KL Magazine June 2015

ISSN 2044–7965

ISSUE 57 JUNE 2015 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

COVER IMAGE

Morston Quay by Ian Ward

meet the team...

MANAGING DIRECTOR Laura Murray

PICTURE: JAMIE MAXWELL

MANAGING EDITOR Eric Secker DESIGN TEAM Amy Phillips Lisa Tonroe

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Ward

CONTRIBUTORS Emma Barnard Alex Dallas Michael Middleton

contact

18 Tuesday Market Place King’s Lynn PE30 1JW 01553 601201 info@klmagazine.co.uk www.klmagazine.co.uk 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.

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he picture above of a young Nepalese girl and her brother is a stark reminder of the wider world around us – and a very timely one. On the very same day that we spoke to Norfolk photographer Jamie Maxwell (whose stunning images of Nepal grace part of his feature on page 108) the country was struck with its second devastating earthquake in the space of only two weeks. It was a particularly cruel blow to a land described by Jamie as a place where “the landscapes are breathtaking and the warmth of the people that live there is humbling.”

Of course, there are also plenty of children needing help and support a lot closer to home, and it’s been very inspiring to learn about the work of the West Norfolk branch of the National Autistic Society this month. You’ll find Emma Barnard’s report on these tireless volunteers on page 62.

As always, there’s a pretty eclectic mix of features in this month’s magazine. For those of a historical bent we’ve got a look at the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and the welcome return of some wonderful and rare books to Lord Peckover’s library at Peckover House. For those wanting to get out and about, you can choose between the outstanding natural beauty of Blakeney Point and the joy of taking a holiday in a touring caravan. And for those of us who love nothing better than looking at other people’s houses, you’ll find our look at this year’s Mayor’s Design Awards (and one of the winners) irresistible. Enjoy!

KL MAGAZINE

KLmagazine June 2015

Contents

JUNE 2015

70

40

102 96 KLmagazine June 2015

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6 WHAT’S ON This month’s diary of forthcoming events

62-64 LIVING WITH AUTISM The vital work of the West Norfolk NAS

8-10 30 YEARS OF FESTIVAL TOO Behind the scenes of the ever-popular event

66 THE BIG INTERVIEW With Caroline Williams

16-18 PECKOVER HOUSE Treasures return to Lord Peckover’s library

70-72 ST. GEORGE’S DISTILLERY Made in Norfolk – Europe’s best whisky

22-24 WATERLOO: 200 YEARS ON Uncovering the battle’s local links

74-81 FOOD & DRINK Reviews, recipes and recommendations

28-30 MAYOR’S DESIGN AWARDS Celebrating the very grandest designs

82-84 TOURING CARAVANS Time to rediscover the ideal family holiday

32-34 BEACONSFIELD HOUSE Award-winning home and luxury B&B

86-88 NORFOLK’S TWIN CITIES Fakenham in France, King’s Lynn in Australia

40-42 BLAKENEY POINT A look at the National Nature Reserve

90-92 EXPLORER...

Out and about in North and South Wootton

45 YOU AND YOUR PETS With local vet Alex Dallas

96-98 MIDSOMER NORFOLK A fictional crime journey through the county

47 KOI Getting started with the magical fish

102 AN ARTISTIC SENSE OF PLACE The much-loved paintings of Bob Richardson

48-55 FASHION The latest looks from the local boutiques

108 A NEW VIEW OF THE WORLD The work of photographer Jamie Maxwell

59 THEN & NOW The changing face of West Norfolk

114 MICHAEL MIDDLETON When the real Ghostbusters came to town

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The

Coach & Horses Dersingham

Summer Solstice MINI CIDER FESTIVAL • Selection of 10 Real ciders • BBQ (weather permitting) • King’s Morris Dancers 2:30pm & 3:30pm • The Fair Green Band 4pm • Live music TBC 7pm Sund ay 21st June (from midd ay)

www.thecoachpub.com | 01485 540391 77 Manor Road, Dersingham, King’s Lynn PE31 6LN

2015 Events

DUKES HEAD HOTEL LADIES NIGHT

Friday 11th September Be entertained by two male performers and an outrageous drag queen! £22.50pp including finger food.

Arrive from 7pm, food served from 8pm.

BOYBAND TRIBUTE NIGHT

Friday 16th October A live Boyband experience including a mixture of the best hits from Boyzone, Westlife and Take That. £28.95pp including a 3 course dinner.

Arrive from 7:00pm, dinner served at 8:00pm.

MURDER MYSTERY EVENING

Friday 30th October A brilliantly entertaining evening by Murder Most Foul. The theme is Scare Fair, perfect for Halloween and as the name suggests; spooky and frightening. £28.95pp including a 3 course dinner.

Arrive for 7:30pm, dinner served at 8pm.

5-6 Tuesday Market Place, King's Lynn PE30 1JS Tel: 01553 774996 Email: reception@dukesheadhotel.com

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258 YEARS AGO: King’s Lynn’s most famous son, Captain George Vancouver, was born in the town’s New Conduit Street on 22nd June 1757

June

Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th

Saturday 6th NORFOLK CONCERTS: AGNES LANGER PLAYS BACH; A CELEBRATION OF 15 YEARS St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Salle, Norfolk NR10 4SE (6:30pm) Norfolk Concerts is celebrating 15 years of presenting concerts at Salle church (near Reepham). The concert features Agnes Langer, the brilliant young Hungarian violinist in a programme of Bach, Bartok, and Ysaye. Agnes is already widely applauded by both audiences and critics for her serious and musical interpretations, and comment has focused on her command of different styles, stage presence, and intelligent musicianship. Tickets are £10 per person, and children can attend for free. See www.norfolkconcerts.org for more details of the event.

Thursday 25th

COUNTRY MUSIC EVENING Walpole St Peter’s Church, Wisbech, PE14 7NS (7:30pm) Merv and Maria (Norfolk’s Premier Country Duo) with Cyril Snushall as compère, will perform a wide range of Country & Western and middle-of-the-road music. There will be refreshments, tombola prizes and a ‘raffle’ bar will be available throughout the evening.

Tickets are £7 per person and are available from Tony and Anita Roweth on 01945 780495 and Gillian Henderson on 01945 780783.

Tickets can be bought by cash only, but to pay by credit card you can purchase your ticket online at the following website: www.wegottickets.com/WalpoleStPetersChurch.

KLmagazine June 2015

HOLIDAY HOME OWNERSHIP WEEKEND Searles Leisure Resort, Hunstanton, PE36 5BB (10am-4pm) Come visit the award-winning, 5 star Leisure Resort & Country Park to explore the easy options for holiday home ownership. If a holiday home is something you’ve been considering, then the open weekend is a fantastic opportunity to take a stroll around the selection of stunning show lodges. If a new lodge in the Country Park isn’t what you’re looking for, then Searles has something to suit everyone at the leisure resort with pre-owned caravans from only £9,995 and preowned lodges from only £69,995. There really is something to suit everyone!

Earlier this year, Searles was Highly Commended at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards as one of the top 5 holiday resorts in the country. Prior to this success, they were also awarded ‘Best Holiday Park in Norfolk’ at the EDP & VisitNorfolk Awards to add to their growing list of impressive accolades. For more information, e-mail holidayhome@searles.co.uk, call 01485 536026 or visit the websites www.searlesnorfolklodges.co.uk and www.searles.co.uk.

Saturday 27th

WATLINGTON ANNUAL VILLAGE FETE Watlington Playing Field, Watlington, King’s Lynn (11am-5pm) Join in the community spirit and visit Watlington’s annual village fete – a fun-packed day with an endless variety of entertainment and activities. Just a snippet of the what’s happening includes a dog show, a car boot sale, trade stalls, live entertainment and music, tug of war, children’s sports event and a fantastic array of hot and cold refreshments. Bring the family along and enjoy a fantastic day out this summer in the setting of a pretty Norfolk village.

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Snettisham Caravan Park

Clubhouse Live entertainment

The perfect place to own a holiday static caravan Situated on the beautiful West Norfolk coast less than 20 minutes away from Hunstanton, King’s Lynn and Sandringham.

• The perfect destination for countryside walks • Live entertainment • Licensed Clubhouse • Caravans for sale on site

Saturday 6th June (9pm) r vocalist CAROLANN - Very popula 3pm) Sunday 7th June (12noon ades dec the ugh thro BONDY - Music Saturday 13th June (9pm) t MARK JOSEF - Great vocalis Saturday 20th June (9pm) OW - Old & new music KB FOURLIGHT ROADSH Saturday 27th June (9pm) l solo singer LAURA - Exclusive powerfu Saturday 4th July (9pm) artist LLOYD MOON - Popular solo

Beach Road, Snettisham, King’s Lynn, PE31 7RB | 01485 542499 / 07533820300 | www.snettishamcaravanpark.com

with The English National Philharmonic Orchestra CONDUCTOR - Ben Crick SOPRANO - Claire Ormshaw TENOR - Lee Bradley

HOSTED BY

FIONA BRUCE

concert presented by live promotions events ltd by arrangement with one fifteen

SATURDAY 29th AUGUST HOLKHAM BOX OFFICE TEL: 01328 713111

Rule Britannia ŏ Jerusalem ŏ Dambusters Pomp & Circumstance No.1 & No.4 ŏ Nessun Dorma ŏ O Mio Babbino Caro ŏ Habanera Carmen Overture ŏ Finiculi Finicula Raiders Of The Lost Ark ŏ William Tell Overture ŏ Cancan ŏ Figaro Overture

WITH SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY

SUNDAY 30th AUGUST KING’S LYNN CORN EXCHANGE TEL: 01553 764864

Tickets available online from www.livepromotionsconcerts.co.uk

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KLmagazine June 2015

Coming up...

Saturday 4th July

JULY FARMERS MARKET Creake Abbey, North Creake, Fakenham (9:30am–1pm) 54 of the region’s best food and drink producers will be at Creake Abbey to supply outstanding fresh seasonal produce including meat, vegetables and fruit, dairy produce, cakes, tray bakes, artisan beer, apple juice, artisan breads, morning goods, puddings, pies, tarts (sweet and savoury), olives and prepared meals all made with the finest local ingredients. The Café and Food Hall will be open with bookings for lunch taken from 1.30pm. Outside the Food Hall the Café team will be serving hot food to keep you warm. For further details see www.creakeabbey.co.uk.

Wednesday 8th July MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP – PLANTS UP CLOSE Holkham Hall, Wells-next-the-Sea, NR23 1AB (10am-4pm) This one-day specialist course offers aspiring photographers the opportunity to capture the amazing variety and colour of plants and flowers in close-up. During the day you will be escorted by professional photographer Nigel Downer who will (through one-toone tuition) show you how to record dramatic images of the intricate structure of plants. You’ll visit the walled garden on the estate and experiment with a range of approaches. This workshop is suitable for a range of levels from the beginner to the more experienced photographer. You will need your own camera and a lens that will allow you to get close to the subject. Some equipment will be available for your use on the day. Tickets are £40 and this includes lunch and car parking. For more information visit the website www.holkham.co.uk and to book call 01328 713111.

KLmagazine June 2015

Friday 3rd July CHARITY WESTIE WALK Sandringham Country Park, PE35 6EH (12pm) Westie ReHoming is a charity dedicated to the love and care of West Highland White Terriers that are in need of help or rehoming. Started

by Jacqui and Robert Ferris-Woods, Westie ReHoming has built a loyal following of supporters and volunteers. The East Anglian volunteers are planning their second annual event at Sandringham, which consists of a walk and a picnic. There will be goodies provided for the dogs and plenty of friendly chat for their handlers. An invitation is extended to all Westie owners who would like to join in.

Please contact Jan Baynes on 01354 693144 if you wish to take part and make sure to bring your own refreshments and table and chairs for the picnic. The group will be meeting by the car park on the long walk opposite the Visitors Centre. For more information about the charity please visit the website www.westierehoming.me.uk.

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July SWAFFHAM MARKET’S 800TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS – MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL Market Place, Swaffham, PE37 7AB Swaffham Market’s 800th Anniversary Celebrations will be celebrating the 800th anniversary of the first recorded reference to the town’s Market Charter. The centrepiece of these celebrations will be a Medieval Festival featuring re-enactment company ‘Black Knight Historical’ who will take the town back to 1215 with a Medieval encampment based on the Campingland, featuring an array of exciting interactive attractions. These include a medieval market, pottery, costume design, juggling and archery displays, have-a-go archery, fire eaters, battles, minstrels, knights and ladies on horseback, roving storytellers and much, much more!

Re-enactments of the signing of the Market Charter and the Magna Carta will occur on a stage in front of the Church, and a hog roast will take place in the Market Place on the Saturday evening accompanied by live entertainment. Further details can be found at www.aroundswaffham.co.uk or contact enquiries@iceni.info or enquiries@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk.

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Sinead and the Dawnbreakers

Sophie Ellis Bextor

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KLmagazine June 2015

PICTURES: IAN WARD

What’s On

ABOVE: Over the course of 30 years, Festival Too has grown to become one of the biggest free music festivals in Europe – regularly bringing top-class acts to audiences in excess of 10,000 in the centre of King’s Lynn.

Celebrating three decades of Festival Too Thirty years after a group of local businesspeople decided to organise a popular ‘alternative’ to the opera and classical sounds of the King’s Lynn Festival, the event has never been more exciting...

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emember 1985? The yearlong miners’ strike came to an end, the BBC proudly launched a new soap opera called EastEnders, and the Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia raised over £50 million for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Pop concerts were also making the news a lot closer to home as a small group of local businesspeople got together to organise a popular ‘alternative’ to the long-running King’s Lynn Festival.

Centred in the town’s Tuesday Market Place, Festival Too was an immediate

KLmagazine June 2015

success, and has since grown to become one of the largest free music festivals in Europe. Over the years, crowds of over 10,000 have enjoyed acts such as 10cc, The Human League, Bad Manners, Toyah Willcox, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Atomic Kitten.

As Festival Too marks a landmark year, it seems an appropriate time to ask Bridget Nurse, Chairman of the Festival Too organising committee, about what’s made the event so amazingly popular.

“I think one of the main reasons Festival Too has been so successful over the years is that it’s a free event,”

she says. “That means it appeals to families who may not have the budget to have an expensive evening out – and being able bring their own drinks is a bonus too!”

Organising the event starts almost as soon as the applause fades out after the final act – after a ‘review’ meeting shortly after the event, the committee will already be working on the following year’s Festival Too by the autumn.

“It’s a mammoth event to organise, and probably the main problems we’re faced with are the increasing demands put on us by health and safety requirements,” says Bridget. “We have

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What’s On

Howard Jones

Katrina Leskanich

Aswad

to pay for special stewards, barriers, safety and first aid costs, insurance, specialist sound and lighting. It’s a huge undertaking, but we get an amazing contribution from so many local businesses. Their support and the help of new supporters keeps everything running – and of course, the more support we get, the more money we have to spend on exciting acts.”

The commitment to maintain Festival Too as a free event is where the lion’s share of the organising committee’s efforts are directed.

“That’s the hardest part of organising Festival Too,” says Bridget. “As costs increase, we have to work really hard to attract new sponsors and think of new fundraising ideas. This year we’ve had a 70s/80s night, a golf day, a special fundraising ball, and next month we’ll be having a fashion show. Most of those are new events for us and have really boosted our funds for next year’s event.”

Although most of the audience’s attention is focused on the on-stage performers, Festival Too wouldn’t be possible without a small army of people working behind the scenes. There are 20 people on the organising committee itself, and a further 30 help erect and dress the stage, and arrange all the safety barriers. On top of that, there’s a team of 50 stewards and health and safety people who ensure the event runs smoothly and safely.

“And don’t forget the local council!” says Bridget. “They’re our biggest supporter and they’re responsible for cleaning up after every event. I don’t think Festival Too would be possible without their help!”

So when you see people carrying those famous buckets at this year’s event, don’t think twice about adding a £1 coin of your own to them. It’s only through the support of local people and local businesses that King’s Lynn can continue to have one of the biggest – and best – free musical festivals in Europe.

The Hoosiers 10

KLmagazine June 2015

PICTURES: IAN WARD

This year’s Festival Too will be held from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July, and on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th.

The lineup was about to announced as this magazine went to press, but full details can be found at www.festivaltoo.co.uk

JUNE

Tues 9 - Sun 28 June SHREK THE MUSICAL Big, bright musical comedy for all the family £8 - £45

Shrek

BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00

Tues 30 June CLASSIC ROCK SHOW Top 20 greatest guitar riffs of all time £7 - £22 T H E AT R E ST R E E T, N O RW I C H N R 2 1 R L

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

BLACK HORSE The

ACOUSTIC NIGHTS SUNDAY LUNCH

Every 3rd Tuesday of every month A traditional roast of 2 or 3 courses Restaurant Opening Times Mon To Fri: Midday to 3pm & 6pm to 9pm Sat: Midday to 9pm Sun: Midday to 8pm

01553 631 225

Call to reserve a table

Lynn Road, Castle Rising, Kings Lynn PE31 6AG

KLmagazine June 2015

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What’s On

A stunning season of songs STAYIN ALIVE 70’S PARTY NIGHT Friday 31st July | 7.30pm | Doors 7pm (18+) Featuring a fabulous full band and three singers blasting out ABBA’s biggest hits followed by a live DJ set from KLFM’s Alistair Cox. The band and singers then return with all your favourite 70’s hits and the night finishes with a disco.

With the best of ABBA and all your favourite hits of the 70’s including Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Super Trouper, Mamma Mia, Heart Of Glass, Car Wash, Tiger Feet and many more.

So dust off your platforms, pop on your flares and boogie the night away in fabulous fancy dress (optional).

Show your tickets at Castle Costumes, 18 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn and get 20% off your fancy dress outfits!

Now booking for Autumn!

DREAMBOATS AND MINISKIRTS Monday 12th – Saturday 17th October Nightly 7.30pm.

2.30pm Matinees Wednesday & Saturday The sequel to the popular Dreamboats and Petticoats which enjoyed a sell out week of shows at the Corn Exchange last year!

What happened to ‘Bobby & Laura’ and ‘Norman & Sue’…?

Their story continues... It’s 1963, and the world is changing.

Bobby and Laura’s single Dreamboats and Petticoats has not taken off. Norman and Sue have settled down to non-marital bliss – and a baby! But Ray and Donna seem blissfully happy…

The advent of The Beatles and the Merseyside sound is inspirational. But will it inspire Bobby and Laura to have one more shot at stardom – Norman to “get off the drains” and find that singing voice he has longed for, and Ray to realise his ambition and manage a really top pop act!? All will be revealed in a follow up with the same wit, charm, and great songs as Dreamboats and Petticoats. Many of the songs are from the next period in pop history…

T:@klcornexchange Fb: Alive Corn Exchange

Full show details and online bookings at kingslynncornexchange.co.uk | Box Office 01553 764864

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KLmagazine June 2015

G4 REUNION TOUR Monday 21st September | 7.30pm 2004 X Factor finalists and multiplatinum selling vocal quartet G4 are looking forward to celebrating their 10th Anniversary with The Reunion Tour at the Corn Exchange this September.

Frontman Jonathan Ansell says, “It’s incredibly exciting to be going back on the road with the boys for the first time in a number of years. You can expect the classic G4 treatment: lots of classic songs given the G4 twist, and there’ll definitely be a surprise or two along the way!” Experience G4’s trademark sound and hear the tunes that made them famous, such as Nessun Dorma and Bohemian Rhapsody alongside some fresh takes on current music.

Gymnastics at Alive Lynnsport Children from the age of 18 months can have fun and develop their gymnastics skills under the guidance of fully qualified coaches in the first class facilities at Lynnsport. They progress through the British Gymnastics award schemes which provide the foundation for teaching of high quality gymnastics in a fun, friendly and progressive way.

Talented gymnasts are invited to train with the elite training squads and compete for King’s Lynn Gym Club.

The club has training squads in Acrobatics and Tumbling with an

enviable record competing up to National level. Gymnastics courses are a continuous programme where gymnasts are continually assessed and can progress at their own rate.

GYM PIT FUN TIME FOR UNDER 5s Sunday to Friday 9.30-10.30am Children just love this fun session where they get to play on a variety of fun and tempting gymnastics equipment including soft play and

FIND US: Lynnsport, Greenpark Avenue, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 2NB

KLmagazine June 2015

floor area, trampoline, bouncy castle and foam pit.

For more information about Gymnastics at Lynnsport visit the website www.aliveleisure.co.uk.

CALL US: 01553 818001

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KLmagazine June 2015

What’s On

ABOVE: Lord Peckover’s library at Peckover House in Wisbech is currently welcoming back some of its rare original volumes (opposite)

Peckover House and a new chapter in history PICTURE: BLACKBURN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

Until the end of October, visitors to Peckover House in Wisbech will be able to see a remarkable series of rare books that left their home in Lord Peckover’s library almost 100 years ago...

B

uilt around 1722 on the North Brink in Wisbech, Peckover House is the centrepiece of one of England’s great Georgian streetscapes (though oddly enough the original architect is unknown), and at one time its library held one of the finest private collections of rare books and manuscripts in the whole country.

It was the collection of Alexander, Lord Peckover – the avid collector, dedicated philanthropist and noted bibliophile who built the 52-feet long library in 1878 to house his priceless collection that included an extremely rare Tyndale Bible from 1534 and a group of the earliest-known printed Greek Testaments.

KLmagazine June 2015

Starting from around the 1920s the collection was gradually broken up and sold (although Lord Peckover himself donated his fine collection of maps and atlases to the Royal Geographic Society before his death in 1919) and the books and manuscripts eventually found their way into various important collections scattered throughout the country and around the world.

There are few things more forlorn than empty shelves in a library, but in 1998 a major refurbishment began at Peckover House with a view to restoring the room to its original 1878 form. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the property’s transfer to the National Trust, the project saw new bookcases (based on original drawings)

built by Wisbech craftsman Benedict Gillick and the re-creation of the handblocked wallpaper by London-based specialists Cole & Son, who were fortunate enough to be able to use four of the original paper’s printing blocks.

Of course, a library is nothing without books, and the current collection at Peckover House – donated by the late Honourable Canon Sidney Meade, Marshall Sissons and Mr Clayton Flint – has been carefully chosen to reflect the original contents of Lord Peckover’s library, covering everything from history and gardening to philosophy and geography.

The library is also the setting for a remarkable exhibition that runs until the end of October and has brought some 17

PICTURES: BLACKBURN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

What’s On

ABOVE: A few of the magnificently illustrated pages that run throughout the historically important volumes from the RE Hart Legacy currently on display at Peckover House (left).

unique and important volumes from Lord Peckover’s original collection back to their home for the first time.

They’ve taken a rather circuitous route, however. Bought by the Lancashire philanthropist and collector Robert Edward Hart (of the famous Blackburn-based rope-making dynasty) they were part of the 800-book legacy left to the town’s public library on Hart’s death in 1946 and were eventually transferred to the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery in 1974.

“As part of their efforts to make their collections more visible to other parts of the country, the Curator of Blackburn Museum contacted me back in 2013 to ask if we’d be interested in displaying the Peckover Psalter,” remembers Ben Rickett, House and Visitor Services Manager at Peckover House. “It was obviously a very exciting opportunity, but it did take about 18 months to organise. We enlisted the expert help of the National Trust’s Libraries Curator Mark Purcell in identifying other books that had almost certainly been in Lord Peckover’s library, and we sourced special climatecontrolled display cases from Cambridge University.”

There are five books in the exhibition, and each is remarkable in its own respect. All unique, all very rare, and all lavishly illustrated by hand, they’re of major importance for the study of bibliography, art and social history – and there’s scarcely a page that doesn’t

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contain gilded lettering, elaborate pen flourishes, and intricate marginal drawings of plants, animals and people.

The star of the exhibition is clearly the Peckover Psalter, which dates from around 1220 and was probably produced in a Parisian monastery.

Described as a text of “exceptional quality and interest” it’s joined by the equally important ‘Blackburn Psalter’ which was produced by the William of Devon workshop and had a significant influence on English book art in the 13th century.

They’re accompanied by three quite exquisite ‘Book of Hours’ volumes that were intended for private devotion and date from around 1440-1480. One of them contains such detailed evidence of the notable families that once owned and cherished it, that FJ Furnivall (one of the co-creators of the Oxford English Dictionary) managed to construct genealogies of the notable Neville and Southwell families from it.

“We’re very lucky to have them here,” says Ben, “and the exhibition is perfectly suited to our efforts to hold events that are appropriate to Peckover House and its history. Seeing treasures such as these in the place they once called home gives them – and the house itself – an added dimension.”

That element of bringing Peckover House to life is the real attraction of the exhibition.

“The exhibition will appeal to visitors who think they already know the

property and will give them the opportunity to see original artefacts back where they belong,” says Ben. “But as the books are such astounding works of art in themselves, they’ll hopefully inspire more people to discover Peckover House for the first time.”

And there’s a lot to discover. The beautiful Georgian townhouse was lived in by the Peckover family for 150 years, and the rooms offer a unique glimpse into their lives as staunch Quakers and successful bankers. The gardens themselves are a joy to behold, covering two acres of sensory and visual delights, complete with an orangery, summerhouses, a croquet lawn, a rose garden with more than 60 species of rose, and the atmospheric restored 17th-century thatched Reed Barn which is home to the property’s tearoom.

This is a rare opportunity to see one of the area’s true gems in a new light – and if you’ve never been to Peckover House before, you’re in for a real treat.

PECKOVER HOUSE North Brink, Wisbech PE13 1JR Tel: 01945 583463 Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ peckover-house Open: Peckover House is generally open between 12noon and 4.30pm every day of the week apart from Thursday and Friday. Please see the website above for detailed opening times.

KLmagazine June 2015

mainstream, arthouse & classic films

The Luxe independent cinema

JUNE SCREENING S FA R F R O M T H E M A D D I N G C R O W D JURASSIC WORLD

WISBECH FURNISHINGS

T WO DAY S , O N E N I G H T

New collections to view in store

live events

STUNNING SEASONAL RANGES

SAN ANDREAS MINIONS

T H E R OYA L O P E R A H O U S E LA BOHÈME

N AT I O N A L T H E AT R E L I V E

LONDON ROAD (MUSIC AL) MAN AND SUPERMAN EVERYMAN

film club

for Look ou w i n do u r c r e t ow d a t i ve C O M i s p l ay s I SOO NG N!

Unit 1, 40 Alexandra Road, Wisbech PE13 1HQ | 01945 585488 w w w. w i s b e c h f u r n i s h i n g s . c o . u k KLmagazine June 2015

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION WILD

L E V I AT H A N

Films subject to change. View our website for up to date screening information.

To book tickets call: 01945 588808 or go online:

www.t h e luxe cin em a .co m

Alexandra Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 1HQ 19

ABOVE: Tim Clayton prepares one of the featured commissions in his forthcoming 40th Anniversary Exhibition – The Tony Hallat Cup, which features a silver golf ball trapped behind a ring of grass around the stem.

Tim Clayton celebrates 40 years of fine jewellery Back in 1975, an aspiring painter changed artistic direction and founded his own local jewellery business. Tim Clayton Jewellery celebrates its 40th anniversary with a major retrospective exhibition

I

n 1975 Volkswagen launched the Golf, Margaret Thatcher became the first female leader of a British political party, and in Albuquerque 19-year-old Bill Gates founded the company that would become Microsoft.

Closer to home, Tim Clayton was also stepping into the corporate world, starting his own jewellery business in King’s Lynn that’s about to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a major retrospective exhibition at the Chapel Street store in the town centre. Coinciding with next month’s King’s Lynn Festival, the exhibition will run from July 10th to 25th and is planned to showcase 40 pieces of Tim’s special commissions from the last four decades.

“We’ll be showing some of the more unusual and distinctive one-off works from the last forty years,” says Tim, who’s

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currently cleaning and preparing the pieces for the exhibition. “By placing them alongside the original sketchbooks containing my initial drawings and designs, it’s a fascinating way of showing what’s possible with a commissioned piece – and it’s been really interesting for me personally to remember all the projects I’ve worked on and the wonderful people I’ve produced them for.”

However, sourcing the works provided something of an extra – and unexpected – challenge.

“Mostly it’s been a case of simply calling people up and asking if they’d like their commission to be featured,” says Tim. “A few of the items I’d wanted to include proved a bit more difficult to trace, because I discovered that at some point over the years some of the older records had been eaten by mice!”

A successful local press appeal did result in several people contacting Tim, and he has since managed to trace some of those more elusive pieces.

The exhibition promises a glittering chronicle of Tim’s work – from a charming nurse’s buckle in the shape of a dolphin to an intricate silver model boat, and from an innovative pair of candlesticks from King’s Lynn Minster to a seal’s head pendant whose production helped support a local seal sanctuary.

It also features Tim’s very first commission – a badge of office and chain made for the newly-formed (at that time, at least) King’s Lynn branch of Soroptimist International. The badge’s circular design cleverly incorporates elements of the town – waves to represent its maritime heritage, the pelican from its coat of arms, and the front of the town hall picked out

KLmagazine June 2015

in titanium. It’s typical of Tim’s flair for combining creativity and style with practicality and function.

With so many items to choose from and so many memories, is there one piece that stands out the most?

“Each commission is obviously special in its own right,” says Tim, “but one I’ve always been proud of is the chalice and paten I made for the church of Terrington St. John back in the 1980s. It was a memorial to the treasurer’s brother, who’d been highly decorated for his bravery during his RAF service during the Second World War. It was a real challenge making something that meant so much and had so much emotion invested in it, but it was a very rewarding commission and I’ve always been very pleased with the way it turned out.”

Today, Tim Clayton Jewellery offers a wide range of contemporary designs and styles from some of the finest designers in Europe, in addition to fine watches and limited edition animal bronzes, finelycrafted pens, leather and wood jewellery boxes, and an ever-changing selection of glitteringly unique giftware – but Tim’s still working on one-off commissions.

“I can honestly say there hasn’t been a month in the last 40 years when I haven’t been working on a commission or repairing or restoring something – and I still enjoy it!” he says. “I particularly enjoy working on small sculptural pieces such as animal heads, but whatever the project there’s nothing like working closely with customers to create something unique that means something special to them.

That’s always been the appeal.”

Which makes it all the more surprising to learn that back in 1975, Tim came to jewellery almost by accident when a tutor took the aspiring young student artist to an evening class.

“I made some copper buttons and didn’t think too much of them at all!” he remembers. “I knew I could do a lot better, so I kept at it and made a pair of earrings for my wife, Sue.” When she wore them to work and saw how many customers wanted to know where they’d come from, Tim’s future took a fateful change of direction.

“I wasn’t sure the paintings I wanted to do would ever sell particularly well,” he says, “but it seemed like jewellery was a feasible career for me to follow. And that’s exactly how it turned out.”

As Tim prepares to celebrate his business’ 40th anniversary (and the 20th anniversary of his earning the honour of becoming a freeman of The Goldsmiths’ Company) there’s never been a better time to look at the work of this talented local jeweller – or what’s in store at the friendly, family-run company he founded.

details

Tim Clayton Jewellery KLmagazine June 2015

21-23 Chapel Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1EG Tel: 01553 772329 Web: www.timclaytonjewellery.com Open: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm

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KLmagazine June 2015

History

ABOVE: The famous 1881 painting Scotland Forever! by Lady Butler depicts the cavalry charge of the Royal Scots Greys, who charged alongside the British heavy cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo. Opposite is a modern-day re-enactment of the battle on the site in Belgium.

The battle that changed the face of Europe...

June 18th marks the 200th anniversary of one of the most important battles of all time, but if it hadn’t been for the flint of Brandon the history of Europe may have been very different.

I

n a corner of Wisbech Museum is a ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ that contains a selection of weird and wonderful items from around the world, and almost hidden among the unusual objects is a small and tarnished metal eagle (right). Originally adorning the helmet of a French soldier, it was found on a field in Belgium in 1815, two days after one of the most important battles in history.

June 18th is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, when a coalition of British, Belgian, Dutch and German troops (under the overall command of the Duke of Wellington) faced the army of Napoleon Bonaparte across a shallow valley in Belgium in the

KLmagazine June 2015

summer of 1815.

After ten hours of ‘hard pounding’, culminating in the decisive arrival of Marshal Blücher’s Prussian army, the French were catastrophically defeated.

Waterloo was a momentous battle in more senses than one. It definitively ended the series of wars that had convulsed Europe – and involved many other regions of the world – since the French Revolution of the early 1790s. It also ended the First French Empire and the political and military career of Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the greatest commanders and statesmen in history. And last (but by no means least) it ushered in almost 50 years of international peace in Europe that

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History

ABOVE: The field of the Battle of Waterloo today is dominated by the ‘Lion’s Mound’ – a monument constructed on the orders of the Dutch King William I five years after the battle. The hill was created with 300,000 cubic metres of earth taken from the ridge at the centre of the British line.

lasted until the Crimean War. The Battle of Waterloo was also particularly brutal. Within an area of only five square miles, some 200,000 men, 60,000 horses and 537 guns were in action, and the fighting was so concentrated that Wellington’s army suffered 2,291 casualties per square mile. Compare that with the 234 British casualties per square mile over the whole 120 days of the battle of the Somme in 1916.

It may come as a surprise to learn that a small town on the NorfolkSuffolk border played an important part (arguably a crucial one) in the battle’s outcome. General Antoine-Henri, Baron Jomini was one of the leading military writers on the Napoleonic art of war, and he put Wellington’s decisive victory down to four factors, one of which was the weaponry skills of the British infantry – who were armed with guns that only worked thanks to the flint knappers of Brandon.

Although no one knows exactly how Neolithic people first discovered the stratum of flint that runs far underground in the surrounding area, it was the centre of a major industrial operation several thousand years ago as the material was used to

manufacture flint axes that were exported all over the south of England.

That flint found a new use in the 1570s, when German gunsmiths introduced the flintlock for firing guns.

The Brandon ‘floorstone’ flint could be knapped to produce long doubleedged flakes which, in turn, could be cut into four or five reversible gunflints, and the quality (not to mention quantity) of the material eventually made it the ‘flint of choice’ of the British Army. The town’s Philip Hayward received the first large army order for 100,000 musket flints in 1790, and just before the Battle of Waterloo, all gunflints for the British Army were ordered from Brandon.

Their successful use at Waterloo was part of their downfall, however. In the

following year the British Army ordered no gunflints at all, leading to the nearterminal decline of Brandon’s flint-knapping trade.

Back to Waterloo itself, and virtually as soon as the fighting was over (the very next morning in fact) sightseers arrived at the battlefield, collecting everything they could get their hands on – from pistols and sabres to spectacles and human teeth (a lucrative trade in which continued until 1865).

Which bring us nicely back to Wisbech Museum – which has another ‘souvenir’ from the Battle of Waterloo in the form of a fabulous green, pink and gold breakfast service in Sèvres porcelain. No common soldier’s possession this – it belonged to no less a person than the defeated Napoleon.

RIGHT: Just a small part of the massive Battle of Waterloo diarama at Houghton Hall. Part of the Cholmondeley Model Solider Collection, it contains over 5,000 individual soldiers and cleverly tells the story of the battle from whichever of the four sides of the display the viewer is standing.

Waterloo is not a battle; it is the changing face of the universe.

– Victor Hugo (1802–1885) 24

KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Traditional looks, modern performance, and the expertise of ECOnomy Windows ots of people can replace windows and doors, but not many can achieve the perfect balance between retaining the traditional character of older properties while at the same time introducing modern designs and the latest energy-saving technologies.

It’s something ECOnomy Windows has excelled at for more than 25 years, and something that was very much in Gary Proctor’s mind when he chose them to replace the patio doors, existing back door and several original windows in his beautiful Georgian property in Elm. “The windows really did need replacing, but I was more concerned about keeping the appearance of the house intact and perfectly matching what was already there,” says Gary, whose background in the building trade gave him a clear idea of

L

what he wanted. “I’d done my research and I didn’t need a hard sell. All I needed was someone capable of doing the job properly and meeting my expectations.”

Based on their long experience, convenient location and a personal recommendation, Gary chose ECOnomy Windows for the project and was immediately impressed by their professional approach.

“We have some very narrow side bay windows,” he says, “and I insisted on having the maximum amount of glass and the minimum amount of plastic. ECOnomy Windows came up with a great solution – and even fitted a sample so we could see just how good it looked in place.”

When it came to fitting, Gary was particularly impressed with the care and attention taken by the team from ECOnomy Windows.

“I always think working in someone

else’s home is a bit of an intrusion,” he says, “but they treated our home as though it was their own. They made virtually no mess, and really did a first class job – despite working to a tight deadline set by an important family birthday party we were having.”

Indeed, that birthday party resulted in a ringing endorsement of the high quality work of ECOnomy Windows.

“Several guests told me they couldn’t actually believe their eyes – because the new windows looked so good and suited the property so well!” says Gary. “I think that speaks volumes for ECOnomy Windows, their exceptionally high standards and their great products.”

For the best of all possible worlds – retaining the character of your property while at the same time enjoying the highest quality, the latest technology, the best performance, and the highest standards of workmanship – contact ECOnomy Windows and give your home a brighter and better outlook.

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PICTURES: BOROUGH COUNCIL OF KING’S LYNN & WEST NORFOLK / SUPPLIED

Local Life

ABOVE: The Chantry at Stanhoe received two Highly Commended accolades at the Mayor’s Design Awards 2015 – one for Single New Build Property and one for Craftsmanship

Building the grandest designs in West Norfolk From new single build properties to community projects and listed building schemes, this year’s Mayor’s Design Awards recently celebrated the most inspiring developments in the area

A

t a special awards ceremony held at the town hall in King’s Lynn on April 21st, local craftsmanship and architectural excellence was celebrated with the announcement of the winners of this year’s annual Mayor’s Design Awards.

Now in their 17th year, the awards highlight the central role good building design and workmanship plays in making our local communities attractive places in which to live and work, and in helping attract more visitors and business to the area.

The Mayor’s Design Awards focus on small-scale works by local architects, designers and contractors, but there’s nothing small-scale about the

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ambitions of the projects themselves – or the people behind them.

From conversions and listed buildings to commercial and community schemes, the awards have a place for everything from extensions on existing homes to small developments of residential properties, and stress the impact architectural design has on our everyday lives.

“Good design makes such a difference to an area, enhancing its character and making it a place people actually enjoy living in and visiting,” says Borough Mayor Cllr Barry Ayres, who led this year’s judging panel. “These awards are a great way of celebrating the tremendous skill and efforts of those involved in creating innovative

and attractive schemes.”

This year, the Mayor’s Design Awards attracted 30 different projects that were entered into eight separate categories, including – for the first time – a new Craftsmanship Award, which recognised the fantastic brickwork, stonework and carpentry of the craftsmen in West Norfolk.

All the entries were closely scrutinised and visited at the start of the year by the judging panel, which comprised the Borough Mayor Cllr Barry Ayres, Cllr Vivienne Spikings (Chairman of the Planning Committee), Cllr Mick Peak (Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee), Stuart Ashworth (Planning Control Manager) and Pam Lynn (Conservation Officer).

KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life Particularly looking for schemes which bring pleasure through design, workmanship or their contribution to a particular setting, the judging panel were highly impressed by the standard and diversity of this year’s entries – a standard reflected in the nine Highly Commended awards given to projects that narrowly missed out on winning one of the main categories.

Receiving the overall Gold Award Winner at this year’s Mayor’s Design Awards was Pentney Abbey Gatehouse.

The restoration of this Scheduled Ancient Monument has been a true master class in historic building craftsmanship and has seen the building rise from a derelict ruin on Historic England’s ‘List of Buildings At Risk’ back to a high status, stunning piece of Medieval architecture which will now be safe for future generations to enjoy.

Following the awards ceremony, Deputy Mayor, Cllr Colin Manning felt the 2014-15 competition was one of the most impressive ever.

“The quality of this year’s entries for the Mayor’s Design Awards made it an exceptionally difficult job for the judges to make their final decisions,” he said.

“Every one of this year’s entrants has contributed to making West Norfolk an even more beautiful place to live, with their vision, designs and craftsmanship and it was my pleasure, on behalf of the Borough Council, to be able to recognise their skills in this way.”

Indeed, that element of ensuring a building project has one eye on the environment is central to the awards – and is a major factor considered by the judges. Jane Forder is the Borough Council’s Technical Support Officer for Conservation, and she’s more than familiar with the Mayor’s Design Awards, being responsible for everything from collating all the entries to arranging site visits for the judges and planning the ceremony itself.

“It’s not all about pastel colours and playing it safe,” she says. “The judges do like new and innovative architecture, but what’s important is how it’s applied.

The awards aren’t about how much money is invested in a project – they’re about the thought behind them, about sympathetic design, and how a building makes the most of its local setting without overpowering it. And that’s something all our award winners this year have excelled at.”

Entries for next year’s Mayors’ Design Awards will open in September for projects completed between January 2014 and December 2015. Application forms will be available from the Borough Council closer to the date.

KLmagazine June 2015

ABOVE AND LEFT: The astonishing restoration of the 14th century gatehouse of Pentney Abbey by Dita Lee and Howard Barber won two awards (Listed Building Schemes and Craftsmanship) at the Mayor’s Design Awards, and also received the overall Gold Award.

BELOW: The Memorial Pavilion at South Creake, Highly Commended in the Mayor’s Design Awards’ category for Community Schemes

“Every one of this year’s entrants has contributed to making West Norfolk an even more beautiful place to live, with their vision, designs and craftsmanship and it was my pleasure to be able to recognise their skills in this way...”

– Cllr Colin Manning, Deputy Mayor of King’s Lynn

ABOVE: The winners of the Mayor’s Design Awards 2015 pictured at the awards ceremony, held in King’s Lynn town hall at the end of April

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Local Life

MAYOR’S DESIGN AWARDS 2014-2015 GOLD AWARD Winner: Pentney Abbey, Pentney Agent: Ruth Brennan Architects COMMERCIAL SCHEMES Winner: Linksway Hotel, Old Hunstanton Agent: Ian H Bix Associates Ltd COMMUNITY SCHEMES Winner: The Spinney, Hunstanton Agent: Wynne Williams Associates Ltd Highly Commended: South Creake Memorial Pavilion Agent: Steven Wade Architectural Design RESIDENTIAL EXTENSIONS Winner: 44 Lynn Road, Snettisham Agent: D H Williams Architectural Consultant Highly Commended: 82 Cliff Parade, Hunstanton Agent: Distinct Designs UK Ltd Highly Commended: 76 Sidney Street, King’s Lynn Agent: Distinct Designs UK Ltd SINGLE NEW BUILD PROPERTIES Winner: Beaconsfield House, North Wootton Agent: Ian J M Cable – Architectural Design Highly Commended: The Chantry, Stanhoe Agent: Steven Wade Architectural Design

PICTURES: BOROUGH COUNCIL OF KING’S LYNN & WEST NORFOLK / SUPPLIED

CONVERSION SCHEMES Winner: Palgrave Barn, Burnham Market Agent: Martin Hall Associates Highly Commended: The Old Stables, King’s Lynn Agents: John Stephenson and JCJ Planning LISTED BUILDING SCHEMES Winner: Pentney Abbey, Pentney Agent: Ruth Brennan Architects Highly Commended: 90 London Road, King’s Lynn Agent: Peter Gidney Designs SMALL RESIDENTIAL GROUPS Winner: Tower Road, Burnham Overy Staithe Agent: Parsons & Whittley Ltd Highly Commended: Spencer Road, King’s Lynn Agent: David Taylor Associates UK Ltd CRAFTSMANSHIP Winner: Pentney Abbey, Pentney Contractor: Universal Stone Highly Commended: The Chantry, Stanhoe Contractor: Shackcloth Ltd Highly Commended: 44 Lynn Road, Snettisham Contractor: Liddington Builders

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KLmagazine June 2015

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WINLENNEEWR SING BUILD PROPERTY

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KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life

ABOVE: Paul and Pippa Wilkinson’s home of Beaconsfield House in North Wootton – which also incorporates a luxurious bed and breakfast

Your invitation to an award-winning home...

Not only is Beaconsfield House a stunning new family home and a luxurious bed and breakfast, it manages to sit harmoniously in an area of outstanding natural beauty at North Wootton.

I

t’s fair to say that Paul and Pippa Wilkinson have a thing about North Wootton. Not only have they moved five times within a one-mile radius of the village, their recently-completed family home of Beaconsfield House (which includes a luxurious bed and breakfast in an adjoining annexe) sits directly opposite the church of All Saints – and recently won the Single New Build Property category at the Mayor’s Design Awards organised by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk.

“One of the reasons it appealed to the judges so much was that Beaconsfield House sits so naturally within its environment,” said Jane Forder, the Borough Council’s Technical Support Officer for Conservation. “It’s a perfect example of what the Mayor’s Design Awards are all about – putting the right things in the KLmagazine June 2015

right place.”

The story started back in 2011 when Paul and Pippa purchased the plot, and after a year of planning and designing with the architectural expertise of Ian Cable, work started in January 2013.

“More than anything, we wanted the property to suit its surroundings,” says Pippa. “Although at heart it’s a modern family home, we wanted the exterior to be very traditional and sympathetic to the village we know so well and love so much – especially as it would be facing the church.”

Assembling a team of local contractors and making considerable efforts to source as much material as possible from local businesses and suppliers, the Wilkinsons spent as much time as they could on site as the drawings began to take shape.

“We were really fortunate to have such a great and talented team working

on the house, and they truly enjoyed it,” says Pippa, who gave up her job to project manage the work. “We insisted on very high standards throughout and I think they liked the challenge. They really stepped up to the mark – and at the end the carpenters and decorators were even helping us assemble and move the furniture!”

Paul and Pippa moved into their new home at the end of June 2014, and almost a year later their excitement and sense of achievement is as strong as it was on day one.

“We absolutely love it and I think it came out better than we’d ever expected,” says Pippa. “We wouldn’t change a thing, and when villagers come to the door and thank us for opening up their views over the surrounding countryside it’s so rewarding to know we’ve made such a positive impact on the area.”

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Local Life

The Wilkinson’s achievement was officially recognised at this year’s Mayor’s Design Awards in April, when Beaconsfield House won the Single New Build Property category in the face of fierce competition.

“We were truly shocked,” says Pippa, who was so impressed by the other entrants at the awards ceremony she whispered to her husband that she thought they didn’t stand a chance.

“When it was announced, we were so proud – especially because the properties we were judged against were so oustanding. We were really overwhelmed!”

Of course, Beaconsfield House isn’t just a sympatheticallydesigned and beautifullyfinished family home. The attached 2-bedroom annexe (which can be locked off from the rest of the property) is the location of a luxurious bed and breakfast and holiday let.

“I’ve always wanted to run a bed and breakfast,” says Pippa. “I think it comes from childhood, when my mother and

34

her kitchen were the real engine room of the home. I was brought up in the hospitality trade, and I’ve always loved it.”

As you might have expected, though, this is no ordinary bed and breakfast.

The accommodation is outstanding, the setting is spectacular, and Pippa’s attention to detail and understanding of customer’s needs turns a short (or longer) break at Beaconsfield House into a real experience.

“We love going that extra mile for our guests to ensure they feel they’re enjoying a real treat,” says Pippa.

“That’s why we greet them with afternoon tea and cakes on arrival and why we put homemade cookies in their rooms. That’s what ‘home from home’ really means.”

Although the bed and breakfast has only been operating since January, it’s already welcomed guests from around the country from Newcastle to Colchester (and even from Germany) and recently received 5-star ratings from Visit England for the standard of both the facilities and the breakfasts.

Of course, it’s also perfect for visitors

from closer to home – so the next time you have family or friends coming to Norfolk to stay, why not take a break from ‘making room’ for your guests and point them in the direction of Beaconsfield House? The wonderfully comfortable surroundings, luxurious facilities and true hospitality make it perfect for the weekend – and even better for the whole week!

To make a booking (and to enquire about any special requirements) you can contact Pippa on 01553 631113 – and you can be among the first to hear about special offers by following the bed and breakfast on Facebook at BeaconsfieldHousebb or through Twitter @Beaconsfieldbb.

No wonder the Wilkinsons feel a genuine sense of fulfillment at the moment.

Not only have they built themselves an award-winning home and launched a successful bed and breakfast, they’ve made a significant – and quite beautiful – contribution to the village that’s so close to their hearts.

information BEACONSFIELD HOUSE B&B Manor Road, North Wootton, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3PZ t: 01553 631113 w: www.beaconsfieldhousebb.co.uk e: info@beaconsfieldhousebb.co.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

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Make your grand designs even grander with 4 Way A

s the recent Mayor’s Design Awards proved, the region is currently full of exciting and ambitious building projects. It underlines the growing popularity of selfbuild properties, highlights the imagination of the architects and builders themselves, and demonstrates just how much professional expertise and experience is available locally.

4 Way Refrigeration Ltd has a long and proven track record of working with local self-builders, helping them see their projects successfully through to completion with a range of modern heating and air conditioning technologies.

“When you start considering the energy-efficient areas of current building regulations and the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes, self-build projects can become highly complex,”

says Steve Simpson of 4 Way Refrigeration Ltd. “The good news is that all we really need are the architect’s plans and elevations – and from them we can design and install everything from the hot and cold water system to innovative features such as underfloor heating and PV solutions. We can ensure that a beautifully-designed property looks just as impressive when it comes to energy efficiencies and running costs.”

Making up to a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions looks good in anyone’s books, and that’s exactly what 4 Way Refrigeration Ltd’s range of air source heating systems delivers. No wonder it’s become so popular with new-build projects of all sizes.

Combine that with the reduced energy consumption, low noise levels, low running and maintenance costs, and you’ll

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start to see why air source heating is so attractive.

“From the construction point of view, air source heating is a truly cost-effective solution,” says Steve. “It doesn’t require a gas supply, there’s no need for flues or ventilation, and it doesn’t require extensive ground works. It’s very simple – and simply brilliant.”

Even better, 4 Way Refrigeration Ltd can take a lot of the certification burden away from the project itself and see it happily signed off by Building Control, meaning that’s one less thing for you to worry about.

For a high-quality, professional service from a local company with a long and successful track record, contact Steve and his team at 4 Way Refrigeration Ltd – and discover how they can help make your grand design even grander.

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KLmagazine June 2015

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What is a Conservatory?

ANSWER: A room having glass roofing and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom.

A Supreme conservatory is a space for you to work and play, with room to relax and grow.

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KLmagazine June 2015

“Very professional, clean workers – and we were immediately given sensible costs and effective solutions.

Excellent value for money – we really didn’t notice all the work going on around us!”

– LAURA AND MATT

The local team that offers solutions, not problems...

W

hen Carl Yeomanson was a fireman he had a second trade (as all firemen do) – as a plumber. But Carl wasn’t just any plumber. He was an extremely talented one, with a growing reputation.

“Before I knew it, I was installing bathrooms for the directors of companies such as Argos, Wickes, B&Q and Homebase,” he remembers. “Even though I took on some help, the demand grew so great that it became unrealistic to carry on the work as a ‘second’ trade.”

Carl duly launched Plumbing & Gas Solutions, which has steadily grown into one of the most respected – and reliable – plumbing and heating companies in the area. He now employs around 20 staff, runs a fleet of over 10 company vehicles, and is justifiably proud of the close-knit team’s commitment to the core values of the business.

“From our talented and professional engineers to the dedicated telephonebased staff who help us provide a 24-hour service seven days a week, everyone puts customer service first,” says Carl. “It’s the quality of our service that really does set us apart. That’s probably why so many people say they’ll miss us when we leave their home!”

The King’s Lynn based company offers a comprehensive range of services covering west and north Norfolk – including everything from complete heating installations (including air source cylinders) and plumbing repairs to boiler servicing and the power flushing of central heating systems.

And all work – from small fixes to larger projects – is true to Plumbing & Gas Solutions’ founding promise (it’s all in the name!) of providing solutions, not problems.

“When it comes to plumbing and heating, things will inevitably go wrong at some point,” says Carl, “but it’s how you deal with them that counts. We don’t just put things right – we carefully choose the products that are right for individual customers, and we actually make things better.”

Plumbing & Gas Solutions is partnered with the market-leading companies Worcester Bosch and Valliant, and is also an accredited member of the Trading Standards Institute’s ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme – testament to the professional standards and quality of the service offered by Carl and his team.

For a friendly, expert, and reliable solution, contact Plumbing & Gas Solutions today for a completely free survey or quotation.

Yours Business Networks, Bishop’s Lynn House, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 1JW Telephone: 01553 886555 Web: www.plumbgassolutions.co.uk E-mail: sales@plumbgassolutions.co.uk Follow us at: www.facebook.com/plumbgassolutionsltd @PGSolutionsltd

KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Nature

ABOVE: Rangers Ajay Tegala (left) and Sarah and Paul Nichols (far right) with Alex Green (second left), the National Trust’s Digital Content, Marketing and Interpretation Officer for the Norfolk Coast

A truly magical place, a truly dedicated team...

It’s naturally beautiful and vitally important to a wide range of plants and animals. KL magazine talks to Paul Nichols, seasonal ranger at the National Trust’s Blakeney National Nature Reserve

W

ith its magnificent open spaces and uninterrupted views of the natural and dynamic coastline, a visit to Blakeney is inspiring at any time of the year. The moving tides, whether they’re covering the pristine saltmarsh or exposing the harbour, combine with the varying light of Norfolk’s big skies to create an ever-changing scene.

Blakeney Point, within the National Trust’s Blakeney National Nature Reserve, is a four-mile sand and shingle spit, and over hundreds of years the sand dunes that have gradually formed there have produced a rare habitat

KLmagazine June 2015

that’s essential for a wide range of unusual plants, insects, birds and seals.

The surrounding landscape of saltmarsh, mudflats and fresh watermarsh shapes the rest of the National Nature Reserve, and these habitats host their own diverse range of very special wildlife. The landscape is in a constant state of flux, adapting to the forces of nature which shape this everchanging and breathtakingly beautiful coastline.

Following the recent return of the Common, Arctic and Little Terns, the NT’s coastal rangers have now moved back out to Blakeney Point and into the iconic Lifeboat House for another

season at the reserve.

This year, ranger Ajay Tegala has been joined on the Point by this year’s seasonal assistants Paul and Sarah Nichols (the married couple actually met at the reserve last year) and Josh Barber, who’s the newest recruit to the team.

For Paul Nichols, it’s his ninth season at Blakeney Point, and there’s no doubting the lure this natural paradise has for him.

“From dawn until dusk on the Point you’re serenaded by the most beautiful sounds of nature, whether it’s skylarks singing, the harsh cries of the terns, or the mournful wailing and moaning of

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Nature

ABOVE: The iconic Lifeboat House on Blakeney Point, which underwent a major restoration project between October 2012 and March 2013 only to be badly damaged by the flooding of December that year. The visitor centre (and base of the ranger team) is now back to its best.

the grey seals,” he says. “Then there’s a myriad of different wader calls and songs – your ears are always given a treat!”

Of course, it’s not just the sounds of the reserve that draw so many visitors to Blakeney Point throughout the year – there are plenty of visual treats on offer.

“My personal favourites include the seals scratching and yawning and the terns in a feeding frenzy continuously diving like a shower of white arrows onto a shoal of fish,” says Paul. “I also enjoy watching the butterflies and the day flying moths gliding through the dunes or feeding on the purple haze of sea lavender, which carpets the salt marsh in summer.”

For Paul and his fellow rangers, home for the majority of the year is the unmistakable Lifeboat House, which has never looked better following the repairs needed due to the storm damage of December 2013 – which came just nine months after the completion of a major renovation project.

Built in 1898, the Lifeboat House only functioned for a few years before the build-up of shingle made it impossible to launch boats, and in 1923, Bob Pinchen (the first man employed to look after the Point) moved in. It’s been home to National Trust rangers ever since, apart from a brief interlude during World War Two. Despite its original purpose, the Lifeboat House is a homely base for the ranger team.

“We’ve got four bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom facilities upstairs and downstairs, and a combined office and

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sitting room,” says Paul.

“Best of all, the lookout tower on top of the building has a vantage point that offers probably the best view in Norfolk.

On a clear day you can see Beeston Bump to the east and Scolt Head Island to the West, while before you lies Blakeney Harbour, which is alive with boats in the summer. Then there are the coastal villages of Salthouse, Cley, Blakeney, Morston, Stiffkey and Wells.

It’s a quite amazing sight.”

And although the daily use of the Lifeboat House may have changed, it still retains something of its original purpose.

“We’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” explains Paul. “We have to respond to situations and crises at a minute’s notice, much like a boat in distress. Happily that doesn’t happen too often, and our more common daily tasks include the continuous observation and recording of all the flora and fora seen on the reserve, and the protection of the breeding terns and waders. Plus we’re always out welcoming and talking to the thousands of visitors who make the trip out to the Point every year. The life of a ranger is never dull, and no two days are ever the same.”

Blakeney Point is a truly magical place, and thanks to Paul and his fellow rangers, it’s in very safe hands.

BLAKENEY POINT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE Morston Quay, Quay Road, Morston, Norfolk NR25 7BH Tel: 01263 740241 Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blakeney E-mail: blakeneypoint@nationaltrust.org.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Pets

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

Nancy to the rescue! e’ve got a new heroine at the practice. Her name is Nancy, and she’s an American Bulldog who belongs to Jen, who’s one of our nurses.

Nancy’s recent heroics started when a clearly very ill Border Terrier called Mazy arrived at the practice. My initial examination confirmed my original suspicions that she needed treatment as a matter of urgency, and the first step she needed was a blood test to help us determine just how ill she was and what the next step should be.

The results of the blood test showed that Mazy had severe anaemia – a normal dog’s red blood cell count will be between 37%–52%, but Mazy’s was an alarming 11%, which really is extremely low. The test revealed that Mazy was suffering from internal bleeding and that she would require surgery.

However, because of the significant blood loss, she would need a blood

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transfusion before we could think about carrying out the surgery.

That’s the point where Nancy came to the rescue!

Once she’d been tested to ensure she had the correct blood type, we connected Nancy to a collecting set – and you may be surprised to learn that the transfusion equipment we use for pets is exactly the same as that used when humans donate blood.

After giving her much-needed blood donation, Nancy was rewarded with her favourite meal and rested in a warm recovery kennel.

Now our attentions turned to Mazy.

We monitored her closely as she received her transfusion, which proved very successful, and her enormous improvement meant she was soon ready and able to have her surgery.

I carried out the required surgery on Mazy and the operation went very well – and she recovered wonderfully, as the photo above shows!

ABOVE: A proud Nancy shortly after her blood-doning efforts helped save the seriously ill Border Terrier Mazy (above left).

Both of them are now very happy dogs!

All our nursing team lavished lots of care on her while she was with us (as they do for all our patients), and Mazy happily went home to her equallyhappy owners the following day.

It’s cases like these that make me so proud of the way the whole practice team pulls together to help and nurse the animals in our care – and the way they’re prepared to go beyond the call of duty.

We were all so pleased to see Mazy work towards a great recovery – but I think most of all we were so proud of Nancy!

It’s lovely to see man’s best friend become a dog’s best friend too!

London Road Vets

@LondonRoadVets

www.makeyourpetsmile.co.uk

LONDON ROAD 25 London Road, King’s Lynn telephone: 01553 773168 e-mail: info@lrvc.co.uk HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market telephone: 01366 386655 e-mail: info@holliesvetclinic.co.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Nature

The joys of keeping Koi...

They can live for around 50 years and there are over 20 major varieties of the fish developed over 1,000 years ago specially for ornamental ponds. Here’s a quick introduction to the everpopular hobby of keeping Koi...

K

oi ponds have become a popular hobby in the world, and the reasons are as clear as the water in them. Koi are beautiful, vibrant fish that can literally light your day. They come in many colours, many varieties, and many kinds, so it’s likely that everyone can find at least one type of Koi suited to their likes.

Koi are often referred to as “living jewels,” and while they may bring a welcom and rewarding beauty to your pond, they also have an interesting history attached to them.

Koi were orginally developed from the common carp by rice farmers in Japan.

The common carp were kept in unused paddy fields as a supply of food through the long winter months, and seeing unusual colours on the fish led some farmers to begin a series of selective breeding programmes. The rest (as they say) is history, and the Koi carp industry is now a worldwide business.

KOI HAVE PERSONALITY...

You may not believe it, but Koi actually have personalities similar to other animals. They’re very social, and can even be trained to eat directly from their owners’ hands. The more time you

KLmagazine June 2015

spend with your Koi, the more you’ll notice that each fish has its own individual characteristics and traits.

Hand feeding is very common among Koi owners, and the Koi in a pond will even learn to recognise different family members’ footsteps depending on who feeds them and who doesn’t!

BUILDING YOUR KOI POND...

The Koi carp you choose will feel just at home in a formal pond in a courtyard as they will in a mini-lake within some carefully aquascaped gardens – but as with the addition of any new pet to the home, basic research is a must. Visit your local Koi supplier for valuable advice on how to build a Koi pond. This can save you a lot of time and heartache in the future. The world of filters and pumps can seem very confusing at first, but provided the pond is well filtered, the hobby of Koi keeping can be as simple and troublefree as it is rewarding. Finding a reliable and local Koi dealer who’s experienced with the fish can make the entry into this fascinating world a lot easier than trying to go it alone.

patterns available means that everyone can find the perfect Koi. Excellent quality Koi are available in all sizes and in all price brackets. Some Koi can reach over 1m in length and can command prices in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds, but the majority of Koi carp sold are of great quality and are affordable to all budgets. The best piece of advice to any Koi purchaser is to choose a Koi that “you” find attractive.

If you are interested in learning more about keeping Koi, and for specialist help and advice on them (and fishkeeping in general), contact the team at King’s Lynn Koi on 01553 770005 or visit the website at www.kingslynnkoi.com

CHOOSING YOUR KOI...

The massive selection of colours and

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fashion

Fashion

It doesn’t matter whether you’re headed to a festival or a beach, the weather’s not the only thing that’s brightening up as the summer approaches.

Vibrant colours, bold designs, floral prints and breezy fabrics are the order of the day – and our local boutiques are ready to make the most of the season...

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Silk Dress by Vilagallo (£175) GODDARDS | King’s Lynn 01553 772382 KLmagazine June 2015

Top by Marble (£69) OLIVIAS OF SHERINGHAM LTD | Sheringham 01263 823149 KLmagazine June 2015

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Fashion

Women’s harbour striped jersey (£20) and bead necklace (£24.95) by Joules THE HAYLOFT at BEARTS | Stowbridge 01366 388151 50

KLmagazine June 2015

for sizzling bargains this summer plus! hot joules offers

this month featuring TEL: 01366 388151 | WEB:

KLmagazine June 2015

www.bearts.co.uk

| Brighton Mill, Stowbridge, King’s Lynn, PE34 3PD

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Fashion

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KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

The Fent Shop By appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Purveyor of Dress Fabrics and Haberdashery P.F.Day & Son King’s Lynn

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33 Bridge Street, Downham Market PE38 9DW Open: Mon - Sat 9am to 5pm Tel: 01366 386688 KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

KLmagazine June 2015

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“Five star service from a good quality family business!

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KLmagazine June 2015

West Norfolk: Then and Now

History

1918

2015

DIFFERENT WORLD, SAME GLOBE...

The top photo of the Globe Hotel in King’s Lynn was sent to us by Jackie Chapman of Downham Market, but she’s unsure whether the date of 1918 is accurate. While the exterior of this Grade II listed building hasn’t changed much, but the traffic passing by it

certainly has – you won’t find many horse-drawn carriages waiting outside today! Do you know when the original picture was taken?

You can enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s unique history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk or by visiting the Norfolk Heritage Centre at

the Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich (or your local studies library).

We’ll take another look back at the area next month.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s unique history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

How Pilates can help your whole-body fitness physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century, Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility, creates strength without bulk, improves posture, and can promote weight loss.

One of its greatest appeals, however, is that it offers a more gentle option for people to achieve their fitness goals.

“Most people come to Pilates through medical referrals rather than choice,” says Jane Cole of The Fitness Studios in King’s Lynn, “but the truth is that it’s perfect for virtually all fitness levels, needs and

A

ages. My current students range from 14 to 83, which is a good indication of just how flexible Pilates is.”

As one of the very few specialists in the area, Jane’s Pilates classes (available both during the day and evening) are characterised by their friendly and relaxed approach – and the idea that fitness should always be fun.

“We do keep classes small because it allows us to offer more personal attention to make them more effective,” says Jane, “but it also helps build a friendlier atmosphere. We like to play modern music too – it’s not compulsory to listen to whale songs while you’re doing Pilates!”

Although there are many different styles of Pilates to choose from, Jane likes to take what she calls the ‘3D approach’ for optimum results.

“Basically it involves working through all the three planes of body movement,” she explains. “Most people will have very specific issues they want to address such as back-related problems, but the back doesn’t work on its own. You have to take a wider look at your body and get the overall balance right. And working all the muscle groups is a very good way of relieving tension as well.”

Whatever your fitness goals, Pilates offers a gentle, relaxing, effective way of achieving them, and thanks to Jane Cole and The Fitness Studios, one of the most experienced and qualified teams of instructors in the area is right on your doorstep. Contact Jane today for full details of her Pilates classes and discover what a difference it can make to you and your body.

information

The Fitness Studios Old Dairy Units, Austin Fields, King’s Lynn Tel: 01553 277520 / 07976 387201 Web: www.fitnesskingslynn.co.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life

ABOVE: Although autism is incurable, the right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to people’s lives as they try to make sense of the world around them – an approach that’s central to the work of the West Norfolk branch of the National Autistic Society.

Helping hands in a world that makes little sense...

Widely misunderstood, autism is an incurable condition that touches the lives of almost three million people every day. Emma Barnard looks at the inspirational work of West Norfolk NAS

H

ave you ever found yourself irritated by a screaming child in the supermarket or a coffee shop? Ever wondered to yourself why the parents are seemingly unable to control their child?

You almost certainly have, but sometimes, and for many parents, simply ‘controlling’ their child really isn’t as easy as it may sound. If you’ve never been (or never known anyone) affected

by Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) then your reactions may be perfectly understandable – albeit misdirected.

For local people like Sammy Housden, whose brother Ben has autism, these reactions are all too familiar and commonplace.

“Taking a person out into social

KLmagazine June 2015

environments is a challenge in its own right,” she says. “Negative looks, comments and general social exclusions cause these already-difficult situations for a person with ASD and their carers to escalate unnecessarily.”

Sammy believes the solution is a deceptively simple one.

“We need to actively encourage a basic awareness, understanding and compassion towards anyone who displays behaviour outside the norm,” she says. “That will really help enable people on the Autistic spectrum to be included equally as part of society.”

You may be surprised to discover that more than 1 in 100 people in the UK have autism – that’s at least 700,000 people. But happily, they’re not alone – there’s a fantastic organisation right on

our doorstep that’s here to help.

The West Norfolk Branch of the National Autistic Society (West Norfolk NAS) was launched in 2007 by a collection of local parents with children with ASD. Today, it supports over 150 families in the area and is run entirely by volunteers. Membership is open to any family caring for someone with ASD, it’s entirely free and it’s also available to all families currently awaiting ASD assessment. The hardworking organisation really is a community in itself.

“West Norfolk NAS has helped me make friends with some wonderful and understanding parents and carers,” says Sam Owen. “It’s also stopped the horrible isolation we felt, and allowed my autistic daughter to access

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Local Life

enjoyable and rewarding activities and build some great friendships.”

Other than those directly affected, few people actually understand what ASD really is. It’s a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person is able to communicate with (and relate to) others. It also affects how they make sense of the world in which they live. It’s a spectrum condition – which means while all people with autism share certain difficulties, the way in which their condition affects them can differ from individual to individual.

For example, some people with autism are able to live relatively independently, while others may have accompanying learning disabilities requiring a lifetime of specialist support.

Sammy Housden and her family know exactly the kind of support a person with ASD requires.

“All our family, especially my mother, have always fought for my brother Ben’s right to be included socially and to have access to a range of facilities,” she says.

Ben has a Personal Budget tailored to his needs, which enables support workers to teach him basic life skills and this budget is reviewed annually – at which time the family pledges to the authorities as to why he deserves the service.

“Without this, his

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quality of life would be seriously hindered,” she says. “As a sister, that’s heartbreaking, as not having that allimportant lifeline would dull the most beautiful of characters.”

The work the National Autistic Society does to help families such as Ben’s is absolutely vital, and in West Norfolk, they’re supported through some extremely difficult times. Without proper support, ASD can have deep and sometimes devastating effects on individuals and their families – and as it’s incurable, this support can make an immeasurable difference.

So what does the West Norfolk NAS actually do for the local people affected

by ASD? The organisation arranges a wide range of activities – including swimming, gym play sessions, roller skating, play barn sessions, a teen group and also music sessions.

Many parents have commented on how much the West Norfolk NAS has helped them.

“The West Norfolk NAS gave me real hope when we first received diagnosis,” says Claire Clarke. “I no longer felt alone and I knew my son would be accepted – and I could see a future for us with their support.”

Some families have also stressed the importance of the organisation to them socially.

“NAS West Norfolk has helped our family immensely,” says Emma Witt.

“They’ve given my son somewhere safe to play, to make friends and to simply be himself without fear of judgement.

As a mother, they’ve given me the support network I needed from parents and carers going through the same experiences – understanding our struggles and being able to share our achievements together.”

People often ask families what it’s like to live with a family member with ASD, and it’s something Sammy Housden has been asked many times.

“The truthful answer is that I wouldn’t have it any other way!” she says. “Yes, my brother’s tremendously challenging in a number of ways – but that makes him who he is. The obstacles we take for granted in life are heightened for my brother, and watching him mature, develop and succeed in these tasks makes me burst with pride.”

The West Norfolk NAS does some fantastic work for people with ASD in this corner of the county, and hearing from just a few of the families who use the service shows just how important the organisation is – not only for people with ASD, but for their families and for their carers too.

For more information on autism and for details of the local activities and support of the West Norfolk branch of the National Autistic Society, please see the website at www.westnorfolknas.org.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

BABY GOODS, TOYS, NURSERY FURNITURE & CLOTHING

MAXI COSI BUGABOO QUINNY BABYSTYLE ICANDY

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YEARS O E X P E R IE F NCE

112 NORFOLK STREET, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK PE30 1AQ • Tel: 01553 761666 Web: www.pramsandtoys.co.uk • Email: sales@youngstersworld.com KLmagazine June 2015

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The Big Interview

“Norfolk needs to continue to increase its visibility to secure the investment it needs for our young people, for our infrastructure and for our business community...”

KL MAGAZINE: Could you tell us a little about your background?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: I left school after A levels and then worked my way up the career ladder in London to become an international buyer for the American department store group which included Bloomingdales. I got married and then moved to Norfolk in 1982, where I worked for Jentique Furniture, handling their business with Marks & Spencer.

Following the birth of my second child I moved into the business support sector, and became Chief Executive Officer of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce in 2000.

KL MAGAZINE: What are the primary aims of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce?

Caroline Williams CEO, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce 66

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Norfolk needs to continue to increase its visibility to secure the investment it needs for our young people, for our infrastructure and for our business community. The Chamber has been committed to businesses since 1896, and our aims are to continue providing the services and support for our members to help them be even more successful. We achieve this through providing business networking, influencing change, enabling members to reach new markets and by raising their individual profiles.

We’re also passionate about embracing and supporting the diversity of Norfolk. That means working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, and in a variety of locations. The specific needs for commerce in King’s Lynn, for example, are in some ways very different to those in Norwich or on the coast. Our role is to acknowledge that and deliver the most appropriate support, guidance and influence.

KLmagazine June 2015

KL MAGAZINE: What does your role of CEO entail on a day-to-day basis?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: My role is to support and motivate Norfolk Chamber staff to give the best possible service to our members and the wider business community. It’s important for us to be entrepreneurial and develop new services to meet the changing needs of business across Norfolk and ensure that the Norfolk business voice is heard loud and clear, both locally and in Westminster.

KL MAGAZINE: What are the biggest issues facing the Chamber today?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Ensuring that the Norfolk business community has the local environment, facilities and skills it needs to be able to grow and create jobs. That includes improved infrastructure, better road, rail and broadband networks, support for exporters, and improved links between education and business. All of those are in sharp focus for both North and West Norfolk.

KL MAGAZINE: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Watching local businesses of all types and sizes become more successful as a result of the extensive range of services and support they’ve received from us. The Chamber network is a strong community – and seeing the positive effect of businesses working together, improving the local economy and their own businesses at the same time is just magical.

KL MAGAZINE: What do you consider to have been your greatest achievement?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Although being the European Merchandise Director for the US Federated Department store group was exciting and challenging, I feel most proud of being the CEO of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber is now a strong dynamic organisation able to support the changing local needs of the entire Norfolk business community. We’re actively helping drive the local economy forward and providing jobs.

KL MAGAZINE: What have you learned from your work?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: That you can achieve so much more working with a motivated team than you can by working alone. Don’t underestimate what can be achieved and never say ‘no’ on behalf of someone else – they may surprise you and say ‘yes.’

Also, that creating a successfully balanced work and home life stops burn out and increases productivity.

KL MAGAZINE: What do you like best about Norfolk?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: I really enjoy the positive drive that now exists in Norfolk.

The feeling that we can achieve so much together, and that we are rightly proud of what we have here in our county. I love the quality of life we have here in Norfolk – our coastline, our countryside, our city and our market towns – but overall it’s the people themselves who make it very special.

KL MAGAZINE: In your free time, how do you like to relax?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: I’m really enjoying working towards a 3-year BWY Yoga Teaching Diploma. Yoga is very important to me, although the

assignments can be pretty challenging!

I also enjoy walking in the Norfolk countryside, and especially on the North Norfolk coast. I love sorting out my garden and spending time with my family, especially my two year old grandson – although that’s not always relaxing!

KL MAGAZINE: Who’s your biggest inspiration?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: I’m truly inspired by the team at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. At every level, they’re so motivated and talented and they fuel my enthusiasm and drive. I also find real inspiration from many of our members who are fantastically dynamic and are really challenging business boundaries.

KL MAGAZINE: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: When I was working in London, my Japanese American boss taught me two things that have stayed with me – to aim for 150% in order to reach 100% and that it’s essential not to procrastinate – to make a decision, however difficult that may be.

KL MAGAZINE: What was the last book you read?

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Dark Fire, the historical mystery novel by British author C J Sansom. It’s set in the reign of Henry VIII and is one of a series of books featuring a hunchbacked lawyer called Matthew Shardlake. It’s a marvellous book that really brings to life all the smells and sounds of Tudor England – and it has a lot of twists too.

KL MAGAZINE: Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people...

CAROLINE WILLIAMS: I really enjoyed freefalling from 15,000 feet for 60 seconds at a speed of 124mph during a recent skydive!

Committed to Business

www.norfolkchamber.co.uk KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

“The best thing about studying at CWA is the depth of knowledge you learn...”

How Kathryn Hainsworth prepared for a business degree with the help of the BTEC Extended Diploma at CWA...

F

ollowing the completion of her Alevels at sixth form, Kathryn Hainsworth decided to enrol on the BTEC Extended Diploma in Business at CWA as a way of learning more about business before embarking on a business degree at Lincoln University.

“In my opinion, studying the extended diploma can open up more options after college,” she says, “whether it’s in finance, human resources, university or marketing positions.”

For Kathryn, her time at college was truly rewarding and provided her with a solid foundation as she prepared for

KLmagazine June 2015

university life.

“The best thing about studying at CWA is the depth of knowledge you learn,” she says. “For example, I’ve been taught recruitment and selection – and instead of simply being taught the benefits and the drawbacks, you’re able to mock up the paperwork that would be used during each stage. Studying at the college has also given me the opportunity to work on writing techniques and improve my chances of employability.”

Commenting on the fact that having continuous assignment turnover at CWA helped her effectively manage her time when it came to assignment hand-ins, Kathryn highlighted the nonpaperwork elements of the course.

“The practical side of the course was of real benefit to me,” she says. “The group work and presentations were challenging and exciting, and they really prepared me well for studying at university.”

The College of West Anglia offers a huge range of courses in exciting subject areas, available in flexible options to cater for individual needs and circumstances. Whatever your current situation and wherever you see your future taking you, take a leaf out of Kathryn’s book and let CWA help you take control. l For more details and information about the opportunities available and how to take the next step, please visit cwa.ac.uk/here

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Food & Drink

ABOVE: Andrew Nelstrop, Managing Director of The English Whisky Company at the family-run St. George’s Distillery in Roudham

How Norfolk is making the best whisky in Europe Take a 600-year farming tradition, the vision of one remarkable man, and a trade that vanished in England a century ago, and you’ve got the ingredients of a quite remarkable success story.

T

he world’s leading whisky guide is Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, which is now in its 12th year and contains some 4,500 professionally analysed reviews of the world’s leading and lesser-known whiskies.

For whisky connoisseurs it’s the ultimate authority, and if you’re looking for the best whisky in Europe, the good news is that according to the 2015 edition you don’t have to look very far at all. For it’s made almost entirely by hand and almost entirely by the same family at Roudham.

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Although the remarkable story of The English Whisky Company is less than ten years old, its roots go all the way back to 1335 when a certain William Nelstroppe was recorded as a farmer in Yorkshire.

A 600-year tradition of growing and processing grain saw part of the family moving to Lincolnshire to farm in 1881 (they’re at the same farm to this day) and it was into this branch of the family that James Nelstrop was born.

James had a genuine and innovative flair for mixing farming and business.

Returning to Norfolk after introducing

direct drilling to Australia, James established the first centre pivot irrigation system in England, and then turned a worn-out vegetable farm in the Fens into the country’s first whole Countryside Stewardships Scheme farm for organic sheep and cattle.

Hardly surprising, then, that when he turned 60, James’ thoughts of retirement turned to something rather different. Something that combined his love of innovation and business, something true to his farming heritage, and something that hadn’t been done in England for over 100 years.

KLmagazine June 2015

“My father always wanted to open a whisky distillery,” says The English Whisky Company’s Managing Director Andrew Nelstop. “It seemed perfectly natural to him since we’re in one of the world’s premier growing regions for barley, we have wonderfully pure and clean water, and the family has such a long and proud farming history. The fact the last whisky distillery in England had closed over a century ago only seemed to make him more determined to do it!”

It soon became clear, however, that James’ big idea would have to be realised on a slightly larger scale than he’d first envisaged.

“The initial idea was to operate the distillery along the lines of a microbrewery,” says Andrew, “but Customs and Excise wouldn’t consider anything smaller than 1,800-litre stills. Happily for us, as it turned out!”

In a family-owned field by the River Thet, work began on building St. George’s Distillery in early 2006 (Andrew himself was the main contractor) and by the end of the year it had made the first 29 barrels of English whisky for over 100 years.

The building was opened for tour groups the following year, and the idyllic location – with a river running through it and a grove of willow trees originally planted to provide wood for cricket bats – has become a popular destination in its own right.

“You might think our only visitors are whisky drinkers,” says Andrew, “but people come for the riverside walks, for a cup of tea and some homemade cake, and to look around the shop, which has everything from clothing and food to books and gifts. And whisky of course! When we first opened we expected around 2,000 visitors a year, but we’ll be welcoming about 40,000 of them to the distillery this year!”

The distillery is free to visit, but guided tours (which take place every hour daily) are available for £10 – half of which is refunded on purchase of a bottle of what’s put the site on the map.

The whisky itself.

Every drop of whisky produced by the distillery is a single malt, made by hand with no computers, matured in fine casks, bottled on site using the distillery’s own water and is non chillfiltered. Since the first release in December 2009 – which was limited to 2,694 bottles – it’s gone from strength to strength.

No small part of the whisky’s success is the personal commitment and input of the close-knit team behind The English Whisky Company. The distillery itself operates on a truly hands-on

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Food & Drink basis – literally, as there are around 150 levers scattered around the place – and every bottle is filled and corked by hand. Virtually the only machine in the distillery is the one that puts the labels on the bottles.

“That approach brings us closer to the product and I think that’s reflected in the taste,” says Andrew. “We’re probably the only whisky distillery where the same family is responsible for every part of the process; from the growing and transportation of the barley to the milling and the fermentation – and even the bottling.”

One of the few ingredients that does come from further afield is also one of the most important in the whole process – the casks in which the whisky is matured.

Largely bourbon casks sourced from America (where they can only be used once for the drink in them to be classified as ‘bourbon’) they help give the whisky produced by the St. George’s Distillery its distinctive colour, and offer the most consistent quality.

“Cask selection can really make or break a whisky,” says Andrew, “but it’s something we’re very good at. That’s one of the joys of being a small familyrun business – we can hand-pick our casks and use only the very best.”

The English Whisky Company sells around 40,000 bottles a year (the distillery itself actually produces around four times that amount) and they go around the world from America to Russia, and across Europe from Latvia to – believe it or not – Scotland.

The whisky’s success is a fantastic testament to James Nelstrop, who sadly died last September, but according to his son it’s not the thing he was most satisfied by.

“Since we started, several other whisky distilleries have opened in England,” says Andrew, “and that’s what pleased him the most. Not only did he realise his dream and open what will always be England’s oldest whisky distillery, he had a great sense of achievement in founding an entire national industry.”

ABOVE: Distiller David Fitt at the ‘spirit safe’ inside the St. George’s Distillery. The result, after several years in hand-selected casks, is a drink so good that it’s recently been judged Best Whisky from Europe in Jim Murray’s 2015 Whisky Bible – the world’s leading whisky guide

THE ENGLISH WHISKY CO. Harling Road, Roudham Norfolk NR16 2QW Tel: 01953 717939 Web: www.englishwhisky.co.uk Open: The distillery is open seven days a week all year round (apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) from 10am5.30pm. Tours run hourly every day until 4pm.

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KLmagazine June 2015

A TRADITIONAL PUB WITH TRADITIONAL FOOD

The Angel

• Outside catering for weddings, business functions, etc • Function room • Childrens play area • Food served daily (excluding Monday lunch)

WAT LIN GTON GREAT DEALS ON OUR FOOD THE ANGEL CARVERY Thursdays 12noon–2pm & Sundays 12noon–3pm. Booking advisable.

SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHES Carvery on Thursdays only £9.00 Rest of the week only £8.50 CURRY NIGHT Thursday nights only £8.50 & includes a drink

STEAK NIGHT Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays PIE NIGHT Monday nights only £7.50 & includes a drink LUNCHTIME SPECIAL On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Soup, sandwich or a wrap only £6 and includes a drink

vil lage fet e day - Satu rday 27th Jun e After the fete The Angel will be providing more fun and entertainment from 7:30pm onwards!

• Hot food - BBQ & Hog Roast • Grand draw • Live Music from ‘On The Level’

Find us on Facebook!

01553 811326 | www.theangelpub.webs.com | 41 School Road, Watlington, King’s Lynn, PE33 0HA

A beautiful 16th Century coaching inn set in the heart of Norfolk’s rural Castle Acre, a village rich in historical beauty

• 4 Star rated inn by AA and 5 star rated food

• Fabulous accommodation including delicious breakfasts • Family friendly pub with a wonderful beer garden • Folk music nights - last Sunday of every month, quiz nights every other Monday & much more!

Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with events

To book a table or a room please calL 01760 755398 • www.ostrichcastleacre.com Stocks Green, Castle Acre, King’s Lynn PE32 2AE

KLmagazine June 2015

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Food & Drink

Foof othde h t n o M

Spears of destiny... f you haven’t made the most of this year’s asparagus season, shame on you – but there’s still time to discover why the vegetable (which was unknown in England until 1538) was so popular the Romans even had an entire fleet of ships dedicated to its transportation.

Although available throughout the year from around the world, asparagus is always best when grown and picked fresh.

Whether you’re buying thin ‘sprue’ asparagus or extralarge ‘jumbo’ spears, always choose stems that are firm and lush, rather than dry and wrinkly – and avoid any stems that are discoloured, scarred or turning slimy at the tips. If you’re using whole spears, then make sure the buds are tightly furled, although the cheaper, loose-tipped spears are fine if you’re planning on

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making soup.

The less time it takes to get asparagus from the field to the plate, the better it tastes as the sugars in the plant start to turn to starch as soon as it’s picked.

British-grown asparagus will take around 24 hours to get from plant to the supermarket shelf, but it’s well worth checking the sell-by dates and visiting local farms for the freshest specimens you can find. Asparagus from outside the UK will spend longer in transport.

Despite what you may have read or heard, it’s not necessary to buy an asparagus steamer or to bind the asparagus into a bundle and cook it upright in a pan.

For the best results, wash the stems thoroughly in a sink full of cold water. Then trim the stalks and – if the lower part of the stem seems tough

when sliced and eaten raw – lightly peel the bottom third of the stem. Drop the loose spears into a pan of boiling water and cook until they’re just tender.

The cooking time varies according to the thickness of the stems, but ranges between three to five minutes.

Once it’s cooked, drain the asparagus and pat dry on kitchen paper. If you’re serving it cold, you’ll get the best flavour if you spread the hot asparagus out to cool on some kitchen paper, rather than cooling under the cold tap.

Fresh, tender asparagus can actually be served raw – use a vegetable peeler to cut thin shavings into a salad and dressing it with a lemon vinaigrette, or serve it whole with a garlic-based sauce for dipping. If you can find it, white asparagus is particularly good raw.

And for the health-conscious among you, asparagus is packed with antioxidants and loaded with nutrients, being a very good source of fibre, folate, and vitamins A, C, E and K.

KLmagazine June 2015

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Tel: 01553 772221 75

Food & Drink

INGREDIENTS 4 Mackerel fillets 8-10oz fingerling potatoes A few small shallots A couple of bay leaves Green leaves for the plate (such as spinach or arugula) Half a lemon There’s something very satisfying about the simplicity of a one-dish dinner. No fancy preparation, no simmering this and frying that, and very little washingup! Just toss everything in a pan, let the heat do its magic and relax. All this roast mackerel needs is a couple of stirs and you’ll be rewarded with an amazing midweek supper. Once the potatoes and shallots are pretty much done, the mackerel just sits on the veg for about eight minutes. It might not be the fastest meal to make – but it’s certainly one with minimal effort.

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Roasted Mackerel with Potatoes and Shallots Preparation: 5 minutes Cooking: 50 minutes Serves: 2 Wine: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

in the oven and give them a stir every ten minutes or so until the vegetables are nice and brown – which will take about 35-45 minutes.

METHOD 1 Heat the oven up to 375o while you prepare the potatoes and shallots.

Scrub the potatoes and chop them into bite-sized chunks, and peel and quarter the shallots.

3 Douse the fish with a little oil and salt, then place atop the vegetables, skin side up. Turn the heat up to 400o and roast for about 8-10 minutes.

2 Put the potatoes and shallots in a large ovenproof dish and toss with a slug or two of Olive Oil, a good pinch of salt and a healthy grind of pepper.

Tuck in the bay leaves, then pop them

4 Serve the fish on a nice warm plate with some simple green leaves.

Squeeze half a lemon over the fish and the salad leaves and give the salad just a drip or two of Olive Oil and some seasoning. Simple – and simply beautiful!

KLmagazine June 2015

Cook up a BBQ feast this Father’s Day with fresh, delicious fish!

Tuna & swordfish now available!

Lobsters & crabs Plus!

Local oysters & shellfish Ex tensive delicatesse Jumbo raw prawns counter with top n quality local cheeses Fresh and smoked fish .

Free range eggs & Local honey

DONALDSONS

Family run restaurant in the heart of King’s Lynn, serving exceptional locally sourced food in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

As featured in the prestigious ‘Michelin guide’ and ‘Waitrose Good Food guide’

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A fresh taste of the sea

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

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Food & Drink

IMAGE: © JAMIE FOSTER

RestaurantReview

KL magazine visits the The Ostrich Inn...

S

ituated on the green in the heart of the lovely village of Castle Acre sits The Ostrich, a gorgeous 16th century coaching inn. The pub itself is rich in history, and the village is one of the area’s most treasured heritage sites, and that rich legacy is readily apparent when you treat yourself to a visit.

Having heard great things from a number of people about The Ostrich, we decided we would take friends one evening, and it definitely lived up to its high praise and strong reputation.

When we entered the pub we were pleasantly surprised at how busy it was in the bar area. There was a real sense of community, and it’s clearly a muchloved watering hole amongst the locals.

We were shown to our table in the back

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room which acts as the restaurant, and were handed drinks and food menus from the friendly waitress. The interior is lovely, with exposed bricks and beams, and a vaulted ceiling with grand medieval-style lighting providing bags of character.

The menu offered some fantastic dishes, with the starter options being particularly hard to choose from.

Indeed, they were so tempting we decided to order a few dishes to share – Mrs Temple’s Binham Blue, fennel and fresh pomegranate salad; a pan-fried pigeon breast with roasted beetroot, baby spinach, hazelnuts and Malbec jus; and the antipasti sharing board.

The dishes were served in good time and were really delicious. The salad had some fantastic flavours (thanks to a brilliant combination of ingredients), and the pigeon was outstanding – the accompanying beetroot and hazelnut was extremely moreish. The antipasti board was one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen, with a gorgeous variety of stuffed peppers, olives and cured meats and a generous portion of delicious bread to accompany it.

For the main course, I chose the panfried sea bass fillet on a bed of peppers and onions with new potatoes, and my partner chose the Rib-eye steak served

with a garlic mushroom, oven-roasted vine tomatoes and fat chips.

Our friends opted for the Ostrich Inn steak burger, with smoked bacon and cheddar, and the Ostrich Ale battered cod with mushy peas and homemade tartar sauce – both served with fat chips. All our dishes were superb and perfectly sized, with the chips being an all-round favourite, being extra crispy and light and fluffy on the inside. It’s often hard to find nice chips when dining out, so this was a real treat.

Although we were more than satisfied, the food was so impressive we wanted to round the evening off with a couple of desserts. We opted for the sticky toffee pudding and a selection of sorbets – both were refreshingly tasty, nicely presented, and exactly what we were looking for.

The Ostrich Inn also acts as fabulous accommodation, with a lovely selection of charming rooms and freshly cooked breakfasts. Not only that, but there’s a beautiful walled beer garden at the back which is perfect for bringing the kids to in the summer months.

Overall we were extremely impressed with the Ostrich Inn and we were very pleased with the bill too, which came to around £130 – for a meal for four people, a bottle of Rioja and two beers.

It was a fantastic evening and we’ll certainly be returning again soon.

FOOD

10

SERVICE

10

VALUE

9

THE OSTRICH INN Stocks Green, Castle Acre, PE32 2AE Telephone: 01760 755398 Web: www.ostrichcastleacre.com

KLmagazine June 2015

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Food & Drink

Tathstees of Month

HUNSTANTON ICE CREAM COMPANY The Pavillion, Hunstanton ‘The only place in Hunstanton that makes its own ice cream’ is the website’s proud claim, something the company has been doing since 2013 – though they’ve actually been selling ice cream for over 10 years. What a wonderful decision it was! During the summer, the queues for their delicious products are around the corner and beyond – and the ice cream is well worth the wait. The flavours made on site include Caramel Popcorn and Ferrero Rocher ice creams, and sorbets such as Rhubarb & Ginger and Gooseberry & Elderflower. www.hunstantonicecream.co.uk ELLIE’S & THE FUDGE SHOP Sheringham With a range of 50 different ice creams and sorbets available (plus Norfolk Double Cream Fudge and Clotted Cream Fudge) Ellie’s is definitely the place to be for local sweet teeth!

Flavours include Pistachio and Amaretto and refreshing sorbets such as Pineapple and Coconut – all made with no additional colours or flavourings – and Ellie’s ice cream is also suitable for many diabetics and vegetarians. What’s not to love? Tuck in! www.a2znorfolk.com/ellies

A world of flavours for a Norfolk summer As we move into the summer months there’s nothing more refreshing than a cold, delicious ice cream – especially if it’s been lovingly made right here in Norfolk. Let’s take a look at some of our favourite tastes...

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NORFOLK FARMHOUSE ICE CREAM North Tuddenham Norfolk Farmhouse Ice Cream is made from the milk of their own Holstein Friesian cows. Not only do they make 21 flavours of ice creams and sorbets, they make three flavours of diabetic ice cream and (if the choice wasn’t already big enough!) a made to order range.

Beer and Christmas Pudding ice creams are among their more unusual tastes, and the Champagne and Blueberry sorbets are absolutely delightful. www.norfolkfarmhouseicecream.co.uk LAKENHAM CREAMERY Norwich Established almost a century ago in 1921, the Lakenham Creamery produces three ranges of gourmet ice creams – Norfolk County Fresh Cream, Aldous Traditional and Eileen’s Diabetic Ice Cream. Expect a range of timetested and mouth-watering flavours such as Jamaican Rum & Raisin and Maple Walnut Fudge – perfect Norfolk tastes for a brilliant Norfolk summer! www.lakenhamcreamery.co.uk

KLmagazine June 2015

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ABOVE: Caravans have come a very long way since the 1950s, and is becoming more popular than ever with the rise of the ‘staycation’

The modern face of the touring caravan...

Cool, modern, stylish and luxurious aren’t words you’d expect to use when describing caravans. But as Neil Greentree explains, today’s caravans offer everything the modern family needs...

T

he fact we’re an island nation makes us markedly different to everyone else around us. The way we speak, our love of baked beans and HP Sauce, and, well... how and why we like what we do. Others just have to accept that. It’s probably because we’re an island nation and are never more than 70 miles from the sea that we have such an innate love of all things outdoors.

Caravanning is another one of those hobbies that polarises opinion – either you love the freedom and see the

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caravan as a tool to explore, or you hate everything about them and what they represent in modern culture. Hell, even the word caravan is sometimes seen as ‘uncool.’

Whichever side of the fence you’re currently sitting on, just let me hold your attention a little longer and I may just alter your opinion.

I’m now 46 years old and I’ve been in the caravan business for 31 of those years. I’ve seen monumental changes in the way caravans are made, the type of people who are designing them, and ultimately, the way people are using

them. From the 1950s to the 1980s, caravans were seen as a ‘cheap’ holiday option and those who used them were seen as little more than unimaginative cheapskates.

However, visit any touring caravan retailer or site today and you’ll see that whole image has been completely transformed in its entirety.

Caravans are now made from composite materials and have interiors than include glass finishes (or plastic to save weight), natural Germanic woods with cool or warm mood lighting, and a standard of multimedia TV and audio

KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life

systems most of us would love to have in our homes! The whole industry has realised that practical features like liftout carpets, satellite TV systems and new technology cookers are essential to appeal to today’s families – where Mum and Dad want their caravan to reflect their modern view of life and the children want sites that allow them to keep in touch with their friends via social media.

As parents, we may not like the prospect of having to share our childrens’ attention (especially while on holiday!) with Facebook or Twitter, but modern caravans are a great way to spend time with your kids and allow them to live their lives in a modern way.

Caravan layouts have also moved forward massively since my early days of selling 12ft baked bean tins on wheels. In the early 2000s, fixed-bed

KLmagazine June 2015

layouts started showing up, and now fixed-bed variations count for over 70% of units sold in the UK. Manufacturers have also worked extremely hard to make the washrooms in new caravans attractive places in which to be, using composite finishes to create modern contemporary spaces which function extremely well for the user.

A common question I often get asked is why the German caravans we see from time to time look so well finished compared to the UK-derived ones.

Well, the answer’s simple. German caravans aren’t really touring caravans at all! The whole European caravan community tends to tow their caravans to the location they want to spend the summer and then just leave it there for the season. This means the weight of the caravan is less critical – as the user

will borrow the tow car or hire it for the delivery journey.

The manufacturers can therefore fit much sturdier work surfaces and partitions because they don’t have the critical matter of the caravan’s overall weight to consider. It may well be the case that German caravans are built slightly better, but the trade-off is that they’re much heavier and require bigger tow cars to transport them – something the current UK market is veering away from in favour of lighter caravans that can be towed by smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

I really do believe that in this instance British is better – and it has been for some time.

So, caravans have stepped right up to the modern age, but have the sites that welcome them risen to the occasion accordingly? You’ll be pleased to hear the answer is a big ‘yes’ – over the last decade or so, caravan site owners have started to specialise in which parts of the market they want to focus on, from quieter child-free sites to more lively family-friendly sites.

The diversification has been immense, from dedicated ‘theme park’ styled caravan sites (where the children have unlimited access to the rides whilst Mum and ad chill out over a bottle of wine at the caravan) to wildlife-focused caravan sites with ‘adult only’ access keeping the noise

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Local Life down and letting nature get up close and personal to the caravans.

Of course, Norfolk is one of the country’s leading destinations for caravanners – hardly surprising as we have all the ingredients a great caravan adventure requires, from wide open skies and beautiful beaches to thick bracken woods for that afternoon stroll.

Add the plethora of tourist attractions, zoos, adventure playgrounds, and King’s Lynn and Norwich for the caravanning shopaholics and it’s clear that Norfolk is ideal for this kind of ‘get up and go’ pastime.

If I’ve managed to convince you, then you need to get your skates on as the season is well under way now, and caravans sell very quickly. Online auction sites and the ‘used’ section of local newspapers are all very well, but as a rule of thumb the caravans you’ll find there are usually the ‘bad apples’ of the bunch and may well have hidden problems that could cost you heavily in the long run.

My advice is to always go to an affiliated caravan dealer – one that’s certified as reaching a standard or has won awards for their service in the past.

This will give you the safety net you’ll need as a newcomer and they’ll be able to give you advice along the way. You can bag yourself a nice, well appointed caravan for less than £7,000 and can spend up to £35,000 for the latest Buccaneer!

Also consider going on a towing course. We all think that because we can legally tow (check your licence as things have changed) we’ll be competent towers. Towing courses are an excellent way to build knowledge and become a much more confident tower – and reverser! Very few dealers take this aspect seriously, but it’s essential for safe towing.

So there you are – an insight into the world of caravanning and I hope you’ve now changed your perspective. Today’s caravans are modern, cool, even colour co-ordinated palaces in which we can enjoy vital time with our families following a common family hobby.

Time which in this increasingly time critical, social media led, TV dinner lifestyle, gets us back to the basic DNA of family life – enjoying time together!

Details For more information, you can contact Neil at GREENTREES CARAVAN STORE in Dereham on 01362 696434 or by visiting the website at www.greentreesadventurestore.co.uk

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KLmagazine June 2015

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KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life

ABOVE: Another lovely day in Sandringham – but this Sandringham is in southern Australia, and is one of King’s Lynn’s twin towns

A quick travel guide to Norfolk’s twin towns We’re used to seeing them on the welcome signs to our local towns, but what exactly are those twin towns – and where are they? Emma Barnard takes a trip across Europe to discover more

I

n North and West Norfolk many towns and villages are twinned with locations across Europe and beyond. Twinning is a form of legal and social agreement between towns, cities, counties and much more – designed primarily to promote cultural and commercial ties between the two.

The modern concept of town twinning was first considered after World War II in 1947 with the intention of fostering friendship and a level of understanding between former foes and a variety of cultures – encouraging trade and tourism, but also acting as an effective mechanism for peace and reconciliation.

The Norfolk Association of Twin

KLmagazine June 2015

Communities was founded in 1998 to provide a forum for sharing knowledge and experiences of twinning, and there are currently over 20 towns and villages in the county with a twin.

Here’s a quick travel guide to the ‘other’ Norfolk – which can be found throughout Europe and includes a certain place called Sandringham on the other side of the world.

KING’S LYNN Emmerich am Rhein (Germany) Where: King’s Lynn’s twin since 1978, Emmerich is in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the administrative region of Dusseldorf. Emmerich is only just inside Germany on the north bank of the river Rhine – just 5km further

north or west and you’re in the Netherlands.

Twin City Trivia: On October 7th 1944 over 90% of Emmerich was destroyed as a strategic bombing target during the Oil Campaign of World War II. Sandringham (Australia) Where: Sandringham is a beachside suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. It actually lays 16 km southeast of Melbourne’s central business district.

Twin City Trivia: Sandringham is located beside Port Phillip at the end of the Sandringham railway line and is a popular location for beachgoers sightseers, walkers, cyclists and shoppers.

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Jicin (Czech Republic) Where: A town in the Hradec Kralove region, Jicin lies approximately 85km northeast of Prague in the beautifully scenic region of the Bohemian Paradise.

Twin City Trivia: Jicin has been declared a Municipal Reserve because of its well-preserved historical centre (above), built around a rectangular square with a regular Gothic street layout, remnants of fortifications and arcade of Renaissance and Baroque houses.

FAKENHAM Olivet (France) Where: Olivet is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France, 120km southwest of Paris. It belongs to the Valee de la Loire sector which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

Twin City Trivia: The famous water mills along the river were built by monks during the 10th century, and the village suffered severe destruction during the Hundred Years’ War – especially during the Siege of Orleans.

SWAFFHAM Hemmoor (Germany) Where: Hemmoor is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven in Lower Saxony. It’s situated near the river Oste, approximately 40km northeast of Bremerhaven.

Twin City Trivia: Hemmoor belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and was established in 1180. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was

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transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in a personal union by the Swedish Crown.

Couhe (France) Where: Couhe is a commune in the Vienne department in the PoitouCharantes region in western France.

Twin City Trivia: Couhe is a treasure trove of historic buildings including the Lusignan castle built in 1020 (now a private college), its halls of 1580, the medieval house of the 15th century church, and the Abbey of Valencia from the 13th century.

WISBECH Arles (France) Where: Arles is a city and commune in the Bouches-du-Rhone department in the south of France – it’s a subprefecture in the former province of Provence.

Twin City Trivia: The fabulous Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981. The Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh lived in Arles for a year and produced over 300 paintings during his time there in 1888-1889.

SHERINGHAM Muzilac (France) Where: Muzilac is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.

Twin City Trivia: Carved tools found in the cliffs of Cromenac’h (Ambon) have been dated to 300,000 years ago and are the oldest human traces in the region.

Otterndorf (Germany) Where: Otterndorf is a town on the coast of the North Sea in the region of Lower Saxony, Germany.

Twin City Trivia: The British cargo ship SS Kaffraria, owned by Bailey and Leetham of Hull, ran aground at Otterndorf on 7th January 1891. It sank during the evening of 8th January. The stern of the ship can still be seen today.

DOWNHAM MARKET Civray (France) Where: Civray is situated in Vienne in the Poitou-Charantes region in the west of France. It’s 48km from Poitiers, the department’s capital.

Twin City Trivia: Civray is built around the Romanesque church of SaintNicholas (right) and is on the banks of the Charante river.

KLmagazine June 2015

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North & South Wootton 90

KLmagazine June 2015

Explorer

Take a gentle wander through the Woottons...

Small, friendly and perfectly-proportioned, the charming villages of North and South Wootton are also lively centres of community activity, as Emma Barnard discovers. Pictures by Ian Ward.

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n the northeast corner of King’s Lynn you’ll find North and South Wootton, two villages steeped in history that between them possess beautiful churches, pubs, schools, a range of historically important buildings, and a large shared park.

The old part of North Wootton is located around the village green, and consists of a few houses, an old schoolhouse and a former post office.

The village contains one school – the North Wootton Community – where children from reception age all the way through to Year 6 attend. Something the village became famous for was its KLmagazine June 2015

location on the railway line which linked King’s Lynn with Hunstanton and was used often by the Royal Family – Wolferton was the next station along the line and served the Sandringham Estate. The station at Wootton was built in 1862 in the west of the village and is now (along with the platforms) a private residence – the station’s goods area is now the headquarters of North Wootton’s Scouts and Guides. The old signal box remained in place until 2008, when it was transferred to Leeming Bar station on the Wensleydale Railway in North Yorkshire.

West Norfolk Rugby Club was founded in 1925 when there were only

a small number of rugby clubs in the county – the club is now based in North Wootton but was originally based in Swaffham before moving to the Duke’s Head Hotel in King’s Lynn until World War II. At the end of the war, the club reformed and moved to North Wootton where it had to use the stables at the Red Cat Hotel as changing facilities!

The present ground covers around ten acres and contains three full size pitches. It was acquired in 1965, and after draining and seeding the field was ready for rugby by 1969. The club now has three senior men’s teams, a veteran’s team, a thriving junior section 91

Explorer

and a ladies section.

All Saints Church has stood on the site in North Wootton for at least 800 years, and the church is rich in late Victorian stained glass. The glass in the triple lancet above the altar was made in the workshops of Ward and Hughes of London to the design of Henry Hughes and was inserted in 1878. The fine windows depict the shepherds worshipping the infant Christ, the eleven disciples at the Ascension and the three Marys at the empty tomb with the Angel of the Resurrection.

Pass by Priory Lane in North Wootton and you’ll see a fascinating monument – a pyramid that was built by brick artist Tom Sharp to mark the millennium and which was was unveiled on Easter Sunday 2000. It contains a time capsule that includes the names of some 300 villagers.

The older part of South Wootton (like its sister) grew up around the village green and St Mary’s Church, though there’s been much new housing built since the 1960s. There are two schools in the village – South Wootton First

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School and South Wootton Junior School, with the former feeding into the latter.

The Parish boundary of South Wootton extends from the River Great Ouse along the lines of old sea defence banks on the marshes to join with the parish boundary of North Wootton on the northern side. There’s been a settlement in the area (though not continuously) for a staggering 5,000 years. People were living where the Wootton Gardens Estate now stands in the late pre-Roman Iron Age, while by the 2nd century AD a Romano-British peasant farmstead had developed in the same part of the village.

St Mary’s Church has been around for at least 900 years and is a Grade II listed building. It’s by far the older of the two churches in the Wootton benefice.

Largely built of locally-sourced materials, some parts of the church are built in the late Saxon style and the most striking feature of the interior is the square 12th century font – it rests on eight pilasters and features a central column with a range of grotesque heads emerging from the corners!

There’s probably never been a better time to discover the Woottons either, as the wonderful community event known as the ‘Wootton Picnic on the Park’ is taking place this month (6th June) with music acts, a fairground and a variety of stalls. Originally held in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, it became so popular it’s now become an annual event.

This year’s event will be supporting the Woottons Football Club as it celebrates its 30th birthday, and the event is run by local business people and volunteers living in the communities of North and South Wootton.

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KLmagazine June 2015

Big Changes for Landlords’!

Edmonton Estates Director Damien Simone gives his views on the latest legislation that’s closing in on private landlords later this year.

G

etting new laws passed in England seems to be very much like turning on a rusty tap, you wait with anticipation for a calm sensible flow but nothing comes out for what seems like ages then suddenly you get your glass filled with what you expected at break neck speed followed swiftly by a spray of unwanted surplus water over you and the floor.

What is he talking about I hear you ask? Well in 1993 the company First Alert started mass production of the first domestic battery operated carbon monoxide detector, 22 years later and we’re finally getting a law (Yes, “getting” it’s still not officially commenced yet) to make it a mandatory requirement for all rental properties with a gas appliance to have one installed. Thankfully all of the landlords that I have dealt with over the past 13 years have always been more than happy to provide one rather than risk the potential consequences.

So that’s the good news, the glass of water that we were expecting.

So what’s the bad news? Well unfortunately for Landlords it looks like court possession fees are set to rise….again! In April 2014 a whopping 60% increase took the fee for applying to recover possession from a non-paying tenant from £175 to £280. Now that was quite an incline in itself but there is another review now being considered for the fees to be further increased to £355.

KLmagazine June 2015

At Edmonton Estates the vast majority of our landlords continue with the rent and legal protection policies that we initially provide within our standard £95 Tenancy Set Up Fee and so they are completely shielded from this expense if a Court possession is required. If however, you do not have this kind of cover in place then this is a lot of money to pay out to take someone to court for rent money that they are already behind with.

Then there’s the humorously named Deregulation Bill, as it will actually create a lot more regulations for landlords to observe. There is a part of this Bill that is dedicated to what is being referred to as “Retaliatory/Revenge Eviction” which is the alleged action of a landlord serving notice on a tenant as the result of the tenant requesting that repairs are carried out to the rental property.

What this Bill states is that the Landlord’s right to claim possession of their property under Section 21 (that’s the 2 month notice where you don’t need to provide a reason for requesting the property back and are guaranteed possession at court) will be invalid if there is an ongoing maintenance dispute.

The latest information available suggests that this Bill which was passed in March is very likely to come into force from 1st October 2015. The initial regulatory requirements are that everything relating to the repair complaint must be done in writing

with very strict timescales in terms of how quickly this must be responded to as well as the repairs being carried out. Financial penalties are as yet unclear but what has been promised are the invalidation of Section 21 Possession Notices when maintenance is outstanding and also a 6 month embargo on re-letting your property after regaining possession.

This “Retaliatory Eviction” legislation is one of the biggest reforms to the private rental sector since the deposit schemes became mandatory in 2007 and landlords need to be preparing for the impact that these changes could have on them particularly if they find themselves in a situation where they need to regain possession of their rental property swiftly or where they want to evict a tenant who is damaging their property.

At Edmonton Estates we specialise solely on letting and property management dedicating 100% of our time to ensuring that our landlords receive the best possible advice to remain fully compliant with whatever new legislation may arise. If you are concerned by any of the issues highlighted or would like to know more about how we are safeguarding our landlords then please contact us to arrange a free consultation.

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PICTURE: ITV / MARK BOURDILLON ABOVE: Sgt. Charlie Nelson (Gwilym Lee) and Chief Inspector John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) from ITV’s hugely successful and long-running series Midsomer Murders. They’d feel perfectly at home with all the crime fiction that’s been set in Norfolk over the years.

A crime fiction guide to Midsomer Norfolk...

Norfolk may well be a beautiful place in which to live and a great place in which to work, but it’s also the perfect setting for a gripping crime novel. Here are just a few of our favourites

A

t first glance, the fictional county of Midsomer is a lot like Norfolk. It’s a place of picturesque villages, and it’s packed with historic churches, atmospheric ruins and stately homes. There always seems to be a village fete going on somewhere, and the quaintly traditional pubs are thriving centres of village life. However, while Norfolk is often cited as one of the safest counties in the whole country (and Home Office statistics would appear to confirm it), Midsomer is a decidedly dangerous place to live.

Since its debut on television back in 1997, Midsomer Murders has seen well

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over 300 of the county’s residents come to an untimely end (at the alarming rate of around three per episode) in a variety of gruesome ways ranging from cricket bats and poisonous frogs to French guillotines and rounds of artisan cheese.

Although that’s nothing like the county we all know and love, Norfolk has proved to be a particularly fertile ground for crime writers, and you’ll find the

fictional version full of dastardly villains, bizarre deaths and tireless detectives.

Moving roughly across Norfolk from west to east we first come to the supremely talented Elly Griffiths, who’s written six books so far (starting with The Crossing Places in 2009) featuring forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway (Head of Forensic Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk) and King’s Lynn policeman Harry Nelson. The Crossing Places was the deserved winner of the Mary Higgins Clark KLmagazine June 2015

Local Life

Award 2011 and was shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. It all starts when a child’s bones are discovered near the site of a prehistoric henge on the north Norfolk coast... and the bones aren’t prehistoric.

North Norfolk is also the setting for Jim Kelly’s book series featuring DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine. The first – Death Wore White – opens with an intriguing murder that takes place in a line of cars stranded by a blizzard on a Norfolk coast road. Actually, Jim Kelly’s first series of books (featuring journalist Philip Dryden and his sidekick Humph) were set just across the border around Ely and the Fens.

And they’re well worth discovering too.

Meanwhile, the popular Canadian author CC Benison (his real name is Doug Whiteway) set the middle book in his ‘Her Majesty Investigates’ series in no less a location than Sandringham, with his quirky Death at Sandringham House. It’s all a bit fanciful and hard to take too seriously, but it’s fascinating and amusing (perhaps unintentionally) to see how Norfolk appears through the eyes of a Canadian.

Moving swiftly up the coast to Hunstanton we find the setting for the fifth book by radio producer and writer Simon Brett, who set his 1979 book A Comedian Dies in the town. Writing in the ‘Golden Age’ tradition of detective fiction (using humour, eccentric characters and intricate plot twists), Brett tells the story of the odd death (by microphone, would you believe) of a rising young stage comedian – and its investigation by the actor-detective Charles Paris.

Fakenham King’s Lynn Great Yarmouth Swaffham Downham Market

Although James Humphreys is better known for his self-admittedly ‘wayward’ political career (his first job was helping deregulate Britain’s llama industry for the Department of the Environment), he has found the time to write two crime novels.

The second is Riptide – which the Observer glowingly described as “an accomplished, intriguing story” – and is set in the small village of Caxton on the coast of Norfolk. The setting is pretty authentic, the characters are strong, and it’s unlikely you’ll guess the end – but if crime fiction really isn’t to your tastes, you could always try Humphreys’ 1997 book Negotiating in the European Union: How to Make the Brussels Machine Work for You. Or maybe not.

JIM KELLY For me, Norfolk represents an ‘edgeland’ – the border zone between the sea, the land, and the sky. I think there’s a real tension there, and a sense of isolation, desolation, and mystery. The Scandinavian crime writers have shown how a flat, marine landscape can be used to evoke eccentricity, danger, darkness and beauty. Norfolk is England’s very own stretch of ‘Scandie’ country.

Jim Kelly’s latest book is At Death’s Window – which was published in April and is set around King’s Lynn and the North Norfolk coast.

KLmagazine June 2015

Norwich

Ian Sansom’s ambitious ‘County Guides’ series of books promises a crime adventure (their lighthearted tone hardly makes them thrillers) for every county in England, and though only two have been published to date, the first was 2013’s popular A Norfolk Mystery – which opens with the mysterious death of the vicar of Blakeney. The 1930s setting and eccentric characters won’t appeal to everyone, but as a creative guidebook to Norfolk, it’s very entertaining.

You may not have heard of John Leslie Palmer, but under the name Francis Beeding he wrote a number of novels, including the classic 1931 novel Death Walks in Eastrepps. The book was described as one of the greatest detective books of all time when it was first published, and it’s a cracking tale that involves a string of murders, a courtroom drama, blackmail and a very unlikely suspect. It’s well worth hunting out, and it’s all set in a seaside town clearly and closely modelled on Cromer – despite the description of the sun sinking over the sea!

The great crime writer PD James needs no introduction, and her most popular series – featuring police commander and poet Adam Dalgliesh – included a book set in the remote Norfolk community of Larksoken, just to the east of Cromer.

Devices and Desires (1991) concerns a psychopathic mass murderer called the Norfolk Whistler and it’s noteworthy in two repsects – the mystery really has nothing to do with the Whistler, and

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Local Life Dalgliesh himself really doesn’t solve the crime.

Edward Marston has an interesting entry on our fictional crime map of Norfolk.

His ‘Domesday’ series features Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, a pair of commissioners appointed by William the Conqueror to look into mysterious happenings arising from the compilation of the Domesday Book in 1085. The 11th and final book in the series is The Elephants of Norwich which concerns a healthy dose of romantic rivalries, jealousy, betrayal, some stolen gold elephants (honestly!) and, of course, a decidedly odd murder.

It’s all a bit predictable, but it’s all very cleverly done.

Reaching the east coast of the county we come to Great Yarmouth – or Starmouth as it becomes in Alan Hunter’s second book featuring George Gently, the 1956 Gently by the Shore.

Hunter was actually born (and lived all his life) in Norfolk, and was a farmer and antiquarian bookseller until he wrote his first novel, publishing a George Gently detective novel virtually every year thereafter from 1955-1998.

Most of them are set in East Anglia (shame on the BBC for moving the setting of the TV series to Northumberland) and they’re characterised by their 1950s/60s setting – in a world of little on-thepage violence, no bad language, and people respecting the police.

Yarmouth is also the thinly-disguised

ABOVE: The most famous detective of them all – Sherlock Holmes – may well have decided to take up crime fighting whilst staying in Norfolk. Recent research by the late Bernard Davies has identified Rollesby as the real-life inspiration for the village of ‘Donnithorpe’ – which is where Holmes came to believe (in the 1893 story The Gloria Scott) that “a profession might be made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby...”

setting for Cathi Unsworth’s brilliantly atmospheric but unremittingly bleak novel Weirdo.

Named crimesquad.com's 2012 Book of the Year and shorlisted for a host of other awards, it concerns the reopening of the case of Connie Woodrow, who spent 20 years in a mental institution after being convicted of murdering a classmate at the age of 15. The alternating timelines of 1983 and 2003 make for plenty of tension-building, but the written Norfolk dialect is sometimes a bit clumsy. Don’t let that put you off, however – it’s an extraordinary piece of crime writing.

If you’re still looking for crime fiction set in Norfolk, it’s worth

ELLY GRIFFITHS Norfolk is a wonderful setting for crime fiction. For me, it’s in the layers. Norfolk has been occupied for thousands of years and there are lots of bodies – and stories – buried in its soil. It’s beautiful too.

Elly Griffith’s latest book is The Ghost Fields – which was published in March and starts when a construction crew unearths a macabre discovery on an old Norfolk airfield – a downed World War Two plane with the pilot still inside. However, forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway quickly realizes that the skeleton couldn’t possibly be the pilot...

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searching out the Lubbock and Tench series by the Nottinghamshire writer Brian Cooper. Although difficult to come by, the nine books in the series all feature Norfolk in some form or another, and the author clearly has a good understanding of the county – particularly its dialect.

Finally, mention must be made of Charles Todd’s Watchers of Time, which is set just after the First World War and concerns the former soldier and Scotland Yard investigator Ian Rutledge. It’s part of a series (aren’t they all?) and it’s worth reading the earlier books for the background of the central character, but even without that, this is a refreshingly different and complex mystery set in the marshy Norfolk backwater of Osterley. It’s perfect if you like accompanying the detective as they make their way step-bystep towards a solution, and the Norfolk setting is really quite convincing, which makes it all the more surprising to learn that Charles Todd is actually the pen name of a mother-andson writing ‘team’ who live in the eastern United States!

Norfolk – it’s a lovely location to live in, it’s a great place to work, and it’s an ideal setting for a gripping crime novel.

Enjoy!

KLmagazine June 2015

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Books

Years and years of great reading...

On June 8th 1949, George Orwell’s landmark novel 1984 was published. To commemorate its 66th anniversary, this month’s reviews look at six books that also have year dates as the title...

1215 Danny Danziger Magna Carta was a truly revolutionary document, and there’s no better time than its 800th anniversary to discover what it was like to be alive in that momentous year. Danziger interweaves political power struggles with other issues such as fashion, food, education, medicine, religion and sex.

Whether it’s describing matters of state or domestic life, this is a genuine treasure house of a book, rich in detail and full of enthralling insights into a medieval world that impacts on our lives to this day.

1421 Gavin Menzies The result of 15 years research, this is an enthralling account of the two-year voyage of the largest fleet the world had ever seen – which circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan, reached America 70 years before Columbus, and Australia 350 years before Captain Cook.

Menzies book is already seen as a classic, telling an extraordinary journey of discovery that not only radically alters our understanding of world exploration but also rewrites history itself.

1599 James Shapiro How did Shakespeare go from being a reasonably talented poet and playwright to become one of the greatest writers who ever lived? In this one exhilarating year we follow what he reads and writes, what he saw and who he worked with as he invests in the new Globe theatre and creates four of his most famous plays: Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and, most remarkably, Hamlet. Shapiro’s book is an exceptionally immediate and gripping account of an inspiring moment in history.

1914 Lyn Macdonald From one of the most highly-regarded historians of the First World War, this is probably Macdonald’s finest, telling the stories of the men involved through their own words and casting a unique light on the experiences of the ordinary Tommy. A vivid account of the first months of the war, it draws on the personal accounts of surviving veterans, bringing to life the disillusionment, the questioning and the heroism of the men of the British Army – who believed they were fighting a war to end all wars.

2001 Arthur C Clarke Even though it was written when landing on the moon was still a dream, this is still a brilliant, compulsive, and prophetic look at the enduring theme of our place in the universe. On the moon, an enigma is uncovered which has such major implications that men are sent out deep into the solar system for the first time.

But before they can reach their destination, things begin to go wrong, horribly wrong... Despite its age, Clarke’s novel has lost none of its power to thrill – or its excitement.

2666 Roberto Bolaňo Written during the last years of Bolaño’s life, this mammoth book has been greeted across the world as the great writer’s masterpiece, surpassing everything that’s gone before it in imagination, beauty and scope. A novel on an astonishing scale, it uses an urban sprawl on the Mexico-US border as an emblem of the corruption, violence and decadence of 20th century European history. Definitely a Marmite book (you’ll love it or hate it) there’s no doubt that it will get you talking – and thinking for years.

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Local Arts

ABOVE: The work of Bob Richardson has a true sense of ‘being there’ – whether you’re at Turf Fen Mill on the Norfolk Broads or listening to jazz musicians in Venice’s famous Cafe Florian (opposite)

A real sense of place and the art of Bob Richardson Since turning professional 40 years ago, Bob Richardson has produced an astonishing body of work that captures the true essence of beautiful locations with a stunning level of vibrancy...

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hortly before he died, the celebrated English artist L. S. Lowry visited a small exhibition by a local artist who’d only recently turned professional, and gave him some valuable advice.

“He told me to never destroy any of my pictures,” says Bob Richardson, who’d left his position as the Creative Director of an advertising agency to become a professional artist. “He said that even if you absolutely hate it, one day you’d find someone who’d love it. I took that to heart, and he was absolutely right – I’ve done pictures that didn’t really work, but they’ve been really popular. Of course, the opposite is also true!”

Bob’s wonderful pastel works are

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luminous and confident. They’re tranquil yet exciting, characterised by warm sunlight and the joyful feeling of being outdoors in fine weather in some of the world’s favourite locations.

It’s all a far cry from Bob’s early work of grey industrial backgrounds and rainy working class street scenes in the northwest of England.

“I really wanted to paint those streets before they disappeared,” says Bob, who was born in Salford and grew up in the very places he was immortalising on paper. “Of course, when the area was redeveloped I needed to find another motif for my work – which duly turned up thanks to a commission to go to Venice.”

The two weeks Bob spent in the city, staying at a hotel overlooking the

lagoon, were a revelation, and he’s never looked back.

“Apart from the fact there was lots of water about, it was a totally different location to the surroundings I was used to painting,” he remembers, “but it was a real inspiration. I loved the light, I loved the architecture, I loved the atmosphere – and I think that came through in my work.”

Bob’s love of Venice has never gone away – he’s visited the city over a dozen times and it’s featured in around 2,000 of his paintings – but he’s also an inveterate traveller, and estimates he’s been around the world twice.

“The real world is full of amazing places and people, but the art world is a strange and fickle one!” he says. “My pictures of Rome and the south of

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Local Arts France are always really popular, but some places such as Switzerland and Alhambra in southern Spain – which are both stunningly beautiful – just don’t seem to appeal to people the same way. At the moment, anyway!”

Bob’s reputation has grown steadily over the years – he received the Confederation of British Artists’ Grand Prix in 1991, and his paintings have been purchased by a range of corporate clients from Walkers Crisps to BMW, and by private individuals such as Bill Wyman and the late Margaret Thatcher. Recently reviewing Bob’s work, the Daily Telegraph wrote that “he achieves a standard of excellence which holds its own against the best of the masters of his genre.”

Local art lovers can see that standard for themselves in July and August when a number of his Norfolk-based works form part of the Summer 2015 Exhibition at Jeremy Barlow Fine Art in Holt – the only place in the county close to the area so often visited (and painted) by Bob Richardson.

One of the secrets of his vibrantly atmospheric work can be found in Bob’s choice of media. Working from sketches and photographs taken on his travels, Bob’s pastels are applied to a special industrial-grade emery paper sourced from Germany.

“I don’t really like conventional pastel papers,” he says. “The emery paper I use has very good ‘teeth’ and it grips the pastels really effectively. The way the paper interacts with light and the way it gives the colours added vibrancy is really special, and I’ve been unable to achieve that with ordinary papers.”

Since he’s so well travelled and so well versed in the world of art, it’s tempting to ask Bob for his favourite painting by an artist other than himself.

“If I was to have only one painting in my home it would have to be Monet’s 1873 painting of the Boulevard des Capucines in Paris,” he says, “It evokes so much atmosphere. You can almost hear the noises of the street and the people talking. It’s one of those rare works that gives you the feeling of actually being there.”

Much the same could be said of the work of Bob Richardson himself. One of those rare artists who gives you the feeling of actually being there.

Wherever it is.

A selection of Bob Richardson’s work can be viewed at (and purchased from) the Summer 2015 Exhibition at Jeremy Barlow Fine Art in Holt throughout July and August. For more details, call 01263 713311 or visit www.jeremybarlowfineart.co.uk 104

PICTURES: Bob Richardson at work in his studio (top) – his works of Horsey Dyke in Norfolk (above left) and the lakeside at Pescatori in Italy (above) are together with Bob’s favourite painting of all time, Monet’s celebrated 1873 work Boulevard des Capucines (above right)

KLmagazine June 2015

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PICTURES: JAMIE MAXWELL

Local Arts

ABOVE: A portrait of two Nepalese children by Norfolk photographer Jamie Maxwell (below) taken on one of his many travels, that have seen him visit places as diverse as Tokyo (opposite top left and right), the Sahara (opposite to right) and Vietnam (opposite bottom left)

The world through the eyes of Jamie Maxwell From paralympic champions and food to bedouins and pop stars, it’s all in a day’s work for a talented photographer from Norfolk.

Emma Barnard talks to Jamie Maxwell about his amazing work...

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here aren’t many professions where you can meet Beyoncé, travel across Nepal, Vietnam and the Sahara, and then come back to the UK and work with Sainsbury’s.

But that’s normal for Norfolk photographer Jamie Maxwell (right), whose worldwide adventures have led him back to the village in which he spent his childhood – Runcton Holme.

“It felt strange to be back ‘home’ at first, having lived in other parts of the country for so long, but I love it now,” he says. After studying design history in Manchester, Jamie confesses he spent

KLmagazine June 2015

a lot of time searching for what it was he wanted to pursue. He spent a long time living in London before moving back and finding his way forward.

“It seemed very counter-intuitive to move from such a hub of creativity to a much quieter part of the world,” says Jamie. “But it gave me the breathing space, not to mention considerably more money, to finally figure it all out.”

Photography had never been a hobby for Jamie, and he didn’t even own a camera until he moved back to Norfolk in early 2004.

“It was really just something I thought I’d try my hand at and see how it went,”

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PICTURES: JAMIE MAXWELL

Local Arts

says Jamie. “When I started out, I took a lot of local landscapes that my mum framed and sold to local businesses and individuals, which was nice because I could see it made her very proud.”

Jamie’s now been working as a photographer for a decade.

“I was lucky enough to have a friend that ran a press agency and he put his faith in me before I had any solid work to show for myself,” he remembers.

Within a short space of time, he was having his work published in national newspapers. Jamie’s body of work is extremely varied, and he’s worked with a range of people on a broad spectrum of projects across the years. He took photos of Beyoncé early on for a corporate project, has done a publicity shoot with dance troupe Diversity (“they were really good sports” Jamie says of the Britain’s Got Talent 2009 winners) and has also produced portraits of Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds (above) for Sainsbury’s.

“I can honestly say I’ve never really had a bad experience with anyone famous,” says Jamie. “At least not so far! I spent the day photographing the cricketer Darren Gough and pushed him quite hard for the shots I wanted and he called me something unprintable. I think he was joking, but he looked quite serious at the time!”

A photographic passion of Jamie’s is capturing food.

“I love to shoot food and I’m very interested in the subject of cooking and

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food in general,” he says. “The great thing is that we have a wealth of great restaurants and artisanal food companies here in Norfolk. The creativity involved in combining ingredients is fascinating. It’s a real art in itself.”

Travelling the world to capture beautiful countries is one of the many perks of photography, and another of Jamie’s passions.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have visited some amazing places with work and I’ve also visited some fascinating places through personal projects,” says Jamie, who likes to move to very different places from visit to visit. After visiting the extreme bustle of Tokyo, he then trekked the natural desolation of the Sahara.

“Of all the places I have visited, I would say Nepal is the place that touched me the most,” he says. “It’s an incredibly poor country and travelling around can be hard-going, but the landscapes are breathtaking and the warmth of the people that live there is humbling. I’d urge anyone to help in any small way they can to get this wonderful country back on its feet at this tremendously difficult time.”

The future of Jamie Maxwell Photography seems to be rooted in travel documentary and food photography. At the time of writing, Jamie is in Bosnia putting together a filming project with a friend from California.

“It’s a personal project at present,” he says, “but I think it’s important not just to collaborate with other people but to make things that aren’t dictated by a brief or commercial requirements.”

Bringing things back to Norfolk, it comes as no surprise to learn that Jamie loves the north Norfolk coast.

“It’s such a unique landscape that can look just as dramatic in terrible weather as it can in good,” he says. He’s captured many landscapes there, as well as portraits, weddings and even music videos and he’s not tired of it yet.

“A long walk along one of the many beaches with my girlfriend Sam and our dog Minnie and an ice cream in Wells.

That’s the perfect day.”

For more information on Jamie and his work, please visit his website at www.jamiemaxwellphotography.co.uk

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Motoring

Character, luxury and attitude. CLA for short.

With its luxurious touches and generous equipment levels, the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake offers a quite exceptional drive, as KL magazine photographer Ian Ward discovers

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ne of the more recent arrivals at Mercedes-Benz of King’s Lynn is the marque’s new CLA Shooting Brake, and first impressions of the model are mightily impressive. The sleek lines of the profile along with the stunning AMG body kit make this a real head-turner. Happily, the car is a pleasure to drive as well, with a very responsive 175bhp diesel engine and a super-slick automatic 7 speed gearbox. The gearbox is so smooth the only way you know it’s moved up is the drop in the rev counter. Superb. Drive is selected by a column-mounted stick, which is easy to access and in just the right place – and the paddle shifts on the steering wheel are brilliant when you want to drop down a gear to overtake.

The drive is complemented by an excellent suspension which delivers a very smooth ride on all surfaces with no

KLmagazine June 2015

discernible pitch and roll, giving the driver a great sense of stability and confidence. The interior of the car is luxurious and spacious, with more than enough room for five adults. Up front the seats feel supportive and well bolstered (especially on our AMG test car) with plenty of adjustment for height as well as decent lumbar support for the lower back. The dashboard is clear and well laid out with a clever iPad style control panel to easily adjust a multitude of settings on the car.

The rear boot space is huge, and with its 1,354 litre capacity (with the rear seats down) there’s more than enough space for larger loads.

Mercedes-Benz has certainly filled a niche in its range with the CLA Shooting Brake, and if you’re in the market for a stylish, well thought out family car that delivers a great driving experience, it’s probably all you’ll ever need.

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information MERCEDES-BENZ OF KING’S LYNN Beveridge Way, King’s Lynn PE30 4NB T: 01553 777307 W: www.mercedes-benzofkingslynn.co.uk

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The Last Word

WildWestNorfolk Michael Middleton’s

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ne of our neighbours was in a bit of a state a couple of weeks ago. Not only had May 7th seen him lose his seat on the parish council (it was something of an Election-fest in the village as we had three whole ballot papers to contend with) but he’d also been plagued for several nights by some strange noises from the side of his house.

“They sound like something scratching to get in,” he said. “As soon as I get out there there’s nothing to be seen. I think the house might be haunted, you know. It’s certainly spooked the wife.”

I grabbed this opportunity of steering the conversation away from the drama of village politics (how many times can you debate the location of a new bus stop anyway?) and moved on to the safer subject of haunted buildings.

The village can’t claim very much in the ghostly realm (though it does very well indeed in the oddness stakes) and it certainly can’t hold a candle to Blickling Hall, which is supposed to be Norfolk’s most haunted location. The house is proudly visited on a regular basis by such spectral luminaries as Anne Boleyn, her father, her brother, Sir Henry Hobart, Sir John Fastolfe, a headless coachman and four equally incomplete horses.

That’s a reasonably impressive 10 ghosts by my reckoning, but my neighbour was having none of it.

“If you want to see ghosts, you want to get along to True’s Yard, mate,” he said, and then returned to staring at the side of his house.

True’s Yard? I wondered. Surely not the lovely fisherfolk museum on North Street in King’s Lynn? But as it turns out, 114

it seems the humble cottages that now house the museum are home to not 10, not 20, but an amazing 30 ghosts. Take that, Anne Boleyn.

The packed-to-the-rafters haunting of True’s Yard was discovered by a Nottinghamshire-based group called the Bassetlaw Ghost Research Group, who spent a night there back in 2005.

Leaving nothing to chance, they arrived at True’s Yard armed with infrared cameras, sound recorders, and plenty of specially-developed temperature and atmospheric measuring equipment. There were plenty of them too – five mediums and ten technicians no less. Oh, and a dog as well.

During the course of the evening, the group encountered ghosts virtually everywhere they went at a rate of about one every 20 minutes. Some of the spirits were just visiting and wanted to point out their displayed photographs (of which they were very proud), while a number of younger ghosts were found playing just outside the doors.

There was a poltergeist called Henry who claimed he used to be a pressganger and refused to leave the building, and the spirit of a young girl who was accidentally killed by her father when she fell in love with an unsuitable boy – no surprises there, though, as it seems to have happened virtually all the time to young girls in the 19th century.

During the evening, several of the ghosts were told to move on and were believed to have passed into the great beyond, but some form of otherworldly force must have interfered with all the group’s equipment as they failed to photograph or record any of the ghostly goings-on.

On the morning following the group’s amazingly successful investigation, the returning museum manager claimed the buildings were full of smells like alcohol, smoke, and vomit – but whether that was a spectral reminder of the pub that used to be located there or the after-effects of the BGRG’s midnight snacks was never really established.

Equally hard to pin down was the group’s full investigative report, which I was particularly eager to read, but has so far failed to materialise. I did try to contact David Wharmby, who was head of the Bassetlaw Ghost Research Group (and who was once attacked by a ghost in Market Rasen) but to no avail.

“Bassetlaw Ghost Research Group no longer operates as such,” I was told, “for the group found the truth they sought.

They do, however, now offer FREE of charge the ability to clear tormented locations.”

That will come as no comfort to my neighbour, however, who has since discovered that his mysterious noises weren’t being caused by spirits, poltergeists or the ghosts of parish councils past. Rather disappointingly, it was local cats scaling his fence to cause all sorts of night-time mischief in his garden.

KLmagazine June 2015

Big changes to our smallest SUV. With the addition of design features like the 3D grille, chrome-plated tailpipe and optional LED headlights, the new Audi Q3 is now even more eyecatching. Inside, Audi drive select and front Sports seats with electric lumbar support mean that it’s not only beautiful to look at, it’s also comfortable to drive.

I f you’d like to experience the new Audi Q3 for yourself, speak to a member of our team.

Kings Lynn Audi Hamburg Way, Kings Lynn PE30 2ND 0844 776 0541 kingslynn.audi.co.uk Part of the Marriott Motor Group

Official fuel consumption figures for the Q3 range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 33.6 (8.4) – 53.3 (5.3), Extra Urban 44.8 (6.3) – 68.9 (4.1), Combined 40.4 (7.0) – 61.4 (4.6). CO2 emissions: 119 – 161g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.