KL Magazine January 2012

ISSN 2044–7965

FREE!

ISSUE 16 JANUARY 2012

magazine

LIFESTYLE

FOOD

HISTORY

EVENTS

LOCAL LIFE

COVER IMAGE

Cromer Pier by Ian Ward

editorial 01553 601201

editor@klmagazine.co.uk

Eric Secker Charlotte Thorneycroft Dan Scase Ian Ward Alex Dallas David Learner Graham Murray Ann Weaver Christine Glass Karen Reeves Michael Middleton

advertising 01553 601201 sales@klmagazine.co.uk

Laura Murray Grant Murray Jenna Ballard KL magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and KL magazine takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

If you’d like to order prints of any photograph featured in KL magazine, contact us at the address below. Please note this applies only to images taken by our own photographers.

Happy New Year H

ello and welcome to 2012! We hope you’ve all had a fantastic festive season and you’re looking forward to the new year with renewed optimism. The United Nations has declared this year the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of such organisations in helping address issues such as poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. On a national level, we can look forward to the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and the Summer Olympics, which open in London on July 27th (at 8:30pm if you’re planning on being there).

On a more local level, 2012 looks very promising – and in this issue you’ll find just a few of the people who’ll be putting our town well and truly on the map over the coming 12 months. Turn to page 16 to see how Colin Sampson (the Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk) sees the current challenges facing the area; page 20 to discover how local author John Crowe is rewriting the history books; page 54 to see the fabulous work of local artist Rachel Lockwood and the newly-established Red Hare Publishing; and page 60 to meet Sophie Horn, the young golfer and model from Tilney All Saints who’s taking the world by storm. All this and we’ve still managed to go behind the scenes at Palm Paper (page 32), take a trip to Cromer (page 46) and witness the spectacle of the swan feeds at WWT Welney (page 24)! Enjoy the magazine!

KL MAGAZINE

Contact us at KL magazine, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW Tel: 01553 601201 E-mail: features@klmagazine.co.uk Web: www.klmagazine.co.uk KLmagazine January 2012

3

") &, (1*! 1 " ( % 1-"*!

1 +' (1 # &%) (, *&(. $

"% &-) 1 % 1 &$'&)"* 1 &&() &%) (, *&(" )1 % 1 &( ! ) ) " 1 % 1 & "*) +** ("% 1 % 1 # "% ( 1 &&()1 % 1 (1 &(*) &# (1 1 % #)

( 1*! 1 #& #1 &$' %.1& ("% 1 1 +##. )+"* 1(&& "% 1).)* $10 %"% 1.&+(1 &%) (, *&(.1")1$&( 1) +( 1$&( 1- * (*" !* 1 % 1 ** (1 .1 (

,( )

$

... *,( ) * $ ' ,#

4

! '%($ + * )-"

1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1 1 1

1/// ) 1 1

1

$

"* !

/&& '

1

KLmagazine January 2012

Contents 7

WHAT’S ON Forthcoming events in West Norfolk

8

KING’S LYNN CORN EXCHANGE Highlights of the coming season

JANUARY 2012

12-14 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Some life-changing ideas for the new year 16

THE BIG INTERVIEW We talk to Mayor Colin Sampson

19

THEN AND NOW The changing face of King’s Lynn

16

24

20-22 THE TROY DECEPTION How a local man is rewriting history 24-26 WELNEY’S WONDERLAND A look at the annual swan spectacle 28

KNIGHT’S HILL How a derelict farm was tansformed

31

PETS Help and advice with local vet Alex Dallas

32-34 ON THE PAPER TRAIL...

Behind the scenes at Palm Paper

46

39-45 FOOD & DRINK Recipes, reviews and recommendations 46-48 EXPLORER Out and about around Cromer 53

BOOK REVIEWS The best reads of 2011 by Waterstone’s

54-56 ARTS PROFILE The work of local artist Rachel Lockwood 58

ARTS REVIEW A selection of cultural highlights

60-62 SOPHIE HORN KL magazine meets a real model golfer 65

MY KL Readers’ questions and photographs

66

WILD WEST NORFOLK Michael Middleton’s lighter view of things

KLmagazine January 2012

54

60 5

ON SCREEN January 2012

love film. love luxe.

The local cinema experience for serious movie fans

l War Horse l Iron Lady l Anonymous l Mission Impossible 4 l The Thing l Another Earth l New Year’s Eve l Puss in Boots l The Well Digger’s Daughter l Alvin & the Chipmunks 3 l Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows l The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

As lavish as something from the golden days of Hollywood, The Luxe Cinema is an elegantly stylish film lover’s delight. The Luxe Lounge bar sets the mood for a social drink with friends whilst the cinema itself offers luxurious and spacious leather sofas and armchairs – including a selection of Premier Sofas with waitress service! Allowing moviegoers to sit back and relax in true style, enjoying a glass of wine or a coffee whilst watching a wide programme of mainstream, arthouse and classic films. If you love film, you’ll love Luxe.

The Luxe 01945 588808

Alexandra Road Wisbech Cambridgeshire PE13 1HQ

book online:www.theluxecinema.com

JANUARY BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00 Wed 4 January 2012 BEYOND THE BARRICADE West End musical hits £5.50 - £19.50 Tues 17 - Sat 21 Jan AN INSPECTOR CALLS Award-winning drama £5.50 - £22.50

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk 6

Mon 23 - Sat 28 Jan HELLO DOLLY Norfolk & Norwich Operatic Society £5.50 - £19 Sun 29 Jan CLASSIC ROCK SHOW Rock anthems £5.50 - £21

Mon 30 Jan THE SOLIDIERS Singing trio £5.50 - £23 Tues 31 Jan BRENDAN COLE Star of Strictly £6.50 - £28.50

An Inspector Calls

Wed 14 Dec 2011 - Sun 15 Jan 2012 SLEEPING BEAUTY Hayley Tamaddon, Kevin Sacre, Richard Gauntlett, Helen Fraser star in traditional family pantomime £5 - £19

THEATRE STREET, NORWICH NR2 1RL

KLmagazine January 2012

WHAT’S ON 10 YEARS AGO: On January 1st 2002, the Euro became the official currency of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain

January

FRIDAY 20th

SATURDAY 7th EXOTIC CAT DAY Tydd St Giles Community Centre (12:30pm–4pm) The Exotic Cat Society presents the 11th Championship Cat Show for Exotic Short Hairs. Over 100 cats are expected to enter (with the help of their owners) from across the country and the show also caters for household pet cats too. There’ll be stalls to browse and light refreshments available throughout the event.

Contact 01945 780027 for further details.

SATURDAY 7th GRAND CASINO EVENING Alpington & Yelverton Village Hall (starts 7:30pm) A fun-filled evening awaits with all the fun of the casino with roulette, dice, card games and horse racing.

Tickets are just £5 which includes £1,000 play money.

For more information contact Jennifer Hall on 01508 494443.

SUNDAY 8th DAVID THOMAS IN CONCERT Emneth Hall, Emneth (2:30pm–5pm) An evening of laidback musical entertainment with UK musician David Thomas.

With his easy listening style and gentle humour, David’s in constant demand from audiences of all sizes for his unique entertainment.

Tickets £6.50 (£4.50 for subscribers). For details and to book, contact 01366 728871

SATURDAY 14th GRUFFALO’S CHILD DAY Holkham National Nature Reserve (11am–3pm) Natural England is holding a day full of free activities in the Wells Beach Cafe, Beach Road, Wells – before venturing into the deep, dark woods of the Reserve to find footprints and make a plaster cast. Brilliant fun for all the family. Details from catherine.foreman@naturale ngland.org.uk or telephone 07825 377652

THURSDAY 12th

SATURDAY 21st & SUNDAY 22nd

WORLD INDOOR BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 Potters Leisure Resort, Great Yarmouth It’s the start of three weeks of international action as the world’s best bowls players head to Norfolk. Since 1999 the Norfolk resort has seen record crowds attend this event which is also covered live by BBC television. This year’s event (which finishes on Sunday 29th) promises to be more exciting than ever.

For more information on tickets and dates, visit www.pottersholidays.com

THE BRITISH CARP AND ANGLING SHOW Norfolk Showground, Easton (8:30am–5pm) Every fisherman’s dream weekend, with 50,000 square feet of tackle, equipment and accessories – this is the angling event of 2012 not to be missed. Angling celebrities and experts will be on hand providing tips and advice as well as a host of demonstrations. Adults £10, children (5–15yrs) £5.

For further details visit www.britishcarpshow.co.uk

NSPCC CHARITY EVENING Le Strange Arms Hotel, Old Hunstanton (from 6:30pm) The West Norfolk NSPCC Lunch Club holds an evening with gentlemen in mind – though ladies are more than welcome. Supper, live music and a special Adnams Brewery tasting. Tickets £20.

Call 01485 544045 for details or e-mail jcairnscol@gmail.com

EARLY NOTICE !

FOR FEBRUARY THURSDAY 2nd KING’S LYNN CIVIC SOCIETY LECTURE Thoresby College, Queen Street, King’s Lynn (7:30pm) Join reknowned architect Michael Innes for his lecture Conspiracy Theories and Planning: Ideals or Economics – a Necessary Conflict? Don’t be intimidated by the title – it’s bound to be full of fascinating insights. Free admission. For further information, contact the Society’s secretary Sally Smith on 01553 764422

TUESDAY 7th TALK: KING’S LYNN MART The Green Quay, King’s Lynn (supper at 6:30pm, talk at 7:30pm) How much do you know about the Lynn Mart? Dr. Paul Richards presents this supper talk looking at the event from the medieval times to the days of Frederick Savage. Members £8, non-members £9. For more information, contact 01553 818500.

If you’ve got an event to publicise, send the details to features@klmagazine.co.uk KLmagazine January 2012

7

WHAT’S ON

A fantastic start to 2012 at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange!

T

he exciting new spring season is on sale now! There is something for everyone from top quality drama in the form of Blood Brothers to moving and emotional opera with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly to side splitting comedy from Jimeoin. For full listings visit the website at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk

Fireman Sam J

oin Fireman Sam and all his friends, as Pontypandy hosts its first ever music festival! Station Officer Steel’s booked a surprise guest star to perform at the festival, and it’s a big secret. With so much to plan and prepare, Norman Price and Mandy Flood are told to stay out of mischief – but Naughty Norman is determined to find out who the secret superstar guest will be... at any cost. This day promises to be one of Fireman Sam’s busiest yet as he’s called on to save a festival that promises to rock Pontypandy.

Will Sam save the day? Will the show go on? Will Elvis finally get to perform? And will it all happen before Norman finds out who the guest star is and ruins the surprise for everyone? With great new songs, daring new rescues, and more adventure than ever before, you won't want to miss this brand new live show! The Hero next door is back, so ‘rock on’ down to Pontypandy to join in all the fun.

Tuesday 14th February 1pm and 4pm

Swan Lake Moscow Ballet – La Classique T

he world-renowned Moscow Ballet - La Classique demonstrate their continued quality of dance and performances in a dramatic production of this timeless favourite set to Tchaikovsky's superb score. The ballet is a favourite of ballerinas and audiences alike – all leading dancers want to dance Swan Lake during their careers and all audiences want to see them dance in this, the ultimate fairytale ballet.

This moving ballet tells the tale of Prince Siegfried, who’s about to celebrate his coming of age in the garden of his ancestral palace. His mother observes that it’s time to consider marriage, and that at the ball held to celebrate his 21st birthday, he should select his future wife from all the lovely ladies in attendance.

Preferring to go hunting, Siegfried comes across Odette, Queen of the Swans, who appears to be both swan and woman! She explains that an evil sorcerer (Von Rothbart) has cast a spell on her and she must remain a swan (except between midnight and dawn) unless she is saved by true love.

And so begins one of the most famous love stories of all time – set to some of the most beautiful music ever written.

Sunday 4th March | 7:30pm

8

KLmagazine January 2012

Get behind the scenes Have you registered? Why not tell us what you think and what you’re interested in by registering online at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk. It’s the best way to get all the behind-the-scenes gossip, be the first to hear about top names performing and benefit from exclusive offers. So what are you waiting for? Register today!

C

inderella, our family pantomime for 2011/12, was an overwhelming success with fantastic feedback from children, adults and schools. So it’s with great pleasure that we’re already able to announce that we’ll be working with Jordan Productions to bring yet another top-quality pantomime to King’s Lynn for 2012/13. This year it’ll be the magical, mystical story of Aladdin. With a flying carpet, caves packed with gold and jewels, and (of course) a Genie, this truly is a tale for the whole family. Tickets are on sale now.

COMPETITION TIME! Win a £30 gift voucher for the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange. All you have to do is answer the following question: Which pantomime will be appearing at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange in 2012/13? a) Jack and the Beanstalk b) Aladdin c) Mother Goose To enter, simply e-mail your answer to marketing@westnorfolk.gov.uk. Entries will close at 5pm on 31st January. The winner will be drawn at random on 1st February, and notified via e-mail. Only one entry per email address will be accepted, and no cash alternative is available. Our standard competition terms and conditions apply.

WildBoyz F

Fascinating Aïda C

ontinuing their smash-hit, sell-out 2011 tour, three times Olivier Award nominated and global internet sensation Fascinating Aïda are still Britain’s best comedy cabaret trio. This brand new show will include several numbers hot off the press, plus a few old favourites including their infamous anthem to budget travel, Cheap Flights (which has 7 million plus hits on YouTube). If you’ve ever flown with a budget airline, this song will have you in stitches! There’s also The Dogging Song – a fond homage to the joys of al fresco sex.

“The glamour is magnetic, the satire razor-sharp, the lyrics brilliant... intensely poignant” – The Guardian

Saturday 25th February | 7:30pm

or the first time ever hunks Alex Reid (left) Marcus Patrick (Hollyoaks), Danny Young (Coronation Street) and Dale Howard (Big Brother) will be getting hearts racing and making ladies blush at theatres up and down the land in their hilarious new show – Wildboyz!

The show tells the story of the hunky Boyz en-route from a glitzy celebrity bash to a mates stag do in Bali, when their flight unexpectedly hits an ash cloud and gets diverted, leaving them stranded in a cheap Spanish hotel.

When the International male strip group booked to appear for a hen party at the hotel don’t turn up, the spotlight turns to our British Beef to see if they can rise to the occasion and show us they really are big in the Balearics!

Sunday 29th April | 7:30pm

Tickets for all shows are available from the Box Office on 01553 764864 or you can book online at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk KLmagazine January 2012

9

Welcome to the complete country store...

SALE

great Don’t miss our LE JANUARY SA at The Hayloft !

4th Starts January 1 From the best range of country clothing in East Anglia to freshly-made animal feeds and pet foods, to an extensive selection of new and used horse boxes and trailers, Bearts of Stowbridge truly is the complete country store – if we haven’t got it, you almost certainly don’t need it!

Brighton Mill, Stow Bridge, King’s Lynn PE34 3PD tel: 01366 388151 web: www.bearts.co.uk

At times like this, our office in Swaffham can remove the hassle.

When disaster strikes, being in Swaffham means we will be on hand to help you deal with it and progress your claim without unnecessary hassle. To us, that’s real value for money and perhaps why we top the table of Which? recommended providers*.

For a home insurance quote, call NFU Mutual in Swaffham on 01760 724888.

We do right by you NFU Mutual is The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982).

Registered in England. Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ. For security and training purposes, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. A member of the Association of British Insurers.

10

MOST TRUSTED

SERVICE WINNER

HOME INSURANCE PROVIDER

BEST HOME INSURANCE PROVIDER FOR CLAIMS

NFU MUTUAL

NFU MUTUAL

*Source Which? home insurance survey July 2011.

KLmagazine January 2012

WHAT’S ON

BURNS NIGHT It’s one of the oldest New Year traditions in the UK, but it’s not just for the Scots...

B

urns Night celebrates the life and work of 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns, and though it’s most common in Scotland (naturally enough) and Northern Ireland, the celebrations also take place wherever there are Burns Clubs, Scottish Societies, expatriate Scots, or fans of Burns’ poetry.

Burns Night dinners are normally held around the date of the poet’s birthday – 25th January – and they follow a traditional format that hasn’t changed much since the first celebrations of around 1797.

Following the speeches and the famous addressing of the haggis (see opposite for the authentic words), the main course comprises that quintessentail Scottish dish accompanied by tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnip).

An essential element (particularly when it comes to the toasts) is some ‘uisge beatha’ (water of life), better known to the rest of us as whisky.

In addition to good food cooked to original Scottish recipes, nearly all Burns Evenings will include recitals of Burns best-loved poems, and they generally finish with everyone linking arms and singing Auld Lang Syne (which was, of course, written by Burns).

If you’re looking for a great evening out to take away the winter blues, head over to one of these local Burns Night celebrations.

KLmagazine January 2012

Saturday 21st January Burns Night Church Hall, Sproughton, Suffolk Three-course meal with a main of haggis, neeps and tatties followed by a quiz. With licensed bar and proceeds going to All Saints Church. Tickets £11 including a free glass of punch. Contact 01473 742766 for more details.

Wednesday 25th January Burns Night Loch Fyne Restaurant, Norwich An evening celebrating Scottishness, with fabulous meat and seafood dishes as well as haggis, neeps and tatties. £21.95 per person including a wee dram of Talisker or glass of wine.

Contact 01603 723450 for more information and bookings.

Wednesday 25th January Elveden Estate, Thetford Enjoy an evening of traditional Scottish food given a modern twist whilst listening to live entertainment from a Scottish piper. £32.95 per person for three courses. Visit www.elveden.com or call 01842 898068 for more information.

Friday 27th January The Banningham Crown, Banningham Enjoy a Scottish feast complete with bagpiper throughout the evening.

Piping in of the haggis, toasts to the lads and lassies and Selkirk Grace. £18.95 per head. Contact 01263 733534 for more information or visit www.banninghamcrown.co.uk

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race!

Aboon them a’ ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace As lang’s my arm. e groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o’ need, While thro’ your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dicht, An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht, Trenching your gushing entrails bricht, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sicht, Warm-reekin, rich! en, horn for horn, they stretch an’ strive: Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive, Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve, Are bent like drums; en auld Guidman, maist like to rive, ‘Bethankit’ hums.

Is there that o’re his French ragout Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi’ perfect scunner, Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash, As feckless as a wither’d rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit; ro’ bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed, e trembling earth resounds his tread.

Clap in his wallie nieve a blade, He’ll mak it whistle; An’ legs an’ arms, an’ heads will sned, Like taps o’ thristle.

Ye Pow’rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o’ fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware at jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer, Gie her a haggis!

11

LOCAL LIFE

ABOVE: We all like making resolutions for the New Year – but we don’t seem to be so good at keeping them!

Say hello to the new you for the new year...

Once again it’s time to turn over a new leaf and make some healthy lifestyle changes to ensure we all have a very happy new year. Charlotte Thorneycroft explores the options...

20 2 12

KLmagazine January 2012

W

ith the start of the New Year brings the endless list of resolutions we tell ourselves we’re going to try really hard to stick to this year after having just spent 51 weeks of 2011 wondering where we went wrong last January.

Is the best solution to write it down and prepare for the worst as we desperately attempt to give up our vices, or should we not bully ourselves into submission but take a positive outlook on changing what we can, when we can?

By easing ourselves gently into our new routines we certainly won’t deprive ourselves of New Year’s Day festivities and nor will the return to work after the holidays seem quite such a struggle.

STOP SMOKING Smoking is one of the top things people include in their resolutions list and the benefits of giving up are definitely worth the effort – but like most things it’s easier said than done.

“There’s always a reason to stop,” says Katie McGoldrick, Team Leader at Smokefree Norfolk, the stop smoking service provided by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.

“Our expert advisors work with people to identify their reasons for wanting to give up and to find the best way for them to quit. This can include a combination of one-to-one support, group sessions and with the help of medication such as patches.”

It’s been proven that people who have support on their quitting journey are four times more likely to succeed and stay smoke free.

“Nicotine is the most addictive drug we know of,” continues Katie, “so we appreciate how hard it is to quit, but Smokefree Norfolk’s experienced advisors are on hand to help you ” Smokefree Norfolk can be contacted on 0800 0854 113.

CUT DOWN ON DRINKING Another favourite resolution after the excess of alcohol on offer over the festive period has probably led to a natural conclusion that it would be good to cut down on drinking. Rather than putting a stop to all alcohol, try limiting your nightly glass of wine to just the weekends.

But equally, it doesn’t mean if you cut out the units in the week they can be made up for on Saturday night! The guidelines suggest women should consume no more than 2–3 daily units of alcohol on a regular basis (equivalent to a 175ml glass of wine) and men no more than 3–4 daily units of alcohol on

KLmagazine January 2012

13

a regular basis (equivelant to a pint and a half of 4% lager).

If another item on your list of things to improve is your waistline, cutting down on alcohol is going to give this a boost too, since a medium (175ml) glass of white wine contains a whopping 130 calories and lager (5%) is even worse at 240 calories a pint!

interview. Making a change to our appearance can have a really positive effect on our well-being and a simple new hair cut can give us a much needed boost when we need it.

Experiment with new make-up techniques or treat yourself in the January sales for that new-look outfit which will make you feel fab.

CHANGE YOUR CAREER For some people the New Year can bring about even bigger changes, for instance a new career. Over the last few years the job market is becoming much more difficult to navigate, with more competition than ever for the positions available.

Don’t be tempted to rush out of one job to find another – take time to think about the options available, whether it’s seeking a new role with your current employer or re-training to enter new employment.

Adam King, Centre Supervisor at Learning Works in King’s Lynn advises people to look for training opportunities that fit alongside work commitments “Basic skills are vitally important, as is IT,” he says. “Training can be very job specific but computer skills are essential today.”

But just having the right qualifications isn’t enough, as Adam explains “CVs are important tools for employers who’ll look favourably at relevant experience or voluntary work that links to the role. It’s also important to tell perspective employers a little about yourself in the CV since this often is the first impression they’ll have of you – however make sure it’s accurate because it’s likely you will be questioned on anything mentioned if you’re called for an interview!”

If your eyes are already set on a challenging new career, then it’s time to feel good about yourself in time for the

CHANGE YOUR DIET Which brings us on to possibly the most popular of all New Year’s resolutions – diets, which is also the most common one to be given up on shortly after it’s been started!

If the thought of endless salad and rice crackers has you reaching for the biscuit jar, think again.

“Most people know what’s good for them to eat and what isn’t,” says Katie Hopgood, Slimming World consultant in King’s Lynn.

“Healthy options can be very appealing – it’s just knowing what to do with them to make them into tasty meals everyone can enjoy.”

Attending slimming groups can provide inspiration, support and advice which can help overcome the difficult moments of temptation.

However, it doesn’t have to be all deprivation as Katie believes the little lifestyle changes can really make a difference.

“Being a little healthier by drinking more water, doing a little exercise and cutting out the treats can have real benefits. Quick fixes aren’t the way to maintain a healthy weight long term and instead slimmers should look to set small achievable goals that will boost confidence along the way.”

14

START EXERCISING! With the fridge full of healthy food it’s time to give our body a little TLC and exercise is the perfect way to ditch the winter blues, giving us some extra energy and helping to strengthen our immune system. It’s recommended that adults participate in around 150 minutes of physical activity a week – which isn’t a lot when broken down into 30 minutes sessions, such as a brisk walk with the dog.

But before embarking on any form of physical exercise it’s always important to have a health check by your GP, as Hilary Webster, qualified fitness instructor and Manager of the Oaks Pool and Gym in Pentney explains.

“If you haven’t actively exercised for a while it’s a good idea to make sure you haven’t got any hidden medical conditions,” she says.

“Even once the doctor has given you the all clear it’s always best to start off slowly with gentle exercise such as walking or swimming before building up to more strenuous activity.”

Find a sport that is right for you, something you will enjoy taking part in regularly or look for local classes you can attend with a buddy for motivation.

Don’t be put off by visiting a gym if you’ve never been to one before – there’s always someone on hand to help, and most will offer a tailored programme to suit your needs.

“There’s no typical gym-goer,” says Hilary. “We have all kinds of members – young and old – all here for different reasons, whether it’s losing weight, rehabilitating or just wanting to increase fitness. If people can put in two or three sessions a week, they’ll notice the benefit in less than six weeks!”

So with lots to consider if you are making this year your year to change, remember to stay focused to achieve your goals and most importantly enjoy whatever you are doing.

Whatever you have planned, KL Magazine wishes you a very happy 2012!

KLmagazine January 2012

If you think you could write a better sentence than this, we think you’ll be interested in the paragraphs below.

Features Editor KL magazine Since you’re actually holding a copy at the moment, you’ll be aware that KL magazine is a free, high-quality lifestyle magazine promoting everything that’s good and great about life in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.

We’re currently looking for a talented Features Editor to create even more entertaining, informative and engaging articles to help raise the profile and development of KL magazine. You’ll be working alongside the Editor to generate ideas for features, and see them through to publication – from research and interviews to editing and proofreading.

You’ll also have some responsibility for illustrating editorial content – either through liaising with photographers and artists or sourcing suitable images from external sources.

It goes without saying that you'll have a natural flair for writing, but you'll also need a terrific eye for detail, a suitably creative mind, a love of meeting deadlines and the desire to work within a closeknit, friendly and dedicated team.

Salary is negotiable and will be commensurate with skills and experience.

If you’re interested (and if you’ve read this far, you should be), please apply by e-mail to Managing Director Laura Murray at laura@klmagazine.co.uk – and show us just how good a sentence can be.

KL magazine, Suite 1, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW Tel: 01553 601201 Web: www.klmagazine.co.uk

PERSONALITY

THE BIG INTER VI

EW:

COLIN SAMPSON KL magazine talks to the Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk about his work and improving the quality of life in the area...

KL MAGAZINE: Can you tell us a little about your career leading up to you becoming the Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk?

COLIN SAMPSON: I wanted something to be done about a particular issue and someone suggested that I become a councillor.

I was on Downham Market Town Council for twelve years before I stood down at the last election. Then in 2007 I was press-ganged into becoming a borough councillor by some

16

colleagues, who said “we can’t get anyone else!”

Now that’s a ringing endorsement if ever there was one!

At the election last May I was lucky enough to be reelected for my ward and I was persuaded to stand for Mayor. Again I was very fortunate – I had great support from fellow councillors to win that election too.

KL MAGAZINE: Since becoming involved with the local council, what’s been

the most significant development you have been part of?

COLIN SAMPSON: Cost cutting and looking for improved recycling processes are two highprofile issues we continue to deal with, but ward matters also fill a lot of my time.

The role of Mayor is very time consuming so I’ve been relieved of committee work this year.

KL MAGAZINE: What issue is your attention currently focused on?

COLIN SAMPSON: As Chairman of the Fen Line Users Association, I continue to seek improvements in the train service from King’s Lynn to Cambridge and London.

On a personal level I’d also

like to see all unused housing brought back into use by landlords – but understandably this is more than just a Borough issue.

KL MAGAZINE: If you could spend the Council’s money wherever you see fit, what areas would you like to improve in West Norfolk and why?

COLIN SAMPSON: I’d like to see a much improved local transport provision so that our more isolated communities benefit from integrated transport which would in turn raise the quality of life even higher in West Norfolk.

However, much of this ‘dream’ depends on County Council involvement.

KL MAGAZINE: Within your role as a councillor and the Mayor of King’s Lynn and

KLmagazine January 2012

West Norfolk, what other local organisations/sub committees have you become involved with?

COLIN SAMPSON: As a councillor I’m involved with Freebridge Community Housing as a Board Member.

I’m also the Borough representative on the Norfolk Rail Policy Group and the Southern Area Road Safety Committee – as well as being a trustee of a Downham Market charity!

Becoming Mayor also naturally puts you in the position of a number of presidencies, vicepresidencies and trustees for a number of West Norfolk organisations.

KL MAGAZINE: Can you tell us the best thing about being Mayor?

COLIN SAMPSON: Getting behind the scenes of so many West Norfolk organisations and meeting the wonderful people that make them all tick.

KL MAGAZINE: And the worst?

COLIN SAMPSON: I honestly haven’t come across anything yet!

KL MAGAZINE: If you weren’t involved with the council what do you think you’d be doing?

COLIN SAMPSON: Spending more time on my hobbies, which include birdwatching, railways (real ones and model ones), Freemasonry and, of course, my wife – not all necessarily in that order!

KL MAGAZINE: In the rare moments of free time you have as Mayor, what would we find you doing?

SAFE A GENT S2525 & S252 6

COLIN SAMPSON: Any free time I have is spent trying to catch up a bit with my hobbies and spending valuable time with our ďŹ rst grandson and the rest of our family.

KL MAGAZINE: Who inspires you and why?

YOUR LOCAL AND INDEPENDANT LETTING AGENT...

COLIN SAMPSON: My father in particular – but anyone who leaves the community richer for their passing through it. It could be anybody at any level who has really made a dierence.

Only Letting agent in West Norfolk who is both a Licensed ARLA member & a member

KL MAGAZINE: Tell us something about you that would surprise people?

Proud of the fact we had NO deposit disputes go to arbitration the past 12 months

COLIN SAMPSON: If I have any secrets left, they stay secret! But one thing people may be surprised at (considering how watery our part of Norfolk is) is that I can’t swim. As a youngster I tried, and although I was very sporty in other areas, swimming just wasn’t for me. I treat all the water here with great respect from a distance!

KLmagazine January 2012

The smarter choice for landlords

We dedicate 100% of our time to Lettings & Property Management From studio apartments to residential developments

The easy way to rent your property

The SMART choice...

Residential lettings Property management 8IRERX ½RH WIVZMGIW Online rent payment &PSGO QEREKIQIRX -RZIWXQIRX TVSTIVX]

HUNSTANTON

;IWXKEXI ,YRWXERXSR 2SVJSPO 4) )4 Telephone: 01485 533633

DERSINGHAM

.YFMPII 'SYVX (IVWMRKLEQ 4) ,, Telephone: 01485 544740

GOT A SMART PHONE? SCAN THIS TO ACCESS OUR WEBSITE...

www.norfolklets.com 17

Our doors are always open...

For finance, trust to Blatchford & Mills...

T

NO SA W LE ON !

here are many doors closed these days when it comes to borrowing money for unexpected bills or short term finance needed in an instance. It can also be a minefield of knowing where and who to turn to without being left with mounting interest turning a small quick loan into an insurmountable debt.

As Christmas and the New Year leave us for another twelve months, people are left with the expense of it all whilst still juggling ongoing monthly bills. We at Blatchford & Mills may have the answer to assist in tight financial times where otherwise doors and ears are firmly shut.

Blatchford & Mills are a small, friendly pawnbroking and cheque cashing shop

situated at 6 Tower Street, King’s Lynn.

From loaning money on gold jewellery via a Buy Back service for a 28 day period (which can be extended) to instant cheque cashing or pay day loans all with very competitive rates, we may be just what you are looking for.

We also buy in hallmarked gold jewellery at very good prices, another way to release money that you may not otherwise have considered.

Certain identification is required to enable us to proceed with all or any of the above transactions and our staff would be more than happy to discuss this in detail by either telephoning us on 01553 661 227 or calling into the shop (see right for details) for a private discussion.

Written details available upon request.

Details BLATCHFORD & MILLS 6 Tower Street, King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1EJ Tel: 01553 661227

CHA RMED CHARMED INTERIORS ‘Do ‘Downham wnham Market’s Marrkket’s hidden gem, gem, between the bridges’ bridges’ between

HOMEWARES H OME M WARES ARE RE E ES G IFTS T GIFTS AF TERNOON ERNO R T EA AFTERNOON TEA

www.charmed-interiors.co.uk The Hythe, Bridge Road, Downham Market

18

KLmagazine January 2012

HISTORY

West Norfolk: Then and Now

1906

2012 TENNYSON AVENUE REVISITED...

Thanks to KL magazine reader Henry Chapman for sending this postcard of Tennyson Avenue – but he’s at a loss as to why it was ever made the subject of a postcard. Can you help?

It’s always good to see the character of King’s Lynn hasn’t changed much over

the years – even on our residential streets. For more photographs of how things used to be in King’s Lynn and the surrounding area, contact Picture Norfolk – you’ll find them at the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich,

Norfolk NR2 1AW. We’ll be bringing you another nostalgic look at West Norfolk next month. Remember to send us your pictures too!

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

To view thousands of images of Norfolk’s history visit: www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk KLmagazine January 2012

19

PICTURES: JOHN CROWE

HISTORY

ABOVE: Author of The Troy Deception John Crowe, and (right) the replica wooden horse at the entrance to the accepted site of Troy

The local man who’s rewriting history...

For over 2,500 years the world’s been tricked into thinking the ancient city of Troy was somewhere it wasn’t – but now a man from North Runcton is setting the record straight...

A

fter working in the water industry for more than thirty years, John Crowe retired in 1997, but instead of taking up golf or joining the Ramblers, the former civil engineer from North Runcton decided to rewrite the history books. Nine years of hard work and research have now resulted in the publication of the first volume in a multi-book project that looks set to turn some accepted notions on their heads.

Essentially, John’s revolutionary theory is that the ancient and legendary city of Troy (best known for being the setting of the Trojan War, as described in Homer’s epic poem The Iliad) was not at the generally-accepted location of Hisarlik in western Turkey – but was actually about 100 miles further south,

20

at Pergamon. As if presenting knowledge that’s been hidden from the world for over 2,500 years wasn’t enough, John also hopes his discoveries will add a new degree of integrity to Homer’s reputation as a historically-accurate source and solve some other long-standing historial mysteries.

KL magazine spoke to John about the Troy Deception and what brought him to undertake such a daunting challenge.

KL magazine: How did you first become interested in Troy and its location?

John Crowe: For a long time I’d been interested in solving the problems of the ‘Dark Ages’ in ancient history, and in 2002 I met John Lascelles in Australia.

He’d discovered the plain of Troy was actually below Pergamon and had tried to get scholars interested in his discovery for 20 years – but no one was interested. He’d given up any hope of getting his discovery recognised, but I found his evidence convincing, so I took up the case on his behalf.

KL magazine: What made you devote so much time and energy to the problem?

John Crowe: I realised that, with a lot more research, it would be possible to make a case which would convince even the most sceptical scholars.

The accepted site of Troy is nothing like the Troy described by Homer in The Iliad, and in 1982 a soil survey proved that what had always been thought of as the plain of Troy was nothing but a

KLmagazine January 2012

build-up of silts at the river mouth – there can have been no Trojan plain between Troy and the sea like the one Homer described at the site.

I realised that once the actual plain of Troy was found, it would lead us to the real site of the city itself. The Trojan War would become more likely to have been a real historical event, Homer could then be accepted as a reliable historical witness, and we would be much nearer solving the problem of the mysterious Dark Ages of Greek and Anatolian history.

KL magazine: Troy is a long way from North Runcton! How difficult has it been to research the Troy Deception?

John Crowe: It’s taken me nine years to get this far with my studies, partly because I’ve had to learn about Homer and ancient Greek history from scratch.

To date I’ve built up a bibliography of some 144 books (some were found in local bookshops), and the great university libraries at Oxford, Cambridge and London have all been marvellous places to study. The local library in King’s Lynn has also been a great help in ordering books when I’ve needed to keep them for a few weeks.

KL magazine: How have general readers reacted to your work?

John Crowe: It’s a bit too early to tell, but I have tried to write the book for the general public – but with plenty of notes and references for people who want to follow my evidence in more depth. My brother is a retired postman, and he read the whole book from cover to cover and assured me that if a reader didn’t understand it, they’d have to be a moron!

KL magazine: How about academics?

John Crowe: I’ve sent extracts of my book (explaining the critical arguments) to a dozen or more scholars who are experts in the many areas my work covers. So far none have put forward any convincing evidence to refute the new scenario I’ve presented.

Several have offered a measure of support for some of my arguments, and two world famous scholars – Professors Anthony Snodgrass of Cambridge and Gregory Nagy of Harvard – have allowed me to quote their supportive comments.

KL magazine: What can we expect from volume 2?

John Crowe: Volume One (Part 1) explains why Troy at Hisarlik doesn’t match Homer’s descriptions, and Part 2 presents the new location. Volume Two (Part 1) will show that the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon perfectly

KLmagazine January 2012

21

completely restored.

With Homer’s help we can then rebuild our understanding of early antiquity, and resolve some of the difficulties which have led so many scholars to waste largely fruitless careers – simply because they were unaware of the Troy deception.

ABOVE: According to John Crowe, this humble hill may actually be the site of the tomb of Hector – and may be as historically important as the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen

matches the descriptions of the one at Troy, and the site of the city iself will probably be found close to the ancient springs of the Asklepion in northern Bergama.

Finally, in Volume Two (Part 2) I’ll explain the ‘deception’ itself. This was a very clever ruse by the Athenian tyrants of the 6th century BC in Athens, who needed a colony. They altered Homer’s famous epic poems to make it seem that Troy was at Hisarlik, adding lines to show that Athenians played an important role in the Trojan War. They then claimed they were entitled to the lands of Troy as their share of the spoils of the Trojan War. Once they could claim the authority of Homer, they were able to capture all the territory around Hisarlik, and retain it despite a long period of hostilities.

I know this all sounds complicated, but don’t forget the deception has fooled the world for some 2,500 years – if it was simple, it would have unravelled centuries ago.

KL magazine: In re-locating Troy, are there any mysteries you've been unable to resolve and are still waiting to be solved?

John Crowe: The obvious one is the exact location and size of the lower city of Troy. Pergamon was the capital of the Attalid kingdom from about 280BC to 145BC, after which it became the Roman province of Asia. It grew wealthy and its growing population lived in peace under the protection of the Roman Empire for over 300 years.

During this time there was no need for any defensive walls, so many were reduced to ground level and below for valuable building stone. Sadly I’ve been unable to find traces of the walls of Troy that are still visible today.

It will be for the archaeologists to excavate and find out what (if anything) remains of these once-famous walls, and to determine the size of one of the most famous ancient cities.

22

But Homer tells us a warm spring was just outside the walls of Troy and not far from the Dardanian Gate, so the archaeologists will know where to start looking.

A less obvious – but possibly more exciting – mystery is to explore the tomb mound which I’ve tentatively identified as being the tomb of the great hero Hector.

At the end of The Iliad, Hector’s ashes were placed in a golden urn, buried in a pit, covered over with a layer of ‘great stones’, and then a tomb mound was built over the top.

If by some remote chance, this golden casket were to be found below the mound I’ve identified as Hector’s tomb, it would mean almost as much to posterity as the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

KL magazine: The Troy Deception is a somewhat unusual retirement project to undertake – so what's next for you?

John Crowe: Once all the chronologies of the ancient kingdoms have been brought into line, and the unexplained Dark Ages condemned to the wastepaper basket, I plan to return to my grand piano and resume a long neglected friendship!

THE TROY DECEPTION: Volume 1 – Finding the Plain of Troy by John Crowe (£25) is available now from good bookshops or can be ordered – with a £10 discount – directly from John’s informative and helpful website at www.thetroydeception.com

HISARLIK

KL magazine: At the end of the day, many people might think the location of Troy is only of any PERGAMON interest to historians of ancient Greece – what makes it so important to us today?

IZMIR John Crowe: With the assumption that Troy was GREECE located at Hisarlik, much of what Homer tells us TURKEY about the landscape and topography of those times cannot SYRIA be believed. So Homer’s integrity is CYPRUS CRETE sadly diminished.

But with both the Trojan plain and ISRAEL the city itself now found exactly as LIBYA Homer describes, EGYPT his importance as a witness of antiquity ABOVE: The Troy Deception is centred on this part of Western Turkey – and the hitherto accepted site of Hisarlik (see inset) is suddenly

KLmagazine January 2012

PICTURE: JACK KELLETT

LOCAL LIFE

24

KLmagazine January 2012

PICTURE: DAVID FEATHERBE ABOVE: Sarah Graves of the Welney Wetland Centre feeding the winter visitors, including the beautiful Whooper Swans (opposite)

Welney’s unmissable spectacle of swans Every year, up to 9,000 birds descend on the Welney Wetland Centre near Downham Market for a winter stay, creating a breathtaking sight that attracts hundreds of human visitors too...

O

n a cold and misty winter’s morning the Norfolk washes can seem like a bleak landscape – still, vast and flat until the warming glow of sunshine spreads its light breathing life across all it touches.

The ice and frost, although reinforcing the bitter nip in the air, also provides this watery world with a magical dusting of glistening beauty.

Far from being the isolated and unwelcoming environment you may imagine at this time of year, the washes have something special to offer anyone who visits during the winter months.

At Welney Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Centre near Ten Mile Bank, there’s something to see all year round, but the spectacular sights of this season are by

KLmagazine January 2012

far some of the best you’ll ever see.

The famous floodlit swan feeds at Welney are a breathtaking sight as thousands of migratory swans fly in to roost. Around 5,000 Whoopers arrived throughout October from their summer breeding grounds in Iceland, followed by around 4,000 Bewick’s Swans who arrived a few weeks after the first wave from their summer wetlands in Arctic Russia. Harsh conditions in their native countries force the birds to travel hundreds of miles to warmer winter resting grounds such as Welney.

Incredibly, the Whooper Swans make a 1,200 mile journey, which includes a non-stop 700 mile flight across the ocean (the quickest recorded crossing taking just 12 hours!)

“It’s a long and tiring journey,” says

Emma Brand, Welney Marketing Officer.

“It’s easy to see which birds have just arrived as they often look worn out and in need of a good feed and some rest!

They spend the first day or so relaxing on the reserve before venturing further afield.”

After gorging on carbohydrate rich foods over the winter, the birds will have put on some needed weight before they embark on the long journey back again at the end of February.

This season was unusual for Welney with the Bewick’s arriving later than they normally do, which was most likely caused by the milder temperatures experienced in the latter part of 2011 combined with westerly winds.

In January 2011 the swan numbers reached a record high in the Fens area

25

PICTURE: LEIGH MARSHALL ABOVE: The floodlit swan feed at Welney is always a stunning sight, attracting a wide range of birds such as Bewick’s Swans (below)

PICTURE: RICHARD TAYLOR-JONES

as many of the birds who normally roost at other sites in the UK favoured this site instead, due to the severe weather conditions experienced by other British roosting areas.

It’s the agricultural landscape surrounding the Ouse wash that attracts the swans as an ideal site to winter. Recently-ploughed fields provide an excellent source of food with leftover potatoes and sugar beet tops presenting rich pickings for the birds. As a Wetland Centre, Welney provides the swans with a safe roosting site, free from disturbance, whilst nurturing the natural geography to maintain a healthy habitat.

The two migratory species are distinguishable by their bills – the Bewick’s mainly black and the Whooper’s mostly bright yellow.

Another species you may see at WWT Welney is the native Mute Swan who spend all year here. One type of swan you’re unlikely to see is the Black Swan which are actually a breed native to Australia – the rare few that do exist on England’s waterways have at some point escaped from a captive environment.

Through tagging and advanced satellite monitoring, the experienced research teams who study the swans have found out many interesting facts about the migratory behaviour. This tracking system records details on their route – stops that are made, flying heights and times and has an important role in the wellbeing of the birds.

It’s been proven that swans really do mate for life, and the groups are made up of pairs who will have this year’s cygnets with them, identified by their grey adolescent plumage. Typically, the Bewicks will have between one and four young, while the 26

Whoopers have been known to have up to seven.

At several WWT centres, some of the visiting swans have been ringed which has allowed staff to identify returning birds.

On a local level, one Whooper swan who has become a favourite of staff is Baldur (an Icelandic name) who has been visiting for the last 3-4 winters with his family – look out for leg ring number U5B and his partner U5S, this pair have brought seven cygnets twice to WWT Welney. Although just a handful of regulars are given names like this, the familiarity has spurred an interest in the swans and the work at Welney from local school children through community projects.

In the centrally heated observatory, birdwatchers and nature lovers alike come from all over the country to see Welney’s floodlit feeds.

As the first few swans leave their daily feeding sites and return to Welney, the watery expanse is dotted with flashes of white amongst ducks and other wildfowl. But within minutes as the

darkness falls, the sky begins to fill with graceful flight and the communication between the swans becomes louder.

As the majestic birds glide down from the sky in their groups, it gives the impression of snow falling onto the water against the dark background of night.

Here, as the gathered hordes await their evening feed, visitors are treated to an informative talk about these kings of the feathered world, which is as fascinating as the spectacle itself.

Thousands of migratory swans giving a beautiful display without doing anything other than being the magnificent creatures they are.

While Welney’s summer birds have migrated south for the winter there is an abundance of other wildlife to enjoy in amongst the excitement of the swans.

Ducks such as widgeon, pintail and shoveller along with waders including lapwing, snipe and curlew are all happily in residence on the washes.

Barn owls are to be seen regularly on the riverbanks carrying out their winter hunting as the dusk arrives early. Over the next couple of months the farmland which can be viewed from the cafe windows will also be an excellent spot to watch the spring hares boxing.

A fabulous experience that has to be seen to be appreciated, it is difficult to describe the awe of the Welney Floodlit Swan Feeds which take place every Thursday to Sunday at 6.30pm, as well as the daily 12 noon and 3.30pm swan feeds.

For more information on Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Welney, visit the website at www.wwt.org.uk/welney or contact the centre direct by calling 01353 860711.

KLmagazine January 2012

! % $ ( % ) #& # (! % #/ ) (,! (&$ &%#/ 0 (&$ &%#/ 0

Anglia and BBC East

2## #!, ( % !%)* ## /&+( % - ''#! % ) &( -!* !% $!# ) & !% 2) /%% 1 - 2## , % !)'&) & /&+( &# ''#! % ) ( #!, (/ % !%)* ## *!&% ''#! ) *& '+( ) ) &, ( 0

' % "' &* ' #) % ) ,#( * ' $%# !& - ! && " "" & #% $##% % $' #" ' # +$ %'& " * . ) ,#( ' $ " &($$#%' ,#( "

.' (* % #' +# ,! (&$ * $ & #& # )' ! #!)*) (! % #/ )* *& $ " ) %) & ## * * %! # * !#) &$'# * * ( ) # ) ) (,! +## ( % & &$ )*! ''#! % )' ( ) *&&

&- ( *( *

" .& ,"" KLmagazine January 2012

***

%)(

!% 2) /%% &( &#" --- &&' ( % #$) & +"

% & #!

27

LOCAL LIFE

ABOVE: Knight’s Hill Hotel today – it’s come a long way from the derelict farm it was in 1986

From derelict farm to luxurious hotel...

Today it’s a fantastic setting for a special event, but 25 years ago it was a sadly abandoned farm. Charlotte Thorneycroft charts the remarkable development of Knight’s Hill Hotel...

G

iven the medieval banquet hall atmosphere of the Knights Barn function room at the Knights Hill Hotel, you’d be forgiven for thinking the name has derived from a Round Table-style meeting place.

However, Knights Hill actually refers to previous occupiers of the site – which was once a farm owned by Frederick Knight.

Like most historical buildings that are given new leases of life in different guises, unless you were around to see what was there before, it’s hard to imagine these structures as anything other than their modern purpose.

However, it wasn’t quite so long ago

28

(a mere 25 years) that long-term residents of King’s Lynn will remember this grand hotel site as a derelict farm.

Thinking of the land in question being full of crops and livestock with heavy farm machinery today seems a distant memory from the now busy roundabout which sees a constant flow of traffic to and from the town.

More recently, the farm was used by Seaman’s Dairies, and it even featured in an ITV production before being put up for sale in 1986.

The history of this site has its roots in the early medieval times when the land was included in the Castle Rising Estate.

Beginning life as a group of farm buildings within the area of Rising

Chase (it was known as Lodge Farm), the main building dates from the 17th/18th centuries (with later 19th century additions) and is referred to as Rising Lodge.

This large property is grandly designed and would have been a magnificent country house for the farming family who lived there. On the exterior carstone walls one particular feature stands out – the small stones laid within the mortar, which was thought to ward off evil spirits. It’s something which can be seen on many Norfolk buildings of this time.

The front comprises a very elegant 18th century Georgian facade with big bay windows which are complemented

KLmagazine January 2012

ABOVE: The scale of the Knight’s Hill development is easy to see from these photographs, which were taken before work began some 25 years ago

internally by stately high ceilings to give light open rooms.

Unusually, this magnificent home of the farmowners was directly attached to the farm worker cottages, which would normally be out of view from the main residence.

Although mostly now demolished, (the original well to these cottages is now behind the reception desk) the differences evident in the two properties is still visible from the structural features remaining.

Whilst being renovated for use as a hotel, the original features have been kept intact as much as possible.

Outside, the stone walls that enclose the site are all original and map out the areas of the farm such as the hotel rooms adjacent to the Farmers Arms pub – which were once pig sheds!

Inside, part of the pub has an obvious former use as horse stalls still intact with dividers, troughs and tie rings.

“We were conscious the buildings

should retain their former lives,” says Hotel Manager Bernard Ducker.

“Often people think we’ve restyled the Farmers Arms to make it look like an old farm and they’re surprised when we tell them we just worked around what was already here. It was important the archaeological and historical importance of a site such as this was respected.”

It’s possible that the enormous Knights Barn is one of the oldest buildings on the site and is thought to have been built using some of the stone from the Castle at Rising.

Within the roughly-built walls (which seem to have been made from whatever materials could be found) there is one large stone on which the date 1741 has been engraved, although no one has a definite answer as to why (the stone itself isn’t typical of the area either).

This part of the Knights Hill site is also home to a legend every historic hotel seems to have– the ghost story. In this case, the haunting is said to take the form of laughing children from within the empty barn.

In a quarter of a century the hotel has expanded considerably to cater for the growing number of visitors to West Norfolk. With a health spa, pool and gym on site, 79 en-suite rooms, pub, restaurant and function rooms, the site enhances the area and provides local employment – much as the original farm would have done hundreds of years before it.

Knights Hill welcomes any information on the history of Rising Lodge and Lodge Farm or details of local connections. You can contact the hotel on 01553 675566.

ABOVE: The development of Knight’s Hill took enormous care to retain important historical materials and features, and (right) an aerial photograph of the site as it looks today.

KLmagazine January 2012

29

an animal imal & pet feeds feeds “Alll the ffeeds “Al eeds ffor or o aallll thei theirr needs!”

FFriendly riendlly servic servicee Wide range o off feeds feeds & bedding in st stock ock Deliv very servic available Delivery servicee available SStaff taff tto o help you lload oad your vvehicle ehicle Tel elephone ephone // 01328 01328 851351 Emailil // gary@gjlanimalfeeds.co.uk Ema gary@gjlanimalfeeds.c ee o.uk www.gjlanimalfeeds.co.uk www w.gjlanimalfeeds.co.uk NR21 8SX Cli b h Business Clipbush B i PPark, ark, k Fakenham, FFak akkenham, e h 8SSX X

WE HA HAVE AVE VE MOVED! MOVED! Find us behind the Morrisons Morrisons Petrol Petrol Station, Station, Fak F Fakenham. akenham.

FAKENHAM

D STANDARD GOL

$3 $ /80 5 2,# 5 2$0# 5 ,2 /5 5$ /0 ,# 2,#$/

,2 /5 01 6 (/01 1' 6 (/01 "$

"$ .+

.+

#2*10 %/-+ 7 ""-+. ,($# !5 #2*10

$41 +-,1'80 / "$ +$$1(,&

/(# 5 $!/2 /5

1'

.+

Sup Supporters o F off FOLLY

)$,' + )$,' +

"$"-2/0$ 1# '$ "$"-2/0$ -/%-*) (,%- % )$,' +/ "$"-2/0$ "- 2) 333 % )$,' +/ "$"-2/0$ "- 2)

Bringing the outside inside...

J&K

Glass & Glazing Ltd

Manufacturing and installing high quality Bi-fold doors – available in a variety of colours

Call now for a free quote on 01553 828555

30

KLmagazine January 2012

PETS

AnimalMatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with Alex Dallas of the London Road Veterinary Centre...

2011 has been a tough year for everyone, and locally we’ve all been feeling the pinch. Hoever, I believe West Norfolk is a resilient and optimistic place, and with a strong positive attitude and a willingness to work together locally, we’ll enjoy some very good times this New Year. A happy 2012 to you all – and why not take this time to download our free year planner from our website to help organise your pet care ?

Small bites Did you have a good Christmas? I certainly hope so. And your pets – did you get them treats, and perhaps indulge them a little more than usual?

In which case, who’s got that little bit heavier over the festive period (apart from me)? If you want to check your pet’s weight and receive some advice and help with weight control, we have free weight clinics at both our London Road practice and the Hollies in Downham (see below for details of where to find us).

If transporting your pet to get them weighed is tricky, then a handy tip I heard recently is to use the Wii board to record your pet’s weight accurately.

Game on!

It’s the year of the cat...

I

n my last article in the Christmas issue I waxed lyrically on the joys of dog ownership. I should’ve guessed there might be a backlash from the cat community! However, I can definitely claim neutrality. I do have two border terriers and a flat-coat retriever, but I also have the company of five ginger cats. There are two girls and three boys of a wide range of ages, who happpily patrol Dallas Towers, bringing colour and amusement to our lives.

Just as with puppies, these animals come with a strong commitment to ensure their health and wellbeing. They also need vaccination courses to keep them safe from infectious and deadly diseases. They also benefit from neutering to stop unwanted litters, and to reduce fighting and straying.

They require treatment to prevent flea infestations and to tackle worms, and cats in particular benefit from microchipping so they can be identified

if lost or involved in an accident.

Once again, we are talking about spending money. Initially, this good start in life could cost over £120 per kitten, but again there are usually package deals that can save a great deal on these initial costs.

Details of our savings are available on our website offers page on our site at www.makeyour petsmile.co.uk.

After the initial cost, cats are definitely cheaper to keep than dogs, with smaller feed bills and they’re usually less demanding.

For that reason I strongly recommend not just settling for one when considering a kitten.

Having two kittens involves a fraction more work and cost, but returns a huge amount more fun. Just sit back and watch the kittens as they tear about – and they benefit from having a companion for life.

So, how about it? Why not make your 2012 the year of the cat!

Your pets This charming picture was sent to me by Wendy Bontoft of South Wootton, whose friendly bulldog Wogan loves having his photo taken – I wonder if he likes listening to Radio 2 as well!

Don’t forget to keep sending me pictures of your pets (the funnier the better!) to Animal Matters at KL magazine, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW or you can e-mail them to editor@klmagazine.co.uk

LONDON ROAD 25 London Road, King’s Lynn t: 01553 773168 e: info@lrvc.co.uk HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market t: 01366 386655 e: hollies@holliesvetclinic.co.uk KLmagazine January 2012

31

LOCAL LIFE

ABOVE: The enormous scale of the Palm Paper operation at King’s Lynn is only truly appreciated from above

A look inside the world of Palm Paper...

For the last two years, Palm Paper has made a huge impact on the business world of King’s Lynn. Charlotte Thorneycroft looks at the biggest investment in the UK paper industry for years

R

ecycling is widely perceived as a modern concept, a greener way to deal with the things we no longer need in a world struggling to cope with the leftovers we discard.

However, for Lynn-based paper giant Palm Paper, recycling was something they consciously chose to use as the basis for their paper production when the family firm began way back in 1872.

32

Palm Paper in King’s Lynn is one arm of the German Palm Group, which is still owned by the Palm family. It was four years ago that the company came to the town, looking for a site that would be suitable for a new state-ofthe-art paper mill.

Finding the perfect situation was no easy task, since the buildings required an area of 100 acres with easy access to London – where most of the

recycled raw material would come from and where the finished product would be used in press rooms.

The nature of the papermaking process also meant the site would have to be near a river. With so many boxes to tick, it’s surprising to learn there were a handful of location options open to Palm, of which King’s Lynn was only one. However, there was one deciding factor between King’s Lynn and the

KLmagazine January 2012

other choices – the attitude of our town.

“Dr Palm said he couldn’t go ahead with the mill in a town if even just one person objected,” explains Stephan Gruber, Managing Director of Production.

“King’s Lynn council was incredibly encouraging and we were made to feel very welcome – so the decision was an easy one.”

Building commenced in spring 2008 on the £400 million investment project which created work for some 1,400 people on the site. Although many were local contractors (another specification of Dr Palm’s), the specialist equipment also required a number of experts being brought in from across Europe.

By August 21st 2009 the build was completed and production began, a whole three weeks ahead of schedule.

It was always the intention that the introduction of this

KLmagazine January 2012

huge industrial plant to King’s Lynn would bring with it much-needed employment opportunities for local people.

Dr Palm keenly stuck to this plan, creating 150 new positions within the mill. From the Palm Group’s three German paper mills 13 employees are remaining in King’s Lynn for up to five years to help train the new staff.

Despite only a handful of staff having previous paper mill experience, this training option was the best way for the company to support the local economy as Dr Palm wished. In addition to that, in 2011 Palm Paper started a new threeyear program for twelve apprentices as paper technologists, an initiative undertaken with with the College of West Anglia and the Paper Centre in Germany.

The engineers, electricians and mechanics recruited by Palm throughout 1998 were put through intensive training courses in the UK and Germany.

Groups of 20 were sent to Palm’s German mills to gain hands-on experience while theoretical training took place in King’s Lynn.

However, since it takes four years to form a German papermaker, this was just the opening phase.

The first year of intensive training will be followed

by three years of practical work on the Lynn paper machine, during which time the UK staff will be supported by 30 German experts.

A further 150 indirect jobs have also been created as a result of the mill. In addition, during maintenance shutdowns (there was one last March) there are more than 250 local engineers and engineers from overseas in the mill to support both maintenance departments.

The papermaking process itself is essentially the same as it’s been for hundreds of years (as people would have made it in their own homes), although on a much larger scale.

“We all use paper everyday,” says Stephan.

“It’s a huge industry from magazines and newspapers to bank notes and toilet paper – but very rarely does one stop to consider how it has been made.”

One difference of Palm Paper is that since 1872 the company has never used any virgin fibre – 100% of the paper produced at the mill coming from recycled raw material. Discarded magazines, newspapers and press room waste make up the bulk of the recovered fibres Palm use –which are sourced from specialist recycling companies.

Palm Group does have another company within the UK – Palm Recycling – which also provides recovered fibre to the King’s Lynn plant.

Around 1,400 tonnes of this recovered fibre is used every day at the plant to make 1,100 tonnes of new paper. The remainder is referred to as ‘rejects’ – roughly 20% of the raw material – and isn’t used due to ink, glue, staples or plastic wrapping having

33

FACTS & FIGURES Raw material first arrives at the plant in the form of old newspapers and magazines. Up to 8,000 tonnes can be stored in the Raw Material Store.

The recycled paper is then treated in the De-Inking Plant (DIP) where specialist machines remove any glue, staples and ink – resulting in clean fibres that can be used to make new paper.

These clean fibres are then transported (with water) to the papermaking machine, Palm’s massive PM7. Here, the pulp is laid on a wire mesh and pressed to squeeze out the moisture before it’s dried. The machine produces around 20,000 square metres a minute – 50 tonnes an hour, which is enough to fill two lorries. The jumbo rolls of paper produced weigh 100 tonnes, are over 10 metres wide and over 100 miles in length!

Too big to be sent to the press rooms, the paper is then sent to the finishing area where it’s cut to size (rolls vary between 300 kg and 3 tonnes) and wrapped for protection. Up to 40,000 tonnes of paper can be stored here ready to be delivered by the 50–60 lorries that travel to and from Palm every day.

“I like to think the whole process is like doing the household chores,” says Derek Harman.

“First we clean (the fibres), then we get rid of the water through the mangle, tumble dry it and then iron before packing away!”

34

to be removed. Once the finished product is turned into another newspaper or magazine, it still isn’t the end of the road, as the recycled fibres can then be re-used seven or eight times before they become too weak and have to be discarded – another function of ‘rejects’.

“Recycled paper used to have a reputation for being a lower quality product,” explains Derek Harman, Managing Director for Business & Sales.

“However, with advances in technology, the modern paper we produce today in terms of newsprint is as good – if not better – than that made with virgin fibres.”

Within the company’s environmentally-aware philosophy, Palm is always looking at ways to be more eco-friendly with their energy consumption. The amount of fresh water required in the process to make fibres into pulp comes from the flood relief channel. The site’s own effluent treatment plant is capable of cleaning enough water for a town of 350,000 inhabitants – but only 4% new water is taken in each day as an astonishing 96% is in a continuous loop.

Every national daily paper uses Palm Paper, as do most regional press rooms.

Despite the collapse of The News of The World in 2011 (which inevitably had an effect on the industry) Palm has benefitted from the increase in extra copies produced by the other leading Sunday papers – the shortfall for the market, is still around 600,000 lost copies per week.

As one of Lynn’s largest businesses and the largest investment in the UK paper industry for more than a decade, Palm Paper is another positive for West Norfolk.

Modern technology may have brought the industry on in leaps and bounds, but despite our gadgets and gizmos, paper is still a staple product of our world and Palm Paper in King’s Lynn is a landmark reminder to us all of how it’s made.

KLmagazine January 2012

KLmagazine January 2012

35

The complete home heating solution is here!

It’s easy to see why more and more people are discovering the benefits of Daikin Altherma Air Source Heating from 4Way...

W

hether you’re a builder/developer or thinking of self building in 2012, heating your new property will be high on the list of priorities when it comes to planning your project. Although it may seem like there are many options available, there’s one system that stands head and shoulders above the rest as the ultimate solution for new build homes – Daikin Altherma Air Source Heating from 4Way Refrigeration in King’s Lynn.

How does air source heating work?

Air source heat pump technology (ASHP) maximises the use of free heat from the outside air by collecting it, even when temperatures outside are below zero. This free heat is then compressed to a higher temperature by the outdoor unit, which can efficiently heat the water of your heating and hot water systems.

Why is this a good solution for my new build?

Gaining planning permission for a new build can be a difficult process but projects that have better energy ratings are always looked at more favourably.

Air source heating is a highly efficient, eco-friendly method of heating your home using renewable energy resulting in a much lower energy consumption than that of traditional oil and gas. With drastically reduced CO2 emissions your new build will benefit from improved energy efficiency ratings.

What if my plot is in a very rural location?

Daikin Altherma from 4Way Refrigeration is ideal! In areas where gas and oil are not available air source heating provides an effective, renewable energy solution for your heating and hot water systems.

I’m a builder; will air source heating make my property more attractive to buyers?

Yes. Today most buyers are eco-savvy and will often look at a properties energy efficiency rating as part of their decision making process. Not only will these be more appealing in a property with air source heating, but the running costs are also lower, another key consideration to potential purchasers.

Typically, for every 4kw of heat generated only 1kw is paid for.

air source heating be suitable for all of my properties?

Yes. Daikin Altherma air source heat systems can be fitted to any property providing heat through radiators, underfloor heating or a combination of both. Large new builds provide the perfect opportunity to benefit from the efficiency of underfloor heating.

Because there are no emissions from the machine (and no need for a flue) it can even be fitted to an internal wall making it perfect for apartments too!

One hassle free decision you can make when planning your new build is choosing the obvious solution for heating and hot water systems with air source heating from 4Way Refrigeration.

Call us now for full details and further information on our complete range of services.

I’m a developer, my projects range from one bedroom flats to six bedroom executive homes; will your

4 WAY REFRIGERATION LTD Unit 25, Bergen Way, North Lynn Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 2JG Tel: 01553 767878 E-mail: sales@4wayref.co.uk Web: www.4wayref.co.uk KLmagazine January 2012

37

KITCHENS | BEDROOMS | BATHROOMS | APPLIANCES | TILES

OUR QUALITY AND OUR SERVICE IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SUCCESS

UP TO 60% OFF

SELECTED KITCHENS!

! !: ",& 9052 1*$, '20. )*/&3& /%*"/ &8*$"/ 02 *3) )*13 0/%"9 40 2*%"9 '20. 1.

l Complete fitting service l FREE planning and design l Supply-only available l Experienced in-house fitters OPEN: 9-5pm weekdays 9-4.30pm Saturdays

The Precinct, 15 Plowright Place ESTABLISHED Swaffham Tel: 01760 724306 FOR 27 YEARS!

www.harmonykitchens.com

!05;2& */6*4&% 40 +0*/ 4)& '5/ 04 "/% $0-% #5''&4 '00% 1"249 #"(3 #"--00/3 $",& */6*4"4*0/3 $)0*$& 0' "$4*6*49 "/% -043 .02& 00, 40%"9 1&2 $)*-% /-9 : -&/$)7"240/ 0"% */(;3 9//

&34 9//

&-

38

KLmagazine January 2012

COOKS

CORNER

with Melanie Done

Very sharp ideas!

N

ew Year is traditionally the time for fresh beginnings around the world. One culture which welcomes New Year in (on the 23rd of this month) is the Chinese – with the Year of the Dragon. Custom dictates that people spend their money buying presents, decorations, material, food, and clothing.

It’s also the belief that if every family thoroughly cleans their house to sweep away any ill-fortune, it will make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors are decorated with red embellishments with popular themes of ‘happiness’, ‘wealth’, and ‘longevity’.

On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes. As well as this festivity, another Oriental practice is that of knife making – and one of the oldest methods is the Damascus method, where the steel is repeatedly folded and welded. Every part of the steel will come to the surface at some point and all the flaws will be hammered out or burnt away.

For many years modern knife manufacturers have been trying to

replicate this method and create the ultimate cutting edge, which is rated using a Rockwell degree scale – the highest being Rockwell 62°. The higher the grade and the harder the steel used for the blade’s cutting edge, the higher the level of sharpness the cutting edge can obtain and the longer it will stay sharp.

However, this is very brittle and more likely to break or chip if dropped, unless made using the Damascus method – which is very expensive.

Knife specialists I O Shen have overcome this problem by sandwiching two softer layers of steel either side of Rockwell 62° to produce the ultimate cutting edge – this is called Triplex Steel Technology.

The latest know-how is used to construct a blade that’s not only amazingly sharp but will retain its edge for a phenomenal amount of time, and is less likely to chip or break.

In addition to a range of I O Shen knives they also make a dedicated knife for the preparation of root vegetables – a 6.5” Broad Blade Chinese Vegetable Knife. The Recommended Retail Price is £74.95 but, for January only, you can buy this fantastic knife (to do a spot of Chinese cooking maybe) for the incredible price of £37.50.

Happy New Year!

Knife Sharpening Cook to Perfection now offers a professional knife sharpening service using the I O Shen Commercial Sharpener (above). This is a totally new concept in professional knife sharpening, featuring a patented cushion contact system, which not only produces edges sharper than when the knife was new, but also creates a polished finish – eliminating the need for honing.

It’s very reasonable too – costing £2.50 for blades up to 6” in length (plus 50p per extra inch) and £5.00 for a damaged knife. Please note that your knives will need to be left with us for sharpening.

MELANIE DONE is the joint owner of Cook to Perfection 47 High Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1BE Telephone: 01553 767575 Website: www.cooktoperfection.co.uk

KLmagazine January 2012

39

FOOD & DRINK

IN THE KITCHEN WITH TERESA KELLY

ABOVE: It may look rather alarming, but this lamb and beetroot casserole tastes simply fantastic

How to impress your guests with a beetroot...

T

he idea of being served beetroot is one to send shudders down the spine of the most hardened dinner guest, but I recently came across a dish that should change the way you think about beetroot for ever – and for the better.

It’s good news for this most distinctive-looking of vegetables. It’s related to sugar beet, so as you’d expect it’s naturally high in sugar (it’s also high in folate and manganese) and has an earthy, sweet flavour with a hint of smokiness – and a velvety smooth texture when cooked properly.

It’s very versatile too. Beetroot can be eaten raw or cooked – raw beetroot can be grated and included in salads (it really livens up all that greenery!) while cooked beetroot can be made into soups (such as the classic Eastern European borsch), included in mixed

40

roast vegetable dishes or sliced and tossed in butter and parsley (or dill) for a tasty accompanying vegetable.

Still not convinced? Well, beetroot juice has been shown to lower blood pressure, and it can have positive effects on exercise and performance – last year, research by scientists at Exeter University showed that cyclists who drank a half-litre of beetroot juice before setting off were able to ride up to 20% longer than those who drank a placebo (it was blackcurrant juice masquerading as beetroot).

So, with no further ado, here’s how to convince your guests with a piece of inspiration from Eastern Europe in the form of a simply lovely Lamb and Beetroot Casserole.

With its deep ruby-red appearance, it looks stunning – and it’s surprisingly light. The sweetness of the beetroot goes really well with the lamb and I’m

adding caraway seeds to bring the two together. All you do is brown 800g of lamb in some oil before removing the meat and putting it to one side (I’m assuming you’re cooking for four).

Add a couple of chopped onions to the oil, soften them and add 700g of roughly-diced beetroot with a tablespoon of tomato puree. Stir everything together, lower the heat, and return the lamb to the pan. Add a teaspoon of caraway seeds, a litre of water, cover it up and cook for at least 1½ hours or until the meat is tender enough to cut with a spoon. If the juices look a bit thin, remove the lid and continue to cook gently for another 30 minutes. Garnish with some parsley and a dollop of yoghurt, add some crusty bread and – if they know what’s good for them – your guests will love it.

Take it from someone who didn’t eat beetroot for 15 years – give it a try!

KLmagazine January 2012

Ask the

EXPERT

".&$*"-. 3

Stuck for a recipe? Can’t find an ingredient? Don’t know whether garlic should be crushed or sliced? Ask Teresa and she’ll point you in the right direction...

Q A

*0# /0-"-. 3 *./ (("-. &* "

I make a lot of green curries, but they include chicken – is it safe to freeze the curry to eat later?

Your green curry will be fine to freeze, but because of the garlic and spices I would use it within a month. Make sure the food is thoroughly defrosted and heated through until bubbling. As for the chicken, just remember that the more a food is reheated, the more chance there is for bacteria to develop. Fresh chicken that’s been frozen – and then cooked – may be frozen again. Cooked chicken that’s been frozen is perfectly safe, but it cannot be defrosted, heated up – and then frozen again.

Q

When I’m making apple tarts and lemon meringue pies, how can I stop my pastry bases from going soggy? What am I doing wrong?

A

For a start I’d suggest you use metal tins – ceramic ones don’t conduct the heat particularly well and can cause your bases to go soggy. Line your tins with pastry, prick all over with a fork and bake blind – you won’t need anything like baking beans. I know people who like to sprinkle the bases (after pricking) with with breadcrumbs before filling, and that seems to work as well.

Q

I see ‘pole and line caught’ written on a lot of tuna tins these days. Is it actually better for the tuna or is it supposed to help other fish?

A

As I understand it, the ‘pole and line’ method of catching tuna does help sustain tuna populations because they are a more selective method of fishing – leaving or returning juvenile fish to grow to spawning age and thus replenishing the stock for the future. Of course, using a ‘line and pole’ method doesn’t involve nets, so it means that other fish and mammals such as dolphins don’t get caught. If you are concerned about the environment, ‘pole and line’ caught tuna is definitely the tuna to buy.

Q

Someone has kindly given me a pot of home-made crab apple jam – but I’m not entirely sure of what to do with it!

I thought it was a bit rude to ask the person who made it! Any ideas?

A

The name’s a bit of a giveaway, really!

It’s jam – so use it pretty much the same way you’d use a traditional fruit jam.

If it’s not too sweet, you can liven up a chicken casserole with it (just add a tablespoon into the gravy before serving) – and it goes very well with lamb or pork as well. For something a bit more exotic than the usual pickles, try serving it with cheese and crackers or cold meats. I think you’ll be pleasantly suprised!

KLmagazine January 2012

0./+) #&//"! #0-*&/0-" ) !" #+2+0 &* +0- &*$. 2** /+-2 "-$"* 2 &*$4. 2**

,"*

+* -&

+-/% 2** *!0./-& ( ./ /"

)

,)

/

) ,)

111 '&*$.+ ''&/ %"*. + 0' 41

FOOD & DRINK

PICTURE: GEOLOCATION

RestaurantReview

In her culinary quest to enjoy a taste of everything West Norfolk has to offer, Ann Weaver visits the George Hotel in Swaffham...

S

Swaffham has a number of well-known quality restaurants within the vicinity of the market square, and just off of the main stretch is the famous George Hotel, which from the exterior looks a very nice venue.

We’d chosen a particularly busy evening and were informed only tables in the bar area were available – which was no great sacrifice to us since the layout meant we were in a quiet area of just three tables.

Unfortunately it did mean we had to order our drinks and food from the bar ourselves and our placemats and cutlery were stacked on the edge of the table, rather than being laid ready.

The menu offered a selection of basic pub food with a choice of slightly more inventive specials (such as game and Chinese dishes) on the board, so we took the ‘when in Rome’ approach and selected bar food options.

For me it was a traditional prawn

42

cocktail served with granary bread, which was a little pricey compared to the other choices at £6.25. My husband chose a special of homemade chicken liver and bacon pate served with melba toast.

The prawn cocktail was very pleasant although a little more salad would have been nice. My husband’s pate had a lovely rich flavour and was also enjoyed with the homemade melba toast with which it was served.

Main options could be described as ‘simple’ choices – fish, chips and homemade mushy peas for me and an 8oz rump steak and chips for my partner.

Our wait in between courses was fairly short, despite us overhearing the waiter telling a group of fellow diners they were very stretched due to a large booking.

The steak and chips (a mere handful) was served with onion rings, tomato, mushroom and a varied salad – and

was as expected but the meat did lack a little flavour. Again, the fish was a traditional pub meal served just as described, but I was a little disappointed with the homemade mushy peas which were a bit hard with a brownish tinge.

Had the George Hotel not been as busy I’m sure these slight oversights (most probably resulting from spending a little too long under the hotplate) wouldn’t have occurred and we could have expected two exceptionally tasty pub meals.

Certainly the two Papworth burgers that arrived shortly afterwards on the next table looked extremely appetizing!

It was time for us to call it a night at George Hotel without continuing to dessert. From what is a genuinely beautiful hotel, we were left a little disappointed by our main courses (although our starters had been nice) and hope to sample to real George cuisine on another visit.

At just under £40 for two drinks, two starters and two mains the pub meal was good value in nice surroundings.

FOOD

SERVICE

VALUE

35 35 35

THE GEORGE HOTEL Station Street, Swaffham PE37 7LJ Telephone: 01760 721238 E: georgehotel@bestwestern.co.uk

KLmagazine January 2012

CafeReview

A

fter a pleasant but chilly stroll around the beautiful Sandringham Country Park, the visitor centre cafe and restaurant are a welcome sight.

Menus for both eateries are virtually the same with the exception of a few hot meals that are served in the restaurant. As one of us had already decided on the traditional roast turkey dinner, we sat in the restaurant which is very large and open but has a more relaxed cafe feel. I was tempted by the selection of hot rolls on offer which included fillings such as poached salmon with dill mayonnaise, and roast pork and gravy – although I opted for the cheese, red onion and chutney option which I requested on brown.

Served with seasonal vegetables, the Christmas dinner had all the tastes of the festive season complete with sausage in bacon, stuffing and cranberry sauce –although we were a little surprised to see a Yorkshire pudding too! My large, sesame seed topped roll also hit the spot with warm, melted cheese and a sweet, spiced onion chutney which was a lovely comforting lunch on a cold day. Rather than sample the good selection of cakes, flapjacks and shortbreads on offer we instead chose two of the hot puddings to complete our meals – for me the apple and mincemeat strudel tartlet and my dining partner the plum and damson crumble, both of which came with a small jug of cream. Packed full of whole fruits (though this did mean they also contained the stones) the crumble was big success, with a wonderfully nutty topping. My tartlet was also presented beautifully. The mincemeat had a rich sweet flavour complimented by crunchy slices of fresh apple in every bite, which was topped with a sprinkling of crumble mix.

The bill with two cold drinks, (one of which was the highly recommended Sandringham Estates own pressed apple juice) came to roughly £27, which wasn’t cheap – but our choices happened to be ‘hot meal’ options rather than snacks, and we considered this good value for the lovely food we were served. It isn’t everyday you can say you had lunch in a royal property – well, sort of!

SANDRINHAM VISITORS CENTRE Sandringham Estate, Sandringham Norfolk PE35 6EN Tel: 01485 545400 KLmagazine January 2012

NEW FOR 2012!

Introducing a stunning NEW range of top quality English kitchens!

KITCHENS – BEDROOMS – BATHROOMS FURNITURE – LIGHTING – ACCESSORIES

Nelson House, Bergen Way, King’s Lynn, Norfolk Telephone: 01553 766578

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.TOWNCOUNTRYKITCHENS.COM 43

FOOD & DRINK

LocalTastes Selected by Charlotte Thorneycroft

NO SALT POTATO CRISPS PIPERS (Brigg, Lincolnshire) Sometimes it isn’t just the calories we need to watch in our favourite snacks. If you need to cut down on your salt intake but love the crunch of your favourite crisps, try a bag of Piper’s No Salt – just the delicious flavour of cooked potatoes.

REDUCED SUGAR STRAWBERRY CONSERVE WOODBERRY FARM (Wicklewood) If you like to start your day with a slice of toast and jam but want to save on the sugar, this high fruit conserve is the perfect option. Try a little mixed into natural yogurt for a healthier dessert.

NORFOLK MARDLER GOAT’S CHEESE FIELDING COTTAGE (Attleborough) Goat’s cheese is recognised as a lower in fat option to cows milk cheese, and Fielding Cottage have found in tests their tasty eightweek matured goat’s cheese has typically half the cholesterol of a standard cheddar.

Healthy Snacks

I

f like most you’ve taken full advantage of the festive fayre on offer and slightly over-indulged during December, then it’s time to look for some healthier alternatives to our favourite nibbles. We’ve searched the best local snacks to find something to feel a little less guilty about.

MUNCHY SEEDS ORIGINAL MIX LAWNCOURT HARVEST LTD (Suffolk) If you’re a ‘picker’ and find you just need something to nibble on during the day then try this healthy sesame seed and sunflower seed savoury mix. Full of goodness, this tasty snack has lots of fantastic vitamins and minerals essential to a happy body – including zinc, calcium, omega 3 and vitamin E.

Fish is good for the brain – and it’s great for the waitstline too!

Local shellfish Fresh and smoked salmon Brancaster oysters Local game, pheasants, mallards and pigeons Free range eggs Hand-carved ham on the bone

Extensive delicatessen counter with top quality cheeses and olives from home and abroad!

DONALDSONS Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241 OPEN: Tues/Wed 7am-4pm, Thurs/Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

44

KLmagazine January 2012

Eating Out The Ancient Mariner Inn Galley Restaurant Golf Course Road, Old Hunstanton 01485 536389

The Crown Inn Gastro pub The Green, East Rudham 01485 528530 www.thecrowneastrudham.co.uk

Bank House Brasserie Brasserie food, British Classics Bank House Hotel King’s Staithe Square, Kings Lynn 01553 660492 www.thebankhouse.co.uk

The Deer’s Leap 361 Wootton Road, South Wootton King’s Lynn 01553 671919 www.thedeersleap.co.uk

Best Western Knight’s Hill Hotel Garden restaurant South Wootton, King’s Lynn 01553 675 566 Best Western Le Strange Hotel Golf Course Road, Old Hunstanton 01485 536389

D’Inacios 9 Newmans Yard, Norwich Road, Fakenham 01328 851247 www.dinacios.co.uk The Duck Inn Good locally-sourced food Burnham Road, Stanhoe 01485 518330 www.duckinn.co.uk

Bradley’s Restaurant and wine bar 10 South Quay, Kings Lynn 01553 600836 www.bradleysbytheriver.co.uk

The Gin Trap Inn Gastro Pub 6 High Street, Ringstead, Hunstanton 01485 525264 www.gintrapinn.co.uk

Brewer’s Fayre Premier Inn West Lynn, King’s Lynn 01553 772221 www.premierinn.com

The Hare Arms Varied fine dining Stow Bardolph, Kings Lynn 01366 382229 www.theharearms.co.uk

Briarfields Titchwell, Hunstanton 01485 210742 www.briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk

Heacham Manor Hotel Varied fine dining Hunstanton Road, Heacham 01485 536030 www.heacham-manor.co.uk

Caley Hall Hotel Gastro pub Old Hunstanton Road, Hunstanton 01485 533486 www.caleyhallhotel.co.uk Congham Hall Fine dining Lynn Road, Grimston 01485 600250 www.conghamhallhotel.co.uk The Crown and Mitre King’s Lynn’s only traditional riverside pub. Great English food using only fresh locally-sourced ingredients. Ferry Street, King’s Lynn 01553 774669

KLmagazine January 2012

The Hoste Arms Fine foods and wine The Green, Burnham Market 01328 738777 www.hostearms.co.uk The Jolly Sailors Pub favourites Brancaster, Kings Lynn 01485 210314 www.jollysailorsbrancaster.co.uk The Kings Head Hotel Award-winning fine dining Great Bircham, King’s Lynn 01485 578265 www.thekingsheadhotel.co.uk

The King William IV Country Inn and Restaurant Heacham Road, Sedgeford 01485571765 www.thekingwilliamsedgeford.co.uk Leziate Park Local English Cuisine Brow of the Hill, Leziate, King’s Lynn 01553 630393 www.leziatepark.co.uk The Lodge Old Hunstanton 01485 532896 www.thelodgehunstanton.co.uk Market Bistro English Cuisine 11 Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn 01553 771483 www.marketbistro.co.uk Morston Hall Michelin star fine dining cuisine Morston Hall, Morston 01263 741041 www.morstonhall.com The Neptune Inn and Restaurant 85 Old Hunstanton Road, Old Hunstanton 01485 532122 www.theneptune.co.uk The Old Bank Fine food, local ingredients 10 Lynn Road, Snettisham 01485 544080 The Orange Tree New takes on pub classics and seafood High Street, Thornham 01485 512213 www.theorangetreethornham.co.uk

Palmers British Brasserie 45 High Street, Downham Market.

01366 388124 www.palmersrestaurant.co.uk The Riverside Restaurant English Cuisine 27 King Street, King’s Lynn 01553 773134 The Rose and Crown Traditional pub favourites Old Church Road, Snettisham 01485 541382 www.roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk The Sandboy Pub favourites and Thai cuisine Gayton Road, Bawsey 01553 630527 www.thesandboy.co.uk The Swan Inn South Wootton, King’s Lynn 01553 672084 Timbers Hotel & Restaurant A la carte and traditional pub food Lynn Road, Fincham 01366 347747 www.timbershotel.co.uk Titchwell Manor Traditional and modern infusion Titchwell, Kings Lynn 01485 210221 www.titchwellmanor.com W4 Authentic Italian cuisine 1 Exchange Square, Wisbech 01945 584454 www.w-four-restaurant.com

A taste of West Norfolk If we’ve missed your favourite local restaurant from this list, we’d love to hear from you – and so would our readers. Send the details to us at features@klmagazine.co.uk, and remember to pass on any fine dining tips, advice or recommendations as well!

45

LOCAL LIFE

Cromer OUT & ABOUT

Words: Charlotte Thorneycroft Pictures: Ian Ward

46

KLmagazine January 2012

A

s a traditional seaside resort, Cromer still echoes its Victorian roots, retaining everything that attracted those original 19th century holidaymakers. When the railway connected Cromer to London in the 1870s, the popularity of the seaside town grew rapidly, and a few years later there was another positive boost from theatre critic and travel writer Celment Scott. Singing the town’s praises in the Daily Telegraph, Scott charmingly referred to the area as Poppyland and soon the London elite were keen to visit.

References to this endearing term can still be seen around the area today.

Its long beaches and beautiful cliffs still draw the crowds, but Cromer’s most iconic landmark is that of the pier with its Pavilion Theatre. There had been a wooden jetty-like structure in Cromer for centuries but it wasn’t until 1901 that a more solid modern structure was erected. This new pier was devastated by gales in 1953 but thankfully rebuilt ready for the 1955 season. Now the pier provides a pleasant promenade with stunning views, complete with a thriving theatre and restaurant.

Cromer Carnival is a big annual event for the town and has been since it began in the form of a regatta hundreds of years ago. Over the centuries it developed into a pleasure fair (from the early 1880s) becoming more like the modern-day carnival we enjoy today (with parades of floats driving through the town) during the 1950s and 1960s. The highlight of recent years has been the breathtaking displays of the Red Arrows who’ve helped attract huge crowds to the event. This year the Cromer Carnival week takes place from August 11th (Carnival Day itself is 15th August).

G

o into any restaurant in Cromer and you’re certain to find one particular dish on every menu – Cromer Crab. This local delicacy has been caught by generations of local fishermen and the industry makes up a large proportion of the local economy. Originally fishermen would have brought in different catches depending on the season, but today crab and lobster are the main hauls. Famed across the country, it's the Cromer crab's delicious white meat which has made this crustacean a North Norfolk speciality. The town’s fishing industry is important to the people of Cromer – in 2010 the first Crab and Lobster Festival was celebrated in the town (along with Sheringham). This year’s Crab and Lobster Festival takes place between May 18th– 20th. For more information on the Festival, visit the website at www.crabandlobsterfestival.co.uk

KLmagazine January 2012

47

CROMER

PICTURE: RNLI

PICTURE: TOUR NORFOLK

OUT & ABOUT

J

ust a few minutes south of Cromer is Amazona Zoo (above), which houses a wide selection of animal species from South America. In the Feline Forest you can watch the graceful power of the big cats – puma, ocelots and jaguars, while in the Amazona Hall you can take a walk through a rainforest to see macaws, iguanas and those feared carnivores – piranhas.

Amazona offers a great day out for all the family and provides an insight into the valuable conservation work of collections such as this. For further details including opening times and admission prices visit the website at www.amazonazoo.co.uk or call 01263 510741.

PICTURE: TOUR NORFOLK

PICTURE: GROUNDSPEAK

A

must-see of any visit to Cromer is the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum (right) which displays a wealth of fascinating exhibits on Cromer’s lifeboat crews and the incredible story of Henry Blogg (above), the RNLI’s most decorated lifeboatman. In more than 50 years of service, Blogg took part in hundreds of daring rescues, earning himself the RNLI gold medal an amazing three times, the RNLI silver medal four times and even the George Cross and the British Empire Medal. There’s a bronze bust on the cliff top in North Lodge Park in honour of his dedication and service in which he saved 873 lives. The RNLI Henry Blogg Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from February to November. For further details call 01263 511294.

B

lack Shuck makes a notable appearance in Cromer's literary heritage. One story suggests that Arthur Conan Doyle actually took his inspiration for the Hound of the Baskervilles after hearing of the legend of the ghostly dog whilst staying in Cromer. Shortly afterwards, it's said that during a dinner conversation at Cromer Hall, the creator of Sherlock Homes heard of a murder on Dartmoor and a man who'd had his throat torn out by a vicious dog (it must have been quite a conversation!)

Whatever the truth of the matter, it’s certainly true that Conan Doyle’s description of Baskerville Hall is very similar to that of Cromer Hall.

48

S

ituated on Church Street, you’ll find Cromer Town Museum (above) – a nostalgic look back at the way the town used to be. In the setting of an old fisherman’s cottage you can learn all about the Victorian seaside resort and study the fascinating Geology Gallery which is packed with fossils and bones– including those from the famed West Runton Elephant (left). The museum is open from 10am Monday to Saturday with plenty to see and do for all ages. Contact 01263 513543 for more details.

KLmagazine January 2012

e Consulting Room

P

hysiotherapy can help with a wide range of injuries and conditions, including back and neck pain, repetitive strain injuries, joint pain and arthritis, muscle injuries, post surgery rehabilitation and sports injuries. Your first visit to our physiotherapy team will involve a full assessment of your condition so we can develop a treatment programme specifically designed for you. We offer a wide range of therapies that are often used in combination in a treatment programme. We offer a number of treatments including:

MASSAGE THERAPY: Includes techniques to improve the range of joint movement and reduces pain EXERCISE: To increase mobility and muscle strength and reduce symptoms TRACTION: Helpful in relieving pain in the neck or lower back ELECTROTHERAPY: The use of electrical energy (such as TENS) to reduce inflammation and rehabilitate muscles ACUPUNCTURE: Involves the painless insertion of tiny needles to alleviate pain in many conditions SPORTS MASSAGE: Very helpful for relieving knots, spasms and muscle pain.

ZLGH IRUPDW SULQWLQJ OLWKR SULQWLQJ GLJLWDO SULQW FXVWRP FORWKLQJ FUHDWLYH GHVLJQ FRPSHWLWLYH SULFHV

CASE STUDY: Our physiotherapy team recently treated a young gymnast who had fallen badly on her neck whilst performing back flips in training. Though any fracture had been ruled out by her GP, she had been suffering for weeks with a stiff, painful neck and was in training for an important gymnastic competition.

As a young athlete she was very reluctant to take a break from training and this was making her condition worse. Following a full examination and assessment, we were able to create a program of treatment, to allow her to still compete in the competition. Her full treatment program included sports massage, ultrasound and some gentle mobilising techniques along with rehabilitation exercises for her to continue with at home.

Following a few visits to see us the patient fully recovered in a short period of time and was able to compete very successfully at the competition.

BMI The Sandringham Hospital will be starting a new physiotherapy service at The Fakenham Medical Centre in January 2012.

î “e Sandringham Hospital

For more information, please call BMI The Sandringham Hospital on 01553 769770 or visit www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/sandringham

KLmagazine January 2012

49

We’re here to help Our professional team is packed with experience – and full of friendly advice.

If you have any questions, please call 01553 768448 and we’ll be happy to help in any way we can.

NEW TEETH FOR A NEW LIFE

At our dental implant centre we can give you back fixed teeth and you never have to wear a denture again. Dental implants is a safe and reliable treatment concept and in all our completed cases we’ve seen an immense change in the quality of our patients’ lives. We treat everything from a single missing tooth to full sets. We also specialise in cosmetic improvements by using a combination of crowns, veneers and implants we can give you a smile to be proud of.

Call for a FREE consultation or further information on our smile makeovers

10 Stonegate Street, King’s Lynn PE30 5EF Tel: 01553 768448 E-mail: info@denprac.co.uk

Enjoy an exquisitely crafted start to 2012...

Blatchford & Mills Jewellers | Pawnbrokers | Cheque Cashing

50

6 Tower Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1EJ Telephone: 01553 661227

KLmagazine January 2012

HEALTH & BEAUTY

FeetFirst

with Elizabeth Dutton

NEW! ParaWax gives you deliciously soft feet & hands ~ even in the depths of winter!

T

he North wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, And what will your hands and feet do then, poor things? We’ll wrap them all up and keep them all warm, and make them lovely and soft, sweet things...

Yes, the time for chapped hands and neglected feet is upon us once more!

So when better to have a treatment that not only pampers you, but leaves the skin on your hands and feet supple and soft as well?

ParaWax rids your feet of dry, cracked skin!

Yes, you read that right! The Foot Care Centre is now offering a painless and pleasant way of getting rid of dry, cracked skin from your feet that’s really taking off in the UK – and it uses a substance that used to be confined to crime laboratories to test for gunshot residue!

Since the days of the Roman Empire, warm paraffin wax has been lauded for its therapeutic properties. Police use aside, it’s known for accelerating wound healing, soothing aching muscles, easing stiff and arthritic joints, and helping soften skin that’s rough, chapped, scarred or psoriasis-prone.

It’s like magic!

The good news is that you can get your own ParaWax treatments at the

Foot Care Centre from January 2012.

Discover The Foot Care Centre’s ParaWax treatment...

Paraffin wax is gently heated to a safe temperature. You immerse your hands and feet into the melted wax and pull them out gently. We place gloves and booties around your wax-coated hands and feet, and you sit back in relaxed comfort for ten minutes. That done, we gently peel away the now hardened wax, leaving your skin already feeling soft.

And that’s not all! We like to give you that bit more, so we then exfoliate your hands and feet, and follow that up with a gentle massage using our especially blended Foot Care Centre oils.

NOTE: ParaWax treatments aren’t suitable if you have diabetes, hypertension or varicose veins. But don’t worry, there are other treatments we can offer you; just call and ask.

How much do ParaWax treatments cost?

The treatment is just £18 for 30 minutes, and that’s often enough to leave your skin soft for a while – but we’re sure you’ll love it so much you won’t want to wait for another treatment! If you really want to pamper your feet, ask for a medi-pedi and get the whole works – treatments start at £28.

All you need to know...

ELIZABETH DUTTON is a qualified foot health care practitioner and trainer. She offers treatments from the Foot Care Centre, 4B Tower St, King’s Lynn, PE30 1EJ. For more information, details, help and advice please contact Elizabeth’s centre in King’s Lynn. You’ll find the Centre’s website at www.TheFootCareCentreKingsLynn.co.uk For details of how to train as a foot care practitioner please see the website at www.TheCollegeOfFootCarePractitioners.co.uk (note that the QR code on the right will also take you there) Finally, you can call Elizabeth on 01553 768661 (clinic) or 07973 230293 (mobile) or send an e-mail to enquires@thefootcarecentrekingslynn.co.uk

KLmagazine January 2012

Want a tailor-made care package?

Well, you can! We know that one size doesn’t always fit all, so we’re pleased to offer you the option to mix a range of treatments into your own bespoke package!

For example, you can choose from one or more of the following for your feet or hands or both, taking them back to back or on different days: l ParaWax l Medi-Pedi l Fish For Feet l Reflexology l Massage Not sure which would benefit you best?

Just call and ask one of our friendly staff.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR JANUARY! To say thanks to our loyal readers, we’re giving you the opportunity to book a ParaWax treatment this month and receive a 10% discount!

To claim your discount, simply quote PWT-0112 when you book – or bring this coupon with you to your appointment!

or Stuck for a Birthday ea? id Valentine’s Day gift

a treatGive your loved ones hers for ment or pamper vouc – just re The Foot Care Cent ues and pop in or call us. Cheq major cards accepted

51

52

KLmagazine January 2012

Books

2011 turned into a classic year for everyone who enjoys a good read. These ten fairly flew off the shelves and into our hearts. Read at least one of them in time for the second World Book Night on 23rd April and you’ll have kept another of your new year’s resolutions to lose a few pounds: that’s all it costs to pick up a paperback!

Happy reading and have a titanic 2012...

ONE DAY David Nicholls The luscious story of Dex and Em has acquired a momentum like no other. Two people, St Swithin’s Day and the progress of their relationship over twenty years. Such a simple plot idea, but Nicholls charmed writing takes more twists than a gin and tonic and if you manage to guess the ending then well done you! Great writing from a great writer.

SNUFF Terry Pratchett Discworld has more fans than most exotic holiday destinations and for the 39th time Pratchett has lured us in with a brochure offering madness, mayhem and that chaotic switchback ride that makes it all worthwhile. Goblin crime meets overwhelming scent of dung. It’s a potent mix.

HOME COOKING MADE EASY Lorraine Pascal Why should anybody seriously want to make a lamb burger when there’s wet paint that needs watching? Because the multi-talented Pascal makes cooking a joy and its preparation a doddle. She was our top seller in the cookery department in 2011 and here’s the reason why. An amuse-bouche to kiss winter away.

INHERITANCE Christopher Paolini Much fuss, lots of dragons and queues that waited long into the night, and over nine years, for the epic conclusion to Paolini’s Tolkien-inspired fantasy story that the writer began when he was fifteen. If it’s a genre you’ve tended to veer away from, veer back: this could well be an introduction that has you thirsting for much, much more.

THE TIGER’S WIFE Téa Obreht Supernatural, seductive, skilful: just some of the adjectives used by the reviewers for the winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011. The tiger in question has come, it seems, from the pages of the Jungle Book to cast a new hold over its watchers but some will have more reason to fear its claws than others. A book that leaves a mesmeric trail behind it.

KLmagazine January 2012

David Learner THE SLAP Chris Tsiolkas A book that urges you to take sides. A young boy, seemingly out of order at a party, receives a hearty slap from a concerned parent. But the child is not his. Those who observe take sides and close ranks but the loose covering over their own life choices begins to melt away as we see the skulls beneath the skin. Taut, tight writing and a gripping story till the very last page.

THE DUKAN DIET Pierre Dukan It’s a fact: the only genre that regularly outsells cookery books is … diet books. The Middletons have had a good year, what with Kate finding her prince, and her mum finding a great diet that everyone wants to emulate. The floor’s yours, Pierre, so make hay while the sun shines and the next great diet idea pops its head over the muffin tops.

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING Julian Barnes Winner of the Man Booker Prize for 2011 Barnes’s skilful filleting produces a story so rich and so full of colour that one is able to forgive its novella length in return for a richer memory, a tortured hero called Tony Webster and a sense of a beginning of a new rich vein in the writer’s life. Barnes at his best and worth every penny, but chew every line at least twenty times.

MUD SWEAT AND TEARS Bear Grylls We can’t all be Bear Grylls, nor frankly would we wish to be. But someone, as they say, has to do it – to meet those wild animals and wrestle them to the ground, to risk limbs and lungs in the pursuit of heady adventure and to boldly go where no Chief Scout has been before.

Someone you’d want at your side at passport control, that’s for sure.

THE HELP Kathryn Stockett The sort of book you wanted to read but never found time for, like To Kill a Mockingbird, or Catcher in the Rye. Don’t put it off any longer, but head back to America in 1962 and that demonic segregation that saw black oppose white and tolerance go head to head with murderous intention. A startling book that deserves its place in the classic titles of 2011.

DAVID LEARNER is Assistant Manager for Waterstone’s at 137 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1AU Telephone: 01553 660111

53

PICTURES: 2011 RACHEL LOCKWOOD

ARTS

64

KLmagazine January 2012

ABOVE: Rachel Lockwood in her studio, working on Evening Light Lilies, a painting inspired by her mother-in-law’s pond

Rachel’s personal vision of North Norfolk...

The beautiful paintings of local artist Rachel Lockwood are now reaching a wider audience, thanks to the launch publication of the Cley-based Red Hare Publishing...

R

achel Lockwood considers herself one of luckiest people alive, finding herself able to make her living doing what she loves the most – painting. The Sheffield-born artist moved to Norfolk some 15 years ago, and for the last seven of them she’s been living in the charming North Norfolk village of Cley. Having spent many years as a successful illustrator of KLmagazine January 2012

adult and children’s books, Rachel now concentrates purely on fine art, capturing all the drama and natural beauty of this very special part of Norfolk in an ever-growing collection of stunning paintings.

“I’ve travelled quite widely around the world, but I find this small part of it as amazing as any I’ve been to,” she says. “Living in this environment has allowed me to soak it up and observe it

through all seasons, all weathers and through all its tempestuous moods of flood and drought. This has all become the inspiration for much of my work.”

As you might expect, you’ll notice water plays a major part in Rachel’s paintings, but that’s not just because she happens to live on the coast.

“I’ve always been fascinated – even mesmerised – by water,” she says.

“It’s a subject I’m drawn to again and 55

PICTURE: 2011 RACHEL LOCKWOOD ABOVE: Hunstanton Haze by Rachel Lockwood (oils on linen, 40cm x 40cm)

September 4th: We wanted to take our friends Penny and Robin away for a birthday surprise, so we decided to head further west along the coast. We settled on Old Hunstanton as I’d never been there before but had heard from Sarah how beautiful it was. We stayed at Le Strange Arms, a hotel that almost sits on the beach. Its front lawn runs down to sand dunes and then on to the wide, open seas. We picknicked in the sand dunes in the blazing heat but before we’d even reached dessert, thick heavy clouds started to roll in from the sea. Instead of walking eastwards to Holme, we decided it was safer to head away from the clouds towards Hunstanton. However, the storm moved much quicker than we thought and we only just made it to a cafe when giant hailstones pounded the promenade. We watched the mini golf course turn from green to white and instead of drinking ice cold drinks, opted for hot chocolate and lattes.

The storm quickly passed, leaving steam rising from the pavements. We went down to the beach and walked along the tideline. The whole scene had changed dramatically, now the pinkish red cliffs had turned dark red, the sea glistened and seemed to be exceptionally pale.

This painting is a memory of that weekend.

again in my painting. I’m surrounded by a lot of it in Cley, and knowing I can run outside and catch that moment when the perfect–shaped cloud just happens to cast its reflection across the water is priceless to me.”

But it’s Rachel’s interests away from the canvas that are now helping bring her work to an even wider audience.

Together with Sarah Whittley and Sophie Smith, Rachel runs the Pinkfoot Gallery in Cley, home to a fabulous collection of some of the best natureinspired art in Britain – including oils, prints and porcelain, together with a huge range of bird and animal bronzes.

Sarah Whittley’s background in publishing and art, together with Rachel’s paintings have led to the debut book from the newly-established Red Hare Publishing, which has been founded to produce well-made books with a strong Norfolk association.

North Norfolk: A Painted Landscape

by Rachel Lockwood is a simply gorgeous book, containing over 100 wonderfully-reproduced paintings, together with premilinary sketches and studies – all held together by Rachel’s engaging diary extracts, offering a unique insight into the mind of a hugely-talented artist at work.

It comes as no surprise to learn that The Guardian included it in their selection of the best books of 2011, and future publications promise to be just as exciting.

Later this year, Red Hare will be producing a new version of Mark Golley’s acclaimed The Cley Year: A Birder's Guide, which was originally published in 1997 (Mark is the former assistant warden for the Cley Reserve and is now an editor on Match of the Day!) This will be followed with a book

by Rachel Lockwood on Norfolk wildlife (another of the artist’s passions), and a collectable series of books all about the county.

North Norfolk: A Painted Landscape

by Rachel Lockwood (£25) is available from all good bookshops, from the Pinkfoot Gallery itself on the High Street in Cley or direct from the Red Hare Publishing website at www.redharepublishing.co.uk

Rachel Lockwood on the creation of Hunstanton Haze (above)

56

KLmagazine January 2012

DISCOVER THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF OAK

For everything oak we’re all you need to know...

We’re your local specialists for high quality oak windows and doors, bi-folding doors, interior and joinery products, garden gates and garage doors. For everything from oak-framed houses and extensions to garages and stables, we offer an outstanding service, with large quantities of green structural oak in stock with an in-house milling service. We offer a complete design service including architectural, computer-aided images, engineering calculations and we can deal efficiently with all planning issues.

Contact our friendly team for all your enquiries and to see our product range.

BESPOKE OAK SUPPLIES LTD

Sandall Road Wisbech Cambridgeshire PE13 2RS

8 Beauchamp Place Knightsbridge London SW3 1NQ

Telephone: 01945 429663 Fax: 01945 461819 E-mail: sales@bespokeoaksupplies.co.uk

Opening Hours Monday–Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm Weekends available by appointment

WWW.BESPOKEOAKSUPPLIES.CO.UK

KLmagazine January 2012

57

Review

ABOVE: The West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society successful recent performance of The Gondoliers

opera...

THE MIKADO West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society There’s no doubt that amateur operatic and dramatic groups provide a popular pastime for many part-time performers, but one particular duo’s operas are so loved they have hundreds of dedicated clubs up and down the country.

Gilbert and Sullivan were a Victorian theatrical partnership – the former wrote the words and the latter composed the music. Their light comedy operas quickly became popular for their fanciful situations, wit and catchy music brought together by producer Richard D’Oyly Carte.

West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society was formed in 1953 when their original productions were staged in Hunstanton, Wisbech and King’s Lynn. Some of the members (there are now over 30 of them) have been with the Society almost from the beginning and some travel from Boston, Bourne and Peterborough just to be in this well-respected society.

Long-standing member and Society Secretary Ros Ridley explains how the group first came into existence despite the decline in ‘G&S’ productions at the time.

“It was a press cutting that spoke of only a few minority members in these type of societies remembering the success of G&S between the war and how such productions would no longer appeal to the public,” she explains.

“However, one of our founding members,

58

Stanley Piper knew the appeal of Gilbert & Sullivan when performed well and set about reviving it here in West Norfolk.”

Thankfully others shared the positive attitude towards these operas and The West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society soon had ABOVE: Katisha, Nanki Poo and Koko (the Lord High Executioner) (and still maintains) a strong take a break from rehearsals of the Society’s forthcoming production following. Although an of the Mikado at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange amateur society, early Crowsonas our musical director,” continues Ros. performances were given a little extra sparkle as “He’s brought a wealth of expertise to the they were directed by Miss Clara Dow, a King’s Society and enjoys being involved with the Lynn girl who had been a Prima Donna of the production from the first rehearsal rather than D’Oyly Carte and had even been directed by just coming in at the end, as many musical Gilbert himself. directors do.”

So the bar was set high and has continued to And it’s this high standard of performance be throughout the many performances staged by that’s won the Society many awards including the this local group. Each director who has followed National Operatic and Dramatic Association’s from Miss Dow has put their own touch to the East Region Best Production Award for operas which has seen traditional and modern ‘Ruddigore’ and ‘Iolanthe’ in separate years. styles performed whilst managing to retain the One of the members has also received the essential parts of Gilbert & Sullivan that fans ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award at the expect.

International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.

Andrew Nicklin, an internationally acclaimed Nationally-accredited critics have given the director has led the Society onto even bigger and Society’s operas overwhelming praise, tipping better productions over recent years now them as good as any professional performance. followed by experienced Lincoln director, Tony Of the 13 Gilbert & Sullivan operas, there are Smith. a few that rarely get performed (Utopia and “We’re also very lucky to have Lesley

KLmagazine January 2012

Compiled by Christine Glass, Charlotte Thorneycroft and Jenna Ballard

ABOVE: Katisha gets to grips with Ko-Ko – if rehearsals are this much fun, imagine what the show itself i like!

KLmagazine January 2012

ABOVE: John Hurst’s painting of the East Hills for the Wells Maritime Trust

exhibition...

SALTHOUSE VILLAGE HALL JOHN HURST April 7th–9th Various venues/dates (see panel) Just over a year ago, we featured the work of BLAKENEY CHURCH ROOMS Salthouse-based artist John Hurst, and it’s good May 5th–11th to see the accomplished watercolourist starting NWT CLEY MARSHES 2012 on the back of a very successful year, May 26th–31st during which he dramatically increased his base SALTHOUSE VILLAGE HALL of patrons and saw his work featured in no less August 24th–27th than eight exhibitions.

BRANCASTER VILLAGE HALL John has also become a sponsor of the Wells September 13th–17th Maritime Trust (founded by Wells Harbour Master Robert Smith), which helps young people ST. PETER’S, SHERINGHAM access sailing and other maritime experiences.

October 31st–November 3rd To boost the Trust’s fundraising efforts, John has painted the East Hills, a remarkably pristine habitat situated between the saltmarsh and the sea at Wells.

He’s also recently created a second fundraising print for the Trust that concerns the development of the Sheringham Shoal Windfarm.

Scira Offshore Energy have also contributed to the Trust by acquiring the two original paintings. Prints may be acquired from John’s website at www.marshlandarts.co.uk or e-mail harbouroffice@wellsharbour.co.uk for more information.

All this, and John’s still found time ABOVE: John Hurst presents his fundraising study of the to plan six local exhibitions later this Endeavour to Wells Harbour Master Robert Smith and Einar Stromsvag, Project Manager of the Sheringham year. Luckily, he still has penty of Shoal windfarm initiative time for painting!

59

PICTURE: REBECCA MAUN

Grand Duke) and a handful that are always sure to fill seats (such as The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance).

For the West Norfolk society, choosing which opera to perform each year is one of the hardest tasks, since each member has their favourite (as do the followers) and set, costume and orchestra costs all have to be taken into consideration.

Productions cost approx. £20,000 to put on.

The Society is very grateful to its subscription paying patrons who pay a minimum of £10 annually and receive various benefits, and for its members’ fees but the main revenue comes from the audience. This very friendly society is always pleased to welcome new patrons and members.

The Mikado has been chosen for 2012, and it’s undoubtedly one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most successful operas, enormously popular with audiences across the globe. It’s even been adapted in many different versions for film such as ‘The Hot Mikado’ and ‘The Black Mikado’.

Set in Japan the tale unfolds of the Lord High Executioner (Ko-Ko) who is in love with YumYum – a young girl who herself is in love with a trombone player, although she doesn’t realise he’s actually the son of the Mikado (the Emperor). However, there’s little to relate this opera to Japan other than the Far East was very fashionable in England when The Mikado was written and setting the scene in a distant land allowed Gilbert’s satire of the British political system to subtly shine through.

“It’s definitely an opera that will appeal to young and old alike whether they have previous experience of Gilbert & Sullivan or not,” says Ros. “Like all the operas, it offers intelligent fun with music thrown in – it’s not slapstick but it certainly makes you chuckle!”

The West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society will be performing The Mikado from 1st – 3rd February 2012 at 7.30pm and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 4th February, at The Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn.

SPORT

“...Modelling is like art.

Everyone has a different opinion of what looks good. Be confident, have a thick skin, and don’t change who you are....”

PICTURES: 2011 SOPHIE HORN

SOPHIE HORN

60

KLmagazine January 2012

ABOVE: In addition to being a hugely-successful golfer, Sophie Horn is also an internationally-recognised model and TV presenter

From Tilney All Saints to the top of the world...

For two days, Sophie Horn was the most-searched-for name on Google. KL magazine catches up with the remarkable woman from Tilney All Saints who’s been voted the world’s sexiest golfer

I

f there’s a limit to ambition, it’s not something that Sophie Horn is particularly familiar with.

Champion golfer, personal trainer, successful model, TV presenter, magazine columnist, Sophie’s already got a long list of notable achievements under her belt (oh, and that includes having her own branded belt buckle) – and she’s recently been appointed a De Vere Club Ambassador, along with Freddie Flintoff and Harry Redknapp.

Sophie’s been playing golf since she

KLmagazine January 2012

can remember, having grown up on a golf course (her parents run the Eagles Golf Centre at Tilney All Saints) – and at just 15 she won the Norfolk Under-21 title. She followed that up by becoming Norfolk County Champion for three years running, winning the Midlands Championship into the bargain and becoming Champion of Champions in 2001.

But for Sophie Horn, being a worldclass golfer is only half the story. She’s also a fully-qualified Personal Trainer (Premier Training Level 3) and six years

ago became The Golf Nurse for Golf Punk Magazine, contributing articles, advice and tips, as well as modelling clothing.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Sophie then moved in front of the cameras, co-presenting Show Me The Golf for the international sports broadcaster Setanta Sports, where her bubbly personality and attractiveness, allied to her undoubted golfing ability made her an instant hit with viewers.

She’s currently GQ Magazine’s Contributing Editor for golf, writing

61

articles and offering instruction, and since becoming a De Vere Club Ambassador she’s been featured in advertising in a number of major golf magazines and on radio.

Probably her most notable print appearance to date was her August 2010 feature in the famous Sports Illustrated magazine – after which she became the most-searched-for name on Google for two days.

Last year, Sophie Horn really did reach the top of the world when both MTV.com and Sports Illustrated voted her The World’s Sexiest Golfer.

Sophie finished 2011 by releasing her first calendar, putting the final touches to her first ‘app’, and moving into the world of merchandising with her own specially-designed belt buckle (called, naturally enough, the ‘HORN’).

And she’ll soon be contributing a ‘Fit for Golf’ section on the Golfing World television show –which is currently shown in 35 countries (including Sky Sports in UK), 14 airlines and has a worldwide household audience of 350 million.

All this and Sophie still managed to find time in her busy schedule to talk to KL magazine about her career.

KL magazine: You’ve been playing golf from such an early age – did you ever consider doing anything else?

Sophie Horn: I’ve never imagined myself doing anything else – I feel like I was meant to play golf! I have tried a few different things – such as a Personal Assistant and an Air Hostess – whilst trying to realise my dream, and I’m delighted that I’ve been able to make golf and media my career.

KL magazine: Who’s been the biggest influence on your career?

Sophie Horn: My family have always been a great support and influence when it comes to my career. I’ve grown up in a sporting family. Also, my late grandfather Dennis Horn was a World Champion cyclist so sport has always been in my family.

62

KL magazine: You’re hardly the stereotypical golfer – is changing people’s impressions of the sport important to you?

Sophie Horn: Yes it is. The face of golf is changing. There’s a new breed of golfer such as McIlroy, McDowell, Poulter, and Horn (!) Golf gets more airtime and column inches now than it has ever done.

KL magazine: What’s the best golf course you’ve played?

Sophie Horn: Valderrama in Spain, closely followed by Eagles in Tilney All Saints, of course!

KL magazine: What single piece of advice would you give to an aspiring golfer?

Sophie Horn: Golf is definitely one of the hardest sports to master. You probably never completely master it, so embrace the challenge rather than let it get you down.

KL magazine: What single piece of advice would you give to an aspiring model?

Sophie Horn: Modelling is like art.

Everyone has a different opinion of what looks good. Be confident and have a thick skin! And don’t change who you are.

KL magazine: You’ve already got plenty to choose from, but which of your achievements are you most proud of?

Sophie Horn: Having my own belt buckle designed for me with the ‘HORN’ logo is pretty special (it’s available from www.dbbelts.com).

And I guess having my first calendar out for 2012 is something to be proud of. You’ll find the calendar at www.glamourgirlcalendars.com/sophie horn

KL magazine: Do you still consider King’s Lynn your home?

Sophie Horn: Yes – my career can get pretty crazy at times so it’s always nice to come back to the country and relax.

KL magazine: What’s next on the horizon for Sophie Horn?

Sophie Horn: More presenting next year, and of course I’m always working on my golf. I also write for GQ Magazine and I’m the fitness expert for Golfing World.tv – I’ll also be having a few golf days next year with Freddie Flintoff and Harry Redknapp as we are De Vere Golf Ambassadors!

KL magazine: Do you consider yourself a golfer who models – or a model who plays golf?

Sophie Horn: I’m a golfer who models, although I do enjoy both sides of it.

If the past is anything to go by, 2012 will a busy year for Sophie Horn – but you can catch up all the latest news from this remarkable local talent at www.sophiehorn.com.

KLmagazine January 2012

STEP INTO 2012 IN STYLE JANUARY SALE NOW ON! WE’RE THE ONLY STOCKIST IN THE AREA!

Experience the unrivalled comfort of the Waldläufer range, which includes soft uppers, snug heel fits, air soles, and removable orthotic inlays – together with stylish designs. There’s nothing better for your feet!

Smith’s Footwear

Great choice, great ser vice, great value!

37 Bridge Street, Downham Market Tel: 01366 388883

!

&

KLmagazine January 2012

#

"#

% ! & !

!

&&&

' $"#! ! #

"# #

!" ! & $

63

Superb quality stoves custom-made for your home

professional local service finance available no VAT charged on kitchens

KR FIREPLACES

KITCHENS | GRANITE WORKTOPS | FIREPLACES | STOVES Austin Fields, King’s Lynn PE30 1PH tel: 01553 772564

64

KLmagazine January 2012

My KL

e page that’s made by KL magazine readers

ABOVE: the picture from last month – it’s a bigger mystery now!

King’s Lynn wartime film mystery deepens...

The picture in December’s magazine (My KL) is from the filming of Operation Crossbow in about 1965.

The location featured is Nelson Street – you can see the old Counting House on the left in the foreground with sandbags in front of it.

The film itself is about Allied agents attempting to infiltrate the Nazis’ rocket research site and it starred Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard and John Mills.

DEREK E-mail Regarding your mystery film in last month’s issue, the location was Nelson Street in King’s Lynn. There were two films made here during the last war – The Silver Fleet and One of Our Aircraft is Missing – and both starred Googie Withers. The Silver Fleet also starred Ralph Richardson, while the latter film featured Hue Williams, Bernard Miles, Eric Portman and a young Peter Ustinov.

My wife lived in Nelson Street at the time it was filmed, and I am almost certain that the picture is from the filming of One of Our Aircraft is Missing.

GEOFF WILKINSON South Wootton

I’m sure the picture of the movie being produced in King’s Lynn (December’s My KL) is from the film The Silver Fleet.

It was filmed in 1943, doubling King’s Lynn for a town in the Netherlands. The Dutch town had been overrun by the Nazi forces and they’d seized its large shipyard and turned it into a production centre for their U-boats.

The film was produced by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and co-starred Googie Withers and Esmond Knight.

The shipyard owner Jaap Van-Leyden (played by Ralph Richardson) is called to a meeting with the head of the Gestapo and offered a deal – collaborate and help to boost U-boat production - or else!

There are many views of Lynn in the film and the opening sequence is outside the Guildhall in the Saturday Market Place together with a German sentry box.

It’s a very good film, and if your reader would like to see it, I'll be only too pleased to lend her my DVD! CHRIS MACKIE Heacham

I’m 99% sure the picture is from the filming of Operation Crossbow. King’s Lynn doubled for a Dutch town – the Customs House was hidden behind a painted backdrop to make it look as though the street was longer, while the scenes of the Peenemunde rocket base was actually filmed on the beaches at Holkham.

DEREK CHAPPELL Swaffham

CONTACT US: We’d love to hear from you! Send your letters and photos to KL magazine, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW or e-mail editor@klmagazine.co.uk

KL magazine: It seems we’re a bit closer to solving the secret of this picture, and we’ve narrowed it down to one of three films – but which one? Who’d have thought King’s Lynn was such a hotbed of film production?

KLmagazine January 2012

65