Salisbury Life - Issue 269

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property

CELEBRATING THE BEST IN SALISBURY & WILTSHIRE

ISSUE 269 / APRIL 2019 / £3

WALK OF LIFE

DINING AT TINGA

LIGHT BULB MOMENT

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

EXPLORE THE BLUE PLAQUES OF SALISBURY ISSUE 269 / APRIL 2019 / BRAVE NEW FIRM

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE PLANTING THIS SPRING

WE ART SALISBURY SHOP OUR CITY IN PICTURES

AND WHY IT’S THE TAC-O OF THE TOWN

WHERE TO GO FOR EASTER FUN

PLUS STUART GOLDSMITH MARTIN STARKE CLARE EMPSON

COMING UP

ROSES WHY SALISBURY IS DOING BETTER THAN EVER THANKS TO NEW BUSINESSES LIKE @HOME

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Tinga restaurant is

a beautiful ting (page 46) BELOW: Salisbury’s blue plaques (page 32)

I

remember when I happened, by chance, to pop into this intriguing new venue called @home. A petite, bright, and high-energy young woman called Louella Adamson gave me a tour of the community hub she was in the middle of creating. Her vision, her drive, and her passion to deliver something different for all walks of the Salisbury community left me in awe.

It was early summer of 2018, just after novichok had cast its cloud over the city, and there on Bridge Street, was this ray of sunshine determined to bring something extraordinary to Salisbury. Louella, our cover star, along with her fellow entrepreneurs, are the inspiration for this issue, in which we celebrate just a few of the new and expanding businesses who have brought progression and optimism to the city (page 10). This includes the marvellously Mexican and beautifully vibrant Tinga, which opened in November 2018, and we review on page 46.

Another wonderful narrative that has emerged from meeting the new kids on the block, is how diverse and inclusive our city is. Just one more reason to be super proud of Salisbury!

COVER Louella Adamson, the founder of Salisbury’s innovative community hub @home established just last year. Photo by John Rose

SARAH MOOLLA Follow us on Twitter @Salisbury Life Instagram @salisburylifemag

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Issue 269 / April 2019

cover feature

10 NEW businesses Meet 15 of the new Salisbury

businesses that have started up in the last year

the arts

23 INTRO Around the World in 80 Days comes around to

58 38

Salisbury Playhouse

24 WHAT’S ON Arts, gigs, festivals and family fun, it’s

time to update your diary

28 Seven deadly sins Comedian Stuart

Goldsmith loves a pain au chocolat - naughty boy

30 Easter days out We tried not to use egg puns

but we failed, we’re egg-ceedingly sorry

32 Salisbury blue plaques The history of

Salisbury told through little blue metal badges

shopping

37 Intro Up on the roof with a Sally Firino print 38 ed’s choice Art to buy depicting Salisbury

food & Drink

46 RESTAURANT Why we’re loco for Tinga 49 foodie news Local cookery talks and star bakes

Business

53 business insights News, views and interviews

from the region’s professionals

57 MY DESK The radio space of DJ Martin Starke

Gardening

58 column Catherine Thomas on spring bulbs

Property

62 showcase A great Salisbury home with award-

winning green credentials

Regulars © Smart & Gif ted

6 Spotlight Armed Forces Day special 42 scene Bodywise, Civic Society and Salisbury

Hospice celebrations

66 salisbury lives Writer Clare Empson on her

path to penning her debut novel

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@mediaclash.co.uk Managing Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Editor’s photo John Rose Contributors Adrian Harris, John Rose, Neil Beagrie, and John Mather Advertising Manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@mediaclash.co.uk Production/Distribution Manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Production Manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production Designer Gemma Scrine gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Salisbury Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag). Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 5

Arts

HERE IS THE NEWS A Salisbury artist has been making headlines with her newspaper art.

Chess, who uses just the one name in her professional capacity and lives in Idmiston, creates collage portraits of famous people using old newspapers and has found her work, which has previously been displayed at Gallery 21, has really taken off. She explains, “Each of my portraits uses original newspaper clippings; some of the oldest clippings have dated back to the 1940s, which were used in one of my first portraits of the Queen.

“I really enjoy seeing which phrases, images, and colours seem to jump out from the newspaper in the finished portraits, and how this interacts with people’s pre-existing perceptions of the person.

“I am now lucky enough to be represented by one of the UK’s leading Fine Art Publishers, Wishbone Publishing Ltd, which has seen my works viewed and sold at galleries up and down the country.”

For more: www.chess-heward-art.com

LIVING THE LIFE

puts the finishing touches to Marilyn Monroe; Above: Audrey Hepburn’s image tells a story; left: collage portrait of the Queen as a young woman

He moves like Jagger

The free music event Salisbury Live is returning on 5 May – 1 June, with four weekends celebrating local and national musical talent. Organiser Colin Holton explains, “Salisbury Live 2019 promises to be as exciting as always with free spectacular standalone events along with the iconic weekends of free music in pubs, clubs and venues in and around the city. There will also be opportunities for emerging young singers and songwriters to showcase their material.”

The event launches on bank holiday Sunday in the Market Square with music from Rolling Stones tribute band, The Stones, plus performances by the bands Subgiant, Sisteray, Break Cover, Davey Jones’ Locker and G¥psy Jukebox.

For more: www.facebook.com/SalisburyLiveEvents

Sisteray

Davey Jones’ Locker

G¥psy Jukebox

6 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

© THE AL AN WELL S

Music

far left: Chess

spotlight ARMED FORCES DAY SPECIAL

100 sleeps to go!

Sponsors

BROTHERS IN ARMS SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been announced as the main charity sponsor of the national Armed Forces Day being held in Salisbury in June. The charity will host the SSAFA VIP arena at the showground at Hudson’s Field over the three days of the event, which runs from 28 – 30 June, and is expected to have members of the royal family in attendance.

Sir Andrew Gregory, the chief executive of SSAFA, adds, “SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been supporting serving military men and women, veterans and their families since 1885. We are very proud to be the charity partner for the Armed Forces Day National Event 2019, an event that both provides an opportunity to recognise the nation’s serving personnel and ensures that we lead the charge on giving back to those who have given us so much.”

The programme includes a military parade, an evening concert, fireworks display, a commemoration service, and an attempt to set a world record for the largest human poppy with more than 4,000 people. There is also the SSAFA Armed Forces Day Hike, with a range of options including a family-friendly seven-mile route, through to the 26.2-mile marathon distance route. The hike will help raise funds for SSAFA to support more than 70,000 people who go to the charity for help each year.

For more: www.armedforcesday.org.uk

Countdown

OUT FOR THE COUNT

The 100-day countdown to this summer’s Armed Forces Day National Event three-day spectacular in Salisbury started on 21 March. Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, leader of Wiltshire Council, Colonel Andrew Dawes, and the mayor of Salisbury, councillor Mike Osment marked the start of the official countdown to the celebration of the Armed Forces which will bring thousands to the city over three days starting 28 June.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook said on the day, “In just one hundred days thousands of people will join us here in Salisbury as we recognise and celebrate our armed forces and the vital role they perform in protecting us and country, as well as honouring those who have served, our veterans.

“We’ll soon be unveiling the full programme, but what I can tell you today is that it is packed with so much to see, do and enjoy for all ages, both military personnel and their families, and civilians.”

For more: www.armedforcesday.org.uk

Salisbury Rock Choir is thrilled to be chosen

The Armed Forces charity SSAFA is supporting the Salisbury event

Shine for Salisbury

SHINING BRIGHT

The three Shine for Salisbury competition winners, who will perform on the main stage on each day of the Armed Forces Day National Event, were announced on 21 March. They are Duck n Cuvver, The Treblemakers and Salisbury Rock Choir, and were selected out of 17 finalists via public vote on Facebook. The Treblemakers have been together for four years and are a local covers band playing classic floor fillers from the 1960s to the present day. Salisbury Rock Choir is made up of 90 men and women who love singing pop, Motown and rock from all eras; and Duck n Cuvver are former soldiers, Ian Lawes, Robert Hardie and Andy Reynolds, who have performed many times in support of charities including the Royal British Legion and SSAFA. For more: www.armedforcesday.org.uk

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Your New Local Agent Please Call Our Team on Salisbury: 01722 415141

Shaftesbury: 01747 213106 E: sales@boatwrights.co.uk

Amesbury: 01980 676722 W: www.boatwrights.co.uk

Tisbury: 01747 859359

© ADRIAN HARRIS

new businesses

Arman Akbay set up her Maltings coffee shop November last year

10 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BRAVE NEW BUSINESS Meet the bright new stars helping Salisbury’s retail rise and shine

By Sarah Moolla

J

ust over one year ago, novichok rolled into our city with tragic results. It was a shocking, tough, and difficult year for Salisbury. In that time, unsurprisingly, there was endless discussion about the negative consequences our region would suffer. So much so, we were all talked out. And then we started to hear another sort of chatter – it was a whisper here, and a murmur there...‘Have you heard about the amazing new hub @home on Bridge Street?’

‘I had an amazing meal at that new Mexican last night.’ ‘Thank you, yes, it is beautiful isn’t it? I bought it from the new Artisan Studio in Fisherton Mill.’

The word was out, Salisbury was rejuvenating and evolving. Entrepreneurs, like our cover star Louella Adamson, had no fears about making the city the home of their ventures, cafés, start-ups, restaurants and stores. Turns out, not only are new businesses, and a few upmarket chains, still attracted to Salisbury in their droves, but also some existing indies are actually expanding. Now’s the time to tell the other story of Salisbury, the one of growth, success, and vitality, thanks to the innovation, imagination and determination of these smart business owners.

“Salisbury is still an attractive economic proposal given its amazing history”

Arman’s Art & Design Coffee House, a café specialising in real Turkish coffee, tea, and treats alongside handcrafted mosaic Tiffany lights, ceramics, jewellery and shoes.

Opened November 2018 Owner Arman Akbay says, “I wanted to leave London and had checked out Salisbury to set up my business.

Despite the incidents, Salisbury is still an attractive economic proposal given its amazing history. I did, and do think, everything will improve – everybody cannot and will not, leave the city. When people come in to Arman’s, they are so supportive, and tell me I have created a beautiful space. I am very proud of this.”

19 The Maltings, Salisbury. tel: 07792 289121. www.homebazaaruk.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 11

Boo Bear Grooming Boutique is a fully equipped dog grooming salon also selling high-end doggy accessories.

Opened October 2018 Owner Amy Hemmings says, “Novichok was a tragic event that Salisbury didn’t need and it was very much felt on the streets. However I was certain the types of services Boo Bear offers wouldn’t be affected – grooming one’s dog is essential to your pet’s well-being. My inspiration has come from my love of dogs and the motivation, from the support of my fellow Winchester Street traders – everyone is so kind and encouraging. And we are fully booked, which says it all.”

40 Winchester Street. tel: 01722 341223; www.boobear.boutique

“We saw the opportunity to promote our amazing city” 12 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Amy outside her dog grooming business

new businesses Haydar Aydemir, left, outside his traditional Turkish barbers

Mark Jones Eye Care manager Sarah Fletcher

© ADRIAN HARRIS

Sultan’s Cut is a traditional Turkish barbers offering hot towel shaves and scissor cuts. Opened September 2018 Owner Haydar Aydemir says, “We came to Salisbury because we wanted to be able to offer a proper hot towel shave and scissor cut. We also offer all our customers our traditional Turkish tea and coffee. We are proud to be able to share our traditional skills and expertise with the gentlemen of the Salisbury. And we are so happy with how welcoming the city has been to our new business.”

17 Endless Street, Salisbury

Mark Jones Eye Care is an award-winning independent family-run opticians, who use precision technology as well as offering a bespoke frame service. Established in 2006 and currently expanding.

Optometrist and owner Mark Jones says, “The incident last March was devastating for many businesses. Fortunately for us we were already in a growth phase and already had many plans for the next year or so, which are now coming to fruition. We are nearing the stage of completion where we have almost doubled the size of the shop.

Quite a feat for an independent business in the optical trade.”

21 Fisherton St, Salisbury. Phone: 01722 322891; www.markjoneseyecare.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 13

new businesses

Brett Mavunga in the Evergreen Café

Evergreen Café in the heart of the Amesbury community, says its mission is to serve fresh, wholesome food, handmade cakes, and to bring people together. Opened September 2018 Owners and chefs, Brett and Rufaro Mavunga, say, “We escaped the heat of the novichok saga because we started trading end of September. It was still an uncertain time though and we worried whether we¹d get off the ground at all – being a food outlet didn’t help. But we’re so proud of the people of Amesbury because they stood by us as a new business and they still do.

We’re so grateful, humbled in fact. As we gain more experience we are already thinking about opening a second and third café, and eventually a chain of cafés bearing our name.”

Archers way, Amesbury. www.facebook.com/evergreencafe18

Conker Boutique, a small independent ladies’ fashion store offering major brands. Established in 2014 and expanded in June 2018 Sarah Haydon, owner, says, “The novichok incidents affected the store very badly due to our Maltings location. We were lucky that our regular clients came and found us, but it did put the business under tremendous pressure. After the cordons were lifted we had two choices; to close the store, or to look forward and move to larger premises. So in June 2018 we took Conker Boutique next door to a bigger space and we are pleased to say we are so glad we made that decision. Already our customer base has increased, and we are looking forward to a busy spring / summer season.”

9 The Maltings, Salisbury. www.conkerboutique.co.uk 14 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

xxxxxxx

© john rose

@home is a community hub that hosts everything from drag queen cabaret, to mental health talks, as well as karaoke competitions, live music, life drawing, speed dating, theatre shows, pub quizzes, boardgame events, dance classes and trapeze lessons. Opened July 2018 Founder, Louella Adamson, says, “There is never the perfect time to open a business, you could always do with a little more experience or a little more money, but sometimes, in this life, you just have to jump straight in. My motto is Walt Disney’s, ‘It’s kinda fun to do the impossible.’ If anything though, maybe this is a great time to do this because we’re on the map and on the up! We also believe that locals have been out and about, maybe more than normal, to help restore the city. We have plans for a festival in June, Gay Pride in August, a rock-climbing wall, and a retreat. I am so proud of my team and how far we’ve all come.

5 Bridge Street, Salisbury. www.athomesalisbury.co.uk

“If anything, maybe this is a great time because we’re on the map and on the up!” www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 15

The Swedish Den will be a café with a play area, serving Swedish favourites like meatballs and cinnamon buns.

Opening very soon.

Café owner Rebecca McKay says, “The novichok incident of 2018 has brought out a determination to work together and not be defeated by this terrible chapter. In some ways this also makes it feel like exactly the right time to give Salisbury a boost – something new and fresh, and bringing in even more culture and trade. When we were recruiting, we were struck by the response and how strong the candidates were. This just goes to show that there is a hunger for new businesses to take a chance and in turn, create new and exciting chances for others.”

46 Catherine Street, Salisbury. www.swedishden.co.uk

“It feels like exactly the right time to give Salisbury a boost” 16 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Swedish Den café owner Rebecca with husband Gerry

© ADRIAN HARRIS

new businesses

Owner Murat Neguzel with Blal Alslamat, Mahmut Demir, Marion Allen, Cengiz Al, Annette Mansfield in their expanded Maltings store

Salisbury Tailoring, (formerly Stonehenge Tailoring), offers bespoke tailoring on the premises, alterations and repairs. Established April 2015 and is currently expanding.

Tailor and owner Murat Negüzel says, “The shocks of one year ago were terrible for the victims, and also for the city. All credit to the people of Salisbury for their stoicism and resilience. When we decided to expand the business into the unit next door, we saw the opportunity to promote our amazing city by changing our name to Salisbury Tailoring. Also people would call asking where in Stonehenge were we based? We would explain our Salisbury location by joking that there’s no electricity for the sewing machines at the site!”

4 The Maltings, Salisbury. tel: 01722 322377

Amy and Leesa have combined their talents

Money & Millie. Amy Money, who is a bespoke milliner and Leesa Miller, a couture dress designer, have joined forces to create an occasion wear dress service. Established in October 2018 Amy and Leesa say, “Businesses have to survive in Salisbury whatever!

You just have to keep going. We knew that Salisbury would recover and our beautiful studio in the Market Square would always be a success.

Those looking for a bespoke milliner and a couture dress designer were never going to be fazed by a location. In our direct experience, we found the free parking brought more people into the city centre. It now feels like things are on the up for Salisbury.”

14 Ox Row, The Market Square, Salisbury. www.milliecouturebridal.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 17

© ADRIAN HARRIS

Juliette Scott founder of The Artisan Studio

Wiltshire Artist Gallery exhibits and sells quality arts and crafts handmade by local people. Opened March 2019 Gallery manager Lamia Bikhazi says, “If you wait for the right time to open a business, it may never come.

My boss had the opportunity to acquire the shop and felt it was a great space to showcase small local artists, with unique items at affordable prices. For me personally I was born in Salisbury and believe this space, providing an outlet for small talented artists, will be a welcome boost for the city, at just the right time.”

125 Western Road, Salisbury. email: wiltshireartistgallery@gmail.com

18 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Wiltshire Artist Gallery assistant Veronica Ford

© ADRIAN HARRIS

The Artisan Studio, is a store selling exceptional items made by skilled artisans from all over the world, as well as providing commissions, and styling advice. Opened September 2018 Owner Juliette Scott says, “A chain of events led me to Fisherton Mill, and I felt it was the right place to be. Admittedly what with the Brexit confusion, on top of novichok, there have been doubts, but the positive comments from my customers and the support of Fisherton Mill, has kept me going. I’m going for a mixed approach of a permanent bricksand-mortar base, supported by pop-ups, and appearances at special locations such as country houses.”

Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury. tel: 07365 264560; www.theartisanstudio.uk

new businesses Lalahan, a Turkish restaurant with charcoal grill, meze bar, and an order and collect service. Opened November 2018 Ersoy Kacmaz and Suna Walker say, “I have lived in Salisbury for nearly 20 years, and convinced my business partner [Ersoy], who is an indigenous chef from the Southeastern province of Turkey to consider Salisbury as a location for our new restaurant. We were initially affected as people were unwilling to travel, and to eat out in Salisbury, however we are already seeing a huge improvement in numbers. We are currently renovating the garden, which will have an outdoor dining area just in time for the summer.”

99 Fisherton St, Salisbury. tel: 01722 333305; www.lalahan.co.uk

“We are already seeing a huge improvement in numbers”

Ersoy Kacmaz and Suna Walker in Lalahan

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© ADRIAN HARRIS

Baileys of Salisbury specialises in high-quality mattresses and stocks an extensive range of bedroom accessories. Opened October 2018 Sam Bailey, manager director, says, “We are from Salisbury so I wasn’t going to be put off by last year’s shocking events of following my dream and set up my own family business. My wife, Ruwani, is the financial brains, with a fantastic retail background, and my eldest son Sean, who has done an apprenticeship with premium bed makers Harrison Spinks learning every aspect of bed manufacturing at their Yorkshire factory, works with me. I am lucky to have them at my side as together we embark on this new venture.”

84 Fisherton St, Salisbury. tel: 01722 323235; www.baileysofsalisbury.co.uk

Sam, right, with son Sean outside their Fisherton Street business

20 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

new businesses

Neil, right, co-owner of the Tasty Tapas with helping pal, Mikol

“There is a hunger for new businesses to take a chance”

The Tasty Tapas is a pop-up tapas restaurant currently making appearances in Hendersons Artisan Bakery and Café. Opened January 2019.

Co-owner Emma Adams, says, “The events of March 2018 were tragic but it has also brought more awareness of what is going on in the city, and more encouragement for new enterprises. We wanted to bring tapas to Salisbury, start a family business, and add to the diversity of Salisbury’s growing food scene. A conversation with Paul Henderson led to us opening up in Hendersons and allowed us to bring our plans forward slightly. We are also popping up at Chalke Valley History Festival, and are building a relationship with South Wilts Cricket Club.” n tel: 07590 312992; www.thetastytapas.co.uk

And there’s more, yes, even more new businesses contributing to the positive Salisbury story…

Boatwrights, local estate agents, Castle Street, www.boatwrights.co.uk

Oasis, high street fashion, New Canal, www.oasis-stores.com

Drita’s Aesthetics, beauticians, The Maltings, tel: 01722 320223

Three Swans Pharmacy; Winchester Street, threeswanspharmacy@yahoo.co.uk

Jacquelines, hair accessories and dresses,The Maltings, tel: 01722 335200

Tinga, Mexican restaurant and bar, Salt Lane, www.tingasalisbury.com (turn to page 46 for our review)

Jaeger, English high-end fashion brand, Butcher Row, www.jaeger.co.uk

The Hat Shop Salisbury, also a market stall and now has unit in The Maltings. tel: 07917 151920

Marrakech, Moroccan restaurant, Fisherton Street, tel: 01722 237102

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Splash of Colour The

Pottery Painting Cafe

Spring is in the air...

Pottery painting for everyone WORKSHOPS DURING EASTER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS See our website for details

Open Monday to Saturday 10 - 5.30 & Sunday 11 - 3 Closed Tuesday & Wednesday – except during school holidays

Call 01722 322250 to book a table 72 Fisherton Street, Salisbury SP2 7RB

www.splashofcolourcafe.net

the arts s n a p s h o t s o f SA L I S B U R Y ’ s c ult ur a l li f e

OH MY DAYS! The ever-so-slightly stuffy Phileas Fogg wagers his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days with the help of his wily travelling companion Lieutenant Passepartout. Together they encounter bandits, winter storms, Scotland Yard, and a princess seemingly in need of rescuing.

As this Theresa Heskin production, which is about to set sail for a US tour, does the rounds, it has been picking up rave reviews and some weighty award nominations, so grab your ticket, and hop on board while you get the chance.

Around the World in 80 Days can be seen at Salisbury Playhouse 23 – 27 April. www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

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What’s on 7 April – 7 May

Niamh Cusack and Stephen Bower star in Remains of The Day coming to Salisbury Playhouse, 30 April –11 May

exhibitions Until 27 April

WALKING THE LINE New Zealand artist Locust Jones started a mural-style work on the day of the Mumbai Terror attacks in November 2008. It acts as a scroll chronicling everyday atrocities including climate change, genocide, world poverty, militant Islam, and Christian fundamentalism. Young Gallery; www.younggallerysalisbury.co.uk

Until 4 May

THE ORIGINS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN SALISBURY 1839 – 1919 An exploration of the rise of amateur photography in Salisbury starting around 1840,

and up to the end of World War I. The varied and absorbing images provide a fascinating look back at the development of the city.

Salisbury Museum; www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

Until 4 May

Creative Wiltshire: A Celebration of Art in Wiltshire The aim of this exhibition is to continue to tell the story of Wiltshire’s creative community and showcase the best art this county has to offer, including the 1971 screenprint and collage

by Joe Tilson, Let a Thousand Parks Bloom and work by the sculptor Patricia Volk.

The Salisbury Museum; www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

24 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Until 21 May

PICTURE SALISBURY Arundells provides the perfect setting for the Salisbury Group of Artists’ latest exhibition, which depicts the city and the surrounding countryside so loved by the former Arundells resident, former PM, Sir Edward Heath. Arundells; www.salisburygroupofartists.co.uk

Until 29 November

THE BRUTAL BURMA CAMPAIGN This exhibition commemorates the gallant part played by the two regiments in an often forgotten campaign three-quarters of a century ago. Three battalions of the Royal Berkshire Regiment and the Wiltshire Regiment fought in crucial battles which turned the

tide of war against a seemingly invincible Japanese enemy in the brutal Burma campaign and saved India from invasion. The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum; www.thewardrobe.org.uk

Until 30 November

STANDING BY MY DARLING’S SIDE Subtitled a Victorian experience of life, love and loss, this tells the story of Jinny Townsend, a resident of Mompesson house, who kept an almost daily diary from the age of 15 in 1859 until 1882, writing up to just a couple of months before her death, aged 38, proving a fascinating insight into Salisbury life in this era.

Mompesson House; www.nationaltrust.org.uk

what’s on 27 April – 11 May

BEN JEFFREY From Stranger Things and Game of Thrones to Lion King and Dirty Dancing, the artist’s use of vivid, bright colours create a unique, distinctive and modern style, which comes alive in his portraiture work.

Ben will be staging a ‘live’ studio in the gallery on 27 April. Gallery 21; www.gallery21.co.uk

1 – 5 May

CLIENT PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION Photography tutor Sally Edwards has helped organise this exhibition to give amateur photographers an opportunity to display their favourite images and enjoy being part of a gallery collection.

Five Rivers Leisure Centre; www.sallyedwardsphotography.co.uk

Theatre/ Dance /Film Until 20 April

above:

below:

High energy dance performance, The Storm, can be seen on 24 April Fashion illustrator Jason Brooks is talking at Messums on 28 April

HANDBAGGED With great theatricality, Handbagged imagines what may have happened at the Queen’s (in)famous weekly meetings with Margaret Thatcher. Entertainingly told and

packed with satirical humour, the two women, played by Susan Penhaligon and Caroline Harker, collide as they share their opposing views of Britain’s role in the world.

A fascinating fictional portrait of two women who should have, but don’t, anything in common. £27-£12. Salisbury Playhouse; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

16 – 18 April

THE LOVE OF THE NIGHTINGALE With live music and a powerful ensemble style from Stage 65 Youth Theatre, this classic tale of the Philomele myth proves as relevant and as moving as ever. £12. The Salberg; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

23 – 27 April

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Returning to Salisbury prior to a US tour, Theresa Heskins’ celebrated production features a hugely talented cast of eight playing over 125 characters in this imaginative, high-spirited escapade that includes six trains, five boats, four fights, three dances, two circus acts and an elephant. Turn to page 23 for more. £27-£13. Salisbury Playhouse; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

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What’s on 24 April

THE STORM The Wiltshire charity Operaluna, that supports and promotes the arts to local young people, is bringing James Wilton Dance’s performance of The Storm. It is an entertaining, energetic and thought-provoking production on the topic of mental health featuring seven dancers, and a specially composed score by Amarok /Michal Wojtas. 7pm, £10. Dauntsey’s School Memorial Hall; www.operaluna.com

25 – 27 April

THE EDIT Nick loved Elena. Elena loved Nick.

Their relationship was a disaster.

The Edit unfolds in real time, a year after they broke up, as they desperately try to unpick where things went wrong. £13.50. The Salberg; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

30 April - 11 May

The Remains of the Day 2017 Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s literary masterpiece has entranced generations as both the novel and an acclaimed Merchant Ivory film. Now transformed for the first time into an exquisite stage play by one of Britain most exciting young writers, Salibsury-born Barney Norris, it stars Niamh Cusack and Stephen Boxer as the butler and housekeeper who revisit the past and find class conditioning may have robbed them of a life. £27-£13 Salisbury Playhouse; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

1 May

THE FAVOURITE Multi-Oscar winning period punk romp starring Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone.

A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and England is at war with the French. Lady Sarah tends to Anne's ill health and her mercurial temper, but when a new servant Abigail inveigles her way into court and the Queen’s affections, the trio end up in a battle of their own.

7.30pm, £8. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

Music / Comedy 10 – 13 April

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE Studio will be delving deep into the memory banks with songs from the likes of The Beatles, Nat King Cole,

26 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

above:

Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson of ska band The Selecter fame join piano legend Jools Holland at City Hall Salisbury on 30 April right: See the ‘wonder’ of Ben Jeffrey’s sci-fi inspired work at Gallery 21

WHAT’S ON host who teaches everyone a unique set of dance moves, shows how to use the interactive prop bags, and encourages cheers, boos and wolf whistles. 7pm, £17. City Hall Salisbury ; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

FAMILY FUN Until 21 April

ABOVE:

BELOW:

Rachel Weisz channels her inner Adam Ant for the hit movie The Favourite Bentley Wood by Salisbury artist Fiona Forbes can be viewed at Arundells

13 April

STUART GOLDSMITH: END OF Stu takes us on a charming and comic odyssey on how it works out in the end, and whether anyone cares. This is of particular interest to people over 30, who’ve lost touch with all their old friends, and can’t eat just one pain au chocolat. Turn to page 29 where Stu bares his soul in our mini-interview, 7 Deadly Sins. 8pm, £12.50. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

27 April

THE PORTRAITS The Portraits are Anglo-Irish acoustic pop duo aka husband and wife songwriters Lorraine and Jeremy Millington. Their first single, Nobody Can Ever Murder Love, was a tribute to the late Jo Cox MP. 12pm, free. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

30 April

Max Bygraves, Cliff Richard and Abba plus some much-loved songs from the musicals. Cold suppers are served at the table.

7.15pm, £17.50. Studio Theatre Salisbury; www.studiotheatre.org.uk

11 April

COLLABRO In 2014 this musical theatre group met for their first rehearsal above a pub in London and just one month later went on to receive a standing ovation at Hammersmith Apollo for their first ever public performance on what happened

to be on ITV1’s Britain’s Got Talent, which they went on to win. 7.30pm, £131-£21.50. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

12 April

HENNING WEHN: GET ON WITH IT! Listen, everyone: stop pondering and hand-wringing.. Instead get on your bike and put your face to the grindstone. This is the command of the German Comedy Ambassador, the delightfully funny Henning Wehn. 8pm, £21.50. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

JOOLS HOLLAND Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, returns to the city, featuring powerhouse Gilson Lavison drums, and guest vocalists, Ruby Turner with her breathtaking gospel, soul and rhythm and blues vocals, and Louise Marshall bringing her beautiful soul and jazz tones. There are also appearances by extra special guests, the wonderful Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, from the legendary ska band The Selecter.

7.30pm, £45-£37. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

2 May

SING-A-LONG-A THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Singalonga Productions will be screening the smash hit film musical that everyone can’t stop singing – The Greatest Showman, with a live

MAKING CONNECTIONS: STONEHENGE IN ITS PREHISTORIC WORLD In partnership with the British Museum, this informative and beautiful exhibition features stunning precious artefacts made between 4000BC and 800BC, from a jade axe to an elaborate gold neckpiece, and charts the changing relationships between the British Isles and Europe over the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

Price with general admission. Stonehenge; www.english-heritage.org.uk

Until 22 April

EASTER ADVENTURE QUEST Join the hunt for dragon eggs on a legendary quest this Easter holiday.

Crack the clues while following the trail around Old Sarum. Young intrepid adventurers who track down the dragon egg will get a certificate to prove it, and there’ll be a chocolate treat too. The quest costs £1 per child in addition to the normal admission price. Turn to page 30 for more Easter ideas. Old Sarum; www.english-heritage.org.uk

15 April

POP DIVAS LIVE! See Little Mix cast some Black Magic and Taylor Swift Shake It Off when these four enormously talented girls go up close and personal, with the greatest female pop performers of today. Impressive impressions with the help of dazzling choreography, state of the art videos and superb vocals. 2pm, £17. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

15 April

THE BIRD SHOW The Wiltshire-based theatre company The Last Baguette present a story-telling wonder of a show using live music, puppetry, and lots of silly bird puns in this heart-fluttering, physical comedy about conservation, migration and imagination. 2pm, £7. Salisbury Library; www.thelastbaguette.com

15 – 22 April

EASTER EGG HUNT

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 27

WHAT’S ON A clutch of nine unusual eggs have popped up around the park. Little visitors are invited to use their trail sheet to find them all , and if they crack the code, they win a special treat. Price included with general admission. Longleat; www.longleat.co.uk

OTHER 10 April

JAMES RUNCIE James Runcie is an award-winning film maker, commissioning editor for arts at BBC Radio 4, and the author of ten novels, including the Grantchester Mysteries series, which became a primetime ITV drama starring James Norton. He will be speaking about his latest book The Road to Grantchester. 6.30pm, £4.

Sarum College; www.sarum.ac.uk

27 April

MIDNIGHT WALK 2019 Beginning and ending at Five Rivers Leisure Centre, walkers, who will be raising money for Salisbury Hospice, pass through Cathedral Close where those who are taking part in memory of someone special can dedicate a star on the memories board outside the Cathedral. 10.30pm-3.30pm, £20. www.midnight-walk.co.uk

28 April

FASHION ILLUSTRATION WITH JASON BROOKS As part of their Material Textile exhibition Messums Wiltshire is hosting a talk from award-winning fashion illustrator Jason Brooks who has worked with The Face, Vogue, and Elle. He now specialises in collaborations with Chanel, L’Oreal Professional, and Vogue, and has more than 72 pieces of artwork held in the permanent collection of London’s V&A Museum. 10am12pm, £35. Messums Wiltshire; www.messumswiltshire.com

SEVEN DEADLY SINS STUART GOLDSMITH

Stuart Goldsmith is a stand-up comedian and has presented the Comedian’s Comedian podcast since 2012 in which he has interviewed more than 275 comics about their profession. He is bringing his show End Of, to Salisbury Arts Centre on 13 April LUST: What do you find yourself lusting after today?

My bed! I’ve just come back from ultra-hip tech/ music/comedy festival SXSW, in Austin Texas. In an absolutely typical bit of ‘life of a comedian’, within the last 24 hours I was at a celebrity brunch with Kathy Griffin, and in a minute I’m back in Blighty and driving to Northampton and back for a gig, snaffling a pain au chocolat.

GREED: What should you really be cutting down on?

See above. Especially when they put two in a box for fractionally more than the cost of one, the economics of that drives me mad – I don’t even WANT two, but once they’re out of the service station and into the gigmobile, it’s all over.

GLUTTONY: What one thing would you happily eat or drink until you burst?

Stop it! Is this some sort of intervention?!

I just like the way that some of them are sort of squishier than the others on the shelf, even though they were baked in the same batch, I just find it intriguing, and the flakes of pastry all pressed together... I’m not on trial here!!

SLOTH: What should you be putting your back into right now?

See Collabro perform on 11 April

28 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Well seeing as this year is my ‘year off’ from the Edinburgh Festival, which I’ve decided to spend going to the Edinburgh Festival and doing a work-in-progress show, for once in my life I don’t have to be anxious procrastinating about writing new jokes. Instead I’m anxiously procrastinating

doing the endless admin that makes up 90 per cent of my ‘Comedians Comedian’ podcast.

Researching guests, answering fanmail, and planning new and exciting ways in which to add to my workload for very little tangible return.

WRATH: What or who makes you angry?

Bullies, climate change, being accused of stuff I haven’t done, and when a system is broken; like when you’re queuing for something and the organisers of the queuing system haven’t thought it through and the whole thing is inefficient.

Depressingly, that last one makes me more angry than the more laudable other three put together.

ENVY: Who are you jealous of ?

People who have the confidence to wear bright colours. People who can think in short jokes.

People who enjoy exercise or grew up with a sport they love doing. Please send in your suggestions for a sport I’d enjoy that I could get into from scratch, given that I’m older than I look.

PRIDE: What to date has been your proudest achievement?

I guess I would say this interview. I really brought the thunder, you know? A good mix of jokes and real answers, some insight into my sense of humour, but not at the expense of my humanity.

I got what I came for. And I think the people of Salisbury are really going to sit up and take notice of my show at Salisbury Arts Centre on 13 April.

I’m confident. Put me in, coach!

For more: www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

DAYS OUT

THE EASTER HUNT

Wondering what to do this Easter holiday? Don’t worry, be hoppy, and enjoy our cracking round-up of Salisbury things to do

By John Mather

W

hether it’s your children, grandchildren, a godchild, or some visiting little folk, keeping them entertained and out of mischief can be hard work, especially when the weather is so unpredictable this time of year. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of some of the most egg-cellent, egg-citing and egg-tra special (okay, we’ll stop with the yolks now..) events in and around the region. We’ve also thrown in some grown-up suggestions as well because everybody deserves a little bank holiday specialness...

builders of Stonehenge. Experts demonstrate the techniques our Neolithic ancestors used to craft tools and essential everyday items, as well as luxury objects like jewellery and other goods. There’s the opportunity to raise a several tonne limestone block, similar in size and shape to the bluestones used in the iconic stone circle. www.english-heritage.org.uk

4

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is holding naturethemed treasure trails with chocolate prizes at Warminster Easter Fun at Smallbrook Meadows nature reserve, 10 – 11 April. www.wiltshirewildlife.org

“Everybody deserves a little bank holiday specialness”

1

Alongside its regular Easter services Salisbury Cathedral will be running an If Easter Could Speak event from 6 – 17 April.

Collect a free map at the Cathedral entrance any time, except during services, and follow the special route through the building to find displays and materials to help explore together what Easter is all about. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

2

Head to the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath to watch the start of the annual Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race that spans 125 miles from Wiltshire to London. This event takes place over the Easter weekend, starting in Devizes on Good Friday. www.dwrace.org.uk

3

This year, the Easter events at Stonehenge run from 6 – 28 April, and include the chance to discover the prehistoric skills of the

30 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

5

Mompesson House in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close is staging the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 19 – 22 April. Follow the clues left by the bunny around the garden to complete the trail and claim a delicious chocolate treat. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

6

During the school holidays, the Fisherton Street pottery café, Splash of Colour is worth checking out for its wide range of workshops. These include seasonal painting projects, mosaics and potter’s wheel activities. www.splashofcolourcafe.net

7

Spend a day or two at Salisbury Museum from 8–22 April and follow the Easter Bunny Trail to claim a choice of smiley stickers. You can also enjoy the art, the history, the photographs, the exhibitions and the artefacts while you’re there. www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

8

River Bourne Community Farm, the not-for-profit working farm, is holding an Easter Egg Hunt from16 – 22 April. Pick up a form and go hunting for 10 Easter egg pictures hidden around the farm and see sheep, cattle, pigs, and alpaca along the way. www.riverbournecommunityfarm.org.uk

9

Don’t miss the rare chance to visit and be guided through the ‘lost’ village of Imber.

This year the open days are Good Friday, 19 April to Easter Monday, 22 April inclusive. In 1943 the villagers were evacuated to allow the military to use the area as training grounds in the war effort, but they were never allowed to return. Now the area is still used by the Ministry of Defence and usually closed to the public. www.imbervillage.co.uk

10

Harvey the Horse has lost his friends and needs help to find them around the city centre, in time for their first race of the season at Salisbury Racecourse. The Salisbury Easter Trail runs from 6 – 22 April, with maps downloaded from the Salisbury BID website, and offers the chance to win tickets to all four family days at Salisbury Racecourse, and a £50 Salisbury Gift Card. The first racecourse family event is on 28 April. www.salisburybid.co.uk www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk

Stonehenge

Splash of Colour

Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race Smallbrook Meadows nature reserve

Salisbury Racecourse Salisbury Museum

River Bourne Community Farm

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 31

the story of the blues How Salisbury’s blue plaques help lift the spirits and tell the story of the city’s past

By Alan Clarke and John Mather

E

very time we pass a commemorative plaque, whether it be the older date stone plaques or the subsequent blue solid metal badges, it’s like the pages of a history book opening up on the very spot we stand. It can make you a little giddy to know that a scientist once lived there, an artist painted in that garret, or an author wrote in that room.

The original blue plaque scheme was established by the Society of Arts, now known as the Royal Society of Arts, in 1866 with the first one placed in London’s Cavendish Square to mark Lord Byron’s birthplace on a house, that has since been demolished.

In our city, it is now the Salisbury Civic Society who help determine the who, what, where, and when of these little fact-filled circles commemorating movements, moments, events, records, institutions, as well as people. There are currently just over100 of these plaques in Salisbury embodying and recording the richness of the city’s history, as you’ll see here, from religious martyrs to Salisbury pop stars.

2

Martyrs Erected to keep alive the memory of three protestant martyrs, William Coberley, John Maundrel, and John Spicer who were burned at the stake in Salisbury on 24 March 1556. Found on the garden boundary wall of Malmesbury House, which is in the Cathedral Close near St Ann’s Gate.

1

Sir William Golding Sir William Golding (right), the writer and Nobel Prize winner was a schoolmaster at Bishop Wordsworth’s CE school 1945-1962. He wrote Lord of the Flies, the acclaimed novel about marooned schoolchildren going feral. His plaque is in The Close, close to St Ann’s gate. He and his wife Ann are buried in the graveyard at Holy Trinity Church in their hometown of Bowerchalke, where they lived for many years.

32 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

3

The oldest plaque The oldest event recorded on a Salisbury plaque is 1225 when Franciscan friars established a religious house. This was dissolved in 1538 in the reign of Henry VIII, and hence no actual original building was available to put the plaque on, but an old building as near to the site as possible was used instead.

HISTORY

4

World War II This plaque (below) commemorating the story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things can be found at 141 Castle Street when it was erected in 2015. Less than a mile from the Cathedral, thousands of spitfire aircraft were being built in clandestine factories by mainly women, to aid the war effort.

5

The first Salisbury plaque to a woman In 2010 it was noted that there did not appear to be any Salisbury plaques dedicated to a woman. To address this, in 2011 a blue plaque was erected to former Godolphin pupil, the renowned English crime writer and poet, Dorothy L Sayers on the Cathedral Hotel in Milford Street.

7

Sir William Pitt On gate entrance of Marwarden Court, which was once a vicarage, the plaque reveals that the house was a boyhood home of the future Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder. This region, Stratford Sub Castle, was also happens to been considered one of the kingdom’s most notorious Parliamentary ‘rotten’ boroughs.

6

The Lost plaque Sadly Salisbury has suffered from thieves who wrongly thought that some of the materials in the metal plaques would be of value. This plaque (left) used to be on the garden wall of the council offices in Bourne Hill, and commemorated the 700th anniversary of the granting of the first charter to Salisbury in 1227; an extremely important event for citizens of this city.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 33

HISTORY PLAQUE tracking...

Ever wondered how a blue plaque gets determined?

JAMES WOODS of the Salisbury Civic Society explains the process

9

8

Henry Fawcett In the Market Square, at the base of the statue of the Salisburyborn statesman, economist and defender of Darwin, Henry Fawcett (above with wife Millicent Fawcett) is a plaque that is unique in that the text is also in braille, which also references that Henry was blind.

In 1858, at the age of 25, Henry was blinded in a shooting accident.

He went on to become Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge.

Sir Edward Heath This plaque (above) of the former Prime Minster, who loved music, art and ocean sailing, can be found on the right hand boundary pillar at the front of Arundells, a house in the Cathedral Close. While he remained an MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, up to his retirement in 2001, he spent most of his time in Arundells. He died in 2005, and his ashes are interred under a commemorative stone on the south side of the crossing in Salisbury Cathedral.

1 A sub-committee of the Salisbury Civic Society reviews candidates for plaques, which may be nominated by anyone.

2 The review takes note of anniversaries or other relevant dates for installation, as well as the characteristics of the candidates.

3 They will need to have a strong connection to the South Wiltshire area, by birth, death or residence, and have made a significant contribution to local or national history or culture.

5 The Society will undertake research into each candidate to determine his or her suitability.

6 Once candidates have been selected suitable sites for a plaque are sought eg determined by birthplace, residence, or place of work. Sometimes the owner of a site approaches the Society with a proposal to put up a plaque, but often the Society has to negotiate with site owners to find out if they are happy to have a plaque installed.

7 The proposed plaque wording is circulated to all interested parties, such as surviving relatives, site owners, and relevant institutions and societies, and a final text is approved.

8 Applications for Planning and Listed Building Consent are made if required. The final text is sent to a plaque manufacturer and a suitable person approached to unveil the plaque and make a short speech.

10

SAlisbury’s pop stars This plaque dedicated to the band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, can be found at the City Hall by the main entrance and recognises the achievements of the 1960s band whose members came from Salisbury.

The group achieved major success in the UK with hits like Bend It! and Hold Tight!, and became stars overseas as well, especially in Germany and New Zealand. n For more: www.salisburyplaques.org

34 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

9 The date of unveiling is agreed after liaison with all those concerned, including the site owners and the plaque unveiler, and relevant guests invited.

10 There is currently a backlog of about 24 candidates in consideration for the honour of a blue plaque.

BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES

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SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

BLUE SKY THINKING Based in Salisbury, Sally Firino is known for her instantly-recognisable style capturing the essence of her subjects with a unique efficiency of line.

Her work ranges from animal prints for children, delightfully playful depictions of everyday objects, and evocative scenes of places we love, like this.

Rooftops Salisbury print, £35 from www.sallyfirino.art

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 37

MOO SELFIE AT SALISBURY CARD, £2.50 Don’t run with the herd, go your own way, like this travelling cow.

Her and her pals, including a sheep and a donkey, have also been to many other local landmarks including Shaftesbury and Stonehenge.

From www.lucysfarm.co.uk

CITYSCAPE We always celebrate the spirit of Salisbury, but here we’re really putting our art into it

SALISBURY ART PRINT, £6.99 You can also get this retro railway promotion on a tote, a mug, magnet and a mousemat.

From www.railwayposters.co.uk SMART & GIFTED SALISBURY COASTER, £2.50 Toast your local, but don’t leave rings on the coffee table with this pop art style Salisbury coaster.

From www.smartandgifted.co.uk SALISBURY CATHEDRAL MINI PAPERCUT, £24.95 Mini wall art featuring a delicate laser cut piece of paper suspended between two sheets of glass to produce a floating effect for the artwork.

From www.urbantwist.co.uk

ANNALIESE STONEY CARD, £2 Perfect for birthday, thank you, and just to say hello moments. This local illustrator also has prints and cards of the Old Mill and Lizzie Gardens.

From www.annaliesestoney.co.uk

38 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

MORNING LIGHT ON SALISBURY CATHEDRAL, £8 Bradley Hutchings is the artist, and a glimpse through the cloisters is the view.

From www.longsummer.co.uk

VINTAGE POSTER, £275 An original travel advertising poster published by the British Travel and Holidays Association, featuring a detail of John Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds.

From www.antikbar.co.uk

SALISBURY TRAVEL POSTER, £35 Dave Thompson’s work revisits a classic era of poster design, recreated in the vibrant tones of 1950s travel art From www.davethompsonillustration.com

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL BLUE SKY, £90 This limited edition exquisite illustration is hand-drawn by architect Robert Kann using Faber-Castell Indian ink pens. Poultry Cross, Fisherton Street and Salisbury Guildhall also feature in his work.

From www.pitch26.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 39

N�d a new Crown?

We know you'd rather be doing something else.

Single visit ceramic crowns. Start to finish in 2.5 hours.

Call us on 01722 413513 Beckett House, 4 Bridge Street, Salisbury SP1 2LX info@thedentistsalisbury.co.uk | www.thedentistsalisbury.co.uk

SALISBURY TAILORING

BESPOKE TAILORING ALTERATIONS FOR LADIES & GENTLEMEN Business Suits Suits Jackets Leather Jackets Trousers Jeans Skirts Dresses Curtains Zips Made to measure Military uniforms and medal ribbons altered | Shirt and t-shirt ironing service SAME DAY QUALITY SERVICE

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SCENE AC ROSS SA L ISBU RY, O N E SH I N D I G AT A T I M E Dame Rosemary Spencer, President of Salisbury Civic Society

Jenni Dougan and Peter Dunbar

Peter Ward, Steve Fletcher, Paula Carlton, Encho Rachev, Mike Ford and Jonathan Freer

Richard Deane and Chris Rolfe

Roy and Angela Rendell with Michael Drury

CIVIC PRIDE Around 155 people attended the Salisbury Civic Society New Buildings Awards and New Year party at the Guildhall on 11 January. The New Buildings Awards’ party is a highlight event in the society’s calendar, promoting high standards of contemporary design in all aspects of the built environment within Salisbury and South Wiltshire.

Margueritte Yeung, Phyllis Babb and Judy Howles

Photos by Adrian Harris www.adrianharrisphotography.co.uk

Sally Fasham, Pete Fasham, Rob Reid, Phil Harding and Liz James

42 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Nikki Savage, Caroline Rippier, Edward Rippier and Mike Osment

Leila Coppock, Louise Kenyon, Sara Dennis and Polly Matteson

Kate Mercer

Sophie Lawson and Ben Fox

BODY OF WORK

Bodywise, the pilates and rehabilitation studio based in Volpoint House Salisbury, has recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. The party, held for clients, friends, teachers and trainees, included demonstrations of equipment, and a speech by founder and managing director Leila Coppock outlining plans to expand the business this year. www.bodywisepilates.co.uk

Klara Hudd, Alex and Nastasya Barbiere

Literally playing the joker

Sioban Stoner and Linda Webb with Bob

Ned Cowell

LET’S GET QUIZZICAL

The Salisbury Guildhall was the setting for the Salisbury Hospice Charity fundraiser on 28 February. The evening, which was attended by 115 guests, included a drinks reception, three-course dinner, quiz and charity auction hosted by Ned Cowell of the sponsors Woolley and Wallis. www.salisburyhospicecharity.org.uk

David Pardoe, Jack Callaghan, Eloise Owen, Keith Phillimore, Joanna Robins, Tom Eastman and Clive BucklandÂ

Verity Bartlett

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 43

The largest collection of tiles in Salisbury

Opening hours

Mon: Fri 07.30 - 17.00 Sat: 09.00 - 17.00

www.salisburytilestore.net Salisbury Tile Store, Unit 2 Faraday Centre, Faraday Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7NR

Bespoke Furniture, Antique Restoration & French Polishing See our new website @ www.nigelnortheast.co.uk 01980 862051 | nigel@nigelnortheast.co.uk fx Furniture Workshop, West Winterslow

Also at: Unit 5, The Enterprise Centre, William Road, Nursteed, Devizes, SN10 3EW

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Winchester 3 seater Sofa (F) RRP £1659 Sale Price £1249

Emsworth 3 seater Sofa (SE) RRP £1039 Sale Price £799

Wool 1700 Spring 135cm Divan RRP £1609 Sale Price £1149

Please visit our spacious showroom to see a huge choice of British fabric upholstery and Italian leather upholstery, dining furniture, bedroom furniture and a large range of British pocket sprung beds. We offer a personal and friendly service to help you in your selections.

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TINGA

Sarah Moolla finds out there’s a special kinda ting going on at Salisbury’s new Mexican restaurant

I

t can take guts to be different. To stand out from the crowd and do things in your own unique way. When the world says ‘be cautious’, you throw it to the wind. While people are sitting tight, you’re dancing on the tables. When things are looking a little grey, you’re painting the town red. And teal. And yellow. And emerald green.

Welcome to Tinga, a former Salisbury burger bar that has been recently transformed into a Mexican restaurant by the owners, Aimee Ullah and Dave Hancock, and being part of the vibrant indie crowd making Salisbury an exciting place to be (turn to page 10 for our new business feature).

The two floor and spacious eatery on Salt Street sings and zings with a bold, beautiful and vibrant décor created by Dib Dab Designs. Inspired by South American eateries, the paintings of Frida Kahlo and Amazonian rainforests. There are walls of mirrors, canopies of palms, huge painted murals of Frida on walls

46 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

of sunset orange, sugar pink lettering, multi-coloured flora, glossy red tables, and nests of golden birdcages.

You can no more escape the holiday, life is for living vibe, if you’d taken a flight directly to the Juárez district of Mexico City to dine Comida Corrida style. When handed the extensive and joyful cocktail menu with choices like the El Diablo with Finlandia raspberry vodka and red jalapeños ginger, or a lime margarita with fresh ginger and apple juice, we are on the verge of signing up for the long haul and kissing goodbye to tomorrow.

Then we remember the fun-sapping combo of a school night, Lent, and car driving means we’re not drinking and we feel a little bit sad. Luckily for us the delightful Joseph Smith-Landazuri cheers us up and points us in the direction of the mocktails assuring us they are delicious.

Normally, these garish, sugary, sickly concoctions, without the benefit of the punch of alcohol, are not my cup of tea. But Joseph is a man of his word and our mai tai and virgin zombie quenchers deliver a refreshing blast

restaurant

of fruit and a tickle of ginger to all the right places.

From the entradas, it’s croqueta de chorizo; which are baby potato and chorizo croquettes served with a chipotle mayonnaise, sprinkled with spring onions.

Crispy breadcrumbed, lightly fried so there is enough oil to sheen your lips but not so much you can hear your heart clog, with a fluffy and creamy inside, peppered with paprika nuggets of spicy chorizo, these are ultrasatisfying morsels of comfort food.

The nopales tacos is roasted cactus, adobo sauce with an avocado slice, one of three things we recognise.

Turns out cactus is similar in texture and taste to a roasted aubergine and the adobo sauce has an earthy depth that initially masks its almost Tabasco-like heat.

The tacos is light but crunchy with the avocado adding a clean, banana-like smoothness. The meat of the pork pibil is sweet, fibrous, and a beautiful deep red demonstrating it has been truly been slowly cooked in annatto marinade, a paste made from the berries of the achiote tree, giving it a soft chilli kick. What makes these dishes taste even sweeter is knowing the meat comes from respected local butchers Pritchett’s, and the team places a weekly ingredients order directly to Mexico.

The only dish that doesn’t quite deliver is the roasted pepper, chilli and mushroom burrito. It is a carb too far with the packed and compressed rice making the wrap as solid as a tree trunk. The mushrooms and peppers aren’t enough of a contrast to add interest and there isn’t sufficient sour cream to take away the lack of moisture. But then if you’re using this to soak up your sixth cocktail of the night, like we wish we were, then this might have been the best choice of the night!

The churros initially look like they are about to disappoint – I’m used to the big fat oily misshapen monstrosities of donuts dipped in vats of granulated sugar bought from clapped out vans in Spain, but these look like uniform dainty sponge fingers, dusted with cinnamon sugar, served with a dip of coffee-toffee tasting dulce de leche, and we wonder whose rubbish idea it was to share a pudding.

As we leave, the joint is jumping with everyone from hip young couples on date night, to happy families with young kids, to groups of chattering pals enjoying snacks and drinks at the bar. Tinga is salsa for the soul, and next time we visit, we intend to toast that. n

“The pork pibil is sweet, fibrous and a beautiful deep red demonstrating it has been truly slowly cooked in annatto marinade” Dining details Tinga, 2-4 Salt Lane, Salisbury SP1 1DU; tel:01722 504416; www.tingasalisbury.com Opening hours Monday-Thursday 5pm-11pm, Friday-Saturday 12pm12am, Sunday 12pm-8.30pm We visited Monday evening Head chef Recep Sen Prices Starters £4.50-£5.95, mains £4.95-£14.95, desserts £5.75-£5.95 Vegetarian/Vegan lots of choice and a vegan cheese option Covers 60 Disabled access Limited Drinks list Beers, wines, champagne and soft drinks but it’s the signature cocktails that are the tipples to try Atmosphere Fun, funky and vibrant

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 47

Delicious Indian street food in relaxed surroundings Enjoy Rasheed and Dipender’s exciting menus along with Chef Kumar’s 25 years of experience. Ever-changing menus made with locally sourced ingredients and fine craft ales.

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FOOD & DRINK NEWS Lynne and Paul hope the Henderson’s shortbread will go a long way

EAT, MEAT AND GREET Ever wondered why you reach for certain foods when you’re feeling a certain way? Senior nutritionist Emma Williams will be visiting the Waitrose Salisbury on 9 April and 23 May to help explain why.

Emma says, “During the evening workshops, you’ll learn about the link between mood and food, and there will be Waitrose Cookery School chefs demonstrating the recipes related to each topic for you to taste.”

Waitrose buyer Andy Boulton, who is responsible for overseeing Waitrose & Partners pledge to only sell beef from British and Irish farms, will discuss on 26 April and 15 May why animal welfare is so important for the quality of meat. He says, “With the help of the Waitrose Cookery School chefs, guests will also learn how to cook the perfect rib eye steak with triplecooked chips, pepper sauce, bone marrow butter and roasted mushrooms. This will be followed by a sit-down meal to enjoy the steak dinner with perfectly matched wines, followed by dessert.”

The supermarket on Churchill Way West will also be hosting regular curry supper clubs, Moroccan classes, children’s workshops, and cocktail clubs.

For more: www.waitrose.com

STAR BAKER Henderson’s Artisan Bakery & Café have helped out with a local businesswoman’s quest to raise money for Stars Appeal. Paul Henderson of the Market Square bakery, made star-shaped, wild garlic and cheddar shortbread, with 50p of every sale going to the fundraising efforts of Lynne Rose, the marketing director of Personnel Placements who plans to trek the Great Wall of China next April.

Paul says, “On the first day we made just around 50 stars and had sold out by 3pm, so can’t make them fast enough. Response has been extremely positive and everyone really likes them. People are both eating them in the café and taking them home for later. I’m really pleased that they’ve been so well received.”

For more: www.hendersonsartisanbakery.com / www.personnel-placements.co.uk

SPRINGING BACK INTO ACTION

Learn how to make steak and chips the classic way

Enjoy an afternoon tea at Furzey Gardens

The tea rooms of Furzey Gardens have reopened in time for spring, where along with café food, light snacks and afternoon tea, visitors can enjoy the lake transformation that has taken place.

Hannah Viney, spokesperson for Minstead Trust’s Furzey Gardens which is a social enterprise supporting people with learning disabilities, explains, “Head gardener Pete White and a team of volunteers have ‘desilted’ the area surface introducing ‘beach areas’ which will allow visitors to head right down to the water’s edge. The construction of a jetty later in the year will provide guests with a new perspective of the woodland gardens.”

For more: www.minsteadtrust.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 49

advertising feature

Salt & Pepper Squid Pranee Laurillard, founder of GIGGLING SQUID shares her recipe for the signature salt and pepper squid

F

rom lunchtime tapas to delicious curries, salads, rice and noodles, Giggling Squid’s menu lends itself to the distinct sharing culture of Thailand. Salisbury guests are invited to experience its rich tapestry of freshly prepared dishes prepared on-site by a team of talented Thai chefs. A dedicated “little tapas for little people” menu is guaranteed to ensure smiles all round.

Owned by Thai-born Pranee Laurillard and her husband Andrew, Giggling Squid - the nickname of one of their three children - was founded in the basement of a tiny fisherman’s cottage, now the Brighton restaurant, where dreams of replicating a little taste of home became a reality. Pranee shows how you can bring Thai cuisine to your kitchen with this tasty recipe for salt and pepper squid.

Salt & Pepper Squid (serves 2)

Ingredients

Squid seasoning ½ tsp white pepper powder ½ tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tbsp chicken powder Mix together and sprinkle over the squid once fried to season it well Batter 100g self-raising flour 300ml water Pinch of salt Pinch of sugar 1 tsp vegetable oil Squid 500ml vegetable/groundnut oil (to come about 1cm up in a frying pan) 500g fresh squid, sliced or cut into rings (ask your fishmonger to prepare it for you) 2 tbsp self-raising flour 1 tbsp sliced red chilli (remove the seeds if you don’t like heat) 1 tbsp sliced spring onion Sriracha sauce

50 I SALISBURY life I www.mediaclash.co.uk

METHOD This is surprisingly easy to make. Just prep the squid seasoning first, and then the batter, before starting on your squid.

1 Place all the squid seasoning ingredients into a bowl and mix. Set to one side.

2 To create the batter, just mix the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Pour over the water and vegetable oil. Mix again and set aside.

3 Now to get started on your squid.

Put the oil in a frying pan over a high heat.

Cover the squid in the batter and then roll in the flour. When the oil is hot (not quite smoking but almost) carefully place in the hot oil and cook until golden, for approximately 3 mins.

4 Once cooked, place the battered squid into a mixing bowl lined with a paper towel and leave to sit for 1 min.

5 Add the squid seasoning, sliced red chilli and sliced spring onion. Toss together and serve. Enjoy with a glass of Riesling. Lovely. n

“From lunchtime tapas to delicious curries, salads, rice and noodles, Giggling Squid’s menu lends itself to the distinct sharing culture of Thailand.”

32 Market Place, Salisbury, SP1 1TL; 01722 341871 salisbury@gigglingsquid.com www.gigglingsquid.com

Need help at home?

We have Time For You. For help with personal care, housework, sitting and more call:

01722 774444 www.there4u.org.uk

For a French dining experience in the heart of Salisbury, look no further than Côte Brasserie.

Whether you’re looking for a leisurely breakfast, a casual dining experience or to celebrate a special occasion, our team look forward to welcoming you.

Alongside our A La Carte Menu, offering a number of classically French dishes including our rustic French Onion Soup and traditional Beef Bourguignon, are our Set Menus. Available Monday to Friday these are an affordable dining option, with new and seasonal dishes added every month.

from 12 noon to 11pm (and 7pm on Friday). Enjoy 2 courses for £15.95, or 3 courses for £18.95 and sample some of the highlight dishes of this menu, like mussels simmered in Breton cider with bacon lardons, crème fraîche and tarragon.

If you prefer to dine earlier in the day, enjoy our Lunch and Early Evening Menu from 12 noon to 7pm. With 2 courses for just £11.50, and 3 courses for £13.50 this menu offers fantastic value and is the perfect introduction to some of our most popular dishes, including our Crème Caramel.

This traditional set vanilla pod custard with dark caramel and cream makes for a perfect finish to your meal.

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend

For those that are looking to dine after work, or just a little later, our Prestige Set Menu is available

We’re open all Bank Holiday weekend this April serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. So, if you’re looking to enjoy a roasted seabass fillet on Good Friday or celebrate Easter Sunday with our rump of lamb special, join us at Côte Brasserie Salisbury.

Our breakfast menu will additionally be served until 1pm all weekend, giving you longer to savour a relaxed hot breakfast of your choice, served with a hot drink and juice for just £10.50. The best way to start your day.

8 ST THOMAS SQUARE, SALISBURY, SP1 1BA Book at www.cote.co.uk/salisbury or call 01722 335 164

businessinsights salisbury gets serious

Openreach engineer Nina Bussey will be helping to implement Salisbury's fast speed future

Quote of the issue

“bringing our members TO SALISBURY will enable them to develop new commercial opportunities” A major travel trade workshop is organised by VisitWiltshire.

Turn to page 54 for more

The Big Number

BIG BAND LEADER Salisbury to become the first UK city with access to full fibre broadband technology

S

alisbury is to become the first entire city in Britain to have ultra-fast broadband with a state-of-theart connection available to every home and business. Around 20,000 premises will be linked up

by April 2020 to 'full-fibre' lines that are capable of transferring huge

graphics files and downloading films in seconds.

Openreach, which is owned

by BT but independently run, is investing around £8million in hooking up the city to the new infrastructure, which, because fullfibre is not affected by the weather, the signal won't cut out or 'buffer' as happens now with the current copper lines.

Clive Selley, the CEO at Openreach, says, “Salisbury has

a unique and inspiring history – from its medieval sites to its thriving cultural sector, it’s an icon of our national heritage – and now we’re laying the foundations for an even more exciting future.

“The city will be a focal point of our ambition to futureproof the UK’s digital infrastructure and boost the country’s economic growth and productivity.

“This is the first location in the UK where we’re aiming to

30k

How much Salisbury City Council has awarded local projects in the last year. Page 54 for the full story

upgrade an entire city network in a single year, so it’s a hugely ambitious project. As a medieval city, Salisbury’s narrow streets won’t be the easiest for our engineers to access and work in, but we’re confident that it’s achievable thanks to the close partnership we’ve built with the council and the unrivalled experience and skill of our engineering teams.”

For more: www.openreach.co.uk

mediaclash.co.uk 115

NEWS STORIES Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing or important local business stories happening right now Tour operators enjoy a trip to Mompesson House

HELP IS GRANTED

Innovia is housed in Quench and supports social entrepreneurs

TRAVEL GUIDES VisitWiltshire in partnership with Salisbury businesses, England’s Great West Way and UKinbound, hosted a major Travel Trade workshop on 12 and 13 March to help grow domestic and international tourism in Salisbury.

15 tour operators specialising in a range of markets including, Europe, USA and the Far East attended the Discover Workshop, which consisted of 300 one-to-one business meetings to learn about local tourism products and services.

Delegates also visited Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, Salisbury Museum, Arundells,

Mompesson House, and the Rifles Wiltshire and Berkshire Museum.

Joss Croft, the CEO of UKinbound which is a trade association that represents the inbound tourism industry, said, “We were delighted to have hosted our first ever Discover Salisbury Workshop.

Salisbury has a rich and diverse tourism product and bringing our members here will enable them to develop new commercial opportunities and discover more about this fantastic city and the beautiful areas that surround it.”

For more: www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

Salisbury City Council has awarded over £30,000 to local projects over the last 12 months. The grants have helped the mental health group Wessex Mind, Quench – the interactive hub for young enterprise, and the provision of cookery courses for those on a low budget, the Anyone The Cook scheme.

Councillor Sven Hocking says, “It’s a privilege to be able to help so many community-led schemes. They offer tangible advantages to local residents and help get many initiatives off the ground that might struggle otherwise.”

For more: www.salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk

HIGH FIVE!

Team Vita are looking like winners!

54 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Once might be a fluke, three times could be seen as lucky, but five times winner of the Spa of the Year in the English Hair and Beauty Awards has to mean business.

Salisbury’s Vita Skin Spa won Spa of the Year on 17 March making it the fifth year in a row that they have been crowned winners. They also won highly commended for Beauty Team of the Year beating hundreds of England’s elite hair and beauty professionals at the ceremony held in Maidenhead, Kent.

Nikki Spicer, managing director of Vita Skin Spa, says, “It is great to bring this award back to Salisbury, and give our beautiful city recognition in a national awards.”

For more: www.vitaskinspa.co.uk

BUSINESS INSIGHTS The ambassadors gather to raise money for Alabaré

LEGAL Q&A Batt Broadbent’s family lawyer, LIN CUMBERLIN addresses the risks of a DIY divorce Do I need a solicitor to get a divorce?

Or can I just use an online company?

Strictly speaking you do not need a solicitor but a lot will depend on the circumstances of your particular case. Various online companies offer divorce solutions at ridiculously low costs. Of course their costs are ridiculously low for a reason. You’ll never meet the person, so how do you know they have the experience and knowledge to advise you about your particular situation?

What are the risks on making an application online?

Divorce applications can be made online but, unless you know what you are doing, can you be sure you are completing the forms correctly? Inserting the wrong date or misspelling an address can result in your petition being rejected and the possibility of additional costs/delays to rectify the mistake.

SPY MASTER More than £4,500 was raised by Salisbury-based charity Alabaré by their Wiltshire ambassadors during a fundraiser at St Francis’ Church, Salisbury on 13 March, wherre Major General Peter Williams talked about his illustrious career including his time as a military spy.

Commodore Richard Lord, chairman of the Alabaré Wiltshire Ambassadorssays, “We are also very grateful to the speakers Major Richard Rimmington, our High Sheriff Nicky Alberry, and very proud of the Salisbury Sea and RM Cadets who supported us.”

For more: www.alabare.co.uk

Won’t we still save a lot of money though using this route?

It’s not as simple as it might seem, and I find I am advising more and more people who tried to save money with a DIY divorce.

The most common issue is when a divorce is finalised before any financial agreement is reached, particularly when one or both ex-spouses then go on to remarry. They then fall into the ‘remarriage trap’ which effectively means that their right to make certain financial claims against their former spouse is lost.

What about when no financial provision exists, does this mean the remarriage trap doesn’t apply?

This can mean the claims which the former spouses had against each other are simply left open, creating a very unsatisfactory and uncertain situation with the possibility of one former spouse making a claim against the other at any time. Money and time can be saved by simply seeking some initial legal advice before instigating divorce proceedings and, more importantly, before obtaining your final decree.

For more: Batt Broadbent, 44 Castle Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 411141; www.battbroadbent.co.uk

These guys save lives

AIR CONTROL Wiltshire Air Ambulance has revealed it was called out to the Salisbury area once a week, on average, in 2018. As the total number of missions rose last year by 26 per cent, the charity, which relies totally on donations, also announced a rise in annual costs means it has to find just over £10,000 a day to keep its lifesaving service operational.

David Philpott, chief executive of Wiltshire Air Ambulance, says, “The call out figures for 2018 show there was an increased demand for our essential lifesaving service. When our helicopter is unable to fly, our critical care paramedics are available to respond to medical emergencies in Rapid Response Vehicles.

These vehicles have the same specialist medical equipment that is on-board our helicopter. We are only able to keep saving lives thanks to the generosity of the public and businesses who make donations.”

For more: www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 55

A local, family run business based in Rockbourne since 1995, offering green waste disposal and the sale of top quality accredited topsoil and compost.

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PEOPLE

MY DESK Spire FM has won numerous awards over the years, including Local Station of the Year a few times

Not a turntable or CD player in sight, everything is digital. I still get sent CDs in the post, but we have nothing to play them on

When you start work at 6am, you need a lot of tea to get through the morning

It’s radio, but we video most things these days for our social media

MARTIN STARKE Photos by JOHN ROSE

Spire FM’s £1k Minute which is ten general knowledge questions in 60 seconds, sounds easy enough doesn’t it?

I’m trying to reduce the amount of single use plastic I buy, and this reusable water bottle has been a revelation. I run quite a bit so try and drink as much water as possible

Calls from listeners play such an important role in all we do, from birthday shout outs to traffic news

M

artin Starke joined Spire FM in 2008 and has been presenting the radio station’s flagship breakfast show for seven years. In that time he has interviewed celebrities like Robbie Williams, Kelly Clarkson and Rita Ora, and recently broadcast the breakfast show live from Toronto, Canada. He has also been instrumental in setting up the Stars Appeal Treks to destinations such as the Inca Trail and the Great Wall of China. ■ For more: www.spirefm.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 57

© Roy Hunt

58 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

gardens

FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS Catherine Thomas advises on what flowers might put a spring in your garden this season

A Blue Amiable in striking mauve

pril is the peak month for fabulous spring bulbs. Before most trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants are in leaf these early bulbs open to the spring sunshine and announce that winter is over. The earliest daffodils have finished and the next tranche already opening, such as the coolly beautiful white, fragrant Narcissus Thalia which combines wonderfully with almost any other bulb. A brighter form is Jetfire – as fiery as its name and warming to the heart. Both are of moderate stature so they die back less obtrusively than the brash Mount Hood type.

Early grape hyacinths come in many surprising varieties, from the common Muscarii armeniacum, which some consider a weed although with its sea of deep blue, it is a wonderful complement to yellow daffodils, evoking sunshine and blue skies. There are pale blue shades through to pearly white and some characterful varieties with contrasting topknots. There is also a species native to Europe and the UK, called neglectum, which is darkest denim blue with white tips to the flowers. They remind me of little girls’ puffed sleeves. By contrast the elegant Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum, its confusing name meaning simply that it is dormant in summer, will grow in damp shady spaces and even in a bog garden where it can reach almost three feet high.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 59

gardens

However, the stars of the show have to be the tulips which will offer a parade of colours, scents, sizes and shapes throughout April and well into May. Let’s start with the diminutive species tulips which are not much changed since they were growing in the mountains of Turkey, southeast Europe, the steppes of Asia and North Africa. These origins give us a clue to their soil preferences which are mostly for very well drained gritty soil. This includes humilis, tarda, batalini and my favourite linifolia with brilliant shiny red tepals.

Some varieties are more tolerant of damp soil and shade than others, especially Tulipa sprengerii which is also a rare self-seeder. The inside of the flower is a startling scarlet whilst the outside of the tepals is a contrasting golden yellow. Sylvestris is a soft yellow, also naturalising and it has spread as far as Sweden.

Among the earliest into flower in spring are the Fosteriana group of tulips including Purissima which emerges in late March. It is happy in the shade but in the sun will open wide its perfect white flowers with golden centres like water lilies. Both the flowers and bulbs are relatively long-lived which brings me on to a problem with many tulip cultivars: many of these prima donnas have to be treated as annuals unless you have the time and enough patience to dig them up once the leaves have browned, then dry them in an airy dark shed and replant them in the autumn. I’m afraid I don’t have the time for this so many of my tulips are in pots which I set aside in a dry shady space to give them the summer dormancy they require.

One of the longest lasting tulip is Ballerina, a gorgeous orange lily flowered type which may also multiply. Other long-lived cultivars are the graceful White Triumphator, Spring Green with its fresh green and white colouring, and the almost blue Bleu Aimable which can ‘break’ after its first year resulting in striking purple, mauve and white streaked blooms.

Tulips can be layered in pots to give a long season of interest. Start with the late flowering Tulipa Perestroyka near the bottom, followed by Burgundy and finally early Princess Irene for blooms from early April to late May. I’ve found that potfuls of bulbs like this make good presents for friends with bleak January birthdays. The surprises unfold for the entire season.

For more: Catherine Thomas Garden Design, First Floor Studio, Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 229936; www.catherinethomas.co.uk

60 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

clockwise: Grape hyacinth; wild tulips in grass; Lovely orange and purple Princess Irene blooms early April to late May; Hyacinthus blossom in the garden

© Roy Hunt

“Potfuls of bulbs make good presents for friends”

Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away

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BRIGHT FUTURE

Elsie Chadwick explores an award-winning Salisbury home that will light up your life 62 I salisbury LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

H

omes can be cosy. They can be grand. They can be contemporary, elegant, all mod cons or agasaga style. Not many are awardwinning. Treetops has scooped a design award and is a small screen and magazine star to boot. The five-bedroom home has won a Salisbury Civic Society award, appeared on BBC1’s To Build or Not To Build, as well as featuring in industry design magazines, and in the Danish national press.

Although inspired by Scandinavian living, externally the overall appearance is designed to reflect the agricultural nature of the village of Stapleford, (which incidentally is also an award-winning village), and lies in the attractive Till Valley. The distinguished contemporary design takes its reference from both new and old agricultural buildings. A metal-clad cat-slide

roof and simple elevations echo modern farm buildings, while features such as local rubble stone reflect many traditional building techniques.

The lower levels of Treetops are of Chicksgrove stone with self-coloured smooth render above, and an aluminium roof. Undoubtedly a striking home whose good looks alone could win over most of us, but the real attraction of this home is the emphasis this modern build has on sustainability and the local environment.

It’s a home with beauty and brains.

Among its many impressive green credentials is its eco approach to energy efficiency. It has renewable energy sources with 14 electrovoltaic solar strips discreetly fitted printed onto the zinc roofing. An airsourced heat pump will give low carbon heating – with the bonus of air conditioning. High-level insulation in thick external walls and solar-controlled south-facing glazing make this a super-efficient contemporary design. The freestanding Diligence woodburner and underfloor heating in the kitchen and bathrooms provide supplementary heating, whilst in the summer fresh cooled air is pumped into the rooms. This high levels of insulation and this innovative heating system ensures a comfortable, and cost-effective, ambient temperature all year round.

Aesthetically, the room-to-breathe 5,000 sq ft property, is a masterpiece with a well-thought out

www.mediaclash.co.uk I salisbury LIFE I 63

PROPERTY

design to ensure a luxe-feel lifestyle with an open plan living and large bedrooms with en-suites over three floors.

Light pours in at every angle, drinking in those farreaching country views. The kitchen, with its granite work surfaces, marble sinks and Quooker taps is by the Danish kitchen designers, Svane, and fitted with top of the range Gagganeau conventional and steam ovens.

There is minimalist decoration and the whole home extensively uses natural solid ash wood for the floors, doors and stairs. Not only has it been intelligently planned inside, it also has seamless access to the outside, which includes large bi-fold doors leading onto a glass balustrade balcony from the sitting area on the first floor.

The doors form part of a dramatic south facing curtain wall, which overlooks adjoining land where horses graze.

The view is best enjoyed, however, from the floor above which has strategically placed armchairs on the landing overlooking the living area below. Add friends, family, drinks, and nibbles to suit.

Treetops occupies an exceptional location in Over Street, Stapleford, and with panoramas to enjoy both at the front and the back. There’s a double garage with electrically operated roller door and additional car bay. In the immediate surrounds, the two acres of grounds contain a vegetable patch, beech hedging, orchard, lawn, quadruple section log store, large paved terrace and extensive outside lighting, urn irrigation system, paved paths, a wisteria walk way, raised flowerbeds, and two garden sheds. Treetops is a green and pleasant home in so many ways, and will provide the new lucky owner with a lush and sunny future.

64 I salisbury LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

House numbers Electrovoltaic solar strips 14

Guide price

Bedrooms 5

For more: Woolley & Wallis Residential Sales, 51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 424524; www.w-w.co.uk

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2

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Lives

“When I was sixteen I wrote a Mills & Boon-style novel” obsessively as a child, it’s always been my favourite book.

When I was sixteen I wrote a Mills & Boon-style novel.

I wish that I’d kept it. I can still visualise the bright yellow notebook I wrote it in. I imagine it was appalling.

I worked on local London papers after university

CLARE EMPSON As a former journalist, Clare interviewed Barbara Cartland, and hassled celebrities at parties before she turned her skills to penning a novel...

Clare worked as a staff writer on national newspapers including The Sunday Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, covering everything from collapsing merchant banks to tea with the late Barbara Cartland (everything pink including the cakes).

Eight years ago, she moved to the West Country and founded an arts and lifestyle blog. The idyllic setting inspired her first novel, HIM, which reveals the darker side of a countryside idyll and is published by Orion. Clare lives on the Wiltshire/Dorset border with her husband and three children We live near Mere and Salisbury is our closest big town. My daughter also went to

school in Salisbury for five years.

I grew up in the countryside of Essex with two older sisters.

Catholicism loomed large in my childhood and I was educated by nuns from four to eighteen. I think I

lapsed around the minute I left school but those ties are strong.

Catholicism is indelibly printed on my senses, there’s no escape.

I’ve only ever wanted to be an author, which is why it still

shocks me that it took me until I was 50 to have a novel published.

It only heightens the pleasure though, the fact that the journey was long-winded and torturous at times.

I have a copy of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith which

was first published in 1949 and belonged to my mother. I read it

66 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

including shifts at the Evening Standard Londoner’s Diary – a horrific job where you went to parties every night and tried to interview celebrities who didn’t want to talk to you. I wasn’t very good at it, not least because I never knew who anyone was.

My husband John is a music festival promoter, and he

founded the Eden Sessions at Eden Project in Cornwall and works on various other festivals. Through him I have a love of music and it’s been an important feature in my novels.

We live in a crumbling 16th century farmhouse which

I love yoga and I’ve started running which is amazing.

I’m lucky enough to have an office in the Fonthill Estate and it’s almost absurdly beautiful which makes running at lunchtime (almost) a pleasure.

I used to regret every opportunity publishing wise I had passed over – agents who

had expressed interest in a manuscript but for some strange reason I decided to write another one instead. An agent who dropped me when I’d rewritten my novel before she put it out. Now I see that as part of the very long and twisty learning curve and I wouldn’t be without those experiences.

Recently I attended the Evensong at the Cathedral

and it was like stepping back in time by hundreds of years. The same goes for Stonehenge, it’s an amazing feeling being there. This year I’m going to haul myself out of bed and make the summer solstice sunrise on 21 June.

is literally in the middle of nowhere. As our three children grow older I’m glad our house isn’t modern and glamorous, I’m sure it’s had its fair share of pillaging and plundering over the years and can withstand any number of teenage parties.

The last play I really loved was Abigail’s Party at the Salisbury Playhouse.

There is nothing I like more than having all the family

My husband and I are obsessed with Anokaa, the

in the kitchen, ideally eating something my husband has cooked and perhaps watching a film afterwards. I also adore travelling with them. We’ve spent the last two Christmases in Thailand and Vietnam.

I really love exploring new places with the children.

Everything about it was truly brilliant – the acting, the set, the music and it made me determined to try and go to the Playhouse much more often.

amazing Indian restaurant on Fisherton Street. The food here is so inventive and original and absolutely delicious. I’m not usually much of a meat eater but their tandoori rack of lamb gets last meal status.n

For more: www.clareempson.com

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