Places&Faces Norfolk April

APRIL 2013 PRIcELESS

AMANdA dIdo

tHaIlanD

JULIA BRAdBURY ISSUE 37 www.placesandfaces.co.uk

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EdIToR’S LETTER SARAh hARdY

sarah@h2creativemedia.co.uk

Sarah Hardy

wELcoME To oUR APRIL EdITIoN which bubbles over with strong personalities with sarah@h2creativemedia.co.uk quite fascinating stories to tell. Our cover girl, the absolutely gorgeous Amanda Holden, is back with a bang after a torrid few years and tells us how cheeky Simon Cowell doesn’t like her without any make-up!

And our outdoor loving girl Julia Bradbury, star of Countryfile, has just written another walk book and chatted with the Prince of Wales! Still on a country theme and we also meet the new boss of the Royal Norfolk Show, Greg Smith, who has seemingly run two parallel careers before arriving back in his home county to organise its most popular Tony event.Cooper And if you haven’t sampled one of Chris Travel Coubrough’s hotels or restaurants, then do

Assistant Editor

k

so! Originally from New Zealand, he brings a touch of Antipodean panache to our region with laid back eateries serving the finest local produce.

Tony Mallion enjoys the high kicking A Chorus Line at the stately London Palladium while Emma Outten previews two great local arts festivals – in Norwich and King’s Lynn.

Make sure you book your tickets.

I’ll be visiting Sheringham Park for the glorious rhododendron displays this spring and shall we ask Mark Nicholls to cook us up some of the Thai dishes he learnt on his travels?!

You cannot help but fall in love with our property of the month, a beautiful waterside former vicarage which dates back to the 17th century. It is simply stunning with

surely some of the most delightful grounds imaginable.

And have you ever guessed who our columnist SJP is? My lips are sealed but doesn’t she make you smile! I, too, am battling to retain my interest in my gym membership – it is a great British pastime, isn’t it?

Finally do come and visit us at our stand, on Avenue A, at the East Anglian Game and Country Fair on April 27 and 28. We’d love to chat to you all and tell you about our exciting future plans.

Sarah Hardy Follow Sarah on Twitter @h2creativeSarah

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ROYAL NORFOLK SHOW

ISSUE 37

coNTRIBUToRS

TORS

JULIA BRADBURY

www.placesandfaces.co.uk

PAULA hoddS Publishing Director

Rob Sykes, Franck Pontais, Mark Nicholls, Mark Dixon, Scott Oliver, Kevin Bunting, Amanda Sandland-Taylor, Joff Hopkins, Poppy Seymour, Matt Kimberley, James Spicer, Nick Mobbs, Ian Russell, Andrew Florides, Richard Barr Roger Hickman, Neil Shillito, Roy Murphy, Jungle PR, Andy Newman Associates, Richard Barr, Simon Mitchell, Julia Holland

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Contents

14

72 Tuk tuk cooking in Thailand with Mark Nicholls

Dido is back with her fourth album – she tells Joff Hopkins all

107

CoV E r STo rY APRIL 2013 PRICELESS

INTERvIEwS 10 Amanda Holden on Britain’s Got Talent,

children and her forthcoming autobiography 19 Put your skates on says King’s Lynn’s Ruthie Stephens as Starlight Express races into the city 20 Enjoy a walk out with Julia Bradbury, our

favourite telly presenter

FASHION & BEAUTy

AMANDA DIDO

THAILAND

JULIA BRADBURY

ROYAL NORFOLK SHOW

10 Amanda is back on the box

62 Bangers and mash for James Spicer at a

classic Suffolk pub 64 It’s an Italian job for Emma Outten in Lowestoft

27 Working 9-5 but what to wear to the office?

Help is here

wHAT’S ON

31 New spring make up treats to refresh and

35 Our regular monthly round up of the best events and activities to enjoy

revitalise

cOLUMNISTS 32 Can I speak to the manager? Not quite Ian

122 Has SJP kept to her New Year’s resolution

of hitting the treadmill? Find out more

36 What is the enduring appeal of The

Mousetrap? asks Tony Mallion 39 Ole – a leading Flamenco guitarist arrives in Great Yarmouth 44 The line-up at the King’s Lynn Festival is

revealed, too!

FOOD, DRINK & DINING OUT

45 Blood Brothers tops the list at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft this May

16 Meet the New Zealand chef who has made Norfolk his home

TRAvEL

56 On yer head! Mark Dixon offers us a crispy

76 Contemporary holiday options in north Norfolk

pig’s head to try this month PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

61 Our French chef Franck Pontais offer us some sexy little treats

68 Roger Hickman discovers the delights of Norfolk wild boar

Russell’s favourite words

8

58 It’s part two of Poppy’s tour of the Loire Valley. Will she ever return home?

25 Neon is the hot fashion fix this month

ISSUE 37 www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Jaguar goes back to its roots with a sassy sportscar

FIVE MINUTES with

Andy Grand

70

Relaxing Ragdale – the ultimate spa break

42

Emma Outten says there’s something for everyone at this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Festival

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Andy Grand runs the hugely popular East Anglian Game and Country Fair which takes place this month. Here he gives us the low down on his life in Norfolk

HOME & GARDENS 48 Bright on! Fill your home with colour this spring 50 Our property of the month is a glorious Old Vicarage in Horning – just look at those grounds 80 Enjoy a rhododendron rendezvous in Sheringham 85 The perennial favourite – the Chelsea Flower Show

REGULARS 9 Meet Andy Grand, the organiser of this year’s

East Anglian Game and Country Fair 40 Tony Mallion is at the London Palladium

for A Chorus Line 47 Our latest objects of desire to tempt you 115 Our High Society pages kick off with a look at an Almary Green celebration

MOTORS 109 The apple of Vauxhall’s eye

What’s your ideal day out in the area?

Apart from a day at the Game Fair, I love being outdoors and feel very lucky to have been born in such a wonderful part of the country. I love heading to the north Norfolk coast and have always been first up in our household. I would start the day with a morning walk along Holkham or Wells beach with the dogs and family. Then head to Deepdale Cafe for a fry up or some mussels. Maybe do a bit of crabbing on Wells harbour and then it would be great to head over to Blakeney Point to see the seals. In the evening I would like to settle down in front of the wood-burner, reading the paper or catching up on some of my favourite sport.

Which iconic Norfolk characters do you most admire and why?

Chris Coubrough - I first met Chris when he had just taken over the Crown Hotel at Wells and I could tell straight away that he would make a success of it. Chris is very hard working and full of great ideas; he is kind of rare as he has managed to set a goal, tell you what he’s going to do and then go straight ahead and do it. Chris now has five establishments and has found a winning formula and repeated it. He has taken risks, but educated ones, while still keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

The lifeboat men on the north Norfolk Coast. These men put their lives at risk to save people that they have probably never met before and they all do this voluntarily.

What’s your favourite pub in Norfolk and what do you like to drink?

The Crown Hotel at Wells. It’s homely,

inviting and you can always guarantee a great time. I would usually opt for a pint of lager or, if it was the middle of summer, a refreshing cider. In the depths of winter it would be Guinness.

Where do you like to eat out in Norfolk and why – and what do you order?

I like just about anywhere on the Norfolk coast - you can’t go far wrong.

My favourite dishes would be Morston mussels or a good rib eye steak.

What do you miss most when you leave the region?

My own bed.

What are you reading at the moment?

I have never been big on reading books as I am always too busy and can’t sit down for too long. I like to scan a newspaper from time to time and seem to have a knack of flicking through TV channels and gathering the daily information without watching a complete programme.

A day on the Broads or a day at Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach - and why?

I would love either. I love the water and sometimes am lucky enough to have a day at sea. I grew up only a mile from Salhouse Broad and have many happy memories. But the Pleasure Beach would probably have the edge as I have always seemed to live in the fast lane.

Are you a fish and chips or Thai fish cake kind of person?

Fish and chips! You can’t beat them wrapped in newspaper with lots of vinegar.

Sum up Norfolk in three words...

Boot-i-full.

Sum up yourself in three words...

Great dad/husband.

111 The VW Golf – a classic is reborn

BUSINESS 96 Sarah Hardy meets the new boss of the

Royal Norfolk Show, Greg Smith

Come and meet the Places&Faces® team at the East Anglian Game and Country Fair at the Norfolk Showground on April 27 and 28. It is an action-packed two days with plenty for all ages to enjoy. Visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk for more.

Go online to win family tickets to the fair at www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Places&Faces速 | APRIL 2013

10

PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

cELEBRITY INTERVIEw

Amanda Holden

T h E TA L E N T E d A M A N dA h o L d E N Our favourite telly show is back! Britain’s Got Talent returns to our screens this month with Amanda Holden in her seventh year as judge. Heidi Bridges catches up with her

T

o SAY AMANdA hoLdEN has had a tough few years is to put it mildly. The 41-year-old Britain’s Got Talent judge suffered the stillbirth of her baby son at seven months in February 2011. The year before that she had suffered a miscarriage at four months.

Then she faced further trauma during the birth of her second daughter, Hollie Rose, in 2012. Serious complications during a caesarean section put Amanda in intensive care and she nearly died.

Amanda – who is currently writing her autobiography – couldn’t be happier now with her two lovely girls, her eldest daughter Lexi is six now, and her record producer husband and ‘rock’ Chris Hughes, who she married in 2008.

On the career front, Amanda recently hosted ITV1 talent show Jesus Christ Superstar and is now back on the judging panel for Britain’s Got Talent.

Sitting alongside her boss Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon, Amanda says they have found the perfect line-up for the much-loved show.

And you hopefully enjoyed her recent part in the hilarious Comic Relief sketch as one of Simon’s would-be brides!

Amanda is no stranger to us here in Norfolk as she has had a holiday home near Burnham Market for many years. She was also close personal friends with Paul Whittome who used to own the ultra popular Hoste Arms in the village before his death from cancer almost three years ago. Amanda held her hen party here and also staged a private party for Paul and his friends just before his death where people celebrated his life to Elvis Presley hits – Paul’s favourite singer!

So are you enjoying the new series of Britain’s Got Talent?

I say it every year if anyone’s ever listened to me - I absolutely love the show. Every year I think the same thing: I think I’m not going to be surprised, I’m going be more cynical, I’m going to be this and this and this - and every year without fail it surprises me.

You mentioned david - i think the line up you’ve got now is the best.

It’s perfect.

It really made the show ten times better?

For me it’s genuinely lovely to have another girl. I’ve got my team of lovely people, Team Mandy, to make me look, you know, half human - but I’ve got Alesha two doors down in her dressing room and I’m going like: ‘What do you think? Seriously, can you see my back cheese?’ - that’s what I call it when I’ve got bits hanging over my corset - and she’s like: ‘No babe, you look nice’.

You did well with – some women would have crumbled under the pressure.

You have to be able to take some stick. It’s absolutely fine, I can, and I can dish it back out - but lots of it was edited.

Especially that aimed at Simon?

Yeah.

The best thing about BGT is you’ve still got Simon. The thing about x Factor Uk now is that it lacks Simon.

I hate saying it, I hate giving him credit for it, but he is the show.

He’s just so truthful and honest and everything he says makes sense whether you like it or not - on most things in life to be absolutely honest. He’s got a very clean way of cutting through everything. So there’s no flannel, there’s no buttering somebody up to then let them down, he goes straight in for the kill. But really that’s just more honest, isn’t it?

I, however, try to say negative things in a positive way because I’m a mummy, I’m a girl, it’s totally different for me and a performer. He has actually never stood up there and done anything in front of anyone - apart from when he dressed up as a dog, I believe, on YouTube. Even then he was hidden. does he say to you and Alesha ‘girls, don’t wear that’?

Well, he did actually say to Alesha last year, ‘It’s not a fancy dress contest.’ He’s so cheeky - but I don’t think she even acknowledged it, which is brilliant - she’s like ‘talk to the hand’.

Sometimes with me he says: ‘You look like a naughty secretary’ which I like! Or one day he did say: ‘No, today you do look like you’ve not got make up on ... don’t kill the magic, Amanda’ so I said: ‘Well, I haven’t started yet, I’ve got my whole team in the back room!’ he loves glamorous women doesn’t he?

He does and everyone’s obsessed with him getting married and having kids but he’s never going to get married and he’s never going to have kids. It’s not what he wants to do - not everyone wants it. Instead, I’m happy that he really did turn his phone off this summer and had a chance to spend some of his hardearned money on a gorgeous holiday. And he’s terribly generous – so everyone would have been flown there, he would have paid for everything and actually had a time to relax and reflect and he doesn’t get to do that and I think that’s done him the world of good. >>

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Amanda Holden

cELEBRITY INTERVIEw

BritAin’s Got tAlent starts on iTV on April 13.

You can still donate to ComiC relieF at www.rednoseday.com/donate.

he said this year that sometimes he’s too involved with work and that’s why he took that big holiday.

I think we’re probably all guilty of it. I mean, one of the best things I’ve changed this year is turning my phone off - not replying to Blackberry Messenger straight away and not replying to emails as soon as I get them.

In the old days you’d go home and press your answer machine to see if someone had called you - no one could get you. So now if I’m in a car and I’m going home and I’ve got an hour then I will spend it killing off my emails but apart from that I think everyone can learn to wait - and I think that’s what Simon’s learning - it’s just people can wait. when you’re with the girls are you conscious about turning your phone off ?

Absolutely and Lexi before has gone: ‘Momma, get off your Blackberry’. I enjoy Twittering but often over a weekend you’ll just see it go silent because I’m with my girls.

Last year I probably worked for about five weeks, which is amazing, but the days are full-on when I do them. But usually I get to do both ends of the school run, bath Hollie, do everything. I’m really lucky.

I bet chris enforces that as well, doesn’t he?

He does, it’s brilliant. He runs his own business and he can run it from anywhere in the world and that’s the beauty of it as well - you don’t have to go to an office every day anymore if you don’t want to, you can sit in a hammock and email someone.

But he’s always saying: ‘Get off Twitter - they don’t need to know you’re having a bit of cake and a cup of tea.’

Is hollie totally different to Lexi?

It’s weird - Lexi was an excellent baby as well. I got them both into brilliant routines and I did the same with Hollie, but I’m less worried about everything with her. I think with your first born you’re like ‘are they supposed to do that, are they supposed to do this?’ So I’m more relaxed with Hollie and she’s an easy baby. She doesn’t stop smiling - it’s just constant. Lexi was a smiler, but not the minute she woke up. It’s a silly thing to say but I can see Hollie in front of the camera and Lexi as the one behind. didn’t you used to think Lexi would be a dancer at one point?

In private at home she does brilliant accents and she does

impressions but you cannot get her to do anything. We’re trying to even train her now, you know when you go out for a cup of coffee and if she wants an apple juice or something she has to ask the waitress without hiding behind my leg. She’s still really shy - painfully shy, ridiculously shy - so I can’t imagine she’d go on stage. She goes to dance class and things like that - but I was literally performing Annie in our back garden at her age. did your parents send you to stage school?

There was no way my mum and dad had the money for stage school. We belonged to the local amateur dramatics - the whole family did - and were called the Von Trapps as a joke.

My dad painted the sets, my mum ran the bar and my sister and I were in it. My dad was actually upgraded and started playing the comedy roles like Buttons in panto and was good!

That’s what I did until I was 16 and then moved to Bournemouth and there was a fabulous course at the Jellicoe Theatre that’s part of the university and then I went to London. My mum said she didn’t know what to do with me but at the same time she never said I want you to go and get a proper job.

It can be a hard business to be in though?

My thing is now - and I say to any contestant on Britain’s Got Talent - you might as well follow your dream because any job is hard to get these days. It’s so tough so you might as well pursue your dreams and see what happens before you have to knuckle down and do something that you might not feel so passionately about.

And you’re doing an autobiography?

I am. I’ve been asked for so many years to do it and I think there’s a random one out there which I’ve got nothing to do with, which is very annoying. It’s a cliché and I’ve heard so many other celebrities saying: ‘Yeah, well, it’s my side of the story innit’ - but it is. So much has been written about me - loads of it true, loads of it not. But more importantly, it will be me talking, so it’s the right information and also it feels like the right time, too. david walliams said that the good autobiographies are the really honest ones.

It is going to be very honest because what else can you do?

There’s nothing else to do is there?

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

Dido

G irl W h o I s B ac k Dido is one of the UK’s most successful female singers of all-time – and after a break in her music career to start a family, she’s just released her fourth album Girl Who Got Away.

She’s been chatting with Joff Hopkins

Joff Hopkins, presenter on Norwich 99.9, The Beach and North Norfolk Radio

It’s been 13 years since No Angel, your first album, was released – and you’re only now releasing your fourth! Have these four-to-five year gaps in the schedule been deliberate?

Not really! After No Angel, I toured for about three years, then made Life For Rent, then toured for another couple of years… and then I did take a little bit of a break, because I’d been touring for about nine years at that point. I thought I’d better go home – and clean up! I took a bit of time making the third album… but this time I don’t really know where the four years went! I had a baby, got married, and made a record – and suddenly it’s four years gone!

You obviously had to take some time out with the birth of your son, Stanley, in 2011… I read that Stanley was both you and your husband’s favourite name. What would’ve happened if you’d had a girl?

I was so relieved it was a boy because I was really stuck on girl names. Thankfully, he’s not a girl called Stanley. That would’ve been bad!

It’s been great to play your new single No Freedom on the radio – it’s refreshing to hear ‘real’ music that’s not autotuned to within an inch of its life. There’s a lot of very noisy pop records around… what do you make of today’s music landscape?

That’s a lovely thing to hear and I’m really flattered! I’m always going to try and do ‘my thing’ and keep to it, although I think that there’s loads of amazing stuff out there, amazing female singers like Emeli Sandé, Adele and Jessie Ware. I think every era has its own emotional, amazing music that cuts through, like [those singers] do.

You call it ‘your thing’ – do you have a name for ‘your thing’?

No – I’ll leave that to other people to decide what’s it called, but I’m quite enjoying it!

You’ve worked with your brother Rollo on much of the new album – you obviously get on together given how much you’ve collaborated with him on your past albums too – but did you have any disagreements, and did they spill over to the Sunday lunch table?

Oh yes, plenty of disagreements – but none that spilled over!

We’re quite good at sorting them out quickly. We do absolutely disagree about certain songs and certain music, but – essentially – we agree and want to hear the same thing. We just might get there a bit differently! That’s the joy of having your brother producing you – he’s going to be way more passionate than any other producer. There’s a dark side and a light side to that!

Neither of us are particularly ‘grudgy’ people.

Your brother’s one part of the electronic-dance group Faithless – and I think it’s on this album more than any of your previous releases that this modern, electronic influence really shines through. Were you keen to do something a bit different or is it just a case of trying to keep up with the trends?

No, I think I feel more like I was going back to my roots a bit. For me, I was thinking this album reminds me a lot of No Angel, in the way that it’s songs that were written over a period of time in different places, produced in a way that I love. I love dance music, hip-hop, ambient, dub, folk, pop… it’s got all of that on it. It was really fun to do and reminds me of travelling around, working with different people, trying different things. To me, it’s back where I’m really comfortable and where I just love making music.

Many of your most popular songs are very melodic and quite chilled – but when you listen to the new album, there are some tracks that really surprised me… Blackbird is one of my favourites in that it’s really uptempo and upbeat – just a bit different. Was it fun to experiment?

Definitely – you always want to do that. You don’t want to get into a rut, musically – I’m always going to try to push things on and keep it fresh. For me, I listen to the radio and it all goes into a big melting pot in your brain and you can’t help but reference things that you’re enjoying now.

One of the tracks on the album is Let Us Move On and it features a rapper called Kendrick Lamar – but it’s not the first time your voice has been punctuated like this – many of us remember Eminem sampling Thank You in his song Stan about ten years ago. At the time it was a collaboration of two of the biggest forces in music. What was that whole period like?

It was amazing – I loved it! I loved making the video, doing the shows with him, the ‘Anger Management’ tour, it was such a laugh and a brilliant time. He’s totally clever, and was so nice to me and always so welcoming and warm. A pretty amazing person, I thought.

Tell me about growing up in London – I read an interview about 10 years ago that said you and your brother grew up in a house with no television, no visitors, and funny names. Was that difficult? [laughs] It was fine! I like how everyone tries to make out it was horrendous not to have a TV! The funny names were a little bit challenging at school, but no television – hey, it’s not like I didn’t see one. I just snuck around to my friend’s house and watched Dallas on a Wednesday night. It was good in one way, in that it meant I made loads of music and read a lot – but it’s left me with an amazing lack of common sense… I don’t know anything about stars or animals or any of those things that TVs are great for.

The title of your album is taken from the name of the second track. What’s so special about this song to warrant naming the whole album after it?

It’s just one of my favourites – I love singing it, and when I recorded it I was quite heavily pregnant with Stanley. I’ve got great memories of him kicking me to the point where I thought I was going to fall over while I was singing! I think because he liked it – perhaps he didn’t – who knows!

Girl Who Got Away is now available on RCA

15

Places&Faces速 | APRIL 2013

A flying success Kiwi celebrity chef Chris Coubrough almost leaves Sarah Hardy breathless as he talks about his culinary empire, family life and future plans Find out more about his hotels and inns at www.flyingkiwiinns.co.uk

Chris Coubrough

The Earlham Arms in Norwich

H

e’s a whirlwind, is Chris Coubrough. So

full of energy and vitality that you’re a bit tired after a couple of hours in his company.

It’s no surprise that he’s so successful – he puts in everything he has and then a bit more to life in general and his business, Flying Kiwi Inns, in particular.

You might have seen Chris on telly as his series, Coastal Kitchen, was very popular. And you’ll more than likely have eaten or drunk in one of his six pubs and hotels, for sure, as they are some of the nicest in the county. At present – and by the time this comes into print it could have increased – he owns the Crown Hotel in Wells, the Crown Inn in East Rudham, the King’s Head at Letheringsett, near Holt, the Ship Hotel at Brancaster, the White Hart Hotel at Hingham and the Earlham Arms in Norwich.

It was at the handsome Earlham Arms that we caught up and I heard how his Flying Kiwi Inns company has developed over the past 10 years. Pure hard work, says Chris without hesitation, happily admitting that he’s a workaholic.

‘I am in the office first thing until about 3pm, then I collect the kids from school and then from about 6pm I will visit one of the pubs – maybe the one with the most bookings – but not always!’ he says.

So he remains hands-on – maybe not at stove every day but certainly behind the bar, clearing tables, helping in the kitchen and, I reckon, keeping a very firm hand on everything. I do get the feeling that our Chris doesn’t suffer fools gladly!

He doesn’t think himself a Gordon Ramsay sort of chef, all bad language and shouting, but there is clearly a determined person here.

After all, he employs 240 people and has a very nice turnover which he let slip!

His pubs and hotels are all individual but do have unifying factors.

They tend to be light and airy, have touches of the unusual and are designed to blend in with their surroundings. The coastal ones reflect a seaside vibe while the Earlham Arms is more urban.

And the food is straightforward, ‘not too messed about with,’ says Chris, adding that he uses as many local ingredients and suppliers as possible. ‘My meat is from the Holkham Estate, mussels from Wells and so on,’ before throwing in the odd swerve ball. ‘The onions are from New Zealand.’ Not sure whether to believe that one or not!

So all this is all a very long way from where Chris started out in life.

He was born on a remote farm on the North Island of New Zealand in 1970 (so, yes, he’s in his mid 40s). Don’t imagine it was a cute little place, rather these farms – sheep, cows and cattle – are more like villages, often with 20 sheep shearers or hay stackers visiting.

But it was remote. ‘About 280 miles from the nearest town – we went once a year for a haircut,’ he says.

It was here that Chris learnt to cook with his mum and grandmother. ‘That was how it worked, when you were too little to help on the farm, you had to help in the kitchen.’

When he was 13 life changed as his parents left the farm for the city.

‘I had always thought that I would be a farmer so the only other thing I thought I could be was a cook,’ he says.

Naturally his true talent shone through and he was successful, winning, at 18, a scholarship to study in Switzerland. Cue lots of funny stories about our country bumpkin arriving in sophisticated Europe!

INTERVIEW

After three years, in 1993, he headed to Britain, getting a work visa as one set of grandparents were from England. ‘I worked at Fredericks in Islington which was a really popular place - especially with politicians,’ he says.

But after a few years, Chris found London pretty full on, working six days a week, and longed for home but didn’t have the airfare. ‘I then saw an advert for a temporary chef in Suffolk – I didn’t even know where Suffolk was. It was £100 a week and for a month, with accommodation, so I would get my £400 airfare home.’

Yet life, as you’d expect, didn’t go according to plan. He turned up at Darsham train station and was met by Dudley Clarke, basically Mr Southwold and then the general manager of Adnams hotels in this popular coastal town.

Chris was the head chef at the Swan Hotel, that beautiful hotel right on the Market Place, for five years and met his wife, Jo, there.

‘She was waitressing to help pay her way through university,’ says Chris.

After a trip to New Zealand for Jo to meet the family, Chris returned to Southwold this time as head chef at the more casual Crown Hotel where he stayed for four years.

But that desire to run his own business was bubbling away and the couple looked around more than 50 possible properties before finally setting on the Crown Hotel at Wells in 2003. ‘As you arrive at the Buttlands, you cannot help but think how great it is,’ he says.

Since then, well, as he admits, it has been quite a 10 years.

Obviously the business has expanded but the couple are now also proud parents to Lily, aged eight, and Max, aged six. And Jo, a qualified teacher, has started to brew her own beer, Jo C’s which makes Norfolk Kiwi and Bitter Old Bustard. And, as you’d expect, Chris sells it in his pubs and hotels. ‘No point having a brewer in the family if you don’t use it,’ he laughs.

So where does Chris like to eat when he’s not in one of his own eateries. Yes, you’ve guessed it. At home – and he does love a barbie.

Well, you can take the boy out of New Zealand but not New Zealand out of the boy!

Chris will soon be back on telly in A Taste of Greenland. It is, he explains, very similar to his initial TV series, Coastal Kitchen, which saw him travelling around the region seeking out great produce and producers.

‘I spent about three months on and off in Greenland last year. It was fascinating and does make you think about how lucky you are to have access to so much food here,’ he says, adding that the food in Greenland seems to be cod, seals and, err, more seals!

And I wouldn’t put it past him to acquire a couple more establishments although, ever the good businessman, he keeps his cards close to his chest. Just hope he snaps up my local!

17

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MALLION MEETS

Ruthie Stephens

High r o l l in g Ruthie Tony Mallion meets Norfolk actress Ruthie Stephens as she rolls into Norwich in Starlight Express

Fame has played a big part in the stage career of Ruthie Stephens taking her from west Norfolk to the West End. As a young teenager it was seeing Fame the musical which fired an ambition to go on the professional stage. And when a few years later she got through auditions and landed her first London job lo and behold it was a part in – you’ve guessed it – Fame!

For Ruthie, now 28, and with a CV of top shows to her credit, things might have turned out differently. As a little girl it was sport which first attracted her interest: ‘I used to do gymnastics at Lynnsport and they suggested that I did some ballet to improve my balance. I started to do ballet and I really enjoyed the social side of it.’ She’d joined what is now the Footlights Dance Centre but soon found that none of her friends stuck simply to ballet; Ruthie was soon into tap, modern and other classes.

‘My mum said 'we can’t afford all of this' so I stopped the gymnastics and concentrated on the dancing.’ The school staged shows and young Ruthie was soon making her début at the Guildhall, quickly followed, by the time she was eight, with two seasons as one of the juvenile babes in the famous annual Christmas pantomime at the Hunstanton Princess.

She was yet to catch the acting bug. ‘I think at that young age it was more the social side,’ she admitted, but this was to change. ‘It was during my early teenage years. I remember seeing Fame at the Theatre Royal and thinking wow, people actually do this for a living. They don’t have to do a normal job.

‘From then on I decided to take it more seriously.’ Ruthie certainly did that, earning a place at the Laine Theatre Arts near Epsom at the young age of 16. Despite occasional bouts of home-sickness she made it through the three-year course. ‘My mum backed me 100 per cent; she was very supportive when I was homesick. Even now I say to her that I can’t believe she let me go at 16 – and she can’t believe it either.’

She immediately got an agent and started the rounds of auditions quickly landing a year’s contract in a West End revival of Fame, the show which had proved such a light-bulb moment. She admits it was a bit overwhelming: ‘On my opening night of Fame I did have tears at the end. I thought: 'wow I’m here at the Aldwych.' My mum was in the audience.’

What’s more for the part of Lambchops she had also learned to be a drummer. I was impressed, she was more modest: ‘It was very basic drumming – I could just about keep a beat.’ But this wasn’t the only time she had picked up new skills for a role. When she joined the West End cast of Legally Blonde, playing alongside Sheridan Smith and Denise Van Outen, it was skipping. All of which pales into insignificance compared with the show which will bring her back to Norwich Theatre Royal on roller skates in Starlight Express. That is some accomplishment!

This Andrew Lloyd Webber musical on wheels about a race between railway engines caused raised eyebrows when he announced it in 1984.

But he’d made a hit out of Cats and he proved that a show on roller Starlight Express is at the Theatre Royal from April 9 to 20. Call 01603 630000 or www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

skates could equally run – it closed in January 2002 after 7406 performances and I was lucky enough to be at the last night at the Apollo Victoria which had been specially adapted with racetracks built around the auditorium.

Two years later a new version was created for a regional tour – competition for roles was fierce. Ruthie joined the cast for what was to become the first of three tours. ‘After Fame I did my first year of Starlight Express.

Everyone wanted to do it, and the fact that I was part of it was amazing!’ All the more so, as the main requirement – be able to skate – didn’t come easy.

‘I didn’t take naturally to skating. It just wasn’t in my body. We all had five weeks at skating school,’ she said – and for three of the weeks she was still appearing nightly in Fame. It involved an early start and a trek out to Stratford for eight hours of skating before hopping on a train into the West End to perform in the other show. 'It was very hard and I slowly picked it up.’

After a year’s break, which saw her in Footloose and Jason and the Argonauts she once again laced up the roller skates. ‘It really is like riding a bike. It’s very strange but I was much better when I went back to it.’ Legally Blonde and other work followed before she put her skates on for the third time in May last year for another 12 months of racing round the stage in a musical which gives a whole new mean to the phrase fast paced.

‘Back again! Older knees and older feet and very sore at times, but I’m still learning. It’s a really cool skill and you never stop learning,’ she says. This latest new production has been revamped with new lighting and other 3-D effects as well as changes to the show itself. Ruthie plays the role of Dinah: ‘She’s a Southern Belle and one of four carriages, quite a cute and funny character to play.’ But she is also the show’s dance captain and worked with the original choreographer, Arlene Phillips, on new routines to bring it more up to date.

It is Ruthie’s job to make sure all the movement is kept up to scratch. ‘It’s a lot of hard work, you’ve got to know everyone’s part and also teach the understudies. It’s a lot of hours.’ Performing is also demanding, as she explains: ‘The whole show is on roller boots, some are on roller blades but we are on quads. We get in at about six and put on our skates. We have some exercises and a vocal warm up before putting on the costumes and make up.

‘It is really tough, especially with eight shows a week – the skates weigh quite a lot. It is definitely a strain on your body. We have a masseuse who travels with us.’ Injuries are inevitable and even with five understudies everyone is capable of taking over other roles if needs be.

It’s that sort of show!

Ruthie loves it and is keeping her options open for what she might be doing at the end of the tour. Meanwhile there’s a return to the Theatre Royal where she was first really stage-struck. She’s looking forward to being back home in Norfolk , giving her grandparents, Edna and Jack, a chance to see the show and also enjoying some of her mum, Susan's, home cooking!

19

celebrity interview

Julia Bradbury

Country to Coast This year is proving to be a big one for award-winning TV presenter Julia Bradbury. Hot on the heels of interviewing HRH Prince Charles for the 25th anniversary edition of Countryfile, her new book celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wainwright's Coast to Coast route is out this month.

Emma Outten reports

N

ot many people can claim to have interviewed royalty. But Julia Bradbury can count herself among the chosen few, having interviewed HRH Prince Charles for the 25th anniversary edition of Countryfile last month.

Julia is proving to be one of the small screen’s most popular and versatile presenters. Having taken the helm on BBC One’s rural affairs show in 2009, the show’s ratings have since soared to more than eight million viewers. 'Countryfile is a hugely popular programme, millions of people are watching,' she acknowledges. High-profile fans of her presenting style include Sir David Attenborough, no less.

Around the time she and Matt Baker were recruited, the BBC was accused of pandering to younger audiences because the two new presenters were deemed young, attractive sorts, a description Julia must have taken as a compliment as she was only just the right side of 40 at the time.

It was when she reached that milestone birthday that she discovered she was pregnant. It has been well-documented that she has suffered from endometriosis (which can lead to fertility issues), and so the pregnancy, therefore, was a 'beautiful surprise' (she continues to be involved in the charity Endometriosis UK).

Julia Bradbury's Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast, (Frances Lincoln), £14.99 paperbook and ebook, will be published on April 4.

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Julia, whose partner is property developer Gerard Cunningham, says: 'I was relieved and lucky and felt blessed that I fell pregnant and then had a successful and happy birth, and that Zeph is a happy, healthy baby. Those are all the first concerns you have whatever age you are.

'I've got quite a few friends who have also been having babies in their late 30s, so I felt in good company and I didn't feel like some isolated old woman having a child.'

Julia was straight back to work 12 weeks after having Zephyr, in August 2011, as she had already signed up to do two more projects, apart from Countryfile. One was the The Great British Countryside, with Hugh Dennis. Zeph, she recalls, 'was very much a baby on the move from the first few months of his life. It was back of the car, sterilising and breastfeeding, the whole kit and caboodle, whilst filming. That was quite a challenge and quite interesting. But you don't know how you are going to be after you've had your first baby.'

The next big project was Planet Earth Live, with Richard Hammond, which involved her flying off to Minnesota. She flew out a week in advance, and then Zeph flew out, with family, for the next four weeks.

Julia says: 'There was no way I was leaving for five weeks, and him not coming.'

Following the aforementioned projects, Julia was soon back filming all over the country with the Countryfile team. Recently, they came to Snettisham in Norfolk. 'Norfolk looked absolutely gorgeous', says Julia. The team filmed the pink-footed geese and the seal pups at Blakeney Point. 'Blakeney is just absolutely stunning. When I first peered over that ridge and saw the seals, honestly, you could have been anywhere in the world. The first thing that sprung to mind was South Africa.'

She muses: 'The worst thing about East Anglia is getting there - but the best thing about it is everybody else finds it difficult to get to so it's not overcrowded.' >>

21

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Julia Bradbury >> Thanks to the BBC TV series Wainwright Walks, we may associate Julia with the Lake District and northern England, but she grew up in Rutland ('hardly a mountainous area undulating at best') where her parents still live.

And she adds: 'East Anglia and Norwich is a place I know reasonably well - my dad worked there for a couple of years so had a home there, so it's been a part of my life.'

Her passion for the outdoors was nurtured by childhood walks with her father, Michael. Her book, Julia Bradbury's Wainwright Walks, came out last year and next up is Julia Bradbury's Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast, published to tie in with the 40th anniversary of the publication of Wainwright's A Coast to Coast Walk. 'I'll be doing various things this year, as part of the 40th anniversary,' she says.

'It's a very apt time for this book to come out and essentially these two books are a result of the ongoing popularity of the programme.' She adds: 'I think the Wainwright series and the walking programmes really changed things for me in my career. It was a hobby that merged into a work thing, and it's a great niche to have.'

But she makes the point: 'I think people think I spend my entire life in Welly boots walking in the countryside!'

In fact, there are as many layers to Julia as there are to her all-weather wear. She is a rather urbane character, who presented Watchdog, before getting the Countryfile gig. 'I'm known for consumer programmes as well and I worked in Los Angeles at the very beginning of my career.'

It transpires that she loves London and urban life, as much as she loves country life. 'If I had to choose one I would go insane. I would go completely bonkers if I had to live in the countryside seven days a week, and likewise I'm very lucky that I have the escape from London because of my work. I definitely wouldn't categorise myself as a through-and-through country girl.'

She does, however, admit to having drawers stuffed full of 'silly bobble hats'. 'It's a collection that's been procured over many years.' And yet anyone who watched the recent National Television Awards will have noticed that she sheds that image very easily when the occasion calls for it.

Last year she won the National Trust's Octavia Hill People's Award. What is it about her presenting style that endears her to viewers?

'I can obviously only go by the letters and the comments that I receive. They write good comments and bad.' Not all letters are fan mail.

One posted on her website accuses Julia of being too sure of herself. 'I am quite confident,' she acknowledges, before adding: 'I hope that I'm warm. because of the genuine enthusiasm for what I do. I love my job.

Julia concludes: 'But of course you are not everybody's cup of tea. I don't expect everyone to like me.'

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

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Neon how To wEAR ARTISTS, photographers, interior designers and of course fashion designers, all know that colour can influence how we feel. Colour is at the heart of defining mood and impact.

In fashion the most attention grabbing way to wear colour is neon. This trend is big news for spring-summer with flashes of pink, yellow, orange and green everywhere. We also saw neon in autumn-winter 2013 collections at London Fashion Week recently; with bursts of orange and green at Roksanda Illincic and detailed geometric prints with orange highlights at Issa.

The good news is that you can turn the dial up as much or as little on this trend as you want to.

Entry level is highlighting an outfit with neon accents. Accessorise with a bright clutch, cuffs, belts, statement shoes or nail varnish and team with neutral or monochrome colours. A tangerine belt for example on a plain dress can instantly create a flattering waistline. Neon yellow nails can look great clasping a pale yellow clutch bag.

Avoid confusing the This month our Chapelfield stylists shine look with too many colours though, aim for their fashion spotlight on one of the key one or a maximum of trends of the spring - neon brights! two.

A step up from working the trend with accessories is choosing one bold neon statement piece of clothing: like a blouse, trousers, skirt or jacket. For best effect combine this with neutrals. A flash of neon underneath a plain tailored jacket or lightweight cardigan can liven up your work wardrobe. Mango has some gorgeous bright orange tops in at the moment.

A good rule to keep in mind is use neon to accentuate your favourite features. If you’re a pear shape, a bright top or jacket, worn with a neutral tone, like dark jeans, on your bottom half draws attention away from fuller hips and up towards your face. If you’re fuller on the bust and want to draw attention away from here go for a bright skirt or trousers, with a neutral top. If you love your lower legs and ankles slip on a pair of killer neon heels or funky pumps; try ZARA or Schuh.

For a more adventurous play with neon, combine it with patterns.

Look for either a pattern in neutral tones or one that features a similar colour to your neon garment, to bring the whole look together. The tribal ruched dress from Linea in House of Fraser £80 (pictured) is a great example of this approach.

The most attention-grabbing way to wear neon is colour blocking, which can look amazing. Try on colour-clashing combinations of your favourite neons and look at yourself objectively. Check that the colour brightens your eyes and skin tone - making you look as fresh and zingy as the colours you’re wearing. As a general rule (of course there are exceptions) electric blue and hot pink should work for fair skin tones; tangerine, bright green and purples work for olive skin tones; and bright yellows, oranges and bright greens work for dark skin.

All pieces from Chapelfield in Norwich, visit www.chapelfield.co.uk

MAIN PIcTURE: Linea tribal ruched dress £80 House of Fraser Teenage Cancer Trust Matching Cobalt Court Shoe and Clutch Set, £99 with £35 donated to Teenage Cancer Trust, from Dune.

oNE FINAL TIP: When wearing neon, try to keep clothing lines clean and not too fussy, let the colour do the talking.

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1. Neon plain oversize stole, £15, Accessorize 2. Lime feather clutch, £159, Biba at House of Fraser 3. Pump shoe, £25, Schuh

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w o m e n ' s FA s h i o n

Workwear

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Wo r K I N g 9 - 5 Power dressing is making a comeback, says Sarah Hardy, as she picks a few pieces for the boardroom main Picture: Alice Temperley frill blouse £79, tailored trousers £99, yellow clutch bag £115, John Lewis

1. Statement necklace, £40, White Stuff, visit www.whitestuff.com 2. Tailored jacket, £129, Mint Velvet, House of Fraser, Chapelfield 3. Michael Kors navy studded tote bag, £370, House of Fraser, Chapelfield 4. Adilla court shoe, £130, Office, Chapelfield

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27

Places&Faces速 | APRIL 2013

Sporting Life Need new jodhpurs, cartridges for your gun or more fishing bait?

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T

he farm is responsible for more than 250 acres of woodland and grass margins where there are many shooting opportunities available throughout the year. And there are also many exciting off-road horse riding possibilities on the numerous farm tracks.

Donna comes from a retail background and has also worked and managed a livery yard. She currently manages one of the yards on the farm where her three horses, two ponies and a foal are stabled, as well as overseeing the store and looking after their four-and-a-half-year-old son Toby.

The shop is one of the farm’s diversification projects. Another is the busy livery yard offering horse facilities rented to Iceni Sport Horses.

James and Donna felt the farm’s original granary would be the perfect building for a shop and have carefully restored it, adding displays of cart wheels to add to the atmosphere.

Donna’s sister Tina Coe is the store manager and she is assisted

by Emma Cole. Both women have experience in retail and they enjoy looking after their own horses who are based on the farm.

This obviously gives them a wealth of knowledge to pass onto customers, such as pinpointing the most suitable and stylish riding clothes.

Donna explains: ‘We stock everything from splash suits for children to smart shooting jackets and breeches for men and women. There’s a wide range of casual wear such as cotton shirts in classic checks for all the family, pretty floral prints for women, plus

jumpers, fleeces and must-have waistcoats and gilets. We also have a large selection of over trousers for those cold, wet muddy days.’

She continues: ‘There’s also a huge selection of Wellington and leather boots to keep you warm, dry and comfortable all day. And stylish footwear for the horse rider including long riding boots, practical yard boots and safety boots. These are complemented by children’s boots, walking boots, walking shoes as well as gaiters and chaps.’

The store, which opens six days a week, also boasts a large saddlery section with a vast range of rugs, saddlecloths, bridles and boots, training aids, grooming accessories, bedding, feed and feed supplements for horses. The rider is well catered for with everyday clothing and competition wear including jodhpurs, shirts and jackets.

The shooting fraternity is offered a full range of cartridges, clays and accessories including cleaning kits, air rifle pellets, targets, decoys and hides for pigeon stalking. And anglers are not left out as accessories, a section for bait, ground bait, hooks and lines are kept in the store.

A wide range of tools is available for the farmer and horse rider ranging from grain shovels, forks and various brooms to wheelbarrows, hoof picks and leather cleaning equipment.

So, whatever your need, Broadland Country Sports should be your destination. There’s a friendly, relaxed atmosphere at the shop with staff who really know what they are talking about. Happy shopping!

Open Monday to Friday 9:30 – 5pm and Saturday 9:30 – 4pm. It is closed on Sundays.

How to find us From the A149 Great Yarmouth to Stalham road, turn towards Martham as signposted. Continue into Martham and cross the pedestrian crossing, turning immediately left in front of the bus shelter into Black Street. Follow Black Street passing the village church on your right and approximately 100 meters the road bends to the right, turn left here towards Martham Ferry and Ferrygate Lane. Broadland Country Sports is on the left just before the right hand bend. The car park is situated straight ahead.

Telephone: 01493 748924 www.broadlandcountrysports.co.uk Broadland Country Sports, The Granary, Clarkes farm, Staithe Road, Martham, Norfolk, NR29 4PT

placesandfaces.co.uk

29

Redwings Aylsham

East of England

Electric Bike Show 15 June 2013 | 10am – 5pm

Sea Life Centre Gardens, Great Yarmouth

Large range of bikes to try Electrifying Cycles 2 Church Street, Cromer, Norfolk www.electrifyingcycles.co.uk 01263 513631

Transport Electric UK Longs Business Park, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk www.transportelectricuk.com 01493 603388

A brand new visitor centre in the heart of the Norfolk countryside.

• Meet rescued horses and ponies in beautiful surroundings • Nature walks • Café

• • • •

or visit our tor Caldecott Visi Centre near th Great Yarmou

Gift shop centre Visitor centre Children’s play area Dogs on leads welcome

Entry is

free

Spa Lane, Aylsham, Norfolk, NR11 6UE Telephone 0870 040 0033 or visit www.redwings.co.uk for more information

Places and Faces (93 x 136).indd 1

3/11/2013 2:15:24 PM

Dynamic, Distinctive and Forward Looking Thorpe House Langley Preparatory & Nursery School cater for boys and girls aged 0-11

New Parent and Toddler Group We have launched a new parent and toddler group which is running during term time on a Tuesday 1:30pm – 2:45pm. Your first session is FREE and if you continue with the group, we ask that you register for a term, at £2 per session. This group offers fantastic toys and facilities in a Nursery setting, with refreshments included and access to our outstanding outdoor play area.

Early Years Open Morning All Welcome. Saturday 27th April 2013 9.30am - 12.00pm

Scholarships Available

Next Open Morning: Friday 10th May 2013 9:30am - 12:00pm You are very welcome to come to our Open Morning when you will have the opportunity to see all the wonderful facilities Thorpe House Langley Preparatory School and Nursery has to offer.

Bus Routes We offer a bus service to collect and drop off pupils with our school buses to a wide range of areas including Gorleston and Great Yarmouth as well as North Norfolk, Wymondham and Norwich.

Headmaster’s Secretary: Mrs Julie Berry Telephone: 01603 433055 or email: jberry@thlps.co.uk

Thorpe House Langley Preparatory School, Yarmouth Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0EA www.thlps.co.uk | 01603 433055 | office@thlps.co.uk

BEAUTY

Spring Looks

T r E AT o F T H E M o N T H

This is a real gem of a place and so funky – with its vintage vibe! Owner Vikki Jackson-King has been looking after clients for 18 years so certainly knows what works! I tried a delicious Spa Ritual back treatment which was a great detox. With its sand scrub, massage with Chinese jasmine and clay masque, my skin was left as soft as the proverbial! I also sampled a Jan Marini 30 minute facial called Proteolytic Enzyme! This cosmesceutical range from the USA (where else?) really works deep into your skin, helping to iron out wrinkles and increase firmness. Vikki is a really lovely lady and comes highly recommended.

picture BoBBI BRowN

rosa nail polish, Bobbi Brown £11, House of Fraser, Chapelfield

The Body and Skin Care Clinic

Cannerby lane, Sprowston, norwich, tel 01603 403891, visit the website www.bodyandskincareclinic.co.uk

MAkINGUP It is time to refresh and restock your make up bag with a few new goodies for spring. Sarah Hardy picks her favourite products that create an understated yet glamorous look healthy Glow Blusher, liz earle £21, John Lewis NEW ProDUCT oF THE MoNTH

Burt's Bees Burt’s Bees has a new range, Intense Hydration – and the night cream, at £19.99, is a real treat.

Rich and creamy, it really helps to combat dryness – without being too over powering - and it is made from natural products, too. Find out more at www.burtsbees.co.uk

Guerlain kisskiss Gloss £21, John Lewis

ellenisia eau de Parfum, Penhaligon £95, House of Fraser, Chapelfield

I A N RUSSELL

talking tourism

E xc use me , c an I see t h e manager ?

Ian Russell reckons us Brits are getting so much better at complaining!

S

o – these are the words nobody who works in a shop, restaurant, or hotel wants to hear! Legend has it that we Brits don’t like complaining; apparently the Americans and Australians are much better at it.

That was until Trip Advisor transformed our attitude to poor service. Along with Facebook, Twitter, Mumsnet, Google Review and assorted blogs, we Brits have found our voices, we feel empowered....now we will be listened to!

I will assume that you, dear reader, will either have a job or have had a job. In reality, all of us serve in our work, we serve customers, colleagues, clients, members of the team, the boss.

Can we safely assume that we have all made mistakes and that we probably didn’t intend that mistake to happen. Mostly we are fortunate to receive what is trendily described as ‘constructive feedback’, sometimes though we are at the receiving end of the ‘telling off from hell’!

Which is probably why we don’t like making a scene when the service you think you are getting is not coming up to scratch.

Nobody likes confrontation, you don’t want to spoil your day, let’s just leave it. Which is a real shame because it is possible, even probable, that the problem could be easily resolved and a lesson learnt (I hope).

If I can move from the generalities of poor service and why we do/do not complain, I would like to share some personal thoughts about good customer service in my world at Wroxham Barns. I love working in our restaurant, our shops and on our Junior Farm.

What a brilliant job... where everybody is enjoying the fruits of your labours (hopefully).

My team and I spend hours reviewing the service that we want to deliver, the quality of the food we want to serve and the entertainment we want you to enjoy. Not everything goes according to plan, we make mistakes, we misjudge demand, kit lets us down, staff get ill (or just can’t get it right on the day).

32

We want to greet you with a smile, say hello (and we may say it to you many times during your visit... we say hello to everyone we see). We hope you will find us looking tidy and ensuring that all the information you need to enjoy your day is clear and obvious.

Our team should understand that your motive for coming to see us is to have an enjoyable time. Their job is to anticipate your needs and go the extra mile, hopefully without being asked.

The profession of service is an honourable one. It is no shame to serve; and the motivation should not be thanks received but the knowledge that service was delivered to a high standard.

But what about the times when things go wrong? We keep you waiting, we get your order wrong, you felt that we should have anticipated the demands and had enough lambs to feed (hard to do!). The issue is not whether your disappointment is fair or correct. It is not true that the customer is always right, but it is true that the customer is the customer; that is the bottom line.

For us, a mistake is an opportunity to learn and a chance to shine, to exceed your expectations in how we handle your complaint, how hard we try to put matters right. But how frustrating if we are denied the opportunity to do that.

Which brings us right back to the brave new world of Trip Advisor. Technology is such that I receive a text the moment you post a review. I nervously go the website to read what you are saying. Most reviews are lovely, appreciative and positive. The whole point about Trip Advisor is to help your fellow travellers to make the right choices.

I am not sure a ‘rant’ is always so helpful to those who follow you. By all means take us to task... but what if you had made a mistake in your workplace and the first you knew about it was when you realised that everybody you work with had read a report of your shortcomings?

Please do file Trip Advisor reviews... we all rely upon them when we are choosing where to stay and where to eat. But please consider that there should be a partnership between the staff and customer. A respect and a mutual understanding that we need each other. Crushing somebody is not going to help. Telling them that they need to be better and why is helpful and important.

You deserve good service, good food, a welcoming atmosphere; when we fail you should take us to task, hopefully there and then.

I understand that that is not always possible. We make it easy for you to talk to us... with freepost cards and a presence on Facebook and Twitter. I just hope that you will allow us now or later to put matters right. There is nothing more frustrating than reading a complaint on Trip Advisor and being denied the opportunity to redeem ourselves.

I hope you will take time out to enjoy Norfolk’s excellent choice of attractions, restaurants, holiday parks and hire boats during the Easter holidays. Of course we hope you will visit us at Wroxham Barns and put us to the test. And remember that the people who will look after you are working very hard to get it right. They are part of an industry that creates jobs and investment for Norfolk. Enjoy their efforts and their welcome and help them to continuously improve.

Ian owns Wroxham Barns, visit www.wroxhambarns.co.uk

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No deposit required. Finance subject to status. Terms and Conditions apply. Applicants must be 18 or over. Guarantee/Indemnity may be required. Finance supplied by either Santander Consumer (UK) plc, RH1 1SR or GMAC PO BOX 6666. Cardiff, CF15 7YT. Offers available at participating Dealers only and not available in conjunction with any other offer. Offers may not apply to all Dealer stock. Warranty expires at 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first. This offer includes Chevrolet’s standard Customer Care Commitment of a 2 year unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty, and third year manufacturer’s warranty with a 60,000 mile limitation. Years 4 and 5 are an insurance-backed warranty up to a maximum of 100,000 miles. The warranty excludes wear and tear and serviceable items and the vehicle has to be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s servicing schedule.

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APRIL

BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00

Sun 31 March – Tues 2 April DORA THE EXPLORER Everyone’s favourite explorer with educational fun £5.50 - £16 Wed 3 April THE SOLDIERS Real life heroes and music stars £5.50 - £22.50

Sat 6 April THAT’LL BE THE DAY Rock ‘n’ roll variety show £5.50 - £23 Tues 9 – Sat 20 April STARLIGHT EXPRESS Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s dynamic musical £6.50 - £39

Sun 28 April SOLID SILVER 60S SHOW Mike Pender, Dave Berry, Wayne Fontana & New Amen Corner £5.50 - £24 Tues 30 April – Sat 4 May THE GREAT GATSBY Northern Ballet with new dance drama £6.50 - £36.50

Thur 4 April THE CHUCKLE BROTHERS Paul and Barry with family fun £5.50 - £14

Northern Ballet: The Great Gatsby

Fri 5 April SHAOLIN WARRIORS Breathtaking kung fu masters £5.50 - £24

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk THEATRE STREET, NORWICH NR2 1RL

3

Monthly Round Up

whAT'S oN

1

5

4

2

what s on Spring is well and truly here, so there's no excuse not to get out and about in April soprano

Fresh from her appearances at the England’s home matches at Twickenham Stadium during the Six Nations, our favourite Suffolk Songbird, Laura Wright, is headlining two shows this April. The first is in the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, on April 10, or, closer to home, she will be coming to Ipswich Corn Exchange on Friday April 12. Visit www.laura-wright.co.uk for more.

live legends

The Hollies will perform their classic hits, including The Air That I Breathe, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother and many more of their gems, in a two-hour celebration at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange on April 16. Call 01553 764864 or visit www.kingslynncornexchange. co.uk.

dawn Chorus

If you fancy getting up before the crack of dawn then you could join wildlife event leader Peter Walton at Blickling Hall for a Dawn Chorus Walk on April 14. But be warned, it starts at 5.30am! On the plus side, the walk will be followed by a full English breakfast. To book, call the National Trust on 0844 249 1895.

Comedy

An evening of stand up comedy awaits you at Loddon Mill Arts on April 26. The evening will be hosted by Alfie Brown and promises to be a night to remember with comedy slots by Johnny Kats, Alice Frick and headlined by BBC’s The Fast Show and Absolutely Fabulous actor and comedian Felix Dexter. Call 01508 521800.

1. Spring Fling 2. Manet, Portraying Life 3. Pianist Julius Drake 4. The Hollies 5. Laura Wright

singer

Beverley Craven will be performing all her hits from the 90s, including Promise Me, Holding On, Woman to Woman, and Memories & Love Scenes, at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich on April 12. Call 01603 620917 or visit www.maddermarket.co.uk.

Chamber Concert

Pianist Julius Drake is joined by Iestyn Davies, one of Britain’s most internationally successful singers, for an unforgettable Marble Hall performance at Holkham Hall on April 13. Programme to include Purcell and Britten. Tickets are £25 and include a glass of wine in The Saloon during the interval and an opportunity to view some of the other state rooms in the hall. Call 01328 713111, or visit www. holkham.co.uk.

london

It is the last chance to see the exhibition everyone in the art world’s been talking about: Manet, Portraying Life, finishes at the Royal Academy of Art on April 14. It is the first ever retrospective devoted to the portraiture of Edouard Manet, spanning the entire career of this enigmatic and at times controversial artist. Advance booking strongly recommended: www.royalacademy.org.uk.

Family Fun

This year’s Spring Fling – always a good bet for keeping children of a certain age entertained in the Easter holidays - takes place on April 10, at the Norfolk Showground. Whilst primarily aimed at 4 to 14 year olds there is no doubt that this is a great day out for all the family. Visit www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk to order your tickets.

All the Fun of the Fair

Last but not least, don’t forget that the East Anglian Game and Country Fair will take place on April 27 and April 28, at the Norfolk Showground. Call 08712 301102 or visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk. The Places&Faces® team will be there, so come and say hello!

35

Places&Faces

®

| APRIL 2013

The Mousetrap comes to the Norwich Theatre Royal from April 22 to April 27. Call 01603 630000 or visit www. theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

the mousetrap mystery As The Mousetrap celebrates its 60th anniversary with its first ever UK tour, Tony Mallion asks: What is the enduring appeal of the murder mystery?

B

y rights there really should be a 'by royal appointment' insignia over Dame Agatha Christie's immortal The Mousetrap. This most famous of murder mysteries owes its existence to an 80th birthday request from Queen Mary.

In 1947 the grandmother of our present Queen was asked by the BBC to select a special programme which would be broadcast to celebrate her eight decades. They probably expected the suggestion to be a concert or something similar. Instead Queen Mary was a big fan of Agatha Christie who, by then, was hugely popular with both her books and plays for stage and radio – a new radio drama was the royal request. Thus the author quickly wrote a play which was broadcast on May 26.

Soon afterwards she turned the play into a short novel before – in 1952 – turning it back into a play, this time a three-act version for the theatre. It opened at the Ambassadors Theatre with a cast headed by Richard Attenborough, then a major film star and later to become one of our leading film directors.

But the greatest mystery remains why it has continued for so long and is celebrating its 60th anniversary on November 18 having long since become the world's longest running play, notching up a staggering 25,000 performances.

In all, Dame Agatha came up with 16 plays, some original, others adapted from existing books, the first appearing in the 1920s. In 1951 The Hollow was staged, based on her book of the same name, but surprisingly with Hercule Poirot removed because she felt he would be too dominant!

It was such a success, and heralded a golden period, that she seriously considered concentrating on the theatre rather than novels. The Mousetrap opened the following year, quickly followed by the award-winning original courtroom drama Witness for the

Prosecution giving her the rare distinction of having three West End plays running at the same time.

All three were hits, yet it was The Mousetrap which remained.

Like all her works it is well constructed and keeps audiences guessing until the last minute with clues, like a stage version of Cluedo. It had a strong original cast although Attenborough's film commitments meant he had to leave after 18 months.

That might have been the death knell had it not been for the other key factor in all of this, Sir Peter Saunders. A former journalist and publicity agent he had become producer of The Hollow and struck up a good relationship with the often shy author.

Christie handed him the script of The Mousetrap in a brown paper package over lunch at the Ivy Restaurant (opposite the Ambassadors Theatre which was to become the play's home) with the words: ‘Here's a present for you.'

While Sir Peter couldn't really explain why The Mousetrap, more than any other, did so well he was a master at making the most of the publicity. Each anniversary saw him hold a mammoth party.

When the play had run for more than five years - this was long

The Mousetrap

THEATRE REVIEW

before Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables – it became the then longest ever West End run. More stories.

The thousandth performance was even bigger cause for celebration. And so it went on. Somewhere along the line The Mousetrap became a must-see London tourist attraction as beloved by foreign tourists as British theatre-goers; parents who saw it taking their children and grandchildren. It is unstoppable.

The standards are high. Each year the production is re-cast (it has provided employment more than 400 actors); the set has been rebuilt. In 1974, without missing a performance, it moved from the Ambassadors to the slightly larger St Martin's next door. In 1994 Sir Peter retired with theatre owner and producer Stephen WaleyCohen becoming the man behind the The Mousetrap, lovingly promoting it and now, to celebrate the diamond anniversary, producing the first regional tour.

There is, of course, one other vital ingredient. Though seen by millions, each one is sworn to secrecy at the end of the play and asked to promise not to divulge whodunnit. Clearly everyone is happy to comply with this. Make sure that you do!

37

Potters Leisure Resort

in 65 acres on the beautiful Norfolk coastline, SetPotters Leisure Resort is the perfect venue for

friends and family to enjoy a fantastic inclusive Break.

Open 365 days a year, you are free to choose from a wide variety of Midweek, Weekend and One Night Special breaks, all of which encompass various themes such as sports, dancing and music as well as our ever popular festive breaks.

What is included in your Break? dinner and Full BreakFaSt served in one of our restaurant

H

Billy ocean one night Special sun 21st apr Enjoy an evening in the company of one of the world’s best entertainers, plus five course dinner with selected wines included.

gareth gateS one night Special

sPorts and leisure faCilities available inCluding gym and SWimming pool

Joe longthorne one night Special

now west End star, Gareth Gates and enjoy a five course dinner.

tripadviSor

H

yoUr Price

entertain you with impressions and song, plus five course dinner with selected wines included.

£83

H

StarS of Strictly

UsUal Price £99

sun 19th May Featuring the fabulous Pasha Kovalev and Katya

yoUr Price

Virshilas with dance and a Q&A session, plus five course dinner with selected wines included.

£83

H

60’S feStival weekender

UsUal Price £109

Fri 16th June Featuring the very best in entertainment from the 1960s

yoUr Price

including The Searchers, The Fortunes, Dave Berry, Steve Ellis and Chris Farlowe, plus Gerry & The Pacemakers.

Soul StarS one night Special

H

yoUr Price

Jimmy JAmES AnD ThE VAGABonDS, GEorGE mCCrEA AnD GwEn DiCKEy From roSE royCE.

these nights are popular and will sell fast so call now to book your one night break or to get your Free Brochure call:

£89

UsUal Price £99

sun 14th July A GrEAT niGhT FEATurinG oriGinAl Soul STArS

enjoyEngland.com

£69

UsUal Price £99

sun 12th May Back by popular demand, Joe longthorne will

Potters Leisure Resort Top 25 Hotels in the UK

£89

H

yoUr Price

sun 28th apr Join the runner-up of the original ‘Pop idol’ and

Selected Wine with your evening meal

yoUr Price

UsUal Price £99

late night Entertainment in our state of the art atlaS theatre

Comfortable BungaloW accommodation

UsUal Price £109

£83

H

0844 346 0299

HOLIDAY VILLAGE

Prices are per person and based on standard bungalow accommodation. Bungalow plus and hotel supplements apply. Discount applicable to new bookings only, cannot be used in conjunction with any existing booking, offer, discount or promotion and is subject to promotional rate availability.

Our standard booking terms and condition apply.

Calls are charged at BT Standard Lo-Call Rate. Charges may vary depending on service provider and are likely to be charged at a higher rate from mobile phones.

ThEATRE PREVIEw

St George�s Theatre

Juan Martin, May 3

Sean Hughes, May 18

Book your tickets!

Juan Martin and Sean Hughes are just a couple of the acts to look forward to in the month of May at St George’s Theatre in Great Yarmouth. Emma Outten reports IF oNE oF ThE ToP ThREE GUITARISTS IN ThE woRLd or an award-winning comedian dealing with his dad’s death in a lighthearted way doesn’t take your fancy then there’s plenty more to come in May at St George’s Theatre.

Celebrated star of the Flamenco guitar, Juan Martin, will amaze and entertain you on his journey to the roots of Flamenco on May 3.

Voted into the top three guitarists in the world by US magazine Guitar Player, Juan is a native of Andalucia, where he still has a home. He has recorded 20 albums, mostly as a composer.

The show features music from his classic 1996 album, Musica Alahambra - widely regarded as one of his best and critically acclaimed in the Middle East - in which he explores the roots of Flamenco in Moorish and Indian gypsy music.

Award-winning Sean Hughes, fresh from performing two critically acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, visits Great Yarmouth as part of his extended tour, on May 18.

It has been more than a year since his father died, and Sean is dealing with his death in a way that only he can. Here is a comedy performance from Sean like you’ve never seen before, resulting in the feel-good show of the year.

The other two big highlights for May are: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Girl with the Iron Claws, about a girl in love with a bear.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Albee’s sensational play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will be presented by the St George’s Actors Company, on May 10 and 11.

Albee’s play – about sparring partners George and Martha who invite newlyweds Nick and Honey back for late-night drinks – still comes across as ferocious and fresh as ever.

Artistic Director Thom Bailey says of the in-house production company: ‘The Actors Company aims to provide theatre for, and in, the community through the creation of work, which enriches audiences intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. The Actors Company has a commitment to quality, innovation, diversity and accessibility resulting in larger, varied and broader audiences.’

The Girl with the Iron Claws arrives on May 17. Following a sellout success at Edinburgh 2011, and a critically-acclaimed tour of the UK and Ireland during 2012, comes this dark fairy-tale about a wayward girl who dares to follow her longing. I’ve read some pretty glowing reviews about this one.

As for other treats in store for May, there’s The Rat Pack, which should pack ’em in when they bring a Vegas Spectacular Show at the beginning of May. Evoking wonderful memories of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, it will be an evening showcasing some of the greatest music of the 20th century, including: Come Fly with Me, Volare, That’s Amore, Under My Skin, Mr Bojangles, and Mack The Knife.

I should also mention How To Catch A Star, a half-term treat for children based on the bestselling children’s book by awardwinning author, Oliver Jeffers; and Arsenic and Old Lace on May 31 (and June 1), when Centre Stage Players make their longawaited return to the theatre with this classic black comedy.

Call the Box office on 01493 331484 or book online at www.stgeorgestheatre.com

The Girl With The iron Claws May 17

39

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

One Singular Sensation Tony Mallion at the first night of the new production of A Chorus Line at the London Palladium We know all about chorus lines in these ere parts. No Thursford Christmas Spectacular would be complete without 18 feather be-decked highkicking dancers. Many of us were brought up on summer shows in Great Yarmouth opening with Tiller Girls. But just who are the individuals behind the teeth 'n’ smiles and tightly choreographed dance steps? That’s precisely what the musical A Chorus Line explores.

Pictures by Manuel Harlan

40

A

nd where better to stage it

than at the London Palladium, so fondly remembered by those of a certain age for the long running Sunday night shows on ITV which opened with Tiller style routines?

Here we were at the world’s most famous theatre, surrounded by an audience of celebrities, to see a show which almost 40 years ago not only took Broadway by storm but helped revive the fortunes of New York. A Chorus Line is gritty reality played out on a bare stage, which has the same impact in the 21st century.

Over a period of two hours we follow the experiences and emotions of 24 hopeful boy and girl dancers through a gruelling audition process. Quickly whittled down to 17 we know by the end only eight – four boys, four girls - will get the job they so desperately crave; but only at the last minute do we discover who survives. The plot is simple, the evening which emerges is powerful one.

Nothing much has changed in four decades. There are still far more performers out of work than ever get roles and, for that matter, there are still plenty of people outside the world of show business both unemployed and equally desperate - the morning after the opening night I opened the paper to be greeted by a headline saying 1701 had applied for eight jobs at a new branch of Costa Coffee in Nottingham.

On the surface A Chorus Line may be a hymn to the bright lights but underneath there’s a lot of dark, tough truth which makes this both so memorable and special.

And it is also now a memorial to those who created it, mainly dancer and choreographer Michael Bennett whose concept it was and who died from Aids in 1987; and composer and legend Marvin Hamlisch (he of The Way We Were and the Bond song Nobody Does it Better) who died so suddenly in August last year. Bennett got dancers to record their stories and audition experiences on tape which were given to the writer Nicholas Dante (himself a dancer) and lyricist Edward Kleban. Bennett spent more than two years in

A Chorus Line

the creative process and the show opened in a small theatre in 1975.

It quickly transferred to the Great White Way at a time when Broadway and New York had become run down and in danger of losing its charm. The show was a massive hit, garnering awards, smashing records for its eventual 15 year run and helping to spearhead the enormously successful and confidence building 'I Love New York’ publicity campaign which was a turning point.

Little wonder that A Chorus Line is described as ground-breaking.

In 1976 it opened at London’s Drury Lane and filled that massive auditorium for almost a thousand performances.

Robin Wagner’s staging is a black box with revolving full length mirrors as a backdrop. The main feature is the white line behind which the chorus stand. The on-stage choreographer is Zach, played by former EastEnder John Partridge, a commanding presence who is more heard over a mike from the rear of the stalls than seen and who wants to explore each dancer’s personality before making his final choice.

Little by little their back stories unfold as they step out of line and tell him, sometimes reluctantly, why they wanted to dance.

When Don (Gary Wood) unburdens himself even in this vast auditorium you could hear a pin drop; the highly talented Scarlett Strallen – hot foot from Singin’ in the Rain – is Cassie, once an item with Zach until she left him to unsuccessfully seek Hollywood fame. Now she just wants work and a place back in the chorus line up. Her solo, The Music and the Mirror, is a triumph.

Leigh Zimmerman is wonderfully world weary, bringing perfect comic timing to her been-there-done-that portrayal of Sheila.

In real life some of the performers in this production are making their West End débuts, a result of the open auditions held in the autumn. Somehow it all adds to the authenticity. So too does the presence of director Bob Avian, no stranger to our West End, who was the original co-choreographer with Michael Bennett. Baayork Lee, who originally created the part of Connie in 1975, re-stages the Bennett choreography which is a constant delight, giving the show such fluidity.

WEST END REVIEW

There’s plenty of great music. The hit anthem What I Did for Love is achingly led by Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Diana in a moment when the chorus stands still and becomes a choir. It is Hamlisch’s best known number from the show, added at the last minute with the idea of it having a life of its own. The other big song is the unforgettable One which the wannabes have to learn and eventually deliver in a sparkling gold lamé and top-hatted finale as once more the individuals gel back together as one single chorus line.

Lesser known, but nonetheless utterly beautiful is the number At the Ballet delivered by Sheila, Bebe (Daisy Maywood) and Connie (Alexzandra Sarmiento).

A bladder warning: the musical runs straight through without an interval because it wouldn’t work any other way; the intensity of it all just builds and builds. If you want loads of spectacular scene and costume changes for your money then give this a miss. But if you want real life and proof that less can be more, this musical is well worth the price of a ticket.

There were plenty of familiar faces in the first night audience; a chorus line of stars to support the production and add glamour to the after show party. Ronnie Corbett and director Sir Trevor Nunn sat in the row in front of me; Maureen Lipman, Gloria Hunniford, Neil Pearson and Arlene Phillips were just some of the ones I spotted in the foyer. You would expect glitterati at such a major opening night but for once perhaps they weren’t simply lapping it up and cheering on the cast – on this occasion they of all people must have known only too well how close A Chorus Line comes to reality. By the end, so did the rest of us.

A Chorus Line London Palladium, Argyll Street, London W1F 7TF (booking until January 2014) Box Office 0870 890 1108 www.achoruslinelondon.com

Tony Mallion travelled from Norwich to London with Greater Anglia trains, visit www.greateranglia.co.uk

placesandfaces.co.uk

41

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

Feast your eyes on the festival line-up There’s something for everyone at this year’s Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Take my word for it, says Emma Outten, who went along to the launchin Norwich

A

n early spring sun was shining on the day of the launch of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, just enough to get the assembled throng in the mood for the Festival month of May. The Festival has become one of the biggest draws on the international arts scene, with a history going back 240 years.

For most of its history it was a purely classical music festival, but in recent years it has diversified to include a variety of outdoor and children’s events (the MG Free events, in particular, have became firm fixtures on the family calendar).

Nigel Dyer, Regional Director of May Gurney, explained that they have been involved for the past seven years because ‘it’s our chance to give something back’.

You know the Festival has arrived when you notice the Spiegeltent being erected in Chapelfield Gardens (this year it will be sponsored by Adnams). Artistic Director William Galinsky is particularly looking forward to Baby Disco Dance Tent, at the venue. ‘I will be taking my daughter to that,’ he says.

This will be Mr Galinsky’s third year in charge. Caroline Jarrold, chair of the Festival, says: ‘Each artistic director brings their own flavour, and William is no exception. It’s a very William programme.’

Last year was a landmark year for the Festival. Mr Galinsky says: ‘2012 was a really superb year. We had one of the biggest festivals

ever.’ The Festival played a part in London 2012, and created two major artistic commissions – How Like an Angel (back by popular demand this year) and Walking, in Holkham, which brought huge attention to this part of the region. The 2013 brochure cover, set on Holkham Beach, gives a nod to that success.

‘The Festival is one of the region’s really, truly fantastic cultural events. It’s one of a number of things that make Norfolk a really world-class place, culturally, to visit,’ says Mr Galinsky.

There’s even more reason to celebrate what we have to offer this year. For one thing, Norwich was designated as England’s first UNESCO city of literature, in 2012. ‘We are all excited about that at the Festival,’ he adds.

Fittingly, the Writers’ Centre Norwich has a big part to play in the Festival this year. Ali Smith and Will Self head the literary line-up.

The other cultural development since last year is the emergence of the Norwich University of the Arts. ‘A city with two universities is really saying something,’ says Mr Galinsky.

Expectations for this year, therefore, are running high. The early showing of Black Watch at the Sportspark this month lays down a marker. The multi-award winning political and social drama is based on interviews with former soldiers who served in Iraq with the legendary Scottish regiment. Mr Galinsky says: ‘It really is one of the best pieces of theatre I’ve seen in the past five/six years – don’t miss it. It will be one of those events you wish you’d seen.’

Then it’s onto the Festival proper. ‘The Festival is 17 extraordinary

whAT'S oN

Norfolk and Norwich Festival Festival highlights BLAck wATch, national theatre of Scotland, april 17 – 20, uea Sportspark, norwich: based on interviews conducted

by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in Iraq.

FESTIVAL LAUNch, RÊVE d'hERBERT, Campagnie des Quidams, may 10 and 11, Cathedral Close, norwich: a spectacular outdoor celebration of the senses opens the Festival. oUR hUNTING FAThERS – BRITTEN IN NoRwIch, philharmonia orchestra, may 13, St andrew’s Hall, norwich: the song cycle, a vocal and orchestral tour-de-force, was commissioned for the 1936 Festival, where it was conducted by Britten himself.

FESTIVAL choRUS/LoNdoN PhILhARMoNIc oRchESTRA, may 26, St andrew’s Hall: this major event celebrates the 200th anniversary of Verdi’s birth. dANcE MARAThoN, Bluemouth Inc., may 10 to 12; 14 to 15, epic Studios, norwich: part theatre, part social experiment, this event invites you to strut your stuff to the live band.

LIFE ANd TIMES: EPISodES 1-5, nature theater of oklahoma, may 21 – 24; or may 25, norwich playhouse: you can see this on four separate evenings or immerse yourself in the full, 12-hour Saturday marathon including a barbeque cooked by the cast!

ThESE FooLISh TRAVELS, Brian Griffiths, may 11 to June 2, norwich Castle museum & art Gallery: For the duration of the Festival the Keep will host a carnivalesque collection of tents and temporary dwellings; an installation by the uK artist.

IN coNVERSATIoN wITh wILL SELF, Writers’ Centre norwich, may 17, norwich playhouse: Witness Self’s sharp wit and fierce intelligence firsthand at the Festival.

LES ENFANTS PERdUS, the adnams Spiegeltent, may 17 – 20: a modern day variety show with a twist decadence (please note the performance contains nudity).

days which starts with a dream,’ he says. It launches with two free evening events; in a spectacular opening show from France’s company Compagnie des Quidams, Cathedral Close will be transformed into a luminous dreamscape in which mysterious glowing figures become giant lanterns.

Musically, as might be expected this year, the Festival shows an appreciation of Britten’s Centenary and Verdi’s Bicentenary.

The Philharmonia Orchestra celebrates the Britten Centenary with a programme that includes Our Hunting Fathers, originally commissioned for the 1936 Norfolk and Norwich Festival and performed that year in the very same hall in which it can be heard in 2013. The closing concert, courtesy of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, features Verdi’s Requiem in its entirety.

Of course, everyone’s taste in music differs, and is there, for example, enough to offer jazz fans this year? Thankfully The Soul Rebels, offering rich New Orleans jazz mixed with life-affirming vocals, should satisfy most.

The Festival will be working with the relatively new Open Venue this year, which will be playing host to Michigan music man John Grant (already creating a buzz at the launch) and ‘the most adventurous female singer in Africa’, Rokia Traore.

Another interesting venue is Epic Studios, which will host a Dance Marathon. ‘That’s going to be great fun for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival audience,’ says Mr Galinsky.

Talking of marathons, Life and Times, by the Nature Theater of

Oklahoma, is a UK debut, and an epic portrayal of an ordinary life from a much praised New York company. Watch a single episode or enjoy a 12-hour marathon performance which includes a BBQ cooked by the cast! ‘You don’t want to be that person who wished they’d seen it and didn’t buy a ticket,’ says Mr Galinsky. Episode 4.5 & 5 will be a world premiere (but be warned it contains scenes of a sexual nature).

Special mention was made of the (Live) Art Club at Norwich Arts Centre - under its new director, it will be offering a festival club for the adventurous, ‘which describes most festival goers,’ asserts Galinsky. The Club has its own Fight Club-style rules. You have been forewarned!

Beyond Norwich, Houghton Revisited offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the most famous art collections of the 18th century, and in Great Yarmouth, the Hippodrome will be showing the UK premiere of Risque Zéro, featuring feats of breathtaking agility, including sharp objects aimed at (not literally I hope!) ages 10 and above.

A number of Festival highlights will be world premieres: including the Curious Directive’s The Kindness of Strangers, set in an ambulance outside the Norwich Playhouse. That curious setting summing up what the Norfolk & Norwich Festival is all about, to my mind.

Mr Galinsky concludes: ‘I’m massively proud of the Festival we’ve put together this year.’

FESTIVAL

King s Lynn

festival fever As if the Norwich & Norwich Festival was not enough, there’s the King’s Lynn Festival to look forward to a little further ahead.

Emma Outten previews the acts

A

world-famous orchestra, two BBC Young Musicians, the Prince of Wales’s harpist, the top-notch BBC Big Band – they’re all coming to King’s Lynn Festival in July.

Not only that, iconic jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, exciting Scottish group Blazin’ Fiddles, and leading art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon will give this summer’s King’s Lynn Festival especially broad appeal.

The 63rd Festival will be staged from July 14 to 27. Artistic director Ambrose Miller says: ‘It will be a wonderfully lively festival maintaining its tradition of excellence but also introducing some new features.’

A rousing concert entitled The Best of British will launch the festival when the 100-strong King’s Lynn Festival Chorus, the European Union Chamber Orchestra and trumpet virtuoso Crispian Steele-Perkins celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation with stirring music played during the ceremony, plus popular music by Benjamin Britten to mark the East Anglian composer’s centenary.

This year the internationally-renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will present the final concert when their programme will include Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony.

The current BBC Young Musician, Dutch cellist Laura Van Der Heijden, will join the European Union Chamber Orchestra in the beautiful St Nicholas’ Chapel, with its nationally acclaimed acoustic, on July 16 when she will perform Haydn’s cello concerto.

One innovation expected to attract national interest will be the performance of Beethoven’s complete cello sonatas on July 22. They will feature two major names - former BBC Young musician, cellist Guy Johnston, and pianist Melvyn Tan. Lynn Festival gives audiences the chance to enjoy music in some of the town’s historic buildings and on July 25 the festival will return to All Saints Church with a concert by Hannah Stone, the current Harpist to the Prince of Wales. The event has special links with Lynn as the royal harp’s strings are made by local business, Bow Brand International.

The BBC Big Band will display their impeccable musicianship on July 23, and acclaimed saxophonist Courtney Pine and his band will be in Lynn on July 19 Blazin’ Fiddles, one of Scotland’s top traditional bands who perform at the BBC Proms as well as in remote highland village halls, will bring their special brand of passionate and sensitive fiddle music to Lynn for the first time on July 26.

Main picture courtney pine

Classic Buskers communicate their passion for music through their virtuosity and humour which both entertains and educates audiences.

The two highly talented musicians will make a welcome return on July 22 having first visited Lynn under their previous guise as Cambridge Buskers.

Renowned pianist Peter Donohoe will give a recital on July 18 dedicated to the festival’s founder Ruth Lady Fermoy. London Handel Players will feature in Early Music Day on July 20 and the series of five morning coffee concerts are set to maintain their popularity on July 22 to 26. There will be a contemporary music concert on July 15.

Adding to the programme’s interest and variety will be two illustrated lectures. One of the world’s leading art critics, Andrew Graham-Dixon, who is also a television presenter and novelist, will be talking about the artist Caravaggio on July 24.

On July 17 the Royal Geographical SocietyIBG lecture will be given by respected mountaineer Stephen Venables who will give an intimate portrayal of the Everest

story to mark the 60th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing.

Film is being reintroduced to the festival in partnership with Lynn Community Film Club.

On the afternoons preceding the two talks, films complementing the speakers’ themes will be shown. The Wildest Dream will precede Stephen Venables’ Everest talk and Artemesia prior to the Carvaggio lecture.

The Festival exhibition will feature Roland Penrose’s Surrealist Camera staged in partnership with Lynn Arts Centre Trust.

The exhibition will also include a tribute to Alexander Penrose, brother of Roland, who bought Lynn’s Guildhall of St George to save it from demolition and spearheaded a campaign for it to be restored for use as an arts centre. The celebration of the re-opening of the historic building by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother marked the start of the first King’s Lynn Festival.

Priority booking for Patrons and Friends of the Festival opens at the Corn Exchange (01553 764864) on April 15. General booking begins on April 29. For more information visit www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk, e-mail info@ kingslynnfestival.org.uk or call the festival office on 01553 767557.

Marina Theatre

THEATRE PREVIEW

Marvel at what’s coming to the Marina Theatre in May It doesn’t get much bigger and better than Blood Brothers in May at the Marina, says Emma Outten as she looks forward to the month’s offerings

Blood Brothers, May 14 to 18

Being TOMMY COOPER, May 9 and 10

O

ne of the best musicals ever written comes to the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft in May. Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

Bill Kenwright’s production, having recently celebrated its 23rd phenomenal year in London, continues to enjoy standing ovations at every devastating performance, and I’m sure it will be the same story when it comes to the Marina Theatre from May 14 to 18.

Then, the man who directed Blood Brothers and Dreamboats and Petticoats, Bob Tomson, is bringing a new musical, Carnaby Street, to the theatre, from May 27 to June 1.

Set against the backdrop of London’s West End in the sixties, its iconic clubs, fashion and characters, Carnaby Street is the real musical story of a generation. It will be jam-packed with more than 30 classic hits, from that time, including Roll Over Beethoven, Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Keep On Running, You Really Got Me, and Sweets For My Sweet.

At the beginning of May, we have Dead Guilty, a powerful revenge thriller starring Anna Brecon, on May 3 and 4.

Amateur production This is the Moment to Dance brings a Bank Holiday treat for all the family on May 6. It promises to be a sparkling assortment of dance from some of the best-loved musicals of the West End, film and Broadway, including 42nd Street, Mary Poppins and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Fresh from her new TV series, Psychic Sally On The Road, on Sky Living, Britain’s best-loved celebrity psychic, Sally Morgan, returns by overwhelming public demand, on May 7.

Being Tommy Cooper, which has been nominated for four Off West End awards, including Best Production and Best New Writing, graces the Marina Theatre on May 9 and 10. Tom Green’s astonishing play finds both the brilliance in Britain’s most famous comic and explores the pressures and loneliness of fame.

Set in Las Vegas, 1954, in a small hotel room, the up-and-coming Tommy Cooper, played by Damian Williams, faces the prospect of his first big failure.

Comedian Lee Nelson brings his brand new show for 2013 to the Marina on May 11. As he says: ‘I’ve hosted Live at the Apollo, sold out my three-times extended Lee Nelson Live tour, had over two million people watching Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show, and I’ve got a brand new series Lee Nelson’s Well Funny People, coming soon to BBC3. The time’s now right... for me to come to Lowestoft!’

Due to overwhelming public demand, Dave of Chas ‘n’ Dave fame, has decided to come out of retirement and to celebrate they have put together a show to celebrate their entire career to date.

The first half of 30-minutes duration will consist of their pub set ending with Gertcha, the hit that started their success in 1979. The second half will feature all of their hits since then. Chas ‘n’ Dave are about to be seen together on stage once more in Lowestoft, on May 12.

Last but not least, Talon, recognised throughout the industry as one of the world’s definitive Eagles tribute shows, will be going through the timeless back catalogue on May 19.

As Martin Halliday, the Marina’s chef executive, says: ‘Spring is finally in the air as we present two fantastic musicals, Willy Russell's sensational Blood Brothers and Carnaby Street - a brand new 60s musical from the director of Dreamboats and Petticoats.

‘Comedy includes Lee Nelson and the return of the hugely talented Damian Williams - starring in the regional premiere of brand new comedy drama, Being Tommy Cooper. Television’s psychic Sally Morgan hosts another sell out evening and Cockney favourites Chas ‘n’ Dave return for a final time.’

Call the Marina Theatre Box Office on 01502 533200, or visit www.marinatheatre.co.uk 45

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Mirrors

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Dusk Fanfare Necklace Mirrors & Pearls £355, Eastern Mystic at Boticca.com

segamI rorriM Mirror mirror on the wall, but which one is the fairest of them all, asks Emma Outten?

Clarence Mirrored Chest £629, House of Fraser

Arabian Four Mirror £1137, John-Richard at www.interio.co.uk or 01202 717017 Pretzel Mirror £2576, John-Richard at www.interio.co.uk or 01202 717017

Bellows Mirror Table Lamp £79, Marks & Spencer

Astoria Mirrored Cube Side Table £99, John Lewis

2

1

A Zest for Living Add a bit of colour to your life, says Simon Mitchell as he shows us how to use bright shades around the home

W

ith citrus shades becoming the

palette of choice for all dedicated followers of fashion this spring, it seems the trend is making its way into the homes of the style-conscious too.

From zingy limes to bold tangerines, the bright and zesty tones can be found everywhere - from upholstery and soft furnishings to kitchen and tableware.

But don’t panic! Even if you’re not bold enough to take on the look completely, adding some key items to your home can bring a fresh and fruity touch to your spring interiors.

The citrus trend works particularly well in a contemporary setting and many of the design-led brands have incorporated the palette into their spring collections.

Style icon Conran for one has adopted lime in many of the pieces this spring, such as the retro-inspired Matador chair from the Content by Conran range 5 . A single statement chair is in fact a great way to play with this trend as it works brilliantly with other upholstery in dark or neutral tones.

The trend can be toned down further by simply adding accessories to an existing interior - a safer approach, the effect nonetheless can have great impact as seen in the use of lime cushions with a plain charcoal Conran sofa 4 .

Background story Statement fabrics and wallpaper can bring the combination of bright colours and muted tones together effortlessly to create a bold and beautiful setting. Bold, graphic designs look fantastic when used in this way and prints such as ‘Maple’ from Sanderson 2 with its zesty abstract leaf shapes, inject lively colour into any living space.

Dine in style Not to be restricted to the living room, fresh bright colours work equally well in the dining area, especially when part of a contemporary kitchen. The Italian designed and manufactured Calligaris range includes many innovative, contemporary pieces such as the Planet table paired here with the L’eau chair 3 . Available in a choice of colours, this beautiful but practical chair owes its name to the ripples emanating within the acrylic from the centre of the chair shell resembling water.

The addition of a brightly coloured table and glassware will give an instant lift to any mealtime and whether your preference is for bang-on trend contemporary or something more traditional, there is no shortage of fun and colourful ranges on offer.

3

Sits 1. Foxi chair from £395 was £529 2. Sanderson Maple available in fabric by the metre, made to measure curtains/blinds and wallpaper 3. Calligaris (Spring promotion prices) Planet table £447 RRP £526 L’eau chair £106.50 RRP £125

Jansen Tableware; from £7.95 Content by Conran (Spring promotion prices) 4. Aspen sofa £1299 RRP £1445 5. Matador chair £1299 RRP £1445

where to buy Sanderson Maple fabric, made to measure curtains and wallpaper available from Montgomery Studio, Jarrold. 01603 660661.

All other items available at The Granary, 5 Bedford Street, Norwich NR2 1AL Tel: 01603 697107 www.thegranary.co.uk

4

Spring Trends INTERIoRS

simon mitchell is the furniture buyer for Jarrold’s and The Granary

5

PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

49

WAT E R S I D E WINNER A riverside rectory – what could be more lovely, asks Emma Outten, as she looks over this month’s property particulars?

50

PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

I

magine sitting out on a stone-paved terrace of an evening and looking down your extensive lawn to a private mooring bay, while you entertain friends and family.

That is the attractive proposition that the The Old Vicarage at Horning offers. From its lofty heights it has an outstanding view down to the River Bure and the valley beyond (Ranworth Church is visible in the distance, for example).

The Old Vicarage can be found on the fringe of the Broadland village of Horning, a sought-after village in the heart of the Norfolk Broads area, which, as we know, is designated with National Park status and forms part of a 200-mile network of waterways and shallow lakes known as The Broads.

Horning itself has a good range of shops, including a post office, deli, butchers, various eateries and a pub (there’s also a primary school in the village). Horning is about 11 miles to the north-east of Norwich.

But back to the extensive grounds of The Old Vicarage: the land includes part of a mooring basin and a dyke (now, how many properties can boast one of those?) providing extensive mooring and direct access to the river and the Broads network at large.

As if this wasn’t enough, the property itself is pretty splendid. It dates back to the 17th century, although it is mainly late 18th century, with Victorian additions and alterations by the celebrated architect and designer Thomas Jeckyll in 1857.

Primarily active in East Anglia, Jeckyll began his career as a Gothic Revival architect, designing rectories and schools,

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

The Old Vicarage

GUIDE PRICE ÂŁ1,585,000 E state Ag ents Viewings strictly by appointment with Savills: Savills Norwich, Agricultural Hall Plain, Norwich NR1 3FS (01603) 229229 FAC T F I L E Riverside Rectory 5 bedrooms 3 bath/shower rooms Coach house/annexe Range of outhouses Gardens and grounds Far-reaching views Bordering the River Bure Dyke and mooring

"A beautifully restored 17th century former rectory in an outstanding and elevated rural position with far reaching views over the Bure Valley"

restoring churches and historic houses, and building and upgrading farms and agricultural edifices. Tragically, his career was curtailed in 1876 by mental illness, and he spent his last five years confined to asylums in Norwich, his outstanding contributions to 19th century architecture and design all but forgotten.

The Old Vicarage has large, bright and well proportioned rooms, most south facing and taking full advantage of the setting and wonderful views. Much period detail remains, with fine sash windows, panelled doors and original marble chimney pieces – the elegant main staircase (a sweeping staircase no less) was also designed by Jeckyll.

The property was acquired by the current owners in 2007, and since then a major programme of extensive restoration and refurbishment has been carried out. The renovation works have included complete re-roofing, wiring and plumbing, damp proofing and timber treatment and re-plastering, as well as the provision of new bathrooms and a custom-built kitchen with a four-oven Aga. Moreover, the Coach House has been converted into a useful separate annexe, although it could easily form part of the main body of the house, if desired (Jeckyll also designed the fine coach house, which is separately listed Grade II).

The house is approached from the west through electrically operated wrought iron gates via a private drive, finishing in a large turning and parking space.

To the north a tarmac drive leads to an area with raised flowerbeds and a twin bay, oak framed cart shed with

power, lighting and slate roof. Continuing on, there is a rear lawned garden with an area of orchard, a potting shed and a gate leading to the churchyard.

Furthermore, and to the east through Gothic-style gates, there is an enclosed flag-stoned courtyard garden with various brick and tile outhouses.

It might be worth noting that a pedestrian right of access is retained by the Diocese of Norwich between the staithe and the church, with a right to use the staithe and the mooring. However, the path is well screened from the house by a high hornbeam hedge and close-boarded fencing, and passes behind the outbuildings, protecting the privacy of the house.

So if you can imagine yourself sipping a G&T on the terrace and taking in the river valley view, make an appointment to view.

51

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ADVERTISER'S ANNOUNCEMENT | ARNOLD KEYS

ROY MURPHY ARNOLDS KEYS ROY.MURPHY@ARNOLDSKEYS.COM | www.ARNOLDSKEYS.COM

T R U S T A N D T E CH N O L O G Y As the firm celebrates its 60th anniversary, Keys Fine Art Auctioneers Partner Roy Murphy says that longevity is down to combining the best bits of traditional and innovation

W

hen Geoffrey Key started his auction business in Aylsham in 1953, the world was a very different place. With a new Queen on the throne, and wartime rationing still in force, most businesses were still family-owned, and the relationship between them and their customers was one based on mutual trust and respect.

Well, that same Queen is still reigning over us, but few other things have stayed the same.

We have seen the growth of large multiple chains taking over family businesses, and the High Street shops being replaced by out of town malls, all too often leading to loss of personal contact and anonymity.

I mention these things because this 60th anniversary year for Keys has set us thinking about what has changed in six decades – and what has fundamentally remained the same. Of the latter, perhaps the need for trust is right up there; as a commodity it is in short supply at the moment, and yet those businesses which survive and thrive are those which hold on to the basic founding

principles, which are still relevant today.

I am certainly not wishing myself in the past or harking back to some fabled ‘golden era’. Life in the 1950s was tough, and success then, as now, meant innovating and finding new ways to do things. Longevity in business seldom means operating with one foot in the past, even if some elements of the fundamental culture stay the same.

I was struck by the fact that a quarter of all fine art sales in our auction rooms in 2012 were made to internet bidders. Geoffrey Key could not even have imagined a situation where people sat at keyboards (or mobile phones, or tablets) across the world, bidding for pictures, antiques, books, jewellery, all being sold from the market town of Aylsham.

I often wonder what he would have made of the fact that the firm he started is now truly international, with thousands of registered bidders across the globe, and a despatch department meeting the needs of successful bidders far and wide.

Buying something valuable online requires that much-needed trust, though. Do you remember when we first started buying things on the internet? First it was car insurance

leading the way; then came companies selling books and CDs, and then supermarkets offering groceries – all commodity items, and ones you didn’t really need to view and handle before buying. Only very recently did the public gain the confidence to buy noncommodity-items online, whether it is clothes, furniture or pictures.

But even where people are prepared to do business on the web, that human trust factor is still vital, especially when it’s a question of the kind of valuable and rare items which pass through our fine art salerooms.

That is why long-established auction houses like Keys remain the place most buyers and vendors turn to for fine arts and antiques. Yes, there are auction sites out there which bypass the experts, and yes, the technology does make such transactions possible.

But technology on its own will never be the complete answer, however important it may be that we all embrace it. Ultimately we as human beings like to deal with other human beings whom we can trust, and that is the bottom line in business longevity. However much computing power we are packing, it’s the people who make the difference.

For more information, visit www.keysauctions.co.uk.

placesandfaces.co.uk

53

ESTATE AGENTS • VALUERS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Darby & Liffen Ltd are here to provide you with a comprehensive service for buying, selling, and letting property in the East Norfolk coastal area. We are totally independent and offer a first class service for buyers and sellers, based upon our extensive local knowledge and many years of experience in all aspects of property sales and management.

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Darby & Liffen Ltd, 42 Bells Road, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR31 6AN

T: 01493 600411 F: 01493 600611 E: info@darbyandliffenea.co.uk

www.darbyandliffenea.co.uk

As As Fine Fine & Country & Country Norfolk Norfolk & North & North Suffolk Suffolk enjoys enjoys ever-increasing ever-increasing sales sales of of luxury luxury properties properties throughout throughout thethe area, area, wewe areare pleased pleased to welcome to welcome NeilNeil Maclennan Maclennan on on board board as as a new a new member member to the to the team. team.

NeilNeil willwill be be focussing focussing hishis attentions attentions in the in the area area from from Caister Caister on on SeaSea to Halesworth to Halesworth Suffolk Suffolk andand across across to Beccles to Beccles andand thethe surrounding surrounding villages. villages.

Having Having lived lived in the in the area area for for many many years years andand with with over over twenty twenty years’ years’ experience experience in the in the luxury luxury property property market, market, NeilNeil knows knows hishis local local marketplace marketplace intimately. intimately.

NeilNeil hashas detailed detailed knowledge knowledge on on schools, schools, transport, transport, future future developments developments andand industry industry along along with with thethe advantages, advantages, features features andand benefits benefits of living of living in the in the area area andand is very is very well-placed well-placed to advise to advise on on local local property property values. values.

Neil Neil Maclennan Maclennan Sales Sales Manager Manager director of Sales

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NeilNeil Maclennan Maclennan If you If you areare considering considering thethe sale sale of your of your property property andand youyou believe believe youyou could could benefit benefit from from all that all that Fine Fine & Country & Country hashas to offer, to offer, contact contact NeilNeil for for a a pre-market pre-market appraisal appraisal on on 01603 01603 221888 221888 or 07768 or 07768 003614.

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www.fineandcountrylifestyles.com www.fineandcountrylifestyles.com

• A stunning Grade II Listed Converted Barn situated on the Norfolk Broads • The property is successfully run as a Bed and Breakfast but also represents a magnificent Family Home • Seven Bedrooms ; Six Bathrooms • Self Contained One Bedroom Apartment • Four Receptions including a Stunning Main Reception Hall • Stunning Breakfast Kitchen with separate Utility • High Specification found throughout with Oak, Travertine and Granite • Gardens extend to just under 1 acre with a stunning Courtyard Terrace • Triple Garage ; Additional Off Street Parking • The Accommodation extends to 7,228sq.ft

Norwich: 01603 221888 South Norfolk & North Suffolk: 01379 646020

• A beautiful Grade II Listed Former Farmhouse standing in 0.36 acres of Grounds • Five Bedrooms ; Three Bathrooms ; Three Reception Rooms • Spacious Breakfast Kitchen with separate Utility • Fantastic Range of Outbuildings incorporating an External Office, a Games Room and a Loggia • Original character can be found throughout with Exposed Beams, Brick and Fireplaces • Beautifully Landscaped Gardens which adjoin Open Farmland • The owners are currently leasing an adjoining 2.5 acres of land • The Accommodation extends to 2,635sq.ft

Places&Faces速 | APRIL 2013

a headline dish Mark Dixon, head chef at the Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth, offers us a head-turning pork dish this month

56

Recipe

IMPERIAL HOTEL

RECIPE

Crispy Pig’s Head with Pear Puree For the Pig’s Head

For the Pear Puree

Place the head in a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Refresh with cold water (this cleans the head) then cover again with water and add all the vegetables, herbs (except the parsley as this goes in when cold) and white wine vinegar. Bring to the boil and cover with tin foil, place in the oven at 130°C for eight hours.

S e r ves 4 1 pig’s head Bunch thyme Bunch rosemary 1 head celery (chopped) 2 carrots (chopped) 2 onions (chopped) 2 tbsp salt 2 tbsp black pepper 2 tbsp coriander seeds 200ml white wine vinegar 100g English mustard 100g Dijon mustard Breadcrumbs 2 tbsp parsley (chopped) Egg wash Flour for coating

Garnish 1 cup Aspall cider Handful walnuts Brown sugar Cayenne pepper 2 pears Caster sugar 2 red apples

Remove head from liquid and let it stand and cool for 20 minutes. Flake all the meat, skin, tongue and brain discarding any excess fat. Mash it all together with your hands and season. Add both mustards and chopped parsley and mix well.

Press in a loaf tin layered with cling film and chill for 12 hours. Remove from the tin and cut into 6cm x 2cm croquette size rectangles.

Flour, egg wash and breadcrumb them. Once ready deep fry at 180°C for four minutes.

Peel and core the pears. Thinly slice and place in a saucepan with the cider and a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of granulated white sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft.

Place in food processor and puree.

For the Vinaigrette

In a bowl or basin add the wholegrain mustard, cider vinegar, Aspall cider and a pinch of salt and white sugar. Whisk and, continually whisking, add sunflower oil (about one cup to taste) and again if needs be.

On a baking tray lay the walnuts, sprinkle over a little brown sugar, cayenne pepper and salt and bake in oven 160°C for eight minutes to warm.

To assemble dish

Spoon the pear puree in a bowl with the walnuts. Add a slice of red apple, pour vinaigrette round and place the crispy pig’s head in the middle. Garnish with baby leeks if wished.

W ine C h o ice

2010 Riesling, Trimbach, Alsace, France Nick Mobbs, director and wine expert at the Imperial Hotel, says: Unquestionably one of the greatest names in Alsace, the Trimbach family, based in the picturesque town of Ribeauvillé, has been involved in making wine since 1626 and has, over 13 generations, built an enviable reputation for the quality of its wine making. From the Pinot Blanc through to the iconic Clos Sainte Hune Riesling, the wines are considered the benchmark for quality, consistency and style in Alsace.

Wholegrain and Cider Vinaigrette 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp Aspall cider 1 tbsp cider vinegar Sunflower oil

Riesling is the king of grapes in Alsace and I am not sure how it happens but it is the perfect match for the cuisine of the region, including pork based dishes and the famous Quiche Lorraine.

Pig's head is not an Alsacian dish (that is a region, not a dog!) but Trimbach Riesling is the perfect wine to go with it: elegant and classic, with hints of white peach and grapefruit on the nose, fully integrated and excellent with food. The minerality and crisp lemony backbone work really well with the rich flavour of the pork and match up to the acidity in the puree and vinaigrette. When you make the dish make sure you buy the wine or, even better, come and try it at Café Cru.

• A team of brilliant chefs • Superb wine list • Laid-back atmosphere The perfect restaurant for dinner or Sunday lunch. At the Imperial Hotel, North Drive, Gt Yarmouth, NR30 1EQ. To book call 01493 842000

www.cafecru.co.uk

Sunday 12.30 - 2pm Monday - Saturday 6.30 - 10pm The Terrace is open daily. For opening times & menu go to imperialhotel.co.uk

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

Pure escapism In the second part of her look at the Loire Valley, our wine writer Poppy Seymour can barely hide her joy

F

ollowing our in-depth look at one of

my favourite properties in the Upper Loire last month, it is time now to explore some of the other delights of this magnificent region with its fairy tale castles and long, lazy river.

The Loire River flows through more than 80 different appellations, from Muscadet on the Atlantic coast to Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé in the heart of France. So large is the area that it is generally regarded as a series of smaller regions: Pays Nantais, AnjouSaumur and Touraine.

The majority of wines produced here are white, mainly made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne, while reds emanate mainly from Cabernet Franc with a smattering of Pinot Noir along the way.

Muscadet is one of the most popular wines coming from the Pays Nantais, made from grape variety Melon de Bourgogne. An excellent example comes from Bruno Cormerais, a vigneron by birth, who tends 30 hectares of vines near La Chambaudière, a tiny village on the banks of the Loire.

His cuvée Chambaudière is made from the fruit of his young vines and the wine sees typically eight - 12 months sur lie before bottling, adding depth and aromatic character. It is a lip-smackingly crisp, ultra-dry white that sits perfectly alongside a platter of fresh oysters or shellfish.

The Anjou-Saumur area has often been described as a microcosm of The Loire Valley, producing wines from virtually every grape variety and style found in the region. Probably the most well-known is the eponymous Rosé d’Anjou but in addition to what, for many, is a reminder of student drinking (and plenty of it!), we find both deliciously dry and lusciously sweet white wines here as well as some sassy reds.

Within this vinous enclave lies the tiny appellation of Savennnières, just south-west of Angers. Here the Chenin Blanc grape - known locally as Pineau de la Loire - is responsible for producing wines of tremendous verve, concentration and longevity. For a perfect representation of this elegant style look no further than Domaine La Roche aux Moines, where Monique and Tessa tend their tiny estate of less than seven hectares. Their vineyard practises are orchestrated to protect the environment, yields are low and organic fertilisers are used.

Poppy is an independent wine consultant offering expert advice on which wines to buy, whether for a celebration, investment purposes or simply quaffing! She will be delighted to hear from you so please feel free to contact her on 07760 793996 or poppy@belleepoque-life.com for more information.

58 Thierry Germain

WINE REVIEW

Loire Valley

Thermo-regulated stainless steel vats and a gentle pneumatic press maintain the purity and quality of the fruit throughout.

With diamond-bright acidity and stunning minerality, it cries out for a fillet of wild salmon or breast of chicken in white wine sauce. Delicious.

Some of the finest reds in the area come from Domaine des Roches Neuves, a 50 acre property in Saumur owned by charismatic Thierry Germain, whose family have made wine in Bordeaux for generations. He made the move here some 20 years ago and produces really serious reds of great purity and silky structure.

Thierry is an avid supporter of bio-dynamic practises so all the harvesting is done by hand and vinification handled in small batches, with bottling neither fined nor filtered. The style is one of ultra-ripe, generous fruit and supple textures. His cuvée La Marginale is only made in exceptional vintages and using the ripest Cabernet Franc grapes from south-facing slopes, very intense and concentrated, oozing power and elegance.

As well as sensational reds, Thierry produces a Saumur Blanc from a plot of vines some 85 years old that is truly in a class of its own. L’Insolite is a wine to give you goose bumps on your goose bumps. 100 per cent Chenin Blanc, the grapes are harvested in several picking sessions according to ripeness.

This is a magnificent white to accompany lobster or any saucy fish dish, and it also works a treat with Oriental food.

Touraine is the district at the very heart of the Loire Valley

and one of the finest, crispest, grassiest Sauvignon Blancs you will find is made here by Guy Allion, one of the leading lights of the area. His estate is managed according to the organic 'Terra Vitis' programme, which encourages respect for the environment and in-depth knowledge of the land, using only natural solutions. An archetypal Sauvignon de Touraine, the nose is of elderflower cordial and freshly mown grass, the palate pure gooseberry fool and the finish zesty and full of life.

A great wine for salads and seafood.

No round-up of the Loire Valley would be complete without a beautiful Vouvray. Domaine Champalou produces dry, demisec and petillant styles that perfectly showcase the Chenin Blanc grape. Forced to choose a favourite, it would have to be their thrilling special cuvée Le Portail. Only three hundred cases of this fascinating rarity are made each year from grapes grown in an enclosed south-facing micro-terroir. This is an intense, oak-matured beauty of crystalline purity and amazing finesse and perfect with some local goat’s cheese or spicy saucisson.

Just imagine sitting in a riverside restaurant with a bottle of bright, sassy white and a plate of fresh crayfish or a sleek, slatey red alongside an artisan cheeseboard. You drink and you eat, and the wine seasons the food, and the food seasons the wine, and the sunshine and the scenery season your mood.

The Loire Valley: the perfect antidote to real life.

59

F OOD G A L L E R Y: R E S TAU R ANT S & F OO D P R O D U C E

Loddon Mill Tea Rooms

Courtyard Café

Albatros

We are delighted to invite you to join us for refreshments, traditional teas and coffees or light lunches in a beautiful setting. Loddon Mill Tea Rooms straddles the River Chet with stunning views down the river – kingfishers, swans, ducks, yellow wagtails and wrens are common visitors. Listen to the river underneath as you enjoy a refreshing break from your strolls along the broads. This historical building with its industrial ironwork and exposed beams provides a welcoming retreat from the hustle and bustle of town.

Our vintage furnishings make a real eclectic mix with everything up for sale, the dining experience changing as the furnishings and decorations are sold and replaced. We look forward to seeing you here.

Situated within Pensthorpe Wildlife & Gardens, the renowned Courtyard Café offers a wide variety of high quality, locally sourced meals. Even if you do not have time to explore the wonders of the Pensthorpe reserve, the fully licensed Courtyard Café is well-stocked with a great variety of teas, cakes and pastries; making it a perfect place to stop for delicious home-cooked food or a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

The Albatros, which is moored at Wellsnext-the-Sea, is a 100-year-old Dutch clipper, built in Rotterdam. The beautiful vessel was built for Johannes Muller from Middelhanis, Holland, where she remained until being sold to a Danish owner, believed to be Captain Ramussen, who used her as a cargo ship to export grain from Scandanavia. In 1983 Tonn Brouwer bought and fully restored her. The Albatross is a Dutch style café bar and restaurant serving sweet and savoury pancakes and other Dutch specialities. Have your meal alfresco on the main deck and enjoy the views of the harbour. Fully licensed bar, real ales, live music and bed & breakfast. Private and corporate parties welcome.

Open: Monday closed; Tues-Sat 10am-5pm; Sunday 10am-4pm A: 45 Bridge Street, Loddon NR14 6NA T: 01508 528085 W: www.loddonmillvintagetearooms.com

Open: Every day from 9am-5pm (Food served 12-2.30pm) A: Pensthorpe Wildlife & Gardens, Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 0LN T: 01328 851465 W: www.pensthorpe.com

Orchard Farm Shop

Filby Bridge Restaurant

Planet Spice

We look forward to you visiting us at Orchard Farm Shop. Pork is reared on the farm and butchered in the shop, along with local lamb. Gluten-free sausages and pork burgers as well as low-fat sausages are also available. Free-range eggs collected daily, plus a selection of local jams, chutneys, honey, rapeseed oil and apple juices. Low food miles and friendly service. Orders taken. Find us on the A146, five miles south of Norwich.

Where the views are as good as the food.

THE SPICE TRAIL...

Planet Spice is an Indian restaurant in the heart of the Norfolk countryside. Our aim is to provide an exquisite, unrivalled range of authentic and imaginative Indian dishes to all food lovers in the area. We are dedicated in our approach to healthy eating, which demands we use the highest quality, fresh, organic ingredients. All spices are freshly ground to maintain natural flavours and aromas. Absolutely no additives are used in our kitchen.

Open: Thursday 10am-6.30pm, Friday 9am-6.30pm, Saturday 9am-4pm A: Orchard Farm Shop, Holverston, Norwich NR14 7PH T: 01508 480369 W: www.orchardfarmshop.com

We offer a fantastic range of fresh fish & seafood dishes as well as a variety of steak and meat dishes.

Our a la carte menu is served in the evening.

See our website for more information www.filbybridgerestaurant.com At lunchtime we offer traditional home cooked lunches which include fresh fish.

There is also a 3 course Sunday lunch available - booking is advised.

So come and enjoy great food with fantastic views.

A: Main Road, Filby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk nr29 3aa T: 01493 368142 W: www.filbybridgerestaurant.com

Open: 12 noon until late A: Quayside, Wells-next-Sea, NR23 1AT T: 07979 087228 W: www.albatross.eu.com

Open: Every day for lunch 12-2pm and dinner 5.30-11pm A: 2 Filby Lane, Ormesby St Margaret, Great Yarmouth, NR29 3JR T: 01493 731111 / 01493 731101 W: www.planetspiceormesby.co.uk

Franck Pontais

RECIPE

Pick and Mix This month our French chef Franck Pontais offers us some rather tasty little treats.....

Monkfish and smoked cured belly with puy lentils and parsley Mise en bouche (pre starters) for 10 people

Black pudding and braised apple served hot in a shot glass with a flambĂŠ of Cognac Mise en bouche (pre starters) for 10 people 450g black pudding 2 Pink Lady apples 10g unsalted butter 2 tbsp brandy/Cognac Salt and pepper Oil for frying

1. Buy the most common sized black pudding, (not the big diameter), and cut 10 slices of 2mm thickness. Deep fry the slices and let them cool down on tissue paper.

2. Cut the rest of the black pudding into little cubes of 1cm.

3. Peel and score the apples, reserve 10 wedges on the side, and cut the rest into cubes.

4. In a hot pan, melt the butter and sear the apple cubes first, adding the wedges for two minutes.

5. Add the cubes of black pudding and carry on cooking for another two minutes.

6. Pour the brandy or Cognac into the same pan and flambĂŠ.

7. Season to taste and arrange in small shot glasses.

8. Garnish with the apple wedges and a fried slice of black pudding.

pictures: ANDREW FLORIDES, www.andrewflorides.co.uk

300g of monkfish 100g of smoked cured pork belly 300g of dry puy lentils 500ml of chicken stock Quarter of a bunch of flat parsley 1 tbsp of finely diced onion Salt and white pepper

1. Soak the puy lentils in cold water for two hours, rinse them and drain.

2. Cook them in the chicken stock on a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

words: FRANCK PONTAIS, WWW.FRANCKPONTAIS.CO.UK

3. Meanwhile, finely slice the pork belly (or use pancetta) and cut the monkfish into 10 strips.

4. Wrap each strip of monkfish with the pork belly and cook in an oven at 220oC for 15 minutes.

5. Once the lentils are cooked, drain them, season and add some chopped parsley and onion.

6. Spoon the lentils into glasses and place the wrapped monkfish on top.

7. Use a bamboo skewer to make it easy to eat.

61

GETTING AHEAD James Spicer finds some good food in the heart of the Suffolk countryside

T

here was a definite air of déjà vu when I was asked to go along to the Duke’s Head, Somerleyton, to sample the food and drink on offer. In truth I knew little about the village except for its magnificent hall, and, more particularly, its famous maze in the gardens. I wasn’t even aware that the Duke’s Head, the village pub, was actually part of the Somerleyton estate.

But what I did discover after minimal research was that the Duke’s Head has become part of the empire administered by the remarkable Sarah Jane Roberts who, at 36, has a considerable portfolio of pubs, clubs and restaurants under her belt.

The ‘Duke’s’ is a fairly recent acquisition. Ms Roberts acquired not only the pub but Fritton House Hotel and Restaurant.

Now it’s many a year since I set foot in Somerleyton. It was probably in my far-off cricketing days when we used the Duke’s Head for an after-match inquest. Whatever it was like then is lost in the mists of time; but I wager it didn’t have the class that it has now.

Travelling from our home in Norwich I took the precaution of consulting the Google oracle to get my bearings. ‘Turn right into Slug’s Lane’ didn’t exactly fire the imagination, and, when we did so, on a rainy and blowy night, it appeared to be just another narrow country lane. I began to wonder if the Duke’s Head was some kind of culinary Brigadoon. Then, suddenly, a glow of light and we had made it!

First signs were good. A car park full of cars. A busy restaurant is usually a good one, I reasoned, and was not mistaken.

Opening the door to the cosy public bar the heat from the wood-burner was like a warm handshake, and really set the tone for our evening.

restaurant review

The Duke s Head

Contact: 01502 730281; or visit www.dukesheadsomerleyton.co.uk

Our table was ready but we elected to take a comfortable chair at the restaurant bar and let a glass of New Zealand Fern Leaf Sauvignon Blanc (a very reasonable £19.95 for a bottle) take away the rigours of negotiating the twists and turns of the road to Haddiscoe, and over the marshes to St Olaves.

We studied the menu while doing this and it was immediately obvious that the choices on offer reflected the Sarah Jane Roberts style we had noted on a visit to one of her Norwich outlets, Farmer Browns. Imaginative, nicely presented and with use of local produce, but at the same time reasonably priced.

For our starters my wife chose the goat's cheese and caramelised red onion tart, with baby leaf and balsamic dressing (£6.50) while I selected the Tempura plaice goujons and homemade citrus mayonnaise (£5.95). Using the feather light batter treatment of the latter technique, and getting it right, can make or mar a dish like this: but these were delightfully dainty and got the meal off to an ideal start.

Other starter choices included creamy garlic and thyme sauteed mushrooms on toast; roasted butternut squash soup, creme fraiche and parsnip crisps; local game terrine, cumberland jelly and toasted sourdough; and a classic Cognac prawn cocktail, with prices ranging from £5.95 to £6.95.

Having been deprived of the fishy starter, my wife immediately selected the pan roast salmon with crispy leeks, creamed potato and rich white wine sauce (£9.95) for her main.

Tempted though I was to try the cider-braised belly of pork (a tour de force at Farmer Browns), I eventually asked for the Norfolk sausages and wholegrain mustard mash, crispy onions and rich gravy (£7.95).

Excellent choices, both, as it turned out. I love sausages and am a regular customer at a noted stall on Norwich market. The Duke’s Head variety is supplied by a local butcher, Cleveleys, of Halesworth. Firm, meaty and with not a trace of waste, my trio of sausages were top-class, perfectly set off by the tasty mash, the onions and some wonderful gravy.

If either of those don’t appeal, then the mains choice is wide and varied – from 8oz ribeye of beef with chunky triple-cooked chips, onion rings and Béarnaise sauce; creamed celeriac and apple crumble, with black pepper buckshot; 6oz hand made beef burger with all the trimmings, chunky triple cooked chips and homemade ketchup; or pesto linguini with pan roast chicken breast, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan.

The puddings choice is again nicely varied, but we both chose the lemon posset as a fairly lightweight end to a most satisfying meal – which it was. All the sweets are priced around the £4.95 mark.

All this was done in most pleasant surroundings. Granted we were there on a chilly and wet winter evening, but the potential for summer trade here was obvious, with some nice outdoor seating. The pub, of course, overlooks the River Waveney, making it an attractive destination for sunny days.

63

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

A Taste of Italy GIARDINO ITALIAN RESTAURANT & BAR, Sparrow's Nest Gardens, Lowestoft, 01502 562755, visit www.giardinoitalianrestaurant.co.uk

64

Emma Outten savours a glorious new Italian restaurant in the historic Sparrow’s Nest Gardens in Lowestoft

H

eading out for a post-Mothering Sunday ladies’ lunch, one might expect, for example, the scent of spring in the air, or at the very least a daffodil or two trumpeting our arrival.

Not a bit of it the day we went to new restaurant Giardino’s in Sparrow’s Nest Gardens, in the North Denes area of Lowestoft. Driving from Norwich to the most extreme easterly point in the UK, we were facing the most extreme weather conditions, even by this winter’s standards.

Thankfully, I’m happy to report that the food awaiting us at the Italian Restaurant & Bar more than made up for the wind chill factor.

We made a meal of finding it, however (probably not helped by having a map of Norfolk and not Suffolk in the boot of the car), but we made the smart move of driving down The Ravine, and there was a sign for Giardino’s, nestling at the bottom of Sparrow’s Nest Gardens.

Entering the gardens from the seafront side reveals a corner of Lowestoft history hitherto unknown to me. The Gardens were once part of a private estate, owned by Robert Sparrow, although the council bought the gardens in the 1890s.

Entering the gardens from this side, to the right is a building called the Lowestoft Cine & Camcorder Club, which used to be the booking office to the Pavilion Theatre. No longer there, it was once a showcase to the likes of Benjamin Britten and Norman Wisdom. In fact, had it still been open (and not demolished as it was in 1988) it would have been celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year. In 1913 the Borough of Lowestoft had commissioned the theatre, which seated 1,300.

To the left is a spacious and modern building where Giardino’s can be found. The portentous signs are all there on entry: wellbehaved children welcome, and shirts to be worn at all times! And a word to the wise, Giardino’s favours very modern (and marbled)

Giardino RESTAURANT REVIEW

unisex toilets complete with sensor lights, heralding your entry.

The restaurant has a large lounge bar area, a conservatory, outdoor seating and another eating area besides. We opted for the conservatory and looking out on very unseasonal snow-covered gardens.

Opposite is the popular Martello's Coffee House, part of the same family of restaurants. That building hints at more history: in 1939 the Royal Navy commandeered the theatre and the grounds to set up the HQ for the Royal Navy Patrol Service, known as HMS Europa. And from our vantage point we could also see the bandstand dedicated to the service during the Second World War .

Giardino’s is the baby of the family and is keen to establish itself a lunchtime destination (it succeeded on Mothers’ Day) as well as a dinner destination.

They certainly did enough to persuade us ladies who lunch.

Warm sundried tomato dipping bread soaked up by olive oil and balsamic vinegar and olives went down well, alongside a glass or two of Pinot Grigio (£3.95 for 175ml) and Pinot Grigio Blush.

My friend had the homemade roast plum tomato soup from the specials board. She reported that it was good and hearty, with masses of fresh herbs and ‘almost a meal in itself’.

I opted for the Tre Colori Insalaltata (£6.10), comprising sliced mozzarella, plum tomato, and fresh basil. I’m not normally one to salivate over a salad but the herb baked croutons really were something to write home about.

Onto the main event, and my friend had one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, Pollo Cacciatore: oven baked chicken slowly braised in a tomato, smoked bacon and mushroom sauce, served with herb roasted new potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables.

She exclaimed that there was almost too much chicken, (three breasts at the final count under the ‘deliciously rich’ sauce, which was neither heavy nor overpowering. ‘A real taste of Italy’, was the verdict. And it was great value (considering those pollo portions), at £9.95.

I’ve never noticed her not finish a meal (put it this way, she’s from hardy stock) but the third and final breast appeared to defeat her.

I went for the King prawn and crayfish risotto served with baby spinach and a parmesan crisp. I should have noticed on the specials board that, at £6.45, this was meant to be a starter but the restaurant manager was accommodating enough to turn this into a main, for me (the specials board is changed once a week).

I had almost opted for the Peroni beer battered cod infused with pesto and served with pea puree, hand cut chips and homemade tartar sauce, but was pleased I’d chosen the risotto, with good smattering of seafood and Parmesan aplenty.

Pole-axed by the pollo, my friend skipped the tiramisu, but I devoured the mixed berry gateau with Bellini sorbet and citrus cream (a very reasonable £4.50).

The decor was simple and unfussy: touches of aquamarine(very apt given the location) here; flashes of burgundy there and a good mix of seating options, including bar stool height chairs and tables. The ambience was very chilled, the service gloriously unpretentious and friendly, and we came to the conclusion that it would be a perfect place to wind down after a family day out to nearby Pleasurewood Hills, for example, eating al fresco on a summer’s evening.

The children’s menu is a reasonably priced £5.95 and contains nice Italian touches you would expect such as Spaghetti Bolognese served with a garlic ciabatta, and Neopolitan ice cream.

Speaking to the restaurant manager, Jo Brown, Giardino’s would be a perfect place for a midweek wedding reception venue.

The gardens are picturesque and there’s a real sense of local history here.

Giardino’s opened on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend and so is very much still in its infancy, but is in the perfect position to do well. It’s in landmark area of Lowestoft and how often can you say you drove down a ravine to reach a restaurant?

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The Pier Hotel Harbourmouth, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 6PL Tel: 01493 662631

A R T D E CO G L I T Z With the holiday season ABOUT TO BEGIN, Emma Outten takes a tour of the newly refurbished bedrooms at the Pier Hotel in Gorleston and finds much to like

ADVERTISER'S ANNOUNCEMENT

The Pier Hotel

O

f course it always helps when you throw open the patio doors to your south-facing hotel suite and the spring sunshine bathes you in the promise of warmth yet to come.

The new Sunrise Suite at the Pier Hotel in Gorleston is a showcase suite overlooking the Sunrise Coast. As you ascend the stairs of this historic hotel, which dates back to 1897, the name of the suite greets you, with its Art Deco style lettering (very ‘now’, with the Great Gatsby film about to enter our cultural consciousness).

In fact, the Art Deco design permeates throughout the hotel, which is very in keeping with this part of Gorleston – the 1930s Ocean Rooms is its nearest neighbour, for example. And yet with free Wi-Fi throughout this is clearly a hotel which is firmly embedded in the 21st century.

Entering this flagship room makes you feel like one of the stars of the forthcoming film. Bespoke bedroom (and bathroom) furniture greet you, and carpeted steps up to the balcony add to the sense of grandeur. Ahead of you is a sweeping view of Gorleston’s wide, sandy beach.

The Scott family (who ran Gorleston’s Cliff Hotel for 40 years and are also behind the Prom Hotel in Yarmouth) are behind the Pier Hotel: father Rodney, daughter Margaret Goss (married to former Norwich City footballer Jeremy) and son Ian. They bought the hotel in 2008. Ian said of their strong local links: ‘When we came back to the Pier it was like coming home – we do know a lot of people.’

The refurbishment of three-quarters of the bedrooms has been an ongoing project, and includes the aforementioned Sunrise Suite, which is actually a new addition, and boasts an adjoining room, if so desired. Ian says: ‘We’ve gained two new bedrooms by converting the upstairs lounge into two lovely suites.’

This takes the total number of bedrooms to 20 at the last count.

‘We are constantly refurbishing and sourcing stuff,’ says Ian. Ian said local businesses were involved in the refurbishment project (‘we try and keep everything as local as we can’) and explained the thinking behind the bespoke furniture. ‘All the furniture is handmade specifically for each room, in order to utilise that space properly and give more sense of space.’ In the bathroom, the glass tops are also bespoke and have attractive curved corners. The bathrooms are either kitted out with marble or travertine tiles.

‘We have tried to develop the bedrooms sympathetically with the age of the hotel, but with a modern twist,’ says Ian. They were also energy conscious in their thinking. They have had 16 solar panels fitted and energysaving light sensors fitted in the corridors and bathrooms.

The Scott family are understandably proud of the high end finish and recently held an open day for the likes of the Great Yarmouth Tourist Authority and other companies to cast an approving eye over the new changes. And they rightfully assert on their website that the Pier is one of the most beautifully situated coastal hotels in England (the other side of the hotel overlooks the mouth of the River Yare and Great Yarmouth’s bustling river).

A quarter of the hotel building has been re-pointed, the car park has been resurfaced, all the bedroom corridors have been refurbished, with new carpets throughout, and the bedroom doors have been fitted with hi-tech proximity locks, so a lot of labour and love has been put into the Pier in the last five years.

‘We like to keep it so it still looks new,’ explains Ian. The bar area – called the Pub on the Pier - was the first to undergo a refurbishment, re-opening in 2010, and boasts an impressive skylight – again very Art Deco in design. And the Art Deco-inspired chandeliers in the restaurant – flown in from New York, are something to behold. The specials menu in the bar, as you can imagine given the location, is full of fish options – herring milts with garlic butter for starters (very befitting, considering that Gorleston is within a whiff of Yarmouth, the home of the so-called ‘silver darlings.’) And the bar always has Adnams’ Southwold Bitter, on tap, with Southwold a little further down the coast. The hotel caters for everyone, and is very inclusive in that respect. ‘We like to see 18-year-olds sitting down with 80-yearolds, having a conservation,’ says Ian. Not for nothing the Pier was named top hotel for customer service in the 2010 Great Yarmouth Tourism Awards.

Margaret agrees: ‘We are very hands-on (especially me). You have to be to give it that personal touch and we are such a friendly hotel. There’s always one of us here, pretty much any time of the day or night.’

But back to that sublime view from the Sunrise Suite. Ian observes: ‘The views are fantastic, overlooking the bay.’

And he imagines: ‘How lovely for the guests to have a morning run or an evening run. It’s beautiful. I was living here before we did the suite, and I’d have a run up to Corton. Sometimes the sea would be like a millpond, just before the sun would set.’

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roger hickman’s roast loin and deep-fried braised shoulder of wild boar with roasted apple and turnip three ways serves 4

For the wild boar 1 loin of wild boar 1 shoulder joint of wild boar 1 carrot 1 onion 1 stick of celery 1 ⁄2 leek 2 sprigs of thyme 100ml red wine 300ml chicken stock 1 egg, beaten panko breadcrumbs Sage leaves to garnish Seal the loin in an oven-proof frying pan, and then transfer into an oven at 200°C – a little longer if you prefer your meat slightly more cooked.

Cut the shoulder joint into three, and seal it in a little oil in a pan.

Chop the vegetables fairly small, and put these, and the thyme, into a casserole dish, and roast in

the oven uncovered at 150°C for five minutes. Now lay the shoulder pieces on top, and then pour in the wine and stock to cover the meat, adding a little more liquid if you need to. Cover, return to the oven, and cook for two and a half hours.

Let the meat cool a little, and then shred it. It will have enough fat for you to be able to form it into small balls. Roll these in the beaten egg, and then in the Panko breadcrumbs. Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Strain the braising liquor, and then reduce by about three-quarters in a pan, and keep this to serve with the meat.

For the roasted apple 1 Granny Smith apple 1 tbsp caster sugar a splash of apple juice

Peel and core the apple, and slice into eight pieces. Roast in a dry saucepan for a minute or two, and then add the sugar and allow to caramelise. When the slices are golden brown, add a splash of apple juice to the pan to deglaze it; the steam will continue to cook the apple.

For the turnip three ways 4 turnips 50g butter approx 50ml double cream approx 50 ml milk 100ml white wine vinegar 50g caster sugar 50ml water First make the confit turnip: peel and grate two of the turnips.

Melt the butter in a pan, and caramelise the grated turnip very slowly – this should take about 30 minutes.

For the turnip puree, take another turnip, peel it and chop it into small pieces. Put in a pan and cover with the milk and cream – only enough to cover the turnip.

Season with salt and pepper, and then cook slowly in the pan for 15-20 minutes until the turnip is completely soft. Strain off any excess liquid, then blitz the mixture in a food processor, and pass it through a sieve. Reheat in a fresh pan, adding a little of the cooking liquid if necessary.

For the pickled turnip, peel the last turnip, and slice it very thinly with a mandolin. Bring the vinegar, sugar and water to the boil, and then pour over the turnip slices.

To serve, garnish with sprout tops which have been cooked in a little butter and a tablespoon of water, and tiny sage leaves.

RoGeR HICKman is chef-proprietor at Roger Hickman's Restaurant in upper St Giles, norwich. more details at www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com.

Wild Boar

NORFOLK PRODUCE

Wild a b o ut boar Pictures by ANDY NEWMAN ASSOCIATES, NORWICH

In the latest of our monthly series profiling some of the region’s top food producers, food writer Andy Newman finds wild boar being farmed near Bungay, while top Norfolk chef Roger Hickman creates a mouth-watering dish which brings out the best of this flavoursome meat

A

s a regular gastronomic visitor to France, I have often lamented, over a plate of locally-hunted wild boar, that this is a meat which is all too rare in Britain. Perhaps it’s because we don’t have the same democratic hunting culture – unlike in France, shooting and hunting is mainly the preserve of the moneyed minority – but wild boar seldom appears on our plates.

That is a shame, because the meat is delicious. Dark in colour, it has a texture akin to beef, but with the taste of full-flavoured pork – much closer to how pork perhaps once actually tasted, before the dead hands of the supermarkets and factory farming robbed it of most of its taste. And the crackling is sensational.

So I was pleasantly surprised to learn of a small farm between Beccles and Bungay which is rearing wild boar for the table. My first thought was that ‘farmed wild boar’ is an oxymoron: after all, as the name suggests, these are wild animals. So wild, in fact, that they are included in the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Surely those are the kind of obstacles that no farmer would want to overcome?

David and Jo Lay disagree. Perhaps it is because they have spent their lives around wild animals – David as a gamekeeper, and Jo working with a private collection of primates – that they were drawn to wild boar as a farm animal.

Maisebrooke Farm is both new and small. As David explains: ‘Three years ago this was literally a 12-acre ploughed field; we had been looking for somewhere for ages, so in 2010 we took the plunge and bought the field, moving here in 2011.’

Maisebrooke Farm wild boar is available at the farm shop, situated at Shipmeadow on the B1062 between Beccles and Bungay. The shop is open Thursday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm.

David and Jo also have a stall on Beccles farmers’ market, held at the town’s heliport on the first and third Saturday of the month. More details at www.maisebrookefarm.co.uk.

They haven’t been idle since then. As well as the log cabin in which they are currently living, they have built a farm shop and a new butchery, and now rear a wide range of animals, including lamb and hogget, goat, poultry and even game birds. But it is the boar we are here to see.

David takes me to the far side of the farm, where stout metal barriers and electric fences surround the surprisingly agile animals. Anyone expecting to see lugubrious porkers will be in for a shock: these animals are quick on their feet, and show signs of the no-nonsense nature which enables them to survive in the wild. Cuddly they are not. So how did the couple come to acquire these beasts?

‘A local lady who kept boar was emigrating and looking for a home for them,’ explains David. ‘My dad had a wild animal licence, as he used to rear primates for zoos and collections, so we sort of inherited them.’

The couple soon found that there was a good market for wild boar meat, and set about expanding the herd, breeding from that initial batch, but also restocking to widen the blood line.

That blood line is all-important. Because wild boar have small litters, many farmers cross-breed them with Tamworth pigs to make life a bit easier for themselves, although they continue to market the meat as boar - but it is not.

‘It is very important to us to keep our herd as pure breed wild boar,’ says David. ‘Although it is more difficult and more expensive to do, the difference shows through in the meat. You build a reputation based on the quality of your product, and if you start to dilute that, you lose the whole reason for people to buy from you.’

Keeping up with demand is the issue for Maisebrooke Farm. At the peak of the season, the farm may have 45 wild boar but such is the clamour for the product, that the couple would love to expand.

They have just built their own butchery on site, which will allow them to take total control of the production process, and looks like a statement of intent for the future.

Given that local butchers are currently having to import wild boar from Poland to meet demand, it doesn’t seem like too risky an investment.

placesandfaces.co.uk

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Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

"The hardest thing you will have to do is decide how you want to spend your time"

Spa-ahh!

Head to Britain’s best known spa for a spot of serious R&R, says Sarah Hardy Sometimes you just feel like dipping out of life.

Disappearing from your daily chores, all those responsibilities, and simply indulging in some me-time. Pure bliss.

A

nd such is life at Ragdale Hall, one of Britain’s best known and most loved spas. Not a fat farm by any stretch of the imagination which is what my very un PC husband liked to call it.

The hall, owned by the same two business partners for almost 22 years, has set the pace for all other health farms or spas as they tend to be called these days. It offers a mixture of great treatments, luxury accommodation, delicious food and first rate fitness and relaxation facilities.

The setting, deep in the Leicestershire countryside, is lovely.

The hall itself dates back to Victorian times and has been sympathetically extended. There are now three floors, with the actual facilities on the ground floor and accommodation on the upper two floors. There are attractive grounds and it is all very peaceful – just the ticket for the countless harassed women who check in for a few days of much needed self indulgence.

Don’t imagine it is a huge place. There are about 80 bedrooms although it is popular with day visitors, too, yet doesn’t feel busy or over crowded. There’s definitely no fighting over the sun loungers here!

The hardest thing you will have to do is decide how you want to spend your time. There is so much to do from dance classes to outdoor tennis, hiking, aquafit sessions, and that whole spa experience to sample with a multitude of treatments from facials to pedicures and all things in-between.

The Thermal Suite really is something else. There are about 12 different rooms which you can flit in and out of at your leisure. And thus the afternoon goes very quickly. There’s a candle pool which is perfect for some serious self reflection and several steam and sauna rooms all infused with different empowering or relaxing fragrances and filled with appropriate music.

I enjoyed the outdoor pool where you swim among the waterfalls and their massage jets and the volcanic salt room (with 100 per cent humidity) which left you squeaky clean.

Also on site are two swimming pools, a 25m one for serious

SHORT BREAK

The Pavillion, a relaxation area, which opened last year

Ragdale Hall

swimmers, and an exercise pool where various classes are held.

Plus yet more steam and sauna areas and a whirlpool should you feel like sitting and nattering amongst the bubbles as I like to do.

But what about all those treatments? Well, there are 45 treatment rooms so you can imagine that there is every possible option on offer and leading beauty brands such as Clarins, Elemis and Decleor are used.

I had a full body massage which was good, very good as you actually felt the masseur was achieving something, and my eyebrows threaded which was a bit alarming but thankfully effective!

There is plenty to do outside, too, in the extensive grounds including tennis, croquet, boules, walks and an outdoor pool. It just gets better!

Special mention must go to the food which was first class. The dining rooms are in the original part of the house so are all very splendid with oak panelling and the like. Both lunch and dinner are three course affairs, with starters and desserts served to your table and then a buffet selection for the main event.

As you’d expect there are lovely salads, masses of free fruits but there are puds, too, and jolly good ones, and booze so you are

Ragdale Hall Ragdale, Leicestershire Tel 01664 434831 www.ragdalehall.co.uk

not going to starve here. Indeed, the afternoon tea looked very tempting!

One nice little touch is that breakfast is served to your room so you don’t have to rush anywhere – unless you’ve already hit the pool for 30 lengths, of course.

It is such a relaxing place that I could easily imagine going there on my own. And I don’t go anywhere on my own ever – I can barely manage a supermarket trip by myself. But everyone is so friendly, and it is so unpretentious that you are quickly at home. Many people go for meals in their fluffy white robes –me included!

A big plus in Ragdale’s favour is that it is privately owned so it doesn’t have that corporate feel to it. Rather it is homely with lovely little touches such as Raggles, the rather cute spa cat.

And the owners are good at updating and improving facilities.

For example, the Pavillion, a relaxation area, opened last year and more recently a new express beauty area where you can have your nails done and hair cut and coloured, has proved a hit.

Indeed there are many sitting, reading, and relaxing lounges to nest in and catch up on the latest bonkbuster.

So, there you have it, Ragdale does it for me – treat yourself to a hassle-free break, too!

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Island Retreat Mark Nicholls takes in the views from the fabulous InterContinental Baan Taling Ngam resort on the Thai island of Koh Samui

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TRAVEL

Thailand

F R o M h I G h o N T h E S E A c L I F F, T h E V I E w S o V E R ThE GULF oF ThAILANd ARE MESMERISING Distant islets turn to darkened silhouettes as the sun sets while far below, the sea washes ashore on a secluded beach lined with palms.

It is this combination of seclusion, stunning panoramas, and sumptuous accommodation, which are brought together in perfect harmony at the InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort.

B

aan talInG nGam translates as 'home on a beautiful cliff' and it is precisely that with 79 luxurious villas cascading elegantly down to a sandy beach and pool at its foot and more beachfront villas with their own private pools on the shoreline.

Set on the quieter western coast of the thai island of Koh Samui, the panorama from this part of the island has long been recognised and it was the views out to sea which prompted the decision to build the five-star resort here in the first place.

Rebranded after a $35m makeover in recent months as the InterContinental Samui, it truly maximises the view.

With its seven pools, a wonderful infinity pool, restaurants and private beach, the villas and apartments are of the highest quality and the beachfront villas simply sublime; opening out onto lawns which reach down to the sea, each with their private pools and facilities and those quirky little touches that linger in the memory… the pillow menu, for example. If you don’t like your pillow you simply select from a small box of touch samples and a full-size version will be delivered to your room ranging from silk, down, buckwheat, natural rubber or memory foam. >>

*travel & Accommodation InterContinental Samui Baan taling ngam Resort: Direct flights from london to Bangkok and onwards to Koh Samui on eVa airways, seven nights in an ocean View Room, breakfast & transfers from £1,239. Call trailfinders Worldwide team on 020 7368 1200 or visit www.trailfinders.com also visit: www.samui. intercontinental.com

PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

>>

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All our rooms are en-suite and can be decorated to your taste. Our home is very clean and with hands-on owners.

We make sure our residents have their privacy, are safe and happy. We have a bus and the residents enjoy many trips out.

We have no rules, your room is your home, and we do all we can to make it so. So come and have a look around.

Carlton Hall

We have wonderful home cooking and lovely gardens and meadows. We have constructed over ¼ mile of level paths in our grounds and have planted 18,000 bulbs.

RESIDENTIAL HOME

We are like a hotel with care.

Phone Tanya, Shirley, Jo, Gerald or Rachel

on 01502 513208

Look at us on www.carltonhall.co.uk.

E-mail us on carltonhall@hotmail.co.uk

Chapel Road Carlton Colville, Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 8AT ABC Open-Places&Faces-136x190:Layout 1

Call us on 01502 513208 or visit CQC website and check us out.

13/3/13

11:50

Page 1

ds n e g e l s ’ 0 8 Party with

+ Support + 80’s disco til midnight

Saturday 18 May Bank Plain, Norwich Strictly over 14’s only • Doors 7.30pm

Advance Tickets £20 www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk UEA Box Office 01603 508050 Info www.kalmusic.co.uk

The view from one of the resort's seven pools

>> The days at Baan Taling Ngam are filled with relaxation, yet

as evening nears guests are drawn to the main part of the hotel and the aptly-named Air Bar which teeters over the cliff. With its incomparable view, it must be one of the great places on Earth to sip cocktails and watch the sun set on the islands beyond.

For this very reason Koh Samui, and more specifically Baan Taling Ngam, makes Patricia Schultz’s 1,000 Places to see Before You Die. The entry says it all: ‘From the terraced guest rooms and seven pools, the resort offers uncommonly lovely views of some of the small islands and jungle-clad outcroppings, scattered across the Gulf of Thailand.’

Set in 22 acres and reached by a guarded access road with only a few village restaurants in the surrounding area, the InterContinental offers an opportunity to unwind, enjoy the view, swim, snorkel and dive, sail, try kayaking and windsurfing or simply do nothing, while the Amber and Flame restaurants have menus that reflect traditional and modern Thai and European cuisine.

A new activity for 2013 is ‘tuk-tuk cooking’ with head chef Luke Macleod bringing a definitively Thai flavour to his culinary lessons.

Thailand

TRAVEL

Having created a network of fruit, vegetable, salad, herb, meat, fish and egg producers close to the resort, he takes a small number of guests out on the traditional Thai form of transport to shop for ingredients throughout the morning. On return to the hotel, he devises a Thai dish with the guests and between them they cook and eat it together.

‘The idea came up after the hotel decided to hold cookery classes,' explains Luke. ‘We talked about how we should do it and thought we should concentrate on authentic Thai cooking.

The idea of ‘tuk-tuk’ cooking meant I could show guests around the local area in a traditional form of Thai transport and they could see where we get local produce from.

‘We have some really nice farms near the hotel where the produce is lovingly grown and nurtured.’

One of the halts takes the tuk-tuk to the local fishing village where the fresh fish is landed and sold from wooden shacks.

Fish-tailed boats bob on the shoreline as Luke barters over the catch of the day which can lead to dishes back at the hotel such as black pomfret or pan-seared turbot with a Thai twist.

The Baan Taling Ngam resort’s master stroke is the Baan Thai Spa which has the ambience of a perfumed Thai house overlooking the ocean with a sublime range of treatments.

Taking tea is part of the ritual; infused, herbal and pure and the theme pervades the treatments such as the two-hour SereniTea treatment with a ‘calming SereniTea Body Scrub’ and aromatherapy massage with a personalised ‘tea’ prescription from the spa’s teaologist after the treatment.

Aerial view of the InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort

For those who seek fitness (apart from the seafront gym), the villas, restaurants, spa and lobby are linked by hundreds of steps winding upwards through the tropical canopy but just in case the daily climb doesn’t appeal, all are linked by routes plied by golf buggies to transport guests around the resort.

Across the island, most attractions such as the more lively area of Chaweng or the fishing village of Bo Phut are less than an hour’s drive away. You can ride an elephant to the Namuang Waterfall, which is not far from Baan Taling Ngam, head off in search of temples and the Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai or seek stunning coastal rock formations. There are also the natural wonders of Angthong Marine National Park – made up of 42 islands featuring lime stone massifs, tropical rainforests and lonely beaches - to explore.

Koh Samui retains its charms; the palm canopy that covers much of the island remains, the beaches are still blissfully white and the sea a miraculous blue. And the Baan Taling Ngam resort in remoter western part of the island, remains a haven of privacy, relaxation and unforgettable Samui sunsets.

A new activity for 2013 is ‘tuk-tuk cooking’ with head chef Luke Macleod bringing a definitively Thai flavour to his culinary lessons

placesandfaces.co.uk

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Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

The Long House

The Long House grand hall spiral staircase and (right) sitting area

HOME F RO N T Not many of us get to experience living in a stunning contemporary architectural gem. But Sarah Hardy introduces a holiday home initiative with a difference

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M

odern architecture can evoke some strong feelings and out-spoken opinions. We all remember Prince Charles putting forward his views on the National Gallery's new extension.

Oh dear!

While some properties can be a little bit weird, I think we all are starting to fall in love with contemporary housing. And by this I don’t mean all those endless housing estates with identikit homes but rather, the top end. Those one off pieces you might see on Grand Designs and other property programmes on telly.

One exciting social enterprise, Living Architecture, is now building about one property a year. A one-off design, usually by one of Britain’s leading architects, and created to suit its environment.

It is the brainchild of Swiss broadcaster and writer Alain de Botton and is a non-profit initiative to plant contemporary holiday properties throughout the country, each designed by a different cutting-edge studio.

Holiday Homes

ARCHITECTURE

The Balancing Barn near Walberswick by Dutch architects MVRDU

The Long House terrace looking into the kitchen

To find out more, visit www.living-architecture.co.uk

Operations Director Richard Day explains: ‘They are built especially as holiday homes. And the idea is that they give people the chance to really experience life in a modern building.’

And the properties really are stunning – worthy of any glossy table top book! One of their most recent is the Long House in Cockthorpe, near Blakeney in north Norfolk. It has been created by Sir Michael and Patty Hopkins who designed the rather stunning velodrome at the Olympic Park – yes, the one often referred to as the big Pringle! Other credits include Portcullis House in Westminster, where MPs have their offices, Glyndebourne opera house in East Sussex and the Hostry at Norwich Cathedral.

The Long House, reminiscent of a medieval great hall, is built out of concrete, with many windows and touches of the area’s flint detail and it blends seamlessly into the surrounding farmland.

It is immediately elegant and appealing. You enter into a double height grand banqueting hall, with a dramatic pitch ceiling, which is dominated by a large spiral staircase. Here is a large table and sofas positioned around the wood burner.

There’s a further sitting room which also benefits from the wood burner and more ultra comfy sofas – and a cool sound system

and big TV! The kitchen, again straight from a glossy magazine, is equipped with Miele equipment and has a huge table – just right for parties! Plus any and every gadget required – even I wouldn’t mind cooking up a storm on the fancy stove.

The décor is cool, with soft greys used throughout, including attractive ash flooring. And there are two terraces so you can move around the garden to capture the sun. Look out for oyster catchers on the watery channels that flow through the unmanicured grounds.

The house sleeps 10, with four bedrooms (all en suite) and a further one in a little annexe which is perfect for people who want a little extra privacy, like grandparents or teenagers.

There are sedum roof spaces at either end of the house and underfloor heating, powered by a ground source heat pump so green credentials are met.

Other equally amazing properties are available in our region.

There’s The Dune House at Thorpeness by Norway’s JVA and the Balancing Barn near Walberswick by Dutch architects MVRDU. And there are ones under construction in Essex and Devon and hopes are running high that more and more will come on stream.

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Join Graham on a Rhododendron walk Join Head Gardener Graham for a special tour of the wild garden, when the flowering rhododendrons should be at their best and the Park awash with colour.

Tuesdays – May 21 and 28, June 4 and 11, 2pm.

All tickets £5, no need to book. Meet at the visitor centre. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ sheringham-park

ravishing rhododendrons Wander through the National Trust’s Sheringham park in May or June and you’ll soon see why this landscaped park and woodland garden has become famous for its vast collection of rhododendrons and azaleas. Head Gardener Graham Brennan shares his thoughts on the matter

U

ndulating with several quite steep valleys, the wild garden at Sheringham Park began as a modest planting of specimen rhododendrons in the mid-1800s, but the Upcher family who owned the estate got carried away over the generations and it just got bigger and bigger.

Today, it is planted extensively with rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and a host of interesting and unusual shrubs and trees. Some of these are from a collection of seeds brought back from China, by the renowned plant collector Ernest ‘Chinese’ Wilson.

The soil conditions favoured by the majority of these plants are associated more frequently with westerly localities and despite some problems with wind damage and wind chill, due to the Park's proximity to the sea, good tree cover has created a microclimate here, allowing the plant collection to thrive.

Tunnels and walkways have been created by the large rhododendron branches, interwoven over time, creating hidden areas to discover and explore. Discover specimens such as Viscount Powerscourt, Betty Wormald, Red Riding Hood, Lady Chamberlain and Fire bird. With so many species and hundreds of named varieties, visitors to the Park will see a range of colourful rhododendrons of various sizes and shades, not to mention some fantastic perfumed specimens.

There are now some 80 species and more than 100 varieties of rhododendron at Sheringham Park, which can be found throughout the wild garden. The last owner, Tom Upcher, would hold rhododendron Champagne parties in the 1950s to show them all off. Ladies would arrive in their fine gowns, some wearing Wellington boots, to walk down the main carriageway, sipping Champagne and admiring the colours as they went. Today visitors can climb to the top of the viewing

80

towers to experience breathtaking scenes of this beautiful landscape.

Prime specimens, admired by many – little do people realise that there’s one species, Rhododendron ponticum, that can cause absolute devastation. It maybe an effective windbreak that looks absolutely beautiful, but it grows incredibly quickly, climbing over and strangling any other plant in its path. It’s dense and turns the soil acidic, resulting in the further loss of plants on the forest floor. Amazingly, it can take 10 years for the soil to recover after its removal, so it’s a big, long-term project to eradicate it and restore the areas where this non-native plant has been growing.

So, when’s the best time to witness this floral spectacle?

The flowering period of rhododendrons is determined by day length, rather than temperature, humidity or sunshine.

However, the exact timing of peak flowering is affected somewhat by local weather conditions; May and June remain the best months of the year for a rhododendron rendezvous.

NATIoNAL TRUST

Rhododendrons

Rhododendron facts…

1 The name comes from the ancient Greek for Rhodo meaning Rose and Dendron meaning tree.

2 Some species of rhododendron are poisonous to grazing animals because of a toxin called grayanotoxin in their pollen and nectar. Pompey's soldiers reportedly suffered lethal casualties following the consumption of honey made from Rhododendron deliberately left behind by Pontic forces.

3 There are more than 1000 species worldwide, found in every continent except Africa and South America.

4 One of the first to be planted here in Britain was Rhododendron Arborium, which is the national flower of Nepal.

Graham’s top tip: If you want to grow rhododendrons and azaleas in your garden, they require the soil to have a Ph of about 4.5. If the soil is not acidic enough, then many species can be grown in pots or tubs just as well.

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RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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NOW T H AT YO U R ROS E I S IN BLOOM

Established in 1913 on the grounds of the Royal

Hospital, Chelsea, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has become one of the most celebrated annual events in the world and is seen as the catwalk of the gardening world.

Since its beginning, the show has grown from 244 exhibitors in 1913 to more than 500 today; now attracts 161,000 visitors each year and brings the world’s best horticulture to the heart of London.

Running from May 21 to 25 this year's show offers visitors 15 spectacular Show Gardens, 11 Fresh Gardens – the best of contemporary garden design – and eight Artisan Gardens.

In addition, 150 exhibits from nurseries and florists in the Great Pavilion and up to 250 trade stands means the centenary RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be one not to miss.

This year, however, leading rose breeder Peter Beales, MBE, VMH, will be sadly missed. The Norfolk-raised nurseryman and Chelsea Gold Medal winner died, at the age of 76, in January. His daughter Amanda and son Richard continue to run the Attleborough-based business, Peter Beales Roses.

Many exhibitors are celebrating the show’s special year with centenary-themed displays. The M&G Centenary Garden will celebrate and capture the design trends and themes of RHS Chelsea Flower Shows past and present.

This year’s Generation Gardens will highlight the changes to gardens and gardening over the last 100 years, and a special RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Centenary will be decided by a public vote.

A concert, hosted with Opera Holland Park, will be held on the Friday evening as part of the centenary

HRM The Queen at last year's show

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is marking its centenary this May, followed by the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in July. Emma Outten gets flowered up

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place from May 21 to 25, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London. Ticket prices range from £22 to £65, and must be booked in advance. To book tickets www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea or 0844 338 7546 The RHS Hampton Court Flower Show takes place from July 9 to 14, Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU. Ticket prices range from £19 to £33.50 and are on sale now.

Children under 16 go free. To buy tickets: www.rhs.org.uk/ hampton or 020 7649 1885

Queen Mary at Chelsea Flower Show in 1913 Pictures by RHS LINDLEY LIBRARY

celebrations, and visitors to the show will be able to take a walk through the show’s history, with photographic displays from the archives of the RHS Lindley Library.

And what's more, the RHS is lifting the ban on gnomes as part of the show’s centenary celebrations and to raise funds for the nationwide RHS Campaign for School Gardening!

Then, from July 9 to 14, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the UK’s biggest gardening show, will be back in its home in one of the country’s most stunning Royal Parks.

The show, which celebrates the great garden festival, has a new look for 2013 with three new zoned areas.

The show is famous for the unique Conceptual Gardens, which push the boundaries of what gardens can be, and in previous years have taken inspiration from fields such as art, science and religion amongst others.

The Show Gardens, Summer Gardens and Low Cost High Impact Gardens will inspire greenfingered visitors with tips they can take back to their own homes.

Some of the UK’s top nurseries will be displaying blooms of all colours and styles and the Rose Marquee will be a delight for all.

This year for the first time the show will be divided into three zones, featuring gardens, plants, food and shopping reflecting their individual themes.

Keen gardeners will love Grow, where they will find nurseries, plants stalls, a talk theatre, and stands selling the very best in gardening equipment.

In Escape, visitors will find the Country Living Magazine Pavilion, learn how to grow their own fruit and vegetables, marvel at the show’s famous roses and floristry and sample the delights of the Artisan Food Producers in the Growing Tastes Marquee.

In keeping with the show’s reputation for breaking boundaries in contemporary garden design, the third zone, Inspire, sponsored by Ecover, focuses on innovation and making the most of outside space.

So if you love flowers, get booking!

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A Look at LIfe

Speak up It’s the second part of Richard Barr’s report on his daughter’s wedding. So how was his speech?

‘I am very glad that Sophie married Tim, and not a guinea pig,’ was how I started my father of the bride speech at my daughter Sophie’s wedding.

L

ast month I told of the trials and tribulations of actually getting there on time: we only just made it even though Sophie had had to walk the last quarter of a mile through Cambridge’s shopping centre – seen no doubt by most of the shoppers as some sort of stunt.

Sophie and my new son-in-law Tim decided, like many people these days, to have a civil ceremony and they had chosen Trinity Hall Cambridge as their venue. Many venues are now licensed for weddings The day was the culmination of many months of effort, mostly carried out by them and their friends – with a view to creating a spectacular occasion with a not-so-spectacular price tag.

The table decorations were all prepared by Sophie and her friends. By the time they had finished spraying the pinecones

and foliage they had become so high on whatever was in the aerosols that they lay around on the floor helpless with laughter.

One delightful touch was the crackers (the wedding took place just before Christmas). Every single cracker was hand made, and each contained a small pot either of Welsh jam (Tim hails from Wales) or of Norfolk honey (see Places and faces August 2012 for an account of our bees).

The crackers also had jokes tailored to the recipients – mainly insulting. There was a nervous moment when Sophie feared that a cracker with a particularly risqué joke might have been given to her new mother-in-law but fortunately the aspersions about Welsh sheep were delivered elsewhere.

Transport was the responsibility of Sophie’s brother Nick.

Normally he crosses the skies tens of thousands of feet above us as a commercial pilot (I am making you read a lot >>

89

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RICHARD BARR

A Look at LIfe

of back numbers of Places&Faces® – it’s worth it and you can get them online. See the November 2012 issue). He journeyed from London to Cambridge with car loads of crackers, table decorations, programmes, wedding suits and above all Sophie’s wedding dress.

My part during the ceremony was a small one. I did not have to produce the ring or say anything. That was to come later.

All I had to do was hang onto Sophie as we walked past the guests, then lift her veil back over her head.

The ceremony was simple and moving, culminating in the couple exchanging their own vows.

Tim’s was to ‘promise to continue wooing you even when we are both very very old’ and Sophie’s was ‘never drink vodka even if coerced or misled by my friends’.

Even the serious registrar had to smile when these were read out.

The service and the signing over, it was time for family photographs and handshakes before we all made our way to a large hall - which had more than a passing resemblance to the main hall at Hogwarts (except there was not an owl to be seen).

"My dilemma must have been the same as for fathers all over the country: what do you say about your daughter that will entertain the guests, raise a laugh and above all endorse the union of two newlyweds" There we were formed into three long rows for the wedding breakfast (which happened to take place at 4pm). Underneath the avuncular gaze of past university professors more than 100 guests tucked into a seasonal feast.

Then came the part I had been dreading for weeks: the toast to the bride. My dilemma must have been the same as for fathers all over the country: what do you say about your daughter that will entertain the guests, raise a laugh and above all endorse the union of two newlyweds.

I bought some books on wedding speeches and quickly abandoned them: I was not going to regurgitate someone else’s work. Instead I took some glimpses from Sophie’s life starting with the day she was born, and drawing some common themes – her bossiness, her ability to charm birds off trees and her love of guinea pigs. To my relief, after a brief hesitation, I had the crowd with me and photos show Sophie laughing while I was speaking.

The speeches over, the celebrations moved to the next phase – a ceilidh. This, I was to learn, was a traditional way of facilitating courting and prospects of marriage for young people, though time will tell whether this wedding will have led to more nuptials.

Sophie and Tim kicked off with Frank Sinatra singing Cheek To Cheek. They looked extremely expert. I did not remember Sophie ever going to ballroom dancing classes as a child – but I later found out that they had had weeks of dancing lessons from a very accomplished neighbour.

Then we all joined in traditional folk dancing – complete with a caller and little band of a fiddler, a guitar player and an accordionist.

And so, late into the night it ended with Sophie and Tim well and truly married, and Tim not looking in the least bit furry or like a guinea pig.

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Help for the Homeless A Lowestoft-based charity is relaunching itself with a new name but the same mission – to provide support for those in need

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hE LowESToFT NIGhT ShELTER was a real achievement when it opened almost 40 years ago. Cash was raised by local residents who wanted to help people who found themselves living rough on the streets following the decline of the fishing industry in the area.

The shelter was based in a derelict church, St John’s, and provided a makeshift service relying solely on the goodwill of church groups and local people who shared a common interest in resolving the issue of homelessness in Lowestoft.

The work of the group continued to grow and in 1980, the St Johns Housing Trust was formed which now provides supported housing at five accommodation services in Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Thetford. By providing a safe and stable environment for people who often have chaotic lifestyles, it hopes to really change their lives. The Trust focuses on long-term solutions to break the cycle of homelessness and ensure that people can live independently.

Over the years, the Trust, which has an ethos of ‘supporting individuals to achieve their potentials,’ has extended its services to offer support in health, wellbeing, education and employment.

At its heart is Bridge View Information and Advice Centre in Lowestoft which receives more than 270 visitors each month and provides advice on housing, benefits, money management, education, training and employment. It also

provides a base for the organisation’s dual diagnosis service to provide clinical support with mental health and substance misuse.

Last year the centre was awarded the High Sheriff of Suffolk’s Community Group of the Year Award while the Trust was awarded The Lowestoft and Waveney Chamber of Commerce Charity Award.

Now the charity is relaunching itself with a new name, the Access Community Trust, with TV presenter and champion charity fund raiser Emma Freud attending the open day this month.

Chief Executive Emma Ratzer says: ‘We have for many years wished to support our community in more ways than just providing housing. Armed with a new strategy and business tools we have successfully diversified into an organisation that can offer a wide range of services.

‘Whilst it is recognised our work has only been made possible by using solid groundwork afforded to us by our predecessors. The rebranding will mark a new phase for the Trust which we believe will increase our ability to offer responsive and flexible solutions to neighbourhoods in need.

‘The brand identity reflects out commitment to provide the very best services to the communities in which we are based.’

For more details, visit www.accessct.org. an open day is planned on april 5, from noon to 4.30pm, at the Stella maris Hall, Gordon Rd, lowestoft. everyone is welcome.

PLACESANDFACES.CO.UK

95

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

the show man The new chief executive of the Royal Norfolk Show is Greg Smith – also known as Major General Greg Smith. Sarah Hardy meets the man who reckons he’s got one of the best jobs in the county

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Greg Smith

I suspect we could all do with a Greg Smith in our lives. I’d like him to come and organise my desk for a start, work out a career plan and generally tell me how to run my affairs. He is, what my mother would call, a capable chap!

Add in highly eloquent, pretty smart and clearly a hard worker and the Royal Norfolk Show – one of the county’s greatest institutions, is surely in safe hands.

Greg took over the top role last year after the lovely John Purling retired after a good innings of 18 years.

Perhaps many of us were a bit suspicious of the new boy – would he want to change our popular two-day extravaganza?

Okay, we may all like to moan about it about (yes, leaving can be real fun as the car parks get clogged up and the loos can be horrid) but it is ours and we love it.

Rest assured, the man in the hot seat knows how great the show is and hasn’t any scary plans to change it. Well, not wholescale. ‘You don’t want to play with the alchemy of it,’ he says. ‘We want to keep the current chemical balance as 95,000 people a year enjoy it.’

He admits that there is always room to refresh – indeed the flower show will have a slightly different look this year and Greg is introducing online ticket sales, with discounts for early bookers. But he adds: ‘It seems to me that one of its greatest strengths is that it is the most traditional of shows.’

He believes the show, which was first established in 1847, has a healthy future, with more and more people wanting to reconnect with the countryside and its related activities. ‘There is obviously a huge amount of interest in local food and I am always keen to make people aware of the importance of agriculture to the economy – and especially to Norfolk’s economy.’

Possibly Greg, now in his mid 50s, appreciates the show as he is a Norwich boy, attending Catton Grove Primary School before winning a chorister’s scholarship to Norwich School. But don’t ask him to sing – it’s something that has passed into the distance past. Although I would love to see him tackle a spot of karaoke!

Despite having no particular link or knowledge of farming – his mum was a teacher and his dad was an engineer – Greg felt a connection to the land and went on to study agricultural and food marketing at Newcastle University. And as there was no family farm to work at, he went into market research after university, often working with the agricultural industry to develop new working processes and introduce new scientific developments.

Clearly a man with a clear mind and determined character, he worked his way up the career ladder and moved into management. His work often took him abroad and he gained great experience in dealing with all different types of people in all different part of the world.

He finally ended up as managing director of leading market research and public opinion polling company Ipsos MORI. ‘It is all about understanding what makes people tick – so that is a good life skill,’ he says.

Yet while holding various demanding posts, Greg also found time for a challenging military career. He had voiced an interest in joining the army whilst at university but had been put off by a tutor. Yet in his 30s, found himself signing up to the Territorial Army, Britain’s spare time volunteer force. ‘It was something in my system, something I felt I wanted to do.’

Thus followed another rather spectacular and parallel career – 30-plus years in the TA, ending up as a Two Star Major General.

He was the highest ranking Territorial officer in the country.

And it is here that Greg’s eyes really start to twinkle as he talks of the battles he had to reverse government plans to downgrade the force and why he believes it in a great option for young people. ‘It teaches you to respect yourself,’ he explains simply.

So how did he end up at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association? Well, he knew he was retiring from the TA this year and he and his wife Rebecca, whose father ran Read’s Flour Mill in Norwich, had decided to finally put down some roots and Norfolk was the obvious choice. ‘We had always returned to see family and enjoyed ourselves sailing on the Broads,’ he says.

‘We came across our home by accident – Rebecca was looking for something on the internet and there it was.

‘She just saw it and we decided to have a look,’ he says. They were immediately captivated by the old farmhouse near Buxton and, as sometimes happens in life, just as they moved in, he saw the advert for the job at the RNAA. Greg admits that the couple, who have three grown up children, Sam, Amy and Henry, are now living the perfect life, complete with chickens and a large garden to look after. And he enjoys supporting Norwich City Football Club.

So what is he looking forward to seeing and doing at this year’s show? Well, he just wants to see a big blue sky and thousands of people with huge smiles on their faces as they enjoy all that the RNS has to offer.

The Royal Norfolk Show takes place on June 26 and 27.

Ticket prices are not increasing this year and they are available from EDP offices and online at www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk Other dates at the showground include the Spring Fling, a fun and educational day for children aged four to 14, on April 10 and the East Anglian Game and Country Fair – where Places&Faces has a stand on Avenue A, on April 27 and 28. The Sundown Festival is also taking place on August 30 and September 1. More details on the website www.norfolkshowground.co.uk.

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T ime f o r a c h ange ?

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T

he expression ‘there is nothing new under the sun’ should be engraved on the foreheads of all politicians and regulators.

Indeed if there was room it should be the full quote from Ecclesiastes: ‘What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun’. For, there is an unerring ability in some to endlessly reinvent the wheel and to propose changes and measures which have been done before.

The reason for this is unclear. Perhaps in part it lies in the character of many of our politicians and the medium in which they operate. In the bad old days an MP was someone who had some experience of work or of a career outside of politics. They therefore had those experiences upon which they could draw. They understood the need to balance competing arguments and interests and above all to not make change without a good reason.

Today, many politicians seem to have staggered from one political or quasi political job to the other since they were teenagers. Their primary aim in life seems to be to secure re-election, in the pursuit of which aim they resort to sound bite politics and the need to be seen to be ‘doing something’, that something usually involving some hastily thought out change, rule or piece of legislation.

In the process one finds that not only does the law of unintended consequences kick in but those who live with the consequences of the political initiatives in question become hugely de-motivated by the results.

The list of failed pieces of legislation is huge. The unit fine scheme, which resulted in one motorist being fined over £1000 for dropping litter from his car, was abolished at huge cost. Likewise the scheme for transferring serious criminal cases to the Crown Court, where the government tried to create a whole new procedure despite the existence of two procedures already which were working effectively. That one never did come into force and it was scrapped only after the courts and the legal professions

had spent tens of thousands of pounds training their staff on a new procedure.

Most recently, the government decided that employers and employees should have imposed on them a statutory dismissal scheme. Needless to say, this generated a huge amount of litigation about whether the employer or the employee had or had not complied with the detailed rules of the scheme, with the courts on a number of occasions coming down in favour of the employer; not what the legislation intended at all.

It too was abolished with the employment landscape returning to how it was five years previously.

One can think of a list of those sections of the employed population destabilised and undermined by government regulation and re-regulation; for example schools and teachers, whose morale is at an all time low and where years of curriculum meddling have given the UK a shamefully low level of literacy and numeracy for a developed country; or the police: exactly what message does a £4000 cut in pay to new constables send out?

As for reinventing the wheel, we are now seeing the government abandoning modular courses in schools in favour of end of course exams (anyone remember O-levels?). Courses are returning to the traditional emphasis on the basics, government having woken up to the fact that the UK is falling well behind the rest of the world in subjects like the sciences and engineering, English and mathematics.

In the legal world the government is now trumpeting a vocational (non degree) route to qualification as a solicitor, something which existed at the time I qualified and for decades if not centuries before, when it was known as the five year articles route to qualifying, but which had since been abolished. Though presented as something new, we are in fact just coming full circle.

Unfortunately, despite popular belief to the contrary, lawyers do not make the law. If they did there might be less of it and what there was would be considerably better thought out.

placesandfaces.co.uk

99

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STOCKS & SHARES | RISING MARKETS

NEIL SHILLITO SG WEALTH MANAGEMENT WWW.SGWEALTHMANAGEMENT.CO.UK

We’re on the up Neil Shillito examines the rising market and predicts a continuing upward trend – hurrah!

T

he FTSE 100 did better than expected in 2012, increasing by six per cent against a background dominated by fear and doom. By the end of February this year it has been trading around the 63006400 levels and is up seven per cent for the year. As always the question is, can it be sustained?

In the October issue of Places&Faces® I said the following: ‘...there is a clear message that there is a good case for buying into the stock market at these levels (currently hovering around 5778).’

Neil Shillito Director SG Wealth Management Ltd Norwich | Tel: 01603 760866 www.sgwealthmanagement.co.uk

The reason for this statement directly relates to what Central Bankers in Europe and America have been doing. It is referred to as Quantitative Easing or QE. Central banks literally create money from nothing. Physical currencies such as sterling, dollars and euro banknotes are only promises to pay, but they are promises which are positively valued by most in the world. Central Banks can print as many of these ‘promises’ as they like.

With this freshly created money central banks buy their government’s debt. In the UK the Bank of England (BOE) buys UK Government debt. In fact, the BOE now owns 30 per cent of all Government Debt.

Who do they buy it from and what does this buying do?

When the Government needs money (all the time) it creates debt by issuing pieces of paper which agree to pay an interest rate on a sum of money borrowed for an agreed time (the debt). This debt is sold to many different buyers. An example would be pension funds which use the debt to meet future income requirements of pensioners in their fund.

The debt borrowed by the government has always been traded second hand in the market at different prices from which it was issued. Many institutions look to sell the debt they already own to different buyers in this second hand market. The biggest buyer would be the BOE. A buyer in the market of this size pushes the price of the debt up. So as the value of the debt rises the interest rate it pays

reduces. This is what the BOE are trying to achieve.

The BOE want the interest rates that new buyers are getting to be so low that it’s not worth buying the debt since the rate of inflation is higher than the interest rate received (‘negative real return’).

At that point investors are forced to buy higher risk assets which pay more for ownership. So, regardless to views on risk, investors are forced into higher risk assets which provide higher yields needed to meet their liabilities. Those assets include equities which still do not have a demanding valuation and they also provide protection against inflation. This is a real risk when extra money, created from nothing, is flooded into the system.

That is the reason why the rally in equities had to start. By default, investors have been forced to switch assets by Central Banks. The institutions that sold their Government Bonds at a good profit to the BOE are more likely to buy riskier assets such as equities. That is what the BOE wants, but cannot measure or make it happen.

Will it continue? Yes. Momentum has started and money flows in a positive direction given confidence. The fear subsides but the reasons for the fear have not disappeared, they are just perceived differently. Every so often the rally will stall on some news or other, but investor psychology at this stage is braver and price falls are seen as a buying opportunity.

placesandfaces.co.uk

101

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Russell Leggett | 01493 335100 | ral@lovewell-blake.co.uk

www.lovewell-blake.co.uk Offices: Great Yarmouth 01493 335100 | Halesworth 01986 873163 | Lowestoft 01502 563921| Norwich 01603 663300 Thetford 01842 755032 | Market day offices: Aylsham, Diss and North Walsham

Registered to carry on audit work in the UK by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Details about our audit registration can be viewed at www.auditregister.org.uk, under reference number C002613207.

Lovewell Blake LLP is an appointed representative of Lovewell Blake which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

| tax bills

KEVIN BUNTING LOVEWELL BLAKE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS 01493 335100 | www.lovewellblake.co.uk

pay up !

This month Kevin Bunting discusses tax avoidance schemes

A

ndrew Chappell (along with, it is said, 304 other taxpayers) took part in what was admitted to be a tax avoidance scheme.

Such arrangements are marketed as a way to mitigate taxes and create a series of steps to generate a loss or some kind of relief. Most tax advisers call them artificial arrangements and generally do not promote them to clients.

However, there are still plenty of arrangements being marketed by providers whose sole business is meeting taxpayers to provide a mechanism to reduce tax exposure.

Turning back to the Chappell case, the important part is the outcome for a scheme designed to create tax relief. Please remember this type of arrangement is wholly different to a taxpayer who arranges their affairs to maximise the tax system to their advantage. A scheme normally requires a series of steps, some of which are not commercial when the whole arrangement is reviewed.

In the case, the First Tier Tribunal decided the scheme failed to work as intended, both on a technical reading of the law and because of the application of the ‘Ramsay’ principle.

‘Ramsay’ is a tax case where the courts determined tax relief was not due because the steps to a transaction were artificial and designed to avoid tax.

Whilst one swallow does not make a summer, nor one snowfall a winter, the regularity with which HMRC now seem to be winning important avoidance cases cannot be ignored.

Indeed, the National Audit Office reported in November 2012 that HMRC's success rate in litigating in avoidance cases is now running at around 85 per cent. The glorious summer of tax avoidance seems to be yielding a winter of discontent.

The media interest in tax avoidance schemes has added weight to the debate and generated public opinion on what is acceptable tax planning. I’m not personally keen on marketed schemes as most don't work, but there are some

which succeed on a technical reading of tax law. Picking the winners is incredibly difficult and recent test cases are now demonstrating other factors will influence the outcome.

In the light of their success HMRC have been inviting participants in selected schemes to settle ‘out of court’.

Should you take them up on their offer? The view of scheme promoters should always be sought but my general view is the 'settlement opportunity' doesn’t give much away - HMRC are inviting settlement on broadly the terms applicable if they win at a tribunal.

So why should you consider settling?

1. It is possible (although unlikely) that if the case went to tribunal HMRC might get an even higher settlement than is being offered. It's also possible they might get a lower settlement.

2. Settlement now will stop further interest running (though you can also achieve this by buying a Certificate of Tax Deposit).

3. You will have certainty.

4. You will avoid the need either to meet your own cost of litigation, or to contribute to any fighting fund which may need to be established.

Careful examination of the terms offered is desirable and decisions will be needed on a case-by-case basis; but on the basis of what has been seen to date, taxpayers need to see a better incentive before throwing in the towel.

Kevin Bunting can be contacted on 01493 33500, or k.bunting@lovewell-blake.co.uk for further advice.

103

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Lost your financial adviser?

The following banks and building societies have either withdrawn from offering financial advice or have significantly restricted their offering: • Lloyds TSB • HSBC • Barclays • Santander • RBS • Norwich & Peterborough Do you need help and ongoing advice, or would like to know how the changes will affect you?

Finance Shop will continue to offer local, face to face, genuinely independent financial advice covering all aspects of financial planning, and will be delighted to welcome new clients.

Established in 1990 Finance Shop are one of East Anglia’s leading IFA firms with approaching £200M of funds under management.

For a no-obligation meeting, please contact us on 0844 800 6990 quoting reference: PF1

Independent Financial Advisers - Finance Shop is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority Tel: 0844 800 6990 Norwich Gorleston Lowestoft

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FINANCIAL PLANNING | PAYING TAX

SCOTT & PAUL SCOTT OLIVER & PAUL DASHWOOD | THE FINANCE SHOP 0844 8006990 | www.FINANCESHOPGROUP.COM

A TA X I N G Q U E S T I O N Scott Oliver recommends pursuing a sensible path when looking at ways of avoiding paying tax

For genuinely independent, face to face financial advice, contact Scott or Paul at The Finance Shop on 0844 8006990 or visit us online at www. financeshopgroup.com

There has been a lot of coverage in the media in recent months about high profile individuals being exposed for using specialist ‘tax strategies’ to minimise the amount of tax they pay. Jimmy Carr and Chris Moyles were two of the most prominent and whilst the schemes used were entirely legal, they were branded as ‘morally wrong’ by no less than the Prime Minister himself.

Next on the hit list were companies; with Starbucks and Amazon, amongst others, receiving negative press about how they arranged their tax affairs. Again nothing illegal was happening but there was considerable public outcry and this led to Starbucks actually agreeing to make a voluntary payment of corporation tax.

The issue of tax is always a tricky one – a lot of people resent paying tax but also accept that it is vital to allow the government to be able to run the country. The question is ‘how much is a fair amount to pay?’ Everyone has a different idea to what a fair amount is. There are advocates of both high and low tax regimes with strong arguments on both sides of the fence, which, for the purpose of this article, I will sit firmly on!

However, as an independent financial adviser, one of the key things we discuss with clients is tax efficiency. Any financial planning should take into account some basic tax planning to ensure

that a client is taking advantage of allowances and not paying tax unnecessarily. I have yet to hear a client say that they would like to pay more tax on their income or savings and in these difficult times, ensuring that you make the most of your money is vital.

Quite often we come across situations where clients are owed hundreds and in some cases, several thousands of pounds by HMRC by simply not claiming what is rightly theirs. It is one of life’s little pleasures to receive a refund from the tax man and millions go unclaimed each year.

There are also some generous allowances and reliefs available to take advantage of and help ensure you boost your return by minimising the tax you pay. Some are more obvious than others and there are some quirks in the system that can, for example, lead to an effective tax relief rate of over seven per cent on a pension contribution in the right circumstances.

So in next month's article, I will explain a few simple, sensible tax planning tips that you should consider that won’t end up with you on the front page of the newspapers, including how it’s possible to receive over 70 per cent tax relief on a pension contribution.

As ever, you should seek independent financial advice before you make any decision and any information provided is based on our understanding of current tax legislation which is subject to change.

placesandfaces.co.uk

105

ALL-NEW FORD KUGA

SMART UTILITY VEHICLE

from £20,895

Test drive the all-new Kuga with super-efficient EcoBoost engine and Ford SYNC Voice Control today at Pertwee & Back Limited.

Pertwee & Back Limited Gapton Hall Road, Gapton Hall Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth 01493 664151

www.pertwee-and-back.co.uk

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Kuga range: urban 27.7-44.8 (10.2-6.3), extra urban 44.8-60.1 (6.3-4.7), combined 36.7-53.3 (7.7-5.3). Official CO2 emissions 139-179g/km.

SYNC Voice Control System standard on Titanium and Titanium X. Optional extra on Zetec. Keyless Opening System with hands-free Power Tailgate optional extra on Titanium and Titanium X. Not available on Zetec. Vehicle shown is the Ford Kuga Titanium X in Ginger Ale at extra charge with Appearance Pack (option) and 19” 5-spoke alloy wheels (option).

WHY WAIT TO DRIVE PERFECTION? NOW WITH 3 YEARS FREE SERVICING*

tHe XF ranGe FrOm £29,940† Or FrOm £299 a mOntH Contact us today to discover more.

H.A.FOX NORWICH Jaguar House, Cromer Road, Norwich NR6 6NB 0845 603 0292 WWW.HaFOX.NORWiCH.JaGuaR.CO.uk

XF 2.2 Diesel luXury 163Ps rePresentative eXamPle On the road Price £32,955 Dealer Deposit Contribution £3,479 Customer Deposit £8,999 36 monthly Payments £299 GmFv – Optional Final Payment £12,134 amount of Credit £20,477 total amount Payable By Customer £31,897 Duration (months) 37 rate of interest (Fixed) 4.33% representative aPr 4.9%

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OFFcial Fuel ecOnOmy Figures FOr the XF range in mPg (l/100km): urban 16.4–46.2 (16.9–6.1); eXtra urban 36.0–65.0 (7.9–4.3); cOmbined 25.0–55.4 (11.3–5.1). cO2 emissiOns 268–135 g/km.

Offer available on models registered between 1st January and 31st March 2013. Promotions are not available for used cars. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Jaguar Cars Finance. PO BOX 4465, Slough, Berkshire, SLl ORW. With Jaguar Privilege you have the option to return the vehicle and not pay the final payment, subject to the vehicle not having exceeded an agreed annual mileage (charge of 12p per mile for exceeding 10,000 miles per annum in this example) and being in good condition. We work With a number of creditors to provide finance to our customers. including Jaguar Cars Finance. *Plan covers 3 free services (within 3 years or 48,000 miles, whichever is sooner). Free servicing offer only available when a finance agreement is entered into. †On the road price is the Manufacturer’s Recommended Retail Price plus Car Tax, First Registration Fee and Delivery Pack.

Jaguar F Type

Jaguar is going back to its roots with a classic sports car. We look at the long-awaited F-Type The new F-Type represents a return totothe The newJaguar Jaguar F-Type represents a return the company'sheartland: heartland:a two-seater, a two-seater, convertible sports company's convertible sports car car focusedon onperformance, performance, agility and driver involvement. focused agility and driver involvement.

The The F-Type is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that F-Type is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that stretches stretches more than years and encompasses some back more back than 75 years and75 encompasses some of the most of the most beautiful, thrilling and beautiful, thrilling and desirable cars desirable ever built.cars ever built.

Here are just some of its key features: 1 A front-engine, rear-wheel drive convertible, the F-Type is engineered to deliver pure dynamic driving reward and stunning performance.

2 Visually, the exterior demonstrates a new sports car design language for Jaguar, with cleaner lines delivered through the discreet use of technology such as deployable spoiler and door handles.

3 The interior features a driver-focused philosophy, with engaging controls encased in dramatic architecture.

Unique technical grains tailor the trim materials, further differentiating the dual-cockpit cabin.

4 Three models will be available - F-Type, F-Type S and the F-Type V8 S. They are powered respectively by Jaguar's new 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine in 340PS and 380PS outputs and its 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol producing 495PS.

5 The range-topping F-Type V8S will reach 60mph in 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 186mph. The 380PS V6 F-Type S will reach 60mph in 4.8 seconds and 171mph, the equivalent figures for the F-Type are 5.1 seconds and 161mph.

6 All engines drive through an eight-speed 'Quickshift' transmission, a centrally mounted SportShift selector offering full manual sequential control, as do the steering wheelmounted paddles.

7 Both the S models have a limited-slip differential - the V6's mechanical and the V8's electronic - to maximise traction and driver reward.

8 The S models also have an 'Active exhaust' system and an optional Configurable Dynamics programme. This allows the driver to tailor a number of the dynamic features to personal taste and includes lap timer and G-meter functionality.

9 It is constructed around the fourth generation of Jaguar's acclaimed lightweight aluminium architecture using industryfirst technology.

10 Torsional and lateral stiffness have been prioritised to maximise handling agility. Around that rigid aluminium structure, every system - steering, brakes, powertrain - has been optimised for immediacy of response to driver inputs.

11 All-aluminium double wishbone front and rear suspension systems provide precise body control, with adaptive damping adding a further layer of dynamic capability.

As Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar, says: ‘Jaguar is a founder member of the sports car segment with a rich sporting bloodline stretching over 75 years, and in the F-Type we've reignited that flame. It isn't designed to be like anyone else's sports car. It's a Jaguar sports car - ultra-precise, powerful, sensual and, most of all, it feels alive.’

Prices correct at time of going to press

A sensual , p o w erful sp o rts c ar

MOTORING

Contact for more information: H. A. FOX NORWICH Jaguar House, Cromer

Road, Norwich NR6 6NB Tel: 0845 603 0292 www.hafoxjaguar.co.uk/norwich H. A. Fox Norwich are taking deposits now, demonstrators arrive at the end of April

The F-Type is priced from £58,500 and is pitched between the Porsche Boxer S and the 911

107

SIMPLY CLEVER

The new ŠKODA Octavia Prices from £15,990 on the road Come and test drive the new ŠKODA Octavia at Simpsons of Great Yarmouth. Contact Darren or Lee on 0843 3320 1503 (local rate) New Octavia Open Day

HARFREYS ESTATE

GAPTON ESTATE

Simpsons ŠKODA Retailer of the Year 2008, 2009 & 2011

FROM A12

March 16th 10am–4pm Cheese and wine available

WE ARE HERE

FROM A47 TO NORWICH

Suffolk Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 0LN 0843 320 8755 www.simpsonsskoda.com NEW, USED & AFTERSALES

Stop/Start and energy recovery is fitted as standard across the range.

WARRANTY 100,000 MILE

Thurlow Nunn Great Yarmouth 0844 770 0522

Station Road Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR31 0HB

www.thurlownunn.co.uk

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO 2 emissions (g/km). ADAM Range: Urban: 38.2 (7.4) – 43.5 (6.5), Extra-urban: 62.8 (4.5) – 67.3 (4.2), Combined: 51.4 (5.5) – 56.5 (5.0). CO 2 emissions 130 – 118g/km.

Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty covers lifetime ownership of first registered keeper, 100,000 mile limit. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/warranty

motoring

Vauxhall Adam

W e l c o me t o the pa r ty !

Matt Kimberley test drives a new supermini, the VAUXHALL Adam You could argue that Vauxhall is a bit late to the party when it comes to the fashion-led supermini segment dominated by the triumvirate of the Mini, the Fiat 500 and the Citroen DS3, but the Adam’s lateness might just be the making of it.

Buyers in this lucrative part of the car market are looking for something different, and more specifically something they can make their own. With that in mind try this on for size: the Adam comes in four BILLION possible combinations. Which is a lot.

There are around 60,000 different combinations for the exterior and about 80,000 for the inside, but since some combinations aren’t allowed for either stylistic or manufacturing reasons, the 4.8 billion theoretical possibilities gets cut back a bit.

As you sit in the dealership you can choose to change more than you can on any other car, like the dashboard finish and colour scheme, the head lining style, coloured clips on the wheel spokes, steering wheel trim colour, door trim colour, front grille crossmember colour, wheel style, wheel colour, roof colour, body sticker style and colour, gear lever and handbrake lever finish and then colour, body paint colour, seat fabric type, engine choice, trim level and so on until you realise that it’s dark and the sales staff have all gone home.

Ultimately there will be 40 styles of wheel alone, before you move into wheel colours and clips. Expect the 12 funkily-named exterior colours like Papa Don’t Peach, James Blonde, Buzz Lightgreen and I’ll Be Black to be expanded as well. Before too long there might just be an Adam for literally every person on the planet…

But if you prefer you can just choose an ‘Extreme Pack’, which basically gives you a ready-made design built from a combination of the available choices into a cohesive look. The choice is yours.

On more familiar ground there are three trim levels, but none will have any identifying badges so no one will necessarily know whether any individual Adam is the cheapest but still well equipped Jam, mid-range Glam or the sporty Slam.

The engine under the bonnet will stay a secret too; from a choice of 1.2 and 1.4 petrols. There’s no diesel and there never will be according to Vauxhall. There’s just no demand for it in a car this small. And small it is, based on a shortened and heavily modified Corsa chassis.

The larger engine is much more responsive than the 1.2, which feels a bit dim-witted at times compared to the genuinely sharp and

lively character of the 1.4. It comes in two power outputs, but either will do the job nicely. The 1.4 is still lightweight too, which gives the Adam a lovely lightweight and nimble feel at the front wheels.

It bites into turns as keenly as a vampire bat; all the more so with larger, wider wheels and tyres fitted.

There’s not much body roll either. Strengthening work around the suspension has done wonders to keep the stylish little nipper flat and stable without denting its thoroughly likeable sense of chuckability. Even if you only potter gently around in it there’s a certain sense of joie de vivre that’s partly thanks to the interior style and partly down to the well judged balance between the way the steering, pedals and slightly notchy five-speed gearbox feel. It’s easy to drive and easy to enjoy, although on the motorway the revs spin too high and it buzzes along a little out of its comfort zone.

There’s not a massive amount of room in the boot. Although it’s relatively deep and you can squeeze a surprising amount of soft baggage in, the pinching point where the rear seat backs and the load lip come closest is a bit of a barrier to getting bigger stuff or hard cases in.

Vauxhall hasn’t been shy with the Facts at a glance equipment on offer but with all models blessed with alloy wheels, a chunky M o de l leather-covered steering wheel and Vauxhall Adam Slam colourful interiors the actual equipment 1.4i 87PS ecoFLEX, from you get takes a back seat to the £13,770 on the road enjoyment and feel-good factor the E n g ine car gives you. When was the last time 1.4-litre four-cylinder automatic windscreen wipers made you petrol producing 86bhp grin like a fool anyway? and 96lb.ft Nonetheless, all the gear you could T r ansmissi o n hope for is available, including a clever Five-speed manual touch-screen ‘Intellilink’ interface that gearbox driving the front simply transfers your smartphone’s wheels main functions to the display.

P e r f o r mance The Adam might be late to the party Top speed 109mph, but it’s learned from its rivals and 0-62mph in 12.5 seconds it moves the game on. Astonishing F U E L E c o n o my customisation potential in a great5.4mpg looking starting package is likely to be a C O 2 Ratin g sizeable ace up the Adam’s sleeve.

119g/km Prices correct at time of going to press

D E A L E R Thurlow Nunn Great Yarmouth, Station Road, Norfolk NR31 0HB Tel: 0844 770 0522 www.thurlownunn.co.uk

Beccles, Station Road, Suffolk NR34 9QQ Tel: 0844 770 0523

109

No stopping for 817 miles.* The new Golf. Further on one tank.

The new Golf has been built with more spec, more technology and more fuel efficiency. Up to 74.3 mpg no less, which translates into 817 miles on one tank. ( That’s like driving from Norfolk to Cornwall and back without stopping for fuel.) The one place you will need to stop is our showroom. Especially as we’re offering the new Golf for low monthly payments when you purchase with the help of our finance. ( See the table below.) Better still, why not call us for a test drive and we can discuss all the details?

Solutions Representative example based on 10,000 miles per annum for a Golf S 1.2 85 PS 3-door with metallic paint.

Duration

3 years

Excess mileage (per mile)

4.4p

35 monthly payments

£199.00

Retail cash price

£16,785.00 £11,851.59

Customer deposit

£4,933.41

Amount of credit

Acceptance fee†

£125.00

Total amount payable

£18,505.91

Optional final payment

£6,547.50

Representative APR

6.4% APR

Option to purchase fee**

£60.00

Rate of interest

5.7% Fixed

Robinsons NORWICH Heigham Causeway, Heigham Street, Norwich, NR2 4LX. Tel: 01603 612111.

LOWESTOFT 2 Cooke Road, South Lowestoft Ind Est, Lowestoft, NR33 7NA. Tel: 01502 516831.

www.robinsons.volkswagen.co.uk

Model shown includes metallic paint: £16,785. *Calculation based on new Golf 1.6 TDI 105 PS manual achieving 74.3mpg on the combined cycle with a fuel tank capacity of 50 litres. **Payable with optional final payment. †Payable within first payment. Further charges may be payable if vehicle is returned. Indemnities may be required. Subject to status. Available to over 18s. Terms and conditions apply. Retail sales only. Volkswagen Finance, Freepost VWFS. Offer available on orders before March 31st, 2013. Subject to availability. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Certain vehicles excluded. Ask for details. Official fuel consumption in mpg (litre/100km) for the new Golf range: urban 41.5 (6.8) – 61.4 (4.6); extra urban 62.8 (4.5) – 85.6 (3.3); combined 53.3 (5.3) – 74.3 (3.8). CO2 emissions 123 – 99g/km.

www.renault.co.uk

Client Document Name Size Date Proof Stage Publication Details Delivery MAG/PRESS Adzone Number

Volkswagen Local Advertising BS300 136X190 (218_227_220_225) WIP 10656 RMS 4359 136X190mm 14.01.2013 1st HI RES TO MATT MAGAZINE WIP 10656 RMS 4359

NEW renault clio INSPIRED BY DESIRE

urn

VISIt OuR ShOWROOm fOR thE chANcE tO WIN AN uNfORGEttABLE WEEkEND IN PARIS† ALL-NEW ENERGY-EffIcIENt ENGINES uP tO 88.3mPG DRIVE AWAY fROm £179 PER mONth* car shown is a New clio Dynamique S mediaNav tce 90 S&S from £199 per month

mitchells loWestoFt 50-58 LONG ROAD, LOWEStOft NR33 9Dq 0844 8759626 WWW.mItchELLSRENAuLt.cO.uk the official consumption figures in mpg (i/100km) for the new clio core range are: urban 40.4 (7)–78.5 (3.6); extra urban 60.1 (4.7)–94.2 (3.0); combined 51.4 (5.5)–88.3(3.2). the official co2 emissions for the range are 127–83g/km.

Terms and exclusions apply. Warranty 100,000 miles; Service 48,000 miles. Finance conditions apply. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. You must be at least 18 and a UK resident (excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) to apply. Finance provided by RCI Financial Services Ltd, PO Box 149, Watford WD17 1FJ. Visit www.renault.co.uk/4plus for details. *Rental stated is for Renault Lease. Comparable payments are available on our personal contract purchase product – ask your dealer for details. If you choose Renault Lease then you will not own the car. When you have paid the final rental at the end of the contract, you can keep using the car and pay an annual rental equivalent to one monthly rental. Typical example: New Clio Dynamique MediaNav 1.2 16V 75; advance rental £1,500 inc VAT followed by 48 monthly rentals of £179 inc VAT, when opting to pay final rental of £4,542 inc VAT. Car shown is a New Clio Dynamique S MediaNav TCe 90 S&S; advance rental £2,125 inc VAT followed by 48 monthly rentals of £199 inc VAT, when opting to pay final rental of £5,647 inc VAT. A finance facility fee of £149 will be payable with the advance rental. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. You must be at least 18 and a UK resident (excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) to apply. Finance provided by RCI Financial Services Limited, PO Box 149, Watford WD17 1FJ. Available at participating dealers only. Not available in conjunction with any other schemes or finance offers. Please check with your local dealer for information. Offers are available to retail and business customers (but exclude fleet customers with own terms), and are valid on new vehicles when ordered by 1 July 2013. Flame metallic paint an additional £535. †Unforgettable weekend in Paris prize draw for two is restricted to one entry per person, per household. Package includes transport, two nights 5-star accommodation, breakfast each morning, dinner for one night at the Jules Verne Restaurant at the Eiffel Tower, €100 hotel spa voucher, €750 spending money and travel insurance. No cash alternative. This prize draw is open to those aged 18 or over. It is not open to employees (and their families) of Renault UK Ltd, their suppliers, agents, third parties, employees of authorised Renault Dealerships or anyone professionally connected with this promotion. This promotion closes on 31 March 2013. Promoter: Renault UK Ltd, The Rivers Office Park, Denham Way, Maple Cross, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 9YS. For full terms and conditions visit www.renault.co.uk/win.

Volkswagen Golf

MOTORING

Lighter & sharper Matt Kimberley test drives the new VW Golf A new Volkswagen Golf launch is always much more significant than this seventh-generation model’s visual changes would have you believe.

Aside from a little Audi-style squaring-off of some of the car’s corners there’s not too much that’s different at a glance. But look closely and you’ll see a more radical set of changes than any that have passed under the Golf banner before.

If you think it looks longer you’re right. There’s an extra 56mm in the middle, mostly due to the front wheels being shunted forwards on the all-new MQB chassis. That’s Modular Transverse Matrix, or Modularer Querbaukasten if your German is up to scratch.

It’s a little wider too, with thinner doors for significantly more shoulder room. It’s lower, though, repositioning the seats to compensate for any reduction in headroom and provide better aerodynamics. Meanwhile, weight has been shaved off - or rather it’s been brutally chopped off. Around 100kg is the saving, or the equivalent of two young teenagers. Efficiency is the name of this Golf’s game, and lighter is better.

We’ve already seen a BlueMotion concept capable of 88mpg or so thanks to a new 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine, but since that’s not available yet – nor is the GTi; again just a concept for now – the Golf VII’s initial range is made up of the bread and butter models.

There are two versions of the excellent turbocharged 1.2 TSI petrol, with 84bhp and 104bhp respectively. Incidentally they’re almost identical in terms of fuel consumption and CO2, but the extra oomph of the 103bhp option on demand makes it the one to buy. Two 1.4-litre units, one with 120bhp and another with 138bhp and a clever cylinder deactivation system (ACT) complete the petrol spectrum.

For diesel devotees there’s the familiar 1.6-litre 104bhp engine and a new 148bhp 2.0. The former can achieve 74.3mpg with a careful right foot, while the more powerful lump can still manage 68.9mpg. Impressive stuff, if your patience is up to it.

The most powerful of the petrol and diesel options both do an admirable job in their own ways. The 2.0-litre diesel is impressively tractable and quiet in normal use, while returning big fuel economy numbers given half a chance. It never really feels as powerful as its figures suggest, but given time and mileage it might loosen up a little.

The pick of the pair is probably the 138bhp 1.4 petrol. Capable of around 59mpg if you’re an eco-driving demon, it only uses cylinders one and four under light engine loads, shutting off the fuel supply to numbers two and three in the middle. It swaps between two and four cylinders with anything from a moderate thump to a seamless switch that wouldn’t wake the most temperamental of babies, depending on what you’re doing with the throttle.

There’s not much to choose between the two engines for smoothness, but the petrol is hundreds of pounds cheaper and benefits from less costly fuel at the pumps. On the other hand, the entry-level 1.6 diesel is road tax-free under the current rules.

On the road the Golf has many attributes and a few niggling flaws. The new body gives good visibility all round, even approaching roundabouts where some A-pillars get in the way.

The door mirrors are too small, though, and don’t do a brilliant job.

On smooth surfaces the new Golf is whisper quiet; it’s a thoroughly refined thing. It’s not the quietest over bumps or typical broken British tarmac but it’s much the better for the significant weight loss. It feels longer on the road, its 59mm wheelbase increase sometimes rearing its head around corners, and it feels larger inside. But it feels a little livelier and more willing than before.

Build quality is very much what buyers will expect, with many materials seemingly making the generation jump from the Golf VI. On the high-spec test cars the plastics, dashboard layout and displays will all be familiar to last-gen Golf owners. The colour displays have been given a welcome update, though.

There are excellent practical touches like a lower boot sill to make loading easier, and a boot floor that can conceal the parcel shelf at need. The doors, too, are designed to sit at almost whatever point you open them to without moving, to make it easier to avoid hitting neighbouring cars in car parks.

As standard the new model comes with a genuinely impressive array of kit, but key things like alloy wheels and a leather-trimmed steering wheel are omitted to encourage upgrading. The list prices aren’t cheap, but it’s a quality product that – like the Mk V and Mk VI before it – defines what a compact family hatch should be. British buyers will love it.

Prices correct at time of going to press

Facts at a glance M o de l Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI GT, £22,960 on the road E n g ine 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with cylinder deactivation, producing 138bhp T r ansmissi o n Six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels. DSG automatic optional P e r f o r mance TBC F U E L E c o n o my 58.9mpg C O 2 Ratin g 112g/km

D E A L E R ROBINSONS Heigham Causeway, Heigham Street, Norwich, NR2 4LX Tel: 01603 612111

2 Cooke Road, South Lowestoft Ind Est, Lowestoft, NR33 7NA Tel: 01502 516831

Everything you want in a car for less

FORD FOCUS Zetec Estate 1.6TDCi

F O R D N e w C- M A X Ze te c 1 .6

(115PS) DPF (Start-Stop)

Duratorq TDCi

•

• •

• • • • •

Ludham Garage High Street, Ludham, Norfolk, NR29 5QQ 01692 678215

• •

Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Traction Control and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) Front side and curtain airbags Ford DAB Audio System with

FORD B-MAX Zetec 1.4 Duratec 90PS

•

Bluetooth and USB connectivity Air conditioning – Manual control Ford Easy Fuel I s o fi x c h i l d s a f e t y s e a t attachments

• •

Quickclear heated windscreen Thatcham Category 1 Alarm

95.00 ADVANCE PAYMENT

£

• • • £

Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with electronic brake-force distribution and Emergency Brake Assist Intelligent Protection System with front, side (thorax only),

• • •

‘Quickclear’ - heated windscreen B l u e t o o t h U S B w i t h Vo i c e Control DAB Radio/CD Ford Easy Fuel Thatcham Cat 1 Alarm

145.00 ADVANCE PAYMENT

£

knee and curtain airbags Adjustable load floor in luggage compartment for easy loading of cargo DAB digital radio/CD with AUX connection Ford Easy-Fuel capless refuelling system

www.ludhamgarage.co.uk

Quickclear heated windscreen

95.00 ADVANCE PAYMENT

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) Ford Car range: urban 55.4 - 35.8 (5.1-7.9), extra urban 76.4 - 57.7 (3.7-4.9), combined 67.3 47.1 (4.2-6.0). Official CO2 emission 109.0-139.0g/km. Vehicle shown is the Ford . This programme is subject to the standard conditions of the Motability 3-year Contract

Hire Scheme. Full written details and quotations available on request from a Ford Authorised participating dealer or Motability Operations Limited. Under the scheme the vehicles are leased from Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB. Free rear parking sensors will be included on all new Ford cars, with the exception of Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy which will be supplied with front and rear free parking sensors, contracted through the Motability Scheme by a Ford Authorised Dealer. Where such sensors are not already included as standard, no cash alternative is available. Applications must be received and accepted between 01/04/2013 and 30/06/2013 by Motability Operations Limited.

The ŠKODA range is available from £0 advance payment at Simpsons ŠKODA

Citigo range

Fabia range

Roomster range

Octavia range

Yeti range

Superb range

from

from

from

from

from

from

£0

£0

ADVANCE PAYMENT ADVANCE PAYMENT

£0

ADVANCE PAYMENT

£TBC

ADVANCE PAYMENT

Simpsons ŠKODA Suffolk Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 0LN

£95

ADVANCE PAYMENT

08433 208 755

£1,195

ADVANCE PAYMENT

www.simpsonsskoda.com

To qualify for this offer you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance or War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement. Advance Payment (AP) valid for applications to Motability for 1st January to 31st March 2013. Models shown are Citigo SE 3-Dr 1.0 MPI 60PS 5spd Manual at £0 AP. Shown with Style Pack 2, Winter Pack and optional metallic paint. Fabia Hatch Elegance 1.2 12V 69PS at £0 AP inc metallic paint. Shown with optional 16” ‘Elba’ alloy wheels (FOC). Roomster SE 1.2 TSI 86PS at £0 AP inc metallic paint. Shown with optional 16’’ ‘Atria’ alloy wheels (£220 RRP), silver roof rails (£370 RRP) and front fog lights (£170 RRP). Octavia Hatch Elegance 1.4 TSI 122PS at £995 AP inc metallic paint. Yeti Elegance 1.2 TSI 105PS at £695 AP inc metallic paint. Shown with optional silver roof rails (£160 RRP). Superb hatch S 1.6 TDI 105PS at £1,195 AP inc metallic paint. Models shown varies from UK specification.

Official fuel consumption in mpg (litres/100km) for the ŠKODA range: Urban 19.2 (14.7) – 68.9 (4.1), Extra Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 27.7 (10.2) – 83.1 (3.4). CO2 emissions 237 – 89 g/km.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Motability

M N ew b e g innin g s f o r E l isa b eth Discover how the Motability Scheme helped one young girl and her family For further information about the Motability Scheme, please telephone 0845 456 4566, or visit the Motability website at www.motability.co.uk

eet eight-year-old Elisabeth who has spina bifida and hydrocephalus - conditions that affect her nervous system and mobility. She cannot walk or stand independently and is a full time wheelchair user.

Her mum Sam explains: ‘We knew that Elisabeth was going to be born disabled but nothing prepared us for the impact it would have on family life.

As she got older, we struggled to lift her into the car, and there wasn’t enough space for the wheelchair and the whole family to travel together. What we needed was a car with ramped access so that Elisabeth could travel in her wheelchair, but that was also big enough for the whole family.’

Sam approached Motability who assessed the family’s needs, and gave them a grant towards a suitable wheelchair accessible vehicle. Allied Mobility, a Glasgow based conversion company, took a wheelchair accessible vehicle to the family’s home to demonstrate how it might help them and the rest, as they say, is history.

‘Everyone at Allied Vehicles and Motability were so helpful,’ explains Sam. ‘Thanks to the new car we are mobile! Every day tasks are so easy and Elisabeth loves to travel in her wheelchair – she can even push herself part way up the ramp!

‘After we got the car, we went on our first family camping trip.

We managed to pack up the tent, Elisabeth’s wheelchair and buggy, six people and all of the camping gear for the weekend and spent some quality time together – something we couldn’t have done without the new car.’

Allied Mobility managing director Paul Nelson comments: ‘It's wonderful to see just how much difference the right vehicle can make to someone with reduced mobility.

‘At Allied Mobility we understand that every customer has different needs. That's why we've developed a wide range of wheelchair accessible vehicles, including the Peugeot Expert Independence, which is specifically aimed at families and small groups.

‘It really is about increased Independence for everyone.

I'm really delighted that young Elisabeth and her family are now able to get out and about when it suits them and even go on family holidays together with their own wheelchair accessible car.’

placesandfaces.co.uk

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Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

MoToR cLASSIFIEdS

FIAT SPEcIALISTS

specialists

MoT & SERVIcING

TMC CARS at

Toft Monks Car Centre Yarmouth Rd, Toft Monks, Beccles T: 01502 677742 Please see our website for full range of Fiats and other makes

www.toftmonkscars.hpi.co.uk

& Anglia Auto Centre, Barford, Norwich T: 01603 759799

BodY REPAIRS & RESPRAYS

Chris Basey-Fisher

CBF SERVICE CENTRE Limited

Servicing and repairing all makes and models from one year old

MOTs only £38 FREE RE-TEST WITHIN TEN DAYS All work carried out by qualified mechanics Tel 01502 471900 Unit 3 George Westwood Way, Beccles, NR34 9EJ

TYRES & whEELS

Always a selection of over 60 Diesel Cars in stock mostly under 4 years old.

From £3995 to £12,995.

We alsoa specialise Always selection ofinover Estates 60 Dielsel Diesel Cars in stock mostly under 4 years old. www.diesels-direct.co.uk From £3995 to £12,995.

SALTGATE, BECCLES 01502 712650 We also specialise in Dielsel Estates www.diesels-direct.co.uk SALTGATE, BECCLES 01502 712650

Rainbow Resprays

KIRKLEY RUN TYRES & WHEELS

Huge Discounts on all major brands

Est. 1990

MINOR TO MAJOR WORK? Had a bump large or small D FAST! WE GET YOU BACK ON THE ROA

Insurance work undertaken. Courtesy car for non-fault accident. Let us take the stress from you.

Estcourt Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 4JQ

dIESEL SPEcIALIST

m 07899 778683 t 01493 852176

All with FREE accidental damage cover KIRKLEY RUN SERVICE STATION Lowestoft 565529

All tyre prices include Fitting • Balancing • New Valve • VAT and Casing Disposal (No hidden Extras) kirkleytyresandwheels.co.uk SOUTHTOWN RD, SERVICE STATION Gt Yarmouth 600432

Tyres Batteries Brakes Exhausts Alloy Wheels SOUTH QUAY SERVICE STATION Gt Yarmouth 857 099

Simpsons ŠKODA New, Used & Aftersales Retailer of the Year 2008, 2009 & 2011

· SUPERB · OCTAVIA · RAPID · FABIA · YETI · ROOMSTER · CITIGO

Suffolk Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 0LN 0843 320 1503 (local rate) www.simpsonsskoda.com East Anglia’s largest motorhome supplier

Service specialists in

MERCEDES-BENZ old and new.

Our Mercedes-Benz trained technicians carry out all your servicing and repair work in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements. We offer a similar standard of service as a Mercedes dealership at a fraction of the price.

We use the latest diagnostic equipment, fit original quality service parts and use manufacturer’s grade oil, which allows us to stamp your service book and protect the manufacturer’s warranty.

Approved

ACCIDENT REPAIRER for motor caravans & tourers

A FORDABLE CARS Suffolk Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 0LN 08433 208758 (LOCAL RATE) www.simpsonsmotorcaravans.com

Southgates Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3LL | 01493 851854

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Almary Green Celebration, The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral Norwich-based Independent Financial Advisers, Almary Green, held a celebration event hosted by MD Carl Lamb for clients and professional contacts at The Hostry, Norwich. The event was to celebrate one of the advisers, Hayley Tink, being named as the UK’s individual chartered financial planner of the year by the Personal Finance Society.

Jane Armstrong, Lizzy Wilbourn, Tessa Morgan and Mary-Anne Sargeant

Carl Lamb, Gregory Laming and Mark Poole

John and Sue Efstratiou

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Cathryn and Ian Dobson

Simon Parker and Sue Bailey

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Vivian and Adrian Sellers

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Roger and Margo Mayhew with Margaret Briggs

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Food Heroes Awards Launch, Blickling Hall Leaders of Norfolk’s food industry gathered at Blickling Hall for the launch of the seventh annual Food Heroes Awards, run by the Aylsham Show.

Norfolk people are being invited to nominate individuals or businesses in five categories – including an overall Norfolk Food Hero. To nominate, go to www.theaylshamshow.co.uk/food-heroawards.

Andy Newman ASSOCIATES, NORWICH

Pictures by

Simon Evans and Jacinnth Rogers

David Hitcham and Christopher Scargill

Ingelil and Terry Lawton

Susan Papworth and Ian Stevenson

Liz Coxford, Christopher Self, Nicola Filby and Ann Self

Desmond MacCarthy and James Fitzpatrick

Richard Bryan and Alison Hovesen

Marion William, John McFarlane and Sarah Pettegree

Gay Webster, Sharon Chatten and Rachel Baker

Jimmy Fowell and Bill van Poortvliet

Mary Kemp and Rob Morton

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Lord Mayor’s Business Reception, Norwich Castle The Lord Mayor of Norwich, Cllr Ralph Gayton invited more than 100 business leaders to Norwich Castle for a reception. Guests enjoyed drinks before watching presentations showcasing the work of Norwich-based companies Validus, Foolproof and Proxama.

Brenda Arthur, Leader of Norwich City Council, invited guests to hold group discussions to tell the council about their future business needs.

Common themes included improved rail access to London, better roads, more internships for students and faster broadband in Norwich city centre.

AMANDA SANDLAND-TAYLOR, NEWSMAKERS PR

Pictures & words by

James Allen and Kevin Cooper

Rachel Leveson Gower and Andi Gibbs

Lord Mayor’s Office Staff Maxine Pooley, Gavin Thorpe and Sharon Quantrell

Martin Lake and Fiona Keysell

Mike Stonard, Lord Mayor of Norwich, Cllr Ralph Gayton & NCC Leader Brenda Arthur

Gary Howard and Anton Bull

Ed Walker, Tom Wood and Simon Watson

Andy Watt and Laura Chellis

Ian Fox, Graham Nelson and Julian Wells

Paul Chun and Jon Archer

Andrew Robinson, Mike Blake and Bruce Bentley

Chris Starkie and Gywn Jones

Josh Davies and Seb Butcher

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Breakfast Club, Assembly House, Norwich The monthly business Breakfast Club had an extra air of fun about it as members enjoyed their Christmas special. Guests enjoyed mulled fruit juice before a hearty full English breakfast. Breakfast Club organiser Stuart Turner hosted fun team drawing games, Newsmakers’ Harry Mitchell played festive tunes on the piano and Mark Fitch led a Sound of Music sing-along. Traditional support for The Mall’s Giving Tree Appeal saw each member donate children’s gifts for distribution through the Umbrella Housing Association and Leeway Women’s Aid. A cash raffle boosted the appeal further.

AMANDA SANDLAND-TAYLOR, NEWSMAKERS PR

Pictures & words by

Stuart Morton and Jonathan Briggs

Mark Fitch, Stuart Turner and Harry Mitchell

Norman Wilson and Tina Maguire

Carolyn Atkins and Georgina Postlethwaite

Sarah Buckley, Michael Flint and Liz Russell

Naomi Herbert-Okey and Navin Sharma

Graham Clark and Angus McCrum

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James Kidd, Andy Foreman and Andrew Burwood

Eric Kirk, Hannah Steele and Alistair Pitty

Suzanne Sears and Ashley Smith

Pippa Redmond and Carla Adams

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Blue Sky Leisure Annual Conference Blue Sky Leisure held its eighth annual staff conference at Dunston Hall with 160 employees from the groups trading divisions of Kelling Heath Holiday Park, Woodhill Park, Zaks Restaurants and Blue Sky Homes attending the afternoon event. The prom themed conference was followed in the evening with dinner and entertainment.

Anna Brown, Natalie Williams, Jenny Mitchel, Becky Daniels and Gemma Farrow

Carole Ruckland and Charmain Daniels

Dave and Mo Wing

Sue Johnson and Nigel Carr

Cathleen Smith and Ruby Waters

Gemma Restieaux and Hannah Lee

Zoe Callaghan and Charleen Schwericke

Claire Pennock and Stephen Hubbard

Ian Hacon and Jean Benham

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Mandy Pope and Iris Russen

Pat Barnard, Dale Cooke, Lita Pantelli and Chris Carr

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GoGoGorillas! launch in Norwich GoGoGorillas! invited businesses, sponsors and members of the public to The Space to see a sneak preview of the designs that will adorn over 50 gorillas in Norwich this summer. Along with staff from Break being on hand to answer questions and provide details about how the troops of gorillas will light up and benefit the city and raise money for both Break and the Born Free Foundation, visitors also got to meet some of the gorillas and artists. Starting in June, the GoGoGorillas trail will take place for 10 weeks with gorillas being located across Norwich’s streets, parks and open spaces. Visit www.gogogorillas.co.uk Pictures & words by

JUNGLE PR

Batman Dark Knight gorilla

Paul Cockerill, Mike Fields and David Mallindine

Liam Betts and James Hick

Gideon Graylyons and Martin Wall

Emily Richards and Cat Finlayson

Rosie Egan and Alex Egan

Rachael Hipperson, Matthew Brand and Mike Sarson

Liz Richards and Jill Watkinson

Peter Marron, Rachel Harrison and Owen Morgan

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The East Anglian Game and Country Fair's 10th Anniversary Charity Ball The East Anglian Game and Country Fair celebrated its 10th anniversary with a charity ball at Wensum Valley Hotel, Taverham, Norwich, raising ÂŁ4000. 160 guests were entertained by Mr Magic during the jazz reception and three-course meal, then danced the night away to the 'Debbie Boyd Band'.Speeches were given by deputy CEO of Mind, Sandra Flanagan, and Dr Henry Mannings, of Star Throwers, the beneficiaries. Andy Grand, organiser of the Game Fair, thanked everyone for their generous support, including those that donated fantastic raffle and silent auction prizes which alone raised ÂŁ2700.

Pictures

JULIA HOLLAND | WWW.ALL-ABOUT-IMAGE.CO.UK

Andy Grand

John Howard, Douglas and Ann Marie Benton and Jane Howard

Claire and Chris Key

Chris and Bridgette Hall

Peter and Cherie Silvester, Chris Brown, Julie and Ian Sadd and Lara and Chris Bayfield

Rowan Hindry, Claire Key, Anita Burton, Juliet Waller and Jo Coxford

Sandra Flanagan - MIND Norwich

Henry Mannings - Star Throwers

Richard and Lisa Barker and Sarah and Mark Foyster

Didi Fenwick with Andy and Tracey Grand

Jay and Katy Moore

Until next time

Places&Faces® | APRIL 2013

SJP

Our Gym Bunny WHAT IS IT ABOUT GYMS THAT BRING OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE?

I am StIll tRyInG to FoCuS on my fitness

regime, this is the longest my New Year’s resolution has lasted! I am really pleased to see people of all ages, well my age and above, in the gym.

Now I know I shouldn’t interfere but, as you know, that is me. Asking me not to interfere would be like asking your other half to see that the washing machine is finished and the washing hung out! The problem is that when I do go to the gym I spend all my energy trying not to interfere and this causes me untold stress, but hey, at least my heart rate goes up. If I just gave in and interfered I would feel a lot better but I know for sure that it would offend a lot of people!

I start to warm up on the bikes and these face the treadmills. I invariably see two or three elderly people who put the treadmill on an incline, so they are meant to be walking fairly briskly (although I know that they are probably not able to do a brisk walk uphill). All clear so far.

What they end up doing is holding onto the bloody machine at the front and just strolling, it’s not an effort! One of the instructors came past me when I was watching this and I couldn’t help myself. I ended up saying: ‘Why don’t you go over there and tell them they are not actually achieving anything by doing that?’ She said that she had told them that before and now lets them just get on with it. I said: ‘But it’s your job to try and get people to exercise properly.’ As it happens the instructor did absolutely nothing and I had to spend 20 minutes on my bike watching them, getting more and more irritated.

Why can’t I be the type of person that’s more laid back? If you've bothered to go to the gym in the first place, why not just do it properly?

After I finish on the bike, I go on the treadmill, and from there I start to obsess about the weight training area. I watch these ladies (invariably it is women) swinging a weight like it is a tin of pilchards up and down instead of slowly lifting it in a controlled manner. So I have done my warm up on the bike, moved to the treadmill for my aerobic exercise and now onto the weights, but there is a mirror in front of the weights area and this means that I can see everything in the whole gym.

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There is always at least one male instructor standing near an attractive young blonde, while she is trying to work out, but he is constantly chatting her up. It’s been years since that’s happened to me!

Should I need an instructor's help – forget it!

Anyone over 35 becomes invisible. I have tried to un-stress myself during my work-out because that’s part of the reason I go, but then we come to the next problem, the iPod. I decided that an iPod would be really motivational during work-outs so I bought the top of the range one with a huge memory and quite frankly if I don’t keep my fitness up I’ll die before I hear all the tracks!

I downloaded about 500 albums onto it and then my friend told me that it is too big for what I need and I would have been better off buying an iPod nano. Bit late, I’d already bought the big one. Anyway, I decide to get the nano, an armband, and headphones, listen to some pleasant music and ignore what everyone around me is doing. The problem is that although my iPod is quite loud and the headphones are really good, the MTV channel is always on at the gym at a phenomenal volume (because most of the staff are young) and I can always hear this over my music.

When I come to the end of my work-out, I cool down on the cross trainer which is in front of the TV showing BBC with subtitles – a good time to catch up on the news unless football is on then the staff just stand around watching that. So, do I sound stressed out to

you? Meanwhile I notice in the aerobics studio there are lines of mature women, (that’s because it’s line dancing) all doing the funky cowboy but looking more like they wanted to take off their Stetsons and go eat a fat juicy (horse)burger and trot off home!

I know that some of the ladies are overweight and that is why they are going to the gym in the first place, and good for them, but why do they walk faster from the gym to their cars than they do on the treadmill? I suggested to a friend the other day that she should perhaps try doing some exercise, ‘it’s okay for you,’ she said, ‘you enjoy it’. ‘Enjoy it – you must be joking?’

SjP

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FESTIVAL

King s Lynn

festival fever As if the Norwich & Norwich Festival was not enough, there’s the King’s Lynn Festival to look forward to a little further ahead.

Emma Outten previews the acts

A

world-famous orchestra, two BBC Young Musicians, the Prince of Wales’ harpist, the top-notch BBC Big Band – they’re all coming to King’s Lynn Festival in July.

Not only that, iconic jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, exciting Scottish group Blazin’ Fiddles, and leading art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon will give this summer’s King’s Lynn Festival especially broad appeal.

The 63rd Festival will be staged from July 14-27. Artistic director Ambrose Miller says: ‘It will be a wonderfully lively festival maintaining its tradition of excellence but also introducing some new features.’

A rousing concert entitled The Best of British will launch the festival when the 100-strong King’s Lynn Festival Chorus, the European Union Chamber Orchestra and trumpet virtuoso Crispian Steele-Perkins celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation with stirring music played during the ceremony, plus popular music by Benjamin Britten to mark the East Anglian composer’s centenary.

This year the internationally-renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will present the final concert when their programme will include Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony.

The current BBC Young Musician, Dutch cellist Laura Van Der Heijden, will join the European Union Chamber Orchestra in the beautiful St Nicholas’ Chapel, with its nationally acclaimed acoustic, on July 16 when she will perform Haydn’s cello concerto.

One innovation expected to attract national interest will be the performance of Beethoven’s complete cello sonatas on July 22. They will feature two major names - former BBC Young musician, cellist Guy Johnston, and pianist Melvyn Tan. Lynn Festival gives audiences the chance to enjoy music is some of the town’s historic buildings and on July 25 the festival will return to All Saints Church with a concert by Hannah Stone, the current Harpist to the Prince of Wales. The event has special links with Lynn as the royal harp’s strings are made by local business, Bow Brand International.

The BBC Big Band will display their impeccable musicianship on July 23, and acclaimed saxophonist Courtney Pine and his band will be in Lynn on July 19 Blazin’ Fiddles, one of Scotland’s top traditional bands who perform at the BBC Proms as well as in remote highland village halls, will bring their special brand of passionate and sensitive fiddle music to Lynn for the first time on July 26.

Main picture courtney pine

Classic Buskers communicate their passion for music through their virtuosity and humour which both entertains and educates audiences.

The two highly talented musicians will make a welcome return on July 22 having first visited Lynn under their previous guise as Cambridge Buskers.

Renowned pianist Peter Donohoe will give a recital on July 18 dedicated to the festival’s founder Ruth Lady Fermoy. London Handel Players will feature in Early Music Day on July 20 and the series of five morning coffee concerts are set to maintain their popularity on July 22-26. There will be a contemporary music concert on July 15.

Adding to the programme’s interest and variety will be two illustrated lectures. One of the world’s leading art critics, Andrew Graham-Dixon, who is also a television presenter and novelist, will be talking about the artist Caravaggio on July 24.

On July 17 the Royal Geographical SocietyIBG lecture will be given by respected mountaineer Stephen Venables who will give an intimate portrayal of the Everest

story to mark the 60th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing.

Film is being reintroduced to the festival in partnership with Lynn Community Film Club.

On the afternoons preceding the two talks, films complementing the speakers’ themes will be shown. The Wildest Dream will precede Stephen Venables’ Everest talk and Artemesia prior to the Carvaggio lecture.

The Festival exhibition will feature Roland Penrose’s Surrealist Camera staged in partnership with Lynn Arts Centre Trust.

The exhibition will also include a tribute to Alexander Penrose, brother of Roland, who bought Lynn’s Guildhall of St George to save it from demolition and spearheaded a campaign for it to be restored for use as an arts centre. The celebration of the re-opening of the historic building by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother marked the start of the first King’s Lynn Festival.

Priority booking for Patrons and Friends of the Festival opens at the Corn Exchange (01553-764864) on April 15. General booking begins on April 29. For more information visit www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk, e-mail info@ kingslynnfestival.org.uk or call the festival office on 01553-767557.

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