| MAY 2014
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Benjie Cabbell Manners Amazona Zoo owner Benjie Cabbell Manners tells us about the north Norfolk attraction, his love of musicals and why a glass of white wine in his back garden is the tops! Describe your job to us my job is to be the steward of cromer hall and its environs; from guidance of the estate to farming, tenant management and maintenance jobs such as cleaning the drains! our latest venture is taking on amazona zoo. it’s one of the finest attractions in north Norfolk so, after many years under the loving ownership of ken sims, we’re very proud and excited to have taken it on. This year we’re launching a new soft-toy centre named ‘Jungle Tumbles’ for under 12s, as well as a 30ft yurt education centre. These indoor spaces will create more options for families on a rainy day and will make amazona more of a year-round attraction. i am also a member of the North Norfolk district council for the cromer parish. Are you Norfolk born and bred? yes, i was born in the Norfolk and Norwich hospital and my parents lived in the small village of ashmanhaugh. when i was six years old we moved to cromer hall, which was visited by writer sir arthur conan doyle and rumoured to be an inspiration for the hound of the Baskervilles. cromer hall is still my home and i’m extremely passionate about Norfolk. What’s your ideal day out in the area? as it’s so close to my home and is my new venture, a day out with the family at amazona zoo. it’s one of the county’s most unique and fun days out where families can discover south american wildlife. The zoo is home to over 200 tropical animals including jaguars, monkeys, snakes, flamingos and tapirs. Which iconic Norfolk characters do you most admire and why? i admire major derek alhausen. he won two olympic gold medals in two different sports and was incredibly supportive and inspiring to young people, including me. What’s your favourite pub in Norfolk and what do you like to drink there? There are so many wonderful pubs in Norfolk but i must admit that i’m happiest with a glass of sauvignon with my family in the back garden!
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Where do you like to eat out in Norfolk and why? And what do you order? after an evening spent at the cinema, i enjoy supper at the Red lion in cromer. The four-star inn holds a dining award from the aa and i love sitting down to a freshly cooked meal by the open log fires. it offers a superb selection of Norfolk fare but it’s the seafood such as cromer crab or morston mussels which i plump for. What do you miss most when you leave the region? when we have artists to stay they come primarily for the unique light when painting on the beach. Norfolk has a wonderful feeling of space in such varied countryside. it’s then a bit of a shock when we head outside the region and go to london! What are you reading at the moment? i enjoy historical novels. my favourite is gleam in the North by British novelist dorothy k Broster. dorothy served as a Red cross nurse during world war i before returning to oxford as a secretary to the Regius professor of history while writing a number of best sellers. gleam in the North takes readers back to the Jacobite era and is part love story, part adventure story and is a trilogy focused on a close-knit community embroiled in a civil war. Opera, musical, drama or movie - which would you prefer to watch? And what was the last production/ show you saw? musicals are a passion of mine. The most recent show i saw was Billy elliot which i thoroughly enjoyed. Sum up Norfolk in three words Relaxing, invigorating and beautiful. Sum up yourself in three words outgoing, welcoming and relaxed.
Amazona Zoo, Hall Road, Cromer Visit: www.amazonazoo.co.uk