Places&faces norfolk oct13 by Countrywide Publications

OCTOBER 2013 | ÂŁ2.95 WHERE SOLD

THE Magazine for Norfolk & North Suffolk

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WELCoME

EDITOR’S LETTER

And food remains a key part of the magazine with two restaurant reviews this month and a really lovely chat by Andy Newman with the aptly-named Nina Plumbe who grows a wide variety of, yes, you’ve guessed it, plums in north Norfolk! Congratulations to our regular travel writer Mark Nicholls who has been short listed for one of his pieces which appeared in P&F, Incredible India, in the British Travel Press Awards. He is a finalist in the regional publication travel feature of the year category, with the winner announced on November 20. Best of luck to him and catch his latest offering – a ghostly tour of London with his bloodthirsty children, Laura and Sarah, – in this issue!

SARAh hARDY

sarah@h2creativemedia.co.uk

WElCoME to ouR oCtoBER ISSuE which we hope you’ll enjoy over a cuppa (or something stronger) as the nights draw in. After all the excitement of our splendid summer, now is the time to savour that slight nip in the air, those glorious autumnal colours, and the chance to chill out in front of a real ﬁre.

We hope you enjoy what we have on offer this month, from a chat with former Three Degrees singer Sheila Ferguson who has quite a strong character to Joe Larter (Mr Woody Bear), our business profile, who has written a book about his exploits! We’ve shone the spotlight on beauty this month, with Kathy Webb telling us all about her home-made skin products and Jarrold’s really revving up their beauty hall. I have to admit to being a fan of Jo Malone who, along with many other leading fragrance and cosmetic companies, is now on offer.

Have a great month and do follow me on Twitter @H2CreativeSarah

MEET THE TEAM ColIn huggInS Managing Director t 01493 742091 M 07775 858862

EMMA outtEn Assistant Editor

SCott nICholSon Designer

E colin@h2creativemedia.co.uk

12 ISSuES FoR £24

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Contributors Franck Pontais, Mark Dixon, Kevin Bunting, Amanda Sandland-Taylor, Joff Hopkins, Poppy Seymour, Nick Mobbs, Ian Russell, Andrew Florides, Roger Hickman, Andy Newman Associates, Richard Barr, Julian Gibbons, Mark Nicholls, Paul Shreeve, Paul Dashwood, Denise Littlewood, Emma Curry, Iain Dooley, Clive Hedges

call Jane on 01493 742088 or visit our website at www.placesandfaces.co.uk/ magazine-subscribe

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onlInE www.placesandfaces.co.uk www.h2creativemedia.co.uk

tERMS & ConDItIonS Copyright on all content is with H2Creative Media Limited. Reproduction in part or whole is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. All prices, events and times were correct at the time of print, and you are encouraged to contact the businesses and venue prior to making bookings. All expressions and opinions demonstrated within the publication, are those of the Editor including contributors. Places&Faces® is a registered trade Mark of h2Creative Media limited.

CoNTENTs

Sarah Hardy grabs a seat on the inaugural ﬂight from Cambridge to Amsterdam to see the sights

18 CelebrItIeS 16 A perfect combination – Matt Cardle and Mel C unite to produce their first single, Loving You 18 She’s set to be the coolest Fairy Queen Norwich Theatre Royal has ever seen – meet soul diva Sheila Ferguson 22 John Bultitude previews Alan Bennett’s latest biting comedy, People, which arrives in Norwich this month 24 Call the Midwife star Jenny Agutter comes to Burnham Market’s Book Festival

Sarah Hardy dines out at the stately Sprowston Manor where seasonal goodies are top of the menu

Mark Nicholls and his bloodthirsty children take us on a ghoulish tour of London

WHAt’S oN 38 Our West End review is Barking in Essex, a

sparkling new comedy with Sheila Hancock, Lee Todd and Keeley Hawes 41 You’ll be laughing in the aisles of the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft this month 42 As Halloween approaches, check out our spine-tingling guide to spooky Norfolk

FASHIoN & beAUtY

76 Rock chick Fearne Cotton shares her love of fashion with us

29 Ballroom blitz – sequins are big news on the

fashion floor this autumn 31 What a makeover – the new look beauty hall

at Jarrold’s is now open

It’s our regular monthly What’s On guide to the best events and activities in the region and beyond

HoMeS & GArDeNS 45 Tick Tock – the Lust List recommends clocks of all shapes and sizes 46 Bringing the outside inside – the rural influence in home fashions 50 Our property of the month is a sweet treat – a truely chocolate box pretty house! 54 Find out more about a new definitive guide to Norfolk’s gardens and landscapes

reGUlArS 26 Ian Russell opens his contacts book to suggest

some of his favourite Norfolk restaurants 111 Our seven High Society pages kick off with

the Alan Partridge movie premiere in Norwich 118 Debbie Thompson from Sheringham Little

Theatre is the latest subject of our 5 Minutes With feature

ThIs MoNTh's

editor's choice In a new column, editor Sarah Hardy picks her choice of the latest happenings and openings in October 1

70 Each peach, pear, plum… meet the aptly named Nina Plumbe who grows plums in north Norfolk!

BESt Book

Win the chance to host your own cocktail and tapas party

Well, it might not be high literature, but I’d be interested! Sir Alex Ferguson releases his latest (!) autobiography on October 24, called, yes, you’ve guessed it, Alex Ferguson, My Autobiography. Who could resist a peek - did he really throw a boot that struck Becks on the head?

BESt gIg

FooD & DrINK 56 Columnist Richard Barr shares his dinner party secrets – or do we mean nightmares? 60 Try Mark Dixon’s favourite fish supper 63 Franck Pontais has a recipe with a bit of a sting to it! 66 Emma Outten tries out the new Number One Bar and Kitchen in Gorleston

bUSINeSS 92 Joe Larter, Pleasurewood Hills founder, is the

subject of our business profile as he writes his autobiography

MotorS 106 The Vauxhall Mokka comes under the

spotlight 108 The latest Mercedes Benz

COVER STORY 10 Jamie Cullum is jazzing it up in Cambridge

The Boomtown Rats are back! They perform at the UEA in Norwich on October 25 and promise new and old material. Yah! Visit www. ueaticketbookings.co.uk

BESt MoVIE The Fifth Estate. I’m looking forward to this dramatic thriller and not just because Benedict Cumberbatch (the superlative Sherlock) is the lead – honest. He plays Julian Assange and the film, directed by Bill Condon, examines the whole WikiLeaks saga. The release date is October 11. Make your own mind up about it all, I reckon!

BESt tEllY Well, it has to be Downton Abbey, hasn’t it? Autumn simply isn’t autumn without this cosy costume drama. Now in its fourth series and with a cast of favourite faces including Dame Maggie Smith, we follow the upstairs/ downstairs life of the Crawley family. I have to admit that I watch it for the costumes! It is essential viewing for Sunday nights.

BESt EVEnt The 36th annual Norwich Beer Festival runs from October 28 to November 2. Held at St Andrew’s Hall and organised by Camra, it offers the chance to try many, many beers, including those from the region’s micro breweries. Cheers! Visit www.norwichcamera.org.uk for full details.

BESt EXhIBItIon Tate Modern stages a solo exhibition dedicated to former Bauhaus teacher Paul Klee. He’s simply a giant of the modernism movement and with an incredible eye for colour. Opening October 15, visit www.tate.org.uk for more.

BESt PR hYPE The third week of October is now known as Chocolate Week. Do we really need an excuse to celebrate this guilty pleasure? Check out www. chocolateweek.co.uk to see what events, from October 14 to 20, are happening.

BESt nEW oPEnIng We are looking forward to trying out the new Coast To Coast Restaurant in Riverside, Norwich, and experiencing a laid-back east to west coast vibe, plus Chicago-style pizzas and all American burgers. When can we book? Visit www.c2crestaurants.com

1. Downton Abbey, 2. Tate Modern's Paul Klee exhibition

THE PRAM & PIANO YEARS Singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum comes to Cambridge Corn Exchange this month, on his first full-scale UK tour in three years. Emma Outten catches up with the electrifying performer as he was about to catch a plane to Switzerland

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

JAMIE CULLUM

ife has gained a new momentum for Jamie Cullum since he last toured the UK. In the intervening three years he has became husband to writer and model Sophie Dahl, and father to two daughters, Lyra and Margot.

Momentum, the album, is out now (Island Records). Visit www.jamiecullum.com

The upshot of this major shift in circumstance is that the singer-songwriter and instrumentalist who has sold over 10 million records worldwide, does interviews in transit nowadays. ‘My life is a bit different these days, having kids and stuff,’ explains Jamie, en route to a gig in Switzerland. ‘I tend to do interviews in airport queues, rather than doing them at home like I used to, because otherwise you’ve got someone shouting at you to play Lego, while you are trying to talk about your album.’ Sophie, who he married in 2010, gave birth to Lyra in 2011 and then Margot in March of this year. Jamie had previously filled his life with performing, recording and writing. It was whilst at university that Jamie made his debut album, Heard It All Before, in 2001. Post-graduation, and in the wake of releasing the self-financed Pointless Nostalgic, he’d spent most of his twenties travelling and touring and collaborating, ripping up the jazz rulebook, by re-imagining jazz standards and tracks by the likes of Radiohead (have you ever heard his version of High and Dry? You must!). ‘It is part of my DNA as a jazz musician, to reinvent songs that are familiar and try and do them in a fresh way,’ he explains. Jamie worked non-stop, as he promoted major debut label Twentysomething then the follow-up Catching Tales. Then, with 2009’s The Pursuit, that all-consuming musical passion meant touring the world tirelessly, winning over - most notably - America. ‘In the UK we forget how many other places there are to play,’ notes Jamie. ‘Playing gigs is the bread and butter; the meat and potatoes; it’s the real part. Everything else is smoke and mirrors.’ He has his role models. ‘I look at people I really admire in the music industry, whether it’s bands who have been going a long time, or Elvis Costello [who recently played Thetford Forest],’ observes Jamie, ‘they are the workhorses of the business. They are passionate artists but also know they’ve got a job to do. I find that blue collar nature of it really inspiring.’ How does he find touring as a family man? ‘I enjoy playing, still, but I don’t enjoy being away from my family - the dates are two or three in a row, then a couple of days off.’ He recalls, poignantly: ‘I was gone for two years once, without going home, but there was no reason for me to go home. Sometimes I would just stay in a hotel. ‘But now I’m in airports a lot more; the back of a cab, or a train,’ says Jamie. ‘I take my work very seriously but I take my role as a family member, and as a husband, more seriously. I think everyone tries to find a work-life balance, don’t they?’ Jamie’s sixth album, Momentum, (the first under his new label, Island Records) is the sound of a man on a creative roll, albeit one with pram wheels in the hallway. But he says: ‘I think there’s one thing that never changes – and that’s the moment of inspiration. You have to be prepared for that to happen at any time, whether you are walking the streets with your kids; in the studio, or lying in bed or whatever.’ Jamie adds: ‘Also, you are being inspired in different ways, by your kids and that amazing realisation of the cycle of life.’ »

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

JAMIE CULLUM

There was less time to over-think the latest album, which was a good thing, according to Jamie. ‘Sometimes, when I’ve made albums before, you work on something for six months and you realise you had it right five months ago.’ Life has certainly changed for Jamie, now he’s in his thirties. Gone are ‘the days when you are 21, you walk into a pub and know 50 people, you all go on a big night out and then two days later you do exactly the same thing again.’ He recalls: ‘I definitely saw all the colours that the world had to offer in my twenties, being on the road and having that success in my career, in my mid-twenties.’ Yet he adds: ‘As you get older you count your friends on one hand, and I think things get better because you know yourself better.’ Plus there is his marriage to Sophie. ‘I’ve married someone I really love and that’s an amazing gift as well.’ Sophie was instrumental in encouraging him to have fun in the studio. ‘When I got into the studio I did just literally play, and I don’t mean play music: I played like a kid in a toy shop.’ The new album champions a number of firsts for Jamie: recording with a live band; writing most of the songs himself; using DIY home demos as the blueprint for the majority of the tracks and, last but not least, writing whilst in his pyjamas. That’s fatherhood for you! The deluxe version of Momentum features recent Latitude Festival favourite Laura Mvula, on Sad, Sad World, live from Abbey Road Studios in London. ‘I discovered her on my radio show, on BBC Radio 2, and I became a big fan,’ says Jamie. Apparently, Laura cried like a baby when Jamie tweeted about her. ‘We’ve become fast friends.’ He says of his show: ‘At first I didn’t really want to do a jazz show, although I love jazz. But in the end I’m actually enjoying the constrictions of trying to focus on one genre.’ He adds: ‘Radio 2 is in some ways quite a safe station although secretly they are also quite subversive!’ Jamie’s UK tour will be gathering momentum this month and includes the Cambridge date. ‘I’ve got a few friends in Cambridge,’ says Jamie. ‘I might enjoy the gig then go and spend some time with some buddies, after the Cambridge show. It’s a really good place and we’ve always had good shows there so I’m really looking forward to it.’ JAMIE CulluM’S Momentum Tour comes to Cambridge Corn Exchange on October 25. Call 01223 357851

SHE

Rocks…

She DESIGNS FROCKS

CELEBRITY sTYLE

FEARNE COTTON

Fabulous TV presenter and radio DJ Fearne Cotton models the latest collection of her own designs for us

LTHOUGH SHE’S ONLY JUST GIVEN birth to baby Rex, telly favourite Fearne Cotton is looking in great shape. She has told reporters that she doesn’t care about her figure or losing any extra post-baby pounds, but she is already right back in great condition. Fearne, aged 32, has returned to Radio 1 and will soon be seen on television in Celebrity Juice with her friend and co-presenter, Holly Willougby. She is dating Jesse Wood, the son of Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ronnie Wood, and they had their son in February. Another string to Fearne’s bow is that she creates her own designs. Always regarded as a trend setter, she has teamed up with online fashion company, Very, to produce her own range of clothes. As you’d imagine, the pieces are very cutting edge and are reasonably priced. So if you’ll looking for something with a twist, Fearne’s new collection, which includes several variations on the dress, could be up your street.

1. Swing dress, £29 2. Sequin top dress, £49 3. Tartan coat, £79 4. Polka Dot jumper dress, £39 5. Ombre print dress, £39 All pieces from Fearne Cotton at www.very.co.uk

MelANIe CHISHolM

Melanie C will be making a special guest appearance on the autumn/winter leg of Jools Holland's tour, including November 3 at Ipswich Regent. Visit www.ipswichregent.com

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

MATT CARDLE & MEL C

he new song loving You is a great slice of guitar pop music. how did the two of you end up meeting?

matt cardle: Well, it’s quite a short story melanie chisholm: But you’ll make it very long! matt: We met at the X Factor, and then we met at the Isle of Wight Festival we’ve bumped into each other a lot along the way. I saw Mel performing acoustically at an event, and she was absolutely incredible. I sat there with my manager and wondered if we could get something going, working together; I invited Mel to come and see one of my shows and afterwards we had a few drinks, we were talking and then this happens!

When you wrote the song, was it originally supposed to be a duet, and did you have anyone in mind to do it with?

matt: No, I didn’t – I’ve always got Mel in mind [laughs] – but it wasn’t a duet as such to start with. It was a solo record – but, it swiftly changed, and it was the one I was most excited about, and the one that would translate best into a duet. MATT CARDLE’S NeW AlbUM, PorCelAIN, WIll be releASeD oN oCtober 28

Melanie, you’ve been touring a lot with Jesus Christ Superstar both over here but also in Australia earlier this year… you must have an excellent person running your diary!

mel: I absolutely do! It’s been a busy few years, I’m so lucky. I love working in music, but the door to musical theatre has opened in the last few years. It’s been incredible; I’ve learnt a lot but it’s nice to work with Matt now and get back into the studio, and back to where I started. It’s inspired me to start my own album – I’ll start writing in the New Year, but they take as long as they take, you’ve got to get it right! After all your accolades with the Spice girls, and your solo music too, how did it feel picking up an award for your role as Mary Magdalene?

mel: It was incredible – theatre’s new to me, so to be accepted into that world – especially coming from a pop background – was incredible. I feel like I’ve been welcomed with open arms, and that my performances have been watched without prejudice, which is quite rare in this industry. I feel really lucky. Matt, you won the X Factor back in 2010… and, obviously, it was the springboard to your success and you probably owe a fair bit to the show for that… do you think people still see you as another one off the X Factor production line?

matt: I’ve no idea - you’d have to ask them! All I know is that it’s a great platform - it’s one of the biggest there is to get your voice and your music and your face out there, which is all so necessary. I’m so proud of the fact that I was on the show, and I did what I did. I’ve gone on to have two top ten albums, the third in October, I’m sat here with Mel – it’s amazing. I’m the luckiest man alive. the album is out in october. have you ﬁnished it yet and does it have a title?

X FACTOR WINNER MATT CARDLE IS BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM THIS AUTUMN, INCLUDING A DUET WITH FORMER SPICE GIRL AND – NOW – STAR OF STAGE, MELANIE CHISHOLM. JOFF HOPKINS CAUGHT UP WITH THEM

matt: Noooo! Don’t be silly, I’ll be finished in October! mel: November you mean! matt: I’m in the studio at the moment full-time; the writing process is finished; now it’s just the recording, which is one of the most fun parts for me, because I just get to sit and express myself as much as I can vocally across the tracks and get my guitars out, turn everything out to 11, and cause merry hell! I’ve been doing a lot of the live recording up in Suffolk with a friend of mine, who’s an engineer. He’s done a lot of work with me over the last two albums, and he’s also the drummer in my band. It’s been great to get back to Suffolk. Do you get home much?

To be fair, I’ve been so busy, to-ing and fro-ing all over the place and I've spent a lot of time in the States writing the album. When I get back it’s lovely to see them, I’ve got a niece and nephew that are growing up quicker than I can keep track of. Matt, you’ve got some catching up to do to reach Melanie’s worldwide record sales… Mel, would it help if Matt donned a union flag outﬁt on

JoFF hoPkInS, presenter on Norwich 99.9,

The Beach and North Norfolk Radio

stage… we all remember what happened to geri, don’t we?

mel: Ha! I wouldn’t advise it!

| |

SOUL QUEEN There’s a real soul diva coming to the city, discovers sarah hardy as she is in awe of the super sexy sheila Ferguson – on course to be the coolest panto fairy queen ever!

HE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IS

the legs, then the long red nails, then the ultra glossy hair and finally the mega-watt smile. Sheila Ferguson is a category A star. The former front girl of The Three Degrees, famous for many things including being in Prince Charles’s favourite band, arrives in Norwich this December to star in the Theatre Royal’s annual panto, Cinderella. ‘I’m the Fairy Queen,’ she tells me, quickly adding: ‘But honey, I won’t be wearing a typical dress. I’m easy-going, you wouldn’t find me objecting to anything apart from what I wear. People expect a certain look from me.’ From that I take it she will look her usual high octane self. Slinky, sexy, and with her fabulous curves on full show – and she agrees. ‘You bet!’ she laughs. Sheila, now in her mid 60s, had flown into Norwich from her home in Majorca. She moved there after her marriage to Englishman Christopher Robinson broke up. ‘I love it there – the climate, the lifestyle – and everyone wants to come and visit you. You can eat well, I have a pool, and a gym so I can stay in shape.’ Indeed Sheila, who was born in Philadelphia in America, is very self disciplined about her figure, saying that she watched her diet and has a series of daily exercises. ‘But panto keeps you fit, with three shows a day!’ She is also very strict with her voice, explaining that she simply doesn’t speak after a show. ‘It is hard to believe, I know, but I simply don’t talk for the rest of the day. I am a little pedantic about always trying to give my best.’

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Sheila was last in Norwich about 13 years ago when she appeared in the lively musical Soul Train and she is looking forward to getting to know the area. ‘Yes, I will hire somewhere near the theatre, I like to be able to walk to work as I like to be early,’ she says. She is no stranger to panto as this will be her fifth time and says: ‘I love these family shows, ones where whole families come together. I love seeing a new generation of theatre goers – and we all have great fun on stage.’ Picked to replace original Three Degrees member Helen Scott in 1968, Sheila stayed with the group for nearly 20 years. They enjoyed huge mainstream success with their 1974 single When Will I See You Again, picking celebrity fans along the way. The trio, or Charlie's Angels as they were dubbed by the British Press, performed at Prince Charles's 30th birthday at Buckingham Palace and were guests at his wedding reception after his marriage to Princess Diana. International fame came with a hectic schedule, and Sheila left The Three Degrees in 1986 to look after her young twin daughters – who are now aged 31. She settled in Bray, Berkshire, where she lived for 27 years, before moving to her current home in Palma, Majorca. ‘For the time I was in the group, it was manic,’ says Sheila. ‘Every day you get off the plane in a different country. ‘I remember doing a tour of the Far East and returned home. There were my little four-year-old twins and they clung to their nanny's legs. My heart dropped. I said, 'That's it, it's got to stop', so I made plans to leave and look after them myself. I have no regrets because I know my kids grew up happy.’ Sheila, who first sang on stage when she was just 14 years old, ranks Marvin Gaye as her idol, and is taking part in David Gest’s Legends of Soul Spectacular which tours the country next year. Now she’s hoping the Norwich panto will reflect her bubbly personality and I hope we are all ready for her. Sheila is a star in the old-fashioned sense of the word, full of glam and a very deep, rich laugh. Viva la Diva, I say!

4 4

CINDERELLa opens at Norwich Theatre Royal on December 17 and runs until January 19. More details on 01603 630000 or visit

www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

sheila ferguson | CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

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BULTITUDE ABOUT HIS BITING NEW COMEDY, PEOPLE, WHICH ARRIVES IN NORWICH THIS MONTH LEFT: ALAN BENNETT (PICTURE BY JOHAN PERSSON)

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

SIÂN PHILLIPS AND BRIGIT FORSYTH IN PEOPLE

ALAN BENNETT TALKS TO JOHN

alan bennett | CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

EoPlE IS lIkE MuCh of Alan Bennett’s work. On the surface, it is a richly characterised piece about some gloriously eccentric women living in surroundings that could almost be described as shabby chic. But dig a bit further and, as with much of the legendary Yorkshire playwright’s work, you find a rich mine of humour, superb dialogue and comment on people’s love of browsing around houses. As Alan explains: ‘When I go around country houses, and sometimes exhibitions, I look at other people and I think ‘what have they come for?’. Straight after that, I think ‘what have I come for?’ Only on rare occasions can you explain what you want to come away with after a visit, and that depresses me really. ‘When the play first started being performed at the National Theatre, it was taken to be a criticism of the National Trust but it’s not really. It is about looking at country houses, the business of conservation, and how you present and show off these places. I couldn’t settle that in my mind which is why I wrote the play.’ It follows the story of two sisters pondering the future of their home which, although beautiful, has fallen into disrepair and needs some work doing on it. This will cost money and means the choice has to be made between heading down the corporate road or opting for the National Trust option. A huge hit in London, the touring version boasts some strong casting with the hugely-experienced Siân Phillips and the ever-popular Brigit Forsyth in the cast, along with Selina Cadell reprising her National Theatre role. Alan is very impressed with the casting and believes Siân will bring a definite touch of style to the production. ‘She is a very strong personality but also very elegant. I imagine her in a very slim dress and she is astonishing to look at, with her very statuesque figure,’ he said. ‘I do get very involved in the casting. I come to rehearsals at the National Theatre every day really because it gets you out of the house. It is very friendly and a very gregarious place to be. People speak to you and I don’t always know who they are. It wouldn’t happen in a lot of other institutions.’ And it is this passion for theatre that has been at the core of Alan Bennett’s life since he was a boy heading to The Grand Theatre in his native Leeds to enjoy the latest touring productions. He recalls: ‘All the London plays would either come on a pre or post-London tour often with the original cast after a West End run. I saw Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer and the original production of Waiting For Godot. Sometimes there were only 30 people in the audience. ‘Of course, The Grand is huge and much bigger than the average London theatre and I couldn’t believe it when I first came to London. The distance to the stage was so small and I could see the actors' faces. I had never seen the actors’ faces in Leeds because I was always sat up in the gods and I didn’t realise you were meant to see them. That was a revelation.’

Meanwhile he still keeps producing plays which bring his flair for characterisation and dialogue to the stage, and they are still proving popular with audiences, but does it get simpler the more he writes? Alan says: ‘It doesn’t get easier writing plays. I always find plots difficult. I like writing dialogue but actually getting characters on and off the stage is quite difficult. When I was younger, I used to drink when I was trying to think of a plot. When I say drink, I mean a quarter bottle of whisky or vodka which is quite enough to make me tipsy, but I quickly gave that up because I thought that wasn’t a good idea.’ Although he does not have a specific next play in mind, Alan is already jotting down ideas for future projects. ‘The History Boys was very hard to follow because it was such a big success and we had such a good time doing it. I was relieved when A Habit of Art did well,’ says Alan. ‘I have a funny relationship with the National Theatre director Nicholas Hytner, who has also directed People, in that it ought to be master and pupil in terms of age with me being master but it is actually the other way around. I do feel I want to please him. That’s a great spur.’ And he certainly is with this latest production which once again combines those Alan Bennett themes of humour, poignancy and characterisation that truly make him deserving of the title National Treasure.

PEoPlE runs at the Theatre Royal, Norwich, from October 1 to 5. Call 01603 630000 or visit www.theatre royalnorwich.co.uk

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Jenny Agutter oBE will be speaking at the Burnham Market Book Festival, about The Life and Times of Call the Midwife with producer Pippa Harris and writer Heidi Thomas, in the new Garden Room at The Hoste on November 3. She will also be appearing with Simon Gough on November 2. The Festival takes place between November 1 and 3. Visit www.burnhambookfestival.co.uk

A Sister Act

Jenny agutter ObE is bringing the Call the Midwife team to the burnham Market book Festival next month. Emma Outten speaks to her fresh from filming the latest series For tickets call the Whitehouse Bookshop on 01328 730270 or email whitehousebooks@yahoo.com

jenny agutter | CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

EnnY AguttER can hardly be described as one of those child stars who then went oﬀ the rails. She came of age playing Roberta in the much-loved children’s film, The Railway Children, as a 16-yearold, and as a 60 year old she is the epitome of how to grow old gracefully (and yet still manage to get men of a certain age all steamed up!).

Early next month Jenny will be speaking at Burnham Market Book Festival, to discuss her most recent role: that of Sister Julienne in the hugely popular BBC One series, Call the Midwife. But no interview is complete without mention of E. Nesbit’s The Railway Children: Jenny is a life member and active supporter of the Edith Nesbit Society and has been involved in four productions in all: a BBC serialisation in 1967; the film version three years later; a TV adaptation in 2000 (when she returned as Mother); and also as a Narrator. Surprisingly, the ‘U’ rated film received its first complaint last year, according to the British Board of Film Classification. The correspondent was concerned that children may be encouraged to play on railway tracks as a result of seeing the film. ‘In a funny way I’m surprised it hasn’t been picked up on before,’ says Jenny, ‘but you can’t legislate for children’s imaginations!’ And, she points out: ‘Mother does try to tell them to be careful.’ Having grown up working in film and television, (a year after The Railway Children’s release she played Fritha in the BBC TV film of The Snow Goose, for which she won an Emmy), Jenny turned to theatre to broaden her experience. Hollywood then beckoned and films have included Equus, for which she won a British Academy Award. She would go on play a magistrate in the West End revival of Equus, starring Daniel Radcliffe, 30 years later. ‘I love the possibility of returning to something,’ says Jenny, ‘your experiences change, so your view of it and what you bring to it is different.’ Also to her credit are many audio recordings of books, including the award-winning Bad Blood by Lorna Sage, Professor of English Literature at the University of East Anglia until her death in 2001. ‘There was something incredibly warm and poetic about her language’ recalls Jenny, ‘it was wonderful to say out loud.’ Outside of acting Jenny has a very personal passion: she has been a supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust since discovering her niece Rachel was affected by the disease – Jenny herself is a carrier although she adds: ‘It doesn’t actually affect me.’ ‘It matters enormously to me because it’s in our family, and I’m a trustee of the CF Trust and work with them as much as possible to raise awareness. We are about to mark 50 years of the Trust.’ Jenny adds: ‘My brother

and his wife have always tried to create an ordinary and normal life as possible for Rachel.’ Her niece, now 34, got married last year, ‘which was terrific.’ When we spoke she was busy filming the new series of Call the Midwife, in which she plays the Sister-InCharge at Nonnatus House. ‘We had a very, very long day yesterday,’ says Jenny, who was about to read a new script following the interview. It sounds as though the nation – Jenny particularly loves the fact that mothers and daughters bond watching the period drama together - will once again be gripped by the storylines. ‘With Call the Midwife I do find it interesting that it crosses the board.’ She explains why: ‘There is a fascination with everybody about childbirth, in a way, and there are good stories.’ The character of Chummy, in particular, has become a surprising role model. ‘Miranda Hart has done something rather interesting with the young, particularly female, British public,’ notes Jenny. And she adds: ‘I think the 50s is, for our present day, quite an interesting time to look at as well.’ For the festival, Jenny will speak about the accompanying book, The Life and Times of Call The Midwife, alongside the producer and writer. Jenny will be appearing twice, as her friend, the North Norfolk-based actor and writer Simon Gough will be talking to her about his latest book, The White Goddess the day before. Jenny spoke at the inaugural Festival, organised by Rosalind English in conjunction with Whitehouse Books, back in 2009. That same year Jenny starred in the film Glorious 39 and much of the filming took place in Norfolk where the film is set. ‘I loved doing Glorious 39’, says Jenny, although filming on location in November was a challenge. ‘We were lucky we had some beautiful days but that wind came over from Siberia and it was freezing!’ ‘I don’t know what it is about Norfolk,’ continues Jenny, ‘there are certain counties which kind of play a part in your life.’ Cornwall is one (she has a second home there). ‘Norfolk is another place. I remember doing television there when I was 14 and I’ve been back and I have friends there. It’s one of those counties that it is like a magnet.' This year’s Festival, which takes place in the new Garden Room at The Hoste, draws her back. ‘I have a personal link in Rosalind English in as much as we were neighbours and friends, as one is when your children are little.’ The call for Call the Midwife came at a new phase in her life. ‘I had my son quite late,’ explains Jenny,’ and it was in my late 50s that he was off to university, so oddly enough I kind of picked up.’ She turned 60 last year. ‘When it came to my birthday I wanted to do something I’d never done before and went off to Morocco and had the most wonderful time. I went for three days with family and friends and it was a completely different experience. I think that’s terribly important in one’s life.’

I a n R u sse l l

FOCUS ON FOOD Ian Russell knows a thing or two about food, having worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years. Here he shares his thoughts

ood and drink are a major part of life here at Wroxham Barns. As with any other tourist attraction, it’s important for us to have a good food and beverage offering, so that customers coming here for the shops, studios, mini golf, farm and fair have got plenty of refreshment options. To that end, earlier this year we extended our restaurant and added a new family coffee shop, The Pantry, so that customers of all ages have got what they’re looking for, whether it’s a cup of coffee and a home-made cake, a leisurely lunch, a children’s lunch box, an ice cream or simply a cup of tea. Fortunately for us the opening of The Pantry coincided with this year’s fabulous weather and so our customers were able to take full advantage of the outdoor seating area (fingers crossed that that continues over the next few weeks – I’d be very happy with an Indian summer!). Again, like many other busy tourist attractions, we also like to do our bit for the local community and so we were very proud to take part in the recent EDP Adnams Norfolk Food & Drink Festival with our annual Scone Competition, our very own version of the Great British Bake Off! This year’s event was a great success, with hundreds of entrants and some very deserving winners (you can see them all at: www. wroxhambarns.co.uk) and it’s definitely something we’ll be doing again.

In the meantime, there’s always the opportunity to sample what East Anglian producers have to offer, with our Pantry food store stocking all sorts of local foodstuffs, along with 70 local beers, and the staff gearing up for packing Christmas hampers. In the meantime, there are daily in-store tastings from our wine selection and wide range of preserves, and some of our suppliers will be putting on special tasting sessions during this month’s half-term holiday. Cottage Delight will be paying us a visit on October 27 to showcase their jams and chutneys and more suppliers’ visits are scheduled for later in the week, so do pop in to try their produce if you’re in the area. We were also very proud to receive a rating of 94 per cent for our restaurant from the Broads Quality Charter earlier this year, along with some lovely comments, my favourite of which was: ‘Service was snappy, professional and well-timed.’ Having worked in the hospitality business for many years, I’m a stickler for service and when my wife Sue and I go out to eat, I can be quite difficult to please (in fact, I’m not great when on a day off as I can’t turn off and Sue gets cross when I critique and analyse everything everywhere; it drives her mad!). Like the assessors from the Broads Quality Charter, I’m always on the look-out for an excellent first impression, first-class cleanliness, hospitality, service, atmosphere, and, of course, great food. We’re always busy, but we like to eat out when we can and Norfolk has some great places to visit. My personal favourites include Byfords in Holt, The Pigs in Edgefield, The Belgian Monk in Norwich, The Hoste in Burnham Market, The Lavender House in Brundall and The Bure River Cottage Restaurant in Horning, which is a fabulous fish place. Some of these, and many others, are listed in the ‘Eating Out in the Broads’ guide which was published a few months ago and which recommends all kinds of fabulous places in the area, all of which have been independently inspected by the Broads Quality Charter Scheme. You’ll find copies of the guide at Wroxham Barns or you can simply download it at: www.enjoythebroads.com/ things-to-do/eating-and-drinking.

Ian Russell MBE owns Wroxham Barns. For more information, visit www.wroxhambarns.co.uk or telephone 01603 783762.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

TRAX. THE ORIGINAL REBORN

TRAX FROM £15,495 DISCOVER THE NEW CHEVROLET TRAX

With all the DNA of a traditional Chevrolet SUV redesigned for the urban frontier; this exciting city-sized SUV offers a powerful sporty exterior and the all-new Chevrolet MyLink technology, designed to keep you connected. Come to our dealerships to test drive the original reborn.

In stock now available for immediate delivery.

HAMMOND CHEVROLET

NORWICH ROAD HALESWORTH IP19 8HX 01986 834735 WWW.CHEVROLETHALESWORTH.CO.UK *Model shown is a Trax 1.6 LT priced at £17,495 OTR. Vehicle shown features metallic paint at an extra cost of £445. Price correct at time of print.

Official Government Environment Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Chevrolet Trax Range: Urban 34.4 (8.2) – 52.3 (5.4), Extra Urban 50.4 (5.6) – 70.6 (4.0), Combined 43.4 (6.5) – 62.7 (4.5) CO2 emissions 153 – 120g/km. Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors.

BAM BAM BOUTIQUE BAR & GARDEN A PAN-ASIAN JEWEL IN THE HEART OF NORWICH’S TOMBLAND

COMPETITION

WIN PAN ASIAN COCKTAIL MAKING & TAPAS FOR SIX Q: WHAT DOES BAM MEAN? ANSWERS TO INFO@DRINKEATSTAYPLAY.CO.UK In the heart of Tombland Bam Bam brings with it Asian sophistication and style. Full of Eastern promise, it flawlessly fuses a pan Asian experience with an elegant boutique bar, lounge and garden. As soon as you’ve entered this remarkable place, you’ll be enthralled by the charm of its soothing, exotic atmosphere.

normal Places&Faces® rules apply and the editor's decision is ﬁnal. The clOSinG DaTe iS OcTOBer 15. Please remember to include your name and a daytime contact number.

Bam Bam's festive offerings include entire venue or room hire for large or corporate parties, traditional 3 course christmas dinner with Bam Bam twists, unique cocktail master classes with Asian tapas or simple & intimate pre or after meal drinks if you are dining elsewhere in the City. TO DOWNLOAD OUR CHRISTMAS BROCHURE, PLEASE VISIT W W W.DRINKEATSTAYPL AY.CO.UK

Pan Asian Tapas & Christmas Cocktail Making Cocktail masterclass to include 4 cocktails per person Pan Asian tapas

• Chicken satay with peanut sauce • Tempura veg with chilli dip • Duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce • Large shrimp crackers

NORMALLY

£25.95 Per person YOU MUST BE 21 OR OVER TO ENTER BAM BAM. MORE MEMBERS MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR GROUP AT STANDARD PRICE. PRIZE NOT REDEEMABLE DURING MONTH OF DECEMBER.

FashIoN

STRICTLY STYLES

If you love your glam and glitz, you’ll adore these Strictly Come dancing fashions. Sarah Hardy looks at the current high voltage dresses and accessories now on sale

1. Untold blue sequin shift dress £160, House of Fraser, Intu Chapelfield

2. Lulu Guinness sequin bag £25, House of Fraser, Intu Chapelfield 3. Sandra lace gown £350, Monsoon, Intu Chapelfield 4. Diamond by Julien Macdonald dress £65, Debenhams 5. JL Marmont peep toe sandals £65, John Lewis 4

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Kitchen Sense of Harleston For Quality Fitted Kitchens and Appliances

KITCHEN SENSE COMMON SENSE

62 London Road, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9BZ Tel: 01379 852592 Fax: 01379 854411 staff@kitchen-sense.co.uk | www.kitchen-sense.co.uk

Burlesque 25th October Glamour in Gorleston

with

Binksy’s showgirls Three course meal, show & after party £29.95 Arrival – 7pm Book your tickets on 01493 662179 | www.thecliffhotel.co.uk Cliff Hill, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, NR31 6DH

BEaUTY

JARROLD'S Swagger and Jacks, men’s grooming products, prices from £8.95

tREAt oF thE Month Decleor ultimate Vitamin glow Facial, Aqua Sana, Center Parcs Elveden, 08448 266221

A BEAUTIFUL

MAKEOVER Jarrold’s beauty hall has a stunning new look. Sarah Hardy looks at the latest names to join the department store’s growing stable of top fragrance and make up houses and is impressed

1. Dalliance, She Who Dares, £45 for 50ml 2. New CC Color Correcting Cream, Stila, £30

Autumn is the ideal time to revitalise your skin with an injection of vitamins, so my Decleor Ultimate Vitamin Glow Facial at Aqua Sana, Centre Parcs Elveden recently was perfect timing. This is an award-winning facial designed to leave your skin visibly radiant in under an hour. The ‘diagnostic’ back massage beforehand (a kind of reflexology for the back) was a blissful bonus, and after therapist Sarah applied the warm mask, I had a very welcome hand and arm massage too. I do like the fact facials are so much more than facials these days! The mask is decongesting and power-packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants. At the end of the session, my skin felt deeply cleansed and ready to enjoy the Aqua Sana spa experience freshfaced. She made some muchneeded recommendations for my dehydrated skin and the spa reception area is stocked full of Decleor products (there’s a definite sense that Christmas is coming!) should you wish to heed her sensible advice.

Jasmin Rouge Lip and Nail Color Collection, Tom Ford, prices from £26

PRoDuCt oF thE Month lash Potion, Revlon, £9.99 Need some vavavoom for your lashes? This could be for you! The triple-groove wand allows you to add some serious volume to your eye lashes without them becoming too clogged up. The mascara is long lasting and packed with various goodies so your lashes feel conditioned, too. It’s great for the upcoming party season! placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Kathyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Home Beauty Pantry session takes place on November 3, at Rainbow Wholefoods shop in Norwich. Call the shop on 01603 625560. For more information on Palm & Sole, including the forthcoming Palm & Sole Flash Boutiques, call 01603 501788 or visit www.palm-and-sole.com

HAND BLENDED BEAUTY You may be a fan of her hand-blended Palm & Sole products already, but now founder Kathy Webb is urging us to blend our own beauty preparations. Emma Outten raids her pantry 32

BEaUTY

make your own

KAtHY Webb

AthY WEBB’S home beauty pantry preparations give a whole new meaning to the phrase feeding your face. You may have already heard of Kathy and her Palm & Sole products. A couple of years ago she launched the collection - which is aimed at caring for skin, body and emotions - in the Beauty Hall of Jarrold’s in Norwich. The range grew out of her work as a clinical and complementary therapist specialising in women’s health and beauty, over the last decade. Just to remind you, her five sparkly and tinted lip balms, the Lips and Shimmer range, recently featured on the beauty pages of Places & Faces (and we’re also a fan of her Three Rose Solid Oil Moisturiser: Travel Companion, containing Moroccan, Damascan and Bulgarian Rose). Although Kathy is continuing to hand-blend her multi-purpose Palm & Sole products, next month she is launching her first Home Beauty Pantry session at Rainbow Wholefoods shop in Norwich. During the session she will offer quick fix recipes for, say, an eye mask, a make-up remover, and a cleanser. And she will also be offering advice on how best to massage your face and neck. Good examples of natural beauty products you could make at home include a lemon and honey scrub, which can balance oily prone skin, spots and blemishes. The ingredients – lemon, olive oil, manuka honey, and white sugar – are ‘pure kitchen cupboard’, says Kathy. Or else there’s the chocolate orange skin softening scrub, a vegan concoction which softens and protects the skin. Not only that, Kathy says it smoothes wrinkles, is good for mature skin as well as congested, oily skin. This one contains the very edible dark brown sugar and cocoa powder, but as Kathy points out: ‘It’s got mandarin essential oil and jojoba oil,’ the type of ingredients you could source in Neal’s Yard Remedies in Norwich (where Kathy used to run a clinic called The Holistic Hub) if not the supermarket. The scrubs keep for around six weeks in the fridge. ‘If you smell it now it’s totally fresh,’ says Kathy, who made a batch the day before we met. She is passionate about hand blending. ‘Once you start making it, it just sort of takes you over.’ Kathy is also the innovator behind Palm & Sole Therapies, such as a Pure Aromatic Back Massage using Hot Stones, which take place in her purpose-built treatment room based in Norwich's Golden Triangle. ‘Massage helps you connect mind, body and soul,’ asserts Kathy. Kathy’s overall aim is to provide intense nourishment for skin, body and emotions. ‘You can do it through massage, you can do it through Palm & Sole products, or you can do it by making it yourself,’ says Kathy. ‘I think that once you start making things you get into how your skin is feeling, how you are feeling.’ And, of course, the home beauty pantry concept certainly addresses the issue of provenance when it comes to the products you massage onto your skin.

At the session, people will learn three recipes and be able to take testers away with them. When they call to book, they can also let Kathy know their skin type first. Kathy will go through the beauty benefits of different fruit and vegetables but don’t expect meat to feature. ‘Not unless you have got a black eye!’ jokes Kathy. Most foodstuffs are fair game. ‘You can really go to town on it,’ says Kathy. Did you know, for example, that you could easily make a fruit mask, with just a banana, an avocado pear, honey and spoonful of extra virgin olive oil? Kathy envisages that the sessions could lead to a raw plant beauty pantry session in the future, before explaining: ‘I used a lot of oils in Palm & Sole. My skin is quite dry; quite combination.’ And she admits to using castor oil to take off her make up at night! And, come the winter, she is planning to launch Palm & Sole Flash Boutiques, where the different strands of Palm & Sole can come together under one roof. ‘It’s kind of a passion. It all kind of links in,’ she says.

RECIPE hydrating honey & oat Facial scrub SOFTEN YOUR FACE WITH THIS HYDRATING ExFOLIATOR

INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons of honey 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of oats

METHOD 1. Place all the above in a bowl and mix well so all ingredients are well blended. 2. Apply to damp skin with fingertips. 3. Starting in the middle of your chin, massage using gentle circular movements working slowly out, across your face to your ears. 4. Slowly move up your face. 5. Avoid lips and eyelids but massage in and around the crevices of your nose. 6. Wash oﬀ with warm water, pat dry, then moisturise if needed. 7. Any leftovers can be sorted in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six weeks.

metropolis music present

Seth CHARLENE SORAIA Lakeman Plus Guests

WINTER MOUNTAIN

Wednesday 2nd October

Norwich Open 01603 763 111 | gigsandtours.com sethlakeman.co.uk A Metropolis Music presentation by arrangement with DMF Music

MONDAY 21 OCTOBER | NORWICH OPEN 01603 763 111 | gigsandtours.com Charlenesoraia.com

A Metropolis Music presentation by arrangement with Coda

ROBBIE BOYD Plus guests

Sunday 3rd November

NORWICH OPEN 01603 763 111 / Gigsandtours.com Robbie-boyd.com A Metropolis Music presentation by arrangement with DMF Music

Support from

FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER

NORWICH OPEN

01603 763 111 GIGSANDTOURS.COM New album out now EMILYBARKER.COM A Metropolis Music presentation by arrangement with DMF Music Ltd

HHHH THE TIMES HHHH DAILY MIRROR HHHH EVENING STANDARD

TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS & PRIORITY BOOKING • FIND US ON

FAC I L I T I E S • Indoor Pool & Sauna • Fishing lake • WiFi & SKY television (in clubhouse) • On-site shop & laundry room • Well behaved dogs welcome • Bar & restaurant open daily • Take-away service (peak season) • Tennis & table tennis • Pool & snooker table • Games room

*Limited availability - call our holiday booking line on 01263 576022 or visit our website at www.woodlandholidaypark.co.uk for more information and to book.

Woodland Holiday Park Trimingham, Norfolk NR11 8QJ Tel: 01263 576022 Email: info@woodland-park.co.uk

www.woodlandholidaypark.co.uk

cosmetic dentistry | aDVERTIsER's aNNoUNCEMENT

getting ing That perfect smile

Peter brooK

THIS MONTH PETER BROOK OF FACES AND SMILES LOOKS AT WHAT IS NEW IN ORTHODONTICS

INCoGNIto brACeS

oWADAYS A lot MoRE ADultS are having orthodontic treatments. Most people can now expect to keep their teeth for a lifetime, and they want a nice smile. Research has shown that people are more successful at work and in their social lives when they have a great smile. There may also be associated dental health benefits.

Changes in braces Orthodontics has changed significantly since Peter Brook trained as a specialist in the late 80s. The fixed braces and ‘train tracks’ have been replaced by modern appliances, which are more effective, less noticeable, and more comfortable. Visits to the orthodontist are often less frequent, shorter and less demanding, too. The current range of orthodontic options include:

lingual braces (Incognito) These braces are completely hidden as they are attached to the insides of teeth. This type of treatment requires great skill, and our experience using lingual appliances goes back more than 18 years.

Aligners (Invisalign) INVISAlIGN brACeS

FACES AND SMILES is a subsidiary of John G Plummer and Associates Dental Surgeons, who are a privately owned NHS DENTAL PRACTICE employing 65 dental surgeons in 11 practices in NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK Faces and Smiles Surgeries are situated in Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

These are a series of invisible clear plastic braces that progressively correct the teeth. Each aligner set is worn for two weeks before being changed and the teeth are gently nudged into correct positions. These braces are amongst the most comfortable available and are removed for eating and cleaning. Appointments can be spaced to suit busy lifestyles and people notice a rapid improvement to their smile! More than half our new adult clients have a specific reason for deciding now is the time to improve their smile. The only problem is many do not think far enough ahead. The commonest request is: ‘fix my teeth before my (or my daughter’s) wedding in X months!’ As luck would have it, the greatest change in appearance of the teeth is in the first three to six months of treatment. Although many cases benefit from continued correction of bites and root position after six months, the smile is often great for the special occasion and the ‘invisible brace’ can be continued to complete the correction.

To arrange an appointment for a consultation, call 01493 378200, visit www.facesandsmilesdental.co.uk

BURLESQUE AT THE CLIFF HOTEL, GORLESTON

SETH LAKEMAN

SINGER/SONGWRITER Folk-inspired, multi-award winning singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman with his hugely talented band plus special guest Lisbee Stainton comes to Open Norwich on October 2. Seth has released six albums, including 2005's Mercury-nominated Kitty Jay through to his latest album, Tales from the Barrel House. Visit www.open247.org.uk.

SHUNGA: SEx AND PLEASURE IN JAPANESE ART

LONDON

What s on THERE’S PLENTY OF TIME TO ENJOY ALL THAT THIS PART OF THE REGION HAS TO OFFER. AFTER ALL, WE DO GAIN AN HOUR IN OCTOBER!

HALLOWEEN Holkham Halloween Horrors will take place every day from October 27 to 31 and there will be plenty to challenge those who are brave enough. Holkham’s Bygones Museum will be encased in a sea of sticky cobwebs with tiny spiders as well as some monstrous creepy crawlies hiding amidst the scary corridors. Visit www.holkham.co.uk.

WEDDING FAIR A Wedding Fair hosted by Norfolk Brides wedding directory takes place at Drayton Old Lodge on October 13. With 70 exhibitors from all over Norfolk, it is one of the biggest and best local one-day shows. The fair is sponsored by independent family run Norwich jewellers Winsor Bishop. Visit www.norfolkbrides.co.uk.

HOLKHAM HALLOWEEN HORRORS

An exhibition called Shunga: sex and pleasure in Japanese art examines the sexually explicit ‘spring pictures’ of early modern Japan, produced by some of the masters of Japanese art, including Utamaro and Hokusai, from October 3 at the British Museum. Parental guidance advised for visitors under 16 years. Visit www. britishmuseum.org.

BURLESQUE Glamour comes to Gorleston on October 25 when The Cliff Hotel hosts Burlesque with Binksy’s Showgirls. The evening includes a three-course meal, the show, followed by an after-show party. Visit www.thecliffhotel.co.uk.

VOCALISTS Vocal trio Blake kick off the autumn leg of their Live In Concert tour with special guest Camilla Kerslake at the Corn Exchange in King's Lynn on October 4. Together they will perform their new single You Raise Me Up which has been recorded in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign. Visit www. kingslynncornexchange.co.uk or call 01553 764864.

what's on

GHOST POET

MONTHLY ROUND-UP THEATRE Enjoy an evening inside the head of the Master of Suspense, with The Lovesong of Alfred J Hitchcock on October 16 and 17 at the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. From his director’s chair the 60-year-old Hitchcock begins to unravel some of the defining films of our time. Visit www.theatreroyal.org or call 01284 769505.

ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL FANN 13, the Festival of Architecture for Norfolk & Norwich, returns from October 10 to November 7 with a packed programme of events. Many of the events are free and include an exhibition showcasing Norfolk architects’ work and Perspectives talks at The Forum. Visit www.fann.org.uk.

THE LOVESONG OF ALFRED J HITCHCOCK

SOUND & VISION Ghostpoet will be headlining Norwich Sound + Vision 2013, which takes place from October 10 to 12, and heralds three days of panel discussions on music and film. Over 50 bands will be performing in 11 venues around Norwich, there will be over 50 expert speakers, and new for this year is the Norwich Game Expo. Visit www. norwichsoundandvision.co.uk

FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE FOR NORFOLK & NORWICH

TALKS

DEBUT The Progfathers, a group of professional musicians from some of the UK’s best and most popular tribute bands, make their debut appearance at the Maddermarket Theatre on October 5. They will be performing the work of Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Van Der Graaf Generator, Camel, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and more. Visit www.maddermarket.co.uk.

FASHION SHOW Head to The Assembly House in Norwich on October 24 for a fabulous fashion show, courtesy of Jarrold's: enjoy a glass of wine on arrival and a delicious three-course meal then watch the team of models showing off the new season’s styles. Visit www. assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk.

Dragon Hall is staging a series of historic talks about Norwich in the medieval period. The programme, called The World of Robert Toppes, will focus on the merchant who built Norwich’s medieval trading hall around 1430. The lunchtime talks run every Tuesday from October 1. Call 01603 663922 or visit www.dragonhall.org.

LITERARY FESTIVAL The University of East Anglia will welcome back a glittering line up of literary alumni for its annual Arthur Miller Centre Literary Festival, beginning on October 2. The line-up of 13 former UEA students, specially selected to mark the university’s 50th anniversary, includes appearances from Atonement author Ian McEwan. Visit www.uea.ac.uk/litfest.

RAMBERT, NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL

DANCE Rambert presents a programme of outstanding theatre - including a world premiere, a breathtaking work by the late master of dance Merce Cunningham, and an all-male piece by the creator of A Linha Curva - on October 17 and 18 at Norwich Theatre Royal. Visit www.theatreroyalnorwich. co.uk or call 01603 630000.

OWLS A family event exploring the twilight world of owls takes place at Sheringham Park on October 29. Dissect an owl pellet to see what owls eat and learn to call like an owl then venture out as dusk falls to listen for Tawny Owls. Bring a torch and expect a walk of around two miles. Visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk. placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Sheila Hancock, lee Evans and Keeley Hawes have the time of their lives in a foul-mouthed comedy, says Emma Curry

E WEST ENd REVIEW

THE ONLY WAY IS

SHeIlA HANCoCK, lee eVANS AND KeeleY HAWeS

PICtUreS bY AlAStAIR MuIR

ssex is probably the most

famous county in Britain at the moment, thanks to the popularity of a certain reality TV show and its perma-tanned cast members. The time seems right, then, for the first performance of Clive Exton’s final play, Barking in Essex, written just a few years before his death in 2007. In his heyday, Exton was king of the television whodunit, having written for Poirot and Rosemary & Thyme, as well as fine-tuning his comedy skills on the famous Fry-and-Laurie vehicle Jeeves and Wooster in the early 90s. This new play combines elements of all of these previous works, and more, in a brilliant and hilarious mash-up of crime and comedy. The story deals with the Packer family, an affluent crime dynasty whose remaining members currently reside in a hilariously tacky house in Barking, filled with cream carpets, blinged-up cushions, plastic deer antlers, lava lamps, and a jukebox tucked away in the corner. Younger brother Algie is about to be released from prison and return to this leopard-print luxury to enjoy his earnings from a previous robbery. There’s just one problem the rest of the family have spent his millions whilst he’s been inside. The play opens with dim-witted younger brother Darnley (a hilariously gurning Lee Evans) lamenting his disastrous attempt on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? to try and win back some of the money. His wife/half-sister (!) Chrissie (an unexpectedly uncouth Keeley Hawes) and no-nonsense matriarch Emmie (a fabulously sweary Sheila Hancock)

BARkIng In ESSEX runs at the Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, tel 0844 482 5120, visit www.barkinginessex

emma curry, www.backstagepass.biz

are aghast at his failure, and desperately attempt to concoct another scheme before Algie returns and discovers the loss. What follows is part Carry On, part Pulp Fiction, as the family enlist the services of hitman Rocco (Karl Johnson) to help cover up the evidence. Needless to say, in true Tarantino-style, all doesn’t end well. The cast really throw themselves with gusto into these roles, and they’re a real departure from type for all of them. Keeley Hawes in particular is having a ball as the heavilymade-up and spray-tanned Chrissie, who seems to have stepped into the action straight from ITV’s The Only Way is Essex. Hawes’s performance is a world, nay, a universe, away from her previous well-heeled roles in Upstairs Downstairs and The Lady Vanishes, and brilliantly captures the Essex-girl trope, so prevalent in popular culture at the moment. Lee Evans is the don of slapstick comedy, and he really makes the most of the physicality of loveable fool Darnley, who is required to spend almost the entire play with an expression of rather gormless confusion.

There’s a particularly fantastic moment in the second half when he attempts to convey to Chrissie the potential of his new role as a waiter in a Mexican restaurant, which is worth the price of admission alone (spoiler alert: it involves maracas!). Sheila Hancock just about sneaks the comedy crown from the others, however, for frequently leaving the audience in stitches with her delivery: her character has some of the best volte-face puns of the play, and Hancock both sets each one up perfectly, and relishes the payoff. One of the potentially controversial elements of this play, however, is the language: it is richly and playfully idiomatic throughout, but nevertheless, the swearing begins approximately ten seconds into the first scene and is fairly relentless from then on. However, whilst some members of the audience around us bristled every time Sheila Hancock dropped the f-bomb, to me the idiom felt authentic for this group of characters, and fitted perfectly with the gangsterlite scenario. The insults are also, at times, rather amusingly creative. It’s perhaps best not to take any young children along with you, though! My real quibble with this show relates to the story itself, rather than the language: the plot is a little thin and the pace, at times, slightly plodding. The various twists and turns, such as they are, aren’t always enough to pep things up: this was particularly evident in the second half, post-interval tipples. The cast are excellent, and make the absolute most of the banter between them, but at times the play seems a little uncertain about the stereotypes it is sending up, and whilst it is fun to watch these quirky characters interacting with each other, it would be interesting to see a more substantial, less conventional portrayal of this county, to balance out the largely negative press it has received in recent contemporary imaginings. Nevertheless, this show is worth seeing for the sheer joy of watching such a brilliantly talented group of actors relishing the opportunity to play against type. The play is as bright and energetic as the neon-bright costumes of its characters, and offers a blackly-comic undercurrent to the sanitized and choreographed world of ‘constructed-reality’ shows such as The Only Way is Essex. If frequent use of the c-word makes you wince, however, take some earmuffs for the second half!

OCTOBER BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00

Tues 1 – Sat 5 October PEOPLE Sian Phillips, Brigit Forsyth star in Alan Bennett’s new comedy £6.50 - £25 Sun 6 October SHOWTIME Over 200 talented students from Broadland School of Dance £5.50 - £12.50

Sun 20 October BRITTEN SINFONIA Mozart and Haydn £6.50 - £26 Mon 21 – Sat 26 October 12 ANGRY MEN Martin Shaw, Jeff Fahey, Nick Moran and Robert Vaughn star in gripping courtroom drama £6.50 - £28.50

Sun 27 October CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH Gentle singer-songwriter £5.50 - £18.50

Wed 9 – Sat 12 October A CHRISTMAS CAROL Northern Ballet with heart-warming dance drama £6.50 - £36.50 Tues 15 October THE BOOTLEG BEATLES Stunning recreation of the Fab Four’s look and sound £6.50 - £22.50

Sat 19 October FIREMAN SAM Songs, daring rescues and fun! £5.50 - £13

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

A Christmas Carol

Thur 17 – Fri 18 October RAMBERT World class dance £5.50 - £23

what's on

TOP COMEDy comes to the marina Lowestoft’s Marina Theatre is developing a reputation for attracting some of the biggest names in comedy, as this autumn proves. Emma Outten reports

e all like a laugh and the chance to sit back and let a topflight comedian tickle our funny bone of an evening, don’t we? Adam Hills, star of the critically acclaimed TV show The Last Leg, plus Mock The Week favourite Andy Parsons will both appear on stage at the Marina Theatre this autumn. Fresh from his triumph as host of Channel 4's BAFTA winning entertainment show The Last Leg, Australian funny man Adam Hills will present his highly anticipated new show Happyism at the Marina on November 9. Happyism will see the hugely popular Antipodean comedian take to the stage for an evening of comedy with the usual anecdotes and audience participation all delivered in his refreshingly laid-back style. Adam became a household name in the UK after his part in the London Paralympics Games where he fronted the hugely successful The Last Leg with Adam Hills for Channel 4. Its success led to Adam hosting Channel 4’s alternative Christmas Day message – a first for an Australian!

Fresh from his appearance at this year’s BBC Proms, world renowned violinist Nigel Kennedy will appear in concert at the Marina Theatre on November 12 with a typically maverick programme celebrating the works of Bach and Fats Waller. The event will begin with Bach sonatas and partitas for solo violin, after which Nigel is joined by an acoustic guitarist, a snare drum and a double bass to perform Kennedy's own arrangements of the music of the legendary Fats Waller as well as classical cross over pieces. Joining Nigel Kennedy on stage are international soloists Rolf Bussalb on guitar, Yaron Stavi on bass and Krzysztof Dziedzic on drum. The unlikely combination of music by JS Bach, Fats Waller (and a few others thrown in for good measure) is set to showcase Nigel’s ability to play music of all styles in a hugely entertaining and enjoyable evening wherein

marina theatre

With a critically acclaimed second series of The Last Leg under his belt, Adam will be visiting the Marina as part of a UK tour culminating in recording a brand new DVD from the world famous Hammersmith Apollo to be released in November. Before all that, however, Andy Parsons is back on the road this autumn and coming to the Marina on October 10. Andy’s fourth show (and favourite yet) I’ve Got A Shed has been extended due to popular demand, and will see the star of BBC2’s Mock The Week hit the road again delivering more sharp comedy up and down the UK - come and get your dopamine fix. Andy has enjoyed huge success as a writer and performer on television, radio and the live comedy stage. As well as a series regular on the award-winning Mock The Week and numerous spots on Live At The Apollo, Andy has also appeared on QI, The Politics Show, Newsnight, The World’s Most Dangerous Roads, Comedy World Cup, Saturday Live and Channel 4’s Comedy Gala At The O2. Andy was also one of the main writers on the original Spitting Image on ITV. In 2009 Andy released his debut stand-up DVD Britain’s Got Idiots which was followed in 2011 with his second release Gruntled, both released through Universal Pictures (UK). Gruntled aired on BBC2 at the end of last year. Andy will be recording his third stand up DVD at the Harrogate Theatre just after his date at the Marina Theatre. It will be released by Comedy Central later this year.

Tickets for both events are now available from the Marina Theatre Box Office by calling 01502 533200. Visit www.marinatheatre.co.uk

skill and passion are set to come together for an electrifying evening of music. Speaking of his forthcoming concert Mr Kennedy says: ‘Playing Bach and Fats Waller on one show is a dream for me – two amazing keyboard players, both masters of harmony and melody.’ Marina Chief Executive Martin Halliday adds: ‘We are delighted to confirm that Nigel Kennedy will appear at the Marina Theatre in November. Through our ongoing relationship with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, our audiences have already enjoyed many internationally renowned artistes and to host Mr Kennedy in this centenary year celebrating Lowestoft born composer Benjamin Britten, makes it even more special.’ For over 25 years, Nigel Kennedy has been acknowledged as one of the world's leading violin virtuosos and is, without doubt, one of the most important violinists Britain has ever produced.

Just a handful of seats remain available for Nigel Kennedy's concert at the Marina Theatre – for more information or to book, please call 01502 533200.

Visit www.ghostwalksnorwich.co.uk for more details about this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Man in Black events

HAUNteD blICKlING HAll

tHe MAID'S HeAD Hotel

As Halloween approaches, Mark Nicholls focuses on locations across Norfolk which will set your spine tingling

WhaT's oN

GHOST WALKS Life photographer took a photograph of the ghost, an image which continues to baﬄe experts who can find no evidence of trickery or fakery. The natural landscape of Norfolk is also haunted, including the bleak winter beauty of Hickling Broad. A ghost of a drummer boy from the early 19th century who died after plunging through the ice still beats out time, while across stretches of rural north Norfolk, the ghostly hound of Black Shuck prowls. In Thetford, the 15th century Bell Hotel is among the most haunted inns in Norfolk where ghostly sightings include a former tHe lADY IN WHIte

landlady Elizabeth Radcliffe and a hooded monk. Meanwhile, another ghostly monk is said to haunt the historic Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, which was once a Roman Catholic chapel. Former director Walter Nugent Bligh Monck said at one stage that ‘every theatre worthy of its name should have its own ghost.’ By a most convenient of coincidences, he was also reputed to be the first person to see the ghost of the monk, walking from an old confessional box, which was still in the theatre, and across the stage, during a rehearsal. The monk has been seen, or his presence felt, on a number of occasions since. He also haunts the alleyway that runs alongside the theatre and moves costumes and wigs around. But it is on the famous Ghost Walks of Norwich where the city’s paranormal past – and present – comes to life (or not as the case may be).

ith tales that will make you shiver

Led by the mysterious self-styled Man in Black, they take in

and unexplained happenings that

the city’s many haunted locations where after dark you may feel

leave you with the uneasy feeling

an unnatural chill in the air.

you are not alone this is ghostly

A favourite ‘haunt’ of the Man in Black is the ancient Adam

Norfolk - said by some paranormal

and Eve pub where drinkers have reported seeing or hearing

experts to be the most haunted

the ghost of Lord Sheffield who died there when in Norfolk

county in England.

attempting to suppress Kett’s Rebellion. Another haunted pub

Apparitions of shady figures,

is the Coachmaker’s Arms where the figure of a highwayman

characters who met a brutal and

standing at the end of the bar has been mistaken for a paying

tortuous end and those who are

customer.

locked neither in the past nor the present, are commonplace. They lurk in the corridors of stately homes, appear in theatres

The Man in Black continues: ‘There is one clear reason why Norwich is among the most haunted cities in this country and

and pubs or wander timelessly through the medieval streets of

that is because many of the medieval buildings are still in situ;

Norwich, stepping into your path and then disappearing without

they were not knocked down during the Industrial Revolution in

word or explanation.

the same way they were in other cities.

In fact, so haunted are the streets of Norwich, that there are

‘This means that the ghosts are still in the same surroundings

now special Ghost Walks led by a mysterious Man In Black who

they were in when they were alive, they were never disturbed. So

will guide you through the city’s macabre past. Yet that eeriness

here in Norwich we have ghosts from the Norman and medieval

also spreads across the county to dark corners and chilling

period, through to the Black Death and Victorian England.’

haunts. When it comes to stately ghosts, there are few more famous

Among them is a Lady in Grey who haunts the Augustine Steward House and the Tombland alleyway while a Victorian

than the lady in white who haunts the corridors of Blickling Hall

maid wanders around the Maid’s Head Hotel with the scent of

near Aylsham.

lavender following her.

Anne Boleyn, the second queen of Henry VIII, was beheaded

Perhaps the most haunted single house in Norwich is the

on May 19, 1536, and is said to appear at Blickling on the

nearby Sam and Herc in Tombland, he suggests. Should we be

anniversary of her death; headless and seated in a carriage

surprised?

drawn by headless horses. The house, now run by the National Trust, also has other ghostly spirits: Lord Rochford, Sir Thomas Boleyn and Sir Henry

‘Not at all,’ he continues. ‘It just happens to have biggest plague pit in the city underneath it with about 4500 bodies buried down there!’

Hobart – who built the current hall - all appear in some guise or

Elsewhere, there are figures of priests, rabbis and other holy

other. Hobart can be heard still groaning from wounds inflicted

men who continue to loiter between the spiritual and the spirit

on him in a duel in 1698.

world in locations across Norfolk.

Elsewhere, Raynham Hall is home to the ‘Brown Lady,’ believed

These are but a few of the ghostly occurrences and

to be the ghost of Dorothy Walpole, sister of the Statesman

apparitions that will creep up on you in Norfolk when you least

Sir Robert Walpole, whose husband Lord Charles Townshend

expect them.

imprisoned her in her quarters at the hall when he discovered that she had had an affair with Lord Wharton. In 1936 a Country

Are you afraid and do you believe? Or perhaps you are too frightened to disbelieve?

Festive Season Party Nights 2013 Come along to the Zest Rooms this year on one (or more) of our fantastic Party Nights. Bands this year include Dynamite, The Joe Ringer Band, The Official Chicago Blues Brothers and Black & Gold. Plus sensational tribute acts Almost Pink, Maybe GaGa and Mike Andrews as Robbie Williams, and not forgetting our resident Zest DJ. Dates for our Zest Party Nights are filling up fast, with wait lists in operation for some dates, so don’t leave it too late to call.

Saturday 30th November 2013

Traditional Zest Christmas Party Night with Zest DJ £29.95pp

Friday 6th December 2013

Christmas Fancy Dress Party Night with “The Joe Ringer Band” £34.95pp

Saturday 7th December 2013

Special Charity Christmas Party Night with “Almost Pink” plus Zest DJ £49.95pp

Thursday 12th December 2013

Traditional Zest Christmas Party Night with Zest DJ £29.95pp

Friday 13th December 2013

Very Superstitious Christmas Party Night with “Maybe GaGa” plus Zest DJ £49.95pp

Saturday 14th December 2013

Black & White Christmas Party Night with “Mike Andrew as Robbie Williams” plus “Dynamite” £49.95pp

Wednesday 18th December 2013

Traditional Zest Christmas Party Night with “Dynamite” plus Zest DJ £35.95pp

Thursday 19th December 2013

Traditional Zest Christmas Party Night with “The Joe Ringer Band” £35.95pp

Friday 20th December 2013

Black & White Christmas Party Night with “The Official Chicago Blues Brothers” plus Zest DJ £44.95pp

Saturday 21st December 2013

Black & Gold Zest Christmas Party Night with “Black & Gold” plus Zest DJ £49.95pp

Tuesday 31st December 2013

Zest’s New Year’s Eve Party Night with “Munch” £64.95pp

Each night starts at 7pm with a glass of Buck’s Fizz on arrival, followed by a four or five course dinner and a great evening of entertainment. Prices start from just £29.95 per person, or you can book an ‘exclusive*’ table.

For more information or for your FREE Zest Rooms Festive Party Nights 2013 Brochure call Jill or Sam on 0845 437 9896 Zest Rooms, Potters Resort, Coast Road, Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk, NR31 9BX www.zestrooms.com £10 per person non-refundable deposit required at time of booking to confirm your places. Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. For each evening we have 3 x tables of 8, 2 x tables of 12 and all other tables seat 10 people. *exclusive table requires a minimum of 7 people and a maximum of 10 per table. Full booking terms and condition apply, please ask for more information at time of enquiry or refer to page 15 of our Zest Rooms Festive Party Nights 2013 brochure.

clocks | LUsT LIsT

I. Gomitolo Giant Knitted Clock, £448, Rume, www.rume.co.uk

if i could turn back time october is the month to check out these timely pieces

II. Oval Wall Clock, £28, Cargo, www.cargohomeshop.com III. Newgate Fleet Street time zone clock £85, John Lewis IV. London Copper Fob Style Wall Clock, £175, House of Fraser V. London Ornaments Large Iron Skeleton Clock, £149, Jarrold’s VI. Motor Metal Wall Clock, Artisanti, £245, Artisanti, www.artisanti.com

escape to the

country Bring a touch of the countryside to your home, says Simon Mitchell as he looks at the new trends in furniture this autumn Jarrold 1-11 London Street, Norwich NR2 1JF www.jarrold.co.uk

Incorporate the joys of rural living into your home with this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s furniture collections. Natural fabrics, country inspired designs and traditional British manufacturing methods come together to offer an unbeatable combination of style and comfort, perfect for cosy evenings by the fire.

rural influences | INTERIORS A Touch of Tweed When Tetrad collaborated with Harris Tweed to develop a range of furniture it was destined be a winning formula. Both British brands are renowned for their quality, style and heritage and together they have created a collection of superbly comfortable sofas and chairs. The famed Hebridean cloth lends itself perfectly to upholstery; naturally warm and soft, the tweed is washed, beaten and pressed to avoid any itchiness and to give the smoothest of weaves and the perfect finish for curling up and relaxing on. The combination of this luxurious fabric with Tetrad’s classic designs gives a beautiful finish – timeless furniture that looks good in a traditional setting but can work equally well as a statement piece in a more contemporary home.

The Collection by Tetrad and Harris Tweed 3. Castlebay sofa; 4. Stornaway sofa; 5. Dunmore chair

Where to buy: All items are available to order from Jarrold’s furniture department. Simon Mitchell is the furniture buyer for Jarrold’s and The Granary.

Down on the Farm One of my favourite trends for the autumn is the wonderful agricultural and wildlife inspired designs, found everywhere from linens to cushions and in larger pieces of furniture. The Camilla ‘Oink’ chair from Scottish company, Voyage Maison is just fabulous. Beautifully crafted with a solid beech frame, the upholstery is a mix of Arran Tundra wool and stylish linen with a quirky pig design; it’s sure to be a real talking point in your home. The company has lots of other lovely furniture pieces and accessories featuring dogs and cattle and other four-legged friends; birds are a real inspiration too, as seen in the Gamebird footstool.

3 7

1. Voyage Masion Camilla Oink chair; 2. Gamebird footstool

Country House Grandeur Opulent, tactile fabrics are popular again this season and add a really luxurious touch to your home. The Elgar sofa from Tetrad is real statement piece; a timeless classic Chesterfield-style sofa with a contemporary twist, it brings together the elegance of a bygone age with chic sophistication. Long-established British furniture manufacturer Parker Knoll is renowned for its use of luxurious fabrics. The Oakham sofa boasts an opulent design in reds and gold and would sit equally well in a modest country cottage or a more ‘Downtonesque’ drawing room! 6. Elgar sofa by Tetrad; 7. Oakham sofa by Parker Knoll 4

Change your Perspective

Quality and hand built to meet your needs

Tel: 01502 531825 www.earlydawnwindows.co.uk Early Dawn Garden Centre, Rushmere Road, Carlton Colville, Suffolk NR33 8HA Opening times 10am-4pm | 7 days per week

World-wide award winning marketing for the fourth year running. Fine & Country have been awarded ‘Best International Real Estate Agency Marketing’ at both UK and World levels for the past four years by the International Property Awards.

HADDISCOE Guide Price £475,000

GREAT YARMOUTH Guide Price £550,000

• A contemporary designed Chalet Style Detached Property situated in the village of Haddiscoe • Four Bedrooms ; Two En Suites ; Family Bathroom • Open Plan Living Space and Kitchen with Separate Utility • Three Garages ; Carriage Driveway • The Plot extends to 0.5 acres • The Accommodation extends to 2,260sq.ft

• A stunning Architecturally Designed Residence sitting in a privileged location in Great Yarmouth • Built to a Very High Standard in the 1920’s in the Arts and Crafts Style • Maintained to a very High Degree by its Current Owners • Six/Seven Bedrooms ; Family Bathroom • Three Receptions ; Grand Reception Hall • Stunning Kitchen ; Cellar • Garage and plenty of Off Road Parking • The Accommodation extends to 3,540sq.ft

GREAT YARMOUTH Guide Price £475,000

BELTON Guide Price £500,000

• An attractive Detached Family Residence in a very sought after location in the Seaside Town of Great Yarmouth • Five Bedrooms ; Two Bathrooms • Two Receptions ; Conservatory • Single Garage ; Plenty of Off Road Parking • Constructed in 1925 to a very High Standard • Stunning Sea Views and within Walking Distance of the Town Centre • The Accommodation extends to 2,578sq.ft

• A Stunning Detached property in the popular village of Belton • Four Bedrooms ; Two Bathrooms ; Downstairs WC • Kitchen with Separate Utility Room • Two Receptions ; Conservatory • Self Contained Annexe – Energy Rating: C • Beautiful Mature Gardens and Pond situated next to Open Fields • The Plot extends to 2/3rds of an acre • The Accommodation extends to 2,929sq.ft

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

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

At Home in Quality Street our stunning georgian residence this month has very sweet memories attached to it. emma outten goes over the particulars with a very fine (and sweet) toothed comb

EStAtE AgEntS Fine & Country, Central Office, 7 Bank Plain, Norwich, NR2 4SF, Tel 01603 221888 www.fineandcountry.com

THE FINE FOLK AT ESTATE AGENTS Fine & Country are on the money when they say that The Manor House, near Norwich, has a most delicious recent past. But more of that in a moment. Beautifully secluded at the end of a long private drive, The Manor House is a stunning Georgian residence which has been painstakingly renovated by its current owners. Resplendent in outstanding grounds of three acres, this magnificent family home offers expansive contemporary living with a wealth of original features – and a village community on your doorstep. A clue into its past is in the fact that the current owners uncovered an original cocoa grinding wheel in the garden a few weeks after they first moved in. Have you guessed the previous owners yet? Step forward the Mackintosh family of confectionery firm fame. Mackintosh’s was principally known for Mackintosh’s Toffee and for brands such as Quality Street and Rolo. Although the firm was started by John Mackintosh and his wife Violet in Halifax (which became known as ‘Toffee Town’) in 1890, the Norfolk connection is due to the fact that John’s son Harold bought the A.J. Caley chocolate company in Norwich from Unilever in 1932, giving them access to chocolate production. The Mackintosh name continues to feature in the showbiz columns today, as Millie Mackintosh - of the Made in Chelsea reality show is the heiress of the company. The cocoa bean grinding wheel is a daily reminder of The Manor House’s past. ‘We’re not sure if it’s made of granite or marble, but it’s a super feature and apparently from the very first Mackintosh chocolate factory’ comment the owners, who add: ‘This is a tremendous property and one that has been a fabulous family home for us.’

guIDE PRICE £1M

FACtFIlE 6 bedrooms 3 receptions 4 bathrooms/ shower rooms 3 acres of stunning mature gardens Indoor swimming pool

They have managed to reveal many of the original features. ‘Structurally the house was in good shape, but we had to completely re-wire and re-plumb and repair much of the roof – and during the work we uncovered some fantastic original features,’ they explain. Beams that had been covered up for centuries were exposed to great delight, while the original floorboards were exposed when the sitting room carpet was lifted. ‘The garden was so overgrown when we first moved in, that it was several weeks before we realised there was a beautiful old greenhouse in the kitchen garden! It’s fully heated, so you can grow things all year round.’ The owners’ children are fascinated by the rumour of a secret passageway from the house, spurred on by the fact that the original cellar runs under the sitting room and then goes fully underground, extending some way into the garden. You know how everyone has a favourite Mackintosh’s Quality Street (the Purple One!)? Well, The Manor House has become a firm family favourite, and here are just a few good reasons why. A door from the master en-suite bathroom leads down brick steps to the sauna and swimming pool, which were constructed from the original vine house. Here are the current owners again. ‘As a family we spend a lot of time in the pool. It’s a great facility with a machine that you can swim against if you want extra exercise!’ The owners have built a children’s outdoor play area in the rear garden, with a summer house and zip wire, and there is a woodland walk around the perimeter which they particularly love. ‘The gardens offer so much scope, whether you have children who want to explore and run around or you want to lose yourself in the sights and scents of the prolific wild garlic on the woodland walk.

The breakfast kitchen overlooks a rear courtyard which is an ideal spot for children to play on their bikes and roller skates, while the original coach house offers exciting scope. ‘We have obtained planning permission to extend the kitchen and join it to the coach house; we were thinking of making a big vaulted ceiling in the drawing room, which would benefit from wonderful views of the garden.’ The coach house is a large building and the first floor was clearly at one time an old fashioned playroom: ‘There’s a fixed ballet barre up there as well as original train set platforms,’ the owners inform. ‘We use the family room as a morning room because there’s a lovely window seat by the bay window and the room is simply flooded with light in the mornings.’ Original delft tiles on the open fireplace are a stunning feature and, as the owners note, the fireplaces throughout the house all stand out. ‘The marble fireplace in the entrance hall is French and apparently cost a small fortune; it is certainly the most exquisite one we have ever seen.’ The owners installed a woodburner in the feature fireplace in the sitting room, a gorgeous space with bay windows overlooking the front garden, while the formal dining room is a delightfully poised room with original sash windows. Upstairs, the master bedroom has a large balcony overlooking the rear garden. ‘We often sit out there with a cup of tea in the morning – or a glass of wine when the children have gone to bed.’ And the en-suite bathroom (as big as most family bathrooms) has a sash window giving views of the garden. ‘We love to lie in the bath and watch the baby birds on the tree outside the window!’ The Manor House is situated about eight miles to the east of Norwich. This would, of course, have been very convenient for the master Mackintosh confectioners back in the day.

lanndscape PF_Layout 1 20/09/2013 12:46 Page 1

Christmas Time at the White Horse, Overstrand Christmas Party Nights Free Disco for parties of 20 or more Friday and Saturday Evenings in November and December Party Dates 29 - 30 Nov 7, 8, 14,15, 21, 22 Dec Two Courses £20 - Three Courses £25

Christmas Day Luncheon

A superb 4 Course Luncheon £50 per person

New Years Eve

Four Course Dinner £45 per person

CharityAuction and Dinner

Saturday 12th October 7pm for 7.30pm £35.00 per person £5.00 from each ticket being donated to our charity

Drinks and Canape’s on arrival Complementary Pint of IPA courtesy of Greene King Auction commences 9.30pm in the Bar

In aid of our Charity of the Year, Nelson’s Journey

The White Horse, High Street Overstrand Norfolk NR27 0AB

For a full menu and details of our party nights Telephone: 01263 579237 Email: reservations@whitehorseoverstrand.co.uk

Selected Quality Antiques & East Anglian Art Tuesday 19th to Friday 22nd November

60 3 195 rs C e leb ting 6 0 yea ra

Early Entries for November 2013 include

Diamond & Emerald Art Deco Plaque Brooch Estimate: £4,000 - £6,000

19th Century Marine Chronometer Estimate: £800 - £1,200

Edward Brian Seago RBA, RWS Oil on Board Estimate: £20,000 - £30,000

Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Vase Estimate: £500 - £600

For further details or free advice regarding any items you may wish to sell please contact: Paul Goodley on 01263 738271 paul.goodley@keysauctions.co.uk Kevin Lines on 01263 738273 kevin.lines@keysauctions.co.uk Roy Murphy on 07932166749 roy.murphy@keysauctions.co.uk

Campbell Archibald Mellon ROI RBA Oil on Board, signed Estimate: £5,000 - £6,000

for full details visit

Moorcroft Moonlit Blue Vase Estimate: £700 - £900

keysauctions.co.uk

19th Century Staffordshire Robinson Crusoe & Man Friday Estimate: £200 - £250

Keys, Palmers Lane, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6JA Telephone: 01263 733195 Email: salerooms@keysauctions.co.uk

013 -2

selling up | PROPERTY NEWS

CLIVE HEDGES ARNOLDS KEYS CLIVE.HEDGES@ARNOLDSKEYS.COM | WWW.ARNOLDSKEYS.COM

BEWARE THE BUBBLE CLIVE HEDGES WELCOMES THE UPTURN IN ACTIVITY IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MARKET

here has been much written about good news on the property market just recently, if you are an existing homeowner, that is. But we should all beware that a media frenzy about house prices does not turn into another greed-driven bubble. To back up the evidence that we are seeing with our own eyes across all of our offices in Norfolk, various studies have confirmed that the housing market is returning to good shape. First, the Office for National Statistics said that house price inflation hit 3.1 per cent in June. To put it into context, this means that average house prices are now rising at exactly the same rate as overall inflation, so at least homeowners are no longer losing money in real terms each month. At the same time, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors published its own survey, which showed that prices are now rising at their fastest rate since November 2006. Of course, both of these pieces of research are for the country as a whole, and are therefore skewed by the continuing boom in property prices in London. So what is the situation here in Norfolk? The answer is that things are definitely moving again. We are seeing levels of activity which we haven’t experienced since before the crash in 2008, driven by continued low interest rates, a return in economic confidence, and the success of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme.

That means that more homes are coming onto the market, they are receiving more viewings more quickly, and we are seeing levels of sales that we have not experienced for a long time. Does this mean that we are about to see a huge jump in prices in the county? Are vendors justified in adding £10k or £20k to their estate agent’s valuation, driven by big headlines in the press? Absolutely not, and despite the superficial attraction of such a situation, we should hope it doesn’t happen any time soon. First of all, the last few years have seen potential vendors reluctant to enter a market which has been difficult, to say the least. As things have started moving, these sellers have come forward, providing an increased supply of homes to meet the increased demand from buyers. In short, at the moment the market is nicely balanced, with a greater level of activity and sales, rather than a price explosion. Of course, if demand does continue to grow, the pressure on prices will edge upwards eventually. As long as that is carefully managed (which might, for example, mean government restricting Help to Buy, or even edging up interest rates), then that is to be welcomed. What we don’t want to see is a return to the out-of-control boom in prices we saw in the early noughties – because such a boom will inevitably result in another bust, and surely we have learnt by now just how painful that can be, not just for property, but for the wider economy. So let’s welcome the good news, but let’s keep it in perspective. If we remember that a house is first and foremost a home rather than a financial instrument, we shouldn’t go far wrong.

Clive Hedges FNAEA is Partner at Arnolds Keys. More details at www.arnoldskeys.com.

@arnoldskeys

elSING HAll

IT IS BEING DESCRIBED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK EVER PRODUCED ABOUT GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES IN NORFOLK. SARAH HARDY TALKS TO ONE OF THE AUTHORS, ROGER LAST

HUNSett MIll, StAlHAM

GaRDENING

NEW BOOK

GUNtoN PArK

HolKHAM HAll

WHIteHAll FArM

DeNtoN Grotto

T IS SET TO bECOME THE ICONIC bOOK about Norfolk’s glorious gardens – both past and present. Norfolk Gardens and Designed Landscapes has been 14 years in the making, starting out as the proverbial twinkle in Roger Last’s eye. ‘I felt it was needed, people were asking more and more questions about gardens in the county and we just didn’t have the answers,’ he says. At the time Roger was the chairman of the Norfolk Gardens Trust, an organisation which both promotes and protects the county’s numerous gardens. He is still a committee member and continues: ‘Many members have helped with the book’s research and the publication coincides with the Trust’s 25th anniversary.’ Now, this superlative book, of some 440 pages, documents 330 gardens, parks and open spaces in fine detail, including both historical and horticultural information. ‘It is not just a guide but rather a compilation of what exists,’ says Roger, adding: ‘And with 230 photographs, many taken just for the book, you get a clear picture of what the county has to offer.’ It has been a labour of love for Roger who worked closely with his co-authors, Jon Williamson, Professor of Landscape History at the UEA and landscape historian Patsy Dallas. He says: ‘It was hard to decide which gardens to include. Obviously there are some of the great gardens such as at Holkham but also smaller, less well known ones. ‘But they all had to have some of significance. The oldest is Stiffkey Old Hall which dates back to the 1580s while the most recent is one in Holme-next-the Sea, created by Tom Stuart-Smith who is a very well respected designer. It is around six years old.’

Roger’s own garden, a five-acre spot at Corpusty Mill, near Holt, makes the edition – and quite rightly as it is a splendid spot. The book also looks at the history of gardening in the county from the medicinal gardens just before the 18th century to the creation of grand estates and civic spaces in the 18th and 19th century through to the gardens of today, where certain gardening trends are practised such as minimalism. There is also a section on the part leading designers such as Humphry Repton and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown have played in shaping the county’s landscapes. Roger, who worked as a director/producer for the BBC before he retired, has found the whole project fantastically enlightening. ‘You learn so much more about Norfolk by understanding its gardens,’ he says. ‘And it will be of great help to future generations – I think the book will not be surpassed in its detail for many years.’ He explains that the Prince of Wales has written a foreword to the book, saying: ‘We are delighted that he has taken the time.’ So, what will Roger do now the book is finally ready? As you would imagine, he has plans – for a second volume. ‘We had to leave so many gardens out, there could easily be another volume,’ he laughs.

thE Book is to be launched on November 4 at Open in Norwich and will then be on sale at leading bookshops across the region, including Jarrold’s. It costs £25. More details on www.norfolkgt.org.uk

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

come Dine With me?

I WIll TEll YOu IN a MOMENT WHY we now seldom entertain guests for dinner. First you will have to endure a feast of my past. It was an alternative to inviting my date back to view my etchings. Unable (on £8 a week as a trainee solicitor) to afford trips to a restaurant, I chose to learn to cook, starting with a very handy book called ‘cooking in a bedsitter’ and graduating to two cookery books by Len Deighton. In the 1970s, Len Deighton, the thriller and spy writer, produced a pair of Action Cookbooks (which, incidentally, are still available). They were great for people like me because they were prepared in cartoon strips, so that even I could understand what to do. I became a cook of sorts – at least to the extent of preparing food without inducing food poisoning in the guests.

LOOK AT LIFE

RICHARD BARR

The trainee solicitor Deighton’s dishes were always flamboyant – sometimes literally. They required exotic (to me then) herbs and spices, like paprika, cardamon seeds, turmeric and tarragon. The kitchen in my shared flat always looked like the scene of a major disaster after I had prepared a meal and – once – we nearly had to call out the fire brigade when the crêpes I was flambé-ing set fire to the curtains. But it worked and as the years went by – even as a care worn solicitor - I would occasionally roll up my sleeves and produce an exotic chicken paprika or coq au vin. So began the dinner parties – lively evenings where conversation flowed as freely as the wine and we deftly solved (or so we thought) the problems of the world with the brilliance we thought we were demonstrating, as the house filled with smoke and then reeked for days afterwards. One thing that makes a good dinner party is variety. And that might have been our downfall because we had the dinner party to end all dinner parties. We invited: a pleasant American couple who both worked in the pathology laboratory at a local hospital, a trainee solicitor and his wife and some other people whose names I have now forgotten. Most of the guests arrived on time but the American couple were nowhere to be seen. The pre-dinner drinks were duly consumed and the guests (still without the Americans) wandered into the dining room where the starters of chicken liver pâté were elegantly laid out. The trainee solicitor took one look at the pâté and announced that he was a vegetarian and would not touch it. That caused an uneasy moment, followed by a more uneasy feeling of dread: the next course was to be Beef Bourguignon. My then wife hissed at me in the kitchen: ‘Why didn’t you tell me, you idiot?’. I had no real excuse. I had been vaguely aware that he claimed to be a vegetarian, but he had a lean and hungry look, so I reasoned that he needed some good meat to put some flesh on him. That only got me into deeper water. A hastily prepared omelette provided a substitute of sorts for Beef Bourguignon, but I remained in the dog house. As the main course was being dished up, the nice American couple rolled up – and casually announced that they had already eaten. ‘Why didn’t you tell them they were invited for supper?’ this time in a louder hiss (you can see why I have to change wives from time to time). My honest answer was that I thought I had.

took one look at the pâté and announced that he was a vegetarian and would not touch it. That caused an uneasy moment, followed by a more uneasy feeling of dread: the next course was to be Beef Bourguignon.

We settled the nice American couple in, gave them small helpings of the main course and offered them large helpings of something alcoholic - which they declined. There was the briefest pause in the conversation while the other guests (who had not declined) gasped that someone should choose to refuse Barr booze. Slowly the chat started up again, drifting across the Atlantic and to different cults and religions. On cue the vegetarian started to wax lyrical about the way some Americans join strange cults and become obsessed by their fanatical leaders. Out of the wide choice of extremist cults, he happened to light on one that none of the rest of us had heard of. He then spent several minutes saying how mad, bad and greedy was its leader and how weird were his followers. You know how silence can sometimes be loud. The nice American couple then went deafeningly silent. They both proclaimed that they belonged to that cult and were very proud of their leader who was undoubtedly the Messiah reincarnated. Condemning us in general to hell fire and damnation, and the vegetarian couple in particular to rot in hell, they swept out, leaving a slight whiff of brimstone behind them. We never saw or heard of them again. Not long afterwards they were followed by the vegetarian and his wife who paused only briefly to pick an apple from the tree outside the door and mutter ‘at last, something decent to eat’ before they too disappeared into the night. I told you it was the dinner party to end all dinner parties. After that, we started to eat takeaways – on our own.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Country Inn & Fine Dining

F o o d Ga l l ery : R estaurants & F ood produce

Albatros

Wine Cellar

River Green Café

The Albatros, which is moored at Wells-nextthe-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 Ton Brouwer bought and fully restored her. The Albatros 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.

The Wine Cellar is a piece of gourmet heaven born from an ethos of gorgeous wine, great food, and generous service. Tucked away in the heart of Norwich, just a few steps away from the vibrant Market Place, a beautiful courtyard steeped in history is the setting for this charming hidden gem that has so much more to offer than just fantastic fine dining. Ambient and chilled, The Wine Cellar is the perfect place to mingle and socialise. Ideal for a sophisticated, lazy lunch or a wallet friendly supper.

Fine vegetarian food and drink Overlooking Trowse Village Green and just 10 minutes from Norwich City Centre, River Green Café serves internationally inspired vegetarian and vegan food along with a selection of organic and locally sourced wines and beers.

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

Open: Monday 11am-10pm, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-midnight, Sunday 10.30am-3.30pm A: The Wine Cellar, Guildhall Hill, 8 Woburn Court, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1JG T: 01603 886100 E: admin@winecellarnorwich.co.uk W: www.winecellarnorwich.co.uk

A: River Green Café, The Street, Trowse, Norwich, NR14 8AH T: 01603 622448 W: www.rivergreencafe.co.uk Special Offer!

Free bottle of house wine with any two main courses purchased from our Fine Dining menu. Offer valid until the 31/11/2013 and may not be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Courtyard Café

Orchard Farm Shop

Planet Spice

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.

We look forward to you visiting us at Orchard Farm Shop. We now stock beef as well as the pork reared on the farm and butchered in our shop, along with local lamb. We cater for your BBQ needs, including gluten-free sausages and pork burgers, and low fat sausages. Our free range eggs are collected daily and we stock a lovely selection of local jams, chutneys, honey, rape seed oil and juices. We also have a new range of gluten-free jams and pickles from Orchard Fruits. Low food miles and friendly service. Orders taken all year, and Christmas is coming!

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: 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

Find us on the A146 five miles south of Norwich. 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

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

A Touch of Spice RECIPE

spiced tempura sea bream, chilli and tomato chutney, pickled cucumber relish and norfolk samphire Spiced tempura sea bream

Pickled cucumber relish

Make sure the sea bream has all the bones removed. Cut each fillet into three long strips. Add all the dry tempura batter ingredients together, then add the lemonade and the water bit by bit, whisking as you go. Once it is ready to use, heat the oil to 180oC. Place the fish into the batter and shake each bit slightly before putting into hot oil. Once crisp (about 4-5 minutes) drain onto a paper towel. Season with a little salt.

Warm the olive oil with the cumin and turmeric. After 2 minutes add the white wine vinegar, cucumber, red onion, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer everything into a bowl and cool in fridge. Once chilled, add chopped coriander. You can make this days or hours in advance as it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Chilli and tomato chutney Place all the ingredients into a roasting tin put in a pre-heated oven to 200oC for 10 minutes and lower for a further 15 minutes until all is soft, give it a good shake or stir so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a chutney consistency. Keep warm.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

to serve Heat a pan of (unseasoned) water. Once boiling, add the samphire (make sure itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clean) and cook for 2-3 minutes, then drain in a colander. Spoon the pickled cucumber round the plate, with a spoonful of the chilli and tomato chutney in the middle. Place a little samphire (you might have to use frozen at this time of year) on top with three pieces of the tempura sea bream.

imperial hotel | RECIPE

thIS Month MARK DIxON COOKS

SERVES 4

UP A DELICATELY

INGREDIENTs

SPICED FISH DISH TO

WARM YOU UP AS

Spiced tempura sea bream

TEMPERATURES START TO FALL

picture by PAul ShREEVE

4 sea bream fillets 250g of plain flour ½ tsp of turmeric ½ tsp of chilli powder ½ tsp of garam marsala ½ tsp of ground coriander ½ tsp of salt 2 ½ tbsp of cornflour 400ml sparkling cold water 50ml lemonade

Chilli & tomato chutney

8 tomatoes chopped into 12s 4 red chillis, seeds removed and chopped 4 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 white onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp of brown sugar 3 tbsp of olive oil 1 tbsp of salt

* Pickled cucumber relish

1 cucumber peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp of olive oil ¼ tsp of cumin ¼ tsp of turmeric 1 tsp of caster sugar 1 tsp of salt 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar Handful of chopped coriander leaves Plus samphire to serve

WINE ChoICE

2011 maiden Flight gewurztraminer, casablanca Valley, chile n I C k M o B B S , D I R E C TO R A N D W I N E E x P E R T AT T H E I M P E R I A L H OT E L , SAYS :

THE TEMPuRa sea bream is a wonderful dish with lots of flavours and a warm spicy taste which I really enjoy. The fish is quite delicate yet the spice in the tempura and the chilli chutney needs a wine with some character to match it. I recommend this Chilean Gewurztraminer as it can stand up to the strong flavours. Gewurztraminer is originally from the Alsace wine region but this wine is from the Casablanca Valley, a well known wine growing region in Chile. It is a complex, rich and intensely aromatic wine, whose nose is elegant and fruity, with strong flower notes. The taste is sophisticated and creamy, with complex lychee and stone fruit tastes, and a soft mineral ending.

• 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

’s

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SO EA

THE ONLY

BUTCHERY

IN EAST ANGLIA www.qguild.co.uk

~ The place for all your game birds, including duck, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and grouse – the king of game birds ~ ~ Quality venison steaks, joints, casserole and haunch of muntjac ~ ~ Did you know we also bake

fresh bread and cakes ~ For a wide range of delicious game recipes, visit www.gametoeat.co.uk

Recipe: Sir Anthony Milbank’s Brandy Roast Grouse Ingredients 1 dressed young grouse · 135ml dbl cream 1 tbsp brandy · 4 strips streaky bacon 1. Roast the grouse covered in bacon in a hot oven for 15 minutes. 2. Remove bacon and roast for a further 5 minutes. 3. Cut them in half and trim out the bony back. Set aside. 4. Pour 135ml double cream per grouse into the roasting dish, mix with contents and bring to the boil. 5. Add the tablespoon of brandy and heat up again. 6. Pour contents over the set aside grouse. Recipe courtesy of www.gametoeat.co.uk

CHRISTMAS ORDERS

LOCAL & FREE RANGE

Taking orders from 1st November on fresh farm turkeys (white, bronze & Peele’s Norfolk Black), chickens up to 10lb, geese & ducks.

All our pork comes from Blythburgh Free Range Pork. All our fresh beef, lamb and chicken is from local supplies.

S LI

G EN AL E CK V O E ST OS E R

RECIPE

FRANCK PONTAIS

Let our French chef cook

pictures ANDREW FLORIDES, WWW.ANDREWFLORIDES.CO.UK words FRANCK PONTAIS, WWW.FRANCKPONTAIS.COM

for your private dinner parties, and for those who really enjoy cooking, he also offers master classes, for all abilities, in your own home. More information is available at www.franckpontais.com

N O ST I N G S AT TA C H E D sE RV E s 4

Ingredients 500g young and fresh nettles 1 medium onion 30g unsalted butter 200g King Edward potatoes 150ml crème fraîche 1l vegetable stock or water 2 pinches of table salt 1 pinch of ground white pepper 4 slices dried cured coppa (Italian sausage)

nettle soup with crispy italian sausage THIS MONTH OUR FRENCH CHEF FRANCK PONTAIS SERVES UP A WILD SOUP FULL OF QUALITY

METhoD 1. Peel and finely slice the onion. 2. Sweat it in the butter in a pan on a medium heat. 3. Wash the nettles in cold water and add them to the onions. 4. Peel and dice the potatoes and add to the nettle mixture. 5. Cook for five minutes and then add the vegetable stock. 6. Bring to boil and leave to cook for

15 minutes. 7. Meanwhile, lay the slice of coppa on a baking paper and cook in an oven at 220°C for eight minutes. 8. Once cooked, lay on tissue paper to remove the excess fat. 9. Mix the soup with a hand blender and season to taste. 10. Serve hot with a drizzle of crème fraÎche and the dried slice of cooked coppa. placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

R E S Tau R a N T R E V I E W

LADY OF THE MANOR it s one of our leading hotels but what is the restaurant like? sarah hardy dines out at 1559 at sprowston manor SPRoWSton MAnoR hotEl AnD CountRY CluB, Wroxham Road, Norwich, call 01603 410871

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

proWsTon manor often gets people excited as it is where visiting football teams and celebrities stay. So there always a chance, albeit a slim one, that you’ll spot Wayne Rooney tucking into his breakfast or you’ll catch Tom Conti sipping a beer in the bar! It’s always been somewhere for a special meal – the surroundings are grand and the service is highly attentive. Right from the moment you swing into that tree-lined drive and see that gorgeous ivy-clad Elizabethan building, you know you’re in for a treat! It oozes history. The very name Sprowston comes from an Anglo-Saxon chieftain whose camp stood where the manor is today. The oldest parts of the current hotel date back to 1559 and were built by Sir Charles Corbet, one of the signatories of the death warrant of Charles I. Later the manor was owned by the Gurney family, founders of Barclays Bank, and during the war was used as the headquarters of Coastal Command. All this adds to the character of the place.

After the war it became a 35-bed hotel which was later expanded. In 2006 it was taken over by the Marriott group, investing around £8 million in a renovation which included extending the 18-hole golf course. It may be part of an international chain but it very much retains its individuality. Little wonder that this is a favourite with people coming to the area on both business and pleasure. There are a couple of places to eat: one is the more casual Zest café where you’ll find bistro-style options such as salads, soups, paninis and so on. The other, the more interesting for me, is the 1559 fine dining restaurant, named after the hotel’s anniversary. With crisp white napkins, glittering chandeliers, crystal glasses and polished silver cutlery, it is very stylish and somewhere you can dress up for, which is a lovely and somewhat rare option! It has been totally refurbished recently and is very comfortable, with stylish furnishings, deep pile carpets, and a general air of laid back luxury. You enter via the bar and we bagged ourselves one of the ritzy sofas, overlooking the grounds, where we enjoyed a pre-drink dinner and could consult the menu which we immediately spotted included lots of seasonal treats which is always a great sign. As readers might know, I am very partial to a glass of fizz so opted for a very chilled cava while Himself had a pint of Boddingtons. But what of the menu? Under the guidance of Martin Ng, it is challenging and exciting. Dishes are beautifully presented and there are unusual combinations. Much use is made of Norfolk and Suffolk produce – beef is from Chestnut Farm in Harleston, cheese is from Catherine Temple in Wighton, near Wells, and as many vegetables as possible come from the hotel’s own garden. I started with a creamy celeriac soup with wild mushroom which was lovely and warming on a surprisingly chilly and wet September evening. And, of course, those great homemade rolls with lashings of butter helped, too! My husband went for a large Devon crab cake with a lime jelly and chilli jam which was much enjoyed, with the chilli jam getting special mention. We could have tried smoked mackerel fillet or battered cod cheeks and there is also a daily soup which sounded tempting.

For mains, I couldn’t resist the grill offerings. The Surf and Turf caught my eye with a beef fillet teamed with garlic prawns but eventually I selected a 10oz sirloin which came served with triple cooked chunky chips, a big fat mushroom and a big fat tomato! Job done. The steak was tender and extra tasty thanks to a peppercorn butter and was thoroughly enjoyed. I ordered some seasonal vegetables which I didn’t, in all honesty, need but they are always nice to try! The other half had a Scottish salmon fillet steak with colcannon mash, crispy leeks and a hollandaise sauce. It disappeared before I was halfway through my dish and was much enjoyed. Other dishes available included pan-fried cod loin, a duo of Norfolk pork, belly and cheek, and slow-braised beef blade and wild mushrooms. And there are also lots of salads and pasta dishes if you fancy something lighter. Then it was on to desserts, and what a great selection! From treacle tart to white chocolate parfait, there is something for all those with a sweet tooth. I opted for a lemon posset which was good and sharp while husband has the raspberry cheesecake which was much admired. There is an extensive wine list and all manner of teas and coffees on offer – I finished off my meal with a pot of peppermint tea which was a relaxing finale to a charming evening. Congratulations all round.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Cold set custard with nutmeg, fresh strawberries and rippled strawberry ice cream rolled in a cooked crumble JAMeS etHerINGtoN

We all can appreciate having a restaurant/bar bolthole where we can escape to at the end of a hard day. Emma Outten walks from work to the new Number 1 Bar and Kitchen in Gorleston

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

tHe CHArGrIlleD NUMber 1 beeF bUrGer

NUMBER 1 ON OUR LIST

fter working on the Places&Faces® features frontline all month, it certainly takes the edge oﬀ things when the nearest bar happens to be nice and new AND good food comes out of its kitchen.

In case you weren’t aware where Places & Faces emanates from, the magic happens beside the seaside, in Gorleston in fact. We like to work on the edge (and I’m not just talking about where the land meets the sea)! After the last – and biggest - issue of Places & Faces went to press, Sarah the editor and I strolled down to the new Number 1 Bar and Kitchen in the late summer sunshine for a wellearned glass of Pinot Grigio – after the number of interviews we’d done that month, we deserved it! Number 1 has only been open since June/July, but I can see it becoming our new favourite place to go for lunch or dinner, after work. Chef James Etherington has five-star credentials. He spent the past 18 years at Potters, the award winning five-star luxury holiday village, down the coast in Hopton. The team behind Number 1 are quite a partnership, as it also includes wife Anna (who he met at Potters!), plus Graeme and Wendy Kerr. James is enjoying the freedom of ordering ingredients from local suppliers, such as fish merchants William Masterson & Sons, from Lowestoft; Jim’s Butchers and also Savoy Catering in Great Yarmouth; plus fresh food from Accent Fresh, from Downham Market.

REsTaURaNT REVIEW

NUMBER 1 BAR & KITCHEN Number 1 has emerged from Peggotty’s, that well-established and well-known pub in Gorleston. There’s still a nod to the building’s history at the back of the restaurant, but beyond that there are framed positive affirmations such as ‘believe that anything is possible’, which indeed it is. So it was in this positive frame of mind we turned to the evening menu. For starters, I opted for the prawns and crayfish salad with lemon and cocktail sauce (I am a 70s child at heart) priced at £5.50. There were plenty of prawns, and the crayfish gives the classic dish that modern twist, and there was no retro cocktail glass on the dining table here! Also beautifully presented was the intriguing warm salad combination, chosen by Elliott, who is charge of Places & Faces digital content. It was quickly established that Elliott must like pork, as he was faced with a triumvirate of pork products: sausage, bacon and black pudding, the latter being subtle, he declared. He also declared, after devouring the dish, that the egg atop was poached to perfection. Completing the combination were mushrooms, tomatoes and mixed leaves, along with a tomato and garlic dressing and croutons. Moving on to mains, I was just as intrigued with one of the vegetarian options: the pear and ricotta tart. This was complemented by the crushed black pepper new potatoes, with balsamic jue and parsnip ribbons adding just the right crispiness betwixt the two. Seasonal vegetables came on the side. Elliott went for the chargrilled Number 1 beef burger, which could fast become a signature dish for the Bar and Kitchen. To satiate his craving for pork, inside the toasted bun was bacon, and also applewood cheese. The fresh cut chips were twice-cooked (a nice touch), and the coleslaw and relish had a pleasing homemade look about them. This was a good quality burger, was the verdict, although it defeated him in the end. And it came at a good price: £8.95. A 10oz chargrilled sirloin steak, on the other hand, would set you back £17.95.

NUMBER 1 BAR AND KITCHEN 1 Pier Walk, Gorleston, NR31 6DA. Call 01493 650065 or visit www. number1barandkitchen.co.uk.

So it was left to me to order from the desserts menu. It’s always refreshing to try something new, so I eschewed the Number 1 homemade chocolate brownie and went for the cold set custard with nutmeg, fresh strawberries and rippled strawberry ice cream rolled in a cooked crumble, instead. Scott, the Places & Faces senior designer who makes the magazine look like a master-class in design each month and was celebrating the fact he had been in the job two years to the day with a pint of Aspalls cider, piped up at this point: ‘It looks like a sweet scotch egg.’ He had a point! Desserts are around the £4.95 mark. Whilst on the subject of drinks, the bar stocks Adnams Lighthouse and Broadside, plus we are assured that cocktails are coming soon. Jolly good! The carafes of water with shavings of cucumber and lemon inside are a nice touch. I tried a glass of White Zinfandel, although I noticed plenty of bottles of champagne behind the bar. The lunchtime menu is lighter, of course: paninis, baguettes, omelettes, and salads, plus there’s a kids’ menu. Number 1 does go in for meal deals, so it’s worth checking what the deal of the day is. And it is somewhere conveniently close for Christmas celebrations. It is certainly one to consider once the December issue of Places & Faces has gone to press!

FrANÇoIS JeAN FrANCoIS &

French Fancies This month our wine writer Poppy Seymour heads to the Rhône Valley, one of France’s great wine regions, for her latest report

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@belle-epoque-life. com for more information.

estling between the TGV railway line and the busy main road, La Beaugraviere is not really the place you would choose to locate a fabulous restaurant. But when we first came across this little oasis in Mondragon more than a decade ago, we was completely enchanted by the owners, the oil cloth coverings on the table, the sensational truffle-based menu and even the somewhat garish art on the walls. When we originally met the delightful owner, Monsieur Julien, he was as stick thin and unlikely looking a chef as you could find. His lovely ‘plumptious’ wife, on the other hand, clearly enjoyed the fruits of his labours all too well. Every item on the menu is sprinkled, infused, scattered or layered with some form of local truffle. They are splendidly abundant in this area if you know where to look and that, of course, is a very well kept secret. I sneaked into the kitchen before breakfast one morning only to witness an enormous box of these black beauties being delivered. I enquired how long the precious mountain of mushroomness might last. ‘Oh, just a few days, maybe a week if I am careful,’ Monsieur Julien replied. Then he added with a wicked grin ‘but then I am not known for being careful with my truffles!’ But this is a wine review not a restaurant column, I hear you mutter. True, but Monsieur Julien is the fount of all knowledge when it comes to sniffing out rising stars and the best creative talents in ‘his’ region and the best creative talents. This is what makes him special, a great chef and a talent scout to boot.

WINE REVIEW tHe reStAUrANt

This time we are heading off to visit the innovative partnership Dauvergne Ranvier. The result of two wine lovers who, after building up their experience in some of France’s most important wine producers, came back to their roots and cleverly styled themselves ‘wine creators’. At the start they had no vines, no cellar and not a lot of money, so how did they manage to create a winery? Oenologist François Dauvergne explained: ‘As we had no vines but we wanted to create our own wines, we had to establish strong relationships with winegrowers in the Rhône Valley. In exchange for our advice and good compensation, we select the best plots of vines which the growers then work for us following our guidelines.’ Just prior to harvest Jean-François Ranvier tastes the grapes personally, plot by plot. This is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of the whole process because, as J-F says: ‘you cannot create great wines without excellent grapes’. All their wines are vinified at their property of origin and using minimal intervention. Such is their attention to detail that once the wine is made they visit each individual cellar up to five times a week to monitor the development of their creations. Having learnt how the system works, we are guided through a tasting by Laurent Veron. He has done his time in Bordeaux and is now happy to be back on home territory, selling wines that are truly in his heart. We start with a single white wine Pierre Solaire (solar stone) whose grapes are grown in four different vineyards in the high altitude of The Ardeche. Fragrant and floral, it is one of the most delicious Rhône whites I have ever tasted, perfect to enjoy with some local goat’s cheese or Laurent’s favourite: plain grilled fish

Rhone valley

that complements the wine superbly and simply allows it to sing. Our first red is the quirkily labelled Le Pitchoun (an affectionate term for a young child, perhaps a rascal) that is an appropriate cheeky little number, as the name and label suggest. At 80 per cent syrah and 20 per cent grenache, the fruit comes from the very east of the appellation and is a extremely quaffable blend, beautifully balanced with a vibrant freshness that makes it a perfect summer red. Next vintage they will make La Pitchounette: the female of the species. We move on to Terre de Fruits Côtes du Rhône. Again, a grenache/syrah blend but this time benefitting from carbonic maceration of the fruit which gives a distinctly Beaujolais character to the wine. It made specifically in this style for the French brasserie market, where it is hugely popular, and is a light-ish red that could happily be served chilled. Vade Retro Côtes du Rhône comes next, the blend here varies with each vintage and can be up to 100 per cent syrah with just a dash of grenache. These grapes are grown around Signargues which is a particularly favourable spot for syrah and, boy, does it show. The wine is luscious, juicy and full of cherry, berry characteristics that leave us drooling. By now our tastebuds are sufficiently tickled that lunch is calling and we decide to save the heavyweights (including Mas de Boislauzon, their 100 point Châteauneuf du Pape) for little later in the day. How did they taste? How was lunch? For now, all I can say is the wines just kept getting better and better and . you’ll need to read part two next month to find out more. placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Nina’s plums, damsons and greengages are available from the farm gate during the season but, for those seeking a fix during the winter months, her plum vinegar is available all year round from local shops such as Burnham Stores and Uttings in Burnham, as well as at the Holkham Estate shop. You will also find her fruit flavouring Ronaldo’s plum ice cream.

A PLUM JOB This month, food writer andy newman visits an aptly-named orchard owner in north norfolk, while top norfolk chef roger hickman uses her produce in a delicious duck dish

PICtUreS bY AnDY nEWMAn ASSoCIAtES, noRWICh

er name is purely coincidental - the result of getting married - but Nina Plumbe could not enjoy a more appropriate moniker, because she is Norfolk’s queen of plum growers. Squeezed into her 15 acre orchard at Burnham Overy are over 3,000 plum, damson and greengage trees, representing more than 40 different varieties. And this is no hidden secret: visitors are not only encouraged to see the orchards for themselves, but can even pick their own plums. Part of the Holkham Estate, the land which now makes up Leith House Orchards has been farmed by Nina’s family since 1947. After many years struggling to work the heavy, clay-based soil, her father Garry Maufe decided to diversify in the mid 1970s, initially hoping to grow cherries. Discouraged from growing this crop by the Ministry of Agriculture, he instead started planting plums, with the intention of sending his produce to market in London. Little did he know that his entire crop would end up being supplied to the local market, and that his orchards would become a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

tHe APtlY NAMeD NINA PlUMbe

More details at www.pmfarming.co.uk

Victoria is the plum variety most people could name, and it remains one of Nina’s most popular crops. But Leith House is rightly renowned for its huge range of varieties. This is not just for conservation purposes, but to prolong the cropping season by combining early, mid and late cropping varieties. Astonishingly, this is very nearly a one-woman operation. She does employ two seasonal workers in the summer to help with the picking and selling, but other than that, this is very much Nina’s baby. Nina came back to Norfolk from London in 1991, and has worked here ever since. She gave up the rest of the arable land four years ago to concentrate on the orchards, which is more than a full-time job. Once the harvest is complete (usually by the end of September, although like most crops, everything is very late this year), Nina sets about orchard maintenance, pulling out dead trees, replanting, knocking off any unpicked plums onto the ground for the mice and hedgehogs – and mowing. ‘We do not go in for a scorched earth policy under the trees,’ says Nina. ‘As a consequence I do a lot of mowing. The benefit of leaving grass round the trunk is in encouraging beneficial insects and creatures.’ This is not an organic orchard, but Nina does set out to use as few sprays as possible to keep the trees healthy. Pruning in February and March is a huge job, and again two seasonal workers join Nina for this. But for the rest of the year, it is Nina who is spraying, mowing, and pruning out problems such as silver leaf. Encouragingly, demand remains high for her product, and on the day I visited she had actually taken down a couple of the signs advertising plums for sale at the farm gate, because she is trying to preserve stock for the forthcoming North Norfolk Food Festival.

NoRFoLK PRoDUCE

plums

RECIPE

Roger hickman’s Glazed Duck Breast with Plum Crumble and Pearl Barley SERVES FOUR

Nevertheless, a steady stream of cars arrive, carrying visitors and locals - many of which are clearly regulars. One asks when the Victorias will be ready, and Nina has to explain they will be late this year – although there is a fabulous selection of freshly-picked varieties on offer. As well as the fresh fruit, Nina produces jam, chutney and (a delicious) sweet plum vinegar, ideal for use in oriental cooking. The plum season lasts just a couple of months, but the fruit freezes well, and it’s a healthy and delicious reminder of summer throughout the winter months. I leave with a kilo of beautiful orange-yellow plums and a bottle of vinegar, once again thankful to have met someone who is passionate enough about producing quality food to put in many hours of hard work. Anyone who cares about food should support producers like Nina, not just because they deserve it, but because that is where all the best produce can be found.

Damsons and Greengages LEITH HOUSE has damsons and greengages alongside the plums, and demand remains high for all three. DAMSONS are a sub-species of plum, distinguishable by their slightly astringent taste, which makes them ideal for culinary purposes, especially in fruit preserves. Damson wine was once popular in England, and damson gin can be made in the same way as sloe gin.

INGREDIENTS 2 duck breasts, 100g pearl barley, 1 shallot, olive oil, some shredded confit duck leg, chicken stock, 6 plums, 100g pecan nuts, 100g sugar (plus a little more for roasting the plums), 50ml water, a few chard leaves, 4 spring onions Score the skin of the duck breasts in an ‘x’ pattern. Heat an oven-proof frying pan on the hob, and then seal the duck on its flesh side for a minute or so. Now remove from the heat, turn the breasts over onto their skin side, and roast in an oven at 180°C for seven minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot, and soften it in some oil. Now add the pearl barley, and ensure it gets coated in the oil as well. Then add enough chicken stock to cover, and heat gently while the pearl barley absorbs the liquid (this is much like making risotto). Add some more chicken stock if necessary. After about 10 minutes, the pearl barley will be done – you want it to have a little crunch. Remove from the heat, and spread on a tray to cool. When you are ready to serve the dish, mix in the shredded duck confit, and reheat in a pan for two minutes. To make the plum crumble, halve two of the plums, and sprinkle with a little sugar. Now bake in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Meanwhile, put the sugar and the water in a pan, and heat until you have a caramel. When it is light golden, take off the heat, and mix in the pecans. Blitz in a food processor until you have a crumble-like mixture. Be careful not to over blitz it, or you will have a powder, which won’t have that crumble crunch. For the plum puree, take the remaining plums, chop into pieces and roast in a pan on the hob with a little sugar and a splash of water until they are totally mushy – around 20 minutes. Blitz in a food processor. To serve, make a pile of the pearl barley/confit mix, halve the duck breast, and serve the roasted plum with the pecan crumble over it. Chargrill your chard and spring onion, and dress the plate with these and the plum puree.

GREENGAGES are another cultivar of plums, first bred in France in the 18th century, and much prized for their rich confectionery flavour – these are superb dessert plums, and make a fine compote.

Roger Hickman is chef-proprietor at Roger Hickman's Restaurant in Upper St Giles, Norwich. More details at www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com

Let’s Go Dutch

SARAH HARDY GRABS A SEAT ON THE INAUGURAL FLIGHT FROM CAMBRIDGE TO AMSTERDAM TO EXPLORE THE CITY THAT HAS MORE TO IT THAN YOU MIGHT AT FIRST THINK

TRaVEL

bIKeS AND CANAlS - tWo oF AMSterDAM'S MANY trADeMArKS

AMSTERDAM "the city is a captivating place – it is certainly something a bit different. Built on a series of islands, you are never far from water, whether it is the Amstel river or the series of canals which were dug out in the 17th century."

tHe FAMoUS reD lIGHt DIStrICt

msterdam still has a bit of a reputation for being a place where you go to be a bit naughty. The Red Light District offers just about everything you could dream of – and a bit more - while so-called soft drugs are legal and many ‘brown’ cafes offer you afternoon tea with a difference. But to dismiss Amsterdam as just a place for a hard core stag weekend is doing it an injustice. There is much to see in this laid back capital and the most obvious thing is a bike – there are blinking thousands of them. Apparently there is some statistic that there are 881,000 bikes in the city – and just 802,000 people! It’s fun to hire one and go nipping about but be warned, most Amsterdammers practise extreme cycling – do check before you cross a road as they fly out of nowhere!

Overall, the city is a captivating place – it is certainly something a bit different. Built on a series of islands, you are never far from water, whether it is the Amstel river or the series of canals which were dug out in the 17th century. Countless bridges span the islands while the tall, thin properties that line the banks are fabulous. The local authorities are keen to keep a mixture of different uses so there are warehouses next to hotels, then a few houses, a restaurant and so on – a real hotch potch which keeps a vibrant atmosphere. And, of course, from the water itself – and yes, you simply have to take a canal trip – you get to peer into these splendid residences, eyeing up the fabulous interior design skills of the owners. A ‘must see’ is the newly revamped Rijksmuseum where you get a real sense of the days when Holland was a super power. Do you remember your history? The Dutch Golden Age? It was in the 17th century when they massed lands, possessions and more. The museum is packed with 8000 treasures (objects and paintings), including Rembrandts, Van Goghs and Vermeers, but there is also the bizarre – we spotted a chess set that once belonged to Hitler. The real gem is Rembrandt’s Night Watch, a revolutionary piece from 1642 which was the first picture to give a sense of movement – basically Rembrandt was one real clever chap. »

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

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TRaVEL

AMSTERDAM

TRAVEL INFORMATION Airport

1. Rijksmuseum interior 2. Rijksmuseum exterior 3. Rembrandt's Night Watch

» It is one of those enormous museums, very heavy on your poor tootsies (mine were in agony) so do just try to pick out a few areas and not tackle all the floors unless you are very dedicated. What else is there to do? Well, there are shops aplenty and boy are the fashions stylish in that understated way; there are masses of museums from a handbag one to another devoted to sex (sorry, couldn’t resist mentioning that one), and the achingly moving Anne Frank house where you see at first hand where 13-year-old Anne, a Jew, hid for two years from the Germans during the Second World War. I’d also recommend the flower market for obvious reasons and the Van Gogh Museum, also newly reopened after a facelift. And, for something completely different, there is the full-on Heineken Experience where you learn about the history and development of the famous beer – and much more besides. It is great fun, just how modern exhibitions should be with lots of hands on activities and have a go experiences, including sampling a much needed ice cold beer – or two! If you like the Guinness tour in Dublin, you’ll love this. Cheers! There are countless places to eat – we tried a typically modern bistro at lunchtime called the Brasserie Harkema which was very contemporary in look. Sure the menu reflected a modern city with all the usual burgers, pastas and salads but there were a few Dutch specialities including meat balls and delicious local chesses. Don’t miss the various breads available as they are a real treat. Rye, granary, sunflower seed – you name it, they do it! Getting around is easy. The city’s trams are almost as iconic as their waterways, but, as ever in a metropolis, one of the best ways of ‘soaking it all up’ is to simply stroll, pausing for a coffee or beer as required. It feels a young city, with an informal and tolerant air. Just make sure you don’t wander into the Red Light area as the ladies sitting in windows, in underwear certainly not from Marks and Spencer, are rather intimidating!

Cambridge Airport is a gem of a place. I whizzed there in just over an hour from the south of Norwich – even with those dreadful A11 roadworks at Elveden. It is a privately owned airfield, and the Marshall family have been in charge for almost a century. It has just started to offer, in conjunction with Darwin Airways, daily flights to Amsterdam and also regular flights to Paris, Geneva and Milan. With the Amsterdam flights, you can obviously enjoy a few days in this historic capital or use it as a gateway to airports around the world. It is a great little airport – no massive long walks to gates or anything and they are very hot on flights departing on time. Flight times are about 50 minutes although my return flight took 35 minutes which was barely time for me to gulp my orange juice! And I was off the plane and in my car in under 10 minutes – honestly! The planes are 50-seater Saab 2000 which sounded like a car my dad used to own but is really a bit like your own private jet! Great stuff! Darwin Airline has flights from Cambridge Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol from just £159 return. Visit www.darwinairline.com.

iAmsterdam card An iAmsterdam city card offers travellers unlimited use of GVB public transport in Amsterdam (bus, tram and metro), one free canal cruise, free entrance to 38 of Amsterdam’s top museums and attractions and discounted entry to the Rijksmuseum. www.iamsterdam.com To plan your trip to Amsterdam, go to www.holland.com

ANNe FrANK'S HoUSe

GEONS

THE LONDON DUN

he dank, dripping ambience

T H I N K I NG a b O u T a H a l F-T E R M b R E a K W H E R E YO u C a N G I V E T H E K I d S a H a l l OW E E N S C a R E ? M a R K N I C H O l l S Ta K E S a C H I l l I NG l O O K aT G H O u l I S H ’ l O N d O N

A RAVEN FROM THE TOWER OF LONDON

of the London Dungeons sets the tone. With its unpleasant aromas and a backdrop that makes you feel more than a little ill at ease, it is an eerie introduction into the capital’s dark past. Yet this was the attraction that topped my daughters’ wish list when we suggested a trip to London. Pressed further about attractions they wanted to visit and a rather chilling theme began to emerge: The Tower of London, Ripley’s Believe It or Not and even Jack the Ripper Tours in Whitechapel. This, I began to realise, was going to be a rather ghoulish tour of London. I’m not sure at which point children acquire a mind which seeks out the blood-curdling but it appeared we had reached that point and thus we set off on a tour of plague, murder, executions, torture, treason and treachery. At the London Dungeons, in its new home in the underground vaults at County Hall on the South Bank (having moved from London Bridge), the more gory aspects of London's past are presented in a brilliantly chilling way with re-enactments which will scare you out of your skin - and usually when you least expect it. The detail is spine-tingling as London’s ugly past is brought to life, as you wander through darkened corridors ripe with the odour of plague-ridden medieval streets. Along the way we rubbed shoulders with Guy Fawkes, the infamous barber Sweeney Todd and his evil sidekick Mrs Lovett, and stumbled into the bleakness of Whitechapel, where Jack the Ripper stalked his victims 125 years ago, and squalid jails as we experienced 1,000 years of London history. For kids, this must be one of London’s top attractions in the way it challenges the senses, satisfies the morbid curiosity and gives them a real scare every so often. For another very real history lesson, there are few better destinations than the Tower of London. We latched on to a Beefeater-guided tour where a Yeoman Warder revelled in telling tales of jet-black ravens, headless nobles, unfortunate prisoners, torture techniques, and some of the more graphic executions. It is a tour, dripping with blood, severed heads, treachery, betrayal and treason.

TRaVEL

LONDON

THE LONDON DUNGEONS

My two (Laura and Sarah) duly lapped it up before we were set free to enjoy the Tower’s other treasures. Reassuringly, the splendour of the Crown Jewels, the suits of armour, Traitor’s Gate and the battlements also hit the spot too. Meanwhile, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London taps more into a curiosity of the exceptional, unusual, weird, creepy and wonderful - it’s all about the biggest, fattest, smallest, tallest and, at times, the stomach-churning. Ripley’s in Piccadilly is home to more than 700 artefacts and exhibits across six floors. Having heard about the infamous Ripper murders of the late summer 1888 on TV’s Ripper Street, and at the London Dungeons, our girls were curious to learn more and wanted to take one of the nightly Ripper Walks around Whitechapel. The two-hour insight into the killings of 125 years ago is one of the more popular London walking tours (and a degree of parental guidance is required). From 7pm every night, the streets of Whitechapel are criss-crossed with guides leading curious tourists from one 19th century crime scene to another. One of the must-dos in London is to take in a West End Show and as something of an antidote to the macabre it was time for a little light relief. The fabulous We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, featuring the music of Queen, is highly recommended. Having caught the train from Norwich into London Liverpool Street with Greater Anglia, we stayed at the Hotel Xenia in South Kensington, part of the Great Hotels of the World group. Opened earlier this year in a refurbished Victorian building, we found it a perfect base for our short break – close to some of the capital’s best-loved museums but also ideally placed near Gloucester Road Tube station on the Piccadilly and Circle lines for connections to some of London’s more sinister attractions. Rooms at Hotel Xenia are comfortable and stylish with unique little touches, such as an iPad for those special orders, and there are family rooms with interconnecting doors. It also has a first class restaurant, Evoluzione, and an Italian menu but with a healthy twist, though the dishes are also adventurous. Worry not: there is a kids' menu too. What I felt most endeared Hotel Xenia to us was the attention to detail, those nice little touches such as fruit, cherries dipped in chocolate, left in your room and - most of all - the friendliness of the staff. After days experiencing the more sinister side of London, Hotel Xenia proved a welcoming retreat!

EVOLUZIONE AT HOTEL xENIA

it is a tour, dripping with blood, severed heads, treachery, betrayal and treason.

t r av e l , at t r a c t i o n s & a c c o m m o d at i o n accommodation Hotel xenia: Mark Nicholls and family stayed at Hotel xenia on Cromwell Road in South Kensington which is a short walk from the museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. Rooms start from £122. For more information or to book, visit www. ghotw.com/xenia-hotel or www.hotelxenia.co.uk or call 0207 380 3658.

Tower of London Managed by Historic Royal Palaces, for more information visit www.hrp.org.uk

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Open 365 days a year from 10am to midnight, visit www. ripleyslondon.com

The London Dungeons Opening times vary across the year, for details and ticket prices visit www.thedungeons.com/london

Jack the Ripper Walk Runs every night from 7pm from Aldgate East underground station, visit www.jack-the-ripper-tour.com

Greater anglia Provides frequent train services to London with one-way Advance fares from £8. Travel by train and you can also make big savings on top London attractions, restaurants and shows with Greater Anglia’s 2-for-1 London Attractions offers. For more details visit www.greateranglia.co.uk

ABOVE: WE WILL ROCK YOU

CHARITY AUCTION We are holding an online auction on www.i-bidder.com to raise money for the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital’s Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal – bids close on 31st October. Donated lots still being accepted.

SALE CALENDAR 11th October – Fine Art and Antiques 25th October – Stamps, Coins, Postcards, Records etc 8th November – Antiques and Fine Art Sales 22nd November – Militaria Sale 6th December – Antiques and Fine Art Sales 13th December – Picture Sale 17th January – Fine Art and Antiques 7th February – Toys, Collectables and Militaria

African Hunting Shield SOLD FOR £6,100

VAULATION DAYS 12 Thoroughfare, Halesworth 23rd October, 12pm until 3pm 98 High Street, Southwold 9th October, 12pm until 3pm 32-34 Thoroughfare, Harleston 24th October, 12pm until 3pm 6th November, 12pm until 3pm Durrants Auction Rooms, Beccles 26th October, 9am until 12pm 23rd November, 9am until 12pm

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BECCLES

Take time out to explore Beccles, a charming historic town in the Waveney Valley with a real community spirit

eccles, now a thriving market town, has a noble history, being once home to Saxons and Vikings! Set in the Waveney Valley, it has many pretty streets packed with fine Georgian buildings and also a few medieval properties and Victorian maltings to explore. It is a great choice for people who want to live somewhere with a sense of community but also good facilities such as a high school, a railway station, medical centres and the like – and yet be set in lush countryside. There always seems to be something happening in Beccles – the annual duck race really brings everyone together – as does events such as the summer carnival and regatta. Town Mayor Caroline Topping, who has lived in the town since a primary schoolgirl, is full of praise for its friendly atmosphere. ‘There are many volunteers, many unsung heroes and heroines, who run the town’s clubs and organisations, including the Lido, the museum and the public hall. ‘We are a very family friendly place and there is lots for all ages to enjoy – from Scouts and Guides for the younger generation to many groups for the elderly. ‘I think it is a lovely place to live – and it is so quaint with streets like Northgate where you can wander and enjoy the shops. And I really love it by the river, it is so beautiful that we are set by the water.’ As with many British towns the parish church, St Michael’s, which dates from the 14th century, is at the heart of the action – look out for its medieval porch – but, interestingly, its bell tower is separate. Legend has it that townsfolk were worried that it might pull the whole church over the edge of nearby ridge so built it a short distance away!

It’s certainly a pleasant place to stroll, with great shops, lovely galleries and a fine selection of cafes, restaurants and bars. Every town faces the battle to retain their independent businesses as the so-called big boys move in and there is now a Tesco’s store which divides opinion amongst many residents. Another important part of the town is the former port which is now a popular marina. Although the River Waveney does link into the Norfolk Broads, the area isn’t nearly as busy as the honeypot areas around Wroxham, so you often feel you have the waterways to yourself. As with the town itself, there are lovely walks along the river’s banks where you can spot plenty of wildlife – maybe even the occasional kingfisher. And, just as we have bid summer farewell, we have to mention the open air pool or Lido which has really brought visitors to the town this summer. It is a great addition to the area’s attractions and a fabulous place for all ages to really let their hair down! An early diary date for all fans of Beccles is November 29 when the town’s Christmas Lights are switched on. The Hungate Christmas Tree Lights Festival will also begin and shops will open late, too. Also look out for the Christmas Tree Trail, where you can pick up clues on a trail around the town and help solve a brain teasing quiz.

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GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER AS TEMPERATURES FALL, HERE’S A P&F GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR HOME AS WARM AS POSSIBLE IN THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT WAY noW IS thE tIME to thInk ABout how you heat your home. It is vital to make use of all the latest technology and information available. The Energy Saving Trust (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk), a social enterprise formed in 1992, is a great starting point as it provides free, impartial advice to households.

here s what they recommend you consider: Check the Energy Performance Certiﬁcate rating All domestic and commercial buildings in the UK available to buy or rent must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If you own a home, getting an energy performance survey done could help you identify ways to save money on your energy bills. Much like the multi-coloured sticker on new appliances, EPCs tell you how energy efficient a building is and give it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient): the lower the efficiency, the more the home will cost to run. how is the home heated? Gas heating costs a lot less to run and is more energy efficient than electric alternatives. Make sure you have all heating control instructions so you can set your controls to only heat the rooms you want to. If you can’t find them, you can download them from the manufacturers’ website. Is the loft insulated? Loft insulation is one of the most efficient ways to keep heat from escaping in a home. The thickness of the insulation plays an important role but it’s easy to top up if there’s some there but not enough. 270mm is the recommended depth. To give an idea of cost savings, topping up from 100mm to 270mm can save around £25 a year on heating bills. What’s in the walls? A third of the heat in an un-insulated home is lost through the walls. There are two wall types – solid walls and cavity walls. Both can be insulated to improve the energy efficiency of a property. If the home was built from 1920 onwards

there is a good chance it has cavity walls. A home with uninsulated cavity walls could cost up to £140 more to run each year than one with insulated cavities, so it’s worth finding out the state of play. If you’ve fallen in love with a home with uninsulated cavity walls, it’s not difficult to get it fixed. Installation costs are about £450 to £500 but you should make this back in about four years. Homes built before 1920 are likely to have solid walls. Solid walls may sound like they should be better at keeping in heat but unfortunately the opposite is true. Uninsulated solid walls can lose heat twice as fast as uninsulated cavity walls, but insulating them could save over £460 each year – so if you’re looking to move into an older build, make sure you ask about the insulation. It’s good to see double Double-glazed windows can save up to £165 on heating bills compared to a single-glazed property. Heavy lined curtains can help keep the heat in if double-glazing can’t be fitted. the newer the boiler, the better The latest boilers are a lot more energy efficient than older models. Check the age of the boiler and if it is Energy Saving Trust recommended. If the landlord/seller doesn’t know, you can find out the energy efficiency of different boilers at the Boilers.org.uk website. Boilers have energy ratings, much in the same way as homes. Once again, A is the most energy efficient and G is the lowest. Replacing a G rated boiler could save around £310 a year on running costs. look out for draughts Check round windows and doors for gaps. If it’s a windy day and a home is particular draughty, you can often hear the whistle of wind as it sweeps through the property. It’s quite easy to draught proof homes and there are lots of DIY options available. Draught proofing can save up to £55 a year on heating costs. Save water, save money A water meter is a great way to keep in control of your water usage and stop you flushing money down the drain. Check the home for dripping taps, which can waste gallons of water a day. It’s also worth asking if the shower has an energy saving shower head. These save water and money but still give you a powerful shower experience. the lighter way to save energy Does your property have energy saving light bulbs or fittings? If not, you need them. Check appliances Fridges and freezers should come with an energy rating from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Make sure your coMpany is in good coMpany this christMas!

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04/03/2013 15:21

christmas | ADVERTISING FEATURE

It’s October already and if you’ve survived this far without planning your Christmas celebrations the chances are it won’t be long before you’ll be getting your diary out

ove it or loathe it, the festive

season with its myriad of events; nativities, carol services and drinks parties – at school, with family, friends and work colleagues has to be organised and really the sooner the better. Of course you don’t have to plot ahead with your Waitrose order just yet, tramp round the toy stores, or even dig out the cards and gifts you sensibly purchased in the January sales. However if you are planning to go out – whether it’s a restaurant, pub, hotel or a private venue, booking early guarantees that you’ll get the date and the destination that you want. For many the “Company do” – the big lavish corporate evening event with a meal, entertainment and free booze has disappeared, along with the tea party with Father Christmas for employees children.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

The ultimate Christmas experience for children aged 1 to 101

Booking essential 01328 878477 www.santas-magical-journey.co.uk Thursford Collection, Thursford, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 0AS. (off the A148 between Fakenham and Holt)

christmas | ADVERTISING FEATURE Âť

In its place, many workers and small businesses are getting together and arranging their own social gathering, which of course means some will vote for Indian, Chinese or Thai cuisines rather than the traditional turkey roast. On the other hand many people see this as an opportunity to go somewhere really special and different, a great restaurant or a gastro pub perhaps and of course Norfolk is blessed with so many options here. Then when it comes to Christmas Day and New Year some families are now choosing to forgo the mountain of washing up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and supermarket shopping - to relax and enjoy the day by eating out or even staying over in a local hotel. If you are still looking for inspiration, over these few pages Places&Faces has brought together a great selection of Christmas celebration choices so enjoy with our compliments of the season.

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PARTY/CORPORATE bookings daytime and evening

BOOK NOW for Christmas or a Special Occasion SPECIAL CHRISTMAS Menu See our website for details

The Broads’ Boating, Wildlife, Leisure & Dining experience Whether you’re looking for a delicious homemade afternoon tea, the perfect spot for a relaxing lunch or an elegant evening out, The Waterside offers a truly wonderful setting, whatever the occasion.

Spectacular views over the broad Wildlife watch and bird hide Boat tours operating weekends & October half-term (weather dependent) Call to confirm operation Play area and putting Music nights Open daily 10am - 4pm for brunch, coffee & cake, lunches and afternoon teas. Call us for seasonal evening dining information and bookings.

Find us in the Broads, just 15 miles from Norwich and 7 miles from Great Yarmouth Closed Christmas Day & New Year’s Day christmasad.indd 1

Main Rd, Rollesby, Norfolk, NR29 5EF t: 01493 740531 e: info@thewatersiderollesby.co.uk www.thewatersiderollesby.co.uk 20/09/2013 12:25

christmas | aDVERTIsING FEaTURE

Christmas party dos:

go to the christmas party if you can, as most bosses make a mental check as to who did and didn t attend.

DO'S AND DONT'S Okay, so it is the season of goodwill and cheer and - office parties. Here are a few essential dos and don’ts to help keep you on the straight and narrow!

1. Go to the Christmas party if you can, as most bosses make a mental check as to who did and didn’t attend. 2. Go to the party with a positive attitude. Don’t stand around and moan. 3. Use the party as a way to talk to people you hardly know. You are all in the same boat. 4. Be casual. Keep the conversation light hearted and avoid politics and religion! 5. Keep your hands to yourself! We will say no more. 6. Say thank you to those who deserve it. 7. Bust a few good dance moves on the floor it will entertain your colleagues (if not yourself!) 8. Smile – like your life depends on it!

Christmas party don’ts 1. Use the office party as an excuse to whinge. 2. Talk business all day/night: you’ll soon wonder why everyone is avoiding you. 3. Avoid getting into really controversial subjects as, mixed with a few drinks, they may not go down well. 4. Grab too much food in one go – the nibbles and drink will come round again and you don’t want to appear greedy! 5. Mix drinks: it’s a sure-fire way of getting into trouble. 6. Never ask for a pay rise. 7. Post too many pictures of the party on your various social media accounts – no-one really cares, apart from you and your colleagues. 8. Be the last to leave, no matter how good a time you are having, and always leave with your shoes on. 9. Throw a sickie the next day and instead, take the day in lieu or nicely ask for a later start.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

Christmas Party Nights

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Perfect for office parties

CHRISTMAS PARTIES THE PARTY PACKAGE It’s time to shine – our Christmas party package is JUST £29pp and includes: · Three course dinner · Free gaming tuition · Free £5 bet for roulette or blackjack … but if you book SundayThursday we'll give you an AMAZING £9 OFF!* keepitfun.rank.com Over 18s only. Photo ID is required. www.gambleaware.co.uk

THE GROSVENOR CASINO GREAT YARMOUTH

01493 850444 | www.grosvenorcasinos.co.uk Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3JG

* In some cases where there is entertainment offered Sunday-Thursday, the £9 discount may not apply

WITH ADDED SPARKLE!

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Dinner Dance £37.00 Dinner + B&B £57.50

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Dinner Dance £38.50 Dinner + B&B £60.00

FREE HALF LITRE OF WINE FOR EACH COUPLE! Excellent cuisine – four course dinner, silver service ~ Coffee, mints and festive crackers ~ Wine waiter service during dinner ~ After dinner entertainment and dancing until midnight ~ Heated indoor pool with spa ~ Personal touch of a family hotel

If your group is 40 people or more, please contact us to discuss arrangements… North Drive, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 1EG

01493 844568 | www.burlington-hotel.co.uk For Accommodation, Functions, Weddings, Parties, Evening Meals, Sunday Luncheons and Bar Snacks.

n ncheo ay Lu le Sund g Advisab in k o Bo Table d’ote menu Three courses and coffee Large choice of Fish and Roasts served to your table

Free parking available - ask at reception

BOUTIQUE BAR & GARDEN

North Drive, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1EG T HE D UKE’S H EAD Tel: 01493 844568 Email: enquiries@burlington-hotel.co.uk

Party venues that aren’t just for Christmas www.drinkeatstayplay.co.uk / info@drinkeatstayplay.co.uk / 01603 624042

Olive Garden R E S T A U R A N T

Mediterranean Cuisine OG Style

Now taking bookings for

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INTRODUCING OUR

CHRISTMAS PARTY MENU Here’s just a taster... Watercress & Blue Cheese Soup Elms Farm Mixed Game Terrine, Parsnip & Pine Nut Salad Norfolk Bronze Turkey, Chestnut & Apricot Stuffing, Pigs in Blankets & Cranberry Relish Moat Farm Loin of Peppered Venison, Parsnip Purée, Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes & Poached Plums Christmas Pudding & Brandy Butter Glazed Clementine Tart with Winter Fruit Compóte

2 COURSES £18.95 3 COURSES £23.95 Reservations: 01508 528039 www.theloddonswan.co.uk CHURCH PLAIN, LODDON, NORFOLK NR14 6LX

104

joe larter | BUsINEss PRoFILE

A noRFolk EntREPREnEuR DAVID PORTER TALKS TO JOE LARTER, THE MAN BEHIND PLEASUREWOOD HILLS AND WOODY BEAR, AS HE PUBLISHES HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MONTH

It IS 30 YEARS SInCE PlEASuREWooD hIllS American theme park between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth opened at Dip Farm, Corton, and the lovable mascot-character Woody Bear was born. Millions of families treasure fond memories of their great days out at East Anglia’s premier tourist attraction. And the owner, Joe Larter, has a special way of putting places on maps and smiles on faces when it comes to entertainment. I first met him, the so-called godfather of Lowestoft, operating his Bumper Boats on the opening of his attractions in May 1982, and we’ve been friends since. Some years ago we talked about how his amazing, action-packed life story and achievements should be recorded. He wasn’t fully convinced and was too busy anyway. But in 2011 we seriously discussed the style of a book. Biography of a Norfolk war baby? How to show the rollercoaster of business? With complexities from Norfolk to Wales, Malta to the USA and Barbados, would it be a convoluted travel adventure? Would it have an audience beyond Joe‘s family and friends? What would they think? Joe started researching and drafting, saying: ‘I want people to understand that in life, whether you are an entrepreneur or a working family - there are ups, downs and lots of challenges. It’s how you deal with them that really matters.’ He entitled it Serendipity – a happy accident or pleasant surprise. Much of his life has been that, besides pitfalls and some scary moments. Joe tells a rattling good yarn face to face so we decided he should tell it his way on the page. Through often selfdeprecating jokes, authentic anecdotes and frustrations, his life resonates with people, whether in business or not. He describes how he and his twin sister were named, saying: ‘Father was given names on a piece of paper by Mother and went off to register our births. By the time he got to the Registry office, he’d lost the paper and couldn’t remember the names he’d been given! He thought fast and came up with Mary and Joseph – which is what we got!’

One of the slogans of Pleasurewood was: ‘Your greatest day out ever ’ which inspired one customer to complain that if that was his greatest day ever, he hadn’t much to live for! Another objected to ‘£2.50 a day and no more to pay’ as food and ice cream were not free! He complained to Trading Standards, resulting in great publicity for the park. For the opening of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Joe hired Christopher Green, Britain’s tallest man (7ft 6.25 ins). A little girl requested his autograph: ‘because you are the tallest man in the world’, after which she turned to Joe (5ft 3 inches) and said: ‘You must be the smallest man in the world, can I have your autograph too?’ – which he happily gave her. Joe embodies the dynamism, energy, creativity, originality and sheer determination (stubbornness?) that led him to establish Norfolk Sea Life Centres at Great Yarmouth and Hunstanton, Bure Valley Railway, the Village Experience and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! among many developments. Life is rarely simple for entrepreneurs. Joe has faced every kind of set-back, many arising from his inability to say ‘no’ to a project that sounds like challenging fun. When he fell victim to a fraud that nearly cost his life’s work, the events are told frankly and personally. From war-time childhood, early struggles learning about running a company, to bank crises, crazy meetings and risks, it’s a roller-coaster journey through business, friendship and betrayal, framed by his life as a family man. Joe is a great innovator. The serendipity in his life has been meeting the right people with ideas and skills at the right moment. Reading his inspirational book will be a moment of serendipity for others. It’s the perfect Christmas stocking-filler.

IPITY

SEREND

y with A journe

ter

Joe Lar

SERENDIPITY SEREnDIPItY is available

online at www.serendipityjoelarter.co.uk, priced £9.50 The life and times of entrepreneur

(‘happy accident’ or ‘pleasant surprise’)

SEREnDIPItY means the knack of making fortunate discoveries, seemingly by accident. Joe describes events and people he encountered as moments of serendipity, as they led on to other beneficial things. thE Book is being launched at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft on October 15 at 7.30pm in an event called An Evening With Woody Bear and his Dad! Call 01502 533200. DAVID PoRtER worked with Joe as book editor.

Joe Larter, the man who created Pleasurewood Hills American Theme Park and Woody Bear.

Almary Green Investments Ltd

Advising clients throughout East Anglia Tel: 01603 706740

www.almarygreen.com 109

GreAt YArMoUtH toWN HAll rAMboUIllet rooM At tHe toWN HAll

gREAt YARMouth toWn hAll A centrally located, prestigious venue for a meeting or conference to remember.

MEEtIng uP

CoUNCIl CHAMberS

SUPPer rooM At tHe toWN HAll

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has conference and meeting space available to hire in several different venues. We take a look at all three

Great Yarmouth’s beautifully refurbished Victorian Town Hall is the perfect answer if you’re looking for centrally located, quality meeting rooms with elegance and atmosphere. A choice of four first floor meeting rooms seating from 20 to 200 people in classroom, boardroom, U shape, cabaret or theatre style are available to hire. A minimum of three hours hire is required for any booking. The magnificent Assembly Room can sit up to 200 people, so is ideal for large conferences or gala dinners. Presentation equipment is available, and specialist equipment can easily be brought in to your requirements. Two smaller rooms, the Rambouillet Room or the Supper Room, are on hand as meeting rooms in their own right or as breakout rooms, with the ground floor Atrium available for refreshments during the course of the day or for lunch. All rooms have natural light and full access for the disabled via a glass lift. WiFi is also available throughout. Facilities for the hearing impaired are available in the Council Chamber which seats up to 70 people for a formal meeting or debate. Catering is available, from refreshments to finger buffets, afternoon tea or two or three course dinners. The Assembly Room is available from £200 + VAT for the day (8am to 6pm). Smaller meeting rooms are available for a minimum of three hours from £45 + VAT. For more information, to view the rooms or to book, call 01493 846125 or 846343 or email events@great-yarmouth.gov.uk

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

conference and meeting space | aDVERTIsING FEaTURE

HAWtHorN rooM, tHe NoVUS CeNtre

MArItIMe HoUSe

MARItIME houSE

tHe NoVUS CeNtre

A spacious, light and airy self contained conference venue.

thE noVuS CEntRE Inspirational meeting and training space to help your business attain its aspirations.

The Novus Enterprise Centre on The Conge near Great Yarmouth Market Place is a modern office building and central point for business and entrepreneurial activities in Great Yarmouth. Home to enterprise GY and all the business support services they offer, the Novus Centre’s facilities include a virtual office service as well as a choice of three modern, purpose-built meeting, training or conference rooms suitable for five to 50 people, depending on room layout. Rooms are available on the ground floor or first floor with full access for the disabled. The two larger rooms are fully equipped with the latest technology including full Internet access, interactive whiteboards, loop system and surround sound. The Novus Centre’s meeting rooms can be prepared to your specification in advance of your arrival, should you need flip charts or a particular seating arrangement. Refreshments and catering can be provided and limited parking is available. Hire charges start from £40 or £50 + VAT for half a day depending on room size (8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday). For all enquiries and bookings please email: enterprisegy@ great-yarmouth.gov.uk or telephone 0800 4580146 or 01493 335641

Built in 1858 and used as a home for shipwrecked sailors for more than 100 years, Maritime House is an imposing whitepainted three storey building centrally located on Great Yarmouth’s sea front. In 2005 the building was re-incarnated from use as a Maritime Museum to become the Tourist Information Centre and council offices with a self contained ground floor meeting room located behind the Tourist Information Centre with its own front door onto York Road. This freshly re-decorated conference room seats 20 to 60 people in various layouts from boardroom, theatre, classroom or U-shape and is perfect for meetings, training days, away days, workshops and seminars. The spacious room has air conditioning, natural light and Internet access as well as an inbuilt projector and large screen. A flip chart and laptop are also available to hire. Refreshments are served just outside the Conference Room in the adjoining foyer area which has comfortable chairs and coffee tables. Hire charges start from £15 per hour for a minimum of three hours between 8am and 6pm. Refreshments available include a choice of herbal teas and biscuits and are charged at £1.50 per person, per serving. Cold buffet/hot fork lunches can be arranged from £7 per head up to £15 per head (for groups of less than 10 persons a lower charge may be made). Buffets and refreshments can be tailored to suit your needs and any dietary requirements. For all enquiries and bookings please email: conferences@great-yarmouth.gov.uk or telephone 01493 846485.

MArItIMe HoUSe CoNFereNCe rooM

Full & Half Day Hire

THE PERF ECT CO NF ERENCE VE NUE The Grosvenor conference packages are tailor made to suit your business meeting needs in a professional but relaxed environment and at very competitive rates. Each room has a built in HD projector and sound system and can cater for up to 60 people theatre style and 40 board room style with other options and capacities available by request. Our superb food and beverage packages are also available. keepitfun.rank.com Over 18s only. Photo ID is required. www.gambleaware.co.uk

To discuss your meeting requirements, please contact us.

THE GROSVENOR CASINO GREAT YARMOUTH

01493 850444 | www.grosvenorcasinos.co.uk Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3JG

ELLOUGH PARK CORPORATE & TEAM BUILDING EVENTS Ellough Park near Beccles has a purpose built 1050m outdoor floodlit kart circuit and laser combat village. Offering conference room facilities, on-site catering and ample parking, it’s ideal for staff training, team building and product launches.

Benacre Road, Ellough, Near Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 7XD

ROOM HIRE IN NORWICH River Green Café has a modern, bright meeting room available for hire by businesses, clubs, societies and groups. A pleasant, airy room with plenty of natural light Soundproofed with seating for up to 35 people Independently controlled air conditioning/heating Free WiFi, web cam conferencing available 52” LCD screen for laptop AV presentations Hot and cold refreshments available all day

The Street, Trowse, Norwich, NR14 8AH 01603 622448 | info@rivergreencafe.co.uk

Take on your colleagues at the only British Championship hosting circuit in East Anglia with its fast technical flowing corners designed by racing drivers. Choose the event to best suit your needs, from Grand Prix’s to team endurance races, using the UK’s biggest 390cc engines in corporate karts.

Tel: 01502 717718

Using state of the art technology from America, experience outdoor urban warfare with the latest laser weapons in a team game of wit, stealth and strategy. Kitted out in full combat suits with war paint, our purpose built urban village features smoke bombs, flash bangs and a variety of scenarios… the pressure is on to win!

www.elloughparkraceway.co.uk

training, conference & corporate facilities | aDVERTIsING FEaTURE

Meeting business Needs The importance of businesses having access to the right training, conference and corporate facilities cannot be over emphasised. Emma Outten looks at the variety of facilities on offer in this part of the region

any of us have memories of team training days away from the work-place. My memories of a managerial training course involve swinging between treetops at an outdoor centre in north Norfolk! Not all businesses need zip-wires to zip ahead of the rest, of course, but all businesses can help to improve their performance by having access to the right training, conference and corporate facilities. Firstly, having access to a suitable venue for training courses is essential if you need space to train your staff on anything from the latest developments in social media through to health and safety. Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES) is one organisation which aims to make sure your corporate event or meeting is all that you would plan it to be, through its business centres, located throughout the East of England. In east Norfolk, for example, there are the following business centres: the Beacon Innovation Centre in Gorleston; both the Cobholm and Lichfield and the St James Health and Resource Centres in Great Yarmouth; both the North East Suffolk and the Riverside Business Centres in Lowestoft; plus nearby OrbisEnergy. Karen Bolton, Property Manager at NWES, explains why excellent facilities encourage enterprise: ‘The availability of

flexible, affordable meeting space can be vital in supporting local companies, enabling them to provide essential training, conduct networking events and create that allimportant professional image.’ However, dedicated business centres are not the only venues available for business use. Think outside the business box, so to speak, and there is a wealth of venues out there offering rooms for hire and providing meeting facilities for business events. As long as there is enough seating, and essential facilities such as access to free WiFi, there are all sorts of options available – even unusual venues more normally associated with leisure and pleasure can provide conference rooms and the ideal space for business meetings. Local councils are another good source of space available for hire, for conferences and meetings. As Cllr Trevor Wainwright, the leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, who is responsible for economic development, says: ‘Businesses sometimes need to hold conferences, larger meetings or corporate events, but it is not always economical or practical to maintain such facilities at their normal bases. This is where councils are able to help, providing specialist meeting rooms at reasonable hire charges.’ Finally, corporate events are a particularly good way of team building, and promoting inter-department/company rivalry! After all, in business, we are all competing to be the best!

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

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judicial review | LEGAL

JULIAN GIBBONS NORTON PESKETT SOLICITORS 01493 849200 | www.NORTONPESKETT.CO.UK

It’s Under Review

purpose other than one for which the power was granted, and take into account relevant as opposed to irrelevant facts. If the decision is quashed, then the decision maker is back to square one: they must engage afresh in the process of arriving at a decision, taking into account any ruling the court makes on the

This month our legal expert Julian Gibbons discusses the complex subject of judicial reviews

illegality of the original decision. Governments have been particularly inconvenienced by the existence of judicial review, as the courts have shown themselves more and more prepared to scrutinise the legality of the decisions of central and local government. Indeed, there has been some very strident indignation from ministers where the order of the High Court has quashed decisions of ministers which have historically been seen as areas of government policy and ministerial discretion.

Modern day law and legal practice can be fairly

Many judicial review applications have in recent years been

dull. Somehow the flamboyance and grandeur of the law has

funded by legal aid, particularly cases involving immigration and

vanished, with concepts and expressions being renamed in the

prisoner rights. The government’s response, announced recently,

interests of being ‘user friendly’. We no longer, for example,

is to propose the restriction of legal aid, thereby reducing the

issue a writ but file a ‘claim form’, garnishee orders (I was

flow of cases. As has been pointed out by a notable group of

never quite sure where the word came from but it sounded

QCs in response, the changes would reduce the incentive to

impressive) are now third party debt orders and sheriff’s officers

ministers and civil servants to carry out sound decision making

are now High Court Enforcement Officers (why use two words

in government. The result could be that we are all worse off.

when four will do?). How nice then, to see history rise up and stamp its foot onto

And Richard III? For over 500 years the whereabouts of his remains were unknown and indeed some believed his body

the legal present. In August, the High Court’s administrative

had been disposed of in the nearby river during the dissolution

court granted permission to the Plantagenet Society to seek a

of the monasteries and the English reformation. When the

judicial review of the Ministry of Justice’s order that the remains

archaeologists asked the government for permission to dig and

of Richard III be buried in Leicester.

exhume any remains there was limited expectation on either

Judicial review has been around for a long time. In its origins,

side that the king’s body would be found. Now that it has, the

the High Court could order the issue of what were called

High Court must adjudicate on the government’s exhumation

prerogative writs, i.e. commands from the king to a public body

licence, which mandates the burial of any remains found at

or official to do their duty or cease doing something unlawful.

Leicester.

As with all else, the judicial review terminology has been dumbed down to suit the needs of the 21st century.

The fight is now on between Leicester and York (before making himself king, Richard was Duke of York and spent

Accordingly, the order to require a public authority to do or

significant time in Yorkshire). At the hearing to grant permission

not do something to comply with its legal duty, originally called

to proceed, the judge stated that the circumstances of the case

a writ of Mandamus, is now a ‘prohibiting’ or ‘mandatory’ order;

were unique, but went on to suggest that there was a common

the ancient writ of Certiorari is now a ‘quashing order’, which

law duty to consult with a variety of different parties (including

overturns the decision of a body deemed unlawful. Perhaps

Richard’s descendent, the present Queen), before fixing the

these changes in part reflect the substantial growth in the use

place of his final resting. Ultimately, as will all cases which are

of judicial review over the past 30 years.

judicially reviewed, this will be a decision for government, not

Despite the way it is sometimes portrayed, a successful judicial review does not amount to a successful appeal. The

the courts. In Richard’s day, the king would have deferred to no man. How things have changed.

court determines the lawfulness of the decision and whether it has met the broad tests of natural justice. A decision therefore has to be made under a legal power, not be irrational or for a

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

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trusts | WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Kevin Bunting LOVEWELL BLAKE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS 01493 335100 | www.lovewellblake.co.uk

It’s a Question of Trust Kevin Bunting explains exactly what a trust is – and who might benefit from one I’m sure that many readers may have been spoken to about arrangements using a settlement (more commonly known as trust). The main reason for this is because they allow asset protection and can offer long term tax savings. There is however, a suspicion amongst those who are advised about trusts because of historical complications around managing them and the difficulty of accommodating future family needs. Some people are therefore immediately turned off the idea without fully exploring if the benefits meet their requirements. In recent times it has become easier to generate flexibility within a trust deed (the instrument setting out the settlor wishes

benefit from the profit are not necessarily the same as those who run it. Whilst a company structure is not the same as a trust, it often helps to look at a trust in the same way. There is terminology used for the different class of person involved with a trust. The main three are settlor, trustee and beneficiary. These are not trick titles - they mean what you expect. The settlor is the person creating the trust by gifting/ selling an asset and the trustees are the people who receive the asset and are responsible for managing it in future. Depending on the type of trust, the trustees are also responsible for decisions "In simple terms a trust is an alternative to an outright gift about when income and/or capital should be paid out of – an asset is given to trustees who hold the legal estate in a the trust. The beneficiary is the fiduciary capacity on behalf of the beneficiaries" person who receives financial benefits from the trust (its income/capital) although they have no control over when the and powers/duties of the trustees) which means future changes benefits are received, unless the trust deed specifies it. in family needs can be accommodated. Whilst legally this is a Another key principle is: why create a trust? This is very good thing, recent governments have seen trusts as a ‘tax haven’ important because it’s not always the correct thing to do. In and added further laws with the intention of capturing more tax most cases a trust is created to ensure a class of person (trustees) revenue. look after assets due to it not being the right time to hand over When the average person tries to understand the legal and financial control to a beneficiary. Another reason is the settlor increased tax complications they simply decide not to explore wants to reduce their estate exposed to inheritance tax. There the use of a trust even if it’s probably the correct solution for are numerous reasons why a trust is created and they can be very them. I guess the fear of the unknown is a big factor which is flexible. understandable. The final point for this article is: invest your time when I thought it would help readers if I attempted to succinctly creating a trust. Advisors really need to know about your family, summarise a few basic areas for a trust. The first being do you the intention behind a trust and any concerns you have. Some know what a trust is? In simple terms a trust is an alternative to of these points might seem private but to get correct advice, and an outright gift – an asset is given to trustees who hold the legal more importantly ensure the trust is fit for purpose, the trust estate in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the beneficiaries. deed should mirror as many of the settlor's wishes as possible. This leads to the next point surrounding the relationship Advice should always be taken before setting up a trust, and between the interested parties. Like a company, the people who a sensible understanding of the basics should help focus the discussion on the points which matter.

101

tax | FINANCIAL PLANNING

scott & paul SCOTT OLIVER & PAUL DASHWOOD | THE FINANCE SHOP 0844 8006990 | www.FINANCESHOPGROUP.COM

Effective and Efficient Paul Dashwood looks at ways to improve your tax efficiency

Income Drawdown is the main alternative to a secure

Future Retirement Income

annuity income. It is more flexible than an annuity but it is

Utilising unused Income Drawdown income allowance in this

also more complex and has a higher risk. Figures released in

way, the new pension fund is not deemed to be ‘in drawdown’

July from one of the largest providers of Income Drawdown,

and is not subject to the 55 per cent tax liability on lump

Skandia, show only one third (35 per cent) of people utilising

sums paid to beneficiaries on death before age 75. The newly

Income Drawdown are actually taking their full income

created pension fund will provide access to a further 25 per

allowance.

cent tax-free lump sum (provided the savings are within the Lifetime Allowance) with the balance of the fund being used to

This means two thirds (65 per cent) of people with Income

enhance income.

Drawdown Contracts have the opportunity to potentially improve their tax-efficiency, and hence their overall long-term

Tax Free Sum

wealth. This can be achieved by taking the full income allowance

Those in Income Drawdown who have taken their tax-free lump

and using some of it to build new untouched pension savings.

sum but are not using all of their available income to improve the tax-efficiency of those savings (as outlined above) are

Qualify for Tax Relief

missing out on many benefits including:

Individuals under 75 years of age currently qualify for tax relief on contributions into a pension of up to £3600 each year, even

1. Reducing the potential tax liability for their beneficiaries on

if they are not working. If someone is working they will qualify

any available lump sum if they die before 75.

for tax relief on further contributions, subject to the annual

2. Building another 25 per cent tax-free lump sum which can be

contribution allowance and the level of their earnings.

taken at any time before age 75. 3. Helping to provide greater income in the long term by using

New Pension Savings

the balance of the new fund after the tax free cash has been

Using the pension income to invest into new pension savings

taken.

can have many benefits and no real downside. The income tax paid when money is taken from the existing pension is offset

This is good news for appropriate pensioners who may not be

by the tax relief received when it is invested as new pension

taking the maximum income allowance each year to build a

savings.

more effective retirement income strategy. Drawdown is a complex product. If you are at all uncertain about its suitability for your circumstances, you should seek professional financial advice. Your income is not secure. You

For genuinely independent, face to face financial advice, contact Scott or Paul at The Finance Shop on 0844 8006990

control and must review where your pension invested, and how much income you draw. Poor investment performance and excessive income withdrawals could deplete the fund. Want to consider your Drawdown options To discover if drawdown could form part of your retirement income strategy, contact an Independent Financial Adviser

www.financeshopgroup.com

102

now.

retirement | WEALTH MANAGEMENT

DENISE LITTLEWOOD Denise Littlewood Financial Adviser 01493 384255 | www.deniselittlewoodfinancialadviser.co.uk

When Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re 65 Denise Littlewood warns that retirement apathy could cost you dearly

here is much to be said for living for the moment and, for people coping with the economic downturn, getting through the week is understandably the major consideration. Yet many people risk a life of poverty in retirement because they are significantly underfunding their retirement savings. We are all expected to live longer and there is a good chance that many of us will live almost a third of our lives in retirement so you would do well not to underestimate the size of the retirement fund you will need to live comfortably. The longer you leave it, the harder it is to catch up on missed time. The difference between starting to contribute towards a pension at 25 and starting at 45 is staggering. People should seriously consider joining their company scheme, particularly if the employer is contributing to the fund as well, or if it is based on final salary.

To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning contact Denise Littlewood Financial Adviser on 01493 384255 or email denise.littlewood@sjpp.co.uk

Increasing your retirement provision through Personal Pension Plans, or AVCs (additional voluntary contributions) if available, is a highly tax-efficient way of boosting retirement provision and it is worth seeking advice on maximising this opportunity to meet your personal goals. Retirement planning is not just about investing into a pension â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) can come into the mix, for instance. Indeed, younger workers who expect to be higher-rate taxpayers later in their career could consider saving via an ISA first and then moving those savings into a pension when they become higher-rate taxpayers to benefit from the higher tax relief. As you get older and move into your 40s and 50s, you need to work out whether the plans you had in place are on track. Firstly, establish what your likely state pension entitlement would be. You should also contact the pension trustees of your current and previous employers, who will be able to provide pension forecasts, as will the companies managing any private pension plans. Given the volatility of stock markets there is a chance that what you are currently on target to receive is less than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ideally like, or perhaps even need. It makes sense to seek advice about how you can bridge this gap. You might need to consider whether options such as retiring later or working part-time beyond your retirement date may be a more realistic way of meeting your retirement goals. As you get even closer to your chosen retirement age, you may need to consider reducing the risk of your investments to protect the fund you have built up over the years. Many experts suggest that this risk reduction should start at least five years before you wave goodbye to the working world for good. Retirement planning may not be the hot topic of conversation at dinner parties and social gatherings but that does not mean it should be ignored. Plan ahead and get your strategies in place early will mean that your dreams of a happy retirement have a greater chance of coming to fruition. Failure to act will mean that they are nothing but pipe dreams.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

103

Lost your financial adviser? Many banks and building societies have either withdrawn from offering financial advice or have significantly restricted their offering. 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 over £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 Conduct Authority Tel: 0844 800 6990 Norwich Gorleston Lowestoft

Fax: 0844 800 7134

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W: www.financeshopgroup.com Mortgages / Equity Release IHT / Estate Planning

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MOTION & EMOTION

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Horn Hill, LOWESTOFT, NR33 0PX Tel: 01502 573955 www.mrking.co.uk The official fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) for the 2008 range are: Urban 36.7-68.9 (7.7-4.1), Extra Urban 58.9-78.5 (4.8-3.6), Combined 47.9-74.3 (5.9-3.8) and CO2 135-98.

MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. # Terms and conditions apply, participating dealers only or visit www.peugeot.co.uk. To finance your [lease/purchase] we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. *The first year Road Fund Licence (RFL) is included in the on the road price. The Dealer will provide customers with a cheque equivalent to twice the current RFL cost. The customer must apply for years 2 & 3 RFL. Just Add Fuel (JAF) is subject to status. †Minimum age 25 or 30 on selected models, maximum age 75. Policyholder must have a minimum of 2 years NCD to use on the vehicle. All drivers must meet eligibility criteria including minimum 2 years’ full UK licence, driving convictions/claims limits. Excesses apply. 3 years motor insurance is provided and underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. A guarantee may be required. Written quotations available from Peugeot Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill, RH1 1QA. JAF is incorporated into a Personal Lease contract. 2008 Active 1.2VTi initial rental £1,936, optional final rental £6,281, 35 monthly rentals. If you choose to pay off the optional final rental, you can pay an annual rental equivalent to one of your monthly rentals but will not own the car. Ownership is possible with JAF Passport, ask your Dealer for details. Rentals quoted for a typical customer & will vary according to age, post code and annual mileage. Excess mileage charges may apply. Routine servicing included only. Excludes wear parts. This offer is not available in Northern Ireland. Offer available on cars ordered and registered by 30th September 2013 BBC, BBC Children in Need and Pudsey Bear are trademarks of the BBC and are used under license. © BBC 2007 Reg. charity England & Wales no. 802052 and Scotland no. SC039557.

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Official Government fuel consumption figures (Range): Urban cycle, Extra urban, Combined (litres per 100km/mpg) & CO2 emissions (g/km); Highest: Citroën C1 1.0i 68 EGS 5-door VTR+ 5.4/52.3, 4.0/70.6, 4.5/62.8, 104. Lowest: Citroën C1 1.0i 68 manual 3-door VT 5.1/55.4, 3.8/74.3, 4.3/65.7, 99. MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions.

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It’s A

Small S World Iain Dooley test drives the new Vauxhall Mokka

106

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

MAll IS noW BIg BuSInESS in the car world, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the SuV sector. With fuel prices rocketing and space in our cities at a premium, large, lumbering 4x4s are taking a back seat to their compact cousins.

It doesn’t mean that the basic 4x4 concept – looks, high driving position – has gone stale, though. In the minds of many it remains a winning combination and is challenging the family hatch for popularity. And seeking a piece of the action is Vauxhall, with its Mokka mini SUV. Positioned close to Nissan’s Juke, Vauxhall hopes the Mokka can add a much-needed slice of excitement to its range. The lifestyle SUV is pitched as the fun-loving foil to the sensible shoewearing Corsa and Astra. From the outside the Mokka is easily identifiable as a Vauxhall. The car’s bold grille and streamlined profile is very much in keeping with the rest of the range. In typical Vauxhall style this is a conservative lifestyle look with a small ‘c’. Step inside and Vauxhall fans will feel very much at home thanks to the familiar fascia design and cabin layout. From the look and feel of the various cabin materials and switchgear,

MoToRING

F A C T S AT A G L A N C E

Vauxhall mokka

Model: Vauxhall Mokka Tech Line 1.4 16v Turbo Start/Stop 4x4 5dr, from £17,999 on the road Engine: 1.4-litre turbo petrol unit developing 140bhp transmission: 6-speed manual transmission as standard, driving all four wheels through part time 4x4 system Performance: Maximum speed 121mph, 0-62mph 9.8 seconds Economy: 43.5mpg

PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS

Co2 Rating: 149g/km

there’s little here that will confuse an Astra owner. However, that’s where the similarities end, as the Mokka’s lofty seating position is something the family hatch can’t match. On a practical front, the Mokka’s elevated rear load lip is a direct result of the car’s raised ride height - a useful feature. Factor in the car’s split-fold rear seating, ample 1,372 litres of load space with the rear seats folded, and it is clear why so many buyers are trading up from regular family hatchbacks. The well-worn cliché of 4x4s never leaving the city might still be true in some quarters, but Vauxhall would like you to think of the Mokka as more than just a suburban runabout. By assembling familar engines from the maker’s wider range and offering the Mokka with both front and four-wheel drive, it’ll

thurlow nunn

Cromer Road,

Westfield Road,

Holt, Norfolk NR25 6EU

Dereham,

Tel 01263 713254

Norfolk NR19 1DG Tel 01362 697044

do more than climb supermarket car park speed humps. Maintaining its conservative approach, Vauxhall is offering the Mokka with two petrol engines (1.4 turbo, 1.6) and one diesel (1.7). It’s manual gearboxes all round, with the option of an auto unit for the 1.4 petrol and 1.7 diesel. Power outputs range from 115 to 140 horsepower, and there’s the promise of 60-plus mpg from the front-drive diesel variant and a tax-friendly 120g/km CO2 rating. If you do opt for all-wheel drive, the potential to keep you on the Tarmac when the roads are extra slippery is there, along with the ability to tow modest amounts and get you closer to your favourite mountain bike trail. With the focus on fuel economy the system directs all the power to the front wheels, with up to 50 per cent going to the rear wheels if it detects a loss of grip. Vauxhall’s keen to stress that such a system can also help maintain composure and traction during hard on-road cornering. Boasting UK-specific handling and steering tweaks, the Mokka acquits itself well to the challenges of city life. The steering is accurate and there’s enough weight to inspire confidence, while the suspension copes well with most of what the urban environment can throw at it. Of the petrol pairing the 1.4 turbo motor delivers the more satisfying experience and, although in this guise the Mokka is no rocket ship, it can keep up with the traffic and maintain a relaxed motorway pace without breaking into a sweat. With a generous level of standard kit offered across the range to tempt buyers into the Mokka fold, it’s good to see Vauxhall resisting the urge to cut corners. From the basic but useful Hill Start Assist to plenty of safety kit plus Bluetooth, high-end audio and sat-nav on high spec cars, the lifestyle boxes have been well and truly ticked. Designed to appeal to both private and company car drivers with its generous levels of kit and practical cabin, it’s good to see Vauxhall represented in the compact SUV sector. The competition is tough but the Mokka thurlow nunn displays enough potential Enterprise Way, to hold its own in the Fakenham, marketplace. Norfolk NR21 8SN

Tel 01328 850000

www.thurlownunn.co.uk

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PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS

THE POWER AND GLORY IAIN DooleY teSt DrIVeS tHe NeW MerCeDeS beNZ

SK aNY RaCING dRIVER and they’ll tell you that you can never have too much power. And while you might think the 20 horsepower hike for Mercedes’ SLS is small beer, the car’s new total stands at a healthy 591. Surely that’s got to be enough? In reality this revised SLS – now with an added ‘GT’ to its name - is plenty powerful enough for the open road, and at first glance it’s no less an intimidating beast than when it was first launched. The only obvious external clues to this being the revised car are the red brake calipers (bronze if you opt for carbon stoppers), carbon mirror housings and darkened headlights. The car’s bonnet is long and wide, making you doubt your ability to thread it through traffic even before you’ve sat behind the wheel. And before you do, you’ll experience the theatrical motions of the car’s gullwing doors.

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Once behind the wheel – there’s a quickly learnt knack to not hitting your head and deftly sliding down into the car’s bucket seats – your view is filled with that long bonnet. The various controls and displays will be familiar to fans of other AMG cars, but the noise after pressing the starter button will not. The SLS might use AMG’s 6.2-litre V8 engine, a staple unit for many years, but its raucous, hard-edged sound is the result of some serious fettling by AMG engineers. The result is 591 horsepower for this revised motor and the promise of a limited 199mph top speed and a zero to 62mph sprint time of 3.7 seconds – 0.1 faster than the old car. With its twin, flush tailpipes emitting everything from thunderous roars to the pops and bangs of a race-tuned competition car, the SLS not only looks the part but sounds it too. On the road the SLS makes no attempt to disguise its performance potential. Rumbling around town at sedate speeds you know people are looking. It’s partly the car’s appearance but mainly the noise – even at low speeds there’s an urgent rumble from the car’s tailpipes. Thankfully the SLS is anything but a beast to drive in town.

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Fa C T S aT a G l a N C E Model: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, from £165,030 on the road. Engine: 6.2-litre petrol unit developing 591bhp. Transmission: 7-speed automatic transmission as standard, driving the rear wheels. Performance: Maximum speed 199mph (limited), 0-62mph 3.7 seconds. Economy: 21.4mpg. CO2 Rating: 308g/km.

d E a l E R d E Ta I l S Mercedes-Benz of norwich Barker Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 4TN tel: 01603-751000

"and when you’re done shredding tyres, the SlS GT easily slips into the role of grand tourer. The ride might not be as plush as an Sl, but the car’s cabin gets the full leather treatment." You sit low down but you soon get used to the cabin layout, the auto gearbox and how to best position the car for roundabouts, junctions and the like. Predictably, though, the SLS excels away from the city limits. Even if you don’t plan on exploiting its full potential, acceleration is rapid and the engine noise intoxicating. GT spec also means a faster-acting auto gearbox. And while not as quick as a dual clutch gearbox, the unit is noticeably more responsive than of old. Still, for all the car’s hi-tech driving aids – and there are many – the experience has remained pleasingly old school and rewarding. If the original car was famed for its sledgehammer approach to devouring Tarmac, it was also known for being a little too stiff for some of the UK’s less than perfect A and B roads. More than the occasional pothole and mid corner bump would unsettle the SLS – hardly ideal when you’re travelling at speed. The changes to the car’s suspension set-up might be subtle but the result is a more composed experience when on the same, rubbish country roads. Thankfully the revisions haven’t diluted the car’s manic performance and the SLS remains refreshingly analogue in a world of digitally enhanced supercars.

However, the very rough edges have been smoothed out, allowing you to more confidently position the car ahead of a corner and put the power down earlier and for longer. Hardened AMG fans have nothing to fear, though. In the right hands the SLS GT remains a thunderous, tyre-smoking hooligan: turn off all the electronic aids and it’s amazing what this car can do. And when you’re done shredding tyres, the SLS GT easily slips into the role of grand tourer. The ride might not be as plush as an SL, but the car’s cabin gets the full leather treatment. From the sports seats to the door linings, there’s no escape. And with the GT spec comes a more generous level of standard kit to complement the high-class cabin ambience. In the SLS GT, Mercedes has created a sublime mix of monster and sophisticated long distance grand tourer. It boasts all the luxury of an SL, but packs the punch of a genuine supercar. Some rivals might deliver a more precise and clinical driving experience, but there’s something great about being able to rumble along to an old style V8 soundtrack. And forget the extra 20 horsepower, the one thing the SLS has in spades is star quality.

placesandfaces.co.uk | october 2013

109

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Alpha Papa World Premiere Hollywood Cinema Norwich Norwich was the focus of national media attention when Anglia Square was chosen ahead of Leicester Square for the world premiere of the eagerly-awaited Steve Coogan comedy, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. Coogan’s alter ego Alan Partridge, the fictional North Norfolk Digital DJ, trod the Hollywood Cinema’s red carpet and greeted his army of fans before being whisked to London for the day’s second showing of a film partially shot on location on Norfolk. AMANDA SANDLAND-TAYLOR, NEWSMAKERS PR

Pictures & words by

Chris Beanland

Juliette Stamper and Caroline Clarke

Fay Harris and Bianca Harris

Debbie Thompson and Gay Webster

Andrea Demetri and Antony Antorkas

Rebecca and Jonathan Parramint

Kate Royall, Katie Ellis and Sarah Witcomb

Zoe Rayner and Martin Whitney

Edward Colby and Louise Hodgkinson

Dawn McMillan and Jamie Playford

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Coronation Festival Buckingham Palace Gardens The Queen hosted the Coronation Festival in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace as part of the 60th Jubilee celebrations. The four-day event was organised by the Royal Warrant Holders Association which represents individuals and businesses who provide goods and services to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales. Royal Warrant Holder Nick Farrow of Norwich-based design agency Farrows gave The Queen a tour round the summerhouse. The building was given a makeover by the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) of which Mr Farrow is chairman. Pictures & words by

AMANDA SANDLAND-TAYLOR, NEWSMAKERS PR

Jan Berry and Sally Stubbs

Jane Darby, Sandringham RWHA

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall meet QEST scholars

Claire Anderson with Russell Tanguay, and Pippa Dutton RWHA

QEST scholar Trevor Cain

Debbie Pocock, Events Manager, Royal Household and Nick Farrow of Farrows, Norwich

The Queen looks round the new look summerhouse in Buckingham Palace gardens

Vikki Loates and Adam Parry of Delamores, Wisbech

Will Farrow of Farrows, Norwich and Victoria Churchward, QEST Manager

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James and Kate Morton, Sarah Colmer and John Watson

Heather Farrow, Farrows and Tim Holden, Holden Motors with Lyndon and Marni Wild, Norfolk

Victoria Soulsby and Jonica Miguel

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Harry Mitchell, Director of PR, Newsmakers PR, Norwich

Maria Todd and Robert Todd, Fielden+Mawson Norwich, Cambridge and London

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Bishop’s Garden Party Bishop’s Garden, Norwich The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, and his wife Julie hosted a summer party in their delightful fouracre garden, nestling in the shadow of the city’s Anglican Cathedral. Around 330 guests from church, civic and political life, as well as business, commerce and charities mingled with personal guests including a group from Priscilla Bacon Lodge hospice where Mrs James is a staff nurse. Pictures & words by

AMANDA SANDLAND-TAYLOR, NEWSMAKERS PR

Julie James (centre, wearing sunglasses) and the team from Priscilla Bacon Lodge

Neil Sparrow, Poul Hovesen and Ben Turner

Captain Ashley Weaver, Marie Kuczak and Iain Walker

Tim Procter and Elsje Stocker with Mark Lusher

Jennie and David Clayton

Anne Colby and Richard Collier

Rebecca and Greg Smith

Elizabeth Crocker and Sally Collier

Julie James and The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James

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Janice Merrick, Caroline Dixey and Sarah Lusher

Pam and Graham Barber with Carol Bundock

Andy and Louise Rawlings with Jayne and Zoe Munson

Georgina Holloway and Holly Rawkins

Rev Darleen Plattin, Diane Schultz, Anne Loveday and Kevin Pellatt

Angie Fox and Jennifer Menin

Richard Butler and John Last

Eloise and Susan Fitt

Judge Paul Downes and Charles Holloway

Elaine Turner, Alison Hovesen and Margaret Sparrow

Kate Franzen and Harry Mitchell

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Charity Golf Day, Gorleston Golf Club A fifth annual charity golf day was held in memory of keen golfer Richard Hunt at Gorleston Golf Club. Those taking part played 18 holes and then enjoyed a threecourse dinner. Almost £1200 was raised which goes towards helping young golfers enjoy their chosen sport. Plans are already underway for another charity event next year.

Barry Manser, Wally Perring and Heather and Ivan Harvey

Steve Bullent, Vaughan Cutter, Brian Chadd and Glen Harman

Julie, Tommy and Annie Hunt

Tommy Hunt

Katherine Bullen and Annie Hunt

Marilyn and Jon Cullum

David and Julie Hooley

Steve and Joanne Taylor

Rebecca Cocoa and Gordon Brown

Ivan and Pat Gilbert

Ben Reid and Lorraine Sharmen

Judith and Peter Skargon

Nettie and Glen Bowles

Tommy Hunt and Dave Henwood

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Almary Green Celebration, Norwich North Norwich MP Chloe Smith joined staff and clients of Norwich-based independent Financial Advisers Almary Green to celebrate the opening of the newly expanded and refurbished offices at Sheridan Business Park.

Carl Lamb, Richard Bevan, Alisdair Liddle, Paul Hollander and Alistair Fish

Nick Lightbown, Iain Mawson and Chloe Smith MP

Martyn Page and Peter Davies

Colin Willett, Roy Durrant and Tony Locke

Jane Armstrong, Mary-Anne Sargeant, Mark Ring and Ian Barber

William Hill, John Gostling and Robert Chalmers

James Shelton and Jerry Ware

Jonathan Simpkins and Francesca Farrow

Tessa Bonser and Louisa Mawbey

5 MINUTEs WITh

Debbie Thompson Self confessed theatre luvvie Debbie Thompson is in charge of the small but beautiful Sheringham Little Theatre. She shares her favourite Norfolk people and places with us, including a secret fondness for Alan Partridge

Describe Your Job to us

Where do you like to eat out in norfolk and why? And

I have the best job in the world! I am privileged to be Theatre Director at Sheringham Little Theatre, which is a uniquely intimate and extremely special venue. I am responsible for the programming which includes a feast of music, films, drama and comedy. Also I produce the professional Repertory which is one of last surviving traditional summer Reps in the country as well as the annual pantomime.

what do you order?

Where were you born and when did you arrive in norfolk?

I was born in Oswestry but we moved to Mundesley when I was five. I went to North Walsham Girls High School but left to go to Drama School. One of my first acting jobs was at Sheringham Little Theatre and it was there I met my husband, Simon, in a play called Trap for a Lonely Man... I was the trap and he’s been trying to escape ever since! What’s your ideal day out in the region?

My ideal day out in Norfolk includes a long walk on Mundesley beach with our two Labradors, Cole and Marvin. Then a shopping trip in Norwich, where we deposit Simon in a book shop, while my two teenage children choose the latest fashion and brutally inform me why I shouldn’t buy the outfit I’ve tried on!

My favourite restaurant is No. 10 in Sheringham; every visit always feels like a real treat. The owners are very friendly and the food is divine. I usually choose fish and always have to have the homemade cheesecake, diet or no diet! What do you miss most when you leave the region?

Whenever I am away from the county, I miss the variety of landscapes we have, the people and the dialect. Norfolk sayings that no one else seems to get, like ‘sit you here and mardle’, a thing I love to do! What are you reading at the moment?

I tend to be a bed time reader as it helps me unwind after a night working at the theatre. My current read is ‘In a Country of Mothers’ by A.M.Holmes, which I am engrossed in. I enjoy Alexander McCall Smith’ s No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, so that’s Christmas sorted, hint hint! Would you prefer a day on the Broads or a day at Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach? Why?

Which iconic norfolk characters do you most admire

My preference would be a day on the Broads as my father used to have a boat and we had many happy days sailing on Barton Broad. He tried to teach me not to over-steer and avoid the banks but anyone who knows my driving will realise he was fighting a losing battle!

and why?

opera, musical, drama or movie - which would you

For me Nelson is the most iconic Norfolk character; I went to school in North Walsham and Simon teaches at Paston College, so we often refer to him and when I go to London, he towers above in Trafalgar Square sharing the Norfolk secret! If I was allowed a modern fictional character too, it would be Alan Partridge, Aha!

prefer to watch? And what was the last production/

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

My favourite pub has to be The Lobster in Sheringham, this is where our company of actors go after shows and the atmosphere is tremendous. I am teetotal as I got very drunk once as a student and it put me off, so I am a very cheap date and I always drive everybody home!

show you saw?

I am a theatre ‘luvvie’ so I adore all forms of performance. My main love is drama and I have just been to Stratford to see two wonderful productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I am really getting into movies, as we have installed a new digital cinema in Sheringham and the quality is amazing. Sum up norfolk in three words...

Friendly, beautiful, home. Sum up yourself in three words...

Never stops talking.

SHERINGHAM LITTLE THEATRE, VISIT WWW.SHERINGHAMLITTLETHEATRE.COM

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