Lincolnshire Pride September 2014

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LINCOLNSHIRE AND NEWARK

LincolnshirePride

LincolnshirePride THE

NUMBER

ONE

MAGAZINE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 £3.70

Celebrating the best Lincolnshire food & Drink during British food fortnight...

The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes

SEPTEMBER 2014

Lincoln’s Royal Visitor Enjoy the view from 2,000ft - Hot Air Ballooning BRITISH fOOD fORTNIgHT - SOPHIE ALLPORT - HARVESTINg HISTORY

NEW LOOK

SAME Q UALITY

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Welcome to the September issue of Lincolnshire Pride Magazine. Last month, we redesigned our magazine, and we’d like to thank you for all the great feedback we have received.

ROB davis EdITor, PrIdE maGazINES editor@pridemagazines.co.uk

In this edition we hope you’ll enjoy our dining out suggestions of The Red Lion Inn in Caythorpe and The Queen’s Head in Kirkby La Thorpe, just near Sleaford.

Remaining patriotic, we celebrate all things British in British Food Fortnight where you can get seasonality back into your diet, as well as a British Wine feature and recipes for British meals.

We also met British designer Sophie Allport who is launching her brand new collection, The Flying Pheasant.

With even more new ranges and displays on offer, we find out from Lincoln’s Luna Ceramics how to create your dream home.

LincolnshirePride LINCOLNSHIRE AND NEWARK

The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes

THE

NUMBER

ONE

MAGAZINE

NEW LOOK

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 £3.70

SAME QUA LITY

Lincoln’s Royal Visitor

Enjoy the view from 2,000ft - Hot Air Ballooning

BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT - SOPHIE ALLPORT - HARVESTING HISTORY - SPAS

This month’s cover: Harlaxton Hall near Grantham is the British campus of US college The University of Evansville. It’s one of the key festival partners of this month’s Gravity Fields Festival, a festival of arts and science which pays homage to Sir Isaac Newton. The festival runs from 24th-28th September, see www.gravityfields.co.uk

If you’re getting married, or know someone who is, we’ve some great seasonal inspiration and ideas for brides-to-be who are planning their special day.

Finally, look out for exclusive High Society images in this issue and do please let us know of any special events you’d like our photographers to cover.

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LincolnshirePride LINCOLNSHIRE AND NEWARK

LincolnshirePride Celebrating the best Lincolnshire Food & Drink during British Food Fortnight...

The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes

THE

NUMBER

ONE

MAGAZINE

NEW LOOK

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 £3.70

SAME QU ALITY

SEPTEMBER 2014

Lincoln’s Royal Visitor

Enjoy the view from 2,000ft - Hot Air Ballooning

BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT - SOPHIE ALLPORT - HARVESTING HISTORY - SPAS

With best wishes from the Lincolnshire Pride team Publisher: Julian Wilkinson. General manager: Ian Bagley.

Executive Editor: rob davis. Features Editor: Ceri Jackson.

Graphic designer and Customer Care: mandy Bray. accounts manager: Sue Bannister.

Sales managers: zoie Wilkinson, Jayne Broughton.

Sales Executives: Elaine Hall, Liz King, Carissa Clay, Emily Brown, Jo Leadbitter, Sami millard, andy Taylor, Lauren Chambers, Chloe Griffiths, Emma Barrett, Hayley Scott, amy Whiley, abigail Colley.

Sales Support: Emily rippin. distribution manager: Paul dixon.

www.facebook.com/lincolnshirepride Why not follow us on Facebook? You can keep up to date with any news we may have for our lovely magazine!

twitter.com/@LincsPrideMag Follow us on Twitter so you can read our tweets. We’ll let you know what’s going on and keep you well informed!

By supplying editorial or adverts to Lincolnshire Pride you accept in full the terms and conditions which can be found online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk. In the event of an advert or editorial being published incorrectly, where Pride magazines Ltd admits fault, we will include an advert of equivalent size, or equivalent sized editorial, free of charge to be used in a future edition, at our discretion. This gesture is accepted as full compensation for the error(s) with no refunds available.

Enjoy Lincolnshire Pride, read it cover to cover.

Pick it up, put it down and when you have finished with it pass it on. When everyone has had a good read, pop it in the recycle bin!

Pride magazines Elm Grange Studios East Heckington, Boston Lincolnshire PE20 3QF Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978

www.pridemagazines.co.uk enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk 4

Contents

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September 2014

Enjoy local FOOd and dRink with our eating out recommendations of Lincolnshire’s Red Lion Inn and The Queen’s Head.

Remaining patriotic, we celebrate the BRiTish FOOd FORTnighT with a selection of Great British recipes and English wine.

Enjoy our hOme and gaRden section which provides ideas and inspiration for those seeking to create their dream home.

We ask British Designer sOphie allpORT about her quintessentially English designs and the launch of her brand new collection.

We’ve rounded up the best schOOls and cOlleges in the area for those seeking high quality education and adult learning.

This month, learn all about the hisTORy of harvesting as we speak to historian, academic and author Jonathan Brown.

Learn the art of making aRTisan sOaps with local businesswoman Caroline Coram. as well as candles and scented cushions. cOme Fly wiTh us, as we take a tranquil trip in a hot air balloon over the local area, where we enjoyed breathtaking scenery.

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LAnDLoRDS are you up to speed with your responsibilities?

I think that it is fair to say that all landlords are aware of the mandatory requirement for a gas safety check but have they considered other liabilities either already in place or imminently likely to become a legal requirement: • Gas Safety Check • Electrical Installation Condition Report • Portable Appliance Testing • Legionella Check • Housing Health & Safety Rating System • Energy Performance Certificate • Smoke Detectors • Carbon Monoxide Detectors • Non Resident Landlord Scheme • Consent to Let • Buildings and Public Liability Insurance The gas safety check is well established and most landlords agree that it is an essential way of protecting a tenant’s life and their property. However, not many landlords are aware that electrical safety is their responsibility. There are clear guidelines and a rolling 5 yearly electrical installation check is now industry standard. The Portable Appliance Testing regulations apply to items not considered portable such as a washing machine; basically, if an appliance can be moved, it is likely to come under this legislation.

Legionella testing should not be underestimated and a landlord can be found guilty if he doesn’t follow the regulations and a tenant becomes unwell. Much of this will be determined by the installation and vulnerability of each tenant or person living in the property.

We are all used to the bar code system when considering energy efficiency and renting a property is no different to buying an electrical appliance. An Energy Performance Certificate gives an insight into the likely running costs of a property and this information must be made available before a tenant even views a property.

The 29 potential hazards of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) should be assessed against the vulnerability and age of a tenant. It is a complicated system and one which is currently being considered by Government – ignore it at your peril!

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are not, in some circumstances, a legal requirement. I can’t imagine that a landlord would prevent a tenant wishing to install detectors from doing so. Moves are afoot to change the requirement and I personally can’t see why a private householder shouldn’t fall under this legislation too – unless Government consider them less worthy than a tenant as they seem to do with gas safety!

I could then move on to overseas landlord’s tax and lenders consent and conditions but I’m sure that if you are not aware of the above, I could send you into a downward spiral! If you let your house through H E Lettings, don’t worry, everything has been taken care of and you can relax and enjoy the income!

For more details contact Jill Elkington, Partner at:

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County News

Send your press releases and county news to: Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

Princess royal visits Boston to review flood repair progress HrH was delighted to see that work to repair the building following floods is progressing. She also welcomed a £2m HLF funding plan for the church...

Boston enjoyed a visit from HRH Princess Royal recently, as the royal stopped by to see how work was progressing on repairs to Boston Stump following 2013’s flood damage.

The Princess Royal met masons, the Rev., Alyson Buxton and Appeal Director Peter Coleman.

The visit came just as St Botolph’s revealed proposals due to be put to the Heritage Lottery Fund later this year to bid for £2m of funding.

The money would be used to ‘improve the environment’ of the church for visitors, with a new welcome desk and the

Collabro to perform at Louth charity concert for rotary... louth’s Thomas Leak will perform in his home town of Louth this month, with the rest of his musical theatre quintet, Collabro.

The group was formed in January 2014 and won ITV show Britain’s Got Talent in June. Their debut album Stars is due to be released as Pride goes to press.

The group will perform at St James’ Church on Friday 19th September. Tickets are expected to sell for up to £60 for the performance with proceeds going to the Rotary Club.

Call 01507 610610 for tickets.

Lincolnshire mPs takes their positions in cabinet reshuffle...

removal of some pews to open the space up, plus the creation of better access to the church’s library. The plans would also see Blenkin Memorial Hall redeveloped to become a ‘flexible visitor, learning and parish centre.’

The centre would include digital and physical education facilities and a soft play area in the shape of the Stump nearby.

10 new opportunities would be created if the funding bid is successful, including roles for guides, and an outreach officer.

Plans will be completed in time for their submission to HLF in november.

grantham and stamford’s mp nick Bowles faired well in David Cameron’s reshuffle last month, earning a promotion to Minister of State & Skills. nick previously held the role as minister for Planning & Development and will now work in both the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, as well as the Department for Education.

“I am very excited to have a new challenge. I want to make sure that everybody can acquire the skills to be able to benefit from the economic recovery.” he said in a statement.

Also promoted was South Holland’s John Hayes who become a junior minister under Patrick McLoughlin in the Department of Transport.

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County News

Send your press releases and county news to: Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

Lincolnshire Paralympian Jade receives honorary BG fellowship... lincolnshire paralympian Jade Etherington has received an honorary fellowship from the county’s Lincoln based Bishop Grosseteste University.

In a ceremony held as Pride goes to press, Jade will join 850 students graduating from BGU at Lincoln Cathedral.

Lincoln hospital is resuscitated in £40m redevelopment project 183 luxury homes and apartments to be created in old hospital, with 77 further properties to be built in the grounds of Bracebridge Heath’s former hospital...

Bracebridge heath’s former hospital is being transformed as part of a £40 million project by Mabec, a property development firm which has begun to create 183 luxury homes and apartments, including 77 new build family homes, in the grounds of the 18 acre site.

Situated in Bracebridge Heath, two miles from Lincoln, work has already started on the former St John’s Hospital, soon to be St John’s Village, bringing hundreds of new jobs to the area. originally a Victorian hospital built to treat people with mental illnesses and home disadvantaged families, the site has been vacant for around 24 years.

The project is a challenge that Mabec - headed by director Mark Elliott - has been preparing to take on for some time.

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“St John’s is an incredible site bursting with potential.

The architecture is stunning and the history of the imposing buildings and surrounding grounds is extremely interesting.” says Mark.

The four-time paralympic winner comes from the Deepings, and graduated from BGU in 2012 with a degree in Education Studies and Geography before going on to compete in Sochi 2014.

23-year old visually impaired alpine skiier Jade won three silver medals and one bronze in the winter games, making her the most successful female British paralympian in the history of the games.

Also receiving this year’s special honours will be Lincolnshire Co-operative’s Ursula Lidbetter, and the University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof., Muriel Robinson oBE. “Graduation day is the highlight of the university year.” and we look forward to celebrating a wonderful day in a spectacular setting with our graduates, their friends and their families,” says Revd., Prof., Peter neil, the University’s Vice Chancellor.

Sleaford Carnival declared a huge success by townspeople Live music, parade and stalls all helped to make 2014’s event, organised by volunteers, a success

“It’s the kind of development that I get really excited about; with the potential of the existing site, the heritage of St John’s and an ability to create such a special place for people to live in for generations to come. I’m really pleased to be able to bring St John’s back to life.”

The building is a limestone faced Grade II listed building and was originally built in 1852.

It was designed by architects Hamilton and Thomas Percy, and the former asylum was built at a cost of around £30,000 in 1852.

sleaford residents enjoyed a successful carnival organised by volunteers recently. The community event included a fun run, parade and an event on the town’s recreation ground which featured stalls and live music. The event was designed to raise money for the Lincolnshire & notts Air Ambulance.

Image: Twin Focus, 01529 488524, www.twin-focus-photography.co.uk

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www.mooresestatagents.com/countryandequestrian

WYMONDHAM LODGE, WYMONDHAM

GUIDE PRICE £750,000

LITTLE BURTON, BURTON LAZARS

£1,385,000

Wymondham lodge sits on the south side of this popular village and makes the most of the spectacular views over its own grounds, paddocks, lake and beyond. Mixing dressed stone to the front with floor to ceiling glass to the rear, this property has a character with oak flooring, whilst its 4000 sq. ft. approx. of living accommodation has been designed for low energy living using under floor heating and solar. Accommodation briefly comprises: large entrance, reception room with carved stone staircase, family / games room, dining room open to eaves, living breakfast kitchen, master suite plus guest suite, two further bedrooms and bathroom plus an adjoining two bedroom cottage with its own sitting room and breakfast kitchen. No chain. Further two bedroom rental cottages (adjacent) may be available.

Little Burton was built in 1989 by McAlpine's for a family member and therefore built to the highest of standards and specification. The superb family home has three reception rooms, a lovely breakfast kitchen, garden room/conservatory. There is a master suite with dressing room and en-suite, four further double bedrooms all with en-suite. An indoor swimming pool is an attractive feature, the beautiful landscaped gardens have some of Leicestershire most stunning views, the whole plot is approximately 1.8 acres STMS. This modern detached house must be considered as one of the areas premier properties.

RUSTIC HOUSE FARM, FREEBY

PADDOCK HOUSE, COLD OVERTON

£1,390,000

Luxurious farmstead with manor house style home situated on the edge of a village with landscaped grounds of approx. 4 acres (plus another approx.

30 acres available to rent). Exquisitely appointed with practical yet lavish layout and fittings to include high ceilings to reception rooms. With impressive entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, family snug leading through to hand built kitchen with Aga, opening out to palatial sun room orangery with Spa off. Utility and boot room connected to an area which can be used for home office or annex leading out on to a court yard of stables plus barns and multiple garaging. Walks around its own private lakes all conveniently situated near the luxury Spa of Stapleford Park and convenient for the A1 and main line trains at Grantham.

£1,250,000

Substantial six bedroom stone family home with south facing aspects over its own mature private grounds of approx. 1.5 acres. Having well proportioned and laid out accommodation with large entrance hall, drawing room and family/dining room. Recently refitted living kitchen with Aga and French doors to terrace. A self contained area of the house gives a further reception room/ play room with its own back staircase, bedroom and bathroom. The main bedroom has both en-suite and dressing area. A further four double bedrooms, one single bedroom, two shower rooms and an additional bathroom, make this a very practical family home. Separate driveway to stable yard with five brick built loose boxes and a range of outbuildings, stores and tack rooms. Holding paddock area and garden room.

OAKHAM 36 High Street, Oakham Rutland LE15 6AL

UPPINGHAM 2 Orange Street, Uppingham Rutland LE15 9SQ

STAMFORD 2 St Johns Street, Stamford Lincolnshire PE9 2DB

MELTON 18 Nottingham Street, Melton Mowbray LE13 1NW

LONDON 40 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NS

Tel: 01572 757979

Tel: 01572 821935

Tel: 01780 484555

Tel: 01664 491610

Tel: 0207 8390888

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To view and purchase photographs from The Event visit www.stuartwildephotography.com.

DoubleTree by Hilton’s The Electric Ball Event DoubleTree by Hilton’s flagship event, The Electric Ball, raised over £35,000 for the Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial. Attended by 175 guests and hosted by TV personality Gethin Jones, the black tie event featured a champagne reception and evening meal before an auction compèred by Ian Walter from Lincolnshire firm JH Walter. Entertainment on arrival was provided from local string quartet SilverWood and later in the evening, Beat Street International. An auction featured money can’t buy experiences with the RAF Falcons and the Red Arrows, plus a day spent recording with a London-based music producer who has worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran and a six night luxury stay in Dubai’s Marjan Island. The showcase lot - a trip to Canada to fly in the Canadian Lancaster, the only civilian passenger carrying Lancaster in the world - was auctioned for £15,000. The evening was supported by local businesses including Ruddocks, Stuart Wilde Photography, Flowers by Suzanne, Peachy Productions, Ambience Venue Styling and Bourne Textiles.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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Call 01529 469977 and speak to our Events Desk...

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Purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.stuartwildephotography.com.

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- Food -

The Red Lion Roars If you’re looking for a comfortable, modern and bright place to dine this summer, look no further than Caythorpe’s The red Lion. It has recently enjoyed a rejuvenation thanks to owner John Cork Words & Photos: Ceri Jackson when we visited The Red Lion in Caythorpe this month, we were overwhelmed by the transformation. Stone walls, large inglenook fireplaces, stripped pine floors and the original beams remain throughout, but it has been given a modernised twist.

The Red Lion is owned by John Cork, who has significantly but sympathetically updated the pub over the few months.

“We wanted to ensure that all the good parts about the pub have remained, including the warm welcome. We tried to incorporate a contemporary feel, with a traditional twist.

It’s more a rejuvenation rather than a renovation.” says John.

Left: Leg of lamb steak, timbale of ratatouille, pepper and garlic coulis.

one of the best parts about the summer is the warmer weather, and John has also made the recent addition of an outdoor patio area which is ideal for dining outside with friends and family. Inside, the previous dark and gloomy large dining area has been transformed into a spacious, stylish place to

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- Food -

“We pride ourselves on being a real country pub that provides traditional English pub classics.” including weddings, birthday parties.

christenings

and

As well as a brand new look, the pub’s menu has also been given an update, featuring a fantastic selection of fine dining and à la carté choices along with classics like the Red Lion Burger and rumpole steak and ale pudding. There’s also a lighter lunches section on the menu which runs from 12pm to 2pm.

Mark and John work collaboratively to create the menu, which features nine starters including homemade soup of the day, chicken liver parfait and oven-baked Sicilian meatballs. There is also a nibbles selection and two sharing platters with seafood and meaty options. dine with modern furniture and classy design coupled with a relaxed atmosphere.

Doncaster-born Head Chef Mark Perryman is a force to be reckoned with. Entering his fourth year at The Red Lion, he uses locally sourced ingredients from firms like Abbey Parks, Millstream Butchers and produce from the area’s local farmers.

“We pride ourselves on being a real country pub at heart that provides traditional English classics with a fine dining twist.

We use only the freshest ingredients, all homemade, prepared and cooked on site by Mark and his team in the kitchen,” continued John.

Top: The pub has been significantly updated by John.

Above: Terrine of salmon and black tiger prawns with horseradish aioli and fresh lemon.

Above/Right: We enjoyed the baked chocolate cheesecake with a latté.

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In all, there are four areas to choose from when it comes to dining. The bar area can seat up to 20, and provides a warm and relaxing place to enjoy a glass of wine or pint of ale with a light lunch. There are two restaurant areas that can seat up to 60, and these can be used for private parties,

The main menu is separated into easy sections - including main and classic options.

There are 11 options, including thai green fish curry, tomato, mascarpone and artichoke lasagne and minted lamb and red currant burger.

There’s also a selection of ciabattas and jacket potatoes on the lighter lunch menu, and a selection of delicious desserts.

To start, we tried the terrine of salmon and black tiger prawns with horseradish aioli and fresh lemon and the twice-baked goats cheese soufflé with smoked salmon and a beetroot salsa.

For main, we had the leg of lamb steak on a timbale of ratatouille finished with a red pepper and garlic coulis. The lamb was perfectly cooked, and the refreshing sauce gave it a burst of flavour.

We also tried the pan-fried fillet of tuna on sesame noodles with a lemongrass broth.

This dish was a great choice as a summer dish and was full of exotic taste.

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- Food -

“The kitchen team all pride themselves on creating innovative, yet consistent dishes.”

Since the rejuvenation, the previously gloomy pub has been significantly transformed in to a bright, spacious place to dine with quirky decorative attributes.

For dessert, we tried the crème brûlée which had a perfectly glazed top which once pierced revealed a creamy custard.

We also tried the baked chocolate cheesecake along with a latté - the chocolate filling was moist and great for the chocolate lovers!

“The kitchen team pride themselves on creating innovative, yet consistent dishes.

Everything that features on the menu is homemade, and we use high quality ingredients from local suppliers.”

“We always incorporate staple signature dishes on the menu, like our fish and chips.

Some of our customers travel for miles to sample our food,” says John.

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John and a friend are responsible for the beautiful design, and they used a local craftsman to make the table tops.

With significant provenance in Lincolnshire The Red Lion has always been popular with diners from Lincoln, Grantham, Boston and Stamford. There’s always a temptation to suggest that if it ‘ain’t broke,’ it shouldn’t be fixed. But thankfully, John taking the initiative to press on with a refurbishment has only enhanced The Red Lion’s dining experience.

The new design elements, like the new upholstered chairs has created a modern, contemporary pub whilst retaining a traditional country pub feel with the oak beams and open fireplaces. This month, we definitely recommend a trip to this robust Lincolnshire dining experience.

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STarTErS Chicken Liver Parfait

£6.25

With caramelised shallot chutney and toasted ciabatta. oven-baked Sicilian meatballs

£6.25

With a rich tomato sauce and anchovies.

Smoked Salmon

£6.95

With Crayfish Risotto with Parmesan shavings and a squeeze of lemon.

Goats Cheese Soufflè

£6.50

With smoked salmon and a beetroot salsa.

maINS Beer Battered Haddock

£11.95

With hand-cut chips and minted mushy or garden peas.

Pan-Fried Hoki Fillets

£13.50

on sesame stir-fried noodles with a soy ginger and spring onion sauce.

10oz Sirloin Steak

£18.50

With roasted vine tomatoes, flat cap mushrooms, beer battered onion rings, hand-cut chips and salad.

Leg of Lamb Steak

£14.95

on a timbale of ratatouille finished with a red pepper and garlic coulis.

PUddING Sticky Toffee Pudding

£5.50

With butterscotch sauce. rich Chocolate and amaretto

£5.50

Pudding with chocolate and amaretto sauce.

Vanilla Crème Brûlée

£5.50

With seasonal fruit.

Selection of Cheeses

£6.75

With biscuits and shallot chutney.

Service Times: Monday to Thursday, 12-2pm, 6-9pm Friday and Saturday, 12-2pm, 6-9.30pm.

Sunday Lunch - 1, 2, 3 courses: £10.50, £14.50, £17.50.

Under 12 £6.95, £8.95, £10.95).

Find out more: The Red Lion, 62 High Street, Caythorpe, Grantham nG32 3Dn. Tel: 01400 272632 www.redlioncaythorpe.org.uk.

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New at e Finch Hatton: Join us for Afternoon Tea Afternoon teas Sunday 3.30pm-6.30pm £8.95, or £10.95 with Prosecco. À la carte dining 12noon-2.30pm and 6pm-9.30pm. Sunday 12noon-7.30pm.

The Finch Hatton Arms is a country retreat steeped in history and full of character.

The property was previously used as a hunting lodge by Denys Finch Hatton who was played

by Robert Redford in the film Out of Africa.

These days the public house offers a warm and friendly atmosphere.

The Finch Hatton Arms boasts two restaurants with seating up to 100 people, making it an ideal venue or any party large or small.

There is a choice of Table d’hote, A la Carte menu or specials available, using high quality produce that is sourced locally to ensure a fine dining experience.

Main St, Ewerby NG34 9PH Tel: 01529 460363 www.thefinchhattonarms.com

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FABULOUS FOOD

Relaxed atmosphere, Great Service Come and sample our new Summer menu which is now available every lunch and evening.

Candlelit Couples Night Every Friday Evening Enjoy a delicious 3 course menu Including a glass of house wine ÂŁ40 PER COUPLE SUNDAY LUNCH MENU AVAILABLE

Riby Road, Grimsby N/E Lincolnshire DN41 8BU.

Tel: 01469 561302

www.stallingboroughgrange.com

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- food -

Using Your

Head

The Queen’s Head at Kirkby la Thorpe is one of the county’s best pub restaurants. It’s one of just seven Lincolnshire venues to be featured in the forthcoming Good Pub Guide 2014, so we used our head and rather sensibly paid a visit to remind ourselves of the quality of dining on offer this month Words & Photos: Rob Davis A Lincolnshire favourite, Kirkby la Thorpe’s Queen’s Head is one of the most wellrespected pub restaurants in the county.

Situated within easy reach of Lincoln, Boston and of course Sleaford, it attracts diners from a wide radius not only because of its convenient location and quality of front of house service, but because its menus have been created specifically with Lincolnshire diners in mind.

Chef patron, son of a gamekeeper and French classically trained cook, John Clark provides for local diners not only by means of an à la carte menu, but specials, Early Bird, Steak Supper and Fish Night evenings throughout the week too, in order to appeal to a broad range of diners.

Left: Pan fried lamb chops with creamed greens and minted gravy.

This month sees the release of the 32nd edition of the Good Pub Guide; the bible for pub-restaurant patrons, as an unbiased, secret-diner written book on the best pubs and restaurants in the UK. In Lincolnshire, just seven pubs feature; The Queen’s Head is one of them, and it has enjoyed a presence in the guide for the last seven years - testimony not just to its quality, but its consistency too.

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- Food -

The à la carte menu has been refreshed for 2014 and now features 12 starters and 13 main courses, as well as five grill options and eight desserts, plus a cheese option.

Above: A makeover has modernised The Queen’s Head’s dining room for 2014.

Right: Our starter of smoked salmon timbale with prawns and crayfish.

A lunchtime menu and lunchtime specials board are also available 12-2.30pm, whilst evening service also features a dedicated specials board, Early Bird pricing and two course steak or fish promotions from just £13.95 including a glass of wine.

Below: Profiteroles with Tia Maria crème.

Local suppliers include Grasmere Farm and Peterborough Game, M&J Seafood Boston-based shellfish specialist Gerald Fletcher, as well as Heckington-based suppliers, Windmill Veg. Local ale is provided by the Eight Sailed Windmill brewery and of course, Bateman’s.

“The Queen’s Head still surpasses expectation even for those of us familiar with the place.” new for 2014, the restaurant has enjoyed a full refurbishment with new tables and chairs, soft furnishings and wallcoverings.

There’s also warmer palette of colours with lighter beams designed to bring out the charm and intimacy of the rustic building, a former coaching inn and stables. Behind the scenes there’s also a new kitchen with new equipment to provide a modern environment in which the three-strong team of chefs can satisfy the 70 covers in the main dining room and 50 covers in the more modern conservatory to the rear of the restaurant.

John was raised in north Lincolnshire and then spend a number of years working in the Burgundy region of France at the three-Michelin-star Château de Bellecroix near Chagny.

He and partner Paul Prust arrived at The Queen’s Head in 1997 and extended the restaurant in 2004 and 2007 to create the dining environment customers see today.

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With a nice dining environment supplementing lots of choice and the use of lots of ingredients, it stands to reason you can expect a good dining experience, but The Queen’s Head still surpasses expectation even for those of us familiar with it. our starters of smoked salmon timbale with crayfish mousse and salmon & coriander fishcakes were comparable in size to many main courses and were nicely presented with lots of fresh leaves and shellfish. other starter options include my personal favourite - a platter of Lincolnshire stuffed chine with mixed home-made pickles - and a twice-baked soufflé featuring creamy Poacher cheese.

Main course options included our lamb dish, and a sea bass dish with balsamic jus and herb mash.

Grill options are perennially popular at the venue, but we’d implore you to try the restaurant’s Gressingham Duck à l’orange and twice-cooked pork belly with cider and crackling.

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- Food -

“John defers only to the expertise of Dennetts for ice creams and sorbets, but enjoys making all of the puddings himself...”

The Queen’s Head’s warm almond tart, and different crème brûlées; lemon and passion fruit during our most recent visit.

Having trained as a pastry chef, John produces the restaurant’s bread himself, and as a trained pastry chef, you’d expect desserts at the pub restaurant to be an impressive affair. But again, it’s a case of surpassed expectations with our key lime pie nicely presented, and our alternative option of profiteroles which were home-made and crammed with a Tia Maria crème.

John defers only to the expertise of Robin Dennett of Spilsby-based Dennetts for ice creams and sorbets, but enjoys making the puddings personally.

Strictly in the interest of thorough journalism, we’ve worked our way through the pudding menu over the years and have arrived at the conclusion that we can most recommend

A fromagerie option offers local cheeses with Welbourne’s plum bread, whilst no fewer than 53 bins of wine with 10 by the glass, three rosé, three pudding wines and six sparkling wines provides lots of choice too.

The unadulterated joy of trying new restaurants is something I enjoy very much, but there’s something satisfying about returning to The Queen’s Head, too.

With efficient service courtesy of Paul and his team, a relaxed feel to the dining room, and lots of regulars passing through, it’s easy to see why the restaurant has not just been briefly popular at some point over the years, but is considered consistently excellent by the county’s diners.

We always enjoy dining at The Queen’s Head, so this month, we invite you to take a tip both from us, and from The Good Pub Guide and enjoy a visit to one of Lincolnshire’s best pub restaurants.

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Sample Menu STarTErS Waldorf Salmon £7.95 Timbale of Scottish smoked salmon ‘Waldorf ’ filled with prawns & crayfish tails with tomato mayonnaise. Set on salad leaves with celery, apple & walnuts.

Soufflé £7.95 Twice baked soufflé with Lincolnshire Poacher cheese served on caramelised, onions, topped with double cream, chives & lashings of Lincolnshire Poacher cheese.

Scallops £8.95 Warm salad of seared Scottish king scallops & smoked pancetta, warm lemon & white wine vinaigrette dressing & croutons.

maINS roast Pork Belly £16.95 Twice cooked cider slow braised pork belly, pan-fried pork loin, Bramley apple compote, black pudding fritter, crackling & cider gravy.

Slow Braised Lamb Shank Slow braised shank of lamb, creamed greens with smoked bacon, lightly minted lamb jus with redcurrant.

£16.95

Sea Bass Fresh grilled whole sea bass with lemon butter & capers (from Sunday menu).

£9.95

PUddING Profiteroles Profiteroles filled with Tia Maria coffee crème with warm Belgium chocolate sauce & chocolate ice cream.

£6.95

almond Tart £6.95 Warm almond tart with Dennett’s of Spilsby vanilla ice cream & Cornish clotted cream.

Pimm’s Cheesecake £6.95 Rich Pimm’s cheesecake with fresh berries & glace cucumber, Pimm’s syrup glaze with fresh mint, served with double cream.

Queen’s Head Cheeseboard £7.95 A slate of local cheese with quince jelly, celery, grapes, crackers & Welbourne’s plum bread

The Queen’s head, kirby la Thorpe, sleaford, lincs, ng34 9nu Tel: 01529 305743. web: www.thequeensheadinn.com Open seven days, lunchtime service from 12-2.30pm, evening service from 6pm-9.30pm.

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- SEaSoNaL ENTErTaINmENT -

The Christmas Party Season If you’re charged with the responsibility of organising the annual office party, or you’re seeking a festive get-together with friends, look no further than our local, seasonal suggestions for planning your christmas celebrations... don’t let the warm weather fool you... the festive season is most definitely on its way. If you’re charged with the responsibility of organising the office get-together, now is the time to book, and we’ve superb suggestions courtesy of the area’s best restaurants and hotels who are advertising in this edition.

is to follow the format of a sit-down meal with the option of going into the town or city in which your event is taking place, for further drinks. Those of a more reserved disposition can politely decline, leaving the younger or more vibrant contingent of the workforce to continue the evening.

When planning your Christmas party, the overriding advice is to book early to secure your preferred date.

opting for a formal meal with a glass of champagne upon arrival - rather than a

Local restaurants and hotels are already taking bookings and many will have few places left close to Christmas if you leave your booking later than mid-September.

When you’re booking, now is the time to book your transport too. Some companies book their Christmas party early yet leave organising their taxi or minibus until later in the season only to be disappointed!

Ensure you can give your chosen venue a firm number and book a space or two as ‘spares.’ Pass menus to staff and pre-order your meals to ensure prompt service and avoid chaos on the day.

Booking the annual office party is tricky if your company comprises a mix of more senior staff and youngsters. In this case, a tip

“Restaurants and hotels are taking bookings already and many will soon have few places left closer to Christmas.” buffet/disco event with a free bar - will allow for easier budgeting and often prove less expensive... and perhaps more civilised.

Finally, if you’ve a smaller firm, many venues now offer party nights where small groups can join other groups to bring more atmosphere to the party season - these often include live entertainment, too.

making the season easier at home...

If the thought of preparing Christmas dinner makes you shudder, why not make things a little easier this year? christmas may be a time of celebration but it’s also hard work, especially if you’re the poor soul preparing Christmas lunch for a family that has grown to include grandchildren, your childrens’ partners and elderly parents.

Why not make things easier for yourself ? Many of the restaurants featured in Pride offer the opportunity to enjoy having Christmas lunch prepared for you. Put your feet up and relax, watch the grandchildren open their gifts and most importantly... don’t worry about having to load the dishwasher and put the kitchen back together! Expect prices somewhere in the region of £60-£100/head.

In addition, if you’ve the burden of hosting a series of dinner parties for shooting parties, your social circle and visiting family members, you could always cheat; outside caterers can prepare beautiful cuisine in your own home for anything from 10 guests upwards, and can design menus according to your guests’ preferences.

Whether you decide to own up, or to pass your caterers’ food off as your own is, of course, a matter for your own conscience!

Opposite: Celebrate in style with a glass of champagne and canapés - shown here are festive flavours from Lincoln’s White Hart.

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The

Brownlow Arms • À La Carte Dining • 17th Century Coaching Inn • Seven En Suite Rooms

In the heart of the picturesque village of hough on the hill, e Brownlow Arms is a 17th Century country inn formerly owned by Lord Brownlow.

WE AIM TO DELIGHT OUR VISITORS WITH OUR FIRST CLASS FOOD, DRINKS, SERVICE AND ACCOMMODATION. HOUGH ON THE HILL, GRANTHAM ROAD NEAR GRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE NG32 2AZ 01400 250 234 • armsinn@yahoo.co.uk Current menus online now at www.thebrownlowarms.co.uk.

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THE BALL HOUSE Enjoy high quality à la carte dining or our delicious pub favourites.

STARTERS Veloute of celeriac and apple cider, walnut, blue cheese and crouton.

Terrine of confit duck, salt baked beetroot, orange and festive Cumberland sauce.

Gratin of Cornish cock crab with aged parmesan and chive.

MAINS Roast black feather turkey, traditionally garnished.

Roast fillet of salmon, buttered kale, roasted Jerusalem artichokes, salsify and parsley.

Butternut squash & feta cheese bake, toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cherry tomatoes.

DESSERTS Baked apple tarte tatin, clove ice cream.

Christmas pudding, brandy crème anglaise.

Selection of three fine cheeses, homemade biscuits and chutney.

2 COURSES £18.50 OR 3 COURSES £22.50 Available Wednesday to Saturday 12 noon – 2.30pm & 6pm – 9pm

Book now and try Boston’s newest restaurant.

Wainfleet Road, Boston PE21 9RL

01205 364478

www.theballhouseboston.co.uk

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- recipes -

Great

BRITISH MeaLS

This month we present our Best of British recipe selection to celebrate British Food Fortnight, which coincides with red Tractor Week too. red Tractor is a not-for-proďŹ t organisation designed to educate the public as to how our food is produced - look for the logo on the food you buy, for farm assured quality.

Images: Steve Baxter.

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Lamb Mini roast with rosemary Butter (Previous Spread) Serves 2-3 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35-40 minutes (for medium) • 1 x 350-400g (12-14oz) red Tractor lean lamb mini roasting joint (we used lamb thick flank) • salt and black pepper • For the rosemary Butter: 50g/2oz unsalted butter, softened • 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves or 10ml/2tsp dried rosemary leaves

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°c, 375°F. To prepare the rosemary butter; in a small bowl mix all the ingredients together.

Place the joint on a chopping board, make several slits over the surface and season.

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Spread with the rosemary butter. Transfer to a roasting rack in a medium roasting tin and roast for 35-40 minutes (for medium).

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°c, 375°F. In a small bowl mix together the mustard, garlic purée and oil.

Remove the lamb from the oven, transfer to a warm plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. Carve and serve with creamy sliced potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Place the joint on a chopping board, make several slashes over the surface, season and spread with the mustard mixture. Transfer to a roasting rack in a medium non-stick roasting tin and roast for 40-50 minutes (for medium).

Beef Mini roast with Mustard (Pictured Above) Serves: 2-3, Preparation time: 5-10 minutes Cooking time: 40-50 minutes (for medium) •1 x 400-450g/14oz-1lb lean beef mini roast (we used a mini topside joint) • salt and freshly milled black pepper • 30ml/2tbsp Dijon mustard or similar •10ml/2tsp garlic purée •15ml/1tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

Cover with foil if browning too quickly.

Remove the joint from the oven, transfer to a warm plate, cover and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes, 20 if time allows. Slice the roast and serve with gravy, mini sauté potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

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- recipes -

pork Fillet stuffed with Black pudding, Apple & sage Serves: 3-4. Cooking time: About 30 minutes •350g (12oz) pork fillet •50g (2oz) Black pudding, roughly chopped • Apple, cored and sliced • 8-10 x lean dry-cured rashers of streaky bacon • 15mlsp (1tbsp) rapeseed oil. For the sage and Apple sauce: 2 x cooking apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced • 15mlsp (1tbsp) silver spoon sugar • 2 x 15mlsp (2tbsp) Water • 4 x Fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped • small knob of butter

Preheat the oven and a baking tray. Place the fillet on a chopping board, with a sharp knife make a horizontal slit along the length of the fillet to make a pocket.

Take five apple slices and arrange in a single layer along the length of the pocket. Arrange the black pudding on top of the apple slices and cover with a layer of the sage leaves.

roast Duck Breast with Autumn root Vegetables and Balsamic syrup

Hold together the cut edges of the fillet.

Wrap with the bacon rashers around the fillet until it is completely covered.

Serves 2. Prep time: 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Place the fillet on the preheated tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the juices from the meat run clear.

To make the sauce; place all the sauce ingredients and remaining eating apple slices into a small saucepan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, to soften the ingredients.

Stir well and put to one side, with the lid on, until ready to serve. Serve the fillet sliced with the apple sauce and your favourite accompaniments. Also tastes good cold with a salad, if you have any leftover!

• 2 Gressingham duck breasts •1 red onion, peeled and cut in half • 1 large beetroot, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks •1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks • 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks • 1 bulb garlic, cut in half widthways • Few sprigs rosemary and thyme •2 tbsp of balsamic syrup • 4 tbsp of rapeseed oil • Handful of spinach leaves, washed • salt and pepper

Red Tractor Week: Celebrate Red Tractor Week this September 15th with these delicious recipes provided by some of the Red Tractor Farmers who are part of the scheme. Visit www.redtractor.org.uk for more information.

Pre-heat oven 200°c, Fan 180°c, Gas Mark 6. Put the vegetables and herbs into a roasting tray and season them well with salt and pepper and add olive oil. Mix well so that all the vegetables are covered in oil.

Cook for approx 40-50 mins, stirring once halfway through cooking. The spinach will need to be added 5 mins from completion of cooking time. When the vegetables have been in for 20 minutes, start cooking the Gressingham duck breasts.

Take the breasts and lightly score the skin and pat dry. Place the breasts skin side down in a frying pan on a low to medium heat with no oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Be sure to carefully pour off any excess fat as it is cooking.

Once the skin is crispy, flip the duck over and sear the meat for 30 seconds. Transfer to the warm baking tray and place in the oven to cook for 12 mins for a medium rare result.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest until the vegetables are cooked. Once the spinach has been added and cooked through, remove from the oven, pour over the balsamic syrup, mix well with the vegetables and serve.

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pan-Fried chicken with Lettuce, peas & smoked Bacon Serves 4.

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 25 minutes • 1 free-range chicken, cut into eight pieces – or use thigh or breast portions • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil • 4 thick smoked back bacon slices • Bunch of spring onions, chopped to 2cm lengths (white and green parts) • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 450ml chicken stock, hot • 200g shelled peas • 3 little gem lettuces, roughly chopped • 15g salted butter • squeeze of lemon juice from half a lemon • salt and pepper

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Set a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.

Add the rapeseed oil and fry the chicken pieces, skin-side down, for five minutes, until the skin is beginning to turn golden brown.

Then turn the heat down and cook for a further 20 minutes.

By now the skin should be quite crispy and there should be a lot of fat in the pan.

Carefully remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a baking sheet or in a bowl.

Cover and keep warm.

Remove and discard most of the fat from the pan. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry it until it begins to colour.

Turn the heat right down and add the spring onions. After two minutes, add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds as the onions and garlic cook, then pour in the stock.

Bring to the boil and scrape the bottom of the pan - those crusty brown bits will make your sauce delicious!

Cook for a few minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken slightly, then add the peas and lettuce and the chicken pieces. Return to the boil and simmer until the peas are cooked and the chicken is piping hot. Just before serving, add the butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste and serve.

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- recipes -

Bramley and Blackberry Tray Bake with Vanilla custard

plum and Almond Frangipane

Serves: 8. Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 35 minutes

• 375g plain flour, plus extra for dusting • 15g sugar • 225g unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing • 1 egg • 4 tbsp ice-cold water • For the almond filling: 200g unsalted butter • 200g/7¼oz caster sugar • 2 free-range eggs • 200g ground almonds • For the tart: 5-6 ripe plums, each cut into eighths, de-stoned

• 150g butter, at room temperature • 200g silver spoon sugar • 2 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • zest of one lemon • 175g self-raising flour • ½ tsp baking powder • 1 large or two medium Bramley apples, peeled, cored and diced • juice of half a lemon • 200g (5oz) blackberries • 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 190°c. Line a shallow 20cm (8in) square cake tin or brownie tin with baking parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together until mousse-like and doubled in volume.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix in the flour and baking powder.

Toss the apple pieces in the lemon juice. Add half the apple to the cake batter and mix in.

Gently mix in half the blackberries.

Pour into the prepared cake tin.

Serves: Six. Prep time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180°c. Create the pastry for your tart using the rubbing-in method, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. Create the frangipane filling by creaming together in a bowl sugar, and butter. The mixture should be light and fluffy, like cake batter. Add the egg, beating well. Add the ground almonds for flavouring.

Roll out the flour to line a 10” tart tin and neaten up the edges. Spoon your frangipane mixture into the tin to half-way up the sides and smooth. the surface with a spatula then cover with the plums. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is brown and the fruit is tender. Dust with icing sugar before serving with crème fraîche.

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- GreAT BriTisH FooD ForTniGHT 20th september - 5th october 2014

Celebrating British

Food & Drink Great British Food Fortnight this month coincides with harvest time, and nowhere will it be more anticipated than in our area with its wealth of farmers, farm shops, markets and keen foodies. This month we’ve spoken to farmers, industry spokespeople and food and drink producers to allow us to create a sort of manifesto for how to enjoy good food.

The food and farming industry is absolutely vital to our part of the world; the UK is 60% self-sufficient in terms of food production, growing the majority of what we eat. The East Midlands region produces over a third of the UK’s vegetables, nearly 20% of its sugar, and 17% of its meat chickens. Farming in the area is equivalent to over 10% of the UK’s total farming output - valued at over £2.7bn - and the industry employs over 56,000 in our area.

For every £1 that our farmers contribute to the UK economy, food producers contribute a further £5.

In an age of supermarkets and the international availability of food, it’s important, therefore, that we support our local food economy. With that in mind, we’ve prepared a six point mini-manifesto with suggestions as to how you can enjoy better food whilst supporting local farmers, food producers and our local economy.

This month is Great British Food Fortnight.

There’s nobody keener than us to promote local food, so this month we present our mini-manifesto for championing the best of British, a guide to making sure you make the most of local produce and support our local farmers.

Words: Rob Davis.

1. Enjoy a traditional Sunday roast...

The Great British sunday roast, with all the trimmings, is well worth the effort, says local beef farmer and member of Ladies in Beef, Millie Wastie. Her work with red Tractor is aimed at producing the best quality roast...

A Sunday roast with all of the trimmings can be a bit of a chore, but what meal delivers greater satisfaction? Certainly none that we can think of !

“No other meal gives us a chance to enjoy fresh vegetables, locally reared meat, and the experience of dining together as a family, quite like a Sunday roast.” says Mille Wastie, who, with fiancé Andrew, values the Red Tractor logo as a way of ensuring quality and traceability.

“The best thing about a roast is that it can’t be rushed, so our recommendation is to put your meat on early, and cook it slowly in an Aga.” Meanwhile, take the family out for a walk and enjoy the working up an appetite in the county. You’ll return home to one of the most rewarding meals we think there is, and enjoy a leisurely lunch together as a family, something there isn’t necessarily time for mid-week.” says Millie.

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- GreAT BriTisH FooD ForTniGHT 20th september - 5th october 2014

3. Put seasonality and freshness into your diet The nFU’s sarah Dawson says that in our part of the country, we should embrace the joy of seasonal food NFU Advisor, local farmer and mum Sarah Dawson grows brassicas on her family farm, but whilst she recognises the power and consistency of supermarket’s supply chains, she also wants to pose the following question; when was the last you time you waited in anticipation for your favourite berry or vegetable to come back into season?

When summer or autumn arrives there’s a temptation to carry on picking up imported asparagus and strawberries, or plums and blackberries... we say wait, and buy British!

“Eating the seasons reduces the energy we need to grow and transport our food.” says Sarah. “We can also avoid paying a premium for food that’s scarcer, support our local economy and our farmers, and reconnect with nature’s cycle.”

Eating British fruits and vegetables in season is good for you. Foods in season contain the nutrients, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need at particular times of the year.

Feeding your kids fresh, nutritious food doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on expensive products or hours slaving away in the kitchen. To be sure what you are buying is in season and British, the next time you're out shopping, look out for the Red Tractor logo on a wide range of everyday products and you’ll know that your family is enjoying fresh nutritious seasonal British food!

2. Grow your own, pick your own, enjoy your own...

The charity Master Gardener offers both novice and knowledgeable gardeners free advice on creating and maintaining kitchen gardens.

“There’s nothing like growing your own produce.” says rick Aron

“The charity offers help for novices and expert gardeners alike. Topics include setup of gardens, what, where and when to plant in your kitchen garden, how to tackle pests and diseases, fruit tree maintenance and composting.” says the charity’s Rick Aron.

“We work with private households, community groups and businesses and ‘matchmake’ them with our experts. The expert makes contact and can give advice by telephone or email, or in person with a site visit.”

The charity has had some great friendships formed as a result of the project, and there 42

“Master Gardeners offers help to novice and expert gardeners with their kitchen gardens.” says the Rick Aron. have been all sorts of people and gardens taking advantage of the scheme, from modest plots to large gardens and orchards and gardens managed by communities.

“Kitchen gardening is really satisfying.” says Rick. “It’s a physical workout, it’s mentally therapeutic and it results in the great pleasure of eating what you’ve grown.”

For free advice and support to establish or maintain your kitchen garden, get in touch with the project via www.mastergardeners.org.uk.

Image: Sarah Dawson, Tim Scrivener/NFU.

Grow your own and love your food.

That’s the message behind The Master Gardener charity. Established in 2011, and active in eight counties in the UK, it has 700 volunteers in our area alone, helping around the same number of people to get their growing going with free advice and support.

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4. Rediscover the pure joy of baking real bread...

The real Bread campaign is one that our bakers are all keen to support, so use your loaf in British Food Fortnight

Bread is nothing more than flour, yeast, water and salt. Take a look at a loaf of mass produced bread through, and there’s a dizzying number of scary sounding chemicals in addition to its four basic ingredients, all of which are designed to make breadmaking on a mass scale possible.

That’s why The Real Bread Campaign is encouraging the public to buy bread made without the use of processing aids or any other artificial additives - or better still, bake your own. Making your own bread isn’t that time-consuming (most of the time is spent waiting for it to prove or rise) and it certainly isn’t complicated.

Fresh home-made bread is a great weekend treat, and that’s why rediscovering the lost art of baking is our fourth manifesto pledge.

As you’d expect, Frances Quinn, the area’s Great British Bakeoff winner for 2014 is keen to encourage everyone to rediscover baking; “Making your own bread is so quick, especially if you’ve a food processor or mixer with a dough hook.”

“It’s really easy, and by putting the dough into the fridge to rise overnight, instead of leaving it in a warm place for two hours, you get a much better flavour. One of the simplest forms of bread is soda bread; it takes less than hour, it’s easy and doesn’t even require yeast. If you’ve not baked your own for a while, try it and rediscover the joy for yourself !”

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- GreAT BriTisH FooD ForTniGHT 20th september - 5th october 2014

5. Make grocery shopping more convenient...

Boxed vegetable schemes, farm shops and farmers’ markets mean greater convenience than a trip to the supermarket We’re not averse to supermarkets - honest!

After all, they’ve given us more choice, greater convenience and arguably, they keep prices lower for consumers.

“Often with bread and deli counters, they’ve greater ranges and better choice than ever before and they help to reduce the food miles that your produce travels.”

However, they’re sometimes blamed for an increase in food miles, the loss of seasonality and for squeezing profit margins and adversely affecting farmers.

Meanwhile boxed vegetable schemes deliver a week’s worth of fruit, veg, meat and even groceries to your door. Customers can order a ‘set’ box of mix or create their own. Woodlands and Riverford deliver their boxes anywhere in Lincolnshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire or Northamptonshire with prices from £10.50 for a small box, to around £35 for one with fruit and meat in, too.

A regular trip to your local supermarket can also be a pain, so our fifth manifesto pledge is designed to make shopping even more convenient. Take advantage of your local farm shop, or a farmer’s market or take delivery of fruit, vegetables and even meat from a boxed scheme once a week.

“Farm shops improve the relationship between farmer and consumer.” says the area’s Sophie Loweth. “They purchase fresh produce in smaller quantities so it doesn’t hang about in cold stores and reaches the consumer from the field in a much shorter amount of time.”

Below: Guy Watson started growing organic veg in 1986 and launched his boxed scheme in 1993. The company believes they’re an average of 20% cheaper than supermarkets for fruit and vegetables.

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“Boxed schemes offer real convenience.” says Rachel Lovell of Riverford. “We’ve four farms of our own plus a network of family farms, so you’re still buying from a farmer, but we also have the scale to remain competitive with supermarkets. Using a scheme like ours is convenient and it also avoids a trip to the supermarket - that saves fuel so it’s better for the environment, and customers report that they avoid being tempted by impulse buys which in turn reduces food waste.” www.woodlandsfarm.co.uk, www.riverford.co.uk

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6. Don’t forget local drinks producers, too... it’s one thing to eat local, but we think you should drink local too, with real ales, ciders, english wine and locally produced cordials Microbreweries like The Langton Brewery, whose output stands at around 250 nine gallon casks a month, are more adaptable by virtue of their size, making them much more exciting for consumers and providing new ranges all the time... so think local, and drink local as part of Great British Food Fortnight.

“We bring new beers to the market every couple of months.” says its Director David Dyson. “Our local ales - like Inclined Plane and Caudle - cater for local tastes and trends. Over 80% of our local ales are consumed within a 10 mile radius making us a real local product.”

Meanwhile, Belvoir Fruit Farms has recently announced plans for a new £3m factory to take its output from its current 20m bottles to 100m.

“People tend to think of local produce as concerning food, but we’ve just celebrated our 30th year, making our local drinks from my mother’s family recipe, with our annual Elderflower Festival.”

“People tend to think of local produce as just food, but we’ve just celebrated our 30th year making our local drinks.”

“Our customers tell us the Belvoir drinks are an important part of their summer. We’ve Pressés, cordials and now cans too, each of which make great mixers or refreshing soft drinks. We grow 80 acres of elderflowers alone on our farm, and our current products include Rhubarb and Strawberry, Lime & Lemongrass, Raspberry & Lemon and lots of other flavours over 30 in total!” www.langtonbrewery.co.uk, www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk 45

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- enGLisH Wine -

Popping the Cork for

British Wine As the saying goes, in wine there is truth and with english ‘appellations’ of geographical protection now in place, and stunning weather due to help our region’s vineyards harvest their best crop ever, it’s true to say that there’s never been a better time to toast the best of British wine...

Words and Images: Rob Davis.

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- enGLisH Wine -

We’ve heard it through the grapevine that the UK’s wine industry is booming. There are 452 vineyards in the UK, 124 wineries, 2.5m bottles produced annually and 3,552 acres now under vine with over 3,200 in active production.

The UK’s wine industry is expected to be worth £100m in 2015, so there’s never been a better time to buy English - especially to partner British Food Fortnight.

60% of all UK wine is sparkling, whilst 30% is white and 10% red or rosé. Meanwhile our sparkling wine is champagne in all but name - Champagne has geographically protected status - and one of the best examples is Bill and Flora Hulme’s Fleur Fields white and rosé sparkling wines.

The UK is divided into seven wine producing regions, with our region, Mercia, home to Fleur Fields. Their Champs D’amour rosé sparkling, took the Mercian Vineyards Association’s silver, bronze and gold awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012, winning the Vine House Best Vintage Wine trophy in 2010 48

and the Best Sparkling Wine award in both 2010 and 2012. Its white sibling has also won four awards with a bronze medal in 2013.

Astonishingly though, some prejudice still surrounds English wine. Flora recounts how she gave a bottle to a friend only for her wine-savvy husband to instantly dismiss it.

“The UK’s wine industry will be worth £100m in 2015, so buy English during British Food Fortnight...”

The friend kept the bottle in her cellar and served it surreptitiously at her next dinner party. Each of her diners - including her husband - declared it was the most delicious champagne they had ever tasted, with a vibrant mousse and balanced, refreshing flavour that can beat any French sparkling wine hands down. It’s telling, too, that the French are now importing our wines...

but in this country, English wine still accounts for just 0.25% of the UK market something Bill & Flora, the English Wine Producers’ Association and the UK Vineyard Association are all determined to change.

Bill and Flora moved to the area 35 years ago, and were holidaying in Tuscany, touring vineyards when Flora announced she’d love to have a vineyard of her own.

“We first researched which varieties to grow and planted our first vines in 1998 having ordered from the National Vine Collection.” says Bill. “We had two thirds of an acre on a south-facing slope with ironstone loam soil; terroir which proved perfect for our crop.

We put in 33 rows with 235 posts and a mile and a half of wire, for our 1,000 vines.”

The couple harvested their first crop in 2004 - around 700kg of grapes, which is enough for 700 bottles. From 2013’s crop, and with son Justin’s 4,000 vines contributing, their output totalled 12,500 bottles, with around 100 bottles their highly sought after £38.50 Solaris sparkling white, and with their still

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our region’s Best Wines

Five to Try each of our recommended wines are produced in our area, proving that provenance isn’t limited to food during British Food Fortnight... n Fleur Fields champs d’Amour, £28.50/bottle www.fleurfields.co.uk.

As referenced in our main article. A superb sparkling rosé with a glorious fruity nose, longevity of fizz and long fruity finish.

Definitely one of the best wines we’ve tasted in a long while - hugely, highly, sincerely recommended! n Abbey Vineyards £call www.abbeyvineyards.co.uk

Vineyard and winemaker with nine vineyards in Lincolnshire Leicestershire, Rutland and Norfolk. Producers of Bacchus dry white, Rosé table wine and sparkling white demi sec. n somerby Vineyards Monument Dry red £100/12 case www.somerbyvineyards.com

wines priced from £12.50 utilising Seyval blanc grapes, blended with a little Phoenix and Triumph vines, and its sparkling white and rosé wines available directly from Fleur Fields for £18.50 and £28.50 respectively.

With qualifications in vineyard management and a wine making course under their belt, Bill and Flora opt to delegate their wine production to the Three Choirs winery, which makes wine for over 60 English vineyards.

During our visit in mid-July, Bill showed us the flowers on his vines beginning to yield the tiny grapes which, over the next month or two, will swell then achieve bunch hang around six weeks before the task of harvesting 1,000,000 grapes from the 15,000 bunches as soon as the sugar content in the grapes is just right - at around 18%.

The couple are justifiably proud of their wine and confidently declare that it can compare to any old world offering. “There’s a perception that the French are antiEnglish wines, but that’s just not true.” says Bill. “The fact is they’re just discerning, and

“There’s a perception that the French are anti-English wines.

That’s just not true; they’re just discerning.” the fact that they are now importing our wines proves that as a country, and as a region, our ability to produce high quality wine is now provable. When they taste it, they buy it, because they recognise quality.”

Likewise, when anyone in our country dismisses English wine production as folly, we implore them to visit an English vineyard (Bill and Flora host free tours and tastings) and challenge their perception. After trying the couple’s award-winning and absolutely magnificent Champs D’amour rosé, that’s definitely the place to start!

Bill and Flora’s wines are priced from £12.50.

Call 01604 882902 or see www.fleurfields.co.uk.

Made with baked Rondo grape, a dry red with vanilla and red berry flavours.

Likened to a Tempranillo/Syrah.

Bronze award winner in The Mercian Vineyards Association’s Annual Wine Challenge. n new Lodge earls Baron nectar 2010, £24.50/bottle www.newlodgevineyard.co.uk or www.tilleys-wines.com

Family run boutique vineyard producing still and sparkling wines from Bacchus Phoenix, Seyval, Solaris and Pinot Noir grapes. n Three sisters Vineyard regent Dry red £8.95/bottle, £100/12 case www.three-sistersvineyard.co.uk

David Lofthouse’s 2013 crop yielded 600 litres of Siegrerrebe, Reichensteiner and Regent. This year’s suggestion is Regent, a dry red.

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LincolnshirePride ARK E AND NEW LINCOLNSHIR

Magazine The Lifestyle Homes for High Quality

THE

R NUMBE

ONE

INE MAGAZ

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NEW LOOK

£3.70 ER 2014

RutlandPride STAMFORD AND RUTLAND

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The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes NUMBER

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The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes

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Prince Charles in Rutland

Hot Air Balloon Flights: An Adventure at 2,000ft!

WEDDING VENUES - ARTISAN SOAP - SOPHIE ALLPORT - HISTORY OF FLORE’S HOUSE

al Visitor Lincoln’s Roy ning

Enjoy the view

BRITISH

from 2,000ft -

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Hot Air Balloon Local Food &

Drink During

FLOWER ARRANGIN G - FASHION

& Jazz Night

British Food Fortnig ht & GROOMS

- LOCAL BRIDES

- SOPHIE ALLPORT

Pride Magazine

September

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The Lifestyle Magazine for High Quality Homes Sold in Newsagents and Supermarkets, and delivered directly,

by Royal Mail, free of charge, to homes of distinction.

Subscribe today! Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

To advertise your business to our high quality readership call our friendly team on 01529 46 99 77.

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- FOOD -

Puddings & Desserts This month we feature three of the best; perfect puddings and delicious desserts from some of the county’s best chefs...

(Above) Coconut iced parfait with mango and lime purĂŠe.

Electric Bar & Restaurant at Doubletree by Hilton.

01522 565182, www.electricbarandrestaurant.co.uk

(Above) Honeycomb parfait with chocolate and olive oil mousse.

The Chequers, Gedney Dyke, Holbeach 01406 366700, www.the-chequers.co.uk (Right) Sharing platter of cheesecakes; strawberry, lemon and chocolate.

The Inn Woodhall Spa 01526 353231, www.theinnatwoodhallspa.co.uk

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Georgian

Style

Peter and Wendy mcQuilkin have always appreciated period properties and are especially fond of the Georgian era. The former rectory in Caythorpe is a perfect example of the style and proportions the era can yield, although their next property, which is currently approaching completion, will be considerably more modern...

Words: Rob Davis.

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Below: The kitchen was installed by Peter and Wendy just recently and features matt finish shaker units in soft cream with Silestone surfaces and a wealth of appliances.

Main: The property is arranged over three floors with six bedrooms and an en suite, as well as three reception rooms. There’s also a study, utility and extensive cellaring.

Georgian homes are a common sight in Lincolnshire’s prettier rural villages, but few are quite as pretty as this month’s example.

The Old Rectory at Caythorpe is home to Peter and Wendy McQuilkin, and is arranged over three floors with - in addition to its period style - no fewer than three reception rooms, and six bedrooms, one with an en suite as well as an acre of beautifully maintained gardens.

The property even boasts its own folly; a mini-medieval castle in the garden surrounded by neatly clipped box hedging and several seating area.

The rectory is a bona-fide period property dating back to the 1600s. A mention in Pevsner identifies a later Georgian addition sometime in the early 1800s which now comprises two generously proportioned reception rooms on the ground floor, and the house’s principal bedroom suites.

“The property boasts its own folly; a ‘castle’ in the garden surrounded by neatly clipped box parterre hedging...”

A symmetrical façade means there’s a generous entrance hall with flagstones whilst the main reception room has original floorboards and a large wood open fireplace, not to mention the usual Georgian covings, and ceiling roses.

The second sitting room features a second open fireplace and slightly warmer cream tones with plantation shutters to the windows.

“Wendy is the interior designer.” says Peter.

“I have to say she’s really talented, and I think she’s done a great job of working with the architecture of the property whilst using a fairly neutral, universally-liked palette.”

Peter comes from New Zealand and has worked in the health industry all over the world, from South Africa to Australia and

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the UK, before establishing and later selling his business, manufacturing and selling medical consumables.

Peter and Wendy downsized to the six bedroom Georgian property three years ago.

Little is known about the history of the house except for the fact that it has always been occupied both during its attachment to the church and thereafter.

The couple are grateful to the previous owners who completed much of the work to keep the property up to date. In particular its previous incumbents are responsible for the beautifully landscaped grounds with their wealth of mature trees and planting.

“It was the look of the property’s gardens that first attracted us.” says Peter.

“They create a wonderful first impression and are really mature and well-established.”

Left: The property has two main reception rooms plus a living kitchen too.

Above: The study is currently used by the couple as a spacious dining room.

“It was the property’s grounds that first attracted us.” says Peter.

“They give a wonderful first impression...!”

The property’s previous occupants are also responsible for the installation of new bathrooms. Meanwhile, Peter and Wendy’s contribution to the house has been a complete redecoration inside and outside and the installation of a new kitchen. The room features cream matt units in a shaker style with a thin sliver of porcelain-coloured Silestone engineered stone surface. Technology in the kitchen includes a integrated steam oven, second oven, warming drawer, dishwasher, coffee maker, induction hob and barbecue hob. Shutters supplied by Plantation Shutters of London were also fitted to all windows.

In addition to the casual dining area there’s a formal dining room styled by Wendy which includes a ceiling-height wooden mirror - one of a pair imported from Paris following an antiques recce in the city.

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The couple also enjoy searching for finishing touches for the property closer to home at Newark and Swinderby’s antiques fairs.

shady; a great place to keep a bottle of wine cool in the summer months!”

It’s unlikely that they’ll be shopping for antiques for their new home, however.

Having always lived in period properties, Peter and Wendy are instead opting to build their next home on a plot nearby and have opted for a modern dwelling with vast swathes of glass and a minimalist interior.

Thanks to its grounds, the property is a great place to spend time in the summer, and Peter & Wendy also acknowledge the friendliness of the village. “It has two pubs, including the excellent Red Lion for dining, a convenience store, chip shop, doctors surgery with pharmacy and most importantly, a really lovely community.”

“It’s a complete change, and we’re really excited by the prospect, but we’ll miss The Old Rectory a great deal.” says Peter.

“Just recently a neighbour hosted a ‘jazz in the garden’ event for the village, which was lovely.”

One feature that the couple’s shiny new-build will certainly lack is the property’s folly, described by Pevsner as a ‘crenellated garden house,’ and by Peter as “Nice and

With their new property nearing completion, the couple are seeking new custodians for the property. Affording its next owners plenty of space, the convenience of a study, large utility and plenty of cellar space, it’s a family home that will both work well on a practical level, and represent the best of Georgian architecture too. With beautiful grounds and an ideal village location, The Old Rectory is nothing short of a heavenly country home.

Above: The garden’s crenellated folly is the fanciest wine cooler we’ve seen for a while!

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The Old Rectory Location: Caythorpe, Grantham.

Style: Country home built in the 1600s and extended in early 1800s.

Receptions: Three, currently arranged as Drawing Room, Dining Room and Living Kitchen.

Beds: Six with one en suite, family bathroom and shower room.

Other features: Study, utility, four large cellars. Landscaped gardens with folly.

Guide Price: £899,950.

Find Out more: Estate Agency: Savills Lincoln, Olympic House, 995 Doddington Rd, Lincoln LN6 3SE Tel: 01522 508900.

Web: www.savills.co.uk.

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Qualität und stil - it’s German for Quality and style...

Kitchens and Bathrooms at

Luna Ceramics New ranges, and more displays than ever before, mean there’s never been a better time to visit Lincoln’s Luna Ceramics. It’s the home of contemporary kitchens & bathrooms from names like Villeroy & Boch...

Creating your dream home has never been easier thanks to the full project management and the most up-to-date ranges at Lincoln’s Luna Ceramics.

With 5,000sq ft of showroom space, seven kitchens and 25 bathroom displays, plus a choice of over 500 tiles, the company can design and create a great looking, well-built room in your home and undertake all of the trades, liaising with plumbing, electrical, gas and tiling specialists for a perfectly co-ordinated project.

“There were three respects in which we wanted the business to be really strong.” say owners of Luna Ceramics, Paul Spencer and Mark Franklin. “Firstly we wanted to use well-renowned brands featuring the most stylish and up-to-date design and technology.”

“Secondly, we wanted to ensure we cater for every home, with some more traditional styles and some bold contemporary ranges for customers who want to make a style statement.”

“And finally, we wanted to ensure that whether a customer is creating a small cloakroom or en suite, a large family bathroom or wetroom, or a kitchen ranging from a small utility room to a large living kitchen, the same quality and design are available, regardless of the size of your room.”

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The showroom’s finish has perhaps led to the misleading impression that Luna Ceramics is preclusively expensive. But having completed kitchens from just £2,500 right up to £50,000 and bathrooms from £2,000 to £20,000, the company is able to remain competitive with multinational firms by importing tiles themselves and passing on savings to the customer, mitigating the price of their designer kitchen cabinetry and bathroom suites.

Build quality is all important to Paul and Mark, with all kitchens featuring readyassembled cabinetry for stronger construction and quicker installation, as well as soft close doors as standard and appliances from names like luxury German brand Siemens.

With natural stone, porcelain and ceramic tiles, as well as designer accessories for bathrooms from brands like Aqata and Geberit, Luna Ceramics has all of the fitters, fittings and finishing touches necessary to create a room a client can be proud of.

With 3D design and products that have the best German engineering, Luna Ceramics’s rooms are designed to please, built to last and priced to impress, with service that equals the company’s commitment to style and quality.

For more information visit Luna Ceramics on Bishop’s Road, off Outer Circle Road. Call 01522 521112 or see www.lunaceramics.co.uk.

Above: The company provides kitchens and bathrooms from around £2,500 to £50,000 for both small and large rooms.

Right: Designer touches like Elica’s chandelier extractor fan and soft-close kitchen drawers with LED lighting.

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“Luna Ceramics created my ‘supper with friends’ kitchen!”

Grantham’s Mr & Mrs Lindfield commissioned Luna Ceramics to create their new family kitchen. The brief was to create a room that would allow the couple to cook for family and friends whilst they enjoyed a glass of wine.

A casual seating area on the kitchen’s large island doubled as extra food preparation space, and the island integrates a second food preparation sink with boiling water tap by Quooker and gas hob with teppanyaki burner.

“The firm were a pleasure to work with.

The design was a really easy process and afforded me lots of input. The result is a room that looks exactly like the 3D plan.”

“The installation was as rapid and hasslefree as possible and we were really impressed with the result. There’s a pervading air of quality about the finished room, and it looks good and works well too.”

“I wanted a room in which I could host supper for friends with a few glasses of wine.

That’s exactly what we’ve ended up with.

We’re both delighted with the result of Luna Ceramics’s hard work!”

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Unsurpassed Quality, Affordable Craftsmanship Bespoke Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms - full project management and free quotations

Peter Jackson Cabinet Makers Ltd Devereux Way, Horncastle LN9 6AU

Tel: 01507 527113 W: www.peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk E: info@peterjacksoncabinetmakers.co.uk

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Peter_jacksonCM

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- HOME -

Flying High Sophie Allport’s work is quintessentially English, country-influenced gift and homeware with motifs created using a pen and watercolours. This month sees the launch of her brand new collection, The Flying Pheasant, so we discover what motivates the British designer.

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S

ophie Allport is a mother of three, a painter and an illustrative genius - so it’s no wonder that her gift and homeware company is one that most people recognise in their home.

Using mainly pen and just five watercolour paints, Sophie creates beautifully intricate, timeless and quintessentially English designs that are greatly influenced by the country, nature and her childhood memories.

Every year, in her studio at her family home in Oundle, Sophie conjures up two new designs for her fine bone china collection and this September sees the exciting launch of the latest creation, The Flying Pheasant.

With the imminent launch taking place at this year’s Burghley Horse Trials in September, we decided to pay Sophie a visit at her new showroom in Stamford to find out all about her business, The Flying Pheasant collection and the inspiration behind the range.

“I am so excited about launching this new collection. I absolutely love pheasants, or pheasies as I call them. I used to see them all the time in my family garden when I was growing up. They’re such magnificent birds and so lovely to draw.”

“When you live in a city you don’t get to see them, but now I’m living in the countryside near to Stamford it made sense to paint them, being such a prominent childhood memory. And it’s great now others can have them featured in their home too,” says Sophie.

This year also saw the creation of the Boys’ Sports Collection, which features football, rugby and cricket designs, and Winter Woodland which will be available from October ready for Christmas. It features a staple dusty blue with reindeer, Christmas trees and squirrels and other woodland animals.

“As a mother to three boys, I quickly realised there wasn’t really any designs available for boys in my range when they asked for a mug.

“I discovered what I was good at early on. I grew up in the country, so it made sense to use my childhood memories.”

There’s a lot of designs like the Rose, Busy Bee and Cat for girls so I wanted to create the sports collection which features sports references like football, rugby and cricket, especially since my boys love playing different sports.”

As well as featuring the painted designs on staple products like the Fine Bone China collections and fabrics - Sophie has introduced a range of new products including door stops, stationery, wrapping paper and ribbon and little wash bags which she is very excited about.

“I’ve always been conscious of my memories from when I was growing up, and I find my designs are very personal to me. For me it’s about making a house a home, and that’s what I want to achieve,” says Sophie.

Now a roaring success, Sophie Allport has come a long way since the fruition of the

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company, originally painting and designing in her spare room and on the streets of London.

“I studied Graphic Art and Design at Leeds Metropolitan University, where I specialised in illustration. I had a reportage style project at university which I really enjoyed. In all honestly - it was pot luck that I realised very early on what I enjoyed and was good at in regards to drawing and painting. I used to get my watercolour box and sit on the street painting different things.”

After university, Sophie moved to London where she started working as a freelance illustrator for many famous names ranging from wine bottle label design to book and magazine illustrations. It was then she realised she needed a change from just painting on the streets. She was invited to demonstrate her skills at the Country Living Fair in 1996, and so she began to brainstorm exactly what she wanted to draw and paint.

Growing up in the village of Potterhanworth, Sophie has always been intrigued by nature and the countryside. It was this that made her decide to design a series of flowers that she made into prints and cards to sell at the fair. This was a huge success, and it saw the birth of Sophie Allport Limited.’

“I made a few prints and cards with these flowers, and it went from there. It wasn’t until my brother Jem stumbled upon an old diary from his rally in Chile that we decided to set up the business together. An entry in his diary said he always wanted to work with me, so he said ‘lets do it’ - and we did.

We started selling from his garage before moving to where we are now.”

Jem is a qualified chartered accountant and since the siblings joined forces, he has enabled Sophie to focus on creating new designs and products whilst Jem expands marketing and sales.

As we spoke with Sophie about how her fine bone china collections are created - we quickly realised what a fascinating process it is. Sourcing the right white ware is very important, and Sophie and her team work hard to find the right products. Their current mission is the find the perfect butter dish.

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- HOME -

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- HOME -

Sophie buys in her white ware and it is hand decorated and finished in Stoke on Trent.

When she is completely happy with her painted creations they are made into decals.

These are then cut into strips before being hand applied on every single china item in batches before being fired in a kiln.

“It is quite a long process, but it’s worth it when you get the finished product and it’s exactly what we want to achieve.”

“Getting the colour right can be also be tricky as there are so many opportunities for it to change.”

Achieving this is key for Sophie, as she wants the finished product to match her designs perfectly. This is a highly specialised way of printing, and there’s very few companies versed in the art still in existance today.

Over the last seven years, Sophie has designed a selection of fine bone china collections featuring country and nature designs including the Chicken, Busy Bee, Rose, Terrier and Butterfly.

Each range includes dinner plates, side plates, pasta bowls, cereal bowls, two different mugs, four different jugs, egg cups, tea cups and saucers, jam jars, espresso cups and saucers, teapots and tea tidies.

“I am excited to launch The Flying Pheasant collection. They’re such magnificent birds.”

Her designs have become somewhat of a collector’s item over the years, both with tourists who want to return home for a little piece of England, as well as Sophie’s more local fans, too.

“Since establishing my company, an old work colleague has approached me to ask if I would come up with an exclusive design, which I have continued to do over the past five years.”

Another spectacular opportunity for Sophie arose five years ago, when she was asked to design an exclusive collection for Wimbledon by The All England Lawn Tennis Association.

Another big influence is Sophie’s love of cooking and baking when she’s at home spending time with her family. It’s this passion that has fuelled some of her designs over the years, such as the best selling Chicken range.

This year saw the launch of The Perfect Match with strawberries, Henman’s Hill view of Wimbledon, the Clubhouse and classic racquet design. The collection includes different items such as oven gloves, tea towels, mugs, jugs, notelets and more.

Another new addition that is proving popular are candles, a product launch upon which Sophie worked closely with her manufacturers, re-creating the scents and fragrances reminiscent of her childhood.

“It was an honour when I was asked to design a collection exclusively for Wimbledon. I used to work there when I was a student, and I took every opportunity I could to paint whilst I was there.”

And Sophie isn’t stopping there - with her spring and summer collections already in motion for next year, we’re excited to see what other designs she has up her quintessentially English sleeves!

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The

Art

of Compromise

Di and Pete Ablewhite have created a beautiful property in the area whilst also managing to engineer a successful compromise; creating both a clean modern property and a cosy riverside home with warmth and character...

Words: Anne Armstrong.

Photographs: David Parmiter.

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Di and Pete Ablewhite mastered the art of compromise when they built their light drenched riverside house.

“I love old architecture and Pete loves new, so this house is the ideal solution,” enthuses Di. While the design of their 21st century home was inspired by the symmetrical Georgian architecture which Di so much admires, it comes with all the modern practicalities demanded by Pete.

The couple demolished an existing 1970s home, which stood on the site, and lived in rented accommodation for more than a year while the new house - built closer to the water than its predecessor - took shape.

“The design of Di’s 21st century home was inspired by symmetrical Georgian architecture.”

“This house is a bit unusual in that the back was designed to be every bit as important as the front.

At the back, we have our own 140 foot stretch of riverbank complete with fishing rights, as well as lovely views stretching across the fields,” explains Di. “Being by water evokes childhood memories. Around here, it does really feel as if we are living out of the pages of The Wind 76

in the Willows,” she says.

“We see plenty of wildlife; badgers, moles, kingfishers, mallards, and a lot of swans I have a favourite swan, called Syd - as well as the occasional deer.”

To capitalise on the location, Di and Pete installed an atrium, and full length windows in the principal rooms - some of which will forever remain curtainless, so that the rural views can be enjoyed to the full. “I have long been obsessed with the need to find ways of

Top: The formal sitting room is the epitome of contemporary gracious living where walls have been painted in Linen Wash by the Little Greene Paint Company, and the couple installed espresso-coloured engineered oak flooring.

Above: A console table made

by Hill Farm Furniture stands on the galleried landing below an old French mirror with a frame rejuvenated with a coat of Farrow and Ball’s Lamp Room Grey paint.

Right: Swans regularly congregate along the private riverbank at the back of the house, which Di and Pete designed and built two years ago.

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- HOMES -

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- HOMES -

Di takes some of her ideas from designers such as Kelly Hoppen.

“I like her style,” she says. bringing the maximum amount of natural light into a house, so much so, I was worried about the lack of light in the internal bathroom until I visited a house building show, and saw how well light pipes can work. Even on a dull day, you don’t need to put the light on to use the bathroom,” explains Di, a former chiropodist- turned interior designer.

The house has been constructed from warm red brick with a slate roof – the couple researched building materials very carefully before choosing bricks and slates which are manufacturers predict will age gracefully.

“I didn’t realise how long it can take to source building materials. Giles at my local building centre helped us a lot, by bringing samples to the site for us to inspect, and on one occasion, he even brought a complete sash window for me to see,” recalls Di. Inside, the architectural details have been installed with a deft touch. There is an elegant, sandstone-floored hallway with a ceiling soaring eight metres high.

The discreetly sweeping staircase climbs to a galleried landing. High ceilings, a pair of columns, sashed windows, ceiling mouldings, and deep skirting boards are distinctive ‘traditional’ elements while the décor is stylishly neutral amid a relaxed contemporary atmosphere. Di, who studied interior design at the National Design, was determined to avoid creating a faux Georgian home.

“I wanted a tasteful result,” she stresses.

Though she appreciates antique or traditional, furnishings when she sees them in the 78

homes of others, she isn’t a personal fan of the conventional trappings of period living.

“I don’t want to live in a museum with knickknacks all over the place,” she says. The pale palette - walls have mostly been painted in a Little Greene Company shade called Linen Wash - has been strengthened by accessories in sophisticated hues such as chocolate and black. Di takes some of her inspiration from designers such as Kelly Hoppen. “I like her style,” she says, throwing open the door to the Hoppen-esque formal sitting room, infused with Zen-like calm. Its walls contrast with a dark stained oak floor, and a low slung coffee table, while comfortable sofas, upholstered in textured cream linen, are arranged around a classically styled fireplace.

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Top: The impressive, room-sized hall has Indian sandstone flooring. For similar flooring, try Classical Flagstones.

Above: Full length glass windows in the master bedroom are filled with views of the surrounding countryside. The sleigh bed was bought long ago; for similar models try And So to Bed.

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- HOMES -

“I did see a marble surround which I would have liked to put in here, but I was dismayed by the price, so I looked for an alternative, and decided on this one, which is made from re-constituted stone,” explains Di. Beyond the dining room, installed with glass doors which supply vistas of the full depth of the house, is the open plan multi functional kitchen - a much loved living space, where the family regularly socialises.

The same firm also created the bespoke joinery for other rooms, like the extra high skirting boards.

Upstairs, off the galleried landing, the various bedrooms - and sparkling white bathrooms, decorated with effortless style, and the master bedroom is nothing sort of spectacular due to the ceiling-to-floor windows, designed, Di says, to ‘let the outside in.’

“The master bedroom is spectacular, with full-height windows, ‘to let the outside in.’”

“The kitchen was designed before we starting building the house,” laughs Di, who commissioned a local specialist joinery company to provide the classically styled cabinetry, with a duo of complementary Farrow & Ball colours.

Main: Cabinets and the island unit in the spacious kitchen, were hand-built by a local company, and painted in a combination of Farrow and Ball’s Lamp Room Grey and Cornforth White. Words and Photographs by Narratives.

For Di, being so close to nature is a wonderful thing.

The location really is fabulous,” she concludes. “We are so lucky living here, in a dream of a house, waking up every morning to the gentle sound of the weir, which is just a little further upstream.

It is so soothing it can be difficult to get out of bed. We struck gold when we found this plot!”

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Futureproof your Business Your Business Will Running your own business may leave you little time to consider your financial future but what would you do if a critical illness such as a heart attack or stroke, forced you, or a key employee, to be absent from work for a period of weeks or months?

We all know the benefits of making a will. It ensures the right assets reach the right people at the right time, but have you done the same for your business?

Could your business continue?

Which of the following priorities have you insured against?

Which would be most damaging to your business?

• Company car is stolen • Someone steals the computers • The photocopier breaks down • The courier lets you down • A window is broken by vandals • A Director/Partner dies If the worst should happen and your business is not fully protected, your business could be left without enough money to pay your running costs. You may have covered the tangible assets of your business, but have you protected yourself, your share in the business or those key individuals who may contribute heavily to profits?

What impact would a death or critical illness of a key individual or business owner have on the business?

How long would the business survive without those key individuals? The loss of a key person may result in: • Reduced sales • Loss of profit • Recruitment costs • Increased workloads for the remaining staff How much debt does your business have and is it protected?

Have you heard about Relevant Life Plan’s and the tax efficient way it can provide life cover?

Many partnerships and limited companies overlook protecting the business from the financial impact of losing a shareholder through death or critical illness, but this should be a priority for any business.

At Castlegate Financial Management we are working with other businesses like yours to help to make sure there are effective solutions in place to protect your business, and your family, should the worst happen.

Castlegate Financial Management, premier Chartered Financial Planners, offering local face to face independent financial advice, is particularly well placed to help you and can be contacted on 01476 591022. Ask for Heather Lamin.

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- education -

&

Schools Colleges...

this month we’ve a round-up of the best schools and colleges in the area for those seeking high quality education for children and teenagers as well as those seeking adult learning opportunities...

Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School...

In June, students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School celebrated the opening of its Creative Arts building with lessons as usual – but this time in brand new classrooms!

and our sixth form Common Room” commented the Headteacher, Mr Burks.

“This has been a major project for the school and we are extremely pleased that the works have been completed to schedule.”

The new Common Room, which will also provide additional space for independent study, was also warmly welcomed by the sixth form.

The recently completed Creative Arts block has added new Art rooms, a second Drama Studio, and extra classroom space.

“The new Common Room is brilliant,” commented one sixth form student. “It seems even bigger from the inside.”

The development is part of a significant building programme that has also seen the addition of an extension to the sixth form Common Room, and the creation of several new Science laboratories.

Nick Boles MP, who lent his support towards the bidding process, will be guest of honour at the official opening ceremony which will be held towards the end of September.

“We are delighted to be able to enhance the provision for our students with the opening of our new Art and Drama block,

The project was made possible by a capital grant of £450,000 from the Education Funding Agency. www.kestevengrantham.lincs.sch.uk.

Howzat? Cricket at Sir William Robertson Academy, Lincoln.

Sir William Robertson academy...

Choosing a secondary school is one of the most important decisions you will have to make for you and your child.

With this in mind, we would like to extend an invitation to parents/carers for a personal tour of the Academy. During the tour you will see first-hand the excellent behaviour of our pupils and the high-calibre learning taking place in the classrooms.

In addition, our ‘Open Week’ (15th, 16th, 17th September 2014) provide a chance to see the school working and meet with pupils who have very recent experience of starting in Year 7. Sir William Robertson Academy is a highly successful 11-18 school with a flourishing

and rapidly expanding new 6th form. The School fosters an aspirational ethos in which every child is expected to achieve the very best they can in all that they do. Situated in a rural location, SWRA provides a safe and idyllic learning environment and is easily accessible from Lincoln, Grantham, Sleaford, Newark and surrounding villages, with school buses serving each of these areas.

Our pupils are well supported through an engaging and dynamic academic curriculum that is tailored to the needs of the individual.

The school is well-resourced, with wonderful outdoor sporting facilities for a wide range of sporting activities.

We offer a full and active programme of Musical and Performing Arts from our purpose built studios.

Find out how your child can aspire to a brighter future; call 01400 272422 or see www.swracademy.org.

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- education -

Lincoln Minster School...

Lincoln Minster School is a thriving educational community in the heart of Lincoln.

Via our ten dedicated bus routes students join us from all reaches of the county, and further afield as part of our international boarding community.

Our motto - ‘the best in everyone’ - may be seen in action across the whole school, from Nursery to Sixth Form.

Pupils are known as individuals - their strengths, enthusiasms, challenges and aspirations are important to all of us as we offer the guidance and direction to achieve both in school and beyond.

The autumn term is always a busy one as we welcome visitors 84

to Open Events, in addition to the regular Cathedral Concerts, trips, matches, recitals…

Pupils will return in September with tales of the many school trips, including spectacular opportunities in Spain, Switzerland and Tanzania.

Scholarships and bursaries are available, and now is the time to apply.

If you know a child who loves to sing, there are places available in the Lincoln Cathedral Choir and these come with 50% scholarships.

Worksop college, Worksop...

Worksop College is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils aged 13 to 18. It was established in 1890 in Worksop on the northern edge of Sherwood Forest and was founded by Nathaniel Woodard in 1890.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to see us on a normal working day, we would be pleased to welcome you.

If you’re a parent and you are thinking about a new school for your child, whether that school is in the state or independent sector, the process of deciding which school is right for your child can be a daunting one.

Contact my Registrar, Mandy Stuffins, on 01522 551300 to book a convenient appointment.

Alternatively, find out more at our website by visiting www.lincoln minsterschool.co.uk.

The decision about where to send a child to school, isn’t just about bricks and mortar: it’s about the relationships amongst the pupils and also amongst the staff.

Do come to our Open Evenings and see us in action.

Try to take time to look at these as a way to understand what the school community is like and whether it will suit your child.

Use the Open Morning season and visit other schools to answer your questions and build up your own knowledge at the same time as gaining a valuable insight.

Worksop College and Preparatory School, Ranby House welcome you to visit this close community and its superb facilities.

In 2013 Worksop College achieved an A*-C pass rate of 90.1% at GCSE level and 49.2% of all the grades awarded were at the A* or A grade.

We aim to ensure that academic pursuits are the priority of every pupil and teacher.

For more details about The Prep School or The College, visit www.wsnl.co.uk. To arrange a tour or a taster day, please call the Admissions Team on 01909 537155. Alternatively, you can email admissions@wsnl.co.uk.

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Raise your Hand: St Peter’s School, York.

St Peter’s School, York...

One of the oldest schools in the world, St Peter’s School, York, combines a rich heritage with outstanding academic achievement.

The St Peter’s School Foundation, encompassing Clifton School and Nursery, St Olave’s School and St Peter’s School, provides its pupils with a stimulating and varied education.

St Olave’s offers small classes, unrivalled facilities and an array of academic and co-curricular opportunities. Specialist subject teaching is introduced in the final three years, giving pupils the best possible preparation St Peter’s itself.

Together, the schools provide the ideal environment for pupils

to succeed - St Peter’s School achieves outstanding results, with half of all leavers progressing to Russell Group and elite UK and international universities.

Alongside such academic success, pupils are encouraged to explore interests outside the classroom. Sport and the arts are particularly strong.

Boarding is available from age ten at St Olave’s. “Boarding provides a structure that many children thrive in, and helps pupils to develop confidence, tolerance and resilience, as well as giving them greater access to the wealth of co-curricular activities available after school and at weekends,” says Leo Winkley, Head Master of St Peter’s. Boarding at St Olave’s and St Peter’s is rated ‘Outstanding’ during our last Ofsted inspection.

For more information please visit our website at www.stpetersyork.org.uk, or call us on 01904 527300.

Giles academy, Boston...

Giles Academy decided to end the term, quite literally, on a high.

Every year the Deputy Head, Susan Barnicoat, works with Giles Voice (the School Council) to put together a fundraising day with a difference. Several charities have benefitted over the years by fund raising activities in school, but this year it was decided to focus on cycling safety awareness in support of the Ryan Smith Foundation (see www.ryansmithfoundation.org).

Ryan Smith suffered severe brain injuries in a cycling accident on 22 July 2013.

The injuries could have been lessened if he had been wearing his helmet. The Giles Big Event included a safe bike ride, swimming relay and running

relay and then the whole school worked together to create a human bike on the playing field, with moving wheels.

Then to bring a whole new dimension to the Big Event Science Teacher, Andrew Castley, teamed up with pupils to launch an iPhone into space attached to a weather balloon, reaching a height of 18 miles and recording its three hour journey from above before coming down in Downham Market, Norfolk, after the balloon had burst.

The results were fantastic, attracting international media attention with appearances on both BBC and ITV news and around 130,000 views on YouTube Mr Castley has been delighted with the inspirational impact on student awareness of Science and the added enjoyment the subject can bring from challenges like this.

See www.gilesacademy.co.uk.

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HRH Princess Royal opens the Gelder Education Centre HRH The Princess Royal recently opened Lincoln construction firm Gelder Group’s new Education Centre.

The Princess is President of City & Guilds and in 2013 awarded the Gelder Group’s Managing Director, Steve Gelder MBE the Prince Philip Medal for his commitment to apprenticeships. During the visit she was accompanied by City & Guilds Chairman, Sir John Armitt, as well as City & Guilds CEO, Chris Jones. The Gelder Group’s new Educational Centre will become the company’s Pre-Apprenticeship Academy and the new home of the Gelder Virtual School - a school set up in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council to educate disaffected youths (14 – 16 year olds who have, for whatever reason, fallen out of mainstream education) in work surroundings that has produced amazing results. The scheme has won many admirers since its inception back in 2010. The Gelder Group began life as a two-man operation trading under the name SP Gelder Builders back in 1988. It’s now a £40m entity approaching its 27th year in business.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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call 01529 469977 and speak to our events desk...

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are you organising a Black tie function or Society event? call us on 01529 469977 to check our photographers’ availability.

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- hiStoRY -

A History of

Harvesting today sophisticated combine harvesters, with their GPS technology and computerised controls, are hard at work in our fields... but it wasn’t always so. this month, we’ve asked historian, academic and author of Farming in Lincolnshire, 1850-1945, Jonathan Brown to tell us about the history of harvesting...

A way of life; mechanised. Cornelius Stovin was perhaps one of the earliest farmers to consider the harvest, and dream of a mechanised age. A farmer on the Lincolnshire Wolds in the nineteenth century, he really moved with the times. In 1869 he bought a new machine from Hornsby’s of Grantham to harvest his wheat – a reaper. Often called a sail reaper, because of the series of rakes which swished round to draw the corn up to the cutter bar, this was a big step in mechanising the cereal harvest.

His move towards mechanisation is one that would soon be followed by other farmers.

Until then, cereal crops like wheat, barley, and oats had been cut by hand. Teams of workers - five or six usually - went across the field with their reaphook or sickle, their bagging hook or scythe to cut the corn.

Reaphooks and sickles were small tools, which cut with a sawing action. The worker had to stoop to cut at shin height; it was back-breaking work. The bagging hook and scythe were bigger, heavier tools; they cut with a mowing action, and you could cut about three times as much in a day with them. By the mid-nineteenth century these were the preferred tools.

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The cutters left a trail of corn which had to be gathered up, and groups of workers men, women and lads - raked it up to be tied into sheaves, which were bound with straw knots.

Next the chaps came and gathered the sheaves into stooks to dry. It, too, was labour-intensive work, but the harvest bonus paid to the farm labourers working extra hours paid off the year’s debts. But more than the regular labourers were needed -

“What was life like during harvest in the 19th century when the county was united in a celebration of farming?” casual labour was brought in from the village and the local towns, as every available man, woman, and many children were needed to get the crop in. But a major supply of harvest labour was the migrant gangs of Irishmen who worked their way across the

country from haytime to corn harvest.

Farmers depended on them, anxiously looking for their arrival, and the local papers reported on their progress.

The sight of them reaching Brigg in August 1872 ‘was most cheering, causing a great relief,’ as the Stamford Mercury put it.

Cornelius Stovin’s reaping machine only needed a driver, and perhaps a lad, to operate it, instead of the six or so in the cutting gang. There were still jobs in raking, tying and stooking, carting and stacking, but the farmer was less dependent on casual and migrant labour. The harvest field became less crowded and bustling as the machines took over.

The next generation of machines, called self-binders tied the corn into sheaves, and only needed two or three men to follow building the stooks. But the Irishmen did not entirely disappear from Lincolnshire’s

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a wealth of history resources all in one website...

Lincs to the Past is a website which contains a host of information and images relating to the history of Lincolnshire. the site brings together and makes accessible the catalogues and resources of Lincolnshire county council’s archives, Museums and art Gallery, Library Service and historic environment Record.

harvest fields until the 1930s - they still worked in the Fens on the potato crop.

By the 1930s the cereal harvest was thoroughly mechanised. Binders drawn by tractors instead of horses were found on the big farms. There were even a few combine harvesters. G H Nevile at Wellingore bought the first one in the county in 1928-9.

By 1939 there were about a dozen at work in Lincolnshire. They were smaller than we see now, and had to be hauled by a tractor.

Where today’s combines pour the finished grain into big trailers, these first-generation ones bagged the grain, and still required a man or two to tie the sacks.

Wartime added more combines, but it wasn’t until the early 1960s that binders were completely displaced.

With that the harvest landscape changed.

For one thing it became emptier: today there is one man driving a combine supported by

two or three others with the tractors and corn trailers. The landscape looked different as well. The rows of stooks drying in the field were replaced by bales of straw, some square, many round, producing the typical early-autumn scene in today’s cornfield.

Today’s machines may be technical tour de forces, but we have to wonder what life would be like back in the 19th century when a whole county was united in a celebration of farming, food and the culmination of a whole year of very hard work indeed.

Jonathan is the author of Farming in Lincolnshire, 1850-1945, published by the Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology. His other work includes Water Power & Watermills (Crowood 2011) and Shepherds & Shepherding (Shire 2013).

added to this are hundreds of thousands of images: paintings, photographs of buildings and people, museum objects (including many which are not usually on display), documents, maps and local publications. new content is being added all the time – look out soon for information on Lincolnshire War memorials and WWi casualties recorded on them. the website was launched in May 2011, and since then has received over 13 million page views by users in no less than 192 countries. By far the most used section of the site is the Lincolnshire Parish Registers, which contain details of baptisms, marriages and burials from 1538 onwards, and are of great interest to genealogists worldwide.

The website is free to use and can be found at www.lincstothepast.com.

Registered users can add their own comments or transcriptions to pages, and can save or purchase images.

Main Image: A horse drawn binder and waggons at work at Cade’s farm in Scothern, 1930s.

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- natuRe -

Bird of the Month: The Common Swift prefers to be ‘on the wing,’ often landing only to nest.

In fact its scientific name ‘Apus Apus’ means ‘no feet!’ It doesn’t need any as it feeds, mates and even sleeps in flight. The final Swifts will leave the UK early this month.

On The Wing in

September introducing our new nature writer Richard owens. Find out what you can enjoy in terms of flora and fauna throughout September...

This month heralds the movement of our migrant birds, the most noticeable being the Swallows, Swifts and Martins, whom we marvel over throughout the summer with their aerial antics. Indeed, you may have been fortunate enough to have them nesting in your garage, or under the eaves of your house.

However as days get shorter and their favoured diet of insects becomes scarcer, September sees a steady migration towards the coast before a final push towards southern countries, a journey also made by other summer visitors including the Blackcap, although some now overwinter in the UK. Out in the woodlands, you may notice the leaves of the Horse Chestnut starting to ‘brown off ’ and then shed before most other species. Fungal activity should be increasing, with the Stinkhorn Fungus being particularly prominent this month.

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There’s certainly no need to look for this one... you will probably smell it first!

Elsewhere, many animals will be thinking of the long winter ahead and will be building up their fat reserves, particularly in the case of our hibernating mammals, Dormice, Hedgehogs and Bats, the latter occasionally venturing out on mild winter nights, a risky strategy if food is not available as valuable energy reserves are used up.

Other species such as Field Voles and even Jays will store nuts until required.

Out in the garden, it’s time to start filling those feeders again. Remember to feed a variety of foods, not only to cater for the birds, but also to attract a variety for you to look at. It’s a two way thing!

It’s also worth situating your feeders over some slabs so that the inevitable dropped seed can be easily swept up and either disposed of or reused, discouraging less desirable wildlife.

“Many animals will be building up fat reserves particularly hibernating mammals - anticipating the winter months...”

Amphibians, too, will also be gaining weight ready for hibernation, often under logs or in the case of the Frog occasionally at the bottom of the pond breathing through their skin using sub-cutaneous gas exchange.

Our summer flowers will be ending late September with any remaining Butterflies and Bees using flowering Ivy as a vital late nectar source, so avoid cutting any back for a few weeks if possible. Common Fleabane will also be in flower in September preferring a damp habitat.

September is also a great month to look up your local wildlife groups since many will this month start their winter programme of talks, enabling you to engage with like minded people and carry on enjoying the wonderful world of wildlife, even on those dark cold nights.

Richard is Course Manager at the multi Environmental Award winning Boston West Golf Centre. He was named Conservation Greenkeeper of the year at the STRI Golf Environment Awards...

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On The Farm in

September the late summer weather is being kind to farmers, and with low feed costs for animals, the consumer is set to benefit from the climate too!

The weather in late summer was reasonably warm and sunny and most crops continued to grow well, albeit a little slowly.

The weather was good for the Show as well as the ‘Cereals’ event which this year was being held south of Cambridge. With its proximity to the M11 there were considerable traffic hold ups. I am very pleased to hear that it is likely to return to Lincoln on its previous site and, no doubt, all local farmers will be very pleased too.

Possibly the biggest challenge most heavy land farmers have met this year, is the vast increase in the dreaded blackgrass, which is now showing above the crops of wheat and will considerably reduce the yields, besides slowing the harvesting operation by the combine. This weed was previously held in check by chemical sprays but now has built

up a resistance to them. Many farmers will have to alter their rotations (to spring sown crops) and carefully consider their cultivation and spraying techniques over the next few years. Pea and Bean crops, which are nitrogen-fixing, will be in greater demand especially as recent Defra regulations have meant that these crops can be grown and included in ecological focus areas (EFA) which will aid their grant application.

kind weather in March and April. Lamb prices have consequently dipped with the good supply of grass. Pig prices have been maintained mainly in the extra export of pig meat to China and other Eastern countries.

Several of the area’s larger potato growers were left with tonnage in store after the earlier arrival of the new potatoes and will probably have to send most of the remainder for animal feeding. With this years potato crop looking promising there could be an oversupply and consequent lower prices. It is to be hoped that large buyers like the processors and supermarkets are fair with their pricing for the 2014 crop.

This is where the soil had been consolidated and consequent poor growth ensued.

With many areas in fields showing yellow and poorer crops it is an ideal time to consider remedial drainage in these fields. On inspecting a series of pea fields I found several crops showing foot rot in various patches.

“The biggest challenge most farmers have met this year, is the vast increase in the dreaded blackgrass.”

Prices for beef cattle have been steadily declining, this no doubt being due to ample growth of grass during May and June.

Sheep lambing went well this year due to the

Now is a good time to inspect these patches and to consider remedial action during the drier late summer period.

Barry Poston is the area’s foremost farming expert with a long history working in both arable and livestock environments. During his career he has seen a great many changes in the industry!

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Professional Paddock Care Equine Fencing Specialists 01529 305619 07930 572966 96

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Creating

your

Retreat

Green

Home made mulch and the odd garden folly - like a gypsy caravan - is the secret to creating a green retreat that is the product of 20 years of hard work for Linda and Neil Holdaway. Here, we enjoy a tour around their garden...

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- gardens -

Linda and Neil - an insurance broker - had been keen sailors, but longed to replace their small town garden with a larger one in the country. “You can’t sail and garden, so we had to choose!” explains Linda, a retired health visitor. Gardening won and, faced with a virtually blank canvas, Linda sought advice from the respected gardener, the late Jill Cowley. “She suggested I first create something worth looking out on, and then add a path that leads somewhere worth walking to. After that, never bite off more than you can cope with.”

“You can’t sail and garden, so we had to choose!” says Linda. Gardening won, and work began on their blank canvas.

Far Left: For weeks of flowers, grow Aster x frikartii ‘Monch,’ a mildew-resistant aster adored by bees and butterflies.

Left: Stake taller plants — you can never stake too early or too much, but use natural hazel sticks to ensure supports are barely visible once plants mature. For maximum impact, minimise the number of different varieties, planting in bold clumps of seven or nine plants.

A garden as beautifully conceived as Woodpeckers suggests a masterplan, but in fact the owners’ approach was less structured. “We started at the house and worked outwards,” explains Linda Holdaway who, with her husband Neil, moved 20 years ago to their 1959 house enclosed by the 1.5-acre plot. “It was August, and the garden had scorched lawns and grassed-over borders, but there were wonderful mature copper beeches, an amelanchier and tulip tree,” she recalls.

Linda started in the south-facing back garden, installing an elegant Amdega summerhouse at the end of two mixed borders separated by a wide, grassy path.

“This is the view from my kitchen window,” she adds. The borders are planted for year round interest, with snowdrops and hellebores for winter: tulips for spring followed by heucheras, cleomes, sedums, dahlias, grasses and self-seeding Verbena bonariensis. “I find self-seeding plants very useful because I have a lot of space to fill, and they pop up everywhere.”

It’s a similar story in the adjacent ‘room’ where twin herbaceous borders form an unrivalled ebb and flow of colour and texture make up from repeated clumps of sedum, Japanese anemone, salvias, cosmos and asters. “I love colour, but I can’t paint, so this is as close as I can get.” Unbroken lines of catmint edge a wide grassy path that leads past a modern Shepherd’s Hut “It’s got four bunks, one for each of my grandchildren,” - to the kitchen potager.

At the far end of the borders lies the potager, a formal arrangement of four square raised beds in which cutting flowers - chrysanthemums, dahlias and zinnias - vie with leeks, runner beans, peas, squashes and herbs.

“My 87-year-old mother grows all the vegetables from seed in the greenhouse, and does all the propagating - she keeps me in young plants all summer long,” adds Linda.

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drought-resistant grey-leaved plants and undemanding self-seeders such as gaura, fleabane, valerian and sedums. “By August, the lawns are baked yellow but, once rain returns, the grass revives, and the late herbaceous borders came into their own,” she explains, adding: “As a gardener, you have to go with whatever nature hands out.”

“The poor soil has been steadily improved over 20 years as a result of regular doses of Neil’s homemade compost.” Linda notes.

Wildlife, too, can be a trial, with foxes rearing cubs, muntjac deer grazing the lawn and badgers passing through. “But we’re also home to a huge variety of insects, butterflies and birds.” Bees and butterflies are drawn by many pollen-rich plants - buddleija, poached egg plant, marigolds and catmint, amongst others.

“My 87-year-old mother grows all the vegetables from seed in the greenhouse, and does all the propagating - she keeps me in young plants all summer long!”

Top: Plant trees to create shade over garden buildings and lawn that bears the full brunt of baking sunshine during drought.

Opposite: Linda tends to her borders, insisting that the secret is to mulch them deeply with compost, to both suppress weeds and retain moisture.

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Neil, too, comes from a family of keen gardeners. “His was a large family and, needing to feed themselves, grew a lot of vegetables.”

The potager at Woodpeckers is sheltered within high hedges, but it was not always so.

“When we first moved here, a drying wind regularly whistled through, so we had to plant dense hedges, creating a micro-climate in which plants could thrive,” explains Linda. It was also the start of two decades of drought which dictated her planting.

The year starts with an early climax of bulbs in May, with summer dominated by

A small grass garden leads from a terrace on the westerly side of the house, a froth of fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) overflowing from cracks in the stone paving. “I briefly had a gardener who mistook it for a weed, and sprayed it with weedkiller - it all but died, but soon recovered.” The Alchemilla mollis was untouched, and forms pretty clumps of silvery leaves in the gravel beside pots of feather grass.

The less demanding a plant, the warmer a welcome it has in this lovely garden. It takes such a lot of work, that it’s hard for Linda and Neil to find time to relax and enjoy it themselves. “All I see is what needs doing,” says Linda. However, the one time they truly relax is after a charity opening, when the lawns are cut, edges trimmed, weeds blitzed and hedges are immaculate. “On a warm day when the bees are buzzing, the light is good, and there’s nothing needs doing, there’s no lovelier place I’d rather be!” Linda adds.

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- gardens -

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- weddings -

The Four

SEASONS

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, so you want it to be just perfect. whether you marry in spring or summer, autumn or winter bride, we’ve some great ideas to give you some seasonal inspiration...

Image above courtesy of www.kelseyrose.co.uk.

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www.ďŹ retreephoto.co.uk

www.jakabiphotography.com

- weddings -

Spring Spring weddings are all about bright, light wedding themes. And lots of flowers! With the sun shining, the start of spring brings a fresh start for nature and it is when everything comes to life once again.

Seasonal spring flowers include tulips, anemones, daffodils, roses, sweet peas and hyacinths. You can also use bright flowers to add a splash of colour with pastel, like with Kelsey Rose bridesmaid dresses.

Incorporate nature into different areas of your wedding; use leaves and twigs in your hair or sugarcraft flowers on your wedding cake. It’s the time for Easter too, so you could make wedding favours for guests or children, using easter eggs, in pretty tin containers.

Light up your wedding with lanterns, great for a gentle golden glow at your reception - very romantic! Another option is layering fairy lights inside and out, as well as spring-scented candles on your tables.

www.bohemiandreams.co.uk.

www.dottiephotography.co.uk.

www.kelseyrose.co.uk

www.cakesbykrishanthi.co.uk.

Bridal umbrellas will wipe away the fear of April showers. Wedding day rain is meant to bring good luck but be prepared with pretty umbrellas or parasols.

Think delicate lace for your wedding dress.

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- weddings -

Summer

www.cakesbykrishanthi.co.uk.

www.bohemiandreams.co.uk.

Summer weddings have it all. Perfect weather, long days, warmer temperatures, lush greenery and bright vivid colours galore.

Summer brides have an array of flowers to choose from, and a long list of colour and hues making the possibilities really endless. Popular choices for summer weddings are roses; as shown below you can use red, yellow, pink or white together to create a Summer Garden effect. Other popular flowers are peonies, gerberas and the beautifully bright yellow sunflowers.

This colour mash-up doesn’t have to stop there. You can also include different flowers and colours on your wedding cake too. The brighter, the better!

With the warmer weather, opt for an outdoor wedding and reception in a large tent or teepee, and make sure your guests can find you with wooden signs, a trend that is still proving very popular.

www.binkynixon.com.

www.jakabiphotography.com

Give wedding favours guests will love, like jars of sweets, or conserves with a flower matching your theme or popcorn. You can also embrace the boho-bride trend by wearing a light, flowing wedding dress or hair crown.

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- weddings -

Autumn Autumn weddings have such a colourful palette to offer their brides. Rustling leaves, and beautiful hues of glowing gold, red and browns. Add flashes of alternative colours that really stand out, like purple or blue to add that wow factor to your autumn wedding.

There are many seasonal decorations and finishing touches that brides-to-be have on offer, like leaves and flower petals. You can also use seasonal fruits such as pears and apples instead of name cards on your tables.

www.laylamayphotography.co.uk

www.dottiephotography.co.uk.

Opt for a long wedding dress, as the autumn months can start to be a bit cooler, and think bright colourful wellies which will look fantastic in your photographs.

When it comes to choosing the perfect flowers for you - don’t think for a second that all the pretty spring and summer flowers will make life difficult; there are still plenty to choose from! Dahlias and Hydrangeas are a great option, and can add a splash of colour to your theme. Don’t forget to add a bit of foliage - a great way to achieve the indoor/outdoor wedding theme.

www.bohemiandreams.co.uk.

www.donlambert.co.uk.

www.dottiephotography.co.uk.

www.bohemiandreams.co.uk.

Create autumn themed favours, such as Meant to Bee honey pots, a quirky yet tasty alternative!

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- weddings -

Winter Winter weddings are the perfect time to over indulge in the creation of a magical winter wonderland; glimmering gold and silver and splashes of red, candles and roaring fires, and falling snowflakes.

www.donlambert.co.uk.

www.bohemiandreams.co.uk.

www.cakesbykrishanthi.co.uk.

The key to a winter wedding is using lots of light, not forgetting to include your outdoor space too. There is a lot less natural light during the winter months, so make sure you remember to factor this in.

Winter is all about sparkles and a great way to achieve this is with your wedding dress and cake! Jewels can create texture on your cake, and you can add a strip of colour to tie in with your chosen theme.

Use holly and red berries on wreaths with candles on your tables - roses can also look beautiful. The robin is seen as the winter bird, so give your guests favour boxes with these birds sitting on top. You could also use other winter birds. Another idea is favour stockings, or personalised Christmas bauble as a keepsake for your guests.

You can also add a splash of colour with your shoes to match your wedding day theme, such as these plum red peep toe shoes.

www.jakabiphotography.com

www.donlambert.co.uk.

www.binkynixon.com.

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Bespoke & Made to Measure Suits by a Savile Row Tailor, Andrew Musson

Andrew J Musson Bespoke Tailor of Lincoln

CALL TODAY TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A BESPOKE OR MADE TO MEASURE SUIT. 39 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8AS

Tel: (01522) 520142 info@andrewjmusson.com www.andrewjmusson.com 112

2

Visiting Tailor Service at The George Hotel of Stamford on Sunday 14th September, 12th October & 9th November, 10am – 4pm

PROUD TO BE OFFERING HIS RENOWNED BESPOKE TAILORED GARMENTS. SELECTING FROM THE FINEST ENGLISH WOOLLEN CLOTHS & SCOTTISH TWEEDS.

INTRODUCTORY OFFER

£100 Off Your First Order!

Andrew J Musson Bespoke Tailor of Lincoln

For prior appointments, please contact Andrew

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Tel: (01522) 520142 Mob: 07961 157119

info@andrewjmusson.com www.andrewjmusson.com

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Top Left: Condici cream and black dress teamed with a matching cream jacket.

Top Centre: John Charles blue pattern dress with lace detail and matching bolero.

Top Right: From Joseph Ribkoff a striking dress with floral design on a black background.

ANNE

Bottom Right: Basler collarless tweed jacket from the ‘new nudes’ collection.

WILKINSON Get your autumn and winter wardrobe stocked up with the help of Anne Wilkinson.

From the autumn and winter collections an exciting choice ofclothes to take you to every occastion.

Situated in Saltergate Lincoln and Grove Street Retford, the latter with its very own customer car park.

The Anne Wilkinson shops are brimming with ever popular labels to take you through every occasion in style.

From special occasion collections including Condici, John Charles and Presen through to Joseph Ribkoff, Betty Barclay, Basler, Olsen, Ann Balon, Gerry Weber, Godske and many others you will be spoiled for choice.

In addition, there is an exciting selection of jewellery, shoes and accessories together with our well established personal service by dedicated staff.

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Charity Ladies Day: with lunch & Fashion Show by Cindy's Wednesday 24th September at Boston West Golf Club.

Tickets £25.

Event organised

by Pam Stanley.

Fashion Show & Afternoon Tea: Tuesday 14th October at The Curlew Centre Sutton Bridge.

Tickets £10.

Telephone Cindy's to book tickets for both events.

CINdy’S

Of SuttON BrIdGE An array of autumn fashion welcomes you at Cindy’s Sutton Bridge boutique

Stylish wearable collections in brilliant colour tones set the scene for the forthcoming season. Soft muted tones from Betty Barclay sit along side striking dresses form Michaela Louisa. Frank Walder & Eugen Klein offer structured day wear but also casual seperates ideal for the weekend. New collections have been added to enhance our fabulous line up of quality labels.

Cindy’s, 108 Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge, Lincs PE12 9SA Tel: 01406 350961, www.cindysfashions.co.uk.

Closed Wednesday.

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Bo Peep Boutique

Back to school with Bo Peep Boutique of Lincoln Both boys and girls school coats and girls Lelli Kelly School shoes have arrived in store. Save a massive 15% when you purchase your girls school coat and school shoes. French Connection tracksuits are also availble for boys.

New season also sees new brands being introduced to Lincoln including Oilily and Deux pas Deux awell as favourites Frugi and Levis.

Shopping online couldnt be easier and we are offering Lincolnshire Pride readers free postage with code LINCSPRIDE. For more information on the Brands that Bo Peep Boutique stock please go to www.bopeepboutique.co.uk

Purveyors of Luxury Eyewear Since 1979

Designer frames from Prodesign Denmark & Bvlgari - just two of the famous names available at O’Briens.

43/44 Wrawby Street, Brigg, North Lincolnshire DN20 8BS Tel: 01652 653 595. Web: www.obriensopticians.co.uk

Call for an appointment or pop in to view our latest designer eyewear.

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- fASHION -

CONEyS

dESIGNEr WEAr Coneys stocks a vast choice of ladies and men’s autumn/winter 2014 fashions...

Covering all ages, and all occasions, from shopping with the girls, to business, to wedding season formal wear, we have something for everyone.

We have on offer the largest collection of denim in Lincolnshire, with jeans from G Star, Diesel, Replay, Armani Jeans, Boss, Hilfiger Denim, to name but a few.

We are very accessible with parking opposite, and should you require alterations of the garments you purchase, they can be done on the premises, sometimes even the same day.

Opening hours are 10am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 11am – 4.00pm on Sunday.

Take a look at our website www.coneysdesignerwear.co.uk Follow us on Facebook and twitter.

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- fASHION -

Find us at: No 3 Rutland Road, Skegness, Lincs PE25 2AD Tel: 01754 763258.

Opening Hours: Monday- Saturday 9.30am-5.00pm.

Customer Parking is available on request.

At Orchid Boutique autumn/winter is our absolute favourite season of the year And we love nothing more than wrapping ourselves in snuggly coats and layers of soft wool knits with bold embellished detail.

Though monochrome remains a firm favourite this season, navy is the new black, and from cobalts to teals and everything in between, we’ll all be feeling blue this autumn.

Alongside bright bold prints, fabrics like fur and leather and ‘painted knits’ reign supreme.

SEASONAL fASHION At

OrCHId

A contemporary boutique, offering a range of designer clothing and accessories...

This season, Orchid not only sees the introduction of the glamorous, feminine brand ‘Pause Cafe,’ that offers printed fabrics and asserted cuts, but also the contemporary styling of the Italian brand 'Latte' that captures new, exciting shapes and looks using unusual textures, yarns and fabrics.

These new-comers, together with the established styles from: Joseph Ribkoff; Frank Lyman; Libra; Just White; Monari; Mado; Viccio: Michele; Passione knitwear and Lauren Vidal are sure to present a collection to desire and one that reminds us just how great it is, to be a woman!

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The best of

both worlds T

he only private hospital facility in Lincolnshire, where profits are returned to the NHS for the benefit of all local NHS patients. Patients enjoy privacy and individual attention whilst having the reassurance that The Bostonian is adjacent to the sophisticated services of The Pilgrim Hospital, with its expert diagnostic and emergency medical and surgical facilities.

H Award Winning Sleep Apnoea Service Please visit our website to view the full range of services we offer

www.the-bostonian.co.uk Comfort & Peace of Mind The Bostonian is the private wing of Pilgrim Hospital and is set in its own grounds and gardens. There are 19 en-suite single rooms with digital TVs and telephone. Our dedicated housekeeping team ensure continually high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Professional Expertise Almost any condition can be treated at The Bostonian by our dedicated team of professionals – most of our Consultants live only minutes away.

We welcome self referral and provide 24 hour medical cover.

Range of Payment Options Available We deal with all the major insurance companies and also offer Fixed Price packages for the uninsured.

The Bostonian Private Wing, Pilgrim Hospital, Sibsey Road, Boston, Lincs PE21 9QS Telephone: 01205 360606 / Facsimile: 01205 311442 www.the-bostonian.co.uk • ISO 9001:2008 accredited

Pilgrim Hospital’s Private Wing

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- beauty -

Into Autumn During the autumn months, wear your hair in a pretty Ballerina Bun and compliment the look with shades of nude, lilac and taupe

Yves Saint Laurent’s Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Rebel Nudes creates bolder, more radiant and vibrant nudes. £25.

Chanel’s Lumières Facettes eyeshadow in lavender grey, golden ivory and rosy apricot are united, accentuated by intense brown, £42.

Use the Elizabeth Arden creamy highlighter to illuminate your skin with a soft, pink opalescence that looks and feels naturally radiant. £25.

Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Skin Foundation has a lightweight, silky texture that glides on seamlessly. 21 available shades for all skin types, £35.50.

The Khol Me Kajal eye liner from Guerlain has a creamy texture that glides on perfectly, enhancing the eyes, adds modern sophistication and widens the eyes. It can also create a simple smokey eye. £23.50 Use OPI Nail Lacquer in Over the Taupe to finish the look. £11.95.

Smell enchanting with Flora by Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia, £76.

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- local crafts -

Soap Opera life is like a soap opera for local businesswoman caroline coram. she’s enjoyed a successful career in high-end fashion and a career in corporate marketing.

Now, she’s created a brand new career for herself, designing and making artisan soaps, candles and scented cushions Words & Photos: Rob Davis.

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- local crafts -

Caroline Coram’s story is one of both soap, and glory. Imagine a local artisan producer and you’ll most likely have in mind somebody who creates, grows or makes food or drink.

Caroline’s products may contain herbs, and more than a dash of olive oil, but she’s not in the food industry; she’s the designer and producer of a number of beautiful herbal and essential oil-based soaps, candles and cushions designed to bring a rich lather of luxury to your bathroom, kitchen, or cloakroom.

November will mark the second anniversary of Caroline’s business, Virginia’s Artisan Soap. The businesswoman’s unique products are now stocked by Fortnum & Mason and this month, Caroline will also launch a range of candles in matching fragrances, too.

“I’m originally from Ely, but travelled quite a bit as my father was in the forces.” says Caroline. “I’ve lived in Italy and Amsterdam - all over - but settled in the area in 2007.”

Caroline’s career has seen her working in the high-end fashion sector, working in sales, marketing and PR for brands like Pringle, Kenzo and Cashmere Studio. After a career in fashion, Caroline joined a firm of venture capitalists and later worked as a freelance business consultant before deciding that she’d like to once again exercise her sense of creativity.

there was a gap in the market for artisan cosmetics and scented goods too. With some experience of herbal medicine, Caroline already had an understanding of how she could harness the power of aromatherapeutic herbs & essential oils.

In November 2012 she created the first product in her range, which now comprises seven soaps priced at around £5 each, plus a new range of scented candles at around £18 each, as well as a range of scented cushions which utilise spare from the soap-making process. Caroline now makes more than 1,000 soaps each year, supplying to local farm shops and stately homes.

“Having used to soaps we’re impressed with their rich lather and nice, old-fashioned feel...”

Having always enjoyed growing herbs in her garden, Caroline decided that a range of herbal marinades and syrups for use in cooking would make a nice artisan product that would create a cottage industry to fit around her two children and dogs.

It was at this point she realised that whilst artisan food and drink is more common,

Artisan was the original soap; it has now become a signature blend, with neroli, sandalwood and citrus.

Designed to emulate 19th century household products it’s a luxurious, pungent product wrapped in Italian Tassotti paper.

Top: Caroline’s soaps’ nomenclature are based on her middle name and the intended purpose of each one.

Above: The products lather up beautifully!

Opposite: Caroline this month launches a range of matching candles.

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- local crafts -

Unlike some artisan soap makers, who create their product in big blocks and use cheese wire to trim each one, Caroline’s are produced individually in bespoke moulds.

The soaps’ base includes hard oils - for instance, coconut oil - and soft oils like olive oil. These are prepared in separate pans and heated before adding the lye, which saponifies the oils in a chemical reaction which causes them to separate into both sodium versionse and glycerol.

The result is a slightly alkaline product which provides the soaps’ ability to clean, without the use of ingredients in mainstream products like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS; a synthetic cleaning agent which can irritate the skin and cause dryness), or parabens, which are added to inhibit bacterial growth.

“Unlike some artisan soap makers, Caroline’s soaps are produced in individual moulds...”

Essential oils and herb extracts are added to each soap to give them their characteristic scents and ensure each suits its purpose.

The names of each of Caroline’s soaps allude to their intended purpose; Bathtub is more feminine; nice for a long, luxurious soak. Butler is intended for gents, and has a masculine scent of sandalwood and ginger.

Bootroom has juniper for antiseptic properties; ideal when you return home from walking the dog or tending to horses.

Potting Shed contains pumice to act as an exfoliant for gardeners’ hands, with rosemary to heal them, too.

Governess, meanwhile, is suited to children with its delicate orange and vanilla fragrance. “There’s a real sense of satisfaction when I pour the soaps into their pre-heated moulds. After they’re hardened a little, I put cling film over the top to prevent ashing.”

Having used the soaps ourselves we’re impressed with the richness of the lather, and nice, old-fashioned feel of the products.

“I’m really glad the soaps are so popular.” says Caroline. “We’ve been getting some great feedback and repeat orders which I hope shows people really can get into a lather about the area’s own artisan soaps!”

For more information or to purchase Caroline’s range of artisan soaps, see www.virginiasartisansoap.co.uk.

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- motors -

A Winning

Formula

If proof were ever needed that the British can still manufacture the world’s best sports cars, look no further than McLaren’s new 650S, which is on sale this month Words: Rob Davis

McLaren is one of the world’s Formula One champions, and since 1989, have built a name on the racetrack with British-engineered cars. The company has an annual turnover of around £285,000,000 and employs 1,500 people, mostly at its Woking headquarters.

In a brave move for the company, McLaren began trying to make the transition from racetrack to forecourt, back in 1992, with the production of the McLaren F1 car, which was in production until 1998.

Since then, it has also partnered with Mercedes to license its expertise for their AMG cars, and it has launched the 12C car and special edition P1 car. Now though, it’s back with a new model, the 650S - essentially a replacement for the 12C - which will be on sale from next month in coupé or convertible (Spider) form, with prices starting from around £200,000.

Right from the start, it’s obvious that the 650S will not prove a replacement for your seven seater off-roader. It’s not a car to do the weekly shopping, it’s not a car for the school run... and it’s perhaps not the car to choose for our part of the country, if you happen to live down a bumpy farm track. Nonetheless, it may appeal if you’re looking for a special ‘something for the weekend’ motor which will blast happily up the motorway towards London, and provide thrills on the area’s better roads.

The 650S certainly looks fast, but with 60mph approaching in three seconds and a track-day top speed of 207mph, the car’s performance belies even its aggressive looks; carbon-fibre front air intakes, glaring headlights and monstrous rear exhaust pipes.

The car’s engine is just 3.8 litres, displaced over eight cylinders. That’s modest compared to the 5.0V8 or 6.0V12 engines put to task

by Mercedes, Bentley or Aston Martin.

Honed on the Race Track: The £200,000 McLaren 650S is a car designed to showcase the very best of British engineering excellence. It won’t be a volume seller, but it’ll certainly make a noise thanks to its 3.8V8 engine and potential 207mph top speed.

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- motors -

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“The Germans can make cars go fast, but it takes a team of British engineers to make one that’s beautiful, too.”

In fact, much of the car’s performance is down to its featherweight construction.

It weighs just 1,300kg - which is less than most models in Ford’s Focus range - and is created in light but strong carbon fibre and aluminium. It’ll even do 25mpg.

It’s also very slippery, with aerodynamics honed in the company’s specially constructed 147m wind tunnel with its four metre fan and 400 tonnes of steel, based at the company’s £300m Bond villain’s lair-like headquarters. Active aerodynamics means the car actually alters its shape on the move and it has an airbrake and ceramic brakes to improve stopping force.

Whilst the Germans and Japanese can both make cars that go fast, it takes a team of British engineers to make one that’s beautiful, too. The 650S is hand-crafted, hand-built and engineered to the Nth degree. It’s not just fast, like a stodgy US muscle car, it’s civilised too, with an Alcantara interior and automatic gearbox. Even the ride is fairly tolerable over uneven surfaces.

If you’re looking for utilitarian school-run transport, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking to drive the product of true, obsessive, beautiful British engineering, McLaren’s new offering is both state of the art, and a work of art, too.

Left: The car’s 1,300kg weight allows it to achieve 25mpg - not too bad... for a supercar!

Above: There’s an iPad-style touch screen to consolidate controls, and suede seats.

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- lIfestyle -

Come Fly

With Me

Drift away and enjoy some spectacular sights with this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We enjoyed the serenity and stillness of a hot air balloon flight around 2,500 feet above the county, with pilot rebecca cains Words & Photos: Rob Davis Balloon Pilot Rebecca Cains is by no means full of hot air when she says that taking one of her flights is something everyone deserves to experience at least once in their lives.

“Everyone should fly.” she says adamantly.

“And flying by balloon is the gentlest, most serene way to travel. It’s tranquil, so unique.”

She’s quite right. In the name of magazine journalism I’ve completed skydives, glider trips, microlight and helicopter rides, and none of the above have offered quite the serenity that a balloon ride offers.

Each of the above offer stunning views, but with no windows, no engine noise and just the occasional rumble from the burners, ballooning is a surreal experience in terms of its calmness and silence.

“I’ve got the best job in the world really.” says Rebecca. “I get to introduce people who have never flown by balloon before to an experience that many describe as a dream come true. Often they’re celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or wanting to cross off one of their bucket list experiences.”

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to be down here wishing we were up there, rather than up there wishing we were down here!” says Rebecca, wisely.

On this occasion though, the weather behaved itself and at 6am the crew arrived with their balloon and began to set up, with a little help from its 16 passengers who are encouraged to join in the fun.

The balloon is a Cameron 375, measuring just shy of 100ft. With a capacity of 375,000 cubic feet of hot air, it’s the largest permissible balloon in the UK and has four LPG burners.

Top/Above: The balloon is laid out, then filled with cool air by two huge fans.

Above/Right: Our pilot Rebecca Cains was lovely!

Right: Rebecca filled the hot air balloon with 375,000 cubic foot of hot air.

To find out for ourselves what a trip in a hot air balloon was like, we met Rebecca at one of several sites in our area and took a flight ourselves.

“Flying at between 1,500-2,500ft the view is beautiful: a spectacular patchwork of fields!”

Rebecca and her crew, Chris Johnston and Steve Mohammed, are available seven days a week and aim to fly twice a day, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather conditions.

The crew can’t fly in rain or wind over 10 knots. Sometimes flights are cancelled a couple of times before passengers are able to fly, with a final notification that the flight will take place given the night before. “It can sometimes lead to disappointment, but safety comes first and I always say it’s better 144

The crew lay the balloon’s envelope out and attach it to the basket, which is also, at that stage, on its side.

They use two huge 13hp fans to fill it with air - a process that takes around 15 minutes. Next, Rebecca fires up the burners and blasts hot air into the balloon for the final part of its erection, and five minutes or so later, it’s ready to fly, grounded only because it’s tethered to the crew’s Land Rover.

Passengers climb aboard and remain seated for a take-off that’s so smooth and gentle that it comes as quite a surprise when you stand up and see the landscape gently blossom beneath you. Flying at around 1,500-2,500ft - well below the height of commercial aeroplanes - the view is astonishing; a spectacular patchwork of golden brown and

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- lIfestyle -

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- LIFESTYLE -

An hour long flight gave me ample opportunity to talk to fellow passengers, and it’s amazing how quickly a rapport develops.

Daredevil pensioner and fellow passenger Maureen Broad is in her mid-70s, and has previously embarked upon paragliding, parasailing, and boogie-board riding as part of a desire to fulfil her own bucket list. Anyone from eight years of age upwards can fly, and Rebecca’s oldest passenger was a spritely 96 years old age!

Drifting anything from a couple of miles to 20 miles on a flight, there’s no way to steer the balloon as such, but by using the burners to fly at different heights, Rebecca can navigate to a certain degree, by listing into different winds.

Our flight was actually half an hour longer than we expected, with the breeze we needed to navigate into a field that was unharvested and free from livestock dissipating. The Land Rover and a minibus, meet the balloon where it lands and returns passengers to the take-off site.

“How do the crew know where to find us?

Do they use GPS?” I asked Rebecca. “Yes.” she replied. “Also, if they can look up in the sky they’ll see a bright red 100ft balloon coming in to land!” We all giggled at the Editor’s silly question, and began our descent, passing around each other’s cameras to ensure everyone had a record of their flight.

“It’s the best way to cure nervous fliers; peaceful, enjoyable and gentle... especially the landing!” lush green fields with tiny roads, buildings and farms below, like a model village.

Rebecca fires up the burner from time to time, filling the basket with a really cosy warmth on cooler trips. The temperature was definitely not something we needed to worry about during our flight though. Bright sunshine provided us with balmy flying conditions whilst a lack of breeze created an eerily quiet flight.

Main: The Land Rover followed the balloon and took us back to the launch site.

Above: Pride’s Editor Rob Davis... at 2,000ft!

Left: The countryside soon becomes a pretty patchwork of gold and green.

I would, perhaps, opt to wear a hat next time, though, as my increasingly receding hairline did feel the heat from both the burners and the July heatwave’s sunshine.

Alighting in a farmer’s field - having first obtained consent - all of the passengers were overwhelmed and delighted by the tranquility of the flight, the vast panoramic views and the gentle landing.

“It’s the best way to cure nervous fliers.

It’s so peaceful, so enjoyable, so serene.

Especially the landing.” says Rebecca.”

Returning to the launch site, Rebecca’s passengers all received certificates of their experience and the crew opened a coolbox full of champagne. We toasted the trip, our crew, and the various anniversaries and birthdays the passengers were celebrating, but most of all, an incredible experience courtesy of an equally incredible pilot!

We flew with Virgin Balloon Flights, prices from £102 (weekday mornings) to £179 (with a choice of day and launch sites). Rebecca flies from various locations in Lincolnshire including Belton Woods and Stoke Rochford Hall in Grantham, Stamford Meadows and Grimsthorpe Castle in Bourne and Nottinghamshire’s Kelham Hall near Newark. For more information call 01952 212750 or see www.virginballoonflights.co.uk.

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What’s On

back to burghley

hallé in lincoln

The Four-star FEI affiliated international equestrian event returns to the grounds of Burghley House. The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials features the cream of equestrian competitors engaged in dressage, cross-country and jumping in one of the world’s toughest competitions.

The event takes place from 4th-7th September on the Burghely estate.

Tickets are from £12-£28 on the gate.

This month sees a stirring performance of Sir Mark Elder’s Hallé Orchestra at Lincoln Cathedral. The Manchester group has been performing classical music together for over 150 years and return to the county on 27th September from 7pm to perform works by Elgar, Williams and Wagner in the nave.

www.burghley-horse.co.uk 01933 304744

classic car show

Birmingham-born TV comedian Jasper Carrott comes to Scunthorpe’s Bath’s Hall on 5th September, tickets £22/adults.

A new show celebrates over 40 years in comedy.

Sleaford’s annual historic car and motorcycle show is back! The event will be the 21st in its history and will take place on 6th September from 1.30am-4.30pm in the grounds of NKDC. Around 100 vehicles will be on display, and there will be display from local charities like Sleaford First Responders and the Lions.

www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk 0844 854 2776

www.shcms.co.uk 07908 620677

Jasper carrott

Top: Jasper Carrott in Scunthorpe.

Above: Back to Burghley this month as the four-star FEI event returns to Stamford.

Top/Right: Sir Mark and the Hallé performing works in the Cathedral’s nave this month. Image: Russell Hart.

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www.lincolncathedral.com 01522 561600

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- whaT’S on -

grimsthorpe festival

tosca

August Bank Holiday Monday, sees the return of Grimsthorpe Festival. An eclectic and dynamic summer festival disguised as a country fair. A very English open air party for the whole family! Well-known bands and artists, aristocracy, classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts, rockers, poets, fun runners, dancers, townies, graffiti artists and the lovely ladies who make the exceedingly good cupcakes. In short, Grimsthorpe Festival represents classic summer entertainment for a vibrant and friendly crowd from all walks of life. Held in the beautiful grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle Estate near Bourne, music and art meets traditional rural entertainment. This year the festival raises money for a number of charities including St John Ambulance, Help for Heroes and the Air Ambulance.

Boston’s Blackfriars Theatre hosts the original opera to die for; Tosca. Saturday 6th September from 8.30pm. Tickets £22-£24.

Passion, drama and murder in turbulent Rome circa 1800.

www.grimsthorpefestival.com 07711 705604

www.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk 01205 363108

lincoln comedy festival Lincoln Comedy Festival takes places across the three main comedy venues in the city: Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln, Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) and the Engine Shed.

Saturday 27th September: Joe Wilkinson at The Engine Shed from 8pm, tickets from £8.

Tuesday 7th October: Jason Cook: Broken, Engine Shed, from 8pm, tickets £12.

Friday 10th October: Tom Wrigglesworth: Utterly at Odds with the Universe, Engine Shed from 8pm, tickets from £11.

Top: Tosca’s murderous appearance in Boston.

Above: Grimsthorpe Festival was last year attended by over 20,000 people.

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- whaT’S on -

The Science

of Lincolnshire Get ready to discover Lincolnshire’s role in science as the county’s biennial festival of science takes place in (where else?) Grantham.

lincolnshire’s second Gravity Fields Festival is gearing up for another scintillating programme of events, presentations and speakers in and around Grantham.

The science, arts and heritage festival – 24th to 28th September – celebrates the area’s close connection with Sir Isaac Newton - the world’s greatest scientist.

One highlight is the globe-trotting International Science Images exhibition from the Royal Photographic Society, showcasing extraordinary scientific photography.

Science shows from the Science Museum and the National Space Centre are on the programme, plus Chris Lintott from the BBC’s Sky at Night, and Professor Mark Miodownik, of the BBC Science Club even re-traces Newton’s footsteps.

Autopsy’ by award-winning pathologist Dr Suzy Lishman who determines the truth behind common medical myths.

In 2012 the festival attracted an audience of around 35,000 through the festival week, 15,000 on the finale evening alone.

Gravity Fields Festival now has three high profile patrons; Professor Valerie Gibson, Grantham born and now one of the UK’s top women scientists, TV presenter Dallas Campbell and Rob Iliffe, a world authority on Newton.

“2012’s festival attracted an audience of around 35,000... 15,000 on the finale evening alone...”

Image: Steve Eggleton.

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There will again be a spectacular event this time on Saturday evening 27th September with a ‘Giants of Science’ finale.

World famous juggling troupe Gandini is bringing its globe-trotting Smashed juggling tour with nine jugglers and 80 apples - just one of the performance and arts companies booked.

Cllr Bob Adams, South Kesteven District Council portfolio holder for leisure, arts and culture said: “Two years ago this council was proud to support a festival unlike anything seen in Grantham before. Gravity Fields Festival 2014 promises to be just as exciting, with five days of information, fun and fascination.”

An all-ages Science Fair will run in the George Centre and an intriguing ‘Virtual

Book tickets via www.gravityfields.co.uk or box office: 01476 406158.

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The ULTIMATE Combat Gaming Experience Airsoft is a military simulation game similar to paintball. It costs a lot less to play, it hurts less and uses realistic looking replica weapons.

Two unique sites and different styles of gaming.

Fight in and around buildings or in the woods and undergrowth.

The games run with two teams, each are given objectives which they have to try and achieve.

Competitive Prices Private, corporate and open days catered for.

01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk www.freefirezone.co.uk Designed by email: games@urbanassault.org.uk Airsoft Shop www.fire-support.co.uk

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A Future for Kelham...

Lincoln businessman Jonathan Pass is hoping to transform one of the area’s historic properties.

He hopes to create a boutique hotel and spa in place of the council offices of the 44 acre Kelham Hall Country Park estate near Newark...

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The former country home and monastery on the Kelham Hall & Country Park estate is about to become a little more lively.

says Jonathan. “The country park totals 44 acres with this beautiful building in the middle of it.”

“The hall is Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed, but as well as being beautiful, it has huge potential.” says Jonathan Pass, the Lincoln businessman who hopes to transform the venue from its role as council offices for Newark and Sherwood District Council.

“At the moment we’re using it for weddings and we’re gradually instating leisure facilities.

So, we’re currently offering tennis, billiards, and afternoon teas.”

With plans underway to move the council to new, purpose-built premises in the town itself... and Jonathan has big plans for it.

“We’ve a woodland trail, children’s play area, day fishing - with 22 pegs along our own private stretch of the Trent - plus caravanning and camping with up to 200 pitches.” adds Jonathan.

“We’ve been resident here since 2012 and can really see the potential of the estate.”

The businessman’s plans are still dependent on the council’s decision to sell the building,

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but Jonathan already has a detailed proposal which he’s constantly updating as his hopes for the future of Kelham Hall are realised.

“We currently host over 150 weddings here, and it’s a really popular venue, offering a magnificent country house feel with lavish architecture, a rich history, beautiful grounds but also the space that a grand stately home wedding deserves.” says Jonathan.

The currently layout represents the third stage in the life of the estate, with the original building constructed shortly after the Civil War for Robert Sutton, the first Lord Lexington. The original hall was destroyed by fire in 1647 and a new building was constructed in its place. A fire struck once more in 1857 and the current wing was created in 1863 as a replacement for the incumbent

Manners Sutton family. It was designed by architect George Gilbert Scott, a master of English gothic revivalism who later designed St Pancras Station - using his experience from Kelham Hall as inspiration. Despite the fact that the new property was declared completely fireproof, the property was the first that Gilbert Scott had worked on and he committed a number of faux pas in the creation of the Hall, including the positioning of the Lady Chapel and billiards room adjacent to one another and the placement of the morning room on a west-facing façade.

The Manners Sutton family fell into financial difficulty near the completion of the property. The house was repossessed, and the Manners Suttons moved to The Red House nearby.

The trustees of the estate would find new occupiers for the hall in the form of the Society of the Sacred Mission. An Anglican order of monks, they trained at Kelham in preparation for missionary work and were interrupted only when the army requisitioned the house for the two World Wars.

Above: Kelham Hall & Country Park is currently open to the public for afternoon teas and private dining, tennis, billiards, fishing and woodland walks.

Jonathan’s plans could see the estate transformed into a boutique hotel and estate with a luxury spa .

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“At the moment we’re hosting weddings and we’re creating leisure facilities, so we’re currently offering tennis, billiards, afternoon teas and private dining...”

Top: The original Gilbert Scott building in the 1860s.

Above: The Salvin Wing, spared by the second fire.

Right: Father Herbert Kelly was the founder of the Society of the Sacred Mission.

Main: We enjoyed afternoon tea served on Kelham Hall’s tiered cake stands.

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The monks extended the property with the addition of the modern Western wing in 1927. They added the domed chapel - which remains the second largest in England - and this, together with the hall’s seven state rooms, are used as today’s function, conference and wedding venues.

The newer wing currently houses most of the district council’s offices, but if and when Jonathan’s plans are realised, the monk’s art deco style wing will be used to provide the estate with 50 bedrooms, with a further 30 bedrooms in the Gilbert Scott wing.

The refectory is currently open seven days a week offering private dining and afternoon teas as well as sandwiches, paninis, lunches, Sunday Carvery and ice creams, part of plans to keep the hall in public use.

“We’re determined that the estate remains open to visitors.” says Jonathan. “We don’t want to close the doors and stop people enjoying such a beautiful old building.

We rely on the public coming and enjoying our facilities.”

“That’s why we’re also hosting events throughout the year for the whole family.

We’ve Peppa Pig visiting on 25th August for bank holiday fun, Sense and Sensibility to be performed on 31st August by the Chapterhouse open air theatre group, and a murder mystery dinner party on 20th September.”

Jonathan’s plans are on course to create over 100 jobs, a fine-dining restaurant and a more casual restaurant in the current Carriage Court. Jonathan’s plans for the hall will see the creation of a stunning country estate

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- LIFESTYLE -

“We’ve a host of events for visitors all year round with Peppa Pig, live theatre and a murder mystery dinner party coming soon!” with health club membership opportunities, a calendar of live music and events.

The estate is also offering history tours, with Jonathan himself gathering a wealth of information. When his plans are realised he also hopes to create an exhibition within Kelham Hall, and whilst the building is in daily use by the district council, visitors can still visit the estate free of charge to enjoy the beautiful woodland.

“We’ve big plans for the future of Kelham Hall & Country Park.” says Jonathan.

“We’ve already cleared a large area of the grounds and hope to carry on restoring the estate to its former glory.”

“It’s already enjoyed by a large number of people with the activities that we offer now, but we hope to make it even more appealing in the future.”

Kelham Hall & Country Park near Newark is open to the public for weddings, afternoon teas, private dining, Sunday Carvery, camping, fishing, walking, tennis and billiards. For more information call 01636 980000 or see www.kelham-hall.com.

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LE CREUSET • BRABANTIA • BAKEWARE • GARDEN PRODUCTS

Achurch for Quality Variety and Service Upstairs & Downstairs

WELL WORTH A VISIT! YOUR LOCAL FRIENDLY HARDWARE STORE 16/17 Market Place, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 5BN

Telephone: 01507 523441

KITCHENWARE • CAKE/BREAD STORAGE

TRAYS • OVEN/TABLEWARE • TOOLS • LE-CAFETIERE

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B/D POWER TOOLS • GLASSWARE - CRYSTAL • SMALL ELECTRICAL

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Crosswords cryptic crossword Test your lateral thinking skills with this month’s Cryptic Crossword. Each puzzle has a set of perplexing clues to unravel, and as every lover of logic knows, the frustration is all part of the fun!

across 1. Quite vain, to be blunt (9) 6. Work in church and you may wear it (4) 8. Giant firm states no profit is taken (8) 9. WWII field marshal gains military medal in new role (6) 10. A tense assembly of university governors (6) 11. Thumbs up for it! (8) 12. Beat nervous tension (6) 15. A compulsory turnout (8) 16. Equestrian discipline is a habit that comes with time (8) 19. Decorate without a central point and it becomes gaudy (6) 21. Run caused by panic in the stock market? (8) 22. Judge gives fools direction (6) 24. Burning a mark on a horse (6) 25. Current keeping river very warm (8) 26. Tax it out of frivolity (4) 27. Blow makes market reel (5,4)

down 1. Be under professional scrutiny (5) 2. One extremely behind schedule in divorce (7) 3. Head of state moves to centre, showing discrimination (5) 4. Trap seen, ran off ! (7) 5. Young lad subtracting initially, then multiplying (9) 6. Behave well — or have romp around in bed! (7) 7. Teardrops shed for hungry animals (9) 13. Go on board deck (9) 14. What the bank has to say of your account? (9) 17. Survey the whole lot with a girl (7) 18. Let care be arranged for tragic female (7) 20. A cross in Italy shows where a composer is buried (7) 22. Left in a unit entirely without support (5) 23. Said to have remained sober (5)

down

1. University chair (13) 8. Opposed (4) 9. Clothes worn by members of a group (8) 10. Old style boxing match for money (10) 12. Negotiate (6) 14. Neat — fir (6) 15. Conflict — argument (10) 19. Revenge — quartile (anag) (8) 20. Swearword (4) 21. "You can argue till you're ____" (4,2,3,4)

2. Bypass round urban area (4,4) 3. German name (5) 4. Mildly intoxicated (7) 5. Due (5) 6. To score (anag) (7) 7,13. 1963 Lemmon and MacLaine film (4,2,5) 11. Verse where eg the first letters in each line form a word or message (8) 13. See 7 14. Unseen machination (7) 16. Rich cloth (5) 17 Parody — prank (5) 18 Raised mark on the skin caused eg by a whip (4)

cryptic answers

Quick answers

Quick crossword

across

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