Issuu

CULTURE

The stage is set

Why the curtain will finally rise once more at the Assembly Hall

FOOD & DRINK

On the menu

Tunbridge Wells restaurateurs reveal their Covid comeback plans

BUSINESS

Bridal path

How the demand for wedding venues has rocketed after lockdown

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR THE TEAM AT GARDEN LANDSCAPERS CORKER TELL US WHY THEY HAVE THE OUTSIDE EDGE

May 2021

WELCOME

Editor’s LETTER

elcome to your May edition of SO magazine. It’s so good to be back doing what we love best: meeting some of the area’s most fascinating people and places – and then sharing them with you. This month’s cover stars are the family behind the garden and landscape suppliers company Corker which is based just outside of Tunbridge Wells. If you haven’t visited their amazing site located at Westdene, near Paddock Wood then you have a treat in store. As well as stocking everything you need to make your garden an external oasis of calm – or cool, depending on your preference - they have an inspiring array of show gardens they’ll be only too delighted to accompany you around with a cup of coffee. You see at Corker a unique and impeccable customer service is key. We find out more about this groundforce gang on page 8. We also speak to JJ Almond, artistic director of the Assembly Hall about the much-loved theatre’s return (p16) and discover just how busy they were over the lockdown period, doubling up as a food distribution point and later an asymptomatic testing centre. Now though the team is very much looking forward to getting back to what it loves best: entertaining people. Talking of which we also have a chat with local actor Jack Holden who makes his West End debut as a playwright later this month. The Journey’s End and War Horse star

contents May 2021

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Culture vulture: What’s on where this month

P36 WILD TIME: Our round up of the best UK nature inspired holidays

Live and direct: Paul Dunton looks forward to a summer full of festivals Design for life: We meet the family behind garden brand Corker

Working it out: Simon Luck from Host My Office reveals the lessons learnt after lockdown

tells us all about his new play CRUISE on page 22. In addition to our usual offering of beauty, well-being, interiors and travel we also have a fascinating piece on how schools have coped during the last year of lockdown (p26) and a food and drink special (p30) where we discover what’s happening in our favourite hospitality hotspots when they can fully reopen on May 17. Cheers to their return – and to hopefully a more positive future for all.

Setting the stage: The Assembly Hall’s JJ Almond on the theatre’s triumphant return

P44 PRINTS PERFECT: The key looks your home needs this spring

P22 HOLDEN ON: Aspiring local actor Jack Holden on his West End debut

Eileen Leahy Editor So magazine

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Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines

Are we nearly there yet? SO’s resident hypnotherapist on how to navigate the roadmap out of lockdown

Issue 151 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

EDITOR Eileen Leahy

eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk

SALES DIRECTOR Robin Singer

Let’s go outside: Gardening guru Victoria Truman on how to get instant colour in your outside space

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Richard Moore

robin.Singer@onemediauk.co.uk richard.moore@onemediauk.co.uk

EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Karen Martin Naomi Murray

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY David Sexton Rose Bainbridge

PRINTED BY: Mortons Print PUBLISHED BY

Natural selection: Botanica’s Naomi Murray on healing herbs

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.

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Making the grade: Don’t miss our Education special

30 35

On the menu: Local restaurants and bars discuss their recipe for comeback success

Make a date: We meet the people Food of love: Why behind new friendship Salomons Estate is net-working business Just Good the perfect place to Company say ‘I Do’ Cover shot photographs by Rose Bainbridge & Art Direction by Lee Smith

P32 IN SEASON: We discover springtime’s most delicious dishes

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 3

Calendar

Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month

With lockdown lifting and spring well and truly on its way, there is now quite a lot you can visit. As always things can change at the last minute with the current Covid situation so always double check online before heading out… BY LOTTIE BULMER

NATIONAL TREASURE Nestled in the Weald of Kent, Sissinghurst Castle has opened up its gardens once again. Once the home to poet and writer, Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat and author husband, Harold Nicholson, Sissinghurst Castle and its gardens have been immortalised in Vita’s work: “The heavy golden sunshine enriched the old brick with a kind of patina, and made the tower cast a long shadow across the grass, like the finger of a gigantic sundial veering slowly with the sun. Everything was hushed and drowsy and silent but for the coo of the white pigeons.” The historic house’s famed gardens should now be coming into bloom and the café is always a great spot for a coffee and delicious snack. Booking is required and can be done by visiting www.nationaltrust.org.uk

PALATIAL PENSHURST

awarded VisitEngland’s ‘We’re good to Go’ industry standard, this jewel in the Kentish crown of visitor attractions allows you to experience its stunning site in complete safety. You’ll need to book for your party before you go and ensure you follow the one-way system while you’re there. Visit Hevercastle.co.uk for more info.

The gardens of Penshurst Place are among the oldest privately owned in the country, and the team have been able to adapt to the ever-changing times. Head Gardener Tony Wiseman reflected on lockdown in his Spring 2021 notes: “When the first lockdown was announced last year, Penshurst Place, like many other workplaces had to make changes quickly. “I’m proud to share that the team have continued to show great dedication to the gardens and their maintenance, especially to get everything ready for Spring. While we are a little behind in some jobs, what has been achieved is a testament to the team’s hard work and perseverance.” The Gardens of Penshurst Place are open for pre-booked visits. For more information and to book tickets, visit penshurstplace.com

SPLASH OUT Located on the border of Kent and East Sussex, Bewl Water is the largest reservoir in the South East, boasting 770 acres of water. Enjoy a takeaway coffee from The Waterfront Café while watching your little ones explore the Adventure Playground or why not have a go splashing around on the Aqua Park or cruising around the mountain bike trails? If you’re

A HOLE LOTTA LOVE

DID YOU KNOW?

BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT You are now able to wander around the spectacular gardens of Hever Castle - or even play a round of golf on the Princes Course, which wraps around the estate that was once home to Anne Boleyn. Recently 4 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

looking for something more relaxing, fishing is now open, and the water has a history of large trout and pike as well as perch. Any fishing method is welcome, and fly fishing can be done from Bewl’s fleet of 54 motorised fishing boats. For more information and to make a booking, visit www.bewlwater.co.uk

Sir Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan heir to Penshurst Place inspired Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. The much admired figure of the English Renaissance wrote 108 sonnets entitled Astrophel and Stella which Dickens used as his source for his novel.

Named Kent’s Garden of the Year in 2016, Hole Park is now open to visitors again. Owned by the Barham Family for the past four generations, the gardens are steeped in history and especially beautiful at this time of year. In spring, the gardens boast a

cocktail of colour from bluebells, daffodils and camellias to wisteria and magnolia. Set in over 200 acres of parkland and near Rolvenden and Cranbrook, the gardens are open every day. To book tickets, visit holepark.com.

SALOMONS SPLENDOUR Catch some rays on the new Sun Terrace at the Salomons Estate this spring. Watch the sunset while enjoying an alfresco pizza evening, where children can also follow a woodland treasure trail, play table tennis and football or have fun doing lawn games. Pizzas start at £7.50 each and are served 4pm to 8pm every Wednesday. The historic venue has also recommenced its afternoon tea service too with prices starting from £21.50pp. Booking is essential for both events so visit www.salomons-estate.com for more info.

GLORIOUS GROOMBRIDGE The magical Groombridge Place Estate is now open every day from 10am to 5pm. Wander through the Enchanted Forest which is now the setting for the entertaining live Punch and Judy shows on the outdoor ‘Crusoe’s World’ stage.

Calendar

Call Just Shutters today on

01892 575 858

DID YOU KNOW?

Or why not take a ride on one of the Giant Tree Swings? You can also take a picnic basket to the scenic Picnic Fields or enjoy the birds of prey displays which happen twice daily. Social distancing measures are in place along with hand sanitiser stations around the state. Visit groombridgeplace.com for more information and to book tickets.

Groombridge Place’s manor house and its bridges and moat gates were mostly designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect known for his redesign of St Paul’s Cathedral after the Great Fire of London in 1666.

REBEL REBEL The return of people gathering (safely) together to enjoy music happens at the end of this month when, all being well, The Forum hosts its annual celebration of the music of David Bowie at the Assembly Hall on May 31. Tickets cost £13 per person but they are selling fast so be quick! More info can be found at www.twforum.co.uk

s r e tt u h S your home will love

justshutters.co.uk

T2943 JS APR 2021 SOMag 125x300.indd 1

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SO Magazine | May 2021 | 5

Music

Our resident music guru Paul Dunton celebrates the long-awaited return of live music starting with Black Deer Festival

Photograph: Ania Shrimpton

6 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

t the time of writing this article the government was still preparing to take the country out of lockdown by June 21. And as long as infection rates from Covid stay very low then we can hopefully look forward to a summer spent with friends and family listening to some great live music. One of the events I am super excited about is the return of the Black Deer Music Festival. Established in 2018 by music pros Gill Tee and Deborah Shilling it has one a slew of industry awards including The Guardian’s best new small festival in 2019 thanks to the fact it attracts a wealth of wellknown musicians. The likes of Kris Kristofferson, Kiefer Sutherland, Band of Horses, Billy Bragg and The Staves have all performed on its numerous stages over the past couple of years. After being cancelled last year due to the pandemic, this impressive music extravaganza which celebrates all things Americana is, all being well, going ahead on the weekend of June 25 to 27. So what can festival goers expect this time round? The answer to that question is undoubtedly something very special. The artistic line up is nothing

short of astonishing, with headliners Van Morrison, Robert Plant & Suzi Dian, and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls all topping the bill. In fact, the entire programme is brimming with world class artists featuring the likes of Jake Bugg, Imelda May, Jade Bird, Foy Vance, Band of Skulls, John Smith, Ben Ottewell, Wildwood Kin, Declan O’Rourke, William The Conqueror, Bess Atwell, Elephant Tree, Stubb, Psychlona, Judy Blank, Mountain Caller, Black Orchids, Dunes and Lead Desert Blues - just to name a few! A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY Black Deer is known for its country and Americana vibes but there is also a healthy dose of superb Desert Rock on offer. Not heard of it? Then let me explain. Desert Rock is a subgenre of hard rock that started life in the early 1990s and is known for its atmospheric sound that’s coupled with sludgy grooves, blues and psychedelia. One of the champions of this genre is Desertscene and they return to Black Deer in order to present a celebration of the best of British heavy desert rock, psychedelia and stoner. On the Saturday the headliners will be none

Music Photograph: Louise Roberts

Photograph: Ania Shrimpton

This really is a unique experience that will inspire and captivate...

GOOD GROOVES AND GREAT FOOD Alongside the musical programme, Black Deer Festival have built a strong allegiance with quality food and are once again cooking up a storm in their Live Fire Arena. Grillstock, founders John Finch and Ben Merrington will be curating an outdoor kitchen with an unmatched line-up of chefs, masters of the pit, butchers and charcoal specialists. There’s also plenty on offer for kids with The Young Folk Area. Activities include tree-climbing, craft workshops, music lessons and more. Showcasing music of an independent spirit across multiple stages, impressive live fire cooking, layers of custom motorcycle culture and a curated marketplace of artisans and makers, Black Deer really is a family staycation destination with a community ethos. We are very fortunate to have this wonderful event on our doorstep, so please support it if you can. All information and tickets can be found at www.blackdeerfestival.com

Photograph: Carolina Faruolo

Photograph: Ania Shrimpton

Photograph: Louise Roberts

other than the epitome of British rock’n’roll, Orange Goblin. Carving out a space celebrating the very best in Americana counterculture, The Roadhouse stage is one of the most popular destinations at Black Deer. It’s a celebration of underground music and all that comes with it: custom bike builders, vintage vehicles, exclusive merchandise and the most talked about bar of the weekend. SUPPORTING THE MUSICIANS OF THE FUTURE Black Deer is very supportive of grass roots music and since the festival's inception in 2018. Numerous emerging artists have been given the coveted opportunity to showcase their talents at the festival. Each year the festival receives thousands

of applications via their website from acts across the globe and every submission is keenly listened to and evaluated. Jinda Biant, Simeon Hammond Dallas, Chris Fox, The Mountain Firework Company and Eddy Smith & the 507 have been chosen to grace the stages at this year's festival. Black Deer artistic booker Bev Burton told me: “I’m overwhelmed by the quality of the music again, we are truly proud to be showcasing these wonderful up and coming artists." Right from the off, Black Deer forged a strong relationship with Supajam. For those who don’t know the rock school it has two specialist colleges designed to help disadvantaged and vulnerable young adults get into the music business. The colleges have had an amazing history with Black Deer in its first two

years and this year is thrilled to be joining forces with the local music charity I run - Local and Live - to man the Supajam Stage at the festival. Throughout the year the students have enjoyed workshops with some of top industry professionals and during the festival the students will be split into small groups to gain invaluable work experience at the festival carrying out such jobs as Artist Liaison, Stage Management, Sound and Lighting, Photography and Journalism. This really is a unique experience that will inspire and captivate all the students involved and I for one think it is a brilliant initiative that Black Deer has orchestrated with Supajam. It’s fabulous to have Local and Live involved too which brings more local musicians, producers and technicians into the process.

Photograph: Ania Shrimpton

Photograph: Carolina Faruolo

Paul Dunton Music Editor

Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 7

Photographs: Rose Bainbridge Creative Direction: Lee Smith

Cover feature

Outdoor living and landscaping suppliers Corker are going from strength to strength with their local business – even during a pandemic. Here the family who run it tell Eileen Leahy why they have the outside edge when it comes to creating an enviable al fresco space and lifestyle 8 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

Cover feature

ast your mind back to just over a year ago when the escalating threat of the coronavirus had shut down pretty much life as we know it. All non-essential retail along with pubs, restaurants, theatres and museums were forced to close and an immediate ban was put on everything from holidays and sports fixtures to music concerts and meeting friends and family. During the first lockdown people either found or rediscovered a love of the great outdoors. Trips to the park or a country walk provided much needed respite while many with gardens got really stuck into giving them an overhaul in order to make them into an oasis of escapism or a tropical style destination in lieu of not actually being able to go anywhere. When garden centres and nurseries were finally able to reopen in May 2020 retailers reported record sales and the destinations themselves had queues snaking as far as the eye could see. Gardens had suddenly become the new aesthetic hot spot. One such retailer who recorded a seismic shift in sales was Corker, the outdoor living and landscaping supplier specialist based just outside Tunbridge Wells. The family run business near Paddock Wood has always been a popular place to visit ever since it opened its stylish new site three years ago, but last year’s events secured its place as one of the country’s best garden material suppliers. Now, having just said that, it doesn’t really do the business, which is run by husband and wife team Mick and Alice Corkery along with their two sons

Harry and Oliver, too much justice. Because if you’ve ever visited Corker, which is based on Whetsted Road, Westdene, then you’ll know that it is so much more than just a garden materials supplier. The first time I paid it a visit a couple of years ago I felt like I had arrived at a mini Chelsea Flower Show thanks to the site’s stunning garden showrooms area. “We decided to create that because we wanted to show how our materials could look in various gardens,” explains

Mick when we meet at Corker HQ. “The reason we have invested in the show gardens is because it’s not just about the products we sell. That would be boring, how dull to come to work every day and sell bits of wood. We want to create a really special experience for our customers.” And that is exactly what Mick, Alice, Harry and Oliver are doing so well. “We are passionate about what we do,” adds Oliver. “The main things we have always been known for are our top soils, composts and our specialist

We treat people the way we would like to be treated

paving but the show gardens add that unique edge to what we offer.” The 15 show gardens have all been designed by local landscaping firms and fledging designers in order to showcase how they have used certain materials such as claver paving, decorative aggregates and artificial grass from Corker. It’s a clever and unique way to market their practical wares, thus elevating items such as timber, concrete slabs and railway sleepers to highly desirable items. “I’ve been in construction all my life,” says Mick “but I didn’t want to replicate a merchant’s yard. This is about doing something different.” Mick started out working when he was 19 years old. “My background is in the construction industry. I was a formwork carpenter, putting up concrete frames all over the place. When I was 30 the person I was contracted to went into receivership and that was the catalyst for me to do something myself. “It was 1990 and the country was going into recession but I still started Corkery Construction which we ended up running for 25 years.” Despite the economy not being in the best shape business went well. “In 2001 I had the idea for another sideline business,” continues Mick. “We were ticking along nicely with Corkery Construction but I had a spare lorry sitting in our yard for two or three days a week doing nothing when it wasn’t needed to deliver to sites and so the idea for Small Loads came about.” Mick decided to take out a small, classified ad in The Focus, a local paper at that time, which literally read ‘small loads available.’ “I just put a phone number next to it and the first time it rang it was like winning the lottery,” he laughs. “I thought there’s actually someone interested!” Small Loads concentrated on delivering aggregate from nearby

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 9

Cover feature

quarries to customers, and for a good few years Mick and Alice’s two businesses ran alongside each other until the financial crash of 2007 threw a spanner in the works. “That’s when things went haywire. The construction industry pretty much shut down over night. Once we had completed our contracts the work pretty much dried up but then suddenly the phone started ringing more for Small Loads.” Mick and Alice began concentrating more on Small Loads and by that time their boys were helping out. “They’d worked for me previously and had a taste of construction and decided it wasn’t for them. It was a good learning curve for them because it’s hard work and you’re out there in all weathers with tight deadlines to meet. “But they’re clued-up boys and so when they started at Small Loads they brought a whole new side to the business such as going online.” Mick says the turning point for Small Loads was when he attended his first ever trade show at Birmingham NEC. “We’d have reps visiting us from all

over the country and one of them asked me if I was going to the Glee trade show and I said ‘no, what’s that’?” Dubbed the UK’s ‘most valuable and outdoor living tradeshow’ it turned out to be the inspiration for Mick’s business. “When I went I was amazed at how all these products were displayed. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. They had displayed them in their own little booths – not just a product placed on a table. And I thought to myself we need to do this. “From that day I could see the potential for the business. As soon as I took the boys to Glee they felt exactly the same as soon as they walked in they got it too.” “We’ve always been very ambitious and driven,” explains Oliver. “We wanted to focus on something so by the time we went to the trade show we were ready. “We created a business off the back of that visit called BalconyScape which gave us our first taste of launching and running a business. It went really well but Small Loads was growing and we couldn’t keep juggling

Corker was originally a company called Small Loads started at the Corkery family home Oliver Corkery (left) with brother Harry

10 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

the two so we decided to keep our focus on Small Loads.” Neither Oliver or his older brother Harry went to college or uni to study business, they are the archetypal self-taught business entrepreneurs. “We taught ourselves everything. Each stage of our business’s development we got to we’d say ‘right let’s look at this now’. We were hungry to learn and absorb as much information as we could. We wanted to dedicate ourselves to the business and we are still like that now, still hungry. If I don’t know something, then I’ll learn it.” Oliver goes on to say that running their unique family business is a constantly evolving process. “All the ideas we come up with it’s nice to see them work. We all want freedom to enjoy life but I just have that energy and creativity to keep working. What I find exciting is doing things that people don’t do. I’m good at spotting opportunities and then being able to execute them. That’s what’s exciting. “You’re constantly learning and changing. We’re always innovating and thinking outside the box. “I’ll wake up at 3am with ideas racing through my head and I’ll text my brother. I’m obsessed with this business. That’s my passion.” Small Loads rebranded as Corker in 2014 just before moving to its site on Whetsted Road. “We outgrew the Small Loads name as people would come along and say ‘oh we didn’t know you did paving we just thought you did aggregates’ and that’s why we started to think about the rebrand.

What we find exciting is doing things that people don’t do. We’re good at spotting opportunities

“Harry and myself set up meetings with different branding companies before settling on one in Maidstone,” says Oliver. ”It wasn’t a five minute job rebranding. In total it took around two years.” “We had mood boards everywhere,” Mick chuckles. “Everything had to be the same colour and have the new tree logo - even our bulk bags.The manufacturer said to us that he’d never done anything like that before! It took three months to get all the colours matching.” “All the attention to detail is what makes the difference,” states Oliver. Once the now distinctive pale grey pantone shade had been decided upon it was time to choose a name. “We told everyone we were changing it and so people would suggest things. Tim Skyes one of the garden designers we work with came up with ‘Corker’ and it’s just perfect as it reflects our family name, what we do and we get to use the strapline ‘Make Your Garden a Corker!’” smiles Oliver. “Branding from day one was crucial. It was all about getting the right clientele through the gate,” confirms Mick who now employs a sizeable team of staff including drivers who deliver withing a 13 mile radius. When the deal had been sealed on the new site it was time to start to building the hype says Oliver. “We were telling contractors and the trade what we were doing with the show gardens and getting them to spread the word.” But again it wasn’t something that team Corker did overnight. “We built up the hype over an

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Cover feature

Mick and Alice Corkery

12 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

18-month period,” continues Oliver. “We all worked so hard on it. The minute we moved in here we worked seven days a week. The day we launched the new Corker premises we laid the last bit of resin in the show garden with about five minutes before the gates opened! That’s also when we stopped doing seven days a week.” Mick says when they took over the new Corker site, which is given over to the materials operation and also an office, demo deck and the show gardens, it looked very different to how it is now. “It was like a large car park, a blank landscape so we worked towards making a visit to Corker an experience.” And when you visit you’ll see the family have done just that. You’re not pounced upon when you turn up. Instead you’re more likely to be offered a cup of coffee… “It’s not about the hard sell with us,” Oliver says. “We are in sales but we don’t like that approach. We just want to make you feel warm and welcome when you come in – that’s the important thing to us. Making sure you enjoy your time with us and are walking out of here happy and loving the place. That is our priority. “We want to inspire you to spend more time out in your garden, enjoying your family and friends’ company.” Oliver says that on arrival most people who visit - and they come from all over the South East - will go straight to the show gardens. “They are just wowed by them so when they get to the office they are really excited. We then go out with them, offer them a drink, and they love it.” And there are more ideas to further

I tell them they are selling the dream - not only in terms of the fantastic gardens they can help people create but how to enjoy them in style too. “Yes we sell you products that you can use to make your garden look nice but we also want to combine that with the lifestyle,’ ” agrees Oliver. “It’s about showing them the Corker Concept, as we call it. Coming here you can see what materials are available, how they can be used and who can design your garden. For us it’s all about being treated the way we would like to be treated - it’s a loyal customer base that has got us to this point.” Over the course of our chat I realise that the success the family have enjoyed isn’t just down to selling quality materials and having the drive and the vision to create something unique for their customers. They are constantly evolving and looking at all angles of the business to ensure it stays relevant and innovative. From QR codes and future plans to have Alexa machines in the show gardens to ease the customer experience, to making films, learning graphic Corker’s show design skills and gardens are like seeing the potential of collaborating with wandering around other like-minded companies, the a mini Chelsea Corkerys are Flower Show continuously enhance the moulding Corker into Corker treatment. a brand that appeals “We have got to as many as people as possible – from big plans for next year. I don’t want to those with acres of land to just a simple say too much but it will hopefully involve a bar and a cooking area. We’re balcony area. “I think it comes back to being really into our food and love hungry and never taking our foot off entertaining and we want to extend that pedal,” reveals Oliver. “If we got that to our customers.” complacent and lazy you wouldn’t pick Mick says that for the first few years up on things and we are always picking of Corker being based at their new up on things.” site they would throw a May bank “We listen,” says Mick. “We’re known holiday BBQ, free of charge. for providing the best quality materials “It’s just a way of kickstarting the season and thanking people really. “We and customer experience. Again, it’s all about treating people the way you want to enjoy socialising with our would like to be treated. clients,” he says. “When people open their patio “The last one we had cars were doors and think where do I start? We queuing out of the carpark, it was so busy! We had Will Devlin from The Small want to help them on that journey. Usually the first thing they say is ‘I’ll go Holding in Kilndown doing the cooking.” to B&Q’ so it’s always been part of our “He’s a good friend of ours,” strategy to change that mindset so that interjects Oliver. “It’s just nice to do it when they open those patio doors they and to give back to people and show think ‘Corker’ straight away.” our appreciation.”

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SO Magazine | May 2021 | 13

BUSINESS FOCUS

In our new business-focused column we speak to some of the area’s leading experts in finance, law and tech as well as many entrepreneurs about their take on the current corporate world This month Simon Luck from IT support business Host My Office explains the lessons he has learnt after a year of lockdown: Now over a year on, remote working is pretty much the new norm for most of us. So it’s no wonder many organisations are now looking to implement permanent working from home - or WFH - solutions. Employees were working from a range of devices - some personal, others company-owned. So, it’s important we reflect on these set ups to see if we’ve discovered any new ways to make WFH easier. Here are our top four lessons from the various lockdowns over the past year and how to action them: 1. Beware: cybercrime is on the rise In the early scramble from officebased working to working from home, few businesses considered the impact on security. As a result, sensitive data would be passed from pillar to post between personal devices, all with varying degrees of cybersecurity. The result? An unprecedented level of cybercrime. Ignoring the fact that cyber-attacks have become more sophisticated, employee-owned devices just aren’t as protected from threats as those on a corporate network. Remember the majority of data breaches are as a result of human error. The end-user has too much control over what they 14 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

can download and install onto their device. In many workplaces, however, individuals have their rights restricted in order to protect company assets. Now there’s been some time to process the ‘new normal’, internal security protocols can be emulated in a remote working environment. The likes of remote desktops, for example, allow users to access their corporate accounts from any device without compromising on security. Adopting this kind of technology is the only way to securely work from home. 2. Wellbeing is more important than ever Ninety three per cent of all employees have faced new wellbeing challenges over the past 14 months or so. Most common of all is the feeling of being less connected to their company and colleagues, followed by an increased feeling of loneliness and isolation. Yet for some, this feeling of distance has been counterbalanced by the benefits of remote working. In fact, even employers now realise the advantages. In a survey of 13,271 UK employers, 60% had never allowed working from home before the pandemic. Now just 9% would prefer to work solely from the office in the future. This suggests that remote working will transition from being an employee benefit to standard working practice. This isn’t enough though. Your team will need more to maintain the same

levels of performance post-pandemic than they did beforehand. Consider instead a financial wellbeing initiative (this was the most desired perk in the same survey). Alternatively, look at ways you can help train and develop your staff so that they feel more of a connection to your business today.

Now there’s been some time to process the ‘new normal’, internal security protocols can be emulated in a remote working environment

3. Performance improvement through platforms A lot of businesses will have struggled to meet the same financial goals. Similarly, a large number of your team may not have achieved the 2020 goals set for them by management. For this reason, you need to build a new barometer for success when conducting your annual performance reviews. Start by looking at how the company as a whole has innovated in order to continue operating. Next, consider the teamwork and leadership necessary to have sustained this level of innovation. Finally, review the ways in which you and your team have grown, not just survived, and reward those who have progressed – both personally and professionally. After this, look for ways to optimise your current working environment through the likes of technology. Project management and scheduling platforms are perfect for businesses who need to Simon Luck communicate online. Tools such

as Slack and Trello enable you to oversee your team’s output in real time, helping you to monitor performance and add additional resources in areas where you’re falling short. 4. Remember: wherever you are consistency is key In business, we are what we do. And if your business survived 2020 thanks to your constant availability for customers, you need to maintain that availability during any future lockdowns and beyond. With the right service, you can be certain that’s the case. Whether you’re operating a cloud setup or relying on dedicated servers, it’s important to ensure you have the right provisions in place to meet customer demand, ensure uptime and, ultimately, preserve business continuity. So, you need to ensure that the environment you’re operating within is tailored to your unique requirements. This means building in contingencies to keep you online and operating at peak performance, when it matters. Often, this requires a level of support and oversight that only a managed services provider like Host My Office can guarantee. With a fully managed hosting solution, you can be certain that your setup is well architected and closely monitored, with expert support on hand whenever you need it. www.hostmyoffice.co.uk 01892 267200

CURTAIN UP! CURTAIN UP! WE’RE BACK ON STAGE CURTAIN UP! WE’RE BACK ON STAGE WE’RE BACK 20 ONMAY STAGE REOPENING 21 A S S E M B LY H A L L T H E AT R E | T U N B R I D G E W E L L S A S S E M B LY H A L L T H E AT R E | T U N B R I D G E W E L L S A S S E M B LY H A L L T H E AT R E | T U N B R I D G E W E L L S

WE’RE BACK 20 ONMAY STAGE REOPENING 21 REOPENING 20 MAY 21 REOPENING 20 MAY 21

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THU 20 MAY THU 20 MAY THU 20 MAY THU 20 MAY

THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS WORLD PREMIERE THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS WORLD PREMIERE THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS WORLD PREMIERE ................................................................................................................

WORLD PREMIERE WED 26 - SAT 29 MAY WED 26 - SAT 29 MAY WED 26 - SAT 29 MAY WED 26 - SAT 29 MAY

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C A B A R E T C A B A R E T ................................................................................................................ C A B A R E T C A B A R E T ................................................................................................................

FRI 04 JUN FRI 04 JUN FRI FRI 04 30 JUN JUL FRI 04 JUN FRI 30 JUL FRI 21 30 AUG JUL SAT FRI 21 30 AUG JUL SAT SAT 21 AUG SAT 21 AUG

NEWTON NEWTON FAULKNER NEWTON FAULKNER NEWTON FAULKNER FAULKNER TUE 08 JUN TUE 08 JUN TUE 08 JUN TUE 08 JUN

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SAT 19 JUN SAT 19 JUN SAT SAT 19 31 JUN JUL SAT 19 JUN SAT 31 JUL SAT27 31AUG JUL FRI SAT27 31AUG JUL FRI FRI 27 AUG FRI 27 AUG

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MATINEE PERFORMANCE ONLY MATINEE PERFORMANCE ONLY ................................................................................................................ MATINEE PERFORMANCE ONLY ................................................................................................................ MATINEE PERFORMANCE ONLY ................................................................................................................

SUN 27 JUN SUN 27 JUN SUN 27 JUN SUN 27 JUN

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BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW | assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW | assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

THE

revival of the arts

LIVE THEATRE ONCE AGAIN

Ahead of the curtain going up at the Assembly Hall later this month, its director JJ Almond tells SO magazine how they have survived and diversified during the last year of being in and out of lockdown...

16 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

revival of the arts

nurse for the NHS for two decades. heatres, clubs, art spaces; Following that the Assembly Hall is they’re so much more than just buildings where hosting a number of music events including a Bowie celebration in you show up with your ticket and watch or listen conjunction with The Forum on May 31 then welcoming the likes of indie to a performance. faves Shame and folkster Newton For the majority of us they’re a Faulkner next month. social space too where you hook up But in fairness, the Assembly Hall with friends and chew the cultural - which first opened in cud before experiencing 1939 and is owned and something that might run by Tunbridge Wells - just might - change Borough Council your life if you’re lucky. Throughout the never really went away So the fact all these during the past torrid wonderful spaces where coronavirus year of the pandemic. we can see everything crisis I have When it closed its from plays and pantos doors to audiences on to stand-up comedy been making March 23 it firstly and live music have sure that I operated as a food been out of reach for so distribution centre, long due to the ongoing share before hosting a small Covid health crisis feels to many of their fans information on variety of shows during the summer when like a temporary grants and lockdown was eased. bereavement. When the third The good news support shutdown was however is that as of announced on January May 17 theatres and 4 the Assembly Hall some arts venues are then became the town’s key lateral able to reopen their doors once again flow testing centre. All of this says JJ thanks to the further easing of Covid was played out to a backdrop of lockdown measures. One local venue, the Assembly Hall, organising refunds for cancelled shows and attempting to try and plan can’t wait to get back to what it does a Covid safe schedule for 2021. best: entertaining people with a “Although the theatre has been variety of different live shows that will closed to audiences, there has still appeal to all ages. been a lot of work going on during The first is Radio Gaga, a tribute to lockdown,” he explains. the rock band Queen on May 20 “In the first instance we had to look which is followed by a three-day run ahead; we had to refund customers, of The Language of Kindness from we had to cancel contracts and May 26 to 29. Rather poignantly it is a production negotiate with producers for new dates and reissue agreements. based on the bestselling memoir of “We converted the theatre into a Christie Watson who worked as a

Photograph courtesy of The Assembly Hall

The Assembly Hall’s JJ Almond

hub for food distribution to vulnerable households and the team were redeployed to other Council front line services. “We were doing all these other things as we wanted to be able to re-open as quickly as possible once a date was announced,” he continues. Another key thing JJ ensured happened was that any information he found about applying for and gaining grants was shared with his cultural colleagues across town. “Throughout the coronavirus crisis I have been making sure that I share information on grants, support and advocacy with my friends at The Forum, Trinity, TWODS, Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra and the Puppetry Festival so that we can ensure our venues and cultural companies get all the support they can.”

Once we had a re-opening date we were then focused on making the venue Covid-safe

In March the Assembly Hall announced that it, along with Trinity theatre, had received another tranche of much needed financial support from the government’s £751million Culture Recovery Fund from Arts Council England. These handouts have certainly helped to keep our local theatres from closing completely and in the Assembly Hall’s case ensured it could reopen for a short period of time last autumn. “Once we had an October reopening date we were then focused on making the venue Covid-safe, changing our ticketing system to include online drinks sales, and training everyone to work in a Covidsafe way. And we did it - we were awarded the ‘See It Safely’ seal of approval!” adds JJ. SO Magazine | May 2021 | 17

revival of the arts

The Forum and The Comedy Store in our newly formed residencies. But of course as soon as we re-opened the announcement of a new lockdown was made.” Once again, the Assembly Hall team entered the world of refunds, cancellations and negotiations, and theatre staff were again redeployed to other Council services. Roles included staffing a local vaccination centre, helping the elections team, and working in the aforementioned symptom-free test centre, based at the theatre. “Although audiences could not come to the theatre, we have certainly not been closed for business!” laughs JJ. Yet despite taking on a number of diverse roles during the past year or so, and not knowing for certain whether the curtain would rise again for the Assembly Hall, JJ’s determination for eventually bringing back live performances has been nothing short of steely and impressive. So he was delighted to announce in March that the much-loved 1930s venue has been able to commission shows again – some of which are exclusives. “Our opening season will showcase the world premier of Christie Watson's bestselling book - The Language of Kindness,” he says. “It is based on her memoirs of twenty years as an NHS nurse and so it is a perfect show to celebrate the work of nurses and frontline workers. We feel it will resonate with audiences in a unique and timely way.”

Around the same time he and his team launched Circle, a new membership scheme, that will help to continue filling the cultural centre’s coffers. “By joining it members will be providing welcome support and receive special benefits in order to create a unique and personalised theatre experience. The way forward is going to be really challenging financially so we really need our audience support more than ever before.” After venues were given the green light to slowly reopen to reduced audiences JJ says that the Assembly Hall began to look at different ways of how they could go about entertaining their audiences. “We made sure that visiting companies could work in a Covid-safe venue which meant contracting shows that could work in a reduced capacity and Covid environment. “So we tried new things like cabaret with table service and snack boxes, presenting some programming from 18 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

IT’S SHOW TIME: The Assembly Hall has plenty to please all ages this summer. Above, indie band Shame, below right folkster Newton Faulkner and the Horrible Histories team are all visiting soon

Christie Watson

BEST IN SHOW JJ Almond explains what the Assembly Hall’s first performance piece The Language of Kindness is about …. “Based on Christie Watson’s bestselling memoir of her twenty years as a nurse, The Language of Kindness is an ensemble-style piece of contemporary dance theatre: a joy- filled celebration of nurses and front-line healthcare workers which will resonate with audiences everywhere following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Language of Kindness brings to life the realities, the challenges, heartbreaks and incomparable joys of working for the NHS and supporting families as they face their best and worst moments. A socially distanced production about the tactile work of nurses where the actors never touch. The matinee performance on Saturday 29 May 2021 at 2.30pm will be BSL interpreted. There will be a free post-show discussion panel featuring the author of the Language of Kindness, Christie Watson, and members of the cast on Thursday 27 May 2021.

The Language of Kindness will run from Wednesday May 26 to Saturday May 29. To book tickets and to see what else is on visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

ADVERTISING revival of the FEATURE arts

Spotlight on This month we speak with Gavin Marsh, owner of The Diamond Setter in Tunbridge Wells How long have you been a Diamond Setter? I have been in the jewellery industry since I was 17. I have 20 years of bench experience working for the big manufacturing companies in London and Hatton Garden, working for Rolex case department at St. James’ Square for 4 years and most recently with a boutique jewellery designer in New Zealand.

CONTACT: 01892 458 042 www.thediamondsetter.co.uk Studio 3 Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Why did you choose Tunbridge Wells, and 2020, to launch your business? I was living and working in New Zealand prior to returning to England. Due to family events, I decided it is best to return home. I had a job offer waiting for me to start in March 2020 in one of the leading high street jewellers in Tunbridge Wells. But due to the onset of the pandemic, the offer was withdrawn. Unbeknown to

me, the pandemic was the perfect catalyst to realise my dream of working for myself. I created a few jewellery pieces at home to keep me occupied and it was my wife, Lorraine who mentioned, “Why don’t we create our own designs and offer your services to the community?” The Diamond Setter studio opened in October 2020 at Salomons Estate and is now a trusted jewellery service provider by both customers and retail partners. What makes your business special? I pride myself with one of the most sought after expertise and skills in the jewellery industry. Diamond and gemstone setting is a specialised skill. It takes years to master and requires perseverance, patience and methodological approach.

What is your favourite thing about your profession? Diamonds and gemstones just brings a piece to life. It is fascinating. The brilliance that gems add to a piece of jewellery as well as increasing the value of the article makes my job truly remarkable. Is there a piece you’ve created that you are particularly proud of or is special to you? Every piece of jewellery on my bench, regardless of the size is treated with utmost respect. I believe that each jewellery piece has meaning and carries special memories. The feeling of being entrusted with pieces of jewellery may it be for remodelling or a new bespoke piece, is a real honour. Knowing that my craft is part of people’s lives – that’s what’s special to me.

BECOME A CIRCLE MEMBER TODAY TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL THEATRE AND RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS LIKE PRIORITY BOOKING ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE | TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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SO Magazine | May 2021 | 19

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20 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

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Culture

“I CAN’T WAIT TO GIVE PEOPLE A MUCH-NEEDED NIGHT OUT AT THE THEATRE” Later this month theatres can start to reopen, so ahead of his West End debut as a playwright local actor Jack Holden of War Horse and Journey’s End fame tells Eileen Leahy all about CRUISE which is on at the Duchess Theatre from May 18

Photograph: Jack Hextall

‘‘I

22 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

t’s a bit terrifying” laughs aspiring young actor - and now playwright - Jack Holden when I ask him how it feels to be returning to live performances after a long 15 months of lockdowns with his new play CRUISE. “Returning to the stage in a one-man show is pretty much jumping in right at the deep end!” But although there may be a few frissons of fear Jack, who was born and raised in Tonbridge, says he’s actually really looking forward to performing again. “I’m incredibly excited. I can’t wait to show people what we’ve come up with, and I can’t wait to give people a much-needed night out at the theatre,” says the star of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, the World War one film Journey’s End and James Graham’s INK, a play inspired by Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. “Like most actors, I’ve had stretches of unemployment in my career before now, but none as long as this. “I obviously watched a lot of Netflix and made banana bread and attempted to relearn German, which didn’t go so well! But I did write

CRUISE in the first lockdown, so I think I’ve been fairly productive.” Set in 1980s Soho, it’s inspired by a true story Jack heard while volunteering at the LGBTQ+ Listening Service in his early 20s. “I was volunteering for Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline and I heard the story of a man who was diagnosed with HIV in 1984 and was subsequently told he’d have four years to live. “The man decided to sell his flat, sell his car, and spend all his money partying his way through his final four years on earth. When his four-year countdown ended, against all odds, he survived. “Along the way he’d lost his lover, many friends, and he’d spent all his money. He was given his life back, but with nothing left in it to make it worthwhile.” Jack says that learning about this man who essentially was left with such an empty husk of an existence is what compelled him to put pen to paper. “I thought this was an incredibly poignant, bittersweet story. I’d been trying to find a way to tell it for years. Then, one morning, the idea for CRUISE popped into my head.”

Culture

In brief, Jack says the play, which will run at London’s Duchess Theatre from May 18 to June 23, is a celebration of queer culture; a kaleidoscopic musical and spoken word tribute to the veterans of the AIDs crisis. CRUISE also marks Jack’s debut as a West End playwright too thus making this quite the comeback. Does he enjoy both performance and writing in equal measure or have a preference? “I get completely different kicks out of both. Writing is very precise, methodical, structured, long-form work. Acting is more about interpretation, following your instincts, improvising night to night. “As an actor, you get to soak up the applause each night. As a writer, the rewards are fewer and further apart but, when they do come, they are very fulfilling. So, for me acting and writing go completely hand in hand.” Through Jack’s emotive and

engaging script he cleverly brings to life the old days of 1980s Soho club culture with electronic music as the other starring role. “I think people are going to really enjoy the musical elements of CRUISE,” adds Jack. “The whole show has original music and underscoring from John Elliott (of band The Little Unsaid), who also performs the music live each night. “He’s on stage with me, playing guitar and piano, live mixing tracks, DJ-ing the whole evening. There are some 80s bangers in the show, but it’s also packed full of John’s incredibly emotive, uplifting original tunes. The show is a celebration of live music - another thing we’ve all been missing over the last year.” And what is Jack looking forward to most about acting in front of a live audience again? “I’m hoping people will laugh in the right places, maybe get a bit emotional,

CRUISE CONTROL Jack stars in his new one man play at the Dutchess Theatre. Jack pictured below left in Journey’s End and Warhorse

maybe even sing along a bit! I’m just really looking forward to the reactions. “Feeling the anticipation and the expectation of an audience who haven’t set foot in a theatre for over a year will be electric. Performing my own writing in front of an audience will also be really exciting. I think I’ll very quickly learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t work.” Jack says that every precaution has been taken to ensure audiences enjoy a Covid compliant performance. “The theatre will seat far fewer audience members than it normally would. This is to ensure social distancing can be respected. Everyone will be expected to wear masks for the duration of the performance, there will be

one-way systems to avoid crowding, and there will be hand sanitiser everywhere! We want audiences to feel completely safe as they return to theatregoing after such a long time away.” “Having a full year away from performing live has made me really appreciate how lucky I am to be doing what I love. I think it also will have made me more thoughtful and empathetic as an actor. And I hope the terrible events of the last year will give me some perspective when it comes to opening night - I normally get stupidly nervous. But I’m hopeful that after the year we’ve just had, I’ll walk onto that stage feeling tremendously grateful to be back in front of an audience. Then I plan to give them a night to remember...”

To book tickets to the West End performance of CRUISE visit www.duchesstheatre.co.uk

“Having a full year away from performing live has made me realise how lucky I am to be doing what I love”

THE CRUX OF CRUISE CRUISE is the true story of what should have been Michael Spencer’s last night on Earth. When Michael is diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he’s told he’ll have four years to live - at most. So, with the clock ticking, he and his partner, Dave, decide to sell their house, their car and spend everything they have and party like it’s the last days of Rome. When Dave dies two years later, Michael doubles down on his hedonistic ways, spending what little he has left and drowning himself in drink and drugs. On the last night of his four-year countdown – February 29, 1988 - Michael decides to go out with a bang. He puts on his favourite jacket, heads for Soho, and embarks on a long night of farewells. He says his goodbyes to friends, enemies and strangers; old haunts, dive bars, cafes, clubs and pubs; his brothers, sisters, allies and exes. He dances, sings, and says yes to everything and everyone. Then, with all his affairs taken care of, Michael promptly… survives. Michael has been given the gift of life; but what kind of life can he now live? SO Magazine | May 2021 | 23

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is here for you

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER

COMING TO TUNBRIDGE WELLS

JULY 2021 discovering local creativity

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24 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

Education

EDUCATION WITH Early Years speech

SO Magazine Every month SO magazine brings you a round up of the local and national education stories making the grade…

Pupils’ performances praised

Tunbridge Wells school has been commended for their production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream in the Independent School’s Association (ISA) Drama Festival. Pupils from The Mead School were awarded Best Junior Production for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and ‘Best Junior Boy Performer’ for Thomas Gerrish’s portrayal of Bottom. A spokesperson for the ISA praised the performance: "This production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t fault it. The staging outside worked

This production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t fault it

perfectly and every costume was beautifully thought through. Very well done to the cast and crew for achieving such a high standard and an enjoyable production in these difficult times. I commend you all.” In order to keep performances in line with lockdown restrictions, rehearsals were held principally online, and the production was filmed outside.

OUTSTANDING

Victoria Hall, Head of Performing Arts at The Mead, celebrated all the performances and everyone involved: “I am sure you will join me both in congratulating our children and having a huge sense of pride in them. What they have achieved this year under incredibly difficult and unprecedented circumstances is outstanding.” Casting has recently been held for the school’s next performance, ‘Oliver!’ which will be put on at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells in July.

and language skills affected by lockdown LOCKDOWN has impacted young children’s language skills according to new research published in April. A report by the BBC has revealed that more children aged between four and five are needing help with language in school. The research from the Education Endowment Foundation surveyed 50,000 pupils across 58 primary schools in England and found that 76 per cent of children aged between four and five-years-old needed more help with communication than previous to the pandemic. To combat the rise in issues with children with communication issues, the government says it is investing £18million in early-years catch-up. The problems have been attributed to the lack of socialising and the wearing of face coverings. Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford explained: "On top of the

£3.5bn we have spent in each of the past three years on our free childcare entitlements, we have also invested £18m to support language development in the early years, part of our new £700m package to provide extra support to children who need it as they return to the classroom.

FUNDING

"This includes funding to build on the early successes of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention scheme and roll it out to more schools, so that thousands more four-

A HISTORICAL HAUL FOR BENENDEN BOARDERS Pupils at Benenden School have discovered a collection of wartime artefacts after exploring a disused cupboard in the 19th Century Building. The historic haul happened upon by inquisitive boarders, Olivia Boyce, Ella Gouriet, Izzy McLean and Hailey McNally, included an array of chocolate wrappers and other packaging from the 1940s as well as letters to Second World War soldiers. The girls’ boarding school - whose main building, Hemsted, dates back to the 1860s - was used as a military hospital during the war. A spokesperson for Benenden said: “During a study session in a room in which the layout had recently been remodelled, the Year 10 pupils ––

and five-year-olds whose language, communication and literacy skills have been impacted by the disruption of the past year will benefit from targeted support." But Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green criticised the plans: "Government 'catch-up' plans fall far short of what is needed for children to recover lost learning, including nothing on wellbeing or social development. In addition, their stealth cut to the pupil premium hinders schools' ability to put their own plans in place.”

spotted a hatch almost entirely hidden by a wardrobe. “They pulled the wardrobe out and found the hatchway gave access to a small portion of the eaves.” Items retrieved included Bourneville, Aero and Milky Way wrappers, a Lux soap packet and packaging from Player’s Weights Cigarettes and Swan Vesta matches. Hailey, one of the pupils who found the historic items added: “We are living in history. As it’s the time of coronavirus we thought about leaving a face mask inside the cupboard and in 30 years’ time some other girls will say ‘hey, look what I found!’”

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 25

Education

How schools have kept an open mind on offering virtual visits Traditionally if you wanted to see if a primary or secondary school was the right one for your child you would visit it in person. But the Covid pandemic put a stop to all those important faceto-face interactions for parents, students and teaching staff over the past year. So how did schools get on with transferring their open days to an online experience? Here four top local educational establishments reveal how they got on…

MALBOROUGH HOUSE “We were pleased to be one of the first prep schools to offer a Virtual Open Morning back in May 2020. It was a challenge to put together a film that gave a true reflection of the school in such a short time with so many other factors to be taken into consideration, but we were very happy with the result. However, there is no substitute for a physical visit! Seeing the school in action, meeting the teachers and talking to the Head and Registrar allow parents to get a real feel for the warmth and atmosphere of our school. The decision as to where to send your young child to school is as much a gut reaction as a logical decision, and the way you feel about a school can only really be appreciated from being within the environment. 26 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

GENUINE Therefore, parents have booked private tours when restrictions permitted and we boldly held Open Morning on site in October, carefully limiting the number of visitors at any one time and observing strict social distancing measures. While the visitors wore masks and did not enter the classrooms, they were able to gauge the mood of the place and enjoy a tour with our Year 8 guides – we felt that the day was a genuine success, and we are continuing in this vein with two Open Mornings on 6th and 7th May. Would we return to Virtual Open Mornings? Not through choice, although we will keep our Virtual School Tour available for those who can’t get to us for any reason, not just COVID. We have benefited so much

“Would we return to Virtual Open Mornings? Not through choice, but we will keep our Virtual School Tour available for those who can’t get to us”

this past year from using IT well, not just for teaching the children, but also communicating with home – Parents’ Evenings through Microsoft Teams have been a great success, along with Zoom events and school challenges played out on social media. However, being part of the school community is important to our parents and we are very happy to be back face to face with MHS families for a Summer Term which will see the welcome return of matches and, in due course, other much-loved events.” Mr Eddy Newton, Headmaster www.marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk UPCOMING OPEN EVENTS Thursday May 6 and Friday May 7 Open Morning

Education

CLAREMONT SCHOOL “The Coronavirus has thrown up all sorts of challenges for schools. Learning online has been the most obvious of these and it has forced teachers across the land to re-examine how they facilitate student learning. Schools have learnt a whole new vocabulary including ‘pods’, social distancing and lateral flow tests. There is much that we will, collectively, be very happy to see in our rear-view mirror but, amongst the difficulties, there can be little doubt that schools have found new and creative ways to overcome the problems presented by the pandemic. The proliferation of Virtual Open Days (VODs) are one such example. At Claremont, where a school visit has traditionally been the mainstay of our recruitment approach, VODs have, ultimately, provided exciting and novel ways for us to talk about our school. Students and staff have been able to develop videos and ‘to camera’ pieces that distil all that is good at the school. We have learnt new media skills, staff have discovered their inner ‘reporter’ and it has forced us to really think about

what the school represents - amazing learning and giving young people the opportunity to achieve beyond what they thought possible.

“Importantly, it has given us the opportunity to reach out to audiences that previously would have struggled to attend one of our traditional open days”

OPPORTUNITY Perhaps most importantly, it has given us the opportunity to reach out to audiences that previously would have struggled to attend one of our traditional open days. While we are slowly welcoming parents back to the school ‘in person’ there is little doubt that VODs are here to stay. Furthermore, the skills that we have all developed in delivering VODs are now being routinely used to ensure that learning in the classroom is richer and more exciting than it has ever been. Even in the midst of a global pandemic there are some silver linings to be found!” Mr Ed Dickie, Headteacher www.claremontschool.co.uk UPCOMING OPEN EVENTS Open House Week: Mon May 17 - Saturday May 22

“Looking ahead, we are planning to enhance our open event offer by providing a high-quality virtual tour”

MAYFIELD SCHOOL “Our virtual open events have been a great success. Although a virtual experience cannot replicate an in-person visit, our virtual open mornings have provided an opportunity for families to find out more about Mayfield, enjoy a virtual tour of the facilities and meet some of our pupils and staff. We were delighted to welcome families from Kent, Sussex and London as well as international families from across the world. As an independent Catholic day and boarding school for girls we have 28 different nationalities represented, making up 20% of our student body. Such a cosmopolitan ethos helps the girls to understand and appreciate different cultures and perspectives, and to value diversity. POPULAR Our Q&A sessions were very popular. We often found it was the girls themselves enquiring, with lots of questions about our extra-curricular programme, as well as sport, music and drama, creative arts and STEM. We have

CRANBROOK GRAMMAR SCHOOL “We were delighted to be able to hold a total of five virtual open events last year and very proud of the outcome. The events were in a very similar format to our ‘normal’ Open Days, minus the tour of course, and they were recorded and made available on our website to those who were unable to attend the live sessions. We were delighted that they were well attended. SUCCESS Their success was borne out by the number of parents who expressed their gratitude for the efforts we had made to provide such comprehensive information in virtual format. Looking ahead, we are planning to enhance our open event offer by providing a high-

“Going forwards we will offer a blend of inperson and virtual events, as this provides more flexibility for families”

over 50 clubs and activities available for the girls to explore in the two activity periods each day, as well as after school and at weekends. And we are especially proud to have recently been voted a Top 20 school for Cricket. Going forwards we will offer a blend of in-person and virtual events, as this provides more flexibility for families. We look forward to once again welcoming families to our beautiful school – just 10 miles from Tunbridge Wells - and having the opportunity to meet our teachers and girls in person. We will be running further open mornings during the Autumn term, so please do email Shirley Coppard, our Registrar, on registrar@mayfieldgirls.org, if you would like to attend. We hope to see you soon.” Miss Antonia Beary, Headmistress www.mayfieldgirls.org UPCOMING OPEN EVENTS Open Dates will be announced soon for September and October 2021

quality virtual tour of the School and Boarding Houses as standard. This will be invaluable, even when we are once again able to hold events and tours on site. Overall, they are highly worthwhile, particularly for those boarding families living overseas.” Mr Will Chuter, Headteacher www.cranbrookschool.co.uk. UPCOMING OPEN EVENTS Years 7, 9 & 12 Open Morning: Wednesday June 9 Year 7 & 9 Open Evening: Wednesday September 22 - Friday October 24 & Tuesday October 12 6th Form Open Evening - Wednesday November 3 SO Magazine | May 2021 | 27

Community

The last year of lockdown has compromised a lot of friendships and relationships so the launch of Sarah Gillmore and Emily Stevens’ new business Just Good Company comes at rather a good time...

ave you ever turned down an invite to an event because you haven’t got a suitable plus one to bring along? Or decided not to enter a 5K challenge due to the fact you don’t know anyone who be your running buddy? Or perhaps you’ve wanted to try out a new restaurant but are put off by dining alone? Or you’ve not gone to see a film you fancy because your other half wasn’t interested? Well, all these types of scenarios kickstarted Sarah Gillmore and her friend Emily Stevens to recently launch their new business Just Good Company which offers companionship without the pressure of forming a romantic relationship. 28 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

“We were gathered together one Valentine’s evening with a group of single women, bemoaning the online dating phenomenon,” explains Sarah. “We were discussing how nice it would be to be able to meet someone of the opposite gender with no agenda, other than to spend an hour or two in their company. “Sometimes, it would be lovely to be able to go for a walk, a cup of coffee, or a pub lunch, with someone offering companionship and no ties. In a world where we are supposedly ‘connected’, there is a lot of disconnection and loneliness, particularly amongst both the young and the elderly.” And so the idea for Just Good Company was born.

The pair of good friends quickly saw the benefits of expanding this idea out to include anyone who just needed companionship for an event or exercise no matter what gender or relationship status. “Just Good Company isn’t necessarily for people who are friendless or even lonely. Sometimes it’s difficult to find companions for simple things like going for a walk because they’re not on the same schedule as you. Or maybe you’ve left it too late to invite a friend along to a ticketed event. Just Good Company can offer that companionship. There is no end-goal apart from having a nice time, maybe some interesting conversation and a change of scene.” And although Sarah and Emily had the idea for Just Good Company before the pandemic it has turned out to be rather fortuitous timing for them given that we all now find ourselves in a more isolated situation due to the various lockdowns. “The pandemic has magnified the potential for this idea, with its fall-out of loss, loneliness, and changes in working life.” The women cite the working from home phenomenon of the past year has also been an important catalyst. “Where once people did have a ‘built-in’ social life with colleagues, now it is difficult to find someone local, just to have a drink with after work.” And they say the high incidence of loss, relationship breakdowns and

There is no endgoal apart from having a nice time and maybe some interesting conversation

social isolation have also increased the need for new connections. “Sometimes it would be a boost to be able to sit in an internet café, working alongside someone who would appreciate the odd coffee-break and brainstorm.” And they say that Just Good Company isn’t limited to offering connections to just locally based people. “If you’re on business or new to an area, how useful it would be to meet up with a local prepared to show you around or take you to the best bars and cafes? Sometimes, you need someone to motivate you or give you courage to join a new class or activity - or start an exercise schedule.” Sarah and Emily are also keen to stress that the key to their new business is that there really is no pressure. “You could be very happy being alone, but every now and again would relish the occasional, non-pressured companionship without a hidden agenda. By joining Just Good Company you’re not committing to a friendship or a life-long partner – although that could be possible. Just good company for an hour or two, or maybe more.”

CONTACTS: Web www.justgoodcompany.co.uk Instagram and Facebook justgoodcompany.jgc.

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Food & Drink

“WE’VE BEEN REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING DINERS BACK” Since restaurants, cafés and bars have been able to trade again it has certainly proved to be financially beneficial for them as Eileen Leahy discovers

hen the first lockdown happened a year ago last March few could have predicted just how gravely it would affect business – especially those in the hospitality and leisure industries. But after months of being in and out of lockdown and severe tiers, a host of our favourite bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants were able to reopen on Monday April 12, serving food and drink outside. And now ahead of them being able to serve inside as of May 17 to no more than two households or six people - we talked to various popular proprietors about what it’s like to be finally back in business. Zorba’s Meze Grill operated a highly successful takeaway service during the past year – and also fed NHS staff at Tunbridge Wells hospital free of charge every week. Its owner Sedat Zorba revealed that he and his team have been ‘overwhelmed’ by the support they too have received over the past year from loyal customers. “We have been overwhelmed by your support during the lockdowns. We cannot thank you enough for all your orders. We were able to open our doors again on April 12 for outdoor dining and we can’t wait to welcome diners back.” One of the town’s most luxurious hotels One Warwick Park is also happy to welcome back its clientele. Its operations manager Martin

30 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

Garner is especially pleased to finally be able to properly showcase the hotel’s new bar. “We launched our new ‘inside outside’ bar The Warehouse late last year, but it was shortly before the most recent lockdown, so unfortunately that meant it was only open for a couple of weeks.” The unique looking bar is made from scaffolding and reclaimed wood and also boasts artwork from local street artist HUMOUR. Later this month diners will also be able to savour the flavours at the long awaited opening of One Warwick Park’s new restaurant STEAK. “We’re already fully booked for the first two weeks of opening which is just wonderful. We think STEAK will bring a new relaxed eating experience to the town.” Julian Leefe-Griffiths, owner of The Tunbridge Wells Hotel on The Pantiles was equally excited about relaunching his business last month. “We’ve been really looking forward to welcoming diners back. We have a fantastic terrace in a lovely spot on The Pantiles so luckily we’re ideally suited to al fresco dining.” And if the weather doesn’t play ball until May 17 Julian says there is a Plan B. “We have marquees in case it rains so fingers crossed we can have a lovely spring. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our guests back and getting Tunbridge

Wells back to normal.” On May 6 Julian and his team will relaunch their perennially popular Jazz on The Pantiles event, albeit in a Covid compliant manner. “We’re really looking forward to getting that underway and have some great acts signed up with Dandara as our new headline sponsor. “To start with it will be a seated dinner and jazz event and then we just have to see where coronavirus restrictions and rules take us. It’s been a bumpy road for everyone but we’re all in agreement that we want to bring the fun back to Tunbridge Wells in a safe manner.” Celebrity chef James Tanner and his team at The Kentish Hare have also reopened – although for the time being they are only serving lunch from Wednesday to Sundays. “We’re sticking to those days as it means we can have the same team on in the kitchen and for front of house to ensure consistency of

On the menu What happens next in the roadmap for restaurants…. May 17 - Hospitality venues can seat customers indoors but parties must still adhere to the rule of six people or two households of any size. Groups seated outside must be smaller than 30 people June 21 - As long as the infection numbers continue to decline all restrictions will be lifted on this date. On this date all nightclubs will be allowed to reopen. The government says it will have reviewed its social distancing rules by this date so we should know if they still need to be followed.

service,” explains Paul Barber, the establishment’s General Manager. “It means we can also ease ourselves into things and ensure our produce is the freshest possible.” Commenting on their return to the kitchens last week James, who also co-runs the Barbican Kitchen in Plymouth with his brother Chris, said being able to reopen was ‘fantastic.’ “We’ve got a great outdoor space with socially distanced tables, some under parasols, and heating elements to keep you nice and toasty while you’re dining. It’s fantastic to be back doing what we love.” The Kentish Hare, which has just been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its fantastic food as well as being ranked 13th in the Estrella Damm Gastro Pubs 2021, will be able to cater for 80 people when the restaurant opens fully later this month. On the menu you will find appetising delights such as Dorset Crab, confit chicken & duck terrine,

Food & Drink

Manager, Emma Martin told SO she barbecued line caught mackerel and and her team were adamant that braised Suffolk lamb shoulder. coronavirus would not deter them Talking of delicious food, beautiful from safely welcoming guests back. Bewl Water’s Waterfront Café has "Having survived two world one of the area’s most inviting wars, the Spanish flu and terraces which overlooks the numerous recessions in its picturesque reservoir. It too history, Salomons Estate will be serving a selection of emerged successfully from hot and cold snacks until it the recent lockdowns with the can reopen its restaurant. opening of our new covered Its sister site Salomons heated terrace which Estate has been can safely seat up to catering outside for 90 guests. the past month or “Guests can enjoy so courtesy of its far reaching views special marquee over our 36 acres where visitors of gardens and have enjoyed woodland whilst everything from enjoying the spring pizza evenings and sunshine." traditional Sunday Sounds like the perfect lunches to indulgent James Tanner of The afternoon teas. Kentish Hare (above) way to start the summer… Its Operations

We’re already fully booked for the first two weeks of opening in May which is just wonderful

Photograph: Lee Smith

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 31

Food & Drink

MARK DIACONO’S NEW RULES FOR USING HERBS The expert gardener and food writer’s new cookbook is dedicated to herbs. And so far, we haven’t been doing them justice, discovers Ella Walker

“W

e don’t need herbs,” says Mark Diacono, a man who has just written an entire cookbook about them. He goes on to call them “unnecessary” and adds, quite heartlessly, that “we can perfectly merrily eat for the rest of our lives without herbs and we will live”. However, they are also “the thing that makes the difference between feeding and eating,” he says, turning this dark tale into a lightfilled parable. “It’s the unnecessary brilliance of [using herbs] that just makes you want to eat this delightful thing and get pleasure from it.” And so, in conclusion, we actually do very much need herbs on our plates and growing on our windowsills, and Diacono, food writer, photographer and creator of Otter Farm – a nursery designed to encourage people to grow “unusual and forgotten food” – is very willing to share his affection for herbs. “We’re the only species on earth that cooks,” he continues. “We’re doing it for two reasons. One is to transform foods into something that’s edible, you know, just plain old ‘I can eat that/That’s not going to kill me and/or I’m not going to lose my teeth trying to get through

32 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

it’. But once you’ve got to that point, the rest really is about pleasure.” Herbs provide “that little tweak” that can amp up a dish or morph its character slightly – take Diacono’s bread and butter pudding. Laced with standard thyme he says it takes on a “Novemberish” feel, whereas lemon thyme connotes April. Despite his adoration for most of them, Diacono does not indiscriminately enjoy all edible shoots. In Herb: A Cook’s Companion, the follow up to his 2019 cookbook, Sour, he rages amiably at the ubiquitous one leaf of parsley garnish (“It’s, ‘I thought about you, but I didn’t think about you enough…’”) and rails at being presented with whole mint leaves to eat (“They’re just unpleasant in the mouth,”). Poor lemon balm feels the full brunt of his ire. “I love it in the garden; in the kitchen, I couldn’t be less interested,” he explains. “There’s no meal that can be improved by lemon balm, there’s no delight to be had from it.” According to Diacono, it’s the sherbet leaves of lemon verbena you really ought to look for. The problem is, most of us get “stuck” with the herbs that we use. Diacono nods to the usual suspects, mint, coriander,

Herb: A Cook’s Companion by Mark Diacono is published by Quadrille, priced £26. Photography Mark Diacono. Available now.

Food & Drink

in its own right. “If we leave the rosemary, thyme and parsley – chop fairly coarse, what you get is a which in a double-whammy of punch every now and again, of say, going through the motions, as we coriander – it becomes a surprise: also tend to use them repeatedly in ‘Oh, that was coriander!’ rather the same old ways. It means we’re than if we chop it really finely and accessing only a “tiny little sliver” throw it in, of the green fronds everything becomes we could be scoffing. coriander. The “If you get to grips impression is very with herbs just a different.” little – and they’re He considers herbs very easy to get to If you get to a way to build, season grips with – then it and layer flavour, and could change your grips with fortunately, “it’s quite food like nothing herbs then it hard to overuse a else,” says Diacono. herb I would say, so “These are the could change experiment and clothes that dress up your food like play, keep tasting – people the plainer tend to taste right at ingredients. You’re nothing else the end, keep tasting, in for a fair bit of fun keep tasting.” with them.” Diacono is a hugely Pairing them in successful gardener different – he writes gardening combinations, or chucking them into dishes at varied books as well as recipes – so it’s massively reassuring to know how moments during cooking could make a real impact, he reckons. For relaxed he is about stuffing bundles instance, when making mint sauce, of parsley guilt-free in the Diacono doubles the mint; dousing supermarket trolley. “My belief is, buy the herbs you the bulk of it in water, sugar and use masses of. There’s just no way, vinegar, and then topping it with unless you have infinite time and finely shredded fresh before space, that you can grow all the serving for extra zing. parsley, all the coriander, all the Another swift way to up your thyme you are likely to use if you herb game is to consider how like it,” he says. “You’ll end up you’re wielding your knife. “How hammering the thyme plant to we chop is really important,” says death.” Diacono, calling it an ‘ingredient’

THINGS ARE LOOKING ROSÉ Wine guru James Viner cherry picks his favourite pink wines 1)Must-try supermarket rosé from Provence Specially Selected Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2020, France (£6,49, Aldi, 13%) This delicious supermarket rendition is summer in a glass and will surely brighten any miserable spring day. It’s a (red) carignancinsault-syrah blend, pepped up with a dollop of peachy (white) rolle and it has a beautifully delineated suite of summer pudding flavours, plus hints of herbs and pink grapefruit to balance. Bright, limpid, dry, and pale coral in colour, it’s an excellent aperitif to also enjoy alongside aioli with crunchy crudités, bouillabaisse, brie and grilled fish. The ones you should consider sowing and growing from seed at home, he says “are the embellishments on that”. He’s talking ginger rosemary, orange thyme, pineapple sage, Vietnamese coriander, the “varieties on the variety”, as well as the leaves you’d just struggle to buy, like shiso, salad burnet, chervil, savory. “We tend to only have a certain amount of time and space that we can dedicate to growing stuff,” he says, “so make it the flavours you cannot have unless you grow it yourself.” Even a few pots by the back door, he’s adamant, “can transform every meal you eat. That’s a pretty extraordinary thing and it’s very easy to achieve.” He’s all for just giving things a go, be it making marjoram and chive flower salt, distilling the essence of fig leaves in syrup, or infusing all the vodka he can get his hands on, apothecary-like, with twirled stems of lovage and stalks of lemongrass. “We are desperate to just do the things we’re good at,” he muses. “So we tend to shut down [when faced with new challenges]. We tend to do fewer and fewer things. We just do the things we’re good at. We defend them with a cricket bat, you know, and it’s like: stop it, we’re here to live for a very short time, do stuff you’re crap at and get good at it, if you want to, or just be crap at it! It doesn’t matter. “We’re here to live,” he continues – and even the smallest jot of greenery can help us remember that it’s the small things, be it a furry leaf of sage rubbed between your fingers, or chewing on a homegrown sorrel leaf. “I think we mustn’t lose that sense of play. We mustn’t lose that sense of doing things. Of joy.”

2) Pale rosé/rosado from Rioja Ramón Bilbao El Viaje de Ramón Garnacha Rosé 2020, Rioja, Spain (£8,The Co-op, 12.5%) Scoop up this gluggable, crowdpleasing, juicy, pale, Provençal-style garnacha-dominant Rioja, enlivened with a dab of honeydew melon and lemon verbena (white) viura. It’s properly dry; match with grilled vegetables, light seafood, and risottos – or just enjoy the naked sip. Scores highly with roast leg of lamb hot off the barbecue. Salud to spring! 3) Scrumptious, left-field, crisp and dry rosé from sunny Crete Lyrarakis, Kedros Liatiko Rosé 2020, Crete, Greece (£12.50,The Wine Society, 13.5%) The nose is an intriguing mix of ripe red berry fruits, peach, and red hibiscus, all bound in tangy citrus acidity. So clean and pure with a

long, mineral-defined finish. Give it a whirl with grilled fish (perhaps red mullet), shellfish, and seafood. Track it down now! 4)Prettily-packaged Provençal pink lookalike from the North Downs of Kent Simpsons Wine Estate Railway Hill Pinot Noir Rosé 2020, Kent, England (£19.50 £19.99, simpsonswine.com,) There are some great English still pink wines to be had if you know where to look, and this is one of them, made at a leading estate run by an accomplished husband-andwife team living the dream in a vineyard situated at Barham, Kent, in the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Fresh and scented, stylish and pale, this has lip-smacking acidity and bags of primary fruit (think watermelon, pink grapefruit, cranberry, and peach) flavours, with a whisper of lychee. 5) Opulent, pinot-noir-forward sparkling rosé from the South Downs of W. Sussex Ashling Park Rosé 2014 (£30.95-£31.50,Whisky Exchange & ashlingpark.co.uk, 12%) This local gem is made by ace Irish winemaker Dermot Sugrue from champagne grapes pinot noir (PN) and pinot meunier grown at a family estate in Little Ashling, W. Sussex. It’s pale, dry and rich, with a fresh, elegant and lively palate; PN (80%)-derived plum and cherry to the fore. The show continues through the long, fresh finish and aftertaste. One sip was taken for the whole note and the flavours are still lingering. Superb. 1.

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 33

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Welcoming You Back

Our New Exhibition - In the Garden by Iaysha Salih

11 May - 5 June Paintings to lift your Spirit and Awaken the Soul.

Join us for a glass of fizz at the private view 14 May - to reserve a space email info@arthubgallery.co.uk Art Hub Gallery - The Art of Creativity 43 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4RZ

www.arthubgallery.co.uk,

34 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

_arthubgallery

@_arthubgallery

Photograph: Rose Bainbridge

Food & Drink

With lockdown slowly being lifted, it’s finally time for loved up couples to start planning their big day. Lottie Bulmer chats to Dan Yardley, Head Chef at popular wedding venue Salomons Estate, about how he and his team can serve up a safe and perfect day to remember… What’s the current marriage market like for you at Salomons? People are obviously wanting to get married after waiting for so long since the first lockdown last March. And although we have hosted a number of weddings, in accordance with the current guidelines I think most are hanging on until June 21 because that’s the day when everyone can have a proper party! What have been the challenges since the limitations were put on weddings? Well shared buffets are obviously no longer possible because of Covid. And now canapes, traditionally served with drinks on arrival, have to be served in a Covid safe manner. It will be interesting to see if people still opt to have food in the evening – a time when usually more guests arrive and people are hungry. I’m guessing it will all depend on peoples’ attitudes

around Covid whether they opt for a buffet. It will be interesting to see what happens next month as lockdown measures are eased further. You have been Head Chef for 15 years and done countless weddings. How do you ensure each one is bespoke? Every couple has a meeting with the Sales & Events team here, and they choose what they’d like to try. Then they come back and have a tasting session with us. This is my first involvement in the process and gives me the chance to chat through a couple’s likes and dislikes. Unlike a lot of venues, the wedding menu here is never set in stone; it’s a guide and we try our best to fulfil what guests would like. We are also flexible too: if we have enough time to plan and can even do different cuisine styles such as Caribbean and Indian dishes.

DID YOU KNOW? The Salomons Estate in Tunbridge Wells now has over 70 weddings booked until January 2022.

Do you have a must-have dish for a wedding menu? Not really. I love cooking and trying new and different things. I have been here for 15 years so I like to keep challenging myself! I’m particularly inspired by things I’ve seen on the TV like the Great British Menu – I’m always trying to improve and better myself with my cooking.

How has the overall Covid situation impacted on weddings in general at Salomons? We’ve had much smaller ones, for obvious reasons. Last month we had one where the bride and groom opted for a five-course taster menu. They had to change their approach as they couldn’t have as many guests as usual and so decided to give more of an emphasis on the food. I guess having five courses instead of the usual three fills the gaps where you’d maybe have more speeches! What makes your kitchen team so unique? I really value their input; we’re a close and loyal team. Behind all great feedback is a great team. The unusual requests we receive gives my guys something to really get their teeth into. Over lockdown they did some research for new ideas which we hope to serve up soon and we’re also launching a new menu next year. What motivates you? Hearing encouraging feedback from our clients on what we’ve created in the kitchen is what we do it for.

Photograph: Rose Bainbridge

www.salomons-estate.com SO Magazine | May 2021 | 35

Travel

LET’S GO We pick five destinations where you can let loose and feel at one with nature

ne of the key Covid symptoms is loss of taste and smell, but lockdown has arguably deadened all our senses, by detaching us from the outside world. So, as we unfurl from our sofas and prepare to venture outside, it’s no surprise sensory experiences are likely to direct travel plans. According to a poll by VisitEngland, the experiences Brits are most looking forward to include eating fish and chips, listening to the jingle of an ice cream van, or smelling the waft of sea air. From coast to countryside, the UK and Ireland is a sonic, visual and audio wonderland. Here are a few more of the visceral experiences we’re eager to enjoy this summer. HUG A TREE The art of forest bathing first became popular in Japan during the 1980s, and has since spread it’s restorative roots worldwide. Along with the joy of simply being surrounded by ancient oaks or pleasing pines, there is a science to the trend: trees emit oils used to naturally protect them from insects or other invaders, which induce a sense calm. North London’s closest glamping escape, Home Farm Glamping in Elstree has partnered with charity The 36 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

Wilderness Foundation to offer therapeutic sessions in 150 acres of wild woodlands and historic parklands. Their first session, An Introduction to Forest Bathing at Home Farm Glamping, will be held on May 13 and costs £15 per person. Visit homefarmglamping.com/whats-on. SIGHT OF GREAT HORIZONS If your window on the world has been obstructed by concrete towers and never-ending rooftops, great views will be a priority once lockdowns end. Although not vastly mountainous, the UK and Ireland do have their high points – one being the fabulous Wicklow Mountains, south of Dublin. Wilderness Ireland include the national park on a guided tour visiting three of Ireland’s most scenic areas known for walking and mountains. Hikers will summit Carrauntoohil, the highest mountain of Ireland, as well as the highest peak in each corner of the country. A six-night trip costs from €1,710 per person (two sharing), departing September 18.Visit wildernessireland.com. A TASTE OF COAST AND COUNTRY Foraging forges a connection with nature, allowing us to literally savour our immediate environments. As an

From coast to countryside, the UK and Ireland is a sonic, visual and audio wonderland

island, the UK offers up a bounty of goods from both coast and countryside. In Dorset, Fore/Adventure offer a half-day Coastal Foraging Course, based on the beach in Studland. Search for sea vegetables, sea weeds, crabs and cockles, and learn how to prepare wild foods. From £50 per person. For something more decadent, head to Mersea Island in Essex, where oysters have been grown in creeks since Roman times. Lady Grace Boat Trips offer a two-hour Picnic Trip along Salcot Creek, where you’ll hear curlew calling and find egrets wading along the shoreline. Pre-order a picnic platter from the West Mersea Oyster Bar. From £100 per trip (up to six people). Both excursions can be booked through englandscoast.com/en. SOUND OF BIRDS IN FLIGHT From the soothing symphony of a dawn chorus to the furious flapping of flocks cruising across the sky, birds are an inspiring soundtrack to our daily lives. Filled with salt marshes, sand dunes and twisty tidal creeks, North Norfolk is a paradise for birders and walkers; trips to RSPB Snettisham Nature Reserve are particularly recommended, when red knots beat their wings above the mud flats. Inntravel has introduced a new

Travel

Although not vastly mountainous, the UK and Ireland do have their high points

self-guided short break to Snettisham and Holkham, following the Norfolk Coast Path from Old Hunstanton to Thornham, and inland to Burnham Market via windmills and wildflowers. A four-night B&B trips costs from £580 per person (two sharing). Visit inntravel.co.uk. Or head to the ancient woodlands of Castle Eden Dene in Durham, an example of the ‘wildwood’ that once covered most of Britain. It’s home to a variety of birds, including the common swift, greylag goose and goldcrest, along with more than 450 species of plants, and mammals such as roe deer and fox. SMELL OF SEA AIR So salty it can make your nostrils sting, the scent of the sea is an instant ticket to a refreshing break. Some of the most invigorating coastal trails can be found in Northumberland, including a seven-mile barefoot walk at low tide across the causeway to the tidal Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Crabtree & Crabtree, who have holiday cottages in the region, bring the journey to life with a guide regaling tales of local legends. The walk is best enjoyed from April to September, when grey seals gather on the exposed sandbanks. Prices from £25pp for a private walk. Visit crabtreeandcrabtree.com. Or inhale fresh maritime air by walking a section of the England Coast Path, a new National Trail which hopes to have all stretches approved and works underway this year. Once complete, it will be the longest coastal walking route in the world at 2,700 miles. SO Magazine | May 2021 | 37

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WELL-BEING

Hope springs eternal

inflammation of the bladder and kidneys is considered a result of sluggish lymphatic system making Cleavers an ideal herb for the urinary system. It was traditionally decocted in cold water to preserve its virtues. You can add 5g of freshly chopped Cleavers herb to a clean jar, cover in fresh filtered cold water and leave for 8 – 12 hours. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste.

MEDICINAL

We cannot leave behind one of the most undervalued plants with an unfair reputation as a pesky weed; the humble dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis). Dandelion has an old reputation as a spring tonic and blood purifier. It is a very bitter herb, hence its use in liver and gallbladder complaints. If you snap off the stem just a taste of the white latex on the end tells you how bitter it really is! Less known are its potent anti-viral effects. In 1933, Dr Swinburne Clymer wrote, “Dandelion is the ideal spring cleanser, spring bitters, and spring tonic. Its mineral contents are more evenly balanced for this purpose than any ‘medicine’ any chemist could invent. Perhaps, it is needless to say, it is a desirable and efficient food at any other time of the year.” A few of the bitter leaves can be added to a salad or juiced with apple, celery and ginger. So next time you wander along the hedgerows, know that right at your feet is a medicinal apothecary.

Naomi Murray is a herbalist from Botanica Health in Rusthall. This month the champion and expert of natural remedies looks at how a variety of seasonal hedgerow herbs can aid our well-being

he season of spring is so wonderful. It comforts and demonstrates to us year in and year out that we can have faith that some things never change. The once naked trees come to life, tiny buds appear, shoots poke through the cold earth and we know that summer will follow spring, and winter autumn and so this grand show is eternal. There is a sense of renewal and new things in store, a feeling of anticipation, warmer days and lighter nights. The right herbs seem to arrive at just the right time. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a spring time plant that can be confused with mint but on rubbing the leaves an aromatic lemon fragrance is released. It is a really worthwhile plant to grow in the garden and especially useful after a difficult year. Traditionally it is used to calm the nerves and reduce feelings of panic

Naomi Murray

Co-founder of Botanica Health

and anxiety. As with all herbs, Lemon balm is multi-modal and is indicated as an antiviral, anti-spasmodic and sedative. To soothe frayed nerves simply place a small handful of the leaves into a teapot, add boiling water and brew for 10 minutes before consuming. You could add honey and also have as a bedtime drink. We see this time of year as an opportunity to cast off the winter; the heavy foods and hibernation-style behaviour. There is a desire to cleanse and freshen up. Everywhere the Cleavers (Gallium aperine) can be seen in hedgerows. As children we called it ‘sticky willy’ and I still haven’t quite got over the thrill of throwing it on the unsuspecting back of the person sharing my stroll. Cleavers is primarily used as a blood purifier and for lymphatic congestion. We have long used it in the practice when a person complains of swollen lymph nodes, tonsillitis, glandular fever and congested skin. In traditional herbal medicine,

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: “Forgive me if I never vis it. I am from the fields, you kn ow, and while quite at home with the dandelions, make a so rry figure in a drawing room .” Emily Dickinson

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 39

Men's Style

PEAKY BLINDERS…

You might recognise the heavy suits of the early 1900s from popular TV show Peaky Blinders. Tommy Shelby and his brothers wear styles typical of the time: three-piece suits in heavy, workmanlike materials. These were fairly utilitarian outfits, with slim-fitting jackets in muted tones, like black, navy or dark brown.

THE ROARING TWENTIES…

From Peaky Blinders suits to 21st century experimentation, trends have been constantly changing

ormally, womenswear gets all the attention – but that doesn’t mean we should forget about menswear altogether. In fact, the humble suit is one of the hardest working outfits in fashion, and has seen countless reincarnations over the years. The invention of the modern suit is often credited to Beau Brummell, a trendsetting dandy from the early 1800s. He encouraged high society to do away with the flouncy frock coats and powdered wigs of the 18th century, in favour of more streamlined, simple tailoring – similar to the style we know today, albeit with tails, riding boots and a cravat. Since then, the suit has taken a life of its own. Wearing a fully tailored look might not be an everyday occurrence for lots of us, but it’s still experiencing new and different trends. Most men ditched long jackets by the early 1900s, and this is how the suit progressed from there…

40 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

1940S MINIMALISM…

Inevitably, this shifted when WWII hit. Wool was in short supply, so suit manufacturers started experimenting with synthetic blends. Styles became more pared back; colours were dark, and patterns were subtle herringbones or pinstripes. Even though suits were tailored, trousers were nothing like the slim fits we’re used to today. Instead, pants were relatively loose, with a sharply ironed crease down the front.

MAD MEN…

After the mainstream minimalism of the 1940s, the Fifties and Sixties saw suits gain a bit more style. This was the era of Don Draper and Mad Men, where many men had to wear a suit to work every day. Styles were clean-cut and well-tailored, paired with slim ties and the occasional waistcoat. There were more opportunities to play around with patterns and colours, from pastels to a bright houndstooth.

OVERSIZED STYLES…

After the excess of the Seventies, suiting saw a bit of a downturn. Other than the occasional pastel suit with rolled up sleeves in the Eighties, the 1980s and 1990s saw much more low-key styles: colours became muted and muddy, and tailoring went out the window. During this time, suits were often oversized and looked almost misshapen. This wasn’t exactly the coolest time for men’s fashion, particularly as looks were paired with wide, funkily patterned ties.

While the working classes stuck to Peaky Blinders-style suits throughout the 1920s, it was a different story for those with money. This was a time of excess – think of The Great Gatsby – so drab suits just wouldn’t do. Men increasingly wore tuxedos with white waistcoats for parties, or sharply-tailored suits in softer, more expensive materials during the day. In this interwar period, fashion was a way of showing off how much money you had.

ZOOT SUITS…

Fashion trends are rarely neatly chronological. While the 1940s saw a more minimalist take on tailoring, it also saw the continued rise of zoot suits. Everything about this style was exaggerated: trouser legs ballooned out and were pegged at the bottom, lapels were wide and shoulders were padded up high. The look was often topped off with a large pork pie hat and shiny dress shoes. Starting in Harlem in the 1930s, the trend was popular among the African American and Latinx communities, and became a hot button issue in the 1940s. As zoot suits required a lot of material to make, they were condemned by the mainstream as unpatriotic during wartime shortages. The style became illegal in some areas of the US, and riots took place in 1943, where soldiers and sailors targeted Mexican-Americans in LA wearing zoot suits. They became a symbol of protest or rebellion, with historian Kathy Peiss saying: “For those without other forms of cultural capital, fashion can be a way of claiming space for yourself.”

SEVENTIES DISCO…

Things changed once again in the Seventies, where vibrancy was the name of the game. Colours were bright and wild, lapels were huge, waists were high, legs were flared – think of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Suits saw experimentation like never before, with patterns, colours and ruffles taking over.

THE SUIT TODAY…

Luckily, men have become reacquainted with their tailor and you’re unlikely to see a baggy, ill-fitting suit on the red carpet. By the Noughties, suits became simpler, chicer and more streamlined. In recent years, men have started injecting their own personality into tailoring. Think of Michael B Jordan wearing a Louis Vuitton harness on the red carpet, Timothee Chalamet in a statement patterned blazer and matching shirt, Chadwick Boseman in a pale pink suit or Andrew Scott wearing red velvet. Particularly as fashion becomes more gender fluid, the options for new suit styles seem vaster than ever. Tailoring might feel worlds away from the relaxed pandemic fashion many of us have become used to, but who knows? Maybe the pendulum will swing the other way as we return back to normal, and suits will be back with a vengeance.

BEAUTY

Skin deep This month Eileen Leahy discovers a ground-breaking luxury beauty range as well as a perfect scent for brides-to-be who are finally able to get married

The crème de la crème of creams… In a somewhat saturated luxury skincare market we’ve discovered a premium brand that really merits its price tag and hype. The Augustinus Bader range is named after the German scientist who created it and boasts a relatively small but highly effective line of key skincare products which deliver very impressive results. For thirty years Professor Bader has researched and developed technologies which prompt the human body’s ability to firstly heal, then stimulate cells that have become dormant due to either trauma or ageing. As well as looking the part of a luxury skincare brand with its smart royal blue and rose gold slick packaging, the range, which compromises products - devoid of fancy names - such The Rich Cream, The Face Oil and The Cleansing Gel, really does deliver solid results.

Its secret weapon is TFC8 – or Trigger Factor Complex – a patented technology which helps skin to start repairing itself naturally. Professor Bader, an expert in stem cell biology has spent the best part of three decades developing this and in 2008 launched a revolutionary wound gel which effectively repaired skin that had been scarred or badly damaged – without the need for surgery. The TFC8 used in the gel formed the basis of Professor Bader’s first beauty product launch three years ago. TECHNOLOGY In 2018 moisturisers The Rich Cream and The Cream entered the crowded luxury skincare arena and immediately caused a stir thanks to their efficacy and immediate positive, long lasting results. The Rich Cream boasts Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E and Squalane, a plant derived balm which deeply hydrates. Skin looks

healthier, firmer and more radiant. The Cream is a lighter moisturiser for everyday use and is brimming with Vitamins A, C and B5 which when combined help to stimulate collagen production, reduce fine lines and locks in moisture. In addition to the first two Augustinus Bader products launched, the collection now comprises an array of effective cleansing products, a rich body cream, face oil, hand cream and lip balm, all of which contain the special TFC8 technology as well as a host of hydrating ingredients to nourish your skin. The range is 100% vegan with 70% of the packaging plastic free. The Augustinus Bader skincare range has won multiple awards and counts the likes of Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bobbi Brown and model Alexa Chung as fans and is sold in SpaceNK Tunbridge Wells as well as John Lewis and online at www.augustinusbader.com

WHAT IS TFC8? TFC8 stands for The Trigger Factor. It is a specific technology created by the biomedical scientist and physician Augustinus Bader. It helps to heal and regenerate skin and is composed of natural amino acids, highgrade vitamins and synthesised molecules that are naturally found in the skin. TFC8 nourishes and protects the skin by supporting its potential for renewal.

MAKING SCENTS OF MARRIAGE If you’re a bride-to-be then you’ll be busy sourcing your dream dress and thinking about how your hair and make-up will look for the big day. But don’t forget to invest in a fragrance. The reason? Because it is the finishing touch to any outfit - but especially on one of the biggest days of your life. And post wedding, just one spritz will bring all those marital memories flooding back. Premium perfumer Miller Harris know this only too well, stating that their selection of nuanced and exquisite scents will make your special day truly unforgettable. “A wedding fragrance is like having an olfactory snapshot of

your special day,” says a Miller Harris spokesperson. “In fact, scent has the strongest link to memory, so few things will recall your wedding more effectively.” Miller Harris has a number of exquisite scents that will perfectly complement your look but we’re big fans of Secret Gardenia (£115 100ml. It opens up with crisp citrus notes with a rich floral heart of jasmine and ylang ylang then unfurling to add romance and staying power. What could be more perfect for your wedding day? Miller Harris is available from Fenwick and Hoopers stores in Tunbridge Wells SO Magazine | May 2021 | 41

Hypnotherapy

Are we

nearly there yet? Hypnotherapist Karen Martin examines the issue of how we can ensure we’re steering ourselves on to the right roadmap for a better future as we come out of lockdown

direction their life was taking. Not or some people, the everyone has the life skills or hardest thing about the confidence to kickstart an interrupted pandemic will be the education or career path. prospect of returning to normal, albeit a new one. Three lockdowns in the past twelve ON THE MOVE AGAIN months have required many to put When the traffic lights go green and all their lives on pause, then reset, then roads to a new normal open up, anyone pause again. And . . . again. unsure of where they’re going next risks It’s as if we’ve all been waiting at a stalling, freezing like a rabbit in the traffic light on the roadmap to headlights or, worse still, crashing and recovery hailed by Boris as being burning in a mental health crisis of the way forward. But there’s depression or anxiety. no ‘Lifeway’ code to help There’s been a lot of us navigate the jam this awareness of the “To fulfil their has created. reported surge in potential, the young Pre Covid, there anxiety during wasn’t enough time to lockdowns. I predict in particular have to take the foot off the there will be many get behind the wheel accelerator and brake more sufferers post and steer their life or cruise for a while. the lifting of restrictions as we all towards success” have to readjust to the PAUSE AND pressures and REFLECT responsibilities of normal life Being stuck at a red light is an and adapt to uncertainties ahead. opportunity to reflect on what direction to take. When life is moving along at a steady pace, it’s easy to ACCELERATING follow the main drag and forget about CHANGE exploring other avenues. Being a Any crisis accelerates change. passenger. Not thinking about the Economically, socially and next turn. That relatively stress free technologically, there will be global but often unsatisfying option is no developments in infrastructure. This longer available to many. will potentially lead to better ways to To fulfil their potential, the young work, live and benefit from scientific in particular have to get behind the progress post pandemic. wheel and steer their life towards On an individual level, we all have success. This is a tough challenge for the opportunity to seize the day and anyone who thought they knew which it remains to be seen how many of us 42 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

are doing just that. Property sales in bucolic rural areas are on the up as city workers rush to the countryside for a happier, less hectic life. Employers recognising massive savings on expensive commercial space are embracing flexi working, changing the life of many commuters. Out of the surge in unemployment will come a rise in innovation as the newly jobless find creative new ways to make a living.

GET A MENTAL HEALTH MOT

Politicians will be called upon to put measures in place to provide more support to those who, for example, remain jobless or are mentally unwell because of the pandemic. Those who cannot just hop on the bus to a better future will get some help but it may not be enough or fast enough to help them back on their feet without

consequences. Along with the casualties of Covid, these are also its victims. I was saddened to read that many of the homeless given accommodation during lockdown are back on the streets. Temporary fixes during lockdown will hopefully lead to permanent changes in the areas where they are needed the most. The Government has pledged £500 million to improve mental health services which have been desperately underfunded for decades. Many of those visiting my practice have given up waiting for a referral to an NHS therapist or there simply aren’t services available to help with their particular problem. Better access to mental health services and more choice of treatments available will help individuals get back in the driving seat and follow a new roadmap to a brighter future.

Karen Martin Hypnotherapist

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Interiors

WAYS TO WORK SORBET SHADES INTO YOUR HOME THIS SPRING

1. TUTTI FRUTTI Sorbet shades to brighten up a room

2. SWEET TREAT These macaron shaped cushions add a pop of colour to any space

44 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

Pretty pastels will make brightening up your space a breeze, says Sam Wylie-Harris… Top of the colour charts, the pulling power of pastels never fades. Serene, easy-on-the-eye hues and mellow effects can collide beautifully together. And in their low-key statement way – especially in the world of interiors – pastels are the never-boring neutrals in a wash of bold brights. A clever tool to combine with eclectic furnishings, decos and romantic accents, a palette of plush pastels can be imaginably designed as a glamorous backdrop. Use them to draw in more light with paint choices, or turn up the volume and artfully place them among your hothouse of florals, or alongside dark furnishings for dramatic contrast.

Let’s see what’s turning heads on this season’s pastel parade… 1. Set of 3 Summer Fruit Abstract Art Prints A4, £59, Claude & Leighton A tempting trio that really hits the spot, these abstract prints in sorbet shades work like a dream with bleached wood and Scandi style furniture. 2. Round Ruched Velvet Cushions, £45 each, Graham & Green Funny how a plush velvet cushion shaped like an expensive macaron works like a sweet treat in any space – and picture perfect in pastels.

Interiors

3. Elinore Gold Swivel Base Accent Chair, £299, Next A chic 1930s-style cocktail chair to pimp up your boudoir, or set the tone for a creative corner, style with a brass standing lamp to complement the glitzy metal base. Drinks trolley optional.

4. Sadolin Superdec Peachy Punch Paint, from £19.99 for 1L, Buypaintsonline With everyone stepping into springtime, spruce up your outdoor space with a peachy paint shade. This satin opaque wood protection is suitable for windows, doors, conservatories and cladding. 5. Resplendence Blush Wallpaper, £65 per roll, Graham & Brown Wallpaper with the wow factor – with these striking teal peacocks perched amongst pale yellow blooms, you can evoke an exotic private garden to call your own. A fabulous take on luxe living for less.

6. The World Is Your Oyster Print, from £15 for A4, Eleanor Bowmer And of course, a clever styling trick is to tie a scheme together with a kittenish print for maximum impact.

7. LeBonCandles Full Twist Set of 6 Soy Wax Candles, £32, Etsy Funky and fun, twisted candles are all the rage and we’ve got a crush on this cute set. 8. Four Piece 200ml All Purpose Glasses – Set of 4, £38.91 (was £40.99), Wayfair Team pink crystal with blue, and just imagine how much lovelier your favourite glass of rosé or pinot grigio is going to taste in these glammy goblets. 9. Zuiver Luigi Table Range – Square and Round Side Tables available in

Pink, White and Green, £159 each, Cuckooland A little Italian flair within arms’ reach… A sociable side table is just the ticket as we head into ‘spritz season’, and need something stylish to place our refreshing spring cocktail and bowl of olives on. 9.

SO Magazine | May 2021 | 45

Outside Edge

SHOW YOUR

true colours

THIS SUMMER SO’s resident gardening expert Victoria Truman suggests simple ideas on how you can create the most impact in your external space with the least effort…

46 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

t is truly amazing how mature trees and plants can completely transform virtually any outside space with immediate effect. Many clients ask me how to bring instant impact into their garden. And I tell them that this is very achievable when you use sculptural topiary shapes. During the winter they look superb because of the drama they create, especially when frost and snow appears. Then in the summer months I find the topiary shapes add punctuation to the froth and colour of all those gorgeous summer flowers. Trees are a fantastic way of bringing in interest vertically and the sky really is the limit with what

size you buy! You’re basically buying time, the time it has taken to produce a large specimen tree is 7-15 years of a nursery man looking after the tree and caring for its every need so when it is planted in your garden you end up with not only an amazing, fully grown specimen, but one that has been nurtured and cared for. If you’re after some instant colour then that can be can be added at very little cost with the use of colourful seasonal bedding plants. Plant them in pots and containers or use them to plug gaps in borders when other plants have died down. To assure you have plenty of colour come early summer get ahead by thinking of the seasons. If

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

you plant tulips en masse in November then by April/May you will have created a cacophony of colour within your space. By choosing larger specimens you will achieve instant and maximum impact with no wait time as the time of the plant maturing has already happened. Now spring is truly underway, thoughts turn to summer and the garden. As you look at your garden, does the nagging question of "where do I even begin" sound familiar? In my opinion, the first and foremost thing to do is to stand back for a moment and simply enjoy the beauty that Mother Nature has given us... Listen to the birds as they sing you a spring melody... dream a little... put on the

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Outside Edge

SEW BEAUTIFUL

Bulbs fade and herbaceous borders grow in leaps and bounds

Some of my favourite plants to bring colour and impact are: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ which has dense clusters of long-lasting flowers that emerge in mid-summer lime green, fade to cream and finally turn shades of deep pink in autumn. Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae: A compact, shadeloving, spreading euphorbia that has long-lasting, lime-green flowers in late spring above rosettes of glossy, dark green leaves.

gardening gloves and head out to make your dream garden a reality! As you begin your quest for the perfect garden, be careful not to don't overdo it. It's probably been a few months since you gave those muscles and bones a good workout, so start out slowly and avoid that Monday morning backache. Going into May bulbs fade and herbaceous borders grow in leaps and bounds, it is now clear that summer is approaching. Sowing and planting out bedding can begin, depending on regional weather variations, and you can take softwood cuttings. It's also time to get back into the lawn mowing regime, as the lawn will be loving the warmer temperatures this month brings.

Bergenia ‘Abendglut’: Commonly known as elephant’s ears, because of their large, leathery, oval leaves, ‘Abendglut’ has vivid magenta flower spikes in spring and dark-green leaves, tinged with maroon, that turn bright maroon in winter. A favourite of Edwardian garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and plantswoman Beth Chatto, this sturdy plant should be planted in groups as ground cover, for edging borders or providing a foil for delicate foliage plants. Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’: Decorative perennial which produces large heads of pale, grey-blue flowers from mid-tolate summer. It makes fine specimens in a pot, where their architectural silhouette can best be appreciated - or dot them through the summer border.

JOBS FOR MAY 1. Feed bare soil between plants with general-purpose fertiliser and dose acid-loving rhododendrons and camellias with sequestered iron. Blackberries, loganberries and blackcurrants need a highnitrogen feed 2. Prune the flowered shoots of hydrangeas and winter jasmine 3. Sow peas, broad beans, brassicas, leeks, root veg, spinach, chicory, Swiss chard, salad and hardy herbs. Start tender veg and half-hardy annuals – cosmos, nicotiana, snapdragons – under cover 4. Plant Jerusalem artichokes and asparagus crowns. Container-grown 48 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

evergreens establish best in the spring. Fill pots with glamorous summerflowering bulbs 5. Pinch-out fuchsia, sweet peas and pelargoniums to encourage bushiness and heavier flowering

8. Watch out for late frosts. Protect tender plants with muslin placed carefully over them until the warmer weather is here to stay 9. Earth up potatoes, and promptly plant any still remaining

6. April is the month for planting summer flowering bulbs like Dahlias, Gladiolas and Lilies. Mix bulb fertilizer, processed manure and peat moss into the planting soil

10. Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month (except in cold areas) and always check for nesting birds before clipping hedges

7. When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs. Do not cut off the green foliage yet! These green leaves continue to grow for a few weeks and provide the bulb with food for flowering next year

11. Water early and late to get the most out of your water, recycle water when possible

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SO Magazine | May 2021 | 49

Motors

Volkswagen Golf R The new Golf R arrives riding a wave of expectation, but can it live up to it? Jack Evans finds out

WHAT IS IT? The previous-generation Volkswagen Golf R earned itself a serious reputation. Its all-weather ability, supercar-beating performance and everyday practicality meant that, to many, it was all the car you could’ve ever needed or wanted – so how do you possibly replace it? That’s a challenge Volkswagen tackling with this new version. Underpinned by the latest eightgeneration Golf platform, the new R has a crushing amount of expectation on its shoulders. Can it live up to the hype generated by the car it takes over from? WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? As highlighted, the new R uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged fourcylinder petrol engine, mirroring the capacity that was found in the previous car. It is fundamentally the same unit that powered the older R, albeit with some tweaks and revisions. It’s more powerful, too, bringing 316bhp and 420Nm of torque to the table, converted to the wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. It means the R is quicker from 0-60mph, too, now taking just 4.5 seconds to hit the speed, while flat-out it’ll do 155mph. However, as before, Volkswagen hasn’t lost sight of the R’s need to be used every day, which is why its economy figures aren’t too terrible; the firm claims 36.2mpg combined and CO2 emissions of 177g/km. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? It’s worth getting something out of the way

50 | May 2021 | SO Magazine

right from the start – the Golf R is now quicker than anyone reasonably needs a car to be on the public road. Given that it’ll now out-pace many far more flamboyant – and expensive – cars, the level of performance the R delivers is nothing short of revolutionary. It’s backed by an all-wheel-drive system that keeps you on the straight and narrow – or clinging on through the bends – no matter the conditions. The most notable addition to the R’s setup is the inclusion of torque vectoring, which allows power to be split between the rear wheels for the first time, rather than just the front and back axle. It means the car will tighten its line far more easily than before when turning in, and even applying a decent boot of throttle mid-corner causes the car to squat and pull around the bend harder than ever, firing you out of the other side. It’s properly impressive and wonderfully easy

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Sitting atop the Golf range means the R benefits from an impressive level of standard equipment. Prices start at just over £39,000, for which you get important performance aspects such as the torque vectoring system and sport suspension. ‘Our’ car came with optional Dynamic Chassis Control – priced at £300 – something we’d highly recommend. It allows you to vary the amount of support given by the suspension and when put in ‘Comfort’ mode, makes the car pliable enough to deal with the UK’s roads.

to exploit – this isn’t a car you need to ‘learn’ in order to get the best from.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? We’ve already experienced the regular Golf ’s interior and found it to be an extremely tech-heavy place to be. The R’s cabin is little different, albeit with the introduction of more sporty seats and a range of blue accents. It does, however, feel a touch too ‘normal’ for a car like this; we’d like to see just a little more excitement added into the mix, given just how exciting the powertrain running underneath the R is. That said, the everyday fundamentals are done well. The material quality is largely on the money, while there’s a decent amount of space for those sitting in the back, too. Boot space is reasonable too, offering up 374 litres with the rear seats in place. You can increase it by folding those seats down, of course.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model as tested: Volkswagen Golf R Base price: £39,270 Price: £42,300 Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 316bhp Torque: 420Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 4.5 seconds MPG: 36.2 Emissions: 177g/km CO2

Elsewhere, standard-fit highlights include Volkswagen’s digital cockpit with configurable dials, a 10-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Matrix LED headlights. You’re unlikely to feel short-changed by the R’s level of standard equipment, that’s for sure. VERDICT Binging in a replacement for the Golf R must’ve seemed like quite the challenge for Volkswagen. However, it has hit the nail on the head again; this is a fearsomely quick car that is both easy to live with, and easy to get the best from too. It’s almost unnervingly easy to drive, in fact. It might not be the last word in driver involvement, but the older Golf R never was either. No, this is a car that provides all the performance you could want, no matter the weather.

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SO Magazine May 2021