They need to have a really good conceptual understanding of how numbers work. This involves recognising whether numbers are close together or far apart, whether a number is a near multiple of 10, 100, 1000, and so forth, and what parts (hundreds, tens, ones) a number consists of. Children also need arithmetic fluency – whereby knowing that 46 and 4 make 50 is a one-second reflection, i.e. a known fact, and not a calculation. Knowing all the pairs of numbers that make all the numbers up to 20 is an essential part of this fluency. So children should not have to pause for thought to give an answer to questions like 8 – 3, 7 + 8 or 19 – 6. Finally, children need to realise that each calculation needs to be solved using a strategy or method appropriate to those specific numbers. We do not do all subtractions or all multiplications in the same way. If we do, we are very likely to make errors. Some years ago, 9-year-old children were given 2003 – 5 on an international test. Unfortunately, far too many wrote a written subtraction: 2003 – 5
school Doing the calculation using this method is highly error prone. Only around 66% of the children are likely to get a correct answer. Even if the calculation had been 2003 – 975, one would not want children to use a written subtraction method. Counting up would be far more efficient: 975 plus 25 (to get to 1000) and then plus 1003 (to get to 2003) will be a far less error-prone strategy, one where 99.9% of the children are likely to achieve a correct answer. Conceptual understanding – i.e. a ‘sense of number’ alerts children to the approximate size of the expected answer, so that they recognise when an error has been made. This is crucial. Developing and sustaining this ‘sense of number’ means that it is a mistake to introduce written algorithms too early, even if children can do them. Once children are adding 78 and 65 in vertical columns, they cease to ‘read’ or say the calculation at all. They simply add the columns. They lose any sense of the expected answer. Conceptual understanding also prevents the types of error that are all too common if there has been an over reliance on rote learning. More than 50% of teenagers in a recent test gave 3.40 as the
answer to the question 3.4 x 10. They are obeying a rule for multiplying by 10 (add a zero) without any understanding of the way numbers work. To develop both procedural fluency and also conceptual understanding requires good memorised facts plus an ability to select suitable strategies. Knowing when a written method is best, and when a mental strategy would serve better, are essential prerequisites for success in mathematics later. HOW PARENTS CAN HELP Memorising all the required facts and developing a mental agility with numbers are both aspects of mathematical learning that parents can support to great effect. Parents can encourage children to manipulate numbers in their heads by playing games or asking for help with numerical problems that occur in daily life. They can also help children to learn and retain addition/subtraction bonds (e.g. 8 + 2, 100 – 35) and multiplication/division facts as well as doubles and square numbers. The four pillars of good calculation skills later are outlined here.
Times tables – not just multiplication but, crucially, division facts: how many 8s in 48? How many 3s in 18? What are the factors of 16? (8, 2 and 4 as well as 16 and 1)
Shopkeepers’ addition – when subtracting mentally, especially when finding change, it is much better to count up rather than ‘taking away’. Shopkeepers have always known this! Paying £35.58p with £50, we count up: £35.58 + 2p, + 40p, + £14. We have added £14.42.
Division: the hard one – many find division hard because they do not understand what it is. Division (unless it is fractions) should NOT be described as sharing. It is best related as the inverse of multiplication: 48 ÷ 6 should be read as ‘how many sixes in forty-eight?’
Playfulness – those children who are encouraged to play with numbers are extremely likely to succeed in mathematics later on. Numbers are fascinating – the patterns to be spotted and discovered are truly mind-stretching, encouraging children to strengthen their powers of logical reasoning.
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school As children grow, their attitude to learning mathematics becomes crucial, arguably the most important factor in either success or failure. It is difficult for a multitude of reasons to support a rebellious teenager, and so a liking for mathematics developed at primary school is an advantage that cannot be over-estimated. Getting a page of written calculations correct may be useful but it cannot compare with mental fluency and a real affection for numbers. It is these that primary schools must foster. The rest will follow later. GAMES AND FUN ACTIVITIES All the activities below are for two people.
Dicey factors
Mystery sums
Throw two dice.
Create a 2-digit number. Write down the factors, including the number itself and 1. Your score is the number of factors. Let your partner have a turn. The person with the greatest score wins that round. Play again.
Each letter represents a number between 0 and 10 No number is represented by more than one letter
PLAY 13 rounds. Who won most rounds? Now find the squares of 13 and 31.
Find what number each letter represents. Now find the square of 15, then 25, then 35...
Cards to 289‌
Magical 33 squared
Use cards 1 - 7 in each suit from a pack of normal playing cards. (Ace = 1)
One of you writes a 3-digit number where all three digits are different. The second person reverses the digits and writes the number. You both work out the difference. You then reverse the digits of your answer and add this to the answer.
Lay these out randomly face up on a table. Take 3 cards. Multiply them. Record the score. Put those cards to one side. Your partner does the same. Keep taking turns to play. Keep a running total of your scores. The winner is the person who can get closest to 289! Now find the square of 17
Example 376 reversed is 673 Difference is 297 Reverse and add: 297 + 792 Do you see a pattern? Try many different 3-digit numbers‌ Now find the square of 33
HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME PART THREE In the next part of this exclusive series, Professor Merttens will focus on how to help under 7s with reading. If you have missed an issue and would like to access a part of the series, please write to school@manormagazine.co.uk.
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Queen’s College Open Days Nursery, Pre-Prep and Junior School 9:30am - 12:00 noon, Friday 9th October
Senior School 9:30am - 12:00 noon, Saturday 10th October
Sixth Form Open Evening 6.00pm – 8.00pm, Wednesday 21st October
TAUNTON
An education for life 01823 340830 www.queenscollege.org.uk admissions@queenscollege.org.uk
Untitled-3 1
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An “exceptional” ISI Inspection Report. ••An “exceptional” ISI Inspection Report. • •Daily transport from surrounding area. An “exceptional” ISI Inspection Report. • Daily transport from surrounding area. • •Early Years Funding & Scholarships available. Daily transport from surrounding area. • Boarding and extended day provision • •Regional and National Sporting success. Early Years Funding Scholarshipsavailable. available. • Early Years Funding & &Scholarships • Regional and National Sportingsuccess. success. • Regional and National Sporting
Come and see why our pupil numbers have grown by 15% in the last 2 years
Come and see why our 15% in in the thelast last22years years Come and see why ourpupil pupilnumbers numbershave have grown grown by by 15% th May 4pm – 7pm Open Evening – Thursday 14 rd th May 4pm Open Morning Saturday 3 14October 10–am -1pm Open Evening – Thursday 7pm For further information: For further information or to register your attendance: For further information: Tel: 01395 272148 E: admissions@stpetersprepschool.co.uk Tel: 01395272148 272148 Tel: 01395
www.stpetersprep.co.uk E: admissions@stpetersprepschool.co.uk E: admissions@stpetersprepschool.co.uk www.stpetersprep.co.uk www.stpetersprep.co.uk
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If you’re an independent school in the South West, you should be in MANOR School Why? MANOR, the South West’s premium lifestyle title, reaches the highest number of affluent parents living in the South West or visiting the region.
Nursery • Preparatory • Senior Sixth Form
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in Teaching and Pastoral Care ISI Inspection Report March 2014
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To advertise in MANOR School contact Imogen on 07887 556 447 or write to advertising@manormagazine.co.uk.
Stover School, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6QG Email: registrar@stover.co.uk Tel: 01626 354505 www.stover.co.uk
New for Autumn 2015
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Study Centre and Sixth Form Boarding House now OPEN
Activity and Open Day Saturday 3rd October 9.30am Sixth Form Open Evening Wednesday 14th October 6.00pm Reg Charity No 306710
West Buckland is a friendly, successful school with an impressive record of academic achievement and some exceptional new facilities. Come to one of our forthcoming open events to find out what makes West Buckland unique and so exciting.
Forward thinking
Tel: 01598 760281 Email: enquiries@westbuckland.com Barnstaple, Devon EX32 0SX Boarding and Day Untitled-3 1142 MANOR | Late Summer 2015
Boys & Girls 3-18
Nursery, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form
www.westbuckland.com 25/08/2015 08:20
t rinitY ScHooL
Anne-Marie Imafidon inspires Sixth Form Leavers and Families at Speech Day
Founder and Head of STEMettes, helping to combat the lack of women in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) industries, Anne-Marie inspired the whole school community at Speech Day.
‘Stunning’ production of Les Misérables thrills audiences
Senior students staged a full production of the musical Les Misérables (School Edition). During a 3-day run, audiences were swept along by some outstanding singing and drama performances.
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www.trinityschool.co.uk
From Sailing Club to Tall Ships’ Silver
Pupils who have enjoyed sailing clubs since their days in Prep were amongst the successful crew that claimed second place in the Tall Ships Race, having competed against international adult and school crews.
Open DAy
Trinity School (Teignmouth) is a company limited by guarantee (registered in England; company number 1399560) and a registered charity (number 276960). Registered Office: Buckeridge Road, Teignmouth, Devon. TQ14 8LY. UK
17th Oct
day & Boarding. nursery to Sixth form.
Tours start 10.15am
I ndependent C o -e duCatIonal S Chool
Open Day Saturday 19 September
• Happy and fulfilling all-round education • Strong academic achievement • Dedicated school mini-bus service from locations in Devon and Somerset Senior School (11-18) Boarding and Day
Open morning at 9.45am
Please ring to reserve your place on 01884 252543 (Senior School) 01884 252393 (Prep School) or to arrange an individual visit
Prep School (2½-11) Boarding and Day
Open afternoon at 1.30pm
tIVeRton • deVon • eX16 4dn • WWW.BlundellS.oRG MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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60 seconds to surf Luxury 3-4 bedroom town houses available from
A fabulous location only 300m from the beautiful crescent-shaped Tolcarne Beach CONTACT t: 03333 445757 e: info@burringtonestates.com www.burringtonestates.com 144
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property
Property The Bulletin | Property of note: Penmorvah, Cornwall Snapshot comparative
Little Wolleigh, Bovey Tracey. Guide price ÂŁ750,000. On the market with Jackson-Stops. See Snapshot comparative - page 153 jackson-stops.co.uk
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South Hams, Devon
A private country house in an enchanting setting
Bantham 3 miles, Salcombe Estuary 6 miles, Exeter 38 miles (All distances approximate) Situated in a sheltered valley with lovely far reaching views across to Dartmoor. 4 reception rooms, master bedroom suite, 2 further bedroom suites, 2 further bedrooms, study/6th bedroom and family bathroom. Indoor swimming pool and gym. Stables, tack room, workshop and stone barns. Barn with development potential. In all about 16.61 acres. Further land available by separate negotiation. EPC: F
Guide Price ÂŁ1,980,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140218 146
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KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter christopher.bailey@knightfrank.com 01392 976832
property
The Bulletin As the market in second homes continues to grow, Bonnie Friend asks whether property management is the South West’s most important industry.
I
f there’s one thing the South West is known for, it’s tourism. The beaches, the cliff-top walks, the blue seas and bluer skies… it’s the stuff that Poldark is made of, not to mention some picture-perfect holidays. As such, holiday letting agencies, boutique shops and all manner of cafes are popular businesses, but one of the most important and growing industries is property management – holiday letting’s less vocal counterpart, and a service that second homeowners are increasingly relying on to maximize the amount of time in which they can enjoy their homes without worrying about what happens to them when they’re not there. In places like Salcombe, where 55% of properties are second homes and the population swells from 1,800 at the quietest time of year to 20,000 in August, the market for fully integrated property management is clear. The situation is similar in East Portlemouth, where 75-80% of properties are second homes, and Bigbury-on-Sea, which is rapidly catching up. For these homeowners, property managers offer peace of mind, catering to all the ongoing maintenance that a property brings, and making sure that it’s ready to go when you arrive at midnight on a Friday after a battle with the M4. Of course, the role of the traditional caretaker is not a new one, but property management takes things to the next level in our increasingly legislative world, ensuring that homes adhere to the plethora of rules and regulations, particularly when it comes to letting your property – fire assessments, health and safety, and so forth. With incidents such as the tragedy last year, when two children were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning whilst holidaying in Greece with Thomas Cook, the concern about making sure holiday lets meet industry regulations is heightened. A good example of how the industry has changed – as well as the demands – is Pebbles of Salcombe, which started out as a caretaking operation in 2004 and developed into a qualified management service for letting and managing private luxury accommodation across the South Hams. Pebbles offers project management, property management, plus grounds and garden care. The team carries out weekly or fortnightly property checks, followed by SMS updates to keep homeowners informed, as well as all the cleaning, laundry and maintenance between homeowner visits and those of any guests. The cost of this service ranges from £55 to £125 per month, depending on the size of the house and the level of maintenance required.
At the upper end, Pebbles will prepare the home as you would like to find it when you or your guests arrive, complete with luxury details such as White Company toiletries; they’ve even been known to install decorated Christmas trees for the festive season. But the big attraction is that they take care of the legwork, identifying and carrying out maintenance as and when needed, and dealing with unexpected crises. Business Development Manager Nicola Williams recalls when one property flooded, causing two ceilings to fall down, and they had to liaise with the insurance company on behalf of the client to clear up and redecorate. Other incidences include clearing blocked drains, emergency call outs for burst pipes, lost keys, replacing broken appliances, and fixing and identifying the causes of damp. Property owner Suzie Adams has had a holiday home in Salcombe for more than 20 years and has seen the swing from caretakers to property managers. Historically she found that the basic standards afforded by caretakers and cleaners were not sufficient when it came to looking after a property from 250 miles away in London. “The real problem would occur during changeovers. If I came to the house after three consecutive sets of guests had been there and damage had been caused (spills on the carpet, scratches on the table, etc) but not reported, I didn’t know whose deposit it would come out of, so letting the house was not cost effective.” “What we have found,” says Nicola, “is that second homeowners want to be able to enjoy their properties and be in control of decisions about maintenance and management, but they don’t want the worry of looking after the details themselves. They don’t want to spend their time weeding the garden or redecorating a damp patch in the living room. So that’s what we do. We’re the eyes and ears for clients when they’re away, keeping everything just the way they want it, when they want it.” For more information about working with Pebbles contact Nicola Williams on 01548 843680 or visit pebblesofsalcombe.co.uk
The beach at East Portlemouth, Devon
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savills.co.uk
1 OUTSTANDING VIEWS ON AN EXCLUSIVE PENINSULA restronguet point, feock, cornwall Panoramic views of Restronguet Creek ø large west-facing plot ø 4 double bedrooms (all en suite) ø 2 large reception rooms ø study ø utility room ø landscaped gardens ø double garage ø planning consent for extension ø 2,583 sq ft ø EPC=E Guide £1.65 million Freehold
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Savills Cornwall Jonathan Cunliffe jcunliffe@savills.com
01872 243 200
savills.co.uk
1 BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED PARKLAND ESTATE chaffcombe, south somerset 7 bedroom suites ø guest cottage ø 5 other dwellings ø parkland and woodland ø shoot also available ø contents also available ø about 90 acres ø available as a whole or in Lots
Savills Exeter Richard Addington raddington@savills.com
01392 455 755 Guide £5.25 million (whole)
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To the sea
Perched up above Padstow’s Trevone Bay, on the stunning North Cornwall coast, Penmorvah boasts views that few houses can match. Words by Stacey Tagg.
A
ccording to Toby Ward, the current owner, Penmorvah means ‘Head of the Beach’ in Cornish, which couldn’t be more appropriate. This six-bedroom Victorian home sits at the head of a promontory and boasts uninterrupted views of the Atlantic and of the adjacent Trevone Bay, a renowned draw for surfers and families for the quality of its break and wide sandy shore. The house, built in the 1890s, has spacious rooms with large bow windows that look out to sea. It feels like the home of a lauded naval captain in days of old. The sitting room has high ceilings and wide double doors that lead onto an equally large and elegant dining room. Conjoining doors thrown open, the two rooms together measure a length of more than 35 feet – plenty of room for a cocktail party that can spill out onto the terrace to watch the moonlit sea rolling in. Whether it be civilised Victorian, or flamboyant Gatsby-esque, Penmorvah is built for entertainment, and coastal leisure. It is, in fact, the perfect family holiday home. It has one of the best local beaches within stumble-out-of-bed distance, space to accommodate an extended Brady Bunch-sized family comfortably and is a mere two miles from Padstow with its array of shops, galleries and plethora of fine dining and fish and chip options. Assuming, that is, you choose not to dine at home: the kitchen is large and homely with both an Aga and a range oven to suit all cooking tastes, and a sun room at one end that again looks out to sea. By day there is plenty to do. The area Penmorvah sits within is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty. The Camel Trail, along the Camel Estuary known for its tranquillity and birdlife, is just a short walk away. For the keen golfer, Trevose Golf and Country Club can also be found towards Harlyn
It has one of the best local beaches within stumbleout-of-bed distance.
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property of note
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Penvormah’s spectacular location in Trevone Bay
Drawing room
Dining room
Bay, and the city of Truro, with its shops, cafés and cathedral, is a 25-mile drive away. For those looking for equally quick connections to London, Penmorvah is just 12 miles from Newquay with its daily flights to the capital. Trevone Bay, beneath the house, features in the Marine Conservation Good Beach Guide 2014 for its excellent water quality, and is positioned just south of Trevose Head. The cliff path takes you close to the famous Blow Hole to the east of the bay, an 80-foot deep cavern formed by a collapsed sea cave. Why is such a splendid and unique property on the market? Toby Ward inherited the house from his mother, who had lived at Penmorvah for more than 16 years. “She decided to buy the house after my father passed away. They had known the area well since the early 1960s. My mother loved Penmorvah because of the fantastic views – it sits in the most commanding situation and she found the whole area to be profoundly dramatic elementally and quite breathtaking in all seasons. She considered it to be a warm home, both literally and metaphorically, and was very happy to spend the winter months here on her own. It helped that the people of Trevone are very friendly and welcoming. There was always someone in the village who would look out for her. “My brother and I came to the decision to sell the property as we are both settled on the other side of town. It is, however, a great home for those looking for somewhere special by the sea with close connections to neighbouring towns.” After 16 years under one devoted owner, this house is on the market again. Its light, space, enviable aspect and close proximity to pristine beaches and fashionable resorts conspire to suggest it won’t be for long. Penmorvah is on the market with Savills, Truro. Offers in excess of £1,500,000. 01872 243200 savills.co.uk
Garden
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property
Snapshot comparative Exceptional properties on the market from around the region along with a London bolthole.
Devon
Brushford Barton, Winkleigh Guide price £1,550,000 A secluded six-bedroom country house with one -bedroom cottage. Far reaching views to Dartmoor and south-facing paddocks. Beautifully maintained gardens including a walled kitchen garden, ponds and an orchard. The property has a courtyard of outbuildings including barns, granary, and a ‘party barn’. Seven acres of land. jackson-stops.co.uk
Cornwall
Wood Cottage, St Ives Guide price £1,250,000 A private house secluded within 1.5 acres of wooded grounds with views over St Ives bay and within walking distance of the town. With five bedrooms, the house boasts lawned areas, vegetable gardens and more natural woodland. There is a large wooden chalet to the side of the house which would be useful as a studio or office space. Last on the market 50 years ago. humberts.com
Little Wolleigh, Bovey Tracey Guide price £750,000
Devon
A picturesque Grade II listed thatched house and detached barn, set within three acres on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The house dates back to the 16th century with later additions, but boasts modern day energy efficiency through its biomas boiler linked to a solar thermal system. Gardens include croquet lawn and terraced seating area to the south of the house with a wisteria dating back to 1935. jackson-stops.co.uk
London bolthole
Mayfair Guide price £1,395,000 A one-bedroom, period maisonette located between Brook Street and New Bond Street. Arranged over three floors, this maisonette comprises a well proportioned dual aspect reception room and separate kitchen on the first floor and double bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. Has private entrance, hallway and guest cloakroom on the ground floor. knightfrank.co.uk
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Buckland-in-the-Moor, Dartmoor
Magical Dartmoor farm in a superb location
Ashburton 4 miles, Exeter 22 miles (All distances approximate) Grade II listed farmhouse with range of traditional stone barns. 4 bedrooms and 3 reception rooms. Pasture and moorland, planning consent for a cookery school in the traditional barns, very private location. Modern livestock buildings. In all about 25 acres.
Guide Price ÂŁ975,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE150196 154
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KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976832
Black Dog, Devon
Beautiful and historic property surrounded by its own land
Tiverton 10 miles, Crediton 7 miles, Exeter 15 miles (All distances approximate)
KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976832
Grade II listed property in an extremely peaceful and unspoilt area of Mid Devon. 3 reception rooms and 4 bedrooms, a lovely family home with brand new thatch, extensive traditional barns, a modern farm building, pasture and woodland. In all about 46.78 acres.
Guide Price ÂŁ1,250,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE130077 MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS
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www.wilkinsongrant.co.uk
PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS
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PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS
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KITCHENS
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www.kkandj.co.uk MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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back page
BLACK BOOK History teacher, founder of Otti Prams and mother of three Lindsey Bauer shares secret pages from her little black book with MANOR.
I
grew up on a working farm in North Cornwall, a few miles from the pretty National Trust cove of Crackington Haven, so I have halcyon memories of cycling to the sea, feeding lambs with a bottle when returning home from school, and spending summer evenings sitting atop hay bales on a trailer pulled by my dad’s tractor. I now live on the outskirts of Dartmoor in a picturepostcard village of thatched cottages close to Castle Drogo. With three daughters between five and 15, and a fledgling business to run, I’m busy. One of my favourite places to let off steam is Bonehill Tor, on one of the smaller backroads to Widecombein-the-Moor. Bonehill is situated within a few miles of The Rugglestone Inn. Such is the lure of this atmospheric inn we’ve braved snow to reach it. Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon Because of my birthplace and the fact that my parents are still there, I have a deep-rooted affinity with Cornwall and regularly visit it with my own family. Across the county border, on the southern Rame Peninsula, there are the quaint and historic twinned seaside villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. Sundowners Minack Theatre, Cornwall at the elegantly refurbished Devonport Inn in Kingsand are thoroughly recommended! To shop I enjoy mooching around Fowey, with its higgledy-piggledy Tudor architecture and independent shops. I can always find beautiful gifts in The Clementine, and gorgeous children’s toys and clothes at Birdkids whilst eyeing up the knickerbocker glories at Sundaes. Sam’s bistro does a mean tempura red mullet, too. A favourite spot is Cadgwith Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, where I like to watch the fishermen bring their
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catch to shore, and purchase fish at its freshest before climbing up the ladder-like steps to the Crow’s Nest Gallery. Not far from Rowena Cade’s Minack Theatre above Porthcurno Beach is the Treen Farm campsite. It’s highly sought-after and operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and is my favourite place to pitch a tent in Cornwall. It has its own freshly stocked farm shop and is close to a rather lovely café replete with gingham tablecloths, as well as The Logan Rock Inn, which has a live-in Labrador – always a winner for me! For hidden coves a favourite of ours is Porthgwarra, where the famous cliff ‘arch’ scenes were filmed in the recent BBC series Poldark. When there last, we spotted several seals bobbing merrily in the waves while one pup lay soporifically on the sand – a rare and precious treat to peek, Porthgwarra Beach, Cornwall even in Cornwall. On the north coast, it’s possible to follow in the Boscastle-footsteps of Thomas Hardy. Hardy designed the renovations for the local church at St Juliot, and lost his heart to a local girl, Emma Lavinia Gifford, who became his first wife: an episode that inspired his novel A Pair of Boscastle Harbour, North Cornwall Blue Eyes. I’m forever drawn to Boscastle’s Elizabethan harbour and then to its regularly packed-out Farm Shop, on the road to Crackington Haven, to sample more delicious homemade foodie treats and to purchase a bottle of fragrant Bergamot hand cream made by nearby St Kitts Herbery. Then, finally, it’s back to Crackington for a delicious pasty at the Cabin Café that overlooks the pebble beach, and we’re back to where we – and I – started out. ottiprams.net
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enquiries@beaumontbrown.com or call us on 01803 864667 Order from: www.beaumontbrown.com/shop Please use discount code MANOR15 to receive 15% off all orders
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Some of our hotel customers: The Plaza New York , Fairmont San Francisco , Fairmont Pittsburgh, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec, Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Fairmont Mayakoba, Mexico , Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Fairmont Bab al Bahr Abu Dhabi, ,Fairmont Dubai, Fairmont Jakarta, W Maldives, W Taipei, Hyatt Times Square, Hyatt Chicago, Kempinski Hotels, Rocco Forte Hotels, Swissotel Zurich, The Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, Afloat Barges in France, The Grand Hotel Europe, St Petersburgh. UK - Intercontinental Hyde Park Corner – London, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, The Lanesborough, London, Firmdale Hotel Group, London & New York, The Stafford, London, Metropolitan London, ME Hotel London, The Landmark, London, Limewood, The Pig, The Beaumont London, Hoxton Hotels, The Grove, The Green Man, Wellington Arms, The Metropolitan Hotel, Cliveden, Chewton Glen.