Bishops stortford issue 22 2015 web

L N ocal ISSUE 22

etwork Magazine

Regency Property Maintenance 4 Fairway, Sawbridgeworth, Herts CM21 9NJ www.maintenance-property.co.uk Does your home need a fresh bright makeover?

Inside

Call:

01279 833 475 For more details see page 9

Curries in Crisis Neighbours

Just The Job

National Allotment Week Spaghetti with Prawns

Crossword & Word Search

FREE Magazines delivered through the letterbox See www.localnetworkmag.co.uk for full distribution details www.localnetworkmag.co.uk Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, Stansted, Newport, Thaxted, Hatfield Heath, Hatfield, Broad Oak, Elsenham, Takeley & Canfield 1

www.localnetworkmag.co.uk info@localnetworkmag.co.uk 12,000 Free Magazines Delivered Through The Letterbox Every Month Would you like details about advertising? Call Kim Wallis - 01371 830200 Local Network Magazine

Page 3 Watson Legal - Neighbours

Page 18 SKA Academy

Page 5 Garden View National Allotment Week

Page 21 Just the Job

Page 8 Mobilegeddon The Aftermath

Page 25 I’d Rather Brave The January Sales Than The School Uniform Shop!

Page 11 Curries in Crisis

Page 27 Puzzle Page Crossword & Word Search

Page 19 Spaghetti with Prawns Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach & Basil

Page 31 Pawley & Malyon David Malyon’s Tax Tips

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The Centre, Dunmow Road, Takeley, Herts. CM22 6SH Disclaimer

Would you like details about advertising? Call - 01371 830200

While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of artwork.

All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that the description of the goods and services are fair and accurate.

Local Network Magazine does not officially endorse and advertising material included in this publication.

No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in any retrievable system or transmitted in any form-electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise – without the consent of the publisher. Publisher: Local Network Magazine. 8 The Maltings, Thaxted, Essex. CM6 2NB

Neighbours Not everyone is going away this summer.

Some may decide to stay at home and carry out home improvements instead or enjoy the English weather, when it is not raining of course.

However, a consideration that not everyone considers is their neighbour. You may ask what does it have to do with them? A common problem we see at Watson Legal is neighbour disputes.

These can in a lot of circumstances easily be avoided, simply by communicating with your neighbour. Discuss your plans with them. Do they have any concerns? Try to address these as amicably as possible.

A neighbour dispute could be regarding a boundary, noise or even parking, just to name a few issues we see.

You may think about replacing your fence or removing an overhanging tree but what impact does that have on your neighbour? Is the boundary in the correct place? How do you know where your boundary is?

Unfortunately most boundaries are referred to as general boundaries not a legal boundary which could mean up to 1 metre in error. Often the only definitive solution is a surveyors determination. This can then be registered at the Land Registry.

1 Ducketts Wharf, South Street, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3AR

Does your neighbour play loud music or does their dog constantly bark? There may be reasons unknown to you as to why these are occurring.

By simply initiating a calm conversation may alleviate these problems without involving any other party. If not there are other routes including noise abatement notices can be issued by the Local Authority, mediation and as a last resort court proceedings.

With the glorious weather we have been having it is evident that people will be having summer parties and friends and family visiting. Is there enough parking around your property for your guests? Do you actually know where you can and cannot park? For example when purchasing new properties in particular there can be what are referred to as restrictive covenants which prevent parking on certain elements of land.

At Watson Legal we provide sensible advice whilst understand the position you may find yourself in. We can consider your Deeds to establish what restrictions you may have, advise regarding boundaries and advise regarding the process if you need to take the matter further.

Please call 01279 466910 or email info@watson-legal. com to arrange your free 30 minute consultation with Sarah Watson.

Tel: 01279 466910 www.watson-legal.com info@watson-legal.com

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Garden View

10th-16th August

is National Allotments Week During World War II and immediately afterwards, almost everyone with a garden grew fruit and vegetables. Food was rationed so people supplemented their diet with produce they’d grown in their own back garden, or down on their allotment.

To me the very word ‘allotment’ evokes memories of my granddad and post-war community spirit. During the 1960’s allotments began to go out of fashion and continued to decline in popularity until very recently.

As a society we were more affluent; more likely to buy what produce we needed from the local supermarket, and vegetable gardening just wasn’t considered sexy!

There’s an old saying: what goes around comes around, and it encapsulates perfectly the fate of allotments which are currently enjoying a popularity surge. Suddenly we’re concerned about food in a big way. The number of food banks is growing as families struggle to put even the most basic provisions on the table. There are concerns about additives and pesticides on shop-bought fruit and veg, while the cost of organic food puts it out of the reach of the masses. And what about all those thousands of food-miles our strawberries and courgettes clock up on their journey to the supermarket shelves? Surely that’s damaging the environment. Then there’s the thorny problem of childhood obesity.

The list of food-related concerns seems to be growing exponentially.

Allotment Benefits Diet You can harvest fresh, organic, fruit and veg.

Economic You’ll save loads of money growing your own.

Environmental Recycling organic waste into compost, reducing food miles and creating a wildlife-friendly habitat.

Health Great for therapeutic calm.

aerobic

exercise

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Social It’s a brilliant way to meet friendly, likeminded people of all ages. Useful Website www.nsalg.org.uk

In the absence of clear leadership from the top, many of us are taking matters into our own hands, deciding to emulate our grandparents and grow our own food. Yet modern housing often means tiny back gardens and frequently no front garden, so where are we going to grow all this lovely produce? The answer of course is to acquire an allotment and many people are doing just that.

To join them simply approach your council. Price and availability varies around the country. In some areas there are waiting lists. But councils are taking allotments much more seriously and many are actively seeking to provide new sites. If a plot is too large for your personal needs you may be able to rent half or find a like-minded friend to share it with. Enquire today and you and your family could soon, quite literally, be reaping the benefits!

Happy Gardening Rachel Leverton 5

Essex Boot Camp Marc Kisberg - Personal Trainer Harlow days and times Monday and Wednesday 19.00 Saturday 09.30 Harlow horse show ground near pets corner.

Bishop Stortford days and times Tuesday and Thursday 19.00 and Saturday 08.00 Thorley community centre car park opposite harvest moon public house.

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New store & showroom open soon Unit 1B Peek Business Centre, Woodside Industrial Estate Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 5GR

01279 871777 7

Mobilegeddon

The Aftermath

When HAL asked “what are you doing Dave” in Stanley Kubrick’s film rendition of Arthur C Clarke’s classic “2001, a Space Odyssey”, it epitomised our distrust of autonomous processes that we allow to impact our lives. Pre-programmed devices and services fed from the data we leave in our wake steer our lives more than ever and none more than Google providing answers to your questions on which we all rely to make “informed” decisions.

We all understand that Google chooses answers according to a set of over 200 rules or The Algorithm, and this is continually updated to improve the search results in a fair manner. This will improve some companies’ search results and penalise others. Google, as this Information Age’s big player, is the one we must influence to improve our outcome, but we must play by the rules. Fortunately the rule writer in the Google inner sanctum manages this with responsibility, humanity and common sense. Deciding on the facts from the hype in the search arena and then seeing how this will affect your presence on the web is the job of the search marketer.

If your presence doesn’t depend on Google search results then just consider your users’ needs when putting your website together, if they use smartphones to see your site it makes sense to provide them a site they can use with near equal benefit as someone on a wider screen device like a tablet or desktop. If your commercial performance does however depend on the search engine result position then the latest Google algorithm update means you do need to have a website that is properly optimised and that now includes having a properly responsive site; that is one that automatically adapts to the device screen on which it’s displayed. There is considerably more paranoia in the SEO market than with previous Google updates suggesting that its impact will tear the very fabric of the Internet apart especially as

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it’s given the Hollywood blockbusteresque name of Mobilegeddon, implying that if your site doesn’t work on a mobile device you’re out of business on line.

The reality however, some weeks since the release on 21st April, is somewhat mixed. Anyone having lived through and planned for digital Armageddon 15 years ago with the Millennium Bug will tend to be a touch more reflective when it comes to such cataclysmic pronouncements. The real crux of this is how has this update actually affected websites’ search engine result positions (SERPS) since the Mobilegeddon day. The truth appears to be that the sites without responsive pages are suffering significantly poorer search engine traffic for generic search results, however brand specific searches are affected the least as Google will still naturally refer to the best search result to the brand site, be that a responsive webpage or not.

Some facts: n This update only affects search results from mobile devices. It does not affect results on searches from Tablets or PC’s. n It is a page level change and not site wide. n Quality non-responsive pages may still appear high in the mobile search results if there is superior content. n If your audience is predominantly desktop you still need to consider that your mobile audience is only going to grow.

Ultimately we should always come back to the simple fact that a good website that best meets the intended audience demands is going to be the winner. So write it well, keep up with and even lead in your market with regards layouts and facilities, keep it relevant, interesting and engaging, and take on board the right expert advice from time to time to stay ahead; then your site will remain in the limelight and return commercially.

Article by Simon Thomas www.toucanweb.co.uk

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Curries in

Crisis

by Bill Saver

Britain has 10,000 Indian restaurants. Each week they serve two million meals. Estimates vary, but the industry is believed to be worth between £1billion and £2.5 billion a year.

lager - Carlsberg - to drink with his meal and gifted the restaurant one each year thereafter.

Many Veeraswamy staff went on to work in other Indian restaurants, taking this custom with them.

The East Indian Company – the massive UK company which at one stage was responsible for half the world’s trade - had its headquarters in Leadenhall Street in London. Many of its staff had seen service in Asia and brought a taste for that cuisine back home with them. In 1810 the UK’s first Indian restaurant – the Hindostanee Coffee House in Portman Square – opened its doors to provide an authentic taste of the colonies. In addition to authentic food customers could lie on bamboo sofas and smoke hookah pipes. A green City of Westminster plaque now marks the site.

The influx of Asian factory workers in the 50’s and 60’s fuelled steady growth but widespread acceptance began in the 70s when a war in Bangladesh prompted large-scale immigration to the UK - mainly to the East End where derelict chippies and cafes were converted to ethnic restaurants.

Indian restaurants expanded in number gradually until the Indian mutiny of 1857 caused the UK to shun all things Indian. Interest recovered slowly and in 1926 Veeraswamy opened in Regent Steet - it is still open and now the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK. Incidentally, the custom of drinking lager with Indian food might have originated there – when Prince Axel of Denmark visited he brought a barrel of the royal

Although known as “Indian restaurants”, the vast majority of UK curry houses are run by Bangladeshis. A tightening of immigration rules in April 2011 required non-European applicants to speak English, have accredited qualifications and be paid in excess of £28,000 to qualify for entry. Only the top 5% of curry chefs meet these criteria and even then only receive a three-year work permit. Many restaurants struggle to find quality staff - the sector has 20,000 vacancies and competition for the best chefs is fierce. If you have a favourite Indian restaurant maybe you should lobby your local MP for a change to our immigration laws – otherwise your favourite chef might soon be off the menu…

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Ingredients

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SK Football Academy Ltd SK Football Academy Ltd (formally known as Soccerkidz) is a youth football organisation designed for children between the ages of 2 and 10 years old. They deliver professional weekly soccer coaching sessions and are currently offering sessions in Harlow, Bishops Stortford and Sawbridgeworth. All coaches are FA qualified and DBS checked and are completely dedicated to improving children’s physical, psychological and social development through football coaching in a fun and engaging way.

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Just The Job! As school/college leavers and grads finish their studies we all know how hard it can be to get your first step on the career ladder but there are opportunities out there, even for individuals looking for their first job but you need to get ahead of the competition so here are our tips for first time job hunters:

n Be very smartly presented at the interview and always be on time – we recommend doing a dry run of the journey if necessary to ensure that you’re focussed on the interview ahead rather than worrying about where to park.

n A good CV is essential and it must be well written with good grammar and to include a profile! Check it for mistakes and to see a lower case i on a CV is an immediate turn off!

n Do your homework – there’s no excuse these days not to find out about the interviewer and their organisation – use Google, LinkedIn etc the more you prepare the more confident you will be.

n Create a separate email address for job hunting – make sure it’s professional and ideally not the email account for your Facebook page!

n We recommend practicing interview answers at home and out loud, think about strengths and weaknesses and have good questions lined up to ask the interviewer at the end.

n Attention Parents: please don’t make job enquiry calls on your children’s behalf –this is something they have to do themselves.

n Thank the interviewer for their time and then call the recruitment agent who arranged the interview as soon as you come out. Lack of contact is often seen as lack of interest and this can cost you the job.

n Follow up an application with a telephone call – it’s the personality behind the CV that’s actually going to get you noticed so you need to be confident so be bold and make that call, but make sure you know what you’re going to say before you pick up the phone. n Call and make appointments with local recruitment agencies – a good recruiter will see your potential and approach their clients on your behalf. Not every job is advertised so unless you’re registered, you won’t know what you’re missing. n Be flexible about your requirements – if you’re a good employee then they’ll get noticed but you’ve got to be prepared to start at the bottom and accept that your ideal role may be a bit further down the line than you thought.

n Keep positive – you’re unlikely to get the first job you apply for but don’t let it get you down – pick yourself up and carry on.

In summary, be professional in how you approach the job market and ensure that you are pro-active and politely persistent.

The most common complaint we hear from candidates is that they never hear back from a job application but did you call the agency/company involved to introduce yourself after sending your CV, you’ll be surprised how far this can get you. Good luck!

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While Stocks Last I’d Rather Brave January Sales than

The School Uniform Shop

By Brenda Burling

Y

es, it’s that time of year again where all parents play the school uniform roulette. The gamble is do I buy now or do I buy at the end of August? I have sampled both ends of this bet and come off badly each time. You may argue it must be down to me, not so. When my children first started school I was the mother who bulk bought polo shirts, complete with logos, striped collar, non-striped collar. Accompanied by trousers flat-fronted, pleated, side-adjustable, crease free, non-iron, you get the picture. You name it, I was prepared, all uniform bought by the end of June. Of course what happened was universal growth spurt for all children also known as the summer holidays. My son was squeezed into his uniform come start day, I was not to be beaten. Two weeks later I was finding receipts from every corner of the house to take to the shops and exchange.

The other end of the scale, leave everything until the last minute. This resulted in one shirt, one pair of trousers and a pair of grey shorts.

My offspring did not thank me for decidedly chilly, wet knees in September waiting for more uniform to come into the shops.

So, now I do a little mix and match. I buy trousers too big and whenever I see them. Polo shirts

in white and varying sizes. Sweatshirts always a size too big some logo, some not. I begin buying in late June and continue throughout the summer. Last but not least is footwear, a veritable mine-field. Last year consisted of four visits to the same shop, three shoe changes and one phone call to a harassed husband for assistance. This year I intend to go in disguise and make the children speak a foreign language, I can still see the assistants face drop when she saw us return for the fourth time. Hoorah! you may think, finished at last.

Oh no, then begins the labelling of everything, literally everything. I have stopped short of labelling underwear but only just. Am I the “professional mum” who lovingly sews each and every crested name tag into the garment and holds it up with admiration and pride at her immaculate stitching? No! I am the mum who swears by the permanent marker and have even used a White Board Marker when all else fails, trust me they haven’t invented the detergent that can get that bad boy out of clothing. Suffice to say come the September morning when the school term starts again I will be feeling a little smug knowing my task is complete, until that is when they return with nothing of their own, one shoes theirs, one not, not even the same size and someone else’s lunch box.

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Storehire (UK) Ltd Self-storage

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01279 505 202

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FirSt

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Proud to have been serving the local community of Essex since 1888 Providing a choice of funerals and memorials to suit all budgets.

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Here for you, whenever you need us, 24 hours a day.

Crossword Clues Clues Across 7 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 19 20 21 22

Clues Down 1 2 3 4 5 6

A decade (3,5) Chaos, disarray (4) Filling, cloying food (6) Baking soda (abbr) (6) Not a Republican (U.S) (8) Ruler, leader (4)

Voted in, chosen (7) Concepts, notions (5) Affirmative response (3) Outward Behaviour (9) Denigrate, exploit (5) Enlightened, tolerant (7) Analyses, observes (7) Stick, cudgel (5) Mobilising troops (9) Blockade, stopper (3) Bamboo-eating bear-like animal (5) Ice river (7)

8 Destroying, breaking (11) 13 Supplanting (8) 15 Monument, feature (8) 17 Line joining points of equal atmospheric pressure on a weather map (6) 18 Tramp, drifter (6) 19 Drug, sedate (4) 20 Trickle, plop (4)

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woodenfurnituredunmow.co.uk

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Pawley & Malyon Chartered Accountant Welcome to Pawley & Malyon Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors.

In today’s ever changing world, clients need to be confident their affairs are in good hands.

At Pawley & Malyon this confidence is gained by our personal approach to your finances and from the results achieved by our advice and recommendations.

ABOUT US

We provide a complete range of accountancy services and have a broad range of clients, both corporate and personal, located throughout the UK. As we are a small firm we strive to offer you a high level of personal service so often lacking in business these days.

Whether you are a commercial business, or a non profit’ organisation or an individual, we pride ourselves in always offering you a personal, efficient and professional service.

The value of a good

accountant As taxpayers begin to complete their 2014/15 Tax Returns one area that is sometimes overlooked is the change in regulations that affects Child Benefits payments since January 2013.

Since then you may have to pay a tax charge, the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge’ if you have an individual income above £50,000 in the tax year and you or your partner receive Child Benefit.

The Charge also applies if someone else receives Child Benefit for a child living with you and they contribute at least an equal amount toward’s the child’s upkeep.

It doesn’t matter if the child living with you is not your own child.

The income figure of £50,000 is your total taxable income before personal allowances less things such as gift aid donations and therefore will include any rental income, dividends, interest received or profit from self-employment so this figure may fluctuate from year to year.

Please contact us on 020 7065 6870 to arrange a free, informal and no obligation initial Meeting.

If your or your partner’s income does exceed £50,000 then you can either opt out of receiving Child Benefit before the start of the tax year or alternatively you will need to include details of the Child Benefit received on your Tax Return so that the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge’ can be calculated.

We are not just a London office we see clients locally

If you do opt out and stop receiving Child Benefit it is possible to then restart receiving Child Benefit at a later date.

Registered to carry on audit work and regulated for a range of investment business activities by The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

AUDITING ACCOUNTING COMPANY SECRETARIAL TAXATION ADVICE BUSINESS PLANNING SERVICE PAYROLL

Call: 020 7065 6870 London Office: 14 Austin Friars, London, EC2N 2HE

You also need to be aware of these regulations if your living arrangements change or if you receive additional income, either in the form of a salary increase or a one-off increase in income that takes you or your partner above the £50,000 threshold.

One anomaly with the regulations is that a couple will be caught by the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge’ if one partner has income of £50,000 and the other has no income but a couple both earning £49,999 each would escape the Charge.

Next month Working from Home

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Call Now 01279 722042 Your recommendation is our business

THE MALTINGS. STATION ROAD SAWBRIDGEWORTH HERTFORDSHIRE CM21 9JX TEL 01279 722042 32