Lloyd Newcastle magazine 2015

L LOY D T H E M A G A Z I N E B R O U G H T TO YO U B Y L LOY D N E W C A S T L E

I S S U E

1

THE ULTIMATE MACHINE.

In safe hands with Steve Harper.

PLUS: THE NEW i8 HYBRID SUPERCAR. BOUTIQUE SHOPPING IN STYLE.

Issue 1

Lloyd Newcastle

The Ultimate Driving Machine

A Step by Step guide to using your Private Medical Insurance with Spire Washington Hospital Do you, or any members of your immediate family have medical insurance?

Do you have a health insurance scheme at work?

Yes

No

You may be eligible for rapid access to first class treatment at Spire Washington Hospital.

Would you like rapid treatment or assessment by your choice of Consultant Surgeon in a clean and safe hospital?

Check your policy details to see if you are covered.

Alternatively call us on

0191 418 8687 for help and advice.

Yes

No thanks, I’m happy to wait

Call us on 0191

418 8687 to discuss the options for treatment or visit www.spirewashington.com for more information

www.spirewashington.com

@Spire_Newcastle

Accelerate your way to first class treatment If you have private medical insurance you can choose to go to a private hospital and have your treatment as soon as you want it.

Ask your GP for a private referral.

Follow us

If you have any questions about how to go about using your private medical insurance with us please call 0191 418 8687 or email info@spirewashington.com.

LLOYD M A G A Z I N E

06 LLOYD LIFE. Comings and goings at Lloyd Newcastle.

...with Lloyd Newcastle Dealer Principal Michelle Caveney.

@NewcastleBMW

16 TO BOLDLY GROW. Life in a country garden.

20 TRAVEL IN STYLE. Gone shoppping.

26 STEVE HARPER. On the road with the NUFC legend.

32 A GEM OF A CAR. Teeing off with Richard Sinton.

34 iGENIUS. A day in the life of the iGenius.

36 TAKE YOUR PICK. X5, 2 Series Active Tourer, and 1 Series in focus.

38 WHEN FOUR WHEELS ARE TOO MANY. The freedom of the open road on two wheels.

40 TAKE YOUR PICK. The 3 Series, 5 Series and 4 Series Convertible.

42 THE LLOYD EXPERIENCE. The team guiding you at Lloyd Newcastle.

44 THE BODY BEAUTIFUL. A day in the life of the Lloyd Newcastle Bodyshop.

46 BMW ACCESSORIES. The extras which make the difference.

48 THE DIARY. Lloyd Newcastle events.

50 WIN. Dinner bed and breakfast at Close House and a BMW 4 Series Convertible for the weekend.

/LloydNewcastleBMW

CONTRIBUTORS. Lloyd Newcastle: Karen Brownrigg, karen.brownrigg@lloydgroup.co.uk Photography: Kevin Gibson, www.kgphotography.co.uk produced by

publishing

Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AJ tel 01661 844 115 www.offstonepublishing.co.uk ©Offstone Publishing 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is correct at the time of going to press.

THE NEW i8.

Read about the new sports hybrid on p10.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Lloyd Newcastle Fenham Barracks, Newcastle NE2 4LE 0191 261 7366 www.lloydnewcastlebmw.co.uk

12 IN THE BEST TASTE. Dave Coulson’s adventures in food.

05

As a child, I was the one who couldn’t wait to go on a journey because I loved car spotting. I’ve always loved cars. They get into your blood, and none more so than BMW. I’ve worked with BMW for 26 years and there’s never been a more exciting time. There are 14 new models this year, including the flagship i8 hybrid supercar, so it’s fitting that the launch of the Lloyd Newcastle magazine is a first for us, too.

For this magazine we’ve been out in some of BMW’s most innovative, exhilarating and fuel-efficient cars. We’ve been food foraging with one of the region’s renowned chefs in a sporty X4, we’ve been on a shopping trip in a whizzy Z4, and we’ve given a footballing icon the chance to get behind the wheel of the i8 supercar.

BMW always exceeds expectations and that is also our aim at Lloyd Newcastle. We are a family business with a proud history in Newcastle and we aim to give our customers nothing short of five-star service. Our customers come here because they feel at home in our newly refurbished dealership and enjoy relaxing in our comfortable coffee shop.

The door is always open, so pop by anytime.

We look forward to seeing you.

10 TAKE YOUR PICK. The i8, i3, and M4 in focus.

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome.

08 IN THE FAMILY WAY. Behind the scenes at your dealership.

LLOYD LIFE

LLOYD LIFE.

PROUD SPONSORS. Lloyd Newcastle has proudly sponsored the shirts of Morpeth Rugby Club’s Under 12 squad, and the talented team has had plenty of chances to show off the new strip as hosts of this year’s Northumberland County Cup Under 12s. In an event designed to encourage children to take up the sport, the team finished runner-up in the County Trophy and won the County Cup, which just shows what can be achieved with the support of a great sponsor.

06 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY. The team from Lloyd Newcastle showcased some of BMWs latest models at the Northumberland County Show.

Days of heavy rain prior to the show meant lots of mud, but the sunshine came out on the day for the 25,000 people who attended. The team at Lloyd Newcastle ran a competition and winner Joanne Haslam scooped tickets to see

Robbie Williams and enjoyed an overnight stay at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead.

The dealership was also a winner, taking third prize in the trade stand competition in the non-agricultural category. Judging was based on originality of design, advertising value, and attractiveness.

HAVING A BALL. Lloyd Newcastle staff attended the Shamrock Ball as support partner of Lionra, the British-Irish Business Network. The ball at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead featured Irish dancers and musicians Celtic Spirit from Dublin. Lloyd Newcastle took the new BMW i3 eco-friendly electric vehicle to the ball, which raised £20,000 for the Percy Hedley Foundation and the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association.

ARMY OF SUPPORT. A Lloyd Newcastle team attended a golf day in support of the Light Dragoons Colonel’s Appeal, which benefits soldiers wounded on operations and the families of those killed in the line of duty. The regiment is headquartered at Fenham Barracks, just a short walk from Lloyd Newcastle’s dealership, and the money raised at the charity golf day at Hobson Golf Club, Burnopfield, will boost the appeal, which has raised more than £1m in the last two years.

LLOYD LIFE

Lloyd Newcastle’s Corporate Sales Manager James Vincent is surrounded by stylish ways of getting from A to B, but he’s doing things the hard way by running rather than driving as he raises money for a cause close to his heart.

Last year, he ran the London Marathon for muscular dystrophy charities, raising £2,200 and finishing in an impressive 4hrs 23mins. The only set-back, he says, was that his iPod broke six miles in. This year, he ran the Great North Run in a time of 1hr 47mins and is in training for the Berlin and Paris marathons. “This year, a friend and I have decided to run the Berlin Marathon for a charity which has true meaning for me,” he says.

“My daughter Sophie, who is now five, contracted bacterial meningitis in March last year and her survival was in doubt for over a week. It was the most traumatic period in my life and one I would never like to repeat. So we’re running on behalf of the Meningitis Research Foundation.” To donate go to James’ Just Giving page www. justgiving.com/berlinchallenge2014

Now in its third year and more popular than ever, the Lloyd Newcastle Golf Tournament at Close House was a huge success, despite blustery weather.

More than 100 Lloyd customers started the day with bacon sandwiches in the Lee Westwood Suite at the No.19 clubhouse before 27 teams competed on the championship Lee Westwood Colt and Filly courses.

After play, the guests returned to the suite for drinks on the balcony and enjoyed a barbecue before Lloyd Group Franchise Director Gary Bingley and Lloyd Newcastle Dealer Principal Michelle Caveney presented the prizes. Lloyd also took part in the Lee Westwood Corporate Members’ Day at Close House, which was attended by the man himself.

A LIFE IN GLASS. If you’ve recently visited the Lloyd Newcastle showroom, you might have spotted the work of talented local glass artist Samantha Donaldson, which is on display beside the coffee shop.

Samantha, a designer who studied at London’s Royal College of Art, has created a one-off sculptural piece in a striking cobalt blue to celebrate the launch of the BMW i8.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

ON COURSE. 07

MARATHON MAN.

LLOYD LIFE

IN THE FAMILY WAY.

Liz Hands discovers something of the history of Lloyd Group, one of the UK’s most successful family-owned firms.

08 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Try to explain to someone where Lloyd Newcastle is and you may be met with blank stares by those not in the know, until you add “the old Fawdington garage”.

But the truth is, Lloyd Newcastle has had a longer history of being on the site next to the BBC’s ‘Pink Palace’ at Newcastle’s Fenham Barracks than many customers realise.

While Fawdington moved to Newcastle from its original base in Stocksfield, Northumberland, in the early 1980s, Lloyd bought the dealership in 1998, retaining the Fawdington name until 2011.

The Lloyd Motor Group itself began life back in 1976 with just one dealership in Cockermouth, Cumbria. And while that dealership is still alive and well today, it has been joined by others representing some of the most prestigious motoring brands in the world, including BMW. However, the Lloyd Group business dates back 50 years, founded by Ralph Lloyd in 1964 as a tractor dealership in Carlisle, Lloyd has retained its approach as a family-run business with local roots. Lloyd Ltd, the agricultural side of the business, continues to offer new and used equipment and machinery to sectors including agriculture, groundcare, construction and material handling with complementary services including horseboxes, trailers, and gardening equipment.

Today Lloyd Motor Group has grown from its first BMW dealership in Cockermouth into BMW and MINI dealerships in Carlisle, Colne and Blackpool in the North West, and then into Newcastle. Before his death in 2011 at the age of 85, Ralph prided himself on regularly visiting all the firm’s sites, knowing all his employees and as many customers as possible. Managing Director Bryan Lloyd has continued this ethos.

Lloyd Newcastle has expanded and refurbished its site to include state-of-the-art showrooms for both BMW and MINI. Lloyd Motor Group also cemented its commitment to Newcastle with a significant investment in a major revamp of the BMW dealership in 2013.

The result is a space which is warm and welcoming yet cutting edge. Visitors are greeted at the door by Lloyd Newcastle’s answer to a hotel concierge to make sure they get the help they need, whether that is in sales, aftersales or if they just want to browse or to ask a few questions of one of BMW’s new Product Geniuses.

BMW’s latest models are showcased in an ultra-modern environment, while the coffee shop, where customers can get a complimentary latte, cake or a sandwich, offers a welcoming, relaxed feel.

New ‘pods’ have also been installed to allow customers to relax and browse, moving somewhere more private to discuss figures and finances only if they want to take that next step.

Behind the scenes, the service centre has also had a makeover, with state-of-the-art equipment ensuring technicians are armed with the latest diagnostic tools and the ability to work on new carbon, aluminium and electric vehicles.

“It’s about making our customers feel at ease and comfortable, ensuring they feel valued while showcasing the model range,” says Lloyd Group Franchise Director Gary Bingley. “We’ve got 25 new cars on display, so we’re able to show everything from an £18,000 saloon to a £112,000 i8. We do this in a way that is very modern and in keeping with our core values of putting the customer first.”

It’s a customer service-driven model which Ralph Lloyd was passionate about and which his

LLOYD NEWCASTLE.

KEY DATES. 1964 – Ralph Lloyd takes over a Ford tractor franchise in Carlisle, establishing R Lloyd Tractors .

LLOYD CARLISLE. 1976 – Lloyd Motors begins with one dealership in Cockermouth.

LLOYD COCKERMOUTH.

2011 – Lloyd Newcastle replaces the Fawdington branding to bring all Lloyd Motor Group dealerships under the same name.

LLOYD LIFE

1998 – Lloyd Motor Group buys Fawdington in Newcastle.

2013 – Lloyd Newcastle undergoes refurbishment to create ultra-modern, customer-focused retail site.

09 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

LLOYD COLNE.

GARY BINGLEY. Lloyd Group Franchise Director.

LLOYD BLACKPOOL.

LLOYD LTD. The Lloyd Ltd dealership in Throckley, Newcastle.

son Bryan, who heads the motors operation of Lloyd Group, continues.

“Bryan visits all the sites and you’ll often find him on the shop floor speaking to customers,”

says Gary. “We have to provide customer service that goes above and beyond. As a business, we believe if we get the customer service bit right, the rest will follow.”

TAKE YOUR PICK. LLOYD NEWCASTLE’S GENERAL SALES MANAGER RICHARD SKINNER GUIDES US THROUGH SOME OF BMW’S MOST INNOVATIVE AND NEWEST MODELS. TAKE YOUR PICK #1 10 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

i8.

BMW’s latest offering is revolutionary; combining the performance of a sports car with the consumption of a compact. To be able to achieve anywhere close to 100mpg and have a 0-60mph time of 4.4 seconds is incredible.

The i8 is more efficient thanks to its intelligent lightweight carbon construction and aerodynamic design and its plug-in hybrid sytem, which combines BMW eDrive technology and a BMW TwinPower 1.5litre, three-cylinder petrol engine.

When they see it, people might assume it’s a gas‑guzzler, but once they realise it’s a plug-in hybrid it will change everything.

You can drive it in ‘E’ mode, which is fully electric and provides an exciting experience, though there’s virtually no sound. Or you can use Sport mode, where you have access to all the power. You won’t get as many miles to the gallon, but you get real sports car performance and engine noise. This is an automotive phenomenon.

General Sales Manager Richard Skinner says.

The line-up we have now is the strongest it’s ever been, with all models being current except for the new X6, which is launched on Saturday December 6. So everything in the BMW range is bang up-to-the-minute, right from the 1 to the 7 Series.

TAKE YOUR PICK #1 11 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

i3.

The i3 is a first - a purpose-built electric car as opposed to an electric upgrade to an existing model - and this makes it unique.

Designed with the city in mind, the i3 combines agility with a nearsilent driving experience making it the perfect partner to the flamboyant i8.

It is great fun to drive, faster to 30mph than an E92 M3 thanks to its all-electric eDrive system, while meeting the demands of sustainable and emission-free mobility.

Some people still worry about the range of electric cars but the BMW i3 makes fully-electric driving possible every day. The high-voltage lithium ion battery, combined with a dynamic electric motor and intelligent energy management makes for an impressive range.

On a day off I rarely do more than 40 miles and the i3 is nearly always suitable. It’s a great second car alongside a regular petrol or diesel for longer journeys.

We’ve sold the i3 to all sorts of people and in my experience it’s not such a big leap from charging up the iPhone every night.

M4.

The M4 replaces the iconic M3 Coupé, which has been re-launched as the M3 Saloon.

With the M4, BMW has very cleverly reduced the engine capacity, but retained the power through the use of a twin turbo.

They’ve gone from a V8 engine to a six-cylinder and they’ve lightened the car enormously by using carbon fibre, so the

performance is better from a 0-60mph point of view.

The torque is better, it’s more responsive and the car’s fuel economy has improved dramatically as well.

When BMW make changes, they make them positive from both a green element and a performance level. With the M4, you gain on every aspect.

ON THE ROAD WITH...

12

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Masterchef finalist and Peace & Loaf chef Dave Coulson hits the road in a BMW X4, stopping off for a spot of foraging on the way.

Performance does not overshadow practicality, with the 40:20:40 splitfolding seats allowing you to instantly create more space when needed.

Company car drivers will also enjoy an impressive fuel economy of up to 54.3mpg (combined) and a benefit in kind of only 22%, as well as a comprehensive level of equipment as standard, including 18ins alloy wheels, leather upholstery and heated front seats.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

The BMW X4 introduces the bold, sporty aesthetics of a coupé with BMW xDrive, the intelligent fourwheel drive system, to provide the ultimate driving pleasure.

13

THE NEW BMW X4.

Across Dave Coulson’s chest is a tattoo of a stag.

It represents the moment he realised his dream of opening his own restaurant, a copy of the stag’s head which peers down on diners at Peace & Loaf.

Unfortunately, one-time TV Masterchef finalist Dave has been so busy creating works of art on a plate at his Jesmond restaurant that he hasn’t had time to go back to his tattooist to have the body art finished. It’s a surprise, then, that we manage to prise him from his kitchen to take these pictures.

But we don’t venture too far from his foodie comfort zone, heading out in a striking X4 to visit some of his suppliers and indulge his passion for foraging.

For Dave is obsessive about the provenance of the produce he employs, while his culinary artistry adds more than a touch of panache to his Northerninspired dishes.

“We’ve been open since last November and it’s flown over,” he says. “As a chef, the menu is all you think about. I like to take something that’s already there and make it my own, so we’ve got a chicken parmo on the menu at the moment. It features the same ingredients as the traditional Middlesbrough dish, but the chips are cooked in duck fat, there’s truffle oil in the cheese sauce. It’s about adding an element of luxury to a dish we know and love.

ON THE ROAD WITH...

IN THE BEST TASTE.

ON THE ROAD WITH...

14 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

I’m thinking about doing kebabs next, and we do a ham terrine with pease pudding that looks like foie gras. Geordie foie gras, of course!”

Dave’s plates are full of little surprises and touches that delight, and you won’t find anything on them that is out of season. “I’ve only just started buying tomatoes this year because they’re in season and will remain so for just two months,” he says when we meet in early August. “That’s when you should have tomatoes in this country, and because you have to wait for them, you want to do something really special.

“When we do get them, we might preserve them and make chutney for after they’re out of season. And we’ve made a wild garlic kimchi so we can still have it even though its time is up.”

Dave is also a strong advocate of buying local.

“It’s obviously better that North East businesses support each other and keep money in the region,” he says. “Having said that, if the produce weren’t good, I wouldn’t use it. You use trusted suppliers, where you know the quality.”

Dave has used Country Valley in Darlington for his meat, and Hodgson Fish in Hartlepool for more than a decade. “I’ve also used veg from Ken Holland, who has Vallum Kitchen Garden on Hadrian’s Wall, since he came on the scene. In London, you might get fresh French vegetables, but here we’ve got Ken. There are some other nice little suppliers at Vallum. I used to get fish from Bywell Smokery at Vallum, though I’ve started to smoke my own now.”

As we pull up beside the raised beds and polytunnels at Vallum, which is a community of producers with a tea room and ice cream parlour, restaurant, and shop eight miles west of Newcastle on the Military Road, Dave is in his element. “Here, try this oxalis,” he says, thrusting a leaf at me. It tastes like fizzy, sour sweets, I proffer.

“Just imagine that in a pudding,” he says.

I’m then offered a tiny oyster leaf, which packs a major flavour punch with the salty taste of the sea. Dave doesn’t scrimp on quality ingredients, even on his £22.95 three-course prix fixe menu, and this premium leaf often appears.

There are purple kohlrabi, a couple of which Dave purchases and pops into his apron pocket to use later. “It’s a treat being able to come here and look round at produce which is about to be

HAPPY FORAGING.

ready in the next week, so I can see what’s going to be on the menu, like courgettes and their flowers, corn on the cob, Alpine raspberries. The Jerusalem artichoke will be ready in autumn.”

While onion stalks might be discarded by some, Dave asks for some to be added to his next veg box to use for tiny onion rings and salads.

His is a culinary inventiveness which started at an early age. “I used to run home from school to watch Ready Steady Cook - sad, I know,” he says.

“At first, I wanted to be a footballer and I did go to a football academy, but it wasn’t for me, while the idea of being a chef had always been there.”

Dave is self-taught, honing his skills and developing his unique style along the way.

“It’s been about finding the right chefs to work for, learning from the right recipe books, and most importantly, caring about good food. I’ve learned a lot everywhere I’ve worked, such as Baltic, Gateshead. I like to do something that’s completely different to other people. I know if I like the look of something.”

Dave dresses his dishes with finds you or I might overlook. “I know all the good foraging spots in Jesmond Dene opposite the restaurant and in Castle Eden in County Durham, where I live. I forage sloe berries, brambles, chanterelle mushrooms, elderflowers, which have just gone, and all the fruits.”

Chef Dave Coulson takes time out of test-driving the BMW X4 to indulge in a little foraging just off the Hadrian’s Wall path for seasonal flavours with which to dress his innovative dishes.

Stopping off by the side of the Hadrian’s Wall path en route back from Vallum, Dave picks up pods from wild alexander, which looks rather like but is not to be confused with cow parsley.

He says you can use it as you would cardamom pods, which is a good tip.

There’s also sweet cicely, which has featured in Dave’s pork canapés, and there is a little crop of raspberries which are just starting to change colour. “The produce available changes all the time,” says Dave. “And you don’t get the same ingredients every year, so it never gets boring. I want to keep doing this for at least the next 20 years, and keep the restaurant busy.

“I’d also love to open another restaurant at some point. I did look at a venue in Darras Hall, Ponteland, but I think it’s too soon to open a second place just yet. It was the right location at the wrong time. A really good burger restaurant would be good, too.”

For now then, Dave is concentrating on Peace & Loaf, which he co-owns with Bob and Neeta Aurora of Sachins, and Neeta’s sister Geeta Ral, who runs front-of-house.

Having wolfed down a sandwich made with smoked pastrami picked up from Bywell Smokery at Vallum, Dave returns to the kitchen to create crispy lamb belly with gooseberry, anchovy, and cucumber and dressed with Ken Holland’s flavour-packed salad leaves.

His unique take on the full English breakfast follows, transformed into a picture-perfect starter portion featuring a tiny quail’s egg alongside quirky touches including tomato ketchup meringues. A chocolate and carrot torte comes next, served up with carrot sorbet and carrot jam.

When I tell him I feel (only slightly) guilty that he’s labouring over these wonderful dishes for us to try while he has only had a sandwich, he just shrugs. “It’s what I do,” he says.

And if he were in danger of forgetting that anytime soon, another of his tattoos is there to remind him. “I have ‘chef’ tattooed within a heart on my arm,” he says. “I look at it and think ‘I’m not getting out of this anytime soon’.” And somehow, we can’t imagine he would want to.

“ I H AV E ‘ C H E F ’ TAT TO O E D O N M Y A R M . I ’ M N OT GETTING OUT OF THIS ANYTIME SOON”

15 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

SWEET TREAT Chocolate and carrot torte with carrot sorbet and carrot jam (below).

ON THE ROAD WITH...

UNIQUE Crispy lamb belly (above) and Dave’s take on the full English breakfast (below).

GREEN SHOOTS 16 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

TO BOLDLY GROW. Liz Hands talks cars, clematis and contemplation at the stunning garden of John and Heather Russell.

John Russell has bought more cars from Lloyd Newcastle than his wife Heather would like him to reveal. “Let’s just say a lot,” he laughs. “I’ve had a 6 Series, an M3, 535 diesel saloons, the BMW 3 Series Touring, X5s, X6s and X3s.”

John says his passion for cars came “from being a young boy and never having one”.

“The first car I ever had was a Standard 10 that cost me £25. Since then, I’ve had a number of cars through business, but there are two outstanding ones. The first is the new X5 which I think is brilliant. I had one of the very first X5s and,

in the latest incarnation, the difference is marked.

I also had an M3 in the early 1990s, in a plummy purple with white interiors. It was a four-door saloon and I thought it was wonderful.”

Now retired from director roles in fashion and textiles, John’s affection for BMWs started at the Lloyd Carlisle dealership when he used to travel extensively for work. “My loyalty has been with Lloyd since the 1990s. That’s when I started buying BMWs and we’ve stuck to them ever since. My first BMW was the 525 four-wheeldrive, the iX. “I’ve driven Mercedes and Audi and would still say BMW is my preference. As the saying goes, you get driven in a Mercedes and you drive a BMW. They’re the driver’s car.”

John’s predilection for BMW is more than matched by one of the reasons he opted for the new X5 with its spacious boot, and that’s Heather’s zeal for gardening.

“The X5, for us, is better than the X6 because you don’t squash the plants when you visit nurseries, whereas the X6 slopes down. You can get an awful lot in an X5, but we’ve still run out of space in the past, cramming plants down by Heather’s feet because she buys so many!”

When the couple first moved into the appropriately named Garden Cottage at Bolam Hall near Belsay, Northumberland, the garden was derelict. Only the beech trees, which form an arch and a dynamic cone shape, remain. Everything else has been realised from Heather’s vision.

“At first, I would describe it as quite ordinary gardening,” she says. “It’s been a learning process. I was interested but not terribly knowledgeable. It’s been about observing and doing, and joining the Hardy Plants Society, which was really quite transforming. There came a time about 16 years ago when things started to get more inventive. I got so that I wanted something different from the garden.”

Now the Russells’ garden is an unexpected delight. Step through the wooden gates and you

GREEN SHOOTS LLOYD / ISSUE 01

The first sports activity vehicle, the BMW X3 is the pioneer of its class. An impressive all-rounder, it is exceptionally comfortable and remarkably flexible, as suited to everyday driving as it is to more challenging journeys.

The BMW X3 is powered with economical TwinPower Turbo diesel engines.

17

BMW X3.

GREEN SHOOTS 18 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

feel like you’ve stepped straight into the pages of Homes and Gardens magazine. Little wonder then that it has in the past attracted the attention of BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World, which sent a crew to film a segment on the clematis viticella which climbs old brick walls.

“I have about 80 of those,” says Heather.

“They’re the late-flowering variety that you cut down to the ground in December. They extend the flowering season because the first one comes out in June and they still have flowers in October.

They’re glorious things.”

There are certainly plenty of glorious things in the Russells’ one-and-half acre plot. Everywhere you turn, there is something of beauty to catch the eye, from the unusual plant varieties themselves, which Heather generally sources from a specialist nursery in Yorkshire, to the railway sleepers which have been installed vertically to add dynamism, to the water features, the bespoke metalwork chairs and the ridge tiles which have been cut and pushed into the ground in circular patterns.

The garden is split into sections, each with its own name and theme. “It sounds a bit prissy to do that,” says Heather, “but my advice is to have a word or picture in your mind and then it follows that all the decisions you make about planting relate to it and will feel right.”

Heather’s garden features the north courtyard with shades of yellow foliage to bring some sunshine in, the south courtyard, the contemplation garden, and the dry river bedthemed centre. Heather’s latest project is called the grass patch. “It’s my dream garden,” she says.

“I just wanted swathes of grass through which you walk, so I put that in first and then followed up with the pathways. But you can’t just have grasses, they need some perennials to provide a textural contrast of strong leaf and flower shape.”

A former PE teacher and now a keen painter, Heather’s striking watercolours adorn the walls

BMW X5.

of her home and these, plus the garden, indicate her natural flair for colour and form. Heather and John now regularly host garden tours, with groups coming from as far afield as Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and the US to see the beautiful garden.

“It’s impossible to say how long the garden takes me to maintain because at times I’m in there for a full four days a week, but weeks I do very little. It’s a case of spending time in it regularly.

Even if I go out there with a cup of tea I do an odd bit, because while to a lot of people gardening is a chore, to me it’s a delight which I love sharing.

“It’s fulfilling on creative, practical, intellectual and physical levels. I sometimes say to John, if we didn’t have the garden, what would we do? Go shopping? I hate shopping! Go to coffee shops?

But I can’t think of a better place to have a coffee than here.” And looking out through floor-toceiling windows in the kitchen of Garden Cottage, it’s hard to disagree.

Now in its third generation, the BMW X5 has once again surpassed even its own high standards. As a sports activity vehicle, it offers outstanding luxury and intelligent technology which elevates efficiency and dynamics, taking the driving experience to a whole new level, both on and off the road.

LLOYD FASHION 20 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

CINDY WEARS Strapless dress by Samantha Sung £395 at Leaf.

BETHANY WEARS wrap dress

by Ingenue £79 at Leaf.

CINDY WEARS Pink Once Again top £90 with black and white leopard print Heartbreak jeans £120 at Have to Love.

BETHANY WEARS Blue Your Song bustier £98 with Slow Goodbye shorts £55 at Have to Love.

Take a leaf out of our models’ book and head to Cruise in Princess Square, Newcastle, for high-end labels including Victoria Beckham’s eponymous collection.

The city centre is also home to many superb independent boutiques, including the longestablished Leaf on Pilgrim Street, where the unique collection of independent labels selected by owners Josie and Brian Smith ensures there is always something truly unique and exciting to take home.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Getting to the shops in style is vital too and BMW’s zippy Z4 is at home nipping around the streets of Newcastle, while the 4 Series Convertible is ideal for cruising around town or a little further afield.

21

When it comes to indulging in a spot of retail therapy, what you wear for a shopping trip can be just as important as what you buy.

LLOYD FASHION

TRAVEL IN STYLE.

LLOYD FASHION 22 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

CINDY WEARS Victoria Beckham off-white shirt dress £760, Alexander McQeen scarf £335, with Dolce and Gabbana purple bag £1,222 at Cruise.

BETHANY WEARS Dolce and Gabbana trousers £612 and top £546 at Cruise.

“ W H E N YO U ’ R E O U T AND ABOUT SHOPPING I N S T Y L E , I T ’ S B E S T TO T R AV E L I N S T Y L E , TO O ”

LLOYD FASHION

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LLOYD / ISSUE 01

LLOYD FASHION 24 LLOYD / ISSUE 01 CINDY WEARS Monochrome mini dress £44.95 at Have to Love.

BETHANY WEARS White collarless blazer £47.95, tailored shorts £37.95 and rose Get Home shirt £140 at Have to Love.

Head into the suburbs and you can park your BMW right outside Have to Love boutique just off the High Street in Gosforth. Once a best-kept secret in the North East, the boutique has featured in everything from style bible Vogue to the Sunday Times, and its owner Kate Walton has made quite a name for her talent for spotting interesting and innovative designs by a range of international designers.

LLOYD FASHION

Opt for the season’s flattering shorts suit, print trousers or easy-wear wrap dress for your shopping trip and you’ll be all set for lunch and afternoon tea too. After all, shopping can be tiring work. Thank goodness for all that BMW boot space!

CINDY & BETHANY WEAR Christophe Sauvat maxi dresses £159 from Leaf.

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Hair: Michelle Fowler at The Arch, Arch 4 Westgate Road, Newcastle, tel 0191 222 0080 Make-up: Lo Dias at Hidden Heights Creative Studio, Ridley Place, Newcastle tel 07973 296 018 Photography: Kevin Gibson, www.kgphotography.co.uk

BMW 428i Convertible With a retractable hard top and attentiongrabbing features including innovative Air Breather aerodynamic elements, the low centre of gravity, optimum axle load distribution and TwinPower Turbo technology enhance the 428i’s sporting agility. Optional Adaptive LED Headlights with high-beam assistant and technologies from BMW ConnectedDrive make for a superb drive.

BMW Z4 Sporty and elegant, the Z4 is powered by dynamic BMW TwinPower turbo four and six-cylinder petrol engines, transforming from a roadster to a sports coupé at the touch of a button thanks to its retractable hard top.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Models: Cindy Nicoll and Bethany Larby Tyne Tees Models, tel 0191 237 3400

STEVE HARPER

26

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

“It looks absolutely stunning,” says goalkeeper Steve Harper. “I’ve had bus drivers hanging out of their windows waving and I’m sure that was all to do with the car rather than me.”

The fact that Steve is greeted with waves while taking BMW’s new flagship hybrid supercar, the i8, for a spin around the city is almost certainly down to a combination of the high regard

new X5 is on order for Lynsey. “We need the seven-seater with three kids,” he says, adding that he also has his eye on BMW’s electric compact, the i3.

When we meet, he has just taken the i8 out for the morning to give us his verdict. “The lines and looks are sensational,” he says. “It’s a beautiful colour as well.”

Being 6ft 2ins certainly has its advantages when it comes to stopping balls hitting the back of the net, but it did mean Steve had reservations

27

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper talks birthdays, bargains and boxer shorts with Liz Hands.

STEVE HARPER

IN SAFE HANDS.

Newcastle United fans have for him and the attention commanded by the car’s stunning looks.

Steve, a long-time customer at Lloyd Newcastle, holds the honour of being Newcastle United’s longest serving player, amassing 20 years at the Magpies.

Now at Hull City, he has an eye to the future as he gears up for a milestone birthday. “I signed for a year with a clause that triggered a second year, but I’m 40 in March so we’ll see what happens by this time next year,” he says.

“At the moment, I’m fit and feel in surprisingly good condition for someone my age who still tries to dive around. I’ve got my coaching qualifications now too, so we’ll see what the future brings.”

His wife Lynsey and children James, 11, Olivia, eight, and Leo, three, have chosen to stay in the region, so Steve travels back home to Ponteland twice a week. “I either get the train to York or drive, so I know the A1/M62 east like the back of my hand,” he says. “ AT T H E M O M E N T, “It certainly helps if I’M FIT AND IN you’re in a nice car.”

S U R P R I S I N G LY G O O D Steve’s usual CONDITION FOR drive is a 640 diesel S O M E O N E M Y AG E ” Gran Coupé and the

STEVE HARPER 28 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

when he saw the i8’s dihedral doors.

“Then they showed me a couple of techniques here for getting in and it’s easy once you know how,” he says. “And once you’re in, it’s a beautiful environment; very comfortable and spacious, and the driving position is excellent.

“I’ve always enjoyed driving BMWs. I know the slogan is ‘the ultimate driving machine’ and that’s very much the case with the i8. I tried it in Electric mode through Gosforth and once you get used to the fact you’re driving without any noise, it’s a first-class car.

“I’ve been driving mainly in Comfort mode, which tends to be electric until you get to about 40mph and then you hear the engine kick in. It makes a fantastic noise; a throaty rasp. You ask questions of it and it certainly responds.”

Steve’s first car was a yellow Ford Fiesta and since then he has owned a variety of models, from the BMW M3 to the 5 Series, a 730 Saloon he describes as beautiful, and X5s. “Like most footballers, when I was young and daft I had too many cars,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed them. A lot of people blow money gambling, but my vice is cars, though as they’ll tell you here at Lloyd Newcastle, I always drive a hard bargain.”

His elder son has inherited his dad’s love of motors and Steve expresses some regret that he’s unable to keep the car long enough to pick him up from his school holiday golf club in the i8.

Harper Jnr is also showing promise as a talented footballer. “He’s a centre forward/ winger,” says Steve. “He’s a flying machine and he’s blond so he’s everything I’m not, which is a good thing. He’s also absolutely obsessed with football.

“It’s a tough career to get into and obviously school is much more important at the moment. I believe in letting them find their own path in life, exposing them to as much as possible and letting them find what they enjoy.”

Steve’s coaching qualifications will allow him to become a Championship manager should he take that path, and for now he is coaching his son’s team at Newcastle School for Boys.

“I’ve coached them for a few years now and they’ve been very successful,” he says. “Kids are great. They’re like sponges. You ask them to do something and they do it. They haven’t got the attitude and arrogance which often develops with senior players.”

While Steve was renowned as one of the most level-headed players at Newcastle, he saw managers come and go and personality clashes a-plenty while he was there. “The two best managers I had were Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson,” he says. “Keegan had the ability to make

“ W H E N I WA S YO U N G AND DAFT I HAD TO O M A N Y C A R S , B U T I H AV E A LW AY S E N J OY E D T H E M ”

STEVE HARPER 29 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Blue velvet.

The BMW i8 hybrid supercar pulls a lot of power, but is silent in Electric mode, turning heads wherever it goes.

Head-turner.

Steve Harper begins to get a feel for the new BMW i8 hybrid supercar, one of the most sought-after new cars on the road for years.

STEVE HARPER 30 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

you feel 10ft tall; he had such an aura about him.

What can you say about Sir Bobby which hasn’t been said before? He was a loveable, amicable, inspirational man who, like Keegan, made you want to run through brick walls for him.

“Ruud Gullit gave me my debut. He was actually a very good coach but his manmanagement rubbed people up the wrong way and ultimately proved to be his downfall.”

Steve has spoken candidly about some dark days at Newcastle also. “The year 2000 to 2005 was a tough period when I didn’t play a lot,” he says. “I used to go and see Sir Bobby like a bear with a sore head, asking to go out on loan so that I could go and play somewhere, but by the time he’d finished talking to you, the world was always a better place and you wanted to give him a hug.

That was the class of the man. He knew how to handle situations.”

Time will tell if Steve puts into practice some of those management skills himself. For now, he’s enjoying his time at Hull. “Then, when I get home I cram as much family time in as I can,” he says.

He has also started a boxer short company, Oddballs, in partnership with a couple of friends

and 10% of profits are donated to testicular cancer charities.

“Men tend to wear black, grey or white underpants, so we thought why not go for bright colours and patterns. If I can wear them at my age, anyone can! As your playing career comes to an end, you have to look at what’s around the corner.

I haven’t decided if this is going to be my last year playing, but I’m trying to cover all bases. I’ve got my coaching qualifications and I’ve got this company as a sideline.

“I’m the sort of person who is open to anything, whether it be at the end of this season, or the following one. We shall see…”

Drive YOUR WAY TO A BETTER GAME

Whether you are an experienced golfer or a beginner, the Close House Academy and Driving Range and the two 18 hole golf courses are open all year round to help you improve your game. Don’t forget to call into the contemporary No.19 clubhouse and restaurant.

Come along and find out why LEE WESTWOOD chooses to play at Close House.

Located only 9 miles from Lloyd BMW Newcastle CLOSE HOUSE, HEDDON ON THE WALL, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE15 0HT TELEPHONE 01661 85 22 55 WWW.CLOSEHOUSE.COM WHEN TRAVELLING TO CLOSE HOUSE USING A SAT NAV PLEASE USE NE41 8BL

ON COURSE 32 LLOYD / ISSUE 01 BMW X6.

The BMW X6 has broken so much new ground, they had to create a new class for it – the Sports Activity Coupé. With a choice of powerful engines the X6 exudes sports car muscle, and yet the chassis design facilitates a Coupé look.

33 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Jeweller Richard Sinton says he thinks the BMW X6 can be, well - “a bit like Marmite” - but it’s definitely the car for him.

“Its looks can be extremely divisive,” he says.

“But I love it. It manages to be sexy and sleek, yet chunky and distinctive.

“When I first got it, my daughter thought it looked a bit like an armadillo, but the family has warmed to the high ride, commanding position

ON COURSE

A GEM OF A CAR.

and, above all, the feeling of safety you have when you’re inside.”

Most days, Richard says, he simply uses his X6 to drive around town and despite its size he finds it’s easy to manoeuvre into tight spaces.

“I have to admit,” he adds, “that the kerb is about the nearest I come to using it off-road, but it’s good to know the performance is there if I need it. It was consistently good in the snow around Alnmouth in winter.”

He also uses it for golf, comfortably transporting himself, three friends and four sets of clubs to courses around the North East, including Close House where he is a member.

And for business, the car is often called upon to deliver chairs, desks, and lamps from Richard Sinton’s sister store, the lifestyle shop Twenty Five, so named for the 25 years Richard was celebrating in business when he opened it.

A man with a deep appreciation for customer service, he says it is precisely that which impresses him about Lloyd Newcastle “The General Sales Manager, Richard Skinner, and his team have become personal friends, and that says a lot for the overall attitude towards customer service at Lloyd Newcastle,” he says.

“They are professional and friendly, and nothing is ever too much trouble, whether it’s a courtesy car or a taxi ride if necessary. It all adds up to great customer service and satisfaction which keeps me coming back to Lloyd. I’ve had four BMWs from them now, and one MINI. That’s customer loyalty for you.”

iGENIUS 34

GENIUS.

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

Lloyd Newcastle’s Philip Bensley reflects on his role as an iGenius at Lloyd.

There’s a lot to live up to when the job title embroidered across your shirt simply says “Genius”.

Fortunately, Philip Bensley is a font of all knowledge when it comes to BMW’s flagship electric supercar the i8 and its elder sibling, the compact i3.

The role of Product Genius at BMW is relatively new. “It’s capturing a glimmer of the Apple service model, which is always at the top of the customer satisfaction charts,” says Philip.

“It’s a non-sales role to encourage customers to engage with the car with someone who does not get paid to sell cars.

“I’m here to help customers find out about the cars and the technology. There’s no agenda. I’m here to provide information, to take you out on test drives and to make sure you feel you have the right car.”

Philip who worked with Audi and Volkswagen before BMW, says the genius role suits BMW’s i models very well.

“It’s even more important that we tell people about the technology in the i3 and the i8.

People say it’s like learning a new language and there are considerations you don’t get with a conventional car.

“Explaining the offering of an i car is much more involved because of how it’s made and how environmentally friendly it is. Performance used to mean low miles per gallon and high emissions, but the i3 is as fast to 60mph as a MINI Cooper S and is, in my opinion, more fun to drive. That’s not what people expect, and that’s exciting.”

PHILIP BENSLEY’S i3 AND i8 VERDICT. BMW i3.

BMW i8.

“The i8 is something of a mystery to many at the moment, requiring a bit of education about the three-cylinder petrol engine in the back and the electric motor in the front and how it all works. It’s a fantastic car. i3 DRIVER SID WILSON SAYS: Businessman Sid Wilson took delivery of his i3 in June.“I love the technology, the design, and not spending money on diesel,” he says.“I live in Ponteland and work in Cramlington.

There’s a charging point at the Northumberlandia earth sculpture, so I take the dog for a walk while it charges.

It costs me around £1.90 to charge up and do 85 miles. It’s a damn fine car to drive and I’m so taken with the i3, I’ve put my name down for the i8. That will be my weekend toy!”

“It has total bhp of 362 and can reach 60mph in 4.4 seconds, which, because of the instant torque, feels quicker.

“Having said that, it would be too tempting not to switch it to Sport mode when you get the petrol engine and the full roar of a sports car. In Sport, when you have a full battery, you get what’s called an e-boost, using the power from the batteries along with that generated by the motor so at full throttle you get another powerful kick along the road.

“It’s no wonder the i8 is getting such a lot of attention.”

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

“It’s fun to drive and gives a better response than even a 170bhp petrol engine because the motors give instant torque, so the car moves from standing still very quickly. If you do less than 80 miles a day, the i3 is perfect. The instant acceleration is addictive, it handles very well, it’s easy to park and the visibility is superb.”

35

“It’s a very economical small hatchback, powered by an electric motor producing 170bhp. It takes 7.2 seconds to reach 60mph and you get about 100 miles of range, or around 186 miles if you opt for the extender model, which has a small petrol engine too.

You can fully charge it in around four hours for somewhere between £2 and £4.

iGENIUS

“One of the most satisfying things about the i3 is its running costs, which are 10%-15% of those of a conventional car.

TAKE YOUR PICK. LLOYD NEWCASTLE’S GENERAL SALES MANAGER RICHARD SKINNER GUIDES US THROUGH MORE OF BMW’S MOST INNOVATIVE AND NEWEST MODELS. TAKE YOUR PICK #2 36 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

X5.

The new X5 in M Sport mode gives an incredible driving experience. One of the fundamental changes to its predecessor is the use of adaptable suspension.

Now it has variable damper control, which gives you a more pliable ride without compromising handling.

The X5 was an instant icon when it was released because it was the first four-wheel-drive that defined sports utility vehicle.

No one had talked about it until then, in the late 90s and early 2000s. The only criticism was the ride could be firm. BMW fans like that, but it doesn’t appeal to everyone. This car has adaptable suspension. You can have the full M feel or, in comfort mode, it soaks up the potholes, making it a versatile, all-round fantastic vehicle.

2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER. A completely new model, the 2 Series is a revolution because it’s the first BMW with front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive. This contradicts the core value of BMW being rear-wheeldrive, but this model is designed for a bigger cabin within a compact design.

I’ve seen it at pre-launch and the images released don’t do it justice. In the flesh, it’s a sexy looking car with loads of appeal to both the younger and older driver. It’s a family-focused

37 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

1 SERIES. The 1 Series is a great car and a huge part of our model line-up.

With the 118 diesel, for example, you get hot hatch performance, 60-plus miles to the gallon and £30 a year road tax. Yes, we’ve got the electric cars, but if you’re looking for another very viable alternative that has a low carbon footprint, then there’s the 1 Series.

This was the car for which BMW officially launched EfficientDynamics in 2007. It has fantastic fuel efficiency, but at the same time it’s an amazing car to drive.

The 1 Series is one of the most engaging cars in its class to drive, and competes strongly against rivals like the Volkswagan Golf and Audi A3. It’s got everything the other cars have, but in a compact size.

TAKE YOUR PICK #2

car that sits slightly higher than a regular vehicle.

Price-wise, it’s comparable to the 1 Series, but inside it’s bigger than a 3 Series. It’s very versatile and it should appeal to people who don’t currently consider a BMW. The quality of the car is right up there and not everyone believes in rear-wheel-drive.

This is an answer to that.

ON TWO WHEELS 38 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

WHEN FOUR WHEELS ARE TWO TOO MANY. Have bike, will travel…but what’s the best car for your cycle?

Lloyd Newcastle’s General Sales Manager Richard Skinner may have his pick of some of the finest motors on the planet, but there are times when he prefers two-wheeled transport.

Dad-of-two Richard, who has been at Lloyd Newcastle for 15 years, was a keen mountain bike racer in his 20s. His daughter, eight, now competes alongside him in cyclecross, negotiating courses over hill and dale on modified road bikes. It’s muddy work, and the X5’s roof rails are perfect for easy loading of muddy bikes.

“The BMW X5 is perfect for our lifestyle,” says Richard. “For family time, we use it to go to the Lake District and to our caravan in Beadnell

on the Northumberland coast. It’s ideal for cycling because I’ve got the BMW bike rack system which allows you to have your bike on and off at the touch of a button.

“I’m quite tall, so if you’re not, you might want a lower car, or you could take a step with you.

When you’re really muddy, the tailgate can form a seat, so you can sit down and get your dirty gear off before getting into the car, which is fantastic.”

Richard can be found out on his bike most weekends, his favourite routes taking in the Northumberland hills. Four or five times a year, he takes part in a gruelling race, usually one of those run by British Cycling. “It’s my way of giving myself a focus to ensure I stay fit,” he says. “I’ve taken part in the Kielder 100 endurance mountain bike race and done the Coast to Coast route in a day. You could say I like to push myself.”

BMW X5.

In its third generation, the BMW X5 once again surpasses its own standards as a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) that offers outstanding luxury in all areas in which the highest demands are made.

This is guaranteed by a wide range of intelligent technologies that elevate efficiency, driving dynamics, comfort and versatility to a new level, both on and off the road.

The driving dynamics of the BMW X5 ensure driving is fun every time you get behind the wheel .

The driver assistance systems guarantee perfect contact with the road and the special, fine-tuned powertrain, agile suspension and dynamic steering system delivers an exhilarating combination of dynamism, comfort and everyday usability.

ON TWO WHEELS 39 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

TAKE YOUR PICK. LLOYD NEWCASTLE’S GENERAL SALES MANAGER RICHARD SKINNER GUIDES US THROUGH MORE OF BMW’S MOST INNOVATIVE AND NEWEST MODELS.

TAKE YOUR PICK #3 40 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

3 Series.

The 3 Series range combines driving pleasure and practicality ranging from the 3 Series Saloon and 3 Series Touring to the 3 Series Gran Turismo.

The 3 Series Saloon is best in class. It has low C02s and extremely good fuel economy, yet it is still a driver’s car. BMW is always about dynamic driving and this runs throughout the range. You can also give your 3 Series a distinctive personality, choosing Sport, Modern, or Luxury Saloon models.

The 320 xDrive is perfect if you want a car with four-wheel-drive and impressive 0-60mph times. If you’re a family person or into sport, you can put your gear on the roof and there’s a flexible boot. It’s simply an all-round affordable package.

With its power and poise, the 3 Series range is synonymous with driving pleasure. It represents everything that typifies BMW - sporting ability, elegance, clear aesthetics, and pioneering technology in a versatile package.

41 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

4 Series Convertible.

The new 4 Series Convertible’s retractable hard top ensures this is a car for all seasons - especially the type of summer we’ve just enjoyed.

The elegant styling, aerodynamic details and sporty proportions combine to create a good-looking car which epitomises a sense of freedom, whether the top is up or down.

The 4 Series Convertible transforms your driving experience. In a car like this, you’re no longer driving solely to get from A to B. Instead, it’s all about enjoying the drive, wherever you’re going. When I had my own, my wife and I would go for a drive in the Lake District and never get out of the car, because it was all about the driving experience. We have regular customers here at Lloyd Newcastle who will only have a convertible and this is a sentiment every convertible driver will understand.

If you’re lucky enough to have two BMWs, an X5 and a Convertible would be perfect for every possibility.

TAKE YOUR PICK #3

5 Series.

The 5 Series Saloon is sophisticated and spacious. In addition to elegant styling, space and comfort, it features driver-focused technologies including eight-speed automatic transmission and efficient petrol and diesel engines which reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. An entry-level 520 diesel SE is similar in price to a 3 Series and the 520 diesel SE’s standard specification includes leather interior, sat nav, heated seats and Bluetooth. The 5 Series range also includes Saloon, Touring and Gran Turismo models and combines elegance, comfort and technology for a sophisticated driving experience.

THE LLOYD LLOYD EXPERIENCE 42 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

LISA THIRLWALL. Coffee Shop Manager Lisa Thirlwall makes a mean latté, so it’s no wonder her domain is often the busiest in the Lloyd showroom.

Among the gleaming BMWs sitting atop the dazzling white floor, the Isetta Café provides a relaxed space where customers can contemplate their latest purchase or wait in comfort while their car is serviced.

“This is a lovely place to be, because you get to know customers and we often get people popping in just for a coffee and a chat,” says Lisa.

“They love the idea of the café area, knowing that they can come in and have a buttered crumpet and a coffee if they’ve dropped their car off at breakfast time, or that they can enjoy a toasted sandwich if they’re here over lunch. It’s all part of giving our customers a five-star service.”

RACHAEL KENDALL.

CAROL JACKSON.

Lloyd Newcastle has a busy programme of events throughout the year, all of which may appear to happen effortlessly. But behind the scenes, Customer Relations Manager Rachael Kendall co-ordinates months of detailed planning to ensure every event runs smoothly.

Carol is a well-known face in the region’s hospitality industry, having held high-profile roles at Slaley Hall, Jesmond Dene House, and Malmaison on Newcastle’s Quayside.

This year, Rachael and the Lloyd Newcastle team put together a spectacular launch event for the new i8 hybrid supercar. The model made a dramatic entrance, rolling into the showroom through a haze of smoke.

Rachael, who joined Lloyd 10 years ago, also organises the dealership’s golf days at Close House.

“The customer golf days are always popular and they’re some of my favourite events to organise,” she says.

“Now,after requests from our female customers, we’re holding a ladies’ golf day for the first time.”

RACHEL MORRIS. Senior Service Advisor Rachel Morris is one of Lloyd Newcastle’s longest-serving members of staff, having been with the dealership for 25 years.

“When I started here it was the old Fawdington garage,” she says. “It was a much smaller outfit in those days. We were across the road at that time, and the showroom was tiny, so an awful lot has changed. People ask what’s kept me here so long and I say it’s the people.

It’s a cliché, but it really does feel like a family here.

“I often end up showing new members of the team the ropes when they first arrive here, so one of my nicknames here is ‘mother’. One of my colleagues calls me Yoda, not because I say everything backwards, but because he says I know everything about the place!”

Now Lloyd Newcastle’s Customer Service Manager, she has been at the dealership for nine months.

“It’s the first time I’ve been in the car industry and I’m no expert when it comes to all the specifications,” she says.“But I like that because I bring a fresh perspective.

“I wanted to stick to what I know, which was customer service, to bring those ‘wow’ moments for people. I wanted to bring the hospitality and warmth you get in a hotel to the dealership, so people linger. They don’t want to rush off, they stay for a coffee.

“We’ve also got Jon Roberts, our equivalent of a concierge, at the door so there’s always someone to meet and greet customers, to take you where you need to go.”

SETTING LLOYD NEWCASTLE APART FROM MANY OTHER DEALERSHIPS ARE THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO PROVIDE A CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE WHICH GOES FURTHER THAN THAT EXTRA

EXPERIENCE. MILE, AS LIZ HANDS DISCOVERS WHEN SHE MEETS SOME MEMBERS OF THE LLOYD TEAM.

LLOYD EXPERIENCE 43

Jon Roberts is likely to be the first person you see when you arrive at Lloyd Newcastle. And he should know all about beautiful design and build, given that he is a former architectural joiner.

“I’ve worked on contracts for Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Heinz and the NHS,” he says.

“When I left the industry, I’d been a manager for 20 or 30 years, so I wanted to wait until the right job came up, and this was the one.

“It’s all about customer relationships. I make sure our customers can always find a parking space, even if I park their car for them. And if they’re having their car serviced and valeted, I make sure it’s out here waiting for them when they return.

“It doesn’t feel like a relationship of employee-customer. You get to know people because they come back time and again.”

MARK BILLINGHAM. ANTHONY KENNY. Sales Executive Anthony Kenny has been in the car industry since he left university.

“The fact it’s a warm, family business is what drew me to Lloyd Newcastle,” he says.“It’s about looking after customers the way you would want to be looked after yourself, building a relationship of honesty and trust.

“You get to know people and their families. You take them through their life in cars, from the first BMW in which they fit a baby seat, to the first car when that baby grows into a teenager.

“It’s the second biggest purchase you make and it’s a privilege to be part of that. A BMW is not just a car, it enhances your life. We have everything from an entry-level 1 Series to a convertible costing more than £100,000. Whatever your dream BMW, it’s amazing to be able to make that dream happen.”

While most people are captured by the striking good looks of BMW’s new hybrid supercar, the i8, Mark Billingham wants to find out what lay beneath.

“When it first arrived, people were stopping to take photographs, but I wanted to get underneath to see what makes it tick,” he says.

Mark is a Master Technician at Lloyd Newcastle. “I’ve passed the qualification three times now. You used to have to do it every five years, now it’s every three,” he says of his hard-won status.“I’ve been here for 20 years.

When I started, virtually every task was mechanically based. Now pretty much everything is electrically based.

A car 20 years ago had a radio and that was it. Now it’s got Bluetooth, media players and navigation. The new technology keeps it interesting. That’s what keeps the brain juices flowing.”

HENRY LLOYD. BMW Genius Henry Lloyd has joined the family business in a move he describes as “a natural stepping stone”. Henry, whose dad Barry runs the agricultural side of the Lloyd Group while his uncle Bryan heads up the motoring arm, says he has always had a passion for cars, so becoming part of the Lloyd Newcastle team made sense.

“The genius role is a new one,” he says.

“There’s no pressure on the side of the customer to buy and there’s no pressure for me to sell. I just want to make sure our customers get the best possible car for them and have the best experience.

“I’m the one to come to for answers to all sorts of questions about technical specifications and gadgets. I’m not just here for new customers either. Even if you’ve had your car a few years, you may not be using all the features your BMW has, and I’m here to help you to do that.”

LLOYD / ISSUE 01

JON ROBERTS.

BODY SHOP

THE BODY BEAUTIFUL.

44 LLOYD / ISSUE 01 Good as new.

The newly extended bodyshop at Lloyd Newcastle includes a new diagnostics suite and a clean area for aluminium vehicles.

Bodyshop manager David Brewis, above, says that every car should return to its owner in showroom condition, as if it has never had any damage in the first place.

45 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

State-of-the-art.

Technology advances in the design and manufacture of cars demand that the Lloyd Newcastle bodyshop is equipped with the latest equipment and highly trained technicians experienced in working on a range of models and marques.

Picture a car bodyshop and you probably think of dirt, grease, and men in oily overalls; the polar opposite of the scene at Lloyd Newcastle where all is bright and clean.

There’s a clinical air, rather like a hospital where the cars are the patients. The floor is spotless, a dust extractor ensures a particlefree atmosphere, and cars are wrapped in the automotive equivalent of hospital gowns.

Bodyshop manager David Brewis talks about “invasive” versus “smart” repairs, which are a bit like keyhole surgery for cars.

“When you’re working on a BMW worth tens of thousands, a Porsche worth £100,000 or a £200,000 Bentley, you’re looking after someone’s pride and joy,” he says. “And whether it’s a new BMW M5 or a Porsche 911 Turbo the customer has had for 25 years, we offer the same level of service.”

BODY SHOP

Bodyshop Manager David Brewis takes Liz Hands on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Lloyd Newcastle repair centre.

We meet on the day that the Department for Transport announces that it will allow driverless cars on British roads from 2015.

This could be a game changer, says David, given that automated vehicles don’t have the same capacity for driver error as those operated by humans.

David, who has been at the dealership for more than 30 years, heads a team of 24 for whom, he says, every day is different.

“We get all sorts of requests. We painted a gyrocopter once and we’ve sprayed wheels pink.” The bodyshop has just had a major investment and a new extension includes a clean room for repairs on aluminium vehicles to prevent cross-contamination with the steel in other cars. There is also a diagnostics suite to check for unseen damage such as faulty electrics or airbags.

“We are moving towards smart repairs wherever possible, so rather than removing a whole panel, you repair only the damaged part,” says David. He adds that, along with repairs and revamps, from less than £50 the Lloyd Bodyshop can provide an excess waiver guarantee which can cover up to £1,000-worth of excess.

“We also deal with the emotional side of a crash,” says David. “I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has rushed in and asked us to fix some damage before their other half notices.”

The centre has won and been runnerup in BMW’s repair centre of the year award on a number of occasions, and team members have scooped individual awards.

“And at every step, from the point damage is assessed to the final valet, there are quality checks,” says David. “When the car is returned to the customer, it will be gleaming, as if it has never been in an accident at all, and that’s the way it should be.”

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BMW ACCESSORIES.

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#1 BMW Motorsport Team Cap £30 #2 BMW Leather Key Cases £33.20 #3 BMW I Ballpoint Pen £10 #4 Golfsport Small Bag £60 #5 Golfsport Carry Bag £180 #6 BMW Mens Chrono (black face) £164 #7 BMW I Keyring £14 #8 BMW i8 R/C Car £45 #9 BMW I Solar Charger £32 #10 BMW Tablet DVD Twin Screen £299 #11 BMW Motorsport Babyracer £89 #12 M Performance 624m 20” wheel and runflat tyre set £2,895 *limited offer price

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In all its glory.

The stunning i8 hybrid supercar on display for the first time at its official launch at Lloyd Newcastle.

THE DIARY 48 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

IS IT A BIRD. i8 TOUCHES DOWN.

BMW’s hybrid supercar, the i8, has been one of the most hotly anticipated vehicles on the planet since it was first unveiled as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, so it’s no wonder that when the production version rolled into the North East, Lloyd Newcastle’s i8 launch party was one of the hottest tickets in town.

More than 200 guests were suitably impressed as the car made its entrance, rolling through curtains into an atmospheric, smoke-filled set. A lucky few immediately put their name down on the waiting list for the first sports car with the consumption and emission values of a compact, while the rest looked on with envy.

l-r: Amit Shabilla, Ammar Mirza CBE, Amer Mirza, Ahmed Khan, Rick Shabilla, Raj Shabilla.

CURRY KINGS (AND QUEENS).

Lloyd Newcastle hosted one of the most exciting nights of the Asian business calendar, the ABCurry Club.

The event attracted more than 100 guests to the dealership to celebrate the fifth birthday of Asian Business Connexions, founded by entrepreneur Ammar Mirza CBE. Speakers included Shadow Energy Minister Julie Elliott, the BMW i8 was unveiled to guests, and curry was served up by Solomon’s Lounge.

EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY. BMW 2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER LAUNCH EVENT. September 27.

The ground-breaking BMW 2 Series is currently dividing opinion because it breaks away from BMW’s usual rear-wheel drive. Get along to the launch event to decide for yourself.

Steve Copeland & Kristen Arkley.

Richard & Carol Dobson.

The i8 under wraps.

Sir John Hall.

CHRISTMAS MARKET. December 7 To celebrate the arrival of the X6, join us for a day celebrating Northumbria’s finest at our Christmas Market. Hosted in the warmth of our showroom, we will be bringing together a selection of food and gift ideas for the season ahead from the very best local producers and craftsmen. Throughout the day you will also have the chance to view the BMW X6.

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BMW X6 LAUNCH EVENT. December 6 The second generation of BMW’s largest and fastest SUV arrives at Lloyd Newcastle.

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Ammar Mirza speaks at the event.

BMW APPROVED USED CAR SALES EVENT. October 10-12 A weekend of great deals on your next BMW.

THE DIARY

FIRST EVER LLOYD NEWCASTLE LADIES’ GOLF DAY AT CLOSE HOUSE. October 6 Lloyd customers are invited to take part in the dealership’s first ever Ladies’s Golf Day at Close House, Heddon-on-the-Wall.

E N J OY A R O U N D OF GOLF ON ONE OF THE BEST COURSES I N E N G L A N D , P LU S DINNER, BED AND B R E A K FA S T.

Close House.

Heddon-on-the-Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 0HT www.closehouse.com

WIN 50 LLOYD / ISSUE 01

WIN WITH LLOYD NEWCASTLE AND CLOSE HOUSE. Lloyd Newcastle has teamed up with Close House to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an overnight stay for two and a round of golf at the Northumberland resort, plus the use of a BMW 4 Series Convertible for the weekend.* The winner will enjoy a round of golf for two on the Lee Westwood Colt course followed by dinner, bed and breakfast at Close House as well as the use of the stunning 4 Series Convertible for the weekend.

The Lee Westwood Filly and Lee Westwood Colt courses at Close House are the world’s first to bear the former world number one golfer’s name. Florida-based Westwood, a European Ryder Cup team veteran, is attached professional at Close House and visits the resort regularly.

Within a year of opening, the Lee Westwood Colt course was voted one of the top 100 courses in England and the fact that it now bears Westwood’s name cements its place as one of the best in the country.

To enter, send your name, address and contact telephone number to Lloyd Newcastle’s Customer Relations Manager Rachael Kendall, email rachael.kendall@lloydgroup.co.uk Alternatively, pop into Lloyd Newcastle with your details for the competition.

Competition closes October 17. *Terms and conditions apply. All entries to be received by 6pm on October 17, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by Tuesday October 23, 2014.

REVOLUTIONARY FRIENDLY EXCEPTIONAL INNOVATIVE STYLISH DYNAMIC EFFICIENT IMPRESSIVE RESPONSIVE WELCOMING REPUTABLE OUTSTANDING COURTEOUS COMMITTED ADVANCED ECOLOGICAL INTUITIVE TRUSTWORTHY SINCERE CHIC UNDERSTANDING PIONEERING LOYAL LONG-STANDING RESPECTFUL AUTHORISED INFORMED CONSIDERATE POLISHED ESTABLISHED RADICAL CONTEMPORARY INGENIOUS ORIGINAL ECONOMICAL POTENT POWERFUL LEADING STATE-OF-THE-ART MODERN ADEPT SKILLED KNOWLEDGEABLE ENLIGHTENED PERCEPTIVE INFORMED INSIGHTFUL FOCUSED EXPERIENCED HIGHLY REGARDED PRESTIGIOUS RESPECTED REASSURING INNOVATIVE INGENIUS RESPONSIVE DUTIFUL COURTEOUS EXPERT RENOWNED EXCEPTIONAL PRINCIPLED AUTHORITATIVE CUTTING-EDGE PROGRESSIVE.

ENJOY NEW EXPERIENCES IN BMW EFFICIENCY. Issue 1

Lloyd Newcastle Fenham Barracks, Newcastle NE2 4LE 0191 261 7366 www.lloydnewcastlebmw.co.uk @NewcastleBMW

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