MAY 2019 s ISSUE 064
People in
BUSINESS
Showcasing leaders of the corporate world
Under
ORDER Michael Owen on why horse-racing has a special place in his heart
WILD ABOUT
Wellness An action packed safari holiday
contents OUR FAVOURITES
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Michael Owen on why horse-racing has a special place in his heart
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People in Business
Some of the biggest names in business from the region share their secrets
Wild About Wellness
We experience an action packed safari holiday with Alexandra Delf
The Big Question
James Fossdyke finds out whether bigger really is better in the world of luxury 4x4s
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100 REGULARS 009 | Publisher’s letter 010 | Contributors 014 | My life in Cheshire Daniela Dobbin, Managing Director at DD Clinical, Chester shares her life in Cheshire with us 017 | Notebook Your guide to the finest things to do in Cheshire and beyond
FEATURES 022 | Under Order Michael Owen on why horse-racing has a special place in his heart
056 | Health, Beauty & Wellness We review some of the best beauty products, treatments and fragrances 058 | Spa Review MJ Greenhalgh takes visit to the depths of the stunning underground Titanic Spa, Liverpool
FAMILY 067 | Family news Holidays are coming so let’s get packing
027 | People in Business 070 | Pet’s Corner Some of the biggest names Holidays are for all of the in business from the region family, so don’t forget your share their secrets furry family members
COLLECTION 041 | Jewellery & Watches With Spring officially in full swing, there is no better time to update your watch and jewellery game and invest in the trend taking over the season
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FOOD & DRINK 073 | Food & drink news From fine dining restaurants and enticing new menus to the best cocktail bars in the Northwest. Explore chef interviews, gourmet food and drink news 077 | Spotlight On... Coast The Yew Tree in Bunbury. Louisa Warde braves the weather to sample the delights of this modern British menu
STYLE
080 | Meet the Chef Meet Joe, Head Chef at Cottons Hotel & Spa, 048 | Fashion Knutsford, Cheshire Private White V.C. From showcasing his signature sheep to shop: Doing things dish “Celebration of differently in Manchester
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fun, fundraising and a whole lot of fashion from the regions events
DRIVE
Beef” a rich, warming and traditional dish with plenty 115 | News of flavour Behind the wheel of the latest luxury motors, from classic cars to the fastest 083 | The Top Corporate four-wheelers; whether it Hot Tips sail, fly, ride or drive From team building activities and places to stay to event space and 118 | The Big Question corporate gifting for clients, James Fossdyke finds out we’ve got it covered whether bigger really is better in the world of luxury 4x4s TRAVEL 093 | Travel News HOME & INTERIORS The finest hotels and travel inspiration from across the 126 | Homes & Garden news world. First-class reviews and Enjoy a luxury edit of the holiday recommendations, finest homeware and from UK retreats and design objects and European city breaks to pick up expert tips on far-flung tropical beaches creating your dream home, inside and out 096 | Lodore Falls Spa & Hotel Kat Hannon took a nostalgic trip to a luxury hotel and spa in the Lake District
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100 | Let Loose in Limassol Introducing ‘Parklane’, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Cyprus
134 | The Edit Take inspiration from the 1920s with these pieces for your home
103 | Wild About Wellness We experience an action packed safari holiday with Alexandra Delf
142 | Property Through the keyhole of the finest addresses in the North West. Find palatial properties, interior inspiration and exclusive interviews with the capital’s most in-demand architects
107 | Local Scene Our social pages this month are filled with fizz,
UNDER ORDER Louisa Warde visits Manor House Stables to meet with Chester-born owner and ex-footballer Michael Owen
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The CHESHIRE Magazine | Feature
M
ention to anyone that you are interviewing Michael Owen and they immediately think of a sparkling career in football and possibly recollection of that goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup which brought him to the world’s attention at the tender age of 18. Even this household, unconditionally sky blue, would admit he was one of England’s most gifted players. Today, however, six years since he retired from the beautiful game I am heading further out into the Cheshire countryside to interview the man in question at his horse racing business, Manor House Stables. As I drive down the impressive entranceway to the property, private racing gallops to the left of me, the scene set in front is of a thriving enterprise and a friendly one. Upon parking up I meet up with our photographer, and we are greeted with affection by the yard dogs, a welcoming firm handshake from trainer Tom Dascombe, a morning black coffee courtesy of Jennie and a lesson in horse racing by two owners who happen to be sharing reception with us just to make sure that we had done our homework.
Set in 170 acres, Manor House Stables was converted from a grain store and cattle barn by Michael and his wife, Louise, before it began life as a training yard with 30 horses in 2007. Further investment means that today the stables can accommodate up to 90 horses, has an impressive glass fronted owners’ lounge, swimming pool and many more state-of-the-art facilities that makes it top of its game.
The worst thing you can do is interfere with the professionals. The best thing you can do is employ the best and trust them I know more about his “pretty good career” – his words not mine – but little about his link to horse racing and once settled across the table from him that is the first thing I ask. “I’ve always had links to horse racing really. Since I played at Deeside, I’d be heading home from a Saturday match with dad, and we’d stop off to pop a bet on, and I’d inevitably pop next door to buy something with my pocket money. “It was the 80s then, so there was very little sport on the telly. Maybe a bit of Ski Sunday but there was horse racing, and I’d be keen to watch how dad’s horses did. So, yes, it’s pretty much always been a part of my life. “Then, when I played in the England team my interest grew to more than simply popping a bet on. I was chatting to David Platt, who owned horses at the time, and he suggested I look into owning my own horse. And that was that. The bug well and truly bit me. One horse turned
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L EF T B A N K | S P I NNI NG FI E L DS | M A NC HE STE R | M 3 3A N 0161 3254444 WWW. A L BA TROSSA NDA RNOL D . UK . COM
PEOPLE IN
BUSINESS The Cheshire Magazine profiles some of the region’s biggest names in business
Jacket: Private White V.C. Ventile® Harrington £395 Shirt: Private White V.C. Button Down Shirt £145
P R I VAT E W H I T E V. C . FROM S H E E P TO S HOP: D O I N G T H I N G S D I F F E R E N T LY IN MANCHESTER. In an 1853 red-brick factory on the banks of the River Irwell, over a century’s worth of factory history, family heritage, and collective sartorial memory has been distilled into a single label: Private White V.C. As the last remaining clothing factory from the ‘Cottonopolis’ era, this sustainable luxury maker’s label owns its entire supply chain and has a remarkable story to tell. Named in tribute to James Eden’s great-grandfather Private Jack White, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in WW1, the label commits to time-honoured, uncompromising traditions to create authentic, refined garments that are built to last. They take quality, provenance and craftsmanship seriously. Proudly championing the virtues of the region’s garment-making industry, only the finest British fabrics and trims are used, sourced locally wherever possible: 90% of their raw materials come from within a 40-mile radius of their factory. “We want Private White V.C. to be the most respected British clothing make for the next 100 years. We take great pleasure in revitalising the local textile industry and supporting the eco-system that was once great, and we want it to be even greater.” – James Eden, Founder & CEO
PHOTOGRAPHER: Dan Watson MODEL: James Jonathan Turner
Private White V.C. is the anti-thesis of throwaway fashion and disposable culture: a commercial enterprise with a community spirit at its heart.
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Home & Garden News FINISHING TOUCHES
latest news, and trends from the world interior AD EXCESTISThe MAIOvery BERIBUSCIM VOLUMadvice ACCABOR MOD ET ACCULLUPTUS ET UTof QUAS UNTIOdesign EXCERERFERUM VELECTIOS MOLORE CORUM VOLUPTI AUT INVEL IUS APELIGNITIIS INIS NON CONEM IL IPSAM, CUPTATE MPELLOREMPOS WORDS: FRANCESCA LEE-ROGERS EST UT ET RE RE, SAM LAUT QUUNTIOS MOD MAIO. ITAE QUISTOT ATEMPOR EHENDIT EIUNT
Sit Back, Relax, Enjoy -
It’s time for some al fresco dining
O
utdoor kitchens have topped the list for the most-wanted cooking space for the second year in a row. Homeowners want to make use of all available space and investing in outdoor cooking areas maximises the liveable space and usually bodes well for resale too. This demand for seamless indoor/outdoor living has fuelled the appetite for outdoor kitchens to be as stylish, contemporary and hardworking as the main kitchen. Kitchen Architecture’s new outdoor kitchen range by Roshults is a modular system customised to suit your cooking and socialising requirements. Timeless, durable and elegant, its contemporary Scandinavian architectural design is perfect for modern lifestyles. Kitchen Architecture is a design-led company that delivers service, knowledge, and intelligent propositions. Using only the best available products, it creates individual indoor and outdoor living spaces that add value to homes and lifestyle. Roshults complements their other furniture ranges and meets the increasing demand to extend living spaces into the garden. Exclusive to Kitchen Architecture, Wilmslow in the UK. Spec: Marine-grade stainless steel with anthracite lacquer and sustainably sourced teak wood. Prices start from £20,000, www.kitchenarchitecture.co.uk, 01625 544 890
“As stylish, contemporary and hard-working as the main kitchen”
“A modular system customised
to suit your outdoor cooking and socialising requirements” 126
Homes and Interiors
Daring Designs
Back to Basics Iconic British potters Denby has launched its latest collection, Studio Grey. The quality ceramics range which combines urban influences with artisan craftsmanship, features a tonal grey palette with Denby’s distinctive reactive glazes. The collection also sees striking new pieces introduced, including handleless mugs and bowls in innovative shapes which are as much suited to the living room and bedroom as they are the kitchen. www.denbypottery.com
Farrow & Ball has unveiled its new metallic wallpapers. The collection of 25 includes some of the brand’s best-loved and most striking designs, and features colourways punctuated with shimmering silvers, burnished coppers and lustrous golds. Handmade by the brand’s expert craftsmen, who use traditional printing methods, layering richly pigmented paints to create uniquely textured paper, the wallpaper creates a striking effect, and what’s more, each can be paired with a Farrow & Ball paint colour to create an effortless and cohesive scheme. Head of Creative Charlotte Cosby, who designed the latest range, says: “The designs encompass some of our most popular aesthetics, including sumptuous damasks, graphic geometrics and delicate florals that radiate character. As people have become more confident in their use of colour, so too have they become more interested in the use of pattern and the introduction of texture.” www.farrow-ball.com
AND SO TO BED
loves
If you’re looking for new bed linen, look no further than Bedfolk, an ethical brand that launched late last year. Founded by husband and wife team, Jo and Nick Jones, they saw a gap in the market for the business after finding the bedding-buying process a confusing minefield when shopping for their first home together. Simplifying the bed linen industry, the pair have created the three styles: Luxe, Classic and Relaxed in three colours: Rose, Dove and Snow. www.bedfolk.com
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