Read SO Magazine November 2019

LIFESTYLE:

Christmas presence

Don’t miss our luxury seasonal gift guide with all the present ideas you need

HIS DARK MATERIALS WE MEET THE SHAKESPEARE PROJECT’S PETER BASHAM AHEAD OF HIS PERFORMANCE AS MACBETH AT SALOMONS THEATRE

NOVEMBER 2019

BUSINESS:

Fine time for wine

Uncorking the key secrets to The Wine Rooms’ success

CELEBRITY:

Seriously funny

Sir Lenny Henry is coming to Tunbridge Wells with his new one-man show

Designed to stand the test of time The difference is in the detail

Please call for a brochure or visit our showrooms Unit 9, Chart Farm, Seal Chart Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0ES Tel: 01732 762682 www.rencraft.co.uk

81 Calverley Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UY Tel: 01892 520730

Welcome

Editor’s LETTER

I

t may be cold, damp and dark out there right now but we have plenty to liven up your November in this month’s issue of SO magazine.

Let’s start by telling you all about our cover star Peter Basham, an acclaimed actor and director who lives in Tunbridge Wells and has just kicked off a three-week run of Macbeth at Salomons’ Victorian Theatre (pictured right). The play is the first to be staged by his new company, The Shakespeare Project, which he co-founded with Laurence Taylor earlier this year. And judging from the rehearsals I’ve seen so far, it promises to be hugely powerful thanks to its stellar cast which includes local actors Louise Jameson and Aaron Sidwell. Read all about how the project came about and what it hopes to achieve on page 17.

Also in this issue we have a chat with comedians Ed Byrne (p11) and Sir Lenny Henry (p82) ahead of their respective gigs at the Assembly Hall later this month. To have two of comedy’s biggest names coming to town is very exciting and the good news is there’s still time to get tickets to each show.

We also talk to Trinity Theatre’s new artistic director Kezia Cole (p12) about how she’s hoping to enhance the much loved cultural space’s creative offering to the wider community.

Our interview with Lucie Merkl of The Bloom Foundry (p55) is well worth a read if you’re toying with the idea of starting your own business as it just goes to prove

4 6 8 11 12 21

Theatre of Dreams: Macbeth is on this month at Salomons

Culture vulture: from poetry, comedy and wine to Christmas fairs, this month’s highlights in a nutshell

November 2019

Party Girl: We pick our favourite sparkles p28

The luxuries in life you can’t live without

Social scene: Hotel du Vin celebrates its 25 anniversary

that if you put your mind to something then anything is possible.

For years Lucie harboured a passion to run her own antiques emporium and florist, and three children – and many years – later she has managed to do just that and the results are just incredible.

Do pay her a visit at her beautiful premises on St John’s Road, you won’t be disappointed.

In addition to our usual great mix of food and drink, fashion, beauty, travel and education we also have our Christmas 2019 gift guide which will provide you with all the inspiration you need for presents for your family and friends. It starts on page 45 and boasts a wealth of luxury items that will make anyone’s Christmas just that little bit extra special.

Dad jokes: Ed Byrne on fatherhood and what it’s like to be a man in the modern world Drama queen: Kezia Cole takes over at Trinity with plenty of ideas to expand its productions

Twin ambition: Two neighbours describe how they joined forces to offer a huge boost to the town’s profile The play’s the thing: Peter Basham on the bard and Macbeth p17

29

Save the date: Musthave beauty advent calendars to face the festivities

42

Party time: Mary Berry’s latest delights to serve up this Christmas

45

SO’s definitive guide to the best presents for your loved ones

55

Live the dream: How a florist and antique ambition came true

75

Parenting Goals: We reveal all

Plan a city escape to Vancouver and other verdant cities p78

Enjoy the issue.

Editor Eileen Leahy

Issue 140 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG

Sir Lenny Henry: Comes to Tunbridge Wells p80

Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith lsmith8@markerstudy.com

SALES DIRECTOR Gemma Hak ghak@markerstudy.com

EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Andy Tong Charlie Bond

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Richard Moore rmoore@markerstudy.com

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Hammond Emily Wood Craig Matthews

PRINTED BY: Mortons Print 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.

Dark Arts: We meet the team behind The Shakespeare Project p17

Cover Art Direction: Lee Smith Photography: Craig Matthews

EDITOR Eileen Leahy info@somagazines.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY

contents

Stand up Sir Lenny Legendary comedian reveals all at last p82

SO Magazine | NOVEMBER 2019 | 3

CALENDAR

CULTURE HUB Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month...

November will set the night on fire

Made in Dagenham, with added song and dancetext here Caption please xxxx

DID YOU KNOW?

© Sarah Mott

Over 40 million poppies are distributed by volunteers during the Poppy Appeal season

ALL THE FUN OF THE FESTIVE FAIRS There’s lots of seasonal shopping opportunities happening this month including the Chiddingstone Christmas Fair on November 23.

This annual event, which is set in the village’s beautiful castle, features 70 hand-picked artisan stalls that will be providing visitors with plenty of festive inspiration. There will also be a range of refreshments available.

For more information go to www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk. On the same weekend is the Hospice in the Weald Christmas market which takes place on November 23-24.

Tickets cost £4 per adult and more information can be found at www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk

REMEMBER, REMEMBER The Round Table fireworks display took place at Dunorlan Park at the beginning of the month but fear not, there are plenty of other Bonfire Night events happening in parks and open spaces throughout the month including a traditional torch-lit procession in Hawkhurst on the final Saturday of the month, November 30. Participants come dressed as smugglers and vagabonds to provide a spooky and smoky atmosphere.

MUSIC WORTH NOTING This month The Forum welcomes a number of brilliant bands to its famous stage. On November 4 4 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

indie outfit Heavy Lungs play with up and coming group Life performing on November 13. The venue also welcomes Stereo MCs and Sports Team on November 8 and 22 respectively but both these gigs are sold out so it’s returns only.

For more information on who you can see at The Forum this month visit www.twforum.co.uk

MAD ABOUT MACBETH The Shakespeare Project will be performing its first production – Macbeth – at Salomons Estate until November 24 at 7.30pm. For full details about the performances turn to our exclusive interview with the group’s co-founder and actor Peter Basham on p17 or visit www.theshakespeareproject.com

former sidekick of the late Mel Smith, who starred with him in Not The Nine O’Clock News and Alas Smith & Jones, relaying an amusing array of stories and observations about his life.

Griff who is also known as a presenter on Three Men in a Boat, takes to the stage at 8pm.

FIT FOR LIFE The Commando Series happens once again at Hever Castle over the weekend of November 9 and 10.

Boasting six and 12km courses with 24 or 48 obstacles for young and old competitors to tackle, this event recreates the mud, sweat and pain of modern day Royal Marines Commando training. Needless to say it’s not a challenge for the fainthearted! For more details on tickets and timings see www.commandoseries.co.uk

JUST FOR LAUGHS Comedian, writer and presenter Griff Rhys Jones presents his oneman show at Trinity Theatre on November 8. Entitled All Over The Place it’s a routine which sees the

DID YOU KNOW? TWODS was established in 1889.

Their first production was two plays: A Blighted Being and My Preserver.

They performed their first musical, The Pirates of Penzance, the following year

Chiddingstone Castle hosts a Christmas Fair

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Remembrance Sunday falls on November 10 this year and as usual both Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge will be holding their annual events in which all servicemen and women, past and present, are remembered. See each town’s council website for more details on events taking place.

POETRY IN MOTION Poet laureate Simon Armitage CBE will visit the EM Forster Theatre on November 13 in order to read a variety of his published works, including pieces from his latest book ‘Sandettie Light Vessel Automatic’.

Armitage, who was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2018, also writes extensively for theatre, television and radio. He is currently Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds and was elected Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford between 2015 and 2019.

It starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12. Go to www.emftheatre.com

IDEAS FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS The Wealden Times Midwinter Fair takes place at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood from November 14-16. As usual there will be an array of unique artisan stalls to browse with plenty of gifting ideas for Christmas – or just for you or your home! Alongside the 220-plus handpicked exhibitors there will also be a special food and drink area where guests can enjoy sampling seasonal delights and take a break with a cup of coffee and slice of something delicious. To book tickets visit www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events

KNIGHT OF LAUGHTER Comedy king Sir Lenny Henry rocks up to the Assembly Hall on November 15 with his new and critically acclaimed show Who Am I, Again? In the first half of the evening, Lenny will take the audience through a jam-packed session full of funny

CALENDAR

Hever Castle’s Commando Series

DID YOU KNOW?

Heavy Lungs

Charles Dickens enacted his play A Christmas Carol personally over 150 times, and the effect on the general public was said to be ‘phenomenal’

and sad memories and stories – from growing up in the Black Country, friendships, family secrets and racism. Lenny will recount setting out on his rollercoaster ride of a career – but at every stage wondering: Am I good enough?

He will then be interviewed by his friend the broadcaster and author Jon Canter, revealing further insights into his life and career. Tickets cost from £35.25 and are available from www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

FORD FOCUS TWODS bring their production of Made in Dagenham to the Assembly Hall theatre from November 25-30. The stage version of the hugely successful film made in 2010, which starred Sally Hawkins and Jaime Winston, promises to be just as entertaining as its celluloid counterpart, bringing the story of the female sewing machinists who go on strike at the Ford Motor Company to life – and this time with added song and dance too! Tickets cost from £21.75 and can be found at www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

A SEASONAL STORY On November 28 actor John O’Connor will recreate Charles Dickens’ famous performance of his best loved ghost story A Christmas Carol at Trinity Theatre. So why not enjoy a seasonal treat in the spirit of Christmas past, present and future? The performance is at 7.30pm and tickets are £19 per person.

WE’LL DRINK TO THAT! Discover Local Wines is a new event celebrating some of the area’s artisan wine producers. It takes place at the Hotel du Vin on Saturday November 30 from 4pm until 7pm. There will be 11 local producers present including Bluebell and Herbert Hall, many of whom have award-winning wines. The Kent Wine School will also be there giving dedicated and focusing on some of the standout wines. Guests will have the opportunity to buy mixed cases of wines from all the suppliers. Tickets are £20 each or £35 for a pair. Visit www.discoverlocalevents.co.uk

Try the finest local wines at Kent Wine School

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 5

RETAIL THERAPY

LIFE’S LITTLE

LUXURIES

Bold as brass Inspired by the unique characteristics of nature, this chandelier creates a real statement to any space it occupies. An antique brass iron frames the structure, which bears pod-shaped arms that cradle the lights to elegantly illuminate its surroundings. Hang it in a hallway for an instant impact but it would also look great adorning a covered outdoor area too. Vader Chandelier, £2,212, Arteriors, www.arteriorshome.com

Here’s our edit of this month’s covetable collectables to enhance your life

Top table If you’re looking for a piece of furniture that’s stylish as well as practical then this Dallas coffee table by interior designer to the stars and queen of minimalism Kelly Hoppen will fit the bill. We love its geometric shape and that it will look great in a number of different corners of your home including a sitting room, dressing room, bedroom and bathroom. Dallas coffee table, £250, Kelly Hoppen, www.kellyhoppen.com

Scent of a man Viking is a powerful new men’s fragrance that bottles the ‘fearless spirit of boundless exploration for the modern man who goes against the grain’. Its top notes are Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon and pink peppercorns with Bulgarian rose and peppermint at its heart with hits of sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli on the finish. Viking marks the brand’s first major men’s scent since the introduction of the cult best-selling Aventus in 2010.

Creed Viking, £195 (50ml), £280 (100ml), £520 (250ml), £825 (500ml), www.creedfragrances.co.uk

We’ll drink to that The drinks trolley revival shows no sign of waning any time soon. Every stylish space boasts one these days so if you haven’t invested in something for all your cocktail paraphernalia then consider this gorgeous glimmering gilt number.

It has lots of space for bottles, ice buckets and glassware storage and also boasts marble and wooden detailing. John Lewis + Swoon Raine Bar Trolley, £449, www.johnlewis.com

Watch out For the man who has everything it can be tricky to know what to get for a special birthday or occasion can’t it?

Well how about this utterly gorgeous limited edition Bremont Jaguar D-type chronograph 43mm stainless steel and leather watch? We think it not only looks incredible but is pretty timeless too. Bremont Jaguar D-type, £5,495, Mr Porter, www.mrporter.com

6 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

Looking good

Mirrors aren’t just practical, they can help create the illusion of a space that’s on the small side and will also help to bounce light around the place. We particularly like this ornate offering which looks fabulous and will enhance any blank wall it’s displayed on.

Finestra Wall Mirror £295, Oliver Bonas, www.oliverbonas.com

SOCIAL SCENE

TUNBRIDGE WELLS TOASTS 25 YEARS OF THE HOTEL DU VIN GROUP VIPs, wine lovers and business people from across town recently celebrated 25 successful years of the Hotel du Vin with a special dinner at the group’s Tunbridge Wells establishment.

The event coincided with the results of the hotel’s recent silent auction and raffle, which offered the chance to obtain magnificent wines at once-in-alifetime prices.

In the relaxed Georgian elegance of the Grade-II listed Decimus Burton designed hotel, guests enjoyed a specially created three-course meal, devised by Head Chef Jimmy Sherwin to complement the wines, chosen by Nick Wolridge, who works with renowned Champagne and Bordeaux producer Alain Thienot, a long-time supplier to the Hotel du Vin group.

“Hotel du Vin is an iconic building and an iconic part of the lives of Tunbridge Wells’ residents. Most people will have fond memories of celebrating special events here – whether a wedding, a milestone anniversary or just to enjoy an indulgent afternoon tea on the terrace – so it seemed fitting to mark the group’s 25th anniversary with a suitably special event celebrating our brand’s love of fine wine and food,” said general manager James McComas. “As part of the evening our silent wine auction and raffle raised nearly £800 for charities Taylor Made Dreams and Hospice Action – the icing on our celebratory cake.”

8 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

Interview

COMEDY

As ever, Ed manages to provoke without being overly polemical, a balancing act that only someone of his huge experience can really pull off.

“I did stuff about Trump and the Pizzagate right wing conspiracy and a couple of the reviewers said, ‘Oh, I would have liked to have watched a whole show of this’. And I think, ‘well you might have, but the average person who comes to see me “I do genuinely annoy would not like to see that’. myself, but the thing of your “People who come to see me children being a reflection of are not political activists you, gives you an opportunity necessarily, they’re regular folk. If to build something out of the you can make a point to them, best of yourself only for you in between talking about your to then see flashes of the struggles with aging, or discussing your hernia operation or worst of yourself in them” whatever it is, you can toss in something that does give people pause as regards to how men should share the household chores.”

Ed’s new show takes his natural tendency towards self-deprecation to unexpected extremes. “I do genuinely annoy myself, but the thing of your children being a reflection of you, gives you an opportunity to build something

© Idil Sukan

WHY HONESTY IS THE BEST

y c i l o p c i comed Irish comedian Ed Byrne brings his new show If I’m Honest to the Assembly Hall on November 22. Jason Barlow finds out what’s getting the stand-up star worked up this time

A

household name teetering on the brink of national treasure status, awardwinning comedian Ed Byrne enjoys worldwide acclaim for his stand-up. With 25 years under his belt, Ed has augmented his on-stage success with a variety of notable television appearances.

A regular on Mock The Week and The Graham Norton Show, Ed has recently co-presented Dara & Ed’s Big Adventure and its follow-up Dara & Ed’s Road To Mandalay, and managed not to disgrace himself on Top Gear or whilst tackling one of The World’s Most Dangerous Roads. As a semiprofessional hill-walker himself and fully paid-up humanist, he also brought a refreshing warmth and honesty to

BBC2’s recent hit The Pilgrimage. But the Irishman is still best known and most appreciated for his stand-up shows.

A quarter of a century at the comedic coal-face has equipped Ed with a highly evolved story-telling ability and a silky mastery of his craft. Yet his wit, charm and self-deprecatory observational humour are often underpinned by a consistently hilarious vitriol and sense of injustice at a world that seems to be spinning ever more rapidly out of control.

Having recently hit a new peak with shows such as the sublime Spoiler Alert and reflective Outside, Looking In, which explored the minefield that is modern parenting and a generational sense of entitlement, Ed’s new show If I’m Honest digs ever deeper into a father’s sense of responsibility, what it means to be a man

in 2019, and whether he possesses any qualities whatsoever worth passing on to his two sons. Occasionally accused of whimsy, If I’m Honest is a show with a seriously steely core.

Gender politics, for example, is something Ed readily engages with – deploying his customary comedic zeal.

“I’ll admit that there are things where men get a raw deal,” he says. “We have higher suicide rates, and we tend not to do well in divorces, but representation in action movies is not something we have an issue with. It was Mad Max: Fury Road that kicked it all off, even though nobody complained about Ripley in Alien or Sarah Connor in Terminator 2. Of course, social media means this stuff gets broadcast far and wide in an instant, which emboldens people.”

People who come to see me are not political activists necessarily, they’re regular folk out of the best of yourself only for you to then see flashes of the worst of yourself in them. It’s a wake-up call about your own behaviour.

“I don’t think I’m being massively hard on myself. The fact is, when you’re the bloke who is standing on the stage with the microphone, commanding an audience’s attention, you’re in a very elevated position anyway.”

That said, If I’m Honest brilliantly elucidates the frustration that arrives with middle age – and lives up to its title. “I’m bored looking for things, I’m bored of trying to find stuff, because I can never find it, and it is entirely my fault,” Ed says.

“Nobody’s hiding my stuff from me.

Although my wife did actually move my passport on one occasion.”

He insists that, while the show might have mordant and occasionally morbid aspects, it’s also not without its quietly triumphant moments. “I thought I was being quite upbeat talking about the small victories. You know, finding positivity in being able to spot when a cramp was about to happen in your leg and dealing with it before it does. I was very happy with myself about that.”

Age, it seems, has not withered him.

Especially now that he’s figured out how to head off ailments before they become a problem. “You see comics who are my age and older but are still retaining a level of ‘cool’ and drawing a young crowd,” he says. “I can’t deny that I’m quite envious of that. But there’s something very satisfying about your audience growing old with you.”

Ed Byrne is touring nationwide.

For more information, please visit www.edbyrne.com SO Magazine | November 2019 | 11

INTERVIEW Section

Kezia with her team at Trinity

NEW BEGINNINGS

for Trinity

This summer Trinity Theatre announced the appointment of its new Artistic Director, Kezia Cole. Here she tells Eileen Leahy why she’s so excited to take up her new role...

Congratulations on your new role as Trinity’s Artistic Director.

What has surprised you most about the organisation?

What I have found most moving is the absolute love and commitment our community have for the space. We are incredibly lucky to have such good feeling surrounding the organisation, and it is a rare and wonderful thing to discover about a venue. I hope it is a feeling that I can build on over the coming years.

Tell us a little bit about your professional background to date I come from a visual theatre background, and have run my own company for many years now. I have worked as a director and producer, creating work for theatres and also in unusual settings – from derelict houses to the Tower of London!

I am passionate about creating work which engages audiences in new and exciting ways, and finding methods to co-create work with audiences rather than simply presenting work for them.

Why have you chosen The Snow Queen as your first production?

It is a story I have loved ever since I had a beautifully illustrated version by Errol Le Cain as a child. I love that The Snow Queen centres around a heroine who adventures through the wide world to rescue her friend. This adaptation for the stage by Theresa Heskins is just so joyful, exciting and just a little bit scary so I think it has everything you could want from a family Christmas show – silliness, adventure and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of snow.

What is your favourite place to shop?

WHY I LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Kezia Cole

II love the Support Local pop-ups, I am always amazed by people’s seemingly endless talent to create beautiful things. It’s very inspiring!

And to eat out?

I am usually running around so my favourite place is Souper Juice on Monson Road – their vegan toastie with avocado and refried beans is utterly divine, not to mention their Hey Jude smoothie.

And for coffee?

The best oat milk flat white I have had

12 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

What I have found most moving is the absolute love and commitment that our community have for the space

thus far has definitely been in Superfoods on Mount Pleasant, they really care about their coffee and it is so gorgeously silky and indulgent.

Where’s the best place to go locally in order to get away from it all?

I love being near, in or on water, and love paddle-boarding to reset the mind and calm everything down. The Medway is a beautiful river to explore on a paddle board. There are some totally gorgeous sections of the river all the way along, and it’s a wonderful way to spend even a gloomy autumn day!

What are the challenges in bringing this story to the stage?

There are a few! The story is on quite an epic scale with Gerda travelling from her small village across the world, through the Garden of Forgetfulness, to a palace to meet a very clever princess. She then goes into the woods where the band of robbers live and of course then on to the palace of the Ice Queen. One of the main challenges is to bring all these spaces to life and to create a distinct atmosphere for each new place.

What can audiences expect from this production?

A magical adventure story of friendship, love and how we can overcome the odds – with quite a lot of puppetry and some silliness thrown in!

Can you tell us about your vision for Trinity?

My vision for Trinity is to build on the wonderful community that we already have and to create a cultural space where we offer more opportunities for people to create, make and experience art.

Cultural spaces should be at the heart of a community and offer somewhere people can express themselves, be heard, be inspired and be creative.

What kind of productions do you want to stage there in the future?

I will be looking at how we can move Trinity out into our community, staging more outdoor work and seeing how we can develop work around the town.

There are some truly great touring companies which I think our audiences would love. We have Paines Plough coming at the beginning of November, who are one of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies.

How will this work alongside the rest of Trinity’s offering, e.g. visual arts, youth theatre etc?

For me, they are not separate offers. We are a cultural space where people come to share experiences, all of our programme is inextricably linked. Bringing together all the work we make is central to my vision for Trinity.

Tell us three exciting things you want to make happen at Trinity...

Lots of outdoor art which goes through the whole town. A fun palace where our volunteers or youth theatre take over our building and turn it into what they want it to be for the weekend. And a magical summer performance in our wonderful gardens.

Section LUXURY

Ladies’ Twenty~4 Automatic Ref. 7300/1200A-001

An elegant design of timeless value

N

early 20 years after the debut of the Twenty~4® watch that became a paragon of timeless feminine elegance, the Genevan manufacture has fulfilled a wish expressed by many discerning style-conscious women with the Patek Philippe Ladies’ Twenty~4® Automatic, a feminine watch with a self-winding mechanical movement.

Since 1839, Patek Philippe has devoted much attention to its feminine clientele. With its pocket and pendant watches, decorated with artisanal techniques, the brand won the hearts of sophisticated female customers, among them Queen Victoria who had purchased a timepiece in blue enamel in 1851.

The manufacture also leveraged its creative skills with a host of complicated ladies’ watches, including minute repeaters. In 1868,

Patek Philippe crafted the first Swiss-made wristwatch for a Hungarian countess. The manufacture’s first strike work wristwatch in 1916 was a ladies’ timepiece with a five-minute repeater. A growing demand for wristwatches during the art deco epoch gave the brand an opportunity to demonstrate its affinity with female tastes by crafting models with different shapes and decorations.

In 1999, Patek Philippe responded to the expectations of a young, dynamic generation with the very feminine Twenty~4® that became resoundingly successful. Its unusual name reflects the fact that it is a perfect companion for any time of day or night, proposed in diamondset rose gold or stainless steel versions and endowed with a quartz movement. With 2018 marking the launch of the Twenty~4® Automatic, this series of self-winding mechanical ladies’ watches feature a round case and the calibre 324 S C selfwinding movement with date aperture and sweep seconds.

Patek Philippe is reinforcing its position in the growing segment of mechanical ladies’ watches with the launch of the Twenty~4® Automatic, a timepiece for modern, selfconfident women who are decision-makers and pursue active

lifestyles. With its sleek elegance, it is a watch for any time of day, complementing every facet of daily life (work, family, private and social engagements, leisure). It perfectly matches the entire spectrum of a lady’s wardrobe, from outdoor outfits to evening gowns. The watch focuses on the woman who consummately handles latestgeneration technology but prefers a mechanical timepiece on her wrist, one that represents a grand tradition of quality and the lasting value of an artistically crafted masterpiece.

The calibre 324 S C is the heart of the feminine model, this selfwinding movement with a Spiromax® balance spring in Silinvar® is a gem of precision and dependability, crafted to the strict standards of the Patek Philippe Seal and exhibits elaborate manual finishing that can be admired through the sapphire-crystal case back.

The Twenty~4® Automatic adopts the aesthetic appeal of the rectangular Twenty~4® with an exclusive bracelet featuring gently cambered central links framed by delicate two-tier outside links. The self-winding version stands out with a totally new round case (36mm in diameter) featuring prominent yet subtle contours. The dials are readily legible, with applied Arabic numerals in gold as well as baton hands with rounded ends and luminous coatings. The slightly domed sapphire-crystal glass underscores the sculpted profile of the case.

The Twenty~4® Automatic is available in steel and rose gold: two in steel with diamond-set bezels,

two in rose gold with diamond-set bezels, and two in rose gold with diamonds set in the bezel, the bracelet, and the crown. The version in stainless steel comes in two dial colours that endow each model with its very own characteristic style: sunburst blue (Ref. 7300/1200A-001) or sunburst grey, delicately gradated from the centre (Ref. 7300/1200A-010). The rose-gold watches are also available in two colour combinations: a sunburst chocolate brown and gradated dial (Ref. 7300/1200R001) or a silvery dial graced with an exclusive double horizontal and vertical satin finish that is reminiscent of precious wild Shantung silk (Ref. 7300/1200R010). The Ref. 7300/1201R is for ladies who prefer a ‘dressier’ watch, the Ref. 7300/1201R-001 has a silvery, vertical and horizontal satin-finished dial and the Ref. 7300/1201R-010 has a brown sunburst dial, both are lavishly adorned with 469 diamonds including the crown, the lugs, and the outer links of the bracelet. All bracelets are fitted with a new patented fold-over clasp that is functional, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

With its artisanally crafted selfwinding mechanical movement and timeless design, the Twenty~4® Automatic has everything it takes to accompany style-conscious and self-confident women day in and day out.

To find out further information, please call G. Collins & Sons on 01892 534018

Ladies’ Twenty~4 Automatic Ref. 7300/1200R-001

Ladies’ Twenty~4 Automatic Ref. 7300/1200A-010

Ladies’ Twenty~4 Automatic Ref. 7300/1201R-001 SO Magazine | November 2019 | 13

MUSIC

Laura Parker from arts and crafts business Freckles & Fire gives Paul Dunton an exclusive insight into her new and exciting cultural project, The Inside, which will offer well-being workshops and also the opportunity for people to develop musical skills...

Paul Dunton Music Editor Follow Paul @ PaulDuntonmusic

I want to create a well-rounded and balanced venue

THE LOWDOWN ON

Laura Parker

Laura worked in marketing and branding before becoming a mother of two children – which she describes as the ‘removal of life as I once knew it’. Here she explains how her company Freckles & Fire came to be...

“If I am brutally honest with myself, a stay-at-home mummy life was just not for me. I love my monkeys but I love them more when I have had a bit of ‘me time’.

So after much procrastination (I’m VERY good at that!) Freckles & Fire was born in 2015. In terms of child development stages I probably should be just about walking by now!

“The next few years were amazing – I mean really amazing – and I learnt a whole heap. As well as holding adult workshops, after school and school holiday clubs, I was honoured to be invited to do a number of events including some creative workshops at some awesome children’s birthdays. I did a super hen-do and a couple of 40th birthday celebrations, but the icing on the cake was when I started a festival journey that would change me, the business – and my family’s outlook on camping!”

14 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

What is the name of your new project and where is it?

It’s called ‘The Inside’ and it’s a community space that will be located right at the heart of Calverley Grounds in Tunbridge Wells. The project will see a complete refurbishment of the building that was previously the bowling green pavilion, just on the periphery of the children’s playground area.

What is your vision for The Inside?

To create a community concept space, where people can come together in the daytime. We will be running the space as a coffee house but it will also be a hub for activities such as yoga, holistic interventions, life coaching, acupuncture, reiki, music, arts and crafts, youth groups, poetry and much more!

Can you tell us a little bit more about the musical aspect of this new space?

I want to create a well-rounded and balanced venue but I also want to offer something different. I feel The Inside could be an ideal space for all sorts of performances, both informal and mini concerts. I think it would lend itself well to live lounge style showcases and open mic events. When it comes to children, I feel that there isn’t really a great deal on offer for them to immerse themselves in a relaxed and fun musical environment.

So I would like to create a platform for children to explore their music tastes and development, trying different instruments and performing in groups and individually.

Can you tell us about your involvement in the local music scene?

I have worked with the Local & Live music festival over the past three years, running an onsite pop-up of my arts and crafts business Freckles & Fire. While adults are enjoying the music, I teach children creative and craft activities such as foam clay modelling, weaving, crochet, knitting, jewellery making, and a whole heap more to get those young creative spirits bubbling!

How will The Inside help to promote upcoming bands and singers?

I would like to stream different local musical artists every week, so we can play their songs and create further awareness and interest about what is going on within the local music scene.

Do you have a favourite local band?

It has to be Noble Jacks! My kids are

We will be running the space as a coffee house but it will also be a hub for activities such as yoga reiki, music, arts and crafts

completely obsessed with them too! We first saw them at Elderflower Fields Festival a few years ago and then at Local & Live when they headlined.

Our morning routine often involves listening to their song The Blacksmith Stomp, which definitely helps get us all going in the morning!

When do you plant to launch The Inside?

We’re hoping it will be towards the middle of November – the official opening date will be announced on our website shortly. Everyone is welcome and of course it’s free to attend! We would like the local community to come and see what we have to offer and how they can become involved. Adult pop choir Vox Pop will be performing some songs alongside a number of other activities including storytelling and arts and crafts. Visitors will also have the chance to learn about some of the workshops we will be running at The Inside, such as how to use and benefit most from aromatherapy oils.

To find out more about The Inside visit www.the-inside.co.uk

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16 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

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COVER FEATURE

No other writer reaches across the centuries and convinces us of our common humanity in quite the same way as Shakespeare

MAD ABOUT

the bard

This month The Shakespeare Project will be staging its first production, Macbeth, over a three week period at Salomons Estate. The group was set up in order to bring quality professional Shakespeare plays to the south east of England. Eileen Leahy talks to its co-founder and actor Peter Basham about this new and exciting theatre troupe

I

’d had the idea of establishing a professional classical theatre company for maybe ten years or so. Last year a back injury forced me to take a break from filming work, so I was looking for other projects. In November last year I discovered the theatre at Salomons so Laurence Taylor, who is our executive producer and The Shakespeare Project’s co-founder, and I started reaching out to various groups in order to help finance our first production, Macbeth. We had so much support with our initial Kickstarter fundraising campaign and that really empowered us to pursue an Arts Council grant which I’m

pleased to say we were successful in securing. This has enabled us to reach a wider audience by offering affordable school tickets. We’ve been able to build brilliant partnerships with many of the local schools, helping to support both their creative and academic work.

We’ve got an incredible team, both on and off stage at The Shakespeare Project. Our director is Joe Pitcher, a Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) associate director and we also have Mike Robertson, an Olivier winning lighting designer, composer Simon and Charlotte Cooke who is looking after the design element of the

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 17

COVER FEATURE

Ffion Jolly (pictured) Louise Jameson (below)

Aaron Sidwell Peter as Macbeth

The Shakespeare Project team

The modern audience is just as worried, anxious and frightened for the future, full of the same fundamental drives and desires as Shakespeare’s audiences

Macbeth in particular, is that the production. Off stage we’ve had huge warnings inherent in this play are amounts of help from our production just as relevant today as they ever associates Carole Wheeler, Matt Turbett, were. It really irks me when Ina Sylvester Smith and Tash Hall. We theatre companies try so hard to have also assembled an incredible group make Shakespeare ‘relevant’. Okay we of actors and I feel very honoured smell better, on the whole, but mostly the stepping into the role of Macbeth modern audience is just as worried, surrounded by such talent who include Aamira Challenger, Tom Chapman, Louise anxious and frightened for the future, full of the same fundamental drives and Jameson and Aaron Sidwell. As well as desires as Shakespeare’s audience. Our partnering with ACE and local schools job as actors is to tell the story and then we’ve had some subsidised rehearsal let the audience make up their own mind. rooms courtesy of the Jerwood I don’t like being preached at in the Foundation and the EM Forster theatre. Also, the fact we’re opening on Theatre in Tonbridge. And also, our November 5 is perfect as media partners and Macbeth was penned in 1606 corporate sponsors have I want to as a direct response to the been fantastic! transport our Gunpowder Plot.

You only have to step foot into the theatre at audience, to Our version of the play has been carefully cut in Salomons to see why challenge them places to help with the we chose it as a venue. storytelling (and the I remember the first time I to imagine playing of multiple parts!) and was there, I ran around the space like a kid thinking, ‘we themselves in I feel that the script we have captures the fast-paced and could do this and this and the scenes exciting descent into chaos. this and…’ well I must have From the moment the doors spent about an hour in there close in on the audience we trying to control my want them to join us on a journey, a imagination! I think that the team at free-fall into hell and back.

Salomons thought I’d gone mad! In a way, it seemed wrong to me that such a I want to transport our audience, significant, privately owned theatre is not to challenge them to imagine being used for performing plays. themselves in the scenes. To let the Tunbridge Wells is crying out for poetry, music, lights and language professional theatre and we are so transport them to an alternate world excited about the venue. Salomons’ staff where they can explore these moments have been so welcoming and together. In this ever more isolated accommodating in what has been a very world, there is something about coming new venture for them. to a shared space and experiencing a story with those who may have wildly We picked Macbeth because its content - ambitious rulers, a nation different views and opinions, backgrounds and beliefs than you. If we torn apart, paranoia and suspicion - all sounds very familiar, doesn’t it? just sit at home on social media platforms or Netflix then eventually we What I love about Shakespeare and

18 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

CASTING NOTES:

‘Director Joe Pitcher and I auditioned lots of actors for all the roles and we saw so many talented people.

Narrowing down that field was a real challenge, I just wanted to give everyone a job. However, we settled on an incredible cast. There are ten of us in total and they include: Louise Jameson (Queen Duncan): A household name with an incredible CV which includes Tenko, Silent Witness, Doctor Who and EastEnders. She has been so supportiv e of the project, right from its inception.

Aaron Sidwell (Macduff): This brilliant actor trained at youth theatre in this area and then started out in TV as a long running character on EastEnders. In recent years he has developed a great reputation as a commanding stage actor in shows such as Henry V, Wicked, Ghost the musical and American Idiot.

will prove a good match for Macbeth , as these two Thanes return from war together.

In addition we have: Sarah Waddell as Lennox, Amiera Challeng er as Angus, Tom Chapman as Ross and Adam Sopp (another Bristol Old Vic alumnus) playing the infamous Porter and the would-be king Malcolm. Each of these cast members comes with impressive and extensive acting CVs. We are also thrilled to welcome to the company, local actors Anna CutlerMethven and Gerald Bishop.’

ON THE CHALLENGES OF MACBETH: ‘Our three main ones have been money, time and will. At one point in the play, Macbeth says: ”Full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife” and there have been times on this project where I really connected with how Macbeth feels!’

ON THE BENEFITS OF MACBETH: ‘I love the fact that we Ffion Jolly (Lady Macbeth): are creating jobs for creative people and The Ian Charlston Award nominee that we are setting out to produce actor trained alongside me at the Bris tol theatre that is accessible, affordable and Old Vic Theatre School and has spent local. When I was a kid, my family the last decade ratcheting up an wouldn’t have had the money to take us impressive list of Shakespeare’s finest to see a play, I had to make do with my parts - including playing Macbeth a few Uncle Laurie’s drunken one-man years back. renditions of Henry V (which were quite brilliant actually). But I would Vangelis Christodoulou have loved to have had access to good (Banquo): You might recognise him theatre. Plays have the power to delig ht as he was in the recent Trinity and transform us. If we can bring a production of Terror at the old little of that magic to the place where I courtroom in Tunbridge Wells. He is a grew up, well…I think that’s work superb actor and his sheer physicality worth doing.’

COVER FEATURE

H PETER GETTING PERSONAL WIT

Peter in Berlin Station

Tell us a little bit about yourself...

What do I want to say…okay so, I’m married to a horribly talented wife, I have a ridiculously funny son and a cat who brings nothing to the table.

When and how did you get into acting?

About 17 years ago. In fact, my first ever show was a local amateur dramatics production on the Assembly Hall stage – shout out to the ‘CHESS’ company! Then I did my first Shakespeare at Trinity, Romeo and Juliet, and was then hooked on acting.

I eventually moved to London, went to drama school and started acting professionally.

Peter on the set of Hobbs & Shaw Peter in the film The Conductor

Peter in The Bodyguard

will forget how to talk to each other and discuss ideas. So relinquish your Apple TV remotes and come to see a play about what it is to be human.

It’s so important to continue Shakespeare’s legacy and ensure it continually reaches new audiences. For me, no other writer reaches across the centuries and convinces us of our common humanity in quite the same way. His work helps to connect us with the past, with history and the importance of context. We all ‘stand on the shoulders of giants’ and I feel that modern literature needs the context of Shakespeare in the same way that Shakespeare needed the Bible or the Greeks.

What’s next for The Shakespeare Project? Well I’ve spoken to so many people over the past year, many of whom have asked how they could best support the arts, and here’s the bottom line: buy tickets and support this new venture. We’ve done this off our own backs and the task is to generate a big enough audience to support future work, then we will be poised for 2020 with a possible three-show line-up, including new writing and a summer production.

Our company mission is to build a lasting legacy of quality classical theatre for the people of the South East and beyond. This production should land us on the cultural

map and give us a base for further work into the future. My hope is for The Shakespeare Project to be around for years to come, generating work for artists and creatives, entertaining and moving audiences with our stories.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM www.theshakespeareproject.co.uk Facebook: @TheShakespeareprojectUK Twitter: @TheShakespeare8

WHY I LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Peter Basham

What are the benefits of being based here as opposed to London?

London is great to visit but I don’t think I could live there again. It’s great to be close enough to go in for castings and shows but,

What do you enjoy most about acting?

I love the variety of roles you get to play as an actor. I’ve spent the last five years doing more action film/TV roles and that’s great fun – running around with guns, fighting, stunts, playing cops and robbers…I’m basically a big kid on set. I have to say, I’m loving getting the call from EastEnders every now and then to give some bad news or arrest someone.

PC Anthony Rogers has been a fun part and also opened up some other roles on the BBC. Do you ever get star-struck by fellow actors?

All the time. I try to be cool, but I’m really not! I’ve actually worked with some very famous people and it’s weird for about two minutes, then you sort of realise, oh, they’re just people. One of the strangest first meetings was when I worked with Simon

after a few days the crowds start to get a bit much. I love Tunbridge Wells, the clean air, the fact that the family can be in the countryside within minutes or dining in a really great restaurant, or just sitting in an uncrowded park.

Tunbridge Wells is fantastic but please don’t tell too many people.

Where’s your favourite place to shop?

Waterstones, or Halls bookshop if I’m at the bottom end of town.

And to eat out?

You can’t beat a curry and Junahki is pretty good on St Johns Road.We also love Java Bean for brunch. My wife is obsessed with poached eggs and it’s great for kids.

Callow on his comedy series, The Rebel. We had a scene together in bed and we were both in our underwear. It was an odd way to be introduced to one of your acting idols. I was pretty star-struck meeting Louise Jameson to discuss Macbeth. I remember her mostly from Bergerac when I was growing up, it was required viewing in our house! Oh, and the first day on EastEnders was the most nervous I think I’ve ever been.

Not because of the actors really but because I was filming on THE SQUARE! Having a coffee beside Brad Pitt on World War Z didn’t cut it compared to being on THE SQUARE. Who have you enjoyed working with and why?

So many people for so many different reasons. I should probably mention my wife, but she always tries to make me laugh on stage, so er...not her! The thing is, not every job gives you the time to really get to know someone. I will say that, when I worked on Skyfall, Judi Dench gave me a slice of her pineapple upside-down cake – with custard. That was a real career highlight.

Is there anyone you really want to work with?

I would love to work with Greg Doran, the Artistic Director at the RSC, and a job at the National would be lovely thanks. I’d love to work with the entire cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Joss Whedon on the film spin-off – maybe I could be a rogue vampire hunter or something?! Oh and finally, Chris Pratt because he seems like he’d be a lot of fun on set!

And for coffee or cocktails?

Okay, coffee…I drink a LOT of coffee at Salomons when I have work and reading to do. If I want to be totally reclusive and not see anyone I’ll head to one of the many splendid hotels in town. My favourite cocktail would be a pint of ale: a Spitfire, at home with a book, by the fire.

Finally, where’s the best place to go locally in order to get away from it all?

I’m not going to answer that because then everyone will know…But if you ARE desperate to get away from everyday life, to escape the humdrum, there is a show I’d highly recommend…

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 19

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Congratulations on establishing your new company Calvermont, how did this come about?

We’ve been neighbours for years and weirdly worked in exactly the same sector and circles in London for big brands and property grandees. With such a vibrant business and creative community in Tunbridge Wells, together with the investment and development that’s happening here, we saw an opportunity to bring our skills and expertise locally. Instead of commuting to London every day for big corporate firms with little personal impact, we could work more agilely and creatively near home, helping local businesses and developers grow and succeed, whilst being closer to our families too.

Can you tell us about your choice of name?

We wanted a name that highlighted our Tunbridge Wells roots and networks, that was simple to spell and available on social platforms too. We both live between Calverley Park and Claremont Road, so decided the mash-up ‘Calvermont’ would demonstrate our commitment to the local area. We were also keen to have a destination focus, in order to highlight our wealth of experience working for global hotel brands, national property investors, developers and agents.

g n i r We b

LONDONskills locally Calvermont is a Tunbridge Wells-based communications company, set up by PR and brand creatives, friends and neighbours Laura Gibson and Olivia Thornhill. Here they tell Eileen Leahy why they’re so passionate about what they do and why they want to help future proof the town’s prosperity

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Both of us love to write, are sociable and creative, and also understand the news agenda – core requisites in PR and brand communications. Moreover we work hard, take time to get under the skin of our clients and have a background in property, which gives us a unique insight into a certain type of client – from developers to locations, investors to occupiers, agents to architects, hotels, retail and so on.

You’re working with Elysian Residences, developers of the old cinema site. What are the key challenges on a project like this?

Elysian Residences engaged with us because they are aware of the site’s chequered history and the cynicism associated with a site that has remained empty for 20 years – and had five different owners. As operators, in addition to being developers, their commitment to The Belvedere development is long-term and it is crucial to them that the community trust this, as well as their ability to break the mould and actually make the scheme a reality.

Our job is to tell Elysian’s story and to reassure the town they are invested in Royal Tunbridge Wells’ future. We believe their choice to work with a local business such as ours is testament to their commitment to putting down local roots. We are incredibly excited for them to get started and know they are working hard toward a construction kick-off date now that they have full planning consent.

Tell us about your work on the Tunbridge Wells Business Improvement District (BID)

Art Direction: Lee Smith | Photography: Craig Matthews

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 21

BUSINESS PROFILE

HOW TO BE SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY:

How useful is social media for you?

We want to help businesses that are looking to establish or refresh their brands, to build their profile to drive value, or to support and maintain reputation at times of growth, success or crisis scheme. What are the main areas you will be concentrating on in terms of ‘branding’ the town and what does it need most?

We were invited to pitch to support the positioning of the BID as our first major competitive tender. We won it because of our understanding of the town and what it needs. Our work has included listening workshops with local business members to guide values and messaging.

We are very excited about this project as, being Tunbridge Wells locals, we want the best for our town.

Through our research, network and engagement, we know the town needs to demonstrate both its heritage and vibrancy, its offer and future opportunities to appeal to visitors, investors, businesses and families alike. It’s so important that whatever we do attracts people who will spend money in the town and support our local businesses. We want people to come to Tunbridge Wells and stay here for longer, be it for a weekend, a holiday, to live, to work or to invest.

You cite collaboration as one of your core values and state ‘there is so much creative talent here in TW’. Who are you looking to collaborate with and why?

We took the decision early on that in

WHY WE LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Laura and Olivia

22 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

such a creative place as Tunbridge Wells we would always rather collaborate than compete, because that’s ultimately what’s in the best interests of our clients and the community.

We also made the decision to be represented at the Tunbridge Wells Business Network International Chapter.

This enables us to work together with a number of other brilliant and quality local businesses such as Studio 44, David Barden Creative, Synergee Accountants, TN Recruits, Forrest HR, Host My Office and Zoom Films, which means we can leverage a trusted virtual team of suppliers for our clients.

You’re both mothers – any secrets into how you strike the correct life/work balance?

We have three children between us who are aged two, four and five. We work whenever we can and make time for the children whenever we can too. To us, the beauty of living and working so close is you can do both. The eldest is at school just a minute’s walk away and the two youngest go to the same nursery, so we car-share and help each other out.

We are also lucky that many of our clients understand the need to work flexibly and also want to do that themselves, and they trust that we will always deliver.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO SHOP? We are so lucky to have so many independent shops in Tunbridge Wells (apparently now over 60%!) but it’s got to be the lower High Street for the sparkle, or Monson or Camden Road for the eclectic.

AND TO EAT OUT? We are both big fans of the Mount Edgcumbe for a Sunday roast, Juliet’s on the high street for the best millionaire shortbread known to man, and Sankey’s for their perfect paella.

Social media is incredibly important for both our own business and our clients. It provides an immediate platform to assess opinion, map influencers and build targeted brand recognition.

Which platforms do you use most and why?

We tend to go to LinkedIn for business stories and partnerships, Facebook for marketing and local groups, Instagram for brand development and content sharing with likeminded businesses, and Twitter to keep ahead of the news agenda.

Do you collaborate with any influencers?

We engage regularly with influencers and frequently identify opportunities for our clients to collaborate to reach new followers.

We devise mutually rewarding partnerships and always ensure both have the same brand purpose and values.

CALVERMONT’S CV: RTW BID: We are currently producing brand creative for Royal Tunbridge Wells BID to help position the town to tourists, businesses, investors and families within a twohour radius, while designing some exciting bespoke Christmas content too.

Elysian Residences: We are retained by this developer and operator of Tunbridge Wells’ derelict cinema site, to help support their communications strategy as they seek to deliver a new cinema and luxury homes for the town. Our role is to show their long-term commitment to the area, by opening relevant community networks, providing consultation advice and engaging with local media.

Turkey Mill: We are currently refreshing the brand, website, communications and collateral for this beautiful business park in Maidstone – all of which will be revealed soon. This is being delivered in-line with a strategy to generate online awareness and increase tenant engagement.

WHY COMMUNICATION IS KEY:

PR: Communication strategies help companies reach their target audiences.

We always say it’s better when someone else says something good about you, and that’s what PR aims to achieve – great brands with great reputations. PR has to have purpose: whether its community engagement to achieve planning for a development, profiling your talent to drive or announce business successes, restoring your business reputation in a crisis, launching a new product or service, or simply raising your profile to win new customers. We consider the objectives of our clients and curate messaging and campaigns to help achieve ambitions.

BRANDING: Establishing a brilliant brand platform often

AND FOR COFFEE OR COCKTAILS? For cocktails it has to be The Tunbridge Wells Hotel during the Jazz, Soprano’s or the TownHouse, and for coffee it must be Esquires on Mount Pleasant, or Babycino with the kids.

FINALLY, WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO GO LOCALLY IN ORDER TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL? A stroll through Calverley Grounds first thing in the morning, an immersive flotation tank session at Simply Float, a Cascade Dance class to shake all your troubles away, or simply taking time to breathe in the view at The Beacon.

Olivia (left) and Laura (right)

Greymoor Homes: : As project manager and brand adviser, we have devised messaging, curated photography and led creative for their new corporate website. We also supported their recent ‘Woodland View’ development launch, with the design and delivery of a targeted marketing brochure and detailed communications strategy.

Charity: We work pro bono for Taylor Made Dreams, a charity based nearby which helps bring dreams to life for shorter lives through granting wishes to children with life limiting illnesses, and to support their families.

Home and away: We have a number of other excellent local business clients too, such as TN and ME Recruits. Although we remain committed to our town, our work has extended across the South East to the likes of property advisor Fraser Real Estate and Dexter’s Estate Agents.

must come first, or at least run alongside, building a successful PR story and consumer campaign – as strong creative and a trusted, relevant narrative will ensure long-term impact and reputation. We host workshops and map audiences to direct positioning, values and concept. We craft brand names, stories and refreshing creative to deliver collateral with targeted marketing solutions. Our particular strength is branding new businesses, developments (residential or commercial), tourism and leisure offers and destinations.

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26 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

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t may feel like it’s always dark now and rains all the time, and you’d be right. But this time of year also has its benefits. Firstly, all the good TV shows start up, and secondly, all the pretty party pieces hit the shops.

I’m a sucker for a sequin, so I love autumn and the opportunity to browse all the shiny (quite literally) new items in stores at this time of year.

Whether you’ve had your Christmas party save-the-date pinned up for months already, or have no plans but fancy being fancy for the sake of sequins (I hear you – I’ve been known to sit at home in my finery ‘just because’), there’s a trend to suit.

From satin to velvet and glitter to gauze, this Christmas’s looks are all about texture. Don’t be afraid to mix them either – more is definitely more so embrace a variety of fabrics when putting together your perfect party look.

28 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

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HOBBS Clementine jumpsuit, £199 www.hobbs.com

MARKS AND SPENCER M&S Collection sequin skirt, £45 www.marksandspencer.com

There’s no escaping satin this season – slip dresses, skirts and shirts are everywhere, and give an instant luxe look to an outfit. Many people avoid satin or silky fabrics for fear that they’ll be unflattering, but it’s all about finding a style to suit rather than avoiding altogether.

Experiment with different shapes and silhouettes to find something that works for your shape. If you don’t want to commit to a whole satin ensemble then accessories are always an option – silky headbands, clutch bags and shoes are all worth investigating and can provide an instant festive update to your outfits.

Organza is another big trend this season, especially in blouses and dresses. The sheer nature of the fabric means you can really mix up the look with what you wear underneath, whether that’s lace, sparkle or just a bold colour.

Invest in some cami tops and experiment.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a bit of sparkle, and the good news is, sequins, glitter and shimmer are very on trend this season – and the bolder the better. It really is your time to shine!

Here I’ve put together a selection of my favourite party pieces….but if you don’t have a soiree to swan off to, don’t despair – there’s nothing to say you can’t rock a velvet jumpsuit to brighten up a Monday meeting is there?

Charlie Bond Fashion Contributer Follow Charlie @Girlaboutkent

JIGSAW Chocolate silk satin ruffle shirt dress, £199 www.jigsaw-online.com

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Beauty

MAKE A DATE WITH ONE OF THESE

festive fancies

Count down to Christmas in style by treating yourself to one of these gorgeous beauty advent calendars

R

emember the days when behind each door of your advent calendar you’d find a simple picture or a small chocolate?

Well those times are long gone as nowadays, counting down to Christmas is an altogether more luxurious experience. Beauty advent calendars give you the chance to try out a whole range of products from your favourite brands, plus they’re gorgeously packaged too. And, if you happen to find something you love behind a calendar door in December, there’s still time to get hinting in the hopes a full-sized one will appear under the tree come Christmas Day…

JO LOVES Advent Calendar, £300 www.joloves.com Packed with 25 luxurious products, the Jo Loves calendar is a must for scent-lovers seeking a fragrant Christmas. Containing mini candles, perfumes, cleansers, lotions and more, this calendar is a great way to get your hands on a whole host of delights from the Jo Loves range – including a full-sized Christmas Trees candle come December 25.

ELEMIS 25 Days of Beauty Calendar, £165 www.elemis.com The contents of this advent calendar are worth over £344 and for 25 days you’ll discover exciting skincare treats behind each door, including Elemis’ Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, Superfood Face Wash and even a full-sized Pro-Collagen Marine Cream.

Not many of us can say our skincare regimes step up during December, but with these daily doses of luxury products, yours just might…

Charlie Bond Lifestyle Contributer Follow Charlie @Girlaboutkent 30 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

LANCÔME Beauty Advent Calendar, £95 www.boots.com Lancôme’s luxurious 2019 offering contains miniatures of some of the brand’s best-loved make-up, skincare and fragrance products, including their Hypnôse Mascara, Tonique Comfort and their La Vie Est Belle perfume.

JO MALONE Advent Calendar, £320 www.jomalone.co.uk Jo Malone’s much-coveted advent calendar makes its return this year, and if we do say so ourselves, it looks better than ever. Over the course of 24 days you’ll discover 24 magical miniatures, ranging from perfumes and candles to home and body products. Plus, the packaging is incredibly cute and makes a great place to store other accessories and beauty bits once Christmas is over.

L’OCCITANE Luxury Advent Calendar, £89 www.loccitane.co.uk We love the way this calendar twists to reveal hidden drawers filled with everything you need for the ultimate pre-Christmas pamper session. From fragrances to skincare and everything in between, this calendar contains some of L’Occitane’s most indulgent offerings.

M&S Beauty Advent Calendar, £40 (when you spend £25 on clothing, home and beauty) www.marksandspencer.com We love this advent calendar for many reasons; the fact you can pick it up while shopping for socks and scarves being one, the great price being another – and the amazing array of brands all found inside makes it a strong advent offering. Behind each door you’ll find beauty products from brands including Murad, Nuxe,This Works and more.

SO Magazine | NOVEMBER 2019 | 30

Fragrant ways to gift this season Gifting a bespoke fragrance has never been easier Experts in the creation of couture fragrances, that are truly unique to you.

Discover our exquisite blends, create your own fragrance and keep its’ unique formula forever as a part of our exclusive membership.

Explore experiences and gift sets online at: www.theperfumestudio.com perfume_studio perfumestudiolondon theperfumestudioUK

Gift lso a s t Se le b a l i ava in lasses n and C r a l u do Reg lls, Lon wide e W e ion idg Tunbr ocations nat l other

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Spa

GIVE YOUR SKIN the

Midas touch It’s one year since Coco Blush became part of One Warwick Park Hotel and to celebrate the spa is offering clients a number of extra special treatments including a Temple Spa gold Trufflesque facial. SO magazine tried out this luxury pampering treat in order to be ready for party season The lowdown: After trading for a decade on the London Road, Coco Blush spa relocated to Nevill Street last November when it was bought

by One Warwick Park Hotel. Its new premises boast five beautiful treatment rooms as well as a relaxation space where guests can chill out pre or post treatments. Coco Blush offers everything from special spa treatments to monthly maintenance ones, including Shellac nails, eyelash extensions and waxing. Its premium pampering brand is Temple Spa and every month there is a special offer to enjoy. We went along to try out the Temple Spa Trufflesque facial which includes the application of a pure gold mask as well as a relaxing mini massage.

The treatment’s aim: Trufflesque is one of Temple Spa’s hero products - a power-packed luxury antiageing, radiance boosting masque. It is now available as part of a special hour long facial which aims to deeply cleanse the skin and improve its illuminance. This treatment is all about letting your dead skin cells – and cares - be gently sloughed away so you emerge from the salon a brighter, beaming more relaxed you.

32 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

The treatment – step by step: After being ushered into a tranquil treatment room and settling onto the comfortable heated treatment bed my therapist Jess, who has worked with Temple Spa for the past five years, briefly explained what the Trufflesque facial involved and that its chief aim is to achieve super hydrated, silky smooth, radiant skin.

Step 1: The treatment started with a foot cleansing and mini leg massage which certainly helped to put me in a relaxed state. Next Jess cleansed my skin using a combination of Temple Spa products including In the Beginning make up remover, Be Gone cleanser and the brand’s 100% alcohol free Toning Essence. Jess then applied a layer of Temple Spa’s Breakfast Smoothie exfoliator which she worked into my complexion to ensure it was really cleansed thoroughly.

Step 2: Next up Jess smoothed on a layer of The Big Reveal, a high-tech glycolic facial peel that’s highly effective at transforming dull

looking skin into something far more glowing - in just one minute. It only contains 3% acid so it’s fairly mild and helps create the perfect backdrop for the unique collagen boosting Trufflesque masque.

Jess’s excellent facial massage skills helped to trigger deep drainage and I’m still seeing the results of her handiwork a few weeks on

Step 3: The unique collagen-boosting hydrating and plumping masque contains a cocktail of skin enhancing goodies including black summer truffles, gold and silk peptides and a fruit and amino acid to leave skin looking plumper, more lifted and super smooth. In addition to this there’s also extracts of diamond powder and gold photo-reflective particles which help to create real luminosity and radiance. Jess applied the masque with a special brush and while it worked its magic she gave me a neck and shoulder massage. There is also the choice of a scalp massage too.

Step 4: Once Jess had removed all traces of the beautifully scented Trufflesque masque she moisturised my skin further by working in some Trufflelixir super luxe serum followed by Temple Spa’s Skin Truffle – a beautifully rich and unctuous cream. Within seconds of it being applied I could feel my slightly dry complexion being soothed. Jess also dotted on some Exalt neck cream and gave me the brilliant tip of applying it from the neck up towards the jawline with my hands shaped into fists – or cat paws as she said!

It’s a technique that not only smooths the neck but also lifts it too so consequently I have added this to my daily routine.

The result: Jess’s excellent facial massage skills helped to trigger deep drainage and I’m still seeing the results of her handiwork a few weeks on, enjoying a more hydrated and clearer complexion. She advises clients not to put anything on their skin – makeup or moisturiser – for at least 24 hours after the Trufflesque treatment so the skin can really reap the benefits of this thorough cleansing and moisturising session. She also said it’s good to wait at least four days if applying an exfoliator so as not to cause any flare ups after the Big Reveal peel.

I emerged from the salon literally glowing and will certainly make this a regular part of my beauty regime.

The one-hour Temple Spa Trufflesque facial costs £70 at One Warwick Park Hotel, Tunbridge Wells. During the month of November Coco Blush will be offering a 90-minute winter pedicure, including a hot stone leg and foot massage and a hot chocolate for just £49 instead of £58. They will also be doing a Sienna X spray tan for £20 instead £25. www.onewarwickpark.com

Section

Please use code SO10 for a 10% discount on self pay clinic fees (new patients only)

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 33

Advertising

SPARKLE & SHINE

RAISE A GLASS AND FEAST WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS THIS FESTIVE SEASON Celebrate in style at Chapter One. Dine in the Restaurant, Brasserie or Private Dining Room with a choice of festive menus including sophisticated dishes and traditional favourites.

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CHRISTMAS MENU 2 Course £23.00 | 3 Course £30.00

Glass of mulled wine included in the price STARTERS

• Roast pumpkin soup with truffle oil & toasted pumpkin seed (VE) • Beetroot & goat cheese risotto • Slow-roast pork belly celeriac puree, candied walnut, Bramley sauce • Steamed mussels, white wine garlic cream sauce (SUP £2.00)

MAINS

• Roast turkey with carrot & parsnip, pig in blanket, stuffing, brussel sprouts • Oven baked maple glazed salmon with oriental stir-fry vegetable in sesame soy sauce with pak- choi • Roast butternut squash & spinach risotto, rocket • Pan fried duck breast, mash potato, braised red cabbage, madeira sauce ( SUP £2.00) • Grilled 8 oz sirloin steak, grilled tomato, chips, hollandaise sauce (SUP £3.00) • Nut roast, roast carrot & Brussel sprouts

DESSERTS

• Christmas pudding, Brandy sauce • Hot chocolate fondant with vanilla ice-cream • Apple Strudle, custard • Sticky toffee pudding, honeycomb ice-cream • Trio of English cheese, spicy plum chutney, biscuits (SUP £3.00)

01892 546089 | www.bulltunbridgewells.co.uk 79 Frant Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5LH All tables 5 or more will be subject to a 10% service charge. Please speak to your server if you have any food allergies or intolerances before ordering even of you think the dish may not contain your allergen.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 35

Food & Drink

WINE

We’re trying to give people an opportunity to discover and taste more wine Despite being open just a couple of months, The Wine Rooms is enjoying brisk business on The Pantiles. Eileen Leahy meets its owner Daniel Hatton to uncork the secret of its success

E

ver since chef Daniel Hatton and his wife Lisa opened their deli and lifestyle emporium Hattons three years ago on The Pantiles they have enjoyed enormous success.

It’s the place to go to for pastries and superior cups of coffee – Monmouth since you ask – in the morning, delicious homemade sandwiches and salads at lunchtime or a slice of gooey cake and a cuppa in the afternoon. While you’re there you can browse the store’s beautifully curated array of interiors finds and decadent deli delights that’ll supercharge your store cupboard quicker than you can say virgin olive oil. The only thing Hattons really lacked was a decent seating area to accommodate its ever growing client base so when the building next door came up for sale earlier this year Daniel says it was a ‘no brainer’ to buy it and expand the business.

“Hattons is thriving and packed all day and we’re doing incredibly well with our private catering company too, so we were actually in the process of looking to set up

36 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

another venture somewhere,” says Daniel, who has worked for Thackeray’s, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsey over the years.

“When the place next door came up, we thought to ourselves we wouldn’t get a better opportunity than this. It really was a no brainer. We wanted to spread awareness of our brand and we were continually being told by our Hattons customers that there was nowhere to go and drink nice wine in Tunbridge Wells.

“Yes, of course there are plenty of bars which sell wine but we did our research and found there wasn’t anywhere that was specifically a wine bar and certainly nowhere catering for an older, affluent clientele.”

And so the idea for The Wines Rooms was born and creating it has meant Lisa and Daniel have doubled the alfresco seating area to 60 and also given the discerning diners of Tunbridge Wells an additional epicurean experience thanks to the fact that they will be using their Hattons kitchen to prepare food – both sharing platters and a fine dining menu – at The Wine Rooms in addition to

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SO Magazine | November 2019 | 37

WINE

serving glasses of vino. It’s the first time Daniel has gone back into the kitchen after a number of years but he says he’s ‘relishing’ it. “I think fine wine deserves good food to go with it and I’m enjoying matching the two,” he smiles.

Just like with Hattons, Daniel has again enlisted the expert eye of his wife Lisa to ensure that The Wine Rooms’ interiors reflect the quality of the food and drink on offer. Lisa, who used to manage French and Scandi interiors shop Maison in Tunbridge Wells, and her friend Caroline Pickering from Style My Home have transformed the two-floor building into a beautifully appointed establishment, decorating it in a slew of sultry, inky tones offset with lots of luxury rich velvet seating, twinkling votives, oversized plants and statement Italian glass lighting – not to mention a stunning mirrored main bar area.

“We saw a gap in the market for something highend, exclusive and charming – something we don’t have in Tunbridge Wells so that’s why we did it,” continues Daniel. “It’s not a boozer, it’s where you go for a lovely glass of wine, or a cocktail, some food and a great experience – and to have that on The Pantiles is just perfect as we love it here.”

At The Wine Rooms you can taste over 350 different varieties of wine –18 of which are by the glass – and if you like what you’re drinking then you can also buy bottles by the case too.

“We have access to over 6,000 wines,” adds Daniel. “But if wine isn’t your tipple then we also have a 24-item gin menu, a very decent cocktail list which we have taken plenty of time curating, as well as lots of beer options too. For us it’s all about being accessible to everyone in the town.”

So whether you’re nipping in for a cheeky post-work glass of Sauvignon Blanc or celebrating a special occasion over a bottle of Sancerre and a two-course dinner, the key aim is for customers to really enjoy The Wine Rooms experience.

“Lisa and I love the European way of

drinking and eating, but we also love the American style of sitting at the bar and talking to the barman over a glass of something. Coming here is about taking your time to appreciate quality food and drink in beautiful surroundings.”

He goes on to say that they hope to do lots of specialist events with Jo Maclean AKA The Wine Savvy and have just launched a new Wine Rooms membership. And for the record, a quick glance at the menu will tell you that for a normal glass of wine they’re no more expensive than anywhere else on The Pantiles. What they’re trying to do is give people an opportunity to discover more and enrich their palette.

“If you want to drink some vintage Burgundy or a crazy Californian Napa then guess what? You can do that here! All the wines we sell are from small, independent, family-owned wineries. There are no supermarket wines here.

Anything we notice we can buy elsewhere then we pull it off the menu as it’s just not our bag. We also want to support a lot of local English winemakers so we have offerings from the likes of nearby Herbert Hall in Marden, Hidden Spring in Heathfield and Ditchling’s Court Garden.”

And Daniel is quick to point out that you don’t have to know all about wine in order to drink at The Wine Rooms.

“You don’t have to be a sommelier to come here.

Every winemaker I meet, I ask them why they make wine and they always respond it’s because they want people to put it in a glass and enjoy drinking it! There’s no snobs at The Wine Rooms, we’re just giving customers the opportunity to taste and discover and I think that’s wonderful. I’m really proud of what we’re doing.”

We’ll definitely raise a glass to that!

If you want to drink some vintage Burgundy or a crazy Californian Napa then guess what?

You can do that here!

They have over 350 different varieties of wine – 18 of them by the glass

Hattons is open Tuesday-Saturday from 8.30am-5pm The Wine Rooms is open TuesdaySaturday from 2-11pm

WE HEARD IT ON THE GRAPE VINE LISA HATTON GIVES SO THE LOWDOWN ON HER INTERIORS INSPIRATION FOR THE WINE ROOMS “We knew from the start that we wanted to create a feeling of elegance and comfort as soon as you entered into The Wine Rooms.

The bar was always going to be the main feature, however we wanted to surround it with sumptuous velvets, sensational lighting, warm oak surfaces and stand-out pieces, whilst celebrating the original features such as the flooring, the staircase, exposing the bricks on the chimney breasts and uncovering the beautiful windows and shutters.

I have worked with Caroline 38 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

Pickering from Style My Home before and knew she would be the person who would pull all of our ideas together. Caroline just understands. She creates a sense of calm by helping manage the project, creating wonderful mood boards and sourcing products. She finds a solution to any problem that may arise and has a firm hand when it comes to making decisions!

There were many late night and early morning emails and site visits but we all worked really well together and we were over the moon with the end result.

FOOD & DRINK

Chorizo, chickpea and crispy squid salad

Chocolate brownie

A TASTE OF TRADITION The Bull in Frant Road has new owners who, as Richard Williams has found out, are giving traditional pub food a really good shake-up THE LOWDOWN Located in Frant Road, The Bull will be a familiar sight to those who live and work in the area. With its rustic charm, open fire and ageing newspapers adorning the walls, this Shepherd Neame pub has always been a popular drinking spot with the locals. Now new owners Adam Lengyel and Zordan Boni, are quickly gaining a great reputation when it comes to serving good quality food.

t s i w t a h t i w

UNDER STARTERS ORDERS But we were there for dinner, and after ordering a pint of one of the many local ales, as well as a glass of house rosé for my guest, we dived straight into our starters.

My eye was initially caught by the slow roast pork and celeriac purée [£6.50], but I decided to opt for one of my personal favourites: mussels in white wine and garlic [£7].

The starter was fabulously fresh, perfectly flavoured and as good a bowl of mussels as you’ll find anywhere in the town, but the array of colours of the chorizo, chickpea and crispy squid salad [£6] that my guest ordered did cause a touch of menu envy. It was beautifully presented – and by all accounts as every bit as delicious as it looked.

FIRST IMPRESSION The Bull is a very traditional and inviting pub, but unlike many breweries, Shepherd Neame has given Hungarian chef Zordan a free rein when it comes to the menu. Despite his Budapest training, this is not a Magyarthemed menu, but instead traditional British pub favourites done Mussels in white THE MAIN exceptionally well. At wine and garlic EVENT weekends The Bull serves The dinner menu contains breakfasts from 9am which some great twists on usual pub fare, includes a full English [£8.95] as well such as The Bull’s homemade burger as more sophisticated favourites such served with salad, chips and coleslaw as eggs benedict [£8.50] or pancakes, [£12.95], corn-fed chicken supreme fruit and yoghurt [£5.95]. [£15] and red Thai curry [£15].

And to appeal to local office But both my guest and I decided to workers, a separate lunch menu sample something from the specials includes some very reasonably priced board – and we were not disappointed. fish and chips [£8.50], bangers and mash [£8] and homemade beef burgers The venison wellington [£16] boasted a perfectly golden short crust pastry and chips [£9]. They even do Sunday underneath which was a generous lunch with a range of meats and portion of rich meat. It came served vegetarian alternatives on offer with vegetables and an incredible gravy [£12-16].

40 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

– which to do it proper justice definitely requires a basket of the homemade bread [£3.95] to mop it up.

My guest’s beef stroganoff [£12.95] was both beautifully presented and just the ticket for a damp Wednesday evening. The meat was tender and succulent and the piquant gherkins served with it provided a much appreciated kick to the taste buds.

Adam Lengyel and Zordan Boni with their staff

THE BULL’S USP Although The Bull may be part of a pub chain, it still retains a great sense of individuality, which is primarily due to the great food being served up by Adam and his team.

Whether you want a quick bite at lunchtime or to linger longer over a traditional Sunday roast, mid-week meal then The Bull won’t disappoint. www.bulltunbridgewells.co.uk

Beef stroganoff

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Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Perfect

PARTY PIECES The queen of the kitchen is back with her new book Mary Berry Cooks Up a Feast. Here she shares three of her fabulously festive meat-free dishes that are sure to impress your guests during the festive season onion, and fry for 2 minutes. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until soft.

QUICK SALMON AND PRAWN DILL SALAD Ingredients SERVES 6 200g (7oz) shelled cooked North Atlantic prawns 200g (7oz) sliced smoked salmon small bunch of fresh dill 170ml tub full-fat soured cream finely grated zest of 1 lemon juice of 1⁄2 lemon pinch of ground cayenne pepper freshly ground black pepper lamb’s lettuce, a little vinaigrette and 6 lemon wedges, to serve Method 1. Lay the prawns on kitchen paper and squeeze out any excess liquid.

2. Cut one long strip, about 1 x 5cm (1⁄2 x 2in), per serving from the salmon slices and put to one side. Cut the remaining smoked salmon into small pieces about 1cm (1⁄2in) in size.

3. Set aside a sprig of dill per serving, then finely chop the rest of the bunch

and tip into a mixing bowl. Add the soured cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and some freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine.

4. Add the prawns and chopped salmon pieces.

3. Meanwhile put the ricotta, Gruyère, egg yolk (whole egg if making for 12 people), and Tabasco into a bowl, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix until combined. Stir into the cold spinach mixture.

5. Arrange the lamb’s lettuce on individual plates, drizzle with the vinaigrette, then pile the prawn mixture in the centre.

4. Lay the sheet of pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a 28 x 33cm (11 x 13in) rectangle (33 x 38cm/13 x 15in rectangle for 12).

6. Arrange the reserved salmon strips on top of the prawns. Garnish with a sprig of dill and a wedge of lemon.

5. Pile the spinach mixture into the middle of the pastry, leaving a 4cm (11⁄2in) gap around the edge. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture, then fold the ends over the filling and bring the sides up so they meet at the top. Crimp the ends together to seal, then brush the pastry with egg.

PREPARE AHEAD The prawn and salmon mixture can be made up to the end of step 4 8 hours ahead – the flavours will actually improve.

The plates can be arranged up to 3 hours ahead. Not suitable for freezing.

MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH EN CROÛTE Ingredients SERVES 6 1 tbsp olive oil 1⁄2 large onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 150g (51⁄2oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced 225g (8oz) baby spinach 125g (41⁄2oz) ricotta 75g (21⁄2oz) Gruyère, grated 1 egg yolk dash of Tabasco salt and freshly ground black pepper a little plain flour, to dust 1⁄2 x 500g packet ready rolled all-butter puff pastry (freeze the other half for another occasion) 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk Method 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7) and put a baking sheet in the oven to get hot. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the

42 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

2. Add the garlic, mushrooms and spinach and cook over a high heat for 3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted and the mushrooms have softened. Set aside to cool.

6. Transfer to the hot baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes (45 minutes for 12) or until golden all over. Leave to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.

PREPARE AHEAD The en croûte can be made up to the end of step 5 8 hours ahead. Not suitable for freezing.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE MOUSSES SERVES 6 Special equipment 6 x 7cm: (23⁄4in) round metal cooking rings 75g (21⁄2oz) HobNobs, crushed 45g (11⁄2oz) butter, melted 1 tbsp demerara sugar For the mousse 100g (31⁄2oz) full-fat cream cheese 150ml (5fl oz) double cream 150g (51⁄2oz) Belgian or continental 100 per cent white chocolate 1 tbsp Cointreau 1 large orange

Method: 1. Put the HobNobs into a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar, and mix to combine.

2. Line a baking sheet with cling film and sit the rings on top. Spoon the biscuit mixture evenly into the rings and level the tops with the back of a teaspoon.

Transfer to the fridge to chill while you make the mousse.

3. Put the cream cheese and cream into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until thick and holding its shape.

4. Gently melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of just simmering water until smooth. Allow to cool.

5. Add the chocolate to the cream mixture and stir in the Cointreau. Finely grate the zest of the orange and add to the mousse.

6. Spoon the mousse into the rings and level the tops. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours to firm up. Meanwhile peel the orange with a small knife. Cut the segments free and place in a bowl.

Squeeze over the juice from the peel.

7. Remove the rings and serve the mousses with the orange segments arranged on top. Garnish with grated white chocolate.

The new edition of Mary Berry Cooks Up a Feast by Mary Berry and Lucy Young is published

by DK priced £25 available from all good bookshops and www.DK.com

AWARD WINNI NG

RESTA

URANT

All our spices, masalas and sauces are skilfully prepared, everything is cooked to order from fresh primary ingredients which naturally yield flavours that are distinct in taste and quality. Awarded by the BCA, winning best restaurant in the south east region in 2016, and previously in 2014, we feel confident that you will realise an unparalleled appreciation of the dining experience offered at The Cinnamon Square

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GIFT GUIDE

R E H FOR

HAVE YOURSELF A luxurious

little Christmas Make frantic festive shopping a thing of Christmases past courtesy of the SO magazine gift guide which provides you with all the present inspiration you’ll need this year Institut Esthederm Intensive Spiruline serum £64 and Spiruline cream, £64 escentual.com

Necklace, £35 Catherine De Crèvecoeur www.catherinedc.com

A timely gift

Crystal Clear Serum: £95.00 mirror-beauty.co.uk

We pick the best watches Ladies. Ladies watch £89.99 micallefjewellers.com Gold luxe stack bracelts, £220 Bella Jane Jewellery bellajanejewellery.co.uk

Moritz Grossmann – Tefnut Lady £22,800 davidcarpenterwatches.com

Beauty Sleep Elixir, £47 Beuti beutiskincare.com Graduated Diamond Circle Pendant, Total weight of Diamonds 0.56ct, 18ct white gold. £2,650 gcollinsandsons.com

The 18ct Butterfly Diamond Pendant contains 0.74cts of round Diamonds £4,110

gabriellajewellery.co.uk

Handmade solid 18ct gold initial pendants £525 or £965 for Diamond set gcollinsandsons.com

Rolex preowned Ladies Watch £5,335 Oyster Date gabriellajewellery.co.uk

Hamilton – Valiant, H39211194 £1,020 davidcarpenterwatches.com

Crystal Clear Anti-Ageing Moisturizer: £65.00 mirror-beauty.co.uk Eau du Soir Limited Edition fragrance, £210 selfridges.com

Cubbits frames with Transitions lenses, £225 transitions.com

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 45

15th October 2019 – 31st March 2020

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PACKAGE DETAILS: • Sausage & Bacon Roll with Tea or Coffee • Winter Hand Warmers • Range Balls & use of Practice Facilities • 18 Holes on the International Course, Home of the 2019 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship • Lunch in the Spike Bar after your round

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From 1st – 31st March 2020, this offer is £89 per person (Sunday limited tee times only, £99 per person).

Excludes Bank Holidays. Tee times subject to availability.

Can be booked 30 days in advance.

Valid for bookings up to 8 players. golfreservations@londongolf.co.uk | Tel: 01474 879899 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

GIFT GUIDE

The English Teashop, Ultimate Tea Collection set £14, Debenhams, debenhams.com

Caramel and pink salt chocolate, £4.50, Oliver Bonas, oliverbonas.com

The Wolseley Jam and Marmalade Trio, £19, Fenwick fenwick.co.uk

S E I D O O F FOR SMEG food blender, £179, Fenwick fenwick.co.uk

Nativity biscuit tin, £35, Biscuiteers, biscuiteers.com

Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Round Casserole, Coastal Blue, from £148, John Lewis & Partners johnlewis.com Blanc & Rosé 20cl Mini Christmas Cracker, £19.99, Moët & Chandon, Selfridges www.selfridges.com

Isle of Harris gin, £37, Isle of Harris Distillery, isleofharrisdistillery.com

Gin and tonic chocolate, £4.50, Oliver Bonas, oliverbonas.com

Il Massimo hamper, £79, Carlucccio’s www.carluccios.com

Winter classics, 300g, £25, Niederegger, niederegger.de

Luxury chocolates, £17.50, Rita Farhi fahri.co.uk

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 47

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Try something Try something different... different... come curling &

love it! come curling & love it!

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Dundale Farm, Dundale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9AQ www.curlinginkent.co.uk 01892 826004 • info@curlinginkent.co.uk • www.curlinginkent.co.uk

Dundale Farm, Dundale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9AQ 01892 826004 • info@curlinginkent.co.uk • www.curlinginkent.co.uk

48 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

GIFT GUIDE

Beehive Aegean blue folded pocket square, £45, Geoff Stocker, geoffstocker.com

Hamilton - Spirit Of Liberty, H42415801 £865 davidcarpenterwatches.com

M I H R FO Santos de cartier watch medium model, automatic, steel, interchangeable metal and leather bracelets Ref: wssa0010 £5,600 gcollinsandsons.com Gore-tex men’s rain coat, £259.99 Kathmandu kathmandu.co.uk

Freeman leather lace-up ankle boots, £125, The Original Muck Boot Company muckbootcompany.co.uk

Diesel Neopulse Spinner, £299 Samsonite samsonite.com

Mont Blanc Explorer, £33 for 30ml, Fragrance Shop www.fragranceshop.co.uk London Golf Club Green Fee Voucher From £79 londongolf.co.uk London Golf Club Academy Lesson Voucher From £30 londongolf.co.uk

Gents watch £99.99 micallefjewellers.com Sorrento backgammon board game, £395, Jonathan Adler jonathanadler.com

Andrew Martin Interior Design Review Vol. 23, £45, Andrew Martin andrewmartin.co.uk

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 49

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50 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

29/07/2019 12:34

GIFT GUIDE

Breathe Giclee Print, 310gms German Etching Paper, Print by iaysha Salih £80 iaysha-art.com arthubgallery.co.uk

Slate whiskey coasters, £20 for a pack of 4, The English Beagle, theenglishbeagle.com

S R E V O L E M O H FOR

Hermitage Noel 1878 candle, £45, Jonathan Ward, jonathanward.me

Woodland Antique Christmas Bouquet £55, The Real Flower Company realflowers.co.uk

Milano tray, £78, Jonathan Adler jonathanadler.com

Roberts Radio Retro Speaker, £179.99, John Lewis johnlewis.com

Scent Glass Diffuser Water, £85, Tom Dixon at Fenwick fenwick.co.uk

Palm Tree Floor Lamp £1,025, Audenza audenza.com Gourdon table lamp in Seaweed ceramic with straight empire lampshade in Savannah block printed cotton in Green, £157, Pooky pooky.com

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 51

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52 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

GIFT GUIDE

Bloomingville Children’s Tipi – Cream, £151, Amara amara.com

Raspberry ripple quilted jersey skater skirt, £17, #nopinkisallowed, The English Beagle theenglishbeagle.com Amelie Flamingo Caterpillar Stripe PJs set £145, Sleepy Wilson sleepywilson.com

: S D I K R O F Rae Feather, Monogram Totes, £45 each raefeather.com

Kissy Kissy, Red Velour 1st Christmas Hat, £12 at Childrensalon.com

Polo Ralph Lauren, Boys Black & Red Wool Sweater, £115 at Childrensalon.com

Joules, Red Check Flannel Babygrow, £28 at Childrensalon.com Sugar Plum Fairy, £199 and Nutcracker Teddy, £250, Steiff steiff.com

Fun animal lunch boxes, £25 each, Sunny Life sunnylife.com Kissy Kissy, Pima Cotton Christmas Babygrow, £30 at Childrensalon.com

PLAYin CHOC advent calendar with mat and animals, £55 playinchoc.com

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 53

INTERIORS

IN

Bloom Lucie Merkl runs The Bloom Foundry, a funky florist and antiques emporium on St John’s Road. Here the busy mother of three reveals how she managed to turn her long held dream of running a shop into a reality I’ve lived in Tunbridge Wells for the last 22 years. I’ve got three boys aged 12, nine and six so when I’m not busy in the shop my time is mainly filled with feeding and entertaining them! They love coming to work with me – as long as I remember enough snacks of course!

I studied floristry at Hadlow College about 14 years ago as I’d had enough of working in an office. On the day I qualified I found out I was expecting my first son so my floristry dreams had to be put on the backburner as babies and marriage happened. I started antiques dealing online to begin with then branched out to selling to other dealers and at decorative fairs. Things just escalated from there really! I love doing it as I’m always learning about the pieces that I buy and there is nothing like the feeling that you get when you find something really good.

I opened my first shop The Bloom Foundry, which combines my principal loves of floristry and antiques, on St John’s Road in April this year. It’s easy to spot as it’s coral pink! I stock beautiful fresh seasonal flowers from Cornwall, interesting, easy-to-car-for house plants, stunning silk flowers and unusual antique items. These currently range from original mid-century Japanese woodblock prints to a 1980s stereo cabinet with clowns styled to look like an 1800s steam organ complete with cassette tapes of organ music.

When I was a little girl my favourite game to play was shopkeepers. My sister and I used to set up elaborate shops all over the garden and then ‘invite’ everyone to come and buy from us. The Bloom Foundry is an escalation of that childhood dream – except now hopefully my customers are willing ones!

I chose the name The Bloom Foundry because I wanted a name that subtly reflected what I do.

Foundries meld metal so that a beautiful or useful item can be created, and I meld flowers and antiques together to hopefully do the same.

And I chose the St John’s location and shop because it was perfect for what I wanted to do. I’ve always loved the symmetry of the building’s frontage and the windows are huge so therefore perfect for the displays I love to create. It’s also positioned right by the pedestrian crossing which means that 99 per cent of the residents of Tunbridge Wells will get held up outside at some point in the week!

Trading has been good so far. I’ve got some lovely regular customers and as the footfall is good I have a lot of people walking in for a browse and buy too. The mainstay of my business isn’t just reliant on the shop as I sell a lot of the antiques online and take bookings for events as well as weddings and funerals. I am in the process of putting SO Magazine | November 2019 | 55

INTERIORS

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BLOOMS IN YOUR HOME:

together a high-end faux florals range for corporate and wedding hire.

There’s a really excellent network here and all the traders support each other where we can. I have lived in this part of Tunbridge Wells for a long time so I already knew a lot of the other business owners, having been a customer for many years.

Since opening in April I have had excellent feedback. Everyone seems to love it when they come in and tell me how beautiful the shop is, how lovely it smells and what a wonderful energy and feeling it holds! I think many are also really happy to have a good local florist to use for unusual houseplants and flowers.

My USP is being a florist and an antiques dealer. I think that antique dealing is the ultimate form of recycling.

I try as much as possible to match the houseplants that I sell to vintage pots so that they don’t end up in landfill and customers can see how great they look once they are filled with a plant.

I am not too keen on upcycling items for the sake of it. Instead I try

WHY I LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Lucie Merkl

to get clients to appreciate the beauty of old wood without covering it in paint immediately, the joy of old flower pictures when they are all grouped together and how they can live alongside things in a modern home without looking twee. I set the shop up in little scenes and groupings to give customers ideas of how they could use and display pieces in their own space.

I receive a weekly delivery of handpicked flowers from Cornwall.

This is because I get the very best of the seasonal choice on offer and I can then create fantastic long-lasting bouquets for around £20 which are bigger – and better – than letterbox flower boxes! I use an award-winning wholesaler in London for my event and wedding flowers as they have lots of beautiful roses along with other unusual flowers for the shop. I source my antiques from fairs and auctions around the country.

The current floral trends selling best are lots of lovely seasonal bouquets containing narcissi, nerines, scabious, anemones, iris and lilies. My silk floral creations are always very popular too.

LUCIE’S TOP THREE INSTANT INTERIOR STYLING TRICKS: Don’t be afraid to mix eras Flower pictures in gilt frames look stunning on a blank wall If you find lots of something (old bottles for example) grouping them together in a line to fill a shelf looks really effective

What is your favourite place to shop?

I don’t get a huge amount of spare time at the moment for shopping but when I do I like to look in the old High Street and The Pantiles.

And to eat out?

I have a number of favourites depending on what I fancy to eat so my list would have to include Kitsu for sushi, Kai’s Kitchen for Thai, Rendezvous for French, St John’s Yard for burgers and for a roast I’d pick Sankey’s.

And for coffee or cocktails?

The best coffee in town is in Manuel’s Bakery on St John’s Road, I drink a lot of it.

Social media has been instrumental in raising awareness of the shop and what I’m doing here. Instagram is especially useful as it is so visual and means I can really show off the beauty of the antiques and blooms that I have for sale. I’m very pleased that at the moment most of the shop’s followers are based in Tunbridge Wells and the nearby area so it shows that it’s doing what I wanted it to do.

Currently I’m very busy preparing for Christmas. I am running a number of wreath-making workshops, both in the shop and for private parties during late November and throughout December, which have proved very popular. I’m also planning table decoration designs, wreaths and garlands that will be for sale in the shop.

In between all that I’m busy sourcing lots of cool gift ideas so I’ll have lots available for Christmas.

To find out more about The Bloom Foundry follow @thebloomfoundry on Instagram or head to Facebook www.facebook.com/thebloomfoundry

• I would recommend using

houseplants in your bedroom to improve air quality. Peace lilies and ivy are especially good as they process toxins and pollution well.

A pineapple plant is also a fun addition and releases three times more oxygen back into the air than other plants!

• As the weather is turning colder

and some fresh flowers are no longer available, like peonies for example, a good way to keep these in your house is to use high quality faux flowers. They are also a good way to display flowers in certain vessels that might not usually be suitable because they can’t hold water. I love using oriental porcelain in this way.

• If you have a lovely bunch of fresh

flowers they’ll look stunning anywhere. To keep them fresh for as long as possible, when you first get them home trim the stems and add flower food to the water.

Repeat this with fresh water every few days to maintain them.

For cocktails it would have to be The Common Rooms.The Mexican Mimosa is delicious and my go-to drink when I’m in there – which is probably far more often than I would like to admit!

Finally, where’s the best place to go locally in order to get away from it all?

Let me think… Gatwick airport? Seriously though, when I really need some thinking space and I’m by myself there is nothing like Bayham Abbey ruins for some quiet, meaningful time. If I have the boys with me then we often go to Penshurst Place so they can run off some steam and I can admire the view.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 57

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Langton Green TN3 An attractive detached house overlooking countryside with a communal tennis court.

• • •

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Large open plan kitchen Double garage with gym above Tunbridge Wells approximately 3 miles

4

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Grove Hill Road TN1 An elegant semi-detached Victorian house ideally configured for family living.

• • •

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Spacious reception rooms with dividing doors Kitchen/dining area opening to garden Mainline station approximately 0.2 of a mile

5

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Your local expert, Ross Davies, looks forward to helping you.

ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310700 Guide price £975,000 Freehold

knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www.knightfrank.co.uk/ tenantfees.

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Frant TN3 Three impressive newly built homes just a mile from Frant village, in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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Fully fitted 'Kutchenhaus' kitchens Control4 audio system and gate entry Garages and private parking Further land available by separate negotiation

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simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com 01892 310700 Guide price £1,650,000

- £1,875,000 Freehold

Sandhurst TN18

Horney Common TN22

1

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A beautiful 16th century Grade II listed farmhouse in a semi-rural position with wonderful views.

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A substantial Grade II listed family on the Ashdown Forest.

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Guide price £1,850,000 Freehold 01892 310700

simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com

01892 310700

knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www.knightfrank.co.uk/ tenantfees.

Commercially Minded If you think your land or property has development potential, why not give us a call without obligation and in confidence.

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Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs.

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Gardening

OUTSIDE EDGE

C. hederifolium is one of the first signs of winter

Seasonal STARS

As winter sets in it doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to flowers helping to cheer up your garden. Plant some seasonal cyclamen and you’ll still have a welcome burst of colour to admire says Victoria Truman

O

C. repandum takes over in March to finish the cyclamen season

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

Scillas can be combined with cyclamen and other spring flowers

62 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

white. In January and February their ne of the first signs of early brightness livens up the garden– flowers wintertime is the swathes of and leaves will wilt during frosts, but they C. hederifolium beneath trees soon perk up as soon as the temperature in older gardens – each one a rises above freezing. The colours of the perfect pink miniature version of a shopcyclamen work very well against a bought cyclamen. backdrop of snowdrops.

Their leaves tend to emerge later and

By March another species, C. cover the ground all winter with a carpet repandum, takes over to finish the of silver-splashed dark green tones. Like cyclamen season. These also self-seed and snowdrops, every plant has differently spread. The flowers, in various marked leaves and so this shades of pink, appear in April creates a stunning sight to If your and May and look especially behold. Plant them en masse in nice planted among wild a woodland setting with ferns garden is primroses. The petals are and other shade-tolerant plants or if your garden is small then small then slender and elegantly twisted and some forms are sweetly around the base of deciduous planting scented. The plants need trees will still create a striking plenty of cool shade, and effect. them a sheltered wooded There is also white form, around the therefore area or similar will give the known as C. album, which is best results. particularly splendid if allowed base of All hardy cyclamen grow to spread to form drifts. A pure deciduous best in well-drained, humuswhite strain of this tough rich soil. What they dislike woodland cyclamen, it’s very trees will most (apart from soggy, wet hardy and l ooks amazing still create soil) is disturbance and around about now as a mass underplant. In the garden these a striking competition so don’t plant in and amongst perennials in a flowers will flourish beneath effect herbaceous border. The places trees and shrubs, even conifers they thrive tend to be if the shade is not too deep. unattractive for many larger In shadier areas where grass and later-flowering plants. They can be grows weakly they can be planted into planted beneath shrubs, especially if these the lawn and allowed to seed and spread have their lower branches removed; and (known as naturalising), but stop mowing can be combined with other late-winter from August to May while the and spring flowering plants such as snowcyclamen are in leaf. drops, scillas, pulmonarias and narcissi.

The flowers of the later In containers they are best blooming C. coum (each grown in their own pot, sunk one no more than into the compost. When they 1.5cm on 6cm-long have finished flowering, lift stems) vary from out the cyclamen from deep, dark the pot and plant it in a magenta through shady spot for summer. every shade of pink to pure

OUTSIDE EDGE

TOP TIPS for November:

1 2 3

Insulate your outdoor containers from frosts, using hessian or bubble wrap held in place with garden twine.

Raise pots off the ground for the winter by using bricks or ‘pot feet’, to prevent waterlogging.

Encourage hungry birds into your garden by investing in bird baths and bird feeders. Our feathered friends will keep pest numbers down and bring joy on a bleak winter’s day.

4

Protect roses from windrock by pruning them by one-third to half their height. This will stop them swaying in strong wind and prevent roots coming loose in the soil.

5

Remove fallen leaves from around the base of any rose bushes which suffered from blackspot or rust during the summer, to reduce the chance of them becoming infected again next year.

6

Continue to lift dahlia tubers, begonias and gladiolus corms to store dry over the winter months. Remove the dead foliage before storing.

7 8 9

Cut back the yellowing foliage of herbaceous perennials, lift and divide overcrowded clumps to maintain their vigour.

Cut a few stems of holly with berries for making Christmas garlands.

Aerate your lawn now – there’s still time to do it before winter sets in. You can either use a lawn aerator or simply insert a garden fork at regular intervals and lean it back slightly to let air in.

10 11

Continue to clear fallen leaves off the lawn to keep it healthy.

Set your lawn mower to a higher cut-height for winter.

www.victoriatruman.com

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 63

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64 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

CARE FEATURE

Show your support...

Compassion, dignity and guidance are crucial for those loved ones who might need extra support. This month we talk to some of the best local services, from solicitors to care homes and hospitals, about their advice on later-life care...

PLAN TODAY AND

Own Your

Tomorrow!

I

f you want to live a rich, fun life after you’ve retired you should start thinking and planning now.

Maybe you’ve retired but haven’t given much thought to your future? Maybe you’ve taken some steps but know there’s more you should be doing? Maybe you’re helping your parents to plan?

Wherever you’re at and whatever you want to do next, be that see the world, spend more time with your children and grandchildren, or just stop and relax, the benefits of planning carefully will give you peace of mind and choice.

Our team of solicitors are here to

make sure you get all the right support, guidance and expert legal advice you need.

Call us and book an appointment today The team at Keene Marsland regularly bring together experts across law, finance and wealth management to share their knowledge and answer your specific questions to help you make the best possible decisions to achieve happiness in later life.

Email us now quoting LATERLIVING to sign up for our next event in Tunbridge Wells

Keene Marsland Max Barford & Co 6 Clanricarde Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1PH

www.keenemarsland.co.uk Telephone: 01892 539379 | Fax: 01892 521874 Email: enquiries@maxbarford.co.uk SO Magazine | November 2019 | 65

CARE FEATURE

Care

IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME? Or LIVING IN A CARE HOME? It is your choice

T

of compassion and like to go the extra mile. I he biggest advantage of having a wouldn’t say it’s all plain sailing all the time, live-in carer in your own home is though, as you can have long days at times being able to choose who is and issues to work through. But I personally providing your support and having like a bit of a challenge at times and love to the time and attention to build a relationship find solutions. with them. You are enabled and encouraged “The work is very rewarding and I like to to remain as independent as possible for as see people ‘blossom’. A day in the life of a long as possible, which means you can even live-in carer can often involve personal care maintain the normality of staying together as depending on the client’s needs, giving a couple. Importantly, if your loved one medication, making meals, household duties, becomes unsettled in new environments, assisting to appointments – any kind of which may be due to dementia, then staying support needed. in their home with a “Emotional support is live-in carer should be a another important definite consideration.

I enjoy working with factor, and working Live-in care is often people and aiding them to together with other more affordable than a health professionals such care home environment be as independent as as nurses and – packages start at £915 possible in their own occupational therapists. per week; there is an “Everybody I have uplift for particularly homes.It’s important to been to has had different complex care or caring make vulnerable people needs and I have for couples, although the adjusted accordingly. cost of caring for couples feel safe and valid After all, we’re all at home is usually a members of society individuals! fraction of the cost of “Getting to know couples moving into people on a more residential care. personal level, their little ‘quirks’ so to speak, Our team of carers are hand-picked and building up a good relationship with professionals. Melanie has worked for Spring them are a bonus also. You have the Care for four years, so who better to tell you opportunity to accomplish this more as a why live-in care works for her… live-in carer, as you have plenty of time “I ask myself why I am still caring for together to get to know each other well, people in their homes as a live-in carer after which I also think is very important. It’s also 15 years? The answer is simple. I enjoy working with people and aiding them to be as lovely working in a homely atmosphere and to be made to feel like part of the family.” independent as possible in their own homes.

If you would like to discuss the long-term It’s important to make vulnerable people feel care options for either yourself or a loved one safe and valid members of society. Caring for people is second nature to me as I have plenty please contact us on 01424 777135.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 67

CARE FEATURE

W

hen someone becomes unable to make decisions for themselves, one way of dealing with this is for a family member, a friend or a professional Deputy to apply to the Court of Protection for what is called a Deputyship Order. In these circumstances, the court will consider the application and will appoint someone to act on behalf of the person in question as a Deputy.

The whole process of applying to be a Deputy can be quite lengthy, with various forms to complete along with the need to provide an assessment of capacity. The assessment of capacity is completed by the donor’s doctor.

All in all, as well as being a costly process, it can also take several months to complete. This may cause problems if decisions need to be made and be effected quickly, such as the sale of a property.

After a Deputy has been appointed, there will be ongoing supervision fees, insurance and the need for a Deputy to submit an annual report.

A way of avoiding this process is for you to plan ahead and make lasting powers of attorney (LPAs).

Attorneys appointed under an LPA do not have to submit annual reports to the court for assessment, although keeping records is advisable. No general ongoing fees would be payable in the general administration of your affairs.

Making LPAs also means that you are able

Lasting Powers of Attorney vs The Alternative

68 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

to choose and authorise exactly who you would like to act on your behalf in making the various decisions in the event that you lose the mental capacity to make them yourself. This could save your relatives or friends the worry and potential disagreements on deciding who should apply to be a Deputy.

There are two types of LPA: one deals with property and financial affairs, and the other deals with health and welfare.

A property and financial affairs LPA gives the attorney the power to make decisions about financial and property matters including selling a house, managing a bank account, selling and buying shares and investments.

A health and welfare LPA gives the attorney the power to make decisions about health and personal welfare such as day-today care, medical treatment and where someone should live.

The costs of completing the lasting power of attorney forms and registering the documents at the Office of the Public Guardian start at ÂŁ650 plus VAT. In addition to these fees there is a Court fee of ÂŁ82 per application to register an LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian.

While creating and registering LPAs may seem costly now, it is a cheaper alternative in the long term by avoiding the initial and ongoing costs that are part and parcel of the Deputyship Order process.

For more information Contact Gail Hall on 01732 770660 g.hall@warners.law www.warners-solicitors.co.uk

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PARENTING

Listening to your own instincts builds your confidence – it’s all about finding your own way

Giovanna with Tom

parenthood in a way that speaks volumes to you and makes you feel empowered. I follow a large scope of mums online and never wish for ‘more honesty’. I don’t see a posted photograph of a family all dressed in white, standing and smiling at the camera, and wonder why my family aren’t that polished. I just think ‘good on you’ to whoever got them all together like that. There’s no need to compare.

“LET’S BE HONEST ABOUT HOW TOUGH

parenting can be”

Celebrity mother of three Giovanna Fletcher says thinking you’re failing as a mum is totally normal

A

s a busy mother of three young children, Giovanna Fletcher knows all about the highs and lows of parenting – and she is determined to be frank about the realities of bringing up kids.

While research suggests around a third of parents who post about their children and family life on social media don’t post honestly and exaggerate or enhance their updates, the author, presenter, actress and blogger wants to tell it as it really is.

Fletcher, 34, who has three boys – Buzz, five, Buddy, three and Max, one – with her husband Tom Fletcher, the vocalist and guitarist in McFly. She has written several books about her experiences as a mum, including Happy

Mum Happy Baby, and hosts a regular podcast of the same name.

She has also recently finished a Happy Mum Happy Baby Live tour, with the aim of ‘highlighting the fact that it doesn’t matter who you are, what you have or what you do – we’re all facing the same feelings of judgement and guilt’.

She says: “There’s so much expectation and judgement – largely from ourselves – that we can often end up feeling like we’re the only ones getting it wrong. But we aren’t. The truth is none of us really knows what we’re doing, and the important thing is giving yourself the space and confidence to find a way that works for you.”

Here, she reveals to SO magazine how she has felt since becoming a mother...

Have you ever felt you were failing as a mother?

Has any mum not had that feeling? I’ve yet to meet one. We all feel like we’re failing in some way, but I think the more we talk about it the more we realise it’s OK. There’s a lot of juggling in motherhood, and occasionally a ball or two drops. I find that talking about things like this really helps everyone see we’re all in the same boat. You’ve just got to pick those balls up and keep going – and try to laugh along the way.

Do you think some parents paint an unrealistic and untruthful picture of parenthood on social media?

I think it’s up to the individual to share their experiences in a way they see fit. If they want to post a highlight reel of their best bits because it makes them feel good, then that’s wonderful. The important thing is who everyone else chooses to follow. If accounts like that make you feel bad then don’t follow them, find someone who talks about

I find that talking about things really helps everyone see we’re all in the same boat

What do you wish you’d been told before you became a mother?

To listen to all the advice that everyone wants to give about parenthood, and then forget it. It can get really confusing, especially when all the advice is conflicting. Listening to your own instincts builds your confidence – it’s all about finding your own way.

Do you use the internet/social media for parenting advice?

I follow some brilliant accounts online who reassure me that I’m doing a good job by injecting a little humour into parenting, and I’ve also got some sleep tips online from a great woman known as The Night Ninja, who used to send the boys videos to encourage them to stay in bed. It worked.

Do you have any help with the children?

Tom and I do a lot of tag teaming and his parents also help us out. We wouldn’t be able to do all we do without them.

Have you ever felt lonely since becoming a mum?

The early days of motherhood can be really lonely. Going out can seem overwhelming and unpredictable, but I’ve always found that I’m fine when I actually get out, even if it’s just for a trip around the park. I used to, and still do, talk to almost everyone I see, especially new mums because I know that when it was me strolling with a newborn I craved a little adult interaction.

What’s the most difficult thing about becoming a mother?

When you first become a mum, everything is new. Your whole life changes overnight and suddenly you’re in untrodden territory, trying to plod your way through. But it doesn’t stop there, new challenges are always being thrown your way, no matter your child’s age.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 71

HYPNOTHERAPY

HOW TO AVOID THE

s e u l b y a d i r F k c Bla capitalising on the many genuine offers available in a competitive retail marketplace where price, quality, alternative choices and consumer reviews are available at the click of a button. Here are some ways to score bargains without breaking the bank:

1. Have a plan or make a list 2. Resist impulse purchases 3. Check price comparisons online 4. Know what Black Friday offers are genuine and check reviews 5. Get alerts from your favourite store 6. Download an app 7. Shop for big ticket items first 8. Go to stores that participate in credit card reward programmes or cashback schemes 9. Haggle

Karen Martin is a qualified clinical hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner with an office in Tunbridge Wells. In the first of her regular columns she reveals some simple tricks and techniques for savvy shopping on Black Friday in order to avoid going into the red

I

f retail therapy is your vice then you can turn Black Friday into a virtue by shopping smart and avoiding maxing out on your credit card. I have seen many shopaholics over the years who have a compulsive buying habit which has got them into serious debt.

When is a bargain not a bargain?

There are some seriously good deals out there on and around Black Friday, a now well-established spend-fest imported from the US, consumer capital of the world. This retail marketing campaign at the end of November creates a preChristmas frenzy which regularly smashes sales records.

But if you can’t resist the designer party dresses at high street prices or splashing out on bargain gifts galore, they can be way more expensive than full price by the time you’ve factored in sky high APRs on a credit card that keeps on giving and never seems to be paid off.

Like many addictions, overspending is 72 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

a habit which typically starts in early adulthood. How many of us can sheepishly recall paying off multiple store credit cards through the twentysomething years? Money is so easy to borrow with elastic plastic. Fleeting fashion trends tempt impulse purchases which are often consigned to the back of the wardrobe long before they have been paid for.

Researchers at Bergen University have identified the following symptoms of shopping addiction: 1. O bsessing about shopping all the time 2. Shopping to feel better 3. B uying more stuff to repeat the good feelings 4. B uying so many things you can’t afford that you can’t pay your bills 5. F eeling depressed about overspending 6. B eing unable to cut back on shopping, even if you want to 7. Feeling bad if you can’t shop

Chances are, if you suffer from any of these tendencies, Black Friday will leave you out of pocket and disappointed with your purchases when you ‘come down’ from the euphoria of recklessly overspending.

Advertisers and influencers run sophisticated campaigns aimed at bypassing impulse control, stimulating a desire for instant gratification and creating a biochemical ‘fix’ of feelgood dopamine and serotonin. Their effect can hypnotise us into believing we’re missing out if we don’t buy something, or that we have to have it, even if it’s useless, or that a product is something special when it isn’t. These are scientifically devised to optimise profits. Just look at the madness surrounding those must-have toys every Christmas which barely make it to Boxing Day before being discarded or forgotten.

Savvy shoppers are harder to win over because they don’t buy the hype. And being a savvy shopper means strategically

Black Friday can leave you out of pocket and disappointed with your purchases when you ‘come down’ from the euphoria of recklessly overspending

Don’t let Black Friday turn into a blue January or a February, March, April and beyond in the red. If you recognise you have a shopaholic problem and have discovered that spending can’t buy you happiness, it may be symptomatic of other psychological issues like depression or low self-esteem.

Like chocolate or alcohol, overspending can be a means to avoid or deny issues you can’t face. Or it can be a habit triggered by loneliness, boredom, stress or anxiety. Mindfulness is a key to recovery, enabling you to become more aware of the patterns you run and the emotions they are driven by. It will help you find the selfawareness to seek less expensive, more effective solutions to feelings that cannot be fixed with cash.

The priceless well-being that comes from living within your means, feeling joy from spending hard-earned money on things you cherish or getting pleasure from giving to others and having a bit to spare for unpredictable times ahead is a delayed gratification which beats the temporary high of an impulse buy. www.hypnotherapykent.co.uk

WELLNESS HQ

Can you explain the origin of Ayurveda medicine?

The main classical Ayurveda texts begin with accounts of the transmission of medical knowledge from the Gods to sages, and then to human physicians.

Therapies have varied and evolved over more than two millennia. Therapies are typically based on complex herbal compounds, minerals and metal substances.

g n i z a Am a d e v r u Ay

ellness HQ’s W m o fr rt e p x e e invite a guest their particular field. For Every month w ry to talk about to c e ir d t lis m, from Azhagi ss ia a c R e ja sp ra p u S to eak usine November we sp eauty, about her well-being b g&B Ayurvedic Healin

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF? I have been practising Ayurvedic medicine for as long as I can remember and also offering traditional beauty treatments for more than 20 years. I now live and practise in Tunbridge Wells but originally, I come from a very small village in South India. I developed my Ayurvedic, healing, meditation and beauty offering from a very young age courtesy of being blessed by my family gurus. Two years ago my husband, daughter and I moved to the UK and I now run my business from my home.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT AZHAGI AYURVEDIC IS ABOUT? It has grown and evolved from offering popular beauty treatments including waxing and Environ facials into a spiritual place of well-being incorporating guided meditation, Kirtan storytelling and new moon ceremonies, sound healing and spiritual well-being. As my gift to the community I also run free meditation and breathing classes which are child-friendly and I have a special karmic band who perform sound meditation.

WHAT IS THE MAIN AIM? My mission at Azhagi (which means beauty) is to create and deliver a special experience, where the mind, body and

soul are not treated but healed. I don’t want to just give therapy in the form of products but to also align the body and its healing through my specialist technique and service. I create a place of holistic wellbeing for people of all types who are looking to heal themselves through the wonderful and fascinating process of Ayurveda. The idea is to broaden and deepen people’s personal and intellectual horizons and harmonise their beauty – both inside and out.

treatment rooms are a place where clients can have privacy and healing, both physically and spiritually, whilst maintaining a strong sense of confidentiality.

IS THERE A KEY AREA YOU FOCUS ON? Stabilising and balancing the seven chakras is a transformational part of my healing work, balancing and unblocking them in order to make clients feel relaxed and more beautiful from the inside.

Ayurveda guides us to achieve a

“I thrive on making a positive difference in others. My Ayurvedic tutelage was a very long and hard process under my devout gurus in India but my dedication and determination made it possible to learn and I am so happy to be able to share my talent with my clients” WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS YOU ARE SEEING THAT YOUR CLIENTS ARE FACING? Most of my clients come to me first for traditional beauty treatments but are soon drawn to the more spiritual side of my business. Health, and especially mental health, is the leading cause of unhappiness amongst the people I see. Some have trust issues when it comes to sharing but I believe that my caring personal touch, good service and the sanctuary of my studio and

constant state of well-being through a combination of herbal oil massages, herbal medicines, conscious eating habits and physical and mental exercises, which include yoga and meditation.

Quite a lot of my work is to listen, to understand how my clients are feeling and to manage their expectations so they can walk away feeling lighter and brighter and happier.

The word is Sanskrit: yurveda means knowledge of life and longevity.

Ayurveda names seven basic tissues (dhatu), which are plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), muscles (mmsa), fat (meda), bone (asthi), marrow (majja), and semen (shukra). Ayurveda has historically divided bodily substances into five classical elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether.

These combine in the human body to form three life forces or energies, called doshas. They control how your body works. They are: vata dosha (space and air); pitta dosha (fire and water); and kapha dosha (water and earth).

Everyone inherits a unique mix of the three doshas but one is usually stronger than the others. Each one controls a different body function. It’s believed that your chances of getting sick – and the health issues you develop – are linked to the balance of your doshas.

• PITTA DOSHA This energy controls your digestion, metabolism and certain hormones that are linked to your appetite. Things that can disrupt it are eating sour or spicy foods and spending too much time in the sun. If it’s your main life force, you’re thought to be more likely to develop conditions like Crohn’s disease, heart disease, high blood pressure and infections.

• VATA DOSHA Those who practice Ayurveda believe this is the most powerful of all three doshas. It controls very basic body functions, like how cells divide. It also controls your mind, breathing, blood flow, heart function, and ability to get rid of waste through your intestines. Things that can disrupt it include eating again too soon after a meal, fear, grief, and staying up too late.

If vata dosha is your main life force, you’re thought to be more likely to develop conditions like anxiety, asthma, heart disease, skin problems and rheumatoid arthritis.

• KAPHA DOSHA This life force controls muscle growth, body strength and stability, weight, and your immune system.

You can disrupt it by sleeping during the day, eating too many sweet foods, and eating or drinking things that contain too much salt or water. If it’s your main life energy, practitioners believe you may develop asthma and other breathing disorders, cancer, diabetes, nausea after eating, and obesity.

For more information visit www.azhagibeauty.com or pop along to Su’s free meditation classes held most Sundays of the month at 6pm. Visit the website for more details to start your journey to health, well-being and happiness.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 73

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74 | November 2019 | SO Magazine

Education

LEARNING

Demystifying

THE DILEMMA OF DYSLEXIA Dyslexia is relatively common – but it can still be a source of confusion for many families. Liz Connor talks to Helen Boden, CEO of the British Dyslexia Association, to find out more

A

ll children are unique and because it only impacts on certain areas develop at different rates, and of an individual, rather than being a it’s not unusual for little ones general learning difference that has an to find it challenging when impact on all areas of someone’s cognitive getting to grips with writing, reading performance.” and numeracy at some point or another.

Dyslexia occurs across all sectors of But if learning these skills becomes an society, independent of ability and socioongoing struggle, and you notice they’re economic background. There’s also no falling behind their classmates, for connection between dyslexia and example, or it’s causing distress, it could intelligence. be an indication of dyslexia.

According to the British Dyslexia A DIFFERENT WAY OF Association (BDA), around PROCESSING 10 per cent of the UK INFORMATION According to the population has “Research tells us that British Dyslexia Association, dyslexia, making it dyslexia stems from around 10 per cent of the UK the most common differences in the learning population has dyslexia, making it the way the brain difference in the most common learning difference in processes certain classroom types of the classroom environment. environment. information But despite being – particularly, it Dyslexia is much broader than just so prevalent there is thought, reading and writing issues, so start is still a lot of language-based with a checklist or screener to misunderstanding information,” says get a better idea for little or around it.

Boden.

“The key point here no cost.

WHAT EXACTLY IS is that it is these DYSLEXIA? physiological differences in Dyslexia is a neurological difference the brain that lead to the challenges that affects the skills involved in reading that dyslexic individuals experience. It is and spelling. Children with dyslexia can not lack of ability, poor parenting or poor have a hard time deciphering new education. Essentially, there is an words, or breaking them down into underlying cause. All too often, however, phonetic chunks they can sound out in the indicators of dyslexia are written off their head. or attributed to negative behavioural or “It’s a specific learning difference that personality traits.” brings both positive and negative Boden explains that it’s not unusual for characteristics,” explains Helen Boden, dyslexia to occur alongside other specific CEO of the British Dyslexia Association. learning difficulties, such as attention “The reason it is called ‘specific’ is deficit disorder (ADD), developmental

coordination disorder (commonly known as dyspraxia), autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), dyscalculia (difficulty with maths), or speech, language and communication difficulties.

“Dyslexia is genetic in origin and therefore is inheritable,” adds Boden.

“This inheritable factor should also be considered, as it can mean that the parents of dyslexic pupils may also have experienced or still be experiencing similar difficulties to their children.”

WHAT ARE THE MAIN SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR? “Dyslexia isn’t normally diagnosed until around seven years old, and every person is different,” says Boden. That said, there are a few key signs of dyslexia to look out for. These include a child that appears bright and able, but can’t get their thoughts down on paper – which can often present itself during school time.

“Look out for children that have areas in which they excel, particularly creativity and problem-solving, and kids that act as the ‘clown’ or are disruptive to mask what they see as their failings,” says Boden. Those with dyslexia may also become withdrawn and isolated, sitting at the back of class and not participating, or look ‘glazed’ when a teacher is speaking too quickly.

“Many children with dyslexia find they are able to do one thing at a time very well, but can’t remember an entire list.

They might also go home exhausted at the end of a normal day, or exhibit angry, frustrated behaviour. Some also find they have difficulties being organised.”

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK MY CHILD MIGHT HAVE DYSLEXIA? It can sometimes take a bit of time to accurately spot dyslexia. “If you think your child may be dyslexic, the first thing is to be sure,” says Boden.

“Dyslexia is much broader than just reading and writing issues, so start with a checklist or screener to get a better idea for little or no cost.”

For a rough indication, there are numerous paper-based and online questionnaires. The BDA’s website has lots of information about recommended checklists you can undertake.

“A screening tool is something that a non-specialist can administer,” says Boden. “A lot of schools use screening tools, but the results may not be as accurate as a medical assessment. They are, however, a useful starting point.”

HOW IS DYSLEXIA DIAGNOSED? A diagnostic assessment can be carried out by a specialist teacher who holds a Level 7 dyslexia qualification.

“In addition to being a specialist teacher, parents should also check, particularly if commissioning a private assessment, that a specialist teacher has an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC), holds professional membership of a body such as the BDA, which will mean they can use the letters AMBDA after their name, professional indemnity insurance, and has been DBS checked,” says Boden.

“Alternatively, diagnostic assessments can be carried out by an educational psychologist that is HCPC registered, they should also be insured and have been DBS checked.”

An assessment will produce a detailed report of the profile of strengths and challenges being experienced by your child. It will also help to make a diagnosis, if possible, and provide recommendations for support.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE? For the best outcome for your child, experts say it’s important to try to work closely with the child’s school. If your child has dyslexia, they’ll probably need extra educational support.

“Children with dyslexia are entitled to this by law,” says Boden – and with appropriate support, there’s usually no reason your child can’t go to a mainstream school, although a small number of children may benefit from attending a specialist school.

You can find out more about what support you are entitled to and how to get it on the BDA website. It may be that your child benefits from occasional one-to-one support, or a computer with speech recognition software that can make writing easier.

Children with dyslexia are also entitled to support during exams, like extra time and learning aids such as a scriber or reader. Your school’s special educational needs coordinator can talk you through the options.

Dyslexia is a lifelong issue, but parents should be assured by the fact that with the right support, children can thrive at school and in the world of work.

SO Magazine | November 2019 | 75

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SO Magazine | November 2019 | 77

Travel

ESCAPE TO A

green metropolis Luke Rix-Standing discovers an oasis of calm in the city

Singapore

Vancouver

I

n an increasingly eco-conscious world, smoky, fume-filled cities often get a bad name. The car exhaust, the noise pollution, the grey, concrete brutalism – urban areas can feel claustrophobic, and it’s no wonder so many city-dwellers spend their weekends escaping to the country.

But not every metropolis is so treefree. Here are a few urban jungles that won’t make you choose between nature and culture...

1. VANCOUVER, CANADA Crowning a king of green cities is a remarkably difficult task (one entirely dependent on how you mark city limits), but whatever your metrics, Vancouver is pretty damn verdant.

Thousand-acre Stanley Park is undoubtedly the park de la crème, with lakes, lily ponds, hiking trails, outdoor theatre and even a moonlit cinema.

78 | NOVEMBER 2019 | SO Magazine

Vancouver

2. VIENNA, AUSTRIA Ringed by 12,000 hectares of almost unbroken green belt, Vienna contains 280 imperial parks, and in March 2019, the Mercer Quality of Living Survey named it the world’s most liveable city for the 10th time in a row.

For every one of its residents, Vienna contains nearly 100 square metres of green space – an astronomical ratio for a metropolis of 1.8 million souls.

3. SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE Nicknamed ‘The Garden City’, Singapore spent decades nurturing nature under the watchful gaze of founding father Lee Kuan Yew. He personally planted around 60 trees during his premiership and demanded that city planners create leafy, tree-lined boulevards providing shelter from the glare of the tropical sun.

Now local residents are reaping what

Vienna

Singapore

Travel

per cent green coverage, streets ahead (or behind) second-placed Glasgow.

Auckland

Kew Gardens, London

5. AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND Zoom out on Auckland on Google Maps, and you’ll immediately see where it gets its green reputation. Auckland council administers 40,000 hectares of space split between 4,000 parks, pitches and farms, while designated walking trails criss-cross city and region.

Though perhaps a bit of a trek for Europeans seeking a bright and breezy city break, New Zealand’s largest city rewards its visitors with more flora and fauna than some forests.

Edinburgh

EXCEPTIONAL CARE IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS

they’ve sown, and most estimates class Singapore as by far the greenest city in Asia, if not the world.

6. OSLO, NORWAY When 95 per cent of residents live within 300 metres of green space, does Oslo even count as urban? More a built-up park than a green city, estimates suggest that up to two thirds of the Norwegian capital is green in some way, while even the more urban areas are segmented by a network of waterways.

Nestled within an amphitheatre of hills, Oslo is the European Commission’s ‘Green Capital’ for 2019.

4. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND One of the straight-up nicest cities in Europe, and somehow still underappreciated, Edinburgh’s buildings are so attractive that they sometimes detract from the trees.

In 2017, satellite analysis by ESRI declared the Scottish capital the UK’s most verdant city, with a whopping 49

7. LONDON, ENGLAND Since when has the Big Smoke been anything other than grey, congested, and choke-inducingly polluted? Well, since July, when Mayor Sadiq Khan declared London to be the world’s first ‘national park city’ – a momentous if slightly symbolic decree, celebrating the capital’s green spaces.

Oslo

The status is actually quite well-earned – Greater London is 22 per cent designated green belt, while almost 15,000 different animal species roam its parks and streets.

Kew Gardens is probably greenspace-in-chief, a Unesco World Heritage Site containing 50,000 living plants.

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We offer personal or nursing care on a permanent or short stay basis, as well as end of life care, all to the same exceptional standard.

Call Eileen Allison, our General Manager on Tel: 01892 525909 or enquiries.halliwell@efhl.co.uk

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From award-winning restaurant style dining to beautiful landscaped gardens and industry leading staffing levels, Halliwell provides the highest level of service and facilities.

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SO Magazine | NOVEMBER 2019 | 79

Road Test

Motors

FIRST DRIVE:

BMW 8 SERIES GRAN COUPE BMW has added an extra set of doors to its 8 Series in a bid to improve practicality – but is there more to it than that?

Ryan Hirons finds out

WHAT IS IT? Giant four-door ‘coupes’ are no new thing. It’s a not-so-niche segment pioneered by the likes of BMW and Mercedes over the last decade or so, to give buyers who need a saloon but really would love a coupe something of a middle ground. It’s proven popular, so it’s no surprise to see BMW has taken its recently introduced flagship 8 Series coupe and slapped on an extra set of doors. In its standard guise, the 8 Series is something of a desirable cruiser – but does that remain in its newly shaped form?

WHAT’S NEW? OK, so there is more to this car than just taking an 8 Series Coupe and adding some doors behind the fronts – it is actually a noticeably larger form overall. It’s grown 231mm in length, 30mm in width and 61mm in height.

Some design alterations have been made to the car too. Though its front end is identical to the coupe, the windscreen is slightly steeper as a result of a higher roof, with a similar approach taken for the rear window to maximise boot space. But, dimensions and slight styling tweaks aside, there’s little to differentiate between the 8 Series variants.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? It’s the 840i Gran Coupe we’re driving here, denoting its 3.0-litre petrol sixcylinder powerplant. In this guise, it sends 335bhp and 500Nm of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

As a result, 0-60mph comes in five seconds flat with an electronically limited top speed of 155mph possible. BMW says the car can achieve 37.7-38.2mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 168g/km of CO2.

If we put the 840i Gran Coupe in its intended place – sitting out on a motorway and covering huge distances – there’s little to complain about under the bonnet. The powertrain’s refinement is impressive, with very little noise coming from up front, while power delivery is consistent across the rev band which allows for perfect execution of merging and overtaking manoeuvres.

Take it on a back road, though, and it is a little undone. Hesitation from the gearbox makes it frustrating to apply power when exiting tighter corners, and there’s so much mass to the car that its power output feels far from enough to gather any real pace.

doing its thing, the 8 Series Gran Coupe is a hard experience to beat.

Refinement, like the engine, is very impressive – wind noise is minimal, it glides over the road and you’re really only going to hear surface noise if it’s a particularly harsh road.

That’s what you would expect of a luxury grand tourer, and with that comes more compromises in spirited driving.

The sheer mass of the car is hard to ignore when attacking corners with any velocity, and there’s a real sense the car isn’t comfortable with a ham-fisted approach – a sports car this is not.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? At motorway speeds, with its adaptive cruise control system on and the car just

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? Much like the exterior design, the cabin of the 8 Series Gran Coupe is nearly

HOW DOES IT LOOK? As mentioned, BMW has retained the recognisable 8 Series silhouette here – albeit with modifications for a more spacious vehicle.

It still has an imposing effect up front from its angular nose details and large grille, though from the windscreen onwards the morphing of the design is pretty obvious. Side by side with a coupe variant of the 8, it’s definitely the ugly duckling of the two – though as a standalone machine it remains a real head-turner.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model as tested: BMW 840i Gran Coupe Price: £69,340 Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine Power: 335bhp Torque (Nm): 500Nm Max speed (mph): 155 (electronically limited) 0-60mph: 5 seconds MPG: 37.7-38.2 Emissions (g/km): 168

identical to that of the regular twodoor car, albeit with some modifications for the sake of passenger comfort. That means those up front are met with a plethora of plush materials, with build quality throughout the car of a very high standard.

The big change here, though, is the extra space in the rear of the car. Many coupe-turned-four-doors tend to have an issue in providing proper comfort in the back. For the averaged size adult, that’s fortunately no problem here, with plenty of head and legroom and even a separate dual-zone climate control system. But those who are blessed with more height may find their scalps touching the headliner.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? As standard, the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s exterior is enhanced with 20-inch alloy wheels, an ‘M Aerodynamic’ package and automatic LED head and taillights.

Luxuries inside the car include a thermally insulated windscreen, four-zone automatic air conditioning, heated front and rear seats, a head-up display and ambient interior lighting.

Pricing kicks off at £69,340, which is a well-valued package on the face of things.

Head into the options list, though, and that begins to skyrocket while moving up to an M850i sees a £97,720 starting cost.

However, that does bring with it a notable increase in performance along with the higher price.

VERDICT BMW has nailed the luxury coupeturned-capable-saloon formula with the 8 Series Gran Coupe. It near-matches the style and overall appeal of the two-door car while providing a usable space in the back for more practical purposes.

It undercuts the Porsche Panamera on price – in 840i guise at least – but it does lack in terms of driving dynamics. Those who are looking for more of a thrill should look towards the M850i. Or hold out hope for an M8 variant of the fourdoor car.

80 | NOVEMBER 2019 | SO Magazine

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THE LAST WORD

Sir Lenny Henry comes to the Assembly Hall on November 15.

Ahead of his visit to Tunbridge Wells James Rampton talks to the comedian about why An Evening with Lenny Henry – Who Am I, Again? is far from a conventional stand-up show

Talk

of

the

town

“This show is going to be loose, fun, insightful, and revelatory”

I try to get to the same space when I perform live, create a real sense that this is unmediated and unmitigated

Sir Lenny Henry’s memoir is out now

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The Broadchurch and Chef!

An Evening With star goes on to recall the Lenny Henry UK tour greatest live show he ever comes to the witnessed: “What Morecambe Assembly Hall on and Wise did in front of a live November 15. For audience was very different to tickets visit what they did on telly. Their TV lennyhenryontour.net show was brilliant, but Eric was probably 20 times funnier Sir Lenny Henry’s on stage than he was on telly. I autobiography Who worked with him in Am I, Again? is Bournemouth in 1979, and it published by Faber, was one of the most priced £20 and extraordinary live experiences out now I have ever had. It was so funny and loose.

“I try to get to the same space when I perform live, create a real sense that this is unmediated and unmitigated. I attempt to communicate to the audience that ‘we’re gonna have a great time for the next 90 minutes, and then we’re all off home!

HOORAY!’ And what is lovely is that they have grown with me over the years, they get me – and what I’m trying to do. I Audiences are not just really cherish that.”

JUST FOR LAUGHS going to get a prepared, He goes on to say that Lenny will regale audiences with this show, the with memories of his stellar scripted presentation, but audiences are not just career. After he burst into the bits in between, too going to get ‘a prepared, the public consciousness in scripted presentation, but 1975 as the splendidly gifted 16-year-old winner of the TV talent show New Faces, the bits in between, too’.

“My favourite comedians are the ones that have he enjoyed enormous success on such TV shows as This kind of reflection can make you realise why you are not only put in the hard work on their show, but Tiswas, Three of a Kind and The Lenny Henry Show. the way you are in the present day. I’ve noticed that I now they can swim between sections of their script and Despite his huge popularity, however, Lenny could stick up for myself and also want to be an integral part of not help himself wondering at every stage: am I good fool around. That’s what’s really exciting about live the creative process, which all stems from the experience performance; you’re not watching a robot; you’re enough? Is this what they want? of my first 10 years in the business.” watching a human being. If you come to play, the In the second half of the show Lenny will be Lenny closes by emphasising that the show should not audience really appreciate that.” interviewed by friend, broadcaster and author Jon only be entertaining but also provide insight into his true Canter, offering further insights into his life and identity. career. There will be audience interaction throughout: INTERESTING TIMES “I hope people enjoy their evening out with me – but I As he looks back on his early years in the business, perhaps their questions will help Lenny work out also want them to feel at the end, that they’ve learnt Lenny underscores how valuable they have been in ‘who am I again?’ something about who I am and how I got there. forming him as a comedian. “If you write a book The performer, who is now 61, who has also This is a Len they’ve never met before. The show is about your early years, there is a palpable sense that enjoyed critical acclaim in his roles in A Comedy of going to be loose, fun, insightful, and revelatory. the past is another country and that you’re looking at Errors and Othello in the theatre, says he can’t wait Did I say ‘fun’ yet?” yourself from 1,000 miles away. You write with these to be back on stage. “Live performance is just the Yes, you did, Sir Lenny. Finally, I ask what he hopes that words indelibly printed on your brain: ‘Well… that best,” he says. “Being in front of an audience is the audiences will take away from An Evening with Lenny was a very interesting time… these were interesting best thing you can do. Films and telly are extra, but Henry - Who Am I, Again? experiences… they probably made me who I am live is you unfiltered. It’s just you stood there talking “A book!” And, no doubt, many, many laughs. today.’ to an audience.” here is really very little that Sir Lenny Henry cannot do. As well as being one of Britain’s best-known and most celebrated comedians, he is also an acclaimed writer, radio DJ, TV presenter, co-founder of Comic Relief and an award-winning actor. In addition, Lenny has a PhD in Media Arts and in 2015 was awarded a knighthood for services to charity and drama.

But now, I am delighted to report, Lenny is returning to his first love: live performance. Since last month he has been touring the country with a brilliant new show, An Evening with Lenny Henry – Who Am I, Again?

Following the recent publication of his memoir, also entitled Who Am I, Again?, Lenny will dazzle audiences with stories from his life. In the first half, he treats us to a series of anecdotes – triggered by writing his memoir – which are both hilarious and poignant. Lenny recollects growing up in the Black Country, puberty, school, friendship, family secrets and unabashed racism. He remembers how – with his mother’s mantra of ‘H’integration’ ringing in his ears – he did his best to overcome those obstacles and make his way in the world.

82 | November 2019 | SO Magazine