Niche Magazine Issue 22

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September/October 2017

Torr Waterfield

accountants & business advisors

PLUS Care Fertility

Oakdale Dental

Function Jigsaw

ISSUE 22

#FindYourNiche FASHION | BUSINESS | HEALTH | FOOD | SPORTS

t. e. w.

0116 402 6222 salon@barriestephenhair.co.uk barriestephenhair.co.uk

SALONS ANSTEY The Nook LE7 7AZ

ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH Castlegate House LE65 2FH

LEICESTER King Street LE1 6RJ

NARBOROUGH Carlton Park LE19 0LF

t. e. w.

0116 402 6222 salon@b-styled.co.uk b-styled.co.uk

SALON LEICESTER 6B Hotel Street LE1 5AW

Part of the

Group

YOUR CHANCE TO FEEL DIVINE The hunt for the perfect evening gown is never an easy one, however a visit to Divine Boutique, based in the Leicester lanes, near the cathedral, has a vast collection of stunning gowns which is the answer to our fashion prayers.

The gorgeous, sumptuous boutique, complete with elegant chandeliers and contemporary design, has a truly welcoming feel. Experienced owners Rosie and Zoe, have an eye for beautiful evening gowns and have been providing women with their ‘Cinderella moment’ for almost 20 years. The newly relocated, two-storey location has six fitting rooms and hosts a vast collection of beautiful gowns from International designers such as Jovani, Mori Lee and Alyce Paris, all of which are unavailable on the high street. The Divine abode and their friendly staff make the whole shopping experience a delight; with their help, you will find a dress for that special occasion whether for a prom, black tie event, party or wedding.

Finding a dress that fits perfectly, first time, is of course tricky and so the boutique’s skilled tailors will alter your dream dress to ensure it fits like a glove accentuating your figure perfectly, this is all part of the service and with gowns for sizes 4-24 there is something to ensure that every woman can enjoy the feeling of slipping into a remarkable gown for that special occasion.

The boutique is also home to the largest selection of bridesmaids’ dresses in Leicester including a range of International designer brands such as Kelsey Rose, Watters Wtoo and Eliza and Ethan. The stunning appointment-only space is a wonderfully romantic setting from which to try on dresses all together, making the shopping experience a fun and memorable one.

A VISIT INTO THIS EXCLUSIVE FASHION BOUTIQUE WILL ENSURE YOU LEAVE FEELING EVERY INCH THE BELLE OF THE BALL! Calling ahead to make appointments is advisable to avoid disappointment. So get in touch with Divine Boutique.

0116 251 6924 WWW.DIVINELADIESWEAR.CO.UK 44 SILVER STREET I CITY CENTRE LEICESTER I LE1 5ET DivineBoutique divineboutique_leicester

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September/October 2017

Cover:

The front cover Torr Waterfield accountants & business advisors It’s all in the detail features Torr Waterfield #FindYourNiche Established Leicestershire accountants and business advisors.

It’s all in the detail PLUS Care Fertility

Oakdale Dental

The Team

Function Jigsaw

ISSUE 22

FASHION | BUSINESS | HEALTH | FOOD | SPORTS

Photography courtesy of: Joe Whitmore 07887 812 321 jwhitmorephoto.co.uk

Managing Director Jenny Cross 07815 899 574

Andy Ward 07540 722 628 brill-creative.com Scott Choucino 07843 091 419 scottchoucino.com Official Media Sponsors of the Leicester Riders

jenny@crossproductions.co.uk

Also Sponsoring Robbie’s Rugby Festival Leicester Law Society Awards Menphys Rainbows Dorothy Goodman Academy

Operations Director Leanne Baker 0116 271 2573

Sales Director Sally Smith 07931 220 116

leanne@crossproductions.co.uk

sally@crossproductions.co.uk

Published by Cross Productions Ltd Nichemagazine.co.uk info@crossproductions.co.uk Tel: 0116 271 2573 Disclaimer – Niche Magazine and Cross Productions Ltd are fully protected by copyright; no part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without the complete and expressed permission of the publisher.

The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, however there can be no liability accepted by the publisher for errors and omissions. We can under no circumstance be held responsible for any materials, matter or photographical copy submitted for publication or not within the website or magazine. We cannot be held responsible or liable for any breaches of copyright from adverts, materials or photography or any other such material supplied by a third party. The views and opinions expressed within our publications are not necessarily those of the publisher or indeed Niche Magazine or any featured parties.

Distribution Media Matters Direct Mediamattersdirect.co.uk Self Select Distribution Selfselectdistribution.co.uk Social facebook.com/nichemagazineuk Twitter: @magazineniche

Design Editor Susan Holmes 0116 271 2573

Senior Journalist Kerry Smith 0116 271 2573

susan.holmes@crossproductions.co.uk

kerry@crossproductions.co.uk

Journalist Emily Kirton 0116 271 2573 emily.kirton@crossproductions.co.uk

Contributors The Miller Partnership, Glynis Wright, Torr Waterfield, Leicester Racecourse, Beau Aesthetica, Leicester Riders, St Martins House, Dimblebee Catering Company, Soar Valley Press, MNE Accounting, Abbots Oak, Barrie Stephen Hair, EAS Windows, Georgie Steeples.

NICHE | 03

For help with event management / advertising / marketing management / social media / seo contract publishing / photography / creative direction / business development

#GetCross

0116 271 2573 Crossproductions.co.uk

A Word from the Editor

Welcome to the autumn issue of Niche. What an exciting time of year! There is so much happening across the city from the Niche Business Awards to the Leicester Comedy Festival which I seem to have somehow managed to get roped into taking part in the Stand Up Challenge. The team think the funniest thing is the fact that I have agreed to it in the first place!

Talking business, there is a lot of excitement around the Leicester Business Festival which is being chaired by Alister De Ternant of Associate Events which means the two week celebration of the business world in Leicestershire will be a slick schedule of great events across the city educating and interacting across all sector of business.

With Leicester Racecourse Ladies Day breaking last year’s record numbers this summer with more than 13,001 attendees and 3000 empty bottles of Prosecco! You might be pleased to know Leicester Racecourse have set the standard for their annual Festive Race Day, which will be 28th December with Re-Take That tribute band.

As I write this letter I have a whole pile of great Christmas gifts piled high on the desk next to me ready for us to check out and feature in the next issue of Niche. On the Christmas theme, we have our team all out at the Hope Against Caner mistletoe ball on the 8th December so if you fancy celebrating in style and making a difference at the same time, I am sure they will find room to squeeze you in!

In time for all those festive celebrations we have been busy working on the branding for Vixen Taxis; a female-only taxi firm that’s set to go live in October. Co-founded by myself and David Hunter of ADT, we will be ferrying women across the city keeping them safe and providing each car with those female essentials. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the smart new cars!

#FindYourNiche NICHE | 05

Contents September / October

08

Fashion

08 Fashion with Georgie Steeples

12

Health & Beauty

12 Beau Aesthetica

26

Wedding

26 St Martins House

14 Care Fertility 19 MediSkin Care

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Food & Drink

38

Property

52

Business

30 Leicester’s top Restaurants

38 Navas 42 Fothergill Wyatt

56 Abbots Oak 63 Finance Lab

32 Gin Bar

47 Chrysalis Interiors

77 Daly’s

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Sport

92 Leicester Racecourse 06 | NICHE

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Motoring

102 Motoring Advice

106 Out & About

118 Vicarage Farm

58 COVER STORY

Torr Waterfield

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The Smiling Dentist

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88

Function Jigsaw

108 Capacity

ADT Taxis and Hope

NICHE | 07

The

Fashion

New season picks from Personal Stylist, Georgie Steeples

Edit

The Shirt Dress For understated chic 9-5 dressing, pair with classic heels or add sock boots for cocktail hour.

Zara dress - £39.99 Zara boots - £49.99 Jimmy Choo heels - £425

Statement Earrings Standout, statement earrings continue to be the accessory to transform any outfit.

Mango statement earrings Black - £12.99 H & M Statement Earrings Red - £8.99

The Slogan Top Wear what you think. Go bold or keep it simple on a classic knit.

Topshop Tee - £12 Bella Freud sweater - £280

The Beauty Edit Expert advice from Make-up Artist, Georgie Steeples.

Skincare saviours for smooth, radiant skin.

Sheet masks have become really popular of late for a hydration boost. The Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Mask is a firm favourite for its skin plumping properties.

Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Powerfoil Mask – Estee Lauder £16

The Bag The bracelet bag has been the must-have bag for the season.

Mango bag (top) - £29.99 Chloe bag - £1055

Protect and nourish dry lips with this popular lip oil. It adds glossiness without any sticky residue.

Instant Light Comfort Lip Oil Mint Clarins £19

Using a cleanser and cloth daily will make a big difference to how your skin looks and feels. This Emma Hardie cleansing balm removes all traces of make-up whilst leaving skin clean, smooth and glowing.

Amazing Face Cleansing Moringa Emma Hardie £39 Maintain your summer glow with lightly tinted skincare. This serum has the benefits of skincare with the advantage of giving a glow to your skin.

Cellularose Brightening CC Serum in Sunny Flash –

By Terry £61

The Wardrobe Staple Leather leggings are a versatile addition to any wardrobe. Perfectly paired with woolly jumpers in the cooler months.

Joseph leather leggings (left) - £725 Reiss leather leggings (right) - £350

If open pores are causing you issues then look no further than this treatment mask. It soaks up excess oil and reduces the appearance of pores.

Clear improvement mask – Origins £25 Follow Georgie on Instagram: @georgiesteeples

This autumn’s

top picks We are in love with our latest independent designer find!

The Juno Chelsea Stone Grab Bag with flower charm is cute and practical, with a zip top fastening, and internal zip and slip pockets. The soft leather-look, firm standing, gold finished tote is the perfect statement piece for the summer and autumn months with a choice of grab handles or a cross body strap. £55

Juno Isabelle Rose Large Structured Bag £59

Juno Hollie Grey Soft Shoulder Bag £49

Juno Camilla Mocha Croc Print Cross Body Bag £45

Juno Erin Black Studded Shoulder Bag £45

Juno Marley Camel Grab Bag £59

junoaccessories.co.uk Quote NICHE at checkout and get FREE DELIVERY

Juno Halle Black Soft Studded Tote Bag £59

@ CHRISTOPHER EST. SCOTNEY 1972 The Designer Menswear Store

Christopher Scotney: The Designer Menswear Store

130 London Road, Leicester LE2 1EB I 0116 254 3957 I www.christopherscotney.co.uk Free carpark and alteration tailor in-store.

Health & Beauty

Get set for

Autumn A leading spa and clinic in Leicestershire introduces microblading and a global leading brand new anti-ageing machine

Beau Aesthetica of Stoneygate, Leicester have been bringing the very latest in beauty procedures in their relaxing and welcoming space for many years now. Have built a reputation based on providing treatments to enhance the lives of their clients in every way, whether that is through the very latest in cosmetic procedures or simply a great eye brow tidy!

After enjoying many years in Allandale Road, Company Director Am said: “From the very beginning I wanted to create a place in which people felt comfortable to visit and we have definitely achieved this. Our clients enjoy make overs every day from microblading for their brows to antiageing treatments.”

Microblading involved applying each hair stroke meticulously using a hand-held tool. This takes around 90 minutes - as you can never rush brows! Beau’s handiwork with brows look realistic with their experienced techniques. Am says a lot of people describe microblading as painful, but really, a lot of clients report that there is little to no pain involved. The pigment is placed under the layers of skin making it a kind of cosmetic tattoo with a colour boost needed 12-18 months later. As with any great makeup artist, Am says the colour must be matched with the clients skin and hair tone and applied with symmetry and precision. So do your research before you go to just anyone who has a microblading device.

A destination for a wide variety of clients, Beau have a host of treatments and procedures up their sleeve and with Am’s passion for finding the very latest training and technology in the industry, Leicestershire’s public can be sure they are receiving the most advanced anti-ageing techniques available on a global playing field. “Our small team of therapists and specialists are very experienced and we are always undergoing training in the latest procedures and technologies.

Consultation is of the utmost of importance to us. With each procedure or treatment we discuss the ins and outs to ensure that it is absolutely right for the individual and only going to have positive effects on their lives.

Our small team of therapists and specialists are very experienced and we are always undergoing training in the latest procedures and technologies.

I love exploring the latest machinery and procedures, in fact it’s a slight addiction of mine!” Am laughed.

This obsession has led Am to bring the very latest machinery from Crystal Clear. The new COMCIT model is one of the most intensive skin rejuvenation systems on the market. The very latest in a rich history of award winning and industry pioneering Skincare Treatment systems from Crystal Clear, and two years in development, COMCIT delivers cutting edge and revolutionary treatment solutions that actually work. A revolutionary new delivery system with five simultaneous independent treatments: MDA, Cryo-Oxygen, Microchanneling Roller, Cellular Active Product Infusion and Puncture Jet Oxygen, the latest model creates an unbeatable anti-ageing treatment.

“Crystal Clear is a world leader in anti-ageing facials and when I saw the latest machinery and the results it gave I had to bring it to our clinic! It’s remarkable and produces noticeable results from the very first session,” Am explained.

Their repertoire of specialist treatments and procedures includes HD Brows, Semi-Permanent Makeup, Colon Hydrotherapy Radio Frequency, CACI and Dermaroller facial treatments, Enzyme facials and cosmetic fillers to name a few. With their expertise you can ensure you give ageing a scare with the very latest in global beauty treatments right here in Leicester at Beau Aesthetica fresh look clinic.

0116 270 9141 beauaesthetica.com NICHE | 13

What to expect

when you’re not expecting It’s been almost 40 years since the first IVF baby was born – we find out from Medical Director Ian Scudamore at CARE Fertility Leicester why conceiving can be difficult

What happens during IVF? ◆ The woman’s natural menstrual cycle is suppressed with medication ◆ We need the ovaries to produce more than the usual one egg – injections help to increase egg numbers ◆ Patients are monitored closely with ultrasound and blood tests to check the development of the eggs and to help them mature ◆ When the time is right, the eggs are collected with a simple internal procedure ◆ The eggs are then mixed with sperm in the lab so that fertilisation can take place ◆ When the embryos have reached the optimal stage, they are placed in the womb ◆ A pregnancy test is taken around 16 days later. When you are ready to take the next step get in touch.

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ne in six couples will need help to have a baby, which is quite a lot of people. We probably all know someone who has had IVF, or was even conceived with IVF! Since the first IVF baby was born nearly 40 years ago 6.5 million babies have been created this way. With so much information readily available, we should know everything there is to know about it – shouldn’t we?

The truth is many people aren’t that clued up about their fertility; what should be happening when things go right and more importantly, what might not happen when things go wrong. I would expect that a healthy young couple would achieve a pregnancy within a year but sometimes that much-wanted baby can take longer than planned.

There are many reasons why people have difficulty conceiving.

As women delay having a family, egg quality declines with age and the chances of chromosomal abnormalities are higher which may lead to miscarriage. CARE Fertility often see men who have low sperm counts or abnormal sperm which is why it’s important to thoroughly

investigate both partners.

It’s not unusual for both the man and the woman to have issues that contribute to their difficulty conceiving.

If you have been trying for a family for a year without success, see your GP. If you are aged over 36 you might want to move forward earlier than that. Basic blood tests and semen assessments can be arranged but while this is happening, there is lots you can do to improve your chances of having a family. If you need further help, it is important that you have a detailed assessment by an experienced consultant with expertise in fertility problems.

They should be able to advise you whether treatment is necessary and which treatment would be most effective – sometimes IVF is the most appropriate next step.

If you need help, CARE Fertility have a wealth of experience and great success rates – you’re in good hands. carefertility.com Leicester 0116 274 3749 Nottingham 0115 852 8100

We understand

family

Positive steps to conception Trying to become pregnant?

Stop smoking. Cigarettes are full of toxins which are harmful to your general health and affect sperm and egg quality.

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on sperm production, and is linked to miscarriage. Cannabis is known to impact on sperm counts. If you are using any of these types of drugs – stop!

Being over or under weight can affect menstruation as well as sperm health. The right nutrients are vital to egg health and sperm quality so a good diet is a great way not only to get fitter

but to ensure your body has all the ingredients it needs to support conception. If your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30, try to lose weight not only for conceiving but to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

The chance of miscarriage and diabetes are increased if you are overweight and if you are suffering from a condition like polycystic ovaries it can be more difficult to control weight gain.

Be good to yourself! Trying to conceive naturally or with the help of IVF can trigger stress and anxiety. Taking regular

exercise is proven to reduce stress levels. Take time to relax and do things you enjoy. Having nice things to look forward to can help keep your life in balance and in perspective.

CARE Fertility’s specialist counsellors are on hand before, during and after treatment. There is no fee and appointments can be booked through reception.

Many patients say they found counselling beneficial. With less NHS funded IVF available, we have partnered with Access Fertility who offer special funding packages for IVF treatment.

NICHE | 15

Those in Health & Beauty have their say

Hair care for summer’s end

My favourite weapon for anti-ageing

As another summer draws to an end, your hair might be in need of some TLC. Our fantastic range of Wella System Professional treatments offers a perfect solution. If you’re pushed for time, treat yourself to a quickie at the backwash, or relax with an intense 30 minute treatment sure to make you feel a million dollars.

The COMCIT anti-ageing facial machine is the very latest and best facial rejuvenation machine on the market. I am hooked and so is everyone who has come into contact with it so far.

Choose from: Energy blow dry Express finishing treatment for extra strength and elasticity. Ideal for a lasting, bouncy blow dry. We shampoo, condition, apply Wella’s Elastic Force Mist, rinse and off you go.

Molecular hair refilling Instantly reconstructs the hair’s fibre and strengthens for up to five washes.

Provides a long-lasting, deep restructuring effect for fragile hair.

We shampoo and refilling liquid is combed through the hair. Heat is applied while you relax and hair is then rinsed for 20 seconds.

Essential An immediate effect from this two-step treatment which includes the unique System Professional Shampoo Relax Massage. The added application of an intense Emulsion conditioner will leave your hair feeling renewed.

Intense A Professional Intense Massage ensures the ingredients penetrate deeply, whilst stimulating the scalp and relaxing daily tensions. Next, a unique infusion is applied; the secret behind our personalised intense treatment. Finally, we apply a mask or emulsion to complete a treatment totally tailored to your needs. Amanda Fall 0116 255 3573 khhair-leicester.co.uk 16 | NICHE

Here are my top three reasons why it’s the best…

1. It’s no secret that I love my technology when it comes to skin care and this new addition boasts the very latest techniques and advancements. From the award-winning industry pioneers at Crystal Clear, it took two years to develop and uses cutting edge technology.

2. The celebs love it! I know, there is more to life than lusting after celebrity skin, but when celebs like Katie Price start heralding an anti-ageing skin treatment, you know it’s good!

3. It gets real results – fast! You can see younger, dewier and plumper skin from the very first treatment and this is a rare and lovely thing indeed! After all, who doesn’t want results immediately? A few treatments will provide optimum results, but clients are already reporting better skin from the get go.

For glowy, plumped and younger looking skin the COMCIT is where it’s at – and I should know.

Seeking out the very latest and best in anti-ageing skin treatments is top of my hobby list! Am Vadhesha

0116 270 9141 beauaesthetica.com

It’s easy as ABC If I could turn back time Arbonne’s ABC Baby skincare range would have been my only choice for my two baby girls. Back then I was unaware of the chemicals present in most high street products.

Arbonne’s pure and simple baby care formulas use the most mild, soothing ingredients from nature. Dermatologist, allergy and paediatrician tested formulas, scented with a calming natural essential oil blend of cottonseed, hibiscus and sandalwood, they provide 24 hour moisture loss prevention (without mineral oils or petroleum derived ingredients) so are in fact suitable for anyone with sensitive skin.

The hair and body wash is tearfree 2 in 1, ophthalmologist-tested with naturally derived ingredients; the head to toe cleanser is soothing and mild. The Moisturiser is a soothing blend with natural emollients including Vit E. The Nappy Rash Cream is soothing and protective and provides that essential protective barrier to the skin’s surface. Sunscreen is typically laden with nasties but Arbonne ABC water-resistant sunscreen is natural with minerals, vitamins and soothing botanicals, and moisturises the skin. And most importantly, if you love your animals as much as we do, they’re vegan and gluten free.

Whilst I can’t turn back time you can give your baby’s skin the very best start with this range (we wash our dogs Hunnie and Izzie in the baby wash too!)

Bev Sankey 07812 156 540 Bevsankey@gmail.com

WIN WIN WIN A full cut and restyle plus a full set of eyelash extensions Indy Hair has teamed with NY Beauti to offer one lucky reader of Niche a bumper beauty prize. A full cut and restyle, with salon professional products plus a full set of eyelash extensions is up for grabs by the winner of our exclusive prize draw.

All you need to do to be entered into the draw is to email your name and phone number to competitions@nichemagazine.co.uk by 30th September, winner to be announced the following week. Prize is non-transferable and has no cash alternative, terms and conditions apply. Prize must be claimed within 6 months of draw date.

AMELIA NOUR A little bit of London in A finalist in two categories of the Niche Business Awards, Meesha is thrilled having only just reached her store’s first anniversary

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eesha Kanadia has made it through to the finals of the Independent Retailer of the Year and Young Entrepreneur categories. Amelia Nour in Francis Street opened last year after the now 25-year-old decided Leicester needed a place for health and lifestyle advice, and high-end, cruelty-free products (which can usually only be found in London) all under one roof. She commented: “The nominations mean a lot in themselves. I’ve tried to bring a little bit of London to Leicester and it’s great to get recognition for that.”

Leicester

Amelia Nour is now a source of reliability for repeat customers when it comes to health and beauty concerns. Meesha has partnered with Wild Nutrition, which allows her to talk to experts about her customer’s worries. It’s also down to Meesha’s ability to build strong relationships that has meant the people of Leicester get to experience masterclasses lead by experts famous in their industry such as Anita Kaushal from Mauli Rituals, London. She is currently in the process of organising yoga

Oskia Renaissance Face Mask £49.50 Bodyism Ultimate Clean £44.95

classes run by Chris James who usually only works with high profile clients.

“Amelia Nour is so much more than just products. I’m here to genuinely help people. The masterclasses are all about being educational and giving customers the chance to have a one to one skin care consultation,” Meesha said.

0116 244 8484 amelianour.co.uk

Cocolux Island Fig Cassis & Peach £56 Prismologie Bath Oil £43

Sachajuan Hair Perfume £40

Those in Health & Beauty have their say

Smile secrets

Winter-ready skin

A/W 17 Trends

People are becoming increasingly conscious about their smile but what actually makes a nice smile? Here are some elements that can make a smile or break a smile.

Set your skin up for winter with a great moisturising routine. Choose a cream cleanser, which will gently lift impurities and remove makeup without stripping the skin of its natural oils. Then apply an antioxidant-rich, hydrating serum to lock in moisture and protect skin from the vagaries of harsh weather and central heating.

And just like that, summer is gone! I hope you had a wonderful one. At Barrie Stephen Hair and BStyled, we’re super excited for the autumn and winter hair trends.

The eyes pick up on symmetrical imbalances. The two front teeth are critical for symmetry. This is why dentists will provide pairs of veneers as it’s easy to distinguish subtle differences against a natural tooth. The alignment of the front two teeth must also be midline of the face.

However, a famous contradiction of this is Tom Cruise’s smile as it is off-centre yet people always talk about how great his smile is.

The ‘golden proportion’ is seen in nature all the time. For example, A4 sized paper has a height to width ratio that is of golden proportion. The size of the teeth should be relative to each other in this way.

To achieve deeper hydration, skin boosting hydration injections can often be used. Skin Booster is a brand new approach to nourishing your skin, especially designed to deliver deep-skin hydration. This means increasing hydration levels within the skin to deliver lasting moisturisation and improvements on the skin’s surface, creating a fresh and natural look.

Clients opt to change their hair colour when the seasons transition, typically going darker in the colder months and lighter in the warmer months.

However, with the rise of bonding technology in hair products allowing us to be more creative with colour, clients are pushing the boundaries.

For slightly more daring clients, we’re loving ‘salmon’ hair. It’s the next wave of colour trends emerging for summer/autumn transition period. It moves on from the ‘blorange’ colour craze where blonde and orange are mixed together and plays more on orange and subtle notes of pink to create a coral hue. For anyone who loves pastels and brights, this is a fun and unique option for autumn!

A smile can be too high, low, far out and far in in the mouth creating a ‘gummy’, sunken or ‘goofy’ smile. These can be altered with orthodontics or ‘provisional’ teeth.

The treatment involves hydrating microinjections of a soft, gel-like substance called Hyaluronic Acid (HA) into the skin, which improves the skin’s firmness, elasticity and radiance. Water-loving HA is found naturally in the body where it maintains hydration in the skin.

As we age, the quality of our HA diminishes over time. Now you can replenish and maintain natural hydration levels from within as the stabilised HA in Skinboosters.

Crowded teeth happen when the teeth take up more space than available. The upper and lower teeth are arranged in a horseshoe shape; sometimes this arch isn’t big enough, which can result in twisting or muddling of the teeth. Braces can usually fix this.

Dr Alif Moosajee

Skinboosters can be used to treat a range of areas including the face, neck, décolletage and hands.

They are most commonly used on the lower face, and are a perfect treatment for smoker’s lines.

Skinboosters work to improve skin texture and hydration around the mouth, chin, and lower cheek.

Dr Gunjan Bedi

Like our skin, our hair can suffer a little and become dry and damaged at this time. To celebrate our collaboration with the Sunset Boulevard production at Curve theatre, BStyled are offering you the ultimate 1950s Hollywood glamour pamper package for just £29, to ease you into autumn and keep you feeling gorgeous! Enjoy an exclusive Sunset cocktail whilst getting a luxurious blow-dry and gelish nail service. Head to BStyled for a special pamper - your hair will thank you for it! Barrie Stephen

0116 26 27 150 oakdaledental.co.uk

01530 249 552/ 07952 888 456 mediskincare.co.uk

0116 402 6222 barriestephenhair.co.uk

18 | NICHE

Health & Beauty

Before and after treatment IPL

PRP

Fighting

sun damage

what the experts say Your skin has been damaged this summer whether you’re aware of it or not

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hile there are lots of products out there to protect us from damage by the sun, those pesky UVA and UVB rays still have their opportunity to get through to us when we don’t apply sun creams often enough, too sparingly, or not at all. This causes often invisible destruction of our cells and all sorts of long-term cosmetic despair (not to mention serious medical problems).

What’s more worrying is that MediSkin Care’s Dr Sumit Virmani told us reflective sunlight can catch us out even when we’re indoors.

Luckily, non-invasive treatments have come on leaps and bounds and Dr Virmani and his wife Dr Gunjan Bedi are experts in these.

Both are GPs and Dr Bedi has a high standing, being called upon to speak at the UK’s premier aesthetic FACE exhibition. They recommend

three top treatments to rescue our skin based on the patients they see.

CONCERN: age spots, spider veins, freckles, and skin irregularities

CONCERN: dark circles, texture and tone, stretch marks, acne scars, wrinkles, scars and hair loss

Find more information on these treatment’s on MediSkin Care’s website.

01530 249 552 07952 888 456 mediskincare.co.uk

Treatments CONCERN: sagging and texture irregularities to the face and/or body TREATMENT: FORMA (Collagen Wave Therapy) HOW IT WORKS: using radiofrequency energy, the deep layers of the skin are contracted and the formation of new collagen is stimulated, improving elasticity and reversing the effects of sun damage. Pain-free with no downtime.

RESULTS: after initial slight redness lasting up to three hours, patients have reported that skin feels smoother and more defined with a reduction in wrinkles, and improved tone and texture.

SESSIONS REQUIRED: weekly sessions are recommended over a six-week period.

TREATMENT: IPL / Lumecca (Intense Pulsed Light) HOW IT WORKS: using photothermolysis, PRP is the most powerful intense pulsed light (IPL). The device recognises skin pigmentation and destroys the cells causing irregularities in a comfortable manner.

RESULTS: over the next 24-48 hours targeted areas darken.

Around one week later, the pigmented lesions flake away improving tone and complexion.

SESSIONS REQUIRED: results will be most visible after 1-2 weeks.

Multiple photofacial treatments will improve the final result.

TREATMENT: PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) HOW IT WORKS: a small sample of blood is taken, which then goes through a process to separate platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from the blood. Once injected to the desired area, regenerative molecules/growth factors are released, leading to the formation of collagen and elastin.

RESULTS: slight redness, bruising and swelling may occur up to two days post-treatment. Visible results from between 2-12 weeks depending on general health and skin type.

SESSIONS REQUIRED: three treatments 3-8 weeks apart.

Maintenance treatments are recommended every 6-12 months.

NICHE | 19

A smile makeover can be life changing

The dentist you’ll walk away from smiling Famous in the world of dentistry, we speak to Dr Alif Moosajee on how he changed his patients’ perception of the dentist

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akdale Dental Principal Dentist Dr Alif Moosajee, named Best Young Dentist UK 2016, says that globally speaking, there are two types of dentistry; fundamental (like treating tooth decay and gum disease) and elective (tooth whitening, veneers and cosmetic braces) and that he has processes in place to put both types of patient at ease.

“I don’t want any of this nonsense where people come in and they’re not acknowledged or leave feeling unhappy or upset by anything. At my practice I want my patients to feel like they have concierge style service,” he explained.

Although a fear of the dentist may be a rational reaction to what we might face in the chair, Dr Moosajee made some changes to Oakdale Dental when he took over in 2014 in an attempt to eliminate feelings of anxiety for patients.

With five dentists, a therapist, a clinical dental technician and eleven staff the practice was able

to offer its patients so much more with top of the range treatments such as dental implants, Invisalign and teeth whitening.

“There has certainly been a shift towards patients requesting more treatment. Patients obviously need to have tooth decay removed, and their teeth cleaned, but we now have so many more patients electing to have work done because they want to improve their smile in some way.

“No one hugs you and cries because you’ve done a nice metal filling. A smile makeover can be life changing. It’s a rewarding thing to be able to do.” Which is exactly what patient Leanne Baker is excited to pursue.

After a consultation with Dr Moosajee concerning a front tooth that appeared longer than the other, Leanne said: “I can’t believe the excitement I felt when I left.

I thought my only option was to have my other front tooth extended to match and never thought that

braces would be for me. I learnt so much just from one consultation.”

Dr Moosajee had recommended Invisalign braces; a series of clear, removable braces that are practically invisible. He said: “There’s an element of education that needs to happen so that we both end up on the same page.”

Believing that dentists have a responsibility to educate their patients and their peers, the practice owner wrote the eyeopening book ‘The Smiling Dentist’ 2014, which is acknowledged by the Queen and Prime Minister with all proceeds donated to the dental charity Bridge2Aid. It’s safe to say that even with a rational fear-based reaction to the thought of the dentist, Oakdale’s patients are some of the most relaxed you’ll find.

0116 262 7150 oakdaledental.co.uk

NICHE | 21

BEAUTY & HOLISTIC

Brows on point Are your eyebrows on point? If they’re not, why not?

BEFORE

E

nchanted Angels of Oadby, Leicester is offering you perfect brows, a treatment which is revolutionising the beauty industry and changing the shape of brows and brow treatments worldwide – literally.

The concept, which works by introducing a semi-permanent tattoo to the skin, is applied using small precise strokes which gently ‘scratch’ the skin - they leave colour matched pigment to replicate tiny, accurate, shaped ‘hair like’ tattoos.

The procedure creates perfect looking, filled in, natural looking brows freeing you from endlessly having to retouch your brows. The result is a finished look at all times, saving you time and effort.

Niche’s very own Leanne Baker opted for the treatment just recently and her brows have been the envy of the office ever since.

AFTER Here’s her own account of how it all went down…

“I don’t particularly dislike my natural brows, I just wanted a more polished look to them without putting in the effort every day with applying make-up. I met with Goldy at Enchanted Angels and knew my brows were in good hands from the start.

“Drawing a ‘map’ of measurements around my brows using careful measuring techniques, she created a pencilled in version of what my brows would look like. Once we were happy with the shape she then anesthetised the brow and got to work with the tattooing.

I wouldn’t say it was a painful process, uncomfortable is more accurate. She was very meticulous and the procedure took nearly three hours to complete.

AFTER TOP-UP “When I first looked in the mirror I was amazed and truly thrilled at how much of a difference my perfect brows made to my face! She gave me some ointment to use and instructions to keep them dry and not scratch them during the healing process and off I went into the world with my brows on point! The healing process was easy and after six weeks I went in for my included top up, when any extra strokes are applied and the look is perfected.

I couldn’t be happier and would highly recommend it to anyone!”

Contact Enchanted Angels to perfect your look, save you hours of make-up application and get the brows your face deserves!

0116 319 4952 facebook.com/enchanted-angels

Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital...

...is one of the leading private healthcare providers in Leicestershire offering patients a unique approach to their health and wellbeing. As a not-for-profit charity organisation, Nuffield Health is also unique in the health sector having neither shareholders nor investors; with any surplus funds reinvested into improving the facilities and services we provide.

Since 1957, Nuffield Health has been setting the standard in the private health care sector. We have a unique approach to improving health within the UK, putting the quality of care and patient satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. Recently rated “Overall Good” in our 2017 CQC (care quality commission) inspection and with an “Outstanding” in caring for children and young people our CQC ratings speak for themselves.

Hospital Director, Tim Shewbridge said “Not only have we been awarded Private Hospital Group of the year at the 2017 Health Investor Awards. We have also been serving the community with first class private health care for more than 40 years and are proud to boast a modern state-of-the-art hospital, with over 200 consultants covering all specialities. Nuffield Health has the view that health and fitness are intimately interrelated. Therefore, it makes sense to approach the two seamlessly within an integrated setting that is also connected to our hospital and health care system.” The result is a pioneering brand-new approach to health.

With zero waiting lists Matron Led Care and no limit to your aftercare*, you can skip the wait and get the private hospital treatment you need with the option to pay for yourself.

Across all specialities including: Bariatrics

Ear, nose & throat

Gastric band, gastric balloon, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass

Hearing problems, vertigo, sinus problems, snoring, grommets & adenoids, children’s ENT

Breast Care

General Surgery

Breast reconstruction, cosmetic breast surgery mastectomy, mastopexy

Hernia repair, gallbladder surgery,

Ophthalmology Children’s Services General paediatric, general surgery, lumps & bumps, dermatology, children’s ear, nose and throat (ENT)

Cosmetic Surgery Breast augmentation, liposuction, facelift, abdominoplasty, breast reduction, pinnaplasty

Cataract surgery, glaucoma, macular degeneration, corneal ulcers

Orthopaedics Hip & Knee replacement, minimally invasive hip replacement, shoulder surgery, hand & wrist surgery, foot & ankle surgery

Physiotherapy & Spinal Surgery Diagnostics MRI, ct scanning, ultrasound, mammography, x-ray, non-invasive cardiology testing

Sports injury, back & neck pain, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, post-surgical rehabilitation, decompression, spinal fusion, slipped disk

Endoscopy

Urology

Diagnostics for abnormal tissue, irritations, ulcers, inflammation of internal organs

Bladder examination, testicular pain, vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, male infertility

For more information about our hospital and services contact us today.

0116 298 2612 leicester.enquiry@nuffieldhealth.com nuffieldhealth.com/leicesterhospital Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital Scraptoft Lane, Leicester, LE5 1HY *Where necessary, we promise to assist you to receive any follow up advice, treatment or care that is clinically required. Where prosthesis is required for your procedure, this is guaranteed for the manufacturers expected lifetime. Clinically required indicates where further intervention and/or monitoring of your condition is deemed necessary as a direct result of your procedure. The Nuffield Health Promise applies for patients paying for themselves and excludes fertility services.

Wedding

Venue

A

for all

Since the discovery of Richard III in a Leicester City car park, the city has enjoyed a spruce up including the cathedral garden and courtyard and St Martins House is right in the heart of it all

A

ttracting visitors from all over the world, including the Queen herself for a Community Lunch earlier this year, the cathedral area is a must visit for history fans and Leicester locals alike. St Martins House is right in the heart of the rejuvenated area between Jubilee Square and Cathedral Gardens and is a prime location for visitors to the city, business conferences and celebrations.

The Grand II listed former Grammar School underwent extensive refurbishment in 2011 to 26 | NICHE

establish itself as one of the city’s leading conference and wedding locations. But being mindful of the period features as well as offering contemporary comfort, the purpose-built rooms and social areas are stunning and ideal for meetings and celebrations of all shapes and sizes. Situated in the ever evolving Cathedral Quarter of our city St Martins House is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also has all the facilities needed to create an event to be remembered.

Leicester’s place on the map makes it the ideal location for those

travelling from far and wide. With easily accessible transport links, hotel accommodation and plenty of parking within walking distance, this city centre venue is easily suited to all.

St Martins House has attracted a wide variety of weddings in recent years, from small intimate dinner parties hosted in the smaller function rooms to large three course serviced dinners for 120 guests in the luxurious Grand Hall. With a fully operational bar and large room there is plenty of space to dance the night away

and celebrate any occasion. The experienced staff will help in the planning of every detail of your day from initial enquiry through to designing your bespoke menu to suit you and your wedding to a ‘T’.

With the ethos of no request is too big or too small the team are happy to ensure you have the event you are dreaming of.

The stunning Grand Hall can accommodate up to 200 people and is perfect for grand weddings and parties. Located on the first floor, the breath taking vaulted ceiling reaches 12 metres allowing

streams of natural light to fill the space. Its original features make for a historic and stylish feel with a wealth of opportunities for indoor and outdoor photography.

The Grand Hall is stunning, accommodates up to 200 people and is perfect for a grand wedding or conference

Whether you are looking to host a small intimate wedding or one for over a hundred guests, St Martins House offers the ideal location for any style of gathering ensuring an impressive surrounding and stress free experience.

0116 261 5200 stmartinshouse.com NICHE | 27

Wedding experts have their say

Let the fun be-GIN!

Choosing the perfect engagement ring

Book now for Christmas… no really!

Let the fun be-GIN! The population that drinks the most gin is that of the Philippines consuming over 25 million cases annually – we wouldn’t be surprised if the UK is following close by after the recent surge in popularity of quirky gin concoctions that are making the rounds.

It goes without saying that choosing the perfect engagement ring is stressful and unfortunately there is no ‘one size fits all’ choice!

However here at Lumbers we’ll sincerely do our best to help you find the ‘right fit’.

With the wedding and outside event season in the last balmy throws of summer it’s easy to overlook the fast approach of the festive season, but a quick phone call can guarantee planning your winter events truly is a joy.

Firstly, you will be confronted with a vast array of choices when it comes to engagement rings, so have a price range in mind before you start to shop.

At the Dimblebee Catering Company we’re already working on a range of events from small celebrations to large corporate hospitality events and Christmas parties. Dimblebee Catering have the experience and resources to make any event a success and with bookings as far ahead as 2019 please don’t delay in reserving your catering! Dimblebee’s have the infrastructure to operate throughout the UK and deliver the correct levels of control and management required for large high quality events at any venue.

With investment in the latest equipment we champion a culture of continual development and employ only the most experienced chefs and hospitality managers.

Another interesting fact about gin is that the G&T was invented in India to ward off malaria. And did you know that a slice of lime is often used instead of lemon as this was all down to Gordon’s London Dry Gin marketing campaign. They used a lime instead of a lemon purely because the yellow would clash too harshly with their green bottle.

Why are we telling you all these random gin facts you ask? Well we’re a new pop-up gin bar. We were created out of pure love and passion for all things gin (and prosecco too!) and we just can’t hold back all our scrumptious facts about the botanical beverage any longer. And with Prosecco sales hitting the roof what with that big supply scare not long ago, it’s clear that the sparkling wine is also a hit with event-goers.

We love gin and we know you do too, which is why we provide our premium prosecco and gin bar at festivals, events, conferences, weddings and private hire for all your celebrations and gatherings.

Rob Bracken twitter.com/R_A_Events

28 | NICHE

Secondly, do your homework.

There’s a lot you can learn about diamonds before you even set foot in a jewellery store. Start with the 4Cs – Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat – so you understand how each influences the value of the diamond and affects the appearance of the stone.

If you know your partner’s favourite shape, great. If not, do not fear as a valuable jeweller will guide you along the way. There’s a large selection of stone cuts, so if you haven’t overheard your partner talking about what they like, believe in yourself as you know your partner better than anyone else.

Finally we believe there’s a 5th C, Confidence. So be assured that at Lumbers we want to create a caring environment whereby you feel comfortable purchasing this life changing piece of jewellery. The 130 years of service towards our clients has created the cornerstone of a business that aims to go above and beyond your average jewellers.

Sarah Wilkins

Here is Anna MacDougall from Bride & Glory Wedding Planning “From the very first email exchange until the very last glass was cleared, they could not have been more efficient, professional and a pure joy to work with. As a professional, international wedding co-ordinator, I work with a vast variety of catering companies, but Dimblebee Catering truly stand out. It’s a finely honed skill to be able to combine impeccable service and exquisite food with a gloriously cheerful attitude.” Milijana Trifunovic

0116 255 1233 lumbers.co.uk

0116 283 3327 dimblebeecatering.co.uk

Quality Outside Catering & Wedding Caterers in Leicestershire & the Midlands.

0116 283 3327

info@dimblebeecatering.co.uk www.dimblebeecatering.co.uk

Food & Drink

The FOOD COURT The best eating establishments in Leicestershire THE SPOTTED DUCK 0116 237 6571 thespottedduck.co.uk 61 LEICESTER ROAD, MOUNTSORREL, LEICESTER LE12 7AJ Situated in the heart of Mountsorrel on the edge of Leicestershire’s iconic Charnwood Forest is the debut restaurant of 22-year-old Johnny Prince, chef and owner. At 16 Johnny began working with locally renowned chef, Paul Leary and then onto Michelin-starred restaurants such as Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Michelin-starred Hambleton Hall and Hix of Soho. In early 2016 Johnny returned to Leicester with the concept for the Spotted Duck and a menu filled with British classics with a twist of gourmet elegance, taste, and presentation.

The Spotted Duck appeals to all with its casual trend-setting vibe,

Instagram worthy dishes and relaxing atmosphere. The bare brick fire places, stone quarry tiles and reclaimed wooden tables is perfectly paired with handcrafted crockery and elegant glassware.

Wednesday and Thursday offer a modern tapas menu. Some highlights include The Spotted Duck (TSD) burger with rich and smoky BBQ brisket and mozzarella, mushroom risotto (not quite as you expect), and a classically stunning treacle tart. Friday and Saturday present the à la carte Menu, and Sunday’s are a treat with local beef sided with pulled oxtail-stuffed yorkie and ‘duck fat’ roasties.

NORTH BAR & KITCHEN

0116 225 5961 northbarandkitchen.co.uk 4 2 HINCKLEY ROAD, LEICESTER, LE3 0RB Ladies and gent’s are cordially invited to a remarkably quaint occasion in a marvelous little heritage building in Leicester’s West End. Indulge in the rather special Hendrick’s Afternoon Tea at North Bar & Kitchen.

The popular dining spot has taken the unusual botanical treasure that is Hendrick’s Gin and created a scrumptiously posh little feast around it. Complete with Victorian inspired fanciful bites, a three tiered stand will present you with cucumber, salmon, cured ham, and many more dainty finger sandwiches (and even more if you fancy being fussy informing of ingredients you disapprove of). Potted tea will wash

30 | NICHE

them down and as you delve into another three-tiered wonderment of deliciously fresh berried tarts, rich slithers of cheesecake, and colourfully odd macarons, you’ll have a peculiar Hendrick’s cocktail waiting for you. Could it be the Forenoon Fizz, the Chelsea Rose? You’ll have to give in to temptation to find out.

Just as Hendrick’s is created craftily and artistically, North Bar’s savoury sandwiches and delightful desserts are made by hand with pure precision in the open kitchens, fresh on the day you grace the restaurant with your presence for a nibble and a tipple.

Hendrick’s Afternoon Tea is most certainly not to be missed.

BOO.

0116 222 0795 boo-burger.com 136 LONDON RD, LEICESTER LE2 1EB

Tired of the #cleaneating Instagram pics?! Yes, we are too. For those times when an avocado toast just isn’t cutting it call on the new handcrafted burger joint Boo. to satisfy those ‘proper food’ cravings.

We knew to expect tasty stuff but were ultra-impressed with the burgers, rustic skin on fries, wings, crunchy bites, salads and shakes in this hip yet unpretentious hangout.

The menu is mouth-watering.

Located in the bustling area of London Road in Leicester, Boo. is the answer to your high quality real food prayers. British and Irish sourced ingredients, simple menus, modern ideas and vibrant urban cool décor attracted us to the city’s new addition and we are happy to report with full tummies that it more than lived up to our indulgent expectations.

Going all out (why not?!), we opted for a burger with all the sides and a tasty shake and it didn’t disappoint!

This new addition to our city’s everexpanding, exciting foodie map is a welcome one and we especially loved the hangout vibe that all too often isn’t found in fast food joints, it’s the kind of environment that encourages a social meet up. A refreshing change in a world of #healthy eating spam!

MARCO’S 0116 257 5533 mercureleicester.co.uk GRANBY STREET, LEICESTER LE1 6ES Marco Pierre White’s name is legendary and his exclusive restaurants across the country are renowned for high quality food which doesn’t break the bank.

Not a place to visit if you are counting calories, Marco’s of Mercure Hotel, Leicester serves up the finest Italian food this side of…well…Italy. A social environment and sumptuous décor suits the food perfectly boasting a menu stacked with New York Italian classics throughout.

Sharing platters, pizza, pasta, steaks, burgers and Marco’s legendary BBQ ribs the menu makes for mouthwatering decisions. The main man himself says of the food fare: “If I had

to choose only one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Italian.

My New York Italian is all about creating a comfortable environment for friends and family to relax and enjoy some of my favourite Italian and American foods, without having to break the bank.”

Our recent visit certainly was a feast and featured some of our most favourite dishes - they weren’t scrimping on the portion sizes.

Our dessert was not for the faint hearted, called The Manhattan Milkshaker, it was a Panna cotta milkshake layered with ice cream featuring an actual slice of cheesecake on the top! Unreal!

MEM-SAAB 0116 253 0243 mem-saableics.com 59-59A HIGHCROSS ST, LEICESTER LE1 4PG Mem-Saab’s luxurious black, white and red themed setting creates a chilled atmosphere with seating areas hinting that its owners want you to take your time enjoying great food in great company. Moving to the dining area, the colour scheme switches to stylish yellow surrounded by exposed brickwork and floor to ceiling windows for a VIP view of the High Cross precinct.

The picture has been painted. Now add three excitable children and it doesn’t seem quite so sophisticated?

Actually, the tone of the British Curry Awards 2014 winning restaurant made you feel more like you were a guest in an Indian home. The staff

treated the kids as little grown-ups, which had them mirroring their easygoing finesse.

The menu was extensive with many simple and complex dishes. Each section tells its own historic story. It features regional dishes from Bengal, Madras and Bombay, a vegetarian range taking inspiration from Clara Bemister’s 1917 vegetarian menus, wholesome tandoori options, a ‘Tiffin selection’ equivalent to that of Victorian High Tea, and a Mem-Saab collection as homage to India’s first woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

We could never get tired of this menu and the kids have decided they’ll be celebrating their birthdays here.

NICHE | 31

MOBILE SPECIALIST BAR SUPPLIER EVENTS

●

FESTIVALS

●

WEDDINGS

●

CELEBRATIONS

Bespoke service Gin, Prosecco, Pimms and Ale

@R_A_EVENTS

Food & Drink

'TimeSTEAK to Party'MONDAYS 30% OFF ALL STEAKS PARTY MENU NOW AVAILABLE

THREE COURSE DINNER FROM OUR SET MENU AND A GLASS OF PROSECCO - £25pp

EVERY MONDAY EVENING

FOR TABLES OF 8 OR MORE

MARCO’S NEW YORK ITALIAN LEICESTER 73 GRANBY STREET, LEICESTER LE1 6ES

T @marcosleicester L

To book, call us on 011625 75533 S Marcos New York Italian

73 Granby Street, Leicester, LE1 6ES

@marcosleicester

www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk www.mpwrestaurants.com Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer valid every Monday from 6pm

T’s&C’s Apply, not to be used in conjunction with any other offer, tables of 8 or more

Brand new concept restaurant in Leicester A rather spiffing new eatery launched in August from the Maiyango team

T

he team behind Maiyango launched a very different and rather spiffing British new concept on 17 August 2017. ‘The Fish and The Chip’ will seat up to 80 diners and will be serving lobster and skinny fries, a surf and turf burger and of course, fish and chips, and a whole new cocktail offering.

“Although the concept will seem alien when compared to our high end fine dining past, we have been able to create something nostalgic, fun and welcoming and have taken what we know about food, drink and hospitality and applied it to make The Fish & The Chip a brilliant experience!

The AA rosette Maiyango restaurant closed in July and the new restaurant took its place in St Nicholas Place, Jubilee Square. Its opening has created seven new part-time and full-time positions.

Hotel Maiyango and the Tasting Room continue to trade as usual.

“The Union Jack frontage has been specially created to celebrate the fact we are serving great British food. We thought it was the perfect way to let everyone know and also do something iconic for Leicester.

We are proud to be a Leicester brand and also a British brand and for us, the Union Jack on Jubilee Square with the red post box outside tells a lovely story!”

Aatin Anadkat, founder of Maiyango brand said: “We saw a gap in the local market and a bit like Maiyango 12 years ago, set out to create something different and original.

0116 251 88 98 maiyango.com NICHE | 31

s a m t s i r h C y l l i B ’ n i m a at Ste

This December Steamin’ Billy are offering a Christmas Party to remember.

We have a range of options available from a festive buffet to a three course meal with entertainment.

We can cater for smaller parties who are happy to join in with others or for a private booking of up to 150 people.

Santa paws is co ming to to wn…

For more information please contact Natalie Anderson: E: Natalie@steamin-billy.co.uk T: 0116 344 0064

www.steamin-billy.co.uk

Availa betweebnle 5pm–7pm

To celebrate the launch of our new cocktail menu you can enjoy 2-4-1 on any cocktail at Marco's, every evening throughout the week

Marco’s New York Italian Leicester, 73 Granby Street, Leicester, LE1 6ES 01162 575 533 | mpwrestaurants.com

Leicester steakhouse

shortlisted for prestigious design award A steakhouse located at one of Leicester’s architectural treasures has been shortlisted for a prestigious internationallyrecognised design award.

The Middletons Steakhouse & Grill at 2 St Martins in the city’s Old Town underwent a £1.5 million restoration last year, transforming the neglected former banking hall into an iconic 200-seat restaurant.

Now the ambitious project has been nominated by the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards for a category dedicated to restaurants and bars inside heritage buildings in the UK. The overall shortlist for the awards includes a total of 265 projects across 33 categories completed by the world’s leading architects, interior designers, lighting designers and restaurant and bar operators. Winners will be announced on October 5, 2017, at a ceremony in London alongside the Best Overall Winner.

Steve Hutton, managing director of Middletons, said: “I’ve looked through the entire list and there’s examples of some exemplary work. And I’m delighted that our own steakhouse is listed alongside very impressive national and international projects.”

As a result of the extensive restoration, the Grade II listed building was removed from Historic England’s ‘at risk’ register earlier this year. The former NatWest Bank building dates back to 1900 and had stood empty for 16 years until it was reopened as Middletons Steakhouse & Grill in October 2016.

Clare Devlin, the interior designer who co-ordinated the project, said: “The building’s character and scale definitely made this project very special, particularly the stunning 50ft-high dome and various original features.” middletons-shg.co.uk NICHE | 33

restaurant I bar I hotel I meetings I private dining I events

No Single word describes the Cini experience. Innovative Italian Cuisine delivered with contemporary flair. A freshness.

From the scintillating food we serve, to the simple sophistication of the atmosphere in which it is enjoyed, Cini is a restaurant where the joy of creativity lies at the heart of your dining experience.

0116 286 3009 cinirestaurant.co.uk

26 High Street Enderby Leics LE19 4AG

Gin Coin Purse £16.00 Get in the spirit with this Tatty Devine gin coin purse. The perfect size for change and immediate essentials. 185mm x 85mm x 4mm

Gin: The Manual £14.99 Your guide to Gin. What makes gin special, how is it made and what flavours are there? Hardback.

Publisher: Mitchell Beazley

Gin Necklace by Tatty Devine £40.00 Get in the spirit with this Tatty Devine necklace. Inspired by art duo Gilbert and George, sure to put a smile on any gin lovers face!

GIN

Gifts Gin String Lights £25.00 Decorate in style with these Tatty Devine Gin String Lights. 16 illuminated gin bottles. A great way to add some spirited flair to your home! For indoor use only. tattydevine.com

Gin Cufflinks by Tatty Devine £30.00 Get in the spirit with these Tatty Devine gin cufflinks. Inspired by art duo Gilbert and George.

Prestat Gin & Lemon Truffles £14.00 Inspired by a fizzy citrus cocktail, this delicious box of truffles is based around the most quintessential of London spirits; gin.

Gin Glorious Gin

by Olivia Williams £8.99 Gin Glorious Gin is a vibrant cultural history of London seen through the prism of its most iconic drink.

Gin Water Bottle £27.00 Get in the spirit with this glittering Tatty Devine gin water bottle and cover. This sparkly accessory is both fun and practical.

NICHE | 37

Property

g n i t a v o n Re

S S O L

There are new opportunities for property developers everywhere across the Midlands If you’re thinking of trying your hand as a property developer, it’s a good idea to think about the following points to support your decision making.

Knowing the Market

B

IO S MC MRIC TOR AS, C V E A N DIR NICK AGING MAN

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Before you begin life as a property developer, consider whether this kind of investment suits your needs. What kind of yield do you expect from your investment? Do you know the risks as well as the benefits? Remember that the value of property can go down as well as up, and that it is possible to lose money. If you need to take out a mortgage in order to buy property for development you will increase the amount of risk you’re exposed to. While there are risks, there is also money to be made in property development. Careful research into the market before making your move may help towards a good return on your investment.

Location, Location, Location

To maximise the profit from your renovation, aim to find a property in an attractive location. Attractive doesn’t have to mean expensive but an area where property is in demand.

Consider areas near popular or expensive locations that benefit from lots of amenities, good transport links, properties in the commuter belt and catchment areas for good schools. Properties on the fringes of a popular location, sometimes called ‘up and coming’ areas, are more likely to keep or increase their value. Former council properties bought by tenants can make great opportunities.

Buy Low to Sell for a Profit This one speaks for itself.

Buying at Auction

Many of the best property deals can be found at auction and you can pick up a bargain provided you stick to

Property

T I OF

R P r o f an upper bidding limit. In the case of auctioned properties it’s important to do your homework prior, making sure you visit the property with tradesmen to get a clear idea of the costs involved in renovation.

Get an appropriate survey from a RICS accredited surveyor of the building to make sure there are no expensive structural problems, such as damp, dry rot or a leaking roof.

Ensure there are no legal issues and that you’re sure what is included with the property. At the auction, try not to bid first, and wait to see what others are prepared to offer first.

Renovations

When choosing your first renovation project, it’s a good idea to choose a modern property that needs updating rather than major renovation. Pick a property that needs new interiors, such as paint, wallpaper and carpets, and new bathroom and kitchen. Consider who your buyer will be; if you’re aiming for the top end of the market you may have to budget more for fixtures and fittings.

Put together a budget for the renovation works, allowing at least 15% contingency for unexpected issues. Make sure you obtain quotes

from a range of tradesmen and get recommendations of good workmen from anyone you know.

Choose the firms you think will do the best job within your budget and liaise closely with tradesmen and suppliers to receive the quality you expect. You’re liable for poor quality workmanship, meaning you may have correct defects later.

T I F PRO the ered ff o ing s nsur lway t in e ithin ve a r a o h p s w up Nava sound s n time, o . We m d a r ct te ered nda v e a i j l t o s e r p h rking e d a hig on in wo s ar k r o t o w ati nd et a hesit uture. er, budg have no e th f anag ld ain in elivery M on g wou a i D erat them ject t egen with tson, Pro istric ire R

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D h Wa ams tlaw Dan ingh asse t t B o m hN t Tea Nort men t s e & Inv ncil Cou

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Hiring a Project Manager

An experienced project manager may help you negotiate any tricky issues with tradesmen or suppliers and ensure renovation work is completed within the agreed budget.

Developers are liable for poor quality workmanship after the property is sold, so it’s important to ensure defects are avoided.

Know your Buyer

When renovating your property think about who will buy it once completed. Consider the size of the property and the likely demand for the location. Remember, you aren’t renovating your own home, so avoid personalising fixtures and fittings, but keep them smart and practical to suit the needs of the eventual owners. These considerations also apply for properties that you intend to let after the renovation is completed. Target every aspect of the renovation to suit the needs of your intended buyer/tenant.

Navas Associates have years of experience in the property sector and handle a wide range of commercial and residential projects across the Midlands. Read the full blog article relating to property renovation for profit on the Navas website.

01530 483 008 navasassociates.co.uk NICHE | 39

Intruder Alarms from ÂŁ595 fully installed 2 door/window contacts, 4 detectors, panel with built in keypad, bell box, 2 remote fobs fully fitted by an experienced engineer from a company with more than 50 years industry experience

0116 265 4200

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Fothergill Wyatt Estate Agents and Chartered Surveyors

An Elegant Conversion in Four High Specification Apartments, Unique Coach House and Bungalow The Laurels, Main Street, Lubenham, LE16 9TF

Fothergill Wyatt Estate Agents and Chartered Surveyors are delighted to bring to market this high specification conversion situated in picturesque private grounds in the heart of the charming rural village of Lubenham.

The Laurels is an impressive house built circa 1850 by Joshua Perkins at a cost of £20,000. This elegant building, also known according to the Lubenham Heritage Trail as ‘parva sed apta’ – ‘small but comfortable’, has been a family home and more recently offices for Deichmann shoes until purchased in 2016 by the Goliath Group for refurbishment and modernisation to

become the six individual character homes now available for sale.

Nestled in an idyllic rural retreat with spacious gardens, the main house retains a number of interesting internal features including the original roof lantern in the entrance hall. It now houses four large two bedroom apartments, which boast their own unique character including one with a cellar. In the grounds there was once an ice house, used as the Victorian equivalent of a refrigerator, though no longer there, the extensive remaining grounds provide a pleasant, private haven. On the right hand

side of the main building is the magnificent coach house, now a stunning three bedroom home, which still retains a classic canopied well in the garden. Next to this is the light and airy, newly modernised two bedroom bungalow with spacious garden.

The sympathetically designed development has retained the architectural delights and proportions of the original Victorian buildings whilst refurbishing to suit modern contemporary living. Fitted with expertly designed contemporary German Pronorm kitchens with a range of top quality appliances and Villery & Boch bathrooms

Idyllic Rural Setting About Fothergill Wyatt We are niche property consultants, Estate Agents and Chartered Surveyors based in the East Midlands.

Our focus and expertise is in the residential agency sector covering buying, selling, letting, property management, investment and development.

Established in 2010, our approach was, and remains today centered on three key objectives; client care, deliverability and adding value.

We provide honest, concise and detailed feedback, and a bespoke strategy that is right for you and your circumstances. Multi-platform marketing, an extensive mailing list and our face to face approach actively promotes your interests.

We believe, however, that the most important values we offer are integrity, transparency and ambition. You can rely on a personal service throughout, with experienced members of our team who know and understand your requirements.

Come and meet us at our Stoneygate office on Allandale Road and register on our exclusive mailing list.

with Hans Grohe fittings and underfloor heating, double glazing, wood flooring in living areas, tiled bathrooms, carpeted bedrooms and builtin wardrobes to master bedroom. BT broadband, TV and phone connection with Freeview are also available.

All properties have a 10 year warranty and intruder alarm. The apartments have a door entry system and are on a 999 year lease. The coach house and bungalow are freehold, have a private entrance and ample allocated parking for all.

The Laurels sits in the heart of Lubenham

village just over two miles from Market Harborough, which is well-known for its charming town centre and independent shops. Perfect for families, there is a twice monthly farmers market, museum and theatre, September Arts Fresco festival, and Welland Park. It is well provided with popular state and private schools, sport and leisure facilities, outdoor activities from a calming canal boat ride to the adrenalin fuelled Armourgeddon Ltd, and a wealth of nearby heritage sites all with excellent transport links. Lubenham also hosts the delightful Scarecrow Festival and is close to Foxton Locks and Rockingham Castle.

Perfectly located for commuters, being just three miles from Market Harborough train station, with regular trains to London St Pancras. M1 junction 20 and Lutterworth are a 20 minute drive and Kettering just 30 minutes away.

Prices at The Laurels range from ÂŁ290,000 to ÂŁ450,000 and the initial interest in these homes has been phenomenal.

Anyone looking to buy a unique, high specification, contemporary property with classic Victorian charm and convenience please contact us directly without delay.

Contact: mary@fothergillwyatt.com I 0116 270 5900 I fothergillwyatt.co.uk

Those in Property have their say

Beautiful furniture ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’, William Morris said, and I have to say I absolutely agree with him.

How many items of furniture in your home do you truly love?

How many pieces reflect your true tastes, are built to last and perhaps even become family heirlooms? Consider whether your home deserves some key talking point pieces from which you can inject your unique style into your décor, I suspect it does.

To me, with our company’s nearly 200 years of cabinetmaking experience, I appreciate well-crafted pieces in the home.

I know that what we build is stunning and built to last and that whilst a piece from us may cost more than your average flat pack purchase, ours is unique, a talking point and a reflection of true eye for detail.

Added to the fact that it will be better for your bank balance in the long run, you will rarely find a hand-crafted piece at a boot sale or internet auction sites for example.

Wood, stone or... LVT?

A personal museum

Thanks to its versatility over natural materials such as stone and wood, LVT (luxury vinyl tile) flooring is proving a very popular choice with interior designers and home-owners alike, and with its good looks, warm feel and ease of maintenance it’s easy to see to why.

For me a home is like a museum without the signs saying ‘please don’t touch’. Think of all the stuff you own that has emotional or historical significance or comes with a memory or tale of where, when and who.

There are so many benefits to installing LVT throughout the home. On top of it being incredibly practical, there is almost an endless combination of styles, tones and textures to choose from – including wood, stone and metal – allowing homeowners and designers to make interesting and individual statements. We have seen a sharp increase in customers having LVT installed over under-floor heating in their designer bathrooms and kitchens to complete luxurious layouts.

With LVT we can also maintain a consistent appearance which is often difficult to create with traditional materials – especially in larger rooms.

You will never regret buying quality. A craftsman made item sets the tone for the room, a statement piece in the hall reminds your visitors that your home is tasteful. Some pieces may be purely functional, but with our guidance they can be an art form, truly making your house your home.

Richard Lowe

We have an excellent selection of LVT flooring from well-known brands, such as Amtico, Moduleo UK and Karndean, which are all available to view in our stores across Leicestershire. We have recently installed an Amtico Design centre at our Narborough Road showroom, which combines an interactive room visualiser with full size samples and design boards, to give customers a truly unique shopping experience and put them in the best possible position to select their dream flooring. Mark Lucas

01509 212 554 charleslowe.co.uk

0116 254 1853 michael-john.co.uk

44 | NICHE

It’s just a matter of finding ways to incorporate these things into your surroundings as three dimensional reminders of your life for you and others to experience.

This means you’ll end up with a home that’s distinctly and beautifully yours and not just a replica of a homeware catalogue.

This will be depicted perfectly towards the end of 2017 into early 2018. We will see a greater mix of classic and traditional with simplicity and modern creating a more eclectic approach to interiors. Mixing favourite older possessions with newly acquired accessories and investment/ statement pieces.

2017 will welcome some deconstructed luxe. Think exposed brickwork, the use of cement and blown plaster finishes, the pairing of metals with raw, natural materials such as cork, wood and clay. In contrast to this nod to industrialism, burnished metallics and plush velvets will add some luxury and glamour. Brass will triumph over copper and marble will stay as timeless as ever.

My Inspirations will be collected throughout my life - places I’ve travelled, people I’ve met - and what better than to display this proudly for all to see. Zoe Hubbard 0116 271 2584 maison-interiors.com

TELEPHONE: 01509 212554

WWW.CHARLESLOWE.CO.UK

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a smart home

New beginnings are for autumn, not just for spring

Autumn is here yet again – my favourite season, one I always associate with change and new beginnings, probably because September always heralded the start of a new school year, going off to university, then later, my own wedding. So when the weather starts to cool and the leaves begin to turn I always feel a little thrill of excitement.

This year we are going through a huge upheaval as we are moving house! A very exciting and equally stressful time. This had me thinking about ways to make life easier in the day-to-day; small things that can make a big impact, which led to me looking at clever life hacks and Smart home technology. However, they also needed to look good! So, here are some items that are created to make life easier, or are cleverly designed to perform certain functions whilst also being incredibly chic and stylish.

This list has everything from a beautiful aerator wine decanter, to a toilet roll holder that looks like a tree, by way of some truly clever tech such as the brilliant Philips Hue lighting system (want wifi controlled multihued lighting?), the Nest LearningThermostat (learns what temperature you like to eat breakfast at!) and the Tylko shelf (bespoke shelving self assembly made to measure with a fantastic augmented reality app). These are diverse but really amazing products which will definitely enhance your day-to-day life. So enjoy your new start this September, embrace the new!

Samantha

x

Nest Learning Thermostat £279

The future is here! Use it for a week, it learns what you like and from then on programs itself. Saves money, is so smart and looks great too, now with customisable rings. store.nest.com

Tylko Shelving System from £95

PQtier Toilet Tissue Tree £149

I am seriously impressed with this product. It makes bespoke shelving accessible and affordable and looks stunning too. tylko.com

Amusing subject matter but these items rarely look so lovely. This is sleek and modern and will look good in any bathroom. sitondesign.com

Wine Aerator Decanter £29.94

Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting LED Starter Kit £59.95

They may not look like much themselves but this lighting system packs one hell of a design punch. The possibilities are literally endless. johnlewis.com

I love the fluid shape of this decanter and the fact that it helps enhance flavour and aroma is such a bonus. amazon.co.uk

chrysalisinteriordesign.com/hotpicks

Tel: 0121 647 6709 f: Facebook.com/ChrysalisInteriorDesign t: @ChrysalisID www.chrysalisinteriordesign.com NICHE | 47

Property

There’s no place like

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The three S’s at Utility Warehouse do a grand job in telling it like it is – exactly what we need when dealing with mind-boggling utility bills

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o one wants to think about bills, let’s face it they are not what we want to be spending money on in an ideal world are they?

But, Utility Warehouse do all the arduous work so you have to think about them as little as is necessary!

Saving you money, stress and even giving you cash back on your spending.

Competitive and clear, having your utility bills all under one roof and switching to the most competitive rate around on your behalf, customers enjoy the worry-free feeling of knowing they are getting

the best deals without the need to do the switching. What’s more, the one bill for all aspects means a lot less worry for those of us who are often left rather bamboozled by the things.

The multi-award winning company are changing the way households save and spend with their utilities for good. So, what are you waiting for? Stop stressing, save money and let the experts take care of the worry!

The clever company even save you money on your spending with shoppers gaining exclusive access to the Clubhouse which enables you to earn cashback against your bills as you spend online!

The free stuff keeps coming though, with each new customer receiving hundreds of pounds worth of new lightbulbs for their homes as they join up.

07736 146 400 davidgoadby@uwclub.co.uk save-earnmoney.co.uk

• • • • •

Specialist pond builder Pond cleaning Pond maintenance Wildlife ponds New builds

• Landscaping and Decking Service • Planting Service • Free design and quote • Expert in shady borders • Low maintenance plans • Gardens that look good in all four seasons

48 | NICHE

The Farthing family have been serving Leicestershire since 1964 covering all aspects of plumbing, heating, tiling, kitchen, bathroom and boiler installations.

We have a team of qualified engineers and office support all dedicated to delivering the highest quality of customer service on every job from a dripping tap or leaking overflow to a complete new build or refurbished system.

All of our gas engineers are Gas Safe Registered and compliant with all current regulations.

Our fully trained estimators will visit your home and create a no obligation quotation; they will also include an AutoCAD 3D design of your bathroom or kitchen allowing you to see your new room in full colour and position before we commence installation.

We’re proud members of Which Trusted Traders and AGE UK Business Directory and are Worcester-Bosch accredited installers allowing us to offer extended guarantees on Worcester-Bosch boilers up to 10 years.

We’re also proud to announce that we have moved premises and can now offer our customers and the general public the opportunity to visit our new showroom where we have a fully working kitchen, a great range of tiles, bathrooms, showers, wet rooms and Worcester-Bosch Boilers, which you can walk around at your leisure.

0116 232 1031 Our new location is

Unit A, Sandown Court Station Road, Glenfield Leicester, LE3 8BT

Drop by, meet the team and take a look around the showroom

Monday – Thursday 8am – 4.30pm Friday 8am – 3pm Saturday 9am - 12noon

Accredited Installer

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Those in Property have their say

Letting a property is easy, right?

You just make the property look presentable, advertise for a tenant, download a template tenancy agreement off the internet and hand over the keys?

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you view it), residential lettings are far more complex than it was in the ‘good old days’. There are now over 150 pieces of legislation to comply with as a landlord or letting agent before you can rent a property out.

Whilst many of these may be seen as a burden, they are actually aiming to protect both tenants and landlords and help ensure tenancies run smoothly and safely.

But are you confident that you are currently complying? Have you conducted adequate Right to Rent checks as required by the Immigration Act 2016? Have you met all the requirements for serving a Section 21 notice to regain possession of your property following the implementation of the Deregulation Act 2015 (including issuing the Government’s How to Rent Guide)? And are you prepared for the minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) that come in to force 1st April 2018?

If you answer no to any of these questions, and you currently rent out properties, or are looking to do so, it’s imperative you use a qualified, ARLA Propertymark accredited Agent such as ourselves to help guide you through the potential legislative minefield.

Nicol Nightingale 0116 270 5900 fothergillwyatt.co.uk 50 | NICHE

Swimming ponds Why would I have a swimming pond installed in my garden? I think the real question here is why should I have a swimming pond in my garden?

A swimming pond is quite literally a ‘natural swimming pool’ – imagine swimming with nature; no chlorine, no chemicals… just natural rainwater and you, swimming peacefully, surrounded by plant and animal life.

So, what do you need to bear in mind when getting a swimming pond?

Well, do you love to swim but are sick and tired of stinging eyes, itchy skin, and having to trek to that stark blue rectangular eyesore – and heaven forbid something like that scars your beautiful garden. Sounds like a swimming pond might be for you!

A correctly installed swimming pond’s natural filtration system works all year round to keep the water sparkling fresh and clean. And whilst a conventional swimming pool uses chemicals to kill off the water’s microorganisms, a natural freshwater swimming pond is different. The job of cleaning is carried out by remarkably obliging micro-organisms which co-exist in a state of happy equilibrium with nature.

Surprisingly (provided the main body of water is sufficiently deep and large) clean, clear water is the naturally occurring state in lakes and ponds. Freshwater Swimming Ponds are specifically designed and built to imitate this state and they provide the perfect example of harnessing nature’s amazing intelligence.

So, do we have to have a filter installed? The short answer is ‘yes’– but not the kind of filter you might expect. Naturally, the whole body of the water acts as the ‘filter’ and the microscopic life-forms effectively filter the water as it passes through.

Of course, and naturally, it’s not quite that simple. We do need to give nature a helping hand: in swimming ponds, we keep the nutrient levels low. This enables the zooplankton to control the algae, hence preventing the growth of blanket weed (string algae). We manage this by using a small pump to filter the water through shingle. Plants also help by absorbing nutrients from the water. By controlling the nutrients in this way, algae won’t flourish and the result is… beautiful, healthy, clean and clear swimming water!

A freshwater swimming pond will need to be constructed to the very highest standards of hygiene and at Michael Wheat Pond, Landscaping and Garden Design the standards the team apply are those required by the German Swimming Pond Association (tougher than both the British and International Swimming Pond standards).

Michael Wheat 0116 240 3735/07590 535 623 michaelwheat.co.uk info@michaelwheat.co.uk

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Business

BOOK

YOUR TIC

KETS

NOW

Leicester Business Festival

The region’s largest business event - Get Involved!

Book your tickets now to the region’s largest business event.

Sponsored by Leicester Castle Business School, the Festival is a fortnight of business events taking place across the city and county between 23rd October and 3rd November.

T

he aim is to place the region front and centre of the UK’s business agenda and encourage investment and business growth across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for the benefit of all who live, do business and work there.

Leicester Business Festival was the first of its kind to be run in the UK and now in its third year it is by far, the largest. Historically it has seen great results, with over a third of the 118 events filling out to capacity and over 12,500 people attending last year. Almost a quarter of all attendees were from outside of the Midlands and this year looks like no exception with over 100 applications to run events already received by organisers, Associate Events Ltd. With the programming spanning across 12 key sectors, events confirmed in the programme range from the development of autonomous vehicles, to data protection and cyber security seminars and from workshops on trading and exporting internationally, to conferences and 52 | NICHE

showcases on safe food production, digital marketing and new technologies in textiles.

Scott Knowles, chair of the LBF Steering Group, said, “It’s fantastic to see so many events taking place, which clearly shows there’s a real appetite for the Business Festival.

With such interest, the Steering Group decided to cap the number of events at 150 in 2017 to give people the chance to attend as many as possible.

“The message to any businesses out there thinking of getting involved is ‘this is now the region’s largest business event, so get involved and ensure you and the region prosper by supporting this great and influential initiative.”

Along with the headline partner, Leicester Castle Business School, the 2017 Festival has the support of well-known business organisations including East Midlands Chamber, LLEP Business Gateway, the Federation of Small Businesses, Highcross Leicester, Brewin Dolphin, Leicester Racecourse and IBM.

Other supporters include East Midlands Trains, IOD, De Montfort University, Leicester University and media partners, Capital FM, Global Radio and the Leicester Mercury.

Professor Dana Brown, principal of Leicester Castle Business School said, “The Business Festival’s key aims of promoting the region and supporting the drive for economic growth is in perfect synergy with De Montfort University’s own strategies and initiatives. We are proud to be headline partners of the Leicester Business Festival for the next three years and by joining forces, we can demonstrate that Leicester Castle Business School is an integral part of the business community as well as a key resource for the businesses in the region.”

For more information on the festival and how to book tickets, visit our website or email hello@associate-events.com 0116 454 5995 leicesterbusinessfestival.com @LBFestival #LBF2017

23 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2017 Book your tickets to the region’s largest business event

www.leicesterbusinessfestival.com THE REGION’S

LARGEST

BUSINESS EVENT

Radio Partners

In association with

NICHE | 55

LEICESTERSHIRE

Local firm says Leicester is an attractive place to be A law firm celebrating its 10th anniversary has made positive dramatic changes to its processes as part of a company inclusion and recruitment drive that will streamline the services it offers to SME’s across Leicester. Edward Hands & Lewis (EHL) is a law firm dedicated to providing local companies with much needed legal advice that is often too expensive for SME’s. As a family-run business, Director Jason Hathaway is keen to include all members of his team throughout EHL’s ten offices promoting a confident culture that is inclusive with a fresh and friendly approach when it comes to interacting with clients.

This initiative has seen a small group of offices all move in together at City Gate House on St Margaret’s Street in the Leicester city centre. EHL have taken space over three floors, having expanded from one floor that they have occupied for just over the last 12 months. Jason Hathaway, Managing Partner at EHL said: “The main drive for the move was that we had head office functions, so HR, accounts, IT, all in different locations. The decision

was made to bring everybody under one roof in a larger space, because we need to expand those teams to service the increasing workload, so it’s all part of one move which has been really positive.”

The move officially began midJune and was completed ahead of schedule in the last week of July.

Already, Jason has seen this has had a huge constructive impact on the way his team operates. “Already as a group we now socialise more together both in and out of the workplace. Seeing these teams spending more time around each other makes you realise that there is nothing stronger than face to face working relationships. Not only is Leicester a fantastic place to be, but as an added benefit, our offices are less than a 2-minute walk from the city centre, giving the staff huge choices on what to do during their breaks and after work.

“Now that we are in and settled, the staff on the whole are very happy. Parking was a big talking point on the lead up to the change,

#BID LEICESTER Over the past 18 months businesses in Leicester city centre have been busy developing the city’s first Business Improvement District (BID). These are exciting times for the businesses as a YES! vote in the ballot in October/November this year will deliver £4.2 million of funding over five years to create an improved customer experience and better awareness of all that the city centre has to offer.

The BID is a private sector led and managed partnership and the funding is raised through a 1.25% levy of rateable value. A threshold of £20,000 has been applied which 54 | NICHE

will mean that although small businesses will not pay a levy their voice has been heard and they will be actively involved in the delivery of the BID Business Plan. There are over 260 BIDs throughout the UK already, in places like Nottingham, Loughborough, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and London.

Leicester city centre has benefitted greatly over recent years from actions outlined in the City Mayor’s Economic Action Plan.

No-one could fail to notice the substantial development projects and investment in the public realm through the Connection Leicester

so we committed ourselves as a business to pay for parking for the majority of our staff. This location has also massively benefitted a large percentage of our junior staff, as they are now able to get the bus or a train into the centre and walk to the office, so on the whole this has worked out really well for everyone.”

Future plans for the business include franchising EHL. The Syston office is the company’s pilot franchise, which Jason says is doing well in getting the systems in place for the official launch of the franchiseeships next year. People have already been in touch to enquire about franchising opportunities and Jason says EHL will be charging 15% in insurance, regulations and licencing fees. ehlsolicitors.co.uk programme which is delivering improved connections to newly created public spaces and access to the defined character areas in the city centre. The feedback from the extensive consultation with businesses (located within the inner ring road) revealed three main themes which are detailed in a soon-to-be published BID Business Plan. They are: creating a cleaner, safer, more attractive environment, raising the profile of Leicester, and giving businesses a strong voice, support and engagement.

A BID will help position the city as a must-go-to destination and the retail capital of the East Midlands. bidleicester.co.uk

Business

Steamin’ Billy go beyond Leicestershire with latest pub A new Steamin’ Billy pub will be opening in late October, the brewery has revealed. Named the White Horse, the new Warwickshire pub on the border of Leicestershire is the latest addition to the collection of 11 pubs already owned by the locally renowned brand.

The power of signage

The company was formed in 1998 when Leicester landlord Barry Lount asked one of his beer suppliers, Bill Allingham, to produce a house beer for the Cow & Plough in Oadby.

The beer was named after Barry’s dog Billy who would return from chasing rabbits and appeared to be ‘steamin’’ – and so the Steamin’ Billy brewing company was born.

Allingham said: “We are delighted and very excited to open in Atherstone with a new pub and kitchen. Offering stonebaked pizzas, steaks and burgers alongside the usual selection of Steamin’ Billy ales with some great wines, cocktails and craft beers.

“We aim to offer a warm welcome to all with excellent customer service in the newly refurbished White Horse.”

The twelfth pub will uphold the Steamin’ Billy values by providing an excellent level of service and products in a unique environment promoting good manners, whilst restoring customer belief in the great British pub.

The White Horse will be open to all

by November and can be found at 127 Long St, Atherstone CV9 1AB steamin-billy.co.uk

SFB Group, more than just accountants look at things from the other side of the fence so she is not just a typical numbers-only accountant.

Accountancy director proves her job is not just about the numbers. Shelley Harvey runs the Leicestershire offices of the SFB Group, a firm of chartered accountants, wealth managers, tax advisers and business growth specialists, overseeing both Leicester and Hinckley. She is an expert in business growth and loves working with her clients on their journey, helping them achieve their business and personal goals.

Her specialisms are in tax planning, solicitor’s accounts, charities accounts and audit and with her industry background she is able to

Fundraising is close to Shelley’s heart, so she passionately heads up the SFB Groups Leicester charity and not-for-profit team. Her and the team work with organisations as cost-effectively as possible to ensure that every penny they raise counts towards achieving the charity’s goal.

Additionally, Shelley is a qualified personality profiler. She looks beyond the figures and concentrates on the clients themselves as well as their personnel. This personality analytic approach helps them maximise their potential and results. sfb.uk.com

Does your signage convey the right message for how good your company is? Professional, smart and clear signs reassure customers about your professionalism and the quality of the work you will do for them.

Never underestimate the power of a sign. It can be used as a marketing tool, team influencer, and will show off your business every day of the year.

FedEx found almost 60% of consumers said the absence of signs deters them from entering a store or business. Signage can often be out of date, can be tired looking or battered from the weather. It can be damaged or go missing, it can mention services you offer that have changed. It might display your fax number, which is rarely used, but not give an email or web address.

Inside your building, great signage can help your customers and motivate your staff, you can display your company values, emphasise your company’s awards and standards you meet. Signage can really help to project the kind of company you are and help to build your brand in a consistent way. Like good quality stationery or a smart website, it can create a positive first impression for many potential clients.

Is it time to do an audit of your signage and improve the way you communicate to customers and staff? Chris Goodman

0116 259 9955 chris@soarvalleypress.co.uk NICHE | 55

From chapel to

APPLE-OF-OUR-EYE An estate concealed on the edge of Charnwood forest is a shortlist contender for a ProCon Award – here’s why Abbots Oak, beloved in all its medieval glory, was nominated

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he stately home of Abbots Oak has been gently transported into the 21st Century by its current owners Sarah and Anthony Kurr, who purchased the abandoned property in 2013 having fallen in love with it at first sight.

Over four years of hard work, fortitude, full time jobs on top and DIY has earned Abbots Oak Phase 1 a place on the shortlist for the Regeneration Project of the Year Award at the ProCon Leicestershire 2017 awards. It is Leicestershire’s ‘biggest celebration of the built environment’ and the regeneration award will be bestowed upon the developer, owner or designer of a building, scheme or landmark that has acted as a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider area and created opportunities for jobs, facilities for local residents and community groups, and presented a quality sustainable design.

Anthony said: “We lived in a cold, damp building site for four years

56 | NICHE

We lived in a cold, damp building site for four years. but the results are worth it. We’ve worked hard to give people locally and nationally, modern day access to a historically important and architecturally ambitious house.”

It has been a period of incredible change for Abbots Oak since its new owners moved into its historystained walls equipped with the determination to restore the love the public once held strong for the building – that’s everyone from the farmer down the road to the likes of King Charles II. Its internal area spreads across 936 sq. meters set in grounds of four acres close to Coalville and Whitwick with the Charnwood Nature Reserve just across the road and Bardon Hill to the south

of the building; the highest point in Leicestershire just 19 ft short of a mountain. The ancient tower itself has a top floor reaching 814 ft above sea level, which Sarah and Anthony claim is the highest inhabited house in Leicestershire.

The couple explained to us that Abbots Oak was originally a chapelry out post for the Garendon Abbey in Loughborough. The chapel closed down in 1536 and since then served the community in many other ways. During the English Civil War, the transcendent structure was used as garrison and stables for the royalists loyal to King Charles I. The Kurr’s research also found that in the 1850s it was taken on by local solicitor and architect Thomas Nevinson. He developed with gothic features including that of a grand, intricately designed stair case that was taken from the Pall Mall home of Nell Gwyn, mistress

of King Charles II and installed at Abbots Oak. The home was then passed down to Sir Matthew Joyce, a London barrister who developed the arts and crafts extension and established it as a country residence and estate before WWI. After Sire Joyce’s death in 1929, there was a gap in unknown history and then the White family owned Abbots Oak from 1945 where they brought up their family.

Now in the hands of Sarah and Anthon, the couple have lived under the leaky roofs between the unheated walls of Abbots Oak whilst they put their new home under extensive repairs and restoration. These included the rebuilding of five chimneys and wood stoves, replaced guttering, new underground services, electricity, underfloor heating, double glazing where possible and renewal of original Victorian windows, with the tower being the most complex restoration.

The project has created so many prospects for a lot of businesses

Paul Leary, Bradagate Events, Dimblebee Catering, Burleigh Gins, Charnwood Brewery, and many others.

They aims to have nine double bedrooms and be able to entertain for a party of 120 in the new orangery. There will be a private dining gazebo for outdoor weddings and a kitchen garden to enhance the unique menu they have on offer.

“To be shortlisted for such a respected award is just such an achievement in itself after four years of everything we’ve been through with Abbots Oak. We’re incredibly grateful to be considered and this recognition means more than we can say, not just to us but to the local community who have put just as much love, support and time into it as us,” Anthony commented.

Sarah explained: “The project has created so many prospects for a lot of businesses and individuals from simply us reminiscing with the locals about their memories of Abbots Oak right through to a company who came into do some unbelievable work to restore many of the interior Victorian features.”

Suppliers have included, M Snutch Building contractors, HSSP architects, Renownd Chef

The sell-out showcase of the industry’s achievements is the fifteenth ProCon Awards and will be held on 9th November 2017 at The King Power Stadium in Leicester.

01530 833 952 abbotsoak.co.uk NICHE | 57

Say hello to our new directors...

If you’re considering switching accountants then now could be the perfect time to get in touch. We have just appointed two new directors as we continue to go from strength to strength.

Nish Bathia, who is new to the company, and Alistair Ferris who has been with us for 11 years, have both been appointed as directors as part of the continual growth and development of torr waterfield.

In addition to traditional auditing, accounting and tax services, we pride ourselves on helping clients improve and develop their business and both new directors are committed, along with the rest of our team, to providing excellent advice and a first class service.

So why not say hello to Nish or Alistair and see what we can do for you.

Alistair Ferris

Nish Bathia

07515 330 332

07932 100 316

alistair.ferris@torrwaterfield.co.uk

nish.bathia@torrwaterfield.co.uk

www.torrwaterfield.co.uk

Those in Business have their say

Employment tribunal fees

SEIS: A tax efficient investment

Are lawyers needed when separating?

Following a Supreme Court ruling in July 2017 fees for employment tribunal claims have been ruled unlawful, and resulting in the government now having to repay up to £32m to claimants.

I have recently received a number of enquiries asking us to set up or administer Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEIS). The SEIS was launched in 2012 with the aim of boosting economic growth by encouraging new enterprise and entrepreneurship. The scheme offers 50% tax relief for investors in equity finance in new companies fulfilling certain criteria.

It’s always better for parties to approach matters resulting from a separation in an amicable way. Parties are often able to decide between themselves what arrangements will be made in respect of children, finances and even the divorce and feel they don’t need to consult a lawyer to keep their costs down and result in a swifter resolution.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The government introduced fees of up to £1,200 in 2013, which it said would cut the number of malicious and weak cases.

Government statistics showed 79% fewer cases were brought over three years - trade union Unison said the fees prevented workers accessing justice.

Since 2013, UK workers have been charged a fee to bring a claim to tribunal, a further fee if the claim is heard and another if they want to appeal the decision.

Following their introduction, Unison fought unsuccessfully to have employment tribunal fees ruled unlawful in two High Court challenges and in the Court of Appeal. Unison, arguing that fees made it “virtually impossible or excessively difficult” for some individuals to exercise their employment rights, appealed a final time to the Supreme Court, which heard the case in March 2017; the outcome being announced in July.

Following the abolition of employment tribunal fees, an employer is now at greater risk of claim, and therefore should ensure all their documentation and processes are up to date.

Also relevant management training is a serious consideration.

Ivan Spibey 0116 212 1153/07712 115 663 info@atomhr.co.uk atomhr.co.uk 60 | NICHE

If the SEIS shares are held for at least 3 years, any gain on disposal is exempt from Capital Gains Tax. Relevant points to consider, when looking to invest, or set up an SEIS: ◆ there is a maximum investment in SEIS shares of £100,000 per annum per individual. ◆ an SEIS approved company can raise a maximum of £150,000 from the Scheme. ◆ investors cannot control or hold more than 30% of the SEIS company ◆ investors can receive income tax up to 50% of the amount invested The SEIS company must: ◆ be UK based ◆ be no more than 2 years old ◆ have fewer than 25 employees and assets of less than £200,000 ◆ trade in an approved sectorgenerally, not in finance or investment in eg property ◆ prepare a Business Plan SEIS is an increasingly popular route for new and innovative companies to raise finance. We can help you to complete your Business Plan and to set up an SEIS company. Peter Morris 0116 242 3400 torrwaterfield.co.uk

Without legal advice, parties may not know the full range of options or claims available. They may be reaching an agreement without having an understanding of what a court would consider they should receive in a settlement, which could mean one party is settling for less.

Without having agreements clearly documented, there can be future disputes. Where children are involved, this can result in uncertainty and distress, and not concluding financial matters legally could result in your exspouse bringing a further claim for more money or property, sometimes many years later. By then, you may have inherited money or be in a better paid role at work, which could lead to increased claims against you.

You may believe you’re able to resolve matters directly but it’s always smart to seek legal advice.

You may incur a legal fee but that will be a fraction of the cost of litigation if it were to erupt at a later stage. Glynis Wright 0116 238 5680 glyniswright.co.uk

THE DivorcE TEAM

We help With: Divorce Separation FinanceS DiSputeS over chilDren cohabitation breakupS pre nuptial agreementS

call:

0116 238 5680 or viSit:

glyniswright.co.uk NICHE | 101

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“We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle” Sir Winston Churchill

HMRC’s guidance on TAAR changes is poor – but help is at hand from tax expert Pete Miller of The Miller Partnership Changes to the targeted anti-avoidance rules (TAARs) aimed at preventing companies from liquidating and ‘phoenixing’ the trade, have featured regularly in this column in recent months.

In essence, phoenixing is where a person liquidates their company and extracts the profits in capital form, paying only 10% tax in many cases, then starts to carry on the trade in another company or as a sole trader or partnership. The TAARs allow HMRC to treat the profit extractions as dividends, instead, with a tax charge at up to 38.1%. That’s quite a difference – so businesses and their advisers need to know exactly how the anti-avoidance test is applied. After a long wait, HMRC has finally published its guidance on the TAAR changes but, disappointingly, it’s not helpful.

Not only is the guidance too brief and vague in parts, some of it is actually incorrect – leaving business owners still unsure of where they stand. This uncertainty increases compliance costs, so bad guidance is bad for everyone, particularly since the TAARs are part of the self-assessment regime.

Clearer guidance would surely also benefit HMRC, enabling it to better target inquiries and ultimately improving the tax take. Instead, this unhelpful guidance is likely to result in HMRC opening enquiries in inappropriate cases, leading to costs and anxiety for business owners, but no extra cash for the Exchequer.

If you’re worried about the changes, please don’t despair! As specialists in these new rules, The Miller Partnership can offer guidance in preparing your tax returns and assistance with HMRC enquiries.

For further information, please email pete.miller@themillerpartnership.com or call us on 0116 208 1020

UK tax legislation is the most complex in the world and, when you’re looking at the Taxation of Company Reorganisations, Pete literally wrote the book The Miller Partnership are experts in all aspects of corporation tax.

Our specialities include: Taxation of corporate transactions, mergers, acquisitions, disposals, demergers, reorganisations & reconstructions HMRC clearances Transactions in securities anti-avoidance legislation Taxation of corporate intangible assets & goodwill Disguised remuneration Taxation of partnerships Patent Box

T: 0116 208 1020 M: 07802 197 269 The Miller Partnership New Walk House, 108 New Walk, Leicester LE1 6UF

www.themillerpartnership.com pete.miller@themillerpartnership.com

Your financial road map Rajesh revealed the common characteristics that he helps develop in his successful entrepreneurial clients and what they do differently to stay ahead.

Will you outlive your money, or will your money outlive you?

◆ They define success on their terms ◆ They create a plan to achieve this success ◆ They focus on attaining these goals

The most important conversation you’ll ever have – we discover how the experts at FinanceLab differ from all traditional other financial advisors

“T

he majority of financial advisors are sitting in front of you and, in many ways, are trying to sell you a product,” says Rajesh Modha; the man who was trained by George Kinder; the ‘Grandfather of Financial Life Planning.’ Rajesh went on to explain that the premise of everything they do at Finance Lab revolves around a conversation; “the most important conversation of your life,” he tells us.

Whilst the pace of life is ever quickening, the team at boutique financial planning firm The FinanceLab provide an environment for their clients to relax, sit back and breathe. This setting allows the client to assess what is really important now, in ten years and for the rest of their lives.

Unlike many financial advisors, FinanceLab focuses on maximising

clients’ ‘return on life,’ after all, what would be the point in making a return on investments while you continue to live a life that fails to fulfil you and your family.

Upon discovering his client’s true aspirations, Rajesh uses bespoke financial software to create a unique financial roadmap of their future, and with further discussions with the client additional ‘what if’ scenarios.

Rajesh helps you answer the question – ‘Will you outlive your money, or will your money outlive you?’

“My responsibility is to get them to understand what their passion is and a lot of our work is based around planning to get what they want out of life. We want to give our clients the maximum return on life and see that they retire to something, not from something.”

◆ They are persistent and determined ◆ They don’t worry about the elements they can’t control ◆ They take action. ◆ They review

DEFINE. PLAN. FOCUS. IMPLEMENT. REVIEW. Equipped with this mind set, along with a financial coach such as Rajesh, the use of FinanceLab’s software providing bespoke scenarios and an evidence based investment strategy, you may realise that you are actually able to retire five or ten years early, be able to watch your children enjoy their inheritance, or to simply breathe easier because you finally have financial confidence in your future.

The question always is “What type of return do you want on your life?”

0116 262 14 14 financelab.co.uk NICHE | 63

A unique approach to accounting giving you the ability to quickly react to the demands of your business in a way you just can’t when you have an in-house finance team.

For most small to medium sized businesses, back-end office functions can be an unnecessary distraction. By outsourcing your accounting you: • Pay only for the services you need, when you need them • Make operational cost savings • Get access to industry best tools and technology • Get more time to grow your business

0116 255 2422 hello@mneaccounting.co.uk mneaccounting.co.uk

Wills and Probate

Buying and selling a business

Debt recovery

Powers of Attorney

Commercial property

Contractual disputes

Moving Home

Landlord and Tenant disputes

Settlement agreements

Friendly experienced solicitors I Straightforward legal advice Whether it be for a personal matter or a business issue, K4 Law have time and time again proved their reputation as approachable, friendly solicitors providing sensible legal advice at an affordable price.

0116 216 0510 I info@k4law.com I 100 New Walk Leicester LE1 7EA

Law firm appoints new solicitor City Centre Solicitors K4 Law welcome a newly qualified solicitor specialising in property

T

he New Walk based company is run by two solicitors, Nick Foreman and Kishani Navin who set up the business in 2008 after combining expertise to create a welcoming, niche law firm.

caseload and become a director of K4 Law. Nick told us: “Preeti has a natural confidence which, together with her professional attitude, make her a valuable asset to our company.”

K4 Law took on trainee solicitor Preeti Kumar, 25, in 2015 who has fully qualified this September. She has completed her Law degree and Legal Practice Course at De Montfort University, and is now studying for her LLM Master’s degree.

Specialising in property, the newest solicitor at K4 Law deals with sales, re-mortgages and transfers of equity making a valuable contribution to the company, with Nick also specialising in Wills and Probate and Kishani specialising in contractual disputes.

Preeti commented: “K4 Law is a super friendly law firm and I knew I’d be trained and supported every step of the way. No two days have the same challenges and I’ve worked closely with clients since I started.

It’s great that the directors have shown such faith and trust in me.”

In the future, the newly qualified solicitor hopes to increase her

Preeti says meeting clients is the most enjoyable part of her job and she works hard to make the process of buying and selling their homes as smooth and stress free as possible.

0116 216 0510 K4law.com NICHE | 65

Those in Business have their say

Rules of Intestacy Making a will ensures that when you pass on your estate is shared according to your wishes. If you do not have a valid will, you have no say in what happens to your estate.

Instead, the ‘Rules of Intestacy’ will divide your estate in a predetermined way and this may not be to the right people. It also may not be carried out in the most tax-efficient way. If you live with someone, even if you are married, are in a civil partnership or have step-children, they may not automatically inherit your estate.

Maximise the returns on your investments

Settling a commercial dispute: why settle?

For decades, empirical and academic research has consistently concluded that active fund management (those who believe they can beat the market with timing and selection) consistently underperform their comparable ‘benchmarks’. If these so called ‘experts’ cannot provide a consistent level of performance, how should you focus your investment strategy?

A settlement gives the business certainty and closure, and avoids the anxiety of having to wait for a judgment from a court and the uncertainty about that outcome.

It also avoids the expense of continuing with litigation. Even if the business wins in court and is awarded costs, it will rarely get all of its costs back from the other side.

At K4 Law we offer a speedy service in all matters concerning your estate. These include new Wills, amendments to existing Wills, probate and administration estates, public guardianship office work, advice and assistance for the elderly, disputes over Wills, and powers of Attorney.

Nick Foreman

◆ Build an investment strategy to meet your plan. ◆ You’re likely to be invested for decades – focus on the long-term and control your reactions to ‘noise’.

Investor behaviour has the most significant effect on investment performance ◆ Vary your investments over market and geographical sectors; diversification will provide the majority of your lifetime returns ◆ Greater returns require greater exposure to risk/volatility – academic research suggests that to attain this increased return, invest for the small and value premium ◆ Costs matter! Study after study concludes the higher the fund charges, the poorer the return to the client over time.

The largest restricted financial adviser in the UK can charge up to 3% pa on investments. That is over 1% more expensive than the average IFA charge. On a £1m portfolio that’s an additional £10,000 in fees/ annum. Over 30 years… Wow! Gain confidence and peace of mind for a financial future and receive your quick-read hard back guide on how much is enough? Email rajesh@ financelab.co.uk for yours.

Rajesh Modha

0116 216 0510 K4law.com

0116 262 1414 financelab.co.uk

Everyone should have a will, but it is even more important if you have children, you own property or have savings, investments, insurance policies or you own a business.

Trying to make your own will, without legal assistance from a solicitor, will lead to mistakes or lack of clarity and could mean that your will is invalid. If you have a number of beneficiaries and your finances are complicated, it is even more important that you get K4 Law to create your will.

This makes it easier for those you leave behind.

66 | NICHE

Review your case Undertake an early analysis of the case - compare the analysis with possible settlement outcomes. If an offer is made, consider its value, bearing in mind how long it will take to get to trial and the potential cost of litigation. Settlement negotiations aren’t a sign of weakness, and can take place at any time during the case.

How to Discuss Settlement Settlement discussions are conducted on a “without prejudice basis”. This means that anything said about the dispute during the settlement negotiations or in any written settlement offer cannot be used later at the trial.

This protection only applies to statements made purely in an attempt to settle the case – something which businesses sometimes forget.

Recording the Settlement Ensure that any settlement is recorded in a written settlement agreement – this is essential if a claim has been started. Having reached acceptable terms, businesses want to avoid another dispute arising on the settlement terms. Greg Hollingsworth 0116 204 7260 hlegal.co.uk

The Litigation and Commercial Law Firm We help businesses, big and small, new and old. We help individuals, at home and at work.

Talk to us today to find out how we can help you.

19, New Walk, Leicester LE1 6TE

0116 204 7260 www.hlegal.co.uk mail@hlegal.co.uk

“We solve problems, from recovering a small debt to drafting complex contracts, a business break up to a restrictive covenant problem.�

Greg Hollingsworth Director

0116 212 1153 0771 211 5663 www.atomhr.co.uk info@atomhr.co.uk

Solutions in Human Resources & Employment Law

Atom HR are Human Resources and Employment Law consultants based in Leicestershire, with coverage throughout the UK

We believe that understanding and complying with HR & Employment Law shouldn’t be like splitting the atom

We offer solutions to suit organisations of all sizes, but typically provide a comprehensive service to small and medium sized business. We can provide full Human Resources and Employment Law advice, but also act as a partner with larger organisations who already have a HR specialist in place.

Atom HR will simplify the world of human resources and employment law, and this will enable you, the employer, to make the correct commercial business decisions.

Our approach is flexible and we can provide a full or ad-hoc service.

To fully understand how we can help you, contact us for a free no obligation consultation

One objective.

Multiple opportunities.

At Grant Thornton we are seeking to stimulate ideas and actions that can create a vibrant economy – one which realises the shared potential of businesses, cities, people and communities across the UK. As a leading adviser, we see business growth in Leicestershire as being key to this.

Chris Frostwick Managing Partner T 0116 247 1234 E chris.j.frostwick@uk.gt.com

grantthornton.co.uk

© 2017 Grant Thornton UK. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton UK is a member firm of Grant Thornton International Limited (GTIL). GTIL and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms. GTIL and its member firms are not agents of, and do not obligate, one another and are not liable for one another’s acts or omissions.

Please see grantthornton.co.uk for further details

Not sure which way to turn next?

Since 1893, we’ve been helping our clients plan for and overcome times of change, uncertainty and difficulty. We help clients just like you navigate and succeed in uncharted waters.

Call our expert legal team 0116 254 8871

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#BUSINESS

SPOTLIGHT

The Fastest Growing Companies in Leicestershire GLYNIS WRIGHT

Co, six years ago. The law firm now employs 18 staff and boasts eight specialist family lawyers.

From Sunderland to Essex, from Essex to Leicester, Glynis grew up on the move but settled in Leicester after taking her first degree at Leicester University. She graduated and became a senior officer in local government. But, at the age of 42, Glynis threw in her ‘safe’ job to retrain as a lawyer saying it was the best thing she could have done but high risk having a 13-yearold son to support and mortgage to pay. Glynis’ father taught her that if life does not offer you an easy opportunity, you go out, work hard and find it for yourself.

She is a believer in ‘reinvention’, saying everyone should be open to changing career sas it helps you to grow as a person. She then graduated from De Montfort University as Student of the Year achieving the highest grades of all students.

The firm has won awards for excellence and Glynis herself has become a celebrated lady in the business community with her support for other women wanting to go into business and her charity work. Glynis is a Trustee for the notfor-profit Learning without Limits academy, she is also on the business development panel for Soft Touch Arts, for which she has funded local school children to make films about divorce and its impact on children.

She supports the Alex’s Wish charity, and was recently made Deputy Vice President of the Law Society. She is also working in partnership with Curve to support production of The Pink Sari Revolution for which she is a sponsor.

Founder of Glynis Wright & Co Family Solicitors

PREETI KUMAR Solicitor at K4 Law

After completing her law degree in 2013 and a Legal Practice Course in 2014 at De Montfort University, Preeti Kumar landed her dream role at Leicester’s K4 Law firm who, from the start, have always welcomed her with open arms. She cites the 70 | NICHE

Describing family law as ‘arguably one of the most stressful areas of law as clients are usually going through one of the toughest periods of their lives,’ Glynis specialised in this being motivated to help people and finding family law hugely rewarding. Within three years of qualifying as a lawyer, the family law specialist was made a partner in a local firm. A further three years on, she set up her own family law practice, Glynis Wright &

She hopes to expand her practice across the Midlands and then who knows… maybe she’ll retrain again!

friendly law firm as being very supportive of her career so far as she continues to add more letters after her name with a LLM Master’s degree at De Montfort University to further enhance her knowledge and specialise in property law. The directors at K4 Law have shown great trust and faith in Preeti, and she appreciates that to have this support is a rare thing indeed.

Having worked with the company for over two years now, Preeti is accustomed to no two days being the same and this is an element to the profession that she particularly loves, as well as a passion for meeting clients and putting them at ease at a typically stressful time of buying and selling their homes and always aims to make the process as smooth as possible.

Working in property law, Preeti deals with a wide range of aspects including sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers of equity.

This consists of both leasehold and freehold matters with a range of different clients from first time buyers to investments buyers, tailoring advice to meet the expectations and needs of clients on an individual basis every time.

Despite K4 Law being her first position as a qualified solicitor, she knows she is in the right place and with the continued support of K4 Law and through her development in training, Preeti hopes to increase her caseload and eventually become a director of the company, staying with the firm who showed her great support from the start.

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ehlcommercial.co.uk

KEVIN ROUTLEDGE Chairman of Leicester Riders/ Leicester Arena

Since 1974 Kevin has been involved with the Leicester Riders basketball club in one capacity or another, including as Chairman, resuming that role in 2007; a perfect marriage of skill and interest having worked in CEO, President and Chairman roles for a number of green energy companies, and having had a long term interest in sport being a former basketball player at national, League and NGB level.

Having grown up in Toronto Canada, on Long Island, New York, and in Cork and Dublin in Ireland, where he gained a degree in maths and physics at Trinity College, the widely travelled businessman believes he has an affinity to multiple cultures, and is keen

to appreciate the differences in places, people and markets. These traits no doubt supply him with the qualities needed to provide the necessary strategic oversight of the club and the arena, whilst bringing about necessary change, and a sense of community engagement.

His impact on the club can be seen in the way it builds on a sustainable basis, challenging outdated practises and improving processes. His future plans are to continue to develop Riders into a recognised top club across Europe, and to develop the Leicester Arena as a recognised critical piece of Leicester’s sport and entertainment infrastructure. Also, to use basketball, through the Rider’s charity, to engage and improve people’s lives, and community cohesion particularly for the younger generation.

NEENA SHARMA Managing Director at Next Steps HR

Next Steps HR offers HR services, personal and executive coaching, recruitment, training and mediation to individuals and SMEs. Neena loves the variety and complexity of her job. Her clients say she is an enabler, not an inhibitor, and that is why they value and trust her.

Neena set up Next Steps HR as it gave her the opportunity to utilise her skills with a range of businesses as a consultant rather than just one business as an employee. She also jumped at the chance to start a business working alongside her friends who are each experts in their field. She started out as a Personnel Management Trainee with Marks and Spencer and gained experience as the HR Director of PKF Cooper Parry.

But as a child, she wanted to grow up and become a newsreader. Neena

says she was inspired by Jeremy Bowler, Chairman at PKF Cooper Parry describing him as a great leader who trusted, empowered, and showed her the importance of being true to herself.

She loves being outdoors and has two dogs who get her up and out very early, dragging her through woods and fields each morning, and enjoys working closely with Teen Wellbeing, which provides coaching and self-esteem strategies to young people.

NICOL NIGHTINGALE Associate Director at Fothergill Wyatt Ltd

Since starting with the company over a year ago, Fothergill Wyatt’s managed portfolio has grown significantly. She says there is something immensely satisfying about matching the perfect tenant to their perfect property. Responsible for heading up the lettings side of the business, Nicol provides training and facilitates the development of her team ensuring they always feel supported and empowered by equipping them with the knowledge, training and guidance required to constantly build on their existing skills and strengths.

Nicol’s family have always inspired and supported her. Her dad, as a HR Director gave her invaluable advice and her mum has taken care of her daughter enabling Nicol to return to work. Peter Wyatt, a co-founder of her company has also inspired her having seen how passionate she was about property. He gave her the freedom to put her own stamp on the business.

Outside of her day job she has been appointed the ARLA Propertymark Regional Rep for Region 27 and is looking forward to its challenges.

Her and her daughter are regulars at parks and soft play centres, and Nicol has a keen interest in keeping fit attending classes such as Pound, Clubbercise and Military Fit, fitness weekend at Alton Towers, and more.

NICHE | 71

Those in Business have their say

Why DJ’s vs. playlists will always win

Are you getting value for money?

Why you need call reports

In our digital music age, the temptation for some on their wedding day to create a playlist, hook it up to a sound system and press play is big; it’s low cost, has the music you want and won’t be another wedding supplier you have to liase with.

We often get approached by potential clients who are sceptical of SEO companies and they are sometimes mislead about what the provider is doing on a monthly basis.

Call reporting is of great assistance to a management team when it comes to running their business. Often associated with traditional call-centres, it is of great help in all business types, to spot trends with call patterns. It assists with staffing levels and work practices of colleagues and team members that can be addressed to improve service. Call management with call recording is also an invaluable training tool, which can be used as a note of a conversation and assist with dispute resolution.

However, this method forgets one very important thing and that’s the impact on the dancefloor of a real-life DJ practising their artform.

An experienced and music passionate DJ will read their audience, feed off its energy and deliver the right songs at the right time to ensure success.

How do we do that? Well, it’s tricky to sum up any creative process in words really but, generally, we look out for the toe tapping, gauge what is working and what isn’t from facial expressions, and take in tiny cues from our audience to create a night of buildable, tailored dancing to achieve the ultimate goal of a memorable, dance filled, fun evening which reflects the tastes of the happy couple and the energy of the room.

Contrary to popular belief, a successful wedding soundtrack isn’t all about numbers on dancefloors. There is much more to it than that with a good DJ creating something which is both meaningful to a couple as well as fun filled for everyone - a preplanned playlist just can’t match that! Rob Lambeth 0333 772 0341 rjlevents.com 72 | NICHE

Easy Internet are different in that honesty and transparency are two of our core values and we pride ourselves on delivering proven results. We’ve launched Smart Marketing Toolkit, empowering small and medium businesses to take back control of all of their online marketing through one advanced dashboard.

The toolkit is a powerful digital interface made up of customisable widgets, integrating all of your analytics, social media, email campaigns and paid advertising efforts whilst delivering website ranking information and allowing you to monitor your backlinks.

You can also create automated reports choosing the frequency that they are generated, and export information from within the toolkit, even for specific date ranges to help you monitor your online performance.

With detailed call information available, it’s easier to plan and adapt practices of a team whilst increasing the quality and productivity of their incoming and outgoing calls. In a call centre environment, it can also be beneficial for team members to see how their department, teams, or individual members are performing on a daily basis and be used as a team motivator.

If you would like more information about our toolkit or SEO services, please don’t hestitate to get in touch. Diane Esho

Call management provides 24/7 monitoring and analysis using pre-defined, graphically enhanced reports, presented in a variety of ways such as lists, charts and wallboards. With precise real-time information on performance, leaders are able to be flexible and adjust the running of their business or specific teams, according to the analysis of the reports. Please see our article on page 77 detailing one of the options available to your business from Dalys. Peter Daly

0333 332 6396 smartmarketingtoolkit.com

0116 242 6996 dalys.co.uk

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Corporate dining done well

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. Virginia Woolfe

I

f you’ve ever had a go at organising an event you’ll know just how true this quote really is as dining options are famously known to make or break any occasion.

But event organising, although sometimes stressful, is supposed to be exciting and interesting – even in business – so organising an occasion for business purposes should be considered one of the perks of the job. One catering company offers all the luxurious delights to ensure your guests ‘dine well’ whilst eliminating any sense of stress.

The award-winning Dimblebee Catering Company have catered for the likes of Selfridges, Rolls-Royce, Coutts Bank and LOROS for major conferences, award ceremonies, business banquets and celebrations

for VIPS such as Orlando Bloom, Alain Prost and Christian Fuchs.

Don’t let their portfolio convince you they’re too extravagant though, the company specialise in high quality handmade foods in Dimblebee’s unique traditional style for any size of event for venues, marquees, tipis, offices and even your own home.

Yet another year of remarkable growth saw Dimblebees having catered for a wide range of venues and events from VIP client experiences for Rolls-Royce, woodland themed banqueting for 300, and hosting one of New York’s finest event companies on their quintessential British boat trip from the RSC in Stratford upon Avon.

The team also welcomed Head Chef James Barber whose CV includes

Thank you fo r all that you did to en sure our Rut land Polo Club D ay was a succ ess.

We could no t have done it without you.

The whole te am was professional , helpful and a joy to work with th roughout th e whole experience.

We cannot w ait to work with yo u again. LOR OS

delivering high end hospitality for the music industry (Madonna, AC/ DC), the Olympics and the Porsche Racing Team. Other new members who joined the team this year are professional Event Manager Milijana Trifunovic and Chris Whall as Head Porter, both of whom bring a wealth of experience to the customer service side of the business.

The team covers any event with attendence from 20 to 1,500 across the East Midlands, Midlands, Warwick and Oxfordshire. Allow your corporate guests to dine well, with The Dimblebee Catering Company.

0116 283 3327 dimblebeecatering.co.uk NICHE | 75

Sarah Higgins nominated for Professional Services Award For corporate and leadership executive coaching one of the names on everyone’s lips is… Sarah Higgins

P

roviding a highly professional bespoke corporate, executive and leadership coaching service, Sarah supports her clients as individuals and teams to be the best they can be. She tailors her approach to each client dependent upon their needs. However, her clients most often need her to help them develop: 1) options, goals, vision, plans and objectives 2) selfawareness: maximising strengths, strategies to improve development and mitigate behaviours under stress 3) leadership brand, presence, strategic influencing skills, building and motivating high performing teams 4)

confidence, resilience and personal effectiveness.

“Sarah is an exceptional and dynamic leadership coach. She has been truly inspirational in my journey of self-discovery and mastery. Her coaching style is direct, honest, challenging and engaging. I came away each time wanting and feeling motivated to excel. Her use of the Power of Love Leadership Model and method of coaching helped me deal confidently with everyday feelings, emotions and challenges.

Sarah has a natural ability to bring out the best leader in anyone!”

Head of Department City Council

“Sarah’s listened deeply and challenged me to succeed. Her ‘Power of Love Leadership’ model has enabled me to understand the emotions that go hand in hand with challenging situations and how to let go of these and use more effective strategies.

I now have more effective working relationships, I’m more influential and strategic and I’m successfully achieving career goals.” Head of HR National Engineering and Environmental Consultancy

As an ex-HR director in financial services, fellow of the CIPD and member of the International Coach Federation, Sarah makes a significant impact on businesses as well as individuals. She is also the creator of the unique emotional intelligence tool (which she is currently writing a book about) which identifies the impact of fear and love based behaviours upon leadership effectiveness.

It is called the Power of Love Leadership. Sarah’s reputation for professionalism, skill and

experience is exceptional and her clients are full of praise, creating the reputation she enjoys within the corporate world.

On becoming a finalist, Sarah told us: “I am very proud to be a finalist amongst so many well-respected businesses in Leicestershire. I am also extremely grateful to work with amazing clients who all want to grow, develop and maximise their success.”

07748 657 715 corporatecoaching-sh.co.uk

“Sarah facilitated a 12 month Executive Development Programme for our Executive Team, including 1-2-1 coaching sessions. We have asked Sarah to return every year since to continue to develop our top team. We have had extremely positive results in forming a more cohesive team, better decision making and an ability to transform organisational culture together to achieve more ambitious plans and success.”

Chief Executive Officer Midlands Hospice

“The work with Sarah has been life changing. We now have a senior strategic team which is working much more effectively and it is critical to the future of our business. The work with Sarah has brought focus and alignment to the way our key strategic leaders work individually and with each other and the payback is astronomic.” Chief Executive Officer Midlands Building Society 76 | NICHE

DESIGN + PRINT

Helping your business come to the FORE!

Soar Valley Press

Join us at the Cross Productions Charity Golf Day Thursday 21st September Raising funds for Dorothy Goodman School

WILL

ALFIE

ALI

DAVE

ANNA

CHRIS

0116 259 9955 www.soarvalleypress.co.uk | inspire@soarvalleypress.co.uk

dj & events specialists

Wedding dj I Corporate event dj I Private party dj I Confetti cannon I Festoon lighting Illuminated furniture I Staging I Dancefloors I PA Systems I Uplighting I Magic Mirror

For stress-free, seamless events, trust RJL Events to deliver professional DJ and event services with a personal touch

215 Station Road Ratby, Leicester LE6 0QJ hello@rjlevents.com I 0333 772 0341 I rjlevents.com

You can now view summaries or drill down for specific vital call information with one of NEC’s InApps increasing team motivation and productivity

Call management

made simple

T

elephone customer service is essential to the success of many businesses. Often it’s where your customers first begin their journey with your company, meaning the performance of your team is heavily relied upon.

And while you may have the best people working for you, the same might not always be true for your systems.

Communications connoisseurs, Daly Systems, suggest NEC call management browser app InReports will increase business efficiency with 24/7 monitoring and analysis of your entire company’s communications. With real-time, dashboard statistics displaying average answer time, number of unanswered calls and more, the efficiency of your businesses’ phone organisation can be distinguished in just one glance, while pre-defined reports are broken down into weekly, daily and hourly reports and even into device type or department for instant, accurate evaluation.

Using Google API, the reports can be displayed as graphs and exported as CSV files allowing the data to be analysed by external applications too. Call lists, reports, geographical data and wallboards are also features available 24/7, that can be viewed in a web browser capable of internally storing up to 90,000 call records per year without the need for extra hardware.

NEC’s InReports is an alwayson, embedded application – an extremely low cost, easy-to-use monitoring solution enabling team motivation, greater productivity and enhanced customer service.

InReports at a glance

Dalys partnership with NEC means that top qualified engineers trained

by NEC themselves can be on hand to assist with any problems you may encounter with the systems that Dalys provides, which means the productivity of your company will never fall short. Find out more from Dalys.

Information can be broken down into departments, individuals, or hourly reports

0116 242 6996 dalys.co.uk

Real-time dashboard stats reveal average answer times, unanswered calls and more

Data displayed: trunk number, extension number/name, CLI number/name, DDI number/ name, call/ring duration, account codes, time and date, transfer information System summaries are displayed as user-friendly easy-to-read pie charts and bar charts

NICHE | 79

n e e r G ts Gran ow r G o t Your ess Busin

Are you an SME that wants to reduce energy costs?

Green BELLE is offering grants of ÂŁ1,000 to ÂŁ10,000 for low carbon measures such as lighting, heating, renewables, insulation and more.

:

W greenbelle.org.uk energygrant@leicester.gov.uk @leicesterenergy 0116 454 2700

78 | NICHE

Creating memorable experiences through engaging content and design When did you start the company and Why? Although we’ve known each other for well over a decade, TEN began in late 2015 after we had individually worked or freelanced for different production companies over the years, and by chance happened to be back in Leicester at the same time. We’d all travelled across the UK and abroad for work, but had always had our hearts in Leicester and wanted to settle back here.

The business itself came about after a long conversation about our career experiences and how we felt it was time to do something new and also how we could bring something fresh to Leicester. The city itself has changed a lot, particularly over the last 10 years and we feel that it has the potential to compete with the ‘big’ cities for talent and creative offerings, and that plays a big part in what we aim to achieve.

Why are videos so important these days, why is it leading the way?

With the limited few seconds you have to make a first impression, a video can quickly get a lot of information across to an audience before they click away. Good video is about effective storytelling through a mix of visuals and sound which allows you to have control over the tone, the tempo, and even how emotionally invested your audience will be with the story you’re trying to tell. For us, it’s about creating an experience where video is as seamless and consistent with your brand and messages as possible.

Great brands tend to tell great stories, and video is one of the quickest and most effective ways to deliver your messages, whether that’s online or on TV. What is the biggest achievement for the business?

We’re proud of how far we’ve come in such little time. In terms of what we aim to achieve we are not there yet but definitely on target to achieving that goal.

Our CLIENTS put their trust in us to DELIVER, so we respect that and care about the EXPERIENCE they have with us

What kind of experience can clients expect & how involved are they?

We certainly don’t provide an ‘off the shelf’ service by any means. Each client has different needs, and we listen closely to what their aims and objectives are.

Our philosophy is to ‘diagnose before we prescribe’, and only by understanding these aims, objectives or even what the business’s pain-points are, can we offer a solution that is right for our clients.

Our clients put their trust in us to deliver, so we respect that and care about the experience they have with us. We have clients who want to be more ‘hands on’ at various stages of production and we’re always open to that.

Would you say your videos have a particular style?

As a digital production agency, we need to make sure we deliver what the client needs. The advantage of having team members who’ve worked all over is that we’ve had experience in a wide range of TV and film projects, and we’ve got to know lots of very talented freelancers and professionals along the way. This means that we make sure we get the right people on the right projects. Each client has the benefit of being able to have their video, content or website match their brand and style seamlessly. We tend to save personal styles more for our own in-house projects.

https://goo.gl/imJcAq TEN has shared some insight to the challenges and stories businesses have in running a successful business.

We are Created By TEN. www.createdbyten.com NICHE | 81

DAVID HUNTER AND ASHLEY BUTCHER SUPPORTING THE NICHE BUSINESS AWARDS AT MNE ACCOUNTING

HOPE

for cab company TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE

A taxi firm inspired by charity work has dedicated all its fundraising to Hope Against Cancer

S

tatistics from Cancer Research UK in 2014 show there were 356,860 new cases of cancer, and 163,444 deaths from cancer in the UK. But you don’t need statistics to tell you that you’re likely to be personally affected by the disease whether you’ve been diagnosed yourself or have a friend or family member who has.

Two-fifths of these cases were deemed preventable, which 82 | NICHE

highlights that the work of Leicestershire charity Hope Against Cancer is imperative. Hope fund cutting-edge research for early detection, treatment and prevention. The charity’s focus is to ‘beat cancer rather than manage the consequences,’ and through their work they have made clinical trials available to local sufferers.

Two local businessmen have realised the importance of Hope’s work and have chosen to actively

support them. Ashley Butcher and David Hunter co-founded ADT Taxis. David said: “I think we have all been touched by cancer, either by knowing someone, or knowing of someone who has been affected.

“This is a local charity and I’m very proud that it is based here in Leicester. I prefer that we support local charities that employ local talent. We would all like to see a cure for cancer, or even medication that softens the suffering of

ADT will donate 50p to Hope Against Cancer when you quote ‘HOPE’ upon booking patients. The work Hope does takes us some way to that end goal.”

Known for his cheeky smile and infectious personality in the business world of Leicester, David has always used his profile and connections to drum up awareness and support for small independent businesses as well as the already well-known great things that Leicester has to offer.

Ashley and David have always had a reputation for being the life of the party. As teens they’d invite each other to house parties when the parents were away but as time went on, David claims he took Ashley under his wing eventually forming ADT together.

David explained: “In an age of globalisation and the world becoming smaller, I think we lose sight of what is literally in front of our noses. It’s sometimes easier to look afar, than what is in front of us.

Leicestershire has so much to offer, so much talent, so many places of interest. I’m very proud of this county, and its towns. It’s nice to have the opportunity to highlight all that is local.”

David says Hope is very active in the community, something he and the organisation share in common.

The taxi firm owner is sure to attend any occasion around the county that benefits all things local such as the inaugural Great Leicestershire Charity Celebration Ball this year as well as events that gain a large following and encourage community spirit at Leicester Racecourse, Riders stadium, and County Cricket Club.

David and ADT hope to raise £10,000 over the next 12 months for Hope. Fundraising began when ADT partnered up with 19 other taxi firms across the UK to create leading taxi-hailing app Riide, which allows users to track their cab and see a profile of their driver. Upon payment on the Riide app, users are offered the chance to bump up their fare in order to directly donate to charity. David selected Hope for Riide’s Leicester area charity. adt-taxis.co.uk riide.co

0116 270 0101

www.hopeagainstcancer.org.uk

Support Hope with ADT at their upcoming events Gung-Ho 5k race (inc. inflatables!)

Saturday 23rd September Donington Park

An Evening with Peter Andre Thursday 5th October From 7pm Leicester Arena

Leicester Marathon Sunday 15th October 9.15am Leicester War Memorial Park

NICHE | 83

Business

DAVID HUNTER WITH TRACEY MORRIS AND NIGEL ROSE FROM HOPE

WHAT WE DO: AWARD NIGHTS CONFERENCES FASHION SHOWS IN HOUSE CREATIVITY OUTDOOR EVENTS ROAD SHOWS SPORTING EVENTS PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Tel: 0116 275 1099 82 | NICHE

Mob: 07971 208 753

A professional five star Audio Visual company without the five star price Established for over 35 years, B Audio Visual provides conferences, hire equipment and live events for a wide range of clients.

Web: b-audiovisual.co.uk

Email: hire@b-audiovisual.co.uk NICHE | 83

The IT issues

that have driven you mad

IT expert reveals the most common issues businesses have with their computing processes and how to fix them

I

t can be as simple as the WiFi failing on just one team member’s computer to stop business in its tracks. Or it can be as complicated as the WiFi failing on just one team member’s computer that stops business in its tracks - not all IT issues are always fixable within a few quick clicks.

IT support company Kazzoo supports small and medium sized businesses throughout the East Midlands facilitating as an IT department or acting as a companion to their existing IT department. Kazzoo was founded

by Chris Cain who has been a computer field engineer since 1994.

Chris experiences an influx of calls and emails on a daily basis when things go wrong for his clients. He said: “Before taking us on as a sort of external arm of their business, our clients would face hurdles that may be simple for us at Kazzoo to figure out but sometimes mind boggling to those who are experts in other aspects of their business. We like to train people on how to fix recurring problems so they save business time by needing to use us less.”

Here’s a list of just some of the problems Chris’ clients have called him for in the last five days, most of which are fixable by his secure remote service. ◆ PC crashed ◆ Software/hardware failed ◆ Dropped laptops/cracked screens ◆ New logins/emails/file permissions ◆ Changes to passwords ◆ PC won’t boot ◆ Printer problems ◆ Emails needed on phone ◆ Connecting from home ◆ WIFI not working ◆ Windows update issues Once the day-to-day jobs are sorted, Kazzoo get to work on improving their clients systems with security software, cabling, phone systems, broadband and landlines, printing, domain names and emails, websites, CCTV, and much more.

TOP 3 CONCERNS If you’re a victim of any of these, Chris says here’s where to start when fixing them yourself Slow PC – this could be purely to do with age, a virus, no disk space, low memory, or an overuse of resources.

Slow internet – there could be 101 problems as to why this is, but honestly the best thing to try first is the classic ‘off and on again’.

Backups - are you taking any? USB hard drives are inexpensive. Backup daily or weekly and don’t forget any documents saved to your desktop too!

If you’re in need of instant remote help get in touch with Kazzoo.

0844 372 9893 kazzoo.com info@kazzoo.com NICHE | 87

Sport

FUNCTION JIGSAW

are the ones to beat at Niche Awards 2017

Julie Hayton, MD of Function Jigsaw smashes Niche Award records, becoming a finalist in a phenomenal four categories

J

ulie and her team delivered four highly inspirational presentations in front of the Niche Judge Panel and made an astounding impact.

The innovative and trailblazing sports injury management company are a brand whose approach to business, their clients and the industry is driven by a passion which is both inspirational and infectious. Julie is at the helm and keen to spread the positive, multi-faceted approach to health and injury recovery.

88 | NICHE

Starting things off with a chat about their not one, two or three but FOUR category finalist positions, Julie told us: “I was astounded and overwhelmed that we had been nominated in one category in the first instance.

Then to find out that we had been nominated in not one but four categories, when the Niche Awards as a whole received over 400 separate nominations this year – that was when we fully realised the impact and difference we had made on our clients. That’s what is just so special about it!”

On discovering they were nominated in four different categories: Health and Beauty, Sport, Professional Services, and Best New Business, the team struggled to decide which was the most important to them and soon realised each category deserved a presentation all of its own. “When the semi-finalists were announced, myself and the team spent time designing our presentation for the ‘meet the judges’ day and it was quickly apparent that each category meant so much to us for very different reasons. People had

My passion has always been engaging with individuals to work tirelessly at their rehabilitation.

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

nominated us in different categories because we had made an impact on so many different fronts. It became apparent that I needed to deliver four different presentations to articulate what we were trying to put across in the best way possible.”

Four inspirational presentations followed, with the Niche judging panel clearly blown away. “All the nominations mean so much as they all represent different things to me, the staff and our clients. The Health and Beauty category allowed me to champion our innovative Fit for Industry program. Having spent many years in a professional sport environment in and around professionals who work at being fit and healthy to perform their job on a sports field, I assumed, wrongly, that everyone has the knowledge to turn up for life and work in a healthy state to perform.”

Adopting the attitude that whether you are on a rugby pitch, sat at a desk or delivering the post, you need knowledge to be healthy is one of the leading motivations behind their business; to educate everyone about health who wants to know!

The Professional Services category nomination highlights the company’s ‘not-one-size-fits-all’ ethos. “Our belief that healthcare should be delivered to individual needs by engaging practitioners that cover a multiple of skill sets to design the best recovery program and also educating to reduce injury and promote health is unique. Often these kinds of services are only available to elite athletes and sports people, and are not usually all under one roof; this is why we offer something different and completely unique in the field to anyone from any background,” Julie explained.

Perhaps the most emotive of the four categories to be nominated in, the Sports category, was personally very satisfying for Julie to receive.

“My passion has always been engaging with individuals to work tirelessly at their rehabilitation.

The sense of achievement and the emotion of watching an athlete you have worked so closely with returning to play is impossible to explain. Since we have opened Jigsaw I have been experiencing the same sense of pride and overwhelming emotion time and time again. When I got a phone call from one of our clients to tell

Function Jigsaw work with some of the country’s elite sports men and women. Top level athletes in rugby, football, snowboarding, motocross... you name it, the company have worked with them. Yet the dynamic team also work with people like you and me who simply need help recovering from injury in order to continue doing the recreational sports we love.

Their Fit for Industry programme focuses on being the very best healthy version of ourselves in order to succeed in any given industry.

So whether your work environment is on the sports track or at a desk, there is something for everyone.

Working with individual to get them into the best shape they can be as quickly and as healthily as possible, Function Jigsaw get to the root of the issue and tailor-make a plan for improvement, helping them to achieve goals and success on their own path. These personalised plans allow the team to draw on a wide variety of practises – many pieces of different jigsaw puzzles, if you like – to put in place effective ways to recover from injury or get in the very best shape.

The team have made a significant impact on their clients in the elite sports world and domestic world alike.

NICHE | 89

me she had completed the London marathon off the back of quite a serious injury, for example, or the small gesture of a thank you card from an aspiring rugby player selected for Tigers off the back of another serious injury... well, it’s very humbling, to say the least.”

Then there is the Best New Business award, which is really the category that encompasses Jigsaw as a whole. “We have always strived to deliver something different, something more. The Jigsaw element of our name refers to empowering people by pulling many different pieces together to create the complete picture for recovery. To be recognised for that by the very people we have helped is a huge privilege.”

The woman behind the business Julie Hayton was born in Wales and raised in Leicester to a sports-mad family who have always immersed themselves in participating in and watching sport wherever possible. Her career path started out in ion engineering, where she gained a HND in mechanical engineering.

Her sporting passions never wavered, though, and she soon changed her path in life with an Exercise to Music qualification and went on to deliver classes to a local football club, where it quickly became apparent that the injured players were very restricted in what they could do.

It didn’t take her long to devise exercise programmes for them based around their injury and pretty soon she was fascinated by the subject, with even her engineering background coming into play. The body is, after all, engineering of sorts! Her passion for the subject led her to study at University and undertake several medical courses supported by the Football Association. On completing her degree, she was offered a position at none other than Leicester City Football Club, then two years later she moved to Leicester Tigers where she honed her craft for over 12 years.

90 | NICHE

Her background at Leicester Tigers, one of the most prestigious sporting institutions in the UK, set her in good stead for starting Function Jigsaw, setting up the company primarily to offer everyone the same multi-faceted approach to injury recovery that top professional sports people experienced. Following the aim of providing many different services under one roof, including a gym facility to support and maintain the recovery process, Julie has gathered together a team who share this passion.

The state-of-the-art Jigsaw facilities, located in Wigston, Leicester boast a plethora of treatment rooms, a hydro bath, showers and an on-site gym. Her business continuously exceeds client expectation and as it evolves its formidable reputation for getting results grows and grows.

For Julie, the business has always been about more than injury management. She says: “We are equally passionate about people staying healthy and being educated about taking ownership of their health.” Jigsaw’s Fit for Industry programme is an example of the range of services that the dynamic team offer; it features visits to workplaces within various industries to provide advice on health, wellbeing, stress management and even massage, to educate and advise employees on how to get the very best out of themselves and their working life. Debbie Bliss, is one of the Jigsaw coaches who deliver these pioneering 45-minute presentations, which are followed by a 25-minute massage. Debbie’s story is something else and she is better equipped than anyone to deliver information about stress and wellbeing. Having contracted an autoimmune disease related to stress called dermatomyositis, Debbie went from being a marathon runner to a paraplegic in just a few months, but soon learnt to walk, eat and talk again. She shares her story and experience through insightful and educational Fit for Industry talks.

During the Best New Business Award presentation, panellist Gregg Hollingsworth of Hollingsworth Solicitors asked what she was most proud of, since setting up the business. “With no pre-thought, I knew it was that by delivering our services we have enabled people of all abilities to achieve ambitions that they themselves didn’t think possible.

It was a really emotional moment for me, as it really hit me how much of a difference we have made and how much it means to me. My mum will tell you I am not an emotional kind of person but the gravitas of what Gregg had made me realise made me instantly well up!”

The Julie we have encountered so far contradict her protests that she is not an ‘emotional kind of person’. We have seen her driven by her passions, her commitment to helping others succeed and her ambition to change the way we view our health is pretty emotional. We are betting on there being a few more tears come awards night too.

0116 340 0255 info@functionjigsaw.co.uk functionjigsaw.co.uk

SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT

RETURN TO

PEAK

PERFORMANCE SOLVE your FUNCTION PUZZLE

WHAT WE DO

SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT SPORTS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT EVENTS CPD/EDUCATION MEDIA CORPORATE BUSINESS SERVICES ACTIVE KIT

24 LONG STREET, WIGSTON, LEICESTER LE18 2AH I 0116 340 0255 I FUNCTIONJIGSAW.CO.UK

Leicester Racecourse became an essential aspect of community life thanks to general manager Rob Bracken – the guy you can also thank for Christmas in September. We look at how he did it

R

ob Bracken, 50, has worked in hospitality all over the country since 1988, working with the likes of Sainsbury’s, Woolworths, Merlin Entertainment and Twycross Zoo, and became a General Manager at the age of 24, a position he has returned to today. He has spent his career reading market trends and consumer habits so that businesses can best supply their customer’s demand before they even demand it.

Always one step ahead of the game, Rob’s expertise was recognised by some of the biggest retailers of the 90s and noughties.

Working for Compass Group, the trendsetter directed Sainsbury’s and Woolworth’s restaurants.

Rob said: “I was doing 50,000 miles a year in travel so it was full on. I was able to make a difference to all these places but at the same time it was limited.”

The exhausting schedule took such a toll that Rob decided to retire to the south of France with his wife. But not before starting something that many people feel slightly irritated by. Remember when shops started selling Christmas in September?

It’s hard to put your finger on when exactly but it must have been around the early 2000s when Rob was running around the country developing Compass Group’s clients.

GENERAL MANAGER ROB BRACKEN 92 | NICHE

“Woolworths started selling Christmas meals and mince pies as early as October and I have to say that was all my fault,” he teased.

“So when the competition saw what Woolworths was doing the rest of them joined in.”

How our racecourse

outshone

the rest

According to 2015 research, 10,000 mince pies were consumed every minute during the Christmas period – Rob spotted the Brits’ liking for a mince pie years ago and made sure they were available for us early on in the year.

He applies his clever marketing methods to Leicester Racecourse today. He retired from his retirement not long after it began and was eventually introduced to the racecourse. “It was shabby, the food wasn’t good, it hadn’t been decorated in probably 20 years.

It needed some TLC. I took it on because it wasn’t a large multinational business; it was a family business that needed some love.”

In 2013 Rob set to work improving the venue by examining Trip Advisor reviews, surveying the public, redecorating, and restructuring the catering with a new menu and chef.

“When we knew we’d got it right we started selling it. Sales went through the roof and so the growth

in attendance was incredible. We were, and still are, outperforming all other racecourses in the region.

That’s because we listen to people and make changes. And now Ladies Day is the envy of them all.”

When Rob took on the racecourse, Ladies Day attendance reached up to 5000. This year 13,001 people came through the gates and 3000 enjoyed a sit down meal. There were 15 food vendors serving everything from pizza to paella, 25 bars, 3000 bottles of Prosecco emptied and 40,000 pints of Fosters guzzled.

“People wanted more choice so that’s what we gave them.

Improvement is not about making more money; it’s about listening to the public. I always ask our guests what they thought of the event for feedback, just as I’ve asked who people would like to see perform at the next Ladies Day. This year All Saints were fantastic and we’ve had no end of requests for next year from Olly Murs to Human League – all I can say is I won’t be ruling anything out!”

Rob has recorded Facebook Live posts, which have received thousands of views and has brought many more events to the venue cementing Leicester Racecourse as a major part of the community. And with 31 race meets a year, it’s one of the busiest grass tracks in the country.

With the belief that there’s always room for improvement, Rob’s future changes will include a new entrance building to bring it up to date, a new grandstand, and a tenant for the golf course area hiding next door. “We have Swift Caravan Club using the golf course next year and I’ve been thinking of doing Tough Mudder’s on there and all sorts.”

So watch out for even more fun and frolics to come to Leicester Racecourse!

0116 271 6515 leicester-racecourse.co.uk Facebook: Leicester Racecourse Twitter: @LeicesterRaces NICHE | 93

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Late summer action in Leicester Aerial silk classes

Dave smith gives us the low down on our home teams

Come and try silks with international performer Aerial Anna at our gym in Oadby (the only Leicester gymnastics gym with a foam pit!). Aerial silk classes are great for exercise and a unique, fun way to keep active.

Although commonly associated with acrobatics and contortion, we won’t get you doing anything you aren’t comfortable with just yet.

At the time of writing, in late August, we are at one of those times of year when all the major sporting teams in Leicester can be seen in action.

The fabric is used to wrap, swing, fall, spiral, and suspend your body whilst practising an array of positions. It’s a great all over body workout. You’ll be toning your muscles and it’s been estimated that 300-400 calories an hour can be burnt with aerial silk classes.

Performers may look graceful and elegant while they work their magic but it takes a lot of fitness to be able to perform like that.

And we promise, we’ll get you able to show off a variety of tricks that’ll impress your friends with a quick Instagram snap.

Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, meet new people, lose weight, tone up, or anything else, aerial skill is one to try out.

Football is back, and Leicester City find themselves in the top half of the early Premier League table and through to the last 32 of the EFL Cup, with a daunting next few fixtures looming. With just over a week to go before the transfer window closes as we pen these notes, any business concluded in the coming days may well have a serious impact on the Foxes’ prospects.

For those other Foxes, the club based at Grace Road, the season is heading towards its climax with most of the interest having surrounded the team’s efforts in the T20 Blast. A topsy turvy campaign ended with a quarter final tie defeat to Southern Group winners Glamorgan in Cardiff, so sadly no trip to Finals Day. Leicester Tigers are in pre-season, with another mouth-watering but extremely tough Champions Cup group in prospect. New faces George Ford and Jonny May should prove welcome additions to the squad as the battle for silverware on several fronts is expected to develop over the winter months.

A similar scenario also applies to the Leicester Riders. New faces are bedding in during pre-season in preparation for a campaign for glory on several fronts.

At the moment it is a case of ‘as you were’ for the Lions, though former skipper Jason Doyle continues to be involved in the battle for the individual World Championship and still has the backing of many well wishers from his former home.

Meanwhile, throughout the year, an enjoyable day’s horse racing can be had at Leicester Racecourse in Oadby. So, whatever your sporting preferences, there is plenty of choice as the days begin to shorten in Leicester – why not give something new a try this year?

Here’s our timetable: Classes for children aged 10-15 years: Sundays 12:00 - 13:00 Adults 16+: Thursdays 19:30 20:30.

Sessions will begin in Sunday 3rd September and run in four week blocks costing just £50. Pay-asyou-go spaces are available too but as places are limited, booking is essential. Jon Mutch 07813 205 852 olgc-gymnastics.co.uk NICHE | 95

Sport

Those in Sport have their say

Leicester Leicester Riders Riders Season Tickets 17/18 Season Tickets 17/18 Now Now on on Sale!

Sale!

Season ticket holders are the lifeblood of our basketball club, we’ve put together a package Season ticket holders are the lifeblood of our that hopefully reflects that... basketball club, we’ve put together a package that hopefully reflects that...

Games Games Season ticket holders will have their own seat

at our BBL Championship home games plus all Season ticket holders will have their own seat BBL Cup & Trophy & home games. at our BBL Championship home games plus all BBL Cup & Trophy & home games.

The season ticket also means that you save money every game on full & concessionary The season ticket also means that you save prices whilst guaranteeing your great view of money every game on full & concessionary the action at Leicester Arena. prices whilst guaranteeing your great view of the action at Leicester Arena.

Priority access Priority access Season ticket holders are also entitled to priority access on tickets at all of our events, Season ticket holders are also entitled to pre-season, playoffs and major finals. priority access on tickets at all of our events, pre-season, playoffs and major finals.

How to buy How to buy Pay by cheque, call +44(0)116 255 8635 or

Leicester Arena (31 Charter Street, Leicester, LE1 Pay by cheque, call +44(0)116 255 8635 or 3UD) to purchase.

Leicester Arena (31 Charter Street, Leicester, LE1 3UD) to purchase.

Payment by Direct Debit is now available to be set up for an easy nine month payment system Payment by Direct Debit is now available to be to split the cost of your season ticket making it set up for an easy nine month payment system even easier to join the Riders for every game! to split the cost of your season ticket making it even easier to join the Riders for every game!

#WeRideTogether #WeRideTogether

SEASON TICKETS 2017-18 - PREMIER (Victory & Granby Stands) SEASON TICKETS 2017-18 - PREMIER (Victory & Granby Stands) ONE PAYMENT (INC VAT)

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SEASON TICKETS 2017-18 - REGULAR (Abbey & Castle Stands) SEASON TICKETS 2017-18 - REGULAR (Abbey & Castle Stands)

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ONE PAYMENT (INC VAT)

ADULT

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leicesterriders.co.uk leicesterriders.co.uk @ridersbball @ridersbball

Grab your bobble hats and scarves With the summer over we can look forward to pulling on our winter coats, bobble hats and scarves again as many of us head off to the traditional sports here in Leicestershire – PHILIP HOLLOWAY gives us the lowdown

A

lthough many of you went to watch the cricket at Grace Road over the summer, you may well also have been using umbrellas for some of the time with our rather wet summer. Still, there were one or two particularly enjoyable summer evenings watching the T20 which always brings in a big crowd.

We are spoilt in Leicestershire for sport, and the autumn brings us a great mix of entertainment to cheer on. The last four seasons down at the King Power stadium have left most of the Blue Army emotionally drained.

We have witnessed a Championship Promotion, then The Greatest Escape followed by winning the Premier

League – did that actually happen or was 2016 a dream? Last season was all about our Dilly Dong European Tour, which was only slightly spoiled

by Claudio not being there to enjoy the final moments. What on earth could happen this season? Maybe a cup final? Maybe even win the league again? Maybe relegation!!!

A European Tour for the Tigers is an annual event but in the league last season the Tigers ended fourth in the Aviva Premiership and with the arrival back to the club of George Ford, perhaps a higher finish is on the cards for the club.

The other Champions in the City are the Leicester Riders, who won a

Treble of Trophies last season and ended a glittering season as the club entered its 50th birthday year.

Perhaps the club’s biggest close season signing was that of Head Coach Rob Paternostro, who has been at the Riders for 10 years now, with a new four year deal which many will be hoping will ensure more success down at Leicester Arena.

So grab your bobble hats, pull on your scarves and get ready to cheer on one of your local sports teams this autumn and keep up to date with the fans’ view. leicesterfantv.com

Motoring

Volvo Car

UK’s award-winning

XC60

The safest Volvo yet.

Now available to test drive at Sturgess Volvo The Volvo XC60, available now for customer test drives from Leicesterbased Volvo dealership, Sturgess, offers class-leading technology, connectivity and safety, while providing the comfort and luxury of a premium SUV.

faced upholstery, a 9-inch touch screen control system, LED headlights with active high beam, two-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration system, heated front seats, a powered tailgate and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Set to be popular with Leicester residents, Volvo’s new XC60 takes over from the first-generation model, which has been the best-selling premium midsized SUV in Europe since 2015. The new car more than lives up to Volvo’s reputation for delivering premium Scandinavian design, family-friendly interiors and world-class safety.

All of this is in addition to the XC60’s advanced safety technology. This includes City Safety with Steer Assist, which includes pedestrian and cyclist detection, fully automatic emergency braking and a system that will help you steer around an object in an emergency.

Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving aid that helps to keep your car in its lane and at the desired speed on the motorway, is also available.

Scott Allen, Sturgess Volvo’s dealer principal says: “We’ve had customers enquiring about the new XC60 since it was revealed back in March. There’s been a huge buzz around this latest model following Volvo’s stylish new company look, and we have been inundated with enquiries since. Our customers will be delighted to know they can now get behind the wheel and test drive this most eagerly anticipated SUV.” Every version of the XC60 is luxuriously equipped. As standard, even on the entry-level Momentum variants, Leicester motorists can enjoy leather-

The dynamic R-Design version adds 19-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, sports seats trimmed in leather and Nubuck, and high-gloss black and silver matt exterior detailing.

The XC60 R-Design’s sleek and sporty look will make a striking addition to the Sturgess showroom and is sure to stand out on the road, too.

Call Sturgess Volvo on 01164 161083 to book your very own test drive and experience the XC60 for yourself.

STURGESS VOLVO ALMOND ROAD, LEICESTER, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE2 7LP TELEPHONE 0116 416 1083 WWW.STURGESSGROUP.CO.UK

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Franchised dealership levels of quality, genuine Land Rover diagnostic equipment and fixed price servicing in a friendly environment.

Our service technicians are all Land Rover factory qualified, and we only ever use genuine parts.

We now offer Wheel alignment, Air conditioning services with the latest Land Rover approved Bosch equipment Minor repairs, checkups and tyre changes while you wait Free European travel checks Free winter driving safety checks

Contact Bill: 01858 571 122 Old Barn Farm, Welford Road Husbands Bosworth LE17 6JL

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Those in Motoring have their say

What’s the big deal with paintwork?

Your biggest decision before 2040

The Royalty approved vehicle

We know not everyone is fanatical about the condition of their car. Not everyone will only trust themselves to clean it every week lovingly with the very best in products for hours on end and if you are in the ‘get it cleaned once every couple of months category’ then, why should you be interested in the paint work for your car?

Electric cars, increased road fund licence, the 2040 crackdown on all petrol and diesel cars, 2017 has so far been a year of changes for the motor industry!

The push for more economical vehicles, which don’t have such a big impact on the environment, seems to be at the heart of every decision made at Westminster to the vehicle trade.

Its familiar form is part and parcel of country life and its practicality, comfort and effortlessly pleasing aesthetic helps it stand apart from the rest.

Well…for lots of reasons actually!

It can be tempting to leave that scratch, chipped off section of your car’s paint, especially if you aren’t ‘into’ the look of it, but left to do its own thing that scratch or chip will get slowly worse and worse until you are looking at complete resprays or a significant dent in the resale price if it comes up for sale.

As a leasing company which covers the whole of the UK, here at Vehicle Consulting we make sure we are totally up to date with the new regulations that are being thrust upon us on what seems to be a monthly basis!

Top tips for keeping your paint work looking like new include ensuring you get a professional touch up on those chips and scratches, watch out and clean up acidic bird droppings pronto, keep your car under shelter away from the elements if possible and get it cleaned professionally regularly.

Getting it cleaned regularly is one of the best things you can do as lots of people don’t realise that dirt and grime on their paint work if left too long will start to ‘bond’ with the paint work leaving a dull looking appearance.

Colin Tidman

07967 752 623 Paintwagon.uk 102 | NICHE

Top of the conversational charts for many potential leasers is the move towards electric. Volvo are the first manufacturer to mark their territory by committing to a fully hybrid production by 2019. It’s certainly a huge gamble by the Swedish giants and we shall have to wait to see how the potentially risky move pays off.

One thing we do know is that despite the government’s intervention regarding 2040, fossil fuel cars are certainly here for the foreseeable future, so all you petrol headed V8 lovers need not panic just yet. Enjoy your motoring, there are some amazing vehicles out there at extremely competitive prices.

The biggest difficulty is deciding which one you want delivered to your door in four weeks’ time oh, and the colour!

Paul Stephenson 0116 278 8160 vehicleconsulting.com/Leicester

A British icon, the four-wheel drive was introduced in 1948 and granted a British Warrant in 1951

by King George VI. Created by Maurice Wilkes in 1947, the vehicle’s sturdy box section ladder-frame chassis has meant it was a vehicle to trust in the farming industry from the very start. Loved by country folk and city dwellers alike, the Land Rover continues to grow in popularity year on year.

So, why is the Land Rover such a popular choice?

There is no denying how hard wearing and practical the Land Rover is; it can stand a huge amount of elemental things thrown at it before it shows any signs of struggle and the off roading abilities are unbeatable.

Capable of carrying anything from a number of children, dogs and even the queen, whilst pulling along pretty much anything too, it’s the ultimate in practicality.

Its practicality and instantly recognisable shape and design have all contributed to its fashion credentials. Sure, there are all the comforts in the design of a modern Land Rover too, but it seems to be its no fuss appeal and classic shape that we all find so alluring.

There is nowhere the Land Rover can’t take you. Bill Saund 01858 571 122 foxlandrover.co.uk

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STURGESS LEICESTER AYLESTONE ROAD, LEICESTER, LEICESTERSHIRE LE2 7QN. TEL: 0116 254 1717 WWW.STURGESSGROUP.CO.UK

Model shown is the All-New Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo Quadrifoglio at £63,845 incl. Competizione Red Tri-Coat Paint at £2250. Range of official fuel consumption figures for the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio: Urban 22.8 mpg (12.4 L/100km); Extra Urban 49.6 mpg (5.7 L/100km); Combined 34.4 mpg (8.2 L/100km). CO2 emissions 189 g/km.

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Out & About

Tribute to Leicester artists

Leicester’s music scene is about to take over the city as a brand new awards ceremony

H

onouring the vibrant music scene within the city and county, the all new Leicester Music & Entertainment Awards (LMEA) will hold its first ever celebration Thursday 21st September.

The awards will recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements that local musicians and other individuals have made to the Leicester music scene. Over 2000 nominations were made by the public and finalists will come under 13 categories celebrating the Leicester’s performers, up and coming artists, venues, bands, DJs, radio stations, and more.

Hosted at Athena in Queen Street and presented by Bad Music Entertainment; an award-winning company founded by The Voice’s Bizzi Dixon. The signer travels around the UK as a vocal tutor, songwriter and music producer for young people enabling them to improve their talents. His passion for

106 | NICHE

encouraging people to showcase their talents and recognise those of others is the ethos behind the LMEA. The awards will give the Leicester the chance to acknowledge and appreciate the successes presented at the prestigious black tie ceremony.

THE AWARD CATEGORIES ARE:

The red carpet event will treat guests to a champagne reception, a two course meal, and fantastic after party. There will also be TV filming and surprise guest performers on the night.

Best Female Singer

GET YOUR TICKETS Available from eventbrite.co.uk £25 tickets 8pm arrival, Awards ceremony After Party £45 tickets 6.30pm arrival, Red carpet photography, Champagne reception Two course meal, Awards ceremony After party

Best Nightclub Best Live Venue Best Bar Best Male Singer Best Group/Band Best MC Best Dance/Performing Arts Best DJ Best Radio Station Best Up and Coming Best Song Long-standing contribution

A stunning, contemporary hotel in the centre of Leicester with bright rooms and modern amenities

RAMADA Encore Leicester City Centre is a newly constructed hotel with stylish hotel rooms, friendly service, and an unbeatable location in the heart of the Cultural Quarter. Our contemporary lodging serves business travellers as well as families and couples on holiday. Just steps away from the heart of the City and all its attractions – dining, shopping, nightlife, museums, and sports venues.

24-hour front desk I meeting facilities I onsite gym I restaurant and bar discounted NCP parking I complimentary wi-fi throughout I dry cleaning service

84 - 90 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1GE

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Stuck for somewhere to go tonight?

Here are a few venues that feature on the Capacity app to help you decide

NORTH BAR & KITCHEN

CHUTNEY IVY

42 Hinckley Road, Leicester, Le3 0RB

41 Halford St, Leicester LE1 1TR

About: North was set up by good friends who have travelled the world together, they have brought together their experience to offer modern British contemporary dining cuisine in the heart of Leicestershire.

About: Chutney Ivy bring the most traditional dishes from all corners of the Indian subcontinent, maintain the classic Indian recipes and enhance the offering with some signature dishes to reflect the changing food trends in modern society. Cooked and prepared in their open plan kitchen by the vastly experienced staff, the menu has been designed after several years of research and experience gained.

The ambience created in the iconic West End building, makes us the perfect venue for dining with friends, romantic meals, celebrations and private hire.

We’re loving: North’s Hendrick’s Afternoon Tea complete with gin cocktail and lots of scrumptious sweet and savoury treats.

We’re loving: Chutney Ivy’s private party facilities that are totally flexible accommodating live DJs and performers, cocktails and canapés.

Going out tonight?

Never again will you be concerned about how full or empty the bar is before you arrive, as new app Capacity tells you its level of fullness before you even leave the house 108 | NICHE

I

f you’re looking for a quiet night out, or more of a crazy one, the Capacity app will guide you in the right direction (literally – it has built in satellite navigation to get you to your selected destination as well as available nearby parking spaces!).

The developers, 35-year-old Lee Quinn and 21-year-old Haydn Gately, were introduced when Lee, who studies Sport Coaching at Loughborough College, pitched his

app idea his tutor Joe Hatwell who pointed him in the direction of the business enterprise hub.

The hub’s manager Emma Bishop paired Lee up with students Haydn and Rob. Together with the support of Emma, the development of the app was a success.

Already available in Leicester and Loughborough, the app will soon be ready for release in Liverpool, Haydn’s home city. So far, a

THE LOCKER ROOM

THE PARCEL YARD

5-11 Belvoir Street, Leicester

48a London Road, Leicester, LE2 0QB

About: The Locker Room Sports Bar & Pool Lounge has reserved its place in the heart of Leicester City Centre with a modern bespoke bar ‘Eat, Drink & Play’ in the unique sporting atmosphere. Serving craft beer, cocktails and a variety of spirits, chicken wings, hot dogs and pizza while you play American pool, ping pong and beer pong, The Locker Room will provide you with an entertaining yet relaxed sporting experience.

About: The Steamin’ Billy Parcel Yard pub is right next door to Leicester Train Station providing relaxed surroundings, with plenty on offer including a great selection of real ales, fine wines, craft beers and a quality menu with something for everyone - all day brunch, coffees, and fantastic lunches and evening meals.

We’re loving: The Locker Room’s ‘Hot Dog & Pint’ night every Thursday for £7

We’re loving: That The Parcel Yard restaurant can be sectioned off for birthday parties and other get-togethers.

Don’t forget to check out @CapacityUK Facebook page for competitions and giveaways! range of social gathering spots are featured on the app for the Leicester and Loughborough area, and Lee hopes to get many more venues on board by the end of the year.

“We’ve got a lot of bars and restaurants on the app but eventually we’d like to get it to feature every kind of venue on there, whether you’re looking for a massive indoor play area or a nightclub,” he told us.

Capacity has reached 1,000 downloads and as the venues keep stacking up day after day as they all want in on the app that accurately tracks their capacity with a clicker system installed at their doors, the downloads are continuing to rise.

The latest venues to have signed up are The Exchange bar in Leicester and Venom Nightclub, and ADT taxis are also available on the app to order a ride at the touch of a button as

soon as you’ve decided where you want to go based on Capacity’s info.

Download the app for free and start socialising the Capacity way.

07376 425 794 capacity-uk.com NICHE | 109

Culture in Leicester

Recruitment drive for care home A local recruitment campaign has been launched for growing Melton Mowbray care home

Baby, you can drive my car Baby Driver was a film I already knew I wanted to see. Having enjoyed the smouldering Ryan Gosling’s car sequences in Drive, being a Vin Diesel Fast & Furious apologist and a Steve McQueen Bullitt superfan, I settled in my seat at Phoenix, ready to be blown away, and was not disappointed!

Edgar Wright’s stylish love letter to the iPod begins at full throttle with a blistering car chase around the streets of Atlanta and a coolly choreographed circuit to the criminals’ rendezvous. This is a ‘one last job’ for Ansel Egort’s Baby to settle his debt with Kevin Spacey’s knowingly charming and subtly sinister Doc, but at its heart is a tender teen romance between Baby and Debora, an almost unrecognisable Lily James (Downton Abbey’s Lady Rose).

The supporting cast of Jamie Foxx, John Hamm (almost as far from his sophisticated Mad Men creation Don Draper as it’s possible to get) and his Bonnie & Clyde girlfriend Eiza Gonzales get all the one liners because Baby’s words and self expression come through his playlists, which are fabulously eclectic and signpost mood and plot. The much lauded soundtrack is all-genre-inclusive: Dave Brubeck, Beach Boys, Queen, Blur, Barry White, The Damned, Martha & The Vandellas, just for starters.

Where some might, understandably, baulk at the casual violence, I was totally captivated by this tale of first love, redemption and its sheer brazen originality. Tracey Miller traceyannmiller@hotmail.com

110 | NICHE 120

The Amwell in Asfordby Road, which opened in January, is looking to employ up to 20 people across a range of care and domestic positions. The home is currently recruiting for experienced night and day nurses, clinical lead nurses and senior staff with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) as well as an administrator, and activities coordinator.

The care home, which was officially opened by fitness celebrity Rosemary Conley CBE, is an all-inclusive, residential, nursing, dementia and respite care home and has 88 luxurious en-suite bedrooms across three floors. Mrs Conley, 70, described The Amwell as ‘phenomenal’ and like a ‘posh hotel’, saying it will ‘create a new level of luxury for care homes’.

The Amwell sits with its private wooded area overlooking the River Eye and its facilities include a cinema, beauty spa, riverside bistro, a specialised gym, a beautiful landscaped courtyard garden, private dining and computer suite facilities. All residents enjoy a fresh fine dining experience which is

prepared daily by the on-site chef.

A chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz is available to take residents into town.

The Amwell care home manager Tracy Heyes said: “Since opening we have been met with an overwhelming response and the care home is extremely popular hence our new recruitment drive. We’re looking for a wide range of experienced staff who are passionate about working in care and will help to support our residents’ individual needs”.

To register an interest please contact Tracy on 01664 882525, email manager@theamwellcare.com or visit www.theamwellcare.com

THE CANCER no one talks about How a cancer survivor fulfilled a promise he made to the man who saved his life

‘A

re you taking the p*** talking to me like a Dalek!?’ is the answer Phil Johnson received while out in Market Harborough raising awareness of throat cancer. Actually, the ‘Dalek’ sound coming from Phil was created by the TruTone Electrolarynx device held against his neck vibrating his last two remaining vocal chords the only way he can communicate after surviving throat cancer.

According to Phil’s street survey he conducted in 2015, 87 per cent of people had no idea you can get cancer above the shoulders. An online, worldwide survey of his, which received 193 replies, found that these forms of cancer have the lowest hospital fast-track referral rate from GPs in the UK. It took Phil three visits to GP’s in August 2009 before his ear and throat complaints were taken seriously.

Phil was told on 6th January 2010 that he was suffering from cancer.

The year of 2010 involved hospital visits every day for radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which Phil said nearly killed him off. Surgeons performed what should have been a 10 minute exploratory operation on Phil’s throat after he felt many ‘spongey

I said to him, ‘you saved my life, what can I do for you?’

He pointed to a picture and said ‘one of these machines,’ bits’ under his chin. The surgeons couldn’t locate Phil’s wind and food pipes due to a large tumour which caused their patient to die during the simple operation. After receiving an emergency tracheostomy, Phil was saved and woke up three hours later with ‘scaffolding’ protruding from his throat and terrified as he could no longer speak.

The cancer survivor had literally been brought back from the dead and he gives all his thanks to Surgeon Andy Moir. “I said to him, ‘you saved my life, what Can I do for you?’ He pointed to a picture and said ‘one of these machines,’ and I said ‘consider it done.’ I had no idea how but I was determined to get him one of those machines,” Phil explained.

The machine Dr. Moir needed was a Flexi-Video-Rhinolaryngoscope (FVR), or ‘rhino-thingy’, that produces high definition, crystal clear video imaging, which Phil

says allows our eyes to spot minute cancer cells in the throat thus bringing down patient waiting times from 15-18 months to approximately one month, saving lives as well as voices. It costs £15,000 for just one machine. Phil set up the charity ‘2020 Voice’ Cancer to raise the funds and managed to buy the first FVR for the Leicester Royal Infirmary Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department last Christmas. His next goal is to get the FVR machines into each hospital in Nottingham and Derby and in the future, he hopes to have them in doctor’s surgeries too.

Macmillan Cancer has recognised his inspirational work and has been in contact about future projects.

Phil is now proud to speak fluent ‘Dalek’ and all that he has achieved for the diagnosis of ENT cancers.

2020voicecancer.org NICHE | 111

The challenge of a lifetime

A 69-year-old is training to take part in three gruelling trials in the name of disabled children

Case study Claire Blakey, parent

E

arlier this year Christopher Davies, Artistic Director of Bamboozle Theatre Company, pledged to raise £70,000 before his 70th birthday next June coining the hashtag #70Seventy. To do this, he is appealing to anyone who will join him in one of the events; a marathon around Leicester Racecourse, a four-day cycle across the Pyrenees, and taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge.

He said: “I’d been telling everyone willing to listen, and probably a few that weren’t… tell enough people then there is no backing out.”

The mission of Bamboozle, founded in 1994, is to offer learning to disabled children and young people, along with their families and carers, innovative opportunities to interact meaningfully with the world through immersive, multisensory experiences, and to confound expectations of what disabled children can achieve.

In the summer of 2018, Christopher will be taking on his three missions after Bamboozle has put on a series of ‘mini events’ throughout the year to drum up awareness;

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the first of which kick started the #70Seventy challenge on 26th June with a curry night held at Dine India in Countesthorpe, which raised £2,500 including pledges.

Over the past few weeks, Christopher has been training on part of the route he’ll be pedalling for his cycle challenge: the iconic Col du Tourmalet, which forms part of the Tour de France. “I kept hoping that beyond the next bend there would be a bit of levelling out to catch my breath – it never came.”

It’s an inspirational challenge which will support inspirational projects, from fully accessible, immersive experiences for children with profound and complex needs, to mentoring sessions with specialist artists and musicians in the family home and developing specialised experiences for children and young people on the autistic spectrum.

For anyone wishing to take part or sponsor any part of the event, more information can be found on the website. bamboozletheatre.co.uk

We have four children , three of whom have autistic spectrum conditions and vario us associated conditio ns. Our youngest son’s comp lex and high support needs makes accessing activities beyond our family home extre mely difficult. Bamboozle is the only place we have found that we can go as a whole family and be valued and ac cepted unconditionally. To say we unconditionally acce pt and value another perso n is one thing, but to commun icate this and enable a pe rson to actually feel accepte d and valued is what Bamb oozle does. For the past fou r years Bamboozle has been the highlight of our year - we know of nothing els e like it.

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Getting to know

y b l a D n i t Mar

Classical composer Martin Dalby, has enjoyed a magnificent career with the BBC; a topic most interviewers focus on when quizzing the 75-year- old from Scotland. Well, we thought we’d ask a few questions to get to know the real Martin a little better. We also feature three of his most admired compositions discovering the meaning behind the names and how they came about. Here’s our questionnaire with the Scottish composer.

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are your favourite 1Who composers?

Thomas Tallis, who somehow has the same signature as me! And Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer and violinist.

your musical 2Describe style

It stems from the music of Skalkottas, a Greek composer. I played his music while in the Italian orchestra and it stuck on my mind.

If stuck on a dessert 3 island, which three compositions could you not survive without?

St Matthew Passion by Bach.

String Quartet No. 14 Op. 131 by Beethoven.

Piano Concerto No 23 A major K 488 by Mozart.

4Why the viola?

It’s the basis of the string ensemble; not the violin, not the double bass but the viola.

In your musical career, 5 what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Write down the first thing you think of, it doesn’t matter what, just write. You can change it later. Hans Keller told me that.

place you’ve 6Best performed?

Poznań in Poland was wonderful.

A magnificent hall. And another being St Magness Cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney as it reeks of history.

7You’re happiest when…

It’s a beautiful summer’s day by the lochs in Scotland.

favourite radio 8You’re show?

If you weren’t a 9 composer what would you be?

An airline pilot. I got my pilots licence in 1985 and lost in in 1993 due to a blood condition.

But I still flew because my pals were good to me and would take me flying.

Why should people 10 listen to classical music today?

There’s nothing else to listen to! It’s not commercialised like pop. To be number 1 in the charts it’s all based on money.

But a lot of young people do listen to classical music and the BBC Young Musician of the year award is very popular.

I couldn’t possibly choose. I’d say my favourite radio presenter is Kirsty Young on Radio 4. I used to work with her and I remember thinking she is something.

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COMPOSITIONS ANTOINETTE ALONE (1980) Duration 20 minutes Mezzo soprano and piano Words from Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Commissioned by Masterconcerts Ltd, Glasgow, and first performed

by Linda Hirst and Roger Vignoles for a BBC Radio 3 broadcast on 19th September 1981.

Novello & Company Ltd. Martin composed this vocal piece during the year of the musicians strike in 1980. Five of the eleven BBC orchestras were threatened to be shut down but as Martin fought alongside MPs such as John Smith and Donald Drewar among others, just two of the orchestras were affected.

“It was remarkable that I wrote this during a time of such great sadness, which may have affected the music, I don’t know,” he explained.

He was comissioned to do a piece for mezzo, soprano and piano just after Martin had read the book ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys. The novel tells the story of the ‘mad woman in the attic’ in

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‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte and reveals the secrets of her life and how she, Bertha Antoinetta Mason, became the first wife of Mr Rochester.

“The composition is based on three dreams that take place in the book.”

One line Martin retells is when Bertha awoke suddenly to find three rats staring at her from her windowsill. “That moment was terrifying and quite dramatic.”

Another he recalls is about when Bertha was told it is ‘very bad to sleep in the moonlight when the moon is full.’ Martin found this scene fantastical and enchanting.

The third dream-based section of the composition revolved around a folk song within the text that read ‘Hail to the Queen of the silent night.’

Martin continued: “I used these words and wrote my own folk song.”

His inspiration came from the character of Bertha and her life and personality.

THE WHITE MAA (1994) Duration 19 minutes 2(Picc)222; 2200; timp; strings Music to celebrate 200 years of Union Street, Aberdeen Commissioned by the City of Aberdeen District Council with subsidy from the Scottish Arts Council. First performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Gilbert Varga in the Music Hall, Aberdeen on 4 November 1994.

This orchestral composition represents the Aberdonial Herring gull, a light feathered seagull type bird, that reminded Martin of the early mornings as a child when the birds would be seen, often at his window.

‘Maa’ is the northern word for any gull and a White-Maa is another name for herring gull or a common gull in Orkney. The White-Maa flew from Iceland to Scotland

THE MARYBEAN (1991)

It was commissioned by the City of Aberdeen District Council to celebrate 200 years of the famous Union Street which travels directly from east to west so the sun’s rising and setting could be seen from the street.

Union street is now a major shopping street. It was built to relieve the small, cramped streets that made it hard for people to come in and out of the city.

Approximately one mile long, it’s also known as the ‘Granite Mile’.

The Aberdonian Herring gull was a symbol of Union Street and the sun and, for Martin, it became an emblem for a summers day there.

Martin took inspiration from the bird and translated its meaning to him through the notes of his composition creating an emotive piece to celebrate the famous street’s 200 years.

Duration c16 minutes 3(picc)2,ca,2,bclt,2,cbsn; 4331; 3perc,timp; hp; strings Commissioned by the BBC for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, who first performed it at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, on 17 August 1991, conducted by Sir Alexander Gibson.

One of Martin’s close friends, John Purser, who wrote and presented Scotland’s Music, had once said that Martin’s music contains thoughtful messages. Martin believes The Marybean to be a very good example of this.

He was commissioned to write the piece for the centenary of the Scottish National Orchestra. He offered The Marybean as a symbol of good fortune for the rest of their years.

The Mary’s bean, named after the Virgin Mary, is a malachan bean found in the Caribbean that falls from its vines and travels with the North Atlantic Drift and is then found on the coast lines of Ireland and Scotland.

Martin explained that many people thought of these beans as more of a stone and didn’t know where they’d come from; making them a symbol of mystery in themselves.

He went on to tell a story about how a farmers cow became very sick and was told to put the special ‘stone’ in the cows water to drink from. And the cow was cured.

Martin said: “Of course it wasn’t the Marybean that did this, it was a pure coincidence. But the bean came to symbolise luck from that.”

It is also said that Hebridean mothers in labor would hold on to a Marybean hoping for an easy delivery and a healthy child. As the Marybean now signifies good fortune, success and prosperity, Martin’s thoughtful message was in depth and written to convey his feelings for the Scottish National Orchestra.

martin-dalby.co.uk

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A Peak District hideaway for all

When Ann and Gordon McBain decided to create a space to be enjoyed by all at their 17th century farm house, set in six acres of delightfully landscaped private gardens and woodland in the heart of the Peak District they made it accessible to everyone

H

Having experienced the accessibility challenges that their godson with cerebral palsy faced whenever he wanted to visit anywhere for an overnight stay, the husband and wife team knew they wanted to create a home from home retreat environment which was truly accessible and comfortable for all.

Ann, whose background in social care also set her on the path for what it means to offer true accessibility, told us about their drive to allow the stunning area to be enjoyed by everyone. “We are so fortunate to have this space and from the start we knew we wanted to share it with as many people as possible. There are lots of activities for those with mobility difficulties nearby but nowhere to stay, that’s where we came in with Hope Cross,” Ann told us.

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The self-catering cottage provides endless facilities which make it truly accessible for a wide range of abilities.

Beautifully furnished throughout with exceptional views offering comfort and a slice of luxury nestled in rural and stunning surroundings. With two bedrooms and a spacious open lounge, dining area and kitchen as well as a large patio and glorious views over fields and dales, there are wide doorways, including the patio ones, low thresholds, a wet room, shower chair, profiling and tilting beds. Guests can also expect non-slip flooring and easy access from the level car park outside.

Creating the accessible space was no easy journey for Ann and Gordon who were also keen to invest in an environmentally sound build as well as making it accessible, creating a fair few red tape hurdles along the way. There were plenty of challenges during the process in the shape

of building regulations for both accessibility and environmental factors but the couple remained unwavering in their mission. “We knew it would be worth all the paperwork in the end! We had help from local European Funds and contacts I had through my work in social care. It hasn’t been easy but it was most definitely worth it!”

Hope Cross, is located along with three other self-catering cottages offering varying accessibility options, and the farmhouse provides bed and breakfast. It’s a rare find indeed and with the couple offering an introductory rate where a break can be enjoyed for as little as £240 this year only, Hope Cross is waiting to allow everyone to enjoy the beautiful Peak District in comfort and luxury. vicaragefarm.co.uk

NICHE Networking July’s Niche bi-monthly networking event took place at the MNE Accounting offices in Upper Brown Street. And this was a highly anticipated one as the sponsors and ambassadors revealed the three finalists in each category. The event welcomed over 100 guests to hear the big announcement first hand after lots of mingling in the beautiful, modern MNE offices complete with motivational quotes upon the very walls.

Delicious gourmet hot dogs and halloumi burgers were provided by The Shack, which drew in a consistently large crowd and champagne and beers were guzzled. Then it was time for the all-important announcements were made by the proud sponsors and ambassadors in the large court yard outside the accountants’ offices. The weather, thankfully, remained bright and warm – unlike last year’s infamous finalist announcement at the same venue when the heavens opened.

The evening produced a lot of happy smiling faces and many laughs as the giddy finalists enjoyed the rest of the night and got together for a group photo to capture the moment.

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Ladies Day at Leicester Racecourse As the sun shone down on Leicester Racecourse it was perfect Ladies Day weather at 22°C on Saturday 8th July making the crowds even more excitable as they entered through the gates.

General Manager Rob Bracken managed to cunningly secure the sensational ’90s girl band All Saints on their way back into the charts. The group took over the stage and wowed the audience with their immense pop star vibe while performing favourites such as Never Ever and Pure Shores as well as newbies from their latest album ‘Red Flag’, which fans adored.

That’s not all Rob treated his guests to though; the widely anticipated ‘best dressed’ winners had their moment of fames on stage after fantastic races and gourmet street food, as well as fantastic performances from Karen Harding, Jaki Graham, Mark Wright, and Ian Stringer as host.

This year’s Ladies Day broke records with 13,001 attendees who devoured 3000 bottles of Prosecco and 40,000 pints of Fosters.

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